Planning & Zoning Commission (P&Z)

PLANNING & ZONING COMMISSION REGULAR MEETING TUESDAY - JANUARY 2, 2024 - 6:30 PM Notice of AGENDA Council Chamber at Municipal Court - 2801 Ranch Road 1869, Liberty Hill, Texas Bryan Rivera Diane Williams Sarah Novo Chad Cormack Steve Messana 1) CALL TO ORDER a) Establish Quorum b) Invocation c) Pledge of Allegiance “I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America, and to the Republic for which it stands, one Nation under God, indivisible, with Liberty and Justice for all.” d) Texas Pledge "Honor the Texas flag; I pledge allegiance to thee, Texas, one state under God, one and indivisible." 2) PUBLIC COMMENTS Public Comments are welcome. You may submit Public Comments in person, or you may submit to the City Secretary at esimpson@libertyhilltx.gov before 3:00 PM the day of the meeting. 3) CONSENT AGENDA Consent Agenda items are considered to be routine and will be enacted by one motion. There will be no separate discussion of those items unless requested by the Commission, in which event the item(s) will be removed the Consent Agenda and considered under the Regular Agenda. a) Consider approving the minutes for the December 19, 2023, Planning and Zoning Commission Regular Called Meeting. (Secretary Williams) 1  PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION 12.19.2023 meeting minutes V1.0.docx b) Consider approving the minutes for the December 27, 2023, City Council and Planning and Zoning Commission Joint Special Meeting. (Secretary Williams/E. Simpson) PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION and City Council Joint Special 12-27-2023 Minutes V 1.0.docx c) Consider disapproving the E. Johnston Plaza Minor Plat, consisting of approximately 1.69 acres of land, generally located approximately 250 feet north of the intersection of SH 29 and CR 214, more particularly described by Williamson Central Appraisal District Parcel R375843, and legally described as part of and out of the Thomas P. Plaster Survey, Abstract No. 510, Liberty Hill, Williamson County, Texas. (M. Hicks) E. Johnston Plaza Minor Plat 1st Review Staff Report.pdf E. Johnston Plaza Minor Plat 1st Review Staff Memo.pdf E. Johnston Plaza Minor Plat 1st Review Proposed Plat.pdf E. Johnston Plaza Minor Plat Location Map.pdf 4) REPORTS/UPDATES a) Receive the Projects in Motion report, as provided by the Development Services department. (M. Hicks) Projects in Motion Report _ Dec 1 2023 - Dec 29 2023.pdf b) Receive the monthly Director's Report as provided by EDC Director, Mary Poché. (M. Hicks) LHEDC_Director_Report_12_20_23.pdf 5) PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT COMMENTS: City Council Update - P&Z Items No regularly scheduled City Council meeting has taken place since the December 13th meeting 2024 Planning and Zoning Commission Retreat February 2nd - February 3rd at Tea Thyme Café in Marble Falls, TX Planner/Senior Planner Position Advertised on December 21st 6) FUTURE ITEMS Items for future agendas may be identified and scheduled. There can be no deliberation or action taken on these items. Parks and Recreation Board Signage Sidewalk Fee-in-Lieu Ordinance Bi-Annual Update Meeting with City Council - January 2024 ( TBD) Lighting Ordinance Revision (January 16th P&Z Meeting) Development Agreement Workshop Traffic Impact Analysis (TIA) Ordinance Update Progress Report - Stop-Gap Ordinance Work Group UDC Rewrite Update P&Z/EDC Joint Special Meeting Minutes ( January 16th P&Z Meeting) Goodwill Site Plan (January 16th or February 6th P&Z Meeting ) 2 7) ADJOURNMENT The City Council, Boards, and Commissions reserve the right to reconvene, recess, realign, change the order of business, or adjourn into Execu ve Session at any me during the course of the mee ng, prior to adjournment, to discuss any item listed above, as authorized by Texas Government Code Sec on §551.071 (Consulta on with A orney), §551.072 (Delibera ons about Real Property), §551.073 (Delibera ons about Gi s and Dona ons), §551.074 (Personnel Ma ers), §551.076 (Delibera ons about Security Devices), and §551.087 (Development). In compliance with the Americans with Disabili es Act, the City of Liberty Hill will provide reasonable accommoda on for persons a ending mee ngs. To be er serve you, requests need to be received 48 hours prior to the meeting. Contact the City Secretary at 512-778-5449 – Extension 125. POSTING CERTIFICATION: I, ELAINE SIMPSON – CITY SECRETARY – CITY OF LIBERTY HILL certify that the attached notice of meeting was duly posted on the bulletin board at City Hall located at 926 Loop 332, Liberty Hill, Texas 78642 and on the City website (www.libertyhilltx.gov) on the ______ day of ____________________, 202_ at ______. Elaine Simpson – City Secretary. REMOVAL CERTIFICATION: I ELAINE SIMPSON – CITY SECRETARY – CITY OF LIBERTY HILL certify that the attached notice of meeting was removed from the bulletin board at City Hall located at 926 Loop 332, Liberty Hill, Texas 78642 on the ______ day of __________________, 202_ at _______. INITIALS _______ 3  PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION PLANNING & ZONING COMMISSION REGULAR MEETING TUESDAY - JANUARY 2, 2024 2801 Ranch Road 1869 - Liberty Hill AGENDA ITEM 3.a Consider approving the minutes for the December 19, 2023, Planning and Zoning Commission Regular Called Meeting. (Secretary Williams) 4  PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION REGULAR MEETING MINUTES December 19, 2023 at 6:30 PM City Council Chamber/Municipal Court Room 2801 Ranch RD 1869 Liberty Hill, Texas 78642 Commissioners Present: Steve Messana, Chair Chad Cormack, Vice Chair Diane Williams, Secretary Bryan Rivera Sarah Novo City Staff Present: Mayor Liz Branigan Paul Brandenburg, City Manager McKenzi Hicks, Interim Planning Director Shelby Claridge, Planning Technician Ethan Harwell, Kimley-Horn 1) CALL TO ORDER The Planning and Zoning Commission meeting was called to order by Chair Steve Messana at 6:30 PM on Tuesday, December 19, 2023, at 2801 Ranch Road 1869, Liberty Hill, Texas. Quorum was established and all members were present except Vice-Chair Chad Cormack. Chair Steve Messana led the invocation, and led the pledges of allegiance to US and Texas flags, respectively. Planning & Zoning Commission Meeting minutes 1 December 19, 2023 5 2) PUBLIC COMMENTS Public Comments are welcome. You may submit Public Comments in person, or you may submit to the City Secretary at esimpson@libertyhilltx.gov before 3:00 PM the day of the meeting. There were no citizen comments. 