Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutOnline Posts (2005)_theeagle.comThe Bryan -College Station Eagle - Printer Friendly Page G,_ ated 7:01 AM on Sunday, December 18, 2005 Latest center plan should go to voters Eagle Editorial ThereOs little question that this community would benefit tremendously from a first-class convention center - hotel project such as the one being planned in College Station. Not only would such a center attract visitors from throughout the state, it also would encourage millions of dollars in private development in the area around the convention center. The College Station City Council is enthused about the project, pledging to spend up to $25 million of taxpayer money to build a 90,000 square -foot convention center next to a 300-room hotel that would be built with private financing by San Antonio developer Drake Leddy. The private portion of the joint project is estimated to cost some $37.5 million. The question is whether the taxpayers of College Station are as enthusiastic about the project. No one knows, because they havenOt been asked. In fact, they havenOt been asked since November of 1997, when they gave approval to a referendum to spend $6 million on a similar, smaller project. Although the referendum was not site specific, city officials had been discussing a site across from the Wolf Pen Creek Amphitheater. -1 project was to include a 45,000 square -foot conference center built with city money and a $22 million 200-room Sheraton Hotel and adjacent office building, both built with private funds. The Leddy Company was one of the finalists for the private portion of that project but didn't receive the city's final approval. The Wolf Pen Creek project was to be completed by the summer of 1999, but plans fell through when the private developers were unable to obtain financing. From there, in 2003, the project morphed into a city convention center -private hotel on Texas 30, across from the Physicians Centre. The city's cost for the center was originally estimated at some $18 million - three times what voters had approved in 1997 and escalated from there. Private developer Don Adam - now chairman of the new American Commerce Bank in Tampa, Fla. - pulled out of the project when the cost of the hotel exceeded by some $7 million his agreement to spend no more than $38 million on the project. Now, the city has moved its project back to Northgate, where discussions of a hotel -convention center first began. The cost to the city now is more than four times what the voters approved in 1997 and that is a big difference. Most likely, College Station voters would approve of this new plan if asked - but city officials don't seem inclined to ask. Yes, the 1997 vote was a referendum and was not binding on the city council. But there is a matter of trust between the council and the residents of College Station that should be binding. Because the location and cost of the convention center project have changed so dramatically in the past 1 years, the council should go back to the voters and make sure they share the same vision and are v�..,;ng to shoulder the costs of the revised project. It's a matter of keeping trust with the people the council serve. Printed from: htitp.-Ilk --hp http://wwwtheeagle.com/storiesI12�1805/opinions comlstoriesI12180516oinions 20051218051.p eeag/e. The Bryan -College Station Eagle - Printer Friendly Page l,, .ated 7:33 AM on Friday, December 16, 2005 Hotel -convention center plan OK'd College Station to begin negotiations after'false starts' By APRIL AVISON Eagle Staff Writer On what one councilman called "a banner day in our history," College Station's city leaders unanimously approved Thursday a plan to begin negotiations for a hotel -convention center in Northgate. The public -private development - which could cost $62.5 million - could be complete in January 2008, according to a preliminary schedule released by College Station's economic development office. Mayor Ron Silvia was unable to attend the meeting due to illness, but other City Council members said they were thrilled to proceed with a project that has been years in the making. Two previous attempts to build a hotel -convention center have failed. "In our discussions tonight, we have barely scratched the surface about the potential of this endeavor," Councilman Ron Gay said, explaining that projections from the Bryan -College Station Convention and Vi-hors Bureau show that 75 groups have pledged to use the facility for conventions once it is open. City officials also project that the construction will attract $150 million worth of new development to the Northgate entertainment district. Councilman Ben White echoed excitement for the project. "We've had some false starts over the years, but now we're moving forward," he said. "This should be a banner day in our history." A preliminary sketch of the planned facility shows a 10-story hotel tower with 300 rooms, two restaurants, two bars, a coffee shop, a pool, a fitness center, an outdoor reception area, two ballrooms, an exhibit hall and a parking garage. Plans call for the facility to be built between Nagle Street and College Avenue. Developer Drake Leddy was selected by city staff to partner on the project. Leddy and his group of investors will pay for and own the hotel, which could cost