[I. Chairperson’s Opening Remarks]
[00:00:03]
IT. GOOD EVENING. IT IS 5:30 P.M. CITY OF PORT ARTHUR PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION PUBLIC HEARING MEETING. IF THERE ARE ANYONE IN HERE WHO'S INTERESTED IN SPEAKING, WHICH I DON'T SEE ANYONE IN HERE TODAY. BUT IF THERE HAD BEEN. WE REQUIRE THAT YOU ONLY ALLOW THREE MINUTES TO SPEAK FOR OR AGAINST. STATE YOUR NAME, ADDRESS AND TELL US WHAT YOU WANT. OTHER THAN THAT, I'LL DO THE ROLL CALL. THANK YOU. YES, MA'AM. ROLL CALL. WE'RE READY.
DOCTOR? ROSALIND SAVILLE HERE. MR. WAGNER HERE. MR. ROOSEVELT. PETRI. DOCTOR. DOCTOR.
ROOSEVELT. PETRI. MY APOLOGIES. MY TEXAS SOUTHERN MYSELF, SIR. DOCTOR. ROOSEVELT. PETRI.
PRESENT. OKAY. AND IT'S ZULIMA ESCOBIDO. WE HAVE A QUORUM. LET THE RECORD SHOW THAT WE HAVE A
[IV. APPROVAL OF MINUTES]
QUORUM. APPROVAL OF MINUTES. WE NEED SOMEONE TO MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES. I SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. ANY QUESTIONS? NONE PASSED. MOTION PASSED. UNFINISHED BUSINESS. IT[VI. NEW BUSINESS - PUBLIC HEARING ITEMS (INDIVIDUAL CONSIDERATION)]
SAYS NONE. NEW BUSINESS. THE HEARING, MISS MILO? YES, MA'AM. THANK YOU. LADY CHAIR. WOMAN.THE CASE NUMBER IS R26-25. THE PROPERTY OWNER IS CREATION LLC. THE PROPERTY IS LOCATED AT 6401 FRONT AVENUE, J K. PARCEL NUMBER 38497. THE NATURE OF THE REQUEST IS AN APPROVAL OF A REPLAT IN THE GORDON ADDITION. THE PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION IS BEING ASKED TO CONSIDER A REPLAT REQUEST FOR THE FOLLOWING LOTS ONE AND TWO AND LOTS FOUR AND FIVE. BLOCK TWO. GORDON. ADDITION. CITY OF PORT. ARTHUR. JEFFERSON COUNTY, TEXAS. THE NEW TRACK NAMES ARE.
TRACT ONE, DASH A DASH ONE AND 1-A-2. BLOCK TWO. GORDON ADDITION, CITY OF PORT ARTHUR, JEFFERSON COUNTY, TEXAS. THE LOT DIMENSIONS ARE MULTI-DIMENSIONAL. THE TOTAL ACREAGE IS 0.861 ACRES OF LAND. THE CURRENT ZONING IS LOW DENSITY RESIDENTIAL. THERE IS NO PROPOSED ZONE CHANGE. THE ABUTTING ZONES ARE ALL LOW DENSITY RESIDENTIAL TO THE NORTH, SOUTH, EAST AND WEST. AND THE PURPOSE OF THIS REPLAT IS TO DIVIDE ONE TRACT INTO TWO.
AN APPLICATION FOR A REPLAY WAS SUBMITTED TO THE OFFICE OF PLANNING AND ZONING ON OR AROUND JULY 1ST, 2026. THE PURPOSE OF THIS REPLAT IS TO DIVIDE ONE TRACT INTO TWO TRACKS IN ACCORDANCE WITH CHAPTER 98, ARTICLE THREE, SECTION 98-153. THE COMMISSION SHALL RENDER A DECISION WITHIN 30 DAYS OF RECEIPT OF THE PLAT FROM THE DIRECTOR OF PLANNING, TOGETHER WITH THE RECOMMENDATION AND IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE APPLICABLE REQUIREMENTS OF THE VTCA LOCAL GOVERNMENT CODE, SECTION 2.2212.014 THROUGH 212.016.
SUCH A DECISION SHALL CONSIST OF APPROVAL OR DENIAL. ON THURSDAY, JULY 9TH, 2026, 20 NOTICES WERE MAILED TO ADJACENT PROPERTY OWNERS WITHIN A 200 FOOT RADIUS AND PUBLISHED IN THE PORT ARTHUR NEWSPAPER. A MINIMUM OF 15 DAYS BEFORE THE PUBLIC HEARING SCHEDULED FOR TODAY, AUGUST 3RD, 2026. AND THAT IS ALL. OKAY, OUR 26-25. I NEED TO MAKE HAVE A MOTION MADE ON THIS REPLAY. ASK A QUESTION. YES. CAN YOU TELL ME WHERE THE GORDON ADDITION IS LOCATED? THE GORDON ADDITION IS LOCATED. THIS AREA IS IN THE PORT ACRES AREA. YES, SIR. OKAY. THANK YOU.
