BRENHAM CITY COUNCIL REVIEWS PROPOSED CHANGES TO PARKLET MANUAL

  

A series of revisions to the City of Brenham’s proposed parklet manual for downtown Brenham will proceed to the next stage.

During a work session today (Thursday), Brenham City Councilmembers were in agreement on changes to the manual, which covers the information and rules needed for prospective parklet developers in downtown.  The alterations cover issues like how many parklets are allowed in downtown, fees and parking.

City Manager Carolyn Miller said the changes come after additional discussion since the last council meeting to address concerns of councilmembers and staff.

 

Some of the changes made since prior council debate on the topic on April 20^th include removing the “private” and “public” classifications of parklets, making them all the same, and all subject to a $500 annual fee for the parklet sponsor.  All parklets can be reserved by the sponsor during their hours of operation; all other times, they will be open to the public.

One area discussed at length during the council’s last meeting was the required use of non-disposable dinnerware.  Restrictions on types of dinnerware will be removed, as now any downtown business, not just restaurants, will be able to sponsor parklets.  There will be a limit of six parklets in the downtown area, and no more than two parallel spaces and three angled spaces can be taken for a parklet.

Amplified sound will not be allowed at parklets, in accordance with current city ordinance.  In addition, no advertising will be allowed in or on any parklet.

Another talking point during the last council meeting was the use and design of umbrellas, which will now be replaced with the term shade structure.  Shade structures could be umbrellas, awnings, trees or another form of structure to provide shelter from the heat, and they will all need approval from the city’s development services department.  Downtown parklet improvements, including the purchase of shade structures, stools and planter boxes, could be eligible for grant funding from Main Street Brenham.

If the manual is approved, the initial round of parklet applications would be open for 60 days beginning on July 1^st.  The Main Street Board will review all applications received and make a recommendation to a council subcommittee before presenting the applications to the city council for consideration.  Once an application is approved, the parklet sponsor will have six months to begin the project.  The application process will open up to year-round after the first 60-day period, with the Main Street Board reviewing all requests.

No action was taken on the manual by the council, but it will now go to the Brenham Main Street Board for approval before coming back to the council for a vote next month.

Also at today’s meeting, the council accepted a gift deed of 1.5 acres of land from the Kruse family to use for the planned lake structure and retention pond at the Brenham Family Park.  Once the lake is developed, it will serve as a means of detention for the east side of South Chappell Hill Street.

In other business, the council:

• Met in executive session to discuss several items, including City of Brenham v. WTG Gas Marketing, Inc., Cause No. 37573, 335^th Judicial District Court, Washington County; the city’s gas utility system, gas supply and transportation arrangements and agreements; a U.S. Department Housing and Urban Affairs discrimination complaint; and legal issues concerning the city’s raw water intake structure at Lake Somerville, the Federal Emergency Management Agency and associated matters.
• Accepted a bid of $153,728 from MBCM Management for the construction of a new 12-bay parking lot at the Blue Bell Aquatic Center.  The parking lot will be all-concrete, with six regular spots and six handicap spots.
• Approved the purchase and installation of two HVAC units for the Brenham Police Department from MLN Service Company for $252,502. The council also approved a financing proposal from Brenham National Bank for the HVAC units, which will be a seven-year note at 3.45 percent interest.  The city is replacing the 2009 Carrier HVAC unit that controls the first floor temperature at the police department, along with the 2009 Split System Carrier HVAC unit that controls the second floor temperature.  One of the units has had both of its compressors fail completely, and is currently running with the fans only and no cooling capability.  The other unit is running on only one compressor and has leaks on both condenser coils.
• Approved a contract between the city and EVOQUA Water Technologies, Inc. to purchase chlorine dioxide for the city’s water treatment plant for $0.975 per pound.  The contract will be for one year, with four optional one-year renewals.
• Approved an amendment to the city’s code of ordinances by repealing Article VII, Library Advisory Board, and providing for a new Article VII, Reserved, for future amendments to Chapter 2, Administration.   In December 2021, the city council adopted the current version of policies and procedures for boards and commissions.  The policy is designed to govern all city boards, including the Library Advisory Board.