more than $37.5 million. Local developer Jack Culpepper, who owns the 4.29 acres on Church Avenue where the facility will be built, is donating the land and will be a partial owner of the hotel. Leddy developed the Legacy Marriott in Plano, a 404-room hotel with about 50,000 square feet of meeting space, which College Station officials have toured and say will be similar to the facility planned locally. Leddy has been in business for about 16 years. He has developed 17 hotels, hotel -convention centers and r its valued at a total of about $700 million, according to information distributed by his development coinpanies, San Antonio -based LMZ Ventures Limited and Presidian Destinations. The city will pay for and own the adjoining 90,000-square-foot convention center and has agreed to spend up to $25 million on the facility. The council will be asked in January to approve a tax increment financing, or TIF, district to fund the project. If the TIF is approved, property taxes generated on new construction within a d, 'Ignated zone surrounding the hotel -convention center can be used to repay debt issued to built the fG ,ty. It will take about a year to finalize documents and bid the project before construction begins, city officials said. Kim Foutz, College Station's economic development director, said Leddy was chosen as the project developer based on his experience and willingness to agree to the city's requirements, outlined in a 29-page memorandum of understanding. The economic development staff interviewed more than 15 potential developers, Foutz said. "The prior projects in his portfolio made him a good candidate," said Foutz, explaining that Leddy was referred by representatives from international development company Trammell Crow. Leddy is the third developer who has attempted to work with College Station on a hotel -convention center in the past decade. A $6 million project planned in the Wolf Pen Creek district fell through in 1997 when the developer could not meet his financial obligations. Another, larger project was planned later for the "30/60 Corridor" in eastern College Station. But the developer, TAC Realty, withdrew from the agreement in 2003 after saying estimated construction costs for the hotel had exceeded the spending cap of $38 million. Foutz has said a clause will be written into the agreement with Leddy to allow parts of the project to be cut if it goes over budget. The contract requires that performance guarantees and bonds be issued by the general contractor to ensure project completion. The hotelier also will be required to "front" the first $300,000 of city design fees. The city will repay the amount when the hotelier's construction loan is funded. In other matters Thursday, council members approved spending up to $80,000 with Houston law firm Coats Rose to execute legal documents concerning the hotel -convention center project. Printed from: http;//www. tkQpagle. com/stories112160511ocaI 20051216009. php Classifieds Aggie arts nd , i Bra osS arts Brazos galley Honiefier Land ivestork Poi �arctt. Home Subscribe j Contact Hs Calendar ( Navies j Television I Site Mai Quiolk navigation Home Today's Headlines Archives Pews Local A&M News Schools Texas & Region Nation World Business Columnists Opinions Obituaries Politics A riculture Shorts Sports Aagi e Sports School Sports F,.dtures Local Lifestyles Entertainment Faith & Values Food Gardening Health & Fitness Announcements Kids Corner Newspapers in Education Special Sections Worship Director Advertise with us Contact us Employment Our Staff RSS Feeds Subscriptions Hub ......... Pri1. nI. t this Page j Email to Friend I E�, Subscribe,,,i < What is this? 1 IJ Mobile Updated 5;51 AM on Thursday, December 15, 2005 College Station project nears launch Council may OK newest hotel -convention center By APRIL AVISON Eagle Staff Writer Negotiations with a San Antonio -based developer for the construction of a multimillion -dollar hotel and convention center in College Station's Northgate entertainment district could begin this week. College Station is planning to spend up to $25 million on a 90,000-square-foot, city -owned convention center. The planned 10-story Marriott hotel - which could cost up to $37.5 million - will be paid for and owned by developer Drake Leddy and his investment group. The city's economic development director, Kim Foutz, said Wednesday she is working with property owner Jack Culpepper to finalize a price for the land. If that is accomplished before the City Council's meeting at 7 p.m. Thursday, the city leaders will be asked to approve a document authorizing the launch of legally binding agreements. "[Pending council approval,] we're going to initiate full-fledged negotiations and start the design work,' Foutz said. The land in question is a 4.29-acre site on Church Avenue between St. Mary's Catholic Church and College Avenue. It includes a portion of the former Albertson's shopping center. "It's a dense area, and because we have a confined amount of space, we're going to have to build up," said Charles Wood, assistant director of economic development. Help Wanted - Medical GENERAL: St. Joseph Heali System, for our current job listings visit our web -site at www.... Help Wanted - Professic CLASSROOM TEACHER Needed to work with young children in Madisonville Hea Start center. . Help Wanted - General PROFESSIONALS Brazos Animal Shelter Permanent P Time Professionals CUstOmE Service/ View All top Employrnc, f Manufactured Homes fo Sale BRAZOS: Bring your horse. Starting at $130,000. 