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HomeMy WebLinkAbout02-03-04341 MINUTES #2404 CITY COUNCIL MEETING CITY OF UNIVERSITY PARK, TEXAS CITY HALL COUNCIL CHAMBER TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2004 AT 5:00 P.M. Mayor Harold Peek opened the meeting of the City Council. Present were Mayor Pro Tempore Dick Davis, Councilmembers Jim Roberts, Harry Shawver and Blackie Holmes. Also in attendance were City Attorney Rob Dillard, City Manager Bob Livingston and City Secretary Nina Wilson. AWARDS AND REQUESTS FROM CITIZENS POLICE DEPARTMENT AWARD: Officer Kevin Clark was awarded a Life Saving bar and plaque by Police Chief Gary Adams. RETIREMENT RECOGNITION: Building Inspector Mike Hanson retired after 18 years of service to the City. Councilmember Shawver presented him with a retirement check and Public Works Director Bud Smallwood presented him with a plaque. BOY SCOUTS OF AMERICA: Several Boy Scouts introduced themselves and stated the badge on which they were working - Troop 68: Brad Smith, Stewart Freeman, Matthew Kaye, Knox Holliday and William Chisholm; Troop 82: Josh Francis, David Asay, Andrew Near, John Glasgow, Berton Spring and Bear Givhan; Troop 125: Stephen Kenard and Austin Meek. Mayor Pro Tem Davis moved acceptance of the Consent Agenda. Councilmember Roberts seconded, and the vote was unanimous to approve the following: CONSENT AGENDA CONSIDER PROPOSAL IN THE AMOUNT OF $12,000 FROM CHIANG, PATEL & YERBY, INC. TO PROVIDE PROFESSIONAL ENGINEERING SERVICES ASSOCIATED WITH THE EVALUATION OF THE CITY'S SOLID WASTE TRANSFER STATION LOCATED AT 2525 UNIVERSITY BOULEVARD: The structure, built about 1971, receives municipal solid waste and yard waste from collection trucks, which are then transferred to larger trucks and transported to the landfill and composting facilities in Garland and Mesquite respectively. The practice of constant hosing down the facility, during and after each load is dumped, has taken it's toll on some of the metal superstructure; specifically, those areas that are inaccessible. The moisture and otherwise corrosive environment have resulted in severe rusting of structural components. Additionally, the entire facility is painted with lead-based paint. The report from Chiang, Patel & Yerby, Inc. will provide recommendations on mitigating the deficiencies. CONSIDER RESOLUTION CALLING A CITY COUNCIL ELECTION ON SATURDAY, MAY 15, 2004 FOR THE PURPOSE OF ELECTING A MAYOR AND FOUR COUNCILMEMBERS: Terms for both mayor and Councilmembers will be two years. The election will be held at City Hall from 7:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m. Trevor Rees-Jones will act as Presiding Election Judge and R.B. Murray as Alternate Presiding Election Judge. Nina Wilson, City Secretary, will be responsible for 342 appointing election clerks as needed for the proper conduct of the election. Early voting will be held at City Hall from April 28 - May 11, 2004 from 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. weekdays. RESOLUTION NO. 04-03 A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF UNIVERSITY PARK, CALLING AN ELECTION ON SATURDAY, MAY 15, 2004 FOR THE PURPOSE OF ELECTING A MAYOR AND FOUR COUNCILMEMBERS; AND PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE. RESOLUCION NUM. 04-03 UNA RESOLUCION DEL CONCEJO MUNICIPAL DE LA CUIDAD DE UNIVERSITY PARK, LLAMANDO UNA ELECCION EL SABADO, 15 DE MAYO DE 2004, CON EL FIN DE ELEGIR A UN ALCALDE Y A CUATRO CONCEJALES; Y ESTIPULANDO UNA FECHA VIGENTE. DISCUSS APPROVE CHANGING THE MAY 26 MEETING TO MAY 24, 5:00 P.M., IN ORDER TO CANVASS THE ELECTION AND HAVE A RECEPTION FOR NEW COUNCILMEMBERS: Due to the change in the election date for 2004, canvassing the election th th must be moved to between the 8 and 11 day after the election. Since the regular meeting date of the City Council is the third Wednesday of the month and would fall on the 12th day after the election, the meeting and reception were moved to May 24, 2004, 5:00 p.m. MAIN AGENDA PUBLIC HEARING AND ORDINANCE REGARDING CITY HALL EXPANSION AND PROPOSED USE OF A PORTION OF GOAR PARK: Before the City Council meeting, the proposed plans had been reviewed by the following committees: Planning and Zoning, Board of Adjustment, Parks, Public Works, Finance, Urban Design and Development and by the former mayors of the City of University Park. At the conclusion of the presentation, each committee rd voted in favor of the plans as presented. Notice of the February 3' City Council public hearing had been published three (3) times in the Dallas Morning News on Friday, January 9th, 16th and 23~a. A letter dated December 18, 2003, had also provided to the Park Director and Chairman of the Parks Advisory Committee. A Court Reporter was present at the meeting, and that report is included as part of the minutes. City Manager Bob Livingston made a PowerPoint presentation showing the improvements being proposed to accommodate the need for additional space for Police and Fire operations. He pointed out the plan would