Central Planning and Zoning 11 August

Four new commissioners!

Plus new chairman, Michael Hunter, and vice chairman, Phillip Herbst.

Basically only two things going on this time.

Mr Hunter started the public hearing by noting that quite a few people showed up to speak, and would like them not to repeat what others say over and over and over.

So the dynamic oration begins:

Public Hearing #1 concerns Heritage Christian Academy wanting an extension on an SUP for some portables they use.

Mr Herbst started by wanting to know the long range plans of the school regarding finishing out an exiting permanent structure.

1st Item: HCA doesn't have a lot of money. Nor the power to threaten by force the public at large for educational funding.

More from Herbst:

How long can city keep issuing SUP's?
The city can't do this forever!

Kristen Minth wanted to klnow the time frame for making the portable look "nice".

Mr Buchanan would like the SUP to end when the finish out is completed.

Mr Herbst noted the neighbors were fine with the portables. Like the city cares what only the people affected by an issue care. There ARE lots of people who don't even know the portables are on the property and cannot be seen from the road or from any properties adjacent. Thanks goodness the city worries about those folks!

Connie Jackson would like to skirting on the portable to keep kids from going under the building. (I guess the assumption is the staff at HCA is kinda new at the whole "watching kids" thing and ain't smart enough to keep their students safe without city help.)

Also, she added that she knows the economy is tough, but in 3 years the city will demand to know why the school is still using portables!

Buchanan: Repeated what everyone else just said.

Minth: Repeated what everyone else said.

Didn't they listen to what Mr Hunter said at the beginning?

(All animals are created equal, but some are more equal than others - George Orwell, Animal Farm)

Summary of HCA's comments: HCA doesn't have the $600,000 to finish out the building.

Side note - Don't Rockwall PUBLIC schools use portables? I know I had several classes in portables when I went to school here.

2nd item: The Zoo! Zoning for Lake Rocwkall Estates! (I can almost taste the legitimacy of my citizenship!)

Summary of staff:

In English: "Does anyone here not speak English?"

There are stick built, manufactured, and quite a few multifamily homes in LRE.
"Many" citizens spoke against multifamily being allowed.
Subcommittee and task force recommended a mix of types of housing.
The laws of mathematics do not apply.

Then the great derailing happened:SEWER SEWER SEWER SEPTIC SEWERSEWER SEWER SEWER SEPTIC SEWERSEWER SEWER SEWER SEPTIC SEWER SEWER SEWER SEWER SEPTIC SEWER SEWER SEWER SEWER SEPTIC SEWER SEWER SEWER SEWER SEPTIC SEWERSEWER SEWER SEWER SEPTIC SEWERSEWER SEWER SEWER SEPTIC SEWER SEWER SEWER SEWER SEPTIC SEWER SEWER SEWER SEWER SEPTIC SEWER SEWER SEWER SEWER SEPTIC SEWERSEWER SEWER SEWER SEPTIC SEWERSEWER SEWER SEWER SEPTIC SEWER SEWER SEWER SEWER SEPTIC SEWER SEWER SEWER SEWER SEPTIC SEWER SEWER SEWER SEWER SEPTIC SEWERSEWER SEWER SEWER SEPTIC SEWERSEWER SEWER SEWER SEPTIC SEWER SEWER SEWER SEWER SEPTIC SEWER SEWER SEWER SEWER SEPTIC SEWER SEWER SEWER SEWER SEPTIC SEWERSEWER SEWER SEWER SEPTIC SEWERSEWER SEWER SEWER SEPTIC SEWER SEWER SEWER SEWER SEPTIC SEWER SEWER SEWER SEWER SEPTIC SEWER SEWER SEWER SEWER SEPTIC SEWERSEWER SEWER SEWER SEPTIC SEWERSEWER SEWER SEWER SEPTIC SEWER SEWER SEWER SEWER SEPTIC SEWER SEWER SEWER SEWER SEPTIC SEWER

Some guy says his house is in the flood plain, will he have to leave?

No.

The Lady of Lake: "Now that I'm iun the city I see you don't allow development in the floodplain which really screwed up my plan to make phat loot developing it after getting annexed which I supported!!! Maybe city wants a park (hint hint)?"

James Merkel pointed out that deed restrictions forbid multifamily. (City is under no obligation to honor deed restrictions.) He opposes multifamily.

All others who spoke opposed multifamily.

(There was lively debate and excellent points made by commission. As well of lots and lots of repeating what had been said.)

In the end Mr Herbst made the motion to approve the zoning change, but to omit the multifamily. (few other changes, but no anger inducing changes)

Passes 7-0. So the P&Z agrees with the citizens. No one living in LRE wants multifamily.

Now all that's left is council approval. (E.g. it ain't over.)