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Home My WebLink About12/12/1996 - Workshop Minutes City CouncilMayor LYNN MCILHANEY Mayor Pro Tempore HUB KENNADY City Manager GEORGE K. NOE COLLEGE STATION Council Members BILL FOX LARRY MARIOTT DAVID HICKSON DICK BIRDWELL BRAD MARTIN MINUTES COLLEGE STATION CITY COUNCIL WORKSHOP SESSION THURSDAY, DECEMBER 12, 1996 at 3:00 p.m. COUNCILMEMBERS PRESENT:Mayor Mcllhaney, Mayor Pro tem Kennady, Councilmembers Mariott, Fox, Birdwell, Hickson, Martin STAFF PRESENT: City Manager Noe, City Secretary Hooks, Assistant City Manager Brymer, City Engineer Laza, Director of Development Services Callaway, Director of Economic and Community Development Services Ash, Director of Community Development Carroll Mayor Mcllhaney opened the meeting at 3:00 p.m. A.qenda Item No. 1 -- Discuss consent and statutory agenda items listed for regular council meetinq of Thursday, December 12, 1996. Agenda Items 5b, 6a, 6b, 6c, 6d, 6i, listed on the regular agenda were removed for discussion. Mayor Pro tem Kennady made a correction to the minutes on page 2 of the special meeting of November 19th to read as follows: Councilman Kennady added that this annexation is necessary to secure future electrical revenue from newly annexed area. City Manager Noe and staff members responded to questions on above referenced items. Agenda Item No. 6i shall be removed from the consent agenda for separate consideration due to opposition expressed by Councilman Birdwell. Providing Customer Service Excellence Workshop 12/12/96 Page 2 A,qenda Item No. 2 -- Discuss Ends Statement No. I -- Transportation Mobility Mayor Mcllhaney mentioned that the MPO has identified plans to widen University Drive in 2000. She noted that the plans do not include widening the bridge over the east bypass. The MPO discussed becoming more proactive in meeting with state legislators and highway commissioners in identifying funding sources available. Edwin Hard identified future various street projects on the transportation plan. Mayor Mcllhaney emphasized the importance for the council to identify future funding sources for transportation needs. She suggested adding a new discussion item to the workshop agenda for legislative purposes. Councilman Fox indicated an interest by the City Affairs Subcommittee to have a regional highway connected to major interstate highways. Councilman Kennady expressed a desire to hear more information from MPO, transportation staff, TXDOT to discuss a direction for the communities. Mayor Mcllhaney mentioned that there are organized coalition groups for Highway 21 and Highway 30/190. Councilman Birdwell mentioned a project of interest to him which is a grade separation at University Drive and Texas Avenue. He would ask that this item be placed on the State Department of Highways project list. Edwin Hard stated that the council would need to present a resolution to TXDOT in support to add this project to the list. Council discussed other items of interest related to this ends statement. Councilmembers asked questions to staff about the status of the bicycle master plan design. Mayor Mcllhaney attended National League of Cities conference in San Antonio and it emphasized the importance for cities to have telecommunications infrastructure ready for 21 st century (Information Age). She suggested this item as an additional topic to the future workshop agendas. Workshop 12/12/96 Page 3 Agenda Item No. 3 -- Discuss request to rename a portion of Kyle street and K¥1e Street south to Georqe Bush Drive. Jim Callaway presented a brief summary on this item which evolved from a recent request by Paul Clarke to suggest a name change on a section of Kyle and Kyle South. Staff studied the request and Mr. Callaway presented a review of the cost for making the change and related items. Direct expenses would be limited to the cost of new street signage and labor costs associated with installation, approximately $2,500. Indirect expenses such as staff time in reviewing complaints could not be projected at this time. Councilmembers held an in-depth discussion on the configuration of Kyle street and the traffic flow to the businesses on Dominik and Culpepper Plaza. Related remarks were mentioned on the history of this issue. Paul Clarke addressed the council to encourage their support for a name change to assist visitors in the community with understandable street signage and direction within this area. Council directed staff to notify individuals affected about a proposed change in