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HomeMy WebLinkAbout04/10/2025 - Regular Minutes - City CouncilMINUTES OF THE CITY COUNCIL MEETING IN -PERSON WITH TELECONFERENCE PARTICIPATION CITY OF COLLEGE STATION APRIL 10, 2025 STATE OF TEXAS § COUNTY OF BRAZOS § Present: John Nichols, Mayor Council: Mark Smith, Mayor ProTem - absent William Wright David White Melissa McIlhaney Bob Yancy Scott Shafer Citv Staff: Bryan Woods, City Manager Jeff Capps, Deputy City Manager Adam Falco, City Attorney Leslie Whitten, Deputy City Attorney Tanya Smith, City Secretary Ian Whittenton, Deputy City Secretary 1. Call to Order and Announce a Ouorum is Present. With a quorum present, the meeting of the College Station City Council was called to order by Mayor Nichols via In -Person and Teleconference at 4:00 p.m. on April 10, 2025, in the Council Chambers of the City of College Station City Hall, 1101 Texas Avenue, College Station, Texas 77840. 2. Executive Session Agenda. In accordance with the Texas Government Code §551.07 1 -Consultation with Attorney, §551.072-Real Estate, §551.074-Personnel, and §551.087- Economic Incentive Negotiations and the College Station City Council convened into Executive Session at 4:00 p.m. on April 10, 2025, to continue discussing matters pertaining to: 2.1. Consultation with Attornev to seek advice regarding pending or contemplated litigation, to wit: • Shana Elliott and Lawrence Kalke v. City of College Station, et al., Cause No. 22-001122-CV-85, in the 85th District Court, Brazos County, Texas; and • The City of College Station v. The Public Utility Commission of Texas, Cause No. D-1-GN-24- 005680 in the 200th District Court, Travis County, Texas; and • Texas A&M University System v. BVGCD, et al, Cause No. 24-002626-CV-472, in the 472nd District Court, Brazos County. • Legal advice regarding property generally located on the southbound side of Midtown Drive, East of Durham Loop in the Midtown Reserve Subdivision Phase 601. CCM 041025 Minutes Page 1 • Legal advice regarding the Texas Open Meetings Act and the Texas Public Information Act. 2.2. Deliberation on the purchase, exchange, lease, or value of real property; to wit: • Approximately 8 acres of land located at 1508 Harvey Road. • Approximately 300 acres generally located at Corporate Parkway and Midtown Drive in the Midtown Business Park. 2.3. Deliberation on the appointment, emplovment, evaluation, reassignment, duties, discipline, or dismissal of a public officer, to wit: • City Attorney • Council Self -Evaluation 2.4. Deliberation on an offer of financial or other incentives for a business prospect that the Council seeks to have locate, stav or expand in or near the City. to wit: • Economic development agreement for a development generally located at the intersection of University Drive East and Tarrow Street. • Economic development agreement with Fujifilm Diosynth Biotechnologies Texas, LLC, f/k/a Kalon Biotherapeutics LLC. • Economic development agreement for a development generally located at the intersection of Raymond Stotzer Parkway and State Highway 47. • Economic development agreement with Corinth Group, Inc. • Economic Development agreement for a development generally located in 3100 block of Harvey Road. 3. The Open Meeting Will Reconvene No Earlier than 6:00 PM from Executive Session and Citv Council will take action, if anv. Executive Session recessed at 6:10 p.m. No action was taken. 4. Pledge of Allegiance. Invocation, consider absence request. MOTION: Upon a motion made by Councilmember White and a second by Councilmember Shafer, the City Council voted six (6) for and none (0) opposed, to approve an absence request from Councilmember Yancy for the March 27, 2025 Council Meeting and Councilmember Smith for the April 10, 2025 Council Meeting. The motion carried unanimously. 5. PRESENTATION - PROCLAMATIONS, AWARDS, AND RECOGNITIONS. 5.1. Presentation declaring April 14th through 20th as "World Shakuhachi Festival Week." Mayor Nichols presented a proclamation to Marty Regan - 2025 Texas Executive Director, David Wheeler - 1998 Boulder Executive Director and Kiku Day - 2018 London Executive Director, recognizing April 14th through 20th as "World Shakuhachi Festival Week." 5.2. Presentation declaring April 21st through 25th as "National Communitv Development Week." Mayor Nichols presented a proclamation to Anthony Armstong, Planning and Development Director, Molly Hitchcock, Planning and Development Assistant Director, and Community Services David Brower, Eric CCM 041025 Minutes Page 2 Barton, Raney Whitwell, and Josh Brooks, recognizing April 21 st through 25th as "National Community Development Week." 6. Hear Visitors Comments. Chandler Arden, College Station, spoke about building entry level homes and the joy it brings him to help individuals and families, but he has not been able to develop homes in College Station due to impact fees. He feels Council needs to do