Aug 13, 2024 Board of Adjustment

[CALL TO ORDER]

[00:00:06]

>> ARE GOING TO CALL THIS MEETING TO ORDER. MY CLOCK

[MINUTES (Part 1 of 2)]

>> I HAVE A MOTION TO ACCEPT THE MEETING MINUTES AS WRITTEN.

>> SECOND . >> MINUTES PASS . THE BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT HAS FIVE MEMBERS, FOUR OF WHICH MUST BE PRESENT AT EACH MEETING. FOUR FAVORABLE VOTES ARE REQUIRED TO APPROVE ANY REQUEST UNDER CONSIDERATION. IF A SPECIAL EXCEPTION, OR VARIANCE IS GRANTED BY THIS BOARD, THE APPLICANT HAS 180 DAYS FROM THE DATE TO OBTAIN A BUILDING PERMIT, IF ONE IS REQUIRED. A LONGER PERIOD OF TIME WILL BE CONSIDERED BY THIS BOARD IF REQUESTED BY THE APPLICANT AT THIS HEARING . A BUILDING PERMIT MAY BE APPLIED FOR THE DAY THE REQUEST IS APPROVED , AFTER THE MEETING WAS ADJOURNED. IF THE REQUEST IS DENIED, IT MAY NOT BE CONSIDERED BY THIS BOARD UNTIL 12 MONTHS FROM THIS DATE.

APPEALS FROM THE DECISIONS OF THIS BOARD MAY BE MADE TO A COURT OF RECORD WITHIN 10 DAYS FROM THIS DATE. EACH PERSON WHO WISHES TO SPEAK DURING THE HEARING WILL NEED TO TAKE THE FOLLOWING OATH. IF YOU WOULD PLEASE STAND AND RAISE YOUR RIGHT HAND. ARE YOU WANTING TO SPEAK? DO YOU SWEAR TO TELL THE WHOLE TRUTH, AND NOTHING BUT THE TRUTH? YOU MAY BE SEATED.

[2. BA-2024-11: Receive a Report, Hold a Discussion and Public Hearing, and Take Action on a request from Jesus Villarreal for a special exception to allow auto sales within the Pine Street Corridor Overlay located at 542 East Ambler Avenue. (Clarissa Ivey)]

AMBLER AVENUE. >> GOOD MORNING. MY NAME IS CLARISSA IVEY, A PLANNER FOR THE CITY OF ABILENE. TODAY WE HAVE CASE BA-2024-11. BEFORE MOVING FORWARD, I WANT TO POINT OUT THE AGENDA READS IT'S A SPECIAL EXCEPTION , TO ALLOW AUTO SALES ON THE PINE STREET CORRIDOR OVERLAY. HOWEVER, THE PINE CORE DOOR DOES NOT APPLY FOR THIS ADDRESS. AFTER FURTHER DISCUSSION WITH THE LEGAL TEAM, IT WAS DETERMINED THAT IT IS THE AMBLER CORRIDOR . IT WAS JUST AN ADJECTIVE OF THE CORE DOOR. IT IS STILL BOTH CORRIDORS STILL REQUIRE SPECIAL EXCEPTIONS. AND THE ADDRESS IS STILL 542 EAST AMBLER AVENUE THAT WE ARE ASKING THE REQUEST FOR A.

>> THANK YOU. AS YOU CAN SEE, THIS PROPERTY IS RIGHT OFF OF EAST AMBLER AVENUE. IT'S A CORNER PROPERTY WITH MADISON AVENUE. THE PROPERTY HAS BEEN REZONED TO GENERAL COMMERCIAL RECENTLY. THESE ARE SOME OF THE SUBJECTIVE USE OF THE PROPERTY.

