Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutCity Council-Minutes-10/28/2014City of Colleyville Page 1 City of Colleyville City Council Worksession Agenda City Hall 100 Main Street Colleyville, Texas 76034 817. 503.1000 www.colleyville.com Tuesday, October 28, 2014 6:30 p.m. Executive Conference Room Third Floor, City Hall 1. CALL TO ORDER 2. PRESENTATION AND DISCUSSION 2a Update on SH26/Colleyville Boulevard Reconstruction Project 3. EXECUTIVE SESSION - In accordance with Texas Government Code Chapter 551, Subchapter D Section 551.087 - Economic Development - discuss or deliberate regarding commercial or financial information that the City has received from business prospects that the City seeks to have locate, stay, or expand in the City and with which the City is conducting economic development negotiations; deliberate the offer of a financial or other incentive to a business prospect 4. ADJOURNMENT I hereby certify this agenda was posted on City Hall bulletin boards Friday, October 24, 2014 by 5:00 p.m. Amy Shelley, TRMC City Secretary Any matter on this agenda may, at the discretion of the governing body, be opened for public comment and discussion. If you plan to attend this public meeting and have a disability that requires special accommodations, please advise the City Secretary at least 48 hours in advance at 817.503.1133, and reasonable accommodations will be made to assist you. City of Colleyville City Council Worksession Minutes City Hall 100 Main Street Colleyville, Texas 76034 817. 503.1000 www.colleyville.com Tuesday, October 28, 2014 Executive Conference Room Third Floor, City Hall Mayor David Kelly called the Colleyville City Council Worksession to order on October 28, 2014, at 6:30 p.m. ROLL CALL: Mayor David Kelly, Mayor Pro Tem Mike Taylor, and Councilmembers Carol Wollin, Chuck Mogged, Chris Putnam, Jody Short, and Tom Hart City Manager Jennifer Fadden, Assistant City Manager and Chief Financial Officer Terry Leake, Executive Director of Development and Infrastructure Chris Fuller, Assistant Police Chief Robert Hinton, Economic Development Director Marty Wieder, Public Works Director Bob Lowry, City Engineer Jeremy Hutt, Project Engineer Adam Marsh, Project Engineer Dale Crown, Construction Manager Craig Knight, Marketing Coordinator Heather Gaven, Parks Manager James Hubbard, Communications and Marketing Director Mona Gandy, and City Secretary Amy Shelley 2. PRESENTATION AND DISCUSSION 2a Update on SH26/Colleyville Boulevard Reconstruction Project Public Works Director Bob Lowry presented this item and briefed City Council. Councilmember Putnam questioned staff regarding the principal objective of the redevelopment, or the justification of the original investment. Director Lowry deferred the question to Mayor Pro Tem Taylor, given his knowledge of the project’s history. Mayor Pro Tem Taylor explained the history of the project in the area, as he remembered it. Councilmember Putnam stated it seems the project was originally contemplated or justified as a traffic project with six lanes to relieve regional congestion. Mayor Pro Tem Taylor stated that was TxDOT’s explanation to the City. Councilmember Short stated all of the different parties had a different interest in the project. The objective of TxDOT and the North Central Texas Council of Governments (NCTCOG) was to move traffic and improve safety along the corridor. He stated the City wanted to clean up the corridor for economic development opportunities. Mayor Kelly stated funding was based on traffic counts, and at that time, the traffic counts did not warrant the funding on SH26 through Colleyville. He added City of Colleyville Page 1 City Council Worksession Minutes October 28, 2014 as a way to escalate the project, the City offered TIF funds to partner with those parties. Mayor Pro Tem Taylor added that by keeping the planning up-to-date, Colleyville was in a better position to be ready to go. Brian Barth, Fort Worth District Engineer with TxDOT, presented his portion of the presentation and briefed City Council. Michael Morris, Director of Transportation with NCTCOG, presented his portion of the presentation and briefed City Council. Councilmember Putnam questioned Mr. Morris regarding whether the data is relative to traffic or to economic development. Mr. Morris replied traffic. Councilmember Putnam questioned Mr. Morris regarding whether the traffic counts today are roughly at 2004 levels on SH26. Mr. Morris replied the counts are actually lower than the 2004 levels. Councilmember Putnam questioned Mr. Morris regarding the justification for the intersection improvements based on today’s traffic capacity problem. Mr. Morris stated, Colleyville citizens, like all citizens in the region, should view this as an opportunity for