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HomeMy WebLinkAbout09-15-11 Regular Meeting of the La Porte Planning and Zoning Commission Planning and Zoning Commission Minutes of September 15, 2011 Members Present: Hal Lawler, Richard Warren, Danny Earp, Phillip Hoot, Les Bird (left the meeting at 7:35 p.m.), Mark Follis (arrived at 7:55 p.m.), Helen LaCour (left the meeting at 9:10 p.m.), Doretta Finch, (left the meeting at 9:45 p.m.), and Lou Ann Martin (left the meeting at 10:02 p.m.) Members Absent: None City Staff Present: Assistant City Manager, Traci Leach; Planning Director, Tim Tietjens; City Planner, Masood Malik; City Engineer, Julian Garza; Assistant City Attorney, Clark Askins; GIS Manager, Brian Sterling; Economic Development Coordinator, Stacey Osbourne; and Office Coordinator, Peggy Lee City Council Present: Councilman Tommy Moser 1. Call to order Meeting called to order by Chairman Hal Lawler at 6:02 p.m. 2. Consider approval of August 18, 2011, meeting minutes. Motion by Helen LaCour to approve the minutes of August 18, 2011. Second by Danny Earp. Motion carried. Ayes: Les Bird, Richard Warren, Helen LaCour, Phillip Hoot, Hal Lawler, Lou Ann Martin, Doretta Finch, and Danny Earp Nays: None Abstain: None 3. Receive presentation from Pate Engineering on the Main Street Traffic Study. Presentation Workshop Planning Director Tim Tietjens introduced Tobin Maples, with the firm Pate Engineering. Pate Engineering was asked to develop and evaluate various roadway configurations that attract visitors to Main Street and promote a walkable mixed use downtown. Tobin Maples gave a PowerPoint presentation outlining various options that took into account pedestrian safety and access, level of service, and parking. Public Input Sherman Moore — 1607 Willow View, Main Street business owner Opposed to proposed options. Street should remain "as is." Debra Gallington — 811 Oak Leaf, Main Street business owner Safety concerns, need additional parking, and maintain traffic flow. Ronda Lunsford — business owner at 201 E. Main Agrees with comments from Sherman Moore. Opposed to proposed options. Vickie Campise — 1902 Roscoe, owner of two buildings on Main Street Need parking, caution light for new Fire Station #1, security cameras, storm drainage, and minimize disruption to businesses. Jim Counts Existing Main Street poorly designed. Current parallel parking unsafe. Create two lanes and add angle parking. Kathleen Lemon — Main Street business owner Planning and Zoning Commission Minutes of September 15, 2011 Page 2 of 3 Agrees with comments from others. Avoid angle parking, leave four lanes, utilize vacant lots to develop additional parking. Horace Leopard — 3202 Lazy Pine, Main Street property owner Parallel parking is unsafe, need to beautify Main Street Manly Boudreaux — 126 S. 16 Street Maintain traffic flow. Inquired if traffic is stopping and shopping or passing through. Sandra Baldwin — 301 W. Main Need businesses to locate on Main Street. Inquired if vacant lots could be used for parking. In response to Ms. Baldwin's question, Economic Development Coordinator Stacey Osbourne noted there was a recent offer to donate tax delinquent property to the City; however Council opted not to accept the offer. Councilman Tommy Moser noted he had wanted Staff to look into lights at 2 and 8 Streets and was disappointed they weren't included in the study. He also noted that the property donation offer was not accepted by Council because the amount of taxes owed was too high in comparison to the number of parking spaces the property would net. Brett Heckendorn — Main Street business owner Focus on pedestrian safety, parking, and traffic calming. Add signal at 2 or 3 Street. Brenda Brown Opposed to location of new Fire Station No. 1; instead, consider developing parking at that location. The light at 4 Street is not utilized as much as one would be at 2 Street. Mary Morris — 207 San Jacinto Focus is on Main Street; questioned why San Jacinto Street was not included in the study. Norma Elliot — 11621 North D Does not own a business on Main Street. Favors angle parking and lowering speed limit. Don Hulen — 8 Street business owner Study was a waste of money. Public input concluded at 7:35 p.m, at which time Chairman Hal Lawler called for a break. The meeting reconvened at 7:57 p.m. Upon conclusion of the hearing, Staff agreed to work with the Legal Department to determine risk /liability with locating a light at 2 "d Street. 4. La Porte Comprehensive Plan Update A. Overview of Chapter 2, Land Use and Character City Planner Masood Malik provided background information on Chapter 1, Plan Context, which was reviewed by the Commission during the previous meeting, followed by a land use exercise. Matt Bucchin, of Kendig Keast, gave a power point presentation of Chapter 2 outlining focus area, goals, actions, and initiatives. Chapter 2 (Land Use & Character) is a consolidation of four previous plan chapters (Land Use, Parks and Recreation, Residential Development, Beautification and Conservation). Bret Keast, of Kendig Keast, led discussion on the Future Land Use Plan and Character, currently under review. Mr. Keast spoke on Character Districts, including rural, auto Planning and Zoning Commission Minutes of September 15, 2011 Page 3 of 3 urban residential, suburban village, auto urban commercial, urban downtown, business park, auto urban industrial, and public /institutional. As part of the discussion, Commission Members agreed the Large Lot and Planned Unit Development Districts currently in place should be kept intact and all provisions of these districts should remain unchanged. B. Preview of Chapter 3, Infrastructure and Growth Capacity (including Public Safety) Bret Keast presented a preview of Chapter 3. C. Next Steps Chapter 3, (Deliverable October 17, 2011) City Council (Briefing and status report October 24, 2011) 5. Administrative Reports There were no Administrative Reports. 6. Commission Comments on matters appearing on agenda or inquiry of staff regarding specific factual information of existing policy. There were no Commission Comments. 7. Adjourn Motion to adjourn by Danny Earp. Second by Richard Warren. The motion carried with all in favor. The meeting adjourned at 10:15 p.m. Sub fated by, 9 r , Pe "/ Office oo : i - tor Approved on this C7` 6 day of CC - ( 1) 2011. C71_ 69 ) Hal Lawler Chairman Planning and Zoning Commission