HomeMy WebLinkAboutP&Z Minutes 2004-10-21 SpecialMinutes of a Special Meeting
of the
Friendswood Planning and Zoning Commission
October 21, 2004
A special meeting of the Friendswood Planning and Zoning Commission was held on
Thursday, October 21, 2004 at 5:30 pm at the Friendswood City Hall second floor
conference room, located at 910 S. Friendswood Drive, Friendswood, Texas. The
following Planning & Zoning Commissioners were present:
Bob Bertrand
Jim Gibson
Kevin Holland
Roy Klusendorf
Sherry Weesner
Loren Smith-City Attorney
Dan Johnson-Deputy Director of C.D.
Diana Steelquist-Planner
With a quorum present, Commissioners Brakebill and Commission Burke absent,
Chairman Holland called the special meeting to order.
Call to order:
Special Meeting:
1.Discussion regarding Cluster Homes.
At the directive of the Commission, Staff presented a revised version of the Cluster
Home Ordinance, which integrated the Staff recommendations. In addition, the
Commission and Staff discussed the definitions of open space and green space.
The consensus was that green space is a component of open space. It was
recom mended that a definition of open space be included in the Zoning Ordinance
at some point in the future. The revised ordinance should also include an item to
address setbacks for a cluster home development. It was also suggested that those
setbacks be included in the regulation matrix.
During discussions on defining open space, Commissioner Weesner restated her
opinion that a golf course should not be considered as open space.
The consensus of the Commission was that this item was ready to be discussed
with possible action at a regular meeting.
2.Discussion regarding the Comprehensive Plan.
Staff presented a map with a data sheet indicating the breakdown for the
percentages of commercial and non-commercial property as zoned in Friendswood.
The next step will be to analyze the relationship of the zoned areas with available
vacant land.
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. 3. Adjowrunent
With no further comment the meeting was adjourned at 6:55 p.m .
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[ I
Minutes of a Regular Meeting
of the
Friendswood Planning and Zoning Commission
October 21, 2004
A regular meeting of the Friendswood Planning and Zoning Commission was held
Thursday, October 21, 2004 at 7:00 p.m. in the city hall council chambers located at 910
S.Friendswood Drive, Friendswood, Texas. The following members were present:
Bob Bertrand
David Brakebill
Jim Gibson
Kevin Holland
Roy Klusendorf
Sherry Weesner
Loren Smith-City Attorney
Dan Johnson-Deputy Director of CD
Diana Steelquist-Planner
Cheri Skelton-Development Coordinator
With a quorum present, Commissioner Burke absent, Chairman Holland called the
meeting to order to discuss the following:
Call to order:
Regular Meeting:
1.Communications from the public.
No one spoke from the public at this time.
2.Consent Agenda:
A.Approval of the 10-7-04 regular meeting minutes.
Motion:
Second:
Gibson-to approve consent agenda
Klusendorf
Commissioner Bertrand asked that Item "A" of the consent agenda be removed
for discussion. He stated item 6, page 6, the last sentence should read:
Commissioner Be1trand also felt a legal interp�·etation is needed to
dete1mine at what threshold a property owner is required to bring their
prope1iy up to conformance when it is a legal non-conforming use.
Amended
Motion:
Second:
Voted For:
Bertrand-to approve with changes.
Klusendorf
Unanimous
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Motion Carried
Tabled Items:
3.Consideration and possible action regarding the Commercial Site Plan for
Calvary Chapel Church located at 1409 S. Friendswood Dr.
Motion:
Second:
Voted For:
Bertrand-to remove from table for discussion.
Weesner
Unanimous Motion Carried
The City Attorney stated that this property is to be considered two tracts of land.
