HomeMy WebLinkAboutP&Z Minutes 1996-01-18 RegularREGULAR MEETING
PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION
JANUARY 18, 1996
A REGULAR MEETING OF THE FRIENDSWOOD PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION WAS HELD ON
THURSDAY, JANUARY 18, AT 7:00 P.M. IN THE CITY HALL COUNCIL CHAMBERS LOCATED AT 910 S.
FRIENDSWOOD DRIVE, FRIENDSWOOD, TEXAS. THE FOLLOWING MEMBERS WERE PRESENT:
BAKER -CHAIRMAN
GRACE
HOOVER -CITY PLANNER
HENRY -DEVELOPMENT COORDINATOR
BRINKMAN -SECRETARY BURKE
CRESS DICKEY -COUNCIL LIAISON
CLARK STEWART-CITY ATTORNEY
WITH A QUORUM PRESENT, FINGER & WHITTENBURG ABSENT, CHAIRMAN BAKER OPENED THE
MEETING CALLING FOR COMMUNICATIONS FROM THE PUBLIC FOR ITEMS WHICH DID NOT APPEAR
ON THE AGENDA. HAVING NONE, THE FOLLOWING ITEMS WERE CONSIDERED:
1.PRE-APP -FRIENDSWOOD CAR WASH LOCATED ON FM 528 IMMEDIATELY WEST OF BURGER
KING.
RICHARD CAYLOR OF CIVIL CONCEPTS, STATED THAT THIS WILL BE A FULL SERVICE CAR WASH,
POSSIBLY WITH AN AREA FOR OIL CHANGES, BUT WITHOUT GASOLINE. THE COMMISSION
REVIEWED THE PROPOSED PLAT AND EXPRESSED CONCERNS REGARDING THE SIZE OF LOT
IN RELATION TO BUILDING SIZE, REQUIRED LANDSCAPING, PARKING, INGRESS/EGRESS, AND
THE DEVELOPMENT OF AN INTEGRATED CENTER WITH THE ADJACENT ACREAGE. CITY
PLANNER HOOVER COMMENTED THAT THE NEW OWNERS OF THE ADJACENT PROPERTY WERE
AWARE THAT ACCESS WOULD HAVE TO BE PROVIDED AND ARE WORKING WITH HIM TO
ESTABLISH A CONTIGUOUS DEVELOPMENT. QUESTIONS AROSE REGARDING DRAINAGE, TXDOT
-PERMITS, AND EPA REGULATIONS. SIDEWALKS ARE ALREADY IN PLACE AND THE DEVELOPER
WAS ADVISED THAT THE SIDEWALKS WOULD HAVE TO BE PRESERVED. THE DEVELOPER, ROY
MEASE, STATED THAT HE WOULD WORK WITH THE COMMISSION TO MEET ALL OF THE
REQUIREMENTS OF THE ORDINANCE. THE STANDARD NOTE REGARDING INGRESS AND EGRESS
WILL BE ADDED TO THE PLAT WHICH WILL BE ENFORCED ON THE SITE PLAN.
2.CONSIDERATION AND POSSIBLE RECOMMENDATION REGARDING ORDINANCE AMENDMENTS
ON:
A.TREE SURVEYS
THE CALIPER OF TREES AND SITE LOCATIONS ARE ONLY TWO OF THE ITEMS THAT SHOULD BE
ADDRESSED IN THE ORDINANCE.
COMMISSIONER CRESS MADE A MOTION TO TABLE THIS ITEM UNTIL THE NEXT REGULAR
MEETING OF THE PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION.
SECOND: CLARK
TOM GRACE CALLED A QUESTION STATING THAT HE UNDERSTOOD THE CITY COULD EFFECT
THE SAME REGULATIONS WITHOUT AN ORDINANCE. DISCUSSION FOLLOWED REGARDING THE
JUDICIAL REQUIREMENTS AND AFTER DISCUSSION, A VOTE WAS TAKEN.
