[CALL TO ORDER]
[00:00:03]
I HAD TO CALL THE MEETING BACK TO ORDER.
WE STARTED AT FOUR 30 AND HAD A GREAT EVENING SO FAR.
TONIGHT OUR INVOCATION WILL BE LED BY ASSOCIATE PASTOR CHAD HAMPTON OF FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH HERE IN GRAND PRAIRIE.
OUR PLEDGES WILL BE LED BY COUNCIL MEMBER BESSIE ADAMS. PLEASE RISE AND COME FORWARD PLEASE.
OUR MOST GRACIOUS AND GOOD HEAVENLY FATHER, GOD, WE COME BEFORE YOU TODAY THANKFUL FOR YOUR HAND THAT'S BEEN UPON OUR CITY.
AND GOD, WE LIFT OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS TO YOU, THESE MEN AND WOMEN THAT YOU HAVE CALLED AND YOU HAVE PLACED IN THESE PLACES OF LEADERSHIP AND SERVICE.
GOD, WOULD YOU GRANT THEM WISDOM? WOULD YOU GRANT THEM BLESSING AND GRANT THEM FAVOR? AND GOD, WE ASK YOUR PROTECTION OVER THEM AND THEIR FAMILIES.
AND GOD, WE ASK YOUR HAND TO BE UPON OUR CITY.
IT'S IN THE MIGHTY NAME OF JESUS THAT WE PRAY.
PLEASE JOIN US IN RECITING THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE TO OUR US FLAG AND TO OUR
HONOR THE TEXAS FLAG, A P TO BE TEXAS, ONE STATE UNDER GOD, ONE INDIVIDUAL KICK
[4. Proclamation Recognizing Ruthe Jackson Day]
THINGS OFF.I'M GONNA RECOGNIZE COUNCIL MEMBER GEORGIA CLEMSON TO READ A PROCLAMATION THAT'S VERY DEAR TO HER HEART, AND YOU'LL FIND OUT WHY IN JUST A MINUTE.
THANK YOU SO MUCH, MAYOR, AND THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE TONIGHT AND ESPECIALLY FOR THIS GREAT OPPORTUNITY I HAVE, UH, TO READ THIS NEXT PROCLAMATION.
AND, UM, THE REASON IT'S SO SPECIAL TO ME IS BECAUSE IT IS HONORING MY MOTHER, THE LATE MS. RUTHIE JACKSON.
SOME OF YOU IN THIS AUDIENCE WERE PRIVILEGED TO KNOW HER AND OF THOSE OF YOU WHO DIDN'T KNOW HER, I'M SORRY YOU DIDN'T.
AND I AM A BIT PREJUDICE OF COURSE, BUT I THINK THE PEOPLE WHO DID KNOW HER WOULD BACK ME UP AS FAR AS, UH, HER BEING AN OUTSTANDING CITIZEN OF GRAND PRAIRIE.
AND, UM, BEFORE I READ THAT, I JUST WANT TO REMEMBER THAT SHE HAD A HUGE IMPACT ON OUR CITY.
UM, ACTUALLY SHE WAS A CHEERLEADER FOR GRAND PRAIRIE BEFORE GRAND PRAIRIE WAS SO COOL,
SHE HAD THE VISION TO SEE THAT IT WAS GOING TO BE SOMETHING OUTSTANDING.
AND, UM, SO I'M REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THAT.
AND I WOULD LIKE TO THANK THE HISTORICAL ORGANIZATION PAST PRESIDENT BONNIE COCHRAN, AND ALSO SARAH LIC AND AMY SPRINKLES WHO HELPED GET THE PROCLAMATION TOGETHER.
AND ALSO THERE'S A MORE DETAILED, UH, LETTER THAT INCLUDE A LOT MORE DETAILS THAT WILL BE ON DISPLAY AT THIS HISTORICAL MUSEUM AT A LATER DATE.
I'D HAD MANY PEOPLE ASK ME, WHEN ARE WE GONNA DO SOMETHING TO HONOR YOUR MOM? AND, UM, OF COURSE THAT I DIDN'T FEEL IT WAS APPROPRIATE FOR IT TO COME FROM ME.
BONNIE COCHRAN, UH, ASKED ME THE SAME THING AND SAID, LET'S DO IT FOR THE 50TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE HISTORICAL ORGANIZATION FOR WHICH SHE FOUNDED.
THANK YOU MAYOR FOR LETTING ME HAVE THOSE EXTRA LITTLE WORDS THERE.
NOW HERE IS THE ACTUAL PROCLAMATION, WHEREAS RUTHIE THOMPSON JACKSON BORN OCTOBER 29TH, 1920 IN FORT WORTH, TEXAS MOVED TO GRAND PRAIRIE IN 1931, WHERE SHE BUILT A LIFE DEDICATED TO SERVICE, LEADERSHIP AND COMMUNITY.
AND WHEREAS RUTHIE AND HER HUSBAND, VERNON JACKSON, RAISED TWO DAUGHTERS WHILE FOUNDING SUCCESSFULLY BUSINESSES AND SERVING THE CITY THEY LOVED.
AND WHEREAS RUTHIE DEVOTED HER LIFE TO CIVIC ENGAGEMENT, SERVING ON THE GRAND PRAIRIE CITY COUNCIL FOR 28 YEARS, HOLDING LEADERSHIP ROLES IN OVER 30 ORGANIZATIONS AND FOUNDING 16 ORGANIZATIONS AND ESTABLISHING SCHOLARSHIPS FOR FUTURE LEADERS.
AND WHEREAS SHE WAS A PIONEER IN ENVIRONMENTALISM EDUCATION,
[00:05:01]
PUBLIC MEDIA AND HISTORICAL PRESERVATION, EARNING LOCAL, STATE AND NATIONAL HONORS FOR HER LIFELONG COMMITMENT TO COMMUNITY BETTERMENT.AND WHEREAS RUTHIE'S VISIONARY EFFORTS LED TO THE CREATION OF BELOVED LANDMARKS, BEAUTIFICATION PROGRAMS AND PUBLIC ACCESS MEDIA LEAVING AN ENDURING MARK ON GRAND PRAIRIE AND BEYOND.
AND WHEREAS THOUGH SHE MODESTLY DESCRIBED HERSELF AS JUST A LITTLE OLD LADY IN TENNIS SHOES, RUTHIE JACKSON WAS TRULY A CHAMPION OF SERVICE AND A PILLAR OF HER COMMUNITY.
ON BEHALF OF THE CITIZENS AND CITY COUNCIL OF GRAND PRIX, THANK YOU, CITY COUNCIL DO HEREBY PROCLAIM OCTOBER 29TH, WHICH WOULD BE HER BIRTHDAY 2025, AS RUTHIE JACKSON DAY IN THE CITY OF GRAND PRAIRIE, TEXAS, AND URGE ALL CITIZENS TO HONOR HER EXTRAORDINARY LIFE LASTING CONTRIBUTIONS AND THE ENDURING LEGACY SHE LEFT FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS.
AND IT IS, THEY ALLOWED ME TO SIGN THIS.
AND AS IT IS SIGNED BY OUR HONORABLE MAYOR, IT HAS GOT THE OFFICIAL CITY SEAL.
AND, UH, IF WE COULD HAVE MAYOR, COULD WE HAVE THE ORGANA, A HISTORICAL ORGANIZATION COME FORWARD? SURE.
IF YOU'RE, YOU'RE A MEMBER OF THE HISTORICAL ORGANIZATION, WOULD YOU GATHER AROUND THIS PODIUM AND WE'LL GET A PHOTO WITH THE MAYOR.
AND FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO DIDN'T KNOW, THIS COUNCIL MEMBER CLEMSON AND MS. RUTHIE SERVED TOGETHER FOR A GRAND TOTAL OF WHAT, THREE AND A HALF MONTHS? THREE MONTHS.
UH, THEY WERE BOTH ELECTED AND THEN THREE MONTHS AFTER THEY WERE ELECTED, UH, MS. RUTHIE PASSED AWAY ON A FRIDAY AFTERNOON OUT IN HER BACKYARD PICKING PIG.
AND GEORGIA HAD TOLD HER ABOUT TO GO OUT IN THE HEAT PICK PICS AND SHE SAID, THANK YOU FOR CARING.
YEAH, SHE SAID, I'M GONNA DO WHAT I WANNA DO.
MAKE SURE YOU SEE AREA ANYTIME.
[5. Presentation on Season 16, Episode 1 of the Travel Show, The Daytripper Featuring the City of Grand Prairie ]
SARAH, WHERE'S SARAH? COME ON THAT.WHAT? NUMBER ONE, IF YOU'RE GONNA HAVE AN EPISODE TO BE NUMBER ONE IS THE BEST.
I AM SEEING IT, BUT IT'S NOT ON THE SCREENS FOR YOU ALL TO SEE.
ALRIGHT, MAYOR, UH, COUNCIL, THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.
I'M SARAH DELEK, I'M THE TOURISM MANAGER.
SHE IS MY RIGHT ARM, I THINK IS HER OFFICIAL TITLE.
AND, UM, SO WE'RE SO GRATEFUL TO BE HERE THIS EVENING.
UH, TONIGHT WE ARE CELEBRATING IN A BIG WAY THIS WHOLE MONTH OF OCTOBER BECAUSE WE FINALLY, AFTER WHAT, 10 YEARS OF PURSUING CHET GARDNER WITH THE DAY TRIPPER FINALLY GOT HIM TO COME TO GRAND PRAIRIE.
THE REASON THAT THIS IS SUCH A BIG DEAL IS THE DAY TRIPPER IS A SIX TIME EMMY AWARD WINNING TRAVEL SERIES THAT CENTERS ON ADVENTURE EXPLORING THE FOOD CULTURE AND HISTORY OF TEXAS TOWNS OVER THEIR 15 SEASONS.
THEY HAVE PRODUCED MORE THAN 178 EPISODES AND WE ARE SO GRATEFUL THAT THEY CHOSE TO FINALLY COME TO GRAND PRAIRIE IN FILM.
UH, SEASON 16, EPISODE NUMBER ONE.
UM, THE REASON THAT THIS IS ALSO A HUGE DEAL IS BECAUSE THIS WAS 100% EARNED MEDIA.
IN OTHER WORDS, THERE'S NO PAY TO PLAY OPTION WITH THE DAY, WITH THE DAY TRIPPER.
YOU CANNOT PAY HIM TO COME DO AN EPISODE OF YOUR
[00:10:01]
CITY, WHICH IS WHY IT TOOK US, UH, 10 YEARS OF BEING PERSISTENT TO GET HIM HERE.UH, TO, TO DO AN EPISODE FOR GRAND PRAIRIE.
THIS IS A QUICK LITTLE PROMO VIDEO TO SHOW NEXT TIME ON THE DAY TRIPPER GRAND PRAIRIE.
IF I THINK THERE ISN'T MUCH TO DO ON A PRAIRIE, LET'S SADDLE UP.
WE GET SLOPPY WITH SOME OF THE BEST BARBECUE IN TEXAS.
FLY THE INDOOR MOUNTAIN VISIT A MUSEUM YOU CAN BELIEVE OR NOT DIED IN THE TOWN'S OLD FIRE STATION.
AND FINALLY PLACE OUR BETS ON THE FASTEST PONIES IN TEXAS.
I REALLY WANTED TO SHOW Y'ALL THE WHOLE EPISODE, BUT I DIDN'T THINK WE HAD 30 MINUTES.
SO
SO WHEN WE FOUND OUT, LET'S SEE, THEY CAME IN AND FILMED HERE IN JUNE FOR THREE DAYS AND WE FOUND OUT THAT WE WERE GONNA BE THE, NOT ONLY SEASON 16, BUT EPISODE ONE, WE THOUGHT, OKAY, WE'VE GOT TO COME UP WITH A REALLY GREAT VIP WATCH PARTY COMPLETE WITH THE RED CARPET, THE STEP AND REPEAT THE MOVIE POPCORN, THE, UM, THE BRANDED COOKIES.
AND WE EVEN HAD OUR OWN FLAT CHAT FOR PEOPLE TO TAKE PICTURES OF.
WITH THAT WE WERE ABLE TO RECOGNIZE, UH, 15 OF OUR GRAND PRAIRIE VENUES THAT WERE EITHER FEATURED IN THE EPISODE OR SHOWN ON THE EPISODE, AND WE GAVE EACH OF THEM A PLAQUE THAT THEY COULD THEN HANG IN THEIR LOBBIES SHOWING THAT THEY HAD BEEN ON TV.
UH, WITH THAT CAME, UM, A WHOLE LOT OF DELIVERABLES THAT WE ARE HAVE ALREADY RECEIVED IN THE 11 DAYS SINCE IT AIRED PUBLICLY ON OCTOBER 4TH.
AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO REAP THE BENEFITS OF BEING ON THIS PLATFORM.
UM, THE DAY TRIPPER HAS ALREADY DONE, OBVIOUSLY LOTS OF SOCIAL MEDIA POSTS FOR US.
WE'RE ON THEIR WEBSITE AS A CITY GUIDE AND WHERE YOU CAN WATCH THE EPISODE.
UM, WE'VE BEEN ON THEIR PODCAST.
THERE'S A COUPLE OF VIDEOS THAT THEY DID, UM, IN ADDITION TO THE FULL EPISODE FOR, UH, ZAVALA AND LONE STAR PARK.
AND SO WE'LL BE GETTING THOSE, UM, ANALYTICS FROM THOSE AS WELL.
IN ADDITION TO THAT, WE SENT IT OUT TO ALL OF OUR PARTNERS AND SAID, WOULD YOU PLEASE HELP US PUSH THIS MESSAGING OUT TO ALL OF GRAND PRAIRIE SO THEY KNOW TO TUNE IN SATURDAY, OCTOBER 4TH TO SEE THE EPISODE FEATURING GRAND PRAIRIE.
WE ALSO HOSTED, UH, THREE DIFFERENT TIMES THAT SATURDAY MORNING AT FIREHOUSE GASTRO PARK PUBLIC SCREENINGS OF THE SHOW.
SO YOU COULD COME THERE AND HAVE YOUR COFFEE AT FIREHOUSE AND WATCH IT ON THE BIG SCREEN THAT WE HAD USED THE PREVIOUS NIGHT.
EVEN SOME PARTNERS THAT WEREN'T SHOWN OR FEATURED ON THE EPISODE ALSO DID THE SOCIAL MEDIA TAKEOVER LIKE ASIA TIMES SQUARE.
AND SO WE WERE SO GRATEFUL THAT THEY ALL PARTICIPATED IN THAT.
UM, IN ADDITION, UH, THE DAY TRIPPER SENT OUT AN E E-BLAST TO THEIR AUDIENCE.
AND SO, UM, WE GOT TO KIND OF TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT WHAT GRAND PRAIRIE HAS TO OFFER AND WE WERE ALSO ABLE TO KIND OF, UM, PROMOTE, UH, THE TEXAS MONTHLY BARBECUE FAMILY REUNION EVENT THAT WAS ALSO COMING UP.
UM, WITH THAT, I WANTED TO INTRODUCE MEGAN GODFREY TO YOU ALL.
SHE HAS BEEN INSTRUMENTAL IN NOT ONLY HELPING ME ACHIEVE THIS DREAM OF GETTING THE DAY TRIPPER HERE, BUT ALSO SHE CREATED THIS REALLY GREAT LANDING PAGE ON OUR WEBSITE WHERE WE SENT ALL OF THIS MEDIA ATTENTION TO.
UM, AS YOU CAN SEE JUST IN THE COUPLE OF BIG SPIKES THERE, OUR ORGANIC TRAFFIC ON NOT ONLY OUR SES OUR SOCIAL, BUT ALSO OUR WEBSITE INCREASED BY MORE THAN, UH, 245%.
UM, THESE ARE JUST SOME ANALYTICS THAT WE RECEIVED FROM THE DAY TRIPPER AS OF TODAY.
UM, JUST TO HIGHLIGHT A COUPLE OF BIG THINGS, UH, THIS SHOWS ON ALL THE PBS NETWORKS.
SO OUR LOCAL CHANNEL IS KERA, IT AIRS IN 49 STATES.
IT'S TO A VIEWERSHIP OF 260 MILLION PEOPLE.
AND WE WILL BENEFIT FROM THE RERUNS OF THIS SHOW, UM, THAT, UH, SHOWS 33,000 EARINGS PER YEAR.
OF COURSE ALL OF THE SOCIAL MEDIA AND YOUTUBE STUFF HAS BLOWN UP.
UM, BUT I JUST WANTED TO RECOGNIZE MEGAN PUBLICLY SO Y'ALL COULD PUT A FACE WITH THE NAME THAT THIS PROJECT WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN AS SUCCESSFUL WITHOUT HER HELP.
SO, UH, YES, AND I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU TO GO CHECK OUT THE WEBPAGE ON OUR WEBSITE.
YOU CAN SCAN THE QR CODE OR GO TO OUR, OUR WEBPAGE THERE AND SEE ALL THE BEHIND THE SCENE PHOTOS AND VIDEOS AND ALL THE VIDEOS THAT WE WEREN'T ABLE TO SHOW YOU THIS EVENING THING.
AND WE HAVE A HAD A LOT MORE TO SHOW 'EM THAN WE WOULD'VE 10 YEARS AGO.
YES, IT WAS PERFECT TIMING LIKE YOU SAID.
[CONSENT AGENDA]
PROTE, WE HAVE A NUMBER OF CARDS FOR THE CONSENT[00:15:01]
AGENDA, SO WE'LL HANDLE THE CARDS FIRST.HAROLD, YOU'RE REGISTERING YOUR OPPOSITION TO ADAM.
TRY TO GET RID OF ME ANY WAY YOU CAN.
UH, WHO IS MODINE MANUFACTURING COMPANY AND WHY ARE THEY AN EXPLAIN A THREE 80 INCENTIVE AGREEMENT FOR WHO AND WHERE IS MOINE MANUFACTURING LOCATED IN GRAND PRAIRIE? WHO BEST TO DESCRIBE THAT TO HIM? TONY, BRING IT DOWN SINCE YOU JUST EXPLAINED IT TO US REALLY WELL.
TONY RAMIREZ, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR.
UH, MOINE IS A COMPANY BASED OUT OF RACINE, WISCONSIN, AND, UM, THEY ARE LOOKING TO OPEN UP A FACILITY, UM, IN THE WILDLIFE INDUSTRIAL PARK.
AND THEY WILL BE, UH, OPERATING HERE BY THE END OF, UH, Q1 NEXT YEAR.
WHAT DO THEY MAKE, TONY? TELL ME WHAT THEY MAKE.
SO MODINE IS A MANUFACTURER OF LARGE SCALE COOLING SYSTEMS USED IN, UH, VARIOUS INDUSTRIES, INCLUDING DATA CENTERS.
THEY'RE HUGE SIZE OF A 18 WHEEL TRUCK, 53 FEET LONG.
AND, UH, WHAT ARE WE GIVING 'EM, TONY? UH, THIS IS, UH, $788,000 OVER.
THIS IS A BUSINESS PERSONAL PROPERTY TAX, UH, REBATE.
AND HOW MUCH OF THAT, THAT'S OVER 10 YEARS.
UP TO 10 YEARS? THAT'S CORRECT.
AND WE KEEP WHAT PERCENTAGE OF THEIR PERSONAL PROPERTY VALUE IS GOING BACK TO THEM OVER 10 YEARS? UM, WE KEEP HOW MUCH OF IT? AND THEY GET SOME OF IT BACK? YOU TOLD US.
YEAH, SO WE, THE, THE PORTION FOR THE BUSINESS PERSONAL PROPERTY TAX, UH, FOR THE FIRST YEAR IS 297.
DO YOU KNOW WHAT PERCENTAGE OF THE THOUSAND? UM, IT'S, IT'S 50%.
50% WE'RE GIVING 'EM 50% BACK OVER 10 YEARS, CORRECT? THAT'S CORRECT.
BUT NONE 10 YEARS, NONE OF IT ON THE PROPERTY AND BUILDINGS, JUST THE PERSONAL BUSINESS PROPERTY INSIDE.
IT'S ON THE MACHINERY EQUIPMENT INSIDE.
SO NONE OF THIS AFFECTS, AFFECTS PROPERTY TAXES? NOT AT ALL.
SO NO, NO HIT ON THE PROPERTY TAX FOR THE GRAND PRAIRIE SCHOOL DISTRICT.
CAN YOU, UH, SHARE WHAT YOU SHARED WITH US ABOUT, UH, THE NUMBER OF JOBS COMING AND HOW THEY ARE HIGHER PAYING JOBS? YEAH, ABSOLUTELY.
SO MODINE PLANS TO HIRE UP TO A THOUSAND BRAND NEW EMPLOYEES AND THEY WILL BE PAYING ABOVE THE MEDIAN COUNTY WAGE.
UM, AND WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO, TO THEIR ANNOUNCEMENT HERE PRETTY SOON.
I CHIEF I, AND I KNEW YOU WOULD WANNA TALK ABOUT THIS ONE 'CAUSE IT'S A BIG NIGHT.
THE, UM, FUNDING FROM THE, UH, FROM FEMA, THE 75% COST FOR THE FIREFIGHTERS.
WHEN DO WE GET THE MONEY AND WHEN ARE WE GONNA HIRE THE FIREFIGHTERS? SIR, WHERE ARE WE GONNA FIND 21 FIREFIGHTERS AND HAROLD, I WANT CHIEF FIKE TO TAKE THE PRIVILEGE OF EXPLAINING TO THE PUBLIC WHAT THIS IS AND HOW IT'S GOING TO IMPACT THE SAFETY OF OUR CITIZENS IN GRAND PRAIRIE.
CHIEF HEY HAROLD, YOU ASK, ANSWER HIS QUESTION ABOUT FE AND THEN GIVE A LITTLE BIT BROADER ANSWER.
UH, ROBERT FI, FIRE CHIEF HAROLD, UH, FOR 13 YEARS WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON GETTING OUR FIRE ENGINES AND FIRE TRUCKS TO FOUR PERSON STAFFING, WHICH IS SORT OF THE NATIONAL STANDARD AS YOU PROBABLY KNOW.
UM, THROUGH PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO GET OUR FIRE TRUCKS THERE.
WE'VE GOT A FEW OF THE ENGINES THERE AND WE NEED 21 MORE TO GET US TO FOUR PERSON STAFFING.
CITY MANAGERS WORKED WITH ME AND THE MAYOR.
WE HAD A THREE TO FOUR YEAR PLAN TO HIRE FIREFIGHTERS.
KNOWING THE BUDGET IS A CHALLENGE AND THAT'S A LOT OF PEOPLE AND A LOT OF COST.
UH, BUT WE APPLIED FOR A SAFER GRANT THROUGH THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT THROUGH FEMA, WHICH DOES EXACTLY WHAT THIS GRANT IS DOING, IS PUTTING FIREFIGHTERS ON A FIRE ENGINE THAT'S JUST GOING TO HELP OUR, OUR CITIZENS WHEN THEY NEED HELP.
AND THEY TAKE CARE OF MOST OF THE COSTS IN YEAR ONE, YEAR TWO.
AND THEN YEAR THREE THEY PUT SOME OF THE BURDEN ON US.
AND THEN YEAR FOUR WE ABSORB ALL OF IT.
SO REALLY AT THE END OF THE DAY, THIS IS A GREAT DEAL FOR US.
UH, WITH, IN FEMA IS THE FUNDING SOURCE
[00:20:01]
WHICH ENGINE COMPANIES WILL HAVE FOUR MEN ON.HOW WOULD YOU SPARE THAT? THE, THE ENGINES THAT ARE AT MULTI-COMPANY STATIONS WILL NOT, 'CAUSE THERE'S ALREADY A TRUCK THERE, BUT ALL THE OTHER ENGINES AT STATION SEVEN, STATION NINE, STATION SIX IN YOUR DISTRICT, ALL WILL HAVE FOUR ON THE FIRE ENGINE.
WHAT ABOUT THE NEW STATION THAT'S OPEN? WE ALREADY HAVE FOUR ON IT NOW AND THAT IS THAT FOUR ALL THE TIME.
THAT'S ROTATING OFF ALL THE TIME.