800-76 3232 Houses for Sale GRIMES COUNTY: Carlos f 5 acs., 1400 sqft home, reac move -in to, 15 min. to B/CS, Manufactured Homes fo Sale BRAZOS: 4-2 on 1.36 ac. $E gets you in. Great area. 979 7558 www.PalmHarbor.com View All Top Homes Autos for Sale - Domest CHEVROLET: 2001 Cavalie door, automatic, CD, airbag: excellent cond, $4900 or be, View All Top Transportati Culpepper has agreed to provide the land as an equity contribution, and if the project comes to fruition, he will have partial ownership of the hotel and can receive a percentage of the profits. Foutz said Wednesday that Culpepper plans to sell the vacant Albertson's building, which would be demolished so that the land can be used for the hotel - convention center. Other businesses in the shopping center, such as Hancock Fabrics and Hurricane Harry's nightclub, would remain in place. Leddy, CEO of San Antonio -based Presidian Destinations, would be responsible for development of the hotel -convention center and operation of the hotel. It hasn't yet been determined who would operate the convention center. Leddy has developed similar projects in Texas, New Mexico, California and Missouri. "Leddy has a group of investors that he regularly deals with on these projects," Foutz said. "Once those investors are determined, that information will be made available to the public." History College Station has attempted twice before to build a hotel -convention center In 1997, a $6 million project planned in the Wolf Pen Creek district dissolved because the developer could not meet financial obligations. Then, in 2003, a hotel -conference center project planned for the "30/60 Corridor" in eastern College Station was scrapped because of high costs. The city's partner, TAC Realty, opted out of the deal after saying the price tag for the hotel would exceed the $38 million maximum. College Station's economic development officials say they plan to place safeguards in any future contracts to ensure such a scenario won't happen again. "What happened with TAC was the project went over budget and they decided to walk," Wood said. "The way this is engineered, there's a requirement if it gets over budget, to huddle, and cut from the plan until it does meet budget." Once negotiations begin, it will take about a year for the design process and general contractor selection and to get financing plans and development agreements in place, according to documents released by College Station's economic development office. Construction is expected to take 18 months. Financing A tax increment financing, or TIF, district will be proposed to the City Council for adoption in January to provide funding for the project, Foutz said. The TIF district would be bounded by Wellborn Road, University Drive, College ;Avenue and the Bryan city limits. Houses for Rent BRAZOS:RENTERS WANT Properties available everywt 979-775-7558 www.PalmHarbor.com Duplexes for Rent COLLEGE STATION Luxury Townhome 3-3.5, 2 living, al appliiances, W/D, on -site me m... Duplexes for Rent BRYAN: 3 bdrm, 2 bath large backyard, washer & dryer in( mo lease, $995/mo. (979)69 Vicw All Top Rontals sat Guns GUNS: Weatherby 300, LaserMark with scope, $120 (979)218-0774 Arts and Antiques SIGNED WILDLIFE /WATEF FOWL/ COWBOY PRINTS: Major Artists. (979)218-0774 Pets and Supplies PET RATS: Mixture of color, hand raised. $6410. Vet checked. 690-1040. View All Top Ads The financing mechanism, if approved, will allow the city to use property taxes on new construction within that zone over a 20-year period to repay the debt issued to build the convention center. City officials have not released cash flow projections but have said they expect the facility to operate at a deficit of about $200,000 per year. The development will, however, generate hotel -motel taxes, which can be used for specified purposes such as arts and tourism but cannot go into College Station's general fund. Foutz has said she expects the hotel -convention center to generate about $150 million in new property value. • April Avison's c-mail address is april.avison@theeagle.com. Theeagle.corn I Classifieds 1 A glesports.corn j Brazos ports.com I Privacy ( Contact Us I Site leap I SUbscribe © 2000 - 2005 The Bryan - College Station Eagle ................ ....... ....... ­__.... ........ ................ _.... .................. .. _.................. ............ iassif eds _ AggieSports Brazos , ar s Brazos Valley Horntinder Land & Livestock Flo: " C. m House I Subscribe I Contact Us I Calendar I Movies I Television I Site Mat Quick navirjation ' Home Today's Headlines Archives News Local A&M News Schools Texas & Region Nation World Business Columnists Opinions Obituaries Politics Agriculture _.... .. Sports Sports Aagle Sports School Sports Fedtures„ Local Lifestyles Entertainment Faith & Values Food Gardening Health & Fitness ................................... ..... ........ ...... ...-. ..................................................... .................... .. Print this Page I j Email to Friend I s Subscribe I < What is this? I 1 J � 4 Mobile ____..___.__._., ___-.. .....