3) CONSENT AGENDA Consent Agenda items are considered to be routine and will be enacted by one motion. There will be no separate discussion of those items unless requested by the Commission, in which event the item(s) will be removed from the Consent Agenda and considered under the Regular Agenda. a) Consider approving the minutes for the December 5, 2023 Planning and Zoning Regular Called Meeting. (Secretary Williams) b) Consider disapproving the Zorn Addition Minor Plat, consisting of approximately 0.461 acres of land, addressed as 110 Fallwell St., more particularly described by Williamson Central Appraisal District Parcels R022078, and legally described as part of and out of the Henry Field Survey, Abstract No. 233, Liberty Hill, Williamson County, Texas. (M. Hicks) c) Consider disapproving the Avilla Rio Oaks Minor Plat, consisting of approximately 25.100 acres of land, addressed as CR 263., more particularly described by Williamson Central Appraisal District Parcel R637845, and legally described as part of and out of the John B. Robinson Survey, Abstract No. 521, Liberty Hill, Williamson County, Texas. (M. Hicks) d) Consider disapproving the Natalie Sutton (3 Acres) Preliminary Plat, consisting of approximately 3.437 acres of land, addressed as Hwy 29, more particularly described by Williamson Central Appraisal District Parcels R543512, R543513 and legally described as part of and out of the John B. Berry Survey, Abstract No. 56, Liberty Hill Extraterritorial Jurisdiction, Williamson County, Texas (M. Hicks) e) Consider disapproving the Liberty Hill Office Park Preliminary Plat, consisting of approximately 10.43 acres of land, addressed as 15730 W Hwy 29, more particularly described by Williamson Central Appraisal District Parcels R392617, R392616, R023039, and R436996 and legally described as part of and out of the Richard West Survey, Abstract No. 643, Liberty Hill, Williamson County, Texas. (M. Hicks) f) Consider conditionally approving Summerlyn Duplex Development Final Plat, consisting of approximately 54.93 acres of land, generally located along Highway 183, more particularly described by Williamson Central Appraisal District Parcel(s) R432346, R486244, R505255, R505257, and R505276, and legally described as part of and out of the J.B. Robinson Survey, Abstract No. 521, Liberty Hill Extraterritorial Jurisdiction (ETJ), Williamson County, Texas. (M. Hicks) Planning & Zoning Commission Meeting minutes 2 December 19, 2023 6 Motion: Secretary Diane Williams moved, and Chair Messana seconded, to approve the Consent Agenda. Motion carried unanimously by a vote of 5-0. Ayes: Messana, Cormack, Williams, Rivera, and Novo. Nays: 0. Abstentions: 0. 4) REGULAR AGENDA a) Discuss and make final decisions regarding the February 2024 Planning and Zoning retreat/workshop. (M. Hicks/S. Claridge) Interim Planning Director McKenzi Hicks advised the Commission that after looking at options and the budget for the retreat, Ms. Shelby Claridge had located a place called Tea Thyme Café, in Marble Falls, and has a room reserved for 1 ½ days. The room is free and food will be ordered there. Interim Director Hicks advised that the current budget could not accommodate an Airbnb. Vice-Chair Chad Cormack asked when the schedules would be coordinated and Secretary Williams advised that at the last meeting, it was decided to hold it on the 1st weekend in February. Ms. Claridge added that it would be from Friday, February 2nd at noon and all day on February 3rd. b) Discuss and provide feedback regarding questions from the City's Comprehensive Plan/UDC rewrite consultants, Verdunity and TBG, which will also be discussed at the December 27th P&Z/City Council Special Called Joint Meeting. (M. Hicks) Interim Director Hicks introduced the topic and stated that there were questions in the Commissioner’s packets in order to get better timing and change of scope that needed to be addressed by the Commission and the City Council, and therefore, the questions will also be discussed an upcoming joint session. Interim Director Hicks added that the Consultants want to understand the approach on issues, which will frame how to do the code and how flexible it will be. Interim Director Hicks stated that she had also sent the Commissioners some information received on the 2017 effort. Interim Director Hicks facilitated the discussion with the Commissioners for each question, with key highlights as follows: 1. Mr. Ethan Harwell advised that House Bill 2439 prevents regulation of materials for buildings. Interim Director Hicks advised that she had seen it applied even on fencing and so it needed to be determined how strict to regulate it. Chair Messana stated if it says it can’t be regulated then how can the City not follow it. Commissioner Sara Novo asked if there had been a legal opinion. Secretary Williams responded that the City Attorney has advised before on the sign ordinance that it did not apply. Chair Messana added that he would like to be aggressive in areas like downtown but not sure how to achieve that, but noted it could be addressed in PUDs (Planned Unit Developments) and DAs (Development Agreements). Interim Director Hicks clarified that she would worry about doing so in a PUD since it was more of a zoning action, but DAs would be a good way. Planning & Zoning Commission Meeting minutes 3 December 19, 2023 7  Chair Messana stated he would like to hear more about an overlay area. Mr. Harwell advised he has seen some regulate around aesthetics so indirectly regulating so it could be achieved that way in an overlay if want more traditional, but not allowed to say use a specific brick. Vice-Chair Cormack asked if it was mostly aesthetics and not inside, which was confirmed by Mr. Harwell. Commissioner Novo suggested it could be a “character district”, which Mr. Harwell agreed. Chair Messana stated he would like it explored for downtown. Secretary Williams sought to confirm that it would then be under the downtown master plan consultants, which was confirmed by City Manager Paul Brandenburg. There was discussion on regulation of materials being allowed in a subdivision and Commissioner Rivera elaborated on his HOA (Home Owners Association) experience. Secretary Williams asked if it was the consensus of the Commission that it be regulated for the downtown area. Vice-Chair Cormack noted that writing the ordinance would be a challenge and Chair Messana suggested getting samples of codes from other cities. Mayor Liz Brannigan gave an example of the change of materials associated with Wetzel Park to better match the downtown buildings. Chair Messana stated that it was mutually agreed that the Commission would like to explore something in downtown to keep the character. Vice-Chair Cormick stated that some of the new buildings on Highway 29 do not look right so he would like to explore it as well for the Boulevard Redevelopment place type. Secretary Williams confirmed that the sign ordinance would be left alone and it was agreed that anything not buildings would be okay to regulate. 