HomeMy WebLinkAbout09-04-14 Special Called Meeting of the Planning and Zoning Commission
City of La Porte Planning and Development Department
Established 1892 Tim Tietjens, Director
CityofLaPorte
PlanningandZoningCommissionAgenda
Noticeisherebygivenofa SpecialCalledMeeting oftheLaPortePlanningandZoning
Commissiontobeheldon Thursday,September4,2014,at6:00p.m.atCityHallCouncil
Chambers,604WestFairmontParkway,LaPorte,Texas,regardingtheitemsofbusiness
accordingtotheagendalistedbelow:
1.Calltoorder.
2.Rollcallofmembers.
3.PresentationoftheChapter106(Zoning){ǒĬĭƚƒƒźƷƷĻĻƭProposedModificationsto
Chapter106(Zoning)
4.Administrativereports.
5.Commissioncommentsonmatterappearingontheagendaorinquiryofstaffregarding
specificfactualinformationorexistingpolicy.
6.Adjourn.
AquorumofCityCouncilmembersmaybepresentandparticipateindiscussionsduringthismeeting.
However,noactionwillbetakenbytheCouncil.
IncompliancewiththeAmericanswithDisabilitiesAct,TheCityofLaPortewillprovideforreasonable
accommodationsforpersonsattendingpublicmeetings.Tobetterserveattendees,requestsshouldbe
received24hourspriortothemeetings.PleasecontactPatriceFogarty,CitySecretary,at2814705019.
CERTIFICATION
IcertifythatacopyoftheThursday,September4,2014agendaofitemstobeconsideredby
thePlanningandZoningCommissionwaspostedontheCityHallbulletinboardonthe___day
of________________,2014.
Title:
CityofLaPorte604W.FairmontParkwayPhone:(281)4715020
PlanningandDevelopmentLaPorte,TX775716215Fax:(281)4705005
www.laportetx.gov
CityofLaPorte,Texas
PlanningandZoningCommission
September4,2014
AGENDAITEM3
Chapter106(Zoning)Revisions:
PresentationoftheChapter106(Zoning){ǒĬĭƚƒƒźƷƷĻĻƭ
ProposedModificationstoChapter106(Zoning)
9ƩźĭW͵9ƓƭĻǤͲ/źƷǤtƌğƓƓĻƩ
tƌğƓƓźƓŭğƓķ5ĻǝĻƌƚƦƒĻƓƷ5ĻƦğƩƷƒĻƓƷ
/źƷǤƚŅ\[ğtƚƩƷĻͲĻǣğƭ
PlanningandZoningCommissionRegularMeeting
September4,2014
Chapter106ProposedRevisions
PlanningandDevelopmentDepartment
StaffReport
DISCUSSION
TheChapter106(Zoning)SubcommitteepresentedtothePlanningandZoning
CommissionattheAugust21,2014regularmeetingtheirproposedrecommendations
formodificationstotheĭźƷǤƭZoningOrdinance.Therewerethreeitemswherestaffand
theSubcommitteeŷğķƓƷcometoagreementatthetimeofthemeeting.Atthe
conclusionofthemeeting,theCommissiondirectedtheSubcommitteeandstaffto
furtherdiscussthosethreeitemsandattempttocometosomeresolutiononthose
topics.Thefollowingsummarizesthosediscussionsbytopic.
NonconformingLotsofRecord(Section106268):
Section106268,Nonconforminglotsofrecord,describesrequirementsforthoselotsofrecord
thatarenonconformingincludingrequirementsforbringingthosepropertiesintocompliance
withthecode.Thisisthefirstissuewherestaffpartiallydisagreedwiththerecommended
modificationsoftheSubcommittee.
Subsection(a)asproposedrequiresanyͻƓĻǞǒƭĻͼforanonconforminglotofrecordbesubject
toreviewbythePlanningDirectorincluding,butnotlimitedto,reviewofparking,loading,
vehicularaccess,landscaping,setbacks,utilityavailability,andotherrequirements.
ThepreviousdisagreementwaswiththestrikingoutofthewordsͻĬǒƷƓƚƷͼandreplacingwith
ͻğƓķ͵ͼThisresultedinthelimitationofjustthoseselectitemstobeupforreviewwhena
changeinuseofanonconforminglotofrecordoccurred.AsdiscussedattheCommission
meeting,staffwasconcernedthattherewereotheritemsthatwerecommonlyreviewed,asa
meansofbringingthosenonconformitiesmoreintocompliancewiththecode.Staffandthe
SubcommitteeagreedthattheinclusionofͻƦğƩƉźƓŭlotsurfacingforrequiredparking,dumpster
ĻƓĭƌƚƭǒƩĻƭͼprovidesthosecommonitemsthatarereviewedbystaff.Asaresult,staffandthe
Subcommitteehavecometoanagreementonthisitem.
ThefollowingisanexcerptfromSection106268oftheCodeofOrdinancesshowingthe
proposedlanguage:
Sec. 106-268. Nonconforming lots of record.
