Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Rezoning topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Commission recommends denial of rezoning for small College Main Street lot amid Midtown plan concerns
Summary
The Bryan Planning and Zoning Commission voted Jan. 15 to recommend denial to City Council of a rezoning request for a 0.148-acre College Main Street lot, citing consistency with the Midtown High Density zoning and floor‑area‑ratio standards; the applicant said the site is too small to produce a functional product under the Midtown rules and offered to pursue a planned development.
The Bryan Planning and Zoning Commission on Jan. 15 voted to recommend denial to City Council of a rezoning request for a 0.148‑acre lot on College Main Street.
Staff planner Mikaela Dickinson explained the request would change the lot’s zoning from Midtown High Density to Multifamily Residential to accommodate a small apartment project. "Staff does recommend denial of the proposed rezoning," Dickinson said, citing the Midtown area plan and the risk of "spot zoning" that would be inconsistent with the area’s long‑range plan. Dickinson noted the Midtown High Density district includes a floor‑area‑ratio minimum of 1.5, a standard intended to drive vertical, higher‑density development in the corridor.
The applicant’s agent, Lehi Jones of J4 Engineering, said the owner’s proposed design can meet the 1.5 FAR only by building on a 0‑lot line — producing interior units without windows and limited egress — and that configuration would create a product the agent described as "not very desirable" and "frankly, not very safe either." Jones said the owner would be amenable to a rezoning that allowed a small, functional apartment product or to pursuing a planned development (PD) process: "We're not trying to ask for the zoning tonight to get away from or do something that doesn't fit the area... we're trying to allow this owner to develop his property with a product that can fit and be functional on a 50 by 100 lot."
Commissioners debated whether to uphold the Midtown plan or make an exception. One commissioner observed that the city’s Midtown High Density zoning has produced little development on this block since adoption in 2021: "We've had 0 success since that time," a commissioner said, urging caution before granting a single‑lot change. Another commissioner recommended the applicant return with a PD so the commission could consider intermediate design standards. After discussion, Commissioner (speaker 5) moved to recommend denial of RZ25‑133905 and adopt the staff report; the motion passed and the commission recorded unanimous approval of the recommendation.
The commission asked staff to continue outreach and suggested the applicant consider a PD process if the owner seeks to redesign the proposal. The recommendation to deny will be forwarded to Bryan City Council for final action.
