[00:00:05]
UM,[Call to Order ]
IT IS A LITTLE BIT AFTER 2, 2 36 ON THURSDAY, APRIL 4TH, 2024.THIS MEETING OF THE HOUSTON PLANNING COMMISSION IS CALLED TO ORDER.
I AM COMMISSION CHAIR MARTY STEIN.
AND TO VERIFY WE HAVE A QUORUM, I WILL CALL THE ROLE THE CHAIR IS PRESENT.
COMMISSIONER, UH, POROUS PERLE.
UH, COMMISSIONER KANE IS NOT PRESENT.
COMMISSIONER DALTON IS NOT PRESENT.
AND, UH, COMMISSIONER MON PACO WILL BE A LITTLE BIT LATE.
AND SEC, UM, DIRECT DIRECTOR, JENNIFER OSLAND.
SO, 19 MEMBERS HAVE RESPONDED TO MR. JONES.
I, I MARKED YOU NUMBER NINE, BUT I DIDN'T CALL YOU
COMMISSIONER JONES IS PRESENT.
SO I THINK WE STILL HAVE 19, BUT WE HAVE A QUORUM.
THANK YOU, UM, TO EVERYONE ELSE JOINING US TODAY.
IF YOU WISH TO ADDRESS THE COMMISSION ON A SPECIFIC ITEM, YOU CAN FIND THE FINAL AGENDA ON THE DEPARTMENT'S WEBSITE.
UM, AND ALL WRITTEN COMMENTS THAT WERE RECEIVED BY NOON YESTERDAY ARE INCLUDED IN OUR PACKETS.
UM, IF YOU DO WANNA SPEAK ON AN ITEM, MAKE SURE AND YOU'RE IN THE ROOM, MAKE SURE YOU FILL OUT ONE OF THESE LITTLE FORMS THAT YOU CAN GET AT THE FRONT, AT THE FRONT DESK.
UM, WE ASK EVERYONE CONNECTED BY PHONE OR COMPUTER TO PLEASE KEEP YOUR DEVICE MUTED UNTIL YOU HEAR YOUR NAME CALLED.
AND ALSO, OUR VIDEO QUALITY IS MUCH BETTER IF WE KEEP CAMERAS OFF.
UM, UNTIL YOU'RE CALLED ON TO SPEAK, NOTHING HAS BEEN WITHDRAWN FROM, UM, THE MAIN PARTS OF THE AGENDA TODAY.
[Director’s Report ]
TO THE DIRECTOR'S, UH, REPORT.UH, MADAM CHAIR AND MEMBERS OF THE COMMISSION.
I'M JENNIFER OSLAND, SECRETARY AND ALSO INTERIM DIRECTOR OF THE PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT.
UH, JUST WANNA MAKE, UH, LET EVERYBODY KNOW THAT WE WILL BE GOING TO IN-PERSON MEETINGS FOR ALL OF OUR, UH, THE COMMISSIONS, BOARDS, COMMITTEES THAT WE STAFF.
UM, SO WE'RE RETURNING TO A PRE COVID DAYS, UM, FOR COMMISSIONERS AND THE PUBLIC AND STAFF, OF COURSE.
UH, PLEASE MONITOR OUR WEBPAGE FOR DETAILS OF ANY MEETINGS THAT YOU'RE INTERESTED IN, UM, FOLLOWING THE PLANNING COMMISSION AND MAJOR THOROUGHFARE, UH, THE, UM, WORKSHOP, I GUESS.
SO FOR THE PLANNING COMMISSION, YOU ALL WILL START MAY 16TH.
SO THE MAY 16TH MEETING WILL BE AN ALL IN PERSON.
THERE WILL BE NO TEAMS OPTION FOR ANYBODY.
UH, HTV WILL CONTINUE TO BROADCAST.
SO IF THERE'S ANYBODY WHO WANTS TO WATCH IT FROM THEIR OFFICE OR FROM HOME OR SOMEWHERE ELSE, THAT WILL BE AVAILABLE.
AND I BELIEVE THEY ALSO, UM, BROADCAST THAT ON FACEBOOK.
UM, THE PUBLIC, WE STILL ENCOURAGE COMMENTS.
UM, YOU CAN COME HERE IN PERSON, YOU CAN SUBMIT, UH, COMMENTS, UH, BY EMAIL, BY SNAIL MAIL, OR OVER THE PHONE, AND THEY WILL BE MADE AVAILABLE TO THE COMMISSIONERS, AND WE WILL, UM, AND THEY'LL BE ENTERED INTO THE RECORD.
UM, AND AS, UH, UH, CHAIR JUST SAID, WHEN YOU DO ARRIVE, UM, AT THE MEETINGS IN THE FUTURE, JUST PLEASE MAKE SURE YOU SIGN UP TO SPEAK AT THE DESK WHEN YOU ENTER, UH, CHAPTER 42 IMPLEMENTATION.
WE HELD A TRAINING WORKSHOP ON MARCH 27TH ON THE CHAPTER 42 AND 26 ORDINANCE AMENDMENTS, AND WE HAD OVER 225 PEOPLE TUNE IN, WHICH WAS AWESOME.
UM, AND WE HAD SOME GOOD FEEDBACK.
IF ANYBODY MISSED IT, PLEASE KNOW THERE'S A RECORDING AND A PDF OF THE PRESENTATION ON AVAILABLE ON OUR LET'S TALK HOUSTON LIVABLE PLACES WEBPAGE.
SO, UM, AND WE CAN PROBABLY LOOK FORWARD TO MORE, UM, TRAINING WORKSHOPS LIKE THAT IN THE FUTURE.
IF ANYONE HAS QUESTIONS, THE PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT CAN BE REACHED AT (832) 393-6600.
OR YOU CAN CALL US AT EIGHT THREE TWO, UH, OR DIRECTLY TO THE PLANNER OF THE DAY AT 8 3 2 3 9 3 6 6 2 4, OR VISIT US@HOUSTONPLANNING.COM.
UM, AND THAT CONCLUDES MY REPORT.
[00:05:01]
QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FOR THE INTERIM DIRECTOR? UM, IF[Consideration of the March 21, 2024 Planning Commission Meeting Minutes ]
NOT, WE'LL MOVE TO APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES FROM THE MARCH 21ST PLANNING, COMMISSION MEETING.MINUTES, I MEAN, PLANNING COMMISSION.
IF THERE ARE NO ADDITIONS OR CORRECTIONS TO THE MINUTES, IS THERE A MOTION FOR APPROVAL MOTION? CLARK GARZA, CLARK GARZA.
UH, WITH THAT WE GO TO ROMAN NUMERAL ONE AND, UH, IT'S WITH MIXED EMOTIONS THAT I TELL YOU THAT, UM, THE CODE OF ORDINANCES SECTION 33 DASH 18 PROVIDES THAT THE PLANNING COMMISSION CHAIR SHALL BE TERM LIMITED TO EIGHT YEARS, AND MY EIGHT YEARS ARE COMING UP VERY SHORTLY.
SO, UH, WITH THAT, I WILL MAKE A MOTION THAT WE ELECT LISA CLARK AS OUR CHAIR EFFECTIVE TOMORROW, FRIDAY, APRIL 5TH, 2024.
IF THERE'S NO DISCUSSION, IS THERE A MOTION FOR LISA CLARK? SECOND.
MADAM, MADAM, I KNOW LISA IS GONNA LEAD THIS BODY, UM, SPLENDIDLY AND I LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUING TO SERVE ON THE COMMISSION FOR A LITTLE BIT MORE, BUT I'LL BE IN A DIFFERENT SEAT.
ANYTHING WE CAN DO TO HELP YOU? I KNOW I SAY THAT ON BEHALF OF ALL OF US, LET US KNOW WHAT CAN DO.
WHO DID YOU RECOGNIZE FOR THAT IMPORTANT MOTION, PLEASE? PARDON ME? WHO DID YOU, WHO MADE THE MOTION? I DID.
[Platting Activities a & b]
NUMERAL TWO PLATING ACTIVITY.GOOD AFTERNOON, MADAM CHAIR AND MEMBERS OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION.
SECTIONS A AND B ARE PRESENTED AS ONE GROUP, WHICH INCLUDES CONSENT AND RELA ITEMS NOT REQUIRING NOTIFICATION.
SECTIONS A AND B ARE ITEMS ONE THROUGH 96 SECTION A.
CONSENT ITEMS ARE NUMBERS ONE THROUGH 51 AND SECTION B RELA ITEMS ARE NUMBERS 52 THROUGH 96.
NO ITEMS NEED TO BE TAKEN OUT OF ORDER AND THERE ARE NO CHANGES TO STAFF RECOMMENDATIONS MADAM CHAIR, IF THERE ARE NO INDIVIDUALS SIGNED UP TO SPEAK ON THESE ITEMS, THE PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT REQUESTS THE APPROVAL OF ALL STAFF RECOMMENDATIONS FOR CONSENT AND REPLAT ITEMS NOT REQUIRING NOTIFICATION.
WE DO HAVE ONE ITEM AND WE HAVE QUITE A FEW SPEAKERS.
SO, UM, WE'LL GO AHEAD, LET'S TAKE THAT OUT OF ORDER FIRST AND THEN WE'LL GET TO THE REST OF IT.
UM, MS. BANDY, CAN YOU MAKE A PRESENTATION ON ITEM 19? GOOD AFTERNOON, MADAM CHAIR, MEMBERS OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION.
I'M HERE TO PRESENT ITEM 19, GLEN HAVEN CENTER.
THIS PROJECT IS A CLASS THREE FINAL PROJECT PROPOSING A RESERVE RESTRICTED TO COMMERCIAL USE SITE IS LOCATED WEST OF FOUNTAIN VIEW DRIVE AND, UH, ALONG RICHMOND AVENUE.
THIS, UM, PROJECT, THE PRELIMINARY PROJECT WENT THROUGH A PUBLIC HEARING WITH NOTICE, UH, APPLICATION, AND IT MET ALL OF THE NOTICE REQUIREMENTS AND THERE WAS SIGNS POSTED, THERE WAS ILLEGAL NOTICE, AND LETTERS WERE SENT OUT TO THE 300 FEET BOUNDARY AROUND THE PROPERTY.
SO, UM, IT DOES NOT VIOLATE THE RESTRICTIONS, THEREFORE, PLANNING DEPARTMENTS, UH, RECOMMENDATION IS TO APPROVE THE PROJECT WITH CONDITIONS.
SO THIS FOR US IS A SHALL APPROVE ITEM? YES, MA'AM.
ANY QUESTIONS FOR MS. BANDY? UM, I THINK WE ALSO GOT AN, AND IT MAY HAVE BEEN AFTER THE, UM, THE 12 O'CLOCK WEDNESDAY, WE DID GET A COMMENT FROM COUNCIL MEMBER POLLARD ON THIS ITEM, WHICH IS IN ALL OF YOUR PACKETS.
I'LL GO AHEAD AND CALL THE PUBLIC SPEAKERS THEN.
UM, AND I GUESS, UH, LET'S SEE.
WE HAVE, UH, RECEIVED MULTIPLE LETTERS OF OPPOSITION, WHICH ARE ALSO IN YOUR PACKET.
THE MAIN CONCERN IS THE USE OF THE PROPERTY.
HOWEVER, IT DOES NOT VIOLATE ANY OF THE RESTRICTIONS.
AND WE DON'T REALLY HAVE ANY AUTHORITY TO CONTROL USE WHEN THERE'S IN THIS SITUATION.
SO THE FIRST SPEAKER I HAVE IS, UH, BURIN BANDARA.
THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO SPEAK.
I AM WITH THE ARDEN WOOD GROUP.
WE HAVE OWNED AND MANAGED THE COMMERCIAL OFFICE PROPERTY AT 60 60 RICHMOND ADJACENT TO THE SUBJECT PROPERTY SINCE 1993.
AND WE HAVE INVESTED CONSIDERABLE AMOUNTS TO
[00:10:01]
MAINTAIN A PRESSURE, A PROFESSIONAL OFFICE ENVIRONMENT.WE'RE VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THE MANY PROBLEMS THAT A GAS STATION BRINGS, SUCH AS TRAFFIC POLLUTION FROM GAS AND FUMES, LOUD NOISES, VAGRANCY, PUBLIC DRINKING AMONGST MANY OTHER THINGS.
BUT I'M GONNA USE MY TIME HERE TO DISCUSS SPECIFICALLY SITE PLAN AND TRAFFIC CONCERNS WITH THE PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT.
THE SITE PLAN, THE SITE DIMENSIONS OF, OF THE 6,100 RICHMOND PROPERTY, ALSO KNOWN AS 6 0 1 OH FAIRDALE ARE SIMPLY NOT APPROPRIATE FOR A GAS STATION.
THE PROPERTY IS EXTREMELY NARROW BY OUR CALCULATION ONLY APPROXIMATELY 105 FEET.
MOST GAS STATIONS HAVE FRONTAGES TWICE THIS LENGTH OR GREATER, WHICH ALLOW FOR MULTIPLE POINTS OF INGRESS AND EGRESS FOR SAFE TRAFFIC FLOW.
6,100 RICHMOND DOES NOT HAVE ITS OWN DRIVEWAYS AND WILL BE RELYING UPON A SHARED ACCESS AGREEMENT OR EASEMENT WITH THE NEIGHBORING SHOPPING CENTER.
EVEN IF THEY WANTED TO BUILD NEW DRIVEWAYS, THERE IS NO PLACE ALONG THE FRONTAGE BECAUSE THERE IS A METRO BUS SHELTER BLOCKING MORE THAN HALF THE FRONTAGE OF THAT ALREADY NARROW PROPERTY.
IT WILL BE DIFFICULT, IF NOT IMPOSSIBLE, TO PLACE DRIVEWAYS IN AN AREA THAT DOES NOT BLOCK THE BUS SHELTER AND OR IMPEDE ALREADY EXISTING BUILDINGS.
AS FAR AS WALKING TRAFFIC GOES, THE PROPOSED BACK ENTRANCE OF THE GAS STATION, WHICH IS ALSO A SHARED ACCESS EASEMENT BACKS INTO A SMALL RESIDENTIAL STREET.
THIS STREET IS EXTREMELY NARROW AND HAS NO SIDEWALKS.
ANY PEDESTRIAN TRAFFIC WOULD BE FORCED TO WALK IN THE ROAD AND RISK GETTING HIT BY A CAR.
I WANNA POINT OUT, THIS IS THE EXACT SAME SPOT WHERE, WHERE THE INFAMOUSLY THREE, UH, UH, VALET DRIVERS WERE HIT AND KILLED ON THIS STRETCH OF FAIRDALE IN 2021.
THIS IS AN EXTREMELY DANGEROUS ROAD, AND THEY'RE GONNA BE PUTTING MORE, MORE TRAFFIC INTO THAT ROAD WITH NO SIDEWALKS.
UH, RICHMOND AVENUE'S AN EXTREMELY HIGH TRAFFIC STREET WITH CARS REACHING 50 MILES PER HOUR.
UH, I, I KNOW THAT THERE ARE DISTANCE REQUIREMENTS FOR DRIVEWAYS AND ALSO FOR CURB RADIUSES.
I BELIEVE A FULL TRAFFIC STUDY IS NECESSARY AND THIS SHOULD NOT BE APPROVED WITHOUT A FULL TRAFFIC STUDY.
UH, THE NEXT SPEAKER IS MADAM CHAIR.
UM, DOES STAFF HAVE THE PLOT THAT YOU COULD PUT ON THE SCREEN? OH, SORRY.
GIVE US A FEW MINUTES WHILE WE HEAR OTHER SPEAKERS.
UH, ASAD BOLOS, B-O-U-L-O-S COME FORWARD.
I'M HERE TO OBJECT TO ITEM 19 ON THE CONSENT AGENDA.
GLEN HAVEN CENTER PROPOSED GAS, UH, CONVERSION TO GAS STATION AS AN OWNER OF THE SHOPPING CENTER, UH, AT 61 10 TO 61 36 RICHMOND.
I HAVE BEEN THERE FOR 20 YEARS.
AND, UM, I HAVE A MULTI-TENANTS AND THEY ALREADY FOUND OUT THAT THE GAS STATION GOING TO BE MAYBE BUILT AND THEY START TO ELECT AND TO RENEW THEIR LEASES BECAUSE AS A, UH, OWNER OF, UH, MULTI SHOP AND CENTER IN HOUSTON, THAT THEY HAVE SOME GAS STATION NEXT TO THEM.
I KNOW THE, THE PROBLEM WAS THE GAS WAS HAVING GAS STATION IN THE NEXT TO SHOPPING CENTER.
AN AREA LIKE RICHMOND IS ONLY, UH, BRING THE CRIME TO THE AREA AND PEOPLE HANGING OUT FOR 24 HOURS.
AND SOME OF THEM, UH, SELL SELLS, UH, DRUGS AND, UH, FOR THE NATURE WHAT THE GAS STATION SELL INSIDE THE, THE STORES.
AND, UH, THE RICHMOND IS ALREADY SATURATED, WAS A CRIME IN THE AREA BETWEEN SIX 10 ALL THE WAY DOWN TO THE BELTWAY.
AND I DON'T THINK WE NEED ANY MORE PROBLEM OR CRIME IN THE AREA.
SO PLUS WE ARE NOT TALKING ABOUT THE, THE TENANTS PLUS THE, THE CUSTOMERS OF THE, FOR THE, FOR MY TENANTS, SUCH AS I HAVE A RESTAURANT TENANT, I HAVE, UH, STATE FARM INSURANCE, I HAVE, UH, UH, CHIROPRACTOR AND THOSE PEOPLE, THEY ALREADY COMPLAINING THAT MAYBE THEIR CLIENTELE,
[00:15:01]
THEY'RE NOT GONNA BE ABLE TO COME HERE.THANK YOU FOR BEING WITH US TODAY.
WE APPRECIATE YOUR BEING HERE.
UH, THE NEXT SPEAKER IS FRED BANDARA.
THANK YOU MADAM CHAIRMAN AND BOARD.
I'M IN OPPOSITION TO THIS GAS STATION SINCE I AM THE OWNER OF THE PROPERTY AT 60 60 RICHMOND.
I, I'VE OWNED IT FOR 30 YEARS.
WE'VE DONE A LOT OF WORK IMPROVING OUR PROPERTY AS WELL AS THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
I WAS INSTRUMENTAL IN SETTING UP EXPANSION OF TOURS, ONE TO INCLUDE, UH, ALL OF RICHMOND AVENUE AND ALSO WE, UH, WE THE RICHMOND AVENUE JOINTS, THE SOUTHWEST MANAGEMENT DISTRICT.
THE POINT BEING THAT WE ARE MAKING CONCERTED EFFORTS TO IMPROVE THE AREA, IN OUR OPINION, A GAS STATION AT THAT LOCATION, TEARING DOWN THE OFFICE BUILDING AND BUILDING A GAS STATION WOULD BE DETRIMENTAL.
JUST LIKE THE PREVIOUS SPEAKER SAID, IT'LL LEAD TO CRIME, IT'LL LEAD THROUGH, UH, PEOPLE HANGING AROUND THE PLACE 24 7.
I OWN A PROPERTY AT 11 5 5 5 BIS NET.
RIGHT NEXT TO US IS A GAS STATION.
IT STARTED OFF WELL, BUT THEN THE OWNERS SOLD IT OFF OR LEASED IT TO SOMEBODY ELSE, OR LEASE LESSIE SUBLEASED TO SOMEBODY ELSE.
NOW WE HAVE DRUG DEALERS SITTING OPENLY ON THE SIDEWALK WITH TABLES SELLING DRUGS.
WE HAVE MULTIPLE HOMICIDES IN THE AREA.
SO THAT IS WHAT HAPPENS, YOU KNOW, THAT'S BEEN OUR EXPERIENCE.
SO I WOULD PLEASE, UH, PLEASE REQUEST THAT THIS REQUEST BE DENIED.
UH, AND, UH, UH, THERE, THERE ARE OTHER GAS STATIONS IN THE AREA.
NEW GAS STATIONS ARE BEING ON AT THE INTERSECTION OF FOUNTAIN VIEW AND, UH, AND, AND 59.
SO, UH, THAT, THAT'S ALL I WILL LEAVE YOU WITH.
UM, THE NEXT SPEAKER IS RAM, UH, DROGA.
GOOD AFTERNOON CHAIR AND GOOD AFTERNOON BOARD.
I'M CHIEF INVESTMENTS OFFICER WITH DEN GROUP.
LIKE MY PREDECESSORS, WE OWN THE PROPERTY AND HAVE MADE SIGNIFICANT INVESTMENT IN THE BUILDING AS WELL AS IMPROVING RICHMOND.
UH, I'M STRONGLY IN OPPOSITION TO HAVING A GAS STATION ADJACENT TO OUR PROPERTIES.
FOR ALL THE REASONS THAT WERE ENUMERATED BEFORE ME, IT MAY BE AN ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY, BUT CERTAINLY FROM A CRIME PERSPECTIVE, UH, WOULD, WOULD BE DETRIMENTAL TO THE ENTIRE RICHMOND AVENUE LOCATION.
ACTUALLY, THIS PROPOSED GAS STATION IS GONNA HAVE AN, AN ENTRANCE FROM RICHMOND AND FAIRDALE.
BOTH THE PROPERTY HAS FRONTAGE ON BOTH THE STREETS.
WHERE THERE AN ENTRANCE WILL BE, IS NOT KNOWN AT THIS TIME BECAUSE THAT INFORMATION IS NOT REQUIRED AT THIS STAGE.
AND THEN, UM, IT WAS ON FAIRDALE, I THINK ONE OF THE SPEAKERS ALLUDED TO WHERE THERE WAS THAT, UM, THE INCIDENTS WHERE A YOUNG VALET DRIVER KILLED THREE INDIVIDUALS.
THE NEXT SPEAKER IS DONALD BAKER.
UH, I WOULD LIKE TO SAY THAT I OPPOSED TO THIS, I'VE BEEN IN THE COMMUNITY FOR 22 YEARS IN THAT AREA, UH, HAVE EMPLOYEES IN THERE.
WE'VE HAD TO ADJUST OUR SCHEDULE AND OUR TIME BECAUSE OF THE CRIME THAT USED TO BE OUTTA CONTROL.
UH, AS THEY DEVELOPED AND THEN STARTED DOING THINGS, IT STARTED CHANGING.
IF THIS GAS STATION IS BACK INTO THE COMMUNITY, I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY WE NEED SO MANY GAS STATIONS ON THAT STREET.
IT WOULD BE VERY DETRIMENTAL TO MY BUSINESS AND MY EMPLOYEES.
WE LITERALLY ADJUST THE SCHEDULE FOR THEM TO LEAVE.
I WOULD LIKE TO ASK QUESTION IF, UH, THE OWNER MR. OIR BROCHURE, UH, BROOK TIME HAS 150 LOCATIONS, I THINK WE SHOULD DEFER THIS AND WAIT UNTIL WE SEE WHAT IS THE CRIME RATE THAT ALL THOSE OTHER PROPERTIES YOU HAVE, THIS WILL CREATE SUCH A PROBLEM AND INCREASE MORE LAW ENFORCEMENT, MORE MONEY THAT NEEDS TO BE SPENT.
