HomeMy WebLinkAbout2015-11-30 - Special City CouncilMINUTES OF SPECIAL COUNCIL MEETING
City of Stephenville – City Council
Monday, November 30, 2015 – 4:00 p.m.
The City Council of the City of Stephenville, Texas, convened on November 30, 2015, at 4:00 p.m., in
the Council Chambers at Stephenville City Hall, 298 West Washington Street, for the purpose of a Special
Council Meeting, with the meeting being open to the public and notice of said meeting, giving the date, time,
place and subject thereof, having been posted as prescribed by Chapter 551, Government Code, Vernon's
Texas Codes Annotated, with the following members present, to wit:
Mayor Jerry K. Weldon II
Mayor Pro -Tem Russ McDanel
Council members Mark McClinton
Boyd Waggoner
Doug Svien
Rhett Harrison
Alan Nix
Sherry Zachery
Jerry Warren
Others Attending Pat Bridges, City Administrator
Cindy L. Stafford, City Secretary
I. Call to Order. The meeting of the Stephenville City Council was called to order at 4:05 p.m.
on Monday, November 30, 2015, by Mayor Weldon.
II. Burditt Consultants LLC—Property located at 1217 US 67
Charles Burditt and Shane Howard presented their report as contained in the attached
document.
III. Adjourn
The meeting adjourned at 5:37 p.m.
Jerry I
Welun II, Mayor
ATTEST:
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Cindy L. Sta ord,City Secre .
Special Council Meeting November 30, 2015
Stephenville City Council
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Preliminary Project Summary
Study Purpose:
In September 201 S, Burditt was engaged to study the feasibility of Stephenville developing a spectator -focused
rodeo/multi-event arena and improved conference facilities on Glen Rose Road and adjacent to the Stephenville
Airport. Both candidate site and building analyses were to be accompanied with financing concepts primarily focused
on the potential use of a Tax Increment Reinvestment Zone (TIRZ) around the candidate site. Finally, the initial
intent was also to review the feasibility of constructing a dog park and animal shelter on the candidate site,
After meeting with the Director of Community Services, Mayor, staff, and Chamber Executive Director in early
October, the determination was made that the dog park and animal shelter were not good fits for the focus areas of
the candidate site. Also, subsequent meetings with the Airport Advisory Committee expanded the scope of study to
include potential airport optimization concepts consistent with a broader master plan approach to the site.
As a result, this study contains both feasibility elements as well as conceptual master plan elements focused on
capturing a vision articulated by the Mayor and staff centered on creating a destination -based development and
LO optimized airport commercialization.
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Study Process:
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This Study is comprised of three components:
1. Planning Assessment
Ea. Site adequacy and appropriateness,
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b. Review of program needs for facilities as well as strategic goals for the project. Meetings with staff,
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o advisory committees, user groups, and citizen stakeholders serve as the primary driver of these
reviews,
d c. Potential annexation and land acquisition targets and opportunities related to the candidate site,
� d. Consideration of commercial reserve opportunities on site for increased economic development,
e. Development of conceptual site plan to include feasible land uses and mobility connections
CU throughout the candidate site to include potential parking solutions.
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Q 2. Building Assessment
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wa. Study and development of new arena facility and supporting amenities on proposed candidate site,
b. Evaluate efficacy of utilizing existing 15,000 SgFt building as a conference center in conjunction
Mwith other amenities serving as destination opportunities,
c. Rendering and modelling of proposed facilities and amenities to establish visual foundation of
potential outcomes,
d. Establish general estimate of unit costs associated with proposed facilities.
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3. Financing Assessment
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a. Explore use of a Tax Increment Reinvestment Zone (TIRZ) as financing tool for thoroughfare
development/redevelopment as well as economic development incentive tool,
b. Explore potential impact of commercial reserve opportunities (leasing, Pad site development, etc)
for activation of the candidate site,
c. Ensure proposed facilities are optimized for public-private partnership or external investment
opportunities.
