The Planning & Zoning Commission continued Oct. 9 with a workshop on the proposed Bellaire Makers District — a new Urban Village/Transit (UVT) subdistrict the Comprehensive Plan envisions for portions of the city’s mixed-use and light‑industrial corridor.

Why it matters: The proposed district is intended to guide redevelopment near the city’s corridors toward small‑scale fabrication, artisan studios and destination uses while limiting heavier industrial or incompatible commercial uses. The workshop focused on uses and purpose language; development standards were deferred to future sessions.

Consultant Gary Mitchell presented a draft purpose statement and a preliminary list of permitted, accessory and specific uses drawn from the Comprehensive Plan and prior zoning language. He said the district’s intent is to allow smaller‑scale “maker” and artisan activities while excluding heavier industrial uses and certain automobile and storage businesses that city staff and council previously restricted in other districts.

Key points discussed:
- "Light compounding or fabrication" and studios for art and music were proposed as core permitted uses to support the Makers District concept; Mitchell characterized these as small‑scale craft or workshop activities rather than mass manufacturing.
- The draft lists several uses the team recommended excluding or treating as specific‑use items, including automobile sales, mini‑storage and vehicle washing, because they create different visual and operational impacts than the city expects for the Makers District.
- Live‑work units (where occupants both live and run a workshop or studio in the same building) are in the draft as an accessory use. Mitchell said the concept survived the Comprehensive Plan review but will need careful definition in ordinance language; commissioners discussed whether the city should allow stand‑alone live‑work buildings, place unit or occupancy limits, or require owner‑occupancy-like restrictions.
- Vehicle storage and fenced vehicle fleets currently exist in portions of the corridor. Commissioners and the consultant discussed treating vehicle storage as an accessory use tied to an operating business rather than permitting standalone storage lots that lease spaces to unrelated parties.
- Commissioners flagged the risk that neighboring parcels outside Bellaire (notably properties in the City of Houston that are accessed via the corridor) could be redeveloped in ways that affect the district. Staff said the city will continue intergovernmental communication but cannot directly regulate land that lies outside Bellaire.

Commissioner concerns and next steps: Several commissioners emphasized the need to define performance standards (noise, dust, odor, light) and clear limits on accessory vs. principal uses so future staff do not have to rely on case‑by‑case interpretation. One commissioner suggested moving live‑work from a permitted accessory use to a specific‑use review until standards are drafted. Another commissioner asked that the draft make explicit that accessory structures (for example, parking garages) must meet the same height‑setback plane protections applied to principal buildings when abutting residential uses.

Staff and the consultant said they will draft development standards — including performance limits and geographic restrictions within the district — and return to the commission for further deliberation. Commissioners asked staff to consider whether specific thresholds (for example, maximum site coverage or parking configurations) should be decided during the plan‑development process or be set as firm code requirements.

No formal action was taken at the workshop; the commission will receive a follow‑up packet with draft development standards at a future meeting and may vote on ordinance language after additional public review.