a more balanced approach to road and transportation problems. Councilmember Putnam questioned Mr. Morris regarding as to whether intersection improvements can be made with less money and less construction time and impact, without having to redevelop the entire roadway. Mr. Morris replied the right-of-way is planned for a six-lane section at all of the intersections. He stated the role of transportation today is to help with flooding issues, safety, economic development, mobility, and reliability. Mayor Kelly complimented TxDOT and NCTCOG for their thoughts in designing SH26, especially since this is Colleyville’s main street and central business corridor. Councilmember Mogged questioned Mr. Morris regarding future capacity gains with the proposed approach of a four-lane roadway with six-lane intersections. Mr. Morris stated 50 percent capacity gains without having to come back and widen the roadway. Councilmember Putnam questioned Mr. Barth about the estimated construction timeline to get through Brown Trail. Mr. Barth replied it will be a 2½ year project. Councilmember Putnam questioned Mr. Barth regarding the plan design from Hall- Johnson to Brown Trail or from John McCain to Brown Trail. Mr. Barth replied the plan is to complete the entire project. City of Colleyville Page 2 City Council Worksession Minutes October 28, 2014 Mayor Kelly questioned Mr. Barth regarding when construction will begin after the project has been let. Mr. Barth replied typically 30 days from the time the project is let, and the Commission awards the funds. Mayor Kelly questioned Mr. Barth regarding if it would be between 60-90 days. Mr. Barth replied yes. Councilmember Putnam questioned Mr. Barth regarding how that stretch can be done in that timeframe, when the first phase has taken so long. Mr. Barth replied when the project is done right, the timeline works. Mayor Pro Tem Taylor questioned Mr. Barth regarding whether the same contractor will be used. Mr. Barth replied there will be some incentives put in place to help draw in the bigger contractors for this project. Councilmember Putnam stated there are a lot of people in Colleyville that have problems with the current design of this project. He stated $52 million dollars will be spent to beautify a four-lane road that has a center-turn lane, with improved intersections and medians and sidewalks. He stated that he questions the economic development impact, given there is no data to support that it will increase revenues. Councilmember Wollin questioned Mr. Barth regarding the need for medians. Mr. Barth stated they do have data to support that the median sections are safer than roadways without medians. He stated they could provide that information, and he further explained an example from Burleson. He stated he also has some economic development data. Mayor Pro Tem Taylor asked Mr. Barth what happens if Colleyville does not want medians. Mr. Barth stated that TxDOT will not build the project without medians. Councilmember Putnam stated that was not the statement made by TxDOT at a previous meeting. Mr. Barth clarified that TxDOT will not build the project if Colleyville does not want the project, and that was what he had stated at the previous meeting. Mayor Pro Tem Taylor asked Mr. Barth if there are any grounds to negotiate medians. Mr. Barth replied TxDOT will not build the project without medians. Mayor Pro Tem Taylor asked Mr. Barth if there is a statewide mandate in which medians will not be constructed. Mr. Barth replied there is a threshold of about 20,000 vehicles per day, and he stated he could only speak about what is taking place in this area. Councilmember Short stated there is a time and place when a continuous left-turn lane makes perfect sense; however, when an area is developed, with lots of turns to make, there are some safety issues. City of Colleyville Page 3 City Council Worksession Minutes October 28, 2014 Mayor Kelly stated there were adjustments made to the plans in 1999 for median cuts to incorporate turns. Councilmember Putnam stated this is an example in which people in this community increasingly distrust the process. He added there are things being said in one public meeting, and contradictory things being said in another public meeting, depending on who the audience is, and what the objective might be. Councilmember Short asked Councilmember Putnam what is it they do not like about constructing the medians. Councilmember Putnam replied access and egress; irrigating and landscaping medians when there are watering restrictions in place; and spending $52 million, which does not solve a traffic problem. Councilmember Putnam questioned Mr. Morris regarding whether the speed limit is inherently higher on a six-lane roadway. Mr. Morris replied it will induce