WE'RE LIKE DALLAS, IRVING, ARLINGTON, PLANO, FRISCO, LIKE YES, WE ARE A BIG CITY FIRE DEPARTMENT.
THAT'S WHAT I WANTED TO MENTION BEFORE YOU GOT IT.
HAROLD WITH FIRE STATION 11, JUST WITH THE INCREASED WARRANTY DURATION AND THE HVAC ENHANCEMENT.
WHAT IS THE WARRANTY ON THE ROOF SINCE THIS IS GONNA BE A NEWER BUILDING, HOW LONG WILL WE HAVE A WARRANTY COVERAGE ON THAT PLEASE? HI ANDY HENNING, DIRECTOR OF DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION.
UH, WE ACTUALLY INCREASED THE WARRANTY FROM 25 YEARS TO 30 YEARS FOR THE ROOF AND FOR HVAC.
UH, WE, UH, WENT WITH TRANE TO BE CONSISTENT WITH A LOT OF THE, UH, FACILITIES THAT WE HAVE THROUGHOUT THE CITY SO OUR FACILITY SERVICES DEPARTMENT CAN HAVE SOME UNIFORMITY.
HOW LONG WILL THE HVAC WARRANTY BE? IS IT A STANDARD WARRANTY? YES, IT COMES WITH THE STANDARD WARRANTY, BUT YOU KNOW, HVAC SYSTEMS ARE GENERALLY, YOU GET 15 YEARS MINIMUM, BUT HOPEFULLY 25 OUT OF THEM.
IT ALL JUST DEPENDS ON THE BATCH THAT YOU GET AND, AND HOW WELL WE MAINTAIN THEM.
SO THE UTILITY UPGRADES, THIS IS WITH THE BACKUP GENERATOR, ALL THIS OVER THAT.
SO UTILITY UPGRADES BECAUSE OF THE LOCATION OF FIRE STATION 11, UH, WE HAD TO WORK WITH THE FRANCHISE UTILITIES TO BRING ELECTRIC AND UH, GAS TO THE SITE.
SO THAT WAS SOME OF THE COSTS THAT WE ENDEARED WITH THAT SINCE THERE WAS A DIFFERENT ELECTRICAL PROVIDER OUT THERE VERSUS ENCORE, HOW DOES THAT AFFECT AND WHO IS THIS ELECTRICAL PROVIDER OUT THERE? UH, THE, IT'S UNITED COOPERATIVE SERVICES AND UH, THEY WERE ACTUALLY, UH, VERY GOOD TO WORK WITH, UM, VERY QUICK TO WORK WITH, WHICH WAS, UH, ACTUALLY, UH, VERY BENEFICIAL TO THE PROJECT.
THEY, UH, THEY DELIVERED VERY NICELY FOR US.
THIS PHARMACY BENEFIT MANAGERS WITH BLUE CROSS BLUE SHIELD.
THIS BASE FEE OF $48 46 PER ENROLLED BOAT.
UH, ARE THE CITY, THE EMPLOYEES OF GRAND PRIX, TEXAS PAYING THIS 48 46 OR WE THE TAX SHE'S RIGHT BEHIND YOU.
WELL, WE'LL, GOOD AFTERNOON MAYOR AND COUNSEL AND GOOD AFTERNOON.
HAROLD T. CAMACHO HR DIRECTOR.
UH, THIS FEE OF 48 46 PER ENROLLED EMPLOYEE PER MONTH, UM, IS THE TOTAL COST, BUT IT IS SPLIT BETWEEN EMPLOYEE PREMIUMS AND THE CITY ALSO SUBSIDIZED THAT FOR THE EMPLOYEES AS WELL.
SO WHAT DO THE EMPLOYEES PAY OUT OF 48? FOUR SIX? IS IT COVERED BY THE UM, SO I CAN ARE YOU ASKING THEIR PREMIUMS? WELL, JUST THE, HOW MUCH OF THE 48 ARE THEY PAYING AND HOW MUCH ARE WE PAYING? IS IT 50 50? DO YOU KNOW? I DON'T HAVE AN EXACT RATIO WITH ME AT THIS MOMENT, BUT, UM, YEAH, IT'S A PREMIUM, A MONTHLY PREMIUM BASED ON THE, UH, PLAN DESIGN.
'CAUSE WE HAVE HIGH DEDUCTIBLE, WE HAVE, YOU KNOW, EPO PLANS, SO.
UM, BUT WE HAVEN'T RAISED OUR EMPLOYEE PREMIUM RATES FOR THE PAST SEVEN OR EIGHT YEARS.
JUST WANNA MAKE SURE WITH BLUE CROSS AND BLUE SHIELD OF TEXAS.
'CAUSE LIKE INSURANCE COMPANIES, HOW DO WE, HOW DO WE NOT PAY A CLAIM? YES SIR.
ITEM 25, HAROLD, UM, WHO IS DIRECT HEALTHCARE LLC LANTERN HEALTH SPECIALTIES IN THIS 5 25 A MONTH FEE.
UM, WHAT, WHAT DOES MEDICAL BUNDLED SURGERY BENEFITS, WHAT, WHAT DOES THIS TALK ABOUT PLEASE? SURE.
SO, UM, THE BUNDLED SURGERY IS A SERVICE THAT KIND OF, INSTEAD OF SOMEONE GOING TO THEIR DOCTOR TO GET REFERRED TO SOMEONE ELSE TO GET REFERRED TO SOMEONE ELSE USING THIS COMPANY, THEY CAN GO TO ONE STOP SHOP AND THEY WILL HAVE EVERYONE KIND OF LINED UP.
UM, AND THEY'RE GONNA BE THE BEST AND THE BEST VETTED, UM, SURGEON SURGEONS.
AND SO IT ALSO, UM, MINIMIZES OUR CLAIM COST FROM HAVING THAT DIRECT ALREADY LIKE BUNDLED, UM, RESOURCES THERE.
SO, UM, WE HAVE A CONTRACT WITH THEM SO THAT WE CAN ALSO SAVE ON THE CLAIM COST 'CAUSE WE ARE A SELF-FUNDED INSURANCE.
DO THEY WAIVE THE DEDUCTIBLES? DO THEY GIVE THE EMPLOYEES A CUT ON THE DEDUCTIBLE COST FOR THIS, FOR THIS GROUP, THAT INFORMATION I DO NOT HAVE, BUT THANK YOU.
UM, YES, THEY ARE ABLE TO DO THAT ON OUR EPO COPAY PLAN, BUT ON A HIGH DEDUCTIBLE
[00:25:01]
PLAN, WE'RE NOT ABLE TO WAIVE THE DEDUCTIBLE, BUT WE CAN WAIVE THE CO-INSURANCE.WOULD THIS BE COVERED IN AN HSA? DO YOU OFFER HHSA? WE DO.
WE HAVE A HIGH DEDUCTIBLE WITH AN HSA WITH AN HSA? MM-HMM
ADAM 26, HAROLD COMP SAC EMPLOYEE ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS, THIS DOLLAR AND 41 COMP SAC CORPORATION.
WHO ARE THESE PEOPLE? WHERE ARE THEY LOCATED? OH, LET'S SEE.
THEY, THEY GOT TEXAS BASED COMPANY.
WILL THEY BE TALKING TO SOMEONE ON THE PHONE THROUGH TELEMEDICINE? WILL THIS BE AVAILABLE 24 HOURS A DAY FOR EMPLOYEES TO USE? SURE.
LET ME FIRST GET THEIR LOCATION.
UM, COMP PSYCH IS CHICAGO, ILLINOIS BASED, HOWEVER, THEY DO HAVE A WIDE NETWORK IN TEXAS AND THEY DO HAVE AVAILABLE VIRTUAL OPTIONS AS WELL.
SO WHAT EAP DOES, IT GIVES EMPLOYEES FREE SESSIONS TO USE.
THAT'S GOING TO BE PER INCIDENT PER YEAR.
AND, UM, WE USED TO HAVE SIX FREE SESSIONS FOR OUR EMPLOYEES, BUT NOW WITH THIS PACKAGE WE'LL HAVE EIGHT FREE SESSIONS AND THEY ALSO HAVE A IN-NETWORK GUARANTEE.
SO IT DOESN'T MATTER IF THEY'RE ON OUR BLUE CROSS BLUE SHIELD, IF THEY HAVE ANOTHER INSURANCE SOMEWHERE ELSE, THEY WILL WORK WITH THE EMPLOYEES TO MAKE SURE THAT THE, UM, IF THEY NEED MORE THAN THE EIGHT SESSIONS, IT'LL BE COVERED WITH THEIR INSURANCE.
ARE THERE ANY SPECIAL EXCLUSIONS FOR FIREFIGHTERS AND POLICE OFFICERS IN
THERE'S NO EXCLUSION, BUT WE DID VET TO MAKE SURE THEY HAVE LIKE EMERGENCY RESPONDER TYPE CERTIFICATIONS OR PTSD AND THINGS THAT, UM, IF WE NEEDED A, UH, CRITICAL CLAIM INCIDENT, THEY COULD COME ON SITE AND HELP US WITH THAT AS WELL.
'CAUSE WE HAVE SUCH A SERIOUS SHORTAGE OF PSYCHIATRISTS AND MENTAL HEALTH WORKERS IN TEXAS.
ARE WE GONNA FILE THE PEOPLE TO DO IT? YES.
WE DID WORK WITH OUR FIRE AND POLICE TO ALSO VET THEM OUT.
AS LONG AS WE'RE TAKING CARE OF THEM.
ITEM 27, HAROLD BLUE CROSS BLUE SHIELD OF 32 63.
UH, DEFINE SPECIFIC STOP LOSS COVERAGE.
WHAT IS THAT PLEASE? THE SPECIFIC LOSS, STOP-LOSS COVERAGE IS BECAUSE IT'S GOING TO BE LIMITED TO A CLAIM THAT COSTS 750,000 OR MORE.
SO IF IT COSTS MORE THAN 750,000, THAT'S WHEN OUR STOP LOSS BENEFIT WOULD KICK IN.
WHAT WILL BLUE CROSS BLUE SHIELD IN DOING THAT EVENT IF THAT OCCURS? WON'T CHARGE THE CITY ANYMORE FOR THAT CLAIM.
AND AGAIN, I REALIZE, I KNOW THERE'S DIFFERENT FACTORS, BUT THE, THE, THE EMPLOYEES WILL NOT BEAR THAT WHOLE $32.
IT'S COMPLICATIONS OF OUR HEALTHCARE SYSTEM.
ITEM 29, HAROLD ENCORE, DELIVERY.
HOW MUCH OF A RATE INCREASE IS ENCORE ASKING FOR? WHEN DID THEY ASK THIS AND WHEN WILL THIS BE BROUGHT BACK UP SO THE CITIZENS OF GRAND PRAIRIE CAN CHALLENGE? ENCORE? TIFFANY, TIFFANY BULL, DEPUTY CITY ATTORNEY.
SORRY, I I'VE MOVED, DON'T HAVE MY GLASSES.
MEL IS OFF THIS WEEK, SO TIFFANY'S IT.
SO HAROLD, UM, I DON'T HAVE ANSWERS TO ALL OF YOUR QUESTIONS AND THE EXACT, I I CAN GET THAT FOR YOU OR HAVE SOMEONE FROM OUR OFFICE SEND IT TO YOU.
BUT THE POINT IS, IF COUNSEL DOESN'T PASS THIS, YOUR RATES GO UP.
AND SO THIS IS ACTUALLY TO KEEP THE RATES CURRENTLY WHERE THEY'RE AT, BUT AS WITH ATMOS, WHEN THEY ALL GET TOGETHER DOWN IN AUSTIN WITH THE PUC AND JUST GIVE THE UTILITY COMPANIES A BLANK CHECK AT OUR EXPENSE.
DO WE HAVE, WHAT DID THEY, YOU DON'T HAVE ANY IDEA, WHAT WAS IT, AN 8%, 7%? WHAT DID ENCORE ASK FOR? UH, THEY WERE SEEKING ABOUT $834 MILLION OR APPROXIMATELY 13% OVER PRESENT REVENUES.
AND THEY ASKED THE CITY TO APPROVE A 12.3% INCREASE IN RESIDENTIAL RATES AND A 51% INCREASE IN STREET LIGHTING RATES.
12.3% IN ALL THE TIMES THAT WE LOSE ELECTRICITY SOUTH OF 20 THAT, UM,
THAT'S MY BIGGEST CONCERN THAT THIS THING IS CUT AND DRIED BY ENCORE, BY THE UTILITY BOYS.
THEY KNOW THEY'VE BOUGHT AND PAID FOR EVERYBODY DOWN IN AUSTIN.
SO WE'LL HAVE THAT 12.3 INCREASE PUT ON US WITHOUT A PUBLIC HEARING.
WE GET A CHANCE FOR A PUBLIC HEARING OR IS THIS JUST GONNA BE HASHED
[00:30:01]
OUT? OKAY.UM, AS FAR AS THE NEXT STEPS IN THE PROCESS, WE CAN GET WITH YOU ON WHAT ALL OF THAT WILL BE, BUT RIGHT NOW, THE, THIS IS THE CITY TAKING THE POSITION TO TRY TO PREVENT THOSE RATES FROM TAKING EFFECT.
I JUST, IF WE JUST KIND OF HAVE A ROUGH IDEA FOR THE CITIZENS TO BE AWARE TO CHALLENGE THIS RATE INCREASE.
THAT'S WHAT THIS IS DOING RIGHT NOW.
WE'RE DENYING IT RIGHT NOW, BUT YEAH, ANY, JUST A ROUGH IDEA IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF MONTHS, IN JANUARY OF 26? ANY PROBABLY DEPENDS ON HOW FAST THEY GET DOWN TO AUSTIN, LIKE YOU SAID.
I'M GONNA ASK, THEY'VE ALREADY BEEN TO AUSTIN
I'M AN ASSISTANT CITY ATTORNEY.
AND IN ANSWER YOUR QUESTION AS FAR AS UM, WHAT WE CAN DO ABOUT IT, IT REALLY IS, AS, AS MS. BULL SAID, UH, WE'RE TAKING THE STEPS THAT WE CAN TO TRY TO PREVENT THE RATE INCREASES.
THE PROBLEM IS THAT OUR HANDS ARE TIED IN THIS, THE FOLKS DOWN IN AUSTIN, THEY, THEY MAKE THE LAWS SO THAT THEY SAY THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, THE, UH, UTILITY PROVIDERS, SO LONG AS THEY CAN PUSH FORTH THESE RATE CASES THERE, IT'S PRETTY MUCH A, IT'S AUTOMATIC GREEN LIT AND YOU, WE CAN, WE CAN SUSPEND IT AS WE DID IN, UH, JULY.
AND NOW WE, UH, YOU KNOW, WE'RE, WE'RE FILING THE, UH, WE'RE TRYING TO GET THE DENIAL APPROVED SO THAT WE CAN, UH, PREVENT THE AUTOMATIC RATE INCREASE AS FAR AS HOW OFTEN THIS COULD HAPPEN.
IT USED TO BE ONE TIME PER YEAR, BUT NOW, BUT LAST YEAR THEY, UH, OR ACTUALLY THE LAST TIME THEY PASSED A BILL THAT ALLOWED THEM TO DO IT TWICE A YEAR.
SO ENCORE CAN JUST TWICE A YEAR GIVE US A DOUBLE DIGIT RATE INCREASE WITHOUT STANDING IN THIS MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENT TO EXPLAIN WHY.
UNFORTUNATELY, THAT IS CORRECT.
AND SO THAT'S WHY WE, YOU KNOW, THE, THE CITY IS PART OF THE, UH, IS A MEMBER OF THE, OF COURSE, UH, CITY STEERING COMMITTEES.
AND THAT IS THE GROUP THAT SORT OF, THAT, UM, TOOK THE REINS HERE, UH, REVIEWED THE FILING AND UM, AND, UM, MADE, ULTIMATELY MADE THIS DETERMINATION THAT WAS UNREASONABLE AND THAT'S WHY WE'RE HERE TODAY.
IT'S THE REPUBLICANS AT ALSO UNDERSTAND THIS IS THEIR PLAN.
ADAM 32, HAROLD, WE'RE SPENDING $150,000.
WHO IS ANNA MAYOR AGENCY LLC FOR MEDIA MARKETING SERVICES AND THE MAIN STREET MAGIC HOLIDAY CAMPAIGN.
HI, CLAUDIA GARVEY, MARKETING DIRECTOR.
UM, SO YES, IT IS $150,000 COMING OUT OF THE HOTEL MOTEL TAX TO PROMOTE OUR UPCOMING HOLIDAY CAMPAIGN.
AND CLAUDIA TELL HIM THE HOTEL MOTEL TAX HAS TO BE SPENT ON THINGS LIKE THAT.
IT DOESN'T GO INTO THE GENERAL FUND.
IT IS THE HOT TAX THAT IS SPECIFIC TO GETTING MORE HOT TAX.
THE IDEA IS TO BRING AWARENESS TO THE CAMPAIGN SO WE CAN BRING MORE PEOPLE IN TO SPEND MORE MONEY AND STAY AT OUR HOTELS.
BUT WHERE IS THIS MAIN STREET MAGIC HOLIDAY GOING TO OCCUR? AND WHAT DATE AND HOW? ABSOLUTELY.
UM, FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK, FOLLOW US ON INSTAGRAM.
UH, WE WILL BE, UH, HAVING THIS CAMPAIGN ALL MONTH LONG OF DECEMBER AND IT'S GONNA BE THROUGHOUT THE WHOLE MONTH OF DECEMBER IN DOWNTOWN, UH, GRAND PRAIRIE.
SO WE WANT EVERYONE TO COME AND VISIT, SPEND THEIR MONEY, HANG OUT WITH US, GET TO KNOW ALL THE WONDERFUL THINGS THE CITY HAS TO OFFER.
BUT THERE'S NO HOTELS OR RESTAURANTS OUT HERE.
THE HOTELS AND RESTAURANTS AT EPIC CENTRAL.
WOULDN'T IT BE MORE APPROPRIATE TO DO THIS AT EPIC CENTRAL? WE HAVE ALL THE RESTAURANTS AND HOTELS WE WANT TO PROMOTE DOWNTOWN.
WE WANNA PROMOTE DOWNTOWN NOW WE WANT TO PROMOTE DOWNTOWN.
WE WANT TO, WE ALREADY HAVE A CAMPAIGN FOR EPIC CENTRAL.
NOW THIS IS, UH, THE TIME WHEN WE PROMOTE DOWNTOWN BECAUSE WE WANT PROMOTE AND WE USUALLY DO DOWNTOWN IN DECEMBER.
BUT I KNOW MAYOR HAROLD, I KNOW MAYOR NOT.
MAYOR, WHERE THE DOWNTOWN WAS THE CENTER OF GRAND PRAIRIE.
I 20 IS THE CENTER OF GRAND PRAIRIE.
SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR INPUT.
HAROLD, WHY ARE WE BUYING THREE TOYOTAS FROM SILSBEE TEXAS? SILSBEE TEXAS IS TRUMP COUNTRY.
THAT'S SOUTHEAST TEXAS WHERE THEY WORSHIP TRUMP.
DOWN THERE WE HAVE FREEMAN TOYOTA AND VANDER GRIFF TOYOTA.
WE'LL GET YOU AN ANSWER, HAROLD, COME ON DOWN AND ANSWERING.
I'M THE HOUSING DIRECTOR AND THE THREE VEHICLES WE'RE REPLACING, UM, IN OUR HOUSING.
AND I DON'T THINK WE PURCHASED THOSE FROM SALES VIA DID WE? WE DID, WE DID.
YEAH, WE PURCHASED SOME, UM, FROM SILSBEE.
WE REACHED OUT TO LOCAL DEALERS AND THEY WERE NON-RESPONSIVE.
SO WE WENT WITH SILSBEE AND OUR STAFF DOES NOT LOOK FOR COUNTIES AND WHO'S ELECTED AND WHO THEY VOTE FOR, THINGS LIKE THAT.
THEY REACH OUT AND TRY TO FIND THE BEST DEAL FOR OUR CITIZENS AND THAT'S WHAT WE DID.
BUT WILL THESE BE FREE TITLE AND CITIZENS THAT GET 55 MILES TO THE GALLON THAT WILL LAST YOU, I BELIEVE IT'S 58 MILES PER GALLON.
[00:35:01]
CLARK, YOU SIGNED UP FOR ITEM 14, BUT THEN ALSO SIGNED UP FOR CITIZEN COMMENTS.WHICH DO YOU WANNA DO? IS TOM CLARK HERE? I THINK IT'S TONY.
WHICH DO YOU WANNA DO CITIZEN COMMENTS AT THE END OR ITEM 14 NOW? WELL ACTUALLY I WAS HERE TO SPEAK TO MY CONCERN ON ITEM NUMBER 49.
SO MAY I SPEAK MY COMMENTS ABOUT ITEM NUMBER 49? WHEN WE GET TO 49? I'LL CALL YOU UP.
I'LL CHANGE IT TO 49 AND CROSS OUT SET OF THE COMMENTS WE'LL CALL YOU UP AT WHEN ITEM 49 GETS HERE.
THAT CONCLUDES THE UM, MAYOR PROM.
GO AHEAD MAYOR, I NEED TO SPEAK.
UH, I OVERLOOKED AN ITEM, UH, ITEMS 21 AND 23.
I THOUGHT WE WERE DOING 3% CONTINGENCIES.
CAPTAIN MEMBER JOHNSON, WE WE MOVE YOUR MIC UP.
COUNCIL MEMBER JOHNSON, WITH THESE TWO PARTICULAR ITEMS, BECAUSE OF THE NATURE OF THEM AND THE NEGOTIATION THAT WENT ON PRIOR TO WITH THESE TWO ITEMS, WE WENT AHEAD WITH THE 5% CONTINGENCY FEE JUST IN CASE THAT IT WAS NECESSARY.
UM, BILL, I CAN, I'M ALL ITEM NUMBER 20.
ONE'S A SMALL ITEM AND I THINK 5% CONTINGENCIES ON SMALL NUMBER DOLLAR ITEMS IS PROBABLY A GOOD IDEA FOR SMALL ITEMS. 'CAUSE IT, YEAH, BECAUSE YOU DON'T KNOW.
BUT WHEN YOU'RE GETTING UP INTO, INTO MILLIONS AND MILLIONS OF DOLLARS, THE CONTINGENCY FEES SHOULDN'T I, I AGREE WITH KURT, WITH COUNCILMAN JOHNSON THAT THEY SHOULD, THERE'S NO REAL BIG NEED IN IT BEING 5%.
I CAN REMEMBER WAY BACK IN THE DAY, EVEN BEFORE MAYOR GOT ON THE COUNCIL, WE WERE SEEING 10% THESE CAME UP.
SO WE'VE CONTINUED TO REDUCE THEM.
AND ON THESE HIGH DOLLAR ONES, I, I AGREE WITH COUNCILMAN JOHNSON.
MAYBE WE NEED TO IN THE FUTURE NEGOTIATE THAT AT 3%.
I DON'T LIKE CHANGING IT AFTER IT'S NEGOTIATED ALREADY.
THAT'S, THAT'S KIND OF DISHONEST.
BUT FUTURE NEGOTIATIONS NEED TO, IN FUTURE NEGOTIATIONS ON THINGS THAT UP IN THE MILLIONS AND NUMBER OF DOLLARS MAYBE LET'S LOOK AT AT 3%.
THANK YOU MAYOR COUNCIL, I'D LIKE TO MOVE TO APPROVE AGENDA ITEM SIX THROUGH 33 WITH ITEM 28 BEING SCHEDULED FOR A PUBLIC HEARING AND A FINAL READING AT OUR DECEMBER CITY COUNCIL MEETING.
SECOND, WE HAVE A MOTION TO SECOND.
[34. Ordinance amending Chapter 2, Article II, Section 2-30 and Subsection 2-32(b), of the City Code of Ordinances regarding public comments during open meetings, the rules of decorum for public speakers, and the requirements for posting notice of public meetings to conform with recent changes in state law ]
34.TIFFANY'S GOING TO EXPLAIN WHAT'S ON THE AGENDA TONIGHT FOR OUR DISCUSSION TO EITHER TAKE ACTION ON THE SUGGESTIVE ORDINANCE, CHANGE IT OR TABLE IT FOR FUTURE TIFFANY.
