BRENHAM PLANNING & ZONING GIVES OK TO AMENDMENTS TO COMPREHENSIVE PLAN, FUTURE LAND USE MAP, THOROUGHFARE PLAN

  

The Brenham Planning and Zoning Commission gave its recommendation of approval on Monday to a series of amendments to the city’s comprehensive plan, future land use map and thoroughfare plan.

The amendments lay the groundwork for the adoption of the Brenham Family Park Special Area Plan and reflect the intent to extend South Blue Bell Road to Highway 36 South.  The Special Area Plan acts as a guideline for the envisioned uses of the over 600 acres surrounding the proposed Brenham Family Park, which include single- and multi-family residential, commercial, and open space.

The creation of the plan was led by feedback received last year through interviews with landowners, real estate professionals, surveys and public meetings.  City Planner Shauna Laauwe said this is the first and main piece of putting those responses into writing, so that the city has a concept in place to help achieve its desired mix of development.

Development Services Director Stephanie Doland reiterated that the Special Area Plan is not an absolute, as the city aims to be flexible with developers in order to meet the general feel for a master plan community.  She added that because different tracts of land may be under development at different times, accommodating connectivity will be very important. 

Commission Chair Keith Behrens said the city must maintain that flexibility if it wants anything close to this concept plan to happen, as developers will not want to come in if the city’s plans are rigid.  Commission member Dr. Deanna Alfred said there has to be something in place so it is not a completely blank slate, but the city needs to be careful in how it markets its plans to show that there can be changes depending on use.

The amendments will be taken up by the city council at a future meeting.

Also on Monday, commissioners:

• Approved a request from Atwood Kenjura for a residential replat on 8,864 square feet of land south of Second Street and east of Church Street.  The property is currently three undeveloped, vacant lots that are platted for townhome development facing a private alley.  The owner wished to replat the three lots into two lots facing the public street right-of-way of West Second Street for further development.
• Approved a specific use permit request from Walt Edmunds to allow an accessory dwelling unit (ADU) in an R-1, single-family residential zoning district on 8,487 square feet of property in the 300 block of West Third Street.  The lot has a pre-existing 612 square-foot accessory structure that was grandfathered from the 1970s to 2020, when the applicant purchased the property.  However, the ADU was vacant and in disrepair, so it lost its legally nonconforming status.  The applicant submitted building plans to restore the ADU, which would be provided to family and guests.  The commission approved the item on the condition that the property be replatted. 

Click here to view the agenda packet for Monday's meeting.