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[Special Board of Adjustment on October 31, 2023 ]
MORNING.THE BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT IS HEREBY CALLED TO ORDER AT 9:00 AM ON TUESDAY, OCTOBER 31ST, 2023 HERE IN DALLAS CITY HALL COUNCIL CHAMBERS, MY NAME IS DAVE NEWMAN AND I'M HONORED TO SERVE AS CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT.
WE HAVE 17 MEMBERS AND ALTERNATES IN ATTENDANCE, UH, WHICH MEETS OUR QUORUM REQUIREMENT OF 12 OR MORE UNDER OUR RULES OF PROCEDURE.
THEREFORE, I'M DECLARING THAT A QUORUM IS PRESENT TO CONDUCT BUSINESS TODAY.
I WOULD LIKE TO WELCOME EVERYONE TO THIS SPECIAL CALLED MEETING THE BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT, THE FULL BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT.
UH, BEFORE WE BEGIN, I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A FEW GENERAL COMMENTS ABOUT THE BOARD AND THE MANNER IN WHICH THIS MEETING WILL BE CONDUCTED TODAY.
THE FULL BOARD IS COMPOSED OF 15 MEMBERS AND SIX ALTERNATES.
THE FULL BOARD IS CONVENED AS NECESSARY ONCE OR TWICE A YEAR FOR TRAINING ADOPTION OF RULES OF PROCEDURE CALENDAR, POLICY DECISIONS CONCERNING THE FULL BOARD MEMBERS AND ALTERNATES ARE NOMINATED BY INDIVIDUAL COUNCIL MEMBERS FROM THROUGHOUT THE CITY AND APPROVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL.
WE RECEIVE NO FINANCIAL COMPENSATION FOR OUR VOLUNTEER TIME.
THE BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT IS A QUASI-JUDICIAL BOARD CREATED BY THE TEXAS LEGISLATURE, CODIFIED BY DALLAS, CITY OF DALLAS CODE AND THE BORDER OF ADJUSTMENTS, RULES OF PROCEDURE TO MAKE DETERMINATIONS OF A PROPERTY OWNER'S REQUEST FOR ZONING VARIANCES, SPECIAL EXCEPTIONS, AND APPEALS OF DECISIONS OF ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICIALS CONCERNING THE DALLAS DEVELOPMENT CODE.
OUR AGENDA, OUR AGENDA, INCLUDING INFORMATION AND ACTION ITEMS, WAS PUBLISHED ON OUR WEBSITE AND EMAILED TO ALL MEMBERS SEVEN DAYS PRIOR TO THIS, SEVEN DAYS PRIOR TO THIS MEETING ON OCTOBER 24TH.
CONSISTENT WITH OUR NEW NEWLY UPDATED RULES OF PROCEDURE, PUBLIC TESTIMONY WILL BE WELCOMED, UH, AND RECEIVED IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING AN INTRODUCTION THIS MORNING AT APPROXIMATELY 10:00 AM PLEASE REGISTER WITH OUR BOARD SECRETARY MARY WILLIAMS IF YOU'D LIKE TO SPEAK.
WHERE'S MS. MARY? MS. MARY'S IN THE BACK.
UM, SO THERE ARE SEVERAL PEOPLE THAT HAVE ALREADY SIGNED UP.
IF THERE ARE ANYONE THAT'S IN THE AUDIENCE TODAY, UM, OR THAT WILL SUBSEQUENTLY JOIN US THAT WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK, I NEED YOU TO SIGN UP PER OUR PROTOCOL.
THE NEXT THING I'D LIKE TO DO FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE BOARD IS TO PREVIEW OUR AGENDA.
UH, OUR AGENDA AS PRESENTED TO YOU ALL IS OUR CALL TO ORDER.
WE'RE GONNA DO INTRODUCTIONS OF EVERY BOARD MEMBER, UH, UM, AND THEN INDIVIDUAL ON STAFF.
WE'RE GONNA HAVE PUBLIC TESTIMONY THIS MORNING.
I WILL PROVIDE A CHAIRMAN'S UPDATE.
IT'S ALREADY WRITTEN AND BEFORE YOU, I WILL TELL YOU BOTH MY REPORT AS WELL AS THE POWERPOINT PRESENTATIONS THAT YOU WILL RECEIVE TODAY.
UH, WE'RE ALL PROVIDED TO THE BOARD IN ADVANCE, SO I'M GONNA ENCOURAGE PRESENTERS NOT TO READ THEIR POWERPOINT OR THEIR REPORTS, BUT RATHER BE AVAILABLE TO ANSWER QUESTIONS.
UM, IN ADDITION, IN YOUR PACKAGE, YOU'LL SEE, UM, PANEL ASSIGNMENTS FOR 2325, AND A COPY OF OUR RULES OF PROCEDURE.
WE'LL BE HAVING A PRESENTATION FROM THE CHIEF INTEGRITY OFFICER ON ETHICS AND CONFLICT OF INTEREST.
THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, UH, VIA OUR BOARD ATTORNEY MATT SAPP, WILL BE GIVING US A PRESENTATION ON ROLE OF BOARD OFFICERS, MEMBERS AND STAFF VARIANCE ANALYSIS, UH, SOME CASE REPORTS, PRACTICAL, PRACTICAL EXCEPTIONS TO, UH, SPECIAL EXCEPTIONS, OPEN RECORDS REQUESTS IN TEXAS, OPEN MEETINGS, ACTS.
UH, THEN AFTER LUNCH, WE'RE GONNA BE HEARING FROM DEVELOPMENT SERVICES FOR A VARIETY OF THINGS OF INTAKE PROCESS OR OBJECTIVES REVIEW AND STRATEGIC EFFICIENCY PLAN FOR 2324 AFTER THE DEVELOPMENT SERVICES PRESENTATION, WHERE WE ARE SCHEDULING 30 MINUTES PLUS OR MINUS FOR BOARD MEMBER FEEDBACK AND QUESTIONS, THAT'S THE OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO GIVE AND TAKE AMONGST OUR BOARD, AMONGST OURSELVES, UH, TO GET FEEDBACK.
LAST BUT NOT LEAST, THE BOARD HAS, UH, THREE ACTION ITEMS, UM, THAT WE NEED TO TAKE TODAY.
ONE WILL BE TO REVIEW AND APPROVE OUR MEETING CALENDAR FOR 2024, AND THEN RECOMMENDATIONS ACCORDING TO THE CITY COUNCIL RULES FOR OUR ANNUAL REPORT, BOTH A REVIEW OF OUR 2223 ACCOMPLISHMENTS AND OUR GOALS AND OBJECTIVES AND RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE CITY COUNCIL.
UH, IT IS THE CHAIRMAN'S DESIRE TO PROMPTLY ADJOURN AT OR BEFORE FOUR O'CLOCK TODAY.
UM, MY WIFE REMINDED ME THAT THIS MORNING WE DON'T HAVE ANY KIDS AT HOME, BUT WE HAVE KIDS IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD FOR TRICK OR TREATING.
SO WE, WE WANNA BE VERY RESPECTFUL OF THAT.
AND SO I'M GONNA BE VERY GENTLE, UH, TO TRY TO KEEP PRESENTATIONS MOVING FORWARD, BUT I WANNA MAXIMIZE QUESTIONS FROM BOARD MEMBERS.
UH, A A NOTE ABOUT THAT, EACH ONE OF US ARE SEATED STRATEGICALLY TODAY, AND THAT IS BOARD MEMBERS ADJACENT TO ALTERNATES ADJACENT TO OTHER BOARD BOARD MEMBERS FROM ACROSS THE THREE PANELS.
WE ALL ARE EQUALS WHEN WE COME TO
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THE BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT.SO I DON'T REFER TO ALTERNATES SEPARATELY AS THAN BOARD MEMBERS OR BOARD MEMBERS SEPARATE FROM ALTERNATES.
SO EVERYONE'S HERE WITH AN EQUAL VOICE AS YOU DO ON PANELS, AN EQUAL VOICE.
SO, UH, IT'S VERY IMPORTANT THAT WE ALL GET TO KNOW EACH OTHER AND UNDERSTAND OUR PROCESS AND, AND WE COLLECTIVELY SET THE COURSE GOING FORWARD.
SO THAT'S THE PREVIEW TO THE AGENDA.
QUESTIONS ON THE AGENDA? ALRIGHT, WE'RE GONNA DO INTRODUCTIONS AND THE WAY I'D LIKE THE INTRODUCTIONS IS FOR INDIVIDUAL MEMBERS AND I, I'M GONNA START WITH MYSELF KIND OF AS AN EXAMPLE, UH, TO TELL YOUR NAME, THE GEOGRAPHIC AREA OF THE CITY, LIKE A COMPASS HEADING, AND THEN THE NEIGHBORHOOD THAT YOU LIVE IN.
SO, NAME, GEOGRAPHIC AREA OF THE CITY, NORTH, SOUTH, EAST, WEST, NORTHWEST, NORTHEAST, SOUTHEAST, SOUTHWEST.
'CAUSE A LOT OF US KNOW OF NEIGHBORHOODS, SOME DON'T.
AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST, UM, WHAT PANEL YOU SERVE ON AND HOW LONG YOU'VE SERVED ON THE BOARD.
UM, I LIVE IN THE, UH, PRESTON HOLLOW NEIGHBORHOOD, THE NORTH END OF PRESTON HOLLOW, NEAR PRESTON AND FOURTH, UM, THAT IS DUE NORTH, NORTH DALLAS.
UM, I'VE BEEN, I'VE SERVED ON THE BOARD NOW FOR TWO YEARS, AS YOUR CHAIRMAN WAS JUST REAPPOINTED BY THE MAYOR FOR ANOTHER TWO YEARS AS CHAIRMAN.
UM, 19 YEARS AGO I SERVED AS AN ALTERNATE TO THE BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT UNDER A GENTLEMAN WORKING WITH A GENTLEMAN THAT'S AN, UH, A GUEST OF OURS TODAY.
STEVE LONG IS THE BOARD ADMINISTRATOR, AND IT WAS SUCH A WONDERFUL EXPERIENCE.
I WENT ON TO BEING VICE CHAIRMAN OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION AND THEN WAS ELECTED TO TWO TERMS ON THE CITY COUNCIL.
