Live Blog: Thursday’s City Council Meetings (July 12)

This is a live blog from the College Station City Council’s workshop and regular meetings on Thursday, July 12. It is not the official minutes.

The workshop and regular meetings can be watched live on Suddenlink Ch. 19, or online. An archive of previous council meetings also is available on the site.

6:08 p.m.

The workshop meeting has started.

6:19 p.m.

Private Landfill Public Meeting Update

The council heard an update on a public meeting set for Friday, July 19 about a proposed permit for a private landfill within College Station’s extraterritorial jurisdiction. The applicant and representatives from the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality will attend the public meeting at 7 p.m. at the Brazos County Expo Complex.

The Brazos Valley Disposal Facility would be located about 1,300 feet northwest of the intersection of Stewarts Meadow and the Raymond Stotzer Parkway. The facility would have a permitted 42-acre footprint and would be about 112 feet high at full build out. The landfill could hold about 4.2 million cubic yards of material and could accept up to 800 tons of construction and demolition wastes each day.

Here’s the PowerPoint presentation received by the council:

6:35 p.m.

Keep Brazos Beautiful Report

The council heard a report from Keep Brazos Beautiful which receives $50,240 in annual funding from the city.

Here’s the PowerPoint presentation received by the council:

6:44 p.m.

After the council calendar, future agenda items were discussed and committee reports were received, the workshop meeting was adjourned. The regular meeting will start momentarily.

7:04 p.m.

The regular meeting has started.

7:18 p.m.

Consent Agenda

The council unanimously approved the consent agenda:

• The addition of a 25-mph school zone at Barron Road and Victoria Avenue near the new College Station High School.

• Changing the traffic control at the intersection of Southern Plantation and Newport from a one-way to a three-way stop.

• An amendment to a contract with Bryan Texas Utilities to continue to operate College Station’s electric transmission system until July 31, 2012, if necessary.

• The application and acceptance of an Office of the Governor, Criminal Justice Division Grant.

• A three-year interlocal agreement with Texas A&M to provide fire protection for Easterwood Airport for $196,200 each year.

• A contract for $899,122 with Kieschnick General Contractors for the construction of the Wolf Pen Creek Festival Area project. Here’s a map of the project area:

7:20 p.m.

Proposed Amendments to City Charter 

A public hearing was conducted on proposed amendments to the city charter but no one participated.

7:24 p.m.

Rezoning at 950 Fitch Pkwy.

After a public hearing, the council voted 6-0 to approve the rezoning of about 1.2 acres at 950 William D. Fitch Parkway, located near the corner of Fitch and State Highway 6, to allow for commercial development. Councilmember Julie Schultz recused herself from the vote because of a conflict of interest.

Here’s the PowerPoint presentation received by the council:

7:29 p.m.

Rezoning for 4080 State Hwy. 6

After a public hearing, the council voted 6-0 to approve the rezoning of about 7.6 acres at 4080 State Hwy. 6, located south of SecurCare Self Storage, to allow for commercial development. Schultz again recused herself because of a conflict of interest.

Here’s the PowerPoint presentation received by the council:

7:32 p.m.

Conditional Use Permit for 1915 Dartmouth St.

After a public hearing, the council unanimously approved a conditional use permit for the 4.06-acre property at 1915 Dartmouth St., which is located within the Wolf Pen Creek District, to allow for a multi-family residential development on the ground floor.

Here’s the PowerPoint presentation received by the council:

7:35 p.m.

Northgate Design Standards and Churches

After a public hearing, the council unanimously approved an amendment to the city’s Unified Development Ordinance to exempt churches in the Northgate area from certain design standards. This would allow them to expand, alter and relocate their structures, as well as construct new structures, without incorporating residential uses into the structure or being subject to the minimum floor-to-area ratio.

Here’s the PowerPoint presentation received by the council:

8:14 p.m.

Discharges into the Stormwater System

After a public hearing, the council approved by a 6-1 vote an amendment to the city’s Unified Development Ordinance to regulate discharges into the stormwater system. Councilmember Jess Fields voted against the motion. The amendment satisfies a state mandate to regulate and enforce discharges into the stormwater system. 

Here’s the PowerPoint presentation received by the council:

8:18 p.m.

Sale of City Property on Harvey Mitchell Parkway

The council unanimously approved a contract to sell 2.417 acres of city-owned property on North Harvey Mitchell Parkway for $211,000. The city bought the property for $28,984 in 1980 as a water pump station site that never materialized. The Brazos County Appraisal District lists the market value at $210,570. In 2011, the council directed staff to sell city-owned properties that no longer serve a public purpose.

Here’s the PowerPoint presentation received by the council:

8:45 p.m.

Board & Commission Appointments

The council unanimously approved appointments to these boards and commissions:

• B/CS Library Committee (Don Hellriegel, Diane Rektorik)
• Bicycle, Pedestrian & Greenways Advisory Board (Jean Gould, Philip Lasley)
• Construction Board of Adjustments (Arthur Pinto, Marc Chaloupka, Oran Mikael; Alternates: Johnny Burns, Rene Ramirez)
• Design Review Board (Don Hellriegel, Hunter Goodwin) 
• Historic Preservation Committee (Kelly Bunch, E.E. Burns, Patricia Cleere, Libby Vastano, Joel Mitchell)
• Landmark Commission (Linda Harvell, Gail MacMillan, Robert McGeachin)
• Parks & Recreation Board (Sherry Ellison, Louis Hodges, David Ohendalski, Debe Shafer)
• Planning & Zoning Commission (Craig Hall, Bo Miles, Jodi Warner)
• Zoning Board of Adjustments (Jim Davis, Hunter Goodwin, Marsha Sanford; Alternates: Scott Simpson, Gary Erwin)