Jan 06, 2026 Planning Commission

[00:00:05]

WE'RE READY TO START. ALRIGHTY. WE'LL CALL THE MEETING TO ORDER.

[1. Call Meeting to Order]

SO WE'LL GET STARTED. I GUESS WE'LL TAKE ATTENDANCE, WHICH WE'VE TAKEN.

WE DO HAVE A QUORUM PRESENT. ARE THERE ANY CONFLICTS OF INTEREST TODAY? SEEING NONE I GUESS, DOES EVERYBODY HAD A CHANCE TO LOOK AT THE MINUTES?

[4. Approval of Minutes]

AS APPROVED, AS PRESENTED. ALL RIGHT. AND THEN WE'LL HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR PUBLIC COMMENT.

DO WE HAVE ANYBODY HERE WHO'D LIKE TO MAKE, LIKE TO MAKE A PUBLIC COMMENT ON A NON AGENDA ITEM? LOOKS LIKE. NO. SO THEN I SUPPOSE WE'LL MOVE TO THE 1ST ORDER OF BUSINESS.

SO THAT'LL BE 6.A. 25BF-082. AND THIS LOOKS LIKE A REQUEST FOR BEACH FRONT CONSTRUCTION.

[6.A.1. 25BF-082 (21309 Gulf Drive) Request for exemption and approval for Beachfront Construction Certificate and Dune Protection Permit to include proposed installation of a cargo lift. Property is legally described as Abstract 121, Page 19, Lot 42, Sea Isle Section 21, Sea Isle a subdivision in the City and County of Galveston, Texas. Applicant: DFW Texas Builders Inc Property Owner: Gary Simpson - L Simpson Real Estate Holdings]

THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. THIS IS A REQUEST FOR AUTHORIZATION AND APPROVAL FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF A CARGO LIFT TO AN EXISTING SINGLE FAMILY HOME.

THE ADDRESS IS 21309 GULF DRIVE. THE PROPERTY IS LEGALLY DESCRIBED AS ABSTRACT 121, PAGE 19, LOT 42 SEA ISLE. SECTION 21 SEA ISLE, A SUBDIVISION LOCATED IN THE CITY AND COUNTY OF GALVESTON, TEXAS. THE SUBJECT SITE IS LOCATED IN THE SEA ISLE SUBDIVISION.

SINGLE FAMILY DWELLINGS ARE LOCATED TO THE NORTHEAST AND WEST OF THE SUBJECT PROPERTY.

A BEACH AND DUNE SYSTEM IS LOCATED TO THE SOUTH OF THE SUBJECT PROPERTY.

ACCORDING TO THE BUREAU OF ECONOMIC GEOLOGY, THIS AREA IS STABLE.

STAFF HAS PREPARED PHOTOS OF THE SUBJECT PROPERTY FOR YOUR VIEWING.

FIRST, WE HAVE A FIRM AND BG MAPS SHOWING THE DISTANCE OF THE STRUCTURE FROM THE DUNE SYSTEM AND ITS POSITION RELATIVE TO ADJACENT PROPERTIES.

ON THE NEXT SLIDE IS THE PROPERTY SURVEY, SHOWING THE LOCATION OF THE PROPOSED CARGO LIFT ON THE SOUTHWEST CORNER OF THE EXISTING SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENCE.

THERE IS NO DUNE PRESENT AT THIS LOCATION, AND THE PROPOSED WORK IS 170.8FT FROM THE LINE OF VEGETATION.

ON THE FOLLOWING SLIDE, WE HAVE THE PROPOSED PROJECT DRAWN AS WELL AS THE SUMMARIZED SCOPE OF WORK.

FINALLY, WE HAVE FIVE PHOTOS OF THE SITE LOOKING NORTH, LOOKING NORTH AGAIN FROM THE LINE OF VEGETATION LOOKING WEST. NEXT. LOOKING WEST. NEXT. LOOKING SOUTH.

NEXT. AND LOOKING EAST. THIS CONCLUDES STAFF REPORT.

AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. ALRIGHTY. THANK YOU.

