[00:00:03]
YOU ARE WATCHING THE MEETING OF THE DALLAS CITY COUNCIL WITH MAYOR ERIC L. JOHNSON, MAYOR PRO TEM CANNEL ATKINS, DEPUTY MAYOR PRO TEM CAROLYN, KING ARNOLD, COUNCIL MEMBERS SHAD WEST, JESSE MORENO, ZAIN GRACIE, JAIME RESENDEZ, OMAR VALEZ, ADAM, BASIL DUA, PAULA BLACKMAN, KATHY STEWART, JANIE SCHULTZ, KARA MENDELSON, YAY, DONNELL WILLIS.
PAUL RIDLEY, AND CITY MANAGER TC BROADNAX, CITY SECRETARY BILLY RAY JOHNSON AND CITY ATTORNEY TAMMY PALOMINO.
[CALL TO ORDER]
MORNING.TODAY'S WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 24TH, 2024, THE TIME'S 9:25 AM AND I NOW CALL THIS MEETING OF THE DALLAS CITY COUNCIL TO ORDER TODAY'S INVOCATION.
SPEAKERS GOING TO BE CHAIRMAN RIDLEY.
I'M GONNA TURN OVER TO CHAIRMAN RIDLEY NOW FOR OUR INVITATION.
TO SEE IF YOU'RE PAYING ATTENTION.
IT'S CHAIR, IT'S CHAIRMAN GRACIE.
YOU, MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS WERE CALLED TO BE FREE, BUT DO NOT USE YOUR FREEDOM TO INDULGE THE FLESH, RATHER SERVE ONE ANOTHER HUMBLY IN LOVE.
HEAVENLY FATHER, AS WE GATHER HERE TODAY TO CONDUCT THE CITY COUNCIL MEETING, WE ARE MINDFUL OF THE RESPONSIBILITY AND PRIVILEGE TO SERVE OUR COMMUNITY.
WE ARE CALLED TO USE OUR POSITIONS NOT FOR PERSONAL GAIN, BUT TO HUMBLY SERVE ONE ANOTHER AND LOVE, HELP US TO APPROACH OUR ROLES WITH WISDOM, UNDERSTANDING, AND COMPASSION SO THAT WE MAY MAKE DECISIONS THAT BENEFIT ALL MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITY.
GRANT US THE STRENGTH TO WORK TOGETHER IN UNITY, RESPECTING DIVERSE OPINIONS AND STRIVING FOR THE COMMON GOOD.
MAY WE BE GUIDED BY THE SPIRIT OF SERVANT LEADERSHIP, SEEKING THE WELLBEING OF THOSE WE ARE CALLED TO SERVE AS WE DELIBERATE ON VARIOUS MATTERS TODAY, MAY WE BE MINDFUL OF THE NEEDS OF THE MARGINALIZED AND VULNERABLE AMONG US.
WE ASK FOR YOUR WISDOM TO, TO DISCERN WHAT IS RIGHT AND JUST, AND THE COURAGE TO ACT ACCORDINGLY.
BLESS OUR DISCUSSIONS AND DECISION MAKING PROCESS THAT WE MAY BE MARKED BY INTEGRITY, TRANSPARENCY, AND A GENUINE DESIRE TO SERVE THE GREATER GOOD.
WE ENTRUST THESE MEETINGS TO YOUR GUIDANCE AND ASK FOR YOUR PRESENCE TO BE FELT AMONG US.
MAY OUR ACTIONS AND OUR DECISIONS REFLECT THE VALUE SERVICE, JUSTICE AND COMPASSION THAT WE ARE ROOTED IN, THAT ARE ROOTED IN YOUR TEACHINGS.
IF EVERYONE WOULD PLEASE RISE FOR OUR PLEDGES OF ALLEGIANCE TO THE UNITED STATES FLAG, AND THEN THE TEXAS FLAG.
I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL, HONOR THE TEXAS FLAG.
I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE TEXAS ONE STATE UNDER GOD, ONE AND INDIVISIBLE.
[OPEN MICROPHONE]
MADAM SECRETARY, I BELIEVE WE'RE ONTO OUR OPEN MICROPHONE SPEAKERS, THERE BEING NO ANNOUNCEMENTS THIS MORNING.THANK YOU MR. MAYOR AND GOOD MORNING.
THE DALLAS CITY COUNCIL WILL, WILL NOW HEAR ALL OF ITS OPEN, MICRO REGISTERED OPEN MICROPHONE SPEAKERS.
I'LL RECITE THE SPEAKER GUIDELINES.
SPEAKERS MUST OBSERVE THE SAME RULES OF PROPRIETY DECORUM AND GOOD CONDUCT APPLICABLE TO MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL.
ANY SPEAKER MAKING PERSONAL IMP PERTINENT PROFANE OR SLANDEROUS REMARKS OR WHO BECOMES BOISTEROUS WHILE ADDRESSING THE CITY COUNCIL WILL BE REMOVED FROM THE ROOM FOR THOSE INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE IN PERSON FOR THOSE VIRTUAL SPEAKERS.
YOU'LL BE REMOVED FROM THE SESSION.
INDIVIDUALS WILL BE GIVEN TWO MINUTES TO SPEAK WHEN YOUR TIME IS UP.
PLEASE STOP FOR THOSE IN-PERSON SPEAKERS FOR THOSE VIRTUAL SPEAKERS.
I WILL ANNOUNCE WHEN YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED.
ALSO SPEAKERS, PLEASE BE MINDFUL THAT DURING YOUR COMMENTS YOU ARE NOT ALLOWED TO REFER TO A CITY COUNCIL MEMBER BY NAME.
PLEASE ADDRESS YOUR COMMENTS TO MAYOR JOHNSON, ONLY YOUR FIRST SPEAKER.
[00:05:11]
HI MAYOR.I WANT TO TELL YOU, OH, I'M SORRY.
I'M LINDA NEWLAND, DISTRICT SEVEN.
I WANT TO TELL YOU THE JANUARY 15TH, EIN PRESS BAR TITLED SWORN TESTIMONY AND OFFICIAL DOCUMENTS CONFIRMED FLUORIDE'S HEALTH ARREST.
MY DISTRICT SEVEN AND DISTRICT 13 ARE HIGHLIGHTED IN THE PRESS RELEASE.
EVERYONE ON THE COUNCIL HAS RECEIVED A COPY OF THE PRESS BAR RELEASE.
I ENCOURAGE ALL LISTENING TO SEARCH EIM PRESS BAR, DALLAS, FLORIDA AUDATION.
THE PRESS RELEASE HAS MANY HELPFUL LINKS LIKE ROBERT KENNEDY'S ONE HOUR DOCUMENTARY TITLE, FLUORIDE ON TRIAL.
THIS MOVIE EXPOSES DECADES OF SENSORY AND HIDING THE TRUTH ABOUT THE HORRIBLE EFFECTS OF FLUORIDATION.
ON JANUARY 19TH, COUNCIL MEETING, PROPER PROCEDURE WAS NOT FOLLOWED AS HAPPENED ALWAYS.
WE CITIZENS OF DALLAS CITY COUNCIL OR EMPLOYERS COUNCIL MEMBERS SHOULD BE EAGER TO HEAR WHAT THEIR EMPLOYERS HAVE TO SAY.
THERE WAS NOT EVEN A QUORUM AT THE LAST 40 MINUTES OF THE COUNCIL MEETING ON FRIDAY THE 19TH, SECTION 2.4 OF THE CITY COUNCIL RULES FOR A PROCEDURAL STATE, A QUORUM OF THE CITY COUNCIL MUST BE PRESENT TO CONDUCT A CITY COUNCIL MEETING.
AS PHOTOS SHOWS THERE'S JUST THREE MEMBERS.
THE DISRESPECT FOR PUBLIC IS SHAMEFUL AND MY CITY COUNCIL MEMBER DAY SEVEN, THAT'S YOUR TIME THAT THEY'RE TALKING AND THAT'S YOUR TIME, NOT EVEN HERE AT THE SEAT.
ALL RIGHT, SO WE'RE GONNA GET STARTED WITH THE WARNINGS EARLY TODAY.
UM, SO WE CAN'T HAVE THE OUTBURSTS AND THE APPLAUSE AND THE, THE, UM, ANY TYPE OF LOUD OUTBURSTS.
UM, I'M WARNING YOU ACCORDING TO THE CITY COUNCIL'S RULES, UM, THAT ANY SUBSEQUENT OUTBURSTS OR NOISE OR OUT THINGS LIKE THAT WILL WARRANT YOU BEING REMOVED FROM THE MEETING, WHICH AGAIN, IF YOU'VE BEEN HERE BEFORE, YOU KNOW, IT'S SOMETHING WE DON'T ACTUALLY WANT TO DO.
WE'RE ACTUALLY GLAD YOU'RE HERE.
SO, UM, PLEASE TRY TO ADHERE TO OUR RULES AND WE CAN HAVE OUR, UM, OPEN MICROPHONE SESSION AND NO ONE WILL BE REMOVED.
YOUR NEXT SPEAKER, JOE STOKES.
JOE STOKES, DISTRICT NINE MAYOR, YOU'RE LOOKING GOOD.
TO RESTORE ORDER TO THE COUNCIL, THIS IS A, UH, STATEMENT FROM BRENDA STADEN MEYER.
SHE'S A WITNESS IN THE TOXIC TOXIC SUBSTANCES CONTROL ACT TRIAL, RETHINKING THE TRADITION, 79 YEARS OF BRAIN HARMING FLUORIDE IN DRINKING WATER.
AS WE APPROACH THE 79TH ANNIVERSARY OF NATIONAL FLUORIDE DAY ON JANUARY 25TH, IT'S CRUCIAL TO REFLECT ON THIS TRADITION'S CONTROVERSIAL LEGACY.
OVER A DOZEN RECENT STUDIES UNDERSCORED THE ALARMING IMPACT OF FLUORIDE ON BRAIN HEALTH, CORRELATING WITH LOWERED IQ AND INCREASED RATES OF ATTENTION DEFICIT, UH, DISORDER IN CHILDREN, ESPECIALLY IN FLORIDA 80 COMMUNITIES DURING FETAL AND INFANT DEVELOPMENT.
WRITING IS A CONCERNED INDIVIDUAL AND IS A PLAINTIFF IN THE FEDERAL FLUORIDE TSCA LAWSUIT AGAINST THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY.
OUR ONGOING LEGAL BATTLE INITIATED IN 2017 ADDRESSES THE NEUROTOXICITY OF FLUORIDE ADDED TO PUBLIC DRINKING WATER.
WITH THE FINAL TWO WEEK TRIAL STARTING JANUARY 31ST, WE URGE A REEVALUATION OF PREVAILING NORMS IN WATER FLUORIDATION, CHILD DEVELOPMENT EXPERTS, INCLUDING THOSE IN THE FOREVER CHEMICALS LEAD AND MERCURY HAVE RESEARCHED FLUORIDE EXTENSIVELY, SUGGESTING ITS EFFECTS ARE ON PAR WITH THAT.
LINDER, LINDA BURNBAUM, A BOARD CERTIFIED TOXICOLOGIST WITH 10 YEARS DIRECTING THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH AND SCIENCES AND THE NATIONAL TOXICOLOGY PROGRAM STATES WE DON'T NEED FLUORIDE
[00:10:01]
ADDED TO OUR DRINKING WATER ANYMORE.IN WISCONSIN, MOST SMALL UTILITIES HAVE ELIMINATED FOUR EIGHT DUE TO HAZARD.
UM, MY NAME IS WILLIAM HOPKINS.
UH, NOW THE PALESTINIAN PEOPLE COME DOWN HERE.
NOW IT WENT DOWN TO TWO MINUTES.
I'D LIKE TO KNOW WAS THE TWO MINUTES FOR THE PALESTINIAN PEOPLE OR WAS THE MERYL ROLLINS? DID MERL ROLLINS CALL YOU FROM A KU KLUX KLAN MEETING AND, AND TELL YOU THAT, UH, UH, THAT HE, HE VOTED FOR ME NOT TO SPEAK EVERY WEEK AND, UH, FOR ME TO SPEAK ONCE A MONTH.
DID MERRIL ROLLS CALL YOU FROM A KUKU KLUX KLAN MEETING AND TELL YOU TO GO DOWN TO TWO MINUTES? BECAUSE BECAUSE THEY DON'T WANNA SAY NOTHING ABOUT THE PEOPLE THAT'S DYING IN WEST DALLAS AND THE CITY SUED.
Y'ALL GOT THE, YOU GOT THE DOCUMENTS IN YOUR HAND.
ERIC OMA WENT TO SCHOOL IN WEST DALLAS.
IS IS, IS PEOPLE SLEEPING OUTSIDE IN THE, IN THE, IN THE COLD IN THE FREEZER, RIGHT OUTSIDE OF THIS BUILDING RIGHT NOW.
AND YOU TALK ABOUT, UH, ISRAEL, UH, UH, UH, YOU WENT, YOU WENT, SPOKE ABOUT ISRAEL, THE PALESTINIAN PEOPLE, YOU WANT TO ADDRESS 'EM, YOU WON'T ADDRESS THE PEOPLE.
YOUR MAMA WENT TO SCHOOL IN WEST DALLAS, PEOPLE DYING IN WEST DALLAS, BUT YOU GO AND SPEAK ABOUT ISRAEL AND GIVE THEM BILLIONS OF DOLLARS AND, AND, AND, AND, AND DID MY CITY COUNCIL PERSON VOTE FOR THIS TWO MINUTES? UH, DISTRICT, THE DISTRICT SIX, WE OWE THAT DINE IN WEST DALLAS.
DID DISTRICT SIX VOTE, WHICH Y'ALL FOR, FOR Y'ALL TO GO DOWN TO TWO MINUTES AND WE OVER THERE DYING IN WEST DALLAS AREA.
YOUR MAMA WENT TO SCHOOL IN THIS WEST DALLAS AREA.
THOUSANDS OF BLACKS DONE, DIED FROM THE LEAD.
MY MAMA, MY DADDY, MY ALL MY WHOLE FAMILY DONE DIED FROM THE LEAD.
IS MY TOO MINUTES UP OR THIS 30 SOMETHING SECONDS? LOOK HERE, MAN.
MY WHOLE FAMILY, MY MAMA, MY DADDY, MY STEPFATHER, MY SISTER MARGARET, MY SISTER PAT.
UH, MAYOR JOHNSON AND TO ALL THE, UH, COUNCIL MEMBERS, UM, I WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK THIS MORNING AND ADDRESS MAYOR AND TO THE CITY COUNCIL IN, IN REGARDS TO THE RECENT CYBER ATTACKS ON OUR GOVERNMENT, UH, SPECIFICALLY THE CITY OF DALLAS.
UH, ONE MENTIONED, UH, THE DALLAS POLICE DEPARTMENT, UH, 800,000 PEOPLE.
INFORMATION HAD BEEN HACKED AND IT'S OUT THERE IN SABBATH SPACE.
AND DOES ANYBODY KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON HERE? UH, I SPOKE AT THE, UH, COMMISSIONER'S COURT IN REGARDS TO THIS SAME ISSUE.
UH, THESE CRIMINALS NEED TO BE BROUGHT TO JUSTICE, AND I BEG YOUR PARDON, THAT WE LET THIS TYPE OF, UH, RAVIS, UH, IT'S AN IN INSIDE TO THIS CITY TO LET THIS GO ON.
UH, WE, THE PEOPLE NEED, WE NEED, WE NEED SOME ANSWERS TO THIS.
UH, EVERY, EVERYBODY'S TURNING TO IT.
THAT'S YOUR, THAT'S YOUR TIME.
I MOTION FOR 30 MORE SECONDS, PLEASE.
THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR AND COUNSEL.
YOUR NEXT SPEAKER, STACY MONROE.
UM, HELLO, MY NAME IS STACY RE AND I COME BEFORE YOU TODAY AS A CONCERNED CONSTITUENT OF DISTRICT 12.
I'M HERE TO ADDRESS THE MATTER OF UTMOST URGENCY,
[00:15:01]
ONE THAT REQUIRES YOUR IMMEDIATE ATTENTION AND ACTION FOR THE LAST 109 DAYS, THE WORLD HAS WITNESSED THE DEVASTATING IMPACT OF ISRAEL'S ZIONIST REGIME'S ACTIONS AGAINST THE PEOPLE OF PALESTINE AND GA.THE ONGOING, UM, GENOCIDE HAS CLAIMED THE LIVES OF OVER 24,000 PALESTINIANS SINCE OCTOBER 7TH, LEAVING THOUSANDS, UH, MORE WOUNDED, MISSING, OR TRAPPED IN THE RUBBLE OF THEIR HOMES.
I IMPLORE EACH OF YOU TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE SEVERITY OF THIS HUMANITARIAN CRISIS AND CONDEMN THE ATROCITIES, UH, BEING COMMITTED BY THE ZIONIST REGIME.
THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY IS WATCHING AND WE DEMAND YOU AS THE ELECTED REPRESENTATIVES OF OUR CITY DO NOT REMAIN INDIFFERENT IN THE FACE OF SUCH INJUSTICE.
I CALL ON THE DALLAS CITY COUNCIL TO ENGAGE WITH ORGANIZERS AND COMMUNITY LEADERS WHO ARE TIRELESSLY WORKING TO SHED LIGHT ON THIS ISSUE.
MEET WITH THEM, LEARN ABOUT THE SITUATION FIRSTHAND WORKING, UH, LEARN ABOUT THE SITUATION FIRSTHAND AND COLLABORATE IN FINDING WAYS TO SUPPORT A RESOLUTION CONDEMNING THE ACTIONS OF THE ZIONIST REGIME.
THE POWER OF CHANGE LIES IN OUR COLLECTIVE WILL TO STAND AGAINST SUPPRESSION AND INJUSTICE.
WHILE SOME CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS ARE SHIFTING THEIR STANCE ON THIS ISSUE, IT IS NOT ENOUGH.
A RESOLUTION, UH, IS TO, UH, RESOLUTION, TO BRING ABOUT MEANINGFUL CHANGE.
I IMPLORE YOU TO NOT UNDERESTIMATE THE IMPACT OF YOUR DECISIONS ON THE LIVES OF THOSE AFFECTED BY THE ZIONIST GENOCIDE REGIME, YOUR VOICE AND THE PEOPLE OF DALLAS.
YOUR VOICE MATTERS AND THE PEOPLE OF DALLAS ARE WATCHING TO SEE IF YOU WILL TAKE A STAND FOR JUSTICE IN HUMANITY.
THE TIME FOR A DIF INDIFFERENCE HAS LONG PASSED.
I ASK YOU TO DO WHAT YOU, THAT'S YOUR TIME.
BUT THANK, THANK YOU BECAUSE OF THE NUMBER OF SPEAKERS I WILL CALL THE REMAINING SPEAKERS AND GROUPS.
WHEN I CALL YOUR NAME, PLEASE COME FORWARD AND HAVE A SEAT ON THE FIRST TWO ROWS OF THIS INTERSECTION.
MR. ABTAHI, YOU MAY COME TO THE PODIUM.
NATHAN TOWNEY, SENIOR DOEY FLORES, IL ANI, TAMARA HUTCHERSON, SANDRA CRENSHAW.
SAM JUDY REHANA, TIANI TABATHA REEL.
DAVID ELLISON, NRA B OLA HAMZA AND SAMAYA SCHULT.
I FIGURED I WOULD SPEAK TO YOU THIS WEEK RATHER THAN NEXT WEEK BECAUSE IT'S GONNA BE A CRAZY, ANOTHER MEETING NEXT WEEK FILLED WITH SPEAKERS ABOUT THE BOND.
I'M HERE TO SPEAK IN FAVOR OF THE DALLAS ZOOS BOND REQUEST.
I'VE PUT TOGETHER A ONE PAGER THAT EXPLAINS THE REQUEST.
UM, THE MASTER PLAN WAS, UH, APPROVED BY THIS COUNCIL BACK IN 2019, AND THIS IS GOING TO IMPLEMENT THAT MASTER PLAN THAT WAS PREVIOUSLY APPROVED.
SO THE BEST WAY TO EXPLAIN THIS IS THAT WE'RE TAKING THE OLD MONORAIL SYSTEM.
THE MARQUEE PROJECT IS GONNA BE TAKING THE OLD MONORAIL AND REPURPOSING IT FOR A WALKING TRAIL.
THOSE OF YOU WHO HAVE BEEN TO NEW YORK AND MINNEAPOLIS ZOO, IT'S SIMILAR TO THE HIGHLINE, UM, WHERE IF YOU REMEMBER BEING ON THE MONORAIL, WHICH IS AN OUTDATED TECHNOLOGY, AND ZOOS ALL OVER THE COUNTRY, COUNTRY ARE REMOVING THEM, YOU'RE GONNA HAVE A WALKING TRAIL THAT'S GONNA OPEN UP ABOUT, UH, IT LOOKS LIKE 10 TO 15 ACRES OF ADDITIONAL PARKLAND AND EXHIBIT SPACE.
UM, IT'S GOING TO PROVIDE FOR THE WILD EARTH DISCOVERY CENTER, WHICH IS A PERMANENT HOME FOR THE ZOO'S PRESCHOOL.
IT'S THE ONLY NATURE BASED PRESCHOOL, UH, IN DALLAS.
IT HOUSES, IT NOT HOUSES, SORRY, IT WELCOMES A HUNDRED THOUSAND SCHOOL KIDS EVERY YEAR, AND IT WILL PROVIDE THE, UM, EDUCATION COMPONENT TO THAT.
THE PROJECT IN TOTAL IS A HUNDRED, $125 MILLION PROJECT.
THE ZOO IS COMMITTED TO RAISING $70 MILLION PRIVATELY.
THAT'S A ROUGHLY A HUNDRED MILLION DOLLARS INVESTMENT IN SOUTHERN DALLAS.
IT MEETS ALL THE COUNCIL'S EQUITY GOALS, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT GOALS.
IT DOES NOT ADD ANYTHING TO THE O AND M, THE YEARLY OM O AND M FROM THE PARKS DEPARTMENT.
UH, THE HANDOUT YOU'RE GETTING, I'M PRETTY PROUD OF MYSELF.
I DID MY FIRST QR CODE, SO YOU CAN SCAN THIS QR CODE AT THE BOTTOM OR VISIT THE SHORTENED LINK.
IT WILL CREATE ALL, IT'LL SHOW YOU ALL THE DOCUMENTS SINCE 2019.
THE PUBLIC DOCUMENTS THAT HAVE BEEN FORWARDED TO THIS BODY.
THE ZOO HAS A NEW CEO WILL BE COMING TO THE PARKS AND TRAILS COMMITTEE IN A COUPLE WEEKS, BUT I WANTED TO GIVE YOU GUYS SOMETHING EASY JUST TO DIGEST THIS.
THANK YOU, UM, APPRECIATE ALL YOUR SERVICE, THE CITY OF DALLAS, AND HAVE A GREAT DAY.
YES, HELLO, UH, MAYOR JOHNSON AND
[00:20:01]
CITY COUNCIL.UH, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JUST ALLOWING ME TO SPEAK WITH YOU ALL TODAY.
UH, I JUST WANT TO INTRODUCE, UH, I'M A LIFELONG DALLAS RESIDENT AND A 20 YEAR EDUCATOR.
UH, I'M ALSO A MEMBER OF THE DALLAS HOUSING COALITION, AND, UH, I WAS RECENTLY APPROVED FOR THE DEEP A TARGETED ASSISTANCE PROGRAM TO HELP EDUCATORS, UH, OBTAIN AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
UM, AFTER APPROVAL, I SUBMITTED MY BIDS FOR THREE SEPARATE PROPERTIES IN, UH, SOUTHERN DALLAS, ONLY TO BE TOLD THAT I COULD NOT PURCHASE THE HOMES BECAUSE THEY WERE PART OF THE LAND BANK PROGRAM.
AND IT WAS SOMEWHAT DISAPPOINTING AND A LITTLE BIT CONFUSING BECAUSE IT WOULD SEEM THAT THE DHA PROGRAM AND THE LAND BANK PROGRAM WOULD BE A PERFECT MARRIAGE TOGETHER IN ORDER TO HELP TEACHERS TO AFFORD, UM, TO OBTAIN AFFORDABLE HOMES.
AND, UH, JUST AS A LIFELONG RESIDENT, UM, IT WOULD BE A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO, YOU KNOW, GET AFFORDABLE HOMES AT A TIME WHERE THE BUDGETS AND THE A MI ARE GETTING OUTTA CONTROL AND, AND IT'S BECOMING VIRTUALLY IMPOSSIBLE TO BECOME A HOMEOWNER.
AND SO, UM, UH, I WAS, I HEARD THAT THE, THAT CITY COUNCIL WOULD BE MAKING A DECISION SOON ABOUT, UM, DHAP AND, UH, LAND BANK ACQUISITIONS.
UH, I'M FORMALLY ASKING THAT THE CITY COUNCIL AMEND THE PROGRAM IMMEDIATELY AS SOON AS POSSIBLE TO ALLOW DHAP FUNDS TO BE USED TO PURCHASE LAND BANK PROPERTIES.
UH, I THINK THAT WOULD BE THE PERFECT MARRIAGE TO ALLOW EDUCATORS, PRINCIPALS, POLICEMEN, AND OTHER VITAL CITIZENS TO REMAIN IN THE CITY THAT THEY LOVE WITHOUT BEING PRICED OUT BEFORE, UM, THINGS GO UP ON THE PROPERTY, UH, MARKET.
SO I'M ASKING THAT, UH, DHAP FUNDS BE ALLOWED TO PURCHASE LAND BANK PROPERTIES AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
THIS IS AN EXCERPT FROM THE BOOK, EXCEPT FOR PALESTINE, THE LIMITS OF PROGRESSIVE POLITICS BY MARK LAMONT HILL AND MITCHELL P NIK IN THE UNITED STATES, WE'RE STRUGGLING TO RECKON WITH THE LEGACY OF STRUCTURAL INJUSTICE THAT HAS TO DEFINE OUR HISTORY.
AMERICAN POLICY IN PALESTINE AND ISRAEL HAS ALWAYS BEEN HOPELESSLY INTERTWINED WITH OUR OWN LONGSTANDING STRUGGLES WITH WHITE SUPREMACY, ISLAMOPHOBIA, ANTISEMITISM, ETHNOCENTRISM, AS WE'VE COME TO UNDERSTAND THAT RACISM, SEXIST AND RELIGIOUS BIGOTRY AND ANTI L-G-B-T-Q HATE AND OTHER PREJUDICES ARE INTERSECTIONAL.
WE MUST ALSO RECOGNIZE HOW THESE SYSTEMS OF OPPRESSION INFORM OUR FOREIGN POLICY.
WE CANNOT, WE CANNOT TRULY GRAPPLE WITH OUR HISTORY IF WE IGNORE HOW IT HAS ALSO AFFECTED THE REST OF THE WORLD.
