Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutP&Z Minutes 1973-11-15 RegularFPZC-M-11-15-73 MINUTES OF A REGULAR MEETING OF THE PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION November 15, 1973 A regular meeting of the Friendswood Planning and Zoning Commission was held at Friendswood City Hall on Thursday, Novemberl5, 1973- Chairman C. C. Bost presided, calling the meeting to order at 7:40 P.M. The Secretary returned two information books on PUDs to Councilman Zeitler, who was present at the start of the meeting. MEMBERS PRESENT C. C. Bost, Chairman Tracy Spears, Vice --Chairman Leah North, Secretary Robert Phillips Clyde Raney James Shore 1. MINUTES OF PREVIOUS MEETINGS MEMBERS ABSENT Vacancy, Position 7 Ed Zeitler, Council Rep. November 8, 1973 - Approved with the following correction: Page fours omit words "36" to 42" plants." 2. INFORMATION REPORTS Postponed until later in the meeting. 3. HEARING At 8 P.M. the Chairman called to order a hearing regarding the requested rezoning of the following tract from R-2 (Multiple - family Residential) District to C-1 (Business) District: Attach "That part presently zoned R-2 out of a certain 3.3576 acre #1 tract of land out of Lot 9, Block 2, Friendswood Subdivision, according to the plat of said subdivision recorded in Volume 25-A, page 18, in the office of the County Clerk of Galveston County, Texas, located on Morningside and Magnolia and being the back of the property located at 305, 307 and 309 South Friendswood Drive." Request was made by owners W. B. Wood and Harold Whitaker. The Chairman asked if anyone wished to speak on the rezoning. Mrs. E. D. Rauch asked if an architectural plan had been submitted. The Chairman stated that he had a copy on his desk of the revised plan. The copies of the original plans, which had been red -lined by the Commission were missing from the files of the Building Official and the Planning Commission. Since the one on the Chairman's desk was the only one available, the Chair called a recess while he went to get it. When the meeting reconvened, the Rauchs, who previously had voiced an opposition to the rezoning on the basis of a boundary dispute, conferred with Mr. Wood and Mr. Whitaker. The Chair asked again if there was anyone who wished to speak. The Rauchs indicated that they had reached an agreement with the developers, 2 FPZC-M-11-15-73 and the Chair stated that the discrepancy of 1.8' between the Rauchs and the Wood/Whitaker tract would be settled by their surveyors. (Of interest during the discussion of surveys, was a survey made in 1962 by County Surveyor Paul Milligan which Attach indicated that the Magnolia R"OW is sixty-six Feet wide.) #2 Mr. Phillips had some questions to ask of Mr. Wood and Mr. Whitaker& How soon can you start building if we rezone tonight? Eighteen months, we are told. Q. If rezoned, would you consider moving the trailers prior to ours t ru c t i on? A. Possibly, since have had some utility supply problems with the present construction. Q. Would you consider permitting R-1 (Single-family Residential) use on Morningside? A. The land values are too exorbitant to use for R-1. Q. Would you consider contingencies that would be restricted to that particular shopping center? A. That would be hard to commit at this time. Mr. Phillips then expressed his concern that there may be no real legal ties binding them to the present plan in the future. MOTION WAS MADE by Raney, seconded by North, that the Commission recommend approval for the following reasons: (1) An attempt to eliminate sixty additional apartment tracts; (2) The deeper (554') Commercial tract thus formed better serves the needs of the community. Further discussion followed. Mr. Phillips thought we should ask the City Council to change the zoning to R-1 if it feels this way (regarding the reasons). Mr. Shore agreed, with the further thought that this action would extend Commercial into an area which is residential. Mrs. North pointed out that the corresponding area across Magnolia Street is also Commercial. Mr. Phillips stated that he understood we would be faced with requests for rezoning to C--1 along Shadowbend A enue if we recommended this rezoning. Mr. Shore stated thaT he had no compunction against voting against C-1 in these areas. He did not feel that the two were related. Mr. Bost stated that letters were sent to sixteen people within 200 feet of the rezoning request. Only one party appeared (Rauch) and they had no objection. The vote was called for. MOTION FAILED. For: Raney, North. Against: Phillips, Shore. Abstained: Host, Spears. (Note: this motion was later reconsidered at the end of the meeting.) MOTION WAS MADE by Spears, seconded by Shore, that the Commission consider the results of the hearing and make a decision on Thursday week (Nov. 29). MOTION PASSED: For: Bost, Spears, Phillips, Shore. Abstaining: Raney, North. a FPZC-M-11-15--73 After this last motion Mr. Whitaker stated that he would have a letter in to the Commission by next Thursday to withdraw the petition. He was duly informed that the Commission had the authority to rezone with or without petition from the land owner. Mrs. North stated that she felt the Commissioners who abstained should state why they abstained. Mr. Spears stated that he felt we need to decide what to do with the whole area. Mr. Bost stated that he would abstain from now on until the Commission arrives at some plan. The hearing was concluded at 9:40 P.M. 4. BUILDING PERMITS - None. 5. MISCELLANEOUS BUSINESS Autumn, Hills Messrs. Strickler, Cauble, and Pohlmeyer Hearing Decision appeared to present a revised plot plan for Autumn Hills building. A discussion of the plan followed. MOTION WAS MADE by Spears, seconded by Shore, that the Commission recommend approval of the request to rezone to Specific Use - Institution for the aged with the following conditions (1) There is to be no access from Shady Nook. (2) A sixty foot R-O-W for Heritage Drive shall be deeded to the City. (3) A drainage culvert shall be installed, covered, and blacktopped on Quaker Drive according to the City Engineer's specifications. The entire cost of the culvert and blacktop is to be borne by the Autumn Hills Corporation. (4) A screening hedge is to be planted between the parking area and the Fred Camp property. (5) A landscaped greenery buffer approxi- mately 45' by 108' is to be maintained abutting Shady Nook. (6) Drainage of the back yard area and parking area is to be approved by the City Engineer with the City to pay for the diTference in culvert size required to take the drainage off Shady Nook. MOTION PASSED UNANIMOUSLY, MOTION WAS MADE by Spears, seconded by Raney, that the parking requirement be reduced to eighteen spaces due to the nature of the particular business. North questioned whether we could not more realistically call this number thirty, since 4 FPZC-M-11-15--73 the present noncomforning spaces and the additional offstreet spaces total more than this, but the Commission felt that this might cause difficulties in the future if the convalescent center were to lose the non- conforming spaces due to the street being improved. MOTION PASSED. Tore Bost, Spears, Phillips, Raney, Shore. Against: None. Abstaining. North. MOTION WAS MADE by Spears, seconded by Shore, that an additional nine nonconforming parking spaces be allowed on Quaker Drive. MOTION PASSED UNANIMOUSLY. MOTION WAS MADE by Raney, seconded by North, that no additional nonconforming parking be allowed on Heritage Drive. MOTION PASSED UNANIMOUSLY, MOTION WAS MADE by Spears, seconded by North, that a variance be granted allowing a 15'6" setback instead of a 25' setback on the one new wing because of a hardship which would be caused by shifting the building. MOTION PASSED UNANIMOUSLY. 6. INFORMATION REPORTS (10s55 P-M- ) The Chairman asked if anyone had any information reports which they wished to discuss. National Investors North reported that the maintenance agreement Hedge. should be here by next Thursday. A building permit for an arts and crafts shop was granted on the recommendation of Raney and North last Friday with the stipulation that absolutely no occupancy would be permitted if the requirements were not met by the time the building is complet- ed. Raney stated that he thought the people leasing this area should be informed. Hedge was installed last week -end. Attach Polly Ranch Shore asked the status of the drainage #3 Drainage easement in Polly Ranch. He was given a copy of the letter dated August 29, 1973, from Billy McAninch to the Commission. Subdivision Raney reported that the Subdivision Ordinance Ordinance had been changed considerably since the Commission had seen it and is now in acce*ble form except for a few objectionable parts, in his opinion. FPZC-M-11-15--73 North felt that the definition of "The City" needed to be changed, since it now indicates that the City is the City Council or the administrative staff where, in many places, it should be the Planning Commission. 7. MORE MISCELLANEOUS BUSINESS Attach Rezoning Request The Secretary called to the Commission's #4 Crown Central #4 attention that a request for a Specific Use had been received from Crown Central, the legal description being as follows; "Lot 10 of the George Van Pelt Subdivision out of the B. S. & F. Survey No. 5, A-625, Galveston County, Texast said beginning point bearing South 870 56' 31" East a distance of approximately 1040' from the intersection of the North line of the American Canal Co. 150' easement and the East line of State F. M. Highway 528. Thence from said point of beginning go South 870 56' East a distance of 485'; Thence North 20 4' East a distance of 801.9'; Thence North 870 56'We�st a distance of 385'; Thence