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I HAVE YOUR ATTENTION.[CALL TO ORDER]
IT IS 2:35 PM ON THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 14TH.I'M LISA CLARK, THE CHAIR OF HOUSTON PLANNING COMMISSION.
CAN I HAVE YOUR ATTENTION PLEASE, GUYS? THANK YOU.
UM, I'M CALLING THIS MEETING TO ORDER AS AN IN-PERSON MEETING AT CITY HALL ANNEX 900 BAGBY.
YOU MAY ALSO MONITOR THE MEETING BY VIEWING VIA HTV SPEAKERS.
IF YOU WISH TO ADDRESS THE COMMISSION ON AN ITEM, PLEASE FILL OUT THE SPEAKER'S FORM BEFORE THE ITEM IS CALLED AND TURN IT INTO THE STAFF NEAR THE FRONT DOOR.
CONSENT AND REPEAT SPEAKERS ARE ALLOWED.
NEW SPEAKERS ARE TIME FOR TWO MINUTES.
COMMISSIONER BALDWIN IS NOT HERE.
COMMISSIONER HINES IS NOT PRESENT.
COMMISSIONER MAREZ IS NOT HERE.
COMMISSIONER ROBBINS ROBINS PRESENT.
COMMISSIONER ROSENBERG PRESENT.
UH, COMMISSIONER STEIN IS NOT HERE.
COMMISSIONER VICTOR IS NOT PRESENT.
AND OUR SECRETARY, UH, DIRECTOR TRAN TRAN.
WE HAVE A QUORUM OF 15, UH, COMMISSIONERS.
DON'T Y'ALL LOVE IT WHEN I PAUSE LIKE THIS?
UM, IT'S LIKE WAITING FOR THE THRILLER.
[Director’s Report]
I'LL CALL NOW FOR THE DIRECTOR'S REPORT.CHAIR CLARK COMMISSION, COMMISSION MEMBERS AND THE PUBLIC.
I'M VON TRAN, SECRETARY OF THIS COMMISSION AND DIRECTOR OF THE HOUSTON PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT.
I HAVE TWO ANNOUNCEMENTS TODAY.
THE FIRST ONE IS ABOUT THE PLAT TRACKER.
WE ARE ONE MONTH BEFORE GOING LIVE.
OVER THE PAST DECADE, PLAT TRACKER HAS RECEIVED OVER 47,000 COMBINED PLAT SUBMITTALS NAME CHANGES, EOA AND RECORDING APPLICATIONS.
WE AVERAGE ABOUT 4,332 CUSTOMERS PER YEAR.
THE NEW PLA TRACKER FEATURES WILL CONTINUE TO SERVE THE ESTABLISHED PURPOSES AND WILL IMPROVE EFFICIENCY, STREAMLINE YOUR APPLICATION PROCESS, PROVIDE AN EASY TO NAVIGATE INTUITIVE USER INTERFACE, ALLOW USERS TO BUILD A PERSONALIZED WORKSPACE, ALSO OPTIMIZING CLOUD FILE STORAGE AND ENABLE REMOTE ACCESS SHARING AND EXCHANGE OF NOTES.
THE SECOND ANNOUNCEMENT IS, UH, OPEN REGISTRATION AT THE PERMITTING CENTER FOR OUR ANNUAL WORKSHOP FOR PERMITTING EXPERTS, I'M SORRY, PERMITTING EXPERTS FROM MULTIPLE CITY DEPARTMENTS.
WE'LL CONVENE FOR THE PERMITTING CENTER ANNUAL WORKSHOP ON TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 19TH, FROM ONE TO 4:30 PM YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION ON OUR FACEBOOK PAGE AND THE PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT MONTHLY PLANNER@WWCONSTANTCONTECH.COM.
THE FREE WORKSHOP WILL BE HELD IN PERSON AT THE UNITED WAY CENTER AT 50 WALL DRIVE.
IN CLOSING, THE PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT CAN BE REACHED AT (832) 393-6600.
OR YOU CAN CALL DEVELOPMENT SERVICES PLANNER OF THE DAY AT 8 3 2 3 9 3 6 6 2 4.
YOU CAN ALSO VISIT OUR WEBSITE@HOUSTONPLANNING.COM AND TAKE A LOOK AT LET'S TALK HOUSTON FOR FOR MORE INFORMATION.
SO BEFORE I MOVE ALONG, I DO WANNA MAKE A COMMENT THAT THERE ARE TWO ITEMS THAT HAVE BEEN WITHDRAWN, SO WE'LL NOT HEAR, UM, THESE ITEMS PRESENTED TODAY.
ITEM 10 UNDER CONSENT, CBU LANDING AND UNDER VARIANCES, ITEM 1 22 ICON TOWERS.
SO AGAIN, WE WILL NOT BE, UH, PRESENTING THOSE OR SPEAKING ON THOSE TODAY.
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THEY'VE BEEN TOTALLY WITHDRAWN.I'M SORRY, MS. CLARK, I JUST WANTED TO BRING TO EVERYBODY'S ATTENTION.
I KNOW THAT DIRECTOR, DIRECTOR VAUGHN WAS, UM, TRAN WAS JUST SPEAKING ABOUT THE PERMITTING WORKSHOP.
WE ARE TRYING TO SEE IF WE CAN MAKE MORE SPACE LAST.
I UNDERSTOOD THAT IT WAS COMPLETELY FULL, BUT IF YOU'VE GONE ON AND FOUND THAT IT'S FULL, PLEASE CONTINUE TO CHECK.
WE ARE TRYING TO SEE IF WE CAN GENERATE MORE SPACE TO ALLOW MORE PEOPLE.
THERE ARE NO GUARANTEES AT THIS TIME THAT THERE WILL BE MORE SPACE AVAILABLE, BUT AGAIN, I THINK WE WOULD ALSO ARE LOOKING AT TRYING TO ADD MORE FUTURE, UM, WORKSHOPS OF THAT NATURE.
BUT I JUST DIDN'T WANT SOMEBODY THINKING THAT THEY COULD GO ON SIGN UP AND THEN FINDING OUT THAT IT WAS FULL BEFORE THEY EVEN GOT THERE.
UH, CAN WE MAKE THIS CLASS ONLINE BECAUSE A LOT OF PEOPLE CAN BENEFIT FROM THIS PERMITTING CLASS.
UM, I DON'T KNOW THAT THIS FIRST CLASS OR WORKSHOP WILL BE ONLINE.
UM, WE ARE GOING, THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE ARE TRYING TO LOOK INTO AND PART OF THE LOCATION IS THE UNITED WAY OVER ON WALL WAS TO TRY TO MAKE IT SO THAT WE COULD HAVE MORE PEOPLE.
UM, I THINK AT THIS POINT, LAST I HEARD, WE HAD LIKE 220 OR 230 PEOPLE THAT ALREADY SIGNED UP, BUT AT THIS POINT, WE'RE NOT PREPARED OR ABLE TO MAKE WITHIN THE TIMEFRAME TO GET IT ONLINE FOR THIS PARTICULAR FIRST CLASS.
NOW, WILL WE LOOK OR WE ARE CON CONTINUING TO LOOK AT THAT TO SEE IF WE CAN'T MAKE THAT HAPPEN IN THE FUTURE? ONES GOOD COMMENT.
[Consideration of the October 31, 2024, Planning Commission Meeting Minutes ]
WE'LL MOVE ON NOW TO CONSIDERATION OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING MINUTES.OUR PRIOR MINUTES OF OCTOBER 31ST, 2024 WERE POSTED ON THE AGENDA.
MAY I HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND TO APPROVE THESE MINUTES? MOTION TO HEAR SECOND.
OKAY, NOW WE'LL MOVE ON TO PLANNING ACTIVITY.
I'M JUST SKIPPING RIGHT THROUGH THE, THE AGENDA.
[I. Public hearing and consideration of revisions to Chapter 40 Article XXII; Sidewalk Network Requirements (Hector Rodriguez)]
MOVING ALONG TO ROMAN NUMER ONE PUBLIC HEARING AND CONSIDERATION OF REVISIONS TO CHAPTER 40, ARTICLE 12, SIDEWALK NETWORK REQUIREMENTS.MR. RODRIGUEZ, GOOD AFTERNOON, MADAM CHAIR, MEMBERS OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION.
MY NAME IS HECTOR RODRIGUEZ WITH THE PLANET DEPARTMENT.
OVER THE PAST YEAR, THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT HAS ACTIVELY RECEIVING FEEDBACK FROM THE PLANNING COMMISSION, CITY COUNCIL, STAKEHOLDERS AND THE PUBLIC REGARDING THE SIDEWALK NETWORK ORDINANCE AND ITS PERMITTING PROCESS PLANNING COMMISSION CHAIR LISA CLARK APPOINTED TWO COMMISSIONERS TO WORK CLOSELY WITH THE PLAN DEPARTMENT ON THE REDRAFT OF THE ORDINANCE.
OVER THE PAST FOUR WEEKS, THESE COMBINED EFFORTS HAVE BEEN INSTRUMENTAL IN HELPING THE PLAN DEPARTMENT EXPEDITE THE PROCESS WITH THE GOAL OF PRESENTING THE ORDINANCE AMENDMENTS TO THE CITY COUNCIL.
BY THE END OF THE YEAR IN OCTOBER, THE THE DRAFT REVISIONS WERE PRESENTED AT PLAN COMMISSION, INITIATING A PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD AND ESTABLISHING A PUBLIC HEARING SCHEDULED FOR TODAY, NOVEMBER 14TH.
OVER A PERIOD OF TWO WEEKS, WE HELD EIGHT PUBLIC MEETINGS TO PRESENT A DRAFT REVISIONS.
YOUR PACKET INCLUDES A SUMMARY OF ALL THE COMMENTS FROM MEETINGS, EMAILS, AND LET'S TALK HOUSTON WEBSITE.
TODAY IS A PUBLIC HEARING AND COMMISSIONERS WILL BE CONSIDERING, UH, SETTING A SPECIAL MEETING TO VOTE ON THE SIDEWALK ORDINANCE REVISIONS.
THAT WILL FOLLOW UP BY THE QUALITY OF LIVE COMMITTEE ON DECEMBER 2ND.
AND FINALLY, CITY COUNCIL WILL REVIEW THE AMENDMENTS ON DECEMBER THE 11TH.
THE CITY OF HOUSTON REQUIRES SIDEWALKS TO ENHANCE WALKABILITY, IMPROVE SAFETY, INCREASE ACCESSIBILITY FOR ALL.
UM, IN THE EARLY 1990S, PUBLIC WORKS BEGAN ENFORCING SIDEWALK REQUIREMENTS TO IMPROVE, IMPROVE PEDESTRIAN ACCESSIBILITY.
BY 2020, THE PLANET DEPARTMENT INITIATED A REVIEW OF SIDEWALKS WITH, TO ENSURE THE MEETS THE EVOLVING URBAN NEEDS.
IN 2023, THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT TOOK ANOTHER STEP BY AMENDING THE ORDINANCE TO OFFER TWO OPTIONS WHEN A SIDEWALK IS REQUIRED, UM, TO BUILD IT,
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TO BUILD THE SIDEWALK OR PAY THE FEE.END OF NOW WE'RE WORKING ON THE NEXT PHASE, UPDATING THE SIDEWALK ORDINANCE TO BETTER ADDRESS CURRENT AND FUTURE DEMANDS.
IN GENERAL, SIDEWALKS ARE REQUIRED WHERE A PERMIT OF CONSTRUCTION OR A LAND DEVELOPMENT IS REQUIRED.
THE MAIN GOAL OF THIS AMENDMENT IS TO SIMPLIFY THE ORDINANCE BY REMOVING CONFUSION AND REDUNDANCY.
WE ALSO AIM TO STREAMLINE THE APPLICATION PROCESS FOR BOTH APPLICANTS AND STAFF.
THE PROPOSED REVISIONS CRITERIA, WHICH AGAIN APPLIES ONLY TO SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENTIAL CONSTRUCTION ONLY STRIVE TO ADDRESS ISSUES THAT ARISE OVER AND OVER AGAIN.
THOSE ISSUES ARE UNCONNECTED SIDEWALK SEGMENTS AND NEIGHBORHOODS.
CASES WHERE BUILDING A SIDEWALK IS NOT FEASIBLE DUE TO INSUFFICIENT RIGHT OF WAY TO CONSTRUCT AT LEAST A FOUR FOOT SIDEWALK NEIGHBORHOODS WITH EXISTING PEDESTRIAN TRAILS SUCH AS KINGWOOD AND LOTS THAT ARE ONE ACRE OR LARGER.
ESSENTIALLY, WE'RE CLARIFYING CURRENT EXEMPTIONS AND EXPAND CRITERIA TO ADDRESS REOCCURRING ISSUES.
WHAT TYPE OF CONSTRUCTIONS AND DEVELOPMENTS REQUIRE SIDEWALKS? I WANT TO EMPHASIZE THAT THERE ARE NO PROPOSED CHANGES TO THESE REQUIREMENTS.
SIDEWALKS ARE REQUIRED FOR NEW SINGLE FAMILY HOMES, NEW COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENTS, REPAIRING OR REPLACING 20 FEET OR MORE FEET OF EXISTING SIDEWALKS, NEW SIDEWALK PERMITS, NEW PARKING LOTS, PEDESTRIAN ROUTES, UH, FOR OUTSIDE PARKING FACILITIES, NEW EXPANDED OR RECONSTRUCTED ROADWAYS AND REMOVAL OF EXISTING SIDEWALKS, MEANING THAT THEY WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED EXISTING EXEMPTIONS FOR SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENTIAL PROJECTS.
CURRENT EXEMPTIONS INCLUDE THE FOURTH WARD IN AREAS THAT HAVE PEDESTRIAN TRAILS SUCH AS KINGWOOD.
NEW PROPOSED EXCEPTIONS INCLUDE NEIGHBORHOODS WITH ACTIVE DE RESTRICTIONS, PROHIBITING SIDEWALKS, LOTS OVER ONE ACRE OR LARGER SITES WITH NO EXISTING SIDEWALKS ON THE BLOCK FACE OR ACROSS THE STREET EXCEPT NEAR SCHOOLS, LIBRARIES, AND COMMUNITY CENTERS.
AND LASTLY, PROPERTIES WITH OPEN DITCHES LEAVING NO ROOM TO BUILD A SIDEWALK WITHIN THE ROADWAY.
AND, UH, THESE ARE EXAMPLES, UH, OF COMMUNITIES WITH LOTS ONE ACRE LARGER.
AN EXAMPLE OF AN UNCONNECTED SIDEWALK SEGMENT.
UH, IF YOU NOTICE THAT THE SIDEWALK IS CONSTRUCTED ON PROPERTY, PROPERTY, I DUNNO IF WE CAN ZOOM IN SO YOU CAN SEE A LITTLE BIT FURTHER.
THERE'S A LITTLE SIDEWALK RIGHT THERE, AND IT'S INSIDE THE FENCE.
AN EXAMPLE OF AN AREA WITH OPEN DITCHES WITH NO ROOM FOR AT LEAST A FOUR FOOT SIDEWALK.
UH, THESE EXIST EXISTING EXEMPTIONS ARE FOR ALL PROPERTIES, COMMERCIAL AND RESIDENTIAL.
OUR CURRENT EXEMPTIONS INCLUDE SITES THAT HAVE EXISTING SIDEWALKS THAT MEET WITH STANDARDS SITES WHERE THE STREET IS ADJACENT TO A GREAT SEPARATED FREEWAY.
SITES WHERE THE STREET IS UNDEVELOPED, AND PROJECTS WHERE THE CAUSE OF THE SIDEWALK IS DISPROPORTIONAL TO THE DEVELOPMENT.
UH, WHEN THERE IS INSUFFICIENT SPACE FOR A STANDARD WITH SIDEWALK, THE OPTIONS ARE TO BUILD AN ALTERNATE WIDTH AROUND THE OBSTRUCTION OR PROVIDE AN EXCEPTION.
IF THE OBSTRUCTION MAKES A SIDEWALK INFEASIBLE.
THE AWA COMMITTEE WILL REVIEW PROJECTS WITH CONDITIONS THAT DO NOT MEET ANY OF THE EXISTING OR PROPOSED EXCEPTIONS.
THE COMMITTEE WILL DETERMINE WHETHER THE SIDEWALK MUST BE BUILT.
THE SIDEWALK COMMITTEE IS COMPRISED OF THE PLANNING OFFICIAL CITY ENGINEER AND THE MAYOR'S OFFICE FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES OR THEIR, OR THEIR EE.
THE BALANCE OF THE SIDEWALK FUND ENDED SEPTE, UH, ENDING IN SEPTEMBER 30TH, 2024 IS A LITTLE OVER 1.7 MILLION AND 30% OF THE FUND CAN BE USED CITYWIDE, AND 70% OF THE FUND CAN BE USED IN THE 17 SERVICE AREAS.
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THIS IS A MAP REPRESENTING THE 17 DIFFERENT SECTORS.SO LET'S GO OVER THE TIMELINE ONE MORE TIME.
UH, TODAY IS A PUBLIC HEARING AND COMMISSIONERS WILL CONSIDER SETTING A SPECIAL MEETING TO VOTE ON THE SIDEWALK COORDINATES REVISIONS.
THIS WILL FOLLOW UP, FOLLOWED BY THE QUALITY OF LIFE COMMITTEE ON DECEMBER 2ND.
AND FINALLY, CITY COUNCIL WILL REVIEW THE AMENDMENTS ON DECEMBER THE 11TH.
THIS CONCLUDES MY PRESENTATION, MADAM CHAIR.
IF YOU WISH, YOU MAY OPEN UP THE PUBLIC SESSION AT THIS TIME.
I'LL OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING FOR THE SIDEWALK ORDINANCE.
UM, BEFORE WE GET STARTED WITH SPEAKERS, I'LL ASK COMMISSIONERS, DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS BEFORE WE GET STARTED? OKAY.
OUR FIRST SPEAKER IS COUNCIL MEMBER SALLY ALCORN.
THANK YOU COUNCIL MEMBER FOR BEING WITH US TODAY.
THANK YOU MADAM CHAIR AND THANK YOU COMMISSIONERS.
SIDEWALKS CONNECT PEOPLE AND NEIGHBORHOODS.
THEY PROVIDE SAFE DESIGNATED SPACES FOR PEDESTRIANS, REDUCING THE RISK OF ACCIDENTS WITH VEHICLES, SIDEWALKS, PROMOTE PHYSICAL ACTIVITY, SUPPORT LOCAL BUSINESSES BY INCREASING FOOT TRAFFIC, AND MAKE COMMUNITIES MORE ACCESSIBLE FOR EVERYONE, INCLUDING THOSE WITH MOBILITY CHALLENGES.
ADDITIONALLY, SIDEWALKS HELP CREATE MORE WALKABLE, CONNECTED AND ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY NEIGHBORHOODS.
AND LET'S NOT FORGET, SIDEWALKS HELP MEN.
SO MANY HOUSTONIANS GET TO WHERE THEY NEED TO GO TO WORK, TO TRANSIT, TO SCHOOL, TO SHOPS, TO CHURCH.
SINCE MY FIRST COUNCIL CAMPAIGN, I HAVE BEEN A STRONG ADVOCATE FOR MORE PUBLIC INVESTMENT IN OUR CITY'S SIDEWALKS.
WHAT THE CITY SETS ASIDE FOR SIDEWALK CONSTRUCTION AND MAINTENANCE BARELY SCRATCHES THE SURFACE.
I HELD A SIDEWALK SUMMIT IN MY FIRST TERM.
I'VE RESEARCHED OTHER CITIES AND FUNDING SOURCES.
I'VE DONE WALK AUDITS, AND I'VE WALKED A LOT OF HOUSTON VIA SIDEWALK.
MY WEEKLY NO CAR FRIDAYS HAVE OPENED MY EYES TO SIDEWALK GAPS, POOR MAINTENANCE, AND AN OVERALL NEED FOR IMPROVED CONNECTIVITY.
LAST YEAR, MY TEAM AND I WORKED WITH A CITY TECHNICAL ADVISORY GROUP TO PUT TOGETHER A PLAN FOR A POTENTIAL SIDEWALK BOND.
WE ALSO WORKED WITH STAKEHOLDERS ON THE SIDEWALK FEE IN LIEU OF ORDINANCE.
I SAY ALL OF THIS TO SAY I CARE A LOT ABOUT SIDEWALKS.
AND BOTTOM LINE IS WE NEED MORE RESOURCES TO FUND THEM.
IN EARLY 2021, I MET WITH PLANNING AND PUBLIC WORK STAFF IN THE GAYWOOD NEIGHBORHOOD IN THE MEMORIAL AREA.
WE WERE LOOKING AT A NEW CONSTRUCTION HOME ON A CORNER.
THE NEIGHBORHOOD DIDN'T HAVE SIDEWALKS.
AND THE CITY WAS BASICALLY FORCING THIS BUILDER TO BUILD SIDEWALKS ON THIS CORNER WHERE THERE WERE NO OTHER SIDEWALKS.
I LOOKED AT THE STAFF, I CHALLENGED THEM AND SAID, WHAT THE HECK ARE WE FIGHTING THIS FIGHT FOR? THERE ARE PLENTY OF AREAS IN TOWN THAT WANT AND NEED SIDEWALKS.
SO THERE WE WENT DOWN THE FEE FEE IN LIEU OF, UM, PROGRAM IN 2021, PLANNING STAFF BEGAN WORKING WITH PUBLIC WORKS IN THE MAYOR'S OFFICE OF PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES ON MINUTES TO CHAPTER 40.
THE PLANNING COMMISSION APPROVED THE FEE IN LIEU OF, UM, WE WORKED WITH BUILDERS.
THE INITIAL FEE WAS $30 PLUS A FOOT.
YOU REMEMBER THAT, RANDY? WE WORKED TO GET THAT DOWN TO THE $12 BUILDERS ACCEPTED THAT THE COMMISSION PASSED THE, THE FEE IN LIEU OF, AND THE CITY COUNCIL PASSED THE FEE IN LIEU OF NOW WE'RE LOOKING AT CHANGES, WHICH I, I UNDERSTAND ARE AIMED AT SIMPLIFYING AND STREAMLINING THE CURRENT PROCESS.
AND I AM ALL ABOUT STREAMLINING.
NOBODY'S WORKED HARDER ON STREAMLINING THINGS UP PERMITTING THAN I HAVE.
UM, BUT I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT ON, BECAUSE RIGHT NOW ON ITS FACE, THESE CHANGES GIVE PRETTY WIDE BERTH ON EXCEPTIONS.
THE CHANGES THAT ARE BEING OFFERED SUGGEST FEWER SIDEWALKS, LESS REVENUE FOR SIDEWALKS WITHOUT ANY KIND OF PROPOSAL TO BRING MORE RESOURCES TO THE TABLE.
LET'S JUST GO REAL QUICK THROUGH THE EXCEPTIONS.
FIRST OF ALL, THE DEED RESTRICTED NEIGHBORHOODS, OKAY, I GET IT.
IT'S KINDA LIKE THE GAYWOOD NEIGHBORHOOD, I GET THAT.
BUT THE CITY ARE THE LEGAL, THE PEOPLE HAVE ALWAYS TOLD ME, CITY LEGAL'S ALWAYS SAID, HEY, DEED RESTRICTIONS DON'T COVER THE PUB, THE, THE PUBLIC RIGHT OF WAY.
SIDEWALKS ARE PUBLIC RIGHT OF WAY.
SO TO JUST GRANT AN EXCEPTION ON THAT WITHOUT, I MEAN, I'M OKAY WITH THAT.
LIKE I WAS IN GAYWOOD, BUT SOME KIND OF NOMINAL FEE.
IF 12 BUCKS IS TOO MUCH NOW, SOME KIND OF NOMINAL FEE THAT WILL BRING MONEY IN THE DOOR.
$1.7 MILLION MIGHT NOT SEEM LIKE A LOT, BUT WHEN WE'RE ONLY SPENDING ABOUT $3 MILLION A YEAR AS A CITY ON OUR SIDEWALK PROGRAMS, $1.7 MILLION IS A LOT.
OKAY, LET'S LOOK AT THE NEXT, UM, THE OTHER EXCEPTIONS THERE IS THE ONE ABOUT, UM, THE LARGER LOTS.
I MEAN, THAT COULD BE LIKE COMPLETELY COST PROHIBITIVE TO DO THAT HUGE LOT WITH A SIDEWALK.
AGAIN, SOME KIND OF NOMINAL FEE.
AND ALSO WE SHOULD LOOK AT IF THAT ONE ACRE LOT IS CLOSE TO A CHURCH OR A, WHATEVER THE EXCEPTIONS ARE, THE THE SCHOOLS OR THE COMMUNITY CENTERS OR THE LIBRARY.
UM, THE NO SIDEWALKS ON THE BLOCK FACE OR ACROSS THE STREET.
THE SIDEWALKS NOWHERE, NOBODY WANTS 'EM.
BUT LET'S ALSO LOOK AT WHAT THOSE EXCEPTIONS ARE.
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AT LEAST MATCH 'EM UP WITH THE PEDESTRIAN ACCESSIBILITY REVIEW PROGRAM WHERE IT'S NOT JUST SCHOOLS, LIBRARIES, AND COMMUNITY CENTERS.IT'S ALSO BUS STOPS OR METRO LIFT PICKUP LOCATIONS, EDUCATIONAL OR MEDICAL FACILITIES, PARKS, GYMS, AND OTHER RECREATIONAL FACILITIES AND PLACES OF WORSHIP OR EMPLOYMENT.
SO EXPANDING THOSE 1400, UH, FEET, UM, CATEGORIES.
AND THEN THE OPEN DITCH ON THE OPEN DITCH.
I MEAN, IT ALL MAKES SENSE AND I WANT IT TO MAKE SENSE.
I JUST THINK THAT THERE SHOULD, THERE SHOULD BE SOMETHING PAID IN.
I MEAN, IT'S ALL CITY RIGHT OF WAY, RIGHT? WE'RE REQUIRING SOME NEIGHBORHOODS.
AND THEN IF YOU, IF YOU'RE IN A NEIGHBORHOOD WITH ONE OF THESE EXCEPTIONS, YOU DON'T, THERE SHOULD BE SOME, I LIKE THE IDEA OF THE FEE IN LIEU OF, AND IF IT'S TOO HIGH, IT'S TOO HIGH.
BUT I LIKE THE IDEA OF SOME EFFORT, NOT JUST A COMPLETE PASS.
NOT JUST A COMPLETE PASS FOR THESE EXCEPTIONS ON THE OPEN DITCH STUFF, YOU KNOW, I'LL REMIND EVERYBODY, WE PAID THE CITY PAID USING ITS CDBG DISASTER RECOVERY MONEY, UM, $363,000 ON THE RESILIENT SIDEWALK PLAN, WHICH CAME WITH THIS TOOL.
AND ARE WE EVEN USING THAT OR ARE WE JUST SAYING, OH, OPEN DITCH.
THERE'S ALL KINDS OF WORKAROUNDS ON DITCHES AND THINGS THAT YOU CAN MAYBE POSSIBLY GET A SIDEWALK.
SO I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THAT'S BEING USED.
UM, AND THEN ON THE, THE EXCEPTIONS, WHICH DON'T MEET ANY OF THE OTHER EXCEPTIONS, I FEEL LIKE TO THE EXTENT, I MEAN, THAT'S A LITTLE OPEN, OPEN-ENDED, I FEEL LIKE TO THE EXTENT WE CAN WRITE DOWN WHAT SOME EXAMPLES OF THAT MIGHT BE, I KNOW YOU MIGHT NOT KNOW UNTIL IT COMES UP.
UM, IT JUST, ANYTHING THAT'S JUST KINDA LIKE ANY OTHER EXCEPTIONS MAKES ME A LITTLE NERVOUS THAT IT'LL BE TOO MUCH LEEWAY.
UM, SO THANKS FOR HEARING ME OUT.
UM, I I THINK A LOT OF THIS IS GOOD.
I'M NOT SAYING I DON'T WANT IT AT ALL.
I'M JUST SAYING MAYBE WE COULD ADD IN A NOMINAL FEE FOR SOME OF THESE THINGS.
UM, THE WHOLE IDEA IN THE FIRST PLACE WAS TO CREATE SOME ADDITIONAL REVENUE FOR SIDEWALKS.