WE DON'T NEED ANOTHER GAS STATION.
IT'S NOT THAT MUCH GAS BEING SOLD IN THAT AREA.
I WOULD ASK YOU GUYS AS WELL, PUT THIS ON HOLD UNTIL WE GET THOSE CRIME RATES.
GOOD AFTERNOON, CHAIRWOMAN AND MEMBERS OF THE COMMISSION.
[00:20:01]
I KNOW AND OTHERS, UH, NICE TO MEET YOU.IF I DON'T KNOW YOU, I'D LIKE TO ENTER INTO THE RECORD MY STATEMENT THAT, UH, I'VE ALREADY PROVIDED TO THE, UH, UH, PLANNING DEPARTMENT.
UM, I RISE TODAY IN OPPOSITION OF THIS VARIANCE REQUEST.
UH, IF THE PLANNING COMMISSION GRANTS THIS REQUEST, IT IS CLEAR THAT NEGATIVE ECONOMIC, ENVIRONMENTAL, AND QUALITY OF LIFE IMPACT WILL BE REALIZED ON ADJACENT COMMERCIAL AND RESIDENTIAL PROPERTIES WITHIN THE IMMEDIATE GEOGRAPHICAL AREA.
NOT ONLY WOULD THE ALREADY OVERBUILT AREA BE SUBJECT TO THIS IMPACT, BUT THE PROPOSED USE OF THE SITE WOULD BE A DETRIMENT TO OTHER SIMILAR BUSINESSES ALREADY EXISTING WITHIN THE IMMEDIATE QUARTER MILE RADIUS.
THAT QUARTER MILE RADIUS IS NOT EXPERIENCING A GAS STATION DESERT.
I'M PLEASED TO KNOW THAT OUR CITY IS WELCOMING TO PEOPLE AND BUSINESSES.
HOWEVER, THERE IS A BETTER USE FOR THIS PROPERTY LISTED ABOVE THAT WOULD BE WELCOMED BY THE COMMUNITY.
CURRENTLY, THE PROPOSED USE OF THE LAND DOES NOT CONFORM TO THE NEEDS OF THE PUBLIC, AND WE BE MORE OF A NUISANCE RATHER THAN A ASSET.
I REQUEST THAT THE PLANNING COMMISSION DENY THIS APPLICATION IN ITS ENTIRETY, AND, UH, I AM VERY PRO BUSINESS.
UM, BUT LOOKING AT THIS, THIS PLAT, AND I'VE OFFICED, UH, AT THIS LOCATION, UH, FOR 24 YEARS.
IN 2018, WE ESTABLISHED THE BANGLADESH CONSULATE IN THE SAME BUILDING, WHICH, UH, I WAS HEAD OF POST OF THE, UH, THE, THE PLAT THAT YOU SEE ON YOUR SCREEN.
UH, RICHMOND AND FAIRDALE ARE AT THE NORTH AND THE SOUTH END OF THIS.
THERE IS NO STREET PARKING AVAILABLE ON EITHER SIDE OF THAT, WHICH CREATES A, A, UH, TRAFFIC NUISANCE IN ITSELF AS SOME OF THE OTHER SPEAKERS HAVE ALLUDED TO.
SO THERE'S A, UH, A BETTER USE FOR THIS PROPERTY.
AND A GAS STATION IS NOT ONE OF THOSE.
UM, I'M NO EXPERT ON CRIME, BUT, UH, IT CERTAINLY, IT WOULD NOT BE A GOOD USE OF THIS PROPERTY.
MR. MCVAY, COMMISSIONER BALDWIN.
MARTY, I WANT TO THANK YOU AND YOUR NEIGHBORS FOR COMING DOWN HERE TODAY, AND I WANT YOU TO KNOW, WE HEAR WHAT YOU ARE SAYING, BUT THIS BODY HAS VERY LITTLE AUTHORITY TO DENY THIS REQUEST.
IT MEETS ALL THE CRITERIA OF THE STATE SETS THIS CRITERIA.
AND SO I WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT PERSONALLY, WE, WE HEAR YOU, BUT THERE'S VERY LITTLE THAT WE CAN DO.
WELL, I UNDERSTAND THAT COMMISSIONER AND I, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO GET, UH, UH, THESE SPEAKERS ON THE RECORD, UH, FOR, YOU KNOW, ANYTHING THAT COMES UP IN THE FUTURE.
SO, AND HOPEFULLY YOU CAN CONTINUE TO WORK WITH THE LAND OWNER AND SEE IF A DIFFERENT USE COULD BE ARRANGED.
AND THAT'S THE WAY TO GO ABOUT IT.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? NO, I THINK WE'RE GOOD.
THANK, THANK YOU, MR. JUST ONE MORE COMMENT, UH, MARTY.
COMMISSIONER TAHIR, UH, TRAFFIC IS STEADY WOULD BE PART OF THE PERMITTING PROCESS.
CAN WE APPROVE IT WITH A CONDITION THAT THERE BE A TRAFFIC STUDY? NO.
THE NEXT SPEAKER IS, UH, THEODORE FRANKLIN.
AND, UH, BOARD, UH, AFTER HEARING WHAT YOU JUST SAID, I MEAN, IT, IT, IT REALLY MAKES IT VERY DIFFICULT.
I, I'VE OWNED, UH, SEVERAL BUSINESSES ON RICHMOND FOR THE PAST 20 YEARS.
UH, I'M A LICENSED RISK MANAGER.
I'M ONE OF THE LARGEST STATE FARM AGENTS IN THE STATE, AND I HAVE OVER 6,000 CUSTOMERS THAT ARE GONNA BE ADJACENT TO THAT.
THESE ARE TAXPAYERS, YOU KNOW, THESE ARE INDIVIDUALS WHO SPEND A LOT OF MONEY, UH, IN OUR COMMUNITY.
AND ONCE THEY FOUND OUT THAT THIS WAS PROPOSED AS A GAS STATION ON SUCH A SMALL STRIP, YOU, YOU HAVE TO SEE HOW SMALL THIS STRIP IS.
I, I CAN'T SEE HOW YOU CAN PUT A GAS STATION THERE AND IT NOT SPILL OVER TO THE ADJACENT BUSINESSES.
BUT MY CUSTOMERS, MY OVER 6,000, UH, VOTING AND TAX PAYING CUSTOMERS ARE CONCERNED.
AND THERE HAS TO BE ANOTHER WAY FOR YOU TO LOOK AT IT.
IF YOU REALLY TRY TO THINK ABOUT ALL OF THE REQUIREMENTS THAT YOU ARE REQUIRED AS A BOARD TO DO, UH, TO FIGURE OUT AND TO LOOK AND SEE, HOW CAN WE MAKE SURE THAT THIS IS BEING DONE? ALL THE, UH, T'S ACROSS IN THE I'S ARE DOTTED WHEN YOU'RE JUST LOOKING AT A, A, A, A PLOT AND YOU'RE NOT ACTUALLY LOOKING AT THE ACTUAL PIECE OF LAND ITSELF.
UH, IT COULD BE SOMEWHAT CONFUSING AND IT CAN BE, WELL, OKAY, THIS, THIS CHECKS ALL THE, THE MINOR BOXES, BUT I, I ASKED YOU, AND I IMPLORE YOU TO TODAY TO, TO TAKE A CLOSER LOOK TO MAKE SURE THAT THIS, THIS PLOT OF LAND IS BEING, UH, IS, UH, IS MEETING ALL OF THE REQUIREMENTS THAT IT SHOULD BE MEETING.
NOT JUST WHAT IT'S ON PAPER, BUT WHAT
[00:25:01]
YOU CAN SEE WITH YOUR OWN EYES.SO, I MEAN, I'M, I'M NOT GONNA TALK ABOUT THE USE BECAUSE APPARENTLY THAT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT Y'ALL CAN, UH, REALLY, UH, VOTE ON, BUT YOU CAN VOTE ON HAS IT MET THE PROPER REQUIREMENTS? HAVE WE GIVEN IT THE PROPER LOOK TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE NOT HARMING THESE, THESE CUSTOMERS AND BUSINESSES IN THE AREA? OKAY.
UH, AND OUR FINAL SPEAKER IS, UH, IS IT OER B BALSAM? GO AHEAD AND STATE YOUR NAME FOR THE RECORD.
'CAUSE I THINK I MESSED IT UP.
SO WE ARE THE ONE WHO ARE BUILDING THIS GAS STATION.
WE OWN OVER 150 GAS STATIONS AROUND FEW DIFFERENT STATES.
AND WE ARE BUILDING A STATE OF AN ART SIX, $7 MILLION FACILITY.
IT'S NOT A MOM AND POP JODO TWO TWO MPD STATION WHERE PEOPLE WILL BE HANGING OUT.
IT'S A 8,500 PLUS OR MINUS SQUARE FEET BUILDING WITH SIX MPDS BRANDED AS SHELL.
AND DUE RESPECT THAT ALL THE NEIGHBORS WILL PUT ALL OUR EFFORTS TO BRING AS MUCH AS LIGHTNING SECURITY, AS MUCH AS THINGS POSSIBLE TO MAKE SURE OUR NEIGHBORHOOD IS SECURE AND WE WANT TO BE SUCCESSFUL.
TODAY'S MARKET MONEY'S NOT CHEAP.
OUR BANKS PAYMENTS ARE NOT LIKE WE GOTTA MAKE MONEY.
AND SO WE GONNA HAVE TO BE SUCCESSFUL TO BE IN OPERATIONS AND DUE RESPECT WITH ALL THE NEIGHBORS.
WE WOULD MAKE SURE EVERYTHING STAYS ALIGNED.
MR. BANDERA, WHO HAS BRING IN THREE OF THEIR PEOPLE WHO WERE ON THE SPEAKER, UM, ON THIS MIC, UH, WE MET THEM MONDAY TO SEE IF WE COULD HAVE ADDRESSED THEIR SITUATION.
THEIR MOST BIGGEST CONCERN WAS TO THEIR PERSONAL INTEREST TO SELL THEM THE PROPERTY.
NO, NOT A NEIGHBORHOOD CONCERN.
THEIR CONCERN WAS CAN WE SELL THEM THE PROPERTY? AND THEY WERE REJECTING IT NOT TO BUY IT BECAUSE THEY WERE HUSTLING AND LING COUPLE OF HUNDRED THOUSAND FROM THE OWNERS NEXT DOOR.
SO I PERSONALLY THINK IT WAS A PERSONAL AMBITIOUS OF OWNING A PROPERTY NEXT DOOR.
UH, NOT CONCERNING ABOUT A NEIGHBORHOOD.
ANY QUESTIONS FOR THE APPLICANT? SURE.
IT'S A DIFFICULT SITUATION, BUT THANK YOU FOR COMING TODAY.
AND ONE MORE THING, UH, WE ARE PULLING, GO AHEAD.
EVERYTHING BY CITY OF HOUSTON CODES, AND WE ARE NOT FOLLOWING ANY OF OUR THINGS.
WE ARE FOLLOWING AS WHAT CITY IS TELLING US TO DO PER PARKING AND DRIVEWAY AND WHATEVER CITY'S GONNA TELL US, THAT'S HOW WE'RE GONNA BUILD IT, YOU KNOW? OKAY.
AND, AND I'LL JUST SAY, UH, WE ARE ALL SYMPATHETIC TO THE, TO THE NEEDS OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
UH, WE'VE, WE HEAR THIS ALL THE TIME.
WE HAVE NO, NO ABILITY TO REGULATE USE OF A PROPERTY.
UM, I IMPLORE YOU TO CONTINUE TO WORK WITH PEOPLE WHO ARE UPSET ABOUT THIS, TO PROVE WHAT YOU'VE SAID, THAT YOU ARE GONNA BUILD A VERY SECURE, GOOD FACILITY.
AND PLEASE, I KNOW IT'S HARD, BUT PLEASE KEEP IN TOUCH AND SEE IF THERE'S SOME COMPROMISE IN TERMS OF SCREENING OR, OR OTHER THINGS FOUND.
I'VE BEEN A GAS STATION OWNER MYSELF.
I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT YOU ON YOUR OWN TAKE INTO ACCOUNT TRAFFIC AND PARKING, ESPECIALLY ON FAIRDALE.
PROPER WAY YOU MANAGE AND OPERATE THE STORE.
SO THAT, UM, IT DOES NOT INVITE GAME ROOMS AND OTHER ACTIVITIES OF COURSE, THAT I THINK BRING THOSE KINDS OF ACTIVITIES, OF COURSE, THAT, THAT NEIGHBORS DON'T LIKE, OF COURSE.
SO IT'S A MATTER OF GETTING TOGETHER WITH YOUR NEIGHBORS AND, AND MAKING SURE THAT YOU DO DEVELOP SOMETHING THAT'S A STATE OF THE ART AND SAFE AND SECURE.
ONE LAST THING BEFORE I CLOSE.
MR. ASSAD BULA, WHO OWNS THE SHOPPING CENTER LEFT DOOR, LEFT TO US WHO WAS OPPOSING ON THIS MIC, WAS HIS BROTHER WAS RUNNING A POKER HOUSE FOR FIVE, SEVEN YEARS AND THEY GOT SHUT DOWN.
SO I DON'T KNOW WHAT NEIGHBORHOOD THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT.
NOT REALLY OUR CONCERN IN THIS, BUT THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.
WE DON'T HAVE ANYONE ELSE SIGNED TO SPEAK.
UM, IF THERE'S NO FURTHER DISCUSSION, STAFF'S RECOMMENDATION, WHICH IS A SHALL APPROVE RECOMMENDATION IS TO APPROVE THE PLAT SUBJECT TO CONDITIONS.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? IS THERE A MOTION FOR STAFF RECOMMENDATION? MOTION JONES.
WITH THAT, WE'LL CONTINUE WITH SECTIONS A AND B.
AND I THINK WE HAVE SOME THINGS WE NEED TO CONSIDER SEPARATELY.
MADAM CHAIR, I'LL NEED TO ABSTAIN FROM ITEMS. 1, 2, 3, 12, 13, 14, 16, 17, 31
[00:30:06]
AND 56.UM, THEN IS THERE, IF THERE'S NOTHING ELSE WE NEED TO TAKE SEPARATELY, UM, WE'D PROCEED WITH VOTING ON SECTIONS A AND B AND WE WOULD ENTERTAIN A MOTION FOR STAFF RECOMMENDATION ON ALL ITEMS IN THOSE TWO SECTIONS.
SAVE AND ACCEPT FOR SEC FOR ITEMS. 1, 2, 3, 12, 13, 14, 16, 17, 31 AND 56.
IS THERE A MOTION FOR PERLE? SECOND K, KALI.
AND THEN ON THE REMAINDER, WHICH FOR THE RECORD IS 1, 2, 3, 12, 13, 14, 16, 17, 31 AND 56.
IS THERE A MOTION? MOTION CLARK SECOND MA.
AND NOTE THAT COMMISSIONERS, HE AND SIGLER ABSTAINED.
[c. Replats requiring Public Hearings with Notification (Dorianne Powe-Phlegm and Devin Crittle) ]
THAT'LL TAKE US TO SECTION C, PUBLIC HEARINGS.GOOD AFTERNOON, MADAM CHAIR, MEMBERS OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION.
ITEM NU NUMBER 97 IS BELFORT VILLAGE, THE SIZE LOCATED SOUTH ALONG BELFORT STREET BETWEEN EDGAR AND REEN STREETS AND HOUSTON, UH, IN HOUSTON CORPORATE LIMITS.
THE REASON FOR REPLY IS TO CREATE TWO UNRESTRICTED RESERVES.
THERE ARE NO VARIANCE REQUESTED WITH THIS ITEM.
THE APPLICANT HAS MET ALL NOTIFICATION REQUIREMENTS.
STAFF HAS NOT RECEIVED ANY ADVANCED COMMENTS FOR THIS PLAT.
REVIEW BY LEGAL INDICATES THAT THIS PLAT WILL NOT VIOLATE RESTRICTIONS ON THE FACE OF THE PLAT OR THOSE FILED SEPARATELY.
STAFF'S RECOMMENDATION IS TO APPROVE THE PLAT FOR THE CBC 1 0 1 FORM CONDITIONS.
MADAM CHAIR, IT PLEASES THE COMMISSION.
YOU MAY OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING FOR THIS ITEM AT THIS TIME.
THE PUBLIC HEARING FOR, UH, ITEM 97, BELFORT VILLAGE IS OPENED.
I HAVE NO ONE SIGNED TO SPEAK.
IS THERE ANYONE LISTENING WHO WISHES TO SPEAK ON ITEM 97? HEARING? NO RESPONSE TO PUBLIC HEARING IS CLOSED.
STAFF'S RECOMMENDATION IS TO APPROVE THE PLAT SUBJECT TO CONDITIONS.
ANY DISCUSSION? IS THERE A MOTION FOR STAFF RECOMMENDATION? VICTOR? SECOND.
ITEM NUMBER 98 IS CA KATY GASTON RETAIL CENTER.
THE SITE IS LOCATED WEST ALONG KATY GASTON ROAD, NORTH OF WEST POLK, WEST PARK TOLLWAY IN HOUSTON, EXTRATERRITORIAL JURISDICTION IN FORT BEND COUNTY, TEXAS.
THE PURPOSE OF THE REPLY IS TO CREATE ONE COMMERCIAL RESERVE.
THERE ARE NO VARIANCE REQUESTED WITH THIS ITEM.
THE APPLICANT HAS MET ALL NOTIFICATION REQUIREMENTS.
STAFF HAS NOT RECEIVED ANY ADVANCED COMMENTS FOR THIS PLAT.
REVIEW BY LEGAL INDICATES THAT THIS PLAT WOULD NOT VIOLATE RESTRICTIONS ON THE FACE OF THE PLAT OR THOSE FILED SEPARATELY.
SAS RECOMMENDATION IS TO APPROVE THE PLAT PER THE CBC 1 0 1 FORM CONDITIONS.
MADAM CHAIR, IF IT PLEASES COMMISSION, YOU MAY OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING FOR THIS ITEM AT THIS TIME.
THE PUBLIC HEARING FOR ITEM 98, KATIE GASTON RETAIL CENTER IS OPEN.
I HAVE NO ONE SIGNED TO SPEAK.
IS THERE ANYONE LISTENING WHO WISHES TO SPEAK ON NUMBER 98? HEARING NO RESPONSE? THE PUBLIC HEARING IS CLOSED.
STAFF'S RECOMMENDATION IS TO APPROVE THE PLAT SUBJECT TO CONDITIONS.
ANY DISCUSSION? IS THERE A MOTION FOR STAFF RECOMMENDATION? MOTION PARK SECOND JONES.
ITEM 99, ITEM AM NUMBER 99 IS LEXINGTON PLACE.
THE SITE IS LOCATED NORTH ALONG LEXINGTON STREET, EAST OF SOUTH SHEPHERD DRIVE IN HOUSTON.
THE REASON FOR RELA IS TO CREATE THREE SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENTIAL LOTS.
THE APPLICANT HAS MET ALL NOTIFICATION REQUIREMENTS.
STAFF HAS NOT RECEIVED ANY ADVANCED COMMENTS FOR THIS PLAT.
REVIEW BY LEGAL INDICATES THAT THIS PLAT WOULD NOT VIOLATE RESTRICTIONS ON THE FACE OF PLAT OR THOSE FILED SEPARATELY STAFF'S RECOMMENDATION TO APPROVE THE PLAT PER THE CBC 1 0 1 FORM CONDITIONS.
MADAM CHAIR, IT PLEASES THE COMMISSION.
YOU MAY OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING FOR THIS ITEM AT THIS TIME.
THE PUBLIC HEARING FOR ITEM 99 IS OPEN.
I DO NOT HAVE ANYONE SIGNED TO SPEAK, BUT THE, UM, APPLICANT JOYCE OWENS IS AVAILABLE FOR QUESTIONS.
IS THERE ANYONE WHO WISHES TO SPEAK ON ITEM 99? ANY QUESTIONS FOR THE APPLICANT? UH, THEN I WILL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.
STAFF'S RECOMMENDATION IS TO APPROVE THE PLAT SUBJECT TO CONDITIONS.
ANY DISCUSSION? MOTION BALDWIN SECOND MAD.
GOOD AFTERNOON, MADAM CHAIR AND MEMBERS OF THE HOUSTON
[00:35:01]
PLANNING COMMISSION.ITEM 100 IS MANCHESTER BUSINESS PARK.
THIS PROPERTY IS LOCATED WITHIN HOUSTON CITY LIMITS AT THE NORTHEAST INTERSECTION OF MANCHESTER STREET AND MEDINA STREET.
THE PURPOSE OF THE RE PLAT IS CREATE ONE COMMERCIAL RESERVE.
THERE ARE NO VARIANCES BEING REQUESTED WITH THIS ITEM.
AND REVIEW BY LEGAL INDICATES THIS PLAT WILL NOT VIOLATE ANY DEED RESTRICTIONS ON THE FACE OF THE PLATTER.
STAFF RECOMMENDS APPROVING THE PLAT SUBJECT TO THE CPC 1 0 1 FORUM CONDITIONS.
MADAM CHAIR, IF IT PLEASES THE COMMISSION, YOU MAY OPEN A PUBLIC HEARING FOR THIS ITEM AT THIS TIME.
THE PUBLIC HEARING FOR ITEM 100 MANCHESTER BUSINESS PARK IS OPEN.
I HAVE NO ONE SIGNED UP IN ADVANCE.
DOES ANYONE WISH TO SPEAK ON ITEM 100? OKAY.
WOULD YOU COME FORWARD PLEASE? COULD YOU STATE YOUR NAME FOR THE RECORD PLEASE? YES, MY NAME IS, UH, LUIS CANALES.
I JUST BEEN ASKING WHAT THEY GOING TO BILL IN THAT PART, IN THAT AREA IN MAGNOLIA PARK.
BECAUSE I'VE BEEN ASKING, I RECEIVED A LETTER INVITATION FROM THE MAYOR TO SEE, BECAUSE I HAVE A BUSINESS THERE.
I GOT APARTMENT BUSINESS IN THAT AREA, A BLOCK FROM THERE.
AND WE'VE BEEN WORKING SO HARD TO MAINTAINING, UM, HOUSEKEEPING AROUND THE AREA BECAUSE IT'S A TREASURE AREA.
A LOT OF PEOPLE USING THE AREA FOR DUMPING ALL OVER AROUND.
AND WE TRY TO IMPROVE THE AREA TO LOOK MORE SAFETY FOR THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE, WHO LIVE AROUND THE AREA.
AND I'LL, LET'S ASK OUR STAFF MEMBER, MR. CRIDDLE.
HE CAN PROBABLY ANSWER YOUR QUESTION.
LET HIM YES, I SPOKE WITH THE APPLICANT.
THIS IS GOING TO BE A ONE STORE, ONE STORY STORAGE FACILITY.
