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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes_P&Z_06.27.2002 MINUTES OF THE SPECIAL PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION MEETING THURSDAY, JUNE 27, 2002, 7:00 P.M. 101 EAST 7TH STREET, GEORGETOWN, TEXAS 78626 Members Present: Marjorie Herbert, Chair; Richard Glasco, Vice- Chair; Chris Aadnesen; Audrey McDonald; John Kirby; Linda Turner; Alternate, Johnny Anderson Staff Present: Tom Yantis, Interim City Manager; Trish Carls, City Attorney; Amelia Sondgeroth, Director; Bobby Ray, Chief Current Planner; Leane Heldenfels, Planner; Ed Polasek, Chief Long Range Planner; David Munk, Development Engineer; Carla Benton, Development Planner; Melissa McCollum, Development Planner; Steve O’Neal, Commercial Plan Reviewer; Jim Babcock, Development Technician; Karen Frost, Administrative Manager/ Recording Secretary Regular Session - To begin no earlier than 7:00 p.m. (Commission may, at any time, recess the Regular Session to convene an Executive Session at the request of the Chair, a Commissioner, the Director or legal counsel for any purpose authorized by the Open Meetings Act, Texas Government Code Chapter 551.) 1. Action from Executive Session – No Executive Session. Consent Agenda 2. None Regular Agenda 3. Consideration and possible action on a Public Hearing regarding the following policy issues associated with the Unified Development Code (UDC), Draft #1. A. Bed and Breakfast (UDC Section 5.2) Leane Heldenfels presents the staff report. John Wiley – 1008 E. University. Asked that 8 rooms be allowed in all districts. Wants the ability to serve food to non-guests. Six foot fence OK. Mel Pendland – 30207 Oak Tree Drive/ Chamber of Commerce. Supports B&B’s and wants more lenient provisions. Renee Hanson – 1252 Austin Ave. Supportive of B&B’s, but not to the extent that it affects the neighborhoods around the clock. Chair Herbert asked Mr. Wiley if it would be feasible to limit food service and receptions through special permitting. Mr. Wiley stated that this would be an option if the permitting were to have a short turn around time. Commissioner Turner discussed the possibility of preserving old homes in this fashion. Commissioner McDonald discussed the expense of renovating the homes. Deliberation by Commissioners. Discussion of possible limitations. Heldenfels clarified that the focus of this meeting is to determine policy and give direction to staff. Motion by Commissioner Turner to maintain the provision as written in the code but to increase the number of rooms allowed in the residential zoned area from 4 to 6 rooms, to allow food service for up to six visitors of a paying guest, and to deny use of the B&B for receptions or party functions in a residential area but allowing them in a commercial area. Second by Commissioner Kirby. Discussion. Approved 4-3. (Opposed by Aadnesen, Glasco and McDonald.) B. Housing / Lot Variety (UDC Section 6.3) Lee Einsweiler presented the report. Jack Hunnicutt – 26 Meadows End/ Hunnicutt Builders. States this is an anti- monotony provision and supports this idea, but doesn’t think this is the way to achieve the goal. John Gavurnik – 2004 Williams Drive/ Gavurnik Homes. Supports housing variety intent. John Noell – Austin/ Civil Engineer. Suggests this needs to show some meaningful public benefit and that this provision should be in effect for larger subdivisions, 25 acres +. Paul Linehan – Austin/ Land Planner. Thinks this is social engineering. Says neighborhoods lend themselves to being different due to many factors, including topography and economy. Todd Janssen – 5353 Williams Drive/ Sun City Texas. States that demanding different lot sizes is not effective in reaching the ultimate goal of getting away from monotony. Discussion by Commissioners. Commissioner Turner discusses variety of houses and costs of such variety. Discussion of how to guarantee neighborhood variety. Deliberation by Commissioners. Motion by Chair Herbert to delay the recommendation at this time to give a committee time to meet and make suggestions for alternatives to the lot size requirements to address the issue of housing variety. Second by Commissioner Turner. Approved 7-0. Committee members volunteered tonight: Jack Hunnicutt, John Gavurnik and John Kirby. C. Block Length (UDC Section 6.5) Presentation by Lee Einsweiler. Mark Baker – Austin/ SCC Planning Consultants. Thinks this provision will create a hardship by limiting the number of lots along an amenity, as this cuts into the value of the subdivision. Makes suggestions. Sees design complications. Jack Hunnicutt – 26 Meadows End/ Hunnicutt Builders Speaks against limiting lot use along creek or bluff/ view. Discusses fundamental right to use land and who will maintain “open spaces”. Paul Linehan – Austin/ Land Planner. Disagrees with this provision. Wants provision to allow director to extend block length and allow flexibility along amenities to not divide the amenity unnecessarily. Discussion of percentage of lots along a block length with natural amenity to be preserved. “Natural amenity” is not currently defined in the UDC. Motion by Chair Herbert to modify the provision to revise the number of lots per block in the ETJ from 8 to 10 with a maximum length of 1,320 feet or ten times the block width of that district, whichever is greater; and increase the percentage of lots that can access the amenity to 25%. Second by Commissioner Glasco. Approved 5-2. (Opposed by Aadnesen and Anderson.) D. Non-residential Design Standards / Articulation (UDC Section 7.3) Presentation by Lee Einsweiler. Greg Strmiska – Civil Engineer in Austin. Does not want the provision that requires the façade of a building to include 1/3 of an adjacent wall. Don Martin – Austin/Developer. Supports this provision, asks for more flexibility of building materials, keep “hardi-plank”. Discussion and deliberation of Commissioners. Motion by Commissioner Aadnesen to direct staff to review the articulation standards and proposed language that may provide greater flexibility in the implementation of this provision. Second by Commissioner Glasco. Approved 5-2. (Opposed by Turner and Kirby.) E. Single Family Residential Design Standards (UDC Section 7.4) Presentation by Lee Einsweiler. Jim Dillard – 1404 Maple/ Heritage Society. Does not support this provision because it does not fit the homes in old town. John Gavurnik – 2004 Williams Dr./ Gavurnik Homes. Does not support micromanagement of development through these ordinances. Suggests City needs a different method to change articulation. Renee Hanson – Heritage Society. Agrees with Dillard. See handout. Doesn’t agree with zero lot lines, recorded plats and has issues with manufactured housing allowances in existing neighborhoods. Todd Janssen – Sun City Texas. Suggests increasing garage frontage to 60% because existing numbers don’t work. Deliberation by Commissioners. Mel Pendland – Chamber of Commerce. Suggests simplifying ordinance to state “minimum of two-car garage”. Amelia Sondgeroth stated that staff could look into a special zoning district for manufactured housing. Motion by Chair Herbert to table the recommendation so that the volun teer committee can address the issues of architectural design standards and the garage size requirement, and staff can clarify the zero lot line language and draft language to determine a specific manufactured housing zoning district. Second by Chris Aadnesen. Approved 7-0. F. Multi-family Residential Design Standards (UDC Section 7.4) Presentation by Leane Heldenfels. Larry Hathorn – 4815 W. Braker, Austin. Agree with removing the courtyard requirement. Concerned about parking requirements and says too much articulation is not good. Shows pictures. Don Martin – Austin/ Developer. Supports deleting the courtyard provisions, states exterior design standards need clarification, parking between street and building will cause a parking problem on city streets. Paul Linehan – Austin/ Land Planner. States apartments built next to the street give street noise to the residents. Courtyards do not promote variety and meandering among complex is stopped. Does not agree with these standards. Motion by Chair Herbert to allow this section to remain in the UDC with the following changes: 1. Delete courtyard requirement. 2. Allow greater flexibility for exterior design standards of the “complex”. 