[Quality of Life, Arts and Culture Committee on February 20, 2024.]
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THE TIME IS NOW 9:04 AND I CALL TO ORDER THE QUALITY OF LIFE ARTS AND CULTURE COMMITTEE FOR FEBRUARY 20TH.OUR FIRST ORDER OF BUSINESS IS APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES FROM DECEMBER 5TH, 2023.
IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
WE'VE GOT, MINUTES PASSED UNANIMOUSLY.
WE'LL GO TO OUR FIRST BRIEFING ITEM.
OUR FIRST BRIEFING ITEM IS AUTHORIZED ZONING HEARING STATUS UPDATES.
AND, I WILL TURN IT OVER TO ASSISTANT DIRECTOR DEL CASTILLO.
THANK YOU AND GOOD MORNING CHAIR, MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE.
MY NAME IS ARTURO DEL CASTILLO, INTERIM ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF PLANNING AND URBAN DESIGN.
WITH ME THIS MORNING IS MY COLLEAGUE MEGAN WIMER, MANAGER OVER SERVICE AREA PLANNING.
ALSO OVER AUTHORIZED HEARINGS AND CODE AMENDMENTS.
AS YOU KNOW, AUTHORIZED HEARINGS ARE CITY INITIATED, NOT PRIVATE PROPERTY OWNER INITIATED REZONINGS TYPICALLY USED TO ADDRESS LAND USE AND DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS. THEY ARE INITIATED EITHER BY CITY PLANNING COMMISSION WITH A THREE SIGNATURE MEMO, OR CITY COUNCIL WITH A FIVE SIGNATURE MEMO EACH REQUESTING PLACEMENT ON THE RESPECTIVE AGENDAS.
I'M MEGAN WITH PLANNING AND URBAN DESIGN.
IF WE COULD HAVE THE NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.
THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT, SO THE AUTHORIZED HEARINGS TEAM IS A SECTION OF PLANNING AND URBAN DESIGN, AND OUR TEAM HANDLES AUTHORIZED HEARINGS, WHICH ARE, AS ARTURO MENTIONED, CITY, INITIATED REZONINGS.
AND WE ALSO HANDLE THE NEIGHBORHOOD STABILIZATION OVERLAY PROGRAM.
CURRENTLY, WITH OUR STAFFING CAPACITY, WE ARE BUDGETED FOR FOUR SENIOR PLANNERS AND ONE CHIEF.
RIGHT NOW WE HAVE ONE SENIOR PLANNER WORKING, SO WE ARE A LITTLE BIT UNDERSTAFFED.
WE'RE IN THE PROCESS OF HIRING RIGHT NOW AND ONBOARDING ONE, ONE INITIAL SENIOR PLANNER AND THEN WORKING TO FILL THE OTHERS AS WELL.
SO AND THEN I OVERSEE THAT TEAM AS WELL AS CODE AMENDMENTS LIKE ARTURO MENTIONED.
ALL RIGHT. SO BY THE NUMBERS, RIGHT NOW WE HAVE 21 ITEMS IN THE QUEUE.
AND OF THOSE TWO ARE CURRENTLY IN THE PROCESS THAT'S DOWNTOWN ELMWOOD AND THE FLORAL FARMS AREA.
AND THEN WE HAVE FIVE CASES THAT WE ARE, JUST ABOUT TO KICK OFF.
WE EXPECT TO DO THAT IN THE NEXT MONTH OR TWO.
FOUR OF THOSE CASES ARE IN THE WEST OAK CLIFF AREA PLAN AREA, ALONG WITH THAT DOWNTOWN ELMWOOD ONE.
SO THEY GOT PRIORITIZATION BASED ON THAT RECENTLY ADOPTED AREA PLAN.
AND THEN THIS IS THE NEXT PHASE OF JUST, IMPLEMENTING THE ZONING RECOMMENDATIONS OF THAT PLAN.
SO WE ARE ALSO HOPING, WELL, NOT JUST HOPING IT'LL BE THE SAME SITUATION WITH PD 595, WHICH IS THE SOUTH DALLAS FAIR PARK AREA PLAN.
WE ALSO HAVE FOUR THAT ARE CURRENTLY ON HOLD FOR VARIOUS REASONS.
AND THEN PD 887, WHICH IS NOW CURRENTLY THE INTERNATIONAL DISTRICT.
AND THEN WE ALSO HAVE TEN OTHERS THAT HAVE BEEN INITIATED, BUT THEY'RE WAITING FOR KICKOFF.
AND MANY OF THOSE WE BELIEVE COULD PROBABLY BE RESOLVED BY OTHER MEANS.
YOU KNOW, MAYBE THE AUTHORIZED HEARING PROCESS FOR ZONING ISN'T NECESSARILY THE APPROPRIATE TOOL.
SO THOSE ARE KIND OF JUST LINGERING IN THE BACKGROUND.
SO TO QUICKLY SUMMARIZE OUR TWO ACTIVE CASES, JUST TO GIVE YOU AN IDEA OF ONCE AN AUTHORIZED HEARING IS KICKED OFF, HOW LONG IT TYPICALLY TAKES. SO DOWNTOWN ELMWOOD, THIS IS AS I MENTIONED, A GOOD EXAMPLE OF AN AUTHORIZED HEARING THAT IS INTENDED TO IMPLEMENT AN AREA PLAN.
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AND EVEN WITH THAT, YOU KNOW, THE WORK WAS DONE UP FRONT ON RECOMMENDATIONS FOR ZONING AS WELL AS OTHER INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS AND OTHER THINGS OUTSIDE OF ZONING. THIS HEARING, AGAIN, WAS AUTHORIZED JUST TO IMPLEMENT THE ZONING RECOMMENDATIONS, AND IT HAS TAKEN 12 MONTHS.WE'VE HAD THREE COMMUNITY MEETINGS AND SEVEN STAKEHOLDER MEETINGS.
YOU KNOW, OUTSIDE OF THE COMMUNITY MEETING PROCESS TO DISCUSS AND ULTIMATELY REACH CONSENSUS.
SO WE ALSO HAD AN ISSUE WITH THIS ONE.
AND THIS IS SOMETHING I'LL TALK ABOUT A LITTLE MORE LATER IN TERMS OF PROCESS IMPROVEMENT.
BUT WE DID HAVE A CPC HEARING POSTPONED.
AND THAT'S KIND OF A BIGGER ISSUE WITH OUR CODE, FOR ANY ZONING CASE THAT WHEN IT'S NOTIFIED FOR CITY PLANNING COMMISSION AND THEN AGAIN AT CITY COUNCIL, ANY INDIVIDUAL WITHIN THE NOTIFICATION AREA CAN PAY A $100 FEE AND POSTPONE A HEARING OUTSIDE OF THE PUBLIC HEARING PROCESS.
SO THAT'S KIND OF A THAT WAS A LITTLE BIT OF A STICKING POINT WITH THIS ONE.
BUT WE DO HAVE IT GOING TO CITY COUNCIL ON FEBRUARY 28TH.
WE'VE BEEN ACTIVELY WORKING ON THIS ONE FOR A YEAR AND A HALF.
AND THIS IS GOING TO CITY PLAN COMMISSION, NEXT MONTH ON MARCH 7TH.
SO JUST TO TALK ABOUT THE PROCESS.
SO ARTURO TALKED ABOUT HOW AN AUTHORIZED HEARING GETS INITIATED BY CITY PLANNING COMMISSION OR CITY COUNCIL MEMOS, AND THEN AFTER, A HEARING COMES UP TO ITS PLACE IN THE QUEUE AND WE BEGIN WORK ON IT, IT TYPICALLY TAKES ABOUT A MONTH OR, SORRY, NOT A MONTH.
IT TYPICALLY TAKES ABOUT 12 MONTHS PLUS 12 TO 18 MONTHS IS KIND OF WHAT WE'VE EXPERIENCED.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, IT ENTAILS A LOT OF STAFF ANALYSIS, RESEARCH, A LOT OF WORKING WITH STAKEHOLDERS TO ESTABLISH A CORE COMMUNITY TEAM TO THEN BEGIN THE PROCESS.
WE DO A KICKOFF MEETING WITH THE COMMUNITY, JUST KIND OF AN INITIAL INTRODUCTION.
AND THEN THE NEXT COMMUNITY MEETING IS TO INTRODUCE THE ZONING CONCEPTS.
AND THEN IDEALLY WE WOULD HAVE ONLY THREE MEETINGS, BUT THAT'S NOT ALWAYS THE CASE.
WE DO HOLD OTHER COMMUNITY MEETINGS AS NEEDED THROUGHOUT THE PROCESS.
SO, I GUESS THE KIND OF THE POINT OF THIS SLIDE IS IT IS A VERY COMMUNITY, DRIVEN PROCESS.
SO OUR TEAM IS KIND OF LIKE A HYBRID APPROACH TO NEIGHBORHOOD PLANNING.
AND THEN THE CURRENT PLANNING ASPECT OF TAKING IT THROUGH AS A ZONING CASE.
SO, IT'S A LITTLE MORE IT'S A MUCH MORE LENGTHY PROCESS THAN A PRIVATE PAID APPLICATION.
SO TO TALK ABOUT OUR CURRENT PRIORITIZATION SYSTEM, I'LL FIRST SAY THAT WE DO NOT HAVE A PROCESS.
WE DON'T HAVE THIS SAME KIND OF SYSTEM FOR WHAT GETS INITIATED.
BASICALLY ANYTHING CAN GET AUTHORIZED.
BUT ULTIMATELY, MOST THINGS JUST END UP GETTING AUTHORIZED.
AND SO, THAT'S WHY WE DO HAVE SUCH A LENGTHY QUEUE.
SO WE DID NEED A WAY TO PRIORITIZE, YOU KNOW HOW THINGS ARE MOVED FORWARD.
SO RIGHT NOW THE MOST POINTS ARE RECEIVED FOR HAVING AN ADOPTED A CITY ADOPTED LAND USE PLAN.
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AND THAT'S THE IDEAL SITUATION BECAUSE AS I SAID BEFORE, WE'RE THEN JUST IMPLEMENTING THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE PLAN, THE COMMUNITY INPUT AND ALL THAT WORK HAS ALREADY TAKEN PLACE.WE ALSO AWARD POINTS FOR SPECIAL CITY DESIGNATED AREAS.
SO, FOR EXAMPLE, IF IT'S A REDEVELOPMENT AREA, A NEIGHBORHOOD EMPOWERMENT ZONE, A STABILIZATION AREA, AND THEN WE LOOK AT OTHER CITY PROGRAMS AS WELL.
SO THAT INCLUDES, A TIF OR A PID AND THEN THE BOND PROGRAM.
SO IF THE AREA IS LOCATED WHERE THERE ARE SPECIAL BOND PROGRAM PROJECTS THAT ARE BEING IMPLEMENTED, THERE ARE POINTS AWARDED FOR THAT.
AND THEN IF THE AREA IS SEEN AS BEING TRANSITIONAL.
SO FOR EXAMPLE, THERE HAVE BEEN SEVERAL ZONING CHANGE REQUESTS IN A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME OR WE'RE SEEING A LOT OF SINGLE FAMILY DEMOLITION PERMITS.
SOMETIMES THE COMMITTEE ISN'T ALWAYS A FULL REPRESENTATION OF THE INTEREST GROUPS WITHIN AN AREA.
YOU KNOW, IT CAN SOMETIMES BE A LITTLE ONE SIDED.
YOU'LL BE INVOLVED IN THE PROCESS THROUGHOUT, THAT WAY IT'S A LITTLE BIT MORE INCLUSIVE.
AGAIN SO POSTPONEMENTS CAN BE DECIDED ON BY A BODY AND A PUBLIC HEARING PROCESS, RATHER THAN JUST ONE PROPERTY OWNER BEING ABLE TO POSTPONE A HEARING.
AND I WILL MENTION THAT THAT'S ALSO A COST TO THE CITY THAT WE DON'T ALWAYS ANTICIPATE FOR, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE TO NOTICE AGAIN, WE HAVE TO PLACE ANOTHER NEWSPAPER AD AND IT IS ACTUALLY QUITE COSTLY, IT CAN BE, DEPENDING ON THE SIZE OF THE AREA AND HOW MANY NOTICES WERE SENT OUT.
SO ANOTHER REAL ISSUE THAT WE HAVE IS A LACK OF CLARITY ABOUT PURPOSE.
SINCE WE DON'T HAVE CRITERIA, TO AUTHORIZE A HEARING, THEY'RE OFTEN AUTHORIZED, AND WE HAVE ACTUALLY SEVERAL IN THE QUEUE RIGHT NOW THAT HAVE BEEN THERE FOR A WHILE.
YOU KNOW, WE HAVE NEW STAFF, THE SIGNATURES ON THE MEMO, THOSE FOLKS AREN'T AROUND ANYMORE.
SO WE CAN'T REALLY TALK TO THEM TO GET, YOU KNOW, WHAT WAS YOUR WHAT WERE YOU HOPING TO ACCOMPLISH? WHAT WAS THE PURPOSE? AND THERE'S NOT, YOU KNOW, DOCUMENTATION ON IT.
SO THAT'S SOMETHING WE'VE BEEN DOING NOW AS WE RECEIVE THEM, IS SIT DOWN WITH THE FOLKS WHO ARE WANTING TO AUTHORIZE IT AND REALLY GET A FEEL AND AN UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT THE INTENDED PURPOSE IS, AND THEN DOCUMENTING THAT AND ATTACHING IT TO THE MEMO SO IT KIND OF GETS IN THE RECORD.
AND THEN LIMITED STAKEHOLDER BUY IN, AND THEN A LOT OF IT GETS DOWN TO WE HAVE A LOT OF AUTHORIZED HEARING AREAS THAT HAVE NO EXISTING LAND USE VISION.
SO WE'RE STARTING FROM SCRATCH AND TRYING TO GET INPUT.
SOME OF THESE AREAS ARE VERY LARGE, LIKE WE'LL HAVE A 5000 ACRE AREA WITH NO VISION.
SO, WE DON'T REALLY EVEN HAVE A STARTING POINT.
AND THEN AS I'VE MENTIONED A COUPLE OF TIMES, THE LACK OF CRITERIA FOR AUTHORIZATION.
SO BY ADDRESSING THESE, WE DO BELIEVE THAT WE CAN SPEED UP THE PROCESS AND HAVE THE PROGRAM WORK AS IT WAS INTENDED. SO NEXT SLIDE PLEASE.
SOMETHING ELSE THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT RIGHT NOW IS THE IS A PROPOSED PRIORITIZATION SHIFT.
AND, WE'RE KIND OF PUTTING THE FINISHING TOUCHES ON THIS RIGHT NOW, AND THEN WE'LL BRING IT FORWARD, PROBABLY TO A COMMITTEE FOR BRIEFING OR BY MEMO AND THEN ULTIMATELY TAKE IT TO CITY COUNCIL.
BUT THE TWO THINGS THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT CLOSELY ARE IMPLEMENTING A RECOMMENDATION FROM AN ADOPTED LAND USE PLAN. SO AFTER THE COMPLETION OF FORWARD DALLAS, THERE WILL BE LOTS OF AREAS THAT NOW HAVE A PLACE TYPE AND A VISION THAT WE CAN WORK
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THROUGH ZONING TO IMPLEMENT.SO WE'LL GET A LOT OF DIRECTION THROUGH FORWARD DALLAS.
AND THEN, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, IF THERE'S AN ADOPTED AREA PLAN, A NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN OR A CORRIDOR PLAN, AND THEN WE WOULD LIKE TO ADD THIS IS SOMETHING NEW, BUT A VERY IMPORTANT STEP WOULD BE TO AWARD POINTS FOR OTHER CITYWIDE ADOPTED POLICIES.
SO YOU KNOW, WHEN SOMETHING'S COMING IN DOES IT FURTHER.
THE RACIAL EQUITY PLAN, DOES IT FURTHER CECAP GOALS? ARE THERE ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE ISSUES THAT THIS IS ADDRESSING OR THAT NEED TO BE ADDRESSED? ARE THERE MAJOR INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS IN THE AREA? SO THAT IS THE PLAN GOING FORWARD, AND YOU GUYS WILL BE HEARING MORE ABOUT THAT FROM US.
AND SO NEXT STEPS ONBOARDING ADDITIONAL STAFF.
WE DO HAVE ONE HIRE WHO WILL BE STARTING IN MARCH.
WE'LL BE BRINGING HIM UP TO SPEED.
