[00:00:04]
[RECONVENE MEETING]
I'M GONNA CALL THE MEETING TO ORDER.WE STARTED AT FOUR 30, HAD GREAT DISCUSSION ON SOME ITEMS IN THE BRIEFING.
UH, TONIGHT, UH, PASTOR JONATHAN BLUE OF THE GRAND PRAIRIE SEVENTH DAY ADVENTIST CHURCHES HERE TO GIVE OUR BLESSING AND GET US KICKED OFF.
AND THAT IS USUALLY THE PLACE OF SIGN FOR THE PASTOR.
I SHOULD HAVE COME OVER AND SHAKEN YOUR HEAD.
OUR PLEASURES WILL BE LED BY DEPUTY MAYOR PO.
PLEASE RISE, PLEASE, FATHER IN HEAVEN.
WE WANT TO THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY OF BEING HERE TODAY.
AND FATHER, AS WE START THIS MEETING THIS AFTERNOON, I WANT TO ASK A VERY SPECIAL BLESSING ON, UH, MAYOR JENSEN AND, AND HIS WHOLE STAFF AND FATHER, MAY, THE THINGS THAT ARE DISCUSSED HERE, THE COMMENTS THAT ARE MADE, THE, UH, IDEAS THAT COME FORTH, FATHER, MAY ALL BRING YOU HONOR AND GLORY.
SO WE PRAY IN THE NAME OF JESUS THAT YOU SEND YOUR HOLY SPIRIT TO BE HERE.
AND THAT WAY WHEN WE FINISH THE MEETING, WE COULD SAY THAT EVERYTHING WENT GOOD BECAUSE YOU WERE HERE.
WOULD YOU JOIN US IN FLESH TO THE US FLAG? UNITED STATES OF AMERICA? REPUBLIC STANDS ONE NATION UNDER GOD AND THE INDIVISIBLE WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE ALL ON THE FLAG.
I PLEDGE ONE STATE UNDER GOD, ONE INDIVISIBLE, MR. HILLS.
I'D LIKE TO GIVE YOU YOUR HONOR OF INTRODUCING ONE OF OUR NEWEST EMPLOYEES TONIGHT.
IT IS MY DISTINCT HONOR, PRIVILEGE, AND PLEASURE TO INTRODUCE TO EVERYONE, MILIA MCGINNIS, OUR CITY ATTORNEY.
THANK YOU BILL AND MAYORAL PRIVILEGE.
I'M GONNA RECOGNIZE SOMEBODY IN THE CROWD FROM WHEN SHE CAME.
HOW LONG DID YOU SERVE OVER THERE UNDER OSCAR? SEVEN.
NO, OSCAR'S A DEAR FRIEND OF MINE.
HE'S THE MAYOR OF NORTH RICHLAND HILLS MAYOR.
COME FORWARD AND I'LL DO SOME SPEAKING AND BRING, BRING YOUR GUESTS WITH YOU.
OSCAR AND I HAVE SERVED TOGETHER ON THE RTC SINCE, UH, 2003.
OSCAR WAS PUT ON THE RSTC IN 2002.
HE IS THE LONGEST SERVING MEMBER OF THE RTC WHEN HE STEPS DOWN.
HE IS NOT RUNNING FOR REELECTION AFTER BEING MAYOR FOR 22 YEARS.
I WILL BE THE LONGEST SERVING MEMBER OF THE RTC, BUT OSCAR AND I HAVE SET TWO SEATS APART AT THE RTC SINCE 2023, EXCEPT WHEN YOU WERE THE CHAIR.
SO WE HAD THREE YEARS UP AT THE FRONT.
WE HAVE A SIGNED SEATING THERE LIKE YOU DO AT CHURCH.
I MEAN, IT'S JUST, UH, IT'S GREAT.
I'M GONNA MISS YOU, BUT THAT'S NOT WHAT YOU'RE, YOU'RE HERE TO SPEAK ABOUT TONIGHT.
I'D LIKE TO DO, FIRST OFF, TO TO YOURSELF RON CITY STAFF, OUR CITY MANAGER AND COUNSEL.
UH, WHAT A GREAT HIRE IN MILITIA MCGINNIS.
WHAT A FANTASTIC, PERSONABLE ATTORNEY.
AND JUST DOWNRIGHT A GREAT PERSON, UH, TO THE STAFF, TO THE CITIZENS.
YOU COULDN'T HAVE DONE BETTER.
MILITIA CAME FROM THE CITY OF FORT WORTH.
WE WERE ELATED WHEN SHE CAME TO WORK FOR US.
UM, AND IT'S BEEN A GREAT SEVEN YEARS.
UM, SHE'S MOVED CLOSER TO HOME.
UM, AND, AND, AND I JUST CAN'T SAY ENOUGH GOOD THINGS ABOUT MILITIA MCGINNIS AND HOW SHE WILL TREAT YOUR STAFF,
[00:05:01]
HOW SHE'LL TREAT YOUR COUNCIL, HOW SHE'LL TREAT YOUR CITIZENS.AND, AND, AND, AND FOLKS, UH, THOSE OF YOU THAT DON'T KNOW OVER THE LAST 25, 30 YEARS, GRAND PRAIRIE HAS DONE SO MUCH FOR ITS CITIZENS.
IT'S AMAZING WHAT Y'ALL HAVE DONE.
YOUR, YOUR LEADERSHIP SHINES AND IT SHINES IN THE REGION.
I'VE GOT A COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, RITA RIDE ESKI THAT'S HERE WITH ME AND A COUNCILMAN, TITO RODRIGUEZ.
Y'ALL KNOW TITO IS THE PRESIDENT OF THE TEXAS MUNICIPAL LEAGUE THIS YEAR.
WE DO SEND A DELEGATION DOWN TO TML AND BE GOING.
SO THEY'LL BE RUNNING INTO YOU.
THAT'S, AND, AND, AND IT'S BECAUSE WE'RE HERE TO TELL YOU WHAT A GREAT PERSON Y'ALL HAVE.
BUT WE'RE SO GLAD SHE'S HERE WITH Y'ALL.
BUT YOU KNOW WHAT? IT'LL BE OKAY.
AND, AND I THINK IT'S GREAT FOR HER, UH, MILITIA.
IT'S REALLY STRANGE TO BE ON THIS SIDE AND NOT UP THERE.
SO
OKAY,
I WOULD LOVE TO TRY THAT LONGER.
WELL, GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS.
MY NAME IS RITA WRIGHT JETSKI.
I SERVE ON CITY COUNCIL IN NORTH RICHMOND HILLS.
AND I WANNA CONGRATULATE YOU ON YOUR WISE SELECTION OF MILITIA MCGINNIS TO SERVE AS YOUR CITY ATTORNEY FOR GRAND PRAIRIE.
DURING HER TIME IN NRH, SHE PROVIDED DEPENDABLE ADVICE THAT THE CITY COUNCIL COULD FOLLOW WITH CONFIDENCE, NEVER CONDESCENDING OR PATRONIZING.
SHE GUIDED OUR DECISION MAKING IN A MANNER THAT KEPT US ON SOLID LEGAL FOOTING.
WE COULD TRUST HER TO PROVIDE SOUND LEGAL DIRECTION ON ALL ISSUES THAT WERE IMPORTANT TO THE RESIDENTS OF OUR CITY.
I HAVE NO DOUBT THAT YOU'LL ENJOY THE SAME PROFESSIONAL AND ADVICE AND COUNSEL GIVEN WITH CONFIDENT AND FRIENDLY TONE FROM OUR FRIEND MILITIA MCGINNIS.
CONGRATULATIONS TO YOU AND YOU ARE MISS MILITIA.
YES, MAYOR AND COUNCIL, IT'S A PLEASURE AND AN HONOR TO BE HERE WITH YOU TODAY AND, UH, TO CONGRATULATE YOU ON YOUR SUPERSTAR HIRE.
AND, UH, YOU'RE GONNA FIND A MILITIA AS OUT AS OUTSTANDING CHARACTER AND SUCH A PROFESSIONAL AND STAFF IS, IS GONNA REALLY APPRECIATE HER, UH, HER ABILITY TO, TO COUNSEL WITH THEM AND TO TALK TO THEM.
AND, UH, MILITIA, SUE AND I WEREN'T THERE ON YOUR LAST DAY IN NRH.
WE WERE ON A, UNFORTUNATELY, WE WERE ON A CRUISE.
BUT, UH, SO ON BEHALF OF SUE AND I, WE'D LIKE TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE, YOUR COMMITMENT AND DEDICATION TO NRH, TO OUR COMMUNITY, TO OUR STAFF.
THANK YOU ALL FOR COMING TONIGHT.
WE MEET THE SECOND TUESDAY OF EVERY MONTH, THE AFTERNOON, ONE O'CLOCK, THE RTCS 43 MEMBERS.
WE HAVE A BIGGER BUDGET THAN 16 STATES IN THE US.
WE HANDLE EVERY BIT OF MONEY THAT COMES THROUGH THE MP, THIS REGION'S MPO, WHICH DALLAS-FORT WORTH AREA COUNTIES SURROUNDING IT.
UH, ONE OF THE, UH, GREATEST BOARDS TO SERVE ON IN THE REGION.
SO I'LL SEE YOU A WEEK FROM WEEK FROM THURSDAY.
THANK YOU, UH, MAYOR PRO TEM, BEFORE YOU, UH, PUT A MOTION ON THE TABLE, UH, WE HAVE A NUMBER OF SPEAKERS HERE TONIGHT FOR ITEM THREE, WHICH WAS IN THE BRIEFING.
DURING THE BRIEFING, WE, IT DISCUSSED THAT LENGTH.
ITEM NINE, YOU'RE HERE TO SPEAK ON ITEM NINE.
SO IF YOU WERE HERE TO SPEAK ON ITEM THREE, WE SHIFTED YOU TO ITEM NINE.
'CAUSE WE'RE NOT VOTING ON ITEM THREE.
ITEM NINE'S THE ITEM THAT WE WILL BE VOTED ON, BUT WE'RE NOT VOTING ON IT TONIGHT.
WE HAD PROBABLY A 30 MINUTE DISCUSSION ON IT DURING BRIEFING AND DECIDED WE DIDN'T HAVE ENOUGH INFORMATION TO MAKE A GOOD DECISION TONIGHT.
SO WE TABLED IT, WE'RE SENDING IT BACK TO THE F AND G, GET SOME MORE INFORMATION, AND WE'LL BE BRINGING IT BACK.
HOPEFULLY F AND G CAN HAVE IT TO US AT THE NEXT COUNCIL MEETING.
I DON'T KNOW IF WE CAN THE FOLLOWING, IT'LL BE THE FIRST MEETING IN APRIL.
BUT THE FIRST MEETING IN APRIL, WE'LL HAVE IT BACK ON THE AGENDA.
SO WHEN YOU MOVED THE TABLE AT SECOND, SECOND MEETING IN APRIL.
SECOND MEETING IN APRIL WHEN YOU'D MOVED THE TABLE AT SECOND MEETING IN APRIL.
MAYOR PROTE, I'D ENTERTAIN A MOTION.
[CONSENT AGENDA]
WE'VE GOT YOUR CARDS.WE'LL GIVE 'EM TO THE CITY SECRETARY TO PUT 'EM ON THE RECORD, BUT WE DON'T ALLOW SPEAKING TONIGHT SINCE IT'S
[00:10:01]
BEING TABLED.SO, UM, AS PRESENTED, YOU KNOW, WE DID, UM, REVIEW THE FULL AGENDA TODAY DURING BRIEFING.
ANY PERSON WISHING TO SPEAK ON ANY OF THE ITEMS LISTED ON THE AGENDA, MAKE SURE YOU COMPLETED THE SPEAKER CARD AND SUBMIT THAT TO US UPFRONT.
UM, GIVEN THAT, I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION THAT WE APPROVE ITEMS FIVE THROUGH EIGHT AND ITEMS 10 THROUGH 21.
WE'RE TABLING ITEM NUMBER NINE TO THE SECOND MEETING IN APRIL.
I HAVE, I DO HAVE A SPEAKER ON ITEM 12 THAT I WAS JUST GIVEN.
UM, ROBBIE LESLEY, RABBI LESKI.
SORRY, I WAS JUST GIVEN THE CARD BEFORE HE THAT'S ALL RIGHT.
SO I WAS READING THROUGH THIS, UM, AND SOME OF THESE THINGS ARE NOT WORDED AS CLEARLY AS WE'D LIKE THEM TO BE.
WHAT EXACTLY IS COSTING 199,000? IS THAT THE DESIGN SERVICE? OH, NO.
OR IS THAT THE COMPLETION OF THE ITEM 12? WE CAN ADDRESS ITEM 12 BECAUSE IT, IT READS LIKE IT'S THE DESIGN SERVICES THAT, THAT'S PROBABLY WHAT IT IS.
CAN YOU HEAR ME? IT'S THE DESIGN OF ALL OF THE INTERSECTIONS.
WHAT THIS ACTUALLY DOES IS, UM, ONCE WE DO THE DESIGN OF THESE, THIS IS FOR FIVE DIFFERENT LOCATIONS SUBMITTED, THEN WE RECEIVE $2.25 MILLION WORTH OF CONSTRUCTION WORK THAT TDO WILL OVERSEE.
AND WE JUST DO THE ENGINEERING WORK THAT'S GETTING, HOWEVER, THIS 1 99 IS JUST FOR THE DESIGN.
WE HAVE TO, TO BE ABLE TO GO FORWARD TO GET THE TWO POINT WHATEVER EXACTLY.
TO KEEP THIS PROJECT ON SCHEDULE.
THAT'S ALL THE CARDS WE HAVE FOR THE CONSENT AGENDA.
I FILLED OUT FOR NUMBER 20 TO TALK ABOUT NUMBER 20, PLEASE.
IT DIDN'T GET DOWN HERE TO US.
SOME OF 'EM JUST GOT HANDED TO US.
HAROLD WILLIS, 5 3 8 LINLEY, UH, RASHAD JACKSON, THE, TO THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF TWO TAX INCREMENT FINANCING ZONES.
WHERE ARE THESE TWO TAX INCREMENT FINANCING ZONES? AND LET'S TALK MORE ABOUT THESE.
WHAT ARE WE GONNA GET AS CITIZENS FROM THESE TWO TAX FINANCE, UH, MR. WILLIS.
UM, YOU MAY REMEMBER LAST MEETING YOU HAD ASKED, UH, FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THOSE TAX INCREMENT FINANCING ZONE LOCATIONS.
AND I EMAILED YOU THE LINK TO THE WEBSITE WHERE IT'S GOT THE MAPS.
AND SO, UM, THEY'RE IN, THEY'RE IN MULTIPLE LOCATIONS ACROSS THE CITY.
IT'S REALLY HARD TO GIVE YOU A SPECIFIC LOCATION BECAUSE IT'S SCATTERED THROUGHOUT.
BUT LIKE I SAID, I SEND IT TO YOU TO YOUR EMAIL.
I HAVE SPECTRUM EMAIL AND WE'VE HAD QUITE A FEW OUTAGES THE LAST TWO WEEKS OUT THERE, SO EVERYTHING'S BEEN OUTTA WHACK.
WELL, I'LL, WE CAN, I CAN, YOU WANTED TO RESEND IT TO YOU, HAROLD, OR WHAT? OH YEAH.
WITH SPECTRUM OF THAT 99.9% BUSINESS RELIABILITY.
AND WE'VE BEEN LOSING INTERNET OUT THERE ALL THE TIME BECAUSE I'VE BEEN GETTING ALL MY EMAILS.
I'LL BE HAPPY TO EMAIL IT TO YOU.
YOU, MAYBE IT'S JUST IN YOUR JUNK FOLDER, BUT WE'LL GET IT TO YOU AGAIN.
YEAH, I'LL GET IT TO YOU AGAIN, SIR.
BUT COULD WE JUST QUICKLY ON THE TWO ZONES, IT'S, SO THESE ARE MULTIPLE ZONES.
THEY'RE NOT JUST TWO SPECIFIC LOCATIONS.
THERE ARE TWO ZONES WITH SUB ZONES WITHIN THAT.
SO TWO ZONES WITH MULTIPLE LOCATIONS IN THOSE ZONES.
AND POTENTIALLY WHAT WILL GO INTO THESE ZONES? IT'S A, IT'S A, WHAT WE DO IS WE DRAW A BOUNDARY WITHIN THE CITY AND IT'S A VERY, VERY LARGE PIECE OF PROPERTY.
SO IT'S NOT JUST ONE DEVELOPMENT.
IT COULD ENCOMPASS THE, ONE OF THE ZONES ACTUALLY ENCOMPASSES THE ENTIRE EXTRATERRITORIAL JURISDICTION ALMOST, YOU KNOW, 10,000 ACRES.
SO IT'S, IT'S A LOT OF THINGS.
BUT THE R IN TURS, TAX INCREMENT, REIN REINVESTMENT ZONE, IT'S INTENDED TO TAKE THE TAX MONEY AND THEN REINVEST IT INTO THOSE PARTICULAR LOCATIONS.
SO HOW DIFFERENT IS THIS FROM THE 3 0 3 PLANS OR THE OTHER NEW PLANS THAT THEY'VE CHANGED IN TEXAS? ARE THEY THE SAME? ARE THEY THREE? OH, IT HAS NOTHING.
SO YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THE, DOWN IN THE ELLIS COUNTY SECTION, JOHNSON COUNTY SECTION AROUND VENUS.
IS THIS WHERE THIS COULD BE? THAT'S FOR FORTS.
THREET ONE IS MAINLY IN THE NORTHERN PART OF THE CITY, BUT IT IS, AGAIN, IT'S ALL SCATTERED THROUGHOUT.
I, I WISH I COULD GIVE YOU PARTICULAR INTERSECTIONS, BUT IT'S ALL SCATTERED THROUGHOUT.
BUT YOU DID SHOW THAT IN THE MAP THAT YOU SENT HIM.
RE SEND YOU THE MAPS, YOU'LL SEE EXACTLY WHERE THEY ARE.
I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT UP HERE AT BELTLINE AND 30, WHAT TYPE OF DEVELOPMENT, PERHAPS
[00:15:01]
ANYTHING SPECIFIC TYPE OF DEVELOPMENT WOULD GO IN THESE ZONES? IT, IT'S NOT, IT'S NOT ABOUT TYPES OF DEVELOPMENT, IT'S ABOUT INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS WITHIN THOSE ZONES.SO, AND THAT'S GETTING THE TAX FROM THOSE TO REINVEST IN THAT INSTEAD OF GOING INTO THE GENERAL FUND, RIGHT? CORRECT.
HAROLD, THIS IS A WAY FOR COUNTIES, SCHOOL DISTRICTS DON'T PARTICIPATE IN THEM ANYMORE.
THE CITY DOES US TO PUT THAT MONEY INTO THAT AREA TO REINVEST INSTEAD OF COMING INTO OUR GENERAL FUND.
SO IT'S NOT FAR SPECIFIC, A SPECIFIC DEVELOPMENT.
BUT LET'S SAY FOR EXAMPLE, IT MAY HELP US INCENTIVIZE A HOTEL THAT WANTS TO GO IN ONE OF THOSE ZONES.
BECAUSE WE CAN USE THE TAX MONEY THAT THEY WOULD BE PUTTING IN SPECIFICALLY FOR THEIR AREA.
AND SO IF, WHEN JIM ROSS IS GETTING ALL OF THOSE HOTELS IN ARLINGTON, PERHAPS THIS IS OUR FUNDING MECHANISM TO GET MORE HOTELS THAT THEY'RE GETTING IN ARLINGTON BY THE STADIUMS, THE HOTELS IN ARLINGTON.
THIS MAY HELP US GET A LOT OF THINGS, BUT NOT TO THE EXTENT THAT WOULD BENEFIT.
I MEAN, WE'RE NOT COMPARING APPLES AND APPLES.
WE'RE NOT NEXT TO AT AND T STADIUM HAROLD.
BUT IT COULD HELP US GET SOMETHING.
AND IT MAY NOT BE A HOTEL, IT MAY BE A MULTI-LEVEL OFFICE STRUCTURE, BUT IF THEY HAVE THE ZONING AND BUILD IT THERE, WHATEVER TAXES THEY PAY GOES INTO THE TIFF INSTEAD, THEY DON'T PAY MORE TAXES OR LESS.
IT GOES INTO THE TIFF INSTEAD OF OUR GENERAL FUND.
AND WE USE THAT TO INCENTIVIZE THEM TO BUILD INFRASTRUCTURE.
THAT'S JUST, JUST MORE OF IN-DEPTH DISCUSSION IN THIS COUNCIL CHAMBERS OF WHERE OUR TAX DOLLARS ARE GONNA GO.
WHILE YOU'RE THERE, GO AHEAD AND TALK ON 2018.