away with impact fees, especially in entry level homes. Cari Bullington, College Station, spoke about first time home buyers applying for a mortgage but not being qualified due to the overall price of the homes with the included impact fees. Jennifer Fredericks, College Station, came before Council on behalf of a local real estate association and their concerns on impacts fee. They would like Council to rely on the association and consider them partners and a resource with a wealth of information at their disposal. Hunter Goodwin, College Station, spoke about impact fees and how people assume the real estate developer will absorb the cost. He stated that they will not, and higher impact fees mean higher home prices. James Murr, College Station, spoke about the rising cost of homes and how developers are an easy target to blame for being greedy. Mr. Murr provided a history of his background of being a developer and the risk that he takes to make a profit. JT Laramore, Executive Officer for the Greater Brazos Valley Builders Associations, College Station, spoke about his disappointment when he read a letter signed by the city which he feels implicates his organization and colleagues are greedy. He stated that the sale price builders charge is a percentage of what it costs to build. Valen Cepak, College Station, came before Council to talk about aspiration and goals that he will not be able reach now because buying a home is out of his price range. He believes impact fees are creating problems with housing affordability in College Station. Joshua Ramirez, College Station, spoke about enjoying watching individuals buying their first homes and children looking towards their future. He believes impact fees are shrinking the market for young families and driving up prices. Richard Woodward, College Station, talked about his experience serving on the city's Impact Fee Advisory Committee and stated that impact fees are tied to "Attributable Costs." These are real costs that will be borne by the city and if you don't recoup those costs, you are subsidizing the construction of the homes that lead to those costs. He went on, if we want affordable housing then we should subsidize affordable housing, it is allowed in the ordinance. Eliminating impact fees is effectively subsidizing all building in College Station is neither fiscally prudent nor an effective way to increase affordable housing. Veronica Morgan, College Station, spoke about impact fees not being the only problem in College Station. She stated that besides land the city has a lack of infrastructure in the ETJ which will make development of affordable housing units difficult or impossible. CCM 041025 Minutes Page 3 Charles Coats, College Station, spoke on behalf of Habitat for Humanity and how the housing affordability is a spectrum of different types of units such as single-family starter homes and larger homes. He stated we do not have enough affordable housing in College Station and the builders need the flexibility to build affordable housing that fits the community. Shelby Behm, College Station, spoke about her concerns on Midtown and provided Council with a few news clips regarding projects coming to Midtown. Ms. Behm stated that a lot of the projects that were mentioned have not been brought forward, and she looks forward to the report to Council on midtown next month. Steve Pittman, College Station, spoke about his experience as a builder and stated that higher impact fees equal higher home prices. He stated that builders would not keep prices artificially high and would reduce their home prices dollar for dollar if impact fees were reduced or eliminated. Jeff Robertson, Bryan, spoke about resolving cost and affordability of housing. He stated that he has seen a lot of fluctuations, but in the past few years cost have significantly increased for development but adding impact fees to those costs exacerbates the cost. Dennis Maloney, College Station, stated that this is not an impact fee problem, but a housing problem largely caused by the 2008 financial crash and investors buying up large amount of housing units to rent them back out at a profit. He believes that the proof of this in the statistics: 37% of single-family homes are owner occupied, 63% are rentals and 70% of those are owned by people and companies that are not based in College Station. Despite the City of Bryan having no impact fees College Station issues more permits for housing and has a lower tax rate, so impact fees have not stopped developers from building homes in the city. He proposes that offering more down payment assistance to buyers which would be paid back upon sale, would be a more realistic solution to the housing shortage. 7. CONSENT ITEMS Presentation, discussion, and possible action on consent items which consist of ministerial, or "housekeeping" items as allowed by law: A Councilmember may request additional information at this time. Anv Councilmember may remove an item from the Consent Agenda for a separate vote. No items were pulled for clarification. 