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WE GOOD? YOU GOING FAST? ALRIGHT.
[Special Called Joint Meeting of Government Performance and Financial Management Committee and the Ad Hoc Committee on Legislative Affairs August 30, 2023]
THIS TIME I CALLED THE GOVERNMENT PERFORMANCE AND FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE TO ORDER, UH, WE DO HAVE A QUORUM FOR THAT COMMITTEE.AND AT THIS TIME I'M GONNA CALL THE AD HOC COMMITTEE ON LEGISLATIVE AFFAIRS TO ORDER.
AND I MOVE THAT CHAIR MENDELSSOHN ACT AS A CHAIR OF THE JOINT MEETING.
ALRIGHT, UM, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
WELL, WITH THAT, WE HAVE A VERY ROBUST AGENDA OF ONE ITEM, AND, UM, HERE TODAY WE HAVE OUR PRESENTATION BY ANDREW ESPINOZA, WHO IS HAVING HIS FIRST EXPERIENCE IN THIS BRIEFING ROOM.
AND, UM, IF YOU COULD WALK US THROUGH THIS BILL, AND SPECIFICALLY I THINK WHAT WE'RE LOOKING TO UNDERSTAND IS, UM, THE STEPS YOU'RE TAKING TO, TO ADDRESS THE IMPLEMENTATION.
SO, SO GOOD MORNING, UH, CHAIR AND, UH, COMMITTEE MEMBERS.
MY NAME IS ANDREW ESPINO, I'M YOUR DEVELOPMENT SERVICES DIRECTOR, AND WITH ME TODAY I HAVE ASSISTANT DIRECTOR AND D S D ENGINEER, UH, SAM KANDER.
WE'RE GONNA BRIEFLY GO THROUGH THE HOUSE, BILL, UH, AND THEN ALLOW YOU GUYS TO ASK QUESTIONS.
SO, ON SEPTEMBER 15TH, HOUSE BILL 14 WILL GO INTO EFFECT OF THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT CODE, UH, REQUIRES CITIES TO, UM, NOW APPROVE PLOTS, PLANS AND DEVELOPMENT PERMITS BY THE USE OF A THIRD PARTY REVIEWER OR INSPECTOR.
IF THE CITY DOES NOT MEET THE 15 DAY PERFORMANCE GOAL PRESCRIBED IN THE, IN THE CODE, UH, HOUSE BILL 14 SAYS THAT THE APPLICANT OR FOLKS WHO ARE DOING THE WORK ON THAT PARTICULAR PROJECT CANNOT PERFORM THE REVIEWER INSPECTION, BUT THEY COULD HIRE AN EMPLOYEE OF A REGULATORY AUTHORITY, AN EMPLOYEE OF ANOTHER POLITICAL SUBDIVISION, OR A LICENSED ENGINEER.
THE SAME RULES APPLY FOR, UH, PERFORMING INSPECTIONS.
UH, THE ONLY DIFFERENCE NOW IS YOU'LL SEE THAT FIRST BULLET POINT IS THE BUILDING INSPECTOR HAS TO BE A CERTIFIED BUILDING INSPECTOR.
THE HOUSE BILL ALSO MAKES DECISIONS ON DEVELOPMENT DOCUMENTS AND INSPECTIONS APPEALABLE TO CITY COUNCIL.
UH, SO IF THE BUILDING OFFICIAL DOES NOT APPROVE A PERMIT, UH, BUT RATHER DENIES OR CONDITIONALLY APPROVES IT, UH, THE APPLICANT CAN APPEAL THAT DECISION WITHIN 15 DAYS.
UH, THIS SLIDE HERE JUST KIND OF SUMMARIZES THE OVERALL, UH, WORKFLOW AND KIND OF TIMELINES AS IT RELATES TO D S D PERFORMANCE GOALS AND, UH, THE NEW HOUSE BILL.
AND SO, THE TEXAS LOCAL GOVERNMENT CODE REQUIRES, AGAIN, UH, AS I MENTIONED, UM, 15 DAYS ON TOP OF THE 45 DAYS OF RECEIVING THE COMPLETED, UH, APPLICATION.
UH, AND SO, UM, MUNICIPALITIES ARE REQUIRED TO COMPLY WITH THAT 45 DAYS.
UM, WITH THIS ADDITIONAL 15 DAY TIME CLOCK.
UH, MUNICIPALITIES NOW HAVE TO APPROVE CONDITIONALLY APPROVE OR DENY A PERMIT IN 60 DAYS.
UH, THERE IS ONE CAVEAT, UH, THAT A MUNICIPALITY, IF THEY CANNOT COMPLY WITH THE 45 DAY TURNAROUND TIME, THEY CAN ISSUE A NOTICE TO THE APPLICANT, UH, WHICH WOULD GIVE THE THE CITY AN ADDITIONAL 30 DAYS EQUATING TO 75 DAYS.
UH, IF THEY DID NOT APPROVE OR DENY THE PERMIT, UH, WHICH WOULD EQUATE TO A TIMELINE OF 90 DAYS.
THE TEXAS LOCAL GOVERNMENT CODE NOW REQUIRES THAT, UH, A MUNICIPALITY APPROVE A PLATT WITHIN 30 DAYS AND PROCESS THAT APPLICATION.
UM, THIS PARTICULAR HOUSE BILL SAYS, HEY, YOU GOT AN ADDITIONAL 15, WHICH SEEMS A LITTLE INCONSISTENT BECAUSE WE'RE ALREADY DOING IT WITHIN 30 DAYS TO BE IN COMPLIANCE WITH STATE LAW.
SO WE HAD A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS FOR OUR CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE AS IT RELATES TO THAT, AND BASED UPON THE DISCUSSIONS, UM, WE CONCLUDED THAT THIS SCENARIO WOULD NEVER REALLY PLAY OUT.
SO HERE ARE SOME OF THE NEXT STEPS, AND SOME OF THE THINGS WE NEED TO WORK ON AS A CITY AND ACROSS DEPARTMENTS IS, YOU KNOW, STAND UP THE, UH, AMENDMENTS, UH, SO THAT WE CAN CODIFY THESE NEW REQUIREMENTS IN OUR BUILDING CODES.
UH, AND THEN OF COURSE, KEEP YOU GUYS POSTED.
ONE THING THAT'S NOT IN HERE IS, IS AGAIN, UM, WORKING WITH THOSE OTHER CITY DEPARTMENTS TO, TO MAKE SURE WE HAVEN'T OVERLOOKED ANYTHING, BUT OUR DEVELOPMENT SERVICES WILL PARTNER VERY CLOSELY WITH OUR CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE TO MAKE SURE WE GET THIS RIGHT.
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WE'RE AVAILABLE FOR ANY INQUIRIES AND QUESTIONS.COMMITTEE, WHO'S GOT THE FIRST QUESTIONS? CHAIRMAN WEST.
SO WHAT'S THE BOTTOM LINE MESSAGE THAT FOLKS NEED TO UNDERSTAND HERE? I MEAN, WHAT I'M GRASPING IS THAT THIS IS A, THIS IS A, A HEAVY HANDED ATTEMPT FROM THE STATE TO TRY TO GET THIS TO PUSH PERMITS OUT FASTER, WHICH IS A GOAL WE HAVE HERE.
AND I THINK WE'VE ALL EXPRESSED TO YOU MANY TIMES.
UM, BUT WHAT I'M SEEING ON YOUR TIMELINE IS THAT THIS, THE RESPONSE PERIOD THAT'S ALLOWED IS REALLY, WE'RE STILL GONNA GET IT OUT FASTER THAN IF THEY GO THROUGH THIS MECHANISM PROVIDED BY THE STATE.
IS THAT RIGHT? UH, COUNCIL MEMBER, THANK YOU FOR THE INQUIRY.
IF WE COULD GO BACK TO SLIDE NUMBER FIVE TO SHOW THAT TIMELINE AND TELL ME IF I'M READING IT WRONG, BUT THAT'S KIND OF VISUALLY WHAT IT'S SAYING TO ME.
COUNCIL MEMBER, THANK YOU AGAIN.
I REALLY WANTED TO, TO PUT THIS SLIDE IN HERE TO KIND OF COMMUNICATE WHAT, UH, AND HOW THE TIMELINES WOULD KIND OF INTERSECT WITH EACH OTHER.
HYPOTHETICALLY, IF A PERMIT WAS SUBMITTED AUGUST 1ST, UH, THE DEPARTMENT HAS FIVE DAYS TO PRE-SCREEN IT, RIGHT? MAKE SURE EVERYTHING'S THERE, THE DESIGN DRAWINGS, EVERYTHING'S BEEN SUBMITTED CORRECTLY.
UM, IF THAT OCCURS, THEN WE HAVE AN ESTABLISHED PERFORMANCE GOAL TO EITHER APPROVE, CONDITIONALLY, APPROVE, OR DENY A PERMIT FOR 10 ON DAY 10 AFTER PAYMENT IS SUBMITTED FOR RESIDENTIAL PROJECTS AND 15 DAYS FOR COMMERCIAL PROJECTS.
AND SO AS YOU MOVE DOWN THAT TIMELINE, YOU'LL NOTICE THAT ON DAY 45, UM, IF WE HAVEN'T MET THAT GOAL BASED ON HOUSE BILL 14, THE ADDITIONAL 15 DAYS KICKS IN AT DAY 60, AND THAT'S WHEN THE CUSTOMER CAN HIRE A THIRD PARTY PLAN REVIEWER AND INSPECTOR.
NOW, WE MADE THE ASSUMPTION THAT IT MIGHT TAKE A CUSTOMER 10 DAYS TO HIRE SOMEONE AND THEN HAVE THEM ACTUALLY PERFORM THE REVIEW AND INSPECTION.
AND SO THAT'S HOW WE CAME UP TO THE 70 DAY MARK.
AND THEN BY STATE LAW, THE THIRD PARTY REVIEWER OR INSPECTOR HAS 15 DAYS TO REPORT BACK TO US ON THE RESULTS AND FINDINGS.
UH, ASSUMING THAT THAT HAPPENS AT THE 15 DAY MARK, UM, THEN OBVIOUSLY THE CUSTOMER WOULD SUBMIT THEIR PERMIT, WE WOULD AUDIT IT, CHARGE THE PERMITTING FEE, AND ISSUE THE PERMIT POTENTIALLY ON DAY NIGHT.
THE TIMELINE HERE REALLY WAS DESIGNED TO DEMONSTRATE HOW FAST DALLAS D SS D IS PERFORMING.
UM, AND YOU'LL NOTICE THAT ON THE FAR LEFT ON THE TOP, WE WANTED TO TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO BRAG ABOUT OUR CURRENT R S V P SINGLE FAMILY SAME DAY PERFORMANCE GOAL.
THEY COME IN, SET THE APPOINTMENT, 98% OF THOSE PERMITS ARE BEING ISSUED DAY ONE.
OKAY, SO TH THANK YOU FOR THAT.
UM, SO YOU, I'M LOOKING AT DAY ONE.
THAT'S WHEN YOU GUYS, UH, YOU ACCEPT IT INTO PRESCREEN, YOU TAKE THEIR MONEY, THAT'S DAY ONE.
UM, THE PERFORMANCE GOAL FOR DAY 10 IS WHAT EXACTLY IS THAT? WHEN THE PERMIT IS APPROVED? SO THAT IS WHEN WE EITHER APPROVE, DENY, OR CONDITIONALLY APPROVE A RESIDENTIAL PERMIT APPLICATION.
AND THEN 15 DAYS FOR COMMERCIAL? UM, CORRECT.
