Planning & Zoning Commission - Regular Meeting

I move that Commissioner Woodard continue as chair. Second.

I'll make a motion on the hearing first.

I'll make a motion to continue the public hearing and table this item until October 27, 2026.

Yes, could you please elaborate and repeat on the existing issue that has caused the noncompliance?

So to clarify, the existing concrete wall that was six feet in height is now three feet in height. Yes, by the increased height. And they're proposing planting additional landscaping to provide that living screening device Is that landscaping intended to be on the three-foot side of the wall or the outside of the wall where it's six foot to grade?

And so... Forgive me. Maybe I'm a little slow here on this one. What is the relevance of the fill as it pertains? I guess what I'm saying is if they hadn't done anything, if they hadn't added any fill, what would that change as it pertains to their obligation or responsibilities now?

Yeah, I drove by there on the way over here tonight, and there was some people out on the soccer field, and you could see them pretty much from waist up pretty easily. And these were young people, so they weren't real tall. So could easily see where soccer balls would go over the .

And so just to clarify, staff is not in any way denying the plan as a whole or the concept of the project specifically as it pertains to this wall or screening device or whatever.

Was the structural engineers only concerned adding load on top of the wall? They weren't concerned with the load that was added with the fill that was placed bearing on the side of the wall?

It's the dead load of the wall because of the way the foundation for it was installed previously, most likely.

They look cool, but... Is there a way to install a planter or something of that nature, more landscape-oriented or artistic on top of that wall that's not as heavy as those concrete blocks? That's a good idea. That's been evaluated or explored?

I was trying to think of alternative things you could use as opposed to another 2,000-pound block that might create that additional height buffer you need and not be wood or metal fencing necessarily that kind of meets the underlying intent and a meet-in-the-middle situation with the city.

And it's just that eastern section there by the soccer field, not the south section that we need the variance for?

It's the Andrews side. The Andrews side, not the Green Street side.

The bushes that y'all are allowing to grow up, are they going to form a solid screen? Is it individual trees? I didn't notice them when I drove by.

Was the need for the amount of fill just due to leveling out that area for the soccer field? I haven't been over there since the soccer field was completed.

So it's three feet on the edge closest to the wall, whereas the most fill was placed to flatten it.

It sounds to me like a pretty unique situation, just even from the chronological perspective that you laid out here a few minutes ago, coupled with the fact that there's already these massive concrete. I went online and kind of looked on Google Maps, and I wanted to see exactly what we're talking about. It sounds like there are some options out there. I mean, if everything's been exhausted, then everything's been exhausted. But I'd really encourage you to come back to the drawing board with the city, maybe get some further clarification on different alternatives that they would support and get

I'm going through there. And there's some things from a wire mesh landscape screening perspective that you could have some ivy or something grow. And there's a lot of character at Tufts, right? I think there's a lot of unique opportunities to celebrate that character with a creative solution here that's not just letting plants overgrow, but also you know, maybe a little bit more in line with the city's ultimate vision here that may serve an intent for both parties here that I think could serve the character of Tufts better.

I'd just like to take a moment to remind the commission that this is a public hearing.

Lucas had one question real quick. Is the purpose of the city wanting the additional concrete blocks from a noise standpoint or just a traditional screening? Or is it both?

Yes, no? I think based on the chronological order in which he had listed previously, I think maybe there was a miscommunication on whether a separate SUP, which is a special use permit, was needed based on what was already there before with the live entertainment. So I'm not sure.

I'm not sure if this is proper or not, but can you make a motion to table an item?

I would like to make a motion to table this item and allow the applicant and city staff an opportunity to come together and figure out a solution that everyone can get behind.

Can we continue the public hearing with that, too, then?

Have we not closed the public hearing yet? So make a motion to close the public hearing and then to- I'd like to make a motion to close the public hearing and table this item indefinitely. Second.

Madam Chair, I'd like to take this opportunity to recuse myself from this item.

Thank you, Jake. So this is a metal fence with With brick or masonry, I should say, columns or?

It still will be secured completely with the metal fence and secured entrances and exits and the two main access points there along the Was that the west?

Yeah, they've got it to mention to the trash enclosure and then an additional 25 feet between that and the building is the 55, I believe.

Yes, that's correct. Yeah, looks like it.

If you don't mind me asking, if they are able to make their site fit, for lack of a better term, which is evidenced by the plan, what is the need for the extra setback or to minimize the setback?

I'm sorry, I must have misunderstood. Are they asking for...

Yeah, that's what it shows here on the site plan. What are they planning with the northern portion of this parcel that owns the hard corner?

Does the SUP cover both lots, or is it just this Christian Brothers?

Okay, yeah, because I noticed one of the maps included that hard corner.

But for whatever use for the northern portion, they would have to come back and get them.

Okay, I didn't look up the case from a few weeks ago. Was that at Coit?

I thought there was one that was over on the west side, too.

Okay. Yeah, I was trying to remember where that was.

So the existing zoning is... Oh, they're not trying to change the zoning. No, they're not trying to change the zoning. What is the zoning?

I think this has been touched upon, but just to confirm, the screening wall that's going to be along the west and the south is a solid masonry screening? No.

Okay. and how large is the gap between the wood fence and the uh y'all screening as you mentioned there was going to be a little bit of a gap for uh i think it was about what 7.3 oh i see it here now that i said yeah yeah seven three yeah gotcha yeah yeah okay and who is that going to be um christian brothers responsibility to maintain yes it's our property so we will maintain that yes

So you mentioned about a compressor. So is that gonna be outside?

And you said you met with the neighborhood. So was that a HOA that you met with or just?

Yeah, light, yeah, medium. Do you know how many people were there? That's a good question.

And the HOA wasn't involved in assisting with scheduling or anything like that?

I had a question for Lucas or Destiny. Thank you. I was trying to remember who it was. The C2 zoning that's the existing, remind me, I was just trying to look it up. I hadn't found it yet. What are some of the permitted uses on that C2 zoning?

The C2 is a little bit heavier commercial use than like the neighborhood commercial use, right?

Oh, and the noise issues, is that something that if they are exceeding a certain level that code compliance would step in?

A couple of things. I can't remember who said it, but someone had said that no other commercial or no other restaurants would go here. It's been sitting here for so long. The fact of the matter is that this is the intersection of two major thoroughfares. The reason why it's just being developed now is because development is going to usually follow the rooftops. And so when you have 121 and Custer Road, which are two regional arterials slash highways, the commercial growth is going to start there and expand outwards. And so the C2 zoning, in my opinion, is completely appropriate because, again,

Destiny, the side and the rear setbacks are what is allowed per the C2 zoning. That's correct. So there's no variances there. And the south wall that faces the houses, that's a solid wall. There's no bays or entrances or anything else.

You know, we've had a couple of times tonight, well, this makes the second time tonight that we've talked about noise level. And I remember on the corner of Lake Forest and Virginia, we talked about noise level, about the different things that wanted to go there. And it kind of came to the fact that noise level is, if it got loud enough for them to call the police and complain, then we moved on it. So I don't know. about the noise level, but there's a Christian Brothers on El Dorado just west of Hardin, and I love that location because it's between a Taco Bueno and a car wash. So it's got a lo

I'd like to make a motion to approve this item. Second.

Jay, can you touch on the roadway identified running north-south and what that future connectivity looks like?

And even though it is mainly floodplain, they're wanting to go ahead and do straight to LI just to streamline the process rather than doing ag and then resound to LI?

So is he going to come back two more times?

I'll make a motion to close the public hearing and approve this item.

This one is just shy of 150. It's listed on the right side of the page there.

I make a motion to close the public hearing and approve this item.