HomeMy WebLinkAbout11-19-19 TC Min T H E T 0 W N O F
WESTLAKE
MINUTES OF THE
TOWN OF WESTLAKE, TEXAS
TOWN COUNCIL MEETING
November 19, 2019
PRESENT: Mayor Laura Wheat and Council Members Carol Langdon, Rick Rennhack, Alesa
Belvedere, Michael Barrett, and Greg Goble
Commission Chairman Tim Brittan and Commissioners Michelle Lee, Liz Garvin,
Brad Swearingen, Kim Morris, and Sharon Sanden
ABSENT: Commissioner Ken Kraska
OTHERS PRESENT: Town Manager Amanda DeGan, Assistant Town Manager Jarrod
Greenwood, Assistant to the Town Secretary Tanya Morris,
Director of Planning & Development Ron Ruthven, Finance
Director Debbie Piper, Director of Facilities & Public Works Troy
Meyer, Director of Communications Ginger Awtry,
Communications Manager Jon Sasser, Director of Information
Technology Jason Power, Fire Chief Richard Whitten, Deputy Fire
Chief John Ard, and Development Coordinator Nick Ford
Joint Work Session with the Planning and Zoning Commission
1. CALL TO ORDER—TOWN COUNCIL
Mayor Wheat called the joint work session to order at 5:02 p.m.
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11/19/19
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2. CALL TO ORDER— PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION
Chairman Brittan called the joint work session to order at 5:02 p.m.
3. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
Mayor Wheat led the Pledge of Allegiance to the United States and Texas flags.
4. CITIZEN COMMENTS:
No one addressed the Council nor the Commission.
5. DISCUSSION ITEMS
a. Presentation and discussion of Development/Communication Team and
development service delivery
Town Manager DeGan updated Council that due to the many impending
developments, staff has created a Development/Communication Team. The
team will allow for the free-flow of information with an improved exchange of
updates allowing the Communications Department to send information to the
stakeholders and others. There are also questions coming from Westlake
Academy as it relates to housing developments and how it will affect the school.
As the Academy representatives are brought in we will be able to answer their
questions more efficiently. The committee is currently comprised of Director of
Planning & Development Ron Ruthven, Development Coordinator Nick Ford,
Deputy Fire Chief John Ard, Director of Communications Ginger Awtry, Director
of Facilities and Public Works Troy Meyer, Building Inspector Pat Cooke, Assistant
Town Manager Jarrod Greenwood, and Town Manager Amanda DeGan. The
committee currently meets once a week for three-four hours. Discussions within
those meetings relate to development progress and processes, and allowing staff
to streamline communication to P&Z and Council as well as conveying legal
notice requirements to stakeholders. The committee is also working to revamp
and publicize the Unified Development Code and the Comprehensive Plan. They
also take an active role in building relationships with developers within the
community. Initial discussions focused on the drivers for development. The
committee believes the drivers for development in Westlake center around: the
needs of the community and its stakeholders, the education of the stakeholders,
desirable property within Westlake, corporate partners and their stakeholders,
economic growth, and greenfield development. Potential restraining forces
discussed include legislation limitations, surrounding compression and growth,
interested parties seeking development that may not meet the Town's standards,
and long-term economic impacts.
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b. Presentation and discussion of the mixed-use tour sites from Colorado, Virginia,
Maryland, and D.C.
Town Manager DeGan gave a presentation of the mixed-use sites that were
visited by the staff over the summer. Staff visited the Charles Schwab Campus
in Lonetree, Colorado; The Village at Shirlington in Arlington, Virginia; Kentlands
in Gaithersburg, Maryland; Bethesda, Maryland; and the Apollo in Washington,
D.C.
Discussion ensued regarding the Charles Schwab campus in Colorado, the
number of Schwab employees living in the surrounding areas, and the amount of
available parking on the campus. Discussions continued regarding nearby
demographics, amenities, fitness and child care facilities, and types of living
spaces. The Council asked if there were concerns regarding employees not living
in the nearby options and the lack of cohesiveness of the surrounding
neighborhoods in Colorado. Council questioned the possibility of Schwab
employees living in Westlake and design standards of the Colorado campus
verses what Westlake could expect. Council asked staff about the Schwab
expectations for nearby available housing.
