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MINUTES
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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.