Forney P&Z Apr. 2, 2015 removes seating requirements, approves tall buildings

During its regular April 02, 2015 meeting, the Forney Planning & Zoning Commission -

• Approved a preliminary plat for 40.854 acres property known as Brooklyn Village Phases I and II, generally located east of F.M. 740 and south of Bowie Street.
       
• Approved a residential subdivision preliminary plat for Windmill Farms, Phase 5A. The property is generally located north of US Highway 80 and east of Windmill Farms Boulevard.
       This section is 32.823 acres and will have 151 lots.
• Approved a final plat to create a residential subdivision identified as The Cedars at Gateway Phase 2. The property is generally located east of F.M. 548 and north of Gateway Boulevard North.
       This complex is across Gateway Blvd (or N.E.) from the existing buildings.
• Approved one-year extension for the final plat of The Trails of Chestnut Meadow, Phase 5. The plat consists of 61 lots within the Trails of Chestnut Meadow Planned Development.
       Mr. Cunningham said he had asked staff if the builder plans to start in a few months, why extend it for one year, and was told the ordinance requires that.
• Rescheduled the next regular Planning and Zoning Commission meeting from May 7, 2015, to April 30, 2015.
       Mr. Morgan explained this was to meet some legal timing requirements for land under consideration for annexation.
• Held public hearings regarding:
  • An amendment to the City of Forney Comprehensive Zoning Ordinance Section 37.2, “Use Charts”, regarding the use of Private Clubs and an amendment to Section 34d, “Entertainment Overlay District”, regarding the requirements for a private club, including the number of dining seats required.
          Mike Thomas and Mathew Malone stated their reasons for desiring the changes. Mr. Thomas would like to serve alcoholic beverages, but a seating capacity of 50 prevents that, yet customers can go down the block to the convenience store, buy the desired beverages, and bring them back to consume with their meal.
          Mr. Malone said he became involved as the president of the FDBA, and discovered a lot of paperwork was involved and the easiest way would be to remove the seating requirement. Regarding the fear of bars, the TABC regulations would prevent that. That point was debated, citing two local restaurants widely believed to be bars. Mr. Thomas said that enforcement issue had been resolved. Mr. Morgan said a complaint had been file again Fat Dawgs, but before the TABC hearing was held, a kitchen had been installed, so the TABC did not pursue the matter.
         After a lengthy discussion, and briefly considering lowering the seating requirement from 125 to 25, the commission approved removing the seating requirement city-wide, and retaining the CUP procedure, but streamlining it to make it easier.
  • An amendment to the City of Forney Comprehensive Zoning Ordinance, amending Section 37.2, “Use Charts”, Section 29.3, General Retail District Building Height Regulations, Section 31.3, Commercial District Building Height Regulations, Section 32.3, Mixed Use District Building Height Regulations, and Section 33.3, Light Industrial District Building Height Regulations, to consider an approval process to allow for a taller building height than currently allowed.
         After discussing the impact on the Fire Dept. and learning that the CUP process would require review of fire suppression and evacuation procedures, the item was approved.