Richardson City Council Meeting June 3rd, 2024
OPENING
All councilmembers are present as well as City Manager Don Magner and City Secretary Aimee Nemer.
Mayor Pro Tem Shamsul leads a prayer and the pledges.
Minutes of the previous meeting are approved unanimously.
I would typically expect written comments on zoning files to be acknowledged when that public hearing opens, but City Manager Don Magner acknowledges them at this time instead. The first four submitted comments are in favor of ZF 24-10 (Restaurant Park). The next six comments are opposed to the same zoning file. Two more comments are neutral to the same proposal. No speakers are present for the visitors section.
NTMWD (WATER DISTRICT) ANNUAL UPDATE
The first presentation is an update from the NTMWD (Water District). Executive Director and General Manager Jenna Covington presents. She recognizes both appointed directors from Richardson, Jeff Sweeden and Randy Roland, and her executive staff. She begins with an overview of the history and membership of the water district. She then presents the district’s vision and goals. The district now serves 2.2 million people.
Deputy Director of Water and Wastewater Billy George continues. The district has six water supply sources. Bois d’Arc Lake is the newest and has been in service for a year now. These provide 946 million gallons of treated water daily. Billy provides an update on the latest pipeline repairs on the North Garland pipelines. He explains that PFAS (poly-fluoroalkyl substances) or “forever chemicals” have been found in some test results in their southern service area (Lake Tawakoni). New regulations mean the district will strive to be compliant in the next five to ten years. He doesn’t explain what specific areas this impacts but he says it is searchable public information. Their wastewater system treats 160 million gallons daily. Near Breckenridge Park, a sewer line is scheduled for a deep clean and inspection after the 4th of July celebration. The line will be out of service with a temporary bypass line for possibly a month.
Asst. Director of Capital Improvement Program and Planning R.J. Muraski continues. They have plans to increase water capacity significantly at the Leonard Plant and Wylie Plant 4. They will also study aquifer storage and recovery, a new water treatment facility in the southern service area, and a PFAS “forever chemical” management plan. The Shiloh ground storage tank in Richardson and North Garland ground storage tanks are being constructed. Richardson has experienced increased wastewater flows requiring several system improvements. They need 360 million gallons of additional daily capacity by 2070. By this time, 30% of water supplied by the district will be from water reuse and conservation strategies. Citizens are encouraged to visit the Water is Awesome website. Citizens are also encouraged to plant native drought-tolerant plants and reduce turf area in landscaping.
Deputy Director of Administrative Services Jeanne Chipperfield continues. She presents the revised wholesale price increases and compares them to the previous year’s calculations. The good news is that apparently only a 6% increase is needed for 2025 compared to the previously predicted 10% increase. The bad news is that long-term increases are still projected in the 10-12% range annually, mostly due to capital improvement projects. Wastewater rate projected increases haven’t changed except they now project the 10-12% increase to continue into the 2030s.
Appointed Director John Sweeden then addresses the Council. He highlights three important areas of focus, innovative approaches for new water sources, representation for customer cities and expanding customer cities, and PFAS management. Appointed Director Randy Roland then addresses the Council. He compliments the district staff’s competency. Contact information for your two representatives to the NTMWD is still not listed but they have at least added an email to contact if you wish to contact a member of the Board of Directors: BoardContact.info@ntmwd.com .
Councilwoman Justice asks if 2036 is still the year they are projected to not meet capacity needs without a new water source. Jenna answers that “mid-2030s” is the current answer. (The last time the NTMWD presented to Council, that number was front and center. This time, it’s vaguer. Slide 22 of the published handouts for this meeting is where you can find the slide that gives you this answer. The answer is found where the blue line for dry year demand exceeds the green bars for existing supply. You may notice that the blue line does not touch the 2035 green bar, which tells me that we are now projecting our needs to exceed current production before 2035. So, as far as I can see, 2034 is the new number. We’ve lost at least two years *unless* we bring on another water source. We are depending on conservation to get us there but it appears to me that we are using more water not less.)