IF WE ARE TO ADOPT A PROGRESSIVE POLITICAL OUTLOOK, ONE ROOTED AND ANTI-RACIST, ANTI-IMPERIALIST, HUMANISTIC, AND INTERSECTIONAL VALUES, WE MUST BEGIN TO PRIORITIZE THE FREEDOM, DIGNITY, AND SELF-DETERMINATION OF PALESTINIANS, THE IMBALANCE OF POWER BETWEEN ISRAEL AND THE PALESTINIANS.
A CIRCUMSTANCE ENFORCED BY THE OVERWHELMING POLITICAL, ECONOMIC, AND MILITARY INFLUENCE OF THE UNITED STATES CAN NEVER BE IGNORED OR UNDERSTATED AS WE DEVELOP WORKABLE ANALYSIS AND PRINCIPLE SOLUTIONS.
THIS MEANS THAT ANY HOPE FOR A FUTURE IN WHICH ALL PEOPLE OF THE REGION CAN LIVE IMP PEACE, SECURITY, FREEDOM, AND HOPE REQUIRE THE INVOLVEMENT OF OTHER STATES.
IT IS UP TO US AMERICANS TO ENSURE THAT OUR INVOLVEMENT IS BASED ON UNIVERSAL HUMANISTIC VALUES THAT ARE APPLIED IN A CONSISTENT MANNER.
SUCH APPROACH HAS NOT HISTORICALLY BEEN PART OF THE US POLICY.
WE MUST NO LONGER RENDER PALESTINE EXCEPTIONAL.
IT IS SHORES, BEACHES, AND FLOWERS AND MARKETS AND STREETS.
IT'S CHILDREN AND WOMEN AND MEN WHO HAVE ASPIRATIONS, WHO ARE ARTISTS.
FOR THOSE THAT HAVE DISAPPEARED, WE WILL NEVER KNOW THEIR WORK OF ART.
I CAN ONLY HOPE THAT ANY MORALITY YOU HAVE LEFT WILL ALLOW YOU TO SEE THAT ENOUGH IS ENOUGH, AND CALL FOR CEASEFIRE NOW, ADOPT THE CEASEFIRE RESOLUTION.
IT'S LIKE HOW MEMORIAL TIME OF MEXICO SAYS, YES, SIR.
IL ANI, YES, SHANEL, DISTRICT 12, RABBI, UM, MOSHE RUDNER AND NEW YORK JEW.
SOMEONE I HOLD WITH DEEP REVERENCE SAYS IT'LL TAKE AN HOUR WITH HIM TO GET TO KNOW HIM OR KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT HIM.
THE SAME CAN BE SAID FOR MYSELF, YOURSELF, OR ANYBODY IN THIS ROOM.
UM, THAT DEPTH OF HUMANITY CAN APPLY TO ANY INDIVIDUAL.
UM, COMMUNICATION IS SO DIFFICULT AND IS SO BUILT FOR MISUNDERSTANDING.
THE SAME WORDS CAN MEAN SO MANY DIFFERENT THINGS TO DIFFERENT PEOPLE LIKE WE SEE NOW.
AND YET WE HAVE TO COMMUNICATE TO FORM AGREEMENTS AND WE HAVE TO COMMUNICATE TO KNOW ONE ANOTHER, KNOW ONE ANOTHER, AND WE WANT TO COMMUNICATE TO BE KNOWN.
AND I WANT TO ASK YOU AND URGE YOU, PLEASE TO OPEN UP SPACE AND USE YOUR LEVERAGE AND YOUR POWER
[00:25:01]
AS A COUNCIL TO PLEASE OPEN UP YOUR ARTS AND CULTURE SPACES AND PROACTIVELY RESPOND TO THE NEEDS AND WANTS OF YOUR CONSTITUENTS.PURSUE DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS AND LEARN ABOUT THE PEOPLE THAT ARE HERE.
UM, RIGHT NOW WE'RE WITNESSING SOMETHING THAT WE'VE ONLY READ ABOUT MANY OF US, AND IT'S HAPPENING.
AND THE ONLY PLATFORM TO HAVE DIALOGUE IS SOCIAL MEDIA AND PROTESTS.
IT IS BUILT TO MAKE US ADDICTS, AND WE CAN, WE ONLY BECOME FURTHER TRIBALIZED.
WE DO NOT GET TO KNOW EACH OTHER, AND PROTESTS ARE EXPENSIVE TO THE CITY.
THERE WERE SEVEN TO 12 COP CARS OF THE PROTEST ON SUNDAY.
IT'S A, IT'S AN EXPENSIVE, EXPENSIVE PROGRAM.
PROTESTORS GET CALLED FRINGE AND PUSH THIS SIDE.
AND INVALIDATED THE CITY HAS AN OBLIGATION TO PURSUE DIPLOMATIC EFFORTS TO MAKE US HEARD AND KNOWN.
I DO NOT CARE TO LABEL OR SHAME ANYBODY HERE.
I HAVE BEEN LABELED AND SHAMED.
I'VE BEEN CALLED A MUSLIM ZIONIST AND I'VE BEEN CALLED AN ANTISEMITE.
I'M NEITHER OF THOSE THINGS AND I DON'T CARE TO CALL ANYBODY ANYTHING.
I JUST ASK THAT WE STOP WASTING MONEY ON COPS.
MAYOR JOHNSON, YOU ARE NOT PERFECT, AND I DON'T EXPECT PERFECTION FROM YOU.
I JUST ASK THAT YOU TRY AND USE COMMUNICATION.
MY NAME IS TAMARA, RESIDENT OF DISTRICT TWO.
IT HAS BEEN 109 DAYS OF ONGOING TERROR AGAINST THE PALESTINIAN PEOPLE DATING BACK TO THE 1960S.
BLACK SOLIDARITY HAS BEEN FOR PALESTINIAN LIBERATION FROM BLACK ACTIVISTS, BUT NOT LIMITED TO ANGELA DAVIS, MALCOLM X AND STOKELY CARMICHAEL, WHO DREW THE CONNECTIONS BETWEEN OUR COLLECTIVE STRUGGLE OF LIBERATION FROM OPPRESSION, RACISM, AND COLONIALISM.
THE FIGHT FOR BLACK AND PALESTINIAN LIBERATION IS MAGNIFIED BY THE POLICE STATE IN WHICH MILITARIZED POLICE FORCES OVER POLICE SURVEILLANCE PROFILE AND MURDER.
BLACK PEOPLE, SIMILAR TO ISRAELI OCCUPATION FORCES TOWARDS PALESTINIANS IN 2023.
IT WAS THE DEADLIEST YEAR OF POLICE KILLINGS OF CIVILIANS IN THE US.
AND BLACK PEOPLE ARE DISPROPORTIONATELY VICTIMS OF POLICE VIOLENCE.
WHILE ONLY COMPRISING APPROXIMATELY 13% OF THE US POPULATION, US POLICE DEPARTMENTS SENT OFFICERS FOR TRAINING IN ISRAEL AND LEARNED TO UTILIZE TACTICS INCLUDING THE NEED AND NECK RESTRAINT DEREK CHAUVIN USED THAT LED TO THE KILLING OF GEORGE FLOYD IN 2020.
THE TREATMENT OF PALESTINIAN PRISONERS SHOWS THE HARROWING COMPARISONS OF THE US PRISON INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX IN WHICH TWO THIRDS OF INCARCERATED PEOPLE DETAINED IN JAILS ARE NOT CONVICTED OF A CRIME.
AND BLACK PEOPLE ARE FOUR TIMES MORE LIKELY TO BE JAILED COMPARED TO THEIR WHITE COUNTERPARTS.
ACCORDING TO STUDIES, AS A FORMER ORGANIZER OF TEXAS JAIL PROJECT, I DOCUMENTED THE MEDICAL NEGLECT IN CUSTODY, JAIL DEATHS, EXCESSIVE USE OF FORCE AND HUMAN RIGHTS, VIOLATIONS OF DETAINEES AND TEXAS COUNTY JAILS, INCLUDING IN DALLAS COUNTY JAIL.
THE SAME JAIL, 13 PROTESTORS, INCLUDING MYSELF, WERE DETAINED AFTER BEING ARRESTED ON JANUARY 8TH FOR PROTESTING BIDEN'S ARRIVAL IN DALLAS.
THOUSANDS OF PALESTINIAN PRISONERS, INCLUDING MINORS, ARE SIMILARLY INFLICTED WITH VIOLENCE BY ISRAELI FORCES THROUGH NIGHT RAIDS, KIDNAPPINGS, ADMINISTRATIVE DETENTION, MEDICAL NEGLECT, AND PHYSICAL AND SEXUAL ASSAULT.
MAMMIE TILL THE MOTHER OF EMMETT'S HILL, WHO WAS A BLACK BOY, ABDUCTED, TORTURED, AND BRUTAL BRUTALLY KILLED BY TWO WHITE MEN, HAD AN OPEN CASKET FUNERAL TO DRAW ATTENTION TO THE RACIAL VIOLENCE, INJUSTICE AND WHITE NATIONALISM IN THE JIM CROW SOUTH.
THAT'S TIME THE, THE PALESTINIAN MOTHERS AND GAZA, THAT'S TIME KILLED CHILDREN FOR THE WORLD TO SEE THE ATROCITIES CARRIED OUT BY ISRAEL IN THE NAME OF ZIONISM AND ANTI-ARAB ANTI PALESTINIAN HATE, SANDRA CRENSHAW IS NOT PRESENT.
SAMUEL POSTON, GOOD MORNING CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS AND DALLAS CITIZENS.
I'M A 17-YEAR-OLD HIGH SCHOOL JUNIOR AT ST.
MARK'S AND SOON TO BE VOTER LATER THIS YEAR IN DISTRICT 13.
THIS IS THE SECOND TIME THAT I HAVE COME BEFORE THIS BODY.
THE FIRST WAS FIVE YEARS AGO WHEN I MADE COMMENTS AS A YOUNG PERSON URGING THE COUNCIL TO BE AGGRESSIVE IN SETTING THE GOALS IN WHAT HAS BECOME THE CA PLAN.
I STAND HERE TODAY EXCITED BY THE PLAN AND ITS ASPIRATIONAL GOALS, BUT ALSO HOPING TO SEE EVEN MORE ASSERTIVE AND ACTIONABLE IMPLEMENTATION.
AS A PROUD RESIDENT OF DALLAS, I BELIEVE THAT OUR CITY INDEED CAN AND SHOULD HAVE AN INFLUENTIAL VOICE AT THE STATE, NATIONAL, AND EVEN GLOBAL LEVELS.
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AND POLICY LEADER.THE POLICY FOR WHICH I BELIEVE DALLAS SHOULD BE ADVOCATING AS PART OF THE STATED CAP MISSION IS BORDER ADJUSTED CARBON DIVIDENDS.
OFTEN IT IS ASSUMED THAT INVESTING IN ECOSYSTEM RESILIENCE TRADES OFF WITH OTHER BUDGETARY SPENDING.
THIS IS THE CORE OF THE DISAGREEMENT OVER THE 2024 BOND PACKAGE.
HOWEVER, BY USING INCENTIVES, LEVYING A FEE ON CERTAIN HIGH PROFILE CARBON GOODS, AND THEN REATING THE FUNDS TO DALLAS CITIZENS IN THE FORM OF A UNIVERSAL LUMP SUM TAX BREAK OR PAYMENTS OR SPENDING ON OTHER BUDGETARY PRIORITIES, DALLAS CAN BOTH GENERATE FUNDS TO PRESERVE VOTER SUPPORT AND INVEST IN A MORE SUSTAINABLE SOCIETY.
BY INCLUDING BORDER ADJUSTMENTS, DALLAS CAN PRESERVE ITS COMPETITIVENESS BY PRIMARILY AFFECTING IMPORTS WITHOUT DRIVING OUT LOCAL BUSINESSES.
IT IS THE SPARK TO IGNITE A LOCAL, A NATIONAL, A GLOBAL RENEWABLE TRANSITION.
I APPRECIATE THIS IS A COMPLEX TOPIC THAT ISN'T EASY TO EXPLAIN IN A THREE MINUTE, UM, TALK IN FRONT OF THE CITY COUNCIL.
I, THUS I'VE WRITTEN A CONCISE POLICY BRIEFING WITH MORE DETAILED EXPLANATIONS.
MORNING MEMBERS OF CITY COUNCIL ONCE AGAIN, I'M SAM JUDY.
I AM A INVESTIGATIVE INDEPENDENT JOURNALIST LIVING HERE IN THE CITY.
LAST TIME I WAS HERE I SPOKE A LITTLE BIT ABOUT MY FAMILY'S OWN EXPERIENCES WITH GENOCIDE AND ETHNIC CLEANSING DURING THE HOLOCAUST.
AND I'M HERE TO REAFFIRM MY SUPPORT FOR THE PEOPLE OF PALESTINE AND CALL FOR THIS COUNCIL TO UNANIMOUSLY PUT THEIR SUPPORT BEHIND A RESOLUTION PUT FORTH BY THE DISTRICT SEVEN COUNCILMEN.
UH, I'D LIKE TO COMMEND THE DISTRICT SEVEN COUNCILMEN FOR, UH, LISTENING TO THIS COMMUNITY, LISTENING TO THESE PEOPLE DRAFTING A GREAT START TO A GOOD FOUNDATION FOR REPARATIVE JUSTICE FOR THE PEOPLE OF THIS COMMUNITY.
IF THE MEMBERS OF THIS COUNCIL WHO HAVE BEEN A LITTLE BIT MORE RESISTANT OR DISENGAGED FROM THE TOPIC ARE WONDERING WHY WE KEEP ON COMING OUT AND WHY WE KEEP ON SPEAKING TO Y'ALL AND WHY WE KEEP ON COMING IN DROVES AND SUPPORTING, UH, THIS CAUSE BECAUSE, UH, I I WOULD LIKE TO REMIND YOU THAT ONE IN 12 PALESTINIAN AMERICANS, UH, LIVES IN TEXAS, UH, A LOT OF THESE FOLKS ARE NEIGHBORS.
UM, THEY'RE GETTING TEXT MESSAGES FROM THEIR FAMILY MEMBERS SAYING THAT THEY'RE SCARED, SAYING THAT THEY DON'T WANT TO DIE WHEN THEY DO ACTUALLY HAVE ACCESS TO INTERNET, FOR WHICH FOR THE MOST PART THEY DO NOT.
UM, SO WE HAD A HATE CRIME THIS LAST WEEK IN IRVING.
THESE PEOPLE ARE FIGHTING FOR THEIR SURVIVAL AND THEY'RE FIGHTING FOR THEIR FAMILY SURVIVAL.
WE'RE GOING TO BE HERE EVERY STEP OF THE WAY WITH OUR COMMUNITY TO SUPPORT THEM AND TO PROVIDE THEM ANYTHING THAT THEY NEED IN TERMS OF FIGHTING THIS FIGHT AND MAKING SURE THAT WE ARE DOING OUR BEST TO REPEL ZIONIST POLICIES BEING AT LEAST TO THE VERY LEAST, NORMALIZE.
SO I'D LIKE TO SAY THANK YOU VERY MUCH AGAIN AND UH, FREE PALESTINE.
IN THE NAME OF GOD, THE MOST GRACIOUS, THE MOST MERCIFUL.
MY NAME IS RIHANNA MAH AHMED MAHMUD ATANI.
I AM THE GRANDDAUGHTER OF AMINA NEFA AND AHMED TIANI, BOTH SURVIVORS OF THE NPA.
IN 1948, THE PALESTINIANS XING GAZA ARE FACING A SECOND NPA AND I AM HERE TO BE A VOICE FOR THE VOICELESS.
SOMETHING I WANT TO VOICE IS THAT IT'S STRIKING.
WHILE MANY CLAIM TO BE PRO-LIFE, THE PLIGHT OF CHILDREN IN PALESTINE OFTEN GETS OVERLOOKED.
AREN'T THEY HUMAN TOO? THE NUMBERS SHOW THAT A SIGNIFICANT PORTION OF VICTIMS IN GAZA ARE CHILDREN.
IF YOUR CHILD OR A LOVED ONE WAS IN GAZA RIGHT NOW, YOU'D BE DOING EVERYTHING IN YOUR POWER TO PUT AN END TO THIS GENOCIDE.
ARE YOU GOING TO CONTINUE SITTING? UH, ARE YOU GOING TO CONTINUE TO SIT COMFORTABLY IN YOUR HOMES WHILE PEOPLE THAT BLEED THE SAME LOSE THEIR LIVES LEFT AND RIGHT OR WILL YOU BE ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF HUMANITY AND CALL FOR A CEASEFIRE BY REFUSING TO CALL FOR A CEASEFIRE? YOU ARE COMPLICIT IN THIS GENOCIDE AND YOU HAVE BLOOD ON YOUR HANDS.
WE WILL KEEP SHOWING UP UNTIL WE SEE AN END TO THIS GENOCIDE.
SO PLEASE HAVE A HEART AND TAKE THE TIME TO CALL FOR A PERMANENT CEASE FIRE.
I'LL END THIS BY SAYING FROM THE RIVER TO THE SEA, PALESTINE WILL BE FREE.
MY NAME IS TAM ARIEL AND I'M FROM DISTRICT FIVE, THE PLEASANT GROVE AREA.
I WOULD LIKE TO SAY THANK YOU.
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FAR AS THE BOND GOES FOR FUNDING REPAIRS FOR EXISTING ARTS AND CULTURAL BUILDINGS, WE DON'T HAVE OFFICIAL CULTURAL BUILDINGS IN D FIVE.SO PROVIDING FUNDING FOR PARKS AND REC, BOTH GREEN SPACES, RECREATION CENTERS LIKE
'CAUSE OUR BLACK BOX ISN'T WORKING, THE LIGHTS AREN'T WORKING.
THERE WE'RE, WE WERE TOLD TO USE THAT AS A CULTURAL HUB SEVEN YEARS AGO AND WE HAVE HARD TO DO THAT WHEN THE LIGHTS WON'T COME ON.
I WOULD LIKE TO ALSO SAY I AT LEAST AM GRATEFUL FOR THE 10 MILLION ECO DEV MONEY FUNDING FOR THAT'S IMPERATIVE FOR PLEASANT GROVE.
UM, BUT I, UH, ESPECIALLY AS WE HOPE TO BROADEN, UH, TRAIN THE MARGINALIZED VOICES, UM, IN OUR COMMUNITY TO TELL OUR STORIES AND THE BROADER FILM AND MEDIA INDUSTRY.
I WOULD LIKE TO SAY THOUGH, I'M CONCERNED ABOUT THE WAY MONEY IS BEING USED FOR HOUSING.
UM, I'M A MOM OF A SPECIAL NEEDS ADULT AND UM, AT LEAST ONE STATISTIC SAYS THAT 30 TO 40% OF HOMELESS FOLKS HAVE COGNITIVE DISABILITIES.
AND WHILE I'M DOING EVERYTHING I CAN TO PUT IN A PLAN FOR THE NEXT 20 TO 30 YEARS TO MAKE SURE HE'S CARED FOR, I CAN'T PLAN FOR EVERYTHING.
AND I KNOW THAT WE AS A COMMUNITY COULD CREATE, WE COULD HAVE A VISION, A COLLECTIVE VISION TO THINK ABOUT AND BE INNOVATIVE IN THE WAYS THAT WE'RE CREATING THOSE INCLUSIVE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT SPACES LIKE THE GENERAL HOSPITAL THAT I UH, THAT JUST I HEARD ABOUT IN THE NEWS RECENTLY THAT COULD BE USED FOR MORE AT LEAST FOUR POPULATIONS OF PEOPLE TO KEEP THEM FROM BECOMING HOMELESS.
THE ELDERLY PEOPLE WHO NEED TO DEMENTIA CARE, PEOPLE LIKE ME WHO COULD BE AT THE END OF MY LIFE, BUT ALSO WANTING A SPACE TO PROVIDE FOR MY SON.
DAVID ELLISON HAS CANCELED URA BWA.
MR. MAYOR NURA PAYING ATTENTION.
BWA IS NOT PRESENT THE SPEAKER.
MY NAME IS NURA AND I'M A MEMBER OF THE PALESTINIAN YOUTH MOVEMENT.
FOR THE PAST THREE YEARS, I HAVE HAD THE PRIVILEGE TO SUPPORT COLLEGE STUDENTS ALL ACROSS THE US EXPERIENCING BACKLASH FROM THEIR UNIVERSITIES FOR ORGANIZING IN SUPPORT OF PALESTINE.
IN THE LAST THREE MONTHS, THE BACKLASH CASES THAT WE HAVE RECEIVED HAS SKYROCKETED FROM STUDENTS IN TEXAS GETTING REPRIMANDED FOR WEARING SURGICAL MASKS DURING PROTESTS TO STUDENTS IN NEW YORK BEING SPRAYED WITH SKUNK SPRAY BY IDF SOLDIERS ON THEIR CAMPUS.
I BRING THIS UP BECAUSE THIS DISCRIMINATION AND HATE CRIMES ARE AREN'T ONLY HAPPENING ON COLLEGE CAMPUSES, BUT THEY'RE RUNNING RAMPANT IN YOUR CITY AS WELL.
IN NOVEMBER, A TRUCK WITH MY FACE ON IT WAS SENT TO MY PARENTS' JOBS IN AN INTIMIDATION CAMPAIGN TO SCARE ME INTO SILENCE.
BUT I'M NOT SCARED TO STAND HERE AND TELL YOU THAT INSTANCES LIKE THESE ARE NOT DETACHED FROM STATEMENTS OF SUPPORT FOR ISRAEL, THAT CITY OFFICIALS LIKE YOU HAVE BACKED YOUR RESOLUTION IN SUPPORT OF ISRAEL, CONDONE THEIR GENOCIDAL RHETORIC AND EMBOLDEN THEM TO ATTACK PALESTINIANS ABROAD.
AND IN DALLAS, THESE INSTANCES OF ISLAMOPHOBIA AND ANTI PALESTINIAN RACISM HAVE NOT DIED DOWN.
THERE ARE INDIVIDUALS IN THE CROWD AS WE SPEAK THAT HAVE DONE HARM TO THE MUSLIM AND ARAB COMMUNITY.
THIS PAST WEEK A ZIONIST APPROACHED A LOCAL MOSQUE, PULLED OUT A GUN IN FRONT OF CHILDREN, AND LATER ON IN THE NIGHT PEPPER SPRAYED A KID.
BUT RATHER THAN REMOVING THIS RACIST ISLAM FROM THE PREMISES OF CITY HALL, YOU ALL WILL CONTINUE TO REMOVE PEOPLE WHO ARE DISRUPTING THE SILENCE.
I SAY THIS BE NOT BECAUSE I BELIEVE THAT OUR CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS WILL ACTUALLY KEEP THE COMMUNITY SAFE, BUT I SAY THIS TO REMIND YOU ALL THAT YOU HAVE A JOB TO DO.
AND IF YOU EVER DECIDE TO ABIDE BY THE MORALS AND VALUES THAT CITY COUNCIL TOUTS ON THEIR WEBSITE, THEN YOU WOULD RIGHT YOUR WRONGS AND REPRESENT THE MUSLIM AND ARAB POPULATIONS OF THE CITY ACROSS THE WORLD.
MILLIONS OF PEOPLE ARE SHOWING OUT IN SOLIDARITY WITH PALESTINIANS.
AND IF YOU ALL TRULY CARED ABOUT YOUR COMMUNITY, YOU WOULD TOO.
DFW IS UNIFIED AND DEMANDING THAT YOU RETRACT YOUR RESOLUTION IN SUPPORT OF ISRAEL AND THAT YOU ISSUE A NEW RESOLUTION THAT RECOGNIZES THE ONGOING GENOCIDE THAT OUR PALESTINIAN FAMILIES ARE FACING.
STOP SUPPORTING THIS GENOCIDE AND INTRODUCE US.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT IT'S GONNA TAKE FOR ANY OF YOU TO UNDERSTAND.
TO GENUINELY UNDERSTAND THE GRAVITY OF EVERY TAX DOLLAR IS GOING TOWARDS FUNDING THIS GENOCIDE, DROPPING WEAPONS, REIGNING IT ON THEM.
AND IF YOU HAVE EVEN A SHRED OF HUMANITY LEFT IN YOU, YOU SHOULD BE CALLING FOR AN IMMEDIATE CEASEFIRE AND ENDING ALL US FUNDING TO ISRAEL, PALESTINIAN CEMETERIES ARE BEING DESECRATED.
EVERY UNIVERSITY IN ZA HAS BEEN DESTROYED.
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ZAS, LIBRARIES, PRESSING PRINTING PRESSES ALL GONE.ALL OF THAT IS HAPPENING IS UNJUSTIFIABLE AND ERASURE OF A HISTORICAL MEMORY OF EIGHT PEOPLE.
WOMEN AND REZA ARE RESORTING TO USING SCRAPS OF THEIR TENTS AS PERIOD PRODUCTS.
97% OF THE WATER IS NOT SAFE FOR HUMAN CONSUMPTION CONSUMPTION.
AS A DAUGHTER OF A SURVIVOR OF ANIC OF THE NEBA, I URGE YOU TO REPRESENT NOT ONLY ME, BUT YOUR THE REST OF THE CONSTITUENTS AND TO CALL FOR AN IMMEDIATE CEASEFIRE.
AND THIS PLEA MAY BE SIGNIFICANT BUT DEEPLY PERSONAL.
THE CIRCUMSTANCES DID NOT ALLOW ME TO FULFILL MY DREAM OF VISITING PALESTINE WITH MY GRANDFATHER.
AND WE CARRY THE WEIGHT OF GENERATIONS FORCIBLY DISPLACED SINCE 1948.
AS PALESTINIANS IN THE DIASPORA, WE CARRIED THE LEGACY OF OUR FAMILIES WORLDWIDE AND OUR COMMITMENT TO THE CAUSE GOES BEYOND MERE SUPPORT.
AND I URGE YOU TO ADVOCATE NOT ONLY FOR ME, BUT FOR THE REST OF YOUR MAJORITY OF YOUR CONSTITUENTS.
AND TO CALL FOR AN IMMEDIATE CEASE FIRE, FACILITATE UNHINDERED AID TO THE REGION AND END THE SIEGE.
AND FOR THE REST OF THE TIME, I WANTED TO HAVE A MOMENT OF SILENCE FOR THE MARTYRS IN PALESTINE.
OKAY, SHE'S FIRING NOW IN FREE PALESTINE.
COULD YOU PUSH THE BUTTON AT THE BASE? I CAN'T.
I THINK YOUR MICROPHONE IS ON.
THE PALESTINIAN PEOPLE ARE STILL BEING VIOLENTLY ASSAULTED BY A RACIST, SETTLER COLONIAL PROJECT.
INTENSE ON ETHNICALLY CLEANSING IT AND EXPANDING FURTHER INTO OTHER NATIONS.
THE GOVERNMENT IS STILL SENDING OUR TAX DOLLARS TO ISRAEL INSTEAD OF USING IT FOR THE GOOD OF PEOPLE.
