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Glenn Heights leaders say city's zoning and future land-use plan are out of sync
Summary
City staff told the joint Planning & Zoning and City Council meeting that the 2024 future land use map's density labels do not match ordinance categories, creating confusion for developers and staff and prompting council to ask staff for recommended map revisions.
Miss Bester, the city's director of planning and development services, told the joint meeting on June 8 that the city's future land use definitions (low: 1'4 dwelling units/acre; medium: 4'9; high: 9'12; multi: 12'40) do not align with the existing zoning ordinance categories SF1'SF3.
"Comprehensive planning is when you cast a vision," Bester said, adding that "zoning is law" and therefore the two must be reconciled so staff and applicants have clear regulatory guidance. She showed map slides that, she said, reveal areas where planned developments (PDs) and recent zoning approvals increased density despite the future land use still being labeled as lower density.
Council members asked whether the mismatch exposes the city to liability if it denies future PDs; the city attorney explained that denial is within the discretion of P&Z and council when an application fails to meet PD criteria. Staff recommended either changing the zoning ordinance to reflect the future land use framework or adjusting the future land use definitions (or both) so the two documents speak the same language.
The council and commission agreed on next steps: staff will prepare a list of parcels and recommended revisions and deliver materials to council by July 7 for a joint meeting set for July 14 to finalize a course of action.