AND I FEEL LIKE NOW THAT'S JUST ALL GONNA GO AWAY.
WE APPRECIATE, APPRECIATE AND FOR GOING OVER THE LIMIT.
I KNOW I DID
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS CODY MILLER.
UM, THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK WITH YOU IN FRONT OF YOU.
I WORK FOR THE GREATER HOUSTON BUILDERS ASSOCIATION.
AND WE ARE, UM, FOR THESE PROPOSED ORDINANCES, WE'RE NOT ANTI SIDEWALK, UM, BUT WE ARE FOR FLEXIBILITY NEIGHBORHOODS THAT, LIKE WE TALKED ABOUT, DON'T WANT HAVE EXISTING DEED RESTRICTIONS, HAVE NEIGHBOR OR DON'T WANT, UM, OR HAVE NEIGHBORHOODS THAT DON'T WANT SIDEWALKS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
WHAT WE KNOW, UM, IS THAT THE FEE IN LIEU OF IS $1.7 MILLION.
AND WHAT WE'VE HEARD IS THAT IT COSTS $1 MILLION TO BUILD OR REPAIR SIDEWALK IN HOUSTON.
SO THE $1.7 MILLION ISN'T GOING TO GET THE JOB DONE.
OBVIOUSLY, A HOLISTIC, UM, FUNDING SOURCE WILL BE NEEDED TO BUILD THE MANY THOUSANDS OF MILES OF SIDEWALKS THAT WE NEED.
UM, AND WE THINK, AND WE'RE EXCITED TO BE A PART OF THAT CONVERSATION, BUT WE'RE, WE'RE PRO THESE, UM, BECAUSE WE'RE FOR FLEXIBILITY IN NEIGHBORHOODS THAT DON'T WANT, UM, FLEXIBILITY.
WE'RE NOT ANTI, UH, MOBILITY AND TRANSIT, BUT WE ARE, WE ARE PRO UM, FLEXIBILITY IN OUR NEIGHBORHOODS.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS MADAM CHAIR.
UH, I THINK WE SHOULD CLARIFY THIS ISSUE, UH, DEED RESTRICTED SUBDIVISIONS, BUT THE SIDEWALKS ARE NOT PART OF THE OWNER'S PROPERTY.
SO CAN WE CLARIFY THIS? WHY DEED RESTRICTIONS APPLY TO TO TO PROPERTY WHICH IS NOT OWNED BY THE OWNER, IT'S OWNED BY THE CITY.
SO WE HAVE THAT DISCUSSION FREQUENTLY, AND I THINK THAT IN THE PAST, THIS EXCEPTION HAS BEEN RECOGNIZED PRIMARILY BECAUSE THEY ARE NEIGHBORHOODS WITHOUT SIDEWALKS BECAUSE THE DEED RESTRICTIONS HAVE PROHIBITED THEM.
NOW, WHEN THE CITY GOES IN UNDER ONE OF ITS CITY PROJECTS AND SPENDS ANY PUBLIC FUNDS, IT BECOMES A PUBLIC PROJECT UNDER THE, UM, A DA UNDER UNDER TITLE TWO OF THE A DA AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT.
UM, AND THEREFORE WE MUST PUT IN SIDEWALKS.
AND WE'VE HAD THAT ARGUMENT SOMETIMES WITH HOAS OR OTHER RESIDENTS WHEN IT HAS EITHER BEEN A CITY DRAINAGE AND INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECT OR ONE OF THE OTHER WAYS THAT WE HAVE FUNDED, UM, THE CONSTRUCTION OF SIDEWALKS BY PETITION, FOR EXAMPLE, IN SOME NEIGHBORHOODS.
THEN CLEARLY IT'S A PUBLIC RIGHT OF WAY.
WE HAVE TO PUT THAT IN BECAUSE IT'S A PUBLIC PROJECT.
WE COULD TAKE THE POSITION THAT THE DEED RESTRICTIONS DON'T APPLY AND THAT THE SIDEWALKS NEED TO GO IN.
I, I THINK PUBLIC HEALTH SAFETY WELFARE WOULD GENERALLY TAKE PRECEDENCE IN THAT, IN IN THAT ARGUMENT.
BUT YEAH, AND IF I MAY ADD TO THAT, UM, MS. MICKELSON IS RIGHT.
IN THE PAST WHEN SIDEWALKS WERE UNDER DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS AND STUFF, WE TOOK THE
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STANCE THAT IN A DEED RESTRICTED COMMUNITY, YOU BOUGHT INTO THE COMMUNITY WITH DEED RESTRICTIONS, YOU KNEW WHAT YOU WERE BUYING INTO.IT'S DIFFERENT THAN IF YOU'RE BUYING INTO COMMUNITIES WITH NO DEED RESTRICTIONS.
BUT IF YOU BOUGHT IN KNOWING THAT THEY WERE NOT GOING TO HAVE SIDEWALKS, THAT THERE WAS A RESTRICTION AGAINST SIDEWALKS.
AGAIN, IF IT'S AN A DA ISSUE AND THE CITY IS PUTTING IT IN, IT'S DIFFERENT.
BUT IT WAS THE STANCE THAT PEOPLE WERE BUYING IN KNOWING THAT THAT'S WHAT THEY WERE ACCEPTING.
AND A DEED RESTRICTIONS CAN BE CHANGED.
MAY I ALSO CHIME IN? UM, SO WITH REGARDS TO DEED RESTRICTIONS FOR INFILL DEVELOPMENTS, I THINK THIS IS THE MAJORITY OF THE CASES THAT WE'VE BEEN LOOKING AT.
SO WHEN THERE IS A NEIGHBORHOOD WHERE SOMEONE IS REBUILDING A HOUSE, A NEW CONSTRUCTION, THEY'RE TEARING DOWN A HOUSE, THEY'RE REBUILDING IT.
AND SO IF WE STAND ON THE POSITION THAT THEY HAVE TO BUILD A SIDEWALK, THEY'RE GONNA BE THE ONLY HOUSE IN THAT NEIGHBORHOOD WITH A SIDEWALK.
AND IT WILL TAKE A VERY LONG TIME FOR THE WHOLE ENTIRE NEIGHBORHOOD TO BE REBUILT.
I THINK IT JUST DEPENDS ON THE NEIGHBORHOODS, BUT FOR THE MOST PART, WHAT WE'RE SEEING AND WHAT WE'RE, WHAT'S COMING INTO OUR PERMITTING AREA, IT'S WHOLE NEIGHBORHOODS THAT DON'T HAVE ANY SIDEWALK AND WE'RE LOOKING AT ONE SINGLE HOUSE OR ONE OR TWO OR THREE.
AND MAY I ALSO, MR. VAR? YES, THANK YOU.
JUST ALSO CLARIFYING JUST FOR EVERYBODY IN THE ROOM.
UM, SO MY UNDERSTANDING OF THE ORDINANCE HAS BEEN THAT, UM, FOR QUITE A LONG TIME, THE A SIDEWALK IN FRONT OF YOUR HOUSE IS ACTUALLY THE PROPERTY OWNER'S RESPONSIBILITY TO MAINTAIN REPAIR AND SO FORTH, AND A PUBLIC RIGHT OF WAY.
SO LIKE IN AN INTERSECTION, THAT'S THE CITY'S RESPONSIBILITY TO ADD A DA.
SO, YOU KNOW, EXCEPT FOR, YOU KNOW, THESE SITUATIONS THAT, UM, MS. MICKELSON REFERRED TO WHEN THEY, THE CITY'S TAKEN OVER A PROJECT LIKE A CAPITAL PROVEN PROJECT OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
THAT IS THE GENERAL RULE THAT, THAT THE, THE SIDEWALK, JUST LIKE THE, THE GREEN SPACE BETWEEN THE SIDEWALK AND THE CURB ARE THE PROPERTY OWNER'S RESPONSIBILITY TO MAINTAIN ONE, ONE PICTURE THAT WE SAW THE SIDEWALK WAS INSIDE THE FENCE.
SO THERE, I UNDERSTAND IT'S OWNER'S RESPONSIBILITY, BUT IF IT'S OUTSIDE THE PROPERTY LINE, WHY IS IT IT IT IS STILL THEIR RESPONSIBILITY.
YEAH, I'M SORRY, LEMME JUMP IN HERE REAL QUICK.
JUST UNDER CHAPTER 40 OF THE CITY ORDINANCES, THERE IS A ITEM THAT SAYS THAT THE CURB, ANYTHING BETWEEN THE PROPERTY LINE AND THE CITY CURB, I'M SORRY, AND THE CURB, THE ROADWAY CURB IS A RESPONSIBILITY OF THE ADJACENT PROPERTY OWNER.
AND SO THAT'S WHERE THE SIDEWALKS FALL UNDER THAT ASPECT OF BEING THE ADJACENT PROPERTY OWNER'S RESPONSIBILITY TO INSTALL AND MAINTAIN AS WELL AS CURB RAMPS.
IF THEY HAPPEN TO HAVE A CORNER LOT, THE CURB RAMPS, IF YOU'RE BUILDING A HOME ON A CORNER AND NEED TO INSTALL A CURB RAMP, THEN THAT BECOMES PART OF THAT SIDEWALK IMPROVEMENT.
AND, AND JUST ONE MORE THING FROM A DISABILITY PERSPECTIVE, AND YOU KNOW, COMMISSIONER ROSENBERG, YOU BROUGHT THIS UP LAST TIME.
I MEAN, I HAVE A DISABILITY, SO THIS IS, I'M AN ADVOCATE.
THIS IS, UM, ON MY MINDS A LOT.
AND, AND HONESTLY, UM, PROBABLY ABOUT HALF OF THE, UM, HOUSTON STREETS REALLY HAVE SIDEWALKS AT THIS POINT.
AND WE WE'RE NEVER GONNA GET THERE BECAUSE THE WAY THAT THE ORDINANCE ITSELF WAS SET UP TO REQUIRE THAT IT'S THE PROPERTY OWNER'S RESPONSIBILITY, AND OF THOSE SIDEWALKS THAT WE HAVE, A LOT OF THEM ARE JUST NOT ACCESSIBLE.
SO, UM, I APPRECIATED YOUR COMMENT AT THE LAST MEETING FROM, FROM AN ACCESSIBILITY STANDPOINT, COMMISSIONER ROSENBERG, JUST A VERY SMALL COMMENT.
UM, DEVELOPERS ACTUALLY BUILD SIDEWALKS STREETS.
I MEAN, ALL OF THAT IS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF A DEVELOPER WHEN YOU BUILD OUT AN AREA.
SO WHETHER IT'S A SINGLE FAMILY HOME AND YOU GOTTA PUT YOUR CURB CUT IN, AND UTILITIES IN THAT INFRASTRUCTURE IS NOT, YOU KNOW, USUALLY A, A, A CITY RESPONSIBILITY UNLESS THERE'S A SPECIFIC REQUIREMENT OR SOMETHING ELSE.
BUT WHEN YOU BUILD A SUBDIVISION, ALL THAT STUFF IS BUILT BY THE, THE PRIVATE SECTOR.
SO IT'S NOT JUST THE SIDEWALK.
AND I'M, I'M SORRY, I'M GONNA JUMP IN ON THIS ONE TOO.
UM, YOU ARE CORRECT THAT THE UTILITIES ARE, THE SIDEWALKS ARE NOT THE DEVELOPER'S RESPONSIBILITY AT THIS POINT IN TIME, UNLESS THEY ARE ADJACENT TO LIKE A PARK OR GREEN SPACE THAT THE DEVELOPER'S THEN TURNING OVER? NO, I WAS JUST REFERRING TO THE STREET.
I JUST YEAH, THE STREET NETWORK, YOU'RE RIGHT.
I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE WEREN'T EXPECTING TO SEE WHEN A DEVELOPER WENT IN AND PUT IN ALL THE STREET NETWORKS THAT WE WOULD PUT IN SIDEWALKS, BECAUSE THEY USUALLY SELL OFF ALL
[00:30:01]
THE LOTS.WELL, WE DON'T KNOW WHERE THE DRIVEWAYS ARE GONNA GO.
WE DON'T KNOW THINGS LIKE THAT.
AND SO YOU'D HAVE ALL A LOT OF IT TORN BACK OUT AND BEING DRIVEN OVER AS THEY BUILD HOMES.
SO WE USUALLY MAKE THE, THE RESPONSIBILITY IS TO THE HOME BUILDER TO PUT IN THE SIDEWALK, NOT THE ACTUAL DEVELOPER.
BUT I JUST WANTED TO CLARIFY THAT.
I'M NOT SAYING THAT YOU WERE WRONG OR ANYTHING, I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE WE'RE ALL IN THE SAME PLACE.
NO, I JUST MEANT THAT THE, THE, THE MARKET IS RESPONSIBLE FOR BUILDING THAT INFRASTRUCTURE, WHETHER IT'S WHEN YOU BUILD THE HOUSE OR WHEN YOU BUILD THE SUBDIVISION.
IT'S JUST HOW WE GET THIS STUFF.
AND WHEN WE DON'T DO THAT AND WE PUT IT BACK ON THE CITY IN THE FUTURE, IT DOES COST MORE.
AND IT, IT, AND THAT'S ALL I WAS TRYING TO MAKE CLEAR.
UM, GETTING BACK TO THE DEED RESTRICTION EXCEPTION, UM, DID THE COMMITTEE AND MAKING THE MODIFICATIONS, DID THEY CONSIDER, IT SOUNDS LIKE WHEN, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER ALCORN SPOKE THAT THEY WAS, WAS A FEE IN LIEU OF CONSIDERED IN THAT, UM, CONDITION? AND THAT'S, THAT'S MY QUESTION BASICALLY.
UM, SO, UM, IN THE THOUGHT PROCESS OF THESE REVISIONS, UH, WE WERE NOT THINKING IN THE LINE OF REQUIRING A FEE IN LIEU FOR THE EXEMPTIONS, MAINLY BECAUSE OF THE FEEDBACK THAT WE'RE NOT BUILDING A SIDEWALK, WE'RE NOT GOING TO HAVE THE BENEFIT OF THE SIDEWALK, AND THEREFORE IT IS UNFAIR.
THAT WAS THE FACE OF, I WOULD SAY, DISCUSSION THAT WE WERE IN.
OBVIOUSLY, UM, SINCE WE'VE HAD EIGHT PUBLIC SESSIONS, UH, WE'VE BEEN GETTING FEEDBACK AND THE VARIETY OF FEEDBACK, UH, INCLUDING WHAT COUNCIL MEMBER CA ALCORN JUST UH, MENTIONED THAT, UH, EVEN IF IT'S JUST A, SOME SORT OF FLAT FEE, UH, WOULD MAKE SENSE.
NOT JUST FOR DEED RESTRICTIONS, BUT FOR LOTS THAT ARE ONE ACRE.
AND I'M SORRY I, IT MIGHT BE BENEFICIAL AT THIS POINT IF I CAN SHARE THE SUMMARY OF THE FEEDBACK FROM THE PUBLIC SESSIONS.
Y'ALL HAVE IT IN YOUR PACKAGE, BUT IT WOULD BE BENEFICIAL FOR THE AUDIENCE AND EVERYONE HERE MAYBE JUST TO TAKE A QUICK LOOK AT THAT.
UH, SO JUST IN SUMMARY, WE CONDUCTED EIGHT PUBLIC SESSIONS.
FOUR WERE LIVE AND FOUR WERE VIRTUAL.
UH, WE HAD 135 PARTICIPANTS, UH, COMING TO THE MEETINGS.
UH, WE ALSO RECEIVED, UH, EMAILS.
WE'VE RECEIVED COMMENTS ON LET'S TALK HOUSTON, UM, AND, UH, SOME YEAH, ONLINE FROM LET'S TALK HOUSTON.
SO IN GENERAL, UM, THESE ARE THE FEEDBACK THAT WE'VE COLLECTED.
I WOULD SAY OVERALL, UH, THERE IS SUPPORT FOR THE PROPOSED AMENDMENTS FROM BUILDERS AND SOME RESIDENTS, UH, FOR THE COMMON SENSE APPROACH AND THE FAIRNESS THAT WE'RE PROPOSING.
HOWEVER, MOST OF THE COMMENTS THAT WE'VE RECEIVED, UH, FROM THE PUBLIC MEETINGS AND, AND ONLINE REALLY URGE THE CITY TO KEEP THE FEE IN LIEU IF THE SIDEWALK DO NOT GET BUILT FOR ANY REASON.
UH, SO THAT IS, UM, I THINK REALLY THE MAIN POINT.
UH, WE'VE RECEIVED SOME PRETTY GOOD FEEDBACK, UH, WITH REGARDS TO DEED RESTRICTIONS.
UH, ONE THAT WAS REALLY BENEFICIAL IS THAT IF WE WERE TO IMPLEMENT THIS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE GRANDFATHERED THE, UM, GRANDFATHER THE EXISTING, UH, DEED RESTRICTION AND NOT ALLOWING ANY NEW NEIGHBORHOODS, UH, TO USE THIS AS A BACK DOOR TO NOT WANTING TO BUILD SIDEWALKS.
SO I THOUGHT THAT WAS THOUGHTFUL WITH REGARDS TO LOTS ONE ACRE OR MORE.
UM, THE FEEDBACK, UM, IS THAT, UM, THEY SHOULD BE SUBJECT TO SOME SORT OF FEE.
UM, AND ALSO WE SHOULD ADDRESS THE WIDTH OF THE ONE ACRE LOTS, UH, WITH REGARDS TO NO SIDEWALKS ON THE BLOCK FACE AND ACROSS THE STREET.
UM, UNLESS IT'S 1400 FEET FROM THE NEAREST PROPERTY LINE OF SCHOOLS, LIBRARIES, AND COMMUNITY CENTERS, THE FEEDBACK IS PLEASE ADD MORE LOCATIONS SUCH AS GROCERY STORES, BUS, BUS STOPS, DOCTOR OFFICES, PLACES OF WORSHIP PARKS, ET CETERA.
AND THEN WITH REGARDS TO OPEN DITCH MAKING SIDEWALK CONSTRUCTION IN FEASIBLE, THE GENERAL COMMENT IS THAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO SEE SIDEWALKS BUILT OVER THE DITCH.
UH, WE HAD FOUR LETTERS, UH, WRITTEN TO US BY A A RP, TEXAS LINK HOUSTON, AND,
[00:35:01]
UM, THE GREATER HOUSTON BUILDERS ASSOCIATION, WHICH I'VE ATTACHED.UM, SO, UH, PRETTY MUCH I THINK THAT IS KIND OF THE SUMMARY OF, UH, SIMILAR COMMENTS.
UM, SO WE'VE RECEIVED MANY, MANY COMMENTS, BUT THOSE ARE THE BUCKETS, UH, THAT I'VE SUMMARIZED.
UM, DIRECTOR, I AM SORRY THAT I APOLOGIZE.
I DID NOT SEE THAT INFORMATION IN THE, IN THE PACKETS AND WHATNOT, BUT MANY OF THOSE COMMENTS I THINK ARE YES, ARE VERY VALID.
AND, AND HONESTLY, UH, I MEANT TO AFTER THE PRESENTATION FROM HECTOR TO PRESENT OR AT LEAST SHARE THIS WITH YOU.
UH, BUT WE JUST KIND OF GOT RUNNING.
SO MY, MY APOLOGY, UM, AND I FOUND THE PUBLIC COMMENTS AFTER THE AGENDA IN OUR PACKET.
SO ON HERE, IT'S AFTER THE FINAL AGENDA, BUT I DIDN'T SEE IT EITHER UNTIL THEY SHOWED ME
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS BEFORE WE CALL OUR NEXT SPEAKERS? MADAM CHAIR, IF I MAY? YES.
UH, I JUST WANT TO CALL TO EVERYBODY'S ATTENTION.
WE CURRENTLY HAVE A BUILT-IN SIDEWALK TO NOWHERE CIRCUMSTANCE, AND THAT WAS WHAT WAS ADOPTED IN, IN, UH, THREE YEARS AGO.
AND THAT IS, IF THE BLOCK FACE IS I BELIEVE 400 FEET OR LONGER CORNER, LOTS ARE REQUIRED TO BUILD SIDEWALKS AGAIN UNDER THE CURRENT ORDINANCE.
SO CORNER LOTS ARE REQUIRED TO BUILD THE SIDEWALK ON BOTH STREETS, BUT NONE OF THE HOMES BETWEEN.
SO WE HAVE THAT CURRENT CIRCUMSTANCE OF A SIDEWALK TO NOWHERE.
THE INTENT IN THIS CASE WAS TO ELIMINATE THAT BY SIMPLY INCLUDING THE CORNER, LOTS OF NOT BEING SUBJECT TO BUILDING THE SIDEWALK.
'CAUSE NOBODY IN BETWEEN DOES AND THINKING ABOUT, ALRIGHT, WHAT IF THAT LOT'S 50 FEET IN WIDTH? OKAY, THAT'S ONLY, WHAT WOULD THAT BE? 400? SO, YOU KNOW, THAT'S EIGHT LOTS.
SO IT'S NOT A LONG BLOCK IN A, AS A MINIMUM ANYWAY.
BUT JUST TO PUT THIS IN PERSPECTIVE, WE CURRENTLY HAVE A CIRCUMSTANCE OF A SIDEWALK TO NOWHERE THAT WE'RE TRYING TO, UH, BASICALLY OFFSET.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS JOHN NICKS.
MR. NICKS DOESN'T APPEAR TO BE HERE.
IS HE COMING HERE? OH, OH, IT DOES GO ALL THE WAY DOWN.
MY NAME IS JOHN NICKS, I LIVE OVER IN THE HEIGHTS BY 19TH AND RUTH LAND.
AND THERE ARE SOME CHANGES TO THIS.
AMENDMENTS I BELIEVE SHOULD BE CHANGED.
I BELIEVE THE CITY SHOULD BE FIGHTING FOR IT.
IF THERE'S ANYTHING WHERE IT SAYS THAT SIDEWALKS ARE NOT ALLOWED IN THE DEED RESTRICTIONS, THE CITY SHOULD BE FIGHTING TOOTH AND NAIL BECAUSE THAT IS LIKE AN A DA VIOLATION.
PEOPLE LIKE MYSELF AND WHEELCHAIRS COULD GET LITERALLY HIT BY VEHICLES AND BIG TRUCKS BECAUSE OF IT.
THE SIDEWALKS ARE IN SUCH BAD SHAPE FROM WHERE I LIVE, UH, IN THE HEIGHTS.
I KNOW I'M NOT SURE IF IT'S STAYED RESTRICTED OR NOT, BUT IT'S IN SUCH BAD OR SHAPE WHERE I LIVE, I HAVE TO LITERALLY, IF I'M TAKING THE METRO BUS BY 20TH AND RULAND BY THE BY S FARGO AND RICE BIKES, I HAVE TO LITERALLY GO IN THE STREET ALL THE WAY TO WHERE MY APARTMENT TOWER IS.
AND I'VE BEEN ALMOST HIT MULTIPLE TIMES, HONKED AT AND SO FORTH.
THERE'S THE INCLINES ARE TOO STEEP FOR MY INCLINE, MY TURE TO EVEN CLIMB UP.
AND THAT'S WHEN SOMETHING ELSE I NEVER HAVE HERE HEARD HERE IN THIS REPORT IS DEALING WITH THE STEEP INCLINES BECAUSE IT'S SO STEEP.
IT'S A COMPLETE AND ABSOLUTE MYTH.
AND ONE WAY TO IMPROVE THE SIDEWALK MYTH AND IS TO DO MORE PSA AWARENESS ON THE TELEVISIONS LIKE CHANNEL 11 AND CHANNEL 13 THAT SAYS, HEY, THIS IS YOUR RESPONSIBILITY.
YOU NEED TO BE A GREAT CITIZENS AND FIX YOUR SIDEWALKS.
AND IF YOU DON'T, WE'RE GONNA FINALLY COME AFTER YOU WITH A TICKET OR SOME SORT OF FINES THAT'LL BE ATTACHED TO EITHER YOUR WATER BILL OR HOWEVER IT'S DONE, OR HOWEVER THESE BUSINESS OWNERS GET, GET SERVICES FROM THE CITY BECAUSE IT'S NOT JUST HEIGHTS, THE CITY STREET, IT'S ALL A COMPLETE MESS ACROSS THE CITY.
AND IT'S, YOU NEED LOADS AND LOADS OF FUNDING TO FIX THESE SIDEWALKS.
AND THE CITY COULD BE DOING A LOT BETTER JOB WITH SOMETHING.
AND THAT'S ALL I HAVE TO SAY, AND I KNOW MY TIME'S UP.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS DIEGO DEGENHART.
[00:40:01]
PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME FOR THE RECORD.I AM MEMBERS OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION.
I AM AN URBAN PLANNER WORKING ON PROJECTS TO RECONNECT COMMUNITIES THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY.
COMMUNITIES SUFFERING FROM MISTAKES MADE 20, 30, 40, 50, OR MORE YEARS AGO ON BEHALF OF THE FUTURE INHERITORS OF HOUSTON, I'M HERE TO ASK THAT INSTEAD OF WORRYING ABOUT SIDEWALKS TO NOWHERE, WE THINK INSTEAD ABOUT SIDEWALKS TO EVERYWHERE AND IT REFRAIN FROM MAKING THE SAME MISTAKES THAT ARE REALLY COSTING MILLIONS TO FIX ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
THOSE ARE ALSO ACTIVELY COSTING THE DISABLED CHILDREN AND STROLLERS, FAMILIES AND SMALL BUSINESSES, THE QUALITY OF LIFE AND ACCESS TO OPPORTUNITY THAT THEY DESERVE.
WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT HERE IS OF COURSE, THE PROPOSED CHAPTER 40 SIDEWALK AMENDMENTS, WHICH CREATE LOOPHOLES THAT ENABLE SIDEWALK EXCEPTIONS FOR UNSPECIFIED REASONS.
AND IN THE TYPE OF HOUSTON NEIGHBORHOOD THAT COMPRISES THE MAJORITY OF OUR CITY SINGLE FAMILY HOMES.
TO BE HONEST, ALSO, LOOKING AT SOME OF THOSE EXCEPTIONS, WE KNOW HOW TO MAKE SIDEWALKS.
WE KNOW HOW TO MAKE THEM OVER DITCHES.
WE KNOW HOW TO MAKE THEM DESPITE DEED RESTRICTIONS AND ANY OTHER LIMITATIONS.
WE HAVE VARIOUS RESILIENCE DOCUMENTS, REPORTS, AND PLANS TO BE ABLE TO UNDERSTAND HOW TO PROPERLY PUSH SIDEWALKS FORWARD INSTEAD OF INSTITUTING NEW EXEMPTIONS.
HOUSTON RESIDENTS, BUSINESS OWNERS AND VISITORS ALIKE NEED YOU TO DEVELOP A COMPREHENSIVE FUNDING AND IMPLEMENTATION PLAN TO PROVIDE EVERY HOUSTONIAN WITH AN ACCESSIBLE SIDEWALK.
HOUSTON NEEDS DEDICATED SIDEWALK FUNDING MECHANISMS FROM BONDS TO GRANTS TO MORE SUSTAINABLE FUNDING SOURCES LIKE INTERAGENCY COMMITMENTS AND EQUITABLE FEES.
THIS IS AN INVESTMENT THAT WERE NOT FOR PAST PLANNING DECISIONS.
THE CITY WOULD ALREADY BE REAPING THE BENEFITS OF.
I'M TALKING ABOUT THE TRUE ECONOMIC POTENTIAL OF ICONIC HOUSTON LANDMARKS THAT HAS LONG BEEN STIFLED BY SIDEWALK INFRASTRUCTURE THAT IS ILL SUITED TO SERVE OUR POPULATIONS AND OUR AMBITIONS FOR OUR FUTURES.
AT 26 YEARS OLD, I AM SEEING MY FRIENDS LEAVE HOUSTON AT AN INCREDIBLE RATE OPTING INSTEAD FOR WALKABLE CITIES THAT CAN PROVIDE AN ENVIRONMENT WHERE THEY CAN BE MORE COMFORTABLY RAISED A FAMILY.
SO INSTEAD FOR THE GOOD OF HOUSTON, WE NEED LESS LOOPHOLES AND MORE SIDEWALKS.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS JAKE JULIET.