AND THEN WHAT I HEAR A LOT, AND THAT'S A GREAT GOAL, AND ARE WE, WE'RE MEETING, WE'RE DOING A GOOD JOB OF THAT, YOU'RE TELLING ME, RIGHT? YES, SIR.
WHAT I HEAR SOMETIMES FROM BUILDERS IS THAT THEY END UP IN THIS SORT OF NEBULOUS SITUATION WHERE THERE'S, IT'S, IT'S NOT COMPLETELY LIKE IT'S, IT KEEPS GETTING KICKED BACK AND FORTH FOR LIKE LITTLE THINGS MISSING AND IT JUST GOES ON FOR WEEKS AND WEEKS AND WEEKS.
AND, AND HOW DO WE ADJUST FOR THOSE KIND OF SITUATIONS? COUNCIL MEMBER? I THINK IT'S MORE ABOUT BEING PROACTIVE, EDUCATING OUR CUSTOMERS, UH, IMPROVING OUR CHECKLIST, HAVING THESE LUNCH AND LEARNS THAT REALLY ADDRESS THOSE CORE ISSUES THAT KIND OF GET US IN THIS LOOP.
UM, THE OTHER THING TOO, RIGHT NOW WHEN WE REJECT AN APPLICATION BECAUSE IT'S INCOMPLETE OR THEY FORGOT TO INCLUDE SOME TYPE OF DESIGN DRAWING, WE ASK THE CUSTOMER FOR INFORMATION.
THAT'S WHAT, THAT'S THE TERM WE USE, REQUESTING ADDITIONAL INFORMATION.
WHAT WHAT I AM RECOMMENDING IS WE CHANGE OUR NOMENCLATURE TO SAY THE PERMIT IS DENIED BASED ON THESE DEFICIENCIES.
UM, AGAIN, WE WANNA BE COMPLIANT WITH STATE LAW AND I THINK IT HAS TO BE A PARTNERSHIP AS WE WORK THROUGH GETTING FOLKS UNC UNPLUGGED FROM THAT TYPE OF PARTICULAR SITUATION.
I'M GETTING A LITTLE FAR ON THIS.
UM, BUT THE APPROVE OR DENY PERMIT AS REQUIRED BY THE STATE ON DAY 45.
IF, IF YOU'RE GOING BACK AND FORTH WITH A BUILDER, THEY'RE FRUSTRATED, STAFF'S FRUSTRATED AT THE END OF THE DAY TO AVOID THE 45 DAY THING, YOU JUST DENY IT, RIGHT?
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AND THEN THEY START OVER.I'M JUST THINKING OF THE PRACTICAL EFFECT HERE FOR, FOR PEOPLE LISTENING.
SO, SO WHAT WE WOULD DO, COUNCIL MEMBER, AGAIN, IF, IF THE PERMIT APPLICATION IS DEFICIENT, YES, WE WOULD DENY IT.
I MAY HAVE MORE QUESTIONS, BUT I'LL LET OTHERS CHIME IN.
WHO ELSE HAS QUESTIONS? COUNCILMAN KINS? I CAME A LITTLE LATE.
UM, ARE WE TALKING ABOUT HOUSE BILL 14? OKAY.
UH, I WILL BRIEF YESTERDAY ABOUT HOUSE BILL 14.
MY CONCERN IS, NUMBER ONE, THE PROCESS AND THE PROCEDURE AND THE TIMELINE.
THANK YOU FOR DOING THE TIMELINE.
YOU KNOW, I ASKED FOR THE TIMELINE, UH, CAN WALK ME THROUGH IN LAYMAN TURN HOUSE BILL 14, WHAT DO IT MEAN AND WHAT DID OUR RESPONSIBILITY PERTAINED TO? WHEN THE FIRST PERSON COME IN AND SAY, HERE A PERMIT, I WANT A PERMIT, I GOT 45 DAYS FOR YOU TO ISSUE THAT PERMIT OUT FOR 45 DAYS IF I DON'T HAVE MY PERMIT.
HE HAD 15 DAYS TO GO GET A THIRD PARTY TO COME BACK.
IS THAT CORRECT? YOU'RE ABSOLUTELY CORRECT.
SO AFTER 60 DAYS, THAT THIRD PARTY CAN COME IN AND WE GOT TO GIVE THEM A PERMIT.
IS THAT CORRECT? WELL, AT, AT DAY 60, THE, THE APPLICANT WOULD HIRE THEIR OWN THIRD PARTY INSPECTOR REVIEWER.
THEY WOULD PERFORM IT, UH, THE REVIEW OR THE INSPECTION, AND THEY WOULD HAVE TO PROVIDE US THE RESULTS WITHIN 15 DAYS.
FOR 15 DAYS THEY'D BE 75 DAYS.
BUT, BUT THE, THE WINDOW IN THAT 60 DAYS, THEY HAD A THIRD PARTY, YOU, THEY COULD, YOU HAVE TO GIVE 'EM THE PERMIT ON THE SIXTH ONE DAY OR THE SIXTH SECOND DAY BECAUSE THEY DON'T HAVE A THIRD PARTY EITHER ONE DO, DO THEY HAVE A 15 DAY WINDOW? THEY, THEY HAVE TO REPORT BACK THE RESULTS WITHIN 15 DAYS.
BUT TECHNICALLY THEY CAN DO IT IN FIVE 10, DEPENDING ON HOW FAST THEY WORK THROUGH THAT PROCESS.
I THINK WHAT WE WOULD NEED TO DO IS SET UP SERVICE LEVEL AGREEMENT, RIGHT? SO THIS, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER MENDELSON, YOU BRING ME YOUR APPROVED PLANS THROUGH THIRD PARTY, YOU KNOW, HOW MUCH TIME DOES THE CITY HAVE TO GO AHEAD AND AUDIT THAT, RECEIVE PAYMENT AND GET THAT PERMIT ISSUED? AND SO I THINK THAT'S THE QUESTION YOU MAY BE ASKING.
SO, SO THEREFORE IT, IT'S, IT'S, IT'S NOT SEVEN, FIVE DAYS.
IT COULD BE, UH, SIX ONE DAYS, SIX TO TWO DAYS, SIX, THREE DAYS, BUT THE ONLY THIRD PARTY GOT EVERYTHING THAT'S SUBMITTED TO YOU.
BUT TECHNICALLY, WHEN THAT THIRD PARTY SUBMIT EVERYTHING TO YOU, WE GOTTA GIVE THEM A PERMIT RIGHT THEN AND THERE.
WE DON'T HAVE A, A TIMELINE TO REVIEW CURRENTLY.
UM, BUT, BUT AGAIN, IF WE, IF WE HAVE THAT APPROVED THIRD PARTY SUBMITTAL, BECAUSE WE MISSED OUR PERFORMANCE GOAL, RIGHT? WE WOULD SET A SERVICE LEVEL AGREEMENT AND SAY, DEVELOPER INVESTORS, HOME BUILDERS HOMEOWNER, WE PROMISE YOU WE'RE GONNA GET YOU YOUR PERMIT AFTER THIRD PARTY SUBMITS IT TO US WITHIN THREE DAYS, FIVE DAYS, WHATEVER THAT PERFORMANCE GOAL IS.
I'M JUST TRYING TO MAKE IT CLEAR THAT WHEN THAT THIRD PARTY COME IN, WE GOTTA GET ON A PERMIT RIGHT THEN AND THERE.
I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE ON RECORD, THAT'S WHAT IT SAID FOR HOUSE BILL 14, BUT ALSO HOUSE BILL 14, WE CAN HAVE A LIABILITY AND, AND I I DON'T WANT TO GET INTO THE LEGAL, BUT WHO IS RESPONSIBLE WHEN WE APPROVE THE THIRD PARTY PERMIT? NOW WHO IS RESPONSIBLE THEN? BECAUSE THE HOUSE BILL 14 DO NOT STATE WHO IS RESPONSIBLE.
SO WHO IS RESPONSIBLE COUNCIL MEMBER? UH, I, I'M, I'M NOT REALLY SURE HOW TO ANSWER THAT QUESTION.
I WOULD DEFER TO OUR, WELL, I I THINK WE TALKING ABOUT HOUSE BILL 14.
IT'S, IT'S ON THIS AGENDA AND YOU BROUGHT IT TO ME YESTERDAY AND I ASKED THE SAME QUESTION OVER AND OVER AND I GOT A BIG ISSUE WITH HOUSE BILL 14 BECAUSE WHEN WE, WITH LEGISLATORS, WHEN WE'RE DOWN THERE FIGHTING ON HOUSE BILL 14, YOU TESTIFIED ON HOUSE BILL 14, RON YOUNG TESTIFIED ON HOUSE BILL 14, IT DID GET PASSED, BUT WE DIDN'T GET A CLARITY ON HOUSE BILL 14.
BUT ALSO, WE NOT GONNA BE ABLE TO CLEAN UP HOUSE BILL 14 UNTIL THE NEXT LEGISLATOR SECTION BEFORE WE BE ABLE TO CLEAN IT UP.
BUT IN THE MEANTIME, WE GONNA HAVE SOME ISSUES WITH HOUSE BILL 14 TODAY IN OUR PERMIT DEPARTMENT.
I THINK THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE IS AVAILABLE TO ANSWER THAT QUESTION.
SO CURRENTLY WE HAVE GOVERNMENTAL IMMUNITY.
SO, UH, THE SAME IMMUNITY WOULD APPLY TO THAT SITUATION.
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A PROBLEM WITH, UH, AN APPROVAL THAT BECOMES APPARENT SOMEWHERE DOWN THE ROAD, THAT THIRD PARTY INSPECTOR, UM, PRESUMABLY WOULD BE ABLE TO BE SUED BY THAT PROPERTY OWNER, WHOEVER HIRED THAT PERSON TO DO THE INSPECTION.THAT'S NOT, THAT'S NOT IN THE, IN THE BILL WE ASSUME.
AND SO I'M TRYING, NOW I'M TRYING TO GET AWAY FROM ASSUMING I'M TRYING TO GET AWAY, WELL, WHAT IS THE RECORD? WHAT IS THE DEFINITION, WHAT IS THE ACT? I MEAN, THAT'S A PROBLEM.
WE GOT A VAGUE ISSUE HERE AND HOW DO WE FIGURE THIS OUT? AND BECAUSE, BECAUSE WE DON'T KNOW UNTIL WE GET THE FIRST CLIENT COME IN HERE AND SAY, HEY, WE GONNA, UH, PROTEST THIS BILL.
YOU KNOW, THE PROCESS PROCEDURE, WE DON'T KNOW.
AND, AND, AND WE GOT A BILL THAT IS ON THE, IN, IN THE HOUSE AND SAY IT'S A, IT'S A LAW RIGHT NOW.
AND WE DON'T KNOW WHAT THE OUTCOME OF THE BILL WHEN SOMEONE TRIED TO PROTEST THE BILL.
AND I'M TRYING TO FIND OUT AND MY CHAIR, WHAT DO WE DO AND WHAT IS OUR RESPONSIBILITY DEAL WHEN WE GOT A THIRD PARTY? WHAT IS OUR LIABILITY THERE? I MEAN, THAT'S WHAT I'M TRYING TO FIGURE OUT THAT IT GONNA HAPPEN.
AND AND IT STARTED TOMORROW IS THE FIRST, RIGHT? IT STARTED THE FIRST, YOU KNOW, AND FRIDAY, YOU KNOW, IT MIGHT, WELL, 24 HOURS, YOU KNOW, IT'S CLOSE ENOUGH, CLOSE ENOUGH, YOU KNOW, BUT WE GOT ISSUE HERE.
