Jun 18, 2024 PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION

CONSIDER APPROVING THE MINUTES.

THERE BEING NO ONE DESIRING TO SPEAK.

THIS CONCLUDES THE CITIZEN'S COMMENT PORTION OF THE AGENDA MINUTES.

[a. Consider approving the meeting minutes of the May 21, 2024, Planning and Zoning Commission regular meeting.]

THANK YOU, TIM.

UM, OF MAY 21ST, 2024.

PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION, REGULAR MEETINGS.

GOOD EVENING COMMISSIONERS.

ALL OPPOSED? LIKE, SIGN.

OKAY,

[a. Conduct a public hearing and consider a request for a subdivision variance on approximately 0.92 acres at 7302, 7306, 7308, 7310, and 7318 Harrison Street to allow for the creation of five lots and one reserve with reduced lot size.]

VARIANCES.

I'LL READ THE FOLLOWING ONE TIME, AND IT APPLIES TO ALL PUBLIC HEARINGS.

PUBLIC HEARINGS ARE HELD FOR THE PURPOSE OF GIVING ALL INTERESTED PERSONS THE RIGHT TO SPEAK AND BE HEARD.

EVERYONE DESIRING TO SPEAK AT TODAY'S HEARING SHOULD HAVE SIGNED THE APPROPRIATE LIST.

AS THIS LIST WILL PROVIDE THE SPEAKING ORDER OF THE HEARING.

EACH SPEAKER SHALL GIVE THEIR NAME AND ADDRESS TO PROVIDE A PROPER RECORD OF THIS HEARING.

THE RULES ALLOW EACH SPEAKER THREE MINUTES TO PRESENT INFORMATION.

HOWEVER, I ENCOURAGE EVERYONE TO BE CONCISE.

IF YOU ARE A GROUP WISHING TO ADDRESS THE BOARD ON THE SAME SUBJECT, PLEASE SELECT A SPOKESPERSON TO PRESENT THE INFORMATION.

IF ANYONE HAS ANY QUESTIONS, PLEASE DIRECT THEM TO ME AND CONDUCT A PUBLIC HEARING.

CONSIDER A REQUEST FOR A SUBDIVISION VARIANCE ON AN APPROXIMATE 0.92 ACRES AT 7 3 0 2 7 3 0 6 7 3 0 8 7 3 10, AND 7 3 18 HARRISON STREET TO ALLOW FOR THE CREATION OF FIVE LOTS IN ONE RESERVE.

THANK YOU, TIM.

WITH REDUCED LOT SIZE, I WILL OPEN THIS PUBLIC HEARING AND ASK STAFF TO SUMMARIZE THE ITEM.

UM, REAL QUICK, JUST SO EVERYBODY KNOWS, I THINK THAT THERE HAS BEEN SOME, UM, SOME TECHNICAL ISSUES, UH, WITH SOME OF THE SCREENS AT THE DESK.

I THINK PROBABLY FROM OSCAR OVER THAT.

UM, SOMETIMES THEY'RE THE, UM, THE ITEMS THAT ARE BEING PRESENTED ARE NOT COMING UP ON THE SCREEN IF YOU'RE NOT GETTING THAT.

SO OF COURSE, YOU KNOW THAT YOU PRESS THE BUTTON OVER HERE.

IF THAT DOESN'T CHANGE YOU FROM THE AGENDA OVER TO THE POWERPOINT, THEN YOU'LL HAVE TO SWING AROUND AND, AND LOOK AT, UH, THESE OTHER SCREENS.

SO I'M NOT SURE WHICH OF THEM, BUT I, LIKE I SAID, I THINK IT'S PROBABLY FROM ABOUT THE FIFTH CHAIR OVER THAT'S DOING THAT, UH, TO THIS DIRECTION.

SO, JUST WANTED YOU TO BE AWARE.

HI, LAMIA.

MY NAME IS LAMIA SALEEMM, SENIOR PLANNER WITH THE PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT SERVICES.

THE SUBJECT PROPERTY IS LOCATED AT THE NORTHEAST CORNER OF HARRISON STREET WITH HODGES STREET.

IT'S COMPRISES OF, UM, FIVE EXISTING LOTS.

SO THAT'S AN AERIAL, UH, VIEW IN 2017.

THE SUBJECT PROPERTY IS IN THE A TJ BAYTOWN ETJ.

UM, SO THE, UH, THE FIVE EXISTING LOTS WERE, UM, THREE OF THEM WERE, UM, RESIDENTIAL LOTS, EXISTING RESIDENTIAL LOTS, AND AS WELL AS THE BIG LOT 73 10.

UM, HARRISON IS ALSO RESIDENTIAL.

THE, THE NORTH LOT, UM, LOCATED AT 73 18 WAS A COMMERCIAL RESERVE ACCORDING

[00:05:01]

TO HARRIS COUNTY, UH, RECORD.

AND THAT'S THE, UM, THE EXIST, THE EXISTING VIEW OF THE SAME PROPERTIES.

UM, AGAIN, IT'S FIVE EXISTING LOTS.

THE APPLICANT IS REQUESTING TO SUBDIVIDE THE LARGER LOT LOCATED AT 73 10 HARRISON STREET INTO TWO.

EACH HAS, UM, 10,000 SQUARE FEET, UH, IN LOT SIZE.

HOWEVER, THE SUBJECT VARIANCE IS FOR THE EXISTING LOTS SINCE EACH HAS 5,000 SQUARE FEET ONLY.

AND THIS IS NOT IN ACCORDANCE WITH OUR, UH, SUBDIVISION STANDARDS, WHICH REQUIRES 5,400 SQUARE FEET PER LOT.

AND THAT'S, UH, THE PLA ASSOCIATED WITH THE SUBDIVISION VARIANCE.

SO THE APPLICANT IS LOOKING TO SUBDIVIDE THE, THE PROPERTY, UH, INTO FIVE RESIDENTIAL LOTS AND KEEP THE EXISTING COMMERCIAL RESERVE THAT WAS EXISTING PRIOR TO THE CITY CODE.

AND THE REASON FOR, UH, FOR HAVING THOSE EXISTING LOTS IS TO HAVE UTILITIES.

AND THAT'S A REQUEST FROM, UH, HARRIS COUNTY.

THEY SEND US, UH, A REQUEST TO RECOGNIZE EXISTING LOTS AS WELL AS THE, THE NEW SUBDIVISION OF THE LARGER LOT.

AND STAFF RECOMMENDS APPROVAL.

IS THE APPLICANT HERE TO SPEAK? NO.

NO.

AND MR. LYONS, I SHOW THAT YOU ARE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK FOR THIS ITEM, BUT IS THIS THE ITEM YOU WANNA TALK ABOUT OR WAS IT THE UDLC CODE? THE ZONING.

WELL I'M GONNA HOLD THIS THEN UNTIL THEN.

UM, IS SINCE THERE'S NO ONE ELSE, UM, READY TO SPEAK, THE PUBLIC HEARING IS NOW CLOSED.

ANY DISCUSSION BY THE COMMISSION? ANY QUESTIONS? UH, I WANNA MAKE SURE IT'S CLEAR THAT BASICALLY THE LOTS ARE EXISTING, THEY'RE ALREADY UNDERSIZED.

AND THE REASON THAT WE'RE EVEN GOING THROUGH THIS IS TO MAKE SURE IT'S KIND OF A HOUSEKEEPING ITEM MORE THAN ANYTHING.

UM, BECAUSE IN ORDER FOR THE COUNTY TO DO WHAT THEY NEED TO DO WITH IT, IT NEEDS TO BE PLATTED.

IN ORDER FOR US TO PLAT IT, WE NEED TO RECTIFY THIS ISSUE.

SO, AGAIN, MORE OF A HOUSEKEEPING ISSUE THAN ANYTHING ELSE.

SO THE TWO THAT ARE ACTUALLY BEING PLATTED, OR THE TWO THAT ARE ACTUALLY BEING SPLIT, THOSE ARE FINE.

THE TWO BIGGER ONES, THOSE ARE, THE SIZE IS NOT A PROBLEM.

IT'S THE OTHER FOUR THAT ALREADY EXIST THAT ARE THE PROBLEM.

SO THE NEXT ITEM YOU'RE GONNA SEE IS THE PLAT FOR THIS ITEM.

SO, UM, IN CASE THERE IS ANY QUESTION OF THAT, JUST MAKE SURE EVERYBODY'S, UH, CLEAR.

WE'RE IN A PUBLIC HEARING, RIGHT? WE'RE NOT IN THE SECOND? NO, WE CLOSED THE PUBLIC HEARING.

WE CLOSED THE PUBLIC HEARING.

THEN I HAVE SOME QUESTIONS YET.

SO I'M GONNA HAVE A PROBLEM THROUGHOUT THE NEXT YEAR OR TWO ON GIVING ANY VARIANCES OF ANY KIND.

THE LOT SIZE.

WE'RE 5,400 NOW FOR THE STANDARD, WE'RE GOING TO 5,400 FOR THE NEW CODE.

ONLY GET IN THE HABIT TO START GIVING THESE VARIS TO THESE SIZES.

AND I DON'T THE TWO LOTS NOW 'CAUSE WE CAN'T SEE THE SCREEN.

THE BOTTOM THREE IN THERE ARE THOSE THREE LOTS CURRENTLY.

TWO LOTS.

MY RED BUTTON NEXT TO YOUR NO, THERE ISN'T WORKING.

IS NOT WORKING.

MAY NOT WORK.

SO SHE WENT BACK FOR YOU, MIKE.

UH, REPLANT THE EXISTING LOTS AS WELL AS THE, UM, THE, THE LARGER LOT IN ORDER FOR THEM TO GET UTILITIES.

SO, SO THIS IS AN, BOTH OF THE LOTS ARE EXISTING AND LOT FIVE HAS A HOUSE RIGHT NOW, AS I SHOWED IN THE AREA OF 2024.

LOT FOUR HAS A HOUSE.

IT'S EXISTING SINCE 2019 AND 2021.

LOT THREE IS VACANT.

LOT ONE USED TO HAVE A HOUSE AND IT WAS DEMOLISHED BEFORE 2014.

AND RESERVE A USED TO HAVE A STRUCTURE FOR COMMERCIAL.

AND IT WAS, IT WAS DEMOLISHED IN 2018.

SO WHAT ARE THE SETBACKS ON THESE LOTS RIGHT NOW? EXISTING? SO IT'S MORE THAN 15, IT'S MORE THAN 15 FEET, UH, BUILDING LINE.

I CAN GO BACK TO THE, UM, TO THE AREA.

AND 15 FEET IS THE REQUIREMENT.

LAIA 15 FEET IS THE REQUIREMENT FOR, UH, BUILDING LINE.

SO THEY'RE ALREADY PLANNING.

WHY ARE WE REPLANTING THEM? YEAH, THAT'S, UH, YEAH.

WE, WE HAD THIS REQUEST FROM THE APPLICANT TO,

[00:10:01]

SO THE UTILITY COMPANY IS ASKING THEM TO PLA THE PROPERTIES EACH, UH, EACH ONE SO THEY CAN GET UTILITIES.

TO, TO BE CLEAR, IT'S NOT PLATTED CURRENTLY.

IS THAT CORRECT? LA SUGGESTION? YES.

IT'S NOT, THIS IS, THIS IS A NEW PLAT.

EXCUSE ME BEFORE, I JUST WANNA MAKE A POINT OF ORDER.

THERE WAS A MOTION UNTIL WITHOUT A SECOND.

I DON'T THINK WE COULD DISCUSS UNTIL WE HAVE A SECOND.

WELL, WE, WE GOT OUTTA ORDER BECAUSE HE, HE FAILED, RIGHT? NO, I WILL, WE ASK QUESTIONS? I'LL MAKE THE SECOND AND THEN HE, WE CAN DISCUSS.

I'M SORRY, I JUST, GOOD POINT.

HAVE A SECOND.

PERFECT.

SO, UM, SO, SO THIS IS A NEW PLAT.

THE LOTS THEMSELVES ALREADY EXIST AND SOME OF THEM HAVE BEEN THERE FOR QUITE A WHILE.

SO THE REASON THEY'RE BEING PLATTED NOW IS TO BASICALLY GET ALL THE PAPERWORK RIGHT FOR HARRIS COUNTY.

SO THEY WEREN'T PLATTED CORRECTLY THE FIRST TIME.

THAT'S CORRECT.

OKAY, THANK YOU.

WHICH HAPPENS MORE THAN WE'D LIKE TO.

YEAH, THINK ABOUT THEY NORMALLY ARE SUBDIVIDED VIA DEEDS, NOT VIA PLATING AND RECORDING.

OKAY, WELL I HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND.

FIVE PLATS, CONSIDER APPROVING HIGHLAND FARMS FINAL REPL PROSPER ESTATES APPROXIMATELY 0.92 ACRES AT SEVEN THREE OH TWO SEVEN THREE OH SIX SEVEN THREE OH EIGHT SEVEN THREE TEN SEVEN THREE EIGHTEEN HARRISON STREET AND THE CITY EXTRA, UH, TERRITORIAL, UH, ADJUDICATION.

ALL OPPOSED? LIKE TH OKAY.

[a. Consider approving Highland Farms Final Replat Prospere Estates, approximately 0.92 acres, at 7302, 7306, 7308, 7310, and 7318 Harrison Street in the City's Extra Territorial Jurisdiction (ETJ).]

ETJ I'LL ASK STAFF TO PLEASE SUMMARIZE THE ITEM.

