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HomeMy WebLinkAbout11/09/1983 - Workshop Minutes City Council MINUTES WORKSHOP MEETING COLLEGE STATION CITY COUNCIL WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 9, 1983 4:00 P.M. COUNCIL MEMBERS PRESENT: Mayor Halter, Councilmen Anderson, Boughton, McIlhaney, Prause, Reinke, Runnels COUNCIL MEMBERS ABSENT: None STAFF PRESENT: City Manager Bardell, Assistant City Manager VanDever, Assistant City Attorney Locke, City Secretary Jones, Director of Capital Improvements Ash, Administrative Assistant Nowlin, Purchasing Agent McCartney, Assistant Director of Planning Callaway, Zoning Official Kee, Planning Technician Volk, Deputy Finance Director Schroeder, City Engineer Pullen, Utilities Office Manager Piwonka, Tax Assessor/Collector Dickson, Assistant Zoning Official Dupies, VOE Secretary Sultemeier, Council-Coordinator Jones VISITORS PRESENT: See guest register Agenda Item No. 1 - Si~nin~ of proclamation designating the week of November 13, 1983, through November 19, 1983 as "Healthy Baby Week'' in College Station. Mayor Halter signed a proclamation designating the week of November 13, 1983, through November 19, 1983 as "Healthy Baby Week" in College Station. Councilman Prause stated that the emphasis of "Healthy Baby Week" is on preventive care for children. Agenda Item No. 2 - Council Concerns. Councilman Prause stated that there is a problem with abandoned cars in this area, specifically behind the Grapevine Restaurant and at Northgate. He asked the staff to attempt to find a solution to the problem. City Manager Bardell stated that there is an ordinance that addresses this problem, however, if a car has current license plates and a current inspection sticker, then it does not qualify as an abandoned car. Councilman Runnels asked that the staff stop parking in the fire lanes by City Hall. 00/ t27 WORKSHOP CITY COUNCIL MEETING WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 9, 1983 PAGE 2 Councilman Reinke asked City Attorney Denton to pursue the matter concerning the audit fee charged by Lone Star Gas to determine if it can be altered. Agenda Item No. 3 - Discussion of proposed ordinance relating to landscaping. Gerald Miller, member of the Planning and Zoning Commission, presented the first draft of the proposed landscaping ordinance. He explained that the proposed ordinance is based on a points system. The number of points which a developer must spend is determined either by the number of parking spaces or the square footage of the structure. Councilman Prause questioned why R-2 zoning is exempt from these requirements. Mr. Miller explained that when drafting the ordinance the committee was concerned about projects that do not come to the Planning and Zoning Commission on a single lot basis. Mayor Halter inquired about No. 6, page 2, regarding the replacement of dead landscape within forty-five days. He stated that at certain times of the year this would be impractical. Mr. Miller stated that there are some points that the commission is still working out. He asked the Council for input to be incorporated into the final draft of the ordinance. Mayor Halter asked if existing trees had been designated extra points to encourage developers to use them in their landscaping scheme. Mr. Miller replied affirmatively to the question and explained the proposed process. Councilman McIlhaney asked if the ordinance will have a penalty or enforcement clause. Mr. Miller stated that the Commission is conferring with City Attorney Denton to develop this section and it will be included in the ordinance. City Manager Bardell asked if this ordinance was to be an amendment to the zoning ordinance. Mr. Miller stated that it was his understanding that the ordinance would replace the parking lot sections. City Manager Bardell stated that if the ordinance were m~de an amendment to the zoning ordinance, appeals could be made to the Zoning Board of Adjustments. 00 .128 4ORKSHOP CITY COUNCIL MEETING 4EDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 9, 1983 PAGE 3 ,{ayor Halter thanked Mr. Miller for presenting the proposed ordinance. %~enda Item No. 4 - Consideration of Resolution ~ertaining to M.U.D. levelopment and utility service a~reement. ~ssistant City Attorney Locke presented the item. She stated that she cesearched the enforcement provision requiring that the seller advise the ~urchaser of the fact that there is a M.U.Do and a municipal district tax, ~nd the provision is enforceable. She further stated that there is not a ~tatutory debt limit. qr. Dave Fetzer, financial advisor for the city, explained number two as ~et forth in the Resolution. He stated that the total debt for all Dverlapping jurisdictions should not exceed twelve percent of the city's total assessed valuation. He pointed out that last year the total direct · nd overlapping indebtedness for the City of College Station was 4.75 ~ercent of the total assessed valuation, with the city's direct indebtedness totalling 2.05 percent of assessed valuation. Councilman McIlhaney questioned how the M.U.D. can appear attractive, as it creates an area of double taxation. qr. Fetzer stated that theoretically the M.U.D. lets the developer incur ~ubstantially lower development costs, thereby allowing him to pass these ~avings on to the purchaser. ~ouncilman McIlhaney asked if it would be possible to incorporate this into the Resolution. qr. Fetzer stated that he did not think it was necessary to have that ~xpressly written in the Resolution because economics usually takes care of the situation. ~ouncilman McIlhaney inquired about what would happen if the M.U.D. should ]efault. ~r. Fetzer stated that the city has incorporated all kinds of controls into the utility agreement, in the area of financing and construction, and if the city exercises these controls then there should not be a default. He further stated that the M.U.D. will have to obtain the approval of the 2ouncil for every step that it takes. ~ouncilman Prause asked if any M.U.D. has ever voluntarily dissolved itself. ~r. Fetzer replied that a M.U.D. has never voluntarily dissolved itself as long as it has indebtedness. 