Jun 23, 2022 P&Z Commission

[00:00:05]

GOOD EVENING.

THE TIME IS SEVEN.

O'CLOCK WELCOME TO

[1. Call to Order.]

[2. Roll Call.]

[3. Director’s report to the Planning & Zoning Commission on actions taken by the City Council at the June 16, 2022, meeting.]

MRS. BRETT, GOOD EVENING.

I'M REPORTING ON ACTION TAKEN BY THE CITY COUNCIL DURING THE JUNE 16TH MEETING DURING THE MEETING, THEY COMPLETED THE SECOND READING OF THE NIGHT PLANNED UNIT DEVELOPMENT, AND THEY ALSO APPROVED THE TREE REMOVAL PERMIT FOR THE SAN GABRIEL EAST ELEVATED STORAGE TANK REQUEST.

UM, WE DID HAVE, LET'S SEE ANOTHER CASE ON THE AGENDA.

I DON'T KNOW IF Y'ALL RECALL PARKSIDE PENINSULA.

IT WAS LOCATED ON THE EAST SIDE OF TOWN AND IT WAS ONE WHERE THEY WERE GOING TO USE GEORGETOWN'S WATER, BUT BNR CITY LIMITS.

THE COUNCIL WANTED TO LOOK AT A SWAP WITH GEORGETOWN.

SO WE DID COMPLETE THAT.

SO THAT PIECE OF LAND IS TAKEN OUT OF LANDER'S JURISDICTION, PUT IN GEORGETOWN IS GOING TO USE THEIR WATER AND WASTEWATER, BUT I THINK THAT WAS ABOUT SIX MONTHS AGO, BUT IT'S NOW BEEN RESOLVED.

SO THAT'S IT FOR MY REPORT.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

UH, I REMEMBER FOR HIS

[4. Review of meeting protocol.]

I DON'T FIVE AS CITIZENS COMMENTS.

THIS IS WHERE ANYONE CAN SPEAK FOR THREE MINUTES ON ANY ITEM THAT IS NOT ON THE AGENDA.

IS THERE ANYONE WHO WISHES TO SPEAK ON ITEM? NOT ON THE AGENDA CONSENT AGENDA

[ CONSENT AGENDA: ACTION]

THIS IS AN ACTION ITEM.

MOTION TO APPROVE.

HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE BY COMMISSIONER MAY 2ND, SECOND BY COMMISSIONER.

LANTRIP ALL IN FAVOR.

OPPOSE MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY.

I REMEMBER NINE

[9. Conduct a Public Hearing and consider action regarding Ordinance Case 22-OR-002 to amend the Composite Zoning Ordinance to adopt amendments to the landscape ordinance requirements to promote water conservation, and to provide for related matters; Williamson & Travis Counties, Texas. Applicant: City of Leander. Discuss and consider action regarding Ordinance Case 22-OR-002 as described above. ]

TO AMEND THE COMPOSITE ZONING ORDINANCE TO ADOPT AMENDMENTS TO THE LANDSCAPE ORDINANCE REQUIREMENTS, TO PROMOTE WATER CONSERVATION AND TO PROVIDE FOR RELATED MATTERS, WILLIAMSON AND TRAVIS COUNTIES, TEXAS, THE APPLICANT CITY OF LEANDER.

UM, GOOD EVENING.

SO THIS IS A PUBLIC HEARING FOR AN AMENDMENT TO OUR COMPOSITE ZONING ORDINANCE.

UM, STAFF HAS REMOVED, REVIEWED THE ORDINANCE AND COME UP WITH A DIFFERENT WAYS TO TRY TO HELP CONSERVE WATER THROUGH OUR ZONING ORDINANCE.

UM, I THINK THE, THE BIGGEST ITEMS, UM, INCLUDE A REDUCTION OF THE TURF GRASS.

SO TODAY FOR SINGLE FAMILY HOMES, UM, YOU ARE ONLY ALLOWED TO HAVE TWO THIRDS OF THE LOT, UH, INCLUDE TURF GRASS, AND WE'VE CHANGED THAT TO MAKE IT 50%.

UM, WE'VE ALSO ADDED A REQUIREMENT THAT IF YOU HAVE A, A STRIP OF LAND BETWEEN THE CURB AND THE SIDEWALK, YOU CAN'T PLACE GRASS IN THAT STRIP OF LINKS IS KIND OF AN AREA WHERE YOU SEE PEOPLE WATER CONCRETE.

UM, SO WE'RE SUGGESTING RIVER ROCK OR CRUSHED GRANITES.

