BRENHAM CITY COUNCIL HOLDS TALKS ON COMPREHENSIVE PLAN COMMITTEE

  

The Brenham City Council discussed an advisory committee geared to update the city’s comprehensive plan at today’s (Thursday) meeting.

The Comprehensive Plan Advisory Committee (CPAC) will be made up of 15 members of the community, including representatives from the city council, the Mainstreet board, Planning and Zoning, and students and staff members from Brenham ISD and Blinn.

In September, the city approved an agreement with Kendig Keast Collaborative (KKC) worth just under $260,000, for the company to develop an update. Through this agreement, KKC will collect input from the public and form community-wide goals.

Stephanie Doland, Brenham’s Assistant Director of Development Services, said this committee would be a “sounding board” for items that go into the plan, talking with both city staff members and the KKC to develop the plan.

Upon Doland asking for a city council representative for the committee, Councilman Keith Herring volunteered. The council then considered citizens that could be good at-large members for the committee.  Names considered by the council included Mary Lou Winkelmann and David Fulchinski.

Doland said she would come back at the council’s next meeting on November 29^th, to present a draft of a list of volunteer members from different city boards and commissions.  The council also set a date for a joint workshop on December 6^th, beginning at 11 a.m.

In other items, councilmembers tabled an item concerning zoning ordinance amendments for the Vintage Farms Subdivision. Stylecraft Builders representative Doug French spoke on the proposed setback distance of air condition compressors from buildings.

Councilman Danny Goss questioned why French had changed his setback request from two feet to four-and-a-half feet, saying he thought it was making things complicated for the city. Goss made a motion to deny the item, with the exception of allowing a four-and-a-half foot rear yard setback for a compressor.  The motion was not seconded, and with no other motions made, councilmembers opted to table the item.

In addition, councilmembers passed a resolution adopting a fee schedule in the city’s oil and gas ordinance. These fees included set prices for drilling requirements in city limits, such as inspections and permits.

Councilmembers also held first reading of an ordinance detailing an increase in retirement annuities in the Texas Municipal Retirement System, effective January 1^st.  This increase would take the city’s contribution rate to the Consumer Price Index to 10.01 percent, from 9.72 percent.  The increase was said to be accounted for in the new year’s budget.

The council also approved changes to the council’s next meeting dates, and the 2019 holiday schedule. Employees will have 13 paid holidays, including a floating birthday holiday, and the newly added Washington County Fair Day, which will be the opening Wednesday of the fair.

The council also adopted a social media policy, which sets guidelines for city employees using any form of social media. The guidelines deal with promotion of special city events and services, along with revealing of public and personal information.

Councilmembers also approved a set of setback requirements for the College Heights Addition at 810 Brown Street. These setback requirements were previously authorized by the Planning and Zoning Commission.

The council also permitted a temporary closure of state right-of-way, for the Christmas Stroll and Lighted Parade set for December 1^st.  In conclusion, the council approved an agreement with the Brenham Pet Adoption and Care Center and Hill’s Pet Nutrition, for discounted pet food through Hill’s Food, Shelter and Love Program.