[1. Call to Order.]
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THE TIME IS NOW 6:00 PM AND THIS MEETING AT THE CITY OF LEANDER PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION IS NOW CALL TO ORDER.
LET THE RECORD SHOW THAT ALL COMMISSIONERS ARE, UH, PRESENT AND ACCOUNTED FOR, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF COMMISSIONER MORALES AND COMMISSIONER LADAY.
[3. Director's report to the Planning & Zoning Commission on action taken by City Council on the November 21, 2024 meeting.]
ON TO ITEM NUMBER THREE, DIRECTOR'S REPORT.I'M REPORTING ON ITEMS THAT WERE PRESENTED TO THE CITY COUNCIL LAST WEEK, UM, THAT WERE FORWARDED TO THEM BY THE PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION.
UM, THEY DID COMPLETE THREE SECOND READINGS.
UM, THE FIRST ONE IS THE KAUFMAN LOOP POD, AND THEY DID APPROVE THE AMENDMENT.
THE NEXT ONE IS THE HILL COUNTRY COMMUNITY MINISTRIES.
UM, LACEY DRIVED, THAT ONE WAS ALSO APPROVED AND IN THE GILPIN TRACT REZONING, THEY, UM, ALSO, UH, DID THE SECOND READING ON THE COMPOSITE ZONING ORDINANCE AMENDMENTS WITH REGARDS TO THE TYPE TWO SITE COMPONENT.
AND THEY COMPLETED THE FIRST READING OF THE COMPOSITE ZONING ORDINANCE, UM, ABOUT THE SITE DEVELOPMENT, DRY UTILITY UPDATES.
UH, WE ALSO HELD A WORKSHOP WITH THE COMMISSION.
UM, THANK YOU EVERYONE THAT WAS ABLE TO ATTEND, UH, I SENT OUT THE, THE LINK SO Y'ALL COULD WATCH IT IF YOU WEREN'T ABLE TO BE THERE.
UM, BUT THAT MEETING'S GONNA RESULT IN SOME UPDATES TO THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN.
THAT'LL BE COMING TO THE COMMISSION FOR DISCUSSION HOPEFULLY IN THE NEXT COUPLE MONTHS.
ALRIGHT, THANK YOU DIRECTOR GRIFFIN.
[4. Review of meeting protocol.]
RIGHT IS OUR MEETING PROTOCOL.THIS IS HOW WE CONDUCT OUR MEETINGS.
IF YOU WISH TO SPEAK ON AN ITEM THAT'S NOT ON THE AGENDA NIGHT, UH, YOU'RE WELCOME TO FILL OUT A CARD.
YOU DON'T HAVE THREE MINUTES TO SPEAK.
[ CONSENT AGENDA: ACTION]
TO ITEM NUMBER FIVE.ITEM NUMBER SIX IS OUR CONSENT AGENDA.
UH, THIS IS, UH, APPROVED WITH ONE MOTION.
DO I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE? MOTION TO APPROVE.
UM, WE DO NEED TO HAVE THE CORRECTED AGENDA.
DIDN'T YOU SEND OUT A CORRECTED? I SENT OUT THE EMAIL, THE EMAIL WE SENT OUT, AND SO THAT, THAT COUNTS FOR YES.
YOU WANT A SECOND? I'LL SECOND.
I HAVE ONE MOTION TO APPROVE BY COMMISSIONER COLO.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR PASSES UNANIMOUSLY.
MOVING ON TO AGENDA ITEM NUMBER
[7. Discuss and consider action regarding Zoning Case Z-24-0118 to amend the current zoning of Interim SFR-1-B (Single-Family Rural) to adopt the High Gabriel Township PUD (Planned Unit Development) with the base zoning district of SFS-2-B (Single-Family Suburban) on two (2) parcels of land approximately 12.75 acres ± in size, more particularly described by Williamson Central Appraisal District Parcels R362129 and R032227; and generally located south of High Gabriel East, approximately 1,100 feet east of US 183, Leander, Williamson County, Texas.]
SEVEN.DISCUSSED AND CONSIDER ACTION REGARDING ZONING CASE Z DASH 24 DASH 0 1 1 18 TO AMEND THE CURRENT ZONING OF INTERIM S FFR ONE B, SINGLE FAMILY RURAL TO ADOPT THE HIGH GABRIEL TOWNSHIP PUD WITH THE BASE ZONING DISTRICT OF SFS TWO B SINGLE FAMILY SUBURBAN ON TWO PARCELS OF LAND, APPROXIMATELY 12.75 ACRES IN SIZE, MORE PARTICULARLY DESCRIBED BY WILLIAMSON CENTRAL APPRAISAL DISTRICT PARCELS R 3 6 2 1 2 9 AND R 0 3 2 2 2 7.
AND GENERALLY LOCATED SOUTH OF HIGH GABRIEL EAST, APPROXIMATELY 1,100 FEET EAST OF US.
180 3 LEANDER WILLIAMSON COUNTY, TEXAS STAFF PRESENTATION.
UM, KARINA CASTE WITH THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT.
SO THE PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION HEARD THIS ITEM THE LAST MEETING ON NOVEMBER 14TH, AND THEY RECOMMENDED TO POSTPONE ACTION UNTIL THIS MEETING TO ALLOW FOR THE APPLICANT ADDITIONAL TO ALLOW THE APPLICANT ADDITIONAL TIME TO MEET WITH THE PROPERTY OWNERS ASSOCIATION LOCATED OUTSIDE OF THE CITY LIMITS.
AND TO ADDRESS THE CONCERNS OF THE RESIDENTS, THE APPLICANT WAS NOT ABLE TO MEET WITH THE POA DUE TO THEIR SCHEDULES.