UM, WE'VE ALSO UPDATED THE STANDARDS WHEN IT COMES TO A COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT.

SO TODAY, IF YOU HAVE A CENTER THAT, UM, INCLUDES MULTIPLE LOTS, YOU HAVE TO HAVE LANDSCAPING BETWEEN EACH OF THE LOTS.

SO WHAT WE'VE DONE IS WE'VE SAID, HEY, YOU DON'T HAVE TO PUT THAT EXTRA LANDSCAPING TO SCREEN CURRENT COMMERCIAL FROM COMMERCIAL.

UM, SO IT'S ONLY REQUIRED WHEN YOU'RE ADJACENT TO RESIDENTIAL.

AND THEN, UM, WE'VE ALSO UPDATED, UH, COMPATIBILITY STANDARDS TO KIND OF CHANGE THE AMOUNT OF SHRUBS WE'RE SEEING.

SO TODAY, IF YOU'RE A COMMERCIAL PROJECT NEXT TO RESIDENTIAL, YOU HAVE TO PLANT FOUR SHRUBS FOR EVERY 600 SQUARE FEET NEXT TO A MASONRY WALL.

SO YOU HAVE A WALL AND THE RESIDENTS CAN'T SEE THROUGH THE WALL, THE SHRUBS.

SO YOU JUST HAVE THESE LITTLE SHRUBS BY A WALL.

SO WE SUGGESTED, UM, REMOVING THAT.

UM, WE ALSO SUGGESTED ALLOWING, UM, ONE OF THE TREES REQUIRED FOR SINGLE FAMILY TO BE PLACED IN THE BACKYARD.

SO YOU DON'T HAVE TWO TREES CROWDING THE FRONT YARD.

UM, WE HAVE A SECTION OF OUR ORDINANCE THAT SPEAKS TO NONDISTURBANCE ZONES.

SO THAT SAYS THAT, UM, WHEN YOU'RE DEVELOPING SINGLE FAMILY, YOU CAN ONLY CLEAR LAND FIVE FEET OUTSIDE OF THE FOOTPRINT OF THE HOME.

SO WHEN YOU HAVE SMALLER, LOTS DEVELOPERS WANT TO CLEAR THE ENTIRE PROPERTY BECAUSE IT'S MORE EFFICIENT FOR THEM.

UM, WHEN THEY DO THAT, THEY'RE MAKING ASSUMPTIONS ABOUT WHAT THE, THE ACTUAL FOOTPRINT WILL BE.

SO STAFFS WORK WITH THEM TO ALLOW THEM TO DO IT AT THE CONSTRUCTION PLAN STAGE.

NOW WE'RE SUGGESTING THAT, UM, IN ORDER TO ENCOURAGE THEM TO DO IT AT BUILDING PERMIT, TO HELP SAY SOME OF THE TREES IN THE BACKYARD THAT THEY HAVE TO MITIGATE FOR THOSE TREES THAT ARE, THAT ARE REMOVED AT THAT STAGE.

UM, LET'S SEE IF THERE'S ANYTHING ELSE.

OH, UM, WE HAVE A REQUIREMENT THAT SAYS FUEL PUMPS HAVE TO BE SCREENED FROM VIEW FROM THE STREET.

SO IF YOU LOOK AT SOME OF THE NEWER GAS STATIONS, THEY'LL HAVE HEAVY LANDSCAPING IN THE FRONT TO LINE UP WITH THE PUMP.

UM, AND IT'S NOT

[00:05:01]

UM, AND THAT WAS ANOTHER INSTANCE WHERE WE FELT LIKE WE COULD REMOVE THAT REQUIREMENT.

UM, AND WITH OVERHEAD DOORS, IF THEY'RE STREET FACING, WE ALLOW, UM, LANDSCAPING TO SCREEN THE OVERHEAD DOOR.

SO WE'RE SUGGESTING IF THEY DO A DECORATIVE OVERHEAD DOOR, THEY DON'T HAVE TO HAVE THAT ADDITIONAL SCREENING.

SO THAT'S ANOTHER WAY TO, TO REDUCE LANDSCAPING.

UM, ONE THING WE TRY TO BE VERY MINDFUL OF IS, UM, GETTING INTO A SITUATION WHERE WE DON'T HAVE ANY LANDSCAPING BECAUSE IN THOSE CASES YOU RUN INTO THE HEAT ISLANDS, UM, AND IT CAUSES MORE ISSUES.

SO WE'D HAVE TO COME BACK LATER AND TRY TO ADD LANDSCAPING.

