HomeMy WebLinkAboutCEDC Minutes 2017-01-04 RegularFriendswood Community and Economic Development Committee
Meeting Minutes
January 4, 2017
The Friendswood Community and Economic Development Committee met on Wednesday,
January 4, 2017 at 8:30 a.m., in the second floor conference room of Friendswood city Hall, 910
South Friendswood Drive, Friendswood, Texas, with the following members present: Chair
Pauline Moore, Vice Chair Marcus Perry, Brett Banfield, Skip Evans, Lorrie Foreman, Gary Kay,
and Jennifer Whitley. Also present were Planning and Zoning Commissioner Richard Sasson and
Friendswood Independent School District Superintendent Trish Hanks.
Staff member present was Karen Capps.
Absent from the meeting were Bill Provenzano and Dr. Hilmar Zeissig.
1. Call to Order. The meeting was called to order by Chair Pauline Moore at 8:31 a.m.
2. Roll call was made. There was a quorum.
3. Approval of Minutes
An amendment was made to the meeting minutes to include the statement that the CEDC provided
full support of P&Z's recommendations regarding their proposed ordinance regarding large retail
establishments. Gary Kay made a motion to approve the amended November 2, 2016 meeting
minutes. The motion was seconded by Skip Evans and it passed unanimously in the committee.
After further discussion, the committee requested that P&Z review and provide the ability for the
P&Z Commission to waive or include flexible alternatives in the ordinance if the six foot
projections or intrusions on 200 feet of wall planes could not be met by a developer.
4. Discussion and possible action regarding planning and goal setting for the CEDC —
Overview of the Panhandle area
With a GIS map, Karen Capps provided an overview of the area referred to as the panhandle that
encompasses FM 2351 to Beamer Road to Dixie Farm Road. The City annexed the area into the
city limits in 1982 as industrial zoned land. In 1985, the City rezoned the front 300 feet along FM
2351 from Industrial to Community Shopping Center. In January 1989, the City adopted a
resolution for cleanup of the Brio Environmental Superfund site which includes more than 142
acres along Dixie Farm Road. In 2004, the City amended its Major Thoroughfare Plan to include
the extension of Blackhawk Boulevard from Timber Creek's entrance to Beamer Road. In 2009,
the City secured an Economic Development Administration grant in the amount of $2 million the
provided an 8 inch waterline of 5,700 linear feet, a 12 inch gravity sewer line of 4,100 linear feet,
2,500 linear feet of force main, and a lift station along FM 2351. Available properties were
discussed, ownership, major taxpayers, and opportunities and challenges. It was discussed that
the Blackhawk extension is not identified in the City's Capital Improvements Project plan for
future funding. The future phases for infrastructure along Beamer Road are included but are
costly and many of the tracts along Beamer are affected by the floodway. It was also noted that
the tracts closer to Dixie Farm have the opportunity to request to tie into the City of Pearland's
lines and most tracts could possibly use a septic system. The expansion of Beamer Road will soon
provide more opportunities to the area. It was also discussed the possibility of attracting a
boutique hotel near the golf course. After discussion, the CEDC would like to 1) review the
Blackhawk extension, 2) consider a hotel study to attract a high -end hotel at only three specific
locations in the city: Downtown, Whitcomb property, and Panhandle, and 3) meet with Dan
Rucker of Coastal Bend Property Development as a major landowner.
5. Staff and member comments
Karen Capps provided a copy of the most recent residential/commercial ratio in the city.
6. Liaison reports
Richard Sasson reported that P&Z's Retail subcommittee will propose changes to the noise
decibel level from 58 to 55 maximum. P&Z will also propose to have separate public hearings
from City Council.
Trish Hanks reported that students are back in school and also discussed the new Texas Education
Agency A-F accountability system to be implemented by August 2018 that is based on student
achievement, student progress, closing the gaps, and postsecondary readiness.
7. Adjournment
The meeting adjourned at 10:22 a.m.