09-16-2004 Regular Meeting, Public Hearing, and Workshop Meeting of the La Porte Planning and Zoning Commission

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PICM • ~ • June 17, 2004 Page 2 of 2 Driveway Spacings and Locations -The proposed Chapter 7 of PICM addresses the issue that has been posed many times regarding the minimum spacing between non-residential driveways along major thoroughfares and collector streets. Without such uniform criteria for such an application, the spacing and sharing of proposed driveways on major thoroughfares and collectors as well as requests for curb cuts for new driveway turn outs has at times been ad hoc. This chapter will put an end to any guesswork associated therewith. Surface Geometry -The proposed Chapter 7 of the PICM will bring a large degree of similarity in the designed and presented residential and non-residential driveways. The specifics of the construction drawings that the City of La Porte may require when a new residential or non- residential development is proposed within the City are covered in the proposed criteria. These driveway design requirements could be handed out to parties interested in developing a site within La Porte (i.e. a neighborhood commercial development) and the City will receive nearly identical products every time after these design criteria are in place. Surface Materials -The City of La Porte currently requires that a "dust free" surface be laid for a driveway. The City of La Porte interprets this "dust free" term to mean either an asphalt or concrete surface. Given that there is a mixture of roadway surfaces in La Porte such as concrete, asphalt or chip seal etc, a flexible enough set of driveway criteria is needed to cover all aspects of possible tie-ins to publicly maintained streets and roads. Such questions are answered in sections 7.09 and 7.10 of the proposed PICM chapter. Driveway Culverts -Since there is a preponderance of open roadside ditch section streets within the City of La Porte city limits, the issue of culvert installation comes up from time to time. Since the city is not allowed to install driveway culverts on Han•is County or TXDOT maintained streets, this issue should and is dealt with fully for both residential and non- residential applications in relation to driveway construction in the proposed Chapter 7 of PICM. Conclusion and Recommendation: Staff has written and reviewed the proposed Chapter 7 to the PICM and after internal review by various City Departments, as well as input from outside consultants such as Windrose Services and Claunch & Miller, has found it to be in accordance with the Development Ordinance of the City, the Zoning chapter of the Code of Ordinances as well as the current mission to provide uniform service to the citizens and developers in La Porte. Staff recommends that the Planning & Zoning Commission review this document in workshop format in preparation for future action on the document. .