SO THIS IS THE PLAT ASSOCIATED WITH THE SUBDIVISION VARIANCE.

SO IT'S THE SAME, UM, THE SAME SUBJECT SITES WITH THE SAME LOTS, UH, CONFIGURATION THAT WE TALKED ABOUT.

SO NORMALLY THE SUBDIVISION VARIANCE COMES WITH A FINAL PLAT.

SO WE GIVE THE APPLICANT THE OPTION TO, TO DO BOTH APPLICATIONS AT ONE, UH, ONE HEARING.

SO THEY DID THAT, AND THAT'S THE PLAT.

AND WE RECOMMEND APPROVAL.

COMMISSIONERS, DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? UH, JUST FOR CLARIFICATION AND FOR THE RECORD, UH, THIS IS CALLED A REPL.

AND THE REASON WHY THAT IS, IS IT'S, IT'S PART OF THE HIGHLAND FARMS ORIGINAL, WHICH IS A VERY, VERY, VERY OLD SUBDIVISION, UM, SIMILAR TO THE ATLANTA COTTON FRUIT FARMS, AND A LOT OF THOSE OTHER ONES THAT ARE IN THAT PART OF THE CITY.

UM, SO IT IS SHOWN AS A REPL, BUT, BUT YES, THIS IS A FRESH PLA OF THESE PROPERTIES.

OKAY, THAT MAKES SENSE.

ALRIGHT, SO I NEED A MOTION MOVE TO APPROVE PLAT FIVE A SECOND.

SECOND.

ALL IN FAVOR, SAY AYE.

ALL OPPOSED, LIKE, SIGN.

B, CONSIDER APPROVING LOMAS VERDE'S PRELIMINARY PLAT, APPROXIMATELY 11.770 ACRES LOCATED ON THIS NORTHWESTERN CORNER OF THE INTERSECTION OF HANEY ROAD AND FIG ORCHARD ROAD IN THE CITY'S ETJ.

FIVE

[b. Consider approving Lomas Verdes Preliminary Plat, approximately 11.70 acres, located at the northwestern corner of the intersection of Haney Road and Fig Orchard Road in the City's Extra Territorial Jurisdiction (ETJ).]

I'LL ASK STAFF TO PLEASE SUMMARIZE THE ITEM.

SURE.

GOOD EVENING, MAD CHAIR AND THE COMMISSIONERS, TIM CHI HERE WITH THE CITY'S PLANNING AND THE DEVELOPMENT SERVICES.

BEFORE YOU LISTEN WINNING, WE HAVE THIS PRELIMINARY PLA THE SUBJECT SIDE IS LOCATED AT THE NORTHWEST CORNER OF THE INTERSECTION OF HANNEY ROAD AND THE F ORCHARD ROAD IN THE CITY'S ETJ.

IT'S APPROXIMATELY 11.70 ACRES.

THE APPLICANT, THE APPLICANT IS PROPOSING A PRELIMINARY PLOT TO DIVIDE THE 11.70 ACRE TRACK OF LAND INTO ONE BLOCK.

AND THE SEVEN LOTS STAFF RECOMMENDS APPROVAL.

ANY DISCUSSION? COMMISSIONERS? SO THESE ARE ALL LARGE LOTS IT LOOKS LIKE.

CORRECT? CORRECT.

THEY ALL MEET THE MINIMUM STANDARDS, LOSS SIZE, UH, LEFT FRONTAGE.

CAN I GET A MOTION PLEASE? MOTION TO APPROVE.

AND A SECOND.

SECOND.

DID WE GET A SECOND? A SECOND.

JANICE SECOND.

JANICE.

OH, I DIDN'T HEAR YOU.

SORRY.

SIX A ZONING, CONDUCT A PUBLIC HEARING REGARDING THE REPEAL AND REPLACEMENT OF THE CITY'S UNIFIED LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE ULDC.

ANY OPPOSED? LIKE SIGNED.

ALRIGHT, MOVING ON TO

[a. Conduct a public hearing regarding the repeal and replacement of the City's Unified Land Development Code (ULDC).]

I'LL OPEN THIS PUBLIC HEARING AND ASK STAFF TO PLEASE SUMMARIZE THE ITEM.

ALRIGHT,

[00:15:01]

PULLING UP A NEW PRESENTATION HERE FOR THE RECORD.

RYAN VELOC, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR, PLANNING DEVELOPMENT SERVICES.

GOOD EVENING, MEMBERS OF THE COMMISSION, UH, BEFORE YOU.

TONIGHT IS THE FIRST PUBLIC HEARING, UH, FOR THE REPEAL AND REPLACEMENT OF THE UNIFIED LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE.

I DO WANNA MAKE IT CLEAR THAT IT IS, UH, BOTH GOING TO BE THE REPEAL AND REPLACEMENT OF THE ACTUAL CODE LANGUAGE ITSELF AND ALSO THE MAP.

SO THERE ARE TWO PARTS.

WITH ANY ZONING ORDINANCE, YOU HAVE TO HAVE A MAP AND YOU HAVE TO HAVE THE ORDINANCE.

SO THIS WOULD BE, UM, FOR, UH, BOTH OF THEM.

SO I'M GONNA GIVE KIND OF A QUICK SUMMARY, UM, OF, OF KIND OF WHY WE'RE HERE.

AND THEN, UH, WE'LL GO INTO A LITTLE BIT OF WHAT THE, THE CODE, UM, LAYS OUT.

UH, SO WHY ARE WE HERE? UH, SO CURRENTLY THE CURRENT CODE HAS, UH, SEVERAL CHALLENGES.

UH, IT IS, UH, RATHER DIFFICULT TO ADMINISTER.

UM, THERE ARE, UH, USES THAT WERE NOT EVEN CONTEMPLATED AT THE TIME OF WHEN, UH, THE CODE WAS WRITTEN, UH, BACK IN 2012.

UM, AND SO WE ARE IN THE PROCESS OF TRYING TO MODERNIZE THE CODE, MAKE IT A LITTLE BIT MORE USER FRIENDLY, GIVE SOME FLEXIBILITY.

UH, THERE WAS A NEW COMPREHENSIVE PLAN THAT WAS APPROVED BY THE CITY IN 2022.

AND AS PART OF, OF THAT, TYPICALLY AFTER YOU ADOPT A NEW COMPREHENSIVE PLAN, THE NEXT STEP IS TO ADOPT, UH, DEVELOPMENT REGULATIONS, UM, THAT WOULD HELP, UH, ENACT THE GOALS OF THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN.

SO THAT IS PART OF WHAT THIS IS.

UH, WE WANNA ENCOURAGE QUALITY DEVELOPMENT.

UM, WE WANT TO SEE A, A HIGH STANDARD OF DEVELOPMENT WITHIN THE CITY.

UH, WE WANT TO, UH, ALSO, AGAIN, PROVIDE FLEXIBILITY, UM, AND ALSO, UH, PROVIDE THAT ABILITY FOR, UH, DEVELOPERS TO THINK A LITTLE BIT OUTSIDE OF THE BOX, MAYBE OUTSIDE OF WHAT TRADITIONAL DEVELOPMENT, UM, HAS LOOKED LIKE IN BAYTOWN.

UM, AND THEN, UH, NEED FOR IMPROVED FLEXIBILITY AND EASE OF USE.

UH, THE NEW CODE HAS, UM, A LOT OF ILLUSTRATIONS, A LOT OF GRAPHICS, A LOT OF PICTURES TO ACTUALLY KIND OF ILLUSTRATE WHAT, UH, WHAT THE CODE IS ACTUALLY, UH, REQUIRING OF, OF PROPERTY OWNERS.

UM, AND WE BELIEVE THAT THAT WILL HELP, UH, MAKE IT A LITTLE BIT EASIER FOR, UH, THE CODE TO BE USED, UH, NOT ONLY BY THE PUBLIC, BUT ALSO BY STAFF AND BY, UH, PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION AND CITY COUNCIL.

SO WHAT ARE OUR GOALS OF THE DOCUMENT? SO, UH, YOU'LL HEAR THIS REGULARLY, BUT WE WANT THIS TO BE USER FRIENDLY.

UM, SO THE CURRENT OR THE PROPOSED CODES OVER 400 PAGES LONG.

UH, DON'T LET THAT NUMBER SCARE YOU.

UH, A LOT OF, OF WHAT YOU'LL SEE IN THERE ARE TABLES AND CHARTS, UH, ILLUSTRATIONS, GRAPHICS, UH, THINGS LIKE THAT.

SO, UH, WE HAVE TAKEN A LOT OF THINGS THAT, UH, MAY HAVE BEEN SEVERAL PARAGRAPHS IN OUR CURRENT CODE AND CONDENSED THAT DOWN INTO TABLES.

UM, AGAIN, UH, FOR THAT EASE OF USE, UH, WE WANT IT TO BE INTUITIVELY ORGANIZED.

UH, RIGHT NOW, UH, THE CODE IS, IS KIND OF WHAT I LIKE TO CALL, IF YOU REMEMBER BACK FROM YOUR CHILDHOOD, THE CHOOSE YOUR OWN ADVENTURE BOOKS OF WHERE YOU HAVE TO FLIP FROM PAGE TO PAGE.

UM, WE'RE, WE'RE TRYING TO AVOID THAT.

UM, ALSO THE CODE ITSELF, UH, IS, UH, UH, BEING PREPARED SO THAT IT CAN BE PRESENTED ELECTRONICALLY SO THAT, UM, SOMEBODY IS ABLE TO ACTUALLY CLICK, CLICK LINKS WITHIN IT AND TO GO DIRECTLY TO, UM, DIFFERENT CHAPTERS, UM, OF THE CODE.

WE WANT IT TO BE FAIR AND EQUITABLE.

UM, WE WANT TO HAVE PREDICTIVE, UH, PREDICTABLE AND FAIR DEVELOPMENT REVIEW PROCESS.

AND SO WE'RE TAKING, UM, A LOT, UM, HOPEFULLY WITH REMOVING SOME OF THE AMBIGUITY.

UM, WE CAN, AGAIN, BE, UH, FAIR AND EQUITABLE TO ALL PROPERTY OWNERS.

WE WANT IT TO BE STRAIGHTFORWARD AND EXPLAINABLE.

UH, WE'RE TRYING TO GET RID OF A LOT OF THE PLANNING JARGON, UM, SO THAT ANYBODY CAN PICK UP THE CODE AND AGAIN, UNDERSTAND WHAT IS EXPECTED OF, UM, OF A, A DEVELOPER, UM, IN THE CITY OF BAYTOWN, UH, RECOGNIZABLE TERMS AND PRACTICES.

AGAIN, GETTING RID OF A LOT OF THAT PLANNING JARGON, UH, GOING WITH MORE PLAIN LANGUAGE, UH, AGAIN, UH, TO MAKE IT A LITTLE BIT MORE USER FRIENDLY.

UM, AND THEN EFFICIENT, FLEXIBLE, AND PREDICTABLE DEVELOPMENT.

UM, THAT IS THE ONE THING WE HEAR THE BIGGEST, UH, FROM, UH, DEVELOPERS IS, UM, WHENEVER THEY COME INTO ANY COMMUNITY, THEY WANT TO KNOW WHAT THE RULES ARE.

UM, THEY'RE NOT AS WORRIED ABOUT WHAT THE RULES ARE, THEY JUST NEED TO KNOW THAT THEY HAVE A CLEAR, UH, ROADMAP, UH, TO GO FORWARD WITH.

AND SO THE HOPE IS THAT THIS CODE WILL DO THAT FOR, UH, DEVELOPERS.

UM, SO WHERE ARE WE AT? WHERE HAVE WE KIND OF COME FROM? SO, UH, THIS PROCESS HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR OVER 18 MONTHS.

WE STARTED BACK IN SEPTEMBER OF 2022.

UM, THIS HAS NOT BEEN, UH, DEVELOPED IN A VACUUM.

WE HAVE, UH, HAD, UM, SEVERAL FOCUS GROUPS AND STAKEHOLDER, UH, GROUP INTERVIEWS.

WE'VE HAD, UM, OPEN HOUSES.

WE HAVE HAD, UM, UH, AN, AN OPEN HOUSE, UH, AT THAT, UH, AN IN-PERSON OPEN HOUSE.

WE'VE HAD A LIBRARY OPEN HOUSE.

WE HAD A WORK SESSION, UM, WITH THIS BODY AND WITH CITY COUNCIL, UH, LAST WEEK.

UM, AND THIS IS ONE OF FOUR PUBLIC HEARINGS THAT WE ARE GONNA BE HOLDING ON THIS, UH, JUST, UH, FOR KIND OF A REFERENCE, UH, UNDER STATE LAW, WE HAVE TO DO TWO PUBLIC HEARINGS.

UH, WE UNDERSTAND HOW IMPORTANT THIS IS, UH, TO THE PUBLIC.

AND SO WE WANT TO PROVIDE AS MANY OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE PUBLIC TO, UH, GIVE US THEIR FEEDBACK AS POSSIBLE.

AND THAT, UH, STARTS THIS EVENING WITH, UH, WITH A PUBLIC HEARING.

SO WE ARE NOT ASKING YOU TO MAKE ANY DECISIONS TONIGHT.

THIS IS JUST

[00:20:01]

AN OPPORTUNITY TO, UM, HEAR WHAT THE PUBLIC'S CONCERNS ARE.

UH, I DO WANT TO NOTE THAT THIS IS STILL A WORK IN PROGRESS.

SO CONCERNS THAT WE HEAR TONIGHT, WE ARE GONNA TAKE BACK.

