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Home My WebLink About12/12/1990 - Workshop Minutes City Council MINUTES CITY COUNCIL WO~OP 1990 :00 P.M. COUNCIL ~ PRESENT: Mayor Ringer. Councilmen,. ers Brown. McIlhaney, Gardner, Schneider, Crouch COUNCIL MEMB~I~ ABSENT: Councilman Birdwell STAFF PI~E~: City Manager Rag[and, City .Secretary Hooks, Executive Director P~wonka, Executive Director Harrison, Assistant C_ity Manager Woody, Assistant City Manager B..r~. er, PARD. Director Bea.c?y, PuBlic Info~n?ation Officer Calliham, Planning D~rector Callaway, Senior Planner Kee, MIS Director Cowell S'fftYDENT GOV'T LIAISON: Trey Jacobson VISITORS PRESENT: See guest register. Aoenda Item No. 1 - Canvass of Election returns from the Special Bond Election on Dec~ 8, 1990. City Secreta__ry Hooks_pr.e. sented this item. Dr. B.d Bums,. Presiding Judge for Central Counting Station presented the election results for the December 8th bond election. Councilman Schneider moved to adopt Ordinance No. 1871 as presented. The .motion was seconded by. Coun.c. il~. an Crouch. The motion carried unann'nously, 6-0, with Councilman B~rdwell absent. Councilmembers expr.essed gratitude to staff members who worked so diligently on this elecUon. Gouncilman G .a[dner suggested th~a.t the council review the propositions at the next council meeting. Mayor Ringer concurred. Aoenda Item No. ~ - Presentation of Customer Service Report for the Qperations Grou~ Mr. John Woody introduced this item and dt~tributed a copy of the report to each counciIm..ember. Em. ployees from the Operations Group appeared before the council representing their various jobs. A customer service film presentation was shown to the council and the public. 008047 City Council Workshop Meeting Page 2 Wednesday, December 12, 1990 _Aaenda Item No. 3 - Pret, ent~t~o_n and d~-CllSm4_on of IP__~m___O_e'V ~__e~'~__d~_ ~1~_~4 ~S D~ector Chiles Cowe~ presented ~ item. He expl~ed ~at ~e ~c~Hum~ Resources computer does not have ~e cap~ to cu~enfly peffo~ for ~e numerous usem. Therefore, it ~ necess~ to exp~d ~e m~ memo~ of ~e ~tem. The cost of ~e re~ed memo~ ~ $13,500. _Mr.. Cowell addressed the need for an 8 mm tape drive for the Financial/Human Resources Computer. The total cost of this request is $13,585. He also addressed the staff's recommendation for hand-held meter reading e. quipment. T.h. is ite.m is the last phase of the.three year MIS plan. Total cost for funding thru project was approved m the current years budget, $80,000. Aaenda Item No. 4 - Distribution of the City's Revised and com.nre easive Plan. Ms. Jane Ke.e presented this item. She d~_~tributed to each councilmember a newly re,used Comprehensive Plan and a poster depicting the city's 1 .an.d u.se plan, thoroughfare plan, and list of the city's goals and -- objectives. She commendedher staff for their work o~ this project. Aaencl~ Item No. B - Discussion of mmendment to the _7.o~i.~ s.. Kee expl .a~ned that the staff w~_s directed by the Council to review the ascape orcunance.particularly tire points system: She explained that ..reslson.se 9,.an~,e~a~.out. b.e. cause of the landscaping at the College anon junior rdgn ~cnoo~ site. She reviewed specific points in the ord~rtance amendment relative to existing trees, new canopy trees, and parking lot islands. Ms. Kee presented slides. Ms. Ke.e stated that the Planning and Zoning Co.mmysion recommended 200 points for new large canopy trees and allowing ~slands with decorative pavers. Ms. Kee .~entio.n..ed th.at the staff will .b.e reporting back to council in the .sp.ring. w~th additional ~deas and possibly the addition of mandatory ungation systems. Councilman Brown suggested that st .a~.. look at ~o. int credits for irrigation systems. Ms. Kee repIied that staff will look at th~s issue further. Councilman .Brown commented that the ci_ty staff and council have been very responmve to the needs of ~e school system. Mr. Brown referred, to an article in the newspaper in which school personnel did not agree w~th 008048, CSty Council Workshop Meeting Page 3 Wednesday, December 12, 1990 the policies of the city. Mr. Neal, Assistant Superintendent for Business responded to Mr. Brown's comment. Agen,4- I~m No. 6 - ~_~_.,,,_sd__fl~ of ~oDosed amendments to ~S~_t~o~ 6. - ter 10 ~ of vehicles in residential from__.yums. .Planning Director Callaway presented this item. The proposed or~uance includes three changes: 1. Require th. at driveways be substantially free from grass, weeds and other vegetation. . ~.. Include owners of. vehicles as covered by the regulations. 