KICKING OFF THOSE NEXT FOUR CASES IN THE QUEUE AND THEN UPDATING THE PRIORITIZATION CRITERIA.
AND WITH THAT, WE WILL JUST, TURN IT OVER FOR QUESTIONS.
WE HAVE A SLIDE THAT SAYS DISCUSSION.
I APPRECIATE THE, PRESENTATION.
I'M JUST GOING TO, I THINK THERE'S A GOOD AMOUNT OF QUESTIONS.
I'M GOING TO START OVER ON THE LEFT SIDE WITH MR. GRACEY, AND WE'LL WORK OUR WAY THIS DIRECTION.
ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR.
GOOD MORNING, AND THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THIS INFORMATION.
SEVERAL QUESTIONS YOU PROBABLY MAY HAVE ALREADY ASKED OVER TIME, BUT JUST HUMOR ME.
AND THE REASON BEING IS BECAUSE RECOMMENDATION QUESTION AS ONE OF THE PRIORITIZED GOALS ARE WE ABLE, I GUESS, TO BASE SOME OF THOSE DECISIONS ON PREVIOUS DECISIONS? SO EVEN IF THERE ISN'T NECESSARILY A LAND USE PLAN OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT, BUT IF THEY'VE HAD SIMILAR CASES, COULD THERE BE SOME ALIGNING DECISIONS OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT TO ALSO PRIORITIZE IT BECAUSE THEY'RE SIMILAR.
I'LL SAY WITH ZONING CASES, I THINK THE ANSWER IS NO.
BUT I DO SEE WHAT YOU'RE SAYING.
RIGHT? IF WE'VE ALREADY WORKED THROUGH SOME OF THOSE ISSUES ON ON ANOTHER CASE, WE COULD SIMILARLY, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'RE ASKING, MAYBE TAKE THOSE CASES TOGETHER IF THERE ARE SIMILAR ISSUES THAT NEED TO BE ADDRESSED.
YOU KNOW, MAYBE NOT AS ONE HEARING, BUT.
WELL, WHERE I'M GOING WITH IT ULTIMATELY IS ONE JUST GOING BACK TO ONE CAN I HAVE A LIST OF THOSE, OR DO YOU HAVE A LIST OF THE PREVIOUS HEARINGS AND THOSE OUTCOMES? TWO, YOU MENTIONED SOMETHING AND I DON'T KNOW IF I JUST MADE THIS UP OR WHAT, BUT A PRE-DEVELOPED STEERING COMMITTEE, I GUESS, IS ANOTHER QUESTION TO KIND OF HELP ASSIST.
SO IF I COULD PUT THOSE FOLKS TOGETHER, [LAUGHTER] A PRETTY GOOD ONE, I THOUGHT SO TOO.
IS THAT SOMETHING THAT WE COULD DO? AND IF SO, I'D LIKE TO USE THAT PREVIOUS DATA AS WELL AS SOME OF THE THINGS THAT HAVE HAPPENED ALREADY IN DISTRICT THREE, THAT WE COULD BEGIN A STARTING POINT.
TO YOUR POINT, YES, ABSOLUTELY. AND SO THAT IS KIND OF IN THE PAST, WE HAVE UTILIZED STEERING COMMITTEES FOR THE AREAS THAT DON'T ALREADY HAVE A PLAN IN PLACE.
SO, SO YES, THEY KNOW THE NEIGHBORHOODS.
AND THEY'RE VERY MUCH INCLUDED IN THE PROCESS.
FOR EXAMPLE, WE ARE WORKING WITH THE FLORAL FARMS, COMMUNITY RIGHT NOW.
AND THAT'S, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE RESIDENTS, NOT MANY, BUT THERE ARE A FEW RESIDENTS.
AND THEN THERE ARE ALSO OTHER STAKEHOLDERS WHO ARE THE BUSINESS OWNERS.
SO THE RESIDENTS, DID GET TOGETHER AND THEY PRESENTED A LAND USE PLAN THAT THEY HAD DONE THEIR OWN VISION.
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AND WE CAN TAKE THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS AND USE THEM WHEN COMING UP WITH A [INAUDIBLE].I'M NOT SURE IF I'M ANSWERING YOUR QUESTION.
YOU ARE, BUT MY COGS ARE TURNING.
I JUST NEED TO KNOW, ONE, CAN I DO IT? SO THAT'S REALLY WHAT I WAS LISTENING FOR.
ABSOLUTELY. WE LOOK YES, WE LOOK TO COUNCIL MEMBERS FOR WHO ARE THE KEY STAKEHOLDERS? WHO DO WE NEED TO INCLUDE IN THIS PROCESS? WHO DO WE NEED TO TALK TO? OKAY. AND THEN ON SLIDE SEVEN, YOU MENTIONED THE FIRST COMMUNITY MEETINGS AND YOU INTRODUCED INITIAL ZONING CONCEPTS.
WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE? YEAH. SO FOR EXAMPLE, YOU MENTIONED THAT THERE ARE A LOT OF RESIDENTS WHO HAVE A LOT OF ZONING KNOWLEDGE, AND THEN THERE ARE THOSE WHO REALLY DON'T.
SO SOMETIMES, YOU KNOW, WE CAN GEAR IT TOWARDS THE AUDIENCE.
SOMETIMES WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT JUST WHAT IS ZONING, WHAT ARE THE EXISTING ZONING DISTRICTS, WHAT DO THEY ALLOW, WHAT CAN BE DONE THROUGH ZONING? WHAT CAN'T BE ACCOMPLISHED THROUGH ZONING.
NOW HERE'S WHAT WE WANT IT TO LOOK LIKE.
GOT IT. YEAH. AND THEN LAST QUESTION, MR. CHAIR. YOU MENTIONED KIND OF A SHORTAGE ON STAFF.
HAVE WE EVER HAD DISCUSSIONS? AND I GUESS THIS IS REALLY TO THE CHAIR AS WELL ABOUT, OUTSOURCING OR HELPING, I GUESS, CONTRACTING TO HELP WITH SOME OF THE CASES, TO PROCESS THEM FASTER BECAUSE IN SOME DISTRICTS, I THINK THERE'S A CONCERN THAT AS WE TALK MORE AND MORE ABOUT FORWARD DALLAS, THE DEVELOPERS ARE GETTING MORE AND MORE ACTIVE.
AND IT'S ALMOST THIS FIGHT FOR FOR LAND.
AND SOME OF MY CONSTITUENTS PERSONALLY ARE GETTING ANXIOUS.
I MYSELF ARE GETTING ANXIOUS AS WELL.
SO IS THERE A WAY TO KIND OF HELP EXPEDITE THE PROCESS? YEAH. WE HAVE LOOKED AT WAYS TO DO THAT.
AND ONE OF THOSE IS THE CONTRACT THAT WE HAVE THAT WE'VE, INITIALLY INTENDED TO USE FOR TO HELP WITH OUR ZONING, CURRENT ZONING CASE BACKLOG, YOU KNOW, FOR PRIVATE APPLICATIONS.
AND SO WE'VE BEEN EXPLORING ALSO USING THAT TO HELP WITH THE AUTHORIZED HEARINGS.
AND THAT BACKGROUND STUFF COULD BE PROBABLY SPED UP THROUGH HAVING A CONSULTANT TO HELP WITH THAT.
SO WE DO SEE OPPORTUNITIES TOO THERE.
ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR.
THANK YOU. MR. RIDLEY. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION, MEGAN.
YEAH. ARE YOU ACTIVELY RECRUITING FOR THOSE ADDITIONAL AUTHORIZED POSITIONS? WE ARE, YES.
AND WE ACTUALLY HAD MADE TWO OFFERS.
BUT YES, WE ARE ACTIVELY WORKING TO FILL THOSE POSITIONS RIGHT NOW.
WE'LL BE INTERVIEWING AGAIN SOON.
GOOD. AND AS THE SERVICE AREA PLANNING MANAGER, I ASSUME YOU'RE THE PERSON WHO IS OVERSEEING THE AUTHORIZED HEARING TEAM? CORRECT. OKAY.
YEAH. WITH REGARD TO THE PRIORITIZATION SYSTEM AND THE GENERAL HANDLING OF AUTHORIZED HEARINGS, WE REALLY HAVE A PROBLEM IN THAT WE HAVE A LONG LIST OF AT LEAST 16 CASES, AND THERE WAS ONE IN MY DISTRICT, THE MCKINNEY LATE NIGHT SUP OVERLAY THAT'S BEEN PENDING SINCE AUGUST OF 22 WITH NO PROSPECT IN SIGHT AS TO WHEN STAFF WILL TURN TO THAT ONE.
AND I THINK THAT INDICATES THAT THE SYSTEM IS BROKEN.
WE NEED TO DO SOMETHING TO EXPEDITE THIS PROCESS.
WHAT IS YOUR OVERALL PLAN FOR DOING THAT? RIGHT. SO, IN ADDITION TO, HAVING CONSULTANTS HELP WITH SOME OF THE UPFRONT WORK, THAT IS ONE OPTION AND ONE OPPORTUNITY.
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ADD CRITERIA OR TO WHAT GETS AUTHORIZED, BECAUSE AS I MENTIONED, WE DO HAVE A VERY LONG LIST.AND SOME OF THOSE REALLY PROBABLY THIS ISN'T THE APPROPRIATE TOOL.
SO THEY KIND OF JUST STAY ON THE LIST.
AND IT LOOKS LIKE WE HAVE A LOT OF CASES, BUT THERE MAY BE OTHER OPTIONS FOR THOSE.
I MEAN, IT DOES TAKE THAT'S NOT THE ONLY ISSUE, BUT THAT IS ONE OF THE ISSUES.
I'M ACTIVELY WORKING ON CASES AS WELL RIGHT NOW TO HELP PITCH IN.
BUT WHEN WE ONLY HAVE THREE PLANNERS WORKING CASES, THAT IT DOES MAKE IT DIFFICULT.
YEAH. AND ALSO WE'RE LOOKING AT THE PRIORITIZATION PROCESS AS I MENTIONED.
SO AND RIGHT NOW IT'S KIND OF ALL HANDS ON DECK.
LIKE WE'RE WITH FLORAL FARMS WE'RE THE THREE OF US ARE ALL ASSISTING IN THAT BECAUSE IT IS A LITTLE BIT LARGER THAN THE ELMWOOD AUTHORIZED HEARING.
IN THE FUTURE WHEN WE'RE FULLY STAFFED AND WE'RE ALL EVERYONE'S UP TO SPEED IDEALLY, ONE PLANNER COULD HANDLE MULTIPLE CASES ON THEIR OWN JUST WITH ASSISTANCE AS NEEDED, BUT WE WOULD LIKE TO GET IT RUNNING MORE LIKE THE CURRENT PLANNING WHERE WE HAVE EACH PLANNER WORKING ON MULTIPLE CASES.
SO WHY IS THAT NOT BEING DONE NOW? WHY IS THAT NOT BEING DONE NOW? SO WE'RE STILL FAIRLY NEW IN THIS.
THE PROGRAM HAS BEEN IN PLACE FOR A WHILE, BUT WITH REORGANIZATION AND THEN HAVING DIFFERENT STAFF KIND OF COME AND GO AS WE FIGURED OUT THE REALLY THE RIGHT PLACE FOR THIS PROGRAM.
NOT A LOT HAPPENED DURING THAT TIME.
SO NOW WITH THE NEXT ROUND OF CASES, WE WILL BE HANDLING MORE THAN ONE PER PLANNER.
WE'LL HAVE EACH PLANNER DO MULTIPLE CASES.
BUT SO ARE YOU IMPLEMENTING THAT CONCEPT NOW? YES. WITH THE NEXT WITH AFTER WE NOW THAT WE'RE ON THE TAIL END OF KIND OF OUR FIRST TWO TRIAL ONES AS A TEAM, WE WILL BE IMPLEMENTING THAT WITH THE NEXT ROUND. YES.
BECAUSE I SEE THAT AS A FAIRLY EASY WAY TO AUGMENT YOUR CAPACITY.
SO THAT IS SOMETHING YOU'RE WORKING ON.
YEAH. AND WHAT ABOUT THE CHALLENGES THAT YOU POSED ON SLIDE NINE? HOW ARE YOU ATTACKING THOSE ISSUES? YEAH. COULD WE GO BACK TO SLIDE NINE PLEASE? SO IT'S ON THE SCREEN.
FOR EXAMPLE, THE STEERING COMMITTEES.
ARE YOU ABANDONING THAT SYSTEM? WE ARE NOT ABANDONING HAVING STAKEHOLDER INPUT, BUT WE ARE CONSIDERING ABANDONING SOUNDS LIKE SUCH A HARSH WORD. BUT YEAH, NOT RELYING SO MUCH ON THE STEERING APPOINTED STEERING COMMITTEE PROCESS.
ANYONE WHO WOULD LIKE TO BE A PART OF THE PROCESS IS A PART OF THE PROCESS, AND THEN ALSO I WILL MENTION AGAIN THAT IF THERE IS IT, FOR EXAMPLE, WITH THE ELMWOOD DOWNTOWN ELMWOOD AUTHORIZED HEARING THAT WAS WITHIN THE RECENTLY ADOPTED WEST OAK CLIFF AREA PLAN.
THERE WAS NO NEED FOR A STEERING COMMITTEE.
YOU KNOW, WE'RE NOT STARTING OVER FROM SCRATCH.
WE'RE TAKING THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF THAT AND IMPLEMENTING THEM.
SO BY HAVING AN ADOPTED PLAN OR BY MOVING TO THE PRIORITIZATION OF, YOU KNOW, THE REASON FOR THIS IS TO IMPLEMENT A CITY PLAN OR POLICY OR GOAL, THEN THERE WON'T BE THE SAME NEED FOR THE STEERING COMMITTEE, BECAUSE WE ALREADY HAVE THAT GUIDANCE, AND I ASSUME NOT AS MUCH NEED FOR THE MULTIPLE COMMUNITY MEETINGS IF THE GOALS ARE ALREADY FIRMLY ESTABLISHED IN THAT AREA PLAN.
SO WHAT ABOUT THE PAID POSTPONEMENTS BY ONE PROPERTY OWNER? IS THERE ANYTHING THAT WE CAN DO IN TERMS OF ORDINANCE CHANGES THAT COULD AFFECT THAT? YES. AND SO, WE INTEND TO ADDRESS THAT THROUGH THE CODE REFORM WHICH HAS KICKED OFF AND IS IN THE
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PROCESS RIGHT NOW.I GUESS WE COULD EXPLORE IF THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE COULD ADDRESS AHEAD OF THAT, LIKE GO AHEAD AND GET THAT IN THE QUEUE FOR CODE AMENDMENTS, OR WE CAN JUST ADDRESS IT AS PART OF THE REFORM.
WELL, I DON'T KNOW HOW LONG THAT CODE REFORM IS GOING TO TAKE.
RIGHT. IT MAY BE ANOTHER YEAR.
SO, FRANKLY, I'D LIKE TO SEE YOUR IDEAS ON HOW WE COULD AMEND THAT ORDINANCE NOW.
OKAY. WE CAN DEFINITELY TAKE A LOOK AT THAT.
I DO OVERSEE THAT TEAM AS WELL, SO.
ANY OTHER IDEAS FOR ADDRESSING THOSE REMAINING CHALLENGES TO EXPEDITE THE PROCESS.
AND I'D LIKE YOU TO THINK KIND OF HOLISTICALLY.
YEAH. HOW CAN WE BETTER MANAGE THIS SYSTEM OF LARGE AREA REZONINGS? YES. AND A LOT OF THAT IS, YOU KNOW, JUST TO UTILIZE THE PROGRAM AS IT WAS INTENDED TO IMPLEMENT AN AREA PLAN, IMPLEMENT FORWARD DALLAS LOOK AT THE CITY'S BIG PICTURE OVERALL GOALS RATHER THAN JUST, OH, WE'RE GOING TO AUTHORIZE THIS SMALL AREA FOR ONE ISSUE OR, OH, WE'RE GOING TO AUTHORIZE THIS 5000 ACRE AREA, YOU KNOW, 5000 ACRES OF UNDEVELOPED LAND WITH NO VISION.
AND SO REALLY, JUST THAT WILL HELP TREMENDOUSLY.
WELL, ONE OF THE ITEMS YOU MENTIONED IS A CHALLENGE.
THE LAST ONE IS LACK OF CRITERIA FOR AUTHORIZATION.
AND THAT MANY TIMES YOU END UP WITH NO GOAL IN SIGHT, NO VISION FOR WHAT'S INTENDED THERE.
