Council gets first look at public safety facility
By LAURA CHILDRESS

As plans for the widening of Eldorado Parkway continue, the town council received a presentation during Tuesday's council meeting on a joint fire and police facility adjacent to town hall.

Architect Jim Wilson noted that the building as proposed would be around 50,000 square feet with an estimated price tag of between $12.5 and $15 million.

Fire Chief Joe Florentino noted that the plans could be scaled back, but had been developed with the next 20 years' needs in mind.

With the town expecting around $3 million from the Texas Department of Transportation toward the cost of relocating and rebuilding the central fire station, the council authorized the architect to bring back a proposal for construction of the first phase.

Town Manager Ivan Langford also recommended that the council revisit its capital improvements plan at the next meeting and consider how the joint police and fire facility fits into that plan.

The council also received an update from Valencia on the Lake developers.

Plans now call for the development to be annexed into the town, with infrastructure and amenities funded through a public improvement district and tax increment refinancing zone.

Mehrdad Moayedi, president of Centurion American Development, noted that the use of a PID will allow for more amenities to be done upfront.

As for the TIRZ, developers explained the town would receive the full town taxes on the base value for the property, along with 46 percent of the taxes on the incremental improvements, with the remaining 54 percent being used to pay down the PID assessment.

Over the course of the project, developers said the town could expect to receive $34 million in revenue, including $2 million toward the town's community center.

The council also received a proposal from staff to develop an interim Town Center zoning district.

Planning director John Taylor noted that with the "form-based" code needed to implement the Town Center plan expected to take a year to complete, staff is recommending an interim zoning district to govern the development of property in the area in the meantime.

The plan would govern such things as land use, parking and architecture.

In other business during Tuesday's council meeting: * The council approved the issuance of letters to all taxing entities informing them of the town's intention to establish two tax increment reinvestment zones: one comprised of the town's eastern gateway near the intersection of FM 423 and Eldorado and the proposed Town Center area and the second along Hwy. 380.

* Council member David Hillock was sworn in following his recent re-election to Place 1.

* The council held a public hearing on an update of the town's land use assumptions, capital improvements plan and water, wastewater and thoroughfare impact fees, then approved the reports.

The council tabled action on updating the impact fees until the next council meeting. While the capital improvements advisory committee is recommending the maximum impact fees allowed under the law, with the council then having the latitude to negotiate and encourage certain types of development, staff noted they felt the council would be negotiating on almost all types of development and a more moderate fee structure would be more beneficial.

* Library director Tina Hager presented a certificate of appreciation to reference/technical services librarian Laurie McKee for two years of service to the town.

* The council approved the consent agenda, consisting of the minutes of the May 20 precouncil and regular council meetings; authorization to pay Lowe's Home Center $75,000 in sales tax rebates; and acceptance of the minimum offer of $1,000 from the Texas Department of Transportation for tract of land needed for right-of-way along FM 423.

* The council approved an amendment to the current fiscal year budget.

* The council awarded a $1,725,918.61 contract for the Lakeshore Drive paving, drainage and water improvement project to Quality Excavation of Aubrey.

* The council approved an agreement with AT&T for the relocation of a phone line along King Road.

* The council authorized the mayor to sign a lease for CRIMES record management and computer aided dispatch software, which may be used for police, fire and EMS.

* The council approved an amendment to the town's fee schedule regarding the permitting of commercial buildings in relation to the fire code.

* The council appointed Charles Platt as a regular member of the parks and recreation board on its recommendation.

* The council discussed possible landscaping and irrigation improvements to the medians on Eldorado Parkway between FM 423 and Walker Lane as a means of improving the appearance of that gateway into town.

Improvements would be similar to those on the portion of Eldorado running through the Eldorado West subdivision.

* The council received an update from the parks director on Cottonwood Creek Marina's efforts to open the park by June 15.

* The council announced plans for the town to host Little Elm Night at the Roughriders Aug. 14 with proceeds benefiting the Little Elm Food Bank.

* The council designated Beverly Hughes as a voting representative to the North Central Texas Council of Governments.

* The council approved a resolution nominating Harlan Jefferson, Flower Mound city manager, to the Board of Managers of the Denco 9-1-1 District.