Burditt's team consists of a range of disciplines and personnel including:
Charles Burditt — President/ Planner
J. Shane Howard — Sr. Vice President -Strategy & Development
Eric Geppelt — Architect
Diana Wilson — Director of Planning
Paul Howard — GIS Specialist/Planner
Luis Nunez — Director of Economic & Community Development
Summary of Findings:
Planning Assessment
Stakeholder Meetings and Feedback - The initial project programming meeting was conducted on October 8
by Burditt team members including Charles Burditt and architect Eric Geppelt with members of City Staff, Mayor
Weldon, Chamber of Commerce Executive Director and local business leaders. The meeting was used to discuss
prior examples of feasibility studies and specific design deliverables and, more importantly, to begin to develop
programming and visioning statements that express the needs and goals of the project. Programming requirements
involved determining from participants those facts, goals, concepts and needs that should be documented and N
included in future prescriptions for any facility or assembly of site components for the subject parcels of land. N
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An introduction to the meeting was given by Mayor Weldon wherein he spoke to his overall thoughts and hopes for
the City of Stephenville. His comments not only addressed the site development potential for a multi -event arena c
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and conference center but also aspirational statements of the subject property that it become a new, and additional to E
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the existing City parks and public spaces, "a place of gathering that brought the citizens and the community together".
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This programming and visioning session was led by Burditt planning and architect staff members. Consensus was
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reached around the following initial program discussions: a.
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1. Any contemplated project or improvements should be envisioned as a Public / Private Partnership, in
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2. Project implementation and assistance should include the support of local Industry members, m
3. The resulting facilities should be easily and highly marketable to the Private Sector, including both c
conferences and events,
4. Themes of venues or facilities should "tap in" to the Stephenville Equine Industry and Cowboy Heritage, aa)
S. The facilities should be envisioned as open year round, including any outdoor components, w
6. A proposed Rodeo Arena should be focused on major rodeo events, practice facilities, and smaller
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community events rather than a single competition facility,
7. The arena should be designed as an "open air" venue,
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8. The Dodge City, Kansas rodeo complex was recommended as a precedent facility to study, y
9. Approximately 40,000 square feet in a 160' x 250' configuration would be ideal for the arena floor,
10. An Operations Office for 3-4 people would be appropriate,
11. Concessions may include or be supplemented by the use of food trucks to the premises,
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12. Shared parking for the arena, future conference center, etc., should be utilized,
13. Proposed improvements should act as "catalyst" for economic development,
14. Senior Center construction or use should be considered,
15. Naming of facilities was considered important to marketing and community interest,
16. The possibility of using excess frontage acreage at the City Service Center was discussed,
17. Matters relating to site access, potential acquisitions and airport adjacency were discussed,
18. Airport involvement and coordination are key and advised for next group meeting.
On October 23, a team including Burditt, J. Shane Howard, Diana Wilson, and Paul Howard met again with the
Mayor, Director of Community Services, and Airport Advisory Committee. Significant findings resulted from the
discussion including consensus around the following conclusions:
1. Airport
a. The Airport is a fundamental component of the economic development mission in
Stephenville,
b. The Airport lacks a clear gateway and arrival experience,
c. Flight activity is robust and steady,
d. Demand for hangar space remains high and is expected to increase,
e. Extension of the runway to 5,000' opens the airport to all private commercial jets in the
market and most mid-range/regional turbo-prop/jet cargo aircraft (e. g. Cessna Caravan),
f. Demand for larger hangars will increase upon runway extension,
g. FBO operations and facilities are currently adequate but innovation and expansion of flight
operations will easily exceed existing capacity and operation,
h. Security and fencing is a priority as activity increases on surrounding property,
i. Ramp expansion and commercialization of airport property is highly desirable in the future,
j. Airport Advisory Committee is supportive of multi -event center and complex on the candidate
site and is willing to participate in land -sharing of existing property to accommodate needs in
exchange for support of airport commercialization and optimization,
k. Funding continues to be the primary challenge for activating opportunity.