AND IT IS FOR FUTURE RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT. IT IS A LOW DENSITY RESIDENTIAL DISTRICT. IT CANNOT BE REZONED OR ANYTHING. YES, SIR. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? WHAT DO YOU WANT? I AM ON PAGE TEN. TWO OF TEN. I'M SORRY. TWO OF TEN ON STAFF REPORT. R26-25. YES, SIR.
MR. LIGHT IS SO BRIGHT, I CANNOT SEE IT. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? I NEED A MOTION TO PASS THIS, I SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR? ANY QUESTIONS? MOTION PASSES. OKAY, MISS MILO. YES, MA'AM. NEXT, WE HAVE CASE NUMBER Z26-09. THE PROPERTY OWNER IS ALPHA SOUTHEAST TEXAS
[00:05:09]
PROPERTY, LLC. THE PROPERTY IS LOCATED AT 6331 WEST PORT ARTHUR ROAD. JAKE AT PARCEL NUMBER 85615, AND THIS REQUEST IS FOR A SPECIFIC USE PERMIT. THE NATURE OF THE REQUEST THE PLANNING IS ON. THE COMMISSION IS BEING ASKED TO CONSIDER A ZONING MAP AMENDMENT FOR THE FOLLOWING. THE PROPERTY IS DESCRIBED AS TRACT 11-8, REPLAT OF LOTS TEN AND 11. BLOCK FIVE PORT ACRES. CITY OF PORT ARTHUR. JEFFERSON COUNTY, TEXAS. THE TOTAL ACREAGE IS 0.9162 ACRE OF LAND. THE CURRENT ZONING IS COMMERCIAL RETAIL. HOWEVER, IN A COMMERCIAL RETAIL DISTRICT, IF YOU WANT TO OPERATE AUTO SALES, YOU ARE REQUIRED TO HAVE THE APPROVAL OF A SPECIFIC USE PERMIT, WHICH IS WHY WE ARE HERE TODAY. THE PROPOSED ZONING IS A SPECIFIC USE PERMIT. THE ABUTTING ZONING NORTH, LOW DENSITY RESIDENTIAL, COMMERCIAL RETAIL AND SUP146 SOUTH. LOW DENSITY RESIDENTIAL AND COMMERCIAL RETAIL. EAST HEAVY INDUSTRIAL AND WEST. LOW DENSITY RESIDENTIAL. THE PURPOSE OF THIS REQUEST IS TO CONSIDER THE GRANTING OF A SPECIFIC USE PERMIT FOR THE OPERATION OF AN AUTOMOBILE SALES BUSINESS IN A COMMERCIAL RETAIL DISTRICT. AN APPLICATION WAS FILED WITH THE PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION ON OR AROUND JULY 2ND, 2026, REQUESTING A SPECIFIC USE PERMIT FOR THE OPERATION OF AN AUTOMOBILE SALES BUSINESS. ANY PERSON OR CORPORATION HAVING A PROPRIETARY INTEREST IN ANY PROPERTY MAY PETITION THE CITY COUNCIL OR CHANGE FOR CHANGE OR AMENDMENT TO THE PROVISIONS OF THIS ORDINANCE. THE PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION MAY INSTITUTE A STUDY AND PROPOSAL FOR CHANGES AND AMENDMENTS IN THE PUBLIC INTEREST ON ITS OWN MOTION, OR ON THE REQUEST FROM THE CITY COUNCIL. A SPECIFIC USE PERMIT IS A ZONING AMENDMENT TO ALLOW A DESIGNATED USE AT A DESIGNATED LOCATION, AN APPROVAL FOR A SPECIFIC USE PERMIT THAT HAS BEEN DETERMINED TO BE MORE INTENSE OR TO HAVE A GREATER IMPACT THAN A USE PERMITTED BY RIGHT WITHIN THE SAME ZONING DISTRICT. ON THURSDAY, JULY 9TH, 2026, SEVEN NOTICES WERE MAILED TO ADJACENT PROPERTY OWNERS WITHIN A 200 FOOT RADIUS AND PUBLISHED IN THE PORT ARTHUR NEWSPAPER. A MINIMUM OF 15 DAYS BEFORE THE MEETING HEARING SCHEDULED FOR TODAY, AUGUST 3RD, 2026. AND SO FAR AS OF TODAY, WE HAVE NOT HAD ANYONE CALL TO OPPOSE THIS, SPECIFIC USE PERMIT. AND THAT'S IT. CHAIR LADY OKAY, THIS IS ONE THAT I HAD TO DO SOME THINKING ON, BUT, I'D LIKE FOR US TO AT LEAST START WITH A MOTION. ON THIS SPECIAL USE PERMIT. MOTION. ANY MOTION WE'LL HAVE TO TALK ABOUT IT. SO I'LL MAKE A MOTION. I SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR. AYE. AGAINST.OKAY. WHAT DO YOU NORMALLY DO IF THERE'S A MOTION MADE IN SECOND AND THEN YOU HAVE DISCUSSION. WE WILL. EXCUSE ME SIR, I'M JUST. EXCUSE ME SIR, LET US FINISH THIS MEETING. NO, IT'S. IT'S OKAY. POINT OF ORDER. OKAY. YES, SIR. POINT OF ORDER. YOU HAVE A MOTION MADE. YOU HAVE A SECOND, THEN THERE'S DISCUSSION. YES, SIR. I BELIEVE THAT'S BEFORE DISCUSSION. YEAH, I BELIEVE THAT'S WHAT SHE. SHE TOOK EMOTION. AND MR. WAGNER SECOND. SECOND. AND THEN SHE SAID WE WERE GOING TO DISCUSS. SHE SAID, LET'S TAKE A VOTE. ALL IN FAVOR? ALL AGAINST. WE DON'T VOTE UNTIL WE DISCUSS. OKAY. THANK YOU. THERE WILL BE A DISCUSSION, SIR. DOCTOR PETRI.