I GUESS WE'LL MOVE TO SEE IF THE APPLICANT IS PRESENT, IF THEY'D LIKE TO COME UP AND SAY A FEW WORDS.

TELL US ABOUT YOUR PROJECT. IF YOU'LL SIGN IN, STATE YOUR NAME AND JUST TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT YOU GOT GOING ON. MASTER'S GOLF COAST DFW TEXAS BUILDERS HERE IN GALVESTON.

I'M THE OWNER OF THE BUSINESS. I SOLD THE CARGO LIFT TO MR. SIMPSON, AND HE ACTUALLY OWNS THAT BOTH LOTS FROM THE FRONT OF THE ROAD ALL THE WAY TO THE WATER.

SO WE FILED FOR THE PERMIT, AND THEN THEY CAME BACK WITH THAT.

THEY ASKED ME TO PAY FOR EVERYTHING. THE PERMIT WAS GOING TO BE READY TO GO, AND I PAID FOR EVERYTHING.

AND WE'VE BEEN FIGHTING THIS FOR ABOUT 5 MONTHS.

ALRIGHTY. DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR THE APPLICANT? ALL RIGHT. LOOKS LIKE WE GOT NO QUESTIONS. SO I GUESS WE'LL BRING THAT BACK TO THE COMMISSION FOR ACTION.

THANK YOU, SIR. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. OH, YEAH.

I'M SORRY. WE GOT STAFF QUESTIONS, TOO. SO. AND THE GLO LETTER.

PARDON MY VOICE TODAY POINTS OUT THAT THEY ARE PROHIBITED FROM BEING CONCRETE BELOW.

THE STRUCTURE HAS TO BE REINFORCED. IS THAT GOING TO BE THE CHANGE FOR THIS ASKING STAFF? THAT'S WHAT WE'RE ASKING FOR AN EXEMPTION. SO WE CAN ASK FOR, YOU KNOW, AN EXEMPTION.

IT'S IT'S NOT REINFORCED. IT'S CONCRETE. IT'S JUST THE I-BEAMS ARE GOING TO SIT DOWN.

THAT'S A NORMAL CONSTRUCTION FOR THESE CARGO LIFTS. SO, ANY, SINCE THIS IS A VARIATION FROM THE REGULATIONS, WE'RE ASKING FOR AN EXEMPTION. SO THAT'S WHY WE'RE ASKING FOR AN APPROVAL AND EXEMPTION FOR THAT FOR THAT CONSTRUCTION STANDARD.

SO THE GLOW IS OKAY WITH THAT. WELL THEY THEY LIKE I SAID THEY THEY TOLD US WHAT THE REGULATIONS ARE.

BUT UNDER THE TEXAS ADMINISTRATIVE CODE IN OUR PLAN, WE CAN DO AN EXEMPTION TO THAT REQUIREMENT IF IT MEETS CERTAIN THINGS.

SO IF YOU LOOK IN YOUR STAFF PACKET FOR TO GET AN EXEMPTION, WE HAD TO LOOK AND SEE, YOU KNOW,

[00:05:04]

THIS IS THE ONLY PLACE THAT THEY COULD BUILD IT.

THIS TYPE OF CONSTRUCTION REQUIRES THAT CONCRETE TO MAKE SURE THAT IT'S NOT BEING BLOWN AWAY.

SO THAT'S WHAT WE HAVE TO LOOK AT. SO IF YOU LOOK IN YOUR STAFF PACKET, WE HAVE IN THERE WHAT WE LOOKED AT FOR THE FOR THE EXEMPTION.

SO THAT'S WHY WE'RE REQUESTING AN EXEMPTION ALSO.

AND IT OUTLINES IN THE WHAT WE LOOKED AT AND WHY WE DID IT THE BUILD LINES AND HAVING TO PLACE IT THERE.

AND THAT'S WHAT IT NEEDS TO BE TO BE CONSTRUCTED.

AND IT'S NOT A IT'S NOT A SLAB OR A FOOTING ABOVE THE GROUND.

IT'S GOING TO BE 18IN DEEP IN THE GROUND, AND IT'S ONLY 38 BY 18 AND IT'S ONLY 4 BAGS.

