Friendswood City Zoning Code

SECTION 9

- Site plans and specific use permits.

Site plan process.

Purpose. The purpose of the site plan is to ensure compliance with this appendix and to assist in the orderly and harmonious development of the city, to protect and enhance the general welfare, and to help prevent the impairment or depreciation of land values and development by the erection of structures, additions or alterations thereto without proper attention to site planning and preserving the intent of this appendix.

Site plans required. Site plans shall be required for:

All proposed development on land zoned neighborhood commercial (NC), community shopping center (CSC), downtown district (DD), office park development (OPD), light industrial (LI), industrial (I), agricultural (A-1), or business park (BP) or multiple-family residential low-density (MFR-L), multiple-family residential medium-density (MFR-M), and multiple-family residential high-density (MFR-H);

Where a specific use permit is required by subsection 7.P, permitted use table, and this subsection B; or

A planned unit development (PUD), in accordance with the procedures set forth in section 7.J.

Content. The application shall be accompanied by plans that include the following:

Site plan.

Data describing all processes and activities involved with the proposed use;

Boundaries of the area covered by the site plan, identifying the zoning of the subject property and the adjacent properties;

The location of each existing and proposed building and structure in the area covered by the site plan and the number of stories, height, roofline, gross floor area and location of building entrances and exits;

The location of existing drainageways, and significant natural features;

The location and dimensions of all curb cuts, public and private streets, parking and loading areas, pedestrian walks, lighting facilities, outside trash storage facilities; and

The location, height and size of all proposed signs.

Landscape plan.

Proposed landscaping and screening buffers; and

The location, height and type of each wall, fence, and all other types of screening.

Photometric plan. The plan shall show lighting calculations in footcandles along the property line.

Building elevations.

Identifying building facade materials;

Overall building height;

Colored elevations, if applicable; and

Building fenestration calculations, if applicable.

Tree survey and mitigation plan.

Utility and drainage plans. Verification of all information contained in the site plan shall be required to be certified by an engineer and/or surveyor, as applicable, as a condition for the granting of any site plan approval.

Staff review. Prior to submission of a site plan, an applicant shall schedule a development meeting with staff on an informal basis to receive comments and advice on the procedures, specifications and standards required by the city.

Administrative approval. The director is authorized to review and approve site plans that comply with all applicable requirements of this Code, including but not limited to zoning, subdivision, engineering and development standards. Site plans eligible for administrative approval shall be reviewed and considered within thirty (30) days of a complete application.

Commission action. Any site plan that involves special consideration as defined by the Zoning Ordinance shall be presented to the commission for review and approval. Site plans requiring commission review shall be scheduled for consideration and a decision will be made within 30 days of being placed on an agenda. Special considerations include, but are not limited to:

Requests for alternative compliance provisions;

Developments requiring interpretation of zoning standards; or

Any other circumstance identified in this Code requiring commission review.

Determination of Review Authority. The director shall determine whether a proposed site plan qualifies for administrative approval or must be referred to the commission.

Denied site plans. Any corrections, changes, or conditions required to ensure the plan complies with all existing ordinances that are imposed shall be provided to the applicant, in writing, and shall become a part of the approved site plan which, if not met, may be cause for enforcement action or invalidation of the site plan.

Expiration. Approval will expire one year after the approval of the site plans. Upon expiration of that time, the applicant must resubmit a site plan that conforms to current ordinances, provided, however, the applicant may request an extension in writing, which may be granted by the commission, for a period not to exceed a total of six months.

10.

Enforcement. Following the approval of a site plan, the director shall inspect the development to ensure that it is in full compliance with the approved site plan.

Specific use permits.

Purpose. This section provides the city council the opportunity to deny or to conditionally approve those uses for which specific use permits are required. These uses generally have unusual nuisance characteristics or are of a public or semipublic character often essential or desirable for the general convenience and welfare of the community. Because, however, of the nature of the use, the importance of the use's relationship to the comprehensive plan, or possible adverse impact on neighboring properties of the use, review, evaluation, and exercise of planning judgment relative to the location and site plan of the proposed use are required.

Permit required. A building permit or certificate of occupancy shall not be issued for any use to be located in a zoning district which permits that use only as a specific use unless a specific use permit has first been issued in accordance with the provisions of this section.