WE WILL, UH, TAKE A LOOK AT THE CODE, UM, AND SEE, UH, WHERE WE CAN MAYBE ADDRESS SOME OF THOSE, THOSE CONCERNS.

UH, WE'VE ALREADY HEARD SOME CONCERNS, UM, FROM THE PUBLIC, UM, JUST WITH THE WORK SESSION THAT WE HAD LAST WEEK.

AND WE ARE CONTINUING, UH, TO, TO WORK THROUGH THAT.

UM, SO AGAIN, THIS IS, THERE'S NOTHING IN THE CODE THAT IS SET IN STONE.

UH, WE STILL HAVE QUITE A BIT OF WORK OVER THE NEXT, UH, FIVE OR SIX WEEKS, UM, TO GET IT, UH, TO A POINT WHERE HOPEFULLY IT'LL BE ABLE TO BE ADOPTED BY THE END OF JULY BY CITY COUNCIL.

SO WHAT ARE SOME CHANGES IN THE, THE ULDC? UM, SO THERE ARE KIND OF FOUR DIFFERENT, UH, THINGS THAT I'LL HIT ON, UH, THIS EVENING.

UH, THE FIRST ONE IS ZONING DISTRICTS.

UH, WE CONSOLIDATED SEVERAL OF OUR ZONING DISTRICTS.

UH, WE ARE LOOKING AT DOING MORE OF A CHARACTER, UH, BASED APPROACH TO OUR DISTRICTS, UM, AND DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS, UH, HOUSING TYPES.

WE WANT TO PROVIDE A BROAD VARIETY OF HOUSING OPTIONS BY RIGHT, UM, IN DIFFERENT RESIDENTIAL ZONING DISTRICTS.

SO, UM, UH, THE TERM THAT YOU'LL OFTEN HEAR WILL BE MISSING MIDDLE HOUSING.

SO WE'RE LOOKING AT LOWER DENSITY, UM, OPTIONS, DUPLEXES, UH, THE, THE SORT, UM, ALLOWING THOSE MORE BY RIGHT.

AND CERTAIN, UM, UH, ZONING DISTRICTS.

UH, A BIG ONE IS PARKING STANDARDS.

UH, WE ARE LOOKING TO REMOVE OUR PARKING MINIMUMS FROM NON-RESIDENTIAL USES.

UH, THE REASON FOR THAT, AGAIN, IS THAT BUSINESSES KNOW BETTER, UM, THAN THE CITY IN TERMS OF WHEN IT COMES TO, UH, THEIR PARKING NEEDS.

UM, AND ALSO, ALSO, UM, THE HIGHER PARKING MINIMUMS THAT HAVE BEEN IN PLACE FOR A A LONG TIME, UM, HAVE NOT REALLY KEPT UP WITH THE, THE CHANGING IN MARKETS.

UH, YOU KNOW, AFTER COVID, WE HAVE A LOT MORE PEOPLE ARE DOING CURBSIDE TO GO, UM, FOR A LOT OF OUR, OUR COMMERCIAL USES.

AND SO WE JUST DON'T NEED AS MUCH PARKING, UH, ADDITIONAL PARKING ADD TO, UM, THE, THE URBAN HEAT ISLAND EFFECT, UM, ADD TO, UH, STRESSES WITH OUR DRAINAGE SYSTEM AS WELL.

UM, AND, UH, TAKES AWAY DEVELOPABLE LAND FROM, UH, FROM PROPERTY OWNERS OF WHERE THEY COULD, UH, UTILIZE THAT IN A MORE EFFICIENT MANNER.

I DO WANNA BE CLEAR THOUGH, THAT WE ARE NOT REMOVING PARKING MINIMUMS FROM RESIDENTIAL USES, UM, BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT, THAT, UH, PARKING IS A PREMIUM IN, UH, MANY OF OUR RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOODS.

AND, AND, UH, WE DO WANT TO ENSURE THAT, UM, NEW RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT, UH, STILL DOES MAINTAIN, UH, A MINIMUM AMOUNT OF PARKING, UM, FOR THOSE, UM, USES.

AND THEN OUR DEVELOPMENT REVIEW PROCEDURES, UH, A BIG THING YOU'LL SEE IS WE REALLY WANT TO CONSOLIDATE AND STREAMLINE OUR PROCEDURES FOR CONSISTENT AND PREDICTABLE REVIEW, LOOKING AT A LOT MORE ADMINISTRATIVE, UH, REVIEW.

SO FOLKS AREN'T HAVING TO WAIT A MONTH TO GO BEFORE PLANNING A ZONING COMMISSION.

UM, GIVING, UH, MORE FLEXIBILITY WITH SPECIAL USE PERMITS FOR USES THAT MAY HAVE, UH, MAY NOT BE CONTEMPLATED BY THE, UH, THE ZONING ORDINANCE.

UM, AND ALSO ALLOWING, UH, SOME FLEXIBILITY IN TERMS OF NON-CONFORMING USES, UM, GIVING THEM, UH, SOME ABILITY, UH, TO, UH, GO BEFORE THE PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION AND CITY COUNCIL TO, UM, TO CONTINUE THEIR USE OR POTENTIALLY EXPAND IT.

UM, SO WHAT IS, WHAT IS CHANGING? UM, SO WE HAVE SEVERAL OF OUR ZONING DISTRICTS WHERE WE'RE NOT REALLY, UH, THERE'S NO CHANGE IN, UM, THE, THE ZONING NAME, UM, OR DISTRICT THAT WOULD BE OUR LIGHT INDUSTRIAL OR HEAVY INDUSTRIAL.

UH, SAN JACINTO, WHICH IS CURRENTLY AN OVERLAY DISTRICT, WOULD GO TO A STANDALONE ZONING DISTRICT.

UM, OUR PLANNING OF DEVELOPMENT, AGAIN, IS AN OVERLAY DISTRICT THAT WOULD GO TO A STANDALONE ZONING DISTRICT AS WELL.

OUR OPEN SPACE AND RECREATION AND OUR DRILLING OVERLAY DISTRICT, UM, THOSE WOULD ALL STAY THE SAME IN TERMS OF THE NAMES, UM, AND GENERALLY THE USES WITHIN THEM.

UH, WE HAVE RENAMED SEVERAL OF OUR, UM, ZONING DISTRICTS TO BRING THEM A LITTLE BIT MORE IN LINE WITH, UH, WATER COMPREHENSIVE PLAN.

UM, AND OUR FUTURE LAND USE MAP, UM, IS LOOKING FOR THEM AND ALSO TO, UM, UH, BETTER DESCRIBE THE DEVELOPMENT THAT'S WITHIN THEM.

SO, UM, THE ACE DISTRICT WOULD BECOME THE DOWNTOWN ARTS DISTRICT.

OUR NEIGHBORHOOD SERVING COMMERCIAL, UM, BECOMES JUST NEIGHBORHOOD COMMERCIAL OR URBAN NEIGHBORHOOD, WHICH IS GENERALLY WHERE OUR MANUFACTURED, UM, UH, HOMES ARE PERMITTED IN THE CITY.

UM, WOULD GO TO AN ALTERNATIVE RESIDENTIAL, UM, UH, DISTRICT.

OUR SINGLE FAMILY ESTATE, UH, JUST BECOMES, UH, A STATE RESIDENTIAL AND OUR LOW DENSITY SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENTIAL SF ONE BECOMES SUBURBAN RESIDENTIAL.

SO WE'VE ALSO MERGED SEVERAL OF OUR DISTRICTS.

UM, SO THOSE DISTRICTS, UH, ARE MF TWO AND MF THREE, WHICH ARE A MULTI-FAMILY TWO AND THREE.

UM, WOULD, AND I APOLOGIZE, THAT'S ACTUALLY SUPPOSED TO BE URBAN RESIDENTIAL, NOT GENERAL COMMERCIAL, UM, SF ONE.

AND, UH, MF ONE WOULD BECOME A MIXED RESIDENTIAL.

SO AGAIN, UM, WE ALREADY HAVE THAT.

UM, SF TWO IS KNOWN AS MIXED RESIDENTIAL LOW TO MEDIUM DENSITY.

SO WE ALREADY KIND OF ENVISION A MIXTURE OF HOUSING USES IN THERE.

AGAIN, JUST, UH, TRYING TO, UH, CLARIFY THAT,

[00:25:01]

UM, OUR MIXED USE IN OUR LIVABLE CENTER, THEY BOTH KIND OF DO THE SAME SORT OF THING.

UM, AND SO, UH, CONVERTING THAT INTO A MIXED USE NEIGHBORHOOD, UH, ZONING DISTRICT.

AND THEN, UH, WE ARE SPLITTING OUT OUR GENERAL COMMERCIAL ZONING DISTRICT INTO A GENERAL, GENERAL COMMERCIAL AND FREEWAY COMMERCIAL.

THE FREEWAY COMMERCIAL WOULD BE A LITTLE BIT MORE INTENSIVE USES, UM, THAT MIGHT MAKE SENSE, UH, ALONG OUR FREEWAYS, UM, BUT MAYBE NOT ALONG OUR, OUR, UH, COMMERCIAL CORRIDORS LIKE OUR ROAD, UM, ALEXANDER, PLACES LIKE THAT.

SO ONE OF THE OTHER, UH, TYPES OF CHANGES THAT I SPOKE ABOUT WAS OUR HOUSING AND SUBDIVISION TYPES.

UM, THE PROPOSED CODE WOULD INCREASE THE HOUSING TYPE OPTIONS.

UH, WE ARE LOOKING AT ALLOWING MORE BUY RIGHT OPTIONS, UH, WHERE FOLKS DON'T HAVE TO GO THROUGH AND REQUEST A SPECIAL USE PERMIT, UM, OR DO A PLAN UNIT DEVELOPMENT IF THEY WANT TO DO SOMETHING A LITTLE BIT OUTSIDE OF THE BOX.

UM, WE, UH, ARE NOW LOOKING AT DIFFERENT TYPES OF SUBDIVISION TYPES, UH, BEYOND JUST OUR CONVENTIONAL SUBDIVISION TYPES.

WE ARE LOOKING AT THINGS CALLED A CLUSTER DEVELOPMENT, WHICH, UH, THE TRADE OFF IS THE DEVELOPER GETS A LITTLE BIT MORE HIGHER DENSITY, BUT IN RETURN, THEY ARE PROVIDING SOME MORE GREEN SPACE FOR THE RESIDENTS.

AND THEN AN INFILL DEVELOPMENT, WHICH, UM, IS IN THE OLDER PARTS OF OUR CITY.

UM, MAYBE AREAS WHERE, UM, BUILDINGS HAVE BEEN REMOVED, UM, AND, AND WHERE WE ALREADY HAVE THE INFRASTRUCTURE IN PLACE, UM, WHERE WE CAN SERVE, UM, MAYBE SOME SMALL POCKET NEIGHBORHOODS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

UM, AND THEN AGAIN, LOTS OF GRAPHICS AND ILLUSTRATIONS THROUGH REMU, REMOVE THAT AMBIGUITY.

UM, SO AGAIN, THAT THE, UH, PUBLIC UNDERSTANDS EXACTLY WHAT THE CODE IS WANTING, UH, TO DO, UH, PARKING REGULATIONS.

AS I TOUCHED ON, UH, NO MARK MINIMUM PARKING FOR, UH, NON-RESIDENTIAL USES.

UM, ENHANCED ILLUSTRATIONS FOR EASE OF USE.

AND WE ARE INTRODUCING THE REQUIREMENT FOR, UH, BICYCLE PARKING.

UM, A SMALL AMOUNT OF IT, BUT FOR SOME OF OUR LARGER USES, UM, AS WE DO HAVE, UH, MANY PEOPLE IN THE CITY WHO, UM, USE THEIR BICYCLE FOR BOTH PLEASURE AND ALSO, UM, AS THEIR MAIN MEANS OF TRANSPORTATION.

AND THEN OUR DEVELOPMENT REVIEW PROCEDURES AND UPDATE AND MODERNIZED, UH, LAND USE TABLE.

UH, WE WANNA CONSOLIDATE, LIKE USES, GROUPING USES MORE LOGICALLY, UM, AND THEN PROVIDING CHARACTERISTICS AND SIMILAR USE TYPES, UM, AS YOU CAN SEE IN THE BOTTOM, UH, WHERE THERE'S A, A CHARACTERISTICS AND, AND DEFINITION OF A, UM, OF EACH OF THE CATEGORIES, UH, WHICH WILL HELP STAFF, UH, WHEN WE HAVE, UH, SOMEBODY COME IN AND, AND ASK, UH, TO DEVELOP SOMETHING THAT, UM, WE HAVE DIFFERENT TYPES OF USES, UH, WHERE THAT MAKES SENSE.

AND THEN AGAIN, WE HAVE CHARACTERISTICS OF WHERE WE CAN ACTUALLY, UH, DO A LITTLE BIT OF AN OBJECTIVE REVIEW ON THOSE REQUESTS.

SO, KIND OF WHERE ARE WE AT? UH, SO AGAIN, TONIGHT, UH, WE ARE DOING A PRESENTATION OF THE PUBLIC HEARING DRAFT, UH, TO THE PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION AND HOLDING THE FIRST PUBLIC HEARING.

THERE WILL BE A, UM, DEVELOPERS ROUND TABLE, UH, NEXT WEEK.