__. _ _......._....,. ............... _._�_� __ _._ ___...-, ____,., _.,.... _ Help Wanted - Medical Updated 5:25 AM on Wednesday, December 14, 2005 CERTIFIED NURSE AIDES: St.Joseph Manor Oaks Long Mayor: Delay on UDO unlikely care facility, is seeking qualil By APRIL AVISON Help Wanted - Professic Eagle Staff Writer CLASSROOM TEACHER Needed to work with young College Station isn't likely to postpone adoption of its revised development children in Madisonville Hea ordinance in order to gather more public input at the request of a local coalition, Start center.... the mayor said Tuesday. Help Wanted -Medical GENERAL: St. Joseph Heall Members of the Brazos Progressives met in front of City Hall on Tuesday System, for our current job afternoon and asked city leaders to reject a proposed rewrite of the Unified listings visit our web -site at Development Ordinance, also known as the UDO, which is slated for adoption www.... Jan. 26. Vic to All 7-op i mployme Members of the Progressives, along with former .. t-OV Homes. �.....` mayors Gary Halter and Lynn Mcllhaney and former IF YOU GO: councilwoman Anne Hazen, said the proposed Manufactured Homes fo Sale ordinance has been "unduly influenced" by the An BRAZOS: 4-2 on 1.36 ac. $: development community. informational gets you in. Great area. 979 meeting 7558 www.PalmHarbor.com About 20 people attended the 30-minute news between the Manufactured Homes fo conference Tuesday. College Station Sale Those opposed to the ordinance acknowledged they City Council and BRAZOS: Bring your horse. Starting at$130,000. 800-76 haven't offered specific feedback during the seven the Planning 3232 months it has been under review. But they say that's and Zoning because they haven't been informed about the details Commission to Houses for SaleGRIMES COUNTY: Carlos f of the ordinance, and they claim it's up to the city staff discuss the 5 acs., 1400 sqft home, reac to educate the public. Unified move -in to, 15 min. to B/CS, Development View All Top Homes The purpose of the news conference was to "put Ordinance will11-11 pressure on city government to reject the UDO and be from 4 to 6 #,�_�i�CJ� � w subdivision ordinances so they can be brought m. Wednesday p• y forward with a more democratic and thoughtful at City Hall, Autos for Sale - Domest CHEVROLET:2001 Cavalie process," said Hugh Stearns, a building contractor and a member of the Brazos Progressives. 1101 Texas Ave. door, automatic, CD, airbag: excellent cond, $4900 or be: Mayor Ron Silvia, who did not attend the news conference, said he doesn't anticipate that the City Council will postpone the process to allow more time for public input, as requested by the Brazos Progressives. View All Top Transportati Residents will have a chance to give feedback at two public hearings, on Jan. 5 top £!ntet ,5 and Jan. 26, Silvia said. 'We're not going to look at [adopting the UDO] until the 26th of January," Silvia said. "We'll gather information before then. That's more than enough time for any of these people to meet with city staff and give their input." An informational meeting on the UDO, not scheduled as a public hearing, will be held at City Hall from 4 to 6 p.m. Wednesday. The ordinance has been under review, as required annually by city statute, since May. The Planning and Development Services staff is orchestrating the rewrite and has held one public meeting, in May. Another meeting, also open to the public, was sponsored by the Business and Land Development Forum, a real estate group. Only about a dozen people attended each meeting. "This has been out there a long time," Silvia said. "[Those in opposition] had opportunities to offer input, and they didn't. That's what I find unusual." Stearns said the public can't be expected to comment on a detailed proposal without being offered an informational session or focus group to learn about it. "We depend on the city to guide us and inform us," he said. "To say we're invited to a public meeting isn't enough. We expect more from the city." Future development in College Station will impact everybody, not just developers, Mcllhaney said. "Stakeholder input is important so good policies can be adopted," Mcllhaney said. "Poor standards and poor planning can cost citizens increased taxes to build and maintain [development]. Good planning policies can help manage and direct the growth." Although representatives from the development community have been in talks with city officials while the new draft was being written, developers haven't had a whole lot of influence over the proposed changes in the UDO, according to Public Works director Mark Smith, who is responsible for a rewrite of the subdivision ordinance that also is under way. The subdivision ordinance is separate from the UDO. "Under the current subdivision ordinance, developers are not required to pay any costs to thoroughfares adjacent to the development, and landscaping is not required of the developer," Smith said, adding that those requirements will be placed on developers if the new document is adopted. "The one thing developers will get out of [adoption of the new ordinance] is that because the current ordinance is out of date, whenever a question comes up, city staff has to figure it out on a case -by -case basis, and it slows the development process. Developers would love to improve the timeline and get