Discussion moved onto available parking in the mixed-use development at The
Village at Shirlington, in Virginia.
Discussions continued regarding available mass transportation (bus and rail) to
the three developments that staff presented. Inquiries were made about the
status of town homes and mixed-use developments in in cities surrounding
Westlake. Other topics of interest included the possibility of restaurants coming
and going frequently in mixed-use developments and how a restaurant/grocery
store with a family element (such as a park or playground) would do well in
Westlake. Council members expressed the importance of trees being
incorporated into the new developments, water ways, and shaded areas in future
developments. The future vision for Westlake was compared to the past visions
of the Dallas areas of Highland Park, Lakewood Shopping Center, and Casa
Linda.
Robin McCaffrey, Mesa Planning, agreed with Council and the Commission about
the importance of continuing with mature trees in future developments and
ensuring consistency with the size of new trees planted throughout our
community.
Mayor Wheat recessed the meeting at 6:40p.m.
Mayor Wheat reconvened the meeting at 7:02p.m.
Town Manager DeGan posed a question regarding the relevance of the current
"Vision, Values, Mission, and Niche for our Community."
i
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Discussion ensued regarding the continued importance of: Westlake's open
space, the of proximity to DFW Airport, the lack of current traffic compared to
larger cities, the value to residents of the Vaquero neighborhood, and the value
of friendships among the residents in Westlake. The Council and Commission
spoke about the vision for the Highway 114 to Highway 170 corridor. It was
also noted that there is limited ability to walk and explore in Westlake.
Discussions transitioned into the important need for the continuation of public art
and landscaping, the aesthetics of guard rails along roadways, and the retaining
walls and other elements that set Westlake apart from neighboring cities. The
Council and Commission conveyed the need to provide clear reference points to
the developers for the direction Westlake is looking to evolve. The importance
of: large corporate campuses; the dark sky initiative; and the pastoral views of
Circle T Ranch were all discussed. The need to update the Vision Statement's
mention of community, sense of place, and ensuring success were also
mentioned. The importance of financial strength was also cited. Lastly, the
desire for proposals to disclose the cost of service per resident was conveyed.
Robin McCaffrey also spoke regarding the impact of the construction in Trophy
Club and the difference in developments of surrounding areas compared to that
in Westlake.
c. Presentation and discussion of the Comprehensive Plan
Town Manager DeGan presented a presentation packet regarding the Comp Plan,
specifically the Housing Plan Element Considerations. Mrs. DeGan explained the
four housing objectives in the plan: 1) Preserve value in a changing context, 2)
Diversify the higher-income market to attract young buyers, 3) Meet future
housing needs of an aging population, and 4) Mitigate value encroachment. The
second consideration discussed was the role that the region has in attracting top
employers to our area. The third consideration is that we currently have a plan
that values low density, open space, and larger lot sizes. Staff questioned if the
Council's vision of those were still the same, or if we needed to update the
Town's view. The next consideration is the diversification of our options
discussed in the housing element. Staff has questions regarding the type of
preferred housing diversification, the preferred senior living options, if cluster
type developments were preferred, and if our quality of life still appeals to
households without children. The fifth consideration refers to
entitlements/zoning with no specification of price point, including 2,000 single-
family rentals and 330 multi-family units. The final consideration refers to
mixed-use concepts in Westlake and how the Council feels about how those fit
into the Westlake vision.
The Council and Commission discussed what draws different people to live in
Westlake, the need to sell current units before continuing to build, the amount of
land that is currently zoned residential, and the current number of students at
Westlake Academy.
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d. Presentation and discussion regarding bills from the most recent legislative
session relative to development.
There was no presentation nor discussion regarding this item.
e. Standing Item: Presentation and discussion of development.
There was no presentation nor discussion regarding this item.
6. COUNCIL RECAP / STAFF DIRECTION
Mayor Wheat requested additional, perhaps quarterly, joint session meetings.
7. ADJOURNMENT OF THE JOINT WORK SESSION.
Mayor Wheat adjourned the joint work session at 8:21 p.m.
Chairman Brittan adjourned the joint work session at 8:21 p.m.
APPROVED BY THE TOWN COUNCIL ON JANUARY 27, 2020.
ATTEST: �u
Laur d Wheat, Mayor
110
Tanya Morri , Assistant tb the Town Secretary
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