Dec 05, 2023 City Council on 2023-12-05 3:00 PM

COUNCILMAN HALA. GOOD AFTERNOON.

QUESTIONS FOR STAFF.

THANK YOU. A COUPLE OF THINGS.

THE REDUCED STAY FROM 96 TO 72 HOURS.

TELL ME HOW THAT WORKS.

SURE. SO CURRENTLY, WHEN AN ANIMAL IS BROUGHT INTO OUR FACILITY, WE HAVE 96 HOURS TO HOLD THAT ANIMAL.

SO A STRAY HOLD BEFORE WE CAN DISPOSITION IT, EITHER FOR ADOPTION OR TRANSFER OUT, OR CAN EVEN PERFORM ANY TYPE OF MEDICAL SERVICES TO IT.

AS FAR AS NOT NOT FOR AN INJURY, BUT LIKE SPAY OR NEUTER SERVICES.

WE HAVE INDUSTRY PRACTICES.

WE HAVE FOUND THAT MOST PEOPLE WHO ARE GOING TO RECLAIM AN ANIMAL COME WITHIN 24 HOURS.

SO WE WOULD LIKE TO REDUCE THIS DOWN TO THE INDUSTRY STANDARD OF 72 HOURS, WHICH IS WHICH ALLOWS US TO REDUCE THE STAY TIME FOR THE ANIMAL IN THE SHELTER AND THEN GET THE ANIMAL DISPOSITION OUT QUICKLY.

SO IF THEY'RE NOT, IF THEY'RE NOT RECLAIMED, WE GET THEM ADOPTED, WE GET THEM VETTED, WE GET THEM TO FOSTER CARE, WE GET THEM TRANSFERRED TO A RESCUE, ETCETERA.

TAKE A WILD GUESS.

A JOHN DOE LOSES HIS DOG.

HE ENDS UP IN THE SHELTER.

TYPICALLY. HOW HOW QUICKLY DOES JOHN DOE CHECK AT THE SHELTER AND RECOVER HIS ANIMAL? AGAIN, WE FOUND PROBABLY 24 HOURS.

IF AN ANIMAL IS NOT RECLAIMED WITHIN 24 HOURS, THEN MOST LIKELY THAT ANIMAL IS NOT GOING TO BE RECLAIMED.

INTERESTING. OKAY.

AND I DON'T HAVE A SPECIFIC NUMBER ON THAT, BUT WE COULD WE COULD PROBABLY FIND SOMETHING, BUT IT'S A SEAT OF THE PANTS TYPE THING.

OKAY, OKAY. DANGEROUS DOGS.

HOW DO YOU KNOW THAT A DANGEROUS DOG HAS BEEN BROUGHT INTO THE CITY? HOW WOULD YOU KNOW THAT? ACTUALLY, I MIGHT HAVE TO DEFER TO SHELLEY.

AS FAR AS AN ANIMAL THAT IS BROUGHT IN, IT DOES REQUIRE US TO HAVE NOTIFICATION.

AND MOST JURISDICTIONS WILL NOTIFY WHEN A DOG IS IS DEEMED DANGEROUS.

SO THEY WILL GIVE THAT NOTIFICATION TO THE OWNER.

SO IF THEY WERE TO MOVE, THEY ARE REQUIRED BY OUR ORDINANCE TO LET US KNOW.

IN A PREVIOUS LIFE I DEALT WITH THAT KIND OF STUFF AND I BUT I DON'T, I DON'T.

IT NEVER OCCURRED TO ME THAT THAT AN ANIMAL WOULD BE TRANSFERRED FROM FROM ONE GEOGRAPHIC LOCATION TO ANOTHER.

I JUST NEVER THOUGHT ABOUT THAT.

MOST ORDINANCES AND OTHER CITIES REQUIRE THAT IF THEY'RE MOVING THE ANIMAL THAT THEY NOTIFY THAT AGENCY, AND THAT AGENCY WOULD THEN CALL TO VERIFY THAT THEY WERE MOVING IT TO A LEGAL LOCATION.

IF YOU POLL THE METROPLEX, MOST OF THEM WILL SAY, NO, YOU CANNOT BRING A DANGEROUS DOG THAT'S BEEN DEEMED IN ANOTHER JURISDICTION INTO OUR JURISDICTION.

AND SO THEREFORE THEY HAVE TO FIND SOMEPLACE ELSE FOR THAT ANIMAL TO GO.

SO IS THAT PART OF THE RESTRICTION, THE THE EIGHT FOOT FENCE AND THE INSURANCE POLICY AND THE SIGN AND ALL THAT.

THAT'S PART OF THAT, THAT YOU NOTIFY THE NEW JURISDICTION? YES, SIR. SO IF THEY'RE MOVING THE ANIMAL, IF WE WERE TO DEEM A DOG DANGEROUS, IT'S ACTUALLY ALSO IN THE ORDINANCE.

IF THEY'RE GOING TO MOVE IT OUT OF THE CITY, THEY HAVE TO LET US KNOW WHAT AGENCY, WHERE IT'S GOING, THE ADDRESS, ALL OF THOSE THINGS SO WE CAN VERIFY THAT IT'S A LEGAL MOVE.

INTERESTING. OKAY.

AND LASTLY.

THE. 633.

COMMERCE IN LIVE ANIMALS PROHIBITS A RETAIL PET STORE FROM SELLING DOGS OR CATS.

THAT THAT JUST SEEMS LIKE AN IRONIC SENTENCE.

A PET STORE THAT DOESN'T SELL DOGS OR CATS.

IS THAT WHAT I'M. IS THAT WHAT I'M READING? YES, SIR. YES, SIR.

SO FOR THE HEALTH AND SAFETY OF THE COMMUNITY AND THE ANIMALS THEMSELVES, WE WOULD LIKE TO RESTRICT THAT BECAUSE MOST.

RESPONSIBLE PET STORES.

PARTNER WITH ANIMAL WELFARE AGENCIES TO PLACE ANIMALS, DOGS AND CATS THROUGH ADOPTIONS.

THE DOGS AND CATS THAT TYPICALLY ARE SOURCED THROUGH A RETAIL AGENCY, FROM EXPERIENCE, FROM OUR INDUSTRY EXPERIENCE, ARE COMING FROM PLACES THAT WE DO NOT WANT THEM TO BE SOURCED FROM.

AND END UP EITHER BEING SICK OR.

NOT GREAT COMMUNITY MEMBERS.

WOULD YOU FORGIVE ME IF I USE THE TERM PUPPY MILL?

[00:25:04]

THAT'S MY TERM, NOT YOURS.

SURE. IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE TRYING TO AVOID? YES, SIR. OKAY. OKAY.

SO. SO DOGS AND CATS COME FROM, WE WOULD HOPE, PROFESSIONAL BREEDERS OR.

OR AT LEAST. VERY AMATEUR BREEDERS.

OKAY, OKAY. THANK YOU.

THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. THANK YOU.

ANYONE ELSE? COUNCILMAN MCGEE, THEN MAYOR PRO TEM.

THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. SHELLY, BASED OFF OF YOUR PREVIOUS COMMENTS JUST A MINUTE AGO, YOU REQUIRE FOLKS TO NOTIFY YOU WHERE FOLKS ARE GOING TO BE MOVING THEIR ANIMALS IF THEY'RE MADE TO TAKE AN ANIMAL OUTSIDE THE CITY.

IS THAT CORRECT? ONLY IF IT'S BEEN DEEMED A DANGEROUS DOG.

IS THERE SOME TYPE OF PENALTY ASSOCIATED WHEN FOLKS DON'T DO THAT $500 FINE.

CLASS C IT'S A CLASS C MISDEMEANOR.

ARE YOU FINDING THAT IT'S IT'S HARD TO ENFORCE.

I'M NOT GOING TO OKAY. NOT GOING TO LIE.

IT'S HARD TO ENFORCE BECAUSE PEOPLE LIE TO US.

IT'S TATTOOED ON OUR FOREHEAD I THINK SO.

INTERESTING. OKAY.

THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. THANK YOU.

SHELLY. MAYOR PRO TEM.

THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. SO A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS I APPRECIATE THAT WITH WITH THE NUISANCE DOGS, THEY'RE THEY'RE GENERALLY DIRECTLY UNDER THE CARE OF AN INDIVIDUAL OWNER.

BUT WE HAVE A SITUATION THAT WE HAVE WITH CATS WHERE WE WE TNR, WE TRAP, NEUTER AND RELEASE SO CALLED TNR OR BARN CAT THEM. AND IN THOSE CIRCUMSTANCES, I HAD A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS.

SO. YOU COULD RUN INTO A CIRCUMSTANCE WHERE YOU HAD ONE PERSON IN A COMMUNITY CONSTANTLY TAKE THEM BACK TO THE SHELTER, EVEN THOUGH THE SHELTER KNEW THAT THIS WAS A CAT, A SO-CALLED FERAL CAT, COLONY CAT OR WHATEVER.

HOW WHAT ARE OUR MECHANISMS TO OFFSET THAT SORT OF WEAPONIZATION OF THE PROCESS? YOU KNOW, THIS IS FULLY IN PROCESS.

THESE CATS ARE UNDERSTOOD, THEY'RE BEING CONTROLLED, THEY'RE NEUTERED.

BUT HOW DO WE CONTROL THE WEAPONIZATION OF THAT PROCESS? HOPEFULLY THROUGH EDUCATION IS A IS A PIECE OF THAT.

THE OTHER PART OF THAT IS THEY WILL BE MICROCHIPPED IF THEY'RE UNDER THE CARE OF A CARETAKER, THAT MICROCHIP WILL BE REGISTERED TO THAT CARETAKER, AND THEY CAN COME RECLAIM THAT CAT AS MANY TIMES AS THEY WANT BECAUSE THEY ARE THE REGISTERED OWNER OF THAT CAT.

SO I HAPPEN TO HAVE A TNR, FULL DISCLOSURE.

CORRECT. IF I IF MY CAT WAS PICKED UP AND TAKEN TO THE SHELTER, YOU WOULD INFORM ME.

YES, SIR. I WOULD TAKE IT BACK AND RELEASE IT BACK IN MY YARD AGAIN.

YES, SIR. AND THAT, WOULD THAT COUNT AS AGAINST ITS THREE STRIKES IMPOUNDMENT OR TWO STRIKES IMPOUNDMENT? THE THREE IS TYPICALLY GOING TO BE FOR DOGS ONLY.

AND IT'S IT'S NOT AN ORDINANCE THAT WE WANT TO HAVE TO USE, BUT TO HELP PROTECT THE ANIMALS AND THE COMMUNITY.

IF WE'VE GOT SOMEBODY WHO'S NOT DOING ANYTHING TO FIX THE PROBLEM, THEY'RE JUST LETTING THEIR OPEN THE DOOR, LETTING THEIR DOGS OUT ROUTINELY, THEN WE CAN MITIGATE IT THROUGH THAT ORDINANCE. OKAY.

SO SO THAT'S THAT'S THAT ANSWERS A LOT OF QUESTIONS.

THEN HELP ME UNDERSTAND.

JUMPING OFF OF THAT.

WE HAD A TWO IMPOUNDMENT STRIKE LIMIT FOR FOR FERALS VERSUS A THREE FOR ALL OTHER ANIMALS AND AND CATS THAT WERE NOT ONCE FERAL.

WHY ARE WE LESS ON THE FERALS? THE REASONING FOR THAT IS TYPICALLY IF SOMEBODY IS TRAPPING CATS TO GET THEM GONE, THEY DON'T WANT THEM BACK FOR TNR.

WE'VE EDUCATED THEM ON TNR, LET THEM KNOW THAT THE CAT'S EARS TIPPED, AND THAT MEANS IT'S ALREADY BEEN FIXED AND IT'S SAFE.

THEY'RE TRAPPING IT BECAUSE IT'S A NUISANCE.

AND IF YOU MAY GET FRUSTRATED CITIZENS, THEY'VE TRAPPED IT NOW TWO TIMES.

THEY TRAPPED A THIRD TIME, THEY'RE LIKELY TO DO BAD THINGS TO THAT ANIMAL.

ANIMAL SERVICE ISN'T DOING ANYTHING.

THEY'RE NOT. YOU KNOW, THEY KEEP BRINGING THE CAT BACK.

I'M JUST GOING TO TAKE CARE OF THIS PROBLEM MYSELF.

IT'S FOR ANIMAL SAFETY.

WE DON'T WANT ANYBODY CAUSING HARM TO THE FERAL CATS BECAUSE THEY'RE FRUSTRATED.

AND. AND THE LANGUAGE THAT WAS PROPOSED IN THERE RIGHT NOW IS, WAS EITHER RELOCATION OR EUTHANASIA.

I THINK WE WERE LOOKING AT THAT AGAIN AND WE HAD A COMMENT COME IN FROM THE PUBLIC.

AND SO WE WOULD LIKE TO CHANGE THAT LANGUAGE TO DISPOSITION RATHER THAN EUTHANASIA, BECAUSE WE ALSO HAVE A BARN CAT PROGRAM.

SO IF WE NEEDED TO RELOCATE THAT OR PUT THAT ANIMAL INTO OUR BARN CAT PROGRAM AGAIN, EUTHANASIA IS OUR LAST RESORT IN MOST CASES.

SO SO WE WE RECOGNIZE THAT THAT LANGUAGE PROBABLY NEEDS TO BE UPDATED.

AND THAT'LL BE PART OF THE UPDATES WHEN WE BRING IT BACK FOR COUNCIL FOR FINAL ADOPTION.

I APPRECIATE THAT BECAUSE THAT WAS MY CONCERN IS IF YOU IF MY IF MY BARN CAT IS IS CONSTANTLY GETTING TAKEN BACK TO THE SHELTER, I DIDN'T OR EVEN, LET'S SAY I MOVE AND I CAN'T FIND MY BARN CAT HERE IN A FEW YEARS.

THAT BARN CAT IS ALREADY PART OF THE PROCESS.

IT'S IN. IT'S IN OUR WORKFLOW.

IT'S NOT OUT.

IT'S NOT A TRULY FERAL CAT ANYMORE.

[00:30:02]

SO THE I, THE I GUESS MY FOLLOW UP QUESTION IS WE'RE GOING TO REVISIT THAT AND YOU'RE GOING TO BRING BACK NEW RECOMMENDATIONS.

BUT RELOCATION DOESN'T REALLY WORK WITH FERALS.

THEY HAVE A TERRITORY.

SO I DEFINITELY THINK WE NEED TO EXPLORE THAT A LITTLE HARDER BECAUSE OTHERWISE YOU'RE GOING TO YOU'RE GOING TO FORCE US TO EUTHANIZE CATS THAT NOBODY WANTS TO EUTHANIZE. IT WAS THE WRONG CHOICE OF WORDS.

IT WAS RELOCATION AS FAR AS LIKE PLACING INTO A BARN CAT PROGRAM OR A WORKING CAT PROGRAM.

AND THERE ARE SPECIFIC METHODS THAT YOU USE TO DO THAT.

YOU KEEP THE CAT CONTAINED FOR A CERTAIN PERIOD OF TIME TO GET THEM USED TO THIS ENVIRONMENT, THE NEW ENVIRONMENT, THERE IS A PROCESS FOR IT.

ALL RIGHT. AND I HAVE ONE LAST QUESTION, MR. MAYOR. ON, ON THE ON THE ON THE SMALL FURRIES.

WE THOSE ARE SOLD.

IT'S THE SAME COURSE PROBLEM THAT WE HAVE WITH THE CATS AND DOGS.

WHY WERE THE SMALL FURRY FURRIES NOT INCLUDED? AND DO YOU HAVE AND AS A FOLLOW UP TO THAT, DO YOU HAVE A FEEL FOR HOW MANY PET STORE SMALL FURRIES END UP IN THE SHELTER? WHAT PERCENTAGE KIND OF THING WE DON'T.

IF THAT WAS SOMETHING THAT COUNCIL WANTED US TO ADDRESS IN THE ORDINANCE, WE CERTAINLY COULD TAKE THAT RECOMMENDATION BACK.

I WOULD AT LEAST LIKE TO KNOW THE STATISTICS, BECAUSE ONE OF THE REASONS THIS IS THIS THE INDUSTRY STANDARDS FOR CATS AND DOGS ACROSS THE ENTIRE COUNTRY IS BECAUSE SOMETHING LIKE, I WAS READING SOMETHING LIKE 4 OR 5 OUT OF SIX CATS OR DOGS ENDS UP IN THEIR LOCAL SHELTER FROM PET STORES.

IF THE NUMBER WAS THAT HIGH FOR THE SMALL FURRIES, I'D REALLY LIKE TO KNOW, BECAUSE THEN I WOULD BE INCLINED TO MAKE THAT SAME RECOMMENDATION FOR THE SMALL FURRIES.

I RECOGNIZE THAT YOU ALL SAID THAT THE PERMIT WAS GOING TO GO FROM THE.

OKAY. COUNCILMAN BURT.

WAS IT THE DIRECTOR OR SOMEBODY LIKE THAT? TO THE COMMITTEE.

SO IS THIS GOING TO SLOW DOWN THE PROCESS? DOES THE COMMITTEE MEET? HOW OFTEN DO THEY MEET? ONCE A MONTH.

SO THAT ACTUALLY WAS JUST UPDATED AT THE LAST MEETING.

THEY PREVIOUSLY MET QUARTERLY.

PER OUR ORDINANCE AND PER STATE LAW, THEY HAVE TO MEET AT LEAST THREE TIMES A YEAR.

BUT FOR 2024, THEY WILL BE MEETING EVERY OTHER MONTH.

AND WE COULD HAVE A SPECIAL CALLED MEETING IF WE NEEDED TO TO ADDRESS ANY APPLICANTS THAT WE CAME THAT CAME IN.

OKAY. SO WITH THAT BEING SAID, IT SOUNDS LIKE THERE'S NOT JUST AN OVERWHELMING NUMBER OF OF APPLICANTS.

THEY CAN KIND OF STACK UP BEFORE YOU ALL MEET.

THAT'S THAT'S WHAT YOU DO.

ALSO, THE ISSUE OF THE TRANSIENT PEOPLE.

THAT HAVE ANIMALS AND SOMETIMES THEY END UP IN THE SHELTER.

ARE THOSE PEOPLE GOING TO BE REQUIRED AS PART OF THIS PROCESS TO HAVE THEIR THEIR ANIMALS, THEIR DOGS, MOSTLY CHIPPED? SO WHEN THEY BEFORE THEY COME INTO THE SHELTER, IT WOULD BE A REQUIREMENT ON INTAKE THAT WE WOULD SHIP ANIMALS.

OKAY. SO THEN AGAIN WE GO BACK TO THE TRANSIENT FOLKS THAT ARE JUST KIND OF COMING THROUGH AND THEY HAVE THEIR ANIMALS, YOU KNOW, LAYOVER OVERNIGHT A FEW DAYS OR WEEKS OR WHATEVER. WELL, WILL THE CITY CONNECT WITH THOSE FOLKS TO SEE IF THOSE ANIMALS ARE CHIPPED OR WILL WE WILL THERE BE AN EXCEPTION FOR THOSE KINDS OF PEOPLE? IS THAT SOMETHING WE'LL HAVE TO COME BACK ON? I MEAN, JUST, YOU KNOW, ADD IT TO THE CONVERSATION.

I THINK, YOU KNOW, THIS IS THEIR INITIAL SHARE WITH YOU.

THERE ARE SOME OTHER THINGS FROM HEARING FROM YOU ALL, SOME COMMENTS THAT THEY'RE NEED TO TAKE SOME NOTES ON AND THEN COME BACK WITH SOME SUGGESTIONS.

BEST PRACTICES.

THE ONE THING WE HAVE TO DO AND NEED TO DO IS GET SOME MORE FEEDBACK FROM ANIMAL RIGHTS GROUPS, OTHER INDIVIDUALS, SO THEY CAN BE A PART OF THIS DISCUSSION.

SO WE CAN MAKE SURE WE'RE GIVING YOU ALL THE BEST INFORMATION FROM ACROSS THE COUNTRY.

AND SO I THINK THERE'S A LITTLE MORE WORK TO DO FROM THAT SIDE.

OKAY, OKAY.

SO I WAS JUST THINKING ABOUT HOW CLOSE THEY ARE TO THEIR, YOU KNOW, SUPPORT SYSTEM THERE.

AND I THINK THAT'S ALL THAT I HAD.

YEAH. YES, YES.

YEAH. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THIS IS LONG OVERDUE, AND I APPRECIATE THE COMMITTEE'S WORK TO COME UP WITH IT.

COUNCILMEMBER MELTZER.

MY UNINFORMED PERCEPTION IS THAT THE ISSUE WITH PUPPY MILLS AND KITTEN MILLS, I HAVE TO SAY, SMALL, REALLY SMALL FIRMS WERE NOT ON MY RADAR.

BUT I HAVE THE IMPRESSION THAT BUNNY MILLS ARE A PARALLEL KIND OF OPERATION WITH THE SAME KINDS OF PROBLEMS. I JUST TEE THAT UP, REACT OR NOT.

[00:35:02]

BUT AS A MAYBE A QUESTION AS YOU TAKE PUBLIC COMMENT AND INVESTIGATE FURTHER TO SEE WHETHER THERE'S ATTENTION NEEDED ON THE RETAIL SALE OF BUNNIES.

OKAY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

ALL RIGHT. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? COUNCILMAN. HOLLAND. THANK YOU.

I HAVE A DOG THAT HAS BEEN CHIPPED.

I DON'T HAVE ANY IDEA WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE.

WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE? IF IF YOU WERE TO.

THERE'S A READER, I PRESUME THAT THAT YOU HOLD BETWEEN MY DOG'S SHOULDER BLADES AND AND WHAT ARE YOU WHEN YOU FIND WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING FOR, WHAT DOES IT SAY? IT HAS IDENTIFYING INFORMATION FOR THE THE PET OWNER AND THEN ALSO STATISTICS ON THE ON THE PET.

THE MICROCHIP READER PICKS UP A NUMBER.

AND THEN WE PLUG THAT INTO THE DATABASE OR CALL THE MICROCHIP COMPANY AND WE OBTAIN OWNER INFORMATION, PET INFORMATION, IF IT'S ALTERED OR NOT, ADDRESS CONTACT INFORMATION WHERE THE CHIP WAS IMPLANTED WHEN THE CHIP WAS IMPLANTED.

IT GIVES US A WEALTH OF INFORMATION AND IT'S A TAG THAT WON'T FALL OFF.

INTERESTING. OKAY. OKAY.

THANK YOU SIR. OKAY.

COUNCIL MEMBER.

BYRD. GOING BACK TO THE THE STORES THAT SELL THE PET STORES THAT MAY SELL ANIMALS.

I MEAN, I'M SORRY, DOGS AND CATS.

NOW, WE'RE NOT NECESSARILY PROHIBITING THE STORE FROM SELLING THEM.

WE'RE PROHIBITING THEM FROM SELLING SELLING THEM FROM UNREPUTABLE SOURCES.

IS THAT WHAT I HEARD? NO.

THE ORDINANCE PROHIBIT THE SALE OF PERIOD.

YES, MA'AM. OKAY.

OKAY. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? I WOULD JUST SAY.

I HEARD FROM ONE OF THE QUESTIONS I JUST MADE OR CAPTURED THE QUOTE.

TYPICALLY FOR DOGS THAT WE WERE TALKING ABOUT.

I THINK THAT WAS MAYOR PRO MS QUESTION, BUT THE ANSWER WAS TYPICALLY FOR DOGS.

I WOULD JUST SAY IN YOUR EVALUATION IN THE COMMITTEE'S WORK, IF THEY COULD ELIMINATE.

AS MANY OF THOSE THINGS AS POSSIBLE WERE.

YOU HAVE TO EXPOUND UPON IT, RIGHT? LIKE SO. IF IT'S JUST FOR DOGS, SAY JUST FOR DOGS, IF IT'S BOTH, THEN IT NEEDS TO BE BOTH, BUT NOT A INTERPRETATION, BECAUSE THEN YOU HAVE SOMEONE THAT SAYS BY THE LETTER OF IT, IT SAYS THIS.

AND THEN OUR PRACTICE IS DIFFERENT THAN THE LETTER.

I WOULD JUST HAVE OUR PRACTICE SYNC UP, WHATEVER THAT IS.

AS INCONSISTENT AS THAT IS, IT'S BETTER TO HAVE IT DOCUMENTED AS WE'RE GOING TO.

WE SEE OURSELVES ENFORCING IT AND NOT KIND OF, HEY, WE'RE GOING TO SAY THIS AND DO THAT.

AND TO THAT END, I AM GOING TO, AS CHAIR, TAKE DISCRETION AND TAKE US INTO CLOSED BECAUSE I HAVE QUESTIONS FOR FOR LEGAL.

SO AT SO LET ME SEE.

WELL YEAH.

I'M NOT FORECLOSING I'M JUST I'M JUST YEAH.

EVERYONE'S TALKED A COUPLE OF TIMES AND SO I'M GOING TO DO THIS REAL QUICK.

SO. LET ME GET THERE NOW THE COUNCIL WILL NOW AT 5:46 P.M.

[1. Closed Meeting:]

CONVENE IN CLOSED MEETING TO DELIBERATE THE CLOSED MEETING ITEMS SET FORTH ON THE AGENDA, WHICH INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING ID 232273 DELIBERATIONS REGARDING CODE OF ORDINANCES.

CHAPTER SIX ANIMALS ORDER TEXAS UNDER TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE, SECTION 551.071 CONSULTATION WITH CITY ATTORNEY.

SO IF WE CAN SET THE ROOM.

OKAY. CITY COUNCIL IS NOW AT 418.

RECONVENED FROM CLOSED SESSION AND THE CITY COUNCIL WILL DID NOT TAKE ANY OFFICIAL ACTION.

NO OFFICIAL ACTION WAS TAKEN.

SO WE'RE BACK IN OPEN.

SO THE POSTING IS DISCUSSION AND GIVE STAFF DIRECTION AND DIRECTION ON POTENTIAL AMENDMENTS ETCETERA.

SO I'LL, I'LL OPEN THE FLOOR BACK UP TO THOSE THAT WANT TO AVAIL THEMSELVES OF THAT OPPORTUNITY.

SO ANY ANY OTHER DISCUSSION DIRECTION FOR FOR COUNCIL FOR STAFF.

MAYOR PRO TEM. WERE WE PROVIDING DIRECTION OR NOT PROVIDING DIRECTION? I'M CONFUSED. YOU CAN GIVE DIRECTION.

IT SAYS DIRECTION, BUT IT DIDN'T SEEM LIKE DIRECTION WAS BEING ASKED FOR.

BASICALLY, IT'S GIVING US DIRECTION ON HOW YOU FEEL ABOUT THE RED LINE AND THINGS.

AND THEN OBVIOUSLY WE'RE GOING TO GO THROUGH SOME PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT.

WE'RE GOING TO DO SOME MORE ANALYSIS OF WHAT OTHER CITIES ARE DOING, AND THEN WE'LL COME BACK.

BUT THIS IS A CHANCE FOR YOU TO GIVE US YOUR FEEDBACK.

[00:40:04]

THEN, THEN IN ADDITION TO THE FEEDBACK THAT I GAVE ALREADY, MY DIRECTION IS TO PROCEED WITH THAT PROCESS WITH THE CHAPTER SIX AS AS WE'VE BEEN PRESENTED, GET FEEDBACK AND GO THROUGH THE PROCESS.

OKAY. ANYONE ELSE? COUNCILWOMAN BYRD. I'LL ALSO AGREE TO THAT.

WE NEED TO JUST CONTINUE TO MOVE FORWARD.

GOT IT. OH, AND I'LL SAY I WOULD ASK THAT CHAPTER 633 BE THAT BULLET BE AMENDED BECAUSE OF THE LEGAL CONCERNS AND STATE LAW CONCERNS.

UNTIL THAT'S CURED.

I WOULD SAY THE ONE BULLET BE REMOVED SO THAT THE PUBLIC IS NOT MISGUIDED ON OPTIONS.

AND LET ME, FOR PURPOSES OF CLARITY.

THE THIRD BULLET PROHIBITS, AND I QUOTE, PROHIBITS A RETAIL PET STORE FROM SELLING DOGS OR CATS.

I WOULD ASK THAT THAT NOT BE CARRIED ON TO FOR PUBLIC HEARINGS AND DISCUSSION BECAUSE OF THE LEGAL IMPLICATIONS, UNTIL WE GET FURTHER INFORMATION OR CLARITY.

COUNCILMAN HOLLAND. I WOULD CONCUR WITH THAT, WITH THAT, WITH THAT AMENDMENT.

UM. ANYWAY, YOU ALREADY GAVE DIRECTIONS.

COUNCIL MEMBER MELTZER.

YEAH, TO THE POINT JUST RAISED.

I WOULD ENCOURAGE US TO, THROUGH THE APPROPRIATE CHANNELS, MAKE THE DESIRES OF THE CITY KNOWN AT THE RIGHT TIME TO OUR LEGISLATIVE DELEGATION.

ABSOLUTELY. COUNCILMAN MCGEE.

THANK YOU. MAYOR. I WOULD SAY PROCEED WITH THE CHANGES AS FIRST PERMITTED.

PRESENTED BY STAFF, WITHOUT WITHOUT ANY AMENDMENTS TO THE SUGGESTIONS.

THANK YOU. MAYOR. OKAY.

WHERE IS THERE? MAYOR PRO TEM, YOU'VE ALREADY GIVEN DIRECTION.

I DID, I JUST WANTED TO PROVIDE A LITTLE CLARITY THAT I WAS NOT FOR CHANGES AS WELL.

OKAY. ANYONE ELSE? OKAY. WELL, THERE'S.

THREE. YEAH.

WELL NO, I THINK I DON'T, I DON'T KNOW, YOU CAN WATCH IT AGAIN.

I'M NOT GOING TO. OKAY.

I JUST NEED TO MAKE SURE.

BECAUSE IF THE STAFF ARE GOING OUT AND DOING PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT, I DO NOT WANT I WANT YOU TO CONSIDER THIS VERY.

I DON'T WANT US TO BE TALKING ABOUT SOMETHING THAT WE ARE PUTTING ON A PRESENTATION THAT COUNCIL IS NOT SUPPORTING HERE.

AND SO IF WE'RE GOING TO IF THE COUNCIL IS AGREEMENT THAT WE'RE GOING TO PUT LEAVE IT UNTOUCHED, WHICH MEANS SUGGESTED BY THE ADVISORY BOARD, THAT MEANS GOING AGAINST 21, 27, AT LEAST AT THIS TIME.

AND WE'D BE TALKING ABOUT IT OUT IN PUBLIC ABOUT THE SUGGESTION, NOT ABOUT THE LAW, BUT ABOUT HERE'S WHAT WAS SUGGESTED.

SO PEOPLE ARE GOING TO BE COMMENTING ON THAT.

YEAH. COUNCILMAN.

BYRD. OKAY.

YOU KNOW WHAT I'M THINKING? WE MIGHT NEED TO LEAVE THAT OFF.

I'M IN AGREEMENT WITH THE MAYOR.

IT'S JUST IN A HIGH LEVEL OF CONSTERNATION, CONSIDERATION, CALIBRATION.

YOU KNOW, THERE'S NOT GOING TO BRING US ANY KIND OF RELAXATION TO THIS SITUATION.

THAT IS A VERY HIGH, HIGH PROCESS.

I'M GOING TO BE A RAPPER, YOU KNOW, SO I THINK THERE'S JUST GOING TO BE JUST A HIGH LEVEL OF CONSTERNATION BEHIND THAT RIGHT NOW.

AND I'VE HEARD THE WORD KICK.

YOU KNOW, KICK THE ROAD DOWN THE SLOW ROLL.

AND, YOU KNOW, WE'RE JUST KIND OF TALKING ABOUT A FEW THINGS HERE, BUT WE STILL NEED TO TALK ABOUT IT.

BUT LET'S, LET'S SEE WHAT THE STATE IS GOING TO GIVE US IN THAT REGARD.

MAYBE SOMETHING ELSE WILL COME THROUGH BEFORE WE CAN JUST.

BE COMFORTABLE WITH IT.

I'M NOT COMFORTABLE WITH IT RIGHT NOW.

ANYONE ELSE? COUNCIL MEMBER.

MCGEE. ARE YOU ALLOWING US TO STILL MAKE COMEDY EVEN AFTER DEPRESSION? PARDON ME. YES. YES, SIR.

WE RAN FOR CITY COUNCIL TO DO HARD THINGS.

WE DON'T GET TO SIT HERE AND MAKE EASY DECISIONS.

[00:45:01]

WE DON'T GET TO SIT HERE AND RUN FROM FIGHTS.

SOMETIMES WE HAVE TO TAKE A STAND FOR SOMETHING.

AND IN THIS CASE, TIME GIVES US THE OPPORTUNITY TO TAKE A STAND FOR SOMETHING.

I JUST GET BLEAK. I JUST GET DISAPPOINTED SOMETIMES THAT WE RUN FROM THE FIGHT.

IF. THIS FIGHT WERE ABOUT AN ISSUE THAT ANY ONE OF US IN PARTICULAR CARE.

ABSOLUTELY. WE WOULD ABSOLUTELY BE STANDING HERE FOR THIS.

THE COMMUNITY CARES ABOUT THIS.

WE OWE IT TO THE COMMUNITY TO STAND UP AND TRY.

WE ALSO OWE IT TO THE COMMUNITY TO BE A GOOD STEWARD OF TAX DOLLARS.

WE CAN DO BOTH.

I'M JUST GOING TO URGE US TO MAKE SURE THAT WE THREAD THAT NEEDLE.

STAND UP FOR THE COMMUNITY AND BECOME A GOOD STEWARD OF TAX DOLLARS AND SUPPORT THIS AS STAFF FIRST PRESENTED IT TO US.

WE CAN DO BOTH.

IT TAKES A LITTLE COURAGE. SOMETIMES IT'S HARD TO DO.

IT'S HARD TO DO THE RIGHT THING.

I WOULD JUST I'D SAY TO THE TO THE SPEAKER, YOU KNOW.

ONE. WE ARE IN A CITY.

AND I'LL EVALUATE EVERYONE'S FUTURE TWO MINUTE PITCHES ON THIS.

BECAUSE WE'RE IN A WE'RE PASSIONATE ABOUT.

LOTS OF THINGS.

LOTS OF GREAT STATEMENTS.

LOTS OF GREAT ACTIONS.

BUT WHAT I HADN'T SEEN IS THAT SAME PASSION ABOUT AN ISSUE I'VE RAISED A NUMBER OF TIMES.

ON THE BOOKS RIGHT NOW.

I.O.O.F. CEMETERY.

READS. THE DEED READS.

YOU CANNOT BURY BLACK OR IF IT MAKES YOU FEEL BETTER, AFRICAN AMERICAN HUMANS.

ON A SUNNY ON A IN A CITY CEMETERY.

AND NO ONE'S TAPPED ON THE TABLE.

NO ONE'S RALLIED AROUND THAT.

NO ONE SAID, HEY, WE GOT TO FIND A SOLUTION TO THAT.

CITY OWNED CEMETERY 2023.

IN THE DEED CANNOT BURY BLACK HUMANS.

SO IF I APPLAUD YOUR PASSION.

AND I ENCOURAGE YOU TO TAKE THOSE SAME ACTIONS AND THE DEADLINE TO FILE TO RUN FOR SENATE DISTRICT 30, WHICH WOULD GIVE YOU AN OPPORTUNITY TO DISCUSS THIS FIRSTHAND IN 2025.

IS DECEMBER 11TH.

BUT WE SIT HERE AT THE CITY COUNCIL.

WHICH IS THE LOWEST LEVEL OF ELECTED OFFICE YOU CAN POSSIBLY OBTAIN.

WE ARE A SKOSH ABOVE PTA.

WE HAVE PTA THAT'S ELECTED.

THEN YOU HAVE CITY COUNCIL THAT'S ELECTED.

THEN YOU HAVE SCHOOL BOARD.

THAT'S OVER MULTIPLE JURISDICTIONS.

SO I UNDERSTAND THE POWER THAT YOU WANT TO WIELD.

AND I UNDERSTAND YOUR DESIRE TO AFFECT CHANGE AT THE STATE LEVEL.

AND YOU HAVE SIX DAYS TO FILE TO RUN FOR THAT, TO ADVOCATE FOR THAT.

BUT HERE AT THE CITY COUNCIL LEVEL, I'M A FIX.

POTHOLES. I'M A MAKE SURE THE POLICE MAKE SURE EVERYONE'S SAFE.

