BRENHAM PLANNING AND ZONING TO CONSIDER REZONING 87 ACRES FROM RESIDENTIAL TO MIXED USE

  

A public hearing for a city-led request to rezone over 87 acres of land from residential use to mixed residential and business use leads a busy agenda for the Brenham Planning and Zoning Commission on Monday.

The city is seeking to change the zoning of all or part of several tracts of land on and around East Tom Green Street, Loesch Street and Niebuhr Street.  Currently, this land is zoned for single-family residential use, but the city is looking to rezone in order to establish the existing specific and institutional uses as permitted uses, and to align the zoning with the future land use plan approved in the city’s comprehensive plan.

Over the past three months, the city says it has received several calls from potential buyers of a property undergoing foreclosure on East Tom Green Street to see what commercial uses are permitted for the site.  The land has previously been permitted for use as a dance studio, construction office and daycare.

Designation as a business and residential mixed use district allows the land to be used for single-family, two-family and multi-family residential use, while also allowing neighborhood commercial uses like offices, florist shops, dance studios, retail, restaurants and outpatient clinics.

The city has received two letters opposing the rezoning request, stating concerns about traffic and added business and commercial development in a residential area.

Also on the agenda is a request from Ranier and Son Development Company to approve a residential replat of four lots in the Vintage Farms subdivision and the dedication of right-of-way for the extension of Trellis Pass, for a total of 0.689 acres.  The property owner is looking to replat the four lots into three and dedicate right-of-way for a punch-thru of Trellis Pass to connect the 52-acre tract with the existing first phase of the Vintage Farms subdivision.  The city has received three written comments opposing the replat.

Ranier and Son Development Company is also looking to amend Vintage Farms’ planned development district for 52.4 acres located south and west of Dixie Road and north of Muscadine Trail.  The amendment would allow the developer to revise the retention pond and build a community park.  The developer says current zoning would require it to attain a surface water permit from the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) for the planned retention pond, and that the permit process could take two to four year.  The permit would not be needed if the pond is zoned under agricultural use instead of residential use.  The developer would also seek to use 13 acres of dedicated greenspace for covered playground equipment, a pavilion, a dog park, park benches and walking trails.

Commissioners will also consider a zoning change from mixed residential to commercial, research and technology use for 0.99 acres of vacant land at 1408 North Park Street.  The property owner, Brion Webb of WBT Investments, LLC, is seeking to rezone the property to match the current zoning of vacant land to the south that he also owns.  The rezoning would allow the land to potentially be part of a 2.2 acre commercial development.

The commission will also hold a workshop to discuss allowing a car wash as a specific use.

Commissioners will meet Monday evening at 5:15 p.m. at Brenham City Hall.