Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Land Use Development topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Planning panel approves New Hope Church site and landscape plans for 333 FM 2004
Summary
Members approved a final site plan and a landscape plan for New Hope Church at 333 FM 2004; the project proposes converting a pool area to additional parking and adds screening and new trees required by ordinance. One member voiced opposition to the tree spacing in the landscape plan.
At a meeting of the City of Lake Jackson planning body, members approved a final site plan and a landscape plan for New Hope Church at 333 FM 2004.
The site plan approval covers the church’s proposed configuration, including converting an existing pool and hot tub area into additional parking, and the landscape plan approval ratified a planting and screening layout that city staff said meets the ordinance requirements. “They comply with everything that there is to comply with as far as the sign. Everything meets the requirements,” a project representative said during the review. The representative also described the pool-to-parking conversion as a primary change for the project.
City staff and the project’s landscaping team told the body they had responded to prior comments by adding screening along the front edge and adjusting tree counts so the plan conforms to the landscape ordinance. “So what’s different now is it’s no longer an alternate plan…it’s straight up all as an ordinance plan,” a planner said while walking the commission through the revisions.
During discussion, one member questioned the spacing requirement that calls for trees or shrubs approximately every 30 feet along certain frontages, saying the standard seemed excessive and could block light or impose unnecessary costs on the church. “I don’t think they need to spend the money for those extra trees every 30 feet. I don’t think they serve a purpose,” the member said. The member’s objection was noted during the landscape vote; however, the motion to approve the landscape plan carried.
The planning body made two formal motions: one to accept final review and action on the site plan and a second to accept final review and action on the landscape plan for New Hope Church at 333 FM 2004. Both motions were seconded and approved on voice vote. Staff confirmed signature execution would occur that day.
Project team members and city staff emphasized that utilities would not change as part of the parking conversion and that the existing planting the church installed earlier remained in place. The project representative said the church has existing parking capacity that complies with the proposed seating for the facility and that additional parking would augment, not reduce, compliance.
Members closed the item after the two approvals and directed staff to finalize paperwork and signatures required for the file.
