WEST GALVESTON ISLAND PROPERTY OWNER'S ASSOCIATION

MINUTES OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING

The Board of Directors held a Board meeting on January 15, 2011 at the Galveston Country Club. Jerry Mohn, President called the meeting to order at 9:00 a.m. A quorum of Directors was present with the attendance of: Ron Coker – Bermuda Beach, Jon Fabian Pointe San Luis, Peggy Zahler – Spanish Grant Beach, Tom Boothe – Condominiums, Clay Lewis – Sportsman Road, Lee Slataper – Pirates Beach, Matt Wigle – Acapulco Village, Jeff Southard – Dunes of West Beach, and Ken Diestler – Spanish Grant Bay.

An introduction of Officials and Corporate Sponsors was held. Jim Schweitzer, Justice of Peace, Eddie Burke alderman from Jamaica Beach, Libbey Stone - City Planning, and Jeri Kinnear – former Parks Board Director, were introduced.

Corporate sponsors for the WGIPOA were introduced and included Peggy Zahler, Johnson Space Center Federal Credit Union, Andrea Madison for SilverLeaf Resorts, Nichi Dunfey with Prudential Gary Greene Realtors, and Marie Robb from Coastal Solutions.

Minutes: The minutes were distributed by email. Upon motion duly made by Peggy Zahler, and seconded by Clay Lewis, the following resolution was adopted by unanimous vote. RESOLVED THAT, the Board approved the minutes of December 2010 as presented.

Financial: Jerry Mohn gave the financial report. Jerry stated that the total assets are $22,824, cash is $22,744. Upon motion duly made by Jeff Southard and seconded by Matt Wigle, the following resolution was adopted by unanimous vote. RESOLVED THAT, the Board approved the Treasure report.

District 6: City Council Member Dianna Puccetti stated:

• The bonds that were there before IKE were for sewage; these funds were used after IKE until after FEMA money kicked in. Sewers are progressing for the Bay Harbor area.
• Dianna stated she wants those funds to go back to drainage.
• 11 Mile road widening paving was approved.
• For the water tower being constructed at Isla del Sol, their logo will be painted on two sides.

Galveston Master Neighborhood Plan: Jerry Mohn introduced Ms Quincy Howard City of CDM, Inc., who is handling the Galveston Master Neighborhood Plan for the City. Quincy stated she will follow the following agenda:

1. Introduction
2. Your Goals
3. Opportunities and Actions
4. Visioning
5. What’s Next

The Master Neighborhood Plan will be an addendum to the Comprehensive Plan.

Note: There was a disconnect in what the audience believed was important and what was presented at the meeting. As a result, the contractor, CDM, will get together with the City’s Planning Department to review the discussions at this meeting and to come up with a New Master Plan for the West End to bring back to review with the residents again. We will however provide in these minutes of the meeting provide what was presented and highlight some of the concerns.

*See comments below from the audience.

Overview of past neighborhood plan

• Social, environmental & economic planning unique to each neighborhood
• Identifies neighborhood planning priorities and recommendation
• Developed by and for the community
• Purpose for meeting - Verify that the goals, opportunities and actions identified are appropriate and on target

Top Goals: Your Goals, Opportunities & Actions:

1. Fully functional drainage and sewage systems throughout the neighborhood
2. Safe and efficient transportation throughout neighborhood for motorists, bicyclers and walkers
3. A beach community, sparsely developed, with natural environments for recreation
4. Local businesses are encouraged and meet the unique needs of both local residents and neighborhood visitors.
5. Neighborhood is a safe place to live and work for all citizens. Note: The audience believed that #5 should be the top priority. Quincy will make the necessary adjustment.

Opportunities and Actions

Goal 1. Fully functional drainage and sewage systems throughout the neighborhood

• Public works and residents meet to discuss details of sewer infrastructure plans and timeline.
• Residents to provide public works with prioritized list of sewer improvements.
• Public works to report project progress with signage at project site and online.
• Public works installs curbs along appropriate roadways where they don’t exist Note: The audience did not see the necessity for curbs in subdivisions.
• Public works raises street level along FM3005. This is TX Dot. Note: The audience advised that FM 3005 is a Texdot responsibility and not the City’s.

Alternate mechanisms

• Public works install and residents maintain rain gardens along problem roadway and side walks.
• City community where public finance merits the use of MUDS, public improve districts/ taxes.
• Residents organize focused street clean up event(s).