THIS IS LOOKING AT THE PUBLIC COMMENTS DURING OPEN MEETINGS.
IF YOU REMEMBER CORRECTLY, THERE WAS AN EXEC, UM, AN PRESENTATION ON THIS DURING BRIEFING AT THE LAST COUNCIL MEETING.
TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE 5 5 1 0.007 ACTUALLY ALLOWS US TO PUT IN REASONABLE RULES REGARDING PUBLIC RIGHT TO ADDRESS THE GOVERNING BODY.
THE RULES MUST ALLOW INDIVIDUALS TO SPEAK ON ITEMS BEFORE OR DURING CONSIDERATION.
AND IT REQUIRES THAT WE GIVE DOUBLE TIME TO ANY PERSON WHO IS SPEAKING USING A TRANSLATOR.
THE AGS GUIDANCE ON THIS, UM, HAS INDICATED THAT WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO REQUIRE SPEAKERS TO SIGN UP IN ADVANCE, LIMIT THE LENGTH OF TIME THAT PRESENTATIONS ARE GIVEN OR SPEAKERS ARE SPEAKING AND THE PROPOSED ORDINANCE REVISIONS.
AND WE CAN ALSO ESTABLISH A SINGLE COMMENT PERIOD AT THE BEGINNING OF THE MEETING IF WE WISH.
SO WE DO HAVE THE PROPOSED CHANGES THAT ARE IN THE ORDINANCE, UH, OF THE ORDINANCE THAT ARE IN THE PACKET.
SO THE PROPOSED ORDINANCE CHANGES ARE SETTING A DEADLINE TO SPEAK.
IT WOULD BE THE START OF THE REGULAR MEETING.
WE'D ACTUALLY POST ON THE AGENDA WHEN THE DEADLINE IS.
UM, IT WOULD BE FOR THE SIX 30 MEETING HERE.
THERE WOULD BE A FIVE MINUTE TOTAL LIMIT PER SPEAKER REGARDLESS OF THE NUMBER OF ITEMS THEY'RE SPEAKING ON.
[00:40:01]
HEARING ITEMS ONLY FOR THE PUBLIC HEARING ITEMS. UM, THE APPLICANT WOULD HAVE FIVE MINUTES TO SPEAK AS REQUESTED OR NEEDED, AND THEN THE OTHER SPEAKERS WILL HAVE THREE MINUTES TO SPEAK PER HEARING.AND THEN THE SAME WITH ANY OTHER NON-DOING PUBLIC HEARING ITEMS. THE SPEAKERS WOULD HAVE THREE MINUTES TO SPEAK PER HEARING.
THAT'S IN ADDITION TO THE ORIGINAL FIVE MINUTES.
THEY GET TO SPEAK ON ANY OTHER ITEM.
PUBLIC HEARINGS, THEY GET ADDITIONAL CORRECT.
FOR CITIZEN COMMENTS, WE CURRENTLY ALLOW FIVE MINUTES PER SPEAKER.
WE WOULD RECOMMEND REDUCING THAT TO THREE MINUTES PER SPEAKER.
UH, THE MAYOR WOULD BE ABLE TO PROVIDE FACTUAL INFORMATION, REFER THE CITIZEN TO POLICY IT REFER THE CITIZEN TO STAFF.
WE WOULD BE LOOKING AT AMENDING SECTION TWO DASH TWO THREE B OF THE DECORUM BY NON-MEMBERS.
WE WOULD CHANGE THE POSTING REQUIREMENTS TO THREE BUSINESS DAYS BEFORE THE MEETING.
THIS IS TO ALIGN WITH A CHANGE IN STATE LAW THAT CHANGED OUR POSTING REQUIREMENTS FROM 72 HOURS TO THREE BUSINESS DAYS.
IT WOULD ALSO SPECIFY THAT SPEAKERS SHOULD BE RESPECTFUL, NO PERSONAL ATTACKS, NO OFFENSIVE LANGUAGE.
AND THE COMMENTS ON AGENDA ITEMS MUST BE RELEVANT TO THE AGENDA ITEMS. AND WITH THAT, I CAN ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
ANYBODY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? THIS YES.
SEEMS LIKE YOU WERE OVER HERE JUST A MINUTE AGO.
UM, ARE THERE ANY RULES OF DECORUM FOR THE COUNCIL ITSELF? THERE ARE, THERE ARE GENERAL GUIDELINES, BUT THERE'S NOT ANYTHING THAT I RECALL SPECIFIED IN THE ORDINANCE.
NOW, IN ANY ORDINANCE, IN ANY ORDINANCE THAT WE KNOW OF, DO DOES THIS COUNCIL HAVE RULES OF DECORUM FOR ITSELF? THERE THERE ARE GENERAL RULES THAT COUNCIL SHOULD COMPLY BY, COMPLY WITH IN THE CHARTER AS WELL AS IN OUR CODE.
WELL I JUST, JUST THROW THIS OUT.
I THINK WHATEVER RULES FOR DECORUM THAT WE MAKE FOR THE CITIZENS WE SHOULD MAKE FOR OURSELVES AT THE SAME TIME.
AND WE CAN DO THAT, UM, WITH THE MOTION TONIGHT.
WE CAN'T DO THE CHARTER, BUT WE DO THAT WITH THE MOTIONS TONIGHT.
UM, MINE IS NOT A QUESTION FOR TIFFANY RATHER IS LOOKING AT THIS, UH, PROPOSED AMENDMENT TO THE ORDINANCE UHHUH.
AND, UM, I'M PERSONALLY AGAINST THE SECTION THAT TALKS ABOUT, UH, REQUIRING RESIDENT, UH, PUBLIC SPEAKERS FROM MAKING PERSONAL ATTACKS OR USING INAPPROPRIATE OR OFFENSIVE LANGUAGE WHEN ADDRESSING THE COUNCIL.
OBVIOUSLY WE, I DON'T THINK WE WANT ANYBODY TO ATTACK ANYBODY, UM, OR ACCUSE SOMEONE OR SOMETHING OR MAKE DEROGATORY STATEMENTS, BUT AS LONG AS IT'S NOT A THREAT OF VIOLENCE AGAINST SOMEONE THAT'S, THEY HAVE THAT RIGHT THROUGH THE FIRST AMENDMENT IN MY HUMBLE OPINION.
SO WHENEVER WE DO GET TO A TIME TO MAKE A MOTION, I WOULD LIKE TO ASK THE COUNCIL THAT WE AMEND THIS, UH, RECOMMENDATION TO STRIKE THOSE TWO PROVISIONS OUT JUST TO COMPLY WITH THE FIRST AMENDMENT.
MAYOR PRO TEM, I DON'T DISAGREE WITH THAT.
'CAUSE AS THE
UM, SO, UM, I WOULD VOTE WITH THAT AMENDMENT TO IT AND I THINK THAT'S GOOD.
AND I WOULD ALSO INCLUDE THAT IT STANDS US TOO, BUT IT'S, UH, Y'ALL BEEN HERE LONG ENOUGH, WE'VE, WHEN AM I GONNA GAVEL 'EM? YEAH.
I DON'T EVEN KNOW IF IT'S WORTH VOTING ON.
YEAH, I THINK IT JUST CREATES AN ARBITRARY STANDARD.
I THINK WHAT WE NEED TO DO IS THE OTHER AND MAYBE TABLE THAT PART OF IT, BUT THAT'S JUST MY OPINION.
STRIP IT? YEAH, I WOULD MM-HMM
UH, 'CAUSE I FIND MYSELF IF IF IF YOU WERE, IF I WAS ABSENT YOU WERE HERE, WHEN WOULD YOU DRAW THE LINE? IT'S A PERSONAL, UH, SURE.
I HAVEN'T LIKED SOME THINGS THAT HAVE BEEN SAID HERE OVER THE YEARS I'VE BEEN HERE, BUT, UM, AS LONG AS THEY'RE NOT DOING, YOU KNOW, WE KNOW.
I THINK WE KNOW WHEN WE NEED TO DRAW THE LINE.
SO I, I I THINK WE NEED TO STRIKE IT.
UH, COUNCIL MEMBER, DEPUTY MAYOR PRO.
UM, I WOULD LIKE ALSO THE COUNCIL TO CONSIDER IF, LEMME MAKE SURE I UNDERSTOOD THIS, UH, TIFFANY AGENDA ITEMS. IF I WAS A CITIZEN, I HAVE FIVE MINUTES TO SPEAK ON 15 ITEMS. IS THAT CORRECT? YES.
IF THAT'S HOW MANY YOU WISH TO OKAY.
I WOULD LIKE FOR THE COUNCIL TO RECONSIDER
[00:45:01]
THAT IN, UH, BECAUSE WE'RE GOING FROM FIVE MINUTES PER ITEM TO FIVE MINUTES FOR MULTIPLE ITEMS, WHAT WOULD YOU RECOMMEND? THREE MINUTES PER ITEM.PER ITEM THAT WE REAR SEE HOW THAT GOES, UH, IN THE FUTURE.
I'D VOTE FOR THE OTHER, BUT WE'LL SEE HOW THE VOTE GOES, UH, TONIGHT.
I JUST, SHE'S ANSWERING QUESTIONS FOR US.
AND I DO HAVE A SPEAKER WHEN Y'ALL ARE FINISHING ASKING QUESTIONS TO TIFFANY, WE WILL EXCUSE HER TO COME BACK UP HERE AND WE'LL HAVE DISCUSSION OR WE CAN DISCUSS IT NOW WHILE SHE'S RIGHT THERE.
I HAVE TO STAND THERE LOOKING AT WHAT DO YOU WANNA DISCUSS? UH, WELL I WON'T WAIT UNTIL WE GET INTO THE DISCUSSION.
UM, I GOT A FEELING, EXCUSE MY VOICE, THESE STUPID ALLERGIES.
UM, WHY DON'T WE CALL THIS THE ANTI WILLIS AMENDMENT, THE ANTI HAROLD R. WILLIS AMENDMENT? UH, BECAUSE FOR ME TO PULL ITEMS OFF, THIS IS WHAT I CALL THE TWO.
OUR CONSENT AGENDA IS THE TUESDAY NIGHT SHADOW DOCKET.
THE SUPREME COURT USES THE SHADOW DOCKET ON FRIDAYS TO GET STUFF THROUGH.
SO AS A CITIZEN, I HAVE EVERY RIGHT TO PULL ANYTHING OFF THIS AND TALK ABOUT IT TO RESTRICT MY FREEDOM OF SPEECH, WHICH REPUBLICANS, OUR DEMOCRACY IS UNDER ATTACK BY REPUBLICANS.
AND THIS IS REPUBLICANS TO TAKE AWAY OUR CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT.
AND I'LL REMIND YOU OF THE WORDS OF LYNDON JOHNSON.
LYNDON JOHNSON SAID HE WANTED J EDGAR HOOVER P*****G OUT OF THE TENT, NOT P*****G IN THE TENT.
I'VE BEEN DOWN HERE SINCE 1984 AT THESE MEETINGS.
AND TO TRY TO SILENCE ME TO GIVE ME JUST A COUPLE OF MINUTES ON THIS BECAUSE THERE'S THINGS IN HERE.
HOW MANY TIMES HAVE I BEEN DOWN HERE AND I PULLED ITEMS OFF THE CONSENT AGENDA THAT NO ONE CAN ANSWER? AND I'M NOT MAD AT THE STAFF.
MAYOR, THIS IS SOMETHING YOU AND I GO BACK AND FORTH ALL THE TIME BECAUSE LET'S BE HONEST, MAYOR, YOU ARE A REPUBLICAN.
MATTY PARKER, JIM ROSS, I'M ON THAT SAM RAYBURN, LYNDON JOHNSON SIDE AND BOB BULLOCK'S SIDE.
SO WE CAN AGREE LIKE SAM RAYBURN AGREE TO DISAGREE, BUT TO LIMIT MY FIRST AMENDMENT RIGHTS, THERE ARE ELECTIONS NEXT YEAR AND THERE WILL BE ELECTIONS ON DOWN THE ROAD TO LIMIT OUR FIRST AMENDMENT RIGHTS.
AND YOU WOULDN'T BE DOING THIS IF THE GRAND PRAIRIE DAILY NEWS, THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS, THE DALLAS TIMES HERALD, THE FORT WORTH STAR TELEGRAM OR SITTING BACK THERE, WE DON'T HAVE A PRINT MEDIA ANYMORE WHO WILL BE AWARE OF THIS.
IF YOU DID THIS AND THOSE 5,000 SUBSCRIBERS TO THE GRAND PRIX DATA NEWS, READ THIS TOMORROW.
WHAT'S GOING ON? AND TO LIMIT CITIZENS' COMMENTS FROM FIVE MINUTES TO THREE MINUTES.
THIS IS WHAT MAKES MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENT THE SYSTEM THAT IT IS AT THE GRAND PRIX SCHOOL BOARD.
YOU HAVE TO BE DOWN THERE AT FIVE O'CLOCK OR FIVE 30 TO SIGN UP AND GET PERMISSION TO SPEAK FOR ONLY THREE MINUTES.
'CAUSE THAT SCHOOL BOARD'S GOT A LOT IN COMMON.
AS I HAVE REMINDED YOU BEFORE, THE DUKES OF HAZARD BOSS HOG STYLE POLITICS IN GRAND PRIX, TEXAS.
THIS IS A WAY OF RESTRICTING OUR FIRST AMENDMENT RIGHTS.
SO NO, LEAVE IT AS IT IS THAT THAT'S ALL WE'RE ASKING.
AS SPEAKER SAM RAYBURN SAID, WE MUST AGREE TO DISAGREE AND WITH AN OPEN FORUM OF GOVERNMENT, BECAUSE WE CAN'T GO TO AUSTIN, WE CAN'T GO TO WASHINGTON.
WHAT'S COME OUT OF AUSTIN IS RIDICULOUS.
THROWING APARTMENTS DOWN OUR THROAT, TAKING THEM OFF THE TAX ROLLS.
ALL OF THIS ARE CITY COUNCIL ISSUES.
YOU'RE ALL THAT WE HAVE LEFT IN A CONSTITUTIONAL REPUBLIC THAT THE REPUBLICANS WANT TO OVERTURN AND TURN US INTO THE KING.
SO, UM, THAT'S FREE, FREE SPEECH.
BUT THIS IS WHAT THIS STANDS FOR.
AND TO MAKE ANY CHANGES LIKE YOU, BOY DONALD J. TRUMP
[00:50:01]
SAYS, ELECTIONS HAVE CONSEQUENCES.UM, MY, I'VE GOT A COUPLE OF PROBLEMS. UM, I I BELIEVE THAT, UH, EVERYBODY SHOULD, UH, JUST BECAUSE SHOULD OBSERVE RULES OF DECORUM AND EX EXHIBIT RESPECTFUL AND ORDERLY CONDUCT DURING THE MEETINGS, THAT PART I DON'T WANNA STRIP OUT.
THAT'S JUST BECAUSE EVERYBODY SHOULD DO THAT PERIOD IN THE CONVERSATION.
NOW, THE PART ABOUT MAKING PERSONAL ATTACKS OR WHILE ADDRESSING THE COUNCIL AND, YOU KNOW, OKAY, YOU GOTTA, YOU GOT A RIGHT TO DO THAT.
ANYBODY OUT THERE HAS GOT A RIGHT TO COME UP HERE AND LOOK AT ME AND CALL ME AN SOB ANYTIME THEY WANT TO.
AND UH, HELL, WHO KNOWS, THEY MIGHT BE RIGHT.
JUST LIKE THEY HAVE THE RIGHT TO CALL ME REPUBLICAN, EVEN THOUGH I'M NOT.
BUT THEY, YOU KNOW, LIKE I SAID HERE, WHO KNOWS? THEY MIGHT BE RIGHT.
UH, PEOPLE THAT KNOW ME KNOW WHAT I AM
RIGHT? I BELIEVE THAT'S NOT A BAD DEAL BECAUSE I DON'T, I I JUST DON'T THINK IT'S RIGHT FOR SOMEBODY.
IF YOU WANNA MAKE PERSONAL ATTACKS, MAKE 'EM, YOU GOT A RIGHT TO DO IT.
BUT YOU SHOULD NOT LOOK AT SOMEBODY UP HERE AND LOOK AT, YOU KNOW, OVER THERE AND SAY THAT ANYMORE THAN WE SHOULD DO IT HERE AS US.
THAT'S WHY I THINK WE SHOULD FOLLOW THE SAME RULES.
UM, THE SPEAKER CARDS BEING SUBMITTED PRIOR TO THE MEETING CALLED TO ORDER.
CHIEF SNE AND I WENT DOWN TO DALLAS COUNTY, UH, COMMISSIONER'S COURT HERE A WHILE BACK.
UM, I HAD SIGNED IN EARLY ONLINE.
CHIEF SES HADN'T, UM, HE GOT A BUY SOMEHOW, I GUESS BECAUSE HE WAS CARRYING A GUN, BUT THEY LET HIM SPEAK WITHOUT HAVING PREVIOUSLY SIGNED UP.
UM, MOST PLACES REQUIRE PRE-SIGN UP.
AND IF WE'RE GOING TO DO THAT HERE, I THINK WE SHOULD DO LIKE THEY DO AND ALLOW A LITTLE BIT OF ONLINE SIGN UP ALSO, BECAUSE DAMNIT THERE I SAID THE BAD WORD.
THE TRAIN CUTS THE CITY, THE TRAIN CUTS THE CITY IN HALF AND SOMETIMES THAT TRAIN AIN'T MOVING AND IT'S HARD TO GET HERE SOMETIMES BY SIX.
SO IF WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SIGN IN SOME OTHER WAY, I UNDERSTAND THAT WOULD BE A GOOD IDEA IN MY OPINION.
AND YOU KNOW, IF YOU MAKE A RULE THAT SAYS NO SPIRIT CARS WILL BE ACCEPTED AFTER THE MEETING IS IN ORDER, THAT'S GOING TO HAVE TO BE ENFORCED.
IT'S, YOU KNOW, THAT'S, IT'S, THAT'S A TOUGH ONE.
ONE'S THAT'S A TOUGH, WHEN WE DID, WAS REVIEWED OTHER CITIES.
MOST ALL CITIES RE MOST OTHER CITIES REQUIRE THAT SOME THE SPEAKERS HAVE TO DO SPEAK THE DAY BEFORE DURING THE YEAH.
IRVING DOES THAT THE DAY BEFORE AND THEY DON'T, SO IF YOU DIDN'T SPEAK THE DAY BEFORE, YOU CAN'T SPEAK AT THE NEXT I UNDERSTAND.
AND SO IF WE HAVE AN ONLINE SIGN UP, THAT WOULD HELP THE, BECAUSE YOU, IF YOU KNOW YOU'RE GONNA COME DOWN HERE, YOU SIGN UP ANYWAY AND IF THE TRAIN CATCHES YOU, YOU'RE STILL SIGNED UP.
AND THEN THE, UH, THE THREE MINUTES DEAL AND FIVE MINUTES, YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE A, PEOPLE HAVE A RIGHT TO QUESTION ANYTHING AND I, I DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THEM EVEN GOING THROUGH THE ENTIRE CONSENT AGENDA IF THEY WANT TO, BUT MAYBE MAKE IT THREE MINUTES PER ITEM.
AND THEN MY LAST ONE IS, I THINK WHENEVER, WHATEVER RULES WE DO DECIDE, I THINK SOMEBODY SHOULD RECITE THEM AT THE BEGINNING OF THE MEETING.
SO EVERYBODY THAT'S HERE WILL KNOW WHAT THEY ARE.
AND NOT HAVE IT ENACTED IMMEDIATELY.
YEAH, I CAN, I CAN GO WITH THAT TOO.
[00:55:01]
UM, HEADON AND SPEAK INTO THE MICROPHONE PLEASE.UM, I'M, I'M NOT IN AGREEMENT WITH THE LIMITING THE, THE COMMENTS TO FIVE MINUTES FOR THE ENTIRE AGENDA.
UM, I DO FEEL THAT SOME GOOD POINTS ARE DRAWN OUT AND I HAVE A LOT OF CONVERSATIONS WITH MY CONSTITUENT HAROLD WILLIS, EVEN OUTSIDE OF MEETINGS.
UM, BUT HE, HE DOES BRING UP SOME, SOME GOOD POINTS AND I JUST THINK IT'S GONNA BE REALLY TOUGH.
UM, BUT I DID WANNA MENTION THAT GRAND PRAIRIE IS ACTUALLY ONE OF THE FEW CITIES DOING THIS FIVE MINUTES PER ITEM THING.
SO IT'S NOT LIKE LY NO ONE DOES.
SO WE WOULD, IF THEY DID THAT, WHICH I, WHICH I'M NOT IN AGREEMENT, BUT THAT WOULD JUST BE IMPLEMENTING WHAT IS ALREADY STANDARD ACROSS THE STATE IN MUCH OF THE UNITED STATES WHERE PEOPLE GET FIVE MINUTES OR THREE MINUTES EVEN TO TALK ABOUT ALL THE AGENDA ITEMS. SO WE ALREADY GIVE SO MANY MORE LIBERTIES THAN BASICALLY WHAT THE WHOLE REST OF THE UNITED STATES IS DOING IN THEIR CITY COUNCIL.
SO I JUST WANTED TO BRING THAT TO, TO YOUR ATTENTION THAT WE HAVE ACTUALLY EXPANDED OPPORTUNITIES FOR CONVERSATION COMPARED TO OTHER CITIES.
OUR STAFF DID PUT TOGETHER A CHART AND THEY LITERALLY LISTED, WE DIDN'T GO THE WHOLE UNITED STATES, BUT, YOU KNOW, OUR SURROUNDING DFW, WHAT OTHER CITIES ARE DOING WHERE WE FALL WITHIN THE CITIZEN COMMONS AND WE HAVE THE BROADEST, MOST LENIENT, MOST EXTENSIVE OPPORTUNITIES FOR CONVERSATION COMPARED TO SURROUNDING CITIES.
AND UH, COUNCIL MEMBER SHOTWELL, I APPRECIATE YOUR, UM, POSITIONS.
UM, ONLY THING I WOULD SAY IS I DON'T AGREE THAT SPEAKERS HAVE TO ADDRESS THE CHAIR.
I THINK THE SPEAK A PUBLIC SPEAKER THAT COMES UP DURING CITIZEN COMMENTS CAN ADDRESS ANY OF US THAT ARE UP HERE.
IF THERE'S ANYBODY THEY HAVE A, A CONCERN ABOUT OR AN ISSUE THEY WANT TO ADDRESS, THEY, THEY HAVE THE, I THINK THERE'S NOTHING WRONG WITH THEM ADDRESSING US IN, IN IT ENTIRETY.
UM, I THINK A COMPROMISE THAT WE CAN HAVE ON THE ITEMS IF WE DON'T WANNA JUST DO A FIVE MINUTE, UH, TIME FOR ALL THE ITEMS ON THE AGENDA IS TO ALLOW RESIDENTS TO CHOOSE UP TO FIVE ITEMS AND TO GET THREE MINUTES PER ITEM.
MAYBE THAT'S A COMPROMISE THAT COUNCIL CAN CONSIDER THIS EVENING.
BUT JUST MY 2 CENTS, IT'S, THESE ARE TOUGH.
UH, OUR RTC UH, MEETS ONCE A MONTH.
AND I WILL TELL YOU THIS, THE CITIZENS THAT THERE COME TO COMMENT, KNOW THE ANSWERS AND THEY MAKE COMMENTS AS TO WHY THEY'RE FART OR AGAINST.
THEY HAVE DONE THE RESEARCH AND THEY GET THREE MINUTES TO SPEAK ON ITEM OR ITEMS. UM, I THINK THERE'S A LOT OF TIMES WE SPEND A LOT OF TIME EXPLAINING SOMETHING THAT'S ALREADY IN THE AGENDA PACKET.
AND WHAT WE'RE WANTING TO DO IS YOU TO TELL US, DO YOU LIKE THIS OR DO YOU NOT, NOT EXPLAIN IT TO YOU SO MUCH BECAUSE IT'S ALREADY IN THE PACKET.