AND HOPEFULLY WHEN THERE'S A GOING CONCERN BUSINESS ON A PROPERTY, THERE'S USUALLY LESS DUMPING AND AND PROBLEMS. SO THAT MAY BE GOOD NEWS FOR YOU.
UH, MR. CRIDDLE CAN GIVE YOU THE NAME OF THE APPLICANT.
AND YOU CAN CONTACT HIM DIRECTLY AND TALK TO HIM A LITTLE BIT.
IS THERE ANYBODY ELSE WHO WISHES TO SPEAK ON ITEM 100 MANCHESTER BUSINESS PARK? HEARING NO RESPONSE, THE PUBLIC HEARING IS CLOSED.
STAFF'S RECOMMENDATION IS TO APPROVE THE PLAT SUBJECT TO CONDITIONS.
ANY DISCUSSION? IS THERE A MOTION FOR STAFF RECOMMENDATION? ALLMAN TALKING TO ME.
PLEASE NOTE THAT COMMISSIONER MONKA HAS JOINED US.
UM, AND THAT TAKES US TO ITEM 1 0 1 OH.
ITEM 1 0 1 IS RIVERSIDE GROVE, THE SIZE LOCATED SOUTH ALONG SOPHOMORE AVENUE, EAST OF LIVE OAK STREET IN HOUSTON.
THE REASON FOR REPLY IS TO CREATE TWO SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENTIAL LOTS.
THERE ARE NO VARIOUS REQUESTED WITH THIS ITEM.
THE APPLICANT HAS MET ALL NOTIFICATION REQUIREMENTS.
STAFF DID RECEIVE, UH, ONE ADVANCED COMMENT FOR THIS PLAT.
THIS PLAT WAS DEFERRED AT THE LAST PLANNING COMMISSION UNDER, UM, CONCERN, UH, CONCERN AT THE BUILDING LINE, THE FRONT BUILDING LINE.
UM, SINCE THAT TIME, THE APPLICANT HAS PROVIDED A REVISED DRAWING THAT SHOWS A 20 FOOT BUILDING LINE REVIEW BY LEGAL INDICATES THAT THIS PROPERTY MUST BE SET BACK ACCORDING TO WHAT THE BUILDING AS THE, UH, AS THEY, AS IT EXISTS ON THE GROUND AT THE DATE OF THE EXECUTION OF THE RESTRICTIONS IN 1954.
AND SHALL ALWAYS DURING THE EXISTENCE OF THESE RESTRICTIONS BE MAINTAINED AS THE FRONT BUILDING LINE AND NO BUILDING LINE SHALL BE CONSTRUCTED CLOSER TO SOUTHMORE BOULEVARD THAN THE PRESENT.
STAFF RESEARCHED AND DETERMINED THAT THAT WAS A PREVAILING BUILDING LINE OF 20 FEET.
UM, FROM THE, UH, ALONG THE BLOCK FACE, THE APPLICANT HAS PROVIDED A REVISED DRAWING WITH A 20 FOOT BUILDING LINE.
LEGAL REVIEW IS THAT THIS REVISED PLAT WILL NOT VIOLATE RESTRICTIONS ON THE FACE OF THE PLAT OR THOSE FILED SEPARATELY.
STAFF'S RECOMMENDATION IS TO PROVE THE PLAT PER THE CBC 1 0 1 FORM CONDITIONS.
MADAM CHAIRMAN, PLEASE THE COMMISSION.
YOU MAY CONTINUE THE PUBLIC HEARING FOR THIS ITEM AT THIS TIME.
THE PUBLIC HEARING FOR ITEM 1 0 1 RIVERSIDE GROVE IS CONTINUED.
THE FIRST SPEAKER IS, UH, CHARLENE JONES.
MS. JONES, GOOD AFTERNOON, MADAM CHAIR AND, UM, BOARD MEMBERS.
I LIVE IN THE COMMUNITY AND WE DON'T WANT THAT TYPE OF, UH, PROPERTY ON OUR MAIN STREET.
WE HAVE 90-YEAR-OLD HOMES ON THAT STREET.
[00:40:01]
COME IN, THEY, THE BUILDER WANTS TO COME IN WITH, UH, THAT USED TO BE A HOUSE AND PUT TWO HOUSES, THREE STORIES UP.AND IT'S GONNA TAKE AWAY FROM THE AESTHETIC.
WE DON'T WANT THAT ON OUR STREET.
I DON'T KNOW IF ANY OF YOU WOULD WANT IT ON YOURS.
I DON'T, I DON'T WANT THAT ON OUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
WE ALREADY, WE DON'T HAVE THE RESTRICTIONS, WHICH WE'RE WORKING ON, BUT THAT IS NOT THE WAY TO GO.
I DON'T WANT THAT ON OUR STREET.
IT'S GONNA TAKE AWAY THE AESTHETICS OF SOUTHMORE.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT HE'S PLANNING ON DOING.
THE GOING THING NOW IN HOUSTON IS AIRBNBS EVERYWHERE.
WHAT STARTS OUT AS A HOUSE FOR SALE ENDS UP BEING A PROPERTY WHERE PEOPLE COME IN EVERY WEEKEND.
THE TRASH, THE NOISE, THE PARTIES CRIME, ALL OF THAT COMES INTO PLAY.
AND WE DON'T WANT THAT IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
AND IT, AND IT WOULD DEVALUE OUR PROPERTIES.
AND I, FROM WHAT I HEARD MR. BALDWIN SAY, THERE WAS NOT A WHOLE LOT YOU GUYS CAN DO.
SO WHAT, WHAT IS IT THAT WE, WHAT'S OUR NEXT STEP? WE DON'T WANT IT ON OUR, ON OUR MAIN STREET
WE REVIEW THESE, UH, PLAT APPLICATIONS TO FIND OUT IF THEY MEET ALL THE CURRENT REQUIREMENTS OF, OF, YOU KNOW, CITY LAW, CHAPTER 42, AND ALSO ANY DEED RESTRICTIONS THAT EXIST.
AND IN THIS CASE, THERE WAS SOMETHING WE THOUGHT MIGHT VIOLATE, BUT THE BUILDER AGREED TO REDUCE, MOVE IT BACK.
SO NOW IT'S TOTALLY IN COMPLIANCE WITH THAT.
WE DON'T HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO TURN IT DOWN.
IN FACT, IF WE FAIL TO APPROVE IT, IT GOES INTO EFFECT ANYWAY.
WHAT YOU CAN DO THOUGH, IS WORK ON THOSE DEED RESTRICTIONS.
UM, THERE MAY BE SOME MINIMUM LOT SIZE SPECIAL BUILDING LINE.
THERE'S SOME TOOLS THAT WE HAVE THAT YOU CAN FIND.
CALL THE PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT.
THEY CAN HELP STEER YOU IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION AND MAYBE FIND SOMETHING THAT WORKS.
AND WE DO NOT HAVE ANY AUTHORITY TO SAY HOW SOMEBODY CAN USE THEIR, IT HAS TO BE RESIDENTIAL, BUT IT DOESN'T AIRBNB.
AND THAT'S A BIGGER PROBLEM THAT WE NEED TO WORK ON WITH OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS.
I MEAN, I LIVE VERY NEARBY THERE ON CALUMET AND I LOVE THE CHARACTER OF THAT NEIGHBORHOOD.
BUT SPECIAL MINIMUM LOT SIZE REALLY IS THE SOLUTION.
IT ONLY TAKES 10% OF YOU TO GATHER TOGETHER TO START THE PROCESS.
UH, WHICH WOULD BE RELATIVELY EASY IN THAT NEIGHBORHOOD.
AND SOMETIMES IT TAKES A DEVELOPMENT LIKE THIS TO MOTIVATE YOUR NEIGHBORS TO HELP YOU WITH SPECIAL MINIMUM LOT SIZE.
SO 10%, 10% WOULD START THE PROCESS OR WHATEVER.
YOU COULD START THE PROCESS WITH 10%, RIGHT? YEAH.
IF THERE WERE A HUNDRED LOTS ON THE BLOCK FACES AND YOU GOT 10%, THAT WOULD START THE PROCESS.
THE STAFF COULD THEN TAKE OVER THE PROCESS TO HELP FACILITATE.
YOU CAN DO IT A BLOCK FACE AT A TIME.
ONE SIDE OF THE STREET, OR BOTH SIDES OF THE STREET.
SO YOU HAVE TO, WE HAVE SIGNATURES WORK WITH, WORK WITH COMMISSIONER.
JUST QUICKLY, AND HERE'S THE GOOD NEWS.
THIS IS, UH, THE GENIE QUOTE IS NOT COMPLETELY OUTTA THE BOTTLE.
AS, AS COMMISSIONER BALDWIN SAID, THIS IS USUALLY THE IMPETUS.
THIS IS USUALLY WHY WE SEE THESE.
BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY, EVERY OTHER DEVELOPER'S PUT ON NOTICE THAT A MINIMUM LOT SIZE, UH, REQUEST HAS BEEN PUT IN MM-HMM
BUT SUBSEQUENTLY, EVERYONE ELSE WILL BE ON NOTICE THAT YOU'RE LOOKING TO GET THIS AND THEY, IT STOPS ALL THE DEVELOPMENT THAT WOULD, THAT WOULD SPLIT YOUR, YOUR LOT OR, OR MOVE YOUR, YOUR, UH, YOUR BUILDING LINE.
SO IF YOU WOULD GET WITH STAFF, BELIEVE ME, WE'VE DONE THIS IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD AND IT WORKS.
I WILL TELL YOU IT WORKS WELL.
ONE TOWNHOUSE, ONE TOWN HOME DOES NOT DESTROY YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
UHHUH, ARE YOU IN? CAN YOU MAD 'CAUSE I'M, I'M THE PRE I'M HEY, I'M THE PRECINCT CHAIR IN YOUR NEIGHBORS.
I'M GONNA CALL THE NEXT SPEAKER IS DEBBIE KYLES.
WELL, IT'S A BEAUTIFUL DAY OUTSIDE.
THAT IS THE WAY OUR NEIGHBORHOOD LOOKS AND FEELS.
WE HAVE AN ETHOS IN OUR COMMUNITY WHERE WE ARE ALL FAMILY.
WE WALK OUR DOGS, WE WALK OUR CHILDREN, WE SPEAK TO EACH OTHER.
WE KNOW EACH OTHER BECAUSE WE WALK OUR ANIMALS.
SO THIS WAS A SHOCK WHEN WE SAW THIS COMING.
THERE ARE AIRBNBS IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD ALREADY.
AND WHAT I WANNA DO, I'M GONNA GIVE YOU A VISUAL PICTURE'S WORTH A THOUSAND WORDS.
[00:45:01]
THAT'S PICTURE ONE.SO PICTURE ONE WAS WHAT THE SIGN LOOKS LIKE WHEN IT FIRST WENT UP.
WELL, WHILE THEY'RE PUTTING IT UP, MARCH 1ST, UH, THE LETTER WENT OUT.
I THINK WE GOT THE LETTER ON MARCH 3RD.
WHEN IT COMES UP, WE'LL SEE IT.
WELL, LET ME EXPLAIN IT TO YOU.
SO YOU SEE THIS BIG PLACARD ON THE STREET, NICELY PLACED AND EVERYTHING.
WE SEE THE APPLICANT'S AGENT THAT'S WORKING WITH THEM, AND THEN WE SEE A LOT OF GRASS.
WE SEE A BIG FIELD THAT HAS NOT BEEN CUT IN MONTHS.
I BELIEVE THIS OWNER PER PURCHASED THE, UH, PROPERTY ON THE FIELD.
UM, I THINK HE PURCHASED IT JANUARY 1ST.
AND WHEN THE SIGN WENT DOWN, IT'S JUST AMAZING.
WE COULDN'T EVEN SEE THE CITY PLANNING DEPARTMENT'S TELEPHONE NUMBER ON IT.
THAT'S, UH, YOU'LL SEE THAT MARCH 3RD.
UH, THIS, WELL, YOU WON'T SEE IT FROM THERE.
I GUESS YOU'RE NOT GONNA PUT IT UP.
WE'RE JUST HAVING, WELL ANYWAY, I'M TRYING TO USE MY TIME WISELY.
WELL THEN MARCH 15TH, I CAME OUT AND TOOK ANOTHER PICTURE.
MARCH 13TH, TOOK 13TH OR 15TH.
UH, YOU STILL COULDN'T SEE THE CITY PLANNING DEPARTMENT'S INFORMATION.
SO I WAS LOOKING, I HAD TO GO INTO THE YARD AND LOOK AT IT MYSELF.
AND I CAME BACK AND, AND DECIDED I'D CUT IT DOWN.
I JUST CUT THAT LITTLE DOWN WHERE WE COULD SEE WHAT WAS UNDER THERE.
AND ONE OF MY NEIGHBORS HAD A WEED EATER AND HE WEED NEEDED IT FOR ME.
THIS IS WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE MARCH 15TH.
SO THERE WOULD HAVE BEEN AT LEAST 12 DAYS.
THE NEIGHBORS WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN INFORMED THOROUGHLY, COMPLETELY OF WHAT WAS GOING ON.
THIS IS THE ONE I REALLY WANT YOU TO SEE.
IT'S GONNA TAKE 20 YEARS FOR THAT TO COME UP.
WELL, MS. KYLES, WE'RE GONNA GRAB THOSE, UM, THINGS AND PASS THEM AROUND.
BUT THE LAST PART OF THIS IS, OKAY, GO AHEAD AND WRAP UP, UP.
YOU'VE SEEN PICTURE ONE SHOWS THAT THE, THEY ARE NOT FOLLOWING THE ORDINANCES OF THE CITY AS IT IS ALREADY.
THE NEXT PICTURES I HAVE HERE WILL BE OF TRASH CANS BEING LEFT OUT FOR THE PAST TWO MONTHS.
THEY'VE USED THE SPACE AS AN AIRBNB.
AND THOSE GUESTS ARE QUIET BECAUSE I MAKE SURE THEY'RE GONNA BE QUIET.
BUT WE HAVE A PROBLEM WITH PEOPLE NOT PICKING UP THEIR TRASH CANS FROM OUTSIDE.
THEY HAVE THEM ALL OUT THERE FOR A WHOLE WEEK AS, AND THEN ALLOW THEIR GUESTS TO JUST PUT THE TRASH IN THE CANS OUTSIDE.
WE DON'T WANT THAT TYPE OF BEHAVIOR.
AND IF THEY WOULD JUST WORK WITH US BY WORKING WITH THE CIVIL, THE CITY ORDINANCES, I WOULD NOT HAVE A BIG PROBLEM.
UM, SO I'M SORRY, YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED.
I GOTTA GO ON TO THE NEXT SPEAKER.
WE DO HAVE, WE'RE LOOKING AT YOUR, OUR PETITION AND WE DO SAY WE DON'T, WE OPPOSE THESE PEOPLE COMING WITHOUT HAVING THEM GO AHEAD AND COMPLETE THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE CITATIONS THEY HAVE ALREADY NOT DONE COMPLETE.
THAT DIDN'T TALK ABOUT BUILDING.
PERMITS, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE TODAY.
THE NEXT SPEAKER IS KAREN KELLY.
GOOD AFTERNOON, MADAM CHAIRMAN.
I'M SPEAKING IN OPPOSITION AGAIN ON THE, UM, LOCK THAT MS. KYLES WAS SPEAKING ON TOO.
UM, WE ARE CELEBRATING 100 YEARS OF RIVERSIDE TERRACE SUBDIVISION THIS YEAR.
THE HOUSES THERE ARE AESTHETIC TO THE TIMEFRAME.
I'M, MY CONCERN IS WHAT WILL A THREE STORY BUILDING LOOK LIKE? PROBABLY NONE.
BRICK, WHICH MOST OF THOSE, ALL OF THOSE HOUSES ARE BRICK FACED.
ANOTHER CONCERN THAT I HAVE, 'CAUSE I'M A RESIDENT ON SOPHOMORE IS PARKING.
I HAVE HAD TWO CARS DEMOLISHED, TOTALED OUT PARKING WHEN WE HAD TO RE REMODEL, UH, HAVE OUR, UH, DRIVEWAY RESURFACE, I MEAN WELL REBUILT.
VALENTINE KNIGHT, SOMEBODY CAME THROUGH AND
[00:50:01]
TOTALED OUR, OUR FAMILY CAR AS WELL AS MY SON'S CAR.THIS LOT, AS YOU SEE, IS RIGHT IN FRONT OF WHERE DELANO STREET ENDS.
IF YOU WERE TO MAKE A LEFT TURN OFF OF DELANO TO GO EAST ON SOUTHMORE, THERE WILL PROBABLY BE CARS PARKED THERE.
SINCE THIS FUTURE PLACE WILL HAVE ONE DRIVEWAY AND ALL THE OTHER, UH, HOUSES THAT I'VE SEEN LIKE THAT THEY HAVE ON STREET PARKING, THE EXTRA PARKING I THINK WILL CAUSE SOME PROBLEMS, UH, RIGHT THERE.
ESPECIALLY SINCE DELANO STREET, DEAD'S END RIGHT THERE IN FRONT OF THIS, UM, PROPOSED HOUSE.
AND I JUST WANT TO LET YOU KNOW THAT I DON'T AGREE WITH THE BUILDER.
AND YOU'RE, IT'S GOOD TO HAVE YOUR REMARKS AS PART OF THE PUBLIC RECORD.
I, SO THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE TODAY.
UM, THAT THOSE ARE ALL THE SPEAKERS I HAVE.
DO WE HAVE ANYONE IN THE CHAT? IS THERE ANYONE LISTENING WHO WISHES TO SPEAK ON ITEM 1 0 1? RIVERSIDE GROVE? IF YOU'D LIKE TO SPEAK, UNMUTE AND SPEAK UP, HEARING NO RESPONSE, THEN THE PUBLIC HEARING IS CLOSED.
UM, STAFF'S RECOMMENDATION IS TO APPROVE THE PLAT SUBJECT TO CONDITIONS.
COMMISSIONER COLVARD THE QUESTION.
UM, I SAW THE PICTURES AND I WAS WONDERING IS IT POSSIBLE TO GET, UM, A PERSPECTIVE FROM LEGAL ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT THERE WAS PROPER NOTIFICATION? I WILL ASK MS. WOODS.
DID YOU COULD, DID YOU SEE THE PICTURES? THE VERY LAST LINE WAS COVERED BY GRASS.
IT LOOKS LIKE, I THINK THE NAME OF THE, THE PHONE NUMBER AND NAME OF THE DEVELOPER WAS VISIBLE.
THE THING THAT WASN'T WAS THE, THE PHONE NUMBER FOR THE PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT.
SO I THINK THERE, THERE WAS, UH, A CONTACT FOR THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT HIRED ABOVE THERE.
SO WE REVIEW THE NOTICE THAT WHEN WE GET THE PICTURE, I THINK STAFF REVIEWS THE NOTICE AND IN THIS CASE DETERMINED THAT IT WAS LEGAL NOTICE.
BUT WE'LL GET, WE'LL GET A GOOD QUESTION TO GET ON THE RECORD AND THIS IS WHAT WE RECEIVED.
SO IT'S RIGHT, IT'S JUST THE, THE GRASP.
BUT YOU COULD ACTUALLY READ IT THOUGH.
SO
SO MS. MACHO, SERIOUS DISCUSSION.
SO DO WE HAVE, UH, ANY ADVICE? BOY, SUB SUBCOMMITTEE.
THE PLANNING COMMISSION, MY NAME IS DYING TO HEAR YOUR ANSWER HERE.
SORRY, THE QUESTION WAS, I'M SORRY,
SO, SO THE, WE WERE LOOKING AT THE NOTICE AND, UM, THE, THE, THE NOTICE WAS THE, THE NOTICE OF THE SI, THERE ARE SIGNED PICTURES.
SO THERE ARE MULTIPLE WAYS OF NOTIFICATION.
THE NOTE PUBLIC HEARING NOTICE IS GIVEN BY THE MAIL, THE NEWSPAPER AND THE SIGN.
AND THERE ARE MULTIPLE NUMBERS.
THERE'S A BLIND DEPARTMENT NUMBER AND THE APPLICANT'S NUMBER.
AND SO MULTIPLE WAYS OF NOTIFICATION WERE THERE.
AND SO IN MY OPINION, THE NOTICE IS MET.
BUT I LET THE, I LET MS. WOODS, UH, YEAH.
MS. WOODS, I AGREE WITH WHAT MS. UH, MATH, AND I'M GONNA MESS UP YOUR LAST NAME.
UH, SAID I DO BELIEVE THAT THE NOTIFICATION WAS SUFFICIENT.
WE DID, UM, POST IT IN TIME, JUST THE LAST LINE IS NOT BEING SHOWN, BUT THERE ARE MULTIPLE WAYS TO BE ABLE TO COMMENT AND CONTACT NOT JUST THE, UM, DEVELOPER, BUT ALSO THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
AND PLUS THERE WAS THE NEWSPAPER, UH, PUBLICATION.
THAT CONFIRMS THE STAFF'S RECOMMENDATION.
[00:55:01]
UM, SO WITH THAT, DID I CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING? YOU DID.SO STAFF'S RECOMMENDATION YES.
IS TO APPROVE THE PLAT SUBJECT IN CONDITIONS BEFORE, BEFORE WE GO THERE.
YES, GO AHEAD, MR. IF I CAN, UM, I, I DON'T THINK I'M PLAYING DEVIL'S ADVOCATE, UH, BUT I, I WANNA SPEAK TO THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS.
UM, IT'S NOT THE FIRST TIME, UM, FOR RIVERSIDE THAT WE'VE HAD, UM, COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHO HAVE COME TO THIS, UH, COMMISSION, UH, FOR SIMILAR ISSUES.
AND WE'RE OFTEN TREATED LIKE THE ER AND THIS IS TRIAGE AND THE PARTICULAR SITE THAT BROUGHT EVERYONE HERE.
UM, WE TYPICALLY DON'T HAVE MUCH RECOURSE IN WHAT WE CAN DO.
UM, WHAT I AM SURPRISED THOUGH IS AGAIN, WE HAVE HAD OTHER COMMUNITY MEMBERS HERE AND WE'VE SHARED WITH THOSE COMMUNITY MEMBERS, THE VEHICLES, THE TOOLS, UM, RELATIVE TO DEED RESTRICTIONS, UH, SPECIAL MINIMUM LOT SIZE.
AND IF YOU, FOR YOUR COMMUNITY, IF YOU CAN MAKE SURE THROUGH COMMUNITY MEETINGS AND EVERYTHING ELSE THAT EVERYONE'S AWARE OF, WHAT, UM, WHAT LEGAL RISK THE CHARACTER OF THEIR COMMUNITY MAY BE SUBJECT TO AND WHAT REMEDIES OR SOLUTIONS THERE MIGHT BE.
UH, A BIT OF DEVIL'S ADVOCATE.
UM, SOME OF US ARE PARTS OF OTHER PANELS WHERE YOUNG PROFESSIONALS WANT TO ACTUALLY LIVE IN THIS, THE COMMUNITIES THAT THEY WERE RAISED IN.
