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HomeMy WebLinkAboutPACKET MAY 01 2012 - WORK SESSION SIGN WITH OFFOUTUNI!T B,EAu,EN T * Z * X * A * S REGULAR MEETING OF THE CITY COUNCIL TYRRELL PARK GARDEN CENTER—6088 BABE ZAHARIAS DRIVE MAY 1,2012 1:30 P.M. AGENDA CALL TO ORDER * Invocation Pledge Roll Call WORK SESSION 1. Hotel Beaumont 2. Event Centre—Surrounding Property 3. Camping Ordinance 4. Local Bidder Preference Policy 5. Crossing Guard Program 6. Update on Oil and Gas Revenue 7. Update on Downtown Skate Park 8. Update on Downtown Quiet Zone 9. Update on Concord Road COMMENTS * Councilmembers/City Manager comment on various matters Persons with disabilities who plan to attend this meeting and who may need auxiliary aids or services are requested to contact Mitchell Normand at 880-3777 three days prior to the meeting. HOTEL BEAUMONT EXECUTIVE SUMMARY In 1998,the City borrowed$11 million from the Department of Housing and Urban Development's Section 108 Loan Program. The loan is being repaid over a 20-year period with Community Development Block Grant funds and loan repayments from Crockett Street Development, LTD. Projects that benefitted from the loan include Hotel Beaumont,the Crockett Street Project,the Jefferson Theatre,the Melton Facility and the Johns Library. The Hotel Beaumont Project included a$2 million loan and a$1.175 million grant. The City has been repaying the$3.175 million over the past 13 years,and there is an outstanding balance of $1,985,818.20. In March of 2012,the City of Beaumont acquired the property at 625 Orleans,known as Hotel Beaumont, from Capital One Bank in the amount of$824,248.95. Other expenses include back taxes totaling$42,693.18 and ongoing maintenance and utility expenditures. CONSIDERATION BY COUNCIL Does the City Council have a preference for the use of the building,and what should the minimum sales price be in order to accept proposals? EVENT CENTRE - SURROUNDING PROPERTY EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The Event Centre will replace the Harvest Club, which was heavily damaged by Hurricanes Rita and Ike. The facility is part of a 16-acre master planned development that includes a two-acre body of water,a pedestrian trail around the perimeter, and alarge grassy area known as the Great Lawn. A Children's Museum will be located adjacent to the Event Centre property in the former Oil City Brass Building. There is property located on the north side of the 16 acres that is desirable for overflow parking for the Event Centre as well as parking for the proposed skate park. The property referenced above is located on the west side of Magnolia Street, south of Laurel Street. The tract contains 1.125 acres of land, or 49,005 square feet. The tract includes a 50-plus-year-old masonry warehouse building that is 35,230 square feet. The building is in poor condition and shows signs of neglect and vandalism. Bishop Real Estate Appraisers, Inc.,appraised the property at$47,000,which accounts for the $100,000 cost of demolition of the warehouse. The Appraiser determined that the warehouse is at the end of its economic life,offering no measurable contributory value. The appraisal also states the highest and best use requires the demolition of the building to make way for alternate development of the land. Owner Tom Adams with TARM Properties LLC is in the process of obtaining his own appraisal. He is not in agreement with the current offer. CONSIDERATION BY COUNCIL Is the City Council interested in acquiring this property? If so, funds are available in the Capital Reserve. } 9 �. �� ��, p�-� �, �, i -:�. E�6 �� _ .�^ �� 9 �� �} ��������»�{ +���%��»§ . <\:����� &� .:���y\ ������ ������/�/\�\ � � : \. Wawa dm� � � M � wry AM a At 4 a�y "In k A' F a J �. In 6� %01�. kry. h�'k�','�edY:"tom' #� "i 1iY Re µ':a'e^.F�. '�Ii t .�','Ew.n,'�.t�� '.�•""TJ� �. � q mSIC '^'P w.. , _ _ ` �«� �, - ..w.. ��:�: ,.:: r��-� ., �. .. , aF' Si r :, - -� -��"`- _ CAMPING ORDINANCE EXECUTIVE SUMMARY As a result of Beaumont's mild climate,location along the I-10 corridor,and proximity to Houston,our city,like many, faces the persistent challenge of homelessness. Research shows that homeless individuals can fall into several categories. Some are homeless as a result of financial difficulties, some have mental health issues, some have substance abuse issues and some fall into some or all of these categories. Each year the City allocates CDBG funding to non-profits. Half of that funding goes to programs that assist the homeless. In addition,over the last two years,the City applied for,received and administered more than$740,000 in homelessness prevention funds. This year,we are seeking $143,199 in 2012 Emergency Solution Grant(ESG)homeless funding from HUD,and up to an additional$700,000 in ESG funding from the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs (TDHCA). Another factor in dealing with this issue is how to provide for those who are homeless compassionately,while protecting the rights and quality of life due to our citizens. Because downtown areas tend to provide more access to services and more public spaces than other areas, homeless populations tend to occupy downtown areas. However, as downtowns are being revitalized,many cities are enacting ordinances prohibiting camping. In a recent study by a homeless advocacy organization,one-third of the 235 cities surveyed had enacted a camping ordinance to maintain a standard of health, safety and quality of life by prohibiting encampments. Since 1992,more than$170 million in private and public reinvestment has been made in Downtown Beaumont. Recently,more permanent tent encampments have been established in our Downtown. Encampments have been found near the new Event Centre,near Edison Plaza and under Downtown off-ramps of Interstate 10. In order to address this problem, we are proposing an ordinance that would prevent this type of encampment. In an effort to develop a fair and easily understandable ordinance,we have fashioned this ordinance after those adopted by the City of Austin and the City of Conroe. The proposed ordinance allows camping on private property, with the permission of the owner. Camping on public property or on private property,without permission of the owner, would be prohibited. COUNCIL CONSIDERATION Is the City Council interested in considering the proposed ordinance? � New Event Centre x Camp at old slab, across from the New Event Centre, Children's Museum and Bus Depot w •� I Camp at o. varehouse, acres from the New 4M Contre, Child Mu utn and Skate Park Camp at cold slab, across from the New Event Centre, Children's Museum and Bus Depot a s 'WItl wt '# la wil . x .rte v _ P ^ y a 3 � a a' i I �3r•�iayd . `�T�'sa4Tyw'�i.r .,.°-.,�y�� ?1'a'��.:. y f Camp on N. 9th Street, near Knife Ruder 1 t g i 4 a © w v. Camp of multiple structures n the woods behind theop 4+ ncod and Pinkston, near Smith Middle School + Y 3 F "AW VA • e a • LOCAL BIDDER PREFERENCE POLICY EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The Texas Local Government Code Sections 271.905(a)and 271.9051 apply to competitive bids only and allow the City to consider a bidder's principal place of business when awarding a contract. The place of business can be considered in the following circumstances: (1)if the purchase is for real property or tangible personal property not affixed to real property and the bid is within 3%of the lowest bid price;or(2)if the purchase is for real property,tangible personal property not affixed to real property, or for services,is less than$100,000,and the bid is within 5%of the lowest bid price. In order to apply this consideration, it has to be determined that the bidder whose principal place of business is within the city limits offers the best combination of price and economic development opportunity,measured by employment of residents and tax revenues. The City reserves the right to hire the lowest responsible bidder,the bidder with the local presence,or reject all bids. The local consideration does not apply to telecommunication services,purchases involving in whole or in part federal funding, state grant funding, cooperative purchasing agreements,or agreements with other municipalities. Because the code does not define principal place of business, each municipality that has implemented the local consideration has developed its own definition. COUNCIL CONSIDERATION Is the City Council interested in considering the adoption of a local bidder preference policy? CROSSING GUARD PROGRAM EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Records indicate that since 1986,the City has administered and participated financially in a school crossing guard program with the Beaumont Independent School District. The budget for the program at that time was$44,000,which included 20 crossing guards and one supervisor. Since that time,budget and staffing for the program have increased. The current budget includes 40 crossing guards and assignments by two other full-time personnel. The cost of the program for the 2010-2011 school year was$1.74,152.52. Beaumont Independent School District reimbursed the City for half of the cost, $87,076.26. CONSIDERATION BY COUNCIL Is the City Council interested in transferring the administrative responsibility of the crossing guard program to the Beaumont Independent School District?Also, should the City continue to partially fund the program, since BISD has its own police department? UPDATE ON OIL & GAS REVENUE EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The City of Beaumont entered into an oil and gas lease with Cimarex Energy Co. of Tulsa, Oklahoma, in 2007 for 275.44 acres of land on and near the Beaumont Municipal Airport. The City