Proposed amendments to the Thoroughfare Plan.
Pearland City Council and the Planning and Zoning Commission held two public hearings Monday (July 20).
The first hearing was to discuss amendments to the Unified Development Code (UDC) to require that all automobile related businesses (auto parts, repair, sales, etc.), pawnshops, payday loans companies and gold exchanges obtain approval of a Conditional Use Permit (CUP) in the General Business (GB), General Commercial (GC), Neighborhood Services (NS), and Office Professional (OP) zoning districts, as well as amendments to requirements regarding underground utilities.
A Conditional Use Permit allows the City to consider uses which may be essential or desirable, but which are not allowed as a matter of right within a zoning district, through a public hearing process. A conditional use permit can provide flexibility within a zoning ordinance.
Council asked City Staff to study an area that included Pearland Parkway from the northern city limits, just south of Clear Creek to the future connection of Dixie Farm Road to the south.
Zoning districts within the study area range from Planned Developments (PD), including the Stonebridge PD, Lakes of Highland Glen, Pearland’s Marketplace, Center at Pearland Parkway, Oakbrook Estates to conventional zoning district, General Business (GB). Staff identified 13 undeveloped tracts of land within the study area that would permit automobile-related uses by right or with approval of a CUP.
Staff conducted a workshop with City Council in February, and a workshop with Planning and Zoning and a Final Joint Workshop with Council and Planning and Zoning, both in June.
From those workshops, staff concluded that overall changes to the OP, NS,GB and GC zoning designations in the Unified Development Code (UDC) was the most effective way to achieve City Council’s goal and to avoid city-initiated zone changes for specific parcels, which could be viewed as downzoning.
As proposed, no uses which are currently allowed in any of the zones will be eliminated, but will simply involve further review by requiring the approval of a CUP.
Staff recommended the following changes to the UDC in order to achieve Council’s goal: Change all automobile related businesses, pawnshops, payday loan companies, and gold exchanges that are currently permitted outright in either the GB, GC, NS, or OP zones to require approval of a CUP, prior to opening up operations; amend the sections of the UDC that discuss underground utilities to further clarify what needs to be screened, when undergrounding is required, and who is responsible for payment of installation.
Council Members Keith Ordeneaux, Tony Carbone and Gary Moore expressed concerns with staff’s recommendation.
“I feel like we’re changing a whole lot for a small section of Pearland Parkway, but I don’t see any other option presented to us,” said Moore.
Council Members Greg Hill and Derrick Reed were in favor of the plan.
Planning and Zoning Commission Chairman Henry Fuertes said, “Some of those uses wouldn’t fit on some of this land. We’re talking about .3 something acres. You can’t get a gas station on .3 acres. They need to be on corners for traffic flow and such. I don’t know if we have any good corners except on Pearland Parkway that we need to worry about.”
“Parcels of land will have to meet UDC requirements. If the parcels are already platted, they are vested. They do not have to meet 30-foot buffer to neighboring residential land and landscaping requirements. That’s why we thought this would be a good compromise,” said Lata Krishnarao, Director of Community Development.
Mayor Tom Reid ended the discussion, saying, “We need to take every opportunity to upgrade the image of Pearland.”
As this was a public hearing, no action was taken on the matter.
The second hearing was regarding proposed amendments to the City’s Thoroughfare Plan.
The current plan was adopted on March 24, 2014. The proposed Thoroughfare Plan amendment included the following proposed changes: Realignment of the future Westminster Drive connection from Barry Rose Parkway to a connection with Pearland Parkway to provide another access point for the residential subdivision and also allow for access to the proposed commercial development at the corner of Barry Rose Parkway and Pearland Parkway; elimination of a minor collector road between Manvel Road and CR 107 through the proposed Massey Lakes Estates, as it has been determined that the designation is not needed; elimination of both major and minor collectors within the Blackacres development, located at the northwest corner of Main Street and Bailey Road.
Resident Sean Murphy came to the podium during the call for Citizen Comments.
“Speaking for the residents on Westminster, we want it to stay as-is. We believe making another access road to Pearland Parkway will create traffic problem. People already cut down Westminster to Barry Rose, speeding. We don’t want it to go to Pearland Parkway because more traffic will use it to get to 518,” said Murphy.
Carbone pointed out that the previously approved Planned Development (PD) already shows Westminster connecting to Pearland Parkway.
Moore expressed concern with the amendment making the thoroughfare into a straight road. “If it’s a straight road, it’s more likely for people to speed. We supposedly have windy roads to help control speed.”
As this was a public hearing, no action was taken on the matter.
Both issues will continued to be reviewed by staff and Planning and Zoning, and will be on Council’s agenda in the future.
For more information about the City of Pearland, visit PearlandTX.gov.
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