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HomeMy WebLinkAbout082602R CC Min CITY COUNCIL REGULAR SESSION MONDAY, AUGUST 26, 2002 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 August 26, 2002, with the following members present: Mayor Lewis presiding, Council Members May, Farley, Griffin and Jackson. The Interim City Manager, City Secretary, City Attorney, Parks and Recreation Director, Interim Public Works Director and Building Official were also present. The notice for this meeting was posted in accordance with the Texas Government Code, rd Chapter 551, on the 23 day of August 2002 at 4:30 p.m. Informal Session Engineering evaluation system. Matters related to an engineering check system including registration requirements. Interim City Manager Michael Ross reported that Building Official Dennis Mack has prepared a report regarding the Building and Standards Commission?s request to require the city staff to have all engineered drawings for foundations reviewed by a consulting engineer. Mr. Ross stated that as a result of several discussions with City Council and the BSC, Mr. Mack has instructed the Plans Examiner to check all foundation plans submitted for permit to insure the engineer signing the plans is in complete compliance with the Texas Engineering Practice Act. Those engineers found to be signing plans in apparent violation with the Texas Administrative Code will have a formal complaint filed with the Texas Board of Professional Engineers on the Cities behalf. Additionally, the Texas Section of the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) has been preparing guidelines for residential foundation engineering since 1999. The Board has been working closely with ASCE on this subject due to these very same enforcement issues for residential foundation engineering. The Texas Section-ASCE presented for review and comment two draft guideline documents for residential foundation engineering. The comment period, which ran from April 23, 2002 through July 15, 2002, is now over and the Texas Board of Professional Engineers should start taking steps to adopt these standards soon. Council Member Farley asked if there was any research to determine the actual cause of foundation failures and if some of the failures could be caused by inadequate plans. City Council Regular Session, August 26, 2002 Mr. Mack commented that there was not an investigation by his department but that foundation failures could be caused for numerous reasons. Following a lengthy discussion of this item, Council Member Farley requested that the Building and Standards Commission conduct an analysis of the permits to attempt to ascertain the cause of the failures. Mr. Mack stated that he would work with the City Attorney to prepare a form for the general contractors or permitee to sign off on that the foundation was constructed according to plans, specifications, codes and ordinances. Rice Pocket Park. Matters related to Rice Pocket Park including a petition. Leo Sacchi, 3768 Rice Boulevard, presented a petition with 407 signatures requesting that the City Council adopt an ordinance requiring that the city owned property at 3771 Rice Boulevard (Rice Pocket Park) not be sold or traded for residential or commercial development, but be retained for environmentally protective green space to be developed into a park when funding becomes available. Brennan Reilly, 3731 Rice Boulevard, urged the Council to take the ?pulse? of the neighborhood before any changes are made to the property at 3771 Rice. Mayor Lewis commented that there were no plans to sell or trade the property at this time. She asked Parks and Recreation Director Mark Mailes for a comment regarding the property. Mr. Mailes commented that the Rice Pocket Park had only been discussed on a general level and that there were no plans or funds at this time to develop the property. At this time Colonial Park and the Recreation Center were a higher priority. Council Member Griffin stated that it was her understanding that the members of the Friends of West University Parks Fund had expressed their desire to use the proceeds from the 2003 Park Lovers Ball to finish Colonial Park and the remainder going to the Rice Pocket Park. CeCe McCann, Chair of the Park Lovers Ball, stated that the Friends Board had actually voted to use the funds from the 2003 Ball to finish Colonial Park with any additional funds going to the Rice Pocket Park. She commented that they were told that any recommendation on the expenditure of funds was the decision of the Parks and Recreation Board. 