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HomeMy WebLinkAbout03232009 ZPC Agenda Item 2 March 13, 2009 Dear Resident, The City Council and Zoning and Planning Commission of the City of West University Place will be holding a Joint Public Hearing on March 23, 2009 at 6:30 p.m. in the council chambers in the Municipal Building for the purpose of hearing comments concerning a proposed zoning regulation amendment possibly affecting your property. The proposed ordinance amendment will allow stub or dead end driveways in front yards for those properties less than 60' in width and fronting on Buffalo Speedway. Enclosed is a copy of the notice mailed out on March 13th summarizing the proposal. The City Council and Zoning and Planning Commission asked staff to send additional notices to those property owners specifically affected by the proposal in hopes that your comments and concerns will be voiced at the hearing. If you have any comments or concerns regarding this proposal please address them to the Zoning and Planning Commission and forward to Debbie Scarcella, City Planner or Sallye Clark, Planning Assistant at the e-mail addresses below. You may also attend the hearing and voice your comments during the public input portion of the hearing. If you have any questions or need more information regarding the proposals, please call 713-662-5893 or 713-662-5843. Best Regards, Debbie Scarcella, City Planner dscarcella@westu.org Sallye Clark, Planning Assistant sclark@westu.ora NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARINGS The Zoning & Planning Commission and the City Council of the City of West University Place, Texas ("City") will hold a joint public hearing in the council chamber of the Municipal Building, 3800 University Boulevard, Houston, Texas 77005 during the City Council meeting set to begin at 6:30 PM on March 23, 2009. The hearing may be recessed and continued to the City Council meeting set to begin at 6:30 p.m. on April 13, 2009, at the same place. The purpose for the hearing is to provide an opportunity for parties in interest and citizens to be heard in relation to proposals to amend the City's Zoning ordinance (and Code of Ordinances), as follows: 1. Driveway Stubs. This proposal would amend the existing "maneuvering area" exception in Section 10-103(b) to allow some driveway stubs that are not located behind a principal building or fence. The amended exception would: (1) apply only to sites that are "accessible only from a roadway marked for four lanes or more" (this would include the major thoroughfares plus Buffalo Speedway); (2) limit the design, size and location of stubs (location must be on the building site and not closer than two feet to a property line or public sidewalk); (3) require use of pervious pavement "with a minimum pervious area of 50% planted to resemble a lawn;" and (4) allow stubs in front yards "only to the extent that existing structures or obstructions make another location impractical." 2. Fences, Visibility and Emergency Access. This proposal amends Chapter 18 of the Code of Ordinances to require "emergency portals" in fences, walls and other obstructions. The main purpose is to allow access to all sides of each building within the City, so that firefighters and emergency personnel can enter the building, place ladders, fight fires, etc. Emergency portals could be: (i) gates or doors with key boxes allowed by the International Fire Code, or (ii) breachable gates or fence segments (usually wood or wrought iron). This proposal maintains some access to utility easements where they intersect streets by requiring one such portal in the easement area (this would most often apply at the rear of corner lot). Existing ordinances restrict fences, trees and other obstructions in so-called "visibility triangles." There are two types. The larger type (with 20-foot sides) is located where two streets intersect. The smaller type (with five-foot sides) is located where a driveway and a sidewalk intersect. The restrictions for each type are different, and they are found in different ordinances. This proposal consolidates the rules for both types into Chapter 82 of the Code of Ordinances, and it harmonizes them. The proposal defines a new "front yard visibility area" and restricts "fence-like hedges" in that area. There are conforming amendments for the Zoning Ordinance, including amendments of definitions and cross-references to the new provisions in Chapters 18 and 82 of the Code of Ordinances. Additional details on the proposals as well as the Zoning Ordinance and Code of ordinances are all available for public inspection in the Municipal Building, 3800 University Boulevard, Houston, Texas 77005. The