HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes_HOUAB_10.15.2008City of Georgetown
Housing Advisory Board
Minutes
October 15, 2008, at 3:30 p.m.
Glasscock Conference Room—Georgetown Municipal Complex
300‐1 Industrial Ave., Georgetown, Texas 78626
Members present: Hartley Sappington; Chair, John Gavurnik; Vice‐chair, Nancy Biggs;
Secretary, Cynthia Anderson, Janis Cowman‐Arteaga, Emily Northrop, Larkin Tom, Naomi
Walker
Members absent: Debbie Hoffman
Staff present: Jennifer Bills; Housing Coordinator
This is a regular meeting of the Housing Advisory Board of the City of Georgetown. The Board,
appointed by the Mayor and the City Council, makes recommendations to the City Council on
affordable housing matters.
Regular Session ‐ To begin no earlier than 3:30 p.m.
Meeting called to order at 3:37 p.m.
1. Consideration and possible action to approve the minutes of the Housing Advisory
Board meeting held on Wednesday, August 27, 2008.
Walker pointed out an error on item 4 that listed the median income as $71 which
should have read $71,967. Motion to approve minutes with the correction by Walker,
second by Anderson. Motion approved 7‐0
2. Discussion over Housing Element of the Comprehensive Plan
a. Process for Plan adoption.
Bills opened the discussion on the Housing Element by asking for any additional
feedback from the Board after the consultants presented the draft housing plan to
City Council and at the public meetings. Overall, Board members had not received
much significant feedback on the Housing Plan.
The Board discussed methods for presenting the Housing Plan with members of City
Council before the public hearing for adoption. Many felt that it would be best to
have some kind of dialogue with members of Council to receive feedback and
answer questions about the plan.
In response to a question about Georgetown specific employment data, Bills
suggested that the Board could use their connections to try to get a better response
on an employer surveys sent out as part of the Housing Plan analysis. Walker
suggested that it might be better to do surveys of the employees, rather than the
employers. Bills thought it would be a good practice, but at this time, it would not
be able to be done before the Housing Plan was finished. The list of major
Housing Advisory Board Minutes, October 15, 2008 Page 1 of 2
Housing Advisory Board Minutes, October 15, 2008 Page 2 of 2
Georgetown employers was divided amongst members of the Board to solicit
responses.
Bills presented the upcoming dates for adopting the Housing Plan. The final plan
will be presented in a public hearing to the Housing Advisory Board on November
19, 2008 for approval and recommendation of the Housing Plan. After that, the
Housing Plan will be give to the City Council for review. A public hearing and
reading of the ordinance to adopt the Housing Plan will go to City Council on
3. Discussion items from Staff:
a. Update on Housing and Neighborhood Development projects.
Bills updated the Board on the status of current CDBG projects and reminded them
to be thinking about future projects for the upcoming grant cycle.
b. Additional items.
4. Discussions items from Board members:
a. Additional items.
Walker updated the Board on Sierra Ridge development. At the moment, the project
is on hold pending some financing paperwork.
Walker also updated the Board on potential plans for the Smith Branch Park
neighborhood. Both Habitat for Humanity and the Housing Authority own vacant
lots in the high‐density neighborhood. Habitat currently has the six lots they own
for sale, as they do not think they are appropriate for single‐family development.
Bills had submitted an application for Community Development Block Grants so the
City could purchase the lots, but the application was denied. Walker suggested that
the Board direct staff to work with Habitat, Williamson County and City Council to
explore possible options for the City to buy the lots and plan a community
development project that would benefit the neighborhood, to which the rest of the
Board agreed.
Board adjourned 5:02 pm.
__________________________________ _______________________________________
Approved, Hartley Sappington, Chair Attest, Nancy Biggs, Secretary