CAN WE HELP WITH A MORE SPECIFIC LIST OF CRITERIA BEFORE AN AUTHORIZED HEARING IS AUTHORIZED? MEGAN, IF YOU COULD RESPOND TO THAT AND THEN I'M GOING TO MOVE ON.
WE'RE GOING TO COME TO A SECOND ROUND IF WE CAN, BUT WE'RE GOING TO NEED TO MOVE ON.
AND, YOU KNOW, WE COULD DO A MEMO OR SOMETHING.
OKAY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR. RIDLEY. MISS BLACKMON.
THANK YOU. ON JUST A COUPLE JUST GOING THROUGH THE SLIDES AND THEN DOING BIG PICTURE STUFF ON WHERE DOES THE NEW INFRASTRUCTURE FUND THAT WE'VE CREATED, DOES THAT PLAY INTO ANY OF THIS IN THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PLAN? THE NEW INFRASTRUCTURE FUND I MEAN, WE LOOKED AT THE BOND PROGRAM.
WE KIND OF CREATED A FUND WHERE THE TIF FUNDING THAT DOESN'T GO AWAY.
OKAY. WE PUT INTO ANOTHER POT, AND I'M JUST WONDERING IF IT GOES INTO NUMBER THREE.
AND THEN LOOKING AT OUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PLANS, I GUESS WHAT I'M TRYING TO GO TO IS IF YOU'RE WANTING TO KIND OF CREATE A PROCESS THAT'S MORE STREAMLINED, CREATE A RUBRIC UP FRONT. YES. THAT KIND OF TELLS YOU WHICH WAY TO GO.
IN OTHER WORDS, THERE'S NOT PREDICTABILITY, I GUESS, IN UNDERSTANDING THE UPFRONT PROCESS .
IT IS MORE LIKE HERE IS A SCREENING PROCESS.
I GET THAT IF YOU'RE TRYING TO CREATE IMPROVEMENTS TO THIS, BECAUSE TWO YEARS TO IS AT A MINIMUM SOMETIMES, LET'S JUST BE HONEST, IS QUITE A LONG TIME. DEFINITELY.
AND THE MARKETS CHANGE AND ALL OF A SUDDEN YOUR CAPITAL IS DRIED UP.
YEAH. AND SO WHEN YOU'RE LOOKING AT THESE IMPROVEMENTS THAT YOU'VE SUGGESTED, THE CONSULTANTS AND AMENDMENTS TO THE CODE ON THE CONSULTANT, I MEAN, HOW MUCH ARE YOU LOOKING AT? AND I WOULD PUT IT IN THE BUDGET, I WOULD SAY, YOU KNOW, WHAT IF WE WANT TO CREATE, IF WE WANT TO CLEAR THE BACKLOG, WE NEED $1 MILLION TO GO OUT AND GET THESE CONSULTANTS ON. AND THEN THE PLANNER BECOMES TRULY A PROJECT MANAGER VERSUS WORKING THROUGH THE DETAILS OF CREATING A PLAN.
RIGHT? AND I MEAN, IN THE OUTSIDE, IF WE'RE COMPETING WITH THE OUTSIDE ABOUT FOR IN-HOUSE FOLKS, THEN LET'S FIGURE OUT HOW TO BRING THEM IN-HOUSE TO GET THIS DONE NOT NECESSARILY ON A CITY EMPLOYEE.
SO IN OTHER WORDS, THEY'RE NOW MANAGING THREE INSTEAD OF MANAGING 2 OR 1.
BUT THE AMENDMENTS TO THE CODE IN THE PROCESS, I THINK IS WHERE YOU GUYS THAT DO IT EVERY DAY IS GOING TO HAVE TO REALLY LOOK AT IT AND WHITEBOARD IT AND SAY, THIS IS THE.
[00:35:04]
CONVERSATION. YOU'RE NOT ABANDONING.A THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT PART OF IT.
ON THE POSTPONEMENTS, WHEN WAS THAT INSTITUTED WITH $100 FEE? BECAUSE I WOULD PROBABLY BEGIN TO THINK THAT WAS WHEN $100 MEANT THAT IT WAS A THOUSAND, RIGHT.
YEAH. AND AND SO MY THING IS EITHER MAKE IT ADJUSTED TO INFLATION OR YOU KNOW WHAT, IF WE HAVE TO GO OUT AND DO THIS ALL OVER AGAIN, THIS IS WHAT IT COSTS AND YOU HAVE TO PAY FOR THAT.
OKAY. WHICH IS I DON'T NECESSARILY WANT TO ABANDON THAT.
I GET WHERE YOU'RE GOING BECAUSE I'VE HAD THAT DONE, BUT $100 IS A KIND OF IS NOT REALLY.
IT'S NOT THE SAME ANYMORE AS WHEN IT WAS FIRST INSTITUTED.
AND IF IT WAS INSTITUTED IN THE 70S, WE KNOW THAT THAT IT'S INCREASED CONSIDERABLY.
AND IF IT'S COSTING US MONEY BECAUSE WE HAVE TO GO OUT AND DO IT AGAIN, THEN YOU KNOW WHAT? THAT'S GOING TO BE CHARGED TO YOU AS WELL.
AND SO, I MEAN, BECAUSE WE HAVE TO DO COST RECOVERY AND WE CAN'T EAT A LOT OF THIS STUFF.
ON THE OTHER CHALLENGES THAT YOU HAVE, I THINK THAT COULD GO INTO YOUR RUBRIC THAT CREATES THE CRITERIA, THE CRITERIA TO THEN FIGURE OUT WHERE IT GOES.
I MEAN, BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY IF IT'S A 5000, LIKE YOU SAID, A SQUARE FOOT, WHATEVER IT IS, THAT 5000, WHATEVER ACRES, WHATEVER, AND IT HAS NO VISION, YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO THAT'S GOING TO TAKE A LOT MORE HANDHOLDING THAN ONE THAT'S ALREADY BEEN BAKED FOR YOU.
AND WHY SHOULD IT STAY IN WAIT WHEN YOU'VE GOT A LONGER? BECAUSE YOU'VE GOT INFRASTRUCTURE NEEDS.
YOU'VE GOT I MEAN, IT'S A LOT OF PLANNING THAT GOES INTO THIS.
SO HOW DOES FORWARD DALLAS THE BIG ONE IS IT ARE YOU ALL GOING TO BE READY TO GO WITH ALL OF THIS WITH NEW IMPROVEMENTS? IF THAT'S THE CASE HERE WHEN FORWARD DALLAS IS ADOPTED LATER THIS YEAR? YEAH, I THINK WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO DO A NUMBER OF THINGS.
AND ONE OF THOSE IS, IS LOOK AT THAT LIST THAT WE CURRENTLY HAVE.
MEGAN MIGHT HAVE MENTIONED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT OUR ALL 2024 OF THEM STILL SORT OF RELEVANT BECAUSE MAYBE THEY'VE BEEN THERE FOR A LONG TIME. MAYBE THE CONDITIONS THAT PUT IT ON THERE TO BEGIN WITH ARE NO LONGER.
YEAH, OR HAVE CHANGED OR NO LONGER RELEVANT.
AND I THINK THIS IS WHERE YOUR LIST OF DOES IT MEET THIS.
YOU KNOW, IF IT MEETS THIS THEN IT GOES TO THIS, THEN IT GOES TO THIS.
YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN? AND THEN YOU SHOULD GET YOUR THIS IS A GREAT THING FOR AN AUTHORIZED HEARING.
IF NOT, THEN WHAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN? MAYBE IT'S AN AREA PLAN FIRST.
RIGHT. SO IT'S AND YOU'VE GOT TO PUSH BACK ON US AND SAY THIS IS NOT AN AUTHORIZED HEARING.
THIS IS MORE SOMETHING I DON'T KNOW WHAT ELSE IT IS.
IT'S JUST A STRAIGHT ZONING CHANGE OR WHATEVER.
AND I THINK IF YOU HAVE OBJECTIVE YOU KNOW, CRITERIA, THEN IT IS WHAT IT IS.
SO, I JUST THINK YOU AS INDIVIDUALS HAVE TO PUSH BACK ON US AND SAY THIS DOES NOT FALL INTO THIS CATEGORY AND THIS IS A BETTER WAY TO DO IT. SUCH AS, LIKE MR. GRACEY, THE AREA PLAN, RIGHT? TO DO SOME KIND OF ORGANIZING AND DISCUSSING, NOT JUST DON'T DO IT AS A ZONING HEARING RIGHT WHEN YOU'RE TRYING TO PLAN.
BUT I DO THINK THAT YOU'VE GOT TO LOOK AT THIS AT A BIG, BROADER SENSE INSTEAD OF JUST GOING VERY SPECIFIC BECAUSE, IF YOU GO SPECIFIC, YOU'RE ONLY GOING TO BE YOU'VE GOT TO SOLVE FOR THE EQUATION, NOT FOR THE VARIABLE.
AND THEN YOU AS THE PROFESSIONALS HAVE TO MAKE A RECOMMENDATION THAT GETS YOUR WORK PLAN DONE.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MS. BLACKMON. MS. SCHULTZ, I'M GOING TO PIGGYBACK WITH HOPEFULLY NOT AND WITHOUT BEING REDUNDANT, THIS IS A CHALLENGE OF SYSTEMS THINKING ON THIS.
AND RIGHT NOW WE'RE REALLY IN THE WEEDS.
AND THAT'S WHY WE KEEP CIRCLING BACK.
WHAT IS THE OUTCOME THAT THEY GET US TO AND WHICH TOOLS DO WE NOT HAVE THAT WE NEED?
[00:40:02]
ONCE YOU TAKE AN EVALUATIVE LOOK AT THOSE TOOLS TO MAKE THE CHANGES THAT WE HAVE.SO FOR EXAMPLE, THE UPTOWN EXAMPLE, LIKE DO THEY REALLY NEED AN AUTHORIZED HEARING IN ORDER TO GET ONE PARTICULAR OVERLAY FOR ONE PARTICULAR NEED? RIGHT. AND SO, YOU KNOW, THE UNAUTHORIZED HEARING FOR THIS.
SO MAYBE THERE'S ANOTHER TOOL THAT COULD BE USED.
AND SO, SO PART OF THIS, I THINK THAT ONCE WE HAVE A FULL UNDERSTANDING OF THE TOOLS THAT WE HAVE AND AN UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT TOOLS ARE MISSING IN ORDER TO MAKE PARTICULAR LAND USE CHANGES THAT ARE NEEDED, THEN WE HAVE TO ALSO UNDERSTAND THE INPUT EVALUATION.
FOR EACH OF THOSE, WHY DO YOU NEED THIS LAND USE CHANGE.
AND THEN THEREFORE HERE'S THE TOOL THAT YOU NEED TO TO GO THE BEST ROUTE ON THAT.
ON THE AND ONE OF THEM THAT I THINK IS ALSO MISSING IS THE WHOLE IS THE ROI PIECE.
SO THAT I THINK THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT.
AND THEN I AM A LITTLE CONCERNED ABOUT YOUR RECOMMENDATIONS ON ENGAGEMENT, BECAUSE IF WE ACTUALLY ACTIVATE THE ENGAGEMENT PLAN THAT I KNOW GENESIS AND HER TEAM HAVE BEEN WORKING ON FOR A WHILE, THAT'S GOING TO INCLUDE A MUCH BROADER OUTREACH EFFORTS, PARTICULARLY TO THOSE PEOPLE WHO RENT THEIR HOMES, WHO NOW ARE NOT PART OF ANY OF OUR PROCESSES UNLESS THEY HAPPEN TO FIND OUT ABOUT SOMETHING.
AND SO WHEN THAT CHANGES, THE BURDEN ON YOU FOR THE BIGGER AUTHORIZED HEARINGS, IS GOING TO CHANGE.
AND SO I'M WORRIED ABOUT HOW WE'RE GOING TO MOVE FORWARD IN THAT AREA.
AND IF EVERYTHING BECOMES BROAD, COMMUNITY WIDE, THIS PROCESS WILL ACTUALLY TAKE LONGER.
AND I THINK FOR AND THAT GOES BACK TO THE TOOL.
SO WHETHER IT'S HIRING THE CONSULTANT OR WHATEVER, WORKING WITH OUR SENIOR LEADERSHIP TEAM TO HELP YOU FIGURE OUT HOW YOU EVALUATE YOUR SYSTEM AND HOW THAT SYSTEM CHANGES. SO THE BURDEN FOR THAT CHANGE SHOULD NOT BE ON YOU.
SO THAT'S ALL I HAVE, I THINK.
THANK YOU, MISS SCHULTZ. MISS WILLIS.
THANK YOU. SO MY FIRST ITEM IS JUST HOUSEKEEPING.
ON SLIDE FIVE. YOU REFERENCE A COUPLE OF PDS WITH THEIR NUMBERS.
AND I JUST WANT TO LOOK AT THIS THROUGH THE LENS OF THE TAXPAYER, OUR RESIDENTS, OUR CONSUMERS, AND JUST GIVE SOME SORT OF GEOGRAPHIC LOCATOR ON THAT SO THAT, I MEAN, PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN THESE NEIGHBORHOODS MAY KNOW WHAT THEIR PD IS, BUT FOR THOSE WHO ARE INTERESTED IN THE CITY AS A WHOLE, JUST PUTTING SOMETHING THAT GIVES THEM A LITTLE MORE IDEA OF WHERE IT IS.
BUT GOING BACK TO THE WHOLE FORWARD DALLAS DISCUSSION.
YOU KNOW, I'M TRYING TO UNDERSTAND.
SINCE FORWARD DALLAS IS APPROACHING THE WHOLE CITY WITH REGARD TO LAND USE, I MEAN, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE HAD ABSENT IN SOME OF THE EXAMPLES THAT YOU'VE GIVEN, AND THERE ARE SOME WHOLE AUTHORIZED HEARINGS ON HOLD THAT THIS WILL AFFECT, I WOULD THINK.
AND THEN I'VE ALSO HEARD FORWARD DALLAS REFERENCED, AS YOU KNOW, WE'RE PLAYING CATCH UP.
WE HAVEN'T DONE THIS IN A WHILE.
IT'S VERY NECESSARY TO START COMING UP WITH PLACE TYPES, ETC., BUT THAT WE'VE ALSO LOOKED AT IT IN TERMS OF IT MAY NEED TO BE REVISITED IN ANOTHER 5 TO 10 YEARS. AND THEN WE ALSO LOOK AT BETWEEN NOW AND 2045, HAVING 300,000 MORE PEOPLE MOVING TO DALLAS.
SO I'M LOOKING AT ALL OF THESE VARIABLES AND IT SEEMS LIKE AN AUTHORIZED HEARING.
YOU GO IN AND YOU'RE KIND OF FORCING THE ZONING BASED ON THE LAND USE PLAN OR GUIDANCE OR AREA PLAN.
AND SO WHAT I'M TRYING TO RECONCILE IS THAT WE'VE GOT THIS MASSIVE STEP AHEAD OF US THAT WE'RE MOVING TOWARD FINALITY ON TO GUIDE US FOR THE NEXT 5 TO 10 YEARS.
[00:45:10]
SO THIS IS A BROAD SCOPE QUESTION, BUT I'M JUST CURIOUS AS TO HOW YOU'RE SEEING THESE THINGS WORK TOGETHER.YEAH, I THINK IT'S GOING TO BE, ONE OF MANY THINGS.
AND NO AUTHORIZED HEARING WILL PROBABLY BE BASED ON THE SAME CRITERIA WITH FORWARD DALLAS.
WE BELIEVE THAT THERE WILL BE SOME AREAS IDENTIFIED THAT ARE SORT OF THE THE EASIER ONES TO TACKLE TODAY BECAUSE THEY'VE THEY HAVE EITHER BROAD COMMUNITY SUPPORT OR ARE IN AREAS THAT ARE CHANGING OR, ARE MORE LIKELY TO CHANGE AREAS WITHIN, EITHER FREQUENT TRANSPORTATION CORRIDORS OR AREAS WHERE THERE IS EITHER DISINVESTMENT OR OPPORTUNITIES FOR ADDITIONAL HOUSING IN AREAS THAT JUST HAVEN'T PANNED OUT AS, AS MAYBE, STRIP CENTERS, FOR INSTANCE, THAT SORT OF THING.
AND THEN YOU LAYER THAT ON TOP OF THE OTHER THINGS THAT WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT.