include minimum harm to the park and that he would be glad to provide additional information to anyone interested. Police Chief Gary Adams noted that the accreditation the Police Department will receive in March will not be attainable again if the changes are not made to City Hall. Fire Chief David Ledbetter also noted that if the renovation is completed, there will be a change in the ISO Rating for the City that will result in savings in homeowner premiums and will be in effect for a period of 10-15 years. Park Director Thom Hanford spoke on the issue of the soccer fields in Goar Park stating the facilities would remain the same and that the two (2) soccer fields would have to be re-oriented, but would remain the same size. He also stated the park would be just as accessible and would have the same flexibility after City Hall is renovated as it does today. Director of Information Services 343 Jim Criswell spoke on space and requirements of computers and computer equipment from 1994 to the present time, noting the change in the workplace environment based on computer needs. Public Works Director Bud Smallwood spoke on the danger of the flood plain in regard to City Hall. Finance Director Kent Austin spoke on financing the project stating the City has the funds for the project without having to borrow money. Municipal Court Judge Jim Barklow spoke on moving the Court to another location, stating the security of the Court would be breached if it were moved away from the Police Department. Human Resources Director Luanne Hanford spoke of being in small quarters where employees or visitors have access to confidential material exposed on someone's desk rather than a situation where a counter would separate those persons from the confidentiality of such material. After the presentation and a question and answer period by the Council, several people spoke in favor of and also against the proposition. Mayor Pro Tem Davis moved to close the public hearing and give those who wish to make a written presentation to the Council two weeks in which to do so. The Council will review all written presentations and attempt to come to a conclusion by the second city council meeting of the month on February 18th at 7:30 a.m. Councilmember Shawver seconded the motion. Councilmember Holmes said he would like for the Council to hear from Mr. Henry Billingsley and Mr. Bill Thompson on what they feel may exist as alternatives for the renovation of City Hall and the use of a portion of Goar Park. He also would like for the Council to hear from Mr. John Walsh on any proposal to bond the project. The vote was unanimous to close the public hearing and convene again on February 18th at 7:30 a.m. to announce the conclusion reached by the Council. CONSIDER ORDINANCE AMENDMENT TO SIGN ORDINANCE REGARDING REAL ESTATE SIGN REGULATIONS: As a result of the continued usage of"real estate" signs by new home builders for the purposes of business advertising, the Urban Design and Development Advisory Committee (UDADAC) was asked to look at different ways to curb this type of signage in those cases where the new home is already under contract or is already sold to an individual. The City continues to receive complaints from people who believe these signs should not be allowed on a property that is not, or in many cases never was, for sale. UDADAC did not want to inadvertently hurt "spec" builders who need to advertise their homes for sale, so they determined the best solution was to amend the definition of real estate sign in the sign ordinance by eliminating the ability to include wording such as "Contract Pending", "Sale Pending" or "Sold" on the real estate sign. UDADAC believes the vast majority of"custom" builders will not maintain a for sale sign on a new home that is already under contract, nor will the individual who is having the house built want his home advertised as such. This new amendment will not only affect builders, but real estate agents as well. Councilmember Roberts moved approval of the enabling ordinance amending Article 12.200 of the University Park Code of Ordinances regarding the sign regulations of the City, by amending the definition for Real Estate Sign. Mayor Pro Tem Davis seconded, and the vote was unanimous to approve the ordinance. ORDINANCE NO. 04/07 AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF UNIVERSITY PARK, TEXAS, AMENDING THE CODE OF ORDINANCES OF THE CITY OF UNIVERSITY PARK, CHAPTER 12, SIGN REGULATIONS, BY AMENDING SECTION 12.202 (22) PROVIDING A DEFINITION OF REAL ESTATE SIGN; AMENDING SECTION 12.223 TO PROHIBIT CONSTRUCTION SIGNS IN RESIDENTIAL ZONES; PROVIDING FOR THE REPEAL OF ALL ORDINANCES 344 IN CONFLICT; PROVIDING A SEVERABILITY CLAUSE; PROVIDING FOR A PENALTY OF FINE NOT TO EXCEED THE SUM OF FIVE HUNDRED DOLLARS ($500.00) FOR EACH OFFENSE; AND PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE. COURT REPORTER: See report attached to minutes. There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned. PASSED AND APPROVED this 3rd day of February 2004.