UM, AND THAT IS WHERE WE WILL ACTUALLY PROVIDE, UH, THE, AND PRESENT THE PUBLIC HEARING DRAFT TO OUR DEVELOPMENT, UH, PARTNERS IN THE, UH, COMMUNITY ON JUNE 27TH.

UH, WE WILL HOLD A SECOND PUBLIC HEARING, UH, BEFORE CITY COUNCIL.

UH, THEN WE'LL HOLD A THIRD PUBLIC HEARING JULY 11TH.

AND THEN THIS WILL BE BACK BEFORE YOU ALL FOR A FINAL PUBLIC HEARING ON JULY 16TH.

UM, WITH, UH, WE ARE, WOULD BE REQUESTING ACTION AT THAT POINT.

AND THEN IF EVERYTHING LINES UP, UM, WE ARE ANTICIPATING CITY COUNCIL ADOPTION JULY 25TH.

AND OF COURSE, ALL OF THESE ARE A LITTLE BIT, UM, UP IN THE AIRS, CERTAINLY THE, THE LAST ONE IN TERMS OF ADOPTION.

UM, THE OTHER ONES ARE, WE ARE AT LEAST HAVING FOUR OF THEM BECAUSE, UH, WE'VE ALREADY NOTICED FOR THESE.

BUT, UM, BUT AGAIN, IT, IT REALLY IS KIND OF DEPENDENT ON, ON THE COMMENTS WE HEAR, UM, FROM THE PUBLIC AND, AND WHAT CHANGES.

BUT AGAIN, OUR PLAN IS, AND OUR GOAL IS THAT THIS WILL BE ADOPTED BY THE END OF JULY.

UM, AND THEN, UH, FOR FOLKS IN THE PUBLIC OR, OR WHO MAY BE WATCHING THIS, UM, WE DO HAVE OUR, UH, BAYTOWN ENGAGE PAGE THAT IS BEING CONTINUALLY UPDATED WITH CHANGES AS, UH, WE CONTINUE TO MAKE CHANGES WITH THE DRAFT, WITH THE MAP.

UM, WE WILL, UH, BE PROVIDING, UH, COPIES OF THE POSTERS THAT WERE PROVIDED AT THE WORK, UH, SESSION LAST WEEK.

UM, SO THIS IS A GREAT PAGE.

UM, AND WE STRONGLY ENCOURAGE FOLKS IF THEY'RE INTERESTED IN IT TO FOLLOW THIS PAGE, WE HAVE AN OPTION FOR THEM TO GIVE US FEEDBACK AS WELL IF THEY'RE UNABLE TO MAKE ANY OF THE PUBLIC HEARINGS.

UM, SO AGAIN, I, I DO WANNA REITERATE THAT, UM, NOTHING IS SET IN STONE.

WE ARE STILL VERY MUCH WANTING TO HEAR THE PUBLIC'S, UH, UH, COMMENTS AND CONCERNS ABOUT THIS, UM, BECAUSE WE DO REALLY WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE GET THIS RIGHT.

UH, THE CURRENT ZONING CODE HAS BEEN IN PLACE FOR ABOUT 12 YEARS.

UM, SO WE WANNA MAKE SURE WHATEVER GETS ADOPTED IS SOMETHING THAT, UM, THE PUBLIC AND, AND THE COMMUNITY, UM, CAN, CAN LIVE WITH, UM, OVER, UH, THE LONG TERM.

UM, SO I WILL STOP.

WE DO HAVE OUR CONSULTANT ON THE PHONE AS WELL.

UM, AND THEN I DO KNOW THAT OBVIOUSLY WE HAVE SOME FOLKS FROM THE PUBLIC LIKE TO COMMENT, SO,

[00:30:02]

WELL, COMMISSIONERS WE'RE BEING ASKED TO HOLD OUR COMMENTS OR CONCERNS UNTIL OUR JUNE 16TH MEETING, AND WE'RE JUST DOING PUBLIC.

SO, MR. LYONS, COULD YOU STEP FORWARD AND STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD? YEAH.

WELL, I'M RANDALL LYONS AT 1423 BEAUMONT ROAD HERE IN BAYTOWN.

UM, I KIND OF SIGNED UP ON A WHIM.

NOBODY ELSE WAS ON THE AGENDA.

UH, THE PEOPLE THAT WERE SUPPOSED TO COME WITH ME THAT KIND OF GOT ME AGGRAVATED ENOUGH TO COME CHECK THIS OUT, THEY DIDN'T SHOW UP.

SO I'M NOT SURE WHAT I'M GONNA SAY.

I SEWED UP 30 MINUTES EARLY, FIGURED I'D, YOU'D TALK TO LOTS OF PEOPLE.

I GOTTA TALK TO MARTIN.

AND MARTIN MIGHT HAVE HELPED CALM ME DOWN SOME BECAUSE HE TOLD ME A LOT OF THINGS I WAS BEING TOLD COULD BE INCORRECT.

BUT I'M GOING BY WHAT I HAD IN MY HAND, WHAT I WAS PRESENTED THAT SUPPOSEDLY CAME OFF Y'ALL'S WEBSITE.

UH, I'D LIKE TO SAY I DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT THIS MEETING UNTIL YESTERDAY.

I WAS TOLD IT WAS SENT OUT IN THE, UH, WATER BILLING STUFF.

I OPENED THE WATER BILLS.

I NEVER SAW IT, SO MAYBE IT DIDN'T GET IN MINE.

MAYBE I OVERLOOKED IT.

BUT THE MAPS I HAVE SEEM TO SCARE ME TO DEATH.

, I MEAN, I LISTEN TO HIM WHILE WE TALK ABOUT A LOT OF THE, THE NEW PART OF TOWN, I UNDERSTAND OUT NORTH SIDE OF TOWN NEEDS A LOT OF CODES AND ZONING AND STUFF.

I'M FROM THE OLDER PART OF TOWN.

I'M OVER BY ALEXANDER DRIVE.

I'M OVER BY TEJAS PARK DOWN THE STREET FROM THE BOWLING ALLEY.

THAT'S A TOTALLY MIXED USE.

IT'S GOT SEVERAL BUSINESSES ON IT, AN ELECTRIC COMPANY, A TUBE COMPANY.

IT HAD A MANUFACTURING COMPANY.

IT HAS MY DIS DISTRIBUTING COMPANY ON IT.

UM, IT'S GOT THE APARTMENTS ON IT, IT'S GOT, UH, DUPLEXES AND CONDOMINIUMS ON IT, ALL KINDS OF STUFF.

I ALWAYS, IT, IT'S THE WORST MILL ROUTE IN BAYTOWN BECAUSE I, I ALWAYS TELL 'EM THEY'RE USING IT FOR A TRAINING ROUTE BECAUSE THEY GET TO DO EVERYTHING.

UM, I'M THE OLDEST, MISS IN TOWN GRANDDAD CAME FROM LOUISIANA, STARTED, RAN THE FEED STORE IN 1917 WHEN THIS IS PELLY.

BEFORE EXXON WAS EXXON.

BAYTOWN WAS BAYTOWN.

AND THE SIXTIES, SEVENTIES WAS THE HEYDAY OF MY FAMILY BUSINESSES.

WE HAD ALL THESE LIONS GROCERY STORES AROUND TOWN.

MY, MY UNCLE MILTON AND STUFF HAD THE LIONS GROCERY STORES.

WE RAN THE FEED STORE, IT TURNED INTO FOOD SERVICE, EXCLUSIVE CRAFT, FOOD DISTRIBUTION SERVICE AND STUFF.

AND BEEN SEVERAL LOCATIONS.

BUT BACK TO BEAUMONT ROAD, I RENTED A BUILDING FROM DAVID KAJA THAT DEVELOPED THESE WAREHOUSES ON THERE IN THE MID EIGHTIES.

AND THERE'S SEVERAL OTHER BUSINESSES THAT ARE STILL THERE ON THAT.

AND I FEEL LIKE WE'RE GETTING PUSHED OUT OF THAT STREET AND STUFF.

AND THE ZONING ON THAT STREET, 12 YEARS AGO WHEN I WANTED TO MOVE NEXT DOOR, BECAUSE I WAS GOING FROM LEASING THIS MIDDLE BUILDING TO BUYING THIS END BUILDING, THE CITY WOULDN'T LET ME MOVE NEXT DOOR UNTIL THEY KIND OF SAW, OH, HE'S GONNA CLEAN UP THE PLACE.

HE'S A LOT CLEANER THAN THAT CAR PLACE THERE IN THAT WELDING SHOP.

EH, YOU CAN MOVE NEXT DOOR.

AND THEN THEY STARTED LETTING EASED UP ON ME.

HE GAVE ME A GOOD, LET ME IN THE BUILDING, GAVE ME THE OCCUPANCY PERMIT FAIRLY EASY, BUT NOT AFTER A LITTLE BIT OF, EH, YOU'RE NOT SUPPOSED TO BE ON THAT STREET.

AND HE SAID SOMETHING CHANGED 12 YEARS AGO, JUST A WHILE AGO.

WELL, NOW THAT'S YOUR TIME, MR. LYONS.

SORRY.

HUH? THAT'S YOUR TIME.

THAT'S MY TIME.

YES, SIR.

BUT THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS AND YOUR CONCERNS.

AND MARTIN, WOULD YOU LIKE TO ADDRESS ANY OF HIS QUESTIONS OR CONCERNS BEFORE WE DO NOT HAVE ANYTHING ELSE ON? NO, SIR.

SO, UM, WELL, IS THAT THE, IS THE PUBLIC HEARING CLOSED THEN? WELL, DO YOU WANT ME TO CLOSE IT FIRST? CAN WE FINISH? CAN WE LET HIM FINISH? I MEAN, NOBODY ELSE SIGNED UP.

THAT'S YOUR, THAT'S YOUR CALL.

I'D BE HAPPY TO MAKE A MOTION TO ALLOW HIM TO CONTINUE.

SURE.

I'LL SECOND GO.

GO FOR IT.

MR. LYONS, I APPRECIATE, THE POINT I'M REALLY GETTING TO IS WHAT SCARES ME.

I FOUND OUT LAST FRIDAY, I'VE BEEN WORRIED ALL WEEKEND.

I FOUND OUT MORE BAD NEWS YESTERDAY APPARENTLY.

BUT I'VE GOT MAPS FOR WHAT Y'ALL ARE PROPOSING.

I'VE GOT THINGS THAT, I DIDN'T PRINT THIS OUT.

MY NEIGHBORS THAT OWN THE WAREHOUSES NEXT DOOR TO ME PRINTED THIS OUT.

MARTIN SAYS, THIS DIDN'T COME OFF Y'ALL'S WEBSITE.

IF IT DIDN'T, I DON'T KNOW WHERE SHE PRINTED IT FROM, BUT THIS, FROM WHAT THEY'RE TELLING ME, SCARES ME TO DEATH ABOUT MY STREET AND STUFF.

AND WE'RE GONNA HAVE MARTIN CITY SIT DOWN WITH ME AND HAVE A MEETING.

I MIGHT STRAIGHTEN A LOT OF IT OUT.

BUT HERE'S WHAT'S HAPPENING THOUGH.

THESE THREE WAREHOUSES THAT DAVID KAAR BUILT IN THE EIGHTIES ON THIS STREET ARE WORTHLESS.

NOW, ACCORDING TO WHAT I'M SEEING, MY NEIGHBORS HAVE TWO

[00:35:01]

WAREHOUSES.

THEY SOLD THEIR BUSINESS AT THE, AT PEAKED OUT IN COVID BECAUSE THEY WERE MAKING CIRCUIT BOARDS.

THEY SOLD THEIR BUSINESS.

NOW THEY CAN'T SELL THEIR WAREHOUSES BECAUSE THE, THE, THE SALES HAVE GONE FALLEN THROUGH FOUR TIMES NOW BECAUSE THE CITY WON'T LET A BUSINESS GO INTO THOSE BUILDINGS.

THE LAST ONE WAS SOMEBODY WHO WANTED TO BUY THE BUILDINGS AND RE SUBDIVIDE 'EM LIKE THEY WERE ORIGINALLY WERE DONE AND SUBLET 'EM SAID, HE SAID NO TO THAT.

THEY'RE SITTING ON $800,000 WORTH OF INVESTMENT THERE, AND THEY'RE GONNA HAVE TO SELL IT FOR 120,000 FOR THE VALUE OF THE PROPERTY.

AND SOME, SO SOMEBODY BUILD HOUSES ON IT.

THESE MAPS SHOW THAT IT IS, IT IS PLANTED FOR HOUSES NOW, 10, 15 YEARS GOING FORWARD, IT'S ONLY GONNA BE HOUSES.

Y'ALL ARE WIPING OUT ALL OF THE BUSINESSES ON ONE SIDE OF ALEXANDER DRIVE.

I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHAT'S HAPPENING ON NORTH MAIN.

I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHAT'S HAPPENING ON ALEXANDER DRIVE.

AND I KNOW BEAUMONT ROAD IS A DISASTER.

WHAT THE CITY'S BEEN DOING TO IT RIGHT NOW, IF, IF I END UP FINISHING PAYING OFF MY BUILDING AND WANNA RETIRE IN A COUPLE YEARS, I WON'T BE ABLE TO SELL THE BUILDING BECAUSE A BUSINESS CAN'T MOVE IN THERE.

I'VE LOST ALL THE VALUE IN MY BUILDING.

I'M GONNA HAVE LIVE YOU LEFT WITH $50,000 WORTH OF PROPERTY.

WHO'S GONNA BUILD A HOUSE ON AN ACRE OF PROPERTY ON THAT STREET? THAT'S GOTTA, THOSE BUSINESSES HAVE TO BE ABLE TO REMAIN THERE.

