Apr 14, 2025 Plan Commission

[00:00:02]

WELL, GOOD EVENING AND WELCOME TO OUR MEETING.

A LITTLE BIT OF HOUSEKEEPING ITEMS. OUR AGENDA HAS BEEN UPDATED.

SO ON THE OLD AGENDA ITEMS TWO B AND TWO C, WHICH WERE A ZONING ORDINANCE REVISION AND A REQUEST BY THE CITY OF GARLAND.

THOSE ARE BEING POSTPONED TILL OUR APRIL 28TH MEETING.

SO IF YOU'RE HERE FOR THAT, WE WILL NOT BE HAVING ANY PUBLIC HEARING OR ANY DISCUSSION ON THOSE ITEMS. THOSE WILL BE HELD AT OUR NEXT MEETING. ALL RIGHT.

IF YOU CARE TO SPEAK, IF YOU'LL FILL OUT ONE OF THE CARDS AND HAND IT TO PLANNED COMMISSION SECRETARY, IT'S NOT ABSOLUTELY MANDATORY. APPLICANTS WILL BE GIVEN 15 MINUTES TO PRESENT THEIR CASE.

OTHER SPEAKERS WILL ALLOW THREE. IF YOU'RE SPEAKING FOR A GROUP, WE DEFINITELY ALLOW MORE TIME.

AND THEN IF NECESSARY, WE'LL ASK THE APPLICANTS BACK UP.

IF YOU CARE TO SPEAK, PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS INTO THE MICROPHONE.

WE'D APPRECIATE IT. WE START OUR MEETINGS WITH OUR CONSENT AGENDA, WHICH ARE ITEMS THAT THE COMMISSIONERS HAVE REVIEWED AND WILL BE VOTING TO APPROVE IN ONE

[ CONSENT AGENDA All items under this section are recommended for approval by a single motion of the Plan Commission, without discussion. The Chairman will announce the agenda and provide an opportunity for members of the audience and the Plan Commission to request that an item be removed and considered separately. ]

ITEM ONE A CONSIDER APPROVAL OF THE PLAN COMMISSION MINUTES FOR THE MARCH 10TH, 2025 MEETING.

ANY COMMISSIONERS WANT. WELL, IT IS KIND OF INDIVIDUAL CONSIDERATION.

SO DO I HEAR A MOTION? MR. CHAIR. COMMISSIONER DALTON.

THERE YOU GO. THERE WE GO. I MAKE A MOTION THAT WE APPROVE THE MINUTES OF THE CONSENT AGENDA.

THE CONSENT AGENDA, AS POSTED A MOTION BY COMMISSIONER DALTON.

A SECOND BY COMMISSIONER ABEL TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA.

OKAY. AND THAT PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. NEXT ITEM ON OUR AGENDA IS THE ONLY ITEM.

[a. Hold a public hearing and consider the application of Leslie Montena, requesting approval of a Major Waiver to Chapter 7, Table 7-7 of the Garland Development Code to install a 30-square-foot wall sign positioned lower on the façade, where only 10-square-foot signs are permitted below 12 feet above grade on a property zoned Downtown (DT) District, Downtown Historic (DH) sub-district. The site is located at 622 West State Street. (District 2) (File DD 25-01)]

ZONED DOWNTOWN DISTRICT. HISTORIC DISTRICT. SUBDISTRICT.

THIS SITE IS LOCATED AT 622 WEST STATE STREET.

I BELIEVE THE APPLICANTS HERE ANY THE COMMISSIONERS HAVE QUESTIONS FOR THE APPLICANT.

YOU CAN. OH. STAFF PRESENTATION. WE KEEP CHANGING THIS.

GO AHEAD. GOOD EVENING. TONIGHT'S CASE IS RD 2501.

THE APPLICANT REQUESTS A MAJOR WAIVER TO THE CHAPTER SEVEN, TABLE SEVEN SEVEN OF THE GARLAND DEVELOPMENT CODE TO INSTALL A 30 FOOT SQUARE FOOT WALL SIGN POSITIONED BELOW 12FT IN HEIGHT ON THE GRADE.