UH, MY NAME'S JAKE JULIET AND I LIVE IN THE FIRST WARD NEIGHBORHOOD AND MY CITY COUNCIL IS, UH, DISTRICT H I'M HERE TO SPEAK AGAINST THE PRO PROPOSED AMENDMENTS OF CHAPTER 40 OF THE SIDEWALK ORDINANCE.
AS A PEDESTRIAN, I WILL RELY ON SIDEWALKS DAILY, WHETHER I'M WALKING TO THE GROCERY STORE, TO RESTAURANTS, OR EVEN THE YOGA STUDIOS DOWN THE STREET AND THE CLIMBING GYM, OR SIMPLY SPENDING TIME WITH MY WIFE.
SIDEWALKS AREN'T JUST ABOUT GETTING AROUND.
THEY HELP US STAY ACTIVE AND CONNECT US WITH OUR NEIGHBORS.
HOWEVER, SIDEWALKS IN THE FIRST WARD ARE OFTEN IN DISREPAIR AND ONGOING DEVELOPMENT.
OFTEN F FREQUENTLY FORCES US, UH, INTO UNSAFE SITUATIONS LIKE CROSSING THE ROAD OR CROSSING BUSY INTERSECTIONS.
THE PROPOSED NEW EXEMPTIONS COULD PREVENT THE CREATION OF SAFE CONNECTED SIDEWALK NETWORK.
HOUSTON ALREADY FACES A SIDEWALK DEFICIT.
ACTUALLY ONLY 57% OF STREETS HAVE SIDEWALKS AND ALMOST 40 OF THOSE ARE IN SIGNIFICANT NEED OF REPAIR.
WITHOUT INVESTMENT AND CLEAR STANDARDS, I FEAR THAT WE'LL FALL EVEN FURTHER BEHIND.
EXPANDING SIDEWALKS WOULD MAKE OUR CITY HEALTHIER AND FOSTER A SENSE OF PRIDE AND CONNECTION IN OUR NEIGHBORHOODS.
WE NEED A COMPREHENSIVE PLAN AND DEDICATED FUNDING TO BUILD A SIDEWALK NETWORK THAT SERVES EVERYONE IN HOUSTON.
I URGE THE COMMISSION TO RECONSIDER THESE EXEMPTIONS AND PRIORITIZE SOLUTIONS THAT MAKE HOUSTON SAFE AND WALKABLE FOR ALL.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS SHAIL DUNCAN.
PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME FOR THE RECORD.
NO, YOU KNOW, I WRITE IN CIRCLES, SO IT'S OKAY.
I'M HAPPY WE GOT IT CORRECTED.
UM, SO GOOD AFTERNOON EVERYONE.
UM, I'M HAPPY TO BE HERE IN FRONT OF EVERY PLANNING COMMISSIONER.
AND I WANTED TO START BY ASKING A SIMPLE QUESTION.
WHY WOULD WE PRIORITIZE SHORT-TERM PROFITS OVER LONG-TERM SAFETY AND ACCESSIBILITY OF OUR OWN NEIGHBORHOODS? HOUSTON DESERVES BETTER RIGHT NOW.
ONLY 57% OF OUR STREETS HAVE SIDEWALKS AND EVEN FEWER OF THOSE SIDEWALKS ARE SAFE AND ACCESSIBLE.
THE PROPOSED AMENDMENTS WILL LET DEVELOPERS OFF THE HOOK WITH EXEMPTIONS THAT ARE FAR TOO BROAD, ALLOWING MORE WAYS TO AVOID BUILDING SIDEWALKS WON'T HELP US MOVE FORWARD.
[00:45:01]
IT WILL LEAVE MORE COMMUNITIES UNPROTECTED AND SET US BACK.IT'S CLEAR WHAT OUR COMMUNITY WANTS.
WE WANT A SAFE, ACCESSIBLE SIDEWALKS IN EVERY NEIGHBORHOOD, AND WE WANT A REAL PLAN TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN.
ANY ORDINANCE THAT DISCOURAGES THIS FORWARD MOVEMENT WILL BE A PROBLEM.
PLAIN AND SIMPLE, THESE EXEMPTIONS ARE NOT ACCEPTABLE.
DEED RESTRICTIONS FOR EXEMPT, FOR EXAMPLE, SHOULD NOT PREVENT SIDEWALKS.
THEY'VE KEPT NEIGHBORHOODS DIVIDED AND THEY SHOULDN'T STAND IN THE WAY OF PUBLIC SAFETY.
LARGE LOTS ALSO NEED SIDEWALKS.
JUST BECAUSE A NEIGHBORHOOD HAS BIG LOTS DOESN'T MEAN PEOPLE DON'T HAVE, UH, DON'T NEED SAFE WAYS TO WALK AROUND THEM.
THE ABSENCE OF SIDEWALKS ISN'T AN EXCUSE.
NOT TO BUILD THEM PLACES LIKE BUS STOPS, DOCTOR'S OFFICES, WORKPLACES THAT NEED SAFE ACCESS JUST AS MUCH AS SCHOOLS AND LIBRARIES AND HOUSTON'S OWN RESILIENT SIDEWALK PLAN SHOWED THAT DITCHES AND OTHER OBSTACLES ARE REASONABLE, ARE AREN'T REASONS TO SKIP SIDEWALKS.
THEY'RE CHALLENGES WE CAN SOLVE.
LET'S NOT LET VAGUE EXEMPTIONS BECOME AN EXCUSE FOR AN ACTION.
WHAT WE REALLY NEED IN HOUSTON IS A COMMITMENT TO BUILD CONNECTED SIDEWALK NETWORK THAT SERVES EVERYONE.
OTHER CITIES LIKE AUSTIN HAVE PASSED BONDS, AND WE COULD DO THE SAME.
WE SHOULD PURSUE EVERY AVAILABLE GRANT LIKE THE RECENT $43 MILLION THAT IS GOING TOWARDS ALT NETWORKS AND CASHMAN GARDENS ENG GULFTON.
AND WE SHOULD BE PARTNERING WITH EVERY AGENCY TO MAKE THIS REALITY.
SO I'M ASKING YOU TODAY AS I CLOSE TO PLEASE LISTEN TO WHAT OUR COMMUNITY IS ASKING FOR.
INSTEAD, LET'S TAKE REAL STEPS TO FUND AND BUILD THE SAFE ACCESSIBLE SIDEWALK THAT EVERY HOUSTONIAN DESERVES.
JUST WANT TO MAKE A, UH, COMMENT TO EVERYBODY.
WE ALL HAVE TWO MINUTES TO SPEAK AND RESPECT EVERYBODY ELSE IN THE ROOM AND TRY TO KEEP TO YOUR TIME.
I THINK THAT WOULD BE APPRECIATED.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS EY EL ELIZONDO.
I KNOW I MESSED THAT UP, ELIZONDO.
THANK YOU SO MUCH, UM, TO ALL OF YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE TO OUR CITY.
UM, I'M MILDLY TERRIFIED RIGHT NOW.
UM, SO I'M HERE ON BEHALF, UM, TO REPRESENT THE GHBA REMODELERS COUNCIL.
UM, WE DON'T ALWAYS HAVE TO BUILD THE SIDEWALKS AS REMODELERS, BUT WE LOVE TO DO THINGS EFFICIENTLY AND WHAT MAKES SENSE FOR OUR HOMEOWNERS.
UM, I'D LIKE TO, UM, JUST RECOMMEND THAT WE GO FORWARD WITH THE PLANNING COMMISSION'S, AMENDMENT RECOMMENDATIONS AND YOU KNOW, AS, AS SOMEONE WHO HAS BEEN THROUGH THE PROCESS OF THE SIDEWALK MODIFICATION, STREAMLINING AND MAKING THAT MORE, UM, UM, EASY TO ATTAIN WOULD BE AN EXCELLENT WAY TO SAVE SOME TIME AND MONEY FOR OUR CITY.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS CRYSTAL CASEY.
I KNOW THAT MOST PEOPLE DON'T KNOW THAT Y'ALL DON'T GET PAID TO DO THIS AND YOU VOLUNTEER YOUR TIME.
AND THANK YOU FOR THE SIDEWALK COMMITTEE AND FOR LISTENING TO THE COMMUNITY.
I'M HERE TO SPEAK ON BEHALF OF, UH, GHBA AND ALSO, UH, AGAPE HOMES.
I HAVE A SON WITH SPECIAL NEEDS.
I WANT SIDEWALKS, BUT I ALSO BELIEVE THAT THERE NEED TO BE SOME ADJUSTMENTS TO THE CURRENT, UM, UH, THE CURRENT ORDINANCE THAT MAKE SENSE THERE.
I HAVE CLIENTS THAT HAVE BOUGHT IN COMMUNITIES WHERE THEY DON'T WANT SIDEWALKS AND THEY'RE BEING CHARGED $18,000 BECAUSE OF THE LENGTH OF THEIR OR THE WIDTH OF THEIR HOME.
AND I DON'T, I, THAT SEEMS PUNITIVE TO ME.
I LIKE SALLY'S IDEA OF POSSIBLY A FLAT FEE, BUT THERE'S GOTTA BE SOME KIND OF GIVE AND TAKE ON WHAT WE'VE, WHAT WE'VE DONE HERE.
AND THEN I'D LIKE TO READ A LETTER FROM PETER FREEMAN FROM AGAPE HOMES 'CAUSE I'M VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING EFFORTS.
UM, HE STATES THAT, UH, THEY BUILD AN OST SOUTH UNION COMMUNITY.
THEY STRONGLY SUPPORT CHANGES TO THE SIDEWALK RULES BEING CONSIDERED AS A BUILDER OF AFFORDABLE HOMES FOR NON-PROFIT.
UM, THEY FOCUS ON BUYERS UNDER 80% A MI.
THEY SELL THEIR HOMES AT COST.
EVERY ADDITIONAL DOLLAR SPENT MEANS THE DREAM OF HOME OWNERSHIP IS TAKEN AWAY TO A LOW TO MODERATE INCOME BUYER.
THEY WOULD LOVE TO BUILD SIDEWALKS AROUND ALL OF THEIR HOMES, BUT DUE TO THE OPEN DITCHES ERODING THE RIGHT OF WAY OVER THE YEARS AND CENTER POINT, PUTTING POLES IN SPOTS THAT LEAVE NO ROOM FOR A SIDEWALK, IT'S IMPOSSIBLE.
THEY'RE LEFT WITH COSTLY, LENGTHY SOLUTIONS OF DOING A PLAN AND PROFILE, WHICH TAKES A LOT OF TIME AND A LITTLE BIT OF MONEY TO FIX THESE ISSUES.
THEY WOULD, THAT FORCES US TO PAY THE FEE IN LIEU OF AND SUFFER MAJOR DELAYS.
SOME OF THESE COSTS HAVE BEEN IN EXCESS OF THREE TO
[00:50:01]
$9,000 FOR AN AFFORDABLE HOME PER HOME ONTO THE AFFORDABLE.AND THIS IS CAST ONTO THE AFFORDABLE BUYER, MAKING THE HOME UNATTAINABLE.
THESE CHANGES WILL SUPPORT AFFORDABLE HOUSING, WHICH I THINK IS A BIG INITIATIVE OF THE CURRENT AND PAST ADMINISTRATIONS, UM, AND OPTIONS TO THEIR NEIGHBORS.
THEY WANT CONNECTIVITY IN THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD, BUT THERE'S NO WAY TO BUY.
AND WHAT A LOT OF PEOPLE HERE DON'T UNDERSTAND IS HOW EXPENSIVE IT IS TO BUILD OVER AN OPEN DITCH.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS CAROL BRADY.
UM, MY NAME IS CAROL BRADY AND I AM THE ED FOR HO HOMEMADE HOUSTON.
WE BUILD SHELTERS, TRANSITIONAL, UM, SEMI-PERMANENT, AND NOW AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
UM, WE ALSO DO REMODELING IN THE GREATER HOUSTON AREA AND BEYOND.
FIRST AND FOREMOST, I WANNA SAY THANK YOU FOR YOUR VALUABLE TIME ON THIS MATTER.
I KNOW IT HASN'T BEEN EASY, BUT I'M GRATEFUL FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION ON THE SIDEWALK GUIDELINES.
AS A NONPROFIT BUILDER WHO BUILDS FOR OTHER NONPROFITS, I CAN TELL YOU THAT YOUR ACTIONS MAKE A HUGE DIFFERENCE TO THOSE ENTITIES WHO ARE SERVING OUR MOST VULNERABLE HOUSTONIANS CAPITAL CAMPAIGNS.
AND RAISING FUNDS FOR BUILDINGS THAT WILL SERVE MORE PEOPLE AND EXPAND SERVICES IS DIFFICULT AT BEST.
BUT WHEN THE COST OF A SIDEWALK CAN EASILY ADD AN ADDITIONAL 15 TO $20,000 TO THAT BUILD, IT IS VERY HARD FOR THAT NONPROFIT TO GO BACK TO ITS SUPPORTERS AND EXPLAIN WHY THAT AMOUNT IS SO PROHIBITIVE AND IT CAN DELAY AND OR STOP A BILL THAT THEY HAD DREAMED OF DOING.
WE WANT OUR NONPROFITS TO CONTINUE TO SERVE OUR COMMUNITY AND BY THESE CONCESSIONS THAT YOU'RE MAKING, IT WILL BE EASIER FOR THEM TO DO THAT.
SO I APPRECIATE AND AM IN SUPPORT OF ALL OF YOUR HARD WORK.
OUR LAST SPEAKER IS FRED WOODS.
GOOD AFTERNOON, MADAM CHAIR AND COMMISSIONERS.
I'M THE PRESIDENT OF NORTHWOOD MANOR CIVIC CLUB.
I'M NOT IN SUPPORT OF THE SIDEWALK ORDINANCE AMENDMENT BECAUSE IT DOES NOT ADDRESS OUR VARIOUS COMMUNITIES' FULL NEEDS.
IN CORRECTING THE CURRENT ORDINANCE, IT DOESN'T ADDRESS THE LACK OF FUNDING AND WOULD REMOVE WHAT FUNDING WE DO HAVE DEDICATED FOR SIDEWALKS.
IT DOESN'T ADDRESS THE MANY EXISTING SIDEWALKS THAT ARE NOT CONNECTED BECAUSE THERE WASN'T A SIDEWALK TO BEGIN WITH.
AND THE BUILDER, IN MY COMMUNITY'S CASE, A GOVERNMENTAL ENTITY ENTITY REFUSED TO PAY THE FEE IN LIEU.
ADDITIONALLY, THE AMENDMENT DOES NOT GO FAR ENOUGH TO INCLUDE MANDATORY SIDEWALKS THAT ARE NEEDED FOR CONNECTION TO METRO BUS STOPS, MEDICAL CENTERS, GROCERY STORES, AND OTHER AREAS THAT WE NEED A WALKABLE SOLUTION.
WE NEED A COMPREHENSIVE PLAN TO ADDRESS THIS ISSUE AND IDENTIFICATION OF ADEQUATE ONGOING FUNDING SOURCES.
I ENCOURAGE FUTURE COMMITTEES INVOLVED IN THE, IN FURTHER REVISING THIS ORDINANCE INCLUDE TRUSTED COMMUNITY FOCUSED NONPROFITS LIKE LINK HOUSTON AND REPRESENTATION FROM UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES, UH, WITH OLDER NEIGHBORHOODS LIKE MINE.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND YOUR CONSIDERATION.
I HAVE NO ONE ELSE SIGNED TO SPEAK.
IS THERE ANYONE ELSE IN THE AUDIENCE THAT WISHES TO SPEAK? HEARING NONE.
I'LL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING COMMISSIONERS.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? COMMISSIONER BLAND, VIRA BLAND.
UM, SO I THINK WE'VE HEARD A LOT OF INTERESTING IDEAS AND CONCERNS FROM BOTH SIDES OF THE TOPIC.
I'M WONDERING IF WE ARE GOING TO INCORPORATE ANY OF THOSE COMMENTS INTO THE ORDINANCE AS PROPOSED, THE AMENDMENTS AS PROPOSED BEFORE WE VOTE ON THEM OR WHAT THE RIGHT, BUT YOU KNOW, I TOOK NOTES
THEY'VE TAKEN NOTES OVER THE EIGHT PUBLIC HEARINGS THAT HAVE BEEN HELD.
ALL OF THAT WILL BE COMBINED AND THEN WE'LL BE LOOKED AT AND THEN THEY'LL BRING THAT BACK TO US NEXT WEEK.
SO IT'S A, A GREAT LEAD INTO, WE ARE HAVING A SPECIAL MEETING ON NOVEMBER 21ST HERE AT TWO 30 JUST TO LOOK AT, AT THE SIDEWALK ORDINANCE.
SO WOULD IT BE BETTER TO HOLD OUR COMMENTS TILL THEN? OR YOU CAN COMMENT NOW IF YOU DON'T? WELL, I'M JUST, WE'RE NOT MAKING AN ACTION TODAY.
I WOULD LIKE TO HOLD ON A MINUTE.
SO WE WOULD BE VOTING NEXT WEEK AT THE SPECIAL MEETING? CORRECT.
SO IT WOULD BE HEARING COMMENTS AND VOTING? CORRECT.
YEAH, I, I JUST WOULD LIKE TO ASK EVERYONE TO CONSIDER AS WELL.
[00:55:01]
WE, WE'VE TALKED A LOT ABOUT ACCESSIBILITY AND, AND PEOPLE WITH DIS PEOPLE WHO DON'T CURRENTLY HAVE A DISABILITY CAN BECOME DISABLED AT ANY POINT IN YOUR LIFE.AND YOU WILL QUICKLY REALIZE HOW INACCESSIBLE THIS CITY IS ONCE THAT HAPPENS.
UM, SIDEWALKS BENEFIT MORE THAN PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES.
THEY BENEFIT PEOPLE PUSHING STROLLERS.
THEY BENEFIT PEOPLE, UM, WHO JUST WANNA BE ABLE TO GET AROUND AND, AND LIKE MANY OF THE SPEAKERS HAVE TALKED ABOUT, AND I ALSO WANT TO SHARE THAT, UM, PEOPLE IN WHEELCHAIRS HAVE A MUCH HIGHER RATE OF BEING HIT BY A CAR AND KILLED BECAUSE OF INACCESSIBLE SIDEWALKS.
AND I'M EMOTIONAL ABOUT THIS BECAUSE MY NEIGHBOR WAS HIT AND KILLED, UH, FOR THIS REASON.
UM, AND I MAY HAVE SHARED THIS BEFORE, OR MAYBE NOT, BUT SHE WAS HELPING, UM, RIGHT, RIGHT NEXT TO MY HOUSE.
SHE WAS HELPING A GENTLEMAN IN A WHEELCHAIR WHO HAD JUST RECENTLY BECOME DISABLED, UM, WHO HAD SHOPPING AT THE GROCERY STORE AND HE WAS TRYING TO GET TO HIS BUS STOP AND SHE SAW THAT HE WAS HAVING SOME STRUGGLES AND SHE STOPPED THE CAR AND SHE, UM, TRIED TO HELP HIM ACROSS AND THEY WERE BOTH HIT AND KILLED.
AND WHAT THE MEDIA DIDN'T IMMEDIATELY REPORT WAS THAT THE CROSSWALK WAS NOT WHEELCHAIR ACCESSIBLE.
SO THIS IS A REAL ISSUE THAT REALLY IMPACTS PEOPLE.
IT'S MORE THAN JUST GETTING AROUND THE CITY.
IT, UM, IT IS REALLY CONCERNING.
AND THE GENTLEMAN THAT THAT SPOKE THAT'S IN A WHEELCHAIR, UM, I MEAN I I HAVE ALMOST BEEN HIT AND KILLED, YOU KNOW, HIT NOT KILLED.
I'VE ALMOST BEEN HIT BY CARS MYSELF.
IT IS A REAL, A REAL CHALLENGE WHEN YOU'RE NOT VISIBLE, UM, BECAUSE YOU'RE AT A LOWER HEIGHT LIKE A CHILD IS.
SO, YES, I'M EMOTIONAL ABOUT THIS.
IT IS, UM, REALLY IMPORTANT FOR US ALL TO CONSIDER AND I JUST WOULD LIKE TO ASK YOU ALL TO CONSIDER THAT AS WELL.
THAT WE REALLY DO NEED MORE SIDEWALKS IN THE CITY AND SOMEHOW WE'VE GOTTA GET THERE.
I DON'T THINK THIS ORDINANCE DOES IT, BUT MAYBE THERE'S SOME WAY THAT WE CAN MAKE THAT ORDINANCE MEET THAT GOAL.
THANK YOU COMMISSIONER ROSENBERG.
YEAH, MAYBE I'LL GO AHEAD AND SAY A FEW THINGS, UM, JUST FOR EVERYBODY TO CONTEMPLATE OVER THE NEXT WEEK AND EVERY THANKING EVERYBODY FOR COMING TODAY.
UM, I WANNA BE CLEAR, I'M NOT FOR AGAINST, UM, THE, UH, AMENDMENTS, BUT I DO THINK, AND AND I DO THINK THERE'S ALWAYS OPPORTUNITIES FOR IMPROVEMENTS TO ALL THINGS.
HOWEVER, I DO THINK MORE TIME NEEDS TO BE PLACED INTO CONSIDERATION OF SOME OF THESE THINGS, UM, WHICH IS WHAT I'M HOPING TO ENCOURAGE.
UM, COMMISSIONER VART, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE REASONS I WANTED TO SAY THIS STUFF IS, IS THE SAME THING.
AND UM, LITERALLY THE OTHER NIGHT I WAS DRIVING HOME AND THERE WAS A STREET THAT WAS UNDER LIT, NO SIDEWALKS.
AND I CAME INCHES FROM KILLING SOMEBODY 'CAUSE THEY WERE WALKING IN THE STREET.
UM, AND YOU KNOW, I WAS PRETTY SHAKEN UP ABOUT THAT.
AND YOU KNOW, THAT WAS IN A NEIGHBORHOOD.
UM, THAT'S A DISADVANTAGED COMMUNITY, LOWER INCOME.
AND A LOT OF THESE PROJECTS ARE BEING BUILT IN THOSE COMMUNITIES.
THESE ARE THE COMMUNITIES, FIFTH WARD, THIRD WARD, THAT DON'T HAVE COMPLETE SIDEWALKS.
AND NOT SAYING CERTAIN AREAS HAVE PRIORITY OVER OTHERS, BUT I DO THINK IT NEGATIVELY IMPACTS THOSE PLACES.
AND THAT'S WHERE AFFORDABLE HOUSING IS BEING BUILDING.
THAT IS WHERE URBAN REDEVELOPMENT IS HAPPENING.
THAT IS WHERE PEOPLE ARE MAKING MONEY.
UM, AND WE ALL WILL TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SAVE MONEY WHEN WE CAN.
IT, I'VE NEVER SEEN A SIDEWALK COST 15 TO $20,000 ON A RESIDENTIAL LOT.
UM, I DO THINK THERE'S SOME ADDITIONAL THOUGHT THAT NEEDS TO GO INTO, UM, AREAS WITH DITCHES.
UM, I THINK THERE'S A MUCH BIGGER ISSUE THERE.
I THINK IT'S THE TAIL WAGGING THE DOG WHEN WE SAY, OH, WELL WE CAN'T PUT A SIDEWALK 'CAUSE THERE'S A DITCH.
AND I THINK THE FEE IN LIEU OF THE RIGHT NUMBER, NOT MY PLACE TO SAY, BUT THOSE THINGS NEED TO BE FIGURED OUT OVER TIME.
STORM INFRASTRUCTURE, THAT'S A CITY INFRASTRUCTURE.
AND TO LET SOMETHING LIKE THAT IMPACT WHAT WE DO.
LOOKING AT RICHARD, I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE SOLUTION THERE IS.
WE'VE TALKED ABOUT IT FOR A LONG TIME.
SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE THOUGHT ABOUT AND I HOPE IT CONTINUES FROM HERE.
UM, AND I'LL, I'LL ALWAYS END WITH SIDEWALKS DON'T BELONG TO THE PEOPLE WHO OWN THE PROPERTY AND BUILD THE SIDEWALK.
THOSE SIDEWALKS BELONG TO THE WHOLE CITY.
THOSE ARE ASSETS THAT BELONG TO THE WHOLE CITY.
YOU PAY A TAX, IT'S NOT JUST FOR YOUR OWN GARBAGE, IT'S FOR EVERYBODY'S GARBAGE.
UM, AND BY SOMEONE SAYING, YOU KNOW, I DON'T BENEFIT FROM THE SIDEWALK IF I PAY A FEE INTO IT.
IT IS WHAT ALLOWS PEOPLE TO GET AROUND THE COMMUNITY.
IT'S THE PEOPLE THAT WORK THAT DON'T HAVE CARS THAT TAKES MASS TRANSIT THAT I ALMOST KILLED THE OTHER NIGHT.
UM, AND I DO THINK SIDEWALKS ARE IMPORTANT.
SO I ENCOURAGE A FEED TO REMAIN, UM, WHICH I'M GLAD TO HEAR IS BEING CONSIDERED.
UM, I THINK MORE WORK NEEDS TO BE DONE ON THE ORDINANCE BEFORE IT'S MOVED FORWARD, ESPECIALLY
[01:00:01]
IN LOOKING AT HOW IT AFFECTS DISADVANTAGED COMMUNITIES.ANY OTHER COMMENTS, QUESTIONS? YEAH.
UM, I, I WOULD ALSO MAYBE SECOND THAT IDEA OF GIVING IT A LITTLE BIT MORE TIME.
UM, I THINK THERE'S A LOT THAT WE CAN STUDY IN TERMS OF HOW WE MIGHT STACK THAT FEE STRUCTURE DIFFERENTLY FOR, I'LL SPEAK FROM TWO PERSPECTIVES.
I'M IN A NEIGHBORHOOD THAT DOES NOT HAVE SIDEWALKS.
KIDS HAVE TO WALK THROUGH THE MIDDLE OF THE STREET TO GET TO AND FROM THEIR BUS STOP.
IT'S VERY SCARY, VERY LOW LIGHTING, OPEN DITCHES ON BOTH SIDES.
SO YOU CAN'T JUMP OUT OF THE WAY OF THE CAR WHEN IT'S COMING TOWARDS YOU.
UH, BUT I ALSO WORK AS A NONPROFIT DEVELOPER.
UM, AND SO IF WE NEED TO THINK MORE INTENTIONALLY ABOUT HOW WE'RE STACKING THESE FEES ABOUT HOW WE ARE PARTNERING OR DEVELOPING A LONGER TERM STRATEGY FOR WHAT THIS LOOKS LIKE, I THINK WE CAN DO IT INTENTIONALLY.
AND I THINK THAT THERE IS A PROCESS OF PARTNERSHIP THAT CAN BE, UM, BUILT OUT JUST WITH A LITTLE BIT MORE TIME.
I'M A LITTLE, I I I THINK THAT THE PUBLIC MEETINGS LED TO A LOT OF REALLY INTERESTING FEEDBACK.
SO I'D JUST LOVE TO SEE US TAKE THE TIME TO INCORPORATE THAT FEEDBACK.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS? OKAY.
I CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING ALREADY,
[II. Consideration and action on scheduling a special meeting regarding Chapter 40 Article XXII; Sidewalk Network Requirements (Hector Rodriguez)]
SO NOW WE WILL MOVE ALONG.SO THIS IS THE CONSIDERATION AND ACTION ON SCHEDULING SPECIAL MEETING REQUEST.
REGARDING CHAPTER 40, ARTICLE 12 SIDEWALK NETWORK REQUIREMENTS.
SO I'M ASSUMING I NEED A MOTION AND A SECOND.
MADAM CHAIR, THAT IS, THAT IS NEXT THURSDAY.
[Platting Activities a & b]
LET'S MOVE ALONG TO, UH, ROMAN NUMERAL THREE PLATTING ACTIVITY.GOOD AFTERNOON, MADAM CHAIR, MEMBERS OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION.
SECTIONS A AND B ARE PRESENTED AS ONE GROUP, WHICH INCLUDES CONSENT AND REPU.
ITEMS NOT REQUIRING NOTIFICATION.
SECTIONS A AND B ARE ITEMS ONE THROUGH 99 SECTIONS A CONSENT ITEMS NUMBER ONE THROUGH 55 AND SECTIONS B REPU ITEMS ARE NUMBER 56 THROUGH 99.
