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Home My WebLink About1534-PRIAL! DATE: November 20,2000 TO: Planning Commission and City Council FROM: Stephen C. Richardson, Planning Manager SUBJECT: Request for a specific use permit to allow a private rental hall in an existing building in an RCR (Residential Conservation and Revitalization) District at 1685 Park Street (former site of the Carroll -Wallace Funeral Home). FILE: 1534-P r I$ The Planning Manager recommends approval of the specific use permit subject to meeting the landscaping and screening requirements. Yvonne F. Como wishes to rent her building (three adjoining structures) for weddings, receptions, parties, family and class reunions and for other celebratory assemblies. She received a specific use permit in 1999 to return the use to a funeral home but this proposal did not materialize. The property also received a specific use permit as a church in 1997, but the church changed locations and she bought the property. Prior to the church use the property was vacant and put up for sale in 1996 by the Carroll -Wallace Company. Exhibits are attached. Notices mailed to property owners 26 Responses in Favor . Responses in Opposition LEGAL DESCRIPTION FOR ORDINANCE PURPOSES Being Lot 2, east 17 feet of Lot 3, Lots 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10, Block 8, Jersey Farm Addition, containing 1.0385 acres, more or less, YVONNE F. COMO ATTORNEYAT LAW October 26, 2000 The'Planning Commission and City Council City of Beaumont Beaumont, Texas 77701 Gentlemen/Ladies: POST OFFICE BOX 2603 BEAUMONT, TEXAS 77704 (409) 835-4971 OVORK) (409) 842-2405 (HOME) (409) 842-0188 (FAX) Attached is my application for a specific use permit for the operation of a celebration house/reception center at 1685 Park Street. (See Attachment A.) I am presently authorized to operate the facility as a funeral home in accordance with Ordinance No. 99-75 granted on October 5, 1999. At that time I was affiliated with a licensed mortician and anticipated that we would operate the funeral home as partners. Unfortunately, our partnership was short-lived and its dissolution left me owning the facility but not having the professional license to operate it as a funeral home. I have been unable to affiliate myself with an independent licensed mortician under terms and conditions that are acceptable to me. Additionally, I have no desire to seek such licensing myself. I have therefore opted to utilize the property in a manner I believe to be as beneficial to the community but which does not require professional licensing for its operation. In support of my application, the following comments address the eight conditions that are required to be met under Section 30-26E of the Zoning Ordinance. 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 At the time I purchased the facility at 1685 Park Street, it was operated as a church. For the fifty years prior to the church's occupancy in 1996, the facility had been home to the Carroll -Wallace Funeral Home. Approval of this application for a specific use permit will allow me to operate the facility as a celebration house/reception center to host celebrations of every description including, but not limited to, weddings and receptions; birthday, anniversary, graduation and holiday celebrations; family and class reunions and miscellaneous other celebratory assemblies. The uses of properties in the surrounding area are unchanged from their uses in August, 1999, when my previous application for a specific use permit was submitted. The proposed use of my property is compatible with the existing uses and will not interfere with the peaceful use and enjoyment of neighboring properties nor will it diminish or impair property values. To the contrary, to return the property at 1685 Park Street to an attractive, productive piece of real estate cannot help but INCREASE the value of properties in the immediate vicinity. For details of the present uses of surrounding properties see Attachments B- I and B-2. Z THAT THE, ESTABLISHMENT OF THE SPECIFIC USE WILL NOT IMPEDE THE NORMAL AND ORDERLY DEVELOPMENT AND IMPROVEMENT OF SURROUNDING VACANT PROPERTY. The establishment of a celebration house/reception center at 1685 Park Street will not impede the normal and orderly development and improvement of surrounding vacant property. The proposed use can co -exist well with either residential or commercial properties. Additionally, there is presently no significant activity underway to utilize other vacant structures in the area, many of which are commercial facilities. Rather than impeding the normal and orderly development and improvement of vacant property, the proposed use may well serve as an incentive to stimulate use and development of vacant and/or underutilized properties. 