[1. Call to Order.]
[00:00:09]
TIME IS NOW 6 P.M. AND THIS MEETING OF THE CITY OF LEANDER PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION IS NOW CALLED TO ORDER. LET THE RECORD SHOW THAT ALL COMMISSIONERS ARE PRESENT AND
[3. Director's report to the Planning & Zoning Commission on action taken by City Council on the April 17, 2025meeting.]
ACCOUNTED FOR. MOVING ON TO ITEM NUMBER THREE, THE DIRECTOR'S REPORT. DIRECTOR GRIFFIN. GOOD EVENING. I'M REPORTING ON ITEMS THAT WERE PRESENTED TO THE CITY COUNCIL DURING THEIR MEETING LAST WEEK THAT WERE FORWARDED TO THEM BY THE COMMISSION. THE CITY COUNCIL DID REVIEW THE OAKWOOD HILLS ZONING CASE AND ANNEXATION. THEY'RE STILL WORKING THROUGH SOME CONCERNS WITH THE DEVELOPMENT. SO WE'LL BE BACK ON THE AGENDA AGAIN NEXT WEEK. AND THEN THEY COMPLETED THE SECOND READING OF THE MCCALL CAPITAL MINOR PUD. THAT ONE IS DONE. AND THEN THEY DID THE FIRST READING OF THE OASIS SUBDIVISION AND THEY RECOMMENDED APPROVAL. THAT'S GOING TO BE ON THE AGENDA FOR NEXT WEEK FOR SECOND READING. AND THEN FINALLY THEY DID THE SUBDIVISION ORDINANCE. THAT WAS THE CHANGE FOR THE SHORT FORM FINAL PLAT PROCESS AND THE EXTENSIONS, WHICH YOU ALL HAVE YOUR FIRST EXTENSIONS FOR SUBDIVISION CASES ON THIS AGENDA TONIGHT. AND THEY TOOK ACTION ON A NEW COMMISSIONER. SO KAREN LEWIS IS GOING TO BE JOINING US AT OUR[4. Review of meeting protocol.]
NEXT MEETING WHEN SHE'S SWORN IN. SO WE'RE VERY EXCITED TO HAVE HER. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. NEXT WE WILL REVIEW OUR MEETING PROTOCOL. SO TO YOUR RIGHT ON THE LARGE SCREEN IS HOW WE CONDUCT OUR MEETINGS AND HOW WE ALLOW PUBLIC COMMENTS TO BE CONDUCTED. YOU'LL HAVE THREE MINUTES TO SPEAK IF YOU WISH TO SPEAK ON AN ITEM ON OR NOT ON THE AGENDA. AND WITH THAT, I'LL OPEN UP THE PUBLIC COMMENTS. IS ANYBODY HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON AN ITEM? NOT ON THE AGENDA[ CONSENT AGENDA: ACTION]
TONIGHT. SEEING THERE IS NONE, WE'LL CLOSE THAT AND WE'LL MOVE ON TO THE CONSENT AGENDA. WE HAVE A REQUEST TO APPROVE ITEM SIX AND EIGHT OF THE CONSENT AGENDA, AND THEN MOVE ITEM SEVEN AND NINE TO THE TO THE REGULAR AGENDA. AFTER WE APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA. SO WITH THAT, I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA ITEM SIX AND EIGHT. DO I HAVE A SECOND MOTION TO APPROVE? SECOND. SECOND. OKAY. AND WITH THAT CONSENT AGENDA IS APPROVED. SORRY, I, I USUALLY DON'T USUALLY NOMINATE THESE TO APPROVE MYSELF, BUT. YEAH. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR. SORRY.[7. Approval of the extension of the application expiration for Subdivision Case PICP-23-0052 regarding CR 175 Roadway Improvements associated with the Wildsprings Subdvision, generally located north of the intersection of CR 177 and CR 175, Leander, Williamson County, Texas. ]
THERE WE GO. THANK YOU. THROUGH MYSELF FOR A LOOP. PARDON ME. ALL RIGHT, MOVING ON. WE'LL MOVE ON TO ITEM NUMBER SEVEN OF THE CONSENT AGENDA THAT WE MOVED TO THE REGULAR AGENDA. AND THIS IS TO THE APPROVAL OF THE EXTENSION OF THE APPLICATION EXPIRATION FOR SUBDIVISION CASE P I P DASH 20 3-0052. REGARDING CR 175 ROADWAY IMPROVEMENT, YOU NEED TO ANNOUNCE SHE'S RECUSING. CAN I DO THAT AFTER I READ IT? OR DO I NEED TO DO IT BEFORE. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. SO WITH THAT. SO COMMISSIONER TARA IS RECUSING HERSELF FOR ITEMS NUMBER SEVEN AND NINE BASED ON CONFLICTS. SO.OKAY, SO ITEM NUMBER SEVEN, APPROVAL OF THE EXTENSION OF THE APPLICATION EXPIRATION FOR SUBDIVISION CASE PICKP. DASH 20 3-0052. REGARDING CR 175 ROADWAY IMPROVEMENTS ASSOCIATED WITH THE WILD SPRING SUBDIVISION, GENERALLY LOCATED NORTH OF THE INTERSECTION OF CR 177 AND CR 175. LEANDER, WILLIAMSON COUNTY, TEXAS. GOOD EVENING, KARINA CASTILLO WITH THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT. THIS IS THE ONE. THIS REQUEST IS FOR AN EXTENSION OF THE EXPIRATION DATE OF THE CONSTRUCTION PLANS FOR CR 175 ROADWAY IMPROVEMENTS. IT INCLUDES THE IMPROVEMENTS FOR THE EXPANSION OF 175. THE ORDINANCE DOES ALLOW FOR THEM TO HAVE NINE MONTHS. THEY EXPIRE AFTER NINE MONTHS FROM THE INITIAL STAFF REPORT THAT IS ISSUED, AND THEN THEY HAVE THE CHANCE TO DO A SIX MONTH EXTENSION BY STAFF. SO IT'S AN ADMINISTRATIVELY APPROVED EXTENSION, AND THEN AFTER THAT IT WILL GO TO THE COMMISSION FOR APPROVAL. FOR EXTENSIONS, THE APPLICANT IS REQUESTING TWO EXTENSIONS IN ORDER FOR THEM TO CONTINUE WITH THE PERMIT ISSUANCE OF THE PLANS. EXTENSIONS ARE GRANTED IN SIX MONTHS INCREMENTS. THEY WERE A LITTLE BEHIND ON REQUESTING THEIR REQUEST, SO THEY'RE GETTING CAUGHT UP WITH THE TWO EXTENSIONS NOW. UNDERSTOOD. SO THE RECOMMENDATION IS FOR THE SORRY I'M GOING TO READ THIS THROUGH. THE SUBDIVISION ORDINANCE INCLUDES TIMELINES FOR APPLICATION APPROVALS, THE TIMELINE HISTORY SECTION OF THE SUMMARY INCLUDES THE KEY DATES FOR THIS REQUEST. THE CONSTRUCTION PLANS EXPIRED NINE MONTHS FOLLOWING THE FIRST REVIEW, AND THEN THEY HAVE STAFF RECOMMENDS APPROVAL OF THE TWO ADDITIONAL SIX MONTH EXTENSIONS. APPROVING THESE EXTENSIONS WOULD GRANT AN EXTENSION THROUGH AUGUST 5TH, 2025, AND IT WILL ALLOW THEM TO FINALIZE THE CONSTRUCTION PLANS FOR APPROVAL WITH THE CITY AND SCHEDULE A PREDEVELOPMENT MEETING. A PRE-CONSTRUCTION MEETING. SORRY, AND I'M NOT SURE IF THE APPLICANT WAS COMING, BUT I'LL BE AVAILABLE FOR ANY QUESTIONS. OKAY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. DO WE NEED TO OPEN THIS UP AS A PUBLIC HEARING? OKAY. GOT IT. SO WE'LL JUST GO AHEAD AND ENTER INTO DISCUSSION ON ITEM NUMBER SEVEN.
