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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes_UDCAC_12.08.2021City of Georgetown, Texas Minutes of the Regular Meeting of the Unified Development Code Advisory Committee Meeting Wednesday, December 8, 2021 at 3:30 P.M. IL Historic Light and Waterworks Bldg, 809 Martin Luther King Jr St, Georgetown, Texas 78626 Committee Member(s) in Attendance: P.J. Stevens; Brian Robinson; Philip Wanke and Jordan Maddox Committee MemberW Absent: Tracy Dubcack, Brian Ortega and Jen Henderson Staff Present: Nick Woolery, Assistant City Manager; Sofia Nelson, Planning Director; Travis Baird, Assistant Planning Director; Ethan Harwell, Senior Planner and Stephanie McNickle, Planning Specialist. Meeting called to order at 3:33 P.M. Public Wishing to Address the Board On a subject that is posted on this agenda: Please fill out a speaker registration form which can be found at the Board meeting. Clearly print your name, the letter of the item on which you wish to speak, and present it to the Staff Liaison, preferably prior to the start of the meeting. You will be called forward to speak when the Board considers that item. On a subject not posted on the agenda: Persons may add an item to a future Board agenda by filing a written request with the Staff Liaison no later than one week prior to the Board meeting. The request must include the speaker's name and the specific topic to be addressed with sufficient information to inform the board and the public. For Board Liaison contact information, please logon to http://governry,ent.georgetown.org category/boards-commissions/. A. On a subject not posted on the agenda: Persons may add an item to a future Board agenda by filing a written request with the Staff Liaison no later than one week prior to the Board meeting. The request must include the speaker's name and the specific topic to be addressed with sufficient information to inform the board and the public. For Board Liaison contact information, please logon to littp:llgovernment.georgetown.org/category/boards-commissionsl. At the time of posting, no persons had signed up to speak on items not on the agenda. Legislative Regular Agenda B. Consideration and possible action to approve the minutes of the November 10, 2021 regular meeting of the Unified Development Code Advisory Committee — Stephanie McNickle, Planning Specialist Motion by Committee Member Wanke to approve the November 10, 2021 minutes with correction. Second by Committee Member Robinson. Approved. C. Discussion on potential 2022 Annual Review, potential items, process, and timeline — Sofia Nelson, Planning Director, Travis Baird, Assistant Planning Director -Current Planning, Ethan Harwell, Senior Planner. Staff stated the City of Georgetown has seen significant growth and change during 2021. This has UDC Advisory Committee December 8, 2021 led to lessons learned, and there are opportunities for improvement of the UDC with the 2022 Annual Update. The 2020/21 Annual Review generated some significant improvements to the code, including the first updates to the City's Tree Preservation code section in over 5 years, and included subject matter that was exceptionally technical and complex. Staff stated before the next update, they asked the Committee to review the previous update process to determine best practices, identify inefficiencies, and areas for improvement. What within the process worked best? The Committee stated they appreciate staff being the link to what City Council wanted and staff did a good job providing feedback from city council. What parts of the last, or prior reviews, are not desirable to continue? The Committee felt the process was too long and felt the tree ordinance was an ambitious undertaking. Committee felt like the review process could have been shorter. Staff stated structuring the code language for the Unified Development Code is time consuming. It was also stated the tree ordinance is a big piece of the UDC. It was also stated there is a lot of internal work involved with updating; the Unified Development Code. The Committee suggested in the future Planning staff bringing examples of what possibly works best for the City of Georgetown to assist the Committee. Staff has identified 5 items the Committee could possibly update for the 2022 review cycle. These include: Shot Clock updates: These are updates to the code to recognize the changes brough about by legislation passed: in 2019. While the City has updated practices and procedures to ensure compliance with this legislation, including application timing and relationships, approval authority, etc.; these changes have not been codified in the UDC. Lighting: The City has robust lighting regulations within Chapter 7 of the UDC. However, these have not been examined since 2017. A review and potential update would provide opportunity to examine the current standards, and to provide opportunity to ensure compliancy with changes in State law since the last update. Code Errors and Inconsistencies: Periodic updates to the UDC, whether it is with the Annual Review, Executive Amendment, etc. can have far reaching effects. Throughout the code, there are multiple examples of erroneous cross-references or dead -ends, representing defunct of changed connections between sections which need to be remedied. Hardships and Variances: The UDC allows for variances to some zoning and subdivision requirements, a key component of which is potential hardship that application of a code section may create for art owner or applicant. General review both against legislative updates and recent requests could provide opportunities for updates to realign code sections with applicable changes in State law. Building Design: Changes in real estate development in the past months/years are becoming more apparent, including an increased demand for certain types of industrial space. The City's current code language on building design creates unique, and sometimes unnecessary, difficulties for this UDC Advisory Committee December S, 2021 type of development. This has led to an increase in the number of request for administrative exceptions, PUDs, etc. Review of the City's building criteria, especially as relates to roof pitch, building articulation, and building features, could have dramatic and positive impacts on the quality of development and efficiency by which it could pass through the City's process. Staff and Committee members discussed each item and the importance of how they are currently affecting the City of Georgetown. After much discu3sion the Committee members decided to start work on building designs. The Committee asked staff to invite a licensed Architect to the next meeting. Staff gave an update on the 2022 UDC Annual Review Process December UDCAC discuss potential list of amendments January In depth UDCAC review of selected item UDCAC proposal forwarded to Council for Review Coding/Drafting work February/March Public Outreach UDCAC final review April/May UDCAC final review Council Approval Staff stated during the November meeting, a desire was expressed to increase the speed by which the Annual Review could be completed. This, coupled with the need to complete reviews in a time which reduces opportunity for interference with the upcoming UDC Diagnostic, have led to the need to discuss an advanced timeline for completion. The Committee decided the next meeting will be Wednesday, January 12th at 3:30. Adjournment: k1cf0o}t to adjourn at 4:42 p.m. PJ Stevens, Attest UDC Advisory Committee December S, 2021 Phillip Wanke, Secretary