Tuesday, April 21, 2009

Rockwall City Council 20 April

Question: What's better than your government doing something?

Answer: Your government doing nothing.

Alas, this is a democratic republic chock full of people who don't know how to do nothing.

Mayor Cecil opened with prayer and mentioned the Rockwall County Mayors Prayer Breakfast on May 7. The past few years have shown a demographic shift in Rockwall. Lots of Yankees moving in to town bringing their Yankee ideas. Won't be long before some jerk files suit against the city and the opening "prayer" will be: "Everyone don't bow your heads: Dear earth, you wonderful giant rock, thanks for beating the odds of trillions to one and have nature and the universe mysteriously end up in such a perfect position as to support life on this planet."

It's motorcycle safety awareness month! Chief Moeller accepted a proclamation about it. Rockwall has 2 motorcycle cops that ride totally sweet ST1300's. Internet rules dictate that any mention of motorcycles results in posting of motorcycle pictures. The first is the Honda ST1300 Police Bike:



Not an actual picture of Rockwall's, but it's close and it is one good looking motorcycle. I can haz plz?

And mine. This is me in Ft Davis, Texas last year.



And this is a video I made with my bike cam.



Enough about bikes (for now).

April 17 is Rockwall's 155th birthday. Birthday? I guess no one could spell anniversary.

The city staff asserts the rock wall for which Rockwall was named is man-made, Mayor Cecil asserts it is a natural formation. No one knows for sure (except the aliens).

Mayor Cecil mentioned that Lantana will be playing at the Harbor next. I was excited to hear this as I assumed it was a Santana cover band from Atlanta, but it's not.

Consent agenda approved with no item pulled for individual voting. The rezoning in the highly contentious development off John King and 552 passed. So, I guess those who didn't live in the city who opposed this won't be voting for the incumbents next time.

P and Z chairman said some things. I can't remember really, I think I was daydreaming about that sweet ST1300 again. I love that bike.

Ray Turco presented his companies findings or the citizen survey 2008. 1541 out of 12719 households mailed responded (12.1%).

44% citizens very satisfied, 51% satisfied, 4% dissatisfied

Coincidentally, 4% is also the percentage of residents who attended city council meetings in 2008.

89% of people can find what they need to buy in Rockwall. 78% can find ample entertainment in Rockwall. 22% cannot find ample entertainment? What's ample mean? No one knows.

Retail wanted by those surveys: Barnes and Noble plus another bookstore totaled 32%. 32% is also the percentage of people who never heard of the internet.

Some restaurants and stores they would like to see: Olive Garden, Red Lobster, Jason's Deli (they have the best brown lettuce anywhere, also I like how they don't drain the water off the lettuce. Who wants thick ranch dressing anyway?), Central Market, Whole Foods, Macy's. Dillards, Pappadeaux, PF Changs, and Outback steakhouse. People sure love chain restaurants in this town.

At this time Mr Turco hit turbo boost and I couldn't keep notes for a bit.

Citizens overall happy with dealings with city personnel.

Most people get info about the city from newspapers (81% and most popular) and one of the least popular was the city council (5%). It's nearly the opposite for me. COME TO COUNCIL AND THEY WILL TALK TO YOU. Probably.

93% "think" code enforcement makes their house worth more.
89% happy with how the city maintains itself.
87% think city is better (better than what? I don't know, that's all I wrote in my notes)
20% do not like something (can't read my writing). I will call these people 20%ers though. Rockwall hating 20%ers. And they stink.

Mr Sweet wanted to know the cost and what it would compare to a phone survey. It cost $8k-$10k for this, a phone survey would have cost $12k-$15k plus they would have been bugging folks and had much a lower number participate.

People weren't able to qualify their answers, but there was a comment section which Mr Turco "doesn't take a lot of stock in".

I hope we in the Zoo get to take one this year. Unless Turco doesn't realize we are in the city as the city limit sign still hasn't moved on Horizon. If for some reason we do get included I hope there is a question about water service and street drainage.

Public hearing:

Some guy in the historic district built a "playhouse". He had no permit, he built it bigger than allowed (he had got a permit), no foundation, not out of like material of home. And he tried to build a fence without a permit. And a pergola without a permit.

He continued building after given a citation last year and now wants "forgiveness". P and Z denied and eventually, so did the city.

I am all about bending, skirting, ignoring, etc rules of all kinds. But, once you get caught, well...

He did have his law-talking guy there who had apparently done extensive preparation during his drive over to the council meeting.

Living in a historic district guarantees a watchful eye in your direction.