NOW, TYPICALLY, IF A SIGN IS BELOW 12FT IN GRADE ON THE SITE IT HAS TO BE ONLY TEN SQUARE FEET MAXIMUM.

SO IT WOULD REQUIRE A MAJOR WAIVER. AND THE REASON THAT THEY'RE REQUESTING THIS AND AS YOU CAN SEE IN THAT PICTURE THERE THE BUILDING IS ONLY ABOUT 13FT TALL, AND SO THAT IS KIND OF THE REASON FOR THEM TO COME TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION FOR THIS.

THE SITE IS LOCATED AT 622 WEST STATE STREET, AND IT IS A 1400 SQUARE FOOT BUILDING.

HERE IS THE SITE LOCATED WITHIN DOWNTOWN. IT'S LARGELY SURROUNDED BY RETAIL, PERSONAL SERVICES RESTAURANTS, AND EVEN A AUTO DEALER TO THE WEST. OR AUTO REPAIR.

THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN HAS THIS AREA SLATED FOR COMMUNITY CENTERS.

IT'S PRIMARILY NONRESIDENTIAL AND SERVES THESE SURROUNDING RESIDENTIAL AREAS OF DOWNTOWN.

HERE ARE CURRENT PHOTOS OF THE SITE, THE FIRST BEING THE FRONT OF THE STORE FROM THE PARKING LOT, AND THE NEXT LOOKING EAST DOWN WEST STATE STREET TOWARD THE DOWNTOWN SQUARE.

THE NEXT TWO PHOTOS ARE LOOKING NORTH FROM THE SHOP TO THE PARKING LOT, AND THEN LOOKING WEST DOWN WEST STATE STREET TOWARD THE NEXT BUILDING IN THE SHOPPING CENTER, AS WELL AS AN AUTO REPAIR SHOP ACROSS THE STREET.

NOW, THESE ARE THE SIGN EXHIBITS. THE FIRST IMAGE IN THE TOP LEFT SHOWS THE APPLICANT'S REQUEST FOR WHAT THE SIGN WOULD LOOK LIKE, AND THAT WOULD BE WITH THIS MAJOR WAIVER. THERE ARE THE DIMENSIONS HERE ON THE RIGHT SHOWING THAT THE SIGN IS MEASURED TO BE 30FT.

30FT². SORRY. AND THEN AGAIN, AS THE CURRENT ORDINANCE REQUIREMENTS.

SO SINCE THAT IS 12FT SHE HAS TO BE ABOVE THAT IN ORDER TO PUT HER SIGN THERE TO HAVE IT GREATER THAN TEN FEET.

SO IF IT WAS MOVED IF IT WAS MOVED DOWN, IT WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO BE NEARLY THAT BIG OR PROMINENT.

STAFF RECOMMENDS APPROVAL, AS THE MAJOR WAIVER IS CONSISTENT WITH THE GENERAL INTENT OF THE DISTRICT AND WILL RESULT IN AN IMPROVED PROJECT, WHICH WILL BE AN ATTRACTIVE CONTRIBUTION TO THE DOWNTOWN DISTRICT AND DOWNTOWN HISTORIC SUB DISTRICT.

[00:05:08]

AND IT WAS WITHIN THE NOTIFICATION AREA IN FAVOR OF THE REQUEST.

I AM OPEN TO ANY AND ALL QUESTIONS, SIR. ALL RIGHT.

ANY QUESTIONS? COMMISSIONER ROSE? KIND OF TIME FRAME.

ARE THEY ON? IF THIS GETS APPROVED? ARE THEY GOING TO DO IT NOW, OR ARE THEY GOING TO WAIT SIX MONTHS OR TWO YEARS? THAT'D BE A QUESTION FOR THE APPLICANT. OKAY.

ALL RIGHTY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. AND OUR APPLICANT DOES HAVE A PRESENTATION.

ALL RIGHTY. I WILL PUT THAT IN NOW.

