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THAT'S CLOSE ENOUGH FOR GOVERNMENT WORK.[Special Board of Adjustment on October 29, 2024.]
ON THE 29TH OF OCTOBER, 2024.THE BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT OF THE CITY OF DALLAS IS HEREBY CALLED TO ORDER.
OUR QUORUM REQUIREMENT IS 10, AND MY COUNT RIGHT NOW, UH, IS 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13 ARE PRESENT, UH, EITHER ONLINE OR IN PERSON HERE AT DALLAS CITY HALL, CITY COUNCIL CHAMBERS.
I HEREBY CALL THE FULL BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT MEETING TO ORDER.
UM, I'D LIKE TO PREVIEW OUR AGENDA FIRST BOARD MEMBERS.
UM, UH, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE INTRODUCTIONS.
I'M GONNA ASK EACH ONE OF YOU AS MEMBERS AND ALTERNATES TO INTRODUCE YOURSELF.
TELL US NOT WHAT DISTRICT YOU WERE APPOINTED BY OR A COUNCIL MEMBER, BUT WHAT GENERAL AREA OF THE CITY THAT YOU LIVE IN.
SO LIKE A STREET INTERSECTION OR A NEIGHBORHOOD.
TELL US THE NEIGHBORHOOD THAT YOU LIVE IN.
MAYBE THAT'S THE WAY TO DO IT.
THE BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT SERVES THE CITY, NOT A SPECIFIC COUNCIL DISTRICT.
SO, UH, IN THAT SORT OF INTRODUCTION, UH, IT, WE'LL DO THAT FIRST.
THEN WE WILL INVITE PUBLIC TESTIMONY TO SPEAK TO THE BOARD TODAY.
I WILL TELL YOU THAT ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD, I REACHED OUT TO, UM, GOSH, 10 15 DIFFERENT INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE REGULARLY APPEARED BEFORE THE BOARD AND INDIVIDUALLY INVITED THEM TO COME SPEAK.
UH, SEVERAL RESPONDENTS, SEVERAL ARE HERE WITH US.
UH, SEVERAL SAID THAT THEY WILL FOLLOW UP WITH SOMETHING IN WRITING AND WHEN, AND IF WE GET THAT, I WILL CIRCULATE THAT TO YOU THROUGH OUR BOARD SECRETARY.
THEN WE'RE GONNA HAVE SPEAKERS THIS MORNING.
UH, PREVIOUSLY WE HAD TENTATIVELY ROBIN BENTLEY, OUR INTERIM ASSISTANT MANAGER, AND ALSO EMILY LIU, OUR DIRECTOR OF PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT, TO SPEAK TO US TODAY AND GIVE US A POWERPOINT ABOUT SOME OF HER VISION.
UH, THEN, UH, WE'RE GONNA GO OVER A CHAIRMAN'S REPORT BRIEFLY, AND THEN WE DO TRAINING.
OUR TRAINING IS GONNA BE ON ETHICS AND CONFLICT, CONFLICTS OF INTEREST.
KAMIKA MILLER HOSKINS, WHO'S OUR BOARD ADMINISTRATOR, IS GONNA TALK TO US, UH, REGARDING PARKING AND BLOCK FACE CONTINUITY.
THEN WE GO TO THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE BACK AGAIN, UH, SOME INTRODUCTIONS.
THEN TALK ABOUT CITY CODE AUTHORITY VARIANCES, FINANCIAL COST COMPLIANCE, SPECIAL EXCEPTIONS, AND AO APPEALS.
WE'RE GONNA DO A LITTLE BIT OF DISCUSSION ON CASE LAW, SO GIVE YOU A REFERENCE.
AND THEN TEXAS OPEN MEETING ACT TODAY.
UH, WE WILL HAVE TIME TODAY FOR BOARD MEMBER FEEDBACK AND RESPONSE AND LUNCH.
WE WILL BREAK FOR LUNCH WHEN IT'S NATURAL.
12 NOON, 1230, SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
UH, AND THEN WE HAVE ACTION ITEMS. AND OUR ACTION ITEMS TODAY ON THE AGENDA IS OUR, UH, REVIEW AND APPROVAL MEETING MINUTES ARE TO DISCUSS AND APPROVE OUR MEETING CALENDAR FOR 2025, AND THEN THE REVIEW AND ADOPTION OF OUR ANNUAL REPORT THAT IS REQUIRED TO BE SUBMITTED TO THE CITY COUNCIL, BOTH OUR ACCOMPLISHMENTS, OUR GOALS AND OBJECTIONS AND GOALS AND OBJECTIVES, AND THEN BOARD RECOMMENDATIONS.
AND THEN LAST BUT NOT LEAST, SOME AMENDMENTS TO OUR RULES OF PROCEDURE.
THAT IS THE GIST OF OUR AGENDA.
UH, I HAD COMMUNICATED TO EVERYONE THAT WE HOPE TO START AT NINE AND END AT FOUR.
UM, SO WITH THAT BEING THE CASE, WE'RE GONNA START WITH INTRODUCTIONS.
SO THAT GIVES YOU A LITTLE BIT OF A TEMPLATE, AND THEN I'M GONNA GO TO OUR VICE CHAIR, GABO, AND THEN VICE CHAIR AGNES.
AND THEN WE'LL GO AROUND THE ROOM.
UM, AGAIN, MY NAME IS DAVE NEWMAN, AND I'M HONORED TO SERVE AS CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT AND THE PRESIDING OFFICER OF PANEL A, UM, I SERVED 20 YEARS AGO WITH THAT GENTLEMAN RIGHT OVER THE AUDIENCE AS AN ALTERNATE TO THE BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT.
I'M POINTING TO STEVE LONG, AND THAT'S WHERE I CUT MY TEETH ON CITY GOVERNANCE.
SO FOR TWO YEARS, I WAS AN ALTERNATE ON THE BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT AND THEN WAS APPOINTED TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION AND THEN APPOINTED VICE CHAIR OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION.
AND THEN SUBSEQUENTLY RAN FOR AND WAS ELECTED TO TWO TERMS AS THE CITY COUNCILMAN.
UH, I HAVE TWO KIDS, 31 AND 28.
WE LIVE IN THE, UH, PRESTON FOREST AREA, WHICH IS LBJ AND PRESTON FOREST AREA OF NORTH CENTRAL DALLAS.
UM, AND IT'S AN HONOR TO SERVE, UM, IN THE VOLUNTEER CAPACITY AND, UM, BE PART OF THE LEADERSHIP TEAM THAT WE HAVE HERE TODAY.
WELL, TOO MUCH, BUT YOU CAN PICK AND CHOOSE, BUT GO FOR IT, MS. GABO.
I HAVE SERVED ON THE BOARD FOR I THINK, NINE YEARS, ALMOST, ALMOST NINE YEARS.
AND, UM, I LIVE IN THE, UH, UH, RIGHT OFF OF WALNUT HILL.
AND I HAVE TWO CHILDREN, 23 AND 19.
AND, UM, I REALLY ENJOY SERVING ON THE BOARD OF ADJUSTMENTS.
ARE I SUPPOSED TO SAY ANYTHING ELSE? YOU'RE VICE CHAIR OF THE BOARD.
OH, I'M VICE CHAIR OF AND PRESIDING OFFICER OF PANEL B, I THINK.
AND THIS WILL BE MS. GA'S LAST YEAR ON THE BOARD.
SO, SO IN SEPTEMBER OF NEXT YEAR, SHE WILL TERM OUT.
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NEXT VICE CHAIR AGNIS.I'M ROBERT AGNI, I'M VICE CHAIR AND THE PRESIDING OFFICER OF PANEL C.
UH, WHAT ELSE, WHAT INTERSECTION IS THAT, ROBERT? UH, THAT'S JUST NORTH OF, SAY, FOREST AND HILLCREST.
UM, UH, I HAVE NO CRITTERS TO WORRY ABOUT THAT AREN'T FURRY.
UM, I RUN A SMALL INVESTMENT COMPANY IN DALLAS.
I WAS BORN HERE AND MOVED AWAY AND, UH, CAME HOME FOR GAINFUL EMPLOYMENT.
AND HOW MANY YEARS HAVE YOU SERVED ON THE, WHEN DID YOU FIRST START SERVING ON THE BOARD OF JUSTICE? I WAS APPOINTED BY LINDA KOOP AS AN ALTERNATE, UH, THEN BY LEE KLEINMAN, ULTIMATELY AS A, AS A, AS A FULL MEMBER.
AND I ALSO WORKED WITH THAT GENTLEMAN SITTING IN THE STANDS.
ALRIGHT, WE'LL GO ALL THE WAY OVER TO DR. GLOVER NEXT.
I'M AN ALTERNATE, AND I LIVE IN THE WEST DALLAS, UM, TRINITY GROVES AREA.
I LIVE IN THE FAR SOUTHWEST, UM, CORNER OF DALLAS.
UM, PROBABLY MORE COMMONLY KNOWN AS THE MOUNTAIN CREEK CEDAR RIDGE AREA.
UM, THIS IS MY, I DON'T KNOW, I STARTED ON THE BOARD OF ADJUSTMENTS IN 2018, AND I, I'M SURE MANY OF US WILL HAVE VERY GOOD THINGS TO SAY ABOUT THE GENTLEMAN SITTING IN THE, UM, IN THE SEATS OUT, UH, OUT FRONT, UH, MR. STEVE LONG, WHO IS, UM, UM, A TREASURE TO THE CITY AND WE APPRECIATE HIS, UH, HIS SERVICE.
MR. FINNEY, MY NAME IS ANDREW FINNEY.
UH, I AM SERVING MY SECOND TERM AS AN ALTERNATE IN THE BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT.
UM, I AM, I'VE BEEN A RESIDENT OF OAK CLIFF FOR NINE YEARS, WEST OAK CLIFF FOR THREE YEARS.
UM, AND I DID NOT GROW UP IN DALLAS, BUT I GOT HERE AS FAST AS I COULD.
'CAUSE I'M, I'M THE FOURTH GENERATION IN MY FAMILY TO LIVE IN OAK CLIFF, SO VERY EXCITED TO BE HERE.
I MOVED TO DALLAS FIVE YEARS AGO WITH MY HUSBAND AND JUST LOVE THE CITY.
IT, IT'S AN EASY CITY TO FALL IN LOVE WITH.
I BELIEVE I'M SERVING MY SECOND TERM, AND OUR YOUNGEST DAUGHTER IS IN DENTAL SCHOOL AT TEXAS A AND M, AND I LIVE IN NORTH OAKCLIFF.
I LIVE IN GREENWAY PARKS, UH, INWOOD MOCKINGBIRD AREA.
UM, I WAS APPOINTED AS AN ALTERNATE AND I'M NOW IN MY SECOND TERM AS A FULL MEMBER.
WE'LL COME BACK TO YOU IN A SECOND.
UM, I'VE LIVED IN DALLAS 34 YEARS.
I LIVE IN THE MIDWAY HOLLOW AREA OF THE CITY, ROUGHLY AT, UH, NORTHWEST HIGHWAY AND MIDWAY ROAD.
UM, I BELIEVE I AM ABOUT TO TURN OUT LIKE MS. GABO.
UH, UNFORTUNATELY, YOU'RE CORRECT.
YES, I THINK IT'S MY LAST YEAR.
UM, BUT ANYWAY, I'VE ENJOYED MY SERVICE, SO THANK YOU.
UM, THE YEAR'S STARTING TO RACK UP.
I'VE BEEN SERVING ON THE BOARD OF ADJUSTMENTS SINCE 2021, SO THREE YEARS NOW.
AND MY RESIDENCE IS IN EAST VILLAGE.
SO IF Y'ALL ARE FAMILIAR WITH WHERE THE CENTRAL DEVELOPMENT IS GOING UP, UH, 75 AND HASKELL, IT IS THE NEIGHBORHOOD TUCKED BEHIND THERE.
SO GLAD TO BE HERE WITH Y'ALL.
I LIVE IN THE LITTLE FOREST HILLS NEIGHBORHOOD OF DALLAS ON THE EAST SIDE OF WHITE ROCK LAKE, JUST EAST OF THE ARBORETUM.
AND I HAVE LIVED IN DALLAS FOR 34 YEARS SINCE I GRADUATED FROM COLLEGE.
I DON'T LOOK THAT OLD, SO, NO.
SO, UM, BUT I, UH, I HAVE TWO KIDS, A 29 YEAR OLD'S DAUGHTER, AND A 26-YEAR-OLD SON.
AND WE, THEY GREW UP IN LAKEWOOD HEIGHTS ON THE WEST SIDE OF WHITE ROCK LAKE.
HELLO, I'M JUDY P*****K, AND THIS IS MY FIFTH YEAR TO SERVE ON THE BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT AND MY 26TH YEAR OF SERVICE TO THE CITY OF DALLAS AND VARIOUS BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS, AND SOMETIMES EVEN AS CHAIR.
I'VE LIVED IN DALLAS ON AND OFF SINCE 1973, AND I, UH, SPENT MANY YEARS BEING A, AN ENTREPRENEUR.
AND WHEN I SOLD MY LAST BUSINESS, I BECAME A PROFESSIONAL FUNDRAISER.
AND I'M ENJOYING MY SERVICE ON, UM, THE BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT UNDER OUR FEARLESS LEADERS.
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VERY KIND.UH, JOINING US ONLINE IS ALTERNATE MEMBER NICK BROOK.
NICK, DID YOU WANT TO INTRODUCE YOURSELF? THANK YOU, JASON.
APPRECIATE THE, UH, DISPENSATION.
I'M A LITTLE UNDER THE WEATHER.
AND, AND WOULD MY, MY, UH, APPEARANCE WOULD, UH, IS BENEATH THE DIGNITY OF THIS, UH, FINE BOARD.
UM, I LIVE IN, UM, NORTH OAK CLIFF IN, UH, KID SPRINGS.
UM, I HAVE BEEN AN ALTERNATE, UM, SINCE 2000, UH, AND 17 AND, UH, HAVE REALLY ENJOYED, UM, MY, UH, SEVEN YEARS OF SERVICE ON THE BOARD.
UM, IT'S BEEN FUN TO WATCH THE BOARD SORT OF CHANGE.
UM, AND I THINK THE BOARD IS IN AS, AS GOOD A POSITION AS IT'S EVER BEEN IN.
SO WE'VE INTRODUCED ALL BOARD MEMBERS AND ALTERNATES, AS I HAVE REINFORCED TO ALTERNATES AND BOARD MEMBERS ALIKE, WHETHER PANEL HEARINGS OR AT THIS FULL BOARD MEETING, AN ALTERNATE IS EQUAL IN STATURE AND VOTING CAPACITY AND VOICE.
SO EVERYONE'S TREATED EQUALLY HERE.
EVERYONE'S TREATED EQUALLY AT A PANEL HEARING.
I'D LIKE NEXT, OUR TWO OFFICERS, EXCUSE ME, OUR THREE OFFICERS, BESIDES THE VICE CHAIR AND MYSELF, TO INTRODUCE THEMSELVES ACCORDING TO OUR RULES.
YOU HAVE A CHAIRMAN, TWO VICE CHAIRS, A BOARD ADMINISTRATOR, A BOARD ATTORNEY, AND A BOARD SECRETARY.
SO BOARD ADMINISTRATOR, YOU'RE NEXT, PLEASE.
I'VE BEEN WITH THE BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT FOR ONE YEAR AND SIX MONTHS, AND I'VE BEEN WITH THE CITY OF DALLAS FOR A TOTAL OF JUST TWO AND A HALF YEARS.
I MOVED HERE, UM, TO THE DFW AREA ABOUT NINE YEARS AGO FROM THE MISSISSIPPI DELTA, AND I'VE ENJOYED MY TIME HERE.
BOARD ADMINISTRATOR, BOARD ATTORNEY, PLEASE, MS. CARLISLE.
I'VE BEEN WITH THE CITY OF DALLAS FOR A LITTLE OVER EIGHT YEARS NOW, AND THIS IS GOING TO BE MY SECOND TIME AS GENERAL COUNSEL TO THE BOARD, AND I'M HAPPY TO BE BACK.
YOUR BOARD OFFICER, MS. WILLIAMS. GOOD MORNING, MR. UH, CHAIR.
UM, MY NAME IS MARY WILLIAMS. I AM THE BOARD SECRETARY, BOARD COORDINATOR FOR THE PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT.
I HAVE BEEN WITH THE CITY OF DALLAS FOR, UH, 11 YEARS NOW, AND I HAVE BEEN THE BOARD SECRETARY FOR TWO YEARS, SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
ALRIGHT, SO WE WILL HAVE EACH OF THE BOARD OFFICERS INTRODUCE THEIR STAFF AS APPROPRIATE WHEN THEY GIVE PRESENTATIONS TODAY.
SO, MS. UM, CAMIKA HOSKINS, WHEN YOU, YOU'LL INTRODUCE YOUR STAFF WHEN YOU PRESENT, AND THE SAME THING AS APPROPRIATE WHEN YOU PRESENT MS. CARLISLE.
ALRIGHT, NEXT ON OUR AGENDA IS PUBLIC TESTIMONY.
UM, UH, MS. BOARD, SECRETARY, UH, WHO DO WE HAVE THAT HAVE REGISTERED AND, AND OR ARE HERE IN PERSON? MR. AND, AND AGAIN, ONE OTHER THING I WANNA REITERATE.
I DID REACH OUT TO, GOSH, 10 OR 15 INDIVIDUALS ENCOURAGING THEM TO COME AND TESTIFY.
UH, SOME HAVE SHOWN UP TODAY, OTHERS HAVE SAID THAT THEY COULDN'T MAKE IT TODAY, BUT THEY WOULD SEND US SOMETHING IN WRITING.
AND AGAIN, I'LL CIRCULATE THAT IF WHATEVER WE GET TO THE BOARD.
GO AHEAD, MS. WILLIAMS. UM, MR. ROBERT REEVES.
THANK YOU FOR THE INVITATION, MR. CHAIRMAN.
MY NAME'S ROBERT RES, 38 0 7 VINE CREST DRIVE, DALLAS, TEXAS 7 5 2 2 9.
AND I GOTTA SAY UP FRONT, I'M AN HONEST DEIST DALLAS NATIVE
I'VE BEEN HERE ALL, ALL MY LIFE.
UH, I JUST WANNA GIVE YOU A LITTLE BACKGROUND ABOUT MY PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUND.
I AM A ZONING CONSULTANT WORKING IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR.
I DID WORK FOR THE CITY OF DALLAS FOR 16 YEARS.
AFTER GRADUATING FROM COLLEGE, MY LAST FEW YEARS THERE, UH, I WAS OVER ALL THE BUILDING CODES.
THE BUILDING OFFICIAL WAS UNDER ME.
I WAS OVER THE BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT.
I WAS OVER ZONING ACTIVITIES AND SUBDIVISION.
I JUST, ALL PRIVATE DEVELOPMENT.
I JUST HAD HAD IT ALL TOGETHER AND, UH, IT DROVE ME NUTS.
I HAVE TO ADMIT
SO, UM, I'M STILL WORKING FULL TIME.
I'M STILL WORKING FULL NIGHT TIME AND I RESIGNED FROM THE CITY OF DALLAS IN JULY OF 1985 AND STARTED MY OWN CONSULTING BUSINESS.
AND I, AND I STILL LOVE TO WORK AND I'M STILL DOING THAT.
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BOARD MAKES A VERY IMPORTANT ROLE IN THE DEVELOPMENT PROCESS.THEY HAVE A VERY IMPORTANT ROLE.
UH, WE HAVE THE PLAN COMMISSION CITY COUNCIL, WHICH ARE CERTAINLY SOMEWHAT MORE POLITICAL, AND THE PUBLIC HEARINGS GET A LITTLE LONG AND, UH, DRAWN OUT.
BUT, UH, AND THE BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT, THE BOARD OF PUBLIC HEARINGS, ARE TYPICALLY A SHORTER TIMEFRAME.
AND YOUR RULES ARE, ARE VERY CONCISE AND EASY TO UNDERSTAND WHAT MY RESPONSIBILITIES ARE AND CERTAINLY WHAT YOUR RESPONSIBILITIES ARE.
I'M JUST GONNA SUMMARIZE, UH, YOU KNOW, WHAT YOU'RE, WHAT YOU'RE, UM, ABLE TO DO.
I KNOW YOU'RE GONNA GO OVER THIS, UM, FAR MORE DETAIL, UH, AND LATER ON IN THE MEETING, BUT YOU CONSIDER VARIANCES BASED ON SOME KIND OF PROPERTY HARDSHIPS, NOT SELF-INFLICTED, ET CETERA, ET CETERA.
AND IT'S MY RESPONSIBILITY REPRESENTING AN APPLICANT TO CONVINCE YOU THAT WE HAVE A PROPERTY HARDSHIP AND IT'S NOT SELF-INFLICTED, WHICH IS CHALLENGING SOMETIMES, FRANKLY.
SO YOU CONSIDER SPECIAL EXCEPTIONS, UH, FENCE HEIGHTS.
UH, UNLESS THE RULES HAVE CHANGED, UH, TYPICALLY THE STAFF DOESN'T MAKE A RECOMMENDATION ON, UH, SPECIAL EXCEPTIONS.
UH, AND NEIGHBORHOOD INPUT IS, IS VERY IMPORTANT.
UH, SPECIAL ON FENCE HEIGHTS ARE THE REAL TYPICAL ONE THAT COMES UP ALL THE TIME.
AND, UH, I GOTTA GET THE WORD OUT WHEN I GOT THOSE COMING FORWARD.
AND SCREENING IS REAL IMPORTANT OF THE, UH, SOLID FENCES.
UH, YOU TERMINATE NON-CONFORMING USES, WHICH IS A LITTLE MORE COMPLICATED.
I'M NOT EVEN GONNA GO INTO THAT.
I WOULDN'T EVEN PRETEND TO UNDERSTAND THE DETAILS OF THAT PROCESS.
AND THE LAST THING THAT I FEEL IS REAL IMPORTANT, YOU HEAR APPEALS OF THE ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICE OF THE CITY, THEIR DECISIONS.
THAT WOULD BE A BUILDING OFFICIAL, THAT MIGHT BE A STAFF, THAT MIGHT BE, UH, ANY NUMBER OF THE PLANNING DIRECTOR, ANY NUMBER OF PEOPLE.
BUT YOU HEAR, IF I DISAGREE, I CAN APPEAL THEIR DECISION, UH, TO YOU.
AND I REALLY HAVE ONLY DONE THAT ONE TIME PERSONALLY, AND I DON'T LIKE TO DO THAT.
UH, MY GOAL IS TO TRY TO WORK THROUGH THINGS WITH, UH, THE CITY STAFF.
THE ONE TIME I DID IT, I JUST, UH, I JUST DISAGREED WITH THE, THE SENIOR STAFF AND TOOK IT TO THE BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT, MADE MY CASE AND WON.
BUT THAT'S A REAL IMPORTANT, UM, OPPOR, OPPORTUNITY'S THE WRONG WORD, BUT IT'S A REAL IMPORTANT, UH, ROLE THAT YOU HAVE.
AND IT, AND IT'S OUT THERE AND IT'S AVAILABLE TO, UH, TO ANYONE WHO WOULD LIKE TO EXERCISE THAT.
I'M, I'M NOT KEEP I'M NOT GONNA KEEP THIS REAL LONG.
I JUST WANNA SUMMARIZE, UH, SOME OF MY COMMENTS, MY MAKING THE FOLLOWING STATEMENTS.
IT'S VITAL TO AN APPLICANT THAT I'M PLAYING ON A LEVEL PLAYING FIELD.
AND I'M GONNA QUOTE THE LAW AS I UNDERSTAND IT.
IT'S IN YOUR, UH, THE BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT, UH, PROVISIONS AND STUFF.
AND THE CODE STATES, I QUOTE, ALL COMMUNICATIONS, ORAL OR WRITTEN SHOULD BE DIRECTED TO THE BOARD ADMINISTRATOR.
FAILURE TO COMPLY WITH THIS RULE MAY RESULT IN A CRIMINAL PROSECUTION FOR IMPROPER INFLUENCE, WHICH IS A CLASS A DEMEANOR UNDER THE TEXAS PEN CODE, UH, SECTION 36.04.
AND, UH, I'VE ACT, AND THE, FRANKLY, THE SUBDIVISION, WHEN YOU'RE DOING A SUBDIVISION, I CAN'T, I CAN'T LOBBY
I CERTAINLY CAN'T LOBBY
AND EVERYTHING IS HANDLED UNDER OATH IN THE BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT HEARING BEFORE YOU GUYS.
SO EVERY NOW AND THEN, AND I'VE EXPERIENCED THIS, UH, A COUPLE OF TIMES AND I'LL CHALK IT UP TO MAYBE THE PUBLIC JUST DIDN'T KNOW.
AND THERE WAS AN ATTEMPT TO CONTACT A, UH, BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT MEMBER.
AND, UH, I WON'T GIVE SPECIFICS, BUT KUDOS TO THE BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT MEMBERS.
THEY DECLINE AS I UNDERSTAND IT, TO TALK TO THAT MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC.
'CAUSE THEY'RE NOT SUPPOSED TO.
AND WHEN I SAY LEVEL PLAYING FIELD, EVERYTHING IS EXPOSED.
EVERYTHING GOES THROUGH THE BOARD ADMINISTRATOR AND, AND OR IT'S, UH, IN A PUBLIC TESTIMONY BEFORE THE BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT.
AND THAT'S WHAT I CALL A LEVEL, A LEVEL PALING, UH, PLAYING FIELD.
AND I HAVE THE RIGHT TO REVIEW COMMENTS THAT ARE SUBMITTED, UH, TO THE BOARD ADMINISTRATOR ON A PARTICULAR BOARD CASE.
SO, UH, YOU MEMBERS, UM, YOU MAY, YOU MAY HAVE THIS COMING UP
YOU KNOW, AND, AND PEOPLE LIKE ME ARE SO USED TO LOBBYING, UH, PLAN COMMISSION MEMBERS AND COUNCIL MEMBERS, BUT, UH,
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THAT'S WHAT I MEAN.I DON'T WANNA BEAT IT TO DEATH, BUT THAT'S WHAT I MEAN BY A LEVEL PLAYING FIELD.
AND I KNOW EVERYBODY WILL BE VERY, UH, VERY MUCH AWARE OF THAT IF IT HAPPENS TO YOU.
SO, MR. CHAIRMAN, THAT JUST KIND OF SUMMARIZES MY REMARK.
UH, I'VE BEEN HERE A LONG TIME,
UH, UM, AND, AND THIS, I WANNA REITERATE ONE, THIS IS AN INTERACTIVE DAY.
SO EACH AND EVERY SPEAKER, WHETHER IT BE PUBLIC OR WHETHER IT BE PROFESSIONAL STAFF THAT PRESENTS, I'M ENCOURAGING BOARD MEMBERS TO ASK QUESTIONS AND INTERACT AND AS WE GO.
SO WHAT I'M GONNA ASK YOU TO DO, DO, I'M GONNA COME BACK TO YOUR QUESTION HERE IN A SECOND, IS JUST GET MY ATTENTION OR GET VICE CHAIR AGNES OR VICE CHAIR GAMBLE'S ATTENTION SO THAT WAY I CAN RECOGNIZE YOU.
BUT I ENCOURAGE INTERACTIVE Q AND A AS WE GO FOR THE WHOLE DAY.
SO YOUR COMMENTS ARE VERY WELL TAKEN.
IT IS VERY IMPORTANT THAT WE ARE ALL AWARE THAT OUR INTERACTION WITH THE APPLICANT, UH, IS ONLY AT THE HEARING.
OBVIOUSLY TODAY, THIS IS PUBLIC TESTIMONY.
SO THIS IS ALLOWED, AND WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT A CASE SPECIFIC 'CAUSE THAT WOULD BE INAPPROPRIATE.
BUT, UH, YOU'RE RIGHT, THERE IS A FIREWALL BETWEEN THE APPLICANT AND THE PUBLIC AND ANYTHING THAT WE INDIVIDUALLY OR COLLECTIVELY DO AS A BOARD.
'CAUSE WE SIT AS A QUASI-JUDICIAL BODY.
AND WE WILL HEAR TODAY FROM OUR ATTORNEYS ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF THAT INTERACTION.
SO, SO I VERY MUCH APPRECIATE YOUR COMMENT ABOUT LEVEL PLAYING FIELD THAT IS PARAMOUNT TO US TO MAKE SURE, AND YOU'RE GONNA HEAR ME ALL DAY TODAY, TALK ABOUT FAIRNESS OR UNFAIRNESS AND THAT WE HAVE TO STRIVE FOR FAIRNESS.
START TO BEGINNING FROM THE MOMENT THAT AN, THAT A PROPERTY OWNER HAS A QUESTION TO THE MOMENT THAT THE BOARD DECIDES.
SO THE LEVEL PLAYING FIELD'S VERY IMPORTANT.
WHAT QUESTIONS DO WE HAVE FOR MR. REEVES? THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
I APPRECIATE AND COMING BEFORE US TODAY.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MS. BOARD SECRETARY, MR. STEVE LONG.
SO BEFORE YOU START, I'VE GOTTA PRAISE YOU FOR A MOMENT JUST TO GET YOU EMBARRASSED.
UH, STEVE LONG WAS ONE OF THE PEOPLE THAT I REACHED OUT TO, UH, BECAUSE HE IS HELD OF SUCH HIGH ESTEEM BY THE OLD HANDS HERE, MS. GAMBLE, MYSELF, MR. AGNES AND MANY OTHERS THAT HAVE, NOW I SEE MR. MARY SHAKING HIS HEAD AND MANY OTHERS THAT HAVE SERVED FOR YEARS.
I WILL SAY AGAIN, FOR THE PUBLIC, HOW MUCH WE APPRECIATE YOUR YEARS OF SERVICE, THE TRAINING THAT YOU GAVE US YEARS AGO, UH, MR. AGNES AND I AND AND SHERRY ALL SAID HOW WE WORKED FOR YOU IN SOME WAY.
AND LOOK AT YOUR, LOOK AT YOUR END RESULT, MR. LONG.
I, I, I JUST CANNOT PUBLICLY ENOUGH TELL YOU HOW MUCH WE APPRECIATE YOU AND ALL THE THINGS THAT YOU DID THROUGH ALL THE YEARS.
THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN AND MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.
I'M AT 9 0 2 THOMASON DRIVE, DALLAS, 7 5 2 0 8.
I WANT TO START BY SAYING THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR SERVICE.
YOU, MR. CHAIR, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, VICE CHAIRS.
UM, I DON'T HAVE A SCRIPT, BUT I WILL SAY THAT WHEN I SAT HERE THIS MORNING AND HEARD ALL 15 OF YOU MAKE INTRODUCTIONS ABOUT, UM, SOME OF YOU THAT HAVE SERVED IN THIS VOLUNTEER CAPACITY FOR THREE YEARS, SOME FOR MANY, MANY YEARS, IT'S JUST REALLY IMPRESSIVE AS A CITIZEN OF DALLAS THAT WE HAVE SUCH, UM, DEDICATED VOLUNTEERS AND I GUESS A DRIVE TO MAKE THE CITY A BETTER PLACE TO LIVE AND DO BUSINESS.
