ccswks 03-12-1997SPECIAL WORKSHOP SESSION OF THE CITY COUNCIL
MARCH 12, 1997
The Schertz City Council convened in Special Workshop
Session on Wednesday, March 12, 1997 at 7:00 p.m. in the
Conference Room of the Municipal Complex, 1400 Schertz
Parkway, Schertz, Texas. The following members were
present: Mayor Hal Baldwin, presiding; Councilmembers
Charles McDonald; Earl Sawyer; and Ken Greenwald.
Councilmembers absent: Joe Potempa and Timothy Swinney.
Staff present were City Manager Kerry Sweatt and City
Secretary Norma Althouse.
#1 HEARING OF RESIDENTS: James Harris of FM 1518 and
Schaefer Road spoke about the Restoration Advisory Board.
Mr. Harris commented they have closed three (3) areas on
RAFB - (a) the fire protection training area by the golf
course, (b) the pesticide storage area by SARPMA, and (c)
the pesticide storage area by the golf course. The service
station area is clearing up. Governor Bush has signed
authorization for three (3) test wells along the FM 1518
right -of -way.
Mr. Harris then mentioned he had taken advantage of the
Spring Clean Up in the City of Schertz and it worked well.
#2 Discuss final reading of ordinance amending the
Code of Ordinances regarding traffic control for newly
platted streets and parking of Recreational Vehicles on
City streets, rights -of -way or easements.
Mr. Sweatt advised this is the second and final reading of
this ordinance. The biggest change is in the section on
R.V. parking. He then read the proposed paragraph on R.V.
parking recommended by Chief Smith:
"Notwithstanding the foregoing, the owner of a recreational
vehicle may park such vehicle on a City street for a period
not to exceed one (1) day in a calendar month. For
purposes of this Ordinance, it shall be prima facia
evidence that a recreational vehicle has been parked for a
period of one (1) day on a public street if a Schertz
Police Officer observes the vehicle, marks the vehicle's
position and twenty -four hours later the vehicle has not
moved."
Mr. Sweatt added they will still probably have some
problems with enforcement of the ordinance.
Mayor Baldwin asked if someone parks their R.V. on the 5th
and unloads on the 15th are they in violation. Mr. Sweatt
answered yes they are, technically. He doesn't think,
however, it is the intent to prohibit R.V. parking. Mr.
Sawyer observed it's a good thing to have if a neighbor
complains.
-195-
Council indicated their readiness for this item to be
included on next Tuesday night's agenda.
#3 Discuss final reading of ordinance amending
Ordinance 92 -T -17 and Ordinance 93 -T -24, and approving
assignment of Tax Abatement for Rex Bornmann.
Council was prepared to have this item placed on next
Tuesday night's agenda.
#4 Discuss appointments to Schertz Economic
Development Commission.
Mr. Sweatt stated that the terms of several members of the
Schertz Economic Development Commission will expire and
Robert Vallance, Sr., Byron Williams, Harry Richburg, Ben
Davis, Henry Gutierrez, Eric White and Jeff Zunker have
each agreed to serve for an additional two years.
Having no problem with reappointing these members, Council
was ready for this item to be included on next Tuesday
night's agenda.
#5 Discuss public hearing to consider reverting the
zoning of the Cliff Johnson property from Mobile Home
Subdivision (MHS) to Residential /Agriculture (R /A).
Mr. Sweatt reported that Cliff Johnson appeared at the
Planning and Zoning meeting and said, since he has been
unable to find financial backing for his proposed project,
he has no problem with reverting the zoning to R /A. If
Council will recall, Mr. Johnson was informed when his
property was originally rezoned, that if no construction
had begun within six months, the zoning would revert back
to the original classification.
Council agreed this item should be included on next Tuesday
night's agenda.
#6 CITY MANAGER'S REPORT: A. Announced that on March
18th at 4:00 p.m. there will be a groundbreaking ceremony
for Fiber Art Inc. at 120 Commercial Place.
B. Noted he received a call from the Post Commander of the
McQueeney VFW who said the National VFW Commander will be
at McQueeney for a breakfast on March 19th. Council is
invited and RSVP's are needed if anyone plans to attend.
C. Referred to the discussion at the last meeting about
the xeriscape park in response to complaints from Heavenly
and Robert Hamilton of 1009 Mourning Dove. The City has
spoken with the engineers and the contractors and will net
out approximately $2,000 by eliminating the eight (8)
parking spaces. They will put in some landscaping cross
ties approximately 6 to 9 inches above the asphalt and some
concrete tire bumpers to try and create a buffer between
-196-
the parking lot and the backyards of several of the homes
in the Dove Meadows Subdivision. If it's agreeable with
Council, they will go ahead with this. Council gave their
consensus to move forward with the project.
D. Reminded Council that for the past several years, the
Municipal Complex has extended it's working hours on
Thursdays from 7:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. There has not been
the response that was anticipated and it doesn't appear
there are enough customers that take advantage of the
extended hours to make them worthwhile. He is probably
going to come to Council for authorization to go back to
the original hours of 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. They will be
putting up a sign directing customers to the night
depository.
Mayor Baldwin asked Mr. Sweatt what he thinks Wuest's
would charge for the City to have customers be able to pay
their water bills there and Mr. Sweatt replied he doesn't
know, but it might be worthwhile to check into it.
