[CALL TO ORDER]
[00:00:03]
I CALLED THIS MEETING OF THE RICHARDSON CITY COUNCIL TO ORDER AT 6:00 PM UH, I AM NOW GOING TO ASK MAYOR PRO TEM KEN HUTCHEN RIDER TO GIVE THE INVOCATION AND LEAD THE PLEDGES.
HEAVENLY FATHER, THANK YOU FOR THIS BEAUTIFUL DAY AND THANK YOU FOR COMING FOR US, COMING OUT OF THE MOST RECENT WINTER STORMS WITH MINIMAL DAMAGE, MINIMAL LOSS OF LIFE, AND MINIMAL ISSUES.
WE KNOW THAT WE DON'T UNDERSTAND WHEN WE HAVE EVENTS LIKE THAT.
BUT THANK YOU FOR YOUR GRACE IN PROTECTING ALL OF US.
CONTINUE TO HELP US DO THE GOOD WORK FOR THE CITY ON BEHALF OF ALL THAT WE SERVE, IN CHRIST'S NAME WE PRAY, AMEN.
YOU JOIN ME IN THE PLEDGE, I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL, HONOR THE TEXAS FLAG.
I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE TEXAS ONE STATE UNDER GOD, ONE AND INDIVISIBLE.
[3. MINUTES OF THE JANUARY 12, 2026 MEETING]
NUMBER THREE, UH, WILL BE THE MINUTES OF THE JANUARY 12TH, 2026 MEETING MAYOR PRO TEM HUTCHIN RIDER, MAYOR.I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THOSE MINUTES AS PUBLISHED.
WE HAVE A MOTION BY MAYOR PRO TEM HUTCHIN RIDER, A SECOND BY COUNCIL MEMBER DORIAN.
ALL IN FAVOR? ANY OPPOSED? AND THAT PASSES UNANIMOUSLY.
[4. PUBLIC COMMENTS ON AGENDA ITEMS AND VISITORS FORUM]
WE'LL MOVE ON TO ITEM NUMBER FOUR, WHICH ARE PUBLIC COMMENTS ON AGENDA ITEMS AND VISITORS FORUM.UH, WE DID RECEIVE SEVERAL CARDS IN ADVANCE OF THE 4:00 PM DEADLINE, SO I'D LIKE TO ACKNOWLEDGE THOSE AND THEN I'LL READ THE INSTRUCTIONS FOR THE SPEAKERS THAT ARE HERE TONIGHT.
UM, CARD ONE WAS, UH, FROM MS, UH, JUDITH RYDER OF 3007 WINDHAM LANE DRIVE.
UH, THE TOPIC WAS RETROACTIVE RESIGN TO RUN PROPOSITION.
UH, CARD TWO IS FROM MS. UH, DEBRA BUSING OF 1404 CHICKASAW DRIVE.
THE TOPIC WAS RESIGNED TO RUN.
UM, NEXT CARD WAS FROM MS. PATRICIA GRIFFIN, 4 41 VALET GLEN.
UM, THE TOPIC WAS, UM, RESIGNED TO RUN CHARTER AMENDMENT.
UH, NEXT CARD WAS TRAVIS BOND, SIX 12 TWILIGHT TRAIL.
THE TOPIC WAS THE CITY'S IMMIGRATION AND CUSTOMS ENFORCEMENT POLICY.
UH, NEXT CARD WAS JUDAS, UH, JUDITH CAMPBELL, RIDER OF 3007 WINDHAM LANE OPPOSED TO A RETROACTIVE RESIGNED TO RUN.
AND THEN FINALLY, UH, LANE CAMPBELL 1501, UH, HINSDALE LANE, UH, PLACING A RETROACTIVE RESIGNED TO RUN OPPOSITION, UH, PROPOSITION ON THE CHARTER ELECTION BALLOT WAS THE TOPIC.
UH, I'D LIKE TO ASSURE ALL OF THE, UM, RESIDENCE THAT SUBMITTED A CARD THAT YOU HAVE THEIR CARD WITH THEIR FULL COMMENTS, UH, FOR YOUR REVIEW.
AND, UH, BEFORE I TURN IT OVER TO MS. ER TO CALL THE SPEAKERS, LET ME JUST READ THESE INSTRUCTIONS TO EVERYONE.
DURING THIS PORTION OF THE COUNCIL MEETING, 30 MINUTES IS ALLOCATED FOR MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC TO PROVIDE COMMENTS TO THE CITY COUNCIL ON AGENDA ITEMS. IF THERE'S TIME LEFT DURING THE INITIAL 30 MINUTES, UH, THE REMAINING TIME WILL BE PROVIDED AS A VISITOR'S FORUM OPEN TO ANYONE WISHING TO ADDRESS THE CITY COUNCIL ON ANY TOPIC IN WHICH THE SUBJECT MATTER IS WITHIN THE JURISDICTION OF THE CITY.
IF THE FULL 30 MINUTES ALLOCATED FOR PUBLIC COMMENT IS REACHED, THEN SPEAKERS WHO HAVE SUBMITTED A PUBLIC COMMENT CARD MAY SPEAK AT THE VISITOR'S FORUM SCHEDULED.
AT THE END OF THE MEETING, ALL SPEAKERS SHOULD COMPLETE A PUBLIC COMMENT CARD AND SUBMIT IT TO THE CITY SECRETARY BEFORE THE MEETING BEGINS, SPEAKERS WILL BE CALLED IN ORDER THAT THEY ARE RECEIVED.
WHEN YOUR NAME IS CALLED, PLEASE STEP TO THE PODIUM AND STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD.
ALL SPEAKERS WILL BE LIMITED TO A MAXIMUM OF FIVE MINUTES AS INDICATED BY THE TIMERS.
WHEN THE TIMER BEEPS, THE SPEAKER SHOULD CONCLUDE THEIR COMMENTS PROMPTLY.
SPEAKERS MUST NOT PHYSICALLY APPROACH MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL OF STAFF AND SHOULD REMAIN AT THE PODIUM DURING THEIR COMMENTS.
SPEAKERS WITH HANDOUTS MUST PROVIDE THEM TO THE CITY SECRETARY FOR DISTRIBUTION.
SPEAKERS SUBMITTING COMMENTS ON THE SAME TOPIC ARE ENCOURAGED TO REDUCE REPETITIVE REMARKS BY INDICATING THEIR COMMENTS HAVE ALREADY BEEN ADDRESSED OR BY SELECTING A REPRESENTATIVE SPEAKER.
THE TEXAS OPEN MEETING ACTS PROHIBITS THE CITY COUNCIL FROM DISCUSSING OR TAKING ACTION ON ITEMS THAT ARE NOT POSTED ON THE AGENDA.
CITY COUNCIL AND CITY STAFF WILL NOT AFFIRM OR OPPOSE ANY SPEAKER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS.
THE MAYOR OR CITY MANAGER MAY RESPOND WITH FACTS OF POLICY OR DIRECT CITY STAFF TO RESPOND TO THE SPEAKER.
AFTER THE MEETING, THE AUDIENCE HAS ASKED TO REFRAIN FROM APPLAUDING OR OTHER EXPRESSIONS OF SUPPORT OR OPPOSITION, A COPY OF THE COUNCIL RULES OF ORDER AND PROCEDURE.
AND THESE GUIDELINES MAY BE FOUND ON THE CITY'S WEBSITE.
AT THIS TIME, I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO REMIND EVERYONE TO SILENCE YOUR CELL PHONES FOR THE DURATION OF THE MEETING.
MS. UH, MS. UH, ER OUR CITY SECRETARY, WILL BEGIN CALLING THE SPEAKERS AND SHE WILL BE KEEPING, UH, TRACK OF THE 30 MINUTES THAT ARE ALLOCATED AT THE BEGINNING OF THE MEETING.
UM, MS. NEUER, YOU'LL LET US KNOW WHEN THE LAST SPEAKER, UH, WILL BE CALLED FOR THAT INITIAL PERIOD, PLEASE.
MAY I HAVE 10 PEOPLE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK IN PERSON? UH, JUDITH RITTER.
SHE ALSO SUBMITTED COMMENTS IN WRITING, SO I'M NOT SURE IF SHE'S HERE TO SPEAK IN PERSON.
[00:05:08]
ELAINE CAMPBELL OF MY, OH, MS. CAMPBELL, WILL YOU TURN ON YOUR, UH, MICROPHONE? OH, IT WAS ON, I I JUST DIDN'T SEE THE RED LIGHT, WHICH IS THE ONLY THING.UM, MY NAME IS ELAINE CAMPBELL.
MY ADDRESS IS 1501 HINSDALE LANE.
UM, I DO WANNA THANK, UH, THE RICHARDSON CITY COUNCIL FOR YOUR SERVICE AND ALL THE WORK THAT YOU DO.
UM, FOR RICHARDSON, I AM A VERY PROUD RESIDENT OF RICHARDSON.
I GREW UP IN RICHARDSON, UM, AND I'M, UH, VERY OFTEN ROASTED IN DIFFERENT CIRCLES AS I WORK ALL OVER DALLAS, BUT I TELL PEOPLE EVERYWHERE I GO AND I TRAVEL THAT WHERE I CURRENTLY NOW LIVE IS THE BEST RUN CITY THAT I'VE EVER LIVED IN.
AND I LIVE AND I HAVE LIVED IN MANY CITIES.
UM, BUT I AM SPEAKING TODAY BECAUSE, UM, I WANNA CLEARLY STATE THAT I'M VERY MUCH OPPOSED TO PLACING A RETROACTIVE RESIGN TO RUN PROPOSITION ON THE CHARTER ELECTION BOARD.
UM, I WANNA START OFF BY SAYING THAT, UM, I HAVE AN EXTENSIVE BACKGROUND IN, IN IT OPERATIONS AND PROCESS IMPROVEMENTS.
AND, UM, AND I STRONGLY ADVOCATE FOR, FOR CONTINUOUSLY REVIEWING PROCESSES TO DETERMINE WHAT UPDATES NEED TO BE IMPLEMENTED.
I I FEEL VERY STRONGLY THAT WHEN A PROCESS IS IMPLEMENTED, PART OF IMPLEMENTING THAT NEEDS TO BE, WHEN ARE YOU GONNA REVIEW IT TO MAKE SURE THAT IT'S STILL, IT'S STILL ACCURATE, BUT A RETROACTIVE RESIGN TO RUN PROPOSITION, IF THAT WOULD NOT BE A PROCESS IMPROVEMENT, THAT WOULD ACTUALLY BE A RECALL PROPOSITION TARGETING ONE CITY COUNCIL PERSON, DAN BARRIOS, WHO HAPPENED TO RECEIVE MORE VOTES THAN ANY OTHER CANDIDATE IN THE MAY, 2025 CITY ELECT, UH, COUNCIL ELECTION.
SO THAT RECALL IS NOT WHAT, WHAT RICHARDSON WANTS.
NOW I KNOW PERSONALLY, BECAUSE I HAVE RUN FOR OFFICE BEFORE, I KNOW PERSONALLY WHAT IT, WHAT IT TAKES TO, TO MAKE A DECISION TO RUN FOR OFFICE.
AND THE, THE ONE THING THAT EVERY PERSON WHO RUNS DOES, WHICH I'VE DONE, IS YOU DO ALL THE RESEARCH, GO THROUGH ALL THE PROS AND THE CONS, MAKING SURE YOU'RE FOLLOWING EVERY SINGLE RULE, EVEN, YOU KNOW, MAKING SURE SOMEONE ELSE READS ALL THE RULES AND MAKING SURE THAT YOU DO EVERYTHING, CHANGE YOUR LIFE AHEAD OF TIME SO THAT YOU HAVE TIME TO DO THAT.
AND I KNOW THAT THAT WAS DONE.
SO CHANGING THE RULES AFTERWARDS THAT, THAT, THAT'S JUST NOT FAIR AFTER SOMEONE FILES CHANGING THE RULES THAT THEY RESEARCHED TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY FOLLOWED ALL THE RULES IN ORDER TO PUNISH THEM.
THAT THAT'S, THAT'S JUST NOT THE RICHARDSON WAY.
UM, NOW, NOW THE BALLOT LANGUAGE MIGHT GET BE WRITTEN IN A WAY TO KIND OF MAKE IT UNCLEAR THAT THIS IS A REALLY A, IT'S A RECALL PROPOSITION, UH, DIRECTED TOWARDS ONE COUNCIL PERSON.
BUT, UM, AS AN ACTIVE LEADER IN RICHARDSON, WHO AGAIN, LOVES THE CITY PASSIONATELY, UM, I WILL PERSONALLY DO EVERYTHING, EVERYTHING I CAN TO MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE REALIZE THAT IT WILL BE A RETROACTIVE, RESIGN TO RUN PROPOSITION WOULD BE A RECALL, UM, PROPOSITION FOR ONE CITY COUNCIL PERSON, UM, WHICH WOULD BE UNETHICAL AND, AND WOULD BE, WOULD BE UNFAIR.
AND AGAIN, NOT AT ALL THE RICHARDSON WAY.
SO, UM, FOR THESE REASONS, I AGAIN WANNA CLEARLY STATE THAT, UM, I'M VERY MUCH OPPOSED TO PLACING A RETROACTIVE RESIGN TO RUN PROPOSITION ON THE CHARTER ELECTION BALLOT.
AND THANK YOU AGAIN VERY MUCH FOR YOUR SERVICE, AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.
THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY.
I'M GERALD PLUM, MOVED TO RICHARDSON IN 1963, OWNED A HOUSE ON 4 21, DANIEL SINCE 22 YEARS AGO.
AND, UH, I'M APPRECIATE, UH, THE NEW ORDINANCE.
IT'S FINE WITH ME IF YOU PASS IT, BUT I THINK THAT RETRO BUSINESS NEEDS TO BE REMOVED.
WE'VE GOT ALL GOT FRIENDS ON THE COUNCIL, WE WANT TO TREAT EACH OTHER FAIRLY, BUT I DON'T THINK WE SHOULD TOSS SOMEBODY OUT JUST BECAUSE, SO I APPRECIATE, I'M SURE YOU'LL HEAR A FEW MORE COMMENTS, SO I'M NOT GONNA TALK FOREVER.
I TOO HAVE LIVED IN RICHARDSON
[00:10:01]
FOR A VERY, VERY LONG TIME.I'VE BEEN HERE SINCE 1985, GRADUATED FROM RICHARDSON HIGH SCHOOL.
I'VE HAD A SMALL BUSINESS HERE IN RICHARDSON FOR 10 YEARS.
WALTER LEGAL, PLLC, BUT I'M ALSO A LAW PROFESSOR AT SMU SMALL BUSINESS TRADEMARK CLINIC.
I JUST WANNA TELL YOU WHO I AM.
AND SO I'VE LIVED HERE SINCE 1985.
I TOO, LIKE ELAINE SAID, I TELL EVERYBODY THAT I'M FROM RICHARDSON.
YOU GET THIS SMALL TOWN FEEL, BUT YOU'RE NOT REALLY, REALLY FAR AWAY FROM THE CITY.
LIKE SOME OF THOSE PEOPLE THAT ALMOST LIVE IN OKLAHOMA.
WE HAVE ARTS HERE, WE HAVE RESTAURANTS, WE HAVE PARKS AND TRAILS.
LOTS OF GREAT THINGS GOING ON IN RICHARDSON.
SO I'M HERE TODAY BECAUSE I SAW ON SOCIAL MEDIA ABOUT THIS PROPOSED PROPOSITION.
I HAD TO COME HERE AND TO SPEAK OUT.
I'M 100% OPPOSED TO ANY RETRO RETROACTIVE PROPOSITIONS.
IT WOULD BE EFFECTIVE AGAINST ANYONE WHO ACTED BEFORE THE PROPOSITION EVEN EXISTED.
AND ESPECIALLY IF THIS PROPOSITION IS PROPOSED IN RESPONSE TO A SITUATION THAT ALSO DEVELOPS AFTER THE PERSON WAS ELECTED.
SOMEONE ELSE ALREADY SAID, IT'S UNFAIR.
IT'S ACTUALLY A LITTLE BIT OFFENSIVE TO ME.
AND SO RUNNING FOR OFFICE DOES NOT MEAN THAT HE IS EVEN GOING TO WIN.
SO IT SEEMS THAT ANYTHING THAT FORCED THAT WOULD FORCE SOMEONE TO RESIGN BEFORE THEY EVEN HOLD TWO SEATS WOULD BE PREMATURE.
AND SO, THE SPECIFIC REASONS I WANTED TO SAY WHY I'M OPPOSED TO THIS.
I'M A FAST TALKER, SO I HOPE I MAKE MY FIVE MINUTES.
ANY, UH, CURRENT CITY COUNCIL MEMBER WOULD NOT HAVE PROPER NOTICE OF THIS RULE, WHICH WOULD IMPACT, IT COULD HAVE POSSIBLY IMPACTED THEIR DECISION TO EVEN BE ON THE CITY COUNCIL OR TO SEEK ANOTHER OFFICE.
THERE'S NO WAY TO KNOW IF THE PERSON THAT'S BEING FORCED TO RESIGN WILL EVEN WIN THE OTHER RACE.
ALSO, IF THE CITY, UH, CITY COUNCIL PERSON CAN FULFILL THEIR DUTIES AND RUN FOR OFFICE, I REMAIN CONFUSED ABOUT WHAT IS EVEN THE CONCERN HERE.
THIS IS ALSO UNFAIR TO THE VOTERS IN THE MAY, THE UPCOMING ELECTION, WHO MAY NOT EVEN REALIZE IF THEY VOTE FOR THIS, THAT IT COULD BE RETROACTIVE AND REMOVE SOMEONE THAT WAS ALREADY ELECTED TO THE CITY COUNCIL.
IT'S ALSO UNFAIR TO THE OVER 8,000 PEOPLE THAT VOTED FOR THIS PERSON TO BE ON THE CITY COUNCIL.
AND WHY ARE WE EVEN TALKING ABOUT RETROACTIVE APPLICATION? DO WE HAVE OTHER CHARTER AMENDMENTS THAT WE MAKE AND WE DECIDE TO APPLY THEM RETROACTIVELY? I HOPE NOT.
SO AGAIN, AND IN CONCLUSION, I'M 100% OPPOSED TO ANY PROPOSITION REQUIRING A COUNCIL MEMBER TO RESIGN TO RUN.
I'M ALSO 100% OPPOSED TO ANY PROPOSITION BEING RETROACTIVELY APPLIED TO ANY PARTY.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR SERVICE.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME, AND I'LL BE BACK NEXT WEEK.
I LIVE AT 2 1 4 AMHERST AVENUE IN THE DUCK CREEK AREA.
I'VE GOT ALMOST JUST SHY OF 50 YEARS IN RICHARDSON.
UM, AND THIS IS THE FIRST TIME I FELT MOVED TO ACTUALLY COME AND SPEAK IN FRONT OF THE CITY COUNCIL.
I AM STRONGLY OPPOSED TO A RETROACTIVE PROPOSAL FOR THE, THE RESIGN TO RUN SITUATION.
NOW THAT SAID, I ACTUALLY SUPPORT RESIGN, RESIGNED RUN RULES, BUT I'M AFRAID THAT MANY OF MY NEIGHBORS AND FRIENDS WOULD ACTUALLY VOTE TO REMOVE A CURRENT CITY COUNCIL MEMBER FROM OFFICE BECAUSE THEY WANT A GOOD STRONG RULE FOR THE FUTURE.
WITHOUT REALIZING WHAT THAT DOES, I'M SO GRATEFUL THAT THIS CURRENT CITY COUNCIL HAS BEEN SO TRANSPARENT, HAS GIVEN US SO MANY OPPORTUNITIES TO SPEAK AND BE INVOLVED, TO KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON.
AND THIS SEEMS TO GO RIGHT IN THE FACE OF EXACTLY THAT BY GIVING THE CITIZENS AN OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE A GIANT MISTAKE WITHOUT EVEN REALIZING WHAT THE IMPLICATIONS ARE.
SO, TO REPEAT MYSELF, I'M STRONGLY OPPOSED TO A RETROACTIVE RIGHT TO RESIGN OR RESIGN TO RUN.
THANK YOU, MR. MAKER MARK WICKERSHAM.
I LIVE AT 6 0 7 GOODWIN DRIVE IN RICHARDSON, TEXAS.
I'M A GRADUATE OF THE CITY CARES PROGRAM, A CLASS OF 2024, AND CURRENTLY SERVE ON THE SIGN CONTROL BOARD.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE AND ALLOWING ME TO SPEAK THIS EVENING.
I'M HERE TONIGHT TO RESPECTFULLY OPPOSE A PLACING OF A RETROACTIVE RESIGN TO RUN PROVISION ON THE RICHARDSON CHARTER ELECTION BALLOT.
AS A MATTER OF FAIRNESS AND SOUND, MUNICIPAL GOVERNANCE CHARTER AMENDMENT SHOULD OPERATE RESPECTIVELY, NOT RETROACTIVELY.
APPLYING A NEW RULE TO CONDUCT THAT HAS ALREADY BEEN TO CONDUCT THAT HAS ALREADY OCCURRED, CREATES CONFUSION FOR VOTERS AND UN AND UNDERMINES CONFIDENCE IN OUR LOCAL ELECTION PROCESS.
A VOTER READING ABOUT LANGUAGE WOULD NOT NECESSARILY EXPECT A YES VOTE WOULD IMMEDIATELY REMOVE A DULY ELECTED COUNCIL MEMBER.
CHARTER ELECTION SHOULD BE CLEAR
[00:15:01]
AND TRANSPARENT AND NOT REQUIRE VOTERS TO INFER DIRECT CONSEQUENCES.THIS PROPOSAL WOULD ALSO TREAT ONE CHARTER AMENDMENT DIFFERENT FROM THE OTHER ONES BEING CONSIDERED.
ALL THE OTHER CHARTER PROPOSED CHARTER CHANGES ARE FORWARD LOOKING.
IF A RESIGNED RUN POLICY IS ADAPTED AS A POLICY CHOICE EFFECTIVE IN MAY, 2026, IT CAN LOGICALLY BE OR FAIRLY BE APPLIED TO ACTIONS TAKEN BEFORE THAT DATE.
WE WOULD, WE WOULD NEVER CHANGE A CANDIDATE QUALIFICATION RULES AFTER FILING DEADLINE, AND THEN RETROACTIVELY DISQUALIFY SOMEONE DOING SO WOULD BE FUNDAMENTALLY UNFAIR AND LEGALLY QUESTIONABLE.
THERE IS ALSO A MEANINGFUL LEGAL RISK FOR THE CITY OF RICHARDSON.
A REC RETROACTIVE RESIGNED RUN REQUIREMENT WOULD ALSO BE HIGHLY VULNERABLE TO COURT CHALLENGE AND COULD EXPOSE THE CITY TO UNNECESSARY LITIGATION COSTS.
FUNCTIONALLY, IT WOULD OPERATE LIKE A RECALL, BUT WITHOUT THE PROCEDURAL SAFEGUARDS SUCH AS VOTER PETITION, EXCUSE ME, VOTER PETITION THRESHOLD.
THAT'S A MOUTHFUL THAT THE TEXAS LAW REQUIRES FOR A LAWFUL RECALL ELECTION.
I DO WANNA BE CLEAR AT ONE POINT IF THERE ARE LEGITIMATE CONCERNS ABOUT A COUNCIL MEMBER'S CONDUCT AND PERFORMANCE, THEN THOSE CONCERNS SHOULD BE ADDRESSED DIRECTLY AND THROUGH THE PROPER MECHANISMS. IF A COUNCIL MEMBER DAN BARRIOS, OR ANY OF YOU HAD SHIRK HIS DUTIES, THOSE ISSUES SHOULD BE EXAMINED AND ADDRESSED.
HOWEVER, I'M NOT AWARE OF ANY OF THOSE INSTANCES OCCURRING WITH ANY OF Y'ALL.
THIS IS WHY I'M CONCERNED ABOUT THE PROCESS.
RICHARDSON IS EARNED A RES, A REPUTATION FOR THOUGHTFUL PROFESSIONAL GOVERNMENTS FOCUSED ON THE BUSINESS, CITY, PUBLIC SAFETY, INFRASTRUCTURE, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, AND QUALITY OF LIFE.
CHARTER ELECTIONS SHOULD REFLECT THAT SAME SERIOUSNESS, MEASURES THAT APPEAR REFLECTIVE OR DRIVEN BY POLITICAL SPECTER, POLITICAL SPECTER SHIFT RISK, SHIFTING ATTENTION AWAY FROM GOVERNMENTS AND TOWARDS POLITICAL THEATER.
I DO NOT BELIEVE THAT SERVES THE CITY WELL.
FINALLY, I'D LIKE TO SPEAK ON BEHALF OF THE RICHARDSON VOTERS.
IN MAY, 2025, ELECTION, COUNCILMAN BARRIOS RECEIVED OVER A ALMOST 8,300 VOTES, THE HIGHEST TOTAL OF ANY CANDIDATE.
THE MAY, 2026 TURN ELECTION WILL ALMOST CERTAINLY HAVE LOWER TURNOUT.
IT WOULD NOT BE APPROPRIATE TO OVERRIDE THE WILL OF THOSE VOTERS WITH THE RETROACTIVE PROJECT CHARTER CHANGE THAT HAVE BEEN CONTEMPLATED WHEN THOSE BALLOTS WERE CAST.
FOR THOSE REASONS, I RESPECTFULLY OPPOSE PLACING A RETROACTIVE RESIGN TO RUN PROVISION ON THE CHARTER BALLOT.
IF THE COUNCIL WISHES TO CONSIDER A RESIGN TO RUN AS A POLICY MATTER, IT SHOULD ONLY BE PRO PROSPECTIVELY.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND YOUR SERVICE, AND ALLOW ME TO SPEAK TONIGHT.
THANK YOU, MR. AMP, NIKKI ANDERSON.
MY ADDRESS IS 36 0 2 BLACKWOOD COURT.
UM, I REALIZE, AND I'M GLAD THAT CITY OF RICHARDSON IS PRO BUSINESS.
UM, YOU KNOW, A WORKING COMMUNITY IS A THRIVING COMMUNITY.
HOWEVER, WHEN IT COMES TO THE AMAZON DRONES, THE NEW PROGRAM THAT THEY HAVE, THEY'VE ACTUALLY COME ACROSS MY YARD MANY, MANY TIMES.
THEY'RE VERY, VERY LOUD, VERY DISRUPTIVE.
IT'S, THEY'RE FLYING OVER 121 TIMES AT MY HOUSE, AND IT'S JUST WAY TOO MUCH.
UM, AND THEY ALSO FLY BEHIND THE HOUSE AS WELL.
SO I'M ASKING THAT WE ACTUALLY CAN TALK TO AMAZON, AND I KNOW THAT WE HAVE, BUT IT'S REALLY GOT TO BE A SERIOUS SITUATION.
UM, I'VE HAD THE FAA COME OUT TO MY HOUSE AND TRY TO OBSERVE THE, THE DRONES, BUT THAT DAY IT WAS VERY WINDY, AND SO THEY COULDN'T MAKE IT OR SEE THEM.
BUT THE FA INSPECTOR DID SAY THAT, UM, THERE IS ONE WAY AROUND IT IS THAT IF RICHARDSON METHODIST HOSPITAL COULD PROVIDE A WAIVER, AND THEN THE DRONES COULD FLY ACTUALLY OVER THE HOSPITAL, UM, THAT MIGHT BE ONE SOLUTION TO THE PROBLEM THAT WE'RE HAVING.
UM, I HOPE WE CAN LOOK AT THAT
UH, SCOTT BRATCHER, 35 0 5 DEERWOOD COURT.
UM, I'M IN WOODS OF SPRING CREEK, UH, SAME AS NIKKI.
UH, I AM THE HOA PRESIDENT THERE.
UH, WE ARE THE ONE WITH THE LLAMA, IF ANYBODY HAS SEEN THE LLAMA.
[00:20:01]
I AM HERE WITH, UH, WITH THE DRONES, WITH AMAZON.THEY'VE ACTUALLY STARTED OVER THE LAST WEEK STARTING, UM, ABOUT 7:00 AM USED TO BE 8:00 AM SO THEY'RE GETTING EVEN EARLIER.
AND AS THE DAY SHIFTS, WE'RE GONNA START GETTING 'EM LATER IN THE EVENING.
I'VE BEEN IN THE SAME HOUSE FOR 26 YEARS THIS MARCH 1ST.
CITY HAS GROWN A LOT, AND, UM, TRAFFIC, UH, DOWN RENTER IS A LOT.
BUT WE USED TO HAVE A, LIKE A LITTLE QUIET NATURE PRESERVE THROUGH THERE.
IF ANYBODY'S BEEN THROUGH THERE, THEY KNOW OUR LITTLE COMMUNITY.
BUT NOW THAT WE HAVE THE DRONES, WE REALLY NEED TO DO SOMETHING WITH THE DRONES OVER THE NEIGHBORHOODS.
UH, IT WOULD BE NICE IF WE COULD REROUTE THEM DOWN, RENTER, MAYBE OVER THE HOSPITAL.
UH, WE NEED A BETTER SOLUTION TO WHAT'S GOING ON, BECAUSE RIGHT NOW, WHEN THE DOGS ARE OUTSIDE, THEY'RE GETTING SPOOKED BY THE DRONES.
UM, THEY ARE, UM, THE NEIGHBOR'S DOGS.
AS SOON AS THE DRONES ARE GOING BY, IT'S QUIET.
AND THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN, DOGS ARE GOING EVERYWHERE.
SO, UM, WE HAVE A NEW NOISE POLLUTION IN OUR, UM, AREA RIGHT NOW.
FROM WHAT I ALSO UNDERSTAND, MOST OF THESE DRONES ARE GOING TO PLANO, SO WE'RE KIND OF A DIRECT ROUTE TO PLANO.
WITH THAT SAID, CAN THEY NOT TAKE SHILOH NORTH AND GO UP THAT WAY OR GO OVER PLANO WHERE, UM, WHATABURGER AND EVERYTHING IS, UM, OVER A DIFFERENT AREA, BUT WE'RE NOT ABLE TO SIT IN THE BACKYARD ANYMORE, UM, BECAUSE THEY ARE FLYING OVER ABOUT EVERY FOUR OR FIVE MINUTES ALL DAY LONG.
UM, AND SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE.
WITH THAT SAID, THE CITY OF RICHARDSON HAS A NOISE ORDINANCE.
IT IS NOT A VERY, IT DOESN'T HAVE MUCH TEETH TO IT.
FOR EXAMPLE, HAVE A NEIGHBOR THAT MOVED IN ABOUT THREE AND A HALF YEARS AGO.
I REQUESTED HELP FROM THE CITY BECAUSE HE HAS A CAR THAT DOES NOT HAVE A LEGAL EXHAUST ON IT.
THE CITY ATTORNEY HAS REFUSED TO PROSECUTE.
I'VE GONE ALL THE WAY TO GOING THAT FAR WITH IT.
UM, THE STATE STATUTE ON DECIBELS, UM, IS UP TO THE PERSON LISTENING TO IT.
SO THERE IS NOT MUCH THERE AS FAR AS DECIBEL READINGS.
UM, THE CITY COULD DO SOMETHING ABOUT DESAL NOISE IF THEY HAD MORE TEETH IN THEIR ORDINANCE THAT THEY HAVE NOW.
UM, BUT I LISTEN TO HIS CAR TWO OR THREE TIMES A DAY, STARTS IT UP.
IF ANYBODY'S EVER BEEN OUT THERE AND HEAR, HEAR A CAR WITHOUT AN EXHAUST, THIS CARD DOES NOT HAVE ONE.
SECOND OF ALL, HE CAN'T GET A REGISTRATION, SO HE'S NOT FILLING IN, UM, UH, SIGNING UP FOR REGISTRATION.
IT'S BEEN EXPIRED FOR ABOUT THREE, THREE AND A HALF YEARS.
UM, SO, BUT I APPRECIATE Y'ALL LISTENING TO ME.
I KNOW HOW IT IS BEING A PRESIDENT OF AN HOA, IT'S, UH, A THANKLESS JOB.
BUT I DO THANK YOU FOR WHAT Y'ALL ARE DOING, AND I'LL SEE Y'ALL IN, UM, OCTOBER
HELLO, MY NAME IS JAMES MYERS.
I'M A THIRD GENERATION RICH RESIDENT OF RICHARDSON, AND I RESIDE WITH MY PARTNER IN PLACE THREE ON THE 800 BLOCK OF NORTH LAKE DRIVE.
UH, THANK YOU COUNSEL, UH, FOR HEARING ME OUT TODAY.
UH, I'M HERE AS A CONCERNED CITIZEN TO EXPRESS MY STRONG OPPOSITION TO PLACING A RETROSPECTIVE RESIGNED TO RUN OPPOSITION ON THE CHARTER ELECTION BALLOT.
THE EFFECT OF THIS PROPOSITION, UH, WOULD BE UNDEMOCRATIC.
IT WOULD HAVE THE EFFECT OF REMOVING A DULY ELECTED COUNCIL MEMBER VIA REWRITING RULES THAT WERE NOT IN PLACE WHEN HE WAS ELECTED OR WHEN HE ANNOUNCED HIS CANDIDACY.
UH, ALL OF THIS WITHOUT VOTERS HAVING THE EXPLICIT KNOWLEDGE, THEY'RE EVEN VOTING ON THE RECALL OF A COUNCIL PERSON.
UM, WHY ARE OTHER CHARTER AMENDMENT PROPOSITIONS NOT BEING APPLIED RETROSPECTIVELY? UH, THIS MAKES ME QUESTION THE MOTIVATION BEHIND TAKING THIS UP.
UH, I DON'T UNDERSTAND YOUR JUSTIFICATION.
UH, THIS GIVES ME THE IMPRESSION THAT THE MOTIVATION FOR TAKING THIS UP IN THIS WAY WOULD BE TO WORK AGAINST A FELLOW COUNSEL PERSON.
UM, THIS CHANGING OF THE RULES AT THIS POINT IN THIS WAY IS, I BELIEVE WRONG.
UM, SO TO REITERATE, UH, I STRONGLY OPPOSE RESIGN TO RUN ALTOGETHER, BUT ESPECIALLY A RETROSPECTIVE RESIGNED TO RUN PROPOSITION.
[00:25:01]
BUT TRULY THANK YOU, MAYOR FOR ALL YOU DO FOR THE CITY AND COUNCIL, UH, AS WELL.AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME TODAY.
UH, ARE THERE ANY OTHER SPEAKERS THAT ARE IN THE AUDIENCE OR ANYONE WHO IS DESIRING TO SPEAK? IF YOU'LL COME UP AND PROMISE TO FILL OUT A CARD, WE'LL GET YOU IN MAYBE INSIDE THE 30 MINUTES.
RICHARD STRECKER, 28 0 9 FOX CREEK DRIVE.
UM, I JUST HAVE, UH, ONE QUESTION.
UH, ON THE AGENDA CONSENT AGENDA, THERE IS A, UM, CONSENT AGENDA TO, UH, PURCHASE 160 GLOCK R 45, UH, FIREARMS. MY ONLY QUESTION IS, IS WHAT HAPPENS TO THE OLD ONES, UM, IF THEY'RE SOLD BACK FOR REP TO BE RESOLD? UH, THERE'S BEEN A NUMBER OF NEWS ARTICLES THAT HAVE SAID THAT THESE GUNS ARE USED, UH, BY, UH, CRIMINALS.
THE QUESTION I HAVE IS, IS WHAT HAPPENS TO THE FIREARMS THAT, UH, GET REPLACED? A LOT OF CITIES WILL, WILL, UH, DESTROY 'EM.
SO, UH, I'M JUST CURIOUS AS TO WHAT WE DO WITH THOSE, UH, 160 FIREARMS. THANK YOU.
UM, I MOVED HERE IN 2017, AND WHEN I MOVED HERE SHORTLY THEREAFTER, THERE WAS A REALLY BIG SCANDAL WITH THE MAYOR.
AND AT THE TIME, MY THOUGHTS WERE, YOU KNOW, IS THIS HOW RICHARDSON IS? IS THIS THE KIND OF PLACE I'VE MOVED TO? AND YOU KNOW HOW THAT PLAYED OUT.
BUT I'VE RECENTLY JOINED LEADERSHIP RICHARDSON.
I'VE GOTTEN TO MEET SEVERAL OF YOU, AND I'M STARTING TO FEEL LIKE, HEY, THIS IS A GREAT CITY.
I DON'T KNOW MOST OF YOUR POLITICS.
I REALLY DON'T KNOW ANY OF YOUR POLITICS, BUT THIS FEELS RETALIATORY.
AND I DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S SOMETHING GOING ON, BUT WHEN YOU PICK OUT ONE MEMBER AND YOU SAY, WE'RE GONNA RETROACTIVELY DO THIS, SO IT ONLY AFFECTS ONE PERSON.
AND I REALLY TRULY HOPE THAT THIS IS NOT RICHARDSON POLITICS, AND THIS IS NOT THE WAY EVERYBODY IS GOING.
AND THOSE OF Y'ALL THAT SPOKE BUT DIDN'T HAVE CARDS, IF YOU'LL PLEASE FILL THOSE OUT SO WE CAN MAKE SURE WE HAVE THOSE.
MY NAME'S STEPHANIE PURI, 3 5 1 9 BIRCHWOOD LANE.
I DID SUBMIT A CARD, BUT IT MAY HAVE GOTTEN STUCK TO SOMEONE'S.
UH, I AM ALSO HERE TO TALK ABOUT THE AMAZON DRONES.
WE HAVE DATA TO SUPPORT THAT ON A SINGLE DAY, 122 DRONES WERE LOGGED, FLYING DIRECTLY OVER MY HOME IN A 10 HOUR PERIOD, WHICH FEELS LIKE AN EXCESSIVE AMOUNT.
FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO AREN'T READY TO DO MATH THIS LATE IN THE EVENING, THAT'S ABOUT EVERY FIVE MINUTES.
THIS MORNING, I OBSERVED A DRONE FLYING OVER MY HOUSE AT 6:31 AM AMAZON STATES THAT THEY OPERATE BETWEEN THE HOURS OF 7:00 AM AND 10:00 PM THIS WAS OUTSIDE OF THEIR HOURS.
OUR HOA HAS BROUGHT THIS ISSUE TO THE CITY MULTIPLE TIMES.
WE'VE BEEN GIVEN THE CONTACT INFORMATION FOR AMAZON, AND WE HAVE ACTIVELY BEEN REACHING OUT WITH ABSOLUTELY NO RESPONSE FROM AMAZON OR ACTION TAKEN.
UM, I UNDERSTAND THAT WE CAN'T CONTROL WHAT THE FAA DOES, AND THAT'S AIRSPACE REGULATED BY THEM, BUT I WOULD LIKE US TO CONDUCT A NOISE IMPACT STUDY BECAUSE THIS HAS BECOME UNCONTROLLABLE.
WE ARE UNABLE TO SPEND TIME RELAXING IN OUR BACKYARDS.
AND THIS HAS COME UP WITHIN OUR HOA MEETINGS MULTIPLE TIMES, AND I WOULD REALLY LIKE THE CITY TO TAKE ACTION AGAINST THIS.
UM, I'M, I'M GONNA ASK, UH, UH, CITY MANAGER MAGNER TO SPEAK ABOUT THE AMAZON ISSUE, UH, AND, UH, RELATED TO THE, UH, FIREARMS, UH, I HAVE A SENSE THAT WE MIGHT BE SPEAKING ABOUT THAT ONCE WE GET TO THAT ITEM ON THE AGENDA.
UH, MR. MAGNER, UH, THANK YOU MAYOR.
UM, IT'S, UH, MY PLEASURE TO, TO PROVIDE AN UPDATE FOR OUR, OUR SPEAKERS TONIGHT THAT SPOKE ON THE AMAZON DRONE ISSUE.
