During its meeting on Monday, the Friendswood City Council unanimously voted against a negative recommendation from the city’s planning and zoning commission regarding a zone change for a 1.445 acre tract of land located at the Friendswood Lakes Subdivision. It involves changing the property from single family residential to an office park district. The planning and zoning commission voted against the zone change, in part, based on input from citizens in a public hearing on Sept. 13. During the public hearing, many residents expressed concern regarding the impact of commercial development in a residential area. Some residents were also concerned about safety and traffic, according to councilmember David J.H. Smith who serves as a council representative at the planning and zoning commission meetings. “Some residents were concerned saying that if they knew there was going to be commercial development, they would not have purchased their homes there,” he said. Mayor Kim Brizendine said an office park district is compatible with the surrounding single-family residential property. Many office parks have normal business hours from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. unlike a business, such as a restaurant, which might interrupt families. Later in the meeting, the Friendswood City Council unanimously approved the first reading of an ordinance changing the same piece of property along Friendswood Lakes Blvd. from single-family residential to office park development. The Friendswood City Council unanimously passed an ordinance to change a 1.63-acre tract of land located at 1505 and 1507 Winding Way from neighborhood commercial to office park district.

Council also approved the second and final reading of an ordinance adopting a code of ethics governing the conduct of city officers and city employees with a penalty not to exceed $500 for violations. Councilmembers Tracy Goza and Shannon Kimmel voting against the ordinance. Goza said the ordinance needed further review. Brizendine said the city had worked on the ordinance for a sufficient two to three months.

Two ordinances regarding several acres known as the West property were tabled for furhter discussion. The first ordinance involves rezoning a 240.19-acre tract of land located on FM 518 from single-family residential to multi-family residential-garden home district. It also involves 74-acre tract located on FM 518 from single family residential to community shopping center. The second ordinance involves the rezoning of 404.5 acres of land located on FM 518 from multi-family residential-garden home district to a planned unit development-cluster homes. It also involves a 47.35-acre tract of land located on Bay Area Blvd. from single-family residential to planned unit development cluster homes.

During his report to the council, Friendswood city manager Ron Cox discussed a citizen survey that is being conducted by the University of North Texas. It is an authorized survey intended to gain citizen input on how the city can improve in various ways. It should take 60 to 90 days before an analysis of the survey is complete, Cox said.

Ronnie Schultz, director of environmental health programs for the Galveston County Health District, also gave a report to the council regarding the safety of the city’s water supply after analyzing water located within the Blackhawk Treatment Plant and from various creeks across the community, the health district determined the city’s water supply to be safe, he said. Schultz also discussed the West Nile Virus, referring to two instances where mosquitoes within Galveston County tested positive for the disease in July. In order to prevent individuals from becoming infected, it is important to refrain from being outside from dusk until dawn when mosquitoes are heavily populated, Schultz said. It is also important to dress in long pants and shirts when outside to prevent being bitten by a mosquito with the West Nile Virus. Individuals should also wear insect repellant with Deet and drain all standing water near their home, which can be a breeding site for mosquitoes.

The council unanimously approved the consent agenda during its meeting as well. The Five Star Spirit Award for this quarter was given to Sylvia Ardoin during the city council meeting. Ardoin has been the code enforcement officer for the City of Friendswood since May 20, 2002. “Sylvia' s dedication to the quality of her work earned her nominations from several people, including city employees and citizens expressing that she displays the qualities of the Five Star Spirit,” according to a press release from the city.