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HomeMy WebLinkAboutPZ 2012-05-03 Minutes MINUTES OF THE MEETING OF THE PLANNING & ZONING COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF NORTH RICHLAND HILLS, TEXAS MAY 3, 2012 1. CALL TO ORDER The meeting was called to order by Chairman Randall Shiflet at 7:00 p.m. 2. ROLL CALL PRESENT Chairman Randall Shiflet Vice Chairman Bill Schopper Don Bowen Steven Cooper Mark Haynes Ex- Officio Jerry Tyner ABSENT Kathy Luppy Mike Benton CITY STAFF Director of Planning and Dev. John Pitstick Senior Planner Clayton Comstock Assistant Planner Chad VanSteenberg Civil Engineer Caroline Waggoner Mgmt. Asst. Dev. Svcs. Stacey Udoni Recording Secretary Teresa Koontz 3. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE Mark Haynes led the Pledge of Allegiance. 4. RP 2012 -03 Public Hearing and Consideration of a request from B.H.L. Joint Venture for a Replat to create Thornbridge West Addition, being a revision of a portion of Holder Smithfield Estates and a tract of land out of the Stephen Richardson Survey, Abstract No. 1266, containing 24.964 acres in the 8200 Block of Davis Blvd. May 3, 2012 P &Z Minutes Page 1 Clayton Comstock came forward stating B.H. & L. Joint Venture is requesting a replat of 24.964 acres at Timber Drive and Davis Boulevard for the development of Thornbridge West, a 36 lot R -2 zoned single family residential subdivision. Half of the acreage (12.205) is Lot 8, Block 1, which is mostly within the Little Bear Creek Corridor and will be dedicated to the City as public park. The site data for the development is 24.964 acres, 36 residential lots, which equates to 1.44 dwelling units per acre density. The zoning is R -2, but as you recall at the last P &Z meeting there were some zoning change requests to R -2 and U — Institutional which are going before the City Council on May 14, 2012. There are portions of this property that are still zoned 0-1, C -1 and R -2, R -3, but the proposed zoning will be R -2 and U- Institutional. The open space is about 12.2 acres, which is about 49% of the entire development. There is a public park that will be dedicated for trails and use of the Little Bear Creek Corridor. Once the 12 acres of park area is removed from the calculation, then the net density is about 2.82 dwelling units per acre for the developable land. This subdivision is consistent with the R -2 zoning and the preliminary plat that was previously approved in 2006 and Staff recommends approval. Chairman Shiflet asked if Timber Drive was currently unimproved. Clayton Comstock said yes, there is about 18 feet of asphalt pavement that is borrow - ditch on either side. Chairman Shiflet asked what is the applicant being required to do on Timber Drive? Clayton Comstock said on the portions of Timber Drive that are abutting their development, they will be improving. Along Sandy Drive on the north side, they will be required to improve that small section of Timber Drive. They will also be installing the terminus of Timber Drive on the south side where it intersects with Clear Spring Drive. Chairman Shiflet asked if the rough proportionality be resolved with these improvements. Caroline Waggoner said they will be reconstructing half of Timber Drive where it meets Davis Boulevard, not a full width reconstruct. Because of the number of homes they will be installing and the amount of infrastructure in consideration of the homes and street, the rough proportionality they are responsible for is just the entire roadway they need for their subdivision. We cannot make them reconstruct Timber Drive as it is beyond their proportionate share. Bill Schopper said since it is abutting residential will there be rear wood fences for the separation? Clayton Comstock said there is no requirement for fences in the R -2 zoning but the applicant will address what type of development fences they will have. Dustin Austin, 6505 Rock Springs, NRH, came forward as the applicant. He said we are proposing on the south that backs up the park to install rod iron. Adjacent around the surrounding houses on Timber Drive, we would be considering a 6 or 8 foot spruce fence. It has not been determined but we are open at this point. May 3, 2012 P &Z Minutes Page 2 Chairman Shiflet opened the Public Hearing and asked anyone wishing to speak to come forward. Kelly Elliott, 8628 Timber Drive, came forward stating safety concerns because there are no plans to prohibit traffic from moving up and down this 18 foot wide street. He feels it is a tremendous safety concern for all the residents on Timber. He questions why we would do a development and tie that in, but not make it like the rest of the streets. It seems inconsistent with proper development. He asked why a development couldn't be done that maintained Timber Drive as a cul -de -sac given that it was 18 foot wide. He asked what the function of making it a through street and why it is a requirement. Roger Martin, 8629 Timber Drive, came forward stating they are residents of 40 years. This street has always remained an unimproved street. Because it varies from 16 -18 feet in width, you really can't pass two cars safely side by side. We saw this during the construction of the pipeline construction. Many of the garbage, buses and other utility trucks have problems coming up and down the street with traffic. At the curve we always have to be careful to not hit each other. We would like to see Timber Drive remain a cul -de -sac to avoid further safety concerns. Chairman Shiflet asked for clarification to the full width of the street as opposed to the 16 or 18 foot. Caroline Waggoner said it will not be improved to the full width; we are not going a full 30 foot wide. They are constructing half of the street so I believe they are putting 15 foot of new pavement to complete the southern half of Timber. We will have at least 24 feet at Timber where it meets Davis. Most of our unimproved streets are roughly 18 feet: Shady Grove, Eden, Clay Hibbins, and Meadow just to name a few. Clay Woodson, 8617 Timber Drive, came forward saying the whole reason he moved here 7 years ago because it was a dead end street. I am a coach and have children at my house often who run up and down the street often and I have safety concerns and asked for the cul -de -sac to remain. Raymond Caughey, 8620 Timber Drive, came forward stating he and his wife have lived there for over 21 years and chose this location because it was a dead end cul -de -sac. He has concerns of safety and burglaries. We