Life In Bryan: State of the City 2019

Watch: View our State of the City video on YouTube. It's inspired by the acclaimed BBC documentaries "Planet Earth" and "Life."

Explore: Complete listings of 2019 reports and achievements for each city department. There are 28 departments in total.

City Manager's Office

The City Manager’s Office provides support to the City Council and provides direction to staff based upon City Council’s policy. In FY2019, the department:

Coordinated the planning and design of the Regional Park Project.
Coordinated the initial clean up and improvement of Grandview Cemetery and worked with the Grandview Association to assume responsibility of the cemetery.
Coordinated the annexation of, and partnership with, the RELLIS Campus.
Coordinated the multi-department involvement in the Bryan HOME Foundation Initiative program.
Enacted a shared active transport system license agreement for electric scooters to be used in Downtown Bryan; worked with several vendors and now have engaged with Blue Duck.
Coordinated the Downtown Bryan Gameday Shuttle with Texas A&M University.
Investigated issues shared by City Council members and kept City Council informed of those concerns.
Engaged with a contracted internal auditing firm and coordinated Audit Committee meetings, documents, etc.
Continued to partner with the Bush School at Texas A&M by being involved in classes, attending sessions sponsored by the Bush School and providing internships to Bush School students.
Remained active in associations such as the Texas City Management Association that provide a network connection for the city.
Continued to work with non-profits on lease space for the former U.S. Army Reserve Center.
Attended and served as liaisons on the following boards/committees: Audit Committee, Bryan Business Council, Bryan Commerce and Development, Bryan Planning and Zoning Commission, Tax Increment Reinvestment Zone Boards, Animal Center Advisory Committee, Intergovernmental Committee, Chamber of Commerce, Brazos Valley Solid Waste Management Agency, Brazos County Health District Board, Bryan-Brazos County Economic Development Foundation, City of Bryan/Bryan ISD Committee, Community Development Advisory Committee, BTU Board, Texas Municipal Power Agency Board, Texas Public Power Association Board, Research Valley Partnership, Downtown Bryan Association, Salvation Army Board, Bryan ISD Education Foundation Board, Blinn College-Brazos County Advisory Board, Building and Standards Commission, Experience BCS Board, Civil Services Commission, Leadership Brazos Alumni Association, Library Board, Parks and Recreation Advisory Board, TAMU Langford Architecture and Urban Planning and the BV Lodging Association.
Presented to numerous organizations and events, including: Bush School faculty and students, various Chamber of Commerce events, Leadership Brazos Local Government Day, Texas A&M Langford Architecture and Urban Planning, Career Fair, Aggieland Rotary Club, Texas A&M Urban Planning Class and Arts Council Board.

Animal Services / Bryan Animal Center

Bryan’s Animal Services Department provides animal control and temporary housing for animals in need through enforcement, public education and low-cost spay-neuter programs – all with the goal of reducing the number of homeless animals in the area. In FY2019, the department:

Hosted the sixth annual Pawpaloosa Animal Health Fair and Adoption Reunion, where several hundred people and their pets attended. At the event, staff distributed 200 free microchips and 200 free rabies vaccinations.
Adopted out more than 650 animals to new homes.
Sent more than 40 animals to rescue partners throughout Texas and the United States..
Returned more than 550 animals to their owners in the field.
Facilitated more than 230 animals being reclaimed by their owners.
Logged more than 3,400 hours from volunteers.
Put new animal ordinances into effect on April 9, 2019.
Successfully concluded another year with our partnerships with Texas A&M and Blinn Veterinary programs.
Hosted a Free Microchip and Rabies Vaccination Event during October’s First Friday, where staff distributed 19 free microchips and 22 free rabies vaccinations and supplied 31 Free Spay/Neuter vouchers to City of Bryan residents.
Hosted a Free Microchip and Rabies Vaccination Event in Nov. 2018, where staff distributed 100 free microchips and rabies vaccinations and supplied 75 Free Spay/Neuter vouchers to City of Bryan residents.

Bryan Texas Utilities

Bryan Texas Utilities (BTU) provides reliable, competitively priced electricity to the City of Bryan and surrounding areas while also emphasizing exceptional customer service and being a responsible, caring member of the community. In FY 2019, BTU:

Entered into a 15-year agreement with a utility-scale solar plant development company to buy 100 megawatts of generation from a solar project in northeast Texas to be able to provide competitively priced power.
Assumed operations of the Lake Bryan Public Park, which provides boating, swimming, fishing, camping, paddleboard and kayak rentals and other events. In May 2019, a new tenant, The Hook at Lake Bryan, opened in the restaurant facility.
Began converting the more than 6,300 streetlights in the City of Bryan to LED lights. This conversion will save the city money due to LED lighting being less costly to maintain and lasting longer than high-pressure sodium lights.
Upgraded its credit ratings for both the City and Rural System Revenue Bonds. The City System was upgraded from A+ to AA- by Fitch Ratings, and was modified from an A+ stable to a, A+ positive outlook by Standard & Poor’s. The Rural System was upgraded from A+ to AA- by both Standard & Poor’s and Fitch.

City Secretary's Office

Bryan’s City Secretary’s Office assists the City Council in fulfilling its duties, improves access to public records, manages the election and records management processes and serves as the local registrar of birth and death records. In FY2019, the department:

