Planning & Zoning Commission - Regular Meeting

It is 6 o'clock p.m. July the 7th. I hereby call the City of Montgomery Zoning Commission to order.

We will start off with Pledge us of allegiance. United States flag.

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. Texas flag. Honor the Texas flag. I pledge allegiance to thee, Texas, one state, under God, one and indivisible.

Okay. Next item will be citizens' comments. And I see no one in the crowd. Did anybody write anything in? Nope. Okay. Next we'll go on to... Consent agenda. Consent agenda items are considered to be routine by the Planning and Zoning Commission and will be enacted upon by a single motion. There will be no separate discussion on these items unless Commission member requests the item to be removed and considered separately. So item number four is consideration of possible action on the Planning and Zoning meeting minutes of June 2nd, 2026.

I was absent, but after watching the video and reviewing the minutes, I'll make a motion that we approve the planning zoning minutes of June 2nd, 2026 as presented. I second.

Okay, I have a motion and a second for the approval of the Planning and Zoning Commission minutes of June 2nd. All in favor say aye. Aye. Opposed say no. Motion passes. All in favor. Next, we will go on to the regular agenda. All items on the regular agenda are for discussion and or action. Number five is consideration of possible action by the Planning and Zoning Commission on the replat for the Cornerstone Community Church.

As a reminder, this development purchased property, two parcels to the north. This practice is to memorialize the addition of that property and add it to their proposed ownership. This does not relieve them of complying with any additional development requirements as they continue to further develop their property. as well as high scaling improvements. Any paving improvements that they are recommending or proposing will still have to be reviewed and approved by the city in general. Again, this is just a flat for administrative purposes of adding to their existing institutional reserve for the church. And then as a hard copy of part of y'all is a marked, not marked up, clean version of the marked up version that's in y'all's package.

If I did not look back, what were some of the major questions that they had?

I wouldn't say there were a lot of majors. Really, the biggest thing that they had were, and again, it's more administrative than anything, the lines outside of the platted subdivision boundary have to be dashed. So that's one comment that we had. And then another one was... Contours showed on their previous seminal, so they removed those as well. Contours, the elevation grades? Again, we work with this surveyor to remove other developments within the city so they know what we're expecting as far as review and approval. So it was a pretty straightforward review.

So if this is, plant is approved, they still have to come back to us for all their variances. And if they are, and we can ask about the drainage and the whole. Yes, sir.

At this time. the entire scope of their development. So they're still mulling that over.

We've heard talks and discussions on the addition of a classroom versus an addition of a building.

Again, it's still to be determined on what they're proposing, but whatever is being proposed would have to go through proper channels of review. I know there was concern from the neighboring properties on drainage. That would be one of the bigger things that we're looking at in our future of vehicle development.

Did they flip it? Because it was going to be, there was going to be like a little courtyard out front.

That again, we've seen a couple of renditions of that, but yeah, as of right now, what's shown on this plaque is what's existing. Because they're going to add restrooms, I think. We've heard restrooms, we've heard classrooms, we've heard office space.

Which would add to water and sewer.

We wouldn't anticipate a lot of additional usage from that, but it would be an additional connection for the city, correct? All right. This is a motion to pass on.

approved tonight would go in front of City Council at their second time.

Is there any additional driveways? Are they going to still use the main?

I understand there are no proposed additional driveways. That has not come to conversation. And parking, additional parking? We'll be looking at that as well.

Based on what we know today, they're not compliant, and so we'll be making that comment as well.

So whether they either request a variance to remain non-conforming or a

provide additional parking to become conforming based on the proposed additional square of the building. It's all kind of in the realm of conversation with them.

And I know that we had asked them to stop clearing. They have stopped. All right. So if we say yes and move it to city council, they're still stopped until it passes?

So the clearing will not recommence until plans have been approved.

Okay.

All right. Yeah.

I make a motion to on the replay for the Cornerstone Community Church be forwarded on to City Council for further review. I'll second.

The motion is seconded. All in favor say aye. Aye. All opposed no. Motion passes. Thank you. Thank you. Item number six, abide refresher trading session for planning zoning commissioners to understand their role as legal departments in government processes. These sessions are all informational only and no official business or case deliberations will occur.

Good evening, commission members. Good evening. We're going to try to restart this refresher training. I know we didn't even take it out on the first session either. So we'll try and restart this. Right now, I want to make sure that at least we are all up to date with our Open Meetings Act, the classes, that kind of thing. You sat down with the city secretary. Everything should be good.

Yeah, I did mine online, and I spoke. Yeah, that works.

