The Flower Mound Town Council covered a wide range of topics during its meeting Monday night.
The topic of PIR’s (Public Information Requests) proved to be a hot-button topic.
A recent flurry of requests for certain council members’– and some spouses/family members—communications to town staff, via both emails and any phone logs, plus social media postings was discussed by council member Bryan Webb and Mayor Tom Hayden.
Hayden specifically said the request for his wife’s communications by Deputy Mayor Itamar Gelbman was outside the scope of a PIR request for information from an elected official.
Webb said he had no problem with providing the information, but questioned whether it was the best use of the town staff’s time and the cost incurred for that time to be paid by residents.
The intended use of PIR’s is based on the journalistic right-to-know information—such as The Washington Post and the Watergate scandal.
The use of town time and public funds to search for personal information without a specific “smoking gun” was questioned.
A temporary Farmer’s Market has been a high-priority item to bridge the timeline until a permanent location is completed in The River Walk development.
A site on town-owned property, most likely the parking lot at Town Hall, required the council’s approval to amend a zoning land-use regulation. Currently, farmer’s markets are allowed only on land zoned agricultural, but the town property is zoned Retail-2.
The council’s unanimous approval for the zoning amendment allows town staff to move forward in the process of selecting a market manager and to be ready to welcome local farmers’ products this summer.
At the other end of the food chain, Town Secretary Theresa Scott said that Waste Management will be sending a refund check to the town for a recycling charge error. Hayden added that the amount was approximately $17,200; or, 81 cents per household.
Scott said staff needed guidance on how to disperse the funds; an 81 cent reimbursement per household, a donation to be applied to the proposed library expansion, a donation to the historic log cabin restoration, or some other application.
Hayden added that staff is presently exploring other waste service providers, because the renewal agreement proposed by Waste Management contains a substantial price increase. The current contract ends this coming September, so a decision needs to be reached before then.
Council member Kevin Bryant was supported by both the council and town staff to initiate a new veteran liaison position with authority to bypass going through the Town Manager’s office to access the town staff and resources directly to schedule veteran-related events.
Related to creating the veteran liaison position and new for 2016, the Town of Flower Mound invites the community to join together to remember fallen soldiers on Monday, May 30, at 10 a.m. at Town Hall, 2121 Cross Timbers Rd.
The ceremony will feature keynote speakers from the military and local leaders, Color Guard presentations, patriotic music, bagpipers, and a wreath presentation. The Town invites residents to submit a picture and bio of a fallen hero to be added to the special Wall of Honor at the event, and recognized during the event.
Council members also approved the rezoning request to amend the Lakeside Ranch Business Park’s Planned Development District development standards to add “mini-warehouse” land use upon approval of a Special Use Permit (SUP).
Doug Powell, executive director of Development Services, explained that: “This is a PD (Planned Development) that doesn’t allow mini-storage facilities,” but added that the concept design resembles an office building; not the open-air, individual metal units surrounded by metal fencing that most-often come to mind.
Representing the applicant, Advantage Self Storage Advisors, Rick Jones presented designs from some of their 30 DFW facilities. The Lakeside facility will be an enclosed, three-story facility with 650 self-storage units ranging in size from 26- to 300-square feet within the 107,415 gross square feet.
Jones added that the office hours are from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., with renters able to access their units until 9 p.m. In addition, the loading area is inside with security features and camera coverage.
Hayden said he was not in favor of locating a neighborhood storage facility on a corner in the Lakeside Business District.
Mayor Pro Tem Steve Dixon said he has a business near the location and said he, as well as some of the other small business owners in the area, would welcome having a secure storage option nearby.
Powell added that the building is located on only 2.1-acres and will not be on a corner.
Jones said that on the remaining acreage, a 24,000-square feet building with a mix of office/warehouse use is planned to lease.
Town Manager Jimmy Stathatos said: “I don’t think it’s a huge deal [having a storage facility] in that area; the aesthetics are more important than the use.”
Council also approved the Resolution creating a Charter Review Commission (CRC) and an action timeline to put any Town Charter amendments on the Nov. 8 election ballot. The topic of having Charter items on the ballot was initially discussed at the February 1, 2016, council meeting.
The town staff proposed timeline: May 2, first CRC interim report to council; May 16, Election Canvass; June 6, CRC interim report to Council; Aug. 1, CRC final report to Council; Aug. 15, Council calls election; and, Aug. 22, last day by statute to call election Nov. 8 Election Day.
The members of the CRC named in the Resolution are: former mayor Jody Smith, non-voting chair; Amy Wallace; Tim Trotter; Robert Rawson; Connie Smith; and, Kia Mastey.
To view the current Town Charter, visit: http://www.flower-mound.com/DocumentCenter/View/1072.
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