object to the extension of Timber Drive at the south end in connection to the new construction. It will provide another route for the new subdivision and they will take Timber Drive which will have more traffic concerns and congestion. He said Mr. Barfield has offered to build a cul -de -sac at his expense, no cost to the City and separate our residential area from the new construction. We wish the City would allow him to do that and keep us separated from the new development. Marva Caughey, 8620 Timber Drive, came forward stating there are several other subdivisions within a few miles of Timber Drive: Liberty Estates, La Fontaine and others who have a single entrance in and out. We have been told by the City Staff that the City does not want any cul -de -sacs or any additions, they want open communities. May 3, 2012 P &Z Minutes Page 3 The new residents and other developments have been given the freedom of choice to live on a cul -de -sac. We the residents of Timber Drive had that choice and made that choice and now if you approve the plat that eliminates our cul -de -sac are not right, it is discrimination. Chairman Shiflet addressed Mrs.Caughy's statement that our decision or recommendation would be discrimination and doesn't appreciate that. Judy Showalter, 8624 Timber Drive, came forward saying they appreciate the Commission listening to them and wants them to understand where they are coming from. As strongly as Mr. Pitstick feels about this plat, we feel as strongly that is not the right plat for everybody involved. We have three children and it took over a year to find land to build on. We found the perfect place here on Timber Drive with all we were looking for. We enjoy NRH with the mix of old and new houses. We are not against this development; we just do not want the cul -de -sac tied in. We have concerns with safety, we are there and have been established and feel that more consideration is being given to the new residents than our concerns. John Pitstick came forward stating he did meet with the homeowners several times prior to this hearing. He sincerely apologized for anything the citizens took the wrong way, but this is a Public Hearing and we need to listen to all their concerns. Staff felt that tying in Timber Drive the way it is will be a nice clean subdivision. The citizens have been very professional and certainly have the right to go to City Council to explain their concerns. The Planning and Zoning Commission can certainly recommend putting a cul -de -sac on the end and the City Council can certainly require it. Staff supports the existing arrangement but would support closing Timber Drive off during the construction if necessary. Don Bowen asked if there would be access to the park from the south end cul -de -sac. John Pitstick said yes there would. Don Bowen asked if the cul -de -sac were put in would it be a concern for police and fire departments to have access at the southern end. John Pitstick explained there is another emergency entrance at the other end. There was a general discussion about the ingress and egress exits and safety concerns and how Timber Drive can be separated with a barricade but also able to have access to the parks. Clay Woodson, 8617 Timber Drive came forward with comments about the trail system. Kelly Elliott, 8628 Timber Drive came forward with comments about a workable solution to the cul -de -sac stating Mr. Barfield offered to turn Lot 23 into an offset cul -de -sac. We want to still be part of the new community but would like to maintain our lifestyle. May 3, 2012 P &Z Minutes Page 4 There was a lengthy discussion between the Commission and residents about how to come to a solution with the concerns of the citizens on Timber Drive. Chairman Shiflet asked if anyone else wished to speak for or against, seeing none he closed the Public Hearing and entertained a motion. APPROVED Don Bowen moved to approve PR 2012 -03, with the cul -de -sac at the end of Timber Drive, to be defined by City Staff in cooperation with the neighborhood, so the new development is not connected by a through street. Mark Haynes seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously (5 -0). Chairman Shiflet asked the applicant to come forward to hear their thoughts on Lot 23 to be turned into cul -de -sac. Dustin Austin came forward saying we are in favor of that if that satisfies the needs. There was more discussion about the development of the cul -de -sac and how the improvements would be made. There was discussion about a hammer head at the end of the street, emergency egress and how Staff will work on the details of this improvement. Chairman Shiflet addressed John Barfield saying that a long time ago he saw the benefit to Little Bear Creek Corridor and thanked him for his generous support. John Barfield said he appreciates the Commission working with the citizens because he is in favor of their concerns. 5. RP 2012 -04 Public Hearing and Consideration of a Replat for Brynwyck Addition, being a revision of Lots 1 -29, Block A, and Lots 1 -4, Block B, Brynwyck Addition, containing 7.662 acres in the 8800 Block of Martin Drive. Clayton Comstock came forward stating Meritage Homes of Texas is requesting a replat of 7.662 acres, Brynwyck, a residential planned development off of Martin Drive. The purpose of the replat is to dedicate utility easements that were omitted from the replat previously approved by City Council in September 2011. The plat for Brynwyck was not filed with the county before the omission was discovered, so we are bringing it back for reconsideration of the replat. After consultation with the franchise utilities, additional easements were required to provide power, gas and communications to some of the lots in this subdivision. The plat does not change the number, size or layout of the lots. It is consistent with all the previous approvals for this development of 36 lots and 2 open space lots. May 3, 2012 P &Z Minutes Page 5 Roger Hart, Area Surveying, 6080 S. Hulen, Street, Ste. 360, Fort Worth, TX, came forward stating he has prepared the plat for this addition. Chairman Shiflet opened the Public Hearing and asked if anyone wished to speak, seeing none he closed the hearing and entertained a motion. APPROVED Bill Schopper moved to approve RP- 2012 -04, seconded by Steven Cooper. The motion passed unanimously (5 -0). 6. Adjournment There being no other business, the meeting adjourned at 7:48 pm. 'Chairman Secretary govk 60 Randy Shiflet Don Bowen May 3, 2012 P &Z Minutes Page 6