UM, I'LL LET YOU KNOW THAT, UH, WE HAVE HAD, UH, SEVERAL MEETINGS, UH, RECENTLY, MOST RECENTLY THIS PAST FRIDAY, UM, WITH REPRESENTATIVES FROM AMAZON, FROM, UH, BOTH VIRGINIA AND SEATTLE.
THESE ARE THE ENGINEERS THAT ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR, UH, DESIGNING, UH, AND, UH, AND OPERATING, UH, THE DRONE PROGRAM, NOT JUST HERE, BUT IN OTHER SEVEN CITIES THAT, UH, AMAZON HAS DEPLOYED THIS.
UM, UH, I WOULD LIKE TO REASSURE YOU THAT, UH, WE'RE WORKING VERY HARD AND, AND I, I'M OPTIMISTIC ABOUT SOME OF THE CHANGES THAT ARE CURRENTLY BEING DESIGNED, UH, BY ENGINEERS.
UH, I'M GONNA HAVE CHARLES GOFF, MY ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER, UH, COME MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE ALL OF YOUR CONTACT INFORMATION BEFORE YOU LEAVE THIS EVENING.
BUT WE'D LIKE TO CONNECT WITH YOU, UH, WITHIN THE NEXT DAY OR TWO AT YOUR CONVENIENCE, TO PROVIDE YOU WITH AN UPDATE, UM, AND TO LET YOU KNOW, UH, THE DIFFERENT, UM, STRATEGIES THAT WE THINK, UH, COULD BE, COULD BE, COULD BE, UH, UTILIZED OR DEPLOYED HERE, UH, TO IMPROVE THE
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SITUATION.AND SO, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.
AND MAYOR, THANK YOU FOR THE CHANCE TO PROVIDE AN UPDATE.
AND, UH, CHARLES, WE'LL CONNECT WITH YOU AND MAKE SURE WE HAVE ALL YOUR CONTACT INFORMATION BEFORE YOU, UH, BEFORE YOU LEAVE THIS EVENING.
[5. REVIEW AND DISCUSS THE SALE OF SERIES 2026 DEBT OBLIGATIONS ]
ON TO ITEM NUMBER FIVE, WHICH IS TO REVIEW AND DISCUSS THE SALE OF SERIES 2026 DEBT OBLIGATIONS.MR. MAGNER, UH, THANK YOU MAYOR.
OUR, UH, DIRECTOR OF, UH, FINANCE, UH, TODD GASTRO IS HERE.
AND I'D ALSO LIKE TO RECOGNIZE, UH, UH, AMY FERGUSON.
AMY, IF YOU WANNA RAISE YOUR HAND, AMY IS OUR NEW ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF FINANCE.
AND SO, UH, HAS BEEN ON BOARD HERE FOR, UH, SEVERAL MONTHS, AND SO APPRECIATE HER BEING HERE TONIGHT.
UH, TODD IS GONNA PRESENT YOU, UH, WITH A, A, UH, A BRIEF SUMMARY OF OUR SERIES 2026, UH, PROGRAM.
YOU'RE GONNA RECOGNIZE THIS, UH, FROM, UH, OUR BUDGET, UH, DISCUSSIONS, UH, THIS PAST SUMMER, AS WELL AS THE BUDGET THAT YOU ADOPTED.
AND SO TODD'S GONNA PROVIDE YOU JUST WITH A QUICK, UH, RECAP OF WHAT THIS, UH, UH, SALE WILL INCLUDE, AND THEN, UH, IMPORTANTLY, SOME TIMELINES THAT WE REALLY NEED TO BE MINDFUL OF.
SO, TODD, THANKS FOR PUTTING THIS TOGETHER, AND I'LL TURN IT OVER TO YOU FOR THE BRIEFING.
MAYOR, COUNCIL MEMBERS, APPRECIATE YOUR TIME THIS EVENING TO GO OVER THE DEBT SALE.
UM, EACH OF YOU HAS IN FRONT OF YOU, UH, A CALENDAR SO YOU CAN KINDA WALK THROUGH WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE FROM NOW UNTIL THE SALE, UH, LATER THIS SPRING.
I'M GONNA TOUCH ON THE KEY DATES, UM, FOR, FOR THE PUBLIC TO BE AWARE OF AND AS WELL AS SOME OF THE ITEMS THAT ARE INCLUDED WITHIN THE SALE, WHAT THAT FUNDING IS GONNA BE USED FOR, AS DON JUST MENTIONED IN THE INTRO.
UH, THIS IS IDENTICAL TO THE, UH, THE SALE THAT WAS PLANNED, UH, IN LAST SUMMER'S BUDGET PROCESS WHEN WE WERE DEVELOPING THE CURRENT FISCAL YEAR'S BUDGET.
SO THERE'S BEEN NO CHANGES FROM THE STANDPOINT OF THE SIZE OF THE SALE, UH, FROM WHAT I'M GONNA BE DISCUSSING WITH YOU TONIGHT.
UH, FROM THAT POINT TO NOW, WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH OUR BOND COUNCIL, NORTON ROSE FULBRIGHT, AS WELL AS OUR FINANCIAL ADVISOR.
HILLTOP SECURITIES ON THIS SALE PROCESS INCLUDE IN THE SALE THIS SPRING IS THE REMAINING, UM, AUTHORIZED AUTHORIZATIONS FROM THE 2021 AND 2023 BOND ELECTIONS.
SO WITH THIS SALE, THERE'LL BE NO REMAINING UNAUTHORIZED, UM, UN ISSSUED, UH, FUNDS FROM THE 20 21, 20 23 BOND ELECTIONS APPROVED BY VOTERS.
ADDITIONALLY, THIS SALE WILL INCLUDE $36.97 MILLION IN COS UM, THAT INCLUDES SEVERAL ITEMS, WHICH I'LL, I'LL TOUCH ON.
SO WE HAVE EIGHT YEAR DEBT FOR FIRE EQUIPMENT.
THAT'S GONNA INCLUDE TWO ICUS AS WELL AS A BRUSH TRUCK FOR THE FIRE DEPARTMENT.
WE ALSO INCLUDE, UH, CO FOR THE PURCHASE OF LAND FOR THE FUTURE HOME OF FIRE STATION.
NUMBER SEVEN, UH, AQUATICS FACILITIES IS A, A REFRESH OF THE HEIGHTS AQUATIC CENTER STREET IMPROVEMENTS THAT IS FOCUSED IN THE DOWNTOWN AREA.
SO THAT IS POLK KAUFMAN, TEXAS GREENVILLE, OR INCLUDES RECONSTRUCTION OF TRAVEL AND BIKE LANES, UH, ON STREET PARKING LANDSCAPE, AS WELL AS SIDEWALK IMPROVEMENTS.
THE SOLID WASTE EQUIPMENT, ANOTHER EIGHT YEAR DEBT ISSUANCE THAT INCLUDES, UH, VEHICLES FOR OR EQUIPMENT FOR OUR RESIDENTIAL BAAC, AS WELL AS COMMERCIAL PROGRAMS, UH, AS WELL AS SOLID WASTE CONTAINERS.
THE WATER AND SEWER CIP WE HAVE 15 YEAR AND 20 YEAR DEBT THAT'S ISSUED FOR THOSE, UM, KEY AREAS THAT THAT IS COVERED TO FUND ARE WATER METERS, WATER VALVES, UH, REHABILITATION OF FACILITIES FOR OUR WATER SEWER SYSTEM, UH, WATER LINES, WASTE WATER LINES, AND SOME PUMP STATION GENERATORS AT THREE OF OUR, UH, PUMP STATIONS.
LOOKING AHEAD AT NEXT STEPS, UH, THE NEXT KEY DATES WOULD BE, UH, THREE WEEKS FROM TODAY.
WE'D BE BRINGING FORTH, UM, UH, FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION ON THE FEBRUARY 23RD AGENDA, UH, AND APPROVAL OF A NOTICE OF INTENTION TO ISSUE THE CO BONDS.
UM, AND IF THAT'S APPROVED, WE WOULD THEN, UH, ADVERTISE THAT IN THE NEWSPAPER.
UM, A MONTH LATER IN MARCH, WE WILL BE MEETING WITH RATING AGENCIES S AND P AND MOODY'S, ROUGHLY TWO WEEKS AFTER THAT, WE'LL GET OUR RATINGS.
WE'RE HOPING WE'LL CONTINUE OUR, UH, AAA STATUS AS WE'VE HAD FOR MANY, MANY YEARS.
AND, AND THEN A MONTH LATER, WE WILL CONDUCT A SALE, AND THAT WOULD BE DONE ON APRIL 27TH WITH THAT EVENING BE THE TIMING THAT WE WOULD BRING FORTH APPROVAL OF THE SALE FOR COUNCIL CONSIDERATION WITH FUNDING FROM THE SALE, UH, ONE MONTH LATER.
WE HAD RECEIVED THOSE FUNDS BY MAY 27TH.
AND WITH THAT, I KNOW IT WAS SHORT AND SWEET.
I ENTERTAIN ANY QUESTIONS YOU HAVE ABOUT THE PROCESS.
ANY QUESTIONS FROM THE COUNCIL? ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.
[6. REVIEW AND DISCUSS THE FIRST QUARTER FINANCIAL REPORT FOR THE FISCAL YEAR 2025-2026 OPERATING BUDGET ]
TO ITEM NUMBER SIX, UH, TO REVIEW AND DISCUSS THE FIRST QUARTER FINANCIAL REPORT FOR FISCAL YEAR 20 25, 20 26 OPERATING BUDGET.UH, UH, BOB KLEER IS HERE TO, UH, PROVIDE THIS IMPORTANT UPDATE AS WE BEGIN
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TO, UH, UH, WRAP UP THE FIRST QUARTER HERE IN, UH, FY UH, 26.UH, THE FUND SUMMARIES WERE PROVIDED, UH, IN YOUR PACKET IN ADVANCE AND HAVE BEEN POSTED ONLINE AS WELL, UM, FOR THE LAST WEEK OR SO FOR THE PUBLIC TO REVIEW.
SO, BOB, I'LL TURN IT OVER TO YOU TO SUMMARIZE.
ALL RIGHT, UH, GOOD EVENING COUNSEL.
UH, AGAIN, OUR, UH, PURPOSE HERE IS TO PROVIDE YOU WITH AN UPDATE ON THE, UH, STATUS OF THE FIVE OPERATING MAJOR, FIVE OPERATING FUNDS FOR THE CITY.
UH, FIRST ONE BEING THE GENERAL FUND, UH, TOTAL REVENUE OF, UH, 43.5 MILLION, OR ROUGHLY 24% OF THE ORIGINAL BUDGET COMPARED TO 25.6 MILLION LAST YEAR.
BIGGEST VARIANCE THERE WOULD BE IN THE OTHER CATEGORY, WHICH WE'LL TALK TOUCH ON HERE IN JUST A SECOND.
UH, OUR BIGGEST THREE REVENUE SOURCES ARE PROPERTY TAXES, FRANCHISE FEES, AND SALES TAXES.
UH, PROPERTY TAX THROUGH THE END OF THE FIRST QUARTER, AGAIN ENDED, IT WAS OCTOBER ONE THROUGH SEPTEMBER OR DECEMBER 31ST.
WE'RE TRAILING SLIGHTLY BEHIND HISTORICAL TRENDS, BUT, UH, WE'RE NOT CURRENTLY SEEING ANYTHING, UH, OUT OF THE NORM OR, YOU KNOW, TO CONCERN US RIGHT NOW.
AGAIN, TAXES WEREN'T, DELIN AREN'T DELINQUENT TILL FEBRUARY 1ST.
FRANCHISE FEES IS BEING IMPACTED, UM, BY SOME TIMING VARIANCES, UH, MOVING FORWARD.
UH, THE FRANCHISE FEES FOR ELECTRIC NATURAL GAS AND CABLE FRANCHISES WILL ALL FIRST BE, THEIR FIRST RECEIPT WILL BE IN, UH, THE SECOND QUARTER EACH YEAR, PUTTING THEM ON THE SAME, UH, SCHEDULE, UH, MOVING FORWARD, UH, SALES TAX TO THE END OF THE FIRST QUARTER, TWO REMITTANCE 85,000 BELOW OUR ORIGINAL BUDGET.
UH, SINCE THEN, WE HAVE RECEIVED THE, UH, JANUARY REMITTANCE, UH, INCLUDING THAT WE'RE ROUGHLY, UH, 523,000 ABOVE OUR ORIGINAL BUDGET.
UH, WE'LL, WE WILL CONTINUE, UM, TO MONITOR THIS AS WE BEGIN TO DEVELOP OUR REVENUE ASSUMPTIONS, UH, FOR THE FY 27 BUDGET THIS SUMMER.
UH, AND WE'LL CONTINUE OUR, OUR CONSERVATIVE APPROACH TO THIS REVENUE SOURCE.
UH, FINES AND FORFEITURES AND INTEREST EARNINGS ARE CURRENTLY, UH, EXCEEDING EXPECTATIONS.
AND THEN THE OTHER REVENUE CATEGORY, IT IS, UH, WITHIN WHAT WE'RE, WE'RE, UH, WE'RE EXPECTING THROUGH THIS YEAR, LAST YEAR, WAS IMPACTED BY THE NORTH SIDE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT REPAYMENT AGREEMENT.
UH, THAT'S WHAT, UH, IS SHOWN THE VARIANCE BETWEEN THIS YEAR AND LAST YEAR.
BUT AGAIN, REMOVING THAT THIS CATEGORY IS, UH, PERFORMING AS ANTICIPATED TOTAL EXPENDITURES OF, UH, 34.9 OR ROUGHLY 21.2% COMPARED TO 35.2 MILLION LAST YEAR.
ALL CATEGORIES ARE PERFORMING AS ANTICIPATED THROUGH THE FIRST QUARTER OF THE YEAR.
UH, WE'RE NOT SEEING ANYTHING OTHER THAN MAYBE SOME TIMING VARIANCES BETWEEN, UH, THIS YEAR AND LAST YEAR FOR BUDGETED, UH, EXPENDITURES, UH, WATER AND SEWER REVENUE, UH, 29.4 MILLION COMPARED TO, UM, OR 29.4 MILLION COMPARED TO 30.4 MILLION LAST YEAR.
UH, WE ARE SEEING A SLIGHT, UH, DECLINE IN, UH, WATER SALES, UH, WHICH WE'LL CONTINUE, UH, TO MONITOR, AND I'LL SHOW YOU ON THE NEXT SLIDE, UH, IN, UH, INSTALLATION CHARGES, UH, IS TRACKING AS ANTICIPATED LAST YEAR WAS IMP, UH, IMPACTED IN THE FIRST QUARTER BY AN EIGHT INCH, UH, METER AT UTD.
UH, BUT WHEN THAT'S REMOVED, THE CATEGORY IS PERFORMING AS ANTICIPATED.
AND THEN THE OTHER REVENUE CATEGORY IS BEING IMPACTED BY THE TIMING OF, UM, ANTENNA LICENSES, UM, WITH THE EXCLUSION OF MAYBE ONE SMALL ONE.
ALL OF THEM HAVE BEEN PUT ON ANNUAL AGREEMENTS, SO WE'LL START TO SEE THOSE IN ONE PAYMENTS VERSUS MONTHLY OR QUARTERLY MOVING FORWARD.
UH, TOTAL WATER SALES, YOU'LL SEE IT IS TRACKING A LITTLE BIT BELOW, UH, WHAT OUR EXPECTATIONS WERE WHEN WE REMOVE THE GROWTH THAT WE'VE SEEN IN THE MANUFACTURING SECTOR.
WATER SALES ARE DOWN ABOUT 8.6 FROM LAST YEAR AND 6.8% FROM THE YEAR BEFORE.
SO STAFF WILL CONTINUE TO MONITOR THIS TREND AND WE'LL MAKE ADJUSTMENTS, UH, MOVING FORWARD.
UH, IF, UH, THE TREND CONTINUES, UH, TOTAL EXPENDITURES OF 21.5 MILLION, OR ROUGHLY 21.8% OF THE BUDGET, UH, IS IN LINE WITH, UH, THE 21.8 MILLION LAST YEAR.
AGAIN, WE'RE NOT REALLY SEEING ANYTHING OUT OF THE NORM HERE.
THE ONLY, UH, AREA THAT IS TRAILING OUR EXPECTATIONS IS THE PERSONNEL CATEGORY, UH, WHERE WE'RE SEEING PUBLIC SERVICES CONTINUE, UH, TO FACE SOME RECRUITMENT CHALLENGES, UH, SOLID WASTE.
UH, THIS, THIS ONE IS OUR CLOSEST THING TO ONE, UH, 12 A MONTH.
UH, 5.1 MILLION OF REVENUE VERSUS 4.8 MILLION LAST YEAR.
AGAIN, UH, PERFORMING AS ANTICIPATED THROUGH THE FIRST QUARTER, UH, TOTAL EXPENDITURES OF, UH, ROUGHLY 3.3 MILLION COMPARED TO 3.3 MILLION LAST YEAR.
ALL CATEGORIES, AGAIN, PERFORMING AS ANTICIPATED THROUGH THE FIRST QUARTER.
WE'RE NOT SEEING ANYTHING OUT OF THE NORM EXCEPT MAYBE SOME TIMING VARIANCES ON PAYMENTS FOR SOME BUDGETED EXPENDITURES, UH, THE GOLF FUND.
NOW, THIS ONE WILL BE DIFFICULT TO COMPARE THIS YEAR TO LAST YEAR.
UH, COURSE TWO WAS STILL CLOSED THROUGH, UM, THE FIRST QUARTER OF LAST YEAR.
UH, SO TOTAL REVENUES OF 1 MILLION REPRESENTS ABOUT 29% OF THE, UH, BUDGET FOR THE YEAR.
UH, WHEN WE ISOLATE AND, AND EVALUATE THAT A LITTLE BIT CLOSER, IT IS ACTUALLY OUTPERFORMING OUR EXPECTATIONS, UH, WITH, UH, BOTH COURSES BEING OPEN.
AND YOU'LL SEE WITH THE ROUNDS PLAYED 27, A LITTLE OVER 27,500 ROUNDS.
[00:40:01]
ROUNDS ABOVE WHAT OUR EXPECTATION WAS THROUGH THE FIRST QUARTER.THIS IS 4,600 ABOVE THE ROUNDS, PLAYED IN THE FIRST QUARTER OF 24 AND 8,900 ABOVE THE ROUNDS PLAYED IN 23.
THOSE WERE THE LAST TWO YEARS THAT BOTH, UH, COURSES WERE OPEN.
UM, THIS CAN BE, UH, IMPACTED BY WEATHER EVENTS.
UH, WE'LL CONTINUE TO MONITOR THAT NOW.
WE'VE HAD THAT ICE STORM RECENTLY, BUT AGAIN, OUTPERFORMING OUR EXPECTATIONS, WE FEEL THAT THE FUND IS GONNA BE ABLE TO ABSORB THAT, UM, UH, ISSUE THERE.
TOTAL EXPENDITURES, AGAIN, HARD TO COMPARE THE TWO YEARS, UH, 611,000 COMPARED TO 693,000 WHEN WE DRILL DOWN INTO THE NUMBERS.
WE'RE NOT SEEING ANYTHING OUT OF THE NORM HERE.
UH, LAST YEAR HAD SOME EXTRA EXPENSES RELATED TO THE REOPENING, OF COURSE, TO WHICH, UH, HAD 'EM, UH, RUNNING A LITTLE BIT HIGHER THAN THEY WERE.
THIS, AT THIS POINT, UH, THIS YEAR, UH, HOTEL MOTEL FUND, UH, 2.1 MILLION COMPARED TO 2 MILLION.
ALL REVENUE CATEGORIES ARE PERFORMING AS ANTICIPATED OR ACTUALLY EXCEEDING A LITTLE BIT.
UH, WHEN WE DRILL DOWN ON HOTEL TAXES, WHICH IS I THINK ON PAGE 25 OF YOUR FUND SUMMARY PACKET, UH, YOU'LL SEE THAT FIRST QUARTER, UH, HOTEL MOTEL, UH, TAXES ARE 34,000 ABOVE LAST YEAR, AND 23,000 ABOVE OUR TARGET THROUGH THE YEAR, ROUGHLY ABOUT SEVEN, I THINK 14 HOTELS ARE UP, UH, SIX OR DOWN.
UH, BUT AS A WHOLE TRENDING, UH, ABOVE WHAT WE ANTICIPATED TOTAL EXPENDITURES OF, UH, 1.6 MILLION REPRESENTS ABOUT 20% OF THE ORIGINAL BUDGET.
ALL CATEGORIES ARE PERFORMING AS ANTICIPATED THROUGH THE FIRST QUARTER.
WE'RE NOT SEEING ANYTHING OUT THE NORM.
AND A LOT OF THE EISMAN, UH, EXPENSES ARE KIND OF IN SYNC WITH THEIR, THE TIMING OF THEIR PROGRAM.
SO, UH, WE'LL CONTINUE TO MONITOR THAT MOVING FORWARD.
AT THIS POINT, UH, WE WILL CONTINUE TO MONITOR THESE FUNDS.
ALL FUNDS ARE PERFORMING AS ANTICIPATED THROUGH THE FIRST QUARTER.
UH, WE'LL CONTINUE TO MONITOR THESE ECONOMIC TRENDS AND ACTIVITIES AS WE BEGIN TO DEVELOP OUR EXPECTATIONS FOR NEXT YEAR'S BUDGET THIS SUMMER.
UH, AT THIS POINT, I'LL ASK IF THERE ARE ANY QUESTIONS.
JUST ON THE, THE WATER SEWER, ARE THERE ANY EARLY THEORIES ABOUT WHY THAT'S DOWN? IS IT RAINFALL TOTALS OR SOMETHING ALONG THOSE LINES? NO.
RAINFALL IS DOWN A LITTLE BIT FROM LAST YEAR.
UH, WE DID SEE A SLIGHT DECLINE IN REVENUE OR, UH, WATER SALES AT THE END OF LAST YEAR.
AND THIS SEEMS TO BE A CONTINUATION OF THAT.
AGAIN, WATER SALES CAN BE IMPACTED BY EXTREME WEATHER.
UH, WE WILL, YOU KNOW, SUMMER IS OUR IRRIGATION TIME WILL CONTINUE TO MONITOR THROUGH THAT.
YEAH, THAT'S, THAT'S INTERESTING.
I MEAN, IT'S A PRETTY BIG IMPACT.
SO HOW, HOW, WHAT WAS THE DECLINE, LIKE, LIKE LATE LAST YEAR? WAS IT AS SIGNIFICANT OR, UM, I, I DON'T REMEMBER EXACTLY WHAT THE, THE DECLINE WAS, BUT WE CAME IN SLIGHTLY BELOW OUR ORIGINAL BUDGET FOR THE YEAR.
UH, SO THEY FELL SHORT OF OUR ORIGINAL EXPECTATIONS.
UM, OUR EXPECTATIONS FOR THIS YEAR WERE BASED ON WHERE THINGS WERE GOING THROUGH JUNE OF LAST YEAR, WHICH IS, WAS A LITTLE HIGHER.
UH, SO WE'LL CONTINUE TO MONITOR THIS GOING FORWARD.
YEAH, WE'RE NOT REALLY, UM, SEEING ANY TRENDS THAT WE CAN TELL.
IT'S NOT NECESSARILY HOW MUCH RAIN, IT'S WHEN IT HAPPENS.
SO, UH, WE'LL JUST RIGHT NOW THROUGH THE THREE MONTHS, WE'LL JUST CONTINUE TO, TO MONITOR THAT.
I MEAN, YOU KNOW, SOME, SOME, UH, RESIDENTS AND EVEN BUSINESSES ARE, ARE PROBABLY FACTORING IN JUST IN NEW RATES.
I MEAN, IT'S, UH, WE'VE HAD SIGNIFICANT INCREASES, UH, EACH OF THE, THE LAST, UH, EIGHT TO 10 YEARS.
AND CUMULATIVELY, UH, THOSE ARE STARTING TO AMOUNT TO, UM, YOU KNOW, MATERIAL CHANGES IN, IN WHAT PEOPLE ARE PAYING.
AND SO WE MAY BE SEEING JUST A, A CORRECTION IN, UH, HABITS BASED ON THE COST TO, TO IRRIGATE.
IT WAS THAT, OR, YOU KNOW, THERE WAS SOME SORT OF CONSERVATION EFFORT OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT, WHICH IS NOT A TERRIBLE THING.
UM, SO NO, THAT, THAT'S INTERESTING.
I'M BE INTERESTED TO SEE IF IT TRENDS CONTINUES OR, OR IF IT TICKS BACK UP.
I HAD THREE QUESTIONS, BUT YOU, YOU GUYS SORT OF ANSWERED THE FIRST ONE, UH, WITH THE PRESENTATION.
I JUST WANTED TO, TO SEE IF I CAN RESTATE WHAT I THINK YOU'RE SAYING.
JUST TO CLARIFY MY, MY THOUGHT.
SO, YOU KNOW, IF YOU LOOK AT SOME OF THE GENERAL FUND REVENUE TRENDS, IT WOULD JUST BE SCARY SORT OF IN ISOLATION, BUT, OR AT LEAST LIKE, CAUSE A LITTLE BIT OF CONCERN.
BUT YOU'RE JUST SAYING THAT ESSENTIALLY IF THE TREND THAT WE SEE NOW WERE TO HOLD UNTIL NEXT QUARTER, IT WOULD ACTUALLY BE CONCERNING, BUT THERE'S A LOT OF SORT OF VARIABLES WE HAVE TO WAIT FOR, RIGHT? LIKE REVENUE COMING IN SPECIFICALLY WITH THE WATER SALES? NO, WITH GENERAL FUND, UM, WE'RE NOT REALLY SEEING ANYTHING NO.
CONCERNING WITH THE GENERAL FUND.
UH, SALES TAX, THE, THE JANUARY REMITTANCE WAS, WAS SIGNIFICANTLY HIGHER THAN WHAT WE ANTICIPATED.
UH, THAT HAS BEEN THE MOST VOLATILE REVENUE SOURCE IN THE GENERAL FUND.
UH, AND I THINK IT'S BEEN BENEFICIAL TO US TO BE ON THE CONSERVATIVE SIDE.
UH, TO, TO WEATHER THAT KIND OF VOLATILITY.
UH, UH, PROPERTY TAX WOULD BE THE ONLY OTHER ONE, BUT AGAIN, PROPERTY TAXES WEREN'T DUE UNTIL FEBRUARY 1ST.
UH, SO WE WEREN'T SEEING ANYTHING OUT OF THE NORM UP, UP THROUGH TODAY MM-HMM
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ELSE WE'LL CONTINUE ON.AND THEN FRANCHISE FEES, IT'S JUST A REALIGNMENT OF MM-HMM
OF WHEN WE'RE GONNA START RECORDING IT.
EVERYTHING ELSE, UH, FINES AND FORFEITURES AND INTEREST EARNINGS ARE UP.
UM, AND ALL THE OTHER CATEGORIES SEEM TO BE BEHAVE OR PROJECT, UH, PERFORMING AS WE ANTICIPATED.
AND THEN I SAW, IT'S NOT IN THIS PRESENTATION, BUT IT WAS IN THE ACTUAL COUNCIL PACKET THAT THERE WAS A SMALL LINE ITEM FOR LIBRARY FINES.
AND SO I WAS JUST WONDERING, ARE WE STILL COLLECTING THOSE OR DID WE ELIMINATE THAT? NO, THAT'S, I MEAN, JENNY, IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO, WE STILL COLLECT IF WHERE THERE'S DAMAGED OR LOST MATERIALS, IT'S NOT FINES.
SO THAT'S HELPFUL CLARIFICATION.
IT'S NOT LATE FEES SPECIFICALLY.
WE WAIVE THOSE ONCE THE BOOK IS RETURNED.
BUT IF THEY LOSE IT, THEY PAY FOR IT, SO.
AND THEN MY LAST SORT OF QUESTION SLASH THOUGHT WAS ON THE SOLID WASTE SERVICES FUND, IT SEEMS LIKE IT'S PERFORMING REALLY HEALTHILY, RIGHT? OR IT'S A REALLY HEALTHY FUND.
I MEAN, WHAT, I GUESS LOOKING SORT OF FUTURE AT FUTURE OPPORTUNITIES IN THIS CURRENT BUDGET CYCLE.
I MEAN, WHAT, WHAT HAPPENS IF THERE'S EXCESS, ANY SORT OF EXCESS IN THAT FUND? IS THAT STUFF THAT WE CAN TRANSFER TO OTHER AREAS OF THE BUDGET IF WE NEED TO? I MEAN, DO WE HAVE ANY, ANY THOUGHTS THERE? JUST LIKE EVEN, I DON'T KNOW, JUST LOOKING AT, IT LOOKS LIKE THIS QUARTER, IT'S, EVERYTHING'S TRENDING BETTER THAN WE EXPECTED.
AT LEAST SLIGHTLY BETTER THAN WE EXPECTED.
UH, THAT IS ONE THE LAST COUPLE YEARS HAVE OUTPERFORMED EXPECTATION MM-HMM
AND WHAT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO DO IS TO, UH, KIND OF CONTRIBUTE TO WHERE A PAY AS YOU GO CAPITAL PROGRAM.
THERE HAVE BEEN SOME STUDIES WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO PAY CASH FOR AS WELL AS THIS YEAR.
WE WERE ABLE TO FUND, I BELIEVE, THREE ADDITIONAL VEHICLES OUTSIDE OF OUR NORMAL, UM, REPLACEMENT SCHEDULE TO HELP, UH, FORTIFY THE FRONTLINE, UH, EQUIPMENT.
ANYTHING THAT'S ABOVE AND BEYOND STAYS WITHIN, UH, SOLID WASTE.
WE MIGHT REMOVE IT FROM THE OPERATING FUND AND SET IT ASIDE IN A, IN A CAPITAL RESERVE FUND.
BUT IT IS ONLY FOR, UH, SOLID WASTE FUNCTIONS.
SO, COUNCILMAN, ONE OF THE THINGS I'LL BE BRINGING TO YOU, UH, DECEMBER WITH THE BUDGET WILL BE SEVERAL EXPANDED PROGRAMS FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION THAT FALL WITHIN THAT WOULD BE FUNDED FROM SOLID WASTE FUND.
UH, OUT OF THE SOLID WASTE MASTER PLAN THAT YOU ADOPTED LAST YEAR, WE REALLY, UH, HAVEN'T LAUNCHED ON ANY SIGNIFICANT PROGRAMS OUT OF THAT PLAN.
UM, AND, UH, WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE WERE, TOOK A CONSERVATIVE APPROACH TO FY 26 IN, IN, IN ALL OF OUR FUNDS.
UM, ONE OF THOSE WILL ACTUALLY BE A REVENUE, WELL, ACTUALLY TWO, TWO OF THE STRATEGIES THAT WE'LL BE BRINGING YOU WITHIN THE NEXT MONTH OR SO WILL ACTUALLY BE OPPORTUNITY FOR GENERATING EVEN MORE REVENUE.
UM, AND IF YOU'RE AGREEABLE TO THOSE STRATEGIES, WHICH ARE DIRECTLY FROM THE SOLID WASTE FUND, UH, MA I MEAN THE SOLID WASTE MASTER PLAN, WE'LL BE ABLE TO HAVE A, I THINK, A REALLY, UH, HEALTHY CONVERSATION OVER THE SUMMER DURING BUDGET ABOUT WHAT OTHER PRIORITIES FROM THAT MASTER PLAN YOU'D LIKE TO SEE US LAUNCH ON.
YEAH, NO, IT MAKES SENSE TO KEEP EVERYTHING WITHIN THE FUND AND SORT OF REINVEST ANY EXTRA OR ANYTHING ABOVE AND BEYOND THERE BACK INTO SOLID WASTE AND, AND LAUNCH ON THAT PLAN.
I, I TOO HAD SOME QUESTIONS ON THE, UH, WATER PERCENTAGE AND, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER JUSTICE ASKED MOST OF THOSE QUESTIONS ALREADY.
BUT I'D LIKE TO TACK ON, UH, A COUPLE EXTRA QUESTIONS ON, IS THAT, IS THAT, UH, 8.6%, DO WE KNOW IF THE, HOW THAT'S BROKEN DOWN BETWEEN RESIDENTIAL AND COMMERCIAL? UH, I ACTUALLY DO HAVE THAT, UM, RESIDENTIAL'S DOWN ROUGHLY 11% AND COMMERCIAL'S DOWN ROUGHLY FIVE.
DO YOU THINK, UM, I MEAN, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT SUSTAINABILITY AND IF, IF THE TREND IS FOR PEOPLE, WELL, RESIDENTS AND BUSINESSES TO USE MORE, UM, WATER DROUGHT TO, UH, TOLERANT PRODUCTS AND BUILDING MATERIALS, MOST LIKELY THAT COULD CONTINUE TO INCREASE OVER TIME, BECAUSE I MEAN, WE ARE ADVOCATING FOR THAT.
I MEAN, I THINK IT'S GOOD THAT WE WERE, YEAH, THAT WOULD DEFINITELY HAVE AN IMPACT TO SUSTAIN LEVEL.
UH, NOW OUR, OUR, OUR STRATEGY OR OUR APPROACH TO PROJECTING WATER SALES IS ALWAYS ON THE CONSERVATIVE SIDE.
UH, THIS IS A DECLINE FROM LAST YEAR, AND IT IS A LITTLE BIT OF A DECLINE FROM WHAT WE BUDGETED FOR.
UM, BUT WE ALWAYS REMOVE THE BIG, UM, SPIKES THAT MIGHT COME FROM A, A HOT SUMMER OR ONE OF THOSE, YOU KNOW, UH, IF PEOPLE, UM, DRIP THEIR FAUCETS DURING THAT FREEZE, WE ALWAYS REMOVE THAT OUT OF OUR, OUR, OUR ASSUMPTIONS AND TRY TO, TO DEVELOP A BASELINE THAT'S BASED ON A NORMAL YEAR, IF YOU WILL.
NOW, WHEN IT IS EXTREMELY DRY, WE WILL HAVE ADDITIONAL REVENUE WE'VE HAD SWEEPS THE LAST COUPLE YEARS OR, UH, EXCESS RESERVES THAT WE, WE ALLOCATED TO CAPITAL PROGRAMS. BUT, YOU KNOW, WE WE'RE PRETTY CONFIDENT THAT OUR GOAL OR OUR PROJECTIONS ARE NEVER OVERHEATED.
BUT THIS IS A LITTLE BIT BELOW THAT AND WE JUST WANTED TO POINT, POINT THAT OUT.
IT, IT MAY, I, I WAS A LITTLE SURPRISED
[00:50:01]
TO SEE IT, BUT I, I, I FIGURE WE'LL PROBABLY INCREASE OVER TIME IF WE, IF WE STAY TO A MORE SUSTAINABLE LEVEL OF, OF MATERIALS BEING USED BOTH ON THE RESIDENTIAL AND THE COMMERCIAL SIDE.I DON'T KNOW IF YOU WOULD HAVE IT, OR DON, IF YOU WOULD HAVE IT, HAVE WE SEEN A RECENT, UM, OCCUPANCY OF THE, THE, UH, MOTELS HOTELS AND OUR, I KNOW WE'VE LOOKED AT IT FROM TIME TO TIME, BUT I DON'T THINK WE'VE SEEN ONE IN A WHILE AND I, I'M JUST, HAVE WE SEEN THAT YET? HUNDRED PERCENTAGE? UH, YEAH.
I MEAN, WE DO HAVE STAFF TRACKS THAT I DON'T HAVE IT ON TOP OF MY HEAD.
I, I DO BELIEVE MOST ARE TRACKING ABOVE, UH, YOU KNOW, WHAT THEY WERE LAST YEAR.
LAST YEAR WE HAD A COUPLE HOTELS THAT HAD SOME CLOSURES FOR REMODELING.
WE HAD A SMALL FIRE AND, UH, THE ALOFT, I BELIEVE IT WAS, UH, THAT IMPACTED SOME OF THOSE.
BUT I, I THINK THEY'RE ALL, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, I THINK 14 ARE UP AND, AND SIX ARE DOWN.
MOST OF THEM ARE TRENDING UP AS FAR AS, UH, OCCUPANCY AS WELL.
NOT JUST THE, THE AVERAGE RATE PER DAY OR WHATEVER, A VR, WHATEVER, WE COULD SEND THAT OUT.
YEAH, WE'LL FOLLOW UP AND PROVIDE IT.
I APPRECIATE THE PRESENTATION.
I THINK, UH, JUST THE ONLY THING I DIDN'T HEAR ASKED AND, AND I'D LOVE, YOU MAY NOT HAVE IT NOW AND THAT'S OKAY, BUT I'D LOVE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE MAYBE FOLLOW UP ON THE WATER, UH, ELEMENT IS, UM, TRYING TO SEE WHETHER OR NOT THERE'S A COMPARABLE CITY OR TWO THAT WE MIGHT LOOK AT.
UH, PRETTY MUCH ALL THE CITIES IN OUR WATER DISTRICT ARE GOING THROUGH PRETTY HEAVY RATE CHANGES, SO I WOULD ASSUME IF WE ARE ADJUSTING BECAUSE OF RATE CHANGES THAT THEY MAY AS WELL.
AND THAT MAY GIVE US SOME INDICATION AS TO WHAT'S GOING ON, IF, IF IT IS THAT, UM, ALTHOUGH IT COULD ALSO NOT BE THAT.
SO YEAH, I MEAN, I, I BELIEVE MOST CITIES IN THE AREA, OR NORTH TEXAS AT LEAST HAVE BEEN OF, YOU KNOW, UM, INCREASING THEIR RATES AS A RESPONSE TO THE RATE INCREASES.
WE'RE SEEING, UH, YOU KNOW, FROM THE DISTRICT NOW, YOU KNOW, THE LAST COUPLE YEARS IT'S BEEN HEAVIER INCREASES ON THE SEWER SIDE.
AGAIN, WE, THAT WE RESPONDED WITH WHAT WE FELT WE NEEDED ON THAT.
UM, YOU KNOW, AND, AND LIKE DAWN SAID THAT THAT DOESN'T RIGHT.
HAS AN IMPACT ON, ON CONSUMPTION.
UM, YEAH, I JUST, I'M JUST CURIOUS, SINCE, SINCE EVERY ONE OF THE CITIES IN THE DISTRICT ARE, UH, PROBABLY ALSO ADJUSTING THE RATES LIKE WE HAVE, I JUST WANNA SEE IF THEY ALSO ARE SEEING THIS DOWNTURN, UH, THAT MIGHT INDICATE THAT IT IS OR ISN'T A PART OF THE YEAH.
WE DIDN'T LOOK INTO WHAT OTHER CITIES, UH, CONSUMPTION IS AND, AND TRY TO GET BACK TO YOU.
WE CAN KIND OF COME UP WITH SOME KIND OF STANDARDIZED METRIC.
I MEAN, OBVIOUSLY A LOT OF CITIES THAT ARE GROWING ARE GONNA HAVE A VERY DIFFERENT STORY.
YOU'RE GONNA HAVE TO, WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO ISOLATE AND ACCOUNT FOR GROWTH TRENDS AND YEAH.
BUT LET US, LET'S TAKE THAT AS HOMEWORK.
WE'LL, WE'LL TRY TO, UM, COME UP WITH SOME KIND OF STANDARD WAY OF LOOKING AT IT AND REPORT THAT BACK.