Tracked city-related legislation filed in the 2019 Session of the Texas Legislature, communicated with city departments accordingly, assisted with the implementation of new laws following the session and provided appropriate training relative to the new laws.
Continued to serve as Chamber of Commerce Legislative Affairs Committee Co-Chair and ensured the city’s legislative priorities were included in the Chamber’s state and federal legislative action plans. Participated in state and federal legislative trips and tracked federal legislation of importance to the city.
Responded to 1,106 open records requests filed with the city in a timely and efficient manner.
Successfully converted the Vital Statistics operation to the new state-mandated TxEver system and created an electronic acceptance process for vital records.
Conducted candidate orientation for Mayoral and City Council candidates.
Coordinated the City Council’s annual volunteer reception.
Certified two Residential-Neighborhood Conservation District petitions.
Conducted Texas Open Meetings Act training for new board, committee and commission members.
Implemented new software to manage boards, committees and commissions and transitioned all city boards, committee and commissions to using the software.
Oversaw the recruitment/appointment process for the City Council’s boards, committees and commissions.
Continued preservation of old cemetery records housed at the Bryan City Cemetery through deacidification, encapsulation and binding in new books to preserve the integrity of these records for another 100 years.
Converted all old birth and death records stored on microfiche to the city’s Laserfiche document imaging system.
Continued staff evaluation at Municipal Court relative to increased efficiencies with new software.
Assumed responsibility for tracking ethics training for board, committee and commission members.
Conducted quarterly reviews of the Experience BCS marketing plans.
Implemented a new written Records Management Plan to better reflect current technology.
Conducted records audits in various city departments.
Promoted and implemented records management techniques city-wide during Records Management Month, including staff training sessions, an email deletion contest and a large records destruction campaign for records past retention or superfluous copies.
Continued preserving the city’s oldest historical records.
Continued the Lunch and Learn series of public education sessions.
Continued to increase access to information and records via the city’s website (transparency).
Worked with the Neighborhood and Youth Outreach Coordinator to continue to expand his role in youth-at-risk opportunities in the community, as well as increased attention to neighborhood, senior, disabled and lower socio-economic population concerns.
Continued the Youth Advisory Commission and Teen Court in the Schools programs.
Continued developing a new youth-at-risk program using grant money.
Conducted a training session for local hospitals, funeral homes and justices of the peace regarding appropriate procedures for filing birth and death certificates.
Received the Exemplary Five Star Award from the Texas Department of State Health Services for excellence in vital statistics reporting and customer service.
Recertified all staff in paternity training by the Attorney General’s Office.
Continued the implementation of streamlined and automated business processes using Laserfiche workflow and forms components.
Continued to grow the Volunteer Bryan! program.
Served as President of the International Institute of Municipal Clerks Foundation.
Served on the Brazos Valley Literacy Council.
Served as a founding member of the Brazos Valley Parliamentarians Unit.
Served as an instructor for the Texas Municipal Clerks Association, the International Institute of Municipal Clerks and various other local and state organizations.

Code Enforcement

Bryan’s Code Enforcement Department works to proactively maintain an attractive, safe and healthy community. Accomplishments in FY 2019 include:

Hiring a supervisor.
Adding an additional codes enforcement officer.
Managing a higher case volume than in previous years.

Communications & Marketing

Bryan’s Communications & Marketing Department supports all other departments in the city by producing high-quality materials to inform and engage residents and visitors. In FY2019, the department accomplished the following:

Produced Fiscal Year 2018 State of the City video and electronic report highlighting every city department.
Produced Fall/Winter and Spring/Summer Parks and Recreation activity guides with online registration directly from the guides. Also produced BTU, Bryan Fire Department, and Bryan Police Department Annual Reports.
Created and produced more than 100 graphic projects, print/digital advertisements, brochures, promotional items, etc.
Produced and aired more than 40 different video projects for broadcast on Municipal TV Channel 16, KBTX, KAGS and KYLE stations; on the City’s website, social media platforms, and in digital marketing campaigns.
Assisted in the promotion of special events/initiatives such as the Texas Reds Festival, First Friday, and Lights On!
Strengthened the City’s presence on social media and tailored information to fit specific communication channels including Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, Flickr and Nextdoor.
Focused marketing initiatives and strategies to external audiences to improve the city’s image, attract visitors, and showcase quality of life in an effort to attract new residents and businesses while retaining existing stakeholders.
Enhanced the programming efforts of the City with timely, targeted communications that can be easily adapted to a variety of communication channels.
Redesigned the City of Bryan employee intranet; redesigned the Municipal Court section of the City of Bryan website, taking part in a pilot project with the Texas Municipal Courts Education Center and the national Center for Court Innovation – our court redesign is featured in a best practices handbook that is being delivered to courts across the nation; developed interactive map to showcase parks, facilities, and amenities; created unique website pages for special projects included Midtown Planning Area and annexation; continued to revamp department website pages to organize and edit content to better meet the needs of viewers.
Produced 12 issues each of monthly publications Texas Co-Op Power Magazine and Plug In.
Continued promotion of the Gameday Shuttle service to directly target Texas A&M and opposing team fans; Downtown Shuttle was the only off-campus service to increase in ridership year over year for the past 4 consecutive years.
Increased the number of subscribers who receive direct email updates through Constant Contact.
Won five State awards and three National awards for excellence in electronic reporting, graphic design, web design, video PSA production and printed publications.

Community Development Services

Bryan’s Community Development Services Department administers federal funds from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development to provide decent housing, suitable living environment and expanded economic opportunities in Bryan. They provide programs that address local housing and non-housing needs primarily for special needs populations and partner with private and public entities to serve additional families. Accomplishments for FY2019 included:

Facilitating more than 60 minor home repair projects to mitigate or eliminate health and safety issues.
Constructed two new single-family rental cottages for low-income elderly residents with grant funds and lots provided by Elder-Aid.
Reconstructed or rehabilitated three dilapidated owner-occupied homes using grant funds.
Provided homebuyer counseling and down payment assistance to 10 first-time homebuyers.
Partnering with various volunteer groups on housing assistance projects (landscaping, painting, wheelchair ramps, etc.).
Partnering with a local private builder and local building supply companies to complete repairs and renovations on seven owner-occupied homes.
Servicing 37 loans on past housing projects, resulting in approximately $114,000 in program income funding that can be used on future projects.
Supporting the Brazos County Home Repair Coalition to replace a dilapidated manufactured home with a new, affordable single-family home.
Assisting in the development and implementation of the Home Foundation Initiative program to help owners of aging manufactured homes replace then with single-family homes.
Conveying more than eight acres of donated land to a developer to aid in the development of more than 50 affordable owner-occupied homes in northwest Bryan.
Monitoring grant contracts for six health/social service agencies assisting more than 2,000 clients.
Coordinating the Bank on Brazos Valley program that focuses on youth and family financial literacy and completing six projects, including: a credit fair workshop, financial literacy workshops for Bryan Housing Authority and Housing Choice Voucher clients, two financial simulations for Bryan High School seniors and a financial essay/art contest for Bryan ISD.