AND I REALLY APPRECIATE EVERY ONE OF YOU, UH, COMING HERE EVERY MONTH.
AND AS COLLECTIVELY AS A GROUP OF 15, I THINK IT'S JUST A REAL, UM, AFFIRMING, UH, AS, AS A CITIZEN OF DALLAS, THAT REALLY FEELS GOOD TO SEE ONE OF THE 50 PLUS BOARDS WORKING SO HARD TO, TO REACT TO, UH, IN THIS CASE, APPLICATIONS MADE TO YOU BY OWNERS, DEVELOPERS TO, I GUESS, DIGRESS FROM OUR ZONING CODE.
UM, BUT IT IS JUST REALLY, UM, SO IT MAKES ME SO HAPPY TO SEE THAT ALL 15 OF YOU GUYS MEMBERS ARE SO DEDICATED TO COMING HERE ONCE A MONTH AS, AS INDIVIDUAL PANEL MEMBERS.
AND THEN ONCE A YEAR THAT MR. NEWMAN AS CHAIRMAN HAS, I GUESS, INITIATED SINCE HE BECAME THE CHAIR THREE OR FOUR YEARS AGO.
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I DO SEE THE IMPORTANCE AS MR. REE SAID, UH, THE IMPORTANCE OF THIS BOARD, YOUR QUASI-JUDICIAL, THE CODE SPELLS OUT VERY CLEARLY THAT, UM, YOU HAVE A SPECIAL DISTINCTION FROM MANY OTHER BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS WHERE YOUR DECISION'S FINAL UNLESS APPEALED TO DISTRICT COURT.UM, I ALSO UNDERSTAND HOW, UH, IN YOUR REACTION TO APPLICATIONS, SOME BEING MAYBE A CARPORT AND A SIDE YARD SETBACK TO A, UM, AN APPEAL TO ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICIAL'S DECISION
AND I REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR TIME AND EFFORT AND JUST, UM, COMPREHENSIVENESS OF SIFTING THROUGH THE INFORMATION THAT'S GIVEN TO YOU AT A DOCKET.
I ALSO APPRECIATE THE PROCESS AS MR. REESE TALKED ABOUT HOW, UM, THERE'S A FIREWALL, UM, THAT YOUR ATTORNEY AND THE CODE AND YOUR ETHICS CHAPTER EIGHT TELLS YOU TO DO CERTAIN THINGS IN KEEPING WITH THE LAW.
I RESPECT THE, UM, HOW YOU HOLD THAT, UM, HIGH IN YOUR, YOUR EFFORTS TO THIS PROCESS.
UM, I KNOW THAT, UH, YOU ALSO ARE ADVISED BY YOUR COUNSELOR TO MAKE SURE THAT ANY APPLICATION MADE TO YOU THAT YOU ARE TO FOLLOW THE CITY CODE STANDARD AT HAND.
AND ONCE AGAIN, I THINK THAT RANGES FROM ANYTHING, FROM SOMETHING THAT MAY BE ABLE TO BE DECIDED UPON, UM, IN MAYBE AN HOUR OR LESS, IS SOMETHING THAT WOULD TAKE YOU HOURS TO ANALYZE THE INFORMATION ON THE APPLICATION AT HAND.
UM, YOU MAKE A DECISION AFTER, GIVEN WHAT YOU'VE SEEN IN THE DOCKET, AND THEN YOUR DECISION CERTAINLY ISN'T MADE TILL ALL EVIDENCE AND TESTIMONY'S BEEN PRESENTED TO YOU AT THE PUBLIC HEARING.
ONCE AGAIN, I REALLY APPRECIATE ALL OF YOU AS A CITIZEN OF DALLAS.
UM, UH, THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND YOUR VOLUNTEERISM VERY MUCH.
MR. LONG QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? MR. VICE CHAIR? AGNES, MR. LONG, UH, AS, UH, I SAID I, I'VE SAT ON THIS BOARD SINCE 2011.
UM, OVER TIME, THE THINGS, THERE ARE MANY THINGS I APPRECIATE ABOUT WHAT YOU DID, BUT IN, IN TERMS OF, UH, THE TIME WE HAVE HERE, UM, YOU
I ALWAYS APPRECIATED THAT, UM, THAT MANY TIMES IT FELT LIKE YOU WERE THE ONLY PERSON IN THE BUILDING NOT ATTEMPTING TO MANIPULATE THE BOARD.
AND MANY PEOPLE'S JOB IS TO MANIPULATE, UH, UH, THIS BOARD, BUT IT'S, IT'S NOT, IT'S NOT YOURS.
AND, AND, UH, I KNOW THERE'S PRESSURE FROM EVERYWHERE.
AND, UH, UH, BECAUSE OF THAT, I, I LEARNED HOW TO, I I LEARNED HOW TO OPERATE AS, AS, AS WELL AS I CAN IN GOOD FAITH.
UM, UH, AND, AND YOU, YOU GAVE ME A, A SET OF TOOLS, UM, THAT I TRY AS BEST I CAN TO, UM, TO ALLOW FOR MY, MY COLLEAGUES TO LEARN IN THE WAY THAT I DID.
AND THAT WAS IN NO SMALL PART BECAUSE OF YOUR PATIENCE.
IT WAS VERY MUCH MY PLEASURE BEING PART OF THE SERVICE INDUSTRY HERE AT THE CITY DALLAS FOR 34 YEARS.
AND SEE, I SAID 25, IT WAS 34.
WELL, ALL OF WHICH, SOME OF WHICH WAS ACTUALLY NOT WITH THE BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT.
THE FIRST 1986 TO 94 WAS WITH LONG RANGE PLANNING.
I WAS INVOLVED WITH THE GROWTH POLICY PLAN, WHICH WAS THE PLAN.
THAT'S WAS THE THING IN THE LATE EIGHTIES THAT WE HAVE NOW WITH FORWARD DALLAS
AND THE, THE HIT PARADE THING AT THE PLANNERS IN 1986 WAS THE GROWTH POLICY PLAN, WHICH ACTUALLY CHANGED 51 TO 51 A.
WE GOT A WHOLE NEW ZONING CODE, AND I WAS INVOLVED IN THAT PROCESS.
I'D LIKE TO JOIN THE SEVERAL VOICES TO, UM, COMMEND YOU FOR THE GOOD WORK THAT YOU HAVE DONE AND CONTINUE TO DO FOR THE BOARD.
UH, MY QUESTION IS, I JUST WANT TO KNOW, BASED ON YOUR EXPERIENCE, WHAT THE MOST CHALLENGING, UH, PART OF THIS JOB IS THAT WE HAVE TO NOTE.
[00:30:01]
MY OPINION.I, I KNOW THAT FROM MY EXPERIENCE, I THINK THAT, I DON'T KNOW IF THE, THE, THE TEXAS LAW ALLOWS US TO FREE TO CONSIDER DISCONTINUANCE OF NON-COMPLIANT NON-CONFORMING USES.
I THINK THAT MIGHT BE ON HOLD, UM, KNOW THAT IT IS, I THINK CURRENTLY BECAUSE THE CITY COUNCIL IS REWRITING THAT PROCESS.
YEAH, I DO THINK THAT PROBABLY ONE OF THE MOST CHALLENGING THINGS THAT THE BOARD SAW IN MY, UH, AS A STAFF PERSON WAS THE, UM, CONSIDERATION OF APPLICATIONS MADE BY A PERSON TO DISCONTINUE A NON-CONFORMING USE.
BECAUSE THAT WAS ACTUALLY A PROCESS WHERE THE BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT WAS CONSIDERING WHETHER OR NOT THE NON-CONFORMING USE BROUGHT BY A NEIGHBOR OR A CITIZEN OR, UM, SOMEONE ELSE, UM, HAD AN ADVERSE EFFECT ON NEARBY PROPERTY.
AND IF THEY MADE THAT CONCLUSION AT A PUBLIC HEARING, THEN THEY HAD TO SET AT A LATER DATE A TERMINATION OR A COMPLIANCE DATE IN WHICH THE NON FORM USE HAD TO CONTINUE BASED ON HOW MUCH OF THE INVESTMENT HADN'T BEEN RECOVERED.
THAT WAS ALWAYS KIND OF A COMPLICATED THING WHERE IT WAS TAKING, IT WAS A PROCESS WOULD, UM, BE POTENTIALLY TAKING AWAY SOMEONE'S USE OF A PROPERTY.
AND I DON'T THINK WE'VE HAD THAT DR. GLOVER IN QUITE SOME TIME.
UM, I DUNNO, SOME OF THE OLD TIMERS, THAT'S NOT DISPARAGING SOME OF, THERE'S A LOT OF EXPERIENCE.
SO IT'S BEEN, BUT RIGHT NOW I THINK IT'S ON HOLD BECAUSE THEY'RE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHETHER THERE'S A MONETARY OR IT'S USE THAT'S EXTENDED.
SO, UH, BUT THE BOARD IN THE LAST THREE YEARS HASN'T HAD A NONCONFORMING AMORTIZATION CASE.
THERE WERE A NUMBER OF THOSE TYPES OF THINGS, UM, IN THE LATE NINETIES WITH A NUMBER OF SEC DANCE HALLS AND SOBS, ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGE ESTABLISHMENT USES.
AND THEN IN THE EARLY AUGHTS, I THINK THERE WAS A WHOLE NUMBER OF THEM FILED FOR MOTELS, NONCONFORMING MOTELS.
SO I JUST REMEMBER THERE WERE CERTAIN WAVES OF ALCOHOLIC ESTABLISHMENT USES IN THE LATE NINETIES.
AND THEN ANOTHER WAVE OF MOTEL NON FORMING MOTEL USES IN THE EARLY OPS.
MR. SINGTON, MR. LONG THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.
AND YOU KNOW, AS ALWAYS, YOU KNOW, UM, IT'S ALWAYS GOOD TO SEE YOU.
UM, QUESTION, I, I, I ACTUALLY DIDN'T KNOW THAT YOU WERE, UM, UH, PART OF THE ORIGINAL PLANNING FOR, YOU KNOW, LONG-TERM PLANNING, UM, UM, MEMBERS OF THE, FOR THE CITY.
BUT AS YOU THINK BACK ON THOSE TIMES, AND THEN LOOKING FORWARD TO WHAT'S, UH, WHAT FORWARD DALLAS BRINGS, HOW DO YOU JUXTAPOSE THOSE TWO, UM, IDEALS, UM, IN YOUR OPINION, UM, AND THE GROWTH FOR THE CITY OF DALLAS? WHAT'S YOUR, WHAT'S YOUR THOUGHTS? WELL, I MEAN, THE 34 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE WITH THE CITY OF DALLAS, I JUST THINK THAT, UM, URBAN PLANNERS LIKE TO, UM, REASSESS DIFFERENT PLANS AFTER A CERTAIN NUMBER OF YEARS.
AND SO IT WAS THE GROWTH POLICY PLAN IN THE LATE EIGHTIES, AND THEN IT WAS THE DALLAS PLAN IN THE MID NINETIES AND THEN FORWARD DALLAS, I THINK THEN IS REPLACING, I GUESS, WHAT WAS THE DALLAS PLAN? I THINK THESE THREE PLANS ALL SHARED A, A THREAD IN THAT THEY ARE NOT CHANGING ZONING.
THEY ACT AS A GUIDE TO CITY COUNCIL.
JUDGING WHETHER OR NOT A ZONING REQUEST APPLICATION TO THEM IS IN THE BEST INTEREST OF THE CITY.
UM, THEY, THE GROWTH POLICY PLAN, THE DALLAS PLAN AND FOR DALLAS ARE ALL JUST GUIDES THAT THE, THE, THE COMPREHENSIVE PLANNING STAFF USE IN FORMING A RECOMMENDATION ON A ZONING APPLICATION.
I WAS ACTUALLY KIND OF RELIEVED WHEN I FINALLY GOT THE INFORMATION AS A CITIZEN THAT IT WASN'T A CHANGE IN ZONING PLAN.
IT'S A GUIDE FOR THE CITY COUNCIL TO MAKE DECISIONS ON INDIVIDUAL ZONING APPLICATIONS MADE TO THEM.
ANYONE ELSE QUESTIONS? MR. CANNON? UH, YES.
NOT A QUESTION, BUT I DO WOULD BE REMISS IF I DIDN'T SAY MY PERSONAL THANK YOU, UH, MR. LONG, UM, I DON'T THINK MANY PEOPLE ON THE SPORT KNOW, BUT I AM ACTUALLY SECOND GENERATION CANNON ON THE BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT AND YES, YES, YES.
SO I HEARD YOUR NAME IN OUR HOUSEHOLD PROBABLY EIGHT, NINE YEARS AGO.
AND IT WAS EXCELLENCE, EXCELLENCE IN YOUR LEADERSHIP, YOUR GUIDANCE TO, UM, MY NOW LATE MOTHER WHO WAS ON THE BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT.
BUT I AM SO FORTUNATE, I THINK ALL OF US AGREE THAT, UM, YOUR GUIDANCE HERE AS FAR AS, UM, YOU KNOW, VOLUNTEERS FOR THE CITY OF DALLAS TO REALLY, UM, EXECUTE THE CODE IN A WAY THAT'S FAIR FOR ALL.
SO I JUST WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU MUCH APPRECIATION.
AND I DID NOT KNOW THAT MR. CANNON, YOU
[00:35:01]
SAID IT WAS YOUR MOTHER THAT SERVED.YOUR MOTHER IS WIN OF FRED CANNON, WONDERFUL WOMAN NAMED WINNIE CANNON.
SHE WAS ACTUALLY A PANEL VICE CHAIR IN WINIFRED OR WINNIE, OR BOTH ROBERT AGNES WOULD REMEMBER WINNIE CANNON, WINNIE CANNON, AND MS. GABO MIGHT, ALTHOUGH I THINK, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE YOU WERE IN THREE PANELS AND AT THE TIME OUR CHAIRMAN DIDN'T HAVE A COLLECTIVE ALTOGETHER MEETING.
I THINK THE, THE PANEL A, B AND C AT THAT TIME PRETTY MUCH WORKED SEPARATELY.
A A AND SEE, I'M, I GOTTA RESPOND TO THAT.
THE DESIGN OF THE THREE PANELS IS TO OPERATE INDEPENDENTLY, BUT ALSO WITH SOME LEVEL OF CONSISTENCY.
IT'S NOT, ONE SHOULDN'T TELL THE OTHER HOW TO RULE, BUT WE WANNA HAVE A CONSISTENT PROCESS SO WE HAVE CONSISTENT STANDARDS AND THAT SORT OF THING.
SO, BUT PART OF BRINGING THIS WHOLE GROUP TOGETHER ANNUALLY OR TWICE ANNUALLY IS AGAIN, TO MAKE SURE OUR RULES ARE CONSISTENT CALENDAR AND PROCESS.
I WILL JUST, I WANT TO END BY ONCE AGAIN SAYING THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH FOR YOUR SERVICE TO US AND, AND YOUR VOLUNTEER AND CIVIC-MINDED EFFORTS.
UH, MS. BOARD SECRETARY, DO WE HAVE ANY OTHER SPEAKERS? NO, THE SPEAKERS REGISTER.
THANK YOU FOR THE TWO GENTLEMEN COMING TO SPEAK WITH US.
UM, I'M GONNA GO TO MR. HOPKOS FOR A MOMENT.
EACH MEMBER OF THE BOARD INTRODUCED THEMSELVES, SO LUCKY YOU, YOU GET THE FLOOR NOW TO INTRODUCE YOURSELF, UH, NOT WHAT DISTRICT YOU'RE FROM OR APPOINTED, BUT GENERAL, UM, LOCATION AND OR NEIGHBORHOOD, AND A LITTLE BIT ABOUT YOURSELF.
I'M CELEBRATING MY FIRST ANNIVERSARY OF BEING ON THIS BOARD TODAY.
MY FIRST MEETING WAS THIS MEETING A YEAR AGO.
IT'S BEEN VERY INTERESTING AND A LOT OF FUN AND, UM, UH, CHALLENGING AS I'M SURE ALL OF YOU ALSO HAVE FOUND FOR YOURSELVES.
UH, I LIVE IN FAR FAR NORTH DALLAS AND DENTON COUNTY.
THAT'S HOW THERE ACTUALLY IS PART OF DALLAS AND DENTON COUNTY.
UH, I THINK MY HOUSE MIGHT BE THE ONLY ONE THAT'S THERE, BUT, UM, UH, SO IT'S QUITE A WAYS TO GET DOWN HERE.
I, I APOLOGIZE FOR BEING LATE.
I WAS A LITTLE, UH, LATE GETTING AT GETTING STARTED THIS MORNING.
BUT, UM, UH, I'VE LIVED IN DALLAS SINCE 19, UH, 78.
AND, UM, THIS IS MY FIRST OPPORTUNITY TO SERVE, UH, TO SERVE THE CITY IN SUCH A CAPACITY.
UM, I, UH, RETIRED FROM A CAREER AS AN ACTUARY A NUMBER OF YEARS AGO AND NOW, UM, IN A RETIREMENT BUSINESS, UH, IN THE ELECTRICITY BUSINESS.
AND SO, UM, UM, HAVE A WIFE AND A DAUGHTER WHO'S A SOPHOMORE IN COLLEGE, UM, WHICH IS EXPLAINS A LOT OF MY GRAY HAIR AND, UH, AND I'M GLAD TO SERVE WITH Y'ALL.
ALRIGHT, WE'RE GONNA MOVE ON TO THE NEXT SECTION OF OUR AGENDA IS SPEAKERS.
UM, ORIGINALLY SCHEDULED WAS ROBIN BENTLEY, THE INTERIM ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER.
UM, MS. LOU TOLD ME YESTERDAY THAT SHE DID KNOW IF MS. BENTLEY WAS GONNA BE ABLE TO JOIN US TODAY.
SO WE'RE GONNA GO DIRECTLY TO EMILY LOU, WHO'S THE DIRECTOR, DIRECTOR OF PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT, MS. LIU.
UM, CHAIRMAN NEWMAN AND VICE CHAIRS AND BOARD OF THE, UH, ZONING ADJUSTMENT.
UM, AGAIN, MY NAME IS EMILY LIU.
I'M THE NEW DIRECTOR FOR THE NEW DEPARTMENT.
I, UH, MOVED TO THE CITY OF DALLAS IN MAY, SO THAT'S ABOUT SIX MONTHS AGO.
UM, PRIOR TO THAT, I LIVED AND WORKED AND RAISED A FAMILY IN KENTUCKY.
UM, LAST YEAR, MY YOUNGEST WIFE, MY BABY, DECIDED AFTER COLLEGE TO MOVE TO DALLAS.
GUESS WHAT? A PARENT MAY FOLLOW
SO THAT'S THE MAIN REASON I'M HERE IN DALLAS.
UM, DALLAS IS SUCH A DYNAMIC, DYNAMIC AND DIVERSE COMMUNITY.
JUST TWO DAYS AGO I WENT TO CLATON WARREN PARK.
REALLY, REALLY A LOT OF ACTIVITY.
SO, UM, I REALLY LIKE WHAT'S GOING ON HERE IN DALLAS.
UM, TODAY I'M GOING TO MAKE A PRESENTATION.
I JUST WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT I WILL PREFER MORE LIKE A CONVERSATION THAN A FORMAL PRESENTATION.
AS A MATTER OF FACT, I WANTED TO COME HERE TO TALK TO YOU A WHILE AGO AND CHAIRMAN NEWMAN SAID, WAIT, WAIT, WAIT UNTIL THE ANNUAL MEETING.
[00:40:01]
TO THIS DAY FOR A FEW MONTHS.UM, SO LET ME INTERJECT HERE AGAIN, MEMBERS THAT IF YOU HAVE A QUESTION AS SHE'S PRESENTING THROUGH HER POWERPOINT AND OR MR. POOL THAT'S WITH HER, PLEASE JUST GET MY ATTENTION AND I WILL GENTLY INTERRUPT BECAUSE I WANT THE INTER WE, THE VALUE IS THE INTERACTION BETWEEN THE DIRECTOR OF THE DEPARTMENT AND THAT WE BASICALLY HANDLE AND ARE, ARE SUPPORTED AND THIS INTERACTION HERE.
SO JUST GET MY ATTENTION AND I'LL GENTLY INTERRUPT.
UH, SO TODAY, UH, I'M NOT THE ONLY ONE GONNA MAKE PRESENTATION ABOUT, UH, THE A NU, UH, REPORT.
SO WITH ME, THERE'S NO STRANGER, JASON POOLE.
UH, HE'S BEEN OVERSEEING THE BOARD ADJUSTMENT AND A FEW OTHER DIVISIONS, UM, IN THE DEPARTMENT FOR A WHILE.
HE'S BEEN DOING SUCH A GOOD JOB, SO WE HAVE TO BORROW HIM.
AND, UH, SO HE IS ASSISTANT DIRECTOR, INTERIM ASSISTANT DIRECTOR FOR ANOTHER DIVISION, UH, FOCUSING ON CUSTOMER SERVICE, BUT HE'S VERY GRACIOUS.
HE CONTINUE TO WORK ON, UM, ON, ON THE BOARD OF JE AS WE SPEAK.
AT THE SAME TIME, WE ALSO APPOINTED INTERIM, UM, ADMINISTRATOR, UH, SARAH MAY, UH, I THINK SHE IS HERE, SO SHE, SO SARAH, SO SINCE YOU'RE GONNA INTRODUCE HER, COME ON AROUND A SECOND.
I'M GONNA PUT HER ON, PUT HER ON THE SPOTLIGHT.
UH, SINCE YOUR BOSS'S BOSS'S BOSS JUST INTRODUCED YOU, IF YOU'D GO TO THE MICROPHONE AND JUST REINTRODUCE YOURSELF AND THANK YOU.
JUST FROM THE TOP, JUST LIKE AS A PERSON, JUST A BRIEF.
HELLO AND SO THAT THEY KNOW WHO YOU ARE.
HI EVERYBODY, MY NAME IS SARAH MAY.
UM, I'VE WORKED AT THE CITY FOR, IT'LL BE 18 YEARS IN JANUARY, AND, UM, I'VE BOUNCED AROUND, UM, FROM LIKE THE DEVELOPMENT SERVICES SIDE TO THE PLANNING SIDE, IT'S ABOUT 50 50 TIME IN EACH PLACE.
I STARTED AS A ZONING PLANS EXAMINER.
SO, UM, I WAS TODD SEN'S ALTERNATE, UH, FOR ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS AND, UH, BEING THE, THE TODD DIRKSEN WHEN HE WAS OUT FOR THE BOARD.
AND STEVE EVEN TRAINED ME, UH, WHEN HE WAS, UH, RETIRING.
SO, YOU KNOW, IT'S GOOD TO BE BACK.
WHY DON'T YOU GO AHEAD AND DO IT.
I'M JUST SAYING, NEXT SLIDE,
SO TODAY, UH, THERE'S, UH, UH, QUITE A FEW SLIDES WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, BUT FOCUSING, UM, ON THE DEPARTMENT AS A WHOLE, THAT'S MY ROLE.
AND ALSO JASON GONNA TALK ABOUT, UM, THE DATA, THE GOALS, AND ALSO A LOT OF CHARTS, METRICS.
SO WE'LL START WITH THE PLANNING DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT AS A WHOLE.
UM, SO ABOUT FOUR MONTHS AGO, UH, THE TWO DEPARTMENT MERGED INTO, ONE USED TO BE CALLED PLANNING AND URBAN DESIGN AND DEVELOPMENT SERVICES.
I BELIEVE THE BOARD ADJUSTMENT, UM, WAS IN ONE DEPARTMENT AND THEN ANOTHER DEPARTMENT.
BUT ANYWAY, WE ARE ALL TOGETHER NOW.
SO THE NEW DEPARTMENT IS PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT.
THAT'S THE NAME OF THE NEW DEPARTMENT.
IT'S ACTUALLY A TREND ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
I'VE BEEN TALKING TO OTHER PLANNING DIRECTORS ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
THERE IS A TREND THAT MERGING THE PLANNING FUNCTION AND THE PERMITTING FUNCTION, THERE'S A REASON FOR THAT SO THAT WE CAN BE EASIER TO STREAMLINE THE PROCESS, TO BREAK DOWN THE BARRIER AND SILOS.
UM, SO IS, UH, THE DEPARTMENT INCLUDED FOUR, UH, DIVISIONS, BUT WE ALL WORK TOGETHER.
UH, THE PLANNING DIVISION, UM, IS, UH, HEADED BY DEPUTY.
EACH DIVISION HAS A DEPUTY DIRECTOR.
SO PLANNING IS HEADED BY ANDREA GILLIS.
UH, THAT'S, UM, I'M GOING TALK A BIT MORE ABOUT WHAT EXACTLY THAT, UH, TEAM DOES AND EACH OF THE DIVISIONS, UH, AND THE ZONING DIVISION.
ANDREA, UH, AND SHE, YEAH, SHE'S HERE TOO.
SHE IS THE DEPUTY DIRECTOR FOR THAT DIVISION.
UM, AND ALSO PERMITTING, UH, SAM
HE USED TO BE IN CHARGE OF OLD ENGINEERING, UH, BUT NOW HE ALSO TAKE OVER THE PERMITTING RELATED FUNCTION, COMMERCIAL RESIDENTIAL THAT WAS HANDLED BY A DIFFERENT PERSON BEFORE.
[00:45:01]
ALSO, UH, LAST ONE, WHICH IS VERY IMPORTANT IS CUSTOMER AND TEAM.UH, THAT'S VERNON YOUNG, UH, SPECIFICALLY FOR THE PLANNING.
UM, UH, EVERYBODY PROBABLY AWARE OF, UH, RECENTLY, ABOUT A MONTH AGO, CITY COUNCIL FINALLY ADOPTED THE FORWARD DALLAS 2.0 AS, UM, MR. LONG MENTIONED EARLY, UH, THAT IS A COMPREHENSIVE PLAN, WHICH IS A GUIDE, A POLICY, AND A RECOMMENDATION, UH, IS NOT ZONING, IS NOT LAW.
UM, SO THAT COMPREHENSIVE PLAN OR COMMUNITY PLANNING FUNCTION IS HOUSED UNDER PLANNING.
THEY ALSO HAVE, UH, URBAN DESIGN, HISTORICAL PRESERVATION, AND THE CONSERVATION FUNCTION UNDER THAT GS UH, DATA AND RESEARCH THAT USED TO BE HOUSED UNDER DEVELOPMENT SERVICE THAT HAS BEEN, UH, MOVED UNDER PLANNING.
SO EACH OF DIVISION ARE DOING A LITTLE DIFFERENT.
UM, SO THERE'S A LOT OF DATA AND RESEARCH.
THE MAPPING, UH, THAT'S ALL UNDER A NEW LEADERSHIP RIGHT NOW.
MS. LIU, LET ME, UH, THANK YOU.
I'M, I'M GONNA ENCOURAGE, AGAIN, QUESTIONS AS WE GO.
WE HAVE STRUGGLED OVER TIME WITH THE ACCURACY OF DATA THAT WE GET OUT OF THE GIS DEPARTMENT, WHATEVER THAT IS.
AND THE TANGIBLE EXAMPLES OF THAT IS EACH MONTH, EACH PANEL, SO THAT'S THREE TIMES A MONTH, WE HAVE CASES THAT ARE ASSIGNED TO CAMP, TO PANELS, AND THE STAFF UNDER MS DR UH, MILLER HOSKINS PREPARES A, A, A PRESENTATION AND IT HAS MAPS AND HAS A LOCATIONS WITHIN THE CITY AND THEN HAS AN AERIAL MAP, BUT THEN IT HAS THE SURROUNDING PROPERTY OWNERS.
WE RELY ON ACCURATE AND TIMELY INFORMATION, AND WE HAVE FOUND THAT THAT HAS LAGGED, THAT HAS BEEN OUTDATED.
AND, UH, WE HAVE A CASE BEFORE US, AND THERE'S A PICTURE OF A LAND MAP, AND IT SHOWS A VACANT LOT, YET THERE'S A HOUSE BILL ON IT OR VICE VERSA,
WE'VE GIVEN THIS FEEDBACK TO NOT ONLY OUR BOARD ADMINISTRATOR, BUT ALSO MR. POOLE, AND I THINK THEY'RE DOING WORKAROUNDS.
UH, ONE OF THE THINGS WE'VE TALKED ABOUT IS, WELL, DO WE NEED TO GO GOOGLE EARTH DOING OUR HEARINGS? AND IT MAKES THE ATTORNEYS NERVOUS BECAUSE IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT IS ACTUALLY PRESENTED PER SE, AND OUR BOARD MEMBERS LOOKING UP ON THEIR OWN.
BUT THE IMPORTANT THING FOR US IS TO SEE WHAT IS ON THE GROUND, WHAT'S THERE NOW.
SO I JUST WANT TO REEMPHASIZE THE IMPORTANCE OF THE TIMELY AND ACCURACY INFORMATION COMING OUT OF GIS.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THAT FEEDBACK.
UM, AS WE, UM, YOU KNOW, DEFINITELY, UH, I HEAR WHAT YOU'RE SAYING AND, UH, JASON AND I ACTUALLY TALKED ABOUT THIS YESTERDAY AND HOW WE CAN USE PROBABLY INFORMATION, INNOVATIVE, CREATIVE WAYS TO GET MORE LIKE UPDATE INFORMATION.
UM, HOPE DR. GLOVER HAS A QUESTION.
UH, AND THEN MR. CANNON, AND WHEN THIS IS NOT RAPID FIRE, THIS IS INTERACTIVE DR. GLOVER, UH, TO, UH, TO WATCH, UH, NEWMAN HAS SAID THE OTHER CHALLENGES WE ALSO FACE AS A BOARD IS THAT WE DO NOT KNOW AND HAVE ACCURATE ZONING STATUSES FOR THE DIFFERENT, UH, CASES THAT ARE PRESENTED BEFORE US.
THERE HAVE BEEN INCIDENCES OR TIMES WHEN THERE ARE NSOS IN PLACE IN AREAS IT HASN'T BEEN TOLD TO THE BOARD.
WE'VE MADE DECISIONS BASED ON THAT, AND IT, IT HAS BEEN A PROBLEM.
SO WE WOULD LIKE THAT YOU WORK ON IT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE THE MOST ACCURATE ZONING FOR THE AREAS THAT COME BEFORE US.
WELL, THANK YOU FOR THAT FEEDBACK AS WELL.
UM, AND, UM, AS I'M ALSO RELATIVELY NEW TO THE ROLE AND I ALSO MAKE SOME DISCOVERIES, BUT I'M VERY DETERMINED AND PLAN TO EXAMINE HOW WE CAN MAKE THINGS BETTER, UM, MOVING FORWARD.
SO I WOULD REALLY, REALLY LIKE TO WORK WITH YOU ALL THE BOARD MEMBERS MOVING FORWARD, HOW WE CAN MAKE OUR DEPARTMENT BETTER.
UH, WE SERVE THE CITIZENS, WE SERVE OUR, UH, CUSTOMERS.
I REALLY WANT TO MAKE IMPROVEMENTS FOR OUR DEPARTMENT.