I'LL START TO MY RIGHT, COMMISSIONER MEHAN. YEAH. AND JUST SO EVERYONE KNOWS, I
[00:05:02]
REQUESTED TO PULL THESE TWO JUST BECAUSE I HAD SOME QUESTIONS AROUND THE EXTENSION AND THE EXTENSION PROCESS. THE FIRST THING IS, WHO HAS FINAL APPROVAL? IS IT US? YES. OKAY, SO. SO WHAT HAPPENS? SO IT COMES HERE, WHICH IS EVEN MORE IMPORTANT THAT WE TAKE A LOOK AT THIS. SO WHAT HAPPENS IF WE DON'T APPROVE IT. THEY WOULD HAVE TO START OVER. SO THE APPLICATION WOULD BE CLOSED OUT. AND THEY WOULD HAVE TO START THE APPLICATION PROCESS OVER BECAUSE WELL REAL QUICK JUST FOR YOUR INFORMATION, IT DOESN'T BENEFIT THE CITY FOR THEM TO START OVER BECAUSE THEY HAVE VESTED RIGHTS IN THIS SITUATION. SO IT'S JUST COSTING DEVELOPER MORE MONEY IN THE CITY MORE TIME WITH REVIEWS. AND I UNDERSTAND THAT. BUT YOU KNOW, I ALSO THE FIRST COMMENTS WERE SENT OUT IN FEBRUARY OR SORRY, MAY 5TH OF 2023. SO WE'RE TWO YEARS ON THIS NOW. HOW LONG DO WE KEEP DELAYING THINGS? I MEAN, WHAT'S THE DELAY IS REALLY MY QUESTION. WHY DO WE CONTINUOUSLY HAVE TO CONTINUE BACK? WELL, I MEAN, BECAUSE WE NEED WE NEED BECAUSE PART OF THIS IS ROADWAY IMPROVEMENTS AND STUFF LIKE THAT. WE NEED THAT YESTERDAY, NOT NINE MONTHS FROM NOW, TWO YEARS FROM NOW, WHATEVER IT MIGHT BE. AT WHAT POINT DO WE SAY, OKAY, THIS IS NOT GOING TO BE GOOD FOR US AT ALL. IT'S NOT GOOD FOR THE CITY TO CONTINUE TO DELAY EITHER. SO I MEAN, THAT'S THAT'S KIND OF IT'S MORE OF A PHILOSOPHICAL QUESTION THAN AN ACTUAL, YOU KNOW, I NEED AN APPLICANT HERE GIVING ME A DECISION, YOU KNOW, AT WHAT POINT DO WE SAY ENOUGH IS ENOUGH? NO, I, I AGREE WITH YOU THERE. I MEAN, I KNOW AT ONE POINT THEY, THEY DELAYED IT BECAUSE OF THE, YOU KNOW, TECHNICAL TESTING THAT WAS BEING DONE ON THE PAVEMENT. BUT THEN, THEN AFTERWARDS THEY HAD DELAYS WITH WILLIAMSON COUNTY. SO HOW DO WE I GUESS HOW DO WE SPEED THAT UP WITH WILLIAMSON COUNTY? BECAUSE WE KNOW WE NEED THE ROADWAY THERE. SO YEAH, THERE'S A LOT OF DIFFERENT FACTORS THAT GO INTO THE REVIEWS. THERE'S A LOT OF THIRD PARTY REVIEW REVIEWS THAT ALSO ARE TIED TO THE PROJECT. SO IF THERE IS ANYTHING RELATED TO LIKE THIS ONE WOULD BE WILLIAMSON COUNTY. BUT THERE'S ALSO LIKE IF THERE'S SOME DETENTION THAT'S BEING REVIEWED BY T-C-E-Q OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT, LIKE THOSE ARE REVIEWS THAT LCRA HAS A DIFFERENT TIMELINE. AND I KNOW THAT THEY WERE GOING THROUGH SOME ISSUES ON THEIR STAFFING, SO THEY WERE VERY BEHIND ON THEIR REVIEWS AND IT WAS HOLDING UP REVIEWS ON OUR SIDE. SO THERE'S ALWAYS SOMETHING DIFFERENT WITH EACH CASE. SO SOMETHING ELSE WITH THIS PROJECT IS THIS IS THE WILD SPRINGS DEVELOPMENT. SO THEY'VE FINISHED CONSTRUCTING PHASE ONE OF THE SUBDIVISION. SO THEY'VE KIND OF SPACED OUT THEIR CONSTRUCTION TIMING. SO THEY DID PHASE ONE.THEY DID THEIR WATER LINE. NOW THEY'RE FINISHING THE ROAD. SO IT'S NOT THEY SUBMITTED EVERYTHING AT ONCE AND PROBABLY SHOULD HAVE WAITED TO SUBMIT THE ROAD. SO IT HASN'T BEEN A PRIORITY. AND I GUESS I'LL APPROACH IT FROM A DIFFERENT DIRECTION. HOW HOW DO WHAT IS OUR PART AS A CITY? WHAT DO WE DO TO HELP THEM MOVE THROUGH SOME OF THESE HURDLES? BECAUSE IT AS A DEVELOPER, THEY MIGHT NOT KNOW ALL THE DIFFERENT STEPS, YOU KNOW, DEPENDING ON HOW EXPERIENCED THEY ARE WITH THIS TYPE OF DEVELOPMENT AND WORKING WITH THE CITY, THE COUNTY AND T-C-EQ ALL THOSE DIFFERENT PIECES, WHAT ARE WE DOING TO HELP THEM? BECAUSE AGAIN, IT'S IN OUR BEST INTEREST TO MOVE THIS ALONG FASTER TO GET THIS COMPLETED. IT'S DEFINITELY NOT IN THEIR BEST INTEREST EITHER, BUT HOW DO WE PARTNER WITH THEM? SO WE'VE ACTUALLY CHANGED OUR PROCESS. AND WE JUST DID ONE OF OUR FIRST COMMENT RESOLUTION MEETINGS WITH PAPE DAWSON ON WILD SPRINGS PHASE TWO. BUT WE'VE STARTED DOING IS AFTER THE FIRST REVIEW COMMENTS GO OUT. WE'RE MEETING WITH THEM TO TALK ABOUT THE COMMENTS. SO WE'RE TRYING TO BE MORE PRESENT AND HELPFUL. SO MAYBE THE REVIEWS GO FASTER. WE DO ALSO PARTNER WITH THE ENTITIES, THE OTHER AGENCIES, WHENEVER THERE'S SOMETHING THAT'S HOLDING THEM UP AND THAT WE CAN BE INVOLVED IN.
WE DO HAVE THAT COORDINATION WHEN IT'S NEEDED. YEAH, BECAUSE AT THE END OF THE DAY, IT'S SOMETHING ON OUR BOOKS TOO, THAT WE GOT TO KEEP ON FOLLOWING UP WITH AND THINGS LIKE THAT. SO IT'S MORE OVERHEAD FOR US. SO DOES THIS BASICALLY JUST GIVE THEM TIME TO GET THE APPROVAL THEY NEED FROM WILLIAMSON COUNTY TO MOVE FORWARD. AND THEN DO THEY THEY'RE ACTUALLY READY.
THEY'RE THEY'RE SCHEDULED TENTATIVELY FOR NEXT WEEK TO DO A PRE-CONSTRUCTION MEETING. SO THIS IS THE LAST THING THEY NEED. OKAY. SO THEN YOU THINK THAT BASICALLY THE ASSUMPTION HERE IS THAT CONSTRUCTION WILL START PROBABLY IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF WEEKS. OKAY. AND THAT'S THE ONLY AND I HAD SIMILAR ISSUES WITH NUMBER NINE TOO, BY THE WAY. IT WAS MORE OF A QUESTION AROUND MULTIPLE EXTENSION REQUESTS. SO I DON'T I'M GOOD. OKAY. COMMISSIONER MORALES, NO COMMENT FROM YOU. ALL RIGHT, MR. LANTRIP, NO COMMENTS FROM ME AND VICE CHAIR.
