Agenda

AGENDA

CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION
City of Garland
Work Session Room, City Hall
William E. Dollar Municipal Building
200 North Fifth Street
Garland, Texas
Monday, December 2, 2019
6:00 p.m.

DEFINITIONS:

Written Briefing: Items that generally do not require a presentation or discussion by the staff or Council. On these items the staff is seeking direction from the Council or providing information in a written format.

Verbal Briefing: These items do not require written background information or are an update on items previously discussed by the Council.

NOTICE: The City Council may recess from the open session and convene in a closed executive session if the discussion of any of the listed agenda items concerns one or more of the following matters:

(1) Pending/contemplated litigation, settlement offer(s), and matters concerning privileged and unprivileged client information deemed confidential by Rule 1.05 of the Texas Disciplinary Rules of Professional Conduct. Sec. 551.071, Tex. Gov't Code.

(2) The purchase, exchange, lease or value of real property, if the deliberation in an open meeting would have a detrimental effect on the position of the City in negotiations with a third person. Sec. 551.072, Tex. Gov't Code.

(3) A contract for a prospective gift or donation to the City, if the deliberation in an open meeting would have a detrimental effect on the position of the City in negotiations with a third person. Sec. 551.073, Tex. Gov't Code.

(4) Personnel matters involving the appointment, employment, evaluation, reassignment, duties, discipline or dismissal of a public officer or employee or to hear a complaint against an officer or employee. Sec. 551.074, Tex. Gov't Code.

(5) The deployment, or specific occasions for implementation of security personnel or devices. Sec. 551.076, Tex. Gov't Code.

(6) Discussions or deliberations regarding commercial or financial information that the City has received from a business prospect that the City seeks to have locate, stay, or expand in or near the territory of the City and with which the City is conducting economic development negotiations; or to deliberate the offer of a financial or other incentive to a business prospect of the sort described in this provision. Sec. 551.087, Tex. Gov't Code.

(7) Discussions, deliberations, votes, or other final action on matters related to the City’s competitive activity, including information that would, if disclosed, give advantage to competitors or prospective competitors and is reasonably related to one or more of the following categories of information:

generation unit specific and portfolio fixed and variable costs, including forecasts of those costs, capital improvement plans for generation units, and generation unit operating characteristics and outage scheduling;
bidding and pricing information for purchased power, generation and fuel, and Electric Reliability Council of Texas bids, prices, offers, and related services and strategies;
effective fuel and purchased power agreements and fuel transportation arrangements and contracts;
risk management information, contracts, and strategies, including fuel hedging and storage;
plans, studies, proposals, and analyses for system improvements, additions, or sales, other than transmission and distribution system improvements inside the service area for which the public power utility is the sole certificated retail provider; and
customer billing, contract, and usage information, electric power pricing information, system load characteristics, and electric power marketing analyses and strategies. Sec. 551.086; Tex. Gov't Code; Sec. 552.133, Tex. Gov’t Code]


1.		Public Comments on Work Session Items Persons who desire to address the City Council on any item on the Work Session agenda are allowed three minutes to speak. Speakers are taken only at the beginning of the meeting, other than invited testimony. Speakers are grouped by Work Session item and will be taken in the order of the Work Session agenda. Speakers must submit to the City Secretary a completed speaker’s card before the beginning of the meeting. Speaker cards will not be accepted after the Mayor calls the meeting to order. Speaker cards are available in the lobby, at the visitor’s side of the Work Session Room, and from members of staff. Speakers are limited to addressing items on the Work Session agenda – any item relating to a Regular Session agenda item should be addressed at the Regular Session and any item not on an agenda may be addressed during the open microphone at the end of the Regular Session.

2.		Consider the Consent Agenda A member of the City Council may ask for discussion or further information on an item posted as a consent agenda item on the next Regular Meeting of the City Council. The Council Member may also ask that an item on the posted consent agenda be pulled from the consent agenda and considered for a vote separate from consent agenda items on the regular agenda. All discussions or deliberations on this portion of the work session agenda are limited to posted agenda items and may not include a new or unposted subject matter.

3.		Written Briefings:

	a.	Consider a resolution adopting a revised Tax Credit Application and Score Sheet. Council is requested to consider a revised Low Income Housing Tax Credit process for Resolutions of Support for the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affair's Tax Credit Applications. Unless otherwise directed by Council, this item will be scheduled for formal consideration a the December 17, 2019 Regular Meeting.

	b.	Sale of Property - 726 Parker Circle Council is reqeusted to approve the sale of 726 Parker Circle. Unless otherwise directed by Council, this item will be scheduled for formal consideration a the December 17, 2019 Regular Meeting.


4.		Verbal Briefings:

	a.	DART Update Council will be updated on DART's services, activities, programs and projects within Garland.

	b.	2019 Bond Program Status Update Staff will brief Council on progress and planning related to the implementation of the 2019 Bond Program.

	c.	At the reqeust of Council Member Morris, Council will review the propriety of her handling of matters related to 920 West Avenue D Councilmember Deborah Morris asked that a Work Session Item be added to review, in an open forum, the propriety of her handling of matters related to 920 West Avenue D. The item was seconded by Councilman Rich Aubin. As requested, Council will discuss the matter.