SO IT'S NOT SO AWFUL IN HOT.

UM, THAT'S A BRIEF SUMMARY OF EVERYTHING WE'RE DOING.

SO, UM, I'LL BE AVAILABLE FOR QUESTIONS AFTER THE PUBLIC HEARING.

THANK YOU.

THIS IS A PUBLIC HEARING.

WE'LL OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING.

IF ANYBODY WISHES TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM, SEEING NONE, WE'LL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING AND MOVE ON TO DISCUSSION VICE CHAIR.

UM, FIRST ROBIN, THANKS FOR, THANKS FOR YOU AND YOUR STAFF GOING THROUGH THIS.

IT LOOKS REALLY GOOD AND I ORIGINALLY DIDN'T HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, BUT AS I WAS LOOKING INTO THIS AGAIN, UM, JUST ONE QUICK CLARIFICATION FOR THE SCREENING REQUIREMENT SECTION, DOES THAT APPLY TO RESIDENTIAL AS WELL? SO LIKE W WOULD I HAVE TO COMPLY WITH THIS SCREENING REQUIREMENTS, THIS LISTEN TO THIS ORDINANCE, WHICH WAS SECTION A SECTION SECTION D CAN YOU HELP ME WITH WHAT PAGE YOU'RE ON PAGE FIVE, SORRY.

AT THE BOTTOM, IT JUST SAYS SCREENING REQUIREMENTS.

THIS IS ONLY FOR COMMERCIAL.

OKAY.

AND I JUST WANTED TO DOUBLE CHECK IT'S OUT OF CONTEXT A LITTLE BIT, CAUSE YOU DON'T SEE THE WHOLE ORDINANCE, BUT YEAH, IT'S FOR COMMERCIAL AND MULTI-FAMILY OKAY.

COMMISSIONER, MAY I LIKE MOST OF WHAT'S IN HERE? UH, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I DIDN'T SEE AND I LOOKED FOR WAS WITH THE PARKLAND.

UM, A LOT OF OUR WATER GOES TO IRRIGATE THOSE NOW.

AND IS IT, ARE WE DOING ANYTHING TO, UH, ELIMINATE SOME OF THE TURF GRASS AND HOA PARKS, HOA PARKS? UM, SO WE HAVE A SECTION THAT TALKS ABOUT THE LANDSCAPE REQUIREMENT IN PARKLAND.

UM, WE WEREN'T PROPOSING A CHANGE TO IT, BUT IT'S SOMETHING WE COULD WORK ON.

UM, THIS IS AN INSTANCE WHERE IF YOU WANTED TO CHANGE LIKE THAT, WE COULD WORK ON AND PRESENT IT TO THE NEXT MEETING BEFORE IT GOES TO COUNCIL.

UM, ONE THING WE LOOK AT WHEN A PARK IS DEVELOPED, WE'RE HOPING THE DEVELOPER IS NOT SCRAPING THE LAND.

UM, SO WE'RE HOPING THEY'RE JUST DOING AN AMENITY CENTER OR, UM, A PLAYGROUND.

SO IT DOESN'T HAVE AS MUCH IMPACT ON IT, BUT THERE ARE CASES WHERE THEY WANT TO PUT IN FIELDS.

UM, SO THAT'S SOMETHING WE COULD LOOK AT AND TRY TO PROVIDE SOME CHANGES.

YEAH.

I THINK THE BIG THING THAT I'D LIKE TO SEE CHANGE, IS IT THE LEAST EXPENSIVE WAY FOR DEVELOPER TO DO A PARK IS TURF AND IRRIGATION.

AND WITH 35% OF OUR WATER GOING TO HOA PARKS, THE MORE THAT WE BUILD, THE LESS WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO DRINK, AND WE'RE GOING TO BE HITTING CRUNCH TIME HERE REAL QUICK.

NOW, ONE THING WE DID LOOK AT IS, UM, THE INSTANCES WHERE, UM, THE SUBDIVISIONS ARE TAKING UP SO MUCH WATER, IT'S BEEN THE ENTRY FEATURES AND THE LANDSCAPE PLOTS, NOT NECESSARILY THE PARKS, WE DID PROVIDE, UM, A REQUIREMENT THAT SAYS THAT, UM, THEY CAN'T HAVE MORE THAN 50% TURF GRASS IN THOSE AREAS.

SO IF YOU LOOK LIKE THE ENTRANCE OF TREVISO, UM, THAT WOULDN'T BE ALLOWED TO HAVE THE GRASS THAT HAS.

SO THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT.

WE COVERED IT.

