HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes_HOUAB_01.19.2011City of Georgetown
Housing Advisory Board
Minutes
January 19, 2011 at 3:30 p.m.
New Planning Conference Room —Georgetown Municipal Complex
300‐1 Industrial Ave., Georgetown, Texas 78626
Members present: Tim Todd; Chair, Lalena Parkhurst, Morris Greenberg, Gary A. Leissner, Patsy
Williams
Members absent: Dollene Thompson, Kyle Fisher
Staff present: Jennifer Bills, Housing Coordinator; Avery Craft, Recording Secretary
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.
The meeting was called to order at 3:40 by Chair Todd.
Agenda
1. Consideration and possible action to approve minutes from the November 17, 2010
meeting. Motion to approve the November 17, 2010 minutes by Leissner. Second by
Greenberg. Approved 5‐0 (Thompson and Fisher absent. Betty Craig and Arnold Tijerina
resigned from the Board.)
2. Discussion about revising the first four policy recommendations of the draft Housing
Element.
a. Review recommendation #3, “Increase the amount of land zoned specifically for
multi‐family housing development” and discuss feedback from board members on
locations for future multi‐family development.
Todd states that multi‐family will become a more significant Housing Element in the
next twenty years because it will become harder to afford single‐family homes and
many people are down‐sizing. In addition, the houses that are going to be built will
be much smaller in a tighter community. Todd believes that the Housing Advisory
Board should convince City Council to look at high density areas that will be
attractive to builders.
Housing Advisory Board Minutes, January 19, 2010 1
Bills states that multi‐family areas will result in different means of transportation,
i.e., by foot, bicycle, bus. This should be taken into consideration while researching
which areas should become focus for future multi‐family development. If there
would be a need to rezone certain areas to accommodate multi‐family development,
there would be legal issues to look into on the staff side. For example, if the area is
zoned “industrial,” and it were to be rezoned as “multi‐family,” this could be
considered a legal “taking” as this could take away potential high‐density industrial
uses. However, if the land were to be rezoned to “multi‐family” from “agricultural,”
it would be a much easier process, as there would be more potential to add uses to
the property.
Todd suggests that the Board look at a particular area of Georgetown with a brand
new elementary school and a middle school that is getting ready to be built as a
potential for a future multi‐family development. Bills agrees that this may be an
ideal area for multi‐family development.
Todd expresses that the Housing Advisory Board will need to be prepared to go to
City Council with specific areas in mind for future multi‐family development.
Bills suggests that the Board also present the changes in the Land Use Plan.
b. Discuss recommendation #2, Waive all municipal impact fees and development
fees for housing units affordable to 80% of the area median income and below” and
review current impact and development fees.
Bills discusses the range of fees that developers see when they come to the City of
Georgetown for a project from the point of raw land all the way to the finished
project. Todd states that the City of Georgetown’s fees are lower than other cities in
the local surrounding area.
Bills states that the impact fees are determined by how many meters an apartment
complex pulls. Most apartment complexes in the Georgetown area will pull one
water meter per building (they will not pull individual meters for each unit). In
addition, apartment complexes go through a more rigorous electrical analysis that
can result in greater fees.
3. Update on current 2010 Census schedule.
Bills states that the state level data came out and Texas has gained four representatives.
City and tract level data should becoming out in March.
4. Discussion and possible action on future meeting dates.
Chair Todd suggests that the Housing Advisory Board meet monthly, as scheduled.
Housing Advisory Board Minutes, January 19, 2010 2
Housing Advisory Board Minutes, January 19, 2010 3
5. Adjournment
Motion to adjourn by Todd. Second by Craig. Approved 5‐0 (Thompson and Fisher absent.
Betty Craig and Arnold Tijerina resigned.)
Adjourned at 4:50 pm.
__________________________________ _______________________________________
Approved, Tim Todd, Chair Attest, Dollene Thompson, Secretary