UM, DIRECTOR LOU, WELCOME TO DALLAS.
UM, MY QUESTIONS GOING FOR THE, UM, THE MERGER OF THE TWO DEPARTMENTS.
SO YOU'RE SAYING THAT THIS IS MORE OF A TREND OF, UM, MERGING PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
UM, CAN YOU TELL US LIKE WHAT HAS WORKED AS FAR AS, I GUESS, THE SYNERGIES OF THOSE DEPARTMENT MERGERS? AND THEN ALSO WHAT ARE SOME THINGS THAT YOU'VE BEEN HEARING THAT MAY BE PITFALLS THAT, UM, HERE AT THE CITY OF DALLAS WE'RE WORKING SO THAT THAT INTEGRATION IS MORE SEAMLESS?
[00:50:01]
UM, IN TERMS OF MOVING FORWARD? LET ME TALK ABOUT THE POSITIVE SIDE.NOW EVERYTHING HAVE TWO SIDES.
UM, IT'S DEFINITELY BREAK DOWN THE SILOS.
UH, A LOT OF THINGS HAPPENS, UH, PROBABLY BECAUSE THE COMMUNICATION IS NOT THAT GOOD BETWEEN THE TWO DEPART, NOT JUST THE TWO DEPARTMENT, OTHER DEPARTMENT.
SO I CAN TELL YOU BY MERGING, THE TWO DEPARTMENT WILL CONSTANTLY COMMUNICATE, UH, ABOUT WHAT'S HAPPENING IN THE PLANNING SIDE, UH, WHAT'S HAPPENING IN THE ZONING SIDE, AND TRANSLATE THAT AND MAKE THAT INFORMATION DIGESTIBLE AND DELIVER THAT TO THE PERMITTING SIDE.
SO JASON CAN TALK A LITTLE BIT FURTHER.
AND HE'S ACTUALLY HEADING A, UH, UH, A, UM, A GROUP OF, UH, UH, STAFF, UH, KEY STAFF THAT THEY MEET EVERY TWO WEEKS.
EVERY TWO WEEKS, THE CITY, UH, COUNCIL RELEASES WARNINGS RELATED TO OUR DEPARTMENT.
THAT'S AUTHORIZED HEARING, UH, THAT COULD BE A ZONING CASE, COULD A SUP, WHAT THAT ORDINANCE MEAN TO OUR PERMIT.
BECAUSE EVENTUALLY THOSE, UM, CASES WILL GO TO GET A PERMIT.
SO EVERY TWO WEEKS, WITHIN A DAY OR TWO, WE GET ORDINANCES.
WE GET TO KEEP PEOPLE TOGETHER LOOKING AT THAT AND TRANSLATE THAT INTO THE DEPARTMENT.
SO THOSE ARE VERY HARD TO DO, UH, WITH DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS.
SO WE ARE DOING A LOT OF THAT.
WE HAVE ONGOING COMMUNICATIONS WITH DIFFERENT TEAMS. UH, EVEN BEFORE SOMETHING IS ADOPTED AT THE CITY COUNCIL, WE DISCUSSED THAT WITH, UM, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE THAT HAS IMPACT DOWN THE STREAM WITH STAFF, WITH THE DEPUTIES, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR, MANAGERS, EVEN AT THE STAFF LEVEL.
SO I THINK THAT'S A GREAT THING.
WE DO SEE COMMUNICATION IS MUCH BETTER.
NOW, THERE'S SOME DOWNSIDE, YOU KNOW, EVERY TIME YOU MAKE CHANGE, CHANGE IS HARD.
AND IT'S NOT JUST OUR DEPARTMENT TALKING TO DIRECTORS ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
SOMETIME YOU MAKE CHANGES PEOPLE DON'T LIKE, AND THAT COULD RESULT IN RETIREMENT TURNOVER, NOT LIKE PEOPLE RECOVER BECAUSE OF THIS, BUT THAT COULD BE A REASON.
SO OUR ANCY RATE HAS BEEN HIGH FOR A LONG TIME.
I'M JUST CHECKING ABOUT THIS THIS MORNING.
SO I REALLY TELL YOU IT'S VERY HARD TO MAKE THE DEPARTMENT RUN AT, UH, OPTICAL LEVEL WITH A HIGH LEVEL OF, UM, OF, OF, UH, VACANCY.
SO THERE WE'RE DOING A LOT OF REALIGNMENT BECAUSE WHEN I TALK THE GOAL, EVERYTHING WE DO HAVE TO ALIGN WITH OUR GOALS.
AND THE CHANGES MAY RESULT IN SOME TEMPORARILY, UH, LITTLE BIT, UM, YOU KNOW, UH, UNCERTAINTY.
UM, AND I'M ALSO LOOKING AT EVERY PROJECTION.
IS THIS PROJECTION NEEDED? IS THIS POSITION CRITICAL? AND I HAVE BEEN RECLASSIFY A LOT OF PROJECTION.
FOR EXAMPLE, SENIOR PLANNER PROJECTION IN OLD, UH, IN THE LEGACY PLANNING IN URBAN DESIGN DEPARTMENT, MORE THAN 50% OF THAT PREVIOUS DEPARTMENT HAS ONE TITLE, SENIOR PLANNER, PLANNER, ONES TWO, PLANNER TWOS, ONE, AND THERE IS NO SUPPLY OF THE SENIOR.
SO THAT'S WHY SO MANY SENIOR PLAN PROJECTION HAS BEEN WEAK FOR A LONG TIME.
SO WHEN I LOOK AT THAT, THERE'S A REASON FOR THAT.
TO BE WEAK FOR SUCH A LONG TIME, IT'S HARD TO FILL.
IT REQUIRE AT LEAST FIVE YEARS OF EXPERIENCE.
A LOT OF PEOPLE ALREADY SETTLED IN A CITY, MAYBE HAVE FAMILY.
IT'S VERY HARD TO GET SOMEBODY UPROOT AND MOVE HERE, UNLESS IT IS VERY HIGH LEVEL EXECUTIVE LEVEL, LIKE DIRECTOR, ASSISTANT DIRECTORS WAITING TO MOVE ACROSS THE COUNTRY OR THE OTHER THINGS ENTRY LEVEL.
LIKE MY SON AFTER COLLEGE, HE'S READY TO MOVE TO ANOTHER CITY.
ALL THE SPORT TEAM, EVERYTHING.
AND THAT'S WHERE YOU ATTRACT LOT PEOPLE.
SO WHAT I'VE BEEN DOING LAST FEW, UH, MONTHS IS RECLASSIFY THOSE SENIOR PLANNERS TO ENTRY LEVEL JOB.
I'VE BEEN CONNECTING WITH COLLEGE.
WE HAVE GREAT COLLEGES IN DALLAS AND AROUND DALLAS.
WE HAVE NOT BEEN ATTRACTING THE NEW GRADUATE.
SO THAT MY STRATEGY IS RECLASSIFY SOME OF THE PROJECTION DOWN SO WE CAN ATTRACT PEOPLE AND THEN ALSO RECLASSIFY SOME OF THE PROJECTION UP.
SO THESE SENIOR PLANNERS HAVE A CAREER PATH TOO, BECAUSE RIGHT NOW IT'S A BOTTLENECK.
SO MY GOAL IS TO CREATE A CAREER PATH FOR EVERY PROFESSIONALS IN OUR DEPARTMENT.
SO WHEN THEY COME IN, THEY KNOW THEY HAVE A FUTURE.
SO THERE ARE A LOT OF CHANGES.
SOME PEOPLE MAY NOT LIKE THE CHANGES THEY'RE MAKING, BUT I THINK OVERALL, LONG TERM IT'S GONNA BE BENEFICIAL TO THE DEPARTMENT.
YOU DID KNOW YOU WERE GONNA GET THAT ANSWER.
[00:55:01]
A LITTLE LONG.NO, THAT'S, UH, I PLANNING TO BE HERE ALL DAY.
THAT'S, I I'M COMPLIMENTING HIS QUESTION AND YOUR ANSWER.
I, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE GET A SLIVER OF SOME OF YOUR STRATEGY AND WHAT YOU'RE TRYING TO, THE CHANGE YOU'RE TRYING TO IMPLEMENT.
WE CAN GIVE YOU FEEDBACK ON THINGS THAT WE ARE FRUSTRATED WITH, BUT ALRIGHT, SO CONTINUE ON.
UM, AND SO I'M TALKING ABOUT ZONING.
IT'S A REGULATION, IT'S A REQUIREMENT.
UM, BUT ZONING IS ALSO NOT PERFECT.
THAT'S WHY WE HAVE EXCEPTIONS.
THAT'S WHY WE HAVE, YOU KNOW, APPEALS, ALL OF THAT.
UH, BECAUSE A LOT OF CITY LOOK AT THE ZONING, SOME GOOD ONES MAYBE, UH, CAN COVER 80%.
A LOT OF THEM IS, YOU ARE LUCKY, JUST LIKE ADDRESS 60% OF THE ACTUAL SITUATIONS.
THERE ARE A LOT LIKE 40% PROBABLY AGREE, NEED INTERPRETATION, THINGS LIKE THAT.
UM, IN BEFORE THE MERGER, ZONING IS SPLIT IN HALF.
PART OF THAT IS IN THE PLANNING URBAN DESIGN.
AND PART OF THAT IN DEVELOPMENT SERVICES DO NOT CONNECT VERY WELL.
SO THE ZONING PART UNDER PUD WAS LIKE ZONING TAX AMENDMENT, WHICH SARAH WAS UH, HEADING THAT, UM, TEAM, YOU KNOW, ANY CHANGES TO THE TAX AMENDMENT, THAT'S HER TEAM AND ALSO THE MAP AMENDMENT AS ALL UNDER THE, UH, LEG LEGACY, POD.
THE INTERPRETATION AND UH, REVIEW IS ACTUALLY UNDER DEVELOPMENT SERVICES.
I TELL YOU, THE FIRST FEW WEEKS WHEN I STARTED HERE, THERE WAS A CASE ALREADY GONE THROUGH ALL THE ZONING PROCESS, REZONING PROCESS, YOU KNOW, THAT TAKES MONTHS AND MONTHS.
IT'S NOT EASY PROCESS PUBLIC HEARING.
UH, CPC HAS, UH, CPC HAS TO REVIEW IT, MAKE RECOMMENDATION TO CITY COUNCIL AND FINALLY GOT APPROVED.
AND A FEW MONTHS LATER GETTING A PERMIT AND THERE'S ANOTHER GROUP OF PEOPLE REVIEW THAT AND MAKE A DIFFERENT INTERPRETATION AND DIFFERENT DETERMINATION.
THEY DECIDED THIS ONE, GUESS WHAT, YOU NEED TO GO BACK FROM SQUARE ONE.
THAT'S BECAUSE IS DIFFERENT INTERPRETATION.
AND THAT'S HOW DEVASTATING COULD THAT BE.
THINK ABOUT IT, IF YOU'RE THE APPLICANT, YOU JUST GONE THROUGH ALL THE PROCESS, GET YOUR ZONING DONE, YOU ARE READY TO GET A PERMIT.
AND ANOTHER INTERPRETATION SAID, YOU KNOW, WE INTERPRET DIFFERENTLY, YOU HAD TO GO BACK TO SQUARE ONE.
AND THAT'S REALLY HIT ME PRETTY HARD.
AND I THINK AS A DEPARTMENT, WE SHOULD ONLY HAVE ONE DETERMINATION, ONE INTERPRETATION.
IF PEOPLE ARE DISAGREE WITH THAT, THEY CAN COME TO THIS BOARD AND YOU WILL MAKE A FINAL DETERMINATION.
BUT THOSE CASES DO EXIST AT THE TIME, AND THIS IS SOMETHING WE'RE TRYING TO RESOLVE.
SO NOW THE ZONING, ANY ZONING FUNCTION THAT COMBINE INTO ONE, UH, ZONING, TAX AMENDMENT, ZONING, MAP, AMENDMENT, ZONING, INTERPRETATION, ZONING, CONSULTATION, ALL ENTER ONE UMBRELLA.
I TOLD STAFF WE CAN ONLY GIVE ONE INTERPRETATION, UH, ONE UH, DETERMINATION.
AND THAT'S REALLY, I THINK WILL HELP.
SO THIS ZONING IS REALLY EXPANDED TO INCLUDE, UH, BOTH DEPARTMENT FUNCTION.
UH, THE PERMITTING DEPARTMENT, UH, RECENTLY, UH, HAD GONE THROUGH A LOT OF CHANGES AS WELL.
UM, USED TO BE, UH, ENGINEERING IS SEPARATE FROM THE PERMITTING.
UH, PERMITTING, UM, IS A SEPARATE UNDER THE SAME DEPARTMENT THOUGH.
SO WE COMBINED ALL THE PERMITTING FUNCTION WITH ENGINEER FUNCTION.
SAM IS NEW FOR THE PERMITTING, UH, BUT HE IS LASER FOCUSED, DOING A GREAT JOB SO FAR.
UH, PERMITTING, WE DIVIDED UP INTO THREE TEAMS. ONE IS RESIDENTIAL.
RESIDENTIAL IS DOING VERY WELL RIGHT NOW IN TERMS OF, UH, THE SPEED.
UM, AND, UH, COMMERCIAL, UH, WE STILL, UH, HAVE A VERY HIGH, UM, NUMBER OF DAYS IN TERMS OF HOW, UH, LONG IT TAKES US TO GET THE PERMIT OUT.
THAT'S SOMETHING WE WORK DILIGENT RIGHT NOW TRYING TO STREAMLINE.
UM, THE THIRD FUNCTION IS INSPECTIONS.
ONCE YOU GOT THE PERMIT AND YOU STARTED TO CONSTRUCTION, UM, THE PERMIT, WE HAVE A PERMIT TO FILE FOUR DIFFERENT DISTRICT OFFICE.
THEY GO IN AND MAKE A INSPECTION.
UM, WHEN INSPECTIONS COMPLETE, THEN WE GIVE THEM, UM, A CERTIFICATE OF OCCUPANCY.
SO THAT DEPARTMENT IS UNDERGONE, UH, HAVE GONE THROUGH A MAJOR CHANGES RIGHT NOW.
AND THE LAST ONE IS TEAM EXCELLENCE AND CUSTOMER SUR UH, EXPERIENCE.
THAT IS WHERE, UM, JASON'S ALSO WORK UNDER
[01:00:01]
THAT.YOUNG RN YOUNG HAS BEEN WITH THE CITY FOR NEARLY 30 YEARS.
SO THIS ONE WE HAVE TWO DIFFERENT TEAMS. ONE TEAM IS TEAM, EXCELLENT.
WE'RE GONNA HAVE ASSISTANT DIRECTOR THERE.
WE DON'T HAVE ONE YET FOCUSED ON INTERNAL SERVICES.
THOSE ARE HR AS I MENTIONED, THEY HAVE 21% VACANCY.
SO I'M COUNTING ON THIS ASSISTANT DIRECTOR COME ON BOARD TO REALLY HELP US.
UM, SO HR, BUDGET, EXPENDITURES, UH, AND ALSO, UM, YOU KNOW, IT, UH, FLEET, WE HAVE A LARGE FLEET.
SO ALL OF THOSE ARE INTERNAL SERVICES.
AND THEN CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE IS VERY IMPORTANT.
WE WANNA MAKE SURE WE DELIVER THE BEST CUSTOMER SERVICE.
UM, AS YOU PROBABLY AWARE, UH, INTERIM CITY MANAGER, HER, UH, PHILOSOPHY HAS BEEN SERVICE, SERVICE FIRST.
NOW THAT MEANS SERVICE IS MOST IMPORTANT, SERVICE TO OUR COMMUNITY, SERVICE TO OUR CUSTOMERS.
AND NOW MEANS THERE'S A SENSE OF URGENCY.
SO I'M TRYING TO RELATE THAT MESSAGES TO OUR STAFF.
UM, AND JASON RIGHT NOW IS INTERIM ASSISTANT DIRECTOR WITH CUSTOMER SERVICE TEAM.
THEY DO, UH, A LOT OF NOT ONLY JUST CUSTOMER SERVICE, BUT TRAINING.
UH, IT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO HAVE TRAINING.
AND ALSO WE'RE GONNA IMPLEMENT A NEW SOFTWARE CALLED ELA.
UH, SO THAT'S SOMETHING, UH, IS ALSO UNDER THIS.
THERE'S ALSO INCLUDING, UH, THE CALL CENTERS, UH, THE, UM, YOU KNOW, THE WALKIN CUSTOMER SERVICES, WHICH IS VERY IMPORTANT FUNCTION.
UM, SO I EMPHASIZE TO MY STAFF AND MYSELF AND REMIND MYSELF, UM, WHY WE ARE HERE.
WHAT'S THE REASON WHY WE HOLD THESE PROJECTIONS.
SO ON A REGULAR BASIS, I TOLD MY STAFF THE REASON WE'RE HERE BECAUSE WE SERVE OUR CUSTOMERS.
THE REASON WE'RE HERE, BECAUSE WE SERVE THE PUBLIC.
SO WITH THE HELP OF OUR MANAGERS AND OUR STAFF, WE DEVELOP A MISSION STATEMENT.
THIS IS FROM THE NEW DEPARTMENT TOGETHER.
THAT MEANS WE NEED TO COLLABORATE, WE NEED TO WORK AS A TEAM TOGETHER.
WE'RE PLANNING AND BUILDING A BETTER DALLAS FOR ALL PEOPLE.
AND I DID HEAR, UM, MR. LONG ALSO SAID, YEAH, WE'RE HERE TO SERVE OTHERS.
WE'RE HERE TO MAKE DALLAS A BETTER PLACE TO LIVE, TO WORK, AND TO INVEST.
WE ARE PLANNING ON BUILDING A BETTER DALLAS FOR ALL.
UM, AND I'M VERY COMMITTED FOR THAT.
UH, CURRENTLY WE HAVE 430 IONS.
PURCHASE IS A VERY, VERY LARGE DEPARTMENT, UM, WITH A BUDGET OF $67 MILLION.
UM, SO THE BUDGET JUST PASSED ABOUT A FEW WEEKS AGO.
UH, EVERYTHING GOES MOSTLY IN THERE.
AND, AND MR. SINGEN HAS A QUESTION, IF WE COULD TAKE A PAUSE BREAK, MR. SINGTON, DIRECTOR LOU.
AND SORRY TO INTERRUPT, BUT, UM, I DO WANT TO STEP BACK A COUPLE.
YOU DON'T HAVE TO GO BACK A COUPLE SLIDES, BUT I WANNA GO BACK TO A COUPLE POINTS.
UM, I, AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, I LIVE IN THE FAR SOUTHWEST, UM, SECTOR OF THE, OF THE CITY, UH, WHICH HAS, YOU KNOW, A GOOD AMOUNT OF STILL DEVELOPABLE, DEVELOPABLE, UH, LAND.
AND, UM, A COMMON THING THAT I SEE, AND YOU'VE BEEN HERE IN THE CITY FOR, YOU KNOW, LESS THAN A YEAR, BUT A THING THAT WE'VE SEEN IN THE PAST IS, UM, AND THIS IS A KIND OF A ZONING QUESTION.
THE ZONING APPLICATION MAY BE INITIALLY, UM, UM, FILED, UH, FOR ONE PURPOSE, BUT THERE ARE OPTIONS ON THE APPLICATION FOR OTHER PURPOSES.
LET'S, FOR INSTANCE, UH, ONE CASE THAT WE HAD LAST YEAR, EARLIER THIS YEAR, WHERE A ZONING APPLICATION WAS FILED AS RESIDENTIAL.
THE COMMUNITY DIDN'T WANT THAT TYPE OF RESIDENTIAL, UH, MUL, MULTI MULTIFAMILY.
AND THEN THAT DEVELOPER, UM, SOLD THE PROPERTY AND THE NEXT DEVELOPER, UM, TOOK THE OPTION FOR COMMERCIAL OR WAREHOUSE.
AND THAT CREATED A HUGE ISSUE WITH THE COMMUNITY BECAUSE THEY WEREN'T, THEY WANTED SINGLE FAMILY, UH, RESIDENTIAL WHERE THEY WOULD'VE, WOULD'VE BEEN HAPPY OR OKAY WITH SINGLE FAMILY, UH, RESIDENTIAL, UH, UH, BEING DEVELOPED.
THEY DIDN'T WANT THE MULTIFAMILY, BUT THEY WOUND UP GETTING ANOTHER, UH, EXCUSE ME, ANOTHER DEVELOPER THAT WANTED TO PUT WAREHOUSING.
IS THERE A PLAN, UH, IF YOU'RE AWARE, OR
[01:05:01]
CAN THERE BE SOME KIND OF SOLUTION TO THOSE TYPES THING TYPE OF THINGS HAPPENING TO COMMUNITY? BECAUSE NUMBER, LIKE YOU MENTIONED, IT IS ABOUT, UM, SERVING THE COMMUNITY AND THE RESIDENTS OF DALLAS.AND IF YOU HAVE, UM, DEVELOPERS COMING IN AND CONSTRUCTING THINGS THAT ARE NOT, THAT ARE NOT HARMONIOUS TO THE, TO THE PRESENT OR UH, UH, COMMUNITY, IT CREATES A, A FRICTION OR A TENSION, UH, WITH THE, WITH THE RESIDENTS OF DALLAS, THAT PARTICULAR DEVELOPER AND THE CITY.
SO I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S SOMETHING THAT CAN BE DONE IN THE APPLICATION PROCESS TO REMOVE THOSE OPTIONS OR IF IT, WHATEVER, BUT THAT CREATES AN ISSUE IF YOU UNDERSTAND, IF YOU UNDERSTOOD MY, MY, MY QUESTION, IS THERE SOMETHING THAT THE CITY IS LOOKING TO DO TO RECTIFY THOSE TYPE ISSUES? LET ME LOOK AT THIS FROM A HIGH LEVEL.
UH, WE TALK ABOUT THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN EARLIER.
THAT'S A GUIDE, A RECOMMENDATION.
NOW WE HAVE FORWARD DALLAS 2.0 ADOPTED, IT'S LIKE A VERY HIGH LEVEL, AND WE USUALLY USE THAT AS A GUIDE FOR REZONING, RIGHT? WE JUST MENTIONED THAT FOR REZONING, FOR TAX AMENDMENT, MAP AMENDMENT, WE USE THE NEW COMPREHENSIVE PLAN, WHATEVER COMPREHENSIVE PLAN PLAYS AT THE TIME AS A GUIDE.
AND, UH, SOMETIME, UM, IT'S SPECIFIC CALL OUT WHAT THAT, UH, USE ARE INTENDED FOR, FOR YOUR PARTICULAR CASE.
I DON'T KNOW WHERE WE ARE ON THAT ONE, BUT I WILL BE HAPPY TO PROBABLY ADDRESS WITH YOU, UH, SEPARATELY ONCE I GET A LITTLE BIT MORE INFORMATION, IF THAT'S OKAY.
BUT TECHNICALLY REZONING SUPPOSED TO FOLLOW THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN SOMETIME EVEN BETTER.
THE AREA, WE HAVE A NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN.
THE NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN IS MORE DETAILED THAN A COMPREHENSIVE PLAN, TELLS YOU ABOUT THE LAND, FUTURE LAND USE, WHAT KIND OF IN THIS CORNER AND THAT.
BUT COMPREHENSIVE PLAN IS A GUIDE, BUT IT'S NOT AT A PARTIAL LEVEL.
UM, SO, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO TALK TO YOU A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THAT AND UNDERSTAND THE CASE A LITTLE BIT BETTER.
OH, I'M SORRY, DR. GLOVER, PLEASE.
UH, TO ADD TO WHAT MR. TON JUST SAID, UH, WHAT I'VE COME TO UNDERSTAND OR LAND, UH, WORKING ON THE OTHER SIDE AS A NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION PRESIDENT IS THAT THE BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT HAS BEEN USED AS A TOOL TO, AND TO BULLY COMMUNITIES WITHOUT A DEVELOPMENT PLAN.
WHAT HAPPENS RATHER OFTEN IS THAT WHEN THERE'S A PLAN DEVELOPMENT, AND IT COMES BEFORE CPC AND THEY HAVE, UH, NEIGHBORHOOD DELIBERATIONS TO DECIDE WHAT KIND OF, UM, SERVICE OR WHAT KIND OF, UM, ZONE, UM, NOT, NOT ZONING, WHAT KIND OF STRUCTURES HAVE TO BE PLACED ON THE DEVELOPMENT.
UM, AND THERE, THERE ISN'T, UH, A DEFINITE AGREEMENT.
UM, CPC TAKES IT, OR THEY PUT THIS ON ADVISEMENT USUALLY.
AND WHAT HAPPENS IS THAT IN THAT SPACE WHERE CPC HAS TO MAKE THE DETERMINATION, DEVELOPERS TEND TO COME TO THE BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT FOR SOME KIND OF EXCEPTION OR A VARIANCE DENYING THE COMMUNITY THE OPPORTUNITY TO ACTUALLY DECIDE WHAT THEY WANT TO SEE IN THERE.
SO WHAT STRATEGIES DO YOU HAVE, UH, IN PLACE TO KIND OF WORK WITH THE COMMUNITY MORE INTENSELY TO SOLVE THESE PROBLEMS OR FIX THIS? UM, THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION.
AND NOW I'M THINKING ABOUT MAYBE THERE'S A LITTLE BIT BETTER COMMUNICATION BETWEEN BOARD ADJUSTMENT AND CPC
AND WE'LL BE HAPPY WE HAVE EXPERTS IN OUR OFFICE.
UH, AND I'LL HAPPY PROBABLY TO BRING IN ANOTHER EITHER QUICK SESSION ABOUT THE PROCESS OF, UM, YOU KNOW, CPC, I KNOW, UH, CHAIR NEWMAN SERVED THERE FOR A WHILE.
THERE IS A SPECIFIC PROCEDURE LAID OUT IN THE ZONING ORDINANCE, UH, HOW THAT PROCESS GOING TO, UH, PLAY OUT AND CPC ONLY MAKE RECOMMENDATION.
EVENTUALLY, CITY COUNCIL WILL MAKE A FINAL DETERMINATION.
I THINK, UM, YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE YOUR OWN, UH, AUTHORITY AND YOUR OWN, UH, OBLIGATION.
CPC HAS ITS OWN AS A LITTLE DIFFERENT THAN WHAT YOU HAVE.
UH, BUT I'LL BE HAPPY MAYBE AT A DIFFERENT TIME TO, UM, ASK OUR EXPERT TO PRESENT, UH, THE CPC PROCESS REZONING PROCESS.
IT'S KIND OF, UM, ALSO HAND IN HAND, UH, WITH, YOU KNOW, WHAT YOU SEE HERE.
I THINK I'LL BE HAPPY TO COME BACK AND, UH, TO PRESENT A BIT MORE ABOUT THAT PROCESS.
DR. GLOVER, UH, IT, IT, IT'D EITHER BE IN A FULL BOARD SETTING OR WE'D SET ASIDE AN HOUR IN EACH PANEL AT THE BEGINNING OF EACH PANEL, AND WE
[01:10:01]
GO THROUGH A ONE MONTH AND PANEL A, B, AND C AND AN HOUR OF TRAINING, SO FORTH.THIS IS SOMETHING THAT'S PART OF OUR GOALS TO DO.
SO, UH, WE WILL FI WE'LL TAKE YOU UP ON THAT SUGGESTION.
SO WE KNOW YOU, WE HAVE A DIFFERENT BOARDS, UH, PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT BOARD ADJUSTMENTS.
WE ALSO HAVE LANDMARK COMMISSION.
AND THEN THE BUILDING, UH, BOARDS.
UM, THIS IS ONE OF THE FIRST, UH, ANNUAL REPORT I'M GIVING.
AND THEN I'M GOING TO GIVE, UH, A REPORT PRESENTATION TO CPC LANDMARK AND THE BUILDING CODE BOARD.
SO, UM, I'M TALKING ABOUT THE GOALS.
FOUR OF THE GOALS ARE PROJECT SPECIFIC, AND THREE OF THEM ARE MORE LIKE A DEPARTMENT OVERALL.
AND HOW MUCH TIME DO I HAVE, MR. NEWMAN? YOU, YOU CAN TAKE THE TIME.
AND I WOULD LIKE TO LISTEN TO YOU AND GET SOME FEEDBACK ALONG THE WAY.
THESE ARE THE SEVEN GOALS WE DEVELOP WITH OUR TEAM.
UH, FIRST OF ALL, THE FORWARD DALLAS 2.0 HAS BEEN ADOPTED.
IT'S ABOUT A MONTH AGO, ACTUALLY THE DAY AFTER IT IS ADOPTED WITH LOOKING AT, UH, HOW WE CAN IMPLEMENT THAT.
SO WITHIN THE NEXT YEAR, THERE'S, THIS IS A 20 YEAR PLAN, OR AT LEAST WE'LL GOVERN, UH, CITY DALLAS, UH, GUIDE THE GROWTH, UH, FOR THE NEXT 10 YEARS.
SO IT'S A VERY IMPORTANT DOCUMENT.
PROVIDE GUIDANCE, RECOMMENDATIONS.
UM, SO, UH, WITHIN THE NEXT YEAR, WE'RE GONNA FOCUS ON THE IMPLEMENTATION SIDE IS ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE.
THIS IS A HUGE COMPONENT OF THE, UH, FORWARD DOLLARS.
UM, IT IS TO, UH, LOOK AT ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE ISSUE AND ALSO RESIDENTIAL DESIGN.
A LOT OF PEOPLE MAY NOT BE OPPOSED TO LIKE A DEVELOPMENT OR IN FIELD DEVELOPMENT ON THEIR BLOCK, BUT SOMETIME THE DESIGN IS NOT REALLY COMPATIBLE.
UH, THE SKILL, THE MASS, NOT TALKING ABOUT THE ARCHITECTURE STYLE OR MATERIAL.
WE DON'T REGULATE THAT, BUT WE CAN REGULATE THE HEIGHT, UH, THE, THE SKILL, THE MASSING, THE SETBACK.
SOMETIME THOSE NEW DEVELOPMENT, YOU PROBABLY SEE SOME OF THESE IN, UH, SOUTHERN DALLAS AND WEST DALLAS.
SOME OF THE DEVELOPMENT IS NOT REALLY COMPATIBLE.
SO WE'RE LOOKING AT, UH, SOME WAYS TO ADDRESS THE DESIGN, UH, OF RESIDENTIAL, UH, DEVELOPMENT, ESPECIALLY INFIELD DEVELOPMENT.
UH, THE OTHER ONE IS WE HEARD LOUD AND CLEAR FROM OUR RESIDENTS IN STATE OF DALLAS.
THEY WANT DENSITY TO BE LOCATED AT NEAR, UH, TRANSIT, ORANGE DEVELOPMENT AND THE CORRIDORS.
AND I FEEL, UM, UH, DALLAS, VERY FORTUNATE.
WE HAVE A LOT OF, UH, LIGHT RAIL SYSTEM.
I BELIEVE THAT'S THE LONGEST, UH, LIGHT RAIL LINES, UH, COMPARED TO ANY OTHER CITY IN THE COUNTRY.
