Planning & Zoning Commission - Regular Meeting

Good evening, everyone. First item up is A1 called Order the Planning and Zoning Commission of the City of Sachse. We'll hold a regularly scheduled meeting on Monday, March 23, 2026 at 6 p.m. to consider the following items of business. First, we'll have the invocation and pledge of allegiance. I'm sorry, let me state this. Welcome to the Planning and Zoning Commission. Today is Monday, March 23rd. The meeting is called to order at 6 p.m. Follow the script. I've asked Vice Chair Kemper to offer the invocation and Commissioner Benton to lead us in the pledge. If you will, please rise.

Pray with me, please. Lord, thank you for the beautiful day that you've given us. Thank you for life and health. Thank you for the opportunity to serve our city. We ask that you'd give us wisdom as we deliberate these items and that the things that we say and do would bring honor and glory upon your name. We just praise you in Jesus' precious name.

Okay, first will be public comment. The public is invited to address the board regarding any topic not already on the agenda for action or public hearing. Comments regarding any discussion only items on the agenda may be addressed during this public comment section. The time limit is three minutes per speaker. A public comment card should be presented to the acting secretary prior to the meeting. According to the Texas Open Meetings Act, the board is prohibited from discussing any item not posted on the agenda, but will take comments under advisement. Would anyone like to address the board at this time? No. Seeing none, we'll move on to the next agenda item. Item C1, approve the August 11th, 2025 regular meeting minutes. Would anyone from the audience like to address the board about this item? No. No. Seeing none, I'll entertain a motion of the board. One more thing for Mr. Payne.

Second.

All right. I have a motion to second. Any further discussion? Seeing none, please cast your vote.

Mr. Mondach, it looks like we're waiting on you. I saved it.

There it is.

That motion carries unanimously. Item C2, this is going to take a minute. conduct a public hearing to consider and make a recommendation of an ordinance amending Chapter 8, Subdivision, by amending Section 8-14, titled Completion and Maintenance of Public Improvements, by amending Subsections 8.14a, 3, and 8.14d, 1, by amending Section 8.15, titled General Requirements and Design Standards, by amending Sections 8-15 and 8-15 , by amending Section 8-18, titled Street Design Construction Costs, by amending Subsection 18-8 , amending Section 8-20, titled Impact Fees, by amending subsections 8-20B and 8-20C1 by amending exhibit A, titled Zoning Ordinance by amending Article 3, titled Districts, by amending Section 11, titled SP Special Use Permits, by amending 11.2, titled Use Regulations, by amending Article 4, titled General Provisions Applying to All or Several Districts, by amending Section 11, titled Landscaping and Screening, by amending 11.4, titled Required Landscaping, By amending 11.4 titled single family residential development requirements, by amending 11.4 , titled Masonry Wall Required, and by amending 11.6 titled Screening Standards, by amending 11.6 titled Masonry Wall Standards, by amending 11.6 titled Design and Materials, and by amending 11.6 titled Additional Requirements, providing a conflicts clause, providing a repealing clause, providing a severability clause, providing a savings clause, providing a penalty of fine not to exceed $2,000, and providing an effective date. That was a mouthful. We have a presentation.

Good job. Good evening, Commission. The item before you tonight is for the zoning and subdivision ordinance updates. This is Chapter 11, Zoning, Chapter 8, Subdivisions, as well as Exhibit 11A, Article 3, Sections 11.2 and Article 4, Sections 11.4 and 11.6. Some background, the ongoing maintenance of regulations identified in the city's 2025 comprehensive plan. The proposed changes tonight include text amendments to only the city's subdivision and zoning ordinance. Chapter 8 subdivision has the following changes proposed. The state's requirement for the makeup of impact fee board has changed. The language of our ordinance was updated to match this. As well as in March of 2024, Public Works created the engineering design manual. As part of this change, the standard for screening was updated. The proposed updates THE SUBDIVISION ORDINANCE TO REFERENCE THE CURRENT ADOPTED DOCUMENTS THAT WERE CREATED BACK IN MARCH OF 2024. CHAPTER 11 HAS THE FOLLOWING CHANGES PROPOSED. THERE'S AN UPDATE TO THE LANGUAGE REMOVING A SUP TO BE GRANTED FOR ALL USES. THIS IS NOT IN LINE WITH THE CURRENT PRACTICE FROM AN OLDER ORDINANCE. Only where SEP is specified in the use designation chart should an SEP application or ordinance be filed. The second change, again, is to update that language to match the current adopted documents. Recommendation and next steps. The recommendation of the Planning and Zoning Commission will go to City Council, will be considered by the City Council at their April 20, 2026 regular meeting. Are there any questions for me?