I'M GOING TO MAKE SURE WE DO WHAT EVERYTHING IN OUR EVERYTHING IN OUR PURVIEW TO SERVE OUR COMMUNITY WELL.

BUT I'M NOT GOING TO CONTINUE TO SPEND $3 MILLION A YEAR ON LEGAL FEES.

JUST NOT GOING TO DO IT. THAT'S $0.02.

BACK TO EVERY HOUSEHOLD IN THE CITY OF DENTON SPENT ON LEGAL FEES.

COUNCILMAN MELTZER.

I. I WANT THIS.

WE'RE GOING TO PUBLIC INPUT NEXT.

I DO WANT THIS DISCUSSED, AND I WANT TO KNOW IF IN FACT WE ARE SPEAKING FOR WHAT THE COMMUNITY WANTS.

WE THINK WE ARE, AND I'M INCLINED TO AGREE.

WHAT IS THE CORRECT PATH? ONCE YOU HAVE THAT CONFIRMATION, I WOULD BE ALL FOR PURSUING THE PATH THAT GETS US TO THE RESULT, WHICH IN MY MIND WOULD BE MAKING SURE.

LIKE HAVING THEM HERE IN PERSON WOULD BE IDEAL THAT OUR LEGISLATIVE DELEGATION UNDERSTANDS EXACTLY HOW THE POPULATION OF THE CITY OF DENTON FEELS ABOUT THE ISSUE. THEN THAT'S WHERE IT CAN BE CONTROLLED.

THAT'S WHERE IT CAN BE AFFECTED.

AND THERE SHOULD BE NO UNCERTAIN TERMS THAT, YOU KNOW, JUST LIKE WE'RE SUPPOSED TO REPRESENT PEOPLE.

SO ARE THEY.

SO SO THAT'S WHAT I FAVOR.

I ALSO WOULD LIKE TO KIND OF REVIVE THE COMMENT THAT WAS RAISED EARLIER.

THERE ARE MANY CATEGORIES OF ANIMALS THAT I DON'T KNOW YET, BUT MAY BE PART OF THE SAME MILL SYNDROME OF MISTREATMENT RESULTING IN RETAIL SALES THAT HAVE THAT DON'T HAVE ANY LEGAL MURKINESS AROUND THEM.

[00:50:09]

AND IF WE CAN ACT ON THOSE, I THINK WE SHOULD FIND I THINK WE SHOULD FIND OUT WHAT THE FACTS ARE AS WE THINK.

AND AND THEN IF WE CAN ACT ON THOSE, WE SHOULD.

THERE'S NOTHING PREVENTING US FROM DOING THAT.

AND ONE LAST POINT.

I DON'T THINK YOU GET A WHOLE LOT OF POINTS FROM THE PUBLIC FOR TAKING A STAND AND THEN BACKING AWAY LATER.

I JUST DON'T I DON'T THINK THAT I.

IS AS AWESOME AS YOU THINK, I JUST DON'T.

ANYONE ELSE? MAYOR PRO TEM. THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. I THINK I APPRECIATE THE COMMENTS ABOUT FISCAL STEWARDSHIP, AND I REMIND US THAT IT COSTS US TIME, STAFF MONEY, SALARIES, VACCINATIONS, VETERINARY LEGAL BILLS TO INTAKE. ANIMALS, AND IT'S WORSE WHEN THEY'RE INBRED AND SICK AND AND IT'S EVEN WORSE WHEN THEY'RE PARTICULARLY SOURCED FROM OUT OF STATE LOCATIONS.

SO TEXANS ARE PAYING FOR IT.

DENTON IS PAYING FOR IT.

IT IS THE FISCAL AND MORAL RESPONSIBILITY OF OF US, AS REPRESENTATIVES OF THE TOWN, TO BE MINDFUL OF THE OF THE RESPONSIBILITIES, BOTH FISCAL AND MORAL IN THIS REGARD.

SO I ENCOURAGE US TO TO STICK TO THE THE COURAGE OF OUR CONVICTIONS ON AND FIND SOLUTIONS THAT GET US TO THE APPROPRIATE GOALS.

AND FOR I AND I WILL BRING THIS BACK UP AT THE MATRIX OR AT THE APPROPRIATE TIME.

I ENCOURAGE ANY MEMBER OF THIS BODY THAT WOULD LIKE TO ADDRESS THE POINT OF THE MAYOR TO PLEASE PITCH THAT POINT, AND I WOULD BE SURPRISED IF SEVEN PEOPLE DIDN'T SUPPORT THAT PITCH.

ANY OTHER. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? COMMENTS? OKAY.

COUNCIL MEMBER. MY COMMENT, AND I JUST WANT TO CLARIFY THAT I KNOW WE NEED TO HAVE THIS DISCUSSION.

I KNOW IT NEEDS TO BE TALKED ABOUT, AND I'M NOT AVOIDING HAVING THE DISCUSSION.

BUT WE, YOU KNOW, WE HAVEN'T BEEN IN THIS POSITION, YOU KNOW, ALL THAT LONG.

AND THIS IS A NEW A NEW SITUATION FOR US AS A, AS A COMMUNITY.

YOU KNOW, WE'VE SEEN PEOPLE SELL, GIVE AWAY PUPPIES OR CATS ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD IN THE PARKING LOT, THAT KIND OF THING.

BUT WE'RE IN A AT ANOTHER LEVEL HERE, AND I AM GOING TO ENCOURAGE US AT THIS.

IF WE DON'T HAVE THE CONSENSUS TO TO NOT PUT IT IN THERE.

BUT IF WE DO HAVE IT, I LIKE TO FOR US TO CONTINUE THE DISCUSSION.

THAT'S WHAT I THAT'S WHAT MY CLARIFICATION IS.

I THINK IT'S JUST TO.

TWO NEW, NOT EARLY, BUT NEW TO US AS A CITY.

BUT I THINK THAT WE CAN STILL TALK ABOUT IT, BUT NOT AND THEN COME THROUGH AND HAVE ALL THOSE FACTS GATHERED WHERE WE'RE COMFORTABLE AND THEN BRING IT BACK TO US.

NOW, I DON'T KNOW HOW LONG IT'S GOING TO TAKE, BUT I THINK THAT WE STILL NEED TO BE MINDFUL OF THAT, THAT WE CAN WE CAN CONTINUE THE DISCUSSION WITH MORE CLARIFICATION. THANK YOU.

YEAH, AND THANK YOU.

COUNCILMAN BYRD. I THINK YOU MAKE A GOOD POINT.

AND SO SUCH THAT ONE PERSON CAN.

AND I KNOW YOU'RE ALREADY THINKING ABOUT IT, MR. CITY MANAGER. I THINK THAT'S THE KEY.

RIGHT. I THINK GOING AND HAVING A CONVERSATION WITH THIS PARTICULAR BUSINESS GENERALLY, BUT JUST TO I MEAN, I LIKE YOUR POINTS ABOUT PARTNERING. MAYBE THERE'S TRADE OFFS WITH VETERINARIAN SERVICES OR THINGS WE CAN PROVIDE TO.

MAKE SURE WE HAVE SOME SORT OF WORKING RELATIONSHIP, BUT JUST KIND OF BRINGING BACK INFORMATION.

HEY, I'VE HAD A CONVERSATION.

HERE'S OPTIONS.

HERE'S WHAT WE CAN DO.

HERE'S WHAT THEY'RE WILLING TO DO TO CONCEDE OR WORK WITH US.

OR, YOU KNOW, THOSE THINGS YOU'VE TRIED AND OFTEN BEFORE.

I THINK THOSE ARE REALLY THAT WOULD BE GOOD.

TO COUNCIL MEMBER BIRD'S POINT, BRINGING BACK INFORMATION THAT THAT IS ACTIONABLE, THAT WE KNOW HAS BEEN VETTED, THAT GIVES US OPTIONS ON HOW WE CAN PROCEED AND WHAT WHAT THEY'RE WILLING TO DO.

SO THAT'S THAT'S MISSING INFORMATION.

I'D LIKE TO KNOW THAT.

SO ALL RIGHT, ANYTHING ELSE BEFORE WE CONCLUDE HERE OKAY.

GREAT. SO DINNER'S HERE.

[00:55:01]

WE'RE NOT BACK UNTIL WE'RE IN COUNCIL CHAMBERS AT WHAT IS IT, SIX 630.

IS THAT RIGHT? I SHOULD KNOW THAT BY NOW.

WE'RE BACK IN CHAMBERS 630.

SO WE'LL CONCLUDE OUR WORK SESSION.

THE CLOSED SESSION WAS A PLACEHOLDER, SO WE'RE GOOD THERE.

SO AT 434, WE'LL CONCLUDE TODAY'S WORK SESSION.

WE'LL RECONVENE 630 IN COUNCIL CHAMBERS.

[AFTER DETERMINING THAT A QUORUM IS PRESENT, THE REGULAR MEETING OF THE CITY OF DENTON CITY COUNCIL WILL CONVENE AT 6:30 P.M. IN THE COUNCIL CHAMBERS AT CITY HALL, 215 E. MCKINNEY STREET, DENTON, TEXAS AT WHICH THE FOLLOWING ITEMS WILL BE CONSIDERED:]

GOOD EVENING AND WELCOME TO THIS MEETING OF THE DENTON CITY COUNCIL.

IT IS. IT'S TUESDAY, DECEMBER 5TH.

IT IS 631.

WE DO HAVE A QUORUM, SO WE'LL CALL THE MEETING TO ORDER.

FIRST THING ON THE AGENDA IS PLEDGES TO THE UNITED STATES AND TEXAS FLAG.

PLEASE STAND WITH ME IF YOU'RE ABLE.

PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE. PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS.

ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.

HONOR THE TEXAS FLAG.

I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THEE.

TEXAS. ONE STATE UNDER GOD, ONE AND INDIVISIBLE.

THIS IS MY. OKAY.

AND THEN WE HAVE A COUPLE OF PROCLAMATIONS.

[2. PROCLAMATIONS/PRESENTATIONS]

SO IF YOU ARE ASSOCIATED WITH THE FALL 2023 DENTON THREE 60 CLASS, RECALL THAT CLASS.

IF YOU CAN COME DOWN FOR RECOGNITION, JUST MEET ME KIND OF IN THE MIDDLE THERE BY THE PODIUM.

STATEMENT. HOW ARE YOU DOING? GOOD TO SEE YOU. HEY, HOW ARE YOU? GOOD, GOOD. SURE? YES. AND IF YOU WERE A PRESENTER, YOU CAN COME ON DOWN AS WELL.

PLEASE. AND THANK YOU.

OKAY. AND WHILE THEY'RE COMING DOWN, DO YOU WANT TO TELL US WHAT WE'RE RECOGNIZING? SURE. MY NAME IS MONICA BENAVIDES.

I'M THE ASSISTANT TO THE CITY MANAGER.

DENTON THREE. 60 IS A CIVIC ACADEMY.

OVER THE COURSE OF THE LAST SEVERAL WEEKS, WE'VE VISITED LIBRARIES, PUBLIC SAFETY, LOTS OF DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS.

THAT'S GIVEN US JUST THAT KIND OF BEHIND THE SCENES VIEW.

AND I DON'T WANT TO SPEAK ON ANYBODY'S BEHALF.

SO IF ANYBODY HAS ANYTHING THEY WANT TO SAY ABOUT DENTON THREE 60, I INVITE YOU.

YEAH. WELL, ON BEHALF OF ALL OF US, I WANT TO THANK THE CITY OF DENTON FOR PROVIDING US THIS OPPORTUNITY.

IT REALLY IS SO AMAZING TO LEARN THE BEHIND THE SCENES EXACTLY LIKE JESSICA SAID, BUT ALSO MEETING THE PEOPLE THAT DO THE WORK EVERY DAY AND HOW WELCOMING THEY WERE AND EXCITED TO SHARE WHAT THEY DO.

IT REALLY DOES HELP YOU APPRECIATE AND KNOW THE INNER WORKINGS OF ALL THE HARD WORK THAT THE CITY OF DENTON DOES, SO THANK YOU.

ANYONE ELSE? ANYONE ELSE? I JUST WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU, MAYOR HUDSPETH.

AND THANK YOU, MONICA AND THE CITY MANAGER AND EVERYBODY WHO HELPED PUT THREE 60 TOGETHER.

I REALLY HAD A GREAT TIME.

WE LEARNED SO MUCH FROM THE LIBRARY TO WHERE OUR WATER GOES.

WE LEARNED ABOUT ALL OF THE DIFFERENT THINGS THAT YOU CAN DO AT THE LIBRARY.

IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT THE BOOKS, IT'S ABOUT ALL KINDS OF THINGS.

THEY GOT LITTLE KITS WHERE YOU CAN LEARN HOW TO KNIT, AND THEN THEY'VE GOT A COOL CRICUT MACHINE THAT MAKES STICKERS AND ALL KINDS OF DOODADS AND EVERYTHING, AND THEN YOU CAN LEARN DIFFERENT LANGUAGES FROM THE MANGO PROGRAM.

WE HAD A CHANCE TO GO TO THE POLICE DEPARTMENT WHERE THEY HAVE THESE REALLY BIG, HEAVY DOORS.

YOU HAVE TO LIKE PUT ALL YOUR WEIGHT ON.

THEY TELL ME THEY'RE BULLETPROOF, SO DON'T EVEN TRY IT.

OKAY? THEN WE GOT A CHANCE TO GO AND SEE WHERE THEY TEST OUT THEIR FIREARMS. AND DID YOU KNOW THAT THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, THEY HAVE TO BUY THEIR OWN GUNS, BUT THE CITY DOES PROVIDE ALL THEIR BULLETS JUST IN CASE.

ANYHOW, I COULD GO ON AND ON ABOUT HOW GREAT THE PROGRAM IS, BUT I JUST WANT TO HAND IT OFF TO MY FRIEND CHRISTINE.

THANK YOU. I THINK YOU SHOULD DO IT.

THEY LET YOU IN THE BIG VEHICLES THAT THEY USE TO MAKE THE ROADS.

YEAH. THAT'S GREAT.

ANYBODY ELSE? ANYBODY ELSE SAY ANYTHING? ANYONE. OKAY. VERY GOOD.

ARE YOU GOOD? OKAY.

GREAT. YEAH, NO I CAN'T.

AND WHEN'S THE NEXT TIME TO SIGN UP OR HOW DO THEY SIGN UP? MAYBE NEXT SUMMER 2024.

LOOK FOR REGISTRATION AROUND JULY OF 2024.

GOT IT. OKAY.

SO DOES EVERYONE. THIS YEAR'S BUDGET, IF YOU DIDN'T KNOW, WAS $1.9 BILLION FOR THE CITY OF DENTON.

SO YOU FEEL LIKE WE'RE GETTING OUR 1.9 BILLION WORTH? YEAH. HEY, LEE.

HOW ARE YOU DOING, MAN? GOOD TO SEE YOU.

APPRECIATE YOU. GOOD, GOOD.

THANK YOU ALL AGAIN.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH. IT IS EYE OPENING.

ANYONE FAVORITE STORY BEFORE I READ THE PROCLAMATION.

ANYBODY HAVE A FAVORITE EXPERIENCE OTHER THAN THE THE POLICE STATION? THAT'S AWESOME. IT IS. IT IS GREAT.

THE WATER TREATMENT PLANT.

[01:00:01]

ANYBODY? ANYTHING? YEAH. YEAH IT IS.

YES. GO AHEAD, GO AHEAD.

I ACTUALLY WORK FOR THE CITY, SO I DID GET TO GIVE THEM A TOUR OF THE WASTEWATER LAB THAT IS AT THE WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT.

SO THIS WAS KIND OF NEAT TO LEARN A LOT MORE ABOUT THE CITY FROM WHICH I KNEW AND FROM WHAT I'VE ACTUALLY LEARNED WORKING THERE.

AND THIS IS A GREAT BUNCH OF PEOPLE.

THEY HAVE BEEN ABSOLUTELY INQUISITIVE AND WONDERFUL, AND EVERYTHING THAT I'VE LEARNED IS JUST INCREDIBLE.

SO DEFINITELY RECOMMEND THE PROGRAM.

EXCELLENT STEEDS RACE.

YEAH. THANK YOU.

YES, SURE.

WE DO NEED TO RECYCLE MORE.

THE WASTE. THE WASTE WE WENT TO ON SATURDAY.

WE WENT TO SEE THE SOLID WASTE DEPARTMENT, AND THERE IS SO MUCH MORE GROWTH THAT WE CAN DO IF WE RECYCLE.

EXCELLENT. GOOD POINT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THAT I APPRECIATE IT.

OKAY. WELL, I HAVE A PROCLAMATION FOR YOU.

AND IT READS A PROCLAMATION BY THE MAYOR OF THE CITY OF DENTON, TEXAS, TO ALL WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME.

GREETINGS. WHEREAS DENTON THREE 60 IS AN EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM THAT PROVIDES PARTICIPANTS WITH VALUABLE INSIGHT INTO THE INTO THE WORKINGS OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT. AND WHEREAS THE OBJECTIVE OF DENTON THREE 60 IS TO CULTIVATE AND A SENSE OF RESPONSIBILITY AND OWNERSHIP IN THE COMMUNITY AFFAIRS, INSPIRING CITIZENS AND BUSINESS OWNERS TO BECOME ACTIVE VOLUNTEERS, VOTERS, MEMBERS OF BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS, AND PARTICIPANTS IN LOCAL INITIATIVES.

AND WHEREAS PROGRAMS SUCH AS THIS CONTRIBUTE TO THE VITALITY AND LOCAL DEMOCRACY AND ENCOURAGE PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS TO POSITIVELY INFLUENCE THEIR COMMUNITY.

NOW, THEREFORE, I. GERARD HUDSPETH, MAYOR OF THE CITY OF DENTON, TEXAS, DO HEREBY RECOGNIZE THE PARTICIPANTS IN THE FALL 2023 CLASS OF DENTON 300 AND APPLAUD THEIR COMMITMENT TO PLAYING AN ACTIVE ROLE IN STRENGTHENING THE DENTON COMMUNITY IF WE GIVE THEM A HAND.

SO WE GOT A SLOT IN SOMEHOW TO GET A PICTURE.

10:00 SLOT THAT WE HAVE TO GET.

BECAUSE YOU HELP ME, I WANT TO BE.

I WANT TO BE. SURE.

WE ALL KNEW EACH OTHER. COME ON.

ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH.

AND SO I HAVE A COPY.

I'LL GIVE THESE TO MONICA.

THERE WE GO. ALL RIGHT.

THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH. THANK YOU, I APPRECIATE IT.

YES. SEE YOU LATER. BYE.

ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU.

YES, THANKS. HOW ARE YOU DOING? THANK YOU, THANK YOU.

HEY, DANIEL. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU.

OKAY. ALL RIGHT.

AND THEN IF YOU WERE HERE TO RECOGNIZE HUMAN RIGHTS.

IF YOU COULD COME DOWN, PLEASE.

RIGHT. YES.

THAT'S MONICA. OKAY, THAT'S THE DIVERSITY COMMITTEE, OF WHICH NO ONE IS HERE.

SO I WILL STAND UP HERE AND DO THIS.

YES. AGAIN, MONICA BENAVIDES, ASSISTANT TO THE CITY MANAGER.

I AM PART OF THE CITY'S INTERNAL DIVERSITY, EQUITY, INCLUSION AND BELONGING COMMITTEE.

WE JUST WORK AS ALLIES AND ADVOCATES FOR OUR CITY EMPLOYEES.

WE WANT THEM TO FEEL INCLUDED AND RESPECTED.

SO WE'RE HERE TO RECOGNIZE DECEMBER 10TH.

IT'S THE 75TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE PASSING OF THE UNIVERSAL DECLARATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS.

AND I CAN'T REMEMBER WHAT ELSE I WAS GOING TO SAY.

SO ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU.

AND IF PEOPLE WANT TO LEARN MORE OR KNOW WHAT THE CITY'S DOING, WHAT'S A GOOD RESOURCE FOR THEM TO KIND OF LOOK INTO? YEAH, OKAY.

MONICA BENAVIDES AT CITY OF DENTON.COM.

GOT IT. OKAY. THANK YOU FOR THAT.

OKAY. AND THE PROCLAMATION READS BY IT'S A PROCLAMATION BY THE MAYOR OF THE CITY OF DENTON, TEXAS TO ALL WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME.

GREETINGS. WHEREAS DECEMBER 10TH, 2023 MARKS THE 75TH ANNIVERSARY OF ONE OF THE WORLD'S MOST GROUNDBREAKING GLOBAL PLEDGES, THE UNIVERSAL DECLARATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS.

AND WHEREAS THIS DOCUMENT AFFIRMS THAT ALL HUMAN BEINGS ARE BORN FREE AND EQUAL IN DIGNITY AND CERTAIN INALIENABLE RIGHTS REGARDLESS OF RACE, COLOR, RELIGION, SEX.

LANGUAGE, POLITICAL OR OTHER OPINION, NATIONAL OR SOCIAL ORIGIN.

PROPERTY. BIRTH OR OTHER STATUS.

AND WHEREAS HUMAN RIGHTS DAY IS OFTEN MARKED WITH COMMEMORATION OF THE PROGRAMS. PARDON ME. PROGRESS MADE AND RECOGNITION OF THE WORK STILL NEEDED TO BE DONE IN ADVANCING FREEDOM FOR ALL.

AND WHEREAS THE CITY OF DENTON, THE CITY OF DENTON'S DIVERSITY, EQUITY, INCLUSION AND BELONGING COMMITTEE HONORS THE THE UNIVERSAL DECLARATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS AND THE

[01:05:04]

SIGNIFICANCE IT HAS UPON THE CULTURE OF OUR COMMUNITY.

NOW, THEREFORE, I. GERARD HUDSPETH, MAYOR OF THE CITY OF DENTON, TEXAS, DO HEREBY DECLARE, DO HEREBY CELEBRATE THE 10TH DAY OF DECEMBER 2023 AS HUMAN RIGHTS DAY IN THE CITY OF DENTON, PROCLAIMING ALL HUMAN BEINGS ARE EQUAL IN DIGNITY AND ENTITLED TO CERTAIN UNALIENABLE RIGHTS. IF WE CAN GIVE THEM A HAND.

YES. IT'S NOT REALLY.

YEAH. SO. YEAH. YES.

FOR SURE. SO INTRODUCE YOURSELF, TELL US WHAT WE NEED TO KNOW AND ANYTHING YOU WANT TO SHARE.

YEAH. ABOUT THE COMMITTEE. HI.

GOOD AFTERNOON EVERYONE. MY NAME IS RANDY TRANTHAM, ORGANIZATIONAL DEVELOPMENT DIVERSITY MANAGER HERE FOR THE CITY.

AND WE ARE HAPPY TO BE HERE TODAY TO ACCEPT THIS PROCLAMATION, BECAUSE WE FEEL THAT IT IS VERY IMPORTANT THAT WE RECOGNIZE THIS NOT ONLY AS AN ORGANIZATION, BUT AS A AS A COMMUNITY AS WELL.

EXCELLENT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

AND THEN WE'LL SLIDE IN FOR A PICTURE HERE.

TAKE THAT US. ALL RIGHT.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU. APPRECIATE IT.

I APPRECIATE YOU, THANK YOU.

YES. GREAT TO SEE YOU.

YEAH.

OKAY. IF WE COULD PLAY THE THE VIDEO FOR.

[3. PRESENTATIONS FROM MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC]

THE DENTON CITY COUNCIL HAS ADOPTED RULES OF PROCEDURE, INCLUDING A CODE OF CONDUCT THAT APPLIES TO THE PUBLIC AS WELL AS COUNCIL MEMBERS.

THESE RULES WERE ENACTED TO PROMOTE AN ORDERLY PROCESS AND TO PRESERVE DECORUM.

SPEAKERS WILL HAVE FOUR MINUTES TO GIVE A SCHEDULED REPORT AND FOUR MINUTES TO GIVE AN OPEN MIC REPORT.

A BELL WILL RING WHEN TIME IS EXPIRED.

IF THE REMARKS ARE NOT CONCLUDED BY THAT TIME, THE SPEAKER WILL BE ASKED TO STOP SPEAKING.

IF THE SPEAKER DOES NOT CEASE AND A SECOND REQUEST IS MADE, THE MAYOR MAY REQUEST TO HAVE THE SPEAKER REMOVED FROM THE CHAMBER.

SPEAKERS SHOULD NOT APPROACH THE DAIS.

IF A SPEAKER HAS MATERIALS FOR THE COUNCIL, PLEASE NOTIFY THE CITY SECRETARY IN ADVANCE FOR SCHEDULED REPORTS.

THE COUNCIL MAY INITIATE DISCUSSION OR ASK QUESTIONS FOR NON SCHEDULED OPEN MIC REPORTS.

THE COUNCIL MAY LISTEN, HOWEVER, BECAUSE NO NOTICE OF THE SUBJECT OF THE OPEN MIC REPORT HAS BEEN PROVIDED TO THE PUBLIC IN ADVANCE.

THE TEXAS OPEN MEETINGS ACT PROHIBITS DISCUSSION OR DECISION BY THE COUNCIL ON NONSCHEDULED ITEMS. AS A RESULT, THE COUNCIL MAY ONLY PROCEED AS FOLLOWS ON NONSCHEDULED ITEMS PROPOSED TO PLACE THE ITEM ON A FUTURE AGENDA.

MAKE A STATEMENT OF FACTUAL POLICY OR A RECITATION OF EXISTING POLICY.

SPEAKERS ARE ASKED TO DIRECT ALL REMARKS AND QUESTIONS TO THE COUNCIL AS A WHOLE, AND NOT TO ANY INDIVIDUAL MEMBER.

PLEASE REFRAIN FROM MAKING ABUSIVE, PERSONAL, IMPERTINENT, PROFANE, OR SLANDEROUS REMARKS.

ANYONE WHO VIOLATES THE COUNCIL RULES OF PROCEDURE MAY BE IMMEDIATELY REMOVED FROM THE CHAMBER.

THANK YOU IN ADVANCE.

COPIES OF THE RULES OF PROCEDURE ARE AVAILABLE FROM THE CITY SECRETARY.

OKAY. THE FIRST SPEAKER REGISTER TO SPEAK IS STEPHEN DILLENBURG.

YOU CAN GIVE YOUR NAME AND YOU'LL HAVE FOUR MINUTES.

STEPHEN. DILLENBURG, 1004.

ABBOTS. SO I DON'T KNOW IF YOU ALL SAW THIS AGENDA ITEM HERE.

AND WHAT KIND OF DISCRETION OR CONTROL YOU GUYS HAVE OVER THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.

BUT I HAD A TRAILER THAT WAS STOLEN FOUR YEARS AGO, AND I REPORTED IT.

STOLEN IT? ACTUALLY, THE REPORT DIDN'T GET TAKEN FOR TWO YEARS.

FOR WHATEVER REASON. IT JUST DIDN'T GET PUT IN THE SYSTEM.

AND THEN FINALLY IT DID.

AND THEN THAT WAS RECOVERED ABOUT THREE WEEKS AGO.

AND THE POLICE DEPARTMENT WON'T PURSUE CHARGES AGAINST THE THIEF.

SO TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT'S GOING ON THERE AND WHAT KIND OF LEEWAY YOU GUYS HAVE.

BUT I DID WANT TO ASK BECAUSE I HAVE REQUESTED Y'ALL'S OATHS.

I WAS ASKED TO PAY $162 FOR A DIRECTORY OF THE CITY STAFF, AND WHO HAS OATHS AND WHO DOES NOT.

SO THAT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT I DID FOR INFORMATION THAT SHOULD JUST BE ON FILE.

BUT AS FAR AS Y'ALL'S OATHS GO, I KNOW YOU'VE SWORN AN OATH TO THE CONSTITUTION.

I'VE SEEN YOURS AS WELL, MR. BECK. I'VE SEEN YOURS.

BUT WHEN I REQUESTED JUDGE HOLLINS, I GOT ONE, TOO.

THE CITY CHARTER.

BUT I DIDN'T GET ONE TO THE STATE CONSTITUTION.

DID YOU HAVE A LEGISLATIVE STATE OATH? NO. NO COMMENT.

OKAY. AND AND YOU'RE AWARE THAT THAT'S REQUIRED FOR THE CONSTITUTION AS A JUDGE OF 27 YEARS? WHAT IS IT? WHAT DOES THE CONSTITUTION SAY ABOUT MONOPOLIES?

[01:10:03]

MONOPOLIES ARE CONTRARY TO THE GENIUS OF FREE GOVERNMENT, AND THEY SHALL NEVER BE ALLOWED.

YET. WE HAVE A MONOPOLY ON FORCE HERE NOW, DON'T WE? IS THAT GOOD BY ANY STANDARD? YOU TALK ABOUT HUMAN RIGHTS.

WELL, THE CONSTITUTION WAS ENACTED AND ADOPTED BY OUR PEOPLE TO PROTECT HUMAN RIGHTS.

Y'ALL ARE NOT UPHOLDING THAT AND IT CREATES A GAP FOR US.

WE NEED SOME HELP ON THAT.

I'VE BEEN ASKING Y'ALL THIS.

WHAT IS IT, 21? I STARTED COMING BEFORE THIS BODY.

1116 SO A LITTLE OVER TWO YEARS.

THE FIRST NIGHT I WAS HERE, I TOLD YOU GUYS THAT THE CURE FOR CANCER IS BEING WITHHELD FROM AMERICA AND THE REST OF THE WORLD WIDE POPULATION.

AND THAT'S TRUE.

I ALSO HAVE TOLD YOU GUYS OVER THE PAST TWO YEARS OF $250 MILLION PER YEAR IN INSURANCE FRAUD THAT'S BEING SIPHONED OUT OF THE LOWER AND MIDDLE CLASS IN AMERICA, WHERE WE'RE PAYING PROPERTY BROTHERS PRICES ON THE PREMIUMS END.

AND WHEN IT COMES TIME TO GET PAID ON THE REPAIRS, IT IS CARLO LA CAMIONETA.

AND FOR THOSE OF US WHO DON'T SPEAK SPANISH, THAT'S CHUCK IN A TRUCK.

AND THE LEGISLATURE HAS SPONSORED THESE LAWS.

QUOTE UNQUOTE.

OKAY. AND I'VE ASKED YOU GUYS FOR HELP ON THAT.

AND SO WHAT'S HAPPENED? NOTHING. I WAS TOLD WE DON'T HAVE A HEALTH DEPARTMENT WHEN I WAS HERE IN JANUARY, BUT THAT WAS THE TIME WHEN WE WERE SUPPOSEDLY TURNING OVER A NEW LEAF FOR THIS YEAR. Y'ALL GOTTA CARE.

THERE'S GOT TO BE SOMEWHERE IN THERE THAT ACTUALLY CARES.

THAT DOESN'T MIND LYING TO PEOPLE.

I DON'T THINK THAT'S Y'ALL.

I THINK THAT'S A SITUATION Y'ALL HAVE BEEN FORCED INTO, AND IT'S AN UGLY ONE.

AND WE'RE STARING DOWN THE BARREL OF SOMETHING UGLY AS A SOCIETY.

IF WE DON'T GET THAT REMEDIED.

I FEEL FOR YOU ALL. THIS IS NOT AN ENVIABLE POSITION Y'ALL ARE IN.

I WISH YOU THE BEST IN IT, BUT I SUGGEST YOU DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT THIS YEAR.

THANKS. THANK YOU.

THE NEXT SPEAKER IS MS..

NELL JARRELL. NOW YOU KNOW.

OKAY. NEXT SPEAKER IS MR. NED WOODBRIDGE.

WOODBRIDGE. OKAY.

YOU GET SET UP HERE.

SO IF YOU GIVE YOUR NAME WHENEVER YOU'RE READY AND YOU HAVE FOUR MINUTES.

I'M READY. GOOD EVENING, I'M NED WOODBRIDGE.

I RESPECTFULLY OFFER REMARKS FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION ON THE IMPACT OF OF REAL ESTATE DEVELOPMENT ON WATERSHEDS AND THE IMPORTANCE OF PROTECTING WATERSHEDS IN DENTON.

I'M SORRY. WE GOT A LITTLE TECHNICAL ISSUE HERE.

YEAH. AND WE'LL RESET IT.

MAYBE THIS. HERE WE GO.

DOES THAT WORK RIGHT? YEAH. SO JUST TO JUST TO REPEAT OFFERING REMARKS ON ON THE IMPORTANCE OF WATERSHEDS AND THEN.

I DON'T KNOW IF YOU KNEW THIS, BUT TEXAS RANKS FIRST IN US FOR FOR BILLION DOLLAR FLOODING AND SEVERE STORM DISASTERS.

AND FLOODING IS A BIG PROBLEM FOR DENTON COUNTY.

SPECIFICALLY, YOU CAN SEE FROM THE MAP THE MOST IMPACTED AREAS ARE ALONG THE ATLANTIC AND GULF COASTS.

YET, DESPITE NOT BEING A COASTAL AREA, DENTON COUNTY MAKES THE MAP RANKING IN THE THIRD HIGHEST CATEGORY FOR CLAIMS PAYOUTS FOR AREAS OUTSIDE THOSE CONSTITUTING 100 YEAR FLOOD PLAINS.

FLOODING IS CLEARLY IS CREATING EVER INCREASING LIABILITIES FOR PUBLIC AND PRIVATE ENTITIES ACROSS THE REGION.

WE HAVE WATERSHEDS HERE IN DENTON, WHICH ARE THE HIGHEST PRIORITY FOR PROTECTION HERE IN RED.

FURTHER, AS YOU KNOW, WE ALREADY HAVE A FLOODING PROBLEM HERE IN DENTON.

NOW WEATHER BOTH DOWNTOWN AND ALONG THE RIVERS.

A COMMON CIVIL ENGINEERING RESPONSE TO MITIGATE EROSION AND FLOODING IS TO DIRECT THE WATER INTO CONCRETE CHANNELS AND TO MOVE IT AWAY FROM THE AREA.

BUT THIS SIMPLY MOVES AND INCREASES THE PROBLEMS DOWNSTREAM.

THE ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS LEARNED THE HARD WAY THAT THEIR EFFORTS TO CONTROL THE MISSISSIPPI THROUGH LEVEES WERE, IN FACT CAUSING MORE CATASTROPHIC FLOODING, AND THEY NEEDED OTHER STRATEGIES.

ACCORDING TO A 2018 REPORT BY TEXAS A&M.

AND I QUOTE HERE, URBANIZATION AND THE PROLIFERATION OF IMPERVIOUS SURFACES ACROSS WATERSHED UNITS ARE MAJOR CONTRIBUTORS TO ADVERSE IMPACTS ASSOCIATED WITH FLOOD

[01:15:09]

EVENTS. THE CONVERSION OF NATURAL LANDSCAPES TO URBAN OR SUBURBAN DEVELOPMENTS CAN DIMINISH THE FUNCTIONALITY OF HYDROLOGICAL SYSTEMS, REDUCING SOIL INFILTRATION AND INCREASING SURFACE RUNOFF AND PEAK DISCHARGE INTO NEARBY STREAMS. FLOOD IMPACTS ARE DRIVEN NOT SOLELY BY THE AMOUNT OF IMPERVIOUS SURFACE, BUT BY THE PATTERN AND INTENSITY ACROSS THE GIVEN LANDSCAPE.

URBANIZATION BRINGS THE NEED FOR WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANTS TO SERVE IT.

A 2011 STUDY BY DR.

JAMIE BAXTER SLIGH OF UNT ON THE EFFECTS OF URBANIZATION AND WASTE TREATMENT PLANTS FOUND THAT THERE WERE HUGE REDUCTIONS IN RIVER HEALTH, INCREASED ORGANISM DIE OFF, AND INCREASED WATER CONTAMINATION.

THE ANSWER THEN LIES IN CREATING NATURAL BUFFERS BETWEEN REAL ESTATE DEVELOPMENT AND KEY WATERWAYS THAT ACT TO ABSORB WATER INTO OUR NATURAL WATER TABLE AND TRAP AND SEQUESTER SEDIMENT AND POLLUTANTS FROM REACHING OUR LAKES AND AQUIFERS FROM WHICH WE DRAW OUR DRINKING WATER.

WHAT ARE LOCAL AGENCIES DOING? LAST YEAR, REPRESENTATIVES OF COGS MADE A PRESENTATION TO EQUESTRIAN LANDOWNERS IN OUR AREA, ENCOURAGING THEM TO PRESERVE THEIR LANDS, TO MITIGATE FLOODING AND PRESERVE THE ECONOMIC CONTRIBUTIONS OF THE EQUESTRIAN INDUSTRY.