Application procedure. An application for a specific use permit shall be filed with the community development department. The application shall be accompanied by plans that will become a part of the specific use permit, if approved. The accompanying plans shall include the following:

Site plan.

(1)

Data describing all processes and activities involved with the proposed use;

(2)

Boundaries of the area covered by the site plan, identifying the zoning of the subject property and the adjacent properties;

(3)

(4)

The location of existing drainageways, and significant natural features;

(5)

The location and dimensions of all curb cuts, public and private streets, parking and loading areas, pedestrian walks, lighting facilities, outside trash storage facilities; and

(6)

The location, height and size of all proposed signs.

Landscape plan.

(1)

Proposed landscaping and screening buffers; and

(2)

The location, height and type of each wall, fence, and all other types of screening.

Photometric plan. The plan shall show lighting calculations in footcandles along the property line.

Building elevations.

(1)

Identifying building facade materials;

(2)

Overall building height;

(3)

Colored elevations, if applicable; and

(4)

Building fenestration calculations, if applicable.

Tree survey and mitigation plan.

(1)

Submit utility and drainage plans with the SUP application; or

(2)

Submit utility and drainage plans with the building permit application once the SUP/site plan is approved. Changes in the site plan due to unforeseen obstacles in the installation of the utilities and drainage may require approval of a site plan amendment by the commission. The commission may recommend approval of variations from the original site plan that do not increase the density or result in any increase in external impact on adjacent properties or neighborhoods. Other changes will be required to comply with the SUP amendment process per subsection B.9. of this section ("Amendments").

Public hearings. The notification and public hearing process for a specific use permit or revocation thereof is set forth in section 6.5.

Conditions for approval. A specific use permit shall be issued only if all of the following conditions have been found:

That the specific use will be compatible with and not injurious to the use and enjoyment of other property, nor significantly diminish or impair property values within the immediate vicinity;

That the establishment of the specific use will not impede the normal and orderly development and improvement of surrounding vacant property;

That adequate utilities, access roads, drainage and other necessary supporting facilities have been or will be provided;

The design, location and arrangement of all driveways and parking spaces provides for the safe and convenient movement of vehicular and pedestrian traffic without adversely affecting the general public or adjacent developments;

The adequate nuisance prevention measures have been or will be taken to prevent or control offensive odor, fumes, dust, noise and vibration;

That directional lighting will be provided so as not to disturb or adversely affect neighboring properties;

That there are sufficient landscaping and screening to ensure harmony and compatibility with adjacent property; and

That the proposed use is in accordance with the comprehensive plan.

Additional conditions. In authorizing a specific use permit, the city council may impose additional reasonable conditions necessary to protect the public interest and welfare of the community.

Time limit.

Expiration. A specific use permit issued under this section shall expire:

(1)

Two years after its date of issuance if construction or use authorized thereunder is not substantially under way prior to the expiration of said two-year period; provided, however, where the development is based on a long-term, multi-phased master plan, each phase of the specific use permit shall be severable and shall be subject to the two-year expiration period, which shall expire as follows:

(a)

For the initial phase, two years after its date of issuance; and

(b)

For subsequent phases, two years after the date construction is commenced for each applicable phase; provided construction commences prior to the expiration of the previous phase; or

(2)

One year following the discontinuation of the use for which the specific use permit was approved.

Extension. If, prior to the expiration of the specific use permit, the owner of property to which a specific use permit applies requests, in writing, an extension thereof, the city council, after recommendation from the commission, may approve such extension for not more than two additional years.

Revocation. A specific use permit may be revoked or modified, after notice and hearing, for either of the following reasons:

The specific use permit was obtained or extended by fraud or deception; or

That one or more of the conditions imposed by the permit has not been met or has been violated.

Amendments. The procedure for amendment of a specific use permit shall be the same as for a new application, provided, however, that the city manager may approve minor variations from the original permit which do not increase density, change traffic patterns, or result in any increase in external impact on adjacent properties or neighborhoods.

10.

Processing fee. A processing fee as set forth in section 14 shall be required for the processing of each specific use permit request.

(Ord. No. 2026-15, § 2(Exh. A), 5-4-2026)