Agenda

Back to Calendar Return

Item # 5.b.

City Council (FY24)

Meeting Date:	02/13/2024
Department:	Parks & Recreation
Pillars:	Excellence in Asset Management
Milestones:	Promote and protect the Addison Way

AGENDA CAPTION:

Present, discuss, and consider action on a Resolution adopting a grant program in conformance with Chapter 380 of the Texas Local Government Code providing financial incentives for the improvement and maintenance of masonry perimeter residential screening walls throughout the Town and providing for an effective date.

BACKGROUND:

This item is a follow-up to presentations staff made to Council in 2022 and 2023 regarding the maintenance of masonry perimeter screening walls in residential areas. The previous presentations were made in response to several neighborhood groups requesting the Town maintain their masonry perimeter screening walls. Some of the groups indicated that the Town's leadership had previously made a verbal commitment to maintain the walls. As a result of those requests and conversations, the Town hired a consultant to look into ownership and maintenance responsibilities of masonry perimeter screening walls for the neighborhoods in Addison. The consultant reported their findings at the August 22, 2023 Council meeting. The report identified that the proper easements/agreements were not in place to assign wall maintenance obligations to the Town for the majority of the neighborhoods in Addison. Where there are wall maintenance agreements/easements in place, the Town will continue to maintain those walls. To address wall maintenance for areas where an agreement/easement is in place staff proposed establishing a grant that would allow the Town to participate in the costs of wall maintenance without dedicating a considerable amount of time and expense to acquiring easements for wall maintenance.

Council directed staff to conduct research and present information regarding grant programs other cities offer to help cover maintenance costs of aging infrastructure in their communities and to provide a framework for a proposed grant program that could be facilitated in Addison. Staff presented this information to Council at the November 11, 2023 meeting. Council provided feedback and directed staff to move forward with the proposed Neighborhood Vitality Grant. This item is for the consideration of implementing the Neighborhood Vitality Grant Program and approving the general framework that has been established for the grant program which is attached to the resolution as Exhibit A. Staff will make a presentation giving an overview of the grant framework.

RECOMMENDATION:

Administration recommends approval.

Attachments
Presentation - Neighborhood Vitality Grant
Resolution - Neighborhood Vitality Grant