WE GOT PEOPLE TRYING TO GET PERMITS.
SO I DON'T KNOW WHAT WE STAND AS AS A POLICY MAKER.
SO AGAIN, HB 14 DIDN'T DO ANYTHING A AS FAR AS, UH, DIDN'T CHANGE ANYTHING AS FAR AS LIABILITY.
SO EVERYTHING IS THE SAME WAY THAT IT AS IT IS TODAY.
SO GOVERNMENTAL IMMUNITY WOULD APPLY TO ISSUANCE OF, OF A PERMIT TODAY AND IT WILL APPLY TOMORROW.
SO NOTHING CHANGED IN THAT REGARD.
THE CASE IN FLORIDA, SAME ISSUE.
YOU KNOW, WE ASKED THE CASE LAW AND I STILL HAVEN'T RECEIVED A CASE LAW BECAUSE IT WAS SAME ISSUE HELPED IN FLORIDA WITH DEVELOPER WITH THIRD PARTY, AND I ASKED FOR THE CASE LAW OVER A YEAR AGO.
DID YOU WANNA RESPOND TO THAT? UH, I HAVEN'T HEARD ANYTHING ABOUT THE CASE OF FLORIDA, BUT WE CAN DEFINITELY RESEARCH THAT AND GET THAT TO YOU.
WELL, UM, I THINK MR. SPARK THERE, UM, DURING THE, THE LEGISLATOR WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HOUSE BILL 14, WE DID, UH, IN THE TESTIMONY WE DID ASK, YOU KNOW, UH, THE STATE OF FLORIDA, THEY HAD A WHOLE LOT OF THIRD PARTY WAS A WHOLE LOT OF ISSUES IN THIRD PARTY ISSUING THE BILL.
A WHOLE LOT OF LIABILITY BASED ON THE STATE.
AND I KNOW WE DID, UH, I'M GETTING OLD, BUT I THINK I RECALL THAT CONVERSATION.
COUNCIL MEMBER RENO, AND THEN WE'LL GO TO BLACKMAN AFTER.
UH, I REALLY, UH, CAN APPRECIATE THE EFFORTS OF BILL, UH, 80 14 TO HELP EXPEDITE, UH, THE PERMITTING.
I I DO HAVE OBVIOUSLY SOME CONCERNS AROUND SAFETY LIABILITY, EVEN THOUGH WE HAVE GOVERNMENT IMMUNITY, THAT DOESN'T PREVENT US FROM TAKING, UM, RESPONSIBILITY OF, UM, HOW THESE BUILDINGS GO UP.
AND SO AGAIN, WHETHER WE'RE IMMUNE OR NOT, I STILL THINK WE HAVE A, A RESPONSIBILITY TO ENSURE THAT FOR, FOR SAFETY.
UH, THE THIRD PARTY INSPECTOR USED THE SAME MEASURES AND GUIDELINES TO INSPECT AS TO CITY WOOD COUNCIL MEMBER.
UM, THAT WOULD BE PART OF WHATEVER THIRD PARTY PROGRAM WE STAND UP TO STIPULATE WHAT THOSE CREDENTIALS ARE, THEIR EXPERIENCE LEVELS, UH, USING A CHECKLIST, WHATEVER STANDARDS WE USE, THAT'S WHAT WE WOULD ASK THE THIRD PARTY INSPECTOR TO DO AS WELL.
SO WOULD THIRD PARTY INSPECTORS HAVE TO BE VETTED AND PRE-APPROVED IN ORDER FOR A DEVELOPER OR A CONTRACTOR TO, TO USE THEIR, UM, EXPERTISE COUN COUNCIL MEMBER? THAT WOULD BE MY RECOMMENDATION.
AND SO WHAT, WHAT WOULD BE THE NEXT STEPS FOR TO, UH, PUT THAT INTO PLACE? SO WE WOULD WORK, UH, DILIGENTLY WITH THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, DEVELOP THOSE QUALIFICATIONS, BACKGROUND CHECKS, WHATEVER WE FEEL MEETS THAT DALLAS PERFORMANCE STANDARD AS IT RELATES TO INSPECTIONS.
CODIFY IT, AMEND OUR CODES, UM, WORK WITH I T S TO DEVELOP A REGISTRATION PROCESS, RIGHT? SO THAT WE CAN DOCUMENT, COLLECT FEES, TRACK THESE REGISTRANTS, AND THEN SHARE THIS INFORMATION WITH THE COMMUNITY.
RIGHT? SO A COUNCIL MEMBER COULD HIRE THEIR OWN THIRD PARTY INSPECTOR BASED ON A PRE-APPROVED LIST TO, TO AGAIN, HELP EXPEDITE AND ENSURE THAT IT'S DONE CORRECTLY.
AND YOU KNOW, I THINK INDEPENDENT HOMES ARE, ARE ONE PART OF THIS, BUT MY BIGGEST WORRY IS FOR THOSE COMMERCIAL MULTI-STORY PROPERTIES THAT ARE GOING TO, SHOULD TAKE LONGER THAN 60 DAYS TO, TO VET IT AND GO THROUGH.
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BILL ENCOMPASSES FROM A SINGLE FAMILY TO OFFICE, MULTI-FAMILY, CORRECT.UH, I'LL DEFER TO THE CITY ATTORNEY, BUT IT INCLUDED PLAN DEVELOPMENTS.
I THINK IT'S AT PLATTS AND BUILDING PERMITS.
SO, YES, THAT'S MY UNDERSTANDING.
THE APPLICANT'S IS RESPONSIBLE FOR COVERING THE COST OF THAT THIRD PARTY INVESTOR? YES, YES.
ARE SO, SO THE, THE CITY OF DALLAS WOULD, WHAT WE'RE SAYING IN THIS SCENARIO, THE CITY OF DALLAS MI MEET MISSES THEIR PERFORMANCE GOAL.
THEY CAN GO OUT AND HIRE AN APPROVED THIRD PARTY INSPECTOR OR PLAN REVIEWER.
AND SO IF IT'S A SMALL BUILDER OR IT'S, UH, SOMEONE BUILDING THEIR OWN HOME, THEY'RE NOT NECESSARILY FINDING TO HAVE TO GO HIRE A THIRD PARTY.
THEY CAN CONTINUE DOWN THE CITY'S TIMELINE.
COUNCIL MEMBER THIS, THIS HOUSE BILL 14 ONLY GOES INTO EFFECT IF WE MISS OUR PERFORMANCE GOALS.
SO I KNOW WE, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THIS, UH, BEFORE THIS BILL CAME INTO EFFECT OF, OF HIRING THIRD PARTY INSPECTORS TO COME IN.
WHAT WAS THE SUCCESS RATE WITH THOSE? DID WE LOOK AT ANY OTHER CITIES THAT ARE CURRENTLY DOING THIS AND IS THERE A BILL LIKE THIS IN ANY OTHER STATE? WELL, SO COUNCIL MEMBER, WE, WE DO USE THIRD PARTY, UM, CONTRACTS TO HELP FACILITATE THE PERMITTING PROCESS.
YOU KNOW, THERE WAS A TIME WHERE WE LEVERAGED THEM CONSIDERABLY.
UH, AND I BELIEVE WE HAVE FOUR OR FIVE ON CONTRACT TO THIS DAY.
UH, WE HAVE NOT EXPERIENCED ANY RECENT ISSUES.
I THINK WHEN WE FIRST ROLLED THEM OUT, THERE WAS SOME OVERSIGHTS AS IT RELATES TO ZONING REVIEWS AND SOME PROJECTS WE'RE GETTING THROUGH.
AND THEN ON THE BACKEND WE WERE SAYING, HEY, LOOK, IT DOESN'T MEET THE MINIMUM ZONING REQUIREMENTS.
YOU GOTTA GO TO THE BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT.
AND SO WE HAD TO MAKE SOME ADJUSTMENTS.
I HAVE TWO MORE THINGS, UH, WITH RELOTTING.
I KNOW THAT I'VE RUN INTO SCENARIOS WHERE, UH, D W U HAS TO BE INVOLVED OR LANDMARK.
ARE THOSE, I, I DON'T THINK THIS BILL TOOK INTO ACCOUNT A LOT OF THOSE MULTI-DEPARTMENTAL, UM, FIXES THAT YOU HAVE TO HAVE ONE THING FROM DW BEFORE YOU CAN EVEN MOVE FORWARD.
OR IT MIGHT REQUIRE A LANDMARK APPROVAL.
IS THERE ANY SORT OF EXEMPTIONS FOR THOSE TYPES OF SCENARIOS? COUNCIL MEMBER? NOT THAT I'M AWARE OF.
AND SO DEVELOPMENT SERVICES WILL HAVE TO WORK COLLABORATIVELY WITH THESE OTHER SISTER DEPARTMENTS TO MAKE SURE THEY SET AND ESTABLISHED PERFORMANCE GOALS FOR OUR CUSTOMERS AND MAKE SURE THAT WE MEET THEM AS WELL.
IN CLOSING, I'LL, I'LL JUST ECHO, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER BROOK WEST, UH, FEEDBACK ON WHAT WE KEEP HEARING IS THAT BACK AND FORTH FROM DEVELOPERS WHO SAY, THIS IS, YOU KNOW, YOUR CHECKLIST IS ONE THROUGH THREE, COME BACK AND YOU'LL BE GOOD.
AND THEN A NEW INSPECTOR COMES OUT AND NOW THEY HAVE A LIST OF TWO PAGES LONG OR AN ADDITIONAL ONE.
AND SO MY HOPE IS THAT WE CAN ELIMINATE THAT.
AND I BELIEVE THAT BUILDERS, UM, ARE REALLY WANTING TO BE A GOOD PARTNER WITH US.
THEY JUST WANT TO KNOW WHAT THOSE RULES ARE AHEAD OF TIME AND NOT TO BE CHANGED, UH, IN THE MIDDLE OF THEIR PROJECTS.
UM, OKAY, SO LOOKING AT, A LOT OF MY QUESTIONS HAVE BEEN ANSWERED, BUT I DO WANNA TALK ABOUT THE APPROVED LIST.
'CAUSE IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT HB 14 IS ACTUALLY SILENT ON REQUIRING AN APPROVED LIST.
SO IS THAT SOMETHING THAT WE'VE TALKED ABOUT INTERNALLY AND WILL IT BE ACCEPTED? AND I GUESS IS THE STATE GONNA DO REGULATIONS RELATED TO THIS? AND SO WILL WILL, WILL WE BE IN COMPLIANT? IS AN APPROVED LIST GONNA BE OKAY? YES.
CLIFFORD SPARKS, UH, LEGISLATIVE DIRECTOR FOR THE CITY OF DALLAS.
UM, THE HB 14 WAS SILENT ON THE CHECKLIST.
THERE WERE OTHER NUMBER OF BILLS THAT I BELIEVE YOU'RE REFERRING TO THAT DEALT SPECIFICALLY WITH THE CHECKLIST AND APPROVED LIST TOO.
APPROVED VENDOR OR APPROVED THIRD PARTY LIST, RIGHT? CORRECT.
UH, THE CITY WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE CHECKLIST APPROVED VENDOR LIST AND SO ON AND SO FORTH.
NEXT ON 14, BE WE PROBABLY SHOULDN'T HIT ANY ROADBLOCKS.
SO IF, IF THE STATE GIVES REGULATIONS AROUND THAT, NOT BASED ON HB 14 AND CURRENT LAW, THAT'S IN PLACE.
UM, ALSO LOOKING AT THE DAY 45 WITH EITHER APPROVE OR DENY, YOU SAID THERE'S A THIRD OPTION, A CONDITIONAL APPROVAL.
