HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes City Council - 02/18/2008 - RetreatI HEREBY CERTIFY that the foregoing is a true and correct copy of the minutes of the City Council
Retreat of the Corpus Christi City Council of February 18, 2008, which were approved by the City
Council on March 25, 2008.
WITNESSETH MY HAND AND SEAL, on this the 25th day of March, 2008.
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Armando Chapa
City Secretary
SEAL
MINUTES
CITY OF CORPUS CHRISTI, TEXAS
City Council Retreat
February 18, 2008 — 8:30 a.m.
PRESENT
Mayor Henry Garrett
Mayor Pro Tem Bill Kelly
Council Members:
Melody Cooper (arrived at 9:15 a.m.)
Larry Elizondo, Sr.
Mike Hummel)
Bill Kelly
Priscilla Leal
Michael McCutchon (arrived at 8:33 a.m.)
John Marez
City Staff:
City Manager George K. Noe
City Attorney Mary Kay Fischer
City Secretary Armando Chapa
Mayor Garrett called the retreat to order in the Watergarden Room of the Museum of
Science and History.
City Secretary Chapa checked the roll and verified that the necessary quorum of the Council
and the required charter officers were present to conduct the meeting.
The invocation was delivered by Council Member Nelda Martinez and the Pledge of
Allegiance to the United States flag was led by Mayor Henry Garrett.
Dr. Richard Lewis and Joanne Ford -Robertson served as the retreat facilitators. Dr. Lewis
provided an overview of the retreat agenda which included modifications to the City Council goals
list; smart growth; City Council operations and ground rules for Council meetings; setting the City
Council calendar; and next steps (see Dr. Lewis's attached report, included as part of these
minutes).
City Manager Noe made a presentation on the status on the following City Council Goals:
improving the Street/Road Maintenance Plan; Bond 2008; reuse of the Memorial Coliseum;
Development Services Process; the expansion project for Texas A & M University— Corpus Christi;
Master Plan Updates; improved Code Enforcement; and the expansion of the Neighborhood
Improvement Program (NIP) and Model Block Program.
Council members asked questions regarding the estimated costs for street maintenance and
road user fees.
Dr. Lewis opened discussion on the consideration to add, delete and/or modify the City
Council short and long term goals. After discussion, the Council added the following short term
goals including re-evaluating the City Charter to review possible City Council member compensation
(health benefits, retirement, and remuneration); City Council staff support; hiring an independent
auditor that reports directly to the City Council; and developing a comprehensive development plan
for downtown with incentives.
Dr. Lewis asked the Council to review and prioritize their long term goals beyond the next 24
months. After a brief exercise and discussion, Dr. Lewis summarized the council's long term goals
as follows:
Minutes -- Council Retreat
February 18, 2008 -- Page 2
1) Focus on long-term transportation needs
2) Create a vibrant downtown with new residents and business
3) Infrastructure planning
4) Complete the Bayfront Development plan
5) Develop new incentives for economic development
6) Increase the Police and Fire Department's staffing and technology
7) Protecting the long term water supply
8) Implement a smart growth plan including environmental issues
9) Address competitive city employee compensation
Dr. Lewis opened discussion on smart growth. The Council participated in exercises to
define and identify smart growth. The Council identified the smart growth initiatives including having
regulatory themes; price schemes supportive of goals of mixed use; increasing population growth;
reviewing area master plans; creating a taskforce to get buy -in and feedback on smart growth;
incentives to promote smart growth; creation of an education program; use of existing boards; and
the City Council taking leadership roles in defining and directing how to address smart growth.
Dr. Lewis opened discussion on the City Council operations and ground rules for City
Council meetings and setting the City Council calendar. City Secretary Chapa discussed the Council
meeting calendar for February 2008 through January 2009. The Council concurred to cancel the
following meetings: November 25, 2008; December 23, 2008 and December 30, 2008.
City Secretary Chapa opened discussion on the agenda format for the City Manager's
Report, Council and Mayor Reports and public comment. Mr. Chapa stated that the City is not in
compliance according to the Attorney General's Office regarding those sections of the agenda. City
Attorney Mary Kay Fischer provided information regarding council member responses to public
comment; the generic notice of City Manager, Council and Mayor Reports listed on the agenda;
individuals wishing to speak on agenda items; and recommendations.
City Secretary Chapa said public comment format will be broken down into two categories for
items posted and not posted on the agenda with a time limit of three minutes.
Council members asked questions regarding town hall meetings; discussing of items posted
on the agenda during public comment; elimination of the reports; whether the City Manager can
provide information if there is no dialogue by the Council; the reasons for the review; penalties;
notifying the public of changes; receiving an Attorney General opinion; public comment in San
Antonio.