IN TERMS OF, ARE THERE OTHER CITY PRIORITIES THAT ARE KIND OF LAYERED ON TOP OF THAT TIF DISTRICTS OR OPPORTUNITY ZONES OR THAT SORT OF THING? AND I THINK THAT'S HOW WE'RE GOING TO THAT'S GOING TO BE A MAJOR COMPONENT OF HOW WE START TO SCORE THESE AND IDENTIFY AREAS THAT ARE READY TO BE AUTHORIZED.
IF WE ADOPT, WHEN WE ADOPT FORWARD DALLAS AND WE HAVE THE PLACE TYPES.
THEN THE PROPERTY OWNERS CAN COME FORTH WITH THEIR ZONING CASE.
AND SO BECAUSE WITHIN PLACE TYPES YOU HAVE SOME VARIETY.
AND SO I'M JUST NOT UNDERSTANDING HOW THE AUTHORIZED HEARING WOULD, YOU KNOW, PUSH THROUGH THE ZONING WHEN THERE ARE SO MANY VARIABLES THAT THE PUBLIC MAY FEEL ONE WAY ABOUT ONE OF THOSE OPTIONS WITHIN A PLACE TYPE AND ANOTHER WAY ABOUT ANOTHER OPTION WITHIN A PLACE TYPE.
BUT IDEALLY THE AREAS THAT ARE SORT OF THE, THE EASIEST, ONES TO ADDRESS WILL BE THE ONES THAT, THAT THERE AREN'T A LOT OF OPPOSITIONS TO.
WE'VE HEARD VERY CONTINUOUSLY FROM STAKEHOLDERS OR RESIDENTS OR CITY LEADERSHIP THAT THESE ARE AREAS THAT WE WANT TO FOCUS OUR ATTENTION ON. AND SOME OF THOSE SORT OF EASIER ONES THAT WE THINK COULD BE ADDRESSED ARE THE ONES AROUND TOD STATIONS, FOR INSTANCE.
AREAS WHERE THERE IS A DISINVESTMENT AND THERE IS A NEW VISION FOR THESE PARTICULAR AREAS.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MS. WILLIS. MR. RESENDEZ. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. NOW, THANK YOU ALL FOR THE PRESENTATION.
I'M WONDERING, WITH THE FORWARD DALLAS DISCUSSION, SHOULD WE BE ANTICIPATING AN UPTICK IN THE INITIATION OF AUTHORIZED HEARINGS? I DON'T KNOW HOW TO ANSWER THAT ONE.
I MEAN, POTENTIALLY, YES, BECAUSE IT WILL HELP, YOU KNOW, CITY PLANNING COMMISSIONERS AND CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS KIND OF HELP IDENTIFY AREAS THAT THAT WOULD BE, MAYBE MORE RIPE FOR THE PICKING EASIER, ONES TO PICK FROM, I BELIEVE, AND REALLY KIND OF, IN SOME CASES EVEN SHINING A LIGHT ON AREAS THAT MAYBE HAVE NOT BEEN SHOWN ON BEFORE.
I'M THE CHIEF PLANNER OF THE AUTHORIZED HEARINGS.
WE'VE BEEN WORKING VERY CLOSELY WITH THE FORWORD DALLAS TEAM.
I WAS PART OF THE TEAM THAT DEVELOPED THE PLAN.
AND, BEFORE I MOVED OVER TO THE AUTHORIZED HEARING.
WE'VE SPECIFICALLY ASKED THEM TO IDENTIFY THOSE SPECIFICALLY IN THE PLAN.
YOU ALSO NOTICE THAT, YOU KNOW, OTHER DEPARTMENTS HAVE BEEN DOING THE CONCEPT OF FOCUS AREAS.
THE SAME WITH ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
[00:50:05]
PRIORITIZING THOSE AREAS IN OUR SCORING MATRIX.SO IN OUR SCORING MATRIX, YOU REALIZE WHEN MEGAN WAS DOING THE PRESENTATION FOR DALLAS WAS THE FIRST ITEM THAT SHE DID IDENTIFY, AND WE'RE GOING TO BE, ASSIGNING POINTS TO AREAS THAT DO HAVE LAND USE COMPATIBILITIES THAT NEED INTERVENTION FROM A ZONING STANDPOINT, SO THAT IF THERE IS ANY AUTHORIZED HEARING THAT ARE LOCATED WITHIN THOSE AREAS, THEY'LL GET FIRST PRIORITY.
AND THAT'S HOW WE DO PLAN TO APPROACH IT.
OKAY. THANK YOU FOR THAT RESPONSE.
AND FORWARD DALLAS WOULD NOT ELIMINATE THE NEED FOR AUTHORIZED HEARINGS.
THANK YOU ALL FOR THE GREAT DISCUSSION.
I WILL JUST GIVE ONE PIECE OF FEEDBACK.
I WOULD LIKE TO JUST PIGGYBACK ON WHAT KIND OF, MISS BLACKMON AND MISS SCHULTZ WERE SPEAKING TO SYSTEMICALLY ON US, KIND OF GETTING A HOLD OF, WHERE I BELIEVE WE COULD IMPROVE THE SYSTEM.
ONE OF WHICH WAS AN EXAMPLE THAT WAS BROUGHT UP.
I WOULD LIKE TO SEE WITH FORWARD DALLAS SPECIFICALLY, AND OUR, GOAL OF ESTABLISHING ENTERTAINMENT DISTRICTS THAT ARE NOT, IDENTIFIED NOW FOR US TO BE LOOKING AT THESE TYPES OF ISSUES, IF WE ALREADY HAVE SEEN WHERE TOOLS HAVE BEEN IMPLEMENTED IN CERTAIN PLACES, LIKE LOWER GREENVILLE, FOR INSTANCE, THAT ACCOMPLISHES SIMILAR ALSO TO WHAT MR. GRACEY MENTIONED, WE DON'T NEED TO REINVENT THE WHEEL.
IN FACT, THERE SHOULD BE THE ABILITY FOR US AS THE BODY, A POLICY BODY, TO LOOK AT WAYS THAT COULD STREAMLINE THOSE TYPES OF PROCESSES. WHETHER IT BE THROUGH POLICY AND THAT, DESIGNATED ENTERTAINMENT DISTRICTS WILL ALL HAVE SIMILAR, CAPABILITIES THAT I THINK WOULD ALLOW FOR US TO NOT ONLY WIPE OUT SOME OF THE BACKLOG, BUT ALSO ADDRESS THIS MORE HOLISTIC, WHICH I THINK IS THE OVERALL GOAL OF WHAT THESE SYSTEMIC CHANGES ARE TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH.
AND SO I WOULD JUST ASK THAT I WOULD ENCOURAGE THERE TO BE, SOME WORK IN TANDEM WITH COUNCIL MEMBERS TO KIND OF ESTABLISH WHERE THERE ARE SOME GAPS.
IF YOU DON'T MIND, I'D LIKE TO FOLLOW UP WITH A MEMO TO SEE IF MAYBE WE CAN ESTABLISH SOME SORT OF WORKING GROUP WITHIN YOUR DEPARTMENT AND COMMITTEE MEMBERS, SO THAT THE NEXT TIME WE GET A BRIEFING, WE CAN GET SOME SORT OF UPDATE AND GOAL ON HOW TO ADDRESS A LOT OF THE CHALLENGES THAT NOT ONLY YOU ALL BROUGHT UP, BUT THAT WERE HONED IN ON BY MEMBERS IN THIS COMMITTEE.
SO, THAT WITH THAT, I WILL GO AHEAD AND MOVE TO THE NEXT ITEM.
I WANT TO THANK YOU ALL FOR Y'ALL'S.
MR. CHAIR, CAN I ASK ONE LAST QUESTION? ABSOLUTELY. MR. RIDLEY.
FIRST OF ALL, I THINK YOUR IDEA OF THE WORKING GROUP IS A GREAT IDEA.
I WOULD BE GLAD TO VOLUNTEER TO BE ON THAT WORKING GROUP.
AND IT'S BECOME APPARENT TO ME WITH THE DISCUSSION HERE ABOUT PARTICULARLY FORWARD DALLAS THAT THAT HAS HUGE IMPLICATIONS FOR THIS PROCESS, BECAUSE IT'S GOING TO IDENTIFY AREAS OF THE CITY THAT NEED TO BE REZONED AND.
IT COULD TREMENDOUSLY ADD TO YOUR WORKLOAD IN TERMS OF AUTHORIZED HEARINGS.
AND SO I THINK THAT JUST UNDERSCORES THE NEED FOR REFORMS IN THIS PROCESS.
YOU MENTIONED BRINGING IN CONSULTANTS.
WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT THE NOTION OF APPLICANTS PAYING A SUPPLEMENT TO THEIR FILING FEE TO, COMPENSATE THE CONSULTANTS WHILE THEY WOULD STILL BE UNDER CITY SUPERVISION? I WILL SAY THAT WE DO HAVE SOME CONCERNS WITH THAT.
SINCE THE PROCESS IS INTENDED TO I MEAN, THERE'S THE PRIVATE APPLICATION PROCESS, WHICH ISN'T ALWAYS, I GUESS, APPLICABLE TO LARGE AREAS WITH MULTIPLE PROPERTY OWNERS.
BUT WE DO HAVE SOME CONCERNS WITH A ONE PARTICULAR STAKEHOLDER PAYING A FEE TO HAVE A CITY AUTHORIZED HEARING BROUGHT FORWARD. THERE ARE JUST SOME THINGS THAT WE SEE MIGHT NOT BE.
IT MAY NOT BE AN EQUITABLE PROCESS.
AND THAT'S SOMETHING WE HAVE TALKED ABOUT.
BUT I THINK WHERE WE ARE RIGHT NOW IS THAT'S PROBABLY NOT A PREFERRED OPTION.
[00:55:01]
RIDLEY. THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH.WE'RE GOING TO MOVE ON TO, BRIEFING ITEM C, WE'RE GOING TO HEAR FROM DALLAS ANIMAL SERVICES.
DIRECTOR, MELISSA WEBBER WILL PRESENT TO US.
WE'VE GOT ABOUT 30 MINUTES EACH.
DIRECTOR WEBBER, GOOD MORNING.
GOOD MORNING, MR. CHAIR. THANK YOU FOR HAVING US.
GOOD MORNING, COUNCIL MEMBERS.
WE'RE GOING TO GIVE AN UPDATE.
EXCUSE ME, ON DALLAS ANIMAL SERVICES.
AND THE DATA THAT WILL BE PRESENTING IS OUR FISCAL YEAR FIRST QUARTER.
SO IN EVERY MEETING THAT WE HAVE, WE ALWAYS LIST OUR CITY OF DALLAS VALUES OF SERVICE, FOCUSING ON THAT CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE, BECAUSE WE WANT THAT EMBEDDED IN THE CULTURE THAT WE HAVE AT DAS AND HOW WE SERVE.
THEY'RE WHAT HELPED US IMPLEMENT THE CHANGE THAT WE HAD, 2017, 2018 AND HAVE GUIDED US THROUGH THROUGH THE PANDEMIC AND WHERE WE ARE NOW, AND THAT IS PUBLIC SAFETY AND COMPASSION AND NO SHORTCUTS.
SO WE HAVE BEEN ENJOYING, SOME POSITIVE OUTCOME NUMBERS.
WE'VE SEEN AN INCREASE IN DOGS AND CATS FOSTERED TO RESCUE BY 90%.
LAST YEAR, FISCAL YEAR TO DATE, WE WERE AT 582.
WE'RE JUST THREE SHY OF WHERE WE WERE PRE-PANDEMIC.
AND THE FIRST TWO QUARTERS WHERE WE'RE MEASURED AGAINST FISCAL YEAR 20 WERE PRE PANDEMIC.
SO THOSE ARE IMPORTANT NUMBERS TO US.
AND THEN WE'RE ALSO SEEING 122% INCREASE IN PETS AND FOSTER.
SO WITH 1,233 PETS IN FOSTER IN THE FIRST FISCAL YEAR, THAT WAS OVER 600 DOGS AND 300 CATS, WHICH INCREASED OUR SHELTER CAPACITY. SO CURRENTLY WE HAVE 523 DOGS AND 35 CATS IN OUR SHELTER RIGHT NOW.
SO HERE ARE OUR INTAKE BY SPECIES.
YOU'LL SEE THAT WE'VE HAD AN INCREASE.
WE CURRENTLY CONTINUE TO GO UP.
I'M LOOKING AT THE COMBINED DOGS AND CATS.
LAST YEAR WE HAD AN INCREASE OF 12%.
THIS YEAR WE'RE SEEING AN ADDITIONAL GROWTH OF ANOTHER 13%.
YOU'LL SEE ALSO ON THE OTHERS THAT IS PRIMARILY DRIVEN BY, CHICKENS, ROOSTERS.
SO THAT'S WHERE THAT GROWTH IS.
AND WE'RE WE BELIEVE THAT WE'LL KEEP TRENDING THAT DIRECTION.
I DO WANT TO EXPLAIN THE 11% LIVE OUTCOME FOR THE OTHERS.
AGAIN, THAT IS PRIMARILY ROOSTERS.
AND WHEN ROOSTERS ARE, DUBBED AND ALTERED TO BECOME COCKFIGHTING BIRDS, THEY BECOME CONTRABAND AND THERE IS NO LIVE OUTCOME FOR THEM.
I ALREADY TOLD YOU ABOUT CAPACITY.
THE OTHER THING THAT I DO WANT TO TALK ABOUT IS WHEN WE PUT PETS AT RISK OF EUTHANASIA, WE DO AIM TO GIVE THEM 24 TO 72 HOURS TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE OUT THERE IN THE COMMUNITY AND THEY'RE GETTING ATTENTION SO THAT THEY HAVE EVERY OPPORTUNITY FOR A POSITIVE OUTCOME.
WE REALLY DO WANT EVERY APPROPRIATE PET TO BE ABLE TO FIND THAT POSITIVE OUTCOME.
[01:00:01]
NEXT SLIDE.WE THINK WHAT THIS IS, AND WE HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO TIE IT TO EXACTLY WHAT THE DRIVER IS.
LAST YEAR WE WERE THINKING THAT WE WERE DOING GOOD BECAUSE WE WERE ABLE TO DO THE PROACTIVE CALLS.
WE HAD MORE OFFICERS, SO WE WERE ON TOP OF IT, BUT WE'RE STILL ON TOP OF IT.
WE'RE STILL DOING THOSE PROACTIVE CALLS.
BUT WHAT WE'RE SEEING IS LESS LOOSE AND LOOSE OWNED SERVICE REQUESTS, WHICH YOU'LL SEE BELOW.
AND THEN ALSO WE'VE SEEN A WARMER FIRST QUARTER.
SO WE'RE LOOKING AT WEATHER AND THE AMOUNT OF CAUSES THE DRIVER ON LOOSE AND LOOSE OWNED DOGS.
I DO WANT TO SAY SO WHEN YOU CALL AND YOU REPORT A LOOSE DOG, IF HE'S NOT AT RISK, HE'S NOT A RISK TO OTHERS HE'S JUST A MEANDERING STRAY DOG AT THE MOMENT.
WE'RE PUTTING THAT ON A HEAT MAP.
SO WE'RE NOT GOING TO EVERY LOOSE DOG CALL.
BUT IF HE'S A PUBLIC SAFETY RISK, AGGRESSIVE NEAR A SCHOOLYARD THAT BUMPS UP HIS PRIORITY.
AND THEN WE WILL DISPATCH ONE OF OUR OFFICERS RIGHT THEN.
SO WE'RE DOING THOSE PROACTIVES TOO.
THANK YOU. AND THEN YOU'LL SEE OUR DOG 40% RETURN TO HOME RATE IS OUR GOAL.
WE'VE SEEN, MORE BUY IN FROM TEAM MEMBERS IN DOING THAT OUT IN THE FIELD, WE'VE INCENTIVIZED THAT FOR OUR FIELD OFFICERS TO GET THOSE PETS BACK HOME. SO WE'RE ANTICIPATING THAT THAT NUMBER WILL CONTINUE TO GROW.
AND WE'VE ALSO WE'RE POSTING FOUND FLIERS AND PUTTING PICTURES ON THOSE FOUND FLIERS.
AND THEN YOU'LL SEE JUST A SYNOPSIS OF WHAT OUR FIELD TEAM HAS DONE BELOW.
I DO WANT TO POINT OUT THAT, WE HAVE APPROXIMATELY FIVE TRUCKS CITYWIDE, IN ADDITION TO TWO AGGRESSIVE OPS TRUCKS WHO ARE DOING THOSE PROACTIVE CALLS.