AND NOT A LOT OF CITY, UH, HAVE, UH, THE LUXURY TO EVEN TALK ABOUT THE LIGHT RAIL.
BUT I THINK, UM, THE PROBLEM IS WE NEED TO GET SOME RETURN OUT OF THAT.
SO BY BUILDING DENSITY AROUND A TRANSIT OR A TRANSIT AREA, AREA WILL HELP, UH, INCREASE USAGE OF THAT INVESTMENT, UH, TO INCREASE, UM, UH, THE, UH, PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION USE.
SO THAT'S SOMETHING, UM, EVERYBODY SEEMS TO BE GIVING OUT THE FEEDBACK.
WE NEED DENSITY AROUND TRANSIT, RN DEVELOPMENT, AND ALSO, UH, ALONG CORRIDORS, UH, PEOPLE TELL US THAT WE NEED MIXED USE AROUND THE CORRIDOR TO MAKE THE CORRIDORS MORE WALKABLE.
SO THAT'S SOMETHING WE'RE DOING AS A FOCUS, UH, NEXT YEAR FOR IMPLEMENTATION OF FORWARD DALLAS.
UH, THE SECOND ONE IS VERY IMPORTANT.
IT'S IMPORTANT TO THE SPORT AS WELL, THAT WE'RE MOVING FORWARD WITH THE ZONING CODE REFORM DALLAS DEVELOPMENT CODE, OTHER CITY CALLED IT ZONING CODE.
UH, EITHER WAY IT'S KIND OF INTERCHANGEABLE, AND THAT IS A VERY IMPORTANT, AS A MESS MENTIONED THAT THAT IS A LAW THAT IS REQUIREMENT, UH, THAT IS, UH, JUST BASICALLY TELLS YOU WHAT CAN BE BUILT WHERE, AND, AND HOLD THAT THOUGHT MEMBERS, UH, YOUR OFFICERS, VICE CHAIR, GABO, AGNES, AND I REGULARLY WATCH THE THROUGHPUT OF APPLICATIONS THAT COME TO THE BOARD.
AND WE'RE AMAZED THAT SOME MONTHS IT'S VERY LITTLE OTHER MONTHS, IT'S GIGANTIC.
AND WE TRY TO DEDUCE IS IS THAT AN INDICATION OF BUILDING? IS THAT AN INDICATION OF THE CODE BEING OUTDATED? SO THE PEOPLE ARE, HAVE PEOPLE, YOU INDIVIDUALS, PROPERTY OWNERS, WHETHER IT'S COMMERCIAL, RESIDENTIAL, ARE ASKING FOR A SPECIAL EXCEPTION OF VARIANCE
[01:15:01]
BECAUSE THE CODE IS OUTDATED.I'M NOT SAYING IT IS, THERE'S NOT, FOR INSTANCE, IN DECEMBER, WE HAVE 16 CASES COMING.
WHOA, THAT'S A LOT IN ONE MONTH, 16 IN DECEMBER.
SO, AND I DON'T HAVE AN ANSWER, BUT YOU'RE RIGHT.
I, I THINK ONE OF THE INDICATORS IS THE HIGHER, THE NUMBER OF APPEALS THAT WE GET TO THE BOARD A LOT OF TIMES IS A FUNCTION OF THE CODE MAY BEING OUTDATED TO WHAT PROPERTY OWNERS THROUGHOUT THE CITY EXPECT OR WANT TO DO.
USUALLY IT'S MR. AGNES THAT TRIES TO CREATE THE CORRELATION BETWEEN THAT WHEN WE HAVE THIS DISCUSSIONS OF A SMALL AMOUNT VERSUS A LARGE AMOUNT.
BUT WE SEE THAT OVER TIME, AND IT'S, IT'S, I MEAN, I DON'T KNOW WHY WE HAVE 16 CASES IN DECEMBER.
WE'LL FIND OUT WHEN WE ADJUDICATE THE CASES, BUT THAT'S A HIGH NUMBER FOR US IN ONE MONTH.
AND THAT'S CASES THAT MAY HAVE MULTIPLE REQUESTS.
SO IT COULD BE CASE 16 CASES WITH THREE REQUESTS EACH.
SO ANYWAY, JUST GIVING YOU THAT, MR. AGNES HAS A COMMENT THAT, THAT THIS IS RELEVANT.
MR. AGNES, SINCE, SINCE THE, UH, THE CHAIRMAN BROUGHT THIS UP, I, I, UH, NOW IS AS GOOD A TIME AS ANY, DO YOU SEE THE FACT THAT WE SEE, LET'S SAY OUR BREAD AND BUTTER CASES OR VARIANCES, SPECIAL EXCEPTIONS KINDS OF THINGS, UM, WHEN WE HAVE SAY A LOT OF THOSE, DO YOU SEE THAT AS AN INDICTMENT OF THE ZONING CODE? OR IS THAT JUST SORT OF THE NATURAL THING? AND THE SECOND PART IS, IS THERE A WAY TO HAVE KIND OF A, ALMOST A CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT? UM, IS THERE A WAY TO, TO REACT, SAY, MORE THAN ONCE EVERY 10 YEARS AS WE TRY TO CHANGE OUR ZONING CODE? AND ARE WE KIND OF A, A, A LEADING INDICATOR OF WHETHER THE CODE IS WORKING? PERFECT TIMING FOR THAT QUESTION, BECAUSE I'M JUST ABOUT TO SAY SOMETHING ABOUT THAT.
UM, SO AS ZONING'S LAW REQUIREMENT, WHEN PEOPLE CANNOT MEET THAT, THEY NEED A VARIANCE EXCEPTIONS.
BUT SOMETIME YOU SEE THE SAME VARIANCE OVER AND OVER, THE SAME ACCEPTANCE OVER AND OVER, AND YOUR BOARD LOOK AT THIS.
SO GRANTED, YOU CONSTANTLY, GRANTED THAT'S AN INDICATION THE CODE DOES NOT WORK.
THAT INDICATION, THE ZONING LAW NEEDS TO BE CHANGED.
AS A MATTER OF FACT, JUST YESTERDAY, AS I'M HOLDING A STAFF MEETING, UM, TO TALK ABOUT VARIOUS ISSUES, UH, IN THE DEPARTMENT THAT SUBJECT CAME UP.
I HAVE SOMEBODY WHO IS LEADING THE CODE WRITING AND SOMEBODY WHO IS PRESENTING THE BOARD ADJUSTMENT.
WE WERE TALKING RIGHT THERE, LIVE WITH EVERYBODY.
LIKE WHAT KIND OF VARIANTS ARE YOU SEEING? WHAT KIND OF EXCEPTION ARE YOU SEEING? I LOOK AT, I WOULD LIKE TO LOOK AT MORE DATA TO SEE HOW THAT CAN FEED INTO THIS ZONING FOR REFORM.
UM, LUCKILY CITY COUNCIL ALLOCATED MORE THAN $2 MILLION FOR US TO HER CONSULTANT AS WE SPEAK.
WE ARE LOOKING AT THE ZONING CODE, HOW WE CAN CHANGE THAT.
SO WE DON'T HAVE THOSE, UH, PROBABLY, UM, CONSTANT VARIANCES AND EXCEPTIONS.
THE OTHER INDICATION THAT THE ZONING CODE MAY NOT WORK VERY WELL IS HOW MANY PUDS DO YOU HAVE IN EACH CITY? GOD,
LAST TIME I CHECKED IS 1100 PLAN UNIT DEVELOPMENT.
THAT TELLS ME THE ZONING CODE DOES NOT WORK.
AND PEOPLE WANT TO BUILD THEIR PROJECT THE WAY THEY WANT TO DO.
AND THEY, YOU KNOW, THEY HAVE TO GO AROUND IT.
THEY HAVE TO CREATE THEIR OWN ZONING CODE.
SO YOU TELL ME STAFF HAVE TO MANAGE 1100 ZONING CODE.
IT'S LIKE WE ARE SERVING 1100 CITIES IN OTHER CITY.
YOU HAVE ONE CODE, AND USUALLY THAT WORKS MAYBE TWO OR THREE PUD, THAT'S IT.
AND ONE PERSON SPECIALIZE IN THIS PUD ONE PERSON SPECIALIZE IN THAT PUDI DON'T HAVE THE 1100 PEOPLE TO SPECIALIZE ONE PUD AT A TIME.
AND BOY, THE MISTAKES IT POTENTIALLY CREATES, YES, BECAUSE THEN, THEN THE KIND OF SAYS DR. GLOVER WAS IN REFERRING TO EARLIER THAT YOU HAVE ONE INTERPRETATION HERE, AND THEN IT'S ANOTHER INTERPRETATION HERE.
AND IF IT WAS SEPARATE DEPARTMENTS.
SO I ABSOLUTELY SEE THAT, UH, VICE CHAIR GAMBLE HAS A QUESTION.
SO AS YOU GO THROUGH, UM, THE REFORM IS THAT, CAN THIS CODE BE CHANGED WITHOUT INPUT FROM THE COMMUNITY? I MEAN, CAN YOU MAKE
[01:20:01]
A CHANGE FROM A RESIDENTIAL, YOU KNOW, THIS IS TYPICALLY RESIDENTIAL TO MAKING IT COMMERCIAL OR IT'S BEEN SINGLE FAMILY AND NOW WE'RE GONNA MAKE IT MULTI-FAMILY WITHOUT GETTING INPUT FROM THE RESIDENTS THAT LIVE THERE.AND IS THAT HOW FORWARD DALLAS IS GONNA BE USED? BECAUSE LIKE I, I LOOK AT LIKE AUSTIN AND THEY CHANGED, YOU KNOW, THEY HAD ALL THOSE SINGLE FAMILIES AND CITY COUNCIL DECIDED, OH, NOPE, ANYTHING THAT'S TORN DOWN NOW CAN BE MULTI-FAMILY.
UM, AND I, IS THAT SOMETHING THAT CAN HAPPEN IN DALLAS? I THOUGHT THAT THAT HAD TO GO TO THE CITIZENS TO VOTE SINCE IT WAS, UH, WE, WE PLAN TO HAVE, UM, TREMENDOUS PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT.
WE BARELY EVEN GET IT OFF THE GROUND RIGHT NOW.
SO I'M TALKING TO YOU, GIVE YOU HEADS UP.
UH, THEY WILL BE, HAVE A TR A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT THROUGHOUT.
THIS IS NOT GONNA TAKE LIKE A FEW MONTHS OR EVEN A COUPLE YEARS.
THIS IS GONNA BE A LONG TERM PROJECT.
SO WE ARE GOING TO ROLL IT OUT HOPEFULLY EARLY NEXT YEAR.
THIS IS JUST LET YOU KNOW, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE HOPEFULLY, UH, EVEN, UM, A LOCAL FIRM HELPING US DURING THE PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT.
WE ALSO NEED TO BE INTENTIONAL TO REACH THE PEOPLE WHO TRADITIONALLY NOT AT THE TABLE.
SO PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT IS A BIG PART OF THE ZONING REFORM.
SO I'LL BE HAPPY TO COME HERE ON A REGULAR BASIS TO GIVE YOU AN UPDATE WHERE WE ARE.
AND OF COURSE, THIS IS A PUBLIC MEETING.
EVERYBODY HOPEFULLY WATCHING THIS WILL ALSO BE, UM, YOU KNOW, AWARE OF THIS IS COMING UP.
AND THIS IS SOMETHING I WOULD LIKE TO GO OUT WITH DIFFERENT GROUPS, DIFFERENT NEIGHBORHOOD, AND LET PEOPLE KNOW THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT THE NEW ZONING CODE.
WE DEFINITELY NEED, UH, REFORM.
NOT ONLY THAT, I THINK WE NEED A COMPLETE OVERHAUL OF THE ZONING.
WELL, IT'S, IT'S MORE OF A COMMENT.
I'M REALLY GLAD TO SEE THAT YOU'RE GOING TO BE REFORMING THE CODE AS, UH, CHAIRMAN NEWMAN STATED THAT WE STRIVE FOR, UH, FAIRNESS FOR EVERYBODY TO KEEP A A LEVEL PLAYING FIELD.
BUT THAT BEING SAID, UH, THERE NEEDS TO BE, WHILE YOU'RE DOING THIS REFORM, AN INVESTIGATION INTO THE OPERATION AND PRACTICES OF THE, UH, CODE DEPARTMENT.
BECAUSE IT'S COME TO MY ATTENTION ON A COUPLE OCCASIONS THAT ENFORCEMENT IS NOT REALLY ON AN EQUITABLE BASIS.
IT DEPENDS PRETTY MUCH ON WHO YOU ARE AND WHAT YOUR SITUATION IS.
AND AS, AS YOU DIRECTOR LOU SAID THAT TOGETHER, WE ARE BUILDING A BETTER DALLAS FOR ALL.
SO I WOULD, UH, REALLY ENCOURAGE EVERY CODE VIOLATION TO BE TREATED THE SAME WAY IN THE SAME DISTRICT.
SO IT SHOULD BE, IF IT'S ONE RULE, FOR ONE, IT SHOULD BE ONE RULE FOR ALL.
WHETHER YOU ARE A SLUMLORD, WHETHER YOU ARE AN INDIVIDUAL PROPERTY OWNER, WHATEVER, WHOEVER YOU ARE, IT SHOULD, THE CODE SHOULD BE APPLIED EQUITABLY.
EQUITY IS VERY IMPORTANT TO OUR DEPARTMENT.
EQUITY IS VERY IMPORTANT TO THE CITY OF DALLAS.
UM, AND, UM, YOU KNOW, UH, CODE ENFORCEMENT, UH, WE, WE WORK TOGETHER AND WITH ANOTHER DEPARTMENT.
UH, WE DON'T HAVE THE CODE ENFORCEMENT PER SE IN OUR DEPARTMENT.
BUT SOMETHING I WOULD REALLY LIKE TO CONNECT WITH OTHER DEPARTMENT AND, AND TRYING TO LEARN HOW WE ENFORCE.
AND THEN, UH, I WOULD LIKE TO GET BACK WITH YOU AND GIVE YOU A LITTLE BIT MORE INFORMATION.
THAT WAS, UH, UNDER DIFFERENT DEPARTMENT.
WE HAVE A SEPARATE DEPARTMENT CALLED CODE, UH, ENFORCEMENT, UM, CODE DEPARTMENT.
WE ARE REALLY, REALLY WANNA FOCUS ON EQUITY, UH, NO MATTER WHO YOU ARE, WHAT LANGUAGE YOU SPEAK, EVERYBODY'S TREATED THE SAME WAY.
SO WHAT I'VE REALIZED, OR WHAT I'VE LEARNED FROM, UH, BEING INVOLVED IN, UH, FORWARD DALLAS AND WEST DALLAS COMMUNITY VISION PROJECT IS THAT THERE ARE SEVERAL COMMUNITIES THAT DO NOT HAVE DEVELOPMENT PLANS.
SO THE DEVELOPMENT PLAN FOR DIFFERENT NEIGHBORHOODS ACTUALLY DEFINES WHAT KIND OF BUILDINGS OR WHAT KIND OF, UM, DEVELOPMENT SHOULD BE IN THAT AREA.
NOW, THE CHALLENGE WE FACE IS THAT, UH, THE CITY COMES TO ACTUALLY PRESENT, UH, LET'S SAY, UH, DIFFERENT KIND OF ZONINGS FOR THE DIFFERENT AREAS BASED ON THE WAY THEY SEE, UH, THE CITY MOVING.
BUT THE COMMUNITY ON THE OTHER HAND, ESPECIALLY NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS AND, UM, UH, DIFFERENT, DIFFERENT, UM, AUTHORITIES IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD, IN THE NEIGHBORHOODS DO NOT UNDERSTAND WHAT, FIRST OF ALL, ZONING IS.
UM, IS THERE A PLAN WHERE THERE WOULD BE A KIND OF STRUCTURE? BECAUSE I, I ACTUALLY SUGGESTED THIS,
[01:25:01]
UH, TO TRAIN COMMUNITY LEADERS ON WHAT ZONING IS AND WHAT THEY REALLY WANT TO SEE IN THEIR COMMUNITIES.'CAUSE WHAT IS HAPPENING IS THAT WE'RE INTERFACING WITH, UH, CITY STAFF AND THEY'RE PRESENTING TO US, OH, THIS IS WHAT WE WANT YOU TO DECIDE WHAT YOU WANT TO SEE.
BUT WE REALLY DON'T KNOW WHAT WE WANT TO SEE.
AND WE AS COMMUNITY LEADERS DO NOT WANT TO BE PUT IN A POSITION WHERE WE ARE MAKING DECISIONS IN HINDSIGHT OR BASED ON ZERO KNOWLEDGE.
AND AT THE END OF THE DAY, IN 10 YEARS WOULD'VE CREATED A PROBLEM FOR OURSELVES THAT WE DIDN'T KNOW.
SO WHAT STRATEGIES DO YOU HAVE IN PLACE TO CORRECT THIS? UH, WELL, YOU HAVE A, A LOT OF QUESTION THERE.
UM, ONE OF THE QUESTIONS IS ABOUT LIKE, TRAINING, RIGHT? AND, UM, WE DEFINITELY NEED TO DO A BETTER JOB GOING TO THE COMMUNITY, CONNECT WITH THE COMMUNITY TRAINING, AND USE SIMPLE LANGUAGE.
WE HAVE ATTORNEYS SPECIALIZED IN ZONING, SO IT COULD, THE LANGUAGE WE USE AND JARGONS, THINGS LIKE THAT COULD BE A BARRIER.
SO WE ARE WORKING WITH, UH, DIFFERENT COMMUNITY MEMBERS, UM, AND WE'RE HOPING WE'LL, UH, DO A BETTER JOB INTO GOING TO THE COMMUNITY TRAIN.
ANYTIME YOU HAVE SOMETHING, UH, YOU WANT ME OR MY STAFF TO BE THERE, JUST LET ME KNOW.
I'LL BE HAPPY TO BE IN THE COMMUNITY, HAPPY TO LEARN DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE TOWN AS WELL.
SO DEFINITELY WE WOULD LIKE TO WORK WITH YOU AND, UH, DO A BETTER JOB INTO, IN TERMS OF GOING TO THE COMMUNITY, TALKING ABOUT WHAT ZONING IS.
AS I SAID, ZONING IS VERY IMPORTANT.
HOW IMPORTANT IS, PEOPLE MAY NOT REALIZE.
IT REALLY TELLS YOU WHERE YOU CAN LIVE, YOU KNOW, WHERE YOU WORK, HOW YOU GO FROM YOUR HOUSE TO THE WORK.
I DON'T THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE REALLY UNDERSTAND UNTIL THERE MAY BE A PROJECT NEXT DOOR IN THE BACKYARD.
AND THAT MIGHT BE, UH, NOT THE PROPER TIME TO TALK ABOUT ZONING.
I THINK WE REALLY NEED TO BE A LITTLE BIT INTENTIONAL, UH, FROM THE EDUCATION PERSPECTIVE.
I TOTALLY AGREE WITH YOU ON THAT ONE.
AND I'LL BE FOLLOW UP WITH YOU TO SEE WHAT WE CAN DO WITH YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD, WHERE YOU LIVE, AND TO BE, UM, MORE ACTIVE, ENGAGED WITH THE NEIGHBORS AND RESIDENTS AND COMMUNITY ASSOCIATIONS.
UM, SO, UH, AND WE'RE, AND WE'RE RUNNING ALMOST OUT OF TIME.
I DON'T WANT TO CUT YOU OFF, BUT I'M SURE JASON HAS ALL THIS DATA TO GIVE US TOO.
LET ME MOVE QUICKLY ON THE THIRD ONE.
NO, THESE ARE, THESE ARE GREAT QUESTIONS.
THESE ARE GREAT ISSUES THAT INDIVIDUAL BOARD MEMBERS, AND WE'RE TOUCHING ON A LOT OF ISSUES THAT ARE OUTSIDE OF OUR SCOPE OF THE BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT, BUT IT IS WITHIN THE LARGER FRAMEWORK OF ZONING.
AND THAT'S THE HOUSE THAT WE LIVE IN, SO, OKAY.
THE THIRD ONE IS AMEND INTERNATIONAL BUILDING CODE.
UH, SOMETIME YOU PROBABLY DO SEE, UH, SOME OF THE, UH, THE CASES RELATED TO THAT.
UM, THE INTERNATIONAL BUILDING CODE, THEY RELEASE, THEY UPDATE EVERY THREE YEAR, WHICH IS GREAT.
UM, AND THAT IS SOMETHING EVERY THREE YEARS.
THE STATE OF DALLAS WILL ALSO LOOK AT THAT.
THE GOOD THING ABOUT STATE OF DALLAS IS THAT WE JUST DON'T ADOPT INTERNATIONAL BU BUILDING CODE THE WAY IT IS.
WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO AMEND THAT TO, UH, TO SUIT THE, THE CITY A LITTLE BIT BETTER.
SO THAT IS ONGOING, AND THAT WILL TAKE, UH, A LITTLE BIT OVER A YEAR.
UM, HOPEFULLY IN 2026 WE'LL GET A NEW, UH, BUILDING CODE ADOPTED BY CITY COUNCIL.
AND THE FOURTH ONE, I'M GOING TO GO VERY QUICKLY.
THIS DOES NOT, UM, KIND OF TOUCH WITH YOU.
UH, VERY HIGH LEVEL OR, UH, CLOSELY IS IMPLEMENTED HISTORIAN CULTURAL PRESERVATION STRATEGY.
WHAT THAT IS, THE CITY START TO HAVE A DIFFERENT APPROACH.
IF YOU, IN HISTORIC DISTRICT, YOU KNOW, CONSERVATION DISTRICT, YOU SUBMIT APPLICATION, WE REVIEW IT, APPROVE IT.
BUT THIS IS MORE PROACTIVE IN ADDRESSING HISTORIC PRESERVATION.
UH, IN THE CITY, DALLAS, WE HAVE A LOT OF CULTURE AND HISTORIC, UH, ARCHITECTURAL RESOURCES IN THE CITY.
WE WANNA MAKE SURE THEY'RE PRO, UH, WE ARE PROACTIVELY PROTECTING THEM AND MAKE, UH, ADAPTIVE REUSE, UH, FOR THE FUTURE.
I'M GOING TO TALK, UM, THE THREE, UM, GOALS THAT I HIGHLIGHTED A LITTLE BIT MORE.
THAT'S A DEPARTMENT WIDE, UM, ONE OF THE STREAMLINED THE DEVELOPMENT REVIEW PROCESS.
I KNOW YOU ARE VERY CONCERNED ABOUT, YOU KNOW, THE SPEED OF THE REVIEW.
AND I REALLY, REALLY APPLAUD THE, THE BOARD ADJUSTMENT.
YOU DID AN EXCELLENT JOB, JASON.
GOING TO PRESENT THE NUMBER TO YOU.
YOU HAVE STREAMLINED YOUR PROCESS, REDUCED REVIEW TIME, THAT'S AMAZING.
WE ACTUALLY USING THE BOARD ADJUSTMENT MODEL AND, AND THEN TRYING TO EXPAND THAT,
[01:30:01]
UH, TO OTHER TEAM AS WELL.UM, SO RIGHT NOW THE FOCUS IS ON COMMERCIAL PERMITTING AS WELL AT REZONING.
BUT I TELL STAFF NO PROCESS IMPROVEMENT IDEA IS TOO SMALL.
ANYTHING YOU DO, IF YOU ARE A CALL CENTER, IF YOU'RE JUST A CUSTOMER SERVICE, THERE'S A ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT, LET'S LOOK AT IT, LET'S IMPLEMENT THAT.
THEY DO ADD UP AND MAKE A BIG DIFFERENCE.
SO NO IMPROVEMENT IS TOO SMALL.
UH, PRIMARILY WE'RE LOOKING AT THE COMMERCIAL PERMITTING AND ALSO REZONING.
UH, LUCKILY RECENTLY WE WERE SELECTED BY TOYOTA PRODUCTION SYSTEM, WHICH IS A NONPROFIT, UH, CAN ASSOCIATE WITH TOYOTA.
THEY ARE THE, UH, INTERNATIONAL LEADER IN TERMS OF REDUCING WASTE, UH, IMPROVE OUR PROCESS.
SO WE HAVE BEEN SELECTED AS A PILOT PROJECT FOR THEM TO HELP US, UH, STREAMLINING THE COMMERCIAL PERMITTING, UM, UH, PROCESS.
UM, AND ALSO USE MORE INNOVATION AND TECHNOLOGY, UH, TO ACTUALLY TO INCREASE, UH, EFFICIENCY, ACCURACY, AND TRANSPARENCY.
SOMETIME WE DO HAVE TO RELY THE TECHNOLOGY.
JUST TO LET YOU KNOW, I'M A LITTLE SHOCKED COMING TO THE CITY OF DALLAS.
OUR DEPARTMENT STILL USE A LOT OF PAPER, UH, BOARD ADJUSTMENT JUST RECENTLY TRANSITIONED INTO DIGITAL, BUT WE STILL HAVE A LOT OF PAPER APPLICATIONS.
THAT'S SOMETHING WE WANT TO CHANGE.
WELL, I'M, I'M STILL A PAPER GUY, SO YEAH, BUT, BUT I HEAR YOU.
BUT, UH, AND IT'S, IT'S INTERESTING TO SEE WE ARE BROUGHT ALL OUR LAPTOPS IN TODAY, BUT WE ALL GENERALLY I THINK, RELY ON PAPER.
BUT DO THE LAPTOP, BUT RELY ON PAPER.
BUT YOUR APPLICATION IS NOW CAN BE SUBMITTED ONLINE, AND THOSE APPLICATION CAN BE UPLOADED ON THE WEBSITE.
THE CITIZENS CAN SEE THIS WEEK WAS BOARD.
JUST, THAT'S A TRANSPARENCY ISSUE.
UH, YOU CAN, OH, YES, THAT WAS A KEY GOAL OF OURS LAST YEAR, AND A LOT OF THAT CREDIT GOES TO MR. POOLE AND MAKING THAT HAPPEN, BUT, OKAY.
WE'LL, WE'LL LET, I DON'T WANNA STEAL HIS THUMB, THUNDER.
NOT ONLY MOVING FORWARD, WE'RE TRYING TO FOCUS ON DIGITAL SUBMITTAL, DIGITAL REVIEW, BUT ALSO WE WOULD LIKE TO MOVE BACKWARDS, HISTORIC DATA.
WE NEED TO GET THEM SCANNED AND UPLOADED SO PEOPLE CAN ACCESS THEM EASILY INSTEAD OF HAVING COME TO CITY HALL OR
SO THOSE ARE SOMETHING WE'RE WORKING ON.
AND ALSO, UM, WE'RE LOOKING, ALSO LOOKING AT THE NEWEST TECH TECHNOLOGY, WHICH IS AI.
UM, I'M JUST STARTING TO LOOK INTO THAT.
UM, WORKING WITH AMERICAN PLANNING ASSOCIATION, UM, TO SEE IF WE CAN GET SOME SUPPORT FROM OUR ORGANIZATION TO HELP US, UM, USING AI TO HELP US INCREASE ACCURACY, UM, YOU KNOW, EFFICIENCY AND PUBLIC TRANSPARENCY, HOW WE CAN USE THAT.
SO THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO US.
UM, THE LAST ONE, WHICH IS VERY IMPORTANT TO CHANGE THE CULTURE OF THE DEPARTMENT.
SO FOSTER A CULTURE OF TEAMWORK.
WE ALL NEED TO WORK TOGETHER, UH, AS A TEAM.
AND COLLABORATION AND PROBLEM SOLVING AND CHANGE OF CULTURE IS TAKES TIME, IS DIFFICULT.
PEOPLE LIKE TO DO THE WAY THAT YOU, BUT SO CHANGES IS NOT EASY, BUT WE ARE WORKING ON THAT.
IT MAY TAKE A LITTLE TIME TO CHANGE THE CULTURE, TO BECOME A MORE, A TEAM FOCUSED, UH, COLLABORATE, NOT JUST INTERNALLY, BUT EXTERNALLY AS WELL, AND BE A PROBLEM SOLVER.
WITH THAT, I'M GOING TO TURN TO AWESOME.
JASON, PAUL AND IU WOULD LIKE TO USE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO COMMAND OUR BOARD ADJUSTMENT TEAM AS AMAZING TEAM.
KAMIKA MILLER HOSKINS, UH, BRIAN KAREA, UM, DIANA, NORA, SARAH AND MARY WILLIAMS. YOU HAVE A GREAT TEAM.
THEY'RE WORKING SO HARD DAY IN AND DAY OUT, TRYING TO GET EVERYTHING, UH, UP TO SPEED.
UH, THERE IS NO DELAY, UH, IN THEIR DEPARTMENT.
THEY REDUCE THE REVIEW TIME, THEY INCREASE, UH, THE TRANSPARENCY.
AND I'M REALLY PROUD OF THE TEAM.
AND I WILL TURN TO JASON TO GIVE YOU ALL THE NUMBERS.
BOARD MEMBERS, VICE CHAIRS, AND CHAIRMAN NEWMAN.
JASON POOLE, PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT, INTERIM ASSISTANT DIRECTOR FOR THE CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE.
UH, I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO PRESENT AND, UH, FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO LEAD THIS TEAM.
I THINK, UH, THEY'VE DONE A WONDERFUL JOB AT, UH, AT, AT
[01:35:01]
PROGRESS, AND I THINK THAT'S WHAT WE WERE AFTER IS, UH, IS PROGRESS.UM, LAST YEAR, UH, WE INTRODUCED A NEW CALENDAR, UH, TO TRY AND REDUCE THE, UH, APPLICATION TO HEARING DAYS.
THAT'S A TO H ON THIS, THIS SLIDE.
UH, THE NEW CALENDAR PROPOSED A RANGE OF 53 TO 82 DAYS, DEPENDING ON WHEN WE RECEIVED THE APPLICATION.
UM, THE AVERAGE FOR THAT, THAT CALENDAR WAS 68 DAYS AND A MEDIAN OF 67.
NOW, IN LOOKING AT THE NUMBERS, WHAT WE ACTUALLY ACHIEVED FOR THE LAST FISCAL YEAR, UH, OUR APPLICATIONS RANGE FROM 53 DAYS TO 68 DAYS WITH AN AVERAGE OF 60 DAYS AND A MEDIAN OF 58 DAYS ON THOSE APPLICATIONS.
ABSOLUTELY OUTSTANDING, THANK YOU.
AND THAT, THAT IS A WAY THAT MS. LOU, WE CAN FACE OUR RESIDENTS, OUR CITIZENS, OUR PROPERTY OWNERS, AND SAY, OKAY, YOU'RE GONNA GET A DECISION IN TWO MONTHS OR LESS.
SEEMS LIKE A LONG TIME, BUT WE'VE GONE FROM ALMOST 80 DAYS.
I MEAN, SO WE, WE ARE MAKING VERY GOOD PROGRESS.
HERE IS, UH, A CHART SHOWING THE COMPARISON BETWEEN, UH, FISCAL YEAR 2022 THROUGH 2023 AND FISCAL YEAR, LAST FISCAL YEAR, 23 THROUGH 24.
