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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCEDC Minutes 2003-11-05 RegularCommunity and Economic Development Committee Minutes November 5, 2003 The Community and Economic Development Committee met on Wednesday, November 5, 2003, in the second floor conference room of City Hall, at 8 a.m., with the following members present: Chair Gregory Crinion, Tony Banfield, Kevin Candee, Maurice Estlinbaum, Gary Harris, James Gerland, Andy Massicott, and Zekie McVeigh. Also present were the following liaisons: Council member Tracy Goza, Friendswood Chamber of Commerce President Carol Jones, and Planning and Zoning Chair Bob Bertrand. Staff members present were Karen Capps and Ron Cox. Absent from the meeting were Tony Banfield, Trish Hanks, Dr. Sandra Mossman, and Jim Reinhartsen. 1. Call to Order. Chair Crinion called the meeting to order at 8:06 a.m. with a quorum present. 2. Approval of Minutes. Andy Massicott made a motion to approve the minutes of the meeting of October 1, 2003. Gary Harris seconded the motion and it passed unanimously in the committee. 3. Discussion and possible action regarding the Grand Parkway Segment B study. At the October 2003 CEDC meeting, Mr. David Gornet, Executive Director of the Grand Parkway Association (GPA) gave a presentation regarding the history and the various proposed routes of the Grand Parkway. Mr. Gornet and the CEDC discussed the final three proposed routes for Segment B, which includes a 25-mile area extending from Highway 288 in the west to I-45 in the east, and traveling through the communities of Alvin, Manvel, Dickinson, Friendswood, Iowa Colony, League City, and Pearland. At the November meeting, the committee reviewed the GPA map dated June 2003 and pursued discussion. CEDC member Kevin Candee made a motion and recommendation that City Council adopt a resolution to support the northerly route referred to as Route N- 1 of Segment B of the Grand Parkway Association map. Gary Harris seconded the motion and it passed unanimously in the committee. The committee observed the following community and economic development benefits of the Segment B N-1 route for the city. • The N-1 route conforms with the Grand Parkway proposed route delineated in the current City of Friendswood Major Thoroughfare Plan and Comprehensive Land Use Plan that have long been approved and adopted by City Council and the Planning and Zoning Commission. • The N-1 route is expected to further diversify and support the city's property tax base by increasing property land values in the area. • The N-1 route would serve as an emergency evacuation route for Friendswood and area residents. • The N-1 route would be expected to provide economic development benefits to the city through increased commercial development where the Grand Parkway intersects with major thoroughfares in the city, including FM 528 and Bay Area Boulevard. • The properties in the area of the proposed N-1 Route have long been set aside for commercial development on the city's comprehensive land use plan. • The GPA has selected the final three route options in part by minimizing the number of occupied properties along its route to be purchased and locating the Grand Parkway in unoccupied areas to the greatest extent feasible. • Proposed Route N-1 as currently delineated on the GPA June 2003 map would be located in the southern portion of Friendswood, running in an east/west direction south of the American Canal and the HL&P easement. The land in the area is primarily unoccupied or has low -density occupancy. • The land to be crossed by proposed Route N-1 within the city presents general development obstacles because of flooding and existing pipelines and pipeline easements, such that there may be limited commercial uses of that land. • The Grand Parkway is a restricted access roadway, without feeder roads, and with a greater degree of landscaping than is utilized on other limited access roads. The Grand Parkway will not be another FM 1960. • The Grand Parkway is a circumferential route, not an axial route, and is therefore not expected to cause urban sprawl. Commercial development is expected in the area of interchanges with other roadways, including FM 528 and Bay Area Boulevard. • Route N-1 is expected to have the lowest cost of the three final proposed routes. 4. Discussion and possible action regarding rezoning land on FM 528 owned by CDC - Houston Inc. for economic development purposes. At the October meeting, the committee discussed the economic development benefits of rezoning this 65-acre parcel of land from residential to commercial to help achieve the 80/20 tax base goal. It was noted that CDC representatives requested that the City take the lead to rezone the parcel from single-family residential zone to a combination of community shopping center (CSC) and business park (BP) zones so that it will align with the zoning of their property that was recently annexed into the city through a land swap agreement with the City of League City. Chair Crinion noted that the property appears to be developable without having any apparent pipeline easements and flooding issues. After discussion, committee member Kevin Candee made a motion for City staff to initiate the process of a city -sponsored rezoning for the 65 acre (+-) CDC property located on FM 528 past Autumn Creek subdivision. Greg Crinion seconded the motion and it passed unanimously. 5. Reports: A. Broker/Developer events Chair Crinion reported on the broker event held on October 9 at Timber Creek Golf Club. He said approximately 70 people attended the workshop and bus tour. Six council members and two CEDC members also attended. There was good feedback regarding the event, and Griffin Marketing and staff are following up with a survey that has been sent out to all brokers/developers that were present. Chair Crinion encouraged all CEDC members to attend the Galleria broker event scheduled for November 18. B. Communications/marketing The committee was provided a written report of economic development related articles published in area newspapers during the last month. 6. Adjournment. There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 9:15 a.m.