Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Land Use topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Belton staff propose land‑use overhaul and a streamlined NorScot overlay; licensing code changes to follow
Summary
City planning staff proposed a rewrite of the citywide land‑use table, a condensed North Scott overlay, and amendments to business and liquor licensing chapters to remove duplicative language and introduce new land‑use categories.
Matt presented proposed land‑use updates and revisions to the North Scott (NorScot) overlay, saying the changes implement recommendations from the city's comprehensive plan and are intended to ease reinvestment and redevelopment on North Scott. The proposals would replace a 36‑page overlay adopted in 2017 with a shorter, standards‑based approach that reduces setbacks where appropriate, allows updated materials standards in non‑street elevations (including certain metal panels), and adds standards for storefront transparency and screening of outdoor storage.
The draft land‑use table groups city uses into 14 categories and adds new, defined uses staff said reflect modern practices: community gardens and accessory gardens (agriculture group), indoor agriculture (industrial type uses, explicitly excluding marijuana cultivation), agritourism with special‑use permit provisions, food truck accessory uses and "food truck courts" (semi‑permanent collections of trucks with outdoor seating), pet care services separated from kennel standards where overnight boarding is short term, and clearer categories for retail by size (small, medium, large). Vehicle repair is proposed to be split into minor, major and heavy categories to better match intensity and siting needs.
Staff said the NorScot overlay changes aim to remove barriers that have inhibited reinvestment and discourage applicants by making required improvements too restrictive. The rewritten overlay would focus on incremental frontage and property maintenance improvements as part of upgrades, allow additional outdoor storage when screened, and introduce exceptions for industrial uses where dustproof chip and seal surfacing is acceptable to keep redevelopment affordable.
Andrea presented proposed code adjustments to Chapters 3 and 6 to align licensing procedures with a new Central Square eTracker implementation for business and liquor licensing: the amendments will rename "permits" to "licenses," clarify renewal and delinquency periods, remove duplicate language, update the schedule of fees, and align references with state statute where appropriate. Matt noted the UDC update professional services agreement is expected before council on March 25 with a contract start in April and completion roughly 12 to 15 months later.
Next steps: a town hall on the NorScot and land‑use updates was scheduled the day after the workshop; planning commission public hearing is planned for March 18; staff aims for a first council reading April 15. Staff told council the changes are meant to encourage investment and simplify entitlement processes, not to eliminate design standards that improve frontage and site quality.
Ending: Staff asked for public feedback at the town hall and will forward a draft ordinance to planning commission for public hearing.
