[A. Call to Order and Announce that a Quorum is Present.]
[00:00:10]
>>> IT IS 6:30 P.M., AND I CALL TO ORDER THE PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION MEETING FOR THURSDAY,
[B. Approval of Minutes]
NOVEMBER 4TH, 2025. THERE IS A QUORUM PRESENT AND THE FIRST ORDER OF BUSINESS ITEM WILL CALL FOR APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES.>> MOTION TO APPROVE. >> MOTION APPROVED BY JOSHUA. SECOND BY JACK. YOU MAY VOTE NOW.
[C. Public Hearing]
MOTION CARRIES SIX WITH ONE ABSENT.THE NEXT ORDER OF BUSINESS IS A PUBLIC HEARING.
PUBLIC HEARING, CONSIDER A RECOMMENDATION AMENDING THE UNIFIED DEVELOPMENT CODE, SECTIONS PERTAINING TO PARK LAND DEDICATION AND TREE MITIGATION. THE CITY CODE OF ORDINANCE PERTAINING TO COMMERCIAL LANDSCAPING AND TREE MITIGATION FEES. COMMISSIONERS, DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS BEFORE I OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING?
>> NO QUESTIONS. DO WE HAVE EXPERTS IN THE HOUSE?
>> IN THAT CASE, I WILL OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING.
ANYONE WHO WISHES TO SPEAK MAY COME FORWARD, AND I HAVE A FEELING SOMEONE HAS A
>> THANK YOU. GOOD EVENING, COMMISSIONERS. I AM JOSE MARINES FOR THE PARKS AND REC NATION DEPARTMENT. I AM JOINED BY MARCOS GALLEGOS.
BASED ON YOUR FEEDBACK AND COMMENTS ON OUR LAST MEETING OF OCTOBER 21ST, WE ADJUSTED THE FOLLOWING ITEMS TO THE PROPOSED CHANGES IN THE UDC, AND I WILL PULL UP MY PRESENTATION.
>> SO FIRST, WE REMOVED THE COTTON WOOD TREES, 12 INCHES OR BETTER FROM THE LIST OF UNPROTECTED TREES.
THEY ARE NATIVE TREES TO TEXAS. SO WE REMOVED THEM FROM THE UNPROTECTED TREE LIST TO THE PROTECTED TREE LIST. IF THEY ARE 12 INCHES OR GREATER SO THEY'LL JOIN THE HACK BERRY IN THAT SECTION ALONG WITH ALL TREES BETWEEN SIX TO 26 INCHES WITH THE EXCLUSIVE OF NON- NATIVE TREES AS LISTED THERE SUCH AS A CHINESE MUSTACHE AND OTHERS, AND THE SECOND THEME THAT YOU MENTIONED ABOUT THE JACK OAKS AND THE POST OAKS. HOW WE INTEND TO PROTECT THEM IS THOSE POST OAKS AND BLACK CHECK OAKS OVER 12 INCHES DBH WILL GO INTO THE HERITAGE TREE CATEGORY THAT WE ARE PROPOSING. ALL TREES OVER 26 INCHES OR GREATER WITH THE EXCLUSION OF THE SPECIES PREVIOUSLYPREVIOUSLY WILL BE INCLUDED IN THE HERITAGE TREES AND NOW THE POST OAKS, GREATER THAN 12 INCHES, AS WELL. SO THIS WAS BASED ON YOUR FEEDBACK IN OUR LAST MEETING.
THIRD ITEM IS WE LOOKED AT OUR NON- NATIVE TREES ON OUR APPROVED SPECIES -- TREE SPECIES LIST, AND NOTICED THAT ONE OF THOSE NON- NATIVES IS NOW DEEMED INVASIVE. THAT IS THE SAWTOOTH OAK.
WE ARE RECOMMENDING REMOVING THE THE APPROVED SHADE TREE RECOMMENDATION AS IT IS NO LONGER RECOMMENDING FOR MRABTSING IN THE U.S.
BY THE NATIONAL PARK SERVICE AND FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE.
IT IS DEEMED INVASIVE. SO WE WANT TO GO AHEAD AND REMOVE THAT, AS WELL. THOSE ARE THE CHANGES THAT WE PRESENTED YESTERDAY TO CITY COUNCIL DURING THE WORK SHOP ON NOVEMBER 3RD, AND THEY HAD NO CONCERNS ABOUT MOVING FORWARD, THEREFORE, WE ASK FOR YOUR SUPPORT ON OUR RECOMMENDATIONS FOR CHANGES FOR THE CODE OF ORDINANCES TO BE APPROVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL AS SET FORTH IN THE KAPGSZ. OUR NEXT STEPS WOULD BE CITY COUNCIL ACTION ON DECEMBER 1 ST. WITH YOUR APPROVAL WE WOULD MAKE THESE OFFICIAL THEN. WE HAVE RECEIVED PARKOUR SUPPORT. WE HAVE RECEIVED GUIDANCE FROM YOU ALL, AND WE
[00:05:01]
PRESENTED TO CITY COUNCIL, SO WE ARE READY TO MOVE FORWARD WITH YOUR RECOMMENDATION SO WE CAN GET YOUR SUPPORT. I AM HERE FOR ANY QUESTIONS.>> COMMISSIONERS? >> I HAVE A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS.
