HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes_GTAB_12.08.2016Minutes of the Meeting of the
Georgetown Transportation Advisory Board and the
Governing Body of the City of Georgetown, Texas
December 8, 2016
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Board Members: Ron Bindas — Secretary, Troy Hellmann, Doug Noble, Mark Allen,
Steve Johnston, Vacant
Board Members Absent: Donna Courtney, John Pettitt — Chair, John Hesser — Vice
Chair
Staff Present: Mike Babin, Ed Polasek, Jana Kern, Cindy Alejandro, Russ Volk, Nat
Waggoner, Mark Miller, Travis Baird, and Wes Wright
Others Present: Dan Southard, Anthony Aquilino, Randy Lazano, Robert Everett, Arlo
Sellards — City of Georgetown Employees, Carl Norris, Richard Balentine, Dennis
Hegebarth - ACC
Regular Session
A. Call to Order: Mr. Babin called the regular GTAB Board meeting to order on Thursday,
December 8, 2016 at 10:04 AM
The Chair and Vice Chair were absent, per the GTAB Bylaws Section 4.5, a Board Chair
had to be nominated. Motion by Johnston second by Hellmann to appoint Ron Bindas as
acting Chair. Approved 5-0 (Pettitt, Hesser, and Courtney absent and one vacant spot)
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
- Employee Recognition - Mark Miller
• Dan Southard
• Anthony Aquilino
• Randy Lazano
• Robert Everett
• Arlo Sellards
• Travis Baird
• Donald Morgan — not present
C. Industry/CAMPO/TXDOT Updates — In November, CAMPO held an open house
regarding the SH 29 expansion alternatives. TXDOT presented three potential corridors,
but gave no specifics regarding actual right-of-way, design or timeline. The next public
meeting will include a specific corridor and alignment based on feedback received at
that meeting. Also in November, TXDOT held a Williams Drive/IH-35 open house, with
a lot more detail regarding the design, traffic movement and timeline for
implementation for the Divergent Diamond Interchange. With the suspension of work
on the Lone Star Rail project, CAMPO made a commitment to work on the Mokan
corridor and on the connection from Georgetown to Austin. At a recent CAMPO
Workshop, it was decided to move forward with the study of the corridor from RR 1431
to SH 45 in Round Rock as the first phase of project development. Future phases will be
coordinated with all jurisdictions, TxDOT and Capital Metro.
D. Discussion regarding the Project Progress Reports and Time Lines. — Wes Wright, P.E.,
Systems Engineering Director.
E. Discussion regarding the Airport Monthly Report and Project Time Lines. — Russ Volk,
C.M., Airport Manager and Edward G. Polasek, AICP, Transportation Services Director
Mr. Norris spoke on this item. His comments are at the end of these minutes.
Legislative Regular Agenda
The Board will individually consider and possibly take action on any or all of the following
items:
F. Review and possible action to approve the minutes from the Regular GTAB Board
meeting held on November 15, 2016 - Jana Kern - GTAB Board Liaison
Motion by Hellmann second by Allen to approve the minutes as presented.
Approved 5-0 (Pettitt, Hesser, and Courtney absent and one vacant spot)
G. Consideration and possible recommendation for approval of a Lease Assignment from
Williamson County Sun, Inc. to Clark Thurmond for the land lease with hangar
improvement located at 503 Wright Brothers Drive. - Russ Volk, C.M., Airport Manager
and Edward G. Polasek, AICP, Transportation Services Director
Volk reviewed the lease assignment with the Board, the lease agreement was reviewed
and approved by City of Georgetown Legal Department.
Motion by Noble second by Hellman to approve a Lease Assignment from Williamson
County Sun, Inc. to Clark Thurmond for the land lease with hangar improvement
located at 503 Wright Brothers Drive. Approved 5-0 (Pettitt, Hesser, and Courtney
absent and one vacant spot)
H. Consideration and possible recommendation for approval of a Lease Assignment from
ASM to Genesis Flight Academy for the hangar at 302 Toledo Trail. - Russ Volk, C.M.,
Airport Manager and Edward G. Polasek, AICP, Transportation Services Director
Volk explained the change of the lease assignment with the Board.