EXCUSE ME. THANK YOU. YES, SIR. THANK YOU SO MUCH. EXCUSE ME, DOCTOR PETRI. THANK YOU SO MUCH.
THANK YOU. SINCE HE WANTS THIS DONE, I'M REALLY AGAINST THAT. BUT SINCE HE THINKS WE SHOULD DISCUSS FIRST BEFORE WE VOTE. I DO IT THE OPPOSITE WAY. WE VOTE, THEN WE DISCUSS. THEN HE WANTS US TO VOTE. NO, NO, NO. AFTER. HOWEVER, I GET WHAT HE'S SAYING. AND I GET WHAT YOU'RE SAYING.
BUT WHAT WE NEED TO DO ON THIS SPECIAL USE PERMIT IS GET IT OUT OF HERE, PERIOD. THERE'S NO REASON FOR US TO BE IN HERE 30 MINUTES OVER ONE ITEM BECAUSE SOMEONE DOESN'T LIKE WHAT I'M SAYING OR HOW I'M DOING IT. THAT WILL NOT HAPPEN EVER AGAIN AS LONG AS I'M ON THIS COMMISSION AS WELL. POINT OF ORDER. I WANT TO FOLLOW ROBERT'S RULES OF ORDER. YES, SIR. AND WE DON'T WANT TO FEAR FROM THAT BOOK IN HER HAND. READ IT. I WANT TO FOLLOW THE RULES THAT WE TOOK AN OATH ON. YES, SIR. AND? AND THE PROCEDURE THAT IS DONE. YOU HAVE A VOTE? YES, SIR. YOU MAKE A MOTION, YOU SECOND IT, AND THEN YOU DISCUSS AND THEN VOTE,
[00:10:06]
NOT VOTE UNTIL AFTER DISCUSSION MAKES IT. THANK YOU SIR. OKAY. LET'S VOTE. LET'S VOTE. EXCUSE US. POINT OF ORDER. WE NEED TO CONTINUE THIS MEETING. POINT OF ORDER, COMMISSIONERS. CONTINUE.LET'S HAVE A DISCUSSION. LET'S DISCUSS SPECIFIC USE PERMIT. WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS? YOU HAVE AN. EXCELLENT EVENING FOR. THIS. I THINK WE HAVE, YOU'RE GOING TO LET US KNOW THAT THIS SITUATION WE'RE GOING TO PUT ON THE ON. CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT THE SITUATION. LIKE HOW YOU'RE GOING TO SEE LIKE, YEAH, YEAH. HE MENTIONED LARRY. YOU OKAY? YOU SCARED ME FOR A MOMENT.
THEY WERE CALLING YOU. YEAH. MAYBE YOU CAN. JB YOU WANTED TO KNOW IF HE HAD PERMISSION TO ADDRESS THE COMMISSIONERS. ON THE STIPULATIONS FOR THE SPECIFIC USE PERMIT FOR THE AUTO SALES IN THE COMMERCIAL RETAIL DISTRICT. I WAS LIKE, I KNOW, I UNDERSTAND BECAUSE I'M FOR IT, BECAUSE I SEE THERE'S BEEN OTHER AUTO DEALERS THERE. I SEE ON THAT'S WHY I ALWAYS KNOW WHAT WAS. YEAH. OKAY. I'M SORRY. I WAS LOST IN A, IN A DAY. WE WENT OUT THERE AND LOOKED AT IT AND SPOKE WITH THE, WITH THE LADY, I BELIEVE THEY USED TO OWN THE, THAT RESTAURANT SHOOTERS THAT RESTAURANT ON. OKAY. AND WE WENT OUT THERE AND LOOKED AT IT AND EVERYTHING. AND THEY HAVE TO CLEAN IT UP. THEY'RE CLEANING IT UP. THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH SOME KIND OF A DRAINAGE DITCH OR SOMETHING, A PIPE THAT'S BUSTED, THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE TO FIX IT. THEY SPOKE TO US WITH THE CITY TO FIND OUT WHAT IT WAS. SOME PRIVATE PROPERTY. I DON'T THINK IT'S A PART OF THE CITY, BUT THEY HAVE TO CLEAN THAT UP. AND, OTHER THAN THAT, SHE'S GOING TO FIX IT UP THE WAY, YEAH, WE'RE GOING TO FIX IT UP. WE HAD A PRE DEVELOPMENT MEETING AND DISCUSSED EVERYTHING THEY NEEDED TO DO AND THEY'RE WILLING TO DO IT. AND SHE WAS OUT THERE WORKING ON IT WHEN WE WENT OUT THERE. SO I MEAN THEY CAN'T I MEAN WE BELIEVE IT CAN WORK. SO IT'S NOT LIKE WE'RE DOING CHANGING ANYTHING. WE'RE JUST SAYING YEAH, YOU JUST NEED A SPECIFIC USE PERMIT IN A COMMERCIAL RETAIL TO SELL CARS.
