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2000-08-07 CC MinutesCITY OF FARMERS BRANCH CITY COUNCIL REGULAR MEETING AUGUST 7, 2000 COUNCIL CHAMBER CITY HALL 7:30 P.M. The following members of the City Council were present: Mayor Mayor Pro Tern Councilmembers Bob Phelps Bill Moses Calla Davis Jim Robbs Charlie Bird Paul Walden The following members of the City Administration were present: City Manager Richard L. Escalante Assistant City Manager Linda Groomer Assistant City Manager John F. Burke Assistant to City Manager Margaret Somereve Assistant to City Manager John Roach City Attorney John F. Boyle City Secretary Cindee Peters Communication Director Tom Bryson Economic Development Director Norma Nichols Director of Community Services Michael Spicer Director of Planning Kaizer Rangwala City Engineer Jerry Murawski Director of Finance Charles Cox Director of Parks & Recreation Jeff Fuller Director of Equipment Services Don Moore Police Chief Jimmy Fawcett Fire Chief Kyle King Director of Public Works Mark Pavageaux Traffic Engineer Dave Davis Recording Secretary Suzanne Reynolds Mayor Phelps called the City Council Meeting of August 7, 2000 to order at 7:40 P.M. The meeting was televised. Volume 84, page 55 A.1 INVOCATION. Councilman Bird gave the invocation and Councilman Robbs led the pledge of allegiance to the flag. A.2 CONSIDER ACCEPTING A $2,500 DONATION FROM THE ROTARY CLUB OF FARMERS BRANCH TO BE USED IN THE YOUTH SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM AND TAKE APPROPRIATE ACTION. Mr. Jim Barrett, Mayor Pro Tern Moses, and Councilman Bird representing the Rotary Club of Farmers Branch presented a donation of $2,500 to the City of Farmers Branch for use in the Youth Scholarship Program. The funds were raised during the Club's annual golf tournament. A motion by Councilman Robbs, seconded by Councilman Walden, all voting "aye," accepted the donation of $2,500 from the Rotary Club of Farmers Branch to be used for the Youth Scholarship Program, with appropriate thank you letter. A.3a PRESENTATION OF SERVICE AWARDS. Mayor Phelps presented a 15-year employee service award to Officer Jack Koehlar of the Police Department. A.4 PRESENTATION OF BOARD APPLICATIONS. There were no applications presented. A.5 REPORT ON STUDY SESSION ITEMS. Mayor Phelps gave a brief summary of the items discussed in Study Session prior to the Regular meeting. Mayor Phelps read a letter to the audience and viewers concerning the After School Program. He stated the letter would be delivered to the parents of the students who participate in the After School Program. The letter states that the After School Program may be cancelled if the Carrollton-Farmers Branch Independent School District decided to charge the City to use school facilities. B. CONSIDER THE FOLLOWING AS CONSENT ITEMS AND TAKE THE APPROPRIATE ACTION B.1 - B.3. Volume 84, page 56 Mayor Phelps stated consent items are items that are to be considered and action taken that may not need discussion individually. Any member of the City Council or the audience may request to withdraw any item from the consent items and place the item before the Council for full discussion. The concept for the consent items is established in order to speed up discussion for those items that need more time for discussion. A motion by Mayor Pro Tern Moses, seconded by Councilman Robbs, all voting "aye," added items C.1 and C.2 to the Consent Agenda. A motion by Mayor Pro Tern Moses, seconded by Councilman Robbs, all voting "aye," approved the Consent Agenda as amended. B.1 APPROVED MINUTES OF CITY COUNCIL MEETING OF JULY 24, 2000. B.2 ADOPTED RESOLUTION NO. 2000-117 AWARDING A BID FOR THE HISTORICAL PARK SIDEWALKS TO MILLER SIERRA CONTRACTORS, INC. B.3 ADOPTED ORDINANCE NO. 2555 ABANDONING EXISTING EASEMENTS RELATIVE TO THE CHASE BANK ADDITION. AN ORDINANCE ABANDONING VARIOUS