Pearland board approves setback variance for proposed bakery-market with rear-window restriction

The Pearland Zoning Board of Adjustments voted 5–0 to approve variance VA Z 2025-0337 on a request to reduce the corridor-overlay 30-foot setback for parking and maneuvering to 9 feet on the west side of the driveway and 20 feet on the east side, allowing a proposed one-story, 5,400-square-foot bakery and specialty market at the northwest corner of Broadway Street and Yost Boulevard.

City planning staff presented the request and recommended approval, citing the site’s constraints — a relatively small lot with two frontages, existing utility easements and prior right-of-way conveyances — and noting the applicant revised the plan after an April 2025 denial. “The request is to be able to develop the site with a one story, 5,400 square foot international bakery and market with associated parking,” Patrick Bauer, the city planning staff presenter, said. Staff reported receiving nine written comments in support, two written comments in opposition and a small number of phone inquiries; only one written comment and one phone call opposing the request came from property owners within 200 feet.

The applicant’s design team described changes made since April: the building footprint was moved forward, the overall square footage was reduced and the plan was simplified to a single story to reduce impacts on adjacent residents. Architect John Linton told the board the project faced ‘‘utilities and other things’’ that limit buildable area and that the requested setback reductions are necessary to provide on-site parking and safe maneuvering. Janice Wagner, speaking for the project team, said the 25-foot rear buffer would be planted with trees and that the applicant proposed no openings on the rear elevation to reduce noise and preserve privacy.

Several nearby residents urged the board to deny the variance. Dawn Fertitta said, “I have an 11 year old son that catches the school bus literally on that corner,” and cited safety worries about added vehicle activity near the bus stop. Damien, a resident directly behind the site, said local bakeries already provide fresh bread and warned that a dumpster behind houses would create odor issues. William Schultz, who said he has lived in Pearland since 1972, also raised concerns about traffic and activity adjacent to the fire station.

Board members questioned staff and the applicant about access points (staff said the proposed driveway accesses Broadway only, not Yost), dumpster location, parking counts and lighting. Staff confirmed the project must meet the city’s parking ratio requirement of one space per 200 square feet; the applicants said the plan provides required spaces and that reducing the building size was part of fitting the site constraints. The board also noted that photometric and shielded, downward-facing lighting would be required at permitting to limit light spill onto neighboring homes.

To address neighborhood privacy and noise concerns, the motion approving the variance included a condition that there be no doors or windows on the building’s rear (facing the single-family lots). Board member S2 moved the approval with that condition; the motion was seconded and carried 5–0.

Next steps for the project include any required platting/replatting (staff noted a future replat will require a 10-foot right-of-way dedication along Bridal) and the usual permitting review, which will require a photometric plan and any building and site permits before construction can begin. The city’s staff recommendation and the board’s approval do not authorize construction until all applicable permits and conditions are satisfied.