[7. REVIEW AND DISCUSS THE RICHARDSON PUBLIC LIBRARY RENOVATION PROJECT]
ITEM NUMBER SEVEN, UH, WHICH IS TO REVIEW AND DISCUSS THE RICHARDSON PUBLIC LIBRARY RENOVATION PROJECT.UH, MAYOR COUNCIL, UH, CHARLES GOFF IS GONNA, UM, LEAD THE FIRST PART OF THIS BRIEFING, WHICH IS GONNA TALK, UH, ABOUT THE CAPITAL PROJECT ITSELF AND, UM, AND REFER TO A REQUEST FOR A CHANGE ORDER THAT YOU'LL FIND, UH, LATER ON THE AGENDA.
AND THEN, UH, JENNY DAVIDSON, OUR DIRECTOR OF LIBRARY SERVICES, IS GOING TO, UH, TAKE IT FROM THAT POINT AND TALK ABOUT, UH, A STRATEGY FOR, UH, THE TIMING AROUND, UH, OPENING UP, UH, THE NEW LIBRARY AND BEGINNING TO OPERATE OUT OUT OF THAT.
UH, I ALSO WANNA, UM, RECOGNIZE, UH, MARINA PATRICK, WHO'S OUR ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF, UH, THE LIBRARY AND STACEY DAVIS, WHO DID AN AWESOME JOB THE OTHER NIGHT AT HEIGHTS PARK, UH, PROVIDING THE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION WITH A GREAT BRIEFING ABOUT RICHARDSON'S HISTORY.
AND SO THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE.
AND CHARLES, I'LL TURN IT OVER TO YOU TO TAKE ON THE FIRST PART HERE.
UH, THANKS MR. MAGNER, UH, MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
UH, AS DON MENTIONED, UH, TONIGHT I'M GONNA FIND AN OVERVIEW OF THE PROGRESS OF THE LIBRARY RENOVATION PROJECT.
UM, TALK ABOUT SOME NEW CHALLENGES THAT WE'VE ENCOUNTERED IN THE IMPACT TO THE REMAINDER OF THE PROJECT, AND THEN HAND IT OVER TO, TO JENNY TO TALK ABOUT SOME OF THE OPERATIONAL CONSIDERATIONS.
SO, UM, AS A REMINDER OF THE BACKGROUND OF THE PROJECT, WE AWARDED, UH, THE RENOVATION PROJECT TO BALFOUR BEATTY BACK, UH, IN 2024.
AND THEN THE COUNCIL MAY REMEMBER BACK IN AUGUST, UH, IN THE LATE SUMMER OF LAST YEAR, UH, WE PRESENTED CHANGE ORDER NUMBER ONE, WHICH TOTALED ABOUT $1.1 MILLION.
UH, THAT WAS TO ADDRESS SOME, UH, ISSUES THAT WE, UH, RAN ON INTO EARLY IN THE PROJECT, PRIMARILY RELATED TO THE INSTALLATION OF THE FIRE SUPPRESSION SYSTEM, TO TYING IT THROUGH THE EXISTING STRUCTURE, UH, AS WELL AS TYING IN THE NEW STRUCTURAL ELEMENTS INTO THE EXISTING, UH, CONCRETE, UH, STRUCTURE OF THE BUILDING.
AND SO, UM, THAT WAS FUNDED, UH, PRIMARILY THROUGH, UH, BOND CONTINGENCY RESERVES THAT WE SET ASIDE, UH, IN FY 23.
AND WE'VE BEEN, UH, WORKING TO, UH, IMPLEMENT THOSE, UH, UM, UH, PROJECT ELEMENTS.
UH, WHEN WE TALKED IN, IN AUGUST, UH, THE PROJECT WAS ABOUT 50% COMPLETE AND WE'RE NOW SITTING AT ABOUT 75% COMPLETE.
SO WE'VE SEEN SOME GOOD PROGRESS OVER THE PAST FOUR TO FIVE MONTHS.
[00:55:01]
YOU, UH, IF, IF YOU GO OUT TO THE SITE, YOU SEE THAT SITE WORK HAS, UH, PROGRESSED, UH, SIGNIFICANTLY, ALTHOUGH COMPLETION IS PENDING SOME WATERPROOFING WORK WE'LL TALK ABOUT IN JUST A FEW MINUTES.UM, THE STEEL FOR THE NEW, UH, SOUTH STAIR, UH, IS, UH, MOSTLY, UH, INSTALLED.
THEY'RE WRAPPING THAT UP, UM, UH, PROBABLY THIS WEEK OR NEXT.
UH, THE FRITTED GLASS THAT WE TALKED ABOUT ON, UH, THE THIRD FLOOR THAT'S BEING DELIVERED TO THE SITE CURRENTLY AND SHOULD BE INSTALLED IN THE NEXT, UH, COUPLE WEEKS.
UM, THE CANOPY, THE STEEL FOR THAT HAS BEEN INSTALLED.
NOW THEY'RE WORKING ON SHEATHING THAT WITH, UH, THE METALLIC, UH, LOOKING FINISH.
UM, THAT, UH, WE'VE SEEN IN THE RENDERINGS.
AND MAYBE MOST NOTABLY, THE PERMANENT POWER IN HVAC IS, UH, ACTIVE IN THE BUILDING.
AND THAT'S IMPORTANT BECAUSE THAT ALLOWS US TO ADVANCE ON THE INTERIOR FINISHES OF, OF THE BUILDING, PUTTING DOWN CARPET, PAINTING WALLS, UH, PUTTING UP CEILING TILES, THINGS LIKE THAT.
SO, UH, THAT IS, UH, A MAJOR MILESTONE ALL IN, IN PREPARATION OF FURNITURE INSTALLATION, UH, PLANNED FOR LATER THIS SPRING.
UH, HERE'S SOME, UH, PROGRESS PHOTOS.
SO YOU CAN SEE, UM, SOME OF THE INTERIOR, UH, FINISHES, UH, THAT FIRST, UH, PICTURE ON THE TOP UH, LEFT IS OF THE, ON THE FIRST FLOOR WHERE THE, UH, LARGE PRINT AREA IS.
SO YOU CAN SEE THAT THEY'VE, UH, FINISHED THE CEILING TILES AND THE LIGHTING IN THAT AREA, AND THEY'VE INSTALLED THE CARPETING AND THEY PUT DOWN PLASTIC PROTECTION OF THE CARPETING.
BUT, UH, CARPET'S DOWN IN THERE.
UH, THE MIDDLE PICTURE, UH, ON THE TOP ROW IS OF THE BASEMENT MULTIPURPOSE ROOM.
SIMILAR, UH, PROTECTION ON THE CARPET THAT'S BEEN INSTALLED, UH, DOWN THERE.
THEY'VE ACTUALLY, UH, SINCE WE TOOK THIS PICTURE, INSTALLED SOME OF THE ACOUSTICAL PANELS THAT'LL GO ON THE WALLS, UH, IN THAT ROOM.
UH, YOU CAN SEE IN THE BOTTOM LEFT PICTURE IS THE NEW, UH, ENTRY CANOPY, AND THEN THE FRAMING FOR WHERE THAT FRITTED GLASS WILL GO, UH, ON THE THIRD FLOOR.
UH, AND THEN THEY'LL INSTALL THE, THE REGULAR GLASS ON THE SECOND FLOOR ONCE THEY'RE COMPLETE WITH THAT.
UH, THEN YOU EXTERIOR STAIR THERE, UH, IN THE BOTTOM MIDDLE PICTURE.
AND THEN THE, UH, STAIR AND KIND OF FINISHES IN THE CHILDREN'S AREA, UM, ON THE INSIDE OF THE BUILDING.
SO, LIKE I SAID, GOOD, GOOD PROGRESS, UH, BEING MADE, UH, TO THE PROJECT.
SO LET'S TALK ABOUT THE, THE ISSUE, UH, THAT WE'VE RUN INTO, UH, IN THE BUILDING.
WATER INFILTRATION INTO THE LIBRARY, UH, IS NOT NEW.
UH, PREVIOUSLY IT WAS MOSTLY, UH, ON THE EAST SIDE, UH, OF, UH, THE BASEMENT.
UM, WE MAYBE HAD AN EVENT OR TWO IN THE PAST WHERE IT'S COMING ON THE, ON THE OTHER, UH, SIDES OF THE BUILDING.
BUT PRIMARILY IT WAS LOCATED ON, UH, THE EAST SIDE OF THE BUILDING, KIND OF FACING TOWARDS THE FOUNTAIN AREA.
AND SO, UH, AS PART OF THIS PROJECT, WE ACTUALLY EXCAVATED THAT EASTERN FACADE AND PUT IN SOME EXTERIOR WATERPROOFING ON, ON THE OUTSIDE OF, OF THE BASEMENT IN THAT AREA, SINCE THAT WAS, UH, AN AREA WHERE WE KNEW WE HAD AN ISSUE.
UH, AND THEN, UH, ON THE OTHER, UH, FACADES OF THE BUILDING, WE DID WHAT, WHAT'S KNOWN AS A BENTONITE TREATMENT OF THE SOILS AROUND THE BASEMENT, WHICH IS A TREATMENT DUE TO THE SOILS THAT, UH, THAT PUTS IN A, UH, A WATERPROOF BARRIER ON, ON THE OUTSIDE, BUT YOU DON'T HAVE TO EXCAVATE, UH, TO, TO DO IT.
UM, AS, AS WE'VE KIND OF PROGRESSED THROUGH THE PROJECT, WE'VE, WE'VE STARTED TO, TO OBSERVE WATER INFILTRATION IN OTHER AREAS.
UM, THE, THE EAST SIDE IS, HAS BEEN TOTALLY FINE SINCE, SINCE WE FINISHED, BUT PRIMARILY ON THE WEST FACADE.
NOW, THERE SEEMS TO BE SOME PERSISTENT WATER, UH, INFILTRATION ANYTIME THERE'S, UM, UH, A RAIN EVENT OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT THAT, UH, GETS INTO THE BUILDING, UH, ON THE WEST SIDE.
AND SO, AS WE'VE TALKED TO, UH, OUR DESIGN TEAM AND, AND PARTICULARLY THE BUILDING ENVELOPE CONSULTANT, WHO DEALS WITH MAKING SURE THAT THE BUILDING IS, IS WATER, UH, PROOF.
UM, THEY ARE NOW RECOMMENDING THAT WE DO A SIMILAR EXCAVATION THAT WE DID ON THE EAST SIDE ALONG THE OTHER, UH, SIDES OF THE BUILDING THAT'S THE NORTH, SOUTH, AND WEST, AND APPLY THE SAME EXTERIOR, UH, WATERPROOFING, UH, JUST TO MAKE SURE THAT THIS ISN'T AN ISSUE, UH, GOING FORWARD, UH, IN, IN THE FUTURE.
AND SO, UH, WHAT THAT, WHAT THAT MEANS IS THAT ON, UH, THE AGENDA TONIGHT, ON THE CONSENT AGENDA, ITEM 10 C IS CHANGE ORDER NUMBER TWO FOR THIS PROJECT, WHICH IS ABOUT 1.17, UH, MILLION DOLLARS, WHICH WE'LL ACCOMPLISH, JUST THAT THEY'LL EXCAVATE AROUND THOSE FACADES OF THE BUILDING, UH, AND INSTALL, UH, THAT EXTERIOR WATERPROOFING.
UM, SIMILAR TO HOW WE FUNDED CHANGE ORDER NUMBER ONE, WE HAVE THAT CONTINGENCY, UH, SET ASIDE THAT WE DID IN FY 23.
YOU'LL RECALL THAT WE SET ASIDE 5 MILLION.
WE HAVEN'T TOUCHED THAT OTHER THAN FOR CHANGE ORDER NUMBER ONE FOR THIS PROJECT.
SO, UH, WE STILL HAVE ABOUT $4 MILLION IN THAT CONTINGENCY.
AND THEN AFTER THIS, WE'LL STILL HAVE, UH, OVER, UM, OVER TWO AND A HALF MILLION DOLLARS LEFT, UH, FOR, FOR BOND PROGRAM CONTINGENCY, UM, IN, IN THAT RESERVE, UH, FUND.
UH, THE IMPACT ON THE CONSTRUCTION TIMELINE.
THE, THE, THE GOOD NEWS IS THAT MUCH OF THIS WORK CAN HAPPEN CONCURRENTLY WITH THE REMAINING, UH, RENOVATION SCOPE.
A LOT OF THAT'S NOW INTERIOR WORK.
SO WE CAN WORK ON THE INSIDE OF THE BUILDING WHILE THEY'RE DOING THIS WORK ON THE EXTERIOR OF THE BUILDING.
AND, BUT, UH, WITH SOME OF THE, THE SITE RESTORATION THAT HAS TO OCCUR.
AND THEN SOME OF THE FINISH OUT, PARTICULARLY ON THE, THE OUTSIDE, UH, OR, OR I SHOULD SAY THE, THE, THE, THE, THE OUTSIDE WALLS OF THE, UH, THE BASEMENT THAT, THAT WE CAN'T FINISH UNTIL THEY'RE WATERPROOF.
THAT DOES PUSH US A LITTLE BIT INTO THE, THE MAIN JEW TIE FRAME TO FINISH, UH, CONSTRUCTION.
AND THEN YOU HAVE TO CONSIDER THAT AFTER THAT, THAT'S WHEN FURNITURE AND THE BOOKS AND
[01:00:01]
THE LIBRARIANS MOVE BACK IN.AND THAT PROCESS TAKES ABOUT SIX WEEKS WHERE WE HAVE TO CLOSE THE LIBRARY DOWN.
AND SO, UM, I'M GONNA BRING UP JENNY TO TALK ABOUT WHAT THAT MEANS.
IT'S A MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL.
IT'S A PLEASURE TO BE HERE TONIGHT.
TO GIVE YOU AN OVERVIEW OF OUR SUMMER OPERATIONS.
SO AS TO BE EXPECTED, SUMMER IS OUR BUSIEST TIME.
WE HAVE THE GREATEST NUMBER OF PROGRAMS AND THE LARGEST USAGE OF THE BUILDING.
SO RELOCATING DURING JUNE AND JULY WOULD CAUSE A SIGNIFICANT DISRUPTION FOR PATRONS, LIBRARY STAFF, AND OUR LIBRARY PARTNERS WHO USE OUR FACILITY.
UM, SUMMER IS A CRITICAL PERIOD.
AND SO TO PREVENT THAT SUMMER SLIDE, THE LIBRARY HAS FREE EDUCATIONAL AND ENRICHMENT RESOURCES THAT ARE AVAILABLE TO, FOR FAMILIES TO COME IN AND CONTINUE LEARNING DURING THE SUMMER.
THAT IS JUST OUTSIDE OF THAT SCHOOL YEAR.
AND THEN OUR LIBRARY SPACE IS NOT JUST USED BY PATRONS AND, UM, LIBRARY PARTNERS, BUT WE HAVE OTHER ORGANIZATIONS LIKE TUTORS, SUMMER CAMPS COME.
DAYCARE CENTERS OFTEN DO TOURS AND ADULT, UM, DAYCARE CENTERS FOR BOTH CHILDREN'S AND ADULTS GROUPS COME IN, IF NOT WEEKLY, THEN MONTHLY DURING THE SUMMER.
AND SO THEY, THEY'RE RELYING ON US TO BE OPEN DURING THIS TIME PERIOD.
AND SO DETERMINING A FIRM MOVE DATE AT THIS POINT WILL ALLOW US TO CONTINUE TO PLAN THIS SUMMER.
UM, IT'LL REDUCE THE DISRUPTIONS FOR THE PATRONS, PARTNERS AND FOR STAFF.
AND THEN WE'RE ALSO, WE'RE ACCREDITED LIBRARY, AND WE KEEP TRACK OF OUR STATISTICS OF THE USAGE OF THE BUILDING AND OUR PROGRAMS AND WHO COMES.
SO WHEN WE REPORT THIS ON OUR ANNUAL STATE REPORT, SO HAVING THIS GREAT DROP IN PEOPLE VISITING THE BUILDING AND OUR CHECKOUTS WILL DI DIMINISH WHAT THE LIBRARY IN FUTURE YEARS, WHEN YOU LOOK BACK ON THIS YEAR, IT'LL LOOK LIKE WE DIDN'T, WE WEREN'T AS IMPACTFUL IN THE COMMUNITY BECAUSE WE, WE WEREN'T OPEN AND PEOPLE MAYBE WOULDN'T REMEMBER THAT WE WERE CLOSED BECAUSE OF MOVING.
SO THIS, THIS SLIDE IS TO KIND OF GIVE YOU A, UH, AN IDEA OF HOW WE'RE BEGINNING TO PLAN FOR THE SUMMER.
UM, RIGHT NOW IN JANUARY AND FEBRUARY, WE'RE PLANNING PROGRAMS. WE'RE REACHING OUT TO PERFORMERS AND WE'RE TRYING TO GET CONTRACTS UNDERWAY TO HAVE THEM COME, COME FOR SUMMER PROGRAMS. AND WE'D LIKE TO HAVE THIS DONE BY MARCH 1ST.
SO OUR MARKETING TEAM, WITH EVERYTHING FINALIZED, WE'LL START THE PUBLICITY.
UM, THEY CREATE FLYERS THAT WE WILL RELEASE TO THE PUBLIC ON APRIL 1ST, AND THEN WE SEND OUR CHILDREN'S LIBRARIANS OUT TO THE SCHOOLS TO START PROMOTING SUMMER READING AND COMING TO VISIT THE LIBRARY AND COME TO A PROGRAM.
UM, SUMMER READING CLUBS AND PROGRAMS RUN FROM MAY 30TH TO AUGUST 1ST.
AND THEN ALSO WE HAVE OTHER ORGANIZATIONS WHO USE OUR FACILITY.
UM, IN THE PAST THREE YEARS, THE COUNSELING PLACE HAS USED THE LIBRARY'S CHILDREN'S AREA TO DO THEIR PROJECT POSITIVE, WHICH IS A MENTAL HEALTH PROGRAM FOR YOUTH.
AND THEN THE RICHARDSON ADULT LITERACY CENTER HOLDS CLASSES ALL YEAR LONG, AND ESPECIALLY IN THE SUMMER, THEY HAVE THEIR CONVERSATION CLASS EVERY FRIDAY.
AND THEN, UM, OTHER GROUPS LIKE THE WRITER'S GUILD RICHARDSON READS ONE BOOK, THE FRIENDS OF THE LIBRARY AND THE RICHARDSON ADULT LITERACY CENTER ALL HOLD BOARD MEETINGS IN THE LIBRARY.
AND THEN ON THE RIGHT YOU CAN SEE, UM, THIS IS OUR STATISTICS FROM LAST YEAR TO SEE HOW BUSY WE ARE.
WE HAD 195 PROGRAMS IN OUR TEMPORARY SPACE WITH 5,600, UH, PROGRAM ATTENDEES.
AND THEN FAMILIES COME TO THE LIBRARY FOR PROGRAMS, BUT THEY ALSO COME TO HANG OUT.
WE ARE A COOLING CENTER FOR THE CITY.
AND SO THEY, THEY COME AND THEY NOT ONLY CHECK OUT BOOKS AND GO TO A PROGRAM, BUT THEY HANG OUT AND THEY PLAY GAMES.
WE HAVE PUZZLES, UM, WE HAVE SCAVENGER HUNTS AND ARTS AND CRAFTS THAT THEY CAN DO WITHIN THE BUILDING.
WE, LAST YEAR WE HAD FIFTY FIVE HUNDRED AND FORTY FIVE PEOPLE COME AND HANG OUT AND DO THESE ACTIVITIES.
WE CALL 'EM PASSIVE ACTIVITIES.
AND THEN WE ALSO LIKE TO KEEP TRACK OF, UM, HOW MANY QUESTIONS WE ANSWER.
THIS IS SOMETHING WE HAVE TO REPORT TO THE STATE.
SO WE HAD SIXTY SIX HUNDRED AND FIFTY SEVEN QUESTIONS ANSWERED INSIDE THE BUILDING LAST YEAR.
AND THEN OVERALL, JUST IN JUNE AND JULY, WE HAD 52,488 VISITORS, WHICH IS AN AVERAGE OF 875.
AND ON AN, IF YOU TAKE THE AVERAGE FOR THE FULL YEAR, IT'S ABOUT 700.
SO YOU CAN SEE ABOUT 175 MORE PEOPLE EVERY DAY.
[01:05:01]
PHYSICAL ITEMS ARE, WERE CHECKED OUT IN JUST JUNE AND JULY.AND SO IF WE WERE MOVING AT THIS POINT, THESE PHYSICAL MATERIALS WOULD NOT BE AVAILABLE.
THIS IS WHAT TAKES SIX WEEKS TO MOVE, IS THE PHYSICAL BOOKS.
UM, WHILE WE DO HAVE DIGITAL ITEMS, UM, FAMILIES OFTEN WANNA COME AND GET A PHYSICAL BOOK OR A DVD TO CHECK OUT AND TAKE ON THEIR SUMMER VACATIONS.
SO WITH THAT, UM, BASED ON THESE SUMMER DEMANDS, WE'D LIKE TO RECOMMEND THAT WE FINISH THE RENOVATION IN MAY AND JUNE AND, BUT CONTINUE TO STAY IN THE TEMPORARY LIBRARY SO WE CAN CONTINUE TO PLAN FOR THIS COMING SUMMER HERE.
AND, UM, THEN IN EAR EARLY AUGUST, GO AHEAD AND CLOSE THE FACILITY ONCE SCHOOL BEGINS.
AND THEN WE WILL, IT'LL TAKE THE SIX WEEKS TO MOVE THE BOOKS AND THEN THE REST OF THE MATERIALS DOWN THERE FOR THAT THE LIBRARIANS USE.
AND THEN WE'LL OPEN UP IN SEPTEMBER, AND WE'LL COME BACK PERIODICALLY THROUGH THIS TIMEFRAME TO UPDATE YOU ON WHAT, WHAT THE EXACT DATES ARE AND WHAT THE IMPACT TO SERVICES WILL BE.
AND THEN DO YOU HAVE ANY QUES ANY QUESTIONS FOR US? THANK YOU, MR. GOFF.
UH, JENNY, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE INFO AND IF THAT'S WHAT YOUR RECOMMENDATION IS.
I, I, I KNOW, UH, THE QUALITY OF WORK YOU AND THE ENTIRE STAFF AT THE LIBRARY DOES.
SO YOU, YOU HAVE MY FULL SUPPORT.
UM, I DO HAVE SOME QUESTIONS FOR CHARLES.
CHARLES, DO YOU MIND STEPPING? SURE.
UM, CAN YOU HELP ME UNDERSTAND THAT, LIKE, WHAT THE PROCESS IS WHEN I, I'VE GOT SO MANY QUESTIONS, SORRY.
UM, LET ME, LET ME SLOW DOWN MY BRAIN A BIT.
WHEN WE WERE FIRST LOOKING AT THE LIBRARY MM-HMM
THE RENOVATIONS PLANS WERE BEING MADE, OBVIOUSLY THERE WERE ISSUES THAT WE KNEW OF BECAUSE OF OPERATIONALS.
I'M GUESSING JENNY AND HER STAFF PROBABLY SAID, LOOK, WE ALWAYS HAVE WATER COMING IN.
AND OBVIOUSLY IT WASN'T PROBABLY NEWS TO YOU.
UM, IS WATER COMING IN THROUGH CRACKS? IS THIS COMING THROUGH POROUS? YOU KNOW, IS IT COMING IN THROUGH POROUS CONCRETE? LIKE HOW DOES IT GET IN? WHAT KIND OF STUDIES WERE DONE BEFOREHAND TO WHERE SOME OF IT WAS CAUGHT, BUT SOME OF IT WASN'T? WAS IT FULLY STU AND A STUDY JUST DIDN'T CATCH THAT THE WEST SIDE HAD AN ISSUE MM-HMM
OR DID WE JUST GO BASED ON WHAT WE KNEW BECAUSE WE HAD SEEN WATER ON THE EAST SIDE AND THEREFORE WE JUST LOOKED AT THAT? YEAH, IT, IT WAS, UM, PRIMARILY BASED ON WHERE WE, WHERE WE KNEW WE HAD ISSUES IN THE PAST.
AND SO, UM, I, I THINK WE HAD, YOU KNOW, UH, UH, SOME, SOME HISTORY OF, OF EVENTS ON OTHER FACADES.
BUT AGAIN, WHERE, WHERE, WHERE WE HAVE KINDA REPEATED EVENTS WAS ON THE EAST SIDE, AND THAT PRIMARILY WAS JUST WATER GETTING TRAPPED KIND OF LOW UNDERNEATH THE GROUND, AND THEN BEING PUSHED THROUGH THAT POROUS CONCRETE INTO, UH, INTO THE BASEMENT.
UM, AND SO THAT, THAT WAS, UH, WHERE WE, WE, UM, WE KIND OF DIRECTED OUR EFFORTS.
UH, WHEN THE DESIGN TEAM CAME IN, THEY MET WITH JENNY AND HER STAFF AND, AND GOT A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF, AGAIN, WHERE THESE ISSUES ARE HAPPENING.
UH, AND IT WAS OUR, OUR DESIGN CONSULTANT AT THE TIME THAT SAID, OKAY, IT SOUNDS LIKE THE, THE ISSUE IS LOCALIZED ON THE EAST SIDE, SO LET'S REALLY KIND OF BEEF UP THE PROTECTION ON THE EAST SIDE AND DO THIS KIND OF SECONDARY PROTECTION WITH THE BENTONITE, UH, WATERPROOFING ON THE OTHER FACADE SINCE WE DON'T HAVE A HISTORY, UH, ON THOSE FACADES.
SO WHEN WE DO THESE, THIS WATERPROOFING MM-HMM
AND I, THE BENTONITE THAT GOES INTO THE SOIL MM-HMM
BUT THE, THE, I GUESS THE WATERPROOFING THAT'S DONE, IS THAT LIKE A SPRAY ON? IS THAT, YOU KNOW, IT'S A, IT'S A MEMBRANE THAT GETS, UH, APPLIED, APPLIED TO THE OUTSIDE OF THE BUILDING.
SO THEY'LL, THEY'LL EXCAVATE KIND OF A TRENCH AROUND THE BUILDING TO GET DOWN THERE AND WORK, AND THEY'LL LITERALLY PUT, UM, UM, THIS KIND OF PLASTIC SHEET, UH, THAT THEY ROLL ONTO, UH, THE BUILDING UP TO UP TO GRADE, UH, THAT IS WATERPROOF SO THAT THAT WATER CAN'T GET, GET IN IT.
AND THEN THERE'LL ALSO BE A, A SUMP PUMP THAT GETS INSTALLED, UH, NEAR THE BASE OF THE BUILDING SO THAT IF ANY WATER DOES GET TRAPPED DOWN THERE, THAT DOES KIND OF WANNA GO THROUGH THE BUILDING.
INSTEAD IT GETS, IT'S, GETS PUT IN THAT SUMP PUMP AND, AND PUSHED INTO THE DRAINAGE SYSTEM SO THAT THERE'S NOT KIND OF A POOL OF WATER THAT'S JUST, JUST SITTING DOWN THERE SOAKING.
SO IT SOUNDS LIKE MAYBE IT'S THE CAUSE IS IT'S KIND OF, IT'S, IT'S COMING THROUGH THE CONCRETE, BUT WE DON'T EXPECT THAT IT'S COMING IN FROM UNDERNEATH, LIKE THE CENTER OF THE BUILDING OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT? NO, IT'S, IT'S, IT'S CRACKS ALONG THE EDGES, MAYBE? NO, IT, IT'S, IT HASN'T BEEN OUR EXPERIENCE THAT IT'S COMING IN THROUGH, UM, LIKE THE MIDDLE OF THE FLOOR.
IT IS, IT IS AROUND THE, THE, THE WALLS OF, OF, OF THE BUILDING.
SO IT'S COMING THROUGH THE WALLS.
AND, AND THE, THIS LAST ENGINEER OR, UM, CONSULTANT THAT CAME IN, THEY DID FULL STUDY, AND THEY'RE PRETTY CONFIDENT THAT WE KNOW WHAT'S CAUSING IT.
IT'LL ALSO ALLOW US TO GET A WARRANTY TO, TO WARRANTY THE ENTIRE WATERPROOFING SYSTEM AROUND THE BUILDING.
IF THERE ARE ISSUES IN THE FUTURE, WE CAN, WE CAN LOOK TO THE WARRANTY TO, TO ADDRESS THAT.
[01:10:01]
NOW VERSUS LATER.I MEAN, WE, WE, WE HATE TO SEE THE LIBRARY GET PUSHED BACK, BUT, RIGHT.
WELL, YOU ANSWERED KIND OF THE QUESTION I WAS GONNA ASK.
UH, I KNOW PUTTING, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU FIX A LEAK IN ONE PLACE, ESPECIALLY THE GROUNDWATER, THE WATER JUST DOESN'T GO AND STOP.
SAY, YOU KNOW WHAT, HEY, THERE IS NO WAY TO GO.
HE'S GONNA TRY TO FIND A WAY, GO AROUND AND NEXT EASY ACCESS.
AND BASICALLY THOSE LEAK HAPPENED BETWEEN THE WALL AND THE FLOOR.
THERE IS A JOINT THERE, AND IT TRIES TO GET THROUGH THAT POINT, AND THEN IT'LL TRAVEL AROUND.
SO WHEN YOU FIX ONE SIDE, NATURALLY IT, IT WENT AROUND AND WENT TO THE OTHER SIDE.
SO MY QUESTION WAS THAT, OKAY, YOU HAVE THAT, YOU KNOW, THOSE CLAY, YOU ARE PUTTING, UH, I GUESS BENTONITE THAT YOU'RE PUTTING, THOSE ARE SPECIAL CLAY MM-HMM
UH, AND PUTTING THE PLASTICS AND OTHER THINGS.
AND, UH, DO YOU FEEL COMFORTABLE THAT IT'S NOT GOING TO CREATE ANY ISSUE DOWN THE ROAD AGAIN? IS THAT ENOUGH? OH, WE BELIEVE SO AGAIN, WITH, WITH THE EXTERIOR WATERPROOFING THAT WE'RE DOING, AND WITH THE, THE ADDITION OF THE SUMP PUMPS TO, TO, UH, PUMP OUT ANY, UH, REMAINING WATER THAT IS DOWN THERE, WE THINK THAT'LL, THAT'LL BE SUFFICIENT TO PREVENT IT FROM HAPPENING AGAIN.
YOU DO HAVE NOT JUST THOSE CLEAR THINGS.
YOU ARE PUTTING A DRAINAGE SYSTEM THAT WILL LET THE WATER YES.
IT, IT'LL FIND AN EASY WAY TO GO OUT.
BECAUSE THERE MIGHT BE STILL SOME GAP.
AND THERE WILL BE SOME PUMP AND THAT WILL BE PUMPED OUT.
SO, AND ALL AROUND THE BUILDING, I GUESS? CORRECT.
UH, EITHER CHARLES LADON, WHAT, WHEN IS THE LEASE ON THE TEMPORARY LIBRARY UP AND WHAT DO WE HAVE? IS THERE A BUDGET IMPACT THAT WE NEED TO CONSIDER? I UNDERSTAND ALL THE REASONS TO, TO NOT MOVE, UM, UNTIL THEN, BUT DO WE HAVE A BUDGET IMPACT THAT WE NEED TO CONSIDER AS A PART OF THIS AS WELL? NOW, THE LEASE FOR THE LIBRARY SPACE RUNS, UH, WITH CITY HALL, WE HAD TO LEASE THE WHOLE AREA TOGETHER.
SO WE HAVE, UH, THE ENTIRE SPACE, UH, THROUGH, UM, MIDDLE OF, UH, 27.
SO THE ONLY IMPACT IS JUST BASICALLY THE BUILDING WILL BE IN STASIS FOR APPROXIMATELY 60 DAYS? CORRECT.
ALRIGHT, ARE THERE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? ALRIGHT, THANK YOU, MR. GO.
[8. REVIEW AND DISCUSS THE PROPOSED CITY HALL PUBLIC ART]
ON TO ITEM NUMBER EIGHT, WHICH IS TO REVIEW AND DISCUSS THE PROPOSED CITY HALL PUBLIC ART.UM, WE WERE PREPARED TONIGHT TO, UH, BRING YOU AN UPDATE ON, UH, THE CONTRACT NEGOTIATIONS, UH, THAT HAVE BEEN UNDERWAY SINCE LAST SEPTEMBER.
UH, AND, AND, UM, FRANKLY, PREPARED TO, UH, PROVIDE YOU WITH TWO PATHS FORWARD, UH, TO EXPLORE ALTERNATIVE, UH, STRATEGIES, UH, FOR ADDRESSING, UH, THAT PUBLIC ART.
UM, FORTUNATELY SINCE WE POSTED, UH, THIS ITEM LAST TUESDAY, WE HAVE HAD WHAT I WOULD CONSIDER, UM, A BREAKTHROUGH IN, UH, THE NEGOTIATIONS, UH, WITH, UH, THE ARTIST.
UM, AND, UM, SO WHAT I'D LIKE TO, UH, REQUEST OF YOU IS, UH, TO PROVIDE, UH, PROVIDE US WITH A COUPLE OF MORE, UH, UH, DAYS TO, UH, CONCLUDE THOSE NEGOTIATIONS, UH, IF NEED BE.
UM, I WOULD, UM, UH, UH, BY FEBRUARY 10TH, I'D GO AHEAD AND POST AGAIN FOR, UH, THE, UH, FOLLOWING, UH, THE COUNCIL MEETING ON THE 16TH.
AND WE COULD, WE COULD HAVE THIS DISCUSSION THEN, BUT, UH, IDEALLY, UM, I'D LIKE TO BE ABLE TO COME BACK AND REPORT TO YOU THAT WE WERE ABLE TO SUCCESSFULLY CONCLUDE THE NEGOTIATIONS AND WE'VE GOT A CONTRACT TO MOVE FORWARD.
SO THAT WOULD, WE'LL JUST KIND OF POSTPONE, IF THAT'S OKAY.
[9. PRESENT AND DISCUSS THE CITY COUNCIL’S CURRENT DEVELOPMENT PRIORITIES]
ITEM NUMBER NINE, WHICH IS TO PRESENT AND DISCUSS THE CITY COUNCIL'S CURRENT DEVELOPMENT PRIORITIES.MR. MAGNA, UH, MAYOR, MAYOR COUNCIL, EXCITED TO HAVE TINA FERGUS, OUR DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT SERVICES HERE TO, UH, LEAD THIS DISCUSSION.
UM, YOU MAY RECALL, UH, FROM YOUR GOAL SETTING PROCESS, UM, THERE WERE SEVERAL, UH, KEY, UH, TACTICS, UH, THAT WE DISCUSSED, UH, UH, THAT WERE ALL HIGHLY RELATED.
AND WE PROPOSED, UH, A KIND OF AN ORDER, UM, TO, UH, TAKE EACH OF THOSE ON AND, AND, UH, DISCUSS AND, UM, AND DETERMINE NEXT, UH, ACTION ITEMS. UH, WHAT TINA'S GONNA DO TONIGHT IS, UH, PUT TOGETHER, UM, A, IT'S KIND OF A TWO PART BRIEFING, IF YOU WILL.
ONE IS, UH, WHAT I WOULD CALL JUST SOME CALIBRATING, A VERY FOUNDATIONAL BRIEFING AROUND, UM, UM, THE, UM, DIFFERENT, UM, PLANS THAT WE HAVE, UH, ORDINANCES THAT WE HAVE, AND THE DIFFERENT TOOLS THAT EACH OF THOSE PROVIDE YOU, UH, FOR, UH, CONSIDERING LAND USE, UH, MATTERS.
UH, AND THEN WE'D LIKE TO CONCLUDE, UH, BY, UH, KIND OF HAVING MORE OF A DISCUSSION.
AND THAT'S WHEN WE'D REALLY APPRECIATE TO HEAR FROM EACH OF YOU, UM, UH, WITH, UH, THREE QUESTIONS THAT WE, UH, BELIEVE WILL, UH, SET US, UM, UH, IN A GOOD POSITION, UM, TO, UM, WHAT
[01:15:01]
WE, UH, WHAT WE HOPE TO DO IS TO USE THAT FEEDBACK TONIGHT TO, UM, I GUESS KIND OF REFINE, IF YOU WILL, A PROPOSAL THAT WE HAVE FOR YOU.I WANNA, I WANT TO THANK TINA, UM, HERE PUBLICLY, UH, AND LET, UH, LET YOU KNOW THAT, UH, SHE'S JOINED OUR TEAM WITHIN THE LAST, UH, FEW MONTHS, HAS REALLY ADDED A GREAT DEAL OF VALUE IN SEVERAL WAYS.
BUT I THINK THIS RECOMMENDATION THAT YOU'RE GONNA HEAR FROM US TONIGHT, UH, TINA REALLY, UM, BROUGHT TO OUR ATTENTION AS AN OPPORTUNITY.
AND IT'S AN OPPORTUNITY NOT ONLY TO ADDRESS MANY OF YOUR TACTICS, BUT ALSO ACCOMPLISH A LOT OF THE ENVISION RICHARDSON PLAN AND, AND KIND OF ONE FELL SWOOP.
AND SO, TINA, I REALLY APPRECIATE ALL THE THOUGHTFULNESS THAT YOU'VE, UH, UH, BROUGHT TO THIS PROCESS AND THIS PRESENTATION.
AND, UH, I'LL TURN IT OVER TO YOU FOR FURTHER BRIEFING.
AND THEN, AS I MENTIONED, COUNCIL, WE'D LIKE TO CONCLUDE BY, UH, HAVING YOU KIND OF DISCUSS, UH, THESE THREE ISSUES AND, UM, AND PROVIDE US WITH SOME DIRECTION.
UH, GOOD AFTER, OR I WAS GONNA SAY GOOD AFTERNOON, BUT GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
I'M THE DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT SERVICES.
IT'S MY PLEASURE TO BE HERE BEFORE YOU THIS EVENING TO HAVE THIS CONVERSATION ABOUT YOUR DEVELOPMENT PRIORITIES.
SO, UH, HOPEFULLY THIS SLIDE LOOKS FAMILIAR TO ALL OF YOU.
SO THIS WAS, UM, ADOPTED AS PART OF YOUR COUNCIL TACTICS AND PARTICULAR RELATES TO ZONING AND DEVELOPMENT HERE WITHIN THE CITY.
THE PURPOSE OF OUR CONVERSATION THIS EVENING IS GONNA FOCUS ON ITEM NUMBER ONE ON THAT LIST, WHICH IS TO HAVE THAT FACILITATED DISCUSSION FOR ALIGNMENT OF CURRENT DEVELOPMENT PRIORITIES.
SO, BEFORE I GET FARTHER INTO THIS PRESENTATION, SO I'M GONNA START WITH BEGINNING WITH THE END IN MIND, SO YOU'RE KIND OF GIVING ME A TEASER TOWARDS THE END OF THE, THE PRESENTATION.
SO, UM, FIRST OF ALL, THERE'S TWO CONSIDERATIONS THAT I WANT YOU TO KEEP IN MIND AS WE WORK THROUGH THIS PRESENTATION.
SO THE FIRST ONE IS, NUMBER ONE, STAFF IS WANTING TO UNDERSTAND WHERE THERE IS CURRENT ALIGNMENT OR AGREEMENT AMONG CITY COUNCIL REGARDING YOUR DEVELOPMENT PRIORITIES FOR THE CITY.
AND THEN THE SECOND ITEM IS, IS CITY COUNCIL SUPPORTIVE OF STAFF PREPARING A PLAN TO UPDATE THE CONFERENCE ZONING ORDINANCE? SO, UM, AS I WORK THROUGH THESE NEXT FEW SLIDES, KINDA KEEP THAT IN THE BACK OF YOUR MIND AND, AND WE'LL COME BACK TO THAT.
AND HOPEFULLY BY THE TIME WE GET TO THE END OF THE PRESENTATION, YOU'LL FEEL LIKE WE'VE, UM, HOPEFULLY SATISFACTORILY ADDRESS ITEM NUMBER ONE AS WE WORK THROUGH THIS.
