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HomeMy WebLinkAbout6-19-06 PC MinutesA Regular Meeting and Joint Public Hearings of the Planning Commission and City Council were held on June 19, 2006 with the following members present: Commission members present: Chairman Glenn Bodwin Vice Chairman Lynda Kay Makin Commissioner Dale Hallmark Commissioner Virginia Hurley Commissioner Laurie Leister Commissioner Sina Nejad Commissioner Marty Craig Alternate Commissioner Ted Moor Commission members absent: Commissioner Walter Kyles Commissioner Greg Dykeman Alternate Commissioner Steven Johnson Councilrnembers present: Mayor Guy Goodson Mayor Pro-Tem Audwin Samuel Councilmember-at-Large Becky Ames Councilmember Lulu Smith Councilmember Nancy Beaulieu Councilmembers absent: Councilmember-at-Large Andrew Cokinos Councilmember Bobbie Patterson Also present: Stephen Richardson, Planning Manager; Jill Cole, Recording Secretary; Adina Abshire, Planner; Tyrone Cooper, City Attorney; Joe Sanders, First Assistant City Attorney, Kyle Hayes, City Manager APPROVAL OF THE NIINUTES ' Commissioner Makin made a motion to approve the minutes of the Regular Meeting and Joint Public Hearings held May 15, 2006. Commissioner Hallmark seconded the motion. Motion to approve carried 8:0. Planning Commission June 19, 2006 REGULAR MEETING 1) Replat - Lots 1-4, Sonward Estates: Consider a request for a replat of Lot 2, Ashworth Addition into Lots 1-4, Sonward Estates. Location: 8520-8550 Old Voth Road Applicant: Faust Engineering and Surveying, Inc. Mr. Richardson presented the staff report. The subject property is currently vacant. Lots 1-3 will be 0.16 acres in size and Lot 4 will be 1 acre in size. This item was sent to all interested parties. No negative responses were received. Two notices were mailed to property owners within the subdivision. No responses in favor or in opposition were returned. Chairman Bodwin opened the public hearing and asked for the applicant's comments. Richard Faust, the applicant, addressed the Commission. Chairman Bodwin asked for comments in favor or in opposition. No comments were made. The public hearing was closed. Commissioner Craig made a motion to approve a replat of Lot 2, Ashworth Addition into Lots 1-4, Sonward Estates located at 8520-8550 Old Voth Road as requested in the Replat of Lots 1-4, Sonward Estates. Commissioner Makin seconded the motion. Motion to approve carried 8:0. JOINT PUBLIC HEARINGS Mayor Goodson called the Joint Public Hearings of June 19, 2006 to order and explained the purpose of the joint hearing process and then turned the meeting over to Chairman Bodwin. He explained the policies and procedures for the hearing process. 1) File 1795-ZIP: Request for a specific use permit to allow an insurance business in an RM-H (Residential Multiple Family Dwelling -Highest Density) District. Location: 3336 S. Major Drive Applicant: Tracey Lumpkin Mr. Richardson presented the staff report. The subject property was rezoned to , RM-H in May. Tracey Lumpkin is requesting this specific use permit to allow her insurance office in an existing residential structure at 3336 S. Major Drive. Ms. Lumpkin states that 2 Planni Fig Commission June 19, 2006 she sells life, health and employee benefits insurance. Office hours are from 8:30 - 4:30 Monday through Friday. There are two employees on premise. Mr. Richardson recommended approval with a modification to the landscaping and screening requirement along the north and south lines where there will be a partial 8' tall fence and a 5'-7' landscape strip and along the west property line where there is an existing tree line. Ten notices were mailed to property owners within 200 feet of the subject property. One response in favor and none in opposition were returned. Slides of the subject property were shown. Chairman Bodwin opened the public hearing and asked for the applicant's comments. Tracey Lumpkin, the applicant, addressed the Commission. Ms. Lumpkin answered questions regarding signage. Chairman Bodwin asked for comments in favor or in opposition. No comments were made. The public hearing was closed. Commissioner Hurley made a motion to approve a specific use permit to allow an insurance business in an RM-H District at 3336 S. Major Drive as requested in File 1795-Z/P with a modification to the landscaping/screening requirement along the north and south lines where there will be partial 8' tall fencing and a 5'-7' landscape strip and along the west property line where there is an existing tree line. Commissioner Makin seconded the motion. Motion to approve carried 7:1(Nej ad). 2) File 1827-P: Request for a specific use permit to allow a financial consulting business in an RCR (Residential Conservation and Revitalization) District. Location: 2570 North Street Applicant: Phillip G. Salter Mr. Richardson presented the staff report. The applicant, Phillip Salter of the Salter Financial Group, is requesting a specific use permit to allow a financial consulting office in an existing house at 2570 North. Mr. Salter states that, under normal circumstances, no more than one client will visit the office. Three employees will be employed at this address. Parking will be constructed in the backyard. Mr. Salter states that he will not have the need for a sign in the front yard. Mr. Richardson recommended denial of the request. While there are some commercial establishments in this block of North, the block is basically single family in nature. 