I CLIPPED FROM THEIR PRESENTATION AT RIGHT.

FURTHERMORE, TEXAS PARKS AND WILDLIFE SEES IT AS A PRIORITY TO ESTABLISH BUFFER LAND AROUND ALL OF THEIR EXISTING STATE PARKS.

LAND IN NORTHEAST DENTON WOULD BE ATTRACTIVE TO THEM.

FOR THIS REASON, AND ITS ADJACENCY TO THE GREENBELT AND CRITICAL WATERSHEDS.

WE TOO SHOULD ESTABLISH MEANINGFUL BUFFERS AROUND THE GREENBELT, CLEAR CREEK, AND THE CLEAR CREEK NATURAL HERITAGE CENTER.

THESE BUFFERS SHOULD BE EITHER ADDITIONAL PARKLAND LAND REMAINING AGRICULTURAL ZONING OR R5 DEVELOPMENT.

AND IN THE CASE OF OUR R5 ZONING, PREFERABLY LOW DENSITY CONSERVATION DEVELOPMENT.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION.

THANK YOU. THAT TAKES US TO ANN BECKMAN.

MR. MAYOR. YEAH.

I'M SORRY. YES, YES, COUNCILMEMBER, MAYOR PRO TEM.

THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR.

AS A STATEMENT OF FACT, I WILL SAY THAT THE THE THERE WAS THIS SUBJECT WAS BROUGHT UP IN THE MOBILITY COMMITTEE MEETING, AND I ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO LOOK AT THE VIDEO OF THE VIDEO OF THE MOBILITY COMMITTEE MEETING AT THE LAST MEETING.

ALL RIGHT. UH, IN BECKMAN, IF YOU CAN COME DOWN AND GIVE YOUR NAME, YOU'LL HAVE FOUR MINUTES.

HELLO, I'M ANN BECKMAN, AND I'LL BE SPEAKING ON SOME OF THE THINGS THAT LEWISVILLE IS DOING PRIOR TO PRIORITIZE CONSERVATION OF NATURAL LAND. SO I'LL START WITH LILA.

THE LEWISVILLE LAKE ENVIRONMENTAL LEARNING AREA, IT'S APPROXIMATELY 2600 ACRE NATURE PRESERVE AND OUTDOOR EDUCATION CENTER LOCATED ALONG THE SHORES OF LEWISVILLE LAKE AND THE ELM FORK OF THE TRINITY RIVER.

AND THEIR MISSION IS TO PRESERVE AND RESTORE NATIVE TEXAS ECOSYSTEMS AND BIODIVERSITY WHILE PROVIDING OPPORTUNITIES FOR ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION, RESEARCH, AND RECREATION. AND THEN WHERE THAT ARROW IS, IT'S THE ENTIRE GREEN SPACE ON THE MAP THERE IN LEWISVILLE.

SO IT'S A PRETTY LARGE AREA CONSIDERING THE SIZE OF LEWISVILLE.

AND THEN THE OTHER MAP JUST SHOWS THE RELATION AND THE PROXIMITY TO CLEAR CREEK NATURAL HERITAGE CENTER TO LILA.

AND WE CAN SEE THAT IT'S ALL CONNECTED.

THESE ARE SOME OF THE SUSTAINABILITY PROGRAMS LEWISVILLE HAS ENACTED TO PROTECT NATURAL LAND, IMPROVE PARKS INFRASTRUCTURE, AND RESTORE NATIVE HABITAT.

LEWISVILLE IS AT THE FOREFRONT OF FOREFRONT OF CONSERVATION IN NORTH TEXAS.

THEY WANT TO BE THE NATURE TOURISM HUB.

SCOTT KEISTER, PRESIDENT AT FRIENDS OF LILA, SAYS, WE ARE TRYING TO BECOME A RESERVOIR OF BIODIVERSITY OF NORTH TEXAS.

WE HAVE A TIGHT PARTNERSHIP WITH THE CITY OF LEWISVILLE.

LEILA. THE PRESENCE OF LEILA HAS BROUGHT ABOUT A LOT OF COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT.

IT'S A COLLABORATION BETWEEN CITY PARK STAFF.

LEILA STAFF, COMMUNITY VOLUNTEERS, TEXAS MASTER NATURALIST, ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATORS, THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTH TEXAS AND ITS STUDENTS.

RIGHT NOW THEY HAVE ABOUT 19 VOLUNTEER PROJECTS.

THOSE INCLUDE INVASIVE PLANT REMOVAL, PRAIRIE RESTORATION, MONITORING, BIRDS PRESCRIBED BURNS, AND THE LIST GOES ON.

[01:20:01]

THEY ALSO HAVE ENVIRONMENTAL CLASSES FOR ADULTS AND SCHOOL GROUPS.

SCOTT CALLS IT THE INVASION OF THE SEVENTH GRADERS, BECAUSE EVERY SEVENTH GRADER IN THE ISD SPENDS THE DAY OUT THERE ON A FIELD TRIP.

HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS ARE ALSO PARTICIPATING IN ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH PROJECTS, AND THESE ARE CONTINUED AND LASTING INITIATIVES.

GLORY PARK IS THE MOST RECENT PARK ACQUISITION OF LEWISVILLE.

THE PROJECT WAS AWARDED A $750,000 GRANT BY THE TEXAS PARKS AND WILDLIFE DEPARTMENT IN 2020 TO.

LEWISVILLE CITY COUNCIL ALSO ADOPTED THE EXPLORE MORE LEWISVILLE PLAN, WHICH RECOMMENDS THE ADDITION OF 262 ACRES OF PARKLAND AND 51 MILES OF RECREATIONAL TRAILS ACROSS THE CITY.

AND THE MAYOR OF LEWISVILLE SAID, WE LOVE LEWISVILLE AND WANT TO MAKE IT BETTER, SO WE CREATED THE GREEN CENTERPIECE CONCEPT.

THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT ON THIS PROGRAM HAS BEEN AMAZING.

WHICH BRINGS ME TO THE GREEN CENTERPIECE, WHICH IS AN ACTION PLAN TO PRESERVE MORE NATURAL LAND FOR PUBLIC USE WITHIN THE ELM FORK FLOODPLAIN AND AROUND LEWISVILLE LAKE. THAT'S 6726 ACRES OF NEW PUBLIC LAND.

AND SCOTT KEISTER ALSO SAID LEWISVILLE GETS IT.

LEWISVILLE WANTS TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE, AND LEWISVILLE WANTS TO BE THE GREEN CENTERPIECE.

DENTON CAN DO THE SAME THING.

CLEAR CREEK AND LEILA, OUR STATE PARK QUALITY.

WE NEED TO PROTECT THE GREENBELT AND SURROUNDING AREAS.

THE BIODIVERSITY DEPENDS ON IT, AND WE SHOULD BE ENRICHING THE DENTON COMMUNITY'S QUALITY OF LIFE AND EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES.

AND REMEMBER, WHEN ONE TUGS AT A SINGLE THING IN NATURE, HE FINDS IT IS ATTACHED TO THE REST OF THE WORLD.

THANK YOU, THANK YOU.

THE NEXT SPEAKER IS CHARLIE COLLIER.

ALL RIGHT. SO KIND OF PIGGYBACKING OFF OF ALL THAT, LEILA, IS A REALLY IMPRESSIVE PROJECT IN MY MIND OF WHAT THE CITY OF LOUISVILLE IS ON BOARD WITH AND TRYING TO DO.

SO THESE ARE JUST SOME OTHER EXAMPLES OUTSIDE OF LOUISVILLE, BUT ARE ALSO IN NORTH TEXAS THAT I THINK REALLY PAINT THE PICTURE OF WHAT THE COMMUNITY OF NORTH TEXAS IS WANTING AND SORT OF THE DIRECTION THAT'S GOING.

SO THIS ONE, THE HICKORY CREEK PRESERVE, PREVIOUSLY A PRIVATE RESIDENCE BY LEWISVILLE LAKE, THE TOWN OF HICKORY CREEK, PURCHASED THE LAND IN 2014 IS IT'S SORRY PURCHASED THE LAND IN 2014 AND IS PROTECTED AND ENRICHED THIS NATURAL, NATURALLY OCCURRING POST OAK SAVANNA DURATION AREA.

THE HICKORY CREEK CITY COUNCIL ALLOCATED FUNDS TO PURCHASE THIS.

I THINK YOU'RE GOING TO KIND OF SEE A TREND OF THAT WITH SOME OF THESE OTHER EXAMPLES, IS THAT CITIES ARE STARTING TO SORT OF REALIZE THE IMPORTANCE OF PRESERVING NATURAL AREAS.

THIS IS REALLY INTERESTING.

SO THIS IS THE FIRST COUNTY PARK.

ANDY EADS, DENTON COUNTY JUDGE, USED FUNDS FROM THE AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN TO PURCHASE 6060 ACRES OF CROSS TIMBERS TO PRESERVE IT FROM DEVELOPMENT.

YOU CAN SEE HIS QUOTE.

IT HAS LONG BEEN ONE OF MY GOALS TO PRESERVE RELATIVELY UNTOUCHED PORTIONS OF DENTON COUNTY AS OPEN SPACE.

I WANT US TO SAVE THIS ENTIRE FOREST SO FUTURE GENERATIONS CAN KNOW WHAT THE COUNTY LOOKED LIKE.

I THINK THAT'S REALLY INTERESTING.

IF WE START PAVING OVER STUFF AND WE START OVER DEVELOPING, WE'RE GOING TO LOSE THE NATURAL ENVIRONMENTS THAT OUR KIDS AND GRANDKIDS.

THEY WON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT IT LOOKED LIKE, WHAT THIS AREA LOOKED LIKE.

UM, CEDAR HILL FEELS THAT IT'S ESSENTIAL FOR THEIR NATURE TOURISM TO PRESERVE 25% OF THEIR LAND AREA.

THAT'S HUGE. 25%.

IT'S ACTUALLY INTERESTING BECAUSE I BELIEVE NORTHEAST DENTON IS ABOUT A QUARTER OF THE CITY.

UM, YOU CAN SEE AMY MARTIN.

SHE'S A JOURNALIST, EDUCATOR.

SHE WROTE A BOOK, WILD DFW, THAT TALKS ABOUT NATURAL SPACES IN NORTH TEXAS.

YOU CAN SEE HER QUOTE, CEDAR HERE.

CEDAR HILL FEELS IS ESSENTIAL.

SHE ALSO THINKS THAT DENTON SHOULD CONSIDER DOING THE SAME.

ONCE AGAIN, THIS IS SORT OF A GROWING TREND THAT I THINK IN 50 OR 100 YEARS, IF WE DON'T START MAKING MOVES TO REALLY KIND OF START PROTECTING THESE NATURAL AREAS, THEY'RE GOING TO BE GONE FOREVER. AND I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING THAT THINKING MULTIGENERATIONAL LIKE THAT IS REALLY IMPORTANT.

I THINK THAT'S WHAT LEADERS SHOULD DO.

AND THEN THE LAST ONE HERE IS ARBOR HILLS NATURE PRESERVE, ANOTHER OUTDOOR RECREATIONAL AREA.

UM, I KIND OF THE POINT THAT I'M TRYING TO GET AT HERE, AND I THINK WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO KIND OF SEE WITH THE REST OF THIS PRESENTATION IS THAT STEPS ARE REALLY BEING

[01:25:03]

TAKEN BY CITIES TO PRESERVE NATURAL AREAS, AND I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY DENTON ISN'T TAKING THAT SERIOUSLY.

I THINK IT WOULD BE A REALLY GOOD MOVE FOR DENTON TO KIND OF POSITION ITSELF IN THE ECO TOURISM SPACE.

THIS LAST SLIDE HERE, I'VE SHOWN THIS BEFORE, BUT THIS IS PULLED FROM THE NORTHEAST DENTON AREA PLAN.

ONCE AGAIN, THIS IS DEVELOPMENT PRESSURE.

I SEE THIS AS CONSERVATION PRESSURE.

ALL THE DEVELOPMENT IS ENCROACHING KIND OF IN THESE WATERSHEDS.

NED TALKED ABOUT HOW PROTECTING THOSE WATERSHEDS IS REALLY IMPORTANT.

WE NEED TO START CONSERVING THESE AREAS.

IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT FOR OUR HEALTH, OUR WELL-BEING.

AND THEN JUST THE RECREATION, THE NATURE TOURISM.

I THINK THERE'S MORE FUTURE BENEFIT FROM PRESERVATION THAN OVERDEVELOPMENT.

THANK YOU. SO I DO WANT TO I DO WANT TO POINT OUT I DON'T KNOW THE EXACT NUMBER, BUT THE CITIZENS JUST VOTED ON THE LAST BOND INITIATIVE TO PURCHASE OPEN SPACE.

SO TO BE FAIR FOR THE CITY STAFF AND AND THAT TO THAT COMPONENT.

AND THEN ALSO SO I KNOW WE'VE PURCHASED AT LEAST 75 ACRES JUST RECENTLY OFF THE BAT AND THEN AND THEN JUST PUT A NUMBER TO THAT.

I LOOKED AT IT PER WIKIPEDIA.

CITY, CEDAR HILL, 35MI² DENTON 100MI².

SO 25% OF THAT IS NINE SQUARE MILES IS WHAT THEY'RE HOPING TO GET TO.

AND I THINK WE'RE ON A I DON'T KNOW, THE PACE WE'RE ON.

I'LL HAVE TO DO THE MATH. BUT JUST TO SAY JUST I DIDN'T WANT CITY PARK STAFF TO BE SLIGHTED.

THEY HAVE DONE A TREMENDOUS JOB PURCHASING EXACTLY THAT, THAT OPEN SPACE.

THE MOST RECENT WAS 75 ACRES, THE THE MOUNTAIN BIKE TRAIL, ETCETERA, ETCETERA.

SO THEY'VE THEY'VE I DON'T KNOW EXACTLY.

I CAN'T PUT NUMBERS TO IT, BUT I COULDN'T SIT BY AND NOT AT LEAST GIVE CREDIT WHERE CREDIT'S DUE TO THEM.

I MEAN, TAKE, TAKE ISSUE WITH, WITH OUR DECISION MAKING ALL DAY.

BUT I DO WANT TO GIVE CREDIT TO THEM THAT THEY THAT THEY ARE DOING GOOD WORK.

CAN I COMMENT? CERTAINLY BY ALL MEANS.

SO I 100% AGREE.

AND I LIKE THE FACT YOU BROUGHT UP THE MOUNTAIN BIKE TRAIL BECAUSE WHEN WITH THAT ADDITION ADJACENT FROM CLEAR CREEK, I THINK THAT'S WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT.

NORTHEAST DENTON IS EXPANDING THAT, AND I'M ALL FOR EXPANDING PARKS ALL ACROSS THE CITY, AND I THINK THAT'S FANTASTIC.

I'LL TAKE THAT AS A WIN ANY DAY OF THE WEEK.

BUT I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE KEEP PUSHING WITH FRIENDS AT NORTHEAST DENTON IS LOOKING AT THE LOCATION SPECIFICALLY AND LOOKING AT THE DIRECT EFFECTS AND PROXIMITY TO THE WATERSHED, TO THE STATE PARK PROTECTED LAND, AND HOW THAT COULD ALL KIND OF BE ENCOMPASSED THE WAY LEILA AND LEWIS, THE CITY OF LOUISVILLE IS SORT OF APPROACHING ON A ON A MORE HOLISTIC LEVEL AND SORT OF CONNECTING THESE, THESE AREAS.

CERTAINLY. BUT I 100% AGREE WITH YOU.

OKAY. OKAY.

THANK YOU. AND NEXT SPEAKER IS BRIDGET MARSHALL.

YOU CAN GIVE YOUR NAME. YOU HAVE FOUR MINUTES.

ALL RIGHT. SEE.

AND BRIDGET MARSHALL.

I LIVE AT 3539 PINE TRAIL HERE IN DENTON.

AND TO FOLLOW UP WITH WHAT CHARLIZE AND ANNE AND NED HAVE SPOKEN ABOUT, THESE ARE SOME NOTEWORTHY PROGRAMS THAT DENTON HAS ALREADY INCORPORATED THAT ARE IN LINE WITH WHAT LEWISVILLE IS ACHIEVING.

BYRD CITY, TEXAS CERTIFICATION, WHICH IS IN PROGRESS.

THE NATIONAL WILDLIFE FEDERATION COMMUNITY WILDLIFE HABITAT CERTIFICATION.

BEE CITY USA AND MONARCH CITY, USA.

THIS IMAGE IS FROM THE CITY OF DENTON'S WEBSITE, AND ILLUSTRATES THE CITY'S VIEW OF ENVIRONMENTALLY SENSITIVE AREAS IN REGARDS TO A HEALTHY WATERWAY. THIS IS ANOTHER BIG STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.

IT'S A COMPUTER MODELED WILDLIFE CORRIDOR MAP THAT SHOWS MANMADE AND NATURAL PATHWAYS WITHIN THE CITY.

TO GO A STEP FARTHER, THIS MAP SHOULD SHOW THE CONTINUATION OF THE WILDLIFE CORRIDOR THROUGH THE ETJ.

SINCE ANIMALS DON'T RECOGNIZE CITY LIMITS.

YOU CAN SEE THE MAP HERE.

OOPS. LET'S SEE.

THIS IS A GREAT FOUNDATION TO EXPAND UPON SPECIFICALLY INCORPORATING THIS TYPE OF DATA INTO THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN.

CREATING CODES FOR THINGS LIKE WILDLIFE CORRIDORS, EXISTING CONSERVATION AREAS, AND ESSAYS AND LAYING OUT PARAMETERS FOR DEVELOPERS TO FOLLOW ARE POWERFUL TOOLS FOR BOTH PLANNERS AND DEVELOPERS TO UTILIZE.

THE CITY OF DENTON IS DOING A GOOD JOB WITH THESE PROGRAMS AND IDEAS, BUT LEWISVILLE DOES THEM REALLY WELL.

THE COLLABORATION BETWEEN THE CITY, TEXAS MASTER NATURALISTS, COMMUNITY VOLUNTEERS, ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATORS, THE SCHOOL DISTRICT AND THE UNIVERSITIES

[01:30:09]

CAN MAKE PRESERVATION LIKE THIS POSSIBLE.

LEWISVILLE HAS MADE THE CHOICE FOR NATURE PRESERVATION NOT ONLY FOR THE SAKE OF HABITAT, BUT FOR THE HEALTH AND BEING OF ITS RESIDENTS.

IT IS INSPIRATIONAL TO SEE HOW MANY ONGOING EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS AND OPPORTUNITIES EXIST, FROM GRADE SCHOOL TO GRAD STUDENTS IN LEWISVILLE, INCLUDING HIGH SCHOOL INTERNSHIPS, JOB TRAINING, AND A DEVELOPMENTALLY DELAYED ADULT PROGRAM.

EVEN THE LEWISVILLE FIRE DEPARTMENT USES PRAIRIE BURNS AS PART OF THEIR TRAINING.

THIS IS WHAT WE WANT WITH NORTHEAST DENTON COLLABORATION.

THIS IS WHY WE WANT TO PUT A COMPLETE PAUSE ON THE NORTHEAST DENTON AREA PLAN AND WORK WITH YOU TO COME UP WITH A MORE CONSERVATION FOCUSED PLAN THAT ACTUALLY FOLLOWS THE DENTON 2040 COMPREHENSIVE PLAN AND THE COMMUNITY'S VISION STATEMENT.

WE ENCOURAGE OUR DENTON OFFICIALS AND CITY EMPLOYEES TO LOOK TO LEWISVILLE AS AN EXAMPLE OF WHAT CAN BE ACHIEVED WITH COLLABORATION FOR THE BETTERMENT OF ALL. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND CONSIDERATION.

THANK YOU. THAT TAKES US TO DOCTOR KATE LYNN LAND.

YEP. THANK YOU.

OH, I'M DR.

KATE LANDDECK.

I LIVE ON FERRIS ROAD HERE IN DENTON, AND I'VE BEEN HERE A LOT, AS I'M REMINDED.

BUT I'M HAPPY TO BE HERE.

I BELIEVE IN DENTON, I LOVE DENTON, I DIDN'T GROW UP HERE, BUT AS I SAY, I GOT HERE AS FAST AS I COULD.

I'VE LIVED HERE 22 YEARS.

I'VE RAISED MY CHILDREN HERE.

I'M PLANNING ON RAISING MY GRANDCHILDREN HERE, THEM RAISING MY GRANDCHILDREN HERE.

WE'LL SEE. AND I BELIEVE IN THE WORK THAT YOU ARE DOING.

AND TO GO TO MAYOR HUDSPETH POINT EARLIER, I BELIEVE IN THE CITY STAFF AND THE WORK THAT THEY'RE DOING, ESPECIALLY PARKS AND REC.

THEY'RE FANTASTIC.

AND I WANTED TO POINT OUT SOME OF THE POTENTIAL PARTNERS, BECAUSE A PROJECT AS BIG AS WE ENVISION IN DENTON AND IN NORTHEAST DENTON TAKES A LOT OF PARTNERS, AND WE THINK DENTON HAS A LOT OF PARTNERS BUILT IN.

UNIVERSITY OF NORTH TEXAS HAS GREAT ECOLOGICAL RESTORATION CHAPTER THAT'S JOINED THE NATIONAL AUDUBON SOCIETY.

THEY'RE THE ONLY SCHOOL IN TEXAS THAT HAS A CAMPUS AUDUBON PROGRAM.

UNT'S OBSERVATORY NEEDS SOME DARK SPACE.

AND IF YOU ALL HAVE EVER BEEN OUT BY CLEAR CREEK AT NIGHT, IT IS DARK OUT THERE WHERE I TEACH, AND I KNOW WE HAVE SOME FANS HERE ON THE COUNCIL.

T.W. HAS AN INCREDIBLE BUTTERFLY GARDEN THAT WAS STARTED BY SOME OF THE FACULTY AND STAFF.

THE BIOLOGY DEPARTMENT IS POWERFUL IN THIS AREA AND ALSO HAS A NEW AVIATION PROGRAM.

I'M A HISTORIAN, SO I'M FOND OF THE AVIATION HANGARS OUT THERE.

THEY HAVE A NEW SCHOOL OF AVIATION SCIENCES, THE TEXAS WOMAN'S UNIVERSITY ARCHIVES, AND HOLD WOMEN IN AVIATION COLLECTION.

AND I TEACH PUBLIC HISTORY OUT THERE, SO WE COULD USE THAT AS A MUSEUM OUT THERE.

BUT WE HAVE MANY OTHER POTENTIAL PARTNERS, AND THIS IS JUST A SMALL SAMPLE OF SOME OF THE PARTNERS THAT WE COULD TALK TO.

THE UPPER TRINITY CONSERVATION TRUST HAS ALREADY REACHED OUT TO US.

THERE ARE OTHER NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS WE COULD REACH OUT TO FOR PARTNERSHIP, FOR IDEAS, FOR FUNDING.

AND IT'S NOT JUST ALL ECOLOGICAL PIECES THAT TEXAS TRAVEL ALLIANCE IS ABOUT BUSINESS AND ABOUT COMMERCE AND HELPING COMMUNITIES DO THAT. AND THERE'S ANOTHER ONE ON HERE THE WILDLIFE RESCUE AND REHABILITATION.

THIS IS OUT OF SAN ANTONIO.

WHY NOT IN DENTON? HAVE A WILDLIFE RESCUE, REHABILITATION AND EDUCATION CENTER OVER NEAR CLEAR CREEK.

WE COULD DO A LOT OF GOOD IN NORTH TEXAS WITH A SPACE LIKE THAT.

THE TEXAS PARKS AND WILDLIFE I KNOW YOU ARE ALL AWARE OF THE CONSERVATION CENTENNIAL PARKS CONSERVATION FUND, THIS HUGE INVESTMENT THAT WAS VOTED ON TO ADD 1.4 MILLION ACRES OF LAND OF STATE PARKS BY 2030, IF POSSIBLE.

THEY'VE ONLY ADDED 200,000 ACRES SINCE 2001.

I WANTED TO POINT OUT THE PROPOSITION NUMBERS THAT PASSED, JUST SO YOU CAN SEE THAT 76% OF THE PEOPLE OF TEXAS THAT VOTED IN THIS VOTED FOR THAT PROPOSITION, 14 FOR MORE PARKS.

AND OF COURSE, YOU ALREADY KNOW DENTON PROPOSITION C, WHICH PASSED WITH 64% OF THE VOTE, WILL ISSUE THE $33 MILLION FOR THE PARK SYSTEM AND DENTON.

THAT SHOWS THAT OVERWHELMING MAJORITY OF THE PEOPLE OF DENTON AND TEXAS SUPPORT MORE PARKS, DIFFERENT WAYS TO ACQUIRE LAND.

THERE ARE DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS THAT WE COULD PARTNER WITH, DIFFERENT TRUSTS, PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS TO TRY TO FIND FUNDS, TO TRY TO PURCHASE THE LAND FROM PRIVATE

[01:35:03]

LANDOWNERS, TO BE ABLE TO DO THESE THINGS THAT WE WANT TO DO.

OUR OBJECTIVE TODAY FOR TAKING YOUR TIME ONCE AGAIN, IS TO STEP AWAY FROM THE AREA PLAN THAT HAS BEEN DEVELOPED BY THE LAST YEAR OF OUR LIVES AND PAUSE THOSE PLANS COMPLETELY, NOT JUST UNTIL JANUARY, BUT COMPLETELY, AND WORK WITH THE COMMUNITY TO DRAFT A REAL PLAN TO PRESERVE NORTHEAST DENTON AND LEAD THE REGION IN ENVIRONMENTAL PRESERVATION AND ECO TOURISM.

THANK YOU, THANK YOU.

THAT TAKES US TO OUR CONSENT AGENDA.

[4. CONSENT AGENDA]

I'LL TAKE A MOTION, BUT FOR ITEM E, WHICH HAS BEEN PULLED.

THE MAYOR PRO TEM.

I MOVE APPROVAL OF THE CONSENT AGENDA ACCEPTING ITEM E COUNCILMAN BYRD A SECOND.

WE HAVE A MOTION IN A SECOND.

ANY DISCUSSION? SEEING NONE, LET'S VOTE ON THE SCREEN.

OKAY. OKAY.

THAT TAKES US TO ITEM E.

OH, SORRY. SO THE CONSENT AGENDA PASSED.

[E. Consider adoption of an ordinance of the City of Denton dissolving the Traffic and Safety Commission; repealing all ordinances and resolutions in conflict; and providing an effective date.]

SIX ZERO TAKES US TO ITEM E, WHICH IS ID 232275.

CONSIDER ADOPTION OF AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF DENTON DISSOLVING THE TRAFFIC AND TRAFFIC AND SAFETY COMMISSION, REPEALING ALL ORDINANCES AND RESOLUTIONS IN CONFLICT, AND PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE.

MAYOR PRO TEM. THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. I'M GOING TO BE VOTING NO BECAUSE I THINK, AS WE HAD IN DISCUSSION, I SAID THAT I PREFER THE THE LEVEL OF CITIZEN FEEDBACK AND ENGAGEMENT, AND SO I CAN'T SUPPORT THE DISSOLUTION OF OF THIS.

OKAY. COUNCIL MEMBER.

ESSER. YEAH, I'D LIKE TO MOVE THAT.

I'M TRYING TO THINK ABOUT THE RIGHT WAY TO SAY IT.

MOVE THAT. WE NOT ADOPT.

E VOTING ROBERT'S POINT OF ORDER.

ROBERT'S RULES OF ORDER DOESN'T ALLOW MOTIONS INTO THE INTO THE.

IT HAS TO BE MADE INTO THE AFFIRMATIVE.

OH, IS THAT RIGHT? CAN'T HAVE A MOTION TO DENY.

THAT'S WHAT I WAS LOOKING FOR. WE CAN'T HAVE A MOTION TO DENY.

ROBERT'S RULES OF ORDER.

DOESN'T ALLOW IT. NO. I, MAY I ASK LEGAL TO WEIGH IN ON THIS? BECAUSE I FEEL LIKE I'VE HEARD MOTIONS TO DENY.

I MEAN, I'M PERFECTLY WILLING TO DO IT THE OTHER WAY.

BUT BEFORE THEY DO TO KNOW, BEFORE THEY DO, I'LL JUST POINT OUT THAT THE COUNCIL MEMBER IS SITTING RIGHT NEXT TO YOU AT THAT POINT SO ELOQUENTLY, ABOUT PROBABLY A MONTH AGO.

AND LEGAL WEIGHED IN AT THAT POINT AND CORRECTED ME.

SO THAT'S WHY I'M AWARE.

BUT MR. CITY ATTORNEY, YEAH, IT DOES SAY THAT IN THE ROBERT'S RULES.

I THINK OUR PRACTICE HAS BEEN CERTAINLY TO DO DENIALS IN THE PAST.

THAT'S BEEN SOMETHING THAT THIS COUNCIL HAS DONE.

BUT IF WE READ THE RULES STRICTLY, THAT'S EXACTLY RIGHT.

OKAY. THAT'S MY MOTION SHOULD BE IN THE POSITIVE.

MAY I SPEAK WHILE I HAVE THE FLOOR MOTION? YEAH. THANK YOU. YEAH.

I WOULD LIKE US TO TAKE ANOTHER STAB AT IT.

I THINK THE ULTIMATE OBJECTIVE IS TO ELIMINATE STAFF DOUBLE WORK, WHICH I THINK IS VERY WORTHWHILE.

AND I WOULD LIKE TO ENCOURAGE MY FELLOW COUNCIL MEMBERS TO CONSIDER THE THE RECONSIDER THE IDEA OF MERGING TRAFFIC AND SAFETY WITH MOBILITY, WITH THE COUNCIL MEMBERS BEING EX-OFFICIO, SINCE THEY'LL HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO VOTE ON THE INPUT FROM THE CITIZENS.

BUT THEN YOU'VE GOT JUST THE ONE ROUND OF STAFF WORK AND YOU DON'T LOSE THE CITIZEN INPUT.

THAT'S MY REASON WHY I'LL BE VOTING NO, AND I HOPE YOU'LL CONSIDER MY POINT OF VIEW.

COUNCILMAN HOLLAND. THANK YOU.

I AM GOING TO SUPPORT THIS MOTION.

I THINK THAT WE CAN THAT WE CAN DO WELL TO TO ALIGN THIS ONE WITH THE MOBILITY COMMITTEE AND STREAMLINE THE ENTIRE PROCESS.

AND JUST LIKE COUNCIL MEMBER MELTZER MENTIONS, I THINK WE CAN ELIMINATE STAFF OVER TIME AND AND JUST AND JUST MAKE THINGS GO FASTER. COUNCILMAN MCGEE.

MR. MAYOR, IS IT APPROPRIATE TO ASK THE CITY MANAGER TO WEIGH ON THIS? DOES IT ACHIEVE THE OBJECTIVE OF THAT THIS WAS ORIGINALLY INTENDED TO CAPTURE.

IS THAT ALL RIGHT? YOU HAVE THE FLOOR.

IS IT OKAY IF I ASK HER? YES.

OKAY. THANK YOU. SO.

SO I THINK THE WHOLE IDEA WAS, AS COUNCIL MEMBER MELTZER SO ELOQUENTLY PUT IT, THERE WAS THERE'S SOME DUPLICATION AND IT WAS HARD.

IT'S VERY HARD FOR THE STAFF TO DO MEETINGS SUCH AS THIS.

RIGHT NOW WE HAVE TWO OUT OF THREE VACANCIES FOR THIS COMMITTEE.

[01:40:03]

I WOULD SAY IF ANYTHING, THE IDEA OF MERGING THOSE TWO IS CERTAINLY THE BETTER WAY.

IF NOT HAVING ONE NOT BE HELD, THE STAFF WOULD CERTAINLY PREFER A MORE CONJOINED EFFORT THAN THEY'D ONLY BE ATTENDING AND, YOU KNOW, HANDLING ONE MEETING.

SO I THINK THAT THAT IS EITHER THAT OR THE CURTAILING OF THAT PARTICULAR COMMISSION WOULD BE THE STAFF.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MADAM CITY MANAGER.

MR. MAYOR, I'LL BE SUPPORTING COUNCILMEMBER MELTZER'S PITCH AS WELL.

THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN BURKE.

IT'S FROM AN EDUCATIONAL STANDPOINT.

CAN YOU CAN CITY MANAGER GIVE US A KIND OF A RECAP OF WHAT THE DIRECT RESPONSIBILITIES FOR THESE TWO PARTICULAR COMMITTEES, THEY SOUND LIKE THEY NEED TO BE TOGETHER, BUT APPARENTLY THEY HAVE SOME SPECIFIC THINGS THAT THEY DO SEPARATELY.

WELL, THE AND CASSIE, YOU MAY WANT TO JUMP IN HERE, BUT I THINK THE MOBILITY COMMISSION IS IS MADE UP OF COUNCIL MEMBERS.

THERE'S THREE COUNCIL MEMBERS.

AND ON TRAFFIC AND SAFETY THERE'S BEEN STAKEHOLDERS FROM THE COMMUNITY, WHICH HAS ALWAYS BEEN HELPFUL BECAUSE THEY DO BRING UP ISSUES RELATED TO BUS SAFETY ISSUES, SUCH AS THAT.

I'M LOOKING AT CHRISTINE BECAUSE I KNOW THAT'S BEEN AN ISSUE, BUT IT IS AROUND THE SAME VENUE OF ITEMS, TRANSPORTATION SAFETY ISSUES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION, AND IT DOES SEEM DUPLICATIVE.

SO BY EITHER HAVING ONE WHICH IS OPEN TO THE PUBLIC OR YOUR PREFERENCE OF COMBINING THAT WORKS TOO.

IT'S JUST I'M TRYING TO REDUCE THE AMOUNT OF STAFF TIME SPENT ON COMMITTEES WHEN THEY SHOULD BE FOCUSING ON THE BIGGER THING OF GETTING THESE DOWNTOWN PROJECTS, THE DOWNTOWN MASTER PLAN, AND LOOKING AT BIG IDEAS FOR THE COUNCIL TO TO DECIDE.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THAT INSIGHT.

IS THERE ANY KIND OF WAY? SO IF WE COMBINE THE TWO, THE CITIZENS MOVE WITH THE COUNCIL MEMBERS ON ONE COMMITTEE, OR ARE WE AGAIN TOTALLY ELIMINATING THE CITIZENS INPUT, WHICH, BY THE WAY, THE CITIZENS CAN'T INPUT ON THE MOBILITY COMMITTEE? THERE'S OPEN OPEN MIC ON ON THE MOBILITY COMMITTEE.

SO THERE'S OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE CITIZENS TO STILL WEIGH IN.

THAT'S CORRECT. SO THERE IS THERE IS THAT I'M JUST SAYING THE PREFERENCE IS TO DISSOLVE THAT ONE COMMISSION BECAUSE THERE IS THE OPPORTUNITY AND IT IS IT IS STAFFED, STAFFED BY THE MOBILITY COMMISSION.

HOWEVER, IF IT WAS COUNCIL'S PLEASURE TO HAVE THAT A MORE STRATEGIC APPROACH WITH A COUPLE OR THREE CITIZENS INVOLVED, THAT WE WOULD HAVE TO GO BACK AND WORK WITH LEGAL TO CREATE THAT.

BUT IT CAN BE DONE.

THE PREFERENCE BY STAFF IS TO ELIMINATE THE ONE SO THAT WE HAVE WE HAVE THE FOCUS ON THE MOBILITY COMMISSION OR THE THE COMBINATION, IF THAT'S YOUR DESIRE.

OKAY. SO I KNOW THAT I'M EMPATHETIC TO THE STAFF NEEDS.

STAFF DOES WORK VERY HARD.

I'M THE ONE OF THE PRIMARY CHEERLEADERS FOR OUR OUR CITIZEN EMPLOYEES HERE.

SO I'D LIKE TO SEE THEM UTILIZE THEIR TALENTS IN A MORE EFFICIENT WAY.

SO IT'S A GOOD CHANCE THAT I'LL PROBABLY VOTE FOR THIS WHEN IT COMES TO IT.

THANK YOU. I JUST WANT TO SPEND MY TIME TO.

THE CONSENT AGENDA.

THIS WAS PLACED ON THE CONSENT AGENDA AS A HISTORY.

I WALK UP TO THIS, THIS PLACE ON THE CONSENT AGENDA BECAUSE WE HAD A WORK SESSION TO VET THESE VERY ISSUES.

THE MAJORITY OF THE COUNCIL SAID YES TO THE TO THE FORMAT PROVIDED ON THIS AGENDA ITEM.