NO ITEMS NEED TO BE TAKEN OUT OF ORDER AND THERE ARE NO CHANGES TO STAFF RECOMMENDATION MADAM CHAIR, IF THERE ARE NO INDIVIDUALS SIGNED UP TO SPEAK ON THESE ITEMS, THE PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT REQUESTS THEIR APPROVAL OF ALL STAFF RECOMMENDATIONS FOR CONSENT AND REPU ITEMS NOT REQUIRING NOTIFICATION.
DO I HAVE ANY ABSTENTIONS? UH, COMMISSIONER HYS? YES, MADAM CHAIR.
I'M GONNA ABSTAIN FROM ITEMS 1, 2, 4 AND 5 17 21 THROUGH 24, 31, 57 AND 58.
SO I NEED A MOTION FOR ALL ITEMS IN A AND B.
SAVE AND ACCEPT ITEMS 1, 2, 4, 5, 17 21 THROUGH 24, 31, 57 AND 58.
DO I HAVE A MOTION MOTION VIA A BLAND MOTION.
NOW I NEED A MOTION TO APPROVE ITEMS. 1, 2, 4, 5 17 21 THROUGH 24, 31 AND 57 AND 58.
[c. Replats requiring Public Hearings with Notification (Devin Crittle, Dorianne Powe-Phlegm and John Cedillo)]
ON TO RELAS PUBLIC HEARINGS.I MADAM CHAIR, I'M GONNA RECUSE FROM ITEM 100 100.
PLEASE NOTE THAT COMMISSIONER ISH IS RECUSING FROM ITEM 100.
GOOD AFTERNOON, MADAM CHAIR, MEMBERS OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION.
ITEM 100 IS BRIDGELAND PERIN VILLAGE, SECTION 35, PRY PLA NUMBER ONE, THE SIZE.
LOCATED AT THE INTERSECTION OF CHESTNUT, LEE WING, LEE WING AND ROCKET PRAIRIE DRIVE SOUTH OF NORTH BRIDGELAND LAKE, UM, IN HOUSTON'S CORP.
HOUSTON'S EXTRA TERRITORY JURISDICTION IN HARRIS COUNTY, TEXAS.
THE REASON FOR RE PLAT IS TO RELOCATE A LOT LINE TO INCLUDE AN AN ADJACENT 10 FOOT UE AND MODIFY THE IES BETWEEN RESERVES B AND C SO THAT THE 10 FOOT GAS
[01:05:01]
EASEMENT IS WHOLLY WITHIN RESERVE.C STAFF'S RECOMMENDATION IS TO APPROVE THE PLAT PER THE CBC 1 0 1 FORM CONDITIONS, THE APPLICANT HAS MET ALL NOTIFICATION REQUIREMENTS.
THERE ARE NO VARIANCE REQUESTED WITH THIS ITEM.
STAFF HAS NOT RECEIVED ANY ADVANCED COMMENTS FOR THIS ITEM.
MADAM CHAIRMAN, PLEASE THE COMMISSION, YOU MAY OPEN A PUBLIC HEARING FOR THIS ITEM AT THIS TIME AND REVIEW BY LEGAL INDICATES THAT THIS PLAT WILL NOT VIOLATE RESTRICTIONS ON THE FACE OF PLAT OR THOSE FILED SEPARATELY.
THE PUBLIC HEARING FOR ITEM 100 IS OPEN.
UM, I HAVE NO ONE SIGNED TO SPEAK ON ITEM 100.
IS THERE ANYONE THAT WISHES TO SPEAK? HEARING NONE? I'LL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING AND SEEK A MOTION FOR STAFF RECOMMENDATION.
NOW I NEED TO STOP YOU THERE FOR A SECOND BECAUSE I SKIPPED OVER IN THE, UM, CONSENT PLAT.
WE DO HAVE A SPEAKER, THE APPLICANT, STEPHANIE MENDOZA, AND I APOLOGIZE PROFUSELY FOR SKIPPING RIGHT OVER YOU.
UM, HELLO AND GOOD AFTERNOON, MADAM CHAIR AND PLANNING COMMISSIONERS.
MY NAME IS STEPHANIE MENDOZA AND I'M HERE ON BEHALF OF COST ENGINEERING.
I'M HERE TO RESPECTFULLY REQUEST A 30 DAY EXTENSION TO REVISE THE PLA TO MEET CHAPTER 42, 180 8 SUBSECTION F WITH THE SHARED DRIVEWAY AND TO ENSURE THE NEW LAYOUT CAN MEET ALL THE PERMITTING REQUIREMENTS BEFORE PROCEEDING WITH THE FINAL REVISED LAYOUT.
AND I'M AVAILABLE FOR QUESTIONS.
AND DO WE HAVE THAT REQUEST IN WRITING? YES.
AND SO, UM, MS. MICKELSON, I NEED SOME HELP ON THIS ONE.
SINCE WE VOTED AND WE MOVED FORWARD.
UH, UH, PLEASE DO I NEED A MOTION TO RETRACT 71 FROM THE PREVIOUS APPROVAL? YES, PLEASE.
SO NOW WE'RE GONNA NOW 30 DAYS.
NOW WE'RE GONNA LOOK AT THE 30 DAYS.
MS. MICKELSON, I COULD I CLARIFY THOUGH? SURE.
WITH THIS 30 DAY EXTENSION, BECAUSE WE ARE IN A THREE WEEK PERIOD WITH RIGHT.
THE HOLIDAY GAP COMING UP, I SPOKE WITH STAFF AND WE REVIEWED STATE LAW.
THE WAY THE STATE LAW IS WRITTEN, THIS IS ACTUALLY AN ADDITIONAL 30 DAYS FROM THE DATE OF WHEN THE PLAT WOULD HAVE EXPIRED.
UH, THE ORIGINAL 30 DAYS WOULD'VE EXPIRED.
SO IT WILL ACTUALLY TAKE THIS, ALLOW THIS PLAT TO GO THROUGH YOUR TWO MEETINGS IN DECEMBER.
THANK YOU FOR THAT CLARIFICATION.
THE ACTION DATE WOULD BE DECEMBER 19TH, SORRY? DECEMBER 19TH.
THE FINAL DAY FOR, SO DECEMBER 19TH.
ALRIGHT, SO I HAVE A MOTION BY COMMISSIONER KLI SECOND VERA BLAND.
SHOULD HAVE PUT MY GLASSES ON NOW.
THANK YOU FOR LETTING ME MAKE THE INTERRUPTION THERE.
ITEM 1 0 1 IS HARVEST GREEN, SECTION 51 PARTIAL RE PLA NUMBER ONE.
THE SITE IS LOCATED WEST OF HARLEM ROAD ALONG OLIVER COTTON WAY AND COTTON CORNER DRIVE IN HOUSTON'S EXTRA TERRITORIAL JURISDICTION AND FORT BEND COUNTY, TEXAS.
THE REASON FOR RE PLAT IS TO REVISE THE FRONT BUILDING LINE FROM 25 FEET TO 20 FEET.
STAFF'S RECOMMENDATION IS TO APPROVE THE PLAT PER THE CCP C 1 0 1 INFORMED CONDITIONS, THE APPLICANT HAS MET ALL NOTIFICATION REQUIREMENTS.
THERE ARE NO VARIANCE REQUESTED WITH THIS ITEM.
REVIEW BY LEGAL INDICATES THAT THIS PLAT WOULD NOT VIOLATE RESTRICTIONS ON THE FACE OF THE PLAT OR THOSE FILES SEPARATELY, STAFF HAS NOT RECEIVED ANY ADVANCE COMMENTS FOR THIS ITEM.
MADAM CHAIR, IT PLEASES THE COMMISSION.
YOU MAY OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING FOR THIS ITEM AT THIS TIME.
THE PUBLIC HEARING IS OPEN FOR ITEM 1 0 1.
I HAVE NO ONE SIGNED TO SPEAK.
IS THERE ANYONE THAT WISHES TO SPEAK? HEARING NONE.
I'LL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING AND SEEK A MOTION FOR STAFF.
ITEM 1 0 2, ITEM 1 0 2 IS MASONRY AT DREYFUS.
THE SITE IS LOCATED SOUTH ALONG DREFUS STREET, EAST OF ENGLAND STREET AND HOUSTON CORPORATE LIMITS.
THE REASON FOR REPLAY IS TO CREATE THREE SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENTIAL LOTS ALONG A SHARED DRIVEWAY.
STAFF'S RECOMMENDATION IS TO PROVE THE PLA PER THE CBC 1 0 1 FORM CONDITIONS THE APPLICANT HAS MET ALL NOTIFICATION REQUIREMENTS.
THERE ARE NO VARIANCE REQUESTED WITH THIS ITEM.
REVIEW BY LEGAL INDICATES THAT THIS PLAT WILL NOT VIOLATE RESTRICTIONS ON THE FACE OF THE PLAT OR THOSE FILED SEPARATELY.
STAFF HAS NOT RECEIVED ANY ADVANCED COMMENTS FOR THIS ITEM.
MADAM CHAIR, IF IT PLEASES COMMISSION, YOU MAY OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING FOR THIS ITEM.
[01:10:01]
HEARING IS OPEN FOR ITEM 1 0 2.I HAVE NO ONE SIGNED TO SPEAK.
IS THERE ANYONE THAT WISHES TO SPEAK? HEARING NONE.
I WILL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING AND SEEK A MOTION FOR APPROVAL.
ITEM 1 0 3 IS MEMORIAL GREEN, SECTION TWO, REPL AND EXTENSION PARTIAL RE PLAT NUMBER FOUR.
THE SITE IS LOCATED AT THE NORTHEAST INTERSECTION OF SUTHERLAND TERRACE PLACE AND WILLIAMS GROVE LANE IN HOUSTON'S CORPORATE LIMITS.
THE REASON FOR RE PLAT IS TO CR IS TO RELOCATE A FIRE HYDRANT STAFF'S RECOMMENDATION IS TO PROVE THE PLAT PER THE CBC 1 0 1 FORM CONDITIONS, THE APPLICANT HAS MET ALL NOTIFICATION REQUIREMENTS.
THERE ARE NO VARIOUS REQUESTS WITH THIS ITEM.
REVIEW BY LI INDICATES THAT THIS PLAT WILL NOT VIOLATE RESTRICTIONS ON THE FACE OF THE PLAT OR THOSE FILED SEPARATELY.
STAFF HAS NOT RECEIVED ANY ADVANCED COMMENTS FOR THIS PLAT.
MADAM CHAIR, IT PLEASES THE COMMISSION.
YOU MAY OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING FOR THIS ITEM AT THIS TIME.
THE PUBLIC HEARING FOR ITEM 1 0 3 IS OPEN.
I HAVE NO ONE SIGNED TO SPEAK.
IS THERE ANYONE IN THE AUDIENCE THAT WISHES TO SPEAK? HEARING NONE.
I'LL CLOSE A PUBLIC HEARING AND SEEK A MOTION FOR APPROVAL.
ITEM 1 0 4, ITEM 1 0 4 IS NEW COVENANT CHRISTIAN MINISTRY AS CLAY THE SIZE LOCATED NORTH OF LONG CLAY ROAD, WEST OF WINFERN ROAD AND HOUSTON CORPORATE LIMITS.
THE REASON FOR REPLY IS TO CREATE ONE UNRESTRICTED RESERVE.
STAFF'S RECOMMENDATION IS TO APPROVE THE PLAT PER THE CBC 1 0 1 FORM.
CONDITIONS THE APPLICANT HAS MET ALL NOTIFICATION REQUIREMENTS.
THERE ARE NO VARIOUS REQUESTED WITH THIS ITEM.
REVIEW BY LEGAL INDICATES THAT THIS PLAT WILL NOT VIOLATE RESTRICTIONS ON THE FACE OF THE PLAT OR THOSE FILED SEPARATELY.
STAFF HAS NOT RECEIVED ANY ADVANCED COMMENTS FOR THIS PLAT.
MADAM CHAIR, IF IT PLEASES COMMISSION, YOU MAY OPEN A PUBLIC HEARING FOR THIS ITEM AT THIS TIME.
I'LL OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING FOR ITEM 1 0 4.
I HAVE NO ONE SIGNED TO SPEAK.
IS THERE ANYONE THAT WISHES TO SPEAK? HEARING NONE.
I'LL CLOSE A PUBLIC HEARING AND SEEK A MOTION.
STAFF RECOMMENDATION FOR APPROVAL.
GOOD AFTERNOON, MADAM CHAIR, MEMBERS OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION.
ITEM 1 0 5 IS PLAZA ESTATE AT CLEBURNE.
THE SUBJECT SITE IS A NEARLY 6,000 SQUARE FOOT PROPERTY LOCATED IN THE HOUSTON CITY LIMITS NORTH ALONG CLEBURNE STREET AND EAST EMANCIPATION BOULEVARD.
THE PURPOSE OF THE REPL IS TO CREATE TWO SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENTIAL LOTS AND TWO LANDSCAPE RESERVES ON A SHARED DRIVEWAY.
THERE ARE NO VARIANCES REQUESTED WITH THIS ITEM AND THE APPLICANT HAS MET ALL NOTIFICATION REQUIREMENTS.
REVIEW BY LEGAL INDICATES THAT THE PLAT DOES NOT VIOLATE RESTRICTIONS ON THE FACE OF THE PLAT OR THOSE FILED SEPARATELY.
STAFF HAS RECEIVED NO ADVANCED COMMENTS REGARDING THE APPLICATION.
STAFF RECOMMENDATION IS TO APPROVE THE PLAT SUBJECT TO CCPC 1 0 1 FORM CONDITIONS.
MADAM CHAIR, PLEASE THE COMMISSION.
YOU MAY OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING FOR THIS ITEM AT THIS TIME.
I HAVE NO ONE SIGNED TO SPEAK ON ITEM 1 0 5.
IS THERE ANYONE THAT WISHES TO SPEAK? HEARING NONE? I'LL CLOSE A PUBLIC HEARING.
COMMISSIONERS STAFF RECOMMENDS APPROVAL.
DO I HAVE A MOTION? ALL? OH, MOTION ALLMAN.
ALL IN FAVOR? A OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES.
ITEM 1 0 6 IS POSITIVE STATES AT WHITE ROCK.
THE SUBJECT SITE IS A, UH, OVER 5,200 SQUARE FOOT PROPERTY LOCATED IN THE HOUSTON CITY LIMITS AT THE NORTHEAST INTERSECTION OF WHITE ROCK STREET AND ROCK ROSE STREET NORTH OF BELFORT AND WEST OF COLUM BOULEVARD.
THE PURPOSE OF THE RE PLAT IS TO CREATE TWO SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENTIAL LOTS.
THERE ARE NO RANGES REQUESTED WITH THIS ITEM AND THE APPLICANT HAS MET ALL NOTIFICATION REQUIREMENTS.
UH, THIS VARIES FROM THE ORIGINAL PLAT BY CHANGING THE BUILDING LINE ALONG WHITE ROCK AND INCREASING THE PROPOSED DENSITY FROM TWO DWELLING UNITS TO THREE DWELL UNITS.
REVIEW BY LEGAL INDICATES THAT THE APPLICATION DOES NOT VIOLATE RESTRICTIONS ON THE FACE OF THE PLAT OR THOSE FILED SEPARATELY AND STAFF HAS RECEIVED NO ADVANCED COMMENTS FOR THE PLAT STAFF.
RECOMMENDATION IS TO APPROVE THE PLAT SUBJECT TO CCPC 1 0 1 FORM CONDITIONS.
MADAM CHAIR, IF YOU PLEASE THE COMMISSION, YOU MAY OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING FOR THIS ITEM ITEM AT THIS TIME.
THE PUBLIC HEARING IS OPEN FOR ITEM 1 0 6.
I HAVE NO ONE SIGNED TO SPEAK.
IS THERE ANYONE THAT WISHES TO SPEAK? HEARING NONE? I'LL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING AND ASK FOR A MOTION FOR STAFF RECOMMENDATION.
MOTION POURS PERLE SECOND JONES.
GOOD AFTERNOON, MADAM CHAIR, MEMBERS OF THE HOUSTON PLANNING COMMISSION.
ITEM 1 0 7 IS SHELBY JOHAN ESTATES.
THE PROPERTY LOCATED WITHIN HOUSTON CITY LIMITS AT THE NORTHWEST INTERSECTION OF CULLEN BOULEVARD AND MAERY ROAD.
THE PURPOSE OF THE RE PLAT IS TO CREATE THREE SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENTIAL LOTS AND FOUR RESERVES ALONG A SHARED DRIVEWAY.
[01:15:01]
THERE ARE NO VARIANCES BEING REQUESTED WITH THIS ITEM.REVIEWED BY LEGAL INDICATES THAT THIS PLA WILL VIOLATE LY FILED DEED RESTRICTIONS RELATED TO THE LAND USE.
THE APPLICANT HAS REQUESTED A DEFERRAL TO REVISE THE PLAT DRAWING FROM SINGLE FAMILY TO POSSIBLY COMMERCIAL USE IN ORDER TO COMPLY WITH THE DEED RESTRICTIONS.
STAFF'S RECOMMENDATION IS TO DEFER PER THE APPLICANT'S REQUEST.
THIS CONCLUDES MY PRESENTATION AND YOU MAY OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING FOR THIS ITEM AT THIS TIME.
I HAVE NO ONE SIGNED TO SPEAK ON ITEM 1 0 7.
IS THERE ANYONE THAT WISHES TO SPEAK? HEARING NONE.
I WILL CONTINUE THE PUBLIC HEARING AND SEEK A MOTION FOR STAFF RECOMMENDATION OF A DEFERRAL.
OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES ITEM 1 0 8.
ITEM 1 0 8 IS SUNSET PLACE, PARTIALLY PLA NUMBER TWO.
THE SITE IS LOCATED SOUTH OF BINET STREET NORTH OF RICE BOULEVARD, EAST OF SOUTH SHEPHERD DRIVE NORTH ALONG ALVINS STREET AND AT, AT THE CORNER OF ALVINS AND ASHLEY STREETS.
THE REASON FOR RE PLAT IS TO CREATE ONE RESERVE RESTRICTED TO MULTI-UNIT RESIDENTIAL USE.
STAFF'S RECOMMENDATION IS TO APPROVE THE PLAT PER THE CBC 1 0 1 FORM CONDITIONS.
THE PLA WAS DEFERRED AT THE LAST PLANNING COMMISSION PER COUNCIL MEMBER'S CAYMAN'S OFFICE REQUEST.
DURING THE DEFERRAL PERIOD, AN AMENDMENT OF THE, UH, DE RESTRICTIONS WAS RECEIVED, UM, BY STAFF AND THE APPLICANT HAS, UM, REVISED THE DRAWING IN ORDER TO MEET THE DEED RESTRICTIONS PER THE AMENDED RESTRICTIONS.
REVIEW BY LEGAL INDICATES THAT THE PLAT WILL NOT VIOLATE RESTRICTIONS ON THE FACE OF THE PLAT OR THOSE FILED SEPARATELY.
STAFF HAS RECEIVED ADVANCED COMMENTS FOR THIS ITEM CONCERNING THE PROPOSED USE DEED RESTRICTIONS.
MADAM CHAIR, IT PLEASES COMMISSION.
YOU MAY CONTINUE THE PUBLIC HEARING FOR THIS ITEM AT THIS TIME.
THE PUBLIC HEARING IS CONTINUED ON ITEM 1 0 8.
I HAVE NO ONE SIGNED TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM.
IS THERE ANYONE THAT WISHES TO SPEAK? HEARING NONE.
I'LL, I DO WANNA MAKE CLEAR ON THE RECORD JUST TO CLARIFY THAT THE, THE REVISED DRAWINGS DO SHOW THE ADDITIONAL DISTANCE FOR THE BUILDING LINE.
THE, THE, THE RESTRICTIONS WERE AMENDED TO KEEP THE BIGGER BUILDING LINE RATHER THAN THE FIVE FOOT THAT'S ALLOWED BY CITY CODE.
SO DO YOU WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THAT'S THERE, DO THEY STILL LIST IT AS A UM, MUR? YEAH, THEY DID.
SO IT'S NOT JUST AN UNRESTRICTED RESERVE, IT'S RESTRICTED TO THAT PART OTHER THAN THE SETBACK WILL BE THE DIFFERENCE FROM OUR ORDINANCE.
I JUST WANTED, I WANTED TO MAKE CLEAR.
NO, THANKS FOR THE CLARIFICATION THAT CAME, THAT CAME TO US VERY LATE YESTERDAY, SO WE'VE BEEN OKAY.
OKAY, SO I FORGET, I I DID NOT CLOSE A PUBLIC HEARING.
SO NOW I'M GOING TO CLOSE A PUBLIC HEARING ON ITEM 1 0 8 AND SEEK A MOTION FOR APPROVAL.
ITEM 1 0 9, ITEM 1 0 9 IS WHITE OAK TERRACE.
THE PROPERTY IS LOCATED WITHIN HOUSTON CITY LIMITS EAST OF MISHAW STREET, NORTH OF U NER STREET AND EAST ALONG WHITE OAK DRIVE.
THE PURPOSE OF THE REPLAY IS TO CREATE TWO SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENTIAL LOTS ALONG A SHARED DRIVEWAY.
THERE ARE NO VARIANCES BEING REQUESTED WITH THIS ITEM.
AND REVIEW BY LEGAL INDICATES THAT THIS PLA WILL NOT VIOLATE ANY RESTRICTIONS ON THE FACE OF THE PLAT OR THOSE FILED SEPARATELY.
STAFF'S RECOMMENDATION IS TO APPROVE THE PLAT SUBJECT TO THE CPC 1 0 1 FORM.
MADAM CHAIR STAFF HAS RECEIVED OPPOSITION RELATED TO DRAINAGE AND TRAFFIC IN THE AREA.
UH, THE SITE IS LOCATED WITHIN THE FLOODPLAIN, UH, BUT IF IT PLEASE THE COMMISSION, YOU MAY OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING FOR THIS ITEM AT THIS TIME.
THE PUBLIC HEARING FOR ITEM 1 0 9 IS OPEN.
I HAVE NO ONE SIGNED TO SPEAK.
IS THERE ANYONE THAT WISHES TO SPEAK? HEARING NONE? I'LL CLOSE A PUBLIC HEARING AND SEEK A MOTION FOR STAFF RECOMMENDATION OF APPROVAL.
WHAT'S THE QUESTION? UM, JUST, UH, FOR CLARITY'S SAKE, IS THIS, IS THIS UH, IN CLOSE PROXIMITY TO WHERE WE HAD A, A ROAD CLASSIFICATION CHANGE WITH MAJOR THOROUGHFARE PLAN? WAS THAT, WAS THERE NOT A PROJECT RIGHT HERE? I THOUGHT THERE WAS A PROJECT RIGHT HERE.
[01:20:03]
OH, OKAY.I'M JUST WANTING TO MAKE SURE IT'S ON MOVING ALL TOGETHER.
DO I HAVE A MOTION FOR APPROVAL? MOTION GARZA.
THANK YOU MR. CRIDDLE FOR MOVING ON
[d. Subdivision Plats with Variance Requests (Geoff Butler, Petra Hsia, John Cedillo, Tammi Williamson, Devin Crittle and Aracely Rodriguez) ]
TO D VARIANCES.MADAM CHAIR, I'M GONNA RECUSE FROM ITEM ONE 10.
HE GOOD AFTERNOON, MADAM CHAIR, MEMBERS OF THE HOUSTON PLANNING COMMISSION.
ITEM ONE 10 IS BOOST OF MONTE TRACK GP.
THE SITE IS LOCATED WITHIN HARRIS COUNTY, ETJ, EAST OF THE GRAND PARKWAY, SOUTH OF FM 5 29.
THE APPLICANT PROPOSES A GENERAL PLAN OF VARYING USES.
THE APPLICANT IS REQUESTING A SPECIAL EXCEPTION TO ALLOW FOR AN 1800 FOOT CURVE RADIUS ALONG WEST GREEN AS OPPOSED TO THE REQUIRED 2000 FOOT AND TO EXCEED INTERSECTION SPACING REQUIREMENTS BY NOT DEDICATING ANY INTERNAL LOCAL STREETS.
STAFF RECOMMENDS DEFERRAL TO ALLOW TIME FOR THE APPLICANT TO COORDINATE WITH THE NEIGHBORING PROPERTY OWNER AS WELL AS THE CITY AND COUNTY FOR ALIGNMENT OF MASON ROAD.
WE'VE RECEIVED NO ADVANCE WRITTEN COMMENT.
I DO HAVE SOME SPEAKERS SIGNED TO SPEAK OR AT LEAST ONE.
UH, TRACY YOUNGBLOOD BLOOD DOCUMENT CAMERA.
GOOD AFTERNOON, MADAM CHAIR COMMISSION MEMBERS APPRECIATE YOU HAVING UH, US HERE TODAY AND THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK.
WE REPRESENT THE PROPERTY OWNER OF THE GRAND MASON GENERAL PLAN NORTH OF AND ADJACENT TO THE BOOSTA MONTE GENERAL PLAN.
UNDER YOUR CONSIDERATION THIS AFTERNOON ON BEHALF OF OUR CLIENT, WE APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO BRIEFLY SHARE WITH YOU THE HISTORICAL CONTEXT OF THIS AREA AND THE CORRESPONDING GENERAL PLAN APPROVAL TIMELINES RELATED TO THE SUBJECT MASON ROAD ALIGNMENT.
FIRST AND FOREMOST, OUR CLIENT AND PROPERTY OWNER OF THE GRAND MASON GENERAL PLAN HAS NOT AND CURRENTLY DOES NOT CONSENT TO ANY CONTEMPLATED ALIGNMENT CHANGES WITHIN THE LIMITS OF THEIR PROPERTY.
AS CURRENTLY DEPICTED ON THE BOOST OF MONTE GENERAL PLAN HERE BEFORE YOU TODAY, THE GRAND MASON GENERAL PLAN AND CORRESPONDING MASON ROAD ALIGNMENT HAS RECEIVED APPROVAL FROM THIS COMMISSION ON FIVE SEPARATE OCCASIONS WITH THE FIRST APPROVAL GRANTED IN OCTOBER OF 2019 AND THE LATEST APPROVAL BEING GRANTED IN JUNE OF 2023, THE MASON ROAD ALIGNMENT WITHIN THE LIMITS OF THE GRAND MASON GENERAL PLAN, AGAIN, AS SHOWN ON THIS EXHIBIT BEFORE YOU TODAY ON THE SCREEN HIGHLIGHTED IN THE BLUE DOTS, HAS REMAINED IN THE SAME LOCATION AND CONTINUES TO BE IN ALIGNMENT WITH THE CITY'S MAJOR THOROUGHFARE AND FREEWAY PLAN.
THE ALIGNMENT CHALLENGES OF MASON ROAD COMMENCED, IF YOU CAN SCOOT IT DOWN OR I GUESS SHOW THE SOUTHERN PIECE, THE MASON ROAD, UM, CHALLENGE THE, EXCUSE ME, THE ALIGNMENT CHALLENGES OF MASON ROAD COMMENCED WITH THE INTRODUCTION OF THE CROSSING AT GRAND MASON GENERAL PLAN IN OCTOBER OF 2023.
UM, IF YOU PLEASE REFER TO THE EXHIBIT FOR THE MASON ROAD ALIGNMENT SOUTH OF WEST LITTLE YORK DEPICTED IN PURPLE, THE ALIGNMENT OF MASON ROAD WAS ADJUSTED APPROXIMATELY 450 FEET TO THE WEST, WHICH HAS CREATED A FUTURE CONNECTION CHALLENGE FOR MASON ROAD ACROSS THE BUSA MONTE TRACT.
WE RESPECTFULLY REQUEST THE PLANNING COMMISSION ALLOW OUR CLIENT TO CONTINUE THEIR DEVELOPMENT PLANS BASED ON THE PREVIOUSLY APPROVED GRAND MASON GENERAL PLAN AND THE CORRESPONDING APPROVED ALIGNMENT FOR MASON ROAD.
OUR REQUEST IS GROUNDED IN THE HISTORICAL APPROVALS AND THE DEMONSTRATED COMPLIANCE WITH THE CITY'S MAJOR THOROUGHFARE AND FREEWAY PLAN.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND CONSIDERATION.
COMMISSIONERS, DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? YES, I DO.
