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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes City Council - 02/21/1973 - SpecialMINUTES CIN OF CORPUS CHRISTI, TEXAS SPECIAL COUNCIL MEETING February 21, 1973 4:00 P.M. PRESENT: Mayor Pro Tem Charles A. Bonniwell Commissioners: Roberto Bosquez, M.D Rev. Harold T. Branch Thomas V. Gonzales Gabe Lozano, Sr. City Manager R. Marvin Townsend City Attorney James R. Riggs City Secretary T. Ray Kring • Mayor Pro Tem Bonniwell called the meeting to order in the Council Chamber of the City Hall and stated the purpose of the special meeting was to hold scheduled public hearings on six zoning applications and any other business as may properly come before the Counci I . Mayor Pro Tem Bonniwell presented Application #173-9, Josephine S. Davis, for change of zoning From "R -1B" One -Family Dwelling District to "B-4" General Busi- ness District, on Lot 3, Block B, Lexington Place, located north of South Padre Island Drive and east of Hamlett Drive. The request was heard by the Planning Commission January 23, 1973, and forwarded to the Council with the recommendation that it be approved as a logical use for this area , and the Planning Staff concurred in the recommendation. No one appeared in opposition to the recommendation of the Planning Commission. Motion by Branch, seconded by Lozano and passed, that the hearing be closed. Motion by Gonzales, seconded by Branch and passed, that the recommen- dation of the Planning Commission be concurred in and that Application #173-9, for change of zoning from "R -1B" One -family Dwelling District to "B-4" General Busi- ness District, on Lot 3, Block 8, Lexington Place, be approved as requested and an ordinance be brought forward effectuating the change. Mayor Pro Tem Bonniwell presented Application #173-10, James D. Peterson, for change of zoning from "R -1B" One -family Dwelling District and "8-1" Neighborhood Business District to "B-4" General Business District, on Lots 5, 6 and 7, Gnegy Tracts, located between South Padre Island Drive and McArdle Road east of South Staples Street. The request was heard by the Planning Commission January 23, 1973, and forwarded to the Council with the recommendation that the approximate -el • Minutes Special Council Meeting February 21, 1973 Page 2 • 7 acres fronting on South Padre Island Drive be approved to a depth in line with the dead- end streets of Nolan and Lum Streets but that the rear portion containing approximately 5 acres be denied on the basis that it will allow the applicant to develop his property accord- ing to his proposed plan and at the same time will protect the adjacent residences. The Planning Staff concurred in this recommendation. Larry Wenger, Senior City Planner, located the property on the map and pointed out the zoning and land uses in the surrounding area. He stated the Staff is in agreement with the Planning Commission that the "B-4" zoning should not extend beyond the depth in a line with the deadends of Nolan and Lum Streets, but felt that business on the rear portion facing McArdle would be detrimental to the residential properties fronting along McArdle and that the traffic problems would be magnified. Mr. Daniel Gaches, 1313 Nolan Street, spoke in opposition pointing out that Nolan and Lum Streets are deadend and that it is very difficult for residents to get onto McArdle Road during peak traffic hours, and is also a safety hazard in case of fire, particularly when the wind is blowing from the north and should the first two houses be involved. He stated he was opposed to the entire request and the recommendation of the Planning Commission. There was general discussion regarding access to these residential streets and ways to resolve the problems. Mr. Wenger pointed out that when the vacant area adja- cent to the southwest of these two streets is platted, the streets could possibly be extended to provide better traffic circulation. City Attorney Riggs stated there is no way the City could require the property owner to extend the street unless it is re -platted. Others appearing and requesting that they be recorded in opposition were: Mr. & Mrs. Donald Pittaway, 1309 Nolan; Mr. & Mrs. Eugene Blankenship, 1330 Nolan; Mrs. Floyd Tackett, 1338 Nolan; Mr. Floyd H. Jaeger, 5622 McArdle; Mrs. Sue Burns, 1305 Nolan; Mr. and Mrs. Robert Barrera, 1302 Nolan; Mrs. Velma Foster, 1317 Nolan; and Mr. John B. Creasman, 1326 Nolan. Mr. Odell Ingle, Realtor, spoke on behalf of the applicant and presented a sketch of the overall development plans. He explained that at present time they have • Minutes Special Council Meeting February 21, 1973 Page 3 a commitment from a national concern to construct a retail store 80,000 square feet in area. He stated it is not logical to develop this tract of land as single family dwellings, and when asked if he would be willing to dedicate land for a street, stated the land is very valuable and would not be economically feasible. Mrs, Velma Foster stated she had requested that the Traffic Engineer be present at the Commission hearing to answer some questions on their traffic problems, but that he was not there and she had not heard his