THAT'S WHAT WAS BUILT IN THAT STREET AND DEVELOPED ON THAT STREET.

BUT THIS NEW ZONING, UH, IS ALREADY KICKED HALF OF IT OUT 12 YEARS AGO.

AND NOW IT'S KICKING THE REST OF IT OUT.

I VISITED THREE BUSINESSES THE HOUR BEFORE I CAME HERE ON THIS MAP TRYING TO ASK THEM, DID THEY REALIZE WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN? DO YOU REALIZE YOUR RESTAURANT, IF YOU WANNA SELL IT, YOU CAN'T.

I WENT TO TWO RESTAURANTS.

I WENT TO THE CAR DEALERSHIP ON THE END OF LACEY LACEY'S PLANTED THAT.

IT'S SUPPOSED TO HAVE A HOUSE THERE.

NOW THESE BUSINESSES CAN EXIST THAT ARE THESE SMALL BUSINESSES THAT BAYTOWN GREW UP ON.

IF I'M THE OLDEST BUSINESS IN BAYTOWN, AND I'M GONNA HAVE TO RETIRE WITH NOTHING BECAUSE BAYTOWN WON'T LET ME SELL MY WAREHOUSE, I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO SAY.

I'M AT A LOSS.

MY WAREHOUSE LOST ALL OF ITS VALUE LAST FRIDAY, MY NEIGHBORS, THEY'VE LOST.

THEY'VE BEEN TRYING TO SELL IT FOR A MILLION AND A HALF.

THEY'RE GONNA GET 120,000 FOR THEIR PROPERTY.

PROBABLY.

THEY'VE BEEN TOLD BY THEIR LAWYERS TO GET THE PUBLIC TOGETHER AND COME TALK TO Y'ALL.

APPARENTLY, I'M THE ONLY ONE THAT SHOWED UP TONIGHT.

I'M THE ONLY ONE THAT GETS TO SPEAK TO Y'ALL AND MAKE A LITTLE BIT OF COMMENT.

MARTIN MIGHT SET ME RIGHT.

MAYBE I'M TOTALLY WRONG ON A LOT OF THIS STUFF.

MAYBE I'M BEEN MISINFORMED, BUT I ALREADY RAN INTO THE PROBLEM JUST BUYING THE BUILDING AND MOVING NEXT DOOR 12 YEARS AGO.

AND MY NEIGHBORS ARE RUNNING INTO THE PROBLEM SPENDING SIX MONTHS WITH TWO DIFFERENT BROKERS AND CANNOT SELL THEIR BUILDINGS BECAUSE THE CITY KEEPS TELLING THE BUYER THAT THEY CAN'T PUT THOSE BUSINESSES THERE, OR THEY CAN'T DO THAT WITH THAT PROPERTY.

THEY CAN'T DO THAT IN THAT AREA, THAT STREET.

AND THAT'S RIDICULOUS.

IF Y'ALL COME LOOK WHAT'S ALREADY ON THE STREET AND STILL ON THE STREET AND BEEN ON THE STREET, I MEAN, THE OLD, THE RETIREMENT HOME WAS THERE, THE BAYTOWN ELECTRIC'S THERE, THE TWO PLACES THERE, UH, OUR THREE WAREHOUSES AT THE END OF IT'S, UH, THE OLD CASTLE RESTAURANT IS ANOTHER RESTAURANT NOW.

THE BOWLING ALLEY, THE APARTMENTS MONTHS.

I MEAN, WHY CAN'T MY BUSINESS BE THERE IN THAT WAREHOUSE? MY, I MEAN, MY BUSINESS CAN BE THERE, BUT IF I'M 62 ON A RETI, WANNA RETIRE A FEW YEARS, I FIGURED I WOULD SELL THAT WAREHOUSE AND HAVE SOMETHING TO RETIRE ON.

AND I FEEL LIKE THAT'S GONE AGAIN.

MAYBE I'LL BE CORRECTED ON BEING MISINFORMED, BUT I DON'T FEEL LIKE I'VE BEEN MISINFORMED IF MY NEIGHBORS HAD THESE PROBLEMS AND CAN'T SELL THEIR PROPERTY.

I THINK SOMEBODY ELSE IS MISINFORMED.

I HOPE I HAVEN'T UPSET ANYBODY.

I HOPE I'VE MADE SOMEBODY, PEOPLE WANT TO LOOK INTO SOME THINGS AND COME VISIT THAT STREET AND STUFF.

UH, THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.

YES, SIR.

TO SAY, 'CAUSE I READ THIS, I LIVE THIS STUFF AND RYAN LIVES THIS STUFF.

OKAY, MARTIN, WOULD YOU LIKE TO RESPOND? YEAH, ABSOLUTELY.

UM, I, I DID, UM, I DID SPEAK WITH MR. LYONS RIGHT BEFORE THIS MEETING.

AND, UH, UM, YOU KNOW, ULTIMATELY WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO IS, IS UPDATE THE CODE ITSELF.

AND WITH THAT, AS, AS RYAN MENTIONED, IT IS A WORK IN PROGRESS.

UM, THAT SAID, THERE IS SOME CONFUSION RIGHT NOW ON HOW TO READ WHAT IS OUT THERE.

AND SO JUST WITH THAT, UM, AND RYAN AND I ARE ARE HAVING CONVERSATIONS ABOUT WHERE IS THE CONFUSION? 'CAUSE THAT'S WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO ELIMINATE WITH THE NEW CODE, IS MAKE SURE THAT THERE'S NOT CONFUSION THAT EVERYBODY CAN READ IT AND CAN'T UNDERSTAND WHAT'S GOING ON.

NOW THAT'S REAL EASY FOR ME

[00:40:01]

SO IT'S, AND, AND TO SOME EXTENT YOU GUYS HAVE A LOT MORE, UM, FAMILIARITY WITH, WITH IT THAN MOST.

SO FIRST AND FOREMOST, I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT IF THERE'S SOME ISSUE WITH THE FORMAT OF THE CODE THAT'S CAUSING CONFUSION, WE WANNA SOLVE THAT.

SO THAT, THAT'S FIRST IN MY MIND.

UM, SECOND THERE, THERE DOES SEEM TO BE, WITH SOME OF THE STUFF THAT MR. LYON SHOWED ME, THERE DOES SEEM TO BE SOME CONFUSION BETWEEN WHAT THE FUTURE LAND USE MAP IS MEANT TO DO AND WHAT THE ZONING MAP IS MEANT TO DO.

UM, I, I DID OFFER TO, UM, MEET WITH MR. LYONS AND ANYBODY ELSE OUT IN THAT AREA OF TOWN THAT WANTS TO MEET WITH STAFF AND KIND OF GO THROUGH THIS, UM, I'LL, I'LL GIVE 'EM A WHOLE AFTERNOON IF THEY WANT TO, TO GO THROUGH AND MAKE SURE THAT EVERYBODY IS REALLY CLEAR ON THIS, BUT ALSO TO HEAR THEM.

UM, WE HAVE BEEN HOLDING, UM, MEETINGS WITH STAKEHOLDERS AND DIFFERENT, UM, DIFFERENT GROUPS FOR 18 MONTHS NOW.

AND ALL THAT SAID, WE KNEW THAT THERE WOULD ALWAYS BE THIS MOMENT WHERE PEOPLE COME OUT AND SAY, I DIDN'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT THIS, BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE A PERFECT SYSTEM FOR GETTING THE INFORMATION OUT.

WE DO THE BEST WE CAN.

SO WE KIND OF EXPECTED THAT THERE WOULD BE SOME, SOME MEETINGS OVER THIS NEXT, UM, FOUR TO SIX WEEKS.

SO AGAIN, I, I'LL, I'LL PUT THAT OUT IN PUBLIC, MR. LYONS, IF YOU WANT TO BRING PEOPLE TOGETHER AND GIVE ME A CALL, WE'LL, WE'LL SET SOMETHING UP SO WE CAN KIND OF MAKE SURE.

BUT ALSO, LIKE I SAID, WE WANT TO HEAR THOSE CONCERNS AND IF THERE ARE THINGS THAT EITHER MAKE SENSE OR DON'T MAKE SENSE IN THE PROPOSED CODE, WE'LL GO BACK AND WE'LL, WE'LL KIND OF TAKE A LOOK AT THOSE AND, AND SEE, YOU KNOW, WHAT, WHAT LINES UP AND WHAT DOESN'T.

AS WE MENTIONED LAST WEEK AT THE WORK SESSION, THE MAP CONVERSION IS SUPPOSED TO BE AS CLOSE TO A ONE-TO-ONE CONVERSION AS WE CAN GET IT.

THE WHOLE IDEA IS NOT TO REALLY CHANGE THE, THE USES FROM THIS SIDE TO THIS SIDE, FROM THE OLD TO THE NEW.

UM, THAT SAID, THERE ARE SOME, SOME, UM, BASIC CHANGES TO THE, TO THE CODE ITSELF THAT PROBABLY DO SHIFT THINGS AROUND A LITTLE BIT.

SO WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE RESOLVE THAT.

UM, I KNOW THAT SOME OF THE STUFF MISS ALLIANCE HAS MENTIONED ALREADY IS NOT ALLOWED IN THAT, IN THAT DISTRICT, IN THE MIXED USE DISTRICT, THAT IT WASN'T ALLOWED PREVIOUSLY.

IT, YEAH, IT WASN'T ALLOWED PREVIOUSLY.

SO, UM, NOT, NOT TO SAY SO THE NEW CODE DOESN'T CHANGE THAT.

UM, BUT AGAIN, WE CAN, WE CAN WALK THROUGH THAT.

IF THERE ARE OTHER CHANGES THAT MIGHT NEED TO BE EXPLORED, THEN WE CAN EITHER DO IT AS PART OF THIS PROCESS OR POSSIBLY IF, IF THE MAP IS WRONG.

AGAIN, WE'RE TRYING NOT TO MAKE WHOLESALE CHANGES TO THE ZONING MAP ITSELF OTHER THAN CHANGE THE LABELS.

UM, THEN THAT'S SOMETHING WE CAN LOOK AT IN THE FUTURE AS WELL.

WE JUST AREN'T AT THAT PLACE QUITE YET.

SO IF THAT PART OF TOWN IS MORE OF A, UM, A LIGHT MANUFACTURING OR LIKE KIND OF SMALL DISTRIBUTION TYPE, UM, USES, THEN WE NEED TO LOOK AT THE MAP ITSELF AND SEE IF IT'S INCORRECT.

'CAUSE MAYBE THAT'S THE CASE, BUT I, I DON'T KNOW THAT.

UM, SO THAT'S ANOTHER CONVERSATION THAT WE CAN HAVE, UH, REGARDING THAT PART OF TOWN.

UM, I, I THINK THAT'S PRETTY MUCH EVERYTHING THAT I HAD.

I THINK WHAT WE'RE LOOKING TO DO TODAY, BECAUSE WE'RE NOT ASKING FOR ANY ACTION TODAY, UM, WE WOULD LIKE TO HEAR IF YOU HAVE ANY CONCERNS OR QUESTIONS.

UM, THE STAFF IS, IS LISTENING TO THAT.

UM, BUT I'M NOT SURE THAT WE'RE AT A PLACE WHERE WE CAN REALLY HAVE THE FULL DISCUSSION TODAY.

WE WILL HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THAT AT THE JULY 16TH MEETING.

UM, SO THAT REALLY IS WHERE WE'RE AT.

WOULD YOU LIKE US AS A COMMISSION TO EMAIL YOU ANY OF OUR QUESTIONS OR CONCERNS? SO WE COULD BE PREPARED FOR THAT? THAT'D BE WONDERFUL.

WE, WE WOULD LIKE TO BE PREPARED FOR, UM, FOR THAT AS WELL FOR NEXT MONTH.

OKAY, PERFECT.

FIRST I'D LIKE TO, UM, SAY THANK YOU FOR, UM, GIVING CONSIDERATION TO WHAT MR. LYONS SAID AND BEING OPEN TO MEET WITH HIM AND IN, IN LIGHT OF, UM, PROTECTING THE EXISTING BUSINESSES THAT PERHAPS COULD BE GRANDFATHERED IN SOME KIND OF WAY OR HOWEVER IT'S GOING TO WORK OUT.

AND I WANNA SAY, UH, THANK YOU TO THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT.

THE, THE JOINT MEETING THAT YOU PUT TOGETHER WAS, UM, PHENOMENAL.

UM, THE AMOUNT OF WORK WE REALIZED THAT WENT INTO IT WAS OVER THE TOP.

AND THAT'S THE ONLY WAY I CAN THINK OF TO DESCRIBE IT WITH ALL THE, UH, GRAPHS AND ALL THE BREAKOUT, UM, SESSIONS TO GIVE US A BETTER UNDERSTANDING, A MORE IN DEPTH UNDERSTANDING OF, OF WHAT'S GOING ON INSTEAD OF JUST DUMPING IT ON US RIGHT HERE, RIGHT NOW.

CAN, I, I WOULDN'T MIND HEARING THE QUESTIONS.

SO THANK YOU FOR THAT.

I HAVE, I HAVE A COUPLE QUESTIONS AND A CONCERN.

NO, SIR.

WE, WE GOTTA HOLD THAT TILL THE JUNE 16TH.

DO WHY? SO THE PUBLIC HEARING, WE CAN'T HAVE A DISCUSSION ABOUT WHAT DISCUSSED PUBLIC HEARING.

