[00:00:02]
IT IS 3:30, 3:31.[Zoning Board of Adjustments on May 8, 2024.]
I WILL NOW CALL THIS THE ZONING BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT REGULAR MEETING TO ORDER.LET'S SEE, I BELIEVE WE DO HAVE A QUORUM, AND SO ATTENDANCE, PLEASE.
AT THIS TIME ITEM THREE, CONFLICT OF INTEREST.
DOES ANYONE HAVE A CONFLICT OF INTEREST THEY NEED TO CLAIM? ALL RIGHT. HEARING NONE.
I BELIEVE ALL OF YOU HAVE IT IN FRONT OF YOU.
WE HAVE A MOTION FOR APPROVAL.
DO I HEAR A SECOND? SECOND. MOTION AND A SECOND FOR APPROVAL.
IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE, THEN ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.
OKAY, YOU CAN VOTE OR YOU CAN ABSTAIN.
ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING? ANYBODY? NO PUBLIC COMMENT HAS BEEN RECEIVED.
ONLY THE APPLICANTS ARE IN THE AUDIENCE.
ALRIGHTY. NEW BUSINESS AND ASSOCIATED PUBLIC HEARINGS.
PLEASE CALL OUR CASE [INAUDIBLE] WITH A MOUTHFUL OF WATER.
WE RECEIVED NO OBJECTIONS FROM CITY DEPARTMENTS OR PRIVATE UTILITIES.
HOWEVER, THE PUBLIC WORKS DIVISION CITY ENGINEER'S OFFICE MADE A COMMENT THAT THE IN THE EVENT OF APPROVAL, THE REPLAT SHOULD SHOULD BE REVISED TO INCLUDE A DEDICATED EASEMENT ALONG THE EAST PROPERTY LINE OF THE PROPOSED LOTS, PROVIDING ACCESS FOR 1920 AND 1924 TO ACCESS SANITARY SEWER LOCATED IN THE ALLEY NORTH OF 1916 26TH STREET.
THE APPLICANT IS REQUESTING A VARIANCE FROM THE GALVESTON LAND DEVELOPMENT REGULATIONS.
THE REQUESTED VARIANCE FROM THE CURRENT REQUIREMENT OF 2500FT² TO 1720FT², AND NOW WE HAVE SOME PHOTOGRAPHS.
PLEASE NOTE THE APPLICANT'S JUSTIFICATION ON YOUR REPORT AS WELL.
THIS IS THE AERIAL IMAGE OF THE SUBJECT PROPERTY OR SITE, AND NEXT SLIDE.
THIS IS THE SUBJECT SITE WITH THE THREE STRUCTURES ON ON SITE.
ALRIGHTY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OF STAFF? GO AHEAD.
WE VOTED TO APPROVE DIVIDING LOTS BEFORE, AND I JUST HAVE A COUPLE QUESTIONS.
ARE THEY REQUIRED TO HAVE THIS PROPERTY RESURVEYED INTO THREE SPECIFIC LOTS AND ALSO INSTALL SAID HALF INCH IRON RODS IN THE GROUND TO DEFINE THE PROPERTY LIMITS? IT HASN'T COME UP BEFORE.
YEAH, THIS IS A REQUEST THAT THE APPLICANT IS ENTITLED TO.
I MEAN, WE'VE SEEN MANY REPLAT APPLICATIONS WHETHER THOSE WOULD BE ADMINISTRATIVELY APPROVED OR SOME OF THOSE ARE FORWARDED TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION FOR THEIR REVIEW AND APPROVAL. SO AS FAR AS ARE THEY REQUIRED TO DO THIS? NO, THEY'RE NOT REQUIRED.
THE CITY DOESN'T MANDATE THAT PROPERTIES BE SUBDIVIDED.
