PRESENTER: Presenter
Mandi Scott, Economic and Community Development Manager
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SUBJECT: Title
Approval of the first reading of an ordinance amending Ordinance Number 2015-18 by modifying the New Braunfels Downtown Board’s purpose and adopting revised Bylaws.
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DEPARTMENT: Economic and Community Development
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COUNCIL DISTRICTS IMPACTED: 1, 5
BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
In May 2011, City Ordinance 2011-43 was approved and established the Downtown Board as a merged entity of the previously existing Main Street Advisory Board and Downtown Development Board. The ordinance tasked the new Board to operate under the Texas Main Street Program and advocate for the 2010 Downtown Implementation Plan.
On August 20, 2024, the Board voted unanimously to end the city’s membership with the Texas Main Street Program due to increasing cost, compliance requirements and its new membership with Texas Downtown.
On July 9, 2026, the Board voted unanimously to recommend changes to the bylaws to allow greater flexibility in scheduling meetings.
In a review of the Board’s Bylaws, other nomenclature and grammatical items were identified for update.
Proposed Bylaw updates include:
Article II: Purposes
- Removing the reference to the National Main Street Center’s Four-Point Approach
The Downtown Board voted to end membership in the Texas Main Street Program (and the National Main Street Program) at their August 20, 2024 meeting.
Section 3.2: Qualifications
- Correcting the acronym for the Historic Landmark Commission to (HLC), correcting the name of the New Braunfels Economic Development Corporation from its former name, and removing the reference to recognition of arts and heritage organizations
Grammatical and naming corrections and removed ‘recognized’ due to the absence of any formal criteria for such a designation.
Section 5.1: Date, Time, and Place of Meetings
- Removing the date and time restriction from the first line; removing the formality of a vote to change meeting days/times/places; permitting the scheduling of meetings upon a consensus of the board and without a vote.
Existing bylaws require meetings to be held on third Tuesdays at 8:30am with changes only occurring after a majority vote of a quorum; scheduling Board meetings requires flexibility and day/time/location challenges must be considered when obtaining quorums.
Section 5.2: Special Meetings
- Adjusting this section to be 5.3; editing the 72-hour posting rule to match the State’s three-business day rule
Title of this section is numbered incorrectly; in Fall 2025 the State changed the agenda publication notice period from 72 hours to three full business days.
Proposed Ordinance updates include:
Sec 38-51 Creation; Composition
- Removing reference to the Texas Main Street Program
ISSUE:
Bylaw and ordinance changes require City Council approval before final adoption.
Proposed changes to the Downtown Board Bylaws include:
- The removal of the National Main Street Program reference
- General grammar and spelling corrections
- Removal of arts and heritage organization recognition as a membership qualification
- Modifying the 72-hour posting requirement to align with the State’s three-business days rule
- Removing the date and time restriction for meetings; removing the formality of a vote to change meeting days/times/places
Proposed changes to Ordinance 2015-18 include:
- Removing reference of the Texas Main Street Program
STRATEGIC PLAN REFERENCE:
N/A Economic Mobility N/A Enhanced Connectivity N/A Community Identity
YES Organizational Excellence N/A Community Well-Being
FISCAL IMPACT:
There is no fiscal impact to amend Ordinance 2015-18 and approve the Downtown Board Bylaws.
Recommendation
RECOMMENDATION:
The Downtown Board voted at its July 9, 2026 meeting to approve the bylaws changes.
Staff recommends the proposed Ordinance changes and the revised Downtown Board Bylaws.