[{"_1":2,"_123":-5,"_124":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87,99,111],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6383415,"mediaKeyId","2124468-71a9c4cbb9235a48ba64bad12d811f86","parentId",2124468,"title","Council directs staff to include River Legacy repairs and confirm bond categories; Randall Mill rebuild options debated","audioSeconds",1024,"startMs",6216000,"endMs",7240000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2124468-71a9c4cbb9235a48ba64bad12d811f86&start=6216&end=7240","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2124468-71a9c4cbb9235a48ba64bad12d811f86/thumbnail_6216000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6383415/Arlington/Tarrant-County/Texas/Council-directs-staff-to-include-River-Legacy-repairs-and-confirm-bond-categories-Randall-Mill-rebuild-options-debated","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6383415-14a769d85cb1c3284ece26fe4bbf7e65/orig.mp4?Expires=1771175662&Signature=dRlnlL-A9IbGJI5t4-8duz66SI1aah7DnlMJ1Kf4iUfu3a-6FZNDqNRXb9YmAsUj-n-zTwM6kNJ6ZiT88hsvU0EUexgb11qkgnCwMwuNkbI5D7D9q7MBKQT39MhtMcsa6rWj-zRlSRJedr0uRY2FcYGSqurvFNdVeXbqyCJZ81g0p6hBCRI86f~jXLMZVx4GvhD7R8lZelD9Weiq7leQR52U7VcXuLlIzsdmmOVhwJSM4raYWMocS2xTiF3QBnoD7AeStbWIkPFNu8ypPjYBpQYAwdUdIvDOP0zDUozvacpBknSQ3io1upqVQf7S9XzuC~TkmFRBRGYLcvENonv-yA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","City Council of Arlington TX ","date","2025-01-07T00:00:00Z","article","City staff asked the council on Jan. 7 to confirm project categories and amounts for the proposed 2025 bond election and to advise whether to add the River Legacy Nature Center work to the package. Lemuel (staff) presented two River Legacy options: a targeted $220,000 package addressing surgical repairs and an expanded $2.8 million package to fully address identified facility needs.

Council discussion favored the larger $2.8 million option. Council Member Gonzales and Council Member Hunter said the Nature Center has critical structural needs and urged inclusion of the $2.8 million package so high-priority repairs could be addressed early; Council Member Hogg also supported the $2.8 million option. One member suggested $2 million as a compromise to round the bond to $200 million, but the consensus among several members including the mayor was to include the $2.8 million amount.

Staff also presented options for Randall Mill Road between Cooper and Fielder, including a 5-lane rebuild (continuous center turn lane), a 4-lane rebuild divided by a median and a 4-lane rebuild undivided. Public Works staff said the 5-lane design was proposed to reduce rear-end and turning collisions on a corridor identified as part of the high-injury network; the 4-lane option would save roughly $11 million but provide fewer safety improvements. Council members debated the trade-offs between safety and cost, pedestrian concerns and burying utility lines (staff estimated undergrounding at least 20% higher than a previous $1 million-per-mile figure from 2012).

