What is a Suburban Commercial zoning district?

The long-vacant property on Earl Rudder Freeway between the Academy store and the Raintree subdivision recently was rezoned as Suburban Commercial. If you aren’t familiar with that zoning classification, allow me to fill in the details.

With extensive community involvement, the City of College Station adopted its Comprehensive Plan in 2009.  One role of the Comprehensive Plan is to create what I like to call a “blanket” of future or preferred land uses, future street network and infrastructure. Imagine it as the skeleton for zoning and development in our community. 

The difference between land use and zoning can be a little confusing. Land use is an area’s preferred character – urban, suburban, natural, industrial – and isn’t property-specific. Zoning classifies specific parcels or lots in alignment with the preferred character designation, along with regulations for building and structure designs, placement and uses. 

In the years after the Comprehensive Plan was adopted, a few properties were rezoned to Planned Development Districts (PDDs) to achieve the preferred Suburban Commercial character since Suburban Commercial zoning districts didn’t exist. The PDD zoning previously approved on the tract next to Raintree is an example of one that was comparable to the Suburban Commercial zoning districts that were created last fall.

As described in the Comprehensive Plan, Suburban Commercial “is generally for concentrations of commercial activities that cater primarily to nearby residents versus the larger community or region.” Generally, these areas tend to be small and are located next to major roads or existing residential neighborhoods. Structures in Suburban Commercial areas are required to be compatible in size, roof type/pitch, architecture, and lot coverage with the surrounding single-family residential uses. 

Suburban Commercial Zoning District use and design requirements include:

• Retail buildings can’t exceed 15,000 square feet.
• Restaurants can’t be larger than 8,000 square feet.
• Double buffering requirements from single-family land use or zoning.
• Site lighting can’t exceed the eave height of the most adjacent structure.
• Drive-thru uses such as dry cleaners, banks or pharmacies must locate their order box/window on the side away from single-family land use or zoning.  Drive-thru restaurants aren’t permitted.
• Fuel sales and self-storage aren’t permitted as new uses, but are grandfathered if they were there before being rezoned as Suburban Commercial.

Architectural requirements were also created for Suburban Commercial that can be compared to residential. Some of the required features mimic those found on single-family homes such as chimneys, cupolas, shutters and transom windows. As examples, think of the residential-type architecture used by the Cheddar’s restaurant on University Drive or the offices adjacent to Raintree as the types of development that can happen in a Suburban Commercial area. 

The expectation is that Suburban Commercial areas will create neighborhood hubs for quick trips to the store and places for neighbors to meet and grab a bite to eat. 

Click here for more information on Suburban Commercial and other new zoning classifications, or email me at mhester@cstx.gov.

 

Morgan Hester | Staff Planner

Planning & Development Services

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This week in Brazos County history

NOTE: 2013 marks the City of College Station’s 75th year as an incorporated city. In recognition, we’ve highlighted some interesting moments from our past.

This blog was authored by Henry Mayo, a surveyor and long-time resident of the Bryan-College Station area. As a surveyor and historian, Henry retrieves information from local, state and national resources to assemble history-themed messages for email subscribers in a series titled “This Week in Brazos County History.” To subscribe to Henry’s series, click here.
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FDR gives commencement address at A&M College (May 11, 1937)

The following photos from the A&M Cushing Library Flickr site capture President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s arrival, his parade to Kyle Field and even him standing at the A&M commencement ceremonies of May 11, 1937.

This photo is an aerial view of the two College Station railroad depots, with a line waiting to see the President disembark and ride in the convertible to Kyle Field. I was told that the automobile was also brought in by train.  It can be seen just above (south) the Southern Pacific depot. The smaller depot, to the left (northeast) is the Missouri Pacific depot. The current location of Wellborn Road runs on top of the old MPRR tracks and depot.

This photo was probably taken within seconds of the previous one, showing corps units in formations on the drill field, lots of cars behind Downs Natatorium and a good many people already taking seats in the west bleachers at Kyle Field. Within a few years, the many faculty homes seen in this photos were moved off campus.

The very recognizable face of President Roosevelt. Obviously, he and A&M President T.O. Walton were enjoying each other’s company.

Apparently, this shaded stand was built special for the day and included a sturdy grab bar for the President.

If anyone has information on the other dignitaries in this photo or know of other interesting things related to this presidential visit, please let me know and I will post a follow up. At the time of this visit, FDR was just a few months into his second term, having won by a landslide. The dark clouds of war were not on the horizon yet, FDR’s New Deal had put many people back to work, and America was recovering from the Great Depression. A&M was directly connected to many of these programs, such as the Agricultural Adjustment Administration (AAA), which I mentioned last month.

Have a great week,

 

Henry Mayo

Surveyor and Historian | email

 

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The greatest B-CS song you may have never heard

 There are plenty of songs about Texas towns.  A few that come to mind:

“Abilene,” by George Hamilton IV
“Ding-Dong Daddy from Dumas,” by Bob Wills (among others)
“El Paso” and “El Paso City,” by Marty Robbins
“Galveston,” by Glen Campbell
“LaGrange,” by ZZ Top
“(Lubbock) Texas in My Rearview Mirror,” by Mac Davis
“Luckenbach, Texas,” by Waylon Jennings and Willie Nelson
“Houston (Means I’m One Day Closer to You),” by The Gatlin Brothers

But did you know Bryan-College Station belongs on that list, as well?  It’s true, but to learn about its origins and heyday, you have to flash back 50 years.

Live Blog: Thursday’s City Council Meetings (May 9)

This is a live blog from the College Station City Council’s workshop and regular meetings on Thursday, May 9. It’s not the official minutes.

Both meetings are being broadcast live on Suddenlink Channel 19 and can also be watched online. An archive of previous council meetings is available on the website.

6:29 p.m.

The start of the workshop has been delayed due to extensive flooding in the south wing of city hall, including the council chambers. The water is being cleared and the meeting will start shortly. Here’s your friendly city blogger surveying the scene:

Five things to watch at Thursday’s city council meetings

Here are five items to watch when the College Station City Council gathers Thursday at city hall for its workshop (6 p.m.) and regular (7 p.m.) meetings:  

College Station among Texas’ bike-friendliest cities

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, College Station ranks No. 1 in Texas for the highest percentage of people who bike to work. Thanks to the city’s pro-bicycling policies and programs, College Station was one of only three Texas cities to be designated as a Bicycle Friendly Community by the League of American Bicyclists in 2011.

State law allows bicyclists to ride on any public street, unless posted otherwise. College Station has several bicycle facilities that improve connectivity and access, including bike lanes, bike routes and multi-use paths. We have 33 miles of bike lanes, 59 miles of bike routes and 8 miles of multi-use paths, with more on the way.