South 90 9' West a distance of 810' to place of beginning and containing 8.6 acres of land, more or less." MOTION WAS MADE by Raney, seconded by North, that a hearing be called on this request for December 6, 1973 at 8 P.M. MOTION PASSED UNANIMOUSLY. Commission Spears stated that he felt the Commission Meetings needed to have workshop meetings on a regular basis. We need to formulate a comprehensive plan from Clearview to 2351 to Clear Creek. A discussion followed. MOTION WAS MADE by Spears, seconded by R ney that the Planning and Zoning Commission Mold regular meetings on the first, third, and fourth Thursdays of each month, with workshop on the second Thursdays and no meeting on the firth Thursdays. MOTION PASSED UNANIMOUSLY, Rezoning Hearing This item was put on last week's agenda at the Fees. request of Raney. MOTION WAS MADE by North, seconded by Spears, that Raney be appointed Chairman of a committee to come up with recommendations on this subject. MOTION PASSED UNANIMOUSLY• 6 FPZC-M-11-15-73 Dow Pipeline North stated her concern that, although we have not received any more accurate descriptions of a proposed Dow Chemical pipeline through the City as was promised in a letter from Bill Decker last May, that the Commission should not fail to take some sort of action concerning the pipeline, particularly since she had talked to a landowner in the past week who had been approached by Dow to sell land. A discussion followed. The Chairman stated that he had called Decker several times and that Decker said the survey was not ready yet. North felt that a written record whould be maintained. ACTION Attach MOTION WAS MADE by Raney, seconded by Spears, #5 that the Commission send a letter calling their attention to Ordinance• 174 (Zoning) and Ordinance 187 (Pipeline) requirements. MOTION PASSED UNANIMOUSLY, 8. MORE INFORMATION REPORTS Illegal Signs The Secretary reported that the memo requested by the Commission to be sent to the City Manager was written last Thursday and delivered to him this Monday. Attach The Secretary read excerpts from a letter from #6 Thomas 'Lay explaining the oversized sign at Fox Meadows. He maintains that this is an old sign, not a new one, and was merely painted. A discussion questioning the validity of this position followed, but no action was taken. The Secretary also reported on her conversations with Mr. Cline regarding two other apparently illegal signs. (By phone on November S, 1973.) Fruit stand sign on 2351. Mr. Cline has talked with the people. They said they would take it down, but the husband fell and broke his collar bone, so it is still up. Talisman School.. He has chased down the owners through John Ward, Supt. of Schools, as being Dr. Powers of Pasadena, who does want to put in a Day Care Center and Kindergarten. Mr. Cline called him on November 7, but got no answer. He thinkihe should write him a letter. g. MORE MISCELLANEOUS -BUSINESS Wood/ Whitaker Shore stated that he had been thinking over the Rezoning vote taken earlier this evening on the Wood/ Whitaker request to rezone to C-1. 2 FPZC-M-11-15-73 The Secretary advised him that it was proper to make a motion to reconsider. MOTION WAS MADE by Shore, seconded by Spears, to reconsider the decision regarding the Wood/ Whitaker tract. A discussion followed. Mr. Shore felt that the approval had been killed on a technicality, that the recommendation for approval had passed once previously atthe first hearing, and that only the fact the residents had not been properly notified caused a second vote to be taken tonight. MOTION PASSED. For: Spears, Shore, Raney, North. Against: Phillips. Abstaining: Bost. MOTION WAS MADE by Spears, seconded by Shore that the Commission recommend the rezoning of the WoodAlhitaker tract from R-2 to C-1. MOTION PASSED. For: Spears, Shore, Raney, North. Against: Phillips. Abstaining: Bost. ICMA Course The Secretary brought up once again that the cost of the ICMA course for an individual was $150 and that additional members could take the course as a group for the additional cost of only the book, if wanted, and the materials. No one felt they had -the time to take the course besides the Secretary. This information will be transmitted to the City Manager. 9. ADJOURNMENT There being no further business to discuss, the meeting adjourned. Secretary p Approved: Addendum: Members of the audience included: Frank Thayer, 12462 Mooredale, Houston, 444-9431 Germaine Greer, Box 1891, Houston E. D. Rauch, Box 78, Friendswood, 482-1700 Verda Rauch, Box 78, Friendswood, 482-1? 00 Pat Beem, 4903 Live Oak, Diskinson, 337-2837 Tony Paschall, Friendswood Journal, J. H. Roberts 111, 804 Bonnie Doone, 482-6384 W. R. Whipkey, 207 Shady Nook, 482--7012 Ray Utley, 913 Gleniea Court Addendum] The petition to rezone was.not submitted tonight. The Secretary will be notified when it is ready for submittal.