2. Chair Messana stated that the processes have been changed and updated in the last six (6) months to a year so he was not sure what processes to change or not. Interim Director Hicks responded that site plans would be an example. There was discussion with further examples, with emphasis on those that are purely technical in nature. Vice-Chair Cormack stated that there had been a lot strengthened, and while maybe not all, staff turnover is concerning, especially with the public, and he feels there is a good backstop for now. Chair Messana added that unless there is some glaring one that he is not seeing that is “papered up”, he felt the same, and he also he wants to ensure there is a process to document. Secretary Williams advised that while she is an advocate of streamlining processes, she agrees with the other two (2) Commissioners and if there is a change, would like to see a process with documentation and internal controls. Interim Director Hicks stated that she had advised the Consultants that there probably would not be a change wanted, and added that in the Traffic Impact Analysis (TIA) ordinance discussion that site plans may come to the Planning and Zoning Commission as well. Interim Director Hicks stated that it was not so much applications but interpretations and Secretary Williams stressed the need for documentation to ensure consistency. 3. It was highlighted that the response was the same as previously discussed. Planning & Zoning Commission Meeting minutes 4 December 19, 2023 8  4. There were discussions regarding flexibility and depth of the code. Interim Director Hicks advised that the current code is not flexible and advised that staff recommended that either could work but to be flexible would need to allow more by administration as previously discussed. Chair Messana stated that the City could not afford a code to cover all aspects, or want one. Mr. Harwell noted, as an example, that the current use table is short, while other cities have 150 or even 200-300 , and provided examples. Chair Messana stated he thought that there was a need to expand the use table to something reasonable but leave the option for interpretation, or at least an avenue to have conditional use, a process, or whatever would be right. Interim Director Hicks stated that there was another way to do zoning, like on character of buildings versus use, and elaborated. Vice-Chair Cormack stated that his opinion is that he doesn’t know how to answer but what is important is that it allows the Comp (Comprehensive) Plan to be implemented, adding that his fear is that developers will try to find a work around so advice was needed from Verdunity on how to close the gap. Chair Messana agreed and stated that the rewrite of the UDC (Unified Development Code) was 100% to execute the Comp Plan, and while he is not sure what it takes, that is what he signed up for. Secretary Williams added that we need to do what was needed to ensure we are successful in implementing the Comp Plan. Commissioner Novo stated allowing for adequate interpretation is valuable. Secretary Williams asked Interim Director Hicks for her input. Interim Director Hicks advised that at least on land use, there is a lot of interpretation she does, and elaborated on a certain situation, noting it was predominately on site plans. 5. Interim Director Hicks advised that she had emailed the 2017 information earlier and Chair Messana asked if Commissioners were ready to discuss. Secretary Williams advised that she was because she had looked in to that effort when reviewing the ordinances in an earlier effort. Secretary Williams noted that there were no minutes available online for that effort and stated that she believed if there critical areas, then they should have been pushed through back then, or brought to this Commission’s attention earlier. Secretary Williams further stated that her concern was that we would get bogged down in things discussed some five (5) years or so in the past, noting that this Commission had already addressed many of the items referenced. Interim Director Hicks provided an overview and stated that her impression was that the 2017 effort was to expedite the processes and the intention was to improve process times. Chair Messana stated that there have been changes in process times so unless staff or Verdunity comes back with a specific situation, he doesn’t want to get bogged down. Mr. Harwell stated that he agrees that 2017 may be irrelevant now but if anyone has any memory of it then it would be beneficial for the Consultant to know. There was further discussion on this aspect and Secretary Williams noted that in her past research, all she could find was that it was never taken up by the Council at the time. Interim Director Hicks advised that the stakeholder who provided the information only wanted to state that the reason it did not progress was political. Chair Messana stated if we want to discuss any, then to ask Planning & Zoning Commission Meeting minutes 5 December 19, 2023 9  what gaps are now missing since the Commission had identified gaps previously and addressed, with the purpose to ensure that we were not missing any. 5) REPORTS/UPDATES a) Receive an update on the progress of seeking Dark Skies designation. (S. Claridge). Ms. Claridge covered the information provided in the packet and advised that she had not spoken to Ms. Amy Jackson, the Consultant, since the last update was provided. Ms. Claridge advised that Interim Director Hicks had presented the information to the Council and that the target was to submit the application by early 2025. Interim Director Hicks noted that the attached information had been presented to Council, and highlighted the various materials, noting that there would be a monthly meeting going forward with the Consultant and herself, Secretary Williams, and Councilmember Amanda Young. Secretary Williams noted that per the timeline, there were certain things in the lightening ordinance to be amended which would be coming to the Commission. Ms. Claridge noted that these were just minor changes and Chair Messana highlighted that was a good thing given the one followed had been a draft at the time. 6) PLANNING DEPARTMENT COMMENTS: Items for a future agenda may be identified and scheduled. There can be no deliberation or action taken on these items. Items for a future agenda may be identified and scheduled. There can be no deliberation or action taken on these items. Interim Director Hicks reviewed the following list and added additional information as follows:  City Council Update - P&Z Items o City of Liberty Hill Comprehensive Plan Amendment No. 1 (Thoroughfare Plan) - Approved o Goodwill Site Plan - Delegated to P&Z - will be reviewed at January 23, 2024 P&Z Meeting. It was noted that this was intended to be discussed tonight but the applicant wanted it postponed. o Fee Schedule - Postponed to Later Date o LUE Reservation/Impact Fee Item - Postponed to Later Date Interim Director Hicks noted that Ms. Claridge’s last meeting with the Commission would be tomorrow night, and that her last day is on December 29th. Planning & Zoning Commission Meeting minutes 6 December 19, 2023 10 7) FUTURE ITEMS Items for future agendas may be identified and scheduled. There can be no deliberation or action taken on these items. The following items were discussed:  Parks and Recreation Board Signage – Interim Director Hicks will follow up on.  