SO IT WAS PLACED ON THE CONSENT AGENDA ITEM TO BE MOVED FORWARD BECAUSE THERE WAS MAJORITY SUPPORT FOR IT.

OTHERWISE IT WOULD NOT BE HERE.

SO FOR ME, THE CHALLENGE IS AGAIN, WE FIND OURSELVES REWORKING SOMETHING AT THE DAIS VERSUS REWORKING THINGS IN EARNEST IN THE WORK SESSION, WHERE STAFF CAN COME BACK AND ANSWER THESE QUESTIONS AND HAVE A THOUGHTFUL APPROACH TO THEM, VERSUS A WORKING FROM THE HIP FROM IN FRONT OF THE DAIS.

AND THAT, TO ME IS IS CHALLENGING TO RECONCILE.

HOW DO WE GET FROM MAJORITY SUPPORT AND WORK SESSION WHERE WE'RE TO ASK ALL THE DETAILED QUESTIONS, VET ALL THESE THINGS? WE GET THEM ON FRIDAY, WE SEND IN QUESTIONS ON SUNDAY.

WE REVIEW THE ANSWERS TO THE QUESTIONS.

ON MONDAY WE HAVE A WORK SESSION.

ON TUESDAY WE STAFF ANSWERS THOSE QUESTIONS.

ON TUESDAY WE GIVE DIRECTION MAJORITY SUPPORT FOR PEOPLE ON THAT SAME TUESDAY.

SO IT'S LIKE A THREE, FOUR HOUR, THREE, FOUR DAY WORK UP.

AND THEN WE THEY GET DIRECTION.

THEY PUT IT ON THE CONSENT AGENDA TO COME BEFORE US AGAIN.

AND IT SEEMS LIKE THERE'S JUST THIS ABILITY, THE INABILITY TO ACCEPT MAJORITY DECISION OR SOMETHING CHANGED AT SOME

[01:45:10]

POINT THAT NO ONE'S PRIVY TO.

SO IT'S CHALLENGING.

I AGREE THAT I WANT AS MUCH PUBLIC INPUT AS AS HUMANLY POSSIBLE THAT IS ALLOWED IN THOSE WORK SESSIONS.

AND I THINK IT'S JUST WE HAVE TO AS A BE MINDFUL OF STAFF TIME AND THE TIME IT'S GOING TO TAKE TO GO BACK AND DO SOMETHING AGAIN VERSUS HAVING A THOUGHTFUL AND MINDFUL CONVERSATION THE FIRST TIME.

SO I'M GOING TO SUPPORT THIS BECAUSE WE HAD A WORK SESSION.

WE HAD AN UNDERSTANDING, WE HAD MAJORITY SUPPORT.

I ASKED THE QUESTIONS I NEEDED TO DURING THAT WORK SESSION TO GET COMFORTABLE WITH IT.

AND WE DON'T HAVE THE BOARD MEMBERS.

WE'RE DOWN TO ONE BOARD MEMBER BECAUSE PEOPLE TOOK ACTIONS BASED ON INDICATIONS FROM THAT WORK SESSION.

SO WE START TO WORK TOWARDS WHAT THE DIRECTION GIVEN.

AND NOW WE'RE SUPPOSED TO THEN REDO THAT WORK OR CHANGE HOW THAT PROJECTION GOES.

I JUST DON'T UNDERSTAND HOW WE HOW THAT HOW WE REWORK SOMETHING THAT'S ALREADY IN PROGRESS OR WHY I'VE NOT HEARD ANYTHING THAT WOULD PREVENT ANYONE THAT WANTS TO SPEAK FROM SPEAKING.

WE'RE ALL ACCESSIBLE.

WE ALL ARE.

REGULARLY ATTEND COMMUNITY EVENTS ONE EMAILS, PHONE CALLS TO AND THEN THIS IS A PUBLIC MEETING.

THOSE OTHER MEETINGS ARE PUBLIC.

SO THERE'S AND THERE'S THE COMMENT SECTIONS ALLOWED TO US DIGITALLY TO COMMENTS AND EVERYTHING.

SO THERE'S AT LEAST 4 OR 5 SIX WAYS.

AND WE HAVE THIS CONVERSATION.

SO FOR THOSE REASONS I'M GOING TO BE SUPPORTIVE OF THIS AND TRY TO MOVE IT FORWARD.

BEFORE OPENING THE DOOR WHILE EVERYONE SPOKEN ONCE.

I DO BELIEVE, I THINK.

DOES EVERYONE SPOKEN THAT WANTS TO SPEAK AT LEAST ONCE? GREAT COUNCILMAN MCGEE.

THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. WHEN WE VOTE.

ARE WE VOTING ON? MR. MELTZER'S AMENDMENT.

ARE WE VOTING ON WHAT WHAT WE HAVE HERE? WE DON'T HAVE A MOTION ON THE FLOOR.

BUT MR. MELTZER DIDN'T MAKE A MOTION BECAUSE ROBERT'S RULES OF ORDER DOESN'T ALLOW YOU TO MAKE A MOTION IN THE NEGATIVE.

SO HE HE JUST.

ONCE UNDERSTANDING THAT THERE IS NO MOTION ON THE FLOOR.

SO TO THAT POINT, YES.

IS DOES MR. MELTON INTEND TO MAKE A MOTION IN THE POSITIVE? NO. COUNT.

DO COUNCIL MEMBER ARE YOU YOU HAVE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? YEAH. I APPRECIATE I APPRECIATE YOUR COMMENTS AND I UNDER WE ALL ABSOLUTELY UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU WERE INTENDING, BUT I ACTUALLY THINK THIS IS A UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY FOR THE PEOPLE HERE IN THE PUBLIC TO SEE HOW THE SAUSAGE IS MADE.

RIGHT? NORMALLY WE BAKE THE SAUSAGE IN THE WORK SESSION WHERE MOST PEOPLE CAN'T ATTEND BECAUSE THEY'RE AT WORK OR THEY ARE NOT ABLE TO WATCH HERE FROM THE DAIS, ROBERT'S RULES GIVES US THE OPPORTUNITY TO SHOW THE PEOPLE HOW WE MAKE THE SAUSAGE MAKING DECISIONS REAL TIME AS PART OF THE PUBLIC PROCESS.

SO I'M SAYING I ABSOLUTELY UNDERSTAND THE INTENTION BY WHAT YOU'RE SAYING.

BUT SOMETIMES THIS PRESENTS A UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY FOR PEOPLE TO SEE US GOVERN IN A DIFFERENT WAY.

AND I THINK THAT'S ALSO IMPORTANT SO THAT PEOPLE CAN UNDERSTAND WHAT WE REALLY DO WITH COMPLETE TRANSPARENCY.

AND THAT'S NOT TO SAY THAT WHAT WE DO IN WORK SESSION IS NOT TRANSPARENT, BECAUSE WE KNOW ALL OUR MEETINGS ARE PUBLIC, BUT THIS WE CAN HAVE PEOPLE LITERALLY SEE US IN REAL TIME DOING THIS. I THINK IT'S KIND OF COOL THAT WE COULD DO IT THIS WAY.

I APPRECIATE THE ONE WHO MADE A DIFFERENT MOTION THAT I'M GOING TO ASSUME DIDN'T COME TO HIS MIND.

SO IF HE IS GOING TO MAKE A MOTION IN THE POSITIVE, I'M GOING TO SUPPORT IT.

OKAY. THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN HOLLAND.

I MOVE THE APPROVAL OF ITEM E.

OKAY. IS THERE A SECOND? COUNCILWOMAN BYRD SECONDS.

YEAH. I'LL SECOND.

OKAY. SO.

SO. COMMENTS.

COUNCILWOMAN ESSER YOU'RE LOOKING TO COMMENT ON THE MOTION OR ANY DISCUSSION? RATHER, YES. I WANTED TO CLARIFY MY MY UNDERSTANDING PROCEDURALLY WAS THAT WHAT WE'RE ABOUT TO DO WAS WHAT WE NEEDED TO DO IS VOTE ON THIS AND THAT. IF IF I WAS ESSENTIALLY URGING A VOTE FOR DENIAL AND THEN SO THAT THEN WE COULD TAKE UP ANOTHER IDEA.

BUT THIS IS THE ONE THAT'S ON THE AGENDA.

SO I THAT'S WHAT MY EXPECTATION WAS THAT WE WOULD VOTE ON THIS ONE WAY OR THE OTHER, WHETHER OR NOT IF IT WERE NOT TO SUCCEED, WHETHER OR NOT WE COULD TAKE UP AN ALTERNATIVE NOW, OR IF WE'D HAVE TO COME BACK THAT THAT I, I'D BE LOOKING FOR GUIDANCE ON.

SO THAT'S SO SORRY IF I WAS.

SORRY IF THAT WAS HARD TO FOLLOW.

BUT THAT WAS MY UNDERSTANDING WAS THAT WE WOULD HAVE TO VOTE UP OR DOWN ON WHAT'S PROPOSED FIRST AND THEN CONSIDER ALTERNATIVES.

[01:50:03]

MAYBE THAT WAS WRONG, BUT THAT'S WHAT I THOUGHT.

DO YOU HAVE? THERE'S CERTAINLY THE OPTION, AND THE WAY IT SHOULD BE DONE PROCEDURALLY IS IF YOU HAVE MODIFICATIONS, YOU WOULD MAKE A MOTION TO MODIFY THE THE FLOOR AMENDMENT. SO THAT WOULD BE THE APPROPRIATE TIME.

NOW IF YOU HAVE AN AMENDMENT TO THIS MOTION TO MAKE IT AT THIS POINT.

YEAH. CONSIDERING THE SUBSTANCE OF WHAT I WAS PROPOSING, IT'S.

UH. IT'S HARD TO IMAGINE THAT IT WOULD WORK AS AN AMENDMENT RIGHT, BECAUSE THIS IS A MOTION TO DISSOLVE TRAFFIC AND SAFETY.

SO SO IT WOULD BE AMENDING IT TO SAY, DON'T DO THAT, BUT MERGE IT.

I DON'T IT DOESN'T SEEM LIKE IT'S STRUCTURED.

RIGHT. SO OKAY.

SO YEAH, IT'S JUST A FLAT OUT THERE'S NO LET'S SEE HOW IT GOES AND THEN TAKE IT FROM THERE.

IT'S MY OPINION.

YEAH. HOLLEN YOU HAVE COMMENTS? YES, SIR. THANK YOU. THE INTENTION OF MY OF MY MOTION IS TO IS TO DO AWAY WITH THIS.

THE TRAFFIC AND SAFETY COMMISSION BECAUSE WE'RE DOING THE SAME THING TWICE.

MOBILITY DOES DOES EVERYTHING THAT TRAFFIC SAFETY TRAFFIC AND SAFETY DOES.

IT JUST ELIMINATES ANOTHER COMMISSION.

AND WE'RE STILL GOING TO GET THE SAME AMOUNT OF WORK DONE.

I THINK IT'S A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO GIVE THE STAFF SOME RELIEF, AND I URGE THE PASSING OF THIS MOTION.

AND I JUST WANT TO SAY EARLIER THE COMMENTS ABOUT HOW THINGS ARE DONE ON ITS FACE, COMMENDABLE, BUT AT ITS ESSENCE, UNDERSTAND, AND I CAN'T STRESS ENOUGH THE WORK THAT GOES INTO THAT RIGHT, THE WORK THAT GOES INTO THE WORK SESSIONS, THE HOURS, I UNDERSTAND.

ALTHOUGH THOSE ARE THOSE ARE WEEKENDS.

THAT SUNDAY WEEKEND, OUR STAFF GETS ALL OUR QUESTIONS AND BEGINS TO ORGANIZE THOSE.

FIRST THING MONDAY. A STAFF MEMBER THEN BEGINS TO GENERATE RESPONSES AND PULL THOSE TOGETHER TO SEND THOSE TO US.

SO WHEN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT IT SOUNDS GOOD AND NOBLE TO DO THINGS IN FRONT OF PEOPLE AND AND THOSE THINGS.

BUT THE CHALLENGE THERE IS YOU DON'T GET GOOD ANSWERS BECAUSE THERE'S NO TIME TO RESEARCH THOSE ANSWERS HERE.

AND THAT'S MY CONCERN, IS THAT YOU GET GOOD ANSWERS, GOOD THOROUGH THOUGHT VERSUS REACTION.

AND SO WE'LL SEE HOW THIS VOTE GOES.

BUT THAT'S MY CONCERN IS THAT THE THE WORK WE'RE PUTTING ON STAFF TO REPEAT THEMSELVES.

AND I JUST DON'T KNOW THAT ANYONE IN ANY WORK ENVIRONMENT ENJOYS THAT.

I THINK IF YOU THINK BACK TO THE TIME YOUR BOSS SAID, GO DO THIS AND THEN.

TWO DAYS LATER SAID, GO DO THAT.

AND YOU'RE LIKE, THERE ARE INSTANCES WHEN WE TALKED ABOUT ALL THIS, BUT HEY, HERE WE GO.

ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? SO THE MOTION BEFORE US IS IS TO TO APPROVE CONSENT AGENDA ITEM E AND AGAIN IT READS CONSIDER ADOPTION OF AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF DENTON DISSOLVING THE TRAFFIC AND SAFETY COMMISSION, REPEALING AN ORDINANCE AND RESOLUTIONS IN CONFLICT, AND PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE.

THAT'S WHAT'S BEFORE US.

PLEASE VOTE ON THE SCREEN.

AND THAT FAILS 3 TO 3, I DON'T KNOW.

OKAY. OKAY, THEN THAT'LL BE BACK BEFORE US.

OKAY. THAT CONCLUDES OUR CONSENT AGENDA.

TAKES US TO OUR PUBLIC HEARINGS.

UM, THERE WE GO.

AND THE FIRST IS FIVE A ID 232105.

[A. Hold a public hearing to receive comments from the public regarding a proposed Fair Chance Hiring ordinance for the City of Denton, and provide any direction to staff on the proposed ordinance.]

HOLD A PUBLIC HEARING. RECEIVE COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC REGARDING A PROPOSED FAIR CHANCE HIRING ORDINANCE FOR THE CITY OF DENTON AND PROVIDE PROVIDE ANY DIRECTION TO STAFF ON THE PROPOSED ORDINANCE.

AND I'LL OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING.

TURN IT OVER TO YOU. ALL RIGHT.

THANK YOU. MAYOR AND COUNCIL, RYAN ADAMS, CHIEF OF STAFF.

JUST TO GIVE A LITTLE BIT OF A BACKGROUND, THIS IS ONE PART OF AN OVERALL ENGAGEMENT PLAN WITH RESPECT TO THE FAIR CHANCE HIRING THE PROPOSED FAIR CHANCE HIRING ORDINANCE.

TO DATE, WE'VE HELD THREE IN-PERSON LISTENING SESSIONS, TWO VIRTUAL LISTENING SESSIONS, AND WE'VE HAD SINCE THE BEGINNING OF OCTOBER A DISCUSSED DENTON PROJECT PAGE THAT'S A DISCUSSED DENTON IS OUR ENGAGEMENT PLATFORM WHERE MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC CAN REVIEW INFORMATION AND FAQS ON THE PROPOSED ORDINANCE.

LEAVE A COMMENT, ASK A QUESTION, AND FILL OUT A SURVEY THAT ASKS THEM TO TELL US IF THEY SUPPORT OR OPPOSE, OR OTHERWISE HAVE AN OPINION ON THE PROPOSED ORDINANCE.

[01:55:05]

SO, CONTINUING WITH THE BACKGROUND, A LITTLE BIT OF WHAT A FAIR CHANCE HIRING ORDINANCE IS.

GENERALLY, IT IS AN ORDINANCE THAT REQUIRES A DELAY IN A CRIMINAL HISTORY CHECK OR CONSIDERATION OF AN APPLICANT'S CRIMINAL HISTORY UNTIL LATER IN THE HIRING PROCESS.

THESE ARE KNOWN AS BAN THE BOX ORDINANCES BECAUSE THEY SEEK TO REMOVE THE.

HAVE YOU BEEN CONVICTED OF A CRIME BOX WHERE SOMEONE WOULD CHECK YES OR NO ON AN APPLICATION, AND TYPICALLY THEY DELAY THAT CONSIDERATION OF A CRIMINAL HISTORY UNTIL A CONDITIONAL OFFER OF EMPLOYMENT? THEY ARE DESIGNED GENERALLY TO ELIMINATE, TO THE GREATEST EXTENT POSSIBLE, A DISCRIMINATORY IMPACT OF CONSIDERING THAT CRIMINAL HISTORY.

THE EEOC, THE EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY COMMISSION, DOES RECOMMEND IT AS A BEST PRACTICE.

THEY ALSO RECOMMEND THAT IF SOMEONE DOES HAVE A CRIMINAL HISTORY, THAT THE EMPLOYER PERFORMS AN INDIVIDUALIZED ASSESSMENT SPECIFIC TO THAT PERSON AND THEIR CIRCUMSTANCES, AND THEY DO STATE THAT REJECTING EVERYONE WITH AN ARREST OR CONVICTION FROM EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES COULD BE DISCRIMINATORY.

THIS IS INFORMATION THAT'S BEEN PRESENTED TO THE COUNCIL PREVIOUSLY, JUST A LITTLE BIT OF BACKGROUND ON LOCALITIES THAT REGULATE FAIR CHANCE HIRING.

AS OF 2021, 37 STATES AND 150 CITIES OR COUNTIES HAVE FAIR CHANCE LAWS THAT APPLY TO THEIR ORGANIZATIONS ONLY.

OF THOSE, 15 STATES AND 22 CITIES OR COUNTIES EXTEND THOSE PROVISIONS TO PRIVATE EMPLOYERS.

AND WITHIN THE STATE OF TEXAS, WE HAVE TWO OF THOSE.

THE CITY OF AUSTIN AND THE CITY OF DE SOTO.

MORE BACKGROUND ON THIS PROPOSED ORDINANCE.

WE DID RECEIVE A POLICY PITCH IN AUGUST OF 2022 TO DO RESEARCH AND PROVIDE INFORMATION ON FAIR CHANCE HIRING ORDINANCES.

WE BROUGHT THAT BACK IN TWO SUCCESSIVE WORK SESSIONS IN NOVEMBER AND DECEMBER.

WE DID NOT RECEIVE ANY DIRECTION AT THAT FINAL DECEMBER WORK SESSION TO MOVE FORWARD.

ANOTHER POLICY PITCH WAS BROUGHT BACK AGAIN IN JUNE OF THIS YEAR AND WE DID HAVE A WORK SESSION.

OH PARDON ME. IT WAS BROUGHT BACK IN JUNE OF THIS YEAR TO BRING IT TO A COUNCIL FOR VOTE.

AT THAT COUNCIL MEETING IT WAS DELAYED.

THE VOTE WAS DELAYED TILL JANUARY SO STAFF COULD PROVIDE A PERIOD FOR PUBLIC COMMENT, PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT AND INPUT.

SO WHAT DOES THIS PROPOSED ORDINANCE PROHIBIT? IT PROHIBITS CONSIDERATION OF A JOB APPLICANTS HISTORY.

CRIMINAL HISTORY. IF THAT CONSIDERATION RESULTS IN DISCRIMINATION BASED ON A PROTECTED CLASS.

AND I'VE LISTED THOSE PROTECTED CLASSES ON THE SLIDE.

THEY ARE. THESE CLASSES ARE PROHIBITED PRIMARILY BY FEDERAL LAW, SUCH AS THE CIVIL RIGHTS ACT OF 1964.

AND THE ORDINANCE DOES PROHIBIT AGAIN, SPECIFIC ACTIONS IF THEY RESULT IN DISCRIMINATION.

EVERYTHING FROM AN AUTOMATIC DISQUALIFIER.

IF SOMEONE HAS A CRIMINAL HISTORY TO INQUIRING ABOUT THAT HISTORY ON A JOB APPLICATION, INQUIRING ABOUT IT BEFORE A CONDITIONAL OFFER OF EMPLOYMENT, REFUSING TO CONSIDER AN APPLICANT BECAUSE THEY DID NOT PROVIDE THAT CRIMINAL HISTORY PRIOR TO CONDITIONAL OFFER OF EMPLOYMENT, OR TAKING AN ADVERSE ACTION WITHOUT AN INDIVIDUALIZED ASSESSMENT.

IF ANY OF THOSE ACTIONS RESULT IN DISCRIMINATION, THEY WOULD BE A VIOLATION OF THE PROPOSED ORDINANCE.

NOW, WHAT AN EMPLOYER CAN DO IS INFORM THE APPLICANTS THAT THERE WILL BE CRIMINAL HISTORY CONSIDERATION AS PART OF THE PROCESS.

SO WHAT DOES THE ORDINANCE NOT PROHIBIT AND THAT BE ANYTHING THAT DOES NOT RESULT IN DISCRIMINATION? I ALSO WANT TO NOTE, BECAUSE WE HAVE RECEIVED THIS QUESTION SEVERAL TIMES, IF THERE ARE ANY FEDERAL OR STATE LAWS THAT REQUIRE A CRIMINAL HISTORY, CHECK FOR A SPECIFIC CATEGORY OF JOBS OR JOBS.

THINK CHILDCARE OR PUBLIC SAFETY.

THIS ORDINANCE DOES NOT APPLY TO THOSE.

IN TERMS OF WHO IS COVERED UNDER THE PROPOSED ORDINANCE, IT WOULD BE ALL PRIVATE EMPLOYERS OR REALLY ALL EMPLOYERS WITH 15 OR MORE EMPLOYEES.

WHAT'S NOT COVERED IS OUR RELIGIOUS ORGANIZATIONS, THE US GOVERNMENT AND THE STATE OF TEXAS AND ITS POLITICAL SUBDIVISIONS.

AND I'LL STOP TO NOTE RIGHT HERE THAT THIS ORDINANCE IS CONTAINED WITHIN THE NONDISCRIMINATION ORDINANCE THAT THE CITY HAS PREVIOUSLY PASSED.

THIS WOULD BE AN ADDED COMPONENT TO THAT.

SO THESE PROVISIONS ARE WHAT IS ALREADY CONTAINED WITHIN THE COMPREHENSIVE NONDISCRIMINATION ORDINANCE.

SO BY ADDING THESE FAIR CHANCE HIRING PROVISIONS TO THAT EXISTING CITY ORDINANCE, IT WOULD ADOPT THESE APPLICATIONS OF WHO WOULD BE COVERED AND WHO WOULD NOT BE COVERED.

SO WHEN A COMPLAINT IS RECEIVED, WE WOULD ADOPT THE SAME PROCESS AS WE WOULD THE NONDISCRIMINATION ORDINANCE.

IF A COMPLAINT IS FILED, WE WOULD FIRST REFER THAT TO A FEDERAL STATE AGENCY FOR INVESTIGATION.

IF THAT APPLIES, AND IN THIS CASE IT WOULD APPLY.

IT WOULD BE GENERALLY THE EEOC, THE EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY COMMISSION, OR IT WOULD BE THE TEXAS WORKFORCE COMMISSION.

THOSE AGENCIES WOULD EITHER DETERMINE IF DISCRIMINATION OCCURRED, AND IF IT DID, THEY WOULD SEEK OUT THEIR FEDERAL OR STATE REMEDIAL ACTION IF THEY DETERMINED THAT

[02:00:08]

DISCRIMINATION DID NOT OCCUR.

THAT WOULD BE CLOSED BY THAT COMPLAINT, WOULD BE CLOSED BY THOSE ENTITIES, AND WOULD NOT BE TAKEN UP BY THE CITY.

AND JUST LIKE WITH THE NONDISCRIMINATION ORDINANCE, IF THOSE JURISDICTIONS PARDON ME, THOSE FEDERAL OR STATE ENTITIES FOUND THAT THEY DID NOT HAVE JURISDICTION TO INVESTIGATE THE COMPLAINT.

THAT COULD THEN BE RESUBMITTED TO THE CITY FOR A THIRD PARTY INVESTIGATION, WHICH I'VE HIGHLIGHTED HERE.

SO SAY THE EEOC OR THE TEXAS WORKFORCE COMMISSION SAYS THAT THEY DO NOT HAVE JURISDICTION TO INVESTIGATE THAT DISCRIMINATION COMPLAINT.

IT COULD BE REVERTED AND RESUBMITTED TO THE CITY.

THE CITY WOULD USE A THIRD PARTY, AND THAT'S PROVIDED FOR UNDER THE EXISTING NONDISCRIMINATION ORDINANCE.

AND THAT THIRD PARTY WOULD CONDUCT AN INVESTIGATION.

AND IT'S POSSIBLE THAT THAT WOULD RESULT IN A CLASS C MISDEMEANOR.

THE INVESTIGATION MAY FIND THAT DISCRIMINATION DID NOT OCCUR, IN WHICH CASE THE COMPLAINT WOULD BE CLOSED, AND THROUGHOUT THIS PROCESS, THE TWO PARTIES CAN ENTER INTO CONCILIATION, WHICH IS ESSENTIALLY MEDIATION, WHERE THEY CAN RESOLVE THE ISSUE BETWEEN THEMSELVES.

IF THAT'S SUCCESSFUL, THE COMPLAINT WOULD BE CLOSED.

IF IT'S UNSUCCESSFUL, THE INVESTIGATION WOULD CONTINUE.

SO THE NEXT STEPS ARE TO PROVIDE THE ENGAGEMENT UPDATE TO THE COUNCIL.

COLLECT ALL THAT WE HAVE RECEIVED THROUGH DISCUSS DENTON THROUGH THESE LISTENING SESSIONS.

PROVIDE THAT TO THE COUNCIL IN A REPORT AND COME BACK IN JANUARY AS DIRECTED BY THE COUNCIL FOR THEM TO CONSIDER THE PROPOSED ORDINANCE.

AND I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT THE COUNCIL MAY HAVE.

OKAY BEFORE COMMENTS DOES LEGAL.

DO YOU WANT TO ADD ANYTHING TO THAT OR NO.

YOU WANT TO LEAVE IT AS IS.

OKAY. GOT IT. OKAY THEN.

UH, ANY QUESTIONS FOR STAFF? I HAVE SPEAKERS THAT WISH TO SPEAK, SO I'M GOING TO TRY TO JUST KEEP IT TO QUESTIONS FROM COUNCIL FOR STAFF BEFORE I GO INTO THE THE COMMENTS.

COUNCILMAN BYRD. FOR CLARIFICATION.

SO YOU ALL ARE GOING TO TAKE YOU ALL HAVE RECEIVED ALL THE PUBLIC INPUT.

IS THAT WHAT I'M UNDERSTANDING? WE'VE RECEIVED? YES, WE WE'VE RECEIVED PUBLIC.

SO YOU ALL ARE GOING TO PULL ALL THAT TOGETHER.

IS THAT GOING TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN WHAT WE SEE OR KNOW OF NOW IS SOMETHING THAT'S GOING TO BE DIFFERENT FROM WHAT YOU RECEIVED, OR YOU ALL STILL WORKING UP SOMETHING THAT WE NEED TO KNOW.

I DON'T KNOW THAT I WANT NECESSARILY BIAS WHAT YOU GET, BUT I THINK THAT'S UP FOR THE COUNCIL TO DECIDE.

I THINK YOU'LL YOU'LL SEE IN IN WHAT WE'VE RECEIVED AND WHAT I CAN TELL YOU JUST ANECDOTALLY FROM THE LISTENING SESSIONS IS THAT YOU WILL HAVE SUPPORT FOR IT, YOU'LL HAVE SUPPORT AGAINST IT AND OR I SHOULD SAY OPPOSITION AGAINST IT AND VARIOUS REASONS FOR THAT.

OKAY. YEAH. ALL RIGHT.

THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN MELTZER.

YEAH, I WANT TO DO THIS CAREFULLY.

BECAUSE YOU KNOW WHAT? I REALLY OUR PURPOSE IS TO HERE IN THE PUBLIC HEARING.

BUT THERE'S A PART OF IT THAT'S CONFUSING TO ME.

AND I FIGURED IF I GIVE YOU A CHANCE TO STRAIGHTEN ME OUT, MAYBE IT'LL HELP SOMEONE ELSE AS WELL BEFORE THEY COMMENT.

SO ON THE FACE OF IT, I THINK THE OBJECTIVE IS SOMETHING LIKE IF SOMEONE DID SOMETHING STUPID OR EVIL WHEN THEY WERE 16, 17, 18 AND THEY PAID THE PRICE, AND THEY'VE GOTTEN A BROADER CONSCIOUSNESS AND DEVELOPED A MATURE OUTLOOK AND WAY OF LIFE, AND THEY'RE 45 THAT THEY WOULD HAVE A CHANCE TO DESCRIBE THAT RATHER THAN BEING.

PULLED OUT OF THE PROCESS BEFORE HAVING THAT FACE TO FACE OPPORTUNITY.

BUT THERE'S NOTHING IN THIS PROPOSAL THAT WOULD PUNISH SOMEONE FOR NOT GIVING THAT CHANCE.

THE THE THE PENALTY WOULD BE IF GOING THROUGH THIS PROCESS RESULTED IN THE IF GOING THROUGH THE PROCESS, THAT OPPORTUNITY IS NOT GIVEN AND IT SOMEHOW RESULTS IN DISCRIMINATION.

I DON'T REALLY UNDERSTAND THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE DISCRIMINATION IT COULD RESULT IN, YOU KNOW, THAT'S A BAD THING IN AND OF ITSELF.

I DON'T REALLY UNDERSTAND HOW THAT RELATES TO WHETHER YOU HAVE THE BOX OR NOT.

SO AND LET ME KNOW IF THIS HELPS.

AND I WANT TO MAKE SURE I FOLLOWED YOUR QUESTION.

SO IN A NUTSHELL, TAKING THAT SCENARIO, IF SOMEONE, SAY, DID NOT GIVE THEM THE INDIVIDUALIZED ASSESSMENT, WHICH I THINK IS WHAT YOU'RE DESCRIBING, AND THE RESULT OF THAT WAS DISCRIMINATION BASED ON ONE OF THOSE PROTECTED CLASSES THAT I LISTED.

[02:05:07]

THAT COULD POTENTIALLY BE A VIOLATION OF THE PROPOSED ORDINANCE, BECAUSE IT RESULTED IN DISCRIMINATION WHEN IT WAS IN THE OVERALL CONSIDERATION OF THAT CRIMINAL HISTORY.

I MEAN, COULD YOU SORT OF GIVE AN A BROAD EXAMPLE OF HOW MIGHT, WITHOUT BEING SPECIFIC, HOW MIGHT THE FAILURE TO GIVE THE INDIVIDUALIZED ASSESSMENT RESULT IN A, IN DISCRIMINATION AGAINST BEING A MEMBER BECAUSE OF BEING A MEMBER OF A CLASS? LIKE HOW DOES ONE THING LEAD TO THE OTHER, EVEN CONCEPTUALLY? SO I DON'T KNOW THAT I'M ABLE TO PULL A SCENARIO RIGHT OFF THE BAT.

OKAY. MIKE, DO YOU BY CHANCE HAVE ANYTHING THAT YOU MIGHT WANT TO ADD? GO AHEAD. MICHAEL CRONIG, DEPUTY CITY ATTORNEY THE EEOC HAS FOUND THAT AFRICAN AMERICAN MALES TYPICALLY ARE SUBJECT TO MORE DISCRIMINATION IN THIS ARENA.

SO. YOU NEED TO DO THE INDIVIDUALIZED ASSESSMENT.

TO AVOID THAT, SO I'M NOT SURE I'M ANSWERING THE QUESTION.

SO I MEAN, FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE PUBLIC.

AND FOR ME, AN EXAMPLE WOULD BE BECAUSE SOMEONE IS NOT GIVEN AN INDIVIDUALIZED ASSESSMENT, THEY MAY THEN BE DISPROPORTIONATELY DISCRIMINATED AGAINST AS A MEMBER OF A, YOU KNOW, AS A MEMBER OF A RACIAL CLASS.

EXACTLY. OKAY. YEAH, I IT MIGHT BE OBVIOUS TO YOU, BUT IT'S CLEAR TO ME NOW, THANK YOU FOR TAKING THE TIME.

AND THAT MAY NOT BE DETERMINED UNTIL THERE'S ACTUALLY AN INVESTIGATION DONE.

AND TALK TO THE EMPLOYER AND FIND OUT WHAT THEIR REASONS WERE FOR NOT OFFERING THAT PERSON THE JOB.

YEAH. OKAY.

THANK YOU. OKAY. AND IF I CAN, IF I CAN ADD ONE THING THAT I THINK IS MAYBE RELEVANT IT INTENT IS DOESN'T ISN'T A REQUIREMENT IF AS LONG AS THE EFFECT IS DISCRIMINATION. SO YOU DON'T HAVE TO INTEND FOR THAT TO BE THE CASE.

THE EFFECT. BUT IF THAT IS THE EFFECT, THAT COULD BE A VIOLATION.

OKAY. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR STAFF? SEEING NONE. OKAY. FIRST SPEAKER IS JOSHUA HATTON.

IF YOU CAN COME DOWN AND GIVE YOUR NAME, YOU HAVE FOUR MINUTES.

NO. IS IT FOUR MINUTES? GOOD EVENING.

MY NAME IS JOSHUA HANSON.

I'M A RESIDENT OF THE CITY OF DENTON.

I'M A MEMBER OF DENTON WORKER, A DENTON BASED, INDEPENDENT GRASSROOTS LABOR ORGANIZATION WITH 24 MEMBERS THAT FORMED IN 2019.

SINCE 2021, DENTON WORKER HAS ORGANIZED THE NO BUS CUTS DENTON CAMPAIGN, WHICH MOBILIZED COMMUNITY MEMBERS TO PREVENT THE REPLACEMENT OF DCTA'S FIXED ROUTE BUS SYSTEM. DENTON WORKER ALSO ORGANIZES KNOW YOUR RIGHTS WORKSHOPS IN PARTNERSHIP WITH LOCAL CHURCHES AND US FEDERAL AGENCIES.

THESE WORKSHOPS HAVE BEEN HELD AT THE DENTON UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST FELLOWSHIP AND AT MOUNT CALVARY BAPTIST CHURCH.

OUR NEXT WORKSHOP WILL BE HELD ON THURSDAY, JANUARY 25TH AT SAINT ANDREW CHURCH OF GOD IN CHRIST.

DENTON WORKER URGES DENTON CITY COUNCIL TO ADOPT THE PROPOSED FAIR CHANCE HIRING ORDINANCE BECAUSE OF THE EFFECT THE POLICY WILL HAVE, AND ALSO AS A MATTER OF PRINCIPLE, WE SUPPORT THE ORDINANCE BECAUSE IT WILL LESSEN THE DISCRIMINATION THAT WORKERS EXPERIENCE.

WE SUPPORT IT AS WELL BECAUSE ONE OF OUR GROUP'S FIVE PRINCIPLES IS EQUALITY, MEANING WE DON'T DISCRIMINATE AGAINST ANY WORKER.

LIAM. JAMIE WAKEFIELD, IF YOU CAN COME DOWN AND GIVE YOUR NAME, YOU HAVE FOUR MINUTES.

HI, MY NAME IS LIAM WAKEFIELD.

I'M OFF OF PONDER AVENUE.

I'M OUT HERE TO SUPPORT, ON SUPPORT, TO SPEAK OUT IN SUPPORT OF THIS ORDINANCE, BECAUSE THIS WILL HELP MANY PEOPLE BE ABLE TO RETURN TO SOCIETY ONCE THEY'VE PAID, ONCE THEY'VE PAID THEIR DUES, ONCE THEY'VE PAID THEIR TIME AND THEIR SERVICE, IT'S LIKE THEY'RE NOT GOING TO IMMEDIATELY JUST BE THERE. APPLICATION IMMEDIATELY THROWN INTO THE TRASH BECAUSE THEY'VE CHECKED OUT OF A BOX THAT SAYS, YES, I'VE COMMITTED A FELONY, WHICH OFTEN IS THE CASE.

IT ALLOWS THEM TO BE SEEN AS A PERSON FIRST, RATHER THAN JUST THE CHECK MARK ON THE BOX.

AND HOW CAN WE ASK PEOPLE TO TRY TO REINTEGRATE TO SOCIETY WHEN WE DON'T EVEN GIVE THEM THE MEANS TO WHICH TO SUSTAIN THEMSELVES? I YIELD THE REMAINDER OF MY TIME.

AARON CARTER, IF YOU CAN GIVE YOUR NAME, YOU'LL HAVE FOUR MINUTES.

GOOD EVENING. MAYOR, COUNCIL.

CITY MANAGER.

CITY ATTORNEY. MY NAME IS AARON CARTER.