WE'RE NOT THE PUBLIC.

HE JUST SAID WE COULD WE, WE

[00:45:01]

I'M NOT SURE WE'RE GONNA HAVE ANY ANSWERS FOR YOU.

OKAY, THAT'S FINE.

THAT I JUST HAVE COUPLE QUESTIONS.

THAT'S YOUR CALL.

I WAIT UNTIL THE 16TH IS IS A PRETTY LONG TIME BETWEEN NOW AND THEN FOR THINGS TO HAPPEN FOR THIS COMMITTEE.

THAT'S, THAT'S A MONTH.

AND THEN THEY'RE GONNA TURN AROUND AND HAVE A CODE THEY WANNA BRING TO US WITHIN A COUPLE WEEKS AFTER THAT TO VOTE ON.

SO IF WE HAVE SOME CONCERNS NOW, WE PROBABLY WOULD LIKE TO DO IT.

WELL, IF YOU WANT TO ASK QUESTIONS THEN WE'LL HAVE TO OPEN IT UP TO EVERYBODY, SO THAT'S FINE.

DISREGARD PREVIOUS STATEMENTS.

Y'ALL GO FOR IT.

SO, OF COURSE, A COUPLE OF THE QUESTIONS THAT WE HAD, I'M SURE YOU HEARD THIS AT THE MEETING LAST WEEK, WAS THE LOT SETBACKS.

I KNOW YOU HEARD A LOT OF THAT COMMENT.

UH, I'D LIKE A LITTLE MORE INPUT ON MR. LYONS, YOUR COMMENT THAT THERE WERE SOME THINGS THAT HE BROUGHT UP THAT WEREN'T ALLOWED NOW, BUT HE'S HAD CONCERNS ABOUT.

I'D LIKE TO SEE SOME FEEDBACK ON WHAT, WHAT SPECIFIC THESE ARE.

I, I AM TOO.

AND NOT INTERESTING IN PUTTING ANY BUSINESSES OUT OF BUSINESS THAT ARE OVER THERE IN DEVELOPING REAL ESTATE.

THAT'S CRAZY.

THAT'S NOT WHAT THIS PLAN SHOULD BE.

STAFF IS PLANNING TO, UH, PROVIDE A SIDE BY SIDE OF THE COMMERCIALS, THE COMMERCIAL DISTRICTS AND MIXED USE DISTRICTS TO SEE.

YOU CAN SEE EXACTLY HOW THEY'RE GONNA LINE UP.

WE DON'T HAVE THAT PREPARED YET, BUT WE WILL FOR NEXT TIME.

A LITTLE CLARIFICATION ON THE NO, NO MINIMUM PARKING STANDARDS FOR NON-RESIDENTIAL IS, IF THAT'S JUST RELATED TO THE NUMBER SPACES OR IS THAT ALSO GONNA BE READY TO THE SIZE, WIDTH AND LENGTH OF THE SPACE? JUST THE NUMBER.

THAT'S SOMETHING WE CAN, THANK YOU.

THAT'S JUST THE NUMBER.

I JUST WANT TO MAKE A COMMENT.

UM, MR. LYONS, UH, THANK YOU FOR COMING OUT AND IT SOUNDS TO ME LIKE YOU, YOUR FRIENDS OWE YOU A CUP OF COFFEE.

FOR REAL? AND DINNER? NO FOR REAL.

ANYBODY ELSE? OKAY.

WELL, THIS PUBLIC HEARING IS NOW CLOSED.

NO ACTION IS REQUIRED ON THIS ITEM.

THE ACTION WILL BE NEXT MONTH.

[a. Consider the removal of traffic signals at the intersection of West Texas Avenue and North Pruett Street and converting the intersection to stop sign control.]

AND STAFF RECOMMENDS APPROVAL.

ON OUR BUSINESS ITEMS, UH, SEVEN A, CONSIDER THE REMOVAL OF TRAFFIC SIGNALS AT THE INTERSECTION OF WEST TEXAS AVENUE AND NORTH PRUITT STREET AND CON CONVERTING THE INTERSECTION TO STOP SIGN CONTROL.

I'LL ASK STAFF TO PLEASE SUMMARIZE THE ITEM.

GOOD AFTERNOON COUNSEL.

I AM BRANDON HONG WITH PUBLIC WORKS AND ENGINEERING HERE TO PRESENT ITEM SEVEN A FOR THE SIGNAL, UH, REMOVAL AND INSTALLATION OF A FOUR-WAY STOP.

AT, AT WEST TEXAS AVENUE AND NORTH PRUITT STREETS, BASED ON ENGINEERING STUDY, THE INTERSECTION DOES NOT WARRANT A SIGNAL INTERSECTION AND WOULD WARRANT A FOUR-WAY STOP.

THIS WOULD MATCH WEST TEXAS WITH THE FOLLOWING INTERSECTION OF NORTH JONES AT AND GALLARD BASED ON THE AGE OF THE SIGNALS AND HISTORICAL VOLUMES TREND, THE VOLUME HAS DECREASED OVER THE PAST 10 YEARS BY INSTALLING A FOUR-WAY STOP.

THIS WOULD IMPROVE THE TRAFFIC FLOW ALONG WEST TEXAS.

INTERSECTIONS AND TRY TO PROVIDE PARADE ROUTES, TRAFFIC CONTROL FOR THOSE NEIGHBORS, UH, NEIGHBORHOODS.

COMMISSION COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS? UM, I JUST, MY ONLY COMMENT IS, UH, ANYTIME I, I GO DOWN THAT STREET A LOT JUST 'CAUSE I LIKE IT.

UM, AND IF IT TAKES ME A FEW MORE MINUTES, I LIKE GOING DOWN TEXAS AVENUE AND, AND I RIDE MY BIKE DOWN THERE A LOT.

AND I DON'T KNOW, I KNOW THAT Y'ALL HAVE DONE THE TRAFFIC STUDY.

I, I'M JUST, I HAVE A LITTLE CONCERN WITH THE WAY WE'VE CREATED A, A MENTALITY OF LIKE, THE WAY WE SEE, TO ME THAT'S A BUSY INTERSECTION.

IT'S BECAUSE IT, THERE'S A LOT OF, UH, TRAFFIC AND, AND THERE'S GONNA HAVE TO BE A CURVE FOR PEOPLE.

'CAUSE IT FOR PEOPLE, I THINK, NOT THAT THEY SHOULD, BUT IT'S A LOT EASIER TO RUN A STOP SIGN THAN IT IS A A, A LIGHT.

AND I HAVE CONCERN THAT EVEN IF IT'S A PROCESS OF LEARNING OF, OF GOING THROUGH A LEARNING CURVE AND LEARNING THAT, OH, IT'S JUST THAT I STILL HAVE TO STOP.

I JUST, I THINK THERE'S THERE THAT AREA, THE WAY IT'S GOING, THE ACE DISTRICT IS GOING, I THINK IT WARRANTS MORE THAN A STOP SIGN JUST BECAUSE OF THE AMOUNT OF EVENTS THAT GO THERE AND THE AMOUNT OF FAMILIES THAT ARE IN THAT AREA AT, YOU KNOW, NOT EVERY WEEKEND, BUT, WELL, YEAH, EVERY WEEKEND, NOT EVERY DAY I GUESS IS WHAT I MEAN.

BUT THERE'S ENOUGH EVENTS GOING ON IN THE ACE DISTRICT RIGHT NOW.

I THINK THERE'S ENOUGH FAMILIES PARKING AROUND THERE THAT I WOULD BE AFRAID THAT THERE WOULD BE A, UM, PEOPLE NOT PAYING ATTENTION.

THERE MIGHT BE A, A REASON TO HAVE CONCERN.

THAT'S, THAT'S ALL TO SAY.

UH, TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, DURING EVENTS SUCH AS JUNE 8TH OR JULY 4TH, WE, THE PUBLIC WORKS DOES DO TRAFFIC CONTROL ALONG THE INTERSECTIONS.

WE DO CLOSE

[00:50:01]

I, I WASN'T TALKING IN REGARDS TO BICENTENNIAL, I WAS TALKING IN REGARDS TO TEXAS AVENUE.

LIKE, UH, WHEN YOU DO THINGS AT THE TOWN SQUARE AND THINGS LIKE THAT, CHRISTMAS ON TEXT AVENUE, I'M, THAT, THAT NOT THE OTHER WAY.

Y'ALL DO A REALLY, WELL, Y'ALL DO A GREAT JOB REGARDLESS, BUT Y'ALL DO A REALLY GOOD JOB OF KIND OF CLOSING OFF BICENTENNIAL.

I'M TALKING, GOING TOWARDS ALEXANDER, THAT AREA WHEN THERE'S EVENTS GOING ON THERE, THAT'S JUST MY, YOU KNOW.

YES.

AND TO YOUR POINT, BASED ON THE VOLUMES, IT DOES NOT MEET THE REQUIREMENTS FOR A SIGNALED INTERSECTION.

IT MAY HAVE IN THE PAST WHEN THE AREA WAS BUSIER, BUT BASED ON HISTORICAL TRAFFIC FLOWS, THE VOLUMES ARE DECREASING.

AND, AND IS THAT THE ONLY LIGHT, UH, ISN'T EVERYTHING ELSE A STOP SIGN AT THIS POINT ALONG THAT, WHEN YOU COME FROM LEE COLLEGE GOING TO NORTH MAINE? YES.

WEST TEXAS IS A STOP, I THINK IS THE ONLY LIGHT LEFT.

RIGHT.

S STERLING, THEY ALL HAVE LIGHTS.

BUT ALONG WEST TEXAS, THOSE ARE ALSO FOUR-WAY STOPS.

NOBODY ELSE AT THE INTERSECTION.

THEY'VE BEEN BLINKING FOR, FOR WEEKS NOW.

YEAH, I WOULD SEE, OF COURSE, I'M, I'M NOT THE TRAFFIC EXPERT, BUT , THERE'S, TO ME, THERE SEEMS TO BE LESS TRAFFIC MAYBE ON DEFENSE, DARLING.

I COULD BE WRONG, BUT LIKE I SAID, MY CONCERN'S MORE WHEN THERE'S EVENTS.

BUT LIKE I SAID, I'M JUST ONE, ONE OF SEVEN.

SO, OKAY.

I HAVE A QUESTION.

WELL, MY QUESTION WAS, IS THAT GONNA LEAD TO STOP SIGNS ON DFE PRUITT AND DFE PRUIT AND START, WE WILL LOOK INTO THOSE INTERSECTIONS BASED ON OTHER ENGINEERING STUDIES, BUT FOR RIGHT NOW, WE ONLY ARE GOING TO REPLACE THE SIGNALS AT NORTH PRUITT AND WEST TEXAS.

IS IT, IS IT POSSIBLE TO LEAVE FROM LIKE BLINKING BREAD FOR STOP TO SEE IF PEOPLE ACTUALLY STOP AND DON'T JUST RUN THROUGH RATHER THAN JUST REPLACE IT AND, AND PUT IN PERMANENT AND GROUND STOP SIGNS? WELL, BASED ON THE TMCD, WE DO NOT JUST RIP OUT THE SIGNALS OVERNIGHT.

WE DO HAVE TO LEAVE THEM ON FOR A CERTAIN AMOUNT PERIOD, COVER THEM, UH, PUT UP WARNING SIGNS THAT THIS WILL BE A FOUR-WAY STOP.

BUT THAT'S GENERALLY WHAT WE TRY TO DO.

SO I THINK YOU BETTER GET AN EDUCATION CAMPAIGN OUT IN THE CITY OF BAYTOWN AND TELL PEOPLE HOW TO OPERATE AT A FOUR-WAY STOP, BECAUSE I SUSPECT ONLY ABOUT 20% OF THE POPULATION KNOW HOW THAT ACTUALLY WORKS.

A PRIME EXAMPLE OF THAT IS WHAT HAPPENED LAST WEEK WHEN ALL THE STOP SIGNS, UH, LIGHTS ROUTED NORTH MAIN OR BY THE POLICE STATION AND THE OTHER PLACE ON FOUR-WAY STOPS.

AND THAT WAS A DISASTER.

TRAFFIC WAS NOT MOVING.

PEOPLE WERE RUNNING THE LIGHTS.

WE HAD TWO OR THREE NEAR COLLISIONS GOING ON IN THAT PROCESS.

UH, I DON'T LIKE FOUR-WAY STOPS IN, IN THAT PROCESS.

DID I HEAR YOU SAY PART OF THE PROBLEM WAS IS THAT THOSE STREET LIGHTS ARE THERE, OR, OR OWED AND NEEDS SOME, REQUIRE SOME SIGNIFICANT MAINTENANCE.

SO WAS THERE A DOLLAR AMOUNT THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THAT WE DON'T WANT TO INCUR, THAT WE'RE TRYING TO KEEP FROM INCURRING? NO, BASED ON THE ENGINEERING STUDY THAT WE HAVE AND VOLUME COUNTS, A SIGNALED INTERSECTION REQUIRES ABOUT 600 VEHICLES AN HOUR DURING PEAK RUSH HOUR FOR IT TO WARRANT A SIGNALED INTERSECTION FOR, WE'VE DONE ACCOUNTS AND DURING OFF PEAK HOURS, IT'S ABOUT 300 CARS AROUND PEAK, AROUND 4:00 PM IT GOES UP TO ABOUT FIVE, 500 CARS AN HOUR.