AND AT THIS POINT, AFFORDABILITY IS A REAL ISSUE.
AND SO I CAN'T, UM, SORT OF, UM, YOU KNOW, I'M NOT GONNA MAKE ANY ASSUMPTIONS ABOUT WHAT A DEVELOPER WILL BE DOING WITH A A AS PROPERTY IF IT WILL BE A AIRBNB OR NOT.
UM, BUT I WANNA SPEAK FOR ESPECIALLY YOUNG PROFESSIONALS WHO ACTUALLY WANT TO RETURN TO THESE COMMUNITIES, UM, THAT THEY GREW UP IN.
UM, THESE VEHICLES OF SUBDIVIDING LOTS, UM, PROVIDES A MEANS TO, UM, UM, LIVE, UH, IN THO IN THE COMMUNITY THEY WERE RAISED.
SO I JUST WANT US TO BE CAUTIOUS ABOUT MAKING ASSUMPTIONS ABOUT WHAT A DEVELOPER OR THE MOTIVATION OF A DEV DEVELOPER BEYOND MONEY.
UM, UH, AND CONSIDER THAT THERE MIGHT BE OTHERS PROFESSIONALS WHO WANT TO LIVE WHERE THEY WERE RAISED.
UH, WITH THAT YOU HAVE THE TOOLS, UM, MINIMUM SPECIAL MINIMUM, LOT SIZE DEED RESTRICTIONS, UH, THAT COULD HELP YOU RETAIN THE CHARACTER OF YOUR COMMUNITY.
SO PLEASE SHARE THAT WITH YOUR COMMUNITY SO THAT THE NEXT FOLKS WHO COME IN HERE, MAYBE THEY HAVE, UH, SOME OF THOSE TOOLS IN PLACE BEFOREHAND.
AND I'M, I'M HOPING IF THESE GET DEVELOPED, THEY'LL BE TWO NICE FAMILIES WHO ARE WALKING THEIR DOGS AND THEY'LL BE PART OF THE COMMUNITY.
WITH THAT, UM, STAFF'S RECOMMENDATION IS TO, I'VE GOT A QUESTION.
CAN WHAT I JUST NOTICED THE LOTS ARE GONNA BE 25 FEET WIDE.
UM, THE, IT LOOKS LIKE THE LOTS ARE GONNA BE 25 FEET WIDE.
AND I KNOW THE CHAPTER 42 CHANGES.
I'M JUST MAKE, I WANNA KNOW WHETHER WE LOOKED AT HOW CLOSE IT WAS TO THE SCHOOL AND WHETHER THE NEW RULES APPLY TO THIS.
AND AND IT DOESN'T APPLY TO, DO YOU KNOW HOW MANY FEET THIS SCHOOL IS AWAY? I DON'T KNOW THAT.
IT HAS TO BE, THERE WOULD BE NO OTHER ACCESS TO IT.
NO, I THINK WE DO CHECK THAT IN EVERY CASE.
UM, IS THERE A MOTION THEN FOR STAFF RECOMMENDATION FOR ITEM 1 0 1? MOTION? GARZA.
OPPOSED? THE MOTION CARRIES ITEM 1 0 2, ITEM 1 0 2 IS ROSEMARY GARDENS.
THIS PROPERTY IS ALSO LOCATED WITHIN HOUSTON CITY LIMITS WEST ALONG ANTOINE DRIVE AND SOUTH OF WESTVIEW DRIVE.
THE PURPOSE OF THE REPLAY IS TO CREATE FIVE SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENTIAL LOTS ALONG A SHARED DRIVEWAY.
THERE ARE NO VARIANCES BEING REQUESTED WITH THIS ITEM.
AND REVIEWED BY LEGAL INDICATES THIS PLAT WOULD NOT VIOLATE ANY RESTRICTIONS ON THE FACE OF THE PLATTER.
THOSE FILED SEPARATELY STAFF RECOMMENDS APPROVING THE PLAT SUBJECT TO THE CPC 1 0 1 FORM CONDITIONS.
UH, MADAM CHAIR, I WAS IN CONTACT WITH A NEARBY RESIDENT THAT HAD SOME
[01:00:01]
OPPOSITION TO THIS REQUEST RELATED TO QUALITY OF LIFE.UH, AND I BELIEVE THEY'RE SPEAKING, UH, VIRTUALLY TODAY.
UH, BUT MADAM CHAIR, IF IT PLEASES THE COMMISSION, YOU MAY OPEN A PUBLIC HEARING FOR THIS ITEM AT THIS TIME.
THE PUBLIC HEARING FOR ITEM 1 0 2, ROSEMARY GARDENS IS OPEN.
THE FIRST SPEAKER I HAVE SIGNED IS GARY BINNEY.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR HEARING ME.
UH, YEAH, I'D LIKE TO EXPRESS SOME OF MY CONCERNS.
SOME OF THE CONCERNS ARE BASICALLY ON USE, WHICH I KIND OF HEARD YOU GUYS LOUD AND CLEAR ABOUT THAT.
BUT JUST FOR MY OWN SATISFACTION, IF YOU WILL.
UH, BASICALLY THEY'RE GONNA BUILD FIVE, THREE STORY HOUSES ON THIS PROPERTY.
AND YOU'RE, SOMEONE'S QUESTIONING ABOUT THE HOW CLOSE IS THE SCHOOLS.
THE LOT SIZE ARE LIKE 26, SO I PRESUME THE HOUSES ARE LESS THAN THAT.
AND THERE'S A SCHOOL, UH, PROBABLY THREE, 400 FEET AWAY IF THAT MAKES A DIFFERENCE.
BUT, UM, MY BASIC CONCERN IS THAT THE THREE STORY LOG HOUSES WILL PARTIALLY BLOCK ALL OF MY NATURAL LIGHT AND THEY'LL TAKE OUT THE TREES.
AND I THINK MY VALUE OF MY HOUSE WILL DIMINISH AND HENCE VERY LITTLE PRIVACY.
IN FACT, MY MASTER BEDROOM LIVING ROOM AND KITCHEN PATIO WILL ALL BE BLOCKED BY THAT DEVELOPMENT.
UH, THINGS THAT AREN'T NECESSARILY USE RELATED, UH, TRAFFIC WILL DEFINITELY INCREASE OVER, ABOVE WHAT IT IS TODAY.
AND I'M PARTICULARLY CONCERNED ABOUT THE FLOW OF THE NORTHBOUND TRAFFIC.
'CAUSE RIGHT NOW THERE'S A CENTER MEDIAN WHEREBY YOU CAN NOT TURN LEFT INTO THAT PROPERTY.
SO ESSENTIALLY THOSE PEOPLE HAVE TO GO AROUND, MAKE A U-TURN ON WESTVIEW OR GO THROUGH SIDE STREETS AND THEY'LL INCREASE THE TRAFFIC.
AND I DON'T THINK IT'S VERY SAFE.
I DO THINK THAT, LIKE I SAID, THERE'S A SCHOOL RELATIVELY CLOSE AND YOU'RE ADDING CONGESTION AND IT'S EXTREMELY AWKWARD TO GET IN THERE FROM A DRIVING PERSPECTIVE.
UH, SAM, I DO VIEW THAT AS A SAFETY ISSUE.
DRAINAGE IS ANOTHER ISSUE RIGHT NOW.
WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE PROPERTY, IT'S LITERALLY A LAKE WHERE WHEN IT FLOODS OR NOT FLOODS, BUT WHEN IT RAINS.
AND THE ONLY WAY TO ALLEVIATE THAT WOULD BE TO RAISE THE ELEVATION, WHICH WOULD AFFECT OTHER PEOPLE.
SO I THINK IT HAS A DRAINAGE STUDY BEEN DONE.
AND IF SO, WHAT IS IT? AND MY FINAL CONCERN IS PARKING.
WE NEED CRAM FIVE HOUSES AND A DRIVEWAY WHERE THESE PEOPLE ARE GONNA PARK ON ANTOINE AND WESTVIEW.
UM, I WILL SAY ON THE DRAINAGE ISSUE, THIS IS A VERY EARLY STAGE OF THIS.
THIS IS A PLA WHICH IS LIKE THE FIRST STEP.
UM, AS THIS PROJECT GOES FORWARD, IF IT IS BUILT, IT WILL HAVE TO GET PERMITS.
THERE'LL BE DRAINAGE REVIEW, THERE'LL BE DRAINAGE, YOU KNOW, DETENTION REQUIREMENTS.
UM, THERE'LL BE SOME TRAFFIC, YOU KNOW, ISSUES ADDRESSED.
SOME OF THE, SOME OF YOUR CONCERNS WILL BE ADDRESSED FURTHER DOWN THE ROAD VIA PUBLIC HEARING OR HOW'S THAT WORK? NO, IT'LL BE BY THE, UH, THE PERMITTING PROCESS BY PUBLIC WORKS.
BUT WE CAN, MR. CRIDDLE CAN GIVE YOU A PHONE NUMBER OF A GUY IN PUBLIC WORKS WHO CAN EXPLAIN THAT PROCESS AND, AND HOW THAT'S GONNA WORK TO YOU.
THE THING ABOUT THE SCHOOL, UH, APPLIES IF YOU ARE DOING INDIVIDUAL DRIVEWAY CURB CUTS ON A STREET AND THIS IS JUST, OKAY, ONE CURB CUT FOR A SHARED DRIVEWAY INTO THE GARAGES THAT WILL BE THERE.
COMMISSIONER CLARK, IT'S FOR MR. K CRIDDLE.
ANY, LET ME SEE IF THERE ARE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR THE SPEAKER.
THANK YOU FOR BEING WITH US TODAY, MR. K CRIDDLE.
I ASSUME I CAN GET THE NAME OF THE APPLICANT.
YEAH, MR. K CRIDDLE WILL HOOK YOU UP AS SOON AS.
JUST REAL QUICK, MR. CRIDDLE, I SEE THE FIVE ARROWS FOR THE GARAGES.
IS THAT PARKING? NO, THAT'S ACTUALLY, UM, THE, THE DASH LINE YOU SEE IS A 25 FOOT BUILDING, BUILDING LINE.
UH, ANTOINE'S A MAJOR FAIR FARE.
SO THAT'S JUST GREEN SPACE Y YES, MA'AM.
WELL, IT, IT'S A PART OF THE LOT.
SO THAT WHOLE, THAT BOTH, EVEN THOUGH THAT DASH LINE IS THERE, THAT'S A WHOLE LOT.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR MR. CRIDDLE? UM, OKAY.
DO WE HAVE ANYBODY ELSE WHO WISHES TO SPEAK ON ITEM 1 0 2? ROSEMARY GARDENS? MADAM CHAIR, THIS IS, GO AHEAD, MADAM CHAIR, THIS IS RICHARD SMITH.
[01:05:01]
HOW ARE YOU? JOHN BROWN SHOULD BE THERE TODAY.SO IF THAT GENTLEMAN, LAST GENTLEMAN WANTS TO SPEAK WITH HIM, HE'S HIDING IN THE BACK.
BUT YES MA'AM, SHE SHOULD BE THERE.
BUT ALSO, YOU KNOW, WE'LL LOOK AT THE TRAFFIC AND PART OF PERMITTING, AS YOU SAID, AS WELL AS THE DRAINAGE.
I DON'T KNOW THAT, YOU KNOW THE FIVE HOMES THE TRAFFIC WOULD HAVE.
THE TRAFFIC WOULD GO UP TO WESTVIEW.
I BELIEVE THAT'S A SIGNALED INTERSECTION, SO THE U-TURN SHOULD NOT BE A MAJOR ISSUE AT THAT INTERSECTION.
UM, AND OR BE, I SHOULDN'T SAY THEY SHOULDN'T BE A SAFETY ISSUE PER SE.
I'M GONNA ASK THANK YOU MR. BROWN, TO, UM, MR. BROWN, IF, COULD YOU, UM, TALK TO MR. BENNY.
MR. BENNY, WE'VE GOT A REPRESENTATIVE HERE FROM PUBLIC WORKS WHO CAN ANSWER A LOT OF YOUR QUESTIONS, BUT WE'LL ALSO GET YOU THE CONTACT INFORMATION FOR THE APPLICANT.
UM, IS THERE ANYBODY ELSE WHO WANTS TO SPEAK ON ROSEMARY GARDENS? IF NOT, THE PUBLIC HEARING IS CLOSED.
STAFF'S RECOMMENDATION IS TO APPROVE THE PLAT SUBJECT TO CONDITIONS.
UH, THIS IS A SHALL APPROVE ITEM MEETS ALL THE REQUIREMENTS.
UM, IF THERE'S NO FURTHER DISCUSSION, IS THERE A MOTION FOR STAFF RECOMMENDATION? WE HEAR A BLAND, THERE ARE A BLAND, IS THERE A SECOND? ROBINS? ROBINS.
UH, THAT WILL CONCLUDE ITEMS UNDER PUBLIC HEARINGS AND WE'LL MOVE
[d. Subdivision Plats with Variance Requests (Aracely Rodriguez, Tammi Williamson, Devin Crittle, Petra Hsia, and Geoff Butler)]
TO SECTION D VARIANCES, BEGINNING WITH ITEM 1 0 3.MY NAME IS A RODRIGUEZ, ITEM 1 0 3 BRILEY ESTATES.
THIS SITE IS LOCATED IN THE CITY LIMIT ALONG INTERSTATE HIGHWAY 45 AND SOUTHEAST OF EMANCIPATION AVENUE.
THE APPLICANT PROPOSING A SHARED DRIVER DEVELOPMENT WITH TWO SINGLE FAMILY LOT AND IS REQUESTED A VARIANT TO ALLOW A REDUCED BUILDER LINE INSTEAD OF 25 ALONG I 45 STAFF IS IN SUPPORT OF THE REQUEST.
THE PROPERTIES THAT WE APPLIED ALL LOT A BLOCK TO APPEAR COURT RECORDED IN 1925, NO BUILDER LINE WAS REQUIRED ON THE REAR OF THE LOT.
HOWEVER, DUE TO THE EXPANSION OF I 45 STREET APPLICATION OF THE ORDINANCE REQUIRE NOW A 25 FEET BUILDER LINE.
THUS, THE APPLICANT IS NOW REQUESTING A VARIANCE TO ALLOW A REDUCED BUILDER LINE ALONG I 45.
PER THE STIPEND THERE, THERE'S ABOUT 52 FEET BETWEEN THE FETAL ROAD AND THE UPPER LINE AND THE STRUCTURES WILL BE SITUATED ABOUT 68 FEET AWAY FROM THE FETAL ROAD PER ACCORDING TO TEXAS PLAN.
UM, THEY'RE PLANNING TO CONSTRUCT A NOISE BARRIER WITHIN THE 52 FEET ZONE AND PUBLIC WORD HAS EXPRESSED NO OBJECTION TO THE PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT.
ALSO, THE APPLICANT MODIFIED THE PLOT AND IT NOW CAN COMPLY WITH A 20 FEET BURN BUILDER LINE, WHICH IS REQUIRED BY APPLICABLE DATE RESTRICTION.
SO CONSIDERING THE UNIQUE CIRCUMSTANCES OF THE PROPERTY STAFF IS RECOMMENDING GRANTING THE REQUESTED VARIANCE AND APPROVE THE PLAT STOP WITH THE CPC 1 0 1 FORM CONDITION AND STAFF DID NOT RECEIVE ANY PUBLIC COMMENTS IN ADVANCE.
ANY QUESTIONS FOR MS. RODRIGUEZ? UM, I DON'T HAVE ANYONE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK ON THIS STAFF'S.
RECOMMENDATION IS GRANT AND APPROVED IS BEFORE YOU ON THE SCREEN ANY DISCUSSION? IS THERE A MOTION? MOTION SIGLER SECOND CLARK.
ITEM 1 0 4, ITEM 1 0 4, CAMPUS.
THE SITE IS LOCATED IN HOUSTON, ETJ IN HARRIS COUNTY IS OF FARM MARKET, 2100 AND SOUTH OF STR ROAD.
THE APPLICANT IS PROPOSING ONE SINGLE FAMILY LOT AND IS REQUESTING A VARIANT TO ALLOW THE PROPOSED LOT TO HAVE FURNISH AND ACCESS VIA ASSET EASTMAN INSTEAD OF THE REQUIRED PUBLISH STREET STAFF.
RECOMMENDATION IS TO DEFER THE PLOT FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION, ADDITIONAL INFORMATION IF NEEDED IN REGARDS TO THE EASEMENT AND NO PUBLIC COMMENT IN EVENT HAVE BEEN RECEIVED.
OKAY, ANY QUESTIONS FOR MS. RODRIGUEZ? WE DON'T HAVE ANY PUBLIC SPEAKERS.
UH, STAFF'S RECOMMENDATION IS TO DEFER, IS THERE A MOTION? MANKA MANKA.
ITEM 1 0 4 IS DEFERRED ITEM 1 0 5.
GOOD AFTERNOON, MADAM CHAIR, MEMBERS OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION.
ITEM 1 0 5 IS KIMON PARK, SECTION ONE KIMON POWER SECTION
[01:10:01]
ONE.THE SITE IS LOCATED WITHIN HOUSTON'S ETJ IN HARRIS COUNTY NORTH OF BEAUMONT HIGHWAY EAST OF SHELDON ROAD AND WEST OF THE SAN JACINTO RIVER.
THE APPLICANT IS PROPOSING ONE UNRESTRICTED RESERVE AND IS REQUESTING A VARIANT TO ALLOW THE RESERVE NOT TO HAVE FRONTAGE ON A STREET, BUT INSTEAD TO HAVE FRONTAGE AND TAKE ACCESS FROM AN ACCESS EASEMENT.
STAFF IS IN SUPPORT OF THE REQUEST.
THE SITE IS PART OF A 600 ACRE GENERAL PLAN FOR INDUSTRIAL USE, WHICH RECEIVED VARIANCES FOR NO PUBLIC STREETS THROUGH THE SITE.
THERE IS AN EXISTING POWER SUBSTATION ON THE SITE.
THE APPLICANT IS SUBMITTING THE PLAT TO MEET HARRIS COUNTY'S REGULATION REQUIREMENTS.
THE SITE HAS NO PUBLIC STREET FRONTAGE AND HAS TAKEN ACCESS FROM A 22 FOOT WIDE ACCESS EASEMENT THAT CONNECTS TO BEAUMONT HIGHWAY FOR DECADES.
THE APPLICANT REQUESTS A VARIANCE TO ALLOW THE SITE TO CONTINUE TO TAKE ACCESS FROM THIS ACCESS EASEMENT.
CONSIDERING THE NATURE OF THE DEVELOPMENT AND THE EXISTING CONDITIONS ADJACENT TO THE SITE, STAFF RECOMMENDS TO GRANT THE REQUESTED VARIANCE.
HARRIS COUNTY'S ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT HAS NO OBJECTIONS TO THE REQUEST.
THEREFORE, STAFF'S RECOMMENDATION IS TO GRANT THE REQUESTED VARIANCE AND APPROVE THE PLAT SUBJECT TO CPC 1 0 1 FORM CONDITIONS.
STAFF HAS NOT RECEIVED ANY PUBLIC COMMENTS IN ADVANCE.
AND THIS CONCLUDES STAFF'S PRESENTATION.
QUESTIONS FOR MS. WILLIAMSON? UM, WE DON'T HAVE ANYONE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM.
UM, STAFF'S RECOMMENDATIONS TO GRANT AND APPROVE ANY DISCUSSION? IS THERE A MOTION FOR STAFF RECOMMENDATION FOR SECOND MODEST? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
[Items 106 & V.]
ITEM 1 0 6, STAFF WOULD LIKE TO TAKE ITEM 1 0 6 AND ROMAN NUMER RULE FIVE TOGETHER AS THEY'RE RELATED.ALRIGHT, THIS IS ITEM 1 0 6 AND THEN ROMAN NUMERAL FIVE IS A PARKING VARIANCE.
ITEM 1 0 6 IS CONCEPT NEIGHBORHOOD TRAIL VILLAGE AND ROMAN NUMERAL FIVE IS AN OFF STREET PARKING VARIANCE FOR AN AREA AT 2 0 1 ROBERTS STREET.
THE PLATS VARIANCE SITE IS LOCATED WITHIN THE HOUSTON CORPORATE LIMITS IN HARRIS COUNTY ON THE BLOCK BOUNDED BY PALMER STREET, PALMER STREET, CANAL STREET, AND NOLAN STREET.
THE APPLICANT IS PROPOSING AN UNRESTRICTED RESERVE AND IS REQUESTING A VARIANCE TO ALLOW A ZERO FOOT BUILDING LINE FOR A PORTION OF NORTH PALMER STREET, A SEVEN FOOT BUILDING LINE FOR A PORTION OF CANAL STREET WITH A ZERO FOOT DUAL BUILDING LINE FOR AN OVERHEAD CANOPY AND AWNINGS AND FOR AN ENCROACHMENT INTO THE VISIBILITY TRIANGLE AT THE INTERSECTION OF NORTH PALMER AND CANAL STREET.
IN ORDER TO RENOVATE AN EXISTING STRUCTURE, STAFF IS IN SUPPORT OF THIS REQUEST.
THE APPLICANT IS PLANNING TO RENOVATE AN EXISTING WAREHOUSE BUILDING AND USE IT FOR COMMERCIAL PURPOSES.
CANAL STREET IS A DESIGNATED TOD STREET FOR SECONDARY.
PER THE SITE PLAN, THE APPLICANT WILL REMOVE SEVERAL EXISTING DRIVEWAY CURB CUTS.
THE EXISTING STRUCTURE THAT IS PROPOSED TO BE REMODELED IS ENCROACHING INTO THE ORDINANCE REQUIRED BUILDING LINES, BUT AT THE TIME OF HIS CONSTRUCTION, THERE WERE NO BUILDING LINE SETBACK REQUIREMENTS.
THE APPLICANT IS ALSO PROPOSING TO ADD CANOPY AND AWNINGS THAT WILL ENCROACH INTO THE RIGHT OF WAY ALONG NORTH PALMER STREET AND EXTEND TO THE PROPERTY LINE ON CANAL STREET THE RIGHT OF WAY.
ENCROACHMENTS MUST BE APPROVED BY HOUSTON PUBLIC WORKS AND ARE NOT PART OF THE SCOPE OF THE PLAT VARIANCE BEING REQUESTED.
THE PROPOSED CANOPY AND AWNINGS ALONG CANAL STREET WILL BE A DUAL BUILDING LINE FOR THE OVERHEAD STRUCTURE AND SUPPORT COLUMNS ONLY WITH THE EXISTING FOOTPRINT OF THE BUILDING TO REMAIN AT THE SEVEN FOOT FROM PROPERTY LINE ALONG NORTH PALMER.
AT THE ZERO FOOT BUILDING LINE, THE PEDESTRIAN REALM WIDTH IS APPROXIMATELY 11 AND A HALF FEET ALONG CANAL STREET AT THE SEVEN FOOT BUILDING LINE.
THE PEDESTRIAN REALM WIDTH IS APPROXIMATELY 19.4 FEET.
