2.24.26. Is he the only council member that does these? Is this a good thing or unusual for a single member to do this. This is his 2nd one that I know of.
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David White "Town Hall"
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Last: 6 days ago by TAMU1990
Local media usually hosts them closer to the election.
It's not an election townhall. It's a gathering of people who want to ask questions and discuss with one of the current council people. David won in 24 and is there until 28 so he's doing this to simply just meet with the people he represents. He brought City manager, Bryan Woods, and when I stepped away they were fielding questions about pebble creek parkway.
What they say about Macy's?
Captn_Ag05 said:
What they say about Macy's?
That the previous council is to blame. "Passing the buck"…
Hornbeck said:Captn_Ag05 said:
What they say about Macy's?
That the previous council is to blame. "Passing the buck"…
Woods also said that Macy's was to be a recreation center for the city, which is blandly untrue. The city FIRST announced they bought Macy's because it was such a good deal. And they couldn't allow it to be a self-storage place, so they were rescuing the mall. (Only later have they admitted that a local business wanted the location, allegedly was working with the city on their bid, only to be outbid by the city) Then, about 30 days after announcing they were buying it as an investment, which we all knew wasn't true, it was going to be an e-sports center for A&M. Why would A&M need the city if they truly wanted it? Why would the city want to help A&M buy it, taking it off the property tax roles forever, and generating no sales tax revenue? Only after all that fell through did the city begin to push the rec center idea, turning their backs on a YMCA in the process.
Nichols was on that council.
MsDoubleD81 said:
Nichols was on that council.
Oh, I know. I was just expounding on what the "CEO of College Station" (Woods) had to say about the whole fiasco.
Still no accountability, still no plan to get it drawing tax money. Just an "It's their fault"…
Hornbeck said:MsDoubleD81 said:
Nichols was on that council.
Oh, I know. I was just expounding on what the "CEO of College Station" (Woods) had to say about the whole fiasco.
Still no accountability, still no plan to get it drawing tax money. Just an "It's their fault"…
Sounds like nothing has changed. Makes me wonder what's the next thing they'll try ramming down our throats without regard of public sentiment. I'm shocked that this management team is still employed here, but seeing how some members of council and the mayor have deferred their authority to him it's no surprise.
Linda Harvell was on that council and was quoted in the KBTX article. Anything from her? Taking responsibility?
I really don't see the issue of having a fire sale to get rid of Macys - the money is already spent, it's gone, why does the city continue to hold on to this property and pay continual fees while losing tax revenue?
They have no plan and never did. Just get rid of it.
They have no plan and never did. Just get rid of it.
I collect ticket stubs! looking for Aggie vs tu stubs - 1926 and below, 1935-1937, 1939-1944, 1946-1948, 1950, 1953, 1956-1957, 1959, 1960, 1963-1966, 1969-1970, 1973, 1974, 1980, 1984, 1990, 2004, 2008 also looking for vs Villanova 1949- all home and away 2012-2013- media or suite passes for bowl games in 2021, 2023 and 2024
Macy's will be a large part of the Harvey redevelopment corridor. Sold at a loss but will be sold a key reason for the new corridor's success.
No one has done more for the issue of Pebble Creek Parkway than David. He is sincerely trying to resolve citizen concerns. I share those concerns too.
The problem with making PC Parkway a straight shot south can best be described by looking at Victoria Avenue. Victoria is too long of a straight shot road, and it gives rise to speeding. My in laws backyard backs up to Victoria, and two cars have crashed through their fence and ended up in their backyard in less than a year.
PC Parkway, if you don't live there, is heavily used by pedestrians and bordered on either side by wrought iron and stone fence. In the road's current configuration (only two lanes and divided by earthen median) somehow people leave that roadway and crash into that fence about every 6 months or so. There's twisted iron and scattered stone that lays there until repairs are affected and serve as a visual and scary reminder for the high number of folks that walk by daily of the propensity for crashes.