The property the church currently is on and is not making improvement to cannot
be required to be brought into compliance. Additional discussion took place
between the Commission, Staff and the City Attorney with regards to religious
uses, when an owner is required to bring a property into compliance, and
restrictions on parking lots. Commissioner Bertrand asked the City Attorney at
what threshold a property owner is required to bring their property up to
compliance when it is a legal non-conforming use and if it is based on financial
threshold or a percent of change to the property. The City Attorney responded
that it depends on the grandfathering provisions of the zoning ordinance. The
grandfathering provisions of the zoning ordinance categorize the types of
prope1ties and/or structures into three categories and it depends on which category
the property falls into. The first is non-conforming uses of land only or land with
minor strnctures only. The second is non-conforming uses of strnctures, not
involving the land. The third is non:.conforming uses in combination of structures
and land. The most common non-conf01ming use is the combination of structure
and land uses. Specifically, ifthere is a removal, repair or change to the structure,
which involves 50 percent or more of the replacement cost, the requirement to
bring the non-conforming structure into compliance, applies. Typically, that is the
rule that applies; however, it is not the rule for every piece of property because the
gl'andfathering provision is applied in more specific terms.
Motion:
Second:
Voted For:
Regular Meeting:
Gibson-to approve
Klusendorf
Unanimous Motion Carried
4.Discussion and possible action regarding amending Zoning Ordinance Revisions
to the Permitted Use Table by adding Use #53113 Lessors of miniwarehouse and
self-storage units.
Staff reviewed the history of the recommended changes that the Commission had
made with regards to the mini warehouse use. Staff stated City Council would like
for the Commission to take another look at the recommendation and consider the
properties it would affect. Commissioner Bertrand stated that this is an excellent
test case for the governance process and could provide an opportunity for the
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Commission and the City Council to work together in order to insure the
Commission is working in the same direction as City Council. After further
discussion, some of the Commissioners indicated a need a need for new
information from City Council on this item before deciding to change the last
recommendation.
5.Communication from the Commission
Commissioner Gibson thanked the city for sending the Commissioners to the
American Planning Association Conference.
Commissioner Klusendorf stated he learned a lot at the conference and he thanked
the city for sending the Commission.
Commissioner Be1irand thanked the city for sending the Commission to the AP A
Conference. He was, however, disappointed that at the conference luncheon
Friendswood was not among the cities recognized for projects . they had
completed. He asked that Friendswood take advantage of the AP A awards
program and apply for recognition of various projects we complete next year.
Commissioner Weesner stated that at the last Planning and Zoning meeting, many
Commissioners had requested an electronic agenda item discussion. She feels
that it still needs to be placed on the agenda as a discussion regarding paper
drawings. She also stated there is a lot going on and the discussion regarding
taxing should happen post haste. She also stated that she felt the City Council
was not getting adequate information about what was said at the P&Z meetings.
She was also concerned that the Commission memos do not state why the
Commission was making the decisions they are making.
Chairman Holland stated he attended the Galveston County Consolidated
Drainage District (GCCDD) meeting and was very impressed how the meeting
was conducted. He also stated he attended a Development Review Commit tee
meeting as an observer and felt Staff did a good job with supplying information to
the proposed developer and making that person feel comf011able at the meeting.
In addition, Chairman Holland commented that he was ready for the challenge
and excited about being the Planning and Zoning chair. He would like, however,
for the Commission to align its vision with City Council. He also thanked City
Council for the dinner given in honor of the volunteers for the City . of
Friendswood.
6.Reports
A.Council Liaison
Council Liaison David Smith reported the dinner was a lot of fun and it was a
pleasure to give thanks to all the volunteers of the City of Friendswood. He also
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stated that he was glad to have the oppmtunity to improve the governance process
between different committees.
B.Staff
Staff reported that the electronic agenda process, currently being used by the
Commission is in line with City Council directives. As recommended at the last
regular meeting, an additional reading file is now available at the reference desk
of the Friendswood Library, which has extended hours. Staff announced that
Commissioners will be invited at varies times, to attend as an observer, the
Development Review Committee meetings. In addition, the Commission is
always invited to City Hall to speak with Staff at any time. Staff stated the
Mission Statement adopted by Commission was not the same as the purpose and
duties description of the Commission provided in the Boards, Commissions and
Committees Handbook. The mission statement is not inappropriate so long as it
does not conflict with the purposes and duties. Commissioner Bertrand asked if
City Council could adopt the Mission Statement for Planning and Zoning. Staff
also reported on information requested by Commissioner Weesner regard ing the
TCEQ and the EPA; however, Staff had not yet researched the Texas Coastal
Management Agency for information requested.
7.Adjournment
With no further comment the meeting was adjourned at 8: 17 p.m.
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