NO, WHAT WAS THE OTHER ONE? YOU'RE, I WANTED TO TALK ABOUT WASTEWATER RATES FOR APARTMENTS TONIGHT, BUT WE'RE GONNA PUT THAT ONE OFF, AREN'T WE? THAT'S RIGHT.
SO YOU'RE DONE UNTIL, NO, YOU DID SIGN UP FOR 23.
ALL OF THOSE, RABBI, YOU'RE BACK UP.
WE HADN'T VOTED YET, BUT WE DO HAVE A MOTION TO SECOND.
UM, I LOVE TREES A WHOLE, WHOLE LOT.
BUT HOW MANY ARE WE GETTING FOR 48,002? BUT THEY'RE REALLY BIG
HOW MANY ARE WE GETTING? UH, 35, 65 GALLON.
BUT LIKE HOW MANY ARE WE GETTING FOR THAT PRICE? 35.
AND, AND WE'RE SUPPORTING THEM WITH IRRIGATION.
IS THAT ALL OF THEM? THAT'S ALL POSITION.
MOTION CARRIES EIGHT TO NOTHING.
UH, MR. HUMPHREYS IS NOT HERE FOR THE REGULAR MEETING.
[22. Public Hearing and Ordinance to request street name change for Wildlife Parkway and Lower Tarrant Road (between Carrier Parkway and Belt Line Road) to Entertainment Way (Reviewed by the City Council Development Committee on 07/11/2023)]
22.THIS ITEM IS A PUBLIC HEARING AND AN ORDINANCE TO AGREE TO THE PROPOSED STREET NAME CHANGE FOR LOWER TARRANT ROAD AND WILDLIFE PARKWAY TO BECOME ENTERTAINMENT WAY.
WE'VE RECEIVED PUBLIC INPUT ON RENAMING OF IT.
UM, WE DID A PUBLIC MEETING LAST WEEK.
THIS IS A PUBLIC HEARING FOR THE SEGMENT.
ALL THE WAY FROM CARRIER TO, TO THE EAST TO BELTLINE ROAD.
THERE WERE NO RESPONSES OR OPPOSITION LETTERS AND NO, NO ONE AT THE PUBLIC MEETING.
AND THIS IS TO BE UPON THE END OF THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE ROAD THAT IS BEING CONSTRUCTED ALL THE WAY FROM BELTLINE BACK TO 1 61 RIGHT NOW.
UPON THE COMPLETION, PROBABLY ABOUT JANUARY OF 25.
ANYBODY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR HIM? THIS DID GO THROUGH THE CDC, RIGHT? AND MAYOR, IT IS A PUBLIC HEARING.
I WASN'T SURE IF ANYONE RIGHT.
ANYBODY ELSE, EVEN IF YOU HAVE NOT FILL OUT A SPEAKER CARD SINCE IT IS A PUBLIC HEARING, YOU CAN COME FORWARD NOW.
AS LONG AS YOU'RE GONNA JUST SPEAK ON THIS ITEM.
I MAKE A MOTION THAT WE APPROVE ITEM 22 AS PRESENTED BY STAFF.
MOTION CARRIES EIGHT TO NOTHING.
[00:20:01]
I JUST HAVE A, I HAVE A QUESTION WHY I REST THE MOTIONS.SORRY IF I, IF YOU HAD JUST RAISED YOUR HAND OR SOMETHING.
AND WE'LL TRY TO, I MEAN, THERE'S, THERE'S PLACES YOU WOULDN'T BE ALLOWED TO DO THAT.
ON ITEM 17, ON THE, FOR THE GOLF COURSE KITCHEN, WHERE, WHAT'S YOUR QUESTION FOR THAT? $150,000, WHERE IS THAT COMING FROM? NO, NO.
WHAT'S YOUR QUESTION ON THIS ITEM? NAME AND ADDRESS.
MY NAME IS DEX DAVIS ADDRESSES HERE IN GRAND PRAIRIE.
OKAY, THIS ITEM ONLY, WHAT'S YOUR QUESTION FOR THIS ITEM? 23? OH NO, SORRY, I THOUGHT THIS WAS, SORRY.
WE'VE, WE DID, YEAH, IT'S DONE.
[23. Increase Business Expense, Cell Phone, and Internet Monthly Expense Allowance to Account for Inflation to $1,273 for Mayor, $1,142 for Mayor Pro Tem, $1,010 for Deputy Mayor Pro Tem and $878 For City Council Members]
ITEM 23, WE HAVE TWO CARDS.COULD YOU BREAK THIS DOWN? YOU HAVE INCREASED BUSINESS EXPENSE, CELL PHONE AND INTERNET.
I'LL, I'LL EXPLAIN IT THE BEST I CAN.
WHEN I FIRST GOT ON THE COUNCIL, WE WERE ALL TURNING IN RECEIPTS TO THE THEN CITY SECRETARY KATHY DIMAGGIO.
AND SHE WOULD REIMBURSE US FOR THOSE EXPENSES EVERY MONTH.
AND SHE WOULD REMIND US, COUNCIL MEMBER JENSEN, OR MAYOR ENGLAND, YOU HAVE NOT GIVEN ME YOUR EXPENSES FOR YOUR MILEAGE THIS MONTH.
OR YOUR CELL PHONE BILL OR YOUR FAX MACHINE.
I NEED YOUR EXPENSES IN YOUR RECEIPTS.
IN 2004, KATHY DIMAGGIO WENT TO THE THEN CITY MANAGER TOM HART AND THE THEN MAYOR ENGLAND AND SAID, THERE'S GOTTA BE AN EASIER WAY.
CAN I COME UP WITH A STIPEND BASED ON WHAT RECEIPTS I'VE BEEN RECEIVING ALL THIS TIME AND GIVE Y'ALL A STIPEND.
AND WE GIVE THAT STIPEND MONTHLY TO THE COUNCIL MEMBERS IF THEY WANNA KEEP TRACK OF ALL THAT STUFF.
AND IT GOES ON THEIR W2, WE GET IT GOES ON YOUR W2.
IF THEY WANNA KEEP THAT TRACK OF THE RECEIPTS AND DEDUCT IT FROM THEIR PERSONAL TAXES, THEIR W2, THAT'S THEIR BUSINESS.
SO IN 2004, WE ADOPTED THIS STIPEND.
THE COUNCIL AT THAT TIME ADOPTED THIS STIPEND.
IT HAS BEEN CHANGED TWICE SINCE 2002.
THE LAST TIME IT WAS CHANGED WAS IN 2016, FIVE 2015.
AND SO WHAT WE ASKED STAFF TO DO, WE WERE DISCUSSING IT.
HOW ABOUT IF WE HAVE STAFF JUST DO WHAT THE INFLATIONARY RATE SINCE 2015 WOULD BE AND WHAT WOULD IT BE TODAY BASED ON THAT PLUS INFLATION.
SO THAT'S WHAT THESE NUMBERS ARE.
HAROLD, GOING BACK TO 2015, WHAT IT WAS AT THAT TIME AND GOING FORWARD, WHAT IS THE BREAKDOWN FOR CELL PHONE AND INTERNET? THERE'S NO BREAKDOWN.
IT WAS, IT WAS BACK THEN I EXPLAINED TO YOU HOW IT WAS COME, COME UP WITH, AND IT'S BEEN RAISED FOR INFLATION.
SO THERE IS NO ITEMIZATION OF THE COST.
THERE IS NO ITEMIZATION OF THE COST.
IF I CHOOSE TO ITEMIZE MYSELF AND DEDUCT IT FROM MY TAXES, I CAN, OR ANY COUNCIL MEMBER HERE CAN.
BUT WE DO NOT HAVE TO KEEP THE RECEIPTS.
THIS IS, THIS IS THE WAY WE'VE BEEN DOING IT HERE SINCE 2004.
WHO ARE, WHO IS THE CELL PHONE PROVIDER? DOES EVERYONE HAVE THE SAME CELL PHONE? WE GET TO PICK OUR OWN, WE GET TO PICK OUR OWN.
I DON'T EVEN HAVE TO HAVE A CELL PHONE.
THIS IS BASED ON WHAT WAS IN 2004, KATHY DIMAGGIO CAME AND GOING FORWARD BASED ON INFLATION.
SO THERE IS NO, EACH INDIVIDUAL, YOUR, YOU PICK OUT YOUR OWN CELL PHONE PROVIDER, YOUR OWN INTERNET PROVIDER.
WE DO, WE, IF WE WANT A FAX MACHINE, THE CITY WILL PROVIDE THE FAX MACHINE FOR US.
BUT WE HAVE TO PAY FOR THE LINE.
WOULD IT BE MORE COST EFFECTIVE FOR THE CITY TO USE A GROUP PURCHASING LIKE YOU? IT COULD BE.
AND THEN WE WOULD PROBABLY DEDUCT THAT FROM THIS.
BUT RIGHT NOW IT COVERS WHAT THEN? UH, WELL, I'VE
[00:25:01]
EXPLAINED IT BEST I COULD.WELL NO, I'M JUST, SINCE WE'VE MADE SUCH SPECIAL ACCOMMODATIONS FOR T-MOBILE ON THEIR TOWERS, THE 25,000 A YEAR THAT T-MOBILE COULD PROVIDE EVERYONE WITH A TWO FOR 55.
IF YOU'RE OVER 55, A MUCH DISCOUNTED RATE FOR A MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENT THAT T-MOBILE MAKES.
I I PERSONALLY LIKE MY CARRIER.
IT'S NOT T-MOBILE, BUT I'M SURE YOU COULD FIND SOME REASON WHY I SHOULDN'T BE USING THEM.
SO THAT'S WHY I'M NOT GONNA TELL YOU WHO I USE.
BUT THAT'S WHY WE HAVE COME UP.
THAT'S HOW WE HAVE COME UP WITH IT TONIGHT.
NOW WELL, WE'RE PAYING THE BILL OF MAYOR.
SHOULDN'T YOU TELL US WHO YOU USE? IT'S OUR TAX DOLLARS.
YEAH, I'M NOT GONNA TELL YOU 'CAUSE I DON'T, I'M NOT CLAIMING IT.
I MEAN I GET, I'M PAYING TAXES ON IT.
NO, I'M NOT GONNA TELL YOU WHO I'LL USE IT WITH MY, BUT THAT'S OUR TAX DOLLARS.
SO THAT'S WHY I'M TALKING ABOUT THE TRANSPARENCY THAT ISN'T PRESENT DOWN HERE BY TELLING US WHO THE MONEY'S GOING TO.
AND THE CHOICE WAS, INSTEAD OF GOING BACK THOUGH THE WAY IT WAS IN 2003 WHEN EVERYBODY HAD TO TURN IN THEIR RECEIPTS EVER SINCE 2004, THIS IS THE WAY THIS CITY HAS CHOSEN TO DO IT.
NO INDIVIDUAL UP HERE HAS EVER HAD TO TELL ANYBODY WHO THEY'RE USING FOR THEIR CARRIER OR TURN IN A RECEIPT.
JUST LIKE IF, UH, I'LL LET YOU GO LONGER 'CAUSE WE'VE BEEN IN DEBATE A LITTLE BIT.
BUT THAT'S THE WAY IT IS, HAROLD.
HOW DOES THIS RELATE TO THAT? THE ITEM YOU KEEP TABLING ON THE $2,000 A MONTH ALLOWANCE FOR COUNCIL.
THAT THE $2,000 A MONTH THAT WE TABLED IS A CHARTER AMENDMENT TO WHETHER OR NOT WE ARE GONNA GET PAID MORE.
RIGHT NOW I GET A HUNDRED DOLLARS A MONTH PAY HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THIS.
THE COUNCIL GETS $5 A MEETING, $5 A MEETING.
WE ARE GONNA LOOK AT THAT IN JULY AS TO WHETHER OR NOT WE WANNA LEAVE AT THE SAME OR GO TO THE CITIZENS WITH A CHARTER AMENDMENT TO CHANGE IT.
THIS IS A STIPEND FOR EXPENSES, TOLLS GAS.
AND WE ARE GETTING A CERTAIN AMOUNT NOW THAT WAS ESTABLISHED IN 2015 AND THIS IS INFLATION UP TO THIS.
I'LL GIVE YOU A COUPLE MORE QUESTIONS HAROLD.
WELL, I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE WITH THE $2,000 ALLOWANCE RIGHT NOW, SINCE THE, THERE'S NO 2000 NOW LET'S JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THIS WAS COMPLETELY SEPARATE.
THAT THIS WASN'T PART OF THIS.
THIS HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH WHAT WE'RE GONNA DO AS FAR AS PAY IN JULY WHEN WE MAY CHOOSE TO LEAVE IT OR MAY CHOOSE TO GO TO THE VOTERS TO CHANGE THAT, WHICH IS CALLED PAY BY CHARTER.
I JUST KNOW THAT OTHER CITIES ARE PAYING, AUSTIN, DALLAS ARE PAYING THEIR COUNCIL MEMBERS.
SO JUST THE FACT THAT A NUMBER OF CITIES AROUND US PAY A LOT MORE THAN WE PAY.
THAT WILL BE A DIFFERENT DISCUSSION IN JULY AND WE'LL PUT IT ON THE AGENDA TO VOTE ON.
YEAH, JUST, JUST UNDERSTAND AS A CITIZEN, I WANTED MORE CLARIFICATION RIGHT.
AS TO WHERE OUR TAX DOLLARS ARE GOING.
I HOPE I CLARIFIED IT ENOUGH FOR YOU.
EVEN THOUGH WE DON'T, WE DON'T GIVE RECEIPTS.
OH, MAYOR, YOU AND I'LL NEVER CLARIFY ENOUGH ISSUES TOGETHER.
I WOULD PROBABLY AGREE WITH THAT STATEMENT, MR. CLERK.
COUNCIL, I APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO ADDRESS.
I'M BARRY SANDERS, 2 1 2 6 WESTFIELD IN GRAND PRAIRIE.
FIVE POINTS I WANNA MAKE REALLY QUICK ON THIS AND THEN PROCEED TO VOTE, DO WHATEVER WE NEED TO DO.
BUT I THINK FUNDAMENTALLY, WITH ALL DUE RESPECT, GRAND PRAIRIE'S CHARTER IS A, A WEAK MAYOR SYSTEM.
WE HAVE A PROFESSIONAL CITY MANAGER.
WE HAVE A TOP-NOTCH STAFF TO EXECUTE.
WE'RE NOT DESIGNED LIKE CHICAGO IN THE THIRTIES AND FORTIES WHERE THE MAYOR HIRE AND FIRE AND DO ALL THE SIDE DEALS.
NOT SUPPOSED TO BE, HOUSTON IS THE ONLY STRONG MAYOR CITY IN THE STATE OF TEXAS.
AND SO THAT'S REALLY, THAT'S A SYSTEM OF GOVERNMENT.
SO WHAT WE'RE DOING HERE, AND I AGREE THAT WE NEED COST OF LIVING ADJUSTMENTS TO, TO STIPENDS.
I HAVE CONCERNS PERSONALLY WITH NO RECEIPTS AND NO STUFF.
'CAUSE IT WAS HARD TO KEEP TRACK OF WITH A MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENT ENTITY HAVING NO RECEIPTS.
MY JOB CERTAINLY REQUIRES THEM.
I THINK FOR TRANSPARENCY IN THE COUNTY.
BUT, AND AND TO THAT POINT, WE USED TO REQUIRE IT WHEN WE WANTED TO GET REIMBURSED FOR IT, AND THIS IS WHAT THEY CAME UP WITH.
SO WE WOULDN'T HAVE TO KEEP RECEIPTS, BUT WE CAN, IF WE WANTED DEDUCT IT FROM OUR TAXES.
[00:30:01]
THINK WE'RE CONFUSING THE, THE SALARY THAT HAROLD MENTIONED EARLIER AND THE STIPEND, AND IT'S BECOMING A DEF WE'RE, WE'RE KIND OF BLENDING THESE SO IT BECOMES COMPENSATION.IT, IT COULD BE CONSIDERED COMPENSATION BECAUSE SOME OF US MAY HAVE MORE EXPENSES THAN THIS.
SOME OF US MAY NOT HAVE HARDLY ANY.
MY ONLY CONCERN IS TO BLEND THESE ISSUES AND CONFUSE IT.
WE, UH, WE TALKED BEFORE, I HEARD DISCUSSIONS ABOUT CAREER POLITICIANS VERSUS COMMUNITY SERVANTS AND CIVIC SERVANTS.
AND THEN VOTE TO GIVE YOU YOURSELF MORE MONEY ON THE BACK END.
JUST HERE'S WHAT WE'RE GONNA HAVE.
I KNOW THAT WE, THE STAFF DID AN EXCELLENT JOB.
I DID DOWNLOAD THE MATERIALS AND PRINTED IT ALL OUT AND WITH MY G-P-I-S-D EDUCATION, I FIGURED OUT AS BEST I CAN, WHAT I'M ADDING UP.
BUT I THINK WE'RE COMPARING GEOGRAPHY VERSUS TAX BASE.
THERE'S SOME OTHER CITIES ON THAT LIST THAT MAY BE CLOSE TO US, BUT HAVE AN EXTREMELY, YOU MENTIONED EARLIER YEAH, ARLINGTON'S SITTING ON AT T STADIUM AND THEY PAY THEIR COUNCIL LESS FOR SALARY VERSUS STIPENDS.
AND WE'RE, WE'RE AHEAD OF THEM NOW.
UM, I JUST, I JUST WORRY THAT WITHOUT RECEIPTS AND ALL THIS STUFF, IT BECOMES A SALARY.
THE LAST THING, AND THIS COME FROM THE BRIEFING SESSION.
THE, THE, THE STAFF HAS PRESENTED A FOUR TIER SYSTEM WITH MAYOR, DEPUTY, UH, MAYOR AND MAYOR, PRO TEM AND COUNCIL MEMBERS.
AND A DISCUSSION WAS MADE AND THERE'S DIFFERENT LEVELS FOR YOUR STIPEND IN THERE.
A DISCUSSION WAS MADE OF, OH, WELL WHY CAN'T WE SIMPLIFY THIS AND MAKE IT DIFFERENT? AND, AND, AND SOMEBODY SUGGESTED, WELL, WE JUST DON'T MAKE THAT.
BUT WE CHOSE THE HIGHER NUMBER.
WELL TIMES EIGHT CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS.
THAT'S A DIFFERENCE OF $2,200 A MONTH AND A DIFFERENCE OF $26,000 A YEAR OUTTA THE GENERAL FUND.
SO CAREFUL IF, IF YOU BLENDED IT, ALL OF US PROBABLY OUGHT TO BE IN THE MIDDLE SOMEWHERE.
I, I JUST, YOU'VE MADE SOME GOOD POINTS.
BUT, YOU KNOW, I THINK IN THIS DAY AND TIME, UM, HAD WE NOT HAD DONE IT IN 2004, AND YOU KNOW, I UNDERSTAND AND I ECHO, I THINK WE ABSOLUTELY NEED COST OF LIVING ADJUSTMENTS.
IT'S WAY DIFFERENT THAN IT WAS IN 2015.
SO I HAVE NO PROBLEM WITH THAT.
THIS WANNA DO AWAY WITH IT OR GO BACK TO FULL RECEIPTS, WHICH IS A HASSLE.
THAT'S THE C THAT'S ALL I HAD TO SAY ON THE ISSUE.
OKAY, THAT CONCLUDES THE SPEAKERS.
MAYOR, I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO TABLE THIS ITEM UNTIL OUR JUNE 4TH MEETING.
SECOND, I WHO SECONDED COUNCIL, UH, DEPUTY MAYOR PRO TEM.
UH, WE HAVE A MOTION TO SECOND TO TABLE IT UNTIL A WIN.
YOU KNOW, I DON'T NORMALLY MIND TABLING THINGS.
I, UH, BUT, UM, WE'LL SEE HOW IT GOES.
UM, LET'S DO A, UH, RAISE THE HAND VOTE.
STARTING WITH YOU AS THE MOTION.
I'LL HAVE US ENTERTAIN ANOTHER MOTION.
WITH ANY FUTURE ADJUSTMENTS TO BE EVALUATED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE COMPLETION RATE ANNUALLY THROUGH THE BUDGET PROCESS APPROVAL PROCESS.
SECOND, LET'S DO THE SAME THING, BUT START AT THE OTHER END.
ALL IN FAVOR? RAISE YOUR, SAY SAY IT VOICE STARTING ON THE END.
IF I DID THE MATH CORRECTLY WITH COUNCIL MEMBER JOHNSON AND COUNCIL MEMBER ZANU VOTING NAY.