I'LL NOW GO TO OUR VICE CHAIRMAN, ROBERT AGNIS.
UH, I WAS APPOINTED AS AN ALTERNATE IN 2011 AND SPENT MOST OF, EVEN THOUGH ALTERNATES ARE MEMBERS, UH, IT WASN'T UNTIL 2017 THAT I WAS, UH, A MEMBER AND I HAVE BEEN VICE CHAIRMAN FOR TWO YEARS AND HAVE BEEN, UH, REAPPOINTED TO THE BOARD.
UH, WE ALL AWAIT THE, UH, THE MAYOR'S GRACIOUSNESS.
UM, I LIVE A STONE'S THROW OF, UH, NORTH OF LBJ.
THERE IS NO NAME OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD, BUT IT IS A NORTH DALLAS, UM, UH, WHICH IS, UH, ALSO DISTRICT 11.
WE DON'T TALK ABOUT DISTRICTS TODAY THOUGH.
AND THE REASON WHY IS, EXCUSE, EXCUSE ME, ROBERT.
NO, YOU'RE THE REASON WHY IS WE ARE APPOINTED TO SERVE THE CITY, NOT YOUR DISTRICT.
A DISTRICT THAT, UH, IN OUR QUASI-JUDICIAL ROLE DISTRICTS ARE NOT, IT'S NOT A REPRESENTATIVE FORM OF QUASI-JUDICIAL.
SO THANK YOU FOR STEPPING IN THAT SO I CAN MAKE THAT CLEAR UP FRONT.
I, UM, HAVE BEEN ON THE BOARD.
I THINK THIS IS MY FINAL TERM.
UM, SO NOT SURE WHEN THAT WAS.
I WAS APPOINTED, I LIVE IN NORTH DALLAS, UM, UH, CATTYCORNER FROM ST.
MONICA, AND WHAT ELSE WAS I SUPPOSED TO TELL YOU? I THINK THAT'S IT.
ROBERT IS THE PRESIDING OFFICER FOR PANEL C.
I'M THE PRESIDING OFFICER FOR PANEL A.
MS. GABO IS THE PRESIDING OFFICER FOR PANEL B.
OKAY, MR. MILLIKEN, WE'RE GONNA START WITH YOU AND MOVE AROUND.
AGAIN, THIS IS ALL FOR, SO EVERYONE GETS A CHANCE OF THE MICROPHONE AS WELL AS FOR US TO GET A SLICE OF EACH OTHER.
UM, I LIVE IN SOUTHEAST DALLAS AND IN PARTICULAR THE NEIGHBORHOOD OF PARKDALE, AND I'VE SERVED ON THE BOARD SINCE 2022.
I DID A BRIEF STINT PRIOR TO THAT.
I, UH, LIVE IN OLD EAST DALLAS IN THE GENIUS HEIGHTS NEIGHBORHOOD.
I AM ON PANEL B AND I'VE SERVED SINCE 2021.
I, UM, HAVE SERVED FOR A YEAR AND A HALF.
UM, I LIVE IN SOUTHWEST DALLAS IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD OF BLUE BONNET HEIGHTS IN OAK CLIFF.
ANDREW, WHERE IS THE INTER WHAT'S THE BEST INTERSECTION AT BLUE BONNET HEIGHTS? UM, WESTMORELAND IN ILLINOIS, WESTMORELAND WESTMORELAND IN ILLINOIS.
I LIVE IN NORTH OAK CLIFF IN KESSLER PARK, WHICH IS ABOUT SOUTHWEST FROM THE CITY OF DALLAS.
AND I'VE BEEN ON THE PANEL FOR TWO YEARS.
I LIVE IN NORTH DALLAS, UH, NEAR PRESTON HOLLOW VILLAGE,
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UH, IN PAGEWOOD.UH, I WAS APPOINTED AS AN ALTERNATE IN THE END OF 2017.
UM, I LIVE IN DALLAS, UH, A NEIGHBORHOOD CALLED GREENWAY PARKS.
UM, I AM ON PANEL B, SO ON WEDNESDAYS.
UM, I WAS APPOINTED INITIALLY IN 2019.
UM, SERVED FROM 2019 TO 2022, TOOK A BRIEF BREAK AND THEN WAS LUCKY TO GET REAPPOINTED TO A DIFFERENT PANEL, UM, IN 2023 AND THEN REAPPOINTED AGAIN.
I LIVED IN EAST DALLAS IN THE LITTLE FOREST HILLS NEIGHBORHOOD, AND I WAS APPOINTED TO PANEL A JUST ABOUT ONE YEAR.
EXACTLY, ACTUALLY THIS MONTH, I THINK IT'S ONE YEAR ANNIVERSARY.
I LIVE IN FAR SOUTHWEST DALLAS, UM, MOUNTAIN CREEK AREA.
UM, CAME ON THE PANEL IN 2017 AS A SEAT, WAS VACATED AND HAVE BEEN STUCK WITH ROBERT EVER SINCE
BUT, UM, ABSOLUTE PLEASURE TO HAVE BEEN SERVING THE COMMUNITY THAT WE ALL KNOW AND LOVE AND CALL HOME SINCE 2017.
I AM BRAND NEW, A LITTLE BIT CLOSER TO THE MICROPHONE.
THIS IS MY FIRST MEETING, SO I'M BRAND NEW TO ALL THIS.
I'M ON PANEL A, I LIVE IN FAR FAR, FAR NORTH DALLAS IN DENTON COUNTY, PART OF DALLAS.
UM, THE ONE OF THE BENT TREE SUBDIVISIONS, UH, WAY OUT THERE.
I LIVE IN WEST DALLAS IN THE TRINITY GROVES AREA IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD CALLED GILBERT EMERY.
I'M AN ALTERNATE AND I'M ON PANEL B.
I LIVE JUST WEST OF, UH, DALLAS, IN NORTH OAKCLIFF IN NEIGHBORHOOD CALLED KID SPRINGS.
SO I'M GONNA GO AROUND THE ROOM FOR THE PROFESSIONAL STAFF THAT SUPPORT THE BOARD.
UH, JUST GIVE US YOUR NAME AND YOUR ROLE IF YOU WOULD.
AND WE'RE GONNA START WITH JASON POOLE, PLEASE.
I'M THE DEVELOPMENT SERVICES ADMINISTRATOR FOR THE LAND DEVELOPMENT TEAM.
JASON IS DIRECTOR ESPINOZA'S LEAD EXECUTIVE FOR THE BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT.
HE'S THE PERSON THAT MYSELF AND ROBERT AND SHERRY AND I DEAL WITH ON A REGULAR BASIS FOR MOVING, KEEPING THE TRAIN ON THE TRACKS AND MOVING FORWARD.
SO WE VERY MUCH APPRECIATE JASON'S APPOINTMENT OF RECENT.
I'M THE BOARD COUNSEL, UH, REP REPRESENTING THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE.
I'M DIANA BARQUE AND I'M THE PROJECT COORDINATOR OF DEVELOPMENT SERVICES.
KAMIKA MILLER HODGKINS SENIOR PLANNER FOR BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT, AND ABSOLUTELY ONE OF OUR MOST PIVOTAL STAFF SUPPORT PERSON IS OUR BOARD SECRETARY.
MY NAME IS MARY WILLIAMS AND I'M THE BOARD SECRETARY FOR THE BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT.
AND THEN NORA, YOU CAN, DO YOU HAVE A MICROPHONE OVER THERE? OKAY.
UH, YOU, YOU CAN GRAB HERS A QUICK SECOND.
WE WANNA MAKE SURE YOU INTRODUCE YOURSELF PLEASE.
OR YOU CAN SHOUT, MY NAME IS NORA, THE, UH,
UM, THE NEXT PERSON, MR. CHAIRMAN, IF I MAY, I BELIEVE THERE WERE A FEW, UH, PANELISTS THAT WERE ONLINE THAT WE'RE APPEARING VIRTUALLY.
OH, THANK YOU MR. SAP AS WELL.
I'VE GOT MR. NUTTALL, I THINK, AND MR. CANNON.
SO, MR. NUTTALL, WOULD YOU INTRODUCE YOURSELF? YES.
I SERVE ON PANEL B, UH, I LIVE IN BUCKNER TERRACE OR EAST DALLAS.
UH, I'M JOE CANNON, UH, CALLING IN FROM, WELL LIVE IN CENTRAL DALLAS.
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THE HEART OF DOWNTOWN.BEEN SERVING ON PANEL B FOR THE PAST TWO YEARS, AND, UM, LOOKING FORWARD TO ANOTHER TWO.
VERY GOOD CATCH MR. BOARD ATTORNEY.
THAT'S WHY WE HAVE ATTORNEYS AROUND OCCASIONALLY TO KEEP US OUT OF TROUBLE.
ALRIGHT, THE NEXT PERSON I'D LIKE TO INTRODUCE, UH, IS OUR CITY ATTORNEY.
UH, WE'RE VERY HONORED TO HAVE TAMMY PALINO WITH US TODAY.
SHE WAS RECENTLY APPOINTED THE CITY ATTORNEY FOR THE CITY OF DALLAS.
AND, UH, I ASKED YOU TO COME TODAY JUST TO INTRODUCE YOURSELF AND TELL US VERY BRIEFLY ABOUT THE ROLE THE CITY ATTORNEY VIS-A-VIS BOARDS, COMMISSIONS, THE COUNCIL, BUT SPECIFICALLY OUR BOARD OF ADJUSTMENTS.
SO, MS. PELINO, THANK YOU FOR BEING WITH US TODAY, MR. CHAIRMAN.
AS IMPORTANTLY, MR. PALOMINO WAS THE, UH, SECOND, UH, BOARD ATTORNEY THAT I EVER SAT WITH.
SO THIS TOO IS WHAT YOU HAVE, UH, IN YOUR FUTURE, ALL OF YOU.
IT'S, IT'S A PLEASURE TO BE HERE AND I, I ENJOYED SERVING, UM, AS THE ATTORNEY FOR THE BOARD.
WE HAD SOME REALLY INTERESTING, UM, AMORTIZATION CASES WHEN I WAS THERE.
