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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMn. 2011.03.15 339 MINUTES AGENDA #2809 CITY COUNCIL MEETING CITY OF UNIVERSITY PARK, TEXAS COUNCIL CHAMBER - CITY HALL TUESDAY, MARCH 15,201 1,5:00 P.M. 3:47 - 4:34 P.M. EXECUTIVE SESSION THE CITY COUNCIL CONVENED INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION UNDER TGC 551.072 FOR DELIBERATION REGARDING A REAL PROPERTY TRANSACTION WITH CHARLES BARNS AND UNDER TGC 551.071 FOR CONSULTATION WITH THE CITY ATTORNEY REGARDING LIBRARY GOVERNANCE MATTERS. NO ACTION WAS TAKEN. EXECUTIVE CONFERENCE ROOM, CITY HALL. 4:40 - 5:00 P.M. WORK SESSION FOR AGENDA REVIEW COUNCIL CONFERENCE ROOM, 2ND FLOOR, CITY HALL. I. CALL TO ORDER The Regular City Council Meeting was called into session at 5:00 p.m. in the Council Chamber at City Hall. Present were Councilmember Stewart, Mayor Pro Tern Grable, Mayor Davis, Councilmember Clark, and Councilmember Begert. Also in attendance were Director of Finance Austin, and City Attorney Dillard. A. INVOCATION: Director of Information Services Jim Criswell B. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE: Director of Information Services Jim Criswell / Boy Scouts The Boy Scouts in attendance at the meeting were requested by the Mayor to assist in leading the pledge of allegiance. The scouts included: John Erickson, Troop 838, Citizenship in the Community merit badge; Nikhil Jain, Troop 68, Citizenship in the Community merit badge; Robert Erickson, Troop 838, Communications merit badge; Nicholas Hemingway, Troop 577, Citizenship in the Community and Communications merit badges; and, Grant Hemingway, Troop 577, Citizenship in the Community and Communications merit badges. C. INTRODUCTION OF COUNCIL: Mayor W. Richard Davis D. INTRODUCTION OF STAFF: Director of Finance Kent Austin Director of Finance Kent Austin introduced city staff in attendance. Those present included: Community Information Officer Steve Mace, Director of Information Services Jim Criswell, Chief of Police Gary Adams, Director of Public Works Bud Smallwood, City Secretary Liz Spector, Director of Parks Gerry Bradley, Administrative Intern George Ertle, Director of Human 340 Resources Luanne Hanford, and Director of Community Development Robbie Corder. II. CONSENT AGENDA Director of Finance Kent Austin summarized the consent agenda items. Mayor Davis asked if there was anyone present who wished to remove any item from the consent agenda for individual consideration and there was no one. A. CONSIDER AND ACT: on approval of Change Order No. 1 to the contract with BLASTCO for renovation of the Fondren elevated water storage tank On August 24,2010 the City Council awarded a contract to BLASTCO Texas, Inc. for renovations to the elevated water storage tank located on Fondren. After initial removal of the interior paint system, more corrosion was found than expected. The city's engineering consultant indicated the only alternative was removal and replacement of the defective steel at a total cost of $23,200. Staff recommended approval of Change Order No.1 in the amount of $23,200 to complete the recommended additional repairs. B. CONSIDER AND ACT: to designate March 20 - 26, 2011 as Poison Prevention Week in the City of University Park c. CONSIDER AND ACT: on approval of minutes of the March 1, 2011 City Council Meeting -' Mayor Pro Tern Grable made a motion to approve the Consent Agenda. Councilmember Stewart seconded, and the motion carried unanimously. III. MAIN AGENDA A. CONSIDER AND ACT: on an ordinance establishing a residential parking district in the areas surrounding the SMU campus Chief of Police Gary Adams addressed the Council. He said in an attempt to address neighborhood parking problems in certain areas around SMU, staff recommended implementing a residential parking permit district. Chief Adams said at the February 22 Council Meeting, a public hearing was held to allow resident input into the final recommendations. He reminded the Council that due to the absence of two Council members at that meeting, as well as to allow time to study resident comments, action was tabled on the parking district until the March 15 Council meeting. Chief Adams said after reviewing all information, staff recommends to move forward with the parking district with boundaries as submitted to the Council and public. 341 Mayor Davis said this project has been under consideration since August 2010. He said through a series of meetings with residents, committees, staff, and SMU, much information has been received and studied. He reminded the audience this was the fourth time this issue had been before the Council and asked if anyone present wished to speak that they restrict their comments to new information. Resident Cathy Kitzman, 3232 Milton, asked for the district to be resident friendly. She asked that homes included in the district receive enough passes for all cars licensed to each address. She also suggested a visitor placard could be provided to each homeowner for unplanned guests. Resident Susan Ragland, 3438 Granada, addressed the Council. She said several multi-family properties were located in the 3400 block of Granada. She asked how the parking district would affect those types of properties. Ms. Ragland said she was concerned that residents of the multi-family units will take up all available on-street parking and asked the Council to maintain two- hour parking in that area. Resident Kathy Meza, 2933 Rosedale, requested that the 2900 block of Rosedale be included in the district. She said that block was closer to the university