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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMINUTES_GTAB_05.09.2014Notice of Meeting of the Georgetown Transportation Advisory Board and the Governing Body of the City of Georgetown, Texas May 9, 2014 The City of Georgetown is committed to compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). If you require assistance in participation at a public meeting due to a disability, as defined under the ADA, reasonable assistance, adaptations, or accommodations will be provided upon request. Please contact the City at least four (4) days prior to the scheduled meeting date, at (512)930-3652 or City Hall at 113 East 8th Street for additional information: TTY users route through Relay Texas at 711. Board Members: Truman Hunt — Chair, Rachel Jonrowe — Vice Chair, John Hesser — Secretary, Scott Rankin, Ray Armour, Chris H'Luz, David Johnson, John Pettitt, Steve Johnston Board Members Absent: None Staff Present: Ed Polasek, Jana Kern, Wes Wright, Bill Dryden, Nat Waggoner, Bridget Chapman, Curtis Benkendorfer, LaMar Kemp, Mike Babin, Keith Hutchinson,, Mark Miller, Others Present: John Milford, Hugh Norris, Frances Desselle, Richard Ballentine, Pablo Holguin, Rex Stuart, Don Smith — Airport Concerned Citizens (ACC), Brian Barton — Omni Properties, Matt Loeschman — Williamson County Sun Regular Session A. Call to Order: Mr. Truman Hunt called the regular GTAB Board meeting to order on Friday, May 9, 2014 at 10:00 AM Georgetown Transportation Advisory Board may, at any time, recess the Regular Session to convene an Executive Session at the request of the Chair, a Board Member, The City Manager, Assistant City Manager, General Manager of Utilities, City Council Member, or legal counsel for any purpose authorized by the Open Meetings Act, Texas Government Code Chapter 551, and are subject to action in the Regular Session that follows. B. Introduction of Visitors C. Citizens wishing to address the Board. The below Citizens wish to address the Board on items not on the Agenda: John Milford — See Attachment at end of minutes D. Industry/CAMPO/TxDOT Updates: Polasek updated the Board. E. Discussion regarding the Project Progress Reports and Time Lines — Bill Dryden, P. E., Transportation Engineer, Mark Miller, Transportation Services Manager, Nat Waggoner, PMP Transportation Analyst and Edward G. Polasek, AICP, Transportation Services Director. F. Discussion regarding the Airport Project Progress Report and Time Lines. — Curtis Benkendorfer, Acting Airport Manager and Edward G. Polasek, AICP, Transportation Services Director. Legislative Regular Agenda The Board will individually consider and possibly take action on any or all of the following items: G. Review and possible action to approve the minutes from the Regular GTAB Board meeting held on April 11, 2014 — Jana Kern Motion by Jonrowe, second by Pettitt to approve minutes as presented. Approved 9-0 H. Consideration and possible recommendation to City Council for an amendment of the Airport Ordinance related to Fuel Policy, Rates & Fees. — Bridget Chapman, City Attorney and Edward G. Polasek, AICP, Transportation Services Director Polasek stated that the Georgetown Airport Ordinance currently does not include a provision for adoption of a fuel policy. A policy is necessary to set payment and collection procedures for airport tenants. Staff as drafted a fuel policy that we hope to have implemented by July 1, 2014. In order to accomplish this Chapter 12.32 must be modified to allow the General Manager of Utilities to adopt a fuel policy. If the Airport Ordinance is amended to allow the policy, it will not be implemented until such time as pre -paid and wholesale customers at the Airport are given an opportunity to review and discuss the policy with Airport Staff and the General Manger of Utilities. Motion by Johnston, second by Jonrowe to recommend to City Council the amendment of the Airport Ordinance related to Fuel Policy, Rates & Fees. Approved 9-0 I. Consideration and possible recommendation to award a Construction Contract to G Carter Construction Co., of Cedar Park, Texas, for the construction of the Shell Road at Bellaire Drive/Westbury Lane Signal Improvements in the amount of $ 207,110.00. — Bill Dryden, P.E., Transportation Engineer and Edward G. Polasek, AICP, Transportation Services Director. Dryden explained to the Board that is construction of a traffic signal on Shell Road at Bellaire Drive/Westbury Lane. This bid is also about 20% above estimate and can primarily be attributed to the compressed construction schedule of having the signal operational two weeks before the beginning of the 2014/15 school year. Motion by Jonrowe, second by Hesser to award contract. Approved 8-1 (Armour abstains) Consideration and possible recommendation to City Council for approval of an amendment of Task Order HDR -14-001, in the amount of $ 10,484.00 for the completion of the Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4s) Permit application through the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ).—Edward Polasek, AICP, Transportation Services Director, Nat Waggoner, PMP©, Transportation Analyst Waggoner stated that on Dec. 11, 2013 TCEQ adopted rules for newly regulated MS4s based on the 2010 census designations, The City is now part of Austin Large Urban Area based on those designations. From that Dec. date, the City has 180 days to submit the Notice of Intent (NOI) and the Storm Water Management Plan (SWMP). This amendment will allow HDR, Inc. to finalize the SWMP submittal and prepare the NOI by the deadline of June 11, 2014. Motion by Pettitt, second by Armour to approve amendment. Approved 9-0 K. Consideration and possible recommendation to GTEC for approval of the 2014/2015 Transportation Improvement Program (TIP)— Edward G. Polasek, AICP, Transportation Services Director, and Nat Waggoner, PMP®, Transportation Analyst Polasek updated the Board on the 2014/15 TIP. Motion by Jonrowe, second by Hesser to approve the 2014-15 TIP. Approved 9-0 L. Presentation and possible recommendation of the proposed 2014-2015 Capital Improvement Plan for Transportation, Drainage, & Airport CIP. — Wesley Wright, P.E. — Systems Engineering Director Mr. Norris signed up to speak on this item. His statement is attached at the end of the minutes Wright presented the 2014/2015 CIP for Transportation, Drainage and Airport. 12:02 PM — Mr. Pettitt left the meeting Motion by Jonrowe, second by Hesser to approve the proposed 2014/15 CIP and to move it forward to City Council. Approved 8-0-1(Pettitt absent) Adjournment Motion by Jonrowe, seconded by Hesser to adjourn meeting. Meeting adjourned at 12:0 5 PM Truman Hunt — Chair Statement from Item C 3 -N� " -Q-- Jana Q_Jana Kern — Board Liaison GTAB 050914 Statement J/Ohn Hesser — Secretary Mr. Chairman, members of GTAB, city staff and ladies and gentlemen. My name is John Milford. I am a 32 year resident of Serenada. I am a member of the Airport Concerned Citizens and I believe there are misunderstandings concerning our organization's goals and interests. My purpose this morning is to try to clarify these issues. Our primary goal is to obtain an opportunity for the citizens of Georgetown to decide what and where they want their airport to be. The citizens of Georgetown should be able to compare the pros and cons of an engineering feasibility study of a phased relocation of the airport out side the city, versus the current plans for growth and development of the airport at it's current location. To ensure a bias free consensus process, the process should be conducted by a contracted consultant with demonstrated experience in managing such processes. Airport Concerned Citizens has no desire to shut down current aviation activities, harm nor interfere with the safety of airport operations. We endorse a strong, vibrant, general aviation enterprise for our community's recreational and economic needs. Our objections focus on the development and expansion activities being carried out in the middle of our future city to the detriment of its character and quality of life. We realize that a change, to the current plans are not ours to make, just as it is not proper for a few to dictate the future of airport development and expansion of operations for all of us. These decisions, for the airport's future, must be agreed upon by the citizens -we who own the airport. City's representatives, have made claims of invitations for public involvement in our local government. That may be true for some city activities, but in regard to the airport we have found that claim to be unsubstantiated. Example: The GTAB meeting of April. Item "M" was approved with the creation of a citizen member Bond Committee to finalize a potential Road Bond Package. Appointed citizens on this committee will have influence on projects which will be debated and voted on by the public. No such committee has been established and endorsed by GTAB for discussion, debate and voting for the airport capital improvement plans. This is hypocritical to the claim of active citizen involvement. The citizens of Georgetown have a right to public participation, information regarding development and operational plans and the Federal grants process for the airport. Our intention is to obtain this information and participation process for the general public. We were instructed by the City Council to address GTAB for all issues involving the airport. We have been attempting to do so on a variety of fronts and we will continue to do so in that regard. In closing, we desire an open and comprehensive communications process with GTAB to fulfill the city's claims of citizen involvement in the affairs of our city government. We want to work with you in a positive atmosphere of mutual cooperation. Thank you for your time. Are there any questions? Statement from Item L GTAB 050914 STATEMENT Item "L„ Good morning Mr. Chairman, members of the Board, city staff and ladies and gentlemen. My name is Hugh C. Norris, Jr. My wife