Minutes P&Z 01/03/2008
MINUTES OF A REGULAR SESSION
FOR THE
TOWN OF TROPHY CLUB
PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION
JANUARY 3, 2008
The Planning and Zoning Commission of the Town of Trophy Club, Texas met in a Regular
Session on January 3, 2008, at 7:00 p.m. in the Conference Room of the Public Services
Building, 100 Municipal Drive, Trophy Club, Texas 76262.
COMMISSIONERS ATTENDANCE:
Chairman Hill Present
Vice Chairman Stephens Present
Commissioner Reed Present
Commissioner Ashby Absent
Commissioner Sheridan Present
Commissioner Sanchez Absent
Commissioner Forest Present
STAFF AND GUESTS PRESENT:
Carolyn Huggins Planning & Zoning Coordinator
Bobby Harrell Harrell Custom Homes, Inc.
Roger Unger Quanah Properties
David Johnston Quanah Properties
A.1 CALL TO ORDER AND ANNOUNCE A QUORUM.
Chairman Hill called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. with five members present. Mr. Ashby
and Mr. Sanchez were absent.
Chairman Hill stated the following: “Good evening. Thank you for your interest in the issues
scheduled to be heard before the Planning and Zoning Commission tonight. Our regular
meetings are public sessions scheduled the 1st and 3rd Thursdays of each month, and you are
always welcome to attend.
Any persons present desiring to be heard concerning the items listed on tonight’s agenda
should sign up on the forms available by the door and present them to Ms. Huggins. Each
speaker will be allocated 3 minutes for their statements.
Tonight’s meeting is a combined Public Hearing and Regular Session, held to consider and
develop the Planning and Zoning Commission’s recommendations for amendment to Town
Ordinances concerning a request to replat Lots 6R and 7R, Block 1, The Knoll, by applicant
Harrell Custom Homes, Inc.
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Following the Commission’s consideration and action on the replat request, at the request of
the Town Council we will conduct a second Public Hearing and Regular Session to review
Value Place Hotel east elevation signage. The Commission is requested to recommend to the
Town Council approval or denial of the rear (or east) elevation signage for Value Place Hotel.
The audience is assured that during the Public Hearings the Commission will hear from all
persons who have signed up to speak. However, a Public Hearing is not a “town meeting”.
There are to be no spontaneous questions addressed from the audience to the Commissioners
or to other speakers concerning their statements or positions on these issues. I request that
Commissioners take note of the names of tonight’s Public Hearing speakers and any points
they make which a Commissioner might desire to pursue further during the Public Session, as
we will not interrupt or question speakers or conduct discussions during the Public Hearing.
Following this introduction, the Commission will open the first Public Hearing. I will then read
into the record the item concerning the request for replat of the two lots in the Knoll. We will
discuss and take action in Regular Session on the item as listed in our agenda. It is a matter of
routine that items heard and recommended from the Planning and Zoning Commission will
appear on future Town Council agendas for final action.
When all speakers have been heard, the Public Hearing will be closed and the Commission
will convene into Regular Session for discussion and deliberation of the replat. In Regular
session, the replat will be called up as listed on the agenda. The Commission may discuss the
item among themselves or ask questions of individuals concerning their Public Hearing
statements. The Commissioners will finally determine and vote on a recommendation
concerning the item under consideration.
The second Public Hearing to consider the Town Council request for the Commission to review
the east elevation signage for the Value Place Hotel will be conducted in a similar manner and
the Commission will make a recommendation to the Town Council.”
The Chairman thanked the audience for their patience during the introduction and stated that
the first public hearing would be opened shortly.
B.1 REVIEW AND APPROVE MINUTES OF THE DECEMBER 20, 2007, PLANNING &
ZONING COMMISSION MEETING.
Commissioner Sheridan motioned to approve the minutes of the December 20, 2007, Planning
& Zoning Commission meeting. The motion was seconded by Commissioner Reed.
Ayes: Hill, Stephens, Reed, Sheridan, Forest
Nays: None
Action: 5-0, Approved
C.1 PUBLIC HEARING TO CONSIDER A REPLAT FOR LOTS 6R AND 7R, BLOCK 1,
THE KNOLL, APPLICANT: HARRELL CUSTOM HOMES, INC. (RP-07-012).
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Vice Chairman Stephens made a motion to open the public hearing. The motion was
seconded by Commissioner Sheridan and approved by all members present.
There were no requests to speak.
Commissioner Sheridan made a motion to close the Public Hearing. The motion was
seconded by Commissioner Reed and approved by all members present.
The Chairman moved to Item D.1 for discussion and consideration of this matter.
D.1 DISCUSS AND TAKE APPROPRIATE ACTION RELATIVE TO A REQUEST FOR
REPLAT OF LOTS 6R AND 7R, BLOCK 1, THE KNOLL, APPLICANT: HARRELL
CUSTOM HOMES, INC. (RP-07-012)
Bobby Harrell, 395 W. Northwest Parkway, Southlake, Texas, Harrell Custom Homes, stated
that he has a couple who bought the house at 12 Hunters Ridge, Lot 6R and also bought the
adjacent lot 7R and wish to plat the two together in order to add onto the existing new home.
They wish to add two 2-car garages and a work area on the first floor, and upstairs they wish
to add a game room, a wet bar and a media room. He stated that it will be a very fine addition
to the Knoll subdivision. Mr. Harrell stated that he is available for any questions.
Chairman Hill asked the Commissioners for questions. There were none and the Chairman
called for a motion.