NO COMMENT OTHER THAN FOR PRAGMATIC REASONS. I'M GOING TO MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE. ALL RIGHT. I'LL SECOND. ALL RIGHT. WE HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE BY VICE CHAIR AND SECONDED BY
[9. Approval of the extension of the application expiration for Subdivision Case FP-23-0108 regarding Hawkes Landing North Phase 1 Final Plat development on one (1) parcel of land 49.941 acres ± in size, more particularly described by Williamson County Appraisal District Parcels R616492; generally located west of the intersection of Bagdad Road and Halsey Drive, Leander, Williamson County, Texas.]
COMMISSIONER LANTRIP. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, AND IT PASSES. GREAT. OKAY. WE WILL MOVE ON TO ITEM NUMBER NINE. AND THIS IS THE APPROVAL OF THE EXTENSION OF THE APPLICATION EXPIRATION FOR SUBDIVISION CASE FP DASH 20 3-0108 REGARDING HAWKS LANDING NORTH PHASE ONE FINAL PLAT DEVELOPMENT ON ONE PARCEL OF LAND 49.941 ACRES IN SIZE. MORE PARTICULARLY DESCRIBED BY WILLIAMSON COUNTY APPRAISAL DISTRICT. PARCELS R616492. GENERALLY LOCATED WEST OF THE INTERSECTION OF BAGDAD ROAD AND HALSEY DRIVE. LEANDER, WILLIAMSON COUNTY, TEXAS. THIS REQUEST IS THE EXTENSION OF THE EXPIRATION DATE OF CONSTRUCTION PLANS FOR HART'S LANDING NORTH[00:10:02]
PHASE ONE FINAL PLAT. IT INCLUDES 49.941 ACRES OF RESIDENTIAL SUBDIVISION, INCLUDING 128 LOTS SO SIMILAR TO THE PREVIOUS REQUEST, THEY DID HAVE NINE MONTHS AFTER THE INITIAL LETTER WAS INITIAL COMMENTS WERE ISSUED, AND THEN THEY HAD A SIX MONTH EXTENSION GRANTED BY BY STAFF. THE APPLICANT IS REQUESTING ANOTHER SIX MONTH EXTENSION FOR THE APPLICATION, IN ORDER TO ALLOW TIME TO ADDRESS COMMENTS FROM THIRD PARTY REVIEWERS, AND APPROVING THIS EXTENSION WOULD ALLOW THEM TO CONTINUE AND PUT THEIR NEW INSPIRATION TO AUGUST 2ND, 2025. AND THE APPLICANT IS ACTUALLY HERE NOW. SO IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS WITH THAT, WOULD THE APPLICANT WISH TO COME UP AND SAY A FEW THINGS OR JUST BE READY FOR QUESTIONS? ALL RIGHT. SOUNDS GOOD. AND COMMISSIONER, MAN, SINCE YOU WERE RECOMMENDING WE BRING THESE INTO THE REGULAR AGENDA, WOULD YOU LIKE TO GO AHEAD AND START ON THIS ONE AS WELL? SURE. ALL MY QUESTIONS WERE ANSWERED WITH THE LAST ONE, SO I DO APPRECIATE THE STAFF IS CONTINUALLY LOOKING FOR WAYS FOR CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT SO WE CAN MAKE THE PROCESS BETTER SO THAT WE DON'T HAVE TO GET EXTENSIONS. I'M SURE THE APPLICANTS WOULD BE APPRECIATIVE TO, YOU KNOW, THROUGH HELPING THROUGH SOME OF THE PROCESSES AS WELL. SO I'M GOOD. ALL RIGHT. SOUNDS GOOD.COMMISSIONER MORALES, NO COMMENTS FROM ME. ALL RIGHT, COMMISSIONER, NO COMMENT. AND VICE CHAIR MOTION TO APPROVE OKAY. WELL I, I HAVE A COMMENT. I HAD A WE CAN STILL HAVE DISCUSSION AFTERWARDS. YEAH. BUT I DO THINK YEAH WE SHOULD ULTIMATELY APPROVE IT. I JUST HAD A QUESTION WHEN YOU SAID GROUNDWATER WAS ENCOUNTERED ON SITE. DO YOU ALL HAVE ANY DETAILS ON WHAT THAT ENTAILED? OR I'M ACTUALLY GOING TO LET THE APPLICANT EXPLAIN. GOOD EVENING COMMISSIONERS. WE ACTUALLY WENT THROUGH A REVISION PROCESS WITH THE CITY. SO WE CAME UP WITH AN ENGINEERED SOLUTION THROUGH A THIRD PARTY REVIEW THAT WAS SUBMITTED AND APPROVED AND IS CURRENTLY UNDER CONSTRUCTION. GREAT, GREAT. ALL RIGHT. THANKS FOR CLARIFYING THAT. YES. SO WITH THAT I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE BY THE VICE CHAIR. I'LL SECOND SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER MORALES. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR. AND IT PASSES. IT WAS ME. I'M SORRY, COMMISSIONER MEHAN. MAKE THAT FOR THE RECORD. AND THEN FOR THE RECORD, THE CONSENT AGENDA WAS MOTION BY ME AND THEN SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER ROBERTSON. ALL RIGHT, GOT IT. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. AND WITH THAT, WE'LL MOVE ON TO ITEM TEN. WE'LL WAIT FOR COMMISSIONER TODAY TO GET BACK. ALL RIGHT. ITEM NUMBER TEN IS
[10. Conduct a Public Hearing and consider action regarding Zoning Case Z-25-0159 to amend the current zoning of SFR-1-B (Single-Family Rural) to adopt the VFW Post 10427 Minor PUD (Planned Unit Development) with the base zoning district of LC-2-A (Local Commercial) on three (3) parcels of land approximately 22.409 acres ± in size, more particularly described by Williamson Central Appraisal District Parcels R031314, R375914, and R433127; and more commonly known as 8760 RR 2243, Leander, Williamson County, Texas.
]
NO ISSUES WERE DISCUSSED FOLLOWING THE MAILED LETTERS, AND AS PART OF THE EVALUATION OF THIS REQUEST, THE CITY COUNCIL AND THE COMMISSION HAS OPTIONS. SO WE HAVE OPTION NUMBER ONE IS TO APPROVE THE VFW POST 1042 MINOR PUD WITH THE ZONING DISTRICTS OF LC TO A LOCAL COMMERCIAL DENIED THE REQUEST OR APPROVE AN ALTERNATIVE REQUEST, AND THAT REQUEST CAN INCLUDE MODIFICATIONS TO THE PED NODES TO INCLUDE PROHIBITED USES, OR REMOVE ALL USES OR ANY OTHER CHANGES THAT YOU WISH AND STAFF RECOMMENDS OPTION NUMBER ONE, WHICH IS TO APPROVE IT, AS IS WITH THE ZONING DISTRICT OF LC TWO, A LOCAL COMMERCIAL, AND WE MADE THIS RECOMMENDATION BASED ON THE EXISTING USES ON THE SITE AND FUTURE USES IN THE SURROUNDING AREA. I WILL BE AVAILABLE AFTER THE PUBLIC HEARING IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS. ALL RIGHT. SOUNDS GOOD. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. IS THE APPLICANT HERE AND DO THEY WISH TO SAY ANYTHING GOOD? COMMISSIONERS. MY NAME IS CHRIS FIELDER. I'M REPRESENTING THE VFW TONIGHT. A FEW MONTHS AGO WE CAME BACK AND IF YOU KNOW THE AREA, THE ENTIRE PIECE OF LAND IN FRONT OF THE CANTINA, THERE IS ALL OPEN SPACE. IT'S STILL A DEFAULT ZONING, A SINGLE FAMILY RULE. SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT
[00:15:02]
HAPPENS IS 3 OR 4 TIMES A YEAR OR MULTIPLE TIMES A YEAR, THEY NEED SPECIAL USE PERMITS FOR DIFFERENT THINGS. THE PUMPKIN PATCH IS DONE OUT THERE. THEY MAY WANT TO DO A MUSIC VENUE.THERE'S A COUPLE OF SMALL LOW LYING AREAS THEY MAY WANT TO FILL. THERE'S JUST A LOT OF THINGS THAT ARE GOING ON FROM AN ENTERTAINMENT STANDPOINT AND FUNDRAISING STANDPOINT. THIS IS THEIR THEIR LAND, AND THEY'RE REALLY THE ONLY THE BIGGEST SPOT THAT THEY HAVE. THE PUMPKIN PATCH IS THE BIGGEST FUNDRAISER THEY HAVE THROUGHOUT THE YEAR. THEY DO BARBECUE COOK OFFS.