The Council directed staff to place this item on the agenda for the February 26, 2008
meeting.
Dr. Lewis opened discussion on the ground rules for City Council meetings. Dr. Lewis
provided a review of the ground rules previously set by the Council. The Council agreed to improve
on the ground rules to assist in the operation of Council meetings.
The Council discussed additional items to pursue based on the session including another
planning session in June 2008; working on a plan for growth in the community; and increasing
security at Council meetings.
There being no further business to come before the Council, Mayor Garrett adjourned the
Council retreat at 2:04 p.m. on February 18, 2008.
City of Corpus Christi, Texas
City Council Follow-up Retreat
February 18, 2008
Session Summary
I. Short term Goals. City Council members were updated by the City Management staff
regarding the initial seven short-term goals identified during the retreat in June 2007.
Based on this update and subsequent discussion, the City Council identified some
specific goals it wants accomplished by the end its tenure. These are annotated below.
• Re-evaluate the City Charter and review possible compensation (health benefits,
retirement, and remuneration) for City Council members. Additionally, hire an
independent auditor that reports directly to the City Council. Schedule an April 2009
election for citizens to render a decision.
• Develop a comprehensive development plan for downtown with incentives that
makes the plan more realistic and achievable.
II. Long-term Goals. City Council members reviewed and prioritized the long-term
goals identified in June 2007. These were arranged into nine (9) thematic areas and they
are provided below.
• Create a comprehensive economic development plan with incentives.
• Focus on the creation of a long term transportation plan that integrates a variety of
transportation modes.
• Establish a Smart Growth plan that links environmental friendly development and
area growth that focuses on mixed use opportunities (retail, residential, recreational,
and green spaces).
• Complete Bayfront Development plan.
• Create a vibrant downtown area with innovative residential housing units and urban
friendly businesses.
• Ensure and protect long-term water supply for the region.
• Improve staffing and technological support for public safety within the municipal
government (primarily Police and Fire Department).
• Develop a competitive compensation plan for City employees. This will assist in
recruiting and retaining employees.
• Establish a long-term infrastructure planning process. This initiative will target the
building and repairing of streets, drainage, and waste water management issues.
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III. Smart Growth. City Council members collectively defined smart growth. It can be
characterized as time, attention, and resources focused in restoring community and
vitality to center cities and older suburbs. It is often town -centered and transit and
pedestrian oriented with greater mix of housing, commercial, and retail.
A. City Council members identified specific characteristics associated with the general
approach of smart growth. These are annotated below.
• Mixed land use.
• Development will continue to be market driven.
• Limit some growth patterns by differential infrastructure access.
• Incentives for developments that fit smart growth.
• Educational approach/plan that enhances the general understanding of growth. This
should be inclusive.
• Population growth and housing growth need to complement each other.
• Walkability.
• Redevelopment of existing areas (provide support and promote this process).
• Do not limit new growth or building.
• Don't become directive with respect to building codes and development rules.
• It has to be planned, especially with existing code/zoning.
• It should be predictable, fair, and cost effective.
• It should be sustainable.
• Engage the developers in the smart growth process.
• Smart growth eliminates uncertainty.
• Requires a certain level of aesthetics.
• Conserving environmental and wildlife areas.
• Eliminate or minimize traffic congestion.
B. City Council members identified smart growth initiatives specific for Corpus Christi.
• Must have regulatory themes.
• Price schemes supportive of the goals of mixed use.
• Increase population growth (results in increased tax base).
• Review the area master plans (Mustang Island, diverse areas of town).
• Create a taskforce to get buy -in and feedback on smart growth.
• Use incentives to promote Smart Growth (i.e., Greenfield, etc.).
• Create and implement a Smart Growth education program.
• Use existing boards to get involved in Smart Growth planning.
• City Council needs to take leadership role in defining and directing how the region
addresses Smart Growth.
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IV. Next Steps. The City Council decided that the following items should be pursued
based on the session.
• Address the four initiatives the City Council wants completed by the end of its term.
• Begin work on a plan for growth in the community.
• Conduct sessions with city staff members to generate their ideas regarding long-term
goals.
• Improve collaboration efforts between the City, businesses, school districts, and
colleges/universities in the region.
• Increase security in the City Council chambers. May want to begin this process by
conducting a security assessment.
• Plan to have another City Council planning session June 2008.
Dr. Richard Lewis, Jr., Ph.D.
Joanne Ford -Robertson, M.S.
Round Top Consulting Associates
3/2008
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