[Items I - III]
[00:00:05]
IN ACCORDANCE WITH ORDER OF THE OFFICE OF THE GOVERNOR, THE PLANNING ZONING COMMISSION OF BENBROOK IS CONDUCTING ITS REGULAR MEETING AT CITY HALL BY TELEPHONE CONFERENCE IN ORDER TO ADVANCE THE PUBLIC HEALTH GOAL OF LIMITING FACE-TO-FACE MEETINGS, ALSO CALLED SOCIAL DISTANCING TO SLOW THE SPREAD OF THE CORONAVIRUS COVID-19 FOR THIS MEETING, EXCUSE ME, I, THE PRESIDING OFFICER OFFICER AM PHYSICALLY PRESENT IN THE COUNCIL CHAMBERS.HOWEVER, ONE OR ALL OTHER MEMBERS OF THE PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION ARE PARTICIPATING IN THIS MEETING REMOTELY THROUGH TELEPHONE CONFERENCE, PROVIDING FOR TWO-WAY AUDIO COMMUNICATION FOR EACH MEMBER OF THE PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION.
THE PUBLIC TOLL-FREE DIAL-IN NUMBER TO PARTICIPATE IN THE TELEPHONE MEETING IS 1-866-894-NINE 0 1 1, OR LOCAL NUMBER 8 1 7 4 4 3 6 2 4 8.
THE PUBLIC WILL BE PERMITTED TO OFFER PUBLIC COMMENTS TELEPHONICALLY AS PROVIDED BY THE AGENDA AND AS PERMITTED BY ME DURING THE MEETING.
THIS MEETING WILL BE RECORDED AND THE RECORDING WILL BE AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE OPEN MEETINGS ACT UPON WRITTEN REQUEST.
I NOW CALL THE MARCH 11TH, 2021 PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION MEETING TO ORDER NOW, WE WILL HAVE CITIZEN COMMENT ON ANY AGENDA ITEM.
THOSE IN ATTENDANCE MAY COME TO THE PODIUM FIRST TO COMMENT ON ANY AGENDA ITEM.
AND BECAUSE WE ARE ALLOWING PARTICIPATION VIA TELEPHONE, WE WILL PROVIDE TWO MINUTES FOR CITIZENS TO CALL IN AND COMMENT ON ANY AGENDA ITEM.
PLEASE CLEARLY STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD.
THE TWO MINUTE TIME PERIOD HAS BEGUN.
THE TWO MINUTE TIME PERIOD HAS CONCLUDED WITH THE CONCLUSION OF THE TWO MINUTE TIME PERIOD.
THE CITIZEN COMMENT, UM, PERIOD HAS NOW ENDED, AND WE WILL GO AHEAD AND PROCEED TO THE NEXT, UM, ITEM ON THE AGENDA, UH, WHICH IS THE APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES FROM THE REGULAR MEETING HELD ON JANUARY 14TH, 2021.
[00:05:02]
THIS IS JOHN LOGAN.I MOTION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES OF THE REGULAR MEETING HELD ON JANUARY 14TH, 2021.
THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER LOGAN, DO I HAVE A SECOND? COMMISSIONER RAMSEY.
THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER RAMSEY.
UH, DO WE HAVE ANY DISCUSSION, UH, BEFORE WE GO AHEAD AND VOTE, UM, BY ROLL CALL? ALRIGHT.
BY, UM, YOUR SILENCE, I'LL, WE'LL GO AHEAD AND PROCEED WITH THE ROLL CALL VOTE.
COMMISSIONER WALLACE? UH, AYE.
AND, UH, AS COMMISSIONER CRAVER, I, UH, VOTE AYE AS WELL.
THE MINUTES, UH, HAVE BEEN APPROVED.
[IV.A.1. FP-21-01]
NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS GONNA BE A REPORT BY, UM, CITY STAFF, UH, CAROLINE STEWART ON, UM, UM, VICTOR ON, UH, FP 2101.IT'S A REQUEST TO APPROVE A FINAL PLAT FOR 3.627 ACRES OF LAND SITUATED IN THE T-N-R-N-O-R-R COUNTY SURVEY ABSTRACT NUMBER 1565 TRACK TWO A OH SEVEN TARRANT COUNTY, BENBROOK, TEXAS FOR A THREE LOT COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT.
THE PROPERTY IS ZONED F COMMERCIAL DISTRICT AND IS GENERALLY LOCATED NORTH AND WEST OF THE BENBROOK BOULEVARD AND HAWKINS HOME BOULEVARD INTERSECTION.
AND SEE STAFF, GO AHEAD, GIVE THE PRESENTATION NOW.
UM, FOR THOSE, UM, PAYING ATTENTION VIA TELEPHONE, I'LL BE STARTING ON SLIDE SIX.
UM, SO THIS REQUEST IS FOR A FINAL PLAT.
UM, SO WITH THAT, WITH THE PASSING OF THE SHOCK CLOCK BILL, HOUSE BILL 31 67, DURING THE 86 LEGISLATIVE SESSION OF THE TEXAS STATE LEGISLATURE, THE PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION MUST APPROVE, APPROVE WITH CONDITIONS OR DISAPPROVE A PLAT SUBMITTED TO THE CITY, ALONG WITH THEIR ACCOMPANYING SUBDIVISION CONSTRUCTION PLANS.
IF THE PLAT AND OR SUBDIVISION PLANS CONFORM TO ADOPTED CITY DEVELOPMENT REGULATIONS, THE PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION MUST APPROVE.
SO THIS LOT IS ZONED F COMMERCIAL DISTRICT, AND AS YOU CAN SEE IN THE AERIAL ON THE RIGHT, IT IS AT THE INTERSECTION OF HAWKINSON BOULEVARD AND BENBROOK BOULEVARD.
ON SLIDE SEVEN, YOU'LL SEE THE CURRENT ZONING OF THE AREA.
UM, YOU'LL SEE THAT IT'S MAINLY SURROUNDED BY D MULTIPLE FAMILY, UH, ZONING DISTRICT.
AND THEN IT IS ALSO HAS SOME BRPD, WHICH IS ONE FAMILY REDUCED, UM, PLAN DEVELOPMENT DISTRICT TO THE NORTH, WHICH IS THE WHITESTONE HEIGHTS SUBDIVISION.
ON SLIDE EIGHT, I HAVE AN EXCERPT FROM ORDINANCE 10 89, WHICH REZONED THIS LOT FROM D MULTIPLE FAMILY TO F IN 2001.
THIS ORDINANCE ESSENTIALLY REDUCED THE AMOUNT OF COMMERCIALLY ZONED PROPERTY IN THIS AREA FROM ROUGHLY 30 ACRES TO ABOUT FIVE ACRES AND SHIFTED THE F ZONING DISTRICT ABOUT 600 FEET SOUTH.
AND ON SLIDE NINE, WE ROUGHLY DREW, WHAT WAS THIS F ZONING DISTRICT.
SO YOU CAN SEE IT WAS GREATLY REDUCED AND MOVED SOUTH TO THE CORNER OF THAT INTERSECTION.
WE HAVE A ZOOMED IN VERSION TO SEE THE LOTS.
UM, YOU CAN SEE THERE ARE THREE LOTS ALL PROPOSED FOR COMMERCIAL USE.
UM, THERE'S GOING TO BE ACCESS FROM BENBROOK BOULEVARD AND THERE'LL ALSO BE ACCESS TO HAWKINS HOME BOULEVARD.
[00:10:01]
I GUESS THE DRIVEWAY CUT ON BENBROOK BOULEVARD, UM, HAS BEEN APPROVED BY T DOT ON SLIDE 12, THE APPLICANT IS REQUESTING, UM, TWO WAIVERS OF RELIEF.THE FIRST IS THEY'RE REQUESTING TO BE CLASSIFIED AS A UNIFIED COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT.
UM, THIS ALLOWS THE DEVELOPMENT TO SHARE DRIVE AISLES, POSSIBLY SHARE PARKING WAVE INTERIOR SIDE YARD SETBACKS, AND ALTER INTERIOR BUFFERY YARD REQUIREMENTS.
UM, THE APPLICANT IS ALSO REQUESTING RELIEF FROM THE CITY'S TREE PRESERVATION REQUIREMENTS.
UM, WITH THE STAFF REVIEW, WE FOUND THAT THE PLAT, OR I GUESS THE PLAN SUBSTANTIALLY CONFORMED TO THE CITY'S DEVELOPMENT REGULATIONS AND COMPREHENSIVE PLAN AND ALSO ATTACHED TO THE STAFF REPORT, WHICH IS ATTACHMENT NUMBER THREE.