Coulter Airfield

Coulter Airfield is the City of Bryan’s municipal air field, serving as the hub for the Texas Flying Club, EAA Chapter 153 and HELIBACON. In FY2019, Coulter Airfield:

Provided a local impact of 66 full-time jobs worth $3.6 million in payroll and $11.5 million in total output, according to TxDOT Aviation’s 2018 Economic Impact Study.
Began working on an airport layout plan which will review existing facilities, identify development constraints, develop future demand forecasts and identify key improvements and funding strategies.
Planned for the start of the phase two rehabilitation project at the airport, which will include the overlay and marking of Taxiway Bravo and rehabilitation of runway 15-33 and Taxiway Alpha.
Continued to support private and city hangar development, which included the U.S. Department of Agriculture completing construction on a two-hangar development project as part of a multi-year project to relocate assets from the RELLIS campus to Coulter Airfield.
Eliminated a risk to local drinking water by decertifying and removing two non-functioning underground storage tanks.
Installed more than 30 fire extinguishers on hangars throughout the airport.
Improved emergency response from the Bryan Fire and Police Departments by working with the city’s Traffic Operations department to create and install signs on every hangar at the airport.
Hosted nearly 1,200 people at Scotty’s House, Great American Steak Out.

Economic Development

The City of Bryan’s Economic Development Department helps create opportunities for economic development in the city through business growth, expansion, retention and attraction. In FY2019, the Economic Development team was focused on catalytic project development and targeted engagement as second-year follow-up to FY2018’s Commercial/Retail Action Plan. These efforts have also involved the critical role and support of the Bryan Business Council. During the last year, the Economic Development team:

Completed the following priority action items:
- Culpepper North concept plan with activation effort
- Downtown North development partner secured
- Union Hill land banking/development partner engagement
- Midtown catalyst site concept with new anchor
- Continued developer recruitment and catalyst targeting
Continued the Corridor Beautification Partnership – Texas Avenue, which is a matching grant program focused on stimulating redevelopment through aesthetic improvements to properties.
Supported economic development projects, including the Bowie School, Traditions/Atlas/Lake Walk/The Stella Hotel, Austin’s Colony Parkway extension, Midtown redevelopment, Oakmont, CamWesT, Lorca, Downtown North redevelopment and Temple Freda.
Targeted and/or directly engaged more than 40 new and existing retailers, specifically focused on catalytic project development. Staff participated in two of the most prestigious commercial/retail conferences: ICES Recon and Retail Live and engaged multiple commercial developers focused on opportunities city-wide.
Helped facilitate a wide range of projects, including Blackwater Brewing, Downtown Elixir, the Bowie School, Live Oak Archery and BigShots at the future regional park in Midtown.
Provided advisory support across city departments, primarily to Development Services and the City Manager’s office for the regional park initiative. This includes committee participation, economic development guidance, evaluation of fiscal impact, targeted public-private partnership opportunities, and development and coordination of an Economic Development Administration Grant association with the regional park.
Implemented an internal economic impact model working to evaluate project-specific economic benefit and return.
Supported the Bryan Business Council in its accomplishments, including:
- Authorizing a $50,000 donation toward a robotic arm at Bryan ISD’s Career and Technical Education campus. (Education Subcommittee)
- Supporting redevelopment of major corridors, resulting, in part, with the purchase of 3600 and 3710 Old College Road properties. (Commercial)
- Participating in the city’s ad hoc residential infill committee. (Residential Infill)

Engineering

The Engineering Department manages many of the large-scale projects that affect residents, businesses and visitors in Bryan. In FY2019, this included:

Executing the annual process for the city’s comprehensive five-year Capital Improvement Program, including preparing the slate of projects for consideration in the FY2020-2024 CIP.
Completing multiple projects in the Capital Improvement Program, including:
- The removal of overhead wires and poles on South College Avenue (city limits to Villa Maria)
- Partridge Circle drainage improvements
- Knightsbridge/Apple Creek storm sewer rehabilitation
- The Traffic Operations storage building
- Texas State Highway 21 sewer rehabilitation
- Installation of sidewalks on 17th Street
Beginning construction on the following projects in the Capital Improvement Program:
- Kazmeier drainage project
- Cherry Creek drainage project
Making progress on other Capital Improvement Program projects:
- Bidding will begin soon on the Waco Street extension, Still Creek culverts, Melba Circle drainage project, Coulter Drive and the 17th Street culvert project.
- William Joel Bryan Parkway project is in final design, and construction will start in 2021.
- Consultants have been selected for the Texas Avenue Project.
Receiving a $2 million grant from TxDOT to construct bike lanes and sidewalks on Coulter Drive and a shared-use path on Earl Rudder Freeway from Old Reliance Road to Boonville Road.
Implementing the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program Buyout Grant for four flooded homes, leveraging up to $225,000 of local funds to receive up to $675,000 in federal funds.
Submitting a study to FEMA of Briar Creek from William Joel Bryan Parkway to Carter’s Creek, updating the flood hazard information.
Completing the first full year of the Contractor Registration Program, which requires all contractors building public infrastructure or working in public rights of way to be registered with the city.

Facility Services

Bryan’s Facility Services Department ensures the city’s public facilities are maintained with exceptional workmanship. In FY2019, the Facility Services Department:

Upgraded the HVAC controls at the Municipal Office Building, Clara B. Mounce Library and the Bryan Justice Center.
Replaced the three remaining rooftop HVAC units at the Municipal Office Building.
Completed installation of the access controls at the Bryan Justice Center.
Replaced the roofs at Fire Station #1 and Clara B. Mounce Library.
Replaced floors and ceiling tiles and painted the interior of the Municipal Service Center.
Upgraded to LED lighting at the Bryan Regional Athletic Complex tennis and basketball courts, Henderson Park parking lot lights and area lights, Clara B. Mounce Library rooftop and Haswell Park parking lot lights.
Repaired all 50 light fixtures and wiring to the football field lighting at Henderson Park.

Fire Department

The Bryan Fire Department keeps residents and businesses safe through education, prevention and fire/EMS response. In FY2019, the Bryan Fire Department:

Emergency Medical Services became accredited through the Commission on Accreditation of Ambulance Services, making it one of only 11 EMS agencies in Texas to be accredited.
Placed smoke and carbon monoxide detectors on all fire apparatus for in-the-field installations when a need is recognized.
Updated its Community Wildfire Protection Plan.