THE APPLICANT MUST PROVIDE A MINIMUM SIX FOOT CLEAR WIDTH SIDEWALK AND MANY LOCATIONS WILL HAVE A WALKABLE PATH OF ABOUT 12 FEET ALONG CANAL.
THE REQUEST FOR NO VISIBILITY TRIANGLE AT THE INTERSECTION OF NORTH PALMER AND CANAL IS AT THE EXISTING STRUCTURE FOR NORTHEAST BOUND TRAFFIC ON CANAL.
THERE ARE NO SIGHT LINE CONCERNS FOR LEFT TURNING TRAFFIC FOR NORTHWEST BOUND TRAFFIC ON NORTH PALMER AT THE STOP SIGN.
VISIBILITY AROUND THE SITE'S EXISTING BUILDING AT THE SUBJECT OF THE VARIANCE BEING REQUESTED HAS CLEAR VIEWS.
THE EXISTING STRUCTURE ACROSS THE STREET FROM THE SITE HAS SLIGHTLY LIMITED VIEWS AS YOU CAN SEE FROM THE IMAGERY, BUT NOT ABLE TO BE RECTIFIED WITH THIS SUBJECT SITE.
THE PLOT IS PART OF A LARGER PLAN IN THE EAST END DISTRICT, WHICH IS THE DEVELOPER ACQUIRED MULTIPLE BLOCKS WITH THE GOAL TO RENOVATE EXISTING BUILDINGS FOR MULTI-USE DEVELOPMENT.
THE PARKING VARIANCE BEING REQUESTED IS FOR AN AREA THAT INCLUDES SIX BLOCK PORTIONS ON BOTH SIDES OF ROBERT STREET NORTH OF PRESTON TO CANAL STREET.
THESE PROPERTIES, JUST LIKE THE PLATTE VARIANCE DISCUSSED, HAVE EXISTING
[01:15:01]
HISTORIC WAREHOUSE STRUCTURES THAT ARE PROPOSED TO BE RENOVATED.THE DEVELOPER HAS THE MULTIPLE SITES AS PART OF THIS OVERALL PROJECT.
THE SIX BLOCKS AS PART OF THE OFF STREET PARKING VARIANCES ARE ALL WITHIN THE SECONDARY TWO OD DESIGNATED STREETS CLOSE TO THE COFFEE PLANT, SECOND WARD RAIL STATION.
IF THE PROJECTS WERE TO MEET THET OD PERFORMANCE STANDARDS OF 50% PARKING REDUCTION WOULD BE ALLOWED BY THE ORDINANCE.
THIS AREA IS ON THE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES.
AS A DISTRICT OF LOCAL HISTORIC SIGNIFICANCE, THE PORTION OF THE TOD PERFORMANCE STANDARDS THAT THESE PROJECTS ARE NOT ABLE TO MEET IS THE MINIMUM REQUIREMENT OF 40% TRANSPARENCY ON THE GROUND FLOOR FACADE IN KEEPING WITH THE HISTORIC CHARACTER OF THE EXISTING STRUCTURES.
LIMITED CHANGES TO THE EXTERIOR ENVELOPE ARE BEING PROPOSED.
THIS AREA IS ALSO WELL SERVED BY TWO BUS LINES AND MULTIPLE BIKE LANES.
THEIR AREA IS JUST OUTSIDE THE MARKET BASED PARKING AREA, AND THERE ARE ALSO EXISTING ON STREET PARKING ON MOST OF THESE BLOCKS, WHICH CAN BE UTILIZED BUT DO NOT COUNT IN THE PROVIDED SPACES BY THE ORDINANCE.
THERE ARE THREE PARKING LOTS PROPOSED FOR THIS AREA WITH THE TOTAL NUMBER OF 388 PROPOSED PARKING PLACES OFF STREET.
BASED ON THE PROPOSED USES AFTER THE ALLOWED BICYCLE REDUCTION, THE ORDINANCE REQUIRED MINIMUM IS 713 PARKING SPACES.
IF THE 50% REDUCTION ALLOWED FOR TOD WERE AVAILABLE, NO PARKING REDUCTION WOULD BE REQUIRED.
THE OTHER PORTION OF THE PARKING VARIANCE IS TO EXCEED THE 500 FOOT WALK MAXIMUM WALKING DISTANCE FOR OFF SITE PARKING.
THE LARGE PARKING AREAS LOCATED ON THE CANAL STREET SITES EQUATES TO SOME OF THE REQUIRED PARKING FOR THE PROPERTIES ON ROBERTS TO HAVE A LONGER WALKING DISTANCE.
STAFF SUPPORTS THE REQUEST FOR THE REDUCED OFF STREET PARKING REQUIREMENT, AND FOR THE INCREASE IN THE MAXIMUM WALKING DISTANCE TO THE OFFSITE PARKING FACILITIES.
STRICT INTERPRETATION OF THE ORDINANCE WOULD REQUIRE EITHER THE DEMOLITION OF SOME OF THE EXISTING HISTORIC STRUCTURES TO ADD PARKING OR NOT ALLOW THE ADAPTIVE REUSE OF THE WAREHOUSE STRUCTURES INTO OTHER USES.
PUBLIC WORKS HAS NO OBJECTIONS TO THE REQUEST, AND LEGAL HAS DETERMINED THAT THE PARKING VARIANCE WILL NOT VIOLATE ANY SEPARATELY FILED RESTRICTIONS AS THERE ARE NONE FILED.
STAFF'S RECOMMENDATION IS TO GRANT THE REQUESTED VARIANCE FOR THE REDUCED BUILDING LINES AND APPROVE THE PLAT SUBJECT TO CPC 1 0 1 FORM CONDITIONS AND APPROVE THE REQUESTED PARKING VARIANCE.
STAFF HAS RECEIVED ONE COMMENT IN ADVANCE FOR THE PLAT VARIANCE.
WE ALSO RECEIVED FIVE PUBLIC COMMENTS TODAY, EXCUSE ME, TODAY AFTER YESTERDAY'S CUTOFF FOR INCLUSION INTO THE PACKET.
FOUR ARE IN SUPPORT AND ONE IS IN OPPOSITION.
I BELIEVE THE APPLICANT AND DESIGN TEAM ARE HERE TO SPEAK ALONG WITH POTENTIALLY SOMEONE FROM THE COUNCIL MEMBER CASTILLO'S OFFICE.
THIS CONCLUDES STAFF'S PRESENTATION.
UM, ANY QUESTIONS FROM MS. WILLIAMSON BEFORE WE CALL SPEAKERS OF, OF WHICH WE HAVE A LOT, WE HAVE A LOT OF SPEAKERS ON THIS.
FIRST SPEAKER IS, UH, THE APPLICANT ANDREW ALLMAN.
ARE YOU VIRTUAL MR. ALLAND? THAT THAT'S CORRECT, MA'AM.
CHAIR, THIS IS, UH, ANDREW ALLMAN FROM AXIOM LAND SURVEYING.
EXCUSE ME, I'M, I'M SICK, WHICH IS WHY I'M NOT THERE.
UH, 1304 LANGHAM CREEK DRIVE SUITE, UH, ONE 40 IN HOUSTON, TEXAS.
UH, I THINK STAFF DID A REALLY GOOD JOB OUTLINING BOTH APPLICATIONS.
I DON'T HAVE MUCH MORE TO ADD OTHER THAN TO, TO GIVE THEM SOME INSIGHT INTO THE DEVELOPMENT OR THE DEVELOPER IN THIS CASE.
SO THEIR WHOLE THING IS ADAPTIVE REUSE.
UM, THEY WORK AND THEY LIVE IN THIS AREA.
UH, AND SO THEY, THEY ARE FAMILIAR WITH THESE BUILDINGS.
THEY WANNA PRESERVE THOSE FOOTPRINTS, PRESERVE THAT CHARACTER, AND THAT'S THE WHOLE BASIS OF THIS DEVELOPMENT CONCEPT.
UH, IT'S TAKING A LOT OF THESE INDUSTRIAL TYPE BUILDINGS, PUTTING OFFICE AND RETAIL ART STUDIO TYPE SPACES.
UH, AND IT'S IN THIS COHESIVE DEVELOPMENT AREA THAT'S GONNA BE HOPEFULLY ONE DAY, UH, LINKED TOGETHER WITH THE MASS TRANSIT SYSTEM THAT WILL BI BIFURCATE IN BETWEEN THE HQ BUILDING AND THE OLD PITA PAL BUILDING.
AND SO WE, WE THINK IT'S A GREAT ADDITION TO THE AREA.
IT'S A GREAT REUSE OF THE BUILDINGS.
THEY'RE WILLING TO OBVIOUSLY, YOU KNOW, KEEP THEM IN PLACE, KEEP THEM UP AND, AND PRESERVE THEM, UH, AND ALSO ENHANCE THE PEDESTRIAN REALMS. UH, SO THEY CHECK ALL THE BOXES.
AND IF YOU NEED ANYTHING ELSE, I'LL BE AVAILABLE AT THE END FOR QUESTIONS.
I KNOW YOU HAVE A LOT OF SPEAKERS, SO I'M NOT GONNA TAKE A WHOLE BUNCH OF YOUR TIME.
WE'LL CALL YOU BACK UNLESS THERE ARE QUESTIONS FOR MR. ELMAN NOW.
MR. BROWN, UH, THE NEXT SPEAKER IS RICKY CARDENAS.
HELLO, I'M, I'M HERE VIRTUALLY.
UH, THIS IS, THIS IS RICKY CARDENAS.
I JUST WANNA THANK YOU PLANNING COMMITTEE FOR, UM, GIVING ME A CHANCE TO SPEAK IN, IN FAVOR OF THIS, UH, THIS, UH, GRANT, UH, UM, APPLICATION FOR A GRANT FOR A VARIANCE.
UM, I'D LIKE, I'M SPEAKING IN FAVOR, OBVIOUSLY.
UM, OUR NEIGHBORHOOD'S OVERLY CROWDED WITH VEHICLES AND SPEEDING
[01:20:01]
DRIVERS WHO DO NOT FOLLOW DRIVING LAWS.AND IN ORDER TO REDUCE CONGESTION IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD AND IN THE CITY, WE NEED MORE EFFORTS TO ENCOURAGE HOUSTONIANS TO ARRIVE AT THEIR DESTINATIONS BY OTHER METHODS THAN DRIVING THEMSELVES IN A SINGLE OCCUPANCY CAR.
UH, THIS VARIANCE REQUEST IS NEAR A LIGHT RAIL.
IT'S ALONG AREA WITH PLANS FOR IMPROVED BIKE AND PEDESTRIAN TRAVEL AND, UM, THE SECOND WARD AREA THAT'S RAPIDLY CHANGING.
UM, WE'VE SEEN BUILDINGS GOING UP AND COMING DOWN DAILY.
UM, WE'RE LOSING MANY OF OUR HISTORIC BUILDINGS.
AND MOST RECENTLY WE JUST LOST THE ALAMO TAMALES BUILDING, WHICH WAS AT THE CORNER OF NAVIGATION AND CANAL, AND THAT WAS JUST A COUPLE OF DAYS AGO THAT IT WAS DEMOLISHED.
UM, I WOULD ASK THAT YOU PLEASE RECOMMEND APPROVAL FOR THIS VARIANCE TO KEEP MORE OF OUR HISTORIC BUILDINGS INSTEAD OF HAVING THEM TORN DOWN JUST FOR THE SAKE OF PARKING SPACES.
AS A SECOND WARD RESIDENT, I FULLY SUPPORT THIS VARIANCE REQUEST.
UH, ANY QUESTIONS FOR THE SPEAKER? APPRECIATE YOUR COMMENTS.
UH, THE NEXT SPEAKER IS ELENA PENSO.
HI, I AM VIRTUALLY, CAN YOU HEAR ME? YES, WE CAN GO RIGHT AHEAD.
HI, I AM A RESIDENT IN SECOND WARD.
ACTUALLY, I LIVE THREE BLOCKS AWAY FROM THIS, UH, PROJECT.
THE PROBLEM THAT I SEE WITH THIS PROJECT IS THAT THE WAREHOUSE THAT THEY WANNA SAVE, IT'S ALREADY A MANIPULATED WAREHOUSE THAT THEY CAN, UH, REBUILD INTO PARKING SPACES.
I LIVE LESS THAN, UH, THEY, THE SITE TWO BLOCKS AWAY FROM BAYLOR MIDDLE SCHOOL AND CGAS PARK.
IF THE DEVELOPER DOESN'T ALLOW, I IF THE DEVELOPER DOESN'T, UH, BUILD THE 713 SPACES THAT IS REQUIRED, UH, BY THE CITY, WHAT IT MEANS IS THAT THE DEVE, THE VISITORS WILL GO AND PARK ON THE STREETS.
WE HAVE ALL THOSE BLOCKS TO THE NORTH THAT YOU SEE.
THOSE ARE RESIDENTIAL LOTS, ALL BUNGALOWS.
AND SOME OF THOSE, UH, NARROWS, THEY HAVE NARROW STREETS AND THEY DO HAVE DITCHES ON BOTH SIZES.
SO WHAT IT MEANS IS THAT THIS DEVELOPER IS GONNA SAVE 400, UH, ABOUT 400 SPACES, SO 300 SPACES FOR THE BENEFIT OF THEIR DEVELOPMENT.
AND NOT TAKING INTO CONSIDERATION MIDDLE SCHOOL, BAYLOR MIDDLE SCHOOL, WHICH IS THREE BLOCKS, SENEGA PARK, WHICH HAS ALREADY, UH, SEVERAL ACTIVITIES VISITORS PARK AROUND.
SO WHERE ARE WE GONNA HAVE 300 MORE VISITORS PARKING AROUND OUR AREA? THERE IS NO WAY, AND EVEN IF THEY PROMOTE THIS, UH, DEVELOPMENT AS WALKING, UH, UH, NEW CONCEPT LIKE NEW YORK, BECAUSE THAT'S HOW THE BUILDER IS PROMOTING HIS DEVELOPMENT.
THEY ARE NOT MEETING THE TODD, WHICH IS THE DESIGNATED STREETS, UH, THAT ALLOWS THE 50% REDUCTION BECAUSE IT'S SO CLOSE TO A PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION.
AND THAT IS THAT THEY ARE CAME TO YOU TODAY TO ASK FOR THE VARIANCE TO BE APPROVED.
MS. PENSO, YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED.
UM, I'VE TRIED NUMEROUS TIMES TO TALK TO THE DEVELOPER ON THOSE NOTICES MY NEIGHBORS DID, WHICH ARE SENIORS, AND WE COULDN'T, THEY DECIDED TO ANSWER ALL OF OUR QUE CONCERNS YESTERDAY.
SO I'M, I'M OPPOSITE OF THIS DEVELOPMENT.
WE'LL TRY TO GET THE, THE, WE'LL GET YOUR CONTACT INFORMATION IF YOU CAN PROVIDE IT IN THE CHAT AND, UH, PERHAPS WE CAN GET SOMEONE IN TOUCH WITH YOU TO ANSWER SOME OF YOUR QUESTIONS.
THE NEXT SPEAKER IS SCOTT SINGLETON.
SCOTT SINGLETON DOES NOT APPEAR TO BE PRESENT.
I AM A 20 YEAR RESIDENT AT THE, THE CORNER OF PALMER AND GARROW.
THIS IS, UH, A MINOR SHIP SHOT AWAY FROM, UH, MY HOUSE IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD.
AND I AM OPPOSED TO ALLOWING THE VARIANCE FOR THE PARKING SPOTS TO BE REDUCED BECAUSE THERE SIMPLY ISN'T GOING TO BE THE, UH, WISHFUL THINKING.
I THINK THAT WE'RE GONNA TRY TO SEE, OH, IT'S GONNA BE A PEDESTRIAN NEIGHBORHOOD.
THE PEOPLE WHO ARE GONNA BE INTERESTED IN COMING TO
[01:25:01]
THIS DEVELOPMENT AREN'T GONNA BE WALKING DISTANCE FROM THERE.THEY'RE GONNA BE COMING FROM OTHER PARTS OF THE CITY LIKE WE'VE SEEN WITH, UM, THE, UH, RECENT DEVELOPMENT OF THE, UH, RESTAURANT AROUND THE CORNER ON SAMPSON STREET STREET TO MARKET.
NONE OF THOSE PEOPLE ARE FROM THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
AND WHILE IT WOULD BE GREAT TO THINK THAT, UH, AND I DO APPLAUD THE EFFORT AND THE INTENTION OF MAKING ALL OF, UH, THIS NEW DEVELOPMENT, UH, PEDESTRIAN FRIENDLY, THE PEOPLE WHO ARE GONNA BE USING THIS DEVELOPMENT ARE GONNA BE WALKING THERE.
THEY AREN'T GONNA BE RIDING BIKES THERE, AND THEY CERTAINLY AREN'T GONNA BE RIDING METRO THERE.
SO, UM, REDUCING THE PARKING SPOTS THAT ARE THERE AT THE OLD BOLOGNA PLANT, OR, YOU KNOW, NOT, NOT BUILDING OUT SUFFICIENT PARKING SPOTS AT THE OLD BOLOGNA PLANT ARE, UH, IT'S JUST GONNA PUSH THOSE CARS OUT INTO THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
AND MOST OF THOSE STREETS, REALLY, THAT ARE, WERE MENTIONED EARLIER BY STAFF, ARE NOT SUITABLE FOR PARKING.
UH, THE ENTIRE STREET OF, OF VELASCO NORTH OF GARROW, UM, UH, DOESN'T HAVE CURBS.
IT'S NOT, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN'T PARK ON EITHER SIDE OF THE STREET GOING UP NORTH OF, UH, GARROW ON VELASCO.
SO THAT'S, THAT'S, THAT'S A NON-STARTER.
AND THERE ARE SEVERAL OTHER OF THESE BLOCKS THAT ARE MENTIONED BOTH IN THE, UM, UH, UH, MATERIALS THAT WERE CIRCULATED TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD AS WELL AS, UH, MR. SINGLETON, YOUR TIME'S EXPIRED.
OPPOSED, MAKE THEM BUILD A GARAGE ON THE THING.
SORRY TO WRECK YOUR REVENUE MODEL GUYS, BUT YOU DON'T HAVE ENOUGH PARKING THERE FOR IT.
ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR COMMENTS.
UH, THE NEXT SPEAKER IS MANNY LEWIS.
UM, THANK YOU COMM RIGHT AHEAD.
UM, IN CASE MY TIME, UH, COMES TO AN END, I'M IN FAVOR OF THIS PARKING VARIANCE.
UM, I LEFT HOUSTON IN 2018 TO MOVE TO WASHINGTON, DC UM, WHERE I FELL IN LOVE WITH THE WORK WALKABLE CULTURE.
AND TO MY SURPRISE, WHEN I CAME BACK TO HOUSTON IN 2024 THIS SUMMER, UM, I WAS AGHAST BY THE AMOUNT OF BIKE LANES THAT YOU GUYS HAVE ADDED BOTH ON POLK DOWNTOWN AND NOW ON COMMERCE.
UM, I LIVE ON ENNIS AND COMMERCE.
I'VE LIVED HERE SINCE SUMMER AND PLAN ON BUYING AND THE SECOND WARD ONLY BECAUSE IT HAS LESS DENSITY THAN WHAT WE'RE SEEING IN EAST RIVER TO THE NORTH, TO THE WEST, AND EVEN IN THIRD WARD.
UM, I THINK A PROJECT LIKE THIS IS PERFECT.
UM, I KIND OF REBUT WHAT OTHERS HAVE SAID.
A LOT OF MY FRIENDS, BOTH IN THEIR THIRTIES, FORTIES AND FIFTIES, THAT HAVE FAMILIES BIKE AROUND THIS AREA, ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS COME OUT ON A SATURDAY AND SEE PEOPLE BIKING DOWN COMMERCE CANAL OR POLK OR HARRISBURG.
UM, THIS AREA HAS A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT ARE WALKING NOW TO THE, UH, ASTRO STADIUM AT MINUTE MADE AS WELL.
SO I THINK ADDING SOMETHING LIKE THIS THAT MIRRORS THE YORK AND SAMPSON CORRIDOR ALL THE WAY UP TO THE BUFFALO BAYOU CORRIDOR THAT'S ALREADY HAS TRAILS FOR PEOPLE IS SOMETHING THAT THIS, UH, COMMUNITY NEEDS.
UM, THE COOL THING THAT I LIKE ABOUT THIS PROJECT AND WHY I'M REALLY GLAD TO SUPPORT IT IS I USED TO LIVE IN ATLANTA AND THEY HAVE A, A PROJECT THAT'S SIMILAR TO THIS CALLED THE ATLANTA BELT LINE.
THE ONLY PROBLEM WITH THE ATLANTA BELT LINE IS THAT IT TORE DOWN RESIDENTIAL PARKING OR RESIDENTIAL, UH, RESIDENTIAL PLOTS OF LAND.
THE REALLY COOL THING ABOUT THIS VARIANCE IS IT ALLOWS US TO CONSERVE OR KEEP THE, UM, BUILDINGS THAT WE HAVE CURRENTLY WHILE STILL CREATING WALKABLE AREAS AND BIKEABLE AREAS THROUGH WHAT THEY'RE DOING ON COMMERCE AND POLK.
AND IF YOU LOOK AT THE GREATER PLAN, CONNECTING BUFFALO BAYOU AND THE TRAILS THERE ALL THE WAY DOWN TO 50 OR TO 45 IS SOMETHING REALLY COOL THAT A LOT OF FAMILIES WILL BE ABLE TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF.
UM, AND THE LAST THING I'LL SAY IS IF YOU GO WEST ON COMMERCE, WHERE IT ENDS AT THE, UH, BIKE TRAIL THAT THEY HAVE OVER THERE, I'M BLANKING ON THE NAME AT THE END OF COMMERCE, UH, THE HARRISBURG BIKE AND BIKE AND HIKE AND BIKE TRAIL, YOU'LL SEE TONS OF FAMILIES THERE THAT COULD BENEFIT FROM HAVING BUSINESSES AND WALKING DISTANCE FROM THEM.
SO I UNDERSTAND THAT THERE'S A LOT OF, UH, PEOPLE IN THE IMMEDIATE AREA, BUT I'M FULLY IN FAVOR OF THIS JUST BASED ON THE AMOUNT OF, UM, INFRASTRUCTURE CREATE FOR PEOPLE.
NEXT SPEAKER IS JEFFREY, IS IT KAPLAN? JEFFREY KAPLAN? I'M JEFF KAPLAN.
I'M ONE OF THE DEVELOPMENT PARTNERS WITH CONCEPT NEIGHBORHOOD.
AND I'VE LIVED IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD FOR ALMOST A DECADE, AND I'VE SORT OF DEVOTED MY, MY LIFE TO CREATING THIS SORT OF WALKABLE, TEXTURED NEIGHBORHOOD, WHICH WE THINK IS, IS LACKING.
WE THINK THE HOUSTON NEEDS AN AUTHENTIC WALKABLE DISTRICT LIKE THIS.