UM, THERE ARE STAFF COMMENTS RECOMMENDING MINOR REVISIONS TO THE FINAL PLAT AND ADDITIONAL MODIFICATIONS TO THE PLANS TO BE FINALIZED BEFORE THE EXECUTION OF A CITY DEVELOPER AGREEMENT AND RECORDATION OF THE PLAT.
SO ON SLIDE 13, UM, YOU'LL SEE A SITE PLAN OF THE PROPOSED SITE.
UM, PROPERTIES WITHIN THIS DEVELOPMENT WILL BE PLOTTED TOGETHER AND THEY WILL BE SHARING DRY AISLES AS YOU CAN SEE, AND POTENTIALLY SHARE PARKING IF NEEDED.
UM, THE APPLICANT IS NOT REQUESTING ANY WAIVERS OR DEVIATIONS TO INTERIOR SIDE YARD SETBACKS, BUT, UM, WITH THIS PROPOSAL BECAUSE OF THE DRIVE AISLE LOCATIONS, UM, THEY WILL BE NOT, I GUESS THERE WILL NOT BE ANY INTERIOR BUFFER YARD, UH, BECAUSE OF THESE DRY VILES.
UM, THE LANDSCAPING WILL BE PROVIDED AND MUST BE PROVIDED, UM, IN THE OTHER BUFFERY YARD REQUIREMENTS AROUND THE PROPERTY.
UM, THIS IS ALSO A CONCEPTUAL SITE PLAN OF THE PROPERTY, UM, TO SEE WHAT A POTENTIAL LANDSCAPING WOULD LOOK LIKE ONCE ALL THREE LOTS ARE DEVELOPED.
ON SLIDE 14, WE WILL GET INTO THE ALTERNATIVE TREE PRESERVATION AND MITIGATION PLAN.
UM, THEIR REQUIRED PRESERVATION FOR THIS SITE IS TO PRESERVE 70% OF THE LARGE QUALITY TREES, WHICH WOULD BE THREE TREES OUT OF THE SEVEN AND 20% OF THE QUALITY TREES, WHICH IS TWO TREES OUT OF THE 10.
UM, THE REASON THEY'RE REQUESTING RELIEF IS DUE TO ISSUES WITH GRADING OF THE PROPERTY, UM, TO ENSURE THAT EACH LOT WOULD BE DEVELOPABLE AND THE POTENTIAL PAD SITES ON EACH LOT, UM, WOULD INTERFERE WITH THE EXISTING TREE LOCATIONS.
UM, WITH THE ALTERNATIVE PLAN, THEY ARE PROPOSING TO PRESERVE ONE LARGE QUALITY TREE, WHICH IS 30% OF THE REQUIRED PRESERVATION, BUT THEY ARE PRESERVING OR PROPOSING TO PRESERVE NINE QUALITY TREES, WHICH WOULD BE 90% OF THE, UH, QUALITY TREES EXISTING.
UM, THEY ARE PROPOSING TO PLANT 69 CALIPER INCHES, WHERE BASED ON THE NUMBER OF TREES BEING REMOVED WOULD ONLY REQUIRE 67 CALIBER INCHES TO BE PLANTED, ALL OF WHICH WILL OCCUR DURING THE DEVELOPMENT OF LOT ONE.
IN ADDITION, MORE TREES ON TOP OF THIS WILL BE ADDED WHEN LOT TWO AND THREE ARE DEVELOPED, RESULTING IN SIGNIFICANTLY MORE TREES BEING ADDED THAN WHAT WILL BE REMOVED.
SO WITH THAT STAFF RECOMMENDS THE PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION MOVE TO APPROVE THE FINAL PLAT NUMBER FP 21 DASH ZERO ONE AS PRESENTED AND SUBJECT TO STAFF COMMENTS AS CONTAINED IN THE STAFF REPORT ATTACHMENTS.
UM, THE APPLICANT IS ALSO PRESENT FOR ANY OTHER QUESTIONS.
I JUST WANTED TO MAKE ONE CORRECTION.
I THINK WE HAD JUST A SLIGHT TYPO ON ONE OF THE SLIDES.
UM, FOR THE 70% OF TREES, THE LARGE QUALITY, UM, THAT WOULD'VE REQUIRED ALL THREE LARGE QUALITY TREES TO BE SAVED.
UH, I THINK WE ACCIDENTALLY TYPED THE SEVEN, UH, THINKING 70%, SO WE APOLOGIZE FOR THAT, BUT THAT, THAT WOULD'VE BEEN ALL, ALL 100% OF TREES WOULD'VE HAD TO BE PRESERVED TO MEET THAT ORDINANCE.
ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS FOR, UM, CITY STAFF OR THE APPLICANT? YES.
UH, THIS IS COMMISSIONER RAMSEY.
I HAVE A QUESTION FOR THE APPLICANT.
[00:15:03]
YOU PLEASE COME TO THE MIC AND STATE, UM, YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD.I'M AT 2 3 0 5 ORCHID DRIVE, MCKINNEY, TEXAS.
UM, I'M THE ENGINEER FOR THE PROJECT.
WE ALSO HAVE THE APPLICANT HERE, UH, WHO'S GONNA BE THE, THE DEVELOPER OF THE PROPERTY.
UM, READY FOR YOUR QUESTION? WHENEVER? YES, SIR, MR. BRADLEY.
UM, I REMEMBER SEEING A PRELIMINARY DRAWING OF, OF THIS AREA.
UH, IT'S BEEN A YEAR OR TWO AGO AND LOT THREE SHOWED TO BE A DETENTION POND.
UM, WHATEVER HAPPENED TO THAT? UM, JUST FOR THE SAKE OF MAKING MORE DEVELOPABLE LAND, RATHER THAN USE THAT ENTIRE AREA OF DETENTION POND, WE ARE, WE ARE UTILIZING UNDERGROUND DETENTION, UM, FOR THAT PURPOSE.
DOES THE COMMISSION HAVE ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS, UH, FOR CITY STAFF OR THE APPLICANT? THIS IS COMMISSIONER NEWMAN.
I HAVE, UH, ANOTHER QUESTION FOR MR. BRADLEY.
UH, WE HAVE A, A FULL SLIDE HERE ON THE DECK ABOUT THE TREE PRESERVATION, UM, BECAUSE THIS IS A, AN ISSUE THAT, THAT MANY WOULD FIND IMPORTANT.
UM, COULD YOU JUST SPEAK A LITTLE BIT FURTHER, UM, ABOUT THE QUALITY TREES THAT ARE BEING SAVED AND THE QUALITY TREES THAT ARE PROPOSED TO NOT BE SAVED WITH THIS PLAN? UM, ABSOLUTELY THE GOAL WAS TO SAVE AS MANY TREES AS POSSIBLE.
UM, WE ARE SAVING A MAJORITY OF THE TREES.
UNFORTUNATELY, THEY'RE NOT THE LARGE QUALITY TREES.
UH, WHAT HAPPENED WAS, YOU KNOW, MOST OF THE TREES LIE ALONG THE RIGHT OF WAY ALONG HAWKINS HOME BOULEVARD.
UM, THE THREE LARGER QUALITY TREES ARE MORE INTERIOR TO THE SITE ON FUTURE LOT THREE.
UM, THIS, THIS PROPERTY'S IN A HILL CONDITION AND FOR US TO PREPARE IT FOR CONSTRUCTION, UH, WE'VE GOTTA FLATTEN IT.
SO IT'S ACTUALLY BUILDABLE, UNFORTUNATELY, UH, WHERE, WHERE TWO OF THOSE LARGE QUALITY TREES ARE, WE COULDN'T SAVE.
SO OUR GOAL WAS, SINCE WE COULDN'T SAVE THOSE, WAS TO PROVIDE A, A FUTURE PLAN THAT REALLY YOU HAVE MORE CANOPY GROWTH OF TREE THAN WHAT IS OUT THERE CURRENTLY.
UM, SO THAT'S WHAT OUR GOAL WAS TO TRY AND MAKE UP FOR THE DIFFERENCE THERE.
UM, PLANTING LARGER TREES AT THE TIME OF CONSTRUCTION AND GOING ABOVE ON THE REQUIRED MITIGATION INCHES.
ALRIGHT, IF WE DO NOT, IF THERE IS NO ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS, UH, I WILL GO AHEAD AND, UH, ENTERTAIN A MOTION.
YEAH, THIS IS, UH, COMMISSIONER WALLACE AND I WOULD MOVE TO APPROVE THE FINAL PLAT NUMBER FP 21 DASH OH ONE AS PRESENTED AND SUBJECT TO STAFF COMMENTS AS CONTAINED IN THE STAFF REPORT ATTACHMENTS AS WELL AS THE CORRECTION.
