What Happened at the P&Z Meeting on 8/4/09?
P&Z members present were Gregg Michel, Steve Ritchie, Bert Buys, Joe Edmond, Alex Blue, Ron Hozza, Jerry Cotton, and Sandra Ethridge. Mike McGlothing and Richard Hawk were absent. Also present at the meeting were City Administrator Rick Schroder, Council members Gary Johnson and Cynthia Massey, EDC president Ardie Garner, and Mayor Schoolcraft.
Prior to Mayor Schoolcraft’s arrival, City Secretary Grace Tamez swore in the P&Z members and reminded them of their training requirements.
They elected officers: Gregg Michel will remain the Chair and Alex Blue the Vice Chair. No one wanted to be Secretary, so Gregg decided he would talk to the two absent members to see if they might be interested. Alex Blue took the minutes for this meeting.
The public hearing was opened giving all interested persons a chance to be heard on the proposed amendments to the Schedule of Uses for the B-3 Overlay District.
Bob Kerestes, Cedar Springs, stated that he was against some of the proposed changes, such as allowing pawn shops, taverns, and liquor stores in the Overlay District. He feels that it would take away from what we have built in Helotes.
Irene Kerestes, Cedar Springs, said she feels the same. She has been researching the connection between alcohol and pawn shops and crime. Liquor stores and pawn shops shouldn’t be close to schools. Their kids would have to walk past these stores going to and from school. She asked that they look at the effects these businesses would have on the community. She was fine with doctors’ offices, title companies, dentists, etc.
Aaron Martinez, Cedar Springs, said that the B-3 Overlay District now gives a favorable impression of Helotes. Now the businesses are pediatricians, dentists, and restaurants. Police departments have large groups of officers dedicated to investigating pawn shop activities. More of our police resources would have to be used for that purpose. He is not against those businesses, just not in favor of them in the Overlay District close to the Cedar Springs Subdivision. He has two major concerns: giving a bad impression of Helotes and the possibility of exposing children to these businesses.
Maureen Connelly, Cedar Springs, thanked P&Z members for the work they’ve done on the Schedule of Uses. She urged them to take their time in making these decisions and consider the negative effects of liquor sales, pawn shops, taverns, etc., such as late hours and questionable clientele. They want to feel safe in their homes and their neighborhoods. Even if a night club is totally enclosed, there will still be noise and drunk drivers. Increased tax revenue is not worth even one kidnapping, rape, or murder.
The public hearing was closed at 7:25 p.m.
There was no one present to speak during Citizens to be Heard.
The Helotes Market Place at 14391 Old Bandera Road (previously West Star Survey), in Old Town Helotes, is requesting approval of a sign change. The signs are larger than allowed in Old Town, but because the business owner is making a good faith effort to preserve historic aspects of the building, Rick Schroder recommended that they approve the request. The requested lighting of the signs is not allowed by the ordinance. They want to install floodlights on the ground that shine up on the signs.
They ultimately decided to approve the main sign on the front of the building and the lighting contingent on their complying with the ordinance and using full cut-off lighting mounted on the top of the signs and shining down on them. They will consider the signs proposed for the side of the building when they get a drawing from the business owner showing them what the signs will look like. They did not feel comfortable approving them sight-unseen.
Next was their discussion on and approval of the proposed amendments to the B-3 Overlay District Schedule of Uses. They decided to leave the prohibited list as it currently is with the following changes. These uses, previously on the prohibited list, are now allowed in the B-3 Overlay District: appliance repair and sales; full service car washes; and laundry and dry cleaning shops (list might not be all inclusive; I might have overlooked something).
New uses added to the prohibited list: automobile paint and body shop and storage building (marine, automobile, home, commercial) (storage buildings previously required City Council approval).
New uses (previously on the prohibited list) in the B-3 Overlay District now requiring City Council approval are: marine sales and service (new and used when used incidental to new sales) and hotels (other than motels or motor inns where patrons access rooms via parking area). Now on the allowed list (removed from the list of uses City Council must approve) are: restaurants (alcoholic beverages incidental to food sales); gymnasiums; and carpet sales.
They are recommending to City Council that the above amendments be approved.
Sandra Ethridge commented that in the future she wants the Commission to consider adding tattoo parlors and head shops to the prohibited list.
The meeting was adjourned at 9:41 p.m.