UM, LET ME JUST TELL YOU A LITTLE BIT ABOUT OUR, UM, OFFICE.
THE CITY OF DALLAS CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE IS A FULL SERVICE LAW FIRM.
I'M PROUD TO SAY THAT WE HAVE THREE DIVISIONS.
OUR LITIGATION DIVISION, OUR INSPECTOR GENERAL DIVISION, WHICH IS ABOUT 18 MONTHS OLD.
AND THEN WE HAVE GENERAL COUNSEL DIVISION.
YOU ALL WILL ALWAYS LIKELY SEE, UM, OUR GENERAL COUNSEL DIVISION ATTORNEYS BECAUSE OF THE ROLE THEY PLAY, UM, IN OUR OFFICE.
SO I WANNA INTRODUCE YOU TODAY, THE CHIEF OF OUR, UM, GENERAL COUNSEL DIVISION, UH, BERT VANDENBERG, BERT SUPERVISES, I BELIEVE SIX SECTIONS IN, UM, IN OUR, UM, GENERAL COUNSEL DIVISION.
AND WE'RE DIVIDED BY THE AREA OF PRACTICE.
AND SO WE HAVE, I BELIEVE, ABOUT 52 BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS IN THE CITY.
AND SO WE HAVE A LOT OF ATTORNEYS THAT ARE OUT THERE REPRESENTING DIFFERENT BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS IN THEIR EITHER QUASI-JUDICIAL ADVISORY CAPACITIES.
UM, ALSO CASEY BURGESS, HE IS OUR DEPUTY CHIEF OF OUR GENERAL COUNSEL DIVISION.
HE ALSO SERVES AS A SECTION CHIEF OF OUR MUNICIPAL REGULATORY, UH, SECTION.
THEY DO EV WE AFFECTIONATELY SAY THEY DO EVERYTHING BUT CONTRACTS.
AND THEN I'M HAPPY TO HAVE OUR INSPECTOR GENERAL HERE TODAY WHO, UM, BART BEAVERS ARGUMENT BART IS, UM, WAS HIRED TO, TO ACTUALLY, UM, TO STAND UP THE IG DIVISION.
AND SO THEY DO ALL OF THE, UM, FRAUD, WASTE AND ABUSE INVESTIGATIONS.
WE HAVE, UM, OUR CHIEF INTEGRITY OFFICER UNDER, UM, UH, THE IG DIVISION.
AND THEN WE ALSO HAVE, UM, SOMEBODY WHO WRITES ADVISORY OPINIONS FOR EMPLOYEES, UM, ELECTED OFFICIALS AND, UM, AND BOARD AND AND COMMISSION MEMBERS AS WELL, ADVISORY OPINIONS ON WHETHER OR NOT YOU CAN DO, TAKE AN ACTION ON SOMETHING.
AND SO, UM, LET ME HAVE BARON STAND UP.
HE IS OUR CHIEF INTEGRITY OFFICER.
HE'S IN CHARGE OF TRAINING, UH, CITY EMPLOYEES, CITY BOARDS AND CITY OFFICIALS.
AND THEN RACHEL CRAIG, SHE IS, UM, AN ATTORNEY IN THE IG DIVISION WHO DRAFTS AT ALL OF THE ADVISORY OPINIONS FOR THE CITY.
AND THEN OF COURSE, MATT SAPP, UM, HE'S THE ATTORNEY FOR THE BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT.
AND THEN I HAVE TODAY, DANIEL MOORE IS HERE.
HE'S YOUR FORMER, UH, ATTORNEY EMERITUS TO THE BOARD
AND THAT'S WHAT I REFER TO HIM AS.
AND I, I PULLED MS. PALAMINO ASIDE BEFORE THE MEETING, AND I'LL SAY THIS NOW VERY PUBLICLY, AND I SAID THIS, WHEN OUR RULES OR PROCEDURE WENT TO THE CITY COUNCIL IN APRIL OF THIS YEAR, HOW MUCH WE SO APPRECIATE DANIEL MOORE'S SERVICE AS OUR BOARD ATTORNEY.
HE WAS THERE MANY, MANY TIMES TO THIS DAY.
MS. PALOMINO THAT I HAVE A LITTLE, UH, VOICE IN MY EAR FROM THAT WAS FROM WHAT DANIEL WOULD SAY, MR. CHAIRMAN, YOU NEED TO MAKE SURE THIS AND THAT, THE OTHER.
SO HE'S INVALUABLE AND, AND THAT'S WHY I DUBBED HIM OUR BOARD ATTORNEY EMERITUS.
SO TODAY, UM, BARON IS GOING TO, UM, GIVE YOU SOME, UH, HE'S GONNA GO OVER 12 A, WHICH IS OUR CODE OF ETHICS.
AND THEN OF COURSE MATTHEW'S GONNA GO OVER THE BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT, UM, VARIANCES, SPECIAL EXCEPTIONS AND THE LIKE.
AND THEN DANIEL'S GONNA TALK ABOUT THE OPEN MEETINGS ACT.
AND THEN FINALLY, BRADY FLANNERY, WHO'S NOT, OH, THERE YOU ARE.
HE, UM, IS GONNA TALK ABOUT THE PUBLIC INFORMATION ACT.
SO LEMME TELL YOU A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE ROLE OF THE CITY ATTORNEY AND THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE.
UM, THE CITY ATTORNEY IS A, AN APPOINTED OFFICIAL.
THIS MICROPHONE, I NEED TO PULL A LITTLE BIT CLOSER.
UM, OUR OFFICE REPRESENTS THE CITY IN ALL LITIGATION AGAINST THE CITY.
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AND REPRESENT CITY OFFICIALS AND EMPLOYEES IN LITIGATION REGARDING MATTERS THAT ARISE FROM THEIR OFFICIAL DUTIES OR IN THE COURSE AND SCOPE OF THEIR EMPLOYMENT.WE ALSO FILE AFFIRMATIVE LITIGATION AGAINST, UM, BAD ACTORS.
UM, WE ALSO PROSECUTE ALL OF THE MUNICIPAL COURT CASES.
WE APPROVE AS TO FORM AND DRAFT ALL OF THE CITY ORDINANCES.
AND WE REPRESENT THE CITY BEFORE ALL LEGISLATIVE BODIES, BOTH STATE AND FEDERAL.
WE ARE ALSO, UM, THE ADVISORS, LEGAL ADVISORS TO CITY COUNCIL, THE CITY COUNCIL COMMITTEES, THE CITY MANAGER, OTHER OFFICIALS, BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS AND CITY OFFICERS REGARDING ANY LEGAL QUESTION INVOLVING OFFICIAL DUTIES OR ANY LEGAL MATTERS RELATING TO CITY AFFAIRS.
WE ADVISE THE CITY COUNCIL, THE CITY MANAGER AND THE CITY DEPARTMENTS ON NEW AND PROPOSED STATE AND FEDERAL LEGISLATION AS WELL.
AND WE PERFORM ALL OTHER DUTIES AS THE COUNCIL MAY DIRECT OR REQUEST.
SO THAT IS BASICALLY WHAT WE DO IN THE CITY.
UM, WE DO TAKE OUR ROLE AS, UM, ADVISORS TO BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS VERY SERIOUSLY.
UM, ESPECIALLY, UM, WHEN YOU CONSIDER THAT YOU ARE A QUASI-JUDICIAL BOARD, YOU CAN BE SUED AND YOU ALSO HAVE, UM, I THINK YOUR, ALL OF THE THINGS THAT YOU DO AFFECT PEOPLE.
AND SO THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO US.
AND SO, UM, I REALLY APPRECIATE YOU HAVING ME HERE TODAY.
AND THAT'S BASICALLY THE ROLE OF THE CITY ATTORNEY AND THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE.
QUESTIONS FOR MS. PALINO? MR. AGNES, DID YOU HAVE A QUESTION? I SOMEHOW KNEW THAT, YES.
DO YOU SUE MR. ESPINOZA OR DEFEND MR. ESPINOZA? WE DEFEND MR. ESPINOZA.
SO THERE IS A DIFFERENT PART OF THE CITY'S LEGAL WHO, WHO WOULD MAKE THAT DECISION, RIGHT? WE'RE DIVIDED INTO DIVISION.
SO OUR LITIGATION DIVISION HANDLES ALL OF THE LITIGATION THAT, UM, WHERE WE REPRESENT CITY OFFICIALS, UM, OR WE FILE LAWSUITS AGAINST.
SO, SO LET'S CLARIFY THAT FOR EVERYONE'S EDIFICATION.
I THINK WHAT YOU MEANT IS THE BUILDING OFFICIAL.
SO WHEN THE BUILDING OFFICIAL ACTS IN HIS OR HER OFFICIAL DUTY TO DETERMINE, UH, THE, UH, UH, CERTIFICATE OF OCCUPANCY OR ISSUING A PERMIT, UM, THAT'S WHEN THAT COULD BE POTENTIALLY LITIGATED.
THAT'S WHAT I THINK YOU'RE REFERRING TO.
UM, WOULD YOU CLARIFY IN WHICH SCENARIOS YOU WOULD HAVE OUTSIDE REPRESENTATION, UM, THAT WOULD POTENTIALLY REPRESENT THIS BOARD WHERE IT'S NOT JUST THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE WHEN THERE'S A CONFLICT OF INTEREST, WE WILL HIRE OUTSIDE COUNSEL TO REPRESENT THE BOARD.
DO YOU WANT ME TO GIVE A LITTLE BIT MORE CLARITY TO THAT? I THINK, I THINK SO.
FOR THOSE THAT, UM, HAVE NOT, UM, EXPERIENCED THAT PROCESS, SO THE, UM, THE STATE LAW THAT, UM, THAT FORMULATED THE BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT GIVES PEOPLE THE RIGHT TO, UM, SUE AGGRIEVED DECISIONS FROM THE BOARD.
IT ALSO GIVES A MUNICIPALITY THAT OPTION AS WELL.
WE DO THAT VERY, VERY RARELY, BUT IT'S IN CIRCUMSTANCES WHERE WE'RE, WE BELIEVE THE CITY BELIEVES THEY'RE AGGRIEVED BY THE BOARD'S DECISION, WE WOULD HIRE OUTSIDE COUNSEL FOR THIS BOARD TO BE REPRESENTED, AND THEN WE WOULD REPRESENT, UM, THE, THE BUILDING OFFICIAL.
