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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes Planning Commission - 07/11/2012 - SpecialMINUTES SPECIAL CALLED PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING City Hall Council Chambers July 11, 2012 5:30 P.M. COMMISSIONERS: Rudy Garza, Chairman A. Javier Huerta, Vice - Chairman Mark Adame Marco Castillo Gabriel Guerra Evon J. Kelly Absent* Govind Nadkarni John C. Tamez STAFF: Mark Van Vleck, P.E., Interim Director, Development Services Sylvia Carrillo, Assistant Director, Development Services Oscar Martinez, Assistant City Manager Pete Anaya, P.E., Planning Director Daniel Biles, Director, Engineering Services Faryce Goode - Macon, Assistant Planning Director Eddie Houlihan, Assistant Director, Management & Budget Mic Raasch, AICP, Senior Planner Robbie Sorrell, Budget Analyst Wes Vardeman, City Planner Lisa Aguilar, Senior Assistant City Attorney Elizabeth Hundley, Assistant City Attorney Linda Williams, Recording Secretary Rosie Rodriguez, Recording Secretary 1. CALL TO ORDER The meeting was called to order by Chairman Garza at 5:40 p.m. and a quorum was declared. II. RECOMMENDED APPOINTMENTS TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION Chairman Garza stated the Planning Commission was requested to submit a recommendation to fill four (4) vacancies — three (3) vacancies due to maximum terms served and one vacancy due to the death of John Taylor. Chairman Garza continued Staff provided a list of applicants, along with their biographical information, to assist in making our recommendation. Chairman Garza requested each commissioner to select at least four names to be considered and the top four names would be the recommended appointees. Commissioner Castillo was requested to assist in polling the names. After the process was completed, the four names recommended for appointment to the Planning Commission were: Fred Braselton Chris Hamilton Mike Lippincott Philip Ramirez III. PUBLIC HEARING AGENDA ITEMS A. Discussion and Recommendation on the Capital Improvement Bond 2012 Program Chairman Rudy Garza stated the next item on the agenda is the public hearing for recommendation on the Capital Improvement Bond 2012 Program to be presented by Oscar Martinez, Assistant City Manager. Mr. Martinez thanked commissioners for their assistance in helping review the proposed Bond 2012 Project list. Mr. Martinez provided a brief overview of the schedule and how the project list was developed. Mr. Martinez continued he also wanted to respond to Commissioner Castillo's email questions. Mr. Martinez stated that he would also have the Planning and Engineering Departments to give a brief overview of the projects that are listed and gave the commissioners a choice to ask any questions or to start the public hearing immediately thereafter. Mr. Martinez went over the remaining Planning Commission Special Called Meeting July 11, 2012 Page 2 III. PUBLIC HEARING AGENDA ITEMS (cont.) schedule and summarized the Bond proposal preliminary list. Mr. Martinez emphasized the word "preliminary" because Staff was continuing to work on the project list. Mr. Martinez stated the City has the capacity to issue $55 million with no tax rate increase and within that $55 million, Staff was proposing street projects, exclusively and everything else will require a tax increase. Mr. Martinez continued to summarize the preliminary considerations as follows: • Other Possible Streets $26.3 Million • Non - Street Facilities $25.4 Million • Other Public Facilities $10.4 Million • Park & Recreation $15 Million • Economic Development Potential Projects $66.3 Million Mr. Martinez explained that the Economic Development Potential Projects were special projects that enhance the community or economic development, and many of them were actual recommendations from the Council. Those projects are listed as follows: • Destination Bayfront • Sea Town Pedestrian Improvements • North Beach Area Road Improvements & Area Beautification • JFK Area Improvements • CC Beach Breakwater, Plaza, North Shoreline Repair and Enhancement • International Boulevard and • County Road 52 Extension (CR 69 to FM 1889) Mr. Martinez stated Staff s recommendation is that the first $55 million be designated to streets and prioritize the remainder of the projects list. Mr. Martinez continued that at the same time, this information will be given to City Council so that staff can scope the project and put a preliminary cost estimate to give due