Richardson City Council Work Session April 1st, 2024
OPENING
All councilmembers are present as well as City Manager Don Magner and City Secretary Aimee Nemer.
One public speaker is present. The microphone is once again not turned on until about 30 seconds into his comments. He asks Council to approve a ceasefire resolution on the War in Gaza.
AQUATICS MASTER PLAN
The first presentation is on the new Aquatics Facilities Master Plan process. Parks & Recreation Director Yvonne Falgout presents. She explains that this process will take approx. six months. This plan will provide recommendations for future facility types and locations as well as operational efficiency opportunities. The consultants for this plan will be Kimley-Horn (surprise, surprise) and Counsilman-Hunsaker, an aquatics facilities engineering firm. The head consultant with Kimley-Horn will be Austin Powers, PLA. (Oh behave, not that Austin Powers.) The head consultant with Counsilman-Hunsaker will be George Deines. This plan will also assess current facilities, how they serve community needs, and any barriers to potential users. This master plan process, like others, will also have community input meetings and an online survey. The online survey should be available in May with community input meetings taking place in June.
Councilman Corcoran asks about cost recovery methods. Staff explains that different services have different cost recovery goals depending on their impact on the greater community. Council also asks questions to clarify their understanding of the process.
WATER CONSERVATION PLAN
The final presentation is an update to the Water Conservation Plan and Water Resource Management Plan. Public Services Director Eric Robison presents. City Manager Don Magner explains that these recommendations align with a plan that the North Texas Municipal Water District is asking member cities to align with. The last update to this plan was in 2019. The state requires the plan to be updated every five years. Most of the 2019 Water Conservation Plan restrictions are recommended for inclusion in the 2024 update including twice a week watering and not watering 10 am – 6 pm. Four new restrictions are recommended. The first is restricting the planting and watering of cool-season grasses except for golf courses and athletic fields. The second is restricting the use of drinking water to fill ponds. The third is requiring hotels to offer a linen reuse option. The fourth is restricting restaurants from offering water unless a specific request is made.
Councilman Dorian likes the restaurant restriction. He also asks for clarification on the pond restriction. Eric answers that, if approved, any feature greater than 500 sq. ft. that requires potable water to refill would be prohibited. City Manager Don Magner states that these restrictions were also considered in 2019, however, the benefits did not seem to justify the cost of enforcement. He suggests that these restrictions might not conserve much water in Richardson. (Excellent. I hope we’re about to hear some Richardson-specific suggestions.) Councilman Corcoran asks for clarification on the restaurant restriction. Don Magner answers that restaurants would be prohibited from providing water unless specifically requested. Councilman Hutchenrider agrees that the benefit from these proposed restrictions is not enough to justify enforcement. Don Magner clarifies that these could also be included as recommendations instead of restrictions.
For restrictions, the first violation will result in a notice. A second violation could result in a fine of up to $2,000. Eric also presents the numbers on gallons per capita daily use. This is broken down into total use, residential use, and water loss which includes water used in firefighting. Eric explains that an increase in industrial use has impacted the city’s gallons per capita daily since it has increased faster than the population. Weather patterns also affect the number. The 5-year average for total daily gallons used per resident is currently 213 gallons. The 5-year average for residential gallons used per resident is 87. The 5-year average for water loss (firefighting, main breaks, etc.) daily gallons used per resident is 18. So, 18% of our water is lost to fires and main breaks, 41% is used for residents, and 41% is used for commercial purposes.
Over the next five to ten years, the city aims to steadily reduce the water loss number to 25 gallons. Over that same time, however, the city expects industrial use to continue to rise. They aim for the residential number to rise to 117 gallons in five years and then reduce to 111 gallons in ten years. They expect total water use to be 254 gallons per resident daily in five years and then drop to 246 gallons in ten years. So, in five years, the city expects 46% of water use to be residential, 42% to be used for commercial, and 12% to be lost to fires and breaks. In ten years, 45% for residential, 45% for commercial, and 10% lost to fires. That’s about a 20% increase in total water use per capita in five years compared to now with a goal to then somehow reduce water use by 3% per capita over years 6-10. With feedback from Council noted, City Manager Don Magner states that the four new proposed restrictions will be included only as recommendations in the 2024 plan. Also included will be recommendations for water-efficient landscape initiatives.
(JN: Did you hear any Richardson-specific conservation strategies or recommended restrictions? I sure didn’t. Also missing was any mention of how they plan to manage the increase in industrial water use. The city has confirmed in multiple meetings that commercial water use is rising due to semiconductor chip manufacturers. How are we incentivizing them to conserve water? Do they only get to cool their chips twice a week? What are our plans to meet water capacity needs in 2036? Anyone? Bueller? Will it be someone else’s problem?)
Eric continues to the Water Resource Management Plan which applies during drought conditions and emergencies. The North Texas Municipal Water District defines emergency water supply levels in three stages. Stage 1 applies when supply levels are at 70-75% (60-65% in winter) and restricts outdoor watering to twice a week during the summer (once a week during winter). Stage 2 applies when supply levels are at 55-70% (45-60% in winter) and restricts outdoor watering to once a week (once every other week in winter). Stage 3 applies when levels are at 30-55% (20-45% in winter) and prohibits all outdoor watering.
Additional restrictions are recommended for stages 2 and 3. The first is prohibiting the planting of any agriculture during Stage 2 except for golf courses and athletic fields. The second is prohibiting the hosing of paved areas except for variances approving professionals using high-efficiency equipment during Stage 3. The third is prohibiting the operation of interactive water features during Stage 3. City Manager Don Magner states that he sees these recommendations as worthy of including in the 2024 plan. Councilman Hutchenrider asks if they could consider restricting car washing during Stage 3. Eric answers that that would be covered under the no outdoor watering restriction. Councilwoman Justice agrees with the recommendations. Mayor Pro Tem Shamsul asks what practices are being applied to reduce water use when flushing fire hydrants. Don explains that flushing is required to maintain water quality and he doesn’t see any solution to eliminate flushing. Councilman Dorian asks if HOAs and Neighborhood Associations can be included in the education and outreach plans. Don answers that they will present a plan for these organizations to Council next month.
Councilman Barrios asks if the city could provide an incentive for xeriscaping or planting native to conserve water. I didn’t hear an answer but maybe we will see it in the draft plan at a future meeting? City Manager Don Magner then recalls that car washing is allowed in all three stages as long as the hose has an automatic shutoff valve. The draft plans will be submitted for public input on April 8th. Council will vote to approve the plans on April 22nd.
CLOSING
Council discusses a Ramadan dinner, a UTD tour, a water tank tour, the Richardson Public Library, and the meeting convenes into executive session to consult with the city attorney regarding an ordinance granting Atmos Energy a right-of-way franchise to build and operate a gas distribution system and to deliberate regarding leasing space in the IQHQ at 1302 E. Collins Blvd.
Council reconvenes an hour later to unanimously approve the city manager to negotiate a lease agreement with UTD for leasing space at 1302 E. Collins Blvd. A second motion is also unanimously approved to authorize the city manager to negotiate a lease for Project Runway at 1302 E. Collins Blvd. Meeting adjourned.