WELL, EVERY TIME THEY GET READY TO DO ONE OF THOSE, THEY HAVE TO COME BACK TO THE CITY TO YOU GUYS FOR A SPECIAL USE PERMIT. SO THIS AVOIDS ALL OF THAT, ALLOWS THEM THE OPENING UP, TO BE ABLE TO HAVE THOSE EVENTS WITHOUT HAVING TO KEEP COMING BACK, BACK AND FORTH. BECAUSE AT THIS POINT, IT'S KIND OF EVEN HARD TO PLAN CERTAIN THINGS WITHOUT HAVING THAT PERMIT IN PLACE FIRST IN CASE IT GOT DENIED OR WHATEVER THAT THAT CASE MAY BE. SO WE CAME BACK AND SPOKE WITH MISS GRIFFIN SEVERAL MONTHS AGO. SHE HELPED US WITH GOING THROUGH THIS PROCESS. I ATTENDED A COUPLE OF MEETINGS AS WELL WITH WITH STAFF THROUGH THAT PROCESS TO DETERMINE WHICH ITEMS SHOULD BE IN THE PUD AND WHICH SHOULDN'T. SO THAT'S THE WHOLE PURPOSE AND WHAT WE'RE HERE FOR TONIGHT. HOPEFULLY THIS IS AN EASY ONE FOR YOU AND WE'RE AVAILABLE FOR QUESTIONS AFTER THE PUBLIC HEARING. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. ALL RIGHT. WITH THAT WE'LL OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING. I DO HAVE ONE CARD SIGNED UP TO SPEAK. SO I'LL CALL YOUR NAME AND YOU CAN COME UP AND SPEAK AND YOU'LL HAVE THREE MINUTES. I HAVE A MISS ANITA. GOOD EVENING. ANITA JOVOVICH, 78 PALOMAR DRIVE. SO AS A RESIDENT WHO LIVES IN MARBELLA, I WILL SAY PERSONALLY, I THINK THAT ANYTHING THAT SUPPORTS THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE VFW IS EXCELLENT, AND I FULLY 100% SUPPORT THEM BEING ABLE TO EXPAND THIS AND BE ABLE TO HAVE FUNDRAISERS THAT ARE MORE AVAILABLE AND SUPPORT EVERYTHING THAT THEY'RE DOING WITH THIS SPACE. AS A HOA BOARD MEMBER. I WILL SAY, SINCE THE PUMPKIN PATCH HAS BEEN DONE, WE'VE HAD NO ISSUES WITH SOUND COMPLAINTS OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT, SO I'M NOT EXPECTING TO HAVE ANY ISSUES WITH ANY OF THE RESIDENTS. ALL I ASK IS THAT WHEN YOU DO ARCHITECTURE PLAN IS THAT DURING THE SITE PLAN PHASE, IF YOU ARE GOING TO DO THE DRIVE IN THEATER AND THE MUSIC VENUE JUST TO BE CONSCIOUS OF WHERE THE SOUND DIRECTION IS, I KNOW SOUND CAN TRAVEL ABOUT A MILE. I DON'T EXPECT YOU GUYS ARE GOING TO BE DOING ANY CRAZY CONCERTS OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT, BUT I 100% SUPPORT THIS AND THANK YOU.
OKAY. THANK YOU. IS THERE ANYBODY ELSE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM TONIGHT? ALL RIGHT. WITH THAT, WE WILL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING AND ENTER A DISCUSSION. I'LL MOVE TO THE VICE CHAIR. MR. FIELDER, I THINK THIS IS AN EASY ONE, AND I REALLY APPRECIATE THE COMMENTS FROM THE HOA AT MARBELLA. I THINK THE CONCERNS ABOUT SOUND IN THE FUTURE ARE WELL FOUNDED, BUT I DON'T THINK THEY'RE TOO BIG OF A CONCERN. I ALSO WANT TO THANK COMMISSIONER MEHAN FOR PULLING THE THINGS FROM FROM CONSENT, AND PARTICULARLY WHAT YOU SAID ABOUT THE, YOU KNOW, WHAT ARE WE DOING TO BE A GOOD PARTNER IN MISS GRIFFIN'S POINT ABOUT US BEING MORE PRESENT AND HELPFUL IN A STICKY SITUATION WHERE THERE ARE A LOT OF FACTORS AT PLAY AND EVERYTHING. AND I JUST I WANT TO MAKE A COMMENTARY HERE. I HAVE FEWER CONCERNS ABOUT FOR PROFIT DEVELOPERS BEING SITUATED AND SORT OF PROPERLY INCENTIVIZED TO NAVIGATE THE BUREAUCRATIC CHALLENGES. BUT NONPROFITS I HAVE MORE OF A CONCERN ABOUT. SO I HOPE WHEN WE GET TO THE PART WHERE YOU GUYS ARE DEVELOPING THIS AND BUILDING THINGS OUT AND WHATNOT, THAT, THAT, THAT THE SKIDS ARE PRETTY GREASED AND YOU'VE GOT SOME SHEPHERDING WITHIN THE CITY TO KIND OF HELP MOVE THINGS ALONG IN A, IN A, IN A HELPFUL WAY. I THINK THAT'S VERY MUCH NEEDED FOR THE NONPROFITS THAT I THINK ARE REALLY PART OF OUR HEART AND SOUL AND OUR CULTURE IN THIS CITY. SO, YOU KNOW, YOU GUYS ARE FOCUSED ON MAKING A PROFIT FROM WHAT YOU'RE DOING. YOU'RE FOCUSED ON GIVING BACK TO THE COMMUNITY AND, AND, YOU KNOW, DOING ALL THOSE IMPORTANT THINGS. SO THAT'S ALL I GOT. I'M AN EASY YES ON THIS. SO THAT'S ALL I'VE GOT. ALL RIGHT COMMISSIONER LANTRIP, MR. FIELDER, ON THE. I GUESS THE TWO THAT SHE MENTIONED, SOMETHING ABOUT THE NOISE FROM THE DRIVE IN THEATER AND THE MUSIC VENUES, ARE THESE, LIKE, GOING TO BE, LIKE TEMPORARY SETUP TYPE THINGS? THEY'RE NOT GOING TO BE LIKE A PERMANENT. THAT'S CORRECT. THIS TIME IT WOULD BE, YOU KNOW, A WEEKEND EVENT OR A FUNDRAISING EVENT OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT. OKAY. AND THEY'RE THEY WOULD FALL WITHIN THAT LOCAL COMMERCIAL. YES THEY WOULD. HOURS OF OPERATION. CORRECT. I'M GOOD. I'M GOOD WITH THIS. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT.
COMMISSIONER LYDIA, THIS IS ALSO AN EASY YES FOR ME. I THINK THIS MAKES A LOT OF SENSE. ALL RIGHT, MR. MORALES. YEAH. CONSIDERING THE FUTURE LAND USES THE LOCATION, I FULLY SUPPORT THIS.
YOU KNOW, I THINK IT'S A GREAT. I WENT TO THE PUMPKIN PATCH. THE VFW DID A LOT FOR ME GROWING UP.