THE PROPERTY IS SET UP TO HAVE AN OFFICE AND BAY DOORS . THERE ARE SOME RETAIL, OFFICES, AND RESIDENTIAL PROPERTIES ACROSS AMBLER AVENUE. THE ZONING OF GENERAL AND COMMERCIAL DOES ALLOW FOR RETAIL SALES OF AUTOMOBILE. HOWEVER, BECAUSE IT IS WITHIN THE AMBLER AVENUE CORE DOOR, THAT IS THE REASON WHY WE ARE HERE BEFORE YOU ASKING FOR A SPECIAL EXCEPTION.

THE PURPOSE OF THE AMBLER CORRIDOR IS TO INCLUDE RETAIL, RESTAURANT SERVICES, MEDICAL OFFICE, EDUCATION AND OTHER USES. TO MAKE THE AREA A LITTLE BIT MORE ATTRACTIVE , AND PEDESTRIAN FRIENDLY. THESE ARE SOME OF THE ITEMS THAT ARE REQUIRED FROM THE AMBLER AVENUE CORRIDOR .

>> WE SENT OUT NOTIFICATIONS, TO WHICH WE DID NOT RECEIVE ANY IN FAVOR, OR OPPOSITION. WE REVIEWED THE REQUEST PURSUING

[00:05:06]

>> A FEW SLIDES BEFORE THAT , THERE WAS A CIRCLE. HOW FAR

DOES THE AMBLER CORRIDOR GO? >> IT IS A MILE-LONG.

>> OKAY. >> THE PROPERTY HAS BEEN

REZONED COMMERCIAL, RIGHT? >> YES, IT HAS BEEN REZONED

GENERAL COMMERCIAL . >> SO IT IS THE ZONING THAT ALLOWS FOR THE AUTOMOBILE SALES. BUT IT'S THE AMBLER

OVERLAY -- >> THE AMBLER OVERLAY THAT REQUIRES HIM TO HAVE SPECIAL EXCEPTIONS FOR AUTO SALES.

>> DO WE KNOW HOW LONG IT HAS BEEN VACANT?

>> IT'S BEEN MORE THAN SIX MONTHS. THAT IS THE REASON THEY HAVE TO GO THROUGH THIS PROCESS. PREVIOUSLY, THERE WAS AN AUTO SALES THERE, BUT IT WAS ABANDONED.

>> IT IS NO LONGER GRANDFATHERED.

>> I THOUGHT I SAW IT. THAT'S WHY WE ARE HAVING TO COME BACK.

>> IT WAS SET UP IN THE MANNER WHERE THERE COULD BE AUTOSALES.

>> THANK YOU. WILL THE PROPONENT PLEASE COME FORWARD TO THE MICROPHONE, STATE THEIR NAME, AND WHY THEY ARE REQUESTING A SPECIAL EXCEPTION VARIANCE.

>> GOOD MORNING. MY NAME IS A JESUS VILLARREAL, THIS IS MY WIFE, TERESA. FIRST OF ALL, THANK YOU FOR HAVING US IN THIS MORNING. THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION IN THIS MATTER.

LIKE MENTIONED, WE PURCHASED PROPERTY ABOUT TWO YEARS AGO.

IT WAS A VACANT FOR QUITE SOME TIME. WE STORED SOME CLASSIC CARS IN THE BASE. I GUESS TIME WOULD HAVE IT THAT I WOULD RETIRE FROM THE -- POLICE DEPARTMENT. I NEEDED A PLACE -- FOR SOMETHING TO DO, MORE OR LESS. WE FIGURED, NOW IT IS TIME TO PUT THE BUILDING INTO USE, SINCE IT WAS REMODELED AND CLEANED UP. WHEN I BOUGHT THE BUILDING, I DID NOT NECESSARILY KNOW THAT IT WAS NOT ZONED, AS IT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE FROM A CAR LOT. BUT DURING THAT TIME, WE'VE TAKEN SOME STEPS TO MAKE THE PROPERTY A LOT NICER . WE ARE ASKING FOR AUTOSALES TO BE PERMITTED, IF POSSIBLE. WE TAKE A LOT OF PRIDE, ME AND MY WIFE ARE BOTH ABILENE RESIDENTS. WE ARE LOOKING TO GET OUR FAMILY NAME IN THE CAR INDUSTRY. I WOULD REALLY APPRECIATE YOU ALL'S CONSIDERATION IN THIS MATTER. ANY QUESTIONS?