Goal 2: Safe and efficient transportation throughout neighborhood for motorists, bicyclers and walkers.

• Public incorporates segregated bike lane in planned improvements along 3005.
• City installs sufficiently large wayfinding signs along 3005 for visitors to find public beach access. Note: There already exists beach access signs for all the beach access points.
• Public works includes bike lanes on arterial roads with road repair plans.
• Install bike lanes to connect interwide within the City
• Public works installs walking lanes.
• Island Transit provides regular transit service on weekdays with buses that include bike racks.
• Public works installs stop signs, traffic calming measure and decreases speed limits along residential streets.

Goal 3: A beach community, sparsely developed, with natural environments for recreation. A sustainable developed beach community with natural environments for recreation and preservation.

• City Planning conducts Holding Capacity analysis to determine parameters for west end development.
• City planning works with residents to identify preferred routes for developing hiking/biking trail that connects neighborhoods.
• Residents organize litter pick up events and dunes maintenance educational events.
• Note: The audience requested to preserve what is left of the natural area on the west end.
• Residents and city to research options for designating conservation.
• City planning develops a comprehensive beach access plan. Note: The audience advised one already exists.
• City planning considers increasing the gulf-front setbacks for new developments.
• City strengthens the provisions and enforcement of the coastal development ordinances for dune stabilization and reconstruction.
• City to build a kayak launch similar to launch in state park.
• City provides another public pier to help offset use of sea-isle pier.
• Residents partner with Galveston Bay Estuary program to develop a restoration and management plan for wetlands.
• City provides recycling pickup. Program can begin with drop-off centers and expand to curb side pickup.
• City sanitation to improve waste collection at public trashcans, particularly along beach.
• Note: The audience expressed disappointment there were no references al all to develop programs to curtail the erosion of the beaches and bays. This should be a top priority.

Goal 4: Local businesses are encouraged and meet the unique needs of both local residents and neighborhood visitors.

• City planning requires generous open space dedication for new developments.
• Small businesses provide convenient projects and services for local resident and neighborhood visitors.
• City planning guides new commercial development around compatible land uses, not on Greenfield sites
• City encourages sustainable practices for new commercial establish
• City planning encourages mix uses for new developments.

Goal 5: Neighborhood is a safe place to live and work for all citizens.

• Galveston police department locates a police substation in the west end
• Galveston police begin regular beachside patrolling of more densely populated residential areas.
• Residents meet with Galveston police dept to discuss crime issues in neighborhoods add ways to address them
• Resident increase neighborhood Watch, identifying and communication specific issues and problem areas.

Visioning: All of the previous opportunities and actions could feasibly be implemented within a 5 yr timeframe.

1. Assume that they have been (drainage problems resolved, roads fixed, etc.)
2. Then what? How do you want the neighborhood to develop? This is our chance to shape future decisions that could define the community.

*Attendee’s comments:

The attendees found it hard to envision when the infrastructure is not what it should be. The roads are in poor condition and have been prior to IKE. The drainage has been an issue for years prior to IKE. The erosion of the beach has been an issue of the island for years. Those are the focus areas we need. We need a mechanism in the beach to keep the sand on the beaches.

Top priority from those attending is the beach restoration and preservation and the repair and maintenance of our roads. We need protection. It was stressed the property owners attend Council meetings and register to vote.

We need a process in place that shows we are on the same time team and that these items be reviewed before presented and that we need to be at another level. We have as a group already told the City what our priorities were and that is not what was presented today.

The audience also discussed in funding programs the property owner associations and west end should consider a PID (Public Improvement District) and a Management District.

CDM advised they will get together with City Planning and come back with a revised plan.

Texas Supreme Court – Sand Nourishment Project – The GLO asked the City & County to hold up on requesting the FEMA funding. The Texas Supreme Court is reviewing. Of the original $40 million for the sand nourishment and dune construction project from the end of the Seawall to 13 Mile Road, there are $26 million of FEMA funds. We expect to only get $10 million at least and will pursue aggressively the other $16 million. There may be a project from these monies this year.

The GLO has requested support from WGIPOA to submit an amicus brief to the Texas Supreme Court to support the GLO’s effort is requesting a re-hearing of the case. The WGIPOA Board met in a special meeting prior to this meeting and decided to take a neutral position and each Property Owner Association can decide whether they want to vote accordingly.

Meeting adjourned at 10:56 a.m.

Susan Gonzales

Recording Secretary