WITH THE TABLE OF TREES AND THE PROTECTED HERITAGE, THE CALIPER SIZE -- IS THERE ANY CONSIDERATION GIVEN TO THE AGE OF THE TREE? WHAT JUMPS OUT AT ME IS THE COTTONWOOD. BY THE TIME THE COTTONWOOD GETS TO A CONSIDERABLE BIRTH IT'S OLD ENOUGH TO BE TOWARDS THE END OF ITS LIFE CYCLE. I'M NOT AN ARBORIST BY ANY MEAN, BUT THAT'S MY UNDERSTANDING.
IF A COTTONWOOD, AS A PROTECTED TREE, MET ITS NATURAL DEMISE ON A PROPERTY, WHAT WOULD THAT MEAN FOR THE PROPERTY OWNER? WOULD THEY BE RESPONSIBLE FOR SOMETHING OR --
>> SO A PROTECTED TREE NEEDS TO BE SURVEYED WHENEVER THERE'S GOING TO BE REMOVAL OF TREES IN A DEVELOPMENT. THE ONLY THING THAT THIS IS STATING IS THAT COTTON WOODS OVER 12 INCHES WILL NOW BE TREATED WITH ALL OTHER PROTECTED TREES IN WHICH THEY NEED TO PAY A $200 PER INCH FEE.
SO THE TREE IS NOW DEEMED TO BE PROTECTED, AND THE AGE AND DBH GOES HAND IN HAND.
THE OLDER THE TREE IS, THE COLDER THE DBH IS. SO COTTONWOODS DO TEND TO GROW TO 12 INCHES. SO A LITTLE BIGGER.
SO ON THESE WHEN WE ARE CLASSIFYING THAT THEY NOW NEED TO PAY FOR THE 200-PER-CALIBER-INCH FEE JUST LIKE THE OTHER TREES. DID I ANSWER YOUR QUESTION?
>> YES, YOU DID, AND -- IF A PROPERTY OWNER HAS A LARGE COTTONWOOD THAT DURING THE COURSE OF THEIR OWNERSHIP OF THE PROPERTY DIES AND IT'S A BIG COTTONWOOD, DOES THAT HAVE ANY FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS GIVEN THAT?
>> OH, OKAY. SO IF THE TREE DIES? WE WOULD TREAT THAT AS WE WOULD TREAT OTHER LANDSCAPING ON THE PROPERTY.
SO IF A TREE DIES WE ASK THAT THEY REPLACE IT TO WITH THEIR LANDSCAPING THAT WAS APPROVED.
WITH THESE UPDATES THAT WE ARE DOING NOW, WE ARE ALSO CHANGING THAT TO YOUR POINT IS THAT WE'RE CHANGING IT TO THAT THEY CAN CHOOSE FROM ANY SHADE TREE OROR TREE FROM OUR LIST. THEY DON'T HAVE TO GO TO THE ORIGINAL LIST SO WE'RE GIVING THEM MORE FLEXIBILITY IN CASE THERE IS A REASON THAT TREE DIED IS STILL PRESENT, WHETHER IT BE THE CONDITIONS OF THE SOIL OR THE SPECIES ISN'T GOOD FOR THAT ENVIRONMENT AND THEY MOVE TO OUR APPROVED LANDSCAPING STANDARDS.
IT WOULD JUST FOLLOW OUR CURRENT POLICY OF GOING BACK AND REPLACING THAT TREE.
>> SECOND QUESTION HAS TO DO WITH YOUR -- WITH THE LISTING OF THE HACKSAW, DID YOU SAY?
>> I GUESS IT WAS THE NEXT SLIDE.
>> YES. >> THE RECOMMENDATIONS COME COMING FROM THE PARK SERVICE AND FISH
>> ARE THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS REFLECTED BY TEXAS FOREST SERVICE AND THE U.S.
FOREST SERVICE OR DO THEY DELEGATE THAT RESPONSIBILITY TO THE PARKS SERVICE AND FISH AND WILD LIFE?
>> YES. SO THEY CONDUCTED RESEARCH.
THEY CONTINUALLY DO RESEARCH AND MONITOR INVASIVE SPECIES, PESTS ACROSS IT IS COUNTRY. SO THEY SPECIALIZE IN THE RESEARCH ASPECT, AND THEY RECOMMEND -- THEY MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS, AND TRACK THESE DISEASES TO KEEP CITIES AND COUNTIES AWARE OF WHAT'S GOING ON, AND IN THE RECENT RESEARCH THEY÷÷ RECOMMENDED THAT SAW TOOTH OAK ACROSS THE COUNTRY BE REMOVED ESPECIALLY IN TEXASY IS THEY'RE NOW INVASIVE.
IT WILL BE OTHER ENTITIES THAT NEED TO RESPECT THAT RESEARCH FINDINGS.
[00:10:01]
>> SO WHAT I THINK I'M HEARING YOU SAY IS THAT THE U.S.
