City Council Lite!
My first visit to the a meeting of the Planning and Zoning comission.
Consent Agenda.
3. Approved some road right of way somewhere.
4. Approved (I think) a proposal to build a hotel on the empty land between Burger King and Popeye's. I learned that Vigor Way was a private road, not a public road. The owners of the road cannot prevent people from using it, though.
Discussion Items.
5. Some guy wants to put a home on 3 lots. DIdn't show up, no discussion. Will be a public hearing in 2 weeks.
6. Lady needs an SUP to operate a Hair Salon. It has been in operation, but was only recently noticed by building inspections that it was in business. The building inspector wasn't sure whether or not everything was ok, and referred her to the P&Z Commission. "Hair Salons" are required to have 1 parking space per 250 sqft. That's the real issue, she wasn't being sneaky, just didn't know the rule, and doesn't quite meet the requirement.
Moves to public hearing I think.
7. Next guy wants to put up solar panels on his house. City has no rules or requirements for such things. "Utility Installation, Other Than Listed" is the official term used as a catch-all for things the city doesn't know what to do with. They don't know exactly what to do, just that they must do something!
Earl Milner wanted to know what if the next owner doesn't want solar panels!!!! How can they be removed without any damage to the house??? He's a real estate guy and sometimes people don't even want pools, yet some houses have pools!!! How can we prevent current owners from making the fatal mistake of installing something some non-existent future buyer may not want??? And what about noise?? How much noise do solar panels make?!?
Lynn Davis was concerned about the glare.
Michael Hunter was concerned that existing trees could grow bigger and block the sun! Are the neighbors OK with this? (The panels, not the trees. Only an appointed or elected official would worry about the tree thing.)
Phillip Herbst didn't even see the guy's roof when he drove by! (Mr Herbst seemed to be the only one who has really done any footwork and independent investigating. On this and other issues.)
Moves to public hearing.
9. The zoning of Lake Rockwall Estates. Joy.
Was it implied by staff that there are people "with plans to build" in LRE and the city must act quickly to ensure those plans are enacted? Muliti-family plans maybe? Not specified.
The process and schedule was discussed. Does appear the city has backed off a little to flat-out zoning Area 2 as Multi-family/Mixed-use/Whatever. Both sides will be zoned Single Family, but Area 2 will have a process whereby an SUP can be issued for multi-family dwellings.
There are going to be some townhall meeting "meet and greets" to give residents an opportunity to ask questions and get input from staff about the future of LRE. Commissioners don't need to attend. The city staff will brief them on the goings on of the meetings. (Maybe one or two could go). Filtered info is always better than direct.
July 23 - Town hall Meeting (City Hall, I think)
July 28 - P&Z Work Session (City Hall)
July 30 - "Meet and Greet" (LRE Community Center)
August 6 - "Meet and Greet" (LRE Community Center)
August 11 - P&Z Public Hearing (City Hall)
September 8 - City Council Public Hearing, 1st reading (City Hall)
September 11 - City Council, 2nd reading (City Hall)
Some building standards and special considerations regarding construction and fences are covered, not of it really infuriating.
Mr Milner did remind the city that LRE will always be a sanctuary for the lowest of the low incomes and that the neighborhood will never be "upscale". Shouldn't considerations for even lower standards be instituted? He also wanted to make sure that in 4-5 years, the city won't be ashamed of the neighborhood AGAIN. (Emphasis mine) He would also like to see the prevention of multiple multi-family dwellings (side-by-side). Mr LaCroix says the city has to be careful of the wordings, as it may be to exclusionary for multi-family. Mr Milner then suggested that city may be making it too hard (via the SUP) for multi-family developers to come in and build, can't the city make it easier for the builders? Not something I would expect a real estate guy to say, but there ya go.
Phillip Herbst offers the voice of reason in the sea of insanity: Why is the city introducing multi-family to an otherwise already over-crowded are? Mr LaCroix explained the city already has triplexes built, and areas zoned for similar. I think that answered Mr Herbst's question. (Mr Herbst did mention "driving through" the neighborhood. Sigh.)
And what would a discussion of Lake Rockwall Estates be complete without someone making a classist (and classless), racist comment about the citizens of Lake Rockwall Estates:
Lynn Davis: How can we get THOSE PEOPLE to take more pride in their neighborhood. I am guessing Ms Davis has "pride", but that's as far as I will speculate.
To Ms Davis: WE ARE CITIZENS OF ROCKWALL. JUST LIKE YOU. JUST LIKE ALL THE OTHER COMMSSIONERS. JUST LIKE ALL THE COUNCIL. WE ARE NOT "THOSE PEOPLE". WE GOT ENOUGH OF THAT CRAP-TALK FROM SOME PAST AND SOME CURRENT MEMBERS OF COUNCIL AND DON'T WANT THAT BLATANT, INTENTIONAL EXCLUSIONARY TALK FROM THE CITY ANYMORE.
STOP MARGINALIZING THE NEWEST CITIZENS OF THE CITY OF ROCKWALL.
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Mr. White,
ReplyDelete"Those people" indicates the citizens of Lake Rockwall Estates. Not a class, not a race, not a political entity, but the citizens of Lake Rockwall Estates. Clearly in the past the Citizens of Lake Rockwall Estates (in general but not specifically) have not take care of the area or their properties. If the LRE citizens did take care of the area we probably would not be having this discussion.Could Ms. Davis have said it differently? Sure but she is not talking down or marginlizing LRE. With the commitment the City has made to LRE I would interject it is anything but marginalizing. Some would say that so much emphasis on LRE is detracting from the other areas of the City. I understan you are hurt because you were annexed against your will but get some skin man. The City is trying to improve your living conditions not marginalize or exclude from the rest of the city. The city is trying to do something that would have never happened if LRE was never annexed. I speculate that the living conditions would have decreased substantially had the annexation failed. Look at the gift horse David............just not in the Mouth.
Glen Farris
I'm not hurt I was annexed. I didn't want it, but it happened and I have moved on. That argument is the one Matt uses and it's weak. Now that we are in the city it is time for people to stop useing terms like "Those people". She uses "those people" like the racist elderly ladies who ran the HOA out here, and the way many council have used it. "Those people" refers to the Hispanics, plain and simple. And it does marginalize the coomunity.
ReplyDeleteRE: Comments
ReplyDeleteGreat dialogue, guys. I think it’s great for the community to see that the very mentality that’s given us the gift of a centrally-planned nanny state at the federal level is alive and well at the local level, even in an ostensibly conservative area like Rockwall. Whether or not "Those People" refers specifically to Hispanics, it certainly refers to people who "aren't like us and need our direction to keep them from devolving into helpless, impoverished life forms." (See speculation at end of first comment.)
Obviously some city officials have come to the point of regulating personal values, specifically in this case to conform with Mr. Farris’ and others’ definition of “tak[ing] care of the area or their properties.” (I believe Ms. Davis’ idea last night was to regulate LRE citizens’ acts of “taking pride” in their property by offering a tax incentive for doing so to the City’s satisfaction.)
It’s no secret that it is much more convenient to direct the resources and force of a government entity to mold others’ behavior to fit your own wishes than it is to use your own personal resources to help and persuade others. It’s also notable to see all of the emotion and subjectivity that’s crept into the discussion about LRE, showing up in terms like “taking pride” in property, being “ashamed” of a community, creating a “blighted” area, and being “hurt” or “angry” about the coucil’s actions. I’m glad that you two gentlemen (and others) are keeping this discussion out in the open. Kudos to you both, and keep the discussion alive!