THE REQUEST HAS BEEN SHARED WITH THE REPRESENTATIVE VIA EMAIL AND THE UPDATED OUTREACH SUMMARY WAS ALSO PROVIDED IN YOUR ATTACHMENTS.
NO CHANGES WERE MADE TO THE REQUEST AND THE APPLICANT IS HERE TO MAKE A PRESENTATION TO YOU GUYS.
WOULD THE APPLICANT LIKE TO COME UP AND SPEAK? HI, MY NAME IS SANDY BRANTLEY.
IT'S NICE TO MEET EVERYONE AGAIN.
UM, I DID WANNA JUST REACH OUT AND SAID I DID TAKE YOUR ACTION ITEMS. UM, AND UH, IN THE LAST WEEK WE'VE BEEN TRYING TO ADDRESS ALL OF THOSE ITEMS. I DID REACH OUT TO THE DEVELOPER AND THEN, UM, VOICE YOUR CONCERN ABOUT THE HEIGHT RESTRICTION.
UM, JUST WITH THE MARKET ITSELF, THEY, THEY JUST DON'T SEE THAT THAT'S POSSIBLE.
AND ALSO THE NEIGHBORING PROPERTIES THAT WERE, I'M CONCERNED ABOUT THE HEIGHT RESTRICTIONS IS THE BRYSON AREA, BUT THOSE HOMES ARE ALSO TWO STORY HOMES IN MULTIPLE LOCATIONS.
SO THEY'RE JUST WONDERING IF THERE'S ANY KIND OF WAY THAT WE CAN, UM, JUST NOT JUST OMIT THIS ASK BECAUSE IT, IT WOULD JUST LIMIT THIS PROPERTY AND, AND IT WOULDN'T BE FAIR FOR THIS PROPERTY COMPARED TO THE OTHERS.
UM, THAT WAS FROM THE DEVELOPER AND THE PUBLIC NOTICE SIGNS.
I DID WORK WITH PLANNING TO JUST MAKE SURE THAT THE SIGNS WERE IN THE RIGHT SPOTS AND THEY WEREN'T FALLING OVER SO THAT WE WERE PROVIDING THE CORRECT SIGN LOCATIONS AND INSTALLATION FOR THOSE.
AND THEN, UM, LIKE MS. CARINA HAD SAID, UH, I DID REACH OUT TO THE POA, UH, THROUGH EMAIL.
I, I DIDN'T SEE A WAY TO REACH THEM, UH, REACH OUT TO THEM ANY OTHER WAY.
AND I DID SPEAK TO, UH, ONE OF THE MEMBERS AND I DID GIVE THEM A, A CONCEPT PLAN AND THE P DOCUMENT SHOWING THE VARIANCE THAT WE'RE ASKING FOR THE, THE LOT REGULATION VARIANCE.
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AND, UM, THEY'RE GOING TO MEET THE FIRST WEEK OF DECEMBER TO DISCUSS ABOUT, UH, WHAT I HAD GIVEN THEM.UH, BUT SO FAR THEY DON'T HAVE ANY COMMENTS ABOUT THE CONCEPT PLAN OR THE PUD UH, SO THERE HASN'T BEEN FURTHER COORDINATION YET, BUT I'M SURE ONCE WE KNOW MORE DURING THEIR CONVERSATION, THEN WE CAN FURTHER DISCUSS WITH THEM.
UM, I DO HAVE A, UH, COUPLE OF CARDS HERE FROM SOME FOLKS WHO WISH TO SPEAK.
SO IF I CALL YOUR NAME, IF YOU COULD COME UP AND STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS AND YOU'LL HAVE THREE MINUTES TO SPEAK.
I LIVE AT 7 2 7 REVA RIDGE DRIVE.
I SPOKE PREVIOUSLY ON THIS ITEM AT THE LAST MEETING AND I THANK YOU AGAIN FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO COMMENT ON THIS ITEM.
I'M GOING TO LIMIT MY COMMENTS.
COMMENTS TO THE PUBLIC OUTREACH AND PUBLIC NOTICE, UH, COMPONENT OF THIS, UH, I THINK THAT ONCE PUBLIC NOTICE HAS BEEN FOUND TO BE DEFICIENT, YOU SHOULD BASICALLY RESTART THE PROCESS TO ALLOW FOR FULL PUBLIC PARTICIPATION.
UH, WE DROVE BY, WE DID SEE THE SIGNS THEY WERE POSTED AND THEY WERE NOTIFYING OF THE NOVEMBER 14TH MEETING, A BIT THEATER IN THAT REGARD.
WHAT'S THE POINT OF NOTIFYING PEOPLE OF A MEETING THAT HAS ALREADY HAPPENED THAT THEY CANNOT GO BACK IN TIME AND GIVE COMMENT ON? UH, WE DIDN'T KNOW WE COULD GIVE COMMENT TODAY UNTIL, UH, MS. GRIFFIN TOLD US THAT WE COULD GIVE COMMENT TODAY BECAUSE IT'S NOT LISTED IN THE AGENDA AS BEING ABLE TO GIVE PUBLIC COMMENT.
SO ONCE PUBLIC NOTICE IS FOUND TO BE DEFICIENT, YOU SHOULD ALLOW AMPLE OPPORTUNITY FOR THE PUBLIC TO COMMENT.
IF A MEETING WAS CONDUCTED FOR ONE HOA, IN THIS CASE BRYSON, HOA, THEN YOU SHOULD ACTUALLY WAIT FOR THE OTHER POA TO BE ABLE TO HAVE A SIMILAR MEETING.
TO SAY THAT YOU EXCHANGED EMAILS AND COULDN'T FIT IT IN THE TIGHT TWO WEEK SCHEDULE IS A BIT DISINGENUOUS.
