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HomeMy WebLinkAbout012703R CC Min CITY COUNCIL REGULAR SESSION MONDAY, JANUARY 27, 2003 MUNICIPAL BUILDING 3800 UNIVERSITY BLVD. 6:30 P.M. The City Council convened in Regular Session in the Municipal Building Council Chambers (3800 University Blvd.) on January 27, 2003, with the following members present: Mayor Lewis presiding, Council Members May, Farley and Griffin. The City Manager, City Secretary, City Attorney, Assistant City Manager/Public Works Director, Finance Director, Parks and Recreation Director and City Planner were also present. Council Member Jackson was absent. The notice for this meeting was posted in accordance with the Texas Government Code, th Chapter 551, on the 24 day of January 2003 at 3:30 p.m. Formal Session Citizen Comments. Mayor Lewis invited citizens who wished to address the City Council to come forward as their names were called. Tom Stavinoha, 10420 Will Lehman, Needville, stated that he was the Commissioner for Precinct 1 for Fort Bend County. He requested that the City of West University join with them to oppose the proposed transfer station at Ruffino Road. Ruth Hurst, 8503 Twin Hills Drive, stated that she represented her neighborhood in opposing the transfer station on Ruffino Road. Acceptance of gifts. Matters related to the acceptance of gifts including Ordinance No. 1728. Mayor Lewis read the caption of Ordinance No. 1728 as follows: An ordinance relating to gifts to the City; amending 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. 1728, in the form proposed for adoption, were available in the Council Chambers. City Council Regular Session, January 27, 2003 City Attorney Jim Dougherty reported that from time to time individuals or entities present gifts to the City in the form of money or property. The proposed amendment to the Code of Ordinances would allow the City Manager or Finance Director to accept such gifts rather than bringing each one before Council for acceptance and provides reasonable restrictions to staff?s ability to accept these gifts. A motion was made by Council Member May, seconded by Council Member Farley, to adopt Ordinance No. 1728 on the first reading. A vote was taken on the motion with the following result: Voting Aye: Mayor Lewis, Council Members May, Farley and Griffin Voting Nay: None Absent: Council Member Jackson Framed area,? (calling joint public hearing). Matters related to ?framed area? including Ordinance No. 1729. Mayor Lewis read the caption of Ordinance No. 1729 as follows: An ordinance calling a Joint Public Hearing on a proposal to amend the zoning ordinance of the City of West University Place, Texas, regarding ?framed area?; prescribing procedures and notices; containing findings and provisions relating to the subject; and declaring an emergency Copies of Ordinance No. 1729, in the form proposed for adoption, were available in the Council Chambers. City Manager Michael Ross explained that the City Staff had some conflicts with the previous date scheduled for the public hearing regarding framed areas. This ordinance th would set the public hearing for March 10. A motion was made by Council Member Griffin, seconded by Council Member May, to adopt Ordinance No. 1729 on the first and final reading. A vote was taken on the motion with the following result: Voting Aye: Mayor Lewis, Council Members May, Farley and Griffin Voting Nay: None Absent: Council Member Jackson 2 City Council Regular Session, January 27, 2003 Driveways, etc., (calling joint public hearing). Matters related to driveways, maneuvering areas, curb cuts, etc, including Ordinance No. 1730. Mayor Lewis read the caption of Ordinance No. 1730 as follows: An ordinance calling a Joint Public Hearing on a proposal to amend the zoning ordinance of the City of West University Place, Texas, regarding driveways, maneuvering areas, curb cuts, etc.; prescribing procedures and notices; containing findings and provisions relating to the subject; and declaring an emergency Copies of Ordinance No. 1730, in the form proposed for adoption, were available in the Council Chambers. Mr. Ross stated that this ordinance would also set a public hearing on the above subject th for March 10. A motion was made by Council Member Griffin, seconded by Council Member May, to adopt Ordinance No. 1730 on the first and final reading. A vote was taken on the motion with the following result: Voting Aye: Mayor Lewis, Council Members May, Farley and Griffin Voting Nay: None Absent: Council Member Jackson Friends of West University Place Parks Fund. Matters related to the Friends of West University Place Parks Fund including expenditure of $2,000 for the Colonial Park Grand Opening and for the stork fundraising project. Whitney Walsh, 2808 Robinhood and a member of the Friends Board, requested that the City Council approve an expenditure of up to $1,000 to host a Grand Opening Ceremony for Colonial Park. The ceremony is scheduled for February 23, 2003 and will include entertainment and refreshments. They also requested approximately $1,000 to build storks for a fundraising project. The project will target parents and grandparents of newborns. The five-foot high storks will be used to announce the arrival of a new addition to the family and will be contracted for a one-week period. A motion was made by Council Member Griffin, seconded by Council Member May, to approve the expenditure of funds up to $2,000 for the Colonial Park Ceremony and for the construction of the storks for fundraising. 3 City Council Regular Session, January 27, 2003 A vote was taken on the motion with the following result: Voting Aye: Mayor Lewis, Council Members May, Farley and Griffin Voting Nay: None Absent: Council Member Jackson Sign ordinance. Matters related to proposed changes to the sign ordinance including calling a public hearing on the subject. Mr. Dougherty explained the proposed changes to the sign ordinance. A motion was made by Council Member May, seconded by Council Member Farley, to call a public hearing regarding the proposed changes to the sign ordinance on March 10, 2003. A vote was taken on the motion with the following result: Voting Aye: Mayor Lewis, Council Members May, Farley and Griffin Voting Nay: None Absent: Council Member Jackson Property tax refund. Matters related to 2002 ad valorem tax refunds in the amount of $17,256.11. Finance Director Walter Thomas reported that the Property Tax Code requires approval by the City Council of property tax refunds that exceed $500.00. A motion was made by Council Member Griffin, seconded by Council Member May, to authorize the refund of overpaid property taxes totaling $17,256.11. A vote was taken on the motion with the following result: Voting Aye: Mayor Lewis, Council Members May, Farley and Griffin Voting Nay: None Absent: Council Member Jackson City Council minutes. Matters related to the minutes of the Regular Session conducted on December 9, 2002 and January 13, 2003. A motion was made by Council Member Farley, seconded by Council Member May, to approve the minutes as presented. 