PALESTINIANS HERE ARE STILL BEING ATTACKED AND REPRESSED FOR SPEAKING UP FOR JUSTICE AND STILL LOSING FAMILY MEMBERS TO ISRAEL'S BOMBINGS.
WEAPONS MANUFACTURERS IN DALLAS ARE STILL PROFITING OFF BOMBING CHILDREN.
TO STATE THAT DALLAS CITY COUNCIL MUST ADOPT A RESOLUTION CALLING FOR A CEASEFIRE.
THOSE OF YOU WHO HAVE NOT MET WITH US YET WOULD BENEFIT FROM REPRESENTING THE WILL OF THE PEOPLE WHO ARE HERE EVERY WEEK VOICING OUR DEMANDS.
WE WANT NO MORE CHILDREN DYING, NO MORE PALESTINIANS DISPLACED, NO MORE WAR AND DESTRUCTION.
AND PEACE WON'T COME WITHOUT JUSTICE.
WE STRIKE AND WE PERFORM ACTS OF CIVIL DISOBEDIENCE.
WHAT YOU CAN DO IS USE YOUR POSITION IN CITY COUNCIL TO PASS CEASEFIRE RESOLUTION.
YOU WILL CONTINUE TO LOSE OUT ON PROFITS FROM US, VOTES FROM US, AND PEACE AND QUIET FROM US.
WHILE THIS GENOCIDE CONTINUES, WE SEE HOW THE US RESPONDS TO ACTS OF DISRUPTION.
YEMEN IN ITS SHINING EXAMPLE OF INTERNATIONALISM, BLOCKED SOME SHIPS TO DIVERT AGGRESSION ON ZA AND AMERICA BOMBED ITS STREETS TO KILL DPD, ARRESTED PEACEFUL PROTESTORS IN OUR STREETS RATHER THAN LISTEN TO OUR CALLS FOR AN END TO THE GENOCIDE AND OCCUPATION.
YOU WANT THE STREETS AND PORTS OF COMMERCE TO RUN SMOOTHLY FOR YOUR PROFITS AND PRIVILEGE.
ZIONISM IS INDEFENSIBLE, INDEFENSIBLE, VIOLENT AND RACIST.
IT HAS BEEN LAID BARE FOR THE ENTIRE WORLD TO SEE OUR NOBLE PEOPLE IN PALESTINE HAVE NOT BEEN BROKEN.
DESPITE EVERY EFFORT THEY HAVE SACRIFICED SO MUCH.
WE HERE EMULATE THEIR STEADFASTNESS AND WILL NOT BE DEMORALIZED BY THE SYSTEM THAT IS MEANT TO MAKE US THINK WE HAVE NO POWER.
THE NEXT GROUP, WHEN I CALL YOUR NAME, PLEASE COME FORWARD AND HAVE A SEAT ON THE FIRST TWO ROWS OF THE INTERSECTION.
YASMINE AKIL, NITA LAFE, NORAN ABAD, JEAN CHONG ZANG ZANG, AYA ABAD, ORANA ABU NATHAN REED XAVIER OR XAVIER HEIM, HAM ICHI LUCERO ORTIZ.
MOHAMED SALABI SHABI, MEGAN LONG, MICHELLE FOWLER, CIA CUMMINGS, JAKE SNYDER, TINA RIO, ALEX TEKI, AND JOHN JACKS.
[00:45:01]
OF THE DALLAS CITY COUNCIL, I STAND BEFORE YOU TODAY AS A CONCERNED MEMBER OF THE DALLAS COMMUNITY.AS A RESIDENT OF THIS COMMUNITY, WE ENTRUST YOU WITH THE RESPONSIBILITY OF ADVOCATING FOR JUSTICE, EQUALITY AND PEACE.
NOT ONLY WITHIN OUR LOCAL BOUNDARIES, BUT ON THE GLOBAL STAGE AS WELL.
IT HAS BEEN OVER A HUNDRED DAYS NOW SINCE ISRAEL BEGAN ITS GENOCIDE AND ETHNIC CLEANSING ON THE PEOPLE OF REZA.
ISRAEL SAYS IT IS AN ACT OF SELF-DEFENSE.
HOWEVER, THEY'RE COMMITTING THE SAME CRIMES TO THE PALESTINIANS IN THE WEST BANK WHO DID NOT TAKE PART IN ANY ACTS OF OCTOBER 7TH.
AS OF YESTERDAY, 25,490 PEOPLE, 90 PALESTINIANS HAVE BEEN KILLED, 63,000 WOUNDED.
AND AS RESIDENTS OF DALLAS, WE IMPLORE YOU TO USE YOUR, YOUR VOICES TO CALL FOR AN IMMEDIATE END TO THE VIOLENCE.
WE ASK YOU TO ACTUALLY LISTEN TO WHAT YOUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS HAVE BEEN TELLING YOU FOR THE PAST MONTH, NOT DISMISS US AND VIOLATE THE CITY COUNCIL CODE OF ETHICS THE WAY ONE OF YOUR COUNCIL WOMEN DISGRACEFULLY DID BY SHOWING UP TO THE CITY COUNCIL MEETING ON JANUARY 10TH WEARING A IDF MILITARY SHIRT.
THE SAME SHIRT THAT WAS WORN BY THE ISRAELI FORCES WHO SHOT THREE ISRAELI HOSTAGES IN RAZA, WHO WERE EMERGED SHIRTLESS FROM A BUILDING AND WERE CARRYING A WHITE FLAG.
THEY WERE WALKING OUT OF A BUILDING, MR. MAYOR, CARRYING A WHITE FLAG.
BUT BECAUSE THEY LOOKED PALESTINIAN, THEY WERE TREATED THE WAY THE PALESTINIANS AND REZA ARE SHAMEFULLY TREATED EVERY DAY.
THE WHITE FLAG OF TRUTH DIDN'T MATTER TO ISRAEL, YET ISRAEL ISN'T COMMITTING GENOCIDE.
MR. MAYOR, THE LIVES OF INNOCENT CIVILIANS, INCLUDING CHILDREN, ARE AT STAKE.
DALLAS HAS A HISTORY OF STANDING FOR JUSTICE AND HUMAN RIGHTS.
DO THE PALESTINIANS NOT HAVE A RIGHT TO WATER, TO EN, TO ELECTRICITY TO HUMANITARIAN AID? DO THE PALESTINIANS NOT HAVE THE RIGHT TO WAKE UP AND ENJOY BREAKFAST INSTEAD OF BOMBS AND BUILDINGS COLLAPSING? TODAY I ASK THAT YOU END, YOU.
YOU, YOU EXTEND YOUR COMMITMENT TO THE JUSTICE AND HUMAN RIGHTS BY ENDORSING AND PROMOTING FOR A CALL OF CEASEFIRE AND PALESTINE.
MY NAME IS NITA AND I'M A DALLAS AREA NATIVE.
I'M HAPPY TO BE HERE THIS MORNING AMONGST COMMUNITY MEMBERS THAT HAVE SHOWN UP MEETING AFTER MEETING THESE PAST FEW MONTHS STEADFAST IN THEIR DEMANDS FOR A CEASEFIRE RESOLUTION.
I'M PROUD OF MY PALESTINIAN COMMUNITY AND THOSE IN SOLIDARITY WITH US.
BUT WHEN I LOOK UP AT OUR MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS, THIS FEELING OF PRIDE QUICKLY WASHES INTO AN OVERWHELMING FEELING OF EMBARRASSMENT.
AFTER OVER 108 DAYS OF ISRAEL GENOCIDE IN GAZA, I'M STILL STANDING IN FRONT OF THIS COUNCIL BODY, MOST OF WHICH HAVE EITHER DONE NOTHING TO SPEAK OUT OR HAVE OUTRIGHT CHEERED ON GENOCIDE.
BUT INSTEAD OF FOCUSING MY ENERGY ON YOU ALL, I WANT TO INSTEAD GIVE ATTENTION TO THE PEOPLE IN THIS ROOM AND ONLINE THAT ACTUALLY CARE ABOUT THE VALUE OF HUMAN LIFE AND DIGNITY.
THE TRUTH IS IT MATTERS MORE THAT OUR PEOPLE STAND IN POPULAR SUPPORT FOR PALESTINE THAN IT DOES FOR THE DALLAS CITY COUNCIL TO PASS THE CEASEFIRE RESOLUTION.
AND I SAY THIS WITH FULL CONVICTION BECAUSE IT HAS ALWAYS BEEN AND WILL ALWAYS BE.
PEOPLE OVER INSTITUTIONS POWER HAS AND WILL ALWAYS LIE WITH THE PEOPLE.
TO MY FELLOW COMMUNITY MEMBERS IN THIS ROOM, I CALL ON YOU TO VIEW THE ACTIONS AND INACTIONS OF THESE COUNCIL MEMBERS OVER THE COURSE OF THESE LAST FEW MONTHS AS A CONFESSION FROM EACH AND EVERY ONE OF THEM ABOUT WHERE THEIR PRIORITY AND HUMANITIES LIE.
YOU SEE COUNCIL MEMBERS, I FEAR THAT YOU UNDERESTIMATE THE POWER STEADFASTNESS AND DETERMINATION OF THE PEOPLE IN THIS ROOM.
BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, I BELIEVE THAT YOU ALL UNDERESTIMATE THE CONSCIOUSNESS THEY POSSESS.
JUST TWO WEEKS AGO, OUR COMMUNITY TOOK THE STREETS WHEN GENOCIDE, JOE WAS VISITING THE CITY OF DALLAS.
THIS ACTION WAS A POWERFUL INDICATION OF WHERE OUR COMMUNITY STANDS AND THE LENGTHS THEY ARE WILLING TO TAKE TO DEMAND JUSTICE.
OUR CHANCE, NO JUSTICE, NO PEACE THAT HAVE FREQUENTLY ECHOED IN THE STREETS OF DALLAS FOR MONTHS IS MORE THAN A CHANCE.
IT IS A PRINCIPLE THAT WE EMBODY IN PRACTICE COUNCIL MEMBERS.
THE TRUTH IS THE MASSES IN THIS COUNTRY ARE SHIFTING THE NARRATIVE AND SETTING THE TONE.
AND YOU EITHER JOIN THEM OR GO DOWN IN HISTORY AS INSIGNIFICANT GENOCIDE COMPLICIT IN SUPPORTING INDIVIDUALS.
I CALL ON THE FEW OF YOU WITH A SENSE OF CONSCIOUSNESS TO SUPPORT THE RESOLUTION WRITTEN BY COUNCILMAN BASIL DUA AND GET IN LINE WITH PEOPLE WITH THE PE WHAT PEOPLE ARE DEMANDING.
I HAD LIKE TO BEGIN BY ACKNOWLEDGING THE COUNCIL MEMBERS THAT HAVE SPOKEN UP IN FAVOR OF A CEASEFIRE RESOLUTION.
BUT I'M NOT HERE TO GIVE YOU THAT MUCH CREDIT.
TO CALL FOR A CEASEFIRE AND AN END TO THE GENOCIDE IN REZA IS TO SUPPORT THE RETURN TO THE STATUS QUO, WHICH IS NOT THE SAME AS SUPPORTING THE LIBERATION OF PALESTINE AND ITS PEOPLE FROM OCCUPATION, COLONIZATION, AND APARTHEID.
CONSTITUENTS HAVE COME TO YOU WEEK AFTER WEEK ASKING FOR THE BARE MINIMUM AND THE REST OF YOU WON'T EVEN GIVE IT SHAME.
AS A UTD STUDENT, I'M HERE TO SPEAK ON BEHALF OF MY STUDENT BODY.
UTD OFTEN CELEBRATES ITS DIVERSE POPULATION, BUT THE SAME DOESN'T SEEM TO APPLY TO ITS PALESTINIAN STUDENTS.
OUR UNIVERSITY, LIKE MANY OTHERS IN THE US, INVEST ITS MONEY IN CORPORATIONS LIKE BOEING AND LOCKHEED MARTIN,
[00:50:01]
WHICH SUPPLY THE WEAPONS THAT VICIOUSLY MURDER OUR PEOPLE.STUDENTS HAVE LOST FAMILY MEMBERS TO A GENOCIDE FUNDED NOT ONLY BY THE CITY BUT BY OUR UNIVERSITY AS WELL.
AND WE HAVE JOINED OUR COMMUNITY IN COMMUNICATING OUR GRIEVANCES, BUT THEY SEEM TO BE FALLING ON DEAF EARS.
OUR UNIVERSITIES REFUSES TO ACKNOWLEDGE AND SUPPORT PALESTINIANS AND NEITHER IT SEEMS, DOES THE CITY OF DALLAS PAY ATTENTION? THE PALESTINIAN VOICE HAS BEEN DE-LEGITIMIZED AND DEHUMANIZED FOR DECADES.
THE CALL FOR A CEASEFIRE IS A CALL FOR THE END OF LOSS OF LIFE.
A BASIC HUMAN RIGHT THAT ISN'T EVEN GIVEN TO PALESTINIANS WHO ALWAYS, ALWAYS SEEM TO BE THE EXCEPTION.
I STAND HERE TODAY TO ENCOURAGE COLLEGE STUDENTS TO CALL ON THEIR UNIVERSITIES TO DIVEST FROM MILITARISM.
I CALL ON THE PEOPLE OF DALLAS TO REJECT THIS COUNCIL'S RELATIONSHIP WITH THE ZIONIST ENTITY ISRAEL.
AND LASTLY, CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS, I CALL ON YOU TO SUPPORT THE CEASEFIRE RESOLUTION AND I HAVE ONE MORE SIMPLE REQUEST.
RAISE YOUR HAND IF YOU CONDEMN THE MURDER OF CIVILIAN PALESTINIAN MEN, WOMEN, AND CHILDREN.
RAISE YOUR HAND IF YOU CONDEMN THE MURDER OF CIVILIAN PALESTINIAN.
THE NEXT CLOS WHO'S WHOSE OUTBURSTS RAISED TO THAT LEVEL ARE GONNA BE ASKED TO LEAVE.
WE ARE ALL TIRED, BUT WE WILL NOT STOP SHOWING UP FOR THE MISSION OF PALESTINIAN LIBERATION BECAUSE WE ARE LEARNING FROM THE PALESTINIAN BROTHERS AND SISTERS WHO ARE STEADFAST.
WHAT? WHAT DOES THIS MEAN? I WILL GIVE ONE EXAMPLE THAT'S MOVED ME DEEPLY RECENTLY DURING THE SECOND INDA IN 2000, ON THE SECOND DAY OF IT, FRENCH TV CRUISE CAPTURED THE DEATH OF MUHAMMAD AL DORA, A YOUNG BOY IN THE ARMS OF HIS FATHER JAMAL ALDO.
AS THIS IS GOING ON, BOTH OF JAMAL ALDO'S BROTHERS WERE MARTYRED THROUGH ISRAELI AGGRESSION, FOLLOWED A COUPLE DAYS LATER BY THE DEATH OF ANOTHER ONE OF HIS SONS.
THIS IS THE PAIN AND THE STEADFASTNESS OF THE PALESTINIAN PEOPLE THAT WE, EVERYONE HERE ARE LEARNING FROM.
THIS IS A STEADFASTNESS THROUGH 23 YEARS AND LONGER.
SO I ASK EVERYONE HERE, THE LEAST THE CITY COUNCIL MEMBER CAN DO IS TO CALL FOR A CEASEFIRE.
DEAR CITY COUNCIL, WE'RE BACK ONCE AGAIN.
I REALLY HOPE YOU'RE NOT GETTING TIRED 'CAUSE WE DEFINITELY AREN'T.
WE'VE BEEN SHOWING UP EVERYWHERE ACROSS THE DFW METROPLEX FOR THE PAST FOUR MONTHS AND WE WILL NEVER STOP UNTIL YOU MEET OUR DEMANDS FOR FROM THE BARE MINIMUM OF A CEASEFIRE TO THE ULTIMATE PALESTINIAN LIBERATION.
ARE YOU LISTENING? YOUR JOB? ON FEBRUARY 7TH IN 2020, PRESIDENT BIDEN TWEETED AS PRESIDENT, I WILL USE MILITARY POWER RESPONSIBLY.
AND AS A LAST RESORT, WE WILL NOT GO BACK TO FOREVER WARS IN THE MIDDLE EAST.
THIS WAS ONE OF BIDEN'S PROMISES BEFORE GETTING ELECTED.
THE US IS CURRENTLY BOMBING YEMEN FUNDING ISRAEL'S BOMBING OF ZA LEBANON AND SYRIA GENOCIDE.
AND THE ZIONIST OCCUPATION, ISRAEL IS EVEN A BIGGER LIAR.
I SWEAR IT'S LIKE A COMPETITION.
THEY LIED ABOUT ELPA HOSPITAL TO MANUFACTURE CONSENT TO ATTACK IT, AND NOW THEY BOMB EVERY SINGLE HOSPITAL.
THEY LIED ABOUT THE SOUTH BEING SAFE, BUT NOW BOTH THE NORTH AND THE SOUTH ARE BEING HEAVILY BOMBED.
THEY LIED ABOUT THE MURDER OF SHAINA BARLEY, A CHRISTIAN PALESTINIAN JOURNALISTS, AND NOW THEY SPECIFICALLY TARGET JOURNALISTS KILLING MORE THAN A HUNDRED BRAVE REPORTERS
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FOR EXPOSING THE LIES OF THE OCCUPATION.IT'S ALSO CLEAR THAT THE ONLY THING THIS CITY SEEMS TO CARE ABOUT IS MONEY.
SO I'LL SPEAK IN TERMS YOU UNDERSTAND.
THE CITY OF DALLAS SENT $19 MILLION TO THE ZIONIST OCCUPATION.
ISRAEL, YOUR FINANCIAL COMPLICITY AS WELL AS THE FINANCIAL COMPLICITY OF THE AMERICAN GOVERNMENT BOMBED THE HOUSE OF A YOUNG MAN KILLING 24 MEMBERS OF HIS FAMILY.
A YOUNG MAN WHO WENT BACK TO HIS HOME TO TRY TO DIG HIS FAMILY OUT OF THE RUBBLE AND HE FOUND THE FRAGMENT OF A BOMB IN HIS HOME AND HE USED THE SERIAL NUMBERS ON IT TO FIND THAT IT WAS US MADE MK 84 AIR 2000 POUND BOMB.
THOSE ARE FITTED FOR BOTH NOSE AND TAIL FUSES.
THEY COST 3000 A HUNDRED DOLLARS EACH.
EACH HUMAN BEING KILLED COST $129.
I REQUEST THE IMMEDIATE SPONSORSHIP OF A PERMANENT.
THAT'S YOUR TIME CEASE RESOLUTION.
I'M FROM ARLINGTON, TEXAS AND I'M HERE TO ASK YOU A QUESTION.
WHAT KIND OF WORLD DO WE WANT TO CREATE? IT'S NOT A TRICK QUESTION.
WHAT KIND OF WORLD? SEE OLD PEOPLE WANT THE SAME THINGS? ESSENTIALLY WE WANT FREEDOM.
WE WANT SECURITY IN OUR BODIES AND OUR PROPERTY.
WE WANT THE MEANS BY WHICH TO LIVE DECENT LIVES.
WE WANT TO BE RESPECTED AND TREATED WITH DIGNITY.
BUT THAT IS NOT THE WORLD WE INHABIT.
OURS IS A HOSTILE AND INSENSITIVE WORLD, ONE IN WHICH THE INNOCENT MAY SUFFER WHILE OTHERS LOOK ON WITH INDIFFERENCE.
ONE IN WHICH PARENTS MUST FEAR FOR THE LIVES OF THEIR CHILDREN.
BUT WE HAVE AN OBLIGATION TO REMOLD THE WORLD INTO A BETTER PLACE.
WHAT MOST PEOPLE FAIL TO ACKNOWLEDGE IS THAT THE CREATION OF A BETTER WORLD BEGINS WITH THE INDIVIDUAL.
EVERYTHING WE DO, EVERYTHING WE SAY, EVERY GESTURE DOWN TO THE MOST MINUTE, DETAILS OF OUR EXPRESSIONS.
EVERY ACTION OR INACTION SHAPES THE WORLD OF TOMORROW.
WE CANNOT FORM A BETTER WORLD THROUGH CALLOUSNESS AND APATHY, THROUGH INTIMIDATION, WAR OR OCCUPATION, BUT THROUGH UNDERSTANDING, THROUGH DIALOGUE AND CHARITY TOWARDS THOSE WITH WHOM WE MAY DISAGREE, MAYOR COUNCIL MEMBERS, I CAN ASK FOR NOTHING MORE.
I CAN ONLY ENCOURAGE THAT YOU RECOGNIZE THAT ALL PEOPLE LIVE UNDER THE YOKE OF THIS SAME HUMAN CONDITION.
AND IT IS FOR THAT REASON THAT WE MUST STAND WITH THE GOOD PEOPLE OF PALESTINE.
WE ARE HUMANS WHO KEEP IN MIND THAT'S YOUR TIME ALWAYS.
AND CRUCIALLY, THANK YOU, THE KIND OF WORLD WE WANT TO CREATE.
IF Y'ALL DON'T ALREADY KNOW WHAT I'M HERE FOR, THEN THAT'S A YOU PROBLEM.
I AM NOT GOING TO INFORMATION OVERLOAD Y'ALL WITH THE GENOCIDE THAT'S HAPPENING TO MY PEOPLE BECAUSE LET'S BE HONEST, IT'S BEEN MORE THAN A HUNDRED DAYS AND Y'ALL STILL HAVEN'T CALLED FOR A CEASEFIRE.
SO WHAT AM I HERE FOR THEN? I'M HERE TO WASTE YOUR TIME LIKE YOU WASTED HOURS.
I'M HERE TO REMIND YOU THAT YOUR CONSTITUENTS HATE YOU.
I'M HERE TO LET Y'ALL KNOW THAT WHILE THE DEVIL WORKS HARD, WE WORK HARDER.
AND QUITE HONESTLY, I DON'T EVEN THINK MY SPEECH IS APPROPRIATE FOR THE STUFF THAT HAPPENED TODAY.
EVERY SINGLE CITY MEETING THAT I'VE ATTENDED HERE IN DALLAS, I'VE NEVER SEEN A BOMB DOG OUT THERE EXCEPT WHENEVER WE CAME TO SPEAK.
Y'ALL FEED INTO THE ISLAMOPHOBIA AND THE RACISM THAT MY COMMUNITY FACES AT THE BEGINNING OF THIS OPEN MEETING.
Y'ALL WANTED US TO PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG THAT STANDS FOR LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.
BUT WHY SHOULD I DO THAT WHEN WE HAVEN'T SEEN THAT? A FELLOW BLACK COMMUNITY MEMBER TODAY SPOKE ABOUT THE SUFFERING THAT THEIR COMMUNITY IS FACING, ABOUT THE MURDERS THAT IS HAPPENING TO THEM.
AND SOME OF Y'ALL HAD THE AUDACITY
[01:00:01]
TO SMIRK AND LAUGH AT HIM.WHILE I KNOW THAT THE MEDIA WANTS ME TO BE ANGRY AND WANTS TO PORTRAY ME AS A TERRORIST, LIKE HOW Y'ALL WANT ME TO BE, I WILL NOT GIVE Y'ALL THAT POWER.
I HAVE THE DIGNITY TO STAND UP FOR THE RIGHT THINGS.
EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON STOOD FOR US.
MARTIN LUTHER KING STOOD FOR US.
WHAT WOULD THEY SAY WITH THE INACTION THAT Y'ALL HAVE DONE TODAY AND Y'ALL CONTINUE TO DO.
IT'S NOT THAT Y'ALL DON'T WANT TO PASS A CEASEFIRE RESOLUTION.
WELL, IT'S NOT THAT Y'ALL CAN'T DO THAT, IT'S THAT Y'ALL DON'T WANT TO DO THAT.
Y'ALL WERE REALLY QUICK TO PASS A, A RESOLUTION FOR ISRAEL, BUT WHENEVER IT'S, IT'S FOR STANDING UP FOR HUMANITY.
Y'ALL WANNA TURN YOUR BACKS ON US? THAT'S YOUR TIME.
MAY YOU FREE YOURSELF FROM YOUR STUPIDITY BEFORE YOU FREE PALESTINE.
HOWEVER, MS. LONG, YOUR VIDEO NEEDS TO BE DISPLAYED.
I CANNOT GET THE VIDEO TO WORK.
UH, AS LONG AS YOU'RE NOT ABLE TO GET YOUR VIDEO TO TO WORK, THEN YOU'RE NOT ABLE TO ADDRESS THE CITY COUNCIL.
UM, GOOD AFTERNOON AND THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO SPEAK TODAY ON BEHALF OF THE DALLAS CARRIAGE HORSES AND PROPOSED BAND, MY NAME IS MICHELLE FOWLER.
I HAVE BEEN INVOLVED IN ALL ASPECTS OF EQUINE INDUSTRY FOR OVER 40 YEARS.
ONE OF THE CONCERNS BROUGHT UP AT THE PREVIOUS MEETING WAS HOW MUCH WEIGHT HORSES COULD PULL AN AVERAGE SIZED HORSE WHEN PULLING SOMETHING WITH WHEELS CAN PULL 1.5 TIMES THEIR BODY WEIGHT.
SO FOR EXAMPLE, A SMALL THOUSAND POUND HORSE CAN PULL 1500 POUNDS WHEN USING A TEAM OF HORSES.
THEY CAN PULL THREE TIMES WHAT A SINGLE HORSE CAN PULL.
THE SMALL CARRIAGES WE USE CALLED VIS-A-VIS WEIGH 955 POUNDS ON AVERAGE, A SMALL TEAM OF HORSES THAT WEIGH A THOUSAND POUNDS EACH CAN PULL 4,500 POUNDS.
A VIS-A-VIS CARRIES SIX PASSENGERS.
IF YOU FIGURE EACH PERSON AT 200 POUNDS, AT 1400 POUNDS, IT GIVES YOU A COMBINED WEIGHT OF 2,355 POUNDS, WHICH IS 2100 2,145 POUNDS.
WHAT THIS TEAM CAN EASILY PULL, A SINGLE DRAFT HORSE THAT WEIGHS 1600 POUNDS CAN PULL 2,400 POUNDS, WHICH MAKES THEM ALSO VERY CAPABLE OF PULLING A VIS-A-VIS AS A SINGLE.
THE SECOND CONCERN I HEARD WAS USING HORSES BRED TO WORK, ALL HORSES ARE BORN TO WORK, WHETHER RIDING OR PULLING A CARRIAGE.
THE MOST IMPORTANT THING ABOUT A HORSE TO BE A STINK, A CARRIAGE HORSE IS THE TEMPERAMENT.
YOU NEED A LEVEL-HEADED, LAID BACK HORSE TO MAKE A CARRIAGE HORSE.
ONCE YOU FIND THAT, THEN IT'S YOUR OF TRAINING AND COMMITMENT.
OUR HORSES ARE PART OF OUR FAMILIES.
WE ENSURE THAT THEY GET REGULAR VET PAIR AND THE BEST PAYING GRAIN MONEY COMBINED.