YOU'LL SEE THE, THE BLUE IS 22 TO 23, AND THAT'LL CONTINUE THROUGHOUT THIS PRESENTATION.
AND THE ORANGE IS 23 THROUGH 24.
UH, OVERALL, WE HAD A REDUCTION IN THE TIMELINESS OF THE REVIEWS, UH, FROM APPLICATION TO HEARING DATE OF 18% WITH, UH, 73 OVER THE PRIOR YEAR.
AND, AND AN AVERAGE OF 60 FOR, FOR THIS, THIS LAST FISCAL YEAR.
AS FAR AS, UH, TRANSPARENCY, UM, AS, AS THE BOARD GOALS GO, UH, TRANSPARENCY BEING A, A PRIORITY, UM, WE DID TRANSITION TO A NEW WEBPAGE.
UH, WE, PRIOR, PRIOR HAD TWO PAGES.
UM, 100% OF THE DOCKETS WERE POSTED WITHIN SEVEN DAYS OR MORE OF THE PUBLIC HEARINGS.
UH, WE PROVIDED WEEKLY UPDATES 100% OF THE TIME, AND WE PROVIDED ADDITIONAL UPDATES, A AS NEEDED.
UM, THE NEW BOARD PAGE, UH, AS THE LAYOUT GOES, HAS BEEN, UH, A A LITTLE MORE USER FRIENDLY THAN THE OTHER ONE.
UH, IT HAS, UH, CERTAIN MENUS THAT YOU CAN CLICK AS IT GOES THROUGH.
IT'S GOT A COUPLE ADDITIONAL FEATURES.
UH, ONE OF THOSE WE INTRODUCED THE, UH, LIVE PENDING CASE LOG, WHICH IS THE LAST TAB ON THAT, ON THAT WEBPAGE.
UH, ON THERE WE HAVE AN UPDATED VERSION OF EVERYTHING THAT'S BEEN SUBMITTED AND IS IS UP FOR REVIEW AS IT GOES THROUGH.
I CANNOT KUDOS YOU ENOUGH FOR THIS.
WHAT WE'VE DONE, BOARD MEMBERS THROUGH THE STAFF, THROUGH THE BOARDS, BOARDS URGING A YEAR AGO, YEAR AND A HALF AGO, ALMOST TWO YEARS AGO, AND THROUGH THE STAFF UNDER JASON'S LEADERSHIP, IS WE'VE PROVIDED AN OPPORTUNITY FOR A PROPERTY OWNER AND OR A NEIGHBOR IN A HOOD TO BE ABLE TO SAY THAT CASE NUMBER ON THAT SIGN.
YOU CAN GO TO THE WEBSITE AND LOOK UP EXACTLY WHAT THEY SUBMITTED TO THE CITY FOR THE REQUEST.
IT'S NOT THE FULL CASE, BUT IT'S THE APPLICATION.
I TOLD YOU EARLIER, I'M GONNA TALK ABOUT FAIRNESS ALL DAY TODAY.
UH, THE TEAM ALSO INTRODUCED A NEW NOTIFICATION SIGN WITH A QR CODE AS REQUESTED.
UH, THE QR CODE, IF, IF SOMEBODY WERE TO SCAN IT GOES DIRECTLY TO THE WEBPAGE.
UM, THESE ARE MORE CONDUCIVE AND MORE PROFESSIONAL LOOKING THAN THE LAST ONES AND, AND CONVEY ALL THE CONTACT INFORMATION AS WELL AS THE CASE NUMBER.
UH, THE NEXT GOAL WAS, UH, CENTERS AROUND ACCURACY.
UM, WE DID IMPLEMENT A QC PROGRAM FOR ALL CASE REPORTS WHERE ALL CASE REPORTS RECEIVE A SECONDARY REVIEW, WHETHER THROUGH THE SRC OR, UH, THROUGH THE BOARD ADMINISTRATOR, DR.
UM, EVERY, EVERY CASE REPORT HAS A SECOND SET OF EYES ON IT.
UM, WE DID WORK TO ENHANCE OUR CASE REPORT DETAILS AND OUR PRESENTATION CLARITY, UH, THROUGH ADDITIONAL FACTS.
AND, UH, AS YOU'VE NOTICED LATELY, THE, THE USE OF COLOR ON THE SITE PLAN COMPARISONS AND JUST INCREASED, UH, ILLUSTRATIONS IN THAT SENSE.
UH, IN 20 22, 20 23, WE INTRODUCED THE USE OF A 360 CAMERA.
UH, WE DID NOTICE THAT THERE WERE SOME ISSUES WITH RESOLUTION THERE AND SOME OF THE DARK SPOTS IN THE CAMERAS.
UH, THIS YEAR WE DID REPLACE THAT CAMERA.
AND, UH, THE, WITH A HIGHER RESOLUTION CAMERA THAT DOESN'T HAVE THE ISSUES WITH THE, UH, WITH THE SHADOWS AS, AS YOU'VE SEEN IN PREVIOUS MEETINGS AND MONTHS.
UM, THIS CAMERA WAS UPGRADED, I BELIEVE,
[01:40:01]
THREE MONTHS AGO.AND HOPEFULLY WE'VE, WE'VE SEEN A, A BIG DIFFERENCE WITH THAT BOARD MEMBERS.
NIGHT AND DAY DIFFERENCE BETWEEN GETTING NOTHING JUST STALE PICTURES TO A CAMERA WITH LOOKING THROUGH A WINDOW FRAME OR A WINDOW DASH TO ACTUALLY SEEING THE NEIGHBORHOOD THAT WE'RE SUPPOSED TO MAKE A DECISION ON, AND THEN GIVING US A MAP THAT SAYS, OKAY, THE VIDEO IS GONNA START HERE ON THIS INTERSECTION, AND WE'RE GONNA MOVE UP THE STREET, DOWN THE STREET AROUND THE STREET NIGHT AND DAY.
AND THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN, IF A BOARD MEMBER SAYS, STOP, I WANT TO SEE WHAT'S ACROSS THE STREET.
YOU HAVE THE CAPACITY TO MOVE THAT CAMERA.
IT ALMOST SAYS, WHY DIDN'T WE DO THIS 10 YEARS AGO? BUT OKAY, IT'S HERE NOW.
UM, WE DID TRANSITION THE BOARD ALMOST ENTIRELY, UH, OVER THE LAST YEAR, UH, STAFF WISE, UH, WE, WE APPOINTED A NEW CHIEF PLANNER, DR. MILLER HOSKINS, AND, UH, OR EXCUSE ME, YES.
AND BOARD ADMINISTRATOR BY THE END OF THE FIRST QUARTER, UM, BY THE END OF THE THIRD QUARTER, WE HAD STAFFED THE ENTIRE TEAM, UH, WHICH INCLUDED TWO SENIOR PLANNERS, TWO SENIOR PLANS, EXAMINERS, OUR BOARD SECRETARY, AND THE BOARD ADMINISTRATOR.
UM, THEY ALSO, OVER THE COURSE OF THE YEAR, PROVIDED TWO LUNCH AND LEARN TRAININGS FOR THE PUBLIC.
ONE COMMENT THAT I WANNA REITERATE TO THE BOARD, THE CITY CODE AND THE STATE LEGISLATURE THAT CREATED THE BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT DOES NOT SPECIFY A PROFESSIONAL TECHNICAL ANALYSIS BY THE STAFF.
IT SAYS SIMPLY THAT WHEN A BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT REQUEST IS FILED, WE WITHIN 10 DAYS PRIOR TO A PUBLIC HEARING NOTIFY THE PROPERTY OWNERS IN THE 200 FEET AREA.
IT DOESN'T SAY TO THE CITY OR TO THE BOARD WHAT TO DO WITH THAT NOTIFICATION.
WE'VE TAKEN UPON OURSELVES TWO YEARS AGO TO UPDATE OUR RULES TO SAY, ONCE THEY'RE NOTIFIED, WE ASK THE STAFF UNDER DR.
HOSKINS MILLER AND JASON TO PROVIDE THE TECHNICAL ANALYSIS AND NOW CAMERA AND THAT SORT OF THING.
BUT LITERALLY, THIS IS OUR EXPECTATION, NOT SET BY THE STATUTE OR THE DALLAS DEVELOPMENT CODE.
THIS NEXT SLIDE ILLUSTRATES, UH, A COMPARISON OF THE CASES REVIEWED FROM 2022 TO 23 TO 2023 TO 2024.
THESE ARE THE, THESE, EVERY TIME WE MET WITH SOMEBODY OR, UH, DISCUSSED APPLICATIONS, YOU CAN SEE THAT, UH, THERE IS SOME SLIGHT VARIATION IN THE NUMBERS BETWEEN THE TWO YEARS.
UH, WE DID NOT START KEEPING THESE NUMBERS UNTIL JANUARY OF THIS LAST YEAR, BUT, UH, IF YOU TAKE OFF, UM, THE FIRST THREE MONTHS THERE, OCTOBER, NOVEMBER, AND DECEMBER, UM, YOU CAN SEE THOSE NUMBERS.
UH, WE'VE, WE'VE REVIEWED A FEW LESS CASES THAN WE DID, UH, IN THE PREVIOUS YEAR ACCORDING TO THOSE, THOSE SPECIFIC FIGURES THERE.
NOW, THIS NEXT SLIDE ILLUSTRATES THE NUMBER OF CASES ACCEPTED.
UH, WE DID HAVE A 20% INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF CASES WE TOOK IN OVER THE, OVER THE YEAR ON AVERAGE.
AND THIS NEXT SLIDE IS A NEWER SLIDE THAT WE'RE LOOKING TO KEEP TRACK OF.
UM, THIS IS A COMPARISON BETWEEN THIS YEAR'S CASES REVIEWED VERSUS CASES ACCEPTED, AND WE WERE COMPARING TO SEE THE, THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THOSE TWO.
AND AS YOU CAN SEE THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, IT, IT DOES GET CLOSER, BUT ONE OF OUR GOALS FOR THE NEXT YEAR, UH, IS GONNA BE TO DROP THAT NUMBER TO AVERAGE AROUND 60%.
RIGHT NOW, WE'RE AT 65 OVER THE YEAR, AND WE'VE GOT SOME STRATEGIES TO DO THAT, WHICH I'LL OUTLINE AS WE GET TO, UH, THESE NEXT SLIDES.
UM, THIS IS A SUMMARY OF THE CASES THAT WERE ACTUALLY PRESENTED TO THE BOARD.
WE SAW A 30% OR A 36% INCREASE THIS YEAR, AND JUST ABOUT EVERY MONTH INCREASED.
UH, THIS IS AN OVERALL SUMMARY.
I SAY THAT'S INTERESTING GIVEN THAT THE CASES PRESENTED TO THE BOARD INCREASED WHILE CASES REVIEWED, DECREASED, OR, OR THE, YOUR INITIALS, UH, YOUR INITIAL SPEC, WHICH WAS CASES WE'VE TALKED TO PEOPLE
[01:45:01]
ABOUT, DECREASED, HAVE, IT'S SMALL, SMALL, WE ONLY HAVE TWO YEARS, BUT DO YOU HAVE A SENSE FOR WHAT THE DIFFERENCE IS? UM, THAT'S SOMETHING WE DEFINITELY WANT TO EXPLORE.IT'S ONLY TWO YEARS AS WELL WITH LOOKING IN BETWEEN THE TWO.
BUT, BUT YES, I, I, I DO WANNA LOOK INTO THAT FURTHER AND HOW WE CAN USE THOSE NUMBERS TO BETTER SERVE.
SO IN THE OVERALL, UM, THE NUMBER OF HEARINGS WE SHOWED A 30% INCREASE.
UM, I BELIEVE WE ONLY CANCELED ONE HEARING, UH, THE WHOLE YEAR, IF I REMEMBER CORRECTLY.
IT, IT WAS BECAUSE WE COULDN'T GET A QUORUM.
THAT'S THE ONLY REASON THAT WAS CANCELED.
BUT YES, AS INTO COMPARISON TO THE PREVIOUS YEARS WHERE WE CANCELED QUITE A FEW BASED ON LACK OF CASES, UM, WE DID SEE A 20% INCREASE IN APPLICATIONS, AND THE REQUEST REMAINED PRETTY CLOSE TO THE SAME.
UH, JASON, CAN YOU, UM, I DON'T HAVE AN UNDERSTANDING OF THE DIFFERENTIATION OF A CASE THAT'S REVIEWED.
WHAT HAPPENS TO IT WHEN IT'S REVIEWED, BUT IT'S NOT ACCEPTED? DOES THAT MEAN YOU SETTLED IT IN SOME WAY, SHAPE, OR FORM, OR, YES.
OR THEY DIDN'T ACTUALLY RETURN TO FILE THE CASE? SO, SO AGAIN, THAT THIS, THESE NEXT COUPLE SLIDES, WE'RE GONNA DIG INTO THAT A LITTLE MORE TO TRY AND FIND OUT WHAT THAT IS AND ACTUALLY REDUCE, UM, WE'VE GOT SOME, SOME IDEAS ON THAT AND, AND I'LL, I'LL MENTION THAT IN THE NEXT COUPLE SLIDES.
SO HERE'S KIND OF A BREAKDOWN OF THE REQUESTS, UH, BETWEEN LAST PHY OR PREVIOUS PHYSICAL YEAR AND LAST PHYSICAL YEAR.
UM, AS FAR AS SPECIAL EXCEPTIONS GO, WE HAD A, THEY WERE, THEY WERE ABOUT THE SAME.
THE AO APPEALS WENT UP BY 25%.
UH, FEE WAIVERS UP BY 400% AS WE DIDN'T HAVE ANY, THE, THE, THE PREVIOUS YEAR.
AND THEN OUR HOLDOVERS, WHICH I THOUGHT THIS WAS A GOOD NUMBER, WENT DOWN BY 69%.
AND I THINK, UH, I, I DON'T WANNA JUMP THE GUN, BUT I, I PRIDE THAT OUR CASE REPORTS GOT BETTER AND MAYBE THEY DIDN'T HAVE TO GET HELD OVER AS MUCH.
I THINK THE CASE REPORTS GOT BETTER, AND I THINK THE BOARD IS EVOLVING TO BE, MAKE MORE DECISIONS AS OPPOSED TO ENOUGH IN THEY'RE GETTING ENOUGH INFORMATION SO THEY CAN MAKE A DECISION.
AND HERE'S A SUMMARY OF THE CASE OUTCOMES.
UH, WE HAD A 9% INCREASE IN APPROVAL, AN 11% INCREASE IN DENIALS, UH, A 75% PRODUCTION IN THOSE HELD AND WITHDRAWN.
AND THESE NEXT SLIDES ILLUSTRATE OUR GOALS FOR, FOR THIS COMING YEAR OR THIS CURRENT YEAR.
UH, AGAIN, THEY CENTER AROUND TIMELINESS, TRANSPARENCY, ACCURACY, AND TEAMWORK.
UH, THE FIRST ONE IS WE WOULD LIKE TO, UH, REDUCE THE AVERAGE DAYS, UH, FROM APPLICATION TO HEARING BY AN ADDITIONAL 10%, UH, AND THE APPLICATIONS TO ACCEPTED GAP TO 60%, WHICH IS WHAT WE SHOWED BEFORE WITH THE, UH, THE CASE IS REVIEWED VERSUS THE CASE IS ACCEPTED.
UM, ONE OF THE THINGS WE'RE GONNA DO IS, UH, WE'RE GONNA INTRODUCE A LOG WHERE WE LOG ALL OF THOSE REVIEWS, AND WE WILL INSTITUTE A FOLLOW UP AFTER SEVEN DAYS TO FOLLOW UP WITH THOSE APPLICANTS TO SEE WHERE, WHERE THEY'RE AT.
AND I DON'T KNOW THAT WE'VE DONE ANY OF THAT BEFORE, BUT THIS WAY, WE'LL, WE'LL, WE'LL BE PROACTIVE ABOUT ENGAGING EACH, EACH, UH, EACH REVIEW WHENEVER IT COMES THROUGH.
UM, WE'D LIKE TO INCREASE OUR OVERALL CUSTOMER SERVICE AND ACCESSIBILITY, UH, FEEDBACK OPTIONS, UM, IMPLEMENT AND MAINTAIN QC AND ALL BDA PROCESSES.
WE'VE, WE'VE STARTED WITH OUR CASE REPORTS.
WE'RE GONNA EXPAND THAT, UH, AND PROVIDE QUARTERLY TRAINING, CROSS TRAINING, TEAM BUILDING AND DEPARTMENTAL COLLABORATION.
NOW, AS FAR AS TIMELINESS GOES TO EXPAND ON THAT, UM, REDUCING THE 10%, UH, BY THE END OF THE YEAR TO ENSURE AND ENSURE THAT 90% OF THOSE APPLICATIONS HAVE A PRIMARY METRIC BETWEEN 54 AND 60 DAYS.
WITH THIS NEW CALENDAR, WE'VE REDUCED IT AN ADDITIONAL WEEK.
SO WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO HIT THAT GOAL AS WE DID THE PREVIOUS YEAR IN OUR PRE-SCREEN REVIEW.
UH, THIS IS PART OF OUR, OUR TRACKING AND OUR LOGGING, IS WE WANNA REDUCE THAT FROM TWO TO THREE DAYS TO ONE TO TWO DAYS, UH, BY THE END OF THE NEXT QUARTER.
UM, WE HAVE IMPLEMENTED A STANDARD ZONING CHECKLIST FOR THAT.
UH, ONE OF THE REASONS FOR THAT IS TO, UH, JUST BE ABLE TO STREAMLINE THAT PROCESS A LITTLE BIT.
SO WE'RE CHECKING FOR THE SAME THING
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AND, AND MOVING THROUGH THE SAME PROCESS EVERY TIME WITH CONSULTATIONS.WE'RE GONNA COME IN AND WE WILL FOLLOW UP WITH STAKEHOLDERS WITHIN SEVEN TO 10 BUSINESS DAYS IF WE HAVEN'T HEARD BACK FROM THEM ALREADY.
AND AGAIN, THAT'S, THAT'S LOOKING TO TRY AND COLLECT THE DATA TO DETERMINE HOW TO REDUCE OUR REVIEW TO ACCEPTANCE.
UH, WE DO WANT TO REDUCE THE GAP.
AND YES, AGAIN, BETWEEN APPLICATIONS AND, AND, AND, AND, UH, WHAT WAS REVIEWED WITH TRANSPARENCY, UH, WE ARE LOOKING TO ENHANCE THE WEBSITE EVEN MORE.
I BELIEVE WE HAVE A, A LIST THAT WE'RE WORKING ON, AND WE'LL CONTINUE TO ENSURE OUR WEEKLY UPDATES AND AS NEEDED UPDATES ARE MADE.
UH, MARY WAS GIVEN THE AUTHORIZATION TO DO THAT, UH, THE BEGINNING OF LAST FISCAL YEAR.
AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO THAT AND CONTINUE SUPPORT HER IN THAT BOARD MEMBERS THAT IT'S A VERY FINE LINE OF WHAT WE AS A BOARD AND WHAT THE STAFF CAN DO AS A SUPPORT TO THE BOARD ABOUT THE OUTREACH BEYOND A SPECIFIC APPLICATION.
BECAUSE EACH APPLICATION STANDS ON ITS OWN, AND IT'S NOT AS THOUGH THE BE THE BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT CAN GO ON A ROAD SHOW TO SAY, THIS IS WHAT WE DO, NOR, OR THE STAFF TO NECESSARILY DO THAT.
WHAT'S IMPORTANT IS TO MAKE SURE THE WEBSITE IS AS UPDATED AS POSSIBLE AND PEOPLE ARE GIVEN THE ASSISTANCE WHEN THEY, WHEN THE REQUEST COMES, AND IT'S CONSISTENT AND FAIR ERROR.
THE NEXT THING WE'RE GONNA LOOK AT IS, UH, OUR PRINTED APPLICATION THAT WE HAVE AT THE OFFICE.
WE'LL ALSO HAVE A QR CODE, AND IT WILL TAKE YOU TO A FILLABLE FORM.
UM, WE'RE ALSO GONNA LOOK AT THAT APPLICATION TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE KEEPING CURRENT WITH EXACTLY WHAT IS REQUIRED, UM, AND MAKE SURE OUR CHECKLISTS ARE UPDATED AND CONTINUE TO BE UPDATED AS WE GO.
UH, WE ARE LOOKING TO TRANS, EXCUSE ME, TO TRANSITION TO AN ONLINE SUBMISSION BY THE END OF THE THIRD QUARTER.
UH, WHETHER THIS IS THROUGH OUR NEW PROGRAM, ELA OR, OR WE GO A DIFFERENT ROUTE, BUT WE'RE EXPLORING WAYS TO BRIDGE THAT GAP RIGHT NOW, UH, WITH A DIGITAL SUBMISSION AND KEEP IT A FULL DIGITAL PROCESS RATHER THAN HAVING PAPER AND GOING BACK AND FORTH BETWEEN THE TWO.
UM, WE ARE LOOKING TO IMPLEMENT A SURVEY, UH, A STAKEHOLDER SURVEY BY THE END OF END OF NEXT QUARTER.
AND WITH THIS SURVEY, WE WANT TO IDENTIFY AT LEAST THREE AREAS OF IMPROVEMENT, AND WE'LL BE SENDING THAT OUT.
IT'LL BE ON OUR WEBSITE, IT'LL BE, UH, IN OUR EMAIL SIGNATURES AS WELL AS, UH, OUR APPLICATION.
THAT'LL BE INTERESTING TO GET THE RESULTS OF THAT BECAUSE YOU'RE SURVEYING PEOPLE THAT HAVE HAD CONTACT EITHER WITH YOU OR THE BOARD.
SO IF YOU, IF YOU HAD CONTACT AND YOU GOT WHAT YOU WANTED TO PROVE, YOU'RE GONNA SAY IT'S GREAT.
IF, ON THE OTHER HAND, THE BOARD DENIED, YOU'RE GONNA SAY IT'S HORRIBLE.
SO THAT'LL BE INTERESTING TO SEE HOW THAT SORTS OUT.
BUT, BUT IT'LL BE INTERESTING TO SEE THE DATA.
OUR NEXT GOAL UNDER ACCURACY, UM, WE WILL BE LOOKING AT THE PRESCREEN REVIEW, AND AGAIN, I'VE MENTIONED THE CHECKLIST TO HELP WITH, UH, WITH STREAMLINING THAT.
AND WE'RE LOOKING TO REDUCE OUR PRESCREEN OVERSIGHTS, WHICH, WHICH DO SLOW DOWN SOME OF OUR REVIEWS BY AT LEAST 5%.
SO WE'LL BE TRACKING THOSE AND WE'LL BE LOOKING CLOSELY AT THOSE AS WE MOVE FORWARD.
UM, WE'LL ALSO BE LOOKING AT OUR APPLICATION INTAKE WHERE WE, WE HAVE QC IN THERE ALREADY, BUT WE'RE STILL LOOKING TO REDUCE ANY OVERSIGHTS AND PROCESSING TIME.
AND THROUGH THAT, UH, WE'LL BE LOGGING AND FOLLOWING UP THE SEVEN TO 10 DAYS, UH, LOOKING TO INCREASE, UH, THE PERCENTAGE OF APPLICATIONS ACCEPTED BY 10%.
OUR CASE REPORTS, AGAIN, WE'LL CONTINUE WITH OUR QC THAT WE'RE WORKING ON NOW, AND WE'LL MAKE CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENTS AS NEEDED.
UH, NOTIFICATION AND POST HEARINGS, WE'RE GONNA CONTINUE WITH NOTICING HOLDOVERS, WHICH WE STARTED LAST, LAST FISCAL YEAR, AND MAINTAIN ALL EXISTING PRACTICES TO, TO MEET OUR CURRENT DEADLINES.
SO BOARD MEMBER, BOARD MEMBERS.
HISTORICALLY, WHEN A CASE IS HELD OVER, WE DIDN'T RE NOTIFY THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
IT JUST KIND OF WENT INTO THIS WAY.
AND SO THE OFFICERS REQUESTED OF THE STAFF THAT WE GO THROUGH THE EFFORT TO RE NOTIFY SO THAT THEY ARE AWARE THAT THE HEARING DATE GOT MOVED TO ANOTHER DATE SO THAT PEOPLE AREN'T LOST IN THE SHUFFLE OF HEARINGS.
[01:55:01]
UH, TEAMWORK, WHICH WE'RE GONNA WORK WITH, UH, STAFF AND BOARD TRAINING TO PROVIDE THE SCHEDULED QUARTERLY TRAININGS.I KNOW WE MENTIONED THIS LAST YEAR, WE'RE GONNA WORK HARDER ON IT THIS YEAR AND PARTNER WITH THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE FOR ONBOARDING OF NEW MEMBERS.
UM, WE DO APPRECIATE ANY OUTREACH YOU HAVE AS FAR AS, UH, OR FEEDBACK YOU HAVE AS FAR AS TRAINEES GO.
UM, WE DID HEAR INTEREST ON THE CPC ZONING PROCESS AND ANY, ANY TRAININGS YOU WOULD LIKE TO SEE, PLEASE, PLEASE DON'T HESITATE TO LET US KNOW.
I THINK RIGHT NOW WE'RE JUST KINDA LETTING OUR JUDGMENT DICTATE WHAT WHAT WE SEE TRAINING NEEDS TO HAPPEN.
AND I WOULD ENCOURAGE BOARD MEMBERS TO EITHER COMMUNICATE DIRECTLY TO ME AS YOUR CHAIRMAN OR TO YOUR PANEL VICE CHAIR SUGGESTIONS THAT YOU HAVE, AND THEN WE'LL FUNNEL THAT TOGETHER TO MS. LOU OR MR. POOL, OR SARAH MAY.
SO COMMUNICATE THROUGH YOUR VICE, YOUR PANEL VICE CHAIR OR MYSELF, AND THEN WE'LL COMMUNICATE.
SO WE'RE SPEAKING IN ONE VOICE.
UH, ONE OF OUR BIG INITIATIVES AS FAR AS DEPARTMENT WIDE IS, HAS BEEN CROSS TRAINING AND LOOKING AT SUCCESSION PLANNING, AND THAT THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WILL CONTINUE TO THE BOARD.
UM, WE ARE LOOKING TO ENSURE THAT EACH, UH, TEAM MEMBER IS CROSS-TRAINED IN ANOTHER DISCIPLINE, UM, SO THAT BY THE END OF THE FISCAL YEAR, IF, IF SOMEONE IS OUT, WE DON'T, WE DON'T HAVE ANY LOSS AT ALL.
UM, WE'RE ALSO LOOKING TO DEVELOP WORKSHOPS FOR SENIOR STAFF MEMBERS TO ENSURE INIT OR, UH, EXCUSE ME, INTERNAL GROWTH AMONG THE TEAM.
UH, WE'RE LOOKING AT QUARTERLY TEAM BUILDING FOR EACH OF THE BOARD MEMBERS, UH, THE FIRST TO BE SCHEDULED BY THE END OF THE FIRST QUARTER, AND THEN INCREASE OUR INTERDEPARTMENTAL COLLABORATION AND PROMOTE EVENTS TO ENHANCE COLLABORATION BETWEEN DEPARTMENTS.
AND SPECIFICALLY WE'RE LOOKING AT RESIDENTIAL ZONING, SUBDIVISION CONSERVATION DISTRICTS, AND CURRENT PLANNING TO HELP STREAMLINE ALL OF OUR WORKFLOWS.
AND THAT CONCLUDES QUESTIONS FOR MR. POOL OR MS. LOU, MS. DAVIS.
UH, MR. POOLE, THERE'S NO DOUBT YOU'VE MADE SUBSTANTIAL IMPROVEMENTS TO THE PROCESSES HERE AS A BOARD MEMBER WHO'S BEEN ON THE, UM, WHO'S BEEN SERVING FOR ABOUT THREE YEARS.
I MEAN, YOU'RE, THE CHANGES THAT YOU'VE MADE, INCLUDING THE VIDEO, UM, JUST SOME OF THE PRESENTATION TWEAKS THAT YOU'VE MADE HAS MADE IT VERY, VERY EASY FOR US.
MUCH EASIER TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THE REQUIREMENTS ARE, WHAT THEY'RE ASKING FOR, WHAT THE STANDARDS ARE.
SO I TRULY THANK YOU FOR THAT BECAUSE YOU'VE MADE A, A HUGE IMPACT.
I CAN ALSO SEE A LOT OF METRICS HAVE IMPROVED, AND I KNOW THAT THOSE METRICS ARE IMPORTANT TO A LOT OF PEOPLE.
SO WHAT I'M ABOUT TO SAY DOESN'T DISCOUNT THAT AS A BOARD MEMBER, MY BIGGEST CONCERN IS THE ACCURACY OF THE INFORMATION THAT WE GET, BECAUSE WHEN WE GET INFORMATION THAT IS OUTDATED, IT IS NOT CORRECT.
IT'S EMBARRASSING FOR THE CITY OF DALLAS.
SO FOR ME, I WOULD RATHER SEE A LONGER LAG TIME THAN GET INACCURATE INFORMATION.
AND I ALSO BELIEVE THERE'S A LACK OF ACCOUNTABILITY, AND I THINK THAT IS ALSO EMBARRASSING.
SO I, I JUST WOULD LOVE TO HEAR YOUR THOUGHTS ON THAT BECAUSE WE'RE A WONDERFUL CITY.
WE'RE THE NINTH LARGEST CITY IN THE COUNTRY.
AND SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE'VE HAD TO DEAL WITH BECAUSE OF INACCURATE INFORMATION, IT'S EXTREMELY FRUSTRATING TO US AS VOLUNTEERS.
I'M SURE IT'S EXTREMELY FRUSTRATING TO THE STAFF, BUT WHAT CAN WE, OR WHAT CAN THE DEPARTMENT DO TO MAKE SURE THAT WHEN WE ARE GETTING INFORMATION ON THE CASE, THE MAPS ARE UPDATED, THE ZONING INFORMATION IS UPDATED, EVERYTHING IS ACCURATE, AND THERE'S ACCOUNTABILITY THERE, NOT POINTER POINT, FINGER POINTING.
IS THAT QUESTION TO MR. POOLE OR THE BOSS
YEAH, THANK, THANK YOU FOR THAT QUESTION.
UM, I, I DO REALIZE THAT THERE IS A, A FINE BALANCE BETWEEN SPEED AND ACCURACY AND, AND WE'RE LOOKING TO, TO FIND THAT BALANCE AND WEIGH MORE PROBABLY ON THE ACCURACY SIDE.
UM, THIS, THIS IS WHY WHEN WE, WHEN WE IMPLEMENTED THE METRICS, WE ALSO PAIRED IT WITH A QC PROGRAM.
AND I THINK THESE ARE BOTH THINGS THAT WE'RE DEVELOPING AT THE SAME TIME.
UH, THE QC IS, IS HAVING A SECOND SET OF EYES ON EVERYTHING.
UM, IT'S, IT'S HARDER FOR, FOR TWO PEOPLE TO MISS SOMETHING THAN, THAN IT IS FOR, FOR ONE PERSON TO MISS IT.
AND I, I THINK AS WE GO, WE'RE GONNA GET BETTER AT IT.