[00:05:03]
LOTS IN THE GENERAL VICINITY, AS YOU CAN SEE IN THE AERIAL MAP, AND AS THE APPLICANT HAS HAS PROVIDED IN HIS SUBMITTAL THE NEARBY PROPERTIES WHO HAVE A SIMILAR LOT AREA AS WHAT THEY ARE REQUESTING, AND AS FAR AS THE PLATTING AND THE SUBSEQUENT STEPS THAT MUST TAKE PLACE AS FAR AS THE PIN ON THE GROUND, THAT'S ALL HAPPENS AFTER THE FACT BY THE YOU KNOW, THE PROPERTY OWNERS HIRE A SURVEY COMPANY AND SO ON AND SO FORTH.SO IN OTHER WORDS, THE PROPERTY OWNER, AFTER IT GETS APPROVED BY THE BOARD TO DIVIDE IT INTO THREE, THEN FOR THEM TO GET A DEED OF TRUST ON THAT PROPERTY, THEY WOULD HAVE TO GET THAT SURVEYED AT THAT TIME.
YEAH, THIS IS NOT THE, SO MAYBE THIS WILL CLEAR THINGS UP.
THIS IS NOT THE REPLAT ITSELF.
IN THIS CASE, BEFORE YOU, THE APPLICANT IS SAYING, HEY, BOARD, WOULD YOU ALLOW ME TO BE AT 1720? SO THAT'S WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT TODAY.
THE REPLAT IS A SUBSEQUENT STEP THAT WE WOULD DEAL WITH AT AN ADMINISTRATIVE LEVEL.
OKAY. I'M JUST CURIOUS ABOUT IT.
GO AHEAD. SO, DO I SEE PARKING PADS FOR EACH ONE OFF STREET PARKING? IT LOOKS LIKE ON THE. YEAH SO SOME OF THOSE HAVE THEIR ENTRANCES THERE TO THOSE LOTS.
RIGHT. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? ALL RIGHT AT THIS TIME, I WILL CALL THE OH, MY GOSH, I'VE JUST LOST MY.
WHAT AM I CALLING? YOU'RE OPENING THE PUBLIC HEARING.
I'M OPENING THE PUBLIC HEARING.
MY NAME IS RICHARD SPETHMANN, AND I'M ONE OF THE PROPERTY OWNERS, ALONG WITH MY HUSBAND, PATRICK COLLINS, AND I HAVE SOME HANDOUTS FOR YOU I THINK WILL PROVIDE SOME EXTRA INFORMATION FOR EVERYBODY.
I'VE GOT MAYBE ONE FOR EACH AND ONE EXTRA, AND WE'LL JUST KIND OF GO THROUGH THEM ONE AT A TIME, AND I CAN PAUSE FOR QUESTIONS ALONG THE WAY.
SO THE FRONT PICTURE THERE SHOWS YOU ALL THREE PHOTOS ON THE LEFT.
THE TAN HOUSE IS 1916, THE CENTER BLUE HOUSE IS 1920, AND THE GRAY HOUSE ON THE RIGHT IS 1924 26TH STREET. SO WE'RE REQUESTING A VARIANCE FROM THE MINIMUM LOT SIZE OF 2500FT² TO APPROXIMATELY 1720FT².
SO THE THREE HOUSES CURRENTLY ARE A TWO BEDROOM AND ONE BATH EACH.
THEY ARE SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENCES.
EACH HAS AN INDIVIDUAL ADDRESS.
EACH HOUSE IS SEPARATELY FENCED.
THE FENCES WERE PUT IN APPROXIMATELY 40 YEARS AGO FROM THE PHOTOGRAPHS THAT I HAVE.
[00:10:01]
ALL THREE HOUSES WERE LISTED ON ONE.SO OVER THE LAST 5 TO 6 YEARS THOSE THOSE REQUIREMENTS HAVE CHANGED.
SO NOW EACH PROPERTY HAS ITS OWN SEPARATE WINDSTORM POLICY AND ITS OWN SEPARATE FLOOD INSURANCE POLICY, AND IT'S REQUIRED TO HAVE A SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENCE POLICY. SO KIND OF FURTHER IDENTIFIES THEM AS STANDALONE PROPERTIES.
THEY EACH HAVE SEPARATE YARDS.
THEY EACH HAVE SEPARATE PARKING PADS AGAIN DIVIDED BY THE CHAIN LINK FENCE.
SO EACH HOUSE IS RENTED, IS RENTED AS A SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENCE AS WELL.
