March 5, 2024 City Council Meeting

Key Decisions & Votes

• Consent Docket Approved: The City Council, Moore Public Works Authority (MPWA), and Moore Risk Management (MRM) all approved their respective consent dockets.
  • City Council consent docket included:
    • Minutes from the February 20th, 2024 regular meeting.
    • Acceptance of a 400,504 square foot sanitary sewer easement from Sunny Lane Estates Mobile Home Park for the Southeast Lift Station Gravity Flow 36-inch Sewer Main Project.
    • Approval and ratification of claims and expenditures for FY 2023-2024 totaling $3,056,306.82.
  • MPWA consent docket included:
    • Minutes from the February 20th, 2024 regular meeting.
    • Approval and ratification of claims and expenditures for FY 2023-2024 totaling $386,820.81.
  • MRM consent docket included:
    • Minutes from the February 20th, 2024 regular meeting.
    • Approval and ratification of claims and expenditures for FY 2023-2024 totaling $243,916.26.
• On-Call Engineering Agreements Updated:
  • An update to the on-call agreement with Meshek and Associates for drainage plan review services was approved, reflecting a 30-50% increase in hourly rates.
  • An update to the on-call agreement with Civil and Environmental Consultants Inc. (CEC) for paving, water, and sewer plan review services was approved, reflecting an approximate 25% increase in hourly rates (from $180 to $220 per hour). Staff indicated that city fees would be adjusted in a future update to pass on these costs.
• Renaissance Crossing Property Transactions Approved:
  • A lot split of Common Area A of the Renaissance Crossing Addition was approved. This allows the HOA to retain a portion for beautification while the city acquires the drainage area.
  • The purchase of 1.19 acres of permanent right-of-way from Renaissance Crossing Homeowners Association for $8,000 was approved. This land is intended for future roadway and drainage improvements along Southeast Eastern Avenue.
• Flood Damage Prevention Regulations Updated: Ordinance number 104824, officially adopting the new FEMA Flood Insurance Rate Maps effective 📅 March 27th, 2024, was approved. Staff noted that while the maps cover a large area, there are no changes to Moore's flood plain.
• Fireworks Display Contract Renewed: A contract renewal with ARC Pyrotechnics for the city's annual 4th of July and Christmas Spectacular fireworks displays was approved for a total budgeted amount of $58,500.
• Parks & Cemetery Staffing Contract Approved: A contract with S&S Staffing (Higher Go) for temporary staffing services for the Parks and Cemetery Maintenance Department was approved.

Key Discussions

Commercial Landscaping Compliance Regulations

• Staff presented findings from an inspection of 247 commercial properties, focusing on tree compliance with landscaping regulations adopted in 2000.
• 91 to 93 properties were found to be non-compliant regarding tree landscaping.
• Other Central Oklahoma communities' practices were reviewed: Norman requires maintenance bonds for new construction, Edmond treats it as a code enforcement issue (issuing notices before citations), and Oklahoma City and Midwest City currently do not have post-occupancy inspection programs (though Midwest City is exploring one).
• Council directed staff to send notices to non-compliant businesses with a quick turnaround, considering planting seasons.
• Council members expressed strong frustration with the visible lack of landscaping maintenance compared to neighboring cities, noting long-standing issues (e.g., dead hedgerows since 2021).
• Further discussion will explore potential code updates to give the city more enforcement powers, including the possibility of the city performing the work and billing the property owner, similar to residential code enforcement.

Eastern Avenue Project Update

• Council received an update on the ongoing delays with the Eastern Avenue project.
• The primary cause of delay is AT&T's inability to relocate utilities that are in the way of construction.
• Issues include inaccurate AT&T utility maps and staffing shortages at AT&T, which have led to delays of nearly a year for some relocations.
• The contractor cannot proceed with scarification in certain sections until AT&T moves its lines to avoid damage and claims.
• Council expressed concern about the impact on local businesses and discussed ways to improve utility coordination for future bond projects, though staff noted that utility companies often struggle to meet timelines due to high demand for relocation services across the region.

Public Comments

• Willis Passmore (1217 Woodbine Circle) addressed the Council regarding ongoing creek erosion on his property. He requested action to resolve the issue, noting it has been a concern since 1996 and his house is at risk.
• Staff confirmed awareness of the situation and stated they are working on access issues and securing a 404 permit from the Corps of Engineers. The application process for the Corps of Engineers permit is underway.

Agenda Summary Table