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HomeMy WebLinkAbout07211949 ZPC Minutes~ .~3 1dINUTF.S OF REG"i1LAR ~~ETIidG ZOI~tING ~c PLANNING BOARll JULY 21L 194y The Zoning & Planning Board convened in regular session at the City Hall on Thursday, July 21, 1949, avi.th the following members present: ~~rr. 0. C. King, presiding; I~r. Foy Maley, Mr. Franklin Jones and Mr. H. J. Cha- vanne. Cdr. Duncan Allen was absent. Mrs, C. C. Osenbaugh, of Osenbaugh Realtors, appeared before the Board requesting that Lot 2, Block 29, hest University Place No. 1 be officially sub-divided into two 50 x 150 Ft. lots. Motion by Mr. Chavanne, seconded by Mr. Maley that the request of Mrs. Osenbaugh for subdivision of Lot 2, Block 29, West University Place No. 1 into two 50 x 150 Ft. lots be granted. Voting Aye: All Voting No : None Mrs. Osenbaugh also requested permission to subdivide Lot 2, Block 42, West University Place No. 1 into-two lots 50 x 200 Ft. each. Motion by Mr. Jones, seconded by Mr. Chavanne that Lot 2, Block 42, West University Place No. 1 be sub-divided into two 50 x 200 Ft. lots as re- quested by Mrs. Osenbaugh. Voting Aye: All Voting No : None Zdr. C. H. Seward, 6437 Vanderbilt, appeared before the Board inquiring as to the disposition made of his request submitted April 22, 1949, for per- mission to erect a residence on the front portion of his lot at the above ad- dress on which there exists a small four room house on the rear of this 50 x 200 Ft. lot and which he desired to use as a dwelling in connection with the proposed new construction. ~Ir. Seward. was advised that action was taken at a special meeting on June b, 1949, denying this request for reason that the location of this lot is in a single family dwelling; area. Mr. Seward then presented a request to make an addition to the front of his ex- isting building. Motion by Tyr. Chavanne, seconded by Mr. Maley that the request of ~Sr, Seward for permission to erect an addition to the front of his existing building on South a of Lot 11, Block 13, West University Place First Addition be granted provided plans and specifications are submitted for approval. Voting Aye: All Voting No s done Mr. D. H. Feldman, owner.of property on Bellaire Boulevard known as Lot 2, Block 3 , Colonial Terrace Addition-and Lot 1, Fairhaven Addition, requested the Board to recommend amendment to the Zoning Ordinance to permit a retail business on these lots. The Board menbers voiced disapproval of this request. ~rn Mr. Feldman. then requested the Board to recommend an amendment permitting apartment buildings or duplexes on these lots. The following action was taken on this request: Motion by Mr. Maley, seconded by Mr. Chavanne that the Board recommend an amendment to the Zoning Ordinance of the City, permitting erection of a !t unit apartment on Lot 2, Block 35, Colonial Terrace Addition, and a duplex on Lot 1, Fairhaven Addition, both buildings to face Bellaire Boulevard; as requested by Mr. L. H. Feldman, owner of these lots. Voting Aye: All Voting No : None Mr. Cecil J. Haynes, 61G1a5 Belmont, requested permission from the Board to build a shower room approximately 6 x 6 Ft. in connection nrith his wood- working hobby shop. The proposed room to contain only a shower and commode. Motion by Mr. Maley, seconded by Mr. Chavanne that Mr. Haynes request for permission to build an approximate 6 x 6 Ft. shower room i.n connection with his woodworking hobby shop be recommended for approval provided affidavit is executed stating that the existing building and addition will in no way be used commercia.Lly. Voting Aye: All Voting No : None Edr. L. B. Barta, 6t~20 Sewanee, appeared before the Board advising that it was necessary that his present garage building be demolished and it was his desire to build a new tc~o-car garage building with storage room above. Motion by Mr. Chavanne, seconded by Mr. Jones that Cdr. Barta's request for permission to build a two car garage building with storage room above be recommended for approval, provided there were no plumbing facilities pro- posed and usual affidavit is executed. Voting Aye: All Voting No None The following letter from ~"al.ter ~T. 'aYhitson, Director of the Family Service Bureau of Houston was submitted to the Board on June 16, 1949, for study and recommendation: Mr. Whitt Johnson City Secretary, y~est University Place Houst~, Texas June 10, 19l~9 Dear Mr. Johnson: I am writing, at your suggestion, to explain our interest in licensing foster day care homes for the care of children of working mothers in ~'dest Uni- versity Place. All homes caring for children on a day care basis are required by law to qualify for a license. The law under "'fhe Chartering of Charitable Insti- tutions" states: "Every person, association or .corporation, whether operating for charity or revenue, who shall own, conduct or manage a day nursery, children's boarding home,. or child placing agency, or other place for the care or custody of children under fifteen years of age, shall obtain an annual license from the Child ~Yelfare Division of the State IJepartznent of Public ~Yelfare, which license shall be issued without fee and under reasonable and uniform rules and regu- lations as said Board prescribes." The rules and regulations set up by the Child ~~elfare Division require .,~ that each home must pass fire inspection and a sanitation inspection made by the official fire and sanitation departments; each. member of the family must be in good health and free from infectious and contagious diseases; an applicant must be temperamentally suited to care for small children. Family Service Bureau has been licensed by the Child ~Telfare Division to investigate and supervise homes which are known as agency homes. ~e have throughout the city around ~t0 such homes. These homes are used for pre-school children of working mothers and of necessity must be relatively close to the mother's homes. The children are brought to the homes by the parents on the way to work and are picked up after working hours. ~'hile in the homes, the children are given the same sort. of physical care, understanding and attention most mothers would give to them if they were not working. The foster homes never keep more than six children, including the foster mother's own children. The average number kept is less than three. Since the number of children kept is small, the foster mothers cannot make a living from this. In every instance, there is other income sufficient to meet the living expenses of the family. die require that the play space for the children, usually the back yard, be fenced, so that the children can be protected from the hazards of traffic. It is our desire to have a sufficient number of licensed and supervised day homes in each section of Greater Houston so that mothers who work will be able to place their children in a safe place, and not have to resort to using a neighbor or casual acquaintance who may or may not give good care, and who would be operating illegally without a license. `Ye would like to be able to license homes in Nest University Place to be used by mothers living 3n ~dest University Place. The cooperation of your fire department and the County Health Department would be necessary in order to meet the requirements of the Child '~elfare Division, and we would need to know t'~~at these homes were not operating in violation. of your zoning ordinance. ~~~~~ 'vie ask that you consider this carefully, as we know there is a need for such homes in your community, as there is in every section of Greater Houston. Yours sincerely, (s ) halter aY. Whitson Director After careful study and consideration of the request submitted by Dr. Whitson, it was the recommendation of the Board that an opinion should be submitted by the City Attorney as to whether or not granting the re- quest as outlined would-be in violation of the Zoning Ordinance, and if in the Attorneys opinion this would constitute a violation, the Board was unanimously in favor of amending the Ordinance to provide for licensing of foster homes by the city to permit the care of pre-school children of working mothers on day care basis and providing for inspections and requirements necessary for protection of the chiids safety and welfare. In compliance with a request to permit erection of :Lustron Steel Homes in West University Place, the $oard Members made a study of plans and speci- ficati ons submitted. The members of the Zoning Board were unanimously in favor of permitting construction of these stell homes in areas where they would comploy with square footage requirements. With no further business to come before the Board at this time, upon motion duly made, seconded and carried, the meeting was adjourned. ~" ~ , • Chairm z_~ ~ . ~_ _ 'Secretary