IF THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT.
I THINK TWO TIMES IN 21 YEARS I'VE SEEN THAT HAPPEN.
OTHER QUESTIONS FOR THE CITY ATTORNEY? THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
WE APPRECIATE YOU AND YOUR EXECUTIVE TEAM BEING HERE THIS MORNING.
WE LOOK FORWARD TO THE PRESENTATIONS THAT ARE FORTHCOMING.
NEXT UP, UH, AS AN INTRODUCTION, WE HAVE THE DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT SERVICES, ANDREW ESPINOZA, AND ANDREW HAS A FEW OF HIS EXECUTIVES WITH HIM.
UM, AND SO IF YOU WOULD TAKE CENTER CHAIR, MR. BUILDING OFFICIAL.
WE'RE VERY GLAD THAT YOU'RE WITH US.
IF YOU WOULD INTRODUCE YOURSELF AND YOUR TEAM AND TELL US A SNIPPET ABOUT DEVELOPMENT SERVICES AND MAYBE ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT MAY COME UP.
UH, FIRST OF ALL, GOOD MORNING EVERYONE.
IT'S AN HONOR AND A PLEASURE TO BE HERE.
I AM ANDREW ESPINOZA, THE DEVELOPMENT SERVICES DIRECTOR AND BUILDING OFFICIAL, UH, THAT SERVES YOU AND THE REST OF THE COMMUNITY.
UH, WITH ME TODAY, I HAVE ASSISTANT DIRECTOR VERNON YOUNG, UH, WHO OVERSEES OUR CUSTOMER ADVOCATE GROUP AND OUR MINOR PLAN REVIEW TEAM, AS WELL AS OUR CALL CENTER.
UM, IN ADDITION, WE HAVE ASSISTANT DIRECTOR MINA ISKANDER,
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WHO IS OUR DEVELOPMENT SERVICES ENGINEER, WHO OVERSEES OUR ZONING TEAM, OUR LAND DEVELOPMENT TEAM, OUR ARBORIST AND OTHER, UH, DIVISIONS WITHIN OUR DEPARTMENT TODAY.WE ALSO WANTED TO INVITE, UH, DONALD DIXON, WHO'S OUR DEPUTY BILLING OFFICIAL, BUT WAS NOT ABLE TO MAKE IT.
HE OVERSEES OUR INSPECTION AND OUR PLAN REVIEW GROUP.
UM, A LITTLE SNIPPET ABOUT DEVELOPMENT SERVICES, ANYTHING, EVERYTHING DEVELOPMENT IN THE CITY OF DALLAS COMES THROUGH OUR OFFICE.
UH, WE RECEIVE THOUSANDS OF PERMITS EVERY YEAR.
WE PERFORM THOUSANDS OF BUILDING MECHANICAL, ELECTRICAL, PLUMBING, TREE SIDEWALK ENGINEERING INSPECTIONS AND PLAN REVIEWS.
UH, WE'RE ONE OF THE BUSIEST DEPARTMENTS IN THE CITY OF DALLAS, AND SO WE'RE PROUD TO SERVE THE RESIDENTS AND OF COURSE, WE SUPPORT THIS BOARD AS WELL.
UH, AS YOU KNOW, UM, THE BOARD CAME OVER TO DEVELOPMENT SERVICES, UH, LAST OCTOBER.
UH, AND SINCE THEN WE'VE BEEN MAKING PROGRESSIVE IMPROVEMENTS.
AND JASON POOLE, OUR ADMINISTRATOR, WILL SHARE SOME OF THOSE IMPROVEMENTS, UH, LATER ON TODAY.
UH, WHEN THE BOARD CAME OVER, WE HAD THREE TEAM MEMBERS SERVING THIS PARTICULAR GOVERNING BODY, UH, WITH SOME CHANGES AND SOME RESTRUCTURING.
WE NOW HAVE SEVEN TEAM MEMBERS THAT SUPPORT THIS GROUP ALONG WITH JASON'S LEADERSHIP.
AND SO IT'S A, AGAIN, AN HONOR TO BE HERE.
WE LOOK FORWARD TO THE CONTINUED PARTNERSHIP.
UH, AND WE THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE TO THE RESIDENTS OF DALLAS AND OUR DEPARTMENT.
BEST, MR. ESPINO QUESTIONS FOR THE BUILDING OFFICIAL? I HAVE ONE OR TWO, UH, A WHILE BACK, THE CITY PURCHASED A BUILDING ON ALONG 35 STEMMONS, AND THERE WAS DISCUSSION ABOUT DEVELOPMENT SERVICES MOVING FROM MACH, WHICH IS ON JEFFERSON, UP TO THAT FACILITY.
IS THAT STILL IN THE MIX? IS THAT ON HOLD? IS THAT WHERE, WHERE IS THAT? SO THANK YOU FOR THE, THE QUESTION CHAIRMAN NEWMAN.
UH, WHAT WE HAVE HEARD IS THAT THE FINAL COMPLETION WILL BE IN NOVEMBER, SO JUST NEXT MONTH.
UH, I BELIEVE THERE ARE SOME PENDING IT RELATED CONFIGURATIONS, UH, BUT WE HOPE TO BE IN THERE VERY SOON, UH, BEFORE THE YEAR IS UP.
SO IS, DOES THAT MEAN THAT PEOPLE FILE REQUESTING PERMITS, THAT THAT WHOLE OPERATION SHIFTS TO THAT LOCATION? WHAT RESIDUAL OF DEVELOPMENT SERVICES WILL STAY IN JEFFERSON OR IS IT YOUR INTENTION FOR THAT INTAKE PROCESS TO MOVE THERE? THANK YOU FOR THE INQUIRY.
SO OUR CITY MANAGER'S VISION IS TO HAVE A TRUE ONE-STOP SHOP FOR DEVELOPMENT.
UH, SO CUSTOMERS CAN COME IN, HAVE A PLEASANT EXPERIENCE, BE ABLE TO BUILD SYNERGY FROM DEPARTMENT TO DEPARTMENT, OPPOSED TO RUNNING FROM BUILDING TO BUILDING AND, AND, AND SECTION TO SECTION.
AND SO ALL OF OUR OPERATIONS, UH, DEVELOPMENT SERVICES WISE WILL BE RELOCATED TO 7,800 NORTH STEMMONS.
AND IT'S OUR HOPE IN THE FUTURE TO ALSO BRING OUR DISTRICT OFFICES, UH, INTO THAT, UH, UMBRELLA SO THAT WE CAN PROVIDE THAT RED CARPET EXPERIENCE.
EXCELLENT QUESTION, MR. SINGTON.
THANK YOU, MR. OFFICIAL, UH, QUESTION YOU MENTIONED EARLIER, UM, ABOUT THE STAFFING THAT YOU HAD WHEN WE CAME OVER, UM, TO BUILDING SERVICES.
MY QUESTION TO YOU IS HAVE ALL OF THE STAFFING NEEDS, UM, UH, TO SUPPORT THE THREE PANELS, UH, THAT WE HAVE BEEN MET.
IS THERE A RAMP UP TO THAT, UM, SUCCESSFUL COMPLETION? AND WHERE ARE YOU IN THAT PROCESS? THANK YOU.
UH, THANK YOU FOR THAT, FOR THAT QUESTION.
SO ALL OF THE POSITIONS, EXCEPT FOR ONE, IS CURRENTLY VACANT.
I BELIEVE WE HAVE A, A SENIOR PLANNER OR PLANS EXAMINER THAT'S VACANT.
WE'RE WORKING TO ACTIVELY FILL THAT.
WE BELIEVE WE HAVE THE POSITIONS WE NEED IN ORDER TO SUPPORT THIS GROUP, BUT IF THERE IS A SPECIFIC NEED OR A REQUEST, WE'LL BE HAPPY TO EXPLORE THAT OPPORTUNITY.
SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE DID, FOR EXAMPLE, WAS TO BRING ON A BOARD SECRETARY SPECIFICALLY WITHIN THAT PAY CLASSIFICATION SO THAT WE COULD BE EQUITABLE, ATTRACT SOMEONE WITH THOSE TALENTS AND SKILLS TO BE ABLE TO MORE EFFECTIVELY AND EFFICIENTLY RUN THIS PROCESS.
UH, HIRING ON JASON POOLE AS THE ADMINISTRATOR OVER THE BOARD HAS CREATED TREMENDOUS MOMENTUM.
UH, AND AS YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU HAVE THE APPROPRIATE AND THE RIGHT LEADERS IN PLACE, A LOT MORE CAN BE ACCOMPLISHED.
AND SO, AGAIN, WE LOOK FORWARD TO ANY RECOMMENDATIONS YOU HAVE.
IF YOU SEE SOME GAPS, WE'LL BE MORE THAN HAPPY TO CONSIDER THOSE, UH, SUGGESTIONS.
AND JUST ONE, JUST ONE FOLLOW UP, IF I MIGHT.
UM, YOU, YOU SPOKE TO E EQU, UM, UH, AN EQUITABLE, UM, MINDSET.
UM, DOES IT ALSO INCLUDE STAFFING OUT WITH, UH, A DI A DIVERSE GROUP OF INDIVIDUALS TO SUPPORT THE DIVERSE, UM, UH, COMMUNITY THAT WE SERVE, UM, IN DALLAS? THANK YOU FOR THAT
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QUESTION.AS LEADERS, WE HAVE TO BE INCLUSIVE, UH, AND BE MINDFUL OF HOW WE RECRUIT AND HOW WE, UH, STAFF OUR TEAM TO BE ABLE TO BE SURE THAT WE'RE PROVIDING THAT EQUITABLE CUSTOMER SERVICE, BEING SURE THAT THE WORKLOADS ARE ALSO EQUITABLE, UH, AND THAT WE'RE ABLE TO BE ABLE TO ALLOW OUR STAFF TO ENJOY TIME WITH THEIR FAMILIES VACATION.
AND SO ALL OF THAT GOES BACK TO THE STAFFING NEEDS, BEING ABLE TO COMPENSATE THEM APPROPRIATELY AND THEN MOST IMPORTANTLY, CREATE AN ENVIRONMENT WHERE THEY WANT TO STAY AND SERVE.