UH, I'M A LITTLE PUZZLED THE DEVELOPER CLIENT THAT'S ON THIS AGENDA ITEM, UH, DID NOT REACH OUT TO YOUR CLIENT TO HAVE A DISCUSSION ABOUT THE ADJUSTING MASON ROAD, THE APPLICANT OF THE GENERAL PLAN.
UH, MADE CONTACT WITH OUR OFFICE.
UH, WE HAVE IN TURN ARE IN CONVERSATIONS WITH PRECINCT FOUR COMMISSIONER'S OFFICE.
UM, WE HOPE TO HAVE THAT MEETING SCHEDULED IN THE VERY NEAR FUTURE SO THAT ALL PARTIES CAN HAVE A CONVERSATION.
SO YOU'RE, YOU ARE FOR THE, YOU DEFERRAL TO GIVE YOU TIME TO WORK THROUGH THIS? YES, MA'AM.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? BACK TO PRESENTATION.
OKAY, COMMISSIONERS, UM, WE, THERE'S NO OTHER SPEAKERS.
ANYONE ELSE, UH, WANT TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? OKAY, SO MOVING ON.
SO WE HAVE A RECOMMENDATION BY STAFF TO DEFER THIS.
[01:25:01]
MOTION AKA MOTION AKA SECOND JONES.ALL IN FAVOR? OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES.
GOOD AFTERNOON MADAM CHAIR, MEMBERS OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION.
ITEM ONE 11 IS COLONIAL PARKWAY PLAZA.
THE SITE IS LOCATED IN THE HOUSTON ETJ IN HARRIS COUNTY SOUTH OF COLONIAL PARKWAY AND EAST OF KATY FORT BEND ROAD.
THE APPLICANT IS PROPOSING AN UNRESTRICTED RESERVE AND A RESERVE RESTRICTED TO DETEN TO DRAINAGE AND IS REQUESTING A VARIANCE TO ALLOW THE RESTRICTED RESERVE FOR DRAINAGE TO TAKE ACCESS FROM A 20 FOOT.
UM, ACCESS EASEMENT STAFF IS IN SUPPORT OF THE REQUEST.
THE APPLICANT INTENDS TO DEVELOP A BUILD FOR RENT COMMUNITY FRONTING ON COLONIAL PARKWAY DETENTION FOR THE LAND WAS APPROVED AND CONSTRUCTED, HOWEVER, DUE TO INCREASED DETENTION REQUIREMENTS SINCE THE POND WAS APPROVED AND CONSTRUCTED.
THE DEVELOPMENT OF THIS PROPERTY REQUIRES EXPANDING THE EXISTING DETENTION POND, WHICH IS CURRENTLY UN PLATTERED.
CHAPTER 42 REQUIRES RESERVES RESTRICTED TO DETENTION TO HAVE AT LEAST 20 FEET OF FRONTAGE ON A PUBLIC OR PRIVATE STREET OR BE ADJACENT TO AN EXISTING DRAINAGE SLASH DETENTION RESERVE.
HOWEVER, DUE TO THE EXISTING RECORDED AND DEVELOPED PROPERTIES ADJACENT TO THE SUBJECT SITE, THE APPLICANT IS PROPOSING A 20 FOOT ACCESS EASEMENT FROM COLONIAL PARKWAY TO THE PROPOSED RESERVE RESTRICTED TO DETENTION SHOWN IN BLUE.
IN LIEU OF THE CHAPTER 42 REQUIREMENT, HARRIS COUNTY ENGINEERING HAS NO OBJECTIONS.
STAFF'S RECOMMENDATION IS TO GRANT THE REQUEST OF VARIANCES VARIANCE IN APPROVE THE PLATS SUBJECT TO THE CPC 1 0 1 FORM CONDITIONS.
THIS CONCLUDES MY PRESENTATION.
I HAVE NO ONE SIGNED TO SPEAK ON ITEM ONE 11.
IS THERE ANYONE THAT WISHES TO SPEAK? OKAY.
COMMISSIONERS, YOU HAVE A RECOMMENDATION FROM STAFF TO GRANT THE REC REQUESTED VARIANCES.
DO I HAVE A MOTION? MOTION? MAD MOTION AKA SECOND TO HEAR.
GOOD AFTERNOON MADAM CHAIR, MEMBERS OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION.
STAFF WOULD LIKE TO TAKE ITEMS ONE 12 THROUGH ONE 19 EAST BLOCK SECTION ONE THROUGH EIGHT TOGETHER.
AND THE PLANNING COMMISSION MAY VOTE ON THE ITEMS INDIVIDUALLY OR AS A GROUP AND CAN ALSO ASK FOR MORE DETAILED INFORMATION ON ANY OF THE SPECIFIC APPLICATIONS, BUT I'LL JUST KIND OF GIVE THE OVERVIEW.
SO THE ITEMS WERE DEFERRED AT THE PREVIOUS MEETING AND CANNOT BE DEFERRED AGAIN DUE TO THE UPCOMING THREE WEEK CYCLE.
THE SITES ARE LOCATED WITHIN HOUSTON CITY LIMITS IN EAST DOWNTOWN BETWEEN WALKER STREET AND POLK STREET.
EMANUEL STREET AND NAGEL STREET.
ALL EIGHT SITES ARE PART OF A PROJECT SCOPE BY ONE DEVELOPER.
THE PLAT APPLICATIONS ARE PROPOSING UNRESTRICTED RESERVES AND ALL ARE REQUESTING A VARIANCE FOR ZERO FOOT DUAL BUILDING LINES AND THE ONES LOCATED AT INTERSECTIONS, WHICH EXCLUDES SECTION ONE AND SECTION SIX.
STAFF IS IN SUPPORT OF ALL THE RE OF THE REQUEST FOR ALL EIGHT APPLICATIONS.
THE OVERALL PROJECT SCOPE IS A MIXED USE DEVELOPMENT UTILIZING AND REVITALIZING EXISTING WAREHOUSE STRUCTURES FROM THE 1940S ALONG WITH IMPROVEMENTS TO THE PEDESTRIAN REALMS WHICH ARE IN COORDINATION WITH T 15.
THE STRUCTURES PREDATE THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE PRESCRIPTIVE RIGHTS RIGHTS OF WAY ALL ESTABLISHED AS 80 FEET IN WIDTH PLACING THE STRUCTURES ON THE ESTABLISHED PROPERTY LINES EXCEPT FOR SECTION SEVEN, WHICH ENCROACHES ALL SITES EXCEPT SECTION TWO AND THE REAR BUILDING OF SECTION THREE ARE PROPOSING TO KEEP THE EXISTING STRUCTURES WITH STRUCTURAL MODIFICATIONS TO THE FENESTRATIONS NEW INTERNAL STRUCTURAL ELEMENTS AND PROPOSED CANOPIES AND AWNINGS.
SECTION TWO IS PROPOSING A NEW BUILDING AT THE ZERO FOOT BUILDING LINE ON ALL THREE STREETS AND NO VISIBILITY TRIANGLES TO BE PLACED IN THE FOOTPRINT OF THE EXISTING STRUCTURE.
THAT IS NOT STRUCTURALLY SOUND ENOUGH TO REMAIN WITH THE PROPOSED STRUCTURE TO BE IN THE SAME FOOTPRINT OF THE EXISTING 1940S BUILDING AND FURTHER IMPROVEMENT AT THE CORNER OF BASTROP AND MCKINNEY, WHICH PROPOSES TO BE INSET 2.6 FEET AND 4.6 FEET RESPECTIVELY.
FROM THE ORIGINAL BUILDING'S EXTENT, THE INTERSECTIONS WILL PROPOSE THE SAME RESULT AND BETTER AS TODAY AND ARE PROVEN TO ALLOW FOR SUFFICIENT VISIBILITY.
ALL SITES EXCEPT FOR SECTION ONE AND SECTION SEVEN ARE PROPOSING TO MAINTAIN A MINIMUM FIVE FOOT CLEAR WIDTH SIDEWALK.
MOST EXCEEDING THAT THE PEDESTRIAN REALM WIDTHS FROM FACADE TO BACK OF CURB RANGE FROM 14 FEET TO MORE THAN 30 FEET WHILE THE MINIMUM AT GRADE PEDESTRIAN REALM WIDTHS BETWEEN THE PROPOSED RAISED WALKWAYS TO BACK OF CURBS ARE BETWEEN 7.4 FEET AND 14.4 FEET WHERE THE EXISTING FINISH FLOOR ELEVATION IS HIGHER THAN AT GRADE.
THE APPLICANT PROPOSES RAISED PLATFORMS ALONG WITH EGRESS STAIRS AND
[01:30:01]
RAMPS.SECTION SEVEN IS HAMPERED BY SIGNIFICANT ENC ENCROACHMENTS OF THE EXISTING BUILDING INTO THE RIGHT OF WAY OF 8.7 FEET TO 9.1 FEET, WHICH LEAVES THE NARROWEST PEDESTRIAN REALM WIDTH OF ALL PROJECTS OF ONLY FOUR AND A HALF FEET TO 5.3 FEET.
THE APPLICANT HAS AGREED TO EITHER INSET THE EGRESS DOORS ALONG LIVE OAK FOR SECTION SEVEN IN PARTICULAR AND IN GENERAL FOR ALL DEVELOPMENTS OR TO ENSURE THAT ALL AT GRADE EGRESS DOORS WILL MAINTAIN A MINIMUM FIVE FEET CLEAR AROUND THE DOOR SWING FOR PEDESTRIAN SAFETY.
ALL OF THE SITES ARE PROPOSING OVERHEAD CANOPIES AND AWNINGS THAT WOULD ENCROACH INTO THEIR RESPECTIVE RIGHTS OF WAY ANY AND ALL PROPOSED RIGHT OF WAY ENCROACHMENTS ABOVE GRADE AND EGRESS STAIRS, RAMPS AND ELEVATED WALKWAYS WILL HAVE TO BE APPROVED BY HOUSTON PUBLIC WORKS DURING THE PERMITTING PROCESS.
STAFF HAS RECEIVED LETTERS OF SUPPORT FROM EAST DOWNTOWN TURS AND STATE REPRESENTATIVE YOLANDA JONES, DISTRICT 1 47 AND HAS RECEIVED SEVERAL PUBLIC COMMENTS IN ADVANCE INCLUDING CONCERNS FOR SAFE VISIBILITY AT INTERSECTIONS AND OBSCURING EXISTING RESIDENTS VIEWS OF DOWNTOWN HOUSTON.
PUBLIC WORKS HAS NO OBJECTION TO THE REQUESTS, THEREFORE STAFF'S RECOMMENDATION IS TO GRANT THE REQUESTED VARIANCES FOR ALL EIGHT PLATS AND APPROVE THE PLATS SUBJECT TO CPC 1 0 1 FORM CONDITIONS STAFF.
AND THIS CONCLUDES MY PRESENTATION.
THE APPLICANT IS HERE FOR ALSO ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS.
OKAY, THANK YOU COMMISSIONERS.
I KNOW WE REVIEWED IT PRETTY HEAVILY LAST TIME, SO VERY GOOD.
I HAVE NO ONE SIGNED TO SPEAK ON ITEMS. MAKE SURE I GET THIS RIGHT.
UM, SO I NEED A MOTION FIRST ROSENBERG.
GOOD AFTERNOON, MADAM CHAIR, MEMBERS OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION.
ITEM ONE 20 GALVESTON ROAD RESERVE.
THE SITE IS LOCATED IN THE CITY LIMIT EAST OF I 45 SOUTH OF EL ELDORA BOULEVARD AND WEST OF TON ROAD.
THE APPLICANT IS REQUESTING A VARIANT TO NOT EXTEND OR TERMINATE EL TOTAL LANE WITH THE CUL-DE-SAC STOP IS IN SUPPORT OF REQUEST.
THE SITE IS A V PLA OF A PORTION OF A COMMERCIAL RESERVE RECORDED WITH A SAMUEL CPJE EDITION IN DECEMBER, 1998.
THE PURPOSE OF THE WE PLA IS TO CHANGE THE YOUTH FROM A COMMERCIAL VIS RESERVE TO AN UNRESTRICTED RESERVE TO ALLOW FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF A MULTIFAMILY DEVELOPMENT.
THE DISTANT ALONG AUGUSTON ROAD IS BETWEEN EL DORADO AND WEST TEXAS AVENUE.
IT'S ABOUT 4,900 FEET PER CHAPTER 42.
THE APPLICANT IS REQUIRED TO ATTEND EL TORO THROUGH THE PROPERTY TO ADDRESS MINIMUM INTERSECTION FACING REQUIREMENT.
HOWEVER, DUE TO THE PRESENT OF 150 WHITE HARRIS COUNTY FLOOD CONTROL DISTRICT CHANNEL BETWEEN THE SUB SITE AND AN SUB STREET, THE LIKELIHOOD TO EXTEND THE STREET ACROSS THE CHANNEL IS VERY LOW.
FURTHER THE NORTH, THERE'S ANOTHER OPTION, ANOTHER STREET CONNECTION THAT CAN PA THAT CAN HAPPEN WITH BOY STREET, WHICH COULD CONNECT TO GALVESTON ROAD.
THIS STREET HAS ALREADY BEEN PLOTTED AND CONSTRUCTED ON BOTH SIDE OF THE HARRIS COUNTY FLOOD CONTROL CHANNEL AND A RIGHT OF WAY EASEMENT ACROSS THE CHANNEL ALSO WAS CREATED.
HOWEVER, IN THIS CONNECTION HAS NEVER BEEN CONSTRUCTED IN THE PAST 35 YEARS.
BUT WHEN COMPLETING THIS CONNECTION IT WILL HELP TO ADDRESS TRAFFIC CIRCULATION.
THE STAT RECOMMENDATION IS TO GRANT THE REQUEST OF VARIANCE AND APPROVE THE PLAT SUBJECT TO THE CPC 1 0 1 FORM CONDITION STAT.
ALSO RECEIVE ONE PUBLIC COMMENT IN EVENT WHO IS IN SUPPORT OF THE VARIANT REQUEST.
AND THIS, THIS CONCLUDE MY PRESENTATION.
I HAVE ONE SPEAKER WHO IS THE APPLICANT FOR QUESTIONS, COMMISSIONERS.
DO WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? OKAY, THANK YOU.
DO I HAVE ANYONE ELSE THAT IS INTERESTED IN SPEAKING ON THIS ITEM? ALL RIGHT, SO COMMISSIONERS, WE HAVE UH, A RECOMMENDATION BY STAFF TO GRANT THE REQUESTED VARIANCES.
ITEM 1 21, ITEM 1 21 HARRIS COUNTY EMERGENCY SERVICE DISTRICT NUMBER SEVEN.
THIS ITEM HAS BEEN DEFERRED ONCE AND IT CANNOT BE DEFERRED ANYMORE.
THE SITE IS LOCATED IN HOUSTON, ETJ IN HARRIS COUNTY, SOUTH OF SPRING ROAD AND EAST OF LEXINGTON ROAD.
[01:35:01]
THE APPLICANT IS REQUESTING TWO VARIANCES TO EXIT INTERSECTION FACING REQUIREMENT BY NOT PROVIDING NORTH, SOUTH AND EAST WEST STREET AND SECOND TO NOT EXTEND OR TERMINATE BRAND ROAD AND GREENFIELD ROAD WITH ESSEX.STAFF IS NOT IN SUPPORT OF THE REQUEST.
THE APPLICANT PROPOSES A FIREFIGHTING TRAINING FACILITY AND IS REQUIRED TO EXTEND BURN ROAD AND GREENFIELD ROAD TO ADDRESS EXCESSIVE INTERSECTION SPACING.
HARRIS COUNTY ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT HAS REVIEWED THIS PROPOSAL AND HAS DETERMINED THAT THE REQUIRED NORTH, SOUTH AND EAST WEST POP STREET ARE NOT NECESSARY AS TRAFFIC CIRCULATION WILL BE ADDRESSED WITH THE ASSISTANT ADJACENT MAY 3RD, BUT IT IS IMPORTANT TO TERMINATE BOTH BRAND AND GREENFIELD SUB STREET WITH THE CO STACK.
THIS IS TO ENSURE ADEQUATE ASSETS AND TRAFFIC FLOW MAINLY FOR FIRE AND EMERGENCY VEHICLES.
THE APPLICANT IS SICK IN VARIANCE TO NOT TERMINATE THE STOPPED WITH THE CUL-DE-SAC AS A WAS SOLD.
HARRIS COUNTY IS NOT IN SUPPORT THE REQUEST, SO GIVEN THAT NO THE P CAN BE GIVEN AND BASED ON THESE CONCERNS THAT RECOMMENDATION IS TO DISAPPROVE THE PLAT.
THE APPLICANT HAS SUBMITTED A READING REQUEST FOR AN EXTENSION AND HERE TODAY TO ADDRESS THIS EXTENSION.
UH, MY NAME'S JASON BERINGER AND I'M A SOUTH TEXAS SURVEY AND I'M THE APPLICANT FOR THIS PROJECT.
UM, WE'RE ASKING FOR THE 30 DAY EXTENSION TO JUST HAVE SOME MORE TIME TO GET THE UM, FIRE DISTRICT IN TOUCH WITH, UM, HARRIS COUNTY.
UM, JUST TO HAVE SOME MORE TIME TO DISCUSS AND COME UP WITH A GOOD PLAN FOR EVERYBODY IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
WE HAVE SOME CONCERNED NEIGHBORS AND I ALSO BROUGHT, UM, A REPRESENTATIVE FROM THE UH, FIRE DISTRICT TO TALK ON THEIR BEHALF.
MY NEXT SPEAKER IS GREG THROWER.
IS THAT, IS THAT YOU SIR? YES MA'AM.
THANK YOU, UH, FOR THE OPPORTUNITY YOU'VE GIVEN ME TODAY TO SPEAK ON BEHALF OF UH, HARRIS COUNTY EMERGENCY SERVICES DISTRICT NUMBER SEVEN, UH, ESD SEVEN.
UH, I'M HERE TO SPEAK IN SUPPORT OF THE ESD SEVEN PLAT APPLICATION FOR THE FIRE AND EMERGENCY SERVICES TRAINING CENTER.
THEY'RE BUILDING IN SPRING, TEXAS AND IN SUPPORT OF THEIR REQUEST OF THE 30 DAY EXTENSION UNDER STATE CODE CHAPTER 2 2 12 TO GIVE THE REPRESENTATIVES OF ESD SEVEN, UH, TIME TO DISCUSS AND WORK OUT A RESOLUTION OF AN ISSUE OVER A CUL-DE-SAC WITH HARRIS COUNTY AND THE RESIDENCE OF A NEIGHBORHOOD LOCATED ON THE SEGMENT OF ROAD THAT WOULD BE AFFECTED BY THE CUL-DE-SAC.
WE BELIEVE THAT AN ONSITE VISIT TO THE AFFECTED AREA OF REPRESENTATIVES OF HARRIS COUNTY AND ESD SEVEN WOULD GIVE BOTH SIDES OF THE ISSUE A CLEARER PICTURE OF THE FACTS ON THE GROUND AND FACILITATE RESOLUTION OF THE ISSUE IN A WAY THAT'S ACCEPTABLE TO ALL CONCERN.
WHEN WE WORKED TO SCHEDULE AN INSPECTION BACK IN MAY OF THIS YEAR, THE EFFORT WAS DISCONTINUED WHEN HARRIS COUNTY REPRESENTATIVES INFORMED US THAT THEY WOULD SUPPORT A REVISED PLAT WITHOUT DEDICATION OF THE CUL-DE-SAC IN QUESTION THE PLAT BEFORE YOU WAS REVISED.
ACCORDING TO A DRAWING WE RECEIVED FROM HARRIS COUNTY, THE ONLY REASON THIS PLAT WAS RESUBMITTED TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION WAS BECAUSE OF THE DIRECTIONS OF HARRIS COUNTY AND THEIR STATEMENT THAT THEY WOULD SUPPORT THE REQUEST FOR VARIANCE FROM THE DEDICATION OF THE CUL-DE-SAC.
BUT AFTER THE REVISED PLAT WAS FILED, WE WERE INFORMED THAT HARRIS COUNTY WOULD NOT IN FACT SUPPORT ELIMINATION OF THE CUL-DE-SAC.
ESD SEVEN IS NOT OPPOSED TO GIVING UP THE LAND FOR THE CUL-DE-SAC ONLY TO THE CONSTRUCTION OF A CUL-DE-SAC, WHICH WE BELIEVE WILL DIS DISTURB THE ENVIRONMENT PRIVACY AND SECURITY OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD THAT WILL BE AFFECTED BY IT.
YESTERDAY WHEN I SPOKE WITH THE HARRIS COUNTY ENGINEER WITH WHOM I HAVE BEEN IN COMMUNICATION, UH, UH, AND INFORMED HIM THAT WE HAD MADE THE REQUEST, HE STATED THAT HE HAD NO OBJECTION TO THE EXTENSION.
WE ALSO DISCUSSED ARRANGEMENTS FOR FUTURE DISCUSSION.
PLEASE WRAP IT UP MR. THROWER.
YOU CAN FINISH JUST AT LIKE OKAY.
END YOUR SENTENCE AND THEN WRAP IT UP.
UH, AND IF I DON'T KNOW, I'LL TELL YOU.
UH, HAVE NO ONE ELSE SIGNED TO SPEAK.
IS THERE ANYONE ELSE THAT WISHES TO SPEAK? MR. MATHIS, DID YOU WANNA SPEAK? YES.
UH, FRED MATHIS WITH HARRIS COUNTY.
I JUST WANNA CLEAR UP A COUPLE OF THINGS.
UM, THE PREVIOUS SPEAKER SAID THAT HARRIS COUNTY WAS IN SUPPORT OF THE VARIANCE.
UM, WE WOULD BE IN SUPPORT IF PLANNING COMMISSION WAS IN SUPPORT OF THE VARIANCE.
THAT'S WHAT WAS, THAT'S WHAT WAS STATED.
[01:40:01]
OKAY.ALSO, UM, JUST WANT BRING OUT EVERY, EVERYTHING HERE, UM, THE RIGHT OF WAY THAT'S EXTENDING TO THE FLOOD CONTROL DITCH.
THERE WAS AN AGREEMENT MADE BY HARRIS COUNTY AND MERCY SERVICES DISTRICT THAT IF WE ABANDONED THAT, UH, EXCESSIVE RIGHT OF WAY, THE AGREEMENT WAS THAT GREENFIELD ROAD WOULD HAVE TO END IN THE CUL-DE-SAC.
NOW THE MERCY SERVICES DISTRICT DOES NOT WANNA DO A CUL-DE-SAC, SO THAT WAS AGAINST WHAT WAS AGREED UPON.
THANK YOU FOR THE CLARIFICATION.
COMMISSIONER ROBBINS, IS THIS THE SAME TRAINING CENTER WE'VE SEEN A COUPLE OF TIMES, YES.
AND IS THERE A REASON THE NEIGHBORHOOD IS NOT BACK OUT HERE? 'CAUSE THEY WERE PRETTY ACTIVE IN THE PREVIOUS TIMES THIS WAS BROUGHT TO US.
WERE THEY GIVEN NOTICE THAT IT'S BACK ON MS. RODRIGUEZ? NO NOTIFICATION IS REQUIRED AT THE COUNTY THEN? NO.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? OKAY, SO WHAT WE HAVE IN FRONT OF US IS A REQUEST BY THE APPLICANT, A WRITTEN REQUEST FOR A 30 DAY EXTENSION.
SO DO I HAVE A MOTION? MOTION GARZA.
CAN I ASK DO WE WE DON'T HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO DEFER AGAIN? NO, BECAUSE IT'S THREE WEEKS WE DEFERRED BEFORE.
THAT'S WHY THEY'RE ASKING FOR THE 30 DAYS.
WE EITHER TAKE ACTION 30 DAYS OR GIVE IT 30 DAYS.
I JUST HATE THE, I HATE THESE 30 DAYS.
I KNOW WE'VE SORT OF FLEXED ON THEM AND THEN WE TRIED TO DRAW A LINE AND STOP FLEXING ON 'EM AND NOW WE'RE GONNA FLEX ON 'EM AGAIN BECAUSE THERE WERE SOME MIS WE'RE LIKELY TO FLEX ON 'EM AGAIN.
AND I'LL, I'LL SECOND THE MOTION, BUT I WANT TO CLEAR FOR THE RECORD.
I THINK THESE 30 DAY EXTENSIONS ARE A REALLY BAD PRECEDENT TO SET.
I THINK PEOPLE NEED TO WORK WITHIN THE GUIDELINES THAT WE'VE SET AND PUSHING THOSE BOUNDARIES AND THEN ASKING FOR A 30 DAY, WHICH ISN'T, IT DOESN'T SOUND LIKE WHAT HAPPENED HERE, WHICH IS WHY I'M GONNA SECOND THE, THE MOTION.
BUT I THINK WE AS A BODY NEED TO REALLY TRY VERY HARD TO AVOID GRANTING THESE 30 DAYS.
'CAUSE I THINK WE'RE DANGEROUSLY CLOSE TO THEM BEING ABUSED.
I'M NOT SURE WE CAN AVOID, I'M GONNA ASK MS. MICKELSON TO GIVE US SOME INPUT.
YEAH, AN APPLICANT CAN ALWAYS REQUEST THAT.
YOU KNOW, IT, IT'S AN INTERESTING ARGUMENT BECAUSE THE DISCUSSION WE OFTEN HEAR FROM DEVELOPERS IS THAT CITIES TAKE TOO LONG AND HERE THEY ARE ASKING FOR MORE TIME.
SO, UM, YOU KNOW, IT'S KIND OF, IT'S KIND OF THE REVERSE OF, OF WHAT THEY USUALLY OBJECT TO.
CITIES MAY, OR EXCUSE ME, THE THE DEVELOPER OWNER MAY ALWAYS REQUEST, UH, THAT THAT 30 DAY ADDITIONAL TIMEFRAME, IT'S UP TO THE COMMISSION TO GRANT IT.
UM, AS YOU HAVE IN OTHER DEFERRALS, YOU PROBABLY WANNA KNOW WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN IN THE TIMEFRAME.
I'M SORRY BUT I FORGOT WHO MADE THE MOTION.
ALL IN FAVOR FOR THE 30 DAY EXTENSION.
UM, YES, I UM, I'M GUESSING THAT ONE OF THE REASONS THE NEIGHBORHOOD ISN'T OUT HERE IS BECAUSE YOU WEREN'T PUTTING THE CUL-DE-SACS AND THAT'S WHAT THEY'RE AGAINST.
UM, IS THAT, I SEE YOU SHAKING YOUR HEAD.
HAVE WILL YOU, UM, WILL YOU KEEP THEM ABREAST IN ANY WAY IF YOU DO MAKE CHANGES TO THIS SUBMITTAL? SO THEY'RE SO THEY'RE AWARE, UM, LIKE I MENTIONED THAT THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND THE COUNTY, THEY DON'T RECEIVE NOTIFICATION, UM, THINKING THAT PART OF THE APPLICANT THEY'RE REQUESTING AN ATTENTION IS TO COORDINATE WITH THE RESIDENT.
I'M HOPING AND I PROBABLY I'M LOOKING AT THE APPLICANT BEHIND YOU.
SO KIND OF TALKING TO BOTH OF YOU AT THE SAME TIME.
BUT WE ARE ALREADY IN COMMUNICATION WITH SOME OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND MR. ER ACTUALLY HAS SOME DOCUMENTATION FROM ONE OF THE, UH, OWNERS ACTUALLY AT THE END OF THE STREET, AT THE CUL-DE-SAC AREA.
BUT JUST BECAUSE THEY WERE, THEY REALLY DID COME OUT IN FORCE AND NOW WE'RE NOT SEEING THEM.
WE WANNA BE SURE THEY KNOW WHAT'S HAPPENING.
I WANT TO ANSWER THE QUESTION THAT COMMISSIONER ROBBINS ASKED.
WE LEGALLY HAVE TO LET SOMEONE ASK US, BUT AS THIS BODY CAN DECIDE WHETHER THEY WANT TO MOVE FORWARD WITH 30 DAY EXTENSIONS OR NOT.
SO I'LL THROW THAT BACK AT YOU GUYS.
THAT IS SOMETHING YOU NEED TO CONTEMPLATE AND, UM, CONSIDER HOW YOU WANT TO HANDLE 30 DAY REQUESTS FOR 30 DAY EXTENSIONS.
[01:45:01]
YOU.ITEM 1 23 IS LAKES AT BELT TERRA RESERVE SECTION 11.
