Planning & Zoning Commission - Regular Meeting

All right, we'll call this meeting to order of the uh planning and zoning commission of the city of Wood Creek. It is 5:00 p. p.m. on February 4th, 2026. I am the acting chair as mayor of the city for you all this evening and we'll go ahead and do a roll call to establish quorum. Member Pat Rollins here. Member Russ Scott here and member Carson. So sorry we have a and member Carolyn Desbet is currently absent.

Um she is on her way though. Uh so she will be here. Maybe we'll stall out a little bit. I don't believe anyone signed up for written public comment. Did they have any prior submittals? Uh so we'll move to the consent agenda. You have your meeting minutes from October 1st. I understand that maybe not everybody was present, but hopefully you've had an opportunity to review them. I think I missed that meeting. Um, yes, you are not. Okay. So, I'm not in a good position. You can still vote to Huh? You can still vote to approve. Do you want to look at the minutes? Well, no. I'll do it on the strength of you guys. We'll deal

that was the one where we approved the Yes. Bill notes. I approve. All right. I make a motion we approve. Second.

All right. Uh we can vote by a show of hands to approve. All in favor? I. So that has its um report from council leaison. Just uh I will be serving as council leaison for the next two years essentially. Um, the only thing I have to report on at this point in time is y'all do have a public hearing coming up. We were waiting for the new board to be established and also there's some pending business where we might have two items on the public hearing, but that hearing will be about um discussing the parking um rules here in the city and potentially uh changing how many parking spaces we require new builds to have. Um, so right now it's three in addition to a two-car garage. So we're reviewing that.

Yeah, that's been talked about for a long time. It has and it's it's um it was brought back up for good reason. Uh we had a series of new builds and that there was a lot of variance requests and struggles to to build on some of the lots we have and um so it's it's coming back again. It was discussed about five years ago truly. So, okay. Um, and it might continue to come up. It's one of those things that, uh, you know, as our population changes and the needs of the population change, it's one of those kind of toggles that might kind of always shift around a little bit.

Where would we find some good research? Um, for would create, not not the comparative reasons, but I can do that. We could kind of put together something for you all for sure, especially if you had specific questions you wanted to have addressed. Kind of maybe the highlights of the history of you know what we've done, you know, where we are now, where we started, what's changed and why. Yeah.

And what the, you know, I I mean, because just off the cuff, I would, you know, I know it's not an agenda item, so I'm not trying to go into detail, but I I would say no. I think we need three, you know, because the to me in my mind the less means the smaller means the lower value and I would want more. So I would, you know, I just need to understand the pros and cons and you know where the I mean I get the lots are funky. It's hard to make a long enough driveway for three cars. What what it's basically basically saying is there's a series with one on each side and a two-car garage instead of four.

Yep. And then a lot of times we end up with those driveways with the rocks in the middle because of impervious coverage issues. And so it's just there's been a lot of various requests on it are just about it. So that'd be great. And part of the problem is is these trucks have gotten so long that the old houses can't fit the trucks in the garages. Yeah. That's our Yeah. Both of our vehicles. Mine barely fits, but uh our other vehicle get I got lucky. I don't even know my drive. I can put 10 cars in my driveway. Uh thank God cuz

Yeah, you have a full parking lot. No, but it's like commercial parking lot. What street are you on? 63 Wood Creek. Okay. Johnson's very close to me. He's by the house of the circle. Uh, rock circle. Okay. All right. Right before the speed bump. Right. Right after. Well, no, before the speed bump is at the borderline of my lot. The next lot. Yeah. Okay. So, all day long I hear this kachch. I've been wanting to ask people that. Can you hear that inside? You know, it's like, well, it's not a big deal. That's my studio. But, and then I hear the the diesel trucks gunning wherever they go. It has a very distinct rhythm. the contract constructs.