UM, COUNCIL MEMBER DEL BOSKY, THANK YOU.
WELL, I THINK WE SHOULD LEAVE THINGS THE WAY THEY ARE.
THEY PAY THEIR TAXES, THEY HAVE A RIGHT TO ASK WHATEVER THEY WANT AND GIVE THEM AS MUCH TIME AS THEY NEED TO.
SO THAT WAY THEY CAN UNDERSTAND IT TO THE BEST OF OUR ABILITY TO INFORM THEM.
BUT I THINK Y'ALL HAVE EVERY RIGHT FOR TO ASK AS MUCH AS YOU WANT.
COUNCIL MEMBER HEDON, UM, I JUST WANTED TO MENTION COUNCIL MEMBER SHOTWELL.
I DO LIKE THE IDEA FOR THE ONLINE SIGNUP, WHICH OTHER CITIES ARE DOING.
AND I THINK THE ADVANCED SIGNUP KIND OF INDICATES THAT PEOPLE HAD OPPORTUNITY TO READ THROUGH THE AGENDA AND HOPEFULLY WE CAN AVOID, SOMETIMES PEOPLE GLANCE AT SOMETHING WHEN THEY GET HERE AND THEN THEY GO FILL OUT A CARD, BUT THEY DIDN'T GO THROUGH THE, THE AGENDA PACKET AND IT'S ALL IN THE AGENDA PACKET.
AND THEN WE ARE ANSWERING QUESTIONS THAT ARE ALREADY THERE.
WHEREAS IF YOU HAVE SIGNED UP IN ADVANCE, YOU'RE ALREADY, YOU'VE DONE SOME RESEARCH, HAVE DONE SOME RESEARCH.
SO I, I DO THINK THAT'S A, A WISE IDEA.
DEPUTY MAYOR PRO TIM JOHNSON, I DON'T HAVE A COMMENT, I JUST WANNA SHARE THAT.
I PRINT IT OUT, I GO THROUGH IT AND IT IS TRUE A LOT OF TIMES DURING CITIZENS' COMMENTS, THE ANSWER ARE ALREADY HERE.
SO WE'RE NOT READING ANYTHING DIFFERENT THAN WHAT WE ARE POSTING PUBLICLY FOR YOU TO READ.
SO WHEN YOU GO TO THE AGENDA, THERE'S GONNA BE AN AGENDA,
[01:00:01]
THEN THERE'S GONNA BE A PACKET, CLICK ON THE PACKET, THERE'S GONNA BE EVERY SUPPORTING DOCUMENT BEHIND IT SO YOU CAN READ AND SEE IT FOR YOURSELF.AND IF I HAVE QUESTIONS, THEN I ASK THE STAFF TO CLARIFY SOME STUFF.
YOU KNOW, IF YOU AND DISTRICT SIX YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT WHAT'S ON THE AGENDA, YOU CAN SEND IT TO ME.
I'LL GET YOU AN ANSWER BEFORE YOU COME OUT HERE.
UH, THAT'S WHAT I'VE BEEN ADVOCATING FOR, TO GET PEOPLE MORE INVOLVED IN THEIR MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENT SO THEY CAN SEE WHAT'S REALLY GOING ON.
SO THERE'S NO SECRET WE DON'T HAVE A A SECRET PACKET.
I CAN'T DO THE ONLINE READING AND WRITING NOTES ON THERE.
SO I GET MINES PRINTED OUT SO I CAN GO THROUGH IT THOROUGHLY HAVE QUESTIONS, THEN I SEND TO THE STAFF.
SO THE PACKET IS AVAILABLE FOR EVERYONE IN AMERICA TO READ IF THEY WOULD LIKE TO LOOK AT WHAT'S GOING ON IN GRAND PRAIRIE.
THE OTHER THING I'D LIKE TO ADD IS YOU CAN CONTACT ANY ONE OF US ANYTIME AND ASK US ANY QUESTION ABOUT ANY AGENDA ITEM.
THE SPEAKER COMMENTS ARE MAINLY FOR YOU TO TELL US ARE YOU FAR OR AGAINST IT? YOU SHOULD DO THE INVESTIGATION LIKE COUNCIL MEMBER, DEPUTY MAYOR, PRO TEM.
WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR IS YOUR INPUT.
MANY OF YOU'RE GONNA SPEAK TONIGHT ON ANOTHER ITEM.
I GUARANTEE YOU'RE GOING TO TELL US YOU ARE FAR OR AGAINST IT.
YOU'VE DONE THE RESEARCH AND KNOW WHAT IT IS.
WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU IF YOU'RE FAR AGAINST IT.
SO DOES ANYBODY WANNA TAKE A STAB AT A MOTION THAT MAY OR MAY NOT PASS AND THEN WE CAN AMEND IT.
MAYOR, I MOVE THAT WE, UH, TABLE THIS ITEM TILL OUR NEXT MEETING.
THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF GOOD DISCUSSION.
YEAH, AND MAYBE IT CAN, WE CAN GET THE STAFF TO REWORK IT CONSIDERING THE DISCUSSION THAT WAS HERE AND COME BACK AND LET'S, UH, AND PUT IT ON AS IN BRIEFING.
ITEM ON THE BRIEFING IN NOVEMBER 4TH.
[Items 35 - 37]
AND 36 AND 37.MAKE A MOTION TO TABLE PLEASE.
MAYOR, I'D LIKE TO MOVE TO TABLE ITEMS. 35, 36 AND 30 37 TO THE NOVEMBER 4TH, 2025.
WOULD Y'ALL BE OKAY WITH ME PULLING THE HOT TOPIC UP NOW SO THE PEOPLE THAT ARE HERE CAN SPEAK AND GO HOME? MM-HMM
IF THERE'S NO OPPOSITION, LET'S
[49. TAM-25-09-0034 – Text Amendment – Appendix S: Development Standards for Multi-family and Mixed-Use Residential Developments. An Ordinance of the City of Grand Prairie, Texas, amending the Grand Prairie Unified Development Code (UDC) by adding Appendix S, Development Standards for Multi-family and Mixed-Use Residential Developments Subject to SB 840 enacted by the 89th Texas Legislature, codified in Chapter 218 of the Texas Local Government Code; Repealing all Ordinances or Parts of Ordinances in Conflict Herewith; Containing a Savings Clause and a Severability Clause; Containing a Penalty Clause, and Establishing an Effective Date (The Planning and Zoning Commission will be reviewing this item at its 10/14/25 meeting)]
MOVE TO ADAM.Y'ALL APPROVE ALL THAT, RIGHT? YEAH.
UM, MAYOR 49, ITEM 49, TEXT AMENDMENT APPENDIX S DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS FOR MULTIFAMILY AND MIXED USE RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENTS.
UH, THIS IS INTENDED TO CREATE A, A NEW APPENDICES IN OUR UNIFIED DEVELOPMENT CODE.
UH, TO ADDRESS MULTIFAMILY MIXED USE RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT SUBJECT TO SB EIGHT 40, UH, THE PROPOSED AMENDMENT WILL ENCOURAGE THE CONTINUATION OF HIGH QUALITY GROWTH AND DESIGN STANDARDS THAT WILL HELP PRESERVE, UH, AND IMPROVE THE CORRECT, UH, IMPROVE THE CHARACTERISTICS OF SURROUNDING DEVELOPMENTS, UH, SPECIFICALLY ENSURING CONTINUED HEALTH, SAFETY, COMFORT, AND MOBILITY OF THE CITY.
ALL KNOW THAT SB EIGHT 40 ALLOWS FOR SOME MULTIFAMILY AND MIXED USE RESIDENTIAL IN A LOT OF DIFFERENT ZONING DISTRICTS.
THIS IS INTENDED TO, SINCE WE ARE NOT ABLE TO NECESSARILY DEAL WITH ALL THE ISSUES THAT CAN ARISE WITH THAT, THIS IS INTENDED TO HELP DEAL WITH THOSE ISSUES THAT COULD ARISE.
SO WE AS, UH, ARE FOLLOWING THE SB EIGHT 40 SETBACK REQUIREMENTS, UH, THE HEIGHT REQUIREMENTS.
UM, THEREFORE, UH, THERE'S NO VARIATION FROM THAT.
UH, WE ARE IMPOSING SOME ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS FOR A COMPOSITION OF THE NUMBER OF BEDROOM UNITS, NUMBER OF BUILDINGS, UM, ALSO ADDRESSING SOME AMENITY REQUIREMENTS, SOME
[01:05:01]
SCREENING REQUIREMENTS, UH, WHICH WE ALREADY REQUIRE IN THE UDC FOR MULTIFAMILY DEVELOPMENT.UH, JUST ADDRESSING THOSE IN MORE DETAIL AS FAR AS, AS WELL AS THE LANDSCAPING REQUIREMENTS.
UH, THE PERCENTAGE OF COVERAGE TREE REQUIREMENTS.
AGAIN, THIS IS ADDRESSING THE AESTHETIC CONCERNS AND, UH, MAKING SURE THAT THE CHARACTERISTICS OF WHATEVER IS DEVELOPED, MULTIFAMILY, UH, SURROUNDING THE NEIGHBORHOODS IN OUR SINGLE FAMILY, RESIDENTIAL, COMMERCIAL, WHATEVER, IT WILL LOOK, UH, AND FIT WITHIN THE CONTEXT OF THEIR SURROUNDINGS.
UH, SO ALSO, UH, FOR THOSE WHO ARE LIVING WITHIN THOSE STRUCTURES THAT ARE BUILT, THIS IS ADDRESSING THE NEEDS THAT THEY MAY NEED FOR THOSE STRUCTURES.
SO WE GOT THE POOL REQUIREMENTS, PEDESTRIAN TRAILS, ALL THOSE AMENITIES THAT WE WOULD NORMALLY HAVE OR WANT FOR OUR CITY AND CITIZENS, PARKING DIMENSIONS, COMPACT PARKING, ET CETERA.
UH, ADEQUATE, UH, CITY REQUIREMENTS, UH, FOR UTILITIES, UH, ADEQUATE, UH, MAKE SURE THAT IT'S SERVED BY PROPER UTILITIES AND EVEN ART REQUIREMENT FOR, UM, DEVELOPMENT THAT THEY CAN CONTRIBUTE TO, WHICH WE ALREADY HAVE IN OTHER AREAS OF OUR, UH, ZONING CODE AS WELL.
WITH THAT DEVELOPMENT REVIEW, REVIEW COMMITTEE RECOMMENDS APPROVAL AND P AND Z PASSED AT NINE.
OH, YOU LOOKING FOR A MOTION? NO.
I, I HATE THE WRONG, BUT I WAS MAKING, THANK YOU.
COUNCIL MEMBER HEADING REGARDING, I HAVE A LOT OF SPEAKER CARDS REGARDING THE, UH, NUMBER OF UNITS.
I KNOW A LOT OF FAMILIES CANNOT NECESSARILY AFFORD TO PURCHASE A HOME, AND OUR RENTING AND A LOT OF OUR APARTMENTS IN THE AREA ONLY HAVE ONE AND TWO BEDROOM APARTMENTS.
SO I DO LIKE THE IDEA OF HAVING MORE OF THE THREE BEDROOM.
IT'S REALLY TIGHT FOR FAMILIES WHO ARE RENTING IN THE APARTMENT COMPLEXES TO NOT HAVE UNITS AVAILABLE.
MAYBE EVEN HAVING TO GO OUTSIDE THE CITY TO FIND THAT THIRD BEDROOM.
SO I DO APPRECIATE THAT PERSPECTIVE.
REGARDING THE THIRD BEDROOM PERCENTAGE, I DON'T SEE ANY OTHER LIGHTS THANKING.
I, I AM HERE BECAUSE I WAS NOTIFIED THAT THIS ITEM WAS GONNA BE DISCUSSED.
MAYBE IT'S BEEN APPROVED ALREADY.
SO I WANTED TO KNOW ABOUT A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THIS PARTICULAR, UM, DEVELOPMENT, BECAUSE I WAS CONCERNED ABOUT THAT.
COMMUNITY IS SUCH A BEAUTIFUL, THE, THE, THE, ARE WE TALKING ABOUT THE GRAND? I'M SORRY, WHAT COMMUNITY? YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THE GRAND PENINSULA MI BIBLE? THIS, THIS IS NOT FAR THE GRAND PENINSULA.
THIS HAS, THIS IS A VOTE TO CHANGE OUR ORDINANCE FOR ANYTHING THAT HAS TO DO WITH SENATE BILL EIGHT 40 CITYWIDE, CITYWIDE.
THIS ISN'T THE VOTE ON THE ITEM OUT ON THE GRAND PENINSULA, ON THE NUMBER 49.
THAT'S THE REASON WHY WE'RE HERE.
THAT WILL COME BACK AT A LATER DATE.
SO, SO TO CLARIFY, SO, SO EVERYBODY'S AWARE, UH, THE, WE WERE MADE AWARE THAT SOME WERE CONFUSED WITH THIS ITEM AND THE POTENTIAL SUBMITTAL OF A PROJECT ON HANGER LOW AND LAKE RIDGE, THAT'S, THIS IS NOT THAT ITEM.
UH, THE, THIS IS NOT THAT ITEM.
THE APPLICANT AND THE PROPERTY OWNER FOR THAT PROPERTY HAS NOT SUBMITTED AN APPLICATION.
HE'S ONLY, AND THEN ONCE SUBMITTED, IT WILL COME TO US.
THAT'S THE REASON WHY I WAS HERE.
WELL, THANK YOU FOR COMING TONIGHT.
THANK YOU FOR THE CLARIFICATION.
WHEN, WHEN YOU APPROACH, PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS.
WHAT WAS YOUR ADDRESS? OH, THEY NEED IT FOR THE MINUTES.
TONY CLARK, ADDRESS, 2 6 7 5 VENICE DRIVE.
AND FOR THIS ON YOUR CARD, YOU SELECTED CITIZEN COMMENTS, BUT ALSO 49.
IT HAS TO BE ON THIS ITEM IF YOU'RE SPEAKING NOW ON, ON 49? YES.
[01:10:01]
WE'LL CALL YOU BACK ON CITIZEN COMMENTS.CITIZEN COMMENTS ARE ALSO ITEM 49, WHICH DO YOU WANNA SPEAK ON 49 OR COME BACK LATER? I DID NOT SPEAK, UH, 49.
YOU, YOU KNOW WHY I CAN SPEAK ON IT.
YEAH, I, I, I, I, I'LL SPEAK ON IT.
ANITA HARRIS, 24 59 BEACH VIEW DRIVE, GRAND PRAIRIE, TEXAS.
THANK YOU CITY COUNCIL FOR HAVING THIS MEETING ON TONIGHT FOR ALLOWING US AS CITIZENS TO SPEAK TO YOU REGARDING SENATE BILL EIGHT 40.
WE ARE VERY EXCITED THAT YOU TOLD US ABOUT THE BILL, BUT WHAT WE'RE HERE TONIGHT IS TO HAVE YOU TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT THAT BILL.
I KNOW THAT MANY OF YOU ALL, LIKE THIS YOUNG LADY, SPOKE UP AND SAID THAT THERE, THERE NEEDS TO BE PLACES FOR PEOPLE TO LIVE.
AND THAT'S WHAT THIS BILL IS SUPPOSED TO BE ABLE TO HELP PEOPLE THAT CANNOT AFFORD HOUSES HAVE A PLACE TO LIVE.
WELL, GUESS WHAT? WE'RE NOT AGAINST THAT.
WE'RE NOT AGAINST THEM NOT BEING ABLE TO LIVE IN GRAND PRAIRIE.
WHAT WE ARE AGAINST IS IT BEING PROPERTY THAT WILL BRING DOWN THE VALUE OF THE PENINSULA.
LET ME EXPLAIN SOMETHING TO EVERYBODY.
THIS WILL NOT CHANGE SENATE BILL EIGHT 40, NO.
WHAT THIS DOES IS ADD SOME ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS TO ANYBODY THAT WANTS TO BILL PER SENATE BILL EIGHT 40.
WE UNDERSTAND THAT IF WE DON'T PASS THIS, THEY DON'T HAVE TO MEET THE THREE BEDROOM REQUIREMENTS.
SO YOU GUYS HAVE PUT, PUT TOGETHER SOMETHING.
RASHAD STAFF DID A GREAT JOB FOR PUTTING TOGETHER SOMETHING THAT WILL BEAUTIFY WHAT THEY WANNA DO.
BUT YOU HAVEN'T DONE ANYTHING TO GO TO THE SENATE, BECAUSE I WOULD IMAGINE THAT MANY OF YOU ALL ARE REALLY SMART.
WE SENT LETTERS TO THE GOVERNOR.
WE WENT, WE SENT LETTERS TO THE GOVERNOR.
BUT HAVE YOU EVER SEEN A DOG BITE YOU ON YOUR LEG? YOU GONNA KICK THE DOG ONE TIME? OR HOW MANY TIMES YOU GONNA KICK HIM BEFORE HE STOPS? IT'S LONG.
SO WE ARE A PART OF THE GRAND PRAIRIE COMMUNITY LIAISON GROUP.
WE WANT TO PARTNER WITH OUR LEADERS WITHIN THE CITY COUNCIL TO HELP YOU BRING FORTH THE NECESSARY WORK AND THE VOICES TO THE SENATE TO BRING A CHANGE TO THIS BILL.
WE ARE NOT STANDING JUST AS GRAND PRAIRIE, BUT THERE ARE OTHER MUNICIPALITIES AS WELL.
THERE ARE MANY MORE OF THEM IN TEXAS THAT ARE WILLING TO JOIN WITH US TO BE A PART OF A VOICE THAT WILL HELP US WITH THIS BILL.
BUT WE NEED YOU TO GO WITH US BECAUSE YOU ARE OUR VOICES IN GRAND PRAIRIE.
THIS IS A STACK OF PETITIONS AGAINST THAT BILL.
THESE ARE ALL THE PETITIONS THAT THE PEOPLE HAVE SIGNED AGAINST THAT BILL.
I I WANT TO ALSO SAY THIS TONIGHT.
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THIS AGENDA ITEM.
UM, AND I ASSUME YOU'RE FARTHEST AGENDA ITEM.
I AM FOR THE OPPOSITION OF EIGHT 40.
YOU ARE MAKING AN A A CHANGE TO 40 TO THE TO, UH, SENATOR BILL EIGHT 40.
WE'RE MAKING NO, WE'RE NOT MAKING A CHANGE WITH SENATE BILL EIGHT 40.
YOU ARE PUTTING SOMETHING IN PLACE THAT'S SOME CONFUSION HERE, SO THAT YOU CAN BE ABLE TO BUILD, THEY CAN BILL BASED ON YOUR, UH, RECOMMENDATIONS.
BUT WE CAN, SO WHEN A DEVELOPER COMES, GONNA BILL EIGHT 40, YOU ARE RIGHT.
SO ARE YOU FAR AGAINST ITEM 49? I WASN'T UP HERE FOR 49.
THAT, THAT, THAT'S, WELL, I WAS UP PRETTY SURE YOU THESE PETITIONS AS WELL.
LET ME MAKE SURE YOU UNDERSTAND.
IF WE DON'T APPROVE THIS TONIGHT, WHAT ARE YOU GONNA DO? UH, ANYBODY CAN BUILD ON THINGS.
NO, WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO? LET ME EXPLAIN TO YOU WHAT HAPPENS TONIGHT.
IF, IF WE DON'T KNOW WHAT HAPPENS BEFORE THAT, THAT MEANS THAT THEY CAN MOVE FORWARD YES.
ON WHAT IT IS THAT THEY WANNA DO.
BUT WHAT ARE YOU GONNA DO TO STOP THEM? YEAH.
[01:15:01]
NEED TO THINK.AND IF YOU NEED US TO HELP THINK WITH YOU, ORDER, WE CAN DO THAT.
THEY WON'T, THEY WON'T BRING IT UP AGAIN UNTIL NEXT SESSION.
YOU HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY IN NEXT NOVEMBER TO MAKE RIGHT CHOICES ON WHETHER THE SENATE BILL EIGHT 40 IS GONNA BE CHANGED OR NOT.
GOVERNOR ABBOTT IS NOT GONNA CALL A SPECIAL SESSION TO ADDRESS SENATE BILL EIGHT 40.
'CAUSE HE WAS, HE WAS ALL FOR IT.
NEED TO TO FOCUS YOUR ATTENTION ON LEGISLATION.
NOVEMBER LEGISLATION TONIGHT WE'RE VOTING ON 49, WHICH DOES NOT CHANGE SENATE BILL EIGHT 40.
IT PUTS ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS ON PEOPLE THAT WANNA BUILD USING SENATE BILL EIGHT 40.
I WILL GUARANTEE YOU, THE GOVERNOR IS NOT GONNA CALL A SPECIAL SESSION.
THIS BILL GOT PARTISAN BIPARTISAN APPROVAL DOWN AT AUSTIN.
OUR, YOU LOOK AT THE LIST OF EVERYBODY THAT VOTED FOR IT.
WHAT DO YOU WANNA DO? SPEAK ON THIS ITEM.
COME FORWARD, LIMIT YOUR DISCUSSION TO ITEM 49.
I WASN'T QUITE SURE EXACTLY THE TEXT OF 49, SO I WASN'T SURE IF I WAS FOR OR AGAINST IT.
NOW THAT I SEE IT, HE ADMITTEDLY OPPOSED TO IT.
UM, SO 49, YOU'VE UPDATED TO, COULD BE IN COMPLIANCE WITH SBA 40.
WE HAVE TO BE, 'CAUSE IT'S LAW, AND WE'LL ADDRESS IT IN TWO YEARS WHEN THE SESSION GOES BACK IN SESSION.
SO WHY ARE YOU AGAINST 49? SO I'M AGAINST 49 BECAUSE YOU HAVE A LINE HERE THAT SAYS CONTAIN A PENALTY CLAUSE.
AND I SAW NOTHING IN THERE ABOUT A PENALTY CLAUSE.
RASHAD, THAT IS STANDARD LANGUAGE IN OUR ORDINANCE.
SO, UM, I'LL HAVE TO ALLOW LEGAL TO ADDRESS THAT, THAT THAT PORTION OF THE ORDINANCE.
SO, UM, AGAIN, THAT IS, I THINK IT IS, IF YOU LEAN UP INTO THE MIC, THERE IT, IT IS WORTH IT.
SO THIS IS THE, UM, THIS IS THE SECTION OF THE ORDINANCE.
THAT IS CALLED A PENALTY CLAUSE.
SO THIS IS, IT IS PART OF THE ORDINANCE AND IT'S JUST, IT'S KIND OF STANDARD LANGUAGE THAT'S PART OF MOST ORDINANCES.
RIGHT? SO IT'S JUST, YEAH, IT'S JUST BOILERPLATE.
IT'S COVERING OUR, IT'S COVERING OUR LIABILITY.
CAN I ASK THAT WE PROPOSE TO ADD LANGUAGE THAT SAYS IF YOU ARE GOING TO BUILD MULTIFAMILY APARTMENTS, RESIDENTIAL MIXED USE IN AREAS THAT IS NOT CURRENTLY ZONED THAT WAY BY THE CITY OF GRAND PRAIRIE, THAT WE INCUR ATTACKS ON THOSE DEVELOPMENTS TO MITIGATE OR, AND MAYBE REDUCE THEM.
WE'LL SEE IF WE DO THAT IN THE MOTION.
RODNEY ANDERSON WISHES TO SPEAK IN SUPPORT OF THIS ITEM.
BARRY, I UN BECAUSE I UN I UNDERSTAND THIS WELL.
UH, I LIVE AT 5 48 EDGE U DRIVE IN GRAND PRIX, TEXAS.
UH, MR. MAYOR COUNSEL, THANK YOU GUYS.
TONIGHT'S VOTE ON THIS APPENDIX AS TO THE RESIDENTIAL STANDARDS, IT'S GONNA BE ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT LAND USE DESIGNATIONS THIS COUNCIL'S GONNA MAKE.
UH, I'M HERE TO STRONGLY SUPPORT THE ADOPTION BECAUSE IF YOU DON'T, YOU CAN'T STOP MULTIFAMILY DEVELOPMENT ON THESE, ON THESE PIECES OF PROPERTY, YOU CANNOT STOP IT.