SO WHEN DID YOU DO YOUR TRAFFIC STUDY? WAS THAT BEFORE OR AFTER THE HIGH SCHOOLS AND LEE COLLEGE ROUTE? IT WAS COMPLETED AROUND 2021, I BELIEVE.

SO IT'S OLD.

YES, SIR.

BUT WE DO HAVE PREVIOUS DATA FROM THE PAST 10 YEARS FOR THE AREA WHICH HAS SHOWN THAT THE VOLUME OF TRAFFIC HAS DECREASED.

DISAPPOINTING IT MAY HAVE, THE INTERSECTION MAY HAVE WARRANTED WHEN IT WAS INSTALLED ABOUT 30 YEARS AGO.

BUT WITH VOLUMES NOWADAYS ON WEST TEXAS, THE INTERSECTION DOES NOT WARRANT, UH, SIGNALED INTERSECTION AND WOULD IMPROVE THE TRAFFIC FLOW ALONG WEST TEXAS AS THAT WAS THE ONLY, UH, SIGNALED INTERSECTION ALONG WEST TEXAS.

HAVE Y'ALL RECEIVED ANY COMPLAINTS ABOUT THAT INTERSECTION IN THE LIGHTS? UH, YES SIR.

WE HAVE, WE VOLUNTEER RECEIVED MORE POSITIVE COMMENTS, UH, BECAUSE THEY WOULD NORMALLY HAVE TO STOP AT ONE INTERSECTION.

NEXT ONE WOULD BE GREEN, THEN THE NEXT ONE WOULD BE RED.

THIS ONE WOULD MAKE IT A LITTLE BIT MORE CLEAR TO ALL RESIDENTS BECAUSE THEY WOULD BE, WE'VE RECEIVED COMPLAINTS ABOUT PEOPLE STOPPING AT, AT THE INTERSECTION WITH THE, WITH THE LIGHT.

THEY HAD TO WAIT A MINUTE, TWO MINUTES WITH

[00:55:01]

THEY'VE HONESTLY PREFERRED THE FOUR-WAY STOP AS IT IS RIGHT NOW WITH THE BLINKING RED LIGHTS.

I THINK ANOTHER THING TO BE CONCERNED ABOUT IS THE ADDITION OF THE BOB HOPE SCHOOL, WHICH HAS INCREASED THAT, UH, TRAFFIC IN THAT AREA TREMENDOUSLY.

AND THEY'RE PLANNING ON EXPANDING THAT TO OTHER GRADE LEVELS IN THE FUTURE.

AND IF THEY DO, THAT'S GONNA ADD MORE TRAFFIC IN THAT AREA ALSO.

NOW, I'VE SEEN TRAFFIC BUILT UP ON COMMERCE STREET THAT WRAPS AROUND ALL THE WAY AROUND DOWN STERLING AND OVER INTO THE BOB HOPE SCHOOL.

THERE HAS TO BE SOME OF THAT MOVING ON PRUITT STREET SOUTH, WHICH WOULD INCREASE THE VOLUME CONSIDERABLY SINCE 21.

RIGHT.

SO I I I THINK WE'RE LOOKING AT FUTURE AND IN THE FUTURE I THINK YOU'RE GONNA SEE A WHOLE LOT MORE TRAFFIC IN THAT AREA.

AND I, I THINK SAME THING'S TRUE WHEN SCHOOL IS OPEN AND ROBERT E. LEE IS OPEN AND THE OTHER SCHOOLS IN THE AREA ARE OPEN.

THERE'S A LOT OF TRAFFIC IN THAT AREA.

A LOT OF TRAFFIC, A LOT MORE THAN I THOUGHT THERE WOULD BE.

SO WE MAY, IF WE HAVE, WE MAY BE GOING TOO SOON.

MAYBE WE NEED TO WATCH IT A LITTLE, LITTLE LONGER.

AND IF WE'RE GONNA HAVE OUR, OUR NEWS NEW DRIVERS, OUR NEW SCHOOL AGE DRIVERS, YOUNG DRIVERS, IT'S OKAY IF THEY SIT AT THE RED LIGHT.

I WALK BEHIND TO SIT AT THE RED LIGHT FOR A MINUTE OR TWO.

IT'S OKAY IF THEY, THE, UH, JUST TO CLARIFY, IT APPEARS THAT THE TRAFFIC COUNTS ARE FROM DECEMBER OF 2022.

SO THEY'RE A LITTLE MORE RECENT THAN, UH, THAN WE THOUGHT.

BUT, UM, I, I ALSO WANNA REMIND YOU COMMISSIONERS THAT AS A, UM, AS A TRAFFIC CONTROL DEVICE CHANGE, UM, YOU'RE ASKED TO GIVE A RECOMMENDATION TO CITY COUNCIL.

CITY COUNCIL GETS TO MAKE THE FINAL CALL ON THIS 'CAUSE IT'S AN ORDINANCE CHANGE.

UM, SO, UH, I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT YOU UNDERSTAND YOUR OPTIONS.

YOUR OPTIONS ARE, YOU CAN, YOU CAN RECOMMEND APPROVAL, YOU CAN RECOMMEND DENIAL, OR YOU CAN LET IT MOVE FORWARD WITHOUT A RECOMMENDATION IF THAT'S WHAT YOU'D PREFER.

UM, SO JUST KEEP THAT IN MIND AS YOU'RE DECIDING KIND OF WHAT ACTION TO TAKE.

IF I COULD SAY, UM, OR WHEN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT REMOVING THE STREET, THE SIGNAL, ARE YOU GONNA LEAVE THE FLASHING RED LIGHTS ALONG AND PUT A STOP SIGN SO THAT THERE'S TWO ITEMS? ARE YOU TAKING THE LIGHT DOWN COMPLETELY? TAKING THE LIGHT OUT COMPLETELY AND IT'S INSTALLING A FOUR-WAY STOP.

HI, GOOD EVENING COMMISSIONERS.

AND THEN WE ARE ALSO TRYING TO GROW THAT AREA WITH OTHER BUSINESSES AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

I MEAN, I CAN AGREE THAT WE SHOULD MAYBE CONSIDER LOOKING AT ADDITIONAL TRAFFIC FLOWS WHEN, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE WE ARE TRYING TO GROW THAT AREA.

YES, WE HAVE LOOKED AT MORE, UH, RECENT GROWTH, BUT HONESTLY, THE AMOUNT OF VOLUME GOING THROUGH THE INTERSECTION, IT WOULD BENEFIT THE FLOW OF TRAFFIC FOR A FOUR-WAY STOP SO THAT IT WOULD MATCH THE FOLLOWING INTERSECTIONS.

SO WHEN YOU'RE GOING ALONG WEST TEXAS, YOU DO HIT THE STOP SIGN AT NORTH, UH, NORTH PRUITT, GOING ALONG NORTH TEXAS, AND THEN GOING TO GALLARD, WHICH IS ANOTHER STOP, AND THEN GOING TO, UH, NORTH JONES AS WELL.

UH, HERE'S MY, HERE'S THE DIRECTOR OF CIP MICHAEL LEACH.

UH, JUST TO GIVE YOU A BIT OF CONTEXT ON THIS, SO, UH, THE REASON FOR THIS REQUEST COMING BEFORE YOU, UH, HAS TO DO WITH THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECT THAT'S UPCOMING.

UH, YOU TALKED ABOUT WANTING TO MAKE THE CITY HAVING A DESIRE TO MAKE IMPROVEMENTS TO THE AREA THERE ALONG WEST TEXAS.

WELL, WE HAVE A CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECT COMING UP THAT'LL ADDRESS, UH, SEVERAL BLOCKS OF THAT STREET TO CONTINUE THE THEME, RIGHT? YOU HAVE THAT, UH, PEDESTRIAN FRIENDLY THEME WITH THE NICE WIDE SIDEWALKS, THE BRICK, THE TRAFFIC SIGNALS.

WELL, WE'RE EXTENDING THAT, UH, FURTHER TO THE, UH, WEST, I BELIEVE WE'RE EXTENDING IT FURTHER TO THE WEST WEST TO CONTINUE THAT THEME ALONG THE CORRIDOR.

SO, UH, AN UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCE OF THAT PROJECT, WELL, NOT AN UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCE, I'LL PUT IT TO YOU THIS WAY.

ONE OF THE BIG DRIVERS FOR THIS AND HOW WE GOT FUNDING FOR THIS WAS THROUGH, UH, THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BROCK BROCK BLOCK GRANT PROGRAM.

UM, BECAUSE IT'S A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF DRAINAGE IMPROVEMENTS THAT'LL HAPPEN THERE.

SOME OF YOU ARE PROBABLY AWARE THAT THERE ARE SOME DRAINAGE CHALLENGES THERE.

SO, UM, THE END RESULT OF THAT IS THAT THERE'S GOING TO BE LARGE BOX STORM SEWERS GOING DOWN THE MIDDLE OF THE STREET.

OKAY? SO WHAT THAT DOES IS BASICALLY CONFLICTS WITH THE TRAFFIC SIGNAL INFRASTRUCTURE THAT'S THERE.

THERE'S A LOT OF CONDUIT THAT GOES UNDER THE GROUND TO CONNECT THOSE

[01:00:01]

TRAFFIC SIGNAL POLES TOGETHER.

SO BASED ON THE AGE OF THAT TRAFFIC SIGNAL BASED ON THE TRAFFIC VOLUMES AND BASED ON THE FACT THAT IT CON CONFLICTS WITH THE PROPOSED PROJECT TO DO THE ENHANCEMENTS DOWN THERE, UH, THAT'S THE BIG, SORT OF THE BIGGER PICTURE AS TO WHY WE'RE RECOMMENDING THE REMOVAL OF THIS TRAFFIC SIGNAL.

SO WE ARE MAKING THE, UM, PEDESTRIAN FRIENDLY ENHANCEMENTS THAT COULD PERHAPS ALLEVIATE SOME CONCERNS ABOUT, UM, ACCIDENTS AND THINGS LIKE THAT DOWN THERE.

WE'LL HAVE THE INTERSECTIONS LOOKING LIKE SOME OF THE OTHERS WITH THE WIDER RAMPS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

UM, BUT YES, THAT'S THE REAL DRIVER FOR THIS PROJECT IS THAT WE HAVE THE CAPITAL PROJECT COMING THROUGH AND WE NEED TO REMOVE THIS TRAFFIC SIGNAL.

UM, ONE THING WE CAN DO IS, UM, AS TIME GOES BY, WE CAN MONITOR THE TRAFFIC VOLUMES AND TRAFFIC DOES CHANGE, UH, AS YOU'VE OBSERVED.

UH, WE'D BE HAPPY TO DO TRAFFIC STUDIES PERIODICALLY, AND IF THE, UH, IF THE INFORMATION THAT WE GATHER FROM THOSE STUDIES WARRANTS, UH, ADDITIONAL ANALYSIS TO PUT A TRAFFIC SIGNAL BACK IN THAT LOCATION, WELL THEN THAT WOULD BE THE APPROPRIATE THING TO DO.

UM, I THINK THE BOTTOM LINE IS THAT THIS TRAFFIC SIGNAL CANNOT BE SALVAGED WITH THIS PROJECT, AND WE FEEL COMFORTABLE RECOMMENDING STOP SIGNS, UH, FOR THAT LOCATION DUE TO LOW TRAFFIC VOLUMES, ACCIDENT HISTORY, SO ON AND SO FORTH.

SO THAT'S A LITTLE BIT OF CONTEXT FOR YOU.

UM, THANK YOU.

APPRECIATE YOUR TIME.

THANK YOU FOR CLEARING THAT UP.

THAT MAKES A DIFFERENCE.

AND, UM, I REALLY DON'T MIND THE FOUR WAY STOPS.

I THINK PEOPLE ARE GONNA RUN STOP SIGNS, RED LIGHTS, WHATEVER.

THERE'S NOTHING WE CAN DO ABOUT THAT BECAUSE I WAS JUST A LITTLE SURPRISED BECAUSE THERE'S SO MANY, UM, INTERSECTIONS IN THAT AREA IN SOUTH, SOUTH BAYTOWN THAT DON'T HAVE STOP SIGNS AT ALL GOING EITHER DIRECTION SUCH AS, UH, WEST NAU AND DUKE STREET, FOR EXAMPLE, AND, AND THINGS OF THAT.

SO I WOULD JUST LIKE TO SAY CAN, LET'S FOCUS ON GETTING SOME OF THOSE PROTECTED, BECAUSE I KNOW WE HAVE A LOT OF ACCIDENTS ON THOSE UNPROTECTED, UM, CROSS STREETS.

SO THERE, THERE'S QUITE A FEW OF THEM, UH, MULTIPLES AND I, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE US LOOK AT THAT BECAUSE IT'S DANGEROUS.

SO, BUT TO THIS, I'M OKAY.

UM, CAN I GET A MOTION TO APPROVE, TO DENY IF NOBODY MAKES A MOTION? I THINK IT DIES FOR LACK OF MOTION.

UM, I, I MOVED TO APPROVE BASED ON THE INFORMATION YOU JUST GAVE THAT IT DOESN'T FIT INTO THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECT, SO I MOVED TO IMPROVE IT AND IT'S GOING TO BE REMOVED, SOUNDS LIKE REGARDLESS.

UM, SO CORRECT.

YEAH, I MOVED TO APPROVE.

I'LL SECOND THAT.

EIGHT A DISCUSSION, DISCUSS A POTENTIAL CORRIDOR STUDY.

DO YOU HAVE A SECOND? YES, SIR.

[a. Discuss a potential corridor study for North Alexander Drive.]