AND THEN THE OTHER THING I WANTED TO MAKE SURE I TALKED ABOUT, EXCUSE ME, IS CONFINED STRAYS.
I KNOW THAT, THERE IS OFTEN COMMUNICATION THAT WE'RE NOT PICKING UP AS STRAIGHT.
THE SERVICE LEVEL AGREEMENT ON A STRAY IS 24 HOURS.
SO WHEN THEY CALL 311 IS GOING TO TELL THEM THAT WE'LL BE THERE WITHIN 24 HOURS.
WE'RE OFTEN THERE WITHIN AN HOUR OR TWO.
BUT THAT MESSAGING AND THE EXPECTATION THAT WE HAVE 24 HOURS TO PICK THEM UP IS IMPORTANT TO KNOW.
AND THEN OUR LEASH 101 PROJECT.
SOME OF YOU HAVE PARTICIPATED WITH THE CONSULTANTS THAT WE HAVE.
WHAT THIS IS, IS A BOOTS ON THE GROUND OUTREACH EFFORT TO IDENTIFY AND SOLVE THE ROOT CAUSES OF UNCONFINED DOGS WITHIN THE COMMUNITY THROUGH NEIGHBORHOOD LEADERS, STAKEHOLDERS, AND INFLUENCERS.
SO NOT TO TAKE AWAY THE WORK THAT WE NEED TO DO WITH VIOLATIONS AND CITATIONS AND ENFORCING LOOSE DOGS, BUT ALSO DOING THE GRASSROOTS EFFORT, WORKING WITHIN THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND UTILIZING THOSE FOLKS THAT ARE LEADERS IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD TO INFLUENCE THE COMMUNITY TO KEEP THEIR DOGS CONFINED.
THE CONSULTANT WE HAVE IS HELPING TO INFORM SCOPE OF WORK FOR AN RFP.
AND THEN ONCE WE HAVE THAT RFP WE WILL BE LOOKING FOR A LOCAL, CONSULTANT TO TAKE THE PROJECT.
GOOD MORNING. CHAIR, COUNCIL, COMMITTEE MEMBERS.
I'LL GO OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF SLIDES WITH YOU.
ANOTHER PROJECT IN THE PIPELINE IS OUR CITY'S ADDRESSING FINES AND FEES EQUITABLY.
WE ARE A [INAUDIBLE] COHORT, MADE UP OF DAS, THE OFFICE OF EQUITY, INCLUSION, COMMUNITY CARE AND THE NATIONAL LEAGUE OF CITIES IS THE ONE WHO'S GUIDING THIS SHIP.
AND WHAT WE'VE IDENTIFIED IN ANALYZING THE DATA THAT THE TOP FIVE FINES AND FEES, AS YOU SEE TO THE RIGHT ARE THE AT LARGE, NOT SPAYED OR NEUTERED, NOT MICROCHIPPED, VACCINED OR WEARING A RABIES COLLAR.
SO MUCH TIES INTO THE FACT OF THE LOOSE AND LOOSE OWNED ANIMAL ISSUE.
[01:05:01]
BUT THE PRECURSOR TO THE BOTTOM FOUR IS MORE THAN LIKELY THE AT LARGE CITATION THAT KICKS OFF THE REMAINDERS OF THOSE CITATIONS.WHAT DAS IS DOING IS WE'RE LOOKING TO ADDRESS THIS EQUITABLY.
POSSIBLY MOVING MORE TOWARDS COMMUNITY COURT VERSUS MUNICIPAL COURT, TO ALLOW OPPORTUNITIES FOR MORE ENGAGEMENT AND AN OPPORTUNITY TO ALLOW, COMMUNITY CARE, TO OFFER FINANCIAL EMPOWERMENT COUNSELING SESSIONS AND POSSIBLY UTILIZING SOME GRANT MONIES TO OFFSET THOSE FINES AND FEES, AND THEN SOME PET CARE COMPLIANCE, CLASSES, TO ADDRESS THE THE COMPLIANCE ISSUE AND OFFER SERVICES TO OUR FIX IT TICKET PROGRAM, THAT WE SUBSIDIZE THE SPAY NEUTER MICROCHIP AND BRING THE ANIMALS INTO COMPLIANCE.
SO THAT'S WHERE WE'RE AT RIGHT NOW IN THIS PROCESS.
AND, IT'S NOT JUST THE CITY OF DALLAS.
NEXT SLIDE. ANOTHER CONTINUING AND ONGOING PROGRAM IS OUR SUSPECTED ANIMAL CRUELTY PROCESS.
DAS DOES PLAY A ROLE IN THIS PROCESS AS OF LAST YEAR.
OPERATION KINDNESS PROVIDES THE VETERINARY FORENSICS AND TESTIMONY.
ONE OF OUR RECENT CASES WAS A SIX HORSES, AS YOU CAN SEE TO THE RIGHT.
WHEN THEY WERE SEIZED, ARE THE TOP TWO PHOTOS IN THE CONDITION THAT THEY WERE IN.
THEY WERE BROUGHT INTO DAS FOR CARE AND HOUSING AND FEEDING.
AND WE HAD A EQUINE VET EVALUATE THROUGH OPERATION KINDNESS.
THE ANIMALS AND TWO OF THE ANIMALS ACTUALLY HAD TO BE HOSPITALIZED FOR 24 HOURS.
DAS CARED FOR THESE ANIMALS OVER A PERIOD OF TIME.
AND AS YOU CAN SEE, THE TWO MIDDLE PHOTOS, WHEN THEY LEFT DAS, THEIR CONDITION HAD IMPROVED.
AND IN THE FINAL PHOTO IS A PHOTO OF THEM AT THE RESCUE FOR AN UPDATE SHOWING THEIR PROGRESS.
NOW I'LL RETURN IT TO MELISSA.
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT COMMUNITY CATS.
WE ARE TO ADDRESS COMMUNITY CATS.
WE HAVE HAD ONE OF THE ENHANCEMENTS IN OUR BUDGET WAS A $250,000 ENHANCEMENT FOR SPAY NEUTER.
SO WE'RE USING THAT IN ADDITION TO, SUBSIDIZING SPAY NEUTER FOR OWNED DOGS AND CATS.
BUT IF SOMEBODY IS TRAPPING DOING TNR, THEY CAN CALL 311 AND GET A SERVICE REQUEST NUMBER, AND THEY CAN GET FOUR CATS SPAYED OR NEUTERED PER EACH SERVICE REQUEST NUMBER.
AND WE'VE DOUBLED THAT LAST FISCAL YEAR IT WAS TWO.
NOW IT'S FOUR. WE'RE ALSO GOING TO BE DOING, LARGE SCALE SPAY NEUTER EVENTS.
OUR NEXT ONE IS GOING TO BE ON MARCH 30TH.
ADDRESSING OWNED ANIMALS DOGS AND CATS.
AND THEN WE ARE DOING TARGETED TNR.
AND THE DATA SHOWS THAT TARGETED TNR REALLY IS THE TNR TRAP, NEUTER AND RETURN OF CATS.
IS REALLY THE WHAT IS EFFECTIVE TO REDUCING INTAKE LIKE THE BROAD SCALE TNR IS VERY HELPFUL FOR THAT INDIVIDUAL CAT, BUT IT DOESN'T REDUCE POPULATION, WHEREAS THE TARGETED TNR ACTUALLY REDUCES THE INTAKE FOR DAS.
NEXT SLIDE. AND THEN HERE IS A SLIDE.
ONE OF OUR GOALS IS TO INCREASE OUR FREE VACCINE CLINICS TO TWO A YEAR.
BUT WE'RE ALREADY DOING ALL OF THESE ALREADY.
WE'VE DONE SEVEN VACCINE CLINICS, EIGHT PET FOOD PANTRIES.
THESE ARE ALL LISTED THE EVENTS, ADOPTION EVENTS, NEIGHBORHOOD EVENTS THAT WE'VE PARTICIPATED IN.
AND WE REALLY WE TRY NEVER TO SAY NO TO AN EVENT EVEN IF THERE'S 3 IN 1 DAY.
SO IF THERE'S EVER SOMETHING THAT Y'ALL WANT, WANT US TO BE PRESENT FOR, PLEASE LET US KNOW.
AND THEN THE FINAL SLIDE IS OUR MEDIA HIGHLIGHTS.
TALKING ABOUT THE WORK THAT WE'VE DONE WITH COYOTES.
WE HAD A BOY SCOUT WHO CREATED, WHO HAD HIS SCOUT TROOP MAKE DOG HOUSES FOR DOGS THAT ARE OUTSIDE THAT WE WERE ABLE TO USE DURING THE LAST INCLEMENT WEATHER EVENT AND ADOPTION AND CAPACITY, COVERAGE WE GET
[01:10:09]
ON A REGULAR BASIS AND WE HAVE REALLY GOOD RELATIONSHIPS WITH OUR DALLAS MEDIA, AND WE'RE SUPER GRATEFUL FOR THAT.THANK YOU ALL FOR Y'ALL'S WORK.
I'M REALLY IMPRESSED ALWAYS WITH YOUR DEPARTMENT.
AND I KNOW THAT YOU ALL, IT'S AN EMOTIONALLY TOLLING DEPARTMENT.
AND SO I WANT TO JUST THANK YOU ALL FOR THE WORK THAT YOU ALL PUT IN, BECAUSE IT'S, IMPORTANT WORK.
BUT WE DO ACKNOWLEDGE THE POSITIVES THAT IT ATTRIBUTES TO OVERALL QUALITY OF LIFE FOR OUR CITY IN A RESPECTFUL AND HUMANE WAY TO OUR ANIMALS. SO THANK YOU ALL.
I WILL START, WITH MR. GRACEY. I DO ASK EVERYONE TO JUST TRY TO KEEP YOUR COMMENTS TO ABOUT TWO MINUTES IF POSSIBLE.
THANK YOU. YES, SIR. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. FIRST OF ALL, MELISSA, I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU FOR THIS PRESENTATION AGAIN.
I HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO COME OUT AND TOUR, AND WAS REALLY IMPRESSED BY WHAT I SAW.
BUT WHAT WAS MOST MEMORABLE IS WHAT I CALL THE BLUE SHIRTS.
AND THOSE FOLKS THAT YOU DON'T SEE, I KNOW YOU CATCH A LOT OF SLACK SOMETIMES FROM THE COMMUNITY, BUT IT'S THE FOLKS IN THOSE BLUE SHIRTS THAT ARE BACK THERE DOING THAT WORK THAT NOBODY SEES THAT THAT GRITTY, DIRTY WORK THAT THEY DO.
AND WE'RE THANKFUL FOR THE SACRIFICE THAT THEY MAKE DAY IN AND DAY OUT.
SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALL OF THAT.
ARE THERE OPPORTUNITIES TO VOLUNTEER? I KNOW YOU'RE WORKING WITH COMMUNITY COURTS, AND SOMETIMES COMMUNITY COURTS HAS THOSE RULES ABOUT VOLUNTEERING FOR THE CITY.
BUT IN THIS CASE, IS THAT AN OPTION THAT COULD BE HAD OR A CONVERSATION THAT COULD BE HAD ABOUT VOLUNTEERING? AGAIN, HAVING BEEN THERE, KNOW THE NEED FOR VOLUNTEERS.
IS THAT AN OPTION FOR VIOLATORS? IF YOU COULD ELABORATE A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THE VOLUNTEER PROCESS.
SO MEANING I KNOW AND CURRENTLY THE WAY COMMUNITY COURTS WORKS IS WHEN THEY HAVE A FINE OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT, DEPENDING ON WHAT IT IS THEY ARE GIVEN VOLUNTEER HOURS TO IN LIEU OF A CHECK OR I MEAN, IN LIEU OF A FEE OR A FINE OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
SO I'M WONDERING IF SOMETHING LIKE THAT COULD BE DONE FOR VOLUNTEERING EITHER AT THE DALLAS ANIMAL SERVICES OR OTHER ORGANIZATIONS AROUND THAT YOU ALL PARTNER WITH. MOST DEFINITELY.
IT WOULD BE ONE OF THE QUIVERS IN THE BACKPACK.
OKAY. TO BE ABLE TO USE. BUT YEAH THE VOLUNTEER PROCESS WE CURRENTLY DO THAT.
NOW WE HAVE FOLKS THAT COME THROUGH DAS TO COMPLETE VOLUNTEER HOURS.
BUT IT WE WOULD LIKE TO DO A LOT MORE OF THE ENGAGEMENT PROCESS AND THE UNDERSTANDING OF WHY.
SO WE DON'T WANT TO ADD AN ADDITIONAL BURDEN ONTO AN ALREADY STRAINED POPULATION.
SO IF WE CAN DO THE EDUCATIONAL COMPONENT LIKE CODE DOES AT COMMUNITY COURT AND THEN HAVE OUR FINANCIAL EMPOWERMENT CENTER, DO SOME COUNSELING SESSIONS AND OFFER SOME OPPORTUNITIES FOR, GRANT MONIES TO PAY SOME OF THOSE FINES AND FEES, OR IF WE CAN USE OUR SUBSIDIZED PROCESS THROUGH SPAY NEUTER NETWORK TO BRING THE PET OWNERS IN COMPLIANCE. THAT'S THE OVERALL WIN WIN.
BUT IT'S UP TO THE JUDGE ON THE VOLUNTEER PROCESS.
BUT WE WOULD MORE THAN HAPPILY ACCEPT THEM.
OKAY, I THINK I WAS JUST POINTING THAT OUT.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR. GRACEY. MR. RIDLEY.
THANK YOU. CAN YOU TELL ME HOW MUCH ARE THE CITATIONS FOR THE LEASH AND LOOSE DOGS? I CAN'T GIVE YOU THE SPECIFICS FOR EACH CITATION, BUT IN THE TOTAL TOTALITY, IT COULD GO UP TO ABOUT $500 FOR ALL OF THEM.
SO A FIRST TIME OFFENDER IS MAYBE? IT GOES FROM 75.
AND THEN WE HAVE, WE COLLECT THE REVENUE AND THEN DO WE DO OUTREACH WITH THAT REVENUE OR DOES IT JUST GO BACK TO YOUR DEPARTMENT? IT GOES INTO AN ANIMAL WELFARE FUND THAT IS USED SPECIFICALLY TO HELP OWNERS BE COMPLIANT.
SO WE USE IT FOR SPAY NEUTER OF OWNED ANIMALS.
WE'RE TRYING TO, HELP FOLKS BUILD FENCES AND THINGS LIKE THAT TO MAKE THEM COMPLIANT.
OKAY. SO WE'RE BECAUSE I GUESS WHERE I'M GOING WITH THIS IS I DON'T THINK AND CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, WE WANT TO HELP EDUCATE FOLKS ABOUT WHAT IT MEANS TO KEEP THEIR ANIMALS CONFINED.
AND SO MY QUESTION IS, IS THERE A GROUP OF FREQUENT FLIERS THAT YOU SEE THAT ALLOW THEIR DOGS TO RUN? BECAUSE I GUESS I DON'T WANT TO DING SOMEBODY FOR A $200 TICKET THAT IS JUST DIDN'T KNOW THAT'S IT'S A CULTURAL THING OR THEY IT GOT OUT ACCIDENTALLY OR
[01:15:08]
WHATNOT AND BUT HELP EDUCATE ABOUT HOW TO KEEP THEM CONFINED AND WORKING WITH THEM.AND I HOPE THAT'S THE DIRECTION THAT WE'RE GOING.
SO I DO LIKE THE COMMUNITY COURT.
HOWEVER, IF IT BECOMES VERY ABUSED, THEN THAT'S WHEN THAT IT'S OBVIOUSLY THEY'RE NOT JUST IT'S BEYOND THAT.
SO I GUESS HELP ME UNDERSTAND OR WHAT CAN I DO TO HELP YOU GET TO THAT POINT OF WE WANT TO JUST HELP PEOPLE UNDERSTAND THE IMPORTANCE OF THIS AND NOT REALLY PENALIZE THEM, AND KEEP ADDING ON FINES THAT THEY CAN NEVER GET OUT OF.
THE EDUCATION PROCESS ACTUALLY STARTS AT THE POINT OF DISTRIBUTION OF THE CITATION.
SO THE OFFICER IS ACTUALLY ENGAGING WITH THAT INDIVIDUAL AND ADVISING THEM.
YOU COULD GO THROUGH OUR SPAY NEUTER FIX IT TICKET PROCESS AND GO THROUGH AND GET A SUBSIDIZED, ABOUT WHAT IS IT? $90, PAYS FOR THE ENTIRE PROCESS.
