by GARY ZUPANCIC
With a wide range of subjects on the Buda agenda, council members dove in, taking on road projects, new businesses and parking ordinances.
Hays County Pct. 2 Commissioner Mark Jones gave a presentation on ongoing projects, including the widening of FM 967, the Buda track bypass, realignment of FM2001 to SH21, the addition of a continuous turn lane and shoulders on FM 967 north from FM 1626.
The council approved a performance agreement between Buda’s Economic Development Commission and CSI Printing, which is relocating from the city of Austin. Within five years the company plans to employ 57 new employees from Hays County.
An ordinance prohibiting overnight parking of commercial motor vehicles, namely tractor trailers, from 9 p.m. to 9 a.m. passed on the first reading. The ordinance would carry a $500 penalty for those parking within city limits. RVs and tour buses would be exempt. Council members noted that Cabelas was supposed to have “no commercial parking” signs posted. The ordinances passed its first reading, but the council requested that staff “beef it up” more.
A possible trail to connect the Garlic Creek Park Trail to the Safe Routes to Schools Project is in the works. This estimated $82,000 project includes a bridge over Garlic Creek. Council member George Haehn asked if “there was any money available to get this done” before the start of the 2013-14 school year. The council directed City Engineer Stanley Fees to research different scenarios to be presented to council by the next meeting.