WELL, ACTUALLY, MATTHEW DID SUCH A GREAT JOB WITH HIS PRESENTATION THAT MAY NOT EVEN HAVE ABOUT THE SAME THING.

ALRIGHTY. GOOD EVENING. I'M LESLIE MONTAGNA, AND I'M THE OWNER OF EPIPHANY GALLERY RIGHT HERE IN DOWNTOWN AND AN EPIPHANY GALLERY.

WE'VE BEEN OPEN NOW FOR ABOUT A LITTLE OVER A YEAR, SO IT'S.

OH, YEAH. NAME AND ADDRESS, PLEASE. OH, OKAY.

MY ADDRESS. 622 WEST STATE STREET, GARLAND, TEXAS, 75089.

OKAY. SO EPIPHANY GALLERY, WE SHOWCASE LOCAL TALENT ARTISTS.

WE HOST EXHIBITS, CLASSES AND CULTURAL EVENTS THAT ENRICH THE COMMUNITY.

WE'VE DONE A WHOLE LOT OF WORK TOGETHER WITH THE CITY AT THE AT THE EVENTS.

I MEAN, AT THE GALLERY. THESE SHOWCASE THE LATEST EVENTS THAT WE'VE HAD.

BIG ART DAY WHERE WE HAD PEOPLE COME IN AND DO DIFFERENT CRAFTS.

WE'VE ALSO EXHIBITED GARLAND HIGH SCHOOL THERE.

HIGH SCHOOL SENIORS EXHIBITED THEIR WORK. AND ALSO WE'VE HAD ART CLASSES FOR THE YOUTH IN THE COMMUNITY.

SO WE DO A LOT WITH THE COMMUNITY. AND AS MATTHEW MENTIONED, THIS IS ONE OF THE SHORTER BUSINESSES IN THE DOWNTOWN AREA WHERE OUR DIMENSION IS ABOUT 13FT HIGH.

AND AS HE MENTIONED, THE CURRENT ORDINANCE, I MEAN ORDINANCE.

ORDINANCE IS 12FT ABOVE THE SIDEWALK. AND SO THAT WOULD PUT OUR SIGN ALL THE WAY AT THE TOP OF THE BUSINESS, DIMINISHING VISIBILITY AND CURB APPEAL. AND SO I AM REQUESTING FOR A 30 SQUARE FOOT SIGN TO BE PLACED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE FACADE JUST SO THAT IT'S VISIBLE.

AND TO BOTH PEDESTRIANS AND CARS GOING BY. AND ALSO, I ALREADY HAVE A CONTRACTOR WHO IS WORKING ON THIS. AND ONCE WE RECEIVE A PERMIT TO EXECUTE, IT'LL TAKE HIM A LITTLE UNDER TWO MONTHS TO GET IT INSTALLED.

AND SO THAT'S ALL THAT I HAVE. DO YOU HAVE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR ME? ANY ANY QUESTIONS? THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU.

I'LL ASK IF THERE'S ANYBODY ELSE IN THE AUDIENCE WHO WISHES TO SPEAK ON THIS CASE.

COMMISSIONER ABEL, I ACTUALLY WOULD NOT LIKE TO SPEAK, BUT IF WE'RE READY, I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION.

GO AHEAD. I WOULD MOTION THAT WE CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING AND APPROVE THE MAJOR WAIVER AS RECOMMENDED BY STAFF.

SECOND. MOTION BY COMMISSIONER ABEL AND SECOND BY COMMISSIONER ROSE TO APPROVE THE APPLICATION.

THANK YOU. PLEASE VOTE. AND THAT PASSES UNANIMOUSLY.

THAT WAS AN EASY VOTE, WASN'T IT? LADIES AND GENTLEMEN. YES.

EXCUSE ME. THAT WAS THE LAST ITEM ON OUR AGENDA.

IT IS NOW 644. SO UNTIL OUR MEETING OF APRIL 28TH, WE ARE ADJOURNED.

THANK YOU.

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.