THEREFORE, THEY CAN TAKE THAT TO COURT.
AND NINE TIMES OUT OF TEN, THE JUDGE WILL TAKE THAT AS.
YES. AND, DO PEOPLE TAKE YOU UP ON THAT OFFER? THAT IS OUR ISSUE. OUR ISSUE IS THAT WE'RE NOT GETTING A LOT OF BUY IN FROM THE COMMUNITY OR A LOT OF PARTICIPATION.
SO WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT IS WE'RE IDENTIFYING THESE HIGHLY POPULATED AREAS THAT ARE BEING AFFECTED.
SO I JUST RECENTLY SENT OUT OVER ALMOST 400 INVITATIONS TO FOLKS THAT HAVE BEEN AFFECTED TO GIVE THEM AN OPPORTUNITY, BASICALLY ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY TO HEAR WHAT THOSE OPTIONS ARE AND TO ALSO GIVE THEM THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TO A FINANCIAL EMPOWERMENT COUNSELOR AND SEE WHAT OTHER ISSUES THAT THEY MAY BE GOING THROUGH THAT THEY COULD GET SOME COUNSELING FOR.
BUT WE'RE HOPING THAT THE PARTICIPATION RATE WILL HOPEFULLY GROW OVER TIME.
BUT RIGHT NOW, WE'VE IDENTIFIED THE TOP FIVE ZIP CODES THAT WE'RE GOING TOWARDS.
AND THOSE ARE THE. GO AHEAD MELISSA. THE NEXT EVENT FOR THAT IS MARCH 9TH, CORRECT? YES. AND THEN THE OTHER THING, IN THE LEASH 101, THAT IS THAT GRASSROOTS EFFORT TRYING TO GET INTO THE COMMUNITY AND IDENTIFY WHY ARE THOSE FREQUENT FLIERS ALLOWING THEIR DOGS TO BE UNCONFINED AND HELPING THEM WITHIN THE COMMUNITY INSTEAD OF US COMING. YOU KNOW WE'RE NOT GOING TO TICKET OUR WAY OUT OF IT.
CORRECT. BUT HOW DO WE CREATE THE THE NORM WHERE IT IS TO KEEP YOUR DOG CONFINED? GOT IT. OKAY.
[LAUGHTER] AND I THINK Y'ALL WORKED WITH THAT NEIGHBORHOOD.
AND SO THANK YOU BECAUSE THEY WERE HAVING A LOT OF CATS WHICH THEN BROUGHT IN THE COYOTES.
AND NOW THAT THEY'RE WORKING ON THAT.
IF ANYBODY HERE HAS A CAT POPULATION THAT THEY'RE TRYING TO MITIGATE OR TO MANAGE THAT IT DOES.
AND SO Y'ALL ARE GREAT AT HELPING THEM.
THANK YOU. AND I TOO APPRECIATE THE HARD WORK OF YOU ALL AND YOUR TEAM.
YOU MENTIONED ABOUT EUTHANASIA.
LIKE WHEN YOU HAVE A PET, A SAFE PET THAT YOU'RE TRYING TO FIND ITS HOME OR PERHAPS ITS ADOPTABLE, A TIME FRAME OF 48 TO 72 HOURS, 24 TO 72 HOURS, IF WE'RE ABLE TO GIVE THEM, LIKE IF IT'S NOT A MEDICAL EMERGENCY OR, REALLY PRIMARILY WHEN WE'RE DEALING WITH SPACE EUTHANASIA, WE WANT TO GIVE THEM EVERY OPPORTUNITY TO FIND A POSITIVE OUTCOME BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT WE REALLY LIKE.
THAT'S OUR BIGGEST CHALLENGE AS FAR AS LIFE SAVING THAT WE NEED TO ADDRESS.
BUT REALLY, I WOULD LOVE TO REDIRECT THAT ENERGY INTO FINDING MORE FOSTERS, BECAUSE IT SEEMS LIKE THAT'S THE SUCCESS STORY IN THIS TWO SUCCESS STORIES ABOUT WORKING WITH RESCUES. ABOUT HOW MANY? WELL, I GUESS YOU HAD A LIST OF THEM.
[01:20:03]
PLACE WHERE THEY CAN DO THE WORK TO GET THEM ADOPTED OR FIND THEIR HOMES.YES. AND WE HAVE FOUR RESCUE PARTNERS WHO ARE DOING PULLING 50% OF THEM.
AND THEN WE BUT WE HAVE ABOUT 250 ACTIVE RESCUE PARTNERS.
AND THEN FOSTERING IS THE OTHER SIDE.
YES. AND FOSTERING IS THE OTHER SIDE.
AND SO WE'RE CONTINUING TO GROW THAT I WILL SAY THE BANDWIDTH, BECAUSE WE'RE STILL MANAGING THOSE PETS, THEIR MEDICAL AND EVERYTHING, AND THE TEAM HAS TO MANAGE THEM AND KEEP TRACK OF THEM.
WE NEED TO SPAY AND NEUTER THEM.
SO WE'RE KIND OF ALMOST AT CAPACITY WITH THE FOSTER, BUT I DON'T WANT TO DISCOURAGE ANYBODY IF THEY WANT TO FOSTER. OUR BANDWIDTH.
REALLY, WHAT WE NEED IS FOR THE COMMUNITY TO CONTINUE TO ADOPT LOCALLY.
AND IF THEY CAN'T ADOPT, TELL THEIR FRIENDS TO ADOPT.
I MEAN, I KEEP PEOPLE ALWAYS ASK ME, WHAT'S THAT ONE THING THAT YOU NEED? AND THERE IS NO REAL NEW ONE THING.
WELL, I THINK THE TERM IS FOSTER FAIL.
SO MAYBE WE NEED TO WORK ON MORE FOSTER FAILS.
YES. TO GET PEOPLE TO ADOPTION.
SO LET ME ASK YOU ABOUT THE NEW BUDGET LEVEL FOR THE TRAP NEUTER RELEASE OF $250,000 AND ALSO INCREASING THAT NUMBER FROM 2 TO 4 CATS. THIS IS I MEAN, THERE ARE SOME PEOPLE OUT THERE WHO ARE VERY PASSIONATE ABOUT THIS, AND THEY PUT IN A LOT OF TIME.
SO I THINK THIS IS A STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.
HOW FAR DOES THAT $250,000 GET US? SHOULD IT BE HIGHER AS WE GO INTO THE NEXT BUDGET SEASON? SO THE GOAL IS 2000 PETS WITH THE $250,000.
AND YES, I WOULD LIKE IT TO SEE IT INCREMENTALLY GROW YEAR OVER YEAR AS WE INCREASE OUR EXTERNAL BANDWIDTH, BECAUSE ALSO WE HAVE TO KEEP IN MIND THAT WE HAVE A NATIONAL VETERINARIAN SHORTAGE THAT IS AFFECTING US BOTH INTERNALLY AND EXTERNALLY.
SO KEEPING UP WITH THE SPAY NEUTERS OF THE PETS IN OUR SHELTER CAN BE A CHALLENGE.
SO A LOT OF THE NONPROFITS AND PRIVATE CLINICS THAT WERE DOING SPAY NEUTER SURGERIES ARE NO LONGER DOING THEM, OR THEY HAVE DIMINISHED CAPACITY BECAUSE OF THE VETERINARIAN SHORTAGE.
OKAY. SO IT SEEMS LIKE THERE ARE A LOT OF PIECES TO THIS EQUATION.
I LOOK FORWARD TO THIS REPORT IN A YEAR WHERE, YOU KNOW, YOU'VE WORKED ON SOME OF THESE AREAS ON SLIDE SEVEN, WHERE THE NUMBER OF REQUESTS BECAUSE OF THE LOOSE DOGS IS EXPONENTIALLY HIGHER THAN CERTAIN SOME OTHER DISTRICTS.
LOOKS LIKE YOU'VE GOT ALL THE RIGHT PIECES THERE.
SO I LOOK FORWARD TO I ASSUME THIS IS AN ANNUAL REPORT THAT WE WOULD GET FROM YOU ON THIS.
SO. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU, MS. WILLIS. AND AGAIN, THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
KIND OF PIGGYBACKING ON THE REPEAT OFFENDERS AND THE COMMUNITY COURT, KIND OF SOLUTION, IF YOU WILL.
I'M A BIG SUPPORTER OF EVERYTHING THAT I HEARD.
BUT I AM CURIOUS TO SEE, KIND OF HOLISTICALLY HOW WE CAN UTILIZE THOSE TOOLS NOT JUST FOR THE EQUITABLE COMPONENT OF LIKE NOT PERPETUATING VICIOUS CYCLES, BUT HOW CAN WE USE THAT FOR THE EDUCATION PIECE THAT I THINK IS MOST CRITICAL? AND I DON'T KNOW IF THERE IS LIKE A THRESHOLD AND I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THAT DATA TOO, IF YOU DON'T MIND, OF, KIND OF REPEAT OFFENDERS, IF YOU WILL.
AND HOW WE COULD, LEVERAGE KIND OF, I GUESS, A POLICY THAT WOULD BE IMPLEMENTED THAT ALLOWS FOR A COMMUNITY COURT DIVERSION, PIECE UNDER A CERTAIN THRESHOLD OF INFRACTIONS, IF THAT MAKES SENSE.
SO THAT WE CAN KIND OF DIFFERENTIATE THOSE WHO MAY EVEN JUST BE PAYING THE FINE AND MOVING ON.
THAT WE'RE GOING TO SEE A LOT FROM THOSE REPEAT OFFENDERS.
AND THAT WAY WE CAN REALLY HONE OUR RESOURCES AND TIME ON THAT.
SO I DON'T NEED ANYTHING FROM YOU ON THAT TODAY, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE A FOLLOW UP ON THAT.
I ALSO WOULD, I'D LIKE TO KNOW, WITH THE FOSTERING PROGRAM, HOW WE COULD BEEF THAT UP.
[01:25:05]
I'D LOVE TO SEE THERE BE SOME SORT OF INTERNAL PROGRAM WITH DIFFERENT CITY DEPARTMENTS AND OPPORTUNITY FOR DEPARTMENTS TO, FOSTER A DOG.I THINK THAT IT WOULD IT WOULD BE IMPACTFUL IN MY OPINION.
AND IT JUST KIND OF WORKS ACROSS INTER-DEPARTMENTAL, RIGHT, TO SEE, WORKING TOWARDS Y'ALL'S GOALS.
BUT ALSO A LOT OF THE RESIDENTS DON'T KNOW THAT THESE PROGRAMS EXIST.
I KNOW THAT, A FORMER COUNCIL MEMBER HAD AN ADOPTED OR A FOSTERED DOG IN MCC, FOR A WHILE, AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT I WOULD LOVE FOR US TO EXPLORE WITH DIFFERENT DIRECTORS TO SEE WHAT THE APPETITE WOULD BE.
BUT AGAIN, THIS IS AGAIN IN THE FACE INTERACTING WITH.
AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT KIDS LINE UP IN LINE FOR.
AND PARENTS MAY BE NOT SO, IF THEY GOT A SNAKE AS THIS WEEKEND.
[LAUGHTER] BUT THE POINT IS, IS THAT I'D LOVE TO SEE US LEVERAGE THE RESOURCES THAT WE HAVE AT ON HAND THAT AREN'T NECESSARILY SPECIFIC TO, DEPARTMENT OF ANIMAL SERVICES, AND HOW WE CAN USE THAT AS MORE OF KIND OF A FRONT FACING, OPPORTUNITY FOR OUR RESIDENTS.
SO JUST THROWING THAT OUT THERE AGAIN, I DON'T NEED, ANY FEEDBACK NECESSARILY, BUT IF Y'ALL WANT TO MAYBE, BRAINSTORM ON WHAT THAT COULD LOOK LIKE, I'D LOVE TO HEAR AND FOR THE BODY TO CONSIDER.
OTHER THAN THAT, I CAN'T THANK YOU ALL ENOUGH FOR YOUR WORK.
I THINK THAT YOUR DATA SPEAKS VOLUMES.
I THINK THAT WE OFTEN HEAR, FEEDBACK THAT IS PURELY ANECDOTAL.
AND IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US TO DIG INTO THIS DATA TO SEE THE WORK THAT YOU ALL ARE DOING.
I KNOW THAT I EVEN ANECDOTALLY, CAN TELL YOU THAT THE AMOUNT OF LOOSE DOGS IN DISTRICT SEVEN HAS DRASTICALLY GONE DOWN AND IS ATTRIBUTED TO THE WORK THAT YOU ALL HAVE PUT IN AS A DEPARTMENT.
WITH THAT, WE'LL MOVE ON TO, PRESENTATION D.
WE'RE GOING TO HEAR UPDATE ON SANITATION, REFUSE AND RECYCLE COLLECTION PROCEDURES.
GOOD MORNING, MR. CHAIRMAN, AND MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE.
I'M CLIFF GILLESPIE, DIRECTOR OF SANITATION WITH ME IS INTERIM ASSISTANT DIRECTOR EDDIE REYES.
WE'RE HERE TODAY TO SHARE INFORMATION WITH YOU ABOUT SANITATION, REFUSE AND RECYCLE COLLECTION PROCEDURES, AND HOW WE CAN ENHANCE THE RELIABILITY AND SUSTAINABILITY OF THESE ESSENTIAL PUBLIC SERVICES WHILE MANAGING COST EFFECTIVELY AND UPHOLDING OUR COMMITMENT TO ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP AND COMMUNITY WELL-BEING.
THANK YOU TO THE COMMITTEE FOR REQUESTING THIS BRIEFING.
WE APPRECIATE YOUR INTEREST IN SUPPORTING THIS IMPORTANT TOPIC.
WE CAN GO TO SLIDE THREE, PLEASE.
I'LL DISCUSS THESE CHALLENGES AN THEIR OPERATIONAL IMPACTS.
I'LL ALSO OUTLINE CONSIDERATIONS AND STEPS TO FURTHER IMPROVE THE RELIABILITY AND SUSTAINABILITY OF OUR SERVICES, WHILE ENSURING EQUITABLE SANITATION PRACTICES THAT SERVE THE ENTIRE CITY.
WE WERE GIVEN THESE A FEW DAYS AGO.
I'M GOING TO GO THROUGH IT VERY QUICKLY.
AGAIN, STARTING WITH A LITTLE BACKGROUND.
CONSIDERING ONE TRUCK COLLECTING GARBAGE AND ONE TRUCK AND CREW COLLECTING RECYCLE.
OF THE 62% ARE SERVICED VIA THE CURB, WHICH TENDS TO BE MORE EFFICIENT AND LESS LABOR INTENSIVE, IN CONTRAST TO 38% OF OUR COLLECTIONS OCCURRING IN ALLEYWAYS, WHICH PRESENT AN ARRAY OF CHALLENGES.
[01:30:01]
SIGNIFICANTLY AFFECT OUR COLLECTION METHODS AND THE WEAR AND TEAR ON OUR EQUIPMENT, THE RIGHT OF WAY AND PRIVATE RESIDENTIAL PROPERTIES.THE INFORMATION I PRESENT TODAY LAYS THE FOUNDATION FOR UNDERSTANDING THE COMPLEXITY AND SCALE OF OUR MISSION TO PROVIDE TIMELY AND EFFECTIVE SANITATION SERVICES TO THE RESIDENTS OF DALLAS. AND VERY QUICKLY, SIR, BEFORE I MOVE ON, WHILE NOT THE FOCUS OF TODAY'S BRIEFING, I DO WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT GARBAGE AND RECYCLE COLLECTION IS NOT ALL THAT THE DEPARTMENT OF SANITATION DOES.
THE DEPARTMENT IS A FULLY INTEGRATED SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT AGENCY, WITH RESPONSIBILITIES ALSO INCLUDING OPERATING A NETWORK OF TRANSFER STATIONS, ONE OF THE LARGEST AND BUSIEST LANDFILLS IN TEXAS, REGULATING PRIVATE SOLID WASTE BUSINESSES THROUGH THE CITY'S FRANCHISE ORDINANCES.
MANAGING PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS FOR RECYCLE AND LANDFILL RENEWABLE NATURAL GAS PRODUCTION.
AND OBVIOUSLY, THE BUSINESS AND SUPPORT FUNCTIONS THAT GO ALONG WITH THOSE RESPONSIBILITIES.
THERE'S ALSO A BREAKOUT OF CURB VERSUS ALLEY COLLECTIONS OVERLAID THERE.
NEXT SLIDE. FOCUSING ON THE CURBSIDE COLLECTION PROCESS.
