HomeMy WebLinkAbout02/08/2018 - Workshop Minutes - City Council MINUTES OF THE CITY COUNCIL WORKSHOP
CITY OF COLLEGE STATION
FEBRUARY 8, 2018
STATE OF TEXAS §
COUNTY OF BRAZOS §
Present:
Karl Mooney, Mayor
Council:
Bob Brick
Jerome Rektorik
Linda Harvell
Barry Moore
John Nichols
James Benham
City Staff: Student Liaison
Kelly Templin, City Manager Tory Oxendahl, Municipal Affairs
Chuck Gilman, Deputy City Manager
Carla Robinson, City Attorney
Tanya Smith, City Secretary
Ian Whittenton, Deputy City Secretary
1. Call to Order and Announce a Quorum is Present
With a quorum present, the Workshop of the College Station City Council was called to order by
Mayor Mooney at 4:00 p.m. on Thursday, February 8, 2018 in the Council Chambers of the City
of College Station City Hall, 1101 Texas Avenue, College Station, Texas 77840.
2. Executive Session
In accordance with the Texas Government Code §551.071-Consultation with Attorney, §551.072-
Real Estate ,and §551.074-Personnel, the College Station City Council convened into Executive
Session at 4:00 p.m. on Thursday, February 8, 2018 in order to continue discussing matters
pertaining to:
A. Consultation with Attorney to seek advice regarding pending or contemplated litigation;to wit:
• Kathryn A. Stever-Harper as Executrix for the Estate of John Wesley Harper v. City of
College Station and Judy Meeks; No. 15,977-PC in the County Court No. 1, Brazos
County, Texas; and
• McCrory Investments II, LLC d/b/a Southwest Stor Mor v. City of College Station; Cause
No. 17-000914-CV-361; In the 361st District Court, Brazos County, Texas
WKSHP020818 Minutes Page 1
• City of College Station v. Gerry Saum, Individually, and as Independent Executrix of the
Estate of Susan M. Wood, Deceased; Cause No. 17-002742-CV-361; In the 361st District
Court, Brazos County, Texas
B. Deliberation on the purchase, exchange, lease, or value of real property; to wit:
• Northgate Parking Garage
C. Deliberation on the appointment, employment, evaluation, reassignment, duties, discipline, or
dismissal of a public officer; to wit:
• Council Self-evaluation
• City Manager
• Construction Board of Adjustments
• Zoning Board of Adjustments
The Executive Session recessed at 5:43 p.m.
3. Take action, if any, on Executive Session.
MOTION: Upon a motion made by Councilmember Benham and a second by Councilmember
Rektorik, the City Council voted seven(7) for and none (0) opposed, to appoint Chuck Gilman as
Interim City Manager, effective April, 1 2018. The motion carried unanimously.
Mayor reordered the workshop items with item #6 being heard first,followed by #4, and the rest
remaining as ordered.
4. Presentation, possible action and discussion on items listed on the consent agenda.
Items 2b, and 2h were pulled from Consent for clarification.
2(b): Mary Ellen Leonard, Finance, clarified what a responsible bidder is and how that helps to
determine the best value to the City.
2(h): David Schmitz, Director of Parks and Recreation, clarified the sequences of the project,
which are phases are yet to come. This design contract includes the full design of the park facility
for phase one of the park and preliminary site/civil design for phase 2 in order to construct utilities
for phase 1 that will be crossing the phase 2 area of the property. The contract includes construction
phase services for Phase 1 which is proposed to include 4 of the proposed ballfields and associated
infrastructure to support their use.
Mayor Mooney recessed the Workshop at 6:17 p.m.
Workshop reconvened at 7:59 p.m.
5. Presentation, possible action, and discussion on the status of the Capital Improvement
Plan including recommended projects from the Citizens Advisory Committee.