SO IT'S NOT A LOT OF CONCRETE, BUT IT'S 18IN BELOW AND IT'S TO HELP STABILIZE THE RIGHT JUST TO STABILIZE THE I-BEAMS THAT THE CART RIDES ON.

RIGHT. I UNDERSTAND, BUT YOU WON'T. THERE WON'T BE ANY. WE'RE GOING TO USE FIBER CRATE. YOU WON'T SEE ANYTHING. YES, MA'AM. ANYBODY ELSE? ALRIGHTY. Y'ALL LET ME SEE HERE.

YEAH, I GUESS THAT'S. YEAH, THAT MAKES SENSE.

ANYWAY I GUESS WE WANT TO BRING THIS BACK TO COMMISSION FOR ACTION, THEN.

DO WE HAVE ANY. ANYBODY WANT TO MAKE A MOTION? I'M SORRY. OH. OH. IS THERE ANY PUBLIC COMMENTS ON THIS? ANYBODY WANT TO COME UP AND DOESN'T LOOK LIKE IT? I APPRECIATE THAT, YEAH. SO ANYBODY WANT TO MAKE A MOTION OR.

YES. ALRIGHT. LOOKS LIKE WE GOT A MOTION TO APPROVE.

25BF-082. WE'VE GOT A SECOND. SO ANYBODY HAVE ANY DISCUSSION? I THINK BECAUSE OF THE THE STAIRS IS ALREADY THERE, AND THIS DOESN'T PROJECT OUT ANY FURTHER THAN THE EXISTING STAIRS.

I THINK IT'S LESS OF AN ISSUE. IF THE STAIRS WEREN'T THERE, THEN I WOULD WANT TO SEE AN ATTEMPT TO PUT IT LOCATED ON THE SIDE OF THE HOUSE.

I KNOW THERE WAS A ISSUE WITH THE BUILDING LINE, BUT LOOKING AT THAT PICTURE, THERE'S ALREADY AN AIR CONDITIONING UNIT THAT'S OVER THE BUILDING LINE, SO I DON'T SEE WHY THIS WOULD MATTER.

BUT AGAIN, THAT'S NOT A CONCERN FOR ME BECAUSE OF THE THE EXISTING STAIRS.

SO YEAH. ALL RIGHT. ANYBODY ELSE HAVE ANY MORE COMMENTS DISCUSSION.

LOOKS LIKE NO. SO I GUESS WE CAN TAKE ACTION. SO ALL IN FAVOR? LOOKS LIKE IT'S APPROVED UNANIMOUSLY. THANK YOU, SIR. ALL RIGHT, WE'LL MOVE ON TO THE NEXT CASE.

LET'S SEE HERE. THANK YOU ALL. HAPPY NEW YEAR.

HAPPY NEW YEAR. ALL RIGHT. NEXT WE HAVE A LICENSE TO USE CASE 25P-053.

[6.B.2. 25P-053 (Adjacent to 2310 Sealy / Avenue I) Request for a License to Use to place electrical conduits and protective ramp in the City of Galveston right-of-way. Adjacent property is legally described as M.B. Menard Survey, Lots 8 - 14, Block 263, in the City and County of Galveston, Texas. Applicant: Jay Sims, Rosenberg Library Association Adjacent Property Owner: Rosenberg Library Easement Holder: City of Galveston]

SO THIS IS AT ADJACENT TO 2310 SEALY, WHICH, OF COURSE, IS THE ROSENBERG LIBRARY ON THE NORTH SIDE OF THE BUILDING.

THIS IS A REQUEST FOR A LICENSE TO USE FOR AN ELECTRICAL CONDUIT AND A RAMP PROTECTING THAT CONDUIT.

THERE WERE 21 PUBLIC NOTICES SENT. ONE OF THOSE RETURNED.

THAT ONE WAS IN FAVOR. THERE WERE NO PRIVATE UTILITY CONCERNS.

ENGINEERING DID HAVE SOME COMMENTS FROM THE CITY SIDE.