YOU DON'T HAVE NEIGHBOR'S SHARING WALLS.
THERE ARE THREE COMPLETELY SEPARATE STRUCTURES.
SO OUR VARIANCE REQUEST IS ROOTED IN THE SPECIAL CONDITION THAT DUE TO THE PLACEMENT OF THE EXISTING HOUSES ON THE LOT, WE'RE UNABLE TO SUBDIVIDE THEM AND MEET THE MINIMUM LOT SIZE REQUIREMENT.
SO DUE TO THIS CONDITION, THE LITERAL ENFORCEMENT OF THE MINIMUM LOT SIZE WOULD IMPOSE AN UNNECESSARY HARDSHIP ON US, AND THAT THIS PROPERTY IS BEING TREATED DIFFERENTLY THAN THE ONES THAT DIRECTLY CROSS THE STREET ON 26TH AND DIRECTLY ACROSS THE STREET OF AVENUE P AND A HALF.
SO WITHOUT ADDITIONAL LAND AVAILABLE TO PURCHASE, WE CAN'T EXPAND THE LOT SIZE THAT WAY OR THE OTHER OPTION IS TO MOVE THE MIDDLE HOUSE TO ANOTHER LOCATION, ANOTHER LOT, AND THEN THE LOT SIZES WOULD BE BIG ENOUGH, AND THAT WOULD BE, I WOULD SAY, AN UNNECESSARY BURDEN WHEN WE HAVE AN OPTION OF A VARIANCE.
THE HOMES WILL CONTINUE TO BE SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENCES, AND THE FOOTPRINT OR SQUARE FOOTAGE OF THE HOUSES WILL NOT CHANGE, SO THERE'LL BE NO EFFECT ON THE CURRENT OR FUTURE USE OF ADJACENT PROPERTIES.
THE OUTSIDE BORDER OF THE PROPERTIES WILL REMAIN THE SAME.
IT'S JUST DIVIDING WITHIN THAT LOT.
SO NO CHANGES OR ADDITIONS OR MODIFICATIONS OF PUBLIC INFRASTRUCTURE.
I DID NOT BELIEVE WERE GOING TO BE REQUIRED, BUT IT SOUNDS LIKE WE DO HAVE A COMMENT NOW FROM PUBLIC WORKS, AND I'LL GET WITH YOU ON THEIR COMMENT AND WHAT WE MAY NEED TO DO GOING FORWARD TO ADDRESS THAT.
SO AFTERWARDS, THE SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENCES WILL REMAIN AS THEY ARE.
IF WE GO TO THE NEXT PAGE, YOU CAN SEE THE SURVEY.
THAT'S THIS PAGE HERE, AND SO THE BLUE LINES ARE THE EXISTING CHAIN LINK FENCE, AND THAT'S WHERE WE'RE GOING TO WE WOULD LIKE TO SUBDIVIDE THE PROPERTIES.
SO THE FENCES ARE ALREADY AND HAVE BEEN IN THAT LOCATION.
THEY ALSO HAVE CHAIN LINK FENCE THAT RUNS ACROSS THE FRONT OF THE PROPERTIES, AND THEN ACROSS THE BACK IS A WOODEN FENCE, A PRIVACY FENCE THAT'S ALSO BEEN THERE 40 YEARS, MINUS THE PANELS WE'VE HAD TO CHANGE OUT HERE AND THERE.
SO THE EXISTING FENCE LINE WILL NOT CHANGE AT ALL.
IT'LL JUST BECOME THE NEW PROPERTY LINE IF THE VARIANCE IS GRANTED.
THE FINAL PAGE HAS THE CENTRAL APPRAISAL DISTRICT'S VIEW FROM OVERHEAD AND THE BLUE BOX.
YOU SEE THERE IS THE CURRENT LOT, AND ACROSS 26TH STREET YOU CAN SEE WHERE THOSE HOMES WERE SUBDIVIDED AT SOME POINT IN THE PAST AND ACROSS P AND A HALF AS WELL.
IF YOU LOOK AT THE FINAL PAGE, WE HAVE THE PROPERTY CURRENTLY AS THREE HOUSES 845FT².