the re-naming of the street beginning at Texas Avenue/Kyle through Dominik to Highway 30 and eventually to Holleman. Agenda Item No. 4 -- Discuss Colleqe Station's position on anticipated legislation reRardin.q retail electric competition. Councilman Fox reported that TPPA has compiled a "position paper" which does not actively support "retail wheeling" at this time. He noted that two state legislators are supportive of retail wheeling and it is more importantly being widely discussed on a national level which raises certain concerns by TPPA officials. John Woody addressed the issue and emphasized the urgent nature of this competition and noted that "retail wheeling" will become a reality. Councilman Fox affirmed this statement. Councilmembers provided their input about this important issue. Councilman Fox will attend TPPA meeting next month and convey their comments. The concluding statements conveyed by councilmembers is that the city will look at this issue in terms of the best interest for the ratepayers. Workshop 12/12/96 Page 4 A.qenda Item No. 5 -- Present proposed amendments to Chapter 3 of City Code, Building Regulations, with respect to danqerous structures. Public Utilities Director Mark Smith explained that a subcommittee of the Code Enforcement Action Teams was assigned the task of reviewing the city's processes for the disposition of unsafe or dangerous buildings. The subcommittee reviewed our existing process, identified shortcomings, considered processes used by other cities and proposed a more streamlined process. The old process for dealing with dilapidated structures is vague and can cause the time it takes to get a structure repaired or removed as long as six months. The streamlined process works within a 60 day time frame. He presented the findings, the proposed process, and a draft ordinance that would codify the process. He showed pictures of existing conditions in College Station. Mr. Smith noted that the ordinance refers to a council appointed committee, Standards Building Commission. This board will continue to operate with this additional responsibility with a council appointed chairman and an attendance requirement. Discussion concluded. A.qenda Item No. 6 -- Complete presentation and council discussion of Strateqic Issue No. 16, Housing Strateqy. Community Development Director Jo Carroll sought council direction regarding the extent of city involvement in various affordable housing activities, the definition of affordable housing discussed at the last council retreat, and the types/models of housing development that the city might wish to pursue or encourage. Council devoted considerable discussion to regulation vs. non regulation of rental housing. Council directed staff to provide information on voluntary measures and regulated standards for rental housing. Staff agreed to bring back to the second meeting in January. Agenda Item No. 7 -- Committee Reports First, Councilman Fox reported that the city affairs committee held two productive meetings. Notes were provided for council's information. Workshop 12/12/96 Page 5 Secondly, Mayor Pro tem Kennady mentioned that the Northgate Advisory Committee approved the plan for the pedestrian mall which will be brought to council at a future meeting. In conclusion, Mayor Mcllhaney mentioned that she obtained several documents from the National League of Cities meeting in San Antonio and encouraged council to review these booklets. Agenda Item No. 8 -- Council Calendars December 20, 1996 -- Community Breakfast December 16, 1996 -- Reception for outgoing Fire Chief Bill Kennedy January 16-17, 1997 --AMCC Planning Session in Waco January 22, 1997 -- Social with Bryan and Presentation by MPO officials The council moved into executive session at 6:00 p.m. Executive Session Aqenda A. Pendin.q or potential litiqation and consultation with legal counsel on other matters within the attorney client privilege {LGC 551.071} 1. PUC Docket 15296 B. Legal Report {LGC 551.071} C. Staff Reports {LGC 551.075} 1. Report on Franchise Management - GTE 2. Report on Economic Development Prospects D. Real Property Issues {LGC 551.072} 1. Northgate Project and Potential Development 2. College Station Regional Athletic Park 3. Sale of property at 201 College Main, 321 Patricia, 317-319 Patricia to Texadelphia Sandwiches and Sports, Inc. This meeting shall be adjourned at the conclusion of the regular meeting agenda. PASSED AND APPROVED this 9th day of January, 1997. TTEST: City Secreta,~. Connie Hooks APPROVED: ayor ro te~~ady