Go back a slide, please. That amendment of the second one down there that references the requirements for screening, does this bring the code into line with the wall that the council built A long time straight here, not long ago.

Correct. The engineering design manual set that standard back in March of 2024. We're just updating the language to match that, so it references back to that.

Okay. Thank you.

Anyone else have any questions, comments? No. All right, so no more comments from the board. I will declare the public hearing open at 6.09 p.m. Would anyone from the audience like to speak on this item? No, we'll see none. I declare the public closed at 6.09 p.m. Any further comments, questions from the board? I will entertain a motion.

I make a motion to approve the amendments to Chapter 8 subdivisions as stipulated.

I have a motion from Commissioner Montauk to approve them as written. Do I have a second? Second. I've got two. You got me first. I'm going to blow your name up. Adi. Adi. Seconded by Mr. Dean. Have a motion and a second. Any further discussion? Seeing none, let's cast our vote. Motion carries unanimously. Up next, Item C3, conduct a public hearing and make a recommendation on ordinance amending the comprehensive zoning ordinance and map as heretofore amended to grant a change of zoning from Residential 1, District R1 to Agricultural District AG on a plus or minus 4-acre tract of land situated in the James C. Tucker Survey, abstract number 1464, City of Sachse, Dallas County, Texas. Said tract being all of a called 4.0-acre tract of land conveyed to Garland Independent School District in a general warranty deed recorded in document number 201800060483 of the official public record of Dallas County, Texas, OPRDCT, being more particularly described in Exhibit A and shown in Exhibit B, providing a conflicts resolution clause, providing a severability clause, providing a saving clause, providing a penalty of fine not to exceed the sum of $2,000 for each offense, and providing an effective date. Do we have a presentation for this one?

Yes, sir, we do. PHILIP VINEHALL, CITY PLANNER. THE REQUEST BEFORE YOU IS FOR THE REZONING CASE NUMBER REZ20260001. THIS REQUEST BEFORE YOU TONIGHT IS FOR THE REZONING OF FOUR ACRES FROM R1 TO AG, GENERALLY LOCATED SOUTHWEST OF THE PLEASANT VALLEY AND VIN ROAD INTERSECTION. This request is the first step for GISD and their process for construction of a new Ag Sciences building. The project includes adjacent lots owned by them with the Ag zoning in place. This rezoning is to clean up the zoning for all properties owned by GISD and would make the entire site Ag. The use is allowed in both zoning districts but have different standards. In front of you here is the aerial map showing you the location of this property. As you can see, it's that smaller portion there, that four acres. And then to the right on your screen, you'll see a larger tract that has a very small amount of frontage onto Pleasant Valley, as well as a tract to the right of that that has a large amount there. Both of those are zoned ag and owned by Garland ISD and will be part of this project. In front of you is the zoning map. As noted, this property is zoned R1, outlined in the blue below. This four-acre site will be part of the larger overall development when combined by plat with the two adjacent properties on this map, noted as AG. In front of you is the AG zoning district standards. Minimum lot area is five acres, so whenever they are replotting this as part of their development, they will be over that five acres. The minimum building size is 2,000 square feet. Maximum height, two stories, or 35 feet. Front setback of 50 feet, a side setback of 15, and a rear setback of 50 feet. The minimum width of building line is 150 feet, and the minimum width at street right-of-way is 150 feet. The Future Land Use Plan designates the subject property as a state residential, which is described as large single-family lots with large street setbacks, minimal possessory amenities, and open space. State law requires that zoning decisions be adopted in accordance with the comprehensive plan. The Future Land Use Plan supports this proposed rezoning request. Staff recommends approval of the proposed rezoning request for the following reasons. your recommendation of the item will be considered by the City Council at their April 20, 2026 regular meeting. Are there any questions for me?

No questions?

Not yet.