WHY WOULDN'T YOU LOOK AT DOING CONDITIONAL APPROVALS VERSUS JUST AN OUTRIGHT DENY AND START THE CLOCK OVER AGAIN? COUNCIL MEMBER, I COULDN'T AGREE WITH YOU MORE.
UH, A CONDITIONAL APPROVAL SHOULD BE A WAY TO SAY YES AND FACILITATE.
UH, I THINK WHAT HAS HAPPENED WITH OUR DEPARTMENT SPECIFICALLY IS HOW DO WE IMPROVE TRAINING
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QUALITY CONTROL AND EMPOWER OUR TEAM MEMBERS TO SAY, LET ME FIND A WAY TO SAY YES.IS THERE AN OPPORTUNITY TO ALLOW THE DEVELOPER TO START DEVELOPMENT AND GO VERTICAL OPPOSED TO JUST A HARD NO.
AND I THINK THAT'S WHERE THE BALANCE NEEDS TO BE STRUCK WHEN IT COMES TO, AGAIN, TRAINING MATURITY OF STAFF, AND THEN THE ACTUAL CULTURE AND ENVIRONMENT THAT I'M RESPONSIBLE FOR ESTABLISHING.
AND I, I'M, WHAT I'M HEARING IS THAT RES AND I'M NOT GETTING RESIDENTIAL, UM, COMPLAINTS ANYMORE.
RESIDENTIAL SEEMS TO BE, I GUESS, IN A BETTER PLACE THAN IT WAS YEAR AND A HALF AGO.
AND, AND SO, AND THESE, THIS DOES AFFECT COMMERCIAL PROJECTS.
WHAT ARE WE DOING AROUND THAT TO MAKE SURE YOU HIT THE 45.
SO, COUNCIL MEMBER, WHAT WE'VE DONE IS ESTABLISH A 15 DAY PERFORMANCE GOAL.
IN OTHER WORDS, WE WILL APPROVE ON ALL, ON ALL APPLICATIONS, ALL, ALL CO BUILDING, COMMERCIAL BUILDING, PERMIT APPLICATIONS, EVEN OUR ENGINEERING REVIEWS.
WE'VE ESTABLISHED A 50, OBVIOUSLY WE WANNA BE IN COMPLIANCE WITH STATE LAW AS WELL.
SO, ANDREW, DO YOU HAVE ALL THE RESOURCES TO BE SUCCESSFUL COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, THANKS TO THIS BODY OR COUNCIL MEMBERS OR CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE? I BELIEVE WE DO BECAUSE I, WE'RE THEN WE'RE GONNA HOLD YOU ACCOUNTABLE 'CAUSE YOU'VE SAID YOU DON'T NEED ANYTHING ELSE.
SO WE'VE GIVEN YOU THE RESOURCES AND NOW, I MEAN, I LEARNED FROM MIKE RAWLINGS.
UM, I GUESS AS A PLUG, I WILL SAY DEVELOPMENT SERVICES WAS WORKING TO, AND IT'S NEVER GONNA BE PERFECT, RIGHT? IT'S A CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT MODEL AND THAT'S ACCEPTABLE.
BUT I MEAN, RIGHT NOW, DO YOU HAVE, ARE YOU SITTING IN A COMFORTABLE PLACE WITH THE PERSONNEL, WITH THE, YOU KNOW, AND WE ALSO KNOW THAT THE, UH, TO IT IS IMPORTANT, UM, YOU KNOW, WITH LEADERSHIP MONEY.
DO YOU, DO YOU FEEL YOU ARE IN A GOOD PLACE TO MEET THESE, THESE, THIS, THESE EXPECTATIONS? COUNCIL MEMBER? I BELIEVE WE ARE, YES.
AND THEN, UM, ALSO TOO, THERE IS AN APPEAL TO THE COUNCIL.
CAN YOU WALK THROUGH THAT APPEAL PROCESS? I MEAN, IS THAT THROUGH, IF YOU HIT THE 40 DAY OR 45, I MEAN, WHICH, WHERE DOES IT GET APPEALED TO THE COUNCIL? UH, I WILL DEFER TO OUR CITY ATTORNEY.
SO THAT, THAT'S ONE OF THE KIND OF MORE STRANGE THINGS ABOUT THIS BILL IS A PERSON MAY APPEAL TO, UH, CITY COUNCIL AND IT'S A DECISION ON A DEVELOPMENT DOCUMENT.
SO THAT COULD BE LIKE A PERMIT A, A PLATT OR SOME TYPE OF PLAN OR AN INSPECTION.
AND THEY, THEY CAN APPEAL, UH, A CONDITIONAL APPROVAL OR A DENIAL ON EITHER ONE OF THOSE.
IS THAT A SHALL OR A MAY? THEY MAY.
SO THEY, THEY CAN APPEAL THAT, BUT THEY'RE NOT REQUIRED TO.
AND HAVE, HAVE WE WALKED THROUGH HOW THAT PROCESS WILL LOOK? BECAUSE I CAN SEE IF WE GET BACK INTO THIS PLACE THAT THAT'S ALL OUR AFTERNOON DOCKET WOULD BE.
SO THAT, THAT'S DEFINITELY ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT IN OUR CODE AMENDMENT, IS, UH, SHAPING WHAT THAT WILL LOOK LIKE, WHAT THE PROCEDURES WILL, WILL BE, ALL OF THOSE TYPES OF THINGS.
BECAUSE I WOULD MUCH RATHER IT BE HANDLED AT THE STAFF LEVEL THAN LITTLE MINUTIAE THINGS COMING UP TO US.
'CAUSE THEN WE GET REALLY MICROMANAGING, UNDERST UNDERSTOOD.
AND WE KIND OF GET, AND I WOULD, AND I WOULD ACTUALLY SAY KIND OF VIOLATES THE CHARTER IN SOME, IN SOME DEGREE.
JUST PUTTING THAT, I MEAN, 'CAUSE THAT IS REALLY NOT OUR ROLE.
BUT PLEASE PUSH BACK IF I'M WRONG.
AND TO ME, THESE PROVISIONS SEEM TO CONTRADICT, UH, THE STUFF IN THE STATE LAW THAT SAYS THAT APPEAL GO TO BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT AS WELL.
WE'RE, YEAH, WE'RE WORKING THROUGH ALL OF THAT STUFF.
UM, I HAVE A NUMBER OF QUESTIONS I'M GONNA START WITH.
SO WHICH COMMITTEE IS GOING TO, UM, HEAR YOUR AMENDED ORDINANCES? WILL THAT COME TO THIS COMMITTEE? COUNCIL MEMBER? I, I'M NOT A HUNDRED PERCENT CERTAIN.
SO MY BOSS IS SAYING ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEES.
SO I, I'LL DEFER TO MY BOSS,
HONORABLE CHAIR MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEES.
UM, UH, THE EXPECTATION IS THAT WE BRIEF IT TO ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE.
SO, UM, THAT, THAT WAS, THAT WAS THE INTENTION.
UM, AND THEN CAN YOU TELL US, HOW MANY PERMITS DO YOU HAVE
[00:30:01]
RIGHT NOW? UM, THAT ARE 60 DAYS OLD OR OLDER? COUNCIL MEMBER? MEMBER? I COULD NOT GIVE YOU THAT INFORMATION SINCE I DON'T HAVE IT, BUT I CAN DEFINITELY COLLECT IT, UH, AND SHARE IT WITH THIS BODY.AND I THINK THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS WE'RE TRYING TO STAND UP.
IT, IF YOU RECALL, WE'VE BEEN WORKING DILIGENTLY WITH DR.
BRITA, HAS BEEN EXTREMELY HELPFUL ON STANDING UP A COMMERCIAL DASHBOARD SO THAT WE CAN QUICKLY EXTRACT THOSE NUMBERS.
WELL, I'M SITTING HERE KNOWING THAT WE RECENTLY HAD A MEETING WITH A SCHOOL DISTRICT THAT HAD A PERMIT OUTSTANDING OVER A YEAR.
SO THEORETICALLY THEY COULD HAVE, NOW YOU HAVE RELEASED IT AND I APPRECIATE THAT.
BUT THEORETICALLY, THEY COULD WALK IN YOUR DOOR FRIDAY AND YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT JUST NOW STANDING SOMETHING UP.
I MEAN, THIS WAS SIGNED BY THE GOVERNOR IN JUNE.
WHAT'S THE PROCEDURE IF YOU HAVE ONE OF THOSE PERMITS WALKED THROUGH THE DOOR ON FRIDAY? SO WHEN YOU SAY ONE OF THE PERMITS WALKED THROUGH THE DOOR, ARE YOU, ARE YOU REFERRING TO A PERMIT THAT'S BEEN KIND OF NOT ADDRESSED OR A BACKLOG PERMIT OR ONE THAT HASN'T BEEN ISSUED BECAUSE THE APPLICANT HASN'T GIVEN US WHAT WE NEEDED? WELL, I THINK ALL OF THOSE, YES.
SO, SO COUNCIL MEMBER, SPECIFICALLY WHAT WE'RE SAYING HERE IS IF WE DENY A PERMIT ON DAY 15, WHICH IS OUR PERFORMANCE GOAL, IT CAN SIT WITH US FOR 60 DAYS, 90 DAYS.
IT REALLY DEPENDS ON WHEN THE APPLICANT COMES BACK WITH THOSE CORRECTIONS THAT WE NEED TO ISSUE THE PERMIT.
SO WHETHER THEY GO TO A THIRD PARTY REVIEW OR INSPECTOR, THEY'RE STILL GONNA HAVE TO MAKE SURE IT'S CODE COMPLIANT.
AND THAT REALLY DEPENDS ON HOW QUICK THE APPLICANT RESPONDS TO THEM OR TO US.
NOW, DID YOU HAVE SOMETHING YOU WANNA ADD? YES, YES, MA'AM.
UM, PART OF THE CHALLENGE THAT WE HAVE, AND I'VE, I'VE ACTUALLY CHALLENGED THE TEAM TO, TO CHANGE THE WAY THEY, THEY REPORT, WHICH IS, UM, WE GET A PERMIT, WE REVIEW IT, UH, WE TURN IT INTO, UM, IN, INTO THE 15 DAY OR THE 30 DAY, UM, UH, REQUIRED TIMELINE, AND THEN WE SEND IT TO THE APPLICANT.
THE APPLICANT CAN TAKE ANYWHERE FROM A DAY TO SIX OR SEVEN MONTH.
UM, THAT PERMIT STILL COUNTS AGAINST US IN TERMS OF THE TIMELINE.
AND THIS IS SOMETHING THAT I'M, THAT I'M WORKING WITH ANDREW AND HIS TEAM TO CHANGE THE, THE REALLY THE REPORTING, UH, FROM ALL OF THAT, THE TOTAL TIME OF THE PERMIT TO THE ACTUAL TIME THAT THE PERMIT IS IN, IN, IN THE CITY IN THE CITY'S HAND.
SO THAT'S, THAT'S REALLY KEY FOR US.
UNFORTUNATELY, SOME OF THOSE PERMITS, AS YOU'VE SEEN FROM THE, UH, PLATO I S D PERMIT, IS IT SAT DOWN WITH THEIR ENGINEER FOR QUITE SOME TIME.
WE'VE ASKED SOME, SOME, UH, INFORMATION.
UM, WE NEED TO FOLLOW UP ON CERTAIN THINGS.
