HomeMy WebLinkAbout2016.09.29 City Council Meeting Minutes321
City of University Park City Hall
3800 University Blvd.
University Park,TX 75205
Meeting Minutes
City Council
Thursday,September 29,2016 5:00 PM Council Chamber
WORK SESSION
I.CALL TO ORDER
Present:5 -Mayor Olin Lane,Mayor Pro Tem Taylor Armstrong,Mayor Pro Tem Dawn
Moore,Councilmember Randy Biddle and Councilmember Gage Prichard
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II.OPEN WORK SESSION -No action was taken
Council met in an open work session to discuss a request by James E.
Strode,for a change of zoning from three different adjoining districts into a
single,mixed-use Planned Development District.,including consideration of
an illustrative Conceptual Site Plan.The subject tract is approximately 1.58
acres,situated between Daniel and Haynie Avenues and West of Hillcrest
Ave.,and described as part of lot 6 and all of lots 7 thru 12,Block 3,
University Park Addition.
Mayor Lane called the meeting to order at 5:21 p.m.
Director of Community Development Patrick Baugh gave a presentation and
covered the "Worksheet"summarizing the issues associated with the
development and rezoning request.Pat said that with the traffic study,there
will be a post-occupancy study/mitigation.
Pat said that the current proposal in the rendering shows the glass/stone
ribbon around three sides of the building.
He said that the garage access has been resolved with an agreement to have
access from both Daniel and Haynie.
Pat noted that the Council seemed to be in agreement about the proposed
127,880 square feet total floor area for the development.
Mayor Lane read a letter from former Councilmember Bob Clark giving
background on past discussions concerning height maximums for Snider
Plaza and area zoning districts.
The Mayor read a second letter from jim Strode of SPC Hillcrest,L.P.(the
developer)offering comments for this meeting.He said they felt that the
height of the building and the parking were the two unresolved issues.He
said that he believes the above-grade parking is very important to the
development and that surface parking is simply not enough.He offered to
reduce the height of the parking structure from 31 to 17 feet.He said that the
wall along Haynie would be solid to help abate headlight pollution and noise to
the Haynie neighbors.Mr.Strode addressed the perception among the
neighborhood group that he would gouge shoppers with high rates in his
parking garage.He said he would agree to charge $3/hour after the first free
hour for parking in 84 spaces reserved for Snider Plaza shoppers.
Mayor Lane said that the Council had received a lot of correspondence about
this development and re-zoning proposal.He said he was disturbed at the
tone of some letters that the Council is not listening to the neighborhood and
those concerned about the size of the building.The Mayor listed several
concessions offered by the developer to address the concerns about the
development.Mayor Lane said he feels good that there will be 84 new
parking spaces available to Snider Plaza and that this is the best deal to
come along since he's been involved on the Council to alleviate the parking
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spot shortage in the Plaza.He is pleased
Mayor Pro Tem Moore asked how many parking spaces are being cut out
from the garage with the developer's compromise to modify the parking
garage.The developer said that there are 35 extra spaces beyond what he
needs for his building.
Council member Biddle said that he likes the two-story parking garage.
Councilmember Prichard said that the Haynie residents prefer underground
parking and would accept a two-story office building on the property.
Council member Prichard says he thinks the two-story above ground parking
is a better solution because the neighbors would not have to have office
tenants looking down on their homes.He and Councilmember Biddle agreed
that the solid wall with greenery and landscaping along the Haynie side of the
parking garage would be preferable to view than a below-ground garage
topped by an office building.
Mayor Pro Tem Moore said that she is conscientious about balancing the
aesthetics of the development with the parking needed for the area.
Mayor Lane asked the group if there was consensus on the 95'compromise
on the height of the building.There was no opposition from the Council.
The Mayor asked to discuss the proposed masonry ribbon around three sides
of the building and glass only on the north side.Councilmember Armstrong
asked if the developer could be given some ratio guidelines for the
glass/stone ratio,and then the final design could be presented for approval to
the Council.City Manager Corder said that there is one ordinance that will lay
out everything when it comes time for a vote.
Mayor Pro Tem Moore asked about keeping the glare of the glass off the
south side of the building.Pat Baugh said that you can specify a percentage
of glass to stone per floor.
Councilmember Armstrong asked Pat Baugh for clarification about what the
Council can do in terms of the design of the building,that the Council is not a
"design review committee."Pat said that the elevations are provided to give a
general idea of what the building will look like.If the Council knows what it
wants on the exterior,it can specify it in the ordinance.Otherwise,the
ordinance will provide general guidelines so that the developer can make
some modifications to the exterior appearance.
Councilmember Prichard said he would like the stone ribbon to extend all the
way around the building,that all-glass structures will look antique in a few
years.Councilmember Armstrong said that he's reluctant to discuss the
design too much.Mayor Pro Tem Moore and Councilmember Armstrong
said they think the north side of the building will not produce the same glare
that the other sides might,so they would prefer not to see the masonry on the
north side.
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City Manager Corder was asked to provide the economic impact of the
building.He said the development would provide approximately $90,000 in
property tax revenue based on a comp of the Trevor Rees-Jones property.
$100,000-$125,000 sales taxes per year is a rough estimate of what the retail
in the development might provide.
City Attorney Rob Dillard asked if the setbacks underground are different than
the setbacks above-ground.Pat said that underground setbacks are zero
feet.
Mayor Lane asked if the Council had any other comments or questions.He
adjourned the meeting at 6:02 p.m.
III.ADJOURNMENT
As there was no further business,Mayor Lane adjourned the meeting.
Considered and approved this the 18th day of October,2016:
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ATTEST:
LU~~
Christine Green,City Secretary
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