BUT IF YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT LIKE A PARK WITHIN THE SUBDIVISION, WE DIDN'T GET INTO THAT DETAIL.

DOES THAT ANSWER YOUR KIND OF, I DON'T MIND GOING BACK AND SEEING IF THERE'S SOMETHING ELSE WE COULD DO WITH REGARDS TO THE PARKS, WE JUST DIDN'T TOUCH ON THAT.

YEAH.

AND AGAIN, UM, I LOVE GRASS.

I CAME FROM LAS VEGAS WHERE, UM, 90% OF EVERYTHING THAT WASN'T PAVED WAS ROCKS.

AND I, THAT WAS THE WORST PART OF LIVING IN LAS VEGAS.

AND I DON'T WANT TO HAVE THAT IN TEXAS.

UM, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, UM, YOU KNOW, IN, IN MY HOA SPECIFICALLY, UH, WE HAVE, UH, A POOL THAT'S OBVIOUSLY NOT IRRIGATED AND WE HAVE A PLAYSCAPE THAT'S NOT IRRIGATED, BUT EVERYTHING ELSE IS BASICALLY GRASS AND IRRIGATION SYSTEMS, WHICH, UM, I REALLY THINK SOMETHING SHOULD BE DONE IN THERE TO MINIMIZE THAT OR INCENTIVIZE THEM TO DO NATURAL GRASSES.

AND SOME OF THEM ARE JUST CUT DOWN ON THE IRRIGATION.

WE COULD DO SOMETHING WHERE, UM, IF IT'S DISTURBED AREA, THEY CAN'T JUST TURF IT.

LIKE THEY HAVE TO COME UP WITH AN ALTERNATIVE SO WE CAN LOOK AT SOME LANGUAGE TO THAT EFFECT.

OKAY.

THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER MOSS.

WELL, I AGREED WITH, I AGREE WITH COMMISSIONER MAY AND,

[00:10:01]

AND THAT'S ALL I HAVE TO SAY.

COMMISSIONER HAMPTON, NO QUESTIONS FOR ME.

COMMISSIONER LANTRIP MOST MIGHT'VE ALREADY BEEN ASKED, BUT I DID HAVE ONE QUESTION ON 16 WHERE IT'S TALKING ABOUT, UM, RESIDENTIAL DISTRICTS OTHER THAN MULTIFAMILY.

AND IF YOU GO ON DOWN, YOU KNOW, IT, UM, IT LOOKS LIKE IT'S NOW REQUIRING UNDER CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES THAT THEY HAVE GUTTERING SYSTEMS AND A LOT OF NEW HOMES ARE NOT GUTTERED OR THEY'RE PARTIALLY GUTTERED.

IS THAT GOING TO BE NOW A REQUIREMENT IF, UH, CERTAIN OTHER CONDITIONS ARE NOT MET? SO WE DIDN'T CHANGE THE ORDINANCE ORDINANCE TO REQUIRE GUTTERING.

THIS IS, THIS IS THE SAME AS IT WAS BEFORE.

BUT WHAT THEY'RE SAYING IS IF YOU DON'T HAVE LONG GRASS, YOU HAVE TO HAVE GUTTER TO, TO KEEP IT FROM FALLING UP THE HOUSE AND CAUSING EROSION.

UM, SO WE WE'VE ALLOWED, IT WAS LIKE MULCH BEDS.

UM, IT JUST CAN'T BE DIRT, BUT WE DIDN'T ADD A REQUIREMENT TO REQUIRE GUTTERS.

OKAY.

UM, THE OTHER THING ON THE COMMERCIAL, SO I UNDERSTAND NOT BETWEEN THE BUILDINGS AND SO FORTH, AND THERE STILL LOOKS LIKE THERE'S A REQUIREMENT FOR THE PARKING LOT TREES.

SO THE, UM, WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THERE BEING REQUIRED NOW? RIGHT NOW IT'S IN THIS NEW ONE AT 600 FEET, TWO SHADE TREES AND FOUR SHRUBS.

AND IF A HUNDRED PERCENT MASONRY THAN ONE TRAY PER EVERY 600 FEET AND NO SHRUBS, RIGHT.

IT JUST REDUCES THE TREE REQUIREMENTS, BUT NOT THE SROS.

CORRECT.

THAT'S ALL I HAVE COMMISSIONER CARPENTER.