[24. STP-23-12-0028 - Site Plan - Prose Westcliff Mult-Family (City Council District 2). Site Plan for a multi-family development with 300 dwelling units on 14.16 acres. Lots 1-4, Vickery Place Addition, a portion of Tract 4, J.W.E. Wallace Survey, Abstract No. 1517, and a portion of Tract 12, Benjamin F. Smith Survey, Abstract No. 1337, City of Grand Prairie, Dallas County, zoned PD-449, within the IH-20 Corridor Overlay District, and addressed as 901-913 E Fish Creek Road, 3971 Westcliff Rd and 1199 E IH-20 (On February 12, 2024, the Planning and Zoning Commission recommended approval by a vote of 8-0)]
GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL.ITEM 24 IS A SITE PLAN FOR PROS, WESTCLIFF MULTIFAMILY.
YOU CAN SEE THE LOCATION IS OUTLINED IN YELLOW ON THE SCREEN.
THIS IS A SITE PLAN FOR A MULTIFAMILY RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT WITH 300 UNITS.
IT'S ON ABOUT 14 ACRES AND IT'S LOCATED WITHIN THE I 20 CORRIDOR.
IT'S ZONED, UH, PD FOR MULTIFAMILY.
AND THE CONCEPT PLAN WAS RECENTLY APPROVED FOR THIS IN DECEMBER.
UH, COUNSEL ADOPTED THE CONCEPT PLAN.
YOU CAN SEE THE PROPOSED ELEVATION.
UM, THEIR SITE PLAN HAS NOT CHANGED SINCE THAT CONCEPT PLAN.
IT MEETS OUR DENSITY AND DIMENSIONAL REQUIREMENTS.
THEY ARE PROVIDING THE NECESSARY LANDSCAPING AND SCREENING AND AS REQUIRED BY THE ADOPTION OF THE CONCEPT PLAN, THEY ARE PROVIDING AN ENHANCED LANDSCAPING AREA WITH DECORATIVE, UH,
[00:35:01]
BOULDERS OR, OR STONE BENCHES.UM, THEY DID DO A TREE SURVEY AND PRESERVATION AND MITIGATION PLAN.
THEY'RE NOT REQUIRED TO PAY ANY INTO THE, UH, TREE FUND.
THESE ARE THEIR BUILDING ELEVATIONS, WHICH ARE CONSISTENT WITH THOSE, UH, RENDERINGS THAT WAS ADOPTED WITH THE CONCEPT PLAN.
THEY'RE PROVIDING THE NECESSARY AMENITIES AND THEY'RE NOT REQUESTING ANY VARIANCES.
ON FEBRUARY 12TH, THE PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION RECOMMENDED APPROVAL BY A VOTE OF EIGHT TO ZERO.
THIS CONCLUDES MY PRESENTATION AND I CAN ANSWER QUESTIONS AT THIS TIME.
ANYBODY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS BEFORE WE GET TO THE SPEAKERS? DO WE HAVE ANY SPEAKERS ON ITEM 24 MILL? WE DO NOT.
I REC, I LET EVERYBODY IN THE AUDIENCE KNOW THIS ISN'T A ZONING REQUEST.
IT'S, IT'S NOT A SUP, UM, WHICH WE HAVE.
THERE'S CERTAIN THINGS WE HAVE THE RIGHT TO DENY WITHOUT RECOURSE, BUT WE KNOW ANYBODY CAN SUE US FOR DOING ANYTHING.
BUT NORMALLY THE CASES HOLD UP.
IF IT'S A ZONING CASE AND WE DENY IT AN SUP, UH, THEY'RE NEARLY ALWAYS 100% APPROVED.
UM, THE CITY WINS THIS, HOWEVER, HAS THE RIGHT TO BUILD THIS.
EVEN THOUGH WE DON'T NECESSARILY LIKE APARTMENTS.
WE FEEL LIKE WE'VE GOT A LOT OF THEM, BUT THEY HAVE THE RIGHT HERE.
THERE'S A LOT OF ZONING IN THIS TOWN FOR APARTMENTS THAT TOOK PLACE YEARS AND YEARS AGO.
THE OTHER NIGHT WE HAD A CASE, THE ZONING WAS APPROVED IN 1978.
SOMEBODY ASKED ME, WELL, WHY CAN'T YOU CHANGE THE ZONING? YOU CAN TRY.
UM, THEY CONSIDERED A TAKING AND THEY'LL GET TO BUILD THE APARTMENTS AND YOU'VE SPENT MONEY ON LEGAL FEES.
UM, COUNCIL DISTRICT TWO, WE'VE, THIS IS ONE OF THE ONES WE'VE LOOKED AT BEFORE, I THINK COUNCIL MEMBER HEAD.
WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THIS AND TALKED ABOUT IT.
UNFORTUNATELY, THE APARTMENTS ARE COMING.
I MET WITH A PID UM, MEETING YESTERDAY AND ANNOUNCED THIS.
MET WITH MEMBERS IN HOLLY HILL.
SO I'VE BEEN GETTING THE WORD OUT THAT, HEY, WE'RE NOT EXCITED.
I HAVE WORKED WITH THE, THE DEVELOPER TO ENHANCE THE, THE LOOK OF IT.
UH, THE MATERIALS ARE DIFFERENT.
SO LISA, IT WON'T BE AN EYE SORT.
IT ALSO, THEY'RE DOING ENHANCED LANDSCAPING OFF OF DECKMAN.
IF YOU'RE COMING DOWN 20 AND YOU'RE EXITING DECKMAN OR COMING FROM BELT LINE, YOU'LL HAVE NICE GREENERY NOW.
SO SOME SMALL, UH, SMALL CHANGES THERE.
YOU WOULDN'T HAVE GOT ANY HAD YOU NOT ASKED COUNCIL MEMBER.
'CAUSE THEY DIDN'T HAVE TO DO THAT.
SO I, I MOVE TO APPROVE ITEM 24 AS PRESENTED BY STAFF.
WE HAVE MOTION BY COUNCIL MEMBER HEAD AND SECOND BY COUNCIL MEMBER ADAMS. ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
MOTION CARRIES ITEM 25, RAISING THEIR HEARING.
LOOK, IF YOU WANT SPEAK ON ANYTHING SPEAKER AND THE ON THE AGENDA, IF THAT AREN'T PUBLIC HEARING, YOU HAVE TO GO BACK OUT THERE AND FILL OUT A CARD.
I'M SORRY, I JUST CAN'T RECOGNIZE EVERYBODY IN THE STANDS IN THE AUDIENCE.
[25. STP-24-01-0001 - Site Plan - Crunch Fitness at Epic West (City Council District 2). Site Plan for a health club on 3.499 acres. Lot 1R-2B, Block C, Epic West Towne Crossing Phase 1 Addition, City of Grand Prairie, Dallas County, Texas, zoned Planned Development-364, within the SH 161 Corridor Overlay District and addressed as 3116 S Hwy 161 (On February 12, 2024, the Planning and Zoning Commission recommended approval by a vote of 7-1)]
25, THIS ITEM IS A SITE PLAN FOR CRUNCH FITNESS AT EPIC WESTTOWN CROSSING.YOU CAN SEE THE LOCATION OUTLINED IN YELLOW ON THE SCREEN.
THIS IS IN FRONT OF THE HOTEL.
IT'S LOCATED AT 31 16 SOUTH HIGHWAY 1 61 AT ZONE PD 360 4.
THEIR APPLICANT'S PROPOSING TO CONSTRUCT A 35,000 SQUARE FOOT GYM.
IT MEETS OUR DENSITY AND DIMENSIONAL REQUIREMENTS AND OUR APPENDIX F STANDARDS.
YOU CAN SEE THE SITE PLAN LOCATED ON THE SCREEN ENTRANCE WILL BE OFF OF ESPLANADE.
IT DOES MEET OR EXCEED OUR LANDSCAPING REQUIREMENTS.
AND THESE ARE THEIR PROPOSED BUILDING ELEVATIONS INCLUDES STUCCO, BRICK AND STONE.
THERE'S ARTICULATION MATERIALS MIX AND COLOR CONTRAST AS REQUIRED BY APPENDIX F.
THEY'RE PROVIDING SOME MENU ITEMS. THEY ARE REQUESTING SOME VARIANCES.
THE FIRST IS, UH, A VARIANCE REQUEST THAT WE TEND TO SEE, UH, THEY'RE REQUESTING TO EXCEED THE MAXIMUM NUMBER OF PARKING.
WELL, WELL, YEAH, WE ALWAYS, AND AFTER SEEING HOW HARD IT'S PARKED, SOME PLACES THAT
AND THEN CAN THEY SHOVEL THEM TO THE EPIC CENTRAL FROM THERE? GO AHEAD.
THE SECOND AND THIRD VARIANCES ARE RELATED TO GLAZING.
UH, WE HAVE AN OVERALL BUILDING, UH, REQUIREMENT FOR WINDOWS.
IT'S GOTTA BE 50% GLAZING OF THE LENGTH OF ALL, UH, FOUR FACADES.
AND THEY'RE PROPOSING 32.5% GLAZING.
WE ALSO HAVE A GLAZING REQUIREMENT FOR PRIMARY FACADES, WHICH ARE FACING THE STREET.
AND WE'RE REQUIRING, UH, 30%, BUT THEY'RE PROPOSING 12% GLAZING ON FEBRUARY 12TH.
THE PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION RECOMMENDED APPROVAL BY A VOTE OF SEVEN TO ONE.
AND THE DEVELOPMENT REVIEW COMMITTEE RECOMMENDS APPROVAL WITH THE CONDITION THAT THEY PROVIDE A COMPENSATORY MEASURE FOR EXCEEDING THAT.
WHAT DO THEY MEAN BY COMPENSATORY?
[00:40:01]
THERE ARE TWO OPTIONS.THEY CAN PROVIDE PERMEABLE PAVING MATERIALS OR, UM, UH, COMPACT PARKING SPACES FOR THOSE THAT EXCEED.
AND THIS IS JUST TO HELP US SO WE DON'T HAVE SO MUCH RUNOFF.
THE, UM, YOU KNOW, WE, WE HAVE THIS, THIS IS A DILEMMA, A NEW BUILDING SUCH AS THIS COMES BEFORE US FOR SITE PLAN REVIEW.
BUT IF THEY CAN PUT A FITNESS CENTER INTO AN OLD ALBERTSONS, WE DON'T GET TO SAY ANYTHING.
WE DON'T GET TO COMPLAIN ABOUT THE GLAZING BECAUSE IT BE, THAT'S THE POINT.
SO, UM, AND THAT'S WHY WE HAVE GROCERY STORES.
UH, NOW I DON'T LIKE GROCERY STORES BEING EMPTY.
UH, ALBERTSONS AND KROGER BOTH COULDN'T MAKE IT.
NOW WE HAVE VIBRANT FITNESS CENTERS IN THERE, BUT, UM, IT, WE REQUIRE THESE NEW ONES SOMETIMES DO MORE THAN YEAH, WE DO MORE THAN THE OLD ONES HAVE TO.
SOMEBODY PROBABLY A FITNESS CENTER COULD GO ON THE OLD COLES BUILDING.
DOESN'T HAVE ANY GLASS WHILE IT DOES.
BUT SO, UM, I'VE SAID IN MY PIECE WE CAN'T CHANGE IT, BUT THAT'S THE WAY IT IS.
YOU GO BACK TO THE, UM, SITE, HOW THE SITE DOES OVERALL GOT MORE.
SO THIS IS IN FRONT OF THE NEW RESIDENCE INN BY OH, BY MAIN EVENT.
SO THERE'S TWIN PEAKS ON THE RIGHT.
SO
SO MY QUESTION IS, SO ON THE RUNOFF, IS THAT LIKE A, A, A CREEK OR STORM DRAIN OR SOMETHING TO THE SOUTH OF THAT? IS THAT CORRECT OR THAT IS A CREEK ISN IT, YES.
NOW HAVE WE, DURING THIS PROCESS, I GUESS WHEN EVERYTHING GO THROUGH THE PROCESS, WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT IT'S NOT NEGATIVE IMPACTING MORE TO THE RESIDENTS JUST WEST OF HERE.
THAT WILL BE TAKEN CARE OF DURING THE CIVIL DESIGN AND ENGINEERING PLAN REVIEW.
I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT'S PART OF THE PROCESS IS AS, AS YOU START BUILDING OFF AND, AND A LOT OF CONCRETE CREATES RUNOFF, I JUST DON'T WANT A NEGATIVE IMPACT.
THE SILVER REVIEW SHOULD HANDLE THAT.
UH, THAT'S THEIR PREMIER LOCATION.
I KNOW THEY HAVE THE RIGHT TO BUILD THERE.
WE DO HAVE THE RIGHT TO DENY IT 'CAUSE THEY'RE ASKING FOR VARIANCES.
IF WE DENY IT FOR THE VARIANCES, THEY'LL PROBABLY JUST STEP UP AND DO THE, ADD THE GLASS.
BUT MAYBE WE OUGHT TO REQUIRE 'EM TO ADD THE GLASS.
I WOULDN'T CARE ABOUT IT IN SOME PLACES, BUT THAT IS RIGHT IN OUR EPIC CENTRAL, UM, COUNCIL MEMBER HEDEN WILL HAVE THE SPEAKERS, BUT I MIGHT BE INCLINED TO, UH, I DON'T KNOW.
I I MIGHT BE INCLINED TO HOLD THEM TO THE GLAZINGS.
UH, IT DOES MAKE IT A BETTER LOOKING FEATURE.
AND, UH, BUT LET'S HEAR FROM THE SPEAKERS.
HAVING SAID THAT, WILL WINKLEMAN, YOU DON'T WANT GLASS, KURT.
SORRY, I THINK YOU'RE GONNA HAVE TO PUT MORE GLASS, BUT GO AHEAD.
UM, THE CIVIL ENGINEER, UM, I PRETTY MUCH DESIGNED THIS WHOLE SOUTH EPIC AREA.
SO JUST TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION EARLIER, THERE WAS AN OVERALL FLOOD STUDY THAT WAS DONE FOR THE ENTIRE EAST AND WEST PROPERTIES AT ONE TIME IN CONJUNCTION WITH HALF, YOU KNOW, WHO'S DOING THE OVERALL CITY, UM, DRAINAGE STUDY THAT ALL OF THAT STUFF WAS ENCOMPASSED AS AN ULTIMATE DRAINAGE CONDITION.
SO ALL OF THAT WAS THOUGHT ABOUT AS IF EVERYTHING WAS DEVELOPED.
SO, SO THE, THIS PIECE ALONG WITH THE OTHER PIECES THAT ARE IN GRASS, YOU KNOW, TO THE NORTH OF THE COFFEE SHOP, WERE ALL DESIGNED AT THE SAME TIME.
SAME THING WITH THE OTHER SIDE OF, UH, 1 61.
SO JUST SO THE AMENDMENT THAT OUR REVIEW COMMITTEE CAME FORWARD WITH REGARDING
[00:45:01]
THE 50%, YOU, YOU'RE IN LINE WITH THAT.YOU OKAY WITH THAT VARIANCE OR THAT REQUIREMENT? THE, THE PARKING ONE OR THE 50%? UM, BLAZING.
I, I, SORRY, I I I'M A CIVIL ENGINEER.
I WAS JUST, I WAS JUST TALKING ABOUT YOUR EARLIER QUESTION ABOUT THE NEGATIVE IMPACT OF RUNOFF.
IS, IS WHAT, IS WHAT I WAS TRYING, BUT IF WE INCREASED GO AHEAD.
THAT'S GOING TO HELP THE EFFORT.
SAVANNAH, CAN YOU GO BACK TO THAT? IF WE ALLOW HIM TO DO THE INCREASED PARKING BUT REQUIRE HIM TO DO THAT COMPENSATORY OR, THAT'S CORRECT.
AND THEY ARE ONLY EXCEEDING THREE PARKING SPACES.
SO IT'S NOT A HUGE AMOUNT BABY.
OH, IT, IT, IT IS NOT GONNA MOVE THE NEEDLE.
YEAH, IT'S, IT, IT, I'M SORRY.
IT'S NOT GONNA MOVE THE NEEDLE KNOW IT WAS THREE.
YEAH, IT, IT, IT, IT NEVER WOULD.
THE THE DESIGN WAS BASICALLY THE OVERALL WAS LIKE LITERALLY FOR THE ENTIRE THING.
YOU KNOW, YOU'RE GONNA TO HAVE SECURITY OUT THERE IN THE EVENING IF YOU BECAUSE MAIN EVENT IN TWIN PEAKS WHEN WE BE PARKING IN YOUR PARKING LOT.
I'M, I'M THEY WILL, BUT THEY MAY BE IN HURRY.
SO WHAT WE'VE HEARD, SO THEY ARE, YEAH, THEY'RE PARKING IN THE DIRT.
NOW THEY'RE GONNA SAY, YOU TOOK MY SPOT.
NOW I'VE GOT ANOTHER GO AHEAD.
UH, I THINK WE'RE GONNA MAKE A MOTION THAT WE'RE NOT GONNA GIVE YOU THE VARIANCES.
DO YOU WANT US TO TABLE IT OR DO YOU WANNA ACCEPT THAT WITH NO VARIANCES? UM, I WOULD LIKE TO TALK ABOUT A COUPLE OF THOSE.
I MEAN, I, I I, I, I KNOW YOU TALK ALL YOU WANT.
UM, THE, THE PARKING IS NOT, NO, NOT THE PARKING.
PARKING'S NOT AN ISSUE, AN ISSUE.
UM, THE GLAZING THREE, THE THREE PARKING SPOTS, UH, WE, WE CAN, WE CAN EASILY DEAL WITH, UM, THE CRUNCH FITNESS REPRESENTATIVE IS HERE AND HE CAN TALK MORE OR HE CAN STOP ME IF I'M TALKING BADLY ABOUT IT.
UM, I BELIEVE, FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND, THE GLAZING IS GOING TO BE JUST KIND OF A, UM, A, I THINK ABOUT IT WHEN, WHEN, WHEN PEOPLE ARE WORKING OUT YOUR, IN YOUR YOGA PANTS, YOU'RE GONNA GO DO YOUR YOGA.
I'VE BEEN BENDING DOWN DOING WHATEVER.
I'VE BEEN IN THOSE LOCATIONS THAT WANT THAT SO PEOPLE CAN SURE.
SO SOME PEOPLE DO, SOME PEOPLE DON'T.
AND THAT'S, AND AGAIN, THE GO AHEAD.
WE DON'T, WE DON'T CARE ABOUT WHO LOOKS IN OR WHO LOOKS OUT.
WE LIKE THE LOOKS OF THE GLAZING OVER BRICK.
I'M REPRESENTING CRUNCH FITNESS HERE.
UH, MY ADDRESS IS 64 25 TALKING TREE COURT AND THAT'S IN CUMING, GEORGIA.
UM, WOULD IT BE POSSIBLE TO BRING BACK UP THE ELEVATIONS? SURE.
REAL QUICK AND WE CAN JUST DISCUSS THOSE ARROW.
SO, UH, AS I SAID, MY NAME'S SKYLAR LONG.
I AM REPRESENTING CRUNCH FITNESS.
UH, I KNOW, UNDERSTAND THE GLAZING REQUIREMENT.
UM, AND, AND CERTAINLY SOMETHING WE RUN INTO IN A LOT OF MUNICIPALITIES.
UH, AS WILL SAID, OBVIOUSLY THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS THAT GO ON RIGHT BEHIND THOSE WALLS THAT YOU MAY NOT NECESSARILY WANT ON PUBLIC VIEW.
UH, WHEN YOU CONSIDER THE LOCKER ROOM SHOULDN'T BE ANYTHING GOING ON IN THERE THAT YOU WOULDN'T PUBLIC BE ABLE TO SEE IN YOUR LOCKER ROOMS. YOU DON'T PUT GLAZEY IN THE LOCKER ROOM THAT E EXACTLY.
SO YOU, YOU'RE WISE ENOUGH TO NOT DO THAT? NO, WE ARE, BUT HOT, HOT YOGA STUDIOS' NOT ANYTHING THAT WE SEE THROUGH THE GLASS THAT YOU SHOULDN'T WANT US TO SEE.
IT'S, IT'S ABOUT THE COMFORT OF THE PEOPLE THAT ARE WORKING OUT INSIDE THE FACILITY.
IF WE'RE GONNA MAKE A MOTION MM-HMM
WOULD YOU RATHER US TABLE IT? I I WOULD RATHER YOU TABLE IT AND US HAVE ANOTHER DISCUSSION WITH STAFF BECAUSE THE OTHER WAY WE CAN, THE STAFF'S NOT GOING TO, WE'RE NOT GOING TO, WE WANT THE GLAZING.
I'M TELLING YOU WE WANT THE GLAZING.
I UNDERSTAND YOU WANT THE GLAZING, BUT HOW IS THE GLAZING ACCEPTABLE AS A SPANDREL TYPE GLASS? OR DOES IT HAVE TO BE TRANSPARENT WHERE YOU SEE THROUGH IT? IT HAS TO BE WHATEVER STAFF THE ORDINANCE IS.
IT CAN BE SPAN, IT CAN BE NON-TRANSPARENT.
