City Council

Farmers Branch City Hall City of Farmers Branch 13000 Wm Dodson Pkwy Farmers Branch, TX 75234 Meeting Minutes - Final City Council Tuesday, January 6, 2015 6:00 PM Council Chambers Study Session Meeting held at 4:00 PM in the Study Session Room A. STUDY SESSION Mayor Phelps called the Study Session meeting to order at 4:00 p.m. and stated that Mayor Pro Tem Jeff Fuller would not be in attendance due to illness. Absent: 1 - Mayor Pro Tem Jeff Fuller Presiding: 1 - Mayor Bob Phelps Present: 4 - Deputy Mayor Pro Tem Kirk Connally, Council Member Ben Robinson, Council Member Harold Froehlich and Council Member Ana Reyes Staff: 19 - Gary D. Greer City Manager, Peter G. Smith City Attorney, Charles Cox Managing Director - Administration, John Land Managing Director - Operations, Brian Beasley Human Resources Director, Tom Bryson Communications Director, Allison Cook Economic Development Manager, Shawna Eikenberry Management Analyst, Sidney Fuller Police Chief, Andy Gillies Director of Planning, Jeff Harting Parks & Recreation Director, Rachael Johnson Assistant to the City Manager, Kevin Muenchow Fleet & Facilities Director, Jim Olk Community Services Director, Steve Parker Fire Chief, Mark Samuels Information Services Director, Randy Walhood Public Works Director, Mitzi Davis and Stacy Henderson Office Manager A.1 Discuss regular City Council meeting agenda items. (H.1) - Council Member Froehlich asked if the Specific Use Permit request for Victoria's Banquet Hall was for an interim time period. Andy Gillies, Planning Director, stated that the Specific Use Permit was not for an interim period. Council Member Froehlich said that he had concerns related to the residential area located near the banquet hall and would rather this request be an interim specific use permit to allow for periodic review. Council Member Reyes concurred and would also like to have periodic reviews due to the close proximity of the residential neighborhood. Council Member Reyes asked that the following items be placed on a future agenda: 1) Status of AT&T U-verse in Farmers Branch 2) Update from SMU researchers regarding earthquakes in the Farmers Branch area A.2 Receive the Economic Development and Tourism Year in Review presentation. John Land, Managing Director, presented the Economic Development Year in Review Report. Highlights from the presentation included residential and commercial property values, business expansion, office occupancy and new job creation. Mr. Land also discussed expansion of existing businesses, revitalization of residential City of Farmers Branch Page 1 City Council Meeting Minutes - Final January 6, 2015 neighborhoods and multi-family activity. A.3 Receive a briefing on the 2015 City Council Retreat. Rachael Johnson, Assistant to the City Manager, stated that the City Council retreat will be held on January 30, 2015 at 9:00 a.m., at Providence Towers in Farmers Branch. Ms. Johnson introduced Randy Pennington who will be facilitating the City Council Retreat. Mr. Pennington reported that focus would be on accomplishments for the upcoming year and potential future projects. The Study Session meeting concluded at 5:06 p.m. B. INVOCATION & PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE Mayor Phelps called the Regular Meeting to order at 6:00 p.m. Deputy Mayor Pro Tem Connally gave the Invocation and Council Member Froehlich led the Pledge of Allegiance. C. CEREMONIAL ITEMS There were no ceremonial items on the agenda. D. REPORT ON STUDY SESSION ITEMS Council Member Robinson reported on the following: City Administration presented the Economic Development Year in Review Report highlighting residential and commercial property values, business expansion, office occupancy and new jobs created. Expansion of existing businesses, revitalization of residential neighborhoods and multi-family activity was also discussed. City Administration also reported on the upcoming City Council retreat scheduled for January 30, 2015. E. CITY MANAGER'S REPORT AND ITEMS OF COMMUNITY INTEREST Topics for the City Manager's Report included: Library Director - In December, LSSI selected and hired a new director, Denise Wallace for the Farmers Branch Manske Library; She holds a Masters Degree in Library Science from the University of North Texas, previously worked as the Children's Youth Supervisor at the Manske Library and has been a resident of Farmers Branch for 22 years Christmas Tour of Lights - 2014 was the most successful year to date; With a new route, synchronized light show and region-wide publicity, the 2014 Tour generated a record total of 13,764 vehicles - up 51 percent over last year’s 9,129; Cumulative donations totaled $39,421 - a 69 percent increase over 2013 Landscaping with Roses - Pam Smith’s winter class series on “Landscaping with Roses” will be held on Tuesday evenings at the Community Recreation Center from January 13 through February 17; The class is free but pre-registration is required by calling the Rec Center at 972.247.4607 Daddy-Daughter Dance - The annual Daddy-Daughter Dance is set for Saturday, February 7, from 6 until 8 p.m. at the Community Recreation Center; Advance tickets City of Farmers Branch Page 2 City Council Meeting Minutes - Final January 6, 2015 for residents are $5 each and are available through February 5; All tickets are $10 at the door; Call 972.247.4607 for further details F. CITIZEN COMMENTS No one wished to speak. G. CONSENT AGENDA Approval of the Consent Agenda A motion was made by Deputy Mayor Pro Tem Connally, seconded