5.		Announce Future Agenda Items A member of the City Council, with a second by another member, or the Mayor alone, may ask that an item be placed on a future agenda of the City Council or a committee of the City Council. No substantive discussion of that item will take place at this time.

6.		Council will move into Executive Session

		EXECUTIVE SESSION AGENDA NOTICE: The City Council may recess from the open session and convene in a closed executive session if the discussion of any of the listed agenda items concerns one or more of the following matters:



	a.	The City Council will adjourn into executive session pursuant to Sections 551.074, 551.086, 551.071, and 551.072 of the Texas Government Code to deliberate or discuss: 1. Personnel matters related to the appointment of municipal court judges; and 2. Matters concerning the Dent Road To Shelby Transmission Line. More specifically, public power utility competitive matters (551.086), attorney-client matters concerning pending or contemplated litigation (551.071) or settlement offers and the value of real property (551.072).

7.		Adjourn

GARLAND
POLICY REPORT


City Council Work Session Agenda		Work Session Item 3.a.
Meeting Date:	12/02/2019
Item Title:	2020 Low Income Tax Credit Application and Scoring Criteria
Submitted By:	Mona Woodard, Neighborhood Services Administrator
Strategic Focus Areas:	Vibrant Neighborhoods and Commercial Centers

ISSUE
Following the recent Disaster Declaration for Dallas County, the City of Garland has received numerous inquiries from developers seeking to submit an application for Low Income Housing Tax Credits. The existing Low Income Tax Credit Application and Scoring Criteria need to be reviewed to ensure consistency with the current City Council policy regarding multifamily rezoning requests and redevelopment. A revision of the City Council adopted Low Income Housing Tax Credit process for Resolutions of Support for the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affair's Tax Credit Applications is presented for Council consideration. The amendment would require that only proposed properties located in currently zoned multifamily areas be considered for Resolutions of Support for new construction of multifamily housing. An exception to this zoning requirement would be for proposals where a parcel is within an approved redevelopment plan area that includes new construction of multifamily housing as a supportive use.
OPTIONS
1. Adopt the Tax Credit Application and Score Sheet amendment. 2. Reject the Tax Credit Application and Score Sheet amendment.
RECOMMENDATION
Adopt the revised Tax Credit Application and Score Sheet attached.
BACKGROUND
The Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) program is the largest federal resource for creating affordable housing in the United States. The tax credits are an attractive housing development tool as the credits provide a dollar-for-dollar reduction in a taxpayer's federal income tax, whereas a tax deduction only provides a reduction in taxable income. The Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs (TDHCA) is the only entity in the State of Texas authorized to allocate tax credits under this program. TDHCA must develop a plan for the selection of eligible developments; this plan is known as the Qualified Allocation Plan and Rules (QAP). The QAP defines a series of point-based selection criteria to ensure the housing proposed in the application is consistent with the program's goal. The QAP is revised annually and is formalized for the following year when signed by the Governor. Texas' Tax Credits are allocated on a regional basis. The State is divided into 13 state service regions; each of the state service regions is then further divided into Rural and Urban/Exurban areas each of which is targeted to receive a pre-determined amount of tax credits each year. The amount of tax credits per area is based on a regional allocation formula (RAF) which is created by the TDHCA.

Attachments
Revised Tax Credit Application
Revised Score Sheet v.2

GARLAND
POLICY REPORT


City Council Work Session Agenda		Work Session Item 3.b.
Meeting Date:	12/02/2019
Item Title:	Sale of Property - 726 Parker Circle
Submitted By:	Corey Worsham, Tax Administrator
Strategic Focus Areas:	Vibrant Neighborhoods and Commercial Centers Sound Governance and Finances

ISSUE
The City of Garland has received an unsolicited offer from Habitat for Humanity of Greater Garland, Inc. related to the purchase of City owned property obtained through a Sheriff’s Sale. This property is located at 726 Parker Circle. Habitat for Humanity of Greater Garland, Inc. has presented an offer of $25,500.00 for the property. The purchaser has also agreed to pay the post-judgment taxes at closing. The post-judgment taxes are approximately $2,198.17 which will result in the total amount received at closing of approximately $27,698.17. If approved, the City of Garland will receive sale proceeds totaling $6,348.79.
OPTIONS
The City Council may: Approve the sale of 726 parker Circle and provide an executed deed without warranty, or Deny the offer presented by Habitat for Humanity
RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends that the City Council accept the offer and sell the property to Habitat for Humanity of Greater Garland, Inc. Unless otherwise directed by Council, this item will be scheduled for formal consideration at the December 17, 2019 Regular Meeting.
BACKGROUND
The property was struck off to the City of Garland at the Dallas County Sheriff's Sale on January 2, 2019. In accordance with Section 34.05 of the Texas Property Tax Code, the offer meets the minimum bid requirements and does not require the consent of other taxing entities. If the sale is approved, the City of Garland will accept payment on behalf of all entities and disperse all sale proceeds.
CONSIDERATION
This property has been held by the City of Garland since January of 2019. Pursuant to Section 34.05 of the Texas Property Tax Code it may be resold to a private entity with the approval of the governing body.

Attachments
726 Parker Circle Deed
726 Parker Circle Resolution
726 Parker Circle Offer
726 Parker Circle Map and Picture