AND I DON'T THINK THAT A LOT OF FOLKS UNDERSTAND THAT.
AND JUST FOR THE RECORD, THIS ISN'T PROPOSED TO STOP EM, BUT COR CORRECT.
BUT WHAT IT ALSO DOES, I, AND I'LL I'LL ADDRESS IT HERE IN A MINUTE.
AS A FORMER LEGISLATOR, I BELIEVE THIS APPENDIX FOLLOWS THE LETTER OF THE LAW.
AS Y'ALL KNOW, I DO CONSULTING FOR DEVELOPERS, AND I'VE STOOD HERE IN THAT CAPACITY.
HOWEVER, TONIGHT, I'M HERE AS A RESIDENT OF GRAND PRAIRIE, AS A PUBLIC CITIZEN SAYING ENOUGH, SENATE BILL EIGHT 40 BECAME LAW SEPTEMBER 1ST, AND THERE'S NOTHING WE CAN DO ABOUT IT.
THE BILL WAS WELL INTENTIONED TO TRY AND ADDRESS A HOWING SHORTAGE FROM A PUBLIC POLICY STANDPOINT.
HOWEVER, IT'S MY BELIEF, THE IMPETUS FOR THIS BILL HAS NOTHING WHATSOEVER TO DO WITH HOME AFFORDABILITY AND EVERYTHING TO DO WITH PROFIT AND ROI.
THIS WASN'T INITIATED BY THE GENERAL PUBLIC.
THE WITNESS LIST IS A VERITABLE LIST OF WHO'S WHO THAT WILL FINANCIALLY BENEFIT FROM BOTH SIDES OF THE AISLE.
IT WAS DRIVEN PRIMARILY BY TEXANS FOR REASONABLE SOLUTIONS.
A POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE FORMED BY A CO-FOUNDER OF PAYPAL AS WELL, AS WELL-MEANING PUBLIC INTEREST GROUPS WANTING AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
A VERY LAW, UH, LAUDABLE AND WORTHY GOAL.
THAT SAID, I HAVE NO PROBLEM WITH BILLIONAIRES OR NONPROFITS.
[01:20:01]
KUDOS FOR CREATING INCREDIBLE TECHNOLOGY.THEY CAN USE THEIR MONEY ANY WAY THEY WANT.
THEIR STATED PURPOSE IS TO SOLVE THE HOUSING CRISIS.
WHAT THEY DON'T SAY IS THAT THEY AND THEIR INVESTORS WILL BENEFIT DIRECTLY THROUGH DEVELOPMENT PROFITS AND THE LEGISLATION THAT IS STRIPPED AWAY.
THE ABILITY OF CITIES TO SAY WHERE AND HOW THESE PROJECTS FIT WITHIN A COMMUNITY.
GRAND PRAIRIE DIDN'T ASK FOR EIGHT 40, BUT WE GOTTA LIVE WITH IT.
THAT'S WHY ADOPTING APPENDIX S MATTERS.
YES, THESE NEWLY CREATED STANDARDS WILL BE CHALLENGING FOR DEVELOPERS, BUT THEY'RE NOT INSURMOUNTABLE.
RIGHT? IF A PROJECT MAKES SENSE AND NEEDS VARIANCES TO THESE DEVELOPMENT CHANGES, THEN BRING THOSE PRESENTATIONS FORWARD.
HOWEVER, WITHOUT THESE STRONG, CLEAR LOCAL STANDARDS, DEVELOPERS AND NONPROFITS ALIKE WILL USE SB 40 AS A BLANK CHECK, THROWING UP HIGH EVENT, HIGH DENSITY PROJECTS, WHEREVER THEY CAN MAKE THE MATH WORK WITH LITTLE REGARD FOR SAFETY, TRAFFIC IMPACT, NEIGHBORHOOD TRANSITIONS, DESIRES QUALITY SURROUNDING QUALITY OF LIFE.
THE REVISED APPENDIXES DOESN'T STOP DEVELOPMENT.
IT SETS HIGH EXPECTATIONS AND ENSURES THAT IF MULTIFAMILY PROJECTS ARE COMING, THAT THEY HAVE AN ARCHITECTURAL QUALITY BUFFERING AND SCREENING WALLS TO PROTECT ADJACENT HOMEOWNERS.
LIKE A LOT OF THE FOLKS BEHIND ME.
OPEN SPACE AND AMENITY REQUIREMENTS, PEDESTRIAN ORIENTATION AND SITE DESIGN RETAIL.
WHAT WHAT THIS DOES IS IT MAKES IT INCREDIBLY DIFFICULT FOR A MULTIFAMILY DEVELOPER, A HIGH USE DEVELOPER, TO ACTUALLY PUT PRO UH, PUT THESE KIND OF DEVELOPMENTS WHERE THEY DON'T BELONG.
NOW, I, TIME CONSTRAINTS WON'T COMMIT, BUT I'M GONNA TELL YOU, YOU COULD GO FURTHER.
REQUIRING PRIVATE SECURITY MONITOR ALARMS IN EVERY UNIT, NOISE BAFFLES IN EACH UNIT, ENVIRONMENTAL AIR QUALITY MONITORING EACH UNIT, COMMON AREAS FOR EACH BUILDING WITH MORE THAN FOUR UNITS.
YOU GUYS COULD GO A, YOU COULD TAKE THE COMMERCIAL UDC, UH, UDC CLAUSE TO MAKE IT WITHSTAND A FI A CATEGORY FIVE, UH, TORNADO LIKE YOU HAVE TO DO IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND IN YOUR PUBLIC SAFETY BUILDINGS, YOU COULD HAVE GONE.
BUT THIS PRO, THE PROPOSAL YOU'VE MADE IS STRIKES A BALANCE, AND IT'S DEFENSIBLE IN COURT.
IT WHAT YOU'RE PROPOSING IS DEFENSIBLE.
IT HONORS THE LETTER OF THE STATE OF, OF THE LAW.
I SPENT, I SPENT THREE TERMS DOWN THERE.
I UNDERSTAND THE WAY THIS WORKS.
BY PROVIDING, BY, BY ADOPTING THESE STANDARDS, YOU'RE GONNA TAKE BACK AS MUCH LOCAL CONTROL AS POSSIBLE.
YOU GET TO PROTECT PROPERTY VALUES, PRESERVE INFRASTRUCTURE.
AND IT'S HOW YOU ENSURE RESIDENTS FEEL LIKE THEY'RE A PART OF THE COMMUNITY.
MAKE NO MISTAKE, GROWTH IS COMING WHETHER YOU PLAN FOR IT OR NOT.
THE QUESTION IS, WHOSE RULES ARE GONNA SHAPE IT? THE RULES WRITTEN IN AUSTIN BY SPECIAL INTEREST LOBBYISTS, OR THE RULES WRITTEN HERE BY THE PEOPLE IN GRAND PRAIRIE.
SO TONIGHT, AS YOU CONSIDER APPENDIX SAYS, REMEMBER, THIS ISN'T A DEBATE ABOUT WHETHER MULTIFAMILY IS GOOD OR BAD.
IT ISN'T REPUBLICAN OR DEMOCRAT.
IT'S A DECISION ABOUT WHETHER GRAND PRAIRIE WILL FACE THE REALITY WITH STANDARDS AND FORESIGHT BY ADOPTING A APPENDIX AS YOU ENSURE FUTURE DEVELOPMENTS MEET HIGH EXPECTATIONS.
AND RODNEY, AND I URGE YOU 100% TO COMPLY WITH THE LAW.
THAT WAS REALLY WELL EXPLAINED.
I THINK THERE WAS CONFUSION THAT WE WERE DISCUSSING SENATE BILL EIGHT 40, WHICH WE'RE NOT.
WE'RE DISCUSSING APPENDIX, APPENDIX S UH, BUT I JUST WANNA STAY ON THE RECORD.
I WAS VERY DISGUSTED WITH SENATE BILL EIGHT 40.
I MAY, MAY I PUT ON THE RECORD AS A REPUBLICAN.
I, I HAROLD, WHEREVER, WHEREVER YOU ARE, HAROLD.
RODNEY, YOU'VE HAD YOUR FIVE MINUTES.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT A LOT OF MY CONSTITUENTS ARE MENTIONING THAT IT'S A APARTMENT OVERKILL.
SO WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO WITH APPENDIX S, WHICH IS WHAT ITEM 49 IS DISCUSSING, IS MAKE IT HARDER FOR THEM TO JUST COME AND BUILD A WHOLE BUNCH OF APARTMENTS ANYWHERE THEY WANT.
WHICH IS BASICALLY WHAT AUSTIN SENATORS HAVE DONE.
IT MAKES IT MUCH HARDER FOR THEM TO DO THAT BECAUSE ONCE THEY READ ALL THESE STANDARDS THEY HAVE TO COMPLY WITH, THEN THEY SAY, MAYBE I DON'T WANT TO DO IT.
MAYBE I'LL GO BUILD IT ELSEWHERE.
AND IF THEY ARE GONNA DO IT, THEY'RE GONNA DO IT BETTER AND NICER FOR OUR RESIDENTS THAN THEY WOULD'VE OTHERWISE.
NEXT, URIAH ZEL WISHES TO SPEAK IN OPPOSITION TO THIS ITEM.
HELLO, URIAH, PLEASE, UH, NAME AND ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD.
[01:25:01]
MY ADDRESS IS 24 47 BEACH VIEW DRIVE.UM, AND HERE IN GRAY PRAIRIE, I'M IN GRAND PRAIRIE.
UM, AND THIS, UH, YOU KNOW, THING WITH, UH, THE, THAT MOBILIZED ALL OF US IS HAPPENING IN MY BACKYARD.
SO, UM, THE SENATE BILL OBVIOUSLY NOT VERY HAPPY ABOUT IT.
IT'S, YOU KNOW, BUT YET YOU'RE AGAINST THIS MOTION TONIGHT.
I THINK YOU'RE CONFUSED THAT THIS, LET ME, LET ME SPEAK.
SO YES, WE WERE MOBILIZED ABOUT A DIFFERENT ISSUE AND THAT'S OKAY.
BUT AFTER HEARING YOUR PROPOSAL, I DO AGREE THAT I THINK IT COULD BE BETTER IF WE DID MAKE SURE THAT THE LONG TERM, UH, THE LONG TERM UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT THESE RENTAL PROPERTIES THAT GO IN WHATEVER LANGUAGE WE'RE GONNA PUT AS THIS, UM, LIMITING LANGUAGE TO THE, YOU KNOW, EIGHT 20 APPENDIX, UH, AS WHATEVER WE'RE WRITING AS A, A LIMIT IN GRANT PRAIRIE.
UM, WHAT I'VE SEEN IN HOUSING DEVELOPMENTS IS THAT THEY ARE MADE FOR RENT AND THEN SOLD AND MANAGED POORLY.
UM, IF THAT COULD BE ALSO A, AN ADDITION TO WHAT IS DISCUSSED FOR THIS.
THAT'S, UM, REALLY ALL ALL I WANTED TO SAY HERE.
AND NOW THAT YOU UNDERSTAND WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT TONIGHT, I THINK YOU WOULD SAY YOU'RE FAR AS PASSING THIS.
FOR IT BEING A LITTLE BIT MORE STRINGENT.
AT LEAST PASSING THIS CORRECT.
WE'LL PUT THAT DOWN ON YOUR RECORD.
UH, TIFFANY, IS IT, UH, LAW MORE FOR THANK YOU.
IS IT LAWFUL FOR US TO PUT LIMITS ON HOW LONG OWNERS HAVE TO HOLD APARTMENTS? NO, I DON'T BELIEVE IT IS.
WE KNOW THAT AND IT'S VERY UPSETTING.
CAN'T, IT'S VERY, YOU CAN'T PUT LIMITS, BUT IT'S AGAINST THE LAW FOR NOT FOR US TO, UH, LIMIT THAT, UNFORTUNATELY.
UH, JEROME RANDALL, AND YOU'VE INDICATED YOU WISH TO SPEAK IN OPPOSITION TO THIS ITEM.
YOU MAY HAVE CHANGED YOUR MIND.
NAME AND ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD.
I'M AT 2 4 2 4 LAKEWOOD DRIVE, GRAND PRAIRIE.
I, UH, SIGNED A CARD AND PUT MY NAME IN OPPOSITION OF THIS AMENDMENT.
AND IT IS DIFFERENT THAN WHAT I THOUGHT IT WAS.
I'M A MEMBER OF GRAND PENINSULA AND I SIT IN MEETINGS WITH THE, UH, ORGANIZATION IN GRAND PENINSULA.
AND I'M AGAINST EVERYTHING THEY WANT TO DO IN GRAND PENINSULA
BUT, BUT THIS AMENDMENT, I I, I SIT HERE AND I LISTEN AND I HAVE STUDIED SB EIGHT 40.
CLEARLY UNDERSTAND WHAT IT IS.
WHAT I REJECT THOUGH, IS MY COUNSEL AND MY REPRESENTATIVE SAYING IT IS A LAW AND WE CAN DO NOTHING ABOUT IT.
WELL, SIR, I, I'M, NO, LET, LET, LET ME, LET ME FINISH.
LET ME FINISH AND THEN I WILL, YOU CAN RESPOND TO IT.
UM, WHEN I SAY I REJECT, I'M NOT SAYING YOU ARE DOING A BAD JOB.
I THINK YOU GUYS ARE DOING AN EXCELLENT JOB.
WHAT I'M SAYING IS, I'VE HEARD THAT IT'S THE LAW, AND I'VE HEARD THIS IN TOWN HALLS MEETINGS, THAT IT'S THE LAW AND THERE'S NOTHING WE CAN DO ABOUT IT.
I REJECT THAT BECAUSE THERE IS, THAT'S TO GIVE UP THE POWER THAT WE HAVE AS CITIZENS AND AS COUNSEL.
SO I UNDERSTAND LAW BECAUSE HERE'S A COUPLE LAWS I'M GONNA GIVE YOU.
ALL THOSE YEARS IT WAS LAW UNTIL BROWN VERSUS BOARD OF EDUCATION.
SO, SO WHAT I, WHAT I SUGGEST TO YOU IN MY, I'M GONNA SAY YES, NOW THAT I KNOW I SUPPORT YOU, YOU'RE PART THANK YOU, THIS AMENDMENT.
BUT I SUGGEST THAT YOU REALLY LOOK AT IT AND TAKE WHAT AUTHORITY YOU HAVE AND MAKE SURE WHEN THEY DO THESE BUILDINGS IN THIS CITY AND THESE DISTRICTS, THAT IT IS ACCORDING TO WHAT THE CITIZENS OF THESE DISTRICTS WANT.
AND THE LAST THING I'M GONNA SAY, I MOVED HERE 20 YEARS AGO AND MOVED ON THAT PENINSULA WHEN IT WAS, WHEN CAMP WISDOM WAS A TWO LANE HIGHWAY.
AND I MOVED THERE WHEN WE WERE GOING TO BUILD THIS HUMONGOUS RESORT WHERE THE GUY WENT TO PRISON BEHIND IT.
AND I MOVED THERE FOR A REASON.
AND WHEN I, I SAID IT BEFORE, WHEN I TELL PEOPLE WHERE I'M FROM, I DON'T SAY DFWI SAY I'M FROM GRAND PRAIRIE.
'CAUSE I'M PROUD OF THIS CITY.
[01:30:02]
AND PEOPLE THAT MOVED OUT ON THAT PENINSULA MOVED THERE FOR A REASON.AND I UNDERSTAND A VILLA, I KNOW ALL THEIR PROJECTS AROUND THE ENTIRE COUNTRY, HEADQUARTERED IN ARIZONA, NICE BUILDINGS.
BUT I KNOW HE SAID THAT THE FAMILIES OUT HERE IS GONNA MAKE $135 THOUSAND DOLLARS A YEAR.
BUT YOU KNOW WHAT THAT A VILLA WOULD DO, IT'LL COMPETE WITH MY HOME.
PEOPLE CAN LIVE ON THAT PENINSULA IN THOSE RENTAL HOMES WITHOUT BUYING MINE.
THAT'S, THAT'S, THAT'S MY DEAL THERE.
I DID MAKE A COMMENT AT MY TOWN HALL MEETING.
YOU HEARD ME AND I ALSO MADE A COMMENT IN REGARDS TO THE LAW THE LAST TIME.
DOES ANYONE KNOW WHEN THE LAST TIME WE MET AS A COUNCIL, WHERE WAS OUR, WHEN WAS OUR LAST COUNCIL MEETING? RIGHT? YEAH.
THAT'S LIKE THE JOKE THAT SAID, WHO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THOSE LIGHTS? AND THEY SAID, EDISON, IT'S, IT'S THE MILITARY THING.
SO
SO WE HAVE NOT MET IN A MONTH.
AND I DIDN'T SHARE NOTHING WITH YOU AS FAR AS WHAT WE WERE DOING.
AND I WAS GONNA MAKE THAT SPEECH.
WHY? 'CAUSE I TOLD YOU I CANNOT SPEAK FOR THE COUNCIL.
I DON'T KNOW HOW THEY'RE GONNA VOTE.
BUT I KNEW THE MAYOR AND I HAD SOME CONVERSATIONS AND WE TALKED, AND I APPRECIATE EVERYTHING THE STAFF HAS DONE.
NOW, I, I READ SOME OF THE COMMENTS ON NEXTDOOR, BUT I ALSO PASTED A LETTER ON NEXTDOOR.
DID YOU SEE IT? IT WAS FOR YOU TO WRITE WHO? THAT'S RIGHT.
ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS FILL IN YOUR NAMES.
WE DID, BUT I'M JUST SAYING WHAT I POSTED BECAUSE I DON'T BELIEVE EVERYONE SAW THAT.
'CAUSE I SAW SOME HEADS SHAKING BACK HERE FROM HERE.
ALRIGHT, SO JUST KEEP IN MIND, THE LAST TIME WE MET TO WHERE WE ARE TODAY, AND RIGHT NOW, I STILL HEAR CONFUSION IN THE AUDIENCE AS FAR WHICH WAY TO GO ON THIS.
AND I'VE SAID FROM THE VERY BEGINNING, IT IS THE LAW WE HAVE AS, AS.
RIGHT NOW WE HAVE TO FOLLOW THE LAW.
RASHAD AND STAFF MEGAN, THEY DID A GREAT JOB.
THERE'S NO WAY I WAS GONNA TELL YOU WHAT WE WERE DOING BECAUSE I KNEW IT WAS GONNA GET TWISTED.
BUT THEY'VE DONE AN OUTSTANDING JOB.
AND I'M STILL HEARING WE ARE AGAINST THIS HERE.
THANK YOU, JEROME, FOR STATING THAT YOU ARE FOR THIS NOW BECAUSE YOU SEE WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO FOR GRAND, THE CITY OF GRAND PRAIRIE, NOT JUST FOR YOUR AREA.
SO I APPRECIATE THE FOLKS WHO ARE UNDERSTANDING THIS AMENDMENT, WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO RIGHT NOW.
DEPUTY MAYOR PROTE, MAYOR PRO, TE NU, YOU.
AND, AND KURT, THANK YOU FOR YOUR EFFORTS IN INFORMING RESIDENTS.
I KNOW IT HASN'T BEEN EASY, BUT WE DO APPRECIATE WHAT YOU'RE DOING, GUYS.
WHAT I WANT TO TELL Y'ALL IS THAT THIS COUNCIL, THE CITY STAFF AND EVERYBODY REALLY CARES ABOUT OUR CITY.
AND WE TRY TO BE INTENTIONAL AND RESPECTFUL OF Y'ALL'S CONCERNS.
AND WE LISTEN TO Y'ALL RESPOND TO THE EMAILS, AND THANK YOU FOR EVERYBODY THAT COMES TO THE TOWN HALLS AND INFORMS US OF THE ISSUES.
WHAT I DO WANNA SAY REGARDING THIS PARTICULAR BILL, WE'RE THIS IS THE FIRST STEP IN WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO TO ADD REQUIREMENTS.
THAT'S A NICE WAY OF SAYING IT.
A REQUIREMENTS TO, TO NOT STOP DEVELOPMENT, BUT TO MAKE SURE IT'S THE RIGHT KIND OF DEVELOPMENT AND THE RIGHT, LET'S SAY JUST THE RIGHT KIND OF THE RIGHT KIND OF DEVELOPMENT.
THE NEXT STEP IS NOT JUST SOMETHING THAT THE CITY CAN DO, BUT IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'RE GONNA DO AS PARTNERS, BOTH THE CITY AND THE RESIDENTS AND YOUR COUNCIL MEMBERS.
AND THAT'S CONTACTING OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS IN THE STATE CAPITOL.
OUR STATE SENATORS, OUR STATE REPRESENTATIVES, GRAND PRAIRIE HAS FIVE STATE REPS, HAS I BELIEVE THREE STATE SENATORS, DEMOCRATS, REPUBLICANS.
WE HAVE TO CONTACT THEM AND HAVE THEM AMEND THIS LAW IN THE SESSION IN 2027.
IN THE MEANTIME, WE'RE GONNA DO WHAT WE CAN ON THIS SIDE TO MAKE SURE THAT IT'S NOT TERRIBLE, BUT IT WILL HAVE TO BE AMENDED OR, OR JUST REPEALED IN 2027.
RIGHT? AND THAT'S GONNA TAKE NOT JUST YOU REACHING OUT TO YOUR REPRESENTATIVE, BUT YOU ALSO, WHEN NOVEMBER COMES, YOU VOTE.
IT TAKES BOTH US AS ELECTED OFFICIALS ON THE LOCAL LEVEL, BUT ALSO Y'ALL AS THE RESIDENT.
AND WHEN IS THAT ELECTION? THAT'S IN NOVEMBER OF 2026.
PRIMARY IS IN MARCH 3RD, 2026.
I HAVE THOMAS TEMPLETON, WHO DOES NOT WISH TO SPEAK, BUT WISHES TO RECORD HIS OPPOSITION.
THOMAS PROBABLY JUST TURNED IT IN AND I KNOW THOMAS, I BET I CAN'T SPEAK FOR HIM, BUT HE PROBABLY DIDN'T UNDERSTAND IT LIKE SOME OTHERS, BUT GO AHEAD.
[01:35:01]
WISHES TO SPEAK IN OPPOSITION.I LIVE AT 2 6 1 2 WATERS EDGE DRIVE GRAND PENINSULA.
I'M REPRESENTING ALSO THE DAV WHO'S GONNA HAVE THEIR FIRST GALA AT THE RUTH JACKSON.
AND OUR SPEAKER WILL BE MRS. CLEMSON.
PLEASE SUPPORT OUR FIRST GALA FOR THE DECEMBER.
I'VE GOTTA HAVE YOU SPEAK TO THE AGENDA.
THE AGENDA IS, I THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING THE FINE PANEL THAT YOU ARE.
WE, I AM PROUD, LIKE THE GENTLEMAN SAID, I DON'T SAY I'M IN DALLAS.
I BUILT MY HOME IN 2005 WHEN IT WAS JUST FARMLANDS.
NOW IT'S FLOURISHED TO THE POINT WHERE IT IS SO OVERWHELMING WE CAN'T TAKE IT.
THE BRIDGE BUILT AT JOE POOL LAKE WAS IN 1989.
THAT STRUCTURE WASN'T PLANNING ON THIS MANY PEOPLE IN 2025 DID NOT HAVE THE TECHNOLOGY THAT THEY HAVE NOW TO DEVELOP A BRIDGE.
AND SO MY CONCERN IS THE SAFETY, NO MATTER HOW MANY OR HOW MANY THAT YOU'RE CHANGING, WE'RE CONCERNED ABOUT THE SAFETY.
WE DON'T WANT ANY MORE BRIDGES COLLAPSING IN OUR COUNTRY.
WE WANNA BE PROACTIVE AND INSTEAD OF BEING REACTIVE AND OUNCE OF PREVENTION IS WORTH A POUND OF CURE.
YOU DON'T WANT YOUR FAMILY OR ANYONE TO BE ON THAT BRIDGE ONCE IT COLLAPSES.
I ASK THAT YOU PLEASE CONSIDER THE CONSTRICT, THE, THE STRUCTURAL.