by Council Member Froehlich to approve the consent agenda as presented. The motion passed by the following vote: Aye: 4- Deputy Mayor Pro Tem Connally, Council Member Robinson, Council Member Froehlich and Council Member Reyes G.1 Consider approval of the minutes of the City Council meeting held on December 16, 2014 and take appropriate action. The Minutes were approved. H. PUBLIC HEARINGS H.1 Conduct a public hearing and consider adopting Ordinance No. 3315 granting a Specific Use Permit allowing a Special Event Center (Banquet Hall) at 13435 Bee Street, Suite Two, and take appropriate action. Planning Director Andy Gillies reported that the request was related to the Banquet Hall portion only of Victoria's as the current interim Specific Use Permit will be expiring. Mr. Gillies reported that the hours of operation would be from 10:00 a.m. to midnight Friday and Saturday and 10:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. Sunday through Thursday. The Planning and Zoning Commission recommended that events at the banquet hall with fewer than 50 patrons, would not require a police officer on site. Mr. Gillies said that he had spoke with the owners and they were willing to continue with an interim specific use permit, but would request it be longer than two years. Mayor Phelps opened the public hearing. No one wished to speak; Mayor Phelps closed the public hearing. A motion was made by Deputy Mayor Pro Tem Connally, seconded by Council Member Reyes, to approve the specific use permit for a period of four (4) years expiring January 2019. The modified ordinance will be brought back to the January 20, 2015 City Council meeting. The motion passed with the following vote: Aye: 4- Deputy Mayor Pro Tem Connally, Council Member Robinson, Council Member Froehlich and Council Member Reyes H.2 Conduct a public hearing and consider adopting Ordinance No. 3316 granting a Specific Use Permit allowing indoor vehicle sales and storage within the existing building located at 14335 Inwood City of Farmers Branch Page 3 City Council Meeting Minutes - Final January 6, 2015 Road, and take appropriate action. Planning Director Andy Gillies reported that the request related to indoor vehicle sales only, and no outside storage or repair of vehicles would occur on site. Additional landscaping and new signage was also proposed. Council Member Froehlich asked if adequate parking would be provided for employees and customers. Mr. Chris Gaerlan, owner of Dallas Lease Returns, reported that 80 parking spaces would be provided for staff and customers and currently there were sixteen staff members. Mayor Phelps opened the public hearing. No one wished to speak; Mayor Phelps closed the public hearing. A motion was made by Council Member Robinson, seconded by Deputy Mayor Pro Tem Connally, that this ordinance be adopted. The motion passed by the following vote: Aye: 4- Deputy Mayor Pro Tem Connally, Council Member Robinson, Council Member Froehlich and Council Member Reyes I. REGULAR AGENDA ITEMS I.1 Consider approving Resolution No. 2015-001 approving a Detailed Site Plan allowing a commercial building to be developed on the approximate 1.5 acre site located approximately 200 feet east of Hutton Drive along the south side of Diplomat Drive, more commonly known as 2030 Diplomat Drive, and take appropriate action. Planning Director Andy Gillies reported that the proposed office/warehouse development would be the headquarters for Multi-Media Solutions. The development would be approximately 11,700 square feet with the exterior of the building containing ninety percent masonry material. All truck loading and unloading would take place at the southern portion of the site away from public view. A motion was made by Council Member Robinson, seconded by Council Member Reyes, that this Resolution be approved. The motion passed by the following vote: Aye: 4- Deputy Mayor Pro Tem Connally, Council Member Robinson, Council Member Froehlich and Council Member Reyes I.2 Consider approving Resolution No. 2015-002 awarding the bid and authorizing a contract with Rumsey Construction, LLC for the Utility Replacements and Improvements 2014-2015 Project, and take appropriate action. Public Works Director Randy Walhood reported that as part of the non-bond capital improvement program, nine utility lines are in need of repair and with this contract would be replaced. Council Member Robinson asked if residents would be without water at any time. Mr. Walhood replied that residents would be kept on existing water lines while installation of the new lines occurred. Only a short interruption would occur when residents were transferred to the new lines. City of Farmers Branch Page 4 City Council Meeting Minutes - Final January 6, 2015 A motion was made by Council Member Froehlich, seconded by Council Member Reyes that this Resolution be approved. The motion passed with the following vote: Aye: 4- Deputy Mayor Pro Tem Connally, Council Member Robinson, Council Member Froehlich and Council Member Reyes J. EXECUTIVE SESSION No items were discussed. L. ADJOURNMENT A motion was made by Council Member Froehlich, seconded by Council Member Reyes that this meeting be adjourned. The motion passed by the following vote: Aye: 4- Deputy Mayor Pro Tem Connally, Council Member Robinson, Council Member Froehlich and Council Member Reyes The meeting adjourned at 6:42 p.m. __________________________________ Bob Phelps, Mayor ATTEST: __________________________________ Angela Kelly, City Secretary City of Farmers Branch Page 5