[02:10:01]

I'M WITH THE DENTON CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, 401 NORTH ELM.

FIRST, I'D LIKE TO THANK RYAN AND MICHAEL.

I'VE SPENT SOME SIGNIFICANT TIME WITH THEM, AND THEY'VE DONE A FANTASTIC JOB.

ALWAYS THANKS TO STAFF.

I'M GOING TO READ A LETTER ON BEHALF OF OUR BOARD OF DIRECTORS, ON BEHALF OF THE CHAMBER, ITS BOARD OF DIRECTORS, AND AS AN ADVOCATE FOR OUR 800 MEMBERS AND LOCAL BUSINESSES AROUND DENTON, WE WRITE AND APPEAR BEFORE YOU TONIGHT TO URGE THIS COUNCIL NOT TO PASS THE FAIR CHANCE HIRING ORDINANCE.

WE ASK, URGE AND IMPLORE YOU TO INSTEAD SELECT AN OPT IN SECOND CHANCE HIRING PARTNERSHIP WITH THE DENTON CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND OUR LOCAL BUSINESSES TO SUPPORT AMERICA'S HIDDEN WORKFORCE.

WHILE WE RECOGNIZE THE CITY COUNCIL'S ATTEMPT TO FOSTER EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES, THIS ORDINANCE WILL HAVE UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES THAT WILL ADVERSELY IMPACT LOCAL BUSINESSES CRIMINALIZING AND PENALIZING THE JOB INTERVIEWING PROCESS.

WE DO NOT BELIEVE THIS IS THE ROLE OF OUR LOCAL GOVERNMENT, NOR IS IT THE BEST USE OF OUR CITY'S TIME AND RESOURCES.

DISCRIMINATORY HIRING PRACTICES ARE ILLEGAL, AND THE EEOC EXISTS TO INVESTIGATE SUCH CONDUCT.

PASSING AN ORDINANCE THAT ALLOWS THE CITY TO INTERVENE IN THE LOCAL BUSINESSES INTERVIEWING PROCESS AND BECOME AN INVESTIGATIVE ARM OF THE EEOC WHEN THE EEOC TAKES NO ACTION OR HAS NO JURISDICTION, IS NOT A PRO-BUSINESS INITIATIVE.

THIS INITIATIVE DOES NOT CREATE MORE JOBS NOR HIGHER WAGES.

IT WILL ONLY HAMSTRING OUR ABILITY TO ATTRACT MORE BUSINESSES AND PROVIDE FUEL FOR OUR NEIGHBORS AND COMPETITORS WHO WANT TO PORTRAY OUR CITY OF DENTON AS AN ANTI-BUSINESS COMMUNITY.

WE STRONGLY ENCOURAGE THE CITY OF DENTON COUNCIL TO SEEK ALTERNATIVE MEANS TO INCENTIVIZE, NOT CRIMINALIZE, OUR BUSINESSES FOR PARTICIPATING IN SECOND CHANCE HIRING INITIATIVES.

TOGETHER, WE MUST FOCUS ON PARTNERING BUSINESSES WITH POTENTIAL EMPLOYEES WITHOUT ADDITIONAL BURDENS, PENALTIES, OR THREATS.

THE DENTON CHAMBER OF COMMERCE EMPLOYS YOU, IMPLORES YOU NOT TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THE FAIR CHANCE HIRING ORDINANCE.

THE DENTON BUSINESS COMMUNITY DESERVES BETTER.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

AND DENA SMITH, YOU CAN COME DOWN.

DEANNA. I'M SORRY. PARDON ME IF.

DONNA. OH, I SEE THIS E.

YEAH, YEAH, I ALWAYS SEE IT AS AN E.

I'M SORRY I DO THAT REGULARLY.

THAT'S OKAY. WELL, I'M DONNA SMITH, DESPITE, YOU KNOW, AND I'M A DENTON RESIDENT, AND ACTUALLY, I'M HERE FROM MAYBE A SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE.

I USED TO HAVE EMPLOYEES.

THE MOST I'VE EVER HAD WAS TWO.

AND TO BE HONEST, IT WAS OVERWHELMING FOR ME.

AND IT.

I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY OF YOU UP HERE HAVE EVER HAD HAD TO DO A PAYROLL.

HAS ANYBODY DONE A PAYROLL? I MEAN, I GUESS YOU DON'T HAVE TO ANSWER, BUT IT'S HARDER THAN YOU THINK.

AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I STRUGGLED WITH WAS WHEN I HAD TWO EMPLOYEES AND MYSELF WHEN WE WERE BUSY, IT WAS GREAT.

IT WAS SUPER GREAT.

AS LONG AS YOUR EMPLOYEES GOT ALONG, IT WAS GREAT WHEN IT GOT SLOW AND IT DID AT TIMES IT GOT SLOW.

THEN THE EMPLOYER MAKES DECISIONS AND THE DECISIONS LOOK LIKE THIS.

I'M GOING TO PAY MY EMPLOYEES, AND I'M GOING TO HAVE TO DIP INTO MY SAVINGS TO PAY MY MORTGAGE AND MY CAR PAYMENT.

AND THAT'S THAT'S JUST THE REALITY OF WHAT IT IS TO HAVE A SMALL BUSINESS.

NOW, SOMEONE LIKE MYSELF WOULD NOT NECESSARILY BE AFFECTED BY THIS BECAUSE I CAN'T IMAGINE I WOULD EVER HAVE 15 EMPLOYEES.

BUT THE FACT STILL REMAINS, IF YOU HAD 17 EMPLOYEES AND YOU HAD AND YOU WERE NOW HAVING TO INTERVIEW IN THIS WAY, WHEN I HAD TO DO INTERVIEWS, IT TOOK UP TIME OUT OF MY DAY.

I WORKED THAT NIGHT.

THERE WASN'T SOMEBODY ELSE WHO DID MY WORK.

I DID IT.

SO THE INTERVIEW PROCESS IS IMPORTANT.

AND TO HAVE TO WAIT TWO DOWN THE LINE TILL YOU'RE READY TO OFFER SOMEONE A JOB TO FIND OUT THAT THERE WAS A PROBLEM.

NOW I AM IN FULL SUPPORT, THAT IF YOU HAVE PAID YOUR DEBT TO SOCIETY, YOU NEED TO BECOME A PRODUCTIVE MEMBER OF SOCIETY.

THAT'S ABSOLUTELY IMPORTANT.

WE DON'T WANT PEOPLE GOING BACK INTO A SITUATION BECAUSE THEY WEREN'T ABLE TO PAY THEIR RENT OR BUY A CAR SO THEY COULD TRAVEL TO A BETTER JOB, YOU KNOW, ALL OF THOSE THINGS ARE VALID.

BUT IN THE MEANTIME.

I. MY CONCERN IS THAT Y'ALL ARE MAKING THESE DECISIONS, AND IF YOU'VE NEVER STRUGGLED TO HAVE YOUR OWN BUSINESS, TO MAKE

[02:15:09]

PAYROLL, TO TAKE THOSE TAXES, TO ADD TO IT FOR SOCIAL SECURITY, ALL OF THOSE THINGS, YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU'RE ASKING.

AND I APPRECIATE THE FACT THAT YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO MAKE THIS DECISION.

BUT, YOU KNOW, THERE WAS ON THAT ONE PAGE THE COST OF BUSINESS.

I PRINTED THIS OFF OFF THE WEBSITE SAID THAT.

THAT ADDITIONAL COSTS MAY, MAY WE WOULD HAVE TO PAY OUTSIDE BECAUSE OF THE NEED FOR PROFESSIONAL OR LEGAL ADVICE TO IMPLEMENT THE NEW REQUIREMENTS ACCORDING TO THE LAW, AND THAT WOULD BE SOMETHING THAT WOULD BE HARD FOR OUR SMALL BUSINESS TO DO.

SO ONE THING I DON'T THINK WE NEED IS, IS MORE GOVERNMENT REGULATIONS.

AND I SEE THIS AS AS WHAT IT IS.

AND SO IF THERE'S A BETTER ALTERNATIVE, I DID APPRECIATE WHAT OUR FRIEND FROM THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE SAID.

IF THERE'S A BETTER WAY OF DOING THIS, I WOULD APPRECIATE YOU.

LOOK AT THAT. THANKS SO MUCH.

AND THAT'S ALL THE SPEAKERS I HAVE, BUT THE CARDS I HAVE.

BUT THIS IS AN OPEN MIC OPPORTUNITY.

SO IF YOU DID NOT FILL OUT A CARD CARE TO SPEAK? YOU CAN COME DOWN AND SPEAK AND THEN FILL OUT A BLUE CARD.

DOES ANYONE CARE TO DO THAT? SURE. YOU CAN COME ON DOWN AND GIVE YOUR NAME.

YOU HAVE FOUR MINUTES AND THEN SOMEBODY WILL GET A CARD FOR YOU.

HEY, MY NAME IS KELLY. I LIVE OFF IN BOULEVARD.

I'M SORRY. YOUR NAME AGAIN? KEL. KEL.

AND THEN LAST NAME PEREZ.

THANK YOU. ABSOLUTELY.

WE LOVE TO TALK ON ABOUT HOW WE'RE HOW BUSINESSES ARE MERITOCRACY AND ALL OF THAT.

A PERSON'S SKILL SHOULD BE THE ONLY METRIC WE BASE EMPLOYMENT ON.

I MEAN, THE PRESENTATION SEEMED PRETTY CLEAR.

AND THIS BAND BOX ORDINANCE SEEMS LIKE A NO BRAINER IF BUSINESSES ARE WORRIED THAT THIS WILL AFFECT THEM, THAT, I DON'T KNOW, MAYBE DON'T DISCRIMINATE ON THE BASIS OF PRIOR CONVICTIONS. CONVICTIONS, YOU KNOW, SEEMS PRETTY SIMPLE.

YEAH, THAT'S ALL MY TIME OR.

ANY ANYONE ELSE CARE TO SPEAK? OKAY. THANK YOU.

HELLO, I'M LYRA SMITH.

I LIVE OFF MCKENNEY.

THE. ARGUMENTS AGAINST THIS SEEM TO BASICALLY BE THIS WILL BE AN UNDUE BURDEN ON THE COMPANIES, BUT THE FACT THAT WE HAVE TO PUT FORTH OUR.

CRIMINAL RECORD WHEN TRYING TO GET HIRED SEEMS LIKE AN UNDUE BURDEN ON THE INDIVIDUAL.

I BELIEVE THAT BANNING THE BOX WOULD BE A POSITIVE THING.

IT SEEMS AS IF.

IT SEEMS AS IF REMOVING PEOPLE FROM YOUR HIRING PROCESS JUST BECAUSE KNOW THEY GOT.

IT'S CAUGHT WITH TOO MUCH WEED OR SOMETHING ELSE LIKE A DECADE AGO, IS A BAD MOVE AND IS BAD FOR PRETTY MUCH ANYONE WHO MIGHT HAVE, MIGHT, WILL, OR ANYTHING.

MIGHT HAVE DONE SOMETHING STUPID AT ANY POINT OR GONE TO JAIL FOR AN UNFAIR REASON.

THANK YOU. THAT'S MY TIME.

ANYONE ELSE CARE TO SPEAK? YEAH. IF YOU CAN COME DOWN AND GIVE YOUR NAME, AND THEN WE'LL GET A CARD TO YOU.

THANK YOU. HELLO.

MY NAME IS ANTHONY MARSH AND I DID WANT TO BRING UP A WHAT I FEEL IS A VERY VALID POINT THAT WE HAVE SEVERAL NON PROFITS GROUPS IN DENTON SPECIFICALLY DESIGNED TO STOP THE DISCRIMINATION FROM THAT PEOPLE ARE EXPERIENCING OUT OF PRISON.

I KNOW THAT THE COFFEE SHOP RIGHT NEAR HERE, ZARA'S, THEY HAVE PEOPLE WORK AT THE COFFEE SHOP BECAUSE THOSE MEN CAN'T GET A JOB ANYWHERE ELSE BECAUSE THEY ARE CRIMINALS.

AND I FEEL LIKE THAT IN ITSELF IS A SIGN THAT THIS IS A NEED THAT WE ARE HAVING.

WE'RE NOW TRYING TO MEET THAT THROUGH NON PROFITS THAT ARE TRYING TO GET THESE MEN JOBS BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT ABLE TO GET THEM ELSEWHERE AND THAT.

IF WE DID PASS THIS BAN THE BOX, THAT MAYBE WE WOULD HAVE TO RELY LESS ON NONPROFITS AND GOODWILL OF PEOPLE AND INSTEAD JUST LET THEM GET JOBS LIKE EVERYONE ELSE DOES.

[02:20:03]

ANYWAY, THAT'S EVERYTHING I WANTED TO SAY.

OKAY. IS THERE ANYONE ELSE? IT IS OPEN. OPEN MIC.

OUR PUBLIC HEARING SO YOU CAN SPEAK.

YOU JUST NEED TO FILL OUT A CARD AFTERWARDS.

ANYONE ELSE? SEEING NO SUDDEN.

WELL.

HI EVERYONE. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE AND CONSIDERING THIS MOTION OR WHAT HAVE YOU.

I JUST WANTED TO SAY THAT I THOUGHT IT WAS INTERESTING SOME OF THE COMMENTS THAT WERE SHARED.

OH, I'M SORRY, I'M ADAM, I LIVE OFF OF SPENCER ROAD.

I WANTED TO SAY THAT WHILE I CAN UNDERSTAND WHY IT WOULD BE HARD FOR A BUSINESS PERSPECTIVE TO HAVE THIS RESOLUTION, I WANT TO TALK ABOUT HOW WE SHOULD COMPARE AND CONTRAST THAT TO WHAT IS THE OPPOSITE, RIGHT? IS IT HARD FOR THE BUSINESS? IT'S LIKEWISE HARD FOR THE INDIVIDUAL.

RIGHT. LIKE THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE THAT CHALLENGE OF TRYING TO FIND WORK AS SOMEBODY WHO HAS THAT CRIMINAL HISTORY, AND THEY'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO HAVE THAT CHALLENGE, RIGHT. THERE'S NOT MUCH THAT THEY CAN DO IN ORDER TO GET AROUND THAT.

BUT THERE'S THINGS THAT WE CAN DO, AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE HERE TODAY TALKING WITH EACH OTHER.

RIGHT. SO I CAN APPRECIATE BUSINESS PEOPLE MENTIONING LIKE, OH, IT'S KIND OF HARD FOR US TO HAVE TO HAVE THAT EXTRA INDIVIDUAL ASSESSMENT.

IT'S GOING TO TAKE TIME.

THAT SOUNDS LIKE A DIFFICULTY THAT CAN BE OVERCOME, RIGHT? LIKE WE CAN HIT THE DRAWING BOARD THEN, AND WE CAN TRY TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO MAKE THAT EASIER FOR THE BUSINESSES.

I DON'T THINK THAT THAT IS AN EXCUSE FOR WHY WE SHOULD PUT THAT BACK ON TO THE INDIVIDUAL.

OH, IT'S GOING TO BE HARD FOR US TO CONSIDER THAT INDIVIDUAL ASSESSMENT EXTRA, IN ADDITION TO ALL THE THINGS THAT WE HAVE TO DO.

OKAY. WELL, I THINK THAT IT'S HARD FOR THE INDIVIDUAL AS WELL TO FIND WORK, AND I DON'T THINK THAT THAT'S AN EXCUSE FOR US TO, YOU KNOW, KIND OF OH, WELL, THIS IS WHY WE SHOULDN'T DO IT THIS WAY.

I DO APPRECIATE THAT THEY MENTIONED WE'LL STILL WANTING TO HIT THAT DRAWING BOARD AND TRY TO CONSIDER OUR BEST OPTIONS.

I JUST THOUGHT IT WAS KIND OF AN INTERESTING POINT OF OPPOSITION.

I'M HERE WITH SOME OF MY FRIENDS FROM DENTON COMMUNAL REVIVAL.

WE CARE ABOUT MUTUAL AID, HELPING FEED OUR NEIGHBORS TAKE CARE OF EACH OTHER.

WE HAVE PLENTY OF PEOPLE IN OUR GROUP THAT SUPPORT THE IDEA OF BANNING THE BOX, AND WE ALL CAME OUT HERE TONIGHT TO TALK ABOUT THAT AND EXPRESS ALL OF OUR SHARED DESIRE TO SEE THAT HAPPEN AS WELL.

AND I'M GRATEFUL FOR OUR FRIENDS WHO SPOKE ON THAT.

SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME, I APPRECIATE IT.

THANK YOU. THAT IS THERE ANY OTHER IS THERE ANYONE ELSE THAT WOULD CARE TO SPEAK BEFORE WE CLOSE THE THE DISCUSSION.

SO OKAY SO I'LL CLOSE.

AND MICHAEL I HAVE SOME QUESTIONS FOR YOU.

PLEASE AND THANK YOU. YES, SIR.

OKAY. WOULD IT WOULD IT BE THE CITY'S INTENT TO, AS WRITTEN, INVESTIGATE A PRIVATE COMPANY IN THE CITY OF DENTON? IF IF A COMPLAINT WAS FILED THAT ALLEGING THERE WAS DISCRIMINATION IS, RYAN SAID, WE WOULD DEFER IT TO A STATE OR LOCAL AGENCY AND IF THEY WERE GOING TO INVESTIGATE IT.

SO YES, WE WOULD.

IT WOULD. THIS JUST APPLIES TO PRIVATE EMPLOYERS LIKE THE OTHER PARTS OF THE NONDISCRIMINATION ORDINANCE.

THEY DON'T APPLY TO FEDERAL, STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS AS WELL.

YEAH. AND SO AND LET ME MAKE SURE I UNDERSTAND THIS RIGHT.

IT DOESN'T APPLY TO THE CITY OF DENTON.

THAT'S CORRECT. BUT MY UNDERSTANDING IS THE CITY OF DENTON ALREADY DOES THIS.

RIGHT. BUT I'M JUST SAYING WE.

IT. THE RULE WE'RE MAKING FOR BUSINESSES IN THE CITY OF DENTON DOESN'T APPLY TO THE CITY OF DENTON, JUST LIKE THE REST OF THE NONDISCRIMINATION ORDINANCE DOESN'T APPLY TO THE CITY OF DENTON. CORRECT? YES.

GOT IT. AND THEN I WANT TO ASK YOU ABOUT.

SO THE ANSWERS PROVIDED TO US, THERE'S A FEW.

SO I WANT TO FOCUS ON THE PREVIOUS COMPLAINT SECTION.

AND AND KIND OF HERE'S THE I'LL QUOTE IT FOR YOU.

STAFF HAVE NOT RECEIVED DIRECT COMPLAINTS REGARDING HIRING DISCRIMINATION.

A MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC, A MEMBER OF PUBLIC SPOKE ON THIS ISSUE IN OPEN MIC PORTION ON JULY 19TH, 2022.

AND SO, BASED ON STAFF'S ACCOUNTING OF EVERYTHING THAT'S HAPPENED OVER THE PAST YEAR, PLUS WE'VE HAD ONE COUNTED ONE PERSON COME BEFORE THIS BODY IN ANY FORM SIGNS, EMAILS, TEXT MESSAGE, PHONE CALLS.

WE FOUND ONE PERSON.

RYAN ANSWERED THAT. I'M ASSUMING THAT'S CORRECT.

THAT'S CORRECT. OUTSIDE OF THIS ENGAGEMENT PERIOD WHERE WE'VE ACTUALLY SOUGHT INPUT.

STAFF HAS NOT DIRECTLY RECEIVED ANY COMPLAINTS ASIDE FROM THAT ONE INSTANCE WHERE SOMEONE DID COME TO THE COUNCIL TO SPEAK.

[02:25:05]

AND THAT WAS JULY 19TH, 2022, I BELIEVE THAT'S THE DATE.

YEAH. YEAH. OKAY.

AND THEN, MICHAEL, MY QUESTION LEGALLY IS.

IT TALKS ABOUT THE REQUIREMENT TO OFFER.

YOU CAN'T ASK ABOUT CRIMINAL RECORDS BEFORE YOU OFFER EMPLOYMENT, YOU KNOW.

AND SO I WANT TO EXPLORE THAT A LITTLE BIT.

OFFER. RIGHT.

SO IF I SAY I WANT TO HIRE YOU.

I'D LOVE TO ADD YOU ON.

DURING THE INTERVIEW PROCESS OR JUST THEY STEP INTO MY OFFICE.

HEY, GREAT TO MEET YOU.

WE'D LOVE TO HIRE YOU.

I THINK YOU'D BE GREAT FOR THE TEAM, WHATEVER THOSE KIND OF ENTRY COMMENTS ARE.

DOES THAT DOES THAT CONSTITUTE AN OFFER? USUALLY THEY'RE IN WRITING AND I KNOW THE CITY DOES IT.

YOU'LL GET SOMETHING IN WRITING THAT WILL SAY, WE'RE OFFERING YOU THE JOB CONDITIONED UPON YOU COMPLETING X, Y, AND Z.

LET'S SAY IT'S IT'S A DRUG TEST OR CRIMINAL BACKGROUND CHECK.

SO IT'S A CONDITIONAL OFFER WHICH CAN BE WITHDRAWN BY THE CITY.

GREAT POINT. BUT IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE WRITTEN.

NO NO, NO, BUT THEY USUALLY ARE.

BUT OKAY.

BUT WE'RE GOING BY THE LETTER OF THE ORDINANCE.

RIGHT? BY THE RULES.

IT DOESN'T SAY IT. MY RECOLLECTION IS IT DOESN'T SAY IT HAS TO BE A WRITTEN CONDITIONAL.

CORRECT. SO MY QUESTION IS AGAIN AND AND THE QUESTION, YOU KNOW, THE OFFER UPON COMPLETION OF COULD BE UPON OR AFTER AN INTERVIEW. RIGHT.

THAT THAT'S A DISCUSSION.

THAT'S A ANALYSIS.

THAT'S A CONDITION I WANT TO OFFER YOU THIS JOB CONDITIONED ON AN INTERVIEW.

I THINK FROM A PRACTICAL STANDPOINT, IT'S USUALLY EVERYTHING ELSE HAS BEEN DONE.

THE INTERVIEW HAS BEEN DONE, ALL THAT.

NOW THIS IS THE LAST STEP.

WHERE'S THAT. WHERE'S THAT WRITTEN.

IT'S IN THE DEFINITION.

IT'S CONDITIONAL EMPLOYMENT OFFER IS AN ORAL OR WRITTEN OFFER BY AN EMPLOYER TO EMPLOYEE.

I'M SORRY TO EMPLOY AN INDIVIDUAL IN A JOB OR A PLACEMENT OF THE EMPLOYEE IN THE STAFFING POOL THAT'S CONDITIONED ON THE EMPLOYER'S EVALUATION OF THE INDIVIDUAL'S CRIMINAL HISTORY.

SO THE DEFINITION LIMITS THAT JUST TO THE REVIEW OF THE CRIMINAL HISTORY.

RIGHT. BUT SO THANK YOU FOR THAT DEFINITION.

BUT MY MY QUESTION REMAINS BASED ON EVERYTHING YOU SAID I CHECKED THAT BOX.

IF I SAY I WANT TO HIRE A CONDITION OF EMPLOYMENT, IT DOESN'T SAY IT'S SEQUENCED, AM I CORRECT? NO. BUT I THINK WHAT THE CITY ATTORNEY POINTED OUT IS THIS IS PREMISED ON EVERYTHING ELSE HAS BEEN DONE.

AND THAT'S THAT'S THE LAST STEP.

WHERE DOES IT SAY THAT? I THINK WHAT MACK JUST READ IT DIDN'T IT DIDN'T HAVE MY INTERPRETATION IS THAT'S THAT'S THE LAST STEP.

NOW, IF THAT'S NOT WHAT COUNCIL WANTS, WE CERTAINLY CAN CHANGE THAT.

OKAY. COULD YOU READ THAT AGAIN WHERE IT SAYS IT'S THE LAST STEP.

NO IT DOESN'T SAY ANYTHING ABOUT LAST STEP.

IT SAYS IT'S THE ORAL OR WRITTEN OFFER TO THE EMPLOYEE TO EMPLOY THAT INDIVIDUAL THAT'S CONDITIONED UPON THE EMPLOYER'S EVALUATION OF THE INDIVIDUAL'S CRIMINAL HISTORY.

CORRECT. SO IF I ORALLY OFFER YOU A JOB AT THE BEGINNING, CONDITIONED ON THIS INTERVIEW, IT SATISFIES THE REQUIREMENT.

I DON'T KNOW HOW REALISTIC IT IS TO OFFER SOMEONE A JOB BEFORE YOU'VE INTERVIEWED THEM OR TALKED TO THEM, OR I DON'T KNOW HOW REALISTIC THAT.

LET ME TELL YOU HOW REALISTIC IT IS.

YOU DON'T LIKE THIS ORDINANCE AND YOU'RE A BUSINESS OWNER, AND YOU WANT TO SIDESTEP THIS COUNCIL BECAUSE YOU WANT TO JUST GET ON WITH THE WAY YOU DO BUSINESS.

NORMALLY, THAT'S HOW IT HAPPENS.

YES, A PERSON COULD TRY TO DO THAT.

CERTAINLY THEY STILL HAVE TO DO THE PROCESS, WHICH IS THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE TO TALK TO THE PERSON.

THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE TO OFFER THEM THE JOB.

IF THEY AT THAT POINT GO IN AND OUT AND DO THE CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION, I GUESS THEY'RE RUNNING A RISK TO A CERTAIN DEGREE, BECAUSE WHAT HAPPENS WHEN THEY DON'T COME BACK WITH ANY KIND OF CRIMINAL HISTORY? IT'S KIND OF A STRANGE WAY TO TO GO ABOUT BUSINESS.

NO, TO ME IT'S NOT.

WE'RE DOING THAT BUSINESS CURRENTLY.

THEY'RE DOING IT NOW.

RIGHT. THEY'RE OPERATING.

PEOPLE ARE OPERATING WITHOUT OUR INTERVENTION, WITHOUT OUR HELP NOW.

RIGHT. AND IF YOU IF YOU DON'T WANT THE CITY'S HELP, YOU FIND WAYS TO CIRCUMVENT THE CITY SO THAT YOU CAN GO ON AND DO BUSINESS AS USUAL.

YOU'RE TAKING IT FROM PEOPLE ARE WE'VE HAD NO ONE ASK FOR THIS.

YOU TALK ABOUT AND AND I THINK THAT'S.

LET ME MAKE SURE I HAVE EVERYTHING FOR YOU, MICHAEL.

AND THEN I'LL. OKAY.

YEAH, I'M ALL GOOD. THANK YOU.

MICHAEL. OKAY, SO I STILL I MEAN, I UNDERSTAND THE, THE THE COMMENTS, BUT I DON'T KNOW THAT THAT'S DOCUMENTED.

I DON'T KNOW THAT IT'S CLEAR.

AND HERE'S WHAT I'M CERTAIN OF.

THE CITY OF DENTON HAS NO ROLE IN THIS.

[02:30:01]

THE CITY OF DENTON PASSES IT ON.

THE CITY OF DENTON IS SHOVING THIS IN OUR NON DISCLOSURE OR NONDISCRIMINATION ORDINANCE, JUST BECAUSE THAT'S A CONVENIENT PLACE TO PUT IT, NOT BECAUSE THAT'S WHERE IT BELONGS.

AND THAT'S KIND OF THE PAIN POINT FOR ME.

AND I'LL POINT OUT A COUPLE OF OTHER THINGS AND THEN I'LL I'LL MOVE ON.

UM, IT TALKS ABOUT ONE OF THE SPEAKERS SPOKE ABOUT THIS, THE EFFECT IT WILL HAVE.

YOU HAD SIX SPEAKERS.

SPEAK AT FOUR MINUTES APIECE.

TO GIVE YOU A PERFECT PREVIEW OF THE EFFECT IT WILL HAVE.

YOU HAD SIX SPEAKERS AT THE OPEN MIC.

TALK ABOUT THE CITY OF LOUISVILLE.

AS COMPARED TO THEIR PROPERTY AND HOW THEY MANAGE THEIR AREA AROUND THE LAKE.

IMAGINE THAT.

IF YOU'RE A BUSINESS.

AND WE TAKE THE NEGATIVE.

AND THIS IS A NEGATIVE APPROACH.

THIS IS A HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN PUNCHING THE GROUND.

HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN MEAN TO YOUR KIDS? HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN? THERE'S NOT A GOOD WAY TO ANSWER THAT QUESTION.

THE ONLY REASON YOU WOULD NEED TO HAVE AN ORDINANCE THAT SAYS DON'T DISCRIMINATE IS IF YOU'RE DISCRIMINATING.

NOTICE NO CITY AROUND THIS AREA IS DOING THAT.

SO WHAT YOU HAVE IS A COMPARISON OF HERE'S WHAT LEWIS WAS DOING.

AND SO AND YOU'LL HAVE A COMPARISON OF HEY BUSINESS OWNER, YOU CAN GO TO LEWISVILLE AND CONDUCT BUSINESS AS YOU SEE AS YOU KNOW BEST HOW.

OR YOU CAN GO TO DENTON AND GET MICROMANAGED BY THE CITY COUNCIL.

AND SO AND AGAIN, IT HAS NO THERE'S NO DIRECT AUTHORITY THAT THE CITY HAS.

AND THAT'S CONCERNING FOR ME.

YOU CAN'T LEGISLATE MORALITY.

AND SO I POINT THAT OUT BECAUSE I THINK THE WHAT, THE WHAT THE CHAMBER PROPOSED IS SPOT ON.

IMAGINE THE DIFFERENCE IN THE NARRATIVE IF WE CAN SAY.

WE WANT TO CHAMPION THE BUSINESSES IN DENTON THAT OFFER SECOND CHANCE OPPORTUNITIES, VERSUS WE NEED TO PUNISH THOSE, OR WE NEED TO FIND THOSE THAT ARE DOING WRONG. IT JUST HAS A BETTER NARRATIVE TO IT, I BELIEVE.

AND THE EXAMPLE THAT I'LL GIVE YOU IS BROWN VERSUS BOARD OF EDUCATION GOVERNOR IN ARKANSAS.

YOU. NOW IT'S THEY'RE CALLED THE LITTLE ROCK NINE.

BUT YOU'RE TELLING ME THEY'RE FROM KANSAS, OR WERE YOU GOING TO LET ME FINISH MY WHAT I WAS SAYING BROWN VERSUS THE BOARD OF EDUCATION OF TOPEKA, KANSAS, SIR.

THANK YOU. THIS IS THIS IS A RESULT OF THE RESULT OF THE CASE.

IF I CAN GO ON.

IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE YOU WANT TO.

YOU WANT THE FLOOR? OKAY, SO THE LITTLE ROCK NINE.

AS A RESULT OF THAT, THE BROWN BOARD OF EDUCATION DIDN'T SAY HOW THE.

THE SEGREGATE, THE HOW TO BRING THE SCHOOLS TOGETHER.

AND SO THE GOVERNOR IN ARKANSAS SAID, HEY, THIS IS NOT DOCUMENTED.

WE'RE NOT GOING TO LET THEM IN.

CALLED OUT THE THE THE POLICE.

THEN THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT HAD TO GO INTERVENE.

SO YOU HAD A RULE ON THE BOOKS THAT SAID, HEY, THEY GET TO GO TO SCHOOL THERE.

THERE WAS SOME AMBIGUITY.

THEN THEY HAD, YOU KNOW, YOU HAD THIS KIND OF CLASH BETWEEN STATE AND FEDERAL GOVERNMENTS.

I SAY THAT TO SAY THERE THERE IS NO YOU CAN'T REGULATE LEGISLATE MORALITY.

YOU CAN'T FORCE PEOPLE JUST KIND OF TO DO WHAT YOU WANT THEM TO DO.

THERE'S ALWAYS AN INTERPRETATION THEREOF.

AND THAT'S THE CHALLENGE HERE.

AS YOU JUST SAW AT THE DAIS, AN INTERPRETATION OF HOW WE DO THIS AND INTERPRETATION OF THAT AND NONE OF THAT WE HAVE CONTROL OVER.

IT'S ALL GOING TO BE OUTSIDE OF OUR CONTROL.

IT'S ALL GOING TO BE AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL WHERE IT BELONGS.

SO THAT THAT'S MY CONCERN.

IT'S JUST IT ADDS CONFUSION.

IT PAINTS OUR BUSINESSES IN A BAD LIGHT.

IT PAINTS OUR CITY IN A BAD LIGHT.

AND AND I'LL JUST TELL YOU THE LASTLY, FROM A FACT STANDPOINT, DIDN'T COUNTY UNITED WAY POINTS OUT THIS 102 102,000, I THINK ALICE HOUSEHOLDS IN DENTON COUNTY THAT'S LIVING CHECK TO CHECK.

AND THIS DOES THEY HAVE A JOB.

AND SO WE'RE NOT UPSKILLING THOSE PEOPLE.

WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT CITY OF DENTON DOING THINGS TO UPSKILL THOSE THAT ARE ALREADY WORKING.

WE'RE TALKING ABOUT SOMETHING THAT HAS ONE PERSON'S COME BEFORE US, AND THEN I'LL JUST USE AGAIN.

STAFF'S ANSWER TO CONCLUDE.

LET ME FIND IT. PARDON ME.

NO, THAT'S NOT WHAT I NEED FROM THE FROM THE QUESTIONS I ASK.

AND IT SAYS CONSIDERING AN APPLICANT'S CRIMINAL HISTORY AND THIS IS THIS IS A DIRECT QUOTE FROM THE FROM THE CITY IN ANSWERING MY QUESTIONS.

[02:35:07]

CONSIDERING AN APPLICANT'S CRIMINAL HISTORY IS NOT PROHIBITED IF IT DOES NOT RESULT IN DISCRIMINATION BASED ON A PROTECTED CLASS AND ALL THE LAWS ARE ESTABLISHED BY THE FEDERAL LAW.

AND SO THAT'S THAT'S WHAT WE'RE UP AGAINST.

IT'S THE CITY GETTING INTO FEDERAL LAW, WHICH I DON'T WHERE I DON'T THINK WE BELONG.

COUNCIL MEMBER HOLLAND. THANK YOU.

WE TALKED ABOUT THIS IN JUNE, AND I SAID AT THAT TIME, EMPLOYERS ARE OR THEY SHOULD BE THE FIRST AND FINAL AUTHORITY ON ON WHO WHO TO HIRE AND HOW TO DETERMINE WHAT HIRING CRITERIA SHOULD BE USED.

THE CITY OF DENTON HAS NO PLACE IN DETERMINING WHAT CRITERIA PRIVATE EMPLOYERS SHOULD BE USING TO DETERMINE A HIRING CRITERIA.

THESE APPEALS WILL CREATE ANOTHER LEVEL OF BUREAUCRACY, AND THE CITY WILL BE CALLED UPON TO BE A REFEREE IN PRIVATE HIRING MATTERS.

WE HAD BEFORE US THE PRESIDENT OF THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, REPRESENTING THE BUSINESS LEADERS OF OUR COMMUNITY, JUST TO SPEAK HERE.

PEOPLE WHO DO HIRE, PEOPLE WHO HAVE MADE A PAYROLL.

THIS IS NOT TO SAY THAT THEY CAN'T HIRE WHO THEY WANT TO, BUT THE CITY HAS NO ROLE IN THIS.

THIS IS JUST NOT THIS IS COMPLETELY OUT OF BOUNDS.

IT'S JUST.

IT'S JUST WRONG HEADED AND.

AND IT'LL ALWAYS BE WRONG HEADED.

AND MISS SMITH. I HAVE MADE A PAYROLL.

MAYOR PRO TEM. THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. SO A COUPLE QUESTIONS I'D LIKE TO TO ASK STAFF.

AND THEY DON'T HAVE TO BRING IT UP.

I MEAN, YOU DON'T HAVE TO ANSWER IT THIS TIME UNLESS YOU HAPPEN TO KNOW THE ANSWER, BUT I ASK FOR IT TO BE IN THE MATERIALS THAT WERE PRESENTED WITH AT THE NEXT OCCURRENCE.

AND SO WE'VE HEARD THE THE PEOPLE WHO CAME AND SPOKE BEFORE US.

BUT WHAT I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO IS THERE WAS A COUPLE OF INSTANCES OF WHAT PEOPLE THINK THE IMPACTS WOULD BE LIKE, BUT IN THE ENGAGEMENT PERIOD, I'M CERTAIN THAT YOU ALL GOT SOME STORIES OF NARRATIVES FROM BOTH THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY AND THE EMPLOYEE COMMUNITY COMMUNITY, POTENTIAL EMPLOYEE COMMUNITY ABOUT HOW THEY FELT ABOUT THE IMPACTS IN THEIR LIVES AND IN THEIR BUSINESS.