7.1. Presentation, discussion, and possible action of minutes for: • March 27, 2025 Council Meeting 7.2. Presentation, discussion, and possible action regarding the first reading of a franchise agreement ordinance with Maroon Dumpsters, LLC, for the collection of recvclables from commercial and multifamilv locations. 7.3. Presentation, discussion, and possible action regarding the first reading of a franchise agreement with Brvan Iron and Metal, Ltd. DBA Texas Commercial Waste (TCW), for the collection of recvclables from commercial and multifamilv locations. 7.4. Presentation, discussion, and possible action regarding the reiection of bids received and cancellation of Invitation to Bid (ITB) 25-017 for the Citv Hall Bus Shelter proiect. CCM 041025 Minutes Page 4 7.5. Presentation, discussion, and possible action on purchasing services for Records Management Svstem Server Upgrade from Central Square in the amount of $116,323.86. MOTION: Upon a motion made by Councilmember White and a second by Councilmember Yancy, the City Council voted six (6) for and none (0) opposed, to approve the Consent agenda. The motion carried unanimously. 8. WORKSHOP ITEMS 8.1. Presentation, discussion, and possible action on the 2025 update to the City Council Strategic Plan. Ross Brady, Chief of Staff, stated that the City Council met for a strategic planning retreat on February 18th and 19th, 2025. During the retreat, the Council discussed individual strategic priorities. Following the conclusion of the strategic planning retreat, the councilmembers had the opportunity to vote individually on the priorities which were most important to them. Items on which were agreed upon have been incorporated into the attached document. Staff recommends the Council consider the updates to the strategic plan and vote to approve the update as written or with changes as directed by the Council. Amendments to the Strategic Plan • Good Governance: o Objectives, add: The City actively engages with the legislature on matters relating to home rule authority. o Actions, add: Develop and approve a legislative platform for each legislative session. • Neighborhood Integrity — Actions, add: o Consider policy options beyond familial -based occupancy regulations which can help mitigate occupancy issues in single-family neighborhoods. • FY25 Strategies o Neighborhood Integrity, change: "maintain" to "achieve" housing affordability. o Core Services & Infrastructure, add: Begin planning and development of Hensel Park in partnership with TAMU. o Sustainable City, add: Explore options to create a more aesthetically pleasing and effective stormwater management system. MOTION: Upon a motion made by Councilmember White and a second by Councilmember Wright, the City Council voted six (6) for and none (0) opposed, to approve the strategic plan as amended. The motion carried unanimously. 8.2. Presentation, discussion, and possible action regarding legislative engagement efforts. Ross Brady, Chief of Staff, stated that this item is intended to provide Council the opportunity to discuss legislative activities and the City's engagement efforts related to the State Legislature. • A letter to Senator Schwertner to express concerns over several bills which infringe upon home rule authority. ➢ S.B. 1509-Relating to the authority of a municipality to regulate within its Extra Territorial Jurisdiction (ETJ). CCM 041025 Minutes Page 5 ➢ S.B. 1567 Relating to the authority of home -rule municipalities to regulate the occupancy of dwelling units. ➢ S.B. 1883 Relating to the approval of land use assumptions, capital improvement plans, and impact fees. Majority of the Council directed staff to move forward with the letter to Senator Schwertner as written, with a formal ending, and the Mayor is to sign the final letter with changes as stated: While in its current form this bill does not prohibit a City from imposing or collecting impact fees, the idea of doing so was proposed during a Senate Local Government Committee Hearing. The City of College Station is strongly opposed to any state -level abolishment of impact fees, which would equate to an infringement of local control. It has been College Station's policy to collect a portion of the cost of infrastructure required for new development via impact fees. As a convened council, we review and debate the merits of impact fees in public meetings on a regular basis. As individuals' council members, we have divergent opinions regarding whether impact fees should be assessed and, if so, at what rate. We are, however, unanimous in our strong belief that the imposition or elimination of impact fees is a matter best left to local government. As the duly elected officials in our city, we are in the best position to evaluate the unique challenges faced by College