THAT'S JUST IN OUR NEW ORDINANCE THAT WE HAD. SO THAT'S WHAT I THOUGHT I WAS VOTING. YEAH. OKAY. OKAY. ANYTHING ELSE? I HAVE A QUESTION. I WENT THERE TO LOOK AT THE PROPERTY MYSELF. IT DOES NEED A LOT OF WORK. WHO OWNS FELIX JONES BUSINESS? THEY BOUGHT THAT OFF. YES. THAT'S WHAT I NEEDED TO KNOW. SO THEY OWN THE BUSINESS AND THE PROPERTY NEXT DOOR, AM I CORRECT? YES. THE PROPERTY NEXT DOOR IS IN A GRAY LOOKING FENCE AND IT'S NOTHING BUT CONCRETE ON ON THE GROUND. BUT TREE, YOU KNOW, GRASS IS IN BETWEEN GROWING. IF YOU GO, YOU GOT TO GO OUT THERE AND LOOK AT IT. IF IT'S NEXT DOOR TO FELIX JONES NAPA PARTS, THAT'S THE LOCATION. OH, OKAY. THEY OWN THE PART THAT HAS THE THE APARTMENTS RIGHT NEXT TO IT. THEY'RE MAKING THEY HAVE SOME APARTMENTS THEY'RE FIXING.
THEY'RE FIXING IT AND THEY OWN THE PART WHERE HE WHERE, WHERE THEY'RE GOING TO PUT THAT'S ON THE I THINK IT'S UP HERE. THEY. ISN'T IT UP THERE. I AND THEY OWN ALL OF THAT. WHAT YOU SEE THE THE THE OTHER PART NEXT DOOR, I DON'T THINK, I DON'T THINK THEY OWN THAT OTHER PART RIGHT THERE. YOU KNOW. THEY DO NOT. THEY DON'T. THEY DO. THAT'S WHERE OUR OFFICES. AND THEY. AND THAT THE LITTLE APARTMENT COMPLEX THAT YOU SEE. HOW CAN YOU SEE IT THAT 4000.
YEAH. THAT'S WHAT I COULDN'T UNDERSTAND IN READING THE INFORMATION THAT THEY'RE GOING TO PUT A FENCE. OKAY. A REALLY NICE FENCE TO BLOCK ALL THAT OFF AND IN THE BACK. IT'S A LOT OF WORK THEY HAVE TO DO. SHE KNOWS IT'S A LOT OF WORK. WE HAD THE PREDEVELOPMENT MEETING AND SHE EXPLAINED IT, AND I THINK THIS IS A LITTLE PROJECT FOR HER BECAUSE SHE DOESN'T HAVE A BIG PROJECT BECAUSE SHE, YOU KNOW, JUST ON RETIREMENT OR WHATEVER. SO SHE JUST STARTED WORKING, SHE WAS PAINTING AND SHE WAS ALL HAD PAINT ALL ON HER CLOTHES WHEN WE WENT THERE.
SO SHE'S WORKING ON IT TO TRY TO GET IT DONE. AND IT'S, I'M SURE IT'S GOING TO BE REALLY NICE AND IT WON'T GET A CEO UNLESS THEY MEET ALL OF OUR STIPULATIONS THAT WE HAD IN OUR PREDEVELOPMENT. WHAT IS STAFF'S RECOMMENDATION TO ALLOW IT TO ALLOW IT? ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? THANK YOU. OKAY. THANK YOU. YES, WE ACTUALLY WE DO A VOTE. I NEED TO SEE IF THIS GENTLEMAN NEEDS TO SPEAK ON SOMETHING REGARDING THIS ZONING THING FOR THE, PUBLIC HEARING OR FOR THE
[00:15:10]
EDC AND CITY COUNCIL. OH, NO, NO, THAT'S THAT'S DIFFERENT. WE'RE THE PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION. THAT'S IN THE OTHER BUILDING. YES. THERE YOU GO. IT'S GOING A LONG TIME, BROTHER.YEAH. IT'S BEEN A LONG TIME. YEAH. OKAY. SO HE SAID, ALL RIGHT EVERYONE THEN. THANK YOU.
