Welcome to our live blog from the College Station City Council’s workshop and regular meetings on Thursday, Oct. 8. It’s not the official minutes.
The meeting is being broadcast live on Suddenlink Channel 19 and streamed online. An archive of previous council meetings is available on the website.
5:30 p.m.
The workshop has started.
The council took action on one item discussed in executive session. By a 7-0 vote, it approved an amendment to the Research Valley Partnership's bylaws that permits elected officials to be appointed for additional terms or partial terms by their respective city councils or the commissioners court not to exceed their time as an elected official.
5:34 p.m.
Consent Agenda Discussion
The council will vote on items listed on the consent agenda during tonight’s regular meeting. Councilmembers pulled these consent items for workshop discussion:
- Outside Agency Funding: Several items on tonight's consent agenda are for outside agency funding agreements. These are all for amounts that were approved during the FY16 budget process. The agreements are with the Arts Council of Brazos Valley, B-CS Chamber of Commerce, College Station Noon Lions Club, Aggieland Humane Society, B-CS Convention and Visitors Bureau, Keep Brazos Beautiful, the Research Valley Partnership and the Memorial for All Veterans of the Brazos Valley.
- RVP Funding Agreement: The council clarified the city’s FY16 funding agreement with the Research Valley Partnership. As part of the FY16 budget process, council approved $350,000 for the RVP’s economic development services.
5:58 p.m.
Recycling Update
The council discussed the city’s recycling program and received a report on the recent single-stream recycling pilot project. On the consent agenda, the council will consider a five-year, $840,283 contract and franchise agreement with Brazos Valley Recycling that includes single-stream recycling.
Here is the PowerPoint presentation received by the council:
6:12 p.m.
Texas A&M Student Government Association
Texas A&M Student Body President Joseph Benigno and Municipal Affairs Vice President Wayne Beckermann discussed the goals of the Student Government Association for enhancing community relationships and communications. The council expressed its full support for the SGA's efforts.
6:28 p.m.
The mayor adjourned the workshop after the council discussed its calendar, future agenda items, and committee reports. The regular meeting will start at 7 p.m.
7:00 p.m.
The regular meeting has started.
7:03 p.m.
Down Syndrome Awareness Month
Mayor Nancy Berry proclaimed October as Down Syndrome Awareness Month with a presentation to the Down Syndrome Association of the Brazos Valley. Accepting the proclamation from the mayor were (below, l-r) Stephanie Barbee, Dillon Dyke, Caleb Benner and Cynthia Benner.
7:08 p.m.
Paint the Town Pink Day
Mayor Berry proclaimed today as Paint the Town Pink Day to encourage women age 40 and older to have an annual mammogram. It also merges awareness of breast cancer prevention, detection and treatment with fundraising that provides free screening to the uninsured and underserved. Representatives of Pink Alliance accepting the proclamation from the mayor were (below, l-r) Sally Dee Wade, Patricia Gerling, Mayor Nancy Berry Reba Ragsdale, Jeannie Kipp, Doris Light, Carolyn Oatman and Janie McDougal.
7:11 p.m.
Hear Visitors
One person spoke during Hear Visitors when citizens may address the council on any item that doesn’t appear on the posted agenda. Ben Roper recognized Army Staff Sgt. Gary Collins as part of the Fallen Heroes Memorial program. The 32-year-old Hardin native died when an improvised explosive device hit his Bradley Fighting Vehicle on Nov. 8, 2003, in Fallujah, Iraq.
7:21 p.m.
Consent Agenda
The council voted unanimously to approve these consent items:
- A 10-year performance-based economic development agreement with the College Station Science Park to create additional shovel-ready sites to take advantage of A&M’s commercialization efforts.
- An agreement with Wirestar for the lease of city fiber optic cable facilities.
- A change order of $78,811.17 to the contract with Angel Brothers for the Rock Prairie Road Rehabilitation project.
- A recycling collection franchise ordinance and service agreement with Brazos Valley Recycling.
- A change order of $11,285 to the design contract for the Southland Drainage Improvements Project.
- A $120,000 bid award for city-branded uniforms for Parks programs and other city departments through CC Creations ($40,000), Monograms and More ($40,000) and Promotional Designs ($40,000).
- FY16 General Fund ($35,000) and hotel tax ($96,000) funding agreements with the Arts Council of the Brazos Valley.
- An FY16 hotel tax funding agreement for $25,000 with the Bryan/College Station Chamber of Commerce.
- An FY16 General Fund funding agreement for $15,000 with the College Station Noon Lions Club.
- An FY16 funding agreement for $350,000 with the Brazos Valley Convention and Visitors Bureau to administer the CVB Grant Program.
- FY16 funding of $205,000 to the Aggieland Humane Society for animal shelter services.
- An FY16 sanitation fund funding agreement for $56,690 with Keep Brazos Beautiful.
- An FY16 hotel tax funding agreement for $25,000 with Memorial for All Veterans of the Brazos Valley.
- A contract for a $159,598 grant of federal HOME Community Housing Development Organization Set-Aside funds with Elder-Aid for the acquisition and rehabilitation of two dwelling units to be used as affordable rental housing for income-eligible elderly households.
These items were voted on separately:
- By a 5-2 vote, the council denied a motion by Councilman James Benham to fund the Research Valley Partnership for only three months while the council awaits a response to a request for the RVP to amend its bylaws. Mayor Berry joined Benham in voting for the motion. Council then unanimously approved an FY16 general fund funding agreement for $350,000 with the RVP.
- By a 6-1 vote, the council approved an FY16 funding agreement for $1.73 million with the Brazos Valley Convention and Visitors Bureau. Councilwoman Julie Schultz voted against the motion.
8:35 p.m.
Mobile Food Court
After a public hearing, the council unanimously voted to allow food vendors to develop short- and long-term mobile food courts through conditional use permits and the site planning process. The motion included several adjustments to the draft ordinance.
With the growth of the mobile food industry, a local vendor requested a way to establish a mobile food vendor court in College Station. Food trucks could already congregate at sales locations in certain circumstances, but the ordinance amendment allows for a food court that provides amenities such as seating and a playground at a predictable operating location. Input on the ordinance was solicited from local mobile food vendors, the Brazos County Restaurant Association, the Northgate Business Association, and the Brazos County Health Department.
A short-term mobile food court (two years maximum) would provide some customer amenities with the least amount of development. Because of its temporary nature, a short-term court would not involve breaking ground or providing a level of development not easily reversed overnight.
A long-term mobile food court would be a permanently located business that provides the most amenities and would have development standards similar to those of brick-and-mortar restaurants. Both short-and long-term mobile food courts would not be developed by right but would require permission from the city council through the conditional use permit and site planning process.
In addition, the amendments remove the daily time restriction for mobile food vendors in Northgate so they may remain at their permitted locations throughout the day (operating hours for mobile food vendors are from 5 a.m. to 2 a.m.). Through the mobile food court conditional use permit process, the Planning & Zoning Commission and city council may consider allowing mobile food court vendors to remain open until 3 a.m.
Here is the PowerPoint presentation received by the council:
8:42 p.m.
Spring Creek Transmission Line
After a public hearing, the council unanimously voted to establish boundaries for the crossing of the Spring Creek transmission line through the Lick Creek greenway bordered by city property to the west and Brazos Valley Solid Waste Management Agency property to the east. The transmission line upgrades are required due to ERCOT modeling studies showing overloads under certain conditions.
Here is the PowerPoint presentation received by the council:
8:45 p.m.
Renee Lane Rezoning
After a public hearing, the council unanimously changed the zoning district boundaries from Rural to General Suburban for 4.3 acres between Passendale Lane and Leyla Lane. The change was made to allow for development.
Here is the PowerPoint presentation received by the council:
8:46 p.m.
Appraisal District Appointment
The council unanimously appointed Ron Kaiser to another two-year term on the Brazos Central Appraisal District board of directors.
Here is the PowerPoint presentation received by the council:
8:46 p.m.
The mayor adjourned the meeting. The council meets again Thursday, Oct. 22.