There's two golf cart path crossings that literally tens of thousands of folks cross annually in golf carts and course maintenance vehicles- back and forth all day, every day. Even Monday when the course is closed, maintenance vehicles are often out in force. Tractors, buggies, and lawn mowers of all types cross it.
The original plan, which I like to think David and I had a hand in changing, was to make PC Parkway a sizeable thoroughfare with 4 lanes. That would've been a safety nightmare. Not an exaggeration. For example, carts have to wait to cross most times. Many drivers are courteous and stop to allow golf cart crossings. With a second lane, you'd be adding a blind lane. As one courteous driver slowed to allow a crossing, the driver in the blind lane wouldn't see the golf cart and the golf cart driver wouldn't see them, either. Accidents would happen. The only way to address it would be a tunnel under, or a bridge over the parkway in two locations. Thankfully, it looks like the 4 lane matter has been stricken from the plan and now won't happen.
Now that the 4 lane matter has been resolved, the remaining issue is connectivity. Should it connect, and how?
Council decided, in plain English despite our current revisitation of the issue, that it would be pedestrian and emergency vehicles only. While some want to revise the history of direction council gave to staff and convince otherwise, the minutes, the meeting video, and simple recollection offer ample proof that we HAD a solution, and Councilman White was instrumental in pushing it through. Staff were directed to give us "pedestrian and emergency vehicle only" options for connecting these two neighborhoods.
Now, objectively that MAY have been a mistake, depending upon your point of view, but it's the direction we gave.
The Traffic Impact Analysis (TIA) indicates, somewhat ironically, that it will be PC residents that would actually utilize the road the most as they take a convenient route to what I'll call the future "Lakeway Commercial District." It'll be a smaller version of Tower Point, but on the opposite side of Highway 6. The Pebble side. Once Lakeway is extended beyond its current dead end (in the Business Park) that commercial development will most likely start in earnest.
As one member of council, my opinion is that the Lakeway area will develop LONG before houses ever get built all the way up to the end of Pebble Creek Parkway (circa 2040, maybe?)
So why not just follow through with council direction for pedestrian and emergency access only? The answer is "money." The developer isn't going to spend millions to build a bridged road over floodplain that only fire trucks can use. The city doesn't want to, either. (Albeit I thought our coveted impact fees were designed for just such occurrences…but I digress, and somewhat sarcastically.)
From the beginning, I've maintained that some form of connectivity is probably warranted, but must be mitigated. We cannot put a makeshift highway through Pebble Creek, only for construction trucks to drive through there daily and repeatedly, on their way to the new subdivision and Southern Pointe as they build out. That's asking for trouble.
I believe our options are A) what we've already directed or B) a well designed 3 spur roundabout that demarcates the two neighborhoods, as pictured) or C) some combination of the two.
If the spur roads off the roundabout went east to Rock Prairie and West to Lakeway, you have the makings of a logical, neighborhood friendly light transportation corridor that lends itself to calm connectivity, public safety, and neighborhood integrity.
My $.02
Respectfully
Yancy '95
The problem with making PC Parkway a straight shot south can best be described by looking at Victoria Avenue. Victoria is too long of a straight shot road, and it gives rise to speeding. My in laws backyard backs up to Victoria, and two cars have crashed through their fence and ended up in their backyard in less than a year.
PC Parkway, if you don't live there, is heavily used by pedestrians and bordered on either side by wrought iron and stone fence. In the road's current configuration (only two lanes and divided by earthen median) somehow people leave that roadway and crash into that fence about every 6 months or so. There's twisted iron and scattered stone that lays there until repairs are affected and serve as a visual and scary reminder for the high number of folks that walk by daily of the propensity for crashes.
There's two golf cart path crossings that literally tens of thousands of folks cross annually in golf carts and course maintenance vehicles- back and forth all day, every day. Even Monday when the course is closed, maintenance vehicles are often out in force. Tractors, buggies, and lawn mowers of all types cross it.
