HomeMy WebLinkAboutCEDC Minutes 2007-05-02 RegularCommunity and Economic Development Committee Meeting
May 2, 2007
Executive Conference Room
Friendswood City Hall
910 South Friendswood Drive
Friendswood, TX 77546
1. Call to Order:
Chair, Jamie Ballard, called the meeting to order at approximately 8:10 a.m.
2. Roll Call:
Members present: Chair Jamie Ballard, Claude McEwen, Pauline Moore, Bill
Provenzano, Dr. Hilmar R. Zeissig.
Staff present: Bo McDaniel, City Manager and Karen Capps, Economic Development
Coordinator.
Liaisons present: Laura Ewing, City Council, Janet Stoney, Bay Area Houston Economic
Partnership.
Also in attendance were Brett Nichols and Janis Lowe.
Members absent were Kirk Lippert, Jon Olansen, and Ed Sebesta.
Ex-Officios absent: Trish Hanks/FISD, Carol Jones/Chamber of Commerce,
Michelle Arnold/CCISD, Jim Reinhartsen/BAHEP, Don Gartman/Galveston County ED.
3. Approval of April 4, 2007 minutes:
Hilmar Zeissig made a motion to approve the April 4, 2007 meeting minutes. The
motion was seconded by Pauline Moore. The April 4, 2007 minutes were unanimously
approved.
4. Discussion and possible action regarding the following Action Item reports;
including, but not limited to:
A. Strategic PlanningItems tems (Bill Provenzano)
The committee has not conducted feedback meetings during the last month.
B. Community Outreach Action Items (Karen Capps)
Bill Provenzano and Karen Capps conducted three business retention visits and
surveys with Dale Roberts of Coburn's Plumbing. Pauline Moore, Claude
McEwen and Karen Capps visited with Bill's Computers.
C. Finance Action Items (Kirk Lippert)
Lippert was not present for the meeting, and there was no report.
D. Update on UH-Clear Lake work on Vision 2020 and work toward Strategic Plan
for City Council Recommendations
Zeissig and Capps have continued to dialogue with the professor. They have
requested additional information regarding the breakdown of land and its zoning
in the city, what is developed and undeveloped. This additional information is
forthcoming. UHCL has not indicated the deadline for completion of their study.
5. Discussion and possible action regarding annual report by CEDC Chair to City
Council:
There was discussion regarding an annual report to the City Council by the Chair of the
CEDC. This is usually done during the month of January, however since the CEDC had
a joint workshop with City Council in January the committee's annual report was
postponed. Chair Ballard will present the report to the council in June.
6. Reports:
A. Planning and Zoning
Claude McEwen volunteered to attend and serve as the liaison to Planning and
Zoning Commission for the month of May.
B. Liaisons
1. City Council members Laura Ewing and Chris Peden will represent the City in
the Citizens for Space Exploration delegation to Washington, DC next week.
2. Chamber: no report
3. BAHEP: Karen Capps represented the City well at BAHEP's annual business
development reception, where there were approximately 170 commercial
developers and brokers in attendance. Karen Capps also attended and helped
man BAHEP's booth at the annual Houston Commercial Expo held at the J.W
Marriott in the Galleria.
4. Galveston County: no report
C. Marketing Griffin Marketing reports were distributed to the CEDC members.
Capps discussed several key points.
D. City Staff
1. Capps discussed several ongoing economic projects, including the early stages
of construction of the Banfield Properties. She represented the City at several
trade shows. McEwen and others reported that they were very impressed with
her ability to sell the City to potential commercial developers. Capps also
stated that the hotel study approved by City Council was underway and should
take about six weeks to complete.
E. Project Status Updates
1. The Falls at Friendswood — Eclipse Development Group continues to pursue
tenants and have hired NAI Partners Commercial as their commercial broker
to secure tenants.
2. CDC Properties — The medical clinic project is still viable, but would only
utilize approximately 10 acres of the total 120 undeveloped acres. For the
project to be economically viable to extend infrastructure to serve the land,
CDC would like prospects that would utilize the entire 120 acres.
3. Panhandle Industrial District property owners continue to express interest in
developing along FM 23 51, but water and sewer infrastructure improvements
are needed in order for the panhandle to develop.
4. Downtown Revitalization is progressing with the Banfield development
following the architectural style planned for downtown by urban
planning/architect team, PageSoutherlandPage. Buzbee Properties has
presented a conceptual plan to Planning and Zoning. P&Z is still working on
finalizing the new downtown zoning district that would replaced the OBD-
original business district zone.
7. Adjournment:
Chair Ballard adjourned the meeting at approximately 9:40 a.m.