SO IT'S NOT, I'M NOT BLAMING IT ON THEIR ENGINEER ONLY, BUT THAT, THAT'S PART OF THE, THE, THE CONVOLUTED TIMELINE THAT THAT GOES THROUGH.
AND I, I THINK WE NEED TO DO A MUCH BETTER TIME OF COUNTING ONLY THE TIME THAT IT REALLY STAYS IN, IN CITY HALL OR IN, IN THE CITY SERVICES.
BUT TODAY IS AUGUST 30TH, AND THIS GOES INTO EFFECT SEPTEMBER ONE.
AND I KEEP HEARING THINGS LIKE, OH, WE'RE LOOKING TO STAND THIS UP AND WE'RE GONNA START A PROGRAM OF THIS, AND WE NEED TO DO A BETTER JOB ON THAT.
LIKE, LIKE WHEN, WHEN'S, WHEN'S, WHEN'S ALL OF THIS GONNA HAPPEN? UH, I DON'T WANNA SPEAK FOR ANDREW, BUT WE'VE, WE'VE STARTED ALREADY.
I MEAN, WE'VE STARTED LIKE, ARE YOU READY FOR FRIDAY? UH, WE'RE, WE'RE GONNA BE READY FOR FRIDAY.
BECAUSE ANY NEW PERMITS THAT WOULD BE SUBMITTED ON THAT TIMELINE, WE WILL MEET THE, THE EXPECTED TIMELINE, OR WILL BE THE EXPECTED TIMELINE ON THE, UH, ON THE PERMITS THAT HAVE BEEN LAGGING IN THE PAST.
WE'LL, WE'LL NEED TO CATCH UP WITH THOSE AND FIND OUT WHERE THEY ARE.
BUT I DON'T THINK, AND I, I'M, I'M NOT THE CITY ATTORNEY, SO I'LL, I'LL LET CASEY SPEAK FOR THAT.
UH, THOSE ARE OUTSTANDING PERMITS.
I DON'T THINK THAT THAT APPLIES TO IT.
THE OTHER THING THAT I, I, I KNOW STAFF HASN'T MENTIONED THIS, WHICH IS A REAL DANGER TO US AND A CONCERN TO US IS THAT THE BILL TALKS ABOUT HAVING A THIRD PARTY OR AN ENGINEER DO THAT.
IT DOESN'T SPECIFY THE TYPE OF ENGINEER, THE ABILITIES OF THE ENGINEER, THE CERTIFICATION OF THE ENGINEER, UM, YOU KNOW, UH, WHAT, WHAT QUALIFICATIONS THE INSPECTOR HAS.
AND WE HAVE, AND I UNDERSTAND THE STATE'S, UH, UH, GOAL AND OBJECTIVE IN THIS, BUT WE, THE CITY OF DALLAS HAVE A FIDUCIARY RESPONSIBILITY TO PROTECT THE WELFARE, UH, OF, OF OUR, UH, YOU KNOW, OUR CITIZENS AND USERS AND MAKING SURE THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE THE QUALIFIED ENGINEERS WHO CAN CONDUCT, OR THE INSPECTORS
[00:35:01]
WHO CAN CONDUCT THIS WELL.SO THAT'S ACTUALLY WHAT MY NEXT QUESTION IS, IS ABOUT CONFIRMING THIRD PARTY CREDENTIALS.
AND SO, UH, MR. ESPINOZA, YOU MENTIONED THAT YOU WERE GONNA SET UP SOME SORT OF REGISTRATION AND FEE PROGRAM, WHICH, YOU KNOW, TO COUNCIL MEMBER BLACKMAN'S POINT, LIKE IT'S COMPLETELY SILENT ABOUT ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
I DON'T KNOW IF WE ARE ALLOWED TO DO THAT.
UM, BUT IF SO, LIKE WHEN IS THAT GONNA HAPPEN? SO COUNCIL MEMBER OR CHAIR MENDELSON, THANK YOU SO MUCH.
UM, WE'VE DONE A LOT OF THIS WORK ALREADY, AND AGAIN, IT'S BECAUSE OF YOUR SUPPORT AND COUNCIL MEMBER WEST'S SUPPORT THAT WE'VE DONE IT.
WE'VE, WE'VE DONE A TON OF RESEARCH AS IT RELATES TO SELF-CERTIFICATION.
AND SO I HONESTLY BELIEVE THAT WE CAN LEVERAGE THAT RESEARCH AND BUILD OUT THIS PROGRAM SO THAT SHOULD THE DEVELOPMENT SERVICE DEPARTMENT EVER EX EXCEED THAT 60 DAY STATE LAW REQUIREMENT, WE'LL HAVE THEM READY AND REGISTERED TO WORK WITH US.
AND CURRENTLY WE DO HAVE A MULTIPLE OF THIRD PARTY, UM, INSPECTION GROUPS AND PLAN REVIEWERS THAT WE UTILIZE NOW.
SO IF WE NEEDED TO, WE COULD REFER A CUSTOMER TO ONE OF THOSE BECAUSE THEY'VE ALREADY BEEN VETTED BY THE CITY.
SO I'M GONNA, I'M GONNA SWITCH TO A DIFFERENT LEVEL OF QUESTION.
SO IF SOMEBODY GOES TO THIRD PARTY, THEY'RE NOT PAYING FEES TO THE CITY, HOW DOES THAT IMPACT YOUR DEPARTMENT AND FUNDING OF YOUR, OF, OF OUR BUDGET? THAT'S, THERE'S A LOT OF MONEY WITH FEES.
I HAVE TO LOOKED AT ME, SO I GUESS I HAVE TO ANSWER IT.
UM, THE EXPECTATION IS THEY WILL BE CHARGED, UH, A, UH, AN ADMINISTRATIVE FEE, UM, NO DIFFERENT THAN THE, UH, SELF-CERTIFICATION PROGRAM THAT WE'VE, WHAT THAT WE'VE DEVELOPED.
SO, UM, THEY WILL HAVE TO DO THAT.
UM, UH, AT THE END OF THE DAY, UH, WE ONLY CAN CHARGE WHAT WE REALLY DO DO WITH THE APPLICANT.
AND SO THE ADMINISTRATIVE FEE WOULD BE BASICALLY TO, TO ACCEPT THE PERMIT AND FILE A PERMIT AND, AND HAVE A RECORD OF IT.
SO, UM, UH, WE WILL CHARGE, UH, UH, A FEE FOR THAT.
BUT THE FEE FOR, UM, HAVING THE THIRD PARTY REGISTRATION WOULD BE NOTHING COMPARED TO THE FEES THAT WE RECEIVE FOR PERMITS AND ALL THE DIFFERENT REVIEWS.
IT, IT WILL NOT, NO, IT WILL NOT BE.
I MEAN, THAT WON'T BE THE SAME TYPES OF FEES.
BUT I GUESS WHAT I'M ASKING IS, YOU ENVISION A SCENARIO WHERE THIS DEPARTMENT MIGHT NEED TO SHRINK.
DO YOU, DO YOU THINK YOU MIGHT HAVE DIFFERENT STAFFING CHALLENGES ASSOCIATED WITH IT? LIKE, HAVE, HAVE YOU THOUGHT THROUGH HOW FREQUENT YOU THINK, LIKE, WE THINK THAT MAYBE 10% OF OUR PERMITS MIGHT END UP BEING THIRD PARTY OR 50%? OR LIKE, HAS THERE BEEN SOME THOUGHT PROCESS TO HOW THIS COULD END UP BEING PART OF OUR EVERYDAY EXPERIENCE COUNCIL MEMBER? WE, WE HAVEN'T ACTUALLY FORECASTED THAT.
UH, AND I THINK IT'S BECAUSE, UH, WE FEEL VERY CONFIDENT THAT WE CAN MEET OUR PERFORMANCE GOALS.
UH, BUT TO YOUR POINT, IT'S PROBABLY AN EXERCISE WE SHOULD DO.
UH, AND SO JUST TO CLARIFY AND KIND OF FOLLOW UP ON WHAT MY A C M MENTIONED IS, WE CAN'T CHARGE THE INSPECTION FEE AND WE CAN'T CHARGE THE REVIEW FEE, BUT THERE IS STILL A PERMIT FEE THAT HAS TO BE CHARGED.
AND SO THERE COULD BE POTENTIALLY A REDUCTION IN OUR REVENUE, BUT THAT'S WHY WE NEED TO PERFORM AT A VERY HIGH LEVEL TO ENSURE THAT WE DON'T LOSE THAT.
UM, COUNCIL MEMBER RENO, I THINK YOU HAD ANOTHER QUESTION.
UM, AGAIN, I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THE RULES ARE SET AND THE DEVELOPERS UNDERSTAND WHAT THOSE ARE.
SO MY UNDERSTANDING, SOMETIMES WE GET, UH, PERMITS AND PLANS THAT ARE DROPPED OFF IN A DROP OFF BOX.
WHEN WILL THAT, WHEN WILL WE KNOW DAY ONE STARTS? IS IT WHEN YOU GUYS EMPTY OUT THAT BOX THE NEXT MORNING, UM, THE END OF THE WEEK IF THAT PERMIT GETS LOST? HOW ARE WE, IS THERE IS, IN OTHER WORDS, ARE WE GONNA BE STAMPING THESE SO PEOPLE KNOW WHEN DAY ONE STARTS, COUNCIL MEMBER, WE HAVE A A FIVE DAY TURNAROUND GOAL FROM THE TIME YOU DROP IT OFF TO MAKE SURE IT'S A COMPLETE SUBMITTAL PACKAGE, ONCE THE CUSTOMER PAYS THE, THE FEES, THE CLOCK WILL START.
THERE WAS A, THE QUESTION ABOUT APPEALING TO THE COUNSEL, UM, I WOULD OBJECT TO THAT AS WELL.
I WOULD EITHER RECOMMEND THAT, THAT GO TO BOARD OF ADJUSTMENTS OR TO, OR STAFF, UM, APPRECIATE,
[00:40:01]
UH, NOT HAVING, UH, NECESSARILY THAT PRE PRE-APPROVED LIST READY TO GO TODAY.FEEL THAT YOU GUYS WANTED TO COME BRIEF US BEFORE MAKING ANY CHANGES OR, OR MANDATES LIKE THAT.
I, I THINK IT'S GREAT TO BE ABLE TO START WITH THAT LIST THAT'S ALREADY OUT THERE.
UH, BUT WE NEED TO MAKE SURE, DO YOU HAVE A TIMELINE THAT WE CAN GO TO OUR, OUR PARTNERS LETTING THEM KNOW WHEN WE ANTICIPATE THAT LIST BEING READY? I THINK THAT'S A RELATIVELY, UM, SIMPLE ASK.
I CAN WORK WITH MY INTERNAL DEPARTMENT TO, TO POST THOSE, UH, THIRD PARTY APPROVED REVIEWERS AND INSPECTORS, UH, ON OUR WEBSITE.
UM, I JUST, WE JUST NEED TO BE VERY CLEAR THEY CANNOT USE THEM UNLESS WE HAVE REACHED THAT 60 DAY MARKS SET BY STATE LAW.
I I DON'T WANT FOLKS TO THINK, OH, I CAN USE THEM.
AND SO, UM, GIVE US AN OPPORTUNITY TO MEET OUR PERFORMANCE GOALS.
AND IF WE CAN'T, HERE ARE SOME OPTIONS FOR YOU.
AND, AND WE CAN CRAFT THAT MESSAGE VERY CAREFULLY.
I KNOW WE HAVE SEVERAL PEOPLE LISTENING IN, UH, SO I DON'T WANNA GIVE 'EM ANY IDEAS.