THE SUBJECT SITE IS AN OVER TWO ACRE PROPERTY LOCATED IN THE FORT BEND COUNTY, EXTRATERRITORIAL JURISDICTION SOUTH OF WEST PARK TOLLWAY AND WEST OF GAS, UH, KATY GASTON ROAD.
THE APPLICANT IS PROPOSING AN UNRESTRICTED RESERVE AND IS REQUESTING A VARIANCE TO ALLOW A RESERVE TO TAKE ACCESS VIA ACCESS EASEMENT.
IN LIEU PUBLIC STREET FRONTAGE STAFF IS IN SUPPORT OF THE REQUESTED VARIANCE.
THE PROPERTY IS INTENDED TO BE USED AS A RESTAURANT SITE WITH PARKING AS PART OF A LARGER COMMERCIAL RETAIL AREA.
THE SITE INTENDS TO TAKE ACCESS FROM A RECORDED 60 FOOT WIDE ACCESS EASEMENTS SHOWN IN YELLOW TO REACH VIA MENI WAY TO THE SOUTH AND WEST PARK TOLLWAY TO THE NORTH.
VINI IS AN EXISTING 60 FOOT RIGHT OF WAY THAT CONNECTS MAJOR THOROUGH AFFAIRS.
KATIE GASTON TO THE EAST TO THE MAJOR COLLECTOR RANCH, UH, RANCHO BELLA TO THE WEST.
THE EASE THE ACCESS EASEMENTS PROVIDE SUFFICIENT ACCESS AND CONNECTIVITY TO THE OVERALL PROPOSED COMMERCIAL AREA.
FORT BEND COUNTY ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT HAS NO OBJECTIONS TO THE VARIANCE SAMANS, THE GRANNY, THE VARI IN IMPROVING THE PLAT SUBJECT TO CPC 1 0 1 FORM CONDITIONS.
MADAM CHAIR, THIS CONCLUDES STAFF'S PRESENTATION.
I HAVE NO ONE SIGNED TO SPEAK.
LET ME MAKE SURE, UH, ON ITEM 1 23, IS THERE ANYONE THAT WISHES TO SPEAK? OKAY.
COMMISSIONERS, WE HAVE A RECOMMENDATION BY STAFF.
DO I HAVE A MOTION? MOTION GARZA.
MOTION GARZA ALLMAN SECOND ALLMAN.
ALL IN FAVOR? OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES.
ITEM 1 24 IS P-C-R-I-F NORTH HOUSTON COMMERCE PARK GENERAL PLAN.
THE SUBJECT SITE IS AN OVER 154 ACRE PROPERTY LOCATED WITHIN THE HOUSTON CITY LIMIT SOUTH ALONG FM 1960 AND NORTHEAST ALONG ALDE WESTFIELD.
THE APPLICANT'S PROPOSING A GENERAL PLAN WITH THE FUTURE INTENT TO CREATE THREE RESERVES FOR COMMERCIAL INDUSTRIAL USE AND IS REQUESTING A VARIANCE IN TWO PARTS.
FIRST TO EXCEED 2,600 FOOT INTERSECTION SPACING ALONG MAJOR THOROUGHFARE FM 1960 AND ALDEEN WESTFIELD BY ONLY PROVIDING ONE OF THE TWO PUBLIC STREETS REQUIRED AND TWO TO EXCEED 1400 FOOT INTERSECTION SPACING ALONG PROPOSED EXTENSION OF WW THORN DRIVE BY NOT PROVIDING ANY OF THE REQUEST REQUIRED.
INTER UH, INTERSECTIONS STATUS IS THE PORT OF THE REQUESTED VARIANCE.
THE SUBJECT SIDE IS DIVIDED BY AN HLMB TRANSMISSION TOWER CORRIDOR SHOWN IN YELLOW, WHICH HINDERS THE CROSSING OF PUBLIC RIGHT-OF-WAYS AND IS BORDER TO THE SOUTH BY TURKEY CREEK SHOWN IN BLUE, WHICH MAKES ANY RIGHT OF WAY CROSSING TO THE SOUTH INFEASIBLE.
THE FUTURE INTENDED USE IS WAREHOUSE INDUSTRIAL.
THE SITE ITSELF EXPAND, UH, SPANS BETWEEN TXDOT FARM TO MARKET ROAD 1960 AND ALDE WESTFIELD AND PROPOSES THE EXTENSION OF WW THORN, WHICH IS A FOUR LANE MEDIAN DIVIDED RIGHT OF WAY THAT FUNCTIONS AS A THOROUGHFARE WEST OF ALDE WESTFIELD.
THIS PLACES THE SITE WITHIN A STRONG RATE OF, OF RIGHT OF WAYS AND IS NOT, AND NOT PROVIDING A SECOND RIGHT OF WAY WOULD NOT PLACE UNDUE BURDEN, WOULD NOT PLACE UNDUE BURDEN ON THE SURROUNDING PROPERTIES AND RIGHT OF WAY NETWORK A PUBLIC RIGHT OF WAY INTERSECTING THE PROPOSED EXTENSION OF WW THORN WOULD BE ALSO BE HINDERED BY THE TRANSMISSION CORRIDOR TO THE NORTH AND TURKEY CREEK TO THE SOUTHS RECOMMENDATION IS TO GRANT THE REQUESTED VARIANCES AND APPROVE THE GENERAL PLAN SUBJECT TO CPC 1 0 1 FORM CONDITIONS.
MADAM CHAIR, THIS CONCLUDES STAFF'S PRESENTATION.
I HAVE NO ONE SIGNED TO SPEAK ON ITEM 1 1 24.
IS THERE ANYONE THAT WISHES TO SPEAK? ALRIGHT, COMMISSIONERS, WE HAVE A RECOMMENDATION TO GRANT THE REQUESTED VARIANCES ON ITEM 1 24.
DO I HAVE A MOTION? MOTION JONES.
ITEM 1 25 IS VETERANS MEMORIAL CONSTELLATION GP.
THIS SITE IS LOCATED IN THE ETJ OF HARRIS COUNTY WEST ALONG VETERANS MEMORIAL DRIVE SOUTH OF FALLBROOK ROAD AND NORTH OF S STUEBNER PARK LANE.
THE APPLICANT IS REQUESTING A VARIANCE TO EXCEED INTERSECTION SPACING BY NOT EXTENDING OR TERMINATING A STUB STREET WITH THE CUL-DE-SAC.
STAFF IS IN SUPPORT OF THIS REQUEST.
THE SITE IS A 55 ACRE PLAN, UH, ATTRACTIVE LAND FOR WAREHOUSE AND DISTRIBUTION USE.
THE PLAT IS BISECTED BY MAJOR, THE BY PROPOSED MAJOR FAIR AIRFARE WEST ROAD.
THE FOREST WOOD SUBDIVISION TO THE NORTH CREATED A STUB STREET LOCK BURN DRIVE HIGHLIGHTED IN YELLOW IN 1977.
LOCK ME DRIVE IS ROUGHLY 550 FEET IN LENGTH AND PROVIDES ACCESS TO 16 RESIDENTIAL HOMES.
THIS DEAD END STREET ALSO PROVIDES ACCESS TO THE WASTEWATER TREATMENT FACILITY OWNED BY THE FOREST HILL MUNICIPAL UTILITY DISTRICT.
JUSTIFICATION FOR NOT EXTENDING THE STREET OR PROVIDING A CUL-DE-SAC IS THAT THE ENTRANCE TO THE MUD FACILITY PROVIDES SUFFICIENT ACCESS FOR A VEHICULAR TURNAROUND WITHIN THE PAVED RIGHT OF WAY, HIGHLIGHTED IN RED.
ALSO, IF THE STUB STREET WAS TO BE EXTENDED, IT WOULD INTRODUCE INDUSTRIAL TRAFFIC TO AND THROUGH THE FALLBROOK SUBDIVISION.
[01:50:01]
THE ROSSLYN ROAD RIGHT OF WAY IS PLANNED TO BE ABANDONED.THE SITE PLAN INDICATES THAT THERE IS NO VEHICULAR ACCESS FROM THIS ROADWAY AS IT AS IT IS PLATTED BUT WAS NEVER CONSTRUCTED.
ALL VEHICULAR TRAFFIC WILL BE FROM S STUEBNER PARK LANE TO THE SOUTH STAFF'S.
RECOMMENDATIONS TO GRANT THE REQUESTED VARIANCE TO NOT EXTEND OR TERMINATE THE PUBLIC STREET WITH THE CUL-DE-SAC.
AND THIS CONCLUDES MY PRESENTATION.
I DON'T HAVE ANY SPEAKERS SIGNED FOR ITEM 1 25.
IS THERE ANYONE THAT WISHES TO SPEAK? OKAY, HEARING NONE.
I NEED A MOTION FOR STAFF RECOMMENDATION.
ALL IN FAVOR? A OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES.
ITEM 1 26 IS WILLOW BEND OAKS GENERAL PLAN.
THIS SITE IS ALSO LOCATED IN THE ETG OF HARRIS COUNTY, NORTH OF US TWO 90 EAST OF BKE ROAD AND SOUTH OF BOWER HOCKLEY ROAD.
THE APPLICANT IS REQUESTING A VARIANCE TO EXCEED INTERSECTION SPACING BUT NOT PROVIDING A NORTH, SOUTH, OR EAST WEST STREET THROUGH THE TRACT.
STAFF IS IN SUPPORT OF THIS REQUEST.
THE SITE IS 172 ACRE TRACT INTENT FOR WAREHOUSE AND DISTRIBUTION CENTER USE.
THIS SITE IS BOUNDED BY A PUBLIC STREET TO THE NORTH CENTER CENTER POINT ENERGY PROPERTY TO THE EAST AND HARRIS COUNTY FLOOD CONTROL DRAINAGE DITCH TO THE SOUTH.
THE EXISTING INTERSECTION SPACING IN BOTH DIRECTIONS IS ROUGHLY 5,100 FEET.
THIS DEVELOPMENT IS CENTRALLY LOCATED AND IS THE LARGEST TRACK WITHIN THIS STREET GRID AND EAST WEST STREET.
THROUGH THIS TRACK IS NOT REQUIRED TO BE EXTENDED BEYOND THE TRANS TRANSMISSION CORRIDOR, WHICH IS HIGHLIGHTED IN YELLOW WITHOUT THE ABILITY TO MAKE A FULL CONNECTION TO ROBERTS ROAD TO THE EAST.
THE STREET REQUIREMENT WOULD NOT GREATLY IMP, WOULD NOT GREATLY BENEFIT TRAFFIC.
TRAFFIC CIRCULATION IN THE AREA.
THE UNDEVELOPED TRACKS TO THE WEST AND TO THE SOUTH HAVE FRONTAGE ALONG PUBLIC RIGHT OF WAY AND ARE ROUGHLY SEVEN ACRES IN SIZE GIVEN THE LOW DENSITY WITHIN THIS STREET GRID, THE LARGE UNDEVELOPED TRACKS AND THE ADJACENT LAND OWNED BY CENTER POINT AND HARRIS COUNTY FLOOD CONTROL STAFF IS IN SUPPORT OF NOT PROVIDING ANY PUBLIC STREETS THROUGH THIS TRACK.
HARRIS COUNTY HAS VOICED NO OBJECTION TO THIS REQUEST AND STAFF RECOMMENDS GRANTED THE REQUESTED VARIANCE AND APPROVING THE PLAT SUBJECT TO THE CPC 1 0 1 FORM CONDITIONS.
THIS CONCLUDES MY PRESENTATION.
I HAVE NO ONE SIGNED TO SPEAK ON ITEM 1 26.
IS THERE ANYONE THAT WISHES TO SPEAK? COMMISSIONERS YOU HAVE BEFORE YOU A RECOMMENDATION TO GRANT THE REQUESTED VARIANCE TO HAVE A MOTION QUESTION? YES.
DID YOU SAY THAT HARRIS COUNTY HAS VOICED OBJECTIONS OR HASN'T? IT SAYS HAS IN THE OH, IT HAS NOT.
UM, AM I EVEN THEY HAVE NOT VO OKAY.
THAT MAY BE A HAVE NOT VOICED ANY OBJECTION.
IT SAYS IN THE STAFF REPORT NUMBER FOUR IT SAYS THAT THEY HAVE SO OH, THAT MAY BE A, I'M SORRY.
THAT MAY BE A TYPE THEY NOT ANY OBJECTION.
SO DO I HAVE A MOTION? MOTION AKKA.
WE HAVE NOTHING UNDER EF SO WE'LL
[Platting Activities g - j]
MOVE TO G EXTENSIONS OF APPROVAL.MEMBERS OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION IF IT PLEASES THE COMMISSION STAFF WOULD LIKE TO TAKE SECTIONS G-H-I-N-J AS ONE GROUP? ABSOLUTELY.
UM, SECTION G EXTENSIONS OF APPROVAL CONSISTS OF ITEMS 1 27 THROUGH 1 52 SECTION H.
NAME CHANGES CONSISTS OF ITEMS 1 53 AND 1 54 SECTION I CERTIFICATION OF COMPLIANCE CONSISTS OF ITEMS 1 55 AND 1 56 AND SECTION J ADMINISTRATIVE HAS NO ITEMS. THE PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT REQUESTS TO APPROVAL OF ALL STAFF RECOMMENDATIONS FOR SECTIONS GHI AND J.
COMMISSIONER HICH? YEAH, MADAM CHAIR.
I'M GONNA ABSTAIN FROM ITEMS 1 28 AND 1 37.
DO I HAVE A MOTION TO UH, APPROVE GHI AND J.
[k. Development Plats with Variance Requests (Geoff Butler and Ramon Jaime-Leon) ]
ALONG TO KAY DEVELOPMENT PLATS AND MADAM CHAIR, I'M GONNA RECUSE FROM ITEM 1 57.I'M NOT SURE IF YOU HEARD THAT BUT, OKAY, GREAT.
GOOD AFTERNOON MADAM CHAIR AND MEMBERS OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION.
ITEM 1 57 1 57 11 17 BLAND STREET.
UH, THE SITE IS LOCATED SOUTH OF LITTLE YORK ROAD AND WEST OF WHITLEY STREET ALONG THE SOUTH SIDE OF BLAND STREET.
THE APPLICANT IS REQUESTING A VARIANCE TO ALLOW A THREE FOOT BUILDING LINE INSTEAD OF THE REQUIRED
[01:55:01]
FIVE FOOT BUILDING LINE ALONG THE WEST PRIVATE STREET OF THE NEW MULTIFAMILY DEVELOP.NEW MULTIFAMILY DEVELOPMENT STAFF RECOMMENDATION IS TO APPROVE THE REQUEST.
THE PROPERTY WAS RECENTLY REPLANTED AS AN AB AS AN UNRESTRICTED RESERVE UNDER NEW HOPE HOUSING WHITLEY SUBDIVISION.
THE PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT WILL CREATE A FOUR STORY BUILDING WITH 103 AFFORDABLE APARTMENT UNITS AND THE PROJECT WILL COMPLY WITH FIRE PROTECTION.
THE REDUCED BUILDING LINE ALONG THE PRIVATE STREET WILL NOT IMPACT, UH, WILL NOT HAVE AN IMPACT, UH, WILL NOT IMPACT SAFETY SINCE THE BUILDING WILL NOT HAVE ACCESS ALONG THE PRIVATE STREET.
IN ADDITION, THE FIRE MARSHAL HAS REVIEWED THE PROJECT AND HAS NO OBJECTION TO THE VARIANCE REQUEST.
STAFF RECOMMENDATION IS TO, UH, STAFF RECOMMENDS THE PLANNING COMMISSION TO GRANT THE REQUESTED VARIANCE TO ALLOW A THREE FOOT BUILDING LINE, UH, FOR A NEW, UH, MULTIFAMILY DEVELOPMENT INSTEAD OF THE FIVE FOOT PER THE ORDINANCE.
THIS CONCLUDES MY PRESENTATION.
MR. GRISSOM IS HERE FOR QUESTIONS, THE APPLICANT.
DO WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? COMMISSIONERS? OKAY, THANK YOU.
OKAY, SO WE HAVE BEFORE US A RECOMMENDATION FOR APPROVAL ON ITEM 1 57.
ITEM 1 58 IS 47 0 1 HARRISBURG BOULEVARD, EXCUSE ME, 57 0 1 HARRISBURG BOULEVARD.
THE SITE IS LOCATED WITHIN HOUSTON'S CORPORATE LIMIT ALONG HARRISBURG.
AT THE INTERSECTION OF CLIFTON STREET.
THE APPLICANT PROPOSES A NEW STRUCTURE FOR A PROPOSED CAR DEALERSHIP.
THE APPLICANT IS REQUESTING A VARIANCE TO NOT ABIDE BY THE TRANSIT-ORIENTED DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS GOVERNING SITE PLANS.
STAFF RECOMMENDS DEFERRAL TO ALLOW THE APPLICANT TIME TO SUPPORT TO SUBMIT CLARIFYING MATERIALS BY NOON.
WE'VE RECEIVED ONE WRITTEN COMMENT OPPOSING THE REQUEST CITING ITS INCONSISTENCY WITH PEDESTRIAN AND PUBLIC TRANSIT IMPROVEMENTS.
I HAVE NO ONE SIGNED TO SPEAK ON ITEM 1 58.
IS THERE ANYONE HERE THAT WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK? ALRIGHT, COMMISSIONERS, YOU HAVE A RECOMMENDATION FOR DEFERRAL FOR ITEM 1 58.
MOTION TO VE BLAND SECOND ROBBINS.
OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES 1 60 59, EXCUSE ME, 1 59 ITEM 1 59.
THAT IS, UH, 47 0 3 MERWIN STREET.
THIS SITE IS LOCATED ALONG THE NORTH SIDE OF US 59 AND AND ALONG THE SOUTH SIDE OF MARYLAND STREET, THE APPLICANT IS REQUESTING A VARIANCE TO ALLOW A 10 FOOT BUILDING LINE, UM, ALONG US 59.
IN LIEU OF THE ORDINANCE REQUIRED 25 FOOT SETBACK FOR A NEW, UH, COFFEE FACTORY.
UH, STAFF IS IN SUPPORT OF THE REQUEST.
THE SUBJECT SITE WAS CREATED BY THE ATWOOD VILLAS, A REPL OF 25.03 ACRES OUT OF PIN OAK SUBDIVISION AT THE TIME FOR REPL IN 1953.
THE RECORDED PLAT WAS CREATED BEFORE THE CONSTRUCTION OF US 59.
THE MAJORITY OF THE STRUCTURES ALONG THE NORTH SIDE OF US 59 ARE CONSTRUCTED WITHIN THE ORDINANCE BUILDING LINE REQUIREMENTS.
THEREFORE, THE UH, PROPOSED 10 FOOT SETBACK BUILDING LINE IS IN KEEPING WITH THE CHARACTER OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
THE PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT CONSISTS OF A TWO STORY STRUCTURE WITH, UH, AND SORRY, A TWO STORY STRUCTURE THAT WILL HAVE SOLE ACCESS VIA MARYLAND STREET LOCAL STREET.
NO VEHICLE ACCESS TO THE PROPERTY WILL BE FROM US 59 AND THE EXISTING SOUND BARRIER WILL REMAIN AS IT IS.
STAFFER COMMENDS THE PLANNING COMMISSION TO GRANT THE REQUESTED VARIANCE TO ALLOW A 10 FOOT BUILDING LINE FOR A NEW COFFEE FACTORY ALONG US 59.
UM, WE RECEIVED SOME NUMEROUS PUBLIC COMMENTS REGARDING TRAFFIC AND I BELIEVE CHARACTER OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
THIS CONCLUDES MY PRESENTATION.
I HAVE SEVERAL SPEAKERS SIGNED TO SPEAK.
OUR FIRST SPEAKER IS AARON ATKINSON.
PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME FOR THE RECORD.
I'LL REMIND EVERYONE 'CAUSE WE'VE GONE THROUGH QUITE A BIT THAT WE HAVE TWO MINUTES FOR SPEAKING DOCUMENT CAMERA.
I'M HERE REPRESENTING BLEND AND COFFEE CLUB.
I'VE BEEN AN EMPLOYEE FOR SEVEN YEARS NOW.
IT'S ACTUALLY OUR SEVENTH YEAR ANNIVERSARY THIS SUNDAY.
UM, BUT I ALSO HAVE A LETTER TO READ, UH, FROM THE OWNER.
JUST SO I CLAR PROVIDE SOME CLARIFICATION ON, UH, OUR ROASTING FACILITY.
UM, THE CLARIFICATION ON THE USAGE OF THE DEVELOPMENT LOCATED AT 47 0 3 MEIN STREET, MEIN STREET.
THE BUILDING WILL BE USED FOR COFFEE ROASTING AND PRIVATE BARISTA TRAINING.
IT IS NOT INTENDED TO OPERATE AS A TRADITIONAL COFFEE SHOP, THEREFORE NOT OPEN TO THE PUBLIC.
WE WILL HAVE ABOUT FIVE TO SIX EMPLOYEES THAT WILL BE OPERATING OUT OF THERE AND HAVE ADEQUATE PARKING SPACE ON THE LOT ITSELF.
[02:00:01]
UM, WE'VE RECEIVED A LOT OF INQUIRIES FROM THE COMMUNITY REGARDING THE NATURE OF OUR BUSINESS AND I JUST WANTED TO ENSURE EVERYONE THAT THIS IS NOT A COFFEE SHOP.UM, AND I CAN PROVIDE OR I CAN ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS REGARDING ROASTING OPERATIONS.
THE TYPE OF EQUIPMENT THAT WE'LL BE USED OBVIOUSLY IN BEING IN A RESIDENTIAL AREA THAT MAY BE IT'S SOME, SOME CONCERNS ABOUT THAT.
UM, WE'RE CURRENTLY OPERATING TWO CAFES, ONE IN SUGARLAND, ONE IN THE MONTROSE AREA.
LIKE I SAID, WE'VE BEEN AROUND FOR SEVEN YEARS.
UM, ONE OF OUR LEASES ACTUALLY RESTRICTS US FROM OPERATING A COFFEE SHOP WITHIN CERTAIN BOUNDARIES.
UM, ANYWHERE SOUTH OF I 10, EAST OF I EAST OF, UH, I SIX 10 AND NORTH OF I 69 WEST OF BAGBY STREET.
SO OUR LEASE ACTUALLY, UM, DOES NOT ALLOW US TO OPERATE COFFEE SHOPS AGAIN.
UM, WE ARE, UH, COMMITTED TO OPERATING A BUSINESS IN ACCORDANCE WITH ALL APPLICABLE REGULATIONS AND LAWS.
WE UNDERSTAND THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING A RESPONSIBLE, UH, AND ENGAGE MEMBER OF THE COMMUNITY.
OUR NAME IS BLEND IN FOR A REASON.
WE DO LIKE TO BLEND INTO THE COMMUNITY.
OUR CAFE AND SUGAR LAND IS ACTUALLY IN A RESIDENTIAL AREA AS WELL.
UM, I'M HERE FOR ANY QUESTIONS IF YOU GUYS HAVE REQUIRE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION, LIKE I SAID ABOUT THE ROASTING OPERATIONS ITSELF.
UM, I'M HEAD OF OPERATIONS FOR THE COMPANY.
ANY QUESTIONS FOR MR. ATKINSON? OKAY, THANK YOU.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS JESSE HOWER.
PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME FOR THE RECORD.
I'M JESSE HAGER, UM, ARCHITECT FOR THE PROPOSED STRUCTURE DOCUMENT CAMERA.
WHERE'S THE CAMERA? HERE? BACK THERE TALKING TO THE OH, OKAY.
UM, SO YEAH, WE'RE HERE AND OBVIOUSLY IN SUPPORT OF THE STRUCTURE THAT WE'VE DESIGNED WITH THESE CLIENTS AND PROVIDING, UM, DEMONSTRATION OF THE EXISTING STRUCTURES, UH, ALONG MERWIN STREET, UM, NORTH OF THE ACCESS ROAD.
THOSE STRUCTURES THAT ARE, UH, IN KIND OF THE REDDISH COLORS ARE ALL OF THE STRUCTURES THAT ARE ACTUALLY COMMERCIAL STRUCTURES AS WELL, CURRENTLY CONVERTED HOMES, UH, UH, PRACTICING, UM, VARIOUS BUSINESSES LIKE, UH, REAL ESTATE AND HAIR SALONS AND A NUMBER OF OTHER COMMERCIAL ACTIVITIES ON HERE.
AND, UH, WE ARE, OUR PROPOSED BUILDING LINE IS IN KEEPING WITH THE CHARACTER OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND THE, AND THE LINE THAT, UM, EXISTS ALONG THE SOUTH END THERE, UH, OF THE EXISTING DEVELOPMENTS AS THE, UM, AS AARON JUST MENTIONED, UM, WE'VE GONE THROUGH THE NORMAL PERMITTING PROCESSES AND HAVE COMPLIED WITH ALL TRAFFIC REGULATIONS.
UM, STUDIES PROVIDED MORE THAN ADEQUATE SPOTS ON THE PROPERTY ITSELF.
UH, AND JUST WANT TO BE ANOTHER GOOD NEIGHBOR AND PROVIDE GOOD COFFEE FOR THE CITY.
SO HAPPY TO PROVIDE ANY OTHER, UM, ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE.
THANK YOU FOR COMING IN TODAY.
OUR LAST SPEAKER IS ROSS WEINERT.
I HAVE NOTHING FURTHER TO ADD TO THE, UH, OKAY.
UM, WE HAVE A RECOMMENDATION IN FRONT OF YOU TO APPROVE THIS APPLICATION.
YES, I'D LIKE TO SPEAK, YOU DIDN'T ASK IF ANYBODY ELSE WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK ABOUT PROPERTY.
DID YOU FILL OUT A FORM? NO, I DID NOT.
PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME FOR THE RECORD.
MY NAME IS KEITH BOX AND I HAVE A HOUSE ON MERLIN.
I ALSO HAVE A BUILDING ON MERLIN.
I ALSO HAVE AN OFFICE OFFICE IN 33 YEARS ON MERWIN.
AND I DID THE FIRST DRAWINGS, ARCHITECTURAL AND MEP ENGINEERING DRAWINGS FOR THE FIRST STORE.
I WAS ASKED TWO MONTHS AGO TO LOOK AT ANOTHER LOCATION ON I 10, SORRY.
ON 59 EAST, THERE'S A, THERE'S A LITTLE BIT OF A PROBLEM WITH THIS BUILDING.
I DON'T KNOW IF YOU CAN SEE IT, BUT IS THAT REALLY CONDUCIVE TO AFTON OAKS? 'CAUSE IT BUTTS RIGHT UP TO AFTON OAKS.
BURWIN LAN SHIRE IS NEXT DOOR TO THIS.
THEY DID A TRAFFIC STUDY ONLY ON MERWIN.
MERWIN IS A RESIDENTIAL STREET.
THEY DIDN'T DO THE TRAFFIC STUDY ON LAN LINCOLNSHIRE.
THAT CUTS THROUGH FROM 59 TO RICHMOND.
I HAVE A VIDEO THAT SHOWS YOU JUST WHAT HAPPENS ABOUT FOUR O'CLOCK IN THE AFTERNOON IF YOU'D LIKE TO SEE IT, AND HOW MUCH TRAFFIC GOES DOWN.
I DON'T KNOW IF YOU CAN SEE IT REAL.
ANYWAY, THE POINT IS THIS, WE REQUESTED SOME DRAWINGS FROM THE OWNER AND THE ARCHITECT TO FIND OUT EXACTLY WHAT THE SQUARE FOOTAGES ARE.
THEY HAVE NOT PROVIDED THEM, THEY WILL NOT GIVE US ANY INFORMATION.
I, AS SOMEBODY THAT'S BEEN DOING 6,400 PROJECTS IN THIS STATE, KNOW THAT I CAN FALSIFY CHANGE OR, OR MOVE SQUARE FOOTAGES AROUND TO ACQUIRE WHAT I WANT.
I HAVE PLANS OF THE FIRST ONE THAT I'M GONNA GIVE THIS YOUNG MAN HERE.
AND THIS PLAN SHOWS THAT YES, THEY HAVE A CLASS, THEY HAVE A ROASTER
[02:05:01]
THAT'S ONLY ONE FOURTH OF THE SQUARE FOOTAGE OF THIS BUILDING.THE OTHER PART OF IT IS A SIT DOWN CAFE.