Development Agreement Workshop – Will be addressed next, then the TIA after it, given staff constraints.  Traffic Impact Analysis (TIA) Ordinance Update  P&Z/EDC Joint Meeting - December 20th  P&Z/CC Joint Meeting - December 27th  Progress Report - Stop-Gap Ordinance Work Group (Right-of-Way Management Section already codified - Sec. 10.03, City of Liberty Hill Code of Ordinances) – Interim Director Hicks will send comments to the Work Group next week. Secretary Williams requested that the Lightening Ordinance revision be added and Ms. Claridge advised that it was scheduled for January 16th meeting and then to Council at their January 24th meeting. Chair Messana requested that the Progress in Motion report be added. Chair Messana further instructed staff to look into reformatting the electronic agenda because the current way causes navigational issues after viewing an attachment. Ms. Claridge advised she would look into it. No action was taken. 8) ADJOURNMENT Given there were no further agenda items and hearing no objections from the members, Chair Messana adjourned the meeting 7:32 PM. PASSED AND APPROVED by the Planning and Zoning of the City of Liberty Hill, Texas on , , 2024, on vote of ayes, nays, and abstentions. Steve Messana Chair City Secretary Planning & Zoning Commission Meeting minutes 7 December 19, 2023 11  PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION PLANNING & ZONING COMMISSION REGULAR MEETING TUESDAY - JANUARY 2, 2024 2801 Ranch Road 1869 - Liberty Hill AGENDA ITEM 3.b Consider approving the minutes for the December 27, 2023, City Council and Planning and Zoning Commission Joint Special Meeting. (Secretary Williams/E. Simpson) 12  Planning And Zoning Commission And City Council Special Called Joint Meeting Meeting Minutes December 27, 2023 @ 6PM City Council Chamber/Municipal Court Room 2801 Ranch RD 1869 Liberty Hill, Texas 78642 Commissioners Present: Steve Messana, Chair Chad Cormack, Vice Chair Diane Williams, Secretary Sarah Novo Bryan Rivera City Council Present: Liz Branigan Angela Jones Chris Pezold Micheal Helbing Crystal Mancilla City Council Absent: Amanda Young City Staff Present: McKenzi Hicks, Interim Planning Director Shelby Claridge, Planning Technician City Manager Paul Brandenburg Elaine Simpson, City Secretary 1) CALL TO ORDER The City Council meeting was called to order by Mayor Liz Branigan at 6 PM on Wednesday, December 27, 2023, at 2801 Ranch Road 1869, Liberty Hill, Texas. Quorum was established and all members were present, except Councilmember Amanda Young. The Planning and Zoning Commission meeting was called to order by Chair Steve Messana at 6 PM on Wednesday, December 27, 2023, at 2801 Ranch Road 1869, Liberty Hill, Texas. Quorum was established and all members were present. Planning & Zoning Commission Joint Special Called 1 December 27, 2023 Meeting with City Council meeting minutes 13 2) PUBLIC COMMENTS Regarding items not on this agenda/Public Comments: Those desiring to speak on a topic not listed on the agenda, please complete a speaker form and present to the City Secretary before the meeting. Speakers will have three minutes each to speak, this time cannot be transferred or shared. Council and Commission members may not take action during this item and any responses will be limited to factual statements, recitation of existing policy, or request for the topic to be placed on a future agenda. Regarding topics listed as an agenda item/During specific agenda item: Council and Commissioners request that speakers complete a speaker form, indicate which agenda item they are interested in speaking about, and submit form to the City Secretary before the agenda item is addressed. Speaker forms may be emailed to the City Secretary before the meeting at esimpson@libertyhilltx.gov. There were no citizen comments. 3) REGULAR JOINT MEETING AGENDA ITEMS a) Discussion, consideration and possible action related to the City's Unified Development Code (UDC) rewrite including, but not limited to, discussion of topics such as scope of work for the rewrite and contract for professional services for the rewrite. (M. Hicks) This agenda item was postponed until a later date. b) Discuss and provide feedback regarding questions from the City's Comprehensive Plan/UDC rewrite consultants, Verdunity and TBG. (M. Hicks) Interim Planning Director McKenzi Hicks introduced the topic and highlighted that the Planning and Zoning Commission had discussed these questions at their last meeting. Interim Director Hicks stated that there was the need to decide how to move forward to get the best product, and the Consultants need the questions answered first. Councilmember Chris Pezold inquired as to what the contract scope currently entails and Interim Director Hicks advised that it is an update but not a complete rewrite, and that based on feedback from the Planning and Zoning Commission (P&Z) and the Comprehensive (Comp) Plan, there is the need for a potential amendment. Chair Messana stated that he had understood the Comp Plan would be a rewrite and that the UDC would be an update. Chair Messana stated that Verdunity, with the amount of time left to update the UDC, won’t get into enough detail, and even if Verdunity works within the timeline, the time for P&Z and the Council to review would not be sufficient so there is no way to get a good UDC that aligns with the Comp Plan. Chair Messana stated that they could not get an answer from Verdunity on what we could get based on what is in the current contract. Councilmember Pezold expressed concerns on there not being enough time and now being vague on scope, and expressed concern with the handout on how the questions were asked. Councilmember Pezold added that there is a need to find out what the current scope entails and hold money to the Consultant until they do, stressing that it was not on the City if the Consultant didn’t manage the time correctly. Chair Messana stated he doesn’t know what the original scope of the rewrite was and Interim Director Hicks advised that the scope was to fill in gaps. Councilmember Pezold stressed that there was a need to know what was agreed to, and stated that the City could take the UDC out of the Planning & Zoning Commission Joint Special Called 2 December 27, 2023 Meeting with City Council meeting minutes 14 Verdunity contract and get another Consultant. Chair Messana advised that there had been a discussion with Verdunity and he had tried to express this concern, but without answers to these questions, Verdunity indicated they could not answer. City Manager Paul Brandenburg reiterated that Verdunity said they needed the answers to the questions first. Councilmember Angela Jones stated that there had been a road map and asked if Verdunity had meet the time to enter into the UDC rewrite. Interim Director Hicks responded yes. There was discussion on how much time had been allotted to the UDC rewrite and