Agenda for City Council Meeting on Thursday, November 12
The Helotes City Council will meet at 7 p.m. on Thursday, November 12, 2009.
There will be a public hearing on proposed amendments regarding building heights in residential and commercial districts. (To learn about what those proposed amendments are, read the article on this website entitled “Notes from P&Z November Meeting.)
The Mayor will report on the Helotes City Playground, the construction of the police and fire department facilities, and the Strategic Traffic Enforcement Program (STEP).
The Consent Agenda (these agenda items are considered by City Staff to be non-controversial; these items will not even be discussed unless one of the Council members requests such discussion) consists of the approval of the:
Minutes of the last Council meeting.
Bi-weekly Revenue/Expenditure Report.
Quarterly Investment Report for the quarter ending 9/30/09.
Designation of the Helotes Echo as the primary official newspaper and the San Antonio Express-News as the alternate official newspaper for the City.
Extension of the general authority requiring the approval by the Police and Fire Chiefs of intradepartmental budget adjustments and City Council approval of interdepartmental budget adjustments for their respective departments.
Acquisition of a new 2010 Ford Crown Victoria Police Interceptor vehicle and related vehicle safety equipment to be used by the Helotes Police Department as a replacement vehicle for an amount NTE $30,000.
Resolution of the City Council exempting State n0n-profit and Federal tax-exempt organizations located within the City from certain license and permit fees.
Resolution approving the submittal of an Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant application to the State Energy Conservation Office authorizing the use of any and all available grant funds to assist in reaching the City of Helotes’ goal of energy efficiency within municipal facilities.
Change order for the modification of a sanitary sewer system to be installed by Middleman Construction Company for the expansion of municipal complex facilities and the betterment of surrounding commercial developments, directing that public funds expended for said modifications are reimbursed to the City by beneficiary Douglas B. Deptuch, owner of commercial property at 12682 FM 1560 W (directly adjacent to the municipal complex), and authorizing the Mayor to execute the change order and take all necessary steps to implement this resolution.
ITEMS FOR INDIVIDUAL CONSIDERATION:
Discussion and action on:
A resolution of the Helotes City Council casting votes for nominees for the Bexar Appraisal District Board of Directors for terms ending in 2011.
The City of Helotes assuming responsibility for the funding, promotion, and production of the Cornyval parade beginning in May 2010. Recently, the Helotes Festival Association elected to discontinue their involvement in the Cornyval Parade. Their decision has effectively put an end to the parade a short 8 years before its 50th anniversary. This agenda item proposes to form a Parade Committee composed of seven members who will serve as an advisory committee. It will be responsible for making recommendations to City Staff for all phases of planning the parade. They will register and coordinate volunteers to help plan and carry out the parade, register entries to participate in the parade, coordinate the distribution of information packets and advertising, solicit sponsorships, etc. According to the information provided by the City Administrator, the Cornyval Parade will cost the City between $8,000 and $13,000.
The proposed amendments revising building height regulations within commercial and residential zoning districts. There will be a public hearing at the beginning of this meeting allowing the public to speak about these proposed amendments. (To learn about what those proposed amendments are, read the article on this website entitled “Notes from P&Z November Meeting.)
An ordinance relating to restrictions on operating a motor vehicle near vulnerable road users (read: bicyclists and pedestrians) and creating an offense. It stipulates that an operator of a motor vehicle passing a vulnerable road user (VRU) on a highway or street shall: vacate the lane in which the VRU is located if the highway has two or more marked lanes running in the same direction or pass the VRU at a safe distance. It determines that a safe distance is at least 3 feet, if the motor vehicle is a passenger car or light truck, or 6 feet, if the motor vehicle is a truck, other than a light truck, or a commercial motor vehicle.
An operator of a motor vehicle that is making a left turn at an intersection, including an alley or private road or driveway, shall yield the right-of-way to a VRU who is approaching from the opposite direction and is in the intersection or is in such proximity to the intersection so as to be an immediate hazard.
An operator of a motor vehicle may not overtake a VRU traveling in the same direction and subsequently make a right-hand turn in front of the VRU unless the operator is safely clear of the VRU, taking into account the speed at which the vulnerable road user is traveling and the braking requirements of the motor vehicle making the right-hand turn.
An operator of a motor vehicle may not maneuver the vehicle in a manner that is intended to cause intimidation or harassment to a VRU or that threatens a VRU.
An operator of a motor vehicle shall exercise due care to avoid colliding with any VRU on a roadway or in an intersection of roadways.
It is an affirmative defense to prosecution under this Section that, at the time of the offense, the VRU was acting in violation of the law.
PENALTY: Each violation of this Section shall be punished by a penalty of a fine of not less than $25 or more than $500.
(Well, that’s telling ‘em!!! OMG!! I’m sure this ordinance will bring peace to the couple who were killed recently just north of Helotes by a pick-up truck driver. The maximum fine of $500 would go a long way in taking care of their 7 year old child who now has no parents. They were on a tandem bicycle riding on the shoulder of Hwy 16, and a driver “accidentally” swerved his vehicle and hit them, killing them both. He didn’t even get a ticket. He killed two people, and he didn’t even get a ticket! This ordinance could change that, I guess, if the accident had happened inside our city limits and if the driver didn’t claim the VRUs were acting in violation of the law [after all, no one will ever hear their side of the story]. Maybe he would get a ticket. Maybe he would be required to pay $500. I’m sorry, but I think that is ludicrous. Of course, we could just look on the bright side. The next time a VRU gets killed in Helotes, our City officials could end of collecting as much as $500 to add to the City’s coffers. Whoopee!)