Commissioner Sheridan made a motion to approve the replat of Lots 6R and 7R, Block 1, The
Knoll. The motion was seconded by Vice Chairman Stephens.
Ayes: Hill, Stephens, Reed, Sheridan, Forest
Nays: None
Action: 5-0, Approved
E.1 PUBLIC HEARING TO REVIEW VALUE PLACE HOTEL EAST ELEVATION
SIGNAGE.
Commissioner Reed motioned to open the public hearing. The motion was seconded by Vice
Chairman Stephens and approved by all members present.
Mark Collins, 13 Jamie Ct., thanked the Commissioners for the opportunity to speak to them
and stated that he is glad they are considering the signage that the Value Place Hotel has. He
stated that he moved to Trophy Club about two and a half years ago. He hired a single person
from Ohio, who asked him about buying a home in Trophy Club; he told her it is a real nice
community. She ended up buying a house in Trophy Club last January and the other day
when they were talking about some of the issues going on with the development plans for the
area near Value Place she said that if she had driven up here and seen Value Place she would
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not have bought a house in this community. Mr. Collins stated that the signage they have now
looks more like Las Vegas than what is on the website for the Town, which is a nice residential
lake community. Mr. Collins stated that if there is anything that can be done about this, he
appreciates the Commission’s effort in working in that direction.
There were no others speakers and the Chairman called for a motion to close the public
hearing.
Commissioner Reed made a motion to close the Public Hearing. The motion was seconded by
Vice Chairman Stephens and approved by all members present.
The Chairman moved to Item F.1 for discussion and consideration of this matter.
F.1 DISCUSS AND TAKE APPROPRIATE ACTION ON REVIEW OF VALUE PLACE
HOTEL EAST ELEVATION SIGNAGE.
Chairman Hill stated the following: “Before the Commission further considers the agenda item
before us, I want to provide some basic points of information to guide our discussion:
• Development of the Value Place Hotel took place under criteria set forth in Planned
Development Ordinance 2006-39, approved by the Town Council October 2, 2006.
• The property is currently in full compliance with PD 2006-39.
• Copies of the sign criteria that were attached to the original PD Ordinance 2006-39
were included in the P&Z packet for tonight’s meeting.
• As the Public Hearing agenda item was specific to the Town Council’s request to review
the east elevation signage of the Value Place Hotel, the Commission can consider only
this sign at this time. No other parts of PD 2006-39 are to be discussed in this meeting.
The question is, ‘Should the sign be allowed under the present circumstances.’”
Chairman Hill asked the Commissioners for discussion and comment.
Commissioner Reed: “I don’t understand all the fuss about this. We have electronic signs for
the Town. I don’t see anything wrong with an electronic sign for a business establishment.
The two signs they have face Highway 114. The only people who see them are the people
who go up and down the highway. That is exactly the people that the hotel is trying to get the
word to that they have a place for people to stay on a long term basis. Value Place is a
reputable firm. They have hotels like this all around the country. They serve a very special
purpose for people here for conferences; to visit sick family members in the hospital; instead of
going out and paying $100 a night for a hotel this is a perfect thing for people in that situation.
Maybe some of you like to stay in a $100 hotel all the time, but some people can’t do that. I
see nothing wrong with the sign whatsoever. I see nothing wrong with the hotel. If it were next
to somebody’s house with a flashing sign that flashed in your bedroom, I could understand it,
but nobody any place in town can see it unless they are out on the highway. I strongly
recommend; I am in favor of leaving it just the way it is. They are in full compliance. All of
these things were approved by the Town and I see no reason that we should change it now.”
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Vice Chairman Stephens: “Chairman Hill, I think it is a little late to be discussing this. They
met our Town ordinances and they have a right to put signs up and seek business. I don’t
have a problem with it. That’s commercial property. It is one of the 86 uses allowed on that
property. They built it according to our Town codes. They signed it according to our Town
ordinances. I don’t have a problem with it at this point, nor did I have a problem with it when
they made application.”
Commissioner Sheridan: “The sign in question does not meet the ordinance so the idea that it
is in complete compliance with the ordinance I don’t think is quite there, because this sign in
question was not part of the original approved signage for this PD. I’ve been trying to figure
out if I would have approved it back then. I think I would have. I don’t like to think that [that I
would have approved it] because I don’t like the sign, but at the same time I think that I
probably would not have objected to it at the time. The fact is, though, that the sign is not in
compliance with the PD. It is an improper sign.”
Commissioner Forest: “I was under the impression that it was approved; that it is in
compliance with the ordinance. In fact, I wondered why it was even brought up because if it is
in compliance how are we going to turn it down or even object to it anyway. If they met the
Town ordinance on it, to me it is not necessary to even bring it up. There isn’t anything we can
do about it anyway. It is not up to us. It is a recommendation to start with to the Town Council,
but if it is in compliance I can’t see that it makes any difference. If it isn’t in compliance then
that is a different issue.”
Commissioner Sheridan: “That begs the question, is it or isn’t it in compliance with the
ordinance.”
Chairman Hill: “The sign was installed with a sign permit from the Town which was issued
after February 26, 2007, and they installed the sign on the basis of having a permit from the
Town which, in fact, said that it was in compliance. That is where we stand.”
Chairman Hill asked for further discussion or a motion.
Commissioner Reed made a motion recommending that the Town Council approve the signs
as they exist now. Vice Chairman Stephens seconded the motion.
Ayes: Hill, Stephens, Reed, Forest
Nays: Sheridan
Action: 4-1, Approved
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G.1 ADJOURNMENT.
Chairman Hill adjourned the meeting at 7:18 p.m.