THANK YOU MS. UH, COMMISSIONER WALLACE.
IS THERE A SECOND? THIS IS COMMISSIONER ELLISON.
THANK YOU COMMISSIONER ELLISON.
I WILL NOW DO A ROLL CALL FOR THE VOTING COMMISSIONER RAMSEY AYE.
[00:20:03]
CONGRATULATIONS.IT, UM, APPROVES UN UNANIMITY STAFF.
UH, WHAT ARE THE NEXT STEPS FOR THE APPLICANT? ALRIGHT, SO NEXT STEPS FOR THE APPLICANT WILL BE TO FIRST, UM, PLOT RECORDATION IN A PRE-CONSTRUCTION MEETING, UM, WITH BWA AND THE CITY.
UM, BEFORE THE PLAT CAN BE RECORDED, WE MUST EXECUTE THE, UH, CITY OF BENBROOK DEVELOPER AGREEMENT.
AND THEN AFTER ALL THIS IS DONE, ONCE THE PLOT IS RECORDED, YOU CAN APPLY FOR A BUILDING PERMITS.
[IV.B.1. CUP-21-01]
NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS, UH, CUP 2 1 0 1 A REQUEST FOR PROPERTIES TOTALING APPROXIMATELY 7.6 ACRES OF LAND FOR APPROVAL OF A CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT FOR DEVIATION FROM THE OUTDOOR STORAGE REGULATIONS OF CHAPTER 17.70 BENBROOK BOULEVARD CORRIDOR OVERLAY DISTRICT TITLE 17 BENBROOK MUNICIPAL CODE.THE PROPERTIES ARE GENERALLY LOCATED AT THE SOUTHWEST CORNER OF OLD BENBROOK ROAD AND WIN SCOTT ROAD, AND ADDRESSED AS 500 WIN SCOTT ROAD LOT ONE BLOCK THREE BENBROOK INDUSTRIAL PARK AND TRACKED ONE C OH FOUR ABSTRACT 1680 OF THE JAMES S WILBURN SURVEY AND 57 0 1 OLD BENBROOK ROAD TRACKED ONE C OH THREE ABSTRACT 1680 OF THE JAMES S WILBUR SURVEY.
THE AREA IS ZONED H INDUSTRIAL DISTRICT AND IS LOCATED WITHIN THE BENBROOK BOULEVARD, UH, CORRIDOR OVERLAY.
DISTRICT CITY STAFF WILL NOW GIVE THEIR PRESENTATION.
UM, ON SLIDE 20 OR ON SLIDE 17, UH, WE'RE GONNA GO AHEAD AND SHOW YOU, UH, THE AERIAL LOCATION OF WHERE THIS SITE IS LOCATED.
IT IS THE OLD, UH, WEATHERFORD BUILDING AND THEN SOME VACANT LAND, UH, IMMEDIATELY WEST OF THAT, WHICH IS CURRENTLY OWNED BY THE BENBROOK ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION.
UM, THE APPLICANT, UH, MR. SHIPLEY, HIS COMPANY AMERICAN MASONRY SUPPLY, IS A MANUFACTURER OF ARCHITECTURAL CASTSTONE CASTSTONE MANTLES, ORNAMENTAL PLASTERS, GLASS FIBER REINFORCED CONCRETE DECORATIVE RESIN AND PLASTER MOLDINGS, UH, AND THE LIKE.
UM, WHEN I FIRST SPOKE WITH MR. SHIPLEY ABOUT THIS PROPERTY, IT WAS, IT WAS ABOUT LAST YEAR, UM, AND I I REFERRED HIM OVER TO OUR BENBROOK ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION.
UH, EARLIER THIS MONTH, THE COUNCIL APPROVED AN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND PERFORMANCE AGREEMENT, UH, WITH THE APPLICANT, WHICH WOULD CONVEY APPROXIMATELY, UH, 3.6 ACRES OF BENBROOK EDC LAND FOR THE DEVELOPMENT AND OPERATION OF AMERICAN MASONRY SUPPLY.
UM, BECAUSE THE OUTSIDE STORAGE AREA EXCEEDS THE LIMITS OF THE BENBROOK BOULEVARD CORRIDOR OVERLAY DISTRICT, A CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT IS REQUIRED.
SLIDE 19 GIVES A A, AN OUTLINE OF SOME OF THE, UH, PROPOSALS FROM THE APPLICANT.
GENERALLY, THE OUTDOOR OUTDOOR STORAGE AREAS WILL EXCEED THE 10,000 SQUARE FOOT ZONING ORDINANCE LIMIT, UM, SCREENING ELEMENTS ALONG BENBROOK OLD BENBROOK ROAD.
AND THE SOUTHERN PROPERTY LINE WILL CONSIST OF NATURAL SCREENINGS SUCH AS THE NATURAL TOPOGRAPHY AND EXISTING VEGETATION.
UM, AS THIS SITE IS HEAVILY VEGETATED, THERE IS SOME EXISTING SCREENING ALONG WIND SCOTT ROAD, HOWEVER, THE APPLICANT WILL BE UPGRADING THAT SCREENING TO INCLUDE A SIX FOOT TALL CEDARWOOD FENCE ON SLIDE 20.
BEFORE WE EXAMINE THE SITE PLAN, I WANTED TO SHOW THE ZONING MAP OF THE AREA.
UM, AS YOU CAN SEE, THE SITE IS ZONED INDUSTRIAL AND IT'S ADJACENT TO INDUSTRIAL ZONING AS WELL AS THE ENCORE, UH, RIGHT OF WAY TO THE SOUTH, THE TXU POWER LINES.
UM, ON SLIDE 21, THIS SHOWS THE BASIC CONCEPT SITE PLAN THAT THE APPLICANT IS PROPOSING.
UM, THERE COULD BE SLIGHT MODIFICATIONS,
[00:25:01]
UH, TO WHERE DRIVE AISLES ARE, OBVIOUSLY JUST DEPENDING ON THE TOPOGRAPHY OUT THERE, BUT THIS IS THE BASIC PLAN.UM, THE AREAS, UH, IT SHOWS FOR GENERAL STORAGE, WHICH IS MAINLY TO THE WEST, UM, OF THE SITE.
AND THEN YOU'VE GOT SOME AREAS BEHIND THE, UH, OLD WEATHERFORD BUILDING.
UM, THAT WILL BE THE, THE, THE MAJOR AREAS FOR STORAGE.
HOWEVER, UH, AS THIS IS TYPICAL WITH INDUSTRIAL SITES, ANY OF THE PAVED SURFACES BEHIND THE SCREENED ELEMENTS, UM, IS AVAILABLE FOR STORAGE.
UH, THEY'LL TYPICALLY BE TEMPORARY AS THEY'RE MOVING, UH, MATERIALS AROUND.
UM, AND GENERALLY THEY'LL FIND THEIR WAY TO THE, TO THE PERMANENT STORAGE AREAS.
STAFF IS SUPPORTIVE OF THE APPLICANT'S, UM, CUP REQUEST.
I WANTED TO READ THROUGH SOME OF THE ITEMS I PUT IN THE STAFF REPORT, UM, THAT STAFF CONSIDERED, UH, WHEN WE WERE, UM, OF WHY WE, WE SUPPORTED THIS, UH, CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT.
UM, ONE OF THE OBVIOUS ONES IS IT WAS APPROVED BY THE BENBROOK ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION AS WELL AS THE CITY OF COUNCIL.
THEY DID APPROVE AN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND PERFORMANCE AGREEMENT.
UM, AS WE'VE DISCUSSED, THE SITE IS ZONED, H OUTSIDE STORAGE IS NORMAL FOR AN INDUSTRIAL DISTRICT.
UM, THE STORAGE AREAS ON THE EAST SIDE OF THE SITE, UH, WILL BE SCREENED AND THE MATERIALS WILL NOT EXCEED THE HEIGHT OF THE SCREENING.
FENCE STORAGE AREAS ON THE WESTERN SIDE OF THE SITE, WHICH IS THE AREA CURRENTLY OWNED BY THE BENBROOK ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION, ARE HEAVILY SCREENED BY EXISTING VEGETATION AND TOPOGRAPHY IN CONFORMANCE WITH SECTION 17.79 OF THE BENBROOK BOULEVARD CORRIDOR OVERLAY DISTRICT CHAPTER.
