Arlington City Council Regular Meeting - November 19, 2024
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Arlington City Council Regular Meeting - November 19, 2024
The Arlington City Council met on November 19, 2024, at 6:30 PM in the City Hall Council Chamber. The meeting included public hearings, adoption of the Safe Streets Arlington Plan, zoning changes, tax abatement policies, approvals of multiple contracts and grants, and citizen participation. All votes were unanimous (9-0).
Consent Calendar
- Approved appointments to the International Corridor Implementation Steering Committee (Gabriel Rivas).
- Approved minutes from November 12, 2024 afternoon and evening meetings.
- Authorized 20 consent agenda items including annual contracts for ammunition, food/beverage services, wireless services, fire alarm maintenance, and renewals for nuisance abatement, janitorial, live trees, health/fitness assessments, UPS maintenance, hot-mix asphalt, and purchases of dump trucks and police vehicles.
- Approved sole source contracts for GovMax budget software and Accurint crime center software.
- Approved professional services for police promotional process and hotel occupancy tax administration.
- Rejected all bids for irrigation repairs.
- Approved change order for Meadowbrook Park playground, boiler replacement at Ott Cribbs, parking garage assessment modification.
- Approved 12 resolutions including reinvestment zone designation, library procurement method, interlocal agreement for AISD Fire Academy, VOCA grant, amendments to espace and Lincoln Square agreements, HUD broadband project, and multiple grant applications (HOME, General Assistance, Housing for Heroes, Childhood Obesity).
- Appointed a director to the Viridian Municipal Management District.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Safe Streets Arlington Plan (Support): John Janssen (Arlington resident) expressed support, citing personal safety concerns and urging enforcement and awareness. Jeanne Valentine (Arlington resident) supported the plan, emphasizing pedestrian safety on Cooper Street. Hyacinth Szabo (Plano resident, UTA student, president of Walkable Arlington) supported the plan and commended staff responsiveness. Morgan Chivers (Arlington resident, UTA librarian) supported the plan, stressed the need for funding implementation and road design changes.
- Citizen Participation: Angela Whitman (Arlington resident) spoke about diabetes awareness, praised Mayor Ross for attending her event, and encouraged city recognition of Diabetes Awareness Month.
Discussion Items
- Safe Streets Arlington Plan (Item 10.1): Ann Foss, Planning and Programming Manager, presented the plan aiming to reduce deaths and serious injuries by 5% annually toward zero by 2050. Councilmembers Hogg, Gonzalez, and Galante discussed reporting frequency, enforcement, and culture change. The plan was approved on first reading.
- Zoning Case PD24-32 (Item 10.2): Staff and applicant Nikki Moore presented a request to rezone 75 acres on US 287 Business Highway to Planned Development for cemetery uses. The applicant agreed to added provisions preserving trees in a 15-foot buffer and requiring a tree removal permit. Councilmember Gonzalez confirmed resolution of neighbor concerns. The first reading of a substitute ordinance was approved.
- City of Arlington Policy Statement for Tax Abatement (Item 10.3): Josh Mejia presented the biennial renewal with no changes. No public comment. Approved.
- Texas Trust Credit Union Tax Abatement Agreement (Item 11.1): Josh Mejia presented a resolution authorizing a tax abatement agreement for a project in Reinvestment Zone 50. No public comment. Approved.
Key Outcomes
- Appointment: Approved Resolution 24-315 (International Corridor Implementation Steering Committee).
- Minutes: Approved November 12, 2024 minutes.
- Consent Agenda: All items approved unanimously (9-0).
- Safe Streets Arlington Plan: First reading ordinance adopted unanimously (9-0).
- Zoning Case PD24-32: First reading of substitute ordinance adopted unanimously (9-0), with added tree preservation conditions.
- Tax Abatement Policy Statement: Resolution 24-328 adopted unanimously (9-0).
- Texas Trust Credit Union Tax Abatement: Resolution 24-329 adopted unanimously (9-0).
- Meeting adjourned at 7:17 PM.
Meeting Transcript
Well, good evening, everybody, and welcome to the city council meeting. Today is November nineteenth. We're gonna go ahead and call the meeting to order. I'm gonna ask Katie Rockwall from the revived church to come forward and lead us in an invocation. Please stand up. Hello, everyone. Uh bow your heads. Father, we thank you for just to be able to gather tonight and make plans for our city. We just ask for your hand of a blessing as we put our best foot forward and we ask for the spirit of unity together as we plan. And um thank you, God for wonderful ideas for this city and that we love. In Jesus' name, amen. Please join us with a Pledge of Allegiance. Thank you, you may be seated. Mr. Buskin speaker guidelines and general decorum, please. Thank you, Mayor. The city of Arlington fully embraces the values of diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility where people of all identities and experiences are understood, appreciated, and fully included in the community, and more equitable treatment and outcomes prevail. Any person making personal, profane, hostile, slanderous, or threatening remarks who uses vulgar or obscene language, who engages in any other actions that disturb or are calculated to disturb the meeting, or who becomes disruptive while addressing the mayor and the city council or while attending the city council meeting may be removed from the council chambers. All speakers shall address the city council and not the audience or city staff and shall not call out individually named members of city staff or the public. For speakers tonight, when your name is called, please come to the microphone at the podium and state your name and city of residence for the record. Speakers may not use music, videos, other forms of media, signs, or props. During public hearings for zoning cases, the applicant will be asked to speak first and will be given five minutes to make a presentation. Speakers in support or opposition of the item will be given three minutes each to make their statements. The applicant will then be given three minutes for any rebuttal. For all other items on the agenda, speakers will be given three minutes to speak. If multiple speakers plan to provide the same or similar comments, those speakers may, if they so desire, designate one or more individuals to provide public comment on behalf of the group. A bell will signal the end of each speaker's time. In consideration of other speakers, please conclude your comments promptly when you hear the bell. We ask that you address your comments to the mayor and council. Thank you, Mr. Buskin. Do we have any appointments to boards or commissions? Thank you, Mayor. We have one appointment to boards and commissions to the International Corridor Implementation Steering Committee. Gabrielle Revis, place 11. Thank you, sir. Do we have any speakers on that item? No, sir, we do not. Can I get a motion and a second, please? I have a motion from Councilmember Hunter. A second from Councilmember Peel, please cast your vote. And the motion passes. Mr. Buskin, consideration of minutes, please. Thank you, Mayor. Minutes for consideration this evening are the afternoon and evening meetings from November 12th, 2024. Thank you, sir. Council, do you all have any additions or corrections? Seeing none, Mr. Buskin.
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