Bellaire’s Planning and Zoning Commission voted to table their recommendation to council regarding rezoning and specific-use permit requests filed by the owner of the property located at 4800 Fournace Place and 5901S. Rice Ave. until a workshop could be held with the applicant next Thursday.

SLS West Loop LP, the owner of the property since 2018, is requesting the rezoning of the property from Technical Research Park to corridor mixed-use in order to build retail and office buildings, a parking garage and a multifamily apartment complex.

Rezoning the property would be required for the five specific-use permits to be approved, which include a permit to construct a movie theater and athletic facility within about 9.6 acres on the western side of the property as well as a specific-use permit to allow for an increase in the height of construction from 53 feet to 85 feet for a multi-family apartment complex and garage.

City staff recommended approval for the rezoning request as well as the specific use permits for the proposed movie theater and athletic facility, but did not recommend approval for the maximum height allowances or the construction of a multifamily structure in large part due to concerns that those requests did not conform with the city’s comprehensive plan as it relates to corridor mixed-use properties.

“I think it sounds like the right course of action to continue this discussion next week and to make sure we fully understand how [the development] might fit under CMU,” said Ross Gordon, chair of the commission. “If we ultimately decide that it doesn’t, then we’ll have to go in a different direction, but this gives us the flexibility to move as efficiently as possible.”

Danny Sheena, the representative of SLS West Loop LP, said he would be willing to discuss options with the commission in a workshop setting in order to find a solution to get the development approved.

“I’m absolutely ready to listen to anybody that has an opinion that works. … If you guys have an opinion as to what you think ought to go there, and I think it works, then absolutely I’d love to work with you,” Sheena said. “What I don’t want is another months-and-months delay to try and figure out what we’re doing with this property.”

The workshop is scheduled for Oct. 17 at 6 p.m. in Bellaire City Hall with members of the city council and the public invited to attend.