First meeting on the internets! Streaming audio was Rockwall's initial foray into the world of 1's and 0's moving into your PC at the speed of light!
III. Proclamations.
3. (I missed the first one as I was a few minutes late, but our Chief of Police received an award for being the antithesis of the LAPD.)
1 & 2. Barbara Coleson and Claudette Hatfield Day was declared for two ladies who have worked hard for downtown for many years.
Executive Actions included acquiring right of way, spending money and appointing the CIP committee.
IV. Consent Agenda.
Councilman Sevier pulled items 2 & 3.
The rest approved 7-0.
2. Mowing service contract, Councilman Sevier confirmed the contract renewal did not go out for bid and cost an additional $28,000. Passed 6-1, Sevier opposed.
3. HVAC replacement contract bid acceptance - not lowest bid, but lower bids did not meet requirements.
V. Appointments.
1. P&Z Chair Herbst presented 2 items. The first was to amend the Downtown Zoning district to allow Auto Repair, Minor so that Archer's can remain downtown - after he is granted an SUP.
The second was a change to a zoning (somewhere) to change an agriculture zoned area to a PD (single family). Opposition from folks because of the density. Item was continued.
2. Annual Financial Audit. Tax revenue up a little. "We are in the eye of the economic storm." And as anyone who has lived through a hurricane will tell you, the eye is the halfway point between destruction! We did about average compared against the four cities in comparison.
Audit available here.
3. Fella from Rockwall Surgery Center wants to expand, but first has to have city approve an offsite parking arrangement with Rockwall High School. Sound complicated? No. Made complicated? Yeah. But approved 6-0. (Mayor Pro Tem Farris left at some point.)
VI. Public Hearing Items.
1. Request for a zoning change for an area at 549 and 205. Wants to make an area zoned as AG into Commercial (or General Retail). Surrounding area is residential, and there is some opposition from neighbors (including a lawsuit to prevent claimed violation of deed restrictions.)
LOTS of discussion.
In the end, council moved ahead to rezone to General Retail.
2. Zoning change or the Downtown District to allow for Auto Repair, Minor.
See previous blogs for info. I can't possibly write about it for the 10th time - especially on a Sunday evening.
Lots of support, not sure if any opposition.
Passed 6-0.
1. Items delayed the LRE water rate increase. Passed 6-0.
2. Resolution to call for public hearing regarding LRE water. Passed 6-0.
3. Ammendment to Unified Development Code to allow for congregate care facilities. Similar to assisted living facilities without medical assistance or personal care.
Talk Talk by Talk Talk
Tabled for 30 days.
Showing posts with label aquatexas. Show all posts
Showing posts with label aquatexas. Show all posts
Sunday, April 3, 2011
Sunday, March 6, 2011
Rockwall City Council 21 February
I can't seem to find my notes on this meeting, so I'll be relying solely on my memory for the content. This shouldn't affect the accuracy, or inaccuracy as I have been repeatedly accused of from sitting councilmen during multiple council sessions.
Exectuive session items:
Some money was spent, was it 3 things? Only one I remember was hiring a lobbyist to get a bill passed that has something to do with private water service providers in municipal boundaries, or something like that.
IV. Consent Agenda.
I think the anti-bum ordinances were pulled.
(1)It will be ok for Shriners and Firemen to hold up traffic and distract drivers, but not others. (1st reading)
(2)Camping in public places passed on 2nd reading.
V. Appointments.
1. P&Z Vice Chair Connie Jackson, also current candidate for city council, coincidentally gave the P&Z report for the second week in a row. Not as much verbosity or micromanaging this time.
2. Police Chief Moeller gave his racial profiling report (as mandated by state law, I think). No reports of racial profiling for the past year against police officers. Against code enforcement in Lake Rockwall Estates however....
3. Lady who wants fees waived at Harbor so she can have a fundraiser got it. ($400 rental fee plus other fees waived.)
VI. Public Hearings.
1. Guy wants a large accessory building to replace two existing. Passed.
2. Kroger wanted to add a gas station. This would have shorted the parking lot 8 spaces that would be required. City council decided that Kroger doesn't know anything about customers' needs and are more knowledgeable than Kroger about the retail business and denied the request 4-2-1. (Russo and Nielsen supported Kroger, Sweet abstained.)
3. Church needed an SUP to engage in their first amendment rights of religion and peaceable assembly. Was some discussion about adding a parking ban that hasn't been a problem for the empty lot adjacent to the building, don't know if that was removed in the final motion. Either way, the church will be able to continue practicing their natural rights - with government's permission. Passed 6-1, Scott opposed.
VII. Action Items.
1. AquaTexas (Water service provider in LRE) isn't getting the green light to raise water rates, yet.
2. City staff thought it would be a good idea to tack on a 5% fee for absolutely no good reason to citizens natural gas bills (Atmos). Council was like, "Oh, no you din't". Failed 7-0.
3. Big-ass trashcans will not be forced upon citizens. Several, if not all, council received over 100 emails opposed to the idea of giant trash cans and recycling bins as well as the reduction in services while increase the cost.
Mayor Pro Tem/ Mayoral Candidate Glen Farris was the only one who did not support the motion to keep the current, perfect trash service exactly the way it is. Basically he stated the 100 emails were not enough to sway him as the 34,900 people who didn't convey opinion one way or the other to council mattered more.
