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Commission begins review of Corridor Mixed Use (CMU) zoning; consultants flag parking, small lots and floodplain as major constraints
Summary
At a July 10 workshop, staff and consulting planners reviewed the Corridor Mixed Use (CMU) district along Bissonnet Street, discussing potential amendments including whether to require planned development review for multifamily, lowering the height setback plane and strategies for parking and small-lot redevelopment.
The Bellaire Planning & Zoning Commission held a workshop July 10 on possible amendments to the Corridor Mixed Use (CMU) zoning district, a broad commercial corridor that wraps around the city's Urban Village Downtown.
Gary Mitchell of Camden Keys Collaborative led the presentation and oriented commissioners to the corridor's varied lot sizes and existing development patterns, noting large shopping centers sit alongside many small triangular and shallow parcels. "We gave you a lot of information in the packet and it's mainly just to start this conversation," Mitchell said. He walked the commission through mapped examples on Bissonnet Street that illustrate how small lot depths, diagonal streets and narrow parcels complicate rebuilding, providing real-world acreage, width and coverage measurements from HCAD data.
Why it matters: The CMU district governs much of Bellaire's commercial corridors. Proposed changes could affect development intensity, building placement, parking requirements and how closely commercial uses back to single‑family properties.
Primary concerns discussed - Height/setback plane: The current CMU standard sets the height/setback plane onset at 27 feet from the residential fence; commissioners and staff discussed whether to mirror the recent UVD change and move that to 17 feet to reduce perceived bulk adjacent to one‑story homes.
- Multifamily review path: Staff flagged the same issue considered in UVD — whether multifamily in CMU should remain by-right or require Planned Development (PD) approval and public hearing. The packet presented PD as the likely direction for multifamily to ensure additional review.
- Small, triangular lots and parking: Many CMU parcels are under a quarter acre and are triangular because of Bissonnet's diagonal. Consultants showed examples where existing commercial uses (restaurants, clinics, dental offices) operate with far fewer parking spaces than code would technically require, relying instead on shared parking and valet arrangements. "If you don't have parking, people won't go," one commissioner observed; Gary Mitchell and staff noted the tradeoffs between wanting more trees/greenery and the practical parking needs for businesses.
- Floodplain and redevelopment costs: Staff explained the floodplain substantial‑improvement rule (the 50% threshold) can deter rebuilding: when a property owner spends more than a specified percentage of a building's value on improvements, floodplain rules require elevation or mitigation (for example, underground detention), substantially increasing cost and reducing redevelopment incentive.
- Coverage and scale distinctions: Consultants recommended the commission consider separate standards for very small parcels versus larger shopping‑center parcels, so regulations do not unduly penalize small businesses that cannot accommodate code‑required parking and landscaping.
Next steps and staff direction Staff said the draft amendments included in the packet carry forward many of the same changes recommended for UVD (PD requirement for multifamily; options to reduce the height/setback plane; coverage adjustments). The commission discussed whether to dig deeper in CMU or apply only the comp‑plan-directed tweaks. Staff suggested another workshop to review ordinance text; commissioners signaled support to continue deliberations and asked staff to consult City Council about the desired depth of revisions and to coordinate contract timelines for consulting support.
Quotes - Gary Mitchell (consultant): "This is a good time to be starting this discussion… there are a number of depths here, but they're all over the place." - Monique (staff liaison): "Our next meeting is on Thursday, August 14." (regarding scheduling)
Ending The commission did not take formal action on CMU at the workshop. Staff was asked to prepare a draft that reflects the comprehensive plan directives and options for a deeper review if the commission and City Council choose to proceed.
