One of the long term goals defined by the City of Frisco in the 2003 Strategic Focus Areas was to create a sustainable city. Last night council voted 4-1 on a plan that they think will create a sustainable city for years to come.

 

The council approved letters of support for two low income housing projects in Frisco last night. These letters will accompany the developer’s formal applications to the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs. The applications, if approved, will get the developers part of the $10 million in tax credit money that is available for such projects.

 

Council made a three-year agreement in 2008 with the Inclusive Communities Project, Inc. (ICP) for a Political Subdivisions Grant Agreement. The agreement entitles the City of Frisco to a $2 million grant to encourage affordable housing developments in Frisco.

 

ICP specializes in affordable housing for everyone. Their  Web site says that they are “a not-for-profit organization that works for the creation and maintenance of thriving racially and economically inclusive communities, expansion of fair and affordable housing opportunities for low income families, and redress for policies and practices that perpetuate the harmful effects of discrimination and segregation.”

 

The low income or affordable housing is not supported by some residents in Frisco. The council chambers were filled Monday night with people listening and speaking in opposition of such projects in Frisco. More than 40 people spoke and filled out comment cards in opposition to the project. Both developers also spoke in support of their projects.

 

“I do not have a lot of details at this point but my first impression is no,” Frisco resident Janet Dons said. “I don’t know any improvements that any section 8 housing has brought to any city. I think it’s going to create more problems for the community.”

 

There are two separate developments asking the city for letters of support. The first project, North Court Villas, is a 150 unit project located on south side of Stonebrook Parkway, between Woodstream Drive and Preston Road. It is a 10-acre development. The second project is a 12-acre development of 200 units near the intersection of Sunset Drive and McKinney Road.  Both projects are required to only be 25 percent low income or 50 units, whichever is greater.

 

 “I can’t tell you how strongly I object to putting these apartments smack dab in the middle of well established neighborhoods,” resident Ricky Levitan Said. “This is a city I believe in. I have spent the last 18 years making this my home and where you are asking to put these (developments) makes no sense.”

 

Most of the residents that spoke had similar concerns about the projects including the locations, how it would affect property values of surrounding established houses, crime rates, and impact on schools and how the streets would accommodate all the extra traffic.

 

Resident Sunny Moyers is forming a watchdog group called ‘Citizens opposed to unrealistic development' .

 “Finally I would like to send a message to the developers; be aware we will be watching,” Moyer said. “We as citizens we will protest and fight this process.”

 

Once all public comments were heard the council went into executive session that lasted more than an hour.

 

When they came out of executive session the council members gave their opinions on the projects and asked both of the applicants to go on the recording stating that they would not allow criminals to live in their properties. Both applicants agreed to the stipulation.

 

“We are coming in here to provide good quality housing opportunities to people that work in this area but can’t afford to live in this area. That is the whole basis of providing affordable housing,” said developer Dru Childre of Songhai Development Co.,LLC. “I guarantee you the city council and the mayor and the residents of Frisco that we will not let anyone live in our property that has any kind of criminal background and kind of record.”

 

Council assured the residents that if these projects go forward into the actual building stages that they will be of the same quality as all other developments in the city of Frisco.

 

“If these projects to go forward, these projects will be built to our standards,” said council member Bob Allen. “In the end it’s my job to look out for the best interest of the city even if it’s not popular.”

 

Council voted 4-1 to move forward with the letters of support with only Scott Johnson against.  Johnson said his plat form that he ran for council was ‘do right, risk consequence’ and on this issue he needed to follow his motto.

 

“I have yet to hear why this is a good thing for the community,” Johnson said. “I know everyone here believes the same thing, we just have different goals and different ways of achieving that. For me on this day, on this issue, I chose that motto’ to do right, risk consequence’ and I chose principal over pragmatism and this is not something I can support going forward.”

 Council will provide the two developers with their letters of support but even with the letter it is not guaranteed that the projects will receive the tax credits. It will be several amounts before the developers find out.

 

 

Tonight the Frisco City Council will consider an agenda item related to proposed low income housing developments in Frisco. The City of Frisco has created a web page that shares a brief, historical outline of significant events and/or programs related to affordable housing in Frisco. To find out more, go to www.friscotexas.gov Click on ‘Communication’ and then ‘Proposed Low Income/Sect. 8’ .

The agenda item that the council is considering tonight would be for two seperate housing complexes. The first would be a 10-acre development called North Court Villas. The 150 unit complex would be located on the southside of Stonebrook Parkway, between Woodstream Dive and Preston Road. The second development would be for a 200 unit complex that would sit on 7.37 acres near the intersection of Sunset Drive and McKiney Road. Each of the developments is required to contain 25% or 50 units for section 8 housing vouchers.

The development of these complexes is due to a 3-year partnership agreement made with the Inclusive Communities Project in 2008. The agreement resulted in the city get a $2 million grant to help make this program work in Frisco. To read more about the history of the agreement http://www.ci.frisco.tx.us/communication/Pages/proposedlowincomesect8.aspx

There will be a regularly scheduled city council meeting tonight at the council chambers inside the George A. Purefoy Municipal Center, 6101 Frsico Square Blvd. The meeting will start at 5:30 p.m. with the closed session. The regular meeting will follow at roughly 6:30 p.m. with citizen's input being at approximately 7:30 p.m. Some of the items on tonight's agenda include a public hearing on a request for a Specific Use Permit for a child day care center o the south side of Main Street and the council will consider and act upon an ordinance calling a Special Charter Amendment Election. For the complete agenda for tonight's meeting see  http://sire.friscotexas.gov/sirepub/pubmtgframe.aspx?meetid=437&doctype=AGENDA

 

Frisco residents may not be aware that there city has one of the biggest public owned art collections in the country for a city its size.

The city currently has over 50 art instillations and it is in the plans to expand.

“I don’t know any other community our size that has a collection this big,” said Public Art Manager Richard Oldman.

Oldman recently spoke at a Rotarian Club luncheon about the size of the Frisco collection and its purpose

The mission of the program is to promote cultural, ascetic and economic vitality in the City of Frisco by integrating the work of artist into public places, civic infrastructure and private development.

People at the luncheon said the art also, “affects quality of life, stimulates art and is pretty.”

The city established an ordinance in 2002 establishing Frisco’s Public Art Program and in 2004 the city council approved the public art master plan.

All of the pieces that are currently in place go through a process to be chosen. First there is an artist selection committee that chooses the artist, the artist then takes their rendering before the Public Art Board for approval, once approved they are taken to council for approval.

The Art Board identifies places to fund projects each year depending on their budget. The funding for the projects is from the city’s Capital Improvement Projects budget and varies year to year. The Public Art Board receives one to two percent of the CIP budget each year to be spent on art.

The number of artist applying for a project varies depending on the scope of the project; for example Oldman said 75 artists applied for the Dr. Pepper Ball Park piece and the artist committee narrowed it down to two. Those two took their ideas to the Public Art Board.

The work in the city varies from photographs, to bronze sculptures of longhorns to abstract pieces in parks. The board wants to appeal to every type of art lover and people that may not be art lovers at all.

“We focus on having a diverse collection,” Oldman said.

Two projects are currently under commission and will be installed the end of 2010. The Dr. Pepper Ball Park is getting a twice life-size pitcher and the Dr. Pepper Arena is getting a hanging glass sculpture.