BUT, UM, WILL WE BE IN A POSITION THAT WE DON'T MEET OUR METRICS AND GOALS TO HAVE TO REIMBURSE ANY SORT OF FEES OR, UM, YOU KNOW, PRETTY MUCH FEES BACK TO THE DEVELOPERS.
SO WORST CASE SCENARIO, THE CUSTOMER PAYS THE FEE WE GET TO DAY 61 CITY OF DALLAS FALLS SHORT, WHERE DEVELOPMENT SERVICES FALL SHORT.
WE WOULD HAVE TO REFUND THOSE DOLLARS TO THAT, UH, APPLICANT IF THEY GO OUT AND HIRE A THIRD PARTY REVIEW OR AN INSPECTOR.
I DON'T MIND DEFERRING SINCE IT'S OVER TIME.
I JUST, COUNCIL MEMBER STEWART.
I JUST, UH, WANT TO REITERATE THE, UH, CONCERN I THINK THE COLLEAGUES HAVE, UM, EXPRESSED ABOUT MAKING SURE THAT THE THIRD PARTY, UM, REVIEWERS, UM, INSPECTORS ARE QUALIFIED TO DO THAT.
UM, THAT THAT'S GONNA, IT, IT, IT JUST HAS, UM, AN IMPACT IN OUR COMMUNITY THAT COULD BE DEVASTATING.
SO I JUST ASK THAT WE, UM, FIND A WAY TO, TO VET THEM AND TO, I KNOW THEY'RE GONNA REGISTER AND ALL OF THAT, BUT LET'S MAKE SURE THAT, UH, A FIRST TIMER ISN'T REVIEWING THE HIGH RISE IN UPTOWN.
UM, SO LET'S TRY, LET'S TRY TO MATCH THAT.
AND, AND I TRUST THAT OUR DEVELOPERS AND, AND, UM, THE, THE PROJECT MANAGERS AND THOSE TEAMS ARE WISE AND THEY TOO WANT THEIR, UH, PROJECT TO BE SAFE.
AND SO THEY WILL LOOK FOR THE MOST QUALIFIED REVIEWER OR, UM, ENGINEER, WHATEVER IT IS THAT, THAT THEY'RE LOOKING FOR.
BUT I, I JUST WANT THE CITY TO BE, UM, CRYSTAL CLEAR THAT, THAT IS, TO ME, THE, THE NUMBER ONE CONCERN I HAVE WITH THIS, UM, WITH THIS POTENTIAL CHANGE.
UM, AND THE OTHER SMALL LITTLE THING, UM,
IT, IT WOULD HELP US SOMETIMES BECAUSE I THINK SOMETIMES WE GET, YOU WON'T BELIEVE THAT AND THEN THEY TELL US THE STORY, BUT IT WOULD BE HELPFUL TO MAYBE KNOW THAT IT WAS SIX MONTHS OR, OR, OR, YOU KNOW, AN EXTENDED PERIOD OF TIME.
AND, AND I THINK THEY MAY NEED THAT, RIGHT? 'CAUSE YOU'VE ASKED THEM FOR SOMETHING SUBSTANTIAL AND SO THEY'VE GOT TO TAKE THAT TIME.
I'LL REMEMBER THAT YOU HAVE THAT.
SO COUNCIL MEMBER, IF I CAN JUST FOLLOW UP WITH, WITH MY BOSS, WE DO HAVE IT FOR INDIVIDUAL PROJECTS.
SO IF YOU REACH OUT TO ME AND SAY, HEY, THIS CUSTOMER'S SAYING THIS, WE CAN, WE CAN TRACK THAT IF THEY'RE USING OUR ONLINE PROJECT DOC SYSTEM.
AND THAT'S WHERE WE'RE, WHERE WE DO STRUGGLE BECAUSE WE'RE OPERATING IN MULTIPLE SOFTWARES.
AND SO THAT'S WHERE DBIS HELP IS GONNA BE VERY HELPFUL TO BE ABLE TO CONSOLIDATE THAT INFORMATION.
WE'RE GONNA DO, UH, CHAIRMAN WEST AND THEN WE'LL GO BACK TO CHAIRMAN ATKINS.
ALRIGHT, A FEW QUESTIONS THAT MIGHT BE MORE APPROPRIATE ONCE WE GET TO ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, BUT IT'S SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT.
AND IF YOU HAVE ANSWERS TODAY, BONUS POINTS, UM, HOW'S THIS BILL, UM, GONNA, UM, INTERACT WITH OUR PROPOSED SELF-CERTIFICATION PROGRAM COUNCIL MEMBER? EXCELLENT QUESTION.
UM, SO RECALL THE WORK WE'VE DONE ON THE SELF-CERTIFICATION PROGRAM WITH THE CONSULTANT WAS TO ALLOW FOLKS TO DO THAT RIGHT OFF THE BAT FOR QUALIFYING PROJECTS, RIGHT? AND SO THEY CAN START THAT PROCESS AT ANY TIME.
THE HOUSE BILL FOUR 14 IS STRICTLY IF WE MISS OUR PERFORMANCE GOAL AT 60 DAYS.
SO IT, IT'S, UH, A WAY THEY MAY TRY THAT FIRST
[00:45:01]
BEFORE THEY THEN FILE FOR THROUGH THE TYPICAL PROCESS THROUGH DEVELOPMENT SERVICES.AND, AND THAT'S THE GOAL, RIGHT? WE, WE TALKED ABOUT THIS.
YEAH, LET'S CREATE AN ADDITIONAL KIND OF HIGH VOLUME LANE, H O V, LIKE WE DO ON THE HIGHWAY, AND LET'S GIVE THEM AN OPPORTUNITY FOR SOME OF THESE, UH, QUALIFYING PROJECTS.
AND WHAT'S YOUR PROPOSED TIMELINE FOR SELF-CERTIFICATION TO KICK OFF? SO WE SUBMITTED THE FINAL RECOMMENDATION TO THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE THIS MONTH.
WE'RE WAITING ON A COUPLE OF THEIR RECOMMENDATIONS, SUGGESTIONS, DEVELOP THE FORMS, THE ADMINISTRATORS, THE STAFF, UH, THE COMMUNICATION, THE MARKETING PIECE, THE IT PIECE.
AND HOPEFULLY I, I, I WANNA HAVE THIS ROLLED OUT BY SPRING OF, OF NEXT YEAR.
I REALLY DO BECAUSE I THINK THERE'S A LOT OF CUSTOMERS WHO WILL BE ABLE TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF IT.
AND I WOULD JUST ASK ALL DEPARTMENTS THAT ARE PARTICIPATING IN THIS, LET'S TRY TO NAIL DOWN THE TIMELINE SO WE CAN GIVE THAT INFORMATION TO PEOPLE.
'CAUSE I THINK A LOT OF FOLKS ARE VERY EXCITED ABOUT THIS.
WE WERE TALKING ABOUT THIS BACK IN 2020, SO I'M GLAD TO KUDOS TO YOU FOR GETTING IT AS FAR AS YOU HAVE.
LET'S GET IT ACROSS THE FINISH LINE.
WHAT ABOUT THE Q TEAM? WHAT ARE THE IMPLICATIONS OF THIS FOR THEM? SO, UM, OUR, OUR MAJOR Q TEAM OR OUR LARGE, I'M SORRY.
DID YOU HAVE A COMMENT? SO, SO OUR, OUR MAJOR Q TEAM RIGHT NOW IS STILL, UM, WORKING THROUGH THESE COMPLEX PROJECTS RELATIVELY QUICKLY.
UM, THEY, THE, THE GOAL IS TO ISSUE AGAIN, THE PERMIT THE SAME DAY, THE ENGINEERING TEAM, THE ARCHITECTURAL TEAM COME IN, MEET WITH US.
UH, AND SO CUSTOMERS CAN UTILIZE THAT AND WE'LL PROVIDE THAT RED CARPET SERVICE TO THEM.
SO IT, IT DOESN'T IMPACT HOSPITAL 14 DOES NOT IMPACT THEM.
NOT, IT DOES NOT IMPACT THE Q TEAM.
AND WE'VE ADDED A SECOND Q TEAM, SO, RIGHT.
SO LET'S SAY WE GET TO THE, UH, 45 DAY PERIOD.
I'M A BUILDER WHO IS GONNA GO OUT THINKING OF GOING OUT AND DOING MY OWN, UM, GETTING MY OWN, HIRING MY THIRD PARTY.
HOW, HOW DO YOU COMMUNICATE WITH THEM AT THAT POINT TO MAKE SURE THEY'RE NOT DOING THE SAME WORK THAT YOU'RE DOING? WE'RE NOT DOUBLE DOING THE DOUBLE THE WORK COUNCIL MEMBER.
SO, UH, GREAT, GREAT QUESTION.
SO IF THE APPLICANT WANTS TO HIRE THIRD PARTY, THAT WOULD BE ON DAY 60 AND WE WOULD HAVE TO CODIFY SOMETHING IN THE CODE WHERE THE APPLICANT HAS TO NOTIFY US AND SAY, HEY, LOOK, I'VE HIRED THIS PERSON.
THEY'RE GONNA DO THE WORK FOR ME, DON'T WORRY ABOUT IT.
RIGHT? AND SO WE WOULD HAVE TO HAVE THAT COMMUNICATION PIECE WITH THE CUSTOMER.
I'M NOT SURE HOW THAT WILL WORK JUST YET, BUT WE WILL PROVIDE YOU UPDATES AS, AS WE, YOU KNOW, PROGRESS THROUGH THIS.
I MEAN, THAT'S GONNA BE PRETTY IMPORTANT HERE PRETTY SOON ON THAT, UM, COUNCILMAN CHAIR? YEAH.
UH, IF, IF I MAY ADD GOING BACK TO, UM, COUNCIL MEMBER STEWART'S QUESTION OR, OR COMMENT ABOUT, UH, ABOUT THAT.
WHAT WE DID WITH THE SELF-CERTIFICATION IS, IS SPECIFIC REQUIREMENTS FOR THE ENGINEERS AND THE INSPECTORS, UH, TO, UH, TO MEET CERTAIN REQUIREMENTS AND, AND TO BE REGISTERED WITH US, UH, FOR THE THIRD PARTY.
WHEN, WHEN THAT KICKS IN AFTER THE 60TH DAY OR THE 75TH DAY, WE'LL, WE'LL BE, WE'LL BE REQUIRING THE SAME THING TO ENSURE THAT, UH, THE ENGINEER IS QUALIFIED AND THE INSPECTOR IS QUALIFIED AS WELL.
AND THAT'S WHERE WE'RE WORKING OFF OF THE SELF CERTIFICATION THAT WE'VE ALREADY BUILT TO ACTUALLY DO THE SAME THING WITH THE THIRD PARTY REVIEWER.
SO THERE'S ONE, THERE'S CONSISTENCY.
TWO, IT'S ALREADY IN THE WEBSITE.
AND, AND, AND, AND THREE, WE CAN, WE CAN ENSURE THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, WE DON'T DEAL WITH BAD APPLES.
THAT'S SORT OF SERENDIPITOUS THAT YOU WERE WORKING ON THAT, UM, BEFORE THIS.
SO WE ALREADY HAVE THAT SYSTEM SET UP OF THIRD PARTIES, RIGHT? CORRECT.
UM, SO YOU HAD MENTIONED OR RESPONDED, UM, MR. ESPINOZA TO, UH, COUNCILMAN BLACKMAN'S COMMENT ON, DO YOU HAVE ALL THE RESOURCES YOU NEED? AND, UM, AND, AND YOU SAID YOU, YOU DO, BUT THIS, THIS IS ALSO YOUR SUCCESS IN MEETING YOUR GOALS IS ALSO, ISN'T IT DEPENDENT ON OTHER DEPARTMENTS? DID COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, I COULDN'T AGREE WITH YOU MORE, UH, YOUR A HUNDRED PERCENT CORRECT.