EASEMENTS WITHIN THE CHASE BANK ADDITION. C.1 APPROVED THE SITE PLAN OF PROSS DESIGN GROUP ON BEHALF OF FLOORING SERVICES, INC., FOR AN APPROXIMATE 101,936 SQUARE FOOT WAREHOUSE BUILDING EXPANSION, INCLUDING A VARIANCE FOR A 60-FOOT BUILDING SETBACK ALONG HUTTON DRIVE, ON 10.89 ACRES LOCATED AT 2020 VALLEY VIEW LANE, AT THE SOUTHWEST CORNER OF SENLAC DRIVE AT VALLEY VIEW LANE, WITHIN PLANNED DEVELOPMENT NO. 77 ZONING DISTRICT. C.2 APPROVED THE SITE PLAN OF VALWOOD SERVICE CENTER I, LTD., FOR OF AN APPROXIMATE 77,286 SQUARE FOOT OFFICE/WAREHOUSE BUILDING FOR A 5.29 ACRE SITE LOCATED AT 13859 DIPLOMAT DRIVE ON THE SOUTHWEST CORNER OF DIPLOMAT COURT AND DIPLOMAT DRIVE AND WITHIN THE PLANNED DEVELOPMENT NO. 22 ZONING DISTRICT. D.1 DISCUSS THE STATUS OF BRANCH CROSSING PROJECTS. Volume 84, page 57 John Roach, Assistant to the City Manager, gave a detailed report on the Branch Crossing project. Mr. Roach stated that he would report primarily on the Streetscape Improvements to Tom Field Road, and could provide additional information on other projects if needed. Mr. Roach stated that the project is on schedule. He noted that the contractor would provide a barricaded corridor along Tom Field Road and Farmers Branch Lane to allow access for pedestrians, including school children, as school will be opening August 9. Mr. Roach stated that staff is proposing to add some additional work to the contract, including a section of sidewalk and some tree removals. The sidewalk is to be added in the block between Marrieta and Mount View, to facilitate pedestrian access where new landscaping will be installed. He noted that a future project would include the addition of sidewalks along the remainder of the west right-of-way of Tom Field Road. Mr. Roach stated that seven trees were initially identified to be removed to allow for construction on the project. During the construction of the medians, an additional four trees were identified as traffic hazards and were removed. Residents adjacent to the right-of- way along Tom Field Road have requested that an additional ten trees be removed due to the poor health of the trees. He showed slides of some of the trees that would be removed and stated approximately eighty new trees are to be planted. Mr. Roach also explained the contractor has proposed to close Tom Field Road to through traffic for approximately three to four weeks in order to expedite the project. The closures would take place at three locations concurrently. He stated that motorists would still be able to travel east and west across Tom Field Road on Farmers Branch Lane, Leta Mae, and Mount View, and that Tom Field Road would be open only to local traffic. Mr. Roach stated that the contractor estimates a timesaving of approximately five weeks. Mayor Pro Tern Moses asked about the traffic flow going east, with respect to the turn prohibitions at Ford Road and Farmers Branch Lane. Mr. Roach stated that traffic would still be able to flow east and west along Farmers Branch Lane. Councilman Bird asked if residents could receive a week's notice instead of just several days. Mr. Roach stated that staff could give a full week of notice, but that the contractor was planning to begin as early as Monday August 14, and that staff planned to send out letters of notification and to have signs out on Tom Field Road. Councilman Bird stated that the project should not be held up. Volume 84, page 58 Councilman Walden asked if the landscape to go in on Tom Field Road would be drought-tolerant. Mr. Roach stated that staff usually designs with at least moderately drought-tolerant species, and that most of the plants planned for Tom Field Road are moderately drought-tolerant. D.2 CONSIDER APPOINTMENT TO THE SENIOR ADVISORY BOARD ANDTAKE APPROPRIATE ACTION. Mayor Phelps presented the following information. The City Council reappointed Bob Wade at the July 10, 2000 City Council meeting. However, a provision of the Code now in effect does not permit an employee of the City to serve on a board. Mr. Wade serves as a school crossing guard for the City, and he has decided to continue his employment with the City and is resigning from the Senior Advisory Board. A motion by Councilman Bird, seconded by Mayor Pro Tern Moses, all voting aye, moved Don Brockman to Place 4, moved Melvin Long to Alternate Place 1, and appointed Jeanne Sawyer to Alternate Place 2 on the Senior Advisory Board. 