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Home My WebLink AboutLRB 2022-08-08 Minutes MINUTES OF THE LANDSCAPE REVIEW BOARD OF THE CITY OF NORTH RICHLAND HILLS, TEXAS HELD IN THE CITY HALL 4301 CITY POINT DRIVE AUGUST 8, 2022 REGULAR MEETING The City Council of the City of North Richland Hills, Texas met as the Landscape Review Board on the 8th day of August after the 7:00 p.m. City Council meeting. Present: Tito Rodriguez Board member Rita Wright Oujesky Board member Suzy Compton Board member Mason Orr Board member Scott Turnage Board member Kelvin Deupree Board member Absent: Oscar Trevino Board member Vacant: Place 5 Staff Members: Mark Hindman City Manager Paulette Hartman Deputy City Manager Alicia Richardson City Secretary/Chief Governance Officer Thomas McMillian Assistant City Attorney Traci Henderson Assistant City Secretary A. CALL TO ORDER Acting Chair Rodriguez called the meeting to order at 7:34 p.m. B. PUBLIC COMMENTS There were no requests to speak from the public. C. ACTION ITEMS C.1 APPROVE MINUTES OF THE JUNE 27, 2022 LANDSCAPE REVIEW BOARD MEETING. APPROVED August 08, 2022 Landscape Review Board Meeting Minutes Page 1 of 3 A MOTION WAS MADE BY BOARD MEMBER TURNAGE, SECONDED BY BOARD MEMBER WRIGHT OUJESKY TO APPROVE THE MINUTES OF THE JUNE 27, 2022 LANDSCAPE REVIEW BOARD MEETING. MOTION TO APPROVE CARRIED 6-0. D. PUBLIC HEARINGS D.1 LRB22-0002 PUBLIC HEARING AND CONSIDERATION OF A REQUEST FROM BAIRD, HAMPTON & BROWN FOR A VARIANCE TO CHAPTER 114 (VEGETATION) OF THE NORTH RICHLAND HILLS CODE OF ORDINANCES AT 4525 CITY POINT DRIVE, BEING 1.65 ACRES DESCRIBED AS LOTS 6R AND 7, BLOCK 1, NORTH EDGELY ADDITION APPROVED Acting Chair Rodriguez opened the public hearing and called on Senior Planner Clayton Husband to introduce the item. Mr. Husband informed City Council the applicant is requesting a variance to Chapter 114 (vegetation) of Code of Ordinances for 1.65 acres located at 4525 City Point Drive. The current zoning is C.2 (commercial). Mr. Husband provided site photos of the property. Applicant representative Joe LaCroix, with Baird, Hampton & Brown, presented the request. Mr. LaCroix informed the Board they are combining two lots and expanding the parking by approximately 60 parking spaces to include, landscaping improvements and a screening wall. Mr. LaCroix continued that there are approximately 23 existing trees close to the common property line to existing neighbors. The applicant is trying to be a good neighbor and does not want to remove all the trees. They are requesting a screening wall about 20 feet out from the property line. The property has utility easements in this same area. Mr. LaCroix stated that in order to put in the fence, all the trees must be removed and the applicant did not feel it was necessary to remove the existing trees. He would like to keep the existing hackberry trees. Mr. LaCroix was available to answer questions from the Board. The Board, applicant and staff discussed concern about the responsibility of the landscape maintenance between the wall and the existing chain link fence; the required masonry screening wall complying with code; the addition of some trees and the applicants intent to leave it natural and preserve the existing greenscape; irrigation requirements; screening wall location as related to both properties; underground storm water; and citizen safety with the area between the wall and chain link fence. Mr. Husband presented a summary of the variance.The applicant is requesting a August 08, 2022 Landscape Review Board Meeting Minutes Page 2 of 3 variance to allow the screening wall to be constructed at a location other than the e common property line. The wall would be constructed to follow the western edge of the parking lot, which is curved along the southwest portion of the lot. The distance between the common property line and the wall ranges from approximately 18 to 55 feet. The location of the wall would screen the parking lot from adjacent properties; however, it would not provide complete screening of the commercial property. The applicant is also requesting the existing tree line adjacent to the residential properties count as the required plantings for the buffer yard. There are 23 existing trees in the buffer yard area that include Hackberry (15), Elm (2), Ash (5), and Mulberry (1). All of these trees are deciduous species and would not provide screening during winter months. The landscaping regulations require that one large tree be planted for each 30 linear feet of buffer yard area, with at least 40% of the trees being an evergreen species. The buffer yard is 210 feet long, which would require seven (7) trees to be planted. Most of the existing trees would need to be removed to plant the required buffer yard trees. The existing trees are not a species recommended for use in landscaping plans for commercial properties Acting Chair Rodriguez asked the City Secretary to call on those who completed a public meeting appearance form to speak during the public hearing. There being no forms submitted, Acting Chair Rodriguez asked if there was anyone in the audience wishing to speak on the item to come forward. There beingno one wishingto speak, ActingChair p p Rodriguez closed the public hearing. A MOTION WAS MADE BY BOARD MEMBER TURNAGE, SECONDED BY BOARD MEMBER WRIGHT OUJESKY TO DENY LRB22-0002. MOTION TO DENY CARRIED 6-0. E. ADJOURNMENT Acting Chair Rodriguez adjourned the meeting at 8:13 p.m. 011111111/0 �� aGHL,Q/��i Tito Rodriguez, Actin Chair :• •; Sri • r Traci Henderson :u- :• 1 ,y Assistant City Secretar,;' August 08, 2022 Landscape Review Board Meeting Minutes Page 3 of 3