The original plan, which I like to think David and I had a hand in changing, was to make PC Parkway a sizeable thoroughfare with 4 lanes. That would've been a safety nightmare. Not an exaggeration. For example, carts have to wait to cross most times. Many drivers are courteous and stop to allow golf cart crossings. With a second lane, you'd be adding a blind lane. As one courteous driver slowed to allow a crossing, the driver in the blind lane wouldn't see the golf cart and the golf cart driver wouldn't see them, either. Accidents would happen. The only way to address it would be a tunnel under, or a bridge over the parkway in two locations. Thankfully, it looks like the 4 lane matter has been stricken from the plan and now won't happen.
Now that the 4 lane matter has been resolved, the remaining issue is connectivity. Should it connect, and how?
Council decided, in plain English despite our current revisitation of the issue, that it would be pedestrian and emergency vehicles only. While some want to revise the history of direction council gave to staff and convince otherwise, the minutes, the meeting video, and simple recollection offer ample proof that we HAD a solution, and Councilman White was instrumental in pushing it through. Staff were directed to give us "pedestrian and emergency vehicle only" options for connecting these two neighborhoods.
Now, objectively that MAY have been a mistake, depending upon your point of view, but it's the direction we gave.
The Traffic Impact Analysis (TIA) indicates, somewhat ironically, that it will be PC residents that would actually utilize the road the most as they take a convenient route to what I'll call the future "Lakeway Commercial District." It'll be a smaller version of Tower Point, but on the opposite side of Highway 6. The Pebble side. Once Lakeway is extended beyond its current dead end (in the Business Park) that commercial development will most likely start in earnest.
As one member of council, my opinion is that the Lakeway area will develop LONG before houses ever get built all the way up to the end of Pebble Creek Parkway (circa 2040, maybe?)
So why not just follow through with council direction for pedestrian and emergency access only? The answer is "money." The developer isn't going to spend millions to build a bridged road over floodplain that only fire trucks can use. The city doesn't want to, either. (Albeit I thought our coveted impact fees were designed for just such occurrences…but I digress, and somewhat sarcastically.)
From the beginning, I've maintained that some form of connectivity is probably warranted, but must be mitigated. We cannot put a makeshift highway through Pebble Creek, only for construction trucks to drive through there daily and repeatedly, on their way to the new subdivision and Southern Pointe as they build out. That's asking for trouble.
I believe our options are A) what we've already directed or B) a well designed 3 spur roundabout that demarcates the two neighborhoods, as pictured) or C) some combination of the two.
If the spur roads off the roundabout went east to Rock Prairie and West to Lakeway, you have the makings of a logical, neighborhood friendly light transportation corridor that lends itself to calm connectivity, public safety, and neighborhood integrity.
My $.02
Respectfully
Yancy '95
Let's also not forget there are TONS of families that drive their personal golf carts up to the club for golf, tennis, meals, pools, workouts and other types of kids stuff every day. I don't live in PC but am there at least once a week, and, in my opinion, it's dirty pool to take a golf cart community that people have enjoyed as such for decades and turn it into Texas avenue effectively diminishing the value and allure of that community.
***ETA***
I absolutely LOVE seeing little kids riding with mom/dad/grandma/grandpa up to the club for dinner or to play with the other kids in the afternoon/evening. Love it. If there is a more wholesome thing in town I am not aware of it
***ETA***
I absolutely LOVE seeing little kids riding with mom/dad/grandma/grandpa up to the club for dinner or to play with the other kids in the afternoon/evening. Love it. If there is a more wholesome thing in town I am not aware of it
AggiePhil said:
Local media usually hosts them closer to the election.
Policy makers hold town halls all the time. It's a way to stay in touch with constituents and garner their feedback and direction. The media does too. Constituent groups as well. The town hall I attended on the data center was not mine. It was scheduled by two HOA's and I was subsequently invited. I was happy to attend.