OUTDOOR STORAGE AREAS, INCLUDING DRIVE AISLES AND STORAGE PAD PADS, WILL BE PAVED WITH CONCRETE AND KEPT IN A NEAT AND ORDERLY FASHION.
THE SITE IS NOT ADJACENT TO ANY RESIDENTIAL DISTRICTS.
THE APPLICANT WILL NOT BE DEVELOPING IN THE 100 YEAR FLOODPLAIN, UM, OR FLOODWAY, WHICH WILL BE PRESERVING MANY TREES ON THE SITE AND WILL BE UTILIZED FOR VEGETATIVE SCREENING.
UM, AND THEN IN ACCORDANCE WITH SECTION 17.8 OF THE BENBROOK ZONING ORDINANCE, THE APPROVAL OF THE CUP TO AMERICAN MASONRY SUPPLY WILL AUTOMATICALLY EXPIRE UPON A CHANGE IN OWNERSHIP OF THE LAND.
SO SHOULD THE APPLICANT SELL THE LAND INTO THE, UH, IN THE FUTURE, THE NEW OPERATOR OF THE SITE WOULD HAVE TO APPLY FOR THEIR OWN CUP, UM, WITH CONSIDERATION BY THE PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION.
UM, THAT CONCLUDES THE PRESENTATION.
I HAVE, UH, THE STAFF'S RECOMMENDED MOTION FOR THE COMMISSION TONIGHT IS TO MOVE TO APPROVE THE CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT, UM, AS PRESENTED, I'M AVAILABLE FOR ANY QUESTIONS IF THERE ARE ANY.
ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS, UM, FOR CITY STAFF? YEAH, THIS IS COMMISSIONER WALLACE.
I HAVE A QUESTION JUST TO MAKE SURE I UNDERSTAND CORRECTLY.
UH, THE TREE PRESERVATION ORDINANCE DOES NOT COME INTO PLAY AT ALL ON A CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT LIKE THIS.
IS THAT CORRECT? UM, ACTUALLY, THIS SITUATION ON, ON THIS PROPERTY, UM, THERE WAS A RECENT CHANGE IN OUR MUNICIPAL CODE, WHICH I'M HOPING THAT, UH, OUR ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER, JIM HENDER ROCKER, WILL BE ABLE TO EXPLAIN A LITTLE FURTHER.
JIM HENDER, ROCKER, ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER FOR THE CITY.
YEAH, AS DOUG, UH, MENTIONED, UH, THE CITY COUNCIL ACTUALLY TOOK ACTION FOR A, UH, A TEXT AMENDMENT, UH, THAT THE TREE PRESERVATION LANGUAGE OF OUR MUNICIPAL CODE, SPECIFICALLY RELATED TO, UH, LAND THAT IS OWNED BY THE BECK, UH, BERICK ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY, IF IT'S ASSOCIATED WITH A DEVELOPMENT OR AN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, UH, PROJECT ASSOCIATED WITH THEM, UH, THEY'RE EXEMPT FROM TREE MITIGATION STANDARDS.
THE THOUGHT IS, IN THIS PARTICULAR CASE, UH, THE PROPERTY, UH, HAS BEEN MARKET FOR A WHILE, UH, LOOKING FOR, UH, DEVELOPMENTS TO OCCUR ON THAT PROPERTY AND THE BALANCE OF THE PROPERTY OWNED BY THE BEDC.
AND, UH, AS PART OF THAT INCENTIVE PACKAGE, TREE MITIGATION WAS ALWAYS CONSIDERED TO BE A PART OF THAT.
AND SO INSTEAD OF, UH, THE BDC, UH, SPENDING, UH,
[00:30:01]
TAXPAYER MONEY, SALES TAX MONEY TO MITIGATE TREES, BASICALLY PAYING THE CITY, UH, TAKING IT FOR ONE POCKET AND PUT IT IN ANOTHER POCKET, UH, COUNCIL DECIDED TO GO AHEAD AND ALLOW FOR, UH, THE TAX AMENDMENT.SO IN THIS PARTICULAR CASE, UH, TREE MITIGATION WOULD NOT BE REQUIRED BECAUSE IT'S ACTUALLY PROPERTY, UM, AS PART OF AN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, UH, PROJECT.
DOES THAT MAKE SENSE, MR. WALLACE? YEAH, IT DOES.
IT JUST, UH, I I DON'T EVEN KNOW HOW YOU WOULD MITIGATE WITH THE AMOUNT OF QUALITY TREES THAT ARE IN THAT AREA.
WE JUST HAVE VERY FEW OF THEM.
SO, UH, YOU KNOW, WHEN THE ENTIRE LOT IS, YOU KNOW, HAS A LOT OF JUST THOSE NATIVE TREES, UM, I DON'T EVEN KNOW MECHANICALLY HOW THAT WOULD WORK TO MITIGATE.
UM, SO, UH, BUT THAT, THAT DOES HELP SHED SOME LIGHT.
AND, AND IF I, UM, IF, IF I COULD ADD, UM, TO WHAT MR. HENDER ROCKER SAID, UH, PART OF THAT AGREEMENT THAT THEY DID MAKE WITH, WITH, UH, THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION AND CITY COUNCIL, THEY ARE PRESERVING QUITE A FEW TREES AND THERE ARE CERTAIN AREAS THAT THEY WON'T BE TOUCHING.
SO, UH, THAT WAS STILL A, A MAJOR, UH, IMPACT ON THAT AGREEMENT.
UH, MR. HOWARD, THIS IS COMMISSIONER ELLISON.
I HAVE A QUICK QUESTION, UM, ALONG THE, IT, IT, LOOKING AT THAT PROPERTY FROM THE, FROM THE SOUTH, SO, UH, YOU KNOW, I'M THINKING OF WHERE THE CURRENT, THOSE, THOSE CURRENT HOTELS ARE.
AND THEN CRACKER BARREL, IF THERE'S FUTURE DEVELOPMENT OF OTHER SITES ALONG THERE, WILL THE, WILL THE PROPOSED SCREENING APPROPRIATELY, UH, YOU KNOW, COVER UP THAT STORAGE AREA IF WE'RE LOOKING, IF, IF, IF FOLKS ARE LOOKING FROM THE SOUTH TO THE NORTH? SO I, I GUESS, LET ME EXPLAIN JUST A LITTLE OF THE ZONING REQUIREMENTS FOR AN H DISTRICT.
UM, THE, THE H DISTRICT ITSELF DOESN'T HAVE ANY ZONING, ANY, ANY REQUIREMENTS FOR SCREENING AGAINST ANOTHER H ZONING DISTRICT.
AND TYPICALLY YOU'LL FIND THE, THE ZONING LINES, UH, GO ALL THE WAY TO THE CENTER OF RIGHTS OF WAY AND THE TXU, UH, RIGHTS OF WAY.
SO IMMEDIATELY ADJACENT TO THIS SITE IS INDUSTRIAL LAND.
UM, ONCE YOU GET PAST THAT, THEN YES, THERE IS SOME COMMERCIAL PROPERTY.
UH, THEY TOO WILL HAVE THEIR OWN SCREENING REQUIREMENTS WHEN ADJACENT TO OTHER PROPERTIES, UH, WHICH WILL PROVIDE, UH, EVEN MORE SCREENING THAN THERE IS NOW.
SO, SHOULD THERE BE DEVELOPMENT OCCURRING, THOSE SITES WILL BE PROVIDING SCREENING, THE TOPOGRAPHY AND THE EXISTING VEGETATION THAT'S CURRENTLY ON THIS SITE WILL HAVE SCREENING.
UH, SO I, I DON'T SEE ANY ISSUE WITH, WITH VISIBILITY, UH, TRULY.
UM, AND IF THERE WAS SOME, AGAIN, IT'S, IT'S QUITE A GREAT DISTANCE BEFORE, UH, BETWEEN THE TWO SITES.
ARE THERE ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS FOR CITY STAFF FROM THE COMMISSION AT THIS TIME? OKAY.
UH, NOW WE WILL OPEN UP, UM, THIS UP FOR PUBLIC COMMENT.
THOSE IN ATTENDANCE MAY COME TO THE PODIUM FIRST TO COMMENT ON ANY AGENDA ITEM.
AND BECAUSE WE ARE ALLOWING PARTICIPATION VIA TELEPHONE, WE WILL PROVIDE TWO MINUTES FOR CITIZENS TO CALL IN AND COMMENT ON THIS ITEM.
PLEASE CLEARLY STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD, UH, WHEN YOU COME TO THE PODIUM.
UH, THE TWO MINUTES IS STARTING NOW.
