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Home My WebLink AboutP&Z Minutes 1994-11-03 Regularf 1 I � l REGULAR MEETING PLANNING AND ZONING ca-1MISSION NOVEMBER 3, 1994 A REGULAR MEETING OF THE FRIENDSWOOD PLANNING AND ZONING CCM1ISSION WAS HELD ON THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 3, 1994, AT 7: 00 P .M. IN THE CITY HALL COUNCIL CHAMBERS. THE FOLLCWING MEMBERS WERE PRESENT: BAKER HENRY BRINKMAN HOOVER CRESS WHITI'ENBURG McHUGH WASSON WITH A QUORUM PRESENT, DICKSON AND FINGER ABSENT, THE FOLLCWING ITEMS WERE CONSIDERED: 1.IXXl<El'ED JOINT PUBLIC HEARING WITH CITY COUNCIL AND THE PLANNING AND ZONING Cet,MISSION TO RECEIVE PUBLIC INPUT, Bal'H ORAL AND WRITTEN, REGARDING THE PROPOSED ENTRYWAY-OVERLAY ORDINANCE AMENDING THE CITY OF FRIENDSWOOD, TEXAS ORDINANCE NO. 84-15. CHAIRMAN BAKER OPENED THE PUBLIC HEARING EXPLAINING THE AREAS WHICH WOULD BE AFFECTED BY THE ENTRYWAY/OVERLAY DISTRICT. HE FURTHF.R STATED THAT THIS DISTRICT DOES NOT INCLUDE THE MAIN STREET DISTRICT WHICH IS THAT AREA ON F .M. 518 (FRIENDSWOOD DRIVE) • CITY PLANNER HOOVER INDICATED THE AREA ON A MAP, GIVING THE PARTICULARS OF THE DISTRICT REGARDING LANDSCAPING, UTILITY LOCATION, SIGNS, FENCING, BUILDING HEIGHT, AND THE GRANDFATHERING OF EXISTING BUSINESSES. THERE WERE SEVERAL BUSINESS a-JNERS IN THE AUDIENCE WHO ASKED QUESTIONS REGARDING THE SET BACK REQUIREMENTS AND REC/UIRED LANDSCAPING AND THE EFFECT THE NEW ORDINANCE WOULD HAVE ON THEM. A LETI'ER FRa-1 PATRICIA ROSENDAHL WAS READ INTO THE MINUTES OF THE MEIITING BY MAYOR NEWMAN. WITH NO OTHER PUBLIC CCMMENT, THE PUBLIC HEARING WAS CLOSED. CHAIRMAN BAKER ASKED FOR CCMMUNICATIONS FRa-1 THE PUBLIC FOR ITEMS WHICH DID NOT APPEAR ON THE AGENDA. HAVING NONE, THE FOLLCWING ITEMS WERE CONSIDERED: 2.CONSIDERATION AND POSSIBLE RECG1MENDATION TO CITY COUNCIL 3. REGARDING THE SITE PLAN OF THE FRIENDSWOOD CHIROPRACTIC CLINIC TO BE LOCATED ON FM 518 ADJACENT TO LAURELFIELD. CITY PLANNER HOOVER STATED THIS PLAN HAD BEEN BEFORE THE CCM1ISSION AS A PRE-APP AND Sa.IB CHANGES HAD BEEN MADE TO HONOR AN AGREEMENT WITH LAUREI.FIELD HCMECWNER' S ASSOCIATION AND TO ca.1PLY WITH THE MASTER PLAN OF THE ORIGINAL SUBDIVISION. THOSE CHANGES WERE REVIEWED AND COMMISSIONER CRESS MADE A MOTION THAT THE SITE PLAN FOR THE FRIENDSWOOD CHIROPRACTIC CLINIC BE RECXM1ENDED TO CITY COUNCIL FOR THEIR APPROVAL. SECOND: WHI'ITENBURG VOTE FOR: UNANIMJUS OPPOSED: NONE MOTION CARRIED CONSIDERATION AND POSSIBLE ACTION REGARDING THE PRELIMINARY PLAT OF MAGNOLIA ESTATES TO BE I.Cx:ATED OFF OF GREENBRIAR. r I J P&Z 11/03/94 Page 2 CITY PLANNER HOOVER EXPLAINED THE AGRF..EMENT THE PREVIOUS ™NER HAD MADE WITH THE CLEAR CREEK DRAINAGE DISTRICT REGARDING THE RETENTION OF WATERS IN EXCHANGE FOR 1AND 'IO INCREASE THE CAPACITY IN THE CREEK. CCM-1ISSIONER -Y7HI'ITENBURG STATED HE WAS SATISFIED WITH THE CONCEPT AND MADE A MOTION THAT THE PRELIMINARY PLAT OF BE APPROVED. SECOND: WASSON VOTE FOR: UNANIMOUS OPPOSED: NONE 4 • CC11MUNICATIONS FR.a-1: MOTION CARRIED A.STAFF HAD NO ADDITIONAL COW-IBNTS. B.CCMM.ISSIONERS CCMM.ISSIONER McHUGH ASKED ABOUT SCREENING FOR THE AIR CONDITIONING UNIT PLACED ON 'IOP OF THE SCHLOTSKY' S. PLANNER HOOVER SAID HE BELIEVED MR. HEMPEL WOULD WORK WITH THE CCMMISSION IN SCREENING THEM. 2?� �:�filING Wffi AWOrn=, CLAUDIA L. BRI - S RETARY [ i l J November 3, 1994 Re: Entryway Overlay Districts Friendswood City Counsel City of Friendswood 102 Willow Wick Friendswood, Texas 77546-3898 VIA FAX To The Honorable Mayor and Members of City Council: I will be unable to attend the special meeting of the Friendswood City Counsel tonight, because my daughters and I will be participating in Friendswood Ballet's dress rehearsal at the 1894 Opera House in Galveston. However, because the entryway overlay districts are such an important issue to the future of Friendswood, I am