proposed changes to the Zoning Ordinance and Code of ordinances would apply generally within the City, and any person interested in such matters should attend the hearings. The proposals may be adopted only after notice and hearing and would control over anything inconsistent in the current Zoning ordinance or Code of ordinances. /s/City Secretary Thelma A. Lenz AGENDA MEMO BUSINESS OF THE CITY COUNCIL CITY OF WEST UNIVERSITY PLACE, TEXAS AGENDA OF: March 23, 2009 AGENDA ITEM: 4A DATE SUBMITTED: March 13, 2009 DEPARTMENT: Public Works PREPARED BY: Debbie Scarcella, PRESENTER: Steve Brown, ZPC; Debbie City Planner Scarcella, City Planner SUBJECT: Public Hearing on a proposal to amend the zoning regulations regarding driveway stubs ATTACHMENTS: Proposed amendment EXPENDITURE REQUIRED: N/A AMOUNT BUDGETED: N/A ACCOUNT NO.: N/A ADDITIONAL APPROPRIATION REQUIRED: N/A ACCOUNT NO.: N/A EXECUTIVE SUMMARY For many years, the Zoning Ordinance has limited pavement in front yards in the City's single-family districts. The general rule requires all parking areas and maneuvering areas (including dead end or stub driveways) to be behind the principal building or surrounded by opaque fences or walls at least six feet in height. The rule specifically prohibits all such areas in front yards. In 2003, an amendment made an exception to allow some maneuvering areas, but only for houses on major thoroughfares (Kirby, Bellaire/Holcombe or Bissonnet). The 2003 exception makes it possible for vehicles to turn around and enter a major thoroughfare headfirst. Buffalo Speedway is not a major thoroughfare. In the past year, the Zoning Board of Adjustment has heard at least two cases involving access to Buffalo Speedway. The most recent case included a special exception request to allow a paved turnaround area to be built in the front yard. The ZBA deferred action on the request, reasoning that: (i) there are about 52 building sites abutting Buffalo Speedway that have the same access problem, so (ii) if action is warranted, it would be better to amend the ordinance to address all the sites at once. The ZBA asked this Commission to consider such an amendment. The Commission has considered the request from the ZBA and has formulated a proposal. It would amend the existing maneuvering area exception to allow some driveway stubs that are not located behind a principal building or fence. The amended exception would (i) apply only to sites that are accessible from a roadway marked for four lanes or more, (ii) limit the size, design and location of the stubs, (iii) require use of pervious pavement with a minimum pervious area of 50% planted to resemble a lawn, and (iv) allow stubs in front yards only to the extent that existing structures or obstructions make another location impractical. The Commission believes that this proposal would improve traffic safety and help protect the character of front yards in single-family neighborhoods. RECOMMENDATION Staff and the Zoning and Planning Commission recommend holding the Public Hearing. Amendment to allow driveway stubs on some sites 1-7-2009 Amend subsection (b) of Section 10-103 as follows: (b) Yards and Street Areas. In an SF District, all parking areas and maneuvering areas (including dead-end or stub driveways) must be behind the principal building or surrounded by opaque fences or walls at least six feet tall in heig~it, and all such areas are prohibited in front yards. Exception: provide a Wfaar-eund allowing vehieles to leave and enter. the Madway going feted On a building site accessible only from a roadway marked for four lanes or more, there may be a driveway stub if it meets all the following criteria: (i) the stub must be designed to allow vehicles on a driveway to turn around and enter the roadway headfirst, (ii) the width of the stub may not exceed nine feet (plus up to two feet on each side for aprons); (iii) the length of the stub, when added to the width of the driveway, may not exceed 24 feet (but if the site width is 60 feet or more the length of the stub may be up to 18 feet, in addition to the actual width of the drivewa (iv) the stub must be pervious pavement with a minimum pervious area of 50% planted to resemble a lawn: (v) aprons may not be larger than two feet in any dimension; (vi) no part of the stub or its aprons may be closer than two feet to any property line or public sidewalk, and (vii) the stub may be located in the front yard only to the extent that existing structures or obstructions make another location impractical In a non-SF District, no required parking space may be: (i) closer than 10 feet to a street area, except an alley, or (ii) farther than 500 feet (driving distance) from a street area.