VOTE FOR: UNANIMOUS
OPPOSED: NONE MOTION PASSED
B.FENCES
THE SUBJECT OF FRONT YARD FENCING WAS DISCUSSED; THE NEED FOR
AND/OR REASONS FOR DENIAL. ORNAMENTAL FENCING, SUCH AS A WROUGHT
IRON OR SPLIT RAIL IN FRONT OF A HOME, IS NOT PERMITTED UNDER THE
[ I
CURRENT ORDINANCE. THE REASONS OFFERED FOR THE PREVENTION
OF FRONT YARD FENCING WERE AESTHETICS, VISIBILITY, AND SAFETY.
THE BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT (BOA) HAS HEARD NUMEROUS REQUESTS
FOR FRONT YARD FENCING AND HAS ASKED THE COMMISSION TO
EITHER DEFINE OR MODIFY THE ORDINANCE IN ORDER THAT THERE
WILL NOT BE A STEADY STREAM OF REQUESTS. THE BOA IS TO
CONSIDER CASES DUE TO A HARDSHIP, TO REQUEST SPECIAL
EXCEPTION, OR TO ARBITRATE IN THE INTERPRETATION OF THE
ORDINANCE. THE BOA'S DECISION IS BINDING TO BOTH THE CITY AND
THE HOMEOWNER.
COMMISSIONER CRESS MADE A MOTION TO TABLE THIS ITEM UNTIL THE
NEXT REGULAR MEETING OF THE PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION.
SECOND: CLARK
VOTE FOR: UNANIMOUS
OPPOSED: NONE MOTION CARRIED.
3.MINUTES FOR APPROVAL: NOVEMBER 13, 1995; DECEMBER 7, 1995; JANUARY 8, 1996; JANUARY
11, 1996 -APPROVED AS READ.
JANUARY 4, 1996; NOVEMBER 16, 1995; NOVEMBER 2, 1995 -APPROVED AS CORRECTED.
4.COMMUNICATIONS FROM:
A STAFF
CITY ATTORNEY STEWART CITED A 1958 SUPREME COURT DECISION
FOR THE CITY OF BELLAIRE IN WHICH THE CITY'S DECISION TO PREVENT
FRONT YARD FENCES WAS UPHELD IN THE COURT SYSTEM FOR THE
SAME REASONS THE CITY OF FRIENDSWOOD HAD PREVENTED THEM.
COUNCILMEMBER DICKEY STATED THAT THE PLANNING AND ZONING
WAS TO BE SENT TWO ITEMS TO BE WORKSHOPPED. ONE ITEM WAS THE
HEIGHT REQUIREMENTS AND THE SECOND WAS THE
ENTRYWAY/OVERLAY WHICH SHE SAID THE COUNCIL NEEDED FURTHER
CLARIFICATION. CITY PLANNER HOOVER STATED THAT THE OVERALL
HEIGHT IN ALL DISTRICTS WAS 35', IN A MOBILE HOME DISTRICT IT WAS
20', AND THE ENTRYWAY/OVERLAY SETS A LIMIT OF 35'. HE FURTHER
STATED THAT THERE IS AN ALLOTMENT FOR A TALLER BUILDING IF A 62.5
ANGLE CAN BE MET. THIS REQUIREMENT WOULD ALLOW FOR A.TALLER
BUILDING ON A LARGER LOT. THE PURPOSE FOR THIS ORDINANCE WAS
FOR THOSE TWO STORIED HOMES WHICH HAD TO BE BUil T UP DUE TO
THE FLOOD PLAIN. THIS WOULD ALLOW THOSE HOMES TO BE BUil T TO
SPEC! FICATIONS.
B.COMMISSIONERS
ACCESSORY BUILDINGS WERE ALSO DISCUSSED AS WAS A MAIN STREET
DISTRICT. THE MAIN STREET VISIONING COMMITTEE WILL MEET WITHIN
THE NEXT FEW WEEKS.
WITH NO FURTHER COMMENT, THE MEETING WAS ADJOURNED.
(7/4L� CLAUDIA L. BRINKMAN, SECRETARY