The Whitney City Council met in a special session Thursday, February 5, following a meeting of the city’s parks board, and renewed the city’s agreement with youth sports organization WWFL.
The annual facility use agreement for fields at the city park was discussed at the council’s January meeting. While the agreement is usually renewed and gives WWFL field priority, there was discussion this year due to a new youth sports organization that has formed and is also seeking to use the fields.
Whitney Youth Sports is also starting its baseball and softball season this month and requested field access for its home games on Friday nights.
The parks board recommended that the council renew its agreement with WWFL as the primary user, and any other sports organizations will need to negotiate field usage with WWFL. If there is a disagreement, a city liaison will make a determination.
Representatives of the two organizations indicated a willingness to work together on scheduling.
In another agenda item, the council approved a special event permit for WWFL’s opening day event at the city park Saturday, March 7.
The council held a workshop on revisions to the city’s zoning regulations related to outdoor storage and sales in the Business 3 zone, which includes downtown and surrounding areas.
Last fall, Debbie Aust of C&S Antiques asked the city to amend its zoning ordinance that is impacting her ability to display goods on the sidewalk in front of her business. At the council’s last meeting, Beau Nickel of Keith Ace Hardware also spoke on the ordinance, saying that its enforcement impacts the ability of his business to place plants and other items for sale on the sidewalk, as has been customary in front of the hardware store for many years.
The council agreed that language in the ordinance should be loosened to avoid being overly restrictive to businesses.
Several changes were proposed, including removing language that prohibits placing items for sale in front of windows. The council also proposed removing specific measurements regarding sidewalk displays, as long as the business complies with Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) regulations.
City Administrator Billy Pribble said that the proposed changes will be incorporated, and a public hearing will be scheduled on the ordinance changes before a vote on the final document.
In other action, the council voted to request proposals for administrative and engineering services related to a downtown revitalization grant offered through the Texas Department of Agriculture.
A GrantWorks representative told the council that the grant funds can be used for sidewalks and lighting in downtown areas and could help the city address ADA compliance issues.
Grants are approximately $1 million with a 5% match. The application deadline is in April. The first step is advertising for administrative and engineering services.
The council’s next regular meeting date is Thursday, February 19.
The Lakelander 