AND PRETTY MUCH EVERY PROJECT I'VE DONE HAS BEEN
[01:30:01]
AN ADAPTIVE REUSE PROJECT WITH HISTORIC BUILDINGS.AND WHAT I THINK, YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT'S HARD TO UNDERSTAND THE NUANCES OF DEVELOPMENT BECAUSE EVERYONE THINKS ALL DEVELOPMENT IS IS BAD.
BUT THERE, THERE IS A DIFFERENT TEMPLATE FOR THIS SORT OF PROJECT THAT'S ROOTED IN COMMUNITY WEALTH AND SAVING BUILDINGS.
13 OF THESE BUILDINGS ARE IN THE FEDERAL REGISTRY OF HISTORIC PLACES.
AND WHAT I, I WANT TO MAKE VERY CLEAR, AND I, AND, AND MAYBE WE HAVEN'T DONE A PERFECT JOB OF, OF MESSAGING THIS, BUT WHAT I WANNA MAKE SO CLEAR IS THAT IF WE DON'T CHANGE THIS ORDINANCE, IF WE DON'T CHANGE, IF WE DON'T, IF IF WE DON'T GET THIS VARIANCE, SOME OF THESE BUILDINGS MAY HAVE TO COME DOWN.
AND IF, AND IF WE STARTED FROM SCRATCH AND ALL THESE BUILDINGS WERE TAKEN DOWN, WE COULD GO AND BUILD AND GET THE TOD ORDINANCE AND BUILD THREE TIMES THE AMOUNT OF DENSITY.
SO THIS IS THE LEAST AMOUNT OF DENSITY OF, OF NEW, OF NEW ACTIVITY IN THESE BUILDINGS TO SAVE THE BUILDINGS.
SO THAT'S, THAT'S A HUGE POINT THAT I, THAT I REALLY WANNA MAKE.
AND I JUST WANNA SAY THAT, THAT WE'RE GRATEFUL FOR ALL THE SUPPORT THE CITY'S GIVEN US, AND THERE'S A HUNGER FOR THIS AND IN THIS, AND THERE'S A, THERE'S, WE'RE NOT, YOU KNOW, WE'RE NOT TRYING TO SAY THAT THERE'S NOT A PLACE TO HAVE, YOU KNOW, EVERYTHING THAT HOUSTON'S ALWAYS HAD, BUT THERE'S A NEED FOR THIS SORT OF CORRIDOR.
SO WE'RE CREATING SOMETHING THAT WE'RE, WE'RE SEEING THAT LIKE ISN'T HERE IN HOUSTON.
AND, AND IT'S HARD TO EXPLAIN THIS BECAUSE THERE'S NO EXACT EXAMPLE OF IT.
AND WE HOPE THAT YOU UNDERSTAND THAT, THAT IF WE DON'T GET THIS, LIKE WE, WE, WE WON'T HAVE THIS.
AND, AND WE'VE INVESTED IN, IN AN UNBELIEVABLE AMOUNT OF TIME AND ENERGY AND MONEY AND, AND PUSHING THIS PROJECT FORWARD.
AND IT WAS BECAUSE OF THE TOD ORDINANCE AND IT, AND IT JUST DOES NOT MAKE SENSE TO US THAT BECAUSE THESE BUILDINGS ARE HISTORIC, THEY'RE NOT COMPLIANT.
AND YOU KNOW, BY BY, YOU KNOW, GETTING HISTORIC DESIGNATION, YOU ALL AUTOMATICALLY SHOULD GET A REDUCTION EITHER WAY.
HOLD ON, WE GOT A QUESTION FOR YOU MR. KAPLAN.
UM, VERY MUCH APPRECIATE WHAT YOU'RE TRYING TO DO.
UM, I APPRECIATE THAT YOU'RE TRYING TO, UM, INCORPORATE MORE WALKABLE AREAS AND PROMOTE THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, CHARACTER IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
I I JUST HAVE ONE REQUEST, UM, YOU KNOW, FOR YOU, UM, TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU'RE LOOKING AT IT WITH AN EYE TOWARDS DISABILITY AND MAKING SURE THAT YOU KNOW, YOU'RE, EVERYTHING'S ACCESSIBLE.
IT'S NOT GRANDFATHERED IN JUST BECAUSE IT'S HISTORIC, BUT IT LOOKS FROM THE PICTURES, IT LOOKS LIKE IT WOULD BE PRETTY EASY TO DO.
IT'S NOT UP TOO HIGH, BUT I, I JUST WANTED TO MAKE THAT MY REQUEST TO YOU JUST TO REALLY KIND OF LOOK AT IT WITH THAT LENS AS WELL.
I MEAN, OUR, OUR, OUR WE'RE, AND WE'RE SEEING THAT IF WE EMBRACE MICRO MOBILITY AND THE, THE SIDEWALKS IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD THAT IT WORKS.
AND I WANT, I DO, I DO WANNA ACTUALLY ADDRESS SOMETHING THAT WAS SAID EARLIER.
WE'RE FOCUSED ON PROXIMITY AND, AND IT, AND IT, AND IT'S INCREDIBLE TO SEE HOW MANY OF OUR BUSINESSES IN OUR FIRST PROJECT ARE WALKING IN THE SIDEWALKS, WHICH ARE GREAT.
I MEAN, EASTON HAS DONE AN AMAZING JOB OF CREATING GREAT SIDEWALKS AND WE INVESTED AROUND THAT PEOPLE ARE HIRING AND IN, IN, IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD THAT THEY, THEY HAVE LIVED IN FOR YEARS.
AND IT, AND IT'S A DIFFERENT TEMPLATE FOR PROXIMITY AND COMMUNITY WEALTH BECAUSE OF HOW WE'RE ADDRESSING THE, THE ACCESSIBILITY OF, OF THE ROADS AND I MEAN OF, OF THE SIDEWALKS.
OKAY, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR THE SPEAKER? OKAY, THANK YOU.
NEXT SPEAKER IS, UH, MARIKA MOORE.
UH, GOOD AFTERNOON AND THANK YOU FOR HEARING ME.
I'M MONICA MOORE AND A RESIDENT OF COMMERCE STREET AND A BOARD MEMBER OF SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD 63.
MY COMMUNITY WELCOMES THE TRAIL VILLAGE TO THE EAST END.
I WOULD LIVE JUST A BLOCK AWAY FROM A BUILDING THAT'S GOING TO BE A ROCK CLIMBING GYM.
AND I'VE WORKED OVER SIX YEARS IN A ROCK CLIMBING GYM AT THE HOUSTON ARTS DISTRICT.
SO I'VE, UH, WITNESSED FIRSTHAND THE BENEFITS, WHAT THIS SORT OF DEVELOPMENT BRINGS TO THE AREA.
ACTUALLY AROUND MY ROCK CLIMBING TEAM WHERE I WORK, UH, NEW BUSINESSES HAVE OPENED UP.
IT HAS BROUGHT A LOT OF PROSPERITY THERE, WALKABILITY.
SO PEOPLE, THEY COME DOWN WITH THEIR BIKES, THEY WALK IN, THEY CLIMB SOME, THEN THEY GO TO THESE BREWERIES, THE CAFETERIAS, YOU NAME IT, THEY LOVE IT.
SO THIS WILL ALSO HAPPEN AT THE TRAIL VILLAGE BUSINESSES.
THE PEOPLE WILL COME THERE BY FOOT, BY METRO RAIL, THEY WILL BIKE THERE.
AND THE CONVENIENT LOCATION THAT MAKES IT POSSIBLE, WE ARE NEXT TO THE CITY AND THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO LIVE NEARBY.
UH, WHAT IS ALSO IMPORTANT THAT THIS IS GONNA BE AN EXCITING DESTINATION TO BE WALKING TO, TO BE WITNESSING BY RIDING AROUND BECAUSE OF THESE OLD BUILDINGS.
SO PRESERVING THOSE IS VERY CRUCIAL.
AND I WANNA SEE SIDEWALKS, I WANNA SEE BIKE LANES THERE AT NONE OF THOSE BIG PARKING LOTS.
AND FINDING PARKING AND TRAFFIC CONGESTION WON'T BE AN ISSUE IN THIS
[01:35:01]
CORRIDOR AFTER THE CITY REHABILITATES COMMERCE STREET.SO NOW THERE ARE THESE TRAIN TRACKS AND POTHOLES.
SO I'M ASKING YOU TO PUSH THE CITY TO REHABILITATE THAT STREET.
PUT SOME FANCY BIKE LANES THERE SO EVERYBODY FEELS THAT THEY'RE WELCOME TO COME TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD, MAKE IT CONNECTED FOR EVERYBODY WHO WANTS TO WALK, DRIVE, OR RIDE THEIR BIKE TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
SO YES, I'M IN SUPPORT OF THIS.
ANY QUESTIONS FOR THE SPEAKER? THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE TODAY.
UM, AND THE FINAL SPEAKER I HAVE IS, UM, TERRANCE WADE.
I LIVE AT 42 19 RU STREET AT THE CORNER OF SYDNEY IN THE EAST END.
I AM HERE TO EXPRESS MY FIRM AND STRIDENT SUPPORT FOR THIS PROJECT.
UM, I STUDIED URBAN PLANNING AND GRADUATE SCHOOL.
UM, IT'S, IT IS APPALLING TO ME THAT WE STILL HAVE THIS DEBATE IN THIS COUNTRY ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT WE HAVE ENOUGH PARKING SPACES.
IF YOU WANT PARKING SPACES, MOVE TO KATY, TEXAS AND GET OUTTA HOUSTON.
HONESTLY, WE NEED TO PUT THIS SILLY TYPE OF DEBATE TO REST.
SECOND POINT, THE BIRTHPLACE OF HOUSTON WAS THE EAST END.
THE REASON WE ARE HERE TODAY, AND THE REASON HERE WE ALL HAVE JOBS HERE IS BECAUSE OF THE ENERGY INDUSTRY.
THE ENERGY INDUSTRY STARTED IN THE EAST END.
THE OIL FIELD TOOL MAKERS, THEY ALL STARTED IN THE EAST END.
THEY STILL HAVE FOOTPRINTS THERE, MANY OF THEM, BAKER, HUGHES, SCHLUMBERGER, ET CETERA.
WE NEED TO, UH, PAY RESPECT TO THAT HISTORY, VALUE IT.
WE SHOULD NOT LET IT BE TORN DOWN.
AND I THINK THE PEOPLE WHO ARE OPPOSING THIS ARE MISSING A BIG POINT, WHICH IS THAT IT'S NOT A YES OR NO QUESTION.
IF THEY OPPOSE THIS, WHAT THEY WILL GET IN 10 YEARS IS A VAST SEA OF TOWN HOMES THAT LACK TEXTURE AND CHARACTER.
AND THAT WILL DESTROY THE BROADER, UM, RICH FEELING AND HERITAGE THAT WE HAVE IN EAST END, AND WHICH I VALUE GREATLY.
UM, LASTLY, I HAVE A KID AT RUSK MIDDLE SCHOOL.
I THINK MORE INVESTMENT NEEDS TO BE PUT IN, INTO THAT NEIGHBORHOOD BY THE CITY TO INCREASE SAFETY.
I THINK MORE PEOPLE BEING IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD AROUND THE CLOCK WILL IMPROVE SAFETY TREMENDOUSLY.
AND IT SADS IT, IT, IT, UH, SADS ME GREATLY THAT SINCE I'VE LIVED THERE, THERE'S BEEN COUNTLESS SHOOTINGS BETWEEN MY HOUSE AND RUSK.
UM, AND THERE IS AN ISSUE WITH, UH, A HOUSING DEVELOPMENT NEXT TO THE, THE, THE TRAIN STOP ON, UH, UH, HARRISBURG AND YORK THAT, UH, IS A NUISANCE PROPERTY.
AND, UH, THIS PROJECT WOULD HELP OFFSET THOSE NEGATIVE EXTERNALITIES CREATED BY THAT HOUSING PROJECT.
ANY QUESTIONS FOR THE SPEAKER? NO, UH, I DON'T HAVE ANYBODY ELSE SIGNED.
DO WE HAVE ANYBODY IN THE CHAT? OKAY.
GO AHEAD AND STATE YOUR NAME PLEASE.
UH, YEAH, MY NAME'S CARRIE GREG.
UM, I LIVE AND THANK YOU FOR TAKING THE TIME TO HEAR ME OUT, BUT I LIVE AT 39 NORTH PALMER.
I AM THE HOME CLOSEST TO THAT INTERSECTION OF COMMERCE AND PALMER.
AND I WANNA SPEAK, UH, AGAINST THAT, ALLOWING THAT CHANGE IN SIGHTLINE.
I ALSO WANNA SPEAK AGAINST THE PARKING VARIANCE.
UM, I SEE ALMOST ACCIDENTS ALMOST EVERY DAY AT THAT INTERSECTION.
AND, AND ANYTHING THAT REDUCES WHAT'S ALREADY A VERY BAD SIDELINE, I THINK IS A VERY BAD IDEA.
UM, PERHAPS AT SOME POINT IN THE FUTURE WE'LL PUT A STOPLIGHT IN THERE AND THAT THAT WOULD MAKE A HUGE DIFFERENCE.
BUT, UH, I SEE THIS EVERY DAY.
UM, I SEE PEDESTRIANS ALMOST BEING HIT.
I SEE CARS THAT ARE ALMOST HIT.
IT'S, IT'S, IT'S, IT'S AMAZING TO ME.
THERE HASN'T BEEN A REALLY BAD ACCIDENT AT THAT INTERSECTION.
SO I WOULD LIKE TO, UM, ASK YOU TO OPPOSE THAT VARIANCE.
AND IT'S A, IT'S A TERRIBLE INTERSECTION AND PEOPLE ARE MOVING VERY FAST DOWN CANAL.
UM, YOU'VE GOT, UM, PARKING ON THE STREET THERE IN FRONT OF, UM, THAT, UH, THAT STORE ON THE LEFT AND SOMETIMES PARKING ON THE STREET ON CANAL JUST TO THE RIGHT.
UM, AND THAT MAKES IT EVEN MORE DIFFICULT TO SEE CARS COMING THROUGH THERE.
SO THAT PRO, THAT'S A PROBLEM INTERSECTION ALREADY, AND YOU'RE GOING TO MAKE IT WORSE IF YOU DO THIS.
UH, I, I TRY NOT TO USE THAT INTERSECTION EVEN THOUGH THAT WOULD BE QUICKEST WAY FOR ME TO GET OFF THE STREET AS FAR AS THE PARKING VARIANCE GOES.
UM, MY BIG CONCERN, IN FACT, MY, MY CONCERN WITH THIS DEVELOPMENT, UH, IS THAT THERE'S JUST VERY LITTLE COMMUNICATION BETWEEN THE DEVELOPER AND THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
UH, NO ONE ON MY BLOCK OF PALMER HAS HAD ANY INTERACTION
[01:40:01]
WITH THIS DEVELOPER.UM, AND I THINK WE HEARD IT EARLIER BY MS. PENA, THAT, UH, THERE'S BEEN NO, NO COMMUNICATION WITH THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
WE DON'T KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON.
WE SEE STORIES, UH, THAT SAY ONE THING AND TODAY WE FIND OUT DIFFERENT ISSUES ARE ARISE.
SO WHEN WE HEAR THIS, OH WELL, UM, WE'RE TRYING TO BUILD A WALKABLE NEIGHBORHOOD, YOU KNOW, THAT'S GREAT.
I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING THAT.
BUT, UM, I, I, I'M NOT, FRANKLY, I'M NOT BUYING THE IDEA THAT THEY CAN'T BUILD PARKING STRUCTURE.
IN PARTICULAR, I'M GONNA HAVE TO INTERRUPT YOU 'CAUSE YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED, BUT, UM, FOR, FIRST OF ALL, COULD YOU RESTATE YOUR LAST NAME? I DIDN'T CATCH IT.
JUST WE WANNA MAKE SURE IT'S IN THE RECORD.
UM-HUH
BUT, UM, WE APPRECIATE YOUR COMMENTS AND THANK YOU FOR GOING ON THE RECORD TODAY AND BEING WITH US.
ANY QUESTIONS FOR THE SPEAKER? ALRIGHT, THANK YOU.
UH, IS THERE ANYBODY ELSE WHO WISHES TO SPEAK ON ITEM 1 0 6 OR ROMAN NUMERAL V FIVE? THAT WOULD BE ROMAN NUMERAL
IT'S TIME FOR ME TO RETIRE FROM IT.
PARDON ME? SOMEONE IN THE CHAT.
HELLO, CAN YOU HEAR ME? HELLO? OH YEAH, GO AHEAD.
MY NAME IS AM, MY NAME IS AMBER DAVIS AND I LIVE AT ONE 40 SAMPSON STREET ON THE CORNER OF CANAL IN SAMPSON.
ONE OF THE WORRIES I HAVE IS SAMSON IS A ONE WAY AND CONSISTENTLY WE SEE PEOPLE DRIVING DOWN THE RUN THE WRONG WAY.
SO THAT'S ONE OF MY CONCERNS WITH THIS DEVELOPMENT OF LESS PARKING IS THE FLOW OF TRAFFIC OF PEOPLE LOOKING FOR SPOTS OR NOT FINDING THEM AND GOING DOWN SAMSON THE WRONG WAY.
THE ADDITIONAL, UM, REDUCED PARKING DUE TO LIKE BIKES INSIDE THE THE CENTER.
I WANT TO LOOK AT WHAT THAT REALLY MEANS FOR BICYCLE PARKING.
BICYCLES HAVE REALLY CHANGED RECENTLY AND THEY ARE DOING MORE ELECTRIC.
SO LOOKING AT HOW PEOPLE ARE ACTUALLY COMMUTING INTO THAT SPACE WITH OTHER THAN CARS, RIGHT? IT MIGHT NOT JUST BE THE STANDARD BICYCLE ANYMORE AND THERE SHOULD BE ADEQUATE SPACE FOR PEOPLE DOING ELECTRIC BIKES OR LARGER CARGO BIKES IN THE CENTER.
I DO WORRY AS WELL WITH UH, UH, GREG CAREY ABOUT THE CANAL AND UH, PALMER SECTION.
IT'S INCREDIBLY DANGEROUS WHEN I DRIVE A CAR AND, OR RIDE A BIKE OR WALK IN THAT AREA.
AND UM, AGAIN, IF YOU WOULD WANNA GO AHEAD AND PUT YOUR CONTACT INFORMATION IN THE CHAT, WE CAN, UM, DIRECT YOU TO BOTH THE, YOU KNOW, THE DEVELOPMENT TEAM, BUT ALSO MAYBE PUBLIC WORKS TO TALK ABOUT SOME OF THE TRAFFIC ISSUES YOU'VE BROUGHT UP.
ANYBODY ELSE? LAST CALL ON ITEM ONE OH SIX.
UM, OKAY, SO WE WILL NOW TURN TO A DISCUSSION AMONGST OURSELVES HERE.
UM, STAFF'S RECOMMENDATION IS TO GRANT THE REQUESTED VARIANCE AND APPROVE THE PLAT, UM, SUBJECT TO CONDITIONS.
DO YOU WANT US TO VOTE TWO VOTES OR ONE VOTE ON BOTH? TWO VOTES.
SO WE ARE GONNA TAKE UP ONLY ITEM 1 0 6, WHICH IS THE, UH, VARIANCE IN THE PLAT.
UH, ANY DISCUSSION? OKAY, SO WE HAVE A MOTION, UH, FOR, UH, STAFF RECOMMENDATION FROM BALDWIN.
IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND, SECOND.
ROSENBERG, ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
AND NOW WE'LL TURN TO, UH, ROMAN NUMERAL FIVE, THE PARKING VARIANCE.
UH, ANY DISCUSSION ON THAT? THE DISCUSSION? GO AHEAD.
COMMISSIONER BALDWIN, I, I HAVE BEEN TO THEIR CONCEPTS AND I'VE TOURED THIS SPACE AND, AND I THINK THE THING TO REMEMBER ABOUT THE PARKING REQUIREMENTS, YOU'RE NOT JUST GOING TO ONE PLACE.
MANY PEOPLE ARE GOING THERE FOR MULTIPLE PLACES AND THAT'S WHY I THINK THE REDUCTION MAKES THE MOST SENSE.
IT'S NOT LIKE YOU HAVE 30 DIFFERENT PEOPLE GOING TO 30 DIFFERENT DESTINATIONS WHEN I GO THERE, YOU'RE GETTING A DRINK AND SHOPPING A LITTLE AND GETTING
[01:45:01]
SOME ICE CREAM TO GO AND, AND THAT'S WHY I THINK IT REALLY MAKES ALL THE SENSE THE WORLD FOR THIS TYPE OF DEVELOPMENT THAT IS MORE WALKABLE NOT TO DO SO MUCH MORE OF THE SPACE FOR PARKING.I I THINK THIS IS A PERFECT EXAMPLE WHERE MARKET BASED PARKING WILL WORK.
THESE GUYS HAVE INVESTED A LOT OF MONEY.
IF IT DOESN'T WORK, THEY'LL FIND SOME WAY TO CREATE SOME PARKING AND THAT'S THE WAY THE MARKET WILL WORK THERE.
YEAH, I'M ALL IN FAVOR OF, OF IT.
I MOVE, WE GRANT THE PARKING REDUCTION.
WE HAVE A MOTION FOR APPROVAL OF THE PARKING VARIANCE.
IS THERE A SECOND? OKAY, DO WE HAVE A SECOND? MODEST? UM, SO ACTUALLY JUST COMMENTS FOR THE RECORD.
UM, I, I THINK THE EAST END ALWAYS, I MEAN A LOT OF OUR VARIANCE REQUESTS COME FROM THE EAST SIDE OF HOUSTON BECAUSE IT WAS BUILT, UH, AS IT WAS KIND OF MENTIONED PRIOR TO EVEN SOME OF OUR ORDINANCES.
AND A LOT OF IT, THE REALITY IS TO SAVE SOME OF THESE STRUCTURES WHICH WE SHOULD TRY TO MAINTAIN.
THEY DON'T FIT THE, THE BOX, UH, UH, THAT AT THE END OF THE DAY, THE EAST END DOESN'T REALLY, WE WE HAVE TO CONSIDER EACH PROJECT ON ITS OWN MERITS UNIQUELY.
THEY'VE GOT INTERESTING CHARACTERISTICS.
YOU KNOW, MAYBE THE SETBACKS DON'T ALWAYS KIND OF MATCH WHAT SHOULD BE IN THE ORDINANCE, BUT THAT, THAT'S, THAT'S THE EAST END.
I I MEAN IT'S, IT'S OLDER THAN MOST OF HOUSTON IN REALITY 'CAUSE UM, IT'S, IT'S TRUE.
UH, HOUSTON WAS KIND OF BUILT AROUND, UH, THAT IN THE BEGINNING.
SO, UM, I, I THINK SAVING AN EXISTING BUILDING VERSUS, YOU KNOW, MANY PEOPLE MAY NOT REALIZE THERE'S NO, UH, HEIGHT RESTRICTIONS FOR HOUSTON, RIGHT? SO SAVING AN EXISTING BUILDING AT ITS CURRENT HEIGHT AND UM, UTILIZING ALL THAT REQUIRES US JUST, UM, BE MORE FLEXIBLE WITH SOME OF THE REQUIREMENTS.
ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? OKAY, WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR APPROVAL OF THE PARKING VARIANCE IF THERE'S NO FURTHER DISCUSSION.
THAT'LL TAKE US TO ITEM 1 0 7 OH AND 1 0 8 1 0 9 1 10.
UM, 1 0 7 AND HAWLEY MARS GP 1 0 8 HOCK MEADOW DRIVE STREET, DEDICATION, UNDERSERVED 1 0 9 1 0 9 HOCK MEADOW, SECTION ONE AND ONE 10 HOCK MEADOW SECTION TWO.
THE SITE IS LOCATED IN HOUSTON ETJ IN HARRIS COUNTY SOUTH OF BECA ROAD AND EAST OF WARREN RANCH ROAD.
THE APPLICANT IS PROPOSED AN RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT AND IS REQUESTING TWO VARIANCES.
NUMBER ONE, TO NOT PROVIDE A 20 FEET RIGHT OF WAY DEDICATION ALONG BECA ROAD AND MAY THOROUGHFARE AND NUMBER TWO TO EXIT INTERSECTION FACING ALONG THE SOUTHWESTERN AND SOUTHEASTERN FLOOD BOUNDARY, BUT NOT PROVIDING AN EAST-WEST PUBLIC STREET IN THE SOUTH GP AREA THAT IS IN SUPPORT OF THE REQUEST DUE TO AN EXISTING 80 FOOT WIDE CENTER POINT EASEMENT WITH HIGH POWER TRANSMISSION LINES ALONG BECCA ROAD.
THE APPLICANT CANNOT MEET THE REQUIREMENT FOR RIGHTWAY DEDICATION.
INSTEAD, THE APPLICANT IS PROVIDING A 20 FOOT WIDE OPEN SPACE FOR SERVE ALUM BECCA ROAD AND THIS WOULD SERVE ARE INTENDED FOR FUTURE RIGHTWAY DEDICATION IF RIGHTWAY IMPROVEMENT OR IMPLEMENTED.
THE APPLICANT IS ALSO REQUESTING A VARI TO NOT PROVIDE AN EAST WEST PUBLISHED STREET WITHIN THE 60 FOOT WIDE STREET IN THE SOUTHERN GP AREA.
THERE'S ALSO A 80 FOOT WIDE CENTERPOINT EASEMENT RUNNING IN A NORTH SOUTH DIRECTION BY SECTIONING THE GP WHICH YOU HIGHLIGHTED IN BLUE.
SO IT WILL BE IMPRACTICAL TO EXTEND THE STREET FURTHER WHAT HARRIS COUNTY ENGINEER DEPARTMENT IS IN SUPPORT OF THE REQUEST STAFF RECOMMENDATION IS TO GRANT THE REQUESTED VARIANCES AND APPROVE THE GP AND THE SESSION SUBSTITUTE THE CPC 1 0 1 FORM CONDITION.
UH, ANY UH, QUESTIONS FOR MS. RODRIGUEZ? UM, I DON'T HAVE ANYONE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM.
OKAY, I WOULD LIKE TO ADD THAT IN ADDITION TO THE 20 P OPEN RESERVE, THE APPLICANT IS ALSO PROVIDING A 20 FOOT WIDE ASSET EASEMENT FOR PEDESTRIAN AND BIKE TRAIL.
THAT'S A CONDITION OF APPROVAL WITH THE VARIANCE.
UM, OKAY, SO WE DON'T HAVE ANY SPEAKERS.
STAFF'S RECOMMENDATION IS TO GRANT AND APPROVE ON 1 0 7 AND APPROVE THE REMAINING ITEMS. UM, IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION ON THESE ITEMS? IS THERE A MOTION FOR STAFF RECOMMENDATION ON ALL OF THEM? MOTION MAR SECOND AKA ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
OPPOSED? THE MOTION CARRIES ITEM ONE 11, ITEM ONE 12 MANSFIELD TERRACE.
THE STATE IS LOCATED IN, IN ACRE HOME COMPLETE
[01:50:01]
COMMUNITIES NOR OF TWELL AND WEST OF WHEATLEY.THE APPLICANT PROPOSING 15 SINGLE FAMILY LOT WITH A TYPE TWO PAE PRIVATE STREET AND THEN REQUEST AN EVENT TO NOT PROVIDE A NORTH SOUTH PUBLIC STREET THROUGH THE SITE.
THE APPLICANT REQUESTED A SECOND DEFERRAL TO COORDINATE WITH THE PROPERTY OWNER TO FIND OPTION TO MEET THE REQUIREMENT BY PROVIDING A NORTH STAR PUBLISHED READ.
SO STAFF IS RECOMMENDING A SECOND DEFER PER THE APPLICANT REQUEST.
OKAY, UH, QUESTIONS FOR MS. RODRIGUEZ? UH, IF NOT, STAFF'S RECOMMENDATION IS TO DEFER.
I DON'T HAVE ANYBODY SIGNED UP.
WE DON'T HAVE ANYONE IN ADVANCE.
UM, IF THERE'S NO DISCUSSION, IS THERE A MOTION TO DEFER? NOPE.
A OPPOSED MOTION CARRIES ITEM ONE 12.
JOHN'S UNITED METHODIST CHURCH PARTIAL REPL NUMBER ONE.
THIS APPLICATION WAS DEFERRED AT THE PREVIOUS PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING AND STAFF WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A BRIEF PRESENTATION AS THIS WOULD BE THE SECOND AND FINAL DEFERRAL.
THE SITE IS LOCATED WITHIN HOUSTON CITY LIMITS IN THE MIDTOWN AREA AT THE INTERSECTION OF CRAWFORD STREET, GRAY STREET AND JACKSON STREET.
THE APPLICANT IS PROPOSING AN UNRESTRICTED RESERVE INTENDED FOR MULTIFAMILY USE AND IS REQUESTING A VARIANCE FOR A ZERO FOOT BUILDING LINE ADJACENT TO THE PIERCE.
AFTER ANALYZING THE RISE SITE PLAN, STAFF DETERMINE ADDITIONAL VARIANCES MUST BE REQUESTED ALONG CRAWFORD STREET.
THE FIRST IS TO ALLOW A STRUCTURAL COLUMN TO BE LOCATED WITHIN THE VISIBILITY TRIANGLE.
THE SECOND IS TO ALLOW A BUILDING LINE OF ONE FEET TWO INCHES FOR A STRUCTURAL COLUMN ALONG CRAWFORD STREET.
AND THE THIRD IS TO ALLOW A ZERO FOOT BUILDING LINE FOR OVERHANG FOR OVERHANG STRUCTURE AT A HEIGHT THAT IS STILL TO BE DETERMINED.
AFTER WORKING WITH THE APPLICANT, THEY'VE AGREED TO SHIFT THE LOCATION OF THE COLUMNS ALONG CRAWFORD STREET IN ORDER TO MAINTAIN A FOUR FOOT LANDSCAPING BUFFER AND SIX FOOT UNOBSTRUCTED SIDEWALK.
SIMILAR TO THE WALKABLE PLACE REQUIREMENTS, STAFF RECOMMENDS A SECOND DEFERRAL TO ALLOW TIME FOR THE APPLICANT TO SUBMIT AN ADDITIONAL VARIANCE REQUEST.
AND THIS CONCLUDES MY PRESENTATION.
QUESTIONS FOR MR. CRILE? UM, WE HAVE SPEAKERS.
UM, FIRST IS ADAM NA NAFA
HELLO MADAM CHAIR AND MEMBERS OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION.
I'M HERE ON BEHALF OF 1500 GRAY LLC.
1500 GRAY LLC OWNS THE GREEN SPACE THAT IS CATTYCORNER TO THIS PROJECT SITE.
THE CITY COUNCIL GOT IT RIGHT WHEN THE UNANIMOUS UNANIMOUSLY ADOPTED THE WALKABLE PLACES ORDINANCE.
IF THIS VISION IS GOING TO BECOME A REALITY, WE MUST ENFORCE OUR ORDINANCES.
IMPORTANT DECISIONS MUST BE MADE ABOUT WHAT TO DO WITH THE PIERCE ELEVATED.
A ZERO SETBACK HIGH-RISE WOULD LIMIT THE CITY'S FUTURE OPTIONS FOR CREATING ACCESSIBLE GREEN SPACES AND MIXED USE DEVELOPMENTS ALONG THE PIERCE.
ELEVATED PRESERVING HOUSTON'S SUSTAINABLE FUTURE RATHER THAN LIMITING IT IS EXACTLY WHY THE CURRENT ORDINANCES EXIST.
THIS ORDINANCE WAS NOT JUST A SET OF GUIDELINES, IT WAS A VISION, A VISION FOR WALKABLE STREETS, SAFE AND ACCESSIBLE FOR EVERYONE.
THE PROPOSED BUILDING AS IT STANDS, UNDERMINES THIS VISION.
IT INTRODUCES ELEMENTS THAT ARE NOT ONLY JUST INCONGRUENT WITH A PEDESTRIAN FRIENDLY GOALS, BUT ACTIVELY HARMFUL TO THEM.
BY ALLOWING SUCH A VARIANCE, WE WE RISK SACRIFICING THE ESSENCE OF WHAT WE HOPE TO MAKE OUR COMMUNITY VIBRANT AND HEALTHY.
MOREOVER, THIS ISN'T JUST ABOUT OUR CURRENT QUALITY OF LIFE, IT'S ABOUT THE LEGACY WE LEAVE OUR FUTURE GENERATIONS.
GRANTING A VARIANCE SETS A PRECEDENT THAT COULD ERODE THE PEDESTRIAN FRIENDLY PRINCIPLES PIECE BY PIECE.
TODAY IT'S ONE BUILDING TOMORROW COULD BE AN ENTIRE CITY THAT TURNS ITS BACK ON PEDESTRIANS AND OUR VISION.
ADDITIONALLY, THIS VARIANCE REQUEST DOES NOT MEET THE CRITERIA FOR RECEIVING A VARIANCE.
IT SIMPLY ESTABLISHES THAT A SETBACK WOULD SHRINK THEIR BUILDABLE AREA.
THIS JUSTIFICATION CANNOT SUPPORT A VARIANCE BECAUSE IT IS TRUE OF EVERY SETBACK REQUIREMENT AND SIM AND IT APPLIES TO EVERYONE.
IF THIS JUSTIFICATION IS AN EXCEPTION, THEN THERE IS NO RULE.
THE PROJECT ALSO DOES NOT COMPLY WITH THE CRAWFORD PEDESTRIAN REALM AS THE TWO STRUCTURAL COLUMNS ARE LOCATED WITHIN THE REALM AND SET ON THE PEDESTRIAN REALM WOULD NOT BE SUFFICIENT IN FRONT OF THE BUILDING ALONG I 45 AS WELL.
THE RES RENOVATION OF PHASE ONE WILL EXCEED WHAT IS ALLOWED BY THE CODE AND THE APPLICANT IS PLANNING TO MODIFY WITH THE BENEFIT OF A ZERO FOOT BUILDING LINE.
[01:55:01]
THIS MATTER SERIOUSLY, WE MUST ENFORCE OUR STANDARDS AS VARIANCES SHOULD BE RARE AND BASED ON ACTUAL AND UNUSUAL CHARACTERISTICS FOR A PROPERTY, NOT SIMPLY BECAUSE SOMEBODY HAS THE POWER TO REQUEST ONE.THANK YOU AGAIN FOR YOUR TIME AND AFFORDING ME THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK.
APPRECIATE ANY QUESTIONS, APPRECIATE FOR THE SPEAKER.
MR. RENTZ, R-E-N-T-Z DOES NOT APPEAR TO BE PRESENT.
IS THIS WILLIAM HOGUE? NO, NO, NOT PRESENT.
DANIEL EDMONDS IS NOT PRESENT.
UH, THOSE ARE THE SPEAKERS WE HAD SIGNED.
DO WE HAVE ANYBODY IN THE CHAT OR, OKAY.
AND NOBODY ELSE WANTS TO SPEAK ON ITEM ONE 12 ST.
JOHN'S UNITED METHODIST CHURCH.
UM, JUST A QUESTION, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU MENTIONED IT OR NOT.
ARE YOU, HAVE YOU TALKED TO TEX OUT ANY ABOUT THIS PROJECT? YES, THEY'VE PROVIDED, UH, PRETTY MUCH, UM, NO OBJECTION AT THIS TIME, BUT THEY DID GIVE US SOME INFORMATION RELATED TO THE, UH, HIGHWAY IMPROVEMENT, UH, PROJECT THAT'S FORTHCOMING.
I WAS GONNA SAY STAFF'S RECOMMENDING DEFERRAL IF THERE, IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION OR REQUESTS IN THE FINAL DEFERRAL PERIOD? IS THERE A MOTION THEN TO DEFER MY MOTION? SECOND.
SO ROSENBERG CLARK, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
ITEM ONE 13 IS VETERANS MEMORIAL SELF SELF STORAGE.
UH, THIS PROPERTY IS LOCATED WITHIN HARRIS COUNTY EAST ALONG VETERANS MEMORIAL, NORTH OF GREEN ROAD AND SOUTH OF ANTOINE DRIVE.
THE APPLICANT IS REQUESTING A SPECIAL EXCEPTION TO EXCEED INTERSECTION SPACING ALONG VETERAN VETERANS MEMORIAL AND A VARIANCE TO NOT EXTEND OR TERMINATE A PUBLIC CUL A PUBLIC STREET WITH A CUL-DE-SAC STAFF IS IN SUPPORT OF THIS REQUEST.
THE APPLICANT IS PROPOSING A 7.4 ACRE RESERVE INTENDED INTENDED TO DEVELOP A STORAGE FACILITY ON THE SITE.
THE SITE SITS BETWEEN A RECORDED SUBDIVISION TO THE NORTH AND A RECORDED COMMERCIAL RESERVE TO THE SOUTH.
THE CURRENT INTERSECTION SPACING ALONG VETERANS MEMORIAL IS ROUGHLY 2,900 FEET AND QUALIFIES AS A SPECIAL EXCEPTION, LESS THAN A 30% DEVIATION.
IF THE STUB STREET WAS TO BE EXTENDED, IT COULD ONLY CONNECT TO VETERANS' MEMORIAL, WHICH WOULD NOT PROVIDE, WHICH WOULD NOT SIGNIFICANTLY IMPROVE TRAFFIC CIRCULATION DUE TO THE RECORDED PLATS.
THERE'S, THERE'S ADEQUATE STREET CONNECTION TRAVELING SOUTH TO THE NEXT MAJOR FAIR AIRFARE GREENS ROAD AND ALSO THE STUBS STREET IS NOT IMPROVED AND HAS A PRIVATE DRIVEWAY FOR ACCESS TO A WATER TOWER OWNED BY HARRIS COUNTY MUD ONE 50.
THE GRINDING OF THIS VARIANCE WILL ALLOW THE APPLICANT TO DEVELOP THE COMMERCIAL TRACK WITHOUT INTRODUCING COMMERCIAL TRAFFIC TO THE RESIDENTIAL SUBDIVISION.
STAFF RECOMMENDS GRANTING THE REQUEST AND APPROVING THE PLAT SUBJECT TO THE CCPC 1 0 1 FORM CONDITIONS.
THIS CONCLUDES MY PRESENTATION.
ANY QUESTIONS FOR MR. CRIDDLE? UM, WE DON'T HAVE ANYBODY SIGNED UP ON THIS ITEM.
UH, STAFF'S RECOMMENDATIONS BEFORE YOU ON THE SCREEN, IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? IS THERE A MOTION FOR STAFF RECOMMENDATION? MAD SEC VICTOR.
GOOD AFTERNOON MADAM CHAIR, MEMBERS OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION.
ITEM ONE 14 IS WILDHORSE SECTION ONE.
THE SITE IS LOCATED WITHIN THE HOUSTON ETJ IN MONTGOMERY COUNTY, EAST OF HANNA ROAD AND SOUTHWEST OF ROBINSON ROAD.
THE APPLICANT IS PROPOSING 228 LOTS AND IS REQUESTING A VARIANCE TO ALLOW THE REQUIRED SECOND POINT OF ACCESS TO BE PROVIDED BY AN ACCESS EASEMENT.
STAFF'S RECOMMENDATION IS TO DEFER THE ITEM TO REVISE THE SUBDIVISION NAME, PROVIDE RIGHT OF WAY DEDICATION ALONG ROBINSON ROAD AND REVISE THE WILD COP ROAD TO BE 60 FOOT IN 60 FEET IN WIDTH.
WE HAVE RECEIVED PUBLIC COMMENTS CITING TRAFFIC AND FLOODING CONCERNS AND I BELIEVE WE HAVE A SPEAKER SIGNED UP.
UM, THIS CONCLUDES MY PRESENTATION.
ANY QUESTIONS FOR MS. SHAW? UM, THIS I HAVE ONE SPEAKER, DAVID LANEY.
MR. LANEY DAVID LANEY DOES NOT APPEAR TO BE PRESENT.
I DON'T HAVE ANYONE ELSE SIGNED TO SPEAK ON ITEM ONE 14.
UM, STAFF'S RECOMMENDATION IS TO DEFER.
IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? IS THERE A MOTION TO DEFER MOTION? HEINZ HEINZ SECOND CLARK.
[02:00:01]
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE.A OPPOSED? THE MOTION CARRIES.
GOOD AFTERNOON MADAM CHAIR, MEMBERS OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION.
ITEM ONE 15 IS WISENBAKER RESIN.
THE SITE IS LOCATED WITHIN HARRIS COUNTY WITHIN THE ETJ WITH EAST OF THE HARDY TOLL ROAD IN SOUTH OF ALDE BENDER.
THE APPLICANT PROPOSES AN UNRESTRICTED RESERVE FOR AN EXISTING COMMERCIAL USE.
THE APPLICANT IS REQUESTING A VARIANCE TO EXCEED INTERSECTION SPACING REQUIREMENTS BY NOT DEDICATING AN EAST WEST STREET THROUGH THE SITE.
STAFF IS IN SUPPORT OF THE REQUEST.
THE SITE CAN UH, ASSIST OF EXISTING COMMERCIAL USES AND IS LOCATED BETWEEN LUTHER AND RETTON RHODES.
THE EXISTING STRUCTURES OCCUPY MUCH OF THE PLAT AREA AND HAVE ACCESS TO BOTH STREETS.
THE APPLICANT IS REQUIRED TO OBTAIN A VARIANCE DUE TO THE DISTANCE BETWEEN THE NEAREST EAST WEST STREETS.
THE SITE IS BISECTED BY A CENTER POINT TRANSMISSION CORRIDOR THAT RUNS THROUGH THE MIDDLE OF THE BLOCK.
MOST OF THIS CORRIDOR IS WITHIN PROPERTY OWNED IN FEE BY CENTER POINT, WHICH QUALIFIES FOR AN EXEMPTION FROM CHAPTER 40 TWO'S.
INTERSECTION SPACING REQUIREMENT.
HOWEVER, THE SEGMENT AFFECTING THE APPLICANT'S PROPERTY IS WITHIN AN EASEMENT, WHICH TECHNICALLY DOES NOT QUALIFY FOR THE EXEMPTION.
STAFF FINDS THE REQUEST IS CONSISTENT WITH THE INTENT OF THE ORDINANCE AS THE TRANSMISSION CORRIDOR REP REPRESENTS A PRACTICAL BARRIER TO PROVIDING A PUBLIC STREET.
HARRIS COUNTY'S EXPRESSED NO OBJECTIONS AND STAFF RECOMMENDS GRAND THE VARIANCE IN PROVING THE PLAT FOR THE C PC.
ONE ONE FORM CONDITIONS WE'VE RECEIVED NO ADVANCE WRITTEN COMMENT IN THIS ITEM.
THIS CONCLUDES OUR PRESENTATION.
QUESTIONS FOR MR. BUTLER? UM, STAFF'S RECOMMENDATION IS BEFORE YOU ON THE SCREEN, IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? UH, THEN DO WE HAVE A MOTION FOR STAFF RECOMMENDATION? ALL ALLMAN, OH SORRY.
VARIANCES WE DON'T HAVE ANY SPECIAL EXCEPTIONS.
[f. Reconsiderations of Requirement (Geoff Butler) ]
F RECONSIDERATION OF REQUIREMENTS ITEM ONE 16.ITEM ONE 16 IS PALONA WATER PLANT SITE.
THIS ITEM WAS DEFERRED AT THE PREVIOUS MEETING.
THIS SITE IS LOCATED WITHIN THE ETJ WITHIN HARRIS COUNTY NORTH OF BECU AND WEST OF KICKAPOO.
THE APPLICANT PROPOSES A RESERVE FOR DEVELOPING A WATER PLANT.
THE APPLICANT IS REQUESTING A VARIANCE TO ALLOW FOR A UTILITY RESERVE TO BE ACCESSIBLE BY A 30 FOOT ACCESS EASEMENT RATHER THAN THE 50 FOOT PUBLIC STREET STAFF IS IN SUPPORT OF THIS REQUEST.
THE SITE IS LOCATED OFF BECKER ROAD WITHIN THE SANFORD FARMS GENERAL PLAN.
THE SITE IS PROPOSED ALONG A WATERWAY ALONG THE NORTHERN GP BOUNDARY.
THE APPLICANT ASSERTS THAT THE SITE WILL EVENTUALLY FEATURE PUBLIC STREETS, THOUGH THEY'RE NOT DESIGNED TO THE POINT WHERE THEY CAN BE SHOWN, THEIR LOCATION CAN BE SHOWN ON THE GP.
THE APPLICANT IS REQUIRED TO OBTAIN A VARIANCE TO UTILIZE AN EASEMENT FOR ACCESS.
THE EASEMENT WILL ALLOW FOR SUFFICIENT ACCESS TO THE SITE TO ALLOW THE PLANT TO BE OPERATIONAL BEFORE THE SURROUNDING AREA WILL BE DEVELOPED.
STAFF FINDS THIS WOULD BE A PRACTICAL ALTERNATIVE THAT TO REQUIRING FURTHER DEVELOPMENT OF THE STREET SYSTEM.
HARRIS COUNTY'S EXPRESSED NO OBJECTION IN THIS REQUEST AND STAFF RECOMMENDS GRANT THE VARIANCE IN APPRO THE PLAT PER THE CPC 1 0 1 FORM CONDITIONS WE'VE RECEIVED NO ADVANCE WRITTEN COMMENT.
THIS ITEM AND THIS CONCLUDES STAFF'S PRESENTATION.
QUESTIONS FOR MR. BUTLER? I DON'T HAVE ANYONE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK ON THIS STAFF'S RECOMMENDATION.
IS THERE ON THE SCREEN ANY DISCUSSION? IS THERE A MOTION FOR STAFF RECOMMENDATION MOTION? AMANDA PARKER SIGLER JONES.
[Platting Activities g - i]
GH AND I.GOOD AFTERNOON MADAM CHAIR, MEMBERS OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION.
