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1996-02-29SPIN Standing Committee Meeting Thursday, February 29, 1996 MINUTES Members Present: Cara White, Vice Chair; David Baltimore, Katie Holzgraefe, Martin Schelling, Doug Fierce, Betty Springer, Laura Miklosko, Wayne & June Haney, Karen Cienki, Pattie Minder, Cynda Mast (for Joe Mast) Members Absent: Jan Francis Staff Present: Shana Yelverton, Assistant City Manager; Kevin Hagman, Assistant to City Manager Guests Present: Brian Stebbins, Rialto Town Centres A brief reception preceded the meeting. The meeting was called to order by Vice Chair Cara White at 7:05 p.m. Agenda Item No. 2 - Approval of 1/25/96 Standing Committee Meeting Minutes - Upon motion by Pattie Minder, second by David Baltimore, the minutes were unanimously approved with the following amendments: Delete second reference to Karen Cienki under "Members Present" section, Text deleted from bottom of page one should be inserted Agenda Item No. 3 - Administrative Comments - Cara White updated the Standing Committee on the following administrative comments: ✓Ucr oming Dey&pment Cases - Staff provided a copy of the upcoming development cases. As a reminder, the schedules are subject to change depending on P&Z and City Council action. Nonetheless, these will provide Standing Committee members with advance "warning" of what is coming in terms of development. ✓Election Issues - Given all the changes, this election year promises to be very interesting, but also confusing. As such, staff has prepared an information sheet explaining some of the issues for this year's election. The information should answer questions Standing Committee members may get from neighbors. Questions about the election issues may be directed to Sandy LeGrand, City Secretary, Shana Yelverton or Curtis Hawk. ✓March Calendar - A calendar of March meetings was provided for the Standing Committee members. ✓Voter Registration Drive Update - Doug Fierce and Shana Yelverton have been working through the details of our voter registration drive. Letters have been sent to local businesses, homeowner associations, and civic clubs encouraging them to spread the word about the drive. Also, the Southlake Youth Action Commission (SYAC) has agreed to help with the drive at the High School. Ads are being developed, and other SPIN reps have been making cards available during SPIN meetings. Ms. White encouraged SPIN representatives to help spread the word about voter registration. Questions may be directed to Shana Yelverton or Doug Fierce. ✓SPIN Report Schedule - A copy of the SPIN report schedule was provided as a reminder. Cara White emphasized the importance of making sure that a presentation is made at each meeting. SPIN representatives who are not able to make the presentation at the scheduled time, should contact Shana Yelverton for rescheduling. ✓wide Forum on Municipal Complex Planning - The meeting was held on Tuesday evening. Cara White thanked all SPIN reps who attended. As a reminder the meeting will be rebroadcast on Channel 25. Ms. White encouraged the SPIN representatives to make their neighborhoods aware of the project and to encourage their participation in the project. ✓Meeting Report Forms - Shana Yelverton provided forms for the Standing Committee members to use to report neighborhood meeting activity. Forms were provided for 1995, as well as 1996. She asked SPIN representatives to help staff bring the records up-to-date. Agenda Item. No. 4 - Presentation: Developing the Village Center (Ryan Stebbins. Rialto Town Centres) - Cara White introduced Brian Stebbins, Rialto Town Centres, who is planning to develop the Village Center property (Fechtel's Farm). Mr. Stebbins began his presentation by discussing his background. He has a number of years of experience in development, primarily in Australia. He is now working out of California and works primarily on retail. Most of their work, however, has been in Texas. He has investigated a number of places in which to develop, and found Southlake to be a high quality community committed to planning. The joint venture for the Southlake project is based on a fifteen -year commitment. He noted that he and his family are planning to move to Southlake. The City has recommended that the site be master planned. Thus, he is working to develop a concept for the entire site. He will be working with David Schwarz, an architect with an excellent reputation. Mr. Schwarz was the architect for the Ballpark at Arlington and is working with the Bass Brothers on a project in downtown Fort Worth. Mr. Stebbins stated that he is hoping to submit plans to the City in the next 60-90 days. He wants to visit with the SPIN neighborhoods because he believes the nature and size of the development dictate that he interact very closely with the community to develop the site. The scope of the project is such that they want significant interaction with the community. A citywide SPIN meeting is scheduled for Monday, March 4, 1996. He plans to introduce himself and discuss the general concepts they are looking at. The northern portion of the property (SH 114) will be looked at as the regional side, and the FM 1709 side will incorporate local uses. The development will include a town square (which could be anywhere from 1-2 acres). This area will have "park -like" features, and will draw the uses together. They hope to recreate the emotional heart and soul of a downtown, a centralized community area. Beyond the town square, they are hoping to consider other uses. They understand that multi- family housing is controversial, but they want to explore this as an option. They are also considering things like hotels, entertainment, and retail. Nothing will be proposed until the uses have been explored thoroughly. Of course, there will be an office component to be considered. He further discussed hotel and entertainment uses. He is working with theatres (ten to fourteen theatres). He also discussed the "big box" users, and suggested that his group will be looking at these to locate on the SH 114 side. These might include groups like Barnes & Nobles or groups such as this. The hotel and box users would be located along SH 114. FM 1709 might include multi -family uses, although he understands the controversies with this issue. The entertainment zone would include theaters, restaurants, etc. The office uses would be located along the town center. Other uses might include neighborhood retail centers. Again, he hopes to use the citywide SPIN meeting to get input and listen to the issues and concerns of the citizens. Cara White asked if a concept plan would be prepared for the Monday night meeting. Mr. Stebbins stated that one had been prepared, but he is hoping to spend most of his time listening. She encouraged all of the SPIN representatives to attend Monday's meeting and give him their input. Agenda Item No 5 - Consider: SPIN Election Procedures - Cara White introduced the topic, noting that Joe Mast could not attend the meeting and that Laura