Yeah, maybe it helps me sleep at night. Now, fortunately, it's a work space and not a sleep space. Yeah, that's good. All right. Well, uh we will work on preparing some uh information for you on that one. And then the other item that would be potentially in that public hearing is um we're we're working on a situation with the VMA lots. Our

zoning, the Via Meadow lots, our zoning in that area was changed 15 or so years ago and has made the remaining six lots really difficult to build on. And so we've been kind of faced with um a challenge there of um how to resolve that issue. Uh so we might have a PDD coming for those remaining six lots. We'll see. And I thought that you guys had already okay incorporating some of the common space in the permeable cover. That's for one lot. That variance would just for that one lot.

One lot. And you have to look at the language to understand if that would transfer to a new owner or not. Depending on the language of the variance applied and approved, it could transfer to a new owner or it could not. Uh the gentleman currently has them up for sale. Um, we're hoping to resolve this before he says them or Yeah, I don't know. I don't want to get too far in the weeds on that one. Where are they? Via Meadow is uh over by the apartment complex across from across from the liquor store. Yeah. Yeah. Old little HOA. Um, but there's lots in there. Six of them left. Yeah. Oh, right at the They're kind of sporadic, but some of them are in inside of Yes.

Yeah. there. It's like two two and then separate two. Huh. Interestingly enough, the guy that is in charge of the POA for that is a friend of mine and he no longer lives over there, but he's still in charge of the P. Well, if you don't mind getting us that contact. Um, we're trying to do research on the river as well. So, okay. On the ownership of that. That's a good question. Okay. If you don't mind sending that to me. Hi Caroline. Welcome. If you want a note Caroline showing up at 58. I'm sorry. If I email or text I didn't put it on my calendar and I had no idea this

I'm going to start doing it now when I post the agenda. I'll send an email. We'll just been here earlier and you would have already heard that discussion. All right. Just glad you're here. we'll move into the regular agenda. It's just some kind of formality business here to get you guys established again. Um and then you know so that during next meeting you don't have to kind of do those stuff. So the first item is to establish your chair and vice chair. We would entertain a motion to nominate. What happened to Jim?

Jim resigned for health. He has been serving the city for a long time now, about four or five years, and he was being faced with some pretty serious health things and needed to I think Carson has all the experience. I here's the great thing.

The chair just runs the meeting. It's not actually additional responsibilities. the chair just runs the meeting. So any any experience in the meetings is great and I'll always be here to support you, but it's not and you're not having to develop agendas. You're not having to come up with business. So, but I remember that when we came up with something in the meeting, Jim says, "Okay, I will put together a report for council." That was his choice. Um, the only time reports are required is whenever you all were dealing with like a public hearing

or like a a a decision regulated by state law and then all that would be is we take your vote and it's in a very basic format. And so is it a fill-in- thelank essentially? Yes. It's and frankly staff could do it but Jim enjoyed that stuff and um really great reporting to be honest. So everyone was happy to let them do it but it is not it's not an additional obligation that a chairperson would be expected to do. Then I think he also he did his report then the next meeting he makes sure everyone basically agrees with it and then we then as us that we move it to council

Carol and I already tal we don't want to do it so it's between you two well let's say Russell's more experienced in city council and running a meeting I would like to make a motion that we nominate Russell for the chair of the planning and zoning commission I think you should nominate Todd as your vice for that. Well, no.

Okay. So, wait. So, if the somebody officially nominate Carson, we haven't voted yet, though. People need to. Yeah. Okay. Right. The first motion

as your acting chair order. No. Uh right now a motion on the table made by K Rings is to nominate Russell Scott for chair of the planning and zoning commission. This was seconded by Carolyn Nes. Um so if y'all would like to discuss further, we can or we can vote. I do think that given your experience on the planning and zoning commission before and translating that into your experience on city council plus just your general construction experience and expertise that you would be in a very good position to lead this group.

So well said. I'm okay with it. So now can we vote? Yes. So all in three, you're going to say I I three I's four eyes. Four eyes. Takes. All right. Um you all need to nominate your vice chair. I'd like to nominate Larson as the vice chair of planning and zoning. Can I?

