P&Z, city enhance public hearing notification process
Courtesy photo by City of Navasota. Navasota’s Planning and Zoning Commission met Thursday, Aug. 22, and on the agenda, was review of signage that may soon be required to be posted by a property owner requesting a variance, sign or
The Navasota Planning and Zoning Commission (P&Z) held a Regular meeting Thursday, Aug. 22, and made some verbiage adjustments to the notification process changes they requested at the Aug. 8 meeting. At that time, commissioners asked city staff to make the notification letters easier to understand, increase notification distance from 200 feet to 500 feet and posting of signage on property where a permit for a variance, sign or zoning change has been requested.
Community Development Director Lupe Diosdado provided commissioners with samples of the proposed notification letters and public hearing ad format. The letters will contain an aerial map and street view photo of the location of the property in question and both the letter and new ad format will contain the property’s physical address, in addition to the legal description.
Navasota’s large lots have long been a concern of commissioner Dia Copeland who has urged extending notification from the 200 feet state law requires to 500 feet. Using the Horlock House as a test, Diosdado said that under the proposed 500 feet, letters would be issued to 54 property owners instead of 20.
As a condition of the permit, a property owner requesting a variance, sign or zoning change will be required to post a sign on the property at least 10 days before the public hearing, concurrent with the published notice. The sign will state reason for the hearing, i.e., zoning, as well as the date, time, location of the public hearing and city hall contact number.
At present, there will be no additional fee for the sign, but Diosdado pointed out that each new public hearing will require a new face for the sign.
He said, “We are reviewing that to see if we are going to have to increase the fee when someone submits a zoning change or other things that would require us to put up a sign.”
Airport Growth
Center rezoning
Commissioners conducted an Agriculture/ Open Space District workshop regarding 16 properties in the Airport Growth Center surrounding the Industrial Park. This was a follow-up to the June 27 workshop where property owners were contacted and invited to participate. As a result of that workshop, 11 of the properties will not be rezoned at this time at the request of the property owners.
Of the remaining five, Diosdado advised P&Z that notification letters were mailed, and the owners of two properties along S. Bus. 6 responded and met with him at City Hall. There were no comments for or against rezoning during the workshop.
Commissioners recommended that two properties on the east side of, and parallel to S. Bus. 6, be rezoned B-1, General Business District, and three properties west of the Industrial Park on FM 1227 be rezoned to M-1, Light Industrial. A public hearing will be scheduled, and property owners notified.
Burger King action
postponed
No discussion or action was taken on the preliminary site plan submitted by developer Jim Kolkhorst for a Burger King to be constructed at 1605 E. Washington Avenue. According to Diosdado, shortly before the meeting the item was pulled from the agenda at the request of Kolkhorst who is working on additional “tweaks” to the site plan.
Remarks of visitors
Navasota resident Gary Newton addressed commissioners about trash and debris from businesses at the intersection of Washington Avenue and Ivy Street that blows down Ivy Street into his residential neighborhood. Describing the businesses at that intersection as “not good neighbors,” Newton speculated that the situation will not change with an additional business down the street at Washington Avenue and W. Post Oak.
Before adjourning, commissioners approved the Minutes of the Aug. 8 meeting.
Commissioners present were Dia Copeland, James Harris, Carolyn Katkoski and Patty Tokoly. Chairman Randy Peters and Dr. John Walla were absent.
Representing the City of Navasota were Community Development Director Lupe Diosdado, Community Relations Specialist Kris Gruver, Economic Development Specialist Jonathan Soseby, city council liaison Josh Fultz and City Manager Brad Stafford.
P&Z meets the second and fourth Thursday at 6 p.m. in city council chambers at 200 E. McAlpine Street. The schedule for city council, board and commission meetings is available at www.navasotatx.gov/events.