Richardson City Council Work Session June 19th, 2023
OPENING
All councilmembers are present as well as City Manager Don Magner and City Secretary Aimee Nemer.
One comment card is received regarding short-term rental registration requirements. Staff will follow up regarding the concerns expressed.
DART
The first discussion is on DART programs. DART President and CEO Nadine Lee presents. Last year’s DART budget was approx. $1.7B, 60% of which was funded by sales tax. DART reports that they are back to roughly 70% of pre-pandemic rider levels. The Silver Line, which will span from Plano to the DFW Airport, is expected to be open for service in 2026. The service schedule isn’t final yet but is currently expected to be 6-9 during weekdays with the possibility of extending service as early as 5:00 AM or as late as 11:00 PM. The two stops for Richardson will be at Cityline and UTD. DART has implemented several strategies aimed at increasing safety and security for riders. These strategies include hiring a new Chief of DART Police and increasing security presence by installing cameras and hiring armed security personnel. Policy recommendations from the Meadows Institute are also being implemented to effectively respond to homeless riders seeking shelter. A new supplemental cleanliness initiative has also been introduced. This initiative involves partnering with an organization that employs people struggling with homelessness to clean trash and debris from light rail vehicles. DART is working with UTA to design improved bus stops that will provide increased shelter from the elements. A light rail system upgrade is also being planned. A customer feedback survey was concluded in March to gather input from riders. With 4 million people expected to move to the metroplex over the next 20 years, DART is preparing for increased demand on an already congested transportation system. A strategic plan will be introduced in September with a feedback period and finalization scheduled for December.
Councilman Corcoran compliments the DART’s GoPass app and asks about specific ways the city can partner with DART regarding the homelessness initiative. Nadine answers that highlighting needs and services available within the city will be important to understanding the issue. Councilwoman Justice encourages DART to consider extending Silver Line service beyond 11 PM after feedback from UTD’s Comets for Better Transit. Councilman Hutchenrider asks about the possibility of extending service into other cities. Nadine answers that her current priority is improving the experience for member cities. Councilman Hutchenrider also asks about increasing fare enforcement. Nadine answers that they will be revamping their fare collection system when they replace the light rail vehicles. Councilman Barrios asks about specific security measures and the potential of creating a closed system to increase ridership data accuracy. Nadine answers that they have contracted roughly 100 armed security personnel that will start in July. They are also working with the city of Medellín, Colombia to create a comprehensive security strategy based on what has been successful there. Regarding a closed system, Nadine answers that there are ways to collect ridership data electronically with cell phones. Mayor Pro Tem Shamsul asks about maintenance strategies for parking lots, specifically the issue of standing water in lots. Nadine answers that they are hoping to move towards a maintenance strategy that makes more mindful repairs (i.e., not just asphalt patches). When asked if an online reporting system exists for residents who want to report maintenance concerns, Nadine responds that she will get back to council on that. She also states that it might be best to call her directly if councilmembers have specific concerns to report.
ENVISION RICHARDSON COMP PLAN
The next discussion is on the Envision Richardson Comp Plan. Mark Bowers, a representative from the Kimley-Horn planning & design firm, presents. According to the presented timeline, after a period of public engagement and data collection, plans will be drafted around the beginning of 2024. Six areas of reinvestment will be identified in this update. Four are currently being studied. The remaining two will be identified after the community input sessions. The first reinvestment zone being studied is the area just to the east of Coit Rd. from Arapaho down to the Dal Rich Towne Square shopping mall. This area was also highlighted as a reinvestment area in the ’09 Comp Plan, but Mark reports that it hasn’t been studied further yet. The second reinvestment zone is an area running along W Campbell from N Floyd to Custer Pkwy. This area includes the Campbell Plaza shopping mall and some open space and office space. The third area, also highlighted in the ’09 Comp Plan but not yet studied, runs along Arapaho from the office buildings just west of Newberry Dr. to US-75. This area includes Richardson’s City Hall, Library, and Senior Center as well as senior housing, offices, and shopping centers. The fourth area is an area of commercial development surrounding the intersection of E Belt Line and Plano Rd.
Jessica Rossi, another representative from Kimley-Horn, presents statistical information. Analysis on commuting shows that 44,000 residents commute out of the city to work and 8,100 live and work within the city. Mark continues with an overview of the public engagement plan. The plan includes a website, stakeholder interviews, in-person and online public engagement sessions, an online community survey, and community-led discussions. The public feedback period begins June 24th online and in person at the 150th Anniversary Celebration. Community engagement sessions are scheduled for June 27th and July 8th. A joint CPC/Council session is scheduled for July 31st to discuss feedback from the community. Councilman Hutchenrider expresses concern over the higher amount of retail vacancy in Richardson. Richardson’s vacancy is around 7.4% while the metroplex average is around 4.5%. According to the data presented, over a dozen retail locations in Richardson have a vacancy rate of over 15%. The response to this concern suggests that this data may not be entirely accurate. Don Magner asks the Kimley-Horn reps to take another look at the data and clarify the accuracy. Councilman Corcoran asks if this comp plan will have specific zoning recommendations. Between Don and Mark, the answer is that the plan should lead to zoning decisions that achieve the community’s vision.
TRANSPORTATION & MOBILITY, CLOSING
The final discussion of the evening is on the Transportation & Mobility Work Plan. Transportation & Mobility Director Mark Nelson introduces Asst. Director Pritam Deshmukh to present. Traffic signs in the area between Plano Rd and Jupiter Rd from Collins Blvd to Spring Valley will be replaced this next fiscal year. The city is hoping to increase their bike friendly designation from bronze to silver. Funding requests to achieve this goal include an additional $175K per year in order to improve buffered bike lanes and establish a 5-year replacement cycle for bike lane markings and signage. The presentation concludes with a highlight of the Active Transportation Plan and an overview of the proposed budget. Councilman Barrios asks how concerned residents can reach out regarding speeding on residential roads. Mark answers that residents should contact the traffic department so they can deploy a speed feedback sign and collect official data on speeding. With this data, the department can add the area to their traffic management plan and work with the police department on an enforcement strategy. Councilman Dorian asks about plans for additional bike lanes. Staff indicates that bike lanes will be added along Custer and along Glenville.
Council highlights the Juneteenth holiday and the time capsule unveiling, and the meeting adjourns.