3. A special exception may be granted to any person identified in Subsection B, upon appro~al of the Zoning Board of Adjustments. Staff feels that these changes will address two major problems in the ordinance by: . . . 1. Requiring parkina areas be free from veg.e.t.ation ad .dr. esse? the problem of overgrown parq~ing areas without spec~.ng spec~nc eage treatments. 9.. Allowing action to be taken against vehicle owners rather than just property owners, enabling staff to move to citation procedures. Councilman Crouch suggested that Subsection B (4) be re.w. orded, particularly changin, ff the words "excluding". Staff Will substitute another word for better clarification. Councilman Schneider asked if the ordinance has been effective. Mr. Callaway responded ~at tl~ ordinance has not worked well in sg.me areas, but. suc..c, essful m other areas.. He note. d that the. m.ajor pron,em has been the m~bility to enforce the ordinance w~thout a citation process. Agenda Item No. 7 - Council Concerns. Councilman Mcnhaney stated that .s. he received a call from a citizen .c. oncerned .about the hours of the library. The c~,~er suggested the library rematn open late one day a week. The worn .an al. so expressed concern about the method in which someone must obtam a book from the Bryan library if Co~ege Station does not have .the book..Ms. Piwonka replied that staff will look at these options dunng the rewew of the contract which is up for renewal soon. Councilman Gardner referred to the remodeled houses on Lincoln/ Tarrow streets. He stated that the city building code prescribes ce.rtain specific.ations for the living area. He suggested that staff look into the mechanmms for substandard housing. Councilman Crouch suggested that council consider the i.dea of .sending out an annual survey to the citizens to poll them about them neeas. Mayor Ringer statedthat surveys have been done in the past. However, 008049 City Council Workshop Meeting Page 4 Wednesday, December 12, 1990 when council d~-~cusses the future of the bond propositions at the next meeting, this issue can be addressed. Councilman Brown reported that the intersection of Texas Avenue and Shiloh Place ~. omest~ad Sa..vings and ~e Libr_ary) is. dangerou, s.. Mr. .E. Irey Ash re, plie. d that staff discussed thru prqblem w~th Mr. Phillips of Homestead Savings .a~.d. he has looked in.to the cost of changing the driveway access Which m approximately $18,000. Councilman Schneider concurred with Councilman Crouch's concern about the public's opinion. Mr. Schnei.d.e.r ClU..estioned whether st~' might want to look at the ri.umber of persons living m a household unrelated m response to the parking of vehicles on grass. Mr. Schneider remarked about the positive nature., of council concerns on the world, hop agendas. He hoped the council will make the most of this opportunity to improve on the council concern ~_~cussion. ~May.or Ringer responded to Councilman Schneider's concern. He stated at m response to the parking of vehicles on lawns, the Zoning Ordinance regulates ~e number of people living in a household unrelated by bloo.cl 9r.m.~..'age m a.single faniily resident~ral zone. M_ayor Ringer respo.na.ea .mat me counc~, concern item has_been a part o! the workshop agenaa_ to g,ve the council an opportunity to b. ring .us items which they would like. to present to Council-for future topics of discussion or action _by council or staff direction. He does not feel that council concerns are for items such as pot holes, lights out, etc. These. concerns can be handled through a note or telephone call to the cxty manager. Councilman Schneider remarked that he is appreciative of staff's response to council's concerns. Aaends Item No. 8 - City Manager City Manager Ragland prepared a packet of information for the council. Aaends Item No. 9 - Adjourn. Mayor Ringer adjourned the meeting at §:2§ p.m. ~EST: . ~' ~ ~ecretary APPROVED: 008050 GUEST REGISTER CITY COUNCIL WORKSHOP MEETING WBDNESDAY~ DECEMBER 12, 1990 4=00 P.M 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. 19. 10. 20. 008051