THANK YOU, MR. SASHING, MS. LAMB.
UM, WE'VE SPOKEN ABOUT THE TRANSITION FROM THE BOARD, UM, TO YOUR DEPARTMENT AND THE IMPACT ON, ON THE STAFF AND THE BOARD.
UM, WHAT FEEDBACK, IF ANY OF YOU GOTTEN FROM THE PUBLIC WOULD THIS TRANSITION TO THIS NEW DEPARTMENT AND THE PROCESS IN WHICH THE PUBLIC FACING EXPERIENCES WITH, WITH THIS NEW ARRANGEMENT? THANK YOU FOR THAT QUESTION.
SO DEVELOPMENT SERVICES ACTUALLY PUSHES OUT A CUSTOMER SERVICE SURVEY ON EVERY SINGLE PIECE OF CORRESPONDENCE THAT GOES OUT OF OUR DEPARTMENT.
UH, IT'S ALSO A SURVEY THAT CAN BE FOUND ON OUR WEBSITE.
AND THE INITIAL RESPONSE THAT I'VE GOTTEN FROM CUSTOMERS RELATED TO OUR BOARD TEAM MEMBERS HAS BEEN VERY POSITIVE.
I DON'T THINK I'VE RECEIVED ONE NEGATIVE COMMENT.
HAVE WE RECEIVED ANY CONSTRUCTIVE THOUGHTS FROM APPLICANTS AND CUSTOMERS WITH THIS TRANSITION? I, I, I'M SURE WE HAVE.
UH, I, I PERSONALLY DON'T HAVE THAT, SO I'LL HAVE TO DEFER TO OUR ADMINISTRATOR AND, UH, MY ASSISTANT DIRECTOR.
BUT I HAVE WORKED VERY CLOSELY WITH CHAIR NEWMAN, UH, AND RECEIVED, YOU KNOW, SUGGESTIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS RELATED TO MAKING SURE WE IMPROVE THE ACCURACY OF THE CASES, OF THE TRANSPARENCY, UH, THE TURNAROUND TIME, AND ALSO THAT CUSTOMER SERVICE.
SO THOSE ARE THE THE MAIN THINGS WE'RE FOCUSING ON.
BUT AS, AS ALWAYS, WE, WE WELCOME FEEDBACK.
UM, SINCE OUR WORK IS PREDICATED ON THE INFORMATION THAT IS GIVEN TO US BY CITY STAFF, WHAT STRUCTURES DO YOU HAVE IN PLACE TO HOLD CITY STAFF TO THE HIGHEST STANDARD SO THAT OUR WORK CAN BE EASIER? THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT QUESTION.
SO, SO ONE OF THE THINGS I DISCOVERED WHEN I, UH, TOOK THIS ROLE ON WAS THAT AS A DEPARTMENT, WE WERE FALLING A LITTLE BIT SHORT WHEN IT CAME TO QUALITY CONTROL.
AND SO SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE ARE ACTUALLY WORKING ON RIGHT NOW TO IMPLEMENT, UH, IS NOT ONLY TO GET OUR DEPARTMENT ACCREDITED, UH, ON AN INTERNATIONAL BASIS, BUT STAND UP QUALITY CONTROL PROCESS PROCESSES FOR EACH INDIVIDUAL DIVISION AND WORKING GROUP, WHICH WOULD INCLUDE THIS PARTICULAR GROUP AS WELL.
OTHER QUESTIONS FOR MR. ESPINOZA AND DEVELOPMENT SERVICES? SEEING NONE, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
WE VERY MUCH APPRECIATE YOU AND YOUR TEAM BEING HERE.
AND I WANNA POP PUBLICLY AGAIN, REINFORCE HOW MUCH WE'RE VERY PLEASED WITH JASON, MR. POOLE, MR. POOLE, JOINING, UH, PART OF YOUR TEAM AND HAVING BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT AS PART OF HIS, UH, MANAGEMENT RESPONSIBILITY.
THANK YOU, UH, SAM FOR COMING.
UH, WE ARE MOVING ALONG BRISKLY THIS MORNING.
SO THIS IS A GOOD OMEN FOR OR GOOD SIGNAL FOR THE DAY.
UM, UH, ARE WE HAVE PUBLIC TESTIMONY, MR. SAPP SCHEDULED FOR 10:00 AM SO I'M ASSUMING I CAN'T GO TO THAT UNTIL 10.
IS THAT A CORRECT? WOULD THAT BE A CORRECT ASSUMPTION? THAT WOULD BE A A WISE ASSUMPTION, YES, SIR.
ALRIGHT, SO I'M GONNA GO AHEAD AND, AND BRIEFLY PRESENT THE CHAIRMAN'S REPORT, UH, UPDATE PANEL ASSIGNMENTS AND RULES OF PROCEDURE.
AND, UH, AND THEN WE'LL FIGURE OUT, DEPENDING ON WHERE THAT GOES, WE MAY START THE PRESENTATION, UH, UH, ETHICS AND CONFLICT OF INTEREST BEFORE 10 OR AT 10, UH, BUT WE'LL GO FROM THERE.
PAGE FOUR OF YOUR PACKAGE SHOWS A ONE PAGE SUMMARY FROM YOUR CHAIRMAN REGARDING, UM, UH, THE PERIOD OF OCTOBER ONE OF 22 THROUGH SEPTEMBER 30TH OF 23.
AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, I'M GONNA ENCOURAGE PRESENTERS NOT TO READ THEIR PRESENTATION, SO I'M NOT GONNA READ IT OTHER THAN SAYING FOCUS, ADVOCACY, EMPOWERMENT, TRANSITION AND PROGRESS.
I'M GONNA SAY THE MOST IMPORTANT THING ON THAT WHOLE PAGE IS THE LAST SECTION ON PROGRESS.
THESE ARE SPECIFIC COMPONENTS THAT MR. POOL AND I HAVE AGREED TO WORK TO WORK ON TOGETHER.
UH, OFFICERS OF THE BOARD AS WELL AS THE BOARD AS WE GO INTO 20, UH, THE END OF 23 AND 24.
[00:35:01]
MR. ESPINOZA HAS BEEN VERY OPEN IN WORKING WITH THE BOARD ON IMPLEMENTING THE TRANSITION FROM PLANNING AND URBAN DESIGN TO DEVELOPMENT SERVICES.UM, I BELIEVE THERE'S SEVERAL BOARD MEMBERS THAT DO NOT HAVE THE CHAIRMAN'S UPDATE.
IT'S IN YOUR, SHOULD BE IN YOUR ONLINE VERSION.
WE'RE SEEING HARD COPIES OF YOUR YES.
THE ONLY HARD COPIES YOU GOT WERE THE AGENDA AND THEN THE, THE DEVELOPMENT SERVICES REPORT AT THE END, IT'S, IT'D BEING YOUR ONLINE PACKAGE.
IS THERE A WAY WE CAN HAVE A SPLIT SCREEN HERE WHERE WE CAN HAVE THE PRESENTATION PULLED UP FOR THE BOARD MEMBERS TO I WOULD AGREE.
SO JASON, CAN WE BRING UP THAT SO THAT, 'CAUSE I'D LIKE THAT FOR THE ONLINE AS WE GO THROUGH THE PRESENTATIONS.
IT'S PAGE FOUR I, I REQUEST, I APPRECIATE YOUR REQUEST MS. LAMB.
THIS WILL BE A QUICK TEST FOR MR. POOL AND HIS TECHNOLOGICAL PRO LIFTS.
EXPERTISE, CAPACITY, STRENGTH.
AND CAN YOU MAKE THAT FULL SCREEN? IS THAT POSSIBLE? NOT THAT WE DON'T WANNA SEE PEOPLE'S FACES, BUT THAT'S RIGHT.
IS THAT WHAT IT IS? I DON'T KNOW WHAT IT'S CALLED.
SO I'LL, I'LL FOLLOW HIS CLICKS.
OH, THAT'S AS LARGE AS I CAN MAKE IT.
CAN YOU MAKE IT FULL SCREEN? IT MAY HAVE TO HAPPEN ON THERE.
AND THEN, UM, I DUNNO IF PEOPLE CAN READ THAT OR NOT.
THIS IS THE AGE OF TECHNOLOGY.
IS THERE PRE ME? I'D STILL PREFER PAPER FOR EVERYTHING, BUT IS THERE PRESENTATION MODE? OH, MS. LAMB, NOW, NOW WE KNOW WHO'S GOT THE TECHNOLOGICAL PROBLEMS. OH, I DON'T, I'M A MILLENNIAL.
THAT IS NOT GOOD AT TECHNOLOGY AT ALL.
DON'T WE HAVE, YEAH, ONE SECOND.
I, I APOLOGIZE I WASN'T PREPARED TO PRESENT THIS.
WE ONLY HAVE 186 PAGES OF OUR AGENDA TODAY, GUYS, IF YOU GUYS ARE USING THE APP, YOU CAN GO TO VIEW AND FULL SCREEN.
UH, IF YOU'RE LOGGED IN ON THE WEBSITE, I DON'T KNOW, WELL NOTICE HOW WE'RE BURNING THROUGH OUR TIME FOR OUR 10 O'CLOCK PUBLIC TESTIMONY.
ALRIGHT, THAT'S, THAT'S MUCH BETTER.
SO, UM, ARE YOU GONNA RUN THE, THE DEAL ON THAT? OKAY.
ALRIGHT, SO I'M GONNA, AGAIN, I'M NOT GONNA READ EVERYTHING.
UH, IT WAS SENT TO YOU IN, IN YOUR PACKAGE, UH, LAST TUESDAY.
WHAT I WANNA EMPHASIZE IS THE, THE LAST, LAST BULLET, IF YOU COULD ROLL TO THAT.
AND THAT IS, THESE ARE KEY COMPONENTS THAT AS A BYPRODUCT OF THIS LAST YEAR OF TRANSITION,
[00:40:01]
THAT, UM, THE DEVELOPMENT SERVICES AND MYSELF AND THE OFFICERS HAVE FOCUSED ON WHAT THINGS THAT WE'RE GONNA WORK ON TOGETHER GOING FORWARD.AND IT KIND OF GOES TO SOME OF THE QUESTIONS OF MR. SINGTON AND MS. LAMBS ABOUT CAPACITY AND, UM, BOTH THE STAFF'S ROLE AS WELL AS THE BACK AND FORTH TO BETTER.