Final note, the construction on this building was the craziest thing I've ever seen. The "structure" was essentially sand-filled buckets stacked, with metal lathe on the inside and outside covered in stucco. Bucket Walls and Stucco is also coincidentally the name of my favorite country band.

Action Items:

1. Trees. Trees. Trees. Trees. Trees. Trees. Trees. Trees. Trees. Trees. Trees. Trees. Trees. Trees. Trees. Trees. Trees. Trees. Trees. Trees. Trees. Trees. Trees. Trees. Trees. Trees. Trees. Trees. Trees. Trees. Trees. Trees. Trees. Trees. Trees. Trees. Trees. Trees. Trees. Trees. Trees. Trees. Trees. Trees. Trees. Trees. Trees. Trees. Trees. Trees. Trees. Trees. Trees. Trees. Trees. Trees. Trees. Trees. Trees. Trees. Trees. Trees. Trees. Trees. Trees. Trees. Trees. Trees. Trees. Trees. Trees. Trees. Trees. Trees. Trees. Trees. Trees. Trees. Trees. Trees. Trees. Trees. Trees. Trees. Trees. Trees. Trees. Trees. Trees. Trees. Trees. Trees. Trees. Trees. Trees. Trees. Trees. Trees. Trees. Trees. Trees. Trees. Trees. Trees. Trees. Trees. Trees. Trees. Trees. Trees. Trees. Trees. Trees. Trees. Trees. Trees. Trees. Trees. Trees. Trees. Trees. Trees. Trees. Trees. Trees. Trees. Trees. Trees. Trees. Trees.

No action.

2. Some guy needs a variance on a sign, he got it. Glen mentioned his love of monument signs. He may have said "dreamy".

4. The city is going ahead with the original plan to widen White Road which involves removing trees. Glen is a horticulturist and/or arborist and he knows trees. And he says these trees are going to die even if the city has to kill em. Motion was made to kill the trees in the most violent manner possible and it passed. David and Mark agreed "KILL EM ALL!"

5. Fella from Lake Pointe Church needs some land rezoned in the Zoo from Ag so the church can build a home for some folks. Passes.

Homes in the Zoo with septic will be assessed about $6k to tie into the city sewer. This sounds like a lot of money, but the upside is everyone alive now will prolly be long gone before the Zoo gets water and sewer from the city anyway. Let our grandchildren's grandchildren worry about it.

6. City staff and the Rockwall Zoo Subcommittee want nothing more than to put up to 250 "multi-family" dwellings in the trailer side. Town homes, duplexes, triplexes and quadplexes. Cuz nothing encourages pride in a community like a giant rental property. Renters are the best neighbors. Always wanting to share their music with you. They want to show you their new car in the easiest way possible for you to see it, and what's easier for you than parking it in front of your house? They want you to enjoy their pets company as much as they do. And so forth.

This is only the beginning of the process, there will lots of other times for the nieghborhood to voice their concerns. Unfortunately, it will be at the 2nd reading under consent agenda before they get involved.

I'm against the city dictating what an "investor" could or should do in the area. It's his land and money. But the city should be encouraging home ownership in the Zoo.

3. City wants to get into showbiz. In order to get people to want to film in Rockwall, the city has to pay some guy to come in and find places to "shoot". This then goes into a registry at the Texas Film Commission or something and then the city makes 50 billion dollars and a credit on IMDB.

Seems harmless, but does remind me of this Simpsons episode:



Mark Russo is VERY excited about this. Very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, excited.

7. City approves budget reserves of 3.5 months or something.

8. City has to do some ID theft thingy required by state law to "protect" people from people.

1 comment:

  1. Dear Dave...(sounds like I am ordering a Wendy's sandwich or something),

    Thanks for your executive....no zooistic summary of last nights council meeting. I really have to correct one issue ( I saw you napping so it's OK to be confused...even I get confused from time to time). Lakepointe Church was actually asking for a SUP (special Use Permit) and not a zoning change. Lake Rockwall Zoostates is still zoned ag (agriculture...you know cows and alfalfa and stuff) so in order to get a house started they must apply for a SUP. The zoning discussion was the next agenda item....remember it was long and alot of discussion about dos tres and quatroplexes. The zoning process was referred back to the sub-committee so they can come back to council with some sort of a recommendation. Any way I like your motorcycle video......it makes me dream.....I was hoping for a scream or some road kill or something. I was really impressed that you don't speed in your neighborhood. Apparently you save it for your trips to an fro City Council......hey release your frustrations any way you wish.....some are just more costly than other.

    Regards and continued humor. And thanks for showing up and caring.

    Place 3

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