FOREST SERVICE AND THOSE EXPERTS ARE MAKING THE RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE PARK SERVICE AND FISH AND WILD I LIFE FOR YOUR
>> I HAVE SOMETHING REAL QUICK.
>> THIS LIST -- ALL OF THIS LIST OF TREES AND EVERYTHING THAT IS PROTECTED AND NOT PROTECTED APPLIES TO COMMERCIAL PROPERTIES, APPLIES TO COMMON PROPERTY OWNED BY THE CITY, THAT SORT OF STUFF. IT DOESN'T APPLY TO THE HOMEOWNER. SO I ASKED THIS LAST TIME. SO IF I HAD ONE OF THESE TREES IN MY BACKYARD, AND I CUT IT DOWN AND IT'S PROTECTED, THAT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THIS,
IT'S YOUR HOUSEHOLD PROPERTY AND IT'S PRIVATE PROPERTY IN YOUR HOUSE.
IT DOESN'T APPLY TO THIS. THIS IS FOR COMMERCIAL PROPERTY AND DEVELOPERS' DEVELOPMENT.
SO PRIVATE HOUSEHOLDS ARE NOT PARTS OF THIS.
>> I MEAN, JACK KEPT SAYING HOMEOWNER.
I THOUGHT THAT WAS NOT WHAT WAS SAID LAST TIME.
>> DIDN'T GO HOME AND CUT DOWN
>> JUST A COMMENT. I LIKE SEEING THE OAK AND THE COTTONWOOD WITH THE 12 INCHES AND THE ADJUSTMENT WE MADE ON HERITAGE STREET AND OAKS, I THOUGHT THAT WAS PRETTY
SATISFYING TO SEE THAT CHANGE. >> YEAH.
>> ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? THANK YOU.
>> ANYONE ELSE WISHING TO COMMENT, PLEASE COME FORWARD.
STATE YOUR NAME AND YOUR ADDRESS AND WE'LL BE HAPPY TO HEAR FROM YOU.
>> HAVING NO ONE ELSE COME FORWARD I WILL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING AND I WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION FROM THE COMMITTEE.
>> MOTION IT APPROVE THE AMENDSAMENDS
>> MOTION BY JOSHUA. SECOND BY ERUM DOES THIS RECOMMENDATION GO TO COUNCIL?
>> MOTION CARRIES, SIX WITH ONE
ABSENT. >> COMMISSIONERS, THIS ITEM WILL BE CONSIDERED BY THE CITY COUNCIL WHO WILL HOLD A SECOND PUBLIC HEARING AND MAKE A FINAL DECISION ON MONDAY,
[D. Announcements]
DECEMBER 1, 2025, AT 7:00 P.M.>> NEXT ITEM OF BUSINESS IS ANNOUNCEMENTS. GOT ANYTHING GOOD TO TELL US?
>> YES, I HAVE SOME REALLY FUN NEWS TO SHARE WITH YOU.
THE WEEK BEFORE LAST, OCTOBER 22ND THROUGH 24TH, PLANNING STAFF AND THREE COUNCIL MEMBERS ATTENDED THE ANNUAL STATE PLANNING CONFERENCE HOSTED BY THE AMERICAN PLANNING ASSOCIATION TEXAS CHAPTER.
IT WAS HELD IN COLLEGE STATION, AND WE HAD OUR ANNUAL AWARDS BANQUET -- OR LUNCHEON ON FRIDAY THE 24TH AND LEWISVILLE RECEIVED TWO HONORS. ACTUALLY, THE FIRST WAS THE PLANNING EXCELLENCE AWARD.
WE WERE AMONG 49 COMMUNITIES IN TEXAS RECOGNIZED FOR THIS ANNUAL AWARD WHICH WE HAVE BEEN AN ANNUAL RECIPIENT FOR OVER 20 YEARS EVER SINCE THAT PROGRAM WAS ESTABLISHED. SO WE ARE VERY PROUD OFOF -- THAT ACCOMPLISHMENT. THEN THE SECOND AWARD WHICH I HAVE RIGHT HERE WAS A PLANNING ACHIEVEMENT AWARD AT THE GOLD LEVEL FOR PUBLIC OUTREACH FOR THE LEWISVILLE BACKYARD PUBLIC DESIGN COMPETITION.
SO WE WANTED TO SHARE THIS. THANK THE P & Z FOR ALL THE SUPPORT AND ALL OF THE WORK THAT WE DO. WE COULDN'T DO IT WITHOUT THE P & Z AND THE CITY COUNCIL'S SUPPORT.
WE ARE VERY PROUD OF ALL THAT WE HAVE ACCOMPLISHED OVER THE YEARS IN LEWISVILLE.
>> DO WE SHARE THE STANLEY CUP OR --
>> YOU WANT TO TAKE IT HOME THIS
>> JELLY BEANS. ANYTHING ELSE?
>> IN THAT CASE I WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO ADJOURN.
>> BY JACK. JACK, JOSH, I'M WATCHING IT. MOTION CARRIES, SIX
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.