3. THA TADEQUATE UTILITIES, ACCESS ROADS, DRAINAGE AND OTHER NECESSA R Y S UPPOR TING FACILITIES HAVE BEEN OR WILL BE PROVIDED. I believe that adequate utilities, access roads, drainage and other necessary supporting facilities have already been provided. No inadequacies in these facilities were indicated as recently as October, 1999, when my previous request for a specific use permit to operate a funeral home at this location was considered and approved. 4. THE DESIGN, L OCA TION AND ARRANGEMENT OF ALL DRI VE- WAYSAND PARKING SPACES PROVIDE FOR THE SAFE AND CONVENIENT MOVEMENT OF VEHICULAR AND PEDESTRIAN TRAFFIC WITHOUTADVRSEL Y AFFECTING THE GENERAL PUBLIC ORADJACENT DEVELOPMENT. The site plan submitted with this application demonstrates my plan for the safe and convenient movement of vehicular and pedestrian traffic. (See Attachments C-1, C-2 and C-3.) From my rear and north side parking lots, pedestrian traffic can move up the sidewalk and into the facility without adversely affecting the general public. Cars will exit the parking lot onto side streets that intersect several major arteries running north, south, east and west. The facility will accommodate gatherings of 275 people or less. In addition to parking provided for in the site plan, arrangements have been made with the Christ Mission Temple to use its parking lot on an "as needed" basis. The church's lot can accommodate approximately 25 cars. It is located directly across Pennsylvania from my rear parking lot. Ingress and egress from the church's parking lot will likewise provide for the safe and convenient movement of vehicular and pedestrian traffic without adversely affecting the general public or adjacent development. S. THAT ADEQUATE NUISANCE PREVENTION MEASURES HA VE BEEN OR WILL BE TAKEN TO PREVENT OR CONTROL OFFENSIVE ODOR, FUMES, DUST, NOISE AND VIBRATION. The operation of the proposed celebration house/reception center does not involve the generation of odor, fumes, dust or vibration. Activities will be conducted primarily inside the facility. Noise generated should not exceed that which is normally encountered in daily living activities as people enter and exit the facility. 0 WI-4. "M I= 0441r The property presently has significant directional lighting. Rather than adversely affecting the neighboring properties, it provides security. Very little additional lighting is required. No changes were indicated as recently as October, 1999, when my previous request for a specific use permit to operate a funeral home at this location was considered and approved. Z THAT THERE ARE SUFFICIENT LANDSCAPING AND SCREENING TO INSURE HARMONYAND COMPATIBILITY WITHADJACENT PROPERTY. Sufficient landscaping and screening presently exists to insure harmony and compatibility with adjacent property. Additional trees are planned for the parking lot as reflected on the site plan. To the extent that additional landscaping and screening is necessary, it will be provided. 8. THAT THE PROPOSED USE IS INA CCORDANCE, WITH THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN. Activities are presently under way to develop the Crockett Street Entertainment District. This downtown development will include restaurants, bars and nightclubs. It is touted to be the music capital of Texas. There is also a study underway to determine the feasibility of developing the riverfront. 1685 Park Street is located within blocks of downtown and the riverfront. My proposed use will attract people to the area who already have a reason to celebrate. Many of these people can reasonably be expected to extend their celebration to the types of facilities that will be available in the Crockett Street Entertainment District and along the riverfront, depending upon what's available. CONCLUSION The proposed operation of the facility as a celebration house/reception center will significantly increase business opportunities for a number of businesses in related areas. Weddings and other celebrations mean sales activities for various retailers including florist, the garment industry, stationers, and caterers, to name but a few. The alternative is to leave this large structure vacant. I believe that to do so would be detrimental to the revitalization efforts in this old established neighborhood of mixed land uses. I respectfully request that my application for a specific use permit to operate the facility at 1685 Park Street as a celebration house/reception center be approved. Sincerely yours, :J, &Wto vonne F. Como his FILE 1534«P: Request foi- a specific use permit to allow a reception center in an area NORTH zoned RCR (Residential Conservation Revitalization). Location: 1685 Park St. Applicant: Yvonne F. Como SCALE ti• ._ 6 j49,� 60 st 3 Mir rtPIPKIN PAA1t kit A6 q � ! "1 Fil�i. %rr� Iei��.' i . .. - �4 eo E`+w�tiEr i AW - 1_ �S /a .. ------ EMMEIT AVE.