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In a recent interview, Garry Ford shared his goals for the city’s newly created transportation and capital improvements department. The following answers have been edited for length and clarity. Why was the department created? The department was created to really focus and provide a greater emphasis on transportation and capital improvements. Transportation has been one of the items and community needs that has been coming up as our community continues to grow. We’ve been getting a number of transportation projects funded through the Alamo Area Metropolitan Planning Organization, and that was all included as part of the public works department and working with the city manager’s o ce. It was determined that it needed to be kind of its own department and really a focus area, versus it being kind of intermixed with other duties of public works. In addition, a lot of it is involved with our capital programs division that actually delivers the projects, so we want to make sure that we have a seamless process when it comes to project development, project planning and then project delivery. What big issues will your team address? Right now it’s handling a lot of our growth, primarily on our street network, and then also the demands on our transportation network. There’s a couple things that we are focusing on, and No. 1 is delivering a couple of key projects that were awarded to us by [the Texas Department of Transportation] and the AAMPO. The other is addressing some of our sidewalk and pedestrian needs here in town, primarily along Common Street. What regional projects are in the works? Regionally for us Hwy. 46 from I-35 out toward I-10 has been another priority to see what improvements we can do as soon as possible. Q&AWITH GARRY FORD TRANSPORTATION AND CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS DIRECTOR
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New Braunfels o cials are evaluating the city’s codes and ordinances with the goal of creating a consolidated land development ordinance, or LDO. UNIFYING THE ORDINANCES
• Draw new LDO regulations • Outline zoning districts and uses • Create development standards • Review administrations and procedures • Consolidate draft
• Project kicks o • Background research conducted • Stakeholders interviewed
• Code diagnostic assessment • Draft code assessment conducted by Clarion Associates
• Present and adopt LDO • Host public meetings • Present draft and executive summary • Finalize LDO • Adopt the plan
Historic landmark commission Architectural representative Building industry Development representative
Engineering representative Planning commission Sign industry representative
Workforce housing advisory committee Zoning board of adjustment
SOURCE: CITY OF NEW BRAUNFELS COMMUNITY IMPACT NEWSPAPER
NewBraunfels set to streamline land development codes
BY LAUREN CANTERBERRY
The subdivision platting ordinance includes rules for laying out roads, lots and utilities while the historic preser- vation ordinance includes processes and guidelines for pre- serving historic structures and resources. Both ordinances were originally written in the 1990s, according to the city. The sign ordinance was written in 2006 and includes rules for commercial signage. Portions of the ordinances have been adjusted over the years, Looney said, but no comprehensive review has been conducted, and some ordinances have caused delays for developers and property owners. Aside from single-family homes, the current zoning ordinances typically only allow duplexes and traditional apartment buildings to be built in the city without the need for a special-use permit, Looney said. “Our code doesn’t appear to allowmuch else, and yet there’s all of these di erent housing types that are out there,” he said. “Builders are starting to want to build some of these housing types. … Single-family homes might not be a ordable for rst-time homebuyers, and they might not be a ordable for a lot of the people that live here right now and work here.” The process is expected to take a year and a half, and the rst phase of the project to analyze and assess the current codes is underway. An online survey is available for residents who wish to participate until Jan. 31.
NEWBRAUNFELS City of New Braunfels o cials announced Dec. 8 that the city will begin a process to update development-related ordinances with the goal of streamlin- ing rules and regulations followed by property owners. The update, titled the land development ordinance, or LDO, was recommended by residents during the creation of the 2018 Envision New Braunfels Comprehensive Plan, according to Christopher Looney, planning and develop- ment services director for the city. Four ordinances will be consolidated into the LDO, and the city has hired Clarion Associates to analyze current codes and assist in the creation of the LDO. Zoning, subdivision platting, historic preservation and sign ordinances will be included in the update, but international building codes are scheduled for a separate update in 2022. “The whole goal is to take the zoning ordinance, platting ordinance, historic preservation ordinance and the sign ordinance that were all written separately at di erent times in di erent places in our code without cross referencing and take those [and] rewrite themwith the idea to implement the goals of Envision [New Braunfels],” Looney said. Originally written in the 1960s and updated in the 1980s, the zoning ordinance includes zoning districts that sepa- rate activity and development by districts of compatibility.
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NEW BRAUNFELS EDITION • JANUARY 2022
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