2 City Council Regular Session, August 26, 2002 Council Member Griffin commented that she believes that the citizens responsible for raising money for park projects should have more of a say in the final decision of where the money will be spent. Mohamad Akbari, commented that he would like to place an offer for the property next door to the Rice Pocket Park and that if the City has any plans to sell the property at 3771 Rice, he would like to have the first right of refusal to purchase the property. Carolyn Sacchi, 3768 Rice, stated that the Rice Pocket Park was an ideal place for parents to wait to pick up their children from school. She stated that they were not asking for a fancy park but only green space and benches. Sarah Moore, 4212 Rice, commented that there was an interest among some residents in buying the lot next to the Rice Pocket Park and that there was a sense of urgency to preserve as much land as possible. Council Member Griffin requested that this item be placed on the next agenda for consideration and that the City Attorney should review the by-laws of the Friends Board. Mayor Lewis commented that it was inappropriate for the City Council to get involved and that it was not the City Attorney?s position to review the by-laws. Council Member Farley commented that there seemed to be a fundamental difference between the two Boards. He suggested that the Friends Board and the Parks Board each separately submit recommendations to the Council for consideration. Stan McCandless, 3712 Rice, commented that he was representing the Senior Services Board and that they would like to have a park across the street from the Community Building. Board and Commission liaisons. Matters related the City Council liaisons to the Boards and Commissions, including appointments. The City Council agreed on the following change for liaisons to the Boards: Zoning and Planning Commission ? Mike Farley Zoning Board of Adjustment ? Danny Jackson Building and Standards Commission ? Marilyn Griffin Senior Services Board ? Bill May Public Safety Board ? Bill May Recycling and Solid Waste Reduction Board ? Mike Farley Parks Board and Friends Board ? Linda Lewis 3 City Council Regular Session, August 26, 2002 Board or Commission meetings. Matters related to Board and Commission meetings (Zoning & Planning, Zoning Board of Adjustment, Building & Standards Commission, Parks & Recreation, Public Safety, Senior Services, Recycling & Solid Waste Reduction and Drainage Committee) including reports from Council liaisons. Council Member Griffin reported that the Zoning Board of Adjustment voted to not grant a variance to allow a structure to be built into the side yard approximately 2.8 feet from the side property line. Inquiries, requests and complaints. The City Council will review matters received from the public and refer them to the appropriate department or place them on a future agenda for consideration or action. Mayor Lewis requested an update on the city center project. The City Council recessed the Informal Session to convene in Regular Session at 8:25 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. Gail Rosenthal, 2611 Cason, encouraged the City Council to not appoint Interim City Manager Michael Ross as City Manager. She stated that she was upset over the street reconstruction and that Mr. Ross would not return her phone calls. Theresa Attwell, 3417 Georgetown, encouraged the Council to hire additional firefighters. She stated that she did not want to wait until there was a major catastrophe before anything was done. 2003 HP Houston Marathon. Matters related to the 2003 HP Houston Marathon scheduled for January 19, 2003. City Secretary Kaylynn Holloway introduced members of the Hp Houston Marathon John Stokes and Brant Kotch. John Stokes, 2920 Rice, thanked the Council for allowing the marathon to use the streets of West University and requested that they be allowed to do so again in 2003. 4 City Council Regular Session, August 26, 2002 A motion was made by Council Member Griffin, seconded by Council Member Jackson, to allow the HP Houston Marathon use of the streets after obtaining the necessary permits. A vote was taken on the motion with the following result: Voting Aye: Mayor Lewis, Council Members May, Farley, Griffin and Jackson Voting Nay: None Absent: None Budget for 2003 Park Lovers Ball. Matters related to a proposed budget for the 2003 Park Lovers Ball. Danielle Kernell, Executive Director of the Friends of West University Place Parks Fund and CeCe McCann presented the proposed budget. Preliminary profit estimates are $140,000. A motion was made by Council Member Griffin, seconded by Council Member Jackson, to approve the proposed budget for the 2003 Park Lovers Ball. A vote was taken on the motion with the following result: Voting Aye: Mayor Lewis, Council Members May, Farley, Griffin and Jackson Voting Nay: None Absent: None Transfer station agreement. Matters related to a transfer station agreement with Republic Waste Services of Texas, LTD to dispose of solid waste. Interim Public Works Director Ron Wicker reported that for several years the City has been using a landfill site located at 2200 FM 521 in Fresno, Texas to dispose of its solid waste. This site has been the most convenient location until Republic Waste Services of Texas, LTD constructed a new transfer station at 5904 Westpark Drive. The Solid Waste Division makes a minimum of 16 trips a week to the Fresno site, which represents a round trip of approximately 30 miles per vehicle trip or 480 miles per week. By comparison the new Southwest Transfer Station represents a round trip of approximately 7.5 miles per vehicle trip or 120 miles per week. It takes the solid waste drivers about one hour to make the round trip to Fresno. 