1 D.3 CONSIDER COUNCIL TRAVEL REPORTS AND REQUESTS AND TAKE THE APPROPRIATE ACTION. Councilwoman Davis stated she attended the Woman of the Year Luncheon on July 31, 2000 to honor past Women of the Year and the current Woman of the Year Marie Huie. She stated all the women at the luncheon thanked the Council for continuing this tradition. Councilwoman Davis also gave a report on the activities the women are involved in. D.4 CITIZEN PARTICIPATION. There was no citizen participation. L~' MAYOR PHELPS ANNOUNCED THAT THE ITEMS ON THE AGENDA FOR THE EXECUTIVE SESSION WERE DISCUSSED IN THE 4:30 P.M. WORK SESSION. MAYOR PHELPS EXPLAINED THE CITY COUNCIL CONVENED INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION AT 7:12 P.M. AND RECESSED AT 7:33 P.M. FOR THE GENERAL SESSION AND THEN RECONVENED AT 8:30 P.M. AND CONCLUDED AT 9:12 P.M. TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE CHAPTER 551 OF THE OPEN MEETING LAW PROVIDES THAT SUCH ITEMS AS PERSONNEL Volume 84, page 59 MATTERS, LAND ACQUISITION AND PENDING AND CONTEMPLATED LITIGATION MAY BE DISCUSSED IN CLOSED SESSION. E.1 a DISCUSS LAND ACQUISITIONS - TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION 551.072. 1. DISCUSS PURCHASE, SALE, LEASE, OR EXCHANGE OF PROPERTY OWNED BY THE CITY OF FARMERS BRANCH AND PROPERTY OWNED BY THE CARROLLTON-FARMERS BRANCH INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT FOR SCHOOL SITE LOCATIONS AND TAKE APPROPRIATE ACTION. 2. DISCUSS PURCHASE OF PROPERTY LOCATED AT 2784 VALWOOD PARKWAY AND TAKE APPROPRIATE ACTION. 3. DISCUSS PURCHASE OF PROPERTY LOCATED AT 2425 VALLEY VIEW LANE, 13302 STEMMONS FREEWAY, 2311 AND 2308 JETT STREET, AND TAKE APPROPRIATE ACTION. Mayor Phelps explained Staff discussed these items with the City Council. E.1 b DISCUSS PENDING AND CONTEMPLATED LITIGATION - TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION 551.071 1. DISCUSS LITIGATION RELATIVE TO R.C. SMALL AND AN AGREEMENT WITH R.C. SMALL AND ASSOCIATES, INC. AND TAKE APPROPRIATE ACTION. Mayor Phelps explained Staff was present to discuss this item with the City Council. E.2 CONSIDER NECESSARY ACTION ON ITEMS DISCUSSED IN THE EXECUTIVE SESSION. Mayor Phelps stated the City Council was updated on the Carrollton- Farmers Branch Independent School District school site locations. No action was necessary. Mayor Phelps called for necessary action on land acquisition. A motion by Mayor Pro Tern Moses, a second by Councilwoman Davis, all voting "aye", to withdraw from the contract to purchase the property located at 2784 Valwood Parkway. A motion by Councilman Bird, a second by Councilman Robbs, all voting "aye", authorized City staff to pay $775,000 to the property Volume 84, page 60 owners of the property situated at the northeast corner of Valley View Lane and Stemmons Freeway (1-35E), commonly known as Penguin Plaza - 2308 Jett Street, 2311 Jett Street, 13302 Stemmons Freeway, and 2425 Valley View Lane and execute all necessary documents associated with the sale. Mayor Phelps stated the City Council was updated on litigation relative to R. C. Small and Associates. No action was necessary. F.1 ADJOURNMENT. A motion by Councilwoman Davis, a second by Councilman Robbs, all voting "aye", adjourned the City Council meeting of August 7, 2000 at 9:15 p.m. ayor City Secretary Volume 84, page 61