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HomeMy WebLinkAboutP&Z Minutes 2020-10-08 Regular CITY OF FRIENDSWOOD PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION THURSDAY, OCTOBER 8, 2020 - 7:00 PM Minutes MINUTES OF A FRIENDSWOOD REGULAR MEETING HELD AT 910 S. FRIENDSWOOD DRIVE, FRIENDSWOOD, TEXASFRIENDSWOOD CITY HALL, COUNCIL CHAMBERS, STATE OF TEXAS CITY OF FRIENDSWOOD COUNTIES OF GALVESTON/HARRIS OCTOBER 8, 2020 1. Call to order MINUTES OF A REGULAR MEETING OF THE FRIENDSWOOD PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION THAT WAS HELD ON THURSDAY, OCTOBER 8, 2020, AT 07:00 PM 910 S. FRIENDSWOOD DRIVE, FRIENDSWOOD, TEXAS CHAIRMAN JOE MATRANGA VICE-CHAIRMAN RICHARD SASSON COMMISSIONER MARCUS PERRY COMMISSIONER BRETT BANFIELD COMMISSIONER RICHARD CLARK - VIA VIDEO COMMISSIONER LISA LUNDQUIST COUNCIL LIAISON ROBERT GRIFFON DEVELOPMENT COORDINATOR BECKY BENNETT ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER STEVEN RHEA COMMISSIONER TOM HINCKLEY, CITY ATTORNEY FISCHER, AND DIRECTOR HARBIN WERE ABSENT FROM THE MEETING. 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) Pastor Lorenz spoke in favor of the alternate pavers and light poles for First Baptist Church. 3. Public Hearing A. To receive comments both oral and written regarding: Proposed amendments to Appendix C, Zoning Ordinance "Section 7.Q.2. Commercial Regulation Matrix" to add sub note “k.” defining height maximum, "Section 7.Q.3. Area and Height Exceptions" to amend the height exceptions, and "Section 20. Definitions - Height" to remove a duplicate requirement Bennett stated the Commission had discussed the proposed changes at several meetings and this agenda item was the public hearing step of the process. She explained the proposed changes included adding a sub note to define height maximums, amending the exceptions, and removing a duplicate requirement in the definitions section. No public comments. 4. 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. A. Minutes from the regular meeting held Thursday, September 10, 2020 **Vice-Chairman Richard Sasson moved to approve Minutes from the regular meeting held Thursday, September 10, 2020. Seconded by Commissioner Brett Banfield. The motion was approved unanimously. 5. Action Items According to the Planning and Zoning Rules of Procedure (R2019-15), 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. A. Consideration and possible action regarding a recommendation for the proposed amendments to Appendix C, Zoning "Section 7.Q.2. Commercial Regulation Matrix" to add sub note “k.” defining height maximum, "Section 7.Q.3. Area and Height Exceptions" to amend the height exceptions, and "Section 20. Definitions - Height" to remove a duplicate requirement **Chairman Joe Matranga moved to approve the Consideration and possible action regarding a recommendation for the proposed amendments to Appendix C, Zoning "Section 7.Q.2. Commercial Regulation Matrix" to add sub note “k.” defining height maximum, "Section 7.Q.3. Area and Height Exceptions" to amend the height exceptions, and "Section 20. Definitions - Height" to remove a duplicate requirement. Seconded by Commissioner Marcus Perry. The motion failed 1-5 with Vice-Chairman Richard Sasson, Commissioner Richard Clark, Commissioner Brett Banfield, Commissioner Lisa Lundquist, Commissioner Marcus Perry opposed. Matranga said he was steadfast against the height increase in the beginning but, as Council made it clear they wanted the ordinance changed, he supports the fact that the Commission and staff wrote the very best ordinance they could. He said he would be voting in favor of the ordinance. Perry stated part of the Commission's task was to draft an ordinance without unintended consequences. He agreed the proposed ordinance was written as well as possible but was not confident it would protect against unintended consequences. Lundquist commented that the first training she attended when joining the Commission stated that you do not change an ordinance for one applicant. She explained that this proposed change goes directly against the training the city provided her. Clark said this ordinance change has real consequences and he feels the Downtown District should not look like what this change would allow. Sasson stated the applicant does not need 35 more feet than anyone else in the Downtown District. He said if Council desires to allow the taller cross then they should have approved it with the Specific Use Permit. He said he foresees consequences down the road. Banfield said he is not opposed to the taller height but that the method used to achieve it does bother him. He said the city has a process to allow such a thing and that is a Specific Use Permit. He congratulated staff on writing the proposed ordinance as well