I'VE SPENT MY LIFE EDUCATING MYSELF WITH THE HELP OF VETS, BARRIERS AND OTHER EQUINE SPECIALISTS ON HOW TO OPT.
FIRST AND FOREMOST, I MUST EXPRESS MY EXTREME DISAPPOINTMENT WITH THE WAY PEOPLE ARE BEING TREATED IN THESE CITY HALL MEETINGS.
THANK YOU TO THE CITY COUNCIL MEMBER HERE OF JUSTICE.
THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO PUT THEMSELVES IN AUTHORITATIVE POSITIONS TO MAKE POSITIVE IMPACT IN THEIR COMMUNITIES.
AND THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO SEIZE THE OPPORTUNITY FOR THOSE IMPORTANT ROLES SO THEY CAN FEEL A SENSE OF OWNERSHIP AND POWER OVER THE PEOPLE IN THEIR COMMUNITIES.
MAYBE MOM AND DAD DIDN'T SHOW YOU ENOUGH LOVE AS A CHILD, I DON'T KNOW.
BUT
IT'S NOT A POLITICAL THING TO DO, IT'S A HUMAN THING TO DO.
COWBOY POLITICIANS FOLLOWING US AROUND TO ANY PEACEFUL EVENT WE ORGANIZE IS BOTH HARASSING AND ULTIMATELY INTIMIDATING.
ESPECIALLY WHEN THEY GET TO THE POINT WHERE THEY BRING A FIREARM TO A RELIGIOUS AND EDUCATIONAL ESTABLISHMENT SAVIOR, WE'RE TOLD TO REMAIN PEACEFUL, BUT WHEN WE TRY TO GET AGGRESSORS TO LEAVE, OUR PEOPLE ARE PEPPER SPRAYED IN THE FACE.
I SAY OUR PEOPLE, NOT BECAUSE I'M PALESTINIAN OR EVEN MUSLIM, THAT WOULD DO EVERYONE HERE.
SOME GOOD TO OPEN UP A QURAN AND GAIN SOME UNDERSTANDING.
[01:05:01]
HUMAN, BECAUSE THIS IS THE WORLD I RAISED MY OWN TWO LITTLE BOYS IN, I HAD HOPE WHEN I ATTENDED THE FIRST DALLAS CITY COUNCIL MEETING BECAUSE I LOOKED AROUND AND SAW THE DIVERSITY IN THOSE SEATS I'VE NEVER FELT SO LAUGHED AT IN MY ENTIRE LIFE.I APOLOGIZE TO YOU ALL FOR BEING IGNORANT BEFORE AND THINKING ISRAEL'S DEFENDING THEMSELVES AGAINST TERRORISM WHEN ALL I SAW WAS OCTOBER.
SELF-DEFENSE IS WHEN A WOMAN IS HOLDING HER NEWBORN BABY AND BOTH ARE BEAT BY THE BABY'S FATHER.
SO THE WOMAN DESPERATELY USES MACE TO PROTECT HERSELF AND HER CHILD, DPD PORT SHOWED UP AND PORTRAYED ME AS THE DANGEROUS CRIMINAL THAT MIGHT THAT NIGHT.
I GENUINELY TAKE OFFENSE TO THE SELF-DEFENSE ARGUMENT THAT ISRAEL'S GOVERNMENT AND XAVIER HEME AND BRANDON HALL HUGHES, THANK YOU ALL FOR HELPING EDUCATE ME WITHOUT JUDGMENT.
BECAUSE I THEN ASKED MYSELF WHAT LED TO OCTOBER? WHY WAS THAT WALL THERE? WHAT WAS IT FOR A 75 YEAR GENOCIDE AND A COLONIZATION? I WAS DISGUSTED THAT I EVER SUPPORTED THAT NARRATIVE.
AND AS FOR THE COUNCIL, PLEASE TAKE US UP ON THE OFFER OF EDUCATING YOU FROM THE OTHER PERSPECTIVE.
WE GET ROOMS FILLED WITH POLITICIANS ATTACKING CITIZENS AND JUMPING THEM FOR EXERCISING THEIR FREEDOM OF SPEECH, WHICH I FIND TO BE AN OXYMORON SINCE IT COST THAT CITIZEN A BEAT DOWN AND JAIL TIME.
FREE FOR WHO? WE'VE GOT PILOT POLITICIANS ASSAULTING PEOPLE AT MOSQUES, SAVIOR, PASTOR, POLITICIANS ATTACKING CHILDREN IN OUR PROTESTS.
BRANDON, AND THAT IS YOUR TIME.
OVERPROCESSED BLEACH BLONDE, MEAN GIRL.
QUICK POLITICIANS SHOWING UP TO THAT'S YOUR TIME.
AND JAKE SNYDER, CAN YOU SEE ME ABOUT OUR TREATMENTS BEING SUBMITTED AS A FORMAL COMPLAINT? THE TO DO ON ONE.
MR. SNYDER CALL FOR OKAY, YOU.
YOU MAY CONTINUE, MR. YOU MAY CONTINUE.
HEY, I'M JAKE SNYDER, A FOURTH GENERATION CARRIAGE DRIVER FROM DALLAS WITH A FAMILY HISTORY RICH IN HORSE CARE AND TRADITION OWNING 25 HORSES USED FOR CARRIAGE RIDES.
I'M DEEPLY INVOLVED IN THIS WORLD.
MY KNOWLEDGE COMES FROM A LINEAGE OF HORSEMEN.
MY FATHER, GRANDFATHER, AND GREAT-GRANDFATHER, ALL PASSIONATE ABOUT HORSES.
A PASSION I SHARE DEEPLY THE DEBATE AROUND BANNING CARRIAGE RIDES, OFTEN CENTERS OF WHETHER IF IT CONSTITUTES ANIMAL ABUSE FROM MY EXPERIENCE IN THAT OF MANY EXPERTS I'VE WORKED WITH, INCLUDING HORSESHOES, HORSE DENTISTS, VETERINARIANS, DIETICIANS, AND RENOWNED TRAINERS IN THE HORSE INDUSTRY.
THESE HORSES ARE NOT JUST ANIMALS TO US THAT ARE PART OF OUR FAMILY.
I REMEMBER A DECEMBER NIGHT GIVING CARRIAGE RIDES TO FAMILIES, IMMERSED IN THE JOY OF CHRISTMAS, COMPLETE WITH BLANKETS, COOKIES, CAROLS.
THIS IDYLLIC SCENE WAS DISRUPTED BY AN ANGRY MOM, CLAIMING TO BE HORSE LOVERS.
YET THEIR LACK OF KNOWLEDGE ABOUT THESE ANIMALS WAS EVIDENT AS THEIR ACTIONS FRIGHTENED MY HORSES.
THEIR MESSAGE WAS, HORSES ARE NOT MACHINES.
A SENTIMENT I AGREE WITH, BUT THEIR APPROACH WAS MISGUIDED AND NOT BASED ON FACTS.
I MIGHT REPLACE MY TRUCK EVERY FOUR YEARS, BUT MY FAMILY WOULD NEVER LET ME PART WITH MY HORSES.
THERE ARE NO PICTURES OF MY TRUCK ON OUR WALLS.
IT'S THE HORSES I TURN TO FOR COMFORT AFTER A TOUGH DAY, NOT THE TRUCK.
AND YET, DECADES FROM NOW, WHILE I MIGHT FORGET THE NICKNAME I HAD FOR MY TRUCK, OUR FAMILY WILL ALWAYS REMEMBER SHAGGY AND SHEBA, CAESAR, JEKYLL HYDE, DYLAN, PICKLE BLUE, AND BELL.
THESE HORSES LED A SPECIAL LIFE CHERISHED AND WELL CARED FOR BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT JUST ANIMALS TO US, THEY'RE FAMILY.
I URGE THE CITY COUNCIL TO BASE THEIR DECISIONS ON INFORMED FACTUAL UNDERSTANDING OF OUR INDUSTRY, NOT ON THE INFLUENCE OF EXTERNAL GROUPS, UNFAMILIAR WITH THE SPECIFICS OF DALLAS.
OUR DECISION SHOULD REFLECT THE REALITY OF OUR COMMUNITY, THE GENUINE WELFARE OF OUR BOARD GROUP.
UM, ENOUGH HAS BEEN SAID OVER THE PAST 100 DAYS TO YOU HEARTLESS PEOPLE REGARDING WHAT'S GOING ON IN PALESTINE.
SO WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO REQUEST THAT YOU DO IS TAKE A LOOK AT A COUPLE OF WEB WEBSITES AND EDUCATE YOURSELF THE LEMKIN INSTITUTE FOR ONE AND GENOCIDE.
THESE ARE ACTUAL, UM, PEOPLE WHO HAVE SURVIVED HOLOCAUST AND WROTE THE DEFINITION OF WHAT GENOCIDE IS.
AND FOR THE REST OF MY TIME, I WOULD LIKE TO HONOR THE MARTYRS WHO HAVE DIED IN PALESTINE WITH A MOMENT OF SILENCE.
[01:10:52]
ONCE AGAIN, THOSE WEBSITES ARE GENOCIDE WATCH AND THE LEMPKIN INSTITUTE, FREE PALESTINE.MY NAME IS JOHN JACKS AND THANK YOU MAYOR FOR LETTING ME SPEAK TODAY.
DO NOT BAN HORSE-DRAWN CARRIAGES.
CHICAGO ALLIANCE FOR ANIMALS IS HEAVILY FUNDED AND PAID TO PROTEST.
THEIR INFLATED CLAIMS AND ACHIEVEMENTS HAVE ABSOLUTELY NO RELEVANCE IN TEXAS.
THEY'RE NOT PROTESTING HORSE-DRAWN CARRIAGES IN DALLAS OR FORT WORTH.
THEY'RE PROTESTING YOUR BELIEFS.
HORSE-DRAWN CARRIAGES IS A SMALL START TO THEIR BIGGER AGENDA, WHICH IS TO BAN TEXAS AGRICULTURE AND BANKRUPT.
OUR BELIEFS AND THE FABRIC OF OUR SOVEREIGN STATE.
THEY CLAIM WE ABUSE OUR ANIMALS AND PUT GREED BEFORE HORSES WELFARE.
WE FOLLOW ALL THE STATES, CITY LAWS AND ORDINANCES PROACTIVELY GOING BEYOND THOSE LAWS TO ASSURE HORSES WELFARE AND REGARDLESS OF COST.
THEY CLAIM THAT THE VEHICLE EXHAUST IN DALLAS CAUSES HARM TO OUR HORSES, BUT PROVIDE NO SCIENCE TO SUPPORT THEIR CLAIMS. THEY CLAIM WE BRING NO SIGNIFICANT BENEFIT TO DALLAS HORSE.
STRONG CARRIAGES CONTRIBUTED $19 MILLION IN ANNUAL REVENUE.
WE SERVE THIS COMMUNITY FAITHFULLY, FAITHFULLY FROM WEDDINGS, BARAT, CIAS FUNERALS, SUPPORTING THE MANY ETHIC CULTURES OF THIS CITY.
AFTER THE ECONOMIC IMPACT OF COVID HORSE-DRAWN CARRIAGES CONTRIBUTED TO THE RECOVERY OF DALLAS COMMUNITIES AND HELP PROVIDE A SENSE OF WELLBEING TO THIS CITY.
DALLAS', EFFECTIVE REGULATIONS IN PLACE TODAY AND OVERSIGHT COUNCIL, CITY LEADERS.
I'M INVITING YOU TO EXPERIENCE A CARRIAGE RIDE FIRSTHAND RATHER THAN RELYING ON THEIR MISINFORMATION AND UNTRUTHS.
BRIAN HIGH AND NORTH STAR CARRIAGE IS MORE THAN HAPPY TO TAKE YOU ON A CARRIAGE RIDE AND TOUR OUR GREAT CITY OR SIMPLY MEET THEIR HORSES IN PERSON.
KNOWLEDGE IS POWER AND FIRSTHAND EXPERIENCE IS ESSENTIAL FOR MAKING AN INFORMED AND FAIR DECISION THAT TRULY REPRESENTS THE INTEREST OF THE CITY OF DALLAS.
AND YOUR VOTING CONSTITUENTS DO NOT BAN.
THAT'S YOUR TIME OR STRONG CARRIAGES.
THIS CONCLUDES YOUR OPEN MICROPHONE.
MR. MAYOR, BEFORE I GO, PLEASE.
WE'RE GONNA CLEAR THE CHAMBER NOW OF ANYONE WHO, UH, IS GOING TO DISRUPT AND WE'RE GONNA MOVE ON TO OUR VOTING AGENDA.
NOW YOU CAN, YOU CAN ESCORT THEM OUT.
WE'LL STAND AT RECESS FOR FIVE MINUTES.
WE'LL NOW MOVE TO YOUR VOTING AGENDA.
[MINUTES]
ITEM ONE, APPROVAL OF MINUTES OF THE JANUARY 10TH, 2024 CITY COUNCIL MEETING.SECOND, I HEARD A MOTION AND A SECOND.
IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE.
[CONSENT AGENDA]
CONSENT AGENDA.THERE'S BEEN A LAST MINUTE CHANGE ON YOUR CONSENT AGENDA.
YOUR CONSENT AGENDA CONSISTED OF ITEMS TWO THROUGH 31.
AGENDA ITEM THREE WAS CORRECTED.
AGENDA ITEM FOUR WAS CORRECTED.
AGENDA ITEM NINE WAS CORRECTED.
AGENDA ITEM 17 WAS PULLED BY COUNCIL MEMBER BASEL AND COUNCIL MEMBER RIDLEY.
[01:15:01]
WAS CORRECTED.THEREFORE, YOUR CONSENT AGENDA CONSISTS OF ITEMS TWO THROUGH 16 AND 18 THROUGH 31.
IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? SEEING NONE.
CHAIRMAN VALEZ, YOU'RE RECOGNIZED FOR FIVE MINUTES ON THE CONSENT AGENDA.
UM, I, UM, WANTED TO SPEAK COLLEAGUES VERY QUICKLY ON ITEM 27.
UM, THIS IS A LOCAL AGREEMENT WITH THE CITY OF IRVING, UM, TO, THEY ARE GOING TO PAY FOR, MAINTAIN AND OPERATE THE, UM, CONNECTION FROM THE CAMPION TRAIL THROUGH LB HOUSTON, UM, ALL THE WAY TO CALIFORNIA CROSSING.
SO THIS IS GETTING US CLOSER TO NORTH HAVEN, UM, SO THAT WE CAN GET THE, THE NEXT CONNECTIVITY.
AND WHEN THAT'S COMPLETED, YOU WILL LITERALLY BE ABLE TO GO FROM ALL THE WAY FROM PRETTY FAR EAST DALLAS ALL THE WAY TO, UM, WHEREVER THE CAMPION ENDS.
I THINK IT'S GOING TO FORT WORTH.
AND, UM, THAT'S PRETTY, PRETTY WILD TO THINK ABOUT THAT CONNECTIVITY.
UM, SO THANK YOU TO THE CITY OF IRVING, UM, FOR SPENDING THEIR MONEY INSIDE OF THE CITY OF DALLAS IN ORDER TO BUILD THIS BRIDGE AS WELL AS PAYING TO MAINTAIN IT AND TO OPERATE IT.
SO, UM, I'M GOING TO HAVE TO GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO MY OLD COLLEAGUE, MR. KLEINMAN, UM, ABOUT SPENDING OTHER PEOPLE'S MONEY.
UM, THEY'D WANTED TO SPEND IT AND, UM, WE ARE MORE THAN HAPPY TO ALLOW THEM TO DO THAT.
AND I ALSO WANNA GIVE A BIG SHOUT OUT TO, UM, OUR DISTRICT SIX COMMISSIONER FOR PARKS, MR. TIM DICKEY WHO, UH, HAS BEEN CHAMPIONING THIS TRAIL CONNECTION AND, UM, MAKING SURE THAT THESE TYPES OF THINGS HAPPEN.
UM, AND ALSO, UM, RICK FROM GREEN SPACE.
UM, THERE'S ONE COMMENT THAT I DO WANNA MAKE.
UM, WHEN YOU GO BACK, IF IN THE CONTRACT WE CAN JUST MAKE SURE THAT WE DOUBLE CHECK AND, UM, SAY THAT WE WANT TO HAVE THE ABILITY TO, UM, MOVE THE BRIDGE THAT HAS TO BE BUILT, UM, BECAUSE RIGHT NOW THE ALIGNMENT IS ON A PART OF THE, UM, CREEK THAT, UM, IS, IT'S ERODING REALLY BAD.
SO I'D, I WOULD HATE FOR IF WE CAN MOVE IT SOMEWHERE.
UM, YOU KNOW, WHATEVER THE ENGINEERS DECIDE IS RIGHT, OBVIOUSLY.
BUT, UM, IF WE CAN MOVE IT, I'D RATHER, YOU KNOW, LET'S MOVE IT A LITTLE BIT OVER WHATEVER WE HAVE TO DO.
'CAUSE I'D HATE FOR, UM, IN 10 YEARS WE HAVE TO REDO IT OR IRVING HAS TO REDO IT.
UM, AND JUST, UM, SPEND MONEY THAT WE COULD AVOID.
SO, UM, PARK STAFF, IF Y'ALL CAN PLEASE, UM, DOUBLE CHECK ON THAT.
UM, BUT THIS IS A REALLY COOL, EXCITING PROJECT.
IT'S GONNA GO THROUGH LB HOUSTON AND THEN GET TO CALIFORNIA CROSSING.
AND THEN, UM, WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO CONNECT CALIFORNIA CROSSING TO NORTH HAVEN.
BUT, UM, WHILE WE'RE CONSTRUCTING THAT OTHER PART THAT WE'LL GET THERE.
SO I JUST WANT TO, UM, SHOW THAT THAT'S GOING ON AND THANK YOU AGAIN TO EVERYBODY WHO WORKS ON TRAILS AND, UM, I MEAN, I JUST CAN'T GIVE A BIGGER SHOUT OUT TO CITY OF IRVING.
THANK YOU FOR SENDING YOUR MONEY THIS WAY.
YOU RECOGNIZED FOR FIVE MINUTES ON CONSENT.
UH, MR. MAYOR, I JUST WANT TO HIGHLIGHT A COUPLE OF ITEMS IN DISTRICT SEVEN.
ONE IS, UH, AGENDA ITEM 15, UM, THAT IS GOING TO REROUTE THE TRUCK TRAFFIC AND CREATE, UH, CONTACT SENSITIVE DESIGN AND A ROAD DIET, WHICH IS, UH, MUCH NEEDED ON MARTIN LUTHER KING JR.
THIS, UH, COINCIDES WITH A LOT OF THE WORK THAT, UM, UH, MANY STAKEHOLDERS IN DISTRICT SEVEN HAVE ATTRIBUTED TO, UM, THE SOUTH DALLAS FAIR PARK AREA PLAN.
UH, IN ADDITION TO, UM, GETTING, UH, SAFE STREETS GRANT FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT THAT, UH, CONGRESSWOMAN, UH, CROCKETT HELPED GET TO THE FINISH LINE, UH, I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO STAFF FOR PRIORITIZING THIS AND, UH, FOR HOPEFULLY, UM, ALLOWING THIS TO BE A MODEL TO REPLICATE, UM, THROUGHOUT THE DISTRICT AND THE CITY, UM, UH, TO, TO CONTINUE OUR VISION ZERO GOALS.
UM, IN ADDITION TO THAT, I WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT THE, UH, AGENDA ITEM 26.
UM, THERE'S NO, UH, QUESTION ABOUT THE ECONOMIC GENERATOR THAT THE TEXAS OU GAME BRINGS TO OUR CITY.
UM, IT IS NOT ONLY A HISTORICAL INSTITUTION OF, UH, BEING HELD HERE IN THE CITY OF DALLAS AT FAIR PARK.
IT'S ALSO ONE THAT PROVIDES A LOT OF ECONOMIC IMPACT AND REVENUE TO OUR CITY'S HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY, TO OUR HOTEL AND TOURISM, AND THEN OF COURSE TO OUR CITY WITH OUR, UM, HOT TAX THAT WE GET FROM THAT.
UM, THIS IS GOING TO, UH, SOLIDIFY THE AGREEMENT THAT, UM, PARKS DEPARTMENT WORKED VERY HARD ON SECURING, WHICH IS KEEPING, UM, THE GAME HERE AT THE COTTON BOWL THROUGH 2036, WHICH IS A HUGE WIN FOR OUR CITY.
UM, I'D, I'D ARGUE IT'S A HUGE WIN FOR OUR, THE REGION OF OUR COUNTRY AS WELL.
UM, IN ADDITION TO THAT, UM, WE ARE
[01:20:01]
CONTINUING RESTORATION.I WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT THOUGH, I MEAN THIS IS, THIS IS NOT UNIQUE.
UH, IT'S EXCITING TO SEE THAT WE HAVE, UM, WE'RE CONTINUING WORK IN, IN COMPLETING BOND PROJECTS IN FAIR PARK, UH, FOR THE DEFERRED MAINTENANCE THAT I SPEAK ABOUT SO OFTEN.
AND, UH, BUT THIS CHANGE ORDER IS SOMETHING I THINK WE ALL NEED TO BE COGNIZANT OF.
UH, WE SEE THAT ON MANY ITEMS AND I DON'T, UH, BLAME, UM, THIS FROM HAPPENING, BUT IT'S SOMETHING WE NEED TO BE CONSIDERATE OF WHEN CONSIDERING THIS NEXT BOND THAT WE'RE PUTTING FORTH TO THE VOTERS, UM, THE, THE PRICE OF MATERIALS CONTINUE TO INCREASE AND JOBS THAT WE THOUGHT WERE ONE, UM, PRICE TAG, UH, ARE SUBSTANTIALLY HIGHER AT THIS POINT.
AND I THINK THAT THAT'S SOMETHING WE SHOULD BE CONSCIOUS OF.
UM, THAT'S ALL I HAVE FROM THIS.
CHAIRMAN SCHULTZ, YOU RECOGNIZE FOR FIVE MINUTES ON CONSENT.
I JUST HAVE A QUICK QUESTION ON ITEM 24.
I BELIEVE IT'S EITHER PROCUREMENT OR IT IS CODE MS. CHRIS? THANK YOU MR. CHRISTIAN.
DO WE RECOVER COSTS FOR NON-CITY OWNED DEMOLITION? THANK YOU FOR THE QUESTION.
COUNCIL MEMBER, WE DO, WE LEAN FOR DEMOLITION CHARGES AND CO COMPLIANCE AND WE RECOVER THAT COST.
THANK YOU AND I'M VERY GLAD YOU DO.
THANK YOU, CHAIRMAN WEST, YOU RECOGNIZED FOR FIVE MINUTES ON CONSENT.
I JUST WANTED TO CHIME IN WITH A QUESTION.
WELL, CONGRATULATIONS TO MY COLLEAGUE ON THE MLK JUNIOR BOULEVARD.
UM, TRAFFIC CALMING AND UH, THEN ALSO WANTED TO ASK A REQUEST TO STAFF, UM, NOT FOR TODAY, BUT FOR A FOLLOW-UP MEMO ON THAT PARTICULAR ROAD.
I'M CURIOUS WHAT THE COST SAVINGS WILL BE TO THE TAXPAYERS GIVEN THAT WE KNOW WHAT IT COSTS TO RESURFACE AND RECONSTRUCT A LANE MILE.
SO BY ACTUALLY REDUCING LANE MILES HERE, MAKING IT SAFER, WHAT WILL BE OUR COST SAVINGS OVER TIME, UM, COMPARED TO OTHER ROADS, UH, FOR THAT TRAFFIC CALMING.
I'D LIKE THAT IN A MEMO, IF WE CAN GET THAT.
ANYONE ELSE WISH TO SPEAK ON FOR AGAINST THE CONSENT AGENDA? SEEING NONE.
ANY OPPOSED? THE AYES HAVE IT.
YOUR NEXT ITEM IS AGENDA ITEM 17.
[17. Authorize a twelve-month subrecipient agreement to serve as an extension to the contract agreement with Legal Aid of NorthWest Texas to provide legal services to Dallas residential tenants at risk of eviction and homelessness due to financial hardships brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic for the period February 1, 2024 through January 31, 2025 - Not to exceed $240,000.00 - Financing: American Rescue Plan Act Funds]
AGENDA ITEM 17, AUTHORIZE A 12 MONTH SUB-RECIPIENT AGREEMENT TO SERVE AS AN EXTENSION TO THE CONTRACT AGREEMENT WITH LEGAL AID OF NORTHWEST TEXAS TO PROVIDE LEGAL SERVICES TO DALLAS RESIDENTIAL TENANTS AT RISK OF EVICTION AND HOMELESSNESS DUE TO FINANCIAL HARDSHIPS BROUGHT ON BY THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC FOR THE PERIOD FEBRUARY 1ST, 2024 THROUGH JANUARY 31ST, 2025, NOT TO EXCEED $240,000.THIS ITEM WAS PULLED BY COUNCIL MEMBER BASIL AND COUNCIL MEMBER RIDLEY, IS THERE A MOTION ON ITEM MOVE OF APPROVAL? SECOND.
AND SECOND, IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? CHAIRMAN RIDLEY, UH, I'LL DEFER TO, UH, MR. BESUA AND FOLLOW CHAIRMAN BESUA, YOU HAVE FIVE MINUTES.
UM, REALLY EXCITED, UH, THAT THIS WAS A PRIORITY FROM BOTH, UH, MR. RIDLEY AND MYSELF.
UM, OUR STAFF, UM, HA HAS ALREADY SHOWN, UM, NOT ONLY THE NEED, UM, BUT ALSO, UM, SOME VERY SUCCESSFUL WORK.
SO I WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT SOME OF THIS, UH, THAT IS IT WE'RE DOING IN PUTTING MONEY TO, UM, KIND OF BEEF UP.
COVID-19 AMPLIFIED MANY, UH, CURRENT DISPARITIES.
IT SHOWED US WHAT ALREADY EXISTED.
ONE, UM, BEING THE EFFECT THAT IT HAD ON OUR RESIDENT'S ABILITY TO REMAIN SAFELY HOUSED.
ONE OF THE MOST IMPACTFUL PIECES OF POLICY THAT WE'VE PASSED SINCE I'VE BEEN ON THIS BODY WAS, UM, OUR EVICTION ORDINANCE THAT GAVE, UM, A TOOL FOR ADVOCATES AND, UM, LAWYERS ALIKE TO KEEP PEOPLE IN PLACE.
AND, UM, THOUSANDS OF RESIDENTS HAVE BEEN KEPT IN PLACE BECAUSE OF THAT.
BUT IN ADDITION TO THE POLICY THAT WAS PUT THERE, THE EVICTION ASSISTANCE INITIATIVE WAS ESTABLISHED TO PROVIDE LEGAL SUPPORT TO PREVENT EVICTIONS AND ASSIST IN PREVENTING HOMELESSNESS BY PROVIDING LEGAL COUNSEL AND SERVICES TO DALLAS RESIDENTS FACING EVICTIONS.