Miklosko would be leading the discussion. Ms. Miklosko then briefly discussed the proposed election process. She also discussed the election survey process and the ballot. Ms. Miklosko stated that she believed Joe Mast had done an excellent job of leading this team. David Baltimore commented that the committee report recommends an election to fill the unexpired term of the officers who resigned through the end of the term, May 1996. According the policy, Cara White would elevate to Chair, and the remaining positions of Vice Chair and Secretary would be filled He agreed with Laura Miklosko that the process was the result of hard work of the committee. The group then discussed the issue of term limitations and the effect it has on the Standing Committee. This will affect the method of electing officers. Cara White suggested that the Executive Committee look into this issue -- it will require revising the ordinance -- and bring something back to the Standing Committee in April. Laura Miklosko noted that the Standing Committee should look at items #1-9 for purposes of approving the election process. Items #2, 3, and 5 are contingent upon changes to the ordinance. Wayne Haney asked for further clarification on the process. David Baltimore explained that prior to the election a survey will be sent to all Standing Committee members for the purpose of determining who would like to run. Then, a ballot will be compiled to be distributed to Standing Committee members for voting purposes at the next meeting. Mr. Baltimore pointed out that the survey will allow people to volunteer to serve, even if they cannot make the meeting when the elections occur. Mr. Haney commented that he believed this is a fair way to handle elections, and he supports the changes in timing so that the Standing Committee, and specifically the Executive Committee, would not be adversely affected when members resign to run for City Council. Upon motion by Laura Miklosko, second by Katie Holzgraefe, the motion was made to approve the procedure with items #2, 3, and 5 contingent upon revisions to the ordinance. The motion passed unanimously. Agenda Item No. 6 - Consider: Election of Officers to Fill Unexpired Terms Created by Resignations - Ballots were distributed, based upon the survey taken early in the meeting. While ballots were being tabulated, the Standing Committee discussed the issue of having developers attend Standing Committee meetings. Karen Cienki expressed her dissatisfaction with having a developer "pitch" his or her development, due to meeting time constraints. Michelle Williams stated that she believes that developers need to be placed on the agenda in a formal method. Pattie Minder stated that she would prefer not to take up Standing Committee time to listen to a developer. Guest Denny McGrath suggested that the Executive Committee could be charged with making this decision. Doug Fierce stated that he believes that SPIN ought to call SPIN meetings, particularly when the meeting involves all SPIN neighborhoods. He believes that the Executive Committee could be empowered to make the decision, if necessary. Laura Miklosko stated that she believes the SPIN officers should always meet with the developers prior to a presentation by the developer at either a SPIN -sponsored citywide meeting or by invitation to the Standing Committee meeting. Doug Fierce stated that speakers coming to the Standing Committee should do so only at the request of the Executive Committee. Ballots were tallied, and the results were Laura Miklosko (6) and Joe Mast (6). Cynda Mast stated that she believed Joe Mast would leave the position to Laura Miklosko. Ms. Miklosko agreed to accept the position of Vice Chair. Ballots were then distributed for the position of Secretary. The Standing Committee selected Joe Mast as secretary. As mentioned under the previous agenda item, Cara White will take on the role of Chair since she served as Vice Chair prior to Rex Potter's resignation. Agenda Item No. 7 - Discussion: March Joint Meeting with City Council - Cara White noted that the joint meeting with the City Council is coming up in March and the Standing Committee needs to determine what should be on the agenda. Despite the changes coming with the City Council, the Standing Committee believes that the joint meeting should occur. Laura Miklosko suggested that the candidates be invited. Cara White suggested that topics could include progress on public works projects and S.H. 114. David Baltimore suggested that the municipal complex could be another topic of discussion. David Baltimore asked how the presentation will be made. Would there be a round table discussion or would Chair Cara White lead the discussion? Ultimately it was decided that all of the suggestions of the Standing Committee would be compiled, and the City Council would have an opportunity to suggest topics as well. The Executive Committee can finalize the agenda at its next meeting. Agenda Item No. 8 - Discussion: Progress on 1995-96 Goals & Objectives - Cara White noted that the progress of the goals and objectives was documented on the project status sheets provided to each Standing Committee member. She asked if there was any discussion on any of these items. Katie Holzgraefe pointed out that she was putting together an "informational packet" to be distributed to the community groups that could benefit from SPIN. Laura Miklosko asked if the Standing Committee could get a project status sheet that states "completed." Shana Yelverton stated that this would be no problem. Ms. Miklosko also asked how the goals would be finalized. Shana Yelverton stated that the recommendations would be brought forward for formal consideration by the full Standing Committee. Agenda Item No. 8 - Open Forum - Cara White reported that Laura Mi rdosko had been asked to serve as the citizen representative on the review board to select the Community Services Officer. This is a position being funded through a grant with the U.S. Department of Justice. The officer will be a community liaison working in the Department of Public Safety. Ms. White also brought up the idea of formally recognizing the outgoing Executive Committee and/or Standing Committee members. She stated that she has the "SPIN Report" at the March 5 City Council meeting, and would be happy to recognize them at that time. Betty Springer stated that she worried that this would be viewed as an endorsement, since they are7 both candidates for public office. Cynda Mast stated that she recalled that the Code of Conduct addressed political endorsements and that the perception might be that presenting a certificate of appreciation would be an endorsement. Martin Schelling suggested recognizing them after the election. Michelle Williams asked if they could be recognized at the next Standing Committee meeting. This will be considered more before any action is taken. Agenda Item No. 9 - Meeting Adjourned - There being no further discussion, the meeting adjourned at 8:55 p.m. ATTE Shana Yelv rton, Staff Liaison