Councilwoman Justice also asks for a clearer picture of expected new water sources. Jenna states that some contracts have advanced but are not yet finalized. They hope to announce these by the end of the calendar year. Councilwoman Justice pushes for some kind of answer. These numbers are alarming to her. Jenna says they are connecting and increasing the capacity of existing lines and supply. They are considering a joint wetlands with Tarrant County. They are also considering areas extending outside of the current footprint for new sources. RJ clarifies that they are working with the Tarrant Regional Water District on the wetlands project. They are creating terms and agreements for shared use now. Desalination is also being explored using reverse osmosis for Lake Texoma. Councilwoman Justice expresses frustration at no definite answers yet. She then asks about the projected rate increases. She observes that, long term, the rate is actually higher just spread out. Jeanne states that numbers are estimates and that future water is more expensive due to capital projects.
Mayor Pro Tem Shamsul says he is not too concerned about the water supply. He knows they are smart. He asks how much of the water they treat ends up back in the system as wastewater. Billy states that some uses prevent water from returning to the system. He estimates that it might be 30% but they will calculate a more accurate number. Mayor Pro Tem Shamsul also asks about the impact of the Breckenridge sewer line replacement on neighbors. Billy says there may be increased noise, but they are planning to mitigate these issues.
Councilman Barrios asks for more details about the Breckenridge sewer project. Billy answers that the details haven’t been finalized. If any venting is required it will be contained in odor scrubbing boxes. The noise mitigation plan will be formed. Markers will be placed along the line. They will ensure that it does not cross walking paths. The bypass line will be in wooded areas. Some vegetation will be removed but no major cutting and clearing is planned. The bypass line will probably be a 24” or less pipe. Billy adds that this process isn’t typical.
Councilman Corcoran asks if the Breckenridge project is necessary due to age. The district confirms that this is the reason. Councilman Corcoran asks how often the district meets with the city. The district answers that they meet quarterly to discuss any changes to development trends or capacity needs projections. City Manager Don Magner adds that they work on longer-term plans with the district through comprehensive plan updates and other planning projects.
Councilman Hutchenrider asks if the 2036 number appears to have moved to 2050 on the slide I mentioned above. Jenna clarifies that the number is still around 2036. (2034 is still around 2036 I guess.) New sources still need to come online by 2036. If they bring on additional sources, the number moves closer to 2050. He asks about the water rate increases and shares concerns about them being 12 and 13%. He wants to see the increase in percentages come down closer to 4%.
Councilman Dorian asks if the water that spills over from lakes during heavy rains can be reused. RJ answers that they spill into the spillway to reduce flood risk. They are working with the US Army Corps of Engineers to strategize how they can salvage that water. New reservoirs are also being considered for construction to capture stormwater.
PUBLIC HEARING – PARK HOLLOW TOWNHOMES
Next is a public hearing on ZF 24-06, the Park Hollow townhomes at 545 E. Buckingham. Staff provides a background of the request. This was also covered at the May 7th CPC meeting. The applicant makes their presentation. Mattamy Homes is the contracted builder. Councilman Dorian asks about trash bins in the detention pond area. The applicant responds that they can do trash bins and some dog bag stations. Councilman Dorian asks how much these will sell for. The applicant answers that they go in the $500K – $550K range and be 1,600 – 2,000 sq. ft. Mayor Pro Tem Shamsul asks how deep the pond will be. The applicant estimates 4 to 5 feet but it hasn’t been finalized yet. He also asks if utilities will be underground. The applicant confirms they will be.
Councilman Barrios is concerned about drainage. City Manager Magner states that exact drainage numbers aren’t going to be available yet, but this will be covered by local laws. This isn’t something they require at this point in the development process. The applicant is confident that the detention pond capacity is more than enough to meet the development’s needs. The pond will help slow the release of runoff into the city’s drainage system and creeks to mitigate erosion downstream. Mayor Pro Tem Shamsul asks about the 55 ft. maximum height request. City Manager Don Magner explains that the slope of the roof will be steep and add height. Mayor Dubey asks if they will have bike racks. The applicant states they will install a bike rack at the park.
No public speakers are present for this hearing. Council unanimously approves the request.