All right, perfect. Now, I don't know if we need any introductions. I know we have a couple of the newer commission members here. You know who Ms. Diana Titus is. She's the Deputy City Secretary. I'm Brad, City Administrator, or City Engineer here. And if you have any other questions on any other staff that might be joining us or anyone else that comes in here that you're not familiar with, please definitely ask. Let's see here. The training format, you briefly described that and we're not going to talk about any specific cases. I know that We'd really like to use some of the examples, but we can't use any of the examples. So any of your questions, let's try to make it kind of as general as possible, and then we'll respond in that way. And have you all had a chance to take a look at the ordinance for the Planning and Zoning Commission? I assume self-explanatory, the creation purpose of it, the membership, the appointment, the terms of office, how to organize, the chairperson, the vice chair, and then the duties and powers. I know that there is quite a list of the duties and powers. and as i read through it every time i read through it it seems really different the way that we look at things so we can go through that at a later training session you could select which ones might be of i guess concern to you like number one where it says inspect property and premises at reasonable hours where required in the discharge of its responsibilities under state and city laws. We can talk about that maybe with the city attorney, maybe defining it a little bit more, understanding it. I mean, I would assume that you would understand that the public facilities are public, so of course you're allowed to walk in there, but when it starts getting into the residential locations, I follow the rule under a co-enforcement officer that you only do everything from a public right of way, and that's about the extent of how far you're going to a private property. But again, we'll look at each one of these items and we'll make sure that the state attorney's present. If you have any specific questions on a specific item, we'll write them down and get the attorney's interpretation of what it says your duties and powers are. We understand the meeting and forum. And any disqualifying votes? Let's see. Again, we're not going to discuss any pending applications or any future applications or any future developments or anything like that. This is completely voluntary. It's just for professional development. And again, I'm going to try and get this going fast. probably eight to 10 sessions. It's probably gonna take about eight to 10 months. But if we have a long P&Z agenda, we'll probably roll it over to the next session and take a look at how it is. So at the end, I don't know, we always have that old, what will be on the, what you're proposing to consider for placement on future agendas, that would be a good time to be able to say, yeah, let's go ahead and roll something over. Okay. Do you have any questions right now? Is there anything specific that you would like to jump right off to next month as something that you have all kind of really wanted to know on your roles, responsibilities, what you look at, the depth of what you review? Anything specific? because otherwise we're just going to go straight into that legal framework and the purpose of the commission. Everyone aware of the zoning ordinance? You're aware that the uniform development ordinance is being drafted? Has anyone perused it? Touched it. They've seen it. Okay. I didn't know if at some point you'd like for them to be able to look at it. It is still in draft form. I mean, it's been approved. We're still reviewing it. We're still updating it. So it's still a living document.

Fun reading material for sure.

I mean, I'd like for you to be able to see it.

I don't know if maybe the table of contents at least so that you know how it's broken. broken out. It isn't just the zoning ordinance. It will include the subdivision ordinance, the floodplain, the sign ordinance. I'm trying to think of what other ordinance. Just the table.

The table of contents, that way, if there's something that strikes your concern again, we can talk about that. A specific chapter.

That way you can take a look at it. I have a printed version of it at my desk. I can definitely bring it in here before you all leave, just so you can see how it's formatted. The format is definitely going to be different than the zoning one, because that will be different now.

We're hoping for adopting this in the very near future. It's a lot to get through.

It's a lot with engineers and the attorneys and myself. It's just back and back. We have to make it function for us. We're different than other cities. You can't just... it's a tool that should work for all of us, for the community. Yeah.

I guess that otherwise our next session is gonna start off with the commission's purpose. and the legal framework of the finance zoning commission.

I don't hear anything specific.

One last thing. Everyone occurred with the 2020 comprehensive plan, the downtown master plan, and the historic guidelines. Well, you should be pretty familiar with the historic guidelines. But anyone need copies of those documents, I can definitely provide them to you. They're online. Some people are finding difficulty getting to the links because we have the new website. I don't know if you all have had a chance to take a look at it, the new website. And if you have any comments on the new website, because there is a Planning and Zoning Commission site, Please, you know, bring them in, write it down. If you have an update that you'd like on there or feel that there is an incorrect link.

It's a work in progress, too. Can you send those to me? Sure, all of those.

Thank you.

just for reference, the comprehensive plan that we have in 2020, it's probably needing updates as well. And as we go forward, you know, the UDO that we're developing is based on the 2020, but rather than try to go backwards and update the comprehensive plan and then, you know, move forward, we're kind of doing them in, When we find things that we just have to update or need to update, we'll, you know, bring that to council and do all, you know, just to help us get forward. Because if we do it the other way, we're going backwards. And then by the time we get there, we're, you know, there could be changes. There could be stuff that's new. As we're developing so fast, you know, we want to be able to catch things right now. It's just kind of a... It's just kind of normal with fast-growing cities. This is just, I can't say it's comfortable, but it's fairly normal. It's coming so fast. I don't know how you keep up. It is.