Not yet? Okay. So we'll have a public hearing now. I declare the public hearing open at 6.15 p.m. Would anyone from the audience like to speak on this item?

We have one speaker card in at the moment, so I will let him go first. That is going to be Ron Bowren.

It states your name and address for the record? Yep. Ron Bowron, 4109 Pleasant Valley Road, Sachse, Texas.

Speak up a little bit.

Move up to it? There you go. Okay. I actually am the gentleman who lives right across the street from this property, and I knew the original owners. Sadly, they allowed the property to go down, so having the house removed was helpful. My concern. As you know, that is the thoroughfare today for the dump. And they just fixed the road, and it's not really fixed. It's only better because it's still so bumpy you can't even do the 30 mile an hour and have your car not bottom out. So whoever did the repairs, you're going to want to look into that. But my concern is if they're going to build a science building on that lot, Where are they going to put the ingress and egress? Because traffic's going to get really ugly in front of my property if they build it right there off of Pleasant Valley. So my question would be is have they already given a master plan that I can look at? And will I be able to bring concerns up about any future development if they're going to build what I consider? I think they said it's a science building. I assume it's not like the 4-H project down the road that's got the farm and all that on it. Are they literally going to put an administrative type building on the lot right across from my house? That's what I'm kind of concerned about.

Do we have any information on that? What their current plans are?

Do they have any plans that they can share as to what? Do you have any information with respect to what they're going to put there?

So the applicant is here tonight. They'd be able to answer any questions that the speaker has.

They'll be able to answer it after I'm done. Okay. Okay. So that's my biggest concern is, one, you know, the road maintenance is already under par for the recent repairs they just did. I mean, they just finished it a week ago. But, two, if it's going to increase traffic, what are they going to do to resolve that concern? And I'm praying it's not a building right up against the road right across from my house. That's really all I'm worried about. All right?

Thank you. And just to clarify... This is the first step in the process, so zoning, and then you move forward with your flat and civil plans. So nothing has been submitted formally at this point in time for development. But representatives from GIC are here tonight to speak on this.

Would you all like to speak and address those questions? If you'd give us your name and address us, please.

Good evening. My name is Javier Fernandez. I'm the director of facility planning and construction for Garland ISD. Thank you for allowing us to be here tonight. A little update on our project. This is part of our This project here is part of our 2013 bond program that our voters approved in May of 2013, allowed us to construct a new agricultural science facility. The existing facility is in the city of Garland, an old rundown facility. And so we're looking at creating a facility that's going to allow our students to have an agricultural program that's composed of three separate buildings on the property. And within that, we'll be able to have to house all of our student animals. Today, we currently have animals. The majority of our animals are, it's a combination between them raising them there at the facility and then raising the animals at home. For example, rabbits, we raise a lot of rabbits and so those are raised at home. This will have goats, sheeps, we'll have heifers and swine will be at this facility. And we'll also have a show barn in the middle of it so that we can show our students animals. With that, I'll be happy to take any questions that you may have.

When the program is up and running, how many people will be on the property? Faculty, students, be out there at a time?

So the facility itself has... The way the facility is going to operate, it's going to operate just like our... it's not a campus per se in that students come and they're scheduled classes. So everything that comes here is going to be bused in. Similar to what we have is our GRCTC program that was right off a 30, excuse me, right off a 190. We have students that come in, so we'll have buses that bring students in from the various campuses. They'll have an opportunity to have instruction there. So we'll have, we've got some two meeting areas in the buildings where we'll be performing instruction for the students and students will be able to maintain their animals within this. So they'll have, basically an area for pens. We'll have pens there for all of our animals to be maintained. Students will come in and out at various times to be maintaining their animals. So specifically to your question of the maximum number of students and faculty, that's going to fluctuate depending on the type of animal that they're serving. So some of the students have heifers, some of them have pigs, and so they're coming at various times to serve that.

