HomeMy WebLinkAboutOrd 1574 - zoning; extend "sunset" provisions for certain
ORDINANCE NO. 1574
AN ORDINANCE CALLING A JOINT PUBLIC HEARING ON A PROPOSAL TO
AMEND THE ZONING ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF WEST UNIVERSITY
PLACE, TEXAS TO EXTEND "SUNSET" PROVISIONS FOR CERTAIN NON-
CONFORMING USES; PRESCRIBING PROCEDURES AND NOTICES;
CONTAINING FINDINGS AND OTHER PROVISIONS RELATING TO THE
SUBJECT; AND DECLARING AN EMERGENCY.
WHEREAS, the Zoning and Planning Commission ("Z&PC") of the City of West University Place,
Texas ("City") has submitted a preliminary report ona proposal to amend the comprehensive zoning
ordinance of the City, as last reformatted and readopted by Ordinance No. 1493, adopted December 19,
1994 ("Zoning Ordinance"), which report is attached as Exhibit A and made a part of this ordinance by
reference; and
WHEREAS, the City Council desires to call a joint public hearing on such proposal;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF WEST
UNIVERSITY PLACE, TEXAS:
Section 1. The City Council hereby calls a joint public hearing before the City Council and Z&PC
on the proposal described in Exhibit A. The hearing shall be held in the Council Chamber of the Municipal
Building, 3800 University Boulevard, Houston, Texas 77005 during the City Council meeting set to begin
at 7:30 p.m. on January 12, 1998. The hearing may be recessed and continued to the City Council meeting
set to begin at 7:30 p.m. on January 26, 1998.
Section 2. The purpose for the hearing is to provide an opportunity for parties in interest and
citizens to be heard in relation to the proposal described in Exhibit A.
Section 3. The procedures for adoption of the proposal shall be as follows: (1) notice as required
by this ordinance, (2) hearing as called by this ordinance, (3) report by the Z&PC, and (4) vote by the City
Council on the question of adoption. The procedures for enforcing the proposal shall be as set out in the
existing Zoning Ordinance. The proposal described in Exhibit A is hereby submitted and re-submitted to
the Z&PC for its consideration.
Section 4 The City Council shall give notice of such hearing as prescribed by this section. The
notice shall be in substantially the form set out in Exhibit B, which is attached and made a part of this
ordinance by reference. The notice shall be published in a newspaper of general circulation in the City at
least once on or before the fifteenth day preceding the date of the hearing. The notice shall also be posted
at five public places in the City, one of which must be the place used for posting notices of City Council
meetings. The notices shall be posted on or before the tenth day preceding the date of the hearing. The
City Council specifically approves giving combined notice of two or more hearings in a single notice
document, as this would save money and also provide better information about the full scope of possible
amendments to all interested persons.
Section 5. The City staff is authorized to make all necessary arrangements for the hearing and to
assist the Zoning and Planning Commission and the City Council.
I
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Section 6. If any word, phrase, clause, sentence, paragraph, section or other part of this ordinance,
or the application thereof to any person or circumstance, shall ever be held to be invalid or unconstitutional
by any court of competent jurisdiction, the remainder of this ordinance and the application of such word,
phrase, clause, sentence, paragraph, section or other part of this ordinance to any other persons or
circumstances shall not be affected thereby. All ordinances and parts of ordinances in conflict herewith are
hereby repealed to the extent of the conflict only.
Section 7. The City Council officially finds, determines and declares that sufficient written notice
of the date, hour, place and subject of each meeting at which this ordinance was discussed, considered or
acted upon was given in the manner required by the Open Meetings Law, Chapter 551, Texas Government
Code, as amended, and that such meeting has been open to the public as required by law at all times during
such discussion, consideration and action. The City Council ratifies, approves and confirms such notices
and the contents and posting thereof
Section 8. Because the proposal to amend the Zoning Ordinance is vitally important and should be
considered at the earliest possible date, a-state of emergency is declared requiring that this ordinance be
read and adopted finally at this meeting. Accordingly, this ordinance shall be adopted finally on first
reading and shall become effective immediately upon adoption and signature.
PASSED AND APPROVED on first reading, this~day of ~ , 1917
Voting Aye:
Voting Nay:
Absent:
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ATTEST: (Seal)
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City Attorney
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ExhibitA
Zoning & Planning Commission
City of West University Place, Texas
3800 University Boulevard
Houston, Texas 77005
December 18, 1997
Honorable Mayor &
Members of the City Council
City of West University Place
3808 University Boulevard
Houston, Texas 77005
Subject: Preliminary report on proposal to amend the zoning
ordinance of the City of West University Place, Texas
(~City") to extend the ~sunset" -provisions for certain
prior non-conforming uses.
To the Honorable Mayor & Members of City Council:
The Zoning & Planning Commission of the City submits this, its
preliminary report, on the subject proposal, for the assistance of the
Council as well as other interested persons.