SO IT'S A CHILD, SO I FULLY SUPPORT THIS. ALL RIGHT, COMMISSIONER MEHAN. SO I HAVE
[00:20:01]
TWO HATS HERE. AS A LIFETIME MEMBER OF THE VFW. I'M ALL FOR THIS, BY THE WAY. BUT SIDE NOTE, BUT I DO, I DO. MY ONLY QUESTION IS ALREADY TALKED ABOUT THE NOISE THING. AND THANK YOU FOR COMMISSIONER FOR ASKING THAT QUESTION. MY QUESTION IS TO STAFF WHEN WE. SO IF WE APPROVE THIS AND THEY CAN USE THIS AS AN OUTDOOR MUSIC VENUE, WILL THEY NEED A SPECIAL USE PERMIT WHEN THEY'RE ACTUALLY PLAYING PLAYING MUSIC. AND WHAT ARE THE HOURS? CAN THEY PLAY MUSIC TO A CERTAIN LEVEL TILL 11 P.M. AT NIGHT? BECAUSE THAT'S THE HOURS OF THE LOCAL COMMERCIAL. SO THE SPECIAL EVENT PERMIT WOULD STILL BE REQUIRED IF IT'S OVER A CERTAIN AMOUNT. I DON'T THINK A SPECIAL EVENT PERMIT WOULD BE REQUIRED UNLESS THEY'RE CLOSING ROADS OR THEY EXCEED A NUMBER OF PEOPLE.AND I DON'T KNOW THAT THEY'VE DONE THAT WITH THE PUMPKIN PATCH. THEY WOULD HAVE TO COMPLY WITH THE NOISE ORDINANCE REQUIREMENTS. OKAY. YEAH. IF THERE'S A VARIANCE THERE'S ALSO REQUEST A VARIANCE. YEAH. OKAY. AND AS EVERYONE ELSE IS I'M AN EASY YES ON THIS. SO YOU GUYS KNOW HOW IT'S GOING TO GO. YEAH. AND I'M AN EASY YES ON THIS AS WELL I THINK IT'S A GREAT IDEA.
MY ONLY QUESTION REALLY EARLIER WAS JUST WHY NOT GO FOR GENERAL COMMERCIAL INSTEAD OF LC? BECAUSE IT'S IN THE EMPLOYMENT CENTER. BUT I GUESS IT'S SOMETHING YOU CAN CERTAINLY REQUEST THAT I'M NOT ASSUMING YOU'RE NOT LOOKING TO SELL OR OVER, YOU KNOW, DEVELOP IT INTO A WHOLE LOCAL COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT ANYTIME SOON. JUST WANT TO BE ABLE TO HAVE THOSE USES WITHOUT HAVING TO GO THROUGH THE PROCESS. AND RED TAPE OF GETTING PERMITS APPLIED EVERY SINGLE TIME. SO AND I JUST WANT TO ADD IN THE GENERAL COMMERCIAL DOESN'T NECESSARILY DO IT BECAUSE IT'S A, IT'S THE SITE COMPONENT THAT ALLOWS THE MUSIC VENUES AND THINGS LIKE THAT. SO LOCAL COMMERCIAL IS THE LOWEST LEVEL THAT THEY COULD PROBABLY DO TO USE USE THIS.
IT'S THE SITE COMPONENT THAT THEY'RE CHANGING, WHICH IS WHY THEY DO THE ALLOWABLE USES. AND BY THE WAY, I'VE BEEN SAYING FOR YEARS, PLEASE GO AT THE LOWEST LEVEL AND ADD IN STUFF VERSUS GO AT A HIGHER LEVEL AND SUBTRACT. I THINK THAT'S A GREAT WAY TO DO THIS. SO I REALLY APPRECIATE THAT. YEAH. AND WITH THAT IT'S AN ACTION ITEM. DO I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE. MOTION TO APPROVE. MOTION IS SECOND I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE BY COMMISSIONER LANTRIP AND
[11. Discuss and consider action on Tree Removal Case TRP-24-0026 regarding the removal of multiple Significant and Heritage Trees associated with the Leander Tech Park Public Improvements (PICP-24-0133) and Site Development Projects (SD-24-0086) located approximately 500 feet southwest of the intersection of State Highway 29 and Ronald W. Reagan Boulevard, Leander, Williamson County, Texas.]
SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER MORALES. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? OKAY. IT PASSES. GREAT. ALL RIGHT. WE'LL MOVE ON TO ITEM NUMBER 11. THIS IS DISCUSS AND CONSIDER ACTION ON TREE REMOVAL CASE TRP DASH 240026 REGARDING THE REMOVAL OF MULTIPLE SIGNIFICANT AND HERITAGE TREES ASSOCIATED WITH THE OLEANDER TECH PARK, PUBLIC IMPROVEMENTS AND SITE DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS.LOCATED APPROXIMATELY 500FT SOUTHWEST OF THE INTERSECTION OF STATE HIGHWAY 29 AND RONALD REAGAN BOULEVARD, LEANDER, WILLIAMSON COUNTY, TEXAS. THANK YOU. GOOD EVENING. COMMISSION.
HOPE YOU'RE ALL DOING WELL. CORDELL. PLANNING DEPARTMENT. SO THIS REQUEST IS THE FIRST STEP IN THE TREE REMOVAL PROCESS. THE APPLICANT HAS SUBMITTED A REQUEST TO REMOVE MULTIPLE SIGNIFICANT TREES GREATER THAN 18 CALIPER INCHES AND HERITAGE TREES, AS WELL ASSOCIATED WITH THE PUBLIC IMPROVEMENTS AND SITE DEVELOPMENT OF THE PROJECT. SINCE THIS HAS HERITAGE TREE REMOVALS, THE NEXT STEP WILL BE CITY COUNCIL APPROVAL. SO IN YOUR PACKET AS PART OF ATTACHMENT FIVE AND SIX, YOU HAD TREE MAN'S ASSESSMENT OF THE D TREES. D TREES ARE DEAD, DISEASED AND IMMINENT HAZARD. AND THERE'S ALSO A SPIEL ABOUT THAT D SECTION IN THE COMPOSITE ZONING ORDINANCE. SO I JUST WANTED TO TOUCH ON THAT. SO TO SET THE SCENE, THE SURROUNDING AREA TO THE NORTH IS UNDEVELOPED RESIDENTIAL. WE GOT AN AERIAL HERE. TO THE EAST IS A COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT THAT'S CURRENTLY UNDER CONSTRUCTION. A COUPLE OF THE PAD SITES ARE ABUTTING RONALD REAGAN OVER THERE AND ALONG HIGHWAY 29 TO THE SOUTH IS A MULTIFAMILY DEVELOPMENT AND THE VALOR SCHOOL THAT IS ALSO CURRENTLY UNDER CONSTRUCTION. AND TO THE WEST IS THE BONNET TRACK SUBDIVISION. CURRENTLY, THE PROPERTY CONTAINS NO FLOODPLAIN AND AS YOU CAN SEE, HEAVY TREE COVER. SO THE APPLICANT IS HERE TONIGHT. WESTWOOD. AND THEY HAVE A POWERPOINT AS WELL. SO THEY'LL FOLLOW UP. SO STAFF'S RECOMMENDATION I'LL GO THROUGH THIS BECAUSE THERE'S A BUNCH OF THINGS GOING ON. SO THE PUBLIC IMPROVEMENT PROJECT. PART OF THE PROJECT IS PICP 24 0133 IF YOU'RE INTERESTED IN THE PROJECT NUMBER. SO THE TREES OR THE SCOPE OF THE PROJECT IS HERE IS SHADED IN GRAY. SO IT'S THE EXTENSION OF KAUFMAN LOOP. IT ALSO INCLUDES, I BELIEVE, A DECEL LANE OR TURN LANE OFF OF HIGHWAY 29. IT ALSO HAS THIS DETENTION POND AREA HERE FOR THE SITE PLAN SIDE OF IT. IT INCLUDES THIS TRACK HERE AND THEN THEY PHASE THE DEVELOPMENT. SO IT ALSO INCLUDES THIS TRACT, THIS TRACT, THIS TRACT AND FUTURE PHASES WILL I BELIEVE THIS ONE AS WELL. FUTURE PHASES WILL HAVE THAT DETENTION POND.
