HomeMy WebLinkAboutP&Z Minutes 2025-02-13 RegularCITY OF FRIENDSWOOD
PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 2025 - 6:00 PM
Minutes
MINUTES OF A FRIENDSWOOD REGULAR MEETING HELD AT 910 S. FRIENDSWOOD
DR, FRIENDSWOOD, TX 77546, COUNCIL CHAMBERS, CITY HALL
STATE OF TEXAS
CITY OF FRIENDSWOOD
COUNTIES OF GALVESTON/HARRIS
FEBRUARY 13, 2025
1.CALL TO ORDER
MINUTES OF A REGULAR MEETING OF THE FRIENDSWOOD PLANNING AND ZONING
COMMISSION THAT WAS HELD ON THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 2025, AT 06:01 PM 910 S.
FRIENDSWOOD DR, FRIENDSWOOD, TX 77546
CHAIRMAN TOM HINCKLEY
VICE CHAIRMAN MARCUS RIVES
COMMISSIONER BRIAN BOUNDS
COMMISSIONER MARSHA CONRAD
COMMISSIONER WILLIE C ANDERSON
COMMISSIONER STACEY PHILLIPS
COUNCIL LIAISON JOE MATRANGA
CITY ATTORNEY KAREN HORNER
DIRECTOR OF CDD/PLANNER AUBREY HARBIN
ASSISTANT PLANNER BECKY BENNETT
COMMISSIONER TRAVIS MANN AND COUNCIL LIAISON TRISH HANKS WERE ABSENT
FROM THE MEETING.
A.Administer the oath of office for newly appointed Planning and Zoning Commissioner
Stacey Phillips.
Director Harbin administered the oath of office to new Commissioner Stacey Phillips.
2.COMMUNICATIONS FROM THE PUBLIC
In order to comply with provisions of the Open Meetings Act, the Commission may not deliberate on
subjects discussed under this agenda item. However, the Commission may direct such subjects to be
placed on a later regular Commission agenda for discussion and/or possible action.
No comments.
3.CONSENT AGENDA
These items are considered routine or ministerial in nature and will be enacted with one motion. There will
be no separate discussion of items unless a commissioner so requests in which case the item would be
removed from the consent agenda and considered separately.
**Chairman Tom Hinckley moved to remove Item B from the Consent Agenda. Seconded by Vice
Chairman Marcus Rives. The motion was approved unanimously.
A.Consider approval of the minutes for the Planning and Zoning Commission Regular
Meeting held on Thursday, January 9, 2025.
**Commissioner Marsha Conrad moved to approve the minutes for the Planning and Zoning
Commission Regular Meeting held on Thursday, January 9, 2025. Seconded by Commissioner
Willie Anderson. The motion was approved unanimously.
B. Consider approval of the Wild Pines Final Plat located at 400 Fence Post Rd.
Harbin stated that staff found the cul-de-sac radius to be drawn as 50-feet when 60-feet is the
minimum. She said the commission may approve the plat subject to staff comments and that staff
will ensure the drawing is corrected prior to recordation. Chairman Hinckley commented then he will
also have to sign the mylar and will verify the correction has been made.
**Vice Chairman Marcus Rives moved to approve the Wild Pines Final Plat subject to staff
comments. Seconded by Commissioner Willie Anderson. The motion was approved unanimously.
4.ACTION ITEMS
A.SITE PLAN AMENDMENT: 4326 FRIENDSWOOD LINK RD
Consider approving a site plan amendment for EZ Mart located at 4326 Friendswood Link
Rd., to allow for the addition of a fuel canopy, six (6) fuel pumps, and fuel tanks.
Harbin explained the existing convenience store at 4326 Friendswood Link Rd is proposing to add
gas pumps with a canopy. She said the property was originally developed decades ago, outside the
city limits, and the applicant had some challenges meeting the current zoning ordinance. She stated
the rear and side property lines abut residential zoning and require an 8-foot, opaque fence with a
tree every 25-feet. She said due to the location of existing utilities and proposed drainage swales,
some of the trees are unable to be installed.