GLOVER'S COMMENT ABOUT EMPOWERING INFORMATION TO THE BOARD.
SO, UM, I'M OPTIMISTIC, I'M POSITIVE.
I WILL TELL YOU THAT, UH, AGAIN, THIS TIME PERIOD IS SEPTEMBER, OCTOBER, ONE OF LAST YEAR THROUGH SEPTEMBER 30TH OF THIS YEAR.
IT'S BEEN A LITTLE, LITTLE BIT OF A ROLLERCOASTER.
WE'VE HAD THREE BOARD ADMINISTRATORS DURING THAT TIME PERIOD.
UH, AND THAT'S A LITTLE, THAT'S A LITTLE TOUGH TO, UH, YOU KNOW, GO THROUGH AN ON-RAMP THREE TIMES.
UM, BUT WE'RE, WE'RE POSITIVE AND WE'RE HOPEFUL.
UH, ALRIGHT, WE CAN CLICK TO THE NEXT ONE IF YOU WOULD PLEASE.
I'M GONNA KEEP GOING TO KEEP US ON SCHEDULE.
UM, THIS IS THE PANEL ASSIGNMENTS, JUST SO THAT EVERYONE UNDERSTANDS.
PANEL ASSIGNMENTS BY CITY CODE ARE CREATED BY THE BO THE CITY SECRETARY.
THE CITY SECRETARY LOOKS AT THE APPOINTMENTS FROM THE CITY COUNCIL, APPOINTMENTS FROM THE CITY COUNCIL, AND THEN BY VIRTUE OF ETHNIC DIVERSITY AND GEOGRAPHIC LOCATION, THE CITY SECRETARY ASSIGNS PEOPLE DIFFERENT TO DIFFERENT PANELS.
AND SO THIS IS THE PANEL ASSIGNMENT EFFECTIVE OCTOBER 13TH.
YOU'LL NOTICE THERE ARE A COUPLE PEOPLE STILL ON H FOR HOLDOVER THAT HAVE NOT GONE THROUGH THE APPROVAL PROCESS YET WITH THE CITY COUNCIL.
UM, BUT THAT'S THE CURRENT, THAT'S THE CURRENT STATUS AS OF OCTOBER TH 13TH.
UM, IT'S OUR RULES OF PROCEDURE.
UM, AND THAT IS 18 PAGES LONG.
UH, THIS IS ALSO LISTED ON OUR WEBSITE.
I THINK IT'S VERY IMPORTANT THAT YOU ALWAYS HAVE THIS FRONT AND CENTER.
THIS IS OUR GUIDEPOST, UH, THIS BOARD LAST NOVEMBER, APPROVED UPDATES TO OUR RULES OF PROCEDURE APRIL 12TH OF THIS YEAR.
THE CITY COUNCIL UNANIMOUSLY APPROVED THOSE RULES OF PROCEDURE, UM, WHICH IS A VERY BIG CHECK MARK FOR THE BOARD.
AND THESE ARE IN PLACE AS WE SPEAK NOW.
SO, UH, THERE REALLY, THERE AREN'T ANY RECOMMENDATIONS FROM THE BOARD OFFICERS TO THE BOARD ABOUT CHANGES TO THE RULES OF PROCEDURE.
BUT, UH, WHEN WE GO THROUGH THE COMMENT STAGE THIS AFTERNOON, THAT'LL BE, UM, THAT WE WILL OPEN ANY QUESTIONS OR, UH, SUGGESTIONS THAT YOU MAY HAVE ON THAT QUESTIONS.
QUESTIONS ABOUT THE CHAIRMAN'S UPDATE? I'M GONNA KEEP ROLLING HERE.
SO, MR. ZAPP, WAS IT YOUR RECOMMENDATION? WE WAIT TILL 10 FOR THE PUBLIC TESTIMONY SINCE I SAID 10 O'CLOCK.
SINCE WE NOTICED IT AT 10 O'CLOCK.
IT'S BEST WAY IN CASE ANYONE SHOWS UP AT 10 O'CLOCK EXPECTING NOT TO GIVE THEIR PUBLIC TESTIMONY UNTIL 10.
CAN WE START NOW AND JUST KEEP IT OPEN TILL THEN, BECAUSE IT'S FOUR, IT'S 9 43 AND I CAN ALWAYS TAKE THE SPEAKERS THAT ARE HERE NOW AND JUST MAKE SURE AT 10 THAT IT'S, WE'RE STILL, IS THAT OKAY? YES, THAT SHOULD BE JUST FINE.
MARY, UM, OR MS. BOARD SECRETARY, UM, UH, I WAS NOTIFIED BY OUR BOARD SECRETARY THAT WE HAVE FOUR PEOPLE THAT HAVE REGISTERED IN ADVANCE TO SPEAK TODAY.
UM, IS THERE ANYONE ELSE IN THE AUDIENCE THAT WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK? HAVE YOU REGISTERED WITH OUR BOARD SECRETARY IF YOU WOULD PLEASE? MR. CHAIRMAN? YES.
UM, WOULD YOU SPEAK TO THE PROCESS OF THE, OF THE SPEAKERS? ARE THEY LIMITED IN TIME? ARE WE ALLOWED TO ASK QUESTIONS THREE MINUTES OR IS IT JUST THEM COMMENTS ON, ON RECORD? UH, WHAT, WHAT I'M GONNA INVITE IS EACH SPEAKER TO PRESENT FOR THREE MINUTES.
IF THERE'S A QUESTION THAT A BOARD MEMBER HAS RECOGNIZED THROUGH THE CHAIRMAN, UH, WE'LL HAVE A QUESTION AND ANSWER.
SO I'VE GOT ONE PERSON REGISTERING AND WE'VE GOT FOUR OTHERS THAT HAVE ALREADY REGISTERED.
SO WE'RE GONNA GO AHEAD AND START THE, THE SPEAKERS ARE FIRST ON OUR LIST FOR SPEAKING.
IS STEVE LONG, MR. CHAIRMAN? YES.
SINCE WE'RE EARLY AND WE HAVE FOUR SPEAKERS, WE HAVE FIVE OR SIX COMING.
UM, I'M GONNA SAY DO THREE MINUTES, BUT I'LL BE ELASTIC IN THE TIME.
WE'LL SAY FIVE MINUTES, BUT I, I DON'T WANNA BE TOO GENEROUS BECAUSE I'M TELLING YOU BY THREE O'CLOCK THIS AFTERNOON YOU'LL ALL BE SAYING, ARE WE DONE YET? SO I'M JUST SAYING IT'S NOW AN EASY IN COFFEE AND WE'RE ALL WAKING UP BY THREE O'CLOCK.
YOU'LL ALL BE SAYING WHY AREN'T WE DONE YET? SO, OKAY.
UH, SO WE'RE GONNA BEGIN PUBLIC TESTIMONY.
IF YOU WOULD GIVE US YOUR NAME AND YOUR ADDRESS AND THEN YOU CAN SPEAK TO THE BOARD FOR FIVE MINUTES AND I THINK YOU'RE GONNA GET SOME QUESTIONS.
I'M HERE IN PART AS A CITIZEN OF DALLAS AT 9 0 2
[00:45:01]
THOMASON DRIVE.ALSO HERE IN PART AS A CONSULTANT WITH MASTER PLAN AT 2201 MAIN STREET.
I'D LIKE TO START BY, UM, THANKING ALL OF YOU, MR. CHAIR AND MEMBERS, UM, FOR THIS SPECIAL MEETING, THE CALLING OF THIS SPECIAL MEETING.
I WAS INVOLVED WITH THE BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS, PROBABLY FROM THE MID NINETIES TO 2019.
I THINK THIS IS MAYBE THE FIFTH TIME IN 30 YEARS THAT I'VE ATTENDED A SPECIAL MEETING WITH THE BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT.
AND I COMMEND YOU, MR. CHAIR, FOR ORGANIZING THIS SPECIAL MEETING AMONGST AND HAVING YOUR 15 MEMBERS HERE.
I THINK THERE'S A DEMONSTRATION ON YOUR PART AND THESE 15 PEOPLE HERE THAT YOU'RE TRYING TO REALLY, UM, BEST SERVE THE CITIZENS IN DALLAS WITH ONE BOARDING COMMISSION.
I THINK THAT THE CITY ATTORNEY SAID THERE'S 52 OF, AND THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THIS HOLDING THIS SPECIAL MEETING.
AS A CITIZEN, AS A, AS A CONSULTANT.
UM, I WANT TO COMMEND YOU AND YOUR EFFORTS THAT YOU OUTLINED ON PAGE FOUR AND YOU HEAD UP ON THE SCREEN.
UM, THE PROCESS, THE CHAIRMAN'S UPDATE, FOCUS ON FAIRNESS, TRANSPARENCY, ACCURACY, ACCURACY AND TIMELINESS, ADVOCACY, MEETING WITH THE DIRECTOR OF DE DEVELOPMENT SERVICES, UM, SOLICITING FEEDBACK FROM BDA MEMBERS AND, AND, AND GIVING THAT TO STAFF.
UM, YOUR UPDATE OF THE RULES OF PROCEDURE LAST YEAR, THE TRANSITION EFFORTS OF STAFF, THE PROGRESS, UM, THE NEW DEVELOPMENT SERVICES ADMINISTRATOR, UM, TIME TO TAKE CASES, BRING CASES TO HEARING MORE COMPREHENSIVE STAFF ANALYSIS, IMPROVING THE WEBSITE.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS I THINK I'M MOST EXCITED ABOUT OFF MY NOTES IS JUST TO SAY, WHEN I LOOKED AT THE WEBSITE AND I'M LOOKING AT YOUR 150 PAGES, I REALLY AM EXCITED FOR THE PROCESS AND SERVING THE CITIZENS, EITHER HOMEOWNERS OR DEVELOPMENT, UM, THE COMMUNITY WITH THE WHOLE FOCUS ON IMPROVING THE APPLICATION INTAKE PROCESS WITH BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT.
