Zoning Board of Adjustment: September 10, 2026

Call to Order

Chair Harold Peterkin called the meeting to order at 5:30 p.m. and declared a quorum present.

Present: Chair Harold Peterkin, Vice Chair Doreen Hatfield, Members Lyle Blankenship and Floyd Dunaway, and Alternate Arturo Cardenas, seated for Member Patsy Pruitt. Absent: Member Patsy Pruitt. The Alternate 2 position is vacant. Staff: Vernon Grubbs, Building Official and Staff Liaison; Krystal Mobley, Code Enforcement Officer; Tonya Mayfield, Planning Technician and Recording Secretary.

Chair Peterkin noted that under Section 14-9 of the Code of Ordinances and Tex. Loc. Gov’t Code §211.009(c), the concurring vote of four members is required to grant a variance.

Citizens to Be Heard

Chair Peterkin read the following statement: Pursuant to Tex. Gov’t Code §551.042, the Board may not deliberate on or take action on any subject not posted on the agenda.

Arlis Holloway, 400 block of E Chili Dog St, asked whether the Board could grant a variance moving his property line to where he has always mowed. Chair Peterkin thanked Mr. Holloway.

Ignacio Trevino, 100 block of E Gravy St, asked whether the Board could approve a variance for a fence he is going to build last year. Chair Peterkin thanked Mr. Trevino and referred him to the Building Official.

Approval of Minutes

Motion by Vice Chair Hatfield, second by Member Dunaway, to approve the minutes of the May 14, 2026, meeting as presented. Motion carried 5–0.

V-2026-02, 617 E Brisket St

Building Official Grubbs presented the staff report. The applicants, Ross and Tina Pawelek, request a variance of 2 feet from the 8-foot maximum fence height in a rear yard, to allow a 10-foot wood privacy fence along their 50-foot rear property line. The rear yard abuts a C-2 lot at 620 E Hot Pocket Way, a used car lot. When that lot was paved in 1979, it was filled to about 2.3 feet above the applicants’ grade along the shared line.

Notice was mailed to 12 property owners within 200 feet on August 28, 2026. Staff received one response in favor and one opposed.

The application states that the fence is intended to screen an inflatable tube device displayed on the car lot. Code Enforcement Officer Mobley reported that the device is displayed under a current temporary sign permit, the third of four allowed for the premises in 2026, and complies with Section 13-4. At its greatest extension, it is 20 feet tall, the maximum allowed.

Staff advised that the Board may consider conditions of the land but not the device itself. Staff found that the fill on the abutting lot is a special condition not created by the applicants and took no position on the request.

Chair Peterkin opened the public hearing at 5:41 p.m.

Ross Pawelek, applicant, spoke in favor. He stated that a 10-foot fence will not block the entire device but will block the arms.

Rodney Voelkel, owner of 620 E Hot Pocket Way, spoke in opposition. He stated that the device faces Hot Pocket Way and not the applicants’ house, and that a 10-foot fence would block the view of his inventory from Brisket St.

There being no other speakers, Chair Peterkin closed the public hearing at 5:52 p.m.

Member Blankenship stated that, in his view, the request was based on the device rather than the land. Vice Chair Hatfield stated that, because of the grade difference, an 8-foot fence would stand about 5.7 feet above the abutting lot.

Motion by Vice Chair Hatfield, second by Alternate Cardenas, to grant V-2026-02. The motion found that the 2.3-foot grade difference along the rear property line is a special condition of the land not created by the applicants, that literal enforcement would result in unnecessary hardship, and that the variance is not contrary to the public interest. It was subject to two conditions: the fence height is measured from the applicants’ finished grade, and the finished side of the fence faces the abutting property. Motion carried 4–1. Voting nay: Member Blankenship. The variance is granted.

V-2026-03, 112 Khaki Ct

Building Official Grubbs presented the staff report. The applicant, Jody Whitten, requests a variance of 2 feet 6 inches from the 15-foot maximum height for accessory structures set by Ordinance No. 1998-074, which established PD-6, Cargo Shorts Ranch. The variance would allow a 17-foot-6-inch metal carport in the side yard. The application states that the additional height is needed to shelter a lifted pickup truck with a roof-mounted light bar.

Notice was mailed to nine property owners within 200 feet on August 28, 2026. No responses were received. Staff stated that the height of a vehicle is not a condition of the land and found that the request did not meet the standards of Section 14-9(b).

Chair Peterkin opened the public hearing at 6:03 p.m. Jody Whitten, applicant, spoke in favor. There being no other speakers, Chair Peterkin closed the public hearing at 6:06 p.m.

Member Dunaway asked for the measured height of the truck. Mr. Whitten stated that he had measured the truck without the light bar, which is out for repair, and would need to measure it again once the light bar is reinstalled.

Motion by Member Dunaway, second by Vice Chair Hatfield, to postpone V-2026-03 indefinitely so that the applicant can provide the measured height of the vehicle with and without the light bar. The case will be re-noticed when it is rescheduled. Motion carried 5–0.

Adjournment

There being no further business, Chair Peterkin adjourned the meeting at 6:12 p.m.

Draft minutes, pending approval by the Board.

Attest: Tonya Mayfield, Planning Technician and Recording Secretary