WE WILL NOW VOTE. ALL IN FAVOR. ALL AGAINST MOTION PASSES. WE ARE DONE WITH THIS PUBLIC HEARING. AS OF NOW, IT IS 5:45 P.M. AND I THINK WE DO HAVE FURTHER DISCUSSIONS. THAT'S NOT
[VII. NEW BUSINESS - NON-PUBLIC HEARING ITEMS]
ON THE AGENDA. YES, MA'AM. WE DO HAVE NEW BUSINESS, NON PUBLIC HEARING ITEMS. AGAIN, AFTER REVIEWING THE ZONING MAP AND I HAVE SOME SAMPLES IN FRONT OF YOU ALL, THERE WAS AN AREA JUST TO JUST TO BRING YOU UP TO SPEED AS OF JANUARY 1ST, 2023, WE DO, WE DID START TO ENFORCE OUR NEW APPENDIX A, OUR ZONING ORDINANCE. AND ONE OF THE USES WAS TAKEN OUT OF THE COMMERCIAL RETAIL DISTRICT FOR SAFETY REASONS, WHICH WAS RESIDENTIAL. WE PULLED IT FROM THE COMMERCIAL RETAIL DISTRICT BECAUSE OF COURSE, WE DON'T WANT ANY COMMERCIAL ACTIVITY NEXT DOOR TO RESIDENTS, CORRECT? I MEAN, RIGHT. SO UPON OUR RESEARCH AND JUST DRIVING AROUND TOWN DOING RESEARCH, ME, LARRY, AND ALSO PAM, WE DISCOVERED THAT THERE WAS AN AREA THAT WAS ZONED COMPLETELY FOR COMMERCIAL RETAIL. HOWEVER, THERE WERE NOTHING BUT HOUSES THERE, AND THAT RAISED A HUGE RED FLAG FOR US BECAUSE IF ANYTHING WERE TO HAPPEN TO SOME OF THOSE HOMES, BY LAW, THEY COULDN'T REBUILD. AND OF COURSE, AS WE ALL KNOW, WE ARE EXTREMELY VULNERABLE TO HURRICANES AND FLOODING AND THINGS LIKE THAT. SO IF THOSE PROPERTIES BECAME SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED 50% OR MORE, OR IS IT 50, 51%? THEN THERE'S NO WAY THEY COULD REBUILD THEIR HOMES. SO WE DID FIND THIS ALARMING AND WE WANTED TO INITIATE A ZONE CHANGE REALLY, REALLY QUICKLY. SO ALSO INCLUDED IN THAT AREA, SOME OF THOSE HOUSES ARE ON THE COMMERCIAL RETAIL FRONT FROM DOCTOR RANSOM, HOWARD STREET. SO OUR DIRECTOR DID RECOMMEND PUTTING IN A SPECIFIC USE PERMIT REQUIREMENTS IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO BUILD RESIDENTIAL HOMES ON THAT COMMERCIAL RETAIL FRONT, EVEN THOUGH IT'S NOT ENCOURAGED, BUT IT'S TO PROTECT THE HOMES THAT ARE ALREADY THERE. IT'S SAYING THAT THEY CAN BE THERE BECAUSE THEY HAVE A SPECIFIC USE PERMIT FOR RESIDENTIAL, AND IT WILL GIVE THEM THE OPPORTUNITY TO REBUILD THEIR PROPERTIES IF THEY WERE DAMAGED. SO AGAIN, IT'S NOT TO ENCOURAGE RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT, IT'S TO PROTECT WHAT'S ALREADY ON THAT COMMERCIAL RETAIL FRONT.BUT EVERYTHING BEHIND IT IS ZONED COMMERCIAL RETAIL. AND IT'S SO MANY HOMES IN THAT DISTRICT. SO WE WANT TO BE ABLE TO PROTECT THAT BY CHANGING THE ZONING FROM COMMERCIAL RETAIL TO MEDIUM DENSITY RESIDENTIAL. AND BEFORE WE COULD DO THAT, OF COURSE, WE WOULD NEED TO ASK YOUR PERMISSION TO INITIATE THAT ZONE CHANGE. AND OF COURSE, I'LL KEEP YOU POSTED AS WE MOVE THROUGH THE PROCESS. A QUESTION ON THE ZONE CHANGE THIS. THIS PARTICULAR PRINTOUT. OKAY. ARE THESE ALREADY HOMES IN THE AREA? OKAY, I'LL SHOW YOU. SORRY. SO THIS ONE IS JUST ALL THE BLOCKS IN THE LOT. THIS ONE IS ALL THE BLOCKS AND THE LOTS THAT WE ARE CONCERNED ABOUT. THEY ALL HAVE HOMES ON THEM. ALL OF THESE BEHIND THIS IS REM, DOCTOR RANSOM, HOWARD STREET. THANK YOU. BOSS, THIS IS REM, DOCTOR RANSOM, HOWARD STREET. SO THERE ARE SOME HOMES HERE AND I HAVE THAT DISPLAYED AS WELL. I'LL SHOW YOU. BUT ALL OF THESE OTHER BLOCKS HAVE NOTHING BUT HOUSES ON THEM. SO WE IDENTIFIED THOSE. AND AGAIN THEY'RE IN THEIR COMMERCIAL DISTRICT. AND COMMERCIAL RETAIL IS ONLY FOR YOUR SHOPS YOUR BOUTIQUES AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
HERE WE IDENTIFIED THE PROPERTIES THAT WILL HAVE THAT'S U P ESTABLISHED. SO YOU SEE WHERE, WHERE YOU SEE THE SUP HERE'S UPSUP ALL HERE. THOSE ALREADY HAVE HOMES ON IT.