UH, WE UNDERSTAND THAT THIS IS STILL A NEED NOW, UH, WHICH IS WHY WE HAVE ALLOCATED $230,000 115 FROM EACH DISTRICT'S DISCRETIONARY ARPA TO CONTINUE TO ADDRESS THE IMPACT IDENTIFIED IN DISTRICT SEVEN AND DISTRICT 14.
UH, BUT IT'S ALSO A NEED OF COURSE, ACROSS THE CITY.
UM, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THOUGH, IN DISTRICT SEVEN TO HIGHLIGHT FROM JULY 1ST, 2022 TO NOVEMBER 31ST, 2023.
UM, WE'VE SERVED 94 RESIDENTS OUT OF A TOTAL OF 844, WHICH MEANS MY DISTRICT REPRESENTED 11% OF THE TOTAL CASES OF EVICTIONS THAT WE WERE ABLE TO ASSIST AS OF
[01:25:01]
NOVEMBER, 2023.UM, THE, UH, UH, ORGANIZATION HAS EXPENDED, UM, $433,284 OUT OF 500,000, COMPLETING 844 INTAKES.
OF THOSE EIGHTY EIGHT HUNDRED AND FORTY FOUR INTAKES, 71.6% SELF-IDENTIFIED AS FEMALE FEMALE HEAD OF HOUSEHOLD, 80% HAVE IDENTIFIED AS BLACK OR AFRICAN-AMERICAN.
THE TOTAL NUMBER OF RESIDENTS ASSISTED IN TOTAL, UM, ARE 18 1,892.
UH, AND THAT ACCOUNTS FOR ALL RESIDENTS AND HOUSEHOLDS SERVED.
UM, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT, UH, TO, TO JUST HIGHLIGHT WHERE THESE DISPARITIES LIE AND HOW WE CAN, UH, MAKE HUGE IMPACT, UH, WITH OUR RESIDENTS.
WITH A LITTLE BIT OF INVESTMENT, LEGAL AID OF NORTHWEST TEXAS ESTABLISHED AN EVICTION ASSISTANCE INITIATIVE CONSISTING OF EDUCATION TRAINING, LEGAL COUNSEL, AND LEGAL REPRESENTATION TO DALLAS RESIDENTIAL, UH, RENTAL TENANTS WHO ARE NEGATIVELY IMPACTED BY COVID-19 AND UNABLE TO PAY RENT, REMAIN AND TO REMAIN IN THEIR HOMES WITH THE OVERALL GOAL TO ASSIST TENANTS WHO ARE FACING EVICTIONS AND POSSIBLY AND POSSIBLE HOMELESSNESS DUE TO FINANCIAL HARDSHIPS, UM, BY THE PANDEMIC.
THERE'S CONTINUED NEED FOR THIS EVICTION ASSISTANCE BECAUSE OF COVID-19.
AND WHILE WE ARE SEEING AN INCREASE IN EVICTIONS OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS, THERE HAVE BEEN A DECREASE IN AVAILABLE RESOURCES SINCE THE PANDEMIC TO ASSIST RESIDENTS.
UH, THIS IS, UH, ONE OF THE BIGGEST REASONS WHY I THINK THIS IS A HUGE EFFORT THAT IS GOING TO HELP A LOT OF PEOPLE.
AND I HOPE THAT, UH, WE WILL CONTINUE TO PRIORITIZE INVESTING IN PEOPLE IN OUR CITY.
CHAIRMAN RIDLEY, YOU READY? THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR.
THE STATISTICS ARE STARKLY REVEALING ABOUT THE DIFFERENCE IN EVICTION RATES FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE REPRESENTED BY COUNSEL AS OPPOSED TO THOSE WHO ARE WITHOUT COUNSEL.
THEIR SUCCESS IN AVOIDING EVICTION IS IN THE SINGLE DIGITS.
THAT INDICATES TO ME THAT THERE ARE A LOT OF UNJUST EVICTIONS TAKING PLACE IN THE CITY, AND IT INDICATES TO ME THE VALUE OF LEGAL REPRESENTATION TO AVOID SUCH INJUSTICE.
WHEN I WAS PRACTICING LAW, I DID PRO BONO WORK FOR THE HOUSING ASSISTANCE PROGRAM THAT PROVIDED COUNSELING TO INDIVIDUALS WHO WERE HAVING TROUBLES WITH THEIR LANDLORDS, WERE FACED WITH EVICTION OR JUST WANTED TO KNOW WHAT THEIR RIGHTS WERE.
AND I SAW FIRSTHAND THE SITUATION THAT CAN BE PRESENTED TO SOMEONE OF LIMITED INCOME WHO IS FACED WITH POTENTIAL EVICTION.
THE LANDLORD HAS ALL OF THE CARDS UNLESS THEY HAVE GOOD LEGAL ADVICE AND ARE REPRESENTED BY COUNSEL IN THE ACTUAL EVICTION PROCEEDING.
SO THIS EFFORT BY MR. BAZEL AND MYSELF, I BELIEVE, WILL PAY HUGE DIVIDENDS IN AVOIDING EVICTIONS FOR THOSE WHO ARE LIVING PAYCHECK TO PAYCHECK AND WOULD OTHERWISE BECOME HOMELESS.
SO I THINK THIS IS A GREAT CAUSE AND I'M VERY HAPPY TO SUPPORT THIS ORDINANCE.
ANYONE ELSE WISHING TO SPEAK ON? OH, YOU WERE IN AND OUT.
CHAIRMAN VIS RECOGNIZED FOR FIVE MINUTES.
UM, I JUST WANNA FIRST SAY THANK YOU TO MY COLLEAGUES FOR, UM, USING SOME DISCRETIONARY MONEY TO DO THIS, UM, AND FUND THIS, UM, PROGRAM.
UM, AND I WANT TO THANK YOU MR. RIDLEY FOR STAY SAYING THE, UM, REALLY BIG PIECE OF AVOIDING HELPING PEOPLE TO AVOID, UM, HOMELESSNESS, AVOID BEING UNHOUSED.
AND THAT'S THE BEST THING THAT WE CAN DO, IS MAKE SURE THEY DON'T END UP THERE AND HELP THEM, UM, BECAUSE THEN IT'S EVEN MORE RESOURCES TO GET THEM, UM, ASSISTANCE OUT OF, UM, BEING UNHOUSED.
SO, UM, THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING, UM, PROACTIVE AND, UH, GETTING THIS DONE BECAUSE THIS IS, UM, EXACTLY THE TYPES OF THINGS THAT THESE DOLLARS WERE MEANT FOR WHEN WE HAD GOING THROUGH COVID, BUT THERE ARE STILL PEOPLE WHO ARE DEALING WITH SOME OF THE, UM, ISSUES AND THE AFTER EFFECTS OF THE PANDEMIC.
SO YES, WE SAY WE'RE OUT OF IT, BUT WE'RE NOT REALLY OUT OF IT.
UM, ESPECIALLY FOR A LOT OF, UM, FAMILY'S HOMES, UM, ESPECIALLY SINGLE MOMS, SINGLE PARENTS, UM, WITH, UM, ONE OR MORE CHILDREN.
AND SO IT'S VERY IMPORTANT THAT WE DO THAT.
SO THANK Y'ALL FOR RECOGNIZING THAT.
AND, UM, I'M GONNA BE VOTING IN FAVOR.
ANYONE ELSE WISHING TO SPEAK ON BEFORE AGAINST ITEM 17? SEEING NONE.
WE'LL NOW MOVE TO YOUR ITEMS FOR INDIVIDUAL CONSIDERATION.
[32. 24-131 Consideration of appointments to boards and commissions and the evaluation and duties of board and commission members (List of nominees is available in the City Secretary's Office)]
AGENDA, ITEM 32, CONSIDERATION OF APPOINTMENTS, BOARDS, AND COMMISSIONS.[01:30:01]
LIST WAS DISTRIBUTED TO EACH OF YOU.YOU DO HAVE NOMINEES FOR INDIVIDUAL AND FULL, AND A NOMINEE FOR FULL COUNCIL APPOINTMENT.
YOUR NOMINEES FOR INDIVIDUAL APPOINTMENT TO THE BUILDING, BUILDING INSPECTION, ADVISORY, EXAMINING AND APPEALS BOARD, CITY MANAGER BROAD.
NEXT IS PRESENTING DAVID PARKIN FOR APPOINTMENT.
MR. PARKIN MEETS THE STRUCTURAL ENGINEER SPECIAL QUALIFICATION TO THE CIVIL SERVICE BOARD ADJUNCT MEMBERS.
ANGEL PONTE IS BEING NOMINATED BY COUNCIL MEMBER WEST.
MS. PONTE MEETS THE FIVE PLUS YEARS EXPERIENCE AS VOLUNTEER IN BUSINESS.
SPECIAL QUALIFICATION TO THE COMMUNITY POLICE OVERSIGHT BOARD.
BRIAN BAUGH IS BEING NOMINATED BY COUNCIL MEMBER RESENDEZ TO THE MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR.
CANON BROWN IS BEING NOMINATED BY COUNCIL MEMBER RIDLEY TO THE MUNICIPAL LIBRARY BOARD.
CATHERINE OMU OMU IS BEING NOMINATED BY COUNCIL MEMBER MORENO TO THE PARK AND RECREATION BOARD.
HARRISON BLAIRS IS BEING NOMINATED BY DEPUTY MAYOR PRO TEM ARNOLD TO THE PERMIT AND LICENSE APPEAL BOARD.
STEVEN JEFFS IS BEING NOMINATED BY COUNCIL MEMBER STEWART TO THE SENIORS AFFAIRS COMMISSION.
DAVID TYSON IS BEING NOMINATED BY COUNCIL MEMBER STEWART.
MR. TYSON MEETS THE 55 PLUS YEARS OF AGE SPECIAL QUALIFICATION TO THE YOUTH COMMISSION.
JEFF IS BEING NOMINATED BY COUNCIL MEMBER STEWART, YOUR NOMINEE FOR FULL COUNCIL APPOINTMENT TO THE ARTS AND CULTURE ADVISORY COMMISSION.
ADJUNCT MEMBERS CLYDE VALENTINE IS BEING NOMINATED BY COUNCIL MEMBER RESENDEZ.
COUNCIL MEMBER MORENO AND COUNCIL MEMBER VALEZ.
MR. MAYOR, IS THERE A MOTION? IT'S BEEN MOVED.
AND SECOND, IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? SEEING NONE.
ANY OPPOSED? THE AYES HAVE IT.
[33. 24-267 Authorize a five-year service price agreement transportation for hire services for passenger drop-off and pick-up at Dallas Love Field Airport in an amount not to exceed $287,852.00 with Alto Operations Texas, LLC and Irving Holdings, Inc. in an amount not to exceed $222,000.00, most advantageous proposer of seven - Total Estimated Revenue: Aviation Fund $509,852.00 (This item was deferred on January 10, 2024)]
AGENDA ITEM 33.AUTHORIZE A FIVE YEAR SERVICE PRICE AGREEMENT TRANSPORTATION FOR HIGHER SERVICES FOR A PASSENGER DROP OFF IN PICKUP AT DALLAS LU FIELD AIRPORT IN AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $287,852 WITH ALTO OPERATIONS TEXAS, LLC AND IRVING HOLDINGS, INC.
IN AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $222,000.
MOST ADVANTAGEOUS PROPOSER OF SEVEN.
THIS IS YOUR ITEM, MR. MAYOR, IS THERE A MOTION? YES, MR. MAYOR.
I MOVED TO DEFER THIS ITEM UNTIL MARCH 27TH, 2024.
SECOND, WE MOVED TO SECONDARY DISCUSSIONS.
CHAIR, JUST REALLY QUICKLY, UM, YEAH, FIVE MINUTES.
COLLEAGUES, UM, TWO WEEKS AGO, UM, STAFF HAD ASKED FOR, UM, A TWO WEEK, UM, DELAY.
HERE WE ARE AT TWO WEEKS AND THEY NEED SOME MORE TIME.
UM, NEGOTIATIONS ARE GOING WELL.
UM, ALL THAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN IS, UM, YOU KNOW, SOME THINGS THAT GOT, YOU KNOW, ALL THE LEGAL STUFF AND, UM, BOTH SIDES HAVE AGREED TO THE MARCH 27TH DATE, UM, TO GIVE THEM ALL ENOUGH TIME THIS TIME AROUND TO MAKE SURE THAT THIS CAN GET COMPLETED.
SO, UM, THIS IS POSITIVE, THIS IS VERY GOOD.
AND, UM, IT IS STAFF'S REQUEST AS WELL AS THE APPLICANT'S.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MR. MAYOR.
ANYONE ELSE WISH TO SPEAK ON FOR AGAINST ITEMS THAT MOTION TO DEFER ON ITEM 33.
[34. 24-56 Authorize a thirty-year Interlocal Agreement with the Dallas Independent School District for the use, construction, operation, and maintenance at Moore Park Baseball Field located at 1900 East 8th Street - Financing: This action has no cost consideration to the City (see Fiscal Information) (This item was held under advisement on December 13, 2023)]
ITEM 34, AUTHORIZE A 30 YEAR INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT WITH THE DALLAS INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT FOR THE USE CONSTRUCTION OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE AT MOORE PARK BASEBALL FIELD, LOCATED AT 1900 EAST EIGHTH STREET.THIS IS YOUR ITEM, MR. MAYOR, IS THERE A MOTION ITEM 34? YES, THERE IS.
I MOVE TO DEFER THIS ITEM UNTIL AFTER PARK AND RECREATION STAFF AND THE DALLAS INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT MEETS TO ADDRESS THE REMAINING ISSUES REGARDING THE PROJECT.
IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? DEPUTY MAYOR PRO TEM? YES, THERE IS, SIR.
I'M SORRY, WHAT WAS THAT? OH, THAT WAS A SNEEZE I GUESS.
UH, WHAT I WANT TO MAKE SURE WE MOST DEFINITELY START WITH, THANK YOU COUNCIL MEMBERS FOR BEING, UM, PATIENT AND DELIBERATIVE IN TERMS OF WANTING TO GET TO, UH, A GOOD PLACE IN THIS PARTICULAR, WITH THIS PARTICULAR ITEM, I HAVE MOVED TO DEFER THIS ITEM.
SO FOR THE BUSINESS TO CONTINUE BECAUSE OF THE CONCERNS THAT I HAVE WITH THE LACK OF DUE DILIGENCE, UH, UH, AND NOT ON OUR BEHALF, BUT D-I-S-D-I HAVE SOME ISSUES ON THE EQUITY PIECE AS WELL AS TRANSPARENCY.
WE WANT TO THANK, I KNOW I WANTED TO THANK MR. UM, JOHN JENKINS AND HIS STAFF, BUT WE WANT TO MAKE
[01:35:01]
SURE THAT ALL OF THESE, UH, BOXES ARE CHECKED APPROPRIATELY.AND FOR THAT COUNCIL MEMBERS, I ASK THAT YOU WILL CONTINUE TO SUPPORT US SO THAT WE CAN GET THE BEST PROJECT THAT THIS CITY WILL REPRESENT, AND THAT THE DISD AND THE DALLAS AND THE CITY OF DALLAS TOGETHER CAN GIVE OUR COMMUNITIES THE BEST POSSIBLE EXPERIENCE HERE AT THIS LOCATION, WHICH IS MOORE PARK.
ANYONE ELSE WISHES TO SPEAK ON FOR AGAINST THE MOTION TO DEFER? HEARING NONE.
ANY OPPOSED? THE AYES HAVE IT.
[35. 24-55 An ordinance amending Chapter 51A, “Dallas Development Code: Ordinance No. 19455, as amended,” of the Dallas City Code by amending Sections 51A-1.105, 51A-8.702, and 51A-10.127; (1) moving development services related fees to Section 303 of Chapter 52 of the Dallas City Code; amending Chapter 52, “Administrative Procedures for the Construction Codes,” of the Dallas City Code by amending Sections 303.5, 303.7, and 303.11; (2) amending fees for plan reviews, excavation, signs, sidewalk waiver, certificates of occupancy, demolition, backflow prevention, appeal to the advisory, examining, and appeals board, consultation with staff, pre-development meeting, research, determination letters, table A-I new single-family construction, table A-II new multi-family construction, table A-III new commercial construction, and table B alternations or repairs; (3) adding new fees for miscellaneous plan reviews, plan revisions, post permit resubmittals, certificates of occupancy for dance halls and sexually oriented businesses, temporary residential certificate of occupancy, inspection fee for one-and-two family dwellings, residential and commercial certificate of occupancy move, phased approvals, permit extensions, inspection scheduling, technology permits, notaries, alternative materials, design and methods of construction, and equipment, special plan document handling, and special investigation fees for work without a permit; (4) adding a new Section 303.12, “Zoning Fees”; (5) adding a new Section 303.13, “Subdivision Fees”; (6) adding a new Section 303.14, “Engineering Fees”; (7) adding a new Section 303.15, “Arborist and Landscaping Fees”; (8) adding a new Section 303.16, “Geospatial Information Systems Fees”; (9) adding a new Section 303.17, “Water and Wastewater Fees”; (10) providing a penalty not to exceed $2,000.00; (11) providing a saving clause; (12) providing a severability clause; and (13) providing an effective date - Estimated Revenue: Building Inspection Fund $22,171,984.00 (This item was held under advisement on December 13, 2023)]
AGENDA, ITEM 35 IS AN ORDINANCE AMENDING CHAPTER 51, A DALLAS DEVELOPMENT CODE, ORDINANCE NUMBER 1 9 4 5 5 AS AMENDED OF THE DALLAS CITY CODE BY AMENDING SECTIONS 51 A DASH 1 1 0 5 51 A DASH 8.702, AND 51 A DASH 10.1271.MOVING DEVELOPMENT SERVICES RELATED FEES TO SECTION 3 0 3 OF CHAPTER 52 OF THE DALLAS CITY CODE AMENDING CHAPTER 52.
ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEDURES FOR THE CONSTRUCTION CODES OF THE DALLAS CITY CODE BY AMENDING SECTIONS 3 0 3 0.5 3 0, 3 0.7 AND 3 0 3 POINT 11 TWO.
AMENDING FEES FOR PLAN REVIEWS, EXCAVATION SIGNS, SIDEWALK WAIVER, CERTIFICATES OF OCCUPANCY, DEMOLITION BACKFLOW PREVENTION, APPEAL TO THE ADVISORY, EXAMINING AND APPEALS BOARD.
CONSULTATION WITH STAFF PRE-DEVELOPMENT.
RE MEETING, RESEARCH DETERMINATION LETTERS, TABLE A DASH ONE, NEW SINGLE FAMILY CONSTRUCTION TABLE A DASH TWO, NEW MULTI-FAMILY CONSTRUCTION TABLE A DASH THREE, NEW COMMERCIAL CONSTRUCTION AND TABLE B, ALTERNATIONS OR REPAIRS.
ADDING NEW FEES FOR MISCELLANEOUS PLAN REVIEWS.
PLAN REVISIONS POST PERMIT, RESUBMITTAL, CERTIFICATES OF OCCUPANCY FOR DANCE HALLS AND SEXUALLY ORIENTED BUSINESSES.
TEMPORARY RESIDENTIAL CERTIFICATE OF OCCUPANCY INSPECTION FEE FOR ONE AND TWO.
FAMILY DWELLINGS, RESIDENTIAL AND COMMERCIAL CERTIFICATE OF OCCUPANCY MOVE PHASED APPROVALS, PERMIT EXTENSIONS INSPECTION, SCHEDULING TECHNOLOGY PERMITS, NOTARIES, ALTERNATIVE MATERIALS DESIGN AND METHODS OF CONSTRUCTION AND EQUIPMENT, SPECIAL PLAN, DOCUMENT HANDLING AND SPECIAL INVESTIGATION FEES FOR WORK WITHOUT A PERMIT FOR ADDING A NEW SECTION.
ADDING A NEW SECTION 3 0 3 0.13.
ADDING A NEW SECTION, 3 0 3 4, ENGINEERING FEES.
ADDING A NEW SECTION, 3 0 3 5 ARBORIST AND LANDSCAPING FEES.
ADDING A NEW SECTION 3 0 3 0.16.
GEOSPATIAL GEOSPATIAL INFORMATION SYSTEMS FEES.
ADDING A NEW SECTION 3 0 3 0.17.
PROVIDING A PENALTY NOT TO EXCEED $2,000.
12, PROVIDING A SEVERABILITY CLAUSE AND 13, PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE.
YOU DO HAVE TWO INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM.
YOU'LL BE GIVEN THREE MINUTES TO SPEAK.
UH, MY NAME'S TRAVIS REYNOLDS.
I'M HERE ON BEHALF OF THE REAL ESTATE COUNCIL.
THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO ADDRESS YOU THIS MORNING.
UM, WE ARE GRATEFUL TO HAVE BEEN ABLE TO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO MEET WITH DSD STAFF, UH, LEADERSHIP OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF MONTHS, UH, ON DECEMBER 11TH AND JANUARY 8TH.
UM, WE ARE VERY GRATEFUL TO THEM FOR PROVIDING ANSWERS TO OUR QUESTIONS THAT WE PROVIDED TO THEM, UH, ON SUNDAY.
UH, HOWEVER, WE STILL HAVE OUTSTANDING CONCERNS ABOUT IMPLEMENTATION, UH, THAT UNDERPIN OUR RECOMMENDATIONS TODAY.
THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS TODAY ARE THREEFOLD.
UH, THE FIRST HAS TO DO WITH THE IMPLEMENTATION TIMELINE.
DEVELOPMENT SERVICES DEPARTMENT ASPIRES TO OPERATE LIKE A BUSINESS, BUT NO BUSINESS WOULD EVER CHANGE ITS FEE STRUCTURE THREE TIMES IN A IN A SIX WEEK PERIOD.
THIS APPROACH IS INEVITABLY GONNA CAUSE CONFUSION AMONG STAFF AND CUSTOMERS.
UM, WE ASK THAT YOU CONSIDER IMPLEMENTATION, UH, OVER OF THE FULL SCHEDULE BEGINNING, UH, ON APRIL 1ST TO GIVE STAFF TIME TO GO AHEAD AND IMPLEMENT POLICY AND PROCEDURES THAT WILL ARE CLEAR, UH, AND WILL BE CLEARLY COMMUNICATED TO THE CUSTOMERS.
UM, WE ALSO KNOW THAT THE, THAT CONTRACT WITH POSSE, UH, TO UPDATE THE SYSTEM, AND THIS IS GONNA TAKE TIME.
UH, SO AGAIN, APRIL 1ST START, DATE OF THE IMPLEMENTATION WOULD OFFER THE OPPORTUNITY TO GO AHEAD AND, AND HAVE THE CLEAR PROCEDURES IN PLACE.
[01:40:01]
THE SECOND, UH, RECOMMENDATION TODAY HAS TO DO WITH THE ASSUMPTIONS.WE ARE STILL UNCLEAR WHETHER ALL THE FEES ARE JUSTIFIED AS PRESENTED.
FUTURE FEE STUDIES WE THINK NEED TO BE DONE TRANSPARENTLY AND IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE STAKEHOLDER COMMUNITY AT NO POINT IN THE PROCESS TODAY.
UM, TO GET TO THIS POINT TODAY, WERE WE EVER GIVEN AN OPPORTUNITY AS A COMMUNITY TO MEET WITH OR SPEAK WITH THE CONSULTANT? IN FACT, THE MGT CONSULTING CONTRACT ACTUALLY EXPIRED BEFORE THE RECOMMENDATIONS WERE PROVIDED TO, TO YOU AS COUNCIL MEMBERS OR TO US AS THE STAKEHOLDER COMMUNITY.
UM, IN THE FUTURE, WE REALLY HOPE TO BE, TO BE GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY TO WORK WITH STAFF, UH, IN PARTNERSHIP TO, TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE ABLE TO CLEARLY COMMUNICATE THESE CHANGES AND FUTURE CHANGES TO, TO OUR MEMBERS AND THE DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY AT LARGE.
UM, FINALLY, UH, WE DEFINITELY UNDERSTAND THAT DSD MUST FULLY RECOVER ITS COST, UH, DOING BUSINESS, UH, INCREASING THE FEES AT ONE TIME AFTER AN ALMOST NINE YEAR STAGNANT PERIOD WILL HAVE UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES.
HOWEVER, UH, SMALL MID-SIZE AND EVEN LARGE PROJECTS THAT ARE PLANNED FOR LATER ON THIS YEAR, UH, THEY MAY PAUSE THEIR PLANS GIVEN THE CURRENT MARKET PRESSURE AND THAT A LARGE FEE INCREASE MIGHT, MIGHT CAUSE A PHASED FEE IMPLEMENTATION WILL ALLOW FOR DEVELOPERS LARGE AND SMALL TO FACTOR IN THE COST OF PERMITS INTO THEIR BUDGETS APPROPRIATELY.
AND FORECAST FUTURE FEE INCREASES IN EXPENDITURES, UH, AGAIN, WE RECOMMEND THE INCREASE, UH, BEGINNING AT 50% ON APRIL 1ST WITH THE REMAINDER EFFECTIVE JANUARY 1ST BEFORE WE GO THROUGH THIS PROCESS AGAIN AT THE BEGINNING OF NEXT YEAR.
UM, COMBINED, WE, WE HAVE LEARNED FROM STAFF THERE, WE'VE BEEN PROVIDED THE INFORMATION THAT SAYS THAT WE WILL END THE CURRENT FISCAL YEAR WITH $12 MILLION IN, IN THE ENTERPRISE FUND RESERVES.
UH, THIS COMBINED WITH THE ADDITIONAL FEE REVENUE BEGINNING APRIL 1ST WOULD KEEP THE DEPARTMENT IN THE BLACK, UH, AND NOT REQUIRE ANY GENERAL FUNDS.
BEHALF OF TREK, THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME THIS MORNING.
LADY THERE, MAYOR, MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL.
DAVID LADY, UH, DIRECTOR OF GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS FOR THE DALLAS BUILDERS ASSOCIATION.
WE REPRESENT THE, UH, RESIDENTIAL CONSTRUCTION DEVELOPMENT SECTOR IN A 10 COUNTY REGION WITH THE CITY OF DALLAS BEING OUR FLAGSHIP COMMUNITY.
UH, MUCH LIKE TREK, WE HAD THE, UH, WE AFFORDED THE OPPORTUNITY TO MEET WITH, UH, DSD STAFF PREVIOUSLY, UH, MULTIPLE TIMES ON THE, UH, ON THE, UH, PERMIT FEE INCREASES MOST RECENTLY LAST WEEK TO GO OVER SOME CONCERNS WE HAD.
THERE ARE A FEW REMAINING OUTSTANDING ITEMS THAT I'D LIKE TO POINT OUT.
UH, ONE IS THE, UH, MULTI-FAMILY PERMIT FEE.
