Arlington City Council Special Meeting – August 27, 2024: Budget, Housing, and Conservation Discussions
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Arlington City Council Special Meeting – August 27, 2024
The Arlington City Council held a special meeting on August 27, 2024, beginning at 11:15 a.m. with an executive session (recessed at 1:06 p.m., reconvened at 1:36 p.m.) and adjourning at 4:42 p.m. The open session focused on work session items, informal staff reports, and committee reports, with no formal votes taken. Key discussions included water conservation, the FY2025 annual audit plan, the 2024 single-family housing profile, comprehensive plan elements, and the FY2025 budget.
Discussion Items
Water Conservation Presentation by Tarrant Regional Water District (3.1)
- Dan Buhman, General Manager of the Tarrant Regional Water District, presented on water conservation efforts. Key points:
- The district supplies water to 2.5 million people across 11 counties and is the second largest water supplier in Texas.
- 65,000 people moved into the service area in the past year, driving demand growth.
- Over the next seven years, $1.5 billion in infrastructure will be built, including new wetlands for water reuse and replacement of aging pipelines.
- Conservation programs saved 27 billion gallons last year (20% of municipal supply).
- Councilmember Boxall asked about water reclamation for large developments; Buhman noted it is technically feasible but cost-effectiveness varies.
Fiscal Year 2025 Annual Audit Plan (3.2)
- City Auditor Susan Edwards presented the FY2025 audit plan, based on risk assessments and department surveys. Proposed audits include:
- Contract administration, overtime (police/fire), planning and development permitting, real estate services, recruitment/selection processes, risk management, SCADA assessment follow-up, and Workday post-implementation audit.
- The plan also includes 500 unallocated hours for emergent requests and follow-up on prior audits.
- Councilmember Odom-Wesley asked about benchmarking with other cities; Edwards confirmed compliance with government auditing standards.
2024 Single-Family Housing Profile Report (3.3)
- Sarah Stubblefield, Strategic Initiatives Manager, presented the housing profile, an update of a 2012 report. Key findings:
- Median house age: 40 years (built 1984). Median appraisal value more than doubled from $117,000 (2012) to nearly $300,000 (2023).
- 21% of single-family homes are investor-owned (up from 18% in 2013, an increase of 4,600 homes).
- 25% of homeowners with a mortgage are housing-cost burdened (spending over 30% of income on housing costs).
- Median household income: $71,700 (2.6% increase in constant dollars since 2010).
- Councilmembers discussed the balance of single-family vs. multifamily zoning and the impact of investor-owned properties. Boxall requested further analysis on institutional investors.
Comprehensive Plan Element: Small Area and Corridor Plans (3.4)
- Gincy Thoppil, Planning and Development Services Director, reviewed six adopted corridor plans (360, South Cooper, Downtown, US 287, Division Street, New York Avenue, and Collins/Pioneer).
- The city is updating the comprehensive plan; an RFP for a consultant closed on August 22 with five applications. A steering committee will be formed from 92 applicants, with appointments on September 17.
- Councilmember Boxall suggested aligning corridor plans with the comp plan update and providing education for steering committee members.
Informal Staff Reports (4.1–4.5)
- 4.1 Mobility, Access, and Transportation Insecurity Grant for Healthy AIM Pilot Program: No discussion.
- 4.2 ACTIV Construction and Operational Update: No discussion.
- 4.3 FJ 'Red' Kane and Informal Trails: Michael Debrecht (Parks and Recreation) reported mixed citizen feedback (50/50). Councilmember Gonzalez noted strong opposition from adjacent residents due to traffic, erosion, and safety concerns. The city is placing
Meeting Transcript
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