through the process quicker." Larry Haskins, president of the Business and Land Development Forum, attended the press conference Tuesday and said he isn't opposed to the Duplexes for Rent COLLEGE STATION Luxury Townhome 3-3.5, 2 living, al appliiances, W/D, on -site m, m... Duplexes for Rent BRYAN: 3 bdrm, 2 bath large backyard, washer & dryer ini mo lease, $995/mo. (979)69 Houses for Rent BRYAN: 3 Bdrm, 2 Bath, Bo Room/Game Room, 2 Car Carport, large double backy, mo. I.., View All Top Rentals a sxi$ Arts and Antiques SIGNED WILDLIFE /WATEF FOWL/ COWBOY PRINTS: Major Artists. (979)218-0774 Guns GUNS: Weatherby 300, LaserMark with scope, $120 (979)218-0774 Guns GUN CASE/SAFE: Unique s oak, burglar-proof gun disple case. Display 12 guns & 5 h; View All Top Ads Brazos Progressives' request to be included in the UDO rewrite process. "If there are members of our community that desire further and more inclusive consideration of the proposed UDO revisions, the [Business and Land Development Forum] supports additional consideration," he said. • April Avison's e-mail address is april.avison@theeagle.com. By CRAIG KAPITAN Eagle Staff Writer A recent rash of attacks on international students in the Northgate area aren't necessarily a coincidence, a panel of Texas A&M University student leaders and faculty members said Monday. The four incidents that have been reported since June seem to be part of a culture of intolerance that still survives today at the university, they said. The group met at A&M's Memorial Student Center as part of a panel titled "Increasing Awareness and Tolerance of Culturally Diverse Student in our Community." Such panels are one of many ways in which the group said they hope to educate the campus and community. "We know there's a cultural problem at this school," said Patrick Lukingbeal, who serves at the A&M student government's advocate for diversity. "We're not here to shove diversity down people's throats but to educate them slowly over time." Lukingbeal said he has always known that Northgate is "maybe not the friendliest area for a lot of minority students and international students to go," but recent events have especially hammered that point home. Since June, reported attacks have included an Indian student who said he was hit with a baseball bat and called racial slurs and two BB -gun attacks against international students. Another student said she was attacked with a paintball in Northgate. Lukingbeal said Monday he is afraid such attacks have always gone on, but they're just now being reported because of the publicity created in the wake of the attacks. In addition to its popularity among the bar -going crowd, the area is a popular place for international students to live, primarily because many don't have cars, according to Srikanth Sastry, president of the International Graduate Students Association. For senior lecturer Antonio Caraballo, who also serves as an undergraduate advisor, the recent attacks are just part of an ongoing story that has gone on at A&M during the 25 years he has been there. "This is not new," he said. "It just goes through phases." He described the panel discussion as a perfect example of how individuals and university leaders need to continue working to "break the barriers of ignorance." Other efforts have been as simple as distributing free T-shirts with a pro -diversity message, panelists said. Students also have formed an assault task force that met with both local city councils, the area's three police departments and numerous bar owners. The group is attempting to get more police patrols and better lighting to the area. In addition, student leaders are planning more interactions with homeowners and apartment managers in the Northgate area, Sastry said, "just to get people to talk to each other so that next time they see someone getting assaulted they are very quick to call police." A&M has lots of great traditions, he added, but the downside to that is "the traditions come with a lot of inertia and that inertia makes it resistant to change." But it has long been known that a lack of diversity at A&M harms students once they enter the workforce and have trouble interacting with their peers, added Roxanne Longoria, president of the Hispanic Presidents' Council. "What we need to do is educate people here at A&M [that] here is no excuse to have these kind of views," she said. Panelists also took time to vent Monday at what they said has been a common perception that Northgate bars are discriminatory about who they let it. The problems have been three -fold, said Lukingbeal, explaining that they include dress codes, a requirement for Texas IDs and changing cover prices. But many international students don't have a state driver's license, he said, and oftentimes the dress codes seem to be used to exclude certain groups. There also have been incidents reported in which a white female has been charged $5 to get into a bar and five minutes later a group of black men has been charged $15, he contended. As a result, student leaders have asked businesses there to post dress codes and cover prices, and for bar owners to meet with student minority groups. The overall goal is to change the perception that Northgate businesses aren't welcoming, they said. "There is undeniably an issue at Northgate and we are trying hard