SO THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE AN ESTABLISHED SUP LIKE IT'S ALREADY UNDERSTOOD. YES. THANK YOU. IT'S ALREADY ESTABLISHED AND UNDERSTOOD THAT THESE PROPERTIES ARE ALREADY GOING TO HAVE AN SUP. WE'RE GOING TO GRANDFATHER THEM IN TO PROTECT THEIR HOMES. BUT AGAIN, RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT IS NOT ENCOURAGED BECAUSE WE STILL WANT TO HAVE COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT ON THAT STREET FRONT AND ON THAT ONE. BUT THEY STILL. 82. YES. YES, SIR.
THEY'LL BE PROTECTED BY THE SUP AND THIS THIS SHEET RIGHT HERE, COMMISSIONER ESCOBEDO, WHERE
[00:20:05]
YOU SEE HIGHLIGHTED IN GREEN IS WHAT WE WANT TO CHANGE TO MEDIUM DENSITY RESIDENTIAL BECAUSE THERE'S NOTHING BUT HOUSES IN THAT DISTRICT. NO BUSINESSES, ALL HOUSES. DO YOU MIND? WELL, MISTER LARRY, YOU GOT IT. OKAY. SO I HIGHLIGHTED HERE ALL THE AREAS THAT HAVE NOTHING BUT RESIDENTIAL STRUCTURES ON THEM. SO IT WOULD BE IN THE BEST INTEREST OF THE COMMUNITY, TO CHANGE THAT TO MEDIUM DENSITY RESIDENTIAL. WE ARE GETTING READY TO HAVE A COMMUNITY MEETING AUGUST 11TH TO DISCUSS WITH THEM ABOUT THE CHANGE, BECAUSE WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYONE IS FOR IT. BUT WE DID SEE SOME CONCERN AND A NEED TO INITIATE A ZONE CHANGE HERE. I HAVE PROPERTY OVER THERE, SO I'M CONCERNED YOU MAY HAVE RECEIVED A LETTER.WE'RE REALLY KIND OF INITIATED. THIS WAS THAT SOMEONE WAS TRYING TO BUY A HOME AND THE LENDING COMPANY WOULD NOT GIVE THEM A HOME OR THE MONEY, BECAUSE IT WAS IN A ZONE DISTRICT THAT WOULDN'T ALLOW THEM TO REBUILD. SO WHEN THEY CAME TO OUR ATTENTION, THEN WE, AS ARIE SAID, ME, HER AND PAM, WE WALKED OUT THERE AND LOOKED AROUND AND MADE SURE THAT DROVE AROUND RATHER AND TRIED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE MADE THIS CORRECT SO PEOPLE WON'T HAVE THAT SAME PROBLEM AGAIN. SO WHAT WHAT WOULD HAPPEN, SAY LIKE IF SOMEBODY, GOT FLOODED OR HAD A HOUSE FIRE AND, THEY WERE ABLE TO REBUILD AND THE CURRENT OWNER OF THAT PROPERTY AS OF TODAY, IF IT'S OVER 50%, THEY COULDN'T REBUILD AS OF TODAY, I THOUGHT IT WAS OVER 50%. THEY HAD TO REBUILD TO COLD. NO, NO, IF THEY'RE SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED OVER 50%, YOU CAN'T REBUILD. IF IT'S 49.9999, THEN YOU CAN STILL, REBUILD YOUR HOME. BUT IF THEY IF THEY RECEIVE A TOTAL LOSS IN A COMMERCIAL RETAIL DISTRICT, WE WON'T WE CAN'T ALLOW THEM TO BUILD ANY RESIDENTIAL STRUCTURES THERE BY LAW. SO WOULD HAVE TO BE DESTROYED OFF WHAT'S LEFT ON THAT PROPERTY. IF IT'S MORE THAN 51%, THEY CAN'T REBUILD ANYWAY, RIGHT? BUT THEN THEY THE ONES ON THE LOSING END, AM I RIGHT? RIGHT. AND THAT'S WHY WE WANT TO MAKE THIS CORRECTION. AND WE DO KNOW THERE WILL BE MORE. SINCE THE ORDINANCE HAS CHANGED, I THINK WE GRANDFATHERED IN. HOW HOW ARE THEY GOING TO. SO SO THE ONES IN THE DISTRICT, THE ONLY ONES THAT ARE GRANDFATHERED IN, ARE THE ONES THAT ARE ON THE REVEREND DOCTOR RANSOM HOWARD COMMERCIAL STREET FRONT. THOSE ARE THE ONLY ONES WHO HAVE. THAT'S U P TO KEEP THOSE HOMES, TO PROTECT THOSE HOMES THERE, BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT PROTECTED UNDER ANYTHING ELSE. AND, OUR DIRECTOR DOES NOT WANT TO CHANGE THAT COMMERCIAL RETAIL FRONT TO RESIDENTIAL BECAUSE IT'S COMMERCIAL ON THAT STREET FRONT FOR A REASON. AND WE DO WANT FUTURE DEVELOPMENT, COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT ON THAT STREET FRONT. SO IN ORDER TO PROTECT THOSE HOMES, INSTEAD OF CHANGING IT TO RESIDENTIAL, SHE JUST ATTACHED AN SUP FOR RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT THERE.