Fiscal Services

The City of Bryan’s Fiscal Services Department ensures financial accountability and effectively manages the city’s assets. In FY2019, the department:

Received Distinguished Budget Preparation Award from the Government Finance Officers Association of the United States and Canada (GFOA) for previous year’s budget.
Received the Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting from (GFOA) for previous year’s Comprehensive Annual Financial Report.
Paid off last of Texas Municipal Power Association generation debt on July 1, 2019.
Provided analysis to management on 3.5% property tax cap legislation. Positioned the city to maintain the current tax rate and developed options for continued management.
Worked with city staff on financing options associated with the Regional Park Project.
Implemented a new materials supply and management contract at BTU with Texas Electric Cooperative, Inc. (TEC) that went operational in November. The agreement resulted in approximately $3.7 million inflow to BTU as a result of the sale of materials to TEC.
Completed two refinancings in 2019, totaling $7.9 million including:
- Issuing $4.7 million in General Obligation refunding bonds in August 2019 with interest savings of $725,000.
- Issuing $3.2 million in Water/Wastewater Revenue refunding bonds in August 2019 with interest savings of $570,000.
Developed post-issuance compliance procedures for the city’s and BTU’s debt.

Human Resources

Bryan’s Human Resources Department supports the city’s efforts to attract, develop and retain a diverse, well-qualified and productive workforce that is capable of providing quality services to the residents of Bryan. In FY2019, the Human Resources Department:

Conducting a thorough salary survey and market study (for city-wide benchmark positions) of comparable cities (and/or industry as needed). Staff made recommendations of pay range adjustments and market adjustments necessary to stay competitive. Assisted with a salary/market study for utility positions in conjunction with another Texas utility.
Created and implemented a formal succession-planning program for BTU.
Implemented a new platform for the employee online training and development tracking system, which includes a certification module to assist with tracking training hours.
Continued a sick leave donation program as part of the catastrophic sick leave policy to assist employees who have exhausted normal sick leave banks due to legitimate reasons.
Worked with the Community and Business Leaders Partnership and Workforce Solutions Brazos Valley on an education externship program along with Bryan ISD.

Information Technology

The IT Department works to provide innovative, secure and cost-effective technologies to help advance the city’s strategic plan. In FY2019, working toward making significant progress toward that goal, the department:

Implemented 15 major systems and software upgrades.
Implemented three new systems.
Developed an in-house, classroom-based cyber awareness training program to complement our internal proactive cyber awareness program that trains employees to develop a more globally aware cyber culture through internal phishing campaigns, marketing and messaging.
Strengthened the city’s cybersecurity posture by hardening the configuration for email systems, network infrastructure, application servers and databases.
Conducted multiple audits of our systems, including assessments from the Department of Homeland Security and Idaho National Labs, penetration testing on the corporate network, and a PCI audit to ensure we are taking all steps to control and protect residents’ information.
Added 11 miles of east-to-west underground fiber infrastructure, in partnership with the Brazos Valley Council of Governments. We extended fiber infrastructure to Coulter Field, Midtown and six traffic signals, and we added additional core fiber backbone.
Implemented a new phone system for the Community Emergency Operations Center, in collaboration with Texas A&M University, the City of College Station and Brazos County.
Replaced more than 275 aging office technology devices.
Partnered with 14 other agencies to acquire updated orthoimagery for the City of Bryan.

Bryan + College Station Library System

Bryan-College Station’s Library system includes three libraries – Clara B. Mounce Public Library, the Carnegie History Center and the Larry J. Ringer Public Library. In FY2019, the library system:

Hosted 177 story times, which drew 7,547 story time attendees.
Put on 72 youth special programs with nearly 14,000 special program attendees.
Answered more than 14,000 reference questions.
Facilitated the viewing of more than 29,000 historical materials.
Put on 114 adult programs with 3,156 program attendees.
Checked out more than 532,000 materials.
Welcomed more than 188,000 visitors.
Registered more than 2,500 new library patrons.
Facilitated more than 66,000 digital downloads.
Added more than 10,600 items to the library collection.
Hosted 55 technology classes for 474 attendees.
Received 2,653 hours of volunteer work, with near half of that coming from teen volunteers.

Municipal Court

Bryan’s Municipal Court serves the public in a fair, efficient and accountable manner while processing citations, writs and warrants to impartially administer justice for the city. In FY2019:

The Municipal Court Judges heard cases pertaining to the Penal Code, Traffic Code and Health and Safety Code and magistrated several hundred individuals who were arrested on Class C misdemeanors.
The Court Administrator maintained certification as a Certified Court Manager from the National Center for State Courts Institute of Court Management. In addition, he met training requirements to maintain Level I and Level II certification through the Texas Court Clerks Association (TCCA) and maintained a Master Peace Officer license through the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement.
The Deputy Court Administrator and four Deputy Court Clerks maintained their Level I and Level II certifications through TCCA. The Warrant Technician and Juvenile Case Manager also hold TCCA clerk certifications. All clerks attended regional training to further their professional development and to maintain clerk certification.
The City Marshal office had three Marshals certified as Court Security Specialists. No security incidents were reported to the Office of Court Administration.
City Marshals and Judges attended all the necessary trainings to maintain their respective licenses and certifications.
The Court Administrator and Presiding Judge attended legislative updates to prepare for the changes in law implemented by the 86th Legislative Session.
Processed more than 10,300 new cases and closed more than 10,800 cases.
Issued approximately 6,900 warrants due to lack of compliance.
Recalled/served more than 5,500 warrants in an attempt to gain compliance.
Collected more than $2.1 million in fines and fees, of which, more than $1.4 million was retained by the city.
Granted community service as an alternate method of satisfying fines and fees to more than 350 cases (equivalent to more than 9,300 hours).
Participated in the OmniBase program to aide in increasing compliance.
Scanned more than 86,000 documents into Laserfiche for records retention.

Neighborhood & Youth Services

Bryan’s Neighborhood & Youth Services Department helps improve the quality of life in the community by promoting and facilitating resident communication, participation and involvement in local government. In FY2019, the department:

Obtained a grant from Texas A&M University that is being used to develop a website and curriculum for youth aging out of foster care programs. The curriculum will assist them with continued education, job attainment, community resources, health care, transportation and record keeping.
Added a new neighborhood to the Neighborhood Association Partnership Program.
Participated in various neighborhood association meetings.
Prepared and distributed a newsletter for neighborhood associations.
Conducted a city-wide neighborhood association forum.
Provided support to various youth programs and activities.
Continued the swimming lesson program and winter clothing program for at-risk youth.
Continued to foster communications at the neighborhood level.
Assisted the Community Development Department with infill redevelopment projects.
Provided support to organizations that serve at-risk populations, including the youth, senior and disabled communities.
Served on the literacy council advisory group.
Represented the City of Bryan at various community events associated with services to at-risk populations.