Was just asking in relation to an answer for the gentleman for you about traffic How much traffic load do you anticipate? The activities on this at this facility adding one car an hour 20 cars an hour so we did not do I believe our

Our civil engineer of record is here as well. My understanding is that a TIA was not requested, was not required as part of this project, so that information was not developed in order to answer your question. We don't anticipate having a lot of traffic, very similar to what the traffic that you're seeing off of our current facility. It's very sporadic, very sporadic traffic. We have... programs where we'll be bringing in buses from, you know, the goal is really to have this more of an area where students can then learn from one another. So for seeing school buses coming, possibly dropping students off to learn about the different activities, also bringing students there to serve their animals. So we'll be having, we don't anticipate much more traffic than what we're currently seeing today off of Pleasant Valley or the facility. I can't tell you how many cars per hour. If you wanted to talk about warrants or anything like that, I can't, because I don't have a TIA in front of me to speak to that.

Okay. You mentioned, sorry, you mentioned a show pen. Is that like a large gathering of people who will come and watch this as a show? That's correct. How often during the year will that occur?

That happens once a year. Once a year. Yeah, so it's a once-a-year event. And so if you're familiar with our ag program, we currently are spending quite a bit of money to install a temporary facility Tent if you will pretty large tent and then people come and they show their show their animals people buy the animals from there and so it's a it's a Large expense. It's an annual large expense at where that we are incurring we can Eliminate that expense by having this show area. So the show area serves multiple purpose one it allows us to have the animals in house and to show the animals there instead of being out in the elements. And then it allows us to use it for, it's kind of a multi-use event space. We can use it for other events that we needed to take place there.

Thank you. So will there be any other heavy moving vehicle other than the buses to jam the traffic, the size, like trucks?

So we will have, good question. Thank you for that question. We will have trailers for our animals. The current trailers that, basically, it's taking the information or taking the vehicular items that we have in our current facility. We've got about, I think, four trailers out there Four or five trailers, so some are covered trailers, some are open trailers where we are carrying our animals between the different events. But we've got space designated on the backside of the property to where we will keep those trailers out of sight. So you won't be able to see those from the street. Those are on the backside of the buildings.

Thank you. How many acres is the property adjacent to it? And I guess with the four acres here for the zoning case combined, like how many total acres are we talking about for GISD?

That's a good question. I can't recall the total acreage. I think we're looking at about, I think it's right under 50, about 48 acres combined with all three properties. So there's three different parcels. And so this will combine all three parcels into one. That's what we're looking to do.

Okay, thank you.

It's a very large area. A little bit about the property, the topography of it is very, very tight. Very tough, I would say. The topography is very tough. So it slopes pretty far down on the backside. It drops pretty far down. And so it's a lot of property, but the usable property, if you will, is more on the front end of it.

So the other question that I have is how many students do you think would benefit from this other than the property itself? So what is your plan to bring the school grade level?

How many students are going to benefit from this? It's a good question. Our ag program today, I don't have our student count in front of me of our ag program today. But what we're envisioning happening is increasing our participation, not just from the students who are actually participating in ag. We're really trying to create an area where we can, we start off as an ag, since it's an ag science facility. And really looking at this as more of a learning center, if you will, for the ability for us to bring our younger students, to bring them to see things that they haven't been able to see today. We're an urban city, Garland, Sachse, Rowlett. We used to be suburb, but quite frankly, we're all urban now. We've been kind of absorbed by the Metroplex. And so having our students have the ability to see these type of animals that They would not be able to experience that. So creating different opportunities for our students. We expect this to grow. Really, it's a hard number for me to put to it, but we really anticipate trying to offer this program to all of our students. Garland ISD is a open enrollment type of school choice, or we are school choice as an open enrollment. We're a choice school district, which allows us to serve our students throughout the tri-cities. And so we're wanting to bring the experience of an ag program to all of our campuses and really give them the opportunity to see what an ag program looks like.

Okay. Thank you. Any other questions? No, we're going to declare the public. Let me answer this first. Would anyone from the audience like to speak on this item at this point?

I would like to say one thing that just for clarity's sake, just for clarity, the school district is a political subdivision, as is the city. And so the zoning ordinances that cities have, state statues that we govern within the state statues. So we are a political subdivision allowing us to build the structures that we're looking to build for the benefits of our students within the city. Thank you.

All right. At this point, we'll declare the public hearing closed at 629 p.m.

Second. Did you ask if any of those people wanted to speak? Yes.

Any further discussion from the board? Yes, sir.

So I just want to clarify for this property is going from the property is going from residential or R1 to Ag. Does that cause any buffer requirements or anything to adjacent property owners that are in that area that would be adversely affected by the change in the zoning?

