HomeMy WebLinkAbout1978-Z
DATE: April 20, 2009
TO: Planning Commission and City Council
FROM: Stephen C. Richardson, Planning Manager
SUBJECT: Consider a request for a zone change from RCR (Residential
Conservation and Revitalization) District, GC-MD (General
Commercial-Multiple Family Dwelling) District, LI (Light
Industrial) District and HI (Heavy Industrial) District to CBD
(Central Business District) and from LI (Light Industrial) District
to RCR (Residential Conservation and Revitalization) District
FILE: 1978-Z
STAFF REPORT
The Planning Manager recommends approval.
Due to ongoing private and public investment, Downtown Beaumont is
continuing its revitalization. This revitalization comes after years of
disinvestment caused by development patterns shifting toward the
suburbs. As existing buildings like the Kyle Building, Century Tower
and Crockett Street have been restored, new buildings like Cathedral
Square have been constructed. As the City continues to reinvest in
Downtown, the need to protect current and future investments has
increased. One important way to help protect current investments
and to attract new interest is to provide enhanced control of land use.
More than $100 million in private and public money has been invested
in Downtown Beaumont over the past 15 years. Also, the City is in
the process of building its new Downtown Event Center and Park. In
order to protect these investments and provide a level of security of
investment for future developers, enhanced land use controls are
needed.
Currently, large parts of Downtown Beaumont are zoned for heavy
and light industrial uses. These zoning categories permit such uses as
mobile home dealerships, paper and steel mills and chemical plants,
some without any requirement for approval by the Planning
Commission and City Council. While these uses are certainly needed
in our community, locating them in our revitalizing downtown may
not be for the best. Also, while some of these uses are currently in
our downtown, their location on the periphery and their limited
numbers make them somewhat compatible to current levels of
redevelopment. However, limiting future uses to the core of
downtown and closer to the new park, allows for future
redevelopment that would be better suited to a revitalized Downtown
Beaumont.
STAFF REPORT continued
To this end, Planning staff recommends expanding the CBD zoning as
illustrated on the attached map. In addition, there is one lot in Block
11, Beaumont Addition, that is owned by the Catholic Diocese of
Beaumont. The entire block is the site of a new chancery being built
by the church. Lot 5 is zoned LI while the rest of the lot is zoned
RCR.
Exhibits are attached.
PUBLIC NOTIFICATION
Notices mailed to property owners 458 .
Responses in Favor . Responses in Opposition
.
LEGAL DESCRIPTION FOR ORDINANCE PURPOSES
CBD - Being Lots 5-12, Block 22, Calder Addition; Tracts 43, 45,
45A, 46-49 and Part of Tract 47, Plat E; Lots 554-558, Block 4;
Lots 564-568, Block 5; Lots 574-578,Block 6; Lots 580-586,
Block 7; Blocks 19-21; Blocks 26-27; Blocks 30, 59, 64; Lots
499-508, Block 65; Blocks 67-68, Beaumont Addition; Block 4;
Lots 1-7, Block 9; Blocks 12-13; Lots 7-12, Block 14; Lots 7-12,
Block 15; Lots 7-10, Block 16; Blocks 19-27; Blocks 29-32; Block
68B; Tracts B & C, Van Wormer Addition; Blocks 1-9, McMillan
Addition and Plat B, Tract 24, City of Beaumont, Jefferson County,
Texas, containing 99.22 acres, more or less.
RCR - Being Lot 5, Block 11, Beaumont Addition, City of Beaumont,
Jefferson County, Texas, containing 0.14 acres, more or less.