LET THEM ACTUALLY MEET AND PROVIDE THEIR INPUT BEFORE MOVING FORWARD.
I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO RECOMMEND THAT YOU CLARIFY YOUR GUIDANCE ONLINE.
IT DOES SAY, UH, YOU KNOW, NOTICE TO HOAS TO CLARIFY THAT, TO SAY HOAS, POAS AND OTHER SUCH ORGANIZATIONS SO THAT IT'S CLEAR ALSO THE POSTCARD THAT WAS MAILED OUT.
IF YOU PERVERSE SUBMIT COMMENTS ONLINE@LANDERTEXAS.GOV SLASH NOTICE, THAT'S INCORRECT.
IF YOU GO TO THAT WEBSITE, YOU GO TO THE NOTICE, YOU DON'T GO TO WHERE YOU CAN PROVIDE PUBLIC COMMENT AND YOU HAVE TO HUNT AROUND TO ACTUALLY FIND WHERE YOU CAN PROVIDE PUBLIC COMMENT.
IT WAS CORRECT ON THE LETTER THAT WAS SENT OUT, BUT NOT ON THE POSTCARD THAT IS SENT OUT.
I ALSO WORK FOR A GOVERNMENT AGENCY AS WELL.
SO I DO UNDERSTAND THAT THERE IS A LOT OF HONOR SYSTEM WHEN IT COMES TO PUBLIC NOTICE.
BUT ONCE IT IS FOUND TO BE DEFICIENT, THE AGENCY THAT I WORK FOR, WE RESTART THE PUBLIC NOTICE PROCESS ONCE IT HAS BEEN BROUGHT TO OUR ATTENTION THAT EITHER PUBLICATION IN A NEWSPAPER WASN'T CORRECTLY CONDUCTED OR A MAIL OUT WASN'T CORRECTLY CONDUCTED, WE RESTART THE CLOCK.
WE DON'T SAY YOU GET TO FIX IT, BUT WE'RE STILL COUNTING DOWN.
NO, WE START OVER AND WE ALLOW FOR AMPLE PUBLIC COMMENT AND GENUINE PUBLIC PARTICIPATION.
SO I RECOMMEND TO THE COMMISSION THAT YOU RE REEVALUATE, UH, YOUR POSTCARDS, YOUR GUIDANCE AND YOUR GENERAL, YOUR IN GENERAL, YOUR RULES AND RECOMMENDATIONS WHEN IT COMES TO PUBLIC PARTICIPATION AND GENUINE PUBLIC OUTREACH.
ALRIGHT, NEXT, UH, I HAVE A FAITH JOHNSON.
HELLO, MY NAME IS FAITH JOHNSON.
I LIVE AT 7 2 7 REVA RIDGE OVER IN LEANDER, TEXAS, UH, PART OF THE ETJ OF LEANDER.
UH, YOU JUST HEARD FROM MY SISTER, BUT I JUST NEED TO REITERATE, REITERATE ALSO THE CONCERNS ABOUT THE DEFICIENCY OF THE PUBLIC NOTICE PROCESS HERE.
UH, WHEN WE WERE FIRST NOTIFIED MANY MONTHS AGO BY CURRICULUM ENGINEERING THAT THIS PLAN WAS UNDERWAY, WE HAD PROVIDED OUR CONTACT INFORMATION AND WE HAD HEARD NOTHING FOR MONTHS.
AND THEN THIS FIRST PUBLIC HEARING THAT OCCURRED A COUPLE WEEKS AGO WAS THE FIRST THAT WE HAD HEARD AS A FOLLOW UP.
AND THAT WAS OUR FIRST TIME THAT WE COULD OFFICIALLY GIVE OUR CONCERNS TO THE CITY OF, UH, THE DEVELOPMENT THAT IS BEING CURRENTLY PLANNED.
UH, TO HAVE THEN A QUICK TURNAROUND WITH OUR PROPERTY OWNERS ASSOCIATION THAT HAD NEVER BEEN NOTIFIED EVEN THOUGH THEY HAD KIRKLAND ENGINEERING HAD MONTHS TO NOTIFY THEM, DID NOT OCCUR.
GIVEN WHAT WAS DISCUSSED DURING THE LAST PUBLIC HEARING THAT THEY HAVE DONE THAT INITIAL OUTREACH TO PROPERTY OWNERS ASSOCIATION,
[00:10:01]
WE DO NEED A LITTLE BIT MORE TIME SO THAT THEY CAN ACTUALLY PROVIDE FORMAL COMMENT AS WELL AS GATHER INFORMATION FROM ALL OF OUR NEIGHBORHOOD OF WHAT THEIR CONCERNS AND FEEDBACKS ARE.UH, AND GIVEN THAT THIS IS RIGHT NOW OUR THANKSGIVING TIME PERIOD, IT IS A LITTLE HARD TO QUICKLY GET EVERYONE RALLIED TOGETHER TO GET THEIR FEEDBACK AND CONCERNS DOCUMENTED AND SHARED APPRO APPROPRIATELY.
UH, SO I DO KNOW THAT THERE IS A CITY, UH, COUNCIL MEETINGS SET FOR THIS ITEM ON, I BELIEVE IT IS DECEMBER 5TH.
UM, I AM CONCERNED THAT WE WILL NOT BE ABLE TO HAVE OUR FEEDBACK GATHERED OR THOSE CONVERSATIONS WITH KIRKLAND ENGINEERING AND OUR PROPERTY OWNERS ASSOCIATION COMPLETED IN TIME.
AND SO AGAIN, I DO ALSO REQUEST THAT WE REEVALUATE THE, UH, PUBLIC COMMENTS PROCESS FOR THIS PARTICULAR AGENDA ITEM.