3. Grant an exception to this provision for lots with more than two ROW frontages. And amended to add: 4. An exception to the parking standards to allow parking for leasing offices and guests be located adjacent to street right-of-way. Second by Commissioner McDonald. Approved 6-1. (Opposed by Aadnesen.) G. Accessory Units (UDC Section 7.4) Presentation by Leane Heldenfels. Renee Hanson – 1252 Austin Ave/ Heart of Georgetown Association. She would support accessory uses only with a special permit allowed. Jack Hunnicut – 26 Meadows End/ Hunnicut Builders. States that with the increase in the age of the population the demand for the mother-in-law plan is increasing. Jim Dillard – 1404 Maple/ Heritage Society. States that he does not think this would be appropriate in older neighborhoods and encourages placement of rental units in other areas. Discussion and questions. Motion by Chair Herbert to recommend to City Council that accessory buildings be considered only in the RE zoning district and that a full kitchen would not be allowed as part of the extra living quarters. Second by Commissioner Glasco. Approved 6-0-1. (Abstention by Kirby.) H. Tree Canopy (UDC Section 8.2) Presentation by Leane Heldenfels. Motion by Commissioner Turner to present this provision as written to City Council. Second by Commissioner Kirby. Approved 7-0. Ten minute recess. Meeting reconvened at 10:25 p.m. Discussion of scheduling. This meeting will be continued with another posting on Tuesday, July 2, 2002 at 6:00 p.m., which will be followed by the previously scheduled P&Z Meeting. I. Street Trees (UDC Section 8.3) Presentation by Leane Heldenfels. Don Martin – Austin/ Developer. Opposes so many micromanaging details. Requests determination of purpose of each provision. Jack Hunnicutt – 26 Meadows End/ Hunnicutt Builders. Doesn’t agree with the philosophy of street trees provision to get the desired affect. MaryEllen Kersch – 1903 E 19th St. Explained original purpose of rewriting the code, to establish a sustainable pattern of growth. John Gavurnik – 2004 Williams Dr./ Gavurnik Homes. Stated that street trees should be put in after the development is constructed, not during or before. Disagrees with statement that this is micromanaging development. Agrees street trees would help sell homes. Paul Linehan - Austin/ Land Planner. Wants flexibility in placement of trees, allowing clustering and landscape design. Agrees trees should be placed by builder, not developer in the beginning process, to protect the trees. Todd Janssen – Sun City Texas. Brought up issue that street trees and sidewalks are not compatible, because the trees will grow and the roots will break the sidewalk. Mark Baker – Austin/ SCC Engineering. Supports different landscaping designs. Different lot sizes and utility connects conflict with putting in street trees. Discussion and questions. Motion by Commissioner Kirby to recommend to City Council that Section 8.3 be modified to include giving credit for existing trees located within the right-of-way, provide a greater spacing range that the trees can be planted in and to apply the requirement to just collector level streets and above. Second by Commissioner Aadnesen. Approved 7-0. J. Identification / Directional Signs (UDC Section 10.3) Presented by Lee Einsweiler. Tina Bertucci – 604 Whitetail. Wants ability to post directional, off-premise signs on the weekend for real estate business. Pam Jernigan – 6200 FM 1105. Wants fair code enforcement and believes that the code should be an all or nothing regulation. Not enforced for some and ignored for others. John Gavurnik – 2004 Williams/ Gavurnik Homes. Agrees with Ms. Jernigan, that code enforcement of these sign issues is the key to writing the ordinance. Gabe Sansing – 1805 Westwood Ln. States that he believes the way to keep this under control is to limit the number of bandit signs by any one business/ individual, not to completely deny them the right to place a sign. Mark Pustka – Austin/ Georgetown Village. Supports the provision, but suggests allowing signs to be placed in the right-of-way. Questions and discussion. Motion by Chairperson Herbert to recommend to City Council that this section, Section 10.2.3b, be adopted deleting B3. Second by Commissioner Glasco. Denied 3-4. (Opposed by Anderson, Kirby, McDonald and Turner.) This agenda will be continued at the next Planning & Zoning Commission meeting, scheduled for Tuesday, July 2, 2002 6:00 p.m. Motion by Commissioner Aadnesen to adjourn. Second by Commissioner Anderson. Meeting adjourned at 11:15 p.m.