a very high speed with limited cars on it. Councilmember Short questioned Mr. Barth regarding how often the roadway would need to be overlaid to keep it serviceable, if this project is not done. Mr. Barth stated roughly every seven years. Councilmember Short questioned Mr. Barth regarding when the roadway would need to be updated if the project is done. Mr. Barth replied 25 years. Mayor Pro Tem Taylor questioned Mr. Morris regarding where the money would go, if Colleyville chooses not to do this project. Mr. Morris replied the Regional Transportation Council (RTC) does not want to build the project in a community that is not interested. He added the funds would go back to the RTC for someone else to use, in the region. Mayor Kelly questioned staff regarding the pass-through funding option. Director Lowry replied this is for the unfunded portion from John McCain to Hall-Johnson Road. Councilmember Putnam questioned staff regarding if the total cost is $20 million. Director Lowry replied all of the costs have already been incurred, except for the construction. He stated the utility relocations are already being done and the design has been completed by TxDOT. Councilmember Putnam questioned staff regarding future lane expansions, and if Colleyville would have to take care of that if we take back the roadway. Director Lowry replied Colleyville would be responsible for the roadway just like we take care of John McCain Road. City of Colleyville Page 4 City Council Worksession Minutes October 28, 2014 Councilmember Mogged questioned Mr. Morris regarding if we could expect that, if the region grows, RTC would pay for the cost of the lane expansion. Mr. Morris replied he did not see any reason the RTC would not. He stated Colleyville could certainly make such a request. Councilmember Short stated this is the kind of project a county bond program might cover. Mayor Kelly stated it will depend on the roadway to the south, but should traffic ever warrant an expansion, due to volume, there may be some considerations made. Mr. Morris added all of the neighboring cities to the south do not have any interest in making this a six-lane roadway. Councilmember Hart questioned Mr. Morris as to whether if any rights-of-way have been purchased south of Colleyville. Mr. Morris replied no. Mr. Barth concurred. Councilmember Putnam stated Hurst and North Richland Hills have been clear that they want to stay as is. Mr. Barth concurred. Mayor Pro Tem Taylor questioned staff regarding if the pay-back for the pass- through is 12 years. Director Lowry replied the pass-through terms allow a minimum of 10 years, with a maximum of 20 years. He added Colleyville has targeted a 12 year pay-back. Mayor Kelly questioned staff regarding whether funds are available for Phase II, from Brown Trail to Hall-Johnson Road. Director Lowry replied yes. Mayor Kelly questioned staff regarding whether there is a funding shortage for the section from Hall-Johnson Road to south of John McCain Road. Director Lowry replied yes. Mayor Kelly asked City Council if they would like to consider a funding solution for the unfunded portion, or should it be left alone. Councilmember Hart stated he would like to look at a funding solution, so that the entire roadway could be completed. Councilmember Short stated doing it all at one time makes sense. He stated he would like to know if there are other communities that have done the same. Mr. Barth stated there have been local governments who have paid 100 percent, and there are examples of pass-through funding such as Weatherford and Parker County. He added there are examples of partnerships, where each paid one-third of the project. Councilmember Mogged stated he is not a fan of debt, and thinks it would be a great idea for Colleyville to take over the road, but would want some assurances City of Colleyville Page 5 City Council Worksession Minutes October 28, 2014 that in the event the region grows in the future so that expansion of SH26 was required by regional growth, that TxDOT would complete the additional lanes. Mr. Morris added that the turn-back option is a new initiative, and if there is an interest in this, he would see what he could do. He stated he would need to know where Colleyville stands with the remainder of SH26, and he would need a vote from the elected officials asking him to do so. Councilmember Putnam stated he likes that idea; however, this project is not future proof, given there may be a need for a lane expansion in 2030. He added by the time the project is completed, using the best case scenario, it would be complete in 2017, and then in 13 years the roadway is then torn up again for lane expansion. Mr. Morris stated the roadway would not have to be torn up to do the lane expansion. Councilmember Mogged