Parks & Recreation

The Parks & Recreation Department stayed busy in FY2019 by providing quality recreational opportunities for the City of Bryan’s residents, businesses and visitors of all ages, including events, programs, parks and facilities. In FY2019, the Parks & Recreation Department:

Completed the development of Siena Park.
Bid and began construction on the Edgewater Park project.
Initiated an “on call” program for the department to provide better customer service.
Developed a tree risk assessment and mitigation program within the parks system.
Replaced the playground unit at Neal Park and added a new swing set and fall zone at Tanglewood Park.
Completed the Grandview Cemetery rehabilitation project and assisted with site clean-up and fencing projects.
Opened Block 26 in the new Bryan City Cemetery section.
Hosted the 2019 Texas Amateur Athletic Federation Games of Texas.
Implemented a new senior event: Senior Dance.
Completed the slide project at the Bryan Aquatic Center.
Offered water safety instructor courses, which were taught by our Aquatic Supervisors, thanks to their new WSIT Certification.
Facilitated the Middle School Cross Country District Meet and High School Cross Country District Meet at the Bryan Regional Park.
Facilitated the Bryan High School Girls Softball Tournament at Bryan Regional Athletic Complex (BRAC).
Hosted an Ultimate Frisbee Tournament at BRAC.
Created a City Special Events Application Coordinator position and a Special Event Guide Handbook.
Offered junior golf camps and ladies' clinics at the City Course at the Phillips Event Center.
Worked with a developer through an Interim Services Agreement for development options of a new regional park (Travis B. Bryan Midtown Park).
Replaced the Downtown event lighting with new LED lighting and controls.
Completed repairs to Hole 6 and implemented cart path improvements at the City Course at Phillips Events Center.
Continued progress on the Parks Improvement Plan.

Planning & Development Services

Development Services

By the Numbers

Residential Single-Family Building Permits

July 2019 -- Number of Permits: 55, Value: $9,417,654 July 2018 -- Number of Permits: 54, Value: $8,065,793 Jan. 2019 - July 2019 -- Number of Permits: 373, Value: $64,808,056 Jan. 2018 - July 2018 -- Number of Permits: 253, Value: $43,250,276

Commercial Building Permits (New Construction)

July 2019 -- Number of Permits: 4, Value: $726,000 July 2018 -- Number of Permits: 9, Value: $1,791,594 Jan. 2019 - July 2019 -- Number of Permits: 78, Value: $16,236,424 Jan. 2018 - July 2018 -- Number of Permits: 48, Value: $15,940,417

The total permit valuation (new residential, new commercial, residential renovation and commercial renovation) has increased by $1,272,294 from YTD 2018 to YTD 2019, while the total number of permits has decreased by 172 from 1,327 YTD 2018 to 1,155 YTD 2019.

Permits and Inspections

Fiscal years 2017 and 2018 were the busiest years ever for the city’s Development Services Department in terms of building permits issued and building inspection requests. 2019 can reasonably be expected to be another record-setting year. Many of these permits are large-scale projects such as schools, hotels and multi-family apartment complexes. These types of projects produce a large demand for inspections and increase customer pressure to get building inspections completed on a timely basis. The number of inspections performed by Bryan building inspectors has increased from 15,682 in FY 2016 to 19,001 in FY 2018. Having sufficient inspection staff to handle the increased building permit and inspection load is vital to maintaining the development community’s positive perception of doing business in Bryan. In addition, the Development Services Department also responds to all building/structure-related complaints/safety issues (For example, as part of the city’s substandard structure abatement process with the Building and Standards Commission). Five Development Services front counter staff each answer an average of 40 phone calls every day, which is approximately 42,000 calls per year.

Development Projects

Development Review

The Development Services Department also coordinates the review of hundreds of development proposals through the city’s Site Development Review Committee (SDRC) and change of owner/use/tenant processes. The department assisted the local development community by providing pertinent information in pre-development meeting settings and in phone and email inquiries. All site plans, subdivision plats, certain rezonings, Conditional-Use Permits and right-of-way abandonment requests are submitted to the SDRC for review and/or approval. The SDRC is organized to ensure that a proposed development complies with all applicable codes, ordinances and guidelines and can receive the required utility services. The SDRC is composed of representatives from certain city departments, utility companies and other development stakeholders that review development proposals every week with a guaranteed 3½-business day response, possibly the fastest such process in the state. Since Aug. 1, 2018, the SDRC has processed 277 new cases, and Development Services staff prepared detailed background information and presented 92 development-related proposals in Council Action Forms to the City Council for direction and/or final action. Below is a non-exhaustive, yet representative, list of development projects that either were completed or are currently in the planning, development review, and/or building permitting and inspection processes.

Health

Central Texas Gastroenterology (2206 E. Villa Maria Road) – new parking lot to be constructed
Oakmont Park & Amenities Center (5125 Oakmont Blvd.) – 3.4 acres of public park, new 7,520-square-foot event center, pool, event lawn, amphitheater and butterfly garden.
Trufit (1900 W. Villa Maria Road) – addition for 69 new parking stalls
Trufit (Bryan Towne Center, 3100 Wildflower Dr.) – new 34,600-square-foot gym facility
Retina Center (2806 E. 29th St.) – 4,700-square-foot addition to an ophthalmologist office

Industrial

Wickson Creek Landing (6113 E. State Highway 21) – new 6.7-acre industrial subdivision
Carrabba Industrial Park (400 E. State Highway 21) – new phases (11 through 15) of the industrial park
Martin Marietta (1580 Independence Ave.) – new 1,440-square-foot office building and parking lot
Evolution Construction (1410 & 1404 Groesbeck St.) – new 1,600-square-foot maintenance facility/ storage building and parking lot
BYOT Auto Yard (3738 and 3712 E. State Highway 21) – new 12-acre self-service auto parts yard
Performance Trucks (5013 E. State Highway 21) – new 52,250-square-foot wholesale heavy duty parts and repair building
NTA Testing (6151 Mumford Road) – new 28,740-square-foot industrial testing facility
Elaine Drive Warehouses (3686 Woodville Road) – two new 23,500- square-foot commercial warehouses
North Point Industrial Park (2870 N. Harvey Mitchell Pkwy.) – new 800-square-foot fuel farm and caustic materials holding site
CBS Rental (2787 N. Earl Rudder Fwy.) – new 10,000-squre-foot industrial/work equipment rental facility