I'll be scheduling my first in a series sometime in the near future. I believe town halls are an invaluable way to ensure we don't "fall out of touch" with the constituents we serve. You are the bosses, and you all expect and demand, and reasonably so, the right to be heard outside the often constrained comms of a formal city council meeting.
This world needs more town halls. Maybe we'd be less polarized in our discourse. Elected officials that are hesitant to engage are, respectfully, probably in the wrong role.
My $.02, respectfully submitted
Yancy '95
EliteElectric said:
Let's also not forget there are TONS of families that drive their personal golf carts up to the club for golf, tennis, meals, pools, workouts and other types of kids stuff every day. I don't live in PC but am there at least once a week, and, in my opinion, it's dirty pool to take a golf cart community that people have enjoyed as such for decades and turn it into Texas avenue effectively diminishing the value and allure of that community.
***ETA***
I absolutely LOVE seeing little kids riding with mom/dad/grandma/grandpa up to the club for dinner or to play with the other kids in the afternoon/evening. Love it. If there is a more wholesome thing in town I am not aware of it
Here here.
I have no trust in the current CS officials, specifically the leaders -- City Manager Woods and Mayor Nichols. Yancy and White are definitely keepers, but all the other elected councilmembers are definitely suspect. I will be out in full force the next election cycle. That's the only way to fix this city government.
This is the main issue - TRUST
Secondarily, leadership.
"Public" Works building with no public *vote*
Empty former Police Station
Macy's
Rosemary Sewer Line
Northgate parking lot
Datacenter / NDAs
ETJ lawsuit
No more than four being struck down
Utility payment transfers / PUC lawsuit
Chimney Hill
etc., etc.
What's sad, is that most of the time, it takes an open records request to uncover these shenanigans.
The city gave each employee a "transparency trailblazer" challenge coin for 2026. One of my friends gave me his because he said I did a lot more for transparency in CoCS government than he did in 2025, and gave it to me as a momento of the datacenter fight.
The city is anything but transparent,
Those are all just symptoms of the problem.
Secondarily, leadership.
"Public" Works building with no public *vote*
Empty former Police Station
Macy's
Rosemary Sewer Line
Northgate parking lot
Datacenter / NDAs
ETJ lawsuit
No more than four being struck down
Utility payment transfers / PUC lawsuit
Chimney Hill
etc., etc.
What's sad, is that most of the time, it takes an open records request to uncover these shenanigans.
The city gave each employee a "transparency trailblazer" challenge coin for 2026. One of my friends gave me his because he said I did a lot more for transparency in CoCS government than he did in 2025, and gave it to me as a momento of the datacenter fight.
The city is anything but transparent,
Those are all just symptoms of the problem.
Mr. Yancy, I look forward to your "Townhall." You seem to be one of the more reasonable and transparent members of council.
Great CaesarsGhost said:
Mr. Yancy, I look forward to your "Townhall." You seem to be one of the more reasonable and transparent members of council.
Thank you! All of my colleagues and I share a love of this community and want what's best for our city. Of course, we differ quite a bit on policy and our approach to constituents. That's just part of it. Everyone has a unique approach.
Have a good one!
Respectfully
Yancy '95
EliteElectric said:
Let's also not forget there are TONS of families that drive their personal golf carts up to the club for golf, tennis, meals, pools, workouts and other types of kids stuff every day. I don't live in PC but am there at least once a week, and, in my opinion, it's dirty pool to take a golf cart community that people have enjoyed as such for decades and turn it into Texas avenue effectively diminishing the value and allure of that community.
***ETA***
I absolutely LOVE seeing little kids riding with mom/dad/grandma/grandpa up to the club for dinner or to play with the other kids in the afternoon/evening. Love it. If there is a more wholesome thing in town I am not aware of it
The golf cart traffic picks up on the summer too.
There are two water areas along PCP where you do see kids fishing or searching for crawfish too. One is a pond and other is a small creek or runoff area.