Great. So motion by Russell Scott to nominate Carson Bledsoe as the vice chair, seconded by Pat Rawings. and any discussion. So with the vice chair in the event that Mr. Shan would lead the meeting given your work challenges at times that might mean that you're leading meetings occasionally. Very well. All right. Yeah. Any further discussion? Okay. So, uh we'll vote by a show of hands. All in favor raise your hands. Say I. Four eyes. Takes it. And it is officially yours now, sir. A bill.

I didn't know that. Although a little harder. Next item on the agenda is discussion and take possible action to elect the city secretary, Carrie Limbatcher. Did I say that right? To be planning zoning commission secretary. I've worked with uh Carrie extensively uh since she's joined us. I've been very happy with her the results that she's provided for us as secretary to other uh council meetings. Um, so I'm I'm very much in favor of that and I would like to, you know, entertain a motion to

I move that we make carry the planning and zoning commission secretary. Second. Sure. Uh the reason why we need this is because um your board is regulated by the state actually required to do it and but this is just sort of a formality of recognizing that that she'll be your city secretary um and secretary for this and also you um chair people can make motions. I know it's not like that with the mayor and council but you can make motions just so you Oh yeah. And the chair votes on this. Oh no. Yeah.

Yeah, we all vote on that. So, motion on the table is to let city secretary Kerry lip catcher the planning zoning commission secretary uh by a show of hands and I. Please let us know if you approve. I I unanimous. All right. Next item on the agenda is discussion and possible action. Selected time for me. I'll open that up to the u to the rest of you guys. Your thoughts are on is there any reason to switch it from Wednesday the first Wednesday from Wednesday to first Wednesday?

No, I mean it's it is always the first Wednesday, right? Um, I will say that Jim and I had a conversation um this morning actually and he was trying to say if we all could do after the council meeting the for as in so at the mean like at 10:00 at night or something that if something needs to come to council I can get it on the agenda. So the council is what? First the second Wednesday. Second Wednesday. Because right now if they'll bring something to council, you didn't ask already. So

that is the requested by our city administrator at this time that y'all consider the third or fourth week of the month so that um we can get items onto the council agenda quicker because we are now posting council way further out than we have been. So council second. Yeah. So third would make sense which will give an additional two weeks. Yes. But for me to be here um I've got I sing in a church choir. Yeah.

And the only time that I have a weekend off and I'm the only male in the church choir. So it creates a weird imbalance. So the only time I can leave town is on the third weekend of a month. And sometimes that now I guess if we did it in the middle of the week like on a Wednesday. Is that what you're talking about? Don't get pig any day any third Tuesday or third. Yeah. The third Wednesday would work. So that still wouldn't make me miss all for you. Yeah. Five or five o'clock time still good for you guys. Do do you work? Yeah. Okay. I would typically be here.

Yeah. Yeah. I can usually Okay. So 5:00's not an issue with them at all. Okay. And I mean you correct. They'll only meet if they have something to discuss. Right. Right. Um which could mean four or five meetings a year. You know it could it could change at the drop of time. No, I will add though that we have applied for a grant from the government land office to assist us with um redoing our comprehensive plan which will involve a zoning update, code update.

So towards the end of this year, should everything go as planned, the end of this year, early next year, you could expect to meet with semifrequency just to get through that code update more than once a month. No, but you could expect either, you know, a little bit longer meeting or be meeting, you know, yeah, you can always call a special meeting, especially around the holidays if you guys don't want to have me, you know, you can be like, "Let's have a special meeting this month so we don't have November, December." But we just wanted to put that on you. Yeah. Because the third weekend, the third week in November and December gets kind of touchy. Yeah. Yeah. You'll never meetings with this schedule

unless you were to call a special meeting. So, but no, I mean what he's saying maybe you didn't understand is that we get into So, November 3rd, Wednesday is the 18th. So, it's the week before Thanksgiving. Okay. And December the 3rd, Wednesday is the 16th. So, you should be okay before Christmas. So, we should be It's a full week before Christmas. And it's after our concert for the course. Yep. Well, they also didn't meet and I would know where to Yeah, because it fell for me. Any other discussion on that? No. Okay.