SO IF IT CAN BE SPANDREL WHERE IT'S NON-TRANSPARENT, THEN I THINK THINK THAT'S WANT WE DON'T, WE DON'T NEED TO LOOK THROUGH IT.
YEAH, IT CAN BE WHATEVER HE SURE.
SO IF, IF YOU, IF YOU KIND OF LOOK TO WHAT WE'RE, YOU KNOW, WE, OBVIOUSLY WE HAVE GLAZING HERE, THIS IS FOG GLAZING, THESE PANELS HERE.
WE COULD CERTAINLY MAKE A SPANDREL TYPE GLASS THAT'S NOT VISIBLE THROUGH IT.
UM, I WOULD SAY THAT WE TRIED TO SOFTEN THE EXTERIOR OF THIS BUILDING AS MUCH AS WE COULD.
YOU CAN SEE WE DO HAVE A TON OF GLAZING.
AND THEN MORE IMPORTANTLY, ON THE ACTUAL SITE PLAN ITSELF, UH, WE SOFTENED THIS AREA WITH A KIND OF MEANDERING WALKING TRAIL AS WELL AS AN OUTDOOR FITNESS AREA AS WELL TOO.
I CAN'T SPEAK FOR THE WHOLE COUNCIL, BUT I THINK I KNOW THE COUNCIL ON THIS.
WE'D RATHER NOT HAVE THAT THERE.
YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO BUILD IT THERE.
WE'RE NOT GONNA GIVE YOU ANY DEVIATIONS.
IF THE MOTION TONIGHT IS WITHOUT DEVIATIONS, ARE YOU GONNA MOVE FORWARD? THAT'S UP TO YOU.
BUT I, I, I THINK WE'LL MAKE A MOTION TONIGHT.
WELL IF YOU, IF YOU TABLE THE CON THE THE MOTION, WHAT, WHAT DOES THAT MEAN FOR NEXT? DO WE HAVE A CHANCE TO REVISE THE ELEVATIONS AND RESUBMIT THEM OR WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? YOU, YOU WOULD, YOU WOULD REVISE THE ELEVATION
[00:50:01]
AND RESUBMIT IT WITH THE PROPER GLAZING.OR WE COULD SAY GET WITH STAFF ON THE GLAZING TO MEET OUR ORDINANCE.
AND NOT TABLE IT TO NOT BE DONE WITH IT.
AND, AND, AND WE, WE WOULD AGREE WITH THAT.
I I THINK THAT'S A, THAT WAY WE, YOU'RE, IF YOU REMOVE THOSE, WE DON'T HAVE ANY GROUNDS TO DENY IT ANYWAY.
I WAS JUST TRYING TO UNDERSTAND WHAT MY OPTIONS WERE THERE.
ARE WE GOOD UNTIL WE MAKE THE MOTION AND I DON'T THINK WE WANNA GO TO COURT ON IT.
NO, WE DON'T HAVE, JUST AS ANY COUNCIL MEMBER CONVERSATION, ARE YOU OKAY WITH THAT? DON'T I THINK WE ALL WANT THE GLAZING? YES.
I JUST WANNA BE I HONEST MM-HMM
THE LOCATION REALLY WOULD BE GREAT FOR ADDITIONAL RETAIL.
SO THIS IS NOT AT ALL REALLY WHAT WE'RE INTERESTED IN.
UM, I THINK A GYM IN GENERAL, YOU KNOW, I DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM WITH CRUNCH FITNESS.
SO I THINK THAT'S WHY PEOPLE ARE FEELING LESS FLEXIBLE.
UM, WE'RE NOT FLEXIBLE AT ALL.
BECAUSE REALLY WE WOULD LOVE TO SEE A RESTAURANT.
THIS IS LIKE A, THIS IS ACTUALLY, IF YOU LOOK AT THE MAP OF THE BUILDINGS AROUND IT, IT'S MASSIVE.
I MEAN YOU COULD PUT SO MULTIPLE, HOPEFULLY THEY'LL GO SHOPPING AFTER THEY WORK RESTAURANTS AND STORES THERE.
SO WITH THAT SAID, UM, I MOVE TO APPROVE ITEM 25 ON THE CONDITION, UM, THAT THERE ARE NO, THESE VARIANCES ARE REMEDIED.
IS THAT STAFF YOU GOT THAT WE'RE APPROVING WITH NO VARIANCES.
SECOND THAT UNDERSTAND? YES SIR.
NOW SINCE YOU'RE GOING THERE, WE WANT YOU TO BE SUCCESSFUL.
WE DON'T WANT YOU TO GO OUT OF BUSINESS.
[26. STP-23-05-0009 - Site Plan - 360 Commerce - Phase 3 (City Council District 2). Site Plan for two industrial buildings on 5.432 acres. Lots 1R-3R, and Site 1, Block B, Forum Park Addition, City of Grand Prairie, Tarrant County, Texas zoned Light Industrial (LI) and an approximate address of 2703 Arkansas Lane (On February 12, 2024, the Planning and Zoning Commission recommended approval by a vote of 8-0)]
ITEM 26.COUNCIL MEMBER 26 IS ANOTHER SITE PLAN FOR UH, TWO OFFICE WAREHOUSE BUILDINGS.
ANOTHER SITE PLAN ARKANSAS LANE.
UH, THERE, IT'S LOCATED AT 27 0 3 ARKANSAS LANE.
IT'S ABOUT 5.4 ACRES AND IT'S CURRENTLY ZONED LIGHT INDUSTRIAL.
THIS IS AN AERIAL VIEW OF THE LOCATION, PROPOSING TWO BUILDINGS TOTALING 77,938 SQUARE FEET.
IT DOES MEET OUR DENSITY AND DIMENSIONAL REQUIREMENTS AS WELL AS OUR PARKING STANDARDS.
ACCESS IS OFF OF ARKANSAS AND ARROW, IT MEETS OR EXCEEDS OUR LANDSCAPING REQUIREMENTS.
AND THE APPLICANT HAS PROVIDED SOME BUILDING RENDERINGS AND THEY'RE BUILDING ELEVATIONS.
THEY'RE NOT REQUESTING ANY VARIANCES.
AND ON FEBRUARY 12TH, THE PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION RECOMMENDED APPROVAL BY A VOTE OF EIGHT TO ZERO COUNCIL, THIS INCLUDES MY PRESENTATION.
I CAN ANSWER QUESTIONS AT THIS TIME.
WE WERE, WE WERE TALKING ABOUT THE BASEBALL GAME.
NO, UM, REPEAT THAT LAST PART.
THEY'RE NOT REQUESTING ANY VARIANCES.
AND
AND THEY'RE NOT REQUESTING ANY VARIANCES.
WE HAVE ONE SPEAKER AND FERNANDEZ.
GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
MY NAME IS ANN FERNANDEZ, 2,500 NORTHEAST GREEN OAKS BOULEVARD.
TELL US WHAT YOU'RE DOING THERE.
UH, THESE ARE TWO INDUSTRIAL BUILDINGS THAT ARE ACROSS THE STREET FROM THE DEVELOPER WHO BUILT TWO BUILDINGS THAT ARE IN ARLINGTON.
SO THEY, UM, WE CROSS THE STREET AND WE'RE IN ARLINGTON
SO JUST TO THE SOUTH IS WHERE THESE BUILDINGS ARE.
AND SO JUST RIGHT ACROSS THE STREET'S, GRAND PRAIRIE.
SO, UM, WHAT ARE YOU PUTTING THERE AGAIN? THERE ARE TWO INDUSTRIAL BUILDINGS.
ONE SMALLER ONE AND ONE LARGER.
WHAT WAS THE SQUARE FOOTAGE OF THEM? UH, LET'S SEE.
THE FIRST ONE, THE SMALLER ONE IS ABOUT 18,000.
AND THE SECOND ONE IS ABOUT 60, 55 OR 60 BIG.
STAFF SAYING YOU'RE DOING EVERYTHING CORRECTLY.
UH, COUNCIL, DID ANYBODY HAVE QUESTIONS FOR HER? COUNCIL MEMBER? HEDON, IT'S YOUR DISTRICT.
DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR HER? UH, CAN YOU EXPAND ON WHAT THE BILLINGS WILL BE USED FOR?
[00:55:01]
YOU HAVE AT TENANT FOR 'EM YET? NO, SIR.SO THERE'S SPEC RIGHT NOW? CORRECT.
ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS? NO QUESTIONS.
NO OTHER COMMENTS? I TO ENTERTAIN A MOTION.
I MOVE TO APPROVE ITEM 26 AS PRESENTED BY STAFF, WE HAVE MOTION.
[Items 27 & 28]
THANK YOU MAYOR.AND, AND I'D ENTERTAIN A MOTION ON 27 28.
UM, SINCE, UM, YEAH, WE'RE GOING AND GO AHEAD AND TABLE THE NEXT TWO ITEMS. UM, MAKE MOTION.
THIS IS IMPORTANT TO THAT DISTRICT.
SO MAKE A MOTION THAT WE TABLE ITEM 27 TO THE NEXT MEETING IN 28 AND 28.
[29. SUP-23-10-0045 – Specific Use Permit/Site Plan – Foundry Hotels at 3511 S Hwy 161 (City Council District 2). Specific Use Permit and Site Plan for Two Hotels with approximately 230 rooms on 5.0 acres. A portion of Lot 6, Block 1, Slink Addition, City of Grand Prairie, Dallas County, Texas, zoned PD-397, within the SH-161 & IH-20 Corridor Overlay Districts, with an approximate address of 3511 S Hwy 161 (On February 12, 2024, the Planning and Zoning Commission recommended approval by a vote of 8-0)]
OKAY.THIS NEXT ITEM IS A SPECIFIC USE PERMIT SLASH ORGANIZE YOUR SPEAKERS.
I DON'T NEED TO HEAR 40 MINUTES OF WHY WE NEED TO ALLOW Y'ALL TO DO THIS.
SO THIS IS AN SUP SLASH SITE PLAN FOR TWO NEW HOTELS.
YOU CAN SEE THE TWO LOCATIONS OUTLINED IN YELLOW ON THE SCREEN.
IT'S LOCATED AT 35 11 SOUTH HIGHWAY 1 61.
AND THE TOTAL SITE IS ABOUT FIVE ACRES.
YOU CAN SEE ON THE SCREEN THE TWO, UH, SITES AND THE TWO BUILDINGS.
THE FIRST IS A SPRING HILL SUITES.
IT'S AN UPSCALE BY THE STR CHAIN SCALE RATING.
IT'S FOUR STORY AND IT'S 125 ROOMS. THE SECOND HOTEL IS FOR A TOWN PLACE SUITES.
IT'S FOUR STORY 104 ROOMS AND IT'S EXTENDED STAY.
UH, THE LANDSCAPE PLAN MEETS OUR LANDSCAPING REQUIREMENTS AND THESE ARE THE RENDERINGS THAT THE APPLICANTS HAS PROVIDED.
SO THE CITY OF GRAND PRAIRIE CLASSIFIES HOTELS BY THEIR STR CHAIN SCALE RATING, AND WE HAVE LIMITATIONS ON THE CONCENTRATIONS OF THOSE, UH, WITHIN THE CITY.
SO THIS MAP ON THE SCREEN, UH, SUMMARIZES THE LOCATIONS OF EXISTING HOTELS WITHIN A ONE MILE RADIUS OF THIS PROPOSED LOCATION.
UH, THEY'RE PROPOSING, AGAIN, ONE UPSCALE HOTEL AND ONE UPPER MID EXTENDED STAY HOTEL.
UM, SO THE MAXIMUM CLASSIFICATION OF A MIDSCALE IS FOUR.
THERE ARE THREE EXISTING HOTELS, SO AN ADDITIONAL ONE STILL MEETS THAT CLASSIFICATION LIMITATION.
AND THEY ARE PRO PROPOSING AN ADDITIONAL UPSCALE SLASH UPPER UPSCALE, UH, WHICH WOULD EXCEED THE CLASSIFIER.
THE LIMITS ON THE CONCENTRATION.
SO THERE ARE FIVE WITHIN A LIMIT OF FIVE WITHIN ONE MILE, AND THEY'RE PRO PROPOSING ADDITIONAL ONE WHICH WOULD EXCEED THAT LIMITATION.
AND THEN THE THIRD IS THE EXTENDED STAY CATEGORY.
UH, THE LIMIT ON THOSE WITHIN ONE MILE IS TWO HOTELS OR 250 ROOMS. THERE'S FIVE EXISTING HOTELS WITHIN THAT ONE MILE RADIUS.
AND SO AN ADDITIONAL ONE, UH, BRINGS THAT, UM, OUT OF THAT CONCENTRATION.
SO WITH OUR DIFFERENT HOTELS AND HOTEL CATEGORIES, WE REQUIRE AMENITIES.
SO UPSCALE HOTEL REQUIREMENTS HAS TO PROVIDE ALL TIER ONE AMENITIES AND SIX TIER TWO AMENITIES.
THE SPRING HILL SUITES IS PROVIDING A LOUNGE AND DINING AREA, A MEETING ROOM, FITNESS CENTER, AN OUTDOOR POOL, THE GRILL AREA, AN OUTDOOR PATIO.
UH, THE UPPER MIDSCALE HOTEL REQUIREMENT IS ALL TIER ONE AMENITIES AND THEN THREE OF THOSE TIER TWO AMENITIES.
AND THE TOWN PLACE SUITES IS PROVIDING A LOBBY PUBLIC SPACE, MEETING ROOM, FITNESS CENTER, OUTDOOR POOL AREA WITH A GRILL AREA, OUTDOOR LOUNGE, AND THEN A DOG RUN.
SO THEY ARE REQUESTING SOME VARIANCES.
THE FIRST ONE IS TO THE SCREENING WALL.
UH, TO THE WEST IS A TOWN HOME DEVELOPMENT.
THERE IS A TRAIL THAT RUNS, IT'S KIND OF CENTRAL TO THAT ENTIRE DEVELOPMENT.
AND SO, UM, STAFF BELIEVES THAT PUTTING UP A SCREENING WALL THERE, UM, LIMITS THE, WHAT THE INTENT OF THAT, UH, AMENITY FOR THE OVERALL DEVELOPMENT.
UM, SO THAT'S THE FIRST VARIANCE.
THEY'RE REQUESTING A VARIANCE TO THE WATER SURFACE REQUIREMENT OF 3000 SQUARE FEET TO ALLOW, UH, 1,100 SQUARE FEET FOR SPRING HILL SUITES AND A 350 SQUARE FEET FOR TOWN PLACE SUITES.
AND THE THIRD IS THE MEETING SIZE ROOM.
UM, THE APPLICANT IS REQUESTING A VARIANCE TO THE 10,000 SQUARE FOOT REQUIREMENT AND TO ALLOW THE 2,230 SQUARE FEET.
UM, THE FOURTH VARIANCE IS TO THE UPSCALE SLASH UPPER UPSCALE CONCENTRATION.
THE APPLICANT'S PROPOSING AN UPSCALE SLASH UPPER UPSCALE HOTEL, WHICH WOULD BE THE SIXTH ONE OF THAT CATEGORY WITH ONE WITHIN ONE MILE.
AND THE UDC LIMITS THAT CONCENTRATION TO FIVE.
AND THEN THE FIFTH VARIANCE IS THE EXTENDED STAY CONCENTRATION.
THEY'RE PROPOSING AN EXTENDED STAY HOTEL, WHICH WOULD BE THE SIXTH ONE WITHIN THAT ONE MILE RADIUS.
AND THE UDC LIMITS THAT CONCENTRATION TO TWO HOTELS.
[01:00:02]
SO ON FEBRUARY 12TH, THE PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION RECOMMENDED APPROVAL BY A VOTE OF EIGHT TO ZERO STAFF'S UNABLE TO SUPPORT OR RECOMMEND APPROVAL OF THIS REQUEST BECAUSE THE PROPOSAL DOESN'T MEET THE UDC CONCENTRATION REQUIREMENTS FOR HOTELS.HOWEVER, WE DO NOTE THAT FOLLOWING THAT THE PROPOSED POOL SIZE AND MEETING SIZE, UH, ARE CONSISTENT WITH WHAT CITY COUNCIL HAS APPROVED FOR OTHER HOTELS.
UH, THE SPRING HILL SUITES WOULD INCREASE THE NUMBER OF UPSCALE HOTELS WITHIN ONE MILE OF THIS LOCATION EXCEEDING WHAT IS ALLOWED BY THE UDC.
HOWEVER, AN ECONOMY SLASH INDEPENDENT HOTEL, THIS LOCATION WOULD NOT EXCEED THAT CONCENTRATION.
AND STAFF BELIEVES THAT AN UPSCALE HOTEL IS PREFERABLE.
TO AN ECONOMY SLASH INDEPENDENT HOTEL AT THIS LOCATION.
THIS CONCLUDES MY PRESENTATION.
I CAN ANSWER QUESTIONS AT THIS TIME.
BOTTOM LINE IS IT REQUIRES AN SUP.
MAYOR HEDEN MAY HAVE A QUESTION FOR YOU.
CAN YOU SHARE WITH US, UM, WHAT ARE THE FACTORS THAT GO INTO THIS DETERMINATION OF THE UPPER SLASH UPPER UPPER SCALE? BECAUSE WE WOULD LIKE SOMETHING, IF IT'S GONNA BE HOTEL, IT'D BE NI NICER THAN THIS.
WOULD THAT THIS IS CONSIDERED, WOULD CONSIDERED UPPER, UPPER, UPPER, UPPER SCALE.
WHERE'S THE DEPARTURE? UH, TO WHEN? I DON'T, I DON'T KNOW THAT THE FACTORS ARE THAT GO INTO THEM CLASSIFYING THIS AS UPSCALE.
SO IT, IT, THAT DETERMINATION, THOSE CLASSIFICATIONS ARE PROVIDED BY A THIRD PARTY, UH, STR.
UM, AND THEY USE, I THINK THE AVERAGE, UH, ROOM RATE.
AND THEY CLASSIFY ALL THE HOTELS INTO THAT.
AND SO BASED ON THEIR SCORE, THEY FIT INTO THESE DIFFERENT CATEGORIES.
WELL, THIS IS THE THIRD PARTY.
UPPER, UPPER, UPPER, NOT JUST UPPER.
OH, THAT'S THE EIGHT I WAS TALKING ABOUT.
DO Y'ALL HAVE SOME SPECIFIC ONES THAT WANT TO TALK OR DO Y'ALL ALL WANT TO TALK? I WILL BE LEADING IT.
IT'LL DEPEND UPON WHAT THE QUESTIONS OF THE COUNCIL START WITH RODNEY, THE SECOND ONE.
NOW HAROLD WANTS TO SPEAK TOO, AND I'LL LET HIM SPEAK AFTER Y'ALL ARE DONE.
HAROLD, YOU GO AHEAD AND COME GET OUTTA THE WAY FOR 29
WE MAY AGREE WITH YOU ON THIS ONE, WHICH WE DO AGREE WITH YOU ON A LOT OF THINGS YOU TALK ABOUT, HAROLD.
OH, I'VE BEEN TRYING TO GET PEOPLE TO AGREE WITH ME FOR 40 YEARS DOWN HERE.
UH, MY QUESTION WAS ON FOUNDRY HOTELS.
SO FOUNDRY HOTELS, THEY, UH, MARRIOTT THE JURY, THEY'RE THE PRIMARY COMPANY OF THESE TWO DIFFERENT HOTELS.
WHAT IS FOUNDRY? FOUNDRY WAS A NAME THAT WAS ORIGINALLY PRESENTED.
THESE ARE BOTH MARRIOTT PRODUCTS.
WHAT TYPE OF TAX ABATEMENT? WHAT TYPE OF TAX REDUCTION? WE HAVEN'T GIVEN 'EM ANYTHING.
THAT'S THE MIRACLES OF THE MARKETPLACE.
HOW LONG IS SOMEONE ALLOWED TO STAY IN AN EXTENDED STAY HOTEL? I THINK THEY CAN STAY FOREVER, BUT I THINK THEY CAN STAY IN A NON EXTENDED STAY FOREVER.
I GUESS MY CONCERN IS THE OVER IN THE CITY OF FORT WORTH, BUT THE KELLER SCHOOL DISTRICT WITH THE ZONING ISSUE GOING ON WITH THAT.
ELEMENTARY SCHOOL WITH EXTENDED STAY HOTEL OF MOTEL SIX.
HERE'S WHAT I THINK THEY DO QUALIFY.
IT'S THE AMENITIES THAT ARE IN THE ROOM.
DO THEY HAVE A LITTLE KITCHENETTE? DO THEY HAVE A DO REFRIGERATOR? CAN SOMEBODY STAY THERE FOR A FEW DAYS AND SURE.
EAT, COOK THEIR MEALS INSIDE? RIGHT.