PUBLIC HEARING – RESTAURANT PARK W/ FERRIS WHEEL
The second public hearing is on ZF 24-10, the restaurant park at the former Old 75 location. Staff presents a background of the request. This was also covered at the May 21st CPC meeting. Two pieces of correspondence have been received on this request. The applicant steps forward to make their presentation and address questions. The applicant reads a statement from a representative of the nearby church in support of the request. This location will have both the Truck Yard and Second Rodeo brewing brands. Dogs will be allowed. The Ferris wheel will move about 4 mph and be fenced in for safety.
Councilman Hutchenrider points out that the reference picture of the Ferris wheel shows that the lighting stops below the maximum height of the Ferris wheel. The applicant confirms that this is an accurate representation and that the lighting on the Ferris wheel will be about 5-10 feet lower and blocked by the building and trees. Councilman Barrios asks about the hours of operation for the Ferris wheel. It will be open from noon until 9 or 10 p.m. It will be inspected annually by the state. Councilman Barrios asks if they will have bike racks. The applicant confirms they will have bike racks at the front and back of the establishment. Councilman Barrios then asks if the applicant would be open to extending this public hearing until next week due to the mass power outages that Richardson experienced last week. He is interrupted and City Manager Don Magner explains that any public speakers present for tonight’s hearing should be heard first before asking about extending the public hearing. Councilman Barrios ends his line of questioning.
Mayor Pro Tem Shamsul asks if they will have backup power for the Ferris wheel. The applicant explains that the wheel can be spun manually to get people off if they lose power. Mayor Pro Tem Shamsul asks if the area will be family-friendly. The applicant answers that they will create a kids' area and kids are allowed to enter with their families until 9 p.m. Anyone already present is welcome to stay. They won’t be asking families with children to leave at any time.
Nearly every councilmember brings up the neighbors’ concerns about lighting and sound. The applicant remains willing to work with residents to mitigate any issues they are concerned about.
Three speakers are present for this hearing. The first speaker lives near this development. She says she was always able to hear music from Old 75 inside of her home. She doesn’t want to experience the same with this development. She says that her neighbors didn’t know about this zoning request and she wants to see more outreach conducted by the city. The second speaker also lives near the development. She says that some of her concerns have been eased after hearing from the applicant but she still has concerns about the noise disturbing the enjoyment of neighbors’ homes. She also says that neighbors haven’t received enough notification about this. She is also concerned about patrons parking in the neighborhood. The third speaker says a lot of his concerns were also alleviated by the applicant’s presentation, however, he is still opposed. He is concerned about how this will affect homeowners’ property values. He also says the music from Old 75 was loud inside his home. He requests a lower SPL (sound pressure level) restriction at the property line for this property.
Councilman Barrios now makes a motion to continue this public hearing until June 10th. Since there are still several neighbors expressing concerns, he wants to give the applicant a chance to meet with them and come to an agreement. The surrounding neighborhood was also one of the heaviest impacted areas during last week’s storms. Some residents in this area were without power the entire week leading up to this public hearing. His motion does not receive a second.
The motion to close the public hearing, however, receives a surprising unanimous vote. Councilman Barrios may have recalled the Council Goals Session discussion about supporting Council decisions when he raised his hand to vote in favor of closing the public hearing.
Councilman Hutchenrider attempts to make an immediate motion to approve the request. Councilwoman Justice asks to make comments addressing neighbors’ concerns first. Councilman Hutchenrider remarks that “we’ve still got several things to discuss”, referring to the rest of the items on the agenda.
Mayor Dubey allows Councilwoman Justice to speak. She states that the issues neighbors had with Old 75 and the Ferris wheel lights are mitigated in this applicant’s plan. Mayor Pro Tem Shamsul, Councilman Barrios, and Councilman Dorian make similar comments encouraging the applicant to work with neighbors to not disturb their peace. Councilman Corcoran is in favor of taking a look at the Noise Ordinance if it does not currently meet residents’ needs. Councilman Hutchenrider admonishes Councilman Barrios for attempting to continue the hearing. He states that this situation isn’t unique because the city was under a disaster declaration for two years during the COVID-19 pandemic and still conducted business. (What’s the purpose of such a comment? Who is this serving? Unnecessary. Councilman Hutchenrider didn’t even want anyone to offer comments, so I don’t know why he feels the need to say this.)
Councilman Barrios responds to explain the obvious uniqueness of the situation. Some neighbors that this will affect still don’t have power. That is unique.