TOTAL SQUARE FOOTAGE OF OVER 2500 AND THE LOT SIZE OF 5160.
THE PROPERTIES ACROSS THE STREET.
THE FIRST THREE 1913, 1919 AND 1925.
THEY'RE ALL APPROXIMATELY WELL, THEY'RE 845FT², OR ONE OF THEM'S 871.
SO THE SQUARE FOOTAGE MATCHES APPROXIMATELY WHAT THE CURRENT HOUSES ARE ON OUR PLAT, AND THE LOT SIZES YOU CAN SEE ARE BETWEEN 16 70FT AND 1756 FEET.
AGAIN, WITHIN THE SAME RANGE THAT WE'RE REQUESTING.
IF YOU GO ACROSS THE STREET THE OTHER DIRECTION, ACROSS P AND A HALF, YOU HAVE THREE HOUSES THAT ARE APPROXIMATELY WELL, THEY ARE 740FT² UP TO 825.
[00:15:03]
WE'LL HAVE THREE HOUSES OF 845FT² WITH THREE LOTS.THAT WOULD BE CONSISTENT WITH WHAT'S ACROSS THE STREET IN EITHER DIRECTION.
SO IT WOULD MATCH WHAT'S ALREADY THERE.
DO Y'ALL HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? YES. MINE IS JUST A CURIOSITY.
DO YOU KNOW WHEN THESE HOUSES WERE BUILT, ROUGHLY? THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION.
ON OUR CENTRAL APPRAISAL DISTRICT, IT SAYS 1965.
ACROSS THE STREET, IT SAYS 1925.
I MEAN, I DON'T KNOW FOR SURE.
SOME CALL THEM A SEARS HOUSE TOO.
OKAY. I'M GOING TO GRAB MY WATER.
DOES ANYONE ELSE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OF THE APPLICANT? ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
WE'RE STILL IN PUBLIC HEARING.
WOULD YOU LIKE TO SPEAK, SIR? ALL RIGHT. ALL RIGHT.
SO AT THIS TIME, I WILL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING AND BRING IT BACK TO THE BOARD HERE FOR ACTION.
MR. CHAIR? YES? MAY I MAKE A MOTION? YES, YOU MAY. FIRST OF ALL, BEFORE I MAKE THE MOTION, DONNA, DO I HAVE TO READ THIS WHOLE THING? [CHUCKLING] YES.
I MAKE A MOTION FOR APPROVAL DUE TO THE FOLLOWING SPECIAL CONDITIONS.
THE SPECIAL CONDITIONS THAT EXIST ON THE PROPERTY THAT DO NOT GENERALLY EXIST ON OTHER PROPERTIES IN THE SAME ZONING DISTRICT. THAT SPECIAL CONDITION IS THREE RESIDENTIAL STRUCTURES ARE LOCATED ON ONE LARGE LAND PARCEL, SUBDIVIDING THE PARCEL INTO THREE LOTS OF 1720FT² FOR EACH HOUSE WILL CREATE LOT SIZES THAT ARE SIMILAR TO LOTS IN THE IMMEDIATE AREA.
THE VARIANCE IS NOT CONTRARY TO THE PUBLIC INTEREST IN THAT THE HARDSHIP IS NOT SELF-IMPOSED.
THE HARDSHIP IS NOT BASED SOLELY ON FINANCIAL CONSIDERATIONS, CONVENIENCE OR INCONVENIENCE.
THE REQUESTED VARIANCE DOES NOT HAVE A DETRIMENTAL IMPACT UPON THE CURRENT OR FUTURE USE OF THE ADJACENT PROPERTIES FOR PURPOSES FOR WHICH THEY ARE ZONED, PUBLIC INFRASTRUCTURE OR SERVICES, AND PUBLIC HEALTH, SAFETY, MORALS AND GENERAL WELFARE OF THE COMMUNITY.
THE VARIANCE WILL NOT BE USED TO CIRCUMVENT OTHER PROCEDURES AND STANDARDS OF THESE REGULATIONS THAT COULD BE USED FOR THE SAME OR COMPARABLE EFFECT, AND BY GRANTING THE VARIANCE, THE SPIRIT OF THESE REGULATIONS IS OBSERVED AND SUBSTANTIAL JUSTICE IS DONE.