WOULD THAT BE CORRECT? HOTEL PEOPLE? KIND OF, SORT OF EXTENDED STAY RASHAD BUDGET SWEEPS.
YOU HAVE BUDGET SWEEP, BUT YES.
NOT WHAT, WHAT YOU'RE THINKING OF YOUR YEAH, THAT'S, I JUST WANT TO GET THAT CLARIFIED.
THAT IS A CONSIDERED AN EXTENDED STAY, BUT SOME, SOME, SOME WOULD SAY THE RESIDENCE INN IS AN EXTENDED STAY BECAUSE IT'S A SUITE.
SO IT, IT, UH, YEAH, I JUST WANNA GET THAT CLARIFIED BECAUSE YOU HAVE THE, THE OTHER HOTELS THAT YOU SEE PEOPLE JUST CAMPING OUT, BASICALLY WHATEVER THIS TYPE OF, THIS TYPE OF DEVELOPMENT THEY USUALLY DO IN THAT BECAUSE OF THE PRICE STRUCTURE.
THOSE, THOSE HAVE GOTTEN TO WHERE THEY DON'T GET VERY MANY CLIENTELE THAT WANNA STAY THERE.
SO THEY HAVE TO REDUCE THEIR RATES TO 60 BUCKS OR 2, 2 50 A WEEK TO GET SOMEBODY TO STAY THERE.
WHY ARE YOU TRYING TO STEAL MY THUNDER, MAN?
[01:05:03]
ARE YOU WANNA SPEAK ON THIS ONE TOO? THAT'S SURE.'CAUSE HE CAN'T BRING BRIEF ON ANYTHING.
UH, MY NAME IS RODNEY ANDERSON.
I LIVE AT 5 48 EDGE U DRIVE, GRAND PRAIRIE, TEXAS.
UH, WHICH I AM A RESIDENT OF THIS, OF THIS DISTRICT.
I'VE SPOKEN WITH MANY OF YOU ON, ON THIS DEVELOPMENT.
UH, AND I WANNA MAKE, I WANNA MAKE A A REMIND A FEW FOLKS BECAUSE, UH, A LOT OF FOLKS, YOU, UH, MR. MAYOR, YOU'VE SPEAKING A LOT ABOUT, UH, SUVS TONIGHT.
THE SUBTLENESS IS NOT MISSED, UH, ON, ON WHAT'S ON, WHAT'S HAPPENING.
I CAN TAKE FROM JUST THE LINE OF QUESTIONING OF OTHER DEVELOPMENTS IS THIS IS NOT SOMETHING THAT YOU GUYS WANT.
IT DOESN'T MEAN WE DON'T EVER WANT IT.
WELL, THE PROBLEM, THE, THE CHALLENGE I THINK WE HAVE IS THAT YOU HAVE AN UNDERLYING PD MM-HMM
THAT ALLOWS THINGS THAT ARE THINGS THAT YOU REALLY, REALLY DON'T WANT.
THAT'S, THAT'S, THAT'S THE GAMBLE.
WELL, I, I KNOW IT'S A GAMBLE, BUT WHAT WE ALSO HAVE HERE IS, THERE WAS A ZONING CASE IN 2019 WHERE THIS COUNCIL, WHERE OTHER MEMBERS APPROVED THIS, THIS PLAN, THEY APPROVED PUTTING TWO FIVE STORY HOTELS.
AND, AND MY CONVERSATION THAT WE WANT A, A LUXURY HOTEL OR WE'RE GONNA HAVE A SPEAKER THAT'S GOING FROM MARRIOTT THAT IS GOING TO TALK ABOUT THAT.
TALK ABOUT WHY THAT THAT WILL NEVER GO HERE.
THAT IT'S, THERE'S, THERE'S NOT THE DEMAND FOR WE WILL, THAT WILL BE ONE OF THE SPEAKERS.
AND WHAT WE DID, JUST SO THE COUNCIL KNOWS, IS I HAD EVERYBODY PUT A CARD IN SO THAT IF SOMEBODY ASKED A QUESTION, THAT'S THAT WHY WE DID IT THAT WAY.
THAT, AND IT, IT DOESN'T MEAN THAT THEY'RE ALL GONNA TALK, BUT WHAT THIS DOES IS IT DOES BRING TWO HIGH QUALITY, WELL-RESPECTED MARRIOTT BRANDS TO AN AREA WHERE RETAIL ON THAT BACKSIDE DOES NOT WORK.
IT'S EITHER TOO DEEP OR NOT DEEP ENOUGH.
BUT WHAT RETAIL WILL DO IS IT CAN GO ON THE FRONTAGE.
AND THE WAY THIS IS DESIGNED IS THAT BOTH HOTELS WOULD BE SET SO THAT YOU WOULD HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO PUT HIGHER END, UH, RESTAURANTS.
WHICH I KNOW IS THAT THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER HEDEN YOU CAMPAIGNED ON, WAS BRINGING HIGHER END RESTAURANTS IN ORDER TO HAVE THE RESTAURANTS, YOU GOTTA HAVE THE, YOU GOTTA HAVE THE FOOT TRAFFIC.
HAVING HOTELS LIKE THIS WILL GENERATE THAT KIND OF FOOT TRAFFIC TO THOSE TYPES OF, OF, OF RESTAURANTS.
YOU'RE GONNA HEAR FROM MARRIOTT TONIGHT, WHERE YOU'RE GONNA HEAR HIS NAME IS BRANDON HARRIS.
SO IF YOU, IF YOU, UH, MS. MCGINNIS, I WANNA WELCOME YOU AS A CITY ATTORNEY.
I DON'T THINK ANYBODY HAS DONE, I I WASN'T HERE WHEN THAT HAPPENED.
BRANDON HARRIS WILL, WILL BE THE ONE WHO DOES THAT.
BUT WHAT YOU ALSO HAVE IS YOU HAVE AN EXPERIENCED OPERATOR OF THESE TYPES OF HOTELS.
THEY OWN ONE ON THE NORTH SIDE OF I 20.
TWO SUITES THAT, THAT'S ON THE NORTH SIDE OF I 20.
IT UTILIZES VERY LITTLE CITY SERVICES.
WHEREAS YOU PUT APARTMENTS ON THIS SITE, WHICH ARE ALLOWED UNDER THE PD, YOU WIND UP WITH A, USING A LOT, LOT OF CITY SERVICES.
WE DISCUSSED THAT IN BRIEFING.
TELL US WHAT YOU TOLD US ABOUT APARTMENTS.
THE PD ALLOWS MULTIFAMILY MF THREE AND GENERAL RETAIL BY RIGHT IN THIS ZONING CATEGORY.
THIS PROPERTY WAS SPLIT IN THIRDS BY ZONING.
SO ONE OF THE HOTELS IS IN THAT.
HOW ABOUT THE OTHER ONE IS IN ZONE B? IT'S RIGHT NEXT TO IT.
IF WE DENIED THIS TONIGHT, RASHAD MM-HMM
I THOUGHT YOU TOLD US IT WHAT? THAT THEY DIDN'T NECESSARILY HAVE THE RIGHT TO BUILD APARTMENTS.
I SAID THE CONCEPT PLAN DOES NOT SHOW APARTMENTS AT THIS LOCATION.
SO THAT COULD BE AN ARGUMENT THAT THIS, OKAY.
SO THE CONCEPT PLAN THEY SHOWED US DIDN'T SHOW APARTMENTS.
IF SO, THEY WOULD HAVE TO COME BACK WITH ANOTHER CONCEPT PLAN SHOWING APARTMENTS WITH NO VARIANCES.
BECAUSE WE WOULD DENY IF THEY DID GIVE VARIANCES AND YOU COULDN'T AND YOU COULDN'T STOP IT.
JUST, JUST LIKE, LIKE WE HAD EARLIER, WHETHER OR NOT, WHETHER OR NOT WE ARGUED THAT THAT NEW PROPOSAL STILL SUBSTANTIALLY CONFORMED TO THE ORIGINAL INTENT.
UH, RODNEY, THIS IS A, THIS IS A DILEMMA, MR. MAYOR, MR. MAYOR.
I, I CERTAINLY UNDERST UNDERSTAND THAT, YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW I'M BLUNT.
I, AND, AND, AND SO ARE YOU, YOU'RE GONNA SEE SOMETHING.
YOU'RE GONNA SEE THINGS OUTTA ME THAT Y'ALL HAVE NOT SEEN BEFORE.
I LIKE BEING BLA PEOPLE BEING BLUNT WITH US.
WHAT YOU'RE DOING IS YOU'RE TAKING BY, IF YOU DENY THIS, YOU'RE TAKING AWAY THE RIGHT THAT THEY HAVE UNDER THEIR PD TO COME IN WITH AN SUP THAT
[01:10:01]
SUBSTANTIALLY COMPLIES.BUT THE REASON WE HAVE SUVS AND THERE'S A CITY IN THE DFW RE HAS SUP ON EVERYTHING COLLEYVILLE DOES.
I DON'T KNOW HOW THEY DID IT, BUT YOU HAVE TO HAVE AN SUP TO BUILD ANYTHING.
AND I WOULD LOVE TO HAVE THO THOSE SAME TYPES OF, OF RESTRICTIONS ON ALL THE RETAIL THAT HAS GONE UP THAT DOESN'T MEET THOSE KINDS OF REQUIREMENTS.
I DON'T WANT, I DON'T, I DON'T WANNA BE, I I WILL.
I VOTED NO ON THAT, ON THAT PROPOSITION.
SO JUST SO YOU KNOW, BUT I, WHAT I, WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO DO INSTEAD OF BEING ARGUMENTATIVE WITH THE MAYOR OR COUNCIL, I HAVE FOLKS THAT ARE HERE.
'CAUSE I HAVE THE FOLKS AT TARA.
BUT I WANNA, I WANT TO GET TO ONE LEGAL POINT.
IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING, SINCE IT IS AN SUP, WE CAN DENY IT BECAUSE IT'S IN AN SUP.
NOW I UNDER ALSO UNDERSTAND THAT YOU COULD BRING SOMETHING BACK AND WE'D CROSS THAT BRIDGE WHEN WE COME TO IT IF WE DENY IT TONIGHT BECAUSE OF THE SUP.
AND WE, WE HAVE THE DEVELOPER THAT'S HERE, THAT IS HERE AS WELL, THAT WILL, THAT WILL SPEAK ON THIS, THE, THE UNDERLYING DEVELOPER OF THE, OF CALERA.
I UNDERSTAND MR. THAT WILL BE ABLE TO ANSWER FEW.
YOU SEE ONE OF THE DILEMMAS IS OF SOME OF THESE PLACES HAD HOTELS APPROVED.
THE BASS PRO SITE ACTUALLY HAD A HOTEL.
RASHAD, THE BASS PRO SITE ACTUALLY HAD A HOTEL YEARS AGO WHEN IT WAS PRESENTED TO US.
BUT THINGS HAVE CHANGED SO MUCH SINCE THEN.
MARRIOTT HAS BUILT TWO, WE'VE OPENED TWO, WE'VE OPENED THREE IN THE LAST 60 DAYS.
AND I WOULD MAKE THE ARGUMENT THAT ONE OF THE, THAT ONE OF THE, THE, THE CIRCLE MM-HMM
THAT JUST CLIPS THE COURTYARD.
IT DEPENDS ON WHERE YOU DRAW THE LINE, MR. MAYOR.
AND Y'ALL KNOW HOW THAT WORKED WITH THE, WITH THE HOT TAX, WITH THE COMPTROLLER, MR. MAYOR.
SO I, I CAN I, I'D JUST LIKE TO PROBABLY LET HIM FINISH INTO HIS PRESENTATION IN SURE.
I THINK WE ALL HAVE QUESTIONS JUST RIGHT.
BUT I WANTED TO GET THAT POINT OF ORDER OF AS WHAT THE, THE RUG ALL SO MAYOR PRO TEM.
IF, IF I, IF I COULD, I, BECAUSE MY, MY PRESENTATION WILL, WILL BE, WILL BE VERY SHORT.
BECAUSE THE, THE FOLKS THAT, UH, UH, I WANT YOU TO HEAR FROM THE FOLKS THAT, UH, THIS IS WHAT IS, THIS IS, THIS IS REALLY WHAT WE'RE, WE'RE LOOKING AT.
HAVE Y'ALL SEEN THIS PRESENTATION YET? HAVE Y'ALL SEEN WHAT, WHAT IS AC WHAT THEY'RE ACTUALLY PROPOSING? I PROPOSING I HAVE NOT.
IS THIS ACTUALLY WHAT THEY'RE GONNA BUILD? UH, UH, UH, LET ME, I'M SORRY.
LET ME, LET ME GO TO SOMEWHERE ELSE.
UM, THIS, THIS IS, I, I'LL GET TO EXACTLY WHAT THEY LOOK LIKE.
THESE ARE, THOSE WERE THE PROJECT DETAILS.
THIS IS WHAT'S ACTUALLY IN THERE.
THESE ARE, THESE ARE THE DEVELOPERS.
THESE ARE FOLKS THAT ARE EXTREMELY EXPERIENCED.
THEY KNOW EXACTLY WHAT THEY'RE DOING ON HOW TO BUILD HOTELS.
THIS IS WHAT THEY'VE DONE IN FORT WORTH.
THESE ARE WHAT, THESE ARE PAST PROJECTS THAT THEY HAVE DONE, INCLUDING ONES IN SANTA FE, NEW MEXICO, UH, INCLUDING ONES IN, UH, NEW ORLEANS, I BELIEVE DOWNTOWN FORT WORTH.
THE REASON I SHOW THESE IS BECAUSE YOU'RE DEALING WITH AN EXPERIENCED OPERATOR.
THIS IS NOT JUST SOMEONE WHO'S COMING IN, JOHNNY COME LATELY, WHO ACTUALLY UNDERSTANDS THE, THE, THE DEMAND.
THAT'S WHY WE BROUGHT MARRIOTT HERE.
SO YOU CAN ASK THE QUESTION ON LUXURY ON, ON, ON THE LUXURY SIDE.
SO WHEN HE COMES UP, HE'LL BE ABLE TO ANSWER THAT QUESTION.
LET ME GET TO IT DIRECTLY TO THE, THESE ARE THE ONES THEY'VE ALREADY DONE.
FOR THOSE THAT, FOR THOSE THAT DON'T KNOW, HERE'S, HERE'S THE, EVERYBODY KNOWS MARRIOTT, BUT HERE ARE SOME OF THE FACTORS THAT YOU DON'T KNOW.
AND I WISH I COULD BLOW THIS UP.
CAN, CAN I BLOW THIS UP A LITTLE BIT? THERE WE GO.
I WANT YOU TO LOOK, TO SEE YOU, MARRIOTT IS ONE OF THE QUESTIONS THAT WAS ASKED OF US IN PLANNING AND ZONING WAS, WILL WE USE LOCAL CONTRACTORS? IF YOU'LL LOOK HERE, THEY'VE GOT FROM, UH, OUR, UH, SOME OF THE WORLD'S BEST COMPANIES, YOU KNOW? EXACTLY.
THEY'RE ONE OF THE TOP 50 COMPANIES FOR DIVERSITY.
THEY'RE ONE OF THE, UH, BEST WORKPLACES FOR WOMEN.
THIS IS, THIS IS WHO WE'RE WORKING WITH.
UH, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT AS YOU GUYS, AS MANY OF YOU KNOW, I DON'T BRING DEVELOPMENTS THAT ARE NOT SOMETHING THAT I WOULDN'T DO.
I TURN DOWN MORE CONSULTING GIGS THAN I TAKE BECAUSE I, I DON'T WANNA BE INVOLVED IN SOMETHING THAT I DON'T BELIEVE IN.
I WANT YOU TO LOOK RIGHT THERE.
THIS IS THE 315,000 JUST FOR THIS ON THE CITY OCCUPANCY TAX.
THIS WILL, THE, THE ECONOMICS, AGAIN, THEY'VE GOT, THESE ARE ONES THEY'VE DONE.
HERE'S THE, HERE'S I, THIS IS SOMETHING I REALLY WANT YOU TO LOOK AT 1,000,002 ANNUALLY TO US, TO US AS A CITY.
AND, AND TO, TO HAROLD'S POINT, WE'RE NOT ASKING FOR ANY TAX ABATEMENT.
WE'RE NOT ASKING FOR ANY OF THE MONEY BACK.
AND THIS IS WHAT IT AMOUNTS TO.
1,000,002, EITHER TO THE ISD OR TO, UH, TO THE CITY THROUGH HOT TAX, THROUGH A VALOREM
[01:15:01]
TAX.UH, AND I'M, I'M GETTING, I SEE MY TIME IS ABOUT UP, Y'ALL KNOW THE SITE LOCATION.
THIS IS THE SPRING HILL TRA THE SPRING HILL.
THIS IS THE, THIS IS THE INSIDE ROGER.
'CAUSE YOU'RE GONNA, YOU'RE GONNA BE THE ONE WHO HAS TO EXPLAIN THIS.
BUT I THINK WHAT I WOULD RATHER DO FIRST IS HAVE OUR MARRIOTT GENTLEMEN.
I I'D LIKE TO HAVE, UH, BRANDON HARRIS COME IN TO ADDRESS.
'CAUSE THOSE ARE SOME OF THE QUESTIONS THAT YOU'VE ALREADY HAD.
UM, AND I WILL SAY, I DON'T HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT WHETHER LUXURY WOULD GO THERE.
I DON'T HAVE ANY QUESTION WHATSOEVER WITH THAT.
WE'VE ALREADY DONE A STUDY AND WE'VE BEEN TOLD WE'RE WE'RE AWARE.
IT'S, IT'S NOT, IT'S NOT HAPPENING RIGHT NOW.
SO THAT, UH, EXPLANATION, UH, WE, WE WELCOME IT.
BUT THAT IS NOT A QUESTION, NOT SOMETHING WE'RE CONFUSED ABOUT.
BUT WHAT I DO WANT HIM TO TALK ABOUT IS WHAT THE, THE PRODUCT STYLE THAT THEY WILL HAVE HERE THAT ARE GOOD, THAT IF IT'S GOOD ENOUGH FOR FOLKS IN, IN SOME, SOME REALLY NICE AREAS, IT SHOULD BE GOOD ENOUGH FOR US.
SO I'M GOING TO, I'M GONNA GO AHEAD AND TURN IT OVER.
UH, IF YOU DON'T MIND TO, UH, BRANDON HARRIS.
UH, MY NAME IS BRANDON HARRIS.
I'M THE DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT FOR MARRIOTT HOTELS.
UH, HERE TO SPEAK WITH YOU GUYS TODAY.
ADDRESS IS 2 2 2 1, UH, DANA DRIVE, WHICH IS HERE IN GRAND PRAIRIE.
UM, I'VE BEEN COMMUTING BACK AND FORTH FOR SOME TIME FROM OKLAHOMA CITY.
DECIDED THAT I WANTED TO LAY ROOTS HERE IN TEXAS.
ADDISON STARTED OFF, IT'S BECOME GRAND PRAIRIE.
SO ACTUALLY JUST WORKED OUT VERY FORTUITOUS.
THIS IS, UH, SOMETHING NEAR TO ME AS WELL.
SO WHAT KIND OF QUESTIONS CAN I ANSWER? SO MY QUESTION IS, WHAT, WHAT STUDY DID Y'ALL DO TO, FOR THIS SITE THAT WARRANTS TWO HOTELS? YES, SIR.
AS OPPOSED TO ONE LUXURY HOTEL.
SO WHEN, WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT LUXURY, YOU NEED TO HAVE THE DEMAND IN REGISTER FOR THAT.
AND THEN THE ECONOMICS HAVE TO WORK.
I DON'T WORK ON OUR FULL SERVICE OR LUXURY SIDE.
I WORK ON SELECT SERVICE HOTELS.
SO YOU'RE THINKING THE RESIDENTS.
SO, SO JUST POINT AND CLARIFY.
YOU DON'T WORK ON THE FULL SERVICE SIDE? I DO NOT, NO, SIR.
BUT I'VE HAD CONVERSATIONS WITH MY FULL SERVICE COUNTERPART FROM THIS.
'CAUSE IT, IT, IT SAYS WE CAN DO TWO OF THOSE ALMOST LUXURY, BUT CAN'T DO ONE LUXURY.
ANYBODY ELSE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR HIM? ANYBODY ELSE? YES.
YOU, YOU HAD MENTIONED, UM, YOU GUYS HAVE DONE A STUDY TO DETERMINE TO HAVE TWO HOTELS THERE.
UH, HOW DID, HOW DID THAT STUDY GO? DID YOU WANT TO, YOU DIDN'T THINK YOU SHOULD BRING THIS TO US TO LET US CONSIDER THIS STUDY? OR WAS THAT A CONVERSATION OR ACTUALLY STUDY COMPLETED? SO THERE'S CERTAIN TOOLS THAT WE HAVE INTERNAL TO US WITH MARRIOTT HOTELS.
