11251996 Regular Meeting - Laserfiche WebLink

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90 Regular Meeting November 25,-1996 Page 4 contact Chief Kendrick with additional information. Mayor Moore stated the downtown parking issue has been a problem for several years. He stated there are parking places belonging to the City, County and University as well as the private sector that could be used for parking; however, the towing companies seem to create a problem for individuals who are unaware of the parking situation. Mr. Hernandez stated the towing companies are acting on request of the property owners. Ms. Hughson stated one idea was to create a way to generate more parking (i.e., make parallel parking into angle parking). Mayor Moore stated the community needs to become user friendly. Mr. Guerra asked if City Government should be involved in a partnership creating downtown parking. Mr. Mihalkanin stated the government could help facilitate the process. tiffs. Hughson stated the downtown businesses do not have to provide parking for customers because they are not able to; however, businesses outside the Central Business District are required to provide parking. Colonel Mike Dishman stated the parking lot next to the Fire Station Studio has 52 parking spaces owned by Southwest Texas State University. He stated the towing companies are charging too much money for out of town guests who are unfamiliar with the parking regulations. Colonel Dishman suggested contracting with SWT for the use of their parking lots downtown. Mr. Guerra suggested the City ask SWT if they would like to donate their parking lots for use as public parking. Ms. Hughson asked if business owners or employees were occupying the 52 spaces at this time. Colonel Dishman stated that was correct and they were being rented from SWT. Mayor Moore asked Gil Rainosek, Gil's Broiler, how many people could be seated in his restaurant and how many parking spaces he had available to his clients. Mr. Rainosek stated his restaurant could seat 80 people and he only had access to 3 parking spaces. Discussion ensued. Mr. Mihalkanin reiterated being user friendly and suggested working with all parties to accommodate the community as a whole. Mr. Guerra asked Kelly Franks if the Main Street Board has ever discussed the parking issue. Ms. Franks stated the Board has discussed the problem many times and was in the process of finalizing a plan to present to the City Council on some solutions or recommendations for the Council to consider. Mayor Moore stated the downtown business owners should not park in front of their stores and recommended they use the transit system. Ms. Franks stated very few of the business owners park in front of their stores. Mayor Moore urged the Main Street Association, Downtown Project, Police, University and Culver continue to become more user friendly and realize revenue when possible. Ms. Hughson asked if the University was being taxed on the money they made from renting the spaces in their parking lot. Mh Gilley stated not at this time. Ms. Hughson also stated the parking lot at the Post Office was paid for by the taxpayers; however, was not for public parking. Ms. Franks stated there were some businesses downtown with absolutely no parking which would be interested in contract parking. Mr. Cox asked in what capacity Mr. tiiihalkanin should act in this project. Mayor Moore stated Mr. Mihalkanin should act as a facilitator for the City and encouraged all parties to continue to develop solutions for the community. Mayor Moore introduced the City Manager's Report. Mr. Gilley stated he had the results of the BFI Pilot Program that he would be distributing to the City Council on Tuesday, November 26, 1996. He stated we received a 51% response from 146 participants. Mr. Gilley stated 74% of those people were pleased with the program and were looking forward to this becoming a full- time project. l2ayor ;Nfoore introduced the City Attorney's Report. Mr. Taylor had no report at this meeting. Mayor Moore introduced the City Council's Report. (1) Ms. Hughson asked when the City Council was going to hold their transportation workshop. She stated the Texas Department of Transportation was going to hold a meeting in January and would like to have the City's priorities ready to present. Mayor Moore stated he would work with Mr. Gilley and try to have a workshop by the first of the year. (2) Ms. Hughson also stated concerns with the 3-way traffic lights such as those at Hutchison at Ranch Road 12 and Bishop at Hopkins. She stated there is a need for a turn arrow at that light for safety purposes. It was the consensus of the Council to send a letter to the Texas Department of Transportation to have this light changed to indicate the turn signal. (3) Mayor Moore stated some of the City Council had just returned from the New York bond rating trip and felt the meetings were very successful. He stated their was a great commitment from the community to make each project successful. 1 ffr. Gilley concurred. Mayor Moore introduced an Executive Session pursuant to the Government Code, Section