AND THEN I HAVE A, UH, MR. JEFF, IS THAT MOORE OR MOORE? MOORE.
YEAH, THANK YOU COMMISSIONERS.
I'M JEFF MOORE, I'M ALSO OVER AT 7 2 7 RIVER RIDGE IN LEANDER.
I REALLY WANTED TO SAY THE DISCUSSION YOU GUYS HAD AMONGST YOURSELVES AT THE END WAS REALLY LIKE ENCOURAGING THE IDEAS OF BRINGING IN THE, THE CRASH GATES TO PREVENT ACCESS ON THE ROAD.
THE DISCUSSION ABOUT AMENDING THE PUD TO HAVE THE APPROPRIATE LOT SIZES TO FIT INTO THE NEIGHBORHOOD, THE LOCATION THAT YOU'RE SEEING THERE, ALL THOSE LITTLE PACKETS IN YELLOW, ALL OF THOSE ARE ACRE PLUS SIZES.
SO THE EXISTING COATING THAT THEY'RE LOOKING TO PUT INTO THE PUT IS THE 9,000 SQUARE FOOT.
SO WE'RE LOOKING AT 70 PLUS THAT COULD GO IN RIGHT NEXT DOOR.
IT REALLY DOESN'T FIT WITH THE FLOW OR ANY OF THAT.
THERE'S, THERE'S NO BREAKUP OR, OR ANY KIND OF STREET THAT WOULD PROVIDE ANY KIND OF SEGUE BETWEEN THAT.
IT WOULD JUST BE CRAMMING HOUSES IN AS CLOSELY AS THEY COULD.
WITH THAT, I, I REALLY SUGGEST THAT WE DON'T CHANGE THE ZONING AND KEEP IT AT THE SINGLE FAMILY RURAL THAT WOULD PUT A MINIMUM OF AN ACRE AT A, AT A SIZE AND THAT WOULD FIT GENERALLY WITH THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND COMMUNITY THAT THEY WOULD BE TRYING TO JOIN.
UH, WITH THAT WE WILL MOVE ON TO GENERAL DISCUSSION AND I'LL MOVE TO MY RIGHT.
UM, A COUPLE, A COUPLE OF THINGS ABOUT THIS ONE, UH, THIS IS A LITTLE BIT HARD FOR ME BECAUSE I, THE REASON WHY WE SPENT SO MUCH TIME AND WE REALLY DID A PUSHBACK ON OUR NOTIFICATION PROCESS IS BECAUSE WE DEFINITELY WANT THE PUBLIC'S INPUT.
UH, SO I GET THAT AND, AND IT'S NOT PERFECT, BUT IT'S MUCH BETTER THAN IT WAS.
BUT I, I AGREE WITH YOU THAT IT'S NOT PERFECT AND YOU KNOW, WE PROBABLY NEED TO TAKE A LOOK AT THAT AGAIN AT SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WERE POINTED OUT TONIGHT, UM, FOR US.
UM, THAT BEING SAID, I DON'T REALLY HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THE ZONING, RIGHT? BECAUSE, UH, AS I MENTIONED AT THE LAST, UH, MEETING, I WISH WE HAD THE FLEXIBILITY FOR THEM NOT TO HAVE TO DO A PUT AND THIS WAS STRAIGHT ZONING, RIGHT? BUT THE REASON THEY HAVE TO DO A PUT IS JUST BECAUSE OF THE LOT SIZES AND, AND SOME OF OUR, UM, REQUIREMENTS WHEN WE DO, UM, SFS ON HAVING IT, UM, FIT A CERTAIN, YOU KNOW, RECTANGLE WHEN IT DOESN'T ALWAYS FIT THAT RECTANGLE FOR LACK OF A, YOU KNOW, JUST EASY COMPARISON.
SO I HONESTLY WISH WE HAD MORE FLEXIBILITY IN OUR STRAIGHT ZONING, SO THIS WOULDN'T BE A PUD, UM, PERSONALLY.
'CAUSE I, I MUCH PREFER STRAIGHT ZONING.
UM, BUT ALL IN ALL, UH, YOU KNOW, I REASON WHY IT'S HARD FOR ME IS 'CAUSE I KNOW THAT MY, MY ROLE HERE IS TO TALK ABOUT ZONING, RIGHT? UM, IT'S NOT NECESSARILY ACCESS WHICH WE CAN RECOMMEND TO, TO THE DEVELOPER TO DO THINGS LIKE THAT.
IT'S NOT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, IT'S NOT ANY OF THAT OTHER THINGS THAT WE OFTEN HEAR AT A PLANNING ZONING MEETING.
THAT BEING SAID TOO, I WOULD ALWAYS ENCOURAGE THE PUBLIC TO PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE MAKE YOUR VOICES HEARD AT A COUNCIL MEETING AS WELL, RIGHT? BECAUSE THEY'RE GONNA HAVE THE FINAL SAY, REGARDLESS OF HOW IT GOES TONIGHT ON OUR END, THEY'RE GONNA BE THE FINAL SAY, UM, FOR THIS.
COMMISSIONER MAY, I WOULD LIKE TO ECHO COMMISSIONER HAN'S COMMENTS ON THAT, THAT, UH, THE, THE BIGGEST PURPOSE OF HAVING THESE, THE NOTIFICATION AND THE MEETINGS BETWEEN HOAS HOMEOWNERS AND WHATNOT IS, UM, IT, IT JUST SEEMS LIKE THE RUMOR MILL RAN, RAN RAMPANT AND PEOPLE WOULD, UM, WITHOUT THE COMMUNICATION THINGS, UM, IT WAS, IT WAS TWO DIFFERENT STORIES.
