City Hall Briefs, written and edited by Bob Flocke to inform the citizens of Wimberley about city activities, is neither an official nor an authorized publication of the City of Wimberley. Any views or opinions expressed are those of the writer, and they do not necessarily reflect official policies or positions of the City of Wimberley, other members of the City Council or the city staff. Anyone who wishes to be added to the distribution list should send their email address to Mr. Flocke at rflocke@austin.rr.com (512-847-5421).Send your comments and news tips to roundup.editor@gmail.com, to Mayor Flocke, or click on the "comments" at the bottom of the story. The Briefs has been edited by the RoundUp for length.
Appleman resigns from city council
Place 3 City Councilman Bill Appleman resigned his position at the end of the council’s April 21 meeting after stating his disappointment with council actions regarding the status of Mill Race Lane.
Appleman said that he thought the council had made the determination at its March 3 meeting that no prescriptive easement exists for the use of Mill Race Lane as a public street without completely understanding all of the information and history of ownership of the street.
Appleman was elected to a two-year council term in May 2009. The Place 3 council seat will remain vacant for the one remaining regularly scheduled meeting before the May 14 election.
Appleman and his wife Pat own Creekhaven Inn on Mill Race Lane.
Council approves rules for city-county hike and bike trail, official opening set for May 21
The city council at its April 21 meeting approved rules for the Wimberley-Hays County hike and bike trail and set the official opening ceremony for Saturday, May 21 at 10 a.m.
The 3.1-mile trail which winds through Blue Hole Regional Park and along Winters Mill Parkway is a joint venture between the city of Wimberley and Hays County. Local residents and visitors have been using the trail for several months, and the official opening will mark the end of construction. Improvements will continue.
The rules which were previously approved by the county are oriented to providing safe use by walkers, bicyclers and pets.
City staff given go-ahead to seek bids for FY 2011 street improvements
The city council approved five streets for improvement as part of the 2011 City of Wimberley Street Improvement Program and authorized the city staff to prepare bid specifications and to award a single contract for all five street projects.
Streets slated for work are Cliffview Dr., Smith Creek Rd., Twilight Trail, Malone Dr. and Rockwood Rd. The budget for the proposed street work is $201,894.
Early voting for the May 14 city council election begins Monday, May 2
Voters will be electing council members for Places One, Three and Five. Cynthia Marion and Tom Talcott are competing for the Place 1 seat being vacated by Marilee Wood. Place 3 candidates for the seat held by Bill Appleman are Scott Johnson and Matt Meeks. Place 5 incumbent John White is unopposed.
Election day is Saturday, May 14, and polls will be open at the Wimberley Community Center from 7 a.m. until 7 p.m. Early voting will be held at the Community Center on Monday, May 2, from 7 a.m. until 7 p.m.; Tuesday, May 3 through Friday, May 6, from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m.; Saturday, May 7, from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m.; Monday, May 9, from 7 a.m. until 7 p.m.; and Tuesday, May 10, from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m.
City to seek coalition to address sidewalk development on FM 2325
The city council approved a proposal from the Transportation Advisory Board to form a community coalition to lead efforts to secure future funding for development of sidewalks along FM 2325.
The TAB recommended forming a coalition because the development of sidewalks in an area heavily traveled by pedestrians will require significant funding. Those who would have an interest in or benefit from such sidewalks will be asked to form a task force comprising stakeholders to pursue funding from federal, state and local sources. The proposal suggested that the stakeholder group include local individuals and organizations including the Lions Club, Katherine Ann Porter School, Wimberley ISD and business owners along FM 2325.
Council approves types of evidence to be used to establish "grandfathered" status
At its April 21 meeting, the city council approved on second and final reading changes to the city's Code of Ordinances relating to the determination of pre-existing, non-conforming-grandfathered-use status.
The City Code did not detail what evidence may be presented to the city to help determine the grandfathered status of a land use. It also did not provide a process for a land owner to appeal the city staff's determination of a grandfathered status.
The approved amendment permits the grandfathered status of a land use to be proven by a preponderance of evidence including sworn affidavits, legally filed plats, sales, use, income and occupancy tax records, building and on-site sewage facility permits, construction receipts or any other information requested by the city. In addition, the amendment grants the city administrator the authority to determine the grandfathered status of a non-conforming land use and provide a process for appeal of that determination to the city's Board of Adjustment.
The amendment was previously approved by the Planning and Zoning Commission.
4 comments:
So Appleman quit because he couldn't get the road leading to his B&B paved? Is that the real reason he wanted to "serve the Wimberley community?"
Screw Appleman, then. We should boycott his business by not telling our friends and relatives about his B&B.
And what is the name of the candidate Appleman convinced to run for City Council? Don't vote for him, whomever he is.
The way things are going, we don't need the Wimberley City Council (CC) anymore; we can just let the Chamber of Commerce (CC) run the town. That's about what we have anyway.
I believe Tom Talcott is Appleman's clone. He is running against Cynthia Marion. I was going to vote for Marion anyway. She seems smart based on past contact. And we already have too many men on the CC now as it is.
I agree with CCs are the same.. We don't want quitter Appleman's boy on the Council.
I noticed on one of Cynthia’s ads she says, “VOTE MAY 13”. I think it points to the stress factor that first time candidates often experience. I laughed but think it is just one of those Wimberley things.
I noticed that all 4 candidates at the recent Forum, were against an ad valorem tax to fix the leaking and polluting waster water situation with the “Toxic Square”. This is another case of, everybody wants to go to heaven but nobody wants to die. I guess the candidates are expecting Wimberley to hit the Lottery or have a rich uncle die. I don’t see that anyone is facing the facts or providing a solution to “Turd Creek”.
I hate to be harsh with our businesses on the Square, but if any of them are dumping raw sewage into Cypress Creek, that business should be shut down immediately. Surely the City of Wimberley -- in its concern for signage and other
lesser concerns -- has an ordinance or regulation against dumping of sewage into creeks?
If the businesses have some sort of permit for their now-overflowing septic tanks, then those businesses should be given 30 days to correct the polluting situation. At the end of 30 days, if the situation has NOT been corrected, the businesses should be shuttered.
I know it can be a tremendous expense for a business to correct the problems on the Square, but the creek was there before the
businesses, and no one ever gave business a license to kill (the creek).
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