[00:36:07]
ONE MINUTE HAS PASSED.AND THAT IS TWO MINUTES WITH THE, UH, TWO MINUTES HAVING ELAPSED THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD HAS NOW, UH, COMPLETED.
IF THERE ARE NO FURTHER QUESTIONS, I WILL, UH, GO AHEAD AND ENTERTAIN A MOTION.
I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE ADDITIONAL USE PERMIT REQUEST NUMBER CUP 21 DASH ZERO ONE AS PRESENTED.
IS THERE A SECOND? THIS IS COMMISSIONER RODRIGUEZ.
I WILL NOW, UM, DO THE ROLL CALL, UH, FOR VOTING.
AND THE PRESIDING OFFICER VOTES, AYE.
I, UH, THE MOTION HAS, UH, BEEN UNANIM UNANIMOUSLY APPROVED, UH, STAFF, WHAT ARE THE NEXT STEPS FOR THE APPLICANT? THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR.
UH, THE NEXT STEPS, UH, FROM HERE WILL BE FOR THE APPLICANT TO FIRST APPLY FOR A SKETCH PLAT, WHICH IS THE FIRST STEP IN THE PLATTING PROCESS, UH, AND THEN APPLY FORMALLY FOR THE FINAL PLAT OF THE PROPERTY, UM, AFTER WHICH, UH, THEY'RE WELCOME TO APPLY FOR REMODEL PERMITS, BUILDING PERMITS, UH, WHATEVER HE NEEDS TO, TO GET THE SITE GOING.
[IV.C.1. ZTA-21-01]
RIGHT.THE NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS ZTA DASH 21 DASH ZERO ONE.
CONS, UH, CONSIDER AN ORDINANCE AMENDING TITLE 17 ZONING OF THE BENBROOK MUNICIPAL CODE BY AMENDING CHAPTER 17.92.
SIGN REGULATIONS MODIFYING REGULATIONS TO FREE STANDING SIGNS.
CAN CITY STAFF, UH, PLEASE GIVE A PRESENTATION? YES, WE CAN.
[00:40:01]
AGAIN, MR. CHAIR.UM, STARTING ON SLIDE 24, AS WE'VE DISCUSSED IN THE PAST, UM, WE'VE HAD BUSINESSES AND DEVELOPERS REACH OUT TO US, UH, MORE AND MORE LATELY, UM, ASKING FOR THE ABILITY TO HAVE TALLER SIGNS, UH, ESSENTIALLY BECAUSE OF VISIBILITY ISSUES.
UH, SIX FEET IS THE MAXIMUM HEIGHT THAT OUR CURRENT ORDINANCE HAS FOR MONUMENT SIGNS.
UM, AND IT JUST DOESN'T, UH, APPEAR TO BE ENOUGH, UH, TO GET THE VISIBILITY THAT IS DESIRED.
UM, UNLESS YOU ARE ON THE OUTSIDE LANES OF BENBROOK BOULEVARD, UH, IT IS DIFFICULT TO SEE A SIX FOOT TALL SIGN WHEN LOOKING AROUND VEHICLES.
UM, ANOTHER ISSUE DEALS WITH THE CITY LANDSCAPE REQUIREMENTS.
UH, THE CITY REQUIRES MOST STREET FRONTAGES TO HAVE EITHER A SIX FOOT HIGH BERM OR A, OR A THREE FOOT HIGH BERM.
UM, AND THAT CAN BE REPLACED BY A THREE FOOT HIGH HEDGE ROW.
UH, WITH THE SETBACK REQUIREMENTS FOR A SIGN, UH, THIS TYPICALLY PUSHES THE SIGN BEHIND, UH, THOSE THREE FOOT OBSTRUCTIONS.
UM, AND SO YOU'VE GOT A SIX FOOT TALL SIGN, THE ENTIRE BOTTOM HALF OF WHICH IS NOT VISIBLE BECAUSE OF THE SCREENING, UH, LANDSCAPE REQUIREMENTS.
UM, SO YOU CAN IMAGINE, UH, THAT THAT IS A LITTLE FRUSTRATING FOR DEVELOPERS WHEN THEY'RE TRYING TO GET THE MOST OUT OF THEIR, THEIR SIGNAGE.
WHEN LOOKING AT SIGNS STAFF, UM, SOME OF STAFF'S MAJOR CONCERNS ARE OBVIOUSLY ALWAYS, UH, AROUND SAFETY, UH, NAMELY POTENTIAL DISTRACTIONS SUCH AS ANIMATED SIGNS, UH, SITE OBSTRUCTION, UM, WHICH PRIMARILY DEALS WITH WHERE THE SIGN IS LOCATED.
IS IT LOCATED TOO CLOSE TO AN INTERSECTION SO THAT THEY CAN'T SEE, UH, A CAR CAN'T SEE WHEN IT PULLS UP TO SEE IF THERE'S ONCOMING TRAFFIC OR NOT? UH, LUCKILY FOR US, THESE SAFETY ISSUES ARE ALREADY ADDRESSED BY OUR CURRENT REGULATIONS.
UH, WE DON'T ALLOW SIGNS IN WHAT WE CALL A VISIBILITY TRIANGLE, UH, WHICH IS LOCATED NEAR INTERSECTIONS AND DRIVEWAYS.
UM, WE ALSO DON'T ALLOW, UH, FOR DISTRACTION, UH, SIGNS.
UH, WE DON'T ALLOW ANIMATED SIGNS, MOVING SIGNS, FLASHING SIGNS, THINGS OF THAT NATURE.
UM, SLIDE 25 SHOWS A TYPICAL EXAMPLE, UM, OF WHAT STAFF IS PRESENTED.
UH, THAT IF THEY WOULD'VE SUBMITTED FOR A BUILDING PERMIT, WE WOULD'VE HAD TO DENY, BECAUSE IT DOESN'T MEET THE ZONING REQUIREMENTS, IT EXCEEDS THE HEIGHT LIMITATIONS.
UM, THE SIGN IN THE IMAGE IS A 10 FOOT TALL SIGN.
UM, THE SIGN AREA IS LESS THAN 120 SQUARE FEET, BUT BECAUSE OF THAT HEIGHT, UH, WE WOULD HAVE TO DENY.
UH, SLIDE 26 CONTAINS A LIST OF OUR, UH, MONUMENT SIGN REGULATIONS.
WE'VE DISCUSSED THE SIX FOOT, UH, MAXIMUM HEIGHT REG.
UH, THE NEXT I WANTED TO DISCUSS WAS THE 120 FOOT, UH, 120 SQUARE FOOT MAXIMUM SIGN AREA ON SIDE 27.
YOU'LL SEE I PUT A DIMENSION NEXT TO THAT, UH, IN ORDER FOR DEVELOPERS OR BUSINESSES TO ACHIEVE 120 SQUARE FEET, WHICH IS THE MAXIMUM ALLOWANCE, UH, THAT WOULD REQUIRE THEM WITH THE SIX FOOT HIGH LIMITATION, CREATING A SIGN THAT IS 20 FEET WIDE.
BUT IT ACTUALLY GETS A LITTLE BIT MORE RESTRICTIVE THAN THAT BECAUSE WE DO HAVE A REQUIREMENT OF HAVING A 12 INCH MASONRY BASE.
SO THAT RESTRICTS THE SIGN FACE AREA TO ONLY FIVE FEET.
UH, 'CAUSE YOU HAVE THE ONE FOOT BASE TOTALING SIX FEET.
SO THAT WOULD EXTEND THE SIGN TO A POTENTIAL OF HAVING 24 FEET WIDE.
UM, ON SLIDE 26 OR 27, SORRY, UH, NO, I WAS WRONG.
THIS IS THE, THIS IS THE SI THE, THE IMAGE I ASKED YOU DURING OUR WORK SESSION TO LOOK AT.
UM, AS YOU CAN SEE, IT'S MADE OUTTA THE EACH SIGN.
THEY'RE, THEY'RE MADE OUT OF THE SAME MATERIALS, ATTEMPTING TO MAX OUT THE SIGNAGE AREA.
UH, I WANT YOU TO KEEP THIS IMAGE IN YOUR HEAD THROUGHOUT OUR DISCUSSION AND JUST THINK ABOUT THIS QUESTION, WHICH, WHICH SIGN WOULD YOU PREFER? UH, THE ONE ON THE LEFT OR THE ONE ON THE RIGHT.
UM, IF WE MOVE OVER TO SLIDE 29, I'VE ADDED THE DIMENSIONS AS WE'VE DISCUSSED.
