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HomeMy WebLinkAboutP&Z Minutes 1997-06-26 Regular[ ! Minutes of a Regular Meeting of the Friendswood Planning and Zoning Commission June 26, 1997 The Friendswood Planning and Zoning Commission met on Thursday, June 26, 1997 at 7:00 in the City Hall Council Chambers located at 910 S. Friendswood Drive, Friendswood, Texas. The following members were present: Finger -Chair Burke Hodge -City Engineer Henry -Development Coordinator Brinkman -Secretary Cress Clark Cox -City Manager Storey Olson -City Attorney Grace McVeigh Dickey -Council Liaison Chair Finger opened the meeting, calling for communications from the public for items not appearing on the agenda. Having none, the following items were considered. 1. 2. Minutes for approval -April 14, 1997; May 1, 1997; May 15, 1997 -all approved as corrected. Possible recommendation to City Council regarding the site plan of Super Wash -located on Friendswood Drive adjacent to the Brown House Bed and Breakfast. Al Lentz of Lentz Engineering presented the proposed site plan, describing landscaping and detention. The detention pond was sized to accept run off water from the Brown House which currently drains onto this property. Note #3 implies that water runoff will not be accepted from adjacent properties; therefore, the note should be clarified. Tree wells should be considered around the 60 inch tree in an attempt to save it. Commissioner Storey objected to the 2000 watt lighting fixture, other lighting options were discussed. The monument sign is to be 5 feet tall. Motion: Second: Vote for: Storey to table until a site plan can be submitted that addresses the detention note, lighting, monument sign height, and root wells around the 60 inch tree. Burke Unanimous Motion carried 3.Possible recommendation to City Council regarding the site plan for Eagle Transmission located on FM 2351 adjacent to Brakemasters. Motion: Second: Vote for: Burke to recommend approval of the site plan. Cress Unanimous Motion carried 4.The Final plat of Williams Estates located at Providence Drive and Pilgrim Lane. All utilities are available to the property. There is a 40 feet road and utility easement indicated on the plat; however, there is no indication the easement was accepted by the City or that it will ever be necessary. Attorney Olson discussed several options available to the developer, none of which would hinder the approval of the plat. Motion: Second: Vote for: Grace to approve the final plat. Burke Unanimous Motion carried ! P&Z 6/26/97 Page 2 5.The request by Exxon Pipeline Company for a Specific Use Permit for a 50 foot permanent pipeline easement and temporary construction easement -initial use is a new 16 foot ethane transmission pipeline. A number of citizen concerns were expressed at the June 5, 1997 public hearing. Chair Finger said 20% of the people don't want a pipeline, 40% didn't want the pipeline adjacent to their homes and the other 40% said the City should give some direction and get the process moving. The concerns, as expressed by Finger and Burke, were reiterated by the other commission members. They are as follows: 1.Impact on property values and homeowners. Where the proposed pipeline easement is abutting residential property and the proposed easement is in undeveloped land, the pipeline should be moved a suitable distance so the undeveloped property could continue to be used and the developed property would not be impacted. It is suggested this distance be about 200 feet from the developed residential property lines to the edge of the proposed pipeline easement. This would allow the owner of the undeveloped property room to develop a 60 feet street right-of-way between the proposed pipeline easement and the currently developed residential property. 2. 3. 4. Other homeowner concerns. In areas where relocation of the proposed pipeline easement is not feasible -where developed residential property is within 100 feet of the proposed pipeline easement, the pipeline should be at a suitable depth, say 10-12 feet, so as to prevent accidental rupturing of the pipeline (backhoes, mowers, etc.). At the public hearing, the applicant did say the pipeline would be buried 35 feet in some of these residential areas but there is nothing in the documents that refers to this issue. There should also be a monitoring system in these areas to provide early indication of pipe leakage such as providing sleeving of the pipeline with hydrocarbon monitoring of the annular space. This is similar to leak detection systems presently used at retail gasoline outlets to prevent the leakage of gasoline into the soil. Existing pipeline. The crude oil pipeline that the applicant had originally proposed to convert ethane service still exists. Technically, this system could be used to loop the currently proposed pipeline to move more ethane through the City. Exxon could remove this concern by providing assurances that this pipeline would only be used for crude oil, or alternatively, abandon the easement. Recreational Use. That the easement, especially as it affects The Bofysil and West properties, be worded so as to remove, with mutually agreeable qualifications, typical language prohibiting pavement within the easement; the intent being not only to allow but to encourage the incorporation of the easement area into the developments planned for these properties as recreational areas, contemplating such improvements as would permit trails or tracks for walking, jogging, bicycling, horseback riding and similar uses. As part of this provision, the City would ask Exxon Pipeline Company (EPC), the landowners and developers to devise a plan which would include cooperative maintenance of the easement. [ i l P&Z 6/26/97 Page 3 5.Emergency. That the City will ask the fire and other relevant city departments, in conjunction with EPC representation, to ascertain a pro-rata share of the cost impact on emergency response services that the pipeline's existence would have on the City's resources in case of accidental or design failure and the predictable effects. EPC will pledge an amount equal to that share over the expected life of the pipeline, with cost escalation adjustments. The terms of payment to be negotiated between the City and EPC. 6.Tree Loss. That at the applicant's sole expense, a forester or other competent person or firm named by the City, shall prepare a survey, whose exact scope shall be determined by the City of the area proposed as an easement. Depending on the specific findings, EPC either will make adjustments to the pipeline location within the easement to protect the viability of existing significant trees, or, if that proves not feasible, will provide monetary compensation beyond the assumed market value of undeveloped land, equal to the value of the removed trees. The distribution of this compensation at the discretion of the City will be made either to the owners of the subject properties or to an earmarked City fund, or both, for tree replenishment on public rights-of­ way within the City as the City and landowner may determine. 7.Creeks -Ecology. That at the applicant's sole expense, a person or firm shall be named by the City whose expertise shall allow assessment and monitoring of the easement as it affects wetlands, watercourse crossings, and related issues as related to the ecology of the proposed easement route. Overall, the commission does not feel comfortable recommending the request to City Council at this time. Chair Finger said he would entertain a request by Exxon to delay in order to respond to the concerns or would entertain a motion by the commission. Exxon representatives requested a delay to discuss their options. Mr. Grace stated that he did not view the proposal as a fair deal to the city -that introducing a new corridor was detrimental to overall city planning, was disruptive to developers planning and utilized land that held a potential as a tax base and tax dollars. Motion: Second: Vote For: Clark to temporarily table the item. Burke Unanimous Motion Carried 6.A one year extension of the Final plat approval for Quail Crossing located at FM 2351 and Blackhawk. 7. Motion: Second: Vote For: Opposed: Clark to grant a one year extension. Mcveigh McVeigh, Burke, Cress, Clark, Storey, Finger Grace Motion Carried After a brief intermission, Exxon representatives returned to the Council Chambers. Motion: Clark to remove from the table, the request by Exxon Pipeline Company for a Specific Use Permit for a 50 foot permanent pipeline easement and temporary construction easement - initial use is a new 16 inch ethane transmission pipeline. Second: Burke Vote For: Unanimous Motion Carried [ I P&Z 6/26/97 Page4 Reid C. Wilson, Attorney for Exxon Pipeline Company, requested a delay in order to respond to the comments of the Planning and Zoning Commission relating to the appropriate conditions for the Specific Use Permit. Motion: Second: Vote For: Clark -to table the item. Burke Unanimous Motion Carried 7.Communication from: A Staff -none B.Council Liaison -Councilmember Dickey said City Council will workshop the permitted use table and the tree ordinance on July 14, 1997. C.Commissioners -none