[00:25:04]
THIS IS A FUTURE DETENTION POND OVER HERE. THESE PAD SITES ARE GETTING READY FOR DEVELOPMENT.SO THEY'RE GRADING. AND DOING IMPROVEMENTS FOR THE UTILITIES AND THINGS LIKE THAT. SO THAT'S WHY THESE HERITAGE OR THESE SIGNIFICANT TREES ARE BEING REMOVED AS WELL. SO IN YOUR PACKET YOU HAD AN OUTLINE OF THE SIGNIFICANT HERITAGE TREES TO BE REMOVED AS PART OF THE PIP, AS WELL AS THE SITE DEVELOPMENT. SO A COUPLE OF THINGS THAT THE APPLICANT IS DOING AND I'LL GO OVER THE FEES. THEY ARE PAYING THE $300 PER CALIPER INCH FOR ALL HERITAGE TREES THAT ARE BEING REMOVED. SO THAT'S 114.5 CALIPER INCHES AT $300. THEY ARE ALSO PRESERVING. LET'S SEE THIS RIGHT HERE. THEY'RE PRESERVING SOME UNDERSTORY TREES THAT ARE LESS THAN EIGHT CALIPER INCHES AS PART OF THE PIP AS WELL AS THE SITE DEVELOPMENT. SO THEY'RE GETTING CREDITS BACK OF THIS NUMBER RIGHT HERE. SO 897.5IN. SO THEY'RE APPLYING THAT TOWARDS THEIR CALIPER DEFICIT. AND THEY ARE ALSO PLANTING ADDITIONAL LANDSCAPE TREES ABOVE AND BEYOND I BELIEVE THEY'RE ALL THREE CALIPER INCH SHADE TREES AND OR ORNAMENTAL TREES ON ALL THE SITES THAT THEY'RE DEVELOPING, WHICH TOTALS 601 CALIPER INCHES. AND THEY'RE APPLYING THAT AS CREDITS BACK AS WELL. SO THE REMAINING CALIPER INCHES OWED, THEY ARE PAYING THE FEE IN LIEU OPTION OF $150 PER CALIPER INCH, WHICH COMES DOWN TO THE NUMBERS IN YOUR PACKET. SO THE TOTAL FEES OWED FOR THIS TREE REMOVAL PERMIT IS 321 37.50 INCIDENTS, AND WOULD BE APPLIED TO THE SITE DEVELOPMENT PERMIT SD 24 0086 AND REQUIRE THE PAYMENT PRIOR TO THE ISSUANCE OF THE APPROVAL AND THE ISSUANCE OF THE SITE DEVELOPMENT PERMIT. SO HOPEFULLY THAT CLEARS IT UP. AGAIN, THIS IS A THERE'S A LOT GOING ON ON THIS ONE. SO STAFF WILL BE HERE FOR ANY QUESTIONS THAT Y'ALL MAY HAVE. AGAIN THE APPLICANT'S HERE. SO THEY'LL HAVE A SHORT PRESENTATION AS WELL. SO I'LL TURN IT OVER TO THEM. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU MR. DALE. THE APPLICANT LIKE TO COME UP AND PROVIDE THEIR PRESENTATION. I DO ONE.
L L CONTROL L. YEAH, THERE WE GO. THANK YOU. SHE DOES IT ALL. I CAN'T REMEMBER IT WHEN I'M THERE, SO. HI, COMMISSIONERS. MY NAME IS BROOKE HARLANDER. I AM THE REGIONAL PARTNER FOR SAINT JOHN PROPERTIES AND HAVE BEEN WORKING WITH THE TEAM HERE ON THIS PROJECT. SO THANKS FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TONIGHT TO SHARE A LITTLE MORE ABOUT IT. I'M JUST GOING TO GIVE A QUICK HISTORY AND THEN SHARE A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE DEVELOPMENT OF HOW WE'VE GOTTEN TO WHERE WE ARE IN TERMS OF TREE REMOVAL. SO LOCATION YOU KNOW COREY HIT ON THIS, BUT CURRENTLY IT'S A VERY FORESTED SITE. WE WERE HERE A WHILE BACK ACTUALLY LAST YEAR GOING THROUGH THE ZONING. WE ARE IN THE ACTIVITY CENTER. AND SO THIS IS A COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT. WE'RE BUILDING FLEX R&D AND RETAIL SPACE FOR SMALL BUSINESSES. SO YOU KNOW, HITS ALL THE ZONING NEEDS. BUT OF COURSE, ANYTIME YOU'RE TAKING A FULLY FORESTED SITE TO SOMETHING THAT'S COMMERCIAL, THERE ARE SOME IMPROVEMENTS THAT HAVE TO BE MADE. THAT BEING SAID, WE HAVE TRIED TO BE REALLY DILIGENT. SAINT JOHN PROPERTIES IS ACTUALLY TOP FIVE LEED CERTIFICATION DEVELOPERS IN THE COUNTRY. SO ENERGY EFFICIENCY, EFFICIENCY AND CREATING A BEAUTIFUL ENVIRONMENT IS REALLY IMPORTANT. WE HOLD OUR PROJECTS FOREVER, SO WE WANT THE COMMUNITY TO BE BEAUTIFUL, BUT ALSO OF COURSE WANT TO MAKE SURE WE'RE PROVIDING THAT ENVIRONMENT TO OUR CLIENTS. SO WE DID TRY TO GO REALLY ABOVE AND BEYOND IN TERMS OF WHAT WE'RE PLANNING HERE, AND NOT JUST HIT WHAT WAS MINIMUM, AS WELL AS PRESERVING AS MUCH AS WE CAN AND COMING UP WITH A SITE LAYOUT THAT, YOU KNOW, MEETS THE NEEDS THAT WE NEED. BUT THAT ALSO HAS DEFINITELY A HEAVY PRESERVATION EFFORT, JUST HIGH LEVEL SITE PLAN. THE BUILDINGS IN YELLOW ARE OUR FLEX RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT. YOU KNOW, AGAIN, THE SMALLEST SUITE THAT WE OFFER IS 3000FT■!S, UP TO 50,000 SO FR TODAY WE'RE GETTING A LOT OF RETAIL, LOCAL RETAIL AND ACTUALLY NATIONAL RETAIL FOR THIS SITE SEEMS TO BE WHAT'S IN DEMAND FOR THE AREA. AND THEN OF COURSE, YOU KNOW, WE'RE WE'RE GOING TO BE EXTENDING COFFMAN LOOP, WHICH IS A PUBLIC ROAD. THAT SOUTH WEST POND WILL ACTUALLY BE A PUBLIC POND. AND THEN THE EASTERN POND IS WILL BE A PRIVATE POND FOR FUTURE
[00:30:04]
PHASES. AS COREY TOUCHED ON, THIS IS JUST A SAMPLE OF AN AMENITY THAT WE'RE ACTUALLY PUTTING TWO OF THESE IN. SO WE HAVE A, YOU KNOW, A RENDERING OF WHAT IT WILL LOOK LIKE. SO YOU CAN GET KIND OF A FEEL OF WHAT THE LANDSCAPE AND THE REPLANTING WILL LOOK LIKE ONCE ONCE WE GET INTO THOSE PHASES. THIS IS OVERALL PLANTING PLAN. SO YOU CAN KIND OF GET A FEEL FOR THE STREET TREES THAT WE'RE PUTTING IN ALONG KAUFMAN LOOP, THE PLANTINGS THAT WE'RE DOING AROUND THE BUILDINGS, AS WELL AS THE OVERLAY OF WHAT WE'RE PRESERVING AND GOING TO BE REPLANTING AROUND THOSE PONDS. SO AGAIN, AN AREAS THAT WE COULD PRESERVE, WE TRIED REALLY HARD TO MAKE SURE THAT WE COULD DO THAT. AND, YOU KNOW, I'LL GIVE YOU JUST A QUICK STORY AS OUR INITIAL POND LAYOUT, WE ACTUALLY HAD SOME WALLS AND IT WAS A BIGGER STRUCTURE IN ORDER TO SERVICE THE AREA. AND WE WORKED WITH OUR CIVIL ENGINEER THERE TO SHRINK THE POND TO AN AREA THAT WE ACTUALLY WERE ABLE TO PRESERVE ADDITIONAL HERITAGE TREES THAT WE WERE NOT ABLE TO PRESERVE BEFORE. SO THINGS LIKE THAT, WE'VE REALLY TRIED TO PUT A LOT OF THOUGHT INTO DESIGN AND THEN KIND OF HIT THIS POINT AS WELL. BUT THIS IS THE OVERPLANTING THAT WE'RE PROVIDING. SO THESE ARE TREES THAT ARE ABOVE THE CODE MINIMUM THAT INSTEAD OF JUST PAYING A FEE FOR THEM, WE ARE, YOU KNOW, WORKING REALLY HARD TO GET THEM ON TO SITE SO THAT WE HAVE THE BEAUTY FOR EVERYBODY. IF YOU WANT TO TALK ABOUT I'M GOING TO LET CLIFF IS WITH OUR LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT. SO HE IS TRULY THE TECHNICAL EXPERT HERE. SO I'M GOING TO LET HIM JUST GO OVER WITH YOU ALL. YOU KNOW, THE EXACT TREE LAYOUTS OF WHAT'S COMING IN AND OUT. THANK YOU.HI, I'M CLIFF WITH KW LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTS AND LIKE BROOKE MENTIONED, WE'VE BEEN WORKING REALLY HAND IN HAND WITH HER AS WELL AS JOE WITH TREE MAN SOLUTIONS BACK THERE, THE ARBORIST TO TRY AND COME UP WITH A SITE DEVELOPMENT THAT WORKS OUT. WE ACTUALLY STARTED WITH THE HERITAGE TREES FIRST, TRYING TO PRESERVE AS MANY OF THOSE ON SITE AS WE COULD. SO I'M ACTUALLY GOING TO JUMP AHEAD TO THIS SLIDE FIRST. AND THROUGH THE HERITAGE TREES. LIKE BROOKE HAD MENTIONED, WE'VE EVEN REWORKED THE POND A BIT TO TRY AND SAVE ADDITIONAL TREES. AND WE GOT TO WHERE ONLY ONE HERITAGE TREE WAS ACTUALLY BEING REMOVED FROM THE SITE PLAN DEVELOPMENT ITSELF. ALL THE OTHERS ARE WITHIN EASEMENTS, KAUFMAN LOOP, THINGS LIKE THAT.