consideration. Mr. Martinez addressed Commissioner Castillo's email questions: Commissioner Castillo asked what Staff's recommendation was on the proposed projects and Mr. Martinez responded that Staff used the project list to prioritize the projects. Mr. Martinez gave as an example that Engineering prioritizes streets based on a matrix system with an evaluation index for all streets within the city. Vice Chairman Huerta asked if the $55 million was the cap for the bond capacity, but there will be $38.7 million in utility costs that will be in addition to the $55 million that will come out of the utility funds. These funds are not included in the cost for streets. How will the utility costs be funded? Mr. Martinez stated each enterprise would be responsible financing the cost associated with the utilities related to the street projects. Commissioner Castillo asked how the utility costs will be funded if staff is proposing $55 million in which we have a flat increase on tax increase and it would fund all streets. Mr. Martinez answered yes and explained that is what staff considers the number one priority. Commissioner Castillo stated Staff was asking the Commission to support the $55 million recommendation to go all to streets without knowing what the impact was going to be for the rate payer and for property tax rates. In addition, Commissioner Castillo asked what input did Staff receive to come up with the recommended $55 million outside of the matrix. Mr. Martinez stated the process was done similar in the past, in which Staff developed a project list and presented it to the Planning Commission for (K:DEVSVCSISHAREDV PC2012 UO12PCMINUTES5071112SPECLAL CALLED,PCMLNUTES) Planning Commission Special Called Meeting July 11, 2012 Page 3 III. PUBLIC HEARING AGENDA ITEMS (cont.) consideration and a recommendation for City Council for final action. At that point, there was a lot of dialogue with public groups educating them on the recommendations, and in other meetings that transpired with other community groups their input has been taken and incorporated within the recommendation as they exist. Commissioner Castillo asked what criteria are used in the street matrix and Mr. Martinez stated it included the PCI Index, traffic count, safety issue with the streets and it also included complaints or work orders each category are weighted with a final score to determine if the street is a viable candidate for the Bond 2012 list. Vice Chairman Huerta asked the limit on sales tax that could fund this type of project. Mr. Martinez stated the city is maxed out to a cap of 2.25 percent in sales tax; the city collects annually on the general fund of $50 million on sales tax. Commissioner Tamez asked if staff has looked at projection on growth and how will that affect budget. Mr. Martinez stated Staff does projections three years out and anticipate much better growth this year. Mr. Martinez introduced Dan Bites, Director of Engineering Services. Mr. Biles gave an overview on the Matrix score and how streets were prioritized. Chairman Rudy Garza opened the public hearing on Bond 2012 and no one came forward to address the commission. Chairman Garza closed the public hearing. Chairman Garza called for a motion. Commissioner Nadkarni made several motions that died due to a lack of second. A motion was made by Chairman Garza recommending that of the $55 million available for Capital Improvements for Bond 2012 with no tax rate increase that $ 52.5 million be allocated for streets and associated utility improvements and that $ 2.5 million be allocated for public facilities. The motion includes a stipulation that the proposed portions of Holly Road and Williams Drive be included in the $52.5 million allocation because these two projects will receive 80% TXDOT funding for street improvements. In addition the motion stated that Navigation Blvd, and Tuloso Road not be included in the allocation and instead the surrounding industries shall participate in funding these street improvements. Motion was seconded by Commissioner Castillo. Motion Passed. IV. ADJOURNMENT There being no further business, motion to adjourn was made by Commissioner Kelly and seconded by Vice Chairman Huerta. Motion passed with Commissioners Nadkarni and Tamez absent. Meeting adjourned at 7:35 p.m. Mark h Vleck,Interim Director, Development Services Date Interim Secretary to Planning Commission A Planning Department Recording Secretary (K:DEVSVCSI SHARED \I.PC201212012PCMINUTES5071 I l2SPECIAL CALLED.PCMINUTES)