BRENHAM CITY COUNCIL APPROVES NEW SCHOOL ZONE ON WEST TOM GREEN STREET
Drivers will soon need to be mindful of a new school zone by Alton Elementary School, following official approval from the Brenham City Council at its meeting today (Thursday).
Councilmembers agreed to amend the city’s Code of Ordinances regulating speed limits in designated school crossing zones in order to establish a school zone on West Tom Green Street between South Market and South Austin Streets.
Public Works Director Dane Rau said the section of roadway was not included on the school zone list created by the city in 2009, because the building that currently houses the school was either being used for a different purpose or not at all.
Upon the council’s second reading of the ordinance at a future meeting, the city will erect signs and make the school zone active. As with all other campuses, the school zone will drop the speed limit to 20 mph during the hours of 7:30 to 8:30 a.m. and 2:45 to 4 p.m.
Also at today’s meeting, the council appointed 11 members to serve on the city’s Historic Preservation Ordinance Committee. An ordinance, if created and approved, would authorize the city to protect and preserve places and areas of historical importance, and allow it to regulate activities on designated areas of significance.
City of Brenham Tourism and Marketing Director Jennifer Eckermann said the committee will get to work quickly on researching and potentially creating an ordinance.
Members appointed to the committee were councilmembers Susan Cantey and Clint Kolby; Planning and Zoning Commissioners Deanna Alfred and Cayte Neil; Main Street Board members Jim Moser and John Hermann; and public representatives Mary Thornhill, Katie Burch, Tina Henderson, Ed Owens, and Tami Redshaw.
The city began looking into the creation of a historic preservation ordinance in February, but progress on the project came to a halt after the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The council also:
- Approved an ordinance on its first reading granting a variance to Section 23-21(3)(a) and (3)(c) of the city’s Code of Ordinances, Chapter 23, Subdivisions. The item allows a subdivision located in the city’s Extraterritorial Jurisdiction (ETJ) to allow Tract One to have a lot size of 0.75 acres instead of the required 1 acre, and to allow Tract Two to have a front lot width of 25 feet at the road instead of the required 125 feet for property at 1093 South Berlin Road. Cantey was the lone vote in opposition, saying she was concerned that approving this item could set a precedent for future properties.
- Approved a professional services agreement between the city and Infrastructure Management Services related to the 2020 Pavement Data Collection and Analysis Services.
- Approved a noise variance for the city’s Community Picnic, scheduled for November 1st from 4 to 6 p.m. at Henderson Park.
- Proclaimed October 4-10 as Fire Prevention Week and October 29th as “Think Pink Thursday” in support of breast cancer awareness. Brenham Fire Chief Ricky Boeker said the Brenham Fire Department’s annual Bucket Brigade skits will take place differently due to COVID-19. Instead of going into schools and performing the skits live, the department will videotape them and copy them to CDs, which will be distributed to schools for them to watch.
About time
Should have had ordinances in place long ago. There a modern building where the should not be. For example a vision center on Austin street next to and across street from historic homes… how does that preserve history and the area? History is not only in the downtown area….
You may give up your property rights. You may approve of a a bigger government. Not me. Not my family property that has been in the family for four generations. The first generation lived without people telling us what we can and cannot do. The fourth and future generation don’t need anybody to tell us what we can and cannot do. End of story.
Taxpayer, this is a cash-cow when the city starts writing speeding tickets. It is just like the cash-cow drainage fee that was approved a year ago.
since it will be a school zone now, can yall PLEASE redo that road? it is terrible
That part of Tom Green is Concrete done many years ago. Same goes for Germania its parallel to Tom Green & yes both concrete & in need of repair. Somewhere I recall it was mentioned repairs could not be done due to concrete. Suppose that’s the beauty of days gone by & we’ll just have to live w/it. Am sure it can be asphalted but that would mean tear up all concrete & there’s other road infrastructure that needs $$$ spent & in far worse shape. So heavily used that I’m sure redo in the future wouldn’t be possible.