WE'LL COVER THOSE HERE MOMENTARILY. SO THE APPLICANT IS REQUESTING A PERMANENT LICENSE TO USE, QUOTE UNQUOTE PERMANENT? OF COURSE. IN ORDER TO PLACE ELECTRICAL CONDUITS ACROSS THE ALLEY TO THE NORTH OF THE BUILDING, WHICH WOULD CONNECT A PROPOSED STANDBY GENERATOR, WHICH WOULD BE LOCATED ON THE NORTH SIDE OF THE ALLEY ON A PROPERTY AT THE LIBRARY ALSO OWNS THESE CONDUITS WOULD BE PLACED ON GRADE.

THEY WOULD NOT BE BURIED. AND SO THEREFORE A PROTECTIVE RAMP IN A GRATE BETWEEN THE 2 RAMPS ON EITHER SIDE OF THE CONDUIT IS THE REQUEST FOR THE L2U.

AND OF COURSE, THIS WOULD ALLOW THE LIBRARY TO OPERATE IN TIMES OF EMERGENCY POWER OUTAGES AFTER STORMS, ETCETERA. FOR THE LIBRARY'S PURPOSES AND TO HELP RESIDENTS ACCESS MUCH NEEDED COMMUNICATIONS AND OTHER THINGS THE LIBRARY PROVIDES.

SO IT WOULD CROSS APPROXIMATELY MID-BLOCK AND ONCE AGAIN BE PROTECTED BY A GRATE BETWEEN THE 2 RAMPS THAT ARE PROPOSED.

AS FAR AS ENGINEERING'S COMMENTS GO ALL THE COMMENTS THAT WERE SUBMITTED BEFORE OR AFTER THE STAFF REPORT WAS FINALIZED THAT WE SEE UNDER REVIEW COMMENTS. THOSE HAVE BEEN ADDRESSED BY THE APPLICANT AND ARE CITY ENGINEER DOES NOT HAVE ANY ADDITIONAL COMMENTS.

AND SO THEREFORE STAFF RECOMMENDS APPROVAL WITH SPECIFIC CONDITIONS ONE THROUGH 5 CONDITION 5, BASICALLY SAYING THAT THE LICENSEE SHALL REFLECT ENGINEERING'S COMMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION DRAWINGS WHEN THE PERMIT PHASE COMES ALONG.

PLUS STANDARD CONDITIONS 6 THROUGH 11. AND WE HAVE SOME PHOTOS HERE.

[00:10:05]

NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. HERE WE HAVE A ENLARGED SECTION SHOWING THAT EXACT SAME VIEW.

AND THE CROSS SECTION FROM THE PROPOSED CONSTRUCTION DRAWING, SHOWING HOW THAT RAMP WOULD RISE UP A LITTLE BIT TO KIND OF HIT THE CONDUIT, SO TO SPEAK, AND THEN THE PROTECTIVE GRADING THAT WOULD THEN CONNECT THEM FOR, YOU KNOW, PEDESTRIAN AND TRAFFIC USES.

AND THEN WE HAVE A PHOTO, A COUPLE PHOTOS OF THE ALLEY, FIRST THE ALLEY LOOKING EAST AND THE APPROXIMATE LOCATION OF THE CONNECTION WHERE THE RAMPS WOULD BE. THEN THE PROPERTY TO THE NORTH, APPROXIMATELY WHERE THE GENERATOR IS GOING TO BE LOCATED.

THE PROPERTY TO THE EAST. NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. AND, OH, THERE WE GO, THE PROPERTY TO THE WEST.

AND I BELIEVE THAT CONCLUDES STAFF'S REPORT. ALRIGHTY.

THANK YOU. I GUESS WE'LL OPEN UP THE PUBLIC HEARING. IS THE APPLICANT PRESENT? IF YOU'LL COME UP, STATE YOUR NAME AND SIGN IN FOR US. MY NAME IS JAY SIMMS. I'M THE INTERIM EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE ROSENBERG LIBRARY.

