Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAbout2016.10.01 City Council Meeting Minutes325 City of University Park City Hall 3800 University Blvd. University Park,TX 75205 Meeting Minutes City Council Tuesday,October 4,2016 5:00 PM Council Chamber EXECUTIVE SESSION 3:02 -3:55 P.M.Pursuant to TGC§551.071,the City Council met in closed session to discuss legal issues regarding pending zoning case.Pursuant to TGC§551.072,the City Council met in closed session to discuss acquisition of real property for possible parking in vicinity of Snider Plaza.No action was taken.Executive Conference Room,1st Floor,City Hall. PRE-MEETING WORK SESSION(S) 4:00 -5:00 P.M.The City Council met in open work session to receive agenda item briefings from staff.No action was taken.Council Conference Room,2nd floor,City Hall. I.CALL TO ORDER Rollcall Present:5 -Mayor Olin Lane,Councilmember Taylor Armstrong,Mayor Pro Tem Dawn Moore,Councilmember Randy Biddle and Council member Gage Prichard A.INVOCATION:Chief Randy Howell B.PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE:Chief Randy Howell /Boy Scouts Boy Scout Nick Swartzendruber of Troop 82 was present as part of earning his Communication merit badge.He assisted the Mayor and City Council in leading the Pledge of Allegiance. C.INTRODUCTION OF COUNCIL:Mayor Olin Lane,Jr. D.INTRODUCTION OF STAFF:City Manager Robbie Corder Staff in attendance included Community Information Officer Steve Mace, Director of Information Services Dale Harwell,Chief of Police Greg Spradlin, Communications SpecialisUDeputy City Secretary Amanda Hartwick,City Secretary Christine Green,Fire Chief Randy Howell,Library Director Sharon Martin,Community Development Director Patrick Baugh,Director of Public Works Jacob Speer,Director of Organizational Development Lea Dunn,and Director of Parks Gerry Bradley. City of University Park Page 1 326 City Council Meeting Minutes October 4,2016 II.AWARDS AND RECOGNITION 16-168 Proclamation -Arbor Day 2016 Director of Parks &Recreation Gerry Bradley said that this is the 11th year that University Park has been designated a Tree City USA.He said that the City has planted 3,900 trees planted since the program started. A motion was made by Councilmember Taylor Armstrong,seconded by Councilmember Gage Prichard,to proclaim November 4,2016 as Arbor Day in University Park.The motion carried by the following vote: Aye:5 -Mayor Lane,Councilmember Armstrong,Mayor Pro Tem Moore, Councilmember Biddle,and Councilmember Prichard III.CONSENT AGENDA 16-171 Consider purchase of Panasonic Toughbooks for Police,Fire,and Public Works City Manager Corder said that this agenda item is for the purchase of 12 Panasonic Toughbook laptop computers that are used in the Police,Fire, and Public Works Departments.These computers are ruggedized for use by field workers. The Toughbooks are available from ARC via a State of Texas Department of Information Resources (DIR)contract in the amount of $5B,153.0B. This purchase was approved. 16-169 Consider an ordinance removing the 6100 block of Westwick from the Residential Parking District City Manager Corder said that this ordinance will remove the 6100 block of Westwick from the Residential Parking District (RPD)near the Park Cities YMCA.This is at the request of the property owner at 6117 Westwick who owns all property on the 6100 block. This ordinance was approved. Enactment No:ORO No.16-023 16-170 Consider approval of the minutes of the September 20,2016 City Council Meeting and the September 22,2016 City Council Work Session,with or without correction. The minutes were approved. Approval of the Consent Agenda A motion was made by Councilmember Armstrong,seconded by Councilmember Biddle,to approve the Consent Agenda.The motion carried by the following vote: City of University Park Page 2 327 City Council Meeting Minutes October 4,2016 Aye:5 -Mayor Lane,Councilmember Armstrong,Mayor Pro Tem Moore, Councilmember Biddle,and Councilmember Prichard IV.MAIN AGENDA 16-172 Consider an ordinance to create Planned Development 26 (PD-26)for Park Plaza,a mixed use development for Office,Retail and Restaurant Occupancies. Director of Community Development Patrick Baugh summarized the proposed Planned Development 26 and the process of evaluating and discussing it.He covered the Proposed Concept Plan submitted by SPC Hillcrest,L.L.C. Mayor Lane explained that the ordinance on the agenda was prepared following public hearings and work sessions that were held to discuss the redevelopment proposal. Mayor Lane said that at the request of the neighborhood opposition group, the Council will postpone a vote on the ordinance until the next City Council meeting on October 18.The Mayor encouraged anyone interested to schedule an appointment with him to discuss the details of the proposal. The Mayor said that he believes that there is a lot of misinformation being distributed about the project,and he would like to use this extra two weeks to make sure that the public is better informed.He said that this project has been reviewed for a long time,and he thinks that this will be a vibrant development that will improve the City.He said that he thinks that the new development will be a welcome sight after so many years of looking at the derelict building at Hillcrest and Daniel. Mayor Pro Tem Dawn Moore said that she thinks this will be a beautiful development.She said that after hearing from several residents recently, she realized that many people were not really familiar with the proposal and the details of the development.She emphasized that there is more parking for retail and restaurants provided with this development.She said she was asked why the developer is required to perform a traffic study after completion of the project and not before.She said that traffic studies have been done,but the ordinance requires the developer to conduct traffic studies post-construction so that any necessary traffic adjustments can be made.She reminded those in attendance that there has been compromise from the developer in the form of free