Planning commission fails to approve Harborside PUD for former Lipton T site (25P-014)

The Galveston Planning Commission on May 6 voted 3–1 against approving application 25P-014, a planned-unit development (PUD) request to convert the former Lipton T building site on Harborside into a commercial surface parking lot serving nearby cruise facilities.

Tim Tejens, director of Development Services, told commissioners the 4.255-acre site is owned by Harbor Properties Incorporated and was recently demolished. Staff described the request as a PUD to allow an alternative landscape design that would shift interior parking islands to the perimeter; staff reported the applicant proposes additional perimeter landscaping beyond code minimums and that public works requires an approved final drainage plan as a condition of permitting.

The applicant, identified in the hearing as Shea Joe/Apartment Properties, said the proposal would provide about 445 parking spaces and shift roughly 8,500–9,308 square feet of required landscape area from interior islands to expanded perimeter planting. The applicant argued interior islands pose problems for long-term parking because “birds tend to roost in trees and do what birds do and damages paint in cars,” and said perimeter landscaping would be substantial and visible to Harborside visitors.

Commission discussion focused on two competing priorities: (1) preserving interior parking islands that the commissioners and some speakers said reduce heat, provide stormwater benefits and help beautify Harborside Drive, and (2) the applicant’s goal of maximizing contiguous parking supply for long-term users. Commissioners noted the city’s beautification objectives for Harborside and the Seawall, questioned whether the applicant’s perimeter planting would adequately replace the environmental and aesthetic functions of interior islands and asked staff whether other nearby PUDs had waived similar landscaping requirements. Staff said one smaller approval at 14th and Harborside had waived landscaping but had not yet been constructed.

Planner and public commenter Steve Schultz, a professional land-use consultant, urged the commission to treat the PUD as negotiable and said conditions could be imposed if the commission approved.

A motion to approve 25P-014 with conditions carried on the roll 3–1, but failed under the commission’s procedural requirement for this hearing that a majority of the four commissioners present (all four) approve the item. The record shows no roll-call names associated with the yes/no tally in the transcript.

Clarifying details recorded during the hearing include: the site area (4.255 acres); staff’s statement that the applicant would provide 9,308 additional square feet beyond minimum landscape requirements (staff); the applicant’s repeated figure of about 8,500 additional square feet and a parking count of approximately 445 spaces (applicant); applicant estimate that complying strictly with interior island standards would reduce capacity by “at least 80” spaces; existence of two drainage easements across the parcel and a requirement that the final drainage plan be approved by Public Works before permit issuance; Wharf Road adjacent to the site is owned by a public agency (the port) and is not a city street; sidewalk widths discussed include a 12-foot north sidewalk and a proposed 7-foot south sidewalk on Harborside fronting the site.

The application deviated from internal parking-island requirements in Galveston’s Land Development Regulations (staff cited Article 9 and specific LDR sections). Staff noted no objections from city departments or private utilities except that Public Works requires an approved drainage plan.

Outcome: motion to approve failed (tally 3 yes, 1 no); item was not forwarded as an approved PUD. The commission discussion identified issues the applicant could address if the project returns for further consideration, including a finalized drainage plan, more detail on interior versus perimeter landscaping, and concessions to meet the city’s Harborside beautification objectives.