AGAIN, NOT TO ENCOURAGE NEW RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT, BUT TO PROTECT THE HOMES THAT ARE ALREADY THERE. WELL, NOW NEW RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT COULD HAPPEN BECAUSE THERE ARE SO MANY EMPTY LOTS. YES, THAT'S WHY WE'RE MAKING A CHANGE. SO BECAUSE THEY CAN'T DO IT RIGHT NOW BECAUSE IT'S COMMERCIAL, ONCE WE MAKE THIS CHANGE, THEY'LL BE ABLE TO BUILD AGAIN.
NOW LET ME MAKE IT CLEAR ABOUT GRANDFATHER. WHEN YOUR GRANDFATHERED IN, IF YOU IF YOU SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGE OVER 50% THAT GRANDFATHER CLAUSE, GO AWAY. IF YOU ARE VACANT OUT OF THAT BUILDING FOR OVER A YEAR, THE GRANDFATHER CLAUSE GO AWAY. SO THERE ARE CONDITIONS WITHIN.
YOU CAN'T ADD TO IT. IT JUST HAS TO STAY THE WAY IT IS. YOU CAN'T SAY, WELL, I'M GOING TO BUILD TWO MORE ROOMS ON MY HOME. YOU KNOW THAT IT DOESN'T WORK THAT WAY BECAUSE YOU ADD ON TO SOMETHING AND YOU'RE MAKING A CHANGE AS LONG AS IT STAYS JUST THE WAY IT IS. THE GRANDFATHER CLAUSES IS GOOD, BUT ONCE YOU MAKE A CHANGE DAMAGE OR YOU VACANT FROM THAT PROPERTY FOR OVER A YEAR, THEN THE GRANDFATHER CLAUSE GOES OUT THE WINDOW, PUT A NEW ROOF ON, PAINT THE HOUSE AND CHANGE THE WINDOWS OR SOMETHING LIKE, OH, THEY CAN PAINT THE HOUSE AND CHANGE THE WINDOWS, PUT A NEW ROOF ON. JUST CAN'T ADD TO IT. YOU CAN FIX WHAT'S THERE. SO YOU SAID ON THE 11TH. YES, MA'AM. WHERE IN THE DEVELOPMENT SERVICES CONFERENCE ROOM. I'M SORRY I HAD TO THINK ABOUT IT. NO, IT'S NOT YOUR MEETING. IT'S THE COMMUNITY'S MEETING. IT'S FOR THEM TO GIVE US THEIR FEEDBACK, AND WE DEFINITELY WANT THEM TO UNDERSTAND. WE HAVE BEEN RECEIVING CALLS AND THERE'S A LOT OF MISUNDERSTANDING. SO WHEN THEY COME, WE DEFINITELY, WANT TO GIVE THEM THAT KNOWLEDGE AND THAT INSIGHT TO UNDERSTAND WHAT IT IS WE'RE DOING. AND IT'S, IT'S TO THE BETTERMENT FOR THEM. IT'S NOT TO HURT THEM, HARM THEM, BUT TO ACTUALLY PROTECT THEIR INVESTMENTS AND THEIR COMMUNITY. WITH THE FLYOVER, THE FLYOVER FROM THE PORCH. I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT, WHAT THAT MAY BE FROM THE PORCH BLOCK ON
[00:25:07]
HOWARD STREET, ALL THESE HOMES ON HOWARD STREET. SO THEY ARE BOUNDED BETWEEN. THEY ARE BOUNDED BETWEEN HOWARD, ATLANTA, FIFTH AND THE. SO IT'S ON THE EAST SIDE? YES, SIR. RIGHT DOWN THE STREET. YEAH. CHARLESTON. AND THE FLYOVER IS ON THE WEST RIGHT THERE. YEAH. THE FLYOVER SHOULD BE. WE'LL TALK ABOUT IT. YEAH. WHERE? DEEP WEST. OKAY. I KNEW IT WAS ON THE WEST SIDE.NOW JUST. RIGHT. OKAY. IS THERE ANY OTHER INFORMATION YOU WANT TO. DISSIMILATE. YES, MA'AM. SO I DID PRINT. OH, I FIND IT, THERE WAS SOME INFORMATION THAT I DID PRINT BECAUSE WE WILL HAVE TO MAKE A MOTION TO INITIATE THE ZONE. YOU ALL WOULD HAVE TO STACK IT AND ALL THOSE GREAT THINGS AND APPROVE SO THAT WE CAN MOVE, WE CAN START THE PROCESS. NO, WE CAN PUT IT ON THE AGENDA FOR THE NEXT MEETING, BUT I BROUGHT THE RESOURCE DOCUMENT SO THAT YOU CAN READ OVER IT ON HOW WE INITIATE THE ZONE CHANGE. BUT OTHER THAN