HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes Planning Commission - 05/09/2012 - WorkshopMINUTES
PLANNING COMMISSION WORKSHOP MEETING
CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM .
City Council Chambers — City Hall
May 9,
4 P.M.
Commissioners:
Staff:
Rudy Garza, Chairman
Javier Huerta, Vice Chairman
Mark Adame Absent*
Marco Castillo
Gabriel Guerra Absenr"
Evon Kelly ,absent*
Govind Nadkarni
John Tamez Arrived at 4:45 p.m.*
I. CALL TO ORDER
Oscar Martinez, Asst. City Manager
Pete Anaya P.E., Director of Planning
Faryce Goode Macon,
Assistant Director of Planning
Wes Vardeman, City Planner
Mic Raasch, AICP, Senior Planner
Gina Sanchez, Facility Manager
Dan Biles P. E., Interim Director of
Engineering
Lynda Herndon, Finance & Resource
Robbie Sorrell, Capital Budget Officer
Rosie Rodriguez, Recording Secretary
The meeting was called to order by Chairman Garza at 4:45 p.m. and .a
quorum was declared.
II. WORK SHOP MEETING
Chairman Garza asked those in attendance for a moment of silence in memory
of John Taylor.
Chairman Garza recognized Oscar Martinez, Assistant City Manager, for a staff
presentation for Capital Improvement Program. Mr. Martinez stated the purpose of
today's workshop was to allow staff to present the groundwork for development of,the
Capital Improvement Program. This mandate was is per the City Charter. The Charter
states there are two fundamental requirements of the Planning Commission:
1. Review and make recommendations to the city council regarding the adoption
and implementation of a comprehensive plan, any element or portion thereof,
and any amendments thereto; and
2. Review and make recommendations to the city council on the city's annual
capital budget and any Capital improvement bond program.
Planning Commission Workshop Meeting
May 9, 2012
Page 2
Today staff is presenting item #2 Capital 'improvement Program for
consideration. This recommendation is i6 the 3 ring binder that was provided to
commissioners on May 8, 2012.
Mr. Martinez stated the documents presented will be used for the development of
the annual Capital Budget within the next month. In addition this information provided
will be used to devise a Bond Program for 2012. This program will need to be finalized
by council in August to be able to be included in the Capital Improvement Bond
Program election in November 2012.
For the Planning Commission's review, Mr. Martinez outlined the plans that
comprised the Comprehensive Plan. These would include:
• Area Development Plans (ADPs)
• Master Transportation Plan (MPO /Policy Statements)
• Parks and Recreation Open Space Master Plan
• Oso Parkway Plan
• Utilities Master Plans
• Sustainability Plan (Pending Approval)
Mr. Martinez went over a breakdown of the Short and Long Range categories of
Capital Improvement Projects that are in the draft Capital Improvement Program and
may be considered for inclusion for the 2012 Bond election.
Mr. Martinez summarized the various funding source for the Capital Improvement
Program as follows:
• Type A Sales Tax
• , Grants
• General Obligation Bonds (G.O. Bonds)
• Certificates of Obligation Bonds (C of O bonds)
• Commercial Paper /Revenue Bonds
Mr. Martinez summarized a breakdown of revenues and expenditures by type for
FY 2013, 2014 and FY 2015: Mr. Martinez stated this concluded staffs presentation of
the Capital Improvement Program and he will answer any questions by the
Commission.
Chairman recognized Vice Chairman Huerta for the first question.
Vice Chairman Huerta asked how much can the city afford in new Capital
Improvement Projects.
Mr. Martinez responded that sustainable growth is the most feasible way to
finance the required investment in infrastructure.
Planning Commission Workshop Meeting
May 9, 2012
Page 3
Commissioner Tamez asked how the Capital 'Improvement Program process
can be revised to include Public Facilities that the subcommittee had been reviewing the
last several months.
Mr. Martinez replies that will ico itinue with the' Capital Improvement Process for
the next several weeks and for the annual Capital Budget to be incorporated with the
FY2013 budget and then began a process of considering projects to be included in the
2012 Bond program in November.
Commissioner Tamez emphasized the hazards that are imposed on city
employees with sub standard facilities.
Commissioner Castillo enquired how much discretionary funding is available to
address these sub standard public facilities.
Mr. Martinez replied Planning Commission will have the discretion to
recommend by August Public Facility projects that have life safety issues or advanced
deterioration of roofing, HVAC and other critical components of Public Facilities in the
Bond 2012 package.
Chairman Garza expressed the Commission's concern that Public Facilities has
been historically neglected by the City in consideration of funding and inclusion in the
Capital Improvement Program. Chairman Garza pointed out that the City should
emphasize proper maintenance of its facilities on a regular basis and not continues to
neglect these facilities and replacing them when they have deteriorated to the point of
obsolescence, and the city is faced with replacing the facility.
Mr: Martinez responded he does recognize that the city needs to change its
budgeting process to include adequate annual maintenance funding of all facilities.
Chairman Garza stated that the city also needs to update its maintenance
operations to use strategic maintenance technologies, so that maintenance is
preformed regularly and that maintenance projects are maintained with best
management practices.
Mr. Martinez agrees with the Chairman that these type technologies and best
practices and resource planning are incorporated in to regular maintenance operations.
Commissioner Castillo asked how will these needed'faciiity projects will be best
funded.
Mr. Martinez outlined how the project utility rates will be used for funding much
of the Capital Improvement Program. Mr. Martinez also stated the next milestone is the
submission of the Capital Improvement Program to council on May 29 and the Capital
Improvement Program will be submitted to the Planning Commission on June 20t"
Planning Commission Workshop Meeting
May 9, 2012
Page 4
Commissioner Castillo asked when the available funding for the Capital
Improvement Program be determined and how will that be incorporated into the CIP
Process.
Mr. Martinez responded the utility rates will be determined by City Council in its
annual budget deliberations with staff based on the projected revenues and debt
service.
Commissioner Tamez complimented Mr. Martinez for involving the Commission
in developing the Capital Improvement Program. Commissioner Tamez recommended
that the city consider selling underutilized park land to save park operations money and
to provide economic development of those surplus lands.
Vice Chairman Huerta asked what percent was the Capital Improvement
Program of the total city budget.
Mr. Martinea replied that the total city operating budget is approximately $660
million and the Capital Improvement Program portion, is approximately $16
Commissioner Nadkarni asked what the funding availability for the Capital
Improvement Program is, considering the utility rate projections that Mr. Martinez
referred to earlier.
.Mr. Martinez replied that the available funds for Capital Improvement Program
can only be determined by answering many complex questions and considering many
possible scenarios.
Commissioner Nadkarni asked Mr. Martinez several other questions regarding
the ability of the city to pay for enhanced Storm Water and Wastewater services.
III. ADJOURNMENT
Chairman Garza adjourned the Workshop meeting at 5:35 pm.
Faryce Go N156 Macon,
Assistant 17irector of Planning
�ie Rodrfgtm?z, ReVo d�)Pecretary