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Home My WebLink AboutMinutes Planning Commission - 04/17/2014 - Special MINUTES SPECIAL PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING City Hall Council Chambers April 17, 2014 12 Noon COMMISSIONERS: STAFF: Philip Ramirez, Chairman Barney Williams, P.E., Interim Director, Chris Hamilton, Vice Chairman Development Services Mark Adame Miguel Saldana, AICP, Senior Planner Fred Braselton* Julian Grant, First Assistant City Marco Castillo Attorney Mike Lippincott Annika Gunning, Project Manager Curtis Rock Linda Williams, Recording Secretary Eric Villarreal Marsha Williams *Absent I. CALL TO ORDER The meeting was called to order at 12:04 p.m. by Chairman Ramirez and a quorum was declared. II. PUBLIC HEARING AGENDA ITEM —DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION A. Proposed Text Amendment to the Unified Development Code Ordinance amending the Unified Development Code(UDC) revising subsections 8.1.11 and 8.1.12 regarding infrastructure improvements for plat recordation prior to final acceptance and at final acceptance Barney Williams, Interim Director, Development Services, addressed the commission. Mr. Williams stated the proposed amendment will allow a plat to be recorded prior to completion of all required infrastructure if the improvements are completed in accordance with approved construction plans, specifications and the City of Corpus Christi engineering design standards as determined by the Assistant City Manager. Mr. Williams continued the amendment will also eliminate redundancy resulting in a more streamlined process. The amendment will reduce the number of departments involved in the current process and provide more leverage to the construction inspectors in making decisions because they will be able to do onsite inspections; thereby reducing the time process. Mr. Williams continued that currently, a plat cannot be recorded until the infrastructure is at least 75 percent acceptance, and with the decreased time, the project will be able to move forward. After staff's presentation concluded, the floor was opened for comments and discussion by commissioners. Commissioner Castillo asked if all inspections would come through Construction Inspections and Mr. Williams stated yes and the inspectors will have a generated checklist to use. After all comments and discussion concluded, the public hearing was opened with no one coming forward. Chairman Ramirez called for a motion. A motion to approve the text amendment to the Unified Development Code revising subsections 8.1.11 and 8.1.12 was made by Commissioner Castillo and seconded by Vice Chairman Hamilton. Motion passed with Commissioner Braselton absent. Planning Commission Special Meeting April 17,2014 Page 2 III. PRESENTATION AND DISCUSSION OF EFFORTS TO DEVELOP THE STRATEGIC COMPREHENSIVE PLAN Ms. Larisa Brown, Technical Project Director/Manger, Stantec Urban, addressed the commission. Ms. Brown introduced the consultant team, their associated firms and roles as team members: Laurie Volk, Housing Market Analyst, Zimmerman/Volk Associates, Steve Kearney, Deputy Project Manager, Stanec Urban, Peter Kwass, Economic Development, Peter Kwass Consulting, David Spillane, and Principal in Charge, Goody, Clancy & Associates and Julie Herlands, Cost of Land Use, TischerBise, who was absent. Ms. Brown gave a brief introduction on what the team's approach would be in developing a new and more strategic comprehensive plan for the City of Corpus Christi. Ms. Brown presented a brief power point presentation outlining the following: The City's Current Plan: • Fragmented; • Multi-volume; • Many elements are old and obsolete; and • Hard to Use New Comprehensive Plan: • One volume citywide framework — based on community values and a shared vision for the overall development of the city as a whole; and for balancing citywide priorities with neighborhood priorities — as part of this process, public engagement planning meetings will be held citywide throughout the City's five districts ; • Analysis and recommended strategies to achieve the vision; and • An action plan for implementation—what, who, when, how much... What Happens Next? • Review of existing plans; • Technical analysis; and • Interim guidelines for comp plan consistency findings; • Public Engagement; • Plan City Council Month—June: -District meetings and citywide meetings - Identify values -Create a vision for the future and • Plan Development How the Plan Will Help the Planning Commission • Policies and criteria to guide decision making; • Citywide, broader context to evaluate rezoning applications; and • Recommendations on regulatory streamlining and design standards to achieve goals After Ms. Brown's presentation, the floor was opened for a time of discussion and comments by commissioners. Commissioner Adame stated that he has been in Corpus Christi for fourteen years and there have been a lot of plans generated. Commissioner Adame continued that by the time the comprehensive plan is completed, a new Planning Commission and City Council will be in place. Commissioner Adame asked Ms. Brown what measures could be taken to ensure the plan document would be implemented and what has other cities done to make sure the accountability was done. Planning Commission Special Meeting April 17,2014 Page 3 III. PRESENTATION AND DISCUSSION OF EFFORTS TO DEVELOP THE STRATEGIC COMPREHENSIVE PLAN (cont.) Ms. Brown stated that it is always recommended that plans of this kind be integrated into department plans. There should be some type of annual accountability to see what has been accomplished and an annual review should be made to see what factors were involved that prevented either the start of or a completion of a project. Ms. Brown continued that no plan is self-implemented. Ms. Brown gave examples of what other cities did in getting their comprehensive plans in the process. The City of Fort Worth incorporated comprehensive plan projects into their department budgets, City of Shreveport, Louisiana created a continuing committee that works with the city in monitoring any progress regarding their comp plan and for the City of Tyler, when a comprehensive plan was on the City Council agenda, an icon was included that kept it on the city's website. Ms. Brown stated that in trying to implement plans of this type in a day-to-day operation has become a problem everywhere. Commissioner Castillo stated that the City focuses a lot in redeveloping and revitalizing the downtown area, but there is a lack of focus on the other areas of the city. Vice Chairman Hamilton stated he would hate for the City to spend $1 million on creating a new comprehensive plan and then nothing is done with it. Vice Chairman Hamilton stated the comp plan has to be embraced by city officials as well as the community. After further discussion and comments concluded, Chairman Ramirez thanked Ms. Brown and the consultant team for meeting with the commission and stated the commission looked forward to working with them in updating the comprehensive plan. IV. Adjournment There being no further business, the meeting adjourned at 1:03 p.m. _sh arney Willi s, P.E, .Int&r m Director Date Developmerf Services Department Interim Secr tary to Planning Commission QL� 5 I, - mda evel Ill iams D e D ent Services Departme Recording Secretary (K:DevSvcs\Shared\1.PC\2014\041714SpecialMtg PCMi nutes)