The URL can be used to link to this page

Home My WebLink About042301R CC Min CITY COUNCIL REGULAR SESSION MONDAY, APRIL 23, 2001 MUNICIPAL BUILDING COUNCIL CHAMBERS 3800 UNIVERSITY BOULEVARD 6:30 P.M. The City Council convened in Regular Session in the Municipal Building Council Chambers on April 23, 2001, with the following members present: Mayor Lewis presiding, Council Members Ballanfant, Bertini, Grubb and May. The City Manager, City Secretary, City Attorney, Finance Director, Fire Chief, Police Captain and Utilities Superintendent were also present. The notice for this meeting was posted in accordance with the Texas Government Code, th Chapter 551, on the 20 of April 2001 at 3:00 p.m. Citizen Comments. Mayor Lewis invited citizens who wished to address the City Council to come forward as their names were called. Susan Ohsfeldt, 4101 Tennyson, opposed the removal of stop signs. She presented a petition opposing the removal of stop signs on the North/South streets. Katherine Parsons, 4101 Coleridge, requested that the stop sign on Coleridge and Academy not be removed. Gary Martin, 3615 Rice Boulevard, opposed the removal of any stop signs. Russ Schulze, 3518 Rice Boulevard, stated that he was in favor of traffic calming in the City. He requested an additional stop sign at Rice and Mercer. John Marziotti, 3722 Sunset, opposed the removal of stop signs. Richard Braverman, 3701 Nottingham, opposed the development of the Edloe Linear Park. Steve Monks, 3737 Sunset, opposed the removal of the stop sign at Sunset and Edloe. Maria Dahlberg, 3749 Sunset, stated that she had worked years to get the stop sign at Sunset and Edloe. She opposed the removal of the sign. Catherine Chandler, 3725 Sunset, requested that the stop sign located on Sunset and Edloe not be removed. Janet Cook, 3705 Robinhood, requested that the oleanders on Edloe not be removed. City Council Regular Session, April 23, 2001 Mayor Lewis requested that the City Manager comment on the removal of the stop signs. City Manager Sherman Yehl reported that the Police Chief had made a recommendation to the City Council regarding stop sign removal. The Staff will review the locations suggested for stop sign removal and consult with a traffic engineer. The final recommendation will be considered by the Traffic Task Force and then by the City Council. Council Member Grubb made a motion that the City Council hold a joint meeting with the Traffic Task Force to discuss stop signs. The motion failed from the lack of a second. Ordinance amending Chapter 19. Matters related to the second and final reading of Ordinance No. 1677. Mayor Lewis read the caption of Ordinance No. 1677 as follows: An ordinance relating to obstructions, regulated facilities and other matters affecting street areas and other public places; amending Chapter 19 of the Code of Ordinances of the City of West University Place, Texas; and containing findings and provisions relating to the subject. Copies of Ordinance No. 1677, in the form proposed for adoption, were available in the Council Chambers. City Attorney Jim Dougherty reported that Ordinance No. 1677 was a major recompilation of Chapter 19 of the Code of Ordinances. It also adds permanent rules for the use of the City’s right-of-way. An amendment to Chapter 6 is also included to add the sidewalk exemptions. A motion was made by Council Member Ballanfant, seconded by Council Member Grubb, to approve the second and final reading of Ordinance No. 1677. A vote was taken on the motion with the following result: Voting Aye: Mayor Lewis, Council Members Ballanfant, Bertini, Grubb and May Voting Nay: None Absent: None Agreement for automatic assistance. Matters related to an agreement for automatic assistance for fire protection between the City of West University Place and the City of Southside Place. 2 City Council Regular Session, April 23, 2001 Fire Chief Terry Stevenson reported that since 1980 the West University Place Fire Department has participated in a Mutual Aid Agreement for Fire Protection that included most of the fire departments in Harris County. The Insurance Service Organization, Inc. guidelines require that separate agreements be adopted for each city. A similar agreement was signed with the City of Bellaire Fire Department in 1999, and negotiations are on- going with the City of Houston. A motion was made by Council Member Bertini, seconded by Council Member May, to authorize the Fire Chief to enter into an agreement with the City of Southside Place for Automatic Assistance for Fire Protection. A vote was taken on the motion with the following result: Voting Aye: Mayor Lewis, Council Members Ballanfant, Bertini, Grubb and May Voting Nay: None Absent: None Date change for City Council meeting. Matters related to changing the date of the Council