THIS IS CURRENTLY IN PLACE FOR APPROXIMATELY 160,000 CUSTOMER LOCATIONS, AND CURBSIDE COLLECTION IS WIDELY RECOGNIZED AS A BEST PRACTICE IN RESIDENTIAL SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT FOR SEVERAL KEY REASONS.
THESE VEHICLES ARE OPERATED WITH ONLY ONE DRIVER, MAXIMIZING EFFICIENCY AND LABOR COSTS, AND ON AVERAGE, ONE OF THESE TRUCKS CAN COLLECT FROM 233 LOCATIONS PER HOUR, DEPENDING ON THE DENSITY OF THE ROUTE, MAKING IT NOT ONLY EFFICIENT BUT ALSO COST EFFECTIVE.
ADDITIONALLY, SERVICE VIA AUTOMATED TRUCKS TENDS TO BE MORE RELIABLE AND PUNCTUAL, UNLIKE ROUTES COVERED BY REAR LOAD TRUCKS, WHICH REQUIRE A DRIVER AND TWO LABORERS. THE AUTOMATED NATURE OF CURBSIDE COLLECTION, IS LESS DEPENDENT ON WORKFORCE AVAILABILITY.
ENSURING CONSISTENT SERVICE WHEN IT'S MOST CHALLENGING FOR LABORERS TO WORK.
THIS ENSURES THAT ALL MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITY RECEIVE OUR SERVICES.
SO THIS SYSTEM OF CURBSIDE COLLECTION WITH AUTOMATED TRUCKS REPRESENTS OUR BENCHMARK FOR EFFICIENT, SAFE AND INCLUSIVE SERVICE DELIVERY, SETTING A STANDARD WE AIM TO ACHIEVE ACROSS ALL COLLECTION METHODS.
OUR ALLEYWAY SERVICES, PRIMARILY HANDLED BY REAR LOAD TRUCKS, REQUIRE THE EFFORT OF THREE PERSON TEAMS. THIS TRADITIONAL APPROACH, WHILE ONCE STANDARD, NOW FALLS SHORT OF THE EFFICIENCY SEEN IN MODERN SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT, AVERAGING ONLY ABOUT 125 COLLECTIONS PER HOUR DESPITE THREE TIMES THE AMOUNT OF PEOPLE PER TRUCK.
THE INFRASTRUCTURE CHALLENGES IN OUR ALLEYWAYS, NARROW PASSAGES, INADEQUATE SPACE FOR CARTS, AND A MYRIAD OF HAZARDS REFLECT A BYGONE ERA NOT DESIGNED FOR TODAY'S SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT NEEDS.
OUR CREWS FACE DAILY RISKS FROM EXTREME WEATHER, OVERHEAD UTILITY LINES, UTILITY POLES, GAS METERS AND OTHER UNPREDICTABLE ALLEY CONDITIONS, INCLUDING RUTS AND OTHER OBSTRUCTIONS.
AS AN INTERIM SOLUTION, WE'VE IMPLEMENTED OUR ALLEY SERVICE CRITERIA GUIDE, WHICH PROVIDES DECISION CRITERIA FOR SANITATION STAFF TO TRANSITION SERVICES FROM ALLEYS TO CURBS ON A CASE BY CASE BASIS WHEN ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY, AND YOU CAN FIND THE DETAILS OF THAT CRITERIA IN APPENDIX A.
NEXT SLIDE. AND THIS PHOTO JUST ILLUSTRATES SOME COMMON ALLEYWAY CONDITIONS.
SEVERE RUTTING, UTILITY POLES DIRECTLY AGAINST THE PAVEMENT.
LARGE TRUCKS SQUEEZING BETWEEN, EMBANKMENT WALL AND A UTILITY POLE.
ONE TIRE IN THE MUD AND HELPERS WALKING BEHIND THE TRUCKS FOR ENTIRE ROUTES.
[01:35:02]
THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO BE ABLE TO RIDE ON THE BACK STEPS OF THE TRUCKS BETWEEN STOPS, BUT WITH ALLEYS THIS TIGHT, THAT'S UNSAFE.AND SO THEY'RE GENERALLY WALKING MOST OF THEIR ROUTE EVERY DAY.
AND THERE'S ADDITIONAL PHOTOS IN SLIDE B AND C, OR IN APPENDIX B AND C.
THE VARIOUS COLORS YOU SEE MAP OUT DIFFERENT ROUTES.
A KEY TAKEAWAY HERE IS THE NONCONTIGUOUS NATURE OF MANY OF OUR ROUTES.
THE REASONING BEHIND THIS ROUTE ROUTING STRATEGY IS STRAIGHTFORWARD TO ACCOMMODATE DIVERSE ALLEYWAY WIDTHS AND CONDITIONS, WE MUST DEPLOY VARIOUS SIZES OF TRUCKS, INCLUDING SMALLER ONES SPECIFICALLY FOR ALLEYS, WHILE LARGER TRUCKS ARE HANDLING CURBSIDE COLLECTION.
WHILE THIS DOES REPRESENT THE MOST EFFICIENT ROUTING APPROACH UNDER OUR CURRENT ALLEY AND CURBSIDE SERVICE STRUCTURE, IT'S CLEAR THAT THIS IS NOT OPTIMAL ROUTING METHOD FOR WASTE COLLECTION. A MORE STREAMLINED SYSTEM WOULD INCREASE EFFICIENCY, REDUCE CARBON EMISSIONS, AND LOWER OPERATIONAL COSTS.
NEXT SLIDE. HERE, WE'RE LOOKING INTO THE FINANCIAL ASPECTS OF OUR COLLECTION EQUIPMENT WHEN IT COMES TO EQUIPMENT ACQUISITION AUTOMATED SIDE LOAD TRUCKS DO HAVE A HIGHER INITIAL PRICE TAG COMPARED TO REAR LOAD TRUCKS.
THE ANNUAL OPERATING COST FOR AUTOMATED TRUCKS COVERING LABOR AND MAINTENANCE ARE MARKEDLY LOWER THAN THOSE OF REAR LOAD TRUCKS, PRIMARILY DUE TO THE REDUCED LABOR NEEDS OF AUTOMATED TRUCKS, WHICH OPERATE WITH JUST ONE DRIVER.
THE SIGNIFICANT REDUCTION IN EXPENSES UNDERSCORES THE OVERALL BENEFIT OF INVESTING IN THESE TRUCKS.
THE CONVENIENCE OF ALLEY COLLECTION IS OFTEN FIERCELY PROTECTED BY THOSE CUSTOMERS WHO HAVE IT.
YET IT'S A SERVICE THAT ONLY A FRACTION JUST OVER A THIRD OF OUR CUSTOMERS EXPERIENCE.
THE SHIFT WOULD NOT ONLY STANDARDIZE QUALITY OF SERVICE ACROSS DALLAS, BUT WOULD ALSO ALLOW FOR THE BROADER USE OF AUTOMATED TRUCKS, OFFERING HEIGHTENED EFFICIENCY, LOWER EMISSIONS, AND PLACING LESS STRESS ON OUR ROADS, CONTRIBUTING TO A GREENER, MORE SUSTAINABLE CITY.
SO OUR IMMEDIATE NEXT STEP IS TO GATHER AND INTEGRATE FEEDBACK FROM THIS COMMITTEE.
IN TANDEM WITH THIS, WE WILL CONDUCT ADDITIONAL ASSESSMENTS OF OUR CURRENT ROUTE CONDITIONS, AIMING TO FURTHER IDENTIFY, UNDERSTAND AND EXPLAIN TO THE CITY COUNCIL AND TO OUR AFFECTED SANITATION CUSTOMERS THE COMPLEXITIES THAT IMPACT OUR SERVICE DELIVERY.
I'VE DISCUSSED, AND THESE STEPS ARE CRUCIAL AS WE STRIVE TO ENHANCE THE SERVICES WE PROVIDE FOR ALL SANITATION CUSTOMERS, ENSURING THEY ARE EQUITABLE, EFFICIENT, AND ENVIRONMENTALLY SOUND.
WITH THAT, MR. CHAIRMAN, THANK YOU.
I LOOK FORWARD TO THE COMMITTEE'S GUIDANCE AND FEEDBACK AND HAPPY TO ADDRESS YOUR QUESTIONS.
I WILL, GO AHEAD AND START ON THIS SIDE, WITH MS. WILLIS. THANK YOU.
SO JUST TO BACK UP, YOU SAID ABOUT A THIRD OF THE CITY HAS ALLEY SERVICE NOW.
YES, MA'AM. A LITTLE OVER A THIRD, 38%.
ALL RIGHT, WELL, I REALLY APPRECIATE THIS PRESENTATION.
SO THERE'S A FINANCIAL PICTURE, BUT THERE'S ALSO A SAFETY PICTURE.
AND I CAN SPEAK TO THIS BECAUSE OF ISSUES WE'VE WORKED ON IN DISTRICT 13 WITH REGARD TO SAFETY OF RESIDENTS, OUR LABOR FORCE, PROPERTY, ETC..
SO IT'S IT'S I THINK WE'RE GETTING TO AN INFLECTION POINT ON WHICH DIRECTION TO GO.
AND IT SOUNDS LIKE BEST PRACTICE WISE, MOVING TO CURB PICKUP IS REALLY THE BEST PRACTICE.
THIS IS ABOUT FOR FISCAL YEAR 23 WE ESTIMATE THAT REAR LOAD TRUCKS, MOSTLY USED IN ALLEYS, COST APPROXIMATELY $6.9 MILLION MORE TO OPERATE THAN AUTOMATED TRUCKS.
[01:40:03]
AND THAT'S DOING ABOUT HALF THE WORK THAT THE AUTOMATED TRUCKS ARE DOING.AND SO WOULD THAT NUMBER HOLD FOR THIS NEXT YEAR OR DOES IT INCREASE? NO, MA'AM, IT'LL HOLD GENERALLY, SALARIES WENT UP, FUEL WENT UP.
SO IT'LL COST A LITTLE MORE THIS YEAR THAN IT DID LAST YEAR.
WE'RE GOING TO NEED THOSE PENNIES THIS NEXT YEAR.
I HAVE A FEELING. AND SO THAT IS SOMETHING WE NEED TO TAKE A REALLY HARD LOOK AT.
AND ONE THING I DO WANT TO POINT OUT, AS MUCH AS WE WANT TO MOVE AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE, WE UNDERSTAND THAT THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE NEED TO, YOU KNOW, WORK WITH OUR CUSTOMERS TO UNDERSTAND. AND IN THE MEANTIME, YOU KNOW, WE'RE STILL HAVING TO BUY THESE REAR LOAD TRUCKS TO KEEP UP WITH OUR CURRENT OPERATING STRUCTURE.
SO IF WE PULL THE TRIGGER TOMORROW, WE'LL STILL HAVE NEW REAR LOAD TRUCKS THAT WILL BE IN SERVICE.
THEY'LL STILL OPERATE MORE EFFICIENTLY FROM THE CURB, BUT AS AS THAT FLEET, AS THOSE TRUCKS AGE OUT OF THE FLEET, THEY WOULD BE REPLACED WITH CURBSIDE OR WITH AUTOMATED TRUCKS. SO THE SAVINGS WOULD BE INCREMENTAL.
AND SO YET FENCES HAVE ALSO BEEN BUILT RIGHT UP TO THAT POINT WHERE IT MAKES IT DIFFICULT FOR TRUCKS TO GET THROUGH, FOR THE LABORERS TO GO AND GRAB THESE BINS AND REPLACE THEM.
AND SO IT'S SOME OF THIS HAS BEEN CAUSED BY DECISIONS OF WHERE FENCES HAVE BEEN BUILT OR.
ABSOLUTELY. SO, YOU KNOW, EVEN IN ALLEYWAYS THAT HAVE TEN FOOT WIDE PAVEMENT AND 15 FOOT RIGHT OF WAY, YOU STILL HAVE FENCES THAT ARE RIGHT ON THAT LINE OR SOMETIMES A LITTLE OVER.
AND SO WHEN YOU PUT THAT CART, THAT ROLL CART UP AGAINST THE FENCE, YOU'RE STILL INEVITABLY AT SOME POINT IN TIME GOING TO CAUSE DAMAGE, WHICH HAPPENS ON A WEEKLY BASIS.
SO EVEN IN IDEAL CONDITIONS, WE'RE STILL DAMAGE IS STILL OCCURRING.
WELL, HAVING GONE ON A SANITATION RIDE ALONG, I CAN TELL YOU FIRST HAND THAT IT WAS NERVE WRACKING AND THE CONDITIONS THAT THE DRIVERS ARE GOING THROUGH AND THAT THE LABOR CREWS ARE GOING THROUGH TO MANAGE ALL OF THIS AND TO MOVE AT A CLIP AS FAST AS THEY DID, IT WAS REALLY EYE OPENING.
SO I THINK THIS IS SOMETHING WE'VE GOT TO TAKE A REALLY HARD LOOK AT.
FIRST OF ALL, A TOTAL COST OF WHAT THE ALLEY PICKUP COSTS US VERSUS CURBSIDE, INCLUDING THE LABOR.
AND THEN IF WE COULD, THEN WE COULD FURTHER EXTRAPOLATE THAT TO HOUSEHOLD COST SO THAT WE I THINK IF I'M NOT, IF I UNDERSTAND THIS AND WHAT THE INFORMATION THAT YOU SHARED WITH US, WHICH BY THE WAY, THIS IS A GREAT REPORT, IS THAT WE'RE ACTUALLY EVEN THOUGH PEOPLE ARE PAYING THE SAME RATES, WE'RE ACTUALLY SUBSIDIZING THE ALLEY PICKUP FOLKS.
AND SO IF WE HAD THAT NUMBER FOR PEOPLE TO UNDERSTAND HOW MUCH MORE THEY'RE COSTING THEIR FELLOW RESIDENTS IN THAT, I THINK THAT WOULD BE SOMETHING THAT ALSO MIGHT BEGIN TO HELP PEOPLE UNDERSTAND THE BURDEN ON THIS.
AND THEN FINALLY, YOU KNOW, JUST JOKINGLY, THIS IS A DISTRICT 11 QUILT, AS I CALLED IT.
AND MAYBE WE NEED T SHIRTS, AS SOMEONE SUGGESTED.
IT WOULD LOOK NICE ON A SHIRT. [LAUGHTER]. SUGGESTED RIGHT TO UNDERSTAND THE BURDEN ON OUR STAFF, BECAUSE OF THAT CONFUSING PICKUP WITH ALLEY CURB AND THE INCONSISTENCIES AS WELL.
SO AND IT COULD VERY WELL BE THAT DOWN THE ROAD, WE REALLY TAKE A MUCH MORE NARROW VIEW TO UNDERSTAND WHICH NEIGHBORHOODS THIS IS MORE EASY TO ROLL OUT.
AND I KNOW, FOR EXAMPLE, AS AN URBAN DESIGN ISSUE FURTHER NORTH IN THIS CITY, THE HOMES WERE DESIGNED EXCLUSIVELY FOR PICKUP. AND THERE'S VERY UNLESS YOU FIND A WAY TO STORE YOUR GARBAGE CANS IN THE FRONT YARD, THERE'S NO WAY TO GET FROM THE BACK TO THE FRONT WEEKLY TO.
AND SO WE HAVE TO WORK THROUGH THOSE CHALLENGES WITH THOSE COMMUNITIES.
[01:45:02]
MOST OF THESE PEOPLE ARE STORING THEIR CARTS ON THE SIDE OF THEIR HOME.THEY'RE VISIBLE FROM THE STREET.
RIGHT. IT'S SOMETHING THAT PEOPLE WORK THROUGH AND IT JUST BECOMES PART OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
AND THAT'S WHAT WE HAVE TO BEGIN TO, YOU KNOW, ADDRESS.
OKAY. SINCE WE'RE GETTING TIME.
OKAY, SO BACK ON THIS, YOU'RE SAYING IN DISTRICT FOUR, 64% OF THOSE OF THE PICKUP IS SO IT'S TWO THIRDS ARE ALLEYS? OF ALL OF THIS.
I'M NOT SURE WHERE THAT NUMBER.
SANITATION DISTRICT FOUR ON NUMBER FIVE.
YES ON THE MAP. SO YOU'RE SAYING TWO THIRDS IN THIS AREA ARE ALLEY PICKUPS, WITH A THIRD OF IT BEING CURB? THAT'S CORRECT. YES, MA'AM.