THE OTHER PROJECT IS 2200 SQUARE FEET APPROXIMATELY.
DID Y'ALL GET TO SEE THE YEAH.
HOPEFULLY YOU CAN ZOOM IN ON THAT.
WELL THEN I'LL JUST HAVE THE PCS IN.
YEAH, I MEAN YOU HAVE, YOU CAN HAVE A SENTENCE TO CLOSE IT OUT, BUT I CAN'T LET YOU KEEP GOING.
ATON OAKS BATTLED THE TRAIN COMING DOWN RICHMOND.
ATON OAKS ISN'T GONNA SIT AND WATCH THIS COMMERCIAL BUILDING GET BUILT NEXT TO IT.
I HAVE, I HAVE A PROPERTY ON A OAKS ON MERLIN'S WHERE I LIVE.
I USED OWN SIX OF 'EM ON THAT STREET AFTER DIVORCE.
UH, BUT THIS DOESN'T FIT WITH THE SUBDIVISION AND WE ALREADY HAVE A PROBLEM WITH TRAFFIC ON LANCASHIRE.
AND SO, AND PEOPLE CUT THROUGH, SO, OKAY.
SO I DON'T, ALRIGHT, I'M TRYING TO FINISH IT.
SO WHAT I'M, WHAT I'M GONNA ASK, BECAUSE THE ISSUES THAT YOU'RE BRINGING TO US ON TRAFFIC AND THINGS LIKE THAT, THAT'LL ALL GO THROUGH PERMITTING AND PUBLIC WORKS.
AND SO I, I UNDERSTAND YOU KNOW THAT, BUT THE GENERAL PUBLIC MAY NOT KNOW THAT.
SO I HAVE TO SPEAK OUT AND, AND MAKE THAT CLARIFICATION.
SO I'M GONNA ASK EITHER MR. SMITH OR MR. BROWN TO GET WITH YOU AFTER THIS AND, UH, LISTEN TO YOUR CONCERNS.
COMMISSIONER ROBBINS, UH, FOR THE SPEAKER? YES.
SIR, DO WE HAVE A QUESTION? IS IT YOUR UNDERSTANDING THAT THIS IS A RETAIL YES.
THAT THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE A RETAIL AND THAT THEY WOULD NEED THE, THE PARKING? YES.
THE PARKING REQUIRED SUGAR LAND IS 17 IS WHAT WE GAVE THEM.
THEY'RE SITTING IN A COMMERCIAL BUILDING THAT'S FOUR STORIES, FIVE STORIES TALL.
I KNOW THE DEVELOPER, WE DID THE PROJECT IN THE BACK, UM, HERMES'S, UH, I'M SORRY.
UM, STEVE HUSSMAN DID THE ARCHITECTURAL, WE DID THE MEP ENGINEERING.
SO IT'S ONLY ONE FOURTH OF THE BUILDING SIZE THAT IS ACTUALLY THE ROASTER A CLASSROOM AND TEACHING PEOPLE ABOUT COFFEE.
COMMISSIONER GARZA, UM, FOR STAFF AND I, I'M SOMEWHAT FAMILIAR WITH THIS NEIGHBORHOOD, BUT MY UNDERSTANDING IS THIS IS NOT DEED RESTRICTED.
SO THERE'S, WE HAVE NO TOOLS CORRECT AT THIS POINT IN TIME.
YEAH, BUT THAT WOULDN'T, THERE ARE NO DEED RESTRICTIONS IS WHAT IT BOILS DOWN TO.
SO COMMISSIONERS, IS THERE ANYONE ELSE THAT WISHES TO SPEAK? ALRIGHT, WE HAVE A RECOMMENDATION IN FRONT OF US FOR APPROVAL.
DO I HAVE A MOTION? MOTION GARZA.
[IV. Establish a public hearing date of December 19, 2024 ]
TO YES.ESTABLISH A PUBLIC HEARING DATE OF DECEMBER 19TH, 2024 AIR FOR AIRPORT GARDENS PARTIAL REPL NUMBER TWO, DREYFUS GROVE HAMMERLY ESTATES HOLEY PLACE SPRING BRIDGE.
RESIDENCES AND VILLAS ON MANSFIELD.
DO I HAVE A MOTION? GARZA? MOTION.
[V. Consideration of an Off-Street Parking Variance at 5226 Elm Street (Geoff Butler) ]
AYE.ITEM FIVE IS A CONSIDERATION OFF STREET PARKING VARIANCE FOR 5 2 2 6 ELM STREET.
THE SITE IS LOCATED ALONG ELM, ALONG THE HOUSTON BEL AIR CITY LINE WITHIN THE GULFTON COMMUNITY.
THE APPLICANT PROPOSES A NEW DAYCARE FACILITY WITHIN AN EXISTING COMMERCIAL STRUCTURE.
THE APPLICANT IS REQUESTING TWO VARIANCES FROM THE OFF STREET PARKING ORDINANCE.
ONE IS TO ALLOW FOR 60% OF THE REQUIRED PARKING TO BE LOCATED OFFSITE AS OPPOSED TO 50%.
AND TWO, TO ALLOW THE OFFSITE TO BE LOCATED APPROXIMATELY 700 FEET AWAY RATHER THAN 500 FEET.
STAFF RECOMMENDS DEFERRAL TO ALLOW TIME TO COORDINATE WITH THE APPLICANT AND ADDRESS CONCERNS OVER ACCESS FROM THE OFFSITE.
WE HAVE RECEIVED ONE WRITTEN COMMENT EXPRESSING CONCERN OVER TRAFFIC AND STREET PARKING.
I HAVE NO ONE SIGNED TO SPEAK ON THIS, UH, UH, ROOM NUMBER OF FIVE CONSIDERATION OF AN OFF STREET PARKING.
IS THERE ANYONE THAT WE SHOULD SPEAK? OKAY.
COMMISSIONERS, YOU HAVE A RECOMMENDATION FOR DEFERRAL.
OH, UH, JUST IN THE DEFERRAL PERIOD.
MAY WE FIND OUT HOW MANY ACCESSIBLE PARKING SPACES THEY'RE PLANNING TO DO? ABSOLUTELY.
THANK YOU FOR NOTING THAT MR. BUTLER.
SO DO I HAVE A MOTION FOR DEFERRAL
[02:10:01]
DE MOTION FOR SECOND TO HERE? ALL IN FAVOR? AYE.[VI. Consideration of an Off-Street Parking Variance at 3200 S. Shepherd Drive (Ed Buckley) ]
ROMAN NUMERAL SIX ROMAN NUMERAL 6 3 2 0 0 SOUTH SHEPHERD DRIVE.THE SITE IS ALONG THE WEST SIDE OF SOUTH SHEPHERD DRIVE AND SOUTH OF ALABAMA STREET AT THE SOUTHWEST CORNER OF, UH, SOUTH SHEPHERD AND SOLE ROSS STREET.
THE APPLICANT IS PROPOSING AN INTERIOR REMODEL OF A BANK TO CONVERT THE EXISTING BUILDING TO A D SEARCH SHOP, AND IS REQUESTING TO ALLOW MORE THAN 25% OF THE PARKING REQUIREMENT TO BE LOCATED ON AN OFFSITE TRACK.
MORE THAN 500 FEET AWAY, 11 PARKING SPACES ARE PROPOSED ON SITE WITH THE REMAINING PARKING, UH, PROVIDED ROUGHLY, UH, 720 FEET AWAY AT THE SITE OF DAMARIS BARBECUE.
STAFF RECOMMENDATION IS TO DEFER, UH, THE APPLICANT'S REQUEST.
WE RECEIVED NUMEROUS COMMENTS REGARDING, UH, CONCERNS ABOUT PARKING AND, UH, TRAFFIC DEMANDS.
THIS CONCLUDES MY PRESENTATION.
I HAVE NO ONE SIGNED TO SPEAK ON ROOM NUMERAL SIX SEVEN.
IS THERE ANYONE THAT WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK? YES, SIR.
PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME FOR THE RECORD.
I'M THE ARCHITECT OF RECORD ON THIS PROJECT, BROUGHT IN HALFWAY THROUGH THE COMPLETION OF THE PROJECT, BUT NEVERTHELESS, UH, WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH STAFF REALLY DI DILIGENTLY, EY AND, UH, ED, BUT BUCKLEY, ED, ED BUCKLEY.
THE PROBLEM WITH THIS PROJECT, UH, IS THAT WE HAVE A, A C CHOCOLATIER.
IT'S THE OLD CHOCOLATE SHOP THAT WAS ON ALABAMA WANTING TO OPEN A NEW FACILITY.
AND DUE TO THE DENSIFICATION AND URBANIZATION OF THE AREA, WE'VE HAD TO GET OFF STREET PARKING IN THREE OR FOUR DIFFERENT LOCATIONS TO MEET THE CRITERIA FOR THE OFF STREET PARKING THAT HE, THAT WAS DESCRIBED.
AND STAFF HAS BEEN VERY COOPERATIVE AND DILIGENT AND ASSISTING US TO DO THAT.
AND ORIGINALLY ON THE FIRST SUBMITTAL, A RECOMMENDED APPROVAL.
SO JUST DAYS BEFORE THE APPROVAL CAME BEFORE YOU CITY LEGAL, BECAUSE WE WERE REQUIRING A VARIANCE, HAD TO REVIEW IT AND DECIDED THAT THE PLANNING COMMISSION DOESN'T HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO APPROVE THIS VARIANCE.
UH, I FORGET THE, THE GIRL'S NAME, UH, WHO WE WORKED, WE'VE BEEN TALKING TO IN CITY LEGAL, BUT BECAUSE IT'S A VARIANCE, THERE'S A DEED RESTRICTION.
THE BANK HAD BEEN THERE FOR ABOUT 20 YEARS.
SO CLEARLY, YOU KNOW, WE'RE NOT CHANGING THE DEED RESTRICTIONS HERE, BUT IT'S GOTTEN CAUGHT UP IN A, A, THE MINUTIA OF THE LEGAL FRAMEWORK ABOUT HOW ALL THIS WORKS.
STAFF HAS BEEN VERY, VERY PATIENT.
THE OWNERS HAVE BEEN VERY PATIENT.
THEY DID, I THINK WE'RE THE THIRD ARCHITECTS ON THE PROJECT BECAUSE THEY'RE, THEY'RE JUST WORKING KIND OF HALF COCKED, IF YOU MAY.
BUT IN ANY EVENT, WE'RE DOWN TO ONE ITEM AND THAT IS GETTING C CITY LEGAL.
AND THEY WILL ONLY BE PROMPTED BY A JUDGE MAKING A DECISION ON GIVING THE AUTHORITY TO THE COMMISSION TO APPROVE THIS VARIANCE AS I UNDERSTAND IT.
SO THE, THE FURTHER DEVELOPMENT OF THIS AREA AS A PEDESTRIAN ZONE, AFTER MONTHS SPENT TRYING TO DO THE TRA TRAFFIC, TRANSIT-ORIENTED DEVELOPMENT, ET CETERA, AND NOW HAVING TO ASSEMBLE A PARKING CONFIGURATION WITH FOUR DIFFERENT PROPERTIES.
IT SEEMS LIKE THE CITY IS GETTING CLOSE TO MAKING IT A MORE PEDESTRIAN ENVIRONMENT AND A NICER COMMUNITY, URBAN COMMUNITY.
BUT WE STILL HAVE A LONG WAYS TO GO TO GET THE REST OF THE FRAMEWORK ORGANIZED TO BOTH ENCOURAGE IT AND TO APPROVE IT.
SO NOW WE'VE SPENT ALMOST SIX MONTHS WITH FOUR MONTHS JUST BEING, TRYING TO ASSEMBLE ENOUGH PARKING SPACES IN AN AREA WHERE PARKING NOW IS VERY, VERY, VERY DIFFICULT TO FIND.
SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS.
I'M GONNA ASK, UM, MS. MICKELSON OR MS. WOODS, DO YOU GUYS HAVE ANY COMMENTS? MY ONLY COMMENT IS, EXCUSE ME, IN THE REVIEW OF THE DEED RESTRICTIONS, THE DEED RESTRICTIONS CLEARLY STATE THAT THIS LOT IS, UM, RESTRICTED TO RESIDENTIAL.
AND THAT IS WHAT I ADVISE THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT.
[02:15:01]
WHAT THE DEED RESTRICTIONS STATE.MY, UM, JOB IS NOT TO LOOK AT OUTSIDE FACTORS, IT'S TO LOOK AT THE DOCUMENTS THAT ARE FILED IN THE PROPERTY RECORDS.
AND MY RECOMMENDATION IS BASED ON THOSE DOCUMENTS.
COMMISSIONER S I'M, I'M CONFUSED IF THE DEED RESTRICTIONS LIMIT IT TO RESIDENTIAL AND IT'S BEEN A BANK FOR 20 YEARS.
IRRESPECTIVE OF THAT, IT DOESN'T CHANGE THE PARKING REQUIREMENTS, CORRECT? IT DOES.
UH, I'LL, I'LL DEFER TO STAFF ON THE PARKING REQUIREMENTS FOR EITHER USE, BUT NO, YOU'RE CORRECT.
FOR WHATEVER PROPOSED USE THEY WOULD BE PUTTING IN, THEY STILL HAVE THE PARKING REQUIREMENTS THAT ARE REQUIRED TO BE MET.
OBVIOUSLY IF IT'S RESIDENTIAL, IT'S DIFFERENT PARKING REQUIREMENTS THAN IF IT'S A BANK OR A, A CHOCOLATE SHOP.
BUT IF IT'S A CHOCOLATE SHOP, WE STILL HAVE A PARKING ISSUE WE HAVE TO DEAL WITH, RIGHT? THAT IS CORRECT.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? COMMISSIONERS? OKAY.
SO YOU HAVE A RECOMMENDATION IN FRONT OF YOU FOR DEFERRAL.
DO I HAVE A MOTION ALLMAN? MOTION ALLMAN.
ALL IN FAVOR OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES.
[VII. Consideration of an Off-Street Parking Variance at 503 Sul Ross Street (Geoff Butler) ]
NUMERAL SEVEN ROMAN NUMERAL SEVERANCE SEVEN IS CONSIDERATION OF OFF STREET PARKING VARIANCE FOR THE MONARCH COMMUNITY LOCATED ON THE 500 BLOCKS OF SAUL, ROSS, AND BRA STREETS.THE SITE IS LOCATED WITHIN HOUSTON'S CORPORATE LIMIT ON A BLOCK BOUND BY GARRETT, SAUL, ROSS, JACK, AND B BRANER.
THE APPLICANT PROPOSED RENOVATING AND EXPANDING AN EXISTING RESIDENTIAL TREATMENT CENTER WITHIN THIS BLOCK.
THE APPLICANT IS SEEKING A VARIANCE FROM THE OFF STREET PARKING REQUIREMENTS BY PROVIDING 12 SPACES RATHER THAN THE REQUIRED 25 STAFF IS IN SUPPORT OF THIS REQUEST.
THE STUDIES OF CAMPUS OF FIVE STRUCTURES LOCATED WITHIN THE FIRST MONTROSE COMMONS HISTORIC DISTRICT.
THREE OF THESE STRUCTURES ARE DESIGNATED AS HISTORICALLY CONTRIBUTING, WHICH HINDERS, DEMOLITION OR SIGNIFICANT ALTERATIONS.
THE APPLICANT HAS LONG OPERATED A RESIDENTIAL TREATMENT CENTER IN MOST OF THESE STRUCTURES, AND THEY HAVE RECENTLY ACQUIRED A SMALL MULTIFAMILY BUILDING ALONG BRA.
THE APPLICANT IS SEEKING TO IMPROVE AND CONSTRUCT ADDITION TO, TO THESE STRUCTURES IN ORDER TO MEET THEIR LICENSING REQUIREMENTS AND TO CONTINUE, CONTINUE SERVING THE COMMUNITY.
THE APPLICANT IS REQUIRED TO MEET THE CURRENT PARKING REQUIREMENTS DURING DUE TO THE PROPOSED IMPROVEMENTS.
THE HISTORIC STRUCTURES AND STRINGENT NEW CONSTRUCTION REQUIREMENTS REPRESENT SIGNIFICANT BARRIERS TO DESIGN A FACILITY THAT WOULD MEET THE PARKING REQUIREMENTS.
IN ADDITION, THE SITE IS LOCATED WITHIN THE COMMUNITY THAT'S, UH, WELL-SERVED BY PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION AND A ROBUST STREET GRID SYSTEM THAT ENCOURAGES ALTERNATIVE TRANSPORTATION.
FURTHERMORE, THE CENTER DOES NOT ALLOW RESIDENTS TO OWN VEHICLES SO THE OFF STREET SPACES WOULD BE LARGELY OCCUPIED BY EMPLOYEES.
STAFF FINDS THIS MEETS THE INTENT OF THE ORDINANCE AND FINDS THAT REASONABLE HARDSHIP PREVENTS THE APPLICANT FROM MEETING THE PARKING REQUIREMENTS AND RECOMMENDS APPROVAL.
WE'VE RECEIVED WRITTEN COMMENTS FROM THE NEIGHBORS OBJECTING TO THE LACK OF PARKING.
WE'VE ALSO RECEIVED WRITTEN SUPPORT FROM FIRST MOST, EXCUSE ME, THE FIRST MONTROSE COMMON CIVIC CLUB CITING THE CENTER'S ESTABLISHMENT IN THE COMMUNITY AND THE BENEFITS OF THEIR MISSION.
OUR FIRST SPEAKER IS STEVEN LONGMEYER.
MY NAME IS STEVEN LONGMEYER AND I AM NOW IN MY EIGHTH YEAR AS PRESIDENT OF THE CIVIC ASSOCIATION OF THE FIRST MONTROSE COMMONS.
AND WHEN I WAS LAST HERE, YOU HEARD ME, UH, SPEAK IMPASSIONATELY ABOUT NOT GRANTING VARIANCES, UH, IN THIS CASE.
I'M GONNA REVERSE THAT BECAUSE THIS COMMUNITY PREDATES MY COMMUNITY.
THIS COMMUNITY OPERATED FOR A LONG TIME AS AN UNLICENSED FACILITY, AND THERE WE HAD TO DEAL WITH THAT.
WE DON'T HAVE DEED RESTRICTIONS NOW.
WE HAVE A NEW 5 0 1 C3 FORMED BY ITS DEVELOPER, AN EXCELLENT ARCHITECTURAL FIRM TRYING TO MEET WITH US TO ADDRESS OUR HISTORIC PRESERVATION CONCERNS AND THE AUSPICIOUS FACILITIES OF THE METHODIST HOSPITAL PSYCHIATRY DEPARTMENT, WHO WILL SEE TO IT THAT IT IS A FULLY LICENSED FACILITY.
AND WE WHOLEHEARTEDLY DELIGHTEDLY SUPPORT THEIR IDEA TO, UH, HAVE THE 12 PARKING SPACES THAT THEY REQUEST AND TO CONTINUE TO ENGAGE WITH US.
THEY'VE HAD AT LEAST THREE MEETINGS WITH US, AND I'VE LOOKED AT ALL THE LETTERS
[02:20:01]
OPPOSING THIS.NONE OF THESE PEOPLE ATTENDED ANY OF THE PUB WELL-PUBLICIZED PUBLIC MEETINGS AT WHICH THESE GUYS SPENT MORE THAN AN HOUR ANSWERING PUBLIC QUESTIONS AND SHOWING ALL SORTS OF DIAGRAMS, REVISING THEIR PLANS BASED ON COMMUNITY CONCERNS.
I STRONGLY ENCOURAGE YOU TO APPROVE THIS VERY ANSWER REQUEST TODAY.
I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU HAVE ABOUT OUR ASSOCIATION.
ANY QUESTIONS? THANK YOU FOR COMING IN.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS LES SPRO, AND IF I BUTCHERED IT, PLEASE CORRECT ME WHEN YOU COME UP HERE.
IS THERE AN ORDER IT SHOULD GO IN? UH, WE DO 'EM IN THE ORDER THAT THEY WERE GIVEN TO US, THE APPLICANT SPEAK FIRST.
WHO IS THE APPLICANT? WHAT'S HIS NAME? PETER EDGAR.
I'M PETE ED GARRETT STUDIO RED ARCHITECTS, THE APPLICANT FOR MONARCH COMMUNITY REQUESTING THIS PARKING VARIANCE AS DESCRIBED IS THIS IS A RESIDENTIAL COMMUNITY WHERE WE WILL BE SERVING 46 ADULT PATIENTS.
THE, UH, THE CAMPUSES COMPOSED OF TWO TYPES OF PEOPLE, THE CLINIC, CLINIC, CLINICIANS AND STAFF, AND THEN THE 46 RESIDENTS THAT WOULD BE THERE ON THE THREE PROPERTIES THAT THE MONARCH COMMUNITY CONTROLS.
THE REQUEST FOR THE PARKING VARIANCE IS DUE TO MONARCH COMMUNITY NOT ALLOWING ANY OF THE 46 RESIDENTS TO OWN AN AUTOMOBILE.
WITH THAT WE CAN SEE, SHOW YOU THAT THAT IS NOT A HARDSHIP ISSUE FOR US IN DESIGNING THIS FACILITY.
THE CITY OF HOUSTON REQUIREMENTS HAS TWO CALCULATIONS FOR IDENTIFYING PARKING REQUIREMENTS.
ONE IS A FORMULA FOR THE STAFF AND THE CLINICIANS THAT ARE THERE IN THE DAY, AND THAT IS REQUIRING US TO HAVE 11 PARKING SPACES.
THERE'S DIFFERENT FORMULA TO CALCULATE PARKING FOR THE RESIDENTS IF THEY HAD AUTOMOBILES.
AND THAT PARKING CALCULATION WOULD REQUIRE US TO HAVE FOUR 14 PARKING SPACES.
THE PARKING REQUEST IS FOR US TO ASK A VARIANCE ON THE DELETION OF THE 14 PARKING SPACES THAT RELATES TO THE RESIDENTS AND ALLOW US TO HAVE, UH, MEET THE REQUIREMENT OF THE 11 PARKING SPACES FOR THE STAFF AND THE OPERATIONS.
OUR SITE PLANS SHOW THAT WE HAVE 12 PARKING SPACES ON SITE FOR THE 11 OF THE CLINIC.
AND, UH, STAFF PEOPLE, MONARCH COMMUNITY, WOULD LOVE TO NOT BUILD AN EMPTY PATIENT PARKING LOT, WHICH WOULD BE APPROXIMATELY THE SIZE OF ONE OF THE RESIDENTIAL LOTS IN THAT NEIGHBORHOOD.
MONARCH COMMUNITY WOULD LOVE TO, HAS THE DESIRES TO CONTINUE BEING A GOOD NEIGHBOR AND APPROVAL OF THIS VARIANCE WOULD HELP, WOULD HELP SUPPORT THAT CONTRIBUTION.
DO YOU, UM, ARE GUESTS ALLOWED TO COME VISIT THE RESIDENTS? THERE ARE TIMES WHEN VISITORS CAN COME, THEY COME INTO THE CLINIC AREA.
AND HOW FREQUENTLY WOULD YOU SAY? I'M JUST TRYING TO UNDERSTAND IF THAT'S A, UM, SUFFICIENT NUMBER OF SPACES TO ACCOMMODATE THE GUESTS AND THE STAFF.
ONE OF OUR OTHER SPEAKERS, UH, IS IN THE, FROM THE PSYCHIATRY DEPARTMENT AS WELL AS OPERATIONS THAT THEY MAY BE ABLE TO ANSWER THAT BETTER THAN I.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER, LES SPROTT, I'M JUST GONNA PUT YOU AT THE END.
HOW'S THAT?
I HAVE TO PUT MY GLASSES ON FOR THAT ONE.
YES, PLEASE CORRECT ME IF I WAS WRONG.
UM, GOOD AFTERNOON, GOOD EVENING.
UM, MY NAME IS MOHAMMED ZI AND I'M THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AT THE MONARCH COMMUNITY.
UM, I'VE BEEN THERE FOR 11 YEARS AND, UM, THE MONARCH COMMUNITY HAS BEEN THERE FOR 40 YEARS.
IT WAS STARTED IN 1984, AND IT HAS BEEN, UH, WITH THE VARIOUS NAMES AND ENTITIES NOW.
IT IS OWNED BY A NONPROFIT AND IT IS, WE ARE, WE GET CLINICAL SERVICES PROVIDED BY METHODIST HOSPITAL IN THE VARIOUS, IN
[02:25:01]
THE, IN THE YEARS I'VE BEEN HERE, I'VE SEEN A LOT OF, UM, OPPOSITION, UM, STIGMA TOWARDS MENTAL HEALTH.UM, BUT THAT IS TURNING AWAY SLOWLY.
WE HAVE, WE HAVE GOTTEN A LOT OF SUPPORT FROM OUR NEIGHBORS.
WE HAVE GOTTEN A LOT OF SUPPORT FROM OTHER SUPPORT, OTHER SUPPORTIVE, UM, ORGANIZATIONS IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD AROUND THE NEIGHBORHOOD THAT SUPPORT OUR MISSION AND OUR VALUES THAT WE HOLD.
UM, WE REALLY ENJOY BEING PART OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
WE LIKE TO CONTRIBUTE TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
UM, AND ONE OF OUR MAIN PRINCIPLES IS TO KEEP THE NEIGHBORHOOD AS CLEAN AS POSSIBLE.
PLANT NATIVE TREES TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
WE PARTNER WITH A COUPLE NEIGHBORS IN THE AREA WHO ACTUALLY ARE REALLY, UM, ENTHUSIASTIC ABOUT PLANTING NATIVE TREES.
AND NOW, UM, WITH THE HELP OF THE 5 0 1 C3, WE WANT, WE WANT TO, OUR WISH IS TO, AND OUR VISION IS TO GROW, UM, OUR FACILITY TO MAKE IT MORE COMFORTABLE FOR OUR RESIDENTS.
UM, MAKE A BETTER PLACE TO WORK FOR OUR STAFF AND CONTRIBUTE AND MAKE IT LOOK NICER WITHIN THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
AND THAT CONCLUDES MY PRESENTATION.
DO YOU HAVE A ANSWER FOR COMMISSIONER KOVARS QUESTION ON THE VISITOR PARKING? WE, WE DO ALLOW VISITORS, BUT THAT'S BY APPOINTMENT ONLY.
UM, IF WE DID ALLOW VISITORS BY, UM, I MEAN IT WOULD BE CHAOTIC IF WE ALLOW VISITORS AROUND THE, AROUND THE CLOCK, BUT WE DO ALLOW VISITORS DURING BUSINESS HOURS, UM, BY APPOINTMENT ONLY.
WE DO MAKE EXCEPTIONS FOR FAMILIES OR VISITORS WHO ARE FROM OUT OF TOWN, HOWEVER.
DID THAT ANSWER EVERYTHING FOR YOU? I THINK SO.
SO LIKE ON AVERAGE YOU MAY ONLY GET ONE OR TWO A DAY OR AVERAGE ONE OR TWO A DAY, YES.
COMMISSIONER ROSENBERG, I, UM, THINK THERE'S A VERY, UM, AMAZING FACILITY IN AND, AND, AND A GREAT OPPORTUNITY, BUT THAT NEIGHBORHOOD, IT, THERE'S NO STREET PARKING.
UM, I, I'D ENCOURAGE YOU TO FIND A WAY TO RESERVE A COUPLE SPACES FOR VISITORS SO WHEN THEY DO COME, THEY CAN COME IN A GOOD AND SOMEHOW FIGURE OUT HOW TO MAKE SURE THOSE SPACES ARE IN, IN, UM, INSURED.
WHETHER YOU, YOU KNOW, IT'S A NONPROFIT.
SOME OF THOSE FACILITIES AROUND THERE WOULD PROBABLY BE GLAD TO PROVIDE SOME STAFF, SOME PARKING FOR YOUR STAFF OR SOMETHING.
BUT, UM, KNOWING THE NEIGHBORHOOD WELL, UM, IS IT'S HISTORIC, IT'S DENSE.
UM, I DO THINK YOU SHOULD FACTOR IN SOME VISITOR SPACES.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS, COMMISSIONERS? THANK YOU.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS CHRISTOPHER FOWLER.
PLEASE NOTE THAT COMMISSIONER VAR IS LEAVING THE MEETING.