Council unanimously approves the request.
PUBLIC HEARING - BICYCLE PARKING ORDINANCE
Next is a public hearing on the newly proposed Bicycle Parking Standards. City Manager Don Magner states that this is a pretty straightforward action. He reminds Council that this has been seen by the Bicycle & Pedestrian Advisory Committee and the City Plan Commission (where it was voted against by the CPC Chair and one other commissioner). Mobility & Special Projects Manager Daniel Herrig provides a brief overview. The text amendment states that the Parking Design Manual shall govern the design for bicycle parking. This presentation was also covered in the May 7th CPC meeting. The regulation states that new developments will be required to have one bike space for every 20 car spaces as recommended by the Association of Pedestrian and Bicycle Professionals’ Bicycle Parking Guidelines. Daniel references a handout that was provided to Council, the Parking Design Manual. This “handout” is not provided in the published agenda documents or handouts that I can find. The alternative compliance provision allows for flexibility on sites where this bike parking ratio may not make sense.
Councilman Hutchenrider brings up that the Methodist Richardson Medical Center wouldn’t make sense to install this many bike racks. He is concerned that the hospital would have to ask for a variance. (Councilman, read the last sentence of the previous paragraph. This regulation has a sensible alternative compliance provision, and, as you stated earlier, you still have several things to discuss. Pay attention.) City Manager Don Magner corrects Councilman Hutchenrider’s misunderstanding and Councilman Hutchenrider apologizes.
Mayor Dubey then asks a question that’s already been answered. Does this apply to existing developments? Daniel restates that this, like most new regulations, applies to new development. Mayor Pro Tem Shamsul asks about including a bike parking maximum. City Manager Don Magner recommends that they see how this regulation goes before adding maximums or changing the ratio. Applicants can appeal to the Zoning Board if they don’t agree with the regulation applied to their property. The Development Services director has the authority to apply these bike parking standards appropriately. Councilman Dorian asks about regulating the parking of electric scooters. Mayor Dubey responds that Richardson does not currently have any for-rent scooters that would potentially cause an issue. No public speakers are present for this 10:03 p.m. hearing.
Council will vote on this ordinance next week, June 10th. Since this is technically classified as a zoning file, Council unanimously votes to approve it.
DISASTER DECLARATION CONTINUANCE
Next is the consideration of an ordinance continuing the disaster declaration due to last week’s weather event. City Manager Don Magner explains that, though the storm lasted only 23 minutes, the highest wind gusts recorded in Richardson were 72 mph and caused significant damage. The National Weather Service, after surveying the damage, estimates potentially 80-90 mph gusts in the Highland Terrace area. Sirens were sounded twice for high winds and a tornado warning. Thousands of trees were lost or damaged as well as buildings and city infrastructure. Just this week, the city has responded to more calls for street and alley clearing than the entire last year. The city asks that citizens report damage to the Texas Department of Emergency Management website/app. The complete recovery process may take weeks. The city is also utilizing a tree damage survey to document the impact of lost or damaged trees. Collin County and Dallas County residents are eligible for FEMA assistance with temporary housing, essential needs, and home repairs. Council unanimously approves continuing the disaster declaration.
CONSENT AGENDA & CLOSING
The consent agenda is passed unanimously. It includes a resolution appointing Bruce Arfsten (Addison) as representative to the Regional Transportation Council of the North Central Texas Council of Governments nonprofit and appointing Bob Dubey as alternate. It also includes a resolution adopting the Complete Streets Policy. Randy Roland is also reappointed to the NTMWD until May 31, 2026. Five bid awards are also included. The first is $2.8M to The Fain Group Inc. for bicycle lanes, trail construction, retaining wall, improved lighting, and intersection improvements at Greenville/Arapaho. ($2.6M of this will be reimbursed by TxDOT Federal funds and $171K will come from the city.) The remaining four bid awards are: $1M to Candor Builders, Inc. for alley reconstruction, $1.5M to JR West TX Concrete, LLC for sidewalk replacements, a $200K annual requirements contract to Maaco Collision Repair and SheerMetal Carstar for automotive paint and body repair services, and $62K to Global Furniture Group for cubicles and office furniture for a potential future tenant in the IQHQ.
Meeting adjourned.