Station. A letter to Representative Dyson to express concerns over several bills which infringe upon home rule authority: ➢ H.B. 19 - Relating to the issuance and repayment of debt by local governments, including the adoption of an ad valorem tax rate and the use of ad valorem tax revenue for the repayment of debt. ➢ H.B. 2797 - Relating to the authority of home -rule municipalities to regulate the occupancy of dwelling units. ➢ H.B. 5489 - Relating to a temporary moratorium on the imposition of an impact fee. Majority of the Council directed staff to move forward with the letter to Representative Dyson as written, with the additional language of "state level" abolishment of impact fees. MOTION: Upon a motion made by Councilmember Wright and a second by Councilmember McIlhaney, the City Council voted five (5) for and one (1) opposed, with Councilmember Yancy voting against, to approve legislative letters, as amended above. The motion carried. Mayor Nichols recessed Council Meeting at 8:21 p.m. The Council Meeting reconvened at 8:26 p.m. 8.3. Presentation, discussion, and possible action regardinu the 2024 College Station Existing Conditions Report. Heather Wade, Planning and Development, stated as part of the development and periodic evaluation of the Comprehensive Plan, it is important to have a foundation on which to base future expectations. The Existing Conditions Report is updated approximately every five years to assess the changing conditions in the community and inform future planning efforts. The 2024 Existing Conditions Report provides a snapshot of the current conditions in College Station between 2019 and 2023. This report includes current conditions and trends for the following key areas: local context, natural environment, demographics, economic development, land use, public facilities, and transportation. The city looks at these key areas holistically to determine the appropriate expectations and direction of the Comprehensive Plan, including its implementation, monitoring, and evaluation. CCM 041025 Minutes Page 6 Staff recommends that the City Council receive the 2024 Existing Conditions Report and provide feedback as appropriate. The Planning and Zoning Commission received this update at their April 3, 2025, meeting. MOTION: Upon a motion made by Councilmember White and a second by Councilmember Shafer, the City Council voted six (6) for and none (0) opposed, with Councilmember Yancy voting against, to approve the 2024 College Station Existing Conditions Report. The motion carried unanimously. 8.4. Presentation, discussion, and possible action regarding single-familv architectural standards. Anthony Armstrong, Planning and Development Director, provided update on Single-family Architectural Standards. Existing Requirements • UDO: ✓ Height ✓ All other requirements related to the layout of the lot. (IC, setbacks, parking, etc.) • IRC: ✓ Only contains specifics to a construction standard. (Weather resistant) • HOA's Potential Requirements • House Bill 2439 (2019) ✓ Prevents any ordinances that restrict or ban the use of certain building materials. ✓ Cannot adopt regulations more restrictive than national model codes for products or materials. (ICC — IBC/IRC) Historic areas — potentially • Size of structures 8.5. Presentation, discussion, and possible action regarding an update on the gas outages at Southgate Village Apartments. Anthony Armstrong, Planning and Development Director, provided update on the Southgate Village. Timeline • First Remodel Permit Issued July 29th — 11 remodel permits total ✓ First inspection last week of October — Demo work likely started around September • Wednesday November 27th — Plumber called to inquire about permit process ✓ Thanksgiving November 28/29th • Monday December 2nd — 21 Gas Repair Permit applications received and issued the same day ✓ 18 inspections also performed on the same day ✓ Staff dedicated an inspector to be on call for repair inspection request • Tuesday December Yd — several buildings had hot water restored. • Thursday December 5th — additional Gas Repair Permit application submitted and issued ✓ Inspections continued daily • Wednesday December 11 th —16 buildings online — 2 "half buildings" and 2 full buildings remaining • Thursday December 26th — Final inspection performed Code Requirements • Pressure testing CCM 041025 Minutes Page 7 ✓ Can lead to additional leaks in older pipes — test is required to be double the operating pressure (5psi) Older pipes typically made of metal and with multiple joints ✓ Modern pipe is thick wall poly tubing and continuous Shutoff valves required at each building when a complex is master metered ✓ Master metering or not is determined by the provider 9. REGULAR ITEMS 9.1. Presentation, discussion, and possible action regarding the first reading of an ordinance approving a five (5) vear residential recvcling collection franchise agreement and general service agreement in