AND THEN I LOOK FORWARD TO YOUR FEEDBACK ON NUMBER TWO.
SO BEFORE WE CAN HAVE A FACILITATED DISCUSSION ABOUT YOUR DEVELOPMENT PRIORITIES FOR THIS CITY, IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US TO HAVE A COMMON FOUNDATIONAL UNDERSTANDING OF A FEW ITEMS, UM, LEADING UP TO THAT.
THE FIRST IS BETTER UNDERSTANDING THE RELATIONSHIP TO THE CONFERENCE OF PLAN AND THE ZONING ORDINANCE.
UH, SECOND WOULD BE TO HAVE SOME CONTEXT AND UNDERSTANDING ABOUT OUR APPROACH TO ZONING HERE IN RICHARDSON, IN PARTICULARLY UNDERSTANDING SOME OF THE CHALLENGES THAT WE HAVE WITH THE ZONING ORDINANCE.
AND THAT PLAYS INTO THE TYPES OF, UH, APPLICATIONS THAT COME BEFORE COUNCIL.
AND THEN TO TALK MORE ABOUT SOME OF THOSE APPLICATION TYPES AND THEN BE ABLE TO, UM, ALSO UNDERSTAND THE PURPOSE OF THE CONCEPT BEHIND THOSE APPLICATION TYPES THAT ARE BROUGHT FORTH BEFORE YOU.
THEN WE WILL TRANSITION TO THAT FACILITATED CONVERSATION WHERE STAFF HAS SOME QUESTIONS THAT WE'VE GOT TEED UP TO RECEIVE YOUR FEEDBACK ON.
AND THEN WE'LL WRAP UP WITH NEXT STEPS ASSOCIATED WITH THIS.
SO FIRST OF ALL, WE'RE GONNA DO A LITTLE BIT OF PLANNING 1 0 1.
WE'RE GONNA TALK ABOUT THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE CONFERENCE PLAN AND THE ZONING ORDINANCE.
FIRST AND FOREMOST, THEY ARE NOT THE SAME DOCUMENT.
SOMETIMES PEOPLE USE THEM INTERCHANGEABLY AND THEY CANNOT BE USED INTERCHANGEABLY.
THEY ARE DISTINCTLY DIFFERENT.
SO LET'S TALK ABOUT THOSE DIFFERENCES.
SO ON THE LEFT HAND SIDE, WE HAVE THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN.
SO THINK OF THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN AS OUR ROADMAP, OUR VISION FOR THE CITY.
THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN GIVES US THE ABILITY TO TALK ABOUT, UM, UH, WHAT IS OUR VISION WHERE WE WANNA BE AS OUR CITY MATURES, TYPICALLY OVER THE NEXT 20 YEARS, COMPREHENSIVE PLANS TYPICALLY HAVE A LONG PLANNING HORIZON, PLUS OR MINUS 20 YEARS.
UM, THEY ARE A POLICY DOCUMENT.
SO WHEN YOU THINK OF THE COMP PLAN, THINK HIGH LEVEL POLICY, THAT 30,000 FOOT LEVEL, IF YOU WILL.
AGAIN, THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN LAYS OUT THE VISION THAT WE'RE TR THAT WE'RE HEADING TOWARDS.
WE ALSO HAVE ACTIONS WITHIN THAT PLAN TO BE ABLE TO HELP US GET TO, UM, THAT END GOAL.
OR EXCUSE ME, THAT, THAT, UH, FUTURE VISION, IT'S IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND THIS AS A POLICY DOCUMENT.
SO IT HAS POLICIES RELATED TO LAND USE AND DEVELOPMENT, AND MAY ALSO ADDRESS HOUSING, UM, THE OPEN SPACE, PARKS, TRANSPORTATION, UM, OTHER MOBILITY NEEDS, TRANS DEVELOPMENT, YOU NAME IT.
WHATEVER WE'VE DECIDED TO PUT IN THE DOCUMENT.
AND OUR ENVISION RICHARDSON PLAN DOES ADDRESS MANY OF THOSE ITEMS. UM, IT ALSO PROVIDES THAT DIRECTION FOR FUTURE GROWTH AND REINVESTMENT WITHIN OUR CITY, UM, PARTICULARLY AS WE'RE CONSIDERING POSSIBLY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEALS, RIGHT? WHERE DO WE IN, UM, IS THIS PROJECT ADVANCING THE GOALS IN OUR VISION OF WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO ACHIEVE? OR AS WE MAKE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS, INVESTMENTS WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY? AGAIN, IDEALLY THEY'RE TIED BACK TO THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN AND, AND DEMONSTRATING THAT WE'RE FURTHERING THAT VISION IN THE, IN THE COMP PLAN.
UM, ALSO WHAT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE IS WITH THE ENVISION RICHARDSON PLAN, THE PLACE TYPE FRAMEWORK THAT WAS PROVIDED FOR IN THE PLAN GIVES US THAT INITIAL GUIDANCE AS WE EVALUATE ZONING REQUESTS AND, AND CONSIDER LAND USES THAT ARE, UH, PROPOSING TO BE, UM, INTRODUCED INTO OUR CITY OR OR PROPERTY BEING DEVELOPED AS SUCH.
UM, AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, COMPREHENSIVE PLANS TYPICALLY HAVE AN IMPLEMENTATION SECTION.
UM, A A PLAN IS ONLY AS GOOD AS THE IMPLEMENTATION EFFORTS THAT WE MAKE.
AND IT'S IMPORTANT ON THE CONFERENCE PLAN THAT WE HAVE THOSE ACTION ITEMS BECAUSE THAT HELPS MOVE US TOWARDS THAT END GOAL OF ACHIEVING THE VISION.
[01:20:01]
I WOULD POINT OUT IS STATE LAW ACKNOWLEDGES THAT THE CONFERENCE OF PLAN, IT IS NOT A ZONING MAP.SO WHEN I TALK ABOUT YOU CAN'T USE THEM INTERCHANGEABLY, UM, STATE LAW EVEN FURTHER REAFFIRMS THIS, UM, THEY EVEN REQUIRE US TO HAVE A STATEMENT ON OUR FUTURE LAND USE MAP THAT BASICALLY SAYS THIS IS NOT A ZONING MAP AND DOES NOT DEPICT ZONING BOUNDARIES.
SO THEN THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE SLIDE, THE ZONING ORDINANCE.
SO THE ZONING ORDINANCE IS ONE OF THE MOST SIGNIFICANT TOOLS THAT WE HAVE IN OUR TOOL CHEST FOR BEING ABLE TO IMPLEMENT THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN, THE ZONING ORDINANCE, THINK OF THAT AS THE DOCUMENT THAT TELLS PROPERTY OWNERS WHAT THEY CAN DO WITH THEIR PROPERTY AND HOW THEY GO ABOUT DOING IT.
IT IMPLEMENTS THE COMMUNITY'S VISION BY REGULATING LAND USE AND DEVELOPMENT THAT IS CONSISTENT WITH THE VISION IN THE GOALS THAT ARE LAID OUT WITH IN OUR COMPREHENSIVE PLAN.
SO THEY'RE RELATED, BUT THEY'RE DISTINCTLY DIS.
UM, THEY'RE DISTINCTLY DIFFERENT.
THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN POLICY DOCUMENT, VERY FLEXIBLE DOCUMENT, RIGHT? BECAUSE IT HAS TO BE FLEXIBLE TO BE ABLE TO EVOLVE WITH MARKET REALITIES.
THE CO THE COMPREHENSIVE ZONING ORDINANCE ON THE OTHER HAND IS REGULATORY IT'S LAWS.
SO IT'S A SET OF REGULATIONS RELATED TO LAND USE AND DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS, AGAIN, ADOPTED BY COUNCIL, BUT IT HAS LESS FLEXIBILITY ASSOCIATED WITH IT COMPARED TO THE CONFERENCE OF PLANT.
UM, AS I SAID EARLIER, THAT ZONING ORDINANCE TELLS PROPERTY OWNERS WHAT THEY CAN DO.
SO IF I WANNA DEVELOP A RESTAURANT, IT TELLS ME WHAT ZONING DISTRICTS I CAN LOCATE WITHIN FOR, FOR BUILDING THAT RESTAURANT.
THEN IT'LL TELL ME HOW FAR I HAVE TO BE SET BACK FROM MY FRONT PROPERTY LINE, MY NEIGHBOR'S PROPERTY LINE, THAT REAR PROPERTY LINE.
IT'LL TELL ME HOW TALL I CAN BUILD MY BUILDING OR THAT MAXIMUM HEIGHT.
IT MAY TELL ME HOW MUCH LANDSCAPING I HAVE TO PROVIDE ON THE SITE, HOW MUCH PARKING I NEED TO HAVE.
AND IN SOME CASES IT MIGHT ALSO ADDRESS EVEN SOME SIGNAGE ON IT.
SO THAT'S WHAT I SAY IT WHAT IT TELLS PEOPLE WHAT THEY CAN DO.
IT, IT LAYS OUT THOSE RULES, IF YOU WILL.
UM, THE ZONING ORDINANCE TYPICALLY IS NOT NEARLY AS FLEXIBLE AS THE CONFERENCE OF PLAN.
'CAUSE AGAIN, A COMP PLAN IS A POLICY DOCUMENT, WHEREAS THE ZONING ORDINANCE IS A REGULATORY DOCUMENT.
UM, AND SO WE DO NEED TO KEEP THAT CONFERENCES, ZONING ORDINANCE UP TO DATE AND EVOLVING WITH MARKET REALITIES AND DEVELOPMENT.
UM, NEW USES COME TO THE FOREFRONT THAT WE'RE TRYING TO WORK THROUGH AND FIGURE OUT HOW BEST TO FIT WITHIN OUR ZONING ORDINANCE.
AND SO THAT'S ALSO WHY IT'S IMPORTANT TO BE ABLE TO KEEP THAT DOCUMENT UPDATED.
AND THEN LASTLY, STATE LAW SPEAKS TO ZONING REGULATIONS MUST BE ADOPTED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONFERENCE OF PLAN.
SO IN OUR COMMUNITY, WE ENFORCE ZONING UNLIKE HOUSTON, RIGHT? BUT WE ENFORCE ZONING HERE IN, IN RICHARDSON.
AND SO THEREFORE IT MUST BE CONSISTENT WITH OUR CONFERENCE A PLAN.
SO JUST LIKE I SAID, A LITTLE BIT OF FOUNDATIONAL 1 0 1 ON THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THOSE TWO DOCUMENTS AND WHY THEY CANNOT BE USED INTERCHANGEABLY TO UNDERSTAND WHY CERTAIN APPLICATIONS GET CONSIDERED BY CITY COUNCIL, ONE NEEDS TO UNDERSTAND OUR CONFERENCES ZONING ORDINANCE AND THE CHALLENGES ASSOCIATED WITH IT.
SO, UM, OUR CONFERENCE IS ZONING ORDINANCE WAS ADOPTED IN 1956, SO ABOUT 70 PLUS OR MINUS YEARS AGO, RIGHT? UM, IT HAS BEEN UPDATED FROM TIME TO TIME OR AT LEAST AMENDED FOR CONSISTENCY WITH STATE STATUTES.
SO WE'RE, WE'RE GENERALLY IN ALIGNMENT THERE.
UM, IN TALKING WITH STAFF, PARTICULAR STAFF THAT HAS BEEN AROUND HERE FOR MANY YEARS, WE HAVE, UM, NOT SIGNIFICANTLY UPDATED THIS ZONING ORDINANCE THOUGH TO ADDRESS THE USES AND STANDARDS IN, IN, IN THE NEW DEVELOPMENT TRENDS AND EVOLUTION OF USES, IF YOU WILL, AS, AS THEY'VE OCCURRED OVER THE MANY DECADES.
AS SUCH, OUR CURRENT DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS, THEY DO NOT SUPPORT CERTAIN DEVELOPMENT TYPE PROJECTS OR DEVELOPMENT TRENDS OR, OR IN ALIGNMENT WITH THE, THE MARKET REALITIES.
AS SUCH, WE RELY UPON SPECIAL PERMITS.
WE RELY UPON A LOT OF PLAN DEVELOPMENT DISTRICTS.
UH, WE ALSO DO SPECIAL DEVELOPMENT PLANS OR A COMBINATION OF THOSE PROCESSES.
UM, WE TOOK A SNAPSHOT AND JUST DID A QUICK ANALYSIS TO UNDERSTAND THE ZONING ACTIVITY THAT WE'VE DONE OVER THE LAST THREE YEARS.
WE'VE DONE 69 PROJECTS THAT FALL INTO THAT ZONING BUCKET.
AND OF PARTICULAR INTEREST THAT I'D LIKE TO BRING TO YOUR ATTENTION ARE THE NUMBER OF SPECIAL PERMITS AND PLAN DEVELOPMENT DISTRICTS THAT WE HAVE DONE OVER THE LAST THREE YEARS.
WHAT WAS VERY TELLING THOUGH, WHEN WE LOOKED AT THIS DATA, WE HAVE NOT HAD ANY REQUESTS TO REZONE PROPERTY FROM ONE OF THE ZONING DISTRICTS.
THAT'S PROVIDED FOR IN OUR CONFERENCES, ZONING ORDINANCE TO ANOTHER DISTRICT THAT'S PROVIDED FOR IN OUR CONFERENCES ZONING ORDINANCE.
TYPICALLY, THAT IS, IF, IF SOMEONE IS NOT ABLE TO DO A PARTICULAR USE IN A, UH, IN THE CURRENT ZONING, THEY WOULD SEEK TO REZONE TO ANOTHER ZONING DISTRICT THAT IS WITHIN OUR CONFERENCES ZONING ORDINANCE.
WE DO NOT HAVE THAT HAPPENING HERE.
WE'RE RELYING UPON SPECIAL PERMITS, AND MORE IMPORTANTLY, WE'RE RELYING ON THOSE PLAN DEVELOPMENT DISTRICTS AS A PLANNING PROFESSIONAL.
KIND OF RULE OF THUMB IS WHEN WE'RE DEFAULTING AND RELYING UPON THOSE METHODS, THAT TELLS US THAT OUR ZONING ORDINANCE IS BROKEN AND THAT WE NEED TO TAKE THE EFFORTS IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO UPDATE IT ACCORDINGLY.
SO, SPECIAL PERMITS, LET'S TALK ABOUT THE CONCEPT BEHIND THEM AND AND WHY WE, UM, USE THEM THE WAY WE DO HERE IN RICHARDSON TODAY.
SO THE CONFERENCES ZONING ORDINANCE INCLUDES A LIST OF USES WITHIN IT THAT REQUIRES A SPECIAL PERMIT.
IT'S RECOGNIZING THAT THAT USE IS APPROPRIATE WITHIN THAT ZONING DISTRICT, BUT IT MAY NOT BE APPROPRIATE FOR ALL PROPERTIES THAT HAVE THAT ZONING DISTRICT.
SO KEEP IN MIND, STATE LAW TELLS US THAT IF WE'RE GOING TO HAVE THE LOCAL RETAIL ONE ZONING DISTRICT IN OUR CASE, THEN WE'RE GONNA HAVE, WE HAVE THAT SPREAD ALL THROUGHOUT THE CITY.
THE USES AND STANDARDS THAT ARE ALLOWED IN THE LR M1 ZONING DISTRICT THAT ARE ON THE WEST SIDE OF TOWN NEED TO BE THE SAME USES AND STANDARDS THAT ARE ON THE NORTH SIDE OF TOWN, THE EAST SIDE OF TOWN, SOUTH SIDE, AND EVERYWHERE IN BETWEEN, RIGHT?
[01:25:01]
SO, UM, SO THAT'S WHY I SAY THE ZONING ORDINANCE RECOGNIZES THAT THAT USE IS APPROPRIATE WITHIN THE LRM ONE ZONING DISTRICT, BUT IT MAY NOT BE APPROPRIATE FOR ALL PROPERTIES.SO IT BECOMES A SITE SPECIFIC EVALUATION THAT WE'RE ABLE TO DO.
SO THAT'S ONE OF THE WAYS THAT WE USE SPECIAL PERMITS.
THE OTHER METHOD THAT WE USE IS THAT WHEN WE HAVE A USE THAT IS NOT ADDRESSED IN THE ZONING ORDINANCE, THEN AS THE DEFAULT OUR ZONING ORDINANCE SAYS, WE'LL GO GET A SPECIAL PERMIT, RIGHT? IN OTHER CITIES ZONING ORDINANCE, WE WOULD HAVE WHAT'S CALLED A NEW AND ENLISTED USES PROCESS WHERE WE AS STAFF WOULD FIGURE OUT, OKAY, WE'VE GOT THIS NEW USE.
WHAT ZONING DISTRICTS ARE IT, IS IT MOST SUITABLE TO BE LOCATED WITHIN? AND THEN ARE, ARE THERE ANY PERFORMANCE STANDARDS THAT WE NEED TO ESTABLISH FOR THAT PARTICULAR USE? WE DO NOT DO THAT PROCESS HERE.
AGAIN, WE RELY UPON THE SPECIAL PERMIT PROCESS.
SO THE POSITIVE ASSOCIATED WITH THAT SPECIAL PERMIT PROCESS IS THAT DEVELOPERS OR PROPERTY OWNERS DO NOT HAVE TO WAIT ON THE CITY TO UPDATE AND AMEND ITS CONFERENCES, ZONING ORDINANCE, UM, TO BE ABLE TO ADDRESS THAT PARTICULAR USE INSTEAD, THEN WE DEFAULT TO, THEN THEY'RE ABLE TO BE ABLE TO REQUEST THAT USE ANYWHERE WITHIN THE DISTRICT.
AND THAT'S THE DOWNSIDE TO THAT SPECIAL PERMIT PROCESS.
THEY CAN REQUEST THAT USE ANYWHERE WITHIN THE, UM, WITHIN THE CITY, WITH EXCEPTION OF IF MAYBE A PROPERTY HAD PLANNED DEVELOPMENT DISTRICT ZONING THAT PROHIBITED THE USE THAT WAS BEING REQUESTED.
SO, UM, SO LIKE I SAID, SO POSITIVE AND NEGATIVE ASSOCIATED WITH THAT PROCESS.
UH, WITH THAT PARTICULAR PROCESS, WHEN YOU'RE CONSIDERING A SPEC, OR EXCUSE ME, A SPECIAL PERMIT, IT'S REALLY A USE BASED DISCUSSION, RIGHT? BECAUSE YOU'RE TRYING TO DETERMINE IS THAT USE APPROPRIATE FOR THAT PARTICULAR PROPERTY.
HOW DOES LINE WITH THE CONFERENCE OF PLAN RECOMMENDATIONS, HOW DOES THAT USE RELATE TO OTHER SURROUNDING USES? UM, DOES IT HAVE SIMILAR HOURS OF OPERATION? DOES IT HAVE SIMILAR OPERATIONAL IMPACTS? UM, UH, IS THERE SCREENING A BUFFERING THAT MIGHT BE NECESSARY BETWEEN THE USE THAT'S BEING REQUESTED AND THE ADJACENT PROPERTY OWNERS? RIGHT? SO AGAIN, IT'S, IT SHOULD BE MORE OF A FOCUS ON A USE BASED CONVERSATION.
YOU CAN ADD CONDITIONS AS PART OF THE SPECIAL PERMIT.
WE, WE'VE DONE THAT MANY TIMES, UM, IN THE SIX MONTHS OR NEARLY SIX MONTHS THAT I'VE BEEN HERE.
UM, TYPICALLY THOSE STANDARDS SHOULD BE MORE RESTRICTIVE THAN WHAT'S ALLOWED BY THE BASE ZONING.
YOU SHOULD NOT BE LESSENING ANY OF THE RESTRICTIONS, UM, UH, THAT ARE PROVIDED FOR IN THE BASE ZONING ORDINANCE.
IF WE ARE DOING THAT, THEN WE NEED TO BE GOING DOWN A PATH OF, OF REZONING PROPERTY OR, UM, OR IN OUR CASE IT SEEMS TO BE OUR DEFAULT IS OUR PLAN DEVELOPMENT DISTRICTS SPECIAL PERMITS ARE CONSIDERED A ZONING ACTION.
SO AS A RESULT, COUNCIL HAS FINAL SAY ON THEM BECAUSE AGAIN, STATE LAW DELEGATES ZONING APPROVAL AUTHORITY TO CITY COUNCIL.
SO PLAN DEVELOPMENT DISTRICTS.
SO THINK OF A PLAN DEVELOPMENT DISTRICT.
UH, SOMETIMES THE, THE LAYPERSON WAY I EXPLAIN THIS IS IT'S CUSTOMIZED ZONING FOR PROPERTY.
UM, IT IS TYPICALLY A ZONING DISTRICT THAT IS APPLIED EITHER TO A SPECIFIC SITE OR MAYBE IT'S APPLIED TO A LARGER AREA WHERE IT ADDRESSES LAND USES DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS.
IT MIGHT ADDRESS INFRASTRUCTURE REQUIREMENTS.
SOMETIMES IT MAY INCLUDE SIGNAGE.
I KNOW FROM TIME TO TIME WE ALSO ADDRESS PARKING IN IT, RIGHT? SO, UM, BUT IT CAN BE SPECIFIC TO AN ACTUAL SITE.
AND SO A DEVELOPER HAS A SPECIFIC PROJECT THAT THEY'RE WANTING TO BUILD ON A PARTICULAR PROPERTY.
THE EXISTING ZONING DOES NOT ALLOW FOR THE USE, OR MAYBE IT DOES NOT ALLOW FOR THE TYPE OF FORM OF DEVELOPMENT THAT THEY'RE WANTING TO DO.
SO THE DEVELOPER ASKS TO REQUEST TO REZONE TO A PLAN DEVELOPMENT DISTRICT.
UM, HERE ARE SOME EXAMPLES OF SOME CASES THAT, UM, HAVE COME BEFORE YOU HERE MORE RECENTLY THAT HOPEFULLY LOOK FAMILIAR.
UH, WE'VE ALSO USED THE PLAN DEVELOPMENT DISTRICT PROCESS TO APPLY FOR LARGER AREAS.
IT CAN ACCOMMODATE NEW DEVELOPMENT SUCH AS, LIKE CITY LINE.
A PLAN DEVELOPMENT DISTRICT WAS PUT IN PLACE BEFORE, UM, THAT DEVELOPMENT, UH, UH, OCCURRED WITHIN THE CITY.
AND THAT WAS GREENFIELD LAND, RIGHT? SO IT WAS DONE AS, AS A NEW DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVE.
WE'VE ALSO USED THE PLAN DEVELOPMENT DISTRICTS TO HELP US WITH OUR REDEVELOPMENT INITIATIVES THAT WE HAVE HERE FOR THE CITY.
UM, EXAMPLES OF THAT INCLUDE WEST SPRING VALLEY, THE MAIN STREET CENTRAL EXPRESSWAY CODE, AND THE COLLINS ARAPAHOE CODES.
UM, IN THE CASE OF THESE THREE REDEVELOPMENT INITIATIVES, THEY WERE THE RESULT OF CRAFTING ZONING REGULATIONS SPECIFIC TO THOSE PROJECT AREAS, FOLLOWING AN EXTENSIVE VISIONING EFFORT WITH THE COMMUNITY.
AND THEN ALSO, UM, WHICH INCLUDED EXTENSIVE PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT THAT WE HAD.
WE DECIDED PARTICULAR, I, I CAN SPEAK TO THE MAIN STREET CENTRAL EXPRESSWAY, UM, BECAUSE I WORKED FOR THE CITY AND WORKED ON THAT PARTICULAR PROJECT.
SO, UM, THE, UH, WE DECIDED TO DO THE PLAN DEVELOPMENT DISTRICT APPROACH FOR THAT PARTICULAR ZONING BECAUSE IT WAS THE PREFERRED APPROACH.
INSTEAD OF HAVING TO AMEND THE COMPREHENSIVE ZONING ORDINANCE TO BE ABLE TO TRY TO PROVIDE FOR THE FORM OF DEVELOPMENT THAT WE WERE INTERESTED IN HAVING IN OUR DOWNTOWN.
SO IN SOME COMMUNITIES WE WOULD GO THROUGH A PROCESS, WE WOULD ESTABLISH NEW ZONING DISTRICTS WITHIN OUR COMPREHENSIVE ZONING ORDINANCE TO ACHIEVE WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO ACHIEVE IN OUR DOWNTOWN AREA.
HERE IN RICHARDSON, WE MADE THE DECISION TO DO THE PLAN DEVELOPMENT DISTRICT, UM, BECAUSE WE WERE WRITING A FORM-BASED CODE, UM, TO BE ABLE TO APPLY FOR THAT PARTICULAR, UM, AREA.
AND IT WAS BECAUSE THE CONFERENCES, ZONING ORDINANCE JUST DID NOT PROVIDE THE FRAMEWORK THAT WE NEEDED IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO ACHIEVE, UM, THE TYPE OF DEVELOPMENT REGULATIONS WE WANTED TO PUT IN PLACE FOR THAT AREA.
UM, I THINK IT'S FAIR TO SAY, AND IT'S INTERESTING, WE HAVE CONVERSATIONS AMONGST MY TEAM ABOUT HOW THOSE PLAN DEVELOPMENT DISTRICTS ARE LIKELY MORE CURRENT THAN THE CONFERENCES ZONING ORDINANCE.
[01:30:01]
I REALIZE WEST SPRING VALLEY WAS DONE ABOUT 15 YEARS AGO, BUT WHEN YOU THINK OF WHEN OUR CONFERENCES ZONING ORDINANCE WAS WRITTEN IN, IN THE FACT THAT WE HAVEN'T SIGNIFICANTLY KEPT IT UPDATED TO, UM, ALIGN WITH CERTAIN DEVELOPMENT TRENDS, THESE MAJOR PLAN DEVELOPMENT DISTRICTS THAT WE'VE DONE ARE DEFINITELY MORE CURRENT THAN OUR CONFERENCES ZONING ORDINANCE BECAUSE, UM, WE'VE ADDRESSED USES THAT HAVE GIVEN US CHALLENGES OR THAT WE'RE TRYING TO ENCOURAGE WITHIN AN AREA.WE'VE ADDRESSED DEVELOPMENT CHALLENGES OR DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS THAT, UH, WE'VE RAN INTO ISSUES.
I KNOW MAIN STREET CENTRAL, THAT 25 FOOT SINGLE STORY HEIGHT LIMITATION THAT WE STILL STRUGGLE WITH TODAY, UH, WAS SOMETHING THAT WE PARTICULARLY ADDRESSED WITHIN THE, WITHIN THAT PARTICULAR ZONING CODE.
SO THAT'S WHY I SAY THOSE PLAN DEVELOPMENT DISTRICTS ARE LIKELY MORE CURRENT THAN WHAT WE HAVE IN OUR, IN OUR CONFERENCES ZONING ORDINANCE.
I THINK WHAT'S ALSO IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND IS, YOU KNOW, EARLIER WHEN I WAS TELLING YOU PLAN DEVELOPMENT DISTRICTS CAN BE SITE SPECIFIC, DEVELOPER COMES IN AND REQUESTS TO REZONE THEM.
PART OF IT IS BECAUSE THAT'S THE ONLY THING A LOT OF TIMES THAT THE DEVELOPING DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY UNDERSTANDS, OH, WELL, I'LL JUST GO IN AND GET A PLANNED DEVELOPMENT DISTRICT IF THE, IF THE ZONING DOES NOT ALLOW FOR IT.
SO IT IS TRULY THE PREFERRED APPROACH TO THE DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY.
UM, PART OF THAT REASON WHY, AGAIN, THAT THEY'RE REQUESTING THAT PD HERE IN RICHARDSON IS BECAUSE OUR ZONING ORDERS JUST, JUST DOES NOT PROVIDE THAT SUPPORTIVE FRAMEWORK MANY TIMES TO BE ABLE TO ACHIEVE THE, UH, DEVELOPMENT GOALS IN CERTAIN AREAS.
AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, IN THE LAST THREE YEARS, WE HAVE NOT HAD A REQUEST TO REZONE PROPERTY FROM ONE OF OUR ZONING DISTRICTS.
THAT'S PROVIDED FOR IN THE CONFERENCES ZONING ORDINANCE TO ANOTHER ONE OF THOSE ZONING DISTRICTS.
UM, JUST LIKE THE, UM, THE, THE THREE LARGER REDEVELOPMENT AREAS I WAS TALKING ABOUT WITH THE PDS BEING MORE CURRENT.
UM, I THINK IT'S FAIR TO SAY WITH THE PLAN DEVELOPMENT DISTRICTS THAT WE WRITE TODAY TO ACCOMMODATE DEVELOPMENT TRENDS THAT ARE HAPPENING TODAY ARE, ARE MORE CURRENT THAN WHAT'S ALLOWED FOR IN OUR COMPREHENSIVE ZONING ORDINANCE.
AGAIN, BECAUSE THE USES THE DEVELOPMENT REGULATIONS, THEY JUST NOT HAVE EVOLVED AND KEPT UP WITH BETTER PLANNING PRACTICES THAT WE HAVE TODAY.
UM, WE ALSO, I THINK WHAT'S IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND IS WHEN WE CONSISTENTLY RELY UPON PLAN DEVELOPMENT DISTRICTS, IN PARTICULARLY, IT, UM, CREATES CHALLENGES FOR US FROM AN ADMINISTRATION STANDPOINT, AND IT ALSO CREATES INCONSISTENCY THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITY.
AGAIN, WE'RE NOT ABLE TO, IF WE LOOKED AT A PLAN DEVELOPMENT DISTRICT AND I SAW, OH, IT HAS A BASE ZONING DISTRICT OF THE OFFICE DISTRICT, UM, WHEN I LOOK I HAVE TO GO AND I HAVE TO READ THE FINER DETAILS OF IT.
I CAN'T RELY UPON THAT BASE ZONING DISTRICT BEING RECOGNIZED BECAUSE THE FACT THAT WE PROBABLY WROTE OUT MANY OF THE USES THAT WOULD BE ALLOWED IN THAT BASE ZONING DISTRICT, AND WE ESTABLISHED A, A WHOLE SERIES OF OTHER REGULATIONS AND WE MIGHT HAVE EVEN WRITTEN SOME UNIQUE PROCESSES IN IT.
SO WHEN I TALK TO MY STAFF ABOUT, HEY, WHEN WE HAVE THESE OLD PDS, WE REALLY GOTTA MAKE SURE WE READ THROUGH THEM, UM, TO UNDERSTAND WHAT WAS ADOPTED IN THOSE PLAN DEVELOPMENT DISTRICTS.
AND SO IT MAKES IT DIFFICULT FOR THE DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY TO, UM, BETTER UNDERSTAND HOW TO BE ABLE TO DO DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY.
LASTLY, PLAN DEVELOPMENT DISTRICTS, AGAIN, THEY'RE A ZONING ACTION, SO THEY REQUIRES CITY COUNCIL APPROVAL AGAIN, 'CAUSE STATE LAW DELEGATED THAT APPROVAL AUTHORITY TO YOU ALL.
I'M, I'M GLAD WE'LL BE ABLE TO HAVE THIS CONVERSATION ABOUT SPECIAL DEVELOPMENT PLANS.
SO IT IS, UM, IT IS A PROCESS THAT WE HAVE ADOPTED AS PART OF OUR LARGER REDEVELOPMENT INITIATIVE PLAN DEVELOPMENT DISTRICTS.
UM, I PARTICULARLY NOTE MAIN STREET CENTRAL AND COLLINS ARAPAHOE.
'CAUSE IT'S PROVIDED FOR IN THOSE, IN THOSE DISTRICTS.
WEST SPRING VALLEY HAS A SIMILAR PROCESS.
IT'S REFERRED TO AS A MAJOR MODIFICATION, BUT THE INTENT IN THE OUTCOME IS ESSENTIALLY THE SAME.
THESE PLAN DEVELOPMENT DISTRICTS, THEY RECOGNIZE THAT NOT ALL PROPERTIES ARE CREATED EQUALLY WITHIN THE DISTRICT.
AND THEY MAY HAVE DIFFICULTY WITH STRICT COMPLIANCE OF THE DISTRICT'S DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS DUE TO SITE CONSTRAINTS OR ADAPTIVE REUSE OF THE EXISTING DEVELOPMENT.
WHEN WE WROTE THESE PDS, WE PUT A MUCH HIGHER LEVEL OF, OF, UM, REGULATION WITHIN THEM IN DEVELOPMENT FORM AND EXPECTATION BECAUSE AGAIN, WE WERE TRYING TO ACHIEVE A CERTAIN LOOK AND FEEL WITHIN, UM, THESE DISTRICTS, PARTICULARLY IN THE MAIN STREET CENTRAL EXPRESSWAY AREA.
WHEN YOU'RE CONSIDERING A SPECIAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN, PROBABLY EIGHT TIMES OUTTA 10, IT IS NOT GONNA BE A QUESTION ABOUT USE.
THE USE IS ALLOWED BY RIGHT? EVERY NOW AND THEN YOU'LL HAVE A SPECIAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN WHERE YOU'RE ALSO CONSIDERING THE USE BECAUSE THE ZONING ORDINANCE SAYS IT NEEDS A SPECIAL, UH, A SPECIAL PERMIT ASSOCIATED WITH IT.
SO YOU MIGHT KIND OF HAVE A COMBINATION DEAL THERE, BUT I THINK WHAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND WITH THE SPECIAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN PROCESS IS THAT WE PURPOSEFULLY PUT IT IN THE ZONING DISTRICTS IN ORDER TO ESTABLISH A RELIEF VALVE.
WE KNEW WITH THE HIGHER LEVEL OF DEVELOPMENT, PERFORMANCE AND REGULATION THAT WE WERE PUTTING IN THESE PLAN DEVELOPMENT DISTRICTS, WE WOULD NEED TO HAVE SOME SORT OF RELIEF VALVE MECHANISM WITHIN THEM.
BECAUSE THE OTHER ALTERNATIVE IS TO AMEND THOSE DISTRICTS TIME AND TIME AGAIN.
AND WE DID NOT WANT TO, UM, POTENTIALLY, UM, DETER FROM, UM, TAKING AWAY FROM WHAT WE ORIGINALLY ESTABLISHED.
SO THEREFORE WE ESTABLISHED THE, THE, UM, SPECIAL DEVELOPMENT PROCESS.
THE WHOLE PURPOSE OF THE SPECIAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN WAS TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT WE MAY HAVE PROJECTS THAT MEET A MAJORITY OF THE DEVELOPMENT REGULATIONS THAT ARE PROVIDED FOR THE PROPERTY, BUT THEY'RE, BUT THEY'RE MAYBE NOT ABLE TO MEET EVERYTHING IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO MAKE THEIR PROJECTS SUCCESSFUL.
UM, YOU COULD HAVE A PROJECT THAT IS CONSISTENT WITH THE VISION THAT HAS BEEN LAID OUT IN ONE OF THOSE SUBDISTRICTS THAT ARE PROVIDED FOR IN COLLINS, ARAPAHO, OR WITHIN MAIN STREET CENTRAL.
AND THE PROJECT IS CONSISTENT WITH THE VISION, BUT IT JUST NEEDS SOME RELIEF IN CERTAIN AREAS IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO ACCOMMODATE
[01:35:01]
THAT PROJECT.WE MAY HAVE SPECIAL DEVELOPMENT PLANS FOR PROJECTS THAT ACTUALLY RESULT IN A MUCH BETTER QUALITY PROJECT COMPARED TO WHAT COULD BE DEVELOPED UNDER THE CURRENT ZONING.
ALSO, I THINK THE OTHER THING THAT'S IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND IS THAT WHEN WE ADOPTED THESE, UM, HIGHER LEVEL OF, OF PLAN DEVELOPMENT DISTRICTS FOR THESE AREAS, WE REALIZED THAT THESE PROPERTIES WERE IN A STATE OF TRANSITION, RIGHT? UM, SOME OF THEM, THE, THE GOAL WAS TO GET THESE PROPERTIES CLOSER TO COMPLIANCE, IF NOT FULL, UH, COMPLIANCE.
UM, TO THAT POINT, I THINK THE OTHER THING TO UNDERSTAND WITH THESE IS ALSO THAT IS, UM, AND MY APOLOGIES, I LOST MY TRAIN OF THOUGHT THERE.
UM, ONE OF THE REASONS WHY WE PURPOSELY ALLOWED FOR THIS PROCESS WAS, UM, AS I MENTIONED, WE KNEW WE HAD A HIGHER LEVEL OF PERFORMANCE STANDARD ASSOCIATED WITH IT.
UH, THE OTHER THING WAS WE RECOGNIZE THAT NOT ALL PROPERTIES ARE CREATED EQUALLY IN THOSE ZONING DISTRICTS.
SO HENCE WHY SOMETIMES THEY'RE GOING TO NEED RELIEF FROM THEM.
THE OTHER THING, AND I THINK THIS IS REALLY IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND AND WHY THIS SPECIAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN PROCESS REALLY COMES INTO PLAY, AND THAT IS BECAUSE WHEN WE REZONED THE PROPERTIES, PARTICULARLY IN THE MAIN STREET CENTRAL, UM, UH, PLAN DEVELOPMENT DISTRICT OR THE FORM BASE CODE, WE MADE THOSE PROPERTIES NON-CONFORMING, ESPECIALLY FROM A BUILT FORM STANDPOINT.
SO KNOWING THAT WE MADE THOSE PROPERTIES NON-CONFORMING AND NEEDING TO BE ABLE TO HAVE A TOOL TO BE ABLE TO HELP GET THOSE PROPERTIES CLOSER TO COMPLIANCE, IF NOT FULL COMPLIANCE, HENCE WHY IT WAS VERY IMPORTANT FOR US TO ESTABLISH THAT SPECIAL DEVELOPMENT, UM, PROCESS.
AND AGAIN, IF A PROPERTY IS IN A STATE OF TRANSITION, MAYBE SOMEONE'S TRYING TO DO AN ADDITION ONTO THEIR BUILDING AND THE THE PROPERTY IS NONCONFORMING, WE'RE TRYING TO ALLOW FOR THAT ADDITION TO BE COMPLIANCE AND GET THE PROPERTY CLOSER TO COMPLIANCE.
UM, BUT WE STILL NEED RELIEF IN CERTAIN AREAS.
AGAIN, THAT'S WHERE THAT SPECIAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN PROCESS COMES INTO PLAY.
SO, UM, SO JUST WANTED TO PROVIDE SOME BACKGROUND AND UNDERSTANDING OF, I WOULD HOPE YOU DON'T THINK OF THE SPECIAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN AS SOMETHING BAD BECAUSE WE PURPOSELY PUT IT IN THESE ZONING ORDINANCES, RECOGNIZING THAT WE NEEDED A RELIEF VALVE, UM, TO ACCOMMODATE CERTAIN PROJECTS.
SO WHEN THOSE REQUESTS COME BEFORE YOU, AND, AND I PROMISE I I'LL WRAP UP ON THIS PARTICULAR SLIDE, BUT IS, UM, SOME CONSIDERATIONS THAT I WOULD CHALLENGE COUNSEL WITH.
AND THAT IS, FIRST OF ALL, IS THE PROJECT THAT'S BEING BROUGHT BEFORE YOU, IS IT IN ALIGNMENT WITH THE SPIRIT INTENT OF THE ZONING CODE? IS THAT PROJECT ADVANCING TOWARDS THE COMMUNITY'S VISION? IF WE HAVE A PROJECT THAT IS CHECKING THE BOXES ON NEARLY EVERYTHING THAT'S HELPING MOVE THE NEEDLE TOWARDS US ACHIEVING OUR VISION, BUT THEY NEED SOME RELIEF ON THOSE DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS, THEN WE PROBABLY SHOULD BE GIVING IT SOME STRONG CONSIDERATION AND IMPROVING IT.