I THINK IT'S EXCITING THAT THERE'S A THRUST AND A FOCUS ON HELPING THE CITIZEN, UM, AT OAK CLIFF MUNICIPAL CENTER WITH UNDERSTANDING IF THEY'RE RED TAG OR THEY'RE SAYING, THIS DOESN'T WORK, YOUR CARPORT DOESN'T WORK, OR, HEY, YOUR MIXED USE DEVELOPMENT DOESN'T WORK BECAUSE THEY, THEY SEND THEM TO A ROOM AND THEY MEET WITH A PERSON, A VERY QUALIFIED PERSON.
I HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF WORKING WITH LAST YEAR, DIANA BARCO TO SIT DOWN WITH THAT PERSON, BE IT A PERSON HAS A CARPORT IN THE SIDE YARD, OR A DEVELOPER WITH A MULTI-STORY MIXED USE DEVELOPMENT TO SAY WHAT'S THE PROBLEM? WHAT ARE YOU, WHERE ARE YOU NOT COMPLIANT WITH OUR ZONING REGULATIONS? UM, PARKING.
WELL, THE BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT HAS THE WHEREWITHAL TO GRANT VARIANCE OR SPECIAL EXCEPTION TO ALL STREET PARKING REQUIREMENTS WHEN YOU CAN PROVE AT A HEARING THIS STANDARD OR HEY, UM, YOU HAVE A CARPORT IN THE FRONT YARD SETBACK, YOU GOT RED TAGGED, YOU CAN POSSIBLY A REMEDY THAT CARPORT IN THE FRONT YARD SET BACK BY A ADDRESSING THE STANDARD THAT YOU WOULD HAVE TO PROVE TO A BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT PANEL AT A HEARING WITH THIS PROVISION FROM OUR DALLAS DEVELOPMENT CODE.
I THINK THAT'S A VERY GOOD START WITH INVESTING AT THE VERY BEGINNING OF SOMEONE THAT IS, HAS A PROBLEM WITH SOME ASPECT OF OUR DEVELOPMENT CODE ZONING STANDARDS TO MEET WITH SOMEONE, A VERY PROFESSIONAL PERSON LIKE DIANA BARKUM AND SAY, LET'S TALK WHERE SHE'S, THERE'S ACTUALLY A VETTING PROCESS WHERE SOMEONE FROM THE GET-GO UNDERSTANDS HOW THEY WOULD ACHIEVE MAYBE COMING TO A PUBLIC HEARING WITH YOU AND HAVING A STANDARD THEY HAVE TO PROVE TO WIN THEIR APPLICATION TO YOU.
UM, I THINK THAT'S GONNA BE, YEAH, ONCE AGAIN, I'M, I'M VERY APPRECIATIVE OF ALL YOUR SERVICE.
I KNOW THAT THERE'S A COLLECTION OF DEVELOPMENT INTEREST AND HOMEOWNER'S INTEREST AND I THINK IT'S, IT TAKES A VILLAGE.
I LOVE THE DIVERSITY ASPECT THAT MR. SHA, UM, SINGTON ME MENTIONED.
I THINK IT'S JUST VERY EXCITING.
I APPRECIATE YOUR, UM, UH, YOUR EFFORT TO, TO BRING THIS GROUP TOGETHER AGAIN THIS YEAR AS OPPOSED IN, IN, IN, IN ADDITION TO LAST YEAR.
AND I THINK IT'S VERY COMMENDABLE.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE, ALL OF YOU.
THANK YOU MR. LONG QUESTIONS FOR MR. LONG MS. LAMB? YES, MR. LONG, UM, APPRECIATE YOU BEING HERE TODAY.
IS THERE ANY CONSTRUCTIVE CRITICISM OR THOUGHTS IN THE PROCESS THAT NOW YOU'RE ON THE OTHER SIDE OF IT THAT YOU THINK THAT THE BOARD CAN BE, CAN DO BETTER AND MAKE THINGS MORE EFFICIENT? WELL, I REALLY, ONCE, I REALLY THINK IT'S MOST EXCITING, AND WHEN I WAS THE CONSULTANT LAST YEAR, I, I SPOKE TO MY ASSISTANT DIRECTOR IN TERMS OF SOPS AND HOW TO IMPROVE THE PROCESS.
I THINK THAT SOMEONE IN OAK CLIFF MUNICIPAL CENTER, MR. ESPINOSA AND SEK CENTER
[00:50:01]
LISTENED CAREFULLY BECAUSE I REALLY THINK AS TAMMY PALOMINO AND I WOULD REMEMBER, AND BURT VANDENBERG AND ALL THESE CITY ATTORNEYS,UM, THE WAY THE A CASE WAS TAKEN IN IT EITHER SET UP THE, THE STAGE OR THE TRAIN TRACKS ON A REALLY SMOOTH PATH ARE REALLY BUMPY.
AND IT WAS, UM, THE INVESTMENT THAT WE TAKE THE CITY DOLLARS TAKES AT THE VERY BEGINNING OF A PROCESS TO INFORM SOMEONE THAT, HEY, MY CARPORT DOESN'T WORK.
IT'S IN THE FRONT YARD SETBACK.
HOW WOULD I GO ABOUT ACHIEVING THIS THROUGH A PROCESS? WE HAVE SOMEONE THAT SAYS, WELL, UM, YEAH, YOUR CARPORT'S IN THE FRONT YARD SETBACK, MR. AND MRS. JONES, THERE IS A PROCESS WITH A BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT, BUT HERE IS THE STANDARD IN WHICH YOU WOULD HAVE TO PROVE TO WIN THIS BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT IF YOU CHOSE TO MAKE AN APPLICATION THAT'S AT THE VERY BEGINNING BEFORE WE COLLECT $600 FROM THEM OR, UM, BEFORE WE SELL THE SIGN TO THEM.
AND IT'S, I THINK IT'S VERY, UM, CRITICAL.
IT'S THE BEST SERVICE TO THAT PERSON ACROSS THE TABLE BEFORE WE SAY, YEAH, HERE'S THE APPLICATION, UM, GIVE US 600 BUCKS.
AND THEN THEY COME TO THIS HEARING AND SAY, I DIDN'T KNOW THAT I HAD TO PROVE THIS TO YOU.
IT WAS VERY, AND THERE WERE THOSE CASES.
AND I THINK THAT THERE'S NOW A THRUST IN A VERY, UM, GOOD EFFORT TO TRY TO ERASE THAT, UM, PERSON THAT MAY COME TO A HEARING 10 YEARS AGO AND SAY, WELL, I DIDN'T, WHY DIDN'T THEY TELL ME THAT WHEN I SUBMITTED THE APPLICATION THAT MY FENCE OVER FOUR FEET HAD TO BE PROVEN THAT IT WON'T ADVERSELY AFFECT NEIGHBORING PROPERTY? I THOUGHT IT WAS JUST ME PROVING THAT BECAUSE I'M A MAVERICK BASKETBALL PLAYER AND I HAD SECURITY NEEDS, YOU'D GIVE IT TO ME.
OTHER QUESTIONS FOR MR. LONG, MR. ATCHING? UH, YEAH.
UM, MR. LONG THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE TO THE COMMUNITY AND, UH, PLEASURE.
I'M GLAD TO, GLAD TO KNOW YOU'LL BE ON THE, UM, WE'LL BE SEEING YOU MORE ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE, OF THE TABLE
UM, SO THANKS TO CHAIR NEWMAN FOR HIS EFFORTS AND, YOU KNOW, PROCESS IMPROVEMENT.
UH, I MEAN, I THINK WE, WE ALL APPRECIATE, UM, STREAMLINING AND IMPROVING OF HOW WE CONDUCT OUR, OUR OUR EFFORTS.
UM, I GUESS FROM YOU, MOST PEOPLE THAT COME, YOU KNOW, TO THE OFFICE TO SEE, UM, THE, THE MEMBERS OF STAFF THAT WANT TO SUBMIT AN APPLICATION, THEY COME BECAUSE THEY FIND THEMSELVES IN A SITUATION IN MOST CASES THEY DIDN'T EVEN KNOW THEY HAD CREATED FOR THEMSELVES OR, OR, OR, OR WHAT DO YOU THINK CAN BE DONE FROM A, AN EDUCATION STANDPOINT TO OUTREACH TO, TO, TO INFORM THE PUBLIC PRIOR TO YOU? YOU KNOW, I, I MEAN, PRIOR TO, UM, BUILDING FENCE, PRIOR TO ADDING ON PARTITION, I REALLY THINK THAT A LOT OF EMPHASIS, I DON'T KNOW HOW, I DON'T REALLY KNOW, BUT I KNOW THAT, UM, THERE'S FENCE CONTRACTORS IN MY NORTH OAK CLIFF NEIGHBORHOOD THAT PUT UP FENCES, AND THERE'S A NAME I CAN THINK OF AND IT'S LIKE, UM, MR. AND MRS. JONES HIRES ACME FENCE PERSON TO PUT UP A FENCE.
AND THEN
AND, UM, I DON'T REALLY THINK IT'S, I DON'T KNOW IF MR. AND MRS. JONES ARE REALLY RESPONSIBLE FOR, I DON'T KNOW WHAT'S IN THEIR CONTRACT WHEN THEY HIRE ACME FENCE CONTRACTORS WHO DO IT WRONG, PROBABLY ASSURE MAYBE MR. AND MRS. JONES, HEY, I'VE GOT ALL THE PERMITS NECESSARY ONLY TO FIND OUT LATER THAT THE FENCE WAS EITHER ERECTED IN THE WRONG LOCATION, INVISIBILITY TRIANGLES, OR TO TALLER THAN WHAT WAS ALLOWED BY CODE.
I DON'T KNOW HOW WE OUTREACH TO THE COMMUNITY TO REALLY INFORM THEM OF LAWS OF, THAN SAY ANYTHING YOU NEED TO DO, ASSUME YOU NEED A PERMIT,
WELL AT LEAST YOU'VE CROSS CHECKED THAT BOX OFF.