3 Planning Commission June 19, 2006 Residents of the Oaks Historic District have expressed a desire to restrict further commercial encroachment into the neighborhood. Mr. Richardson recommend that a zoning study be done for the area from First to Eleventh Streets and from IH-10 to Smart. If it is the desire of the Planning Commission to approve the specific use permit, as submitted, a m odification t o the 1 andscaping/screening r equirements w ould b e required along the east, west and north property lines. Twenty-four notices were mailed to property owners within 200 feet. Nine responses in favor and none in opposition were returned. Slides of the subject property were shown. Chairman Bodwin opened the public hearing and asked for the applicant's comments. Phillip and Gina Salter, the applicants, addressed the Commission. Mr. Salter stated that most of their business is done by phone, mail, or computer and that there would be very few clients coming into the office. He said that improvements to the house include new cabinetry, drywall, plumbing fixtures and electrical wiring. Mr. Salter'.s assistant will rent and live in the second story of the house. Discussion followed between the applicant and the Commission regarding their knowledge of the Oaks District regulations, ADA requirements and conversations that they have had with their neighbors Chairman Bodwin asked for comments in favor or in opposition. Lee Parker, 550 Fannin, addressed the Commission in favor of the request. Mr. Parker is the Mr. and Mrs. Salter's attorney. Nancy Zey, 863 N. 5'h Street, addressed the Commission in opposition to the request. Gretchen Hargroder, Vice President of the Old Town Neighborhood Association, addressed the Commission in opposition to the request. Rebuttal by Mr. and Mrs. Salter. The public hearing was closed. Commissioner Hallmark made a motion to table a specific use permit to allow a financial consulting business in an RCR District at 2570 North Street as requested 4 Planning Commission June19,2006 in File 1827-P so that the applicants can meet with the Old Town Neighborhood Association at their meeting next month. Motion failed for lack of a second. Commissioner Leister made a motion to approve a specific use permit to allow a specific use permit to allow a financial consulting business in an RCR District at 2570 North Street as requested in File 1827-P with a modification ' to the landscaping/screening -requirements (six foot tall wood screening fences along the east, west and north property lines and a 3 %2 foot landscape strip along the 16' long porte cochere on the west property line) and in favor of a zoning study for the area from First to Eleventh Streets and from IH-10 to Smart. Commissioner Hurley seconded the motion. Discussion followed between the Commission members. Mr. Cooper suggested separating the motions for the specific use permit and the zoning study. Commissioner Leister withdrew the portion of the motion regarding the zoning study. The motion to approve the specific use permit with a modification to the landscaping/screening requirements failed 3:5 (Hallmark, Bodwin, Nejad, Makin, Craig). Commissioner Craig made a motion to approve a zoning study for the area from First to Eleventh Streets and from IH-10 to Smart. Commissioner Leister seconded the motion. Motion to approve carried 8:0. 3) File 692-OB: Request for an amendment to the Zoning Ordinance, Section 30, to allow wineries and micro -breweries in the CBD (Central Business District), GC - MD ( General Commercial -Multiple Family Dwelling) and G C-MD-2 ( General Commercial -Multiple Family Dwelling-2) District. Applicant: City of Beaumont Planning Division Mr. Richardson presented the staff report. The request is for an amendment to Section 30 of the Zoning Ordinance to allow wineries and brewpubs in the Central Business District by -right and GC -MD and GC-MD-2 zoning districts with a specific use permit. An individual recently contacted the Planning Division about opening a "personal winery" in the downtown area or the West End. A personal winery involves selecting the type of wine someone would like to make. Then under supervision, the individual mixes the grape juice with several ingredients. The vintners nurture 5 Planning Commission June 19, 2D06 the wine through the fermentation process which takes four to eight weeks. The customer then returns to bottle and label their wine. In addition to the wine making, there will be wine making classes, wine sampling and tastings and a gift shop featuring wine drinking accessories. In a ddition t o w ineries, b rewpubs w ere c onsidered. C urrently, w ine a nd b eer making are considered manufacturing processes and not permitted in the CBD and the GC -MD districts. Both the brewpub and the winery would be retail establishments where spirits and wines would be made and sold for on and off - premise consumption. Mr. Richardson recommended approval of the amendments to the Zoning Ordinance as submitted in the staff report. Chairman Bodwin opened the public hearing. Patti Standley addressed the Commission. She is interested in opening a winery in Beaumont. Chairman Bodwin asked for comments in favor or in opposition. Carolyn Oliver addressed the Commission in favor of the request. Ms. Oliver is Ms. Standley's partner. The public hearing was closed. Commissioner Leister made a motion to approve an amendment to the Zoning Ordinance, Section 30, to define wineries and brew pubs and to allow wineries and micro -breweries in all zoning districts with a specific use permit as requested in File 692-OB. Commissioner Makin seconded the motion. Motion to approve carried 8:0. OTHER BUSINESS THERE BEING NO FURTHER BUSINESS, THE MEETING WAS ADJOURNED AT 4:45 P. M. r1