Chair Messana advised that it was basically four (4) months. Councilmember Jones asked if the Consultant had been making good progress, to which Chair Messana advised that he was not sure. Interim Director Hicks went over the scope outlined in the contract and advised that it was more of an update, not a rewrite. Commission Secretary Diane Williams added that some of the time was spent on writing some of the stop-gap ordinances at the direction of previous staff. Commission Vice-Chair Chad Cormack stated that it was hard to scope originally and why he thought it might have been best to do it in phases. Vice-Chair Cormack added that as a Commissioner, he is happy where the Comp Plan ended up but there is a huge gap in land use that needs to sync with it, that this is a critical element, and that he believes there is a need to work with Verdunity on that. Secretary Williams elaborated on the challenges to scope the UDC until the degree of changes in the approved Comp Plan was known. Councilmember Jones stated that she really appreciated the P&Z and how the Commission stays on top of things. Councilmember Jones said she was frustrated to get to this point and need more money but agreed that there was a need to stick with Verdunity. Chair Messana advised that it would be best to not put the cart before the horse, and answer the questions in order for Verdunity so they can advise what was needed for the rewrite, and while he was not sure how much money it would entail, the big thing is to ensure there is enough time to analyze it. Mayor Liz Brannigan stated that she is seeing the dedication and expertise in this room and thinks this group could do a better job. Mayor Brannigan stated that there was also a group of volunteers in 2017 that worked on an update to the UDC, and some got adjusted, and some did not. The following outlines the discussions for the questions of the Consultant: 1. UDC Rewrite Questions 1. Building Materials Legislation - Does the City intend to attempt regulating building materials, despite recent legislation? a. If so, do they want to do so in every circumstance? b. If not in every circumstance, in what circumstances (ex: residential, non-residential, specified geographic areas)? Chair Messana advised that the law states that Cities can’t be specific on materials but there are ways to word code that directly leads to the outcome desired, and that some municipalities take a different stance wherein they do regulate materials. Chair Messana stated that the P&Z talked with Interim Director Hicks and Mr. Ethan Harwell of Kimley-Horn and landed on the position that downtown should be protected, as well as the 29 Corridor which will be a Boulevard Redevelopment someday. Chair Messana advised that the Commission would like to keep downtown similar to now versus Planning & Zoning Commission Joint Special Called 3 December 27, 2023 Meeting with City Council meeting minutes 15 something that won’t fit, and the same for 29 so it doesn’t look like some no name city or place. Secretary Williams highlighted that the advice from Legal seems to say it is okay for downtown but she is not sure on 29. Secretary Williams also pointed out that legal had confirmed this was for buildings, so the sign ordinance was okay, as well as regulating on fencing. Councilmember Jones stated that once a building is built, it is around for awhile so it does matter, adding that it needs to be maintained. Councilmember Jones indicated that she thinks metal buildings that are made cheaply won’t last as long, and therefore she is in favor of quality development. Councilmember Pezold said to let the wordsmithing take care of it, for downtown and 29. Chair Messana stated that the envelope should be pushed without stepping over the line for downtown and the Boulevard Redevelopment. Councilmember Chystal Mancilla pointed out that one can drive through some cities and see that all buildings look similar and more upscale, which appears they have been given criteria to abide by, and asked how certain cities get by with it. Chair Messana advised that the law was passed in 2019, making it harder to do, and that some municipalities are interpreting the law in their own way and enforce it until there is an issue. Councilmember Pezold asked who would write the wording and Chair Messana advised that he assumes it would be Verdunity, and then reviewed by the City’s legal. 2. Administrative Authority - Does the City intend to delegate more authority in interpretation and approval of applications to City staff, in order to streamline processes and timelines? a. If so, what types of interpretations and decisions do they feel comfortable delegating? b. If not, are they prepared to accept lengthier and more cumbersome processes that may deter smaller projects? Chair Messana advised that, during the Commission discussions, all Commissioners agreed that a lot of time had been spent on changes and updates, and that the Council had delegated some new roles to the P&Z, and therefore, the Commission felt that there really was no need to change any current processes, that they were reasonable for all parties. Councilmember Jones stated that the question language appeared to exaggerate the situation. Interim Director Hicks advised that she had seen in some instances where site plans can be done administratively. Secretary Williams advised the group that stakeholders were also interviewed by the Consultants, which might have contributed to the wording. Councilmember Pezold highlighted the recent changes in the reviews of Development Agreements and concerns that past staff ignored ordinances and went against directions. Councilmember Pezold stated that in an ideal world, there would be clear enough ordinances and UDC that staff should be able to do more, but the City is currently getting through a dark time in planning so right now, he is not ready to turn over to staff. Secretary Williams stressed that internal controls are important when that does happen, and Councilmember Pezold agreed that checks and balances would be needed. Councilmember Mancilla stated that she agreed with this direction too. Councilmember Jones asked if the UDC rewrite is completed, and there is a decision to give more authority to staff, would it make a difference. Chair Messana advised that it would not, that the UDC could just be amended. Councilmember Jones stated that for her, it should go through planning but she likes that Development Agreements are going through the P&Z now. Planning & Zoning Commission Joint Special Called 4 December 27, 2023 Meeting with City Council meeting minutes 16  3. The state provides for a number of items related to land use to be handled administratively. Technical items such as site plans, development agreements, and permit applications are handled administratively in most cities in Texas. Does the City support this kind of streamlining or would they like every non-ministerial land use decision to move through a subjective P&Z review process? a. If not, are there certain types of decisions that they want to continue to send to P&Z? b. If so, are they prepared to accept lengthier and more cumbersome processes that may deter smaller projects? Chair Messana advised that the Commission noted to just see above response and Councilmembers Pezold and Mancilla agreed. 