THE DEVELOPER WAS WANTING A AND THE RESIDENTS WOULD COME HERE THINKING THAT THEY WANTED, THAT THEY WERE WANTING TO BUILD Z, WHICH IS TOTAL OPPOSITE OF THE SPECTRUM.
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WE'RE THE, THE, THE COMMUNICATION IS AT LEAST STARTED WHERE THE CONCERNS WITH THE DEVELOPER ARE HEARD BY THEM.AND I, I UNDERSTAND TWO WEEKS AROUND THE HOLIDAYS IS KIND OF DIFFICULT, BUT AT THE SAME TIME PUTTING TOO MUCH REGULATION ON DEVELOPERS TO COME IN.
I, WHY, WHY WOULD ANYBODY DEVELOP IN LEANDER? UM, AND THERE I THINK WE HAD A LITTLE BIT OF PUSHBACK ABOUT EXPANDING THE NOTIFICATIONS WHERE WE HAD, BUT IT'S, IT'S ABOUT CONVERSATIONS TO PUT THEIR MINDS AT REST.
UM, IT'S NOT GIVING INTO ALL OF THE RESIDENTS DEMANDS.
UM, I THINK WHEN WE FIRST CAME UP HERE ON THE DIOCESE FIVE YEARS AGO, THE BIG COMPLAINT WAS I MOVED OUT TO LEANDER BECAUSE I WANTED TO LIVE WHERE THEY HAD ALL THESE BLANK FIELDS AND, UH, WE COULD LOOK AT THE COWS OUT OUR WINDOWS.
AND REALITY IS LEANDER IS NOT GOING TO HAVE VERY MANY OF THOSE LEFT.
UM, MY FATHER'S IN VISITING FROM OHIO AND I ACTUALLY HAD TO DRIVE AROUND FOR ABOUT 15 TO 20 MINUTES TO FIND COWS OUT HERE.
SO THE, THE, THE CITYSCAPE'S CHANGING AND LOOKING AT THAT ZONING, IT'S VERY DIFFICULT TO PUT A ONE ACRE LOT IN THE UPPER PORTION OF THAT.
AND I KNOW THAT MAYBE THERE COULD BE SOME COMPROMISE, MAYBE NOT, BUT I, I WAS HOPING FOR THAT THE NOTIFICATION PROCESS WOULD HAVE STARTED THAT CONVERSATION AND IT'S KIND OF DISHEARTENING THAT THAT DIDN'T HAPPEN.
AND I DON'T WANT TO GET INTO A FIGHT OVER WHERE THE BREAKDOWN WAS, BUT AGAIN, MAYBE WE DO NEED TO REEXAMINE HOW THAT NOTIFICATION HAPPENS.
UM, YOU DID GET THE, UM, URL THAT WE'RE FOR THE POSTCARD TO MAKE SURE THAT'S OKAY.
AND BY THE WAY, THERE ARE COWS ON RONALD REAGAN RIGHT ACROSS FROM COLD SPRINGS, SO YOU CAN TAKE 'EM THERE.
I'M KIND OF IN THE SAME PLACE AS MY FELLOW COMMISSIONERS, SORRY.
UH, I'M IN, I'M IN THE SAME PLACE AS THE COMMISSIONERS THAT HAVE ALREADY SPOKEN.
I, I WAS FOR POSTPONING AND GIVING MORE OPPORTUNITY AND, YOU KNOW, SO THAT'S KIND OF A, JUST SHORT OF A TWO WEEK PERIOD, BUT THEN, YOU KNOW, YOU GOT ANOTHER WEEK UNTIL COUNSEL AND WE WOULD HAVE A HARD TIME JUSTIFYING A DENIAL JUST BASED ON THAT WHEN WE'D ALREADY GRANTED ONE, UH, ADDITIONAL MEETING, YOU KNOW, TO, TO GET THAT DONE.
AND IT HAS BEEN DONE MAYBE, MAYBE NOT THE WAY WE WOULD'VE LIKED FOR IT TO BE, BUT THERE'S NOTHING IN OUR ORDINANCE THAT I KNOW OF THAT REQUIRES US TO COMPLETELY START OVER WITH THE PROCESS.
IS THAT CORRECT? THAT'S CORRECT.
SO WE FOLLOW THE STATE STATUTE FOR THE PUBLIC NOTIFICATION, UM, AND THE OUTREACH THAT THE, THE APPLICANT DOES THAT IS PART OF OUR ORDINANCE, THAT IT'S NOT REQUIRED BY THE STATE.
SO THAT'S JUST, IT'S A PLUS ALONG WITH THE SIGNS THAT WE POST, BUT IT DOESN'T SAY, IT DOESN'T TAKE 'EM BACK TO ZERO TO START OVER.
SO YOU'RE ABLE TO DELAY THE ACTION IF YOU WANT, OR YOU CAN RECOMMEND DENIAL IF YOU'D LIKE.
UM, COUNSEL WOULD BE THE ONE THAT MAKES THAT ULTIMATE DECISION.
I THINK I'M RELUCTANT TO DELAY IT AGAIN.
UH, I, I WISH THAT IT WASN'T A PUT AS WELL, I WISH IT WAS STRAIGHT ZONING.
SFS IT'S ONLY THAT BECAUSE OF THE TRYING TO SQUEEZE IN THOSE LOTS ON THAT UPPER PORTION AND, AND ONE ACRE LOTS WOULD NOT FIT IN UP THERE.
SO, UH, I'M, I'M OF A MIND TO GO AHEAD AND, YOU KNOW, LET IT GO ON UP TO COUNCIL AND THE CITIZENS WILL HAVE ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY WITH THE COUNCIL AND HOPEFULLY THAT'S, YOU KNOW, SOME ADDITIONAL TIME FOR THIS OUTREACH.
