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HomeMy WebLinkAboutPZ 2009-05-07 MinutesMINUTES OF THE MEETING OF THE PLANNING & ZONING COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF NORTH RICHLAND HILLS, TEXAS MAY 07, 2009 1. CALL TO ORDER The meeting was called to order by Chairman Randy Shiflet at 7:08 p.m. 2. ROLL CALL PRESENT Chairman Vice-Chairman Secretary Ex-Officio ABSENT CITY STAFF Director of Planning & Dev Chief Planner Asst. Planner Asst. Dir. Public Works Civil Engineer Recording Secretary Randy Shiflet Bill Schopper Don Bowen Mike Benton Mark Haynes Dianna Madar Kelly Gent Steven Cooper John Pitstick Eric Wilhite Chad VanSteenberg Greg VanNeiuwenhuize Caroline Waggoner Gina Harner 3. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE Mark Haynes led the pledge of allegiance. 4. Approval of Minutes from the March 19, 2009 Planning & Zoning Commission Meeting. Bill Schopper seconded by Don Bowen, motioned to approve the minutes of March 19, 2009. The motion was carried unanimously (5-0). Y Page 1 of 3 05/07/09 P 8 Z Minutes 5. Public Hearing and Consideration of amendments to the North Richland Hills Z_ onn~ Ordinance. Amendments include: adding new Subsection (g) "Prohibited fencing material" to Section 118-873, amending Subsection (a) "Roof-mounted mechanical equipment" in Section 118-877, and amending table in Section 118- 394 "Lot and area requirements" in the O-1 Office District. Chairman Shiflet opened public hearing at 7:10 p.m. Eric Wilhite said that we have three text amendments to the Zoning Code of Ordinances. The first amendment would be an addition to 118-873, that would create a section that describes prohibited fence materials. When people come in to build a fence we already have criteria for maximum height and the placement of the fence. Although we have had some issues with the types of materials that people sometimes choose to use. The second amendment is to add verbiage to an existing section 118-877(a), that addresses roof-mounted mechanical equipment. The wording of the current amendment is not meeting the desired intent to screen that type of equipment on commercial-type structures. Finally, staff is requesting to amend the table describing the Lot and Area Requirements in the O-1 Office District. This is table that describes district development standards for 118-394. The first change staff is recommending for prohibited fence materials is to add a section to Article VIII that would list the fence materials that are prohibited. This list would include sheet/corrugated metal, plywood, unfinished Concrete Masonry Unit blocks, fiber board or other materials not manufactured or designed for the primary function of fence construction. Listing some key examples in that additional sentence would allow staff to prohibit fence products that are undesirable. The change proposed for the roof-mounted equipment is for an existing ordinance that, however staff is requesting to amend some verbiage in the ordinance. Currently it states how to screen the roof-mounted equipment and then a definition of what is meant by public view. Right now it states that the public view is determined from the front property line but in many cases we have had situations where you might not be able to see it from the front property line but based on lot and building configurations you can still see the mechanical equipment from other directions. Therefore staff is requesting to amend the definition or description of what public view is from front property line to be determined from any and all points on subject property where it is viewed from public streets and right-of-ways. The final amendment we are requesting is a change to the table in Section 118-394 that describes our non-residential zoning districts. Currently in the O-1 Office zoning there is not a lot area or lot width minimum. Recently a case came through as a zoning change that showed a concept layout since they were platting at the same time. The lots were much narrower than what staff is recommending now at 80 feet and smaller than 8,500 square feet. Once this particular case went through City Council it was asked that staff review our district requirements for O-1. Staff did research and contacted other local municipalities to determine what they require. We are recommending that our Page 2 of 3 05/07/09 P 8 Z Minutes ordinance be amended for minimum lot area to go from "none" to "8,500 square feet" and a minimum lot width be added to require an 80 foot lot width minimum. Chairman Shiflet asked if the numbers that we are requesting are based on surveys that we received from neighboring cities and are consistant? Eric Wilhite said yes. We contacted Grapevine, Coppell, Colleyville and several others. Some allowed a little bit smaller square footage but most of them were pretty consistent with the 80 foot minimum lot width. Chairman Shiflet asked if someone came in and wanted to do something creative and a little bit nicer would they be able to go through the plan review process and not have to meet this? Eric Wilhite said that staff could work with an applicant on a tightly configured property or if there was something creative it would be brought forward based on this standard. We would try to get it as close as possible. Planned Developments are not intended to circumvent the ordinance or take it back to what it was but could be used if there were one or two lots in a six or seven lot office subdivision. If a couple of those had to drop below lot width depending on how significant it was then we would definitely recommend that a Planned Development be considered. APPROVED Mark Haynes seconded by Don Bowen, motioned to approve TR 2009-01 with the conditions that the abbreviation CMU be spelled out and the clerical error in the Roof mounted mechanical equipment section be corrected. The motion was carried unanimously (5-0) 6. ADJOURNMENT There being no other business, the meeting adjourned at 7:18 p.m. Chairman ~G Randy Shiflet Secretary ~~ owen Page 3 of 3 05/07/09 P 8 Z Minutes