to deal with it," Lukingbeal said. "We all know there's a problem. We're not going to let it go. T'hoe:agiexorn I Classiflods I Aggiesports.corn I Brazos S port .com I Privacy I Contact tea I Site Map 1 Subscribe © 2000 - 2005 The Bryan - College Station Eagle Quick navigation Homo Today'sHaad|inoo Archives News A&MNewm Schools Texas &Region Nation World 8uoin000 Columnists Opinions Obituaries Politics -N(iculture Sports �poho AoqiuSpo�u ' 'School S du Feotures Entertainment Faith &Vu|uoo Food Gardening Health & Fitne 8razos Valley Homefinder Land & Livestock Poi C��Q J �0�L Home Subscribe IContact Qs I Calendar iMovies ITelevision I Site Mm� Print this Page I Email to Friend I � Subscribe I < What is this? 1 Mobile Help Wanted 'Medical Updated 1:5zAMunTuesday, December 13,2005 CODING TECHNICIAN on( HOME CARE Home Health ������U~�~�������|�������~����m�0����� coding technician mwork in ~~ ~«~« ~~ " ~~~ ~~~~~' nuamyassvc. Say developers had too much input Help Wanted Pmfessio ByAPR|LAV|SON Health Center seeks (1) Full Time Health Educator: bwu Eagle Staff Writer voomoc. Alocal coalition wants the College Station City Council k} rejectpnopoS8d Help Wanted _General changes to the Unified Development Ordinance, changes the group says came ASSOCIATES *Holiday Heir about through |8Ck of public cOnornont and possible conflicts of interest. b»s»/apnt. Local Company ' multiple openings. Flex. scm Members ofthe Brazos Progressives say they'd like View All Topsmn|oxme to see the n\tv'G planning staff start anew and carry IF YOU GO out the annual review ofthe LIDO with more innput --f.. from across section ofthe onnnnnunitv�The The ' Progressives say the development community Progressives will Manufactured Hvmoefo Sale wielded too much influence inshaping the language hold mnews omAzoa: 4-2on1.36a,.$x of the revised document. conference at 3:30 gets you in. Great area. ern p.nm.Tuesday mi 7nnowmw.Palm nu,uvroom "What we're taking issue with is the pnooaaa." said College Station City Kriata��oy.chair ofthe Brazos Progressives. ''VVhi|e Hall tovoice Manufactured H Homes fp vvecertainly think developers should beinvolved, vve opposition to proposed changes 8�e B""Zoo:annnyou »vmo don'tthinkthoyohou|dbetothiodegroe.VVe'na � tothe city'eUnified Starting $130,000. - asking that the vvho|o revised UDO be RgooteU and ... " Developmentreongn|zathotthoprnoeeaia�awed. auoe Ordinance. Members Ofthe P[Ogr9oaivno. joined by former View All Top Homes mayors Lynn Mo|!h8n8yand Gary Halter and former councilwoman Anne Hazen, will hold 8news conference 8t3:3Op.[n.Tuesday 8tCity Hall. -��- Autosfo,8a|e-oomost Acity official closely involved iDthe proposed changes tnthe ordinance c*svnoLeT:zoo1cavane door, automatic, CID, aimun, disputes the charge that the public was shut out 0fthe process. excellent oonu.$+nono,uo, Public works director Mark Smith said opportunities for public input have been available since May. But few residents have taken advantage ofthe chance to voice their opinions about the proposed changes toCollege Station's View All Top rranvponou oubdiviSiOnguidelines and Unified Development Ordinance, hesaid. rt tals'-*' Smith acknowledged that developers have been more involved than other interest groups during the rewrite process, which began in the spring, because Apartments for Rent they're the ones who have shown interest and attended public meetings. | COLLEGE STATION: Polo C | / Apts. Don / Miss nrooiom!1 'If the developers are the only ones to show up, that's all that gets heard," Smith said. "The reality is when the City Council goes to vote on the UDO, the first question that will come back is, 'How does this impact the developer?' I met with developers because I was preparing to answer those questions. "I want [developers'] input so I can pass it along to council. I have not watered down or edited the content of the proposal based on [developers'] comments. I have kept it the way it was. But in presentations, I'll let [the council] know how the development community feels about certain parts of the proposal." Two public meetings have been held on the ordinance - one city -sponsored event on May 23 and one sponsored by the Business and Land Development Forum last week. About a dozen people attended each meeting. May said that she hasn't attended any public meetings and would like for the city to postpone final action until later next year after gathering more feedback from citizens. "I think it's really unfortunate [that there hasn't been more public input], but that shouldn't be an excuse for this going through," May said. The UDO is to be discussed at 4 p.m. Wednesday at a joint meeting of the Planning and Zoning Commission and City Council. The commission is to make its recommendation after a public hearing at its Jan. 5 meeting, and final adoption is scheduled after another public hearing at the Jan. 26 City Council meeting. The Brazos Progressives promotes itself as a coalition committed to building a progressive community through "networking, encouragement of grassroots involvement, resource acquisition, and promotion of activities," according to its Web site, www. brazosprogressives.org. The organization has about 50 dues - paying members. • April Avison's e-mail address is april.avison@theeagle.com. Houses for Rent BRAZOS:RENTERS WANT Properties available