Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAbout1966/12/12-Agenda-Pre-Council MINUTES PRE-COUNCIL CONFERENCE December 12, 1966 lit Late Absent herr 6. Deen (Item 1) 9. Eat;le Kemble 7. Hamm (Item 1) �. Stovall 8. Hoover (Item 2) 4 . Shannon �. Jones I t c m Follow-Up _ 1. Park & Recreation Board Open Space Grant Request DICK - Have Buckman draft IR on traf- fic problems around M. H. MooruSchool Dr. Robert Brown, Charles Ringler, and Charles by December 21 , 1966. Campl�ell were present from the Park and Recreation Board and staff to discus:; the Board 's request for a Council resolution authorizing an open space grant for a new park in the Di.amund Hills area. Dr. Brown said the Park & Recreation Board has been looking for a park site in the Diamond Hills :area for several yearn, and it has now decided on the tin acres just west of M. H. Moore Elementary School, or blocks 5 and 6 of Jarvis Heights Addition, now con- taining run-down FHA housing which is being removed, ,.hick is available for $8,000 per acre from the Federal overnment. He said that the cost of over $80,000 is . ore than the money available to the Park & Recreation Board from the October 1965 bond issue allocation, and the Board has turned to the Federal Open Space Grant Program for assistance. Councilman lo-mOLe asked if there are any strings ,$u the Federal money. Dr. Brown said that the Board must assure the Federal government that the facilities ti,,ill be open to all citizens. The Park Director added that the Federal government must approve the plans for use of the site and that. any facilities placed on it must be in operation for at least twenty years. Councilman Shannon asked if this project is in the long range CIP. The Park Director said it is, but only $30,000 was made available for land acquisition, and the pre:•ent estimate of land acquisition cost is $86,650. Councilwoman Deen commented that a large crowd turned out In this area for the bond election neighborhood meeting, and that a new park and recreation facility was of primary interest. Councilman Shannon .asked if the Park Board has con- sidered going further north to establish a park in North Fort Worth, in order to provide for probable future growth to the north. Dr. Brown answered that the desire of the 11oard is to get park and recreation facilities near a school, since the school children are the biggest users . Ilie Park Director added that a park further .)ur th will be needed also, but that the proposed Diamond Hill park is a catch-up need. Councilman Shannon questioned the use of Federal money for the project, saying that he thou6ht it unwise to take Federal money to tear down a Federal housing project for a park. Mayor Pro-Tem Jones asked if the Federal money is available now. Dr. Brown said he didn't know how avail- able the grant money is. Councilman IIamm then explained his understanding of the Federal grant program for open space. Councilman Shannon asked when the City money would be required. Dr. Brown said not until the grant is okayed, and that no purchase of property could precede the grant approval, in order to make use or Federal money. At the regular meeting, Councilman Hoover said he was again,-;t delaying the project, and he thought that applying for Federal grant might delay it. He said lie is 100 per cent in favor of the park and re, reation program in Diamond Hill, but he thinks it is wrong to ask for "charity" from the Federal govern- ment to accomplish it. Councilman Kemble said since the Federal govern- ment already owns the property, this would be in a sense asking for a transfer of title to the City. At the regular meeting, a motion to approve the resolution, which becomes a part of the application for open space grant, rias approved by a vote of 5 to ? (Councilmen Shannon and Hoover voting NO). Following; the approval of the resolution, Mrs. Reid discussed with the Council traffic congestion in the area of M. H. Moore I'lementary School, which she said would be compounded by the establishment of the proposed park adjacent to the elementary school. She indicated that Weber Street next to the elementary school perhaps should not be closed. She said she had c.omplaliivd about this a year ago and had been unable to work with the Traffic Engineering Department to achieve any improvement. The Council requested the Manager to report to the Council on this matter by December 31. :'. 33rd Strout Connection between Sylvania Avenue DICK - Has requested Jack Graham to and Long Avenue Extension (M&C C-850 and L-1533) review all projects with objective of not interfering with Christmas Councilman Shannon asked if it is the staff's shoppers in mind. intention to do this project before improvement of 5ylvani:j betwuon 28th and Long Avenue Extension. The City Manager said it is, but that both projects have high priority. Councilman Kemble suggested that any street projects scheduled to begin now, that might interfere with heavy Christmas shopping traffic, might be put off until the first of the year. The City Mamiger said he would check into it and try to have as little traffic as possible tied up for the rest of the year. At the regular mecti»_;, M&C C-850 and L-1533 were approved unanimously without comment. Change Order - Scorns Drainage Revisions, NVI Decatur Avenue Widening and Paving (M&C C-851) 'lliere were no questic:is on this item at the 11're-Council Conference, and it was approved unani- mously without comment at the regular meeting. it. Granbury Road Intersection Revisions DICK - Draft memo to Public Works Dep (IR #1104) to proceed on the basis of the change order already issued -- to close the Mayor Pro-Tem Jones commented that it is a intersections of Wedgmont Circle Sout problem to know what to do as far as closing the and Welch Avenue with Graiibury Road, three streets mentioned. and leave Walton open. i'he Public Works Director said he had met with Mc . rs. Payte, Amis, and the owner of the Gulf Sta- tion at Old Granbury Road and Wedgmont Circle South, on December 8, 1966, and explained the situation to them. Ile then explained the problem to the Council by dicl,•,ram on the blackboard. In re;,ponse to a direct question, he said his recommendation would be to leave all three streets, at Wedgmont Circle South, Welch, and Welton, opening into Granbury Road open as they were originally designed and now exist. Councilwoman Deen asked which method would be the safest , The Public Works Director replied that it would probably be safer to close the intersections ;ince the opportunities for conflict of moving ve- hicles would be less thereby. Mayor Pro-Tem .Tones said the Council owes something to establi:dhed businesses, and to owners of commercially- zoned properties along Wedgwood Drive. 'Ibe City Manager said that a change order to the conr,truction contract has been issued in accordance with previously expressed Councilmanic opinion, and that -his would close Granbury Road street openings aL Wedgmont Circle South and Welch Avenue and leave open the one at Walton. He said the Council should now act to reopen or close intersections, if this plan was not the will of the Council. Councilman Hamm suggested that all three locations should be closed now, because they can always be opened 1.►te r. At this time, discussion at the Pre-Council Con- ference ended, and there was no decision on the matter. There was no further discussion of it at the regular morin _ _ `j. 'There was insufficient time at the Pre-Council Conference to discuss the following agenda items: a) Reconstruction at Four Locations (M&C G-1023) NAN This was approved at the regular meeting. b) Assessmeitt Paving at Twelve Locations on See regular meeting notes the South Side (MSC G-1024) -- See regular meeting notes. c) 71ie 1967 Capital Improvement Program, in- GENE - List on December 19 agenda. eluding Fire and Police Facilities, Park � Recreation, Library, Sanitary Sewer and Airports d) Free Curb Parking for Convention Visitors GENE - list on December 19 Pre- (IR *1.099) Council Conference agenda.