HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes_HOUAB_11.21.2008Housing Advisory Board Minutes, October 15, 2008 Page 1 of 2
City of Georgetown
Housing Advisory Board
Minutes
November 19, 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, Debbie Hoffman, Larkin Tom, Naomi
Walker
Members absent: Emily Northrop
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, October 15, 2008.
Motion to approve minutes by Gavurnik, second by Anderson. Motion approved
8-0.
2. Public Hearing and possible action to approve the Housing Element of the 2030
Comprehensive Plan and recommend plan adoption to the City Council.
Bills presented the final draft of the Housing Element of the 2030 Plan. She stated
that the draft contained Chapters 2-10 that the Board had already reviewed and
edited, as well as Chapter 1 as the Executive Summary and Chapter 11 Policy
Recommendations. These Policy Recommendations were presented in September
when the consultants from Mullin & Lonergan were in Georgetown, and were
revised based on comments received from the Board and at public meetings. Cowan-
Arteaga motioned to approve the Housing Element for presentation and adoption to
City Council. Chair Sappington opened the Public Hearing; as no public requested
to speak, the hearing closed. Sappington then opened discussion by the Board.
Walker questioned a statement in the Executive Summary regarding the cost of
living in Georgetown being lower than that in Austin. Bills agreed that she would
check and amend the statement if necessary. Walker also suggested that some of the
paragraphs in the Executive summary be rearranged to better present the
information and findings of the report. She felt the current structure and wording
Housing Advisory Board Minutes, October 15, 2008 Page 2 of 2
did not adequately emphasis the results of the study. Hoffman also suggested that
the Executive Summary include an easy to read list of main finding from the entire
study. The rest of the Board agreed and Bills said she would edit the report to reflect
their suggested changes.
Walker seconded and amended the motion that the final draft include the discussed
changes. Motion passed 8-0.
3. Discussion on upcoming Housing Advisory Board meetings.
Bills went over the schedule for December. The normal meeting will not be held.
Instead the Board will meet with Mullin & Lonergan on December 9th before the
consultants present the Housing Element at City Council at 6:00pm. We will have
the normal meeting in January.
4. Discussion items from Staff:
a. Update on Housing and Neighborhood Development projects.
Bills updated the progress on possible projects in the Smith Branch Park
subdivision on Quail Valley Drive. She is looking at a possible redevelopment
project on vacant parcels currently owned by Habitat for Humanity. This could
include a Boys & Girls Club, a bus stop and a city park.
Board adjourned 5:02 pm.
__________________________________ _______________________________________
Approved, Hartley Sappington, Chair Attest, Nancy Biggs, Secretary