Retail / Commercial

H-E-B Curbside Grocery Pickup (Tejas Center, 725 E. Villa Maria Road) – 1,600-square-foot grocery store addition
Ricky’s Neighborhood Market (1121 Richard St.) – new 800-square-foot neighborhood grocery store
SOS Ministries (1700 Groesbeck St.) – new 3,700-square-foot building
McCoy’s (2300 Boonville Road) – 4,12-square-foot building supplies warehouse addition
Jack in the Box (2906 S. Texas Ave.) – complete site renovation and restaurant rebuild
Ruffino Meats (2130 E. Williams Joel Bryan Pkwy.) – 3,200-square-foot office addition
Chick-Fil-A (2210 Briarcrest Dr.) – complete site renovation and restaurant rebuild
Chick-Fil-A (Rudder Landing Shopping Center at West Villa Maria Road and North Harvey Mitchell Parkway) – new restaurant
Highway 21 C-Store (2300 E. State Highway 21) – new 5,600-square-foot convenience store and 1,680 square feet of new lease retail space
Site One Landscape Supply (10253 State Highway 30) – new 5.2-acre landscape nursery with an 8,100-square-foot building
C-Store (Riverside Parkway and West Villa Maria Road) – new 5,040-square-foot convenience store and 6,060 square feet of new lease retail space
Murphy Oil Gas Station (2208 Briarcrest Dr.) – complete site renovation and rebuild of gas station
Boonville Town Square (2502 Boonville Road) – 41,000 square feet of office, warehouse and showrooms
ABC Home and Commercial Services (1009 N. Earl Rudder Fwy.) – new 7,000-square-foot office, showroom and warehouse building
Saenz Cleaners (917 S. Texas Ave.) – 1,200 sq. ft. addition and parking lot redesign
C&J’s BBQ (corner of East William J. Bryan Parkway and West Briargate Drive) – new 8,800-square-foot restaurant
Colony Park Shopping Center (2303 Boonville Road) – 24,500-square-foot addition to Kroger grocery store with parking lot remodel
Chatham Northview Shopping Retail Center (2308 E. State Highway 21) – new 10,220-square-foot retail building
Family Dollar (southwest corner of Beck Street and Silkwood Drive) – new 9,180-square-foot retail store
Hernandez Law Firm (2624 W. Villa Maria Road) – new 7,350-square-foot office building
Summit Electrical Supply (1175 N. Earl Rudder Fwy.) – new 9,500-square-foot wholesale electrical supplies building
Arledge Storage Facility (2513 N. Earl Rudder Fwy.) – two new 9,000-square-foot commercial storage buildings
Great Escapes RV Resort (4600 Leonard Road) – 88+ acres of RV spaces and nature preserve
Bryan Animal Clinic (2710 Maloney Ave.) – new 2,340-square-foot building designed to be the area’s first “fear-free” certified practice

Bryan ISD

Sam Rayburn Intermediate School (1048 N. Earl Rudder Fwy.) – new portable buildings
Jane Long Intermediate School (1106 N. Harvey Mitchell Pkwy.) – new portable buildings

Multi-Family Residential

Cottages at the City Course (between Country Club Drive and Camelot Drive) – 24 new townhomes overlooking the City Course at the Phillips Event Center
Perry Lofts Downtown Bryan (401 N. Main St.) – three-story building with approximately 10,000 square feet of retail/office on the bottom floor and 26 residential units on the second and third floors
Parker Street Apartments Downtown Bryan (South Parker Avenue and West 23rd Street) – 21-unit apartment complex
The Residences of Oakmont (Pendleton Street and Boonville Road) – 260-unit luxury apartment complex
Broadstone at Traditions (8000 Atlas Pear Dr.) – 261-unit luxury apartment complex in Traditions
Forest Pines Apartments (Leonard Road and North Harvey Mitchell Parkway) – 324-unit apartment complex

Low-Density Residential Subdivisions

Hope Crossing (south side of Bruin Trace between West Martin Luther King, Jr. and Saunders Streets) – 52 new lots on 8.85 acres
Edgewater Phase 5 (near Leonard Road and Chick Lane) – 180 new low-density residential lots
Greenbrier Phase 16 (north of Covington Court and west of Middleburg Green) – 44 new low-density residential lots
Traditions Phase 34 (south of South Traditions Drive and west of Club Drive) – 11 new low-density residential lots
Alamosa Springs Phase 1 (east of Jones Road and south of Leonard Road) – 84 new low-density residential lots
Austin’s Colony Phases 20-25 (southwest of Austin’s Estates Drive and north of the terminus of Bullinger Creek Drive) – 155 acres currently being annexed, which will be developed with low-density residential lots
Green Branch Ridge Phase 6 & 7a (northwest of Steep Hollow Road and north of Green Branch Loop) – 19 new low-density residential lots in the City of Bryan extraterritorial jurisdiction
Miramont Section 7 (south of Miramont Circle and east of Tesori Drive) – 44 new low-density residential lots
Pleasant Hill Phase 1 (south of Sandy Point Road and west of North Harvey Mitchell Parkway) – 260 new low-density residential lots and reserved commercial space
Pleasant Hill Phase 2 (south of Sandy Point Road and west of North Harvey Mitchell Parkway) – 575 new low-density residential lots
Yaupon Trails Subdivision Phase 1 (Hardy Weedon Road at State Highway 30) – 108 new low-density residential lots on 38 acres
Rudder Pointe Subdivision Phase 1 (Old Reliance Road at State Highway 6) – 43 new low-density residential lots on 16.4 acres
Vintage Estates Subdivision (off Old Reliance Road) – 26 new low-density residential lots on 7.6 acres
Bittle Place Addition (off Bittle Lane) – 43 new low-density residential lots on 9.372 acres
Boulder Creek Subdivision (off Chick Lane) – 41 new low-density residential lots on 8.953 acres