BECAUSE AGAIN, IF IT'S HELPING MOVE THE NEEDLE TO GET TOWARDS THAT VISION, THEN THAT'S IMPORTANT FOR OUR COMMUNITY.
AND THEN LASTLY, UM, I THINK PART OF YOUR CONSIDERATION WOULD BE IS THE PROJECT BALANCING THE COMMUNITY VISION WITH MARKET REALITIES.
'CAUSE WE REALIZE MARKET CHANGES, RIGHT? USES EVOLVE, DEVELOPMENT FORM EVOLVES.
AND SO THEREFORE SOMETIMES WE NEED TO ACCOMMODATE THAT FLEXIBILITY THROUGH THAT SPECIAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN PROCESS.
SO THAT COMPLETES MY ZONING 1 0 1 CONVERSATION,
AND SO, UM, I WANTED TO JUST PAUSE HERE FOR A MOMENT IN CASE COUNSEL HAD ANY QUESTIONS BEFORE WE MOVE INTO THE FACILITATED DISCUSSION PORTION.
I MEAN, EVEN AFTER ALL THAT, I'M STILL A LITTLE BIT CONFUSED ON JUST ONE
SO I MEAN, I HEAR LIKE WITH THE IQ, WE TALK ABOUT THAT AND WE TALK ABOUT THINGS LIKE FORM-BASED CODE AND SORT OF, I'M JUST KIND OF TRYING TO RECONCILE WHAT THE DIFFERENCE IS BETWEEN SAY WHAT WE HAVE DONE AND LIKE WHAT I, SO A SPECIAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN IS, SEE, THIS IS WHERE I'M GETTING TRIPPED UP.
SO LIKE IN THE DOWNTOWN MAIN STREET AREA, SOME OF THE AREAS TO THE SOUTH OF THAT, RIGHT? LIKE THE, I THINK WE CALLED IT THE CREATIVE CORPORATE DISTRICT MM-HMM
RIGHT? SOME OF THOSE, WHAT IS, IS THAT, IS THAT A SPECIAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN OR IS THAT SOMETHING DIFFERENT? NO, SO THINK OF A SPEC, UM, A SPECIAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN IS BEING SITE SPECIFIC, RIGHT? OKAY.
SO SOMEONE'S BRINGING A PROJECT TO US, THEY'RE WANTING TO DEVELOP THEIR PROJECT ON THE PROPERTY, AND WE'RE SAYING, OKAY, WELL HERE ARE THE RULES YOU HAVE TO COMPLY WITH.
AND THEY SAY, WELL, I CAN'T MEET ALL OF THE RULES FOR THAT PARTICULAR SUBDISTRICTS REQUIREMENTS, RIGHT? RIGHT.
SO I NEED RELIEF ON, MAYBE IT'S THE, THE FRONT BUILDING SETBACK OR THE HEIGHT OR, UM, YOU KNOW, SOME SOMETHING OF THAT NATURE.
SO THEY, THEY GIVE US THE EQUIVALENT OF A SITE PLAN.
WE REVIEW THAT FOR COMPLIANCE WITH ALL OF THE DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS THAT ARE IN PLAY, BUT WE IDENTIFY, OKAY, WHERE ARE THE ONES THAT YOU'RE NEEDING RELIEF FROM MM-HMM
AND THEN WE LOOK TO SEE ARE THOSE REASONABLE, RIGHT? UM, IF WE WERE TO GRANT RELIEF TO, UH, AND APPROVE THIS PROJECT, DOES THIS PROJECT THEN HELP US STILL ACHIEVE OUR VISION FOR THAT AREA? UM, EVEN THOUGH THEY NEED A LITTLE BIT OF RELIEF ON THIS PARTICULAR DEVELOPMENT REGULATION MM-HMM
NOW, IF SOMEBODY BROUGHT YOU A PLAN THAT YOU CAN TELL THERE'S NO EFFORT ON TRYING TO COMPLY WITH ANY OF THE DEVELOPMENT REGULATIONS IN IT, AND IT'S NOT CONSISTENT WITH OUR VISION, THEN I WOULD ANTICIPATE WE'D BE HAVING A CONVERSATION ABOUT HOW THIS DOES NOT MOVE THE NEEDLE TOWARDS THE VISION AND WE NEED TO BE DENYING THIS PROJECT BECAUSE IT'S, IT'S CLEARLY THERE'S NO EFFORT HERE ON, ON TRYING TO MEET THE DEVELOPMENT REGULATIONS THAT WE'VE PUT FORTH IN THIS PARTICULAR AREA.
IS THAT CORRECT? SO JOE, WHICH, WHICH YOU MAY BE THINKING OF, IS
[01:40:01]
IN EACH OF THE THREE SPECIAL DEVELOPMENT AREAS THAT, UM MM-HMMTHAT WE'VE REZONED, UM, THEY WERE ALL SELECTED BACK IN THE 29 OR 2009 COMP PLAN BECAUSE THEY WERE UNIQUE AND THE COUNCIL DIDN'T THINK AT THAT TIME THAT THE COMP PLAN WOULD BE, UM, UNIQUE OR SPECIFIC ENOUGH TO THEIR DIFFERENT NEEDS WITHIN EACH OF THOSE EFFORTS.
WEST SPRING VALLEY, SEVEN FIVE MAIN AND IQ, THERE ARE DISTRICTS MM-HMM
BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, THE CORNER OF US 75, THE NORTHWEST CORNER OF US 75 IN SPRING VALLEY, FOR INSTANCE, IS VERY DIFFERENT THAN THE CORNER OF KOTT IN SPRING VALLEY.
UM, JUST AS YOU MENTIONED, JUST AS THE DESIGN DISTRICT, UH, IS DIFFERENT THAN INTERURBAN.
AND SO EACH OF THESE DISTRICTS WITHIN THESE ZONING ORDINANCES HAVE THEIR OWN UNIQUE VISION.
UM, AND SO, YOU KNOW, WHAT TINA SAID IS ABSOLUTELY TRUE.
YOU COULD HAVE A SPECIAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN IN ANY OF THOSE DISTRICTS IF IT WAS UNIQUE TO A SPECIFIC PROPERTY, BUT YOU'RE NOT, YOU'RE, YOU'RE RECALLING ACCURATELY THAT THERE ARE DIFFERENT DISTRICTS IN EACH OF THESE ZONING, EACH, EACH OF THESE SPECIAL REDEVELOPMENT AREAS, BUT DIFFERENT THAN A SPECIAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN.
BUT SOME OF THOSE DISTRICTS ALSO HAVE DIFFERENT ZONING RULES.
THAT'S WHY THEY, THAT'S WHY EACH OF THEM HAVE THEIR OWN UNIQUE SET OF, UM, WELL, EACH OF 'EM HAS A LITTLE BIT OF A UNIQUE VISION.
AND THEN, UH, AS WE WENT THROUGH EACH OF THOSE, WE HAD TO ENTITLE IT DIFFERENTLY TO TRY TO ACHIEVE THOSE VISIONS WITHIN THE LARGER, UM, UM, SPECIALTY DEVELOPMENT AREA.
AND SO WHEN SOMEONE HAS A PROPERTY THAT IS LIKE, SO WOULD A SPECIAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN BE SOMETHING THAT, HEY, IT'S A CONFORMING USE, BUT IT'S JUST MAYBE NOT QUITE, THERE'S SOME, SOME LITTLE ASPECTS TO THE ZONING CODE THAT DON'T FIT? OR IS THIS WHERE NON-CONFORMING USES WOULD GO AS WELL? OR THOSE, IT IT'S, IT'S THE LATTER.
IT'S THE FIRST ONE THAT YOU MENTIONED.
THE USE COULD BE ALLOWED BY RIGHT.
BUT THEY'RE NEEDING A LITTLE BIT OF RELIEF TO THE DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO MAKE THEIR PROJECT COME TO FRUITION.
SO NONCONFORMING USE, IS THAT TYPICALLY LIKE A SPECIAL PERMIT? WE, NO.
SO
WHEN BEFORE THE CITY CHANGED THE ZONING RULES, BUT WHEN WE ADOPTED THE NEW ZONING ORDINANCE, WE MADE A PROPERTY NON-CONFORMING.
SO WE MIGHT'VE MADE IT NON-CONFORMING FROM A USE STANDPOINT WHERE THAT USE IS NO LONGER ALLOWED IN THAT ZONING DISTRICT.
UM, WE ALLOW FOR NON-CONFORMING USES TO, TO CONTINUE AS LONG AS THEY'RE CONTINUALLY OPERATING.
I BELIEVE WE HAVE A SIX MONTHS ONSET PROVISION ASSOCIATED WITH THEM.
SO IF THAT USE STOPS FOR SIX MONTHS OR LONGER, THEN THEY DON'T GET THAT USE ANYMORE.
THEY GET ALL THE OTHER USES THAT ARE STILL ALLOWED UNDER THEIR ZONING.
THEY JUST DON'T GET THE ONE THAT WAS NON-CONFORMING.
WE CAN ALSO MAKE, UM, WE COULD HAVE MADE PROPERTIES NON-CONFORMING WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT THE FORM OF THE DEVELOPMENT MM-HMM
HOW THE BUILDING SETS ON THE PROPERTY.
UM, WE ALSO, UM, WE TALK ABOUT SITE ELEMENTS POTENTIALLY BEING NON-CONFORMING.
SO THE AMOUNT OF PARKING OR MAYBE THE LANDSCAPING ASSOCIATED WITH IT, UM, WE COULD EVEN HAVE NON-CONFORMING SIGNAGE ON IT.
SO THOSE PARTICULAR, UM, PARTICULARLY COLLINS, ARAPAHO AND THE MAIN STREET CENTRAL CODE ACTUALLY HAVE, UM, WHAT I BELIEVE SOME WELL CODIFIED PROVISIONS TO BE ABLE TO HELP ADDRESS THOSE DIFFERENT ASPECTS OF NON-CONFORMITY BECAUSE, UM, SOMETIMES THEY GET USED INTER, UM, UH, THEY GET USED INTERCHANGEABLY WHEN, WHEN THEY'RE REALLY NOT.
SO JOE, WHEN YOU, WHEN YOU USE THE WORD NON-CONFORMING, DO YOU MEAN THAT THE IT'S NOT ENTITLED BY RIGHT? RIGHT.
SO LIKE, LET'S SAY, OKAY, SO LET'S SAY SOMEONE COMES IN WITH LIKE HEAVY INDUSTRIAL, SO TINA ADDRESS, THAT'S A DIFFERENT QUESTION.
I THINK THE UNDERLYING QUESTION WAS IF SOMETHING ISN'T ENTITLED BY RIGHT.
IS IT ELIGIBLE FOR A SPECIAL PERMIT OR IF A SPECIAL SPECIAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN, WHAT DO WE, WHAT DO WE CALL, I THINK NON-CONFORMING WASN'T, WAS THAT'S NON-CONFORMING WITH THE, WOULD BE WITH THE, UH, ZONING BY RIGHT.
NOT NECESSARILY THE, THE WAY WE USE IT.
THIS IS JUST SO KEEP IN MIND, UM, IN THE COLLINS ARAPAHOE AND THE MAIN STREET CENTRAL COATS, RIGHT.
EACH OF THOSE SUBDISTRICTS HAS A LIST OF USES THAT ARE EITHER ALLOWED BY RIGHT.
OR SOME OF THEM MAY BE ALLOWED WITH A SPECIAL PERMIT.
IF THE ORDINANCE THEN IS SILENT TO THAT USE IN THOSE PARTICULAR PLANNED DEVELOPMENT DISTRICTS, THAT USE IS PROHIBITED MM-HMM
ELSEWHERE IN THE CITY, OUTSIDE THOSE ZONING DISTRICTS BECAUSE THE ZONING ORDINANCE IS SILENT, THEN THEY WOULD BE ABLE TO COME FORTH AND REQUEST FOR A, A SPECIAL PERMIT MM-HMM
BUT IN THOSE PARTICULAR REINVESTMENT AREAS WHERE WE CODIFY THOSE TIGHTER, UM, ZONING REGULATIONS, IF A USE IS NOT ALLOWED, IT'S, IT'S NOT ALLOWED AT ALL.
AND IF WE GRANT AN EXCEPTION TO THAT, THAT WOULD BE A ZONING AMENDMENT.
THAT THAT WOULD BE A ZONING AMENDMENT.
NO, IT'S JUST HELPFUL TO BE ON THE SAME PAGE WITH THE VOCAB.
SOME OF THE COMPLEXITIES THAT YOU'RE TRYING TO WORK THROUGH RIGHT NOW ARE KIND OF A BYPRODUCT OF THE FACT OF WE HAVE A 1956 ZONING ORDINANCE, RIGHT? BECAUSE WE CRAFTED ALL OF THESE UNIQUE ZONING DISTRICTS IN THESE DIFFERENT AREAS TO BE ABLE TO ACHIEVE THE VISIONS THAT WE'RE TRYING TO BE ACHIEVED FOR THOSE AREAS.
AND SO WE, WE DID IT OUT, UM, WE SORT OF DID IT OUTSIDE OF OUR CONFERENCES ZONING ORDINANCE BECAUSE THE CONFERENCES ZONING ORDINANCE DID NOT GIVE US THE SUPPORTIVE FRAMEWORK.
SO THE CHALLENGES YOU'RE HAVING, IMAGINE WHEN I HIRE A PLANNER ON THE FIRST DAY.
YOU HAVE A WHOLE DICTIONARY JUST FOR YOUR PROFESSION.
MS. FER JUST TO UH, KIND OF DOUBLE UP A TINY BIT ON WHAT WAS JUST TALKED ABOUT.
[01:45:01]
SDPS, BEFORE WE MOVE SOMEWHERE ELSE ON THESE, WHENEVER THERE IS AN SDP, DOES THAT BECOME SOMETHING THAT IS A STAFF APPROVED ADJUSTMENT AS LONG AS THEY FELT LIKE IT WAS, UH, UH, MEETING THESE BUT JUST NEEDED A LITTLE RELIEF? OR IS THAT COMING TO COUNCIL IN THOSE SCENARIOS? THAT ALWAYS COMES TO COUNCIL.ON THOSE SPECIAL DEVELOPMENT PLANS.
AND, AND I CAN TELL YOU, UM, AT LEAST WITH RESPECT TO THE MAIN STREET CENTRAL CODE, WHEN WE, UM, ADOPTED THIS PROCESS AS PART OF IT IS WE BASICALLY CHALLENGED COUNSEL WITH THE KEEPERS OF THE VISION.
RIGHT? UM, AND SO THERE ARE SOME ITEMS THAT ARE BUILT IN THE CODE, SUCH AS A MINOR MODIFICATION THAT STAFF IS ABLE TO APPROVE ADMINISTRATIVELY.
BUT IF IT DOESN'T FALL INTO THAT PARTICULAR BUCKET, THEN IT'S A SPECIAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN.
AND THOSE COME BEFORE, UM, THEY, THEY FIRST WILL STOP AT THE, THE PLAN COMMISSION FOR A RECOMMENDATION FROM THEM, AND THEN THEY COME TO COUNCIL FOR YOUR FINAL ACTION.
YOU'RE THE KEEPER OF THE, THE CODE.
UH, TINA, BEFORE I ASK A QUESTION, I JUST WANNA SAY, I ALWAYS ENJOY WHEN YOU COME AND SPEAK TO US.
YOU, UH, SPEAK QUICKLY, BUT YOU'RE VERY CLEAR AND ALWAYS INFORMATIVE.
SO I THINK YOU, I, I ALWAYS ENJOY YOU COMING TO US.
LOOKING BACK, I DON'T KNOW, LET'S SAY TWO, THREE YEARS, WHATEVER, HOWEVER BACK YOU WENT, UH, I THINK YOU MENTIONED IT EARLIER, THREE YEARS.
UM, HOW MANY, IF WE WOULD'VE HAD THESE UPDATED MORE OR LESS, HOW MANY, I GUESS, CASES WOULD HAVE COME TO THE COUNCIL? I GUESS WHAT WAS THE WORKFLOW INCREASE BY DOING THIS? SO WITH OR DECREASE, WE DID NOT GO TO THAT LEVEL OF DETAIL, BUT WHAT I WILL TELL YOU IS THE SPECIAL PERMITS, BECAUSE THE CONFERENCES ONLY ORDINANCE SAID THAT YOU EITHER NEED A SPECIAL PERMIT OR IT WAS SILENT THEN, UM, WE DID THE, THE 25 SPECIAL PERMITS OVER THESE PAST THREE YEARS.
UM, THE PLAN DEVELOPMENT DISTRICTS, I DON'T, DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH OF THAT WAS A USE BASED CONVERSATION VERSUS MORE OF A DEVELOPMENT FORM CONVERSATION.
UM, CHARLES, DO YOU HAVE ANY INDICATION MAYBE? I THINK THAT, I THINK THEY'RE MORE AROUND, UM, LESS AROUND USE AND MORE AROUND DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS.
THAT WOULDN'T SURPRISE ME, JUST IF WHAT I'VE SEEN, SO.
UM, SO WHEN WE UPDATE THIS, I KNOW THERE'S BEEN, YOU KNOW, IN THE THREE YEARS I'VE BEEN ON THE COUNCIL, WE'VE SEEN SEVERAL LIKE, UM, OH, LET'S SAY PARKING.
WE'VE HAD SEVERAL PARKING CASES COME TO US.
I DON'T KNOW IF THIS OR THE PREVIOUS COUNCILS EVER DENIED A PARKING DECREASE.
UM, AND I, I FEEL LIKE THERE'S ALWAYS A LITTLE BUZZ.
IT'S LIKE, WHY ARE WE REVIEWING THIS AGAIN WHEN WE, YOU KNOW, PARKING, UH, WE HAVE A VERY RESTRICTIVE PARKING, UH, REQUIREMENT IN, IN RICHARDSON.
SO WILL YOU BRING US THIS PIECE BY PIECE IN THE FUTURE? WHAT'S KIND OF THE PLAN? WHAT DOES THIS LOOK LIKE IN THE FUTURE? IS THIS KIND OF YES, GO AHEAD.
SO IF, UM, IF COUNCIL IS SUPPORTIVE OF US BRINGING FORTH A PLAN TO REWRITE THE CONFERENCES ZONING ORDINANCE, THEN UM, WE CAN ADDRESS THAT A LITTLE BIT, UM, UH, MORE IN DETAIL AT THAT TIME.
BUT WHAT I CAN TELL YOU IS THAT WE WOULD LOOK AT ALL ASPECTS OF THE ZONING ORDINANCE.
SO PARKING WOULD BE ONE OF THEM.
UM, ARE WE OKAY WITH OUR CURRENT PARKING REGULATIONS? DO WE THINK THAT THEY, UM, ARE TOO EXCESSIVE AND WE NEED TO CONSIDER REDUCING PARKING REGULATIONS? OR MAYBE THERE'S A HANDFUL OF USES THAT WE THINK, YEAH, WE NEED TO HAVE A MORE, UM, A A BETTER APPROPRIATE RATIO, BUT WE CAN BE FLEXIBLE IN, IN SOME OF THESE OTHER AREAS.
SO, SO THAT WOULD BE PART OF THE CONVERSATION.
UM, THAT'S ALL THE QUESTIONS I HAVE FOR NOW.
THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR, THANK YOU FOR THIS COMPLICATED PRESENTATION,
I SEE ON YOUR SLIDE FIVE, THAT'S, UH, SIDE BY SIDE THAT YOU HAVE TWO THINGS.
YOU KNOW, YOU SAID NOT ZONING ORDINANCE IS NOT FLEXIBLE, BUT THE COUNCIL CAN MAKE THIS THING MUCH MORE FLEXIBLE THAN WAS TODAY, RIGHT? YES.
SO THAT WILL GO WITH THE, RIGHT.
SO IF, IF YOU WERE TO CONSIDER REWRITING THE ZONING ORDINANCE, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE WOULD LOOK AT AS PART OF THAT EFFORT IS, ARE THERE CERTAIN PERFORMANCE STANDARDS THAT YOU THINK ARE AT A MINIMUM NEED TO BE ACHIEVED FOR MAYBE A PARTICULAR USE? BUT THERE MAY BE SOME AREA WHERE YOU'RE WILLING TO GRANT SOME RELIEF.
AND SO WE WOULD WRITE PROVISIONS IN THE CODE TO BE ABLE TO ACCOMMODATE THAT RELIEF BASED UPON WHERE YOU THINK IT'S A IS APPROPRIATE.
SO THAT, THAT WOULD, THAT WOULD HELP ADDRESS SOME OF THIS CHALLENGE.
UM, YOU STILL HAVE TO THINK OF THE ZONING ORDINANCE THOUGH, AS STILL BEING A REGULATORY DOCUMENT.
UM, NOT NEARLY AS FLEXIBLE COMPARED TO THE CONFERENCE OF PLAN BECAUSE, AND THE POINT TRYING TO BE MADE HERE IS THE CONFERENCE OF PLAN HAS TO BE FLEXIBLE WITH THAT 20 YEAR PLANNING HORIZON AND HAVING THOSE POLICIES THAT ARE PUT IN PLACE AND BE ABLE TO, UH, RESPOND TO MARKET VARIATION.
I, YEAH, I THINK THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS THAT, YOU KNOW, THE PARKING ISSUE COULD HAVE BEEN ADDRESSED BY
[01:50:01]
MAKING THAT RIGHT.SOME OF THE REVISED, BUT ALSO BACK SOME OF THE THINGS THAT COULD BE DONE THAT WAY.
UH, AND ONE THING I WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT I UNDERSTAND CLEARLY IS THAT WHEN PROPERTY IS NOT NONCONFORMING THAT IT WAS BEFORE, BUT IT HAS CHANGED.
IT, IT WAS CONFORMING BEFORE WE CHANGED THE RULES ON IT, RIGHT? LIKE FOR EXAMPLE, IT'S A AUTO BODY REPAIR SHOP IN, YOU KNOW, MIXED USE AREA.
UH, AND IF THAT GOES BEYOND SIX MONTH NON-USE, SO IT'S NOT CONFORMING ANYMORE AND THEY CAN'T GET CO ANYMORE, BUT THOSE CASE DOESN'T COME TO THE COUNCIL, COUNCIL REALLY CAN'T SAY ANYTHING.
UM, SO IF THE SIX MONTH TIME PERIOD EXPIRED, THEN THAT USE CEASES.
UM, I GUESS SOMEBODY COULD ATTEMPT TO APPEAL OUR DECISION IN THE ZONING BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT WOULD CONSIDER THOSE APPEALS.
BUT, UM, BUT TYPICALLY IF OUR ORDINANCE SAYS THAT SIX MONTHS AND WE'VE DONE OUR HOMEWORK AND WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO DEMONSTRATE THAT YES, THIS USE HAS CEASED OPERATING, THEN, THEN THAT USE IS, IS FINISHED ON THAT PARTICULAR PROPERTY.
SO, SO COUNCIL DOESN'T REALLY SAY ANYTHING ON THAT.
'CAUSE THE ZBA IS TOTALLY SEPARATE ISSUE.
THE, THE ZBA WOULD SEE IT IF THEY WERE APPEALING OUR DECISION.
I MEAN, THEY'LL LOOK AT THAT IF THEY NEED TO.
UM, TINA, THANK YOU FOR THE UPDATED LESSON.
AGAIN, IT'S ALWAYS GOOD TO JUST REHEAR IT AGAIN.
UM, I WANNA MAKE SURE I UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU WANT OUT OF THE COUNCIL TONIGHT.
UM, WOULD THIS, WOULD THIS HAVE ANYTHING, UM, OR WOULD THIS BE INCLUDED? LIKE FOR EXAMPLE, UH, SOME OF THE SCHOOLS THAT ARE IN NEIGHBORHOODS THAT POTENTIALLY MAY OR MAY, UH, GET CLOSED IN THE FUTURE.
WOULD, WOULD WE BE LOOKING AT THINGS, HOW TO REPURPOSE THOSE BUILDINGS THAT, WOULD THAT BE PART OF THIS? AND ALSO TO, LIKE, FOR EXAMPLE, UM, LIKE SAME TYPE BUSINESSES ARE THAT ARE CLUSTERED IN AREAS.
WOULD THIS BE SOMETHING THAT POTENTIALLY WOULD BE ADDRESSED IN THAT AREA? I'M, I'M ONLY GONNA USE AN EXAMPLE ONLY BECAUSE IT'S BEEN BROUGHT UP SO MANY TIMES, BUT YOU KNOW, THE AMOUNT OF, IN THIS CASE, THE AMOUNT OF CHICKEN PLACES ALL IN ONE CORNER.
SO, UH, BUT THERE'S OTHER AREAS IN THE CITY THAT THERE ARE A LOT OF CLUSTERED, SAME TYPE BUSINESSES AND, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN ONLY HAVE SO MANY AND SUPPORT SO MANY.
SO WOULD THOSE BE THE TYPES OF FEEDBACK AND QUESTIONS THAT WE WANT TO ADDRESS IN ADDITION TO TALKING ABOUT THE PARKING? 'CAUSE I DO HAVE SOME, UH, THINGS I'D LIKE TO SAY ABOUT THE PARKING WHEN WE GET TO IT, BUT JUST WANT TO GET SOME CLARITY ON WHAT YOU'RE WANTING.
SO I'M GONNA ADDRESS YOUR SECOND QUESTION FIRST.
AND THEN I'LL COME BACK TO THE FIRST ONE.
SO IN TERMS OF, UM, YOU COULD ESTABLISH CERTAIN PERFORMANCE REGULATIONS IF YOU WANTED TO HAVE A MINIMUM SEPARATION OF, OF A THOUSAND FEET OR A MILE, YOU KNOW, WHAT, WHATEVER THAT ARBITRARY NUMBER IS BETWEEN CERTAIN, UM, LAND USES.
SO LIKE, FOR EXAMPLE, YOU MENTIONED THE CHICKEN CORNER IN, IN THE CHICKEN RESTAURANTS, RIGHT? TYPICALLY WE DO NOT REGULATE THROUGH ZONING THE TYPE OF FOOD THAT'S BEING SOLD, BUT WE COULD ESTABLISH A REGULATION THAT YOU NEED TO HAVE A MINIMUM THOUSAND FEET BETWEEN, BETWEEN ANY, UM, DRIVE-THROUGH RESTAURANTS.
SO THAT WOULD BE ONE WAY TO BE ABLE TO ADDRESS THAT ASPECT.
UM, IN TERMS OF THE SCHOOL PROPERTIES, I'LL, I'LL BE HONEST, I'M NOT AS FAMILIAR WITH THE SCHOOLS.
UM, IF IT, UM, IF ANY OF THEM WERE TO BE, UM, HAVE BEEN CLOSED, I THINK IN THOSE PARTICULAR INSTANCES WHAT WE WOULD DO IS WE WOULD LOOK TO SEE WHAT IS THE ZONING IN PLACE ON THOSE PROPERTIES, AND THEN LOOK TO SEE DO WE WANNA KEEP THAT ZONING IN PLACE? ARE THERE CERTAIN STANDARDS THAT WE WANNA MODIFY, UM, THAT WOULD HELP FACILITATE REDEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATED WITH THOSE PROPERTIES.
IF, IF THOSE SCHOOLS ARE LOCATED IN THE MIDDLE OF A RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOOD, THEN I WOULD ANTICIPATE WE WOULD HAVE SOME SORT OF RESIDENTIAL ZONING THAT'S COMPARABLE TO THE SURROUNDING AREA, BECAUSE AGAIN, WE WANNA HAVE SOME CONTINUITY IN OUR ZONING REGULATIONS AND OR IN OUR, IN OUR ZONING PATTERNS AND IN SOME, UM, CONSISTENCY THERE.
SO TRYING TO KEEP THAT HIGH LEVEL.
BUT, UM, YOU KNOW, IF THERE WAS A SITE SPECIFIC ISSUE WHERE THE SCHOOL DISTRICT WAS INTERESTED IN SELLING ITS PROPERTY AND HAVING IT REDEVELOPED AS SOMETHING ELSE, WE WOULD BE HAVING A CONVERSATION ABOUT WHAT IS APPROPRIATE LAND USES IN THAT AREA.
WE WOULD HAVE AT LEAST A ZONING REGULATION ON THAT.
SO FOR EXAMPLE, IF, IF THIS WAS BROUGHT TO YOUR, UH, TO YOUR OFFICE AND THERE WAS A SCHOOL IN A NEIGHBORHOOD, UM, IN A SPECIFIC LOCATION THAT'S CLOSED AND SOMEONE WANTED TO COME IN AND BUILD SOME TOWN HOMES OR INTEGRATE SOME TYPE OF, UH, COMMERCIAL SLASH RESIDENTIAL, WOULD THAT BE DECIDED AND, UH, AT YOUR OFFICE, OR WOULD THAT COME TO COUNCIL FOR FINAL APPROVAL? THAT WOULD MOST LIKELY HAVE TO COME TO COUNCIL, I WOULD THINK, FOR FINAL APPROVAL, BECAUSE I WOULD ANTICIPATE THAT THEY'RE PROBABLY NEEDING A ZONING AMENDMENT ON THEIR PROPERTY.
UM, WITH OUR ZONING REGULATIONS THAT EXIST TODAY, AND JUST WITH SOME OF THE INFILL RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS, IT, IT WOULD NOT SURPRISE ME.
UM, COULD SOMEBODY COME AND PROPOSE A DEVELOPMENT PROJECT THAT MEETS ALL OF THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE CURRENT ZONING THAT'S IN PLACE TODAY? THEN, THEN YES, THAT COULD POTENTIALLY HAPPEN.
BUT JUST GIVEN WHAT WE'RE SEEING ON INFILL RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT,
[01:55:01]
I, I WOULD ANTICIPATE THAT OUR CURRENT REGULATIONS THAT WERE ADOPTED IN THE 1950S ARE PROBABLY GONNA BE PROBLEMATIC FOR THEM.UM, JUST THE, THE SETBACKS ALONE.
SO, AND THEY, AND THIS IS THE TYPE OF INFORMATION OR FEEDBACK YOU WANT FROM US.
THE DISCUSSIONS WE ARE HAPPENING NOW ARE, ARE ACTUALLY COMING UP WITH FULL QUESTIONS ON HOW WE'RE, YOU KNOW, WHAT WE WANT TO ADDRESS.
IS THAT CORRECT? YEAH, I THINK THIS IS GOOD FEEDBACK.
THERE ARE SOME QUESTIONS I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE GET TO WITHIN A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME.
I MEAN, I'LL STAY HERE AS LONG AS YOU WANT AND TALK ZONING.
BUT I DON'T THINK EVERYBODY ELSE WANTS TO, JUST FOR THE PEOPLE ALSO WATCHING, I JUST WANT THEM TO BE CLEAR WHAT WE'RE TRYING, LET ME, LET ME JUST CLARIFY THOUGH, A LOT OF THE QUESTIONS ARE, UM, GOING TO BE, UM, MORE PERTINENT.
A LOT OF THE TECHNICAL QUESTIONS ARE GONNA BE MUCH MORE PERTINENT IF YOU DIRECT US TO DO THIS, AND WE GET INTO THAT PROCESS.
EVEN THE QUESTIONS THAT ARE COMING UP, WE'RE NOT LOOKING FOR A REAL DEEP DIVE INTO THE TECHNICAL, IT'S MUCH MORE PHILOSOPHICAL AND, UM, LOOKING FOR MORE GUIDANCE AND DIRECTION ON HOW YOU WOULD LIKE US TO TAKE ON THESE TACTICS THAT YOU'VE ATTACHED US WITH.
UH, WELL, MAYBE A COUPLE, BUT, UH, YOU HAD MENTIONED THE SIX MONTH, UH, PERIOD.
IS THAT LIKE A STATE LENGTH OF TIME OR IS THAT LIKE OTHER THINGS WHERE IT'S A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME OR HOW, HOW, HOW IS THAT DETERMINED? OR IS THAT JUST SOMETHING WE CHOSE? SO WITH IN, WITH RESPECT TO NONCONFORMING USAGE? YES.
SO, UM, I BELIEVE IT IS NOT NECESSARILY CODIFIED IN STATE LAW.
THAT'S, THAT IS A REASONABLE TIMEFRAME.
I THINK THAT'S BEEN DEEMED APPROPRIATE.
SOME CITIES HAVE GONE WITH A SHORTER TIME PERIOD, BUT I THINK WHAT YOU'LL FIND, MAJORITY OF THE CITIES PROBABLY IN THE NORTH TEXAS AREA HAVE THAT SIX MONTH PROVISION.
THE COMMUNITY THAT I JUST WORKED IN HAD ONE YEAR, AND I WAS JUST LIKE, OH, WELL THE GOAL, WE'RE NEVER GONNA GET RID OF NONCONFORMING USES HERE IN, IN THAT PARTICULAR TOWN, BUT, BUT THAT SEEMS TO BE REASONABLE.
I KNOW WE'VE TRIED TO CONTROL THAT A LITTLE TIGHTER WITH THE SPECIAL APARTMENTS THAT WE'VE BEEN ADOPTING.
UM, AND, UM, SO YEAH, SO, BUT THAT'S KIND OF MORE THE REASONABLE TIMEFRAME.
I WAS THINKING THAT IT MIGHT'VE BEEN ALSO RE ROOTED IN SOME CASE LAW, BUT, BUT DON'T QUOTE ME ON THAT.
I'D, I'D HAVE TO GET WITH PETE'S OFFICE AND, AND DO SOME RESEARCH ON THAT.
UH, YEAH, I, I DEFINITELY WOULD LOVE TO KIND OF UNDERSTAND THAT MORE.
AND, AND I THINK, AND LOVE TO KIND OF GET STARTED ON THE QUESTION PART OF THIS, BUT AT A HIGH LEVEL, FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, I THINK WHAT'S SORT OF DRIVING, UH, WELL, OBVIOUSLY I'D LOVE TO SEE US BE A BIT MORE EFFICIENT.
WE HAD A CASE RECENTLY WHERE WE WERE TALKING ABOUT SOMETHING THAT WOULD'VE PROBABLY BEEN, UH, UH, A USE THAT WOULD'VE BEEN ALLOWED, UH, BUT WE ENDED UP HAVING TO KIND OF DEBATE IT AND GO THROUGH IT AND ALL THAT.
UM, TAKING UP A LOT OF TIME AND ENERGY AND EFFORT ON SOMETHING THAT MAYBE IN OTHER CITIES WOULD'VE NOT NECESSARILY BEEN SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
WHAT I WANT TO TRY AND BE CAREFUL OF AT A HIGH LEVEL, AND PERHAPS AGAIN, THIS MAY OR MAY NOT EVEN BE ANSWERED IN THE FOUR QUESTIONS, BUT IT MIGHT BE ONCE YOU BRING BACK WHAT YOU BRING BACK, UM, IS WHETHER OR NOT WHAT WE'VE DONE BY WAY OF ANY IMPROVEMENT TO THIS IS MAKE IT EASIER FOR PEOPLE TO DO THINGS THAT ARE LOWER THAN WHAT WE ASPIRE TO BE.
UM, SO THAT WOULD BE OBVIOUSLY AT THE, YOU KNOW, 30,000 FOOT LEVEL.
THAT WOULD BE SOMETHING THAT WOULD BE CONCERNING TO ME.
UH, WHEREAS, UM, UH, ANYTHING THAT WE DO TO MAKE IT MORE PREDICTABLE, BUT YET LOOKING LIKE A CITY THAT HAS A HIGHER VALUE OF WHAT THEY BELIEVE THEIR PROPERTIES SHOULD LOOK LIKE OR WHAT THEIR DEVELOPMENT SHOULD LOOK LIKE, TO ME, THAT WOULD BE SOMETHING THAT WOULD BE, UH, SOMETHING I WOULD ENCOURAGE.
UM, THE, THE ONLY OTHER THING I WOULD KIND OF POINT OUT, AND AGAIN, I DON'T KNOW HOW THIS WOULD FALL IN, IN THE WORK THAT YOU'RE DOING, BUT I LOOK AT THINGS LIKE, UM, RETAIL USES, ONCE AGAIN, KIND OF GOING BACK TO THIS CHILDCARE USE, UM, AS SOMETHING THAT'S CONSIDERABLY LESS CONSEQUENTIAL FROM A STANDPOINT OF WHAT IT'S GONNA DO TO OUR CITY OVER THE NEXT 40 YEARS VERSUS SOMEONE BUILDING A NEW BUILDING MM-HMM
UM, AND SO TO THE EXTENT THAT THERE ARE SCENARIOS WHERE IT'S PREDICTABLE AND PERHAPS A BIT MORE FLEXIBLE, IF WHAT THEY'RE DOING IS REUSING SOMETHING VERSUS IF WHAT THEY'RE ABOUT TO DO IS BUILD SOMETHING THAT'S CLEARLY GONNA HAVE AT LEAST 40 YEARS, LET'S SAY, PLUS OF LIFE, THAT MIGHT NOT BE GOING IN THE DIRECTION WE WANNA GO.
SO ANYWAY, HIGH LEVEL, THOSE ARE KIND OF THE INITIAL THOUGHTS I'VE GOT BEFORE WE GET INTO THE QUESTIONS.
BUT SEEING, YEAH, I WAS GONNA SAY, UM, JUST REAL QUICK, IF I COULD RESPOND.
SO WITH OUR, OUR CITY AND OUR FUTURE PREDOMINANTLY BEING IN ADAPTIVE REUSE AND REDEVELOPMENT, UM, YOU'RE RIGHT, A FOCUS ON ADAPTIVE REUSE IS GOING TO BE IMPORTANT.
ALSO, IF, IF A PROPERTY IS REDEVELOPING, HOW IT FITS IN WITH THE SURROUNDING CONTEXT IS GONNA BE IMPORTANT AS WELL.
IDEALLY, WE WANNA SET THE BAR EITHER WHERE WE'RE AT OR HIGHER.
WE DON'T WANNA DROP BELOW BECAUSE I THINK WE HAVE CERTAIN EXPECTATIONS HERE IN OUR COMMUNITY THAT WE WANT TO SEE ACHIEVE.
SO I THINK IT WILL BE, UM, ESPECIALLY WITH NEW DEVELOPMENT, IT MAY BE EASIER TO
[02:00:01]
ACHIEVE SOME OF THOSE EXPECTATIONS WITH ADAPTIVE REUSE OF PROPERTIES.UM, I THINK THAT THAT'LL BE KIND OF PART OF OUR CONVERSATION WHERE WE TALK ABOUT STRICT COMPLIANCE VERSUS, UM, HAVING SOME FLEXIBILITY, ESPECIALLY IF WE'RE PURSUING ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES THAT ARE STILL IN, IN ALIGNMENT WITH WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO PURSUE FOR OUR CITY.
AND, AND AS YOU WERE TALKING, THERE WAS ONE OTHER THOUGHT THAT I WANTED TO MAKE SURE I ALSO PUT OUT THERE FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, WHICH IS, UM, I UNDERSTAND THAT WHENEVER WE TALK ABOUT MARKET REALITY, THAT THAT'S A SENSIBLE THING TO TALK ABOUT, BUT I ALSO AM SUPER CONCERNED ABOUT MAKING DECISIONS, LET'S SAY, OVER THE NEXT FIVE YEARS, BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT THE MARKET REALITY IS AT THAT MOMENT VERSUS THE IMPACT THAT IT HAS OVER THE COURSE OF, LET'S SAY, 40 YEARS AGAIN.
AND SO, UM, FOR ME, THE WHOLE MARKET REALITY, UH, ELEMENT, WHICH IS SOMETHING YOU'VE REFERENCED OF COURSE AS A PART OF THIS, UM, I THINK THAT CAN BE USED IN, IN TWO DIFFERENT DIRECTIONS.