UH, WE SEE THAT TO BE MORE THAN A HUNDRED DOLLARS HIGHER PER UNIT THAN WE SEE IN, UH, OTHER AREAS OF THE REGION THAT OUR BUILDERS TYPICALLY BUILD IN.
UH, THEY GENERALLY SEE RANGES FROM SAY, YOU KNOW, 420 BUCKS TO, UH, 500, MAYBE IT'S 590, BUT WE'RE UP OVER AT 6 52, UH, IN THE, UH, PROPOSED ORDINANCE THAT'S UP FROM $225.
UH, WE ASK YOU THAT WHEN YOU CONSIDER THAT PARTICULAR FEE, YOU ALSO CONSIDER THAT THEY HAVE OTHER COSTS.
THEY HAVE TO DEAL WITH THE MULTIFAMILY, DEALING WITH AFFORDABILITY ISSUES UNDER ITEMS THEY HAVE TO MATCH THAT, WHETHER IT BE PARKING OR TRANSPORTATION, UH, INITIATIVES THAT ARE PUT ON THEM BY THE CITY.
UH, THERE IS A CONCERN ABOUT THE RESIDENTIAL PLAN REVIEW, IN PARTICULAR, HOW IT APPLIES TO SINGLE FAMILY, UH, GENERALLY, UH, FOR RESIDENTIAL PLAN REVIEWS AND OTHER CITIES, OUR MEMBERS SEE, UH, THE NUMBER BETWEEN 80 TO $150 IN, UH, AREAS AROUND THE REGION.
UH, AFTER CONVERSATION WITH THE CITY STAFF LAST WEEK, WE ARE, OUR UNDERSTANDING IS THAT THIS WILL BE SOMEWHERE AROUND 550 TO $570.
UH, THAT'S CONSIDERABLY HIGHER THAN WHAT WE TYPICALLY SEE, BUT ALSO WITHIN THAT PARTICULAR PROVISION, AND THIS IS 3 0, 3 0.5, 0.1 0.2, THERE IS A NEEDED LANGUAGE CORRECTION.
UH, AND CITY STAFF SEEMED TO AGREE WITH THIS WHEN WE MET WITH THEM LAST WEEK.
UH, THE LANGUAGE REFERS TO TABLE A ONE IN THE PROPOSED ORDINANCE, AND THAT IS THE ORDINANCE, THE TABLE THAT IS USED TO CALCULATE BUILDING PERMITS.
UH, ALTHOUGH THAT NUMBER, I THINK IS INCORRECT FROM WHAT CITY STAFF INTENDED, AND I THINK THEY MAY BE LOOKING TO CHANGE THAT, I HOPE MAYBE YOU CAN ASK THEM ABOUT IT, BECAUSE IT WOULD GO FOR, EVEN FROM THEIR $500 PLUS FEE, WHICH WE THINK IS HIGH, WOULD TAKE IT UP TO A, SAY FOR A 2000 SQUARE FOOT HOME TO $991.
SO THAT'S EXCEPTIONALLY HIGH FOR A, UH, FOR A RESIDENTIAL PLAN REVIEW.
UH, THERE ARE OTHER ITEMS IN HERE THAT WE HAVE CONCERNS ABOUT, INCREASES IN THE CERTIFICATE OF OCCUPANCY FROM, YOU KNOW, TO 375 BUCKS.
AND WE TYPICALLY SEE THAT TO BE A HUNDRED TO $250 IN THE REGION.
THE TEMPORARY CERTIFICATE OF IMC IS A, A PARTIC, UH, PRETTY HIGH.
AND WE SEE THAT TO BE 50 TO $125 IN THE REGION.
REGION, UH, EXCAVATION FEES, THERE'S A 2725% INCREASE, UH, 1900% INCREASE IN DEVELOPMENT IMPACT FEE REVIEW SITE PLAN IS UP 526%, 770% INCREASE WITH DETERMINATION LETTER, UH, LIKE TREK.
WE URGE, DUE TO THE AMOUNT AND THE IMPACT THAT THESE FEES CAN HAVE ON AFFORDABILITY THAT THEY BE PHASED IN, UH, WE WOULD RECOMMEND PHASING THEM OVER
[01:45:01]
A THREE YEAR PERIOD.AND THEN ALSO WE SHALL HAVE CONCERNS ABOUT ASSUMPTIONS THAT WERE MADE BY THE CONSULTANTS, MUCH LIKE THE OTHER STAKEHOLDERS ARE ANCILLARY COSTS INCLUDED IN THE, IN THE BUDGET FOR DSD, WHAT THEY MADE THOSE FOR OBJECTIONS ON.
UH, THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO VOICE OUR CONCERNS.
THERE ARE NO FURTHER SPEAKERS, MR. MAYOR ON THIS ITEM.
MAYOR PRO TEM, YOU HAVE A MOTION? YES, I DO.
MAYOR, I'LL MOVE TO HOLD THIS ITEM ON ADVISOR UNTIL MARCH THE 27TH.
SO WE MOVED TO SECOND DISCUSSION.
YES, MAYOR, WE HAVE FIVE MINUTES.
I, I THINK WE NEED TO DO THIS.
UH, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE'VE BEEN STRUGGLING FOR FOR THE LAST, UH, THREE OR FOUR YEARS.
UM, I KNOW THE STAKEHOLDER MEETING.
I KNOW THEY DID RECEIVE SOME INFORMATION.
FIRST, I WANNA THANK ALL MY COLLEAGUES.
YOU KNOW, I WANT TO THANK THEM FOR REALLY GETTING INVOLVED IN THIS.
THE BIGGEST PROBLEM IS THAT WE DO HAVE SOME CONFUSION ON THE FEE.
WE NEED MORE TIME TO STUDY TO MAKE SURE WE ALL GET TOGETHER.
UM, THERE WAS A SHORT FUSE ON THE LINE, UH, TRYING TO MEET WITH THE STAKEHOLDERS AND TO MAKE SURE WE DO COME WITH A, A, A FAR, UH, CONCLUSION, UH, WITH THIS MAYOR.
THAT'S WHY I, UH, GIVE THEM TO MARCH 27TH.
COMING BACK HERE, WE SHOULD HAVE A CLEAR UNDERSTANDING HOW WE NEED TO MOVE THIS FORWARD.
THANK YOU, CHAIRMAN RIDLEY, RECOGNIZED FOR FIVE MINUTES.
I'D LIKE TO ASK STAFF SOME QUESTIONS.
MR. EL GODFREY, UH, ARE YOU AVAILABLE? SO, MR. EL GODFREY, UM, WOULD YOU ADDRESS, UH, THE ISSUES THAT WERE RAISED BY THE SPEAKER FROM TREK? UM, HE RAISED THREE ISSUES, UH, PROPOSING TO START THIS ON APRIL THE FIRST, WHICH, IF THIS MOTION PASSES WOULD BE THE EARLIEST THAT THIS COULD BE IMPLEMENTED.
UH, THE NEED FOR MORE FEE STUDIES.
PLEASE ADDRESS THE ADEQUACY OF THE STUDIES THAT THESE PROPOSED FEES ARE BASED UPON.
AND THEN FINALLY, THE IMPACT ON THE, UH, BSD RESERVE FUND OF IMPLEMENTING THIS OVER A PHASED PHASE IN PERIOD HALF IN APRIL AND HALF NEXT YEAR.
UH, GOOD MORNING, HONORABLE MAYOR AND, AND CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS FOR THE RECORD.
MAAL GAFFEY, ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER, UH, FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND CONVENTION.
UH, THANK YOU FOR THE QUESTIONS.
UH, COUNCIL MEMBER RIDLEY, UM, L LET ME, LET ME START WITH THE END IN MIND MAYBE AND, AND, UH, BE ABLE TO ANSWER AT LEAST RECOUPING, UM, UM, THE, THE, THE ABILITY TO RECOUP, UH, UH, THE, UH, THE FUNDS IN THERE.
I THINK THE MODEL THAT WE WILL IMPLEMENT, BRINGING IT BACK TO YOU, IT MAY BE A LITTLE BIT PROLONGED, UH, BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, WE WILL BE ABLE TO, OVER A THREE YEAR PERIOD, BE ABLE NOT ONLY TO, UH, UH, RECOUP THE, THE REVENUES THAT THAT NEEDED TO DO THE WORK, BUT ALSO, UH, BUILD A REASONABLE, UH, RESERVE FUND AS, AS ANY, AS ANY FUND, UM, UH, UH, SUCCESSFUL FUND, IF YOU WILL.
SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE COULD DO LOSING COUPLE OF MONTH.
WE WILL HAVE TO MAKE IT UP ON, ON THE LATTER PART OF IT.
SO, UM, STARTING IN APRIL WOULD NOT BE WHAT WOULD NOT BE, UH, COMPLETELY DETRIMENTAL.
I THINK IT'S, IT'S REASONABLE.
AND, AND, AND I TELL YOU, I THINK PART OF, PART OF STAFF'S, UM, I DON'T WANT TO CALL IT FLAW, BUT, UH, I THINK NO GOOD DEEDED GOES UNPUNISHED WHERE STEPH HAS WORKED REALLY HARD WITH THE DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY AND, AND WITH, UH, ALL OF THE STAKEHOLDERS TO TRY TO FIGURE OUT WHAT THE DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY NEEDS AND WANTS.
AND AS A RESULT, THERE WAS A, A LOT OF DISCUSSIONS, A LOT OF, A LOT OF FEES, A LOT OF MISCONCEPTION ABOUT WHAT STAFF WAS TRYING TO DO.
AND, UH, I, I THINK USING ANOTHER MONTH OR MONTH AND A HALF TO BE ABLE TO CLEAR SOME OF THOSE ISSUES, UH, COME BACK WITH, COME BACK WITH VERY DELIBERATE SCHEDULE, UH, OF FEES WOULD, WOULD BE VERY HELPFUL.
NOT JUST FOR THIS SHORT TERM, BUT ALSO FOR THE NEXT TWO, THREE YEARS.
SO WE DON'T HAVE THIS REPEATED, UH, YOU KNOW, REPEATED, UH, DISCUSSION AGAIN.
SO IF WE DEFER IMPLEMENTATION OF THIS OVER THE NEXT 12 MONTHS, HOW DO WE MAKE UP THAT SHORTFALL IN FEES ON THE BACK END? WELL, I, I WOULD HOPE THAT THE DEFERRAL WOULD NOT BE FOR THE NEXT 12 MONTH.
I THINK IF, IF THAT HAPPENS, THEN, THEN HOPEFULLY THE, UH, THE ABILITY TO BRING IN, UH, THE FEES FOR IMPLEMENTATION ON APRIL 1ST, 2024, AND THEN OF COURSE, THE FULL YEAR, GAINING THE FULL YEAR DURING THE BUDGET PROCESS OF 20 24, 20 25.
[01:50:02]
SO THE, THE DELAY IS GONNA BE ANOTHER COUPLE MORE MONTH.SO WITH REGARD TO THE ISSUE OF THE FEE STUDIES, COULD YOU DESCRIBE THE FEE STUDY THAT WAS THE BASIS FOR THESE FEE INCREASES AND YOUR LEVEL OF CONFIDENCE IN THE ACCURACY OF THOSE STUDIES? SO THE, THE, THE, THE STUDY ITSELF IS, IS, UH, CONDUCTED BY A THIRD PARTY, UH, COMPANY WHOSE, WHOSE SOLE PURPOSE IS TO LOOK AT FEES LIKE THIS AND, AND COMPARE WITH OTHER CITIES.
NOW, SOME OF THE, SOME OF THE FEES THAT, FOR EXAMPLE, I KNOW ONE OF THE SPEAKERS MENTIONED ABOUT THE MULTIFAMILY, UM, UM, FEES AND WHAT THE FEE STUDY RECOMMENDED IS $2,700 PER DWELLING UNIT.
AND WHAT STAFF HAS MADE A, A DIFFERENT RECOMMENDATION OF SIX TO 700, THE DWELLING UNIT.
I'M GIVING YOU THIS EXAMPLE JUST TO SHOW THAT THE FEE STUDY IN, IN, I WOULD SAY 90% OR 95% OF IT IS RIGHT ON THE SPOT.
BUT LIKE ANY FEE STUDY THERE IS, THERE IS ASSUMPTIONS, THERE IS CERTAIN, UH, INTELLIGENCE, UH, FROM, YOU KNOW, PRIOR INFORMATION FROM OWN EXPERIENCES THAT WE WORK WITH A CONSULTANT, UH, ON THOSE TYPES OF FEES.
AND THOSE ARE THE FEES THAT STAFF CAN RECOMMEND ADJUSTING, GOING BACK TO THE CONSULTANT AND WORKING WITH THEM TO HAVE A LITTLE BIT MORE, UH, UH, RELATIVE, UM, YOU KNOW, UH, RELATIVE, UH, BASICALLY CONNECTION TO THE CITY OF DALLAS ITSELF.
SO WE'RE VERY COMFORTABLE WITH THE FEE STUDY.
SO YOU'RE NOT SAYING THAT THE FEE STUDY CONTAINS INACCURACIES, BUT RATHER THAT SOME OF THE HIGHER PERCENTAGE INCREASES ARE BEING MITIGATED BY STAFF'S PERSPECTIVE ABOUT THE DALLAS MARKET? THAT'S CORRECT, SIR.
UM, I, I THINK IT'S IMPERATIVE THAT WE CORRECT THE CURRENT FEE STRUCTURE BECAUSE WE'RE LOSING OVER $20 MILLION A YEAR BY NOT BEING ABLE TO COVER OUR COSTS.
AND I DON'T SEE HOW WE MAKE THAT UP ON THE BACK END BY DEFERRING THIS DECISION.
SO, UM, I'D LIKE TO SEE THIS DECISION TO INCREASE THE FEES IMPLEMENTED AS SOON AS POSSIBLE SO THAT WE CAN STOP BLEEDING MONEY FOR, UH, FEES THAT ARE FAR TOO LOW AND HAVEN'T BEEN INCREASED IN NINE YEARS.
THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR, IS THERE ANYONE ELSE WISHING TO SPEAK ON FOR OR AGAINST, UH, MAYOR PROM'S? MOTION CHAIRMAN BES WILL DO IT.
YOU'RE RECOGNIZED FOR FIVE MINUTES ON THE MOTION TO DEFER.
I JUST, UH, WANT TO SAY I'M, I'M IN SUPPORT OF THE MOTION AND I JUST WANNA THANK YOU FOR, UM, UH, TAKING THE, UH, TIME TO GET THIS RIGHT.
UM, MR. ATKINS, I, I KNOW THAT THERE WAS, UM, UH, PRIORITY BY THE MAYOR TO GET, UM, OUR DEVELOPMENT SERVICES, UH, UN UNDER CONTROL, IF YOU WILL.
UH, AND I THINK THAT THIS IS A HUGE, UM, STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.
UM, I, I THINK THAT IT'S, IT'S SOMETHING THAT IS GOING TO BE, UH, RESISTED AND THERE'S GOING TO BE SOME HICCUPS, I THINK, UM, JUST FROM ACCEPTING CHANGE.
BUT THE REALITY IS, IS IF A PART OF, UH, WHAT HAS HAS BEEN BROUGHT FORTH IS, UM, US ESSENTIALLY, UM, UH, TAKING $20 MILLION OF A, OF A, OF A, OF A HIT IN ORDER FOR US TO OPERATE.
UM, THERE'S, YOU GET WHAT YOU PAY FOR.
AND I THINK THAT IT'S IMPORTANT FOR OUR DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY TO, UM, TO STEP UP AND TO MAKE SURE THAT THESE, UH, FEES ARE FULL COST RECOVERY SO THAT WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO GIVE THE BEST SERVICE POSSIBLE, UH, IN RETURN.
AND I THINK THAT THAT'S WHERE WE'RE HEADED.
SO THANK YOU AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR WORK AT THE COMMITTEE LEVEL WITH THIS AS WELL.
MS. WILLIS, YOU RECOGNIZED FOR FIVE MINUTES.
UH, SO I, I SUPPORT THIS AMENDMENT TO DELAY UNTIL MARCH 27TH.
UH, THERE ARE A FEW QUESTIONS AND A FEW THINGS I JUST WANNA LODGE WITH STAFF, ACTUALLY.
UM, MR. ALGO, IT'S NOT SO MUCH A QUESTION.
IT'S, IT'S A STATEMENT AROUND WHEN I SEE SOME OF THESE FEE INCREASES TO THE TUNE OF 2700%, I UNDERSTAND WHY THE INDUSTRY, UM, IS VERY CONCERNED.
AND SO WHEN I SEE INCREASES OF THAT NATURE, EVEN THOUGH THAT WE, WE HAVEN'T INCREASED THESE FEES FOR GOING ON 10 YEARS, IT ALSO MAKES ME LOOK AT EFFICIENCY AND LOOKING AT THE PROCESS BY WHICH WE GRANT AN EXCAVATION FEE BECAUSE THAT IS A REALLY BIG JUMP.
SO WE DON'T HAVE TO GET INTO THE NUTS AND BOLTS OF IT NOW, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO UNDERSTAND MORE ABOUT THAT IF THERE ARE THINGS THAT WE CAN DO ON THE CITY'S END TO MITIGATE SOME OF THAT BIG JUMP.
UH, I'D ALSO LIKE TO KNOW, SINCE VARIOUS INDUSTRIES SEEM TO BE MORE CONCERNED ABOUT A PHASE IN WHAT THE IMPLICATION COST-WISE TO US, THAT PHASE IN
[01:55:01]
WOULD BE, UM, AND I WOULD ALSO ADVOCATE FOR A NEARER TERM PHASE IN, BECAUSE WE'VE GOT TO START GETTING AT THIS.UM, AND I THINK THIS CONVERSATION NEEDS TO BE ONGOING WITH, WITH OUR INDUSTRY PARTNERS.
AND I APPRECIATE WHAT'S BEEN DONE SINCE COUNCIL ASKED FOR THE DELAY IN DECEMBER THAT CONVERSATIONS WITH INDUSTRY PARTNERS HAVE HAPPENED AND THEY'VE BEEN ABLE TO REGISTER THEIR CONCERNS.
MY BIG CONCERN NOW IS JUST THAT WE NEED TO FINE TUNE SOME THINGS.
THERE'S STILL SOME THINGS THAT AREN'T ALIGNING AND SO, UM, I THINK WE NEED TO GET THIS RIGHT.
I'D ALSO ASK INDUSTRY PARTNERS TO, TO UNDERSTAND, I, I THINK THERE'S A LOT OF COMPARISON DONE TO OUR REGION AND I I GET THAT BECAUSE THAT'S WHERE PEOPLE ARE DOING BUSINESS WITH PLANO AND FRISCO, ET CETERA.
BUT DALLAS HAS, UH, IMPLICATIONS AND AN IMPERATIVE THAT SOME OF THOSE NEIGHBORING COMMUNITIES MAY NOT HAVE.
UM, WE'VE GOT SALARY IMPERATIVES THAT WE'VE GOT TO MEET JUST TO BE ABLE TO STAFF WITH COMPETENT, UM, PEOPLE TO HELP THEM KEEP BUILDING DALLAS.
SO, UM, I WOULD ASK THAT WHEN YOU'RE LOOKING AT WHAT DALLAS FEES, UH, ARE ALIGNING WITH IT MAKES SENSE TO BE MORE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD OF AN AUSTIN OR SAN ANTONIO OR A HOUSTON VERSUS A FRISCO, ET CETERA.
SO, UM, THIS IS A GIVE AND TAKE, BUT I DO SUPPORT THE AMENDMENT BECAUSE I THINK WE DO NEED A LITTLE BIT MORE TIME TO MAKE THIS RIGHT.
THANK YOU, CHAIRMAN WEST, YOU RECOGNIZED FOR FIVE MINUTES ON ITEM 35, THE MOTION TO DEFER.
I AGREE WITH EVERYTHING COUNCILMAN WILLIS JUST SAID AND I APPRECIATE THE CHAIRMAN AS WELL.
THE MAYOR PRO TIMM, JUST TAKING THE TIME TO GET THIS RIGHT.
UH, UH, WITH EVERYTHING ELSE THAT'S BEEN SAID TOO, WE HAVE TO GET THE FEES DONE.
WHAT I WOULD REALLY LIKE BEFORE WE SEE PROPOSE ANY MORE DELAYS, UM, AFTER TODAY IS I HAD ASKED PREVIOUSLY INDUSTRY IF, IF THEY WOULD RESPOND TO, YOU KNOW, ALL THE CATEGORIES, UM, OF IF YOU AGREE, DON'T AGREE OR HAVE NO COMMENT.
AND IF WE HAD DONE THAT, THEN WE COULD PROBABLY 90% OF THESE WE MAY BE ABLE TO JUST MOVE FORWARD WITH TODAY INSTEAD OF HOLDING 'EM.
SO I WOULD JUST ASK INDUSTRY, YOU KNOW, I THINK IT WOULD BE HELPFUL TO US IF THERE'S SOME OF THESE EVERYONE'S IN AGREEMENT ON LET'S JUST GET, GET DONE WITH THEM, YOU KNOW, FOR THE NEXT TIME THIS COMES UP.
AND IF THERE'S ONES WE STILL DISAGREE ON, YOU KNOW, LET'S BRING IT TO COUNCIL AND LET'S ALL TALK ABOUT IT HERE AT THE HORSESHOE.
THANK YOU, UH, MAYOR AND THANK YOU.
UH, AND FOR YOUR, UH, WILLINGNESS TO ALLOW STAFF TO CONTINUE OUR WORK, UH, WITH STAKEHOLDERS AS WELL AS INTERNAL, LET ME JUST MAKE SURE I LEVEL SET.
THERE'S BEEN A FEW STATEMENTS AROUND, UH, I GUESS THE VERACITY AND, AND AND OF THE STUDY ITSELF.
AND, AND I THINK MAGIC AL GODFREY DID A GREAT JOB RESPONDING TO THAT, THIS NOTION AROUND THE LAST TIME THAT WE RAISED FEES.
AND I THINK IN A POINT OF, OF STATEMENT AROUND A FEE THAT'S GOING UP, WHETHER A THOUSAND OR 2000%, AND THAT MAY SPEAK TO INEFFICIENCIES.
I I'D SAY AT THE END OF THE DAY WE'VE TALKED OVER THE LAST COUPLE YEARS AROUND PROCESSES AND IMPROVEMENTS AND INEFFICIENCIES.
SO AGAIN, I, I WILL NOT SAY THAT QUITE A BIT OF OF WHAT WE'VE EXPERIENCED THE LAST FEW YEARS IS REAL AND PROBABLY IS WHAT'S SHOWING UP TODAY WHEN WE'RE STARTING TO TALK ABOUT FEES.
BUT THE NOTION OR INDICATION OF NINE YEARS OF NOT ADJUSTING FEES, UH, REALLY IS JUST MATH.
AND THAT IS THE COSTS THAT WERE PRESENT FROM THE BODY OF WORK AND EFFORT HAVE GONE UP SIGNIFICANTLY OVER THAT NINE YEARS, UH, A LOT DURING THESE LAST TWO.
AND SO IT'S REALLY FROM A STUDIES PRACTICALITY STANDPOINT, A SIMPLE MATH GAME OF HOW MUCH DO ALL YOUR STAFF COST AND THEN WHAT ARE THE FEES YOU GET TO CHARGE FOR AND HOW MANY HOURS AND WHO'S DOING IT AND WHAT IS THEIR COST PER HOUR? MULTIPLY BY HOW MANY OF THOSE COME THROUGH THE DOOR THAT I CAN ESTIMATE ON ANY GIVEN YEAR TO THEN BUILD UP TO WHAT THAT NEW FEE NEEDS TO BE TO RECOVER THE COST FOR THE BODY OF INDIVIDUALS DOING THAT WORK.
AND THEN IT'S MULTIPLY ACROSS ALL THE FEES BASED ON HISTORY OF HOW MANY WE DO ON AVERAGE EVERY YEAR.
SO IT'S A PRETTY SIMPLE EQUATION.
I THINK THE CONVERSATION AROUND THE ACCEPTABILITY OF THE FEE HAS OBVIOUSLY BEEN TEMPERED A LITTLE BIT BY WHAT STAFF HAS DONE TO MODIFY EVEN THE FEES THAT THE CONSULTANT HAS RECOMMENDED.
I WOULD SAY, AND THE ONLY REASON I'M SPEAKING IS BECAUSE THERE'S A LOT MORE WORK TO DO, BUT THE NOTION OF, YOU KNOW, WHETHER SOMEONE WHO IS I GUESS GOING TO BE ASSESSED THE FEE, UH, SHOULD BE DETERMINING WHAT THE FEE IS, UH, WHEN IT'S PURELY BASED ON A COST RECOVERY STANDPOINT OF THIS IS HOW MANY PEOPLE DO THE WORK AND TOUCH IT REGARDLESS OF WHAT'S ON THEIR SIDE.
I THINK I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE I LEVEL SET TO UNDERSTAND THAT THAT IS PROBABLY
[02:00:01]
NEVER GONNA BE IN CONGRUENCE.AND SO I JUST WANTED TO SAY THAT PLUS TO THE POINT OF PHASING WHAT I THINK THE TIME IS GOING TO ALLOW AND I THINK WORKING WITH THE CHAIR OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ON THIS ISSUE WAS TO GIVE US ENOUGH TIME TO GO BACK AND LOOK AT THE APPROPRIATE AMOUNTS OF PHASING THE APPROPRIATE INITIAL FEES IN AND OF THEMSELVES WHEN THEY START, WHEN THEY SHOULD BE PHASED, WHETHER HALF NOW, HALF LATER, OR BREAK THAT EVEN FURTHER.
THERE WILL BE SOME ASSUMPTIONS WE'LL MAKE AS WELL ON WHATEVER THAT DURATION IS, ANY COST ESCALATION IN BETWEEN THAT TIME TO ENSURE THAT WHEN WE ARE FINALLY FULLY PHASED IN, IT WILL BE RECOVERING WHAT WE ESTIMATE OR CLOSELY ESTIMATE TO BE THE FULL COST AT ANY POINT IN GIVEN TIME.
AND SO THAT'S THE WORK WE WILL GO AND DO SO THAT WHEN YOU SEE IT AND COME BACK, YOU'LL HAVE A LEVELIZED FUND BALANCE NUMBER OF WHAT WE BELIEVE AT LEAST BY THE FMPC IS REQUIRED TO ENSURE THAT WE NEVER GO BELOW THAT.
BUT THAT WILL ALSO ALLOW US TO CONTINUE TO FUNCTION DURING ANY PHASE IN PERIOD.
AND AGAIN, THAT'S WHY WE NEED MORE TIME TO DO THAT AND WE'LL OBVIOUSLY BE ABLE TO SHARE REAL NUMBERS ON WHAT THE PHASING AT ANY GIVEN INCREMENT WILL BE WITH THE STAKEHOLDERS AS WELL AS COUNCIL AND ENSURE WE HAVE THAT IN FRONT OF YOU SO YOU KNOW WHAT YOU'RE AGREEING TO AND THEY CAN UNDERSTAND WITH SOME PREDICTABILITY WHAT WE'RE ESTIMATING AND WHAT THOSE IMPACTS WILL BE AS THEY BUILD OUT THEIR OWN FINANCIAL MODELS FOR THEIR PROJECT.