the amount of $7,870,060.50 with Brannon Industrial Group, LLC, DBA BVR Waste and Recvcling. Caroline Ask, Division Manager -Solid Waste, stated that this item is to approve a five (5) year residential recycling collection franchise agreement and general service agreement. The proposed agreement would allow Brazos Valley Recycling to continue collecting recyclables from single-family dwellings and City facilities within the City of College Station. The total contract amount is an estimate calculated using the current number of residential households served (25,994) and a 2.5% annual increase over the term of the contract (5 years). Budgeted funds for residential recycling are included in the Solid Waste Fund. The franchise agreement and general service agreement will be effective on October 1, 2025. Approval of the (5) year Single Stream Recycling Franchise Agreement & General Services Contract with Brannon Industrial Group, LLC, DBA BVR Waste & Recycling would provide the following benefits: • Single Stream recycling is proven to be effective, efficient, & sustainable • Quality customer service MOTION: Upon a motion made by Mayor Nichols and a second by Councilmember Wright the City Council voted six (6) for and none (0) opposed, to approve the first reading of an ordinance approving a five (5) year residential recycling collection franchise agreement and general service agreement in the amount of $7,870,060.50 with Brannon Industrial Group, LLC, DBA BVR Waste and Recycling. The motion carried unanimously. 9.2. Presentation, discussion, and possible action regarding an appointment to the Housing Plan Advisory Committee. Tanya Smith, City Secretary, stated that a member of the committee, Stephen Grove, has resigned from the Housing Plan Advisory Committee effective March 20, 2025. This item will appoint a member to fill a vacancy to serve an unexpired term. This committee was reopened for applications on March 24, 2025, advertised and staff has reached out to past applicants to resubmit their applications. There were two individuals that submitted their applications. MOTION: Upon a motion made by Mayor Nichols and a second by Councilmember Wright the City Council voted six (6) for and none (0) opposed, to appointment Dr. Ivis Garcia to the Housing Plan Advisory Committee for an unexpired term. The motion carried unanimously. 10. Items of Communitv Interest and Council Calendar: The Council may discuss upcoming events and receive reports from a Council Member or Citv Staff about items of communitv interest for which notice has not been given, including: expressions of thanks, congratulations or condolence; information regarding holidav schedules, honorary or salutary recognitions of a public official, CCM 041025 Minutes Page 8 public employee, or other citizen, reminders of upcoming events organized or sponsored by the City of College Station; information about a social, ceremonial or community event organized or sponsored by an entity other than the City of College Station that is scheduled to be attended by a Council Member, another city official or staff of the City of College Station; and announcements involving an imminent threat to the public health and safety of people in the City of College Station that has arisen after the posting of the agenda. Mayor Nichols recognized Kyler Giles and Emily Brown, both awarded the Brian Bachmann Brazos Co. First Responders Scholarship. Councilmember McIlhaney reported on the Women's Legislative Lunch. Mayor Nichols reported on an upcoming event on April 11, 2025 a Crawfish Boil. 11. Council Reports on Committees, Boards, and Commission: A Council Member may make a report regarding meetings of City Council boards and commissions or meetings of boards and committees on which a Council Member serves as a representative that have met since the last council meeting. (Committees listed in Coversheet) Councilmember Yancy reported on the Health Board. 12. Future Agenda Items and Review of Standing List of Council Generated Future Agenda Items: A Council Member may make a request to City Council to place an item for which no notice has been given on a future agenda or may inquire about the status of an item on the standing list of council generated future agenda items. A Council Member's or City Staffs response to the request or inquiry will be limited to a statement of specific factual information related to the request or inquiry or the recitation of existing policy in response to the request or inquiry. Any deliberation of or decision about the subiect of a request will be limited to a proposal to place the subiect on the agenda for a subsequent meeting. No future agenda items at this time. 13. Adiournment. There being no further business, Mayor Nichols adjourned the meeting of the City Council at 10:01 p.m. on Thursday, April 10, 2025. John P. Nichols, Mayor ATTE`'T: QW� Tanya Smith, City Secretary CCM 041025 Minutes Page 9