HomeMy WebLinkAbout03152012 ZBA Minutes0 The City of West University Place
A Neighborhood City
ZONING BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT
MUNICIPAL BUILDING
3800 UNIVERSITY BOULEVARD
REGULAR MEETING MINUTES
March 15, 2012
1
MEMBERS PRESENT:
Samantha Brantley (voting), Don Culbert (voting), Donald Yurewicz
1
(voting), Sandy Hellums (voting) and Ed Sobash (voting)
II.
MEMBERS ABSENT:
Carole Steen, Priya Coffey, Milton Frankfort and Katherine Brem
III.
STAFF PRESENT:
Debbie Scarcella, City Planner and Jolie Lenz, City Legal Counsel
IV.
CALL TO ORDER:
6:30 pm.
Agenda Item Discussion Action
1
Call the regular
Samantha Brantley called the meeting to order at
Samantha Brantley administered the
meeting to order and
6:30 p.m. Samantha Brantley asked the members
oath to all witnesses.
Protocol.
and staff to introduce themselves. Samantha
Notices, Rules, Etc.
Brantley stated that since there were five members
present, all would be voting members. Samantha
Brantley stated that since the public hearing had
already been closed last meeting regarding Docket
12 -03, the deliberations would be continued with an
allowance for the applicant to present technical
information regarding the durability of the oyster
shell only.
Swearing in of witnesses.
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Docket No. 2012 -03,
Debbie Scarcella gave a brief synopsis of the facts
Sandy Hellums moved to close the
regarding property at
related to Docket 2012 -03 for the benefit of the
additional evidentiary portion of the
5320 Sewanee
members not present during the public hearing.
deliberations. Motion was 2nd by Ed
Avenue, West
The building site at 5320 Sewanee is located in a
Sobash. Ayes: Samantha Brantley,
University Place,
single family residential zoning district about one
Donald Yurewicz, Don Culbert, Ed
Texas 77005, (Special
block south of Bissonnet. The house was
Sobash and Sandy Hellums. Motion
Exception).
constructed on the site in 1983 and has a 2 car
carried.
Continuation from 2-
attached garage located at the rear of the site with
After deliberation, Sandy Hellums moved
16 -12. Public hearing
a side entry driveway. The driveway connects the
to grant the special exception to allow the
regarding the following
garage to the street and the end of the driveway
oyster shell as an alternative material.
matters: Alternative
has a short maneuvering area for backing out of
Motion was 2nd by Don Culbert. Ayes:
paving material.
the garage. Last year, the applicant removed the
Samantha Brantley, Donald Yurewicz,
Applicant requests a
portion of the driveway starting from even with
Don Culbert, Ed Sobash and Sandy
special exception to
the front of the house and back to the garage and
Hellums. Motion carried.
allow the use of an
replaced it with oyster shell. The applicant did not
alternative impervious
obtain a permit.
paving material for a
Table 7 -5a requires that paving for driveways and
portion of the driveway
required maneuvering spaces in single family
and maneuvering area.
zoning districts be hard surfaced or pervious
Deliberation, decisions,
pavement Hard surfaced pavements are generally
other action, etc.
those such as concrete or asphalt and pervious
Zoning Board of Adjustment Minutes
March 15, 2012 Meeting
2
regarding the preceding pavement is defined as pavers with granular fillers
matters. in the interstitial spaces. The oyster shell does not
qualify as either material. The purpose for the
regulation is to ensure that a useable driveway will
connect the street to the garage and will provide a
durable driving surface. The applicant has
demonstrated that the driveway configuration
meets requirements for ingress and egress into and
out of the garage and meets the requirements for
maneuvering area. The only issue for
consideration is the use of an alternative material.
At the last meeting during deliberations, the ZBA
had additional questions regarding the durability
of oyster shell as it compares to approved
pavement types. The applicant was instructed to
bring in technical evidence and documentation in
support of the durability of the oyster shell. The
applicant has submitted several documents that he
feels support the ZBA's request.
Table 7 -5a, Note 4 of the Zoning Ordinance gives
the ZBA authority to grant a special exception for
the use of an alternative material if it finds that the
material is of equal or better durability to the
approved types. In order to authorize the
exception, the ZBA must find that the request is in
harmony with the general purpose and intent of
the Zoning Ordinance and that the request will not
cause any significant increase in on- street parking
or traffic, traffic congestion, or an unreasonable
burden upon public utilities or services. The
burden is on the applicant to present evidence to
the Board to support each finding and
determination required for the issuance of this
special exception. If the Board grants the special
exception, the Board can attach conditions.
The applicant, Ralph Pokluda, 5320 Sewanee
presented his new information including a mock-
up of the layering system he used to construct the
oyster shell driveway. He started with a layer of
select fill, topped with a layer of decomposed
granite, and topped off with a layer of the oyster
shell. Each layer is separated by landscaping
sheeting to help with grass and weed control,
while still allowing water absorption through the
materials. Katherine English, a local sustainability
architect, assisted Mr. Pokluda by explaining a
chart detailing the durability of four main types of
paving materials including concrete, asphalt, pea
gravel and oyster shell. A technical discussion of
the paving "system" and how it operates in rain
ensued.
The applicant then handed out a report based on
Zoning Board of Adjustment Minutes
March 15, 2012 Meeting
APPROVED THIS I Wh DAY OF 2012.
0"0 �' — �' I z � �'
Carole Steen, Presid g Officer
ATTEST:
allye A. Clark, fanning Assistant
engineering formulas used to determine the
strength of different materials. This report was
calculated based on information provided by the
American Association of State Highway and
Transportation Officials. The calculations showed
the oyster shell system to be just as stfioat% a
d1A rtble.
concrete.
3
Meeting Minutes.
Approval of meeting minutes of February 16,
Don Culbert moved to approve the
2012.
minutes as corrected. Motion was 2 "d
by Ed Sobash. Ayes: Samantha
Brantley, Donald Yurewicz, Don
Culbert, Ed Sobash and Sandy
Hellums. Motion carried.
Adjournment.
Sandy Hellums moved to adjourn the
meeting. Motion was 2nd by Ed
Sobash. Ayes: Samantha Brantley,
Donald Yurewicz, Don Culbert, Ed
Sobash and Sandy Hellums. Motion
carried. The meeting was adjourned at
7:20 p.m.
APPROVED THIS I Wh DAY OF 2012.
0"0 �' — �' I z � �'
Carole Steen, Presid g Officer
ATTEST:
allye A. Clark, fanning Assistant