UM, AND, AND THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE WILL CONSTANTLY BE LOOKING AT IS THE ACCURACY SIDE.
I THINK WE'VE LEARNED A LOT OF LESSONS FROM, FROM SOME OF THESE CHANGES WE'VE
[02:00:01]
BEEN THROUGH AND SOME OF THESE OVERSIGHTS THAT HAVE HAPPENED.AND WE'LL CONTINUE TO IMPLEMENT THOSE LESSONS IN, IN FUTURE CASES.
LIKE, UH, THEY'RE, THEY'RE NOT GONNA, THEY'RE NOT GONNA GO AWAY.
I'VE GOT MR. VICE CHAIR, AGNES, MR. HAVIS, AND THEN MR. CANNON, AND THEN MS. P*****K.
SO MR. VICE CHAIRMAN AGNES, AND THEN DR. GLOVER.
UH, MS. LUTH, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE AND SPENDING, UH, REAL QUALITY TIME WITH US.
I KNOW THAT THE BIG BOSS HAS A LOT OF PLACES TO BE.
AND, AND, UH, THANK YOU FOR, FOR SPENDING MORE THAN PERFUNCTORY TIME WITH US.
I I VERY MUCH APPRECIATE THAT.
I HAVEN'T ASKED, YOU WALKED IN BY THE TIME WE SEE SOMETHING, IT HAS BEEN PERCOLATING FOR MONTHS OR, OR A YEAR OR WHATNOT, AND YOU WALKED IN INTO, YOU KNOW, MIDWAY, UH, AS WELL.
I, WE ARE BEGINNING TO SEE MORE AND MORE CASES WHERE THE CITY IS A PARTY, WHICH I THINK IS CODE FOR, UM, THE CITY MAY HAVE MADE A MISTAKE IN THE PROCESS, OR AT LEAST CAUGHT SOMETHING OR CHANGED ITS MIND.
AND, AND WE'RE CERTAINLY NOT SPEAKING OF ANY SPECIFIC CASE.
AND I PREDICT WE THIS MAY GO CONTINUE GOING FORWARD UNTIL IT GETS, MAY GET WORSE, BEFORE IT GETS BETTER.
UM, MY ASK OF, AND IT CAN ONLY COME FROM THE BOSS, IS THAT YOU SUPPORT THE PEOPLE ON YOUR STAFF WHO STAND UP AND OWN IT AND DON'T MAKE A MISDEMEANOR INTO A FELONY.
AND IT PROBABLY HAS TO BE REINFORCED AND IT, YOU KNOW, IT'S GOTTA COME FROM THE BOSS.
AND, YOU KNOW, IF YOU GIVE US THE COMPLETE INFORMATION TO MAKE A DECISION, AS PAINFUL AS IT MAY BE, I, I BELIEVE WE WE'RE CAPABLE OF, OF DOING IT IN AS FAIR WAY AS POSSIBLE.
BUT, UH, YOU KNOW, HUMAN INSTINCT IS WHEN THERE'S A MISTAKE TO BE MADE TO COVER IT.
IT'S EVERYONE THAT CAN BE OVERCOME BY LEADERSHIP.
AND MY MY ASK IS, UH, IF YOU DO THAT, WE'LL DO OUR JOB AND WE'LL GET THROUGH IT.
UH, I SEE THE PROCESS IS CHANGING, BUT THERE IS A LAG.
VICE CHAIR AGNES, MR. OVITZ, AND THEN I'VE GOT MR. CANNON, MS. POLLETT, THEN DR. GLOVER.
THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN AND MR. SASH.
MR. POOL IS PROBABLY, UH, AT MY END, I'M STILL HAVING A LITTLE PROBLEM TERMINOLOGY WISE.
SO THERE'S CASES RECEIVED, THEY'RE REVIEWED, AND IN SOME CASES, IN MANY CASES, UH, THE CITY'S ABLE TO RESOLVE THAT WITHOUT BRINGING IT TO THIS BOARD.
SO, UH, I WOULD VIEW THAT AS A GOOD OUTCOME.
SO I'M WONDERING WHY THERE IS AN OBJECTIVE TO INCREASE THE PERCENTAGE OF CASES THAT, THAT COME TO THE BOARD.
IF I, IF I READ THE, THE SLIDE CORRECTLY, I BELIEVE WE WERE JUST TRYING TO REDUCE THE GAP BETWEEN THE CASES REVIEWED AND THE CASES ACCEPTED.
AND WE HAVEN'T LOOKED AT WHY THOSE CASES WERE, WERE NOT ACTUALLY BECOMING A, UH, AN ACTUAL BOARD CASE.
MR. POOLE, I THINK YOU NEED TO, DON'T GO DEEP 'CAUSE WE, WE GOTTA TURN TIME HERE.
UH, YOU NEED TO COMMUNICATE TO THE BOARD WHAT ACCEPTED MEANS BECAUSE IT, THE STAFF DOES NOT DECIDE WHETHER AN APPEAL COMES TO THE BOARD, BUT THEY GO THROUGH A CHECKLIST OF THINGS THAT HAVE TO BE SUBMITTED IN ORDER FOR IT TO QUALIFY.
AM I, I DON'T WANNA SPEAK FOR YOU.
SO ONCE THE APPLICATION IS COMPLETE AND ALL ITEMS ARE PROVIDED, THEN IT MOVES FORWARD TO THE BOARD.
SO SOMETHING THAT MAY COME TO US WOULD BE HELPFUL TRAINING MAYBE IS THAT CHECKLIST.
NOW, THREE YEARS AGO WHEN I FIRST CAME ON THE BOARD, BACK IN THE BOARD, MS. SARAMA, I SPENT A DAY TOGETHER AND WE WENT THROUGH THIS LONG CHECKLIST AND I SAID, OH MY GOSH, YOU EXPECT A PROPERTY OWNER TO GO THROUGH ALL THIS? AND SHE SAID, YEAH, THAT'S THE RULE.
SO THE CHECKLIST, WHATEVER THAT CHECKLIST IS, I THINK MR. HOPKOS IS WHAT THEY'RE SAYING IS ACCEPTED VERSUS NOT.
THEY DON'T INDEPENDENTLY SAY THIS APPEAL COMES FORWARD OR NOT, BUT ONE YOU REMEMBER THAT DAY, SARAH? YEAH.
WE WENT TO, UH, THAT, WHEN THAT CHECKLIST IS MET OF DO YOU HAVE THIS DOCUMENT, A TAX RECORD? DO HAVE YOU PAID YOUR TAXES? DO YOU HAVE THE DEED? ARE YOU THE PROPERTY OWNER? UH, ALL THESE OTHER THINGS IS WHAT HAS TO BE MET.
OKAY, FIRST OFF, UM, I WANT TO SECOND OR ECHO, UH, MS. DAVIS'S COMMENTS ABOUT THE, JUST THE DATA, THE METRICS.
THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.
AND WITH THAT BEING SAID, UH, MY QUESTION IS GEARING TOWARDS THE, UM, THIS BDA
[02:05:01]
SURVEY, UM, THAT'S I GUESS TARGETED TO BE COMPLETED BY, UM, THE SECOND QUARTER OF THIS FISCAL YEAR.UM, YOU MENTIONED THAT THERE WOULD BE A SURVEY OF STAKEHOLDERS, WHICH, UM, YOU'RE SAYING THERE WAS A POINT THAT THIS SURVEY WOULD BE REFERENCED IN EMAIL SIGNATURES, BUT ONE POINT THAT I'D BE CURIOUS ABOUT, UM, AS A BOARD IS, UM, SURVEYING LIKE COMMUNITY MEMBERS, THOSE THAT MAKE THEIR WAY TO OUR HEARINGS IN PERSON OR ONLINE, JUST TO GET WHAT THEIR FEEDBACK IS.
I KNOW, UM, OVER THE PAST FEW MONTHS, SOME COMMUNITY MEMBERS, THIS HAS BEEN, YOU KNOW, IT'S A CHALLENGE TO EITHER MAKE TIME OUT OF THEIR DAY TO EITHER COME ALL THE WAY DOWN TO CITY HALL OR EVEN TO LOG ON.
SO I THINK IF, I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S PART OF THE MATERIAL THAT'S BEING SURVEYED, BUT, UM, IF WE COULD HAVE LIKE A POINT OF CONTACT LIKE IN THE HEARING ROOM WITH MAYBE LIKE A QR CODE OR LIKE A POST, UM, OR I'M TRYING TO SAY LIKE AN EMAIL TO THOSE THAT ARE SPEAKING ONLINE, JUST SO THAT WE CAN REALLY GATHER MORE DATA TO SEE WHAT ARE THE PAIN POINTS THAT THE, UM, THE PUBLIC IS FACING IF THEY'RE EITHER THE APPLICANT OR IF THEY'RE SPEAKING FOR OR AGAINST A CASE.
UM, AS WE, AS WE LOOK AT THIS IMPLEMENTATION, THERE ARE OTHER AREAS FOR THAT.
WE CAN DO IT INTO THE SPEAKER REGISTRATION EMAILS AS THEY COME BACK.
UM, JUST AS YOU SAY THAT, THINKING OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD AS, AS THEY GET REGISTERED TO SPEAK, WE COULD HAVE IT IN THERE.
UM, AND THEN, LIKE YOU SAID IN THE HEARINGS, WE CAN PUT IT ON THE SCREEN AND PEOPLE CAN SCAN IT, UH, AT THE END OF A MEETING.
LIKE THERE, THERE'S LOTS OF OPPORTUNITY THERE AND WE WILL BE EXPLORING THAT AS WE MOVE FORWARD.
UH, KUDOS TO THE STAFF FOR THE IMPROVEMENTS THAT HAVE ALREADY BEEN MADE, AND I LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUED IMPROVEMENTS IN THE, UM, DEPARTMENT.
MY QUESTION REFERS TO THE CALENDAR.
I KNOW THIS IS PROBABLY VERY NAIVE, BUT I WANNA MAKE SURE, UH, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE SAME THING.
WHEN YOU SAY FIRST QUARTER, YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THE QUARTER THAT BEGAN OCTOBER 1ST, THE CITY'S FISCAL YEAR, CORRECT? THAT'S CORRECT.
I HAVE MR. FINNEY, THEN MR. GLOVER, THEN MR. SINGTON.
SO FIRST OF ALL, I WOULD LIKE TO ECHO MY COLLEAGUE SENTIMENTS TO MR. POOLE AND HIS STAFF.
AND MS. LOU, UH, I REMEMBER A YEAR AGO SITTING HERE JUST BEING BLOWN AWAY AT THE PROGRESS THAT YOU HAD MADE THE PREVIOUS YEAR, AND I'M EQUALLY AS, UH, BLOWN AWAY THIS YEAR.
UM, BUT GIVEN THAT BUILDING ON MS. DAVIS'S QUESTION ABOUT ACCOUNTABILITY TO YOUR LAST POINT, MR. POOLE, ABOUT ENHANCING COLLABORATION, UH, BETWEEN DEPARTMENTS.
YOU KNOW, EVERY ORGANIZATION LOVES TO TOUT THE WORD COLLABORATION.
I'M CURIOUS, WHAT ARE YOUR SPECIFIC STRATEGIES FOR DOING THIS, FOR ACCOMPLISHING THIS? 'CAUSE IT SEEMS LIKE A CRUCIAL COMPONENT TO ADDRESSING THE ISSUE OF ACCOUNTABILITY.
SO, JUST SOME OF THE IMMEDIATE FRUITS OF OUR TWO DEPARTMENTS COMBINING ARE JUST COMBINED MEETINGS AND HAVING MORE AVAILABLE SETS OF EYES TO LOOK AT THINGS.
UM, IT SHORTENS THE GAP IN THOSE COMMUNICATIONS.
UM, AS MS. MS. LOU, DIRECTOR LOU SAID A SECOND AGO, LIKE JUST COMING OUT OF ONE MEETING, WE, WE HAVE A COLLABORATION BETWEEN LONG RANGE PLANNING AND BOARD OF ADJUSTMENTS TO BEGIN LOOKING AT WAYS TO AMEND CODE BASED ON VARIANCES.
SO, SO JUST HAVING ADDITIONAL MEMBERS, ADDITIONAL, UH, PLANNERS IN THERE TO LOOK AT THINGS, UH, IS, IS ONE WAY.
UM, ANOTHER WAY WE'RE LOOKING AT IS CROSS TRAINING SOME OF OUR SENIOR PLANNERS, UH, TO BE ABLE TO DO MULTIPLE, MULTIPLE CASES.
SO WE, WE, WE GET A DIFFERENT SET OF EYES ON THINGS.
UM, THEY'RE BEYOND JUST THE, UH, THE MANAGER OVERSEEING THINGS LIKE WE, WE GET ADDITIONAL MEMBERS AND, AND KEY STAFF THAT CAN ANALYZE THINGS BEYOND JUST THE, THE ONE CASE RIGHT THEN IN THAT MOMENT, IF THAT, IF THAT ANSWERS YOUR QUESTION.
I'VE GOT MR. SINGTON AND THEN MR. GLOVER.
I'D LIKE TO FIRST, UH, THANK, UH, CHAIR NEWMAN AND BOTH VICE FOR CREATING SUCH A STRONG, UH, LOOP BACK PROCESS.
UH, IT'S EVIDENT THAT A LOT OF FEEDBACK THAT WE HAVE GIVEN HAS BEEN ACTIONED AND HAS BROUGHT US TO THIS POINT.
UM, I WOULD ALSO WANT TO COMMEND YOUR TEAM, UM, MR. POOLE, FOR THE TREMENDOUS WORK THAT YOU HAVE DONE TO BRING US TO THIS POINT.
THIS HAS MADE THE WORK WE DO MORE OR LESS DAUNTING, UH, KUDOS TO YOUR TEAM.
WHAT I'VE COME TO REALIZE, AND TO BE HONEST WITH YOU, THAT THERE IS A DISCONNECT BETWEEN YOUR DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS.
AND I WANT TO SUGGEST THAT, UH,
[02:10:01]
DIRECTOR EMILY, YOU WORK WITH THE DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS TO FORM A CERTAIN SYNERGY.SO THERE'S A FLUID TRANSITION OF INFORMATION.
UH, SO FAR I'VE BEEN VERY IMPRESSED WITH WHERE WE HAVE GOTTEN TO, AND I'M VERY CONFIDENT THAT MOVING FORWARD, ALL OUR SUGGESTIONS TO YOU WILL BE TACKLED AND WE'LL SEE TREMENDOUS PROGRESS.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS THAT I'M GONNA RECAP AND THEN WE'RE GONNA MOVE TO, UM, MY BRIEF CHAIRMAN'S REPORT.
UH, MS. LIU AND I YESTERDAY VISITED FOR AN HOUR IN ANTICIPATION OF THIS MEETING, AND I EXPRESSED TO HER FRUSTRATION OF THE BOARD, CONCERN OF THE BOARD, BUT HOPE, GREAT PROGRESS THAT HAS BEEN OCCURRED IN THE LAST YEAR, TWO YEARS.
BUT FRUSTRATION ABOUT ACCURACY, FAIRNESS, CONCERN ABOUT THE PERMITTING PROCESS, CONCERN ABOUT THE INSPECTIONS, CONCERN ABOUT WHAT IS IT THAT COMES TO US SO THAT WE CAN MAKE A FAIR AND ACCURATE DECISION.
I TOLD HER AT THE END OF OUR MEETING YESTERDAY THAT I WOULD SAY ON RECORD, OUR, THE, THE, THE CONCERN, BUT THE HOPE, UH, THE LAST THING THAT WE DO IN OUR ANNUAL REPORT IS MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE CITY COUNCIL.
THE OFFICERS CAME UP WITH THREE, IT'S UP TO THE BOARD TO ADOPT OR NOT, BUT THEY ARE TO, IN, TO REQUEST.
THE CITY COUNCIL'S CONTINUED OVERSIGHT OF PLANNING DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT TO ENSURE TIMELINESS, ACCURACY AND TRANSPARENCY AND FAIRNESS.
THIS IS ON PAGE 1 92 OF YOUR PACKAGE.
AND NUMBER TWO, REQUEST THE CITY COUNCIL'S OVERSIGHT ON PERMITTING PROCESS AND PERSONNEL TO REDUCE PERMITTING ERRORS, WHICH HAVE LED TO UNDUE FINANCIAL COST DELAY AND UNFAIRNESS TO ALL INVOLVED.
SO WE HAVE FRUSTRATION AND CONCERN, MS. LOU, BUT WE HAVE HOPE AND WE'RE COMMITTED TO WORKING WITH YOU THROUGH YOUR TEAM, AND HOPEFULLY YOU THROUGH THE OFFICERS OF THE BOARD, AND SO THAT WE COULD ALL BE IN THE END, FAIR TO THE INDIVIDUAL PROPERTY OWNER IN DALLAS.
I'M ALSO COMMITTED TO WORKING WITH YOU TOGETHER, UH, TO MAKE THE DEPARTMENT BETTER, TO MAKE DALLAS A BETTER PLACE FOR ALL.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH WITH, UH, THAT TOOK LONGER THAN I ANTICIPATED, BUT I THINK IT WAS VERY GOOD, CONSTRUCTIVE, INTERACTIVE, A LOT OF GOOD INFORMATION WE WE RECEIVED, AND HOPEFULLY WE GAVE YOU FEEDBACK.
UH, THE NEXT AGENDA ITEM ON OUR THANK YOU AGAIN, MS. LOU AND MR. POOLE.
NEXT AGENDA ITEM, UH, ON OUR, IN OUR PACKET IS THE CHAIRMAN'S REPORT.
UH, IF YOU'D FLIP TO THAT ON WHOEVER'S CONTROLLING THE SCREEN.
THIS IS JUST A SINGLE PAGE UPDATE FROM MYSELF AND THE TWO VICE CHAIRS TALKING ABOUT FOCUS, ADVOCACY, EMPOWERMENT, TRANSITION, AND PROGRESS.
UH, I RE APPRECIATE DR. GLOVER, YOUR COMMENTS ABOUT FEEDBACK LOOP.
THAT IS ABSOLUTELY PART OF OUR MISSION, AND THAT IS TO, IS TO GET FEEDBACK THAT OCCURS AT EACH OF THE PANELS AND GIVE THAT CHANNEL THROUGH LEADERSHIP TO THE STAFF.
AND YOU ARE ABSOLUTELY CORRECT.
I THINK THEY'RE RESPONDING AND ACTING.
THERE'S ALWAYS ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT.
BUT BOY, HAVE WE MADE PROGRESS IN THE LAST YEAR, TWO, THREE YEARS.
SO THE GIST OF YOUR CHAIRMAN'S REPORT ON PAGE 36 IS TO SAY THAT I AND THE OFFICERS HAVE BEEN MEETING REGULARLY WITH THE PROFESSIONAL STAFF THAT WE HAVE IMPLEMENTED THE RULES, CHANGES THAT WE PUT IN PLACE TWO YEARS AGO, UM, THAT WE ARE IN THAT SOME OF THE ALTERNATES, YOU'LL FEEL MY PRESENCE WHEN THERE'S A MEMBER THAT'S ABSENT.
I CHASE YOU DOWN IN ORDER TO GET YOU TO ATTEND BECAUSE WE ARE VERY COMMITTED TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE FIVE OF FIVE PANEL HEARINGS TO MAKE SURE THAT'S FAIR TO THE APPLICANTS.
AND WE DID THAT 90% OF THE TIME, 27 OUT OF 30 HEARINGS HAD FIVE FULL MEMBERS.
UM, YES, WE'VE HAD SOME TRANSITION IN STAFF THIS LAST YEAR, BUT WE'RE VERY HOPEFUL, UM, THAT DR.
MILLER'S HOSKINS IS IN PLACE AND GONNA CONTINUE MOVING FORWARD.
WE'RE GONNA, UH, I'M MEETING WITH JASON AND SARAH MAY ON FRIDAY MORNING AT NINE O'CLOCK TO TALK ABOUT THEIR TRANSITION OF EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP AND THAT SORT OF THING.
UM, AND SO, AND THE, THE NUMBER OF DAYS TO A HEARING IS JUST FABULOUS AT 60.
SO THAT'S YOUR CHAIRMAN'S REPORT.
NEXT ON OUR, ANY QUESTIONS, HEARING NONE.
NEXT ON OUR AGENDA IS BOARD TRAINING.
UH, IS OUR NEXT ON OUR AGENDA IS ETHICS AND CONFLICT OF INTEREST.
CHIEF INTEGRITY, OFFICER BARON ELIASON, WE APOLOGIZE FOR THE DELAY.
UH, WHAT YOU EXPERIENCED JUST THEN I THOUGHT WAS EXTREMELY HEALTHY FOR THE BOARD FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF GETTING, GIVING AND GETTING
[02:15:01]
FEEDBACK FROM THE DIRECTOR OF PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT.LET ME, UH, PULL UP MY PRESENTATION.
WHILE I'M DOING THAT, I'LL JUST INTRODUCE MYSELF TO THOSE OF YOU WHO, UH, HAVEN'T SEEN ME BEFORE.
I'M CHIEF INTEGRITY OFFICER WITH THE INSPECTOR GENERAL DIVISION THAT'S UNDER THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE.
AND MY JOB IS TO DO THINGS LIKE THIS, UH, TRAINING AND THOSE KINDS OF THINGS.
MY GOAL TODAY IS TO GIVE YOU WHAT I'D CALL KIND OF THE, THE WHERE'S THE RIP CORD.
SO WHILE I'M PULLING THIS UP, OH, IT'S UP MORE OR LESS.
UH, I WENT, UH, GLIDING WITH A FRIEND.
AND, UM, THE ONLY THING HE TOLD ME WAS, IF I TELL YOU TO EJECT, THAT'S THE LAST THING YOU'LL HEAR.
I'LL BE GONE PULL THIS STRING, RIGHT?
SO THAT'S WHAT I'M GONNA DO WITH YOU TODAY THAT WE, WE CAN'T POSSIBLY GO OVER THE COVE, BUT IN ABOUT 10 MINUTES, I CAN SHOW YOU WHERE THE RIP CO CODE CORD IS AND HOW TO PULL IT.
AND, UH, AND THEN EVERYTHING THAT HAPPENS AFTER THAT WILL FOLLOW.
SO THAT'S, UH, WHAT THIS PRESENTATION IS GONNA BE ABOUT.
THERE'S SO MUCH WE COULD TALK ABOUT WITH ETHICS.
AND HERE'S WHAT THE CODE OF ETHICS MEANS.
CODE OF ETHICS FOR US IN THE CITY JUST MEANS, UH, IT'S THE WAY WE PREVENT THE FACT OR THE APPEARANCE.
AND THOSE TWO THINGS ARE IMPORTANT.
THE FACT WHAT ACTUALLY HAPPENED OR THE APPEARANCE THAT THINGS AREN'T HAPPENING IN A FAIR WAY.
AND, UH, AS YOU JUST DISCUSSED BEFORE, ISSUES OF ACCURACY.
THAT'S HUGELY IMPORTANT, PARTICULARLY IN WHAT YOU DO, BECAUSE PEOPLE WANT TO BELIEVE THAT THE GOVERNMENT IS INFLUENCED BY GIFTS OR CONSIDERATIONS THAT ARE JUST ABOUT FAIRNESS.
THAT, YOU KNOW, YOU GUYS ARE IMPARTIAL AND THOSE KINDS OF THINGS.
AND THAT'S WHERE THE CODE OF ETHICS IS REALLY GETTING AT.
AND SO MY GOAL, AGAIN, THAT RIPCORD KIND OF AN ANALOGY, IS TO GIVE YOU A SPIDER SENSE.
WHAT'S THAT? IT'S THAT NAGGING FEELING THAT, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE TOUCHING ON AN ISSUE HERE THAT'S IN THE CODE OF ETHICS AND YOU KNOW WHAT TO DO ABOUT IT.
OKAY? SO WE'RE GONNA HIGHLIGHT SOME CONFLICT PROVISIONS, AND I MEAN HIGHLIGHT, AND THEN I'M GONNA PROVIDE YOU SOME RESOURCES ON THAT.
IF YOU LOOK AT THIS PICTURE, I LOVE THIS PICTURE.
THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT THE PUBLIC DOESN'T WANT.
IT DOESN'T, THEY DON'T WANT SOMEBODY IN GOVERNMENT HOLDING UP ONE SIDE TO THE DETRIMENT OF THE OTHER.
AND HERE'S THE BIG PICTURE IN TERMS OF ETHICS THAT YOU CAN HAVE IN MIND.
IF YOU GET THIS, YOU COULD WRITE THE CODE YOURSELF.
SO IN OTHER WORDS, THAT SPIDER SENSE IS ALREADY INSIDE OF YOU AND HERE, AND HERE'S WHAT IT IS.
YOU HAVE ACCESS TO MONEY, POWER, AUTHORITY, INFLUENCE, INFORMATION DECISION MAKING THAT THE PUBLIC DOESN'T HAVE.
AND SO YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO USE THAT FOR THE PUBLIC'S GOOD, AS YOU ALL KNOW.
AND THE CLASSIC BLUNDER IS WHEN YOU DO THAT FOR YOUR OWN PERSONAL GAIN, OR IF IT APPEARS AS THOUGH YOU'RE DOING THAT FOR YOUR OWN PERSONAL GAIN.
AND MORE LIKELY THAN NOT, YOU'RE GONNA BE IN, IN ALIGNMENT WITH THE CODE.
AND AT THE VERY BEGINNING OF THE CODE, THE CODE IS, UH, DIVIDED INTO ARTICLES.
THE VERY BEGINNING IN, UH, ARTICLE FOUR, IT SETS OUT SOME CODES OF BEHAVIOR AND, UH, STANDARDS OF CIVILITY.
I'VE GOT THEM HERE LISTED FOR YOU.
UH, NONE OF THESE ARE, AGAIN, ROCKET SCIENCE, BUT, UH, CONDUCT YOURSELVES WITH INTEGRITY IN A MANNER THAT JUSTIFIES THE TRUST AND SUPPORT OF THE PEOPLE.
DON'T TAKE ACTIONS THAT ARE GONNA BENEFIT YOU TO THE DETRIMENT OF THE CITY OR EVEN LOOK LIKE THEY DO.
RIGHT? SEE WHAT I MEAN? YOU ALREADY HAVE THIS SPIDER SENSE.
YOU WOULDN'T BE HERE IF YOU DIDN'T CAREFULLY CONSIDER PUBLIC PERCEPTION, ESPECIALLY IN YOUR POSITION.
AND WITH THE MONEY THAT'S AT STAKE AND THE DECISIONS THAT ARE AT STAKE AND THOSE KINDS OF THINGS.
YOU NEED TO, UH, BE AWARE OF THAT.
AND THAT'S, THAT'S THE BIG PICTURE.
WHEN YOU GET MORE GRANULAR, YOU'RE DEALING WITH TWO TYPES OF RULES IN THE CODE.
THERE ARE ALL THE TIME RULES, AND THERE ARE IF THEN RULES.
LET'S LOOK AT THE ALL THE TIME RULES.
IT'S THE HIGHEST DUTY UNDER THE LAW.
THAT'S THE UTMOST DUTY OF LOYALTY AND CARE TO THE PEOPLE OF THE CITY OF DALLAS.
IT'S JUST LIKE WHAT YOU WANT FROM YOUR DOCTOR.
NOT EVERYBODY REALIZES THAT THAT IS THE DUTY THAT WE OWE TO THE PEOPLE OF THE CITY, BUT IT IS NEXT ALL THE TIME.
WE'RE GONNA TREAT OTHER PEOPLE THE WAY WE WANT TO BE TREATED.
AND THE CODE REALLY DEALS WITH THIS IN TWO WAYS.
IT DEALS WITH IT, UH, IN THE WAY THAT WE ALL THINK ABOUT.
JUST TREAT ONE ANOTHER AS WE WOULD LIKE TO BE TREATED, RIGHT? BE GOOD NEIGHBORS TO ONE ANOTHER.
THE SECOND WAY THOUGH IS NOT AS INTUITIVE.
AND SO I BRING THIS UP BECAUSE A, IT'S NOT AS INTUITIVE AS SOME OF THESE OTHER RULES.
AND B, IT COMES UP ALL THE TIME.
IN FACT, I DID ANOTHER TRAINING THIS MORNING AT NINE O'CLOCK AND THIS IS WHAT THEY WANTED TO TALK ABOUT.
AND IT'S THE RELATIONSHIP AND HOW YOU DEAL WITH THE RELATIONSHIP AS CITY OFFICIALS, WHICH YOU ARE WHEN YOU'RE WORKING WITH EMPLOYEES.
AND WHEN YOU'RE DOING THAT, THERE ARE SOME RULES IN THE CODE.
THERE'S A LOT OF CONFUSION IN THE CITY, I THINK.
[02:20:01]
YOU AS A CITY OFFICIAL NEED TO GET INFORMATION ABOUT A PROJECT OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT? I CALL IT THE TWO STEP.IT'S A TWO STEP PRO, UH, PROCESS.
YOU SPEAK WITH SOMEBODY WITH THE WORD CITY IN FRONT OF THEIR NAME, CITY AUDITOR, CITY SECRETARY, CITY ATTORNEY CITY INSPECTOR GENERAL, AND THE DEPARTMENT DIRECTOR.
IF IT WAS ME, I'D DO IT AT AN EMAIL AND GET IT DONE AS QUICKLY AS I CAN.
WHAT EMPLOYEES SAY IS ASK ME ALL THE TIME IS WHAT DO I DO WHEN THE CITY OFFICIAL CONTACTS ME? AND I SAY, WELL, CALL YOUR DEPARTMENT DIRECTOR AND MAKE SURE THE COMMUNICATION HAS HAPPENED AND WE'RE GOOD.
BUT THAT'S THE TWO STEP IN THE CODE.
AND IT'S THERE BECAUSE IN THE PAST THAT HASN'T ALWAYS GONE SO WELL.
AND SO THAT'S THE REASON THAT RULE IS IN THERE.
AND THAT IS CIVILITY IN THE CODE.
AND HERE IT IS, UH, THE WAY I LAY IT OUT FOR EMPLOYEES.
UM, THIS IS WHAT EMPLOYEES ARE, ARE WATCHING OUT FOR INTERFERENCE WITH THEIR WORK, IMPLEMENTATION OF POLICY, TRYING TO INFLUENCE RECOMMENDATIONS OR DECISIONS OR, OR JUST BEING BERATED.
NOW THIS MORNING AT THE OTHER TRAINING, UM, THEY WERE BRINGING UP A SITUATION WHERE CITY OFFICIAL, UH, THIS WAS IN THE PAST, AND I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHEN OR ANY OF THE DETAILS, BUT IT WAS LITERALLY TELLING THEM TO CHANGE THE DATA, RIGHT? THIS IS THE KIND OF THING THE CODE IS GETTING AT WITH CIVILITY.
OKAY? SO THERE'S THE TWO STEP FOR YOU.
IT'LL BE IN YOUR SLIDE DECK APPEARANCES.
THIS ONE'S A CONFUSING, NOT NECESSARILY INTUITIVE.
IS APPEARANCE A CONFLICT? AND THE ANSWER IS NO.