SO I'D REALLY LIKE TO HEAR AT LEAST SOME AGGREGATE STATISTICS, EVEN IF THEY'RE NOT STATISTICALLY VALID, EVEN IF YOU JUST SAY, OKAY, HERE'S TEN OF THESE.

AND FOR THOSE, BECAUSE THAT WOULD BE A VERY SMALL NUMBER AND WOULDN'T BE STATISTICALLY VALID.

BUT I'D STILL LIKE TO HEAR, BECAUSE THE IMPLICATION FROM SOME OF THE SPEAKERS IS THAT WE'VE HEARD TONIGHT IS, WELL, YOU KNOW, THIS, THIS, THIS IS A THIS IS A, YOU KNOW, A SOLUTION WITHOUT A PROBLEM.

I'D LIKE TO HEAR WHAT THE ENGAGEMENT SAID ABOUT THAT ISSUE.

AND TO THAT SAME COMMENT WE DID HAVE, THE PRESIDENT OF THE DESOTO CHAMBER OF COMMERCE TOOK THE TIME TO DRIVE HALFWAY ACROSS THE METROPLEX TO COME AND TELL US ABOUT THE POSITIVE BENEFACTOR BENEFITS THAT IT HAD ON THEIR COMMUNITY.

AND AND SO NO DISPARAGEMENT TO OUR OWN PRESIDENT OF THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.

BUT IT SEEMS LIKE THERE IS FOLKS OF GOODWILL WHO WHOSE JOB IT IS TO DO ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND SUPPORT SMALL BUSINESS, WHO HAVE A DIFFERENT OPINION AND BELIEVE THAT IT HAS POSITIVELY IMPACTED THEIR COMMUNITY.

AND SO I WOULD LIKE IT IF ALSO IN THE FINAL REPORT, IF WE COULD GET SOME AGGREGATE STATISTICS ABOUT PROS AND CONS THAT OTHER COMMUNITIES, PARTICULARLY DESOTO, SINCE THEY'RE CLOSE, BUT OTHER COMMUNITIES THAT HAVE ENGAGED IN THESE KINDS OF APPROACHES, I REALIZE OUR NONDISCRIMINATION APPROACH MAY NOT BE TYPICAL, BUT I'D LIKE TO HEAR WHETHER WE SAW IMPROVEMENTS IN THE LABOR POOL, WHETHER WE SAW BECAUSE IN THE ORIGINAL LEAD UP TO THIS, WE HEARD POSITIVE STATISTICS FROM THESE KINDS OF APPROACHES.

AND SO I KNOW THAT YOU ALREADY HAVE SOME OF THOSE STATISTICS.

I'D LIKE TO SEE THEM BROUGHT BACK IN THE FINAL REPORT.

I KNOW YOU WOULD DO THAT ANYWAY.

BUT BUT SOME OF THESE OTHER BUSINESSES THAT ARE MUNICIPALITIES THAT HAVE ENGAGED IN ACTIVITIES LIKE THIS, IF WE COULD GET THEIR AGGREGATE STATISTICS AS WELL TO SORT OF SEE, TO SORT OF LEARN MORE AND EXPERIENCE MORE ABOUT, YOU KNOW, THE PERCEIVED VERSUS THE REAL IMPACTS AND WHAT WE THINK IS GOING ON.

SO THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. COUNCILMAN BYRD.

WE WERE LIVING IN UTOPIA.

WE WOULDN'T BE HAVING THIS CONVERSATION.

[02:40:01]

EVERYTHING WILL BE PERFECT.

ALL THE PEOPLE WILL BE EQUAL.

THERE WILL BE NO HISTORY OF DISCRIMINATION ON ANY SORT.

WE JUST ALL BE FREE.

BUT WE DON'T LIVE IN UTOPIA.

AND SO THAT'S WHAT WE'RE THAT'S WHAT WE AS A PEOPLE, NOT JUST NECESSARILY HERE ON THE COUNCIL, BUT THAT'S WHAT WE AS A PEOPLE HAVE TO WORK, WORK THROUGH.

SO OBVIOUSLY THERE ARE SOME THINGS GOING ON OUT THERE THAT ARE CAUSING A MAJORITY OF THE FOLKS THAT ARE HAVE CRIMINAL BACKGROUNDS OR AFRICAN AMERICAN MALES, BY THE WAY.

AND WHEN THERE ARE AGAIN, I'VE HEARD, YOU KNOW, WHEN PEOPLE ARE EXPECTED TO PULL THEMSELVES UP OFF BY THE BOOTSTRAPS, YOU KNOW, REALLY, WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? EVERYBODY HAS TO BE TOLD, YES, EVERYBODY IN HERE WITH A JOB WAS TOLD, YES, YOU CAN WORK FOR ME OR EVERYBODY IN HERE THAT IS HAVE EMPLOYEES.

THEY'VE BEEN TOLD YES TO A BUSINESS LOAN.

SO THERE IS BUREAUCRACY OUT THERE, PAPERWORK, RED TAPE, WHATEVER YOU WANT TO CALL IT.

IT'S ALL PART OF THE GAME.

AND THE REASON WHY I ASKED THAT QUESTION EARLIER, RYAN, WAS BECAUSE RIGHT NOW WE DO HAVE SOMETHING IN FRONT OF US.

BUT WHEN WE ADD THE PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT, YOU KNOW, AND GO BACK THROUGH AND SEE WHAT THEY SAY ABOUT IT, HOW IS THAT GOING TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE TO WHAT WHAT WE HAVE RIGHT NOW? I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE KIND OF WAIT TO HEAR THAT.

BUT I DON'T KNOW, IT JUST SEEMS LIKE IF WE CALL OURSELVES AN INCLUSIVE CITY, YOU KNOW, WE'RE UNIQUE.

WE WE SAY THAT WE'RE DIFFERENT.

WE SAY THAT WE ARE ACCEPTING.

AND I THINK THAT IF WE DON'T LIVE BY THAT CODE AND WE EVEN HAVE IT IN WRITING, THEN THERE'S SOMETHING MISSING.

THERE'S SOMETHING MISSING.

NOW I'M GOING TO TALK FROM AN AFRICAN AMERICAN PERSON PERSPECTIVE, WHICH I NEVER DO, BECAUSE I WANT YOU TO SEE ME AS A PERSON, AND I WANT YOU TO SEE MY INTELLIGENCE FIRST BEFORE YOU SEE MY SKIN COLOR.

BUT IT IS REAL.

IT'S A REAL THING THAT WHEN YOU WALK THROUGH THE DOOR, THE FIRST THING THAT YOU'RE GOING TO SEE IS COLOR.

YOU'RE GOING TO SEE THE THE SEX OF THE PERSON.

YOU'RE GOING TO SEE THEIR HAIR.

YOU'RE GOING TO FIND OUT WHAT THEIR NAME IS, IF THEIR NAME IS CAVARZERE QUVENZHANÉ, OR HOWEVER YOU WANT TO SAY, THERE ARE PEOPLE THAT ARE AGAINST THOSE KINDS OF THINGS.

THAT'S OUR JOB, IS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE ON A LEVEL PLAYING FIELD.

I AM A BUSINESS OWNER AND I WORK WITH OTHER PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, OUT IN THE COMMUNITY THAT I WANT THEM TO USE MY SERVICE.

SO I JUST THINK THAT WE JUST HAVE TO BE VERY CAREFUL.

I THINK THAT OUR BUSINESSES ARE GREAT.

I'M ALL FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.

YOU ALL KNOW THAT I AM AND WE NEED BUSINESSES.

I'M ALWAYS HARPING ON WHAT WE DON'T HAVE, AND WE EXPECT FOR THOSE FOLKS TO COME IN AND GIVE US OUR PRODUCTS THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO HAVE IN OUR CITY.

BUT I ALSO THINK THAT IT'S STILL WE JUST HAVE TO BE CAREFUL AND JUST BE MINDFUL THAT IT'S JUST NOT A PLAN.

IT'S NOT A LEVEL PLAYING FIELD OUT THERE.

AND WE'RE NOT JUST TALKING ABOUT CRIMINALITY, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT PEOPLE THAT ARE TRYING TO GET BACK INTO A WORKING SOCIETY.

I CAN GO ON AND ON WITH THIS.

I'M JUST REALLY INTERESTED IN FINDING OUT WHAT'S WHAT'S NEXT.

GIVEN THAT IT'S 820, I'M GOING TO TRY TO KEEP IT PITHY, BECAUSE I KNOW WE'VE GOT A BUNCH OF OTHER STUFF TO DO.

ANYONE ELSE? COUNCILMAN.

MCGEE. THANK YOU, MAYOR.

I JUST WANT TO I WANT TO START BY THANKING STAFF.

THIS HAS BEEN A VERY RIGOROUS PROCESS.

THIS IS WHAT WE ASKED FOR A FEW MONTHS AGO.

SO THANK YOU ALL FOR FOR GOING THROUGH THIS AND SEEKING AS MUCH ENGAGEMENT AS POSSIBLE.

I APPRECIATE THE COMMENTS OF OF MS..

BYRD. YEAH.

AS THE MAYOR POINTS OUT ALL THE TIME, IT HITS DIFFERENT WHEN YOU'RE BLACK.

IT JUST DOES. IT HITS DIFFERENT WHEN YOU ARE MEMBERS OF THE LGBTQIA COMMUNITY.

IT HITS DIFFERENT IF YOU'RE HISPANIC.

WE KNOW THAT, AND ALL THE NUMBERS SAY THAT.

I WILL JUST REMIND US THAT.

I WANT TO REMIND US WHO WE WORK FOR AND REMIND US.

WHILE WE RAN FOR OFFICE AND WHO WE WERE ELECTED BY.

I DIDN'T RUN FOR PRESIDENT OF THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, AND I DON'T THINK ANY OF YOU ALL DID EITHER.

AARON DOES A GREAT JOB.

I THINK WE RAN TO SUPPORT THE PEOPLE, AND WHENEVER WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO REDUCE THE OPPORTUNITY TO DISCRIMINATE AGAINST PEOPLE, I THINK

[02:45:07]

THAT'S OUR JOB.

I THINK THAT GIVEN SOME OF THE DISCUSSION THAT HAS BEEN HAD THE PAST SEVERAL MONTHS, WE KNOW THAT THERE ARE THOSE IN THE COMMUNITY WHO WILL SEEK TO DIVIDE US.

RIGHT? PEOPLE ARE GOING TO SAY YOU HAVE TO BE PRO EMPLOYER OR PRO EMPLOYEE.

THAT'S NOT THE CHOICE.

THAT'S A FALSE CHOICE.

YOU CAN BE BOTH PRO EMPLOYER AND PRO EMPLOYEE.

BECAUSE SOMETHING LIKE THIS HAS THE VERY OPPORTUNITY TO MARRY EMPLOYERS WITH A WIDER POOL OF EMPLOYEES.

IT HAS MANY THINGS THAT IT WOULD SEEK TO DO JUST LIKE THAT.

WHAT WE'VE HEARD TONIGHT AND WHAT WE'VE HEARD OVER THE PAST FEW MONTHS, WE'VE HEARD A LOT OF NIMBYISM, RIGHT.

IT'S NOT GOVERNMENT'S JOB TO TELL ME WHAT TO DO.

BOY, LET ME TELL YOU, I THANK GOD THAT GOVERNMENT SOMETIMES TELLS EMPLOYERS WHAT TO DO.

THERE ARE EMPLOYERS.

HISTORICALLY SPEAKING, WHO WOULD WORK PEOPLE 100 HOURS A WEEK.

THERE ARE EMPLOYERS, HISTORICALLY SPEAKING, WHO WOULD MAKE PEOPLE ENGAGE IN UNSAFE WORKING PRACTICES.

NOW, I AM NOT SAYING THAT ANYBODY IN THE CITY OF DENTON DOES THAT.

AND I THANK GOD FOR ALL THE DENTON BUSINESSES AND EMPLOYEES AND EMPLOYERS.

BUT WE KNOW THAT GOVERNMENT'S JOB IS ALSO TO REGULATE BUSINESS BECAUSE WE WORK FOR THE PEOPLE.

I APPRECIATE THE COMMENTS OF THE MAYOR WHEN HE SAID NO ONE CAME FORWARD AND AND ASKED FOR THIS, BUT I WILL JUST SIMPLY POINT OUT ONE INSTANCE THAT CAME TO MIND A COUPLE OF MONTHS AGO. I DON'T BELIEVE ANYONE CAME TO US AND ASKED US TO PAINT TRASH CANS WITH SIGNAGE ON THEM THAT SAID KIDS AT PLAY.

IF THEY DID.

PLEASE FORGIVE ME, I MISSED THAT, BUT THAT WAS A GOOD PITCH BY YOU THAT I SUPPORTED BECAUSE I THOUGHT IT WAS SOMETHING GOOD THAT WOULD HELP THE COMMUNITY.

I SEE THIS IN THIS.

IN THIS SAME VEIN, I ENCOURAGE US TO CONTINUE TO GO THROUGH THE ENGAGEMENT PROCESS AND THEN EVALUATE BASED OFF OF WHO WE WORK FOR.

WE WORK FOR THE PEOPLE OF THE CITY OF DENTON, AND WE HAVE A CHANCE TO HELP PEOPLE HERE, REGULAR WORKING PEOPLE.

THAT IS MY NUMBER ONE FOCUS, BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT I AM AND THAT'S WHO I CARE ABOUT.

THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. THANK YOU, COUNCILOR MELTZER.

YES, THANK YOU MAYOR.

I JUST WANT TO UNDERSCORE THAT, FIRST OF ALL, I'M VERY INTERESTED IN HEARING MORE FROM THE COMMUNITY AND IF THERE ARE BETTER WAYS TO MAKE THIS WORK TO ACHIEVE THE OBJECTIVE.

BUT I WANT TO UNDERSCORE THAT THE OBJECTIVE THAT I'VE HEARD IS NOT BEEN TO PREVENT ANYONE FROM MAKING ANY HIRING DECISION THEY WANT.

IT'S ABOUT FAIR CHANCE.

IT'S ABOUT DENTON BEING A PLACE WHERE YOU GET TO BE HEARD.

DOESN'T GUARANTEE YOU GET EMPLOYED.

DISCRIMINATION NOTWITHSTANDING.

BUT IT DOESN'T FORCE OUTSIDE OF DISCRIMINATION.

IT DOESN'T FORCE ANY PARTICULAR HIRING DECISION.

FAIR CHANCE.

ANYONE ELSE BEFORE YOU SPEAK, JUDGE? YEAH, I'LL JUST SAY THIS.

I WOULD.

I WOULD ABSOLUTELY DO ANYTHING.

TO LIVE IN A WORLD.

WHERE ALL YOU HAD TO DO.

WAS PASSED AN ORDINANCE.

AND EVERYBODY GOT A FAIR CHANCE.

I'D TAKE THAT IN A MINUTE, BUT I HOPE THAT EVERYONE AT THIS DAIS IN YOUR HEART OF HEARTS UNDERSTANDS THAT'S NOT TRUE.

WE LIVE IN A WORLD.

WHERE THAT'S JUST NOT REALITY AND SO FORCE TO TO ACCEPT THAT REALITY.

THAT WE DON'T JUST GET THE PASS SOMETHING HERE AND IT HAS NO ILL EFFECTS, IT HAS NO OTHER COLLATERAL DAMAGE, AND EVERYONE GETS A FAIR CHANCE JUST BECAUSE THE CITY OF DENTON CITY, LEWISVILLE, HICKORY CREEK, EVERY OTHER CITY BETWEEN THE 50 MILES TO DESOTO, WHICH IS CLOSE, GETS TO THEY'RE MISSING OUT ON A GOLDEN OPPORTUNITY TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM OF FAIRNESS BY SIMPLY PASSING AN ORDINANCE.

OKAY THEN.

UM. MICHAEL, I JUST NEED TO CLARIFY SOMETHING BECAUSE I JUST THINK WHEN WE WHEN WE GO OUT AND GET THIS FEEDBACK, I NEED THIS INFORMATION.

CURRENTLY. IF IF SOMEONE FEELS LIKE THEY DID NOT GET A FAIR CHANCE, IS THERE A FEDERAL PROCESS THAT PEOPLE CAN COMPLAIN ABOUT AND HAVE THAT REVIEWED? YES, THEY WOULD HAVE TO GO TO THE EEOC AND ALLEGE THAT THEY WERE DENIED AN EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY BASED ON ONE OF THE PROTECTED CLASSES THAT ONE OF THE SLIDES REFERENCED. SO CURRENTLY, SOMEONE GOES TO THE EEOC AND THEY CAN RAISE THEIR FAIR CHANCE HIRING ISSUES RIGHT NOW, TODAY.

[02:50:06]

YES. AND ACTUALLY, AS RYAN POINTED OUT, THERE'S ALSO A STATE EQUIVALENT, THE TEXAS WORKFORCE COMMISSION CIVIL RIGHTS DIVISION.

SO YOU CAN GO EITHER FEDERAL OR STATE AND WORKFORCE COMMISSION HAS AN OFFICE HERE IN DENTON, I BELIEVE.

SO, YEAH. SO YOU CAN GO TO HERE POTENTIALLY HERE IN DENTON.

AND RIGHT NOW IF THERE'S ANY ISSUES.

YES. OKAY.

AND IF THIS PASSES.

WE WOULD THEN GO TO THE EOC.

IF SOMEONE FILED A COMPLAINT WITH THE CITY, WE WOULD REFER THEM TO THE EOC OR THE TEXAS WORKFORCE COMMISSION, SO THEY'D GO TO THE SAME PLACE.

WE WON'T GO FOR THEM.

WE JUST DIRECT THEM.

YOU NEED TO GO HERE. THAT'S RIGHT.

SO IF WE DON'T PASS THIS, THEY GO TO THE EOC.

IF WE DO PASS THIS, THEY GO TO THE EOC.

IT DOESN'T CHANGE ANYTHING.

THE EEOC OR THE TWC IS ULTIMATELY GOING TO BE THE DESTINATION FOR A COMPLAINT.

YES. GOT IT.

OKAY. JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE I UNDERSTOOD THE DYNAMICS WELL.

AND THEN I'LL JUST SAY AS FEEDBACK COMING BACK, WE'VE HEARD PEOPLE TALK ABOUT THIS ABOUT THE THIS REDUCES OR INCREASES THE OPPORTUNITIES HOWEVER YOU LOOK AT IT.

RIGHT. I'VE HEARD THAT A FEW TIMES HERE FROM THE DAIS.

WHENEVER THIS COMES BACK, I NEED THAT DATA, THE DATA BEFORE ME.

I HAVE, AS FAR AS DOES IT, INCREASE OPPORTUNITIES FOR PEOPLE TO HIRE BE HIRED? THAT'S THAT'S THAT'S THE PRESUMPTION.

WHERE'S THE DATA TO SUPPORT THAT? OR NOT SAYING YOU HAVE TO HAVE IT, BUT JUST SAYING WHEN THAT IF THAT'S IF THAT'S THE PRESUMPTION THAT IT IT INCREASES FAIR CHANCE ERGO INCREASES JOB OPPORTUNITY HIRING OPPORTUNITIES FAIRNESS IN THE EVALUATION.

ALL THESE THINGS ARE THAT'S THE EXPRESS GOAL AS I HEAR PEOPLE TALK ABOUT IT OR THAT'S THE INTENDED RESULT OF IT.

I JUST I DON'T HAVE ANY DATA TO SUPPORT THAT.

WHAT I HAVE IS WHAT I HAVE IS ONE PERSON THAT HAS COME BEFORE THIS COUNCIL A YEAR AND A HALF AGO THAT SAID, THIS IS AN ISSUE.

HE COULDN'T FIND EMPLOYMENT BECAUSE OF HIS RECORD.

I'VE HEARD NO ONE ELSE COME BEFORE US AND RAISE THAT ISSUE.

WE'VE HAD NO OTHER COMPLAINTS, I JUST BUT IF I'VE HEARD PEOPLE FROM THE DAIS SAY THIS INCREASES OR REDUCES DEPENDING ON YOUR LOOK ON IT, AND I JUST DON'T HAVE ANY NUMBERS TO, TO TO APPLY TO THAT.

WELL, I THINK ONE OF THE ASPECTS IS IF YOU ASK PEOPLE RIGHT UP FRONT ON THE, ON THE APPLICATION, HAVE YOU EVER BEEN CONVICTED OF A CRIME? YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE PEOPLE THAT ARE JUST GOING TO ASSUME, WELL, I HAVEN'T BEEN I'M NOT EVEN I DON'T EVEN STAND A CHANCE.

I'M NOT EVEN KIND OF BOTHER APPLYING.

THAT'S ONE OF THE DOWNSIDES.

THIS IS JUST INTENDED TO DELAY THAT SO THAT PEOPLE HAVE A FAIRER, MORE OPPORTUNITY TO ACTUALLY PROGRESS THROUGH THE PROCESS TO THE POINT WHERE AND THIS IS COUNCIL MEMBER METZLER'S QUESTION I DID SOMETHING STUPID WHEN I WAS 17 YEARS OLD, AND NOW I'M 35.

ARE YOU GOING TO HOLD THAT AGAINST ME 18 YEARS LATER? THAT'S THE INDIVIDUALIZED ASSESSMENT.

WHAT DO YOU DO? WHEN DID YOU DO IT? WHAT WERE THE CIRCUMSTANCES SO THAT AN EMPLOYER CAN LOOK AT IT AND SAY, YOU WERE 17 YEARS OLD.

THAT'S 18 YEARS AGO.

YOU'VE GROWN UP, YOU'VE BEEN IN THE MILITARY.

I'M NOT GOING TO CONSIDER THAT.

I'M NOT GOING TO HOLD THAT AGAINST YOU.

20 YEARS LATER, IT'S GIVING PEOPLE MORE OF AN OPPORTUNITY TO PROGRESS FURTHER AND HOPEFULLY MAYBE BE HIRED.

AND YOU HAVE STATISTICS TO SUPPORT THAT.

I DON'T HONESTLY, I DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S STATISTICS THAT REFLECTS THAT.

YEAH. I JUST WANTED TO TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION ALSO THAT A MAYOR PRO TEM STAFF WILL WORK TO TO BRING FORWARD WHAT DATA THAT IS RELIABLE AND AVAILABLE TO YOU WHEN WE PRESENT THE RESULTS OF THE ENGAGEMENT.

YEAH, BECAUSE IT'S BEEN NOW YOU DON'T HAVE TO TAKE MY WORD FOR IT, BUT JUST TRUST ME, I'VE BEEN DISCRIMINATED AGAINST.

RIGHT. AND I DON'T KNOW THAT THERE'S ANYTHING.

I COULD HAVE TOLD THEM OR NOT FILLED OUT TO TO THE EARLIER POINT ABOUT WHEN YOU'RE GETTING DOWN THE CHECKLIST OF THINGS RIGHT, YOU START WITH DO I LIKE THE WAY THEY SMILE, RIGHT? OR DO I LIKE THE COLOR OF THEIR WHATEVER? RIGHT. YOU KNOW, SO BUT I JUST FIRSTHAND EXPERIENCE I DON'T I DON'T KNOW THAT I SUBSCRIBE TO THAT THEORY, BUT I WANT TO SEE IT.

RIGHT. I WANT TO I WANT TO SEE BECAUSE UNDERSTAND AND LET ME LET ME QUANTIFY THIS.

I'VE SAID IT BEFORE.

1972 DOCUMENT DENTON COUNTY.

MY BIRTH CERTIFICATE BECAUSE MY PARENTS ARE BLACK.

BOTH OF THEM. MY BIRTH DIDN'T COUNT A DOCUMENT DIDN'T.

COUNTY COMMISSIONERS COURT, COUNTY CLERK'S OFFICE SAID IN 1972.

IN DENTON BLACK PEOPLE WERE NEGROIDS.

THAT'S THEIR KIDS.

THAT'S THAT'S WHAT IT SAYS ON MY BIRTH CERTIFICATE.

MY PARENTS GREW UP 1971, IN DENTON.

MY BROTHER WAS HERE FIRST I GOT HERE.

[02:55:01]

WE COULD ONLY LIVE ON ONE SIDE OF TOWN.

NOW, ARE YOU TELLING ME THAT CITY OF DENTON HAD A RULE THAT SAID BLACK PEOPLE CAN ONLY LIVE ON ONE PART OF TOWN? OR DID PEOPLE IMPROVISE? RIGHT? SO I DON'T KNOW THAT WE HAVE A PATH FORWARD RIGHT NOW.

AND SO I'M NOT GOING TO BELABOR THE POINT.

YOU THANK YOU FOR YOUR INPUT THAT THAT TOLD ME WHAT I NEEDED TO KNOW, THAT IF SOMEONE IS EXPRESSING HAS EXPERIENCED DISCRIMINATION, THEY CAN GO TO THE EEOC RIGHT NOW AND IT WOULD BE THE SAME IF WE PASS THIS.

SO IT HAS THE EFFECT IS I DON'T KNOW.

WE'LL HEAR ABOUT THAT AFTER THIS.

I'M SURE SOMEBODY WILL PUT IT OUT.

BUT YES, THAT THAT THAT EFFECT.

RIGHT. I UNDERSTAND THE OPTIMISM AND WE HOPE.

BUT I NEED TO AS AS STAFF HAS OFTEN TASKED WITH TASKS STAFF WOULD GIVE AN AVERAGE.

AND YOU'RE ASKED FOR THE MEAN RIGHT THAT WE ARE A DATA DRIVEN GROUP AND SO THE AVERAGE WOULDN'T WORK.

WE NEED TO DIG INTO THE MEAN.

WE NEED TO HAVE THE DATA SUPPORTS IT.

SO I NEED TO SEE THE DATA THAT SUPPORTS THIS OPTIMISM OR RESULTS.

AND I'M I JUST PUT ME DOWN AS ONE THAT DOESN'T THINK THE SOTO IS CLOSE.

I DON'T THINK THAT SOMETHING 55 MILES AWAY IS.

IT ALL PARALLELS OUR COMMUNITY IN A NUMBER OF WAYS.

DON'T GET ME STARTED ON THAT.

THAT'S YOU WORKED IN DALLAS.

YOU EVEN KNOW BETTER. YOU CAN'T SAY IT.

BUT YOU KNOW, LIFE EXPERIENCE AND DE SOTO AND THE SPEAK NOTHING ABOUT OUR MEETING LINES UP WITH.

ANYWAY, I WON'T BELABOR THE POINT.

YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW BETTER THAN MOST, BUT THANK YOU.

AND I WILL DO THE RESEARCH AND SEE IF THERE'S ANY EEOC DATA THAT SHOWS FAIR CHANCE.

HIRING ORDINANCES LIKE THIS INCREASE THE OPPORTUNITIES FOR PEOPLE TO GET JOBS.

I'LL SEE WHAT I CAN FIND.

CERTAINLY. THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER HOLLAND.

THANK YOU. BACK IN JUNE, WE HAD THE THE THE PRESIDENT OF THE DESOTO CHAMBER OF COMMERCE COME TO SPEAK.

SEEMED LIKE A VERY NICE LADY.

WE'VE MENTIONED DESOTO A LOT.

I DON'T KNOW THAT I'VE EVER BEEN TO DESOTO.

MAYBE I HAVE, I DON'T REMEMBER.

SO WHEN THIS WAS BROUGHT UP TONIGHT, I JUST GOOGLED, WHAT'S THE POPULATION OF DESOTO? AND HERE'S WHAT IT SAYS.

DESOTO IS A CITY LOCATED IN DALLAS COUNTY, TEXAS.

DESOTO HAS A 2023 POPULATION OF 55,045.

DESOTO IS CURRENTLY DECLINING AT A RATE OF 0.62% ANNUALLY, AND ITS POPULATION HAS DECREASED BY 1.84% SINCE THE MOST RECENT CENSUS.

SO THAT'S WHAT WE'RE COMPARING US TO.

I HOPE WE DON'T PASS THIS.

THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. OKAY, SO.

COUNCILMAN MCGEE. I'M SORRY.

MY APOLOGIES. I HAD NOT INTENDED TO SAY ANYTHING ELSE.

THERE IS NO CORRELATION BETWEEN DESOTO'S POPULATION AND FAIR CHANCE HIRING.

I GET IT. SOME OF MY COLLEAGUES DON'T WANT THIS, I GET IT, AND THAT'S OKAY.

WE ALL HAVE OPINIONS, BUT WE HAVE TO BE INTELLECTUALLY HONEST WITH THE ARGUMENTS WE MAKE.

THAT'S A TERRIBLE ARGUMENT.

IT'S JUST A TERRIBLE ARGUMENT.

WE CAN MOVE ON. THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. OKAY, SO, RYAN, DO YOU HAVE EVERYTHING YOU NEED ON THIS? OKAY, GREAT. OKAY.

THAT TAKES US TO ITEM B, WHICH IS 230002D.

[B. Hold a public hearing and consider adoption of an ordinance of the City of Denton, Texas approving a Specific Use Permit to allow a building no more than 53 feet in height on approximately 2.695 acres of land generally located at the southwest corner of the intersection of Stuart Road and Loop 288 in the City of Denton, Denton County, Texas; adopting an amendment to the City’s Official Zoning Map; providing for a penalty in the maximum amount of $2,000.00 for violations thereof, providing for severability and an effective date. The Planning and Zoning Commission voted [3-2] to recommend approval of the request. Motion for approval by Commissioner Pruett and second by Commissioner Cole. (S23-0002d, Stuart Apartments, Mia Hines).]

HOLD A PUBLIC HEARING TO CONSIDER ADOPTION OF AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF DENTON, TEXAS, APPROVING A SPECIFIC USE PERMIT TO ALLOW BUILDING NO MORE THAN 53FT IN HEIGHT ON APPROXIMATELY 2695 ACRES OF LAND, GENERALLY LOCATED ON THE SOUTHWEST CORNER OF THE INTERSECTION OF STUART ROAD AND LOOP TWO 88IN THE CITY OF DENTON, DENTON COUNTY, TEXAS. AND I WILL OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING.

SO I DON'T FORGET.

RIGHT. GOOD EVENING.

MAYOR. MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL.

MIA HAYNES, ASSOCIATE PLANNER.

THIS ITEM IS A SPECIFIC USE PERMIT REQUEST FOR A MULTIFAMILY BUILDING PROPOSED WITH A MAXIMUM BUILDING HEIGHT OF 53FT.

THIS IS THE SECOND TIME THAT YOU ARE HEARING THIS CASE.

IT WAS CONSIDERED EARLY NOVEMBER AND DENIED AND THEN BROUGHT BACK FOR RECONSIDERATION ON THIS EVENING.

THE SITE ITSELF.

JUST A BRIEF OVERVIEW TO REMIND YOU OF WHAT WE ARE DISCUSSING THIS EVENING.

THE SITE ITSELF IS JUST UNDER 2.7 ACRES LOCATED AT THE SOUTHWEST CORNER.

LUKE TO 88 AND STUART ROAD.

THE SITE IS ZONED M N, WHICH DOES ALLOW FOR A BUILDING HEIGHT UP TO 65FT, A MAXIMUM BUILDING HEIGHT OF 65FT.

HOWEVER, IF A BUILDING IF A LOT IS ZONED M N AND IT IS ADJACENT TO AN EXISTING SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENTIAL LAND USE OR A

[03:00:03]

RESIDENTIAL ZONING DISTRICT, AND IT IS PROPOSED THE MAXIMUM BUILDING HEIGHT OR THE BUILDING HEIGHT FOR THAT STRUCTURE IS PROPOSED BETWEEN 41FT AND 65FT. A SUP IS REQUIRED, SO THE PROPOSED LAND USE HERE IS MULTIFAMILY.

THAT LAND USE IS PERMITTED BY RIGHT.

IN THIS CASE, THE SUP REQUIREMENT KICKS IN BECAUSE THEY ARE PROPOSING A BUILDING AT 53FT, WHERE THE PROPERTY IS ADJACENT TO THOSE EXISTING SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENTIAL STRUCTURES.

HERE I'M PROVIDING YOUR BACKUP IS THE FULL SITE PLAN.

OVERALL, THE APPLICANT IS PROPOSING 77 RESIDENCES WITH THIS DEVELOPMENT.

AGAIN, THE I WANT TO DRAW YOUR ATTENTION TO THAT BUILDING, A THAT L-SHAPED BUILDING THERE AT THE FAR NORTHEAST CORNER WITH A MAXIMUM BUILDING HEIGHT OF 53FT.

THIS BUILDING CONTAINS 66 OF THOSE 78 UNITS.

AND AGAIN, THE PURPOSE OF THIS REQUEST AND REQUESTING THAT 53FT, ONE OF THE ONE OF THE GOALS OF THE APPLICANTS, OF COURSE, IS THE RESIDENTIAL UNITS AND DEVELOPING THE UNITS TO MAKE THE DEVELOPMENT OF THIS PROJECT MAKE SENSE.

THE APPLICANT IS HERE TO SPEAK TO THOSE DEVELOPMENT GOALS FOLLOWING STAFF'S PRESENTATION A LITTLE BIT MORE.

BUT ESSENTIALLY BY ALLOWING FOR THAT ADDITIONAL HEIGHT, WHAT WE WHAT WE ARE, WHAT WE HAVE HERE IS FOR ALLOWING THE APPLICANT TO SEE THEIR DEVELOPMENT GOALS, BUT KEEPING THAT STRUCTURE PUSHED BACK AS FAR AS POSSIBLE FROM THOSE EXISTING SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENCES THERE TO THE SOUTH AND SOUTH WEST OF THIS PROPERTY.

SO HERE I'M PROVIDING YOUR BACKUP.

ARE THOSE CONCEPTUAL ELEVATIONS, THE OVERALL BUILDING HEIGHT FROM THE PEAK OF THE GABLE TO THE GROUND FLOOR IS JUST UNDER 59FT.

HOWEVER, THE DDC MEASURES BUILDING HEIGHT TO THE MIDPOINT OF THE HIGHEST GABLE OF A PITCHED ROOF OR HIPPED ROOF.

IN THIS CASE, THE ARCHITECTURAL ELEVATIONS DO SHOW THAT GABLE ROOF, SO THEY ARE REQUESTING APPROVAL OF THAT MAXIMUM 53FT AS SHOWN.

THE DDC HAS SOME BUILT IN EFFORTS TO HELP WITH MITIGATING ADVERSE IMPACTS.

OF NOTE, THE BUILDING HEIGHT IN TRANSITION REQUIRES THAT IF A BUILDING IS BETWEEN OR WITHIN 50FT OF AN EXISTING SINGLE FAMILY STRUCTURE, IT CANNOT EXCEED A MAXIMUM HEIGHT OF 40FT, AND A SPECIFIC USE PERMIT IS NOT APPLICABLE.

IN THAT CASE, IF THE BUILDING IS BETWEEN 50FT AND 100FT FROM AN EXISTING SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENTIAL STRUCTURE OR PROPERTY, WITH THAT STRUCTURE ON IT, THE BUILDING CANNOT EXCEED 55FT AND SCP IS NOT PERMITTED WITHIN THAT CASE.

BUT IF IT'S IF SOMETHING IS BEYOND 100FT FROM A SINGLE FAMILY EXISTING EXISTING SINGLE FAMILY STRUCTURE, THE BUILDING CANNOT EXCEED THE MAXIMUM BUILDING HEIGHT PERMITTED IN THAT ZONING DISTRICT, WHICH IN THIS CASE IS 65FT, BUT A SPECIFIC USE PERMIT IS REQUIRED, AND THAT IS WHY THIS REQUEST IS HERE THIS EVENING.

ADDITIONALLY, THE DDC ALSO REQUIRES SOME SCREENING AND COMPATIBILITY BUFFERS.

IN THIS CASE, THE APPLICANT IS MEETING ALL OF THOSE MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS.

WE ALSO HAD THEM AS A PART OF THE SPECIFIC USE PERMIT APPLICATION, PERFORM A TRAFFIC IMPACT ANALYSIS THAT RESULTED IN SOME RECOMMENDATIONS FOR IMPROVEMENTS ALONG STUART ROAD IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE DEVELOPMENT OF THIS PROPERTY.

FINALLY, THE DDC SPEAKS TO EXTERIOR LIGHTING.

WE ENSURE THAT FIXTURES ARE FULLY CUT OFF, SHIELDED AND DOWNCAST TO LIMIT THE AMOUNT OF LIGHT POLLUTION IN THE AIR, AS WELL AS ILLUMINATION LEVELS AT PROPERTY LINES BEING LESS THAN ONE FOOT.