5 City Council Regular Session, August 26, 2002 Although an actual cost comparison is difficult to determine, solid waste increases will be offset by reduced operating costs (maintenance and fuel costs) of approximately $374 per week, as well as reduced risk exposure by not having to negotiate traffic on City of Houston freeways and arterials. Mr. Wicker stated that the charge to dispose of waste would increase from an average of $24.00 - $25.00 to $28.80 per ton; however this increase will be offset by reduced travel time, maintenance, and reduction in overtime. Staff estimates a yearly cost savings of approximately $2,749. A motion was made by Council Member Griffin, seconded by Council Member Jackson, to authorize a contract with Republic Waste Services of Texas, LTD to dispose of solid waste at a cost of $28.80 per ton. A vote was taken on the motion with the following result: Voting Aye: Mayor Lewis, Council Members May, Farley, Griffin and Jackson Voting Nay: None Absent: None Streetlights. Matters related to streetlights including contracts, consultant and related matters. Mr. Ross reported that the City has been pursuing options related to a project to provide lighting in the city. Staff received proposals from several lighting consultants around the city to assist with the lighting project. Mr. Ross stated that it is the desire of staff to proceed with this project by securing the services of a lighting consultant to assist with this process. Specifically, the lighting consultant will provide expertise and help in developing bid documents to proceed with this project. This will include design services, meetings with staff, a council presentation, and other tasks associated with this process. Mr. Ross stated that depending on the specific scope of services performed, the lighting consultant?s cost for the work performed will vary, but should not exceed $30,000 overall. A motion was made by Council Member Jackson, seconded by Council Member May, to authorize the Interim City Manager to utilize the services of a lighting consultant for the lighting project and the development of bid documents at a cost not to exceed $30,000. The City Council addressed the scope of services, lighting design and the associated costs. 6 City Council Regular Session, August 26, 2002 Council Member Griffin asked if the $30,000 would be taken from the $300,000 already budgeted in 2002 for street lighting. Mr. Ross stated that the $30,000 was part of the budgeted amount. Council Member Griffin commented that since the Council was not going to be able to begin the lighting project in 2002, the $300,000 should be used to hire the additional firemen. She stated that this was not the right time for the City to move forward with the lighting project because the Council needed to consider a list of priorities. The City Council continued their discussion on street lighting. Mayor Lewis called for a vote on the motion. A vote was taken on the motion with the following result: Voting Aye: Mayor Lewis, Council Members May, Farley and Jackson Voting Nay: Council Member Griffin Absent: None City Council minutes. Matters related to the minutes of the Regular Session conducted on August 12, 2002. Council Member Griffin and City Attorney Jim Dougherty requested amendments to the minutes. A motion was made by Council Member May, seconded by Council Member Jackson, to approve the minutes as amended. A vote was taken on the motion with the following result: Voting Aye: Mayor Lewis, Council Members May, Farley, Griffin and Jackson Voting Nay: None Absent: None Staff report. Mr. Ross reported that the Harris County Flood Control District has requested that Claunch & Miller, Inc. begin work on the drainage study. Council comments. 7 City Council Regular Session, August 26, 2002 Council Member Farley requested that the Council revisit a request by the Police Department to purchase a motorcycle. He also requested that the Building Department review the amount required for tree replacement. Council Member Griffin commented about inquiries she has received about the sand bags in the gutters in the infrastructure improvement areas. She stated that there is a federal requirement for the placement of sand bags so that silt did not enter the storm sewers. The City Council recessed the formal session at 8:24 p.m. to reconvene in informal session. City Manager. Matters related to the appointment, employment, evaluation, reassignment and duties of a public officer or employee (City Manager) and related employment agreement. Closed Executive Session to be held under Section 551.074, Texas Government Code. The City Council convened in Executive Session at 8:25 p.m. The Executive session closed at 9:58 p.m. Mayor Lewis called for a motion. A motion was made by Council Member Jackson, seconded by Council Member May, to authorize the City Attorney to prepare an amended contract for presentation and review. A vote was taken on the motion with the following result: Voting Aye: Mayor Lewis, Council Members May, Farley, Griffin and Jackson Voting Nay: None Absent: None 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 10:00 p.m. 8