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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes City Council - 12/15/1976 - SpecialMINUTES CITY OF CORPUS CHRISTI, TEXAS SPECIAL COUNCIL MEETING DECEMBER 15, 1976 3:30 P.M. PRESENT: Mayor Jason Luby Mayor Pro Tem Bill Tipton Councilmembers: Eduardo E. de Ases Ruth Gill Bob Gulley Gabe Lozano, Sr. Edward Sample City Manager R. Marvin Townsend City Attorney J. Bruce Aycock City Secretary Bill G. Read Mayor Jason Luby called the meeting to order in the Council Chambers of City Hall. City Secretary Read noted a quorum was present. City Manager Townsend first announced the public hearing on Application #1176-1, Mr. C. H. Sheffield and Ms. P. K. Watson, for change of zoning from "R -1B" One -family Dwelling District to "AB" Professional Office District, on Lots 18 and 19, Block 11, Lawndale Subdivision, located at the southwest corner of South Staples and Blevins Streets. He explained that the Planning Commission and Staff recommend denial; that in response to notices of the change in zoning, 16 have been returned in favor. Chief Planner Larry Wenger then described the surrounding zoning and land uses, explaining the Staff is against extending business zoning into the established residential area nearby. Ms. Pat Watson, one of the applicants, pointed out that there are three types of uses in the four lots in the block, and hers is the only residence. She cited nearby business and commercial operations, and said she feels she has to move and either sell or rent the property because it is no longer suitable as a residence. I She asked why she should be penalized by denial of her zoning request when the other three lots on that block are being used for businesses. Motion by Lozano that the hearing be closed; seconded by Gulley and passed unanimously. Motion by Gill that the application be approved to change the zoning from "R -1B" to "AB"; seconded by Sample and passed unanimously. MICROFILMED SEP 0 31980 Minutes Special Council Meeting December 15, 1976 Page 2 City Manager Townsend then presented Application #1176-4, Memorial Funeral Home, Inc., for change of zoning from "R -1B" One -family Dwelling District to "B-1" Neighborhood Business District, on a 10 -acre tract of land out of Lot 12, Section D, Paisley Subdivision of the Hoffman Tract, located south of Gollihar Road, approximately 493' west of Leon Street. He reported that the Planning Commission and Staff recommend denial; that nine responses have been received in opposition and one in favor. He added that this 10 -acre tract is out of a 40 -acre piece of land which must all be platted prior to development; and informed the Council that the 20% rule would be in effect on this zoning case --requiring six affirmative votes for passage of the ordinance. Mr. Steve Morales, President of Memorial Funeral Home, Inc., said they would like to be given a special permit for a funeral home and parking area on about three acres out of 10 acres they plan to purchase. He maintained that every other funeral home in Corpus Christi is located next to residences and has some on -street parking, but that they would have their own parking lot. He presented a petition with 22 signatures in favor of the funeral home at that location. Rev. J. R. Aldape, minister of the nearby Iglesia Bautista Gollihar, said he would not have any objection to the funeral home there. Mayor Luby called for those against the application, and Mr. Facundo Rodriguez, 4557 Castenon St., objected to a funeral home next to their residence. He stated they have lived there for a number of years, have invested quite a bit in their home, are now on the verge of retirement and it would be too hard on them to move. He also was opposed to the special permit, saying he believes it would create more business zoning in the area. Mr. Homero Ramirez, Sr., 4525 Castenon, also objected to the funeral home -- saying his back yard would face the side of it. He also expressed the fear that it would increase his and others' taxes, and said many persons in the area would not be able to pay them. City Manager Townsend responded that there is no direct relationship between the zoning next to him and the value of his own property --that there is no automatic change. He also clarified for Mr. Ramirez that notices of the public hearing on the Minutes Special Council Meeting December 15, 1976 Page 3 zoning request are only mailed to property owners within 200 ft. of the subject property, so not all persons on adjacent streets would have received notices. Also speaking in opposition was Mrs. Facundo Rodriguez, who presented a petition with 37 signatures of persons in opposition to the zoning request. She added she was against a special permit because it would set a precedent for additional rezoning in the area, she felt. Motion by Sample that the hearing be closed; seconded by Tipton and passed unanimously. Motion by Tipton that the application be denied; seconded by Sample and passed unanimously. City Manager Townsend then presented Application #1176-5, Mr. Frank Mullens, for change of zoning from "I-2" Light Industrial District to "B-4" General Business District on Lot A, Block 1, Woodland Heights, located south of Leopard Street, approximately 98' west of Westchester Road. He reviewed that the Planning Commission and Staff recommend approval of the request; that two letters have been returned in favor of the change of zoning, and one in opposition. Chief Planner Wenger described the surrounding zoning and land uses. There was no one in the audience in opposition. Motion by Sample that the hearing be closed; seconded by Gulley and passed unanimously. Motion by Lozano to concur with the Planning Commission and Staff's recommendation that Application #1176-5 be approved; seconded by de Ases and passed unanimously. City Manager Townsend then announced Application #1176-6, Mr. David Dawe, for change of zoning from "R -1B" One -family Dwelling District to "B-4" General Business District, on properties described as a 3 -acre (+) portion of Lots 7 and 8, Section 53, FTour Bluff and Encinal Farm and Garden Tracts (Tract A containing 1.0 acre; Tract B containing 0.75 acre; and Tract C containing 1.3 acres) located on both sides of Laguna Shores Road, north of the Van Galen Ditch, approximately 1,100' north of Carribean Drive. He stated that the recommendations of the Planning Commission and Staff are for approval. Chief Planner Wenger summarized the surrounding zoning and land uses. No one spoke in opposition to the request. Minutes Special Council Meeting December 15, 1976 Page 4 Motion by Sample that the hearing be closed; seconded by Lozano and passed unanimously. Motion by Lozano to concur with the recommendation of the Planning Commission that it be approved; seconded by Gulley and passed unanimously. City Manager Townsend next reviewed the following changes to Zoning Ordinance #6106: (1) Amend Article 3. Definitions, Section 3-.1, by adding a new subsection to be designated as 3-1.54.1 which shall hereafter read as follows: 3-1.54.1 Shopping Center. A group of four (4) or more commercial establishments, planned, developed and managed as a unit. (2) Amend Article 22, Parking Regulations, Section 22-2 Interpretation of the Chart, by adding the following sentence to Subsection 22-2.08 after the word "separately": However, parking requirements for shopping centers shall be determined on the basis of one off-street parking space for each two hundred (200) square feet of gross floor area of the center. Chief Planner Wenger further explained the Staff's proposed amendment which would require one parking space per 200 square feet of gross floor area of a shopping center. He advised the Council that the Planning Commission --after a presentation by architect Bert Hass that much of the gross square feet in businesses is used for storage and would have no relationship to the amount of people occupying the store --recommends one parking space per 220 feet; but Mr. Wenger said the Staff took that into consideration. City Manager Townsend stated he did not realize that the Planning Commission had made that lower recommendation, explaining that the Planning Staff's proposal is a reduction from the present requirements --which correspond with the uses in the shopping center. He suggested that the matter be tabled so the Staff could conduct a survey on parking situations in various shopping centers throughout the city. Mr. Bert Haas said he was Chairman of the AIA Committee which made the recommendation for less parking to the Planning Commission. He pointed out that as much as one-third of some local grocery stores are used for storage, and also mentioned the trend toward smaller cars. After some further discussion, Motion by de Ases that the proposed amendment be tabled; seconded by Gulley and passed unanimously. The Meeting was adjourned at 4:55 p.m. to resume the Regular Council Meeting. 1