[00:45:01]
ON THE LEFT MEETS OUR CURRENT REGULATIONS WHILE THE SIGN ON THE RIGHT DOES NOT, UM, AND STAFF'S OPINION, UH, THIS IS ONE OF THE THINGS WE WERE LOOKING AT.WE, WE BELIEVE THE SIGN ON THE RIGHT IS ACTUALLY A LITTLE MORE CONDUCIVE TO THE FEELING WE WOULD LIKE TO HAVE, ESPECIALLY ALONG BEN BROOK BOULEVARD.
UM, RATHER THAN, UH, VERY WIDE SIGNS, WHICH FRANKLY WOULD, WOULD NOT BE VERY VISIBLE AS THEY'D BE GOING FURTHER BACK INTO THE PROPERTY WHEN THEY'RE, UH, CONSTRUCTED.
IF WE RETURN TO, UH, SLIDE 30, UH, I WANTED TO MENTION TWO POINTS, UH, ABOUT OUR CURRENT SIGN REGULATIONS.
WHILE THESE ARE NOT LISTED IN THE ORDINANCE, UH, THE ORDINANCE DOESN'T SPECIFICALLY STATE A LIMIT ON WIDTH OF A SIGN.
UM, AND IT DOESN'T HAVE ANY LIMIT ON CHANGEABLE COPY AREAS AND WHAT CHANGEABLE COPY WOULD BE.
UM, WHETHER IT'S MANUAL, AUTOMATIC DIGITAL, WHERE THE SIGN FACE CAN CHANGE, UH, AS THE, AS THE BUSINESS OWNER NEEDS, UH, THERE ARE NO LIMITATIONS CURRENTLY ON THOSE SIZES.
MOVING TO SIDE SLIDE 31, I WANTED TO MENTION A STUDY THAT WAS, UH, PUBLISHED IN 2019.
IT WAS PUBLISHED IN THE INTERDISCIPLINARY JOURNAL OF SIGNAGE AND WAY FINDING BY GARVEY AND ASSOCIATES.
UH, THEIR STUDY FOCUSED ON ISSUES RELATED TO THE APPROPRIATE MOUNTING HEIGHTS OF FREESTANDING SIGNS.
UH, IN THEIR STUDY, THEY TOOK, THEY OBVIOUSLY HAD A LOT OF CALCULATIONS.
UH, THEIR CALCULATIONS TOOK INTO ACCOUNT THE NUMBER OF TRAVEL LANES, UH, A ROADWAY HAS, THE WIDTH OF LANES, THE HEIGHT OF VEHICLES, THE HEIGHT OF THE DRIVER'S AND PASSENGER'S EYES.
UM, THE DISTANCES BETWEEN VEHICLES AND THE DISTANCES BETWEEN, UH, TYPICAL SIGN LOCATIONS AND THE VEHICLES.
UM, AND THERE WERE OTHER SIMILAR VARIABLES.
THEIR CONCLUSIONS, UM, IN TAKING THE AVERAGES OF, OF ALL THESE, UH, DIFFERENT VARIABLES, UH, DEPENDING ON THE, THE HOW MANY TRAVEL LANES, UM, THE WIDTH OF THE ROADS AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE, THE MINIMUM MOUNTING HEIGHT, WHICH IS CONSIDERED THE BOTTOM OF THE SIGN FACE, UH, WOULD NEED TO BE BETWEEN SIX FEET AND 12 FEET TO ACHIEVE, UH, OPTIMAL VISIBILITY.
SO WHEN WE HAVE A SIGN REGULATION THAT HAS OUR MAXIMUM HEIGHT LISTED AT THE MINIMUM MOUNTING HEIGHT, UH, YOU CAN PROBABLY GUESS WHY.
THERE'S A LOT OF, UH, BUSINESS OWNERS THAT ARE ASKING FOR A LITTLE MORE HEIGHT IN, IN THESE SITUATIONS.
UH, AND, AND IT IS TRULY A VISIBILITY ISSUE.
SLIDES 33 THROUGH 35, WE'VE INCLUDED SOME IMAGES OF SIGNS WE'VE TAKEN, UH, JUST AROUND, UH, AROUND THE CITY AND, AND AROUND NEIGHBORING CITIES.
UH, JUST TO GIVE YOU AN IDEA OF WHAT TALLER SIGNS LOOK LIKE, UM, JUST TO TAKE ANY STIGMA OUT OF, OUT OF A, YOU KNOW, GIANT TOWERING STRUCTURES, JUST SO YOU CAN GET A GOOD IDEA OF, OF WHAT TYPICALLY IS BUILT.
UM, SLIDE 33 HAS A COUPLE SIGNS THAT WERE TAKEN, UH, IN WEST WORTH.
IT IS PROBABLY, UH, NOTEWORTHY TO MENTION.
WENTWORTH'S, UH, WEST WORTH'S SIGN ORDINANCE, UM, ALLOWS UP TO A MAXIMUM OF 25 FEET IN HEIGHT FOR THEIR MONUMENT SIGNS.
HERE'S A FEW MORE ON SLIDE 34 AND THEN 35.
I WENT AHEAD AND TOOK SOME PICTURES OF SOME SIGNS THAT ARE, UH, NEAR AND DEAR TO US ALL.
OBVIOUSLY, WE WE'RE HERE IN BEN BROOK.
ONE OF THEM IS THE EXISTING, UH, YMCA SIGN, WHICH IS ROUGHLY BETWEEN EIGHT, EIGHT AND NINE FEET TALL, DEPENDING ON WHICH SIDE YOU'RE MEASURING FROM.
UM, I'M NOT QUITE SURE ON THE DUTCH BRANCH PARK, UH, SIZE, BUT I, I DID GET A SEMI TRAILER IN, IN THE BACK OF THAT PICTURE, SO YOU CAN, YOU CAN GUESS, UH, THE SIZE ON THAT THING, BUT IT'S DEFINITELY MUCH TALLER THAN 10 FEET.
MOVING ON TO SLIDE 36, THIS OUTLINES WHAT STAFF IS PROPOSING FOR A SIGN ORDINANCE AMENDMENT.
UH, FIRST OFF, BEING THAT WE'RE ALLOWING SOME MORE HEIGHT, UM,
[00:50:01]
WE WANTED TO TAKE A LOOK AT THE CHANGEABLE COPY, UH, ESPECIALLY OF THE ELECTRONIC SIGNAGE.UH, CURRENTLY, AS WE STATED, THERE'S NO LIMIT.
SO WE DID WANT TO PLACE A, UH, A LITTLE LIMIT ON THE CHANGEABLE COPY.
UH, ONE, IT CAN BE APPLIED TO ONE OF THE FREESTANDING SIGNS ON THE PROPERTY.
AND THEN TWO, UH, THAT AREA FOR CHANGEABLE COPY WOULD BE LIMITED TO ABOUT 50% OF THE TOTAL SIGN AREA OF THE SIGN, OR 50 SQUARE FEET, WHICHEVER IS LESS.
UM, AND THEN THE SECOND PART OF THE, UH, PROPOSAL IS TO, OF COURSE, INCREASE THE MAXIMUM HEIGHT OF ONE OF THE MONUMENT SIGNS, UH, PER PROPERTY FROM SIX FEET CURRENTLY TO 10 FEET, AND THEN LIMIT THE MAXIMUM WIDTH OF ALL MONUMENT SIGNS TO 12 FEET.
UM, THERE WAS A QUESTION DURING THE WORK SESSION ASKING ABOUT, UH, THE WHY WE CHOSE ONE SIGN PER PROPERTY RATHER THAN ALL SIGNS ON THE PROPERTY.
UM, EACH PROPERTY CAN HAVE ONE MONUMENT SIGN PER 100 FEET, UH, AS IT IS TODAY.
WE DID WANNA LIMIT IT TO JUST ONE.
AND THIS KIND OF SURROUNDS RECENT COURT DECISIONS ABOUT HOW YOU CAN CLASSIFY A SIGN AND HOW YOU CAN REGULATE A SIGN.
SINCE WE CANNOT REGULATE SIGNS BASED ON ITS CONTENT, IS VERY HARD.
FOR EXAMPLE, AND THIS IS JUST ONE OF THE EXAMPLES, UM, LET'S SAY SOMEONE WANTED A DIRECTIONAL SIGN TO PLACE NEAR THEIR ENTRIES.
I CANNOT PROVIDE SIGNAGE IN A SIGN ORDINANCE ANYMORE THAT SAYS YOUR DIRECTIONAL SIGN CAN BE THIS TALL, THIS WIDE, THIS TYPE OF MATERIAL.
YOU'RE ALLOWED THREE OR FOUR OF DIRECTIONAL SIGNS.
I CAN'T DO THAT BECAUSE THE ONLY WAY I CAN KNOW IT'S A DIRECTIONAL SIGN IS TO READ IT.