4. Flexibility & Depth - Does the City support a lean, flexible code that allows for simple modifications in a timely manner, but requires more planning prowess by City staff? a. If not, what level of specificity do they desire? (Ex: a longer, more detailed code that attempts to address every possibility, or a moderate code that blends flexibility in land uses and lot layouts with certainty in performance standards) b. If not, are they prepared to encounter more complex and longer processes for code amendments? Councilmember Jones noted that there are a lot of leading questions. Chair Messana advised the Mr. Harwell of Kimley-Horn had mentioned that for the use tables, the current one has only around 25-30, but other cities have 100, 200 and even 300, and therefore there is a need to expand the table to be clear but not as high as the 300s or 400s. Chair Messana noted that in the Commission meeting, Vice-Chair Cormack emphasized the need to make sure there are not so many holes that the developers can find work arounds. Chair Messana advised that it needed to flexible but not so lean that the developers can always get around it, but also not to try to write the code for everything. Chair Messana suggested that it be in the middle of lean to medium. Secretary Williams stated that the discussion in the Commission meeting highlighted that in order to be more flexible, there would be a need to do more by administration, noting that Interim Director Hicks had advised that interpretation by staff was often needed during site plans, for example, and so it was emphasized that interpretations for technical aspects should be okay. 5. Past UDC Discussions - We have been informed by stakeholder(s) that there was an effort to modify the UDC in 2017. However, we have no context or background on this effort. a. Was the effort initiated by the community or the City? b. What was the purpose of the effort? c. Were proposed amendments presented to the City? By whom? d. Why were those proposed amendments ultimately not adopted? e. Are we expected to incorporate those proposed amendments into the draft preparation? Chair Messana noted that he had joined the Commission after this effort and that Secretary Williams had looked into it before, noting that the Mayor had mentioned it earlier. Chair Messana noted that Councilmember Pezold had been part of the effort and advised the Council that the Commission had gone through it and decided that too much has changed in the five (5) years since and that current Planning & Zoning Commission Joint Special Called 5 December 27, 2023 Meeting with City Council meeting minutes 17 efforts should not be diverted to what was done in 2017. Councilmember Pezold concurred and stated that no one could have seen the growth that would occur. Councilmember Pezold gave the background on what had happened when the recommendations had been brought to the Council at the time, and the Planner had a chart on what was agreed to and what was not. Councilmember Pezold elaborated on what had happened. Councilmember Pezold stressed that government should be about “we the people” but that there was no discussion on the recommendations in this situation. Chair Messana stressed that it was not that the work done back then was not appreciated. Secretary Williams advised that when she had looked into it before, there were no meeting minutes online, only the agenda, and noted that the current Commission had been working to fill gaps and she assumed if something from that time was critical, that it would have been raised before now. Councilmember Pezold stated that at the time, the UDC was in essence a cut and paste from Round Rock and that was why the effort started to look into it. Secretary Williams stated that she had looked at the list and it appeared things had been addressed already, like trees, etc., and highlighted that in the Commission meeting, Chair Messana had asked if there were any glaring things missing to advise the Commission. Chair Messana concluded that from here, Verdunity is supposed to be watching the meeting and come back with a revised scope and timing. Secretary Williams confirmed that the time line for Verdunity to get back to the City was two (2) weeks. Vice-Chair Cormack stated that he appreciated the feedback from the Council and the statements that the Commission is trusted, noting that the end of the Comp Plan phase was rough and the UDC criteria is important. Vice-Chair Cormack stated that he heard the valid frustration on the money aspects. Vice- Chair Cormack stated that Chair Messana and Secretary Williams spend a lot of time outside the meetings helping and he believes there is a need for Verdunity to be at the next Commission meeting. Vice-Chair Cormack noted that some may think the Commission is controlling and Secretary Williams noted the term used by previous staff was “unusually involved”. Vice-Chair Cormack noted that while he had missed some meetings, he believed that the complete Commission should be more involved. Chair Messana noted that the purpose of this session was so that the Commission could be more involved. Vice-Chair Cormack stated that there is a need to hold the Consultant’s feet to the fire and that it seemed liked it was a healthy fee. Vice-Chair Cormack stated that perhaps more can be done by the Commission itself if that is needed and while a Commission retreat has been planned, there may need to be more time spent. Councilmember Mancilla advised the Commission that whatever is needed from the Council, they could make a meeting happen, and that the Council trusts the Commission and wants to move forward. Secretary Williams thanked Councilmember Mancilla and noted that there may be instances where perhaps a decision is needed on something to determine which path is to be taken during the rewrite. Vice-Chair Cormack noted that Austin uses an online public forum to enable Council to talk about things, but decisions cannot be made. Councilmember Pezold stated that was a good point and that he was thankful that the City had a lot of good volunteers. Secretary Williams asked Interim Director Hicks if the Council had been provided with the Consultant’s UDC diagnostic report, and Interim Director Hicks advised that she would send it to them. Secretary Williams provided some highlights of the findings. Planning & Zoning Commission Joint Special Called 6 December 27, 2023 Meeting with City Council meeting minutes 18  4) Executive Session for City Council a) Pursuant to Texas Government Code Section 551.087 (Economic Development) - Discussion of economic agreements for the Gunner projects, with corrections