Council considers zoning changes
By JEFF JACKSON Special Correspondent

The Lampasas City Council met Monday, with two public hearings on zoning issues topping off the regular session.

The first hearing concerned property at 512 East Avenue J, formerly occupied by Schwan Frozen Foods. Lance Carlson, the city's building official, said the south half of the property was zoned Single-Family Residential- 8 when the zoning map was created several years ago.

Property owners Matt Harton and Paul Hughes have requested the zoning be changed to commercial, which the council later approved.

The second public hearing dealt with property at 501 N. Key Ave. Michael Cotton, owner of Bean Tree Expresso in Copperas Cove, would like to open a drive-through coffee business at the site.

The council last year granted a special-use permit to the Coffee Shack to operate a small temporary building at the site.

Cotton told council members of his business plans and said in time he would be able to replace the portable structure with a more permanent building, possibly making use of the former car wash structure also on the property.

Concern was expressed about traffic safety and how drivers would enter the property. Cotton indicated there would be a oneway entrance, possibly from Key Avenue or the side street, and then vehicles would exit onto Key.

The council granted a specificuse permit for one year, with several conditions attached. The area must be kept clean; if the business closes, the building must be removed within 30 days; and the permit is limited to Bean Tree Expresso only.

City Manager Michael Stoldt discussed three ongoing projects. The city is seeking a disaster grant to clean up debris in Sulphur Creek left from the heavy rains and high waters earlier this year, and for stabilization of the creek bank where a sewer main is almost exposed, due to erosion.

Former Mayor Jack Calvert has agreed to chair a committee to study locations for a possible Lampasas Civic Center, Stoldt said. The committee will select an architect, choose a site and work with the architect to develop the location. Calvert will update the council in January, the city manager added.

And an annexation committee is gathering information about the condition of roads, water lines and sewer lines in the area adjoining the Lampasas city limits. It will be several months, however, before city staff bring any annexation recommendations to the council, Stoldt said.

In other matters, the City Council awarded a bid of $55,057 for a six-yard dump truck to Longhorn International of Temple. The company was not the low bidder but was chosen because it offers a more convenient location for service. Council members authorized the expenditure of up to $60,000 so the truck can be outfitted with a radio and other extras that will make work easier.

The council denied a request to waive penalties and interest on a curb assessment for property along the U.S. Highway 190 bypass. The curb work was performed back in the mid-1980s.

Members did OK a somewhat complicated exchange of property and easements between Jim Finley, the city and the Lampasas Independent School District.

Five documents were involved in the exchange agreement. A transfer of title to a 50-by-90-foot tract at the corner of 10th and Ridge streets went from the city to Finley. Second was the transfer of title on a 20-by-155-foot portion of the Sulphur Creek levee adjacent to U.S. Highway 281 from Finley to the city. The third document grants a 20-foot-wide easement adjacent to the levee to the city from Finley. Fourth, from Finley to the school district, is the creation of a 15-footwide easement adjacent to U.S. 281 that will be used to extend a gas line to the new high school. And the fifth document transfers the gas line easement to the city.

Interim Parks director Micky Tower said all terms of membership on the Parks Advisory Board expire in January 2008, and the ordinance needs to be amended. The amended rules would provide for nine members with staggered terms.

The city manager asked the council to number the positions and have even-numbered posts expire in even years and the others in oddnumbered years. The council agreed.

Council members awarded a bid of $6,750 to Jerry Goodson to survey easements for the South Electric Feeder Project from the Naruna Road substation to the new high school, then to the business park, across U.S. 183 to Georgetown Road and looping into Sunrise Hills.

Street Superintendent Shane Brown brought bad news about the city's aging street sweeper. The 10- year-old vehicle must be hauled to San Antonio for repairs to keep it running another year. The expected life of the machine is only 5 to 7 years, he said. The council OK'd the repair and will consider a new street sweeper in the next budget.

The council also awarded a bid of $12,000 to Alexander Trucking for cold-lay asphalt for the winter street maintenance program.