SO THIS IS WHERE WE STARTED. AND THEN WE AGAIN LOOKED AT THE LARGE SIGNIFICANT TREES AND SLIGHTLY TWEAKED THE SITE TO WORK AROUND THAT AS WELL. AND. WE ALSO PRESERVED UNDERSTORY TREES, WHICH COREY MENTIONED EARLIER. BUT JUST ANOTHER STEP WE TOOK TO, YOU KNOW, GIVE THAT SENSE OF FEEL THAT THIS DEVELOPMENT ISN'T IS WORKING WITH THE NATURE INSTEAD OF JUST TEARING IT ALL OUT. SO GREAT. I THINK THAT'S ABOUT IT. YEAH. THANK YOU FOR QUESTIONS. CAN YOU. ALL RIGHT. SOUNDS GOOD. AND THAT WE WILL MOVE INTO DISCUSSION. I'LL START TO MY RIGHT. COMMISSIONER MAHAN. ANY QUESTIONS? NO QUESTIONS. JUST A COUPLE OF STATEMENTS. TREE CASES ARE ALWAYS TOUGH BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, WE WANT TO PRESERVE TREES. BUT IF YOU LOOK AT THE LOT, IT'S A BIG FOREST THERE. RIGHT. OR, YOU KNOW, IT'S LITTERED WITH IT. SO IF WE WANT TO DEVELOP THAT LAND WHICH IS RIGHT ON 29 KAUFMAN LOOP, WHICH IS GOING TO BE A MAJOR ARTERIALS GOING RIGHT THROUGH THE MIDDLE OF IT, YOU KNOW, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO REMOVE SOME TREES.
UNFORTUNATELY, I DO APPRECIATE WHERE YOU WERE ABLE TO SAVE MORE THAN YOU'RE ASKING TO REMOVE ON THE HERITAGE TREES, BECAUSE THOSE ARE OUR MOST PRECIOUS ONES RIGHT THERE, AND THAT THEY'RE GOING TO BE, YOU KNOW, IN PLACES WHERE PEOPLE CAN STILL ENJOY THEM. SO I THINK THAT THAT'S GREAT. I ALSO LIKE BY BY DESIGN OR DEFAULT THAT YOUR DETENTION POND, WHICH IS ALSO SOME TREES ARE GOING TO BE ABUTTING THE NEIGHBORHOOD, WHICH IS RIGHT BEHIND YOU GUYS. SO I'M SURE THEY'LL APPRECIATE THAT AS WELL WITH NOT HAVING THE BUSINESSES RIGHT THERE, YOU KNOW, AT THEIR AT THEIR BACK DOOR. SO OVERALL, I THINK IT WAS A GOOD JOB AND A GOOD PLAN. I MEAN, I CAN I'M NOT A LANDSCAPER OR A DESIGNER, SO I CAN'T NITPICK TOO MUCH. I JUST APPRECIATE THE WORK THAT I CAN TELL THAT YOU GUYS PUT INTO IT. THANK YOU. COMMISSIONER MORALES. YEAH, IT DOES LOOK LIKE Y'ALL DID SAVE SOME ON THE PERIMETER OF THIS SITE, BUT IT DOES WHEN I'M READING THIS CORRECTLY. YOU KNOW, IT IS A PRETTY CLEAR CUT ACROSS WHERE ALL BUILDINGS, ALL PARKING LEVELED COMPLETELY. NONE WITHIN THE PARKING. WAS THERE NO WAY TO TRY TO PRESERVE SOME OF THE ONES ON 29 THAT ARE LARGE SIGNIFICANT RIGHT ALONG THE STREET, MAYBE SOME IN THE ISLANDS? OR ARE Y'ALL REACHING YOUR PARKING LIMITS? IS THERE NO WAY TO INCORPORATE THOSE INTO THE SITE? YEAH. SO ALONG HIGHWAY 29, WE GOT REALLY CONSTRAINED WITH EASEMENTS. I BELIEVE THERE IS WATER EASEMENTS, ELECTRICAL EASEMENTS AND THINGS LIKE THAT RUNNING THROUGH IT. AND SO THAT WAS THE BIGGEST IMPASSE ALONG HIGHWAY 29 AS TO WHY WE COULDN'T PRESERVE MORE OF THOSE TREES. IT ACTUALLY GOES, I BELIEVE, ABOUT
[00:35:05]
HALFWAY THROUGH. THE PAD SITES, IT'S HARD TO SEE, BUT THAT. I DON'T KNOW ON THIS. YEAH. LOOK AT THE TWO DIAGRAMS. WITH YOUR LARGE SIGNIFICANT TREES AND HERITAGE. YOU GOT A COUPLE CLUSTERS RIGHT ALONG THE STREET WITH PARKING. I WAS LIKE, NONE OF THOSE COULD HAVE BEEN SAVED.YEAH. SO THE EASEMENTS GO ALL THE WAY DOWN TO ABOUT HERE IN THE CURSOR. AND SO THAT THOSE EASEMENTS ARE WHY WE'RE REMOVING THOSE TREES. OKAY. ALSO JUST SHARE THAT AS PART OF THE DEVELOPMENT WE ARE GOING TO BE PUTTING IN SIDEWALKS AND REQUIREMENTS THAT TEXDOT. YEAH.
YEAH. SORRY, SORRY. COME ON UP. AS PART OF THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE DEVELOPMENT, IN ADDITION TO THE EASEMENTS, WE'RE ALSO PUTTING IN SIDEWALKS AND TEXDOT REQUIREMENTS THAT ALSO IMPEDE INTO THE SITE. SO IT'S NOT THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT IT'S JUST A CLEAR AREA THAT YOU CAN, YOU KNOW, COME IN AND SAVE THOSE TREES. OKAY. I GUESS SIMILAR ON THE ONES IN THE SOUTH CORNER. YOU GOT SOUTHWEST CORNER THAT ARE ALONG THE EASEMENTS THERE TOO IN THE BACK. OR IS IT THERE WAS A LITTLE CLUSTER. IT SEEMS TO BE THAT WE HAD A COUPLE BIG CLUSTERS OF LARGE, SIGNIFICANT TREES. AND YEAH, THERE'S A RETENTION POND RIGHT THERE. I THINK YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THAT GRAYED OUT AREA WHERE IT SAYS PCP 240. NO, NO TO THE RIGHT SIDE. YEAH. OH OH. FURTHER OFF IN THE CORNER TRIANGLE THERE I THOUGHT THAT WAS ALSO ANOTHER POND AS WELL. TO THE RIGHT. TO THE RIGHT IS THIS. YEAH. THAT AREA AREA THERE. YEAH. YEAH OKAY. YES. YEAH. SO THAT THAT IS ANOTHER POND. AND HOLLIS, OUR CIVIL ENGINEER IS GOING TO HELP YOU. SURE, SURE. HEY EVERYONE.