made 12/19/2023 to legal description of property. (P. Brandenburg) City Secretary Elaine Simpson advised the Council that they did not have to go into Executive Session if they did not want to, and City Manager Brandenburg advised that the only thing changed was the property. REST MISSING HERE>>>>>>> 5) ADJOURNMENT Given there were no further joint agenda items and hearing no objections from the members, Chair Messana adjourned the Commission meeting at 6:53 PM. Given there were no further agenda items and hearing no objections from the Council, Mayor Branigan adjourned the meeting PM. PASSED AND APPROVED by the Planning and Zoning of the City of Liberty Hill, Texas on , , 2024, on vote of ayes, nays, and abstentions. Steve Messana, P&Z Chair Commission or City Secretary PASSED AND APPROVED by the City Council of the City of Liberty Hill, Texas on , , 2024, on vote of ayes, nays, and abstentions. Mayor Liz Branigan Attest: City Secretary Planning & Zoning Commission Joint Special Called 7 December 27, 2023 Meeting with City Council meeting minutes 19  PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION PLANNING & ZONING COMMISSION REGULAR MEETING TUESDAY - JANUARY 2, 2024 2801 Ranch Road 1869 - Liberty Hill AGENDA ITEM 3.c Consider disapproving the E. Johnston Plaza Minor Plat, consisting of approximately 1.69 acres of land, generally located approximately 250 feet north of the intersection of SH 29 and CR 214, more particularly described by Williamson Central Appraisal District Parcel R375843, and legally described as part of and out of the Thomas P. Plaster Survey, Abstract No. 510, Liberty Hill, Williamson County, Texas. (M. Hicks) 20  Planning and Development Department Planning and Zoning Commission To: City of Liberty Hill Planning and Zoning Commission Subject: Consider disapproving the E. Johnston Plaza Minor Plat, consisting of approximately 1.69 acres of land, generally located approximately 250 feet north of the intersection of SH 29 and CR 214, more particularly described by Williamson Central Appraisal District Parcel R375843, and legally described as part of and out of the Thomas P. Plaster Survey, Abstract No. 510, Liberty Hill, Williamson County, Texas. Meeting: January 2, 2023 Staff: McKenzi Hicks, Interim Director of Planning Discussion: The application under consideration was submitted on December 4, 2023, and consists of one tract to be formally platted as one lot. The area being platted is located within the City of Liberty Hill and is currently zoned as General Commercial/Retail (C3). Background: This is the first submission of the minor plat application. The purpose of the minor plat is to formally plat the current tract into one lot to facilitate the eventual buildout of a food court for multiple mobile food establishments. The comments produced from the first review primarily pertain to the necessity of clerical revisions, but other major concerns noted include the dedication of a 10 ft. PUE on the property’s frontage as a previous easement’s duration in this location is finite and was established before Williamson County right-of-way acquisition along CR 214, the requirement of a utility evaluation, and requiring shared access across the frontage of CR 214. Water and Wastewater Service: The property is located within the City of Liberty Hill’s water and wastewater CCN. STAFF RECOMMENDATION: Texas Local Government Code Section 212.005 states “The municipal authority responsible for approving plats must approve a plat or replat that is required to be prepared under this subchapter and that satisfies all applicable regulations.” Staff recommends disapproval of the minor plat, as it has not met all the requirements of the Unified Development Code and applicable City, County, and State regulations at the time of submission. 21  City of Liberty Hill Planning & Development Department To: Justin Madding, P.E. From: McKenzi Hicks, Interim Director of Planning Date: December 27, 2023 Subject: Staff Review Memo – 1st Review Case: Project # 23-021MPL – E. Johnston Plaza Minor Plat Staff has completed the review of the E. Johnston Plaza Minor Plat. At this time, the plat has been recommended disapproval based on staff comments below. Please be aware that the next resubmission date will be on January 22, 2024. Copies of this memo are available to the property owner and the assigned agent. Additional comments may be generated based on subsequent submittals and responses. Resubmittals shall be submitted through the City’s permitting software, MyGovernmentOnline. Interim Director of Planning McKenzi Hicks 512-548-5537; mhicks@libertyhilltx.gov Page 1 1. The items below are prerequisites for approval. Those items marked as "outstanding" must be cleared before consideration for approval. a. Submit a utility evaluation for review to determine the available capacity and what off- site improvements may be required. (UDC 3.09.03(D), 5.07, 5.08) OUTSTANDING b. Provide documentation that Williamson County Emergency Services District (WCESD No. 4) has approved this plan set. (UDC 3.09.03(D)) OUTSTANDING c. NOTE: The utility service plan must demonstrate that the lot is served by both water and wastewater in accordance with the City of Round Rock design manuals (UDC 5.03.07, 5.04). Utilities must be available for extension at the edge of the subdivision (UDC 5.03.08). If utility extension or upgrade is required to comply with these ordinances then before this plat may be recorded the applicant must submit subdivision construction plans for those improvements, those plans must be approved, and the improvements must be constructed or performance surety posted to the satisfaction of the City Manager (UDC 3.09.02.K) 2. Provide the following supporting exhibits as required by the Plat (UDC Section 3.09.03(D)). The plat checklist is available here: ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 100 FORREST ST., LIBERTY HILL, TX 78642 ~ 512-778-5449 PLANNING@LIBERTYHILLTX.GOV ~ WWW.LIBERTYHILLTX.GOV 22  https://www.libertyhilltx.gov/DocumentCenter/View/2278/Subdivision-Plats-Application-- Checklist a. Letter of Intent for Utilities from the developer explaining how the tract will be served by water, wastewater and electric, including commitments for oversize line construction and/or off-site requirements. b. Tree Survey and Tree Preservation Plan or a certified statement that no trees exist on the property. c. Drainage study d. Utility service plan e. Existing improvements exhibit f. Title report and Easement Encumbrance schedule g. TIA Worksheet - This can be delayed until SDP, but please provide a written statement to note that if this is desired. h. Letter of Omission for items not applicable to this project such as the Letter of Intent for Parkland or Street Projection Exhibit. 