Thursday’s College Station city council meeting included two items involving annexation.
The council approved starting the annexation process of 70 acres adjoining the south city limits, bordered by Wellborn Road, Royder Road, and Greens Prairie Road. City staff had projected annexing this area, considered part of the Wellborn Community Plan, within the next three years. It will be at least four months before the council takes a final vote.
The council also gave staff the green light to consider pursuing annexing land further south. That would include two subdivisions…the Estates of Royder Ridge and Crossroad Woods, and property owned by the College Station school district.
In other business:
The council approved proceeding with the $3 million dollar replacement of Cooner Street, which is off Texas north of University. This includes replacing the pavement, water lines, and sewer lines.
The council approved replacing two sets of playground equipment at Pebble Creek park. The contract calls for the work to be completed in 60 days.
After considerable discussion, the council approved returning the city’s Historic Preservation Committee to the supervision of the city council instead of the Parks and Recreation Department advisory board.
The council had no opposition with staff recommendations on regulating the use of e-cigarettes. The council will vote in a future meeting to prohibit them in the same places were tobacco cigarettes are prohibited and minors not being allowed to purchase or possess e-cigs.
The council also approved giving the buyers of the former Chimney Hill shopping center more time to finish closing on the sale of the property. Last December, the council approved the sale for a residential-retail development and in May approved zoning changes. At that time, developers were expecting to close on the sale in June. But closing has been delayed until after September 15th. That meant the council had to extend the closing date in order to receive zoning changes. The council approved extending the closing deadline to December 31, 2014.
The council also approved rezoning vacant property to allow for the construction of multi-family housing east of Texas between Manuel and Brentwood.
The College Station council approved the FY 2015 budget of BVSWMA, the Brazos Valley Solid Waste Management Agency; which was also approved earlier in the week by the Bryan council.