City to consider feasibility study
NICOLE LESSIN [email protected]
Could a new community recreation center be on the horizon for Taylor?
At the regular meeting of the Taylor City Council Sept. 28, city leaders will consider issuing a feasibility study/needs assessment for a community wellness and recreation center and discuss possible funding sources.
Last spring, a group of graduate students in the University of Texas at Austin’s School of Architecture came up with seven different preliminary designs for a health and wellness campus centered around the empty field at the corner of west Lake Drive and Davis Street that city leaders used to generate interest in the idea.
According to city documents, this is not the first time elected officials have attempted to bring a community wellness center to Taylor.
“In 2010, the city of Taylor went out for a bond election to construct a recreation facility to be operated by the YMCA and the election failed. Staff believes that the need for this type of facility has grown exponentially since 2010 and recommends this study to re-engage the community in this discussion,” according to the city.
In addition, Taylor’s Parks and Recreation Department recently began offering a number of wellness initiatives for the community, which received overwhelming support from the community, officials said.
In other business at the meeting, city leaders will:
• Consider approving resolution to enter into a Multiple Use Agreement with the Texas Department of Transportation to install and operate automated license plate recognition readers on thoroughfares operated by TxDOT to help the Taylor Police Department detect and apprehend wanted vehicles and/or individuals by other law enforcement agencies.
• Consider holding a public hearing to introduce an ordinance to realign proposed community boulevards through a 69-acre tract of land northwest of the intersection of West Second Street and CR 401 in the transportation master plan of the Envision Taylor Comprehensive Plan so that they are not in the floodplain.
• Consider holding a public hearing to introduce an ordinance to amend the city limits by increasing it by about 15 acres north of Elm Branch Trail as part of part a 26-acre planned development of single-family units of varying lot sizes.
• Consider holding a public hearing to introduce an ordinance amending the zoning of the same 26 acres from R-1 (Single Family) to Single-Family Residential Zoning District with a Residential Planned Development Overlay.
• Introduce an ordinance amending the city’s special events policy that will remove the city manager’s authority to waive a prohibition against noncity organizations putting up signage promoting events not adopted by the city on municipal property. However, according to the city, “Special events will still be allowed to apply for temporary signage permits on private property.”
• Consider approving a quote of $103,500 from Ryan Sanders Sports Turf Services for work on 15 municipal athletic fields using funds from a Samsung Quality of Life grant.
The Taylor City Council regularly meets the second and fourth Thursday of each month at 6 p.m. at City Hall, 400 Porter St., Taylor. Agendas and live broadcasts are available at http://www.taylortx.gov.