4 City Council Regular Session, January 27, 2003 A vote was taken on the motion with the following result: Voting Aye: Mayor Lewis, Council Members May, Farley and Griffin Voting Nay: None Absent: Council Member Jackson Council comments. Council Member Griffin commented that a resident on Bissonnet does not have a sidewalk and when he places political signs in his yard the Police Department picks them up. Council Member Farley thanked Martha Wong for her proposal to place a cap on property assessments. The City Council recessed the Formal Session to convene in Informal Session at 7:05 p.m. Informal Session Trolley. Matters related to a city trolley. Mayor Lewis commented that several different entities over the last several years approached Metro and the Houston-Galveston Area Council about the possibility of having a trolley. The reason being is the increased amount of traffic in this whole general area. She stated that the discussion finally began to involve the medical center, Rice University, the Village, University Place Association and West University Place. With the opening of the light rail in 2004 it makes sense to try to get as many people to those stations as possible. Mayor Lewis stated that the proposal presented is a circulator trolley that would essentially run from Main Street on Rice through the Village, into West University to Weslayan and then back to the Medical Center. Metro will have to put the schedule into their route-planning department and they will decide whether or not there is any merit to having the trolley. Mayor Lewis asked if the Council was interested in pursuing the project. Council Member May commented that he did not see any negative aspect of the project and there is no cost to the City. He suggested the route be designed so that the trolley would not have to take left hand turns. The Council agreed that the City should move forward with the trolley project. 5 City Council Regular Session, January 27, 2003 Setback and lot coverage rules. Matters relating to the review of yard setbacks allowed by the narrow site "3/7" exception of the Zoning Ordinance including related matters associated with the framed area, yards and lot coverage regulations. Council Member Farley stated that he requested the agenda item after attending the most recent Zoning and Planning Commission meeting. At that meeting, the ZPC Chair declined to hear a staff recommendation on an alternative to the ?3/7? foot side setback rule. He stated that this caught his interest or concerned him because the public interest is ill served by limiting debate on matters affecting that interest. In fact, it can be argued that tax dollars are wasted when the paid City Staff is prevented from presenting informed opinions on municipal matters. Council Member Farley stated that now that the Staff and ZPC have begun preliminary talks and have agreed to take this up at the next ZPC meeting in a formal setting, he nd requested that this item be deferred until the 2 meeting in March. A motion was made by Council Member Farley, seconded by Council Member Griffin, to nd defer this item until the 2 meeting in March. A vote was taken on the motion with the following result: Voting Aye: Mayor Lewis, Council Members May, Farley and Griffin Voting Nay: None Absent: Council Member Jackson Board and Commission liaisons. Matters related the City Council liaisons to the Boards and Commissions, including appointments. The City Council agreed on the following liaison appointments: Mayor Lewis ? Zoning and Planning Commission Council Member May ? Recycling and Solid Waste Reduction Board Council Member Jackson ? Building and Standards Commission Council Member Farley ? Parks Board, Friends Board and Senior Services Council Member Griffin ? Zoning Board of Adjustment and Public Safety Board Board or Commission meetings. Matters related to Board and Commission meetings (Zoning & Planning, Zoning Board of Adjustment, Building & Standards Commission, Parks & Recreation, Public Safety, 6 City Council Regular Session, January 27, 2003 Senior Services, Recycling & Solid Waste Reduction and Drainage Committee) including reports from Council liaisons. Council Member May commented that informally the Public Safety Board has not met. They have looked at a couple of things that seemed to have merit but were not getting much response from anyone or City Staff. The Board has made a request to get some direction from the City Council. Mayor Lewis stated that initially when the Council gave Boards and Commissions goals, one of the goals for the Public Safety Board was to do some pilot projects on parking but they need some help from Staff. The City Staff will meet with the Public Safety Board and the Traffic Engineer to concentrate on areas that they feel may be a problem. Inquiries, requests and complaints. The City Council reviewed matters received from the public and referred them to the appropriate department or will place them on a future agenda for consideration or action. Council Member Griffin inquired about the busted sand bags left on the streets during the infrastructure work. She also requested that the City Staff formulate a policy for issuing permits during emergency situations. Council Member Farley requested a report on the tariff rebate from Center Point. City Secretary. Matters related to the evaluation, employment and duties of a public officer or employee. A motion was made by Council Member Griffin, seconded by Council Member Farley, to table consideration of this item until the next meeting. A vote was taken on the motion with the following result: Voting Aye: Mayor Lewis, Council Members May, Farley and Griffin Voting Nay: None Absent: Council Member Jackson Adjournment. With no further business to come before the City Council at this time, a motion was made by Council Member Farley, seconded by Council Member May, to adjourn. The Council meeting adjourned at 7:43 p.m. 7