parking,concessions on the parking structure for the Haynie residents,and masonry ribbons added around the outside of the building.She explained that some of the suggestions for improving the development will be hashed out in the detailed plan,but not at this conceptual plan level.She invited anyone to make an appointment with her to discuss the proposal further. Council member Armstrong said that this development is a big deal for the community.He noted that the Council has listened carefully to public input about the project.He said that he believes a vibrant community should be a City of University Park Page 3 328 City Council Meeting Minutes October 4,2016 mix of residential and commercial.He said that Snider Plaza is like the city's downtown,and that this development is an opportunity to make University Park better.He said that this proposal is a quality development being built by a developer with a good reputation,and that it provides a needed anchor for Snider Plaza.He said it will provide ten times the tax revenue currently generated by that property.He said that the building will be only 25'taller than the existing building and it is pushed to the east away from the residential district.He said that the rendering of the building being distributed by the neighborhood opposition group showing the height of the proposed building in relation to the existing building on the site is wrong and misleading.He believes that those who have been influenced negatively by this rendering should seek current information about the project and that the rendering can be found on the City's website.He said that the wall that goes along Haynie side of the parking garage will be a solid wall,so the residents on Haynie won't be looking at a garage full of cars.He said that there will be ingress and egress from both the Daniel and Haynie sides as this is the only way to manage traffic to the building.Also,the parking garage has been reduced to 17'above ground.He said that the development is designed with enough spaces to accommodate the building tenants with extra spaces added at the City's request to provide extra parking for SniderPlaza merchants.Councilmember Armstrong addressed the issue of traffic and acknowledged that the City already has a problem with traffic.He said that there has been a traffic study and it concluded that traffic in the area would be affected minimally.On the subject of parking,Councilmember Armstrong said that Snider Plaza has around 200 employees parking in the Plaza.This development's parking will resolve some of the parking congestion in Snider Plaza.He noted that while no one will be 100%happy with the terms of the development,he urged the community to step back and look at the positive impact that this development will provide in terms of creating a downtown focus. Council member Biddle spoke next.He said that he has seen the yard signs that state the Mayor and Council are not listening to the residents.He said that he disagrees,that the Council is listening to input about the project.He said that the City has compromised with the developer:the developer agreed to reduce the height of the building by 20%,to build a solid wall along the side of the parking garage,to add masonry bands around the outside of the building,to reduce the above ground parking structure from three stories to two stories,and to put the rest of the parking underground as a compromise to residents'concerns.Councilmember Biddle asked the group to look again at the plans and renderings with these things in mind. Council member Prichard said he knows that everyone in the room wants a quality development.He said the additional parking for Snider Plaza will really improve the area.He said that he believes this will be a nice, substantial,and good-looking development. Mayor Lane added that the developer is under no obligation to do what he did.He said that the City has been trying for many years to resolve the parking problems at Snider Plaza,and that this is a wonderful first step. City of University Park Page 4 329 City Council Meeting Minutes October 4,2016 Consideration of this ordinance was postponed until October 18,2016. 16-173 Consider purchase of property for additional parking in the Snider Plaza area City Manager Corder said that this agenda item is to ask Council direct staff to seek out new property for additional parking in Snider Plaza.The property would be considered for below-grade parking,which staff would present to the Council during a future regularly scheduled City Council meeting.He said that the Carl Walker report conducted in 2008 concluded that 140 -700 additional parking spaces are needed in Snider Plaza. A motion was made by Mayor Lane,seconded by Mayor Pro Tern Moore,that staff investigate the availability of property in the area of Snider Plaza to accommodate underground parking.The motion carried by the following vote: Aye:5 -Mayor Lane,Councilmember Armstrong,Mayor Pro Tem Moore, Councilmember Biddle,and Councilmember Prichard 16-167 Consider Park Cities Rotary Club Request Director of Parks &Recreation Gerry Bradley introduced Tonia Boughton and Jerry Washam representing the Park Cities Rotary Club.Ms.Boughton presented a request to have a beverage tent serving beer and wine at the November 20 Snider Plaza Tree Lighting ceremony.Following Council approval,the club will request the appropriate Texas Alcohol and Beverage Commission (TABC)permit. She said that the club will direct proceeds from the event to the Emmitt Smith charity and the North Texas Food Bank. A motion was made by Mayor Pro Tern Moore,seconded by Councilmember Armstrong,that this request be approved.The motion carried by the following vote: Aye:5 -Mayor Lane,Councilmember Armstrong,Mayor Pro Tem Moore, Councilmember Biddle,and Councilmember Prichard V.PUBLIC COMMENTS None VI.ADJOURNMENT As there was no further business,Mayor Lane adjourned the meeting. conSidere2proved this the 18thday of October,2016: o2fu,Jr,MaY'jJ ATTEST: ~.L)111\(\!..<~ Christine Green,City Secretary City of University Park PageS