RIGHT? AND I REALLY ALWAYS FELT FOR THE PEOPLE THAT MAYBE CAME HERE AT THE VERY LAST MINUTE, THIS HEARING, AND AT LEAST ACTED LIKE THEY NEVER REALLY KNEW WHAT THE STANDARD WAS THAT YOU WOULD MEASURE THEM WITH HERE AT THIS HEARING.
IT REALLY MADE ME, UM, IT, IT SADDENED ME THAT SOME PEOPLE I REALLY TRULY BELIEVE WERE HERE REALLY NOT KNOWING WHAT THEY HAD TO PROVE TO YOU.
AND IT WAS REALLY UNFORTUNATE WHEN MAYBE SOMEONE BUILT AN ILLEGAL STRUCTURE, THEY CAME TO YOU FOR FORGIVENESS, VARIANCE,
HE SAID I HAD EVERYTHING AND NOW I CAN'T FIND THEM.
WELL, OF COURSE EVERY CASE STANDS ON ITS OWN.
NO CASE SETS A PRECEDENT, BUT OH MY GOSH, WE SEE A LOT OF THOSE.
WHAT OTHER QUESTIONS? SO, SO, SO CHAIR, CHAIR NEWMAN, UM, IF, IF I MIGHT, UH, I, I THINK THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE CAN ALL BRAIN BRAINSTORM ON, HOW WE CAN OUTREACH TO, TO THE CONSTRUCTION COMMUNITY, TO HOMEOWNERS, TO, YOU KNOW, SOME, SOME KIND OF INFORMATION.
[00:55:01]
BECAUSE IF WE CAN, IF WE CAN SOMEHOW KEEP THE INCIDENT FROM HAPPENING, I THINK IT CREATES A BETTER CUSTOMER SERVICE, UM, UH, SITUATION FOR EVERYBODY.I LIKE THE IDEA, UH, I'M, THERE'S A, IS THERE A BUILDERS ASSOCIATION IN DALLAS? I CAN'T REMEMBER THE NAME OF IT.
IS IT HOME BUILDERS ASSOCIATION? OKAY, MR. POOLE, THAT HAS, THAT HAS RUNWAY IT IN THE FUTURE OF US DOING SOME SORT OF OUTREACH TO THE LEADERSHIP OF THAT GROUP ABOUT WHAT ARE THE TYPICAL TRIP WIRES THAT THAT BUILDERS GET INTO ON BEHALF OF OWNERS THAT WE CAN MAYBE INFORM SO THAT THEY, WE REDUCE THE AMOUNT OF FORGIVENESS REQUESTS THAT WE HAVE.
'CAUSE THOSE THAT GIVE US ANGST.
I, AND SO THAT'S, THAT'S A VERY, THAT RABBIT WE CAN CHASE.
OTHER QUESTIONS, MR. SAUK? WELL, WE'RE GONNA KEEP MOVING ON HERE.
AND, UH, STEVE, THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE.
GOOD TO SEE YOU STAYING ENGAGED.
UH, MY QUESTION IS, YOU KNOW, AND WHAT I SEE REOCCURRING IS PROBLEMS CREATED BY CONTRACTORS AND THAT IT'S THE HOMEOWNER THAT IS LEFT HOLDING THE BAG, SO TO SPEAK.
HOW DO WE HOLD THE CONTRACTORS ACCOUNTABLE FOR THE ACTIONS THEY'VE TAKEN OR THEIR LACK OF ACTION THAT THEY SHOULD HAVE TAKEN? SO THAT IS A PROBABLY A LEGAL QUESTION.
UH, AND UM, I DON'T WANNA MAKE A DETERMINATION OTHER THAN, UH, IN THE END, THE PROPERTY OWNER'S RESPONSIBLE.
AM I CORRECT MR. SAPP? THAT'S ABSOLUTELY CORRECT.
SO REGARDLESS, AND I'M GONNA OPINE FOR A SECOND THEN, THEN STOP.
'CAUSE I THINK WE HAVE ONE OR TWO OTHER COMMENTS IN THE END.
THE PROPERTY OWNERS, THE APPLICANT, THE PROPERTY OWNER'S RESPONSIBLE FOR WHO HE OR SHE HIRES ON BEHALF OF THE PROPERTY OWNER, MANY TIMES WE'VE HAD CASES WHERE THE PROPERTY OWNER SAYS, I DID KNOW.
SO AM I CORRECT, MR. SAPP? THAT'S ABSOLUTELY CORRECT.
SO THE PRINCIPAL IS THE, THE PROPERTY OWNER.
THE AGENT ACTING ON BEHALF OF THE PRINCIPAL WOULD BE THE CONTRACTOR.
AND SO, UH, ULTIMATELY THE PROPERTY OWNER IS THE ONE WHO TAKES RESPONSIBILITY FOR THAT.
SO I MEAN, THAT I AGREE, WE, BUT IT'S THE PROPERTY OWNER IN THE END BECAUSE THEY'RE THE ONES, IT'S, THEY HIRED SOMEONE TO DO SOMETHING ON THEIR PROPERTY THAT THEREAFTER BECAME ILLEGAL OR NON-CONFORMING TO THAT POINT, UM, MR. SAUK, THAT, UH, SOME SORT OF OUTREACH TO THE BUILDERS ASSOCIATION MIGHT, UM, ALLEVIATE SOME OF THOSE, UH, PITFALLS.
BUT IS THERE A COUNCIL OR A LEGISLATIVE FIX TO THAT OR ENHANCEMENT TO THAT? I MEAN, YOU HIRE A DOCTOR AND YOU HAVE RECOURSE AGAINST, YOU KNOW, A DOCTOR FOR MALPRACTICE.
WHY NOT A CONTRACTOR? WELL, THE CITY WOULDN'T HAVE RECOURSE AGAINST THE CONTRACTOR, BUT THE PROPERTY OWNER PERHAPS WOULD HAVE A RECOURSE AGAINST THE CONTRACTOR IN A CIVIL SUIT THAT WOULD HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH THE CITY OF DALLAS.
OTHER QUESTIONS FROM MR. LONG, MR. OR VICE-CHAIRMAN AGNES? UH, THERE IS A SLIDE LATER ON IN THIS DECK THAT TALKS ABOUT, UH, WHAT DOES AND DOESN'T CONSTITUTE A SELF-CREATED HARDSHIP.
THAT, THAT, THAT I HAVE QUESTIONS ON THAT, THAT TALKS ABOUT, UH, WHEN A HOMEOWNER MIGHT EFFECTIVELY GET RELIEF BY VIRTUE OF BUYING A PROPERTY, UH, THAT HAD AN EXISTING PROBLEM.
I'M NOT REALLY SURE I, I UNDERSTAND IT.
MY INSTINCT ON THE OTHER IS THAT IN THE END, CERTAINLY THE BOARD, UH, THIS IS IGNORANCE HAS A PEJORATIVE TERM, BUT IT, BUT IN THE END, UH, IT'S NOT A DEFENSE.
UH, SO ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR MR. LONG? MR. LONG, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR BEING HERE.
WE CANNOT TELL YOU HOW MUCH WE APPRECIATED YOUR PREVIOUS SERVICE, MISSED YOUR PREVIOUS SERVICE, AND WE KNOW YOU'RE ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE, OF THE, OF THE TABLE NOW.
BUT WE LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING FROM YOU AS AN ADVOCATE FOR YOUR CLIENT.
AND THANK YOU ONCE AGAIN, MR. CHAIR AND ALL YOU MEMBERS FOR YOUR SERVICE TO THE CITY OF DALLAS.
I, WE, I APPRECIATE YOU VERY MUCH.
UH, NEXT SPEAKER I HAVE IS ROBERT REEVES.
IF YOU GIVE US YOUR NAME AND YOUR ADDRESS AND THEN YOU HAVE FIVE MINUTES TO, UH, SPEAK TO THE BOARD.
YOU NEED TO TURN YOUR MICROPHONE ON.
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MY NAME'S ROBERT REEVES.I'M AN ACTIVE ZONING CONSULTANT.
MY ADDRESS IS 38 0 7 VINE CREST DRIVE, DALLAS, TEXAS.
I JUST WANNA VERY QUICKLY GIVE YOU A LITTLE BIT ABOUT MY, MY BACKGROUND BEFORE I ENTERED INTO THE, UH, PRIVATE SECTOR.
UH, I BEGAN WORKING FOR THE CITY OF DALLAS IN 1969.
I'VE BEEN AROUND A WHILE AND ALL IN THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT.
UH, THE LAST FEW YEARS I WORKED FOR THE CITY OF DALLAS.
I WAS OVER ALL THE ZONING BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT SUBDIVISION AND ALL THE BUILDING CODES.
UH, ACTUALLY THE BUILDING OFFICIAL WAS UNDER ME AT THE TIME.
SO, UH, DURING THE EARLY EIGHTIES, THAT'S WHAT I WAS INVOLVED IN.
I HAVE BEEN DOING THIS IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR SINCE 85, JULY OF 85.
I'M STILL WORKING FULL-TIME AND I ENJOY THE JOB.
I ENJOY INTERACTING WITH THE BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS AND THE CITIZENS AND SEEING IF I CAN HELP THEM OUT.
FRANKLY, I, UH, I OFTEN THINK THAT THE BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT PROVIDES THE FASTEST AVENUE AND THE MOST EFFICIENT AVENUE FOR SOLVING AN ISSUE, AT LEAST HAVING AN OPPORTUNITY OF SOLVING AN ISSUE VERSUS GOING THROUGH THE ZONING PROCESS.
THOSE OF US WHO WORK BOTH, BOTH AREAS, ZONING IS TAKING THEM EIGHT MONTHS OR SO TO GO THROUGH THE PROCESS.
ONCE I FILE A BOARD CASE AND IT'S ACCEPTED, I CAN USUALLY GET TO THE BOARD IN A COUPLE OF MONTHS.
OBVIOUSLY THE CRITERIA'S A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT.
UH, WE NEED TO PROVE A PROPERTY HARDSHIP THAT'S NOT SELF-CREATED, IF IT'S A VARIANCE.
I UNDERSTAND THAT SOMETIMES THAT'S MORE DIFFICULT TO DO THAN OTHER TIMES.
IF IT'S A SPECIAL EXCEPTION, LIKE FOR A, A FENCE, UM, THAT'S, YOU JUST MAKE A