AND I WANNA JUST ALWAYS BE COGNIZANT OF JUST BECAUSE THE MARKET MAY OR MAY NOT BE EXCELLENT IN A PARTICULAR GIVEN TIME, IT DOESN'T MEAN THAT THAT'S A GREAT TIME NECESSARILY TO TAKE SOMETHING LESS JUST BECAUSE THAT'S MARKET REALITY.
IT IT MAY BE TIME TO JUST DO NOTHING UNTIL THE MARKET REALITY IS, IS GREATER.
SO MAYOR, THAT'S, THAT'S A, THAT'S AGAIN SPOT ON TO WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR FOR FEEDBACK.
'CAUSE I MEAN, I THINK THAT'S, THAT IS A POLICY DECISION THAT THE COUNCIL HAS TO KIND OF REALLY, UH, I THINK ARRIVE AT A CONSENSUS TO GIVE US, BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, IF, IF THE IDEA IS THERE'S A, UH, AND IT REALLY GETS TO THE LAST QUESTION, BUT IF THE IDEA IS THERE'S A ASPIRATION THAT'S BEEN ENTITLED, AND, UM, WE WANNA HOLD OUT FOR THAT ASPIRATION AND THAT, THAT, THAT'S GONNA NECESSITATE A LOT OF DIFFERENT OTHER STRATEGIES, RIGHT? AND SO I THINK, UM, AS, AS SHE'LL QUICKLY GET TO THIS THIRD QUESTION HERE, THAT'S PROBABLY THE MOST IMPORTANT QUESTION OF NIGHT.
AND WE'RE NOT ASKING YOU TO REACH THAT CONSENSUS TONIGHT.
I THINK THAT THERE'S MORE WORK THAT WE'LL HAVE TO DO TO, TO, UM, I THINK TO EMPOWER YOU TO KIND OF COLLECTIVELY COME, COME TO THAT DECISION.
UM, HOW WE PROJECT THAT TO THE, TO THE DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY IS REALLY IMPORTANT THOUGH.
UM, AND, AND SO WE CAN TALK ABOUT THAT AS WELL WHEN WE GET TO THAT THIRD QUESTION.
SO, MAYOR, IF YOU'RE READY, I'M GONNA MOVE ON.
SO THE FIRST QUESTION THAT WE'RE POSING, UH, BEFORE YOU TONIGHT, AND, AND AS I WORK THROUGH THESE, EACH OF THESE QUESTIONS, I'M GONNA READ THE QUESTION FIRST, THEN I'LL PRESENT TO YOU THE INFORMATION ON THE SLIDE, AND THEN I'LL COME BACK TO THE QUESTION AND GET YOUR FEEDBACK.
SO, UM, HOPEFULLY THIS ONE WE CAN DO BY A SHOW OF HANDS AND, AND GET QUICKLY THROUGH THIS.
BUT THE FIRST QUESTION THAT WE HAVE POSED TO YOU THIS EVENING IS, DOES COUNCIL AGREE WITH THE ENVISION RICHARDSON VISION STATEMENT? SO, JUST A COUPLE OF REMINDERS WITH RESPECT TO OUR VISION RICHARDSON COMPREHENSIVE PLAN, WE JUST RECENTLY ADOPTED THAT IN NOVEMBER OF 2024.
SO IT'S A LITTLE OVER A YEAR OLD THAT, LIKE I TALKED ABOUT EARLIER, WITH COMPREHENSIVE PLANS, THE ENVISION RICHARDSON ESTABLISHED OUR PLAN, ESTABLISHED A VISION FOR OUR COMMUNITY.
IT WAS DEVELOPED BASED UPON EXTENSIVE PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT, UM, OVER THE DURATION OF THAT PROJECT THAT THE STAFF WORKED ON IT.
UM, WITHIN THE ENVISION RICHARDSON PLAN, WE HAD THAT VISION STATEMENT.
THAT FURTHER THEN WAS, UM, SUPPLEMENTED, I THINK OF IT WITH SOME BELTS AND SUSPENDERS WITH RESPECT TO THOSE GUIDING PRINCIPLES THAT WERE ALIGNING WITH THE VISION THAT WAS ADOPTED IN THE PLAN.
UM, THOSE GUIDING PRINCIPLES ALSO ASSIST WITH DECISION MAKING.
WHEN WE HAVE ZONING REQUESTS COMING BEFORE YOU, THERE ARE ACTION ITEMS INCLUDED IN THERE, THOSE ACTION ITEMS, UM, IN ZONING DECISIONS THAT ARE MADE HERE AROUND THE DAIS, THEY ASSIST WITH HELPING THAT VISION BECOME A REALITY.
SO AGAIN, THE CONTEXT OF THAT ENVISION RICHARDSON PLAN, SO THE, THE ENVISION RICHARDSON VISION STATEMENT HERE ON THE SCREEN COPIED IT STRAIGHT OUT OF THE PLAN.
SO RICHARDSON IS AN INCREASINGLY DYNAMIC, DIVERSE AND INCLUSIVE COMMUNITY WITH STRONG NEIGHBORHOODS AND ATTRACTIVE AMENITIES WHERE PEOPLE ARE CONNECTED AND ENGAGED.
DECISION MAKING IS GUIDED BY COLLABORATIVE INPUT AND INNOVATION AND FISCAL, SOCIAL AND NATURAL RESOURCES ARE MANAGED SUSTAINABLY.
IT IS A SAFE AND LIVABLE PLACE WITH OPPORTUNITY FOR PEOPLE AND BUSINESSES TO GROW.
THE REASON WHY THIS VISION STATEMENT IS IMPORTANT IN THE CONFERENCE AND PLAN IS THAT'S THE FOUNDATION OF WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO ACHIEVE FOR OUR COMMUNITY.
IT'S THE FOUNDATION FOR DECISIONS THAT WE MAKE AS WE ADDRESS LAND USE AND DEVELOPMENT.
SO HOPEFULLY, BY MAYBE A QUICK SHOW OF HANDS, HOW MANY OF YOU ARE STILL IN AGREEMENT WITH THIS VISION STATEMENT THAT WAS ADOPTED A LITTLE OVER A YEAR AGO? OKAY, GREAT.
SO THIS NEXT QUESTION IS, HOW DOES COUNCIL FEEL ABOUT THE USES AND PROCESSES LISTED BELOW? SO, AGAIN, WE'VE TAKEN THE PROCESSES THAT WE'VE BEEN USING AND APPLIED, UM, CONDITIONS IN WHICH WE HAVE, UM, UM, EXPERIENCED THOSE PROCESSES.
SO, UM, THE LEFT COLUMN IS WHERE THE CONFERENCES ZONING ORDINANCE REQUIRES A SPECIAL PERMIT FOR THOSE PARTICULAR USES.
SO IN THE ZONING ORDINANCE, KEEP IN MIND THIS IS NOT A COMPLETE LIST OF ALL OF THE SPECIAL PERMITS.
I JUST WENT BACK AND LOOKED AT THE CODE.
[02:05:01]
ABOUT THREE PAGES LONG IN OUR CONFERENCES ZONING ORDINANCE, BUT WE FOCUSED HERE ON THOSE USES THAT SEEM TO BE KIND OF THE FREQUENT FLYERS THAT HAVE BEEN COMING THROUGH, UM, COUNCIL HERE OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS.SO, AS YOU THINK ABOUT THESE USES, AND WE CAN GO THROUGH ONE OF EACH OF THESE USES, UM, ONE AT A TIME, YOU KNOW, ARE YOU OKAY WITH THE SPECIAL PERMIT PROCESS THAT WE HAVE IN PLACE FOR THOSE PARTICULAR USES? OR WOULD YOU BE OPEN TO SOME OTHER PROCESS WHERE, YOU KNOW, WE'RE ASSIGNING THESE USES TO PARTICULAR ZONING DISTRICTS IN WHICH THEY HAVE, MAYBE THERE'S CERTAIN PERFORMANCE STANDARDS THAT ARE TIED TO THEM TO HELP GET US TO A SITUATION WHERE WE'RE OKAY WITH ALLOWING THAT USE SPY, RIGHT.
THE MIDDLE COLUMN IS WHERE THE CONFERENCES ZONING ORDINANCE IS SILENT TO THESE PARTICULAR USES.
AND AGAIN, WE TRIED TO COME UP WITH USES THAT SEEM TO BE, UM, WHERE WE'RE GETTING MORE OF THE INTEREST HERE LATELY.
UM, EVENT CENTERS, WE JUST HAD ONE NOT TOO LONG AGO.
UM, WE HAVE THE AMAZON DRONE FACILITY AND, AND THAT CONTINUES TO BE, UM, INTEREST IN THAT AREA.
BUT AGAIN, OUR CURRENT PROCESS RIGHT NOW IS IF THE ZONING ORDINANCE IS SILENT TO USE, THAT'S NOT ADDRESSED, THEN WE'RE GONNA GO REINVENT THE WHEEL EACH TIME THIS USE COMES THROUGH AND RUN IT THROUGH THIS SPECIAL PERMIT PROCESS.
SO INSTEAD OF FIGURING OUT WHAT ZONING DISTRICT'S USES SHOULD BE WITHIN IN ESTABLISHING CERTAIN PERFORMANCE STANDARDS, THE FAR WHITE COLUMN, THOSE ARE USES THAT, UM, OR SCENARIOS WHERE STAFF HAS HAD TO WORK WITH THE DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY TO WRITE PLAN DEVELOPMENT DISTRICTS BECAUSE THEIR PROJECT COULD NOT COMPLY WITH OUR EXISTING ZONING DISTRICTS.
SO I'VE HIGHLIGHTED SOME OF THOSE EXAMPLES HERE.
YOU'VE SEEN SOME PLAN DEVELOPMENT DISTRICTS IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO ACCOMMODATE A WAREHOUSE OR DISTRIBUTION BUILDING, RIGHT? BECAUSE THEY ARE DOING A SINGLE STORY BUILDING.
BUT WE HAVE THIS PROVISION WITHIN THE ZONING ORDINANCE.
IT SAYS A SINGLE STORY BUILDING CANNOT BE TALLER THAN 25 FEET.
THAT DOESN'T WORK IN TODAY'S DAY AND AGE WITH WAREHOUSE DISTRIBUTION FACILITIES.
IT ALSO PROBABLY DOES NOT WORK WITH HIGH TECH MANUFACTURING.
UM, WHICH I KNOW IS AN, IS AN IMPORTANT COMPONENT OF THE INDUSTRIES THAT ARE HERE IN OUR COMMUNITY.
SCHOOL FACILITIES ARE ANOTHER EXAMPLE WHERE WE'RE RUNNING THEM THROUGH A PLAN DEVELOPMENT, DISTRICT PROCESS, RIGHT? UM, BECAUSE OF COMPETITION GYMS, THEY'RE NOT ABLE TO BE CONSTRUCTED IN ACCORDANCE WITH A 25 FOOT HEIGHT LIMITATION.
SO, UM, INFILL, MULTIFAMILY AND MISSING MIDDLE HOUSING, A LOT OF TIMES WE'RE DOING THE PLAN DEVELOPMENT DISTRICT, AGAIN, TO BE ABLE TO ACCOMMODATE THAT PARTICULAR USE.
MAYBE THEY'RE NEEDING INCREASED DENSITIES, WE'RE ADDRESSING THEIR DEVELOPMENT FORM BECAUSE THEY'RE NEEDING RELIEF IN ACCORDANCE WITH OUR STANDARDS.
MAYBE IT'S REDUCED BUILDING SETBACKS.
PROBABLY THROWN SOME PARKING IN THERE TOO.
BUT THAT'S WHERE WE'VE USED PLAN DEVELOPMENT DISTRICTS.
AND THEN ALSO, LIKE I SAID, WE HAVE DONE SOME WHERE, UM, THEY'RE NEEDING RELIEF ON PARKING.
I THINK WE'VE ALSO DONE SOME PROBABLY WHERE SIGNAGES COME INTO PLAY.
SO AGAIN, HOW DOES COUNCIL FEEL ABOUT THE USES AND PROCESSES LISTED BELOW? AND IF YOU'D LIKE, I MEAN, WE, WITH THE FIRST COLUMN ON THE LEFT HAND SIDE, WE CAN GO THROUGH EACH OF THOSE USES.
IF, IF YOU WANT, LET, LET ME SUGGEST MAY A DIFFERENT APPROACH.
I'M KIND OF QUEUING OFF OF SOME LOOKS I'M GETTING HERE.
UM, I, I THINK THAT THE INDIVIDUAL USE IS NOT IMPORTANT AT THIS POINT.
I THINK, I THINK TINA'S PUT A GREAT LIST OF EXAMPLES HERE THAT, THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, IF YOU HAVE SOMETHING YOU FEEL STRONGLY ABOUT ANY ONE OF THESE, I THINK YOU CAN, YOU CAN SHARE THAT.
HOWEVER, AGAIN, THAT'S A TECHNICAL DISCUSSION THAT WE WOULD HAVE LATER IF WE WENT THROUGH THIS PROCESS.
I THINK WHAT WE'RE REALLY TRYING TO GET, GET GARNER FROM YOU HERE IS IF THE RIGHT METRICS WERE ESTABLISHED, THE RIGHT PERFORMANCE METRICS WERE ESTABLISHED, COULD YOU SEE A CZO IN THE FUTURE THAT WOULD ALLOW THESE BY RIGHT.
IF IT WAS HIGHLY ALIGNED WITH THE ENVISION RICHARDSON PLAN, RIGHT? I MEAN, I THINK THAT'S REALLY WHERE WE'RE HEADING ON ALL THREE OF THESE COLUMNS.
ARE YOU TIRED OF TALKING ABOUT A 25 FOOT MAXIMUM WHEN EVERYONE THAT COMES THROUGH PRACTICALLY, UM, IS, GETS APPROVED? OR IF IT GETS DENIED, THEY GO FIGURE IT OUT AND BUILD IT AND, AND, AND BUY, RIGHT.
AND SO THESE ARE ALL EXAMPLES OF THE KINDS OF THINGS THAT IS REALLY KIND OF BURDENING THE DEVELOPMENT SERVICES DEPARTMENT AS WELL AS TYING UP A LOT OF IMPORTANT CPC AND CITY COUNCIL TIME.
IF THERE WERE, IF, IF IT WAS FRAMED PROPERLY WITH THE RIGHT PERFORMANCE METRICS THAT WERE CODIFIED, WOULD YOU BE COMFORTABLE ALLOWING STAFF TO PROCESS THESE WITHOUT HAVING TO GO THROUGH THE CPC AND THE COUNCIL PROCESS? THAT'S REALLY THE QUESTION ACROSS ALL THREE.
AGAIN, IF YOU WANNA TALK ABOUT INDIVIDUAL ONES, BUT I, I THINK THE NEXT QUESTION'S GONNA BE, YOU KNOW, EVEN MORE CHATTY AND, AND, AND I'M JUST TRYING TO BE SENSITIVE TO YOUR, TO YOUR, YOUR TIME TONIGHT IN THE MEETING.
YEAH, YOU TOUCHED ON EXACTLY SORT OF WHERE I WAS GOING WITH THIS.
I MEAN, THE, THE SPECIAL PERMIT, I FEEL LIKE THE APPEAL THAT WE HAVE FOR THAT NOW, AND YOU HEARD FROM SOME PEOPLE USING DRONES AS AN EXAMPLE, IS THAT IF WE NEEDED TO, WE HAVEN'T, BUT IF WE NEEDED TO, WE WOULD HAVE THE ABILITY TO CALL THAT UP AND, YOU KNOW, ADDRESS THE USE IF IT WASN'T WORKING OUT FOR SOME REASON.
SO I GUESS MY ONLY CONCERN WOULD BE WHAT ARE WE REPLACING IT WITH? WHAT MECHANISM WOULD WE HAVE IF WE HAD AN ISSUE WITH THAT USE TO ADDRESS IT? UH, THAT'S MY FIRST QUESTION.
AND THEN MY SECOND QUESTION IS, I'M, I'M ALSO FINE USING THE 25 FOOT, THE ONE STORY HEIGHT AS AN EXAMPLE, UM, ALLOWING STAFF TO ADDRESS THAT.
SO LONG AS WE ARE ADDRESSING PLOTS
[02:10:01]
OF LAND, UH, WITHIN, THAT ARE CURRENTLY ZONED FOR THESE TYPES OF THINGS THAT ARE RIGHT NEXT TO A SINGLE FAMILY NEIGHBORHOOD, TO USE THE EXAMPLE THAT YOU JUST USED, RIGHT? YEAH.THEY WENT AHEAD AND BUILT IT AND THE NEIGHBORHOOD WASN'T HAPPY ABOUT IT.
UM, SO I, I WOULD BE OKAY WITH THAT SO LONG AS WE ARE DOING SOMETHING TO ADDRESS THOSE PLOTS OF LAND, NOT NEGATIVELY IMPACTING OUR SINGLE FAMILY NEIGHBORHOODS RIGHT NEXT TO THEM.
SO I, I WOULD NEED TO UNDERSTAND BETTER HOW WOULD THAT WORK? HOW WOULD WE GO AROUND MAKING SURE THAT PLOTS OF LAND THAT COULD POTENTIALLY BE IMPACTED BY THIS CHANGE, UH, YOU KNOW, BE ADDRESSED TO ENSURE THAT IT'S NOT IMPACTING NEIGHBORHOODS.
AND THEN, SO LET ME USE AN ANALOGY.
SO IF, IF A, UM, LET'S JUST PICK ONE.
SO IF A, IF A DRIVE THROUGH RESTAURANT WAS ALLOWED BY, RIGHT? AND YOU, YOU, THE COUNCIL THROUGH THIS, THE NEW CZO ESTABLISHED A GOALPOST MM-HMM.
THAT'S, THAT DRIVE THROUGH RESTAURANT WOULD BE ALLOWED AS LONG AS IT STAYED WITHIN THE GOALPOST.
YOU DECIDE WHAT THE GOALPOSTS ARE, YOU DECIDE EVERYTHING YOU JUST TALKED ABOUT, YOU DECIDE AS THE COUNCIL THROUGH THE CZO PROCESS.
IF IT'S OUTSIDE THE GOALPOST, THEN THERE'S ANOTHER PROCESS.
BUT I THINK WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO GET HERE IS IF A CHILDCARE CENTER MEETS, UM, THE STANDARD AND STAYS WITHIN THOSE GOALPOSTS, ARE YOU OKAY WITH THAT BEING BY RIGHT.
PARTICULARLY IF WE JUST SAID IN THE ENVISION RICHARDSON COMP PLANT, IT WAS AN ACCEPTABLE EITHER PRIMARY SECONDARY USE BECAUSE MAYOR, TO YOUR POINT ON THE CHILDCARE, THAT WAS YOUR LAST POINT YOU MADE, RIGHT? YEAH.
SO IT'S LIKE THAT, IT, IT CLEARLY SAYS IN ENVISION RICHARDSON THAT THIS IS IN ALLOWABLE USE.
I CAN'T REMEMBER THE TYPE OF, THE EXACT ZONING, UH, IT WAS AT THAT TIME.
SO, BUT AGAIN, UM, ON, ON THE DRONES, I THINK IT'S, IT'S, IT'S GOING, THE ART IS GONNA BE IN SETTING THE GOALPOST MM-HMM
RIGHT? BECAUSE ALL OF THESE, I THINK YOU COULD ENVISION CERTAIN SITUATIONS WHERE IT WOULD BE OKAY BY RIGHT.
AND THEN YOU'RE GONNA HAVE A LOT OF ANXIETY IN OTHER CIRCUMSTANCES.
SO THE ART IS GONNA BE, IS ESTABLISHING THE APPROPRIATE GOALPOST THAT GIVES YOU THE COMFORT TO ALLOW IT TO HAPPEN BY, RIGHT? AND THEN WHEN IT DOESN'T FALL WITHIN THOSE GOALPOSTS, THEN THERE'S A PROCESS AND ONE OF THOSE PROCESSES FOR HANDLING AND MANAGING THOSE REQUESTS.
THAT'S KIND OF, I, I, I WOULD AGREE WITH YOU.
WE WOULD, WE WOULD DETERMINE WHAT ARE THE PARAMETERS ASSOCIATED WITH THAT PARTICULAR USE OCCURRING BY, RIGHT.
YOU KNOW, THERE'S GONNA BE A LIST OF USES THAT YOU'RE LIKE, THAT'S FINE.
THOSE USES ARE APPROPRIATE IN THAT THIS, THAT ZONING DISTRICT, WE'RE OKAY WITH ALLOWING THOSE BY RIGHT? AND JUST AS THEY ARE, THEN WE'RE GONNA HAVE SOME USES THAT YOU'RE LIKE, YEAH, WE'RE, WE'RE OKAY WITH THESE BEING BY RIGHT IN THIS ZONING DISTRICT IF X, Y, AND Z ARE MET.
AND I'M GONNA ASK YOU, OKAY, WHAT ARE YOUR CONCERNS? SO WE CAN FIGURE OUT WHAT X, Y, AND Z NEED TO BE TO BE ABLE TO ADDRESS THAT CONCERN.
RIGHT? THERE STILL MAY BE SOME USES THAT ARE ALLOWED IN THAT ZONING DISTRICT THAT ARE STILL GONNA HAVE THAT SPECIAL PERMIT REQUIREMENT, RIGHT? THE, THE GOAL IS TO NOT RELY ON THAT SPECIAL PERMIT PROCESS NEARLY AS MUCH, BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, THERE ARE STILL GONNA BE SOME USES WHERE WE'RE JUST GONNA BE LIKE, AND, AND I'LL USE DRONES FOR EXAMPLE, RIGHT? WE'RE JUST, DESPITE OUR BEST EFFORTS OF, WE'VE GOT SOME PERFORMANCE STANDARDS, WE STILL FEEL LIKE WE JUST NEED TO MAKE THAT FINAL DECISION.
AND IF THAT'S WHERE COUNCIL LANDS, THAT'S WHERE COUNCIL LANDS, THAT COULD BE THE SITUATION ON, ON ANOTHER USE THAT, UM, IS PROPOSED IN THE ZONING ORDINANCE THAT, UM, THAT, UH, MAY NOT BE ADDRESSED TODAY.
BUT TO DON'S POINT, WE WOULD ESTABLISH WHAT THE PARAMETERS ARE FOR THAT USE OPERATING.
SO IF IT IS A DRIVE THROUGH RESTAURANT, IF YOUR CONCERN IS, MAN, I HATE IT.
EVERY TIME I GET STUCK IN THE LANE WITH A PERSON SLOW IN FRONT OF ME, I WANNA HAVE AN ESCAPE LANE.
WELL, GUESS WHAT? WE CAN WRITE AN ESCAPE LANE REQUIREMENT IN THERE.
IF I WANNA HAVE MINIMUM LENGTH OF CAR QUEUING SPACE FROM THE MENU BOARD BECAUSE, UM, UH, WE HAVE SO MANY INSTANCES WHERE CARS ARE HANGING OUT IN AND INTO DRIVEWAYS, YOU KNOW, WE CAN WRITE THAT IN.
UM, IF YOU WANT A MINIMUM SEPARATION DISTANCE REQUIREMENT BECAUSE YOU'RE TIRED OF THE NUMBER OF, UH, UH, DRIVE THROUGH RESTAURANTS HAPPENING IN A PARTICULAR AREA THAT I WANNA ESTABLISH 2000 FEET SEPARATION DISTANCE, RIGHT? WE CAN ADOPT THOSE PROVISIONS IN THE ZONING ORDINANCE.
THEN WHEN SOMEBODY COMES TO MY OFFICE AND SAYS, WELL, I WANNA DO A, UH, A RESTAURANT DRIVE THROUGH USE, WE'RE GONNA SAY, OKAY, THESE ARE THE ZONING DISTRICTS YOU CAN DO IT IN.
AND BY THE WAY, HERE IS X, Y, AND Z.
THE THREE STANDARDS THAT WE CODIFIED THAT YOU HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU CAN COMPLY WITH IF YOU WANNA BE BY, RIGHT? MM-HMM.
JUST FOR CLARIFICATION'S SAKE, THE, ALL THESE DIFFERENT STIPULATIONS YOU'RE MAKING, THE QUEUING, THE ESCAPE LANE, ALL THAT STUFF THAT WOULD ALL HYPOTHETICALLY HAPPEN IN A CONVERSATION A MONTH OR TWO MONTHS, OR WHENEVER YOU COME BACK OR YOU WANTING THEM TO HAPPEN RIGHT NOW, THAT WOULD HAPPEN IF YOU GIVE ME DIRECTION TO WRITE A NEW ZONING ORDINANCE.
THOSE CONVERSATIONS WOULD BE HAPPENING WHILE WE WORK ON WRITING THE NEW ZONING ORDINANCE.
SO YOUR QUESTION THEN, ULTIMATELY FOR THIS IS, ARE WE COMFORTABLE ALLOWING THEM TO START THAT PROCESS TO WHERE WE CAN THEN START CREATING WHERE THOSE GOALPOSTS ARE FOR EACH OF THESE DIFFERENT SITUATIONS? YEAH, I UNDERSTAND THE QUESTION.
I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE I UNDERSTOOD IT.
I'M JUST REALLY CURIOUS ABOUT, YOU KNOW, AND I THINK YOU'VE ADDRESSED LARGELY, IT'S JUST FIGURING OUT HOW ARE WE SETTING THOSE GOALPOSTS? AND MY CONCERN WOULD BE HOW, HOW ARE WE GONNA
[02:15:01]
BE COMPREHENSIVE ENOUGH? AND I THINK YOU ADDRESSED IT, WHERE THERE MAY BE SOME USES WHERE WE STILL HAVE TO USE SPECIAL PERMITS, THAT THAT GIVES ME A LITTLE MORE COMFORT.UM, AT THE END OF THE DAY, MY NEXT COMMENT WAS GOING TO BE THAT YOU NEED TO REWRITE THIS.
I JUST, FOR ME, IT FEELS LIKE A MASSIVE PROJECT.
AND SO I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO YOU TELLING US HOW YOU'RE GOING TO DO THAT BECAUSE OF ALL THE REASONS WE JUST STATED, RIGHT? I THINK IT NEEDS TO BE REWRITTEN.
I THINK IT NEEDS TO BE MODERNIZED.
UM, BUT THOSE ARE SOME OF MY CONCERNS.
SO MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE ADDRESSING, YOU KNOW, PLOTS OF LAND OR THINGS LIKE, UH, IN THIS, THIS, UH, WAREHOUSE HAT NEXT TO A NEIGHBORHOOD DOESN'T HAPPEN, YOU KNOW, THOSE SORTS OF THINGS.
AND SO I KNOW YOU'LL ADDRESS THOSE.
UM, BUT, BUT I'M, I WAS CURIOUS ABOUT HOW YOU JUST TAKE DRIVE THROUGH RESTAURANTS.
THERE HAVE BEEN SEVERAL OF THOSE THAT HAVEN'T PASSED THIS COUNCIL.
UM, AND IT'S NOT NECESSARILY 'CAUSE IT'S A USE WE DON'T LIKE, UH, IT MAY BE THAT WE DON'T LIKE SO MANY OF THEM IN ONE PARTICULAR AREA.
AND SO I REALLY, MY QUESTION IS A CURIOSITY OF HOW YOU WILL ADDRESS THOSE.
AND, AND WE CAN DO THAT IN THE FUTURE, BUT I WANT, WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE FIGURING OUT HOW TO PROPERLY SET THE GOALPOST SO THAT WE'RE NOT, YOU KNOW, SHOOTING OURSELVES IN THE FOOT.
I, I, I WOULD SAY, I WANNA JUST MAKE TWO DIFFERENT POINTS ON THAT.
ONE IS WE, WE DON'T HAVE TO START, YOU KNOW, FROM GROUND ZERO AND RECREATE THE WHEEL.
THERE'S A LOT OF GOOD CITIES HERE IN NORTH TEXAS THAT WE CAN LOOK AT.
BUT SECONDLY, WE HAVE DONE THAT.
WE'VE DONE IT IN THE SPECIAL REDEVELOPMENT AREAS.
IF YOU LOOK AT SPECIAL REDEVELOPMENT CODES, WE HAVE DONE EXACTLY WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT DOING.
BUT THE PROBLEM IS, IS THAT'S ONLY THREE VERY SMALL AREAS IN THE CITY.
AND SO WE HAVE, WE ACTUALLY HAVE A COUPLE OF MODERN AND CONTEMPORARY CODES.
THEY'RE CALLED THE IQ AND THE, YOU KNOW, THE US 75 MAIN.
AND SO WHAT WE NEED TO DO IS WE NEED TO, BUT WE NEED TO TAKE THAT APPROACH.
AND SO I'M VERY CONFIDENT THAT BETWEEN, YOU KNOW, TINA, THE CONSULTANTS LOOKING AT WHAT OTHER CITIES THAT HAVE REALLY FIGURED THIS OUT AND LOOKING AT OUR OWN SPECIAL DEVELOPMENT AREA, REDEVELOPMENT AREAS, UM, THAT WE CAN, UM, WE CAN STRIKE THAT BALANCE THAT YOU ARE GONNA SEEK.
UM, NO, NO ONE, NO ONE IS, IS GONNA WANNA GIVE UP ALL CONTROL UNDER ALL CIRCUMSTANCES.
RIGHT NOW IT FEELS LIKE WE'RE A LITTLE BIT TOO FAR.
THE OTHER, THE OTHER WAY I AGREE, IT'S WHERE, WHERE, WHERE IN THE MIDDLE CAN WE MEET THAT YOU'LL BE COMFORTABLE? YEAH.
THAT WILL PROVIDE SOME, UM, EFFICIENCIES AND WE WILL BE A LITTLE BIT MORE, UM, BUSINESS FRIENDLY.
I MEAN, A A LOT OF, UM, A LOT OF THE, THE INITIAL CONVERSATIONS WE HAVE, WE WE'RE HAVING SOME RIGHT NOW TODAY WITH, UM, WITH BUSINESS OWNERS, UH, NEW PROPERTY OWNERS TO THE CITY THAT ARE REALLY SCRATCHING THEIR HEAD ABOUT WHY THEY HAVE TO DO CERTAIN THINGS LIKE AN OUTDOOR PATIO.
WHY DOES THAT REQUIRE SPECIAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN, UH, WHEN IN NO OTHER CITY IN NORTH TEXAS THAT'S HAPPENING.
AND SO ON THE ONE HAND WE SAY WE WANT THESE THINGS AND WE EVEN GO AND SOMETIMES INCENT THEM, BUT ON THE OTHER HAND, OUR REGULATIONS ARE INCONSISTENT WITH THAT MESSAGE.
AND THAT'S REALLY WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO, WE'RE TRYING TO FIND.
BUT I BELIEVE, I BELIEVE WE CAN FIND THAT BALANCE THAT YOU WOULD, YOU WOULD WANT.
AND, UM, AND QUITE, QUITE FRANKLY, YOU'RE GONNA, YOU'RE GONNA PUT YOUR STAMP ON THAT.
UM, IF WE'VE GOTTA GO THROUGH EVERY USE AND SET EVERY GOALPOST AND THIS, THAT'LL BE THE PROCESS.
I I'M JUST GONNA START AT THE END AND COME THIS WAY 'CAUSE I FORGOT WHO WENT WHEN.
FORGET EVERY, EVERY TIME THEN
I'M ALL FOR MAKING FLEXIBLE THINGS AND, BUT OF COURSE, WHENEVER YOU MAKE FLEXIBLE, YOU HAVE TO GO THROUGH VERY DETAILED WRITING COMMISSION, ALL THOSE, AND, UH, BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT WE SAY, YOU KNOW, MAKE OUR SYSTEM MORE EFFICIENT.
AND SOMETIMES, YOU KNOW, IT'S CONTRADICTORY.
SOMETIMES WE SAY WE WANT THIS THING, BUT OUR ZONING CGO DOESN'T ALLOW TO DO THAT.
SO I THINK IT'S ABOUT TIME WE LOOK AT THIS THING.
I MEAN, OF COURSE WE'RE GONNA BE LOOKING CASE EACH POINT MORE THOROUGHLY, SO I'M ALL FOR IT.
YEAH, I MEAN, THIS IS IT TO COUNCIL MEMBER JUSTICE'S POINT.
THIS IS A MASSIVE PROJECT, BUT I THINK FOR THE SAKE OF THIS COUNCIL AND FUTURE COUNCIL'S TIME AND EFFECTIVENESS, IT HAS TO HAPPEN.
I, I MEAN, COUNCIL SHOULD BE ABOUT DISCUSSING THE POLICY, NOT EACH INDIVIDUAL SITUATION.
AND I FEEL LIKE OUR TIME WOULD BE MUCH BETTER SPENT TALKING ABOUT THE POLICY BEHIND DRIVE-THROUGHS RATHER THAN EVERY SINGLE INDIVIDUAL DRIVE THROUGH.
WE DID IT WITH STR, RIGHT? WE HAVE THE SDR POLICY, WE REVISIT IT ONCE A YEAR.
WE DON'T APPROVE EVERY SINGLE PERMIT FOR A SHORT TERM RENTAL THAT COMES INTO THE CITY.
SO, YOU KNOW, IT, IT WOULDN'T ELIMINATE THE CASES, BUT WE WOULD SERIOUSLY CUT BACK ON THE ONES THAT ARE GONNA PASS ANYWAY AND JUST TALK ABOUT LIKE, REALLY THE, THE ONES THAT ARE CONFLICTING WITH THE ZONING CODE THE MOST.
SO I THINK IT'S, I THINK IT'S A GREAT IDEA AND I THINK THE SOONER WE GET STARTED ON IT, THE BETTER.
UM, I DITTO COUNCILMAN JUSTICE'S CONCERNS, BUT I DO SEE, UM, DON'S POINT AND, UM, AND TINA'S POINT ABOUT SETTING THOSE GOALPOSTS.
UH, I THINK THERE'S A LOT OF DISCUSSION TO BE HAD AND WE NEED TO HAVE 'EM AS A COMMUNITY, AS A COUNCIL.
UM, SO I HAVE AN ASK THEN I HAVE A CHALLENGE, TINA.
[02:20:01]
THE ASK IS THAT AS WE, AND I GUESS IS ASKED TO THE WHOLE ROOM AS WE LOOK AT THIS, I KNOW COUNCILMAN DORIAN HAS BEEN, HAS HE MENTIONED IT EARLIER THIS EVENING.I KNOW IT'S SOMETHING THAT'S COME UP IN THE PAST ABOUT THE DRIVE-THROUGHS OVER AT BELTLINE, AND IS THAT PLANO ROAD? MM-HMM
UM, IT, IT'S BEEN A CONVERSATION MANY TIMES THAT THIS, I DON'T KNOW, IT WAS THIS COUNCIL, THE PREVIOUS COUNCIL, THERE WAS SOMETHING THAT CAME UP IN THAT AREA AND WE'VE TALKED ABOUT BEFORE.
THE LAST THING I WOULD WANNA SEE IS THAT WE HAVE THESE LIKE, DRIVE-THROUGH ZONES.
I DON'T HAVE THE CONCERN ABOUT THE ACTUAL FOOD BEING SOLD AS MUCH AS I HAVE THE ACTUAL USE OF A DRIVE-THROUGH.
SO AS WE DO THIS, I CAN SEE THAT THIS KIND OF PRE-APPROVAL CAN EASILY BECOME A WAY SO THAT CERTAIN PARTS OF THE CITY HAVE CERTAIN KIND OF USES AT A HIGHER, WHICH IS GOOD, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, IF IT'S NOT DONE PROPERLY, IT COULD BE NOT SO GOOD.
LAST THING I WANNA SEE IS THAT INTERSECTION OR WEST SPRING VALLEY TO ALL OF A SUDDEN BECOME THE DRIVE THROUGH DISTRICT.
UM, AND I THINK IT TAKES AWAY A LOT OF THE CHARACTER OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD, SO THAT WOULD BE A CONCERN OF MINE.
SO I JUST ASK THAT AS WE LOOK AT THIS, WE, WE LOOK AT IT IN AN EQUITABLE MANNER SO THAT IT'S, UH, SPREAD OUT THROUGHOUT THE CITY, WHATEVER WE'RE LOOKING AT.
UM, AND THE CHALLENGE THERE, I'M GONNA BRING UP TWO INDIVIDUAL THINGS THAT HAVE COME UP OVER THE PAST COUPLE YEARS THAT, UH, WE'VE DISCUSSED WITH COUNSEL.
AND MAYBE IT WASN'T, IT WASN'T A THOUGHT OR AFTER THE FACT RESIDENTS BROUGHT TO MY ATTENTION.
UH, BUT I THINK IT'S THE KIND OF STUFF WE NEED TO LOOK AT AND LOOK AT WHEN WE DO THIS.
NOT JUST WHERE WE'RE AT NOW, BUT KIND OF FORWARD LOOKING.
THERE WAS A CASE, UM, THERE WAS, OH, ALSO I WOULD DEFINITELY ADD, UH, MASSAGE PARLORS TO THAT CONVERSATION, BY THE WAY.
UM, THERE WAS A CASE THAT WAS A, OH, IT WAS THE, UM, CLAY COOLEY CASE.
IT PASSED WITHIN TWO DAYS, THESE MASSIVE FLAGS WENT UP, WHICH WASN'T EVEN PART OF OUR DISCUSSION OR ZONING THAT WAS DONE, UM, BY, BY WRIGHT.
I THINK IT WAS APPROVED BY STAFF OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
THEN THERE WAS SOME DISCUSS, WELL, WHAT COULD WE HAVE DONE? OBVIOUSLY WE CAN'T, WE CAN'T, UH, UM, WE CAN'T REGULATE FLAGS, BUT WE DO HAVE THE ABILITY TO REGULATE POLES AND QUANTITY AND SIZE AND STRUCTURES AND STUFF LIKE THAT, THAT THESE MASSIVE STRUCTURES, THE FLAGS THEMSELVES ARE TIED TO.
UM, SO I THINK LOOKING AHEAD OF THOSE KINDS OF THINGS, UH, IS WORTH IT.
THE OTHER DISCUSSION THAT HAPPENED IN THE LAST LEG LEGISLATIVE SESSION I GOT A COUPLE EMAILS ON, WAS THERE WAS A LOT OF TALKS AROUND, UM, THE LEGALIZATION OF MARIJUANA AND THE VARIOUS DIFFERENT, AND I DON'T KNOW ALL THE DIFFERENT TYPES, BUT ALL, ALL THE VARIOUS DIFFERENT TYPES AND THE DIFFERENT USES.
AND SOME OF THE QUESTIONS THAT CAME UP WERE, OKAY, WE HAVE A LOT OF THESE SMOKE SHOPS, WHICH ARE RETAIL.
THEY'RE NOT SMOKING ESTABLISHMENTS BECAUSE YOU CANNOT SMOKE ON PREMISE, BUT THEY ARE RETAIL SMOKE SHOPS.
AND SO IF IT GETS LEGALIZED, DOES THAT MEAN WE'RE GONNA HAVE A BUNCH OF POT SHOPS, YOU KNOW, HEAD SHOPS EVERYWHERE? UM, WHICH SOME OF THEM KIND OF ALREADY WORK AS.
SO LOOKING AT STUFF LIKE THAT SAYING, OKAY, WHAT, HOW CAN WE KIND OF BE PROACTIVE IN SOME OF THOSE? BECAUSE I FELT LIKE, WELL, MAYBE THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY THERE.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE ANSWER IS.
SO I'M NOT TRYING TO SAY, HEY, DO THIS OR, BUT HAVING THAT KIND OF FORWARD APPROACH OF WHAT ARE SOME OF THE CONVERSATIONS, WHAT ARE MAYBE SOME OF THE TRENDS IF THEY'RE NOT HAPPENING IN TEXAS YET, THEY'RE PROBABLY HAPPENING ELSEWHERE IN OTHER PARTS OF THE COUNTRY.
