News
11-05-2009
City Council approved a contract for an advanced funding agreement with the Texas Department of Transportation for the widening of West Loop 289 and the reconstruction of the West Loop 289 and State Highway 14 (19th Street) interchange.
On March 26, 2009, the Texas Transportation Commission selected the North Slide Road and Loop 289 Project and the West Loop 289 Widening Project for funding by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) of 2009. To expedite ARRA funding, TxDOT requested that the City amend the original advanced funding agreement for North Slide Road and Loop 289 to lower the City’s participation to $13,546,325, with the remainder of the funding coming from ARRA funds. The request included the City placing the remaining $11,453,675 in the West Loop 289 Widening Project.
City Council approved a resolution allowing islands in public streets in the Orchard Park Addition, between Quaker Avenue and Memphis Avenue and between 107th Street and 114th Street.
This request is for multiple islands in the public streets within the Orchard Park Addition. The land was originally a pecan orchard, and the subdivision and the streets were designed to keep as many of the trees as possible. Many of the trees will be located on islands in the streets.
The islands (tracts) will be open space, and will be owned and maintained by a homeowners association within the Orchard Park Addition.
9-10-2009
City Council adopted a Storm Water Utility fee of $9.00 per water meter for residential customers and $59.74 per water meter for commercial customers.
The rate increases are necessary to cover increased debt service payments totaling $2.39 million related to the Storm Water Vault Replacement Project, the Northwest Lubbock Maxey Park Project, the Storm Sewer Repair and Replacement Project, and the Streets Maintenance Program.
City Council approved the first reading of an ordinance amending the Central Business District Tax Increment Financing Reinvestment Zone by extending the duration of the Zone 20 years to December 31, 2040.
The Central Business District (CBD) Tax Increment Financing Reinvestment Zone (TIF) was created and adopted by the City Council on December 3, 2001. The CBD TIF District was established as a 20-year TIF, and 12 years remain. The term needs to be extended to issue 20-year bonds to provide for the construction of the public improvements needed for the Lubbock Downtown revitalization effort.
The original termination date of the CBD TIF is December 31, 2020. The amendment extends the termination date of the CBD TIF 20 years to December 31, 2040.
8-27-2009
City Council approved the FY 2009-10 Budget.
This ordinance incorporates the operating and capital budgets that have been proposed by the City Manager. The property tax rate in the proposed budget is $0.44640 per $100 valuation.
City Council approved the tax levy ordinance setting the tax rate and levying a tax on all property subject to taxation within the City of Lubbock for 2009.
The property tax rate is proposed to remain at the same rate as the previous year at $0.4464 per $100 valuation. The tax rate is distributed as follows:
General Fund Maintenance & Operations 0.33240
Interest and Sinking Fund 0.08400
Economic Development 0.03000
The General Fund Maintenance and Operations tax rate will generate $37,830,378; the Interest and Sinking Fund tax rate will generate $9,560,023; and the Economic Development tax rate will generate $3,414,294.
3-5-2009
The City Council approved an amendment to the Code of Ordinances regarding weeds within the City and providing of penalties and liens for failure to comply with demand for compliance with the general regulation of nuisances.
The ordinance reduces the height limit of weeds within the City of Lubbock from 12 inches to 8 inches.
2-26-2009
City Council approved a budget amendment to accept and appropriate Hope 3 program income to further affordable housing and be used as HOME Match funds, and to accept and appropriate 108 Loan Funds from Housing and Urban Development for Park projects.
The City accepted and appropriated $200,000 of Hope 3 program income to further affordable housing. This program allowed the Community Development Department to purchase and renovate houses to sell to qualified buyers.
The City also accepted and appropriated $865,000 of 108 Loan Funds from HUD for park projects. Originally to be used for the HUD 108-Housing Rehab Loan Program, the program funds were not spent as originally allocated because of low application approval rate.
The parks benefiting from these funds include Burns, Hollins, Mae Simmons, and Woods Parks, for resilient safety surfaces, sand play areas, and handicap accessibility.
The City Council approved a notice of intent to enter into a tax abatement agreement with Parkway Place Lubbock, L.P.
The City of Lubbock received an application for commercial tax abatement from Parkway Place, L.P., who plans to build a new commercial retail facility at 1802 Parkway Drive.
The project is a partnership between the North and East Lubbock Community Development Corporation and Gill Holdings, to construct and operate a 20,000 square foot commercial shopping center in North and East Lubbock on Parkway Drive, near Redbud Avenue.
Total investment in the project will be $1.6 million for real property improvements.
The project meets the Commercial Tax Abatement Policy and Guidelines’ minimum investment of $100,000 in real property improvements. This action fulfills the requirement of delivering a notice of intent to enter into a tax abatement agreement to the other taxing jurisdictions in order to contract with a company for tax abatement.