I ASK THAT YOU CONSIDER THE STRUCTURE OF THE THINGS THAT'S ALREADY IN PLACE FOR SAFETY.
AND, AND, AND I'M SORRY, BUT YOU NEED TO SPEAK TO THIS AGENDA ITEM.
AND I WANT, WE'RE TRYING TO, WE'RE TRYING TO MAKE A DECISION TONIGHT.
AND IN THAT, WHILE YOU'RE MAKING THE DECISION, WE WANNA KNOW, WE WANT YOU TO BE MINDFUL.
WE WANNA BRING YOUR ATTENTION TO, WE KNOW THIS IS KIND OF ABOUT MONEY, BUT I WANNA BRING YOUR ATTENTION TO A LAW.
YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THE LAW HERE, RIGHT? WE'RE TALKING ABOUT WHO'S EVER HEARD TALKING ABOUT THIS ONE AGENDA.
AND WHO'S HEARD OF IMMINENT DOMAIN? LET'S LOOK AT THE AT T STU STADIUM.
THOSE PEOPLE WERE DISPLACED BECAUSE OF A LAW.
WE DON'T WANT THAT TO HAPPEN TO US.
JERRY JONES DISPLACED THOSE PEOPLE, DISPLACED THEIR LIVES.
UNFORTUNATELY, DONE COWBOYS, HAVEN'T WON, WON A SUPER BOWL SINCE 19.
SO LET'S LOOK AT ALL THE LAWS, LET'S LOOK AT THE SAFETY AND LET'S VOTE FOR OUR FUTURE FOR OUR GRANDKIDS.
HOW DO YOU, HOW DO YOU WANT US TO VOTE TONIGHT ON THIS ITEM? I JUST WANT YOU TO VOTE FOR IT.
AND YOU ARE THE GREATEST MAYOR IN GRAND PRAIRIE.
I'M THE ONLY, I'M THE ONLY GRAND PRAIRIE MAYOR HAROLD WILLIS WISHES TO SPEAK IN OPPOSITION TO THIS ITEM.
HAROLD, YOU'RE SPEAKING IN OPPOSITION TO THIS.
I'LL LET YOU EXPLAIN TO EVERYBODY WHO'S HERE WHILE YOU'RE SPEAKING IN OPPOSITION TO IT.
WELL, MAYOR, I GUESS YOU CAN SAY THE OLD SONG.
UH, I I SEE THE LIGHT THAT MYSELF AND OTHER FOLKS.
PUT YOUR HANDS ON THE ATT M AND LET THE HEAD IN THE BEGIN.
BUT YOU ONLY GOT FOUR MINUTES AND 45 SECONDS LEFT.
OH, MAYOR, WE GOT PLENTY OF TIME ALL NIGHT.
FOR THE FOLKS OUT HERE TONIGHT HERE THAT CAME UP HERE.
THANKS FOR MOVING THIS UP AS YOU DID.
THAT'S WHAT CHARLIE, I DO ALL THE TIME.
UM, AGAIN, SO MANY FOLKS HAVE SENATE BILL EIGHT 40 TO BE AGAINST THIS WITH WHAT THE STAFF HAS DONE.
AND AS I'VE TOLD Y'ALL BEFORE, I THINK WE GOT THE BEST STAFF IN TEXAS FOR MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENT.
WHAT I WANTED TO BRING UP IS I SERVED ON THE COMMISSION ON AGING FROM 94 TO 2000 CITY MANAGER BILL HILLS.
THAT WAS PART OF OUR PROJECT, THE EXISTING BUILDING OF THE LENNOX HOTEL.
DOES THIS HAVE SOMETHING TO DO WITH THE AGENDA ITEM TONIGHT, HAROLD? YES.
BECAUSE WE CAN LIKE THE, LIKE IT SAYS, STREAMLINING THE DEVELOPMENT PROCESS OF CONVERTING EXISTING BUILDINGS SHOULD HELP LOWER COSTS AND INCREASE AFFORDABILITY FOR RESIDENTS.
WE WERE ALLOWED TO TAKE THE LENNOX HOTEL THROUGH NATIONAL CHURCH RESIDENTS AND TURN THAT INTO A FACILITY FOR SENIORS WITH LOW INCOME RESTRICTED INCOMES.
[01:40:01]
DIRECTOR WAS INSTRUMENTAL IN GETTING THAT PASSED, HOW MANY OTHER BUILDINGS DO WE HAVE IN GRAND PRAIRIE THAT WE COULD CONVERT TO HELP OUT FOLKS LIKE THIS? I DON'T KNOW.HOW MANY DO WE TIE THAT INTO THIS AGENDA ITEM? PARDON? THE AGENDA ITEM.
MAYOR IS IN SENATE BILL EIGHT 40.
IT STATES EXCLUSIVE EX STREAMLINING DEVELOPMENT PROCESS AND CONVERTING EXISTING BUILDINGS SHOULD OR WILL HELP LOWER.
DOES SENATE BILL EIGHT 40, WILL IT LOWER COST AND INCREASE AFFORDABILITY FOR RESIDENTS? RASHAD, YOU WANNA ANSWER THAT? THAT IS YES, THE LANGUAGE IN SENATE BILL EIGHT 40, BUT TO THE MAYOR'S POINT, WE'RE SPEAKING ABOUT APPENDIX S THE TEXT AMENDMENT.
SO, WHICH DOESN'T ADDRESS THAT.
I WAS JUST TRYING WHAT WE'VE DONE FROM THE EXISTING BUILDING BEFORE IN GRAND PRAIRIE, RODNEY ANDERSON, AND I AGREE TO DISAGREE AND I RESPECT RODNEY, BUT WILL THIS APPENDIX S BE DEFENSIBLE IN COURT? ONE NEVER KNOWS, BUT OUR ATTORNEYS AND OUR STAFF WORDED IT IN SUCH A WAY THAT WE THINK IT IS DEFENSIBLE.
UH, AND IF WE YES, THAT'S MY ANSWER AND I'M STICKING TO IT.
MY POINT IS, WILL IT BE DEFENSIBLE IN COURT IN FRONT OF FEDERAL JUDGE KAME AND AMARILLO OR THE FIFTH CIRCUIT COURT OF APPEALS? I'VE BEEN TOLD THAT WE HAVE A GOOD CHANCE IT IS DEFENSIBLE IN COURT.
BUT WHICH COURT SYSTEM WOULD IT BE HANDLED IN DISTRICT APPEALS COURT? THAT STATE COURTS.
I I, I'VE BEEN TOLD I'LL, I'VE REPEATED MYSELF TWICE.
I'M NOT GONNA DO IT A THIRD TIME.
WELL, NO, MAYOR, THIS IS A VERY IMPORTANT ISSUE WHEN WE SAY THIS.
I'VE ALREADY ANSWERED IT WITH DEFENSIBLE IN COURT.
THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT I'VE BEEN TOLD.
I APPRECIATE THE WORK THAT THEY'RE DOING.
THIS IS ALL THAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO, MAYOR, BECAUSE AS THE OTHER PEOPLE HAVE STATED, WHEN THESE APARTMENTS ARE BUILT, THEY'RE OFF THE TAX ROLLS FOR 10 YEARS.
SO CAN I CHANGE YOURS NOW TO THAT? YOUR FARS PASSING THIS? YEAH.
WE'LL CHANGE YOUR CARD TO APPENDIX S BUT THIS ISN'T GONNA BE THE END OF THIS ISSUE.
HOW WILL APPENDIX S BE DEALT WITH A YEAR FROM NOW, 18 MONTHS FROM NOW? FIRST WE GOTTA PASS THIS OR IF OR DENY IT.
WE GOTTA GET TO WHERE WE VOTE ON IT.
WE'LL, WE'LL CHANGE YOUR RECORD RIGHT NOW.
JUST THE ASSURANCES THAT APPENDIX SAYS WILL GIVE MORE PROTECTION TO THE CITIZENS OF THE TAXPAYERS OF GRAND PRAIRIE.
MARITZA CALDERON DOES NOT WISH TO SPEAK, BUT WISHES TO RECORD OPPOSITION AFTER YOU'VE HEARD WHAT YOU'VE HEARD.
YOU'LL FLIP IT, WON'T YOU? YES, CORRECT.
TOYEN A CURRENTLY WISHES TO SPEAK IN OPPOSITION.
ADDRESS 2 9 9 4 0 PINOT DRIVE, GRAND PRAIRIE, TEXAS.
NOW THAT YOU'VE HEARD MORE EXPLANATION, ARE YOU STILL AGAINST US PASSING THIS TONIGHT? I AM FOR IT WITH A REQUEST FOR AN AMENDMENT.
I THINK WE COULD MAKE THIS TOUGHER.
WELL, IT COULD ALWAYS, WE'VE EXPLAINED TO YOU THERE'S A LOT OF OTHER THINGS WE COULD DO, BUT THIS WAS A FINE LINE TO TRY TO DO SOMETHING THAT WE THINK MEETS THE LETTER OF THE LAW SO IT WOULD STICK.
SO WHAT'S YOUR AMENDMENT SUGGESTION? CITY ATTORNEY.
AND WHAT'S YOUR SUGGESTION? WHATEVER WE COULD DO TO MAKE IT TOUGHER FOR THEM.
IT'S NOW, IT'S TO PUT DEFENSIVE MEASURE IN PLACE FOR WHAT'S TOUGHER AND WHAT'S NOT DEFENSIBLE.
SO, UH, YOU WOULD RATHER US PASS THIS TONIGHT THAN NOT PASS ANYTHING.
I DO AGREE THAT WE ALL, OR COLLECTIVELY THE CITY COUNCIL SHOULD LOOK FOR WAYS TO MAKE IT BETTER.
AND WE MAY AND WE MAY COME BACK IN THE FUTURE AND MAYBE EVEN NEXT MONTH TO TWEAK IT SOME MORE.
I LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOU NEXT MONTH.
AND I, I BET YOU'LL NEVERMIND.
ROMINE, AVARI WISHES TO SPEAK IN SUPPORT OF THIS ITEM.
FOLKS, WHETHER YOU'RE SPEAKING A SUPPORT OR AGAINST, IF YOU DON'T HAVE ANYTHING NEW, JUST BE REALLY QUICK WITH IT.
WE'VE HEARD EVERYTHING ROMINE.
WHAT ARE YOU GONNA ADD TO THE COMMENTS, BUDDY? YOU HAVE SOMETHING TO ADD? AND ACTUALLY, UH, BUT YOU'RE FAR, YOU'RE FAR, AREN'T YOU? YES SIR.
UH, LISTENING TO THE COUNCIL, ACTUALLY, I WENT TO THE TOWN HALL MEETING OF, UH, MR. JOHNSON AND ALSO MR. NU AND LEARNED ABOUT SENATE BILL EIGHT 40.
AND HAPPENED TO LIVE IN THE GRAND PENINSULA ALONG WITH MY NEIGHBORS.
WHEN WE WENT AND MET WITH THE DEVELOPER TO FIND OUT WHAT HE PLANS ON DOING.
SO I'VE HAD TO EDUCATE MYSELF ABOUT WHAT SENATE BILL EIGHT 40 ACTUALLY IS AND, UH, WHAT THE CITIES CAN ALSO DO AT THE SAME TIME.
[01:45:01]
WHAT I'VE LEARNED IS THAT, UH, THE CITIES CAN PUT IN STRICTER REQUIREMENTS TO INCLUDE, INCLUDE, UH, INCREASE AMENITIES AND OTHER REQUIREMENTS THAT, UH, WOULD BE IN LINE WITH THE LAW.AND THE GOOD NEWS IS THAT THERE ARE OTHER CITIES LIKE THE CITY OF ARLINGTON, FRISCO, IRV IRVING, YEAH.
KILLO AND MCKINNEY THAT ARE DOING THIS.
AND WHAT I'D SUGGEST IS THAT I'M SURE MAYBE STAFF HAVE GOTTEN TOGETHER WITH THEM.
AND SO I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT, UH, BECAUSE THIS IS NOT ONLY OUR CITY DEALING WITH THIS ISSUE, IT'S ALL OF THE CITIES DEALING WITH THIS ISSUE.
AND I THINK IF IT CAN ALL COME UP WITH REQUIREMENTS THAT WOULD BE ABLE TO PUT IN THE STRICTER REQUIREMENTS BY LAW, THAT'S WHAT I REQUEST THE CITY COUNCIL TO DO.
BARTHAM WISHES TO SPEAK IN OPPOSITION.
SARAH CLARK DOES NOT WISH TO SPEAK, BUT WISHES TO RECORD SUPPORT.
THERE ARE NO MORE SPEAKERS FOR THIS ITEM.
UM, FOLKS, NOW THAT YOU HAVE AN UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO AND WHAT WE'RE UP AGAINST, DEPUTY MAYOR PRO, TIM, I'M READY FOR A MOTION.
UH, I'D LIKE TO THANK EVERYONE FROM DISTRICT SIX FOR COMING OUT TONIGHT BECAUSE, UM, I LISTENED TO WHAT YOU HAVE TO SAY, AND LIKE I SAID EARLIER, I KNEW WHAT WE WERE WORKING ON, BUT I, THERE WAS NO WAY I WAS GONNA SHARE IT BECAUSE THINGS WOULD'VE GOTTEN TWISTED AS FAR AS WHAT I SAID BECAUSE I JUST SAY ONE THING.
UH, RODNEY ANDERSON, THANKS FOR COMING DOWN HERE, EX TRYING TO EXPLAIN WHAT THE LAW IS AND WHY WE NEED TO, TO SUPPORT THIS.
MAYOR JENSEN, YOU KNOW, WE'VE HAD SOME CALLS AND I THINK YOU AND I ARE THE ONLY ONES GOT ALL THOSE EMAILS.
SO, UH, WE GOT, I'M READY FOR A MOTION.
I WANT YOU TO TAKE 30 MORE SECONDS.
ALRIGHT, WITH THAT BEING SAID, OUR MOTION TO APPROVE I ITEM 49, AS PRESENTED BY STAFF, WE HAVE A MOTION.
[38. STP-25-07-0026 - Site Plan - Great SW Retail Center (City Council District 1). Site Plan for a multi-tenant retail building on 1.98 acres. A portion of Site 1, Block A, Forum Industrial Park Addition, City of Grand Prairie, Tarrant County, zoned Light Industrial, and addressed as 2775 S Great Southwest Pkwy (On September 23, 2025, the Planning and Zoning Commission recommended approval by a vote of 8-0) ]
IF THEY NEED A SUP, THEY'LL HAVE TO COME BACK FOR A SUP.SO, UH, THE MEETING LANDSCAPE REQUIREMENTS, UH, HERE'S AN ELEVATION.
PNZ RECOMMENDED APPROVAL AND DRC RECOMMENDS APPROVAL.
ANYBODY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR RASHAD? COUNCIL MEMBER CLEMSON.
[01:50:01]
AND THANK YOU RASHAD.UM, UH, ACTUALLY IT'S A VERY, VERY CLEAN, UM, REQUEST HERE WITH NO VARIANCES.
AND I WOULD LIKE TO MOVE TO APPROVE ITEM NUMBER 38 AS PRESENTED.
SECOND, WE HAVE MOTION, BUT COUNCIL MEMBER CLEMSON, SECOND BY MAYOR PRO TEM.
[39. STP-25-08-0028 - Site Plan - Oncor Ironwood Switch (City Council District 6). Site Plan for a new Electrical Switch Station for a Data Center on 512.00 acres. 512.00 acres generally located west of Miller Rd, north of Weatherford Rd, Parcel ID 181262, City of Grand Prairie, Ellis County, Texas, Zoned PD-454, and addressed as 881 Miller Rd (On September 23, 2025, the Planning and Zoning Commission recommended approval by a vote of 8-0) ]
39.THIS IS ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF TOWN.
THIS IS ACTUALLY WITHIN, UH, THE DATA CENTER AREA.
SO THIS, UH, SWITCH STATION WILL HELP SERVE THE DATA CENTER AND THE SURROUNDING AREA.
UH, SO IT'S DEFINITELY NEEDED.
UM, AS MENTIONED IS, IS ENCORE SWITCH STATION NO OCCUPIED? SO IS THAT IN THAT AREA SET ASIDE FAR DATA CENTERS AND WAREHOUSES? YES, SIR.
AND THERE'S NOT HOMES RIGHT NEXT DOOR TO IT AND EVERYTHING, RIGHT? YES SIR.
THIS WILL BE WITHIN THE CAMPUS ITSELF, THE DATA CENTER CAMPUS.
UH, THERE'S NO STREET FRONTAGES, THERE'S NO OCCUPIABLE STRUCTURE ON SITE.
UM, THEY'RE NOT PROPOSING ANY LANDSCAPING IN ORDER TO AVOID ANY INTERFERENCE WITH THE INFRASTRUCTURE SURROUNDING THE PROPERTY.
UH, WITH THAT, WE HAVE ALLOWED THESE VARIANCES BEFORE FOR THESE TYPE OF STRUCTURES.
SO THEY'RE ASKING FOR VARIANCE FOR THE MINIMUM LANDSCAPE REQUIREMENT TO ALLOW FOR NO LANDSCAPING AND A PAVEMENT EXCEPTION FOR, UH, THE SURROUNDING EQUIPMENT TO ALLOW FOR THE GRAVEL.
DEPUTY MAYOR PRO TEM, I HAVE A COUPLE OF CARDS.
ASHTON MILLER IS AVAILABLE FOR QUESTIONS AND IS IN SUPPORT OF THIS ITEM.
WE'LL CALL YOU UP IF WE NEED YOU AND HAROLD WILLIS WISHES TO SPEAK IN OPPOSITION TO THIS ITEM.
IS A DATA CENTER, A BITCOIN FACILITY? JUST DATA.
JUST, WE HAVE SPECIFICALLY ADDED WORDING TO DISALLOW THAT, BUT FROM CONVERSATIONS WE'VE HAD WITH THE DEVELOPER, THAT IS NOT THEIR PLAN.
I GUESS I'M JUST FRUSTRATED WITH ENCORE BECAUSE ENCORE IS MAKING ACCOMMODATIONS FOR A DATA CENTER ON 512 ACRES.
BUT AGAIN, SOUTH OF I 20, ALL THE PROBLEMS WE HAVE WITH ENCORE.
AND IF ENCORE COULD DO MORE TO ASSURE THOSE OF US SOUTH OF 20, WE HAVE ELECTRICITY.
THAT'S WHY I'M JUST ASKING FOR ENCORE TO BE MORE UPFRONT WITH US.
IF YOU'RE GONNA MAKE FOR A DATA CENTER, THEN MAKE FOR THE RESIDENTS OF SOUTH GRAND PRAIRIE WHO DESPERATELY NEED RELIABLE ELECTRICITY.
I MOVE TO APPROVE ITEM 39 AS PRESENTED BY STAFF SECOND.
SECOND BY COUNCIL MEMBER DESCALE IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
[Items 40 & 41]
ITEM 40 PUBLIC HEARING.UH, BRETT HUNTSMAN TRANSPORTATION MOBILITY.
I HAVE A CONFERENCE AND PLAN AMENDMENT AMENDING OUR MASTER THOROUGHFARE PLAN.
THIS IS A COMPANION ITEM, ITEM 41.
SO I WOULD RECOMMEND THAT YOU CONSIDER THOSE ITEMS TOGETHER.
UM, THIS IS THE REMOVAL OF A TWO LANE COLLECTOR ROADWAY.
THE LOCATION OF THIS IS JUST SOUTH OF THE I 20 EASTBOUND FRONTAGE ROAD WEST OF BELT LINE.
UH, THE PROPERTY AND ITEM 41 IS SHOWN IN RED.
THIS COLLECTOR BISECTS THAT PROPERTY.
THIS COLLECTOR IS INTENDED AS A RELIEF ROUTE FOR FM 1382 BELTLINE AT FULL BELT OUT OF THE AREA.
UH, TIA WAS DONE TO TAKE A LOOK AT THIS.
THEY USE NCT COX 2045 REGIONAL TRAFFIC DEMAND MODEL IS A BASELINE.
AND THE ANALYSIS JUST ASSUMED THAT WE GOT RID OF THE ROADWAY ENTIRELY TO SEE WHAT IT WOULD DO TO THE AREA.
UH, INDICATED THAT IT WOULDN'T POSE ANY SIGNIFICANT IMPACT TO THE AREA.
IT WOULD BE ABOUT A THREE TO 7% TRAFFIC SHIFT OVER TO I 20 AND BELTLINE.
HOWEVER, THE SITE IS PROPOSING TO CONTINUE A INTERNAL ACCESS DRIVE, MUCH LIKE AN ITEM WE HEARD A COUPLE MONTHS AGO, UH, THAT WOULD REALLY ESSENTIALLY REPLACE THIS COLLECTOR.
SO STAFF DOESN'T FEEL TOO STRONGLY ABOUT, UH, THE REMOVAL OF THIS COLLECTOR FROM THE THOROUGHFARE PLAN.
UH, PLANNING AND ZONING RECOMMENDED APPROVAL.
AND THE RECOMMENDATION FROM STAFF IS A PROPOSED SUP SITE PLAN FOR AN ELECTRIC VEHICLE.
SALES SERVICE AND DELIVERY CENTER PROJECT HAS BEEN DESIGNED SO THE REMOVAL OF THE ROAD IS REQUESTED.
WHILE STAFF BELIEVES THAT THE AREA WOULD BE BETTER WITH THE ROAD, THE TRAFFIC IMPACT ANALYSIS STATES THAT THE REMOVAL OF THE PROPOSED MASTER THOROUGHFARE PLAN ROAD FROM THE PLAN WOULD NOT NEGATIVELY IMPACT THE AREA AVAILABLE FOR ANY QUESTIONS.
[01:55:01]
YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.COULD YOU JUST EXPLAIN TO ME WHAT IS THE BENEFIT OF US REMOVING THIS, UM, THIS SMALL ROAD? SO THE, THE REASON THAT WE'RE BRINGING THIS REQUEST TO YOU IS THE DEVELOPER OWNS THIS PROPERTY AND THEY'RE WANTING TO DOWNGRADE THAT FROM A PUBLIC ROADWAY TO A INTERNAL ACCESS DRIVE.
REDUCED WIDTH, UH, LESS RIDE OF WAY REQUIREMENTS, MORE BUILDABLE PROPERTY STILL BE THERE.
JUST THEIR, THEIR NICKEL AND SMALLER, THEY JUST WOULD NOT BE A PUBLIC ROADWAY.
AND IS A, IT'S A MARGINAL, UH, DIFFERENCE TO OUR TRAFFIC IMPACT ANALYSIS.
WE CAN TAKE CARE OF BOTH OF THESE AT ONCE.
YOU GO AHEAD AND TAKE CARE OF IT.
ASHLEY JOHNSON WISHES TO SPEAK IN SUPPORT OF ITEMS 40 AND 41.
ANYBODY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? NO.
WELL, WELL, IT, IT, IT NEEDS TO BE PRESENTED.
PLEASE HANDLE THIRD FOR A PLAN AND I'LL HANDLE THE CASE ITSELF.
UH, SO SITE PLAN SUP UH, 25 0 7 0 0 2 3.
AS BRETT HAD MENTIONED, UH, PART OF THIS REQUEST, UH, THE DESIGN IS REQUIRING, OR THEY'RE ASKING TO, UH, LOWER THE CLASSIFICATION FOR THE ROADWAY.
AND LET'S SEE IF I CAN, I CAN'T, I THINK YEAH, IT WOULD BE IN BETWEEN THE PROPERTIES HERE.
SO NEXT BE IN BETWEEN THE PROPERTIES HERE AND I HAVE A BETTER, UH, VISUAL OF THAT.
UH, THE PLAN IS THE OPERATIONAL PLAN IS FOR A AUTO, AUTO DEALER.
UH, AUTO REPAIR MINOR SPECIAL, ESPECIALLY AUTO REPAIR AND ACCESSORY OUTDOOR STORAGE.
UM, AGAIN, THIS IS AN EV DEAL DEALER, UH, PROJECT NARRATIVE INCLUDES A SHOWROOM FOR THEIR PRODUCT.