stated there will be a need to prepare for future road repairs. Mayor Pro Tem Taylor stated he would like a list of cities around the state that have already embraced this idea. Mr. Barth stated the turn-back program is new, and for years TxDOT has worked with local governments to take roads off system. He stated there are some concerns of the condition of the roadway upon the turn- back. He stated some examples include Main Street in Lewisville, South Main and Rosedale in Fort Worth, downtown Weatherford, Business 287 by Meacham Airport, and Business 287 in Mansfield. Councilmember Hart questioned Mr. Barth whether there are any additional liabilities to take over the street. Mr. Barth replied it would be just like any other City owned street in your city, relative to maintenance. Mayor Pro Tem Taylor questioned Mr. Barth that if the turn-back option is used, would the roadway be constructed with six lanes? Mr. Barth replied his challenge with a four-lane roadway is finding the $10.9 million today, much less finding any additional money for six lanes. Councilmember Putnam stated he believed that would be an easy business case, given TxDOT would be out from underneath the need to maintain the roadway. Mr. Barth stated finding the money is the issue. Mayor Pro Tem Taylor stated taking the roadway back is more expensive than what has been estimated. He added there is a reason they have the turn-back option. Councilmember Putnam stated the arguments have been made as to why the six- lane option is not an option. He stated he thinks these are fair arguments, but he disagrees. He stated it is not about cost, it is not about maintenance, it is about aesthetics. City of Colleyville Page 6 City Council Worksession Minutes October 28, 2014 Mayor Pro Tem Taylor stated the traffic speed has increased through Grapevine, and traffic slowing down through Colleyville will help economic development. Councilmember Short stated our section is different, in that we have traffic signals every 1,500 feet, and those signals slow the traffic down. Mayor Pro Tem Taylor questioned Mr. Morris regarding whether City Council could come back, at the time of the lane expansion, and ask for a regional mobility improvement project. Mr. Morris replied he would need a vote from City Council regarding their plans for the roadway, before he could explain to the RTC the City Council’s reservations. Mr. Barth stated that if TxDOT builds the four-lane section, and then it is taken off system, and then in 13 years six lanes are needed, Colleyville would then be eligible to petition the RTC for funds to add the additional lanes. Councilmember Putnam questioned Mr. Barth if the roadway would be eligible for funding, or funding would be committed for the roadway. Mr. Barth replied eligible to petition for funding. Mayor Pro Tem Taylor questioned Mr. Barth regarding if the turn-back would be from John McCain to Brown Trial, or the current project to Hall-Johnson Road. Mr. Barth replied John McCain to Brown Trail. Mayor Kelly stated that in 1999 and 2000, Colleyville petitioned the RTC for funds, and were given the funds, and have had them since then. Councilmember Putnam stated there may be an option for six lanes. Mayor Kelly stated he understood that a decision was made on the design of SH26 from John McCain to Brown Trail about the number of lanes, and City Council made the decision to go with four lanes. Councilmember Mogged stated being good with four lanes today, if there is a way to mitigate for the risks of owning the road. He added six lanes would be fine, if that is the way to get past the risk. Mayor Kelly stated there is a need to find a funding element for the unfunded portion, from Hall-Johnson Road to John McCain. He stated additionally, there needs to be some direction given to the RTC for the turn-back options, and how that is to be managed. Councilmember Putnam stated he does not support either option with the current design. City of Colleyville Page 7 City Council Worksession Minutes October 28, 2014 Councilmember Wollin questioned Mr. Barth as to why Colleyville would want to turn back the funded portion, Hall-Johnson Road to Brown Trail, and not the Hall- Johnson Road to John McCain. She stated it makes more sense to turn back the unfunded portion. Mr. Barth stated his goal was to try and get the section rebuilt, and then take that section off system. Councilmember Wollin stated she did not know if she wanted to give up the other funding sources. Mr. Barth stated the funding would not be given up, since the roadway would be built. Councilmember Wollin stated there would be a future risk with that section, rather than the section that is not funded. She stated she could not support the turn-back option, especially when Colleyville has