has a 25%royalty interest. To date,the City has received$51,143,932.88. Congress approved an FAA Reauthorization Bill in February.The bill includes a provision for any qualifying jurisdiction to receive permission from the FAA to use revenues derived from activities - such as natural gas drilling at the Beaumont Municipal Airport-for non-airport related transportation infrastructure projects within the City.The FAA will develop regulations by May of 2012 to implement the new provision. Once the rules are written,the City of Beaumont will make a request to the FAA to utilize approximately$45 million for street projects. The consensus of the City Council last year was to use the oil and gas proceeds for the following street projects: Washington Boulevard(111-10 to MLK); Old Dowlen(Dowlen to Highway 105); Dowlen(Highway 69 to Delaware)and Seventh Street(111-10 to Laurel).A new project for consideration,which will be proposed in the 2013 Capital Program,is titled Dowlen Parkway.The proposed parkway would connect Parkdale Mall with Old Dowlen Road,Major Drive,and Folsom Road. The connection with Major Drive would be with the existing Homsar Boulevard and the connection with Folsom would be with the existing Pointe Parkway. The estimated cost for the project is$6 million. If the Dowlen Parkway Project is approved and constructed,the original scope of the Dowlen Road Project(Highway 69 to Delaware)may change,which would decrease the cost of the project. UPDATE ON DOWNTOWN SKATE PARK EXECUTIVE SUMMARY In order to continue the revitalization of Downtown Beaumont,the City is in the process of adding a skate park at the comer of Laurel and the newly-constructed Magnolia. In order to fund this project,the City has secured Economic Development Initiative(EDI)funds from the Department of Housing and Urban Development(HUD). These funds total $327,200. In addition,the City is working with an anonymous donor to enhance the project. With the final release from HUD, given in March,the request for proposals for a design-build of this unique project is being finalized and should be issued within the next few weeks. The design will include a hard surface with skating features, lighting, landscaping and signage. In addition,more significant skating features, such as ramps and bowls,may be provided by the donor. m'a;➢'f'�� Via„ 1��'Y3k' k?r�!t•7- C+. �.m - �" .d: ---i' � -�' _ fi. 3 MA Px UPDATE ON DOWNTOWN QUIET ZONE EXECUTIVE SUMMARY In February 2011,the City closed the intersection of Main Street and Gilbert. In February 2012, the City Council authorized the closure of the intersection of Trinity and Gilbert. Kansas City Southern Railroad agreed to pay the City of Beaumont$45,000 for the closure of Trinity. The Texas Department of Transportation(TxDOT)has agreed to upgrade the signal at Neches Street to accommodate a potential quiet zone crossing. The Public Works Department has applied to the Planning and Zoning Commission to close Gilbert Street from Main Street to Trinity Street,and to close the on grade crossing at Pearl Street(similar to Main and Trinity). If approved by Planning and Zoning and by City Council, KCS will pay the City of Beaumont another$45,000 for closure at Pearl Street. The money received for the respective closures will fund the required improvements needed for the quiet zone. The City's improvement could be completed in approximately 90 days. City staff has been in contact with the Federal Railroad Administration(FRA)regarding the limits and requirements of the quiet zone,and will be making its application to the FRA. The specific time table for the quiet zone is unknown at this time, as it involves participation of FRA, KCS, and TxDOT. UPDATE ON CONCORD ROAD EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The City granted the Texas Department of Transportation(TxDOT)permission to proceed with the Concord Road Project in July 2012. The City has four properties to acquire,with three of the four properties in the eminent domain process. City Attorney Tyrone Cooper is working on the eminent domain properties with Antoinette Hardy of Public Works. The process is expected to be complete by the end of June. After all of the properties are acquired, Entergy,AT&T, Time Warner and Centerpoint will begin relocating their lines. The City has met with all of the utilities regarding the project. After TxDOT awards the project,there will be a 90-day period to allow the utilities to complete their relocation. If the relocation is completed earlier,that period will be shortened. The project is expected to be complete in two years. The Concord Road Project includes Federal Highway Administration funding up to $7,375,000. Because federal funds will be used, TxDOT will manage construction instead of City staff. City staff will be involved in the project,but not to the level to which we are accustomed.