WE'RE THE LARGEST HOTEL PROVIDER IN THE WORLD.
UM, AND THE DA PLEASE, IT LOOKS LIKE YOU'RE ABOUT TO INTERJECT, I'M SORRY.
THE DATA TO SUGGEST WE HAVE A LOT OF, UH, LOOKS ON OUR BONVOY APP FOR BUSINESS AND LEISURE TRAVELERS HERE TO THIS MARKET.
AND THEN THE A DR REQUESTS THAT THEY'RE LOOKING FOR IS ANYWHERE BETWEEN 130 TO $160.
AND THIS FITS RIGHT IN THAT DEMOGRAPHIC.
UH, TO SPEAK TO MS. JACQUE KING, IS THAT HOW YOU PRONOUNCE THE NAME? I'M SORRY.
MS. JACQUELINE, UM, YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT EARLIER TODAY, RETAIL AND THOSE SHOPPERS THAT YOU WANNA DRIVE.
UH, THE TYPICAL DEMOGRAPHIC FOR THESE TWO BRANDS IS ANYWHERE FROM 115,000 TO $130,000 A YEAR.
AND I THINK THOSE ARE THE TYPE OF SHOPPERS THAT YOU WANNA BE COMING TO THIS MARKET TO SHOP AND EAT AT THOSE RETAILS AND THOSE RESTAURANTS.
YOU GUYS ARE ALSO PROPOSING, UH, JUST NORTH OF THIS SITE, UM, WHEN YOU'RE LOOKING AT DOING A FULL SERVICE HOTEL, AGAIN, IT'S, IT'S ABOUT THE ECONOMICS.
YOU CAN BUILD THIS HOTEL, BUT IT'S UP TO THAT DEVELOPER TO BE ABLE TO FEEL THAT HOTEL.
AND THE DATA IS NOT SUGGESTING AT THIS POINT IN TIME THAT THOSE TRAVELERS ARE LOOKING TO STAY WITHIN GRAND PRAIRIE.
THE TRAVELERS THAT ARE LOOKING TO STAY WITHIN GRAND PRAIRIE ARE THOSE BUSINESS AND LEISURE GUESTS THAT ARE LOOKING TO COME HERE.
UH, WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT EXTENDED STAY, THE GENTLEMAN HAD BROUGHT THAT UP EARLIER TODAY.
THE TOWN PLAY SWEETS, AVERAGE LENGTH OF STAY IS ABOUT THREE AND A HALF NIGHTS.
SO OUR AVERAGE LENGTH OF STAY ISN'T LOOKING AT THAT 25 TO 30 NIGHT LENGTH OF STAYS LIKE SOME OF THE OTHER BRANDS, LIKE AN EXTENDED STAY AMERICA OR WOOD SPRINGING SWEETS.
THAT'S NOT THE CLIENTELE THAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR.
UH, IT'S JUST FOR THAT GUEST THAT WANTS TO COME IN AND SAYS, YOU KNOW WHAT, MAYBE I WANNA COOK MY MY MEAL TODAY.
I WANNA COOK MY OWN LUNCH IN THIS KITCHEN TODAY.
I'LL SPEND A LITTLE BIT MORE AT THOSE RESTAURANTS THAT YOU HAVE NEXT TO THE HOTEL.
SO THAT'S WHAT THEY'RE LOOKING AT HERE.
SO WHEN YOU SAID AT THE DATA AT THIS TIME DOES NOT SUGGEST A LUXURY HOTEL, WHEN DID IT SUGGEST? SO AGAIN, I DON'T WORK ON THE FULL SERVICE TEAM.
I SPOKE WITH MY COUNTERPART THAT DOES, HIS NAME IS MAJI DOWDY, AND HE ALSO LOOKED AT THE GRAND PRAIRIE AND IT JUST SAID TO THEM THAT WE DON'T HAVE A BRAND ON OUR LUXURY AND FULL SERVICE TEAM FOR THIS MARKET.
WE DO, WE DO HAVE OUR OWN STUDY THAT WAS DONE ON THE LUXURY HOTEL STATUS.
UM, AND THEY SUGGESTED WE, UH, REHIRE THEM IN A YEAR TO AFTER EVERYTHING STUDY, AFTER EVERYTHING'S OPEN TO SEE IF, IF WE LOOK A LITTLE STRONGER IN THAT DEPARTMENT.
BUT THAT A STUDY, I BELIEVE WAS MORE GENERAL VERSUS I THINK WHAT HE'S SAYING IS WITHIN THE BRAND THAT HE WORKS FOR.
SO I THINK THE DATA ON BOTH SIDES DO KIND OF BOTH, UNFORTUNATELY POINT TO THAT.
NOW, IF I MAY ASK, HAS ANYBODY
[01:20:01]
ON THE, ON THE COUNCIL STAYED AT THE SPRING HILL SUITES BEFORE? I THINK IT'S SOMETHING, IF I MAY, THEN, UH, BEFORE YOU OBJECT TO THAT, JUST GO AND STAY AT ONE AND YOU'LL SEE THAT IT'S, IT'S VERY BUSINESS AND FAMILY.IT, IT, IT'S, UM, IT'S NOT THAT WE DON'T LIKE A SPRING HILL SUITES.
WE'RE CAUTIOUS TO DO ANY, WE DIDN'T THINK WE'D GET WHAT WE GOT.
AND IT WAS SOMETIMES BY SAYING NO TO THINGS THAT COULD HAVE HMM.
WE COULD HAVE SAID YES TO SOMETHING YEARS AGO AT A PREVIOUS COUNCIL MEMBER COUNCIL MEETING IF WE HAD GIVEN UP ON OUR VISION AND WE WOULDN'T HAVE IKEA THERE RIGHT NOW.
THIS IS ME SPEAKING PERSONALLY.
'CAUSE I CAN'T SPEAK FOR THE COUNCIL.
IT'S, WE'VE, WE WANNA BE CAUTIOUS.
WE'VE GOT A LOT OF HOTELS THAT HAVE SPRUNG UP THERE.
I DON'T CARE IF YOU CALL IT A LUXURY, LUXURY PLUS.
IT DOESN'T HA I MEAN, OR A SUPER SUPER.
I JUST WANT A FULL SERVICE THAT I CAN CALL ROOM SERVICE AND HAVE THEM BRING ME MY BREAKFAST IN BED.
WE CAN'T DO THAT ANYWHERE IN GRAND PRAIRIE.
YOU'RE NOT, UH, OFFERING US ONE.
I'M CONCERNED THAT THE MORE OF THESE THAT WE DO APPROVE WILL HURT OUR ABILITY TO GET THAT OTHER ONE.
IT'S NOTHING AGAINST ANY OF THOSE.
I'M A GOLD, YOU KNOW, I'M A SILVER FOR LIFE OR WHATEVER IT IS, YOU KNOW? YES, SIR.
SO WHAT GOOD DOES IT, THEY GIVE IT TO YOU WHEN YOU QUIT TRAVELING?
I'M EXECUTIVE PLATINUM AND I DON'T EVEN EVER FLY ANYMORE.
UM, SO, AND I KNOW THIS, THIS STUDY, WE, WE DID IT ABOUT A YEAR AGO BEFORE WE HAD ALL THE RESTAURANTS OPEN.
BEFORE HE, WE HAD THE HOTEL, SO TIME TO DO ANOTHER.
SO IT'S, YEAH, THIS, BY THE END OF THE SUMMER, WE DON'T HAVE ROOM RATES.
WE'RE GONNA HAVE MORE DATA THAT REALLY SHOWS THAT SUPPORT AND WE'VE SEEN IT, WHICH IS OPENING UP ALL THOSE RESTAURANTS.
SO, SO THE NUMBERS MIGHT BE THERE.
UM, MY QUESTION FOR STAFF IS, IF THEY'RE PRESENTING A UPSCALE HOTEL NOW, 10, 20 YEARS FROM NOW, AND IF THEY WANT TO LOWER THE SCALE OF A HOTEL CHANGING OPERATORS, WOULD THEY HAVE TO COME BEFORE CITY COUNCIL? ONCE YOU GET THE SUP THEN, WHETHER IT BE UPSCALE OR, OR WHATEVER IT IS, RIGHT.
STAFF, IF YOU COULD HELP ME UNDERSTAND THAT PART.
NO, THE S THE SCALE RATING IS OUR WAY OF AVOIDING CONCENTRATION OF CERTAIN TIERS.
BUT ONCE THE HOTEL IS THERE IN 20 YEARS, IN FIVE YEARS, IN FIVE YEARS, THEY'LL SAY THEY WON'T.
BUT THEY COULD, WE CAN'T NECESSARILY CAN'T DICTATE THE OPERATIONS INTERNAL.
SO, SO IT'S MORE WHETHER OR NOT WE ALLOW IT UPFRONT.
WE CAN HOPE THAT THEY CONTINUE AND SAY THESE ALL LUXURY, AND THEN WE HAVE NO QUESTION.
THEN THEY STOP ROOM SERVICE AND THEN THEY STOP.
THEY SAY, WELL, IT IS NOT LUXURY.
WELL, THEY'D HAVE TO OPEN IT AS LUXURY, I THINK.
BUT THEY WOULDN'T HAVE TO KEEP IT.
THEY COULD CLOSE DOWN THE RESTAURANT A YEAR LATER.
IF, AND I, I'M JUST HYPOTHETICAL.
I'M NOT SAYING THEY WOULD, I'M SAYING THEY COULD.
I WAS JUST TRY AND GET STAFF VIDEO.
JUST OUTTA CURIOSITY, THE PHOTOS THAT Y'ALL HAVE UP RIGHT NOW, IT SAYS FORT WORTH, STOCKY YARDS.
IS THAT THE DROVE? NO, THE, THE DROVER'S A PART OF OUR AUTOGRAPH COLLECTION.
SO WHAT HOTEL IS, IS WE DO HAVE A SPRING HILL SUITES.
THAT IS IN THE STOCKYARD AS WELL.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR THE, FOR THE GROUP COUNCIL MEMBER HEDON.
SO I, AND WE'VE SPOKEN RODNEY.
WE'VE SPOKEN, RODNEY, IF YOU CAN JUST DIVE INTO WHAT ELSE HAS BEEN CONSIDERED HERE, IF ANYTHING, OR WAS HOTEL ONLY THING THAT IT'S BEEN APPROACHED IS, OH, HERE, HERE.
WHAT I WOULD, TO YOUR QUESTION, IF I COULD, IF I COULD HAVE ISH WHO'S ALSO ON THERE, IF HE SURE.
BECAUSE THERE WERE A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS HERE THAT ISH CAN, CAN TALK ABOUT RELATIVE TO THE OPERATE,
[01:25:01]
THE OPERATING AGREEMENT WITH THE HOOK BETWEEN MARRIOTT AND THEN COME BACK THE DEVELOP BACK AND ANSWER HER QUESTION AND THEN COME BACK AND ANSWER HER QUESTION.BECAUSE I WILL, I WILL THEN DEFER TO CLINT ON THE CALERA SIDE.
NIMISH PATEL, UM, ICON LODGING 35 0 1 OLYMPUS DRIVE, CAPELLE, TEXAS.
UM, I'M HERE TO, UM, BASICALLY ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS FOR OUR DEVELOPMENT.
WE'VE BEEN HAD A, WE'VE HAD A LONG LASTING, UM, PARTNERSHIP WITH THE CITY OF GRAND PRAIRIE.
WE DEVELOPED, UM, THE FIRST HILTON ON THAT SIDE OF TOWN, UH, WHEN NOBODY WAS DEVELOPING HOTELS ON THAT SIDE OF TOWN.
WE COMMITTED TO THIS MARKET AND TO THIS CITY TO BRING A HILTON TO THAT PART OF THIS COMMUNITY.
NOW WE'RE SAYING WE THINK THERE'S A MARKET FOR THIS PART OF THE COMMUNITY.
WE'VE HAD THAT HOTEL, WE DEVELOP THAT HOTEL.
WE WOULD NOT WANT TO STEP ON OUR OWN TOES TO DEVELOP MORE PROPERTIES.
IF WE DIDN'T THINK THERE WAS A MARKET SHARE FOR US.
WE, WE WOULD BE INVESTING OVER $40 MILLION INTO THE MARKET.
UM, AND FOR US, ECONOMICALLY WOULDN'T MAKE SENSE IF WE THOUGHT THERE WAS A SATURATION IN THAT MARKET SEGMENT.
ALONG THOSE LINES, WHAT, WHAT THE OTHER PROPERTY? WAS IT HOME, HOME TWO, HOME TWO SUITES BY HILTON.
SO HOW, WHAT WERE THE, ARE THE DISTINGUISHING FACTORS BETWEEN HOME TWO AND THESE PROPERTIES? SO IT'S, IT'S VERY SIMPLE.
UM, IT'S ALL ABOUT REWARDS, RIGHT? IT'S HILTON OR IT'S MARRIOTT.
THOSE, THOSE ARE THE BIGGEST DISTINGUISHING FACTORS AT THE END OF THE DAY.
EITHER YOU'RE A HILTON PER GUY OR YOU'RE A MARRIOTT GUY.
UM, IT REALLY, BOTH BRANDS HAVE SIMILAR PRODUCTS.
UM, YOU CAN GO AND LOOK AT A HOMEWOOD SUITE AND YOU CAN LOOK AT, AT A RESIDENCE INN.
IT'S JUST A DIFFERENT, IT'S LEXUS.
AND, YOU KNOW, UM, ONE OF THE EASIEST WAYS TO FIGURE IT OUT, AND I KNOW COUNCILMAN JOHNSON TRAVELS A LOT, IS WHEN YOU GO TO BOOK USING POINTS, FORGET ABOUT WHAT THEY SAY.
THAT POINT SCHEDULE WILL TELL YOU HOW GOOD A HOTEL IT IS.
UH, AND IT, SOMETIMES IT'S THE MARRIOTT IN THE CITY, SOMETIMES IT'S THEIR AUTOGRAPH COLLECTION.
AND YOU CAN ALMOST, THE ONLY REASON I ASK THAT SURE.
POINTS ASIDE, WHICH IS RELEVANT, VERY RELEVANT, UM, BE, I WAS TRYING TO FIGURE OUT IF THIS WAS CONSIDERED, ACCORDING TO YOUR UNDERSTANDINGS OF HOTELS, SUBSTANTIALLY NICER BECAUSE I HAVE HAD SOME FAMILY GO STAY AT THAT HOME TWO, AND THEY WERE NOT HAPPY.
SO I WAS HOPING TO HEAR THAT IT WAS NOT THE SAME IN ONLY POINTS IN, IN NAME BRANDS.
BUT IT SOUNDS LIKE QUALITY WISE, THIS IS CONSIDERED THE SAME LEVEL.
WELL, HOME TWO SUITES IS, IS A LITTLE BIT, UM, DIFFERENT VERSUS A SPRINGHILL SUITES AND VERSUS A TOWN PLACE SUITES, THE AMENITY MIX IS SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT.
UM, IN A SPRINGHILL SUITES, YOU HAVE MORE AMENITY OPTIONS VERSUS IN A HOME TWO SUITES, UM, IN A TOWN PLACE SUITES, IT IS MORE, UM, LIKE SAVANNAH HAD ALLUDED TO, IT'S A LITTLE BIT MORE FOR A LITTLE BIT LONGER LENGTH OF STAY, THREE TO FOUR NIGHTS TYPICALLY IS WHAT THE DATA SHOWS.
AND SO THAT'S KIND OF THE DIFFERENCE AS FAR AS, UM, AMENITIES.
UM, SO THAT'S KIND OF THE, THE CORE DIFFERENCE.
UM, AND I WOULD LIKE TO, YOU KNOW, KIND OF LEARN A LITTLE BIT ON, ON, ON, ON THE SIDE NOTE ABOUT KIND OF THE EXPERIENCE THAT YOUR FAMILY HAD, BECAUSE WE'RE RANKED IN, IN THE TOP 50 IN OF ALL OF HILTON'S, UM, IN, IN, IN THE NATION ON THAT HOTEL.
SO, UM, I WOULD REALLY WANT TO LIKE TO SPEAK TO YOU ABOUT THAT.
I WON'T, I WON'T GET INTO THAT NOW, BUT, BUT THANK YOU.
IT'S, UH, HOTEL STAYS ARE TOUGH.
I KNOW, UH, COUNCILMAN JOHNSON HAD AN EVENT AT THE, UH, MARRIOTT COURTYARD.
AND TO ME, A LOT OF TIMES WALKING IN THE PRESENTATION INSIDE IS A NICE BAR AREA.
UH, THE NEW MARRIOTT RENAISSANCE, I MEAN, RESIDENTS IN THAT WE WALK IN VERY OPEN.
YOU KNOW, THE ROOM'S KINDA ALL THE SAME, BUT, UH, DOES ANYBODY ELSE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR 'EM, FOR ANY OF RODNEY'S PEOPLE THAT ARE HERE? I'D LIKE TO HEAR FROM CAL TARA.
AND ONE QUICK NOTE ON THE SPRING HILL SUITES, WE ALSO, THERE'S A AMENITY MIX OPTION, AND WE ARE, WE DID SELECT ON THIS PARTICULAR HOTEL TO ADD A BAR TO THAT.
SO THAT IS GONNA HAVE AN UPPER SCALE FEEL IN TERMS OF, THAT DOES HELP WHEN YOU WALK IN.
IT DOES FROM F AND B PERSPECTIVE IN CALERA, YES.
Y ALL ARE GREAT LANDOWNERS IN OUR CITY.
APPRECIATE WHAT YOU'VE DONE SO FAR.
AND THIS IS JUST KIND OF A SAMPLE OF KIND OF, UM, UH, UH, A SPRINGHILL SUITES WITH A BAR HERE.
RIGHT? BUT YOU SAY ITS A SAMPLE, BUT IT'S NOT WHAT YOU'RE BRINGING.
WELL, OURS HAS NOT BEEN DESIGNED FROM AN INTERIOR PERSPECTIVE
[01:30:01]
AT THIS TIME.I BET IT'S NOT GONNA LOOK LIKE THE FORT WORTH, RIGHT? YEAH.
WELL, I'M NOT TELLING YOU, I'M GIVING YOU THAT BAR.
I'M BEING TOTALLY TRANSPARENT AND SAYING, RIGHT, THESE YOU ARE, WE'RE GONNA STILL DESIGN THAT BAR, BUT WHAT I CAN TELL YOU IS WE CAN PUT THE BAR OPTION IN THERE TO GIVE THAT GUEST EXPERIENCE, THAT AMENITY TO HAVE THAT, UH, EXPERIENCE AT THE HOTEL.
SO CALERA, GO AHEAD AND COME FORWARD.
UH, CLINT NOLAN, CALERA, CAPITAL PARTNERS, 1845 WOODALL ROGERS FREEWAY, SUITE 1160, DALLAS, TEXAS 7 5 2 0 1.
IT'S GOOD SEEING EVERYBODY, UM, TO GET STRAIGHT TO THE POINT.
UH, I, IT'S BEEN FOUR YEARS SINCE I'VE SEEN A LOT OF YOU AND, AND I SEE NEW FACES HERE.
UH, WE SPENT 15 MONTHS AS, AS YOU MANY OF YOU REMEMBER, I, I, I REMEMBER AS I WAS GONNA COUNT, COUNT LIGHT BULBS WHEN YOU GET ALL
MY COMMITMENT TO YOU IS GREEN SPACE AND LIGHT BULBS, UH, BEHIND RETAIL.
BUILD EVERY, EVERY, EVERY RETAILER THAT WE'VE TALKED TO, THAT'S, THAT THAT'S, YOU KNOW, COMING ALONG AND, AND TAKING INTEREST ALONG THAT FRONTAGE RETAIL.
WE, WE TELL THEM ABOUT GREEN SPACE AND, AND LIGHTS, AND THEY'VE GOTTA ADHERE TO THE PD.
AND IF THEY PLAN TO GO AGAINST THE PD, THEY'RE GONNA HAVE TO NEGOTIATE THAT WITH YOU.
WELL, I APPRECIATE WHAT YOU'VE DONE OUT THERE SO FAR.
I WISH YOU WOULD BUILD SOMETHING BESIDES THE APARTMENT.
SO, BUT ADDRESS THIS NOW, THEN YOU CAN FOLLOW UP WITH WHEN YOU'RE GOING TO DO SOME MORE THINGS.
LET, LET, LET, SO LET ME JUST GET INTO IT, BECAUSE, BECAUSE YOU'RE BLUNT.
AND, AND, AND I DON'T WANNA WASTE Y'ALLS TIME, AND I WANNA BE BLUNT TOO.
UH, WE, WE, WE LIKE TO HONOR OUR WORD.
WE DON'T, YOU KNOW, COME TO CITIES AND COME TO THESE DEVELOPMENTS TO PLAY GAMES.