AND SO I NEED TO DO A BETTER JOB OF PARTNERING WITH PUBLIC WORKS TRANSPORTATION, FIRE DEPARTMENT.
IT, UH, AND SO I BELIEVE I HAVE EVERYTHING WE NEED, BUT THERE'S STILL A LOT OF WORK THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE WHEN IT COMES TO CROSS DEPARTMENTAL COLLABORATION COMMUNICATIONS.
AND SO I WILL CONTINUE TO CHIP AWAY AT THOSE TYPICAL WALLS THAT SOMETIMES GET STOOD UP JUST BECAUSE OF THE EVERYDAY WORKLOAD AND THE BUSY SCHEDULES WE HAVE.
BUT YOU HAVE THAT COMMITMENT FROM ME.
WE'VE, WE'VE GOT THE, UH, DEVELOPMENT SERVICES CITY ATTORNEY UP HERE IS THE FIRING SQUAD RIGHT NOW, BUT
[00:50:01]
HAVEN'T PULLED THIS OUT IN A WHILE.THIS IS WHAT I CALL THE CHS AND LADDERS FROM HELL.
THIS IS THE WHAT YOU HAVE TO GO THROUGH TO GET A COMMERCIAL PERMIT IN THE CITY OF DALLAS.
AND, AND ON THE, THE DIFFERENT COLORS WE HAVE HERE.
WE'VE GOT FIRE ENGINEERING, PARKS AND REC PLANNING, URBAN DESIGN, REAL ESTATE, CITY ATTORNEY DEVELOPMENT SERVICES.
I MEAN, EVERYBODY ON THIS LIST SHOULD BE REALLY UP HERE MAKING SURE THEY'RE PREPARED TO SUPPORT YOUR SUCCESS.
SO, I MEAN, I DIDN'T ASK FOR THAT.
I JUST SORT OF EXPECTED THAT EVERYONE WOULD BE ON THE SAME PAGE.
UM, AND I, I HOPE THAT THEY'RE READY TO GO AS WELL.
HONORABLE CHAIR IF I, IF I MAY ALSO RESPOND TO THAT.
AND WE'VE BEEN, WE'VE BEEN DEALING WITH THAT AD HOC SOMETIMES IN, IN CROSS-DEPARTMENTAL, UH, COORDINATION.
WHAT I, WHAT I DID IS I CREATED A DESIGN REVIEW COMMITTEE.
WE'RE ACTUALLY GONNA BE MEETING ON A WEEKLY BASIS, AND THAT IS MADE UP OF THE DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS THAT DEAL WITH DEVELOPMENT AND, AND PLANNING.
SO, UM, UM, THAT'S JUST WAS FORMED RECENTLY.
AND, AND THAT'S GONNA BE THE BASIS OF HOW WE CAN COORDINATE BETTER AND ENSURE THAT ALL OF OUR, UH, YOU KNOW, ALL OF OUR, UH, PROCESSES AND, AND, AND WORK IS FULLY COORDINATED AND INTEGRATED.
SO, UH, JUST WANNA MENTION THAT.
AND I'LL JUST SAY IN CLOSING, YOU KNOW, AS A FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY, GOVERNMENT PERFORMANCE ISSUE, IT'D BE NICE TO SEE THIS CUT IN HALF BY THE END OF OUR NEXT TERM, BECAUSE THIS IS DAUNTING TO ME.
YOU COULD GET THIS FAR AND THEN IT KICK BACK.
I MEAN, IT LITERALLY IS SHOOTS AND LADDERS, BUT NOT A FUN VERSION.
SO, UM, THANK YOU FOR YOUR BRIEFING,
CHAIRMAN ATKINS, YOU HAD ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS? YES.
UH, CHAPTER 51 A AND 52, YOU NEED TO BE AMENDED.
DO YOU KNOW WHAT A TIMELINE ON THAT COUNCIL MEMBER? UM, I DON'T HAVE THAT RIGHT NOW, BUT, UH, I'M LOOKING TO CASEY TO SEE IF HE CAN SHED SOME LIGHT ON SOME HISTORICAL, I GUESS, PAST PERFORMANCE AND I GUESS TURNAROUND TIME FOR THESE KIND OF REQUESTS.
YEAH, SO WE HAVE THE, WE HAVE A CODE AMENDMENT IN THE WORKS ALREADY.
SO THERE AS, AS YOU HEARD, THERE ARE A FEW THINGS WE'RE NEEDING TO WORK THROUGH.
SO I THINK WE CAN GET THOSE DONE PROBABLY OVER THE NEXT, I WOULD SAY COUPLE OF MONTHS.
I WOULD HOPE THAT WOULD BE A LOT SOONER THAN THAT.
THEN HAVE SOMETHING SCHEDULED TO BRING THE COMMITTEE, UM, FOLLOWING THAT.
WOULD THAT AFFECT ANYTHING WE'RE TRYING TO DO WITH HOUSE BILL 14? UH, PHYSICAL EFFECT ON SEPTEMBER ONE? I DON'T BELIEVE THAT IT WOULD, AS, AS MATT HAD POINTED OUT, UH, THE BILL STATES THAT IT ONLY APPLIES TO A PERMIT THAT'S FILED AFTER SEPTEMBER 1ST.
SO I DON'T BELIEVE THAT THAT SHOULD HAVE ANY BEARING ON IT.
AND, AND COUNCIL MEMBER, IT WOULD ONLY APPLY IF WE MISS OUR 60 DAY MARK.
AND SO THAT'S THE WORST CASE SCENARIO.
I THINK WE'VE SAID A LOT OF MITIGATION MEASURES IN PLACE TO AVOID THAT.
UM, BUT WE AS MENTIONED, WE DO HAVE ALREADY SOME APPROVED THIRD PARTY PROVIDERS THAT WE CONTRACT WITH THAT POTENTIALLY WE COULD, YOU KNOW, SHARE THAT INFORMATION WITH SOMEONE SHOULD WE MISS THAT GOAL.
BACK TO, UH, UM, CHAIRMAN WEST, UM, UM, FORMAT, YOU KNOW, THE GUY, YOU KNOW, ALL THE DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS YOU GO THROUGH, UH, IS THAT SOME OF THE Q TEAM SHOULD HAVE ALL THOSE DIFFERENT DEPARTMENT AT THE TABLE WHEN THEY, UM, APPLY FOR THE APPLICATION PERTAINING TO D I D THEIR PROJECT.
THEY'RE TRYING TO BUILD A SCHOOL, SHOULD ALL OF THOSE, UH, DIFFERENT DEPARTMENT HEADS SHOULD BEAT US.
SO THEREFORE YOU DO NOT HAVE GO BACK AND FORTH COUNCIL MEMBER, WHEN WE PERFORM A Q TEAM REVIEW, WE HAVE, UH, SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTS REPRESENTED FROM THOSE PARTICULAR DEPARTMENTS.
I'M, I'M TRYING TO REFER TO, UH, CHAIRMAN WEST, UM, ILLUSTRATION THERE AND I'M TRYING TO, UM, DIGEST WHAT HE IS TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH THAT, THAT WE DON'T HAVE THOSE DEPARTMENTS THERE SHOULD BE STREAMLINED.
SO THEY, THEY ARE AVAILABLE, BUT THEY REPORT TO DIFFERENT DEPARTMENT HEADS.
SO THEY'RE ARE AVAILABLE, THEY GO TO DEPARTMENT HEADS.
SO THEREFORE, SO IT'S ANOTHER WAY WE CAN MAKE IT BETTER.
I MEAN, I'M, UH, CAN I ADDRESS, UH, CHAIRMAN WEST YOUR FORMAT? DID YOU SHOW UP A FEW MINUTES AGO THE ILLUSTRATION? IS THAT SOMETHING WE CAN MAKE IT BETTER? YOU KNOW, I'M TRYING TO, UM, I DO UNDERSTAND 'CAUSE THE REASON WHY I ASKED THAT WHEN AMAZON CAME HERE, WE HAD TO GET A PERMIT DONE FASTER.
AND BASICALLY WHAT I DID, I MADE SURE EVERY DEPARTMENT WAS IN THAT ROOM.
SAME THING WITH, UM, GOLDMAN SACHS.
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SAME THING WITH A PROJECT WE DID.I CAN'T SEE WHY THAT IN THE QT, EVERY DEPARTMENT, FIRE DEPARTMENT, WATER DEPARTMENT, EVERY STREET SANITATION, THEY SHOULD BE IN THERE TO UNDERSTAND THE PROJECT.
THEN THAT WAY WE WOULD'VE HAVE THIS FALLOUT.
SO THIS RIGHT HERE, I DO UNDERSTAND THIS, BUT IT COULD DO BETTER.
YOU KNOW, I'M ONLY TRYING TO FIND OUT WHY WE GOTTA WORRY ABOUT THIS PROCESS.
WE DO HAVE A PROCESS IN PLACE AND WE HAVE FOLLOWED A PROCESS BEFORE WHEN WE, WHEN WE DID WITH AMAZON.
I MEAN, IS THERE A BETTER WAY IF WE JUST THREW THAT OUT AND STARTED WITH A COMPLETELY, LIKE EVERYONE AT THE TABLE KIND OF SCENARIO? AND THAT'S A HUGE QUESTION, BUT IT'S A GOOD ONE.
COUNCIL MEMBER, I AGREE WITH YOU A HUNDRED PERCENT AS WELL.
UH, AGAIN, AS I MENTIONED, WE HAVE SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTS AT THE TABLE.
THEY CONSULT WITH DEVELOPMENT SERVICES STAFF, THEY IDENTIFY, UH, ISSUES, OPPORTUNITIES, AND THEN ANY REVISIONS THAT MAY NEED TO BE SUBMITTED, BUT THEN THEY GO BACK TO THE RESPECTIVE DEPARTMENTS.
BUT THIS'S, THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT HAPPENS ONCE WE LEAVE THAT MEETING.
THE ISSUE IS WHEN YOU HAVE THOSE DEPARTMENT IN THE ROOM, THEY CHANGE HAND.
THEY'RE NOT MEETING WITH THE SAME PERSON OVER AND OVER, YOU KNOW, AND THAT'S THE PROBLEM BECAUSE SOMEONE MIGHT START OUT ADDRESSING THE ISSUE IN THAT DEPARTMENT AND SOMEONE'S GOTTA COME BACK AND FILL THE GAP.
SO I THINK THAT WITH THE MAJOR PROJECTS THAT WE TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH, WE SHOULD, YOU KNOW, STREAMLINE AND SAY, HERE IS THE MAIN DEPARTMENT HEAD AND HERE IS A PERSON WHO RESPONSIBLE TO MAKE SURE THIS MENT GO OUT AND MAKE SURE THEY ARE OVERSEEING WHAT'S GOING ON.
IF YOU DON'T HAVE THAT, WE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM THAT THAT'S RE WEST AT BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT WE HEARING WHEN I TALKED TO SO AND SO SOANDSO AND SOANDSO, SOANDSO IS GONE NOW I CAN'T GET IT DONE.
SO IT GOTTA BE SOME KIND OF CHECKIN BALANCE.
IMAGINE YOU GOT SOMETHING TO SAY ABOUT THAT.