everywt 979-775-7558 www.PalmHarbor.com Houses for Rent BRYAN: 3 Bdrm, 2 Bath, Bo Room/Game Room, 2 Car Carport, large double backy, mo. I... View All Top Rentals Guns GUN CASE/SAFE; Unique s oak, burglar-proof gun displa case. Display 12 guns & 5 N Guns GUNS: Weatherby 300, LaserMark with scope, $120 (979)218-0774 Arts and Antiques SIGNED WILDLIFE /WATEF FOWL/ COWBOY PRINTS: Major Artists. (979)218-0774 View All Top Ads Theea le.corn I Classifieds ( A gieaports.conn j Brazos Sports.corn j Privacy I Contact Us i Site Map I SubscribON © 2000 - 2005 The Bryan - College Station Eagle Classifieds, Ag iesports Brazossports BrazosValley HonLang! & Livestocko: LG ISUZL rct Horne I Subscribe ( Contact Us I Calendar Movies I Television I Site Mat Print this Page l j Email to Friend Subscribe ! a,t< What is this? I�1( Quick navigation 1 Mobile ....................... _..._...._.............._ ._........ m�... .. ...__.. _.,......._...._. �� Help Wanted -General Home Updated 2:29 AM on Wednesday, December 7, 2005 MAINTENANCE Gold's Gyn Today's Headlines largest gym chain in the wor Archives w .w, o Development ordinance debate continues in College currently hiring apart-ti... Local Station Help Wanted - Sales A&M News SALES Gold's Gym in Collet Schools Developers criticize new proposals, say changes will cost thousands Station is searching for full-ti Texas & Region sales people who are inter... Nation g APRIL AVISON World y Help Wanted -Medical Business Eagle Staff Writer DIRECTOR OF NURSES Columnists Madisonviell Care Center is Opinions About a dozen real estate developers spoke candidly Tuesday with College seeking a Caring Profession Obituaries Station's Planning and Development Services staff, questioning proposed head up o... Politics ordinance changes that they say will cost them thousands of dollars. View All Top Employme! Agriculture Shorts ' l The two-hour meeting was planned to discuss proposed changes to the city's sports Unified Development Ordinance, also known as the UDO, which serves as the ` ^ gie Sports guidelines for development in College Station. It has been reviewed annually Manufactured Homes fo n School Sports g p g sale Feat ter° since it was adopted in 2003. BRYAN: 2000 16x8o, River I I set-up in nice park. $15,000. Local Lifestyles 776-0631 Entertainment Proposed changes include requirements for traffic impact analyses in ( 979 ) Faith & Values residential developments, aesthetic upgrades for building facades and Food alterations to square footage, setback and lot size requirements. Manufactured Homes fo Gardenin Sale g BRAZOS: Bring your horse. Health & Fitness Starting at$130,000. 800-76 ... The City Council ultimately will be tasked with adoption of the ordinance m _. µ changes following a public hearing scheduled for Jan. 26. Councilwoman 3232 Nancy Berry was the only elected official to attend Tuesday's meeting. Announcements Manufactured Homes fo Kids Corner Sale Newspapers in The meeting was hosted by the Business and Land Development Forum, a BRAZOS: 4-2 on 1.36 ac. $' Education group that represents the local real estate and development community. Much gets you in. Great area. 979, Special Sections of the discussion centered on a proposed requirement that developers pay for 7558 www.PalmHarbor.com Worship Directory a traffic impact analysis when building a subdivision that contains more than View All Top Homes Advertise with IJI 500 homes or sees more than 5,000 vehicle trips per day. us �tp........ Contact us The requirement was proposed by city transportation planner Ken Fogle. It is Employment needed to determine what infrastructure should be in place to support such a Motorcycles Bikes Mop( Our Staff development, he said. VULCAN: 1992, 750, $2500 RSS Feeds M-111 best offer. (979)778-9817 Subscriptions Hub "I get calls all the time about major bottlenecks," Fogle said. "What we're trying to do is make sure the areas that are developing now don't have that problem Farm Equipment p g p ZETOR TRACTOR: 3320, 1 in the future." 135 hrs, 45hp, includes Shre & Box Blade, $8500/best off Fogle originally estimated that a traffic impact analysis would cost a developer about $5,000. But Veronica Morgan, a local engineer, said the cost actually is View All Top Transportati closer to $20,000. "I'd like to see us scrap the [traffic impact analyses] and ask what are the problems we're trying to solve," Morgan said. Developer Steve Arden also has been critical of the proposed requirement, arguing that a citywide comprehensive plan for future growth would predict potential traffic issues and wouldn't place such a financial burden on developers. College Station has a comprehensive plan, but it hasn't been updated in more than a decade. Fogle said he disagreed with the assessment that traffic impact analyses wouldn't be needed if the comprehensive plan was updated. Safety issues and details specific to each development would arise in a traffic impact analysis, he said. "Cities that have a good comprehensive plan still do traffic studies," he said. Arden has said he anticipates that once the analyses are complete, developers will be required to bear the brunt of the costs for installing the needed infrastructure. "We're changing the delicate balance between what the city pays and what the developer pays," Arden said, offering a hypothetical example. "This