AND THEN THAT'S HOW YOU GET THIS PATCHWORK QUILT THAT, MS. SCHULTZ HAS TALKED ABOUT BECAUSE.
AND HOW DID YOU DEVELOP THE PATCHWORK QUILT? [LAUGHTER] IT'S SOMETHING THAT HAPPENS OVER TIME.
SO MOST NEIGHBORHOODS THAT HAVE ALLEY SERVICE DON'T HAVE COMPLETE ALLEY SERVICE.
THERE'S ALWAYS THERE'S ALMOST AND 95% OF CASES.
THERE'S STILL STREETS IN THOSE NEIGHBORHOODS THAT HAVE CURBSIDE COLLECTION BECAUSE FOR WHATEVER REASON, THEY DON'T HAVE AN ALLEY OR THEY DON'T HAVE AN ACCESSIBLE ALLEY OR SOME OTHER REASON THAT'S HAPPENED OVER THE COURSE OF 50 YEARS.
OKAY. SO IT MAY BE TIME TO GO AHEAD AND LOOK AT WE'RE USING STILL A 1950S OR 60S MODEL IN 2023.
OKAY. YEAH, I NOW I HEAR YOU AND WE DO GET THIS IS THAT THE REASON WHY I PICKED OUT THAT DISTRICT SANITATION DISTRICT FOUR IS BECAUSE THAT IS AND WE GET CALLS ABOUT ALLEYWAYS, NOT ONLY JUST THE TRASH, BUT ALSO THE CONDITIONS OF ALLEYWAYS.
SO YOUR TRUCKS AREN'T NOW REALLY EQUIPPED TO MAYBE HANDLE THE LOAD.
SO THAT ALSO MEANS THAT THEY'RE CARRYING MORE, WHICH IS MORE, MORE WEIGHT, ON THESE ALLEY SURFACES, THAT PROBABLY IS AFFECTING THEM MORE OVER TIME. SO THERE IS THE QUESTION OF, DO WE WANT TO CONTINUE INVESTING IN THESE ALLEYWAYS, PARTICULARLY WHEN THEY'RE ONLY ARE ALMOST ONLY USED FOR SANITATION TRUCKS? THERE'S NO REAR ENTRY ACCESS.
DO WE WANT TO CONTINUE INVESTING IN THOSE? TRUE, TRUE. AND THAT'S NOT NECESSARILY A QUESTION FOR SANITATION.
THAT'S A A CITY QUESTION, CITY WIDE QUESTION A PUBLIC WORKS QUESTION.
IT'S STILL NOT IDEAL FOR COLLECTIONS BECAUSE IT'S STILL TOO NARROW.
IT'S JUST NOT SAFE, YEAH. YOU CAN'T USE AN AUTOMATED TRUCK.
YOU'RE STILL ASKING TWO PEOPLE TO WALK BEHIND THE TRUCK WHEN THERE MAY BE OVERHEAD UTILITY LINES THAT ARE SAGGING BECAUSE IT'S 110 DEGREES OUTSIDE, AND SUDDENLY THEY COME IN CONTACT WITH THE TRUCK WHERE THEY NORMALLY DON'T.
AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT REGULARLY OCCURS IN THE SUMMERTIME.
SO I KNOW THAT IN THIS BOND, I DO HAVE QUITE A BIT OF ALLEYWAYS THAT ARE GOING TO BE REDONE.
I DON'T NECESSARILY. AND IT IS THE TRADE OFF.
WHAT IS THE ROI? BECAUSE IT'S JUST USED FOR TRASH PICKUP.
BUT YET WE'RE GOING TO GO BACK THERE AND STILL TEAR IT UP.
SO WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN IF WE ABANDON THAT PRACTICE TO THE ALLEYWAY? IS THAT AN OPPORTUNITY THEN, TO MAKE IT MORE OF A TRAIL SYSTEM OR SOMEBODY TO USE IT IN THEIR BACKYARD, LIKE THE BACK SPACE, LIKE TO WALK THEIR DOG? I GUESS I PAINT THE PICTURE OF, IF THIS GOES AWAY, WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO DO THIS, MAYBE EVEN GIVE IT BACK TO THEM AND LET THEM GO, YOU KNOW, IN THE MIDDLE, HOWEVER IT IS. BUT I THINK, YOU KNOW, MAKING IT A MORE, TO SHOW THAT IT'S NOT GOING TO THAT WILL IF IT IS GOING TO BE STILL MAINTAINED, WE'RE GOING TO MAKE IT TO WHERE YOU CAN, AT LEAST BECAUSE I KNOW THAT SOME CASES I'VE THE WATER HAS BEEN PUSHED INTO PEOPLE'S YARD AND SO WE'RE GOING TO MAKE IT TO WHERE IT'S SAFE TO YOUR PROPERTY AND SAFE FOR PEOPLE TO USE.
BUT WE'RE NOT GOING TO USE IT FOR SANITATION, I GUESS.
IF WE DO THIS, THEN WE GET THIS AND.
OKAY, SO WITH THAT CONVERSATION, YOU KNOW, THE SAFETY AND EFFICIENCY IS ALWAYS A BIG DEAL, ESPECIALLY WHEN WE LOOK AT OUR CECAP GOALS AND AIR QUALITY.
I GUESS THIS IS THE FIRST OF A COUPLE OF CONVERSATIONS.
AND SAFETY OF OUR WORKERS AND ESPECIALLY OUR RESIDENTS AND OF PROPERTY THAT'S BEEN MENTIONED IS VERY KEY BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY TIMES I'VE HEARD THAT YOU TOOK DOWN MY, FENCE LINE AND.
[01:50:01]
OR BROUGHT DOWN THE UTILITY POLES IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD.YES. OR THE UTILITY POLE IS LEANING AND IT BECOMES AN ISSUE.
AND IT'S EXPENSIVE TO GO BACK AND PATCH THOSE.
AND I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S AN ACTUAL, IT'S A GOOD RETURN BECAUSE IT IS JUST USED FOR ONE THING.
SO, I LOOK FORWARD TO HAVING THIS BECAUSE I THINK YOU'RE PROBABLY GOING TO COME TO SOME OF MY PARTS TO START WITH, BECAUSE I KNOW SOME OF THEM ARE NOT REAR ENTRY, THEY'RE JUST FOR COLLECTION. AND SO WE'LL HAVE THOSE CONVERSATIONS WHEN THE TIME COMES.
THANK YOU, MS. BLACKMON. MR. GRACEY. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU.
JUST A COUPLE OF QUICK QUESTIONS.
DO WE STILL HAVE THE LEAN SIX SIGMA TEAM ON STAFF ANYMORE? OR SO HAVE WE LOOKED AT JUST THE PROCESS, THE ROUTE REVIEWS AND THINGS LIKE THAT? I'M SURE I DON'T WANT TO INSULT YOU, BUT.
HAVE WE JUMPED INTO THAT? THANK YOU FOR THE QUESTION.
SO WE WORKED FOR I WENT THROUGH A 12 MONTH PROCESS BEGINNING IN 2021 THROUGH DECEMBER OF 2022, WORKING WITH AN OUTSIDE CONSULTANT TO DO A COMPLETE OVERHAUL OF OUR ROUTES GIVEN OUR CURRENT COLLECTION METHODS OF CURBSIDE VERSUS ALLEY.
SO, IN DECEMBER OF 22, WE IMPLEMENTED A COMPLETE REROUTE TO DEVELOP THOSE OR TO PUT INTO PLACE NEW EFFICIENCIES THAT HADN'T BEEN DONE IN OVER A DECADE.
SO IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE CONTINUE TO WORK ON.
I WOULD JUST NOTE I MENTIONING THAT ROUTE OVERHAUL.
WE DID HAVE SOME HICCUPS WHEN THAT, NEW REROUTE FIRST STARTED.
WE WORKED THROUGH THOSE RELATIVELY QUICKLY AND ARE SEEING THE BENEFITS OF THOSE.
BUT AGAIN, WE'RE STILL SORT OF LIMITED BY THE ALLEY CURB DICHOTOMY.
SURE. OKAY. AND THEN I APPRECIATE THAT.
AND THEN JUST THE LAST ONE IS REALLY MORE OF A REQUEST AS IT RELATES TO THOSE ALLEYS.
I SEE IT'S ONLY REALLY ABOUT 27% IN THE SANITATION DISTRICT, TOO.
BUT FOR DISTRICT THREE, DO YOU HAVE A LIST OF THOSE KIND OF TOUGH ALLEYS? AS I'M GOING THROUGH MY BOND PROGRAM PROJECTS AND THINGS LIKE THAT, I'D LIKE TO.
JUST NOTE THAT THAT DOESN'T TELL THE WHOLE STORY.
THERE CAN BE AN ALLEY THAT'S ON PAPER, LOOKS PERFECT, BUT THERE'S THOSE UNSEEN ISSUES OF ENCROACHMENTS AND EMBANKMENTS AND CURBS AND THINGS THAT STILL CAN CAUSE PROBLEMS FOR US.
SO I'M TRYING TO KILL TWO BIRDS.
THANKS. I SHOULDN'T SAY THAT PUBLICLY, BUT YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN.
DON'T TALK ABOUT KILLING BIRDS WHEN WE JUST HAD ANIMAL SERVICES UP HERE.
[LAUGHTER] I WILL THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
I DO BELIEVE THAT IT IS EXTREMELY CONCISE, BUT BUT ALSO EYE OPENING.
I THINK THAT, ON THE SURFACE, IT'S REALLY, YOU KNOW, EASY TO ASK IS THIS IS ALLEY PICKUP A RIGHT OR A PRIVILEGE? I THINK THAT WHAT YOU'VE PROVIDED US SHOWS PRETTY CLEARLY THAT IT'S A PRIVILEGE AT THIS POINT.
I WANT TO POINT OUT A COUPLE OF THINGS THAT YOU ALL HAVE ON YOUR SLIDES THAT, WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT THE EFFICIENCY ALONE AND US SPREADING OUR DOLLAR, I SEE THAT YOUR CURBSIDE, WHICH YOU CALL IS BEST PRACTICE, HAS ONE DRIVER OR OPERATOR, AND TYPICALLY DOES 233 COLLECTIONS IN AN HOUR COMPARED TO THAT OF ALLEYWAY PICKUPS.
THAT HAS THREE TIMES THE STAFF NEEDED A DIFFERENT, TRANSPORTATION VESSEL NEEDED AND DOES 125 COLLECTIONS PER HOUR.
AND I BRING THAT UP JUST TO SAY THAT THE REASON I, HONE IN ON THE FACT THAT THIS IS A PRIVILEGE IS THAT, WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT IS THE MAP THAT YOU ALL HAVE OF WHERE THIS IS MADE UP OF THE CITY.
AND WHEN WE LOOK AT EFFICIENCY AND YOU LOOK AT INCREASE IN YOUR BILLS AND YOU WANT TO FIND OUT, YOU KNOW WHY I'M GETTING X AMOUNT OF SERVICE? WHEN WE LOOK AT AN OPPORTUNITY AS A CITY TO STREAMLINE ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT SERVICES AND EXPECTATIONS FROM OUR RESIDENTS, TO ME, THIS IS SOMEWHAT OF A NO BRAINER.
I BELIEVE THAT WE SHOULD HEAR FROM YOU ALL, ESPECIALLY WITH A BREAKDOWN OF WHAT THIS COST IS PER HOUSE AND HOW WE CAN LOOK AT WHAT IS BEING SUBSIDIZED AND ESSENTIALLY BY WHO.
HOW COULD THAT IMPROVE THE SERVICE OF THOSE WHO ARE ALREADY IN FRONT?
[01:55:01]
CURB LOADING SYSTEMS. RIGHT. IF WE ARE ALREADY SPENDING TWICE AS MUCH, IF NOT THREE TIMES AS MUCH ON A THIRD OF OUR RESIDENCES I N THE CITY, IT TELLS ME THAT THAT MONEY COULD PROBABLY BE SPREAD IN A LOT BETTER MANNER, SO THAT THE ACTUAL SERVICE THAT IS PROVIDED CITYWIDE ACROSS THE BOARD IS CONSISTENTLY BETTER.THAT'S WHAT I THINK NEEDS TO BE FOCUSED HERE.
AND WHAT I'D LIKE TO REALLY SEE IS, IN THE EVENT THAT WE WANT TO OFFER, MAYBE, STREETS, THAT HAVE TO BE DONE HOLISTICALLY, FOR INSTANCE, OR I DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S A THRESHOLD OF 75 OR 80% OF SIGNATURES THAT WOULD NEED TO BE ACQUIRED IF WE WERE TO PROVIDE SOME SORT OF, PROGRAM THAT COULD BE OPTED IN, THAT THOSE WHO CHOOSE TO OPT IN TO WHAT I WOULD CONSIDER AT THIS POINT, WITH THE DATA THAT WE'VE GIVEN A PRIVILEGE, COULD OPT IN AND PAY FOR THAT SERVICE INSTEAD OF ALLOWING FOR THE REST OF THE NETWORK TO SUBSIDIZE, AN INEFFICIENT PRACTICE.
AND SO IF YOU COULD MAYBE GIVE US AN UPDATE THAT IS SPECIFIC TO NOT JUST SOME OF THE NUMBERS THAT HAVE BEEN REQUESTED, BUT BREAK IT DOWN ON HOW WE COULD MAKE THIS MORE EQUITABLE BECAUSE, I EVERYTHING THAT IS OCCURRING NOW TO ME SCREAMS INEQUITY.
AND THAT'S WHAT I'D LIKE TO SEE US FOCUS IN ON.
SO ON THAT AND WE CAN RESPOND MORE IN MORE DETAIL ON YOU WITH THAT.
BUT I DO WANT TO SAY THAT WE STILL DON'T BELIEVE THAT TO BE AT LEAST WITH THE INFORMATION THAT WE HAVE AND THE WAY WE'VE CONSIDERED IT TO THIS POINT, WE STILL DON'T BELIEVE IT TO BE A FEASIBLE OPTION OR ONE THAT IS EQUITABLE OR ENVIRONMENTALLY JUST BECAUSE THOSE THAT OPT TO PAY MORE TO CONTINUE THAT SERVICE ARE STILL LOOKING AT MORE TRUCKS ON THE ROAD, MORE FUEL, MORE STAFF, MORE TRIPS TO DISPOSAL SITES WHICH ARE ALREADY AT PEAK CAPACITY IN TERMS OF THE TRANSFER STATIONS.
SO ALL OF THOSE THINGS ARE, YOU KNOW, YOU COULD POTENTIALLY CHARGE ENOUGH TO RECOVER THAT.
AND I ALSO WANT TO POINT OUT FOR THOSE CUSTOMERS WHO REALLY WANT THAT ADDITIONAL, YOU KNOW, I SAY DIAMOND TIARA SERVICE, WHERE WE DON'T OFFER ALLEYWAY COLLECTIONS, WE DO OFFER WHAT WE CALL A PACK OUT SERVICE, WHICH IS, IT'S THE SAME AS OUR HELPING HANDS THAT WE OFFER FOR DISABLED CUSTOMERS WILL COME TO YOUR DOOR.
WE'LL PULL YOUR CARTS OUT. THERE'S A HEFTY FEE THAT COMES ALONG WITH IT.
BUT IF YOU REALLY WANT TO PAY THAT, WE'RE HAPPY TO DO THAT FOR YOU.
THANK YOU. SO IT SOUNDS PRETTY CLEARLY THAT THERE'S AN INEQUITABLE PRACTICE THAT WE NEED TO BE WILLING TO MAKE SOME TOUGH DECISIONS ON IN ORDER TO EVEN OUT THE SCORE AND ALLOW YOU ALL TO HAVE THE TOOLS TO HAVE A MORE EFFICIENT, DEPARTMENT.
BUT I DON'T WANT TO JUST STOP IT THERE.
WELL, I APPRECIATE YOUR POLITICALLY CORRECT ANSWER.
I'M GOING TO LEAVE THE, EXPERTISE TO THE EXPERTS.
AND I APPRECIATE YOU ALL BRINGING THIS TO OUR ATTENTION.
SO THANK YOU ALL FOR Y'ALL'S WORK ON THIS.
THANK YOU ALL FOR, SETTING US ON A PATH TO FIND A SOLUTION.
WE DO HAVE ONE, MEMO FOR UPCOMING AGENDA ITEMS. IS THERE ANY ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS ON ITEM E FOR BRIEFING MEMO? SEEING NONE.
AND I CALL THE QUALITY OF LIFE ARTS AND CULTURE COMMITTEE MEETING TO, ADJOURNED.
THANK YOU.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.