I KNOW IT'S A BAD TIME OF YEAR, BUT THAT HAPPENS WITH A LOT OF ZONING CASES IN NOVEMBER AND DECEMBER.
YOU KNOW, IT'S HARD TO REACH PEOPLE.
SO THAT'S ALL I HAVE, RIGHT, COMMISSIONER COLO.
I THINK THE, I THINK THE EXACT GEOMETRY OF THE RECTANGLE CAUSING A PUD TO BE NECESSARY IS, IS KIND OF AN ODD THING FOR ME.
AND I I WISH THE FLEXIBILITY WAS, WAS THERE TO, COMMISSIONER HAN POINTED OUT INITIALLY, I AGREE WITH A LOT OF EVERYTHING EVERYBODY'S SAYING HERE.
YOU KNOW, I HAVE, I HAVE QUESTIONS AND COMMENTS AND OBSERVATIONS AND NONE OF WHICH WOULD REALLY BE APPROPRIATE AT THIS STAGE.
UM, I THANK YOU EVERYBODY FOR COMING OUT AND TALKING.
I THINK YOU UNDERSTAND FROM THE LAST TIME Y'ALL WERE HERE THAT YOU'RE HEARD, YOU'RE LISTENED TO.
UM, BUT THE IMPORTANT THING FOR ME, JUST AS I DID THE LAST TIME THIS CASE WAS UP, WAS POINT OUT THAT THIS IS ABOUT WHAT THE DEVELOPER CAN DO, NOT HOW THEY'RE GOING TO DO IT AT THIS STAGE.
AND, UM, YOU KNOW, FOR WHAT IT'S WORTH, I DO AGREE WITH THE DEVELOPER, THE, UH, WHAT DID COME OUT OF SOME OF THE, THE MEETINGS THAT IT WOULD BE UNFAIR TO LIMIT, UH, THE, THIS DEVELOPMENT
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TO ONE STORY IN CASES IF THERE WERE GONNA BE TWO STORIES ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE FENCE.UM, AND, UH, I, I, I THINK I WAS THERE FIRST AS NOT ALWAYS A GREAT GRA A RATIONALE FOR, FOR OBJECTING TO THAT KIND OF THING.
UM, YOU KNOW, IT SOUNDS LIKE MAYBE WE'VE GOT A LITTLE BIT TO SHORE UP IN THE PUBLIC NOTICE ISSUE, BUT I'M GONNA LEAVE THAT TO STAFF AND COUNCIL TO BE CONCERNED WITH AND STICK TO THE ZONING ISSUE HERE.
BUT, UM, I'M IN FAVOR OF THIS.
YEAH, AND, AND MY 2 CENTS PRETTY MUCH ECHOING A LOT OF WHAT THE, UH, FELLOW COMMISSIONERS HAVE SAID, AND I DO APPRECIATE THE RESIDENTS FOR COMING OUT.
AND I DO TAKE YOUR YOUR COMMENTS VERY SERIOUSLY.
I THINK, YOU KNOW, LOOKING AT THE, THE, JUST THE GEOMETRIC SHAPE OF THIS PROPERTY, IT'S VERY CHALLENGING TO, TO DO AND PUT RESIDENTIAL WITHOUT MAYBE EITHER TAKING UP THE ENTIRE SPACE AND, BUT YET ALLOWING THE DEVELOPER TO COME IN AND KIND OF LEAST DEVELOP THE, THE LAND AND CERTAINLY MAKE, YOU KNOW, AND MAKE THEIR PROFIT IN DOING SO.
AND I THINK AT LEAST WITH A SINGLE FAMILY SUBURBAN, YOU'RE AT 70 FOOT WIDE LOTS.
AND KEEP IN MIND THAT YOU CAN GO SMALLER AT 50 FOOT WIDE OR 60 FOOT WIDE, WHICH PUTS IN MORE HOUSES AND MORE DENSITY.
AND IN THIS CASE, I THINK WE'RE, WE, WE PREFER LOWER DENSITY IN THE 70 FOOT WATTS, UH, WIDE.
AND THEN, YOU KNOW, LOOKING AT THAT BOTTOM PORTION THAT BACKS UP TO BRYSON, I MEAN, I, IT'S GONNA BE REALLY A CHALLENGE TO DO ANYTHING WITH PUTTING A ROAD IN THERE AND THEN TRYING TO CREATE SOME ACRE OR OR HALF ACRE SIZE LOT IN, IN THAT AREA AS WELL.
SO THIS, THIS IS A REALLY CHALLENGING PIECE AND I FEEL LIKE THE, THE DEVELOPER IS TRYING TO DO SOMETHING HERE.
THIS IS A ZONING CASE, LIKE, LIKE MY FELLOW COMMISSIONER SAID, AND I THINK AT SOME POINT THE ROADWAYS NEED TO BE ADDRESSED.
THAT WAS REALLY ONE OF MY BIGGEST CONCERNS.
I WENT BACK AND LOOKED AT THE, THE SF TWO B, UM, YOU KNOW, THE TYPE TWO, UH, SITE COMPONENT HERE AND, AND REALLY YOU'RE LOOKING AT A 35 FOOT, YOU KNOW, HEIGHT.
I, I LIVE IN A ONE STORY HOUSE AND WE HAVE A PRETTY HIGH CEILING, A PRETTY HIGH ROOF LINE ON OUR HOME, A HIGH PITCH AND VERY STEEP PITCH.
AND I'D SAY THAT, YOU KNOW, 35 FEET MIGHT BE CLOSE TO THIS HIGH AS MY ONE STORY IS SO LIMITING AND RESTRICTING THAT I, I FELT LIKE I, I'M, I'M PRETTY GOOD WITH THE 35 FEET.