3. Add the following information required by the Plat checklist to the plat (UDC Section 3.09.03(D)). The plat checklist is available here: https://www.libertyhilltx.gov/DocumentCenter/View/2278/Subdivision-Plats-Application-- Checklist a. Add the street table (page 4) b. Add plat notes 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 10, 11, 13, 15, 16, 17 18, 19, and 20 from the plat checklist. 4. At the time of the approval the surveyor and engineer shall certify that all easements encumbering the property are shown hereon. Provide the title report as required by the plat checklist. (UDC 3.09.02) 5. Complete the submittal date field with the date of November 21, 2023. (UDC Section 3.09.03(D)) 6. Please list the acreage of Lot 1 here by the label. The total plat acreage is the acreage of Lot 1, but just for clarity. (UDC Section 3.09.03(D)) 7. Please dedicate a new 10' PUE with this plat. The restrictions established by Doc. No. 1998002911 are questionable. The easement terminates after 20 years and was established prior to the WilCo ROW acquisition in 2003. Dedication of a new easement "hereby dedicated" will just clean this up. (UDC Section 3.09.03(D)) Page 2 8. Please double-check the signature blocks with those provided at the end of the plat checklist. (UDC 3.09.02) - Note the updated signature block for City Manager instead of Director of Planning. 9. If there is a lien holder provide the appropriate signature block. If there is no lien holder be sure and use the correct signature block for the owner. ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 100 FORREST ST., LIBERTY HILL, TX 78642 ~ 512-778-5449 PLANNING@LIBERTYHILLTX.GOV ~ WWW.LIBERTYHILLTX.GOV 23 City Engineer James “Jim” M. Cummins, P.E., City Engineer 512-930-9412; jcummins@stegerbizzell.com 1. Submit a Utility Evaluation request for the development. The forms for the request are available on the City’s website. 2. Provide a letter of intent for utilities. The requirements are noted on the City’s subdivision checklist. 3. Update the plat notes to reflect the current plat notes included in the subdivision plat checklist. 4. Provide a shared use access easement across the CR214 frontage of the subdivision. 5. Align the easement with the development to the south. 6. Provide a city of Liberty Hill utility easement for the existing waterline along CR214. 7. Complete the TIA worksheet and return with the resubmittal. The worksheet is available on the City’s website. Williamson County Addressing Cindy Bridges, ENP 512- 943‐3708; addressing@wilco.org 1. No comments Texas Department of Transportation Shane Brown 512-734-5734; tommy.brown@txdot.gov 1. No comments Please revise the plat to address the comments noted above. Following revision, submit the plat electronically with a resolution letter in PDF format via www.mygovernmentonline.org. Should you have any questions regarding specific comments, please contact the staff member referenced under the section in which the comment occurs. Sincerely, McKenzi Hicks, AICP, CNU-A Interim Director of Planning City of Liberty Hill, Texas ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 100 FORREST ST., LIBERTY HILL, TX 78642 ~ 512-778-5449 PLANNING@LIBERTYHILLTX.GOV ~ WWW.LIBERTYHILLTX.GOV 24 25 26 27  PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION PLANNING & ZONING COMMISSION REGULAR MEETING TUESDAY - JANUARY 2, 2024 2801 Ranch Road 1869 - Liberty Hill AGENDA ITEM 4.a Receive the Projects in Motion report, as provided by the Development Services department. (M. Hicks) 28  Projects in Motion Report December 2, 2023 - December 29, 2023 Approved P&Z Projects Project Name Address Project Type Approval Council Comprehensive Plan Amend. Bailey Ln. Thoroughfare Plan Amend. P&Z Approved Summerlyn Duplex Develop. Highway 183 Final Plat P&Z Building Permits Project Name Address Permit Type/Description Status Popeye's 13101 W Hwy 29 New Commercial Building Permit Pending Building Permit - interior remodel of existing Starbucks - replace equipment Starbucks 13055 W Hwy 29 and upgrade finishes Pending Trussmate 12903 & 12905 W Hwy 29 Commercial Building Permit Pending Sherwin Williams 12360 W Hwy 29 Commercial Building Permit Pending Panther Plaza 15050 W Hwy 29 Commercial Building Permit - Addition Pending Mr. Gattis 13740 W Hwy 29 Commerical Building Permit Pending Site Plans ETJ/City Project Name Address Description Approval Date Limits 29  PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION PLANNING & ZONING COMMISSION REGULAR MEETING TUESDAY - JANUARY 2, 2024 2801 Ranch Road 1869 - Liberty Hill AGENDA ITEM 4.b Receive the monthly Director's Report as provided by EDC Director, Mary Poché. (M. Hicks) 30  LHEDC Director Report November 15 – December 20, 2023 Highlights over the Month 1. Site visit from site selector and real estate team for Project Whale. High sales tax producing retail entity in step 1 out of 10 steps for locating to Liberty Hill. Currently collaborating with this team to locate 20 acres. 2. Bi-weekly meeting with Halff & Associates regarding status of the Downtown Strategic Action Plan: • Completed online survey on 12/5 with over 100 responses; results included - 45 times want walkable DT; 33 times – want restaurants DT; 22 times – keep small town feel. • In December will put concepts on maps, indicate pedestrian network and opportunity sites. • Good draft plan in early Spring; final in May 3. From outsources, received (8) requests for proposals and submitted proposals for Project Mega Refurbished and Project Icehouse (both for Platform 183 x 29) 4. Currently re-working Project Solar Cable and Project Rock-n-Roll with their changing needs in the Chalk Hill Venture Development. 5. Prepared VFW building regarding plumbing issues to be used for the LH Christmas Festival. 6. Regarding new LHEDC office: • Gathering 3 furniture etc. quotes for 2 offices and conference room. • Engaged Spectrum for internet. • Hired lawn service and cleaning service. • Worked with Elias in Code Enforcement on ADA requirements. 31  7. Engaged and currently working with Acceleration by Design for marketing materials pertinent to recruiting new and supporting existing business. 8. Beginning Social media engagement with Business LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter as recommended by Golden Shovel Agency. 9. Keeping abreast of potential purchase of 31.43 acres for the public safety facility, potential YMCA and potential future city buildings and keeping agent informed of activity so he can report back to his client. 10. Actively looking for an Economic Development Coordinator with job posting on TML, TEDC and City Site. Received 5 resumes thus far. Hoping to hire Q1 2024. Upcoming Calendar of EDC/City Events: Semicon – Korea – 1/27 – 2/3, 2024 LH EDC Strategic Planning Session – tbd Moving into new EDC office – January 2024 Outside Developer Q/A session jointly with Planning - tbd Outstanding Legal as of 12/13/23 Henrietta/Gunner 380 Agreements – additional legal may be needed from the amendment provided by David Sewell, P/J attorney regarding the need for more than Super Target as a user – Jeff Moore w/ Brown & Hoffmeister stands ready. 32