BRENHAM CITY COUNCIL TO REVIEW CODE AMENDMENT PROPOSALS FOR MULTIFAMILY DEVELOPMENT, BUFFERYARDS

  

The Brenham City Council will hold a work session discussion on Thursday for possible city code amendments concerning multifamily developments and bufferyard standards.

Councilmembers will hear from city staff and provide feedback on a proposed amendment to clarify minimum lot area requirements for multifamily developments in the R-2 Mixed Residential District and Downtown Business/Residential Overlay District.  Another proposed amendment would establish new bufferyard requirements to include how they are calculated, the amount of bufferyard required, the amount of landscaped area within the bufferyard, and new use categories.

For the minimum lot area requirements in R-2 zoning, staff is looking to add wording indicating the minimum site area for multifamily development must be 6,000 square feet or 2,000 square feet of lot area per multifamily dwelling unit, whichever is greater.  In the Downtown Business/Residential Overlay District, the minimum site area for duplexes would be at least 5,000 square feet and the minimum for multifamily development must be at least 6,000 square feet or 1,000 square feet of lot area per multifamily dwelling unit, whichever is larger.

The proposed changes to bufferyard standards would add use categories and associated requirements for townhome developments, both for townhomes that are two stories or less and ones that are greater than two stories; nonresidential uses like offices, on small lots less than 5 acres and large lots greater than 5 acres; and automobile-related services, like car washes, convenience stores with fuel sales, drive-thru food establishments and auto-lube facilities.  An additional amendment would call for a minimum landscaped bufferyard of 15 feet between dissimilar uses, except for industrial uses next to residential, where 20 percent of the bufferyard would need to be landscaped.

In other business, the council will:

• Consider an amendment to the city’s professional service agreement with Talex Inc. for engineering and design services related to the replacement of a 30-ton HVAC unit at city hall, above Development Services.  The amendment would approve the invoice to Talex in the amount of $54,552 for its services.  The council will then act on an award for a Request for Proposals to Har-Con Mechanical to furnish all supervision, labor, materials and equipment to replace the rooftop unit, in the amount of $415,800.
• Take up a resolution in connection with a grant agreement with the Federal Aviation Administration related to various taxiways, roadways and stormwater projects at the Brenham Municipal Airport.  The city is looking to use funding from the Airport Infrastructure Grants program to extend Aviation Way and complete general civil site preparations to allow for future hangar construction.  The project is not expected to exceed $306,600.  The city will front the costs and receive reimbursement from the Texas Department of Transportation.
• Potentially award a Request for Qualifications to Strand Associates for engineering, design services and construction administration to extend Aviation Way at the Brenham Municipal Airport in an amount not to exceed $292,000.
• Consider the purchase of handheld and office-mounted radios for the Electric, Water, Wastewater and Gas Departments in the amount of $79,871.
• Act on an amendment to the city’s 2025-26 Fiscal Year budget.
• Vote on a resolution for the adoption of administrative policies to meet the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Compliance and Reporting Guidance.  The policies are needed in regards to the city’s acceptance of American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) grant funds.
• Receive updates from the city’s Tourism and Communications/Public Relations Departments.

The council will meet Thursday at 1 p.m. at Brenham City Hall. 

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