Commissioner Thompson, did you want that electronic or do you want it's hardware? It's either. Does everyone just want what you said, that everything is combined electronically? Yes. Okay. And maybe just to help a little bit, too, I'm looking at my notes. I might have some case study in other cities that might help us as we try and apply what our role is. Try to use like cities also, because the home rule cities have more, I guess, a larger role. they have a harder say in their decisions.

You can send them some homework before the meeting. That's why they're prepared. They can read the case studies before they show up.

And see how you would interpret it. Good.

But there's no cheating, though. Because I'm sure it would be online. You'd probably be able to hear their commission ruling. But yeah, I can do that. Anything else? All right. Well, the very next one we'll have. It'll be session two, yes. Again, I'm going to try and keep this 30 minutes. We'll see if the city attorney will come in for session two. He wanted to refrain from coming to this first one because he didn't want to do a deep dive and having to go into a lot of legal aspects before we actually get to that point. Okay.

Subject not specifically listening to the agenda and responses limited to Resentation of existing policy and statement of specific factual information given to our student body. Any other questions? I have one question. Maybe this has come with the redevelopment of the new ordinances or whatever's going in. new management that new laws how is how are they what permit or was there needed a permit to have their i guess kitchen now is that their kitchen the mobile

truck trailer in the back there? Well, that's something because of the change of ownership of that property and the temporary nature that a lot of those businesses have at that location. Kind of allowed it because of that temporary nature. It won't stay there very long.

Who allowed it? Who did here?

Did you know it?

Yeah.

Us here?

Just because of the transition?

Yes, yes. And it's going to be going away.

Okay. I just, I didn't know if, since they took the tires off of it, if there was a new food.

No, I didn't know that the tires were removed from it. What's that? I didn't know that the tires were removed from it. I'll have to take a look.

I think he did, because they're actually going in. I went over there and talked to them. What they asked for was a temporary use. Of course, you know that whole block was purchased. They're going to have to relocate. They're working on that. they were using that as an extension to the business that was already there. And so it's really purely temporary, not a food truck per se, more just additional kitchen items for what they're doing.

Yeah, I didn't know if it was a situation where, you know, that they were using the restaurant's grease trap and had just a kitchen to cook if there was a... some type of code that they were able to work around.

That was just my question. He said the biggest thing he was using it for is the refrigeration part that's in there. They were keeping in because they were moving some of the stuff out of that existing building in preparations for having to go somewhere else. So it didn't seem like a stretch or, you know, a mobile food unit or anything like that. So they're probably more of a contribution when the time comes to do it. No, I don't think so. Well, some of that is October. It's what the plan is with some of the other buildings.

Yes. Okay. Okay. It's like the Garrett House. Yeah. Yeah. I mean, but it's nice to like know. Yeah. Yeah.

for what he's doing there i mean he has a number of ideas um

One of the issues is with all downtown areas, parking, and what he can do there. Of course now he's purchased way further along on 105, so that changes kind of what that looks like. But he's still moving forward with, because we're moving at one house, and so he's still moving forward with whatever his plans are. And I will say they look pretty nice when he showed me at the office. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. That's where the Liberty tree is going to go. Yeah. They're going to put sod on that tomorrow. Okay. And then next Wednesday, they'll plant the tree. It will, right on top, right in the center. There will eventually be a lot of hardscape around that gravel and then our wall with the star and all those things. We did this because they wanted to do the dedication for the tree in August, so we got this. We started this in March.

What is the dedication in office?

I can't remember the date.

It's the Daughters of the Revolution are coming, the mayor, and they're going to do a whole big thing.

They're going to bring, I believe it's a marble there, a plaque that they're having made. It's going to go there and designate it, the literary tree in Montgomery.

Right now, we also have, it's not official yet, but we're going to call that Liberty Park, I believe. If the council approves that name, but it seems to be. Yeah. We are going to update the signs. Some of that, the two signs that are on the right side, with College Starbucks, we are going to update those. Those are supposed to be done this week. Anything else, y'all? Anything on any future agendas?

Okay, move on to number nine.

Omni commercial, we adjourn. I second.

I have a motion and a second for the adjournment of the July 7th, 2026 plan and zoning commission. All in favor say aye. Aye. All in favor say no. Motion passes. Meeting adjourned.