than other areas which are included in the district. Ms. Meza said she thinks that block will be inundated with SMU-related parking if it is not included. Mayor Davis said the motion he expects to be made will approve the residential parking district's geographic bounds as currently defined, but will not address other specifics. Mayor Davis said the Police Department will be responsible to make decisions regarding number of permits per household, distribution of temporary permits, and other administrative items. He stated that the parking district surrounding the high school has worked well and blocks can be added or removed later as needed. He stated that the decision made tonight will not be a final product and can be revised. He asked that the parking district be implemented for a period of time and after such time, residents may file for inclusion or removal through petitions if they desire. Mayor Davis expressed that the 3000 block of Milton will not be included in the residential parking district at this time. Resident David Hunt, 3005 Rosedale, stated his concern regarding parking congestion on his block after 5 p.m. and on Saturdays during SMU home football games and other special events. Mayor Davis said this issue may be revisited after implementation of the current plan. Councilmember Begert asked about the resident's concern regarding the 3400 block of Granada. Ms. Ragland expressed again that there were several multi- 342 family units on that block that currently have large parking lots behind them. She and several other residents of that block who own single-family homes feel that if that block is added to the residential parking district, all available on-street parking spaces will be taken by the residents of the apartment buildings. She asked the Council to leave the 3400 block of Granada two-hour parking. Councilmember Begert made a motion to approve an ordinance designating a resident-only parking district in the geographic areas as shown in the map subject to the deletion of the 3000 block of Milton, with an effective date of August 1, 2011 and times of enforcement of Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. through 5 p.m. with administrative details to be decided by the University Park Police Department. Councilmember Begert further moved that the police department report implementation results to the Council by January 2012. Councilmember Clark seconded, and the motion carried unanimously. Mayor Davis said the Council has listened to residents express concern as to what SMU was doing to address the neighborhood parking issues. Mayor Davis urged the audience to consider the parking district a joint project between the City and SMU. He said he understands that many residents feel SMU is creating problems rather than finding solutions, but he said SMU has constructed five on-campus parking garages at a cost of between $25 and $35 million and is furnishing more than 7000 on-campus parking spaces. Mayor Davis said that the university currently contracts with DART for $500,000 annually to provide bus service around campus as well as spends $168,000 annually for bus and train passes. He mentioned that SMU will be constructing a new dormitory and plans to add 800 underground parking spaces at that site. Mayor Davis said he wants to be clear that solving the parking problems around SMU will continue to be a joint effort between the two entities. Mayor Davis reiterated that it will take time and patience to solve the neighborhood parking problems. He also stated that the city is considering increasing the number of two-hour parking spaces surrounding Burleson Park in an effort to free up spaces there. Councilmember Clark said beginning in the fall semester, SMU will require all students living on campus to purchase parking passes. He also stated that the university is moving toward requiring all freshman and sophomore students to live and park on campus which will help relieve parking pressure around the campus. Chief Adams said the residential parking district will be much easier to enforce than existing timed zones. He stated that an additional parking enforcement officer will be hired, and with colored stickers on legally parked vehicles, violators will be easy to recognize. 343 Resident Carolyn Hurst, 3200 block of Milton, asked if the stickers would specify block numbers or just state "resident." Mayor Davis said the stickers will differentiate between certain areas, but specific details have yet to be finalized. B. CONSIDER AND ACT: on a resident request to instalI a crosswalk at the intersection of HilIcrest and Purdue Kent Austin asked Director of Public Works Bud SmalIwood to address the next item. Mr. Smallwood said a petition was submitted to the city requesting installation of a crosswalk at Hillcrest and Purdue. He said the petition specifically mentioned "in-pavement" flashing yellow lights similar to the crosswalk at University Park Elementary School. The petitioners said this would allow children to cross Hillcrest safely when going to school or parks. Mr. Smallwood said the Council deliberated the request at the December 7, 20 I 0 meeting and at that time referred it to the Public Safety Advisory Committee for their study and recommendation. Mr. SmalIwood said the committee met on February 24, 2011 and they declined to recommend installation of a crosswalk at that location. He stated they determined that the studies did not prove it was warranted and the committee believes installing a crosswalk at that location would be dangerous. Mr. Smallwood said the committee suggested it would be safer