At the end of the discussion, staff summarized the proposed bond categories and amounts that would be presented to the public and asked council to confirm those category totals so staff can prepare proposition language for the Jan. 28 meeting and final readings in early February; staff said the public-works street category total would remain $136,995,000 (which includes the Randall Mill allocation). Staff indicated they would document the categories and the full project list for the Jan. 28 agenda and the Feb. 4 deadline to call the election.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","City Council of Arlington TX Afternoon Council Jan 7, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Arlington staff asked the City Council on Jan. 7 to confirm project categories and amounts for a proposed 2025 bond election and to decide whether to include River Legacy Nature Center repairs; several council members favored the more comprehensive $2.8 million option.","taxTitle","Arlington, Tarrant County, Texas","taxId",2815,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6383418,"Council agrees to begin public engagement on consultant's proposed downtown form-based code pilot",3370,7856000,11226000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2124468-71a9c4cbb9235a48ba64bad12d811f86&start=7856&end=11226","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2124468-71a9c4cbb9235a48ba64bad12d811f86/thumbnail_7856000.jpg","/articles/6383418/Arlington/Tarrant-County/Texas/Council-agrees-to-begin-public-engagement-on-consultants-proposed-downtown-form-based-code-pilot","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6383418-fb83071f2b0b5adaf2d138b3831c04c6/orig.mp4?Expires=1771175662&Signature=KKs1U1tGFhSM3n-j629gajkp92Dj-Zod4yn150a5Zzdh5zohwzbcz8IBcv0LReL4k13geHcsqkC68T8ccWiWH3kaweIa0xpjZOWwbyI~YnToO8~opakTeoJLqGrnoM9PhSh~q3YkPMq90aaAF0cJLNZPmb5w~Bt1UOm2JYmJCDrYAZdDrVuHxDLSFdJyLDpiw8uFVN7A1zAtvpOEcJAOhNI3ewwxEFuWNgoP3u0UsfX81F8pJDAsURcZxSydHl~DvSe5Ic01C2FPn5bVZ36ZT2zDT6WBtKmxVe96Y5q3HJ7Us8C-WGrj18GivP1VAm0tGP47YdE-2j3MeeDPJiU2rQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Council members debated the proposed boundary and outreach approach for a downtown-area form-based code pilot during the Jan. 7 afternoon session, ultimately directing staff to start the public engagement process using the consultants' recommended boundary.

Council Member Boxall raised concerns about the proposed pilot area's size and suggested extending it east along Abram Street to Stadium Drive; others worried a larger area could increase the number of property owners who receive individualized notices and thus raise the risk of legal challenges or delay. Several council members urged a smaller pilot to reduce staff hand-holding and speed implementation. Planning staff and the project consultant said the area proposed is larger than ideal for a first pilot but includes the downtown core and adjacent environs to create synergy; they told council the boundary has been redrawn multiple times and that public engagement would likely contract the map.

Richard (Planning staff) and consultant remarks explained form-based codes rely on transects (levels of intensity) and that the consultant plans to draft a set of three transects that could be transferable to other areas, including parts of Abram Street, later in the project. Staff noted the notification requirements under SB 929 (the 2023 Texas statute requiring individualized notice where nonconforming uses may be created) and said the project team will emphasize community education before required statutory notices are mailed.

Council members also discussed the workload for planning staff and the communication materials that would accompany required statutory notices; staff said some statutory language is mandatory but they will add introductory language emphasizing voluntary participation and incentives. Several council members said they prefer to proceed with the consultant's proposed boundary and use the public engagement process to refine it; Mayor and multiple council members indicated staff are comfortable managing the proposed pilot area. The council therefore authorized staff to begin community engagement on the proposed boundary and return with refinements after public input.","After extended debate about size, parcel counts and outreach, the City Council gave staff the direction to begin community engagement on the consultant-proposed form-based code pilot area downtown, with staff noting the boundary may be narrowed after public input.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6383421,"City staff previews priorities, tracking and outreach for 89th Texas Legislature",247,6789000,7036000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2124468-71a9c4cbb9235a48ba64bad12d811f86&start=6789&end=7036","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2124468-71a9c4cbb9235a48ba64bad12d811f86/thumbnail_6789000.jpg","/articles/6383421/Arlington/Tarrant-County/Texas/City-staff-previews-priorities-tracking-and-outreach-for-89th-Texas-Legislature","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6383421-7d19321ab181e06778abc1f5f8169afa/orig.mp4?Expires=1771175662&Signature=JXqaCQUmUIId5phoCcIuN00Ksm1ysQQklR60VGdzz7YtkdMmy7TzCVlu4CmJBRHiW4xJVEMO3DbygHK9-WOSr-Os7WgnmV8wJeDu5vXUjMQH4MxyCDnxia-Ny2j9imHWlw~rxIF4UAMu~FWMtHnp1BV6K1KRX4fk5J45IvT6GANU8uYnwFQ-2f8qu~X-FzBQ3~PLBMwHiVTwFlvSvuKgrcUs-KPk5k7vHbVD29hADpJbvrBvgfeEm6gZ4YcH~g8al-djSeIuNWuZg~spC5QfMdQvnPzBwV2bkeOGR3loeiYdTShg56RZ6xEBYGyb3Dtq0xqPID~IVnAz3e1Zm~5vyQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Natalie Ralston, Intergovernmental Relations manager for the City of Arlington, told the City Council on Jan. 7 that the 89th Texas Legislature opens Jan. 14 and that her office will provide regular, written updates during the session.