UM, I'M HAPPY WITH THE DEVELOPMENT, UH, THESE TWO HOTEL DEVELOPMENTS THAT ARE COMING TO THE SITE.
UH, MY COMMITMENT TO YOU, UH, BACK WHEN WE GOT THE PD APPROVED WAS, UH, WELL YOU GUYS FLAT OUT SAID, UH, YES, WE'RE APPROVING THIS PD THAT ALLOWS MUL IN THE ENTIRE ZONE, B, MULTI-FAMILY OFFICE AND HOTEL BY, RIGHT? IT ALSO, THERE'S ALSO LANGUAGE THAT ALLOWS FOR RETAIL TO BLEED INTO ZONE B, RIGHT? UM, HOTELS HA REQUIRE SUP MULTIFAMILY AND OFFICE DIDN'T.
I WAS TOLD WE, MY COMMITMENT TO YOU GUYS WAS WE HAD TO EXHAUST EVERY EFFORT TO TRY TO GET OFFICE AND HOTEL BEFORE WE EVEN DARED COME BACK AND ASK FOR MORE MULTIFAMILY.
WE'VE SPENT FOUR YEARS EXHAUSTING EVERY EFFORT.
WE'VE TALKED TO ENTERTAINMENT USERS.
WE HAD TOPGOLF, WE HAD, YOU KNOW, AND, AND THAT IT DIDN'T WORK FOR A WHOLE HOST OF REASONS WE DON'T WANNA GO INTO TONIGHT.
WE HAD, WE'VE TALKED TO CANINE USERS, WE'VE TALKED TO CHURCHES, WE'VE TALKED TO GROCERS, WE'VE TALKED TO RETAILERS.
WE'VE, I MEAN, WE'VE EXHAUSTED EVERY EFFORTS.
UH, WE'VE HAD LOWER END HOTEL HOTELERS THAT WE'VE TALKED TO, UH, AND WE'VE EXHAUSTED THOSE EFFORTS.
I'M EXCITED ABOUT THE TWO HOTELS THAT HAVE GONE HERE.
THEY ARE SMACK DAB EXACTLY WHERE THEY ARE SHOWN ON THE CONCEPT PLAN THAT WAS ATTACHED.
UM, THEY ARE EQUAL TO OR BETTER THAN I ORIGINALLY EXPECTED OR HOPED TO GET ON OUR DEVELOPMENT.
THESE GUYS HAVE DONE A HELL OF A JOB WORKING WITH US TO REDESIGN AND RE-SKIN AND REER THEIR PRODUCTS SO THAT IT, WE FELT LIKE IT COINCIDES WITH THE COHESIVE LOOK THAT WE WANT ACROSS THE DEVELOPMENT.
WHAT HAPPENS IF THIS GETS DENIED? AND, AND LOOK, I I'LL BE BLUNT.
WE'RE WE, WE CAN'T SIT AND DON'T WANNA SIT ON THIS LAND FOREVER.
WE SPENT FOUR YEARS TRYING, UH, THE REASON THAT WE WROTE THE PD THE WAY THAT IT WAS, AND WE, OUR, OUR ATTORNEY GIVE YOU SOME FLEXIBILITY.
OUR ATTORNEY ACTUALLY MADE US WRITE THIS LANGUAGE.
AND IN, IN EXHIBIT, WHAT IS IT? EXHIBIT D OF THE SUPPLEMENTAL ZONING STANDARDS OF THE PD ORDINANCE, YOU KNOW, UNDER CONCEPT PLANS, IT SAYS DEVELOPMENT OF ANY PROPERTY WITHIN, WITHIN THE BOUNDARIES AS THIS PLAN DEVELOPMENT DISTRICT SHALL GENERALLY, GENERALLY CONFORM WITH EXHIBIT B SITE PLAN.
IF THERE'S ANY CONFLICT BETWEEN THE TEXT OF THE ORDINANCE AND THE CONCEPT PLAN, THE TEXT, THE TEXT OF THE ARTICLE CONTROLS.
SO, AS FAR AS WE'RE CONCERNED, CAN WE DEVELOP MULTIFAMILY HERE? ABSOLUTELY.
WELL, I MEAN, IF WE HAVE TO, BUT THAT'S NOT WHAT WE'VE TRIED TO DO WHATSOEVER.
WE HAVE TRIED TO DEVELOP IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE PD.
UM,
AND WE ARE REALLY CONTINUING TO TRY TO GET QUALITY RETAIL OR ENTERTAINMENT THERE.
THERE'S 40,000 OF UNLEASHED RETAIL IN AND ALL AROUND US.
AND WE ALL KNOW OFFICE ISN'T HAPPENING.
IT'S NOT HAPPENING ON THE SITE.
SO, SO WE'RE GONNA CONTINUE TRYING, WE'RE GONNA CONTINUE WORKING WITH RASHAD AND KAY TO GET THE BEST RETAIL THAT WE CAN ON THE REMAINING, YOU KNOW, FIVE PLUS ACRES THAT WE HAVE JUST SOUTH OF THE HOTELS.
BUT THESE ARE GOOD HOTELS AND THEY'D BE GREAT USES
[01:35:01]
ON OUR SITE, AND WE HELP YOU APPROVE 'EM.SO THAT'S A GREAT, UH, I THINK MAYOR PROTI LOPEZ MAY HAVE A QUESTION FOR YOU OR YOU JUST MAY WANT MAKE A STATEMENT.
YEAH, I GUESS SO HOW MANY ACRES ARE WE TALKING ABOUT ON THESE TWO SITES? WHAT, FIVE FIVE-ISH? FIVE.
OH, FOR THE, FOR THE TWO HOTEL PADS.
SO WHETHER IT BE HOTELS OR, OR MULTIFAMILY, DO YOU THINK THAT TENANTS WOULD, THAT YOU'RE TRYING TO TRACK THERE, THE RESTAURANTS AND THE RETAIL WOULD BE MORE LENIENT TOWARDS HOTELS OR MULTIFAMILY? I, I, I THINK THAT THERE'S A REASON THAT THE PD WAS, WAS DESIGNED IN THE WAY THAT IT IS.
AND THE RE THE REASON, THERE'S A REASON THAT WE HAD TWO HILLS, TWO HOTELS IN THE CONCEPT PLAN IF WE DIDN'T BELIEVE THAT IT WORKED AND, AND WORKED REALLY WELL WITH THE RETAIL THAT WE WANTED TO BRING, WHICH WAS A LOT OF SIT DOWN RESTAURANTS AND, YOU KNOW, THAT TYPE OF RETAIL ALONG THE FRONTAGE, IF WE DIDN'T BELIEVE IT WOULD WORK, WE WOULDN'T HAVE DONE THE PD THAT WAY.
SO WE WE'RE HIGHLY CONFIDENT THAT IT WORKS AND IT WE'RE NOT THREATENED BY IT WHATSOEVER WITH OUR MULTIFAMILY THAT WE'VE WRAPPING UP.
AND THEN IT'S, IT'S MORE A QUESTION IN GENERAL IS, I MEAN, HAVING PHOTOS OF THINGS THAT'S ACTUALLY GOING TO BE IN THE HOTEL WOULD PROBABLY MAKE A LOT MORE SENSE THAN PIE IN THE SKY IDEAS.
YOU KNOW, I, I MEAN, IN, IN THAT PRESENTATION, I MEAN, I'M NOT SURE IF IT GOES FORWARD OR NOT TONIGHT, BUT I MEAN, JUST HAVING MORE DETAILS.
'CAUSE I MEAN, THERE'S SO MANY DIFFERENT VERSIONS OF THE HOTEL THAT'S PRESENTED.
WE JUST DON'T HAVE WHAT EVERYTHING INSIDE FROM I'M, IT'S NICE TO KNOW YOUR HISTORY, BUT WE KIND, THIS IS MORE LIKE IT.
WELL, I'LL, I'LL LET ROGER SPEAK TO THESE PHO PHOTOS, BUT, BUT, BUT I'LL SAY THIS, UM, I, I DON'T THINK WE PLAY GAMES WITH WHAT WE'VE DONE IN THE MULTI, I'M EXTREMELY EXCITED.
I CAN'T WAIT TO HAVE OUR RIBBON CUTTING AND ALL OF YOU GUYS COME SEE WHAT WE BUILT.
AND LIKE I SAID EARLIER, THESE GUYS HAVE DONE A GREAT JOB AND THEY'VE BEEN, I MEAN, WE, WE, WE PUT THEM THROUGH THE RINGERS MAKING ALL THE CHANGES THAT THEY DID TO MAKE THIS AS, AS WHAT WE FELT IT NEEDED TO BE.
SO THIS IS MORE REPRESENTATIVE OF A SPRING HILL SUITE.
SO THAT, THAT KINDA SHOWS US MORE LIKELY WHAT WILL GO THE, I I THINK THIS PRODUCT PERFECTLY FITS THE MARKET AND I THINK IT PERFECTLY FITS OUR DEVELOPMENT.
WE'VE COME FURTHER WITH, WITH RENDERINGS AND CONCEPTS IN THESE PDS THAN WE EVER HAVE IN THE PO IN THE PAST.
AND, AND YOU KNOW, I KNOW IT'S NOT FINAL PRODUCT 'CAUSE WE HAVEN'T FULLY DESIGNED THESE THINGS AT, AT THIS STAGE, BUT, YOU KNOW, MAYOR PRO TEM, DOES THAT ANSWER YOUR QUESTION? THAT ANSWERS THE QUESTION.
COUNSEL, DOES ANYBODY ELSE HAVE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? QUESTION FOR STAFF? WELL, ACTUALLY, I GUESS A COMMENT FOR YOU.
THANK YOU FOR, UH, YOUR GENUINE RESPONSE.
I JUST, I DID WANNA GET AN UNDERSTANDING, AN HONEST UNDERSTANDING OF WHO ELSE YOU ALL REACHED OUT TO NON-HOTEL.
AND IT SOUNDS LIKE YOU GUYS HAVE MADE AN EXTENSIVE PUSH.
TO REALLY GET AND I SOMETHING UP AND I, AND I PROMISE YOU I'VE MISSED, I PROMISE YOU I'VE MISSED PLENTY OF FOLKS IN THAT.
NICK HAS BEEN OUR FRONT MAN IN, IN TRYING TO GET USERS.
WE, WE HAVE HAD A BROKER ENGAGED ONE OF THE TOP BROKERS IN THIS AREA THAT'S HELPED A LOT OF THE WEBER, YOU KNOW, PRODUCT, TRYING TO GET ALL THE BEST POSSIBLE TO GET THE BEST POSSIBLE TENANTS ON THESE SITES.
AND WE'VE TALKED TO A LOT OF FOLKS, SO I DON'T IF, IF YOU HAVE SPECIFIC QUESTIONS THAT YOU WANT.
DOES THAT, THAT IS, DOES THAT ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, COUNCIL MEMBER HEAD? IT DOES.
IT WAS MORE SO A STATEMENT JUST TO, UH, I APPRECIATE THE, OH, THAT YOU WENT, YOU UNDERSTOOD WHAT WE WANT.
THANK YOU FOR THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR, IF YOU HAD SOMETHING TO ADD, SIR.
YEAH, JUST TO ECHO CLINT'S POINT, UM, WE'VE ENGAGED, UH, WE'VE BEEN, UH, WE'VE HAD DBA, UH, NICK BMO 8 40 18 45 WOODALL ROGERS, SUITE 1160, DALLAS, TEXAS 7 5 2 0 1.
UH, WE'VE HAD A DBA, WHICH IS A, A LOCAL BROKERAGE, UM, ON THE PROJECT LOOKING FOR TENANTS FOR THE OVERALL PROJECT.
AS CLINT ALLUDED FOR THE LAST FOUR YEARS.
UM, THE LIST IS EXTENSIVE ON GROUPS THAT THEY'VE SPOKEN WITH.
UM, AND THE LIST IS SMALLER TO GROUPS THAT ACTUALLY GET TO US AFTER PRELIMINARY DISCUSSIONS ABOUT THE LOCATION, UM, OVER THE LAST FOUR YEARS.
BUT AS CLINT ALLUDED, YOU KNOW, UH, SPROUTS GROCERS, TRADER JOE'S, UH, SOME GROCERY USES, UM, NATURAL GROCERS, UM, TOPGOLF AS CLINT ALLUDED TO, WHICH WE WENT DOWN THE ROAD EXTENSIVELY ON, UH, A NUMBER OF HOTEL DEVELOPERS, UM, OTHER GYM USERS THAT WE'VE HAD EXTENSIVE CONVERSATIONS WITH, UH, TO NAME A FEW ALL FOR THAT SORT OF BACK AREA FOR RETAIL.
AND THE LIST GOES ON AND ON FOR THE FRONTAGE RESTAURANT THAT WE'RE WORKING ON.
YOU'VE EXPLORED EVERYTHING? YES, WE HAVE TO THE BEST OF OUR ABILITY.
BECAUSE YOU WANT SOMEBODY THERE TOO.
DOES THAT ANSWER YOUR QUESTION? IT DOES.
I DON'T HAVE ANY OTHER, YEAH, I DO, I HAVE
[01:40:01]
QUESTIONS.RODNEY, IS THAT GOOD ENOUGH FOR YOUR GROUP? ANYTHING YOU THINK? ANYTHING ELSE, GUYS? BECAUSE YOU HAD A CO BUT I THINK WE COVERED IT ALL.
YEAH, I, I'M DIXON HOLMAN AND I DON'T NEED TO SPEAK.
COUNCIL MEMBER AT, YOU'RE GOOD.
UH, IS HE WITH YOUR GROUP? ELLIOT BOGART? YEAH, THAT'S ME.
I'M JUST HERE TO ANSWER QUESTIONS.
A WE JUST DON'T WANNA OVERLOOK ANYBODY.
UM, COUNCIL MEMBER HADDEN, I'VE HEARD NOTHING THAT'S CHANGED MY MIND.
UM, I'M TRYING TO REMEMBER WHAT YOUR MIND WAS.
THERE WAS NO IFS AND OR BUTS ABOUT IT.
MR. MAYOR, CAN I ASK WHY? I DON'T WANT TWO HOTELS THERE RIGHT NOW? VERY BLUNTLY.
I DON'T, THEY WON'T BE THERE FOR ANOTHER TWO YEARS.
I DON'T WANT TO APPROVE TWO HOTELS THERE RIGHT NOW, RODNEY, WHERE THEY HAVE MULTIFAMILY.
I'VE GOT VISIONS FOR THAT AREA, BUT I MAY BE THE ONLY ONE.
I'LL SEE WHAT COUNCIL MEMBER HEAD.
AGAIN, I'M NOT TRYING TO BE ARGUMENTATIVE, I'M JUST TRYING TO MAKE SURE THAT, NO, I DON'T MIND BLUNT QUESTIONS AS A RE AS A RESIDENT OF THE DISTRICT, I DON'T SEE, I DON'T SEE ANY, ANY OPPOSITION THAT SHOWED UP AFTER ALL THE PUBLIC MEETINGS.
THAT'S, THAT'S, UH, I GAVE YOU MY ANSWER AND, AND FAIR ENOUGH.
I MAY, I MAY BE ONE THAT VOTES NO.
BUT LET'S DO WHAT? NO, HEY, HEY, HEY.
I, I WANNA, UH, SAY BEFORE I SAY MY MOTION, THAT REALLY THE PITCH AS TO WHAT YOU HAVE EXPLORED IS COMPELLING.
SO I JUST WANNA APPLAUD YOU FOR THAT.
I THINK THE MAIN CONCERN IS IF WE SAY YES TO THIS, THEN AS EVERYTHING ELSE GETS BUILT UP, ARE WE LIMITED TO FINALLY GET SOMETHING LUXURY IN THE FUTURE? I THINK THAT'S THE BIG THING.
IF A YES NOW MEANS A NO LATER, SINCE THAT'S THE ONE THING WE DO NOT HAVE.
WHEREAS WE DO HAVE THIS SCALE OF A HOTEL.
SO THE HOTEL ITSELF, I FEEL YOU HAD A VERY COMPELLING PITCH, BUT THE QUESTION STILL REMAINS IF WE SAY YES TO THIS, IS IT A NO TO LUXURY DOWN THE LINE BECAUSE OF THE CONCENTRATION OF HOTELS? I ENTERTAIN A MOTION.
WITH THAT SAID, I MOVE TO DENY ITEM 29 AS PRESENTED BY STAFF.
ALL IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION TO DENY SIGNIFY AYE.
[CITIZEN COMMENTS]
COMMENTS.OKAY, NOW, CITIZEN COMMENTS, AGAIN, WE DON'T GET, I SOME OF YOU'RE GONNA SPEAK ON THE SAME THING, BUT I CAN'T GIVE YOU AN ANSWER 'CAUSE CITIZEN COMMENTS WE DON'T.
WE'LL LISTEN, UH, STICK AROUND.
MAYBE SOME OF THE STAFF TALK TO YOU ABOUT IT AFTERWARDS.
WELL, MAYOR, YOU SAID YOU KINDA LIKE TO GET A LITTLE BLUNT THERE.
KIND OF WANT TO REFRESH YOUR MEMORY FOR SOME CONTINUING EDUCATION, EDUCATION CREDITS TONIGHT.
CEUS, I BROUGHT UP THIS NAME BACK IN OCTOBER, NOVEMBER, AND YOU CLAIMED YOU HAD NO IDEA WHO MR. DUNN IS AND YOU DIDN'T, HAD NO IDEA.
I'LL GIVE YOU THE BENEFIT OF THE DOUBT.
THAT'S WHY WE'RE GONNA HAVE A LITTLE CEU TIME TONIGHT WITH, UH, TIM DUNN.
THIS IS THE COPY OF TEXAS MONTHLY BILLIONAIRE BULLY WHO WANTS TO TURN TEXAS INTO A CHRISTIAN THEOCRACY.
THIS IS PART OF THE REPUBLICAN OLIGARCH GROUP THAT RUNS THE STATE OF TEXAS.
THIS IS WHERE GREG ABBOTT, DANNY SCOTT GAB, ALSO KNOWN AS, UM, DAN PATRICK GETS HIS MONEY FROM.
MOST IMPORTANTLY, THESE ARE THE INDIVIDUALS WHO RUN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.
THE SUPREME COURT RULING YESTERDAY, THOSE SIX LYING REPUBLICAN LAWYERS ON THAT SUPREME COURT, WHAT THEY DID YESTERDAY, THEY'RE FULFILLING THE PLEDGE OF THESE REPUBLICAN BILLIONAIRES.
I GUESS I LIKE TO SAY, LIKE LYNDON JOHNSON'S FAVORITE SAYING WAS, GIVE IT TO ME WITH THE BARK OFF, SAID LYNDON JOHNSON.
WE MUST GET IT WITH THE BARK OFF LYNDON JOHNSON STYLE BECAUSE OUR DEMOCRACY IS
[01:45:01]
UNDER THREAT TO EVEN DARE THINK OF TURNING TEXAS INTO A WHITE CHRISTIAN THEOCRACY.THE WHOLE NATIONWIDE MOVEMENT.
NO, THAT'S NOT WHAT THIS COUNTRY WAS FOUNDED ON.
AND THIS IS A CITY COUNCIL ISSUE.
THOSE OF YOU UP FOR REELECTION, THIS IS AN ISSUE.
THE WOMEN OF THIS STATE ARE FURIOUS.
THE WOMEN OF THIS NATION ARE FURIOUS.
NO MAN TELLS A WOMAN WHAT SHE CAN AND CANNOT DO TO HER BODY EXCEPT TIM DUNN AND WILKES THE OLD BOY THAT, UH, GREG ABBOTT TOOK AT $6 MILLION FROM FOR SCHOOL VOUCHERS.
THE REPORT WAS HE OWES OVER A BILLION DOLLARS IN BACK TAXES.
BUT HE'S PART OF THE REPUBLICAN BILLIONAIRE OLIGARCHS.
WE HAVE OUR OLIGARCHS IN TEXAS AND THE OLIGARCHS THAT RUN THIS COUNTRY.
BUT THE SUPREME COURT DID BY MOVING TRUMP'S LITTLE DATE BACK INTO THE END OF APRIL IN JUNE, THAT SHOWS WHO RUNS THIS COUNTRY RIGHT NOW.
SO I JUST WANTED TO GET THIS ON THE RECORD, MAYOR THAT, UH, TEXAS MONTHLY, MAYBE YOU COULD EXPENSE THIS ON SOME OF YOUR EXPENSE ACCOUNTS TO READ THIS AND GET, JUST LEAVE ME A COPY.
YOU GOT MORE MONEY THAN I GOT
BUT NO, THIS IS, THIS IS THE POINT IN A CITY COUNCIL ELECTION.
THESE ARE THE BOYS THAT CONTROL.
AND YOU'RE AN ASTUTE POLITICIAN.