to cross Hillcrest at Lovers Lane with the traffic signal and crossing guard. Mayor Davis said the Council had been advised by the Public Safety Advisory Committee, traffic engineer Dannie Cummings, and City staff. He said the Council would rule in the best interest of the residents in light of the advice received. He then asked for a motion from the Council. Councilmember Stewart made a motion to take no action on the resident request to install a crosswalk at the intersection of Hillcrest and Purdue. Mayor Pro Tern Grable seconded, and the motion carried unanimously. C. CONSIDER AND ACT: on approval of an ordinance abandoning certain excess street right-of-way to property owner at 7501 Turtle Creek Blvd. Director of Public Works Bud Smallwood addressed the Council regarding a request from John and Barbara Turner, owners of7501 Turtle Creek Blvd., to purchase a strip of city right-of-way running from the alley north of their home southward to Hanover along Turtle Creek Blvd., west of, or behind, the sidewalk. He said the homeowners obtained an apppraisal that valued the parcel at $150,000. Mr. Smallwood said if the Council approved the abandonment, staff wi II require the property owner to replat the property to incorporate both tracts into one building site once payment for the land has 344 been received. Mayor Davis asked if there was any current or future need for that right-of- way. Smallwood said Turtle Creek Blvd. is very wide in that location and easily accomodates all city and public utilities so there is no need for that strip of land. Mr. Smallwood said that along Turtle Creek in that same area there have been four or five similar abandonments to property owners approved by previous Councils. There were no further questions and Mayor Davis asked for a motion. Councilmember Begert made a motion to approve an ordinance abandoning certain excess street right-of-way to the property owners at 7501 Turtle Creek Blvd. Councilmember Clark seconded, and the motion carried unanimously. D. DISCUSS: a request for installation of a sidewalk along the west side of the 7000 block of Hursey Director of Public Works Smallwood addressed the Council regarding a resident request for the city to install a sidewalk along the west side of Hursey, north from Westminster to the alley. Mr. SmalIwood said city code currently requires an abutting property owner to construct a sidewalk or perform sidewalk repairs when an application for any building permit with work valued in excess of $1 0,000 is submitted. He said although there are few locations in the city without sidewalks, staff is concerned a precedent may be set that could challenge the code requirement that sidewalks are to be installed and maintained by property owners if this request is approved. Mr. Smallwood estimated the cost to the city to construct a sidewalk at this site could be $4000 to $5000. Councilmember Begert asked ifthere were safety concerns due to the lack of a sidewalk in this location. Mr. Smallwood said pedestrians walking along this half-block do have to walk in the street or on the property, but most children walking to the elementary school or Curtis Park walk west to Dickens and south to Lovers Lane to the controlled intersection and do not walk through this area. Mayor Pro Tern Grable asked if the sidewalk would be on city property and Mr. Smallwood said yes. Mr. Grable asked if the person requesting the sidewalk instalIation was the property owner of the location. Mr. Smallwood said he was not. Mayor Pro Tern Grable asked if the homeowner had been contacted about the issue and Mr. Smallwood said he had not. Mayoru Davis asked if the homeowner would be asked to help pay for the sidewalk construction. Mr. Smallwood said there would be no means to force a property owner to build a sidewalk having made no application for a building permit. -' 345 Mayor Davis said he does not see any reason to ask the homeowner to contribute towards the cost of sidewalk instalIation. Councilmember Clark asked if this sidewalk was needed for safety reasons. Mr. Smallwood said he has not seen much pedestrian activity there, but the curbs are always taken up by parked cars so the only place for any pedestrian to walk is in the street. Mayor Davis asked for more information on this subject and said he would recommend this item be brought back to the Council. Councilmember Begert asked to hear from the resident who made the request, Mr. Mike Mamminga. Mr. Mike Mamminga, 3440 Lovers Lane addressed the Council. He said three staff members had visited the site with him, including Bud Smallwood. Mr. Mamminga stated his only disagreement with what has been said was that all four corners of that intersection at Westminster and Hursey already had handicapped ramps installed. He said the lack of sidewalk in that area is a liability to the City and is dangerous to pedestrians. Mr. Mamminga said the site's proximity to Snider Plaza, the elementary school, the pool and tennis courts make a sidewalk necessary. He asked the Council for their consideration. Councilmember Begert made a motion to table the request for installation of a sidewalk along the west side of the 7000 block of Hursey for further study. Mayor Pro Tem Grable seconded, and the motion carried unanimously. IV. ITEMS FROM THE FLOOR Kent Austin stated the procedures the council must follow when addressing any comments made from the floor. Mayor Davis asked if there was anyone present who wished to address the Council. Finding none, Mayor Davis adjourned the meeting. Considered and approved this 5th day of APrik) e~ W. Richard Davis, Mayor