WKSHP020818 Minutes Page 2
Emily Fisher, Assistant Director of Public Works, provided an update to Council on the status of
Capital Improvement projects. These projects were recommended from the Citizens Advisory
Committee. Some of the projects completed are along Munson Avenue, Rock Prairie Road, Green
Prairie Trail, and Lick Creek Nature Center. Areas in process are Lincoln Center, Lakeway Drive,
Royder Road Phase 1 &2, University Dr. Pedestrian Safety Improvements, culvert replacement at
Dominik and Stallings, Eastgate Rehabilitation, and a 30-inch transmission line relocation for FM
2818 /60 interchange.
6. Presentation, possible action, and discussion on the Texas Weekend of Remembrance
special event slated for May 25-27, 2018 (Memorial Day Weekend). The presentation will
cover the background, mission, and event details.
J.D. Wood, Parks and Recreation, provided an overview of Texas Weekend of Remembrance,
which is a time for military members, veterans, and their families to come together and honor the
memory of their lost loved ones through camaraderie and commemoration of their sacrifice. This
event will become a precursor to Memorial Day and restore its original intent by allowing everyone
to show their pride and respect to the men and women who have paid the ultimate price.
Parks and Recreation staff, local and non-local veterans, military personnel, and TAMU staff
recommend approval of Texas Weekend of Remembrance to continue with the planning process.
MOTION: Upon a motion made by Councilmember Benham and a second by Councilmember
Rektorik, the City Council voted seven (7) for and none (0) opposed, to endorse the Texas
Weekend of Remembrance special event for May 25-27, 2018. The motion carried unanimously.
7.Presentation,possible action,and discussion regarding a City-initiated rezoning to remove
the Krenek Tap Overlay zoning district from all properties currently under the district.
Molly Hitchcook, Planning and Development, presented an overview regarding the Krenek Tap
Overlay zoning district that was adopted in 2004 to enhance the views along Krenek Tap Road
and create a sense of identity for the City,not only along the municipal property but along Krenek
Tap Road itself. At the time, the City was pursuing the City Centre Concept for the development
of the municipal property. The overlay heightens the development standards for all properties
along Krenek Tap (including single-family) by requiring parking to be located behind structures
and placing limitations on façade and fence materials and roof and signage options. The overlay
is applied to all property from the Krenek Tap right-of-way and back 750 feet in each direction.
This item is brought to council as part of the 2017 Planning&Zoning Commission's Plan of Work
to help streamline the Unified Development Ordinance (UDO). The concept of deleting of the
Krenek Tap Overlay zoning district from the UDO is supported by Staff and the Planning&Zoning
Commission, but such an ordinance amendment would necessitate the rezoning of all properties
currently under the overlay to remove its application.
Staff requested direction from City Council on whether or not to move forward with
Council directed staff to move forward with removing the Krenek Tap Overlay from the UDO.
WKSHP020818 Minutes Page 3
8.Presentation, possible action,and discussion regarding an overview of current community
notification requirements and practices for cases involving a public hearing.
Lance Simms,Director of Planning and Development,provided an overview of the types of public
hearing notifications provided by the City, whether required or discretionary. This item was also
part of the Planning & Zoning Commission's Plan of Work.Under "educational/informational
items", the Commission's Plan of Work states, "Review current community notification
requirements and practices for cases involving a public hearing".
When an item requiring a public hearing is to be considered by the Planning & Zoning
Commission, the City is legally required to:
• Post the meeting agenda on the City's official website
• Post the meeting agenda at City Hall at least 72 hours before the meeting
• Publishing a notice in The Eagle at least 15 days prior to the meeting; and,
• Mail a notice to property owners within 200 feet of the parcel under consideration at least
15 days prior to the meeting(applies to rezoning's,conditional use permits,ZBA variances,
and certain replats).
At a minimum, the Unified Development Ordinance (UDO) requires that published and mailed
notices provide:
• The general location of the land that is the subject of the application;
• The substance of the application, including the magnitude of proposed development and
the current zoning district;
• The time, date, and location of the public hearing; and
• A phone number to contact the City
Planning &Zoning Commission heard this item on December 21, 2017 and asked staff to explore
ways to improve the signage placed on the subject property. Otherwise, the Commission felt like
our current notification process is working well.
Councilmember Brick left for the remainder of the meeting.
9. Presentation, possible action, and discussion regarding non-residential landscaping
standards.