ScoDe of ProDosal. The proposal is to amend Section 12.103(i) as
indicated below:
(i) Passage of Time. The following PNC items lose PNC status upon the expiration of the
time . d . d. d
peno . SIn lCate
PNC Item
Ulle of a building site in an SF Distri~
for business activities
Presence of more dwelling uriits than
allowed in an SF District.
Use of a building site by more than one
family in violation of SF District use
regulations
High output lighting devices in violation
of Article 8
Lack of special screens in violation of
Article 8 (waste storage or loading)
Non-compliance with pervious. area
requirement in theCDistrict.
-
Time Period Special Conditions
=fcIt Twentv years from the 1987
effective. date
=fcIt Twentv yearsfroll1 the 1987 PNC status for space which qualifies as
effective date confonning accessory quarters is not
necessarily lost.
=fcIt Twentv years from the 1987
effeCtive date
180days following the 1987 effective
qate
180 days following the 1987 effective
date
Ten years following the 1987 effective
date
.
This amendment would only apply to existing non-conforming uses
that are old, that is, uses that have been in existence since 1987 or
perhaps earlier. Under the existing section, these uses would lose
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prior non~conforming status (sometimes referred to as ~grandfather"
status) in October 1997. The proposal would extend prior non-
conforming status for these old uses to October 2007. However, any
prior non"":conforming use can lose its status by conversion, casualty,
etc., and this would not be affected by the amendment.
Preliminary Recommendation. Based on the limited review given
this matter so far, -and subject to further review following public
hearing, the Commission: (i) finds that the proposed amendment, if
adopted, would be in the public interest, (ii) makes a preliminary
recommendation favorable to the amendment, and (iii) recommends that
the City Council call a joint public hearing to consider this matter.
The Commission invites all interested persons to participate in the
joint public hearing. '
The Vote. The following members of the Commission approve this
preliminary report: Commissioners Ross, Musher, Cass-Shively, Watson
and Day all voted ~Aye", with no Commissioners voting ~No". (Nelson and
Griffin absent.)
Respectfully submitted:
ZONING AND PLANNING COMMISSION OF THE
CITY OF WEST UNIVERSITY PLACE, TEXAS
J1Jf;,v-
the Co:rrunission
By:
For
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Exhibit B
NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARINGS
The Zoning & Planning Commission and the City Council of the City of West University Place, Texas
("City") will hold joint public hearings in the Council Chamber of the Municipal Building, 3800 University
Boulevard, Houston, Texas 77005 during the City Council meeting setto begin at 7:30 p.m. on January
12, 1998. Each hearing may be recessed and continued to the City Council meeting set to begin at 7:30
p.m. on January 26, 1998, at the same place. The purpose for the hearings is to provide an opportunity for
parties in interest and citizens to be heard in relation to proposals to amend the City' sZoning. Ordinance
and subdivision-ordinance, as follows: .
(1) An amendment to 'allow "garden-style" single-family use in the Bellaire Boulevard Townhouse
P.D.D. (pDD-THl District). Basic townhouse regulations from the TH District would apply,
except: (i) dwelling units could not be attached, (ii) private streets could be used, (iii) three parking
spaces per dwelling unit would be required, with one being available for guest parking, and parking
spaces could be located in common areas for shared use, (iv) one interior sideyard per building site
could be zero width, if there were an adjacent maintenance easement platted and restricted as open
area, and (iv) the minimum rear yard depth would be five feet adjacent to a major thoroughfare (but
the required SF Bufferyardadjacent to any single-family district would remain at 20 feet). A teplat
would also be required. Thereplatting rules would require "fee~simple" building sites (with only
one dwelling unit per site) and numerous site plan details, and they would require that the replat
incorporate restrictions and maintenance provisions. A cross- reference would be added to the
City's subdivision ordinance (Chapter 20 of the Code of Ordinances) to incorporate the new
replatting -rules.
(2) An amendment to extend the "sunset" provisions for certain prior non~conforming uses from ten
years to twenty years. The amendment would only affect existing non-conforming uses which
acquired prior non-conforming status in 1987, or earlier. See Section 12-103(i) of the Zoning
Ordinance. The affected uses would be: (i) use of a building site in an SF District for business
. activities, (ii). presence of more dwelling units. than allowed in an SF District, (iii) use of a building
site by more thap. one familyin an SF District.
Additional details on the proposals as well as the Zoning Ordinance and subdivision ordinance are all
available for public inspection in the Municipal Building, 3800 University Boulevard, Houston, Texas
77005. The proposed amendments would be generally applicable within the affected districts and the City,
and any person interested in such matters should attend the hearings. Each proposal may be adopted only
after notice and hearing, and it would control over any inconsistent provision in the current Zoning
Ordinance or subdivision ordinance.
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