Tuesday, May 15, 2007

Lancaster City Council meeting recap

By Thomas Allen

LANCASTER — On Monday, May 14, 2007, the Lancaster City Council moved rapidly through a consent agenda that included the following topics: an ordinance establishing fees and charges, an ordinance ratifying an action by the Economic Development Corporation Board of Directors, an ordinance approving the terms and conditions of an agreement between the city of Lancaster and the Lancaster Economic Development Corporation for administrative support and legal services, an ordinance approving a contract for a utility rate study, an ordinance accepting easement dedications, an ordinance vacating and abandoning drainage, street, and utility easements in the Boardwalk subdivisions, a resolution approving the terms and conditions of a ten year lease between the city of Lancaster and Jagob Partners, LTD, and a resolution regarding the support of Super Bowl XLV.

All of the items in the consent agenda except one were adopted in one vote, with no discussion. The lease issue was taken off the table because the city attorney had requested that another lease provision be inserted. City Manager Ricky Childers suggested that the lease be resubmitted to the prospective tenant and brought back for approval at another meeting. The city attorney informed the council it was not necessary. The council approved the lease with the provision included as suggested by the city attorney. The approved lease would be resubmitted to the prospective tenant. The city attorney said there would be no agreement if the revised terms of the lease were not accepted.

A public hearing was held concerning a request for a specific use permit by a building materials store. No one other than the applicant spoke for or against the permit. Councilwoman Carol Strain Burke expressed concern that the site plan didn't include sidewalks. Other council members spent considerable time interrogating the applicant about a sign. The applicant made it clear in his presentation that he was going to take down all signs and replace them with just one sign, which would be an illuminated sign mounted between existing poles. Councilwoman Anderson said that it was too bad a masonry company couldn't build a masonry sign. The property is what is now known as the "Jordan Marine" property. Council member James Daniels expressed his strong approval of the project. Council member Daniels asked the applicant if the applicant would install sidewalks, and the applicant said he would. The SUP was approved with the stipulation that the sidewalk would be installed in TXDOT right of way if TXDOT would agree.

A second public hearing was held concerning a tract of land at Danieldale and Cumberland. A developer planned to develop the property as a restaurant and retail facility. It was a speculative venture and he had no specific tenants at the time. Councilmember Dick Headen asked the applicant to reveal the identity of his tenants and the specific type of businesses that would be located there. Mayor Joe Tillotson said he understood what Councilmember Headen was implying and asked if he was concerned that a sexually oriented business could be located there. Mayor Tillotson assured Councilmember Headen that a sexually oriented business would not be permitted in a retail zone. The applicant sought waivers from staff requirements for extra trees. The applicant pointed out that his site plan already met the city's tree requirements without the additional trees requested by city staff. City staff suggested that they had been lenient with the applicant on such things as the placement of the garbage dumpster and thought they could get some trees in return. While expressing initial reluctance to giving way to a tree requirement, councilmember Strain-Burke finally conceded that the trees on an adjoining tract overshadowed this project and that any additional trees would probably not survive in competition with the trees from an adjoining tract. After discussion that focused primarily on the trees, the city council voted unanimously to approve the Specific Use Permit.

No one appeared to comment upon the use of fiscal year 2007 block grant funds. The city council voted to approve year 2007 block grant funds for the construction of asphalt streets. There being no other business, the meeting was adjourned.

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