SECOND READING OF RE-ZONING REQUESTS APPROVED BY CITY COUNCIL
The Brenham City Council approved a second reading of the re-zoning of four parcels of land during their meeting this afternoon (Thursday). The ordinances for two of the tracts of land on the North side of Old Mill Creek Road as well as a section at the northwest corner of the intersection of Old Mill Creek Road and South Seager Street were passed with a single “no” vote coming from Councilman Ebel. The section of land at the intersection of Ewing and Rucker Streets was unanimously approved.
The three pieces of property off of Old Mill Creek Road near Blinn College would be used for an apartment complex. The fourth, at the corner of Ewing and Rucker Streets and would include construction of a new Burger King restaurant.
The council held a work session at today’s meeting (Thursday) where they heard a presentation from Erik Smith and Thomas Whisnant with Sign Ad Outdoor regarding digital billboards within the city limits.
Billboards defined as “spectacular” – an outdoor advertising display with flashing or moving parts – are not currently allowed inside the city limits. Concerns about distracted driving were brought up in opposition of digital billboards. The company did however say that it could extend 40 hours of advertising with the digital billboards for the City of Brenham.
Also during the meeting, the council approved a bid from Collier Construction for concrete for the library parking lot project; leasing office automation equipment from Ricoh USA; improvements in the Ralston Creek Subdivision; as well as a noise variance request from the Washington Co. Juneteenth Association for the Juneteenth celebration, June 17th and 18th at Firemen’s Park.
40 years of service to the City of Brenham was recognized during the meeting. Wanda Kramer – Utility Billing Supervisor – was honored for her 40 years of service to the city. Brenham was also awarded the GFOA Distinguished Budget award for the 7th consecutive year. May was proclaimed Motorcycle Awareness Month for the City as well as May 17th and 20th proclaimed Loc
Money talks…..always has always will. Almost all of the decisions made are made because of a “benefit” to Brenham. Often times at the cost of our small town.
What does Houston and Brenham now have in common? First, apparently neither city has a zoning ordinance. The city of Brenham does not have a planner that looks at streets and traffic capacity when presenting zoning changes nor are citizen petitions given any consideration. If Brenham no longer has zoning. We should save taxes and not have a planner either. Second, we have a city council member that voted for his own benifit. D. Goss you should have not participated in the zoning decision next to your office property. I am really ashamed of you representing my city. Bad planning and bad politics are ruining our Brenham
Resident, it’s difficult to understand your opposition to the Old Mill Creek development. You seem to imply that OMC road has insufficient capacity for the commercial development near the existing new Blinn dorms, while this would presumably only affect the strip of OMC rd. between Blinn and the 290 loop. I can only see your complaints as plausible in light of your own residential access to Brenham, City of. Pecan Glenn residents can easily access Brenham via either OMC rd. or FM 389, but it seems you prefer OMC over FM 389. I can understand that, as I consider FM 389 one of the most dangerous roads in the area, given its inappropriately high speed limits, narrow width, lack of shoulders (for the most part), and heavy traffic. Yet it is frankly nearly identical to OMC rd., other than the speed limits and lighter traffic. It seems to me that your beef more properly ought to be with TXDOT over FM 389 out in Washington County, not OMC rd. within Brenham. I work frequently alongside both roads, and I much prefer OMC. People do often seem to ignore its speed limits, but that’s their fault, not the City’s, and the traffic is much, much lighter. Given the location of the development, it’s hard to imagine that the traffic beyond the city limits will increase much, if at all, and I think OMC is very safe at the posted speed limits, if only folks would observe them.
These councilmen should be held accountable at the next election. They heard from the citizens at every hearing and refused to listen. They are, I think supposed to Be representatives, not rulers.
When the traffic accidents occur in the future. The elected officials and planning manager will be held accountable for over development on narrow city streets not designed for the development.