as they could. Banfield said Mayor and Council are the elected officials and are there to make the exceptions. B. Consideration and possible action regarding the Preliminary Plat of Sterling Creek Sections 5 and 6 (located along the future Friendswood Lakes Blvd.) being 21.8440 acres of land out of a called 194.21 acre tract of land known as Tract A and being recorded in Clerk's File No. 2010059686, being out of and a part of Lots 1-3, 13-16 and 19-20 of the David Fahey Subdivision as recorded in Volume 118, Page 417 and also being out of an a part of Lot 4 of the Burgess Subdivision as recorded in Volume 119, Page 14, both subdivisions being situated in the Geo Patterson Survey, Abstract Number 645 and the Mary Fabreau Survey, Abstract Number 69, Friendswood, Galveston County, Texas **Commissioner Brett Banfield moved to approve Consideration and possible action regarding the Preliminary Plat of Sterling Creek Sections 5 and 6 (located along the future Friendswood Lakes Blvd.) being 21.8440 acres of land out of a called 194.21 acre tract of land known as Tract A and being recorded in Clerk's File No. 2010059686, being out of and a part of Lots 1-3, 13-16 and 1920 of the David Fahey Subdivision as recorded in Volume 118, Page 417 and also being out of an a part of Lot 4 of the Burgess Subdivision as recorded in Volume 119, Page 14, both subdivisions being situated in the Geo Patterson Survey, Abstract Number 645 and the Mary Fabreau Survey, Abstract Number 69, Friendswood, Galveston County, Texas. Seconded by Commissioner Marcus Perry. The motion was approved unanimously. Bennett stated this plat was for the next two sections of Sterling Creek. She said the property had recently been rezoned from Single Family Residential (SFR) to Garden Home District (GHD). Bennett explained one section would be built with 90-foot lots to mimic the previous four sections but the underlying zoning would actually be GHD. She said the developer is required to install a landscape buffer between the subdivision and the future road. Bennett said the city would be unable to issue any certificates of occupancy prior to Friendswood Parkway being constructed. Matranga asked if building 90-foot lots in a Garden Home District would pose any unintended consequences. Bennett answered that the setbacks could be less but since the developer was platting the usual front setback for a 90-foot lot, the houses would not be too close to the road. C. Consideration and possible action regarding a one-time, six-month extension for the following preliminary plats: Avalon at Friendswood Section One, a Private Subdivision **Vice-Chairman Richard Sasson moved to approve Consideration and possible action regarding a one-time, six-month extension for the following preliminary plats: Avalon at Friendswood Section One, a Private Subdivision. Seconded by Commissioner Lisa Lundquist. The motion was approved unanimously. Bennett said the developer was still working through infrastructure engineering and needed more time on the preliminary plat. Daniel Valdez/Meta Planning said their engineer was still working through utilities and drainage. He said there are a lot of moving parts and the final plat would not be ready before the preliminary plat expires. D. Consideration and possible action regarding a site plan amendment for the property located at 209 S. Friendswood Drive to amend the streetscape furnishings (light poles and pavers) required by the Design Criteria Manual - Appendix E Downtown District Amenities **Vice-Chairman Richard Sasson moved to approve the Consideration and possible action regarding a site plan amendment for the property located at 209 S. Friendswood Drive to am end the streetscape furnishings (light poles and pavers) required by the Design Criteria Manual - Appendix E Downtown District Amenities. Seconded by Commissioner Brett Banfield. Sasson moved to amend his motion to vote separately on the lights and pavers, beginning with approval of the alternate lighting. Seconded by Banfield. The motion failed 1-5 with Chairman Joe Matranga, Vice-Chairman Richard Sasson, Commissioner Richard Clark, Commissioner Lisa Lundquist, Commissioner Marcus Perry opposed. Sasson m oved to approve the alternate pavers. Seconded by Perry. The motion failed unanimously. Bennett explained the church was seeking Commission approval to use an alternate brick paver color, brick paver style, and streetscape lighting. She said the requirements for the Downtown District are red brick pavers installed in a stretcher bond pattern. She showed pictures of the city style and the style installed by the church. She said the pavers that were installed are browns, tans, and creams in a mixed square pattern. Bennett showed pictures of the city style of lighting which has a "bishop's