Richardson City Council Meeting January 23rd, 2023
All councilmembers are present as well as City Manager Don Magner and City Secretary Aimee Nemer.
Mayor Pro Tem DePuy leads the pledges and a christian prayer.
The previous meetings’ minutes are approved unanimously.
No public speakers are present for this portion of the meeting.
First up is a vote to approve reappointments to the Animal Services Advisory Commission and City Plan Commission. Council also votes on new appointments to the Civil Service Board, Parks & Rec Commission, Sign Control Board, Zoning Board, and Building Standards Commission. These are all approved unanimously, and new members are sworn in.
City Manager Don Magner then presents an update on the City Hall/Library project. He explains that many deficiencies in the City Hall building were identified in the 2020 Master Plan report. These include issues with work area efficiency, health & safety, security, ADA compliance, and aging electrical & plumbing systems. With these issues in mind, the city was already trying to determine whether they should renovate or replace the building. At that time, city council decided to renovate the building as this was roughly half the cost of replacing the building. Since the building caught fire last year, however, the city must now factor in the original issues revealed in the 2020 Master Plan compounded with the issues associated with the recent fire. Mr. Magner explains the complexities of negotiating with the city’s insurer, Traveler’s Insurance, and states that the minimum estimated settlement is around $15 million. (JN: I’m curious if the city is running into issues negotiating with Traveler’s Insurance since they were aware of issues with the aging electrical systems. The city revealed that a malfunction in the electrical system is what caused the fire.)
He then presents the option of building a new city hall now that the estimated cost to repair the building is $60 million, 70% the cost of replacing it. He describes energy efficiency and better code compliance as benefits of a new city hall. He presents an early concept plan for the new city hall/library campus. Some of the major differences are improved public space areas and better visibility from Arapaho. The estimated cost of a new city hall is currently $85 million. The city estimates they would need to raise approximately $48 million through general obligation bonds (GOs) to rebuild, or $23 million through certificates of obligation (COs) to repair. Replacing city hall would require a bond election this May. The library renovation project, originally approved in the 2021 bond election, would now require an additional $12 million raised through COs. The temporary location for city hall and the library will be 2360 Campbell Creek Blvd. Council expresses their support of a new city hall vs repairing the current building.
Mayor Voelker comments that the current state legislative session is looking at potentially removing cities’ ability to utilize COs to fund projects. He plans to go to the state capitol to advocate for their responsible use. Funds raised through GO bonds require an election and are restricted to only the uses approved by voters. COs do not require an election. Therefore, cities utilize COs when they need emergency funding that can’t wait for an election, such as disasters. Cities may also utilize COs when considering potential differences in interest rates. (JN: This is a complex topic. From what I gather, GOs cost the city less in interest fees when paying off debt but are the most restrictive as far as how and when funds can be used. COs come with more freedom of spending but could potentially cost the city more in interest payments. There may be some smaller cities across the state who are not being as wise when using COs to fund projects. I hope any regulations passed by the state do not punish cities like Richardson, who have been very diligent with their financial strategies.)
Next is a public hearing on zoning file 22-15, a request to rezone a property at the corner of Glenville Dr and Greenville Ave to allow two limited-service hotels with modified development standards. The modified standards include allowing shared parking lots, modified setback, and floor area ratio. CPC recommended approval 7-0. The applicants answer questions about occupancy and crime rates. The zoning request is approved unanimously.
Next is a public hearing on zoning file 22-16, a request to amend a special permit to allow modifications at a golf driving range located at 3570 Waterview Pkwy. The property is owned by UT Dallas, who has a leasing agreement with The Golf Ranch until 2027. A new leaseholder, Blue Jeans Golf, seeks to amend the conditions of the special permit to allow increased amenities such as food & beverage service and covered hitting bays. Staff recommends requiring a net along Waterview Pkwy. CPC recommended approval 6-1 but removed the staff’s netting requirement. Councilman Hutchenrider suggests that the 500-yard driving range makes it reasonable to not require netting on that side. He does express concern about the par 3 course alongside Waterview and the possibility of an unexperienced player hitting an errant shot to the left. Councilman Dubey asks about alcohol sales. The applicant answers that they are allowed to sell beer & wine only. Councilman Shamsul asks about liability in the case of a player hitting an errant ball. The applicant answers that liability falls on the player. All players sign an agreement stating such. One public speaker expresses concern about the 1:00 AM proposed closing time. The applicant answers that this will only be for corporate groups who choose to rent the facility in the evening. The planned regular business hours will be until 9 or 10 pm. He states that they are not trying to target drinkers with their business model. Mayor Voelker reminds council that this is a special permit that can be called back if any issues with netting or alcohol use arise. Council unanimously approves the request without requiring netting.
Next is a vote on an ordinance granting a zoning change to allow a drive thru restaurant at 1230 E. Belt Line Rd. This item has been discussed by council previously. Council passes the ordinance 5-2 with Councilwoman Justice and Councilman Corcoran voting against.
Next is the consent agenda, which includes purchase orders for utility improvements and traffic signal video detection installation. It also decreases amounts for the Duck Creek Sewer project and a ground storage tank project.
Council discusses the It’s Time Texas challenge and this weekend’s lunar new year celebration, and the meeting adjourns.