ALRIGHT. THANK YOU FOR JOINING US. YOU WANT TO TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT Y'ALL WHAT Y'ALL ARE WORKING ON? YEAH, SURE WE ARE. I MEAN, HE'S HE'S ALREADY PAINTED A PRETTY GOOD PICTURE OF IT, BUT THE IDEA IS TO HAVE A GENERATOR THAT WOULD RUN THE ENTIRE LIBRARY IN THE EVENT OF POWER OUTAGE. WE'VE LOOKED AT SEVERAL DIFFERENT OPTIONS.

OBVIOUSLY, IT WOULD HAVE BEEN A LOT CHEAPER AND A LOT EASIER IF WE'D HAVE BEEN ABLE TO PUT IT ON THE SAME SIDE OF THE ALLEY AS THE LIBRARY. THAT WAS NOT POSSIBLE.

WE LOOKED TOOK A LOT OF LOT OF EFFORT TRYING TO GET A GENERATOR BIG ENOUGH TO RUN THE LIBRARY.

AND IN THAT SMALLER SPACE THAT WE HAD, IT JUST WASN'T WASN'T FEASIBLE.

SO YOU KNOW, WE LOOKED AT GOING UNDERNEATH AND GOING UNDER AND THERE ARE SOME, SOME UTILITY UNDER THERE.

AND IT WAS JUST DECIDED THERE'S A LOT OF UNKNOWN THERE.

WE DIDN'T WANT TO GET INTO A PROBLEM THERE. SO THIS WAS JUST THE SIMPLEST SOLUTION TO THE PROBLEM.

AND WE HAVE ARCHIVES THERE. IT'S ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WHEN WE HAVE HAD OUTAGES IN THE PAST, WE HAVE TO BRING IN, YOU KNOW, GENERATORS TO, TO HOOK INTO THE, THE BUILDING.

AND THIS WOULD JUST RESOLVE ALL OF THAT. SO AWESOME.

WELL THANK YOU. I GUESS DO WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR THE APPLICANT? I HAVE A COUPLE QUESTIONS. SURE. SO THIS IS SITTING THIS IS GOING TO TAKE UP A COUPLE OF YOUR PARKING SPACES.

RIGHT WHERE THE WHERE THE GENERATOR IS. YEAH, NOT WHERE THIS ISN'T.

THAT'S NOT PART OF THE USE PERMIT, BUT BUT YEAH, WHERE THAT WOULD BE ON OUR PROPERTY.

YES. IT'S ALREADY A TIGHT PARKING LOT. CORRECT. SO HOW HIGH DOES THIS SIT UP OFF THE GROUND? THE GENERATOR OR THE GENERATOR? IT'S ON A FOOTING.

YEAH. IT'S GOING TO BE LIKE 14FT ABOVE. ABOVE MEAN SEA LEVEL.

I THINK THAT PUTS IT LIKE 8 OR 9FT ABOVE THE GROUND WHERE WE ARE.

SO IF YOU PARK A CAR NEXT TO IT, HOW HOW HIGH IS IT GOING TO BE WHEN YOU GET OUT OF YOUR CAR WHEN YOU GET.

IT'LL BE A IT'LL BE HIGHER THAN THE CAR. YEAH.

YEAH. DEFINITELY. ALL RIGHT. AND SO JUST IN PROTECTION FROM THE PUBLIC, THIS IS GOING TO HAVE ITS OWN ENCLOSURE.

IT WILL. YEAH IT WILL. AND IT'LL HAVE A, YOU KNOW, A LOCKING LADDER THAT WILL ALLOW PEOPLE TO GO UP IN IT WITHOUT WITHOUT BEING, YOU KNOW, AUTHORIZED. AND ALL THE CONNECTIONS ARE GOING TO GO UNDERNEATH THE ALLEY.

SO GOING TO THE BUILDING AND YES, THEY'LL ALL GO UNDER THE ALLEY.

I THINK THERE'LL BE EITHER 4 OR 5 CONDUITS THAT WILL ACTUALLY GO IN THAT SPACE.