gives the city the right to require [the] Castlegate [subdivision developer] to build Greens Prairie Road." Fogle has said he doesn't anticipate the city will require developers to build off - site thoroughfares. Robert Rayburn, who is planning the Animate Habitat subdivision in southern College Station, also questioned whether analyses will be effective, or just a costly way for the city to impose more requirements on a developer. Results from a consultant hired by the developer might lean toward the developer, while if the city hires the consultant, the analysis might show something different, Rayburn suggested. And if the city staff doesn't like the results produced by the developer's consultant, they can still impose costly requirements on the developer, he said. "I'm not suggesting that traffic engineers are buyable, but there are some things left up to interpretation," Rayburn said. "Traffic impact studies are not cut and dried. That's what bothers me a little." Fogle said he will "huddle" with Planning and Development Services director Joey Dunn and assistant director Lance Simms to see if the UDO draft could better explain the intent for traffic impact analyses and not be so open-ended about what is expected from the developers. "I don't disagree with everything you're saying," he told the developers. Some changes already have been made to the proposal based on feedback from the development community since the LIDO draft was released about a month ago, said city planner Molly Hitchcock, who is overseeing the rewrite. Most of those changes are housekeeping items, Hitchcock said, such as term definitions and clarification. The LIDO also will include standards for recreational vehicle parks based on public feedback, she said. 49 , P" ...... .... .. . . ...... ...... ................ . . .............. ........ Houses for Rent BRYAN: 3 Bdrm, 2 Bath, Bo Room/Game Room, 2 Car Carport, large double backy,, mo. I... Duplexes for Rent COLLEGE STATION: 2-1, 9 sq.ft., Big living room fenced W/D conn., ceiling fan, nea.. Duplexes for Rent BRYAN: 3 bdrm, 2 bath large backyard, washer & dryer int mo lease, $995/mo. (979)69 View All Top Rentals fw Ads Pets and Supplies MINIATURE SCHNAUZER X-mas, AKC, ready to love a Dec. 21, taking deposits, 3 n View All Top Ads Proposed changes to the UDO may be viewed by following the Planning and Development Services link on the College Station Web site, www.cstx.gov. `t`heeagle. orn ( Classifieds I Agcdiesp€ rts.corn I Bra o Sport .cram 1 Privacy I Contact Us I Site Map I Subscribe © 2000 - 2005 The Bryan - College Station Eagle ...... �_ ........ ..�.... ......... .,..._. ..... Classifieds Aggiesperts Brazos ports Brazos Valley Honi finder Land & Livestock Po; m..r"'� I- , - '.f. gzwrw yy. fiyyv1w 4: w..wG. 4F � w. .w ' e rc Home ( Subscribe Contact Us I Calendar � Movies� Television � Site May Quick navigation Home Today's Headlines Archives News Local A&M News Schools Texas & Region Nation World Business Columnists Opinions Obituaries Politics Agriculture ___ S pia its ...... Sports ^rygie Sports n School Sports Futures ........ ,z Local Lifestyles Entertainment Faith & Values Food Gardening Health & Fitness d�S$11ft1i�t#lE�" Announcements Kids Corner Newspapers in Education Special Sections Worship Directory Advertise with us Contact us Employment Our Staff RSS Feeds Subscriptions Hub ......... ..... ....... ; Print this Page I I Email to Friend I k> Subscribe, s ` ,;, < What is this? I I Mobile Updated 2:29 AM on Wednesday, December 7, 2005 Eagle Staff Report A local transportation summit will not be held in 2006, College Station officials recently decided. The event has been hosted for the past four years at the Annenberg Presidential Conference Center on the Texas A&M University campus. The summit was organized by Dean International, a firm contracted by College Station to lobby the state legislature for transportation dollars and put together the summit. It allowed elected and appointed officials from across Brazos Valley to discuss transportation issues and future projects. Dean International's contract expires at the end of December, and the College Station City Council has decided to request proposals from other firms to perform transportation consulting work. Because the transportation summit usually is in February, there is not enough time to hire a new consultant and plan the event, according to Mayor Ron Silvia. The summit is expected to resume in 2007, city officials said. Help Wanted - General MAINTENANCE Gold's Gyrr largest gym chain in the wor currently hiring a part-ti... Help Wanted - Sales SALES Gold's Gym in Collet Station is searching for full-ti sales people who are inter... Help Wanted - Medical DIRECTOR OF NURSES Madisonviell Care Center is seeking a Caring Profession head up o View All Top Employmei Manufactured Homes fo Sale BRYAN: 2000 16x80, River I set-up in nice park. $15,000. (979)776-0631 Manufactured Homes fo Sale BRAZOS: Bring your horse. Starting at $130,000. 800-7E 3232 Manufactured Homes fo Sale BRAZOS: 4-2 on 1.36 ac. V gets you in. Great area. 979 7558 www.PalmHarbor.com View All Top Homes �tc p Motorcycles Bikes Mop( VULCAN: 1992, 750, $2500 best offer. (979)778-9817 Farm Equipment ZETOR TRACTOR: 3320, 1 135 hrs, 45hp, includes ShrE & Box Blade, $8500/best off( View All Top Transportati