SO JUST BECAUSE SOMETHING LOOKS BAD, LIKE YOUR HAND IS IN THE COOKIE JAR DOESN'T MEAN YOU CAN RECUSE YOUR WAY OUT OF THAT DECISION.
HOWEVER, WHEN THAT HAPPENS, YOU DON'T HAVE A CONFLICT THAT DEMANDS RECUSAL, BUT YOU HAVE AN APPEARANCE.
IT LOOKS LIKE YOUR HAND'S IN THE COOKIE JAR.
MY RECOMMENDATION IS ALWAYS CONSIDER STRONGLY THAT YOU DISCLOSE WHAT'S GOING ON.
LET YOUR BOARD COMMISSION THE CHAIRPERSON, LET THEM FIGURE IT OUT.
BUT APPEARANCE IS IN THE CODE, AND IT REALLY DOES MATTER.
YOU DON'T WANNA BE ON THE COVER OF THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS, RIGHT? BECAUSE THESE DAYS, BY THE TIME THE INVESTIGATION IS DONE AND YOUR NAME IS CLEARED, NOBODY CARES ANYMORE.
OKAY? IF THEN RULES, THIS IS, IF THIS, THEN THAT RULES THAT AFFECT APPLICATION OF THE CODE, CONFLICTS OF INTEREST VERSUS VIOLATIONS ARE TWO DIFFERENT THINGS.
UH, AND THEN HANDLING CONFLICTS.
NOW, WHAT I'VE DONE IN, IN YOUR MATERIALS I'VE, IS I'VE INCLUDED A POCKET REFERENCE GUIDE BECAUSE THE CODE OF ETHICS, UH, DOES NOT HAVE A TABLE OF CONTENTS.
SO I'VE PROVIDED YOU ONE, UH, SO THAT YOU CAN LOOK.
AND IF YOU DIDN'T GET THAT FOR SOME REASON, JUST EMAIL, I'LL, I'LL GIVE IT TO YOU.
BUT BY TOPIC, YOU CAN FIGURE OUT WHERE TO GO IN THE CODE.
AND YOU'LL NOTICE THAT, UH, IN SOME SITUATIONS THERE MIGHT BE THREE ARTICLES IN THE CODE THAT APPLY.
AND SO THAT PDFI SENT YOU, I HOPE WILL BE VERY HELPFUL.
HERE'S SOME DEFINITIONS THAT YOU SHOULD UNDERSTAND ABOUT YOUR ROLE, UH, WHEN YOU'RE READING THE CODE, BECAUSE THESE APPLY TO YOU.
AND THEN IN THE CODE, WHETHER OR NOT THESE APPLY TO YOU OR NOT DEFINES HOW THE CODE DETERMINES YOUR ACTIONS.
SO YOU ARE A QUA IF YOU DIDN'T KNOW IT.
YOU ARE A QUASI-JUDICIAL BODY.
YOU ARE CITY OFFICIALS AND THE CODE OF ETHICS APPLIES TO YOU EMPLOYEES, PEOPLE DOING BUSINESS WITH THE CITY.
AND LOBBYISTS HERE IS A CHECKLIST.
UH, THIS IS NOT AS DETAILED AS THE PDF THAT I TOLD YOU ABOUT, BUT THIS MIGHT GENERATE SOME QUESTIONS.
AND WE'RE JUST ABOUT TO THE POINT WHERE WE'RE GONNA OPEN UP THE FLOOR TO QUESTIONS FROM YOU IF THE CHAIR, IF WE HAVE TIME FOR THAT.
BUT HERE'S A LIST OF SOME COMMON CONFLICTS AND VIOLATIONS THAT COME UP IN THE CODE THAT PEOPLE HAVE QUESTIONS WITH.
I KNOW THAT, UH, WELL, I THINK ANYWAY, A LOT OF TIMES YOU'LL GET YOUR INFORMATION AND YOU DON'T HAVE A LOT OF TIME TO LOOK AT IT BEFORE YOU'RE GONNA BE SITTING HERE AND MAKING DECISIONS.
AND SO THE ENCOURAGEMENT IS LOOK AT YOUR AGENDAS AND READ THROUGH 'EM AS QUICK AS YOU CAN, UH, BECAUSE YOU DON'T WANT TO BE SITTING HERE HAVING TO THINK ON YOUR FEET ABOUT THE CODE OF ETHICS, OKAY? WE'RE ALMOST TO THE END.
WHAT HAPPENS IF YOUR SPIDER SENSE GOES OFF AND YOU SAY TO YOURSELF, UH, I THINK THERE MAY BE A CONFLICT OR A VIOLATION HERE.
YOU TAKE OUT THE GUIDE, YOU GO TO THE CODE, YOU READ THE CODE, AND YOU STILL DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO.
WHAT DO YOU DO? THEN YOU SEEK AN ADVISORY OPINION.
NOW THAT TAKES TIME TO GIVE YOU A WRITTEN ADVISORY OPINION, BUT WHAT IS AN ADVISORY OPINION? YOU GIVE US ALL THE FACTS ABOUT A FUTURE DECISION.
WE OUTLINE WHAT YOU CAN DO AND CAN'T DO.
IF YOU FOLLOW THE ADVICE, YOU HAVE A SAFE HARBOR.
NOT ALL OPINIONS THAT WE GIVE ARE WRITTEN AND FORMAL.
A LOT OF TIMES PEOPLE WILL CALL, AND CAN YOU JUST HELP ME TO UNDERSTAND THE RULE? AND THAT'S FINE, AND THAT WILL GO QUICKER.
BE BE AWARE THAT BOARD MEMBERS ARE NOT AWARE OF A CASE UNTIL SEVEN DAYS PRIOR, RIGHT? OUR RULES OF PROCEDURES THAT WE ADOPTED
[02:25:01]
TWO YEARS AGO WAS THAT THE, THE STAFF WAS TO POST THE AGENDA IN THE CASES SEVEN DAYS PRIOR TO A HEARING.SO THAT'S THE FIRST I'M GONNA PICK ON YOU, KATHLEEN.
THAT'S THE FIRST THAT MS. DAVIS EVER KNOWS ABOUT A CASE SEVEN DAYS.
NOW, THE OTHER, OTHER POTENTIAL WOULD BE IS IF THIS IN THE, THE LOOKUP LOG BOOK, BUT I'M DOUBTFUL THAT BOARD MEMBERS ARE GOING TO THE WEBSITE AND INDIVIDUALLY SC SCOURING TO SEE THAT.
SO MY, MY WHOLE POINT IS THE SEVEN DAYS, THE TRIP WIRE, TYPICALLY WHEN A MR. FINNEY OR MR. SASHING OR MR. AGNES WOULD KNOW, OOPS, THAT, SO IT SAYS SEVEN DAY TIME PERIOD.
SO THAT'S EXACTLY WHY I WAS SAYING AS SOON AS YOU GET THIS AGENDA, YOU NEED TO REVIEW IT AND, AND START LOOKING AT IT.
AND DO YOUR BEST TO BE PREPARED BECAUSE YOU, YOU JUST DON'T HAVE A LOT OF TIME.
OKAY? SECOND SITUATION THAT MIGHT COME UP, OH, I TOLD YOU HOW IT WORKED.
LEMME CLICK THROUGH THESE BULLETS.
SECOND THING IS YOU, SPIDER SENSE GOES OFF.
YOU TAKE THE GUIDE, YOU READ THE CODE, AND YOU GO, OOH, THERE IS A CONFLICT HERE.
WHAT DO YOU DO? THEN? IT'S CALLED RECUSAL.
HOW DOES IT WORK? FROM THE TIME YOU RECOGNIZE THAT YOU HAVE A CONFLICT, YOU RAISE YOUR HAND.
HOW DO YOU DO THAT? THE CITY SECRETARY HAS A FORM.
MOST THINGS IN THE CODE LIKE THIS ARE TWO STEP.
YOU FILL OUT THE CITY SECRETARY'S FORM, YOU INFORM THE BOARD WHAT HAPPENS, AND THEN YOU STOP PARTICIPATING IN IT.
HERE'S WHAT I'VE DONE WITH IT.
YOU JUST STOP WORKING ON IT AT THAT POINT.
WHEN IT COMES UP BEFORE THE BOARD, YOU CAN'T BE A PART OF DISCUSSION.
YOU NEED TO LEAVE, AND THEN YOU COME BACK FOR THE REST OF THE BUSINESS.
THIRD SITUATION IS SPIDER SENSE GOES OFF.
GO BACK, GO BACK ONE SLIDE PLEASE.
I'M GONNA USE MR. CANNON AS AN EXAMPLE.
UH, HE'S A MEMBER OF PANEL B BAKER AND HE HAD A SITUATION THAT CAME UP A COUPLE MONTHS AGO, AND HE EMAILED ME THAT HE THINKS HE HAD A CONFLICT ON A CASE COMING UP.
AND I REPLIED BACK TO HIM AND CARBON COPIED MS. GABO, THE VICE CHAIR.
AND I SAID, THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THIS UP.
AND OUR BOARD SECRETARY COMMUNITY SENT HIM A FORM AND HE RECUSED HIMSELF AND BOOM, IT HAPPENED.
I I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE EVERYONE, I'M NOT PICKING ON YOU, JOE.
I'M JUST, I'M JUST SAYING THAT'S, I, IT CAME TO MY MIND.
OH, I REMEMBER JOE CONTACTED ME.
I IMMEDIATELY MADE SURE THE VICE CHAIR KNOWS, AND THE BOARD SECRETARY KNOWS TO GET, TO GET THE MEMBER TO BE A RECUSED.
SO THAT'S, THAT'S, THAT WAS, I'M JUST WANTING TO MAKE SURE WE ALL LIVE IN THAT PROCESS SO WE'RE AWARE OF IT.
AND, AND NOW THAT'S A TWO STEP PROCESS.
SO THE OTHER STEP IS CITY SECRETARY HAS A FORM AND YOU FILL THAT OUT.
AND I THINK THAT'S WHAT MS. WILLIAMS HAD SENT TO MR. CANNON AND HE COMPLETED IT AND HE STEPPED AWAY.
THAT MEANS, HEY, JUST BECAUSE THERE'S AN APPEAR, AN APPEARANCE, BUT NOT AN ACTUAL ONE, UH, DON'T WIMP OUT.
BUT THEN THE ADVICE IS A PERSON NEEDS TO CONSIDER IF DISCLOSURE MAKES THE MOST SENSE AND PERHAPS FINDING ANOTHER WAY TO HANDLE THE MATTER THAT DOES NOT HAVE THE APPEARANCE ISSUE.
I, THAT, THAT'S NOT MUCH IN, OKAY, I CONSIDERED IT.
NOW WHAT?
I, I JUST KNOW THERE'S NOT A CONFLICT.
SO AT WHAT POINT AM I SAFE? SO, SO IN MR. CANNON'S CASE, HE HAD, I'M NOT PAYING.
HE HAD AN OWNERSHIP INTEREST, DIDN'T YOU? YEAH, IT WAS, MY PROPERTY WAS WITHIN THEIR NOTIFICATION ZONE.
AND NOW WE'RE TALKING ABOUT PERCEPTION.
SO LET'S SAY I GOT WHERE, WHERE, ALRIGHT, THERE'S PERCEPTION THAT I'VE THOUGHT OF.
MAYBE WE'VE TALKED AND WE'VE JUST, MAYBE WE'VE EVEN GONE THAT FAR AND WE SAID THERE IS NO CONFLICT.
AND, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE ALSO TELLING ME THAT THE, HEY MAN, IF YOU'RE NOT EVEN SURE, JUST REDUCE, UH, RECUSE YOURSELF ISN'T, ISN'T FAIR GAME.
YOU'RE SAYING IF YOU, IF YOU KNOW YOU DON'T HAVE A CONFLICT, YOU CAN'T RECUSE YOURSELF, DON'T BE A WIMP.
WELL, DOWNSIDE OF NOT BEING A WIMP IS FACING AN ETHICS CHARGE, WHICH, YOU KNOW, WHETHER YOU, WHEN YOU END UP WINNING OR NOT, IS NOT FUN.
UM, SO, SO THE ADVICE YOU'VE GIVEN ME HERE IS TO KIND OF THINK ABOUT IT.
AND I DON'T, I'M LOOKING FOR SAFE HARBOR.
SO THE SAFE HARBOR IS SEEK AN ADVISORY OPINION.
YOU TELL US THE FACTS AND WE'LL WRITE IT DOWN FOR YOU.
AND IF YOU FOLLOW THAT, THEN YOU, YOU HAVE A SAFE HARBOR.
THE, THE BIG, THE PROBLEM IS THE TIMELINE THAT YOU ALL HAVE, AND AGAIN, BACK TO THE AGENDA.
BUT, UM, YOU KNOW, HAVING THAT SEVEN DAYS IN ADVANCE, WE'LL DO EVERYTHING WE CAN TO GET YOU
[02:30:01]
THAT WRITTEN ADVISORY AS IN TIME TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE.THE OTHER OPTION THAT YOU HAVE ALWAYS IS TO SIMPLY JUST DISCLOSE.
NOW ALSO, IT'S, IT'S HELPFUL TO UNDERSTAND THAT THIS ISN'T JUST WRITTEN FOR YOUR SITUATION, IT'S WRITTEN FOR THE WHOLE CITY.
AND SO, YEAH, THAT'S PART OF WHAT'S GOING ON.
SO I'M GONNA GIVE AN EXAMPLE OF A DISCLOSURE.
AND AGAIN, I WANT THIS INTERACTIVE WITH THE BOARD.
SO THERE WAS A CASE THAT CAME UP AND I THINK WE HELD IT OVER.
AND THEN I WAS IN A RESTAURANT ON A SUNDAY WITH MY WIFE AT FIRST WATCH AT PRESTON AND FOREST.
AND THIS APPLICANT JUST WALKED RIGHT UP TO ME AND SAID, HELLO, MR. NEWMAN, I REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR YOU HANDLING MY CASE.
AND I WENT, WHO IS THIS? AND I WENT, OH MY GOSH, THIS IS A PENDING CASE,
AND I QUICKLY SAID, WE REALLY CANNOT HAVE A CONVERSATION.
I'M NOT TRYING TO BE RUDE TO YOU, THAT SORT OF THING.
AT THE HEARING THAT CAME UP, I DISCLOSED THAT THE APPLICANT CAME UP TO ME AT A RESTAURANT.
WE DIDN'T TALK ABOUT THE CASE.
I ASKED THE APPLICANT NOT TO HAVE ANYTHING ELSE, BUT I PUT IT ON THE RECORD.
DOES ANYONE ELSE HAVE A EXAMPLE THAT THEY WANNA THROW AT THE ETHICS GUY? OKAY, DR.
BEL, I'LL GET YOU IN A SECOND THAT YOU WANT TO THROW AT THE ETHICS GUY VERY QUICKLY SO THAT WE ALL CAN LEARN BY IT.
ALL RIGHT? I'VE GOT MR. DR. GLOVER, THEN MR. FINNEY, DR. GLOVER.
UH, MY QUESTION IS THIS, CAN, UH, THE CITY ATTORNEY ADVISE, UH, BOARD MEMBER, UH, AFTER THEY HAVE ACCUSED THEMSELVES THAT THEY HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO STILL SIT ON THE BOARD TO HEAR A CASE, UH, BASED ON THEIR JUDGMENT.
YOU CAN ALWAYS SEEK, UH, AN ADVISORY OPINION ABOUT FUTURE BEHAVIOR.
AND THAT'S KEY TO UNDERSTANDING ADVISORY OPINIONS, IS THAT IT'S NOT ABOUT SOMETHING IN THE PAST, IT'S ABOUT FUTURE.
SO, UH, IN YOUR SCENARIO IN THE PAST, YOU'VE, YOU'VE RECUSED YOURSELF.
THERE'S NOTHING IN THE CODE THAT ADDRESSES WHAT IF YOU REALIZED THAT YOU REALLY DIDN'T HAVE A CONFLICT, BUT YOU USED YOUR BEST JUDGMENT.
I DON'T SEE WHY THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE COULDN'T COME IN BEHIND YOU AND, AND, AND HELP YOU IN THAT WAY ABOUT CAN YOU PARTICIPATE IN THE FUTURE, BUT IN AN ABUNDANCE OF, UH, CAUTION.
YOU THOUGHT YOU KNEW EVEN IF YOU WERE INCORRECT, YOU HAD A CONFLICT AND SO YOU DID THE RIGHT THING AND YOU RECUSED YOURSELF AND THEN YOU FIND OUT, WELL, I WAS MISTAKEN.
I DON'T KNOW HOW OFTEN THAT'S HAPPENED, BUT I THINK IT'S A FAIR QUESTION.
AND I THINK THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, WE COULD ADDRESS THAT.
I'VE GOT MR. FINNEY, MR. SLATE, AND I'VE GOT MR. FINNEY, MS. P*****K, AND THEN MR. SLATE.
UM, SO LET'S SAY THAT I, UM, ON THE SUBJECT OF APPEARANCES, UM, I WILL SAY I WORK FOR A COMPANY THAT'S REPRESENTING AN APPLICANT ON A CASE THAT'S ASSIGNED TO MY PANEL.
UM, I KNOW NOTHING ABOUT THE PARTICULAR CASE OR ANYTHING THAT INVOLVES, OR EVEN ANYONE ON THE CASE, BUT FOR APPEARANCE'S SAKE, UH, AS FAR AS I'M UNDERSTANDING WHAT YOU JUST STATED, IS THAT I SHOULD RECUSE MYSELF JUST TO BE SAFE.
WELL, IN THE SCENARIO THAT YOU GAVE BEFORE YOU GOT TO APPEARANCE, I THINK APPEARANCE YOU DEFINITELY HAVE.
BUT THEN IF YOU WERE TO LOOK AT THAT CHART, YOU WOULD FIND A REFERENCE A LITTLE BIT CLOSER TO THE MICROPHONE, PLEASE.
SO BEFORE YOU EVEN GOT TO RECUSAL, I'D GO TO THAT CHART AND I'D LOOK ON THERE.
AND I THINK YOU'RE GONNA FIND REFERENCES TO THREE CODE PROVISIONS THAT YOU MIGHT WANNA LOOK AT.
SUBSTANTIAL INTEREST IN A BUSINESS WOULD BE ONE.
I THINK CHAPTER 22 OUT, UH, CHAPTER 19, OUTSIDE EMPLOYMENT AND READ THROUGH THROUGH THOSE AND SEE IF THEY FIT.
AND IF THEY DO FIT, YOU HAVE A, YOU HAVE A CONFLICT AND YOU'RE BE FORCED.
BUT, BUT THE SCENARIO THAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT COULD HAVE A LOT OF DETAILS.
AND THE DEVIL ON THESE SITUATIONS IS IN, IN THE DETAILS.
SO I HOPE THAT ANSWERS YOUR QUESTION.
BUT, BUT USE THAT CHART 'CAUSE WE JUST DON'T HAVE TIME TO GO THROUGH ALL, YOU KNOW, EVERY POSSIBLE FACET.
BUT THE CHART IS GONNA SAVE YOU HOURS 'CAUSE THERE'S NO TABLE OF CONTENTS IN THERE.
BUT LOOK AT OUTSIDE EMPLOYMENT AND, UH, REPRESENTATION.
THOSE ARE BIG TOPICS IN THERE.
AND THEY'LL, THEY'LL LEAD YOU TO THE RIGHT PLACE.
I'VE GOT MS. P*****K, THEN MR. SLATE, THEN MR. MS. P*****K.
UH, I HAD A SITUATION WHERE A CITY COUNCIL MEMBER CALLED ME AND WANTED TO KNOW THE DISPOSITION OF A PARTICULAR CASE.
SO I CONTACTED VICE CHAIR, AGNE CHAIR OF MY PANEL AND, UH, EXPLAINED THE SITUATION.
SO I THINK THE ANSWER IN THIS, IN ALL CASES REALLY IS COMMUNICATION.
[02:35:01]
WITH HIM, AND I BELIEVE YOU MAY HAVE COMMUNICATED WITH CHAIRMAN, UH, NEWMAN.AND, UM, I JUST SENT AN EMAIL TO EVERYONE INVOLVED SAYING THAT I COULD NOT DISCUSS THIS.
AND IT WAS AGAINST OUR RULES AND THAT WAS THE END OF IT.
SO I THINK WHEN IN DOUBT, COMMUNICATE AND THAT SHOULD HELP TO RESOLVE ANY ISSUE.
AND THERE'S A FOOTNOTE TO THAT, AN IMPORTANT ONE WE'LL GET TO RIGHT AT THE END.
I WOULD, I WOULD SAY MEMBERS AS A GENERAL RULE, IT'S A BIG TABOO TO HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH A COUNCIL MEMBER ABOUT ANYTHING THAT'S GOING THROUGH THE BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT PROCESS.
I'M JUST SAYING THAT'S A BIG TABOO.
AT THE BEGINNING OF THE MEETING TODAY, I, I REINFORCED, WE REPRESENT THE CITY, NOT A COUNCILMAN, COUNCIL MEMBER OR A DISTRICT.
VERY, THAT'S VERY, IT'S A SLIPPERY SLOPE, MR. CHAIRMAN, I SUSPECT WHAT HAPPENS IS A CONSTITUENT CALLS THEIR COUNCIL MEMBER OR THEIR, THEIR JUNIOR AND THEY REACH OUT TO THE BOARD AND SAY, HEY, WHAT'S HAPPENING HERE? 'CAUSE THEY DO THAT WITH ALL THEIR OTHER BOARDS.
NO, WELL, AND, AND THEN IT'S INCUMBENT UPON YOU AS A MEMBER TO SAY, I'M, I CANNOT HAVE A CONVERSATION ABOUT IT.
BECAUSE AS SOON AS THE CONVERSATION GOES INTO DETAIL, YOU JUST COMPROMISED YOURSELF AND YOU.
SO IT'S JUST VERY SLIPPERY SLOPE.
OKAY, I'VE GOT MR. SLADE AND MR. H, MR. SLADE.
SO MY QUESTION CONCERNS THE SUBSTANTIAL INTEREST IN PROPERTY COMPONENT.
I THINK THIS IS YOUR SLIDE 25.
UM, IF YOU LIVE IN A CONSERVATION DISTRICT AND A CASE COMES UP THAT INVOLVES THAT CONSERVATION DISTRICT A LITTLE BIT CLOSER TO THE MICROPHONE.
IF YOU LIVE IN A CONSERVATION DISTRICT AND A CASE COMES UP THAT INVOLVES THAT CONSERVATION DISTRICT, MUST YOU RECUSE OR NOT THE, THE SUBSTANTIAL INTEREST, I'M NOT THAT FAMILIAR WITH CONSERVATION DISTRICTS, BUT WHAT THE SUBSTANTIAL INTEREST ON PROPERTY HAS GOT SOME LIMITATIONS OR SOME, UH, BRIGHT LINE RULES ABOUT HOW MUCH, UH, INTEREST IN THAT PROPERTY YOU HAVE TO OWN BEFORE YOU ARE CONSIDERED TO HAVE A SUBSTANTIAL INTEREST IN THE PROPERTY.
CAN YOU HELP ME WITH THAT? SURE.
UM, SO IF I'M LOOKING AT THE SLIDE, IT SAYS THAT YOU MUST RECUSE IF THE, YOU HAVE AN EQUITABLE OR LEGAL OWNERSHIP OF THE FAIR MARKET VALUE OF $2,500 OR MORE.
AND SO THE QUESTION IS, IF YOU PERCEIVE A CONSERVATION DISTRICT IS PROTECTING THE VALUE OR IMPACTING THE VALUE OF OTHER PROPERTIES WITHIN THAT CONSERVATION DISTRICT, DO YOU THEN HAVE TO RECUSE IF THERE'S A CASE IN THAT CONSERVATION DISTRICT? BECAUSE ANY RULING ON THE CONSERVATION DISTRICT QUESTION COULD HAVE SOME IMPACT ON YOUR PROPERTY OR THE CONSERVATION DISTRICT AS A WHOLE.
OR DO YOU FALL INTO THE DISTINGUISHABLE FROM THE EFFECT ON THE PUBLIC? AND DOES PUBLIC THEN, IS THAT DEFINED TO ONLY MEAN THE CONSERVATION DISTRICT MEMBERS OR JUST THE GENERAL PUBLIC AT LARGE? I, I BELIEVE THAT'S SOMETHING I NEED TO, I, I SHOULDN'T ANSWER.
I MEAN, BUT I SHOULD GET YOU AN ANSWER.
BUT, UH, AS PART OF THE PROCESS OF WRITING ADVISORIES AND THOSE KINDS OF THINGS, I'D BE HAPPY TO LOOK AT, WE ALSO LOOK AT TEXAS ETHICS COMMISSION, ATTORNEY GENERAL OPINIONS, UH, CASE LAW.
AND THIS IS GETTING MORE TECHNICAL THAN I FEEL COMFORTABLE GIVING YOU A FAIR ANSWER ON RIGHT NOW.
WELL, I I THINK THAT'S A LIVE WIRE QUESTION BECAUSE ALL OF A SUDDEN MR. SLATE IS ON PANEL C CHARLIE AND SEVEN DAYS OUT, HE GETS THE, HE EMAIL WITH A DOCKET FROM OUR BOARD, BOARD SECRETARY AND WHAMMO.
IF HE LIVES IN A CONSERVATION DISTRICT.
I'M NOT SAYING HE DOES OR DOES NOT.
WHAT DOES HE DO? AND THE SEVEN DAY CLOCK'S TICKING.
MM-HMM,
'CAUSE I GOTTA GET AN ALTERNATE TO REPLACE HIM ON THAT CASE.
SO IT THAT THAT'S REAL WORLD COMPRESSION TIME FOR US BECAUSE WE WANNA HAVE FIVE MEMBERS ON THAT PANEL TO MAKE A DECISION.
SO, UM, AND, AND SO ANYWAY, SO I LOVE THE, I LOVE THE ANALOGY, THE QUESTION, AND I'M NOT SAYING IT'S REAL OR NOT, BUT IT'S A VERY GOOD HYPOTHETICAL.
AND BECAUSE I THINK THE, THE CODE IS PROBABLY WRITTEN FOR THE, THE MORE GENERAL SITUATION, BUT THE CONSERVATION DISTRICT WALKS RIGHT INTO IT.
AND THAT'S WHAT MAKES ETHICS INTERESTING.
I WOULD HOPE IT WOULD NOT IMP IMPLICATE HIM IF HE WAS THAT PERSON, BECAUSE THAT COULD TAKE US OUT IN A LOT OF CIRCUMSTANCES.
MR. KOVI, UM, I'D LIKE TO ADDRESS A LITTLE, A LITTLE, UH, DIFFERENTLY THE APPEARANCE OF CONFLICT AND THE EXAMPLES THAT HAVE BEEN GIVEN, UM, BY MR. FINNEY AND MR. SLADE.
[02:40:01]
UM, IN THE CASE OF THE CONSERVATION DISTRICT, HE FINDS THAT THE CASE COMING IN HIS, WHERE HE LIVES AND IS, UH, BRINGS IT TO THE ATTENTION OF THE CITY OF YOUR OFFICE.AND, UH, DECISION IS MADE THAT THERE'S NOT A CONFLICT OF INTEREST, WHICH GIVES HIM A SAFE HARBOR.
UM, SO HE DOESN'T RECUSE HIMSELF.
BUT THEN THE PUBLIC, BECAUSE OF THE OUTCOME OF THE, OF PERHAPS BECAUSE OF THE OUTCOME OF THE BOARD MEETING, ACCUSES HIM OF HAVING A CONFLICT OF INTEREST.
MM-HMM,
UM, I'M NOT SURE HOW, HOW DO YOU SQUARE THAT? WE SQUARE THAT.
I THINK WITH THAT, UH, DISCLOSURE OPTION THAT YOU ALWAYS HAVE.
AND THIS IS HA I CAN THINK OF ANOTHER SITUATION, NOT TO GET INTO PARTICULARS WHERE, BUT A PERSON HAD AN ADVISORY OPINION IN A SAFE HARBOR, CHOSE NOT TO DISCLOSE, AND IT GOT PICKED UP IN THE PAPERS.
A DISCLOSURE WOULD HAVE SOLVED THAT THIS PROBLEM FOR THAT PERSON, BUT JUST WASN'T DONE.
IT, IT SANITIZES IT DOESN'T NECESSARILY ABSOLVE, THAT'S MY INTERPRETATION.
UNDERSTAND IT WOULD SANITIZE BUT NOT ABSOLVE.
JUST LIKE I PROBABLY OVERREACTED BY WHACKING OUT WITH THE GUY IN THE RESTAURANT AND THEN TELLING MY PANEL THAT THIS HAPPENED AND EVERYONE JUST ROLLED THEIR EYES.
'CAUSE I DIDN'T TALK ABOUT THE CASE, BUT AT LEAST I MAY HAVE PUT IT ON THE RECORD SO THAT NO ONE LATER COULD SAY, I SAW DAVE NEWMAN TALKING TO THE, THE APPLICANT AT A FIRST WATCH RESTAURANT, THIS, THAT, AND THE OTHER.
SO IT'S BETTER THAN THE WHOLE CITY ROLLING THEIR EYES.
'CAUSE THEY WON'T KNOW THAT STORY IF YOU HAD NOT HAVE DONE THAT.
I'M GONNA LET 'EM KEEP GOING AND THEN I'LL, OKAY, DR. GLOVER, QUICKLY WE GOTTA KEEP MOVING HERE.
WELL, THE NOTIFICATION RADIOS OR AREA NOT BE CONSEQUENTIAL IN MAKING A DECISION ON WHETHER, UH, THIS AFFECTS YOU OR YOU NEED TO RECUSE YOURSELF OR NOT.
IT, IT WOULD BE, AND THERE'S A SPECIFIC PROVISION IN THE CODE ABOUT WHEN, WHEN THE, THAT'S SPECIFIC TO, UH, BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT DECISIONS AND YOU HAVING AN OWNERSHIP INTEREST IN A PIECE OF PROPERTY.
UH, AND IT'S, THAT WOULD BE A, YOU'RE GONNA HAVE A CONFLICT WHEN THAT HAPPENS AND THERE'S A SPEC, IT SPECIFICALLY ADDRESSES THAT.
AND IF YOU LOOK AT THAT CHART, YOU, YOU'RE GONNA FIND IT IN THE PDF.
NOW, WHAT HAPPENS IF YOU SEE A VIOLATION? AND THIS IS THE FOOTNOTE TO WHAT YOU SAID BEFORE ABOUT, UH, SOMEBODY ASKING FOR SOME INFORMATION.
THE TRICK IS, IF YOU KNOW THAT THE CODE HAS BEEN VIOLATED, THAT PUTS YOU IN A VERY AWKWARD POSITION.
'CAUSE AT THAT POINT, UNDER THE CODE, YOU HAVE A DUTY TO REPORT THE VIOLATION.
NOW, THIS IS IF YOU KNOW, NOT, IF YOU THINK OR YOU BELIEVE OR IT LOOKS LIKE, IF YOU KNOW THERE'S A VIOLATION, YOU HAVE A DUTY TO REPORT IT.