CANDLE TO MITIGATE MINIMIZE LIGHTS SHINING ONTO ADJACENT PROPERTIES.

THE APPLICANT HAS PROVIDED THIS CROSS SECTION TO AGAIN, JUST FURTHER ILLUSTRATE THAT POINT OF THE SEPARATION BETWEEN THE PROPOSED BUILDING AND THOSE EXISTING SINGLE FAMILY STRUCTURES, AS WELL AS THESE RENDERINGS DOWN AT THE BOTTOM THERE TO SHOW YOU FROM THE EXISTING SINGLE FAMILY, EXCUSE ME, RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOOD, SORT OF THE IMAGE OR THE VIEW MINIMUM SIGHTLINE THAT YOU WOULD BE ABLE TO SEE OF THAT PROPOSED BUILDING A.

HERE IS JUST SHOWING COMPARING THE EXISTING CONDITIONS TO THE PROPOSED REQUEST.

JUST EAST OF THIS PROPOSED OR THIS SUBJECT PROPERTY IS AN EXISTING FOUR STORY MULTIFAMILY BUILDING THAT IS LOCATED AT THAT NORTHWEST CORNER OF THEIR PROPERTY.

THIS PROPERTY WAS ABLE TO OR THIS PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT WAS ABLE TO PROPOSE THEIR BUILDING A AT ABOUT 130FT AWAY FROM THOSE EXISTING SINGLE FAMILY HOMES. AGAIN, JUST A LITTLE BIT MORE DETAIL ABOUT WHAT THOSE STUART ROAD IMPROVEMENTS WOULD BE.

SO THE APPLICANT IS PROPOSING A TEN FOOT WIDE SIDE PATH ALONG STUART ROAD ALONG THEIR SIDE CURRENTLY.

AND WE HEARD SOME COMMENTS FROM THE PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION OR DURING THE PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION PUBLIC HEARING ABOUT TRAFFIC SAFETY AND TURNING AT THIS INTERSECTION. THE APPLICANT IS PROPOSING TO MAKE SOME IMPROVEMENTS TO HOPEFULLY INCREASE THOSE OR IMPROVE THOSE CONDITIONS.

THOSE IMPROVEMENTS WOULD BE ADDITIONAL PAVING ON THEIR SIDE OF THAT STREET, AS WELL AS A TWO LANE TURN LANE WITHIN STUART ROAD.

[03:05:08]

SO IF YOU LOOK AT THIS PROPOSED IMAGE DOWN HERE AT THE BOTTOM, CURRENTLY WHAT WE HAVE IS A11 TRAVEL LANE UP NORTH AND ONE TRAVEL LANE UP SOUTH WITH NO DEDICATED TURN LANE. SO IF YOU'RE TRAVELING SOUTH AND YOU NEED TO TURN INTO THAT EXISTING MULTIFAMILY DEVELOPMENT THERE TO THE LEFT, YOU ARE STOPPING MOST LIKELY STOPPING TRAFFIC BEHIND YOU.

IN THIS CASE, THE APPLICANTS ARE ADDING OR WITH THIS DEVELOPMENT, THE APPLICANT WOULD BE ADDING THOSE DESIGNATED TURN LANES SO THAT TRAFFIC CAN CONTINUE TO FLOW FREELY IN THAT AREA. THIS REQUEST IS IN LINE WITH THE DENTON 2040 COMPREHENSIVE PLAN, AS IT WOULD INCREASE THE MIX OF COMPATIBLE HOUSING TYPES IN THIS AREA, AS WELL AS FURTHER THE CITY'S HOUSING GOALS.

PER THE CDC. WE DID PERFORM THE PUBLIC OUTREACH.

WE DID RECEIVE ONE OPPOSITION, ONE LETTER IN OPPOSITION.

THAT INDIVIDUAL CAME AND SPOKE AT THE PUBLIC HEARING WITH P AND Z, AND STATED THAT THAT SHE DID NOT NECESSARILY HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THE PROPERTY DEVELOPING, AND THAT SHE LIKED THE FACT OR APPRECIATED THE FACT THAT THE APPLICANTS AND THE DEVELOPERS WERE TRYING TO PUSH THE BUILDING AS FAR BACK FROM HER PROPERTY AS POSSIBLE. SO WITH THAT, STAFF IS RECOMMENDING APPROVAL WITH THE CONDITIONS PROVIDED ON THIS SLIDE INTO YOUR BACKUP.

THE PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION DID HEAR THIS CASE AND RECOMMENDED APPROVAL AS WELL.

SO THAT CONCLUDES MY PRESENTATIONS.

AT THIS TIME, I'D GLADLY, GLADLY TAKE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS YOU HAVE.

AS I STATED EARLIER, THE APPLICANT IS ALSO HERE WITH THE PRESENTATION AND INTRODUCTION TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MAY HAVE.

ALL RIGHT. QUESTIONS FOR STAFF COUNCIL, MAYOR PRO TEM.

THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. SO I ASKED THESE BEFORE, BUT I'LL ASK SOME OF THEM AGAIN.

WE'RE REALLY NOT ADDRESSING BUILDING B THAT IS ALREADY FOR THIS ZONING CLASS THAT THAT IS ALREADY MEETING OUR REQUIREMENTS.

SO IF THAT HYPOTHETICALLY WERE THE ONLY BUILDING THEY WOULD BE ABLE TO CONSTRUCT THAT BY RIGHT.

IS THAT CORRECT? CORRECT.

OKAY. AND SO THEN THE QUESTION IS THE EXTRA 12FT OF HEIGHT FROM 41 TO 53.

AND THOSE DISTANCES WERE 130 PLUS FEET.

FOR THOSE. DO A COUPLE QUESTIONS ON THIS THAT I ASKED LAST TIME.

I'LL ASK YOU AGAIN. DO WE HAVE A FEEL FOR THE THE ANGLE OF THE SIGHTLINES? BECAUSE I KNOW DIRECT IS THE CROW FLIES FROM THE CORNERS OR IS THE DISTANCES IN YOUR MAP.

BUT DO YOU HAVE LIKE THE THE PATIO TO BACKYARD KIND OF SIGHTLINE DISTANCES BECAUSE THOSE ARE TYPICALLY ANOTHER FIVE, TEN, 12FT.

I DO NOT HAVE THAT IMAGERY.

I THINK THE BEST THING THAT MIGHT REPRESENT, IF I'M UNDERSTANDING YOUR QUESTION CORRECTLY, WHAT YOU'RE SPEAKING OF IS THE RENDERINGS THAT THE APPLICANT HAS PROVIDED HERE AT THE BOTTOM TO SORT OF SHOW WHAT THAT WOULD KIND OF LOOK LIKE FROM THE FROM THE OTHER SIDE, FROM THE STREET.

THOSE ARE THE HOUSES THAT YOU SEE THERE IN FRONT ALONG SPENCER.

ARE ARE THE HOUSES THAT BACK UP TO THE SUBJECT PROPERTY AT THAT AND SHARE THAT SOUTHWEST BOUNDARY.

THIS IS WHAT YOU WOULD BE ABLE TO SEE FROM THE THAT INSIDE THE NEIGHBORHOOD.

BUT I DON'T HAVE A RENDERING TO SHOW WHAT YOU'D BE ABLE TO SEE FROM THE THE SIGHTLINE FROM THE BACKYARD.

THAT'S THE BACKYARD. YES. AND SO, I MEAN, IF DO WE HAVE IN THAT MAP THE, YOU KNOW, NOT HAVING A PARTICULAR SIGHTLINE DISTANCES, DO YOU HAVE OR DOES THE DEVELOPER HAVE SORT OF AN IDEA OF GIVEN THE MASONRY WALL, GIVEN THE SETBACK DISTANCES, GIVEN THE HEIGHTS OF THE BALCONIES, WHAT, WHAT YOU WOULD PREDICT THE ANGLE OF SITES? WE'RE IT SEEMS TO ME JUST LOOKING AT YOUR FIGURE, IF THAT'S AT ALL PROPORTIONAL, YOU'RE NOT REALLY LOOKING DOWN INTO PEOPLE'S BACKYARDS, WHICH HAS BEEN THE THE CONCERN OF OTHER THREE AND FOUR STOREY UNITS NEAR RESIDENTIAL IS LOOKING DOWN KIND OF INTO THEIR BACKYARDS.

WE'RE KIND OF LOOKING OBLIQUELY AND MOSTLY HITTING ROOF GABLES AND FENCE LINES.

IS THAT ACCURATE? SO I'M NOT SURE.

I THINK THE APPLICANT COULD PROBABLY SPEAK TO THE SIGHTLINES COMING FROM THEIR PATIOS, AND MAYBE TINA COULD HELP ME ALSO.

HI. TINA FERGUSON'S DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT SERVICES.

MIA, I WANT TO GO TO THAT IMAGE THAT YOU HAD THE THE MEASUREMENTS.

SO MAYBE THIS MIGHT HELP ADDRESS YOUR QUESTION.

COUNCIL MEMBER BUCK. SO YOU CAN SEE HERE ON THIS GRAPHIC WHERE MIA HAS THE ARROWS THAT ARE SHOWN IN RED TO THE CORNERS OF THE BUILDING.

SO THINK ABOUT IF YOU WERE IN ONE OF THE RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOODS, THE SHAPE OF THE BUILDING IS ACTUALLY MORE RECESSED IN THIS AREA.

SO IF ANYTHING, IF THERE WERE ANY BALCONIES ON ON THIS PORTION OF THE BUILDING HERE, REALLY THE MAJORITY OF THE UNITS, THEY'RE SET BACK EVEN FURTHER BECAUSE OF HOW THAT LINE OF SIGHT IS AND BECAUSE THE BUILDING IS PROJECTING INWARD.

SO I DON'T KNOW IF THAT HELPS. THAT'S EXACTLY WHERE I WAS GETTING TO IS BASED ON THAT.

IF YOU IF YOU SORT OF DREW THE DIAGONALS, IT LOOKS LIKE 160, 170FT OF, OF OF VIEW SHED LINE OF SIGHT

[03:10:08]

FROM THAT CORNER.

SO IT SEEMS LIKE WE'RE EVEN FURTHER SET BACK THAN, THAN MAYBE THE, THE CLOSEST DISTANCE WOULD, WOULD JUSTIFY.

CORRECT. AND GIVEN WHERE THESE CORNERS ARE AND HOW THEY'VE POSITIONED THAT, IT'S REALLY MINIMIZING ANY DIRECT IMPACT COMPARED TO, LET'S SAY A LONG SIDE WAS PROPOSED ALONG THIS BUILDING. SO I THINK THE APPLICANT HAS REALLY WORKED TO TRY TO MINIMIZE ANY OF THE RESIDENTIAL UNITS ON THE MULTIFAMILY TOWARDS THAT DIRECTION.

AND I KNOW GIVEN THE EXTRA DISTANCE, DID WE HAVE ANY ARCHITECT I KNOW SOME OF THE OTHER DEVELOPMENTS IN TOWN HAVE HAD ARCHITECTURAL FEATURES THAT HAVE ACTUALLY FURTHER IMPAIRED THE SIGHTLINES AT OTHER DEVELOPMENTS.

DO WE HAVE ANY OF THOSE KIND OF FEATURES ON THIS BUILDING? NOT ON THE BUILDING NECESSARILY, BUT THE MASONRY WALL THAT THEY ARE CONSTRUCTING WOULD BE ON THE SHARED THAT SHARED PROPERTY LINE.

BUT I DON'T KNOW ABOUT ON THE BUILDING, BUT NOT LIKE, LIKE WALLS ON THE PATIOS OF THE APARTMENT OR ANYTHING.

THE APPLICANT. YEAH, THE APPLICANT COULD LOUVERED LOUVERED WALL KIND OF THING.

I KNOW SOME OF OUR OTHER APARTMENTS HAVE DONE THINGS LIKE THAT.

SEE, I DON'T REMEMBER WHAT YEAR.

YEAH, I DON'T REMEMBER FROM THOSE ARCHITECTURAL DETAILS.

IT DOESN'T REALLY LOOK LIKE IT, BUT.

BUT STILL, I THINK THAT'S ALL MY QUESTIONS.

THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. COUNCILMAN MELTZER, I'M FINDING THIS HELPFUL, AND I WONDER IF YOU WOULD MIGHT REQUIRE SCOTT OR ANOTHER MEMBER OF STAFF IF YOU WOULD UNDERSCORE WHAT WE'RE SEEING TODAY.

THAT WASN'T EMPHASIZED WHEN WE FIRST HEARD IT.

I MADE THE MOTION TO RECONSIDER, BASED ON STAFF'S ENCOURAGEMENT, THAT THERE WERE MATERIAL ELEMENTS OF THE CASE THAT THAT WEREN'T COVERED LAST TIME.

SO I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT I'M CLEAR ON WHAT WE'RE HEARING THAT'S NEW THAT WE DIDN'T HEAR BEFORE.

SO I KNOW AT THE PRIOR MEETING WE HAD A LOT OF DISCUSSION JUST REGARDING THE DIMENSIONS.

AND I KNOW THAT WAS SOME POTENTIAL CONFUSION MAYBE THAT MIGHT HAVE RESULTED FROM THAT.

AND SO WE WERE JUST CONCERNED ABOUT MAKING SURE THAT COUNCIL UNDERSTOOD.

BUT I THINK WHAT'S IMPORTANT IS REALLY THIS GRAPHIC HERE, WHICH HELPS BETTER ILLUSTRATE THE DISTANCE BETWEEN THE EXISTING SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENCES AND BUILDING A TO THE QUESTIONS THAT WERE ASKED EARLIER.

WITH BUILDING B, BUILDING B IS LESS OF AN ISSUE BECAUSE IT'S ALREADY ALLOWED UNDER THE EXISTING ZONING.

AND SO THERE MAY HAVE BEEN SOME CONFUSION RELATED TO THE REQUEST IN RELATION TO BUILDING B IN ADDITION TO BUILDING A, SO WE JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT COUNCIL CLEARLY UNDERSTOOD THE INFORMATION BEING PRESENTED TO YOU FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION.

I THINK THE TENOR OF THE DISCUSSION WAS THAT IT WAS SORT OF SUPER HIGH, RIGHT ACROSS THE STREET FROM SINGLE STORY, AND IT DOESN'T LOOK LIKE THAT NOW.

SO THANK YOU. AND ALSO, I GUESS IF I COULD ADD, I KNOW WE DID NOT GIVE THE APPLICANT AN OPPORTUNITY TO PRESENT IN FRONT OF COUNCIL BECAUSE AND THEY MAY HAVE BEEN ABLE TO OFFER SOME ADDITIONAL INSIGHT.

SET EVERYTHING FOR.

OKAY OKAY, OKAY.

ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR STAFF? I DO. I HAVE A QUESTION JUST FROM YOUR PRESENTATION COMPONENT.

SO YOU TALK ABOUT IT MEETS THE THE HOUSING REQUIREMENT SPECIFICATIONS, DIVERSE HOUSING ETCETERA, ETCETERA.

BUT THAT'S IRRESPECTIVE OF NUMBER OF UNITS.

RIGHT. YOU JUST LOOK AT UNITS.

RIGHT. SO IF THEY BUILT ANOTHER 40 FOOT UNIT THERE IT STILL MEETS THAT SAME CRITERIA.

YOU DON'T YOU DON'T LOOK AT IT TO SAY IT NEEDS THIS MANY UNITS SO THAT MEET THAT CRITERIA.

I CAN I DON'T KNOW CORRECT BY MIX OF UNITS.

I WAS REFERRING TO A MIX OF SINGLE FAMILY OR SINGLE FAMILY IN THE AREA, AND THERE'S MULTIPLE MULTIFAMILY IN THE AREA.

THIS ADDS TO THAT MIX.

YEAH. SO TWO 40 FOOT BUILDINGS, TWO 60 FOOT MATTERS NOT.

IT'S JUST KIND OF IT'S JUST A FUNCTION OF THAT, THAT THE USE OF THAT SPACE.

AM I UNDERSTANDING THAT? RIGHT OKAY.

GREAT. OKAY.

NO OTHER QUESTIONS. THEN THE APPLICANT CAN DO THEIR PRESENTATION.

THEY HAVE 20 MINUTES.

AND IF YOU JUST GIVE YOUR WHO'S EVER SPEAKING, JUST GIVE YOUR NAME PLEASE AND THANK YOU.

GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS NICHOLAS WITH CROSS ENGINEERING.

I'M THE CIVIL ENGINEER FOR THE.

WHOOPS. I'M THE CIVIL ENGINEER FOR THE PROJECT.

THANK YOU ALL FOR RECONSIDERING OUR REQUEST WITH US.

WITH THE REST OF THE DEVELOPMENT TEAM, WE HAVE REPRESENTATIVES FOR THE DEVELOPERS, ARCHITECTS, TRAFFIC ENGINEERS.

SO THE INTENT WOULD BE WE'VE GOT EVERYONE AVAILABLE HERE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS RELATED TO RELATED IN ANY MORE SPECIFICS TO ANY OF THOSE ELEMENTS.

MIA DID A GREAT JOB.

I'M GOING TO TRY NOT TO REITERATE TOO MUCH OF WHAT SHE SAID.

WHAT I'VE PREPARED IS MORE OF JUST A VISUAL SLIDE SHOW FLIP THROUGH, JUST TO GIVE AN ADDITIONAL PERSPECTIVE ON WHAT WE'RE PROPOSING.

SO AGAIN, WE CAN WORK KIND OF OUR WAY FORWARD OR BACKWARD THROUGH WHATEVER'S HELPFUL.

[03:15:02]

AND I'LL GET THERE IN A SECOND.

THE TWO BIG ITEMS OF FEEDBACK THAT WE'VE HEARD SO FAR, ONE AT PLANNING AND ZONING, ONE OF THE BIGGEST ITEMS WAS TRAFFIC.

AND SO WE ARE ACTUALLY WIDENING THE ROADWAY, PROVIDING A LANE, AND WE CAN GET MORE IN DEPTH IN THAT IF WE NEED TO.

THAT DIDN'T REALLY COME UP WITH COUNCIL.

SO IF WE'D LIKE TO, WE CAN GET INTO A LOT MORE DEPTH THERE.

BUT WE FEEL LIKE WE'VE ADDRESSED THOSE CONCERNS.

AS MIA MENTIONED AT PNC, WE HAD A HANDFUL OF THREE NEIGHBORS COME OUT AND TRY TO SPEAK ABOUT IT.

SO IN RESPONSE TO THAT, WE ACTUALLY POSTPONED OUR FIRST COUNCIL HEARING TO BASICALLY HAVE THE NEIGHBORHOOD MEETING AND GET THEIR FEEDBACK AT THAT NEIGHBORHOOD MEETING.

ONCE WE POSTPONED IT, WE ONLY RECEIVED ONE RESPONSE, AND THAT WAS FROM MISS JANIS, WHO WAS ALSO AT PNC.

SUPER NICE.

SHE WAS INITIALLY IN OPPOSITION, BUT I THINK HER MAIN CONCERN WAS JUST TO SEE THE PROJECT.

AND AFTER SHE WAS ABLE TO SEE THE RENDERINGS, WHICH I'M ABOUT TO RUN THROUGH AND WHICH WE'VE ALREADY PRESENTED, SHE BASICALLY SAID, HEY, I SEE WHAT YOU ALL ARE DOING HERE.

I'M OKAY WITH WHAT Y'ALL ARE DOING.

SO YEAH, SHE WAS SUPER AMIABLE TO KIND OF WHAT WE WERE TALKING ABOUT.

AND THEN I GUESS THE BIG ITEM HERE IS THE ADDITIONAL HEIGHT IS WHAT'S DRIVING THIS WHOLE THING.

AS AS INDICATED, THIS PROJECT AT 40FT OR LESS COULD BE BUILT BY.

RIGHT. AND SO THE ADDITIONAL YOU'RE ESSENTIALLY TALKING ABOUT AN ADDITIONAL ADDITIONAL STORY.

I'M NOT GETTING INTO TOO MUCH OF THAT SINCE AGAIN, WE'VE GOT THE ARCHITECT IF NEEDED.

THE BIG DIFFERENCE WITH THE ADDITIONAL HEIGHT IS IT ALLOWS US TO DO FEWER BUILDINGS, PUSH THOSE BUILDINGS FURTHER AWAY, AND ALSO ALLOWS US TO ADD AMENITIES ON SITE.

SO THE POOL, THE DOG PARK, STUFF LIKE THAT, IF WE DO THE SAME PROJECT THAT'S PERMITTED BY RIGHT WITH THE SAME NUMBER OF UNITS TO MAKE THE PROJECT WORK FINANCIALLY, YOU'RE LEFT WITH MORE BUILDINGS PUSHED CLOSER TO THE SINGLE FAMILY AND MORE THAN LIKELY FEWER AMENITIES.

SO IN OUR OPINION, IT'S AN OBJECTIVELY WORSE PROJECT BY RIGHT THAN WHAT WE'RE PROPOSING.

YOU KNOW, I'LL I'LL START TO FLIP THROUGH SOME OF THESE AS WELL.

SIGHTLINE WISE, IN OUR OPINION, THE FOUR STORY BUILDING PUSHED ALL THE WAY BACK IN THE CORNER, PROVIDES BETTER SIGHTLINES AND SOME OF THE ALTERNATIVES.

AND SO, AGAIN, I'LL START TO TRY AND FLIP THROUGH SOME OF THESE.

HERE. YOU'RE JUST LOOKING AT A OH, ONE OTHER ITEM I DID WANT TO NOTE UP AGAINST THE RESIDENTIAL TRYING TO AS NOTED, WE'VE GOT THE EIGHT FOOT MASONRY WALL.

BUT IN ADDITION TO THAT WE ALSO HAVE SOME SOME TREES PLANTED, KIND OF AS LIKE A LIVING BUFFER.

IT'S NOT COMPLETE BECAUSE THERE ACTUALLY IS AN ELECTRIC EASEMENT ALONG THAT BACK PROPERTY LINE.

OR WE WOULD DO MORE, BUT WE'RE DOING AS MUCH AS WE CAN.

SO HERE'S THE RENDERING OF THE BUILDING AS A WHOLE.

AGAIN, LOOKING FROM THOSE SINGLE FAMILY HOMES, I DON'T KNOW IF THIS IS GOING TO BE SUPER HELPFUL FOR OUR DISCUSSION, BUT THIS IS OUR CIVIL SITE PLAN.

SO ANYTHING, ANYTHING WE WANT TO GET INTO MORE MORE SPECIFICS AND MORE DETAILED PROBABLY GOING TO BE FOUND HERE.

OBVIOUSLY LESS VISUAL.

THIS WAS PROVIDED IN MIA'S PRESENTATION.

THIS IS JUST A BITTER BLOW UP OF KIND OF A TYPICAL CROSS-SECTION VIEW.

YOU CAN SEE THE EXISTING SINGLE FAMILY, THE MASONRY WALL, SOME OF THE LANDSCAPE SCREENING, THEN THE DISTANCE YOU HAVE BETWEEN OUR PROPOSED BUILDING, TRYING TO PUSH ALL THE WAY BACK IN THAT CORNER.

I JUST WANT TO QUICKLY NOTE MIA HAD MENTIONED THIS IS NOT THIS HAS NOT BEEN REVIEWED AND APPROVED BY STAFF.

THIS IS PURELY JUST A CONCEPT WE PUT TOGETHER TO SHOW A POTENTIAL ALTERNATIVE.

THIS IS MORE ALONG THE LINES OF WHAT THE PROJECT COULD LOOK LIKE WITH A SIMILAR NUMBER OF UNITS, BUT WITH SHORTER BUILDINGS, AND AGAIN, WANT TO THROW THAT OUT THERE.

THIS HAS NOT BEEN FORMALLY APPROVED OR ANYTHING.

IT'S JUST TO PROVIDE A VISUAL HERE.

I'M GOING TO GO THROUGH THE NEXT 4 OR 5 SLIDES I THINK ARE JUST MORE RENDERINGS FROM DIFFERENT ANGLES.

YOU SEE THE EXISTING MULTIFAMILY DEVELOPMENT THAT'S RIGHT ACROSS THE STREET FROM US.

AND AGAIN, FROM A TRAFFIC STANDPOINT, WE'RE ACTUALLY IMPROVING A LOT OF THE CONDITIONS THAT THAT DEVELOPMENT MAY HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO.

YEAH. SO I'M NOT GOING TO GO INTO ANY MORE DETAILS.

WE CAN STAY ON ANY OF THESE IF WE NEED TO JUST TO TALK MORE ABOUT THEM, BUT JUST SOME DIFFERENT RENDERINGS, DIFFERENT ANGLES.

AGAIN, THIS WAS PROVIDED IN STAFF'S PRESENTATION.

THIS IS JUST A BITTER A BITTER IMAGE LOOKING FROM I CAN SHOW YOU THE CROSS STREET ON THE SITE PLAN IF IT'S HELPFUL, BUT JUST GIVING YOU AN IDEA OF WHAT THAT BUILDING WOULD LOOK LIKE FROM THE STREET.

LIKE I SAID, SO FAR IN COUNCIL THERE HASN'T BEEN A LOT OF DISCUSSION ON TRANSPORTATION.

WE HAVE THIS EXHIBIT, WHICH IS JUST A LITTLE MORE DETAILED VERSION OF WHAT STAFF PROVIDED AS WELL, WHICH WE WOULD LOVE TO TALK THROUGH IN MORE DETAIL IF NEEDED.

AND OKAY, I CAN GO BACK.

PERFECT. OKAY. SO I CAN GO BACK AND FORTH AS NEEDED TO TALK ABOUT ANY OF THOSE IN MORE DETAIL.

COUNCIL MEMBER COUNCIL MEMBER MELTZER, MORE TO YOUR QUESTION, YEAH, JUST TO EXPAND TO WHAT MIA SAID, WE JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE AT THE LAST COUNCIL MEETING WE WERE AVAILABLE TO SPEAK. WE TRIED TO READ THE ROOM AND JUST THERE DIDN'T SEEM TO BE A LOT OF OPPOSITION OR PUSHBACK, SO WE JUST WANTED TO BE RESPECTFUL OF EVERYONE'S TIME.

OBVIOUSLY, IT WASN'T A GOOD DECISION.

SO WE WERE HERE NOW TO PROVIDE AS MUCH DETAIL AS WE POSSIBLY CAN.

AND YEAH, I THINK JUST PROVIDING SOME MORE OF THE RENDERINGS AND GIVING THEM MORE VISUAL REPRESENTATION RATHER THAN JUST THE OVERHEAD, REALLY TECHNICAL VIEW OF THE CIVIL SITE PLAN WAS OUR INTENT WITH THIS RECONSIDERATION.

SO I'LL CONCLUDE THERE.

I'M OPEN TO ANY QUESTIONS AND I'LL OPEN IT UP TO MY TEAM AS NEEDED AS WELL.

OKAY. LET ME SEE.

[03:20:03]

HUH? UH, THERE WE GO.

OKAY. I DON'T SEE ANY QUESTIONS YET, BUT DO YOU HAVE A RENDERING THAT WOULD SHOW? I'M ASSUMING SERVICE ROADS ARE PROPOSED THERE, BUT YOU DON'T HAVE ANYTHING THAT REFLECTS THAT.

WHEN YOU SAY SERVICE ROADS ON LOOP 28.

OH, NO.

SO IN THAT'S ACTUALLY I SHOULD HAVE MENTIONED THAT AS WELL AS PART OF THE PROCESS OF STAFF APPROVAL.

IT'S BEEN A REALLY LONG PROCESS, NOT DUE TO ANY FAULT OF STAFF OR OUR OWN.

IT'S A LOT OF COORDINATION WITH TEXDOT ON LOOP 288, WE HAVE SOME DRAMATIC PLANS THAT WE HAVE KIND OF BASED OUR DESIGN AROUND, BUT THOSE ARE MY UNDERSTANDING IS THOSE ARE STILL REALLY EARLY ON.

WE HAVE THOSE. WE CAN SHARE THEM.

THEY'RE NOT A PART OF OUR CURRENT PRESENTATION, BUT WE THAT'S WHAT WE'VE USED SO FAR.

UNDERSTOOD. BUT IF YOU GO SO FOR EXAMPLE THERE RIGHT THAT YOU REPRESENT THAT TO BE WHAT IT IS.

NOW I UNDERSTAND THAT.

BUT YOU KNOW.

SERVICE ROADS ARE COMING.

BUT YOU DON'T PROVIDE A VISUAL FOR HOW CLOSE THAT'S GOING TO BE.

NO, I DON'T I DON'T KNOW THAT TEX-DOT KNOWS FOR SURE HOW CLOSE THEY'RE GOING TO BE YET IS KIND OF WHAT'S BEEN A HUGE PORTION OF THE DELAY.

OKAY. BUT YES, YOU'RE RIGHT, THAT'S NOT WE'RE SHOWING FOR SURE.

RIGHT. AND SO A LITTLE CHALLENGING FOR ME FOR SURE.

RIGHT. I MEAN, BECAUSE THE BUILDING'S NOT THERE, BUT YOU HAVE A REPRESENTATION OF WHAT THE BUILDING LOOK LIKE.

I KNOW THAT'S IN YOUR CONTROL, BUT I THINK IT WOULD BE FAIR, AT LEAST, TO SHOW.

HEY, THIS IS WHAT IT POTENTIALLY COULD BE.

THIS IS HOW POTENTIALLY IT COULD BE HOW CLOSE IT COULD BE.

AND THEN I'LL JUST TELL YOU MY OTHER HANG UP IS IF.

FOR EXAMPLE, ONE JUST NORTH OF BUCKY'S THERE, THERE WAS AN APARTMENT COMPLEX THAT CAME TO US AND SAID, HEY, IF YOU GIVE US THE EXTRA 15FT OF HEIGHT THAT WE'RE REQUESTING FOR SCP, THEY WOULD THEN TAKE THE PARKING INSIDE AND LIMIT THE AMOUNT OF SURFACE PARKING TO TO CLEAN IT UP TO MAINTAIN GREEN SPACE, THOSE SORT OF THINGS.

SO THOSE ARE KIND OF SOME OF THE TRADE OFFS THAT, THAT I WOULD BE LOOKING FOR TO TRY TO LEVERAGE THAT OPPORTUNITY.

I UNDERSTAND THE WHAT WE'RE UP AGAINST, AND I DON'T THINK YOU'LL HAVE ANY PROBLEMS BASED ON THE COMMENTS I HAD.

I'M JUST GIVING YOU TELLING YOU WHERE I FIND A LITTLE HEARTBURN.

YES, SIR. MAYOR, JUST JUST FOR CLARITY, WHAT WE'VE DONE ON THE LOOP AND WE CONTINUE TO DO IS A RESERVATION FOR TEXDOT.

SO THAT'S ACCOMMODATED WITHIN THIS.

SO REALLY WE HAVE THE SETBACK PLACE WHERE IT IS AND THERE'LL BE SOME SPACE, BUT IT WOULDN'T BE UP AGAINST IT DIRECTLY AND IT WON'T IMPACT THIS DEVELOPMENT.

YEAH. NO. AND THAT'S FAIR.

BUT I ALSO THINK IT'S FAIR TO POINT OUT BECAUSE THE THE PRESENTATION AS I UNDERSTOOD IT AND IT'S HELPFUL THAT SAYS, HEY, HERE'S KIND OF A DAY IN THE LIFE IN THIS AREA.

HERE'S THE THINGS WE'RE GOING TO DO TO ENHANCE TRAFFIC IN THIS AREA, BUT WE'RE GOING TO NOT MENTION THIS HUGE ENHANCEMENT THAT'S COMING.

NOT DISINGENUOUS, NOT MALICIOUS, NOT GOOD, BAD AND DIFFERENT.

JUST IT DOESN'T GIVE YOU A TRUE.

THIS IS WHAT'S COMING.

AND I UNDERSTAND THAT'S A BLIND CORNER.

AND I UNDERSTAND TEX AND ALL THOSE THINGS.

I'M NOT SAYING IT'S I JUST I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO POINT THAT OUT BECAUSE WE KNOW IT'S COMING.

OTHERS TRACKING ALONG MAY NOT KNOW WHAT'S COMING.

AND SO JUST A FULL ON EXPERIENCE IS GOING TO BE.

I DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S A LOT OF SPACE THERE.

I THINK IT'S GOING TO BE PRETTY TIGHT ON IT.

I DON'T BECAUSE YOU HAVE THAT DITCH THERE.

THERE'S A LOT THERE'S A LOT OF THEIR THERE THAT THEY'RE GOING TO WORK AROUND, BUT WE GET PLENTY OF RESERVATIONS.

SO WE'RE GETTING THE RESERVATION NUMBER REALLY THROUGH TEXT.

WHEN WE WORK WITH TEX DOT AS TO WHAT THEY NEED TO BUILD.

AND THEY TYPICALLY HAVE THOSE BUFFERS BUILT INTO IT.

SO IT'S NOT GOING TO BE RIGHT UP AGAINST THAT.

AND WE'RE DEALING WITH THAT ALL ALONG THE LOOP.

SO. OH YEAH. NO DOUBT.

FAIR ENOUGH. NO DOUBT. YES.

ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR THE APPLICANT.

ANY OTHER. SO.

SEEING NONE. ANY SPEAKERS? OTHER. ANY OTHER ONE? THIS IS AN OPEN.

PUBLIC HEARING SO YOU CAN SPEAK IF YOU'D LIKE.

JUST. OKAY. WE'RE GOING TO I DON'T THINK I HAVE ANY QUESTIONS RIGHT NOW, SO GIVE ME JUST A MINUTE.

YEAH. YOU CAN COME DOWN AND GIVE YOUR NAME AND THEN YOU'LL HAVE FOUR MINUTES.

DID I STAY UP HERE? YEAH, PROBABLY.

SIT CLOSE, JUST IN CASE.

IF YOU'RE. IF YOU'D BE SO KIND.

THANK YOU. YES.

HI, CHRISTINE. BRAY. AS ALWAYS, I JUST WANT TO NOTE THE WAY IN WHICH THE CITY'S DEVELOPMENT AND ZONING CODE IS IMPACTING THIS DEVELOPMENT.

THIS DEVELOPMENT, LIKE MANY, IS GOING IN DIRECTLY ALONG A HIGHWAY.

WE KNOW THAT HIGHWAYS ARE NOT FUN PLACES TO LIVE NEXT TO, WHETHER THAT'S AIR QUALITY OR NOISE POLLUTION, OR JUST HAVING A BACKYARD THAT YOU CAN LOOK OUT ONTO OR SOMETHING NICE BACK THERE, VERSUS WHAT'S IT GOING TO BE, 14 LANES OF HIGHWAY.

AND SO THAT IS A RESULT OF THE CITY'S DEVELOPMENT AND ZONING ORDINANCES.

AND THE TRADE OFFS HAVE BEEN DISCUSSED HERE.

BUT AGAIN, I JUST WANT TO REMIND THE WAY THAT THIS IS, IS A RESULT OF LONG STANDING POLICIES THAT THE CITY HAS, SOME OF WHICH I BELIEVE ARE WELL

[03:25:05]

INTENTIONED BUT HARMFUL.

WITH THAT SAID, I LIKE HAVING MORE PLACES TO LIVE IN DENTON THANK YOU, THANK YOU AGAIN.

IT'S A PUBLIC HEARING. ANYONE ELSE CARE TO SPEAK? YOU CAN COME DOWN, GIVE YOUR NAME AND FILL OUT A CARD AFTER THE FACT.

SEEING NONE, I'LL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING AND TAKE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR A MOTION.

MAYOR PRO TEM. THE OKAY, I WAS GOING TO.

I DIDN'T SEE COUNCILOR MCGEE WITH HIS QUESTION I.

UH, HOW DO YOU WANT TO HANDLE THAT, MR. MAYOR? HE NEEDS TO GO FIRST BECAUSE I RAISED MY HAND AND SAY.

I JUST DON'T WANT TO INTERFERE WITH HIS DIALOG.

YEAH, NO, WE'LL JUST TAKE THAT SO I DON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT THE SECOND ISSUE.

I'D LEAVE IT HANGING, BUT THAT'S GENERALLY IS NOT WELL RECEIVED.

COUNCIL MEMBER MCGEE. THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION.

MRS BRAY BRINGS UP A GOOD POINT ABOUT NOISE MITIGATION LIVING CLOSE TO A HIGHWAY.

CAN YOU SPEAK TO THAT BRIEFLY? UM. I DON'T KNOW IF, ANTHONY.

