03-21-1991 Meeting of the Planning and Zoning Commission

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INTRODUCTION TO THE 1991 ANNUAL ZONING ORDINANCE REVIEW In undertaking the 1991 Annual Zoning Ordinance Review, it is probably wise to begin by reviewing the Ordinance's charge to the Planning and Zoning commission which is found in Section 11-504 of the Zoning Ordinance. This section states: The Planning and Zoning commission is to conduct a regular comprehensive review of this Ordinance, together with the Development Ordinance of the City of La Porte, the first review being six (6) months from the date of adoption of this Ordinance, the second twelve (12) months from the date of adoption, and thereafter an annual review to determine whether the Ordinance has become deficient, obsolete, and inadequate for any reason including the following: 1. Defects in the original text. 2. Defects in the zoning map. 3. Deficiencies created by improper or lax administration and subsequent amendments to the original ordinance which are inconsistent, conflicting or ambiguous. 4. Inconsistency with State Statutes or jUdicial decisions. Much of this review will be concerned with items of the type noted above; namely updating code references and clarifying ambiguities. These are the routine "housecleaning" items which must be attended to in order to insure that the Zoning Ordinance does not become "deficient, obsolete, and inadequate." Therefore, the Commission is asked to remember that even though some of the issues raised may seem minor or trivial, attending to them is necessary. There is also another group of issues which will be raised during the course of this review. These issues are neither minor nor trivial but, rather will affect the City's Comprehensive Plan and therefore the course of La Porte's future development into the next century. Included in these issues is a requested amendment to current Business Industrial regulations. Also being raised, is the issue adverse impact of the Zoning Ordinance on the old Main Street commercial district. Consideration of these and like issues is a charge given to the Commission in Ordinance Section 11-503. This section, in part, states: