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HomeMy WebLinkAbout12121968 ZPC Minutes REGULAR MEETING OF ZONING AND PLANNING COMMISSION DECEMBER 12, 1868 The Zoning and Planning Commission of the City of West University Place cohvened in regular session at the City Hall on Thursday, December l2, 1g68 at 7:30 p.m. with the following. members present: Chairman David W. Hannah, presiding; Members L. B. Bricker R. C. Hilton, E. Gene Hines and H. E. Lott. City Attorney Charles Cockrell was also present. Motion by Mr. Hilton,. seconded by Mr. Bricker, that the Public Hearing called for 7:30 p.m. to consider subdivision of the north g0' of Lot 5, Block 20, West University Place First Addition, City of West University Place, Texas located at 6320 Wakeforest, be opened. Voting Aye: All Voting No; None Chairman Hannah asked that the following procedure be followed during the Public Hearings: 1. Anyone desiring to speak should be recognized, give their name and street address of the property they own in West University Place. 2. Persons making the application or persons desiring the speak in behalf of the application will be heard first. 3. .Questions .from the Zoning and Planning Commission 4. Questions from property owners. 5. Persons desiring to speak in opposition to an application will then be heard. 6. Questions from Zoning and Planning Commission. 7. Questions from property owners. Chairman Hannah stated for the record that notice was published in the Newslife Section of the Houston Chronicle on November 20, 1868 and notice was mailed to all property owners wihin 200 ft. of the property as required by law. Mr. Richard Gould, 3127 Jarrard, stated he had at this time put up earnest money to purchase the above described property, subject to being allowed to subdivide the lot into two lots, each g0' x 150'. He stated that a residence and garage now exists on said property. He proposes to subdivide. the lot directly in .half. In doing so, the existing garage will be torn down to meet set back requirements. Mr. Gould presented a survey of th e property which shows the lot in question is not g0' x 300',. and also showing the location of the existing residence and garage. Mrs. Gordon L. Lewis, 6331 Brompton Rd., Mrs. Irving J. Florence, 2818 University Blvd., and Mr. and Mrs. Sam Wheeler, 6314 Brompton Rd., spoke in opposition to the .subdivision. Their objections were based on the spaciousness of lots in the area do the fact that large lots were becoming harder to find in any urban ares, so that families could not enjoy privacy. With no further questians or information to be presented, the following action was taken. Motion. by Mr. Hines, seconded by Mr. Lott that the Public Hearing be -closed... Voting Aye: All Voting No: None Motion by Mr. Hilton, seconded by Mr. Lott, that the north g0' of Lot 5, Block 20, West University Place First Addition, City of West University Place, Texas be sudivided t) t~'. i into two lots, each 90' x 150', one fronting on Wakeforest and one fronting on Brompton, as requested, subject to removal of existing garage, and observation of all set-back requirements. Voting Aye: All Voting No: None Upon motion duly made, seconded and carried, the meeting was recessed until 8:00 p.m. for another Public Hearing. The Zoning and Planning Commission reconvened in regular session at the City Hall on Thursday, December 12, at 8:00 p.m. with the following. members present: Chairman ~. David W. Hannah, presiding; Members L. B. Bricker, R. C. Hilton, E. Gene Hines and ~ H. E. Lott. City Attorney Charles Cockrell was also present. Cfl "~ The meeting was called to order by Chairman Hannah who reviewed the procedure to be fol- V lowed. Motion by Mr. Hines, seconded by Mr. Hilton, that the Public Hearing called for this time to consider rezoning of the following described lots for commercial use and~or business and professional buildings.. (1) Lots 9, 10 and 11, Block 3, Cunningham Terrace Addition, City of West University Place,'Texas, fronting on Stella Link; (2) The North .47 Acres of Block 2, Cunningha;~ Terrace Addition, City of West University Place, Texas; (3) The South 60' of Block 2, Cunningham Terrace Addition,,.. City of West University Place, Texas (Properties (2) and (3) are bounded on the east side by Stella Link and on the west side by Weslayan Rd.), be opened. Voting Aye: All 1 Voting No: None Chairman Hannah stated for the record, that notice was published in the Newslife Section of the Houston Chronicle on November 20, 1968 and notice was mailed to all property owners within 20 ft. of the property as required by law. Mr. Guy Robertson,-president, Pilgrim Equipment Company, spoke in behalf of his appli- cation to rezone Lots 9, 10 and 11, Block 3, Cunningham Terrace Addition, presenting' an architect's sketch of the proposed building to be constructed on the side and stating that he also owned Lots 4, 5 and 6, Block 3, Cunningham Terrace, adjacent to these lots, and that on or about January 15, 1969 he planned construction on Lots 4, 5 and 6. He stated the rezoning of Lots 9, 10 and 11, Block 3, Cunningham Terrace, would make a more attractive and complete shopping area to tie in with his construction on Lots 4, 5 and 6, Block 3, Cunningham Terrace. In answer to a question from Mr. Hines about the type of tenants he would have in the building proposed for the lots in questions, Mr. Robertson said he hoped to have stores such as dress shops, jewelry stores or others of this nature,' no committments have been made except on Lots 4, 5 and 6, where they have a Stop-and Go Grocery, Pilgrim pick-up .station on the ground floor and Pilgrim offices on the second floor. Mr. Harry Lange, 3915 Ruskin, asked if a fence was constructed along the north property. ~f. line of Lot 11 who would be responsible for maintaining the easement between this fence and the property owners' fences which would run parallel. Mr. Robertson said he would take this responsibility. Mr. Tom Wheat spoke in behalf of his application to rezone .47 acres of Block 2, Cunningham Terrace, which is owned by he and Mr. Sam Jett. He offered photographs showing the type of building he proposed to build on this property if same was re- zoned for commercial use and~or business of professional buildings. Mr. M. Allen Banks, 4003 Ruskin St., Mr. W. G. Stokes, 4011 Riley, spoke in opposition to an office building on the Block. because of the traffic congestion and parking pro- blems they believed would develop, and the fact that definite plans had. not been presented, they were fearful of a building being constructed which would be too large for the area. Several instances were cited where traffic problems are even now en- countered by residents of~Ruskin behind the Bellaire Shopping Center. These people were informed by Chairman Hannah that parking for buildings was regulated by a Parking Ordinance adopted by the City Commission in May, 1868, and also that limita- tions on size and heights of buildings were controlled by the City's Code of Ordinances. Mr. Banks said he would not object to a nice well maintained office building if traffic and parking could be regulated and if Mr. Wheat had presented more detailed plans of his proposed building. ' Mr. S. C. Kennedy presented a letter which he read in full to the Zoning and Planning Commission and signed by residents of Ruskin-and E. College stating their opposition to the proposed zoning. The letter is as follows: West University Place, Texas December 10, 1968 Zoning and Planning Commission City of West University Place, Texas Reference: Recommendation of Zoning and Planning Commission Gentlemen: In reply to the "Notice to Interested Property Owners", da-~ed November 12, 1968, above referenced, we the Cunninghamg Terrace Property Owners,`puY~ch~,sed our homes be- cause the area was isolated and restricted to one-stony anc~ orie-family occupancy dwellings. Therefore, we strongly object to any rezoning ordinance that would allow adjacent commercial construction other than that set forth in the established build- ing and zoning code in the City Charter. Our protest is based on the following: 1. Resale Value: In the event any of the adjacent property owners decide to sell it is doubtful that any FHA. or VA loan could be obtained because of commercial con- struction adjacent thereto. 2. Storm Sewers: Will increase the load on the already overloaded storm sewer. 3. Sanitary Sewers: Will increase the load on the already overloaded sanitary sewer which presently backs up on East College and creates a health hazard. 4. Traffic Conditions: The rezoning of the triangle, referred to in Items 2 and 3 in the above mentioned Notice, for commercial .development, would increase difficulty J G ~h~.; V ~' difficulty and possibility of more accidents as to ingress or egress on the corner of Ruskin and Stella Link to blocks 3800 and 3900 Ruskin and East and West College Streets. Presently there are thirty-nine families residing in this area, and this is the only exit or entracne for us. 5. Deterioration of Property Ad'acent to Commercial Property: It is~~nown fact that residential property gradually deteriorates in value due to-property owners losing civic pride. This loss is caused by noise, congestion and other: problems created by adjacent property in the 4000 block of Ruskin Street, located adjacent to Fed- Mart, Bellaire Theatre and other business property. 'J U V ~i We belive that the samll token of revenue realized by the City. would be offset by the loss of pride in property ownership within the City of West University Place and would eventually lead to other violations of City';Codes and Restrictions. Your Tax Records will show that a number ofus have been the original owners ever since this. area was. developed some twenty years ago. Futhermore, there are only two or three rental houses in this area of thirty-nine residences. We have in- vested much more in money, time, and care than haae the Owners of the property in question. We purchased these. homes for our permanent abodes with the assurance of the ironclad zoning laws, and the owners of the property, who made application for re- zoning, purchased it fully aware of West University's strict zoning laws. This was established when they attempted to break the zoning ordinance in this same manner at a hearing some seven years ago. Yours respectfully,.. Cunningham Terrace Property Owners. Following questions about the adequacy of the storm sewer, Mr. Tom Jones, City Engineer, explained that the area was served by a 6" storm sewer which drained into an 8" storm sewer, which he traced on a sketch,. of the lots, and that this storm sewer was more than ample to take care of the existing and proposed construction. A general discussion from the floor of sanitary and storm sewer problems now en- countered by the,res~dents,Qf.this area, trucks going in and out of the premises, and other issues which were irrelevant and immaterial to the zoning of the lots in ques- tion as most of this discussion was directed to Mr. Robertson concerning the property he already owns and plans construction on in January of 1869, was carried on at this time.. With no further questions or information to be presented, the following action was taken. Motion by Mr. Bricker,. seconded by Mr. Hines, that the Public Hearing be closed. Voting Aye: All I Voting No: None Motion by Mr. Hines, seconded by Mr. Hilton, that further consideration will be given to the rezoning at a later date. Voting Aye: All Voting No: None `d% ~': Upon motion duly made, seconded and carried, the meeting was recessed. The Zoning and Planning Commission reconvened in regular session at the City Hall on Thursday, December 12, 1968, with the following members present: Chairman David W. Hannah, presiding; Members L. B. Bricker, R. C. Hilton, E. Gene Hines, and H. E. Lott. Mr. W. A. Harrison, Mr~,Thomas F. Harrison, Mr. Christopher Jeffrey and Mr. Tom Wilson appeared before the Commission and submitted an application for replat of the following described property: Lots 11, 12 and 13, Block 2, Monticello Addition, in the A. C. Reynolds Survey A-61, City of West University Place, approved as a Townhouse District by Ordinance No. 879 passed by the City Commission on October 10, 1966. Mr._W. A. Harrison spoke for the group. The application :proposed to replat the property as follows:;] Lots 11A, 11B, 12A, 12B, 13A and 13B, Block 2, Monticello Addition, in the A. C. Reynolds, Sur- vey A-61, City of West University Place,: Texas. Motion by Mr. Hines, seconded by Mr. Lott, that the Chairman of the Zoning and Planning Commission be authorized to sign the replat giving approval of the replat as requested subject to owners meeting all provision of the Code of Ordinances of the y City of West University Place. Voting Aye: All Voting No: None With no further business to come before the Zoning and this time, upon motion duly madem seconded and carried, Attest: ecretary ing Commission at meeting adjourned. 1