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Home My WebLink About02-06-1986 Planning and Zoning Commission Emergency Called Meeting• 0 +~, ~ ~ .~ J ~ • onnr CRANE RENTAL OF TEXAS, INC. 7085 FANNETT RD. P. O. BOX 7364 BEAUMONT, TEXAS 77706 OFFICE: (409) 842-9331 WATS:1-800-392-1628 February 5, 1986 11230 SPENCER HWY. LaPORTE, TEXAS 77571 OFFICE: (713) 47'1-1763 Mr. David Paulissen, Chief Building Official City of La Porte P. 0. Box 1115 La Porte, Texas 77571 Dear Sir: By this letter, we make application to the Planning and Zoning Commission for a 1.1' variance in the requirements regarding minimum distance above base flood elevation. This request is for Block 653, La Porte, Tx., also known as 400 N. 16th Street. According to the variance procedures in the ordinance, • we maintain that the levels required in the ordi- nance will render the property unusable for our needs. The height of the finished slab, as required, will not allow us to drive our machines into the pro- posed structure. We have worked closely with the City Engineering Dept. and have concluded that this vari- ance both gives us relief, while maintaining the integrity of the ordinance. Further, we find no reason to suggest that the granting of this variance will result in additional threats to public safety, any public expense, nuisances, causing fraud on or victimization of the public, or conflicts with existing laws or ordinances. Under separate cover, we include a statement from Per. Carlos Smith addressing the effect of this variance upon flood heights. In conclusion, allow me to reiterate, that without this variance, we will be forced to abandon our project. Regards , i~~~~~ ~. • homas C. Haltom Manager - Houston HYDRAULIC TRUCK CRANE SERVICE 5 TON TO 365 TON HYDRAULIC CRANES • J.L.G. AERIAL WORK PLATFORMS • CRANES ' • • • ~ H. CARLOS SMITH ENGINEERS AND SURVEYORS, INC. 718 S. Broadway ~} P.O. Box M La Porte, Texas 77571 [71 31 471-4226 February 5, 1986 Planning & Zoning Commission City of La Porte P. O. Box 1115 La Porte, Texas 77571 Re: Anthony Crane Rentals Gentlemen: This is to advise that the granting of a variance to lower the finished floor elevation of the proposed building by Anthony Crane Rentals in Block 653, Nebraska Syndicate Subdivision of La Porte, to an elevation 21.2 feet (1973 NGS Re-leveling) which is 0.90 feet above base flood elevation of 20.3 feet and 1.1 feet below the requirements of the City of La Porte Flood Hazard Prevention Ordinance will not result in any greater increase in flood heights than if constructed to the required elevation of 2 feet above the base flood elevation. Very truly yours, H. Car s Smith, Engineer & Surveyors, Inc. e8 -.G~'LE?.~ ~ .> ~ ~ H. Carlos Smith, P.E. ~ ~~~ President HCS / kh ' • CITY OF LA PORTE • INTER-OFFICE MEMORANDUM • T0: Planning and Zoning Commissio FROM: Bob Speake, City Engineer and `~~'~~-~ Flood Zone Administrator DATE: February 6, 1986 SUBJECT: Proposed 2.44 Acre Minor Development (Block 653, Madison and Tyler Streets) by Anthony Crane Rental, Inc. CLP X85-8203 SYNOPSIS The above referenced property lies within the 100-year flood plain. The City Flood Hazard Prevention Ordinance requires that first floor elevations be two (2) feet above the flood plain. The developer wishes to elevate his first floor about 11" above the flood plain and is seeking a variance from the Commission as required by the Ordinance. The City Flood Zone Administrator recommends granting of this variance. • BACKGROUND Under Ordinance 1452, the Commission may grant a variance if the developer can show good and sufficient cause that: 1. failure to gr•a.nt tree variance would result in exceptional hardship. 2. granting the variance would not cause an; a. increase in flood heights; b. additional threat to public safety; c. extraordinary public expense; d. the creation of nuisances; e. fraud or victimization of the public; or f. conflict with local laws or Ordinances Natural ground at the building site is 19.9 feet.