WAIT, SHE NEEDS A, THAT MY TWO IN OPPOSITION OF THAT AUGUSTINE AND MIKE, OR FIRST, CORRECT? YES, MA'AM.

DISCUSS A POTENTIAL CORRIDOR STUDY FOR NORTH ALEXANDER DRIVE.

I'LL ASK STAFF TO PLEASE SUMMARIZE THE ITEM.

UH, THANK YOU.

IF, IF YOU REMEMBER LAST, UH, AT YOUR LAST MEETING, UH, I HAD MENTIONED TO THE GROUP THAT IF THERE ARE AREAS OF THE CITY THAT, AND THAT THE COMMISSION AS A WHOLE FEEL, UM, DESERVES SOME ATTENTION IN TERMS OF, UH, PLANNING STUDY OF SOME SORT.

UM, THEN YOU ARE WELCOME AS PART OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION TO BRING IT TO THE, THE PLANNING, PLANNING ZONING COMMISSION, UM, FOR CONVERSATION.

UM, TO THAT END, UM, COMMISSIONER BEARD HAD ASKED TO PUT THIS ITEM ON THE AGENDA TONIGHT TO JUST HAVE A DISCUSSION ABOUT A POTENTIAL STUDY FOR THAT CORRIDOR ALONG NORTH ALEXANDER DRIVE.

UM, AND SO, UM, IT, IT IS JUST A DISCUSSION TONIGHT.

THERE'S NO ACTION.

UM, ANYTHING THAT WE WOULD DO WOULD OBVIOUSLY BE DEPENDENT ON, UM, STAFF TIME AND MONEY AND AVAILABILITY, ALL THOSE THINGS.

SO, BUT THAT SAID, UM, I WANTED TO, IF, IF IT'S ALL RIGHT, WE WOULD LIKE TO, UM, GIVE COMMISSIONER BEARD AN OPPORTUNITY TO KIND OF EXPRESS WHAT HIS CONCERNS ARE AND THEN, UH, AGAIN, JUST OPEN CONVERSATION.

LOOK AT A 20 YEAR PLAN EITHER, BUT BUDGET TIME'S COMING UP AND IF STAFF'S GONNA LOOK AT SOMETHING THAT THEY'VE GOTTA HAVE SOME MONEY.

SO AT THE LAST MEETING, YOU KNOW, WE TALKED NORTH ALEXANDER GOT MENTIONED WHILE WE WERE TALKING ABOUT THE TEXAS AVENUE FUND AND THINGS AND THAT AREA NEEDS, WE WE'RE, WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THAT AREA FOR A LONG TIME AND WE'RE NEVER GONNA GET ANYTHING DONE IF WE DON'T STOP TALKING ABOUT IT, THEN WE START MAKING SOME PLANS TO LOOK AND SEE WHAT OPTIONS ARE TO IMPROVE THAT AREA, UH, DOWN THERE.

UH, BESIDES THE, THE, THE TRANSIT AND THE PROSTITUTION ISSUE THAT GOES DOWN THERE, WHICH NEEDS TO BE HANDLED DIFFERENTLY.

AND WE'VE GOT, UM, UM, UH, HODGEPODGE MIRAGE OF BUSINESSES THAT ARE POPPING UP AND, AND, AND GOING IN AND COMING OUT.

AND IT DOESN'T SEEM TO BE A LOT OF COHESIVENESS OF WHAT'S IN THAT AREA.

AND I'M NOT SUGGESTING THAT WE GO IN THERE AND DO ANYTHING THAT'S GONNA PUT ANY BUSINESS OUT OF BUSINESS, BUT, AND I'M NOT SUGGESTING WE

[01:05:01]

SO THEY'VE GOTTA PREPARE SOMETHING FOR BUDGET TO GO TO COUNCIL TO, TO GET SOME BUDGET.

YOU KNOW, I, I GUESS WHAT I WAS THINKING WHEN I TALKED TO MARTIN, I, I'M LOOKING AT A ONE TO FIVE YEAR PLAN.

SOMETHING THAT CAN BE DONE SHORT TERM TO DO SOME IMPROVEMENTS, WHETHER THAT'S SOME BEAUTIFICATION OR WHATEVER THE CASE MAY BE.

AND WHAT CAN WE DO MAYBE OVER THE NEXT FOUR YEARS OR SO TO GIVE EXISTING BUSINESSES SOME ENCOURAGEMENT TO MAYBE UPGRADE THEIR FACILITIES AND HOW THEY LOOK AND, AND DO THINGS.

WHETHER THAT WE LOOK AT SOME KIND OF LITTLE SHORT TERM TAX ABATEMENTS, NOT LONG TERM TERM OR WHATEVER OPTIONS, I DON'T KNOW WHAT THOSE OPTIONS ARE.

THAT'S THEIR JOB, BUT THEY'RE NOT GONNA BE ABLE TO LOOK AT THAT AND BRING IT TO US UNLESS WE LET THEM GO BACK AND MAKE SOME KIND OF A PLAN AND COME BACK TO US WITH SAY, HEY, HERE'S SOME OPTIONS.

WE NEED SOME MONEY.

IT'S IN YOUR BALLPARK.

SO THAT WAS KIND OF MY FEELINGS ON THAT PLAN, AND I MAY BE THE ONLY ONE TO THINK WE DON'T NEED TO DO ANYTHING DOWN THERE.

NO, I THINK YOU'RE RIGHT.

UM, THERE'S A LOT OF SMALL BUSINESSES ON THAT AREA, IN THAT AREA, AND THERE, THERE'S A LOT OF CRIME IN THAT AREA.

SO SOMETHING NEEDS TO HAPPEN TO IMPROVE.

IT MAY DECREASE THE CRIME RATE.

UM, IF YOU WATCH THE POLICE FEET, IT'S IN THERE EVERY DAY.

AND, UM, AND I THINK SOME OF THOSE BUSINESSES MIGHT UPGRADE THEIR BUSINESS IF THEY HAD SOME ASSISTANCE.

IT'S KINDA LIKE WHAT WE TALKED ABOUT LAST TIME, A SOME INCENTIVE, SOME GRANTS OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT TOO, UH, TO ASSIST THEM IN UPGRADING THEIR BUSINESS.

I, I, I WOULD SAY TO KIND OF, UM, TO WHAT YOU JUST MENTIONED, IN TERMS OF ANY KINDS OF GRANTS TO ASSIST WITH THEIR BUSINESSES, WE DO HAVE A PROGRAM WITH THE CITY CALLED THE BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT GRANT, UM, THAT IS AVAILABLE IN CERTAIN AREAS.

I BELIEVE NORTH ALEXANDER IS ONE OF THOSE AREAS ON THE, ON THE MAP.

THAT, THAT, UM, THAT DOES THAT, THAT, THAT, UH, GRANT PROGRAM IS AVAILABLE.

IT IS SUPPOSED TO, IT'S ASSIST SMALL BUSINESSES WITH IMPROVEMENTS.

UM, THAT SAID, THAT PROGRAM WAS PUT ON HOLD BY, UH, BY MDD BACK IN THE FALL.

UM, AND SO I DON'T KNOW IF THAT PROGRAM'S GONNA COME BACK, UM, THIS YEAR OR NEXT OR THERE, THERE'S JUST, THERE HASN'T BEEN ANY DISCUSSION ABOUT THAT.

SO JUST, UH, FULL DISCLOSURE ON THAT, YOU KNOW, THE CITY OWNS A PIECE OF A VERY NICE PIECE OF LAND RIGHT BEHIND KROGER.

WHERE KROGER WAS GOING TO DEVELOP IT, DIDN'T DEVELOP IT.

GOING BACK THAT WOULD, WOULD MAKE A PRETTY NICE RETAIL OPERATION IN THERE, UH, WHICH I'M SURE THE CITY WOULD BE HAPPY TO GET THAT LAND MOVED ON, ON THE TAX ROADS AT SOME POINT IN TIME.

IF THAT PLAN COULD SOMEHOW ANOTHER SOMETHING TO INCUR SOME DEVELOPMENT UP OVER THERE IN THAT PROCESS.

UH, WE JUST NEED TO BE LOOKING AT IT.

I THINK THAT THE CITY HAS SOME STUFF IN THE, IN THE WORKS FOR THAT PROPERTY RIGHT NOW.

I THINK THAT, THAT, UH, IT, IT GOES BACK TO LIKE, UM, YOU KNOW, IF YOU FIX YOUR YARD, PAINT YOUR HOUSE, MAYBE YOUR NEIGHBOR WILL TOO.

AND I SEE BUSINESSES OUT THERE LIKE WHEN FISHERS MOVED, YOU KNOW, THEY DID A REALLY GOOD JOB OF MAKING THEIR, THEIR PROPERTY LOOK CLEAN.

AND I THINK I, I KNOW THE PARKS AND REC HAS DONE SOME GOOD WORK AND, AND PUBLIC WORKS HAS DONE GOOD WORK IN WORKING ON THE MEDIANS.

MM-HMM .

BUT I, I THINK THAT SOMETIMES BUSINESSES NEED TO BE GENTLY REMINDED THAT THEY HAVE RESPONSIBILITY.

UM, AND MAYBE DOING A PLAN LIKE THIS WILL, WILL PUSH NOT ONLY THE, THE CITY TO HAVE SOME SORT OF PLAN BECAUSE I, I AGREE.

I, I GO DOWN THERE AND, AND THERE ARE PEOPLE OF NOT VERY GOOD REPUTATIONS OUT THERE DOING THINGS THEY'RE NOT SUPPOSED TO BE DOING AND PEOPLE WALKING AROUND AT, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE ANYWAY.

UH, AND, AND I THINK IT WOULD BE, IT'S AN AREA THAT, THAT REALLY ISN'T MENTIONED MUCH, BUT I THINK, UH, MR. BEER DRIVE WITH A LITTLE BIT OF TWEAKING AND, AND PUSHING BUSINESSES IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION, YOU KNOW, IT'S AN AREA THAT BEFORE IT GETS ANY MORE NEGLECTED RIGHT NOW, YOU CAN STILL CATCH IT AND, AND MAKE IT LOOK NICE.

LIKE I SAID, EVEN THINGS AS, AS SMALL AS JUST KEEPING UP YOUR, YOUR YARD, YOU KNOW? AND, UM, SO I AGREE WITH THIS, THIS PROPOSAL.

WELL, NO ACTIONS REQUIRED ON THIS ITEM.

SO WE CAN MOVE ON TO, IS THERE SOMETHING THAT STAFF NEEDS TO COME BACK TO US WITH IF WE'RE ALL IN AGREEMENT THAT DOESN'T REQUIRE ACTION, BUT SAY, BRING US SOME IDEAS MAYBE AT THE NEXT MEETING OR WHATEVER TIMEFRAME YOU'RE COMFORTABLE WITH.

'CAUSE BUDGET'S COMING UP PRETTY QUICK.

UM, STAFF WILL KIND OF GO BACK AND PUT OUR HEADS TOGETHER ON THIS AND SEE IF THERE'S, UM, SOMETHING THAT WE CAN POSSIBLY PUT INTO WORKS.

UM, AND WE WILL TRY AND SEE IF THERE'S A TIME, UH, TIMEFRAME INVOLVED.

I, I CAN'T MAKE ANY PROMISES SITTING HERE, SO, UM, WE, WE WILL HAVE TO REPORT BACK ON THAT SAY IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF MONTHS.

ALRIGHT, I NEED A MOTION TO APPROVE THE CONSENT NINE A, B, AND C.

THANKS MARTIN.

[9. CONSENT]

SO MOVED SECOND.

I'LL SECOND IT.

OH, I THOUGHT

[01:10:01]

YOU DID, I THOUGHT WHEN YOU SAID SECOND YOU, OH, SORRY, I ASK YOU FOR A SECOND.

MY BAD.

ALRIGHT, WE ARE TO DIRECTORS APPOINT, UH, REPORT.

ALL OPPOSED, LIKE SIGNED.

[a. Receive a report from the Planning Director.]

TAKE IT AWAY, MARTIN.

UM, THANK YOU.

SO, UH, WE'VE HAD QUITE A BIT HAPPENING OVER THE LAST MONTH OR SO.

UH, QUITE A LOT OF ACTION AT CITY COUNCIL.

UH, THE DOWNTOWN ARTS DISTRICT BLUEPRINT, WHICH YOU HEARD, UH, LAST MONTH WAS APPROVED AT CITY COUNCIL.

SO THAT'S IN EFFECT.

UM, UH, WE DO HAVE, UH, AS, AS YOU CAN SEE TONIGHT, WE HAVE A NEW BOARD MEMBER, UH, SEATED WITH US.

UH, WELCOME COMMISSIONER CAROL IS HERE.

SO WELCOME.

UM, WE HAVE A, UH, WE HAD TWO REZONES.

ONE OF 'EM WAS THAT, IT WAS A LITTLE TRIANGLE ABOUT 10TH OF AN ACRE, UM, OFF A RIGHT ON NORTH MAIN STREET RIGHT OFF OF, UH, 1 46, UH, THAT WAS APPROVED FROM, UH, THAT SF TWO TO GENERAL COMMERCIAL TO ALLOW FOR THE ENTRANCE INTO A PROPOSED GAS STATION THERE THAT WAS APPROVED BY CITY COUNCIL.

AND THEN THE CITY SPONSORED A 13 ACRE, UH, REZONE ALONG MASSEY TOMPKINS IN BETWEEN, UH, K CRABBY CEDAR BAYOU AND HARD HARDEN HARDEN.