City of Bryan

BTU Substation (2891 Nash St.) – new 2-acre substation for BTU
Coulter Airfield (6120 E. State Highway 21) – new USDA hangar
Edgewater Park (6720 Chick Ln.) – new 9.6-acre public park, which will include a playground, fitness stations, a multi-purpose athletic court and a pavilion
MSC Tire Recycling Center (1111 Waco St.) – new tire recycling facility located at the City’s Municipal Services Center

Planning

Planning Excellence Recognition: For the third year in a row, the City of Bryan was one of only 39 Texas cities that was recognized by the Texas Chapter of the American Planning Association for planning excellence in October 2018. Evaluation criteria included the level of training of Planning Commissioners and professional staff, professional qualifications of the planning staff, breadth and currency of master plan components and completion of other planning-related projects.
Annexations of RELLIS Campus and Texas Triangle Park: On May 14, 2019, the City Council unanimously approved the city-initiated annexation of the RELLIS Campus and Texas Triangle Park areas, a combined 5,000+ acres of land. The annexation included more than two years of conversations about anticipated future growth areas and a feasibility and strategy study for the RELLIS Campus area by Sugar Land-based consultants Kendig Keast Collaborative (KKC). The City Council commissioned the long-range study in early 2018 to receive annexation planning guidance from experienced subject matter experts in four key areas – urban planning, engineering, fiscal/economic impact and legal. The study was delivered in September 2018. The devoted time and resources to the study and the completion of the state law-mandated annexation process in 2018-2019, pushing for expeditious completion but still leaving adequate time for necessary planning, outreach, public hearings and City Council action.
Midtown Area Plan: In September 2018, the City Council charged planning staff to embark on a proactive planning process to tackle the challenges and unlock the opportunities in the Midtown area. In the year since, planning staff and the city’s consultant team led by Miller Boskus and Lack Architects of Fayetteville, Ark., developed and executed an unprecedented public outreach program and visioning process to get public input and develop an area plan that will be the principle guide in promoting orderly growth, development and redevelopment of the Midtown Bryan area. The plan is being finalized and includes recommendations to change standard zoning districts and create new districts to help maximize (re-)development potential, with the main goal of helping strengthen the future of the Midtown area as a contributor to the great quality of life in Bryan. Final plan adoption and implementation are anticipated for late fall of 2019.
Substandard structure abatement program: This program allows the Building and Standards Commission (BSC) to consider the repair or demolition structures that are deteriorating, dilapidated or decayed to the point of being a hazard to the health and/or welfare of the public or the occupants of the structure. Having a proactive dangerous building demolition program helps the community eliminate these health and safety hazards and eyesores from Bryan neighborhoods. Deteriorated structures also have a direct detrimental impact on neighborhood property values and overall living quality and comfort. City demolition budget funds are used pay a city contractor to remove condemned structures if the responsible party fails to remove the structure as ordered. In FY2019, the BSC considered 52 properties and condemned 50 structures. The city’s contractor removed 17 of these condemned structures.
Grant program management: During the last 20 years, the City of Bryan has successfully created, adopted and implemented three matching grant programs to engage local business and property owners in improving the economic vitality and visual character of the community. These grants evolved in response to citizen concerns regarding community image and perception and serve to foster redevelopment and promote public safety in Bryan. Historic Downtown Bryan has been in a state of transition for the past decade, the once dilapidated and largely vacant neighborhood has been reborn as a vibrant hub for local business. This revitalization was accomplished by a combination of public and private efforts, which include the City’s trio of matching grant programs – all of which remain available today and are managed by the City’s planning staff. The Downtown Improvement Program and Life Safety Grant are specific to the Downtown Historic District and offer financial assistance for façade renovations and fire safety improvements, respectively. The Corridor Beautification Grant offers businesses located along the nearly eight-mile corridor that leads into Downtown the opportunity to improve their storefronts and further the beautification of Bryan. These grant programs have contributed immensely to the continued success of Downtown Bryan, and have made a lasting positive impact on community spirit.

Police Department

Bryan’s Police Department continues to focus on protecting life, property and freedoms by solving crime and forming partnerships with citizens in the community. This includes seeing a 49 percent reduction in Part 1 crimes since 2009. Accomplishments in FY2019 include:

Conducting three Citizen Police Academies, one in English, one in Spanish and one for students.
Meeting with citizens through various community events, such as Coffee with a Cop, National Night Out, the MLK march, Blue Bunny Breakfast & Egg Hunt, and others.
Communicating with neighborhoods through Nextdoor.
Receiving a prestigious accreditation from the Texas Police Chief’s Texas Best Practices in addition to the department's continued accreditation through the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies.
Expanding the FitLife program, which determines officers’ cardio health.
Graduating 20 recruits from the first two classes of the BPD Police Academy. The academy allows us to train our own recruits from start to finish, allowing for a stronger, better prepared cadet.
Conducting nearly 2,000 hours of training, including topics such as active shooters, ballistic shields, emergency vehicle operations, defensive tactics, firearms, de-escalation and shoot-don’t shoot scenarios.
Responding to more than 63,000 calls for service.
Conducting numerous successful investigations, using criminal intelligence and the Compstat process, resulting in a wide range of arrests from drug possession and violent felonies to burglaries, thefts and robberies.

Public Works Call Center

The Public Works Call Center fields questions and complaints from residents about streets, water, wastewater and solid waste services. Accomplishments from FY2019 included:

Completing more than 25,700 job orders
Fielding more than 56,000 calls
Assisting in the coordination of the Local Area Traffic Management Plan
Providing administrative and communication support to the Texas Reds Festival, located in the Brazos County Emergency Operations Center
Assisting the Brazos County Health District with the Community Opinion Mosquito Survey.

Risk Management

Bryan’s Risk Management Department manages the casualty and property insurance programs and the employee benefit programs for the city. In FY2019, the department:

Offered Short Term Disability insurance to employees effective June 1, 2019. More than 100 employees enrolled in this new optional benefit.
Implemented online benefits enrollment software to provide employee self-service capabilities. The pilot rolled out to selected departments on July 30, with a soft rollout to all employees following on Sept. 4. The online software will be fully utilized during Open Enrollment this November.
Completed active shooter training for all departments, including department walk-throughs to assess vulnerabilities and make recommendations.
Partnered with IT to assess the city’s cyber threat, and review and purchase cyber liability insurance to protect the city’s assets.
Offered “Making Moves with Diabetes Program.” Eighteen employees are participating in a year-long comprehensive diabetes management program set to conclude in January 2020.
Launched the “Be Well, Be Wise” consumer health informational campaign to help employees better understand their health plan and offer simple ways to maximize healthcare dollars.
Offered health awareness and training resources to emergency responders by hosting “Officer Resilience and Wellness” training to local law enforcement personnel, “Critical Incident Stress Management Peer and Group” training to local emergency responders and assisted the Fire Department in implementing an on-site athletic trainer program.
Reduced backing collisions by 20%.

