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HomeMy WebLinkAboutP&Z Minutes 2021-06-24 RegularCITY OF FRIENDSWOOD PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION THURSDAY, JUNE 24, 2021 - 7:00 PM Minutes MINUTES OF A FRIENDSWOOD REGULAR MEETING HELD AT 910 S. FRIENDSWOOD DRIVE, FRIENDSWOOD, TEXAS, FRIENDSWOOD CITY HALL, COUNCIL CHAMBERS STATE OF TEXAS CITY OF FRIENDSWOOD COUNTIES OF GALVESTON/HARRIS JUNE 24, 2021 1.CALL TO ORDER MINUTES OF A REGULAR MEETING OF THE FRIENDSWOOD PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION THAT WAS HELD ON THURSDAY, JUNE 24, 2021, AT 07:00 PM 910 S. FRIENDSWOOD DRIVE, FRIENDSWOOD, TEXAS CHAIRMAN JOSEPH MATRANGA VICE-CHAIRMAN RICHARD SASSON COMMISSIONER TOM HINCKLEY COMMISSIONER RICHARD CLARK COMMISSIONER TRAVIS MANN COMMISSIONER MARCUS PERRY COMMISSIONER CATHERINE KOERNER COUNCIL LIAISON ROBERT GRIFFON CITY ATTORNEY MARY KAY FISCHER DIRECTOR OF CDD/PLANNER AUBREY HARBIN DEVELOPMENT COORDINATOR BECKY BENNETT 2.Oaths of Office A.Administer the oaths of office for re-appointed member (i) Richard Sasson and newly appointed member (ii) Catherine Koerner. Harbin swore in Commissioner Sasson then Commissioner Koerner. 3.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. 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.Consider approving the Partial Final Plat of Avalon at Friendswood Section 1 **Vice-Chairman Richard Sasson moved to approve Consider approving the Partial Final Plat of Avalon at Friendswood Section 1. Seconded by Commissioner Travis Mann. The motion was approved unanimously. 5.Discussion Items A.Discussion regarding proposed amendments to Appendix "C" Zoning Ordinance, Section 7.Q.2 "Regulation Matrix - Commercial Districts and Regulation Matrix - Residential Districts" in order to clean up reference notes and to Section 7.Q.3 "Area and Height Exceptions" to add an exception for building height Bennett explained the majority of the proposed ordinance changes are clerical and just clean up items, making things a little easier to understand for staff and applicants. She said one major change is that commercial districts outside of downtown currently have a maximum building height of 40 feet. She stated the proposal is to make all of the commercial districts throughout the city match and outside of the downtown district, a 4-story building would be allowed up to 70-feet if they meet additional requirements. She said the main concern of the subcommittee was to protect any nearby residential properties. Bennett said to increase building height, the design would also require increasing the setback. She said the purpose of the increased setback is to avoid buildings looking down into people's backyards. Bennett said the other other item of substance is to allow elementary and secondary schools to increase height with their specific use permit. She stated a lot of school buildings have particular needs, like amphitheaters, that exceed 40 feet in height. Bennett said there are some school renovations coming up and the building height will be an issue for the school district. Commissioner Hinckley said the subcommittee believes that two and a half times the building height gives a single-family resident ample view and protection from that building elevation. Commissioner Mann questioned the section where the zero foot side setback with a minimum 5-foot separation between buildings was removed. Bennett answered that between the zoning ordinance, the building code, and the fire code, there are separation requirements between structures and the zoning ordinance was making it more lax than what fire code and building code require. Mann stated those other adopted codes would be the default to which Bennett confirmed. Commissioner Perry suggested having no maximum building height if the property could accommodate the setback requirement. He said that as land becomes more scarce, building heights will most likely increase. Perry explained this way the ordinance would not need to be amended again in the future. Sasson responded that at this stage of the Friendswood lifecycle, going much beyond 70-feet might be too ambitious right now. Commissioner Hinckley said he agreed with Sasson but the subcommittee can talk about it. Commissioner Matranga questioned the wording on the Elementary and Secondary Schools section and Bennett said she would coordinate with City Attorney Fischer. 6.Consideration and Possible Action A.Consider setting the dates of the next Planning and Zoning Commission regular meetings for (i) Thursday, July 8, 2021 and (ii) Thursday, July 22, 2021. 7.Communications A.Receive information from Commissioners to include, but not limited to: suggestions for future agenda items, general comments and/or updates from liaison assignments. Commissioner Hinckley said ZBOA met regarding a variance request on a house that was built in the 1950s trying to replace a non-conforming porch. He said the variance was approved. Commissioner Hinckley said the subcommittee discussed the height ordinance and had some more discussions on the tree ordinance. Commissioner Sasson said Harold Whittaker of the Galveston County Consolidated Drainage District has stepped down and Kevin Holland assumed that position. Commissioner Perry stated since the last meeting, several public forums were held to discuss the proposed changes on the Future Land Use Map including concert in the park, the farmers market, and two town hall meetings. Commissioner Matranga said it was interesting that 80% - 90% of the comments were all about the future of the Friendswood Lakes Boulevard, not necessarily about the future land use map. B.Receive an update on tasks from the Planning Subcommittee. No comments. C.Receive an update on tasks from the Ordinance Subcommittee. No comments. D.Receive general comments and communication from City Council Liaison, Robert Griffon. Robert Griffon said Brian Gettinger/Freese and Nichols discussed a report about tunnels. He said they were talking about a 7.2 mile tunnel at Interstate 45 and then another at FM 2351. Griffon said there is a meeting coming up on Monday at the Galveston County Commissioners Court for the ARP fund. He said there are some 66 million dollars there that can only be spent on drainage and he will be at that meeting. Griffon mentioned the city and TxDOT held a ground-breaking ceremony for the accessible sidewalks project in the Downtown District. E.Receive information from Staff regarding commercial and residential project updates, City Council action and ordinance updates. No comments. 8.ADJOURNMENT This meeting was adjourned at 07:45 PM.