OKAY. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. SO WHAT I'M HEARING IS IT DOESN'T SOUND LIKE THERE'S GOING TO BE ANYTHING THAT'S GOING TO BE AN IMPAIRMENT TO FOOT TRAFFIC. NOT NOT AT ALL. IT'S JUST IT'S ALMOST GOING TO MAKE, LIKE, A REALLY SHORT SPEED HUMP, IF YOU WILL. AND THAT'S NOT A BAD THING. JUST A RALLY ANYWAY, BECAUSE WE HAVE TRINITY KIDS COMING ACROSS AND YOU KNOW, ANYTIME WE CAN SLOW PEOPLE DOWN. SO THAT'S ACTUALLY A HIDDEN BENEFIT.

GOOD THING. OKAY. THANK YOU. AND HOW FAR ARE YOU FROM THE FROM THAT ENTRANCE? THAT'S ON THE ALLEY. FROM THE FROM THE LIBRARY ENTRANCE.

WE'RE WE'RE GOING TO BE PRETTY CLOSE TO THAT ENTRANCE.

IT'S JUST THE RAMP ITSELF WILL KIND OF DIE RIGHT AT THAT WHERE THE CROSSWALK IS, BUT IT WON'T BE IN THE CROSSWALK.

GOTCHA. OKAY, GREAT. THANK YOU. ANYBODY ELSE? ALL RIGHTY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU. AND I GUESS.

DO WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR STAFF? NOPE. ALL RIGHT.

ALL RIGHT, THEN I GUESS WE'LL BRING THAT BACK. WE'LL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING AND BRING THAT BACK FOR ACTION. I'LL MAKE A MOTION.

WE APPROVE 25P-053 WITH |TAFF RECOMMENDATIONS.

ALL RIGHT. ANYBODY? ALL RIGHTY. THANK YOU. WE GOT A MOTION AND A SECOND. SO ANYBODY WANT TO MAKE A COMMENT? HAVE ANY DISCUSSION? ALL RIGHTY. I GUESS WE'LL MAKE TAKE SOME ACTION.

SO, ALL IN FAVOR? ALL RIGHT, ALL IN FAVOR? UNANIMOUS.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH. ALRIGHTY. AND THEN ARE WE GOING TO BE TALKING ABOUT THE DISCUSSION ITEMS?

[7.A. Review of topics selected for discussion at the January 15, 2026, City Council Meeting]

WE WERE GOING TO REVIEW THE TOPICS FOR DISCUSSION AT THE JANUARY 15TH CITY COUNCIL |EETING, BUT THAT MEETING HAS BEEN POSTPONED. SO THE DATE FOR THAT POSTPONEMENT HASN'T BEEN SET YET.

[00:15:06]

AND JUST SO KATHERINE, I DID FIND THE TIME. WE TALKED ABOUT SOME OF THESE WHEN WE HAD OUR WORKSHOP IN THE SPRING, AND SO THERE WERE THESE TOPICS THERE, AND ONE OF THEM WAS ABOUT THE PUDDLES. AND THAT QUESTION I WAS ASKING ABOUT THE LIKE, WHAT ARE THE MOST COMMON REQUESTS THAT PEOPLE MAKE WITH THEIR PET APPLICATIONS? SO I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING TO REVISIT, OR AT LEAST HAVE IT THERE IN A ON A ON A SIDE NOTE, WHEN THIS COMES WHEN WE ACTUALLY DO BRING IT TO |OUNCIL.

YEAH. GREAT. DO YOU HAVE THE DATE MARCH 18TH.

MARCH 18TH. GREAT. BECAUSE WE HAD A |ORKSHOP AND NO MEETING THAT DAY.

A LONG WORKSHOP I'M SURE. VERY PRODUCTIVE. LIKEWISE WITH THE I THINK IT'D BE USEFUL WITH THE ALLEY ACCESS LOTS TO HAVE THOSE NUMBERS AS WELL. COOL. AWESOME. WELL, I GUESS THAT'S EVERYTHING.

SO ALL RIGHT, THEN, WE'LL ADJOURN. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

AND JUST NOTE THAT OUR NEXT MEETING IS CANCELED DUE TO THE MARTIN LUTHER KING DAY HOLIDAY, SO WE WON'T MEET AGAIN UNTIL FEBRUARY. FEBRUARY 3RD.

WE'LL MEET AGAIN TILL FEBRUARY 3RD. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.