SO, BY GIVING THE, UH, THE APPLICANT THE OPTION TO HAVE SIGNS LIKE THAT, UH, THEY CAN USE SOME OF THEIR MONUMENT SIGN ALLOTTED, UH, FOR, FOR OTHER SIGNS.
UM, WE PROBABLY DON'T WANT TO SEE 10 FOOT TALL DIRECTIONAL SIGNS OUT THERE.
UH, WE, WE'D RATHER KEEP THOSE FOR BUSINESS ADVERTISEMENTS.
UH, SO THAT'S JUST ONE OF THE, ONE OF THE REASONS FOR CONSIDERING JUST HAVING IT ON ONE SIGN.
UM, SO HOPEFULLY THAT ANSWERS THAT QUESTION.
UM, THAT WRAPS UP MY PRESENTATION.
UH, OBVIOUSLY STAFF IS RECOMMENDING, UM, THAT THE COMMISSION MOVE TO RECOMMEND TO CITY COUNCIL TO ADOPT A ZONING ORDINANCE, UM, TEXT AMENDMENT AS PRESENTED.
UM, KEEP IN MIND, UH, WE WILL HAVE A DISCUSSION RIGHT AFTER THIS WITH EVERYBODY.
IF ANYBODY WANTS TO HAVE ANY CHANGES, SOMETHING WANTS TO BE ADDED, TAKEN AWAY.
WE'RE, WE'RE OPEN FOR DISCUSSION.
UH, WE'RE VERY INTERESTED TO HEAR THE OPINIONS OF THE, THE COMMISSION IN THIS.
UM, SO I'M AVAILABLE FOR QUESTIONS NOW.
I'M AVAILABLE FOR QUESTIONS LATER.
AND WE'RE ALSO HERE TO, TO LISTEN TO YOU GUYS DISCUSS AMONG YOURSELVES.
UH, ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS FOR CITY STAFF? SO THIS IS COMMISSIONER NEWMAN HERE.
UM, THANK YOU MR. HOWARD FOR THE PRESENTATION.
I HAD SOME QUESTIONS ON THIS IN THE PAST.
UM, SO I, I APPRECIATE, UH, THE THOROUGHNESS OF, OF THIS PRESENTATION.
UM, I PERSONALLY, UM, AM ALIGNED WITH THE STAFF RECOMMENDATION FOR THE INCREASED DEME, THE INCREASED HEIGHT OF THE SIGNS, UH, THE NEW DIMENSIONS MAKE SENSE TO ME.
UM, I THINK THEY'RE AESTHETICALLY PLEASING.
UM, I, I THINK IT IS A, A GREAT INITIATIVE.
I WANTED TO DISCUSS, UH, TWO ITEMS. ONE, UH, WHAT IS THE PROPOSED CHANGE TO THE MASONRY? SO, UM, MASONRY SERVES AS AN ANCHOR, RIGHT? SO IT'S A SAFETY CONCERN AND IT'S ALSO AESTHETICALLY PLEASING AND, AND, UH, ADDS TO THE, THE UNIFORM LOOK OF BENBROOK.
SO WHAT IS STAFF'S THOUGHTS ON THE MASONRY? UM, AND THEN AFTER WE DISCUSS THAT, I JUST WANTED TO DISCUSS, UH, THE CHANGEABLE SIGNS BRIEFLY.
UH, CURRENTLY, UH, STAFF ISN'T LOOKING FOR ANY CHANGES IN OUR REQUIREMENT FOR A MASONRY BASE.
UH, WE STILL WANT TO SEE THAT MASONRY 12 INCH, UH, BASE AT THE BOTTOM OF THESE SIGNS.
UM, UH, AS, AS MR. HENDER ROCKER STATED, UH,
[00:55:01]
DURING THE WORK SESSION, UH, WE, WE DO PLAN ON HAVING A MORE IN DEPTH, UM, SIGN DISCUSSION ABOUT THE ENTIRE SIGN ORDINANCE, UH, WHICH, WHICH WOULD MOST LIKELY INCLUDE MORE DESIGN, UH, CRITERIA AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE.UM, THAT WASN'T SOMETHING THAT STAFF WAS LOOKING AT DURING THIS INITIAL, UM, ORDINANCE AMENDMENT.
UM, BUT WE ARE OPEN FOR, FOR THOUGHT AND DISCUSSION.
BUT BEFORE WE GET TOO MUCH FURTHER, UM, I DO WANNA APOLOGIZE.
I, WE SHOULD PROBABLY FIRST, UM, OPEN IT UP TO THE PUBLIC FOR COMMENT, UM, BEFORE THE COMMISSION STARTS, UH, REALLY DIGGING IN AND, AND PROVIDING THEIR FINAL THOUGHTS.
UH, 'CAUSE WE DO WANNA MAKE SURE THAT IF THERE'S ANYBODY LISTENING, UM, THAT THEY CAN PRESENT THEIR INPUT INTO THIS AS WELL, SO THAT THE COMMISSION CAN WEIGH THAT INTO THEIR DECISION.
NO, IT, IT WAS, IT WAS MY FAULT.
ALRIGHT, UH, MR. HOWARD'S, UH, SUGGESTION AND REQUEST THERE.
WE'LL GO AHEAD NOW AND, UM, OPEN THIS UP FOR PUBLIC COMMENT.
THOSE IN ATTENDANCE MAY COME TO THE PODIUM FIRST TO COMMENT ON ANY AGENDA ITEM.
AND BECAUSE WE ARE ALLOWING PARTICIPATION VIA TELEPHONE, WE WILL PROVIDE TWO MINUTES FOR CITIZENS TO CALL IN AND COMMENT ON THIS ITEM.
PLEASE CLEARLY STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD.
THE TWO MINUTE TIME PERIOD BEGINS NOW.
ONE MINUTE HAS PASSED AND THE TWO MINUTE TIME PERIOD HAS CONCLUDED WITH THE CONCLUSION OF THE TWO MINUTE, UM, TIME PERIOD FOR PUBLIC COMMENT.
UH, WE'LL RE UH, BRING THIS BACK TO, UH, THE COMMISSION FOR ANY, UH, COMMENTS, UH, OR QUESTIONS THAT YOU HAVE FOR CITY STAFF.
SO DID I, DID I ANSWER YOUR MASONRY QUESTION FIRST OFF BEFORE WE, BEFORE WE CONTINUE? COMMISSIONER NEWMAN? YES, YOU DID.
I JUST WANTED TO HEAR YOUR THOUGHTS ON THAT.
AND THEN I THINK YOU HAD ANOTHER ONE ABOUT THE CHANGEABLE COPY.
COULD YOU, UH, JUST COLOR IN THE LINES A LITTLE BIT MORE ON WHAT CHANGEABLE COPY MEANS, UM, AND WHAT, UH, WHAT AN ELECT AN ELECTRONIC SIGN WOULD HAVE.
I KNOW WE'RE NOT TALKING CONTENT HERE.
BUT, UM, ARE WE TALKING LIKE A BILLBOARD THAT CHANGES OVER EVERY 30 SECONDS, 30 SECONDS? JUST WHAT, WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE? YES.
[01:00:01]
UM, SO LET'S, LET'S TAKE THE BENBROOK BOULEVARD, JUST I'M SURE EVERYBODY HERE HAS DRIVEN IT DOWN A COUPLE TIMES AT LEAST.UM, LET'S, SO CHANGEABLE COPY COULD BE, UH, TAKE THE, THE OLD RACETRACK.
UH, THEY'VE GOT A, A LARGE POLE SIGN OUT THERE, UM, WITH SOME CHANGEABLE LETTERING FOR THEIR GAS PRICES.
SO THAT WOULD BE A CHANGEABLE COPY SIGN, SOMETHING WHERE THE SIGN ITSELF IS CHANGING.
AS YOU KNOW, WE REQUIRE SIGN PERMITS FOR ALL FACE CHANGES OF SIGNS.
BUT IF IT IS A SIGN THAT WAS DESIGNED TO BE CHANGED FREQUENTLY, THEN THEY DON'T HAVE TO COME IN EVERY TIME THEY NEED TO CHANGE, UH, A MENU ITEM ON A, ON A RESTAURANT OR A GAS SIGN, UH, ON A, ON, UH, A GAS PRICE, ON A, ON A GAS STATION.
I JUST WANTED TO GIVE YOU SOME EXAMPLES OF HOW IT'S UTILIZED.