IF IT PLEASES THE COMMISSION, STAFF WOULD LIKE TO TAKE SECTIONS.
THANK YOU SECTIONS G EXTENSIONS OF APPROVAL CONSIST OF ITEMS ONE 17 TO 1 27 SECTIONS H NAME CHANGES CONSIST OF ITEMS 1 28 AND EXCUSE ME, THROUGH 1 31 SECTION I CERTI.
CERTIFICATION OF COMPLIANCE CONSISTS OF ITEMS 1 32 TO 1 36.
UH, THE PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT REQUESTS THE APPROVAL OF ALL STAFF RECOMMENDATIONS FOR SECTIONS GH AND I.
HE DO YOU HAVE ANY ABSTENTIONS? I WILL ABSTAIN FROM ITEMS ONE 18.
STAFF'S UH, RECOMMENDING APPROVAL FOR ALL ITEMS IN GH AND I IF THERE'S NO DISCUSSION, IS THERE A MOTION? KALIK SECOND MAD.
AND I'M GLAD I'VE MADE IT THROUGH MY WHOLE EIGHT YEARS WITHOUT EVER HAVING AN ITEM UNDER J ADMINISTRATIVE
[k. Development Plats with Variance Requests (Ramon Jaime-Leon and Geoff Butler) ]
K DEVELOPMENT PLOTS WITH VARIANCE[02:05:01]
REQUESTS.ITEM 1 37 IS 1901 LEXINGTON STREET.
THIS SITE, THIS ITEM WAS DEFERRED AT THE PREVIOUS MEETING.
THE SITE IS LOCATED WITHIN HOUSTON'S CORPORATE LIMIT ALONG LEXINGTON, SOUTH OF RICHMOND AND NORTH OF US.
THE APPLICANT PROPOSES A TWO STORY GARAGE APARTMENT BEHIND AN EXISTING SINGLE FAMILY HOME.
THE APPLICANT IS REQUESTING A DEVELOPMENT PLAT VARIANCE TO ALLOW FOR THE GARAGE APARTMENT TO BE LOCATED WITHIN FIVE FEET OF THE REAR PROPERTY LINE RATHER THAN THE 25 FEET REQUIRED FOR FREEWAYS.
STAFF IS IN SUPPORT OF THE REQUEST.
THE SITE IS LOCATED AT THE INTERSECTION OF HAZARD AND US HIGHWAY 59.
THE SITE CONSISTS OF A LOT THAT WAS RECORDED PRIOR TO CONSTRUCTION OF THE GREAT SEPARATED FREEWAY ALONG THE REAR PROPERTY LINE.
THE APPLICANT IS SEEKING TO LOCATE THE PROPOSED GARAGE APARTMENT AT THE REAR OF THE PROPERTY TO UTILIZE THE EXISTING CURB CUT AND DRIVEWAY APRON.
THE FREEWAY TRAVEL LANES ARE BELOW GRADE AND THE SITE IS SEPARATED BY AN EXISTING SOUND WALL.
THESE CONDITIONS PREVENT THE PROPOSED STRUCTURE FROM INTERFERING WITH THE OPERATION OF 59.
STAFF HAS COORDINATED WITH CENTERPOINT AND HAS RELAYED THEIR CONSTRUCTION REQUIREMENTS TO THE APPLICANT FOR BUILDING NEAR THEIR POWER LINES.
STAFF RECOMMENDS GRAND THE VARIANCE IN APPROVING THE SITE PLAN.
STAFF HAS RECEIVED NO ADVANCE WRITTEN COMMENT ON THIS ITEM.
THIS CONCLUDES STAFF'S PRESENTATION.
QUESTIONS FOR MR. BUTLER? UM, I DON'T HAVE ANYBODY SIGNED UP TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM.
UH, STAFF'S RECOMMENDATION IS TO APPROVE ANY UH, DISCUSSION.
IS THERE A MOTION? MOTION? MODEST ALLMAN ALLMAN.
GOOD AFTERNOON, MADAM CHAIR AND MEMBERS OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION.
THE SITE IS, THE SITE IS LOCATED SOUTH OF INTERSTATE 10 AND WEST OF HOUSTON AVENUE AT THE SOUTHEAST CORNER OF WEBER STREET AND SABINE STREET.
THE APPLICANT IS, UH, REQUESTING A, REQUESTING A DEVELOPMENT PLA VARIANCE TO ALLOW A REDUCED FIVE FOOT GARAGE BUILDING LINE FOR A PROPOSED CARPORT ADDITION IN LIEU OF THE ORDINANCE REQUIRED TO ANY GARAGE, UH, BUILDING LINE ALONG SABINE STREET, UH, A LOCAL STREET.
UH, STAFF RECOMMENDATION IS TO DEFER FOR FURTHER STUDY AND REVIEW.
LEON, UH, STAFF'S RECOMMENDATION IS TO DEFER.
WE DON'T HAVE ANYBODY SIGNED UP TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM.
IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? IS THERE A MOTION FOR DEFERRAL? MOTION CLARK CLARK SECOND VERA BLAND.
[III. Establish a public hearing date of May 2, 2024 ]
TAKE US TO ROMAN NUMERAL THREE AND WE NEED TO ESTABLISH A PUBLIC HEARING DATE OF MAY 2ND FOR THE PLAT APPLICATIONS.REPL APPLICATIONS LISTED ON THE SCREEN.
UM, IS THERE A MOTION TO SET MAY 2ND MOTION GARZA GARZA? SECOND.
SECOND HE ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
[IV. Consideration of an Off-Street Parking Variance at 201 Eastwood Street (Geoff Butler)]
UM, OKAY.THAT'LL TAKE US TO ROMAN NUMERAL FOUR, UH, WHICH IS CONSIDERATION OF AN OFF STREET PARKING VARIANCE AT 2 0 1 EASTWOOD STREET.
THIS ITEM WAS DEFERRED AT THE PREVIOUS TWO MEETINGS AND CAN BE DEFERRED AGAIN.
THE SITE IS LOCATED WITHIN HOUSTON'S CORPORATE LIMIT NORTH OF HARRISBURG, SOUTH OF CANAL, AND WEST OF LOCKWOOD.
THE APPLICANT IS RETROFITTING AN EXISTING MULTI-FAMILY STRUCTURE TO DEVELOP 11 EFFICIENCY IN ONE BEDROOM HOMES.
THE APPLICANT IS REQUESTING A VARIANCE FROM THE OFF STREET PARKING ORDINANCE TO PROVIDE NO ON STREET PARKING AS SUPPOSED TO THE REQUIRED 14 SPACES.
STAFF RECOMMENDS A THIRD DEFERRAL PER THE APPLICANT'S REQUEST.
WE'VE RECEIVED NO ADVANCED WRITTEN COMMENT ON THIS ITEM.
THIS CONCLUDES OUR PRESENTATION.
UM, ANY DISCUSSION ON THIS? WE DON'T HAVE ANY SPEAKERS.
IT JUST CURIOUS VISION WITH THE APPLICANT INDICATED, UH, WHY THE THIRD DEFERRAL AND WHAT HE AND THE DEPARTMENT HOPE TO ACCOMPLISH.
SO WE MET WITH THE APPLICANT AND VARIOUS MEMBERS OF PUBLIC WORKS WHO APPROVED THE OTHER COMPONENTS OF IT AND THEY IDENTIFIED A LOT OF THE DEFICIENCIES THAT THEY SAW AT THAT TIME.
UM, WE HAD INITIALLY SUGGESTED THAT THEY CONSIDERED WITHDRAWING IT, BUT THE APPLICANT BELIEVES THAT THEY CAN ADDRESS ALL THE CONCERNS THAT WERE BROUGHT UP BEFORE THE NEXT MEETING AND IF THEY CAN'T, WE'LL CONSIDER AT THAT POINT.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR DISCUSSION? UM,
SO STAFF'S RECOMMENDATION IS TO DEFER MOTION.
SO, UH, WHERE WAS I? MOTION SECOND.
[02:10:01]
DID EVERYBODY SAY AYE? YES.DID ANYBODY SAY NO? THE ITEM IS DEFERRED.
WE HAVE ALREADY ACTED ON ROMAN NUMERAL FIVE.
[VI. Public Hearing and Consideration of a Special Minimum Lot Size Block for the 4400 Block of Edison Street, east and west sides – MLS 850 (Eriq Glenn) ]
NUMERAL SIX IS A PUBLIC HEARING IN CONSIDERATION OF A SPECIAL MINIMUM OF LOT SIZE BLOCK FOR THE 4,400 BLOCK OF EDISON STREET EAST AND WEST SIDES.GOOD AFTERNOON, MADAM CHAIR AND MEMBERS OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION.
MY NAME IS JACQUELYN BROWN WITH THE PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT.
THE PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT HAS RECEIVED AN APPLICATION FOR ESTABLISHING A 5,500 SQUARE FOOT SPECIAL MINIMUM LOT SIZE BLOCK FOR THE FORTY FOUR HUNDRED AND FORTY FIVE HUNDRED BLOCK OF EDISON STREET, THE EAST AND WEST SIDES BETWEEN WEIS STREET AND FRALEY STREET.
THE APPLICATION IS IN THE IRVINGTON SUBDIVISION STAFF RECOMMENDS THAT PLANNING COMMISSION FORWARD THE APPLICATION TO CITY COUNCIL FOR APPROVAL.
THE APPLICANT PROVIDED EVIDENCE OF SUPPORT FROM OWNERS OF THE 12 OF 12 OF THE 20 LOTS, REPRESENTING 59% OF THE TOTAL AREA.
A NOTIFICATION WAS MAILED TO ALL PROPERTY OWNERS IN THE APPLICATION AREA AND ONE TIMELY WRITTEN PROTESTS FROM A PROPERTY OWNER WAS RECEIVED BY STAFF.
ACCORDING TO OUR ANALYSIS, THIS APPLICATION AREA CONSISTS OF 19 SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENTIAL LOTS AND ONE EXCLUDED LOT.
A MINIMUM LOT SIZE OF 5,500 SQUARE FEET EXISTS ON ALL LOTS IN THE APPLICATION AREA.
THE APPLICATION IS IN THE IRVINGTON SUBDIVISION, WHICH WAS PLATTED IN 1923 AND SEVERAL OF THE HOMES WERE INITIALLY BUILT IN THE 1930S.
MADAM CHAIR, WE ARE READY TO OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING.
THE PUBLIC HEARING FOR THE CONSIDERATION OF THE SPECIAL MINIMUM LOT SIZE BLOCK IS OPEN.
CHRIS MURRAY, WHO I BELIEVE IS VIRTUAL.
DOES NOT APPEAR TO BE PRESENT.
IS THERE ANYONE ELSE WHO WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK ON THE UH, SPECIAL MINIMUM LOT SIZE BLOCK APPLICATION FOR 4,400 EDISON? HEARING NONE THE PUBLIC HEARING IS I WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK.
ARE YOU CHRIS MURRAY? NO, I'M CASEY DORIAN.
UM, MY NAME IS CASEY DORIAN AND I AM BOTH THE CO-APPLICANT ON OUR BLOCKS APPLICATION AND A RESIDENT OF THE BLOCK.
AND I AM SPEAKING IN SUPPORT OF CREATING A MINIMUM BLOCK SIZE RESTRICTION.
UM, AS YOU MENTIONED, THIS WAS ALSO SUPPORTED BY OVER 51% OF THE BLOCK AND I DO THINK IT WILL HELP ENSURE WE MAINTAIN THE CHARACTER AND THE COZINESS OF OUR BLOCK AND NEIGHBORHOOD.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR COMMENTS.
ANY QUESTIONS FOR THE SPEAKER? OKAY.
ANY, ARE THERE ANY OTHER SPEAKERS FOR, UH, ITEM ROMAN NUMERAL SIX.
OKAY, THEN WITH THAT WE WILL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.
UM, STAFF'S RECOMMENDATION IS TO APPROVE THE APPLICATION AND FORWARD IT TO CITY COUNCIL DISCUSSION.
COMMISSIONER BALDWIN, CAN I JUST GET CLARITY? YOU SAID ONE EXCLUDED LOT, ARE THERE TWO EXCLUDED LOTS? YOU, YOU MENTIONED ONE, BUT AREN'T THERE TWO? NO, THERE'S ONE.
JUST THE ONE, TWO WERE AND ONE GOT UN EXCLUDED OR I'M JUST, 'CAUSE IT HAS THESE TWO EXCLUSIONS TWICE, BUT I WAS JUST CLARITY.
GOOD AFTERNOON MADAM CHAIR, MEMBERS OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION.
THE INITIAL ANALYSIS ESTABLISHED THAT THERE'S TWO PROPERTY OWNED BY A CHURCH.
HOWEVER, ONE THE VACANT LOT IS BEING USED AS A PARKING LOT FOR THE CHURCH.
THE OTHER LOT IS A SINGLE FAMILY LOT.
UH, AND WE DON'T HAVE ANY PROOF THAT'S BEEN USED AS PART OF THE CHURCH.
SO WE, UH, DECIDED TO DIS DESIGNATED SINGLE FAMILY.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? YEAH, I'M, I'M JUST CURIOUS.
YOU'VE GOT COMMISSIONER ROBINS.
UM, THERE'S A NUMBER OF IT LOOKS LIKE NONRESPONSIVE LOTS AND IN THE PAST SOMETIMES WE'VE GOTTEN RESPONSES AFTER A CERTAIN DEADLINE, SO THEY SHOWED UP AS NONRESPONSIVE, BUT THEN WHEN SOMEONE ASKED A QUESTION, THEY HAD GOTTEN A RESPONSE THE DAY BEFORE THE MEETING OR TWO DAYS BEFORE.
HAVE YOU HEARD FROM ANY OF THESE NONRESPONSIVE LOTS? YEAH, WE HAVE NOT.
OKAY, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? UM, OKAY.
UM, THEN IS THERE A MOTION FOR STAFF'S RECOMMENDATION TO APPROVE AND FORWARD TO CITY COUNCIL? THE APPLICATION MOTION.
[VII. Public Comment ]
THAT WE GO TO PUBLIC COMMENT AND WE DO HAVE SOME PUBLIC COMMENT.THE FIRST ONE IS CORINA LOPEZ.
[02:15:02]
HI.SO YEAH, SO, UM, WE HAVE A NEW COMMUNITY BEING BUILT RIGHT NEXT TO OUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
UM, OUR NEIGHBORHOOD IS BASED OFF OF LIKE 90 RESIDENTS.
AND WITH THAT NEW COMMUNITY IT CONNECTS TO LIKE A MAIN ROAD AND THEY'RE TRYING TO CONNECT THAT MAIN ROAD, WHICH IS, SO THIS COMMUNITY HAS TWO COMMERCIAL BUILDINGS ON THE SIDE OF IT AND IT GOES, IT'S GONNA LEAD INTO THEIR COMMUNITY.
THEY'RE TRYING TO COMBINE ONE OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD THAT'S WAY ON THE OTHER SIDE AND MY STREET, AND WE ARE OPPOSED TO THAT.
SO I'M TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT I CAN DO TO PREVENT, UM, I GUESS A, THE COMBINATION OF THE STREETS FROM THAT NEIGHBORHOOD AND MY NEIGHBORHOOD.
I THINK WE CAN'T REALLY ANSWER YOUR QUESTION AT THIS POINT.
SO, UM, OUR STAFF DOES HAVE YOUR CONTACT INFORMATION, YOUR EMAIL FROM YOUR SIGNUP.
SO WE WILL ASK SOMEONE TO CONTACT YOU AND, UH, TALK TO YOU ABOUT THE DETAILS AND SEE IF THEY CAN POINT YOU IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.
WELL, THE THING IS THAT I HAVE BEEN CALLING AND THEY'VE BEEN GIVING ME THE ROUNDABOUTS.
SO THIS WAS LIKE MY ONLY OPTION WHEN I TALKED TO THE PUBLIC.
I THINK I TALKED TO SOMEONE IN THE PUBLIC COMMISSION, I'M NOT SURE WHO THEY WERE, AND THEY WERE THE ONES THAT TOLD ME THAT I CAN GIVE AN OPINION ON US, NOT LIKE OUR NEIGHBORHOOD NOT WANTING THAT STREET TO GET JOINED TO OUR STREET.
WE CAN'T, SO FROM THAT NEIGHBORHOOD, WE CAN'T REALLY TALK ABOUT IT UNLESS IT'S POSTED ON OUR AGENDA.
AND SO I THINK YOU'RE, YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT SOMETHING THAT IS PLANNED FOR THE FUTURE IS, WAS IT SOMETHING ON OUR AGENDA TODAY? NO, IT'S NOT.
SO I'M NOT EVEN SURE IF IT'S ON YOUR AGENDA OR NOT.
THE THING IS THAT WE DIDN'T EVEN KNOW, WE HAVEN'T EVEN BEEN, NO, NOBODY TOLD US ANYTHING ABOUT THE STREET.
THE ONLY REASON WE FOUND OUT IS BECAUSE THEY WERE KNOCKING OUT DOWN THE TREES ON THE DEAD END AND WE ASKED THE PEOPLE THAT WERE WORKING ON IT, WELL, WHAT'S GOING ON? AND THEN THEY TOLD US, OH, WELL THEY'RE GONNA COMBINE THE STREET.
WE ASKED WHEN THAT WAS GONNA HAPPEN AND IT LOOKS LIKE IT'S GONNA HAPPEN WITHIN A COUPLE MONTHS.
I CALLED THE CITY AND THEY TOLD ME THAT, UM, THEY DIDN'T HAVE A PERMIT AT THE MOMENT, AND THEY'RE TRYING TO DO THAT.
SO I'M NOT SURE IF THEY'RE GONNA DO LIKE A REPL AND I HAVE TO COME BACK FOR THAT.
MS. LOPEZ, I, WE REALLY CAN'T HELP YOU BASED ON THE INFORMATION WE HAVE AND BASED ON THE FACT THAT THIS ISN'T A POSTED ITEM ON OUR AGENDA, UM, WE'RE THIS PEER, THIS PUBLIC COMMENT IS SORT OF INTENDED FOR GENERAL COMMENTS, BUT I REALLY DO FEEL, UM, I'LL ASK OUR STAFF ON THE RECORD.
UM, WE'RE IS MS. MACHER HERE IF SOMEONE OR MS. BANDY IS HERE, IF YOU WOULD MAKE A POINT TO REACH OUT AND SEE IF WE, YOU CAN GET THE DETAILS TO HELP MS. LOPEZ, UH, IN THE FUTURE.
WOULD YOU DO THAT FOR ME? YES, SURE.
I'M SORRY WE COULDN'T HELP YOU TODAY.
THE NEXT SPEAKER IS CARLOS ESPINOZA.
HI, GOOD AFTERNOON MADAM CHAIR I OF PLANNING COMMISSION.
I'M CARLOS ESPINOZA WITH CJ PLANNING AND DESIGN.
I'M A LOCAL LATINO PLANNER HERE IN HOUSTON AND I JUST WANT TO EMPHASIZE, UM, AND CONGRATULATE THE STAFF FOR, YOU KNOW, GOING THROUGH THE NEW ORDINANCE CHANGES.
BUT WE DO WANT TO BRING OUT, UM, A BIG, UH, EXCLAMATION POINT THAT THERE IS, THERE IS A NEED TO DO A LOT OF THE MATERIALS THAT'S OUT THERE IN SPANISH AS WELL.
UH, ACCORDING TO THE GREATER HOUSTON PARTNERSHIP, WE HAVE THE FOURTH LARGEST HISPANIC POPULATION.
OF THAT 2.8 MILLION PEOPLE, 85% OF THEM ARE ONLY BILINGUAL OR SPANISH SPEAKERS.
SO THERE IS A GREAT NEED FOR US TO HAVE THIS, UM, LANGUAGE AND MATERIAL OUT THERE FOR A LOT OF THE COMMUNITIES THAT, THAT'S ACTUALLY BUILDING THESE HOMES AND, AND COMMERCIAL BUILDINGS IN THE HOUSTON AREA.
SO I WOULD LIKE TO RESPECTFULLY ASK THE COMMISSION AND DIRECTOR OSLAN TO DO A LOT OF THE PACKAGES AND INFORMATION AS THERE TO BE DONE IN SPANISH AS WELL.
AND THEN OUR FINAL IS, UH, SAVITA.
I'M SWEETA BANDY AND I WANNA TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY, UH, MADAM CHAIR TO THANK YOU FROM ON BEHALF OF THE ENTIRE PLANNING TEAM.
IT HAS BEEN A PLEASURE WORKING WITH YOU AS THE CHAIR OF THE COMMISSION.
LEARNED A LOT FROM YOU IN TERMS OF HOW YOU, UM, CONDUCT THE MEETING.
VERY FIRM, BUT STILL EMPATHETIC TO ALL OF THE SPEAKERS.
UM, IT'S A STYLE THAT I WOULD LIKE TO EMULATE IN WHAT I DO.
UM, BUT APPRECIATE ALL OF THE GUIDANCE YOU HAVE PROVIDED OVER THE YEARS AND, UH, LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING MORE WITH YOU IN FUTURE.
[02:20:03]
AND I'LL JUST SAY IN RESPONSE, THIS HAS BEEN SUCH AN AMAZING LEARNING EXPERIENCE FOR ME.I KNEW NOTHING WHEN I STARTED, UM, THIS JOB.
AND I, I KNOW A LOT NOW AND I'M JUST, IT'S REALLY BEEN A GREAT TIME AND IT'S BEEN A HUGE HONOR TO, UH, WORK WITH EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU.
AND, UM, I, I'M, I'M GLAD I'M NOT TOTALLY GOING AWAY, BUT THANK YOU.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT AT EVERY TURN.
PEOPLE HAVE NO IDEA HOW HARD YOU GUYS WORK, SO THANK YOU.
YES, I HAD A STATEMENT, BUT THERE'S NO NEED FOR ME TO READ IT NOW.
YOU'VE RECEIVED ALL YOUR ACCOLADES.
AH, HOWEVER, I, I WILL TELL, UH, I WILL SAY AS, AS, UH, VICE CHAIR, I AM THE OFFICIAL PARTY PLANNER.
SO WE BE GETTING BACK TO YOU WITH THE CURRENT CHAIR AND THE NEW CHAIR ABOUT SOME PLANS TO REALLY HAVE A CELEBRATION.
AND THEN SECONDARILY, WE SPARE NO EXPENSE
THERE WILL BE MORE TO COME, BUT AGAIN, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE TO TAKE THINGS AS THEY GO.
AND I NEED TO SPEAK WITH THE OUTGOING CHAIR AND THE INCOMING CHAIR TO MAKE SURE THAT I HAVEN'T STEPPED ON ANYONE ELSE'S TOES.
SO LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, BE PREPARED FOR MORE INFORMATION AND THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH FOR EVERYTHING THAT YOU DO.
'CAUSE YOU KNOW, I'M A PAPER PERSON,
SO ANYWAY, UM, WE DO NOT HAVE TO ACT ON THE NEXT ITEM BECAUSE COMMISSIONER, HE IS HERE.
AND SO I MOTION TO ADJOURN WOULD BE IN ORDER.