meeting scheduled on Memorial Day, May 28, 2001. A motion was made by Council Member Grubb, seconded by Council Member Bertini, to th change the Council meeting date scheduled for May 28 to May 29, 2001. A vote was taken on the motion with the following result: Voting Aye: Mayor Lewis, Council Members Ballanfant, Bertini, Grubb and May Voting Nay: None Absent: None City Council minutes. Matters related to the minutes of the Regular and Special Sessions conducted on April 9, 2001. A motion was made by Council Member May, seconded by Council Member Ballanfant, to approve the minutes as presented. A vote was taken on the motion with the following result: Voting Aye: Mayor Lewis, Council Members Ballanfant, Bertini, Grubb and May Voting Nay: None Absent: None 3 City Council Regular Session, April 23, 2001 Council Comments. Council Member Bertini commented that the Traffic Task Force has not ever suggested, in their official capacity to the Council, the specific removal of a specific stop sign. The Traffic Task Force developed a street classification map with the assistance of the Police Department and the Public Works Department. Based on that, the Police Chief brought forth some recommendations for stop sign removal. Council Member Bertini stated that he believed there was a process that takes place when a stop sign is removed. The City Council authorized that process to take place and most of the comments should be directed toward the Police Chief or his designates in a form that would be appropriate to allow concerns to be expressed. He stated that he preferred the City Staff members, who are experts in this area and understand the law, speak directly to all the concern citizens and once they have reached a consensus or failed to reach a consensus then they ultimately bring those decisions to Council. Council Member Ballanfant stated that he echoed Council Member Bertini’s comments. He stated that he believed that there was a provision for notice on a proposal. A proposal does not mean something is going to happen. He stated that he did not believe it was the purpose of the Council, at that particular point in time, to debate the merits of each individual stop sign location. It was to be part of an on-going process of review and evaluation of each proposal by the Staff and ultimately by the Council again. He stated that he felt it would be wise that the process be allowed to continue. Council Member May also echoed what had already been said. He encouraged everyone to review the meeting minutes, which outlined Chief Begley’s proposal and also the two maps presented to Council. All of these work together to present a total picture. Council Member Grubb stated that he was the only one who voted against the Edloe Linear Park but that he lives in the 3700 block and was in favor of the three bridges and the park. He stated that unfortunately, the plan that was presented to Council was inadequate and that the Linear Park would be an “eye sore” in the center of the City. Mayor Lewis commented that she had nothing to add to the subject of stop signs. She stated that she viewed it as a process that, as Council Member Ballanfant said, may or may not result in anything. It was simply a recommendation and sometimes the only way you can move things forward is by responding to that. Mayor Lewis commented that she did want to address the issue of the Edloe pathway. She stated that she has written about the Edloe Linear Park in City Currents several times over the last year and a half trying to keep people abreast of the plan and intent all along. Mayor Lewis stated that she has no loyalty to the plan as presented but she felt the Council responded to complaints about safety. The intent was to provide a means for people to get from Sunset to Rice from the east side of West University without having to cross streets at unspecified areas. The plan was to get them all the way to Georgetown, and create a crosswalk that would carry children, in particular, to the elementary school. In times when the development was discussed, the Council did have input. The Council has said all along that when the plans 4 City Council Regular Session, April 23, 2001 were ready, they wanted the citizens to come look at them. She stated that she had no idea that people were so attached to the oleanders. The plan is a starting place and the public hearing was to get response from the citizens and to take advantage of an opportunity to apply for a grant. Mayor Lewis stated that the ultimate decision would be influenced by what they hear from citizens. Adjournment. With no further business to come before the City Council at this time, a motion was made by Council Member Bertini, seconded by Council Member May, to adjourn. The Regular Session adjourned at 8:15 p.m. 5