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