So we have our standard screening requirements. Given that it's a, I don't know how we would classify this one specifically.

It would be considered a non-residential structure, so they would have the screening component adjacent to the residential. So in this instance, it would be the west side.

Just that one property? Okay. And say that one property owner wanted to do something on his property, there's nothing negating him from being able to do whatever he wants, other than just following the standard code? Correct. Okay.

Yeah, I was going to ask a question related to the permitted use of buildings, based on what the last comment was from the gentleman up here. But so for agriculture use and the type of entity, for lack of better words, that Garland ISD is political subdivision, there's no restrictions to the commercial usage for buildings within this zoning?

So a public school would be allowed in every zoning district. Right. This item is more of a cleanup to our zoning. It's currently split zoned. So we're basically trying to combine it all into one zoning district so that way we get a certain setback across the entire piece of property that they're looking to develop.

So technically the zoning change doesn't have to occur to agriculture for them to build any of the plans that they were talking about. Correct. They would just have to meet different setback requirements. Uniformity across their 50 acres for lack of better words.

Correct.

Anything further? If not, I will entertain a motion.

I'll make a motion to approve this case to ag zoning as stated on the agenda. All right.

I have a motion from Commissioner Benton to approve. Do I have a second? I have a second. Commissioner Tickey gives a second. All right. Any further? I have a motion and a second. Any further discussions? CNN, please cast your vote. We have five yes votes and one Commissioner Cox abstaining. Motion is carried. Next item is item C4, consider an elected chairperson, vice chairperson, and secretary for the Planning and Zoning Commission. Would anyone from the audience like to address the board about this item?

No?

Okay.

For this item, it would be best if just consider each position as one motion. Oh, as one motion. As separate motions. Sorry.

Say it again. Separate for each or one for all? Separate for each. Okay. Separate for each. I will start this out. I will not be returning as chairperson. My wife and I will be moving in a few months. So we're going to, I'm not going to seek re-election for that. I would like to nominate Commissioner Kemper for chairperson. Any other nominations?

I'll take this again. Probably. I'll take this again. Weiss? Kemper, right? Yes. He's a Weiss person.

Yes. Any further nominations for chairperson? Any further? I haven't seen none. We'll entertain a motion for the board. I made a motion to elect Commissioner Vice Chair Kemper to chairperson. Do I have a second? I'll second that. Thank you, Brian. Commissioner Cox is second. Please, any further discussion? I'll place your vote. Thank you all. Congratulations, Mr. Kempry. You've been elected unanimously. We need a motion for any nominations for vice chair. Anyone not want to do it? You gave the option.

Nominate Daniel for vice chairperson. Pardon me? Nominate Daniel for vice chairperson.

We have a nomination by Mr. Keene for Commissioner Benton as vice chair. Have any further nominations? Any discussion? No, we have a motion and they so we have a motion for Commissioner Benton to be vice chair made by Commissioner Taki to have a second I'll second that Okay, let's vote on this one Congratulations, you have been accepted unanimously. All right, the final seat is the secretary position.

Cox is the remaining one.

Pardon me?

Brian Cox.

Brian, do you want to be secretary?

Sure.

It's a lot of signature signing once a quarter when we meet. All right, I have a nomination of Commissioner Cox for secretary. By Commissioner Deke, do we have any other nominations? Any further discussion? All right, I have a motion made for Commissioner Cox to be secretary. Do I have a first? Do I have a second? I second that. Commissioner Rauntuck, do you have a second?

Could you clarify who made the motion and who made the second?

Taki made the motion, and Montauk made the second.

Okay. Pardon me.

Got to give up smoking.

Second. Got to give up smoking.

Yeah, that's good. Did you give it up in town, though?

Yes. Although I have been known to do not. Congratulations, Commissioner Cook. You have been elected to secretary. Anything further? Well, I will be board member, so the council will just have to nominate or select someone else to be on the board to replace me when I leave. Doesn't trigger another election for you guys. I think you guys are stuck for nine years. No, I don't know.

I believe it's two years for board. Right. Yes. There's a two-year cycle, and the council will take in applications for board members at that time. Since this is not an item on the agenda, we don't want to.

We should leave this to another meeting. All right. So if we have nothing else, we will adjourn the meeting at 6.39 p.m. thing one more time.