THAT, I JUST WANTED TO INFORM YOU THAT, WE DID SEE SOME CONCERNS AND WE NEED TO, YOU KNOW. AND THAT'S A, THAT'S A CHANGE INITIATION STUDY GUIDE FOR THE COMMISSIONERS FOR YOU ALL SO THAT WE CAN INITIATE THAT ZONE CHANGE. SO I WANTED TO BRING THAT TO YOUR ATTENTION. OKAY. I HAVE A NEW ITEM. NEW BUSINESS ITEM. OKAY. ONE I'M TRYING TO. UNDERSTAND, HOW IT WORKS. OKAY. ONE QUITE LIKE IT BEFORE. MISTER DOCTOR PETRI, COULD YOU TALK INTO THE MIC? SO WHEN I GO BACK AND LISTEN TO THE RECORDING, YOU CAN GRAB THE ONE WITH THE GREEN LIGHT ON. OKAY. LIKE IN ORDER FOR US TO, TO, TO TAKE ACTION ON AN ITEM, NORMALLY IT WOULD SAY TO DISCUSS AND POSSIBLY TAKE ACTION. OKAY. AND NOT JUST CONSIDERATION. THAT'S HOW IT'S NORMALLY DONE. AND I'M JUST A LITTLE CONFUSED BECAUSE LIKE, FOR EXAMPLE, TONIGHT I TAKE IT THAT YOU WANT US TO VOTE ON THIS TONIGHT. NO, NO NO NO, NO, BECAUSE I GAVE YOU THE INFORMATION SO YOU CAN GO HOME AND THINK ABOUT IT. I ALWAYS GIVE THE COMMISSIONERS EVERYTHING A WEEK OR TWO IN ADVANCE SO THAT THEY CAN DO ALL THE STUDY AND THE RESEARCH THAT THEY NEED. THEN I PLACE IT ON THE AGENDA SO THAT WE CAN VOTE. WELL THAT'S GOOD. YES, SIR. SO MY QUESTION WOULD BE, IS I WOULD REQUEST THAT WE HAVE SOME TYPE OF WORKSHOP, THE BOARD TO KIND OF GET US ON THE SAME PAGE.
I THINK THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE. YES. I DO BELIEVE PAM IS AWARE AND SHE'S ACTUALLY, GETTING READY TO INITIATE THAT SOON. I DO KNOW HER AND LARRY HAD DISCUSSIONS ABOUT IT FOR SURE.
YES, SIR. THAT'S IT FOR ME. THANK YOU. WHAT ABOUT OUR VACANT POSITION? IS THAT I BELIEVE IT'S GOING TO BE ON THE NEXT COUNCIL MEETING AGENDA, BUT I'LL LET LARRY ADDRESS THAT.
YES, THAT WILL BE ON OUR NEXT AGENDA FOR THE CITY COUNCIL. WE WENT THROUGH A STAFF MEETING THIS MORNING. IT WAS ON THE AGENDA TO ANNOUNCE, I THINK THE MAYOR IS PICKING SOMEONE, I'M NOT SURE. BUT I THINK PAM SAID THE MAYOR IS GOING TO PICK THAT ONE, SO. WELL, HOPEFULLY WE CAN.
WE HAVE ANOTHER ONE ON THE BOARD OF ADJUSTMENTS. ALSO, WE NEED FOR THE BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT BECAUSE MR. DOUCET DIDN'T WANT TO PICK WHEN IT WAS PICKING HIM. HE WAS SAYING HE WAS LEAVING, SO HE DIDN'T WANT TO PICK ANYONE. AND SO SHE LET MISS COUNCIL COUNCIL MEMBER JACOBS. RIGHT. MAKE THAT DECISION. AND SHE'S WELL AWARE OF IT. AND I THINK SHE'S PULLING TRYING TO ANNOUNCE SOME NAMES IN THE NEXT MEETING. OKAY. AND I WILL SEND YOU A EMAIL COPY OF OUR FINDINGS AND EVERYTHING. THE LOT NUMBERS. IT'S A LOT OF THEM. I THINK IT WAS OVER 120 PROPERTIES, BUT I'LL MAKE SURE YOU RECEIVE THAT. OKAY, THAT SOUNDS GREAT BECAUSE I CAN ONLY IMAGINE HOW THOSE RESIDENTS FEEL. I GREW UP OVER THERE. YES, MA'AM. OKAY.
ALRIGHT. WE SHOULD. AND THAT'S THE END OF OUR STAFF REPORT. YES, MA'AM. ALL RIGHT.
ADJOURNMENT. MAKE A MOTION TO ADJOURN. SO MOVED. SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. MOTION PASSES.
WE'RE OUT. IT IS 5:59 P.M. THANK YOU. COMMISSIONERS.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.