AND HOW DO WE, UH, HOW, WHEN THAT COMES UP A YEAR OR TWO DOWN THE ROAD, ARE WE AS A COMMUNITY OR FIVE YEARS DOWN THE ROAD, ARE WE AS A COMMUNITY GOING TO, UH, MANAGE THAT, I GUESS IS WHAT I'M TRYING TO SAY.
YEAH, I THINK, UH, COUNCILMAN, I THINK THAT'S THAT CENTER COLUMN THERE.
I MEAN, THESE ARE JUST A, YOU KNOW, JUST A COUPLE EXAMPLES JUST TO GET THE CONVERSATION STARTED.
BUT THERE, THERE ARE MANY THINGS, UM, THAT SEVERAL OF YOU DESCRIBED THAT WOULD GO INTO THAT CENTER COLUMN.
OR WHAT, WHAT EVERYONE BASICALLY SAID.
I THINK THIS IS A, A, A LARGE PROJECT AND, AND I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO Y'ALL BRINGING THE THINGS THAT ARE COMING OUTTA YOUR OFFICE BACK TO US SO WE CAN CASH SOME OF THEM OUT.
UH, I DID WANNA ADD, UM, ONE WHILE I'M THINKING ABOUT IT, I'VE MET WITH, UH, RESIDENTS OVER THE PAST COUPLE OF YEARS AND, UH, THERE WAS A CONCERN ABOUT A LOT OF REDEVELOPMENT IN NEIGHBORHOODS WHERE THERE, YOU KNOW, HOMES ARE BEING TORN DOWN, OLDER HOMES AND TWO STORY OR SPLIT LEVEL HOMES ARE BEING BUILT.
AND THE THE CONCERN IS WITH RESIDENTS IS THEY'RE ADDING WINDOWS ON EACH SIDE OF THE HOME AND THEREFORE ALLOWING, UH, THAT RESIDENT TO BE ABLE TO LOOK INTO ANOTHER ROOM, A BEDROOM, OR EVEN THE BACKYARD.
ONE OF THE, WHAT CAME OUT OF THESE CONVERSATIONS WAS PARTICULARLY, UH, OR POTENTIALLY
[02:25:01]
MAYBE HAVING SOME OBSCURED TYPE OF, UH, GLAZING OFF.THEY, YOU KNOW, 'CAUSE OBVIOUSLY GONNA HAVE TO HAVE WINDOWS ON THE SIDE OF THE HOME AT SOME POINT, BUT MAYBE PUTTING SOME TYPE OF OBSCURED, UH, GLAZING, UH, WINDOW TREATMENT WHERE THERE'S A LITTLE MORE PRIVACY.
SO SOMEONE ON THE SECOND LEVEL IS NOT LOOKING DOWN INTO, YOU KNOW, A CHILD'S ROOM WILL, WILL SAY, UH, ON THE FIRST LEVEL, NOT TO SAY THAT HOME IN THE FUTURE WILL NOT BE TORN DOWN.
IT'LL BE ANOTHER TWO STORY HOME.
BUT EVEN SO, YOU DON'T WANNA BE LOOKING INTO THE HOMES.
I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S SOMETHING THAT IS PART OF WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HERE, IF THAT'S THE CONSIDERATION AS FAR AS ZONING, NOT THIS EVENING, BUT THAT COULD BE A CONVERSATION AT A FUTURE.
I'M THROWING IT ON YOUR PLATE JUST SO YOU CAN ADD IT TO YOUR LIST OF THINGS TO DO.
I HAVE A LOT OF OTHER THINGS, AND I'M NOT GONNA DIVE INTO THE WEEDS TONIGHT ON THIS UNLESS YOU WANT US TO, BUT, UM, BUT I HAVE, UH, A LOT OF OTHER THINGS LIKE THAT, THAT I'VE PULLED TOGETHER JUST ON MY OWN OVER THE YEARS.
IF I WAS GONNA SAY, IF WE GO DOWN THIS PATH OF REWRITING THE ZONING ORDINANCE, IF YOU'VE GOT A LIST, UM, WE'LL ADD IT TO OUR LIST.
MAYOR PRO, UH, THANK YOU, MAYOR.
HAVING BEEN ON COUNCIL, AND I THINK WE, I'VE HAD TO VOTE ON EVERY ONE OF THESE THINGS THAT YOU HAVE ON HERE.
MY MAJOR QUESTION TO YOU IS, I DON'T EVEN KNOW HOW YOU BEGIN TO, TO TACKLE SOME OF THIS BECAUSE, FOR EXAMPLE, SMOKING ESTABLISHMENTS, THIS COUNCIL HASN'T HAD TO ADDRESS ONE, I THINK THE LAST COUNCIL DID, BUT Y'ALL CORRECT ME.
UM, TON, TON OF, OF PUBLIC SENTIMENT, PUBLIC THOUGHT COMING IN.
SO I DON'T, I DON'T KNOW HOW YOU EXACTLY ESTABLISH SOME OF THE GUARDRAILS OR SOME OF THESE THINGS THAT YOU HAVE UP HERE THAT HAVE BEEN, YOU KNOW, FOR THE MOST PART HAVE BEEN KIND OF, AT LEAST IN PAST COUNSELS, AND I'M NOT SAYING THIS COUNSEL, BUT HAVE BEEN KIND OF DEATH, IF YOU WILL.
I MEAN, IT'S JUST BEEN NOT, NOT EVEN ABLE TO GET ACROSS, NOT EVEN GET ACROSS THE STARTING LINE, MUCH LESS THE FINISH LINE.
UM, SO THAT'S QUESTION NUMBER ONE.
QUESTION NUMBER TWO IS WHEN I LOOK AT, YOU KNOW, FOR EXAMPLE, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT, UM, YOU KNOW, COMMERCIAL AMUSEMENT CENTERS AND EVENT CENTERS, THOSE ARE THE TWO THAT REALLY POP OFF TO ME, AN EVENT CENTER CAN BE AS SMALL AS WE HAD AT ONE POINT IN TIME.
IT WAS NOAH'S, I DON'T THINK YOU WERE HERE, TINA, BUT I THINK THAT WAS CLASSIFIED AS AN EVENT CENTER.
I ALSO KNOW THAT AT SOME POINT, UT D'S GONNA BE COMING TO US WANTING TO PUT IN AN EVENT CENTER, OBVIOUSLY HUGE DIFFERENCE.
SO I'M NOT QUITE SURE HOW WE GET GUARDRAILS IF WE'RE GONNA, IF WE'RE GONNA COME UP WITH SOMETHING THAT WE CALL AN EVENT CENTER, BECAUSE I MEAN, WHAT I, THOSE TWO THINGS BOTH CLASSIFIED AS EVENT CENTERS WILDLY DIFFERENT.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, I, I HEAR WHAT YOU WANT TO DO.
I, I DON'T, I, I'M NOT, I AGREE WITH EVERYTHING THAT'S BEEN SAID, BUT I'M NOT SO SURE THAT ON SOME OF THESE THINGS THAT THE, THAT THE DISCUSSION THAT THE FEEDBACK THAT WHAT HAS BEEN BROUGHT FORTH AS WE'VE, AS WE'VE GONE THROUGH THESE, AND I'LL SAY DEBATED 'EM, HAD HAD INPUT FROM, FROM THE COMMUNITY.
WE'VE GOT, WE'VE ENDED UP IN MANY CASES WITH A, A BETTER PRODUCT AS WE WENT.
SO I'M NOT OPPOSED HAPPY TO SAY LET'S, LET'S SEE WHAT WE COME UP WITH, BUT I DON'T KNOW HOW WE BALANCE ALL OF THAT OUT.
SO THAT, THAT'S MY, I GUESS I'LL SAY MY QUESTION AND MY CHALLENGE, UM, BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, I JUST AM NOT QUITE SURE HOW YOU YEAH.
HOW YOU PULL ALL THAT TOGETHER.
SO, SO MAYOR PRO, I HAVE 2, 2, 2 THOUGHTS ON THAT.
SO, SO ONE PURPOSEFULLY, THESE ARE THE MOST DIFFICULT.
BUT, BUT THERE ARE DOZENS MORE THAT I THINK WOULD BE VERY, VERY STRAIGHTFORWARD.
BUT I, WE, WE DIDN'T GO THROUGH THE WHOLE EXERCISE OF JUST LISTING ALL OF 'EM, BUT PURPOSEFULLY COULD BE, I'M JUST, I'M JUST RESPONDING TO WHAT I SEE IN FRONT OF ME TODAY.
BUT I'M SAYING PURPOSEFULLY WE PICKED THE MOST, PROBABLY THE MOST CHALLENGING TO SET THOSE GOALPOSTS, UH, FORTH.
UM, YOU MAY DECIDE THAT THERE ARE NO SAFE GOALPOSTS FOR SMOKING ESTABLISHMENTS, AND WE MAY CONTINUE ON WITH THAT, BUT IF WE ELIMINATE 10 OR 15 OKAY.
OR OTHERS, THEN I THINK IT'S A HUGE STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.
LIKE FOR INSTANCE, THE, THE, THE, THE, UH, THE EVENT CENTER QUESTION IS A GREAT QUESTION.
EVENT CENTER HERE IS KIND OF LIKE A BLUNT, BLUNT EVENT CENTER, BUT YOU, THERE ARE DIFFERENT CATEGORIES OF EVENT CENTERS, AND SO WE COULD ESTABLISH THAT AN EVENT CENTER LIKE NOAH'S WOULD BE APPROPRIATE UNDER THESE CIRCUMSTANCES.
SO THAT'S ONE SET OF GOALPOSTS, BUT THEN SOMETHING LIKE UTDS CONTEMPLATING THAT MAY SIT 7,000 PEOPLE OR 7,000, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE WOULD BE A WHOLE DIFFERENT THING.
AND YOU MIGHT WANNA LOOK AT THAT ON A CASE BY CASE BASIS.
AND SO I GUESS MY, MY FEEDBACK WOULD BE, YOU KNOW, IT'S, THIS IS A VERY KIND OF, YOU KNOW, PURPOSEFULLY VERY, UM, EXTREME VERY SIMPLE REPRESENTATION.
WHAT THEY DO DAY IN AND DAY OUT IS MUCH MORE NUANCED.
AND WE'LL HAVE TO REALLY, UM, YOU KNOW, WE'LL HAVE TO REALLY TAKE EACH OF THESE CATEGORIES.
YOU KNOW, COUNCIL, YOU SAID SOMETHING
[02:30:01]
EARLIER I WANTED TO COME BACK TO AS WELL IS, YOU KNOW, YOU, ONE OF THE THINGS, ONE OF, WE HAVE A TACTIC ALL AROUND, YOU KNOW, MAKING, UM, UM, UH, MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE MAKING DECISIONS ON NEW AND EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES THAT IMPACT USES AROUND, YOU KNOW, THE BEST PRACTICES.THIS IS A PERFECT TIME TO DO THAT FOR DRONES, YOU KNOW, AND SO THAT'S AN EVEN, I, I JUST OCCURRED.
ANOTHER TACTIC THAT WE CAN REALLY PROBABLY ON MANY USES.
UM, BUT TO, TO THE, THE OTHER POINT YOU MADE, I DON'T KNOW THAT WE'LL KNOW EVERYTHING THAT'S POSSIBLE IN FIVE YEARS.
AND SO THIS IS THE, THE OTHER KEY TO THIS IS NOT WAITING AROUND 50 PLUS YEARS TO DO WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT DOING.
THIS WILL BE A MUCH, THIS WILL BE A MUCH SMALLER EFFORT IF WE, IF WE DO IT ON A REGULAR BASIS.
BUT MAYOR PRO TIM, I, IT'S A VERY GOOD QUESTION.
I, I, I WOULD SAY, I THINK THAT THERE WILL BE A, THERE WILL BE A HANDFUL OF THESE THAT ARE VERY, VERY DIFFICULT TO SET THE GOALPOST ON AND TO GET YOU COMFORTABLE WITH, WITH THAT GOALPOST.
BUT THERE ARE GONNA BE MANY THAT I THINK ARE, THAT AREN'T UP HERE THAT ARE GONNA BE STRAIGHTFORWARD.
UM, BUT EVEN ON A SMOKING ESTABLISHMENT, I MEAN, I THINK IF, EVEN IF THE, EVEN IF THE GOALPOST IS EXTREME AND DIFFICULT TO ACHIEVE, AT LEAST WE'RE SIGNALING UNDER WHAT CIRCUMSTANCES YOU WOULD ACCEPT IT OR YOU WOULD, YOU WOULD ACCEPT IT BY, RIGHT.
UM, AND SO I THINK, I THINK THAT WOULD BE, THAT WOULD BE KIND OF HOW I WOULD RESPOND TO THAT.
'CAUSE IT'S A, IT'S A VERY, UH, IT'S A VERY, VERY JUSTIFIABLE QUESTION.
AND IT'S, AND IT IS, IT IS GONNA BE IN THE NUANCE OF TAKING EACH ONE OF THESE AND DECIDING HOW COMFORTABLE YOU CAN GET GIVEN.
UM, AND, AND HOW, HOW STRONG DO YOU WANT THOSE GOALPOSTS TO BE SET? OKAY.
THANKS COUNCIL MEMBER JUSTICE.
JUST SO YOU TRIGGERED ANOTHER QUESTION WITH YOUR COMMENT AND TALKING ABOUT MR. UH, BARRIOS COMMENT, COUNCIL VARDOS COMMENT.
UM, WE TALKED A LOT IN THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN AND ALL THE PDS WE'VE PASSED ABOUT HOW DIFFICULT IT WAS FOR DEVELOPERS TO GO ONLINE AND SORT OF PARSE THROUGH ALL OF THAT MM-HMM
AND SO AS WE UPDATE THIS, I GUESS MY QUESTION TOO WOULD BE HOW DO WE AVOID NEEDING TO DO A FULL RESET EVERY 50 YEARS? OR, YOU KNOW, HOW DO WE MAKE IT A LIVING DOCUMENT THAT MAKES IT EASY TO UPDATE AS USES EMERGE THAT WE DIDN'T THINK ABOUT TODAY? I GUESS THAT WOULD BE A CHALLENGE TOO, TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE NOT SORT OF HAVING TO, YOU KNOW, WE'RE ALL SWEATING HERE THINKING ABOUT HOW DIFFICULT THIS IS GOING TO BE TO UPDATE AND DO, AND WE'RE READY TO DO THE WORK, BUT, YOU KNOW, HOW DO WE, HOW DO WE MAKE THIS A DOCUMENT THAT, THAT WE DON'T HAVE TO SORT OF UNDERTAKE THAT MASSIVE EFFORT EVERY TIME SOMETHING NEW EMERGES.
MAKE IT LIVING COUNCIL MEMBER INE.
UH, COUNCILMAN, UH, JENNIFER JUSTICE.
I THINK THAT'S, THAT'S THE IMPORTANT QUESTION, THAT WHEN WE CREATE SOMETHING, WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT, YOU KNOW, WE DON'T CREATE BURDEN.
WE'RE TRYING TO MAKE THINGS SIMPLE, BUT SOMETIMES, YOU KNOW, WHENEVER WE PUT SOMETHING, WE CREATE SOME ISSUE.
SO WE NEED TO LOOK AT THAT THING.
AND ALSO WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE MAKE IT VERY TRANSPARENT.
UH, WE DO NOT CREATE ANOTHER OBSTACLE, UH, BY CREATING THIS.
BUT YEAH, WE DON'T HAVE TO GO CHANGE EVERY ZONING ORDINANCE.
WE CAN GO IF WE CAN SIMPLIFY A FEW.
AND, UH, WE SHOULD LOOK SOMETIME THAT, YOU KNOW, DOWN THE ROAD WE CAN LOOK BACK WHAT HAS BEEN DONE AND WHAT ELSE CAN BE DONE.
SO AT LEAST INITIALLY WE NEED TO HAVE LIKE ANOTHER REVIEW.
SO, BUT I THINK WE NEED TO START THE PROCESS.
TO THE POINT ABOUT MAKING A LIVING DOCUMENT, KIND OF DOING IT MUCH SHORTER THAN THE EVERY 50 YEARS.
I AGREE WITH THAT WHOLEHEARTEDLY.
I WOULD ALMOST WANNA SUGGEST THAT, YOU KNOW, WE CURRENTLY LOOK AT OUR CHARTER EVERY 10 YEARS.
UM, WHY NOT DO THIS LIKE THIS EVERY 10 YEARS SO THAT EVERY FIVE YEARS WE'RE EITHER LOOKING AT THE CHARTER OR LOOKING AT ZONING SO THAT EVERY FIVE YEARS WE KIND OF HAVE THIS AND IT JUST GETS UPDATED.
SO WE HAVE LITERALLY THOUSANDS OF PAGES OF BUILDING CODE, RIGHT? THE BUILDING CODE IS UPDATED EVERY THREE YEARS, AND IT'S UPDATED EVERY THREE YEARS BECAUSE WHEN YOU DO IT THAT FREQUENTLY, THE UPDATES ARE PRETTY MINOR AND INCONSEQUENTIAL.
SO IT'S JUST A MATTER OF COMMITTING TO STAY.
I MEAN, IF IT, I'M NOT SUGGESTING WE WOULD DO THIS EVERY THREE YEARS
AND SO IT'S GONNA GONNA BE MUCH MORE MANAGEABLE.
I JUST WANT TO ADD TO THAT AS WELL.
I, YOU KNOW, IT GOT BROUGHT UP SEVERAL TIMES ABOUT TECHNOLOGY AND WE'RE LIVING IN AN AGE NOW WHERE THINGS ARE CHANGING ANNUALLY, AND I THINK EVEN WAITING 10 YEARS IS PROBABLY TOO LONG.
I AGREE THAT THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO ADDRESS EVERY FEW ISH PLUS YEARS.
UH, IF WE PUT A TIME LIMIT 10 YEARS RIGHT NOW WITH TECHNOLOGY AND AI AND EVERYTHING THAT'S ON OFF THE SHELF, I MEAN, IT, IT COULD CHANGE NEXT YEAR AGAIN.
SO I THINK IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO WORK ON ON A REGULAR BASIS IN A SHORTER PERIOD OF TIME.
I WAS GONNA SAY, I, I, I WOULD AGREE WITH ALL OF YOU ON THIS.
IF ANYTHING, THE LEGISLATURE MEETS EVERY TWO YEARS AND THEY ALWAYS, UM, UM, UH, MAKE CHANGES THAT
[02:35:01]
IMPACT THE WAY WE'RE ABLE TO REGULATE LAND USE AND DEVELOPMENT.AND SO, UM, WE, WE HAVE TO LOOK AT OUR ORDINANCE ON A REGULAR BASIS AND MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE KEEPING IT UP TO DATE.
BUT THEN AS WE EXPERIENCE CHALLENGES, UM, YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE MY COMMITMENT FOR MY TEAM AS LONG AS I'M HERE TO WORK WITH OUR CITY MANAGEMENT TEAM AND BRINGING TO THEM AND SAYING, HEY, THESE ARE AREAS THAT ARE PROBLEMATIC, OR THESE ARE SOME AREAS THAT WE NEED TO UPDATE.
HOW, UM, CAN WE, CAN WE FIND SOME TIME TO BE ABLE TO WORK ON THIS? UH, MS. PERKINS? UH, I THINK FIRST OF ALL, UH, IT SOUNDS LIKE YOU GOT A YES.
UH, UH, PLEASE PROCEED WITH WHEREVER THE NEXT STEP TAKES US.
UH, MY, MY ONLY INPUT ON IT WOULD BE, UH, WHETHER, BECAUSE IT SOUNDS LIKE WHAT MAKES THIS A SLIGHTLY LIGHTER LIFT, AS I THINK YOU MENTIONED EARLIER, THERE ARE A NUMBER OF OTHER CITIES THAT DO HAVE, UM, MORE MODERN OVERALL KIND OF ZONING, UH, UH, IN PLACE.
AND WE COULD PERHAPS BORROW SOME OF THAT FROM, FROM OTHERS.
OH, OH, WE'RE GREAT AT BORROWING AND STEALING FROM OTHER CITIES THAT HAVE DONE GREAT WORK.
SO, AND SO MY, MY, UH, MY COMMENT THAT I WAS GONNA MAKE WAS JUST, I WOULD LOVE FOR US TO BE BORROWING FROM A PERHAPS MORE RESTRICTIVE, MORE, UM, EXACTING UH, UH, ZONING BASE.
AND, AND PERHAPS ONE OF THE THINGS THAT YOU MAY BE ABLE TO COME TO US AT SOME POINT IS, HEY, UH, IF WE'RE TALKING ABOUT DRONES OR CHILDCARE OR SMOKING OR WHATEVER, UH, PERHAPS WE CAN EVEN KIND OF BENCHMARK AGAINST, HEY, YOU KNOW, THESE TWO CITIES, RIGHT? HAVE IT IN THIS PARTICULAR WAY.
NOT, NOT THAT WE WOULD NECESSARILY AUTOMATICALLY ADOPT WHAT SOME OTHER CITY WOULD WANT, BUT IT WOULD AT LEAST GIVE US SOME SENSE AS TO ARE WE EVEN BEING REASONABLE WITH WHATEVER EXTRA GUARD GUARDRAILS WE MAY WANNA PUT UP? UH, 'CAUSE I COULD SEE THIS BECOMING A VERY LONG, PROTRACTED CONVERSATION BY ELEMENT.
UM, SO JUST KNOWING THAT, HEY, UH, THIS IS HOW ADDISON HANDLES THEIR RESTAURANTS, RIGHT? AND, AND I'M JUST USING THAT AS A GENERIC EXAMPLE, OR THIS IS HOW FRISCO HANDLES THEIR MULTI-FAMILY.
UH, JUST IT'LL BE HELPFUL TO KIND OF UNDERSTAND WHERE THOSE BENCHMARKS ARE, UM, FOR ME, YEAH.
UH, IS THERE A QUESTION THREE, OR THERE IS, DOES QUESTION TWO HANDLE QUESTION MOST IMPORTANT? OH, WOW, DAWN, RIGHT.
SO HOW DOES COUNCIL WEIGH STRICT COMPLIANCE WITH ADOPTED REGULATIONS VERSUS PROMOTING ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES THAT FURTHER THE VISIONS? SO AGAIN, HOW DO YOU WEIGH, SO THINK, YOU KNOW, LEFT AND RIGHT HAND, RIGHT? STRICT COMPLIANCE WITH ADOPTED REGULATIONS VERSUS PROMOTING ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES.
THE FURTHER THE VISIONS, THE REASON WHY WE'RE ASKING THESE QUESTIONS IS BECAUSE HOW YOU RESPOND TO TERMS, HOW IS THIS REFLECTED IN OUR CONFERENCES, ZONING ORDINANCE, AND OUR DEVELOPMENT REVIEW PROCEDURES? UM, HOW DOES THIS INFORM OUR CITY'S ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGIES THAT WE'RE WORKING TOWARDS? UM, SOME OTHER FACTORS THAT COULD COME INTO PLAY ALSO INCLUDE, YOU KNOW, AS IT RELATES TO WHETHER OR NOT WE'RE REPURPOSING EXISTING PROPERTIES THROUGH ADAPTIVE REUSE REDEVELOPMENT, OR A COMBINATION OF BOTH.
I KNOW WE HAVE SOME ENHANCEMENT AREAS THAT WE'VE IDENTIFIED IN FUTURE CONVERSATIONS WE'RE GONNA HAVE ABOUT WHAT, WHAT IS OUR GOALS FOR THOSE AREAS? ARE WE LOOKING FOR SIGNIFICANT TRANSFORMATIVE CHANGE VERSUS LIGHTER TOUCH IN SOME OF THOSE AREAS? BUT THOSE KIND OF DECISIONS, IN PARTICULAR AS IT RELATES TO OUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT GOALS, UM, CAN BE IMPACTED BY THAT.
I THINK MORE IMPORTANTLY, ALSO, OTHER FACTORS THAT COULD COME INTO PLAY OR PROPERTIES THAT ARE BEING MORE PRODUCTIVE IN ORDER TO SUPPORT THE TAX SPACE AND THE GENERAL FUND GROWTH.
DO WE ACCOMMODATE DEVELOPMENT HAPPENING ON A PROPERTY SOONER THAN LATER? OR DO WE HOLD OUT FOR THAT PERFECT PROJECT THAT WE'RE TRYING TO ACHIEVE? AND IF WE'RE HOLDING OUT, THEN HOW, HOW LONG ARE WE WILLING TO HOLD OUT FOR THAT THAT CAN INFLUENCE AND IMPACT OUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGIES? ALSO, YOU KNOW, WE TALK ABOUT PROJECTS THAT ARE MAR UM, ROOTED IN MARKET REALITIES, UM, VERSUS THOSE THAT ARE ASPIRATIONAL OR MAY REQUIRE SIGNIFICANT PARTICIPATION BY THE CITY IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO GET THEM ACROSS THE FINISH LINE TO BE IN HIGHER CONFORMANCE.
SO, UM, HENCE WHY WE ASKED THIS QUESTION ABOUT HOW DOES COUNCIL WEIGH THE STRICT COMPLIANCE WITH ADOPTED REGULATIONS VERSUS PROMOTING ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES THAT FURTHER THOSE VISIONS THAT HAVE BEEN ESTABLISHED IN OUR COMMUNITY.
FOR ME, I LOOK AT THINGS LIKE, OKAY, ONE, WE WANT TO REMAIN FLEXIBLE TO BUSINESS.
I THINK IF IT'S A PLAN THAT'S NEWER, THEN WE HOLD OUT, IF IT'S GREEN SPACE OR AN AREA THAT HAS A LARGER TRACK THAN WE HAVE A LONGER TIME WE HOLD OUT FOR.
UM, I KNOW RECENTLY, I DON'T REMEMBER IF IT WAS THIS COUNCIL OR TOWARDS THE END OF THE LAST COUNCIL, NO, IT WAS THIS COUNCIL THAT HAD, UM, SOMETHING COME THROUGH WEST SPRING VALLEY.
IT WAS THAT, THAT TACO RESTAURANT.
UM, THERE WAS THE TALK WAS AROUND THAT WEST SPRING VALLEY, AND I REMEMBER THINKING, WELL, WEST SPRING VALLEY, WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THAT FOR 15 YEARS.
[02:40:01]
BEEN TALKING ABOUT FOR 15 YEARS.MAYBE WE START BEING A LITTLE FLEXIBLE THERE, UM, WITH, UM, WHAT'S EXPECTED.
SO TO ME IT'S MORE LIKE, HEY, IS THIS AREA BUILT OUT? HOW FAR ALONG IS IT IN THE PROJECT PROJECT? HOW LONG HAVE WE HELD OUT FOR IT TO ACTUALLY HAPPEN? UM, BECAUSE, SO THAT'S WHERE IT IS FOR ME.
SOMETHING THAT'S NEWER, A FEW YEARS OLD, THEN ESPECIALLY A LARGER PIECE, A LARGER VISION, THEN WE NEED TO HOLD OUT ON THAT AND GIVE IT AN OPPORTUNITY TO FLOURISH.
'CAUSE THEN AT THAT POINT WE'RE ASK, WE SHOULD BE ASKING OURSELVES, YOU KNOW, WHAT ARE THE MINOR CHANGES? OR IS IT SOMETHING WE NEED TO BE MORE AGGRESSIVE ON HOW WE GO AFTER THE BUSINESS TO MAKE THAT VISION A REALITY? BUT SOMETHING WE'VE BEEN SITTING ON FOR A LONG TIME, THEN WE MAY REMAIN A LITTLE MORE FLEXIBLE.
SO IT'S MORE OF A WHERE DOES IT FIT WITHIN THE TIMELINE AND A BIGGER PICTURE.
THAT'S THE QUESTION THAT COMES UP FOR ME.
WELL, TIME IS VERY IMPORTANT, UH, BECAUSE SOMETIMES SITTING IS NOT A WISE DECISION.
SOMETIMES SITTING COULD BE A WISE DECISION.
SO IT'S, IT'S LIKE, DEPENDS, LOSS OF CONDITION.
BUT BOTTOM LINE, UH, IS THAT, YOU KNOW, ENVISION RETURN, WHAT WE HAVE LONG TERM VISION FOR THAT AREA, AND THEN RETURN OF INVESTMENT TODAY AND TOMORROW, SHORT TERM, LONG TERM.
SO THERE IS NO REALLY, YOU KNOW, GOOD THING OR BAD THING THAT WE DON'T HAVE THAT MUCH EMPTY SPACE AVAILABLE.
SO THIS COULD BE BOTH GOOD AND BAD, BUT WE NEED TO BE CAREFUL HOW WE USE, UH, IT'S A COMBINATION OF EVERYTHING.
IT'S LIKE FLEXIBLE ON PROPERTY SITE TO SITE.
YEAH, I MEAN, I CAN, I CAN ONLY SPEAK LIKE FROM, FROM THE POSITION WHERE I AM NOW ON COUNCIL, HAVING BEEN ON COUNCIL FOR A COUPLE TERMS, THE WAY MY MINDSET IS, IS THAT I, I TRUST THAT STAFF TYPICALLY DOES A GOOD JOB OF TELLING PEOPLE WHO COME WITH IDEAS THAT ARE NOT, YOU KNOW, I GUESS WHEN, WHEN COMPLIANCE WITH ADOPTED REGULATIONS AND AN IDEA FOR SOMETHING THAT WOULD COME INTO THE CITY THAT CONFLICTS WITH THOSE ADOPTED REGULATIONS, WHEN THIS SORT OF Q3, THE TOP BOLD QUESTION ARISES, NOT THE STUFF UNDER IT, BUT THAT QUESTION ARISES, ARISES.
I TRUST THAT WHEN SOMETHING GETS TO THIS STAGE, THAT IT IS SOMETHING THAT OUR, OUR STAFF FEELS COMFORTABLE WITH THEIR EXPERTISE BRINGING HERE AND SAYING, THIS IS SERIOUSLY WORTH YOUR CONSIDERATION AS A COUNCIL TO MOVE AWAY FROM THE REGULATIONS THAT WE'VE ADOPTED.
UM, YOU KNOW, I TRUST THAT THERE ARE PROBABLY, I DON'T KNOW, I MEAN, I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY, BUT THAT THERE ARE PLENTY OF OPPORTUNITIES THAT YOU GUYS TURN AWAY BEFORE IT EVEN HITS OUR CHAMBER, SO TO SPEAK, BECAUSE THEY CONFLICT WITH THE ADOPTED REGULATIONS AND THEY'RE ONLY MARGINALLY BENEFICIAL, RIGHT.
FOR THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OF OUR CITY.
AND SO I THINK, YOU KNOW, I GUESS JUST HOW DOES THIS COUNCILMAN WEIGH IT? I WEIGH IT WHEN YOU GUYS BRING IT TO US.
I TAKE IT AS A VERY SERIOUS CONSIDERATION BECAUSE I TRUST THAT YOUR EXPERTISE IS SUCH THAT IT WOULD, IT WOULD BE WORTH BREAKING THOSE RULES AND SORT OF BREAKING THE OTHER SIGNALS THAT WE'VE SENT WITH OUR CODE.
DOES THAT HELP ANSWER THE QUESTION? MM-HMM
JUST FROM MY PERSPECTIVE? YES, DEFINITELY.
THE THING I HAD WRITTEN DOWN, UH, YOU MIGHT WANNA TURN IT BACK ON.
THING I, THE ONE THING I'D WRITTEN DOWN THAT WASN'T RELATED TO THAT WAS JUST THAT, YOU KNOW, I, I, THE HARD PART IS THAT IT CAN ONLY BE FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, BECAUSE THIS STUFF IS SUBJECTIVE TO ALL OF US.
WHAT ONE PERSON MAY SAY 15 YEARS IS NOT ENOUGH TIME.
ANOTHER PERSON MAY SAY 15 YEARS HAS BEEN WAITED, YOU KNOW, IS TOO LONG.
AND I CAN UNDERSTAND THE FRUSTRATION FROM STAFFS END WHEN YOU HAVE SEVEN SUBJECTIVE OPINIONS ON WHAT TOO LONG TO HOLD OUT IS VERSUS HALFWAY TO HOLDING OUT IS.
AND SO, I DON'T KNOW, I'M STILL MULLING RIGHT HERE HOW TO ALIGN THAT FOR YOU GUYS.
I DON'T KNOW HOW THAT COUNCIL MEMBER JUSTICE.
YEAH, I AGREE WHOLEHEARTEDLY WITH THE COUNCIL MEMBERS, UH,
I THINK THAT, UM, WHEN SOMETHING IS BROUGHT TO US THAT, THAT THOUGHT HAS REALLY BEEN PUT INTO IT, YOU SAID IT REALLY ELOQUENTLY, SO I WON'T, UH, REPEAT EVERYTHING THAT YOU JUST SAID, BUT, UM, I TRUST AS WELL.
I MEAN, EVEN IF IT'S BEEN FIVE YEARS, 15 YEARS, IF STAFF IS BRINGING IT TO US, I TRUST THAT THERE'S A REASON THAT STAFF IS BRINGING IT TO US.
IT ALIGNS WITH OUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY IN SOME WAY.
UH, OR, YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT'S WORTH, UM, ADJUSTING, UM, THAT, THAT REGULATION, UH, SLIGHTLY, UH, TO SOME DEGREE.
SO, I, I WON'T BELABOR THE POINT, BUT, BUT I THINK YOU SAID IT REALLY, REALLY WELL.
SORRY, I JUST, THAT'S ALL RIGHT.
I MEAN, I WOULD SAY THAT IT'S SOMETHING THAT COUNCIL MEMBER JUSTICE SAID SPARKED SOMETHING.
I THINK IT'S DON I THINK IT'S ALSO INCUMBENT ON YOU AND YOUR STAFF TO ASK US THE QUESTIONS THAT YOU THINK YOU NEED AHEAD OF TIME, UM, WHEN PUTTING TOGETHER PLANS AND POLICY
[02:45:01]
PROPOSALS FOR ZONING AND THINGS LIKE THAT.I THINK IF, WHEN WE DEVELOP SOMETHING LIKE WITH, UM, LIKE WITH WEST SPRING VALLEY, I WAS GONNA SAY NOT WHAT SURE.
WE CAN SAY WEST SPRING VALLEY.
I WAS GONNA SAY, UM, WITH THE AREA THAT CLAY COOLEY IS IN, I FORGET WHAT WE CALL THAT.
YOU KNOW, IF, IF WE HAD JUST HAD COUNCIL AS A GROUP SAY 40 YEARS IS THE MAXIMUM AMOUNT OF TIME WE WANNA SEE FOR THIS TURNOVER, I THINK IT COULD HAVE JUST CLEARED UP A LOT OF DISCUSSION THAT WE HAD AND SORT OF BACK AND FORTH THAT WE HAD AROUND THAT.
AND SO I WOULD JUST, I DON'T KNOW, I IF IT'S NOT UNFAIR IN YOUR OPINION, I THINK IT'S UP TO STAFF AT SOME POINT ALSO TO COME TO COUNSEL AND, AND ASK THOSE CLARIFYING QUESTIONS TO GET THEM DOWN AND ON THE RECORD.
MAYOR PROAM RE I, I WANT TO TAG ONTO THAT BECAUSE I THINK, I THINK IT'S YOUR THIRD BULLET POINT.
UNDER YOUR THIRD BULLET POINT, IF YOU WILL.
PROJECTS THAT ARE ROOTED IN MARKET RE REALITY VERSUS THOSE THAT ARE ASPIRATIONAL, MAY, MAY, MAY REQUIRE SIGNIFICANT CITY FINANCIAL INVOLVEMENT.
UH, I THINK IF YOU POLLED US TONIGHT, I'M NOT ASK, I'M NOT ASKING YOU TO, UH, I, I, I MEAN, YOU'RE NOT GONNA GET A, A, UM, CONSENSUS, UM, ON THAT BECAUSE I THINK, YOU KNOW, UH, I MEAN, I THINK THERE ARE THOSE OF US ON HERE THAT THINK MARKET REALITIES IS, YOU KNOW, THREE YEARS AND OTHERS THINK, WELL, WE SHOULD OUTLIVE A MARKET REALITY THAT'S OVER THE NEXT THREE TO FIVE YEARS.
AND THAT ASPIRATIONAL SH SHOULD BE SOMETHING THAT WE HOLD OUT FOR.
THAT'S, YOU KNOW, 15, 20, 30 YEARS.
SOME PEOPLE WOULD SAY, HEY, WE'VE TRIED TO DO SOMETHING AFTER FIVE YEARS.
SO I THINK THAT, TO ME, THAT'S THE ONE THAT'S THE REAL, THE REAL DIFFICULT ONE IN MY MIND.
'CAUSE I CAN THINK OF SEVERAL CASES THAT I, THAT I, THAT AGAIN CAME NOT TO THIS COUNCIL, BUT PREVIOUS COUNCILS WHERE, YOU KNOW, GOING BACK TO YOUR SECOND BULLET POINT UNDER THE THIRD, UM, WAS, YOU KNOW, THAT I PERSONALLY VOTED FOR, BECAUSE I THOUGHT, OKAY, WE CAN, WE CAN GAIN TAX BASE OVER MM-HMM
OVER A PARTICULAR POINT IN TIME AND BE ABLE TO SUPPORT OUR CITY.
ESPECIALLY AS I LOOK AT ALL THE CUTS THAT WE HAVE COMING FROM THE LEGISLATURE, ET CETERA, ET CETERA.
OTHER PEOPLE THOUGHT THAT WAS THE WORST THING WE EVER DID.
AND SO, I'M NOT, YOU KNOW, AND AGAIN, I'M NOT, I'M NOT SURE HOW TO ANSWER THIS ONE, BECAUSE OF THOSE REALITIES, AND, AND AGAIN, THIS GOES BACK, I WOULD SAY OVER PROBABLY THE, I MEAN, WHAT AM I COMING UP ON NOW, MY EIGHTH YEAR, UM, THAT WE'VE HAD, WE'VE HAD THESE TYPE OF THINGS COME UP AND, YOU KNOW, SO I'M NOT, I KNOW WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING FOR AND I'D LOVE TO BE ABLE TO SAY THAT, YOU KNOW, WE'D ALWAYS LOOK AT MARKET REALITIES.
UM, WE NEED TO BE SOMEWHAT ASPIRATIONAL, BUT HOW, HOW MUCH ASPIRATIONAL DO WE NEED TO BE? AND I'M AFRAID THAT EVERYBODY HAS A DIFFERENT VIEWPOINT OF WHAT ASPIRATIONAL IS.
AND I, I THINK THAT'S WHERE THE, THE DIFFICULTY COMES IN ON THIS.
SO I KNOW I'M NOT GIVING YOU AN ANSWER.
I'M KIND OF GIVING YOU MORE
BUT THAT'S WHERE MY CONCERN IS BECAUSE I, I KNOW I CAN THINK OF THREE PARTICULAR CASES THAT I VOTED ON WHERE I SAID, IT'D BE REALLY NICE TO HAVE THAT TEXT FROM YOU FOR SOME PERIOD OF TIME WHILE WE'RE STILL TRYING TO LOOK AND SEE, IS THERE SOMETHING ASPIRATIONAL WE CAN DO? BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, I I SAY THIS TO PEOPLE ALL THE TIME, YES, WE NEED TO BE ASPIRATIONAL.
WE NEED TO TRY AND SET ZONING, WE NEED TO SET OTHER THINGS.
BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, YOU KNOW, WE'VE GOTTA HAVE A DEVELOPER WHO WANTS TO COME IN AND DO WHATEVER IT IS.
I MEAN, I COULD, YOU KNOW, AND I, I DON'T KNOW.
I TRYING TO THINK OF SOMETHING UBER ASPIRATIONAL.
I CAN'T THINK OF ANYTHING RIGHT OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD.