partial funding for it. Mayor Kelly stated funding is available for the core developed area, Brown Trail to Hall-Johnson Road. Councilmember Wollin stated if that is being turned back to Colleyville, then we receive all of the future risks relative to maintenance. Mayor Kelly explained this would be a way that Colleyville could get the road completed, without being out additional cash, other than enhancements. Councilmember Short stated not knowing if staff has been able to get a handle on what the maintenance costs may be. Councilmember Wollin concurred, and expressed not being comfortable with it. City Manager Jennifer Fadden stated she spoke with the City of Allen about the same scenario, and they identified the same advantages and disadvantages of taking a roadway off system. She added they have not had to make roadway repairs to date, but they are anticipating those in the future. Councilmember Short asked Mayor Kelly if the turn-back option would be done in the form of a resolution. Mayor Kelly replied yes. Councilmember Hart asked City Council about how this affects the timing of the current project. Mayor Kelly stated TxDOT would like to release the project this winter, probably in the December to February timeframe. Councilmember Mogged expressed being comfortable with the turn-back option. Mayor Kelly stated a decision does need to be made. Councilmember Wollin stated she wants some reassurance that Colleyville can bank enough funds to cover that and not to take away from other commitments. She stated she wants more hard facts that go back more than two years. She wants to learn from the experience of others, and maybe go beyond Texas, if needed. She added there may be some additional citizen input at the November 12 meeting. City of Colleyville Page 8 City Council Worksession Minutes October 28, 2014 Mayor Pro Tem Taylor asked Mayor Kelly what are the added enhancements with the turn-back option. Mayor Kelly stated those are all over and above. City Manager Jennifer Fadden asked City Council if they are open to both options, the pass-through and the turn-back, in order to complete the project through Colleyville. City Council concurred. City Manager Jennifer Fadden asked City Council if they have any expectation or desire, as the project is moving forward, with a four-lane section. Councilmember Wollin replied she might be wiggly on that, depending on which option to go with. Councilmember Short stated that public input may help with this. Mayor Kelly expressed having concerns about changing the design plans, and who would pay for that, and the potential for a delayed project. Councilmember Wollin stated she would like the costs of the maintenance of the landscaped medians, and maybe some other options. Mayor Kelly asked City Council if this is still a four-lane option. Councilmember Wollin replied right. Mr. Morris questioned why there is a discussion about a six- lane roadway, when the traffic volume is decreasing. Councilmember Putnam stated some are making the argument about not doing anything, as opposed to spending $52 million. Mr. Morris replied the money could then be sent back to the RTC. Mayor Pro Tem Taylor stated he does not support that. Councilmember Putnam stated there has not been City Council action taken on the John McCain to Hall-Johnson Road section. Mayor Kelly stated no action has been taken on funding, and TxDOT paid for the design. Mayor Pro Tem Taylor stated the landscaping can be sparse, but citizens will talk about that. Councilmember Putnam stated you will hear about the medians too. Mayor Kelly stated Colleyville has some Green Ribbon grants for parts of the roadway, and we can keep applying for those grants. He added there are also discussions about community groups taking responsibility for trees and plantings. Councilmember Mogged stated there may be some direction given at future City Council meetings. Mayor Kelly concurred. City of Colleyville Page 9 City Council Worksession Minutes October 28, 2014 3. EXECUTIVE SESSION - In accordance with Texas Government Code Chapter 551, Subchapter D Section 551.087 - Economic Development - discuss or deliberate regarding commercial or financial information that the City has received from business prospects that the City seeks to have locate, stay, or expand in the City and with which the City is conducting economic development negotiations; deliberate the offer of a financial or other incentive to a business prospect 4. ADJOURNMENT There being no further business before the City Council, Mayor Kelly adjourned the City Council worksession at 9:03 p.m. APPROVED BY A VOTE OF 6 AYES, 0 NAYS, AND 0 ABSTENTIONS ON THIS THE 18TH DAY OF NOVEMBER 2014. Minutes taken and prepared by: Amy Shelley, TRMC City Secretary City of Colleyville Page 10