sending you this letter as written input to be considered as part of the public hearing on this issue. Entry overlay district would be an importan t milestone in the evolution of Friendswood as a livable city. The entryways into any city generally reflect the character of the city and the civic pride, or lack thereof, of its citizens. Cities that undertake to make their entryways scenic and attractive have invested in their future and protected themselves, to some degree, against urban (and suburban) blight. Attractive entryway districts will enhance property values throughout the city. Cities that are perceived to be scenic and attractive are generally viewed as desirable places to live and do business, which generally results in rising property values. The proposed districts will also provide all Friendswood residents with a greater pride in their community and, perhaps, encourage further beautification efforts in other areas, which will have further beneficial effect on property values. The proposed regulations creating the entry overlay districts will likely have the greatest beneficial effect upon the properties in the districts themselves, particularly commercial properties. Attractive locations are important in attracting customers, particularly when trying to attract generally upscale Friendswood residents. Our local mall recently invested millions in improving its appearance in its own self interest. Commercial properties in a scenic overlay district will likely have and maintain greater property value than similar properties outside such a district. The sidewalks and landscaping in the proposed entryway overlay districts will bring more people into the district. Because many of such persons are likely to be pedestrians, such traffic can easily become customers. More and more Friendswood residents are taking up walking and running in their leisure time, and many of us ( l Friendswood City Counsel Re: Entryway Overlay Districts November 3, 1994 Page 2 are undertaking to do short errands on foot, now that more and more sidewalks are in place. Our local merchants will benefit by the presence of additional sidewalks in the overlay district. The entry overlay district will not deter new businesses from coming into Friendswood, and, in fact, will likely attract the neighborhood-friendly type of business that Friendswood residents prefer. The only businesses likely to be deterred by the requirements of entryway overlay districts would be very marginal operations who find even minimal expense threatening. Such businesses probably should be deterred, since they would more likely than not leave abandoned buildings in our entryway after a year or two of operations. I have shared the plans I received concerning the entryway overlay districts with a number of Friendswood residents, and most persons found the landscaping requirements most appealing. A lot of us are distressed over the constant tree loss occurring in Friendswood, and we wholly endorse any and all efforts by the City and others to replace trees. The only criticism that I heard among persons I spoke to concerning this proposal was that the 15-foot landscape buffer may not be enough to accommodate mature trees with a 5-foot sidewalk inside the buffer. In short, the proposed entryway overlay districts have a number of very positive features and no discernible negative features. Speaking for myself and, unofficially, others in the residential areas of Friendswood, I wholly endorse the proposed entryway overlay districts and look forward to their implementation as soon as possible. ��: David A. Hoover Respectfully submitted, � Y/J. O?�✓/d( Patricia M. Rosendahl 903 Remington Court Friendswood, Texas 77546 City Planner/Building Official City of Friendswood Community Development Department 1306 Deepwood Friendswood, TX 77546-3898