Vision and Goals Established by the group
a. Economic Development
i. Airport optimization and commercialization,
ii. Road frontage commercial development framework and opportunities,
iii. Capture existing and pending market demand,
iv. Create framework for redevelopment of depressed sites as well as new investment,
v. Explore potentiality of TIRZ as financing vehicle for development.
b. Community Development
i. Establish a destination of significance and place for regular events of size that serve the
community and its underlying culture,
� ii. Provide additional meeting and conferencing space than currently available in a
cohesive site that also can compete for regional and smaller conferences and
Z conventions,
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iii. Establish a new "Gathering place to serve the community"
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c. Mobility Improvements
L Establish premise via candidate site development for improving gateways and mobility
connections on the outskirts of Stephenville.
Entryway/Gateway/Site Circulation — Opportunities for enhancing the entrance to the airport and existing
industrial tracts are being explored primarily as a crucial formalization and increased utility for the airport,
commercial, service entrance, and event ingress/egress. Site circulation is a major component of the conceptual plan.
Airport Optimization /Commercialization — Conceptual land -use plans are being incorporated into the
conceptual site plan including connections to the other parts of the candidate site.
Building Assessment
Conference Facility — Access to the current facility has been limited. However, ongoing development of
conceptual site plans and amenity connections account for an assumption of repurposing the existing building.
Rodeo/Multi-Event Arena —An open-air, 3,000 seat rodeo, multi -event arena is being explored for optimal
placement on the site along with associated support facilities and parking.
Museum — Integration of a Cowboy Museum is being explored for feasibility within the context of the overall site
concept.
Senior Center — The City has explored development of a senior center and library through a separate study.
Analysis and discussion has determined that the library should be considered for another site while the senior center is LO
certainly a reasonable candidate to occupy the proposed development. N
Relocation of Service Center Facilities — Potential relocation of non-essential storage units and sheds at the N
existing service center facilities may be required for site optimization. .i
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Financing Assessment
TIRZ Concept — a Tax Increment Reinvestment Zone is authorized in the Texas Tax Code under Chapter 311 0
allowing local taxing entities to identify specific properties for promotion of development/ redevelopment within the
boundaries of the zone. Incremental growth in property values in the zone are taxed as usual but the incremental
revenues are assigned to a separate fund for development/redevelopment purposes. These increases in value are not 0.
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counted towards the entity's effective tax rate calculation thereby reserving the incremental growth to the fund
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without jeopardizing the tax rate strength of the entity. Other entities that have taxing authority of the zone ISO
properties may also participate via interlocal agreement to "pledge" portions of their entitled ad valorem tax rate to
the zone. Finally, sales taxes within the zone may also be dedicated to the TIRZ fund.
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A TIRZ is not the authorization of a separate, new, or increased tax. Rather, it is simply a legal mechanism by which 0)
to dedicate assessed value growth within a defined geographic area to a development/ redevelopment fund.
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Establishment of a TIRZ includes substantial public and property owner input to ensure a transparent and accountable
process. T
TIRZ Analysis - Burditt examined 114 parcels of property along the corridors affecting the candidate site. The U)
current assessed value of the target properties is just over $SO million. A very cursory analysis of growth of just 2%,
and not accounting for any major public or private investments, results in approximately $ 39 million in new growth m
over a 20 -year period. The values are widely spread between different uses and most properties in the proposed TIRZ Li
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have extensive "potential energy" built in; meaning the potential for value growth through investment is extremely
high making a 2% growth estimate substantially conservative. Likewise, value growth can be further substantially
influenced through public investments in the candidate site resulting in immediate impact on surrounding property
values as well as private investment through new development or expansion.
Summary Concluslons:
The feasibility of this site serving as a major economic and community development anchor is highly attractive. All
programming consensus points have merit and significant potential for success. The establishment of a TIRZ is not
only feasible but could serve as an important financing tool with great potential for growth and efficacy. The
rodeo /multi -event arena appears to be feasible from a market standpoint. Ensuring the correct "fit" on the site is
highly important and the ability of the city to acquire adjacent parcels is a meaningful pivot point.
Next Steps:
Burditt will deliver a conceptual site plan and draft report on November 30 with color renderings, alternate design
scenarios requiring Council feedback, and additional financial information relevant to the construction and finance of
the proposed development.
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