E. Advised that on March 20th at 4:30 p.m. there will be
a ceremony at the Public Works Center in honor of Employee
Remembrance Day and Council is urged to attend. This is
the first of what will become an annual ceremony.
F. Declared the opening day ceremonies and parade for BVYA
are scheduled to begin at 8:30 a.m. on March 22nd.
#7 ITEMS BY COUNCIL: Mr. Greenwald: A. Reported he
had attended a CRWA meeting Monday night. The City will be
getting a letter from CRWA asking for appointments to the
Board of Trustees and the Board of Managers. CRWA will
hold a public hearing at it's next meeting. He understands
several water systems have applied for membership. They
are also having a policy meeting this month to look at the
rules.
Mr. Greenwald went on to say Michael Spain will review the
water agreement and then a copy will be sent to all the
entities involved. He thinks Schertz has agreed to buy
1,000 acre feet of water.
B. Referred to proposed legislation by TNRCC which would
charge everyone $1.00 per customer per meter for water
acquisition and improvements. Also, EAA plans to charge
every purveyor an annual fee of $12.00 an acre foot which
would amount to about $28,000 for Schertz.
C. Related the Planning and Zoning meeting lasted until
about 11:30 p.m. last night. One of the items discussed
was the Sprint 190' cellular tower next to the AT &T tower.
They claim they didn't know they were in the City of
Schertz and consequently didn't get any building permits.
Mayor Baldwin asked what's going to happen and Mr.
Greenwald answered they will be fined.
-197-
Mr. Greenwald went on to say it is a multi -use tower and
Planning and Zoning suggested Sprint ask AT &T to remove
their tower and go on with them. Planning and Zoning is
currently considering an ordinance regulating multi -use
towers.
Another item discussed by Planning and Zoning was bandit
signs. Permission was given to several developers for
bandit signs, but one developer (Scott Felder) had his
revoked. Planning and Zoning is currently looking at
getting rid of all bandit signs.
Mayor Baldwin observed that when all the construction of
new homes is done, the signs will come down.
Mr. McDonald: A. Commented that in his travels around
the State, he spoke with a lady who sold her water for $149
per acre and a man who sold his for $240 an acre.
B. Reported attending the AACOG Economic and Environmental
Committee meeting. The City of Seguin received a grant for
a park. Maybe this is something Schertz needs to look
into.
C. Referred to the Woodland Oaks Village gated community
and asked if there is supposed to be a sidewalk on Dimrock
all the way out to FM 3009. Mr. Sweatt replied he doesn't
recall, but he will find out. Mr. McDonald mentioned one
of the local television stations had a report on gated
communities.
D. Asked the status of the fence around the dam. Mr.
Sweatt answered, if he remembers correctly, they had
received one price of over $5,000, so they may have to go
out for bids.
Mr. Sawyer: A. Commented the VFW is looking for a Boy
Scout leader. They have $13,000 in their kitty which they
will have to turn in if they don't find one.
B. Noted there's a problem with one of the concrete
bumpers at the baseball field which needs to be addressed.
C. Mentioned he has been asked by several citizens if the
City can't put a sign up on FM 3009 asking motorists to
keep to the right except to pass. He knows it's not the
City's jurisdiction, but he promised to bring it up and now
he has.
D. Referred to Spring Clean -Up and said at the corner of
Main and Randolph there are skids, bicycle parts and lots
of trash.
Speaking of trash, Mayor Baldwin asked if anything is being
done about the property at Curtiss and Pfeil. It has been
empty for years. Mr. Sweatt promised to check on it.
am
Mayor Baldwin then remarked it would be nice if the City
could get Hoover Edwards to clean up his lot behind the
VFW.
#8 ITEMS BY MAYOR: A. Informed Council that on March
14th there will be two ribbon cutting ceremonies. The
first is at 11:00 a.m. at Marvel Copy on the corner of
Schertz Parkway and Main Street and the second one is at
11:30 a.m. down several houses from Marvel Copy on Main
Street at a business called Seams Right.
B. Announced that on March 20th, from 4:00 to 7:00 p.m.,
Donegan Abstract is holding a Open House in Suite 100 of
the new State Bank.
C. Stated that on Saturday, March 15th, Mayor Thornton is
holding a meeting on the subject of water and it's future.
San Antonio will be providing lunch.
D. Mentioned there is a Northeast Partnership meeting
tomorrow and the speaker will be a Schertz businessman. He
is Dan Godfrey who works in industrial real estate. The
meeting will be held at the Dragon Lake restaurant in
Universal City at 11:30 a.m.
E. Commented the President of St. Phillip's College said
he's had lots of luck with their satellite campus in Live
Oak. As a matter of fact, they don't have enough space and
are asking for help in obtaining more space. They can't
get money from the Alamo Community College (ACC) district
because ACC doesn't pay rent. Dr. Taylor thinks they can
get the legislature to pay for a new campus if they can
obtain a site.
Mr. McDonald asked the status of them using the old
Wal -Mart in Universal City and Mayor Baldwin answered they
haven't heard back from Wal -Mart. Also, they don't want to
spend a lot of money for a temporary location.
#9 ADJOURNMENT: On a motion by
seconded by Mr. McDonald and unanimo
meeting was adjourned at 8:22 p.m .�� /
ATTEST:
City Secretary, City of Schertz
5iESol a
Sawyer and
carried, the