Does it have to be at 5 or you want to move it up a little bit? 25 is fine for me. That's just I mean 4:30 4:30 or 5 works for me. A lot of times I have to see clients at 6 or 6:30 or 7. Like last time I was at 6:45. So, um, you know, I can try to schedule around it that I'm a general contractor. When somebody wants to buy, you know, buy my goods, I don't say, I can't make it tonight. Yeah, I want to go there. You can move up the time around a little bit. It's fine. Me, too. Okay. So, you're flexible. You can we change it depending like one month. E4th or it's got to always be said no

you can call special meetings but then all like a majority of your board has to vote yes then so you would need a super majority of that I mean I'm very flexible during the day I'm flexible as long as I know I have to block out Wednesday unless I get here lately I'm getting a lot of unexpected can you come yeah so and not throw me off but from other but I'm flexible as just to block out third. Would you prefer to meet earlier like before after lunch or but that makes I shouldn't have said that 4:30 4:30 is probably okay. Yeah.

So five is fine probably. Let's keep it at five. I think it's what makes sense. So, uh, I'll make a motion to, uh, select the date and time for our future meeting with the painting zoning commissions as the third Wednesday of the month at 5:00 p.m. Sounds good. Unless otherwise no special meeting Pat seconded that.

All right. Uh yeah. Uh if you went by a show of hands uh in favor of making that change to Wednesday 5 p.m. on the third Wednesday of the month raise your hand say hi. We got to get a for that little mini thing.

I can't even see myself. Look at the monitor see uh consideration of agenda items for future business. So anybody know of anything that's Deborah do you know of anything focused on just what I told you? So the parking the public hearings for parking rules um our next regular meeting we would discuss when and where to have that. Is that uh the public hearing will likely be set for y'all because your your board actually already voted to have it. So it'll be a special meeting basically. Well, no, we'll try to make it on like a regular meeting.

Okay. Well, we'll hopefully be able to let you guys know about that towards the end of this. And so it'll just be a portion of the regular meeting. Okay. It might be the only thing on the agenda. Yeah. And just so you all know, if there's ever anything in the code that you all would like to address, you can request to have it added to a need. So, we're going to be talking about the parking

mind if it can see. I feel like I remember we came to Jim suggested that like we just have a a 20 foot there's a 20 foot building setback and you have to have a twocar garage and that 20 foot setback has to be paid was basically how I I have those report that he did when I was on. So you will have the option to fix it. You all have already this board has made a vote last year. Yeah. And that will come before y'all in a public hearing. If there is dissension and that is not passed, it might go back to the drawing board again. But

the public hearing is the the public's notice to come and talk to you about it. You all would discuss it again. If somebody has a big complaint, but probably no. My tradition. You better not public, sir. Yeah. You never know. But the whole point was like you wouldn't specify the parking spaces. You just say you have to have a 20 foot long perus area that's the same width of the twocar garage, right? So it'll fit two cars. Four, maybe. Yeah. Depends on the car, too. Not not two 350s. Yeah.

All right. Coopers. All right. The only uh next thing on the agenda is announcements. Only thing I have is to save the date which is March 13th, 2026 for required training from 9 to noon at city hall of lunch provided. I assume that is for everyone who has not gone through the training before. So no training. This is an annual training. It's new because we produced a training manual for the city. Now it complements the required training by state law which I know you all received the email that tells you that every two to three years you have to update that. um that that's a public the TOMA

