Planning Commission - Regular Meeting

I'd like to call to order the city of Belton Planning Commission for July 1st, 2025. Do we have roll call, please? Chairman McFerson, here. Mayor Larkkey here. Council member Bryan here. Commissioner Christensen. Commissioner Crate. Commissioner Mcdana here. Commissioner Rugles here. Commissioner Shut here. Commissioner Walton here. First item we have is a review of our minutes from the June 17 planning commission meeting. Should have been should have received those ahead of time. There any corrections or additions that need to be made? Is there an motion to accept those as we've received them? Second. Motion and second. All those in favor say I. I. Any opposed? Moving on to new business for this evening. We do have a public hearing, so we will go ahead and call that to order. And this is for VAC25- Z002, a request from Autumn Ridge Homes LLC to approve a vacation of utility easement in Autumn Ridge fourth and fifth plat. And we'll have our director. Yep. Thank you, chair. before this evening is a request to vacate a utilities in Autumn Ridge fourth and fifth plats uh which is generally located on the north side of Solstice

Court going south to Sycamore Court um and then southeast um on the south side of Sycamore um between Fallen Leaf Drive and Summer Dawn Circle. Um this easement was dedicated to the city in August 2007 in advance of a future Autumn Ridge third plat uh that would have accommodated the remaining 10 duplexes. um here to the north um which were intended to be platted in 2007208 um but ultimately due to the economy the those plans were pulled back. Um so these 10 duplex lots were not platted until 2024 as part of the autumn fifth plat and are currently under construction. Um staff was unaware of the easement until May when the applicant uh reached out and had uh discovered the easement um which was tied to um some title work that was being done by a potential buyer for um some of the single family lots uh of which this easement runs through. Um so therefore we don't have any information or details of the original intent of the easement um other than they must have been in wanting to install something in here related to this uh future plat that was not done. Um so based on that uh there are no known utilities within this easement as it was unknown to anybody. Um and therefore um the applicant is requesting to vacate that to allow the closing of the remaining single family lots in the fifth plat. Um the easements uh other utilities easements were dedicated with the fourth and fifth plat for Autumn Ridge uh when those were platted in 2020 um 2022 and 2024. Um and those easements are located in the appropriate locations which are typically along the lot lines versus this easement which um just kind of runs um it's not following any of the lot lines. Um staff notify the utility companies u have that have potential

interest in the easement um notifying them of the vacation request. We did not hear back from every utility company um but those that did did not have any concerns and again we have no record or knowledge of any easements. Um and the util all those utility companies have been installing their easement installations elsewhere in the platted easements with the fourth and fifth plats. Uh we did notify all the property owners that are have property where these easements are located. Most of the lots are owned by the developer which is the applicant and there are two lots on um summer dawn circle uh which have already been sold. We did send notification to those property owners as well. Um but again since this is a removal of of an easement and not an addition um this is generally going to be in their best benefit um so utility company doesn't eventually come in and dig up their backyard. Um therefore staff recommends approval of the easement um so that the um remaining lots in Autumn Fifth Plat can be sold. Um I will note that staff has already issued nine new home permits in the fifth plat to Dr. Horton over the past several weeks and there are remaining 38 single family lots um that are available for new home permits as soon as um they move forward with that. Happy to answer any questions and the applicant is here as well. Okay. Just ask the applicant anything additional that you would like to uh to make us aware of. No sir. Okay. Uh since this is a public hearing, we'll ask if there's anyone that would like to speak in favor or in opposition to the vacation as planned. Again, seeing none, we'll close the public hearing and move it to the commission. Any questions or comments from any of the commission members? Entertain a motion. Mr. Chair, I'd make

a motion to approve vacation 25-002 as presented. Second. We have motion and a second and a half. Oh, did did Sorry. Did you do the public hearing? We did the public hearing and we closed it. Just want to make sure. Were you sleeping down there? We didn't hear any We didn't hear anything from the public. Uh any any last or final comments? Seeing none, could we have a roll call, please? Council member Bryan, I. Mayor Larkkey, yes. Shut. Hi. Mcdana, hi. Walton, I. Chairman McFerson, I Rugles. Hi. Good. Uh, moving on to our next item of business. It is DEV25-00003. a request from Garcia Imports LLC to approve a final development plan for a remodel and expansion of a building ex of an existing building at 404 East North Avenue for Cinco de Mayo, a 45,572 ft restaurant and grocery store. And we'll ask the director to present. Uh, thank you, chair. Before this evening is a request for a final development plan for um approval for Cinco de Mayo to remodel and expand an existing building at 404 East North Avenue. Um this is the building that is located between the dentist office at the corner of um 58 and Y highway across from CVS that's been vacant now for about a year. Um but previously had an orthodontist office occupy part of that for several decades. Um the existing 3,800 square foot building would be expanded by about 900 square feet um on two different sections which are shown here on the site plan at the northeast and northwest corners um to accommodate a grocery store and