SO THOSE WHO PURCHASE THE VEHICLES ONLINE, THE VEHICLES WILL BE DELIVERED HERE AND A SERVICE CENTER FOR THOSE VEHICLES.
UH, THE APPLICANT HAS NOTED THEY PLAN TO HIRE, UH, UH, APPROXIMATELY 40 SALES AND DELIVERY ASSOCIATES AT THE LOCATION.
IT'S THE BUILDING PROPOSED PARKING FOR EMPLOYEE SERVICE AND BAYS.
IT'S ELECTRIC CHARGING STATIONS, UH, AND THE STORAGE PLATE SPACES, WHICH WE'LL TALK TO IN A MINUTE.
THEY'VE ASKED FOR A LOT OF STORAGE SPACES FOR THE VEHICLES THAT ARE LIKELY GET DELIVERED.
THEY CAN PROBABLY EXPLAIN THAT A LITTLE BIT MORE DETAIL.
UM, AND IT'S A SINGLE POINT OF ACCESS NOTED BY THE GREEN OFF OF I 20.
UH, THEY'RE ASKING FOR A VARIANCE TO THE MAX HEIGHT OF THE BUILDING TO JUST TO ALLOW FOR A PARAPET ALONG THE TOP ROOF, WHICH WILL WE ACTUALLY, UH, RECOMMEND FOR SCREENING AND ARCHITECTURAL PURPOSES.
SO YOU, YOU RECOMMEND IT? YES.
UH, THE SITE PLAN, I LIKE WHEN WE RECOMMEND VARIANCES.
WON'T GO INTO ALL THE DETAILS OF THESE DE UH, THE ACTUAL PARKING, BUT IS THERE REASONING FOR SOME OF THE VARIANCES ARE DUE TO THE OPERATIONAL PLANS AND THE NEED FOR THE ADDITIONAL STORAGE SPACES.
SO THAT CREATED SOME SITUATIONS WITH THE LANDSCAPING REQUIRED FOR THE PARKING.
UM, AND SO THEY'RE ASKING FOR SOME EXCEPTIONS WITH THE LANDSCAPING AS A COMMENSURATE, UH, UH, PART OF THE PARKING, THE OVER PARKING FOR THE VEHICLE STORAGE.
THEY'RE INCLUDING SOME, UM, CRIMINAL MATERIAL, UH, PARKING SPACES HERE.
UM, BUT THAT IS THE ONLY VARIANCE THAT THEY'RE ASKING FOR ON THE PARKING.
UM, THE UTILITY EASEMENT AS, UH, THE EASEMENT THAT BRETT HAS TALKED ABOUT, THE 30 FOOT ACCESS AND UTILITY EASEMENT IS BEING PROPOSED HERE.
APPLICANT WILL CONSTRUCT THE PORTION, THAT PORTION THAT PROVIDES DIRECT ACCESS TO THE SITE AND ABUTTING PROPERTY TO THE WEST.
AND THEN THEY WILL ESCROW THE REMAINING PORTION HERE AS PART OF OUR RECOMMENDED CONDITIONS.
SO WE'LL HAVE THE CONNECTION ABILITY IF AND WHEN WESTCHESTER IS EXTENDED.
UM, LANDSCAPING PLAN, AS I MENTIONED, THEY'RE ASKING FOR SOME VARIANCES.
WE TYPICALLY REQUIRE PARKING LOT TREES.
AND SINCE THEY'RE HAVING SO MANY PARKING SPACES, THERE ARE A LOT OF PARKING LOT TREES.
THEY'RE ASKING FOR VARIANCES FROM THOSE TREES.
REQUIREMENTS, WHICH WE'RE AMENABLE TO, UM, UNDERSTANDING THAT THE VEHICLES WILL BE OUT THERE AND STORED.
[02:00:01]
THE ENTIRE SITE IS SURROUNDED BY SHRUBBERY AND LANDSCAPING, AS YOU CAN SEE FROM THE VISUAL HERE AND THE BUILDING.THIS IS A GENERAL, UH, THIS IS THE SITE PLAN FOR ELEVATIONS FOR THE BUILDING.
SO THEY'RE ASKING FOR SOME VARIANCES ON THE FACADE WINDOWS.
UM, KEEP IN MIND OUR FACADE WINDOW REQUIREMENTS ARE APPENDIX F AND GENERALLY REQUIRED FOR RETAIL ESTABLISHMENTS, BIG BOX RETAIL AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE.
THIS IS A, UH, AUTO DEALERSHIP, WHICH OF COURSE THEY NEED AREAS WHERE THEY NEED, UH, WAREHOUSE CLOSING CLOSED OFF.
SO WE UNDERSTAND THE NEED FOR SOME OF THESE VARIANCES AND, UH, MATERIALS.
THEY'RE ASKING FOR THE MATERIALS, UH, REFLECTANCE AND 20% ON THE BUILDING FACADE.
THE METAL PANELS AND THE TIT WALL REQUIREMENTS THAT WE HAVE.
UH, THIS IS INTENDED TO ADDRESS SOME OF THEIR STANDARD, UH, BUILDING DESIGN.
UH, THEY HAVE A, UH, A BRAND THAT THEY GO WITH AND, UH, THEY CAN SPEAK TO THAT IF THEY WOULD LIKE IN MORE DETAIL.
AS I MENTIONED, THE VARIANCES OF BUILD HEIGHT, THE PARAPET TWO FEET, THE PARKING MAXIMUM, UH, ALLOWING 499 SPACES EXCEEDING A MAXIMUM OF 84 SPACES.
THESE ARE, BECAUSE OF THE STORAGE SPACES THAT BE REQUIRED FOR THE DELIVERIES AND SUCH, UH, PRIMO MATERIALS.
UH, THEY'LL, UH, VARIANCE TO ALLOW 13 MATERIAL SPACES REDUCED FROM THE ACQUIRED 208.
AGAIN, THAT'S THE PARKING STORAGE MATTER.
UH, PARKING LOT TREES BECAUSE OF THE EXCESSIVE PARKING STORAGE, THEY'RE ASKING FOR THE VARIANCES FOR THE TREES.
SHRUBS, UH, I'LL NOTE THAT THE SHRUBS ARE SURROUNDING THE ENTIRE PROPERTY, BUT SHRUBS ARE TIED TO THE PARKING AS WELL.
UM, VARIANCE TO APPENDIX F SCREENING REQUIREMENTS FOR BAY DOORS TO ALLOW GR UH, GARAGE BAY DOORS TO HAVE LESS THAN 70% GLASS AND BE PARALLEL TO A DEDICATED, DEDICATED STREET THOROUGHFARE, WHICH WE DO NOT ALLOW.
AND THE OVERALL WINDOWS I MENTIONED, THAT IS A RETAIL REQUIREMENT.
UH, SO THIS, UH, THE STREET FACING WINDOWS AS WELL.
AND THE CANOPY REQUIREMENT, ALL REQUIREMENTS OF OUR TYPICAL RETAIL DEVELOPMENTS THAT WE, WE, UH, ASK FOR.
SO WITH THAT, UM, PNZ RECOMMEND APPROVAL OF THOSE VARIANCES.
UH, AND DEVELOPMENT REVIEW COMMITTEE RECOMMENDS APPROVAL WITH, UH, WITH THE STIPULATION THAT THE APPLICANT SHALL ESCROW THE FUNDS TO CONSTRUCT THE CONTINUATION OF 30 FOOT ACCESS DRIVE, CONNECTING I 20 TO THE FUTURE EXTENSION OF WESTCHESTER PARKWAY.
UH, COUNCIL MEMBERS THAT I'LL CALL ON YOU, Y'ALL OF COURSE CAN TALK TO RASHAD.
PLUS WE HAVE TWO REPRESENTATIVES HERE IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS.
UH, I'M GONNA, THIS QUESTION IS FOR RASHAD.
I DON'T KNOW IF THERE'LL BE ANY FOR SOMEBODY ELSE LATER OR NOT.
UH, RASHAD THE, UH, PERMEABLE PARKING SPACES THING, UH, ISN'T THAT PUT IN THE CODE BECAUSE OF STORM WATER RUNOFF? IT IS INTENDED TO HELP.
SO IF THEY'RE EXCEEDING OUR PARKING REQUIREMENT, WHICH WOULD TYPICALLY BE ALL CONCRETE, THE PERIMETER SPACES ARE INTENDED TO HELP ADDRESS RUNOFF, AS YOU MENTIONED.
THEY'LL STILL HAVE TO MEET RUNOFF CONDITIONS WITHOUT THE PERMEABLE THOUGH.
OTHER WAYS THEY'LL HAVE TO HAVE THE HYDROLOGY STUDY.
WELL THAT'S WHERE I WAS GOING.
HAS THERE, ARE WE GOING TO DO ONE OR HAS THERE BEEN ONE OR ANYTHING? THEY MAY HAVE DONE SOME PRELIMINARY STUDIES, BUT THAT WOULD BE REQUIRED DURING THE CIVIL PLAN REVIEW.
UH, SO WE'LL GET INTO THOSE DETAILS.
AND SO THAT MAY ADJUST SOME OF THIS, BUT OVERALL THERE HAVE TO MAKE CERTAIN THAT WHATEVER RUNOFF IS, THEY CAN'T INCREASE THE RUNOFF OR FLOW FROM THAT PROPERTY DOWNSTREAM OR UPSTREAM.
SO THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT I WAS GOING, SO THAT WILL BE DONE.
THAT'LL BE PART OF THE REVIEW, CIVIL REVIEW PROCESS.
AND Y'ALL WILL, STAFF WILL DECIDE WHETHER THEY'RE MEETING THE REQUIREMENTS OR NOT? YES.
'CAUSE IF, IF THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO HAVE 200 AND SOMETHING AND THEY'RE ONLY DOING 13, THAT'S IT.
THEY MAY HAVE TO HAVE A BIGGER, THAT'S A BIG RETENTION POND.
TO COUNTER NOT HAVING THE PERMEABLE.
BUT THAT'LL COME OUT WITH THE CALCULATIONS WHEN THEY SUBMIT THE STUDY.
AND YOU'LL, YOU'LL TAKE CARE OF THAT.
SOMETIMES YOU HAVE TO TRUST PEOPLE.
UM, SINCE THEY'RE TRYING TO BRING DOWN THE NUMBER OF TREES FROM 50 TO FIVE, CAN WE REQUIRE
[02:05:01]
THEM TO PAY INTO OUR TREE PRESERVATION FUND? SO I I THOUGHT THAT WAS AUTOMATIC.IT IS NOT LISTED UP, UP THERE.
WELL, THE TREE MITIGATION FUND IS WHEN A TREE PRE PRESERVATION OH, PRESERVATION FUND.
THAT'S WHEN THEY'RE CLEAR CUTTING.
UH, THIS, THE, THE, I HAVEN'T, THAT FUND DOESN'T, THAT ORDINANCE DOESN'T ADDRESS THIS, SO IT DOESN'T APPLY TO THIS.
IF THERE'S TREES THERE ALREADY.
I DON'T, I DON'T SEE, I DON'T RECALL THERE BEING ANY TREES THERE.
AND I CAN TRY TO GO BACK TO THE COUNCIL MEMBER HEADING, JUST WANTED TO CLARIFY.
SO THAT'S THE ONLY STAFF RECOMMENDATION, THE ONE BULLET POINT.
UH, KNOW THERE ARE A LOT OF VARIANCES.
SO STAFF IS OKAY WITH ALL THE VARIANCES? YES, MA'AM.
UM, DOES ANYBODY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR THE, THE DEVELOPER ARE THE, UH, TENANT, ARE YOU READY TO MAKE A MOTION COUNCIL MEMBER HEADON AFTER WE READ THEM INTO THE RECORD? YES.
GO AHEAD AND READ 'EM INTO THE RECORD.
SO ASHLEY JOHNSON IS IN SUPPORT OF ITEMS 41 AND 42 IS AVAILABLE FOR QUESTIONS.
AND THEN JONATHAN POWER WISHES TO SPEAK IN SUPPORT OF ITEM 41.
JONATHAN, DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING TO ADD? I'M JUST THE DEVELOPER, SO I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
I THINK WE'VE, ARE YOU READY TO MAKE A MOTION WITH THAT? I AM.
UH, MS. JACKSON, AGAIN, THIS SUP IS FOR INTERNET SALES ONLY.
SO IF THIS WORK DOESN'T WORK OUT, IT WOULD HAVE TO COME BACK TO AMEND THE SUP TO BECOME JUST A NORMAL EVERYDAY YES SIR.
A CHEVY DEALER OR SOMETHING, LIKE I SAID, IT WOULD'VE TO COME BACK.
AND THE OTHER, THE OTHER THING IS SERVICE IS ONLY ON CARS THEY SELL OR CAN THEY BRING IN THE OTHER CARS, YOU KNOW, LIKE, OKAY, WHAT GOING TO SERVICE TAKE MINE THERE? ANY EV OR JUST Y'ALL'S THAT'LL BE IN THERE? JUST THE COMPANY THAT I REPRESENT.
SO, UH, THEY, THEY ONLY WORK IN THE CARS THEY SELL.
UM, I HAD THE OPPORT, NOW I'M READY.
OPPORTUNITY TO GET SOME INFORMATION FROM MEGAN AND RASHAD TO HELP MAKE MY MOTION.
AND I'M GOING TO LOOK AT MY NOTES HERE.
YOU CAN DO BOTH AT THE SAME TIME.
I MOVE TO APPROVE ITEMS 40 AND 41 WITH THE STIPULATION THAT THE SPECIAL USE PERMIT IS ONLY FOR INTERNET ONLY EV AUTO SALES, UH, WITH THE AUTO REPAIR.
THIS SUP DOES NOT ALLOW ROBO TAXIS OTHERWISE KNOWN AS DRIVERLESS TAXIS.
THAT IS NOT ALLOWABLE AND INCLUDED IN THIS SUP.
AND ALSO WANT TO STIPULATE THAT ALL OF STAFF'S ONE RECOMMENDATION IS ADHERED TO.
[Items 42 & 43]
42 TABLE.SO ITEM 42 AND 43 HAVE BEEN TABLED BY THE APPLICANT.
YEAH, I WANT, SO WE'RE GONNA TABLE 'EM TO NOVEMBER 4TH MEETING.
I'D LIKE TO MOVE THAT WE TABLE ITEMS 42 AND 43 TO OUR NOVEMBER 4TH, 2025.
[Items 44 & 45]
ITEM 44 AND 45.SO ITEM 44 AND 45 AS A ZONE CHANGE AND A COMPREHENSIVE PLAN AMENDMENT, UH, RESULTING FROM THE ZONE CHANGE.
UH, SO THE COMP PLAN FOR THIS PROPERTY AT 1930, UH, HOUSTON STREET CPA 25 0 8 0 0 1 8.
UH, THE EXISTING FLUME DESIGNATION IS COMMERCIAL RETAIL OFFICE.
IT'S RIGHT NORTH OF MAIN STREET.
UM, AND IT'S, UH, THE PROPOSED FLUME DESIGNATION IS LOW DISTANCE RESIDENTIAL.
AS YOU CAN SEE FROM THE AERIAL.
MOST OF THIS AREA IS ALREADY RESIDENTIAL, BUT, UM, FOR QUITE SOME TIME, THE DESIGNATION ON THE FLUME HAS BEEN DESIGNATED AS COMMERCIAL RETAIL OFFICE WITH THE HOPES, I GUESS, FOR IT TO TRANSITION, WHICH IT HAS NEVER DONE.
UM, SO, UH, WE HAVE A RESIDENT WHO WOULD LIKE TO
[02:10:01]
DEVELOP A, BUILD A HOME ON THAT PROPERTY.THERE WAS ONCE A, A HOME ON THE PROPERTY.
UH, SO THIS WILL ALLOW FOR THE CONSTRUCTION SINGLE FAMILY HOME SPEAKERS.
SO THEY NEED A ZONE CHANGE, UH, TO REPLACE THE HOME THAT WAS DEMOLISHED.
OH, UH, P AND Z RECOMMENDS THE APPROVAL OF THE ZONE CHANGE AND STAFF BECAUSE OF THE FLU, WAS UNABLE TO RECOMMEND APPROVAL.
BUT WE NOTE THAT THE FINDINGS BELOW THE SITE WAS PREVIOUSLY USED FOR A SINGLE FAMILY HOME.
UH, THE SUBJECT PROPERTY IS LOCATED ON A BLOCK THAT IS PREDOMINANTLY SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENTIAL USE
AND THE PROPOSED USE IS CONSISTENT WITH THE DEVELOPMENT TO THE WEST, EAST, AND NORTH.
COUNCIL MEMBER SHOTWELL, I, I WOULD MOVE TO APPROVE, UH, ITEMS. 41, WELL, 44, 40, 40 44 AND 45.
THERE WAS A HOUSE THERE BEFORE.
SO YEAH, WE HAVE A MOTION TO SECOND.
[46. SUP-25-07-0026 - Specific Use Permit/Site Plan - Alfaro Garage Auto Rebuilder (City Council District 5). Specific Use Permit and Site Plan for a new automotive re-builder on 0.325 Acres. Lot 1, Block 1, Alfaro Addition, City of Grand Prairie, Dallas County, zoned LI-LS, and addressed 1900 Airport St (On September 23, the Planning and Zoning Commission recommended approval by a vote of 8-0)]
ITEM 46.IS THIS TWO TOGETHER ALSO MOVE? I'D LIKE TO MOVE THE TABLE AS ITEM BOTH OF THEM TILL OUR NEXT MEETING.
[47. ZON-25-08-0030 - Zoning Change – 636 & 650 W Tarrant Rd (City Council District 5). Zoning Change from Planned Development District 217 to a new Planned Development District for Commercial Uses on 1.35 acres. Tracts 19 & 32, Michael Farrans Survey, Abstract No. 469, City of Grand Prairie, Dallas County, Texas, zoned Planned Development District 217 (PD-217), within the Belt Line Corridor Overlay District, and addressed as 636 & 650 W Tarrant Rd (On September 23, 2025, the Planning and Zoning Commission recommended approval by a vote of 8-0) ]
47, 7 GO.DO YOU GET A PRICE DISCOUNT IF YOU BUNDLE ABOVE ZERO? YEAH.
UH, THIS IS DIRECTLY SOUTH OF I 30 AND, UM, ALONG EXCHANGE DRIVE ALONG WEST TARRANT, UH, IT IS CURRENTLY ZONE PD TWO 17, WHICH WAS A PART OF OUR ENTERTAINMENT, UH, DISTRICT AS A E ENTERTAINMENT RETAIL AND OFFICE USES.
UH, THE PROPOSED ZONING IS, UH, PLANNED DEVELOPMENT FOR COMMERCIAL USES AND CREATED A DEFINITION FOR A SPECIFIC USE FLU CALLS FOR THIS AREA TO BE COMMERCIAL RETAIL OFFICE.
THIS JUST EXPLAINS SOME OF THE EXISTING ZONING SURROUNDING THE PROPERTY.
GENERAL RETAIL PD TWO 17 D, WHICH IS, UH, A, A AMENDMENT TWO, PD TWO 17, UH, SINGLE FAMILY NORTH AND OF, UH, I 30.
THIS IS A OVERALL SITE PLAN AND CONCEPT PLAN FOR THE PROJECT.
UH, THE EXISTING BUILDING WILL REMAIN THOSE HATCH MARKS.
THE SQUARES ARE THE, UH, STORAGE, PARKING SPACES FOR THE VEHICLES, AND THIS IS INTENDED TO BE, UM, IT DOESN'T SAY IT.
UM, A DISPATCH, UH, STATION FOR A MOVING COMPANY.
SO THIS WILL BE A OFFICE HOOD FOR A LOCAL MOVING COMPANY.
UH, THEIR, THEIR PD IS PROPOSING TO ALLOW, UM, SPECIFIC USES BY RIGHT AND SUVS IN THE COMMERCIAL ZONING DISTRICT BY WRIGHT.
UM, THE APPLICANT HAS NOTED THAT THEY MAY BE AMENABLE TO A, UH, UH, REVISING THAT, UH, BASED ON CONVERSATIONS WITH, UH, COUNCILOR SHOTWELL.
UM, BUT I'LL LET THEM SPEAK TO THAT.
UM, THIS PD WILL ALSO ADD AND DEFINE A USE DISPATCH STATION FOR THAT SPECIFIC USE.
AND THE APPLICANT PROPOSES ALLOWING THE, THE FOLLOWING, USELESS BY WRIGHT DISPATCH STATION, UM, GARDEN CENTER OUT AUTO PARKING, HEAVY TRUCK AND EQUIPMENT PARKING WAREHOUSE, E-COMMERCE FULFILLMENT CENTER.
THE PROPOSED, UH, DIMENSIONAL PLANS FOR THE PROJECT.
KEEP IN MIND, THIS PROPERTY IS A UNIQUE SHAPE, A TRIANGLE SHAPE.
SO, UH, IN ORDER TO ADDRESS ANY NONCONFORMITIES, THEY'VE REQUIRED A MINIMUM LOCKED DEPTH OF ZERO AND MINIMUM LOCKED WIDTH OF ZERO, BUT KEPT A MINIMUM LOCKED AREA OF 5,000 SQUARE FEET.
SO THAT DICTATES THERE'S LOT SIZE.
WHATEVER HAPPENS HERE, IT HAS TO BE 5,000 SQUARE FEET.
THE BUILDING IS KIND OF AWKWARDLY POSITIONED.
SO I BELIEVE THAT'S THE REASONING FOR THE, THE REQUESTED SETBACKS.
BUT THE APPLICANT CAN SPEAK TO MORE DETAIL ABOUT THAT.
UH, THEY ALSO ASKED FOR, UH, LANDSCAPE STANDARDS OF A MINIMUM OF 5% OF THE SITE A B LANDSCAPE.
THE EXISTING SITE IS LANDSCAPE.
THIS IS THE ACTUAL PICTURE OF THE SITE AND, UH, ROD IRON FENCE THAT THEY'VE ALREADY INSTALLED.
SO THIS WILL KEEP THE LANDSCAPING ROD IRON FENCE
[02:15:01]
THAT THEY'VE ALREADY INSTALLED, NOTING THIS PNZ RECOMMENDED APPROVAL AND DEVELOPMENT REC DEVELOPMENT REVIEW COMMITTEE RECOMMENDS APPROVAL.COUNCILOR V SHOTWELL, DO YOU WANT TO ASK HIM A QUESTION NOW? WE'VE GOT A SPEAKER YOU JUST LEFT IT ON FOR LAST TIME.
I GOT RID OF IT CO THAT'S OKAY.
GO AHEAD, CHRISTOPHER OR KELLY WISHES TO SPEAK IN SUPPORT OF THIS ITEM.
CHRISTOPHER, THANK YOU FOR STICKING AROUND.
THANK YOU MR. MAYOR, MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL, ANDREW REIG.
33 WELLBORN IN DALLAS, UH, HERE REPRESENTING THE, UM, OWNER AND APPLICANT FOR THIS SITE.
SO JUST, JUST A COUPLE ITEMS AS, UH, WE'RE GETTING THIS PULLED UP.
IT, WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH WITH THIS ZONING IS TO ALLOW ALL MY SONS MOVING IN STORAGE TO BE ABLE TO OCCUPY THIS SITE.
IT WAS, UH, HOW MANY SONS DO YOU HAVE?
I WANT TO SAY ABOUT FOUR OR, OR FIVE.
UM, YEAH, YOU GOT ME ON THAT ONE.
WELL, IF YOU DON'T LOOK AT THE DEAL AND JUST LISTEN TO YOU, IT SOUNDS OKAY.
I WANT ALL MY SONS TO ALL MY SONS TO HAVE IT.
I PERSONALLY DON'T HAVE ANY, BUT THE OWNER
UH, SO JUST QUICK, QUICKLY, WITH THE SITE.
THIS WAS AT ONE POINT IN THE NINETIES, CAPS VAN RENTALS, UH, KEEN LANDSCAPING, AS YOU SAW ON THE SIGN, UH, O OCCUPIED THIS SITE HAD SOME PERMIT ISSUES.