I'M A, A PSYCHIATRY DEPARTMENT, UH, MEMBER AT HOUSTON METHODIST HOSPITAL AND WAS BROUGHT ON TO THIS PROJECT TO BE THE EXECUTIVE CLINICAL DIRECTOR.
AND SO MY JOB IS TO OVERSEE ALL OF THE TREATMENTS FOR ALL OF THE RESIDENTS TO HELP INTEGRATE THEM INTO THE, THE COMMUNITY OF MONTROSE AND TO INVOLVE THE FAMILIES IN THE TREATMENT.
NOW, ABOUT 85% OF THE RESIDENTS, THEIR FAMILIES ARE FROM OUT OF STATE AND SO THEY COME WHEN THEY CAN, WHICH IS RARELY THE OTHER 15 OR SO PERCENT OF, UH, FAMILIES ARE EITHER FROM AUSTIN, TEXAS, DALLAS, UH, OR HOUSTON.
SO ON AVERAGE, IN THE TIME THAT I'VE BEEN THERE, I'VE SEEN LESS THAN ONE FAMILY PER DAY.
IT'S MORE LIKE THEY COME IN WHEN THEY ARE ASKED TO FOR A FAMILY MEETING.
OTHERWISE WE DO A LOT OF ZOOM CALLS, THINGS OF THAT NATURE.
SO IN TERMS OF THE PARKING AND THE REASON THAT WE DON'T ENCOURAGE OUR PATIENTS TO HAVE PARKING OR CARS OR AUTOMOBILES IS BECAUSE THEY'RE VERY, VERY ILL INDIVIDUALS.
AND WHEN THEY'RE ABLE TO TRANSITION OUT OF OUR PROGRAM AND INTO THE COMMUNITY, THEN OF COURSE THEY CAN GET A CAR.
BUT THERE'S REALLY NO NEED FOR VEHICLES WHILE THEY'RE THERE.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR COMING IN.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS MARILYN CASEY.
I'VE BEEN A RESIDENT OF FIRST MONTROSE COMMONS FOR OVER 30 YEARS NOW.
WE BOUGHT A HUNDRED PLUS YEAR HOME, RESTORED IT TO ITS FORMER GLORY.
WHEN WE, WHEN THIS, WHEN THE PRE MONARCHS GOT HERE, WE WERE TOLD THERE'S A DENSITY RESTRICTION, SO IT WON'T EVER BE A PROBLEM IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
THEY HAVE GROWN LIKE A CANCER AND THEY CONTINUE TO GROW.
IT'S GONNA BE A REAL ESTATE PLAY SHORTLY
[02:30:01]
AND VERY MUCH MR. ROSENBERG, THANK YOU FOR RECOGNIZING THE PARKING PROBLEM THAT WE DO HAVE.WE ARE A HISTORIC DISTRICT AND WE'RE PROUD OF IT.
THEY'RE NOT DOING ANYTHING TO, THESE WERE NICE FREESTANDING HOMES.
THEY'VE CONVERTED THEM INTO MENTAL HEALTH FACILITIES WHERE PEOPLE WALK ACROSS THE STREET, THEIR RESIDENTS, THEY ROAM FREELY.
THE DUMPSTER, THE DUMPSTER ROLL COVER YOUR DUMPSTER ROLL.
THAT DUMB RULE DOESN'T APPLY TO THEM.
APPARENTLY THERE'S TRASH IN THE STREET.
THESE PEOPLE, THEY'RE NOT COMPLYING WITH THE LAWS.
NOW IF YOU START BENDING THE RULES ON PARKING RESTRICTIONS, WHY ISN'T THE COFFEE SHOP GONNA, OUR COFFEE SHOP GONNA COME IN AND ASK FOR THE SAME THING? THERE'S A REASON, YOU'RE RIGHT, WE DO HAVE A PARKING ISSUE THIS MORNING IN THAT LITTLE HALF BLOCK, 18 CARS.
THESE PEOPLE ARE MENTALLY CHALLENGED.
THE EMS VEHICLES THAT COME THERE, THE FIRE TRUCKS THAT COME IN AT ALL HOURS A NIGHT, THEY'RE TAKE, THEY'RE HELP.
THEY'RE TREATING THESE PEOPLE, BUT THEY GOTTA GET THROUGH THE STREET AS DO THE OTHER PEOPLE WHO ARE RESIDENTS OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT EXPANDING THEIR 30,000 SQUARE FOOT STRUCTURE BY ANOTHER 15,000 SQUARE FEET.
MR. LONGMEYER TOLD THE A RESIDENT, OH, THEY, THEY WON'T EXCEED THEIR 75 RESIDENTS.
WHAT'S THE CORRECT NUMBER? THIS IS AN EXPANSION PLAN INTO OUR HISTORIC COMMUNITY THAT WE'VE FOUGHT TO, TO GET, TO ESTABLISH, TO RETAIN HOUSTON'S HISTORIC IDENTITY.
NOT TO DILUTE IT WITH THIS EXPANSION'S GONNA BRING MORE TRASH, MORE WASTE, MORE RESIDENTS.
SO WE ASK YOU TO PLEASE ENFORCE THE LAW.
AND WE DON'T THINK THEY COMPLY WITH ANY OF THE FIVE REQUIREMENTS THAT, FOR YOU ALL TO ACT, ESPECIALLY THE SAFETY AND WELFARE OF THE COMMUNITY.
'CAUSE IT'S IN DANGER BY HAVING THIS CONTINUE TO GROW IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
COMMISSIONERS ANY QUESTIONS? THANK YOU SO MUCH.
AND ONE MORE, UM, NOW HURRY UP 'CAUSE YOUR TIME.
IT'S ALSO INTERESTING THAT OUR CIVIC ASSOCIATION IS EXACTLY WHAT MAYOR LONGMEYER IS.
MY DA MY GERMAN SHEPHERD HAS MORE CONSTITUENTS ACTIVE THAN THIS.
WE'RE WORKING ON THAT, BUT THAT PERSON IS NOT REPRESENTING THE CASEY FAMILY.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS DARREN SMITH.
WHEN I STARTED SPEAKING
UM, I'VE NEVER RECEIVED ANY NOTICE FROM THE MAR ART COMMUNITY.
UM, I'M ALL ABOUT MENTAL HEALTH.
UM, THEY'RE NOT THERE
I'M HAVING A HOUSE, UH, BUILT.
THERE'S NO SPACE FOR THE CONTRACTORS TO PARK IT.
SEVERAL THINGS HAVE BEEN STOLEN OUT THE HOME.
I DO SEE IT AS A EXPANSION PLAN.
UM, AND THAT'S HOW IT HAPPENS.
IT COMES SMALL AND IT GETS LARGER, LARGER AND LARGER.
UM, I SAY WHEN YOU OUTGROW THE FACILITY, DON'T TAKE AWAY FROM THE RESIDENTS BUILT ON THE FACILITY.
'CAUSE IT'S KICKING PEOPLE IN THAT, YOU KNOW, HAVE FAMILIES OUT.
AND IT'S SCARY TO HAVE MY DAUGHTERS WALK THROUGH AN UNSAFE, YOU KNOW, AREA BECAUSE THEY DON'T HAVE ANY PARKING SPOTS.
UM, YOU KNOW, AS IT STANDS, WE HAVE DIFFERENT VEHICLES.
I I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S EMPLOYEES OF THEIRS, BUT THEY PARK IN FRONT OF THE HOME WHERE, YOU KNOW, WE CAN'T PARK AT.
AND I THINK A LOT OF THE BREAK-INS HAVE BEEN BECAUSE WE CAN'T IDENTIFY WHO'S NATIVE TO THE AREA VERSUS, YOU KNOW, VISITING THE AREA.
UM, AND I'M, I'M IN A TOUGH SPOT BECAUSE WE HAVE PEOPLE THAT SUFFER WITH MENTAL, YOU KNOW, HEALTH ISSUES.
SO WE WANT THEM REHABILITATED, BUT THEY'RE NOT SUPERVISED.
UM, I, I JUST FEEL LIKE THE MORE PEOPLE TO BRING, THE MORE ISSUES ARE GOING TO, YOU KNOW, OCCUR.
I HAVE PATIENTS IN THE CHAIR RIGHT NOW, BUT I FELT THIS VERY IMPORTANT.
I'M TELLING 'EM I'M IN A PROCEDURE RIGHT NOW.
I'M NOT, I'M HERE
SO YOU ALL HAVE A GOOD REST OF YOUR DAY.
ANY QUESTIONS, COMMISSIONERS? ALL RIGHT.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS ELIZABETH SMITH.
UM, SO WE LIVE DIRECTLY ACROSS FROM THE FACILITY ON BRANER STREET.
AND ESSENTIALLY I'M OPPOSED TO IT.
UM, FIRST OF ALL, I'VE NEVER BEEN AWARE OF ANY MONARCH COMMUNITY MEETING, BUT I THINK HIS NAME ARE YOU STEVEN YOU OVER THAT? YEAH, HE, HE ACTUALLY REACHED
[02:35:01]
OUT TO ME A FEW MONTHS AGO IN REGARDS TO SOME SAFETY THINGS WITH MY HOUSE AND LIKE GLASS, HE'S NEVER CONTACTED ME IN REGARDS TO THIS MATTER SPECIFICALLY.HE HAS MY PHONE NUMBER AND MY HUSBAND'S PHONE NUMBER IN BOTH OF OUR EMAILS.
I'M VERY UPSET BECAUSE MY MOTHER HAS MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES AND ESSENTIALLY I FEEL LIKE NOBODY'S EVER INTRODUCED THEMSELVES TO ME.
UM, WHICH IS A PROBLEM FOR ME.
BUT WHEN MY MOM COMES TO VISIT, WHO HAS MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES, WHERE IS SHE TO PARK? WHEN MY KIDS WANNA RIDE THEIR BIKES, HOW ARE THEY TO SEE CARS COMING, WHEN THERE'S CARS BLOCKING THE ROAD? YOU KNOW, WHEN MY KIDS WANNA PLAY BASKETBALL OR WHATEVER IT IS THAT THEY WANNA DO, HOW CAN WE PROTECT THEM WHEN THERE'S NOT EVEN A LANE FOR THEM TO EVEN WALK PAST WHEN THERE'S CARS PARKED ON BOTH SIDES OF THE STREET? IT JUST DOESN'T WORK OUT FOR THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
AS THE LADY SPOKE OF, YOU KNOW, THIS IS A HISTORIC AREA, THIS IS WHY I BOUGHT HERE, THIS IS WHY I FELT MY KIDS WOULD BE SAFE.
AND NOW HERE I AM ONE YEAR INTO MY RENOVATION AND I'M HEARING, YOU KNOW, WE WANNA MAKE THE BLOCK FULL OF CARS.
THAT JUST DOESN'T SOUND SAFE TO ME.
AND YOU KNOW, I AM AN ADVOCATE FOR MENTAL HEALTH AS MY MOTHER HAS MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES, YOU KNOW, AND SO FOR ME, THIS IS VERY TOUCHING, BUT AS MY HUSBAND STATED, WHEN YOU GET, WHEN YOU OUTGROW, ESSENTIALLY YOU DON'T TRY TO PUT MORE PEOPLE INTO ONE AREA, YOU GET ANOTHER FACILITY AND IT MAY BE IN ANOTHER AREA, BUT THAT IS HOW YOU GROW.
YOU DON'T TRY TO FORCE MORE PEOPLE INTO A SMALLER AREA IF YOU REALLY CARE ABOUT MENTAL HEALTH.
ONE OF MY GOALS IN LIFE TO HAVE A MENTAL HEALTH FACILITY AND I WANNA MAKE SURE IT'S SAFE FOR EVERYBODY, INCLUDING THE PEOPLE THAT, YOU KNOW, COME AND THE EMPLOYEES.
AND I JUST FEEL LIKE I DON'T SEE THAT HERE.
YOU KNOW, I SEE THE PEOPLE, I SEE A LADY EVERY DAY OUTSIDE SCREAMING, YELLING.
DID WE HEAR FROM JARED WOOD? IT DEFERRED.
HELLO, I'M JARED WOOD WITH STUDIO RED ARCHITECTS.
UH, I JUST WANTED TO POINT OUT A COUPLE OF THINGS.
WE DO HAVE SOME ADDITIONAL GUEST PARKING, BUT IT'S TANDEM.
SO IT WOULD BE PARKING BEHIND, UH, AN EMPLOYEE FOR THE GUESTS.
SO, BUT WE CAN'T THAT AS FAR AS THE CITY RULES GO.
SO THERE ARE A NUM, A COUPLE OF OTHER SPOTS FOR THAT.
UH, THE ABILITY TO DO THAT AS FAR AS DUMPSTERS GO AND TRASH, THERE IS A PLAN TO MOVE THOSE BACK AND HIDE THEM.
THAT'S WHAT THE OWNER IS TRYING TO DO AND ASK US TO HELP THEM WITH, IS TO MAKE THIS PLACE BETTER.
THEY'RE WORKING ON CLEANING IT UP AND MAKING IT NICER TO TRY TO HELP THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
AND SO I JUST WANTED TO MAKE THAT CLEAR AND SORRY, WE'VE NEVER HAD A CHANCE TO MEET Y'ALL.
AND WE'LL BE HAPPY TO EXPLAIN AND SHARE WITH YOU OUR PLANS IN MORE DETAIL IF, IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO SEE THOSE.
SO, UM, AS FAR AS SOME OF THE COMMENTS THAT ARE BEING MADE ABOUT ALL THE CARS ON THE STREET TODAY, THAT'S NOT NECESSARILY MONARCH COMMUNITY CARS.
YOU KNOW, THERE'S OTHER THINGS HAPPENING IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND THEY'RE GETTING THE KIND OF THE BLAME FOR IT BEING ALL OF THEIR CARS.
I CAN'T SAY THAT IT ALL, IT THAT THAT'S THE CASE.
SO JUST WANTED TO CLARIFY THAT.
IF THERE'S ANY QUESTIONS, WE'LL BE HAPPY TO ANSWER AND, UH, FOLLOW UP WITH ANYTHING Y'ALL NEED.
OUR FINAL SPEAKER, LES SPROTT, UH, IF IT'S OKAY, CAN I ADDRESS MS. CASEY? WILL, YOU'RE HERE TO ADDRESS THE COMMISSION AND YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES.
YOU MIGHT WANNA TALK TO MS. CASEY AFTER.
SO SHE MENTIONED THAT, YOU KNOW, WE'RE NOT DOING AND THE HOUSES DON'T LOOK GOOD.
WELL, YOU KNOW, UH, I'M A PROJECT MANAGER.
I WAS HIRED TO HELP IMPLEMENT THEIR DREAM, UH, AND MAKE THIS A NICER PLACE FOR THE RESIDENTS.
UM, SO WE ARE AT 5 0 6 BRAINERD, WHICH IS RIGHT ACROSS THE STREET FROM FIVE ONE, UH, BENNER'S THEIR HOUSE, UH, THAT'S 104 YEAR OLD HOME IN VERY BAD STATE OF DISREPAIR.
THAT WAS PURCHASED NOVEMBER 8TH, 2023.
WE CAN'T HAVE CONVERSATION FROM THE, THE AUDIENCE WE PURCHASED.
WE PURCHASED THE, THE MONARCH COMMUNITY PURCHASED THE HOME NOVEMBER 8TH, 2023.
WE'RE PROBABLY GOING TO START REMODELING TO MAKE THE, BRING IT BACK TO ITS ORIGINAL GLORY.
SHE MENTIONED MS. CASEY MENTIONED, YOU KNOW, MAKING THINGS UGLY, KEEPING THINGS GROSS.
WELL THE HOUSES ALL ALONG THE, THAT WHOLE NEIGHBORHOOD IS GOING TO BE JUST SO MUCH BETTER WHEN WE'RE DONE.
AND PARKING IS JUST THE FIRST STEP FOR US BEING ABLE TO IMPLEMENT HAVING A GREAT COMMUNITY THAT'S FOR NOT JUST THE RESIDENTS BUT FOR THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
I'M SORRY FOR THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
AND I MEAN, WE'RE, WE'RE DOING THAT WORK RIGHT NOW AND IT'S GOING TO BE MUCH, MUCH, MUCH NICER.
SO THAT'S, THAT'S A DIRECT ADJUSTMENT ADDRESS TO
[02:40:01]
MS. CASEY AND TO Y'ALL AND MS. CASEY AND I'LL, I'M DONE IF ANYBODY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR ME, COMMISSIONERS ANY QUESTIONS? NO, THANK YOU.I HAVE NO ONE ELSE SIGNED TO SPEAK.
IF YOU'D WISH TO SPEAK, PLEASE COME FORWARD.
I, UH, SENT MY COMMENTS IN BY EMAIL, SO I DIDN'T KNOW IF I NEED TO SPEAK.
UH, FIRST THING I GUARANTEE YOU, THE PERSON PARKING IN FRONT OF MY PROPERTY WORKS FOR METHODIST HOSPITAL.
SO RIGHT NOW, UH, THEY'VE GOT CONSTRUCTION GOING ON.
PARKING'S BEEN HORRIBLE SINCE THE CONSTRUCTION STARTED.
SECOND OF ALL, THEY DON'T NEED PARKING FOR THEIR CLIENTS.
UH, THOSE PEOPLE DON'T DRIVE, UH, THEY DON'T HAVE VISITORS.
THEY'VE BEEN ABANDONED PRETTY MUCH MOSTLY BY THEIR FAMILIES.
IF ANY OF THEM ARE LUCKY ENOUGH TO HAVE A VISITOR, THEY CAN PARK IN FRONT OF MY HOUSE.
THE LAST POINT, IF THEY ONLY HAVE 11 PEOPLE WORKING THERE AT A TIME, I'M GOOD WITH 11 PARKING SPOTS FOR THAT.
THAT'S NOT WHAT THEIR DOCUMENTATION SAYS.
THE DOCUMENTATION LISTS 16 PEOPLE IN THE THREE SEPARATE BUILDINGS AND THEY DON'T LIST IF THERE'S GONNA BE ADDITIONS TO THOSE PEOPLE ONCE THE CONSTRUCTION'S COMPLETED.
IS THERE GONNA BE CREEP IN THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE PARKING THERE? IF THEY DO, THEY NEED TO ACCOUNT FOR IT IN ADVANCE.
UH, AND OTHER THAN THAT, UH, I'VE NEVER HAD A PROBLEM WITH THESE PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY.
UH, ON THE OTHER HAND, I HOPE IT DOESN'T GO ABOVE 50 PEOPLE.
'CAUSE HAVING 25 WALKING DOWN THE STREET AT ONE TIME GETS A LITTLE CROWDED.
I'M AN ATTORNEY WITH QUADROS, MELE AND CROSBY.
WE, OUR OFFICES ARE LOCATED AT 5 0 9 BRAINERD AND WE ARE HERE IN OPPOSITION TO THIS VARIANCE.
THE CURRENTLY, AS WE SIT HERE RIGHT NOW, OUR EMPLOYEES ARE WALKING BETWEEN ONE TO THREE BLOCKS TO GET TO OUR OFFICE WHEN THEY PARK.
NOW, I'M NOT SAYING THAT'S BECAUSE OF MONARCH, I'M NOT SAYING THAT HAS ANYTHING TO DO WITH MONARCH.
WE ARE PERFECTLY FINE WITH THE FACILITY BEING THERE, BUT OUR PROBLEM IS WHEN YOU INCREASE THE POPULATION DENSITY OF THE AREA BY A FACTOR OF WHAT, 15 TO 20 PEOPLE WHILE ADDING NO ADDITIONAL SUPPORT WHILE ADDING, WHILE, WHILE DECREASING THE PARKING.
AND I UNDERSTAND WHAT THEY'RE SAYING ABOUT THEM NOT DRIVING THAT, BUT TO DECREASE THAT POPULA TO INCREASE THE POPULATION DENSITY WHILE DECREASING THE AMOUNT OF PARKING SPOTS AVAILABLE IS ONLY GONNA MAKE THE PARKING SITUATION WE HAVE RIGHT NOW.
WORSE, THE PARKING'S HORRIBLE ON THE PARKING'S BOUND ON THE STREET AS IT IS, AND I'M SORRY, BUT THE IDEA THAT GUESTS, SERVICE WORKERS AND OTHER ASSORTED PEOPLE ARE GOING TO BE ABLE TO GET BY WITH ONE PARKING SPOT IS MISGUIDED AT BEST AND MISLEADING AT WORST.
UM, IN ADDITION, I HAVE, I, THIS IS ONE THING I'M NOT SURE OF, BUT I'M JUST GONNA BRING IT UP.
I'M JUST GONNA SAY IF FOR NOW, THEY, THE MONARCH DECIDES TO TRANSFER THIS PROPERTY TO SOMEBODY ELSE, WHAT HAPPENS THEN TO THE, WHAT HAPPENS THEN TO THE, TO THE PARK? WHAT HAPPENS TO THE PARKING SPOTS IF IT'S SOLD TO SOME REGULAR REAL ESTATE, REAL ESTATE DEVELOPER AND THEY'RE GOING AND THEY HAVE THEIR OWN RESIDENCE, PLEASE WRAP UP AND THEY HAVE THEIR OWN RESIDENCE.
WHAT HAPPENS TO THE PARKING THEN? FOR THOSE REASONS? WE'RE ASKING YOU TO, WE'RE, WE'RE IN A OPPOSITION.
WE'RE ASKING YOU TO REFUSE THIS VARIANCE.
THANK YOU FOR COMING IN TODAY, COMMISSIONERS.
ANY QUESTIONS? OKAY, MR. BUTLER, PLEASE RESTATE WHAT THE RECOMMENDATION IS.
UH, STAFF RECOMMENDS APPROVAL.
OKAY, SO COMMISSIONERS, YOU'VE GOT BEFORE YOU A RECOMMENDATION OF APPROVAL.
[02:45:01]
UM, COULD YOU ADDRESS THE, THE, UM, POINT THAT WAS MADE BY THE LAST SPEAKER? IF THE NONPROFIT WERE TO SELL THE PROPERTY, HAS THIS BECOME A CONVENTIONAL MULTI MULTIFAMILY PROPERTY? RIGHT.SO THIS IS TIED TO THE, THE CERTIFIC OCCUPANCY FOR THIS USE.
SO IF IT CHANGES, IF SOMEONE ELSE IS GONNA MAKE THIS A REGULAR APARTMENT COMPLEX, THEY'D HAVE TO COME IN AND READDRESS THE VARIANCE OR PROVIDE MORE PARKING.
AND WHAT IS THE USE UNDER THE CURRENT, THE CO THAT'S CONTEMPLATED IT IS FOR A TREATMENT CENTER.
OUR CLASSIFICATION FOR IT, IT'S NOT MULTIFAMILY.
IT'S A LESSER REQUIREMENT THAN MULTIFAMILY.
AND, AND CAN YOU CLARIFY FOR ME WHAT IS THE CURRENT CAPACITY AND WHAT IS IT GOING TO? SO AS FAR AS EMPLOYEES OR, OR BEDS? BEDS FOR BEDS.
SO CURRENTLY IT HAS 36 BEDS AND IT'S GOING TO 46 BEDS.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? OKAY, MADAM CHAIR? YES.
SO JUST A CLARIFICATION, WHAT WE'RE, FOR THE AUDIENCE, FOR EVERYONE WHO'S LISTENING.
SO WHAT WE'RE VOTING ON HERE IS THE NUMBER OF PARKING SPACES.
WE HAVE 30 PARKING SPACES, WE HAVE 12 PARKING SPACES.
IT'S NOT ACTUALLY ON THE GROUND.
SO WHAT WE'RE VOTING ON TODAY IS NOTHING MORE THAN PARKING SPACE.
SO I JUST WANNA MAKE THAT, SO I'LL MAKE A MOTION FOR STAFF RECOMMENDATION GARZA.
PLEASE NOTE THAT ROBINS AND HY ARE OPPOSED.
[VIII. Public Hearing and Consideration of a Special Minimum Lot Size Area Application for Portions of the North Norhill Subdivision (Jacqueline Brown)]
ROMAN NUMERAL EIGHT EIGHT PUBLIC HEARING FOR CONSIDERATION OF A SPECIAL MINIMUM LOT SIZE, I CAN'T READ MY OWN WRITING.GOOD AFTERNOON, MADAM CHAIR AND MEMBERS OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION.
THE PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT RECEIVED AN APPLICATION TO ESTABLISH A 5,000 SQUARE FOOT SPECIAL MINIMUM LOT SIZE AREA.
THE APPLICATION AREA IS FOR THE 1000 TO 1100 BLOCKS OF WEST TEMPLE STREET AND THE 4,000 BLOCKS OF PINE RIDGE, OAK RIDGE, AND NOR HILL, NORTH AND SOUTH SIDES BETWEEN STUDEWOOD AND MSAU STREETS.
THE APPLICATION AREA CONSISTS OF 92 LOTS WITH 89 SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENTIAL PROPERTIES REPRESENTING 95%.
A MINIMUM LOT SIZE OF 5,000 SQUARE FEET EXISTS ON 91 OF THE 92 LOTS.
THE APPLICANT PROVIDED A PETITION SIGNED BY PROPERTY OWNERS OF 46 OF THE 92 LOTS, REPRESENTING 49% OF THE TOTAL AREA.
RESPONSE FORMS RECEIVED IN SUPPORT FROM PROPERTY OWNERS WERE 56 OF THE 92 LOTS, REPRESENTING 61%.
THERE WAS ONE RESPONSE FORM RECEIVED IN OPPOSITION TO THIS APPLICATION.
THE APPLICATION AREA IS IN PORTIONS OF NORTH NOR HILL, WHICH WAS PLATTED IN 1923 WITH SOME OF THE EARLIER HOMES CONSTRUCTED IN THE 1930S.
UH, IN YOUR COMMENTS PACKET, UH, THERE IS AN EMAIL FROM A BRUCE ADAMS AND I JUST WANT TO NOTE THAT THAT IS AN ITEM FOR THE MEETING THAT WILL BE PRESENTED ON DECEMBER 5TH.
MADAM CHAIR, WE ARE READY TO OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING AND THE STAFF RECOMMENDATION FOR THE PLANNING COMMISSION IS TO APPROVE THE APPLICATION AND FORWARD IT TO THE CITY COUNCIL FOR APPROVAL.
I HAVE ONE SPEAKER SIGNED TO SPEAK.
CAROL BORIS, I'M, AND I MAY GET THIS WRONG.
SHE DOESN'T APPEAR TO BE HERE.
IS THERE ANYONE, ANYONE ELSE THAT HAS, WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK? ALL RIGHT, SO COMMISSIONERS, YOU HAVE A RECOMMENDATION OF APPROVAL OF THIS, UH, SPECIAL MINIMUM MO SIZE.
DO ROSENBERG, DO YOU HAVE A QUESTION OR TO HEAR? OKAY.
DO YOU HAVE A QUESTION? NO, I THOUGHT YOU WERE ASKING FOR A MOTION.
UM, SO I'LL MOTION FROM TAHIR SECOND BY ROSENBERG.
[IX. Public Comment]
ONE SIGNED UP FOR PUBLIC COMMENT.SO WE ARE ADJOURNED AT 5:24 PM THERE IS SOMEONE, HE WAS WAVING HIS HEAD.
WHO? OH, THERE WAS A, OH, CHRIS, DID YOU WANNA SAY SOMETHING? NOT MEETING.
DID YOU SIGN UP? NO, NO, I DIDN'T.
BUT I JUST WANTED TO SAY SOMETHING REAL QUICK.
GET OUT BECAUSE I HAVE, I HAVE AN AUDIENCE HERE.
NO, I JUST WANTED TO THANK STAFF SPECIFICALLY, UH, ON THE, UH, EAST BLOCKS PLATS THAT WENT VERY, VERY SMOOTHLY.
AND I WANT TO COMMEND THEM FOR WORKING, UH, DILIGENTLY ON THE PROJECT.
IT TOOK A LONG TIME, BUT, UH, MS. WILLIAMSON DID A WONDERFUL JOB AND I JUST WANTED TO SAY THAT.
AND WELCOME BACK TO MS. MARTIN.
[02:50:01]
DON'T HEAR GOOD COMMENTS A LOT.SOMETIMES STAFF HEARS A LOT OF NEGATIVES, SO THAT'S VERY NICE AND WE APPRECIATE IT.
A HIGH NOTE,