TOWN STAFF REPORT RECCOMENDATIONS
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Discuss and consider the amendments to Economic Development Agreements between the Town of Westlake and Quail Hollow, Res 16-35 and 17-16, and the Economic Development Agreement between the Town of Westlake and Vaquero, Ordinance 360 and 444, accepting the responsibility and costs associated with median maintenance on Davis Boulevard adjacent to Vaquero and Quail Hallow and take appropriate action.(Sean Kilbride, Mayor)
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STAFF: Sean Kilbride, Mayor
BACKGROUND:
This item was brought forward by Mayor Kilbride
DISCUSSION:
Economic Development Agreements for both Quail Hollow and Vaquero outline the areas of publicly accessible open space and medians which were agreed upon to be maintained by the HOA.
If this is a new direction that Council would like to embrace, then I would strongly encourage Council to allow staff to plan how we can make and effective shift in policy. The original intent of all the developer agreements that have been signed to date encourages each developer and future development to take on as much maintenance of open space as possible to ensuring that expenses and the tax rate stay as low as possible. This is not the usual way that most municipalities handle open space, but it has been effective in keeping the costs to run the Town low. If we decide it is in the best interest of our citizens to take over the maintenance of all publicly accessible open spaces, pathways, ROW and medians then we will incur a considerable increase in expenses revolving around landscape maintenance. With the abundance of open space as part of our comp plan there will be an equally great amount of maintenance to that open space as well and therefore may require adding personnel to oversee the third-party maintenance of this much property. We will also need to weigh the cost of using a third-party landscaping company with hiring and maintaining our own parks crew.
It will take time to properly identify all publicly accessible opens spaces, obtain the costs associated maintenance by third party and compare that to the costs of creating a team to handle the maintenance in house.
FISCAL IMPACT:
Unknown
STAFF RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends that a full analysis of taking over publicly accessible open space be brought back to Council for consideration at a later date.
ATTACHMENT(S):
Current Economic Development Agreements with Quail Hollow and Vaquero
TOWN COUNCIL ACTION/OPTIONS:
1) Motion to approve
2) Motion to amend with the following stipulations (please state stipulations in motion)
3) Motion to table
4) Motion to deny