HomeMy WebLinkAboutP&Z Minutes 2022-05-26 RegularCITY OF FRIENDSWOOD
PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION
THURSDAY, MAY 26, 2022 - 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
MAY 26, 2022
1.CALL TO ORDER
MINUTES OF A REGULAR MEETING OF THE FRIENDSWOOD PLANNING AND ZONING
COMMISSION THAT WAS HELD ON THURSDAY, MAY 26, 2022, AT 07:02 PM 910 S.
FRIENDSWOOD DRIVE, FRIENDSWOOD, TEXAS
CHAIRMAN JOSEPH MATRANGA
VICE-CHAIRMAN RICHARD SASSON
COMMISSIONER RICHARD CLARK
COMMISSIONER CATHERINE KOERNER
COUNCIL LIAISON TRISH HANKS
CITY ATTORNEY KAREN HORNER
DIRECTOR OF CDD/PLANNER AUBREY HARBIN
DEVELOPMENT COORDINATOR BECKY BENNETT
COMMISSIONERS MARCUS PERRY, TOM HINCKLEY, AND TRAVIS MANN 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)
No public 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.
**Vice-Chairman Richard Sasson moved to approve Consent Agenda. Seconded by Commissioner
Richard Clark. The motion was approved unanimously.
A.Consider approving the minutes of the regular meeting held Thursday, May 12, 2022
4.Action Items
According to the Planning and Zoning Rules of Procedure (R2021-18), 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.PARTIAL PRELIMINARY PLAT OF FRIENDSWOOD TRAILS SECTIONS 3A & 4A
Consider approving a partial preliminary plat of Friendswood Trails Sections 3A & 4A, a
subdivision of 36.863 acres of land containing 46 Lots and 23 Reserves in 5 Blocks out of
the William Henry Survey, Abstract 84, and the Mary Sloan Survey, Abstract 184, also
being a Partial Replat of Reserve "T" of Friendswood Trails Sections 1, 2, and
Commercial, Friendswood, Texas, Galveston County.
**Vice-Chairman Richard Sasson moved to approve Action Items. Seconded by Commissioner
Richard Clark. Sasson withdrew his motion after the discussion.
Sasson moved to deny the plat due to reasons in the compliance memo. Seconded by Clark. The motion was
approved unanimously.
Harbin explained this plat was the next section of the Planned Unit Development called
Friendswood Trails subdivision. She said there are several areas with oil wells that the seller,
Denbury Resources, have retained, so the developer is buffering around those wells until they can
be cleaned and sold. Harbin said there are multiple outstanding items on the compliance memo
including a subdivision variance request for block length.
Geoff Freeman/LJA Engineering said they would be submitting a subdivision variance request for
the block length.
Sasson asked why the Reserve S was smaller than the minimum lot size requirement. Freeman
answered the intent is not to develop Reserve S by itself as a lot in the future but combine with an
adjacent reserve to meet the lot size requirement. He explained the reserves were drawn based on
current ownership differences. Harbin replied it would be okay to leave those reserves as drawn for
now.
Clark asked about the compliance memo comment regarding access. Freeman explained the
original developer drew an access point into Brazoria County, but city staff recently pointed out that
the access point is into someone's private property, not a public road as previously presented.
Freeman said LJA Engineering is evaluating options.
Matranga questioned the status of the oil wells within the development. Freeman said the wells are
not in production and some of them are capped off. Matranga expressed concern the oil well buffer
area on one extended into the adjacent residential lot. He asked if the buyer would be made aware
of the encroachment. Harbin said the city could request the developer to notify their buyers.
B.SITE PLAN AMENDMENT: WHITEWATER CAR WASH
Consider approving the site plan amendment for an existing building located at 300 W.
Parkwood Avenue, Friendswood, Texas.
**Commissioner Catherine Koerner moved to approve the site plan amendment for an existing
building located at 300 W. Parkwood Avenue, Friendswood, Texas. Seconded by Vice-Chairman
Richard Sasson. The motion was approved unanimously.
Harbin said this request is for an existing car wash to rebrand and make some minor architectural
changes. Greg Murray/Executive Vice President of Acquisition for WhiteWater Car Wash said the
site will look much better when it is completed.
The commissioners said they are looking forward to the improvement.
C.SITE PLAN: TANNOS MEDICAL BUILDING
Consider approving the site plan for a new commercial building to be located at 1715 S.
Friendswood Drive, Friendswood, Texas.
*Item Tabled on May 12, 2022
Commissioner Koerner motioned to remove the item from the table. Seconded by Commissioner
Sasson. The motion was approved unanimously.
**Commissioner Richard Clark moved to approve the site plan for a new commercial building to be
located at 1715 S. Friendswood Drive, Friendswood, Texas. Seconded by Vice-Chairman Richard
Sasson. The motion was approved unanimously.
Morad Kabiri/City Manager and previous City Engineer explained he was in attendance to answer
questions regarding traffic that had been mentioned at the previous meeting.
Commissioner Clark said the commission was concerned about the traffic impact of this project.
Clark said he was informed traffic impacts would not fall into the commission's purview. Matranga
commented he thought traffic did fall into the commission's consideration of a project. Clark further
explained that the Taco Bell and Starbucks area traffic may not be a problem for the developer but
for the city to address. He commented that the light added at Leisure Lane was a relief to the area.
Kabiri responded that traffic impact is within the commission's purview and had been discussed
during the initial site plan approval with the Planned Unit Development. He explained that at that
point, the intensity of the commercial use was deemed acceptable. Kabiri stated the bigger issue is
the amount of cross traffic from surrounding cities. He said as the area grows, Friendswood will be
impacted by increased traffic and the city is actively working with TxDOT to improve flow.
Koerner expressed concern about the "cut through" being used within the development. Mr. Tannos
said his project intentionally faces the building toward the cut through and would slow traffic using
cross walks, stop signs, and speed bumps.
Sasson said this intersection is the worst in the city and this development would not make the traffic
problem better. Kabiri said Chick-Fil-A chose this intersection specifically for the traffic count. He
said many businesses choose these high-density areas on purpose. Kabiri said Mr. Tannos' project
was approved with only office uses, limiting the future density of development.
Koerner questioned the timing of the pond improvements. Kabiri answered that the city is currently
working with the developer and the drainage district regarding amenities around the pond.
5.Discussion Items
A.Receive and discuss a liaison schedule for the Galveston County Consolidated Drainage
District.
Bennett presented the liaison schedule for future Galveston County Consolidated Drainage District
meetings. She said the commissioners would alternate and if the attendee cannot attend the
meeting, they will need to reach out to a fellow commissioner to fill in for that meeting. She said
GCCDD offers virtual attendance, making it easier to participate.
Clark said the meetings are usually around 35-45 minutes long.
6.Communications
A.Announcement of the next Planning and Zoning Commission regular meetings for (i)
Thursday, June 9, 2022 and (ii) Thursday, June 23, 2022.
Koerner will not be in attendance on June 23rd. Harbin said Matranga and Sasson would be absent
on June 9th and Perry will chair the meeting.
B.Receive liaison updates, updates on City Council actions, ordinance updates, and the April
2022 DRC Report from Staff.
Matranga said two applicants had been interviewed for the upcoming commissioner position and a
recommendation would be given to Council Liaison Hanks.
Hanks announced the city would hold a Memorial Day ceremony at 10:00 am on Monday.
Harbin said she sent out the DRC report using a new format and asked for feedback.
7.ADJOURNMENT
This meeting was adjourned at 08:01 PM.