publication acting exact public information in cyber security isn't technically required for you all but it's highly encouraged. What this is is it's much like the retreats we've done in the past but it's condensed down. It's going to be a real short you know morning meeting. We'll give you guys lunch. It says required because we really want everyone there. If you can't make it, you're not going to be ejected from the board or blacklisted or anything. What we're going to be covering are those topics. Robert's rules, as you all talked about how in your first meetings it was kind of clunky and and you didn't quite know what it is. So, what what we've heard for the last four or five years now is onboarding for the city is lacking and people don't feel prepared to do these volunteer roles. So this is us attempting to give that bridge from and I know a lot of y'all have served so it might seem silly but that's also a great time to meet other volunteers to get free food and so it's just highly encouraged. We would love if you can join us. It will be here at city hall. I'm leading it. I'm I'm pretty concise and u you know it's all ready. It's not off the cuff. So

Okay. If you can make it we would love to have you. All right. Do you have any other announcements or any other business? Uh, just something I was running across as I was preparing for this meeting. I just did a little googling and I found a 218 page long PowerPoint on and I I flipped through the whole thing on planning and zoning committees.

That should be illegal. I know it was somebody had made somebody got had way too much time on their hands, but it was useful for me just to see all of the categories that were covered and what the parameters of a planning and it was done by a law firm. We down to about five slides I should share. Well, it it had a lot of examples in it, but it it was Texas specific and it was fairly current. Yeah. share the link with us. I'll send it out. And I would like for all of

and if you don't feel like you are comfortable with it, that's fine. But I would like to have everybody's phone number and then my phone so we can You've already got Yeah. So we can, you know, you know, text um if you don't know, we we can legally discuss any business as long as we don't have a quorum. So that means Pat and I go out to lunch and talk about stuff and it's not against the law. But if Pat Carolyn and I go out to lunch and talk about stuff, we're breaking the tongue breaking act, right? So it's okay to, you know, text the mayor, hey, I just thought something for the next agenda and we want to do this. That's perfectly fine.

Well, and another thing is you can probably like if you email BCC and say, "Is everybody going to make this meeting?" I mean, I don't even like to go there because they can say we lost the text of what was in there, but I've got proof right here that they were emailing. Okay. So, it just stay away from it. You know, I don't think, you know, it's really more for a council. you know, these rules I I think I mean, they're great for everybody and I don't think there's hardly ever been, you know, a lawsuit against a little bitty city like would create

planning and zoning commission, you know, from something like as you just got PNZ is the only one that we only committee that the city has to have. Correct. board.

Uh the council can serve as the planning and zoning board, but a city is required to have a planning and zoning board. And that planning zoning commission typically is called is uh regulated by state law. So much like the council, the TOMA and those issues are actually pretty serious for y'all. They they do need to be taken seriously. Um we can't create a daisy chain. And this is part of what that day training really goes over is very clear examples of like what is a daisy training? What is a walking form? Like how, you know, how does this apply to our daily life in Wood Creek and and social media? Yeah.

Yeah. Yeah. All right. Any other comments or any other u requests for agenda items for our next meeting? No, sir. Okay. I'll entertain a motion to adjourn. I move to move to I thought you could just adjourn the meeting.

So, Robert's rules say you motion to adjourn and get a second. You all have the discretion to run your meeting as strict with Robert's rules or as lenient with rules as you want. There are some key factors you never want to steamroll. And again, we would probably talk about that in that training, but um that's what I was going to say. The only reason I do that is it goes that gives the opportunity for somebody to go, "Oh, wait. I just remember just instead of me going, okay, we're out." Okay. Somebody make the motion. Yes. Yeah. And he seconded it. Carson second.

Okay. And just so you know, also as far as rules of order, you don't have to say, "I second the motion to second it." If you open your mouth, you just second it. Even if you're objecting to it, if you talk, if you talk, how would you how would you not move on from that? Then you you sit back and vote n stay quiet. You want something to die? You want to know another really nitpicky rule? Technically, now that you've motioned and seconded, your meeting's adjourned. Yeah. Exactly. Yeah. So that's why it can be as lenient or as harsh as your leadership chooses. So, okay. Meeting at 5:30 p.m. on the dot.