I THINK THAT'S GONNA BE FINE FOR THIS AREA.
UM, AND SO WITH THAT, I JUST, I'M STRUGGLING TO FIGURE OUT HOW THEY'RE GONNA, HOW THEY'RE GONNA PUT THIS TOGETHER AND STRUCTURE THE ROADWAYS.
THEY ARE GONNA BE LIMITED TO THE NUMBER OF HOUSES THEY CAN PUT IN AND THE DENSITY THEY CAN PUT IN THERE BECAUSE OF THE SHAPE OF, OF THE LOT.
AND I THINK LONG TERM THIS IS BETTER OFF FOR YOU IN THAT AREA THAN SOMETHING ELSE GOING IN THERE.
ESPECIALLY YOU DON'T WANT LIGHT COMMERCIAL OR COMMERCIAL, WHICH I DON'T THINK IT WOULD BE ZONED FOR ANYWAY.
THAT WOULD PROBABLY NOT PASS THE LITMUS TEST.
BUT I WOULD SAY THAT FOR THIS DEVELOPMENT, I THINK YOUR BEST SURF FOR THIS.
AND I THINK THE ZONING DOES SUPPORT IT.
AND SO I MEAN, I, WITH THAT I'M DEFINITELY, YOU KNOW, MOVING IN THE SAME DIRECTION AS MY FELLOW COMMISSIONERS AND I THINK I WOULD APPROVE THIS AS WELL.
SO, UM, WITH THAT, THIS IS A, UH, ACTION ITEM.
DO I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE? MOTION TO APPROVE? I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE BY COMMISSIONER COLON.
I HAVE A SECOND BY COMMISSIONER MAY.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? PASSAGE UNANIMOUSLY.
[8. Discuss and consider action on Tree Removal Case TRP-24-0035 regarding removal of one (1) Heritage Tree and twelve (12) Significant Trees associated with the Chitalpa Commercial Site Development Project (SD-24-0203) generally located south west of the intersection of S. Chitalpa St. and Barrel Cactus Dr., Leander, Williamson County, Texas.]
ON TO AGENDA ITEM NUMBER EIGHT, DISCUSS AND CONSIDER ACTION ON TREE REMOVAL CASE TRP DASH 24 DASH 0 0 3 5 REGARDING REMOVAL OF ONE HERITAGE TREE AND 12 SIGNIFICANT TREES ASSOCIATED WITH THE ALPA COMMERCIAL SITE DEVELOPMENT PROJECT.GENERALLY LOCATED SOUTHWEST OF THE INTERSECTION OF SOUTH ALPA ALPA STREET AND BAR CACTUS DRIVE, LANDER WILLIAMSON COUNTY, TEXAS STAFF PRESENTATION, GOOD EVENING COMMISSION.
THE REQUEST, UM, TODAY IS THE FIRST STEP IN THE TREE REMOVAL REQUEST PROCESS.
IT INCLUDES THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE CHPA COMMERCIAL CONDOMINIUMS LOCATED AT CHPA STREET AND 180 3 A TOLL ROAD.
DURING THE SITE DEVELOPMENT PROCESS, THE APPLICANT HAS REQUESTED TO REMOVE ONE HERITAGE TREE AND 12 SIGNIFICANT TREES.
THERE IS AN ADDITIONAL HERITAGE TREE THAT IS BEING PROPOSED TO BE REMOVED, UM, DUE TO THE EXTENSIVE DECAY, BUT THAT ONE IS NOT INCLUDED BECAUSE, UM, IN THE REQUEST TONIGHT, BECAUSE IT IS NOT REQUIRING ANY MITIGATION CALCULATIONS, THE UM, OTHER HERITAGE TREE IS DUE IS BEING REMOVED DUE TO SIGNIFICANT SITE CHALLENGES TO PRESERVE THE TREE.
UM, THE TWO HERITAGE TREES, UM, ARE LOCATED WITHIN THE ROADWAY OR THE WALKWAY IMPROVEMENTS.
AND THEN THERE'S THREE SIGNIFICANT TREES PROPOSED TO BE REMOVED DUE TO THE GRADING OF THE SITE.
AND SEVEN MORE TREES PROPOSED TO BE REMOVED DUE TO THE DRAINAGE INFRASTRUCTURE.
AND THE APPLICANT IS ALSO HERE WITH THE PRESENTATION.
ALRIGHT, APPLICANT PRESENTATION, THERE'S ARROWS GOING BACK AND FORTH, AND THEN THIS IS HIGHLIGHTS.
OKAY, CHAIR AND COMMISSIONERS, THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.
UM, STEVEN WITH
SO, UM, REAL BRIEFLY, JUST WANTED TO ADD MAYBE SOME MORE INFORMATION.
A LOT OF TREES IN THIS SITE, 110 OF THEM ARE CONSIDERED SIGNIFICANT.
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OF COURSE, EVERY TREE THAT'S EIGHT INCHES AND LARGER IS SIGNIFICANT.OF THOSE, UM, 32 OF THOSE ARE 18 INCHES OF LADDER LARGER.
AND THEN WHEN YOU BREAK THOSE DOWN, 10 OF 'EM WERE HERITAGE TREES.
AGAIN, TWO OF 'EM ARE PROPOSED TO BE REMOVED.
WE JUST LEARNED, AND I I SHOULD HAVE KNOWN THIS, THAT THE ONE THAT'S DEAD IS NOT CONSIDERED REMOVED, BUT WE, WE LISTED THAT INITIALLY, UM, 22 OF THE SIGNIFICANT TREES ARE 18 INCHES OR LARGER.
