By Colin Killian, Public Communications Manager
Welcome to our live blog from the College Station City Council’s workshop and regular meetings on Thursday, July 25. It’s not the official minutes.
The meetings can be watched live on Suddenlink channel 19 or online. An archive of previous council meetings is available on the website.
5:22 p.m.
The workshop has started. Councilman Bob Brick is not present tonight but is joining the meeting via teleconference.
The council took no action out of its executive session, but Mayor Karl Mooney announced that the future agenda item regarding Thomas Park improvements requested on July 11 has been withdrawn. The contract approved at the meeting will move forward.
5:26 p.m.
Consent Agenda Discussion
The council will vote on items listed on the consent agenda during tonight’s regular meeting. Councilmembers pulled this consent item for workshop discussion:
- Strategic Behavioral Health: The item concerns the mutual termination of the tax abatement agreement and approval of an economic development agreement with Strategic Behavioral Health.
6:23 p.m.
Neighborhood Conservation Overlay District
The council reviewed recommendations related to the Neighborhood Conservation Overlay zoning district and its associated standards and processes.
Based on lessons learned and direction received over the past year, staff presented potential NCO modifications to the council in March, including amendments to the process, district boundaries, specific NCO standards for inclusion, and the number of unrelated as a part of NCO.
Note: Due to technical difficulties, Councilman Brick left the meeting via teleconference at 6:14 p.m.
Here’s the PowerPoint presentation:
6:23 p.m.
Mayor Mooney suspended the workshop after the council discussed its calendar and received committee reports. The workshop will resume after the regular meeting, which will start after a short break.
6:32 p.m.
The regular meeting has started.
6:38 p.m.
Professional Engineers Day
The mayor proclaimed Aug. 7 as Professional Engineers Day to recognize City of College Station engineers for their significant contributions to the community through the application of scientific knowledge, mathematics, and ingenuity in solving technical, societal, and commercial problems.
6:45 p.m.
A&M Garden Club, La Villita Awards
The mayor recognized recent awards received by the A&M Garden Club and the La Villita Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution.
In May, the A&M Garden Club won a first-place National Garden Club award in the Historic Preservation Project category for its work with the Parks and Recreation Department and community service projects at Richard Carter Park. The club also for first for its educational publication “Milkweed for Monarch Butterflies.”
The La Villita Chapter of the DAR earned a first-place award in the Historic Preservation Contest for at the Texas DAR state convention in March for its historic preservation work. The South Central DAR also awarded the La Villita Chapter a second-place award for its work at Carter Park and during the 80th College Station Celebration event.
6:57 p.m.
Hear Visitors
Three people spoke during Hear Visitors when citizens might address the council on any item that doesn’t appear on the posted agenda.
- Councilwoman Elianor Vessali recognized Army Capt. Anthony R. Garcia as part of the Fallen Heroes Project. The 48-year-old Fort Worth native died on Feb. 17, 2006, in Tikrit, Iraq, from a gunshot wound.
- Jorge Sanchez asked the city to support the establishment of a farmers’ market in the Midtown development.
- Brian Alg spoke against using taxpayer money to fund a YMCA.
6:57 p.m.
Consent Agenda
The council voted unanimously to approve the entire consent agenda:
- Set a general election for Nov. 5 to elect a mayor and city council member Place 2, established early voting locations and polling places and made provisions for conducting the election.
- An inter-local agreement with Brazos County to conduct and manage College Station’s general election Nov. 5.
- The first renewal of an annual $115,847 contract with DXI Industries for sodium hypochlorite for water services.
- The first renewal of a contract not to exceed $5 million with Brazos Paving for base failure repairs and pavement treatments.
- The removal of parking on both sides of Diamondback Drive between Arrington Road and 435 feet west of Oldham Oaks Avenue and both sides of Oldham Oaks Avenue between Diamondback and Crystal Ridge Court.
- The removal of parking on the west side of Martin Wing Way between Diamondback and Pearl River Court, the east side of Martin Wing Way between Crystal Ridge and Diamondback, the south side of Crystal Ridge from Oldham Oaks to around the cul-de-sac, the north side of Crystal Ridge between Pearl River and Oldham Oaks, around the cul-de-sac and north side of Pearl River to Martin Wing Way, the north side of Pearl River between Martin Wing Way and Crystal Ridge, the south side of Pearl River from Crystal Ridge to around the cul-de-sac, the south side of Pearl River between 225 feet north of Crystal Ridge to 375 feet north of Crystal Ridge, and the north side of Pearl River between 345 feet south of Crystal Ridge and 275 feet south of Crystal Ridge.
- The mutual termination of a tax abatement agreement and approval of an economic development agreement with Strategic Behavioral Health.
- The sale of about seven acres in the College Station Business Center near the intersection of State Highway 6 and Gateway Boulevard.
7:05 p.m.
BVSWMA Budget
The council voted unanimously to approve the Brazos Valley Solid Waste Management Agency’s FY20 budget, which reduces the gate rate for the City of College Station and City of Bryan from $18.50 to $17.50 per ton.
The budget includes $6.8 million in operating expenses, $3.8 million in capital expenses, and $9.54 million in revenue. Total reserves, cash, and investments are $11.23 million.
Here’s the PowerPoint presentation:
7:13 p.m.
Street Name Changes
After a public hearing, the council voted unanimously to rename Greens Prairie Road West and Greens Prairie Trail to enhance emergency response efficiency.
The action changes Greens Prairie Road West to Victoria Avenue between Wellborn Road and Victoria, to Woodlake Drive between Victoria and Woodlake, and to Greens Prairie Road between Highway 6 and the city limits. Greens Prairie Trail between Wellborn and the city limits becomes Greens Prairie Road.
Here’s the PowerPoint presentation:
7:18 p.m.
Multi-Family Parkland Dedication
After a public hearing, the council voted unanimously to approve modifications to the city’s parkland dedication program to make land dedication requirements proportional and less complex for multi-family developments.
The audit found that a cost-neutral conversion may be achieved by increasing the land dedication requirements from 49 bedrooms to 278 bedrooms per acre for neighborhood parks and 53 bedrooms to 305 bedrooms per acre for community parks.
Here’s the PowerPoint presentation:
7:28 p.m.
Cain Road Crossing Closure
After a public hearing, the council voted unanimously to close the Cain Road crossing of the Union Pacific Railroad with the opening of the new Deacon Drive Union Pacific Railroad Crossing.
Here’s the PowerPoint presentation:
7:33 p.m.
Southwood Sidewalk Project
The council voted unanimously to support and authorize a grant application to the Texas Department of Transportation for the Southwood Sidewalk Project to fill a sidewalk gap and help provide a safe route to schools between the Southwood Valley and South Knoll/Southside neighborhoods.
Here’s the PowerPoint presentation:
7:58 p.m.
Brazos County MUD No. 2 Consent
The council voted unanimously to consent to the formation of Brazos County Municipal Utility District No. 2 and up to four additional municipal utility districts in the Millican Reserve development in the city’s extraterritorial jurisdiction along Peach Creek between Wellborn Road and Highway 6.
The MUDs will develop, operate, maintain, and issue bonds to finance infrastructure for the districts and levy and assess a tax on district properties to cover associated expenses.
Here’s the PowerPoint presentation:
7:58 p.m.
Brazos County MUD No. 2 Partnership
The council conducted the first of two public hearings on a proposed strategic partnership agreement with Brazos County Municipal Utility District No. 2 that outlines conditions for district annexation and limited-purpose commercial annexation. No one spoke during the hearing.
The second public hearing is scheduled for the August 22 council meeting when the council can vote on the agreement.
Here’s the PowerPoint presentation:
7:59 p.m.
Brazos County MUD No. 2 Utilities
The council voted unanimously to approve a utility agreement covering water, wastewater, and roads with Brazos County Municipal Utility District No. 2.
The MUD lies within the Wellborn Special Utility District for water service and itself provides for wastewater treatment and collection, including a treatment plant, shared sewer lines, and lift stations. Roads will be constructed to county standards and owned and maintained by the county.
Here’s the PowerPoint presentation:
8:00 p.m.
Brazos County MUD No. 2 Development
The council voted unanimously to approve an agreement with Millican Land Development, RB Meadows, and Rock Barn Conservation Partners that regulates development in Brazos County Municipal Utility District No. 2. The agreement addresses land use, density, and compliance with standards comparable to development in the city.
Here’s the PowerPoint presentation:
8:01 p.m.
After the council discussed and reviewed future agenda items, Mayor Mooney adjourned the regular meeting. The workshop meeting will resume.
8:04 p.m.
Mayor Mooney adjourned the workshop after the council discussed its calendar and received committee reports. The council returned to executive session to discuss an additional item.
The council meets again on Thursday, Aug. 8.
About the Blogger
Colin Killian (@ColinKillian) has been with the City of College Station since 2010 after serving 23 years as associate media relations director for the Texas A&M Athletics Department. Killian has also worked as a reporter and editor for the Corpus Christi Caller-Times and Lewisville News. A native of Hobbs, N.M., he graduated from Texas Tech with a bachelor’s degree in journalism/political science.
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