HOLLIS SCHEFFLER WESTWOOD CIVIL ENGINEER. SO I DON'T KNOW HOW TO HIGHLIGHT. OKAY. SO THIS AREA IS A DRIVE AISLE SO KIND OF CRITICAL FOR CIRCULATION AROUND THE BUILDING. ALSO FIRE ACCESS DRIVE AS WELL IF YOU'RE LOOKING RIGHT THERE. YEAH OKAY. YEAH. IT WOULD HAVE BEEN NICE TO TRY TO SAVE A FEW OF THE FEW MORE AROUND THE BUILDING IF POSSIBLE. BUT THANK YOU FOR YOUR FEEDBACK.
YEAH. YOU GOOD. ALL RIGHT, COMMISSIONER LADY I APPRECIATE THE EFFORT. IT LOOKS LIKE THERE WAS A LOT OF THOUGHT AND DESIGN PUT INTO SAVING SOME OF THE SIGNIFICANT TREES, WHICH I APPRECIATE. TREE CASES ARE ALWAYS VERY HARD FOR ME BECAUSE I THINK, YOU KNOW, SAVING SIGNIFICANT TREES ARE INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT. I THINK I ECHO SOME OF COMMISSIONER MORALES'S SENTIMENTS ABOUT, WERE THERE CERTAIN AREAS THAT WE COULD HAVE DONE MORE TO PRESERVE SOME OF THE TREES? AND IT SOUNDS LIKE YOU DID YOUR DUE DILIGENCE, AND YOU DETERMINED THAT BECAUSE OF EASEMENTS AND OTHER REASONS, THERE WASN'T A POSSIBILITY OF SAVING THOSE. SO I UNDERSTAND THAT. AND I THINK ALWAYS WHEN YOU'RE DEALING WITH TREE CASES, YOU'RE WEIGHING THE ECONOMIC BENEFIT TO THE CITY VERSUS, YOU KNOW, SAVING SOME OF THESE SIGNIFICANT TREES. SO I RECOGNIZE THAT GREAT COMMISSIONER LANDRIEU. WELL, I'M ALWAYS IT'S I'M ALWAYS A LITTLE BIT OF A HARD SELL WHEN I SAY 72% OF THE TOTAL TREES ARE BEING REMOVED ON THE SITE. BUT I WAS GLAD TO HEAR THAT SOME OF THE UNDERSTORY TREES ARE BEING SAVED. COULD YOU TALK ABOUT SOME OF THE VARIETIES OF THOSE UNDERSTORY TREES THAT BECAUSE THERE ARE A LOT OF NATIVE TREES COMING OUT OF HERE ON THE SIGNIFICANT LIST, POST OAKS, LIVE OAKS, YOU KNOW, PROBABLY PRETTY OLD TREES OUT THERE. YEAH. SO MOST OF THE UNDERSTORY TREES ARE TREES ON THE PREFERRED PLANT LIST. THERE'S A LOT OF OAKS OUT THERE. I BELIEVE QUITE A BIT OF CEDAR ELMS AS WELL. AND SO THEY ARE TREES THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO, TO KEEP AND, YOU KNOW, HELP ESTABLISH AND GET LARGER.
BUT THE UNDERSTORY TREES ARE, ARE ALL GOOD QUALITY TREES. OKAY. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT, ALL RIGHT. VICE CHAIR. YEAH. AND WHAT EVERYBODY'S SAYING ABOUT TREE CASES BEING DIFFICULT KIND OF EMOTIONALLY. I AM A NATIVE OF A PART OF ILLINOIS WHERE THE ONLY THING BREAKING UP THE CORNFIELDS WERE FORESTS LIKE THIS. SO EVERY TREE WE COULD SAVE. I WISH WE COULD. I MAY HAVE MISSED SOMETHING, THOUGH, THAT COMMISSIONER LANTRIP, WHEN YOU SAID 72 SOMETHING PERCENT.
BECAUSE I THOUGHT IT WAS 87.3% OF BOTH OF THOSE. OH, OF. GOTCHA. OKAY. I WAS LOOKING AT THE WRONG CHART. SO, I MEAN, EVEN THOUGH I'LL VOTE YES FOR IT, I YOU KNOW, I WON'T EVER NOT LAMENT LOSING 72% OF TREES ON A PIECE OF LAND LIKE THIS. SO GOING FORWARD, IF YOU CAN, IF
[00:40:01]
YOU'VE GOT A BRAINSTORM WHERE YOU THINK YOU CAN SAVE ONE MORE TREE, PLEASE DO. THAT'S IT. ALL RIGHT. YEAH. AND YOU KNOW, I AGREE WITH MY FELLOW COMMISSIONERS. I DO THINK A LOT OF EFFORT WAS PUT INTO THIS. AND THIS IS REALLY WHAT WE LOOK FOR IN TREE REMOVAL CASES. I THINK WHAT THE CITY LOOKS FOR IN TREE REMOVAL CASES, YOU KNOW, WE'VE GOT SOME, SOME PRETTY GOOD CASES WE'VE SEEN OVER THE YEARS. AND THIS IS DEFINITELY, LIKE I SAID, Y'ALL DONE A GREAT JOB. I SEE A LOT OF CARE AND EFFORT PUT INTO THE DEVELOPMENT. I DO REMEMBER THIS ONE COMING THROUGH AND WITH WITH THE INITIAL ZONING REQUESTS. AND YOU KNOW, I AT THE END OF THE DAY, I MEAN, THIS IS A THIS IS GOING TO BE A GREAT ADDITION DEVELOPMENT TO THE CITY OF OLEANDER. Y'ALL PUTTING A LOT OF EFFORT INTO ADDING SOME GREEN SPACES AS WELL THAT I THINK WILL BENEFIT THE COMMUNITY. SO, YOU KNOW, OVERALL, LIKE LIKE FELLOW COMMISSIONERS SAID, LOVE TO SAVE AS MANY TREES AS WE CAN. BUT WE ALSO UNDERSTAND THAT, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN'T NECESSARILY GO THROUGH AND BUILD WHAT YOU NEED TO BUILD THERE, HAVE THESE LARGE DRIVEWAYS, YOU KNOW, COMPLY WITH ALL OF THE OTHER ZONING AND ORDINANCE REQUIREMENTS WITHOUT HAVING TO TAKE SOME OF THOSE TREES OUT. I LIKE THE FACT THAT, YOU KNOW, YOU ARE PUTTING BACK, YOU KNOW, 14 1500 CALIPER INCHES OF TREES AS WELL. AND OF COURSE, YOU CAN'T REALLY OVERLOOK THE FACT THAT YOU'RE GOING TO BE PAYING ANOTHER 320,000 IN TREE MITIGATION FEES, WHICH I DID HAVE A QUESTION REGARDING THAT. DIRECTOR GRIFFIN, WHERE DOES THAT USUALLY FUNDING GO TO? JUST DIRECT TO THE CITY AND THEN IT GETS ALLOCATED TO OUR BUDGET? OR HOW DOES THAT GET USED BY THE CITY? IT IS USED BY THE CITY FOR ADDING TREES TO PARKS AND LANDSCAPING. OH, GREAT. GREAT. SO IT'S GOING BACK INTO HELPING PROVIDE AND PLANT MORE TREES FOR THE COMMUNITY, WHICH IS GREAT. SO WITH THAT, THIS IS AN ACTION ITEM. SO I'LL OPEN IT UP. DOES ANYBODY HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE? I'LL MAKE A SAD MOTION TO APPROVE. I'LL SECOND I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE BY THE VICE CHAIR AND SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER LIDAY. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR. AND THOSE OPPOSED. OKAY. WELL, IT PASSES 4 TO 2. ALL RIGHT. I THINK THAT IS IT. THE TIME IS NOW. 642* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.