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Home My WebLink About1620-PDATE: June 17,2002 TO: Planning Commission and City Council FROM: Stephen C. Richardson, Planning Manager 11641 SUBJECT: Consider a request for a specific use permit to allow a taxi service business in a GC - MD (General Commercial -Multiple Family Dwelling) District. (This case was postponed from May 29, 2002.) FILE: 1620-P STAFF REPORT The Planning Manager recommends approval of this request of a specific use permit to allow a taxi service business. Paul and Liz Leger, owners of American Quality Cabs, must vacate their current place of business in the Goodhue Building by June 30. All tenants have been ordered to vacate that building. Therefore, the Legers are now in need of a new location to operate their taxi service business. In 1999, City Council approved a specific use permit to allow the Legers to operate their taxi service on property at M.L.K. Parkway and Laurel. After the granting of the specific use permit, the property owner changed his mind and the Legers were not able to use that property. Since then, they have operated out of the Goodhue Building on Crockett. The Legers would now like to utilize two vacant lots at the southwest comer of Liberty and Center. A 10'x 44modular office will be used as a "taxi terminal". This will involve an office and dispatch center. A 30' x 40' metal building will be used for minor maintenance to autos. Contact with the drivers will be via a 2-way radio. The drivers work 12 hour shifts and the shifts will be staggered so that there will only be one or two drivers at the office at shift change. All major work on the vehicles is contracted and will be done off -site. Exhibits are attached. PUBLIC NOTIFICATION Notices mailed to property owners 16 Responses in Favor . Responses in Opposition -. IXGAL DESCRIPTION FOR ORDINANCE PURPOSES Being Lots 1 & 2, Block 24, Calder Addition, City of Beaumont, Jefferson County, Texas, containing 0.32 acres, more or less. Friday, April 26, 2002 /& �o — P City of Beaumont Planning commission and City Council Paul and Liz Leger, owners of Leger Enterprises, Inc.-d.b.a. American Quality Cabs, urgently request your consideration and approval of a specific use permit to ensure our ability to continue serving the citizens of Beaumont. Our situation is urgent because the new owners of our current location have decided to renovate the building and all of the tenants must vacate. It is due to this fact that our lease has been terminated, effective June 30, 2002. As you know, in 1999 City Council approved a permit for the property at M.L.K. and Mariposa that we intended to purchase. The owner changed his mind after the permit was granted however, SO we were unable to use it Since then we have operated from a small office in the Goodhue Building on Crockett St, and have not had a single complaint concerning our operations at this location from anyone about anything. The physical location of the property, described in the attached site plan, is in the Calder addition at the comer of Liberty and Center Streets, Lots I & 2. There are no existing buildings. The primary use shall be as the office for American Quality Cabs and as the dispatch center, which the dispatcher shall control by 2-way radio, the movements of the taxicabs on the streets of the city. My wife and I will usually be there during the day doing the bookkeeping, marketing., etc. necessary to the operation, and at night there will only be one dispatcher on the premises. We rent our cabs to the drivers who drive 12 hr. shifts and the only vehicular activity will be at shift change time for the drivers. We have staggered those times to ensure there will only be one or two drivers at the office at shift change. All major work on the vehicles is contracted i.e., body repairs, painting, motor and transmission repair and/or replacement thereby eliminating the need to control any "offensive odors, fumes, dust, noise or vibrations". Actually, since our business depends on our vehicles being out on the streets in order to profit, the only ones at the site would be those requiring minor maintenance such as oil changes, brake pads, etc. and occasionally those parked during periods of decreased demand. Used oil will be re -cycled. We propose and intend to use this property solely as a "Taxi Terminal" as described, and required by, Beaumont's City Ordinance, which applies to everyone desiring to operate a taxi business within the city limits. Our use of the property would not interfere with the use and enjoyment of any surrounding property nor would it be injurious or diminishing to property values in the immediate vicinity. Quite to the contrary, the business owners and individuals we spoke with in the vicinity have suggested that our 24 hour presence along with the proposed additional area lighting combined with our four camera electronic surveillance system, would actually increase property values and perhaps encourage the development and/or improvement of neighboring property. Existing city streets and storm sewers currently provide adequate access to the property and drainage during storms. Electricity, water, and sewer service will be provided after the office building has been