UM, YOU KNOW, BUT IF SOMEBODY CAME, IF, IF COUNCIL ALL OF A SUDDEN DECIDED WE WANTED TO BECOME THE NEXT WALT DISNEY WORLD, YOU KNOW, HERE IN RICHARDSON, THAT'S INCREDIBLY ASPIRATIONAL.
BUT I DON'T KNOW IF WE'D EVER GET WALT DISNEY TO WANT TO COME HERE.
AND I KNOW THAT'S A REALLY, I KNOW THAT'S KIND OF A SILLY, AND I'M NOT, I DON'T WANNA, DON'T ANYBODY GET CAUGHT UP ON THAT.
I'M JUST, I COULDN'T THINK OF ANYTHING ELSE RIGHT OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD.
WELL, AND, AND I, I UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE SAYING BECAUSE YOU ALSO HAVE TO TAKE IN CONSIDERATION, UM, THE NATURE OF THE PROJECT THAT'S BEING PRESENTED AT THE TIME.
MAYBE IT GETS US PARTWAY THERE.
AND TO YOUR POINT EARLIER ON A PROJECT THAT YOU WERE MAKING, UM, REFERENCING TO MAYBE HELP PUTTING THAT PROPERTY INTO BETTER PRODUCTIVITY, BECAUSE IT HASN'T BEEN A CONTRIBUTING PROPERTY TO OUR COMMUNITY FOR THE LAST 15 EXACTLY.
BUT THIS HELPS GET THAT PROPERTY WHERE IT'S IN PRODUCTION, IT'S CONTRIBUTING TO OUR COMMUNITY, CORRECT.
IT MAY NOT BE ULTIMATELY WHAT I WANT HAPPENING WITH THAT PROPERTY.
BUT IN THE MEANTIME, IT'S APPROPRIATE FOR THAT USE TO OCCUR, THAT DEVELOPMENT WHILE WE WAIT FOR CHANGES IN THE MARKET OR THE RIGHT DEVELOPER TO COME ALONG WHO'S REALLY READY TO BE ABLE TO DELIVER THE PROJECT THAT WE'RE REALLY SHOOTING FOR.
AND I AGREE WITH YOU COMPLETELY.
AND FOUR OUT OF FOUR OUT SEVEN OF US AGREED WITH THAT.
AND THAT'S HOW THE VOTE WENT DOWN.
AND WE WERE BEATING ABOUT THE HEAD AND NECK
[02:50:01]
OVER MAKING THAT DECISION.NOW, THAT'S NOT THIS CURRENT COUNSEL, SO LEMME JUST MAKE SURE I CLARIFY THAT.
SO THAT'S WHAT MY CONCERN IS, IS IF, IF, IF, HOW DO I SAY, IF, IF Y'ALL START TO TRY TO MAKE, YOU KNOW, I, I JUST DON'T KNOW WHERE THAT'S GONNA ALL WASH OUT.
DOES THAT MAKE SENSE WHAT I'M SAYING? MM-HMM
I, UH, I, I HAVE TO AGREE WITH, UH, UH, MAYOR PRO TIMM HUTCHEN RIDER ABOUT THE, THE TIME LIMIT ON THAT, BECAUSE THAT ACTUALLY, THERE WAS SOMETHING THAT CAME ACROSS THIS COUNCIL, I THINK IT WAS, I THINK ABOUT A YEAR AGO THAT POTENTIALLY A PROPERTY NEEDED TO HAVE, UH, BE REPURPOSED OR REUSED.
BUT THERE WAS, BUT THERE REALLY WASN'T ANY, UM, EFFORT AND ANY FUNDING COMING FROM THE CITY.
IT WAS JUST SOMETHING THAT COULD HAVE BEEN USED AS A, AS A TEMPORARY TAX BASE.
AND IT'S, IT WILL, IT COULD ALWAYS BE AVAILABLE TO US AT A LATER DATE FOR WHATEVER, WHATEVER PRODUCTION OR WHATEVER DEVELOPMENT WE WANTED.
SO I, I HAVE, YOU HAVE TO LOOK AT THESE ON AN INDIVIDUAL BASIS, YOU KNOW, DEPENDING ON HOW, WHERE, WHAT, WHAT THE MARKET'S GOING TO HOLD AND WHAT, WHAT YOU'RE GONNA GET TEMPORARILY VERSUS LONG TERM.
AND DO YOU HAVE THAT OPTION AVAILABLE? AND I THINK WE HAVE TO LOOK AT EACH ONE OF THOSE ISSUES BECAUSE THEY'RE, THEY'RE ALL, UM, THEY CAN BE PRODUCTIVE.
BUT WE DO NEED TO ALSO BE CONSIDERED OR TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION THAT, YOU KNOW, WE'RE, WE'RE HERE TO MAKE DECISIONS ON, UH, THAT WHAT'S BEST FOR THE CITY.
SO I JUST WANNA REITERATE THAT AS WELL.
UH, SO I THINK PHILOSOPHICALLY, UH, I AM TOTALLY FOR PROMOTING ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES THAT FURTHER THE VISION, UH, BUT THE CAVEATS THERE ARE WHICH VISION, AND THEN WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME WE REVIEWED THAT VISION? AND SO, FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, WE TALKED ABOUT WEST SPRING VALLEY WAS BROUGHT UP, FOR EXAMPLE.
UM, YOU KNOW, IT MAY, IT, I BELIEVE IT'LL BE A GOOD IDEA FOR US TO SOMEWHAT REGULARLY GO BACK OVER THESE THINGS.
NOT WAIT FOR THE SPECIFIC TACO SHOP OR RESTAURANT OR SOMETHING TO COME BEFORE US, AND THEN ON THE DAIS IN REAL TIME, TRY TO RE-LITIGATE WHAT WEST SPRING VALLEY SHOULD OR SHOULDN'T BE.
OR IF WE'VE WAITED LONG ENOUGH OR NOT.
IN AN IDEAL WORLD, SIX MONTHS BEFORE THAT MEETING, WE WOULD'VE DONE A REVIEW OVER WEST SPRING VALLEY, AND WE WOULD'VE THEN DEBATED WITH CLEAR MINDS AND NOT WITHOUT, UH, A CERTAIN DANGLING CARROT THAT, OH, YEAH, IT'S TIME TO KIND OF ABANDON THAT.
WE SHOULD MOVE WITH THE FASTEST THINGS WE CAN, UH, AS LONG AS IT'S EVEN INCREMENTALLY TOWARDS THAT VISION.
AND SO, MY, MY HEARTBURN IS OFTENTIMES AROUND MAKING THE DECISION WHEN THAT ONE MOMENT IS THERE WITH THAT ONE PERSON VERSUS LIKE, SYSTEMATICALLY LOOKING AT THESE, UH, UH, IDEAS AND DETERMINING WHETHER OR NOT WE WERE BEING TOO ASPIRATIONAL OR WE WERE BEING WAY TOO MARKET SILLY, UM, UH, WHEN WE CAME UP WITH WHATEVER PLANS WE HAD.
SO FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, AS LONG AS THE VISIONS CONTINUE FOR EACH OF THESE DIFFERENT AREAS OR, OR, UH, PLACES THAT WE'RE FOCUSED ON, AS LONG AS THOSE ARE KEPT UP TO DATE, THEN I HAVE NO PROBLEM FURTHERING ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT THAT ARE TRUE TO THOSE VISIONS.
SO I DON'T KNOW IF ANY OF THAT WAS HELPFUL, BUT, UH, IT WAS A LOT OF WORDS BY A LOT OF PEOPLE.
WELL, LET ME, UH, FIRST OF ALL, THANK YOU.
I MEAN, THIS, THIS IS HELPFUL.
UM, I MEAN THE, THE CONVERSATION, UM, IS, UM, YOU KNOW, I THINK THIS IS JUST PROBABLY, YOU KNOW, THE FIRST ITERATION OF PROBABLY MANY DISCUSSIONS THAT'LL HAVE, THAT WILL HELP US, UM, KIND A BETTER UNDERSTAND AND APPRECIATE, LET LET ME SAY THIS.
THERE'S, IN MY OPINION, THERE'S NO RIGHT OR WRONG ANSWER.
THIS IS, UH, BY THE WAY, THIS WAS YOUR TACTIC,
AND SO WE'RE TRYING TO, WE'RE TRYING TO FACILITATE THAT.
UM, I BELIEVE THAT OUR APPROACH TO BOTH DEVELOPMENT AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IS THAT YOU'RE NOT GONNA SEE SOMETHING THAT I DON'T TRULY BELIEVE IS ALIGNED WITH OUR STRATEGIC PLANS.
UM, WE WOULD, WE WOULD, WE WOULD DO EVERYTHING WE CAN TO, UM, WORK WITH A DEVELOPER.
'CAUSE THAT'S NOT GOOD FOR THE DEVELOPER.
AND WE DON'T WANNA BE KNOWN AS A CITY THAT IS NOT GOING TO, UM, BE WHAT, WHAT DEVELOPERS WANT MORE THAN ANYTHING IS THEY WANT THE TRUTH, RIGHT? THEY WANT YOU TO BE VERY STRAIGHT WITH THEM.
AND THEY ARE HAPPY TO HEAR THAT YOU, YOU, THIS ISN'T GONNA WORK HERE.
'CAUSE THEY'VE GOT A LOT OF OTHER PLACES THEY CAN GO TRY IT, RIGHT? AND SO IF WE BRING YOU SOMETHING, IT IS GOING TO BE ALIGNED WITH THE VISION OF MY OPINION.
AND I THINK THAT IF WE BRING YOU SOMETHING, WE GENERALLY BRING YOU, EVEN IF THERE'S A, YOU KNOW, EVERY ONE OF THESE PLANS, THEY'RE SIX, SAY MAYBE EVEN 10 OR 12, OFTENTIMES DEVIATIONS FROM THE REGULATIONS.
UM, NOT FROM THE VISION, BUT FROM THE REGULATIONS.
[02:55:01]
DOESN'T GET AT THE QUESTION THAT I, I THOUGHT I HEARD, UM, BACK ON THAT, THAT SATURDAY WHEN YOU WERE DOING THE GOALS OF, UM, 'CAUSE ALL THAT CAN BE TRUE, BUT, UH, MAYOR PER TEMP, TO YOUR POINT, YOU CAN STILL HAVE FAIR SEVEN VERY DIFFERENT.WHAT DOES MEAN TIME MEAN
AND I DON'T WANNA START SENDING MIXED MESSAGES AND HAVING, UM, AND, UH, DEVELOPERS AND COMPANIES INVEST TIME AND MONEY ONLY TO FIGURE THAT OUT TO MAYOR, TO YOUR POINT ON THE DAAS.
AND SO, UM, WE'LL, WE'LL GO BACK.
THIS IS VERY, VERY APPRECIATED FEEDBACK.
WE'LL GO BACK, UM, THINK EVEN MORE SO ABOUT WHAT ELSE WE, WE, WE NEED, UM, TO MAKE SURE THAT WHEN WE'RE ON THE FRONT LINES AND WE'RE HAVING THOSE CONVERSATIONS, WE'RE PROVIDING, YOU KNOW, OUR POTENTIAL PARTNERS WITH THE BEST, UH, INFORMATION THAT WE CAN, UM, THAT IS MOST ALIGNED WITH, WITH YOUR CONSENSUS ABOUT HOW YOU WANT US TO APPROACH THESE THINGS.
I CAN GIVE YOU, WE CAN TALK ABOUT PAST EXAMPLES.
I COULD PROBABLY THROW OUT A HALF DOZEN EXAMPLES RIGHT NOW THAT, UM, I THINK THERE'S PROBABLY, YOU KNOW, THAT, THAT THERE MAY NOT BE A AGREEMENT ON.
THOSE ARE THE KINDS OF THINGS THAT I THINK, UH, THOSE ARE THE KIND OF SITUATIONS THAT I THINK WE'RE TRYING TO BETTER PREPARE OURSELVES FOR AS STAFF TO HAVE THOSE CONVERSATIONS WITH, LIKE I SAID, WITH OUR, OUR POTENTIAL PARTNERS.
UM, BUT AGAIN, I WANNA LET YOU KNOW, WE ARE HERE TO, TO IMPLEMENT YOUR POLICY.
THERE'S NOT A RIGHT OR WRONG ANSWER IN OUR OPINION.
WE'RE JUST TRYING TO GET THE, AN ABUNDANCE OF CLARIFICATION,
UM, AS, AS THESE OPPORTUNITIES EMERGE, DO, DO WE HAVE THE ANSWERS WE NEED FOR THE FEEDBACK REQUESTED? I, I SEE THERE'S TWO, THREE LIGHTS NOW ON, SO I, I FEEL LIKE WE DO OKAY.
I FEEL LIKE WE DO ALSO, SO YES.
I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER INE YOU HAVE ANOTHER COMMENT? YEAH, JUST, JUST WANTED ONE, ONE COMMENT, SHARE.
YOU KNOW, MAYBE WE NEED TO LOOK AT THINGS LITTLE BIT DIFFERENTLY.
SOMETIMES IF WE, I'LL JUST FOR AN EXAMPLE THAT WE HAVE A 10, 10 ECHO LAND.
WE WANT, WE HAVE TWO ECHO ON HAND.
WE ARE STILL LOOKING FOR EIGHT ACRES.
THEY'RE GONNA GONNA BE PROBABLY, THEY'LL BE SELLING IT.
I'M JUST THROWING SOME HYPOTHETICAL THINGS.
AND THEN, THEN THE BIG DEVELOPER WILL COME AND WE'LL HAVE A BIG DEVELOPMENT.
IF WE WAIT FOR THOSE KIND OF THINGS, WE'RE GONNA BE WAITING, WAITING AND WAITING A LOT.
INSTEAD OF THAT, SOMETIMES WE LOOK FOR SMALLER DEVELOPER WITH ONE ECHO EACH WITH THE SAME LONG TERM VISION THAT WHAT WE WANT INTO THAT 10 ECHO THE END PRODUCT.
MAYBE WE CAN LOOK THINGS LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT, SEE HOW WE CAN EXPEDITE SOME OF THE DEVELOPMENT, UM, NOT SACRIFICING THE QUALITY.
AND ALSO SOMETIMES, YOU KNOW, I'D RATHER SEE A HUGE BUILDING THAT HAS, YOU KNOW, WOULD STRUCTURE FIVE STORY LOOKS GOOD TODAY AFTER 20 YEARS IS NOT GONNA BE THE SAME.
SO I WOULD RATHER LIKE TO SEE CLASS A CONSTRUCTION THERE.
SOLID CONSTRUCTION, IT'LL BE THERE EASY TO MAINTAIN 50 YEARS.
UH, BUT IF WE COULD ACHIEVE THAT THINGS AND PRODUCT BY DOING LITTLE BIT DIFFERENTLY, UH, THAT'S SOMETHING TO LOOK AT IT.
BUT IT'S TOTALLY OUT OF THE BOX THINKING.
BUT I THINK, I THINK IT'S NOT, I THINK IT WOULD BE GOOD TO SEE IF THERE IS AN OPTION TO GO DIFFERENT ROUTE.
LOOKING AT THE END PRODUCT, TINA, AND I KNOW, I KNOW WE TRY TO DO THIS, BUT THE OTHER, THE ONE OTHER CONCERN THAT I HAVE IN REGARDS TO ALL OF THIS, AND, AND IT'S HAPPENED, AND IT HAPPENED BACK, I THINK IT WAS THREE COUNCILS AGO.
WE HAD A SITUATION WHERE SOMEBODY HAD GONE AND BOUGHT LAND, UM, AND THEN HAD PAID TAXES ON IT CAME UP WITH THIS DEVELOPMENT THAT REALLY DIDN'T MATCH WHAT COLLECTIVELY THE COUNCIL HAD IN MIND.
AND THEN THEY CAME IN AND THEIR, THEIR BIG PUSH WAS, WELL, BUT I'VE BEEN PAYING ALL THESE TAX DOLLARS, SO Y'ALL NEED TO APPROVE THIS BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, AND, AND SO I DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S, YOU KNOW, AS Y'ALL SEE EITHER PORTIONS OF, OF LAND, AND WHEN I SAY LAND, IT COULD HAVE BUILDINGS ON US.
SO I, 'CAUSE I KNOW WE ONLY HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF GREEN SPACE, BUT IF WE START TO SEE THESE THINGS OF, IF THERE'S SOME WAY TO, TO CALL A TIMEOUT AND SAY TO PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, GIVEN IF WE DON'T, IF, IF, IF THERE, IF, IF WE DON'T UNDERSTAND EXACTLY WHAT THEY'RE THINKING ABOUT DOING, OF BEING ABLE TO HAVE A DISCUSSION FAR, FAR, FAR IN ADVANCE, BECAUSE IT'S VERY DIFFICULT TO SIT HERE WHEN, WHEN SOMEBODY COMES AND THEY KIND OF WANNA PUT PRESSURE ON US TO DO SOMETHING THAT, BECAUSE THEY'VE, THEY'VE GONE DOWN THIS PATH OF, WELL, THEY'VE BOUGHT UP LAND AND THEY'VE BOUGHT UP SEVERAL BUILDINGS AND ALL OF THIS, AND THEY NOW WANT TO DO SOMETHING.
AND GOSH, YOU KNOW, WELL, YOU'RE NOT BUSINESS FRIENDLY.
IT WASN'T OUR COLLECTIVE VISION.
SO I DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S WAYS WE CAN GET, I THINK WE'RE
[03:00:01]
VERY PROGRESSIVE TO, BUT IF, IF WE CAN, AS A PART OF THIS PROCESS, GET EVEN MORE PROGRESSIVE, I'D LOVE TO SEE THAT HAPPEN AS WELL.I JUST WANTED TO MENTION THAT.
THANK YOU COUNCIL MEMBER CORCORAN.
YEAH, DON, I JUST WANT TO CLARIFY SOMETHING TOO.
YOU KNOW, WHENEVER I SEE THIS TACTIC AND JUST, YOU KNOW, JUST TO THE COMMENT OF, YOU KNOW, HEY, I APPRECIATE YOU PUTTING IT BACK ON US STAFF, BUT YOU'RE THE ONE WHO ASKED FOR THE TACTIC MM-HMM
I THINK
DO WE NEED TO PUT MONEY TOWARDS, YOU KNOW, INCENTIVES FOR RETAIL VERSUS, UH, YOU KNOW, CORPORATE RELOCATIONS AND WHERE DOES THE STAFF SPEND THEIR TIME AND WHERE DO WE SPEND OUR MONEY? THAT'S SORT OF WHERE MY MIND, WHERE THIS TACTIC WAS.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, WHATEVER WE HAVE TO DO TO HELP YOU OUT, I'M ALL ABOUT IT.
BUT MY, MY VISION WHEN I SAW THIS TACTIC WAS THAT WE WOULD BE MAKING, WE WOULD BE HAVING DISCUSSIONS ON COUNCIL THAT WOULD THEN HELP YOU GUYS FIGURE OUT WHERE TO SPEND YOUR TIME.
RIGHT? AND MAYBE THE SOLUTION IS JUST STAFFING UP THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PART DEPARTMENT TO THE POINT WHERE THEY CAN DO IT ALL.
THAT'S, THAT'S WHERE MY MIND WAS, JUST TO GIVE YOU A SENSE OF WHERE I WAS THINKING.
NO, THAT'S, THAT'S VERY HELPFUL.
YOU KNOW, I MEAN, THE DEVELOPMENT SERVICE IS A, THESE DISCUSSIONS, UM, THESE DISCUSSIONS ARE OFTEN HAPPENING SUBSEQUENT TO THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DISCUSSION, BUT THEY'RE EQUALLY IMPORTANT.
THEY CAN, THEY CAN EQUALLY KILL A DEAL.
UM, YOU KNOW, MANY OF THE, MANY OF THE PROJECTS THAT YOU KNOW, HAVE, UM, HAVE BEEN OF THE MOST INTEREST TO THE COMMUNITY, I WOULD ARGUE ARE HIGHLY ALIGNED WITH THE VISION FOR THE AREA.
UM, THEY MAY HAVE SOME DEVIATIONS AND REGULATIONS, AND I BELIEVE A LOT OF TIMES WE MEET THE SPIRIT OF THE REGULATION WITH A DIFFERENT STRA, A DIFFERENT DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY.
UM, BUT THEY'RE CHARACTERIZED AS NOT BEING ALIGNED WITH THE VISION.
AND THAT'S JUST, IN MY OPINION, IT'S SIMPLY NOT TRUE.
AND SO, BUT IT DOESN'T MATTER WHAT MY OPINION IS.
IT MATTER IS WHAT YOUR OPINION IS.
IF THAT IS THE CASE AND YOU BELIEVE THAT IF IT IS, UM, IF IT DEVIATES FROM TOO MANY REGULATIONS, EVEN IF THE SPIRIT OF THE REGULATION IS ACHIEVED, THEN IT IS NOT ALIGNED WITH THE VISION.
THAT'S REALLY WHAT I'M TRYING TO DRAW OUT, BECAUSE I CAN TELL YOU THE PRO, I CAN GIVE YOU EXAMPLES OF PROJECTS THAT I KNOW ARE ALIGNED WITH THE VISION THEY ACHIEVE AND FURTHER THE VISION, UH, OR ACHIEVE OR FURTHER THE VISION AT LEAST.
BUT IT'S BEEN THE DEVIATION FROM THE REGULATIONS THAT HAS CAUSED THE MOST CONSTERNATION IN THE COMMUNITY AND THE MOST CONFUSION AMONGST THE COUNCIL AND RESULT IN THE MOST CRITICISM I NEED, I'M TRYING TO DRAW OUT IS, IS THAT AMONGST, IS THERE A CONSENSUS AMONGST YOU THAT IS PROBLEMATIC? UM, IF THAT'S NOT PROBLEMATIC, THEN THAT'S FINE.
AND I THINK WE HAVE OUR MARCHING, OUR MARCHING ORDERS.
IF IT IS PROBLEMATIC, THEN WE PROBABLY NEED TO TALK ABOUT THAT MORE.
I, I'M, I'M JUST GONNA REITERATE ON, ON THAT PARTICULAR PIECE, TO ME AT LEAST, IT'S THE RECENCY OF HOW LONG AGO WE GOT BOTH RESIDENT FEEDBACK AND COUNCIL FEEDBACK AS TO WHERE WE WERE WITH THAT VISION.
SO SOMETHING THAT WAS A VISION OF OURS FOR SPRING VALLEY OR WHATEVER, YOU KNOW, 15 YEARS AGO OR 16 YEARS AGO, MAY OR MAY NOT BE ANYWHERE NEAR WHAT OUR VISION WOULD BE TODAY FOR IT.
AND SO THE BAD NEWS IS WE PUT YOU IN A POSITION TO WHERE THE ONLY VISION YOU HAVE IS THE VISION THAT WE PUT OUT THERE 16 YEARS AGO.
AND NOW YOU'RE LOOKING AT THE VISION GOING, THIS IS ALIGNED WITH THE VISION.
YOU COME BACK TO US AND ALL OF A SUDDEN IT'S NOT ALIGNED WITH WHAT THE VISION IS WE HAVE HERE.
BUT I THINK THE PROBLEM IS THE 16 YEARS.
UM, AND SO TO THE EXTENT THAT WE CAN CONTINUE HAVING THESE CONVERSATIONS, UH, THAT ALLOW US TO BE ABLE TO SPEAK WITHOUT THE INTENSITY OF A PARTICULAR CASE IN FRONT OF US, I THINK IT ALLOWS US TO BE ABLE TO HAVE AS, AS CLEAR AN INSTRUCTION AS WE CAN GIVE.
I, THAT'S AT LEAST MY, MY PERSPECTIVE.
UH, CAN WE MOVE ON TO THE CONSENT AGENDA, WHICH I THINK WE'RE GONNA AT LEAST HAVE ONE ITEM PULLED OFF SO THAT MR. MAGNER CAN GIVE US SOME DETAILS.
UM, UH, MS. FERGUS, ARE WE, WE GOOD? YES.
I LOOK THERE WEREN'T ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR THAT? NO, NO, NO.
I LOOK FORWARD TO OUR SUBSEQUENT CONVERSATION ON MARCH 9TH.
[10. CONSENT AGENDA]
TO THE CONSENT AGENDA AND, UM, PULL OFF.UM, I'LL JUST, I'LL JUST GO WITH MR. MAG.
DO YOU WANNA GIVE SOME EXPLANATION BEFORE WE CONSIDER ANY MOTIONS? YES, SIR.
MAYOR, MAYOR AND COUNSEL, VERY MUCH APPRECIATE THE, THE QUESTION AND THE SPIRIT OF THE QUESTION.
UM, SO WHEN WE PURCHASE, UM, UM, THE 160, UM, PISTOLS IN THIS CASE, UH, GD GT DISTRIBUTORS IS WHO WE'RE PURCHASING THEM FROM, UM, WE ACTUALLY TRADE IN OUR, UH, EXISTING PISTOLS FOR A CREDIT.
SO WE'RE, WE'RE REDUCING THE OVERALL COST OF THE NEW PISTOLS BY, UM, BY RETURNING THOSE, THAT DISTRIBUTOR IS REQUIRED BY FEDERAL LAW TO, UH, DISPENSE OF THOSE PISTOLS, UM, WITH ALL, IN ALL THE, UH, WITH, IN ACCORDANCE WITH ALL THE APPLICABLE, UM, LAWS.
SO, UM, YOU KNOW, I I DON'T THINK, UH, CHIEF TITTLE HAS, IS
[03:05:01]
CONFIDENT THAT, THAT THAT WILL HAPPEN, YOU KNOW, IF THEY ULTIMATELY END UP IN THE WRONG HANDS, I DON'T KNOW THAT THAT WOULD BE ANYTHING THAT WOULD BE DIRECTLY RELATED TO US TRADING THEM IN, UH, BACK TO A DISTRIBUTOR WHO HAS GUNS ANYWAY, RIGHT? THEY HAVE.AND SO, UM, YOU KNOW, I, AGAIN, VERY MUCH APPRECIATE THE SPIRIT OF THE QUESTION, BUT I DON'T, I DON'T THINK THAT WE'RE DOING ANYTHING THAT WOULD PUT IT BACK INTO THE HANDS OF ANYBODY WHO ISN'T ALREADY ENTRUSTED WITH DISTRIBUTING A LOT OF WEAPONS ACROSS THE UNITED STATES.
UH, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS ABOUT THAT INPUT? ALRIGHT, MAYOR PRO TEM HUTCHIN RIDER, I MOVE THEN THAT WE APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA AS PUBLISHED.
ALRIGHT, WE'VE GOT A MOTION COUNCIL MEMBER INE, I SECONDED.
WE HAVE A MOTION BY MAYOR PRO TEM HUTCHIN RIDER, SECOND BY COUNCIL MEMBER INE.
ALL IN FAVOR? ANY OPPOSED? THAT PASSES UNANIMOUSLY.
[11. REPORT ON ITEMS OF COMMUNITY INTEREST]
TO ITEMS OF COMMUNITY INTEREST.SURELY SOMEBODY HAS SOMETHING THAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO SHARE? YES.
I JUST WANNA SAY, UH, SATURDAY, IT WAS SATURDAY WE, UH, WE WERE ABLE TO JOIN THE SAIGON MALL WITH, UH, AND CELEBRATING THEIR LUNAR NEW YEAR CELEBRATION.
VERY, VERY NICE, VERY COLD OUTSIDE, BUT WE SPENT MOST OF IT INDOORS AND VERY JUST A, A VERY NICE EVENT.
UM, TON OF PEOPLE THERE, BUT JUST WANTED, THEY HAVE A SHOUT OUT TO THEM AND LET THEM KNOW HOW IMPORTANT IT IS AND THAT THEY'RE PART OF OUR COMMUNITY.
AND, AND, UM, AND, AND THANK THEM FOR, YOU KNOW, HAVING US EVERY YEAR.
NUMBER ONE, OBVIOUSLY WE ALL EXPERIENCE THE WONDERFUL RAIN, ICE, SNOW, WHATEVER IT ALL IT WAS THAT WE HAD.
SLEET, ALL OF THE DIFFERENT THINGS.
AND I JUST WANNA GIVE A HUGE SHOUT OUT, UM, GIVEN MY, WHEN I'M NOT ON COUNCIL, MY, MY PROFESSIONAL JOB.
I WAS OUT HAVING TO GO TO WORK ON SATURDAY, SUNDAY, AND ALL THIS, UH, THIS PAST WEEK, UM, WORKING, UM, WITH, WITH, UH, POLICE, FIRE, AND ALL THE CITY SERVICES AND AMAZING JOB.
I WANNA SAY THANK YOU TO EACH AND EVERY ONE OF THEM.
I KNOW THEY WERE PULLING 12 HOUR SHIFTS.
THEY WERE, IN SOME CASES SLEEPING OUT AT THE SERVICE CENTER.
THEY WERE DOING ALL KIND OF INCREDIBLE THINGS AND JUST WANT TO GIVE OUT A HUGE, HUGE, HUGE SHOUT OUT FOR KEEPING OUR CITY UP AND OPERATIONAL AND ALL THE THINGS THAT THEY DID.
PROBABLY MOST OF IT WILL NEVER KNOW WHAT ALL THEY HAD TO DO, BUT I KNOW THEY DID A LOT AND JUST WANT TO GIVE A HUGE SHOUT OUT ON THAT.
UM, AND THEN I'M SURE MARY, YOU'LL PROBABLY TALK ABOUT IT, AMAZING STATE OF THE CITY ADDRESS, UM, THEY COLLECTIVELY WE WERE ABLE TO PARTICIPATE IN.
AND THEN LASTLY, UM, A HUGE SHOUT OUT.
UH, CONGRATULATIONS TO ALLIE AND THE EISMAN CENTER FOR NEAL BERG'S, UM, HISTORY OF ROCK AND ROLL.
UM, HAD A, HAD A BLAST OF THAT FRIDAY NIGHT.
SHE, I THINK SHE'S DONE AN INCREDIBLE JOB WITH BRINGING AND PROGRAMMING.
UM, I DON'T KNOW THAT IT WAS A SELLOUT, BUT I'M TELLING YOU THE EISMAN WAS FULL WHEN, WHEN WE WERE THERE.
SO IT, UM, UH, A GREAT EVENING.
SO JUST HUGE, HUGE, UH, CONGRATULATIONS TO ALLIE AND ENTIRE EISMAN STAFF.
ALRIGHT, THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR.
WELL, A FEW THINGS HAPPENED LAST FEW DAYS.
UH, OF COURSE, BESIDES THOSE HUGE TWO INCHES OF ICE AND SNOW STILL, I HAVE, UH, PROBABLY HALF INCHES LEFT
BUT, UH, YEAH, I MEAN, WE HAD, UH, I'M SURE MARY WOULD BE TALKING ABOUT THAT, UH, STATE OF THE CITY A LITTLE MORE.
BUT I THINK ALL, WE ALL HAVE GONE OUT THERE BEFORE THAT NIGHT FOR PRACTICING.
AND I DID PRACTICE ALSO DRIVING THAT TIME
SO MY CAR WAS SLIDING, BUT GOOD THING THERE WAS NOBODY AROUND ME.
BUT REMEMBER THAT IF YOU HAVE TO DRIVE WHEN THERE IS A SNOW, PLEASE DO NOT GO CLOSE TO THE FRONT CAR.
UH, SOMETIMES YOU DON'T REMEMBER.
I DID NOT, BUT SOMEBODY ELSE DID THAT, RIGHT? UH, AND BESIDES THAT LAST THURSDAY, UH,
IT WAS COLD, BUT THE, THE NUMBER WAS HUGE THERE, VERY ORGANIZED.
I WAS VERY IMPRESSED BY LOOKING AT THEIR NUMBER DURING THOSE COLD NIGHT.
AND, UH, SATURDAY WE HAD THAT, UH, I WOULD ADD COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, UM, IAN MENTIONED ABOUT THE KALI SAGON MALL, UH, LUNAR NEW YEAR CELEBRATION.
IT WAS BY THE VIETNAMESE COMMUNITY, AND, UH, CELEBRATION WAS GREAT.
DRAGON AND DANCE, AND OF COURSE, FIRECRACKERS.
UH, BUT IF YOU GO NEXT TIME, MAKE SURE THAT YOU HAVE YOUR PROTECTIVE GLASS AND, UH, YOUR PLUG.
UH, BUT THAT'S, THAT'S AMAZING.
I MEAN, THE WAY THIS CELEBRATE IS, UH, IS AMAZING.
AND THE CITY OF, UH, GARLAND, THE MAYOR WAS THERE, THEIR COUNCIL MEMBERS WERE THERE, THEIR SCHOOL DISTRICT, EVERYBODY WAS THERE.
I THINK FROM OUR COUNCIL, WE HAD KORUM THERE.
THANK YOU COUNCIL MEMBER JUSTICE.
YEAH, I JUST, UM, WANNA ECHO, UM, UH,
[03:10:01]
THE COMMENTS ABOUT NEIL BERG'S 50 YEARS OF ROCK.IT WAS LIKE WATCHING A DOCUMENTARY ABOUT ROCK AND ROLL.
JUST, YOU KNOW, SO CONGRATULATIONS, ALLY.
I WON'T, I WON'T BELABOR THAT POINT.
UM, THIS COMING WEEKEND SATURDAY IS THE, UH, RICHARDSON SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA HAS A CONCERT AT THE EISMAN.
UM, AND IT'S A COUNTRY, I BELIEVE THERE'S A COUNTRY THEME TO IT.
SO, UM, I GO GET YOUR TICKETS AND THEN, UM, YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'VE SEEN THE SOCIAL MEDIA OR US TALKING ABOUT IT AT THE VARIOUS EVENTS, BUT THE HEALTHIER TEXAS COMMUNITY CHALLENGE STARTED TODAY.
SO IF YOU HAVEN'T LOGGED YOUR STEPS YET, FOLKS IN THE AUDIENCE, PLEASE, UM, DOWNLOAD THE APP, START LOGGING POINTS FOR RICHARDSON.
UM, YOU KNOW, THE MAYOR POSTED A VIDEO THIS MORNING, UH, TRYING TO GET 300 PARTICIPANTS, WHICH WOULD BE DOUBLE FROM LAST YEAR.
SO PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE, UH, THANK YOU MR. DAVIS.
UM, SO WE, WE APPRECIATE, UH, EVERYONE THAT PARTICIPATES AND GETS HEALTHIER ALONG THE WAY.
UM, LET ME START WITH THE STATE OF THE CITY.
UH, AND SADLY I WAS NOT PLANNING ON SPEAKING OF IT BECAUSE I HAD ALREADY FORGOTTEN THAT IT WAS, UH, ONLY, UH, ONLY LAST WEEK.
THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF EVENTS BETWEEN THEN AND, AND TODAY.
UM, LET ME JUST SAY, FIRST AND FOREMOST, AMAZING THE WORK THAT CITY STAFF DOES.
THE COMMUNICATIONS TEAM, OF COURSE, UH, HAS REALLY PUT A LOT OF TIME, ENERGY, EFFORT.
THIS WAS, UM, I THINK EVERY STATE OF THE CITY IS PROBABLY THE BEST ONE WE'VE EVER HAD BECAUSE I THINK OVER THE YEARS, THEY JUST KEEP RAISING THE BAR.
UM, UH, THE HIGHEST COMPLIMENT, UM, I BELIEVE I COULD, UH, TAKE AS A GUY WHO REALLY WANTS TO SEE OUR CITY BE THOUGHT OF AS AN INNOVATIVE CITY IS THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE THAT SAID IT FELT LIKE AN APPLE PRODUCT RELEASE.
UM, I THINK THAT JUST, IT, IT SORT OF, UM, IT DEMONSTRATES THE KIND OF CITY I BELIEVE WE ARE AND, AND SHOULD BE PROJECTING.
AND IT WAS, UM, REALLY, UH, UH, THRILLING TO HAVE THAT BE THERE.
I THOUGHT EVERY COUNCIL MEMBER JUST REALLY CRUSHED IT AND DID A GREAT JOB.
AND, AND THE TEAM JUST DID A TREMENDOUS JOB WITH, UM, UH, CONTENT AND, AND, AND EVERYTHING.
AND CONSIDERING WHAT THE CONDITIONS WERE OUTSIDE AND THE, THE DISCUSSION YOU AND I WERE HAVING 24 HOURS BEFORE ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT WE DECIDE TO CLOSE IT DOWN AND JUST MAKE IT AN EMPTY, UH, AN EMPTY ROOM OR WHAT DO WE DO? AND, UM, WHEN WE GAVE PEOPLE THE OPTION TO SHOW UP, WE ENDED UP WITH ALMOST A FULL HOUSE, WHICH WAS JUST FANTASTIC AS WELL.
SO, UM, CAN'T SAY ENOUGH ABOUT THE STATE OF THE CITY.
UH, SATURDAY, UM, THERE WAS THE DISCUSSION OF THE VIETNAMESE FESTIVAL THAT WAS IN GARLAND.
AND YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT REALLY MAKES RICHARDSON SPECIAL IS ALL THE CITIES THAT SURROUND US THAT MAKE THE REGION SO SPECIAL.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, THIS VIETNAMESE EVENT THAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT, OF COURSE HAPPENED IN GARLAND.
UM, I THEN PROMPTLY AND SOMETIMES AS MAYOR, YOU GET INVITED TO THINGS ALL OVER THE REGION, WHICH IS BOTH FUN AND NOT FUN AT THE SAME TIME.
'CAUSE IT'S A LOT MORE MILES ON YOUR CAR, BUT PROMPTLY LEAVING THERE TO GO TO AN INDIA, UH, REPUBLIC DAY FESTIVAL IN IRVING.
UH, THEN TO SHOW UP IN PLANO FOR A TAIWANESE NEW YEAR FESTIVAL, UH, ONLY TO END UP ON ANOTHER SIDE OF PLANO FOR, UH, A, UH, FOUNDATION THAT I KNOW COUNCIL MEMBER BARRIOS WAS THERE AS WELL, THAT WAS BENEFITING, UM, THOSE IN NEED IN BANGLADESH.
AND SO IT JUST SHOWS YOU WHAT AN AMAZINGLY INTERNATIONAL REGION WE HAVE AND JUST HOW BEAUTIFUL THAT WHOLE THING IS.
AND, AND EVEN WHEN IT'S NOT HAPPENING IN RICHARDSON, UH, WHAT'S, WHAT'S HAPPENING IN ALL THESE REGIONAL AREAS ARE ALSO HAPPENING FOR OUR RESIDENTS AND FOR THE PEOPLE WHO, UH, CARE ABOUT RICHARDSON.
SO, UM, LAST THING I'LL SAY IS I'LL SECOND THE HEALTHY TEXAS, UM, COMMUNITY CHALLENGE.
UH, I, I FEEL VERY, VERY CONFIDENT THAT WE WILL, UH, GET TO 300 AND PERHAPS THAT WAS TOO LOW A BAR, BUT WE'LL, UH, UH, WE'LL RECONSIDER THAT PERHAPS, UH, UH, LATER.
BUT IF YOU'RE NOT ALREADY IN IT, PLEASE JUMP IN.
UH, I WILL, UH, WARN YOU IF YOU GET A CHALLENGE FROM COUNCIL MEMBER JUSTICE, BE PREPARED TO LOSE.
UH, IF YOU CHALLENGE COUNCIL MEMBER JUSTICE, BE PREPARED TO LOSE.
SHE MAY BE ALREADY PROVING HERSELF TO BE THE MOST FIT COUNCIL PERSON, UH, ON THE DIOCESE.
I'M GONNA HAVE 45 WHEN YOU OPEN YOUR ACT.
UH, BUT ALL RIGHT, SO, UH, IF THERE ARE NO OTHER COMMENTS, UM, WE WILL GO AHEAD AND, UH, ADJOURN THIS MEETING AT 9:14 PM.