HOW DO YOU DO THAT? AND WHO DO YOU DO IT TO? SO HOW DO YOU DO IT? WE'VE GOT A, UH, WE CALL IT THE WHISTLE.
YOU BLOW THE WHISTLE, IT'S A HOTLINE.
IT'S THIRD PARTY DOESN'T GO TO THE MAYOR, DOESN'T GO TO CITY COUNCIL, IT GOES TO THE INSPECTOR GENERAL DIVISION AND THEY BEGIN TO INVESTIGATE IT.
WHO DO YOU REPORT TO? THAT'S WHAT'S NOT INTUITIVE.
ONE OF THESE THINGS THAT'S NOT INTUITIVE ABOUT THE CODE.
YOU GO TO THE INSPECTOR GENERAL.
WHY DO YOU, WHY DO YOU DO THAT? WELL, UH, YOU SEE MY DOG, FRITZ, FRITZ WAS BLAMED, THIS IS A QUICK, UH, STORY, BUT HE WAS BLAMED FOR TEARING UP THE GARDEN IN MY BACKYARD.
I SHARE A GARDEN, UH, IN A BACKYARD WITH MY NEIGHBOR.
I CAME HOME ONE DAY, THERE'S THE GARDEN.
WE PUT A FENCE AROUND IT, KEEP FRITZ OUT.
I CAME HOME ONE DAY, TURNS OUT IT WAS CARL, RIGHT? WHAT'S THE POINT? THE POINT IS, YOU REPORT KNOWN VIOLATIONS TO THE INSPECTOR GENERAL SO WE CAN INVESTIGATE.
'CAUSE THAT'S WHAT WE'RE SET UP TO DO.
AND A LOT OF TIMES, LET'S SAY 60, 70%, I'M JUST MAKING THAT UP, BUT A LOT OF TIMES WE FIND OUT THE PERSON THAT WE THOUGHT VIOLATED THE CODE, EITHER DIDN'T VIOLATE THE CODE OR IT WASN'T THEM, IT WAS SOMEBODY ELSE.
BUT BECAUSE WE HAD IT FIRST, WE CAN CREATE A SHIELD OF CONFIDENTIALITY AROUND THAT ALLEGATION TO KEEP IT OUT OF THE PAPERS AND EVERYWHERE ELSE UNTIL THE INVESTIGATION IS COMPLETE.
IF YOU REPORT IT TO ANYONE ELSE, WHAT HAPPENS? WELL, THE PUBLIC INFORMATION ACCESS REQUEST CAN BE MADE.
AND THAT ALLEGATION THAT TURNS OUT CAN BE FALSE, CAN END UP IN THE PAPER BEFORE IT'S BEEN THOROUGHLY INVESTIGATED.
AND AGAIN, WHAT HAPPENS THEN? THE MEDIA MOVES ON AND YOU'RE JUST GUILTY AS CHARGED.
RIGHT? SO THAT'S WHY THE CODE SAYS IF YOU KNOW OF A VIOLATION, YOU HAVE A DUTY TO REPORT IT AND YOU REPORT IT TO THE INSPECTOR GENERAL AND, AND LET THEM DEAL WITH IT.
THERE'S MY CONTACT INFORMATION.
[02:45:01]
ARE MORE SLIDES IN THERE THAT I HOPE THAT ARE HELPFUL.MY BEST ADVICE IS JUST READ THROUGH THAT PDF SO THAT YOU KNOW WHAT'S IN THERE AND YOU KNOW HOW IT'S ORGANIZED.
AND I'M HOPING THAT AT SOME POINT THAT'S REALLY GONNA HELP YOU.
IS A COMPLAINT A SWORN STATEMENT? NO.
MUST MUST IN THE SAME WAY A POLICE REPORT WOULD BE.
IT'S, IT'S NOT IN THE SAME WAY, UH, OF A POLICE REPORT.
THERE ARE PENALTIES THOUGH FOR MAKING A FALSE COMPLAINT.
SO IF SOMEBODY KNOWINGLY MAKES A FALSE ACCUSATION THAT THERE ARE CONSEQUENCES FOR THAT.
THIS MIGHT JUST BE MORE OF A STATEMENT.
SO KIND OF SPEAKING, UM, ON I GUESS COUNCILMEN OR WOMEN COUNCIL MEMBERS, UM, INTERACTION WITH THE BOARD.
ONE THING THAT, UM, I, UM, JUST WANNA PUT OUT THERE TO YOU, IT MIGHT, I DON'T KNOW HOW THE MEMBERS' TRAININGS ARE ONCE THEY'RE ONBOARDED, UM, ONCE THEY'RE ELECTED.
BUT IT PROBABLY MIGHT BE HELPFUL IF THIS HASN'T BEEN ALREADY FOR THE COUNCIL LIAISONS JUST TO KNOW THE PROPER CHANNELS FOR COMMUNITY MEMBERS TO BE A PART OF THE HEARING PROCESS.
UM, THAT WAS, UM, SOMETHING THAT I DID COME ACROSS.
IT WAS JUST AN EASY REFERRAL, REACH OUT TO OUR BOARD SECRETARY, UM, FOR THE MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY TO SPEAK OUT.
UM, BUT I DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S A GAP BETWEEN COUNCIL LIAISONS KNOWING THAT OR NOT KNOWING THAT, BUT JUST KIND OF PUTTING THAT, UM, ON, UM, OUT HERE.
'CAUSE IT'S, IT SEEMED LIKE THAT WAS, IT WAS A, NOT A COMMON OCCURRENCE, BUT JUST A, AN OCCURRENCE THAT DID HAPPEN MORE THAN ONCE.
BUT BEING TRANSPARENT THAT IT SEEMS, AT LEAST IN THE COUNCIL MEMBER'S OFFICE, THEY, I GUESS, KNOW THE DIRECT CHANNELS TO, TO COMMUNITY MEMBERS.
AND I WANT, THANK YOU MR. CANNON.
I WANNA RE MR. FINNEY, I'LL COME TO YOU NEXT.
IT, THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH AN INQUIRY FROM A COUNCIL MEMBER TO A BOARD MEMBER ON A CASE, BUT YOU JUST CAN'T COMMENT ON IT BECAUSE THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN YOU HAVE, YOU HAVE, UM, INTERJECTED YOURSELF OUTSIDE OF THE HEARING PROCESS.
SO THAT'S WHAT'S, SO DAN DANGEROUS, YOU'VE INTERJECTED YOURSELF OUTSIDE THE HEARING PROCESS.
I'VE GOT MR. FINNEY THEN MR. NRI, MR. FINNEY.
UM, OKAY, SO LET'S SAY, UM, I'VE COME TO THE CONCLUSION TO RECUSE MYSELF, UM, AND I'VE SUBMITTED THE FORM TO THE CITY SECRETARY.
WE GET TO THE HEARING AND THAT CASE COMES UP.
SO THEN I, I'M JUST WANTING CLARIFICATION ON THE PROPER, UH, PROCESS.
SO AT THAT POINT, I REUSE MYSELF.
DO I MAKE A VERBAL STATEMENT AND SAY I'M RECUSING MYSELF OR DO I JUST EXIT THE ROOM? BECAUSE I'VE SEEN BOTH HAPPEN IN OUR HEARINGS AND I'M JUST CURIOUS WHAT THE PROPER, SO IF YOU, IF YOU ARE AWARE OF IT IN ADVANCE, THE PROPER THING THAT I WOULD ASK BOARD MEMBERS TO DO IS TO NOTIFY, FIRST OF ALL YOUR PANEL PRESIDING OFFICER.
AND SHE OR HE OR I WILL TELL YOU, YOU NEED TO GET THE FORM FILLED OUT BY THE BOARD SECRETARY.
SO THEY'LL, THEY'LL PROBABLY PUT IT IN WRITING AND GET THE BOARD SECRETARY TO SEND YOU THE FORM THAT YOU'D FILL OUT.
AND THE PRESIDING OFFICER AT THE HEARING WILL DISCLOSE MR. FINNEY'S RECUSING HIMSELF ON CASE NUMBER 1, 2, 3, 4.
IF IT'S SOMETHING THAT YOU FOUND OUT AT, ON THE SPOT.
WELL, THEN YOU'RE GONNA HAVE TO DO IT REAL QUICK AND MAKE SURE THE PRESIDING OFFICER IS AWARE OF IT AND THE BOARD SECRETARY'S AWARE OF IT TO GET THE FORM FILLED OUT AND THEN YOU EXIT THE ROOM.
BUT I THINK AGAIN, THE WHOLE THING IS DISCLOSURE, BUT NOT THE BUILDING.
YOU'RE NOT LEAVING THE BUILDING.
NOT THE BUILDING, JUST THE HEARING ROOM.
MR. NRI? UM, I'M, I'M ACTUALLY GONNA WITHDRAW MY QUESTION.
IT WAS IN REGARDS TO A PENDING CITY CHARTER CHANGE.
UH, PROPOSITION J BUT I THINK I'VE ANSWERED MY OWN QUESTION, SO, OKAY.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR MR. ELIASON AND ETHICS? THIS IS A VERY GOOD BACK AND FORTH.
AND WE DID INCLUDE YOUR BONUS SLIDES IN THE DECK FOR THEM TO, TO BE ABLE TO, UH, ABSORB AND THAT SORT OF THING.
IT'S AN ESSENTIAL PART OF OUR JOB TO MAKE SURE WE MAINTAIN FAIRNESS.
WELL, THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.
WE'LL SEE YOU NEXT YEAR FOR SURE.
NEXT IN OUR ITEM, I KNOW WHERE WE STILL HAVE MORE TO GO.
THE NEXT SECTION WE'RE GONNA GO TO IS PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT, DR.
THE GAME PLAN IS TO GO THROUGH THIS SECTION AND THEN BREAK FOR LUNCH.
SO, UM, AND I THINK WE HAVE A POWER ISSUE, ELECTRIC ISSUE.
HAS IT COME BACK ON, MR. THEY'RE WORKING ON IT.
IS THIS A WAY TO SHUT US DOWN TO TURN OFF THE POWER? OKAY.
[02:50:02]
I HOPE NOT TOO.WELL, WE'RE ALL ON BATTERY POWER, JASON.
THAT'S THE PART OF THE PROBLEM RIGHT NOW.
CERTAINLY THIS WOULD NEVER HA HAPPEN UNDER SARAH MAY'S.
SO, UH, PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT, DR.
KAMIKA, MILLER HOSKINS, IF YOU WOULD INTRODUCE YOUR TEAM AND THEN, UM, PROCEED WITH YOUR TRAINING SEGMENT.
CAMIKA MILLER HOSKINS, CHIEF PLANNER AND BOARD ADMINISTRATOR FOR THE CITY OF DALLAS BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT TO, IN TO START OFF WITH INTRODUCTIONS FOR OUR TEAM.
SO I'LL MOVE FORWARD WITH OUR INTRODUCTIONS.
UM, WE HAVE TWO SENIOR PLANNERS, UH, MR. BRIAN THOMPSON AND MS. CAMBRIA JORDAN AND OUR SENIOR PLANNERS ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR COMPILING OUR CASE REPORTS AND PRESENTATIONS TO, TO PRESENT TO THE BOARD AND CONDUCTING RESEARCH AS NEEDED, AS WELL AS GUIDING, UM, OUR APPLICANTS OR ASSISTING THEM, YOU KNOW, AS NEEDED.
WE ALSO HAVE OUR PROJECT COORDINATOR.
SO WHEN A CASE IS ACCEPTED OR COMES IN, DO, IS A SENIOR PLANNER ALWAYS ASSIGNED? YES.
SO ONCE WE'VE ACCEPTED OUR CASES, THEY'RE RANDOMLY ASSIGNED TO A PANEL AND ALSO RANDOMLY ASSIGNED TO ONE OF OUR SENIOR PLANNERS.
EVERY CASE WILL HAVE A PLANNER AND THEY ARE, UM, RESPONSIBLE FOR WORKING DIRECTLY WITH AND OR COMMUNICATING DIRECTLY WITH THE APPLICANT THAT THEY'VE BEEN ASSIGNED TO.
UM, WE ALSO HAVE OUR PROJECT COORDINATOR, UM, MS. DIANA
SHE'S RESPONSIBLE FOR COORDINATING, UM, OUR MEETINGS, OUR STAFF MEETINGS AND THINGS OF THAT SORT.
AS WELL AS, UM, OUR QUA, SHE'S OUR QUALITY CONTROL EXPERTS.
SO WHATEVER DOCUMENTS ARE BEING PUBLISHED OR PRESENTED, SHE'S THAT SECOND SET OF EYES TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYTHING, UM, IS AS IT SHOULD BE.
WE ALSO HAVE OUR SENIOR PLAN, SENIOR PLANS EXAMINERS, UM, MS. NORA CASTANEDA AND MS. SARAH ARI.
AND THEY ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR OUR PRE-SCREENS, OUR CONSULTATIONS, AS WELL AS OUR INTAKE.
AND THEY ARE, UM, HIGHLY RESPONSIBLE FOR MAKING SURE THAT OUR INTAKE DAYS, OUR APPLICATION TO HEARING AND INTAKE DAYS FALL WITHIN THE 60 DAY TIMEFRAME.
AND LAST, BUT NOT LEAST, OUR BOARD COORDINATOR, MS. MAYOR WILLIAMS, WHO HANDLES ALL OF OUR, UM, MINUTES SCHEDULING AND COORDINATING OUR, UM, HEARINGS, HAVING OUR AGENDAS POSTED, AND OUR DOCKET IS POSTED AND PRESENTED OR PROVIDED TO, UM, THE BOARD MEMBERS.
SO NORA AND SARAH, WOULD YOU RAISE YOUR HAND AGAIN? THESE TWO YOUNG LADIES ARE, ARE THE FRONT DOOR FOR THE BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT FOR PROPERTY OWNERS THAT HAVE A, A POTENTIAL REQUEST.
A REQUEST, AND ONCE IT PASSES THEM, THEN IT EVENTUALLY GETS TO MR. THOMPSON AND MS. JORDAN.
AND THAT'S IT AT, UM, MS. SARAH MAY HAS ALREADY BEEN, UM, ACKNOWLEDGED AND GIVEN HER INTRODUCTION EARLIER, UM, IN THE MEETING.
AND SO I HAVE MR. BRYANT THOMPSON AND MS. SARAH MAY DOWN HERE.
THEY'RE GOING TO, UM, ALSO BE A PART OF THE PRESENTATIONS THAT WE'RE GONNA, THAT'S GONNA GIVE TODAY.
SO MOVING FORWARD TO OUR FIRST PRESENTATION, IT'S, UM, ON PARKING REDUCTIONS.
SO THIS IS GOING TO BE THE OVERVIEW.
WE'LL TALK ABOUT HOW PARKING IS CALCULATED OFF STREET PARKING REDUCTIONS, WHAT IS AN OFF STREET PARKING REDUCTION, THE TYPES OF OFF STREET PARKING REDUCTIONS THAT WE TYPICALLY SEE, WHICH ARE SPECIAL EX SPECIAL EXCEPTIONS, AS WELL AS VARIANCES.
AND WE'LL GIVE AN EXAMPLE OF EACH SUMMARY AND QUESTIONS.
SO BEFORE WE GET STARTED WITH, UM, OUR PARKING REDUCTIONS, DISCUSSING WHAT A PARKING REDUCTION IS, WE FIRST WANNA MAKE SURE YOU GUYS UNDERSTAND HOW PARKING IS CALCULATED.
AND IT'S BASICALLY CALCULATED BASED ON USE, WHETHER IT'S A RETAIL USE, A RESTAURANT OFFICE, OR MULTIFAMILY USE, INDUSTRIAL USE OR WAREHOUSE USE.
AND IT'S USUALLY BASED ON THE GROSS FLOOR AREA.
AND IN A FORMAT OF ONE SPACE PER HOWEVER MINUTE SQUARE FEET, UM, THAT FLOOR AREA IS.
SO FOR EXAMPLE, A RESTAURANT REQUIRES ONE SPACE PER 100 SQUARE FEET.
SO IF A RESTAURANT SQUARE FOOT, OR IF THE, THE GROSS FLOOR AREA IS A THOUSAND SQUARE FOOT, THEY'LL NEED 10 PARKING SPACES.
SO THAT'S 1000 SQUARE FEET DIVIDED BY A HUNDRED, WHICH GIVES US 10 REQUIRED PARKING SPACES FOR THAT PARTICULAR USE.
WHAT IS AN OFF STREET PARKING REDUCTION?
[02:55:01]
IT'S SIMPLY A CHANGE TO THE NUMBER OF, OF OFF STREET PARKING SPACES REQUIRED FOR A SPECIFIC USE OR DEVELOPMENT.WE TYPICALLY SEE TWO TYPES OF OFF STREET PARKING REDUCTIONS, AND THEY ARE SPECIAL EXCEPTIONS AND VARIANCES.
THE FIRST ONE WE'LL TALK ABOUT IS A SPECIAL EXCEPTION PARKING DEMAND.
SECTION 51 A DASH 4 3 11 STATES THAT THE BOARD MAY GRANT A SPECIAL EXCEPTION TO A REDUCTION IN THE NUMBER OF OFF STREET PARKING SPACES REQUIRED.
IF THE BOARD FINDS THAT AFTER A PUBLIC HEARING, THE PARKING DEMAND GENERATED BY THAT USE DOES NOT WARRANT THE NUMBER OF OFF STREET PARKING SPACES REQUIRED.
AND A SPECIAL EXCEPTION WOULD, AND THAT SPECIAL EXCEPTION WOULD NOT CREATE A TRAFFIC HAZARD OR INCREASE TRAFFIC CONGESTION ON ADJACENT OR NEARBY STREETS.
WHEN IT COMES TO SPECIAL EXCEPTIONS, THE MAXIMUM REDUCTION AUTHORIZED BY THAT PARTICULAR SECTION IS 25% OR ONE SPACE, WHICHEVER IS GREATER, MINUS THE NUMBER OF PARKING SPACES CURRENTLY NOT PROVIDED DUE TO DELTA CREDITS FOR COMMERCIAL AMUSEMENT INSIDE USES AND INDUSTRIAL INSIDE USES, THE MAXIMUM REDUCTION AUTHORIZED IS 75% OR ONE SPACE, WHICHEVER ONE, WHICHEVER IS GREATER, MINUS THE NUMBER OF PARKING SPACES.
AGAIN, CURRENTLY NOT PROVIDED DUE TO DELTA CREDITS.
IT IS IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT UNDER COMMERCIAL AMUSEMENT INSIDE, UM, DANCE HALLS CANNOT, UM, GET A SPECIAL EXCEPTION FOR OFFICE USES.
THE MAXIMUM REDUCTION IS 35% ON ONE SPACE, WHICHEVER IS GREATER OR CURRENTLY NOT PROVIDED DUE TO THE USE OF, UM, DELTA CREDITS.
SO WHEN IT COMES TO DECISION MAKING, AGAIN, WHEN IT COMES TO A SPECIAL EXCEPTION, THE BOARD MAY GRANT A SPECIAL EXCEPTION TO AUTHORIZE THE NUMBER TO AUTHORIZE A REDUCTION, THE NUMBER OF OFF STREET PARKING SPACES REQUIRED UNDER THIS ARTICLE.
IF THE BOARDS FINDS THAT, AGAIN, THE PARKING DEMAND GENERATED BY THE USE DOES NOT WARRANT THE OFF STREET PARKING SPACES REQUIRED, AND THAT THE SPECIAL EXCEPTION WOULD NOT CREATE A TRAFFIC HAZARD OR INCREASE TRAFFIC CONGESTION ON ADJACENT OR NEARBY STREETS.
IT SEEMS LIKE WHEN WE HAVE THESE CASES THAT COME TO US, THERE'S A PARKING DEMAND STUDY, AND EVERY PARKING DEMAND STUDY THAT'S EVER BEEN PRESENTED TO THE BOARD SAYS THEY DON'T NEED ALL THESE SPACES.
SO HOW ARE WE SUPPOSED TO BELIEVE THESE STUDIES WHEN THERE'S NEVER BEEN ONE THAT SAYS YOU DO NEED THE SPACES? THOSE THEY'RE SO SMART.
I I, I'M JUST AMAZED THAT AN APPLICANT HAS IT AND IT'S USUALLY IT'S COMMERCIAL, HAS HAS THIS NEED.
THEY, THEY PAY A, A CONSULTING FIRM TO COME UP WITH A REPORT THAT SAYS, OH, WE NEED THIS AMOUNT, NOT THIS AMOUNT.
AND, AND THEN WE'RE SITTING HERE GOING, OKAY, ARE WE SUPPOSED TO DISREGARD A PROFESSIONAL REPORT? BUT I'VE NEVER, IT HAPPENS EVERY TIME.
SO HOW, HOW DO WE RESPOND TO THAT? I THINK IT'S REALLY, UM, IN THE OPINION OF THE BOARD, IF YOU GUYS ALSO FEEL THAT THAT STUDY, UM, THE PARKING THAT'S GENERATED DOESN'T WARRANT THE AMOUNT OF PARKING NEEDED.
BUT I'LL ALSO LET MS. SARAH MAY, UM, OFFER SOME INSIGHT AS WELL.
UM, A LOT OF, UH, A LOT OF STUDIES HAVE BEEN DONE ON PARKING REQUIREMENTS AND, UH, TRIP GENERATION DEMANDS AND LOTS OF TRAFFIC ENGINEERS SPEND LOTS OF TIME THINKING ABOUT PARKING.
AND WHAT WE HAVE FOUND IS THAT MOST OF OUR, OR PROBABLY ALL OF OUR RETAIL-ORIENTED OFFICE, UH, USES ALL THOSE KIND OF NON-RESIDENTIAL USES.
THEY'RE ALL BASED IN A IDEA THAT IT'S, UH, BLACK FRIDAY AND EVERYBODY'S IN THE PARKING LOT.
HOW MANY PARKING SPACES WOULD THAT NEED? AND WHAT WE FOUND OVER TIME THAT, UH, PATTERNS HAVE CHANGED.
YOU KNOW, MAYBE BLACK FRIDAY ISN'T THAT BIG OF A DEAL ANYMORE FOR WALMART OR WHOEVER.
MAYBE THEY DON'T FILL UP THAT, THAT ENTIRE PARKING LOT.
AND SO I THINK THAT'S WHY YOU SEE A LOT OF, UH, STUDIES THAT SAY, YOU KNOW, MAYBE WE DON'T NEED THIS MANY PARKING SPACES THAT THEY
SO YOU AGREE WITH, UH, SOME OF THE RAL MEMBERS OF, OF PANEL C IN THAT WE SHOULD APPROVE ALL PARKING REDUCTION REQUESTS REGARDLESS OF
UM, WELL, WHAT YOU HAVE SAID IS QUITE INTERESTING, BUT, UM, WHAT WE NEED TO LOOK AT IS THE BIGGER PICTURE, RIGHT? BECAUSE WE DON'T WANT TO BE IN A POSITION WHERE WE ARE CREATING A PROBLEM FOR THE COMMUNITY.
WHAT HAPPENS IN 10 IS THAT PARKING ENFORCEMENT GO AND TICKET THESE PEOPLE, AND IT BECOMES A PROBLEM FOR THEM WHERE WE ARE PENALIZING THEM FOR A PROBLEM WE HAVE CREATED.
[03:00:01]
THAT? I MEAN, I FEEL LIKE FOR A LOT OF OUR RETAIL BUSINESS OWNERS, THEY, THEY HAVE A, UH, AN INCENTIVE TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY CAN GET CUSTOMERS TO THEIR BUSINESS.YOU KNOW, IF THEY DON'T HAVE CUSTOMERS, THEY DON'T HAVE THE INCOME THAT THEY NEED.
SO, UM, SO THERE'S A LOT OF DEBATE RIGHT NOW IN THE PLANNING WORLD.
THERE'S LOTS OF CITIES THAT ARE LOOKING AT THEIR PARKING REQUIREMENTS IF THEY'RE APPROPRIATE OR IF THEY'RE, UM, QUASI, YOU KNOW, RATIONAL OR NOT
AND SO THERE'S A LOT OF DEBATE RIGHT NOW, AND THE CITY OF DALLAS IS ACTUALLY, UM, HAVING THIS CONVERSATION.
THERE'S A, A CODE AMENDMENT THAT, UM, CPC EVENTUALLY, UM, WILL BE CONSIDERING ABOUT, UM, ALL OF OUR PARKING REQUIREMENTS.
AND AT WHAT POINT DO WE NEED TO, UM, DO WE NEED TO UPDATE IT AND REFORM IT AND MAKE SURE IT'S APPROPRIATE? THEN I WOULD LIKE TO ADD TO THAT, UM, REMEMBER WHEN WE CREATE CODES AND AND AMENDMENTS, THEREFORE THE GENERAL, UM, IT CAN'T COVER EVERY SITUATION.
AND SO THESE, UH, THAT COME BEFORE THE BOARD OR THAT FOR THAT SPECIFIC CASE, THAT SPECIFIC LOT, AND WE CAN GET INTO A MORE IN DEPTH LOOK AT THAT, AND THAT'S WHY THOSE CASE STUDIES HELP OUT FOR THAT SPECIFIC LOT.
AND SO WHEN THE COMMUNITY COMES OUT AND ADDRESSES THAT, HEY, THIS WILL BE A PROBLEM, AND WE HAVE A PARKING STUDY THAT SAYS IT WILL NOT, THAT'S THE CONFLICT THAT WE COME BEFORE.
KEEP GOING MS. ADDITIONAL, UM, DECISION MAKING AND DETERMINING WHETHER TO GRANT A SPECIAL EXCEPTION.
THE BOARD SHALL ALSO, UM, TAKE INTO ACCOUNT THE EXTENT TO WHICH THE PARKING SPACE PROVIDED WILL BE REMOTE, SHARED OR PACKED PARKING, THE PARKING, UM, DEMAND AND TRIP GENERATION CHARACTERISTICS OF ALL USES FOR WHICH THE SPECIAL EXCEPTION IS REQUESTED.
WHETHER OR NOT THE SUBJECT PROPERTY OR ANY PROPERTY IN THE GENERAL AREA IS PART OF A MODIFIED DELTA OVERLAY DISTRICT.
THE CURRENT AND PROBABLE FUTURE CAPACITIES OF ADJACENT AND NEARBY STREETS BASED ON THE CITY STORE FLOOR PLAN, THE AVAILABILITY OF PUBLIC TRANSIT AND THE LIKELIHOOD OF ITS USE, AS WELL AS THE FEASIBILITY OF PARKING MITIGATION MEASURES AND THE LIKELIHOOD OF THEIR EFFECTIVENESS.
UM, SO HERE'S AN, UM, AN EXAMPLE OF A SPECIAL EXCEPTION PARKING REDUCTION EXAMPLE THAT, UM, THE BOARD HAS, UM, SEEN BEFORE.
AND THIS USE WAS, UM, IN THE ZONE IR ZONING DISTRICT AND THE PROPOSED USE WAS A COMMUNITY SERVICE CENTER.
UM, THE PROPOSED USE SQUARE FOOTAGE WAS NINE 19,275 SQUARE FEET FOR THE COMMUNITY SERVICE CENTER.
THE PARKING RATIO FOR THAT PARTICULAR USE IS ONE SPACE PER 200 SQUARE FEET OF FLOOR AREA.
SO THE REQUIRED PARKING WAS 96 SPACES.
THE APPLICANT WAS REQUESTING A 10% REDUCTION, WHICH ALLOWED THEM TO COME IN FOR A SPECIAL EXCEPTION AS IT WAS BELOW THAT 25% THRESHOLD, THEY WERE PROVIDING 86 OF THE REQUIRED SPACES.
OKAY, MS. P*****K HAS A QUESTION.
I THINK IT WOULD BE HELPFUL IF WE COULD GO BACK WITH, WITH EACH PARTICULAR CASE WHEN THOSE PARKING RE REGULATIONS WERE ENACTED ACCORDING TO, WITH WHAT MS. MAY SAID AND, AND WHAT HAS BEEN PREVIOUSLY BROUGHT UP.
I BELIEVE BELIEVE CHAIRMAN NEWMAN, IF A REGULATION HAS BEEN PUT INTO, UM, FORCE 20 YEARS AGO, 30 YEARS AGO, EVEN 15 YEARS AGO, AS FAR AS PARKING IS CONCERNED, LIFE HAS CHANGED SO MUCH.
PEOPLE USED TO WORK NINE TO FIVE OR WHATEVER.
NOW WE HAVE FLEX TIME, PEOPLE WORK AT HOME.
SO I THINK WHEN IT COMES TO RETAIL PARKING, THE DEMAND IS NOT THE SAME AS IT WAS 20 OR 30 YEARS AGO WHEN PEOPLE WOULD, WOULD SHOP AFTER WORK OR GO TO RETAIL, ESTABLISHES ESTABLISHMENTS ON SATURDAY AND SUNDAY.
PEOPLE ARE NOW GOING TO THOSE COMMERCIAL RELOCATIONS ALL THROUGHOUT THE DAY.
SO IF THE PARKING REGULATIONS ARE DIRECTED TOWARDS A BLACK FRIDAY OR CHRISTMAS TIME, IT'S NOT REALLY RELEVANT TO THE MIDDLE OF JULY.
LET'S SAY YOU SOUND LIKE YOU COULD BE A PARKING CONSULTANT.
I'M SAYING THAT RESPECTFULLY, BUT I, I AGREE.
BUT UNTIL THE COUNCIL MAKES A CHANGE, WE ENFORCE AND INTERPRET WHAT THE CODE IS.
SO, WE'LL NOW MOVE INTO, UM, THE VARIANCE PARKING DEMAND.
SO A VARIANCE TO THE PARK PARKING DEMAND IS OFTEN SOUGHT WHEN THE REQUEST EXCEEDS THAT WHICH IS REQUIRED FOR AN OFF STREET PARKING REDUCTION.
SPECIAL EXCEPTION OR WHEN A PLAN DEVELOPMENT DOES NOT ALLOW A SPECIAL EXCEPTION.
[03:05:01]
25% THRESHOLD THEN AUTOMATICALLY BECOMES A VARIANCE TO A PARKING DEMAND UNLESS THE, UM, PD, UM, SPECIFIES OTHERWISE.SECTION 51 A DASH 3.102 STATES THAT THE BOARD HAS THE POWER TO GRANT VARIANCES FROM THE DIFFERENT, UM, FRONT YARD, SIDE YARD, REAR YARD, UM, SETBACKS, LOT WITH LOCKED DEPTH LOT COVERAGE FLOOR AREAS, UM, FOR STRUCTURES, ACCESSORIES TO SINGLE FAMILY USES, HEIGHT, MINIMUM SIDEWALKS, AND OFF STREET PARKING OR OFF STREET LOADING.
UM, IN THIS, THE VARIANCE, UM, IS NOT CONTRARY TO PUBLIC INTEREST WHEN ON TO SPECIAL CONDITIONS, A LETTER OF ENFORCEMENT OF THIS CHAPTER WILL RESULT IN UNNECESSARY HARDSHIP AND SO THAT THE SPIRIT OF THE ORDINANCE WILL BE OBSERVED IN SUBSTANTIAL JUSTICE DONE.
THE SECOND, UM, STANDARD