Paragraph (a)
Continuance of nonconforming lots of record. Subject to all limitations herein set forth, any
nonconforming lot may continue without change in boundaries and may be utilized or developed
provided that the uses and development are otherwise authorized as provided herein. No new
structure shall be placed thereon except in conformity with the applicable controls of the district in
which the lot is located. No new use or change in occupancy may be undertaken on
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PlanningandZoningCommissionRegularMeeting
September4,2014
Chapter106ProposedRevisions
nonconforming lots of record, unless said change in use or occupancy as well as "tenant and/or
occupant" is first submitted to the planning director for review. The planning director shall review
said proposed change in use or occupancy, for purposes of insuring maximum compliance with
this division chapter, taking into account the particular restraints imposed by the degree of
nonconformity of said nonconforming lot of record. The director’s review shall include, but not and
be limited to required parking, loading, vehicular access, landscaping, setbacks, utility availability,
parking lot surfacing for required parking, dumpster enclosures, and other requirements as
imposed by this division Chapter.
Decisionsoftheplanningdirectormadepursuanttoprovisionscontainedinthissectionaresubjectto
appealtotheboardofadjustmentasprovidedin(Appealstoboardofadjustment)of
section 106-89
thischapter.
Section106874,paragrapha.4,Onpremisessigns(freestandingsignsintheMainStreet
District):
ThisitemisthesecondtopicwherestaffandtheSubcommitteeķźķƓƷreachanagreementat
st
thetimeoftheAugust21PlanningandZoningCommissionmeeting.Thissectionofthecode
providesanallowanceformonumentstylegroundsignsintheMainStreetDistrict.
TherecommendationbytheSubcommitteewastostrikeoutthoseprovisionsforfreestanding
signsintheMainStreetDistrict.Thereasonforthisrecommendationisbecausethedesiredsign
inthedistrictshouldbebuildingmountedbecausetheproposeddesignguidelinesrequirenew
buildingswithintheMainStreetOverlaybebuiltuptothefrontpropertyline.Staff
recommendedthatlanguagebeincludedallowingforfreestandingsignswithintheMainStreet,
andwasconcernedthattherewereexistingstructuresintheMainStreetOverlaywhere
buildingaresetbackfromthefrontpropertyline.Stafffeltthatlargepolesignsfortheseareas
ofsignificantbuildingsetbackswerelessdesirablethanthesmallermonumentsigns.
StaffandtheSubcommitteecametoagreementonthisissue.Theagreementwastoprovidean
allowanceforafreestandingpolesignforthosepropertiesalreadyexistingintheMainStreet
Districtthatareexistingandsetbackfromthefrontpropertyline.TheSubcommitteeis
recommendinglimitingthatsignfacetobeamaximumtotalareaof24squarefeetinsizewitha
minimumof10feetfromthebottomofthesignandamaximumof14feetfromthetopofthe
sign.Thiswouldallowforsmallerpolesignsasopposedtomonumentssigns.
ThefollowingisanexcerptfromSection106874oftheCodeofOrdinancesshowingthe
proposedlanguage:
Sec. 106-874. On-premises signs.
Paragraph (a.4)
Any new on-premises freestanding signs, which shall only be permitted on those properties
where a building is already existing and is setback from the front property line, shall be a
monument or ground sign that does not exceed eight feet in width and height from the ground to
the top of the sign is a minimum height of 10 feet from the bottom of the sign and a maximum
height of 14 feet to the top of the sign and cannot exceed 24 square feet in area. (Note: In
accordance with section 106-878(b)(2), sign not exceeding eight feet in height do not have to be
engineered.)
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PlanningandZoningCommissionRegularMeeting
September4,2014
Chapter106ProposedRevisions
ArticleIX,Designguidelines:
ThethirdandfinalissuethatstaffandtheSubcommitteedidnotagreeonweredesign
guidelinesfortheMSandMSODistrict,specificallyrelatingtosinglefamilydevelopment.The
Subcommitteerecommendedsomeredevelopmentprinciplesforsinglefamilydwellingsbe
included.Staffexpressedsomeconcerninincludingthisastheyaredifficulttoenforce.The
Subcommitteeandstaffhavecometoanagreementonthisissuetoo.Staffhasagreedto
includetheseprovisionswiththestipulationthatthereisanappealprocessestablishedinthe
eventthatanapplicantdidnotagreewithastaffrequirement.Thislanguageisidenticalto
thosereviewprocessesincludedinthedesignguidelinesforcommercialdevelopment.
Thefollowingisaexcerptfromthelanguageaddedregardingreviewproceduresfordesign
guidelinesintheMSandMSODistrict.
Sec. 106-XXX. Review procedures.
(a) The provisions of this section shall be reviewed as part of the requirements of Section
106-236 (Certified site plan required).
(b) Any waivers to the provisions of this section require approval by the Planning and Zoning
Commission. The Planning and Zoning Commission may approve a waiver request subject to the
following findings:
(1) The project as designed is consistent with the general spirit and intent of the City
of La Porte's Comprehensive Plan.
(2) The proposed building will result in an attractive contribution to the community.
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