Solid Waste

The city’s Solid Waste Department provides the community with safe, timely, cost-effective and environmentally conscious solid waste collection and disposal. In FY2019, the department:

Provided support and assistance with debris clean-up to the City of Franklin after a severe weather and tornado event.
Presented the Safety Zero Award to the Residential Collection crew for achieving zero at-fault accidents the previous fiscal year.
Completed driver simulator training from Texas Environmental Training and Compliance.
Attended the annual WasteExpo conference, which showcased a Bryan grapple truck with a custom community-inspired truck wrap
Continued weekly cleaning, street sweeping and litter abatement in Downtown Bryan.
Installed BigBelly self-packing containers in downtown Bryan.
Continued a five-year decision package to replace aging waste containers throughout the city.
Collected more than 2,000 tires during tire round-up events with Code/Compliance Officers and the Police Department.
Implemented Routeware, a route optimization software solution.
Recycled more than 500 tons of recyclable waste through the City of Bryan Drive-In Recycling Center.
Completed more than 10,000 work orders.

Streets & Drainage

Bryan’s Street and Drainage Department works hard to provide the community a well-maintained and aesthetically pleasing thoroughfare system. In FY2019, the department:

Removed silt from several creek crossings.
Installed a driveway at well #11 for Water Services.
Managed concrete, asphalt and seal coat street maintenance contracts.
Installed a driveway at the Grandview Cemetery.
Installed a drainage flume in the city detention pond at 1003 Bittle St.
Connected sidewalks with a retaining wall on West 28th Street from Downtown to Parker Street.
Installed a driveway and dumpster pad at Bombers Stadium.
Installed 21st French Drain.
Started the golf path widening project at the Phillips Event Center.

Traffic Operations

Bryan’s Traffic Operations Department works to provide a safe and efficient transportation system in the city. Accomplishments in FY2019 included:

Launching a completely new website for the department, including information on roundabouts.
Submitting seven Transportation Alternatives/Safe Routes to School grant projects for funding through TxDOT.
Completing the new Traffic Operations warehouse, including the installation of storage racks and reorganization of inventory.
Updating the traffic signal timings for major corridors, including Villa Maria Road from Willian Joel Bryan Parkway to Jaguar Street, Briarcrest Road from Wildflower Street to Broadmoor Street and Boonville Road from Villa Maria Road to Elmo Weedon Road. This improved the progression of traffic, saved on idling and improved safety.
Making significant progress on the Downtown Bryan railroad quiet zone:
- Staff issued the public authority application with the Federal Railroad Administration.
- Design is underway for the Groesbeck Road crossing design.
- Staff prepared the bid package for the initial construction contract for raised medians on the roadway approaches and completed the first raised median on William Joel Bryan in coordination with the TxDOT overlay project.
Completing multiple thoroughfare plan updates.
Making fiber connections to traffic signals at four intersections: Briarcrest Road and Kent Street, South College Avenue and West North Avenue, South College Avenue and Sulphur Springs Road and South College Avenue and Villa Maria Road.
Installing flashing yellow arrows at six intersections: Austin’s Colony Parkway and Boonville Road, Elmo Weedon Road and Boonville Road, William Joel Bryan Parkway and Villa Maria Road, William Joel Bryan Parkway and Texas Avenue, Texas State Highway 21 and Sandy Point Road, and Texas State Highway 21 and Texas Avenue.
Installing GPS receivers in all traffic signal cabinets to keep all traffic clocks synchronized and traffic signal timings in effect.
Installing Gridsmart video cameras five intersections that had collapsed conduit: Texas Avenue and Carson Road, Texas Avenue and Oak Street, Texas Avenue and Rosemary Street, Texas Avenue and Twin Street and 29th Street and Coulter Drive.

Water Services

Bryan's Water Services Department manages the pumps that produce more than 20 million gallons of water a day during peak water usage months. In FY2019, the department:

Replaced miscellaneous distribution lines.
Continued the proactive valve program.
Initiated installation and began to explore the customer service functionality of Automated Meter Infrastructure installation.
Improved the fire flows in areas with flows below 1,000 gallons per minute.
Enhanced water quality control measures.
Installed strategically placed valves to improve our distribution system’s operation.
Completed Phase 1 construction of infrastructure along West State Highway 21 and State Highway 47 to convert Bryan customers from the Wellborn Special Utility District.
Rehabilitated the High Service Pump #7.
Refurbished Cooling Tower #4.
Purchased land for a new 2-million-gallon elevated storage site.
Purchased land for aquifer and storage recovery well sites.
Began a pilot study of aquifer and storage recovery.
Adopted a water utility extension ordinance.
Designed the backup electrical generation at the Main Street pump station.

Wastewater Services

Bryan’s Wastewater Services Department operates three activated sludge plants to treat the community’s wastewater. In FY2019, the department:

Marketed effluent as a water source for other customers.
Monitored the effectiveness of odor control technologies and explored further odor reduction technologies.
Increased the aesthetics and appearance of wastewater treatment plants.
Renewed Sanitary Sewer Overflow Initiative coverage and completed enrollment in the program.
Continued the city’s efforts to eliminate private and public sources of inflow and infiltration in sanitary sewers.
Executed 100 miles of our proactive cleaning plan.
Rehabilitated 100 manholes.
Continued developing a TV layer in the city’s geographical information system and a database of TV information for the department.
Upgraded the control panels at miscellaneous lift stations.
Researched communication options for our lift stations.
Completed the Burton Creek Digester Rehabilitation Project.
Completed annual miscellaneous sewer line replacements (pipe burst/conventional).
Procured property for a future wastewater treatment plant.
Renewed permit coverage for Burton Creek, Still Creek and Thompsons Creek wastewater treatment plants.
Renewed permit coverage for the Risk Management Plan at Burton and Still Creek wastewater treatment plants and at Well Field.