•~ The property lies within Zone A4 (See Figure 1) and has a base flood elevation (BFE) of 20.3 feet. The developer plans to construct his Morgan Metal Building so that its finished flood elevation is at 21.2 feet.* City Ordinance 1452 (Flood Hazard Prevention Ordinance) requires that the finished floor elevation be 22.3 feet. Figure • 2 shows the above relationships graphically. ~ Above mean sea level, 1929 Datum - 1973 releveling. f ~ • Page Two February 6, 1986 . Planning & Zoning Commission ANALYSIS The 100-year flood plain is over a 1/2 mile wide and the floodway is over 1100 feet wide in this reach of Little Cedar Bayou (See Figure 1). Maximum depth of flooding in the floodway is under nine feet. However, on Block 653, 100-year flooding is under half a foot. The proposed Anthony Crane building will present an obstruction of 84 feet of flood plain width. If we assume, conservatively, that the obstruction does not cause an 84' increase in flood plain width at this point, the flood waters will rise about 1/2 inch. However, it is more likely that the width of the flood plain will increase and the rise i.n flood waters will be negligible. The City and Harris County Flood Control District are funding major channel improvements to Little Cedar Bayou. When those improvements are complete (1987-88 time frame), in all likelihood, this property will be little affected by 100-year flooding. The "two feet above BFE" rule was incorporated in the Ordinance in response to a 1983 FEMA recommendation designed to partially • compensate for flood plain development and subsidence since 1973. Figure 2 shows this approach to be too conservative (and more costly for the developer), at least for• this property. Staff is considering recommending amending the Ordinance to ease this restriction. No direct expenditure of public funds will be required because of this construction. Further, it should cause no adverse impact on public safety, health, or similar public interests. The developer will be required to comply with all other City Ordinances. CONCLUSIONS The developer has satisfied all conditions of Ordinance 1+52 for granting of a 1.1 foot variance for the finished floor elevation below the 2.0 foot above BFE required by that Ordinance. RECOMMENDATION Grant the 1.1 foot variance. C ~~';; +s ,~: e...'r ,~. _ ~ /:. STR ~_` ~~ ~? ~€. ~;'"~ ~ - N.: F]?rc-t 'h SOUTH TREH~ ` FT ..:. a2'Y~a ~ .. ~~ f g2,.. 4. PAC/F/C`- E ~.,k: .. ~:.,r t. K.. • AA/LROAb ,. STREET _ SpvT s ~ 1 yFf ~ ~. - ~Vza~ _ ! ;r }r ~ A~ ,. , N~ u lar.r - r a +,. ... - ~. f ~~. ~;~ ; LIMIT OF DETAILE ... _ ~' - r ~ - ~~ '~ `~ . -- _ D STUDY ) r~4 j J 1 '-: ~ m = ~. RM~ `~ _ ~2 ~. - ,; ~' _EAST BARBOURS ~CU~ - .;-e. . ~;?*~,,;~~ I it ~'~` { - .i6 - .~+~~ . -~~ ~ _~K , BLOCK 6 5 3 ~ : ~_ ~- you _ f ~:~- TYLER- ~`•, I! ~` 'STREE` ~', O ~ T i ~ - - - ~ a :~ i ~ ~a . ~ ~,, • i', . ~, ~ ~ ~ F~. ~,4 I! EAST MAIN STREET 1~T ~ 1 { °` STREET ~ - _ ~ ~ . ;~ _ 'i , m - -EST , - A STREET y .. .-~ i y- ,. :: - ~ FLOOD PLAIN MAP ~~ ~ , y ~«~ ~ '~ ~ ~ ~, __ ~. ~ i . ~~k ;Y. I .. - :. -r~;~ ~x~ _ ~ . EST E a~ 1 ,# ,n. ~,,. ~ ~ . ' ;. STREET ~ - ~ a -AF"t,` - - _s f :;~ ~~, ` ~;_ - ,WEST ~ ~, - I a • REDO/RED F/RST FLAAR ELEVAT/ON EL= 22.3 ~ I~r-- ~~ ---7-,----~ -- DES/RED F/N/SHED FLADR EL EVAT/ON EL= 2l.2 ~ B~QSE fLDAD ELEVATADN (BFEJ~ Q s ~,3 ~ NATURAL GROUND ELEVAT/ON ~f EL -19.9 ~ .. W _ 4. _ m ... _ W < ~~ ~ Y ~ y. r ~~ m ~ .f s ..,y 4 Q i _ ~ S " ^Y - ~.3.- ~~"~` ,~ *, ~ _ - - Si 1~ -. 4 y_ i; NOTE: ELEVATIONS SHOWN ARE BASED ON THE NATIONAL GEODETIC DATUM OF 1929 - _ 1973 RE~EVELING . z . -~. :~~= Fr~u~E ..~,`~r . ~ , .,4~. ~.._. 2 ~- -.~ T`~'i ~_~~,T W BLOCK 653 - -~- __ ,~ _ t= LOOD PLAIN RELATtONSHlPS 4_ - ~:~, . ~ r~. ;, :, ~sr - .;.;n; . -~ ~ y ~ . ,4 ~ ~•~ - a°l4 -n2_. _~ ~:_~-- ~~ .: