By Colin Killian, Public Communications Manager
Welcome to our live blog from the College Station City Council’s workshop and regular teleconference meetings on Thursday, July 23. It’s not the official minutes.
The meetings are streamed live on Suddenlink Channel 19 and at cstx.gov/cstv19. To join online, go to Zoom or call 888-475-4499 and enter meeting number 984 6115 5646. Public comments will be allowed through Zoom.
4:28 p.m.
The workshop has started. Read the rest of this page »
By Colin Killian, Public Communications Manager
The College Station City Council meets by teleconference on Thursday for its workshop (after 4 p.m.) and regular (6 p.m.) meetings.
The meetings will be streamed live on Suddenlink Channel 19 and at cstx.gov/cstv19. To join the meeting online, go to Zoom or call 888-475-4499 and enter meeting number 984 6115 5646. Public comments will be allowed through Zoom. Read the rest of this page »
In this episode of “Actually…,” Drainage Division Manager Marshall Wallace says thanks to new technology, city employees don’t have to use skateboards anymore to enter the pipes and inspect or repair our vital drainage infrastructure.
– Public Communications Office
By Colin Killian, Public Communications Manager
Welcome to our live blog from the College Station City Council’s workshop and regular teleconference meetings on Thursday, July 9. It’s not the official minutes.
The meetings are streamed live on Suddenlink Channel 19 and at cstx.gov/cstv19. To join online, go to Zoom or call 888-475-4499 and enter meeting number 997 0027 4418. Public comments will be allowed through Zoom.
5:55 p.m.
The workshop has started. No action was taken out of executive session.
5:56 p.m.
Consent Agenda Discussion
The council pulled no items for discussion from the regular meeting’s consent agenda.
6:24 p.m.
Parkland Expansion
The council voted unanimously to support the conversion of about 196 acres of greenways to parkland. The Parks & Recreation Advisory Board unanimously passed the motion in June.
Here’s the PowerPoint Presentation:
6:28 p.m.
After the council discussed its calendar and received committee reports, Mayor Karl Mooney adjourned the workshop. The regular meeting starts after a short break.
6:39 p.m.
The regular meeting has started.
6:44 p.m.
Hear Visitors
No one spoke during Hear Visitors, when citizens may address the council on any item that does not appear on the posted agenda.
6:45 p.m.
Consent Agenda
The council voted unanimously to approve the entire consent agenda:
7:05 p.m.
BVSWMA Budget
The council voted unanimously to approve BVSWMA’s proposed FY 21 budget, which was approved by the BVSWMA Board of Directors on June 17. The City of Bryan is expected to consider it on July 14.
The landfill’s FY 21 budget revenue is $9.5 million, operating expenses of $7.1 million and capital expenses of $4.98 million. Total reserves, cash, and investments are $11.75 million. The budget also reduces the gate rate for both cities from $17.50 to $15 per ton.
Here’s the PowerPoint Presentation:
7:11 p.m.
Wellborn Road Rezoning
After a public hearing, the council voted unanimously to approve a request to change the zoning from Rural to Planned Development District — with a base zoning district of Wellborn Commercial — for about seven acres at 14565 and 14575 Wellborn Road. The change allows the development of low-density commercial uses that provide services to nearby neighborhoods.
Here’s the PowerPoint Presentation:
8:01 p.m.
Community Development Plans, Budget
The council voted unanimously to direct staff to move forward with the FY 21 (PY 20) Annual Action Plan, FY 21 Community Development Budget, and 2020-24 Consolidated Plan.
Here’s the PowerPoint Presentation:
8:10 p.m.
Taxing Unit Under Disaster Declaration
The council voted unanimously to defer lowering the voter approval tax rate — formerly known as the rollback tax rate — from 8% to 3.5% for FY 21. The Texas Legislature mandated the change during its last session, but it agreed that cities with disaster declarations in place should retain the option of deferring implementation of the change if faced with catastrophic revenue losses.
The council’s decision doesn’t increase the tax rate, but it potentially could help ensure that it doesn’t have to be lowered (rolled back) so the city can continue providing emergency response and other critical city operations.
Here’s the PowerPoint Presentation:
8:19 p.m.
MUD No. 1 Road Improvements:
The council voted unanimously to consent to the issuance of up to $2 million in road improvement bonds by Brazos County Municipal Utility District No. 1.
8:29 p.m.
After the council discussed future agenda items, Mayor Mooney adjourned the meeting. The council meets again by teleconference on Thursday, July 23.
About the Blogger
Colin Killian has been with the City of College Station since 2010 after serving 23 years as the 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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By Alyssa Halle-Schramm, Long Range Planning Administrator
As part of the City of College Station’s 10-year review of its Comprehensive Plan, we’ve created a virtual workshop to gather your input on our community’s future. The online Community Choices Workshop will be live from July 13 through Aug. 3.
A series of activities will help you make choices about how and where the city grows. To participate, go to cstx.gov/TheNext10 starting Monday. You can also join an email list to stay up-to-date with project news.
The Next 10
The Next 10 is an extensive effort to evaluate the city’s Comprehensive Plan, consider recent growth and best practices, and identify city policies that need updating. The Comprehensive Plan is the strategic guide that expresses the community’s values and aspirations. It establishes a long-range vision for development, housing, transportation, parks, the environment, economic development, and other related topics.
College Station’s plan was adopted in 2009 and covers a 20-year horizon. It’s meant to be a living document that’s regularly evaluated and updated. Since we are 10 years into the plan, we need your input about how the next decade should unfold.
Last summer, the initiative began with the establishment of the Evaluation Committee and meeting with community leaders. We also conducted a series of public workshops and an online survey to get input about the existing plan. You can review that feedback at cstx.gov/TheNext10.
These efforts will result in an Evaluation and Appraisal Report — anticipated this fall — that recommends changes to the Comprehensive Plan. Once the city council accepts the report, we’ll begin drafting update amendments, which will be made available for public feedback and will go through the public hearing process at planning & zoning commission and city council meetings. Formal updates are expected to be made in 2021.
How to Participate
By living, working, attending school, or raising a family in College Station, you know our community. We encourage you to share your ideas and opinions to ensure College Station’s direction represents the community’s authentic voice. The input you provide will be an essential component of the Evaluation and Appraisal Report.
In one Community Choices Workshop activity, you’ll be asked about potential improvements to the Comprehensive Plan Future Land Use Map, which serves as a guide for how areas of the city may develop. Several updates are being considered, including renaming, simplifying, and refining the Future Land Use category definitions and changes to how land uses apply to various areas. You’ll be asked to react to examples of potential changes.
In another activity, you’ll be able to share your preferences on scenarios that illustrate potential options for six areas. The scenario planning activity uses performance-based criteria to depict trade-offs among possible outcomes. Please note that the alternatives are hypothetical scenarios meant to test options and solicit feedback.
You’ll be asked to choose one of three options — how the area is developed today, an anticipated outcome under existing policies, or what may be possible with policy changes. You can provide open-ended feedback about your likes and dislikes, and anything else you’d like us to know.
The future can unfold in many ways. Your participation in the virtual Community Choices Workshop will help us more accurately gauge the community’s preferences.
For more information, visit cstx.gov/TheNext10 and watch the videos. You can also contact me at 979-764-3570 or aschramm@cstx.gov.
About the Blogger
Long Range Planning Administrator Alyssa Halle-Schramm has been with the city since 2018. She previously worked at Austin Community College, UT-Austin, and Hanover County (Virginia). A native of Wilmington, N.C., Alyssa earned a bachelor’s degree in environmental studies from North Carolina-Wilmington in 2010 and master’s degrees in public administration and urban and regional planning from Virginia Tech in 2013.
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