Planning & Zoning OKs rezoning for 4015 Dickinson Ave.; staff outlines problems with new UDC

The Dickinson Planning & Zoning Commission voted to rezone a parcel at 4015 Dickinson Avenue from Urban Transition to Downtown on a voice vote after a public hearing, and city staff used the meeting to report problems that have emerged since the city adopted a new Unified Development Code.

The commission approved the map amendment for roughly 6.677 acres at 4015 Dickinson Avenue after hearing from the applicant, Ershawn Lakhani, who said the new owner intends facade upgrades, pad sites for quick-service restaurants and a rear retail-flex area for small businesses. "We just acquired the shopping center," Lakhani said. "We're ready to start working on the project right away... we'll probably start in within next 3 to 6 months with all the permitting and planning." The public hearing drew no outside speakers for or against the request.

Why it matters: rezoning will expand the city's Downtown zoning district to allow more commercial uses on the property and is intended to make the parcel more marketable to franchise retail tenants. At the same meeting, Travis Moore, the city's chief building official and community development manager, outlined implementation issues in the recently adopted Unified Development Code that affect how the city and property owners can use the new rules.

Moore told the commission that a lot-line consolidation procedure added to the UDC was rejected by the Galveston County Clerk for recording because it does not include a Minimum Improvement Location Report (MILR) prepared by a registered surveyor. "We adopted a lot line consolidation procedure that is not able to function," Moore said, explaining that county filing requirements prevent staff from recording the simplified consolidation the UDC attempted to allow.

Moore also said the UDC replaced older municipal code chapters, including Chapter 9, which contained more detailed standards and an annual licensing requirement for manufactured-home parks. "The UDC does have standards for manufactured home parks," Moore said, "but there are additional provisions in Chapter 9 — like licensing, sidewalks and lighting — that no longer exist because Chapter 9 was repealed and replaced." He added the UDC's manufactured-home standards are shorter than the prior chapter.

Commission discussion and conditions: commissioners supported the rezoning and asked staff to provide comparative materials showing how previous zoning categories (for example, General Commercial) map to the new Downtown and Urban Transition districts. Commissioner Ashley asked whether staff could produce a side-by-side list "that would show the permitted uses that were in GC and we could do 1 permitted uses in urban transition downtown." Moore said the city's GIS can show old versus current zoning and staff can produce materials for the commission.

Several commissioners voiced concern about transition burdens created by the new UDC. One commissioner urged leniency for citizens and developers adapting to the new rules, arguing the UDC replaced decades of prior practice. "There needs to be a lot of leeway given to the citizens," Commissioner Bruce Henderson said, urging staff and the council to account for the changeover while staff researches fixes. The commission's role in initiating text amendments was emphasized; Moore said the UDC gives the Planning & Zoning Commission and city council authority to request text or zoning-map amendments.

Votes and next steps: after the public hearing closed and the applicant answered commissioners' questions about tenant plans and timing, a motion to approve the rezoning passed on a voice vote. Commissioners also approved consent items earlier in the meeting, including minutes for the March 18, 2025 Planning & Zoning meeting.

Implementation notes and timelines discussed at the meeting: the applicant said permitting and planning work would likely begin three to six months after rezoning approval; staff noted that the county's recording requirements currently prevent one UDC provision from functioning as written. Moore invited the commission to submit a prioritized list of UDC provisions they want staff to research and indicated staff can bring items back to a regular meeting, workshop or town hall per the commission's preference.

The commission closed the meeting after approving the rezoning. The applicant, Lakhani, was welcomed to the community and said he intends to keep existing long-term tenants in place while making exterior improvements.