UM, OTHER EXAMPLES, WHEN YOU GET INTO THE ELECTRONIC SIDE, YOU, YOU MAY HAVE NOTICED A COUPLE CAR WASHES AND MAYBE THE NEW ER COMPLEX AT THE, AT THE HEAD OF THE BENBROOK BOULEVARD.
UM, THOSE ARE MORE LED ORIENTED, ALMOST LIKE TV SCREENS, UM, WHERE THEY'RE ABLE TO HAVE, YOU KNOW, COLOR IMAGES AND, AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE.
UH, AND YES, OUR CURRENT ORDINANCE DOES ALLOW CHANGEABLE COPY, WHETHER IT'S AUTOMATIC DIGITAL, UH, LLED, UH, ANYTHING THAT'S, THAT, THAT IS CHANGING.
UM, YOU CAN HAVE ONE FRAME PER 30 SECONDS, NO ANIMATION, NO FLASHING.
UM, I THINK IT EVEN SAYS THERE'S GOTTA BE A MINIMUM OF TWO SECONDS IN BETWEEN THE CHANGING OF THE SIGNS.
UH, SO REALLY IT'S, IT'S, IT'S INTENDED TO BE STATIC IMAGE TO STATIC IMAGE.
UM, AND IT GIVES A LITTLE MORE FLEXIBILITY TO, UH, TO BUSINESS OWNERS, UH, WHO, WHO MAY WANT TO ADVERTISE A LITTLE BIT MORE.
UM, BUT OBVIOUSLY FROM A CITY SIDE, UH, AND A SAFETY SIDE, WE DEFINITELY DON'T WANT TO SEE THAT CHANGING TOO OFTEN BECAUSE THEN YOU HAVE DISTRACTED DRIVERS TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT'S ON THAT SIGN.
DID I MISS THE, THE LATEST DEAL? UM, AND SO THAT'S, THAT'S A BIG SAFETY CONCERN FOR US.
UM, AND THEN JUST, YOU KNOW, WHEN, WHEN WE LOOK AT OTHER CITIES AND, AND WHAT OTHER ORDINANCES REQUIRE, UM, MOST CITIES DO LIMIT SIZES OF THEIR, UH, OF THEIR ELECTRONIC MESSAGE CENTERS, UH, AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE.
SO, UM, JUST TO, AGAIN, LIMIT THE ABILITY TO DISTRACT DRIVERS AND STILL GIVE THEM THE FLEXIBILITY, UH, WE, WE THINK A REDUCTION IN THE SIZE OF THOSE AREAS IS WARRANTED.
UM, AND OUR SUGGESTION AND OUR RECOMMENDATION WAS THE 50% OF THE SIGN OR 50 SQUARE FEET, WHICHEVER, IS, UH, LESS.
DOES THAT ANSWER YOUR QUESTION? THAT EXACTLY ANSWERS MY QUESTION.
UM, SO IS THIS PRETTY MUCH LIKE A STOPGAP MEASURE UNTIL WE CAN MEET AND TALK ABOUT THE FULL SIGN, UM, ORDINANCE CHANGEOVER? THAT, THAT, THAT WOULD PROBABLY SUM IT UP PRETTY WELL? YES.
UM, THIS IS SOMETHING OUT OF, OUT OF ALL THE POTENTIAL CHANGES, UH, FOR, UH, FOR OUR SIGN ORDINANCE, WHICH THERE, THERE'S, THERE'S PROBABLY MANY, UH, THIS IS ONE THAT PROBABLY AFFECTED, UH, THE MOST POSITIVELY IN OUR VIEW, UM, BY ALLOWING SOME GREATER VISIBILITY TO OUR BUSINESSES.
AND, AND THEN WHEN BUSINESSES SEE THAT WE'RE ALLOWING THIS, THIS FLEXIBILITY, UM, FROM A LEASE STAFF'S PERSPECTIVE, IT, IT, IT SHOWS THAT WE'RE, WE'RE BUSINESS FRIENDLY AND, UM, WE'RE LOOKING TO, TO HELP THEM SUCCEED, ESPECIALLY DURING THESE TIMES.
I JUST WANTED TO VOICE THAT I'M IN FAVOR OF THIS MEASURE.
UM, I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO, UM, MORE DESIGN RELATED CONVERSATIONS.
SHOULD THIS PASS, UM, I WOULD BE LOOKING, KEEP THE CHANGEABLE SIGNS AS CONSERVATIVE AS POSSIBLE, WHILE ALSO GIVING BUSINESSES THE LEEWAY THAT THEY NEED TO COMMUNICATE WHAT THEY NEED TO COMMUNICATE BY THE SIGNAGE.
I'M WRITING ALL THIS DOWN AS WELL.
[01:05:11]
AND, UM, THIS IS COMMISSIONER WALLACE.AND I WOULD NOT DISAGREE WITH MY FELLOW COMMISSIONER'S STATEMENT.
I'M, I'M IN SUPPORT OF THAT APPROACH.
AND OUT OF CURIOSITY, MAYBE BY WAY OF DISCUSSION, UM, UH, YOU KNOW, HAS ANYBODY HAD ANY POSITIVE EXPERIENCES IN, IN OTHER AREAS WITH SIGNAGE, IN THE SIZING, IN THE DESIGN? UM, IS THERE ANYTHING THAT STANDS OUT THAT YOU GUYS REALLY LIKED? OR IS THERE ANYTHING THAT, THAT YOU DEFINITELY DID NOT LIKE? I'M, I'M VERY INTERESTED, UH, IN ANY OF THOSE.
SO THIS COMMISSIONER, WE, I'LL JUMP BACK IN ON THAT.
UM, I REALLY DO APPRECIATE THE WAY THAT STAFF SEEM TO TAKE A VERY MEASURED APPROACH IN THE, UH, HEIGHT AND WIDTH AND LOOKED AT THE SURROUNDING AREAS.
I DO BELIEVE THAT WE WANT TO GIVE IT UP TO WHERE IT DOES, YOU KNOW, PROVIDE SOME OF THAT SIGHT LINES FOR BUSINESSES.
UM, SO NOW THAT WE'VE GOT, YOU KNOW, A, UH, YOU KNOW, DESIGNED THOROUGHFARE, WE'VE MOVED, UH, ALL OF THOSE, UM, POWER LINES BACK.
UM, I DO HAVE A FEELING THAT, YOU KNOW, THE, THERE'S SOMETHING ABOUT THE TALLER YOU GET.
UH, IT KIND OF FEELS LIKE IT'S, UH, IN SOME WAYS, UM, UH, NOT AS, UH, AESTHETICALLY PLEASING.
AND SO, UM, BUT I, I THINK WE'RE, THIS IS A REALLY GOOD, UH, APPROACH, UH, TO OUR, YOU KNOW, OUR MAIN THOROUGHFARE THERE AND TO KEEP IT AGAIN USABLE, BUT ALSO, UM, YOU KNOW, LOOKS LIKE A NICE PLACE TO DRIVE THROUGH.
ARE THERE ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FOR, UM, CITY STAFF AT THIS TIME? AND IF NOT, I WILL, UH, GO AHEAD AND ENTERTAIN A MOTION AS WELL.
COMMISSIONER RAMSEY, MAKE A MOTION TO RECOMMEND CITY COUNCIL ADOPT THE ZONING ORDINANCE TEXT AMENDMENT AS PRESENTED.
IS THERE A SECOND? THIS COMMISSIONER WALLACE? I'LL SECOND IT.
THANK YOU COMMISSIONER WALLACE.
I WILL NOW, UM, DO THE ROLL CALL FOR THE VOTING COMMISSIONER RAMSEY AYE.
AND THE PRESIDING OFF OFFICER VOTES AYE.
AND THAT, UM, IS APPROVED OR RECOMMENDED UNANIMOUSLY.
[V. COMMISSION MEMBER AND STAFF COMMENTS]
ITEM ON OUR, UM, AGENDA IS, UH, COMMISSIONER MEMBER AND STAFF COMMENTS.UH, IF ANYONE WOULD LIKE TO, UH, SPEAK,
[01:10:12]
I WOULD JUST GO, LIKE TO GO AHEAD AND AGAIN, UM, WELCOME, UH, MS. JONES TO THE PLANNING ZONING COMMISSION AND, UM, DEFINITELY LOOK FORWARD TO, UH, WORKING WITH YOU AND WELCOMING YOU INTO ONTO OUR, UH, LITTLE COMMISSION HERE.IF THERE'S, UH, NO ADDITIONAL COMMENTS OR ANYTHING SAID, UH, WE WILL GO AHEAD AND ADJOURN.
UH, THE PLANNING ZONING, UH, COMMISSION MEETING FOR MARCH 11TH, UH, 2021.