and I reside at 4400 Luna Trail. As you know by my previous appearances before this board and the City Council, I am a member of the Airport Concerned Citizens (ACC). My comments this morning address the Airport CIP portion of Item "L" on today's agenda. At the GTAB's April meeting you passed a recommendation to City Council which it then approved at its April 22, 2014 meeting for the creation of a Bond Committee to finalize a potential Road Bond Package. That was a laudable action as the committee would include Public Participation by appointed citizens for selection of a prioritized group of projects for inclusion in a future bond program. The selected projects in that program would be subject to debate between supporters and opposed and finally a community vote for approval or rejection of the bond issue. Today, the GTAB will approve this next package of the Airport 5 year CIP projects where Public Participation has been specifically excluded. None of the included projects have had input by the general public. All are a part of a program composed of individual projects cherry picked out of a group of 62 individual projects identified in the 2005 Master Plan Update and later included in the CH2MHill Business Case Analysis Study. When collectively completed and in operation these projects will form a program component supporting an ever enlarging Airport CIP to establish a regional reliever airport in the long term heart of our growing city. And all this with no Public Participation and no public vetting of the program. As we have been instructed, this board is charged by City Council to be the gateway to the public for all airport issues. Thus, the GTAB provides the gateway out of which all airport public information should flow and through which all public participation is allowed to enter. To our dismay, we have found that this gateway is locked. It swings neither outward nor inward. Little if any reliable information is released to the public and no public participation is allowed inward for meaningful dialog and discussions of airport issues. As the recipients of all airport issues from the old Airport Advisory Board we assume that the board was thoroughly briefed by city staff on the rationale for the cherry picked individual projects that compose the City's current Airport 5 year CIP, the timing and process for FAA Federal grants through TxDOT, the wrapping of each selected project as a "Safety" measure to ensure its highest grant rating, the final grant approvals and TxDOT's and the city's fiscal years for proposed funding. Further, you know that TxDOT issues its 3 year CIP report in January of each year. Thus for each progressive year, you know 2 years in advance whether or not the GTU 5 year CIP should be amended, for which identified project(s) and at what cost. Unfortunately, the annually produced GTU 5 year CIP traditionally does not clearly show all the individual grant projects approved for the projected years shown nor clearly show all the costs involved. Federal funding which more clearly provides a feel for the size and impact of each project and total costs for the years projected is usually not shown at all. When the cloak of "Safety" is unwrapped from the GTU 5 year CIP as primarily funded through TxDOT, we predict that the current program in its entirety will expose provisions for more day and especially night time take offs and landings, more fueling capacity for more aircraft, addressing any past and current spillage or leakage of UST/LUST issues, more aircraft parking areas for overnight itinerant customers, more tie -downs and hanger spaces for more local aircraft customers, more parking spaces for more auto access and parking and more traffic congestion. All of these improvements are to increase total aircraft operations as measured by the hours involved in take offs and landings by a larger and more numerous air fleet. And this program is not the last expansion. A new $200,000 master plan update is funded for 2015 that will plan for more aircraft operation expansions for the next 20 years. The supporters of the current grow at -any -cost -no- matter- the -damage Airport CIP are currently hard at work to sell to the public the magnificent benefits and advantages of the city's one and only plan for the airport. We suggest they include in their efforts special sections written into the city's 2030 and Century Plans defining all the reasons why an ever expanding Robert Mueller sized aviation industrial complex located in the heart of our future Akron, Ohio sized city with all its negative safety, environmental and cultural impacts and located over the Edwards Recharge Zone is the best and only future interest for our city rather than a conflict free properly sized site a few minutes driving time outside the city. Again, we are distressed at the lack of Public Participation in this current amendment to the Airport 5 year CIP. We request that the GTAB change the process to allow such involvement for the future. Thank you.