The city adopted a state and federal legislative agenda in the fall; Ralston said staff began developing that agenda in March 2024 with departmental surveys and meetings and used it to focus the city's advocacy this session. She said 2,443 bills and resolutions had been filed as of the previous day and the city flagged 667 bills that could affect Arlington.

Ralston said the IGR team will include a legislative update memo in each afternoon agenda starting with the next council meeting and will notify council immediately if urgent developments occur between meetings. She described an internal bill-analysis workflow that combines department input with the City Attorney's Office and noted staff is adopting new software to speed review. Jay Warren, Director of Communications and Legislative Affairs, introduced the presentation and said the IGR manager will be the primary point of contact for council during session.

Council members asked how the city will handle rapid, time-sensitive legislative opposition. Ralston said formal letters of opposition have typically been issued by the mayor, and she is preparing templates to speed that process so letters can be distributed quickly; she also noted the city frequently uses behind-the-scenes work with legislative staff to shape bills before escalating to public opposition. Council members cautioned that the Texas Open Meetings Act constrains how multiple council members can jointly approve positions and suggested the Municipal Policy Committee could be used when faster, multi-member input is needed.

Ralston described opportunities for council and staff engagement, including Tarrant County Days at the Capitol (Feb. 10-11) and targeted advocacy meetings. She said city staff will coordinate with local partners'including the school district, UT Arlington, the Chamber and CVB'to align priorities and will provide a comprehensive wrap-up presentation after the session adjourns June 2.

Council members asked about departmental access to the new bill-analysis software; Ralston said the tool will give an initial municipal-impact readout but had not been fully deployed to departments yet. She asked council members to contact her directly by phone, email or text if they need immediate updates during the session.

Ralston closed by offering to schedule individual meetings for council members who had not yet met with delegation members about the legislative agenda.","City Intergovernmental Relations staff briefed the Arlington City Council on the 89th Texas Legislature schedule, the city's adopted state and federal legislative agendas, bill-tracking plans and how the city will notify council of urgent developments during session.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6383405,"Council asks staff to prepare charter amendment language on meeting frequency and Deputy Mayor Pro Tem",1071,12363000,13434000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2124468-71a9c4cbb9235a48ba64bad12d811f86&start=12363&end=13434","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2124468-71a9c4cbb9235a48ba64bad12d811f86/thumbnail_12363000.jpg","/articles/6383405/Arlington/Tarrant-County/Texas/Council-asks-staff-to-prepare-charter-amendment-language-on-meeting-frequency-and-Deputy-Mayor-Pro-Tem","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6383405-81f4c13054d992e84538926270463fce/orig.mp4?Expires=1771175662&Signature=GiLzuH3H7PLsk8by7uMI~XhK9hKH0gb~7vP5VOx0hPeTYnrtS0roavYkMOqwpZ9iuSYnnDZ2Dns1nRwTmBAaOxs4q9joHM~-MRgNIS2M3sCcNyyY0EuYkIkn2X8gdy~QreL44tOSR6DquRxm45qvYFHk17VZg56JVbWZ1wEqb~wcwCBpjz2PwyWa45Q3CJsNwhWMc50dKdH7W3KUKjjbPAMypT5JMAK8ZJhy76MFi4dk21xDBCZvKwpCZCUhGeYhI5jVqIOsjRypsbKvN6lV3riOOZUmado8X5bFFFy1-RVKNvSz0GfIscO2I3A-fj6qDSUULY-G0iqUvq7-GAbfMA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Council members discussed proposed charter cleanups on Jan. 7 and asked staff to prepare amendment language to reflect current meeting practices and to consider adding the Deputy Mayor Pro Tem position to the charter.

Council Member Hogg said the charter currently says the council \"shall meet once per week,\" language that does not match current practice. He suggested adjusting the charter text to reflect the actual meeting schedule (roughly two meetings per month) and asked staff to draft appropriate language. The mayor and others asked legal staff to propose wording; City Attorney staff indicated the Deputy Mayor Pro Tem currently is defined administratively and not included in the charter but said draft language could be prepared for council consideration.

Council members noted that including the Deputy Mayor Pro Tem in the charter would require voter approval if placed in the charter; some members said it would be preferable to have the role affirmed by voters rather than only by administrative practice. Staff said they would prepare proposed charter amendment language for the Jan. 28 agenda to meet the election schedule for charter amendments.","Council members asked staff to draft charter amendments that would update the stated council meeting frequency and add the Deputy Mayor Pro Tem position to the charter; staff will prepare language for upcoming agendas.",{"_33":112,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":113,"_41":114,"_43":115,"_45":116,"_47":117,"_49":118,"_51":119,"_53":120,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":121,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":122,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6383412,"Economic Development staff proposes formal foreign direct investment effort to attract global employers",408,6020000,6428000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2124468-71a9c4cbb9235a48ba64bad12d811f86&start=6020&end=6428","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2124468-71a9c4cbb9235a48ba64bad12d811f86/thumbnail_6020000.jpg","/articles/6383412/Arlington/Tarrant-County/Texas/Economic-Development-staff-proposes-formal-foreign-direct-investment-effort-to-attract-global-employers","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6383412-5c33c95e43cd7cae93fd9a965a2b7339/orig.mp4?Expires=1771175662&Signature=O4tQOdJIsgOmkwC9LdzosUllMee98CmauXRrVTy9K6oDLNl7JTc4m-Tw2ljs04kFjqdyCufj5Bv8sv131telquXZyFRS5PK1oJSrnpxW92npTmWjwmz8IcI8~4bcuQEgaLdrF~f09d0qZS3YW36Q73d~80deAmr4RsObT02LDRIElOlB7D5odAxaCTv9SKmEq5DNnTXDcbmypZo9Tk3iXifhP0GyycJYd3STjfObh7-WvBJBI-bdlAgoiE2lOh~zTOqJncsnWsuhQeTQ~btnvwOQJtOTDP4oM-0cW5wKlGsQ55M9EJN6GyuvKpy3qUyfCCclWyiPFXqrj3fvmrXiLw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Gus Garcia and Marty (Office of Economic Development) briefed the council on Jan. 7 about a proposed formal foreign direct investment strategy to attract overseas companies that might locate or expand in Arlington.

Gus Garcia described foreign direct investment as foreign companies investing in the U.S. through new facilities (greenfield) or redevelopment (brownfield). The presentation tied the proposal to the city's TIP Strategies plan and said the strategy would prioritize technology, manufacturing and aerospace sectors. Staff said Texas has led the U.S. in FDI and that the DFW market is a primary attractor; they argued Arlington could better position itself by formalizing an administrative blueprint with key performance indicators and coordination among the city, EDC, Chamber, CVB and UT Arlington.

Staff said proposed elements include asset mapping, a 'soft landing' program (real estate and data support), workforce partnerships with UT Arlington and Tarrant County College, and a staff position to coordinate with the governor's office and regional partners. Council members asked questions and were advised staff already conducts many elements of this work; the proposal would formalize and focus effort with measurable targets. Staff noted near-term opportunities to leverage major events (FIFA 2026, Grand Prix) and to align incentives that the state and region are promoting.

Council took no formal vote but supported further development of a formal strategy and asked staff to return with a more detailed plan and performance measures.","Economic Development staff presented a proposal to formalize a foreign direct investment (FDI) strategy focused on technology, manufacturing and aerospace, citing workforce assets, local partnerships and near-term events as reasons to pursue targeted recruitment.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Council directs staff to include River Legacy repairs and confirm bond categories; Randall Mill rebuild options debated

Council agrees to begin public engagement on consultant's proposed downtown form-based code pilot

City staff previews priorities, tracking and outreach for 89th Texas Legislature

Council asks staff to prepare charter amendment language on meeting frequency and Deputy Mayor Pro Tem

Economic Development staff proposes formal foreign direct investment effort to attract global employers