2ouncilman McIlhaney referred to a discussion held at the previous meeting; 00 1'29 WORKSHOP CITY COUNCIL MEETING WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 9, 1983 PAGE 4 she suggested that in statement number 9 the word "deposit" be replaced by the word "fee" and that the phrase "per district" be included. Mr. Fetzer explained the purpose of the proposed use of the word "deposit" and the possible problem with the Texas Department of Water Resources if the word "fee" is used. Councilman McIlhaney requested that a clause be added to statement number 9 as follows: "said deposit shall not be returned unless the deposit exceeds the city's administrative costs." Mr. Fetzer stated that in statement number 3 the phrase "Bond Buyer's" should be inserted in front of the digits 20. He further stated that statement number 10 should read, "The City shall set and impose all fees and costs of the system." Councilman Reinke asked what was the intent of the fourth paragraph. After lengthy discussion, the Council requested that the legal staff draft a revision to this paragraph. She further stated that on statement number 2 the phrase "including the direct debt of the City" should be included. Councilman Reinke asked the staff to compile a report of the cities that have M.U.D.'s within the city limits and provide a brief history on each. She stated that she had read a report that analyzed the City of Austin's Capital Recovery Plan and asked if any other members of the Council would be interested in reading it. Mayor Halter stated that he would be interested in reading the report. Agenda Item No. 5 - Discussion of the pendin~ bond election. Mayor Halter stated that he wanted the Council to consider some additional points concerning the bond election. He asked Director of Capital Improvements Ash if the amount of oversized water and sewer the city is committed to had been determined and if the amount proposed for the bond election is sufficient to cover these commitments. Director of Capital Improvements Ash presented a memorandum which summarized the projects per city commitments and reported the amounts that each project is requiring for oversized participation. He stated that he estimates the proposed amount for the bond election will be sufficient to cover these commitments. The Council concurred with the amounts the CIP Committee recommended for oversized water and sewer. Mayor Halter expressed reservations about using bond monies to pay for the street overlay item because the life of such a project is not as long as the payback period required for the bond. He inquired about the possibility of raising taxes to fund such projects if the need should 00 .t30 WORKSHOP CITY COUNCIL MEETING WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 9, 1983 PAGE 5 arise. After further discussion the Council concurred to eliminate the $700,000.00 for the overlay of collectors and arterials from the bond proposal. Mayor Halter requested that the Council consider completion of the Appomattox extension from Highway 30 to Raintree Drive as a separate item for the bond election. Councilman Reinke stated that at the last meeting there had been a request for a more specific breakdown of funds for the street and sanitation maintenance and storage facilities, and asked if the information is available. Director of Capital Improvements Ash presented a memorandum to the Council which addressed the breakdown of costs on public services renovation. He explained that the CIP Committee had estimated the land costs some eighteen months ago and that the increase in land costs since then would make up for the amounts that had been pared out of this project; therefore, the staff recommends that the total of the proposal be left at the original amount. Mayor Halter summarized the actions of the Council thus far in preparing for the January 24th bond election. He stated that the proposals for oversized participation in water and sewer and the street and sanitation maintenance and storage facilities will remain unchanged. He further stated that the $700,000.00 allocated for the overlay of collectors and arterials will be removed from proposition no. 5 and that a separate proposition for the fourth fire station will be added to the ballot. He stated that at the next meeting the Council will consider the proposed extension of Appomattox from Highway 30 to Raintree Drive. Councilman Runnels reiterated that the word "major" be used instead of the word "oversized." Director of Capital Improvements Ash asked if the Council would like to consider the inflation factor at the next meeting and asked if the Council would like for him to invite the chairman of the CIP Committee to the meeting. Mayor Halter stated that he would like the Council to finalize the bond proposals at the next meeting. Councilman McIlhaney stated that she did not want the bond proposals to veer too far from the recommendations of the CIP Committee. City Secretary Jones asked the Council to determine where the voters in the newly annexed area should vote. She suggested that the annexed area in county precinct no. 2 be combined with city votin~ precinct no. 32, with the polling place at fire station no. 2, and the annexed area in county precinct no. 28 be combined with city voting precinct no. 10, with the WORKSHOP CITY COUNCIL MEETING WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 9, 1983 PAGE 6 polling place at the police station. Councilman Runnels moved to combine the newly annexed area in county precinct no. 2 with city voting precinct no. 32, with the polling place at fire station no. 2, and to combine the newly annexed area in county precinct no. 28 with city voting precinct no. 10, with the polling place at the police station. Councilman McIlhaney seconded the motion which was approved unanimously, 7-0. Agenda Item No. 6 - Adjourn. Mayor Halter adjourned the meeting. G~ry Ha/r, Mayor Attest: Dian Jones, ary