03-17-16 Regular Meeting of the Planning and Zoning Commission

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Planning and Zoning Commission Minutes of February 18, 2016 Page 3 of 6 or stone. No other buildings in Port Crossing meet this standard. Staff did not support the request as proposed but was willing to compromise in certain areas. Commissioner Follis asked for a clarification on whether or not the guidelines are required for buildings over 50,000 square feet. City Planner Ensey said that the rule only applies to Tier 1 buildings. Commissioner Follis asked what the total cost of the project was. City Planner Ensey said that the applicant was in the audience and could answer that question. The applicant, Ken Chang of Liberty Property Trust, 8827 N Sam Houston Parkway West, Houston, TX, made the point that none of the other buildings in Port Crossing have masonry. He noted that they are putting a lot of glass on their building, something that most companies do not do and is an extra cost to the builder. Mr. Chang brought in sketches showing the average walk in to their proposed walk in to make the point that Liberty Property builds nicer buildings. Commissioner Follis asked whether or not they were still subject to Tier 3 guidelines being on Highway 146 but City Planner Ensey told him that in the Special Conditional Use Permit they were allowed under Tier 3. Commissioner Follis then asked what the total cost would be. Mr. Chang said that a rough estimate, just for construction would be $18-$20 million dollars. Commissioner Follis said that a rough estimate of the cost to put brick veneer all around would come out to about $200,000, or 1% of the project. Mr. Chang argued that tying the brick and stone to their modern glass look would be difficult. Commissioner Follis was more concerned about the long uninterrupted side walls. Commissioner Follis said that the majority of the 20% should be focused on the east and west walls due to visibility. The board as a whole expressed a desire for the applicant to keep the glass at the corner entries while having the 20% brick or stone on the sides. Mr. Chang offered to put windows along the wall in exchange for not having to meet the 20% brick or stone in an effort to keep the look continuous. Commissioner Follis said the intent of the design guidelines was to make the building as a whole look better and putting it all one side would go against the initial intent. In an attempt to summarize the Commissionposition, Chairman Lawler said they understand that it does not make sense to put the brick or stone on the side with bay doors, and they like the window treatments. Amongst the remaining walls, the west wall is the one they would like to look the best so the majority of the stone should be on that wall. Commissioner Smith pointed out that putting too much brick or stone on one wall compared to the others could look unattractive.