>> DOES YAWLS RENOVATION -- YOUR RENOVATION MEET THE AMBLER

CORRIDOR REGULATIONS ? >> WHAT SLIDE WOULD YOU LIKE TO

GO BACK TO? >> IT IS LIKE SOMEBODY READ MY

MIND. >> I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE LANDSCAPE IS FOR THE LDC STANDARDS ARE. I AM NOT SURE ON

THAT. >> IF I MIGHT ADD SOMETHING HERE, THE STATE IN THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS HAS CHANGED SOME OF THE STATUTES, GOVERNING WHAT CITIES CAN AND CANNOT DO REGARDING THE ARCHITECTURAL STANDARDS. RIGHT NOW, WE CANNOT TOUCH THEM. THIS IS HAPPENED ON OTHER CORE DOORS IN THE CITY.

AND WE HAVE HAD TO BACK OFF AS A RESULT. THAT CRITERIA IS NO LONGER SOMETHING THAT WE NEED TO CONSIDER. EVERYTHING ELSE ON HERE, SIGNAGE AND LANDSCAPING , AND LAND USE ARE THINGS WE CAN

[00:10:04]

CONSIDER. >> BUT NOT THE ARCHITECTURAL?

>> WHEN WE ACQUIRED THE PROPERTY, IT WAS BRIGHT YELLOW . AND THERE WERE CRACKS AND THINGS LIKE THAT. WE LIVE ON LINCOLN DRIVE. IT WAS DEFINITELY AN EYESORE. WHAT WE HAVE TRIED TO DO IS TO RENOVATE IT AND AESTHETICALLY APPEAL TO THAT AREA, USING THE GRAYS AND PURPLES . THAT IS WHAT WE HAVE TRIED TO DO. TO MAKE IT TO WHERE IT'S NOT JUST A YELLOW EYESORE STICKING OUT IN THE STREET . WE HAVE A PLANT THE LANDSCAPE AND THINGS LIKE THAT. HE HAS DONE A REALLY GOOD JOB OF CLEANING IT UP. THERE WERE WEEDS ON THE GROUND. WE ARE DEFINITELY LOOKING AT THE AESTHETIC PART OF IT AS WELL.

THAT IS SOMETHING WE ARE CONTINUING TO DO. WE HAVE DONE

SOME OF THOSE THINGS. >> THANK YOU . ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR THE PROPONENTS ? THANK YOU, GUYS . NOW WE WILL OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING. IS THERE ANYONE TO SPEAK IN FAVOR, OR OPPOSITION? SEEING NO ONE, WE WILL CLOSE THE PUBLIC

HEARING. DISCUSSION ? >> I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING TO

SAY OR ADD . >> DID YOUR QUESTIONS GET

ANSWERED? OKAY. >> WE NEED A MOTION AND A

SECOND . >> I MOVE THAT A SPECIAL EXCEPTION TO APPROVE TO ALLOW AUTOSALES WITHIN THE AMBLER CORRIDOR LOCATED AT 542 EAST AMBLER AVENUE BE APPROVED.

>> I SECOND . >> --

>> I VOTE FOR THE SPECIAL EXEMPTION TO BE ALLOWED.

>>

CARRIES. >> I DO NEED TO QUICKLY GO

[MINUTES (Part 2 of 2)]

>> I BELIEVE IT IS ROBERTS OR SOMETHING THAT CALLS FOR THE MOTION AND SECOND-PERIOD IT IS JUST OUR RULES THAT WE FOLLOW THE CALL FOR A VOTE AFTER . THAT IS KIND OF WHY I DID NOT SAY ANYTHING. I APPRECIATE YOU HAVING A VOTE.

>> I KIND OF SKIPPED RIGHT OVER THAT ONE. I DO

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.