views. Mayor Pro Tem Bonniwell stated it appeared that the zoning does not relate to the traffic problems, that the streets are not the issue, and the only question before the Council is whether or not the recommendation of the Planning Commission is good zoning. He commented that if the property is platted it would be a question of one lot as opposed to three lots. Motion by Lozano, seconded by Bosquez and passed, that the hearing be closed. Motion by Lozano, seconded by Bosquez and passed, Branch voting "Nay", that Application #173-10, James D. Peterson, for change of zoning from "R -1B" One - family Dwelling District and "8-1" Neighborhood Business District to "B-4" General Business District be approved as follows: That the approximate 7 acres fronting on South Padre Island Drive be approved to a depth of 570 feet from South Padre Island Drive, and that an ordinance be brought forward effectuating the change, but that the remaining rear portion containing approximately 5 acres be denied as recommended by the Planning Commission on the basis that it will allow the applicant to develop his property according to his proposed plan and at the some time will protect the adjacent residences. Mayor Pro Tem Bonniwell requested that a recommendation be obtained from the Traffic Engineer for a solution to the traffic problem on Lum and Nolan Streets. Mayor Pro Tem Bonniwell presented Application #173-4, Pier I Imports, for change of zoning from "6-1" Neighborhood Business District to "8-4" General Business District, on Lot 2, Block A, Manor Terrace Addition, located at 5717 South Padre Island Drive. The request was heard by the Planning Commission January 9, 1973, and for- warded to the Council with the recommendation that it be approved as requested. It • Minutes Special Council Meeting February 21, 1973 Page 4 was the Staff's opinion that this request be denied on the basis that zoning should not be granted for merely increasing the size of a sign. Mr. Bonniwell commented that it had been his understanding that a moratorium had been declared on this type of application until a final report had been obtained from the Zoning Consultant and suggested that the request be heard but that it be tabled. Mr. John Waller, attorney representing the applicant, requested that the Council approve the request at this time, stating that had it been handled in the ordinary course of events it would have already been disposed of. He stated that although the zoning had been requested because the company wanted to erect a larger sign, the property lends itself logically to "8-4" Business zoning because of its location on the Expressway. Mr. Waller stated there had been no opposition when the Kroeger tract was changed from "B-1" and has a larger sign. He pointed out that there had been no opposition at the Commission hearing and that surrounding property owners and businesses had been con- tacted and there was no opposition to the sign. He stated the sign is essential to Pier I Imports since approximately 30 percent of their customers are out of town people or resi- dents from other sections of the City that are attracted to the store by driving down the Expressway, and that the advertising is a part of their business and use of the land. Mayor Pro Tem Bonniwell questioned as to whether or not the Commission had considered this application on the basis of a sign or "B-4" zoning. Mr. Waller stated that it was his opinion that the Commission had approved the request because they felt the property should be zoned "8-4", commenting that this is definitely not a neighborhood business district. He stated that if signs are allowed anywhere in the City, they should be allowed on Padre Island Drive. No one appeared in opposition to the recommendation of the Planning Commission. Motion by Branch, seconded by Bosquez and passed, that the hearing be closed. Motion by Branch, seconded by Gonzales and passed, that Application #173-4, Pier I Imports, be tabled for two weeks to determine on what basis the Commis- sion considered the request. Minutes Special Council Meeting February 21, 1973 Page 5 ORDINANCE NO. 11327 • AMENDING THE ZONING ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF CORPUS CHRISTI ADOPTED ON THE 27TH DAY OF AUGUST, 1937, APPEARING OF RECORD IN VOLUME 9, PAGES 565, ET SEQ, OF THE ORDINANCE AND RESOLUTION RECORDS, AS AMENDED FROM TIME TO TIME AND PARTICULARLY AS AMENDED BY ORDINANCE NO. 6106, AS AMENDED, UPON APPLICATION OF JOSEPHINE S.DAVIS BY AMENDING THE ZONING MAP BY CHANGING THE ZONING ON LOT 3, BLOCK B, LEXINGTON PLACE SITUATED IN THE CITY OF CORPUS CHRISTI, NUECES COUNTY, TEXAS, FROM "R -1B" ONE - FAMILY DWELLING DISTRICT TO "B-4" GENERAL BUSINESS DISTRICT; KEEPING IN EFFECT ALL OTHER PROVISIONS OF THE EXISTING ORDINANCE AS AMENDED; REPEALING ALL ORDINANCES IN CONFLICT HEREWITH; AND DECLARING AN EMER- GENCY. The Charter Rule was suspended and the foregoing ordinance was passed by the following vote: Bonniwell, Bosquez, Branch, Gonzales, Lozano, present and voting "Aye"; Sizemore and Stark were absent. There being no further business to come before the Council, the Special Meet- ing was adjourned at 5:00 p.m., February 21, 1973.