NOW, BEFORE WE GET A SECOND, IS IT NOW NECESSARY, DONNA? THERE WAS AN OBJECTION FROM PUBLIC WORKS OR A REQUEST FROM PUBLIC WORKS.
IS THIS IN THE MOTION WHERE WE ADD THIS? OKAY. WE DON'T NEED TO ADD IT HERE TO THE MOTION.
WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR APPROVAL.
IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? I JUST WANT TO MAKE A STATEMENT THAT THE EASEMENT WILL NOT AFFECT THE SQUARE FOOTAGE OF THE PARCELS.
SO WHEN IT'S PLATTED, IT WILL BE 1720FT² PER PARCEL.
RIGHT BUT I MEAN, AS FAR AS THAT GOES, WE'RE LOOKING AT THREE EQUAL PARCELS, AND THE EASEMENT THAT WAS QUESTIONED DOES NOT AFFECT THAT SQUARE FOOTAGE.
ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? THEN ALL IN FAVOR OF APPROVAL, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.
[00:20:04]
ALL OPPOSED SAME SIGN AND THE MOTION IS CARRIED.THANK YOU VERY MUCH, AND I'LL SAY THANK YOU TO MR. SPETHMANN FOR HIS SERVICE ON THE ZONING BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT IN THE EARLY TEENS.
WHAT!? HE IS ONE OF YOUR COLLEAGUES.
THAT'S RIGHT. YOU WERE HERE LAST MONTH, WEREN'T YOU, CHECKING IT OUT? YEAH. THOSE WERE TOUGH TIMES.
YEAH. OH, NO I'M DONE, I QUIT.
THEY DON'T KNOW WHAT WE USED TO GO THROUGH.
[CHUCKLING] VERY GOOD, VERY GOOD, VERY THOROUGH.
ALRIGHTY, AND I BELIEVE THE NEXT THING ITEM SEVEN DISCUSSION ITEMS IN PERSON MEETING.
GO AHEAD. I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THE COMMISSION WAS AWARE THAT THERE'S BEEN A CHANGE.
YOU ALL HAVE GREAT ATTENDANCE AND YOU ATTEND IN PERSON.
WE'VE NEVER GOTTEN INTO THAT HABIT, BUT THE COUNCIL HAS RECENTLY CHANGED THAT.
THE REQUIREMENT HAD BEEN THAT TO ATTEND 75% OF THE MEETINGS A YEAR, AND THAT WAS EITHER VIRTUALLY OR IN-PERSON, AND NOW THE REQUIREMENT IS 75% IN-PERSON.
SO IF YOU NEED TO, YOU'RE STILL ABLE TO ATTEND VIRTUALLY.
YOU JUST LET ME OR KARINA KNOW BEFORE THE MEETING AND WE'LL SET IT UP, BUT JUST TO LET YOU ALL KNOW THAT YOU'RE 75% IN-PERSON MEETINGS, BUT IT'S NOT A PROBLEM WITH THIS BOARD.
YOU CAN. YOU CAN? YES, YOU CAN VOTE.
SO IF ROBERT HAD TO BE VIRTUAL, THEN THE CHAIRPERSON WOULD RUN IT, AND THEN IF BOTH OF THEM ARE ON ZOOM OR ON TEAMS, THEN IT'S THE MOST SENIOR MEMBER.
Y'ALL CAN GO TO VEGAS AND SAY, HEY, DON'T WORRY.
HOW'D YOU KNOW? I'M GOING AT THE END OF THE MONTH.
OKAY. ANYTHING ELSE? NO, WE'LL BE LETTING YOU KNOW IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS IF THERE'S GOING TO BE A MEETING NEXT MONTH.
SO FAR, THERE ARE NOT ANY CASES SUBMITTED, BUT THEY HAVE TILL FIVE TODAY.
APPRECIATE THAT VERY MUCH, AND WITH THAT, WE ARE ADJOURNED.
THANK YOU ALL. THANK YOU.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.