�wubfr_N rryrs ." 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LA W • t CpG1d CRAIG Si. r 4W t0 as "• i6 « ` t r k ? rl n PENNSYLVANIA STREET \ 7.. \0* � f • b C3;0 1 ®1 « N�« a d • a two � z a „t m m o o • « a . • . ____ --------- --------------- -1-- Mal -------------- ----------------------------- i------------------------ __ ____________ 0\7 i Itg °' Iw 0 a I Lil 1605 PARK STREET 13381S ANVd 9891 110 0 0 o 0 0 0 0 0 •0 0 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - LD z LY < CL U, 0 0 CL 0 F- Cl- -J AA X, w. 1 0 133d1S VINVAIkSNN3d co a r njz V� -------------------- \-\-- LS "m CONDITIONS FOR APPROVAL OF SPECIFIC USE PERMIT (SECTION 30-26.E, ZONING ORDINANCE Application Application is in is not in Columts Compliance Compliance Attached CONDITIONS: 1. 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 5. That adequate nuisance prevention measures have been or will be taken to prevent or control offensive odor, fumes, dust, noise and vibration; x 6, That directional lighting 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 x 8. That the proposed use is in accordance with the Comprehensive Plan. x x ANALYSIS continued This application is in compliance with seven of the eight conditions necessary for approval. Comments on items 1, 7 and 8 follow: I This property was used as a funeral home for 50 years. Later a church had a home here. The present application to use the property for private receptions, parties, reunions and similar assemblies should not significantly diminish or impair property values within the neighborhood. 7. An eight (8) foot tall fence and ten (10) foot wide landscape strip is required surrounding the residential property at the comer of Pennsylvania and Royal. In addition, the additional parking being added to the existing parking lot is greater than 25% so, therefore, the entire parking lot must meet the landscaping ordinance. If the applicant is unable to meet the requirements, the Planning Commission and City Council must approve a waiver of the requirements. 8. The proposed use will aid in the rehabilitation of this mixed use neighborhood. GENERAL INFORMATION/PUBLIC UTILITIES ".1j"JITS-13M PROPERTY OWNER: LOCATION: EXISTING ZONING: PROPERTY SIZE: FLOOD HAZARD ZONE: SURROUNDING LAND USES: NORTH: Vacant yard, residential, business parking lot, commercial EAST: Rent house, church, apartment SOUTH: Private investigator's office, residence, flea market WEST: Parking lot, vacant lot, trees Yvonne F. Como Yvonne F. Como 1685 Park to Pennsylvania at Craig and frontage on Royal. RCR (Residential Conservation and Revitalization) District 1.0385 acres "C" - (Minimal Hazard) SURROUNDING ZONING: RCR (Residential Conservation and Revitalization) District RCR RCR RCR GENERAL INFORMATION/PUBLIC UTILITIES continued EXISTING LAND USES: COMPREHENSIVE PLAN: OTHER PHYSICAL FEATURES: Vacant buildings and parking lot Conservation and Revitalization None STREETS: Park Street - arterial street, 60' right-of-way and a 40' pavement. Craig Street - 60'right- of-way and a 20' pavement. Pennsylvania Avenue - arterial street, 60'right-of-way and 36' pavement. Royal Street - 60'right-of-way and 30'pavement. DRAINAGE: Park - 27" storm sewer Craig - 18" and 27" storm sewer Pennsylvania - 15" storm sewer Royal - 36" storm sewer FIRE PROTECTION: ADEQUACY OF SERVICE: Park - 6" water line Craig - 2" and 12" lines Pennsylvania - 12" line Royal - 12" line Park - 27" sewer Craig - 18" and 27" sewer Pennsylvania - 15" sewer Royal - 36" sewer Fire protection is provided by Station #1, 747 College. Existing services and utilities are adequate. =P YVONNE F. COMO ATTORNEY ATIAH' ADDENDUM APPLICATION FOR SPECIFIC USE PERMIT LOCATION: 1685 PARK STREET November 17, 2000 The Planning Commission and City Council City of Beaumont Beaumont, Texas 77701 RE: CONDITION #7 — LANDSCAPING AND SCREENING Gentlemen/Ladies: POST OFFICE BOX 2603 Bj,,,,tUAf0NT, TEXAS 77704 (409) 835-4971 (WORK) (409) 842-2405 (110AM) (409) 842-0188 (FAA) Request is hereby made that landscaping and screening as reflected on the site plan submitted with my application dated October 26, 2000, be modified to reflect that an eight (8 ) foot tall wood fence (instead of a chain link fence) Avill be erected along the boundary with (lie adjacent residential rent house located at Pennsylvania and Royal. It is also requested that the balance of the site plan be accepted AS IS and that any further requirements of Section 30-31, Landscaping and Screening Requirements of the City of Beaumont Zoning Ordinance, be MODIFIED OR WAIVED. Sincerely, J, &e4-j Yvonne F. Coino