SO, YOU KNOW WHAT, WE WE'RE NOT, I DON'T THINK WE, WE FIT ONTO THIS ZONING, SO WE'RE BEEN TRYING TO LEASE IT OUT TO ANOTHER PERSON AFTER THAT.
SO WE HAVE WORKED SOMETHING OUT AND I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
WHY DID IT TAKE SO LONG? IS THE ONLY QUESTION I HAD.
FOLKS, IF Y'ALL ONLY KNEW TONY BEFORE THEY CHANGE THEIR MIND.
CAN I HAVE A MOTION? I DON'T THINK SO.
I DON'T THINK YOU JUST KEEP YOUR SEAT.
I NEED TO, I'M MAKING A CALL TOMORROW.
I'M, I'M GONNA MAKE SOME, I'M GONNA RECOMMEND MOVE TO MAKE SOME CHANGES TO WHAT RASHAD, UH, PRESENTED, BUT, UH, I'VE DISCUSSED IT WITH THE APPLICANT AND I THINK THEY'RE GONNA BE OKAY WITH IT.
AND IF THEY'RE NOT, WELL, THAT'S THE WAY IT IS.
UH, I WANNA MOVE TO APPROVE THIS ITEM AS PRESENTED WITH THESE CHANGES.
UM, THE USES ALLOWED WOULD BE, UH, ONLY DISPATCH STATION AND AUTO PARKING, PRIMARY AND ACCESSORY USE IN MARKED SPACES THAT MEET OUR NORMAL REQUIREMENTS.
AND THE, UH, I BELIEVE OH, AND ONLY ONE CO TO BE ALLOWED ON THE SURE.
ON THE PRO ON THE ENTIRE PROPERTY.
THE LANDSCAPING AND ALL THAT STUFF.
I'M GOOD WITH THE, UH, I HAD SOME PROBLEMS WITH THE DEVELOPMENT SIZES, THE 5,000 SQUARE FEET DEAL, BUT WE FIXED THAT BY ONLY ALLOWING ONE CO ON THE PROPERTY AT A TIME.
IS THAT YOUR MOTION? THAT'S MY MOTION.
Y'ALL NEED TO LEARN THE BACKSTORY SOMEDAY.
[48. ZON-25-09-0033 - Zoning Change/Concept Plan - 2634 S Carrier Pkwy PD amendment (City Council District 2). Zoning Change to amend Planned Development District 107 to allow Grooming & Hygiene Salon and Wellness Spa as permitted uses on 2.295 acres. Lot 1, Block 2, Community Square Addition, City of Grand Prairie, Dallas County, Texas, zoned PD-107, and addressed as 2634 S Carrier Pkwy (On September 23, the Planning and Zoning Commission recommended approval by a vote of 8-0)]
ITEM 48.25 0 9 0 0 3 3 PD AMENDMENT FOR 26 34 SOUTH CARRIER PARKWAY.
UM, THIS IS A PD AMENDMENT TO ALLOW FOR A GROOMING AND HYGIENE SALON AND WELLNESS SPA, UM, AT 26 34 SOUTH CARRIER.
THE PROPERTY IS CURRENTLY ZONE PD 1 0 7.
UH, THE PD ALLOWS FOR OFFICE USES.
UH, THEY WOULD LIKE TO INCLUDE GROOMING AND HYGIENE SALON AND WELLNESS SPA, UH, IN THAT PD.
UH, SO THEY INCLUDED A DEFINITION NOTED ON THE SCREEN HERE, UH, AND NOTED WHAT THEY WOULD ACTUALLY BE DOING, A MEDICAL AESTHETICS, UM, AND, UH, SO HYGIENE SALON, UH, SERVICES, UM, WITH THAT PNZ RECOMMENDED APPROVAL AND DRC RECOMMENDS APPROVAL.
ANYBODY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR RASHAD?
[02:20:02]
GO AHEAD.YEAH, RASHAD, IS THERE ANY TYPE OF BUFFER THAT WE'RE GONNA PUT UP OR LIKE A SCREENING WHILE ADJACENT TO THE RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOOD? UH, NO SIR.
THIS IS EXISTING, EXISTING SITE.
UM, SO THERE WAS NO, UH, NOTHING THERE BEFORE.
RASHAD ROMAN ROSALES WISHES TO SPEAK IN SUPPORT OF THIS ITEM.
UH, THIS IS IN COUNCIL MEMBER HEINS DISTRICT.
I ENTERTAIN A MOTION MOVE TO APPROVE ITEM 48 AS PRESENTED.
THAT CONCLUDES OUR AGENDA ITEM TONIGHT, EXCEPT FOR CITIZEN
[CITIZEN COMMENTS]
COMMENTS.PATRICIA MORRISON NAME AND ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD, PLEASE, PATRICIA.
AND WE DON'T GET INTO DISCUSSION BACK AND FORTH DURING CITIZEN CONFERENCE.
MY NAME IS, MY NAME IS PATRICIA MORRISON.
MY ADDRESS IS 2300 AVENUE H EAST IN GRAND PRAIRIE, TEXAS.
I'VE BEEN HOMELESS FOR TWO YEARS AND I'VE MOVED INTO THE APARTMENTS, THE LOPEZ FLATS.
MY CAR IS BROKE DOWN SINCE I MOVED INTO MY NEW APARTMENT.
AND I NEED TO BE ABLE TO GET AROUND IN GRAND PRAIRIE.
I CALL THE VIA AND THEY SAY THEY CAN'T PICK ME UP, BUT THEY CAN GO PAST US WHEN THEY TURN RIGHT TO GO TO THE KC APARTMENTS, WHICH IS FAMILY ORIENTED.
AND I, I VERY SELDOM SEE MANY ELDERS IN THEM, AND I CAN'T GET A RIDE BECAUSE I'M NOT, IT'S NOT ZONE RIGHT.
WHAT CAN WE DO TO CHANGE THAT? CAROL, RAISE YOUR HAND.
YOU, YOU CAN GO TALK TO HER NOW ABOUT IT.
GIL RIDGE, TERRACE, FORT WORTH, TEXAS.
I DON'T KNOW IF I'LL BE ABLE TO MAKE IT TO NEXT MONTH'S MEETING.
EVEN THOUGH TAD ISN'T ON YOUR AGENDA.
UM, I KNOW LAST YEAR YOU GUYS WERE KIND ENOUGH TO, UH, CAST HALF YOUR VOTES FOR ME AND I, AND I APPRECIATE IT.
UM, SO TONIGHT, I GUESS I'M HERE.
YOU KNOW, IF MAYOR, YOU SAID LAST YEAR YOU DIDN'T, GRAND PRAIRIE NORMALLY DOESN'T PARTICIPATE IN THIS THING, UM, BUT I, YOU KNOW, I THINK AS THE THIRD LARGEST CITY THAT YOU GUYS DID AND SHOULD CONTINUE THAT.
AND, UH, WITH THAT SAID, I JUST WANNA TELL YOU MY PERSPECTIVE ON STUFF.
UM, SO THAT IF YOU DO DECIDE TO CAST VOTES FOR ME AGAIN, YOU KNOW WHO YOU'RE CASTING VOTES FOR.
SO LEMME TELL YOU WHAT I BELIEVE.
I BELIEVE THE LEGISLATURES AND 10 FOR YEARLY APPRAISALS.
AFTER WATCHING MANY HEARINGS DURING THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION ON PROPERTY TAXES AND APPRAISALS, MANY OF THE COMMENTS WERE DIRECTED TOWARDS THIS INTERPRETATION.
I BELIEVE IN LOCAL CONTROL AND WE SHOULD ALWAYS AIM TO SOLVE OUR PROBLEMS LOCALLY.
WHEN POSSIBLE, IT'S BEST TO AVOID AUSTIN'S ONE SIZE FITS ALL APPROACH TO PROBLEM SOLVING.
AND IN REGARDS TO THE APPRAISAL DISTRICT, THE ISSUES WE ARE EXPERIENCING IS A RESULT OF LOCAL FACTORS.
AND THREE YEARLY APPRAISALS ALLOW THE HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION TO FUNCTION AS DESIGNED DURING AN APPRECIATING MARKET.
AND WHEN IT'S A DECLINING MARKET, SUCH AS NOW TAXPAYERS CAN GET THE IMMEDIATE IMPACT OF REDUCED PROPERTY VALUE.
WHAT DO I KNOW? I KNOW THE REAPPRAISAL PLAN IS CURRENTLY IMPLEMENTED CAN IMPACT BOND CAPACITY AND THE ABILITY TO REFINANCE TO A LOWER RATE, THEREBY COSTING TAXPAYERS MORE IN INTEREST.
I KNOW THIS IS A POLITICAL APPOINTMENT AND POLITICAL APPOINTMENTS ARE BASED ON RELATIONSHIPS WITH CANDIDATES.
AND I KNOW I HAVE THE DESIRE TO DO THIS JOB AND DO IT WELL.
WHAT HAVE I DONE? I SPENT THE LAST 10 MONTHS ATTENDING SCHOOL AND CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY TO UNDERSTAND THE CHALLENGES THE REAPPRAISAL PLAN IS PLACED UPON THEM.
I'VE WORKED TO BUILD RELATIONSHIPS THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY WITH VARIOUS CFOS, SUPERINTENDENTS, BOARDS, AND COUNCIL MEMBERS.
AND THEN FINALLY, AFTER READING CHAPTER SIX OF THE PROPERTY TAX CODE, I DISCOVERED CONSERVATION DISTRICTS COULD PARTICIPATE.
THE BIGGEST ONE BEING THE TARRANT REGIONAL WATER DISTRICT.
AND NOW FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER IN 46 YEARS, THE CONSERVATION DISTRICTS IN THE COUNTY ARE VOTING BECAUSE I WAS SUCCESSFUL TO CONVINCE THEM TO PARTICIPATE IN THE APPOINTMENT OF BOARD MEMBERS.
I BELIEVE IT BRINGS MORE TRANSPARENCY TO TAD WHEN ALL THE INTERESTED PARTIES ARE FULLY PARTICIPATING.
[02:25:01]
SAYING THIS.YOU KNOW, I RAN FOR THIS LAST YEAR.
OBVIOUSLY I WAS UNSUCCESSFUL, BUT I'VE HAD THE TENACITY TO STAY WITH IT AND I BELIEVE I IMPROVED AS A CANDIDATE.
SO NOMINATE VOTING IS DUE DECEMBER 14TH, 1159, THE BALLOTS.
TODAY'S THE LAST DAY TO NOMINATE THE BALLOTS WILL BE OUT BY OCTOBER 30TH.
IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS, IF YOU'RE GONNA PARTICIPATE, PLEASE DO REACH OUT TO ME.
OTHERWISE, I THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME.
OKAY, I GOTTA GET THIS OFF MY CHEST.
ALL I HEAR IS CONCRETE, CONCRETE, CONCRETE.
AND IT HURTS ME BECAUSE THERE'S NOT JUST HUMANS IN THE WORLD.
THERE IS WILDLIFE AND I THINK WE ARE PUT ON THE EARTH TO SHARE AND EVERYTHING THAT IS A GREEN AREA.
LIKE LOOKING AT THIS, OH, LITTLE GREEN AREA CONCRETE.
IT HURTS ME AND I THINK IT'S NOT RIGHT.
GRAND PRAIRIE IS A GREAT CITY.
WHEN I CAME HERE, I ENJOYED THE SCENERY.
I LIKE, WE LIVE AROUND JOE POOL LAKE AND THERE IS SOME UNDEVELOPED LAND.
AND I WOULD HATE FOR THIS TO TURN INTO CONCRETE.
CONCRETE IS NOT HELPING THE EARTH AT ALL.
IT'S HELPS TO, TO WARM THE, UH, THE AIR AROUND IT.
CONCRETE DOESN'T GIVE US OXYGEN.
AND I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY WE DO NOT PRESERVE THAT.
YES, WE ARE PUTTING A TREE HERE AND THERE, BUT IT'S NOT GONNA DO NOTHING TO, TO SUSTAIN LIFE ON EARTH TO MAKE IT ENJOYABLE.
AND I, AND I BEG YOU TO CONSIDER THIS SOMETIMES IT'S NOT JUST HERE.
OH, ANOTHER CAR SHOP, ANOTHER NAIL SALON, ANOTHER CHICKEN PLACE.
THERE'S NOBODY THAT TALKS FOR THEM.
SO I'M KIND OF TALKING FOR THEM.
I'M THEIR VOICE 'CAUSE IT HURTS ME.
HAROLD WILLIS, 5 3 8 LINLEY YESTERDAY.
ATTORNEY GENERAL LETICIA JAMES OF NEW YORK TALKED ABOUT, UH, POWERFUL VOICES TRYING TO SILENCE TRUTH AND PUNISH DISSENT TO WEAPONIZE JUSTICE FOR POLITICAL GAIN.
WE ARE WITNESSING THE FRAYING OF OUR DEMOCRACY, THE EROSION OF OUR SYSTEM OF GOVERNMENT.
THIS MY FRIENDS, IS A DEFINING MOMENT IN OUR HISTORY.
THIS IS THE ATTORNEY JOURNAL OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK.
SHE CALLED ON SUPPORTERS TO PROTECT EVERY NORM AND EVERY RULE OF LAW.
AS SHE VOWED SHE WILL NOT CAPITULATE YOU.
COME FOR ME, YOU COME THROUGH ALL OF US, EVERY SINGLE ONE OF US.
WHEN THE ATTORNEY GENERAL OF NEW YORK IS BEING SINGLED OUT BY THE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT AND OTHER INDIVIDUALS, JAMES COMEY, THE FBI DIRECTOR, THAT'S A DIRECT THREAT ON THAT FLAG.
THIS IS WHY IT IS SO IMPORTANT THAT WE HAVE OUR TIME DOWN HERE.
IF IT'S THREE MINUTES, FIVE MINUTES, IT'S TWO TIMES A MONTH.
AS SPEAKER TIP O'NEILL SAID, ALL POLITICS IS LOCAL AND FOR CITIZENS TO SHOW UP TONIGHT ABOUT THE DIFFERENT ISSUES AND TO SPEAK, AND YOU'LL ALLOW THAT MAYOR AT THE SCHOOL BOARD, YOU CAN'T.
PEOPLE CAN COME DOWN HERE, FILL OUT A CARD RIGHT NOW AND SPEAK IN CITIZENS' COMMENTS.
THE SCHOOL BOARD IN GRAND PRIX AND OTHER MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENTS, THEY HIGHLY RESTRICT EVERYTHING.
SO THAT'S ALL I WANTED TO GET OUT THAT, UM, JERRY DEBO AND MIKE LEWIS IN 1986, JERRY DEFEATED MIKE LEWIS BY 36 VOTES.
JERRY AND I USED TO GO AFTER EACH OTHER ALL THE TIME.
NOW JERRY DEBO AND I TALK ABOUT OUR MEDICARE PLANS AND OUR MEDICARE PART D PLANS.
YEAH, SO SEE MAYOR, WE CAN TALK, TALK ABOUT THAT.
BUT ALLOWING THIS EXPRESSION OF GOVERNMENT, ESPECIALLY RIGHT NOW WHEN THE UNITED STATES SUPREME COURT SAYS YOU CAN STOP SOMEONE BASED ON THE COLOR OF THEIR SKIN AND HOW THEY SPEAK ENGLISH.
THAT'S ALL IT TAKES FOR TOM HOLMAN TO HAVE HIS BOYS.
THESE POLICE OFFICERS IN HERE DO NOT HAVE THEIR MASK, ARE NOT WEARING MASKS, BUT THEIR
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FACE COVERED UP.THAT'S A VERY THREAT TO OUR DEMOCRACY.
WHEN SOMEONE CAN JUST PULL PEOPLE OUT FOR WHATEVER REASON BECAUSE OF THE COLOR OF THEIR SKIN IN THE YEAR 2025 BY THE SUPREME COURT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, THAT'S VERY ALARMING.
THE VOTING RIGHTS CASE THAT THE SUPREME COURT IS TAKING UP IN LOUISIANA TO DISBAND LYNDON JOHNSON'S 1964 CIVIL RIGHTS LEGISLATION IS VERY FRIGHTENING.
SO TO ALLOW US A COUPLE OF MINUTES DOWN HERE, MAYOR, WE GREATLY APPRECIATE THAT.
AND LIKE MY SPEAKER, SAM RAYBURN, WE AGREE TO DISAGREE.
THAT'S WHERE RODNEY ANDERSON AND I, I SUPPORTED RODNEY AS A DEMOCRAT.
I SUPPORTED RODNEY BECAUSE HE WAS FROM GRAND PRAIRIE AND HIS OFFICE STAFF WAS VERY EFFECTIVE.
HIS OFFICE WAS VERY, VERY EFFICIENT.
SO THAT'S WHY I DON'T LIKE DEMOCRAT OR REPUBLICAN DOWN HERE.
BUT WHAT WE'RE DEALING WITH RIGHT NOW IS THE SURVIVAL OF OUR DEMOCRA.
SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH, JAMES.
I LIVE AT 69 39 WINTER WOOD LANE IN DALLAS, TEXAS.
AND THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR GIVING ME THE CHANCE TO SPEAK WITH YOU ALL TONIGHT.
I'M REPRESENTING THE TEXAS PACE AUTHORITY.
WHO'S THE TEXAS PACE AUTHORITY.
THE TEXAS PACE AUTHORITY WAS FOUNDED IN 2015 AS A NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION WITH THE GOAL OF STREAMLINING THE IMPLEMENTATION OF PACE FUNDED CLEAN ENERGY PROJECTS IN TEXAS USING THE PACE IN THE BOX MODEL.
WHAT IS PACE IN THE BOX THAT TEXAS LEGISLATURE PASSED A BILL, SENATE BILL 3 85, THE PACE ACT OF 2013, ENABLING LOCAL GOVERNMENTS TO CREATE PROPERTY ASSESSED CLEAN ENERGY DISTRICTS PACES A VOLUNTARY PROGRAM ALLOWING PROPERTY OWNERS TO MAKE ENERGY AND OR WATER RELATED IMPROVEMENTS AND PAY FOR THEM OVER A PERIOD OF UP TO 20 YEARS.
THIS PROGRAM LEVELS THE PLAYING FIELD FOR BUSINESSES WHO PREVIOUSLY HAD FINANCIAL BARRIERS TO UPGRADING THEIR BUILDINGS.
GOVERNMENT BUILDING ADMINISTRATORS CAN APPLY FOR LONG-TERM FINANCING THROUGH CCO TO SUPPORT ENERGY EFFICIENCY PROJECTS.
NOW BUILDING OWNERS CAN GET LONG-TERM FINANCING THROUGH THE TEXAS PAY IN A BOX PROGRAM.
THIS PROGRAM ALLOWS ENERGY EFFICIENCY UPGRADES TO BE PAID FOR THROUGH ENERGY SAVINGS, DEPRECIATION, AND TAX INCENTIVES.
THE GOAL IS TO HAVE A SAVINGS INVESTMENT RATIO OF ONE SO THAT THE BUSINESSES REALIZE NO OUT-OF-POCKET EXPENSES.
THIS PROGRAM IS CRITICAL TO THE RELIABILITY OF THE TEXAS ENERGY GRID.
AS ELECTRICITY DEMAND ACROSS TEXAS MARKET IS SET TO RISE TO 220 GIGAWATTS BY 2030.
UM, THIS IS ACCORDING TO ERCOT, THE RELI, UH, ELECTRIC RELIABILITY COUNCIL.
SO THE INCREASE REPRESENTS A GROWTH OF 152 GIGAWATTS COMPARED TO THE CURRENT PEAK DEMAND OF 85.5 GIGAWATTS.
WE ENCOURAGE CITIES TO ALLOW TEXAS PACE AUTHORITY TO SPEAK TO THEIR CHAMBER MEMBERS AND ENCOURAGE BUSINESSES TO REDUCE ENERGY CONSUMPTION.
UM, WE WOULD LIKE TO ADD PACE FUNDING TO THE MASTER PLAN AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT WEBSITE FOR THE CITY, IF POSSIBLE.
UM, WE'D LIKE TO SEE THE CITY SET AGGRESSIVE ENERGY REDUCTION GOALS, WHICH MAY INCLUDE THINGS LIKE SOLAR STREETLIGHTS.
YOU WON'T HAVE TO PAY AS MUCH TO ENCORE, UH, SOLAR LIGHTS AND PARKS AND WALKING TRAILS, SOLAR ON BUILDINGS AND ENERGY EFFICIENT HVAC TO CONSIDER.
ALSO, WE'D LIKE THE CITY TO CONSIDER CREATING FOUNDATIONS FOR MATCHING TPA GRANTS TO REDUCE THE LOAD ON THE TEXAS ENERGY GRID.
UH, WITH THE RISING PRICES AFTER COVID-19, IT'S OFTEN DIFFICULT TO GET PAYBACK REQUIRED TO MEET THE SIR ONE AND CITY FOUNDATIONS.
PROVIDING MATCHING GRANTS WOULD BENEFIT THE CITY, THE TEXAS, AND THE TEXAS ENERGY GRID.
IT'S GREAT FOR THE CITY'S ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
IT'S GREAT FOR LOCAL CONTRACTORS, BANKS, AND BUSINESSES.
AND IT'S GOOD FOR THE COMMUNITY OVERALL.
WHY? BECAUSE LOCAL BANKS CAN BECOME PAY LENDERS.
LOCAL CONTRACTORS CAN BECOME TRAINED AND BECOME A SERVICE PROVIDER ON THE TPA WEBSITE.
AND LOCAL BUSINESSES CAN UPGRADE THEIR EQUIPMENT AND REDUCE ENERGY CONSUMPTION AND THE ENERGY GRID WILL BE MORE RELIABLE, UH, FOR THE CITY OF GRAND PRAIRIE PRAIRIE.
AND THAT'S REALLY, I'M REALLY HERE TO BE SURE THAT YOU ALL ARE AWARE OF THE RATE OF GROWTH OF
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THE ENERGY GRID AND THAT TEXAS PACE AUTHORITY IS ANOTHER, UH, TOOL IN YOUR TOOLBOX TO HELP SUPPORT BUSINESSES TO ENERGY EFFICIENCY, UM, PROJECTS.BEFORE WE ADJOURN, WE'VE GOT SOME TOWN HALLS COMING UP.
I'LL START WITH COUNCIL MEMBER CLEMSON, YOU CAN ANNOUNCE WHEN YOURS IS.
UH, IT WILL BE NEXT WEEK, WHICH IS OCTOBER 21ST, TUESDAY NIGHT.
AND IT WILL BE RIGHT HERE IN THE, UH, COUNCIL CHAMBERS FROM SIX TO EIGHT.
WE'LL FOCUS ON DISTRICT ONE, BUT WE'LL COVER TOPICS THROUGHOUT THE CITY.
AND IF YOU WOULD LIKE MORE INFORMATION, I HAVE MY CARD TRACK THERE.
I HOPE WE'RE NOT COVERING THE ISSUE DOWN AT GRAND PENINSULA.
I HOPE WE ARE NOT COVERING THAT AS WELL.
UH, COUNCIL MEMBER LOPEZ, YOU HAVE ONE COMING UP NEXT AFTER HERS.
MY NEXT TOWN HALL WILL BE NOVEMBER 12TH ON WEDNESDAY AND IT'LL BE RIGHT NEXT DOOR TO GRAND PULA.
SO LOOKING FORWARD FOR THE CONVERSATION AND WHAT ELSE WE COULD DO TO, UM, HELP CLARIFY WHAT'S GOING ON IN OUR CITY WITH THE VARIANCES, BUT ALSO OTHER THINGS WE CONSIDER AS WELL.
SO THAT, ONCE AGAIN, THAT'S NOVEMBER 12TH, UH, RIGHT OFF OF THE, UM, LAKERIDGE 56 10 LAKERIDGE AND IT SHOULD BE OUT THERE.
LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING Y'ALL.
AND THEN COUNCIL MEMBER DO BOSKY.
DON'T YOU HAVE ONE COMING UP? I DON'T KNOW IF I DO.
IT IS DECEMBER 18TH FROM SIX TO EIGHT AT RUTHIE JACKSON CENTER.
DOES THAT COVER ALL THE ONES THAT ARE COMING UP POSTED WE'RE ADJOURNED.