Vice Chairman Rives commented that the existing pole sign is not shown on the site plan and
wondered if the sign would be replaced. Harbin said if the existing, non-conforming pole sign is
removed, the owner will need to install a new sign that is compliant with current code.
Several commissioners were concerned with how the existing 6-foot wooden fences would be
converted to 8-foot fences. Rives commented that the Building Department would ensure the
fences are constructed properly.
Commissioner Phillips expressed uncertainty regarding the type of trees being installed. She and
staff discussed updating the city's Qualified Tree List in the future.
**Vice Chairman Marcus Rives moved to approve a site plan amendment for EZ Mart located at
4326 Friendswood Link Rd., to allow for the addition of a fuel canopy, six (6) fuel pumps, and fuel
tanks. Seconded by Commissioner Brian Bounds. The motion was approved unanimously.
5.DISCUSSION
A.Discuss proposed amendments to Appendix C "Zoning," Section 8 "Supplementary district
regulations," Subsection M "Commercial activities and outdoor sales" and Appendix A
"Signs" of the Friendswood City Code to amend and add provisions for temporary outdoor
uses, currently known as outdoor sales permits and special events.
Harbin said that updating the sections related to Outdoor Sales has been on the Ordinance
Subcommittee's "To Do" list and coincided with community interest in the permitting process. She
explained that the current ordinance is not clear, so the proposed changes are a combination of
administrative clean-up and clarifications. Harbin stated the most notable change would be to
rename Outdoor Sales and Special Event permits as either a 30-day Temporary Use Permit or a 4-
day Temporary Use Permit. The 4-day permit would allow food trucks to operate, as would a
Farmers Market permit. Harbin asked the commission to provide feedback on how many permits
could be issued in a calendar year.
Vice-Chairman Rives commented that six permits per year would be appropriate. He said more
would appear to be like a permanent operation. Chairman Hinckley asked if the ordinance allows
additional time to set up and break down for the temporary uses. Bennett said there is a section
related to breaking down the event and staff will add a section to allow for set-up time, as well.
Harbin said the application requirements include submitting 30 days prior to the event to allow staff
adequate time for review, which allows the applicant plenty of time to advertise. She said the
ordinance requires non-profit organizations to obtain permits, but the city will waive the application
fee. She explained this process will ensure adequate parking, traffic control, and life safety
precautions without impacting the non-profit organization financially. Harbin said that the Parks and
Recreation Department has a similar application for events on public property and that the
proposed submittal requirements would be comparable. She explained the Parks application
requests information such as the number of attendees and if alcohol would be sold.
Harbin said the proposed changes to the Sign Ordinance are to allow temporary uses to advertise.
She said the current ordinance prohibits bandit signs and off-premise signs. Vice-Chairman Rives
suggested allowing off-premise signs to be located at shared parking locations.
B.Discuss proposed amendments to Appendix C "Zoning," Section 8 "Supplementary
District Regulations" Subsection I "Landscaping and screening requirements" of the
Friendswood City Code to provide additional flexibility for the Commission to consider
adjacent land uses when determining required landscaping and screening.
Harbin said the proposed changes are in response to a recent issue voiced by a developer. The
reorganization of Section 8.I. would give the Commission latitude to consider necessary landscape
buffers/screening based on adjacent property uses.
6. COMMUNICATIONS
A. Review the Commission's "TO DO LIST" for 2025 established at the annual retreat in
December 2025.
Harbin explained the provided spreadsheet is a "to do list" for the Commission to work on
throughout the year.
B. Announce the next Planning and Zoning Commission regular meetings for (i) Thursday,
February 27, 2025, and (ii) Thursday, March 13, 2025.
C. Receive the Council Liaison updates concerning action taken by the City Council on Planning and
Zoning related items, and Commissioner comments concerning items of community interest and/or
requesting future agenda items.
Councilman Matranga said City Council approved the zone change for 311 Laurel at their last
meeting. He and the commissioners welcomed the new commissioner, Stacey Phillips.
Commissioner Conrad said the subcommittee met on tonight's items and thought the ordinance
changes were headed in the right direction.
7. ADJOURNMENT
This meeting was adjourned at 07:08 PM.