THIS IS THE MAN WHO PAID FOR THE BROWN SHIRT SWASTIKA NAZIS AT TORCHY'S TUCKO IN FORT WORTH.
THIS IS THE MAN WHO PAID FOR THE BROWN SHIRT, SWASTIKA NAZIS AT THE FORT WORTH BOTANICAL GARDENS.
WHO PAID FOR THOSE NAZIS IN FORT WORTH? BUT I HAD RELATIVES WHO WERE IN WORLD WAR II.
I'VE MET MEN FROM THE BATTLE OF THE BULGE FROM D-DAY EVER.
ALL THOSE BATTLES IN WORLD WAR II.
AND NOW I'VE GOT SOMEONE LIKE THIS WHO'S DOING THIS.
THE LATE GREAT MOLLY IVANS SAID, OH, MISS MOLLY, HOW WE NEED YOU NOW.
THE MOST DANGEROUS THING IN TEXAS IS WHITE TRASH WITH MONEY.
UM, MAX WOOD 6 29 WOOD ACRE DRIVE.
UM, SO TONIGHT I JUST WANTED TO, UH, IS THERE A TIMER? I HAVE LIKE FIVE MINUTES HERE.
SO TONIGHT I WANTED TO TRY AND CONVINCE YOU ALL TO BE ONE OF THE CITIES TO PASS THE CEASEFIRE RESOLUTION IN GAZA.
I OBVIOUSLY CAN'T DO IT TONIGHT 'CAUSE IT'S ALREADY THE END OF THE MEETING, BUT NEVERTHELESS, I WANTED TO PUT SOME COMMENTS ON THE RECORD FOR THAT PURPOSE.
I, I'M SURE YOU ALL ARE AWARE, I JUST WANTED TO BRING YOU UP TO SPEED ON A COUPLE THINGS THAT YOU MIGHT NOT BE AWARE OF.
UH, 28,000 PALESTINIANS ARE DEAD.
70% OF THOSE ARE WOMEN AND CHILDREN.
75% OF THE 2.2 MILLION PEOPLE THAT LIVE THERE ARE DISPLACED.
UM, SO THAT'S WHERE WE ARE NOW.
IT'S BEEN GOING ON FOR MONTHS.
UH, THERE'S BEEN A NEW REPORT THAT JUST CAME OUT, UH, FROM THE LONDON SCHOOL OF HYGIENE AND JOHN HOPKINS.
IT'S CALLED, UH, CRISIS IN GAZA, SCENARIO BASED HEALTH IMPACT PROJECTIONS.
UH, WHAT THEY ESTIMATE IN THIS IS THAT BETWEEN, UH, THE MONTHS OF FEBRUARY ONTO THE END OF THE SUMMER, THERE WILL BE, UM, SOMETHING IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD OF 75,000 PEOPLE THAT WILL DIE OF PREVENTABLE DISEASE, UM, FROM MALNUTRITION, UH, THINGS LIKE THAT, INDIRECT CAUSES.
UM, NOW I KNOW IT'S, I MEAN, THAT'S STAGGERING TO THINK ABOUT THAT 75,000 PEOPLE.
SO I KNOW IT MIGHT NOT SEEM LIKE THIS IS THE, THE FORUM FOR THIS, BUT I THINK IT'S RELEVANT TO EVERYONE BECAUSE WE LIVE IN THIS COUNTRY, AND ESPECIALLY IN GRAND PRAIRIE, WE'RE SO CLOSE TO LOCKHEED MARTIN WHO MANUFACTURES WEAPONS.
UM, SO FOR THAT REASON, UH, THERE, THERE WAS SOMETHING THAT CAME THERE.
THERE'S CERTAIN THINGS THAT I READ WHEN I LEARNED ABOUT THIS STUFF THAT JUST BLOWS MY MIND.
THERE'S A, THERE'S AN ACRONYM I NEVER HEARD BEFORE.
W-C-N-S-F, UM, WOUNDED CHILD, NO SURVIVING FAMILY'S, WHAT THAT STANDS FOR.
WOUNDED CHILD, NO SURVIVING FAMILY.
17,000 OR SO, PEOPLE ARE ON THAT LIST.
UM, SOMETIMES THE NUMBER GOES DOWN BECAUSE THE CHILD DIES.
AND SO THE ENTIRE FAMILY IS GONE.
UM, 95% OF, UH, THE POPULATION IS IN A FOOD INSECURITY CRISIS.
UM, IT WOULD MEAN A LOT IF I THINK ALL OF US HAVE AN OBLIGATION TO SAY
[01:50:01]
SOMETHING.UM, I THINK THE CITY COUNCIL HAS, UM, A, A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF POWER TO SAY WHERE THEY, WHERE THEY LIE ON THIS ISSUE SINCE IT IS A SIGNIFICANT ISSUE.
UH, SOMEBODY HAD MENTIONED WORLD WAR II.
I, MY GRANDPA WAS IN WORLD WAR II, HE'S NOT ALIVE ANYMORE.
UM, BUT I OFTEN WONDER WHAT WAS IT LIKE TO LIVE THEN? I DON'T THINK PROBABLY NO ONE HERE IS OLD ENOUGH TO HAVE ACTUALLY LIVED, UH, BEEN A CHILD.
LIKE FOR DURING THE HOLOCAUST.
WHAT, WHAT, WHAT WAS IT LIKE? I WONDER, WERE PEOPLE CONSTANTLY, UH, UPSET? WERE THEY WONDERING WHAT THEY COULD DO? WE DO HAVE A CHANCE TO DO SOMETHING.
UM, AND I THINK WE SHOULD DO EVERYTHING THAT WE CAN TO DO SOMETHING.
BE EXTREMELY BRIEF AND PLEASANT.
THIS MCGINNIS YOU COULD NOT HAVE FOUND A BETTER CITY TO WORK UNDER UNLESS YOU GOTTA LISTEN TO ME.
SO I KNOW EVERYBODY'S TRYING TO, TO SOLVE A PROBLEM, AND IT'S JUST MATH.
AND SO I JUST WANNA PLANT A COUPLE LITTLE SEEDS.
AND THEN NEXT TIME WHEN WE HAVE OUR, UH, MEETING, AND I'D LIKE TO TALK TO THE, YOU KNOW, THE STAFF THEN I KNOW BILL HAS TRIED VERY HARD TO UNWIND THIS THING.
AND I'M A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT THAN, YOU KNOW, YOU'VE HEARD THIS BEFORE THAN EVERY MULTIFAMILY OWNER IN GRAND PRAIRIE.
MY FAMILY OWNS 'EM FOR THE LONG RUN.
SO I FEEL RESPONSIBLE TO MY RESIDENTS, ESPECIALLY SOME OF THE SENIOR RESIDENTS WHO I HAVE TO LISTEN TO QUITE OFTEN.
SO, UM, THE PROBLEM IS THAT IT, IT IS, IT IS APARTMENTS ARE NOT BEING CHARGED.
THREE SIMPLE LITTLE THINGS IS YOU GOT THIS 17 PLUS 1630 $2 SURCHARGE.
THAT $32 SURCHARGE IS CHARGED TO A ONE BEDROOM APARTMENT THE SAME WAY IT'S CHARGED TO A 6,000 SQUARE FOOT HOUSE WITH FOUR BATHROOMS. ALSO, I BELIEVE, IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN, UM, UNDER 3000 GALLONS, A RESIDENT AND A HOUSE IS PAYING 12 CENTS A ONE BEDROOM AND A TWO BEDROOM USES UNDER 3000 GALLONS.
BUT THEY'RE BEING CHARGED A COMMERCIAL RATE.
ALL I KNOW IS THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, WE'RE NOT AS BIG AS EVERYBODY THINKS WE ARE.
BUT I HAVE CLOSE TO 14, 1500, UH, ADULTS LIVING IN THE APARTMENTS.
AND THEIR, AND THEIR WATER BILLS DOUBLED AND TRIPLED IN THE LAST THREE OR FOUR MONTHS, ESPECIALLY THE SENIORS THAT SHOWED UP TONIGHT.
AND I, AND I DID, I HAD TO GO EXPLAIN ALL THIS STUFF TO 'EM A COUPLE DAYS AGO AND THEY ALL ASKED, YOU KNOW, WOULD THE, COULD THEY COME UP HERE? AND I SAID, YEAH, THAT'S FINE, BUT JUST, JUST SIGN A CARD.
SAY YOU'RE PRESENT, YOU DON'T NEED TO SPEAK BECAUSE THE CITY'S WORKING AT IT.
AND I KNOW THAT THROUGH MY PAST EXPERIENCE THAT EVERY, YOU KNOW, BEEN IN GRAND PRAIRIE MY WHOLE LIFE, UM, THAT THE STAFF AND WHATEVER COUNCIL MEMBER WE'VE, WE'VE EVER HAD, AND WHATEVER MAYOR WE'VE EVER HAD, THEY'VE ALWAYS BEEN FAIR WHEN AND BE WILLING TO LOOK AT A PROBLEM AND TRY TO COME TO A SOLUTION.
SO IN THE NEXT WEEK, I WOULD LIKE, I'M GONNA SEND AN EMAIL TO EACH ONE OF Y'ALL TO SAVE TIME.
OUTLINE IT VERY SIMPLY HERE, HERE'S THE MATH AND HERE'S WHY IT'S NOT WORKING THIS WAY.
AND, UH, BECAUSE ON THE USAGE THING, THEY'RE LOOKING AT THE DEPARTMENT AS A WHOLE OF A USAGE, BUT EACH INDIVIDUAL RESIDENT PAYS THEIR ACTUAL USAGE AND THEIR ACTUAL WATER BILL.
AND SO YOU HAVE ROUGHLY AT LEAST 80 OR 90% OF THE RESIDENTS IN EACH APARTMENT THAT IS PAYING AT A MUCH GREATER RATE THAN WHAT THEIR ACTUAL USAGE IS.
AND SO I'LL EXPLAIN ALL THAT AND YOU GUYS CAN LOOK AT IT AND THEN WE'LL DISCUSS IT FURTHER DOWN THE ROAD.
BUT I APPRECIATE EVERYBODY'S EFFORT.
APPRECIATE EVERYBODY LOOKING AT IT.
PART OF MY FRUSTRATION IS I'M THE MIDDLE GUY AND ALL THESE, I'LL TAKE PRAIRIE GATE ONE AND TWO.
YOU KNOW, WE, YOU KNOW, I SAY 1500, HELL, WE HAD MORE THAN THAT.
PROBABLY HAVE 1500 IN ROGATE, ONE AND TWO, YOU KNOW, TIME YOU COUNT MOTHERS AND FATHERS AND HUSBANDS AND WIVES, THEY ALL THINK I RAISED THEIR WATER BILL.
AND UH, SO THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT ARE VERY UPSET.
THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT A HUNDRED OR $200 A MONTH TODAY MEANS PAYING THE BILLS OR NOT PAYING THE BILLS.
AND ONE MISCONCEPTION IS IN THE OLD DAYS, THE ONLY APARTMENTS THAT SHARE THE BIGGER BURDEN OF THE WATER BILLS ARE TAX CREDIT PROPERTIES.
AND THE STATE SETS A, A, A, AN ANNUAL ALLOWANCE THAT YOU CAN CHARGE BACK FOR UTILITIES.
[01:55:01]
MY FAMILY ONLY PAYS ABOUT 10% OF THAT WATER BILL.IT'S JUST FOR THE COMMON AREA USAGE.
AND EVEN ON OUR APARTMENTS, WE SPENT THE MONEY TO DRILL WATER WELLS.
SO WE'RE NOT USING CITY WATER IRRIGATING, EVERYTHING.
AND ONE LAST THING IS, UH, I'LL TAKE PRAIRIE GATE ONE 14 AND A HALF ACRES.
IF YOU PUT HOMES THERE, THAT'S 58 HOMES.
THAT $32 SURCHARGE ON 58 HOMES IS $20,000 TO THE CITY A YEAR.
IT'S $110,000 A YEAR TO THE CITY ON THE APARTMENT COMPLEX, FIVE TIMES THE CHARGE.
80% OF THE PEOPLE USING LESS WATER THAN 3000 GALLONS A MONTH.
SO IT, IT'S DISPROPORTIONATE AND IT'S JUST MATH AND IT'S THE WAY THE MATH BEING APPLIED.
AND BILL AND I HAVE BEEN WRESTLING FOR A MONTH ON THIS, SO MUCH FOR BEING BRIEF.
YEAH, HE HAD, HE HAD ME TIED UP THERE.
UH, FIRST OF ALL, I WANNA LET YOU KNOW I APPRECIATE THE JOB THAT Y'ALL DO FOR THE CITY OF GRAND PRAIRIE, AND I APPRECIATED, UH, MAYOR MESSAGING ME BE BACK, BUT IN JUST A COUPLE OF MINUTES OF MY LITTLE COMPLAINT.
UH, ALSO, IF YOU WOULD TO GIMME THE, UH, LET ME READ THIS.
I CAN BE MORE CONCISE AND, UH, SO PROCEED.
THROUGH NO FAULT OF MY OWN, I WAS BROUGHT TO THIS FINE CITY ABOUT 1941.
I WAS ONLY 1-YEAR-OLD 83 YEARS AGO TO BE EXACT.
I WATCHED THIS CITY GROW FROM A SMALL BEDROOM COMMUNITY TO THE METROPOLIS THAT IT IS TODAY.
THIS CITY HAS SEEN SO MUCH GROWTH IN THE LAST FEW YEARS THAT IT IS REALLY MIND BOGGLING.
I REMEMBER THE LAST DAY OF THE WAR STANDING AND PLAYING IN THE ALLEY OF 1621 WILLOW STREET IN THE FAIRVIEW EDITION OF THIS CITY.
I REMEMBER THE DAY THE BAG TA NIGHTCLUB BURNED DOWN.
THIS WAS A GREAT CITY AND IN THE FORTIES AND FIFTIES WAS THE GREATEST TIME FOR ANY KID TO GROW UP IN.
BUT AS I STAND HERE TODAY, THERE ARE ISSUES FACING US THAT MOST OF US WOULD NEVER HAVE DREAMED OF.
THE ONE THAT I WANNA BRING TO YOUR ATTENTION WOULD BE CONSIDERED A WOKE ISSUE IN MANY COMMUNITIES.
I HAD TO LOOK UP THE DEFINITION OF WOKE.
THE ACTUAL MEANING OF THE WORD WOKE MEANS DIFFERENT THINGS TO, TO DIFFERENT PEOPLE.
THE ACTUAL WORD CAME OUT OF THE BLACK COMMUNITY, BUT IT HAS BEEN HIJACKED TO MEAN MANY THINGS.
A GREAT EXAMPLE OF JUST ONE WOKE ISSUE HAS TO DO WITH THE NAMING OF THE BATHROOMS. IN SOME OF THE NEW BUSINESSES IN OUR COMMUNITIES, IT SEEMS THAT WE CANNOT DESIGNATE A BATHROOM AS MEN'S OR WOMEN'S.
I COULD ASSURE YOU THAT MOST WOMEN ON EITHER END OF THE POLITICAL SPECTRUM DO NOT WANT TO USE A BATHROOM AFTER A MAN HAS BIT IN IT.
MEN HAVE A WAY OF DIRTYING UP A BATHROOM THAT CAN BE VERY UNSANITARY.
AN EXAMPLE OF THIS IS IN ONE OF MY FAVORITE NEW RESTAURANTS, PAYWAY.
THEY HAVE ONE OF THE NICEST RESTAURANTS OF ITS TYPE ANYWHERE, BUT THE TWO RESTROOMS ARE BOTH DESIGNATED AS MEN, WOMAN RESTROOM.
I ASKED YOU HERE TODAY IF YOU WOULD WANT YOUR 10 OR 12-YEAR-OLD DAUGHTER, GRANDDAUGHTER, OR YOUR WIFE GOING INTO A PUBLIC BATHROOM IN A RESTAURANT AFTER MEN HAVE BEEN USING IT.
IF YOU DO, I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW, MAYBE YOU CAN EXPLAIN WHY.
I CAN ASSURE YOU THAT I BELIEVE IN THE TWO AGENDA SIDE OF THE ISSUE.
THE FOOLISHNESS NEEDS TO STOP TODAY AND GRAND PRAIRIE COULD LEAD THE WAY.
CAN YOU STATE YOUR LAST NAME FOR THE RECORD, PLEASE? UH, REED.
[02:00:01]
DRIVE, UM, APARTMENT 7 1 0 1 GRAND PRAIRIE, TEXAS.UM, FOR THE RECORD, I WOULD BE HAPPY TO USE A RESTROOM AFTER ANY GENDER.
SO IT'S BEEN AN EXHAUSTING NIGHT.
I KNOW YOU GUYS ARE VERY TIRED AS WELL, AND WE ARE LISTENING TO THESE PEOPLE THAT OWN MORE PROPERTY THAN PROBABLY ANYBODY IN THIS ROOM RIGHT NOW THAT REMAINS.
UM, AND THOSE PEOPLE PROBABLY HAVE THEIR, UM, THEIR HANDS, THEIR LITTLE GRIMY LITTLE HANDS AND, UM, ORGANIZATIONS LIKE APAC THAT, UM, THAT DESTROY THE HOMES OF PALESTINIANS.
AS WE ARE TALKING ABOUT BUILDING APARTMENT COMPLEXES HERE, UM, PEOPLE ARE LOSING HOMES.
UM, LOCKHEED MARTIN HAS A, UM, A HAND IN THAT AS WELL WITH THE 2000 HELL FIRE MISSILES THAT WERE, I'M GONNA REITERATE THAT AGAIN.
SINCE OCTOBER, 2023, 2000 HEALTH HOUR MISSILES HAVE BEEN SENT FROM THIS LOCATION TO ISRAEL.
AND THEY HAVE BEEN RESPONSIBLE FOR THE BOMBING OF HOMES AND HOSPITALS AND APARTMENT BUILDINGS AND NECESSARY INFRASTRUCTURE AND HAS LED TO THE VERY CONDITIONS THAT MIKE COMRADES RECENTLY MENTIONED.
UM, AND I'M ALSO GOING TO SHARE YOU OF A STORY OF SOMEBODY WHO, UM, WHO, WHO VERY RECENTLY LOST EVERYTHING.
TWO DAYS AGO, UM, THE I, THE ISRAELI OCCUPYING FORCE DROPPED A BOMB ON HER HOUSE A FEW MONTHS AGO, ABOUT SIX MONTHS AGO, SEVEN MONTHS AGO, EIGHT MONTHS AGO, HER AND HER HUSBAND HAD A MIRACULOUS, UM, PREGNANCY AFTER 10 YEARS TOGETHER OF TRYING TO HAVE THEIR FIRST CHILD.
UM, RENIA WAS PREGNANT WITH TWINS, UM, BACK, UM, SHE GOT PREGNANT AROUND, UM, JULY OF 2023.
AND THEN IN OCTOBER, THE SIEGE OF GAZA BEGAN.
HER HUSBAND WAS KILLED SHORTLY AFTER.
SHE GAVE BIRTH TO THEM IN HORRIFIC CONDITIONS, ON HYGIENIC CONDITIONS.
BUT SHE SURVIVED AND HER CHILDREN SURVIVED.
AND THEN TWO DAYS AGO, HER BABIES, UM, WITH SEMEN NAIM WERE KILLED.
THIS IS NOT AN, THIS IS NOT AN, UH, AN EXCEPTIONAL STORY.
THIS IS, THIS IS THE NORM FOR MANY PEOPLE IN GAZA WHO ARE LOSING SO MANY FAMILY MEMBERS WHO ARE BEING LEFT ALONE IN THE WORLD.
CHILDREN ARE BEING LEFT ALONE IN THE WORLD.
WE HAVE A HAND IN POSSIBLY CHANGING THAT WITH OUR STRATEGIC LOCATION, WITH OUR, YOU KNOW, LOCKHEED MARTIN BEING IN OUR BACK DOORS SINCE 1967.
LIKE, WE HAVE THE POWER TO CHANGE THINGS.
EVEN IF YOU FEEL LIKE IT'S NOT RELATED TO US, IT VERY MUCH IS.
YOU CAN'T ADVERTISE THAT THIS IS YOUR, LIKE YOUR GREATEST EMPLOYER, YOUR MOST POPULATED EMPLOYER, AND STILL LIKE, BE SILENT ABOUT WHAT'S HAPPENING.
WHAT, WHAT, WHAT THINGS THAT ARE CREATED IN GRAND PRAIRIE PROPERTY.
LIKE ALL OF THESE ZONING LAWS, LIKE SCREW THEM, LIKE, LIKE WHAT IS CREATED HERE IS IMPACTING THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE WORLD.
AND YOU CAN'T DENY THAT ANYMORE.
AND, UM, SO YEAH, SO JUST CEASEFIRE NOW, PLEASE ACTUALLY NO, PLEASE.