I DON'T KNOW IF PERFECT.

HELLO, MY NAME IS BRETT FLEURY.

I'M WITH CROS ARCHITECTS.

I'M THE ARCHITECT. AND SO, YOU KNOW, THERE'S BUSINESSES ALL ALONG, HIGHWAYS ALL OVER TOWN.

BUT IN THIS INSTANCE, WE'RE, YOU KNOW, WE BUILD THESE MULTIFAMILY PROJECTS THAT TO MEET THE MINIMUM SEC RATINGS FOR ACOUSTICAL SOUND TRANSMISSION THROUGH THE WALLS.

AND THERE ARE STANDARDS FOR THAT.

SO IT WILL MEET THOSE STANDARDS.

THIS PROJECT ACTUALLY IS GOING TO BE IS ONE OF ONE OF THE NICER PROJECTS IN THAT AREA.

IT'S THEY'VE THIS DEVELOPER HAS GONE ABOVE AND BEYOND TO SPEND MORE MONEY ON IT.

AND WE'RE GOING TO HAVE MOSTLY BRICK AND STONE, SOME HARDIE BOARD ACCENTS.

BUT AS FAR AS MEETING THE SOUND TRANSMISSION.

YOU KNOW, IT'S YOU CAN ONLY CLOSE UP A RESIDENTIAL KIND OF SPACE SO MUCH WITHOUT IF IT WAS A COMMERCIAL SPACE, THEN, YOU KNOW, YOU COULD TREAT IT A LOT DIFFERENTLY.

BUT WE'VE GOT TO HAVE WINDOWS AND, AND OPEN, YOU KNOW, INTO THE SPACE.

SO THERE'S ONLY SO MUCH YOU CAN DO TO CONTROL SOUND INTO THIS.

BUT WE ARE DOING TAKING THE EXTRA STEPS TO MAKE SURE IT MEETS ALL THE SOUND TRANSMISSION STANDARDS AND EXCEEDS THOSE.

BUT, YOU KNOW, I THINK STAFF DID AN EXCELLENT JOB OF DESCRIBING THE PROJECT, AND WE COULD JUST BUILD THREE STOREY BUILDINGS AND JUST STACK THEM UP ALONG THERE.

BUT WE WE'VE TAKEN THE EXTRA TIME TO WE FIRST SUBMITTED THIS LIKE ALMOST A YEAR AGO, AND WE'VE TAKEN THE EXTRA TIME TO TRY TO PUT THIS IN THE CORNER, DIRECT THE VIEWS AWAY FROM THE RESIDENTIAL AREA AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE.

AND THIS IS ONLY A 78 UNIT PROJECT.

SO IT'S THERE'S NOT A LOT OF IT'S NOT LIKE THIS IS 350 UNIT OR 400 UNIT PROJECT.

SO IT'S A VERY SMALL MULTIFAMILY PROJECT AND WE THINK IT FITS, YOU KNOW, THIS LOCATION BEING ON THE HIGHWAY, BEING KIND OF A BUFFER BETWEEN THE RESIDENTIAL AND THE HIGHWAY. THIS WILL ACTUALLY HELP BLOCK SOME OF THE SOUND TO THE RESIDENTIAL AREA.

BUT I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY OTHER QUESTIONS THAT YOU MAY HAVE.

ALL GOOD. THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR.

MAYOR PRO TEM, I MOVE APPROVAL.

COUNCILWOMAN MELTZER.

MEETING DENS.

DENS. URGENT HOUSING NEEDS IS A BALANCING ACT THAT PASSED.

I SECOND.

OKAY. WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND DISCUSSION.

I'LL JUST SAY THIS.

YEAH. DO I THINK IT'S WELL DESIGNED? YES. WELL INTENTIONED, WELL PLANNED.

WELL, AMENITIZED CERTAINLY.

AM I GOING TO VOTE FOR IT? ABSOLUTELY NOT. BUT I THINK THAT'S JUST BECAUSE.

I WOULD WANT MORE FOR THE TRADE OFF.

I WOULD WANT TO CREATE MORE GREEN SPACE BETWEEN THERE.

AGAIN, USING THAT ONE AS A REFERENCE, IT'S IT IS TRULY IDENTICAL, TRULY CONSISTENT IN MY APPROACH.

IT'S ABOUT 100 FOOT OF GREEN SPACE BETWEEN THE WHAT WAS PROPOSED, BETWEEN THE RESIDENCES ON THE BACKSIDE OF BUCKY'S THERE, AND THE FIRST APARTMENT COMPLEX WITH KIND OF A CIRCLE DRIVE, INTERNALIZED PARKING.

AGAIN, NOT MANDATED, NOT REQUIRED.

DON'T HAVE TO DO IT.

SO I UNDERSTAND THOSE THINGS.

I DON'T THINK IT'S GOING TO DAMAGE YOUR PROJECT TODAY, BUT JUST THAT I WANT TO BE CONSISTENT THAT WAY.

SO WITH THAT, LET'S VOTE ON THE SCREEN.

OR IS THERE ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? LET'S VOTE ON SCREEN. AND THAT PASSES FOR TWO

[03:30:06]

TO. OKAY.

[C. Hold a public hearing and consider adoption of an ordinance of the City of Denton, Texas, regarding a change in the zoning district and use classification from Planned Development (PD) District to Suburban Corridor (SC) District on approximately 1.09 acres of land, generally located east of Teasley Lane (FM 2181), approximately 440 feet south of the intersection of Teasley Lane (FM 2181) and Robinson Road, in the City of Denton, Denton County, Texas; adopting an amendment to the City's Official Zoning Map; providing for a penalty in the maximum amount of $2,000.00 for violations thereof; providing a severability clause and an effective date. The Planning and Zoning Commission voted [5-1] to recommend approval of the request. Motion for approval by Commissioner Smith and second by Commissioner Cole. (Z23-0012a, Teasley Commercial Building, Sean Jacobson)]

THAT TAKES US TO ITEM C, WHICH IS Z230012A.

HOLD A PUBLIC HEARING TO CONSIDER ADOPTION OF AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF DENTON, TEXAS REGARDING A CHANGE IN ZONING, DISTRICT AND USE CLASSIFICATION FROM PLANNED DEVELOPMENT PD DISTRICT TO SUBURBAN CORRIDOR SC DISTRICT ON APPROXIMATELY 1.09 ACRES OF LAND.

AND I'LL OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING.

GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF COUNCIL SEAN JACOBSON, JUST PULLING UP MY PRESENTATION HERE, WHICH I.

I'M JUST TRYING TO MAKE SURE I SEE WHERE WE HAVE THIS.

THIS.

OKAY. THERE WE GO.

MY APOLOGIES. SHAWN JACOBSON, ASSOCIATE PLANNER, Z 2312 A TESLA COMMERCIAL REZONING.

THIS IS A REQUEST FOR A ZONING FROM A PLANNED DEVELOPMENT TO A SUBURBAN CORRIDOR DISTRICT ON ABOUT A 1.09 ACRE TRACT EAST OF TEASLEY, SOUTH OF ROBINSON ROAD.

BACKGROUND. THIS IS PART OF A PD THAT WAS CREATED IN 1999.

THE AREA WAS DESIGNATED FOR COMMERCIAL WITHIN THAT PD WAS ALSO VESTED IN A VARIETY OF OUTDATED CODES, AND IT CURRENTLY REQUIRES A DETAILED PLAN THAT WOULD COME TO CITY COUNCIL IN ORDER TO DEVELOP THE SITE.

SO THE REQUEST IS TO REZONE THIS TO A SUBURBAN CORRIDOR ZONING THAT WILL ALLOW IT TO DEVELOP WITH SIMILAR COMMERCIAL USES, BUT WOULD BE UNDER OUR CURRENT STANDARDS.

SO AGAIN, JUST HIGHLIGHTING THAT HISTORY THERE TODAY, IT IS CURRENTLY VACANT.

IT'S THE LAST REMAINING VACANT LOT WITHIN THIS PLANNED DEVELOPMENT WITHIN THE COMMERCIAL AREA OF THAT.

IT'S UNDER THAT MIX OF OUTDATED CODES RIGHT NOW.

IF IT WERE TO DEVELOP, IT WOULD BE UNDER A LOWER LANDSCAPE CODE, LESS FLEXIBLE PARKING THAN PREVIOUSLY.

WE DID DO SOME RESEARCH TO MAKE SURE THERE ARE NO PREVIOUS CONDITIONS OF APPROVAL THAT APPLY TO THIS LOT.

THE PREVIOUS PD AMENDMENTS, IT IS ESSENTIALLY ACTUALLY PARTLY DEVELOPED RIGHT NOW CONNECTED TO THE SURROUNDING COMMERCIAL.

IT DOES HAVE A DRIVE AISLE AND INFRASTRUCTURE THAT CONNECTS IT TO THE SURROUNDING COMMERCIAL AREA.

SO THE ZONING WOULD ENABLE IT TO DEVELOP WITH THOSE SIMILAR USES.

IT WOULD ALSO EXCLUDE SOME USES THAT THE PD CURRENTLY PERMITS.

THAT REALLY WOULD NOT SEEM APPROPRIATE IN THIS AREA.

AND OF COURSE, IT WOULD REQUIRE THAT THE USE ACTUALLY DEVELOP UNDER ALL OF OUR CURRENT STANDARDS INSTEAD OF THAT OUTDATED MIX OF OLDER CODES.

OF COURSE, WE ALWAYS LOOK AT CONSISTENCY WITH OUR FUTURE LAND USE MAP HERE, THE COMMUNITY MIXED USE DESIGNATION.

SO THAT CALLS FOR PRIMARILY COMMERCIAL USES AND FOR RAISING THE STANDARD OF DESIGN.

THE ZONING WOULD ALLOW FOR DEVELOPMENT OF COMMERCIAL USES AND WOULD AGAIN REQUIRE IT TO MEET ALL OF OUR CURRENT STANDARDS.

DOES HELP TO ADVANCE OUR GOALS WITHIN THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN.

AND WE DID ALL OF OUR STANDARD NOTIFICATIONS AND RECEIVED NO RESPONSES.

SO WITH THAT, THE PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION VOTED TO RECOMMEND APPROVAL, AND STAFF DOES RECOMMEND APPROVAL OF THIS CHANGE, AS IT IS CONSISTENT WITH OUR CRITERIA FOR APPROVAL FOR ALL FOR ALL CASES AND PARTICULARLY FOR ZONING CASES.

SO WITH THAT, I'M HAPPY TO STAND FOR ANY QUESTIONS.

AND THE APPLICANT IS ALSO HERE.

AND I HAVE QUESTIONS FOR STAFF.

YEAH. GO. COUNCILMAN.

YEAH. COUNCILMAN MCGEE.

THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. SEAN, CAN YOU JUST GIVE ME A COUPLE OF EXAMPLES OF SOMETHING THAT WOULD NOT BE PERMITTED UNDER SCC? THAT PROBABLY WOULDN'T BE A GOOD FIT.

YEAH, ABSOLUTELY.

SO ONE WOULD BE HEAVY MACHINERY SALES AND STORAGE.

ANOTHER WOULD BE SO WE LIMIT WHERE WE HAVE AUTO SALES.

THAT WOULD BE SOMETHING THAT WOULD BE PERMITTED HERE, A COMMERCIAL LAUNDRY DORMITORY OR BOARDING HOUSE, NOT NECESSARILY APPROPRIATE IN PRIMARILY COMMERCIAL AREA RIGHT NEXT TO A NEIGHBORHOOD.

OKAY. SO THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. THANK YOU SEAN. THANK YOU.

I HAVE ONE SPEAKER, EDGAR MEDINA, THAT IS THE APPLICANT.

OKAY. GOT IT.

SO IF YOU CAN COME DOWN, GIVE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS, YOU'LL HAVE 20 MINUTES.

[03:35:06]

GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL.

MY NAME IS EDGAR MEDINA WITH MS CONSULTING ENGINEERS.

I'M THE CIVIL ENGINEER ON THE PROJECT, AND I JUST WANTED TO TELL YOU GUYS, I HOPE YOU GUYS APPROVE THIS.

AND I'M HERE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.

OKAY, I HAVE ONE.

I CAN'T TELL WHAT HELMET IS THAT? WHAT TEAM IS THAT? OH, IT'S DALLAS COWBOYS.

OKAY. ALL RIGHT, ALL RIGHT. JUST MAKING SURE IT'S AMERICA'S TEAM.

I WAS GONNA SAY YOU COME UP HERE WITH THE WRONG THING ON.

OKAY. ALL RIGHT.

YOU GOOD, MAN. THAT'S GOOD.

ALL RIGHT. ANY ANY QUESTIONS FOR THE APPLICANT? OKAY. ANY QUESTIONS FOR STAFF OR I'LL TAKE THEM ALL.

THIS IS A PUBLIC HEARING, SO IF THERE'S ANYONE THAT WOULD CARE TO SPEAK, PLEASE DO SO.

AND THEN YOU CAN FILL OUT A CARD AFTERWARDS.

SEEING NONE COUNCILMAN, I'LL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.

COUNCIL MEMBER MCGEE I MOTION APPROVAL.

MAYOR PRO TEM.

WE NEED IN-FILL PROJECTS, SO I SECOND.

OKAY, WE HAVE A MOTION IN A SECOND.

ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? SEEING NONE, LET'S VOTE ON THE SCREEN.

IT PASSES SIX ZERO, TAKES US TO ITEM D, AND BY ALL MEANS TAKE A BREAK IF YOU NEED.

[D. Hold a public hearing and consider adoption of an ordinance of the City of Denton, Texas amending the Denton Development Code, specifically amendments to Table 5.2-A- Table of Allowed Uses, Section 5.3.4: Public, Institutional, Religious, and Civic Use-Specific Standards, Table 7.9-I: Minimum Required Off-Street Parking, and Section 9.2: Definitions related to privately-owned cemeteries; providing for application requirements and process; providing for a penalty in the maximum amount of $2,000.00 for violations thereof; providing savings and severability clauses, and an effective date. The Planning and Zoning Commission voted [6-0] to recommend approval of the request. Motion for approval by Commissioner Smith and second by Commissioner Cole. (DCA23-0011b, Private Cemetery Use, Cameron Robertson)]

I'M JUST GOING TO TRY TO POWER THROUGH SO WE CAN GET STAFF HOME SO THAT THEY CAN DO IT ALL OVER AGAIN TOMORROW.

SO ITEM DDCA230011B.

HOLD A PUBLIC HEARING AND CONSIDER ADOPTION OF AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF DENTON, TEXAS, AMENDING THE DENTON DEVELOPMENT CODE.

SPECIFICALLY AMENDMENTS TO TABLE 5.2, A TABLE OF ALLOWED USES.

SECTION 5.3.4 PUBLIC, INSTITUTIONAL, RELIGIOUS, AND CIVIC USE PERMIT STANDARDS.

TABLE 7.9-I MINIMUM REQUIRED OFFSET PARKING AND SECTION 9.2.

AND IT SAYS DEFINITIONS RELATED TO PRIVATELY OWNED CEMETERIES PROVIDING FOR AN APPLICATION, REQUIREMENTS AND PROCESS.

THANK YOU, MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS.

GOOD EVENING, CAMERON ROBERTSON, PRINCIPAL PLANNER.

SO I'M HERE TO PRESENT THE HOUSE BILL 783, IN STAFF'S RECOMMENDATIONS FOR DDC AMENDMENTS.

SO HOUSE BILL 7083, THAT WAS PART OF THE 88TH LEGISLATIVE REGULAR SESSION.

AND THIS ALLOWS INDIVIDUALS, CORPORATIONS, PARTNERSHIPS, FIRMS, TRUSTS OR ASSOCIATIONS TO ESTABLISH OR USE A CEMETERY IN A CITY WITH A COUNTY WITH A POPULATION OF MORE THAN 750,000 PERSONS.

SO STAFF IS MAKING A NUMBER OF AMENDMENTS TO THE DDC AS THE MAYOR PRESENTED.

WE ARE WE HAVE IDENTIFIED AREAS WITHIN THAT DENTON DEVELOPMENT CODE BECAUSE CURRENTLY PRIVATELY OWNED CEMETERIES ARE NOT REGULARLY RECOGNIZED AS A USE, A LAND USE OR REGULATED WITHIN OUR DENTON DEVELOPMENT CODE.

SO WE ARE LOOKING AT CHANGES TO OUR TABLE.

5.2 A SUBSECTION 5.34 I, TABLE 7.9 I AS WELL AS OUR DEFINITIONS.

SO CURRENTLY WE DO HAVE SIX EXISTING PRIVATELY OWNED CEMETERIES IN DENTON, WHICH ARE SHOWN HERE ON THE MAP.

AS I'VE STATED PREVIOUSLY, THE CITY DOES NOT PRESENTLY RECOGNIZE THAT LAND USE OR REGULATE PRIVATELY OWNED CEMETERIES.

BUT WITH THE PASSING OF THE HOUSE BILL 783, THEY ARE NOW NONCONFORMING USES, SO TO BRING THEM INTO CONFORMING USES.

STAFF IS RECOMMENDING THOSE CHANGES.

SO SOME OF THE PROPOSED AMENDMENTS.

FIRST, WE NEED TO ADD PRIVATELY OWNED CEMETERIES USE TO OUR DENTON DEVELOPMENT CODE.

STAFF IS RECOMMENDING THAT THOSE BE PLACED IN ZONING DISTRICTS WHERE FUNERAL AND INTERMENT FACILITIES ARE ALREADY PERMITTED.

APART FROM THE MIXED USE DOWNTOWN CORE, AS WELL AS INCLUDING RURAL RESIDENTIAL AND RESIDENTIAL TO DISTRICTS WHERE CURRENT EXISTING CEMETERIES PRESIDE.

IN ADDITION, WE DO STAFF HAS CREATED YOUTH SPECIFIC STANDARDS FOR PRIVATELY OWNED CEMETERIES.

WE'RE WANTING TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY ARE IN COMPLIANCE WITH THAT TEXAS HEALTH AND SAFETY CODE.

IN ADDITION, IN TERMS OF WHEN PEOPLE ARE LOOKING OR WHEN PROPERTY OWNERS ARE LOOKING TO CREATE, EXPAND OR ENLARGE AN EXISTING OR FUTURE PRIVATELY OWNED CEMETERY, WE STAFF IS RECOMMENDING THAT THEY USE THAT SPECIFIC USE PERMIT PROCESS CEMETERY ELEMENTS, WHICH WE HAVE ALSO DEFINED AS PART OF OUR LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE AMENDMENTS.

THOSE IF THOSE ARE BEING ADDED OR MODIFIED WITHIN THE BOUNDARIES OF THE CEMETERY PROPERTY, THEY WILL NOT CONSTITUTE AS AN EXPANSION OR ENLARGEMENT.

SO THEY WILL NOT REQUIRE THAT SUB PROCESS IN EXISTENCE.

AND IN ADDITION, LISTING EXISTING PRIVATELY OWNED CEMETERIES TO MAKE THEM CONFORMING USES.

[03:40:01]

ALSO, WE ARE NOT REQUIRING THAT THEY HAVE A MINIMUM OFF STREET PARKING REQUIREMENTS, AS CURRENT CITY OWNED CEMETERIES DO NOT REQUIRE MINIMUM OFF STREET PARKING. AS YOU ALL READ IN YOUR BACKUP.

WE HAVE HAD QUESTIONS REGARDING THE ROSELAWN MEMORIAL PARK.

THIS TYPE OF CEMETERY IS A PERPETUAL CARE CEMETERY, SO THAT MEANS THAT IS THAT IS A CERTIFICATE OF AUTHORITY ISSUED BY THE TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF BANKING.

AND THEY MUST COLLECT A PERPETUAL CARE FEE FOR EACH BURIAL RIGHTS SOLD IN THAT CEMETERY.

AND PART OF ALL THOSE FUNDS HAVE TO BE DEPOSITED INTO THAT CERTAIN ACCOUNT.

SO IN TERMS OF CHAPTERS 712, THAT GOVERNS ONLY THE FINANCIAL OPERATION OF A PERPETUAL CARE CEMETERY.

BUT IN THIS INSTANCE WHERE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT PRIVATELY OWNED CEMETERIES, THAT'S CONNECTED TO OUR CHAPTER 711 OF THE TEXAS HEALTH AND SAFETY CODE, AND THAT IS A LAND USE DETERMINATION OF WHICH PERPETUAL CARE CEMETERIES ARE INCLUDED.

SO STAFF IS RECOMMENDING APPROVAL AS IT DOES MEET OUR CRITERIA FOR APPROVAL FOR CODE TEXT AMENDMENTS AND PLANNING AND ZONING DID RECOMMEND APPROVAL SIX ZERO AND I CAN STAND FOR ANY QUESTIONS.

I'LL OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING SO THAT WE HAVE THAT DONE.

QUESTIONS FOR STAFF.

AND THEN MAYOR PRO TEM.

THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. YEAH.

I DON'T HAVE ANY MAJOR CONCERN.

I'M GOING TO LET YOU KNOW.

BARRING ANY COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC, I'M LIKELY TO APPROVE THIS AS WELL.

WHAT DOES GIVE ME A LITTLE BIT OF HEARTBURN IS WHAT I MENTIONED IN THE QUESTIONS TO STAFF, WHICH IS, AS YOU KNOW, WE DON'T CONTROL WHERE WHERE GRAVES HAVE OCCURRED.

AND THE STATE IS IS CRAZY WEIRD ABOUT WHAT THEY CALL A GRAVE AS AS CAMERON KNOWS BETTER THAN MOST AS OUR HISTORICAL PRESERVATION OFFICER AND AND SO I JUST THE THE PUNCTATE UPDATES OF THE TABLE ARE WHAT GIVES ME A LITTLE HEARTBURN.

AND I ENCOURAGE US TO EXPLORE A MORE REGIMENTED APPROACHES IN THE FUTURE RATHER THAN, YOU KNOW, BAND-AID THIS AS, AS THINGS HAPPEN.

BUT, YOU KNOW, HOPEFULLY WE DON'T HAVE ANY MORE UNBEKNOWNST GRAVES IN CEMETERIES AND OTHER THINGS POP UP.

SO I JUST WANTED TO TO COMMENT THAT I, YOU KNOW, I'M A LITTLE I DON'T LIKE THE ONE OFF APPROACH, BUT I DON'T LIKE I DON'T DISLIKE IT ENOUGH TO VOTE AGAINST THIS.

OKAY. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR STAFF? OKAY. ANY COMMENTS? IT'S A IT IS A PUBLIC HEARING.

SO IF YOU CARE TO SPEAK YOU CAN COME DOWN AND SPEAK AND THEN FILL OUT A CARD AFTERWARDS.

SEEING NONE. I WILL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING AND I WILL TAKE A MOTION.

MAYOR PRO TEM. JUST TO PROVE MY POINT, I MOVE APPROVAL.

COUNCILMAN. BYRD.

SECOND. WE HAVE A MOTION IN A SECOND.

ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? LET'S VOTE ON THE SCREEN. I THINK IT IS COOL.

THAT PASSES SIX ZERO TAKES US TO ITEM ES1230002A, HOLD A PUBLIC HEARING AND CONSIDER ADOPTION OF THE

[E. Hold a public hearing and consider adoption of an ordinance of the City of Denton, Texas, regarding a change in the zoning district and use classification from General Office (GO) District to Mixed-Use Regional (MR) District on approximately 19.5 acres of land generally located at the northwest corner of Spencer Road and Bridges Street, in the City of Denton, Denton County, Texas; adopting an amendment to the City’s official zoning map; providing for a penalty in the maximum amount of $2,000.00 for violations thereof; providing savings, severability, and penalty clauses; and providing an effective date. The Planning and Zoning Commission voted [5-0] to recommend approval of the request. Motion for approval by Commissioner Villareal and second by Commissioner Pruett. (SI23-0002a, 2801 Spencer, Julie Wyatt)]

ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF DENTON, TEXAS REGARDING A CHANGE IN ZONING, DISTRICT AND USE CLASSIFICATIONS FROM GENERAL OFFICE DISTRICT TO MIXED USE REGIONAL DISTRICT ON APPROXIMATELY 19.5 ACRES OF LAND.

AND I'LL OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING.

ALL RIGHT.

LET'S SEE.

ALL RIGHT.

THANK YOU KNOW THAT'S.

NO. OH IT'S RIGHT THERE.

NO. IT'S RIGHT THERE.

SORRY. SORRY.

I FOUND IT. ALL RIGHT.

GOOD EVENING. I'M JULIE WYATT, PRINCIPAL PLANNER, AND I AM PRESENTING CI 23 0002A 2801 SPENCER.

THIS IS A STAFF INITIATED REZONING FOR A 19 ACRE PIECE OF PROPERTY.

IF YOU RECALL, EARLIER THIS YEAR, WE DID A WE DID A DENTON DEVELOPMENT CODE UPDATE FOR GROUP HOMES, COMMUNITY HOMES AND ELDERLY HOUSING USES.

AS PART OF THAT DDC AMENDMENT, WE REMOVED ELDERLY HOUSING FROM THE GENERAL OFFICE DISTRICT.

WE FELT LIKE SOME OF THE USES WERE JUST A LITTLE TOO INTENSE FOR ELDERLY HOUSING.

[03:45:02]

WE FELT THAT IT WAS BETTER TO REMOVE THAT USE FROM THAT GENERAL OFFICE ZONING DISTRICT.

SO AS PART OF THAT, IT ACTUALLY MADE THIS PROPERTY NON-CONFORMING.

THE SUBJECT SITE IS DEVELOPED WITH AN ELDERLY HOUSING USE.

AT THAT TIME, I MENTIONED THAT WE WOULD BE COMING BACK FOR A REZONING.

SO HERE WE ARE.

THE PROPOSAL IS TO REZONE THE PROPERTY FROM GENERAL OFFICE TO MIXED USE REGIONAL.

IT IS CONSISTENT WITH OUR COMPREHENSIVE PLAN.

THE SUBJECT PROPERTY IS NESTLED IN A IN A BIG AREA OF REGIONAL MIXED USE.

AND THAT'S THAT HOT PINK AREA ON YOUR SCREEN.

SO IT IS CONSISTENT WITH THAT.

OUR MASTER DISTRICT IS IS ONE THAT WE TYPICALLY SEE WITHIN REGIONAL MIXED USE.

WE ALSO LOOKED AT THE IMPACTS TO SURROUNDING PROPERTIES WITH THIS REZONING.

IT'S CONSISTENT WITH THE ADJACENT ZONING.

ALSO IT CONSISTENT WITH THE SURROUNDING DEVELOPMENT PATTERN.

THE APPLICANT OR THE PROPERTY OWNER IS NOT INTENDING TO REDEVELOP THE SITE OR DO ANYTHING WITH THE SITE.

ONCE AGAIN, THIS IS JUST STAFF INITIATED REZONING TO ADDRESS A NONCONFORMITY.

I WON'T GO OVER ALL OF THIS, ALL OF THIS SPREADSHEET, THIS TABLE JUST WANTED TO POINT OUT THAT THOSE ISSUES RELATED TO A NONCONFORMITY WHEN A PROPERTY IS NONCONFORMING OR A USE IS NONCONFORMING WITHIN THE CITY OF DENTON, IT DOES LIMIT THE ABILITY FOR A PROPERTY OWNER TO TO EXPAND THAT USE ON THE LOT, OR ALSO REBUILD.

IF MORE THAN 50% OF THE PROPERTY IS DESTROYED.

SO THAT'S WHERE WE WANT TO GET THESE PROPERTIES IN A CONFORMING STATUS.

PUBLIC OUTREACH WAS SENT OUT.

WE DID NOT RECEIVE ANY WRITTEN RESPONSES.

HOWEVER, I DID TALK TO QUITE A FEW NEIGHBORS WITH OR RESIDENTS WITHIN THE SUBJECT PROPERTY JUST TO EXPLAIN TO THEM WHAT THIS PROCESS WAS.

ALSO, TALK TO THE.

THE MANAGEMENT COMPANY OFFERED TO DO A NEIGHBORHOOD MEETING.

THEY DIDN'T THINK IT WAS NECESSARY.

SO. SO NO ADDITIONAL RESPONSE.

THE PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION RECOMMENDED APPROVAL OF THE REQUEST, AND STAFF ALSO RECOMMENDS APPROVAL, AND I WILL BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.

ANY QUESTIONS FOR STAFF? SEEING NONE.

THIS IS A PUBLIC HEARING.

ANYONE CARE TO SPEAK? YOU CAN COME UP, SPEAK.

FILL OUT A CARD AFTERWARDS.

SEEING NONE, I'LL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING AND I'LL TAKE A MOTION.

MAYOR PRO TEM, I MOVE APPROVAL.

COUNCILMAN BYRD.

A SECOND. WE HAVE A MOTION IN A SECOND TO APPROVE.

IS THERE ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? LET'S VOTE ON THE SCREEN.

THAT PASSES SIX ZERO.

THANK YOU. THAT TAKES US TO ITEMS FOR INDIVIDUAL CONSIDERATION.

I'M GOING TO TAKE CHAIR'S DISCRETION AND CALL ITEM B FIRST ID 232330.

[B. Consider adoption of an ordinance of the City of Denton authorizing the City Manager to execute an interlocal agreement between the City of Denton and Texas Woman’s University, a Higher Education Agency of the State of Texas, providing financial support in the amount of $1,500,000.00 for the Bezos Academy preschool project.]

CONSIDER ADOPTION OF AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF DENTON AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE AN INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY OF DENTON AND TEXAS WOMAN'S UNIVERSITY AND HIGHER EDUCATION AGENCY OF THE STATE OF TEXAS, PROVIDING FINANCIAL SUPPORT AN AMOUNT OF $1,500,000 FOR THE BEZOS ACADEMY PRESCHOOL PROJECT. THANK YOU, MAYOR AND COUNCIL RYAN ADAM, CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE.

JUST TO GIVE A LITTLE BACKGROUND OF THIS ITEM, THE CITY'S STRATEGIC PLAN, ONE OF OUR KEY FOCUS AREAS IS TO FOSTER ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY AND AFFORDABILITY.

AND WITHIN THAT, WE DO HAVE AN INITIATIVE TO EXPLORE AFFORDABLE CHILDCARE OPTIONS.

AND IN THE MOST RECENT COMMUNITY SURVEY, 32% OF OUR RESIDENTS RATED CHILDCARE AND PRESCHOOL AVAILABILITY AS GOOD AND EXCELLENT, WHICH WAS A DROP OF ABOUT 16 BASE POINTS SINCE 2016.

AND YOU CAN SEE THAT CHART ON THE SIDE THAT THAT GIVES THE RESULTS OF THAT, THAT PORTION OF THE SURVEY.

ALSO, THERE ARE SOME LOCAL CHILDCARE NEEDS THAT THAT WE PREVIOUSLY PROVIDED TO COUNCIL.

SOME OF THE DATA THAT WE FOUND AND COMMUNICATED WAS THAT THERE ARE THAT CHILDCARE CAPACITY DROPPED BY 24.5% BETWEEN MARCH 2020 AND SEPTEMBER 2021, WHICH IS WHEN WE HAD THE MOST RECENT DATA.

AND OF ALL CHILDREN IN LOW INCOME CATEGORIES, ONLY 18% ARE ENROLLED IN CHILDCARE, AND THERE ARE SEVERAL ZIP CODES WITHIN THE CITY OF DENTON THAT ARE CATEGORIZED AS CHILDCARE DESERTS.

AND THOSE ARE LISTED OFF TO THE SIDE OF THAT SLIDE.

WHICH BRINGS US TO BEZOS ACADEMY.

THIS WAS PREVIOUSLY PRESENTED TO COUNCIL BACK IN JANUARY, AND BEZOS ACADEMY PROVIDES NO COST, MONTESSORI STYLE PRESCHOOL TO INCOME ELIGIBLE 3 TO 5 YEAR OLDS.

IT'S AVAILABLE ONLY TO COMMUNITIES THEY THEY DIRECT IT TO COMMUNITIES WHERE THERE IS A CHILDCARE OR PRESCHOOL GAP FOR LOW INCOME FAMILIES WITH THEIR MODEL. A LOCAL HOST ORGANIZATION PROVIDES THE FACILITY.

BEZOS ACADEMY OPERATES IT, AND THEY FUND EVERYTHING FROM THE STAFF TO THE MEALS TO THE SUPPLIES, AND THEY PROVIDE FULL DAY,

[03:50:04]

YEAR ROUND PRESCHOOL EDUCATION.

AND WE DO HAVE A REPRESENTATIVE HERE TODAY HAS CONTRACTED WITH BEZOS ACADEMY TO FUND ONE OF THESE PRESCHOOLS WITHIN THE CITY OF DENTON.

THEY ARE GOING TO OPERATE THEIR ACADEMY.

AND I'VE PUT THE MAP UP THERE WITH THE PROPOSED SITE JUST NORTH OF THE TCU CAMPUS ON EAST UNIVERSITY DRIVE, JUST NORTH OF THE TCU CAMPUS ON UNIVERSITY DRIVE.

WHAT UNIVERSITY YOU KEEP SAYING TCU, TCU I'M SORRY, MY WIFE'S A HORNED FROG.

SO YOU GOT TO IT'S MENTIONED A LOT IN OUR HOUSE.

SORRY ABOUT THAT ROB. GO FROGS.

YEAH YEAH SHE'LL BE REALLY HAPPY I SAID THAT TOO ONE TIME.

IT'S AFTER 10:00 MAYBE, AS I CAN USE IT AS AN EXCUSE TO T.W.U CAMPUS ON UNIVERSITY.

AND THE AGREEMENT THAT T.W.U HAS IS FOR A TEN YEAR AGREEMENT FOR THEIR SERVICES.

TWU PROVIDES THE FACILITY AND IT WILL BE ELIGIBLE TO BE RENEWED THEREAFTER.

THERE'S AN ESTIMATED OPENING DATE OF THAT ACADEMY IN THE FALL OF 2025, ALTHOUGH THAT IS SUBJECT TO SOME SOME SHIFTING BASED ON CONSTRUCTION.

THE ORIGINAL PROPOSED PROJECT SCOPE WAS TO HAVE FOUR CLASSES SERVING 80 STUDENTS, WITH 16 OF THOSE 80 STUDENTS RESERVED FOR CHILDREN OF TWU STAFF, FACULTY AND T.W.U STUDENTS.

AND WE BROUGHT THIS THAT SHOULD SAY JANUARY 7TH, NOT NOVEMBER 7TH.

COUNCIL GAVE DIRECTION TO PROVIDE $1.5 MILLION IN FUNDING FOR ADDITIONAL CLASSROOMS AND STUDENT SEATS TO BRING THAT NUMBER OF 80 STUDENTS UP TO 120, ADDING TWO ADDITIONAL CLASSROOMS AND 40 ADDITIONAL STUDENT SEATS.

AND I'VE PROVIDED SOME RENDERINGS THAT WE JUST GOT ABOUT A WEEK AGO OF WHAT THIS ACADEMY MAY LOOK LIKE.

YOU CAN SEE THE THE SCHEMATIC, YOU CAN SEE THE LAYOUT.

AND WHAT IS BEFORE THE COUNCIL TODAY IS AN INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT, ESSENTIALLY PUTTING WHAT COUNCIL'S DIRECTION EARLIER IN THE YEAR MEMORIALIZING, MEMORIALIZING IT AND ALLOWING TWU AND BEZOS TO GO AHEAD AND ADD THOSE TWO ADDITIONAL CLASSROOMS FOR 40 STUDENTS.

AND WITH THIS INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT, ANY OVERAGE WILL BE PAID.

THAT IS PAID WILL BE REMITTED TO THE CITY.

SO IF WE OVERPAY WITH OUR 1.5 MILLION AND THE TRUE CONSTRUCTION COST COMES BACK LESS, THAT WILL GET REMITTED BACK TO THE CITY AND THAT CAPACITY WILL BE PROVIDED FOR NO LESS THAN TEN YEARS.

SHOULD TWU AND BEZOS EXTEND THOSE CHILDCARE, THOSE PRESCHOOL SERVICES, BEYOND THAT TEN YEAR TERM, THOSE 40 STUDENT SEATS, THOSE TWO CLASSROOMS WILL REMAIN AVAILABLE FOR THAT PURPOSE FOR AS LONG AS IT'S USED AS A PRESCHOOL.

STAFF RECOMMENDS APPROVAL OF THIS INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT, AND WE'RE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE.

WE DO HAVE A REPRESENTATIVE HERE AS WELL FOR ANY QUESTIONS, AND WE'LL STAND FOR THAT.