Planning & Zoning Commission Regular Meeting

Planning & Zoning Commission Regular Meeting Dripping Springs ISD Center for Learning and Leadership Maple Room, 300 Sportsplex Drive – Dripping Springs, Texas Tuesday, January 28, 2025, at 6:00 PM MINUTES CALL TO ORDER AND ROLL CALL With a quorum of commissioners present, Chair James called the meeting to order at 6:00 p.m. Commission Members Present: Mim James, Chair Tammie Williamson, Vice Chair Doug Crosson Eugene Foster Douglas Shumway Commission Members Absent: Christian Bourguignon Evelyn Strong Staff, Consultants & Appointed/Elected Officials Planning Director Tory Carpenter City Attorney Laura Mueller Deputy City Administrator Ginger Faught City Administrator Michelle Fischer City Engineer Chad Gilpin City Secretary Diana Boone Council Member Sherrie Parks Mayor Pro Tem Taline Manassian PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE The Pledge of Allegiance was led by Commissioner Crosson. PRESENTATION OF CITIZENS A member of the public who wishes to address the Commission regarding items on the posted agenda may do so at Presentation of Citizens. For items posted with a Public Hearing, the Commission requests that members of the public hold their comments until the item is presented for consideration. Members of the public wishing to address matters not listed on the posted agenda may do so at Presentation of Citizens. Speakers are allotted two (2) minutes each and regarding issues not on the agenda and two (2) minutes per item on the agenda may not cede or pool time. Members of the public requiring the assistance of a translator will be given twice the amount of time as a member of the public who does not require the assistance of a translator to address the Commission. Speakers are encouraged to sign in to speak, but it is not required. By law no action shall be taken during Presentation of Citizens. Cathy Ramsey spoke and suggested the use of solar panel shade structures. CONSENT AGENDA The following items will be acted upon in a single motion and are considered to be ministerial or routine. No separate discussion or action on these items will be held unless pulled at the request of a member of the Commission or City staff. 1. Approval of the December 10, 2024, Planning & Zoning meeting minutes. A motion was made by Vice Chair Williamson and seconded by Commissioner Foster, to approve the December 10, 2024 meeting minutes. The motion to approve carried unanimously 5 to 0. BUSINESS AGENDA 2. Discuss and consider new date for the Planning & Zoning Commission meeting currently scheduled for March 25, 2025. A motion was made by Commissioner Crosson and seconded by Commissioner Foster, to move the March meeting date to Wednesday the 26th of March. The motion carried unanimously 5 to 0. 3. Public hearing and recommendation of ZA2024-007: a zoning amendment request from PDD 1 to Commercial Services (CS) for Lot 1, block B of the Dripping Springs Retail Center located at 598 E US 290. Applicant: Zachary Morgan, Quiddity a. Applicant Presentation Kathy Stimple presented and requested a zoning amendment. b. Staff Report Planning Director Tory Carpenter presented the staff report and recommended approval of the zoning amendment. c. Public Hearing No one spoke during the Public Hearing. d. Recommendation A motion was made by Vice Chair Williamson and seconded by Commissioner Shumway, to approve the zoning change from Planned Development District to Commercial Services per staff recommendation. 4. Public hearing and consideration of recommendation for VAR2024-010: a variance request to allow a commercial building larger than 50,000 square feet in a Commercial Services zoning district for a property located at 598 E US 290. Applicant: Zachary Morgan, Quiddity a. Applicant Presentation Kathy Stimple was present to answer questions. b. Staff Report Planning Director Tory Carpenter presented the staff report and recommended approval with the condition that an alternative exterior design is submitted prior to submitting a site development application. Full staff report is included in the agenda packet posted on the City of Dripping Springs website. c. Public Hearing No one spoke during the Public Hearing. d. Recommendation A motion was made by Commissioner Foster and later withdrawn, to approve the variance with the condition that additional information be provided at the next meeting. A motion was made by Vice Chair Williamson and seconded by Commissioner Foster, to postpone the recommendation to Date Certain for HEB to return on February 25, 2025 and present additional information such as examples of similar size 130,000 sq ft building, architectural embellishments, traffic access issues, and examples of how they have dealt with landscape and tree preservation and mitigation challenges. The motion to postpone the recommendation carried unanimously 5 to 0. 5. Public hearing and recommendation of VAR2024-013: a variance request to allow three commercial buildings within the side building setback at 1300 E US 290. Applicant: Shawn Beichler, AAA Storage-Storserv a. Applicant Presentation b. Staff Report Planning Director Tory Carpenter presented the staff report and recommended denying the variance request. c. Public Hearing Austin Powers spoke in opposition of the variance request. d. Recommendation  A motion was made by Commissioner Crosson and seconded by Commissioner Shumway, to accept the staff recommendation to deny the variance request. The motion to deny carried unanimously 5 to 0. 6. Public hearing and recommendation of VAR2024-013: a variance request to waive the masonry fence requirement for a commercial development at at 1300 E US 290. Applicant: Shawn Beichler, AAA Storage-Storserv a. Applicant Presentation b. Staff Report Planning Director Tory Carpenter presented the staff report and recommended denying the variance request. c. Public Hearing Austin Powers spoke in opposition to the variance request. d. Recommendation A motion was made by Vice Chair Williamson and seconded by Commissioner Foster, to deny the variance request per staff recommendation. PLANNING REPORTS Reports listed are on file and available for review upon request. The Commission may provide staff direction; however, no action shall be taken. 7. Planning Department Report. Tory Carpenter, Planning Director The report is for informational purposes and no action was taken. Full report is included in the agenda packet posted on the City of Dripping Springs website. CLOSED SESSION The Commission has the right to adjourn into closed session on any item on this agenda and at any time during the course of this meeting to discuss any matter as authorized by law or by the Open Meetings Act, Texas Government Code Sections 551.071 (Consultation With Attorney), 551.072 (Deliberation Regarding Real Property), 551.073 (Deliberation Regarding Prospective Gifts), 551.074 (Personnel Matters), 551.076 (Deliberation Regarding Security Devices or Security Audits), and 551.087 (Deliberation Regarding Economic Development Negotiations), and 551.089 (Deliberation Regarding Security Devices or Security Audits). Any final action or vote on any Closed Session item will be taken in Open Session. No Closed Session was held. ADJOURN A motion was made by Vice Chair Williamson and seconded by Commissioner Shumway, to adjourn the meeting. The motion to adjourn the meeting carried unanimously 5 to 0. This meeting adjourned at 7:37 p.m.