Reprint from the Progress Times - June 13, 2008
©Progress Times 2008 - All Rights Reserved

 

Council hears projects report

 

By Kathy Olivarez

The Mission City Council heard reports on a list of city projects that are underway during the Monday, June 9, meeting of the council. City engineer Roberto Salinas summarized the projects for the council.

He told the council that construction on Shary Road between FM 495 and Mile 3 North should be completed by December. The $1.5 million project includes water line replacement and expansion of Shary Road to four lanes.

Phase I of the levee reinforcement project between Anzalduas and Inspiration Road should be completed by December. This project cost $6.5 million.

Construction of Anzalduas Bridge is 51.71 percent complete and is about half way through the allotted time for construction. The bridge will cost $28.5 million.

Renovation of La Lomita Chapel was recently completed at a cost of $244,000.

Scheurbach Road is being extended one mile south to the Military Highway at a cost of $80,000 for materials. It is a joint city/county project.

U.S. 83 frontage roads will be widened from Inspiration Rd. to Showers Road. This Texas Department of Transportation project will include widening the frontage roads to three lanes and construction of an underpass at Abram Rd.

The new 7050 square foot City Hall Annex and Chamber of Commerce building is estimated to cost $1.3 million and will take 210 days for completion.

The $1.4 million Shary Road water tower should be completed by November.

Documents for expansion of the water plant to six million gallons daily were sent to the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality in May for review. It should take four to six months for TCEQ approval.

Work on the Stewart Road Bridge Project began June 9.

R. P. Construction, the firm doing the South Bryan lift station, is being charged $150 a day for failure to complete the job on time. The main filter has arrived but some needed parts are still missing.

McAllen Construction was awarded the bid for the North Bryan lift station during the May 27 meeting. Approximately 300 days are needed for construction.

Traffic lights will be installed on Shary Road at three intersections including Colorado, Los Milagros and San Gabriel.

Replanking of the railroad crossing at Business 83 and Glasscock Road will take about five days and will be done in August.

Drainage improvements for Sonora and Reynosa Streets have been completed.

Roof repairs on the Strickland Building will begin in July at a cost of $38,500.

Approximately 441 of the 523 sewer connections for the Economically Distressed Areas Program (EDAP) project had been completed. The total project will cost $670,900.

To date this year,the Community Development Block Grant Housing Replacement Program has constructed four new homes and has another five under construction.

The council heard a report from Planning Director Sergio Zavala on Conway Crossing, a new shopping center plagued with a shortage of parking spaces He told the council that initially, in 2000, the plat showed a convenience store on the corner with 13 parking spaces and space for ten cars at five gasoline islands. Lot one was replatted into five lots in 2004 with a total of 30 parking spaces, four more than officially requested. Shortly thereafter, the city received complaints from owners of Taco Rico that patients at a dental office located in the complex were parking in restaurant parking.

Zavala said that since occupants are often not known before construction, it is difficult to determine exactly how many parking spaces are needed.

Police Chief Leo Longoria told the council for the fifth year in a row, crime in Mission has dropped. Crime is lower than in Edinburg or Pharr, cities of approximately the same size. He told the council police more cars would be needed to keep up with the continued growth in the city.

Under zoning matters, final plat approval was granted to Leisure Valley Ranch RV and Mobile Home Park, Phase III, being developed on 15.91 acres out of 208.61 acres of Porcion 79 in Mission’s rural extraterritorial jurisdiction. An additional 113 lots will be added to Leisure Valley.

Final plat approval was granted to Ebony Trails Subdivision to be construction on 3.69 acres of lot 98, Mission Acres. Approximately 18, R-1 residential lots are planned.

Final plat approval of San Miguel Subdivision, Phase IV, to be constructed on 7.862 acres of lots 121 and 122; John H. Shary Subdivision was approved. Approximately nine lots are planned. The subdivision is located one mile west of Shary Rd. along the north side of Los Milagros Road.

Final plat approval of Crystal Estates Subdivision on 12.14 acres of lot 27-12,West Addition to Sharyland, was approved. The site is just north of the Mission Lateral on the west side of Los Ebanos. Phase I includes 36 lots.

The council approved the sale and on-site consumption of alcoholic beverages at the Hinojosa Events Center to be located on lot five, Mission Business Park I-1. The site is 600 feet west of Los Ebanos Road along the south side of Industrial Way, near Tractor Supply.

The council amended the zoning ordinance #1128 so that stored RVs do not have to meet building setbacks.

The Oaklands Subdivision, Coronado Subdivision and Patricia Estates were rezoned to reflect their residential usage. The first two are R1-A while the third is R-1. All three were constructed prior to being annexed into the city.

The council approved an ordinance delegating discretionary authority to the Municipal Court Judge to release lien debts on extenuating circumstances for less than $500. Council must approve anything over that amount.

An amendment to the Health and Sanitation Code will allow a maximum of two unused vehicles that are fenced off, buffered with landscaping, or entirely wrapped with canvas screen car-covers, to be stored on a lot. The amendment follows the state code on junked vehicles.

Adoption of the Annexation Ordinance was approved for properties in Valley Memorial Gardens West Subdivision and between Shary and Taylor Roads on the east and west and Colorado Road on the north and Riverside Estates on the South.

The council formally accepted the restoration of La Lomita Chapel by the contractor, The 5125 Company, under the direction of Kell Munoz architect Steve Tillotson.

In other action, approval was given to the one-year action plan for 2088-09 for the Citizens Advisory Committee. Funds include Area Agency on Aging, $5000; Amigos Del Valle, $25,000; Dentists Who Care, $17,500; Children’s Advocacy, $7500; Housing Division, $599,146; and Housing/Program Administration, $175,000.

Solicitation of bids for improvements at Birdwell Park was approved at an estimated cost of $53,500. Improvements include bathroom facilities, basketball courts and perimeter fencing.

Solicitation of bids for asphalt pavement overlay at several locations within the city was approved. Locations to be paved include Los Ebanos between Business 83 and US 83; Holland Avenue from FM 495 to S. 19th Street; Holland Avenue between Barnes Street and Fourth Street; Holland Avenue from US 83 south 400 feet; Mile 1 South between Inspiration and Los Ebanos Roads; 18th Street between Holland and Conway Avenue; Mayberry Street between Business 83 and First Street; and Francisco Avenue between Dawson Street and Solar Drive.

The council authorized solicitation of bids for the Stewart Road Bridge widening project, estimated to cost $465,000.

An agreement between the City of Mission and the Texas Water Development Board for Economically Distressed Areas Program was extended an additional six months to complete the Yardline Phase III Project.

In a final action the council approved an animal shelter committee including Ernie Zapata, animal control officer, Dr. David Heflin, veterinarian; Noe Barrera, R.S., health director, and Desiree Hamilton, citizen.

Following executive session, the council voted to remove a lien against lot 18-B located at 913 West 2nd Street and keep the lien on lot 18-A.