restaurant. The grocery store would operate out of the um east half of the building and the west half would be for the restaurant. Um this property is zone C2 general commercial and the proposed improvements meet all UDC requirements. Um, in addition to the new building additions, um, site improvements include the removal of substandard fencing, um, along the parking area and along the west property line, which will open up the visibility and accessibility of the site. Um, they will be repaving and restriping the parking lot, including ADA spaces and pedestrian crosswalks, um, out to 58 highway and another crosswalk back to the accessory building at the rear of the property. Um, and I apologize. I don't know why it's cut off here. Um, but there there is a building there on the the north side. Um, they will be adding a new vestibule at the front entrance to the grocery store. Um, a new dumpster enclosure at the rear northwest corner of the parking lot. Um, painting of the rear accessory building to match the um, existing building. Um, and I mentioned the pedestrian access to it. Um, this accessory building will be reused um for supplies, which isn't permitted for new construction in commercial districts. However, since it's a pre-existing building as part of the reuse of the site, staff believes that it is acceptable since it is a legal non-conforming building. Um, additionally, there will be cleaning up, as noted here, on the West property line, um, brush and overgrowth, as well as the removal of any dead trees along there. and then they will be repairing and remodeling the existing monument sign that's located along the east property line um adjacent to the dentist office. Um the only item that was not addressed with the final development plan um is exterior lighting. Um no exterior lighting was shown on the plans. However, adequate perimeter parking lot lighting does need to be provided um since these uses will be open after dark. Um, wall-mounted lighting on the building will likely be

sufficient to eliminate the parking lot since it's just kind of one row of parking on each side. Um, details will need to be provided with the building permit for review and approval. Um, overall, staff believes that this is a great reuse of this site and it allows a local small business that's currently located on North Scott um to expand to a larger space to help them continue to grow. Um, staff recommends approval of the final development plan with two conditions and I'm happy to answer any questions and the applicants are here as well. Ask the applicant anything additional that you would like for us to to know if I didn't think you said that much. Yeah, I don't think so. Okay. So, the the lighting is something that that uh will be very good. Okay. Uh anyone else from commission have any questions or comments? Is there a motion? I'll make a motion. We accept except that hard word. Except the approve. Approve the That's the one you want. All right, I'll second that. Have a motion and second to approve DEV25003. Any final comments?

We have a roll call, please. Mayor Larkkey. Yes, Mcdana. Hi, Chairman McFerson. I Ruggles. Hi, Walton. Hi, Shut. I Council Member Bryan. I has been approved. I'm always for approving Cinco de Mayo or Mexican food. So, yeah, that's That's always so congratulations director. We have unified development code update. Yeah, I passed out a handout at everybody's seat um with our engagement summary um that includes kind of the schedule events for the UDC update. Um just to kind of let you know where we're at, we are in phase two. Um so phase one was really just kind of convening getting the um meeting with the consultant kind of getting the game plan put together and this schedule and then they have met with the steering committee which they met back on June 5th and um staff met with the the project team last Friday for an update of where they're at. So they are currently in the process of moving into the diagnosis phase which is phase two. And that's essentially we've given them all of our they have access to the full unified development code and any amendments that have recently been adopted or in the process of adopted or in the process of adoption such as the residential um driveway updates that will go to council next week. Um so they've been they've received all that information and are reviewing all that to um look at where there's um issues or concerns in the overall code and they'll