Motion by Hellmann second by Noble to approve a Lease Assignment from ASM to
Genesis Flight Academy for the hangar at 302 Toledo Trail. Approved 5-0 (Pettitt,
Hesser, and Courtney absent and one vacant spot)
I. Consideration and possible recommendation to approve a Specialized Aviation Services
Operator (SASO) Application from Premier/Apex Flight Academy to operate a flight
school on the Georgetown Municipal Airport. — Russ Volk, C.M., Airport Manager and
Edward G. Polasek, AICP, Transportation Services Director
Volk discussed with the Board to move the Premier Flight Academy from Cleveland to
Georgetown. This will increase local employment numbers, increased fuer sales, student
housing, potential increase in air traffic, strictly weather driven and will have Diamond
Star training. Motion by Noble second by Hellman to approve a Specialized Aviation
Services Operator (SASO) Application from Premier/Apex Flight Academy to operate a
flight school on the Georgetown Municipal Airport. Approved 4-1 (Pettitt, Hesser, and
Courtney absent, one vacant spot, and Johnston against)
Adjournment
Motion by Hellmann second by Allen to adjourn meeting. Approved 5-0 (Pettitt, Hesser, and
Courtney absent and one vacant spot) Meeting adjourned at 10:54 AM
Approved:
Ron Bindas — Acting Chair
Atte ted:
Ron Bindas— Secretary
Jana R. Kern — GTAB Board Liaison
GTAB STATEMENT
DECEMBER 08, 2016
AGENDA ITEM "E"
AIRPORT MONTHLY REPORT AND PROJECT TIME LINES
Good morning Mr. Chairman, members of the GTAB board, city staff and ladies and gentlemen.
My name is Hugh C. Norris, Jr. I am a member of the Airport Concerned Citizens (ACC).
This is the 61st presentation by ACC members to the city council and/or the GTAB since our first
public presentation on January 14, 2014 to city council demanding compliance with the
National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) regarding federal funding and fiscal transparency for
the Georgetown Municipal Airport (GTU). The GTU is a documented health and safety hazard,
subject of public controversy and any action for maintenance and/or expansion should be
addressed through preparation of a NEPA provided Environmental Impact Statement (EIS). My
comments this morning focus on two of the federal funded actions contained in the Airport
Manager's backup materials for this item: the construction program, 1514GRGTN and the new
20 year Airport Master Plan Update, 16MPGRGTN.
As noted in the past, the project description for 1514GRGTN contained in the Airport Manager's
backup materials for this agenda item remains deceptive and misleading. It continues to focus
on the fuel farm with minor emphasis on two other phases of this 25 project program. The fuel
farm's 60% capacity expansion by TxDOT remains totally unjustified and without engineering
merit. With its 101 bid items, 1514GRGTN is the single largest federal funded construction
contract in the 47 year history of state and federal funding for the GTU.
The GRW-Willis 2005 GTU master plan update from which 1514GRGTN originated intended the
program's original nine project elements to substantially complete the plan's program for
facilities to accommodate 405 based aircraft and 202,025 annual operations for the 2004 to
2024 planning period. Th 2005 master plan update identified the GTU's runways capacity to be
230,000 annual operations. Therefore, 1514GRGTN even before TxDOT expanded it without
documented city approval to 25 projects, was expected to substantially complete planned
facilities accommodation for 88% of GTU runways operations capacity. Prior to state and
federal funding GTU provided accommodations for 16 based aircraft and 16,000 annual
operations. Over the course of three prior GTU master plans and 47 years of state and federal
funding, GTU based aircraft and annual aviation operations have been expanded over 2,431%
and 1,163%, respectively, with near 100 acres of land expansion in the heart of our growing city
and without a single EIS. The Director, TxDOT Aviation, testified before the Texas
Transportation Commission (TTC) that no expansion was associated with 1514GRGTN. The
current description for 1514GRGTN masks the significant adverse impacts in the presence of
Extraordinary Circumstances on our human environment and challenges the Categorical
Exclusions from the NEPA prepared for it and prior funding actions by TxDOT and FAA officials.
These officials are meanwhile safely excluded from such adverse impacts in offices in Austin, Ft.
Worth and Washington D.C.
The project description for 16MPGRGTN in the Airport Manager's backup materials fails to describe the
magnitude of the Coffman Associates engineering services contract for this new 20 year GTU master
plan. The contract, under total control ofTxDCT, proposes a 16 month planning period, eight payment
elements of consultant services, 36 tasks of information gathering, special studies and services, aviation
operations expansion projections, revised Airport Layout Plan, and production of the final report. The
purpose of this master plan update is further development of the GTU as a Ft. Worth Alliance Airport
type regional reliever airport for general and military aviation in the very heart of our city rapidly
growing to over 200,000 and totally atop the Edwards Recharge Zone.
Although the planning process contains elements of public participation, the ACC has reservations. A
special public access web site is to be created during the initiation phase whereby the public is to have
access to all planning materials for analysis and comment. However, it is not clear that public comments
of GTU history, environmental setting, adverse impacts, mitigation measures and practicable
alternatives will be recognized by the city, TxDOT, FAA and the consultant or have any impacts on their
prior determinations. Three public workshops are proposed within the 16 month planning schedule on
four month cycles, but no workshop is scheduled for public review and comment on the final plan nor is
there any provision for an EIS for the plan. The past three years of silent indifference by the city, TOOT,
FAA, the local press and false testimony by city and TOOT officials before the TTC to public pleas for
NEPA compliance regarding use of federal funds for the GTU has taught the need for public vigilance and
concerns regarding this new GTU master plan update. The Airport Manager must be far more thorough
in his presentations for this item.
Mr. Chairman, I welcome comments or questions from the board.