Rachel Lazo, Planning and Development, stated as part of the 2017 Plan of Work, City Council
and Planning and Zoning Commission directed staff to review current city landscaping
requirements, including streetscaping and buffer standards. Staff was also directed to explore
options for water-conserving landscaping. Staff received feedback from stakeholders in the
development community, neighborhood associations, and the general public on this item through
two public meetings held in a"come and go"format on August 30, 2017. On September 21, 2017,
the Planning and Zoning Commission heard the results of the stakeholder meetings and endorsed
staff's general recommendations at the time. The Planning & Zoning Commission heard the item
again at their December 21, 2017 meeting and recommended that staff proceed with the following
changes:
• Encouraging drought tolerant irrigation by increasing the landscaping point credit from 10
percent to 20 percent for water-conserving irrigation systems.
WKSHP020818 Minutes Page 4
• Providing an extra 50 percent increase in landscaping points for Texas native plants.
• Incentivizing the retention of older/larger trees by doubling the point values for each
protected tree.
• Creating administrative flexibility to waive buffer requirements adjacent to common area,
and exempting buffers adjacent to FEMA 100-year floodplain.
• Allowing Staff to adjust buffer width up to 5 feet if the applicant is providing above and
beyond minimum requirements for screening.
• Removing the double landscape point requirements for building plots over 15 acres.
• Removing the heightened 2.5-inch caliper tree requirement for building plots over 15 acres
and allow these sites to meet the 2-inch caliper tree requirement of other sites.
• Providing water conserving landscaping options, such as xeriscaping in lieu of sod.
• Requiring buffer by developed/proposed use instead of by zoning district.
Staff requested direction from Council on the aforementioned items before moving forward with
the development of ordinance language.
Council directed staff to move forward with the development of the ordinance language.
10. Presentation, possible action, and discussion of a possible travel budget for
representation from the College Station City Council to attend meetings of the Gulf Coast
Strategic Highway Coalition.
Tanya Smith, City Secretary, opened this itemfor Council discussion to consider a possible
increase in the travel and training budget to accommodate hotel stay, travel, and registration fees
for the Gulf Coast Strategic Highway Coalition.
Council directed staff to increase the budget by consensus as needed.
11. Council Calendar
Council reviewed the calendar.
12. Discussion, review and possible action regarding the following meetings: Animal Shelter
Board,Annexation Task Force,Arts Council of Brazos Valley,Arts Council Sub-committee,
Audit Committee,Bicycle,Pedestrian, and Greenways Advisory Board,Bio-Corridor Board
of Adjustments, Blinn College Brazos Valley Advisory Committee, Brazos County Health
Dept., Brazos Valley Council of Governments, Bryan/College Station Chamber of
Commerce, Budget and Finance Committee, BVSWMA, BVWACS, Compensation and
Benefits Committee, Experience Bryan-College Station, Design Review Board, Economic
Development Committee, FBT/Texas Aggies Go to War, Gulf Coast Strategic Highway
Coalition, Historic Preservation Committee, Interfaith Dialogue Association,
Intergovernmental Committee, Joint Relief Funding Review Committee, Landmark
Commission, Library Board, Metropolitan Planning Organization, Parks and Recreation
Board, Planning and Zoning Commission, Research Valley Partnership, Research Valley
Technology Council, Regional Transportation Committee for Council of Governments
Sister Cities Association, Transportation and Mobility Committee, TAMU Economic
WKSHP020818 Minutes Page 5
Development, TAMU Student Senate, Texas Municipal League, Twin City Endowment,
Walk with the Mayor, YMCA, Youth Advisory Council, Zoning Board of Adjustments.
Mayor Mooney reported on the YMCA and Walk with the Mayor.
Councilmember Nichols reported on the Chamber Legislative Affairs.
13. Adjournment
There being no further business, Mayor Mooney adjourned the workshop of t•e College Station
City Council at 8:53 p.m. on Thursday, February 8, 2018.
k..rl .•oney, . ayor
ATS
Tanya . m , 17 •cretary
WKSHP020818 Minutes Page 6