Staff recommends a five-year declining scale of tax abatement of 100% of taxes on improvements in the first year, 80% in the second year, 60% in the third year, 40% in the fourth year, and 20% in the fifth and final year.
City Council approved a contract resolution authorizing the Mayor to execute a contract with MWM Architects for architectural design services for the development of the Youth Sports Complex, at FM 1585 and Milwaukee Avenue.
This phase for the design of 10 non-lighted senior soccer fields, 8 lighted senior soccer fields, 9 non-lighted junior soccer fields, 13 non-lighted intermediate soccer fields, 16 non-lighted pee wee soccer fields, 1 free standing public toilet/office building, 1 free standing public toilet/maintenance building, and 1 free standing public toilet/large meeting room.
The fee for this phase is $595,000 plus reimbursable expenses and any additional authorized services.
The City Council approved the first reading of ordinances amending the Code of Ordinances by revising water and wastewater rates as contained therein.
Changes to the water and waste water rate structures were approved at the Lubbock Water Advisory Commission (LWAC) on February 19, 2009, to provide sufficient revenues to cover anticipated expenses in FY 2008-09.
Water and wastewater rates each include a base rate and a volume rate. LWAC approved and recommended no increase to the Block 1 water volume rate
2-12-2009
City Council approved a resolution nominating Shearer’s Foods Lubbock, L.L.C. to the Office of the Governor Economic Development & Tourism Division through the Economic Development Bank as an enterprise zone project.
With Shearer’s new planned expansion estimated to cost $6.9 million and the subsequent hiring of 16 additional employees, the City of Lubbock received a request from Shearer’s Foods Lubbock, L.L.C., to submit an application to the Economic Development & Tourism Division through the Economic Development Bank as an enterprise zone project and approving the submittal of an Enterprise Zone Project Application.
The application will be forwarded to the Economic Development and Tourism Division of the Governor’s Office. If Shearer’s is designated as an Enterprise Zone Project, the designation allows them access to state incentives such as state sales tax rebates and franchise tax credits.
City Council approved a resolution for a lump sum construction contract with Brown McKee, Inc., for the Leroy Elmore Park Drainage and Irrigation Improvements Project.
The completion of the South Central Drainage Project established a permanent water surface
elevation at playa lakes located in City parks resulting in the exposure of several broken concrete drainage flumes, at Leroy Elmore Park (east of Quaker Avenue and north of South Loop 289). The project scope for the contract includes the repair of the concrete drainage channels and the installation of irrigation in areas affected by new drainage improvements.
City Council approved a resolution for a unit price construction contract with Utility Contractors of America, Ltd., of Wolfforth, Texas, for the Stumpy Hamilton and Mose Hood Park Drainage Improvements Project.
City staff consistently receives complaints from the public about the trash, odor, and standing water in the two drainage channels at the two parks. The large channels connecting the two pipes in each park are a maintenance hazard and a health issue as water tends to stagnate among the trash and leaves and becomes a breeding ground for mosquitoes.
The contract involves the construction of pipelines and associated grading to enclose the open drainage ditches at Mose Hood Park (Avenue Q and 26th Street) and Stumpy Hamilton Park (Avenue W and 23rd Street).
City Council approved resolution authorizing the Mayor to execute a contract with Parkhill, Smith & Cooper for architectural/engineering services for Lubbock Preston Smith International Airport Improvement Projects.
The contract is a five-year master agreement for architectural and engineering services for Airport Improvement Projects beginning January 2010.
The Federal Aviation Administration allows airports to hire a firm for five years instead of selecting an architect or engineer for each individual capital project, saving time and money.
Some projects listed in the Airport’s Master Plan beginning in 2010 include: runway and taxiway improvements, terminal building HVAC, re-roofing of terminal building, relocating airfield perimeter road, relocating rotating beacon, and rehabilitating airside asphalt pavement.
Funding is from the Airport Improvement Program Grant Funds, Passenger Facility Charge Funds, and/or Airport Reserves.
City Council approved a resolution allowing islands in public streets in the Orchard Park Addition, between Quaker Avenue and Memphis Avenue and between 107th Street and 114th Street.
This request is for multiple islands in the public streets within the Orchard Park Addition. The land was originally a pecan orchard, and the subdivision and the streets were designed to keep as many of the trees as possible. Many of the trees will be located on islands in the streets.
The islands (tracts) will be open space, and will be owned and maintained by a homeowners association within the Orchard Park Addition.
On March 26, 2009, the Texas Transportation Commission selected the North Slide Road and Loop 289 Project and the West Loop 289 Widening Project for funding by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) of 2009. To expedite ARRA funding, TxDOT requested that the City amend the original advanced funding agreement for North Slide Road and Loop 289 to lower the City’s participation to $13,546,325, with the remainder of the funding coming from ARRA funds. The request included the City placing the remaining $11,453,675 in the West Loop 289 Widening Project.