delivered, set-up, and tied down. Ordinary residential refuse collections will be sufficient for trash disposal. Proposed additional lighting shall be of the residential "security. light' type supplied by Entergy. The four -camera electronics surveillance system was actually purchased for our current location just before we were notified we had to relocate. If our permit is approved we propose to install it at our now location. The design and location of all existing driveway cuts and aprons appear to be safe and sufficient for our purposes and we do not intend to install any more. We do propose to widen and improve the 13' cut opening onto Center Street to at least 20' to facilitate ease of entry and exit, thereby improving safety. Also, since we are strictly a service business whose customers call to request a ride by telephone, we do not allow the general public access into our office, so there will be not public traffic in and out of the driveways. In closing I would like to mention that my wife and I have spent a enormous amount of time looking for a suitable location we can afford, negotiating with the owners, and locating an affordable office building for our business. We have reached an agreement with owners to purchase the property contingent on securing this permit. We have also found the perfect used modular office building for our office, and the owner is holding it for us. However, if we have to go through this process again, he will probably sell it to someone else. Sincerely, Paul A. Leger and Isabel Leger, Owners 0 AM? FILE 1620-P: Request for a specific use permit to allow a taxi service in a GC -MD (General Commercial - Multiple Family Dwelling) District. Location: Southwest corner of Center & Liberty Applicant: Leger Enterprises, Inc. 0, A 4 V 0 0 a P a a IV a 10 If A CALDER AVE. 3041 30 IV /0 7 tl A » 0 a 1 0 . 0 a U a a /(may wAx I ,. kv, II BROAD AY AVE. 30 "0 .40 0 f�smad/cC1 14 rJ W NORTH SCALE z z Y y w My W AP At 0 W AVE h'-'1 - - 0 --- LJL OUDUEZ LIBERTY AVE. 50 Clwl 4AVALM - ( - A E 02 Vf LM LAUREL AVE. 30 IV i 30 50 30 1 1-40 52 W 50 t-. ia 8 AP 1A AF, 0 -,I ;p V. WIA I Ir i: 0 t, i pa i I I 17�-1 M I'TA- N, � ^5 t 4 i 1 . tu ?- i'....._ z�_.�_ _. _p � ,-,—tom • - 4. , ou I C I �!� + Oi f I_ ui _� - T , t ul ZI w -�- VI LU-------------- OL— . .......,.._ ..._. ? I 4- � h � I . _ r i - I t � I i I I Si A room a 9 NJ Ri a 06 ANALYSIS CONDITIONS FOR APPROVAL OF SPECIFIC USE PERMIT (SECTION 30-26.E, ZONING ORDINANCE Application Application is in is not in Comments Compliance Compliance Attached CONDITIONS: I. That the specific use will be compatible with and not injurious to the use and enjoyment of other property, nor significantly diminish or impair property values within the immediate vicinity; x x 2. That the establishment of the specific use will not impede the normal and orderly development and improvement of surrounding vacant property; x 3. That adequate utilities, access roads, drainage and other necessary supporting facilities have been or will be provided; x 4. The design, location and arrangement of all driveways and parking spaces provides for the safe and convenient movement of vehicular and pedestrian traffic without adversely affecting the general public or adjacent developments; x S. That adequate nuisance prevention measures have been or will be taken to prevent or control offensive odor, funics, dust, noise and vibration; x G. That directional fighting will be provided so as not to disturb or adversely affect neighboring properties; x 7. That there are sufficient landscaping and screening to insure harmony and compatibility with adjacent property; and x 8. That the proposed use is in accordance with the Comprehensive Plan. x ANALYSIS continued This application is in compliance with the eight conditions necessary for approval. Comments on item I follows: 1. The immediate neighborhood is a mixture of residential, commercial and light industrial land uses. The applicants will fence and landscape the property to enhance the visual aspects of the property. Minor repairs to vehicles will be done within an enclosed building, GENERAL, INFORMATION/PUBLIC UTILITIES APPLICANT: Leger Enterprises, Inc, PROPERTY OWNER: Gerald Williams and Barbara Edwards LOCATION: Southwest comer of Liberty and Center LEGAL DESCRIPTION: Lots 1 & 2, Block 24, Calder Addition EXISTING ZONING: GC -MD (General Commercial -Multiple Family Dwelling) District PROPERTY SIZE: 0.32 acres EXISTING LAND USES: Vacant FLOOD HAZARD ZONE: "C"-Minimal flooding SURROUNDING LAND USES: SURROUNDING ZONING: NORTH: Residential GC -MD (General Commercial -Multiple Family Dwelling) District EAST: Residential GC -MD SOUTH: Commercial GC -MD WEST: Vacant GC -MD COMPREHENSIVE PLAN: CBD Special District OTHER PHYSICAL FEATURES: None GENERAL INFORMATION/PUBLIC UTILITIES continued STREETS: Liberty Avenue - a major arterial with a 60' wide right-of-way and a 27' pavement width. Center Street - a local street with a 70' wide right-of-way and a 30' pavement width. DRAINAGE: Curb and gutter WATER: 6" water line in Liberty and Center SANITARY SEWER SERVICE: 12" sanitary sewer line in Liberty and Center FIRE PROTECTION: Fire protection is provided by Station #1, 747 College. ADEQUACY OF SERVICE: Services are adequate,