start that process of then show discussing of where there can be major changes that are going to be made. Um the presentation on the screen is is what they shared or some I'm just want to share a few slides from what they presented to the steering committee kind of the overall process here. So again, the diagnosis phase are looking at our current conditions in the city and how it aligns with the code and where based on the kind of the context of of various parts of our community, how that code isn't working or what is working that we should um focus on keeping. Um then they'll move on to the alignment phase which is really the kind of the community ga engagement piece of that for the first round. Um this is looking at best practices of where they see our code um needing to be improved. Um again the engagement what they're looking at all the comprehensive plan feedback that was received. Um but also we will have um we have requested a booth at fall festival um on September 13th. So, we'll be out there with the consultants um discussing um the code update with the community and kind of what they would like to see. And then overall the regulation framework, which one of the things that's currently in our UDC is it's not very well laid out. It's not user friendly. Um everything is in alphabetical order, which isn't typically recommended. Um and so this is an example of a recent update that they did in Springfield where it's laid out by topic. Um, and so if you're looking for a specific issue, you know exactly where to go and and look for that item. Um, there will be a meeting, a joint meeting with the planning commission and city council. U, I'll send out an email um this week about that, but tentatively

we have that um scheduled for Thursday, September 25th. Um, so if you would please get that on your calendar and let me know if you do have any concerns with that. But that would be separate from a planning commission or council meeting. Um just because this would would really try to get some additional feedback from the planning commission and council on their thoughts and a review of some of the community engagement that has already taken that will have taken place by that time. You say the 25th. Yes. Will you be back? Okay. Um and the time on that I'll take a poll of that. Um we can do 6 pm. Um, but if there's any interest in doing that a little bit earlier, um, that would also be fine with the consultants. Um, but if that's not possible, six, it'll be at 6 PM because that's typically when both the planning commission and council have regular meetings anyway. Um, and then once they take all that feedback, they'll go into the drafting stage. That will pretty much be later into the fall through through the winter months. um probably won't hear a whole lot from the consultants, although there may be some very high level um items that they may want feedback on that we'll take to both planning commission and council for um some discussion. There will be another joint meeting um the end of February um to to talk about the draft and then they'll go through clean up the draft and our goal is to have something before the planning commission um for consideration um in May. Um so that would be the public hearing in May and then final adoption by council in June of next year. So these some of the here's kind of just a more graphical view of the timeline to kind of show what what we're looking at.

Um but overall um you know we're looking for a more userfriendly code, a lot more graphically a lot more graphics, a lot more illustrations, um tables, charts to kind of better illustrate what the intent of the code is. Right now, we have a lot of verbiage that um you have to really read and think about to really understand what we're asking for for um so we're trying to make it as user friendly as possible. Um not only for developers, but also residents who are just wanting to make improvements to their property. Um so that's really all I have. Again, we're they're working on the diagnosis. They they shared last Friday that they would have kind of a report for us in the next few weeks. Um, and then we will likely share some of that with the planning commission and council of kind of what what they've what they've looked at. There will also be some steering committee meetings that will follow later this month or into August um to review that as well. So, happy to answer any questions, but I like with the conference of plan, we will keep this as kind of a standing item on the agenda just so we're we're keeping everybody up to date of what we're working on there. Mr. Director will say this week or this past week I was looking up something. I was having conversation with someone and trying to find it and it was a lot of fun and I I'm familiar. I've been looking at these for a long time, but it was a lot of fun trying to find the specific thing that I was looking for. So, I will definitely appreciate having this updated. Yeah, we will too. All right. Anything additional, director, for your director's report? Um, yes, we will have a meeting on Tuesday, July 15th. We have a couple of final development plans um for you guys.

Um the first one is uh remodel at Cedar Tree for the Encap um where Reese Nichols used to be as well as part of the Salvation Army. Um that'll be for a Savers which is um kind of a secondhand store. They will have a donation drop off and that's the primary reason for bringing them forward is they would like to add a donation drop off area on the south side of their building facing 58 highway. So we've been working them working with them on that addition, making sure that's appropriately screened. Um and so that'll be the the main purpose for that development plan to bring that forward to you guys. And then the second one is for a couple of building additions to the Church of Christ which is located at 103 Myron. Um that is just on the to the west of North Scott and Myron. Um so those will be the two final development plans that we'll have for your review at our next meeting. We have several projects that are progressing right along. We we do have we have several projects that are in the works. Um, a couple of those will likely have some neighborhood meetings before we bring those forward to planning commission. And so anytime we have those, we post those on our website. But we in addition to notifying the residents within a certain distance, we will also let the planning commission know if you would like to attend those. Also seen a lot of work where Olive Garden will be. That is progressing. Uh the the city put the picture from the peanut. Yes, that's progressing. I saw the ice cream shop going in next to Mallisters. Yep. There are quite a bit of projects in the works. Things happening. Some more things coming. Good. All right. Anything else? We have

second. Second. All in favor of adjournment say I. I. Any opposed?