Council to receive update on land exchange with Fort Hood

By LYNETTE SOWELL
Cove Leader-Press

During tonight’s meeting of the Copperas Cove city council, City Manager Andrea Gardner is scheduled to give an update on the status of the land exchange between the City of Copperas Cove and Fort Hood. According to the agenda item, the land exchange would gain the city an “orphaned” triangular parcel of land consisting of approximately 300 acres, with the city to exchange land in the vicinity of F.M. 116 North contiguous to Fort Hood. The city could then use the land between Business 190 and Highway 9 for economic development.
Also at tonight’s meeting, the council will hold its second public hearing and take action on proposed revisions to the city’s parking and zoning ordinances, where it concerns parking of trailers and RVs on the street, as well as vehicles parked in yards. Public meetings were held earlier this year regarding possible changes, followed by a city council workshop in April 2017. The first public hearing on the ordinance changes was held during the November 7 city council meeting.
The revisions include no parking being allowed in front yards unless on concrete or asphalt; to allow side yard parking on a product constructed of a material that does not create mud during rainfall; moving the regulations for RVs from Chapter 20 to Chapter 18 of the code; changing verbiage from “stored” to “parked.” 
The police department would also have the option to cite for violations and not just tow a vehicle. Recreational vehicles will be allowed 72 hours to load and/or unload. Any utility trailers parked on the street must be attached to a vehicle, with the exception of those trailers used in conjunction with city-permitted projects being allowed to remain parked on the street.
As far as the ordinances changes go, during the November 7 meeting Deputy Chief Jeffrey Stoddard said the process would be phased-in via a process of educating residents, then issuing warning citations before using the option to fine or impound a trailer or vehicle. 
Also tonight, the council will also hold the first public hearing on a budget amendment to this fiscal year’s budget. The amendment is to roll over purchase orders and other commitments that were outstanding at the end of the 2016-2017 fiscal year and into the current year. 
Hearings will also be held concerning the property at 101 Ridge St., for an amendment to the Future Land Use Plan as well as a requested zoning change for that property from R-1 (Single-Family Residential) to B-3 (Local Business District). Following the hearing, the council also has on the agenda to vote on changes to both the FLUP and zoning for that property. 
The council will also evaluate the services of the city’s municipal court judge along with the court’s associate judge during tonight’s meeting.
The city’s fee schedule where base water, sewer, and solid waste base rates are concerned is up for consideration and action this evening. The proposed amendment will remove the temporary base rate fees that were in place for 2017, that had been approved by the council back at its December 2016 regular meeting. 
The council will also formerly act on calling a runoff election on December 12 for a runoff for city council place six. The council held a special meeting on Friday afternoon during which the election reslts were canvassed. The place six candidates, John A. Hull and Marc Payne, were present for the meeting and took time to draw for ballot positions, with Payne set to run on the ballot first, followed by Hull. 
The council will also discuss rescheduling both the December 5 regular and workshop meetings. 
An executive session is also set for this evening, during which the council will discuss “the appointment, employment, evaluation, reassignment, duties, discipline, or dismissal of” the city manager. 
Tonight’s meeting starts at 6 p.m. in the city council chambers located at the Technology Center, 508 S. 2nd. St.