HomeMy WebLinkAboutP&Z Minutes 2019-05-16 Regular PLANNING & ZONING COMMISSION
Regular Meeting
1. The regular meeting was called to order at 7:00pm with the following people in attendance:
Chairman Joe Matranga Commissioner Richard Sasson
Commissioner Brett Banfield Commissioner Lisa Lundquist
Commissioner Eric Guenther Commissioner Marc Perry
Commissioner Dick Clark Mary Kay Fischer, City Attorney
Becky Summers, Development Coordinator
Aubrey Harbin, City Planner/Director of CDD
2. Communication from the public/committee liaisons
(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 be placed on a later regular Commission agenda for discussion and/or possible
action.)
None.
Action Items
According to the Planning and Zoning Rules of Procedure (R2010-09), all action of the
Commission shall be made by an affirmative vote of four (4) or more members of the
Commission present at such Commission meetings.
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 or citizen so
requests in which case the item would be removed from the consent agenda and
considered separately.
A. Minutes from May 6, 2019
Motion to approve: Sasson
MINUTES OF A
REGULAR MEETING
HELD THURSDAY, MAY 16, 2019
AT 7:00 PM
CITY HALL
COUNCIL CHAMBERS
910 S. FRIENDSWOOD DRIVE
FRIENDSWOOD, TEXAS
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May 16, 2019 P & Z Meeting
Second: Clark
Vote: 7 to 0 Unanimous Motion Passed
Action Items
According to the Planning and Zoning Rules of Procedure (R2010-09), all action of the
Commission shall be made by an affirmative vote of four (4) or more members of the
Commission present at such Commission meetings.
4. Consideration and possible action regarding a site plan amendment for Farmers
Insurance located at 104 Melody Ln
Motion to approve: Banfield
Second: Lundquist
Motion to table: Sasson
Second: Banfield
Vote: 7 to 0 Unanimous Motion Passed
Harbin explained the request was for an existing business the Commission approved in
2015, construction completed in 2016. She said the original site plan included an 8-foot
cedar fence to separate the commercial property from the neighboring residential
property. Harbin explained staff missed the required fence during the final inspection.
Harbin said the adjacent neighbor issued a complaint the fence was never installed.
Harbin contacted the business owner and they discussed the option of installing
landscaping in lieu of the fence. Harbin stated further into researching the properties, the
house was built in 1995 adjacent to the Community Shopping Center (CSC) tract and the
residential owner should have installed an 8-foot fence at that time. Currently the
business owner is proposing to install wax myrtles every 8-feet.
Jackie Bailey/neighbor said she is a realtor and having a commercial property next door
devalues her property. She said she is interested in a screen and 3-gallon shrubs will not
buffer adequately.
Banfield said he would favor a landscape buffer over a fence because wood fences do not
look very nice once they become weathered. Bailey said she needs an opaque buffer, at
least 5-6 feet, now. Lundquist asked if 15-gallon shrubs were fair. Bailey said only if they
were planted 3-feet apart.
Harbin explained there are two different violations on the table. She said the Bailey’s
property was in violation since the 8-foot opaque fence was never installed in the 1990s.
Harbin said the Farmers Insurance was in violation because the 8-foot fence shown on the
site plan was never installed either. Banfield suggested the two property owners split the
cost of the barrier.
Lundquist said she prefers the landscape barrier, as well. She said planting the wax
myrtles 8-feet apart makes sense to allow them to grow 8-feet tall but that does not
address Mrs. Bailey’s immediate concern. Harbin stated Mrs. Johnson offered to have her
employees park on the far side of the parking lot while Mrs. Bailey was selling her home.
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May 16, 2019 P & Z Meeting
Perry tried to explain the City would have to enforce both ordinances, not just the one
against the business owner. Guenther suggested the two neighbors try to come to an
agreement. He explained if Mrs. Johnson comes to file a complaint then Mrs. Bailey will
also be installing a fence. Sasson stated the Farmers Insurance property was zoned
commercial when the Baileys purchased their home.
Angela Johnson/Farmers Insurance explained the different options she and Mrs. Bailey
had discussed over the years. She said there are existing trees that any new trees/bushes
would need to fill around.
Banfield asked Johnson the cost estimate for the proposed landscaping at 3-gallon and
15-gallon. He suggested the two neighbors split the cost.
Perry suggested the Commission table the item to allow additional dialogue between the
neighbors.
5. Consideration and possible action regarding a site plan for Chipotle Mexican Grill to
be located at 1705 S. Friendswood Dr.
Motion to approve subject to staff comments: Clark
Second: Lundquist
Vote: 7 to 0 Unanimous Motion Passed
Harbin explained the project was for a free-standing restaurant, approximately 2,315
square feet. Harbin said the project’s landscape buffer and sidewalk design will mirror
the neighboring projects to accommodate the open ditch and utility lines. Harbin said the
Commission would need to consider the metal panels being proposed.
Clark asked if metal work was standard on Chipotle restaurants. Harbin answered she
usually sees Chipotles located within strip centers and was not sure.
Clark mentioned he was unhappy with the access throughout the Virgata Development.
He said the access was no fault of Chipotle but was afraid the lack of side street access
points would be problematic. Harbin explained that unfortunately, Starbucks has their
drive-thru stacking on top of an access easement, and ultimately it would be a civil matter
between those property owners.
Matranga asked if there was anything the development could do to improve the access.
Harbin said they have tried their best. Sasson said during the rezoning of the far end of
the development, the neighboring residents came out to protest a driveway cut on Leisure
Lane.
Sasson asked if the Commission had approved metal panels before. Harbin said, most
recently the Virgata Commons buildings in the same development presented metal panel
accents. Guenther asked if the red color met the Community Overlay District’s “earth
tone color” requirements. Summers said earth tone colors did allow for muted reds,
greens, blue, etc. She said other buildings had similar color palettes such as Wendy’s.
Lundquist searched Chipotle Google images and found they are all slightly different,
depending on the surrounding architecture. Matranga asked Banfield if he had an opinion
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May 16, 2019 P & Z Meeting
regarding the durability of the metal panels. Banfield said he has not personally worked
with the material.
6. Consideration and possible action regarding future Planning and Zoning Commission
meeting dates
Harbin said the next regular meeting would be June 13th on the new schedule of meeting
the second and fourth Thursday of the month. She said the Commission would also hold
public hearings for three zone changes.
7. Communications from the Commission
a. Commissioners – no comments.
b. Ordinance Subcommittee Update – no comments.
c. Planning Subcommittee Update – no comments.
d. Council Liaison – Branson congratulated the subcommittee for working on the
Downtown District ordinance changes. She said all the ordinances passed City Council
unanimously.
e. Staff – Harbin said there were no DRCs in April so a report was not sent out.
8. The regular meeting adjourned at 8:19 pm.
These minutes respectfully submitted by:
Becky Summers
Becky Summers
Development Coordinator/P&Z Secretary