I THINK EVERYTHING I WAS GOING TO SAY GOT SAID, EXCEPT FOR, IS THERE, IS THERE NO WAY TO PUT SOMETHING IN HERE THAT'S MORE RESTRICTIVE OF TIMING ON WATER ON IRRIGATION OR ARE WE JUST NOT, WE HAVE THOSE REGULATIONS, SO WE DON'T WORRY ABOUT IT.

WHEN YOU SAY TIMING, YOU MEAN WHEN THEY CAN WATER? YEAH, I KNOW.

IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE SAYING? YEAH.

SO THAT'S NOT A ZONING REQUIREMENT, BUT IT DOES COME INTO PLAY WITH THE WATER CONSERVATION WHEN WE GO INTO THOSE DIFFERENT STAGES.

THAT'S, THAT'S THE ONLY THING I HAD.

UM, CAN I SAY ONE MORE THING BACK TO YOUR COMMENT ABOUT THE MASONRY? UM, WE DID CHANGE THAT REQUIREMENT WHERE IF YOU HAVE THE SIX-FOOT MASONRY WALL, WHEN YOU'RE ADJACENT TO RESIDENTIAL, YOU DON'T HAVE SHRUBS BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT VISIBLE.

THAT WASN'T WHAT YOU MEANT.

RIGHT.

OKAY.

IF THE BUILDING IS A HUNDRED PERCENT STRAIGHT, THEY'RE NOT REQUIRED NOW I'M GOOD.

I WANTED TO ADD SOMETHING TO WHAT COMMISSIONER CARPENTER HAD SAID.

UM, BEING ABLE TO USE YOUR IRRIGATION SYSTEM ONCE A WEEK.

I DON'T THINK, AND I KNOW THIS IS OUTSIDE OF OUR SWERVING OUTSIDE OUR LANE HERE A LITTLE BIT, BUT DOESN'T STATE, HOW MANY, HOW LONG PER STATION YOU CAN WATER.

IT JUST HAS AN HOUR, YOU KNOW, A TIME REQUIREMENT.

SO TECHNICALLY 12:01 AM TO 10:00 AM.

UM, I CAN BRING THAT TO THE ATTENTION OF OUR POPE WORKS DIRECTOR AND MAYBE THAT'S SOMETHING THEY COULD LOOK AT.

YEAH.

AND THEY DID JUST HIRE THE, UM, WATER CONSERVATION SPECIALIST AND THEY STARTED ON TUESDAY.

SO YEAH, I JUST WANT TO, UH, I WANT TO THANK STAFF.

I THINK THIS IS A REALLY, REALLY, IT'S A REALLY A GOOD DOCUMENT.

UM, I AGREE WITH COMMISSIONER MAY THAT WE MAY WANT TO LOOK AT, UM, SOMETHING TO INCENTIVIZE, NOT TURF, JUST SIMPLY TURFING HOA PARKS.

I THINK THAT'S A, THAT'S A GOOD IDEA.

AND, AND I JUST HAVE A POINT OF CLARITY ON THE, ON THE OVERHEAD DOORS.

UM, IS IT ONLY FOR FORWARD FACING, SO IF IT'S FACING RESIDENTIAL, THEY'RE STILL GOING TO HAVE TO SCREEN.

SO, UM, THIS WOULD ALLOW DECORATIVE DOORS FACING PRESIDENTIAL.

UM, THAT'S NOT A COMMON CONDITION.

USUALLY THE DOORS ARE FACING THE STREET, BUT WE COULD CLARIFY IT TO SAY, YOU STILL HAVE TO SCREEN IF IT'S FACING.

YEAH, I WOULD.

YEAH.

THE THING I LIKE TO MAKE SURE IS THAT IF JOHN KNOWS WE DON'T PUT IT IN, AND THEN THE NEXT THING WE GET IS IS OUR WAREHOUSE DOORS FACING.

SO USUALLY THOSE ARE SUPER NARROW.

YEP, YEP.

YEAH.

ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? THIS IS A ONE MORE.

YES.

AND FOR CLARITY,

[00:15:01]

YEP.

WORKS FOR ME.

THANK YOU.

ANYWHERE ELSE.

THIS IS AN ACTION ITEM.

I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO POSTPONE ACTION UNTIL THE NEXT MEETING.

SO THAT STAFF HAS AN OPPORTUNITY TO GO BACK AND ADDRESS THE THINGS THAT WE TALKED ABOUT TONIGHT.

I'LL SECOND THAT I HAVE A MOTION FROM THE VICE CHAIR.

SECOND BY COMMISSIONER MAY ALL IN FAVOR, OPPOSED MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY, WHICH BRINGS US TO ITEM 10 ADJOURNMENT TONIGHT.