crook." She then showed pictures of the lights the church was proposing which did not include the "bishop's crook." Stephanie Kaup/Zeigler-Cooper Architects said the intent was to match the pavers and lights to the church's other property, Dunn Bros. Coffee. She said it is the church's desire to unify all of their properties. Sasson commented that he visited the site and the installed pavers do not match the pavers installed at Dunn Bros. Coffee. He said TxDOT recently replaced the median landscaping and added bricks matching the Downtown District design. Kaup said the pavers would darken with age and match the Dunn Bros. pavers. Lunquist said the Design Criteria Manual outlines which materials to use but the church chose to purchase different materials and are now seeking an exception, after the fact. Lunquist commented the church is seeking several exceptions being the pavers, the lights, the already approved benches and landscape, and the building height. Kaup said they knew the building height exceeded city code and were prepared to work through the process to change the height maximum. Banfield said he did not have a huge issue with the light poles but the paver color was no where close to the required red color, which TxDOT will also be using in their upcoming project. Banfield explained the pavers would be installed on public property and deviating from the Design Criteria Manual was a big deal. He said he sympathized with the expense for correcting the pavers. Banfield said the Friendswood Downtown Economic Development Corporation (FDEDC) spent a lot of money on a Downtown Improvement Plan so the area would have a cohesive design. He commented that Dunn Bros. was built 13 years ago and codes change. Kaup said the paver colors varied more than she anticipated but would be cohesive with the Dunn Bros. property. Banfield said the project is to be cohesive with the Downtown District not one other property the church owns. Banfield said buying one corner property does not grandfather all of your properties into old requirements. Matranga said the Commission represents all of Friendswood and there needs to be consistency with the Downtown District vision. He said the pavers and lights that have been installed by the church do not come close to matching the Downtown District amenities. Omar Peck/representative for First Baptist Church said the Downtown District is not cohesive. He said the city should allow individuality and not look like "Stepford Wives." He commented the criteria outlines "preferred" and the city should call out specific manufacturers if they want everything to match. Bennett replied the criteria allows for some flexibility to avoid creating a monopoly on one style or model of amenity. Matranga asked staff at what point do applicants ask for alternate materials. Bennett answered developers usually realize during their ordering process if they cannot obtain certain materials. Matranga asked staff when this issue came about. Bennett said she was driving by the site and noticed the incorrect pavers had been installed. She said she called the contractor immediately. Sasson said FDEDC was consulted about the alternative street lamps being discussed and they were adamantly against using the strait poles instead of the bishop's crook poles. 6. Consideration and possible action regarding future Planning and Zoning Commission meeting dates A. Regular meeting - Thursday, October 22 Regular meeting - Thursday, November 12 7. Communications A. From Commissioners - suggestions for future agenda items, general comments and/or updates from liaison assignments Lundquist announced the Fall Haul event was coming up. Sasson said GCCDD would be meeting soon. B. From Planning Subcommittee – update on tasks Banfield said the Planning Subcommittee was about to have their first meeting in a while. C. From Ordinance Subcommittee – update on tasks Sasson said the subcommittee had met and are working on a few items. D. From City Council Liaison, Robert Griffon - general comments and communication from City Council Councilman Griffon announced the city was open for business again. He said the facilities had been fitted with glass partitions and would be enforcing masks and social distancing. Griffon mentioned the Council voted against the recent tax rate change at their last meeting. E. From Staff - September DRC Report, commercial and residential project updates, City Council action and ordinance updates Bennett said the September DRC Report had been sent out and included a couple residential properties plus a proposed baseball facility. Bennett stated Council approved the first reading of the proposed zone change for 213 E. Heritage Drive, the former health care center. 8. Adjournment This meeting was adjourned at 08:14 PM.