OF THOSE, WERE REMOVING 12 OF THOSE.
UM, AGAIN, KIND OF SUMMARIZE IT THERE AGAIN ON THE LEFT, WE TALKED ABOUT THAT BRIEFLY.
I DID WANNA POINT OUT THAT TWO OF THE, THE SIGNIFICANT TREES THAT ARE 18 INCH TO LARGER ARE ACTUALLY IN THE RIGHT OF WAY.
SO WE DON'T HAVE A CHOICE ON THOSE, BUT WE DO HAVE TO COME TO YOU AND, AND GET PERMISSION ON THOSE.
UM, SIX OF THEM ARE IN POOR CONDITION.
WE, WE WORK WITH THE TREE MAN, UH, ARBORIST COMPANY AND THEY WENT OUT AND ASSESSED EVERY ONE OF 'EM, TOOK PHOTOS OF 'EM, UM, DID A REALLY GOOD JOB EVALUATING 'EM.
SO THIS IS WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT, THIS KIND OF THING WE'RE LOOKING AT, UH, THIS IS THE, THE ONE THAT'S DEAD, SO WE REALLY DON'T NEED TO TALK ABOUT IT.
SO, UM, AND THEN HERE'S THE, UH, ANOTHER ONE THAT, UH, I CAN'T REMEMBER WHERE IT EXACTLY IS LOCATED.
THIS IS ANOTHER HERITAGE TREE, RIGHT? THIS IS THE ONE THAT'S A FAIR CONDITION.
SO IT'S, IT'S, THIS IS THE ONE THAT WE HAVE TO GET PERMISSION TO REMOVE, BUT YOU CAN SEE IT'S, IT'S GOT A LOT OF ISSUES TO IT.
THIS IS THE GENERAL LOCATION OF ALL THESE TREES.
UM, YOU CAN SEE HOW WE SAVED THE ONES IN THE OUTSIDE OF THE DEVELOPMENT AND ON THE INSIDE, RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE, THAT'S WHERE THE, THE SIGNIFICANT TREES WE'RE TALKING ABOUT ARE.
SO IF WE HAD TO TRY TO SAVE THOSE, IT WOULD, IT WOULD IMPACT OUR DEVELOPMENT IN THAT WAY.
UM, THIS LOCATION'S RIGHT ON 180 3 A, IT'S A VERY, YOU KNOW, IT'S WHERE YOUR DENSE DEVELOPMENT'S SUPPOSED TO BE, YOUR COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT.
AND SO THAT'S WHY, UH, WE HAD TO WORK IT THAT WAY.
UM, THIS IS JUST A SUMMARY OF THE CALCULATIONS AND UH, THE MITIGATION FEES THAT WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO PAY.
AND, UH, AND THEN WANTED TO JUST SHOW YOU BRIEFLY, UM, TO HELP MITIGATE THE LOSS OF THE CALIPER INCHES.
WE HAVE A, A LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT THAT'S PLANTING TREES BASICALLY EVERYWHERE WE CAN.
SO I WANTED TO LET YOU KNOW THAT WE'RE AVAILABLE FOR ANY QUESTIONS.
UM, UH, OTHERWISE THAT, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
WE'LL MOVE INTO DISCUSSION AND I'LL START TO MY LEFT.
COMMISSIONER COLO, I HAVE NO QUESTIONS, COMMENTS, OR COMPLAINTS.
ALRIGHT, COMMISSIONER LANDRY, NO QUESTIONS, BUT I WILL SAY THAT I DO APPRECIATE THE PART OF THE PRESENTATION THAT SHOWED ME, YOU KNOW, THERE WERE THIS MANY TREES AND WE'RE ONLY REMOVING THIS MANY.
I LIKE TO SEE HOW MANY ARE SAVING WHEN WE'RE MAKING THESE DECISIONS, SO THANK YOU FOR THAT INFO.
I'LL ECHO COMMISSIONER LANDRY.
I REALLY LIKED SEEING, YOU KNOW, HOW MANY ARE BEING SAVED JUST SO IT'S UH, I MEAN, NOT THAT IT'S EVER GOOD WHEN WE'RE REMOVING A HERITAGE TREE, BUT, UH, UNDERSTANDING THAT WE'RE SAVING MANY MORE IS IT'S ALWAYS A GOOD FEELING.
YEAH, AND I'LL, I PUT THAT AS WELL.
THERE WAS A PREVIOUS CASE WE HAD, UM, WHERE WE HAD, UH, DEVELOPER COME IN AND GIVE US THIS REALLY HIGHLY DETAILED TREE REMOVAL PLAN.
AND, AND IT WAS, TO ME THAT WAS KIND OF LIKE THE, THE, THE BLUEPRINT FOR FUTURE TREE REMOVAL CASES, ESPECIALLY THOSE THAT HAVE TO COME IN FRONT OF THE PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION AND EVENTUALLY COUNSEL.
AND I'D SAY, YOU KNOW, GREAT JOB WITH THE PRESENTATION.
THANKS FOR CLARIFYING AND PROVIDING THOSE DETAILS AS WELL AS SOME OF THE ADDITIONAL, UM, LANDSCAPING PLANS AND OTHER, UH, IMAGES THAT YOU PROVIDED THAT WE DIDN'T ACTUALLY HAVE IN OUR PACKET.
SO I APPRECIATE YOU BRINGING THAT TO US AS WELL.
BUT WITH THAT, THIS IS AN ACTION ITEM AND I'LL OPEN IT UP.
DO WE HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE? MOTION TO APPROVE? I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE.
AND WITH THAT, IT IS 6 28 AND THIS MEETING, AT THIS PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION, CITY LANDER IS ADJOURNED.