After a failed attempt at a previous meeting to move forward with updating the city’s land use regulations, the Stephenville City Council took action Tuesday, May 20, unanimously authorizing City Manager Jason King to begin contract negotiations with Kendig Keast Collaborative.
The approval came during a special meeting where three Councilmembers were absent. In contrast to the last council meeting— where a motion to initiate the update failed to receive a second and a separate motion was voted down— the council showed renewed consensus following oneon one conversations King held with members to clarify their concerns.
“I was a little bit lost at that point on which direction we were going,” King said. “The council had adopted a new comprehensive plan, but we had land use codes that were conflicting with that.”
King explained that after individual follow-ups, most council members expressed no objections to the comprehensive plan or the need to revise the outdated land use ordinances. The vote on May 20 reflected a clear shift in momentum.
Councilmember Alan Nix supported the motion but emphasized the need for thoughtful implementation, especially in long-established neighborhoods.
“One of my biggest concerns I had with it, and still have with it, is when you try to implement that into existing neighborhoods,” Nix said. “The people who bought their homes thought that this was how the neighborhood would remain.”
Nix added that while not every element may be a perfect fit, a well-thoughtout approach could serve the city well in the long term.
In other business, the council also approved a $10,000 sponsorship for four rodeo athletes from Stephenville. Though names were not disclosed, Councilmember LeAnn Durfey said all four are recent world champions in their respective events, with one currently holding a title. In exchange for the sponsorship, the athletes will feature the city’s logo on their clothing, vehicles, and trailers. The proposal passed through the Tourism and Visitors Bureau Committee before receiving final approval by the council.
During the Park and Leisure Services Committee meeting, members reviewed the third and final phase of the inclusive playground project at Stephenville City Park. The estimated cost of this phase is about $234,000, and the committee voted to forward the item to the full council for consideration.
Committee members also reviewed potential renovation options for Splashville. No action was taken, but proposals included completely updating the pool or converting it into a large splash pad. A splash pad would save the city money, as it requires no staffing and can be shut down during winter months. Splashville currently costs approximately $400,000 per year to operate.
Also during the meeting, the council approved the appointment of Lisa Pendleton to the Planning and Zoning Commission, as recommended by the Nominations Committee.