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1991-07-25 CITY OF SOUTHLAKE 667 N. Carroll Avenue BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT WORK SESSION July 25, 1991 7:15 P.M. MEMBERS PRESENT: Art Sorenson, Chairman, Ernest Johnson, Vice Chairman, and Fred Joyce. MEMBERS ABSENT: Joe Bentley, Robert Downard, Dennis Minder, Alternate #1 and Karen Reynolds, Alternate # 2. Agenda Item 2 Proposed amendments to Ordinance No. 480 (see previous minutes and other related ordinances. See attached amplification. Agenda Item # 3 Board of Adjustment Rules of Order, Procedure, and Conduct. See attached amplification. Agenda Item # 4 Board of Adjustment training at NCTCOG. 000*N See attached amplification. t ILI Agenda Item # 5 Meeting Adjourned. With no objections Mr. Sorenson deemed the meeting adjourned. Meeting adjourned 8:36 P. M. Notes prepared by Arthur Sorenson Session taped for Public Record. s~ Arthur So son, Chairman Attached: Amplification of Minutes of Work Session July 25, 1991 3 Pages ~n _MMlnil I Yn.r.. u..n.Y.+nwlw P0 City of Southlake Board of Adjustment Amplification of Minutes of Work Session of July 25, 1991 Agenda Item 2• Discussion of Proposed Amendments to Zoning and Other Related Ordinances Mr Johnson recommended adding this subject to the regular meeting agenda with the intent that items discovered during that meeting might then be taken up, or moved for discussion at a subsequent work session. Members present concurred. The chair asks that a full quorum vote be given on this mater. The item, tentatively titled 'Zoning and Related Ordinance Review Topics', would be positioned on the agenda to follow scheduled BOA cases. Each topic so adopted should then be itemized in subsequent agendas until a proper disposition is made of it. Discussion items from previous meeting (7/25/91): 1. 'Regularly Scheduled Meetings': 2nd and 4th Thursday of each month, standard agenda. - When no applicant cases were scheduled for a given meeting, the agenda should show 'none'. Other items of business would be conducted as usual, including ordinance review topics. - This item has been discussed at the last two work sessions, and is endorsed by those present at each. Members who have not yet personally considered their own position on this matter are asked to be prepared to vote it at the next meeting. 2. Clarification of terminology: "reversed frontage lots" and "second front yard": discussion continued. Each member is asked to research COS 480 and 483 for use of these and related terms. A compilation of section and paragraph references may then be used by the BOA and P&Z to construct recommendations for change as warranted. In related discussion, Mr Johnson brought up the desirability for a coordinated, cross-referenced index of subjects and terms related to zoning. The idea was well-received by members present, and will be discussed with staff for added input and recommendations. The possibility that a separate ordinance could be dedicated to the standardization of terms, subject matter and format should be well-received by all users on staff, council, commissions, boards, and citizens in their dealings with the city. 3. 'Grandfathering' of yard setbacks in subdivisions which were substantially built-out under prior ordinance criteria: - The board requests staff to calculate the approximate number of unbuilt lots in such subdivisions. The resulting figure will then be used by the board to determine whether the potential request for variance caseload warrants a recommendation for change to the ordinance to permit 'grandfathering'. 4. 'Available Building Area (ABA) minimums for residential corner lots': (Members are aware that this item is outside the BOA area of authority, in that review and approval of lot size is conducted by P&Z and Council respectively. However, a corollary responsibility is believed to exist in this and similar matters when requests for variance or appeal are made which arise from ordinance restrictions which are discovered to be unintended as written, or which may no longer be required. The typically reduced ABA extant on most corner lots in previously platted subdivisions may be such a restriction.) Because this is a relatively infrequent case matter, members present recommend no change at this time. - The board should ask staff to consider adding a 'checklist' item in the plat review procedure which addresses WR ABA reduction as a result of increased sideyard requirements on corner lots, if such a checklist item does not now exist. If formally made, this would be a 'corollary area' recommendation. It should therefor be reviewed by staff and P&Z for necessity and workload impact prior to adoption. 5. BOA coordination on ordinance changes recommended by staff and other city agencies: - The nature of formal BOA proceedings requires members to carefully examine both the letter and spirit of the ordinances applicable to each case. It is assumed by the law which empowers the board that it is qualified to do so. i - If the board were routinely in the 'coordination loop' on recommendations for change to such ordinances, some beneficial things could result: - board members would be privy to the council's intent early in the process of ordinace development or revision. Ordinance provisions which would otherwise be perceived by the board as problematic (ambiguous or inconsistent with the whole) could then be seen in the light of intent and, if s* lr` necessary and with the concurrence of the review and approval authorities, modified by input from the board prior to approval and publication. necessary communication between board members, P&Z and Council would thereby be encouraged, and would lead to better understanding of the respective roles and concerns of all involved. - participating board.members would accrue expanded knowledge of planning and zoning processes, and thereby add to their personal potential for valuable service in future appointments. Agenda Item 3• Rules of Order Procedure and Conduct: Each member is reminded that the parliamentary order of our meetings is maintained under Robert's Rules of Order; that our procedures are governed by state law and city ordinance, and that our conduct is sworn under oath. The board shall adopt additional rules necessary to the conduct of its affairs (COS 480, 44-2). - A partial draft of the board's additional rules has been furnished to each member with a request for added input -,~r►i as to format, content and style. The chair asks members to submit any contributions to this work at the August 29 meeting. Agenda Item 4• BOA training at NCTCOG: the board secretary will keep us advised of the next opportunities for this excellent training. To date, Bentley and Sorenson have attended; they strongly indorse both the course content and its superb presentation by City Attorney Allen Taylor. Prepared by- xww Arthur orenson, Chairman