SO I JUST WANTED TO SHARE THAT THAT'S WHAT THE WORK AND EFFORT WILL BE OVER THE NEXT MONTH AND A HALF.
BUT WHEN WE COME BACK WE'LL BE ABLE TO ANSWER FOR YOU THE COST AND IMPACTS AND THE PHASING IN THE TIMING OF IT AND WHAT FOLK CAN EXPECT TO PAY FULL COST CONSISTENT WITH THE STUDY, DIFFERENT FROM MAYBE EVEN STAFF'S OWN SENSITIVITIES AROUND CERTAIN FEES.
'CAUSE AT THE END OF THE DAY, WE'VE GOTTA RECOVER OUR COST AND WE CAN'T CONTINUE TO NOT HAVE ONGOING REVENUES TO SUPPORT ONGOING COSTS.
AND SO AGAIN, THANK Y'ALL FOR ALLOWING US THIS TIME TO WORK AND WE WILL DEFINITELY ENGAGE, UH, APPROPRIATELY WITH COUNCIL AS WELL AS OUTSIDE STAKEHOLDERS.
SEE ANYONE ELSE? I'LL GO TO CHAIRMAN RIDLEY FOR THREE MINUTES.
JUST A QUESTION FOR MR. BROAD NECK.
SO MR. BROAD NECKS, ARE YOU SAYING THAT YOU ARE SUPPORTIVE OF THIS DEFERRAL FOR TWO MONTHS? YES WE ARE.
AND THAT'S AGAIN, UH, I WANNA THANK THE COUNCIL MEMBER FOR, UM, SHARING THE DEFERRAL 'CAUSE THE COUNCIL'S THE ONLY ONE THAT CAN MAKE IT.
STAFF IS IN FULL SUPPORT OF THAT.
ANYONE ELSE WISHES TO SPEAK ON FOR AGAINST THE MOST MOTION BY MAYOR PRO TEM? SAY NONE.
MR. MAYOR, THIS CONCLUDES YOUR AGENDA FOR THIS SESSION.
[EXECUTIVE SESSION]
LOOK, UM, WE WE'RE GONNA GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION, SO I NEED TO READ THIS STATUTORY LANGUAGE AND THEN BEFORE WE GO IN, WE ALSO HAVE AN ANNOUNCEMENT.SO IT IS 11:28 AM ON JANUARY 24TH, 2024.
THE CITY COUNCIL MEETING WILL NOW GO INTO CLOSE SESSION UNDER SECTION 5 51 0.07, ONE OF THE TEXAS OPEN MEETINGS ACT ON THE FOLLOWING MATTERS DESCRIBED ON TODAY'S AGENDA, SEEKING ADVICE FROM THE CITY ATTORNEY REGARDING CITY OF CAMDEN ET ALL INDIVIDUALLY AND ON BEHALF OF ALL OTHER SIMILARLY SITUATED VERSUS 3M COMPANY, CITY CANDIDATE, ET ALL VERSUS EI, DUPONT DE DEMURS, COMPANY, N-K-E-I-D-P INC.
ETAL AND RAY AQUEOUS FILM FORMING FOAMS PRODUCTS LIABILITY LITIGATION.
WAS THAT INTENTIONALLY DONE TO TRIP ME UP? MDL NUMBER TWO COLON 18 DASH MN DASH 2 8 7 3 DASH RMG.
ALRIGHT, SO WE ARE GONNA RECONVENE AT 1:00 PM BUT BEFORE WE DO, I WANNA TURN IT OVER TO CHAIRWOMAN STEWART FOR A SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT.
WE ARE CELEBRATING A BIRTHDAY TODAY.
WELL, YOU DON'T HAVE TO SHARE YOUR AGE, BUT HAPPY BIRTHDAY.
I KNOW, AND I DON'T HAVE TO SING.
I DID ASK MY COLLEAGUE THERE AND GRACIE TO MAYBE LEAD US IN HAPPY BIRTHDAY IF THAT WOULD BE ALL RIGHT.
AND NOW HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU.
WE WE ARE, UM, WE ARE AT RECESS UNTIL 1:00 PM EVERYONE.
UM, ALL RIGHT, THE TIME IS 1:15 PM
[02:05:04]
AND THIS MEETING OF THE DALLAS CITY COUNCIL IS NOW BACK IN REGULAR SESSION.UM, MADAM SECRETARY, I'LL LET YOU TAKE IT FROM HERE.
[Z4. 24-138 A public hearing to receive comments regarding an application for and an ordinance granting an MU-3 Mixed Use District and a resolution accepting deed restrictions volunteered by the applicant on property zoned a CR Community Retail District, on the northeast corner of South Lancaster Road and Simpson Stuart Road Recommendation of Staff: Approval Recommendation of CPC: Approval, subject to deed restrictions volunteered by the applicant at the hearing Z223-254(LG)]
BEFORE WE MOVE TO YOUR ZONING CONSENT AGENDA, MAYOR PRO TEM ATKINS WOULD LIKE TO BE RECOGNIZED ON ITEM Z FOUR.MAYOR PRO TEM, YOU'RE RECOGNIZED FOR A MOTION.
YES, I'D LIKE TO DEFER Z FOUR TO FEBRUARY THE, THE 28TH.
SECOND, IT'S BEEN MOVED IN SECOND.
ANY DISCUSSION? ANYONE? HEARING NONE.
[ZONING CASES - CONSENT]
YOUR ZONING CONSENT AGENDA.YOUR ZONING CONSENT AGENDA CONSISTED OF ITEM Z ONE THROUGH Z 10.
ITEM Z FOUR WAS JUST PREVIOUSLY DEFERRED.
THEREFORE, YOUR ZONING CONSENT AGENDA CONSISTS OF ITEM Z ONE THROUGH Z THREE AND Z FIVE THROUGH Z 10.
I'LL READ THOSE ITEMS INTO THE RECORD.
ITEM Z ONE IS A PUBLIC HEARING AND AN ORDINANCE GRANTING AN AMENDMENT TO SPECIFIC USE PERMIT NUMBER 2 0 1 9, A BAR, LOUNGE, OR TAVERN AND, AND INSIDE COMMERCIAL AMUSEMENT LIMITED TO A LIVE MUSIC VENUE ON PROPERTY ON THE SOUTHEAST LINE OF ELM STREET, SOUTHWEST OF NORTH CROWDER STREET.
ITEM Z TWO IS A PUBLIC HEARING AND AN ORDINANCE GRANTING AN AMENDMENT TO SPECIFIC USE PERMIT NUMBER 1 6 9 5 FOR A BAR LOUNGE OR A TAVERN IN AN INSIDE COMMERCIAL AMUSEMENT LIMITED TO A LIVE MUSIC VENUE ON PROPERTY ON THE NORTHWEST CORNER OF EXPOSITION AVENUE AND CANTON STREET.
ITEM Z THREE IS A PUBLIC HEARING AND AN ORDINANCE GRANTING AN AMENDMENT TO SPECIFIC USE PERMIT NUMBER 2, 4 2 1 FOR A COMMERCIAL AMUSEMENT INSIDE LIMITED TO A DANCE HALL ON PROPERTY ON THE NORTHWEST CORNER OF HARRY HINES BOULEVARD IN JO FIELD ROAD.
ITEM Z FIVE IS A PUBLIC HEARING AND AN ORDINANCE GRANTING AN R DASH FIVE, A SINGLE FAMILY DISTRICT ON PROPERTY ON THE NORTHEAST CORNER OF DENISON STREET IN BILL BIG ROAD.
ITEM Z SIX IS A PUBLIC HEARING AND AN ORDINANCE GRANTING AND AMENDMENT TO SPECIFIC USE PERMIT NUMBER 1 6 9 1 FOR A BAR, LOUNGE OR TAVERN ON PROPERTY ON THE SOUTHWEST LINE OF EXPOSITION AVENUE EAST OF ASH LANE.
ITEM Z SEVEN IS A PUBLIC HEARING AND AN ORDINANCE GRANTING AN AMENDMENT TO SPECIFIC USE PERMIT NUMBER 2 3 4 9 FOR THE SALE OF ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES IN CONJUNCTION WITH A GENERAL MERCHANDISE OR A FOOD STORE 3,500 SQUARE FEET OR LESS ON PROPERTY ON THE NORTHEAST CORNER OF CF HAHN FREEWAY AND SOUTH MASTERS DRIVE.
ITEM Z EIGHT IS A PUBLIC HEARING AND AN ORDINANCE GRANTING AN R DASH 10, A SINGLE FAMILY DISTRICT ON PROPERTY ON THE SOUTHEAST LINE OF WEST LAWSON ROAD, NORTHEAST OF GOLDEN SPUR ROAD.
ITEM Z NINE IS A PUBLIC HEARING AND A, AND A RESOLUTION ACCEPTING AN AMENDMENT TO DEEDED RESTRICTIONS VOLUNTEERED BY THE APPLICANT ON PROPERTY ON THE SOUTHEAST CORNER OF DAVENPORT ROAD AND WINDING CREEK ROAD.
ITEM Z 10 IS A PUBLIC HEARING AND AN ORDINANCE GRANTING A SPECIFIC USE PERMIT FOR THE SALE OF ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES IN CONJUNCTION WITH A RESTAURANT WITHOUT DRIVE-IN OR DRIVE-THROUGH SERVICE ON PROPERTY ON THE WEST LINE OF SOUTH BUCKNER BOULEVARD BETWEEN INE ROAD AND BLOSSOM LANE.
YOU DO HAVE ONE INDIVIDUAL WHO HAS SIGNED UP TO SPEAK ON ITEM Z NINE MARA SCHREYER FLEMING, I, I STRONGLY SUPPORT CTC.
I'M SORRY, MS. FLEMING, I'M SORRY.
UM, YOUR VIDEO MUST BE DISPLAYED BEFORE YOU CAN ADDRESS THE CITY.
I STRONGLY SUPPORT CPCS RECOMMENDATION TO APPROVE THE ZONING CHANGE FOR THIS PRESCHOOL.
I'M SURE YOU KNOW HOW IMPORTANT PRESCHOOL EDUCATION IS FOR CHILDREN.
AND WHILE THERE ARE MANY PRESCHOOL OPTIONS FOR CHILDREN IN DISTRICT 12, NOT ALL PARENTS CAN AFFORD A QUALITY PRIVATE PRESCHOOL.
AND THIS PARTICULAR PRESCHOOL IS DESIGNED TO INCLUDE THOSE CHILDREN WHOSE PARENTS ARE UNABLE TO AFFORD A PRIVATE PRESCHOOL.
RESEARCHERS OF PRESCHOOL EDUCATION HAVE FOUND THAT WHILE ALL CHILDREN BENEFIT FROM PRESCHOOL, POOR AND DISADVANTAGED CHILDREN OFTEN MAKE THE MOST GAINS.
THAT'S WHY IT'S SO IMPORTANT TO SUPPORT THIS PRESCHOOL.
THANKS FOR CPCS WORK TO APPROVE THE ZONING CHANGE AND SUPPORT OF THIS PRESCHOOL.
ARE THERE ANY INDIVIDUALS IN THE AUDIENCE THAT WOULD LIKE TO ADDRESS THE CITY COUNCIL ON ANY OF THE ZONING CONSENT AGENDA ITEMS THAT WAS JUST, WERE JUST PREVIOUSLY READ INTO THE RECORD.
IS THERE A MOTION MOVE APPROVAL? IT'S BEEN MOVED IN A SECOND.
IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? SEEING NONE.
[02:10:01]
SORRY.I, FOR LEGAL COUNSEL ABOUT THE CASES ON THE CONSENT DOCKET THAT HAVE DIFFERENT RECOMMENDATIONS BY STAFF FROM CPC AS TO WHICH ONE WE'RE APPROVING.
SO I'D LIKE TO HEAR FROM HER ABOUT THAT.
UM, IT WOULD BE THE CPC RECOMMENDATION.
[Z11. 24-1 A public hearing to receive comments regarding an application for and an ordinance granting an MF-2(A) Multifamily District and a resolution accepting the deed restrictions volunteered by the applicant on property zoned an R-7.5(A) Single Family District, on the east side of South Polk Street, between Cascade Avenue and Elmhurst Place Recommendation of Staff: Denial Recommendation of CPC: Approval, subject to deed restrictions volunteered by the applicant Z212-348(JM) Note: This item was deferred by the City Council before opening the public hearings on November 8, 2023 and is scheduled for consideration on January 24, 2024. ]
ITEM Z 11.Z 11 IS A PUBLIC HEARING AND AN ORDINANCE GRANTING AN MF DASH TWO, A MULTI-FAMILY DISTRICT AND A RESOLUTION ACCEPTING THE DEED RESTRICTIONS VOLUNTEERED BY THE APPLICANT ON PROPERTY ON THE EAST SIDE OF SOUTH POLK STREET BETWEEN CASCADE AVENUE AND ELMER'S PLACE.
MR. MAYOR, WE SENT 35 NOTICES TO PROPERTY OWNERS WITHIN 200 FEET OF THE AREA OF REQUEST.
WE RECEIVED TWO REPLIES IN FAVOR AND FOUR REPLIES IN OPPOSITION TO THE REQUEST.
YOU DO HAVE ONE INDIVIDUAL WHO HAS SIGNED UP TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM.
THIS MAKES ME NERVOUS, HUH? YOUR NAME? YES.
IF ANYONE GOT ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT, UH, OUR NON-PROFIT, UH, UH, NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION ON THE ZONING ON THIS PROPERTY, COULD YOU PLEASE ASK ME AND I TRY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS ANYBODY GOT TO ASK? THANK YOU.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER INDIVIDUALS IN THE AUDIENCE THAT WOULD LIKE TO ADDRESS THE CITY COUNCIL ON THIS ITEM? ITEM Z 11.
DID WE HAVE ANY OTHER SPEAKERS? NO FURTHER SPEAKERS.
CHAIRMAN WEST, YOU HAVE A MOTION? I DO.
MAYOR, I MOVE TO FOLLOW THE RECOMMENDATION OF THE CITY PLAN, COMMISSION AND APPROVE.
IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION MR. CHAIRMAN? YOU HAVE FIVE MINUTES.
UM, SO THIS WAS A, THIS WAS A CASE THAT'S BEEN DELAYED FOR A COUPLE OF MONTHS AND I'LL EXPLAIN WHY IN A, IN A MOMENT.
IT WAS A, IT'S A FORMER GROUP HOME THAT WAS, UM, FOR MILITARY VETERANS WHO WERE FORMERLY HOMELESS, WHICH HAS BEEN CONVERTED OVER INTO INDIVIDUAL UNITS, WHICH TURNED IT INTO MULTIFAMILY AND MADE IT NON-COMPLIANT.
AND, UM, THIS ZONING CHANGE WILL ALLOW FOR THEM TO OPERATE IN COMPLIANCE AS A UNDER MULTI-FAMILY RULES WITH DEEDED RESTRICTIONS TO PREVENT THEM FROM IF THEY EVER TEAR IT DOWN OR IF THEY TRY TO ADD MORE DENSITY OR WHAT HAVE YOU TO, TO SORT OF TAKE ADVANTAGE OF, OF THE ZONING CHANGE BEYOND WHAT THEIR CURRENT USE IS.
UM, SO THERE'S A CODE ISSUE HERE BECAUSE A LOT OF THE WORK WAS DONE OUTSIDE OF PERMITTING AND THEN THERE'S A ZONING ISSUE THE CODE ISSUE'S GONNA LIVE ON.
UM, THAT'S THE REASON FOR THE DELAY IS I WANTED THE APPLICANT TO BE WORKING WITH CODE, UM, AFTER, UP TILL NOW AND MAKE SURE THAT WAS HAPPENING, BUT HOPEFULLY WE CAN FIX THE ZONING TODAY.
SO, OR MODIFY THE ZONING TODAY SO THAT THEY CAN BE IN COMPLIANCE, UM, WITH THE, WITH, WITH THEIR USE AND WE CAN KEEP THESE VETERANS IN HOUSING.
UM, WE HAD MIXED SUPPORT, UM, AMONGST THE NEIGHBORS.
WE HAVE TWO NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS THAT, UM, BACK UP TO THIS FACILITY.
UH, ONE OF THEM CHOSE TO NOT TAKE A POSITION.
THE OTHER ONE PROVIDED A LETTER OF SUPPORT, WHICH WAS SENT OUT TO EVERYONE THIS MORNING.
UM, THERE ARE A COUPLE NEIGHBORS WHO ARE IN OPPOSITION, MAINLY BASED ON THE PARKING SCENARIO.
[02:15:01]
YOU KNOW, I SORT OF WEIGHED THIS AS SAYS, YOU KNOW, WE, WE DON'T WANNA ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO DO RENOVATIONS AND CHANGE THEIR USE OUTSIDE OF THE GUISE OF A PROPER PERMIT.AND I HAD TO WEIGH LIKE THE BENEFIT OF US HAVING THIS HOUSING FOR VETERANS, UM, FORMALLY HOMELESS VETERANS AGAINST THAT.
AND SO HAVING WEIGHED THAT, I MEAN THE APPLICANT IS DOING THE RIGHT THING TRYING TO GET INTO COMPLIANCE NOW.
UM, WE, WE HAVE AN EXISTING USE HERE FOR, FOR HOUSING FOR THESE FOLKS AND IT, THERE'S NOT OPPOSITION BY NEIGHBORS.
SO FOR ME THAT OUTWEIGHS UM, SORT OF THE, THE OTHER SIDE, WHICH IS THAT I DON'T LIKE SEEING THESE KIND OF PROJECTS DONE WITHOUT WORKING WITHIN THE GUISE OF THE CITY.
AND I THINK THE APPLICANT AFTER HAVING TO GO THROUGH A YEAR OF THIS ZONING CHANGE AND NOW STILL DEALING WITH CODE IS PROBABLY, YOU KNOW, UNDERSTANDING THAT AS WELL.
SO THAT'S MY REASONING FOR THIS MOTION TODAY AND I ASK FOR YOUR SUPPORT.
RIDLEY, YOU RECOGNIZE FOR FIVE MINUTES.
SO I NOTE THAT STAFF, UH, RECOMMENDED, UH, DENIAL OF THIS REQUEST, UH, BASED AS FAR AS I CAN TELL FROM YOUR, UH, STAFF REPORT ON THE FACT THAT THIS WOULD INTRODUCE AN MF TWO A USE IN THE MIDDLE OF A SINGLE FAMILY NEIGHBORHOOD AND THAT THEY ARE LIKELY NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO COMPLY WITH THE PARKING AND LANDSCAPING REQUIREMENTS.
SO I, I'D LIKE TO EXPLORE THOSE LAST TWO.
UM, THE PARKING REQUIREMENTS YOU INDICATE ARE NINE SPACES FOR THE NINE UNITS, UH, PLUS, UM, A QUARTER SPACE PER BED.
HOW MANY SPACES ARE CURRENTLY ON THE PROPERTY THAT QUALIFY FOR OFF STREET PARKING? OKAY.
THERE THE APPLICANT RESPONDED SEVEN.
AND THEY NEED HOW MANY? UH, IT DEPENDS ON HOW MANY, UH, UNIT UNITS OR UH, GROUP HOME UNITS THEY WILL BE ABLE TO GET IN THERE AND SO I THINK IT'S GONNA HAVE TO BE COMPLIANT WITH THAT.
AND THE LANDSCAPING, WHAT'S THE ISSUE THERE? SO THE STRUCTURE IS EXISTING AND EVERYTHING THAT'S OUTSIDE OF IT, UM, THEY HAVE SOME NON-CONFORMING RIGHTS.
SO UNLESS THEY TRIGGER MORE COMPLIANCE WITH ARTICLE 10 UNTIL THEY DO OUTSIDE, UH, WORK TO EXPAND, THAT WILL NOT BE TRIGGERED AT THIS POINT.
WELL, WHAT IS THE ACTUAL EFFECT OF THIS REZONING? I KNOW IT'S BEING REZONED FROM SINGLE FAMILY TO MF TWO A, THE DEEDED RESTRICTIONS PROHIBIT MULTIFAMILY RESIDENTIAL USE.
SO WHAT WILL THE ACTUAL OPERATION QUALIFY AS IN TERMS OF IT BEING A USE? IT, IT'S NOT A GROUP HOME BECAUSE THERE ARE NINE SEPARATE INDEPENDENT UNITS.
SO, UM, THAT DETERMINATION HAS TO BE DONE AT PERMITTING AND THEY NEED TO GET INTO COMPLIANCE WITH WHATEVER USE PER CONVERSATIONS THAT WE HAD WITH THEM AND CITY PLAN COMMISSION HAD WITH THEM THE USE THAT WOULD THEY, THEY AGREED TO USE WAS GROUP HOME.
SO THAT'S WHY THE DEBT RESTRICTIONS BASICALLY DIALED IT DOWN TO ONLY SINGLE FAMILY AND ONE ADDITIONAL USE, WHICH IS THE GROUP HOME.
IT WAS CPCS, UM, TRYING TO FIND A SOLUTION FOR THEM.
SO THEY WILL HAVE TO COME INTO COMPLIANCE WITH WITH THAT.
SO THEIR USE UNDER THIS REZONING WILL BE AS A GROUP HOME BECAUSE MULTIFAMILY IS NOT PERMITTED GROUP HOME IS PERMITTED IN AN MF TWO, CORRECT? THAT IS CORRECT, YES.
AND THE CURRENT BUILDING DOESN'T COMPLY WITH THE GROUP HOME USE BECAUSE THERE ARE NINE INDEPENDENT USE WITH SEPARATE BATHROOMS AND KITCHENS, CORRECT? I SUPPOSE SO, YES, THEY WILL, YES, PROBABLY.
SO THEY WILL HAVE TO RECONFIGURE THE BUILDING TO QUALIFY AS A GROUP HOME? YES.
AS WELL AS MEET THE CODE REQUIREMENTS FOR MF TWO ZONING? THAT IS CORRECT.
AND THE, THE RESTRICTIONS, YES, OF COURSE.
UM, IS THERE ANYTHING IN THE ZONING RECLASSIFICATION OR IN THE DEEDED RESTRICTIONS THAT RESTRICTS OCCUPANCY TO, UH, HOMELESS FORMER VETERANS? FORMERLY HOMELESS VETERANS?
[02:20:01]
NO, BUT I WOULD DEFAULT THIS QUESTION TO THE CITY ATTORNEYS BECAUSE I, I THINK THERE ARE SOME, UH, I DON'T KNOW IF WE CAN, UH, CAP GROUP OR HANDICAP GROUP DWELLING UNITS OR GROUP HOMES.CASEY BURGESS IS WALKING OUT TO ANSWER THE QUESTION.
HE'S SO THROUGH THE ZONING DEEDED RESTRICTIONS, WE COULD ONLY DE RESTRICT THINGS THAT HAVE TO DO WITH ZONING.
AS FAR AS WHO LIVES ON THE PROPERTY, THAT DOESN'T HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH ZONING AND THAT'S NOT SOMETHING WE COULD INCLUDE.
SO, UH, AS FAR AS THE CITY IS CONCERNED, THEY COULD, UH, ADMIT ANYONE AS A RESIDENT OF THE GROUP HOME, UH, REGARDLESS OF WHETHER THEY ARE PREVIOUSLY HOMELESS OR PREVIOUSLY MILITARY? ANYBODY, IT WOULD BE OPEN TO ANYBODY, CORRECT.
AS LONG AS THEY COMPLIED WITH THE GROUP HOME REQUIREMENTS.
UM, WERE THERE ANY OTHER REASONS THAT STAFF WAS OPPOSED TO THIS REZONING OTHER THAN THOSE THAT I'VE REVIEWED WITH YOU? YES, IT WAS THE, UM, WOKE CAP, UH, WEST OAK CLIFF AREA PLAN.
THERE WERE, THERE WAS LIVELY CONVERSATION, THERE WAS LIVELY CONVERSATION WHEN WE APPROVED THE PLAN ON HOW TO ALLOW GENTLE DENSITY IN THE NEIGHBORHOODS.
AND THE FINAL VERSION OF THE PLAN DETERMINED THE AREAS, UH, WHERE THAT WOULD BE APPROPRIATE.
SO, UM, THAT WAS ALSO A BASIS OF OUR RECOMMENDATION.
UH, I I'M SORRY, I DON'T UNDERSTAND THAT YOU SAY THERE'S A, A ROLE FOR GENTLE DENSITY, BUT YOU DON'T THINK THIS MEETS THAT? NOT NOT IN THIS AREA.
THE PLAN IDENTIFIES IT IN DIFFERENT AREAS, BUT NOT IN THIS ONE.
AND BECAUSE THIS IS PROPERTY IS SURROUNDED BY SINGLE FAMILY ZONING, YOU DIDN'T THINK IT WAS APPROPRIATE AT THIS LOCATION? AGAIN, IT WAS MORE STEMMING FROM THE PROVISIONS OF, UH, WOKE CAP WEST OAKLEY FER PLAN.
WHEN WE HAVE AN AREA PLAN THAT WAS RECENTLY VOTED, THE CONVERSATION WAS ALREADY HAD WITH THE NEIGHBORS AND THAT WAS THE DECISION WE WERE TRYING TO STAY TRUE TO THE PLAN.
SO THE AREA PLAN CALLS FOR THIS TO REMAIN SINGLE FAMILY? YES.
OR I THINK I I THINK IT ALLOWS OR IT ALLOWS ADUS OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT, BUT NOT NECESSARILY A FULL FLEDGE MULTIFAMILY.
UM, DEPUTY MAYOR PRO TEM, YOU YOU'RE RIGHT.
I JUST, WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO DO IS TO GET A DEFINITIVE UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT IS BEING BUILT.
UH, IF WE COULD GET THAT, BECAUSE YOU'RE SAYING YOU DON'T KNOW IF IT'S NINE OR IF NINE WHO CAN GIVE US A DEFINITIVE OF WHAT IS GOING HERE? I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHAT IS BEING BUILT.
NOTHING IS GONNA BE BUILT FOR OUR UNDERSTANDING.
THEY'RE GONNA MAINTAIN THE EXISTING HOUSE IS JUST THAT THEY'RE GONNA REPURPOSES INTO MEETING THE REQUIREMENTS OF A GROUP, GROUP DWELLING UNIT.
HOW MANY UNITS THEY CAN SQUEEZE IN THERE IS DEPENDING, IT GOES BACKWARDS.
THEY WILL HAVE TO BACK INTO THE SQUARE FOOTAGE AND ALL THE REQUIREMENTS WITH THE GROUP HOME.
SO THEREFORE THEY WILL HAVE TO MEET THOSE, I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY THEY CAN, I THINK THEY SUBMITTED TO US A WORK PLAN AND I CAN ASK THE APPLICANT TO ADDRESS THAT.
