04-30-2001 (Planning & Zoning) Minutes MINUTES
PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION
WYLIE MUNICIPAL COMPLEX
2000 Highway 78 North, Wylie, Texas 75098
Special Work Session
April 30, 2001
7:00 pm
Notice was posted in the time and manner required by law and quorum was present.
Commission Members Present: Staff Members Present:
Steve Ahrens Claude Thompson, Planner
Michael George
Mike Phillips Consultants Present:
Carter Porter Ray Stanland
Tony Snider Janet Tharp
Commissioners Absent:
William Chapman
Gary Wiseman
CALL TO ORDER
Chairman George called the Special Work Session to order at 7:05 p.m., in the Council Work
Session Room of the Municipal Complex.
CITIZEN PARTICIPATION
No one appeared to speak.
WORK SESSION
1. Swearing in of new Commissioner Mike Phillips.
City Secretary Barbara Salinas administered the oath of office to newly-appointed Commissioner
Mike Phillips.
2. Consider revisions to the nonresidential districts of the Comprehensive Zoning Ordinance
with the consultant.
Stanland led a discussion of the design regulations for residential structures within the
Downtown Historic District. This will be added to Section 6.3 which already provides
requirements for nonresidential structures, and were discussed at the last meeting.
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April 30, 2001
Page 2
Stanland illustrated the complex relationship between structures and uses within the downtown
area, noting that both residential and nonresidential uses will be accommodated within structures
of both residential and nonresidential design and character. Neighboring structures should be of
similar external design character, regardless of internal use and design. Building regulations will
control external design but not internal, while use regulations will dictate internal uses.
He reviewed common design features of residential-style structures within the downtown area
from photographs, recommended that these be preserved and replicated in new structures. He
noted that most existing structures reflect a common external low-profile single-story height
even when used as two-story, have covered porches, have a multiplicity of roof lines with steep
pitches, and significant articulation by rooms and trim features projecting outward. Side yards
are commonly very wide, foundation piers and crawl spaces are usually covered by wood skirts
and/or plantings, and windows have multiple lights or panes.
Recommended design requirements include allowing such residential designs only adjacent to
other such structures and within blocks with existing residential character designs. Yards should
be maintained or created in conformance to the existing residential yard/setbacks. Accessory
structures, including garages, should be detached from the main structure and located behind the
front building line and off-street parking should be located to the rear or side of the lot.
Recommended architectural requirements include covered porches which fill spaces where
rooms project or up to as much as 2/3 of the front façade, and screened porches should be
prohibited. Roofs should have a steep pitch, with shed roofs prohibited, even on the porches.
Porches should include columns and rails of a compatible design. Foundation skirts could be
included as a desired feature for which points are provided.
The existing low residential profile should be maintained, with the allowed maximum height not
to exceed approximately 26 feet. First and second floors should be aligned vertically, and no
first floor room should project alone outward from the second story wall line, so that the
structures appear to be one-story in height and of a single bulk. All rooms should project at right
angles, and all roof lines should terminate at the same highest point.
Multiple mixed uses should be allowed and encouraged within structures, but no maximum
percentage should be established for joint residential vs nonresidential uses. A residential design
structure could be used entirely for nonresidential purposes and vice-versa, but the character of
the structure should reflect the historic character of the lot and adjacent existing structures.
Nonresidential uses should generally be located on the ground floor and oriented to a front or
side street.
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April 30, 2001
Page 3
Only wood board-on-board or wood-simulated hardi-plank siding should be allowed, and vinyl
or metal siding should be strictly prohibited. The width of siding boards should be specified as
between four to six inches in width, or the historic dimensions of the area. Composition shingles
or extruded or corrugated metal, in patterns already common to the area, should be allowed on
roofs.
A list of permitted colors should be specified, such as adopting the standard historic pallette of a
manufacturer. The requirement should cite appropriate colors for the main structure as well as
trim. Colors should be appropriate for an historic residential period, but not necessarily limited
to those historically used in this area of Wylie
Floor elevations and new construction on pier foundations must accommodate State and federal
requirements for access by the disabled, and ramps should be located so as not to visually
obstructive or intrusive. New slab foundation construction should visually match the heights of
existing pier foundation structures.
No outside storage will be permitted.
Fencing will be allowed within front yards of residential design structures, if of a decorative
design with a minimum opening ratio of 50%and a maximum height of four feet.
No spot or flood lights will be allowed on residential design buildings or sites, but decorative
lighting fixtures and low-intensity illumination will be encouraged. Directional lighting will be
encouraged and spillover of glare onto neighboring properties will be prohibited.
Special on-site landscape requirements will be required. However, streetscape landscaping and
lighting within the public parkway should be unified and the responsibility of the City.
Thorp distributed and led discussion of Land Use Table 5-2, to which uses permitted within the
historic downtown area have been added. Commissioners generally agreed to delete the
following uses from the downtown area: motels; mortuaries and funerals homes; commercial
amusements; health clubs; fueling stations; telecommunications towers; private swimming pools;
and drive thrus for cleaners and financial institutions. Pawnshops and commercial printing
should be allowed and amateur communication towers allowed without the SUP. Occasional
garage and seasonal sales should be allowed.
Thorp distributed and led discussion of Article 7 Residential Adjacency Requirements, which
will control nonresidential uses which are constructed immediately adjacent to residential
properties. These standards will apply throughout the City, and not just within the downtown
area.
P&Z Work Session
April 30, 2001
Page 4
Nonresidential buildings must be set back from residential side and rear property lines a distance
which varies according to their height at a 3:1 ratio. This setback buffer yard may be used for
utility and drainage easements as well as drives and parking. The adjacency requirements also
address glare, noise, traffic, screening of loading docks, HVAC equipment and trash receptacles.
Nonresidential uses which are normally incompatible to residential uses, such as vehicular repair
shops, car washes and fueling centers must be at least 150 feet from residential property lines.
These regulations will be revised and discussed in greater detail at a future work session.
Another work session will be held next Monday, May 7 at 7:00 p.m.
ADJOURNMENT
Motion to adjourn was made by Commissioner Ahrens, seconded by Commissioner Porter. The
meeting was adjourned at 9:20 p.m..
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Michael George, Chairman Claude Thomps nb , Planner