FYI, absolutely nothing prevents one citizen in Rockwall from having big-ass trashcans or big-ass recycle bins if so desires. Anyone can have big-ass cans, all you have to do is call the city and request one (or both). The difference between the failed plan and current situation is that (1) robots won't pick up your big-ass trashcans, (2) You have have to pay a couple bucks more a month, but only if you rent them from Allied. You can go to Home Depot or Lowe's and get big-ass trashcans if you want, and (3) No one is forced by the city to have big-ass trashcans.
4. Item about creating a PR position tabled.
5. Art in Public Places - on all future bonds passed, 1% of the money will go to an art project. (THIS IS HOW IT WAS EXPLAINED TO ME: If we pass a bond, 1% of the amount will go to fund an art project, but only at the site of the bond passed. The money will not be used to fund any art project or other art related projects throughout the city.) Passed 7-0.
6. City creating a citizen cheer leading citizen committee to promote passage of the c.$40,000,000 bond package election in November.
7. The new Mi Cocina restaurant needs a sign variance - passed WITHOUT any discussion.
8. Police department is buying a SWAT Rapid Deployment Vehicle - around $50,000, but it won't cost taxpayers anything as the money comes out of seized property.
9. City once again talking about somehow broadcasting meetings over the internet. I think they are going to start out doing what the county has done, basic audio streaming.
If I find my notebook, I may edit this with some snarky comments. But then again, Black Ops calling my name...
Exectuive session items:
Some money was spent, was it 3 things? Only one I remember was hiring a lobbyist to get a bill passed that has something to do with private water service providers in municipal boundaries, or something like that.
IV. Consent Agenda.
I think the anti-bum ordinances were pulled.
(1)It will be ok for Shriners and Firemen to hold up traffic and distract drivers, but not others. (1st reading)
(2)Camping in public places passed on 2nd reading.
V. Appointments.
1. P&Z Vice Chair Connie Jackson, also current candidate for city council, coincidentally gave the P&Z report for the second week in a row. Not as much verbosity or micromanaging this time.
2. Police Chief Moeller gave his racial profiling report (as mandated by state law, I think). No reports of racial profiling for the past year against police officers. Against code enforcement in Lake Rockwall Estates however....
3. Lady who wants fees waived at Harbor so she can have a fundraiser got it. ($400 rental fee plus other fees waived.)
VI. Public Hearings.
1. Guy wants a large accessory building to replace two existing. Passed.
2. Kroger wanted to add a gas station. This would have shorted the parking lot 8 spaces that would be required. City council decided that Kroger doesn't know anything about customers' needs and are more knowledgeable than Kroger about the retail business and denied the request 4-2-1. (Russo and Nielsen supported Kroger, Sweet abstained.)
3. Church needed an SUP to engage in their first amendment rights of religion and peaceable assembly. Was some discussion about adding a parking ban that hasn't been a problem for the empty lot adjacent to the building, don't know if that was removed in the final motion. Either way, the church will be able to continue practicing their natural rights - with government's permission. Passed 6-1, Scott opposed.
VII. Action Items.
1. AquaTexas (Water service provider in LRE) isn't getting the green light to raise water rates, yet.
2. City staff thought it would be a good idea to tack on a 5% fee for absolutely no good reason to citizens natural gas bills (Atmos). Council was like, "Oh, no you din't". Failed 7-0.
3. Big-ass trashcans will not be forced upon citizens. Several, if not all, council received over 100 emails opposed to the idea of giant trash cans and recycling bins as well as the reduction in services while increase the cost.
Mayor Pro Tem/ Mayoral Candidate Glen Farris was the only one who did not support the motion to keep the current, perfect trash service exactly the way it is. Basically he stated the 100 emails were not enough to sway him as the 34,900 people who didn't convey opinion one way or the other to council mattered more.
FYI, absolutely nothing prevents one citizen in Rockwall from having big-ass trashcans or big-ass recycle bins if so desires. Anyone can have big-ass cans, all you have to do is call the city and request one (or both). The difference between the failed plan and current situation is that (1) robots won't pick up your big-ass trashcans, (2) You have have to pay a couple bucks more a month, but only if you rent them from Allied. You can go to Home Depot or Lowe's and get big-ass trashcans if you want, and (3) No one is forced by the city to have big-ass trashcans.
4. Item about creating a PR position tabled.
5. Art in Public Places - on all future bonds passed, 1% of the money will go to an art project. (THIS IS HOW IT WAS EXPLAINED TO ME: If we pass a bond, 1% of the amount will go to fund an art project, but only at the site of the bond passed. The money will not be used to fund any art project or other art related projects throughout the city.) Passed 7-0.
6. City creating a citizen cheer leading citizen committee to promote passage of the c.$40,000,000 bond package election in November.
7. The new Mi Cocina restaurant needs a sign variance - passed WITHOUT any discussion.
8. Police department is buying a SWAT Rapid Deployment Vehicle - around $50,000, but it won't cost taxpayers anything as the money comes out of seized property.
9. City once again talking about somehow broadcasting meetings over the internet. I think they are going to start out doing what the county has done, basic audio streaming.
If I find my notebook, I may edit this with some snarky comments. But then again, Black Ops calling my name...
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