SO TO YOU TO TO TO TO TO THE COUNCIL MEMBER, IF I COULD ASK YOU, YOU'RE SEEKING APPROVAL OF WHAT THEY'RE TRYING WHAT WAS BEING DESCRIBED HERE TODAY FOR US TO SUPPORT, SUPPORT THIS TODAY? THAT'S RIGHT.
HOW MANY PEOPLE WERE OPPOSED? I DIDN'T REALLY FOLLOW THAT.
UH, WE RECEIVED FOUR REPLIES IN OPPOSITION OUT OF 25 NOTICES.
SO BASICALLY WHAT I'M TRYING TO ENVISION IS IF YOU HAVE THE GROUP HOME, I'M TRYING TO FOLLOW THE, THE POLICIES IN TERMS OF CODE CODE ENFORCEMENT AND WHAT THE EXPECTATIONS WOULD BE FOR THESE RESIDENTS, UH, AND THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS.
THAT'S WHAT I'M TRYING TO VISUALIZE IS RIGHT NOW IT SOUNDS LIKE SOME, SOME TYPE OF A CLOUD IS HERE AND I DON'T, AND I'M NOT REALLY COMFORTABLE WITH WHAT I'M HEARING BECAUSE YOU DON'T KNOW THIS BECAUSE I GUESS IT'S NOT YOUR PROPERTY.
BUT JUST HELP ME TO UNDERSTAND BECAUSE IF, IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN, IF I COULD DIVERT ONE MORE TIME TO THE COUNCIL MEMBER.
IS THIS IN THE AREA OF THE WYNWOOD AREA COUNCIL MEMBER NEAR THAT, THE WYNWOOD? UM, NOT EXACTLY MAYOR PROTO, IT'S UH, IT'S CLOSER TO THE TYLER STATION DART STATION.
IT'S KIND OF ON THE WAY, BUT I DON'T KNOW.
I THINK I KNOW WHERE YOU'RE, OKAY.
YEAH, I'M JUST KIND OF TRYING TO GET A FEEL FOR THAT, FOR WHERE IT, WHERE, WHERE THAT NEIGHBORHOOD
[02:25:01]
IS.AND I'M KIND OF FAMILIAR WITH THAT STA STATION.
SO FOR ME, COUNCIL MEMBER, I'M REALLY KIND OF IN THE LIMBO RIGHT NOW.
MAYBE IF SOMETHING ELSE COMES UP OR I'M MAKING MY MIND REAL FAST, I DON'T WANT TO, I DON'T WANNA PUT THEM IN A POSITION WHERE WE DON'T UNDERSTAND WHAT THEIR RIGHTS WILL BE.
IN TERMS OF TENANTS, IF YOU HAVE NINE OR THEY'RE ABLE, IS A GROUP HOME, DO THEY HAVE THE SAME RESPONSIBILITIES OF CALLING CODE OR CALLING, UM, IF THEY HAVE A, UM, CODE ISSUE, DO THEY CALL NINE, UH, NINE ONE ONE TO ADDRESS PART OF THE ROOF THAT'S LEAKING OR WHATEVER IS NOT IN COMPLIANCE? DO THEY HAVE THOSE RIGHTS IN THIS PARTICULAR HOME NOW? AND ARE THE, AND WHAT ARE THOSE DEEDED RESTRICTIONS? IF YOU COULD HANDLE THAT, I WOULD APPRECIATE IT.
I WOULD INVITE IF YOU, IF YOU WANT, I WOULD INVITE THE APPLICANT TO EXPLAIN AND DESCRIBE THEIR OPERATION AS WELL.
AND WHAT IS THEIR INTENT, UH, FROM THE PURPOSES OF LAND USE, THE, THE LAND USE IS GONNA BE GROUP HOME.
THIS IS THE HOUSE THAT IS RIGHT NOW.
IT CANNOT BE BIGGER, IT CANNOT BE ENLARGED.
SO THEY WILL HAVE TO COMPLY IN ORDER TO, TO, TO OBTAIN THEIR CERTIFICATE OF OCCUPANCY AND THEIR COS.
SO USING, WE MAY END UP WITH NINE PEOPLE THERE, BUT I GUESS IT'S, IF IT'S A GROUP HOME, EVERYBODY HAS THEIR OWN ROOM WILL BE ON ROOM, ON BATHROOM ON.
IS IT, I'M JUST TRYING TO UNDERSTAND NOW, BECAUSE WE HAVE THESE EXCEPTIONS.
WILL THEY HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY OR NOT THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE OPPORTUNITY TO OPERATE AS INDIVIDUALS IN TERMS OF FILING COMPLAINTS OR INQUIRIES WITH THE CITY WHEN THEY HAVE ISSUES AS INDIVIDUALS? OR DO THEY HAVE TO GO THROUGH THIS GROUP HOME? ONE OPERATOR? NO, IT'S THE SAME AS ANY, UH, COMPLAINTS WITH ANY OPERATION OF ANYTHING IN THE CITY BEING LAND USE OR ANYTHING ELSE.
LIKE THEY CAN USE THE SAME AVENUES AND THAT'S HOW, UH, THIS CASE, THAT'S WHY, THAT'S WHAT MOTIVATED THEM TO COME TO US FOR A ZONING CHANGE.
CHAIRWOMAN SCHULTZ, RECOGNIZE FOR FIVE MINUTES, WE'RE ON ITEMS, THE 11.
AND I'M GONNA DIRECT MY QUESTIONS TOWARDS STAFF, BUT, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER WEST, IF YOU NEED TO JUMP IN, YOU CAN USE, OBVIOUSLY USE MY TIME.
UM, SO LET ME JUST SEE IF I HAVE THIS STRAIGHT.
SO THERE'S A BUILDING THAT HAS BEEN OPERATING AS A HOME FOR VETS FOR QUITE A WHILE OUT OF COMPLIANCE.
AND, AND IF I CAN PLEASE, UH, TO MY UNDERSTANDING, AND I WILL ASK THEM TO CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, TO MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT THEY HAVE CO THEY HAVE BEEN OPERATING IN COMPLIANCE AT SOME POINT THEY DECIDED TO IMPROVE THE CONDITIONS AND MISTAKENLY THEY ADDED I THINK BATHROOMS AND THAT'S WHAT THREW THEM OUT OF COMPLIANCE.
SO THEY WANTED TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY.
SO IN IMPROVING THE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR THESE RESIDENTS, THEY INADVERTENTLY WENT OUT OF COMPLIANCE AND NOW THEY'RE TRYING TO GET IN COMPLIANCE AND THAT'S WHY WE NEED TO CHANGE THE ZONING.
BUT IN ORDER TO PROTECT THE NEIGHBORHOOD FROM THIS BUILDING LATER BEING SOMETHING THAT REALLY THE NEIGHBORHOOD DOESN'T WANT, THESE DEEDED RESTRICTIONS WILL LOCK THEM INTO ESSENTIALLY WHAT THEY ARE, UH, TODAY AND TO CONTINUE OPERATING AS THEY ARE TODAY.
IS THAT CORRECT? YES, THAT IS CORRECT.
BUT I CANNOT, AGAIN, THEY WILL NEED TO REAPPLY FOR PERMITS.
AND IF THERE'S SOMETHING TO BE ADJUSTED AND THE OCCUPANCIES OF, THEY WILL HAVE TO COMPLY WITH THAT.
ANY OTHER USE ANY OTHER MULTI-FAMILY PROPERTY, ALL OF THAT, THEY HAVE TO GO WITH WHAT THEY'RE ALLOWED TO DO WITH THESE DEEDED RESTRICTIONS IN OUR OWN CODE.
AND SO THE REASON THAT WE WANNA MOVE THIS FORWARD IS BECAUSE A, WE DON'T WANT HOMELESS VETERANS OUT ON THE STREET.
YOU KNOW, WE DON'T WANT HOMELESS VETERANS OR THEIR CURRENT RESIDENTS.
AND THE WHOLE REASON THAT THEY GOT OUT OF COMPLIANCE IS BECAUSE THEY WERE TRYING TO MAKE LIFE BETTER FOR THEIR RESIDENTS.
IS THAT CORRECT? THAT IS MY UNDERSTANDING, YES.
IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE I SHOULD HAVE ASKED YOU, COUNSEL? I WAS JUST GONNA SAY, YOU, YOU PRESENTED IT MUCH BETTER THAN I DID, SO THANK YOU FOR CLEANING THAT UP.
NO, I'M THRILLED AND I'LL BE VERY HAPPY TO SUPPORT THIS.
AND, AND LET ME JUST ADD ONE OTHER THING AND THAT IS, YOU KNOW, IT HAPPENS NOT INFREQUENTLY THAT THESE KIND OF SITUATIONS COME UP WHERE SOMEBODY MAKES A CHANGE NOT REALIZING THAT THEY FORCE THEMSELVES OUT OF COMPLIANCE ON SOMETHING.
AND SO, UH, ON PLANNING COMMISSION, AS YOU SEE BY THEIR RECOMMENDATION, THEY'RE SAYING, WE WANNA GIVE YOU, THE STAFF HAS TO GO BY THE RULE, RIGHT? STAFF HAS TO DO THAT.
THAT'S YOUR RECOMMENDATION OF DENIAL.
IT'S NOT THAT YOU'RE OPPOSED TO THIS, BUT YOU HAVE TO FOLLOW THE RULES IN DOING THIS CPC.
LIKE WE HAVE LEEWAY IN BEING ABLE TO ERR ON THE SIDE OF THIS APPLICANT IN ORDER TO CONTINUE
[02:30:01]
OPERATING.AND SO TO ME IT'S BOTH FISCALLY AND MORALLY RESPONSIBLE TO LET THEM MAKE THIS RIGHT RATHER THAN BEING RIGID AND RULE BOUND, UM, AND, AND FORCING THEM TO, TO CLOSE.
CHAIRMAN MIRANDA, YOU RECOGNIZE FOR FIVE MINUTES ON ITEM Z 11.
UM, SO THIS IS A PREEXISTING, UM, ORGANIZATION THAT'S CURRENTLY THERE.
DO WE KNOW IF THERE WAS A COMMUNITY MEETING ENGAGEMENT MEETING, UH, PRIOR TO THIS COMING TO, UH, TO COUNCIL? I, I WOULD DEFER TO THE APPLICANT, IF YOU DON'T MIND BY, BY READING THE LETTERS THAT WE GOT FROM CPC AND WERE FORWARDED TO ALL OF YOU.
I UNDERSTAND THAT THEY DID BECAUSE I DID SPOT, UH, A LETTER OF SUPPORT FROM A NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION THAT STEMMED FROM A COMMITTEE MEETING OR A MEETING.
SO, SO MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THAT NOT MUCH IS GOING TO BE CHANGING HERE, UH, BUT DO WE HAVE ANY PRIOR, UM, COMPLAINTS OR CONCERNS ON, ON THIS PARTICULAR PROPERTY? UH, AGAIN, AS I SAID, I UNDERSTAND IT STARTED BECAUSE THEY GOT A 3 1 1 COMPLAINT AND THEY WERE FLAGGED AND THEY'RE TRYING TO COME INTO COMPLIANCE.
SO FOR SURE THERE WERE COMPLAINTS.
CHAIRMAN RIDLEY
IF THERE'S SOMEONE ELSE WHO HASN'T SPOKEN YET, I DON'T SEE ANYONE, SO I'M GONNA GO TO YOU FOR THREE MINUTES.
UM, SO ANDREA, I'VE GOT A QUESTION.
UM, GROUP HOMES ARE PERMITTED IN SINGLE FAMILY DISTRICTS, CORRECT? NO, THAT'S WHY WE NEEDED TO UPZONE TO MF.
SO THE GROUP HOME USE IS ALLOWED.
SO, AND THAT'S WHY WE DID IT AT DID RESTRICTION TO TAKE OUT ALL THE OTHER USES.
SO ON WHAT BASIS WERE THEY OPERATING LEGALLY BEFORE THEY REMODELED TO ADD THE BA BATHROOMS OR HAS IT ALWAYS BEEN ILLEGALLY OPERATED? I DON'T KNOW WHEN THEY STARTED OPERATION.
UM, I DON'T KNOW IF IT WAS A HANDICAPPED GROUP DWELLING.
SO AT THE TIME THEY FILED THE APPLICATION, YOU DON'T KNOW WHETHER THEY WERE, UH, PREVIOUSLY IN COMPLIANCE WITH ZONING? I MEAN, THE NARRATIVE I'M HEARING TODAY IS THAT THEY INADVERTENTLY WENT OUT OF COMPLIANCE WITH ZONING BY ADDING THE BATHROOMS AND INDEPENDENT UNITS.
SO THAT IMPLIES THAT THEY WERE IN COMPLIANCE BEFORE THEY DID THE REMODELING.
AND I'D JUST LIKE TO KNOW ON WHAT BASIS.
YES, SO IF YOU READ PAGE TWO OF MY REPORT, OF OUR STAFF REPORT, IT SAYS, ORIGINALLY THE SITE OPERATED AS A HANDICAPPED GROUP, DWELLING UNIT, WHICH IS PERMITTED IN EXISTING SINGLE FAMILY ZONING DISTRICT.
WHEN THEY REMODELED, WHEN THE RENOVATION WAS COMPLETE TO CREATE INDIVIDUAL DWELLING UNITS, THE USE WAS RECLASSIFIED TO EITHER AS A GROUP, RESIDENTIAL FACILITY OR MULTI-FAMILY USE, WHICH ARE NOT PERMITTED IN R FIVE, UH, R SEVEN FIVE.
THEREFORE THE ZONING IN FRONT OF YOU IS MF TWO.
WE TOOK OUT THE MULTIFAMILY, SO THE ONLY OPTION FOR THEM WOULD BE GROUP, UM, GROUP RESIDENTIAL FACILITY.
SO THEY WERE LEGALLY OPERATING AS A HANDICAPPED GROUP, DWELLING UNIT BEFORE THE REMODEL? YES, THAT'S WHAT IT SAYS, YES.
AND, UM, CAN THEY NOT GO BACK TO OPERATING AS A HANDICAPPED GROUP, DWELLING UNIT, ASSUMING THAT THEY REVERSED THE REMODEL AND ARE STILL IN R ONE A? UH, THAT IS A PERFECT QUESTION FOR THE APPLICANT.
IF WE, IF WE DON'T AGREE THAT THIS IS A GOOD USE OF LAND AT THIS LOCATION, PROBABLY THEY WILL BE FORCED TO DO SO.
I I WOULD LIKE TO ASK THE APPLICANT SOME QUESTIONS.
THERE'S A BUTTON AT THE BASE OF THAT MICROPHONE.
ANY QUESTIONS I CAN ASK? WE'VE BEEN OPERATING FOR THE PAST SEVEN YEARS AND WE ARE CATERED TO, UH, VETERANS OVER 65 YEARS OLD.
AND WE HAVE, UH, LIKE A, LIKE YOU GO AT A HOTEL, WE HAVE A, A SUITES, EACH VETERAN'S HAVE HIS OWN REFRIGERATOR, HIS OWN STOVE, HIS OWN BED, A BATHROOM, BEDROOM.
UH, WE HAD TO ADD ONE BATHROOM AND WE ADDED ONE BATHROOM AND WE GOT A PERMIT FOR IT.
WE HAVEN'T HAD THAT KIND OF PROBLEM.
AND WE'VE BEEN TOO, UM, HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATION.
WE WENT TO THAT MEETINGS AND THEY OKAYED EVERYTHING.
[02:35:01]
THIS PREVIOUSLY A SINGLE FAMILY HOME? IN OTHER WORDS, WAS IT ORIGINALLY BUILT AS A SINGLE FAMILY HOME? YES.SO IT AT SOME POINT IN THE PAST WAS CONVERTED FOR, UH, ACCOMMODATING, UM, UM, RESIDENTS ON A GROUP BASIS? RIGHT.
AND IS IT YOUR INTENTION TO CONTINUE OPERATING IT? SHOULD THIS REZONING BE GRANTED AS A, UM, GROUP HOME FOR VETERANS? THAT'S CORRECT.
THANK, UH, YES, THANK YOU SIR.
AND, UH, ON THE PARKING, THOSE, THOSE HOLLOW PEOPLE ARE HANDICAPPED, DON'T NOBODY HAVE ANY CARS.
UM, THE CODE REQUIRES YOU TO HAVE NINE PLUS PARKING SPACES ON SITE.
DO YOU HAVE ANY, UH, WAY TO ACCOMMODATE THAT REQUIREMENT? WE CAN, UH, ACCOMMODATE, UH, SEVEN CARS, BUT THERE'S NO ONE, EVERYONE'S OVER 65 AND EVERYBODY'S HANDICAPPED ON THIS.
CHAIRMAN SCHULTZ, I BELIEVE YOU'RE WRITING THIS FOR THREE MINUTES.
THIS IS ACTUALLY A QUESTION FOR STAFF.
I JUST WANNA CLARIFY THINGS FOR ALL OF US ABOUT, UM, THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN WHAT'S ALLOWED IN, IF YOU HAVE A GROUP HOME, UH, OR A HANDICAPPED GROUP HOME IN THIS CASE, BUT REALLY ANY GROUP DWELLING.
ARE THEY ALLOWED TO HAVE INDIVIDUAL KITCHENS AND BATHROOMS? I WANNA, I WANNA SEE WHAT'S PUSHING TOWARD MF.
UH, I CAN READ YOU THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A GROUP RESIDENTIAL FACILITY AND A HANDICAPPED GROUP.
I WOULD, THEY WOULD HAVE TO, IT SAYS DWELLING UNIT JUST A SECOND.
I THINK THEY, THAT THEY CANNOT BE INDIVIDUAL DWELLING UNITS AND I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S THE KITCHEN OR THE BATHROOM THAT PUSHES THAT BECAUSE THAT, MY UNDERSTANDING AT LEAST FROM WHEN WE'RE OVER THE YEARS AND WE'VE TALKED ABOUT SENIOR HOUSING, IS IT'S THE KITCHEN THAT PUSHES IT, UH, MORE THAN THE BATHROOM BECAUSE THE BATHROOM, IT WOULD BE ALLOWED IN ANY HOTEL, YOU KNOW, ANYWHERE.
IF YOU CREATE AN INDIVIDUAL KITCHEN, THEN THAT MAKES IT AN APARTMENT.
AND SO THAT'S WHAT'S PUSHING THIS KIND OF CHANGE, UM, IS THE OPPORTUNITY FOR THESE GENTLEMEN TO HAVE AUTONOMY IN THEIR LIVES AND BE ABLE TO COOK FOR THEMSELVES IF THEY WANT TO.
SO THAT'S, I THINK THAT PART OF THE CHALLENGE IN THIS AND WHY THEY HAD TO GO TO THE ZONING CHANGE.
THANK YOU MR. I THINK THE ONLY PROBLEM THEY FORESEE ARE THE STOVES.
THEY, THEY, UH, TWO, TWO, THEY, THEY WERE TWO 20 AND AND WE GOT 'EM NOW DOWN TO ONE 10.
SO WE DON'T HAVE THAT PROBLEM ANYMORE.
WE COMPLIED WITH THE, UH, CODE COMPLIANCE.
THEY TOLD US TO GET ONE 10 STOVES AND ONE 10 STOVES IS JUST LIKE A HOT PLATE.
SO IF THEY CEASE, IF THEY CEASE OPERATING, THEN ANYBODY ELSE THAT WOULD COME IN IS GONNA HAVE TO PROVIDE THE EXTRA PARKING SPOTS.
THAT COMMISSIONER, I MEAN, SORRY, THAT COUNCIL MEMBER RIDLEY MENTIONED AND YOU KNOW, OTHER THINGS.
SO IT'S PROTECTED JUST FOR THESE HANDICAP OR ELDERLY VETERANS.
ANYONE ELSE WISH TO SPEAK ON FOR OR AGAINST ITEMS? THE 11? I DON'T SEE ANYONE.
[PH1. 24-80 A public hearing to receive public comments on the adoption of Substantial Amendment No. 1 to the FY 2023-24 Action Plan for HOME Investment Partnerships Program American Rescue Plan Act Grant Funds for Homelessness Assistance and Supportive Services from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, to reallocate funds from Tenant Based Rental Assistance to Supportive Services in an amount not to exceed $2,468,564.00 and to Administration and Planning in an amount not to exceed $31,436.00, for a total amount not to exceed $2,500,000.00, to continue supportive services and administration for the expanded R.E.A.L. Time Re-Housing Program- Financing: No cost consideration to the City]
NEXT ITEM PH ONE.PH ONE IS A PUBLIC HEARING TO RECEIVE COMMENTS ON THE ADOPTION OF SUBSTANTIAL AMENDMENT NUMBER ONE TO THE FFY 2020 3 24 ACTION PLAN FOR HOME INVESTMENT PARTNERSHIP PROGRAM, AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN ACT GRANT FUNDS FOR HOMELESSNESS ASSISTANCE AND SUPPORTIVE SERVICES FROM THE US DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT TO REALLOCATE FUNDS FROM TENANT-BASED RENTAL ASSISTANCE TO SUPPORTIVE SERVICES IN AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $2,468,564 AND TO ADMINISTRATION AND PLANNING IN AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $31,436 FOR A TOTAL AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $2,500,000 TO CONTINUE SUPPORTIVE SERVICES AND ADMINISTRATION FOR THE EXPANDED REAL REAL TIME REHOUSING PROGRAM.
[02:40:01]
THERE ARE NO REGISTERED SPEAKERS FOR THIS ITEM AND I SEE NO SPEAKERS IN THE AUDIENCE.CHAIRMAN MORENO, YOU HAVE A MOTION? THANK YOU, MAYOR.
I DO, I MOVE TO KEEP THE PUBLIC HEARING OPEN AND HOLD THIS ITEM UNDER ADVISEMENT UNTIL FEBRUARY 28TH, 2024.
IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? ANYONE? UH, MR. RIDLEY? THANK YOU MR. MAYOR.
FIVE MINUTES QUESTION FOR STAFF.
SO CHRISTINE, I ATTENDED THE BRIEFING ABOUT THE JUSTIFICATION FOR THIS, BUT I, I WOULD LIKE IT TO BE ON THE RECORD SO THAT RESIDENTS REVIEWING THIS MEETING WILL KNOW WHAT THIS REALLOCATION IS ABOUT AND WHY WE'RE DOING IT.
COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, CHRISTINE CROSLEY, OFFICE OF HOMELESS SOLUTIONS DIRECTOR.
SO THIS ITEM IS TAKING FUNDING THAT WAS LEFT OVER FROM THE ORIGINAL DALLAS REAL-TIME RAPID REHOUSING INITIATIVE THAT HOUSED OVER 2,700 PEOPLE.
THAT INITIATIVE HAS NOW MOVED ON TO BE THE REAL TIME REHOUSING INITIATIVE THAT'S GOING TO HOUSE 6,000 PEOPLE BY THE END OF 2025.
SO BECAUSE WE'VE MOVED ON AND WE'RE NOT REALLY DOING CITY FUNDING ANYMORE, WE HAVE THIS, UH, ABOUT $5 MILLION THAT IS LEFT OVER THAT CAN BE MOVED AROUND WITHIN THE EXISTING CONTRACTS FOR DALLAS HOUSING AUTHORITY, WHICH DOES THE RENTAL PIECE AND HOUSING FORWARD, WHICH DOES THE CASE MANAGEMENT PIECE THAT IS ATTACHED TO EVERY SINGLE RENTAL, UM, IN ORDER TO SERVE A COUPLE MORE INDIVIDUALS WITHIN THAT ORIGINAL FUNDING.
SO IN MOVING IT AROUND, WE ESTIMATE THAT MOVING UP TO 2.5 MILLION OVER TO PROVIDE RENTAL, UH, EXCUSE ME, TO PROVIDE CASE MANAGEMENT ATTACHED TO THOSE RENTAL VOUCHERS.
WE CAN HOUSE AN ADDITIONAL, EXCUSE ME, RENTAL, UH, RAPID REHOUSING, WE CAN SERVE AN ADDITIONAL 260 TO 300 INDIVIDUALS.
SO WITHOUT DOING THIS REALLOCATION, YOU WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO HOUSE THOSE 200 PLUS INDIVIDUALS EVEN THOUGH YOU HAVE A SPACE FOR THEM, A PHYSICAL SPACE BECAUSE YOU CAN'T PROVIDE THE ASSOCIATED SERVICES.
AND, UM, WHAT TO YOU ARE THE IMPLICATIONS OF DEFERRING THIS FOR ANOTHER MONTH? ARE YOU IN SUPPORT OF THAT? DO YOU KNOW WHY THAT'S BEING REQUESTED? YES, WE ARE IN SUPPORT OF THAT.
THE REASON FOR IT IS, UM, WE HAD BEEN WORKING ON THE ALLOCATION AND WHETHER IT SHOULD BE 5 MILLION OR 2.5 MILLION FOR QUITE SOME TIME.
AND COUNCIL, UM, CITY COUNCIL OFFICIALLY AUTHORIZED A PRELIMINARY ADVERTISEMENT OF THIS FOR FI UP TO 5 MILLION, UH, ON DECEMBER 13TH.
AND THEN AFTER THAT TIME, OHS AND HOUSING FORD IN DALLAS HOUSING AUTHORITY CONTINUED TO LOOK AT THE RENTAL PROJECTIONS AND THE COST OF RENTING IN DALLAS HAS GONE UP.
AND SO WE'VE BEEN TAKING THAT TIME TO ALTER THE PROJECTIONS AND MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE REALLY HONED IN AND OUT OF THAT WE'VE DECIDED, WELL, LET'S LEAVE MORE OF THAT ON THE TABLE WITH DALLAS, DALLAS HOUSING AUTHORITY AND DO UP TO 2.5 MILLION, UM, FOR THIS PROJECTION, WHICH IS WHAT WE TOOK TO THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION, THEIR FINANCE SUBCOMMITTEE, AND THEN BACK TO THEM FOR FINAL APPROVAL.
BUT WE REALLY WANT TO GET AT A HARD NUMBER.
AND SO WE BELIEVE THAT HAVING JANUARY DATA SETTLE INTO THOSE PROJECTIONS WILL GIVE US THAT HARD NUMBER TO COME BACK IN FEBRUARY WITH, SO WE KNOW EXACTLY WHAT NEEDS TO BE MOVED OVER.
CHAIRMAN MORENO, YOU'RE LIGHT IS STILL ON.
DID YOU HAVE ANYTHING ELSE? YES.
DID ANYONE HAVE ANYTHING ELSE ON THE PH ONE? I DON'T SEE ANYONE.
MR. MAYOR, THIS CONCLUDES YOUR AGENDA FOR THIS MEETING.
AND NO MORE SPEAKERS, RIGHT? THAT IS CORRECT.
ALRIGHT, WELL THE TIME'S 1:53 PM AND I NOW CALL THIS MEETING.
HOW ABOUT THAT? THANK YOU VERY MUCH.