I MEAN, YEAH, THAT'S, THAT'S THE WHOLE PURPOSE OF CREATING THIS DESIGN REVIEW COMMITTEE BECAUSE NOT ONLY I WANT TO BE ABLE TO LOOK AT ALL OF THE PROCESSES, BUT I WANNA CREATE A ONE-STOP SHOP, UH, NOT JUST FOR THE Q TEAM, BUT FOR EVERY SINGLE PERMIT THAT WE HAVE, FOR EVERY SINGLE THING THAT COMES IN, UH, TO DEVELOPMENT SERVICES.
WE DO, WE DO DO A GREAT JOB OF COORDINATING AT THE Q TEAM, UH, LEVEL, BUT IN, IN SOME OTHER INSTANCES WE NEED TO DO, UH, YOU KNOW, WE NEED TO DO A, A MORE COMPREHENSIVE JOB.
AND THAT'S THE PURPOSE OF THE DESIGN REVIEW COMMITTEE THAT IS MADE UP OF THE DIRECTORS AND THE ASSISTANT DIRECTORS, UH, FOR THE DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS TO ENSURE THAT WE HAVE THAT, UH, CONSISTENTLY.
YEAH, I DON'T BE REDUNDANT, BUT I'M TRYING TO GET A CONSENSUS.
SO WE GOT D I S D, YOU KNOW, GOT A WHOLE LOT OF CONTRACT, A WHOLE LOT OF PREMISE, GOTTA COME FORWARD.
AND I DON'T KNOW, WE GOT A Q TEAM SET UP.
IS THERE A WAY THAT WE CAN MANAGE THESE BIG DEVELOPERS WHO TRYING TO GET A PROJECT ON THE LINE THAT WE GOTTA RIGHT PEOPLE IN THE ROOM AND HOLD THEM RESPONSIBLE TO MAKE SURE THEIR DEPARTMENT DO NOT DRAG, DRAG THE TIME OUT LONG ENOUGH TO MAKE SURE THEIR PERMIT GO FORWARD.
BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT I'M HEARING.
I'M HEARING THAT WHEN THEY GO INTO, ON JEFFERSON, I TALK TO SO AND SO, SO AND SO, AND I HAVE BEEN DOWN THERE AND SO AND SO SOANDSO IS NOT THERE, THEN I GOTTA GO ALL THE WAY BACK THEN I'LL WALK THAT PERSON TO THE RIGHT PERSON, THEN IT RESOLVED.
THAT'S WHAT I'M, THAT'S A DILEMMA THAT I'M LOOKING AT.
SO IT'S GOTTA BE SOME KIND OF CONSISTENCY THAT WHEN YOU GO THERE, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE TALKING TO THE RIGHT PERSON WHO CAN MAKE THEIR DECISIONS RIGHT THEN AND THERE.
THE GOOD NEWS IS THIS IS COMING TO YOUR COMMITTEE TO I UNDERSTAND THAT
BUT, BUT, BUT, BUT, BUT THE GOOD NEWS IS, NUMBER ONE, WHAT, UH, UH, COUNCIL BLACKMAN SAID IN IN WEST SAID, I THINK THEY NEED MORE HELP.
I THINK THEY, THEY, THEY NEED MORE EXPERIENCED PEOPLE DOWN THERE.
I NEED SOME, I THINK THEY NEED SOMEONE WHO CAN MAKE A DECISION AND SCARED NOT TO TURN AWAY AND RUN AWAY FROM THE DECISION THEY MADE.
YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, THEY NEED TO STAND UP FOR THEIR DECISIONS AND THEY'RE NOT DOING THAT.
I HATE TO SAY IT, THEY'RE NOT DOING THAT.
'CAUSE I WENT DOWN THERE, I WALKED DOWN THERE IN JEFFERSON AND SEE THE CUSTOMER WHO TRYING TO GET A PERMIT AND THEY DID NOT GET, I HAD WALK ALL AROUND THE BACK ROOM THEN GET A PERMIT DONE, BECAUSE THAT'S IS A ISSUE.
YOU GOT TO HAVE THE PERSON THERE WHO CAN MAKE THE DECISION AND SCARED NOT TO MAKE A DECISION TO GET IT OUT THERE.
SO I APPRECIATE THAT CHALLENGE.
I THINK THAT REALLY IS, UM, A DIFFERENT AGENDA ITEM.
AND IT'S FOR YOU TO TAKE UP IN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
AND, AND I WAS DEBATING WHETHER OR NOT I WAS GONNA SAY SOMETHING.
'CAUSE ALL OF THESE COMMENTS THAT ARE GOING ON AND, AND AS I'M LISTENING TO THIS AND THIS PROCESS, THE ONLY THING I KEEP COMING UP WITH IS THE IMAGE OF, AND I'M GONNA AGE MYSELF JUST A LITTLE BIT.
I WAS YOUNG, BUT LUCY ON LUCILLE BALL WHEN SHE GOT THE JOB AND SHE WAS
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WORKING AT CHOCOLATE FACTORY AND EVERYTHING STARTED OUT SMOOTH, RIGHT? AND THEN IT GOT OUTTA CONTROL AND PRETTY SOON SHE'S PUT IT IN HER MOUTH.WHEN I LOOK AT THAT PROCESS, IT LOOKS REALLY SIMPLE ON, ON, ON SURFACE.
BUT ALL OF THESE FACTORS THAT EACH PERSON HAS, HAS, HAS MENTIONED, GIVES ME CONCERN FOR A COUPLE OF THINGS.
ONE IN THE OVERALL PROCESS, BUT REALLY AS IT RELATES TO EQUITY AS WELL.
BECAUSE ONCE THINGS, ONCE THAT CONVEYOR BELT SPEEDS UP, AND, UH, COUNCILWOMAN MENDELSON MENTIONED IT, YOU ALREADY HAVE SOME THAT ARE ALREADY PASSED DAYS.
WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE COME SEPTEMBER ONE? DOES THAT MEAN YOU'RE GONNA HAVE AN INFLUX OF FOLKS WHO ARE NOW HIRING THEIR THIRD PARTY TO COME IN? WHAT DOES THAT IMPACT YOUR, HOW DOES THAT IMPACT YOUR STAFF? BUT AS ALL OF THIS STUFF IS HAPPENING, SOMETIMES EQUITY CAN FALL BY THE WAYSIDE IN TERMS OF WHERE THOSE PROJECTS ARE THAT ARE BEING APPROVED AS WELL AS THIS, UH, PRE-APPROVED LIST AND THAT PROCESS.
SO AS WE'RE GOING THROUGH THIS PROCESS, I'M GONNA BE LISTENING AND MAKING SURE THAT FROM THE PRE-APPROVED PROCESS THERE ARE THAT IT, IT'S, IT'S AN EQUITABLE LIST OF FOLKS AND AS WELL AS WHEN THINGS GET TIGHT, I'M REALLY LISTENING FOR A PLAN TO ENSURE THAT EQUITY STAYS IN PLACE EVEN THOUGH THINGS GET, 'CAUSE WE UNDERSTAND THINGS ARE GONNA GET BUSY AND THE STAFF AND EVERYTHING, IT SOUNDS REALLY POSITIVE AND I WANNA STAY IN THAT PLACE TOO.
BUT WE GOT A PLAN FOR WHEN THAT CONVEYOR BELT SPEEDS UP AND I HAVEN'T HEARD THAT, UH, UH, CLEARLY, UH, TODAY.
UM, AND I'M KIND OF GOING TO GO OFF TOPIC, BUT BECAUSE I THINK MR. ATKINS IS ONTO SOMETHING, EMPOWERING PEOPLE TO MAKE DECISIONS IS KEY IN THIS.
YOU CAN'T JUST HAVE ONE PERSON BECAUSE THEN YOU'RE NEVER GONNA GET TIME TO RAISE YOUR HEAD UP.
AND SO EMPOWERING YOUR PERSONNEL TO MAKE THE DECISION AND GO WITH IT AND SUPPORT 'EM, I THINK IS KEY TO GETTING YOUR SUCCESS, KEEPING THIS TIMELINE AT ALL LEVELS.
UM, THE VERY LAST LINE OF THE BILL ITSELF SAYS THIS ACT TAKES EFFECT SEPTEMBER ONE, YOU 2023.
UM, YOU HAVE SORT OF INDICATED THAT YOU BELIEVE THAT IT'S, UM, PERMITS THAT ARE SUBMITTED AFTER SEPTEMBER ONE.
I GUESS I'M, I'M WONDERING ABOUT THE ONES THAT ARE IN PROCESS RIGHT NOW AND IS IT THAT THE ACT ITSELF? 'CAUSE I DON'T SEE WHERE IT SAYS ANYTHING FILED AFTER SEPTEMBER ONE.
I MEAN, I'VE ONLY SCANNED IT, UM, BUT IT'S SITTING IN FRONT OF ME.
THAT'S THE ONLY PLACE I SEE A SEPTEMBER ONE DATE.
AND I WOULD READ IT TO THINK THAT SOMETHING THAT'S ALREADY IN PROCESS COMES SEPTEMBER ONE.
YOU IMMEDIATELY NOW HAVE THESE NEW RIGHTS.
AND SO I'M JUST WONDERING, YOU KNOW, CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, IF YOU COULD SORT OF WEIGH IN ON, ARE WE EXPECTING TO BE READY TO GO SEPTEMBER ONE BECAUSE WE KNOW WE HAVE SOME IN PROCESS THAT MIGHT NEED TO BE ADDRESSED, OR ARE WE ACTUALLY EXPECTING IT'S 60 DAYS FROM SEPTEMBER ONE BEFORE WE'LL ACTUALLY HAVE TO DEAL WITH THIS? YEAH, IT'S, IT'S 60 DAYS AFTER SEPTEMBER ONE.
SO IF YOU LOOK AT SECTION TWO OF THE ACT, THE ONE RIGHT ABOVE THE SECTION THREE MM-HMM.
SO IT SAYS IT ONLY APPLIES TO THE DEVELOPMENT DOCUMENT OR REQUEST FOR DEVELOPMENT INSPECTION, IS THOSE TERMS ARE DEFIED THAT IS SUBMITTED TO THE APPROPRIATE REGULATORY AUTHORITY ON OR AFTER THE EFFECTIVE DATE OF THIS ACT AND THE EFFECTIVE DATE OF SEPTEMBER 1ST.
I HAVE A DIFFERENT VERSION SITTING IN FRONT OF ME, SO MINE DOESN'T SAY THAT.
AND THEN, UM, I THINK EVERYBODY'S HAD LOTS OF TIME.
HAD TO GIVE NO TIME LIMITS, AS MANY ROUNDS AS YOU WANT.
I THINK WE'VE ALL GOT OUR QUESTIONS OUT THERE.
I JUST WANNA FOLLOW UP TO MAKE SURE, UM, YOU'RE GONNA SUBMIT TO US HOPEFULLY WITH A FRIDAY MEMO WITH THE NUMBER OF PERMITS THAT YOU ARE AWARE OF THAT ARE EXCEEDING THAT 60 DAYS.
SO COUNCIL MEMBER, JUST SO I'M CLEAR, WE'LL BE, FIRST OF ALL, WE'LL BE HAPPY TO SUBMIT IT.
BUT I WANNA BE SURE YOU'RE ASKING FOR PERMITS THAT ARE IN OUR QUEUE THAT HAVE MISSED THE 60 DAY MARK WHERE WE HAVE NOT APPROVED, CONDITIONALLY APPROVED OR DENIED A PERMIT, CORRECT? CORRECT.
ALL RIGHT, WELL THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME SEEING NOBODY ELSE.
UM, WE'RE GONNA ADJOURN THIS MEETING AND IT'S 1114.