Board of Mayor and Aldermen Meeting – December 9, 2024
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Board of Mayor and Aldermen Meeting – December 9, 2024
The Germantown Board of Mayor and Aldermen met on December 9, 2024, at 6:00 PM in the Council Chambers. The meeting included special recognitions, a beer board public hearing, consent agenda approval, a zoning ordinance on third reading, a development contract for Chick-fil-A, and a proclamation honoring retiring Alderman Jon McCreery. The agenda was modified by pulling Resolution 24R11 (TIF project) and moving consent item 9A to the regular agenda.
Consent Calendar
- Approval of Minutes: The minutes from the November 25, 2024 regular meeting were approved unanimously.
- Consent Agenda (Items 9B–9E): Approved unanimously. Items included:
- Donation to the Living Legacy Tree Fund
- Grant for the IRIS Collective
- Purchase of vehicles
- Sport Provider Agreement for Houston Lacrosse
Public Comments & Testimony
- No citizens came forward to speak during Citizens to Be Heard.
Discussion Items
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Special Recognition:
- Teacher of the Month – December 2024: Kelsey Horn, a third-grade math and science teacher at Farmington Elementary, was recognized by the Germantown Education Commission.
- Youth Excellence Award – December 2024: Emma Mungle, a senior at St. Agnes Academy, was recognized for her leadership and community involvement.
- LEAD Graduation: The fall 2024 class of the Leaders of Excellence and Ambassador Development (LEAD) program graduated. The program was rebranded from Play Like a Champion and condensed to six months. Awards were given to the Green Team (team challenge), Leslie Bernard (Coin Chase), and Charlie Howmesser (leadership).
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Beer Board – Public Hearing – Local Lime Saddle Creek LLC: The beer board approved a new on-premise beer permit for Local Lime at 7605 Farmington Boulevard, Suite 1, contingent upon the closing of the sale. The applicant, represented by attorney Mark Job, confirmed that management and staff would remain unchanged. The board voted unanimously in favor.
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Ordinance 2024-14 – Amendment to Zoning Ordinance (Businesses in Residential Districts): Third and final reading. The amendment adds a new category (number 7) to Section 23-89B, prohibiting using residential property to host events for business purposes with an admission cost (including tickets, required donations, or door charges). Exceptions include political, religious, civic, school support organizations, private schools, special event committee-approved events, and new residential developments. The ordinance aligns with Forward 2035. It passed unanimously.
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Development Contract No. 1252 – Chick-fil-A Re-routed Drive-Through: The project includes modifications to the drive-through (increased queue capacity, overhead canopy), sidewalk and entrance improvements, pervious pavers, and connection to the Germantown Greenway. The project received approvals from the Board of Zoning and Appeals (June 2023), Planning Commission (October 2023), and Design Review Commission (November 2023). Alderman Sanders expressed concerns about the setback and aesthetic impact on the northern gateway, but other aldermen noted the property owner’s long-standing community partnership and the thorough review by three commissions. The motion passed 4-1, with Alderman Sanders voting no.
Key Outcomes
- Beer permit approved for Local Lime (unanimous).
- Ordinance 2024-14 approved on third reading (unanimous).
- Development Contract 1252 approved (4-1) for Chick-fil-A improvements.
- Consent Agenda approved (Items 9B–9E) unanimously.
- Proclamation: December 9, 2024 was declared John McCreery Day in Germantown. Alderman McCreery, who served since 2020, was honored for his leadership and contributions. He will continue to serve on the Planning Commission.
Meeting Transcript
Well, it's gotten quiet. Maybe that's a some type of reason to start a meeting, I guess. I want to welcome all those that are in attendance here this evening and joined us for the regular schedule board of mayor to alderman meeting. Uh we welcome all those again that are here. We want to wish everyone happy holidays as well. Just a quick uh general announcements and some highlights about the meeting uh this evening. Two quick announcements. Uh we would be remiss if we did not congratulate our Houston Mustangs for being runner-up in the Class 6A championship. The uh the the Gridiron uh greats have had quite a run over the last two years and came up a little bit short in the championship game, but we are very, very proud of them. Uh some other um uh information to share with you. We do have an opening on our GMSD, Germantown Municipal School Board, and those applications uh are now being taken, and they are due to the city by December the 20th, and then there'll be a process thereafter. So if you'd like to apply for the open position on the school board, you can visit the city's website, it has instructions there. Some highlights about the meeting this evening. We always have citizens to be heard. If you'd like to speak to your community and to your neighbors and the elected board, you can fill out a sheet out in People Street, get that to one of the officers, and they'll get them that sheet to the clerk, and we'll recognize you as item six on the agenda, citizens to be heard. We've got a lot of people in here. We're going to graduate a lead class tonight, so we want to congratulate uh those um soon to be alums of that program. Uh we also have two outstanding educate and education award for an educator and for a student or youth excellence award as well. This evening, our invocation by Economic and Community Development Director Cameron Ross. Our Pledge of Allegiance will be led by Alderman Brian Ulicky, please rise. Let us bow our heads in prayer. Our Heavenly Father, as we gather today, may the warmth of your love illuminate our hearts, especially in these days of early dusk. Let us embrace the quiet strength of winter. May we approach our work with the clarity of mind that comes with the season's crisp air. May our discussions be illuminating as the winter moon guiding us towards wise decisions, and may emerge, may we emerge from this meeting refreshed, ready to face the challenges ahead with the same resilience as those winter trees. It's in this in the name of your son Jesus, we pray. Amen. Pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Please be seated. Thank you for the invocation this evening, Director Ross, and for leading us in the pledge, Alderman Ulike. A couple other really quick items. Uh this evening we will we're obviously in a meeting of the Board of Mayor and Alderman, but we'll take a brief recess this evening, and we will meet in item eight as German Towns Beer Board. Since we do have a graduation tonight and we have two uh awards to give. Once we get to that point and go to recess, uh we can all kind of quietly uh leave if you wish, or you can stay for the balance of the meeting as well. That takes us to item number four on the agenda, actually setting the agenda. The agenda was sent to the community. It's generally sent on Wednesday around noon. It's delivered to the Board of Mayor and Alderman at that time as well. Administration does request that we pull item 11 from the agenda this evening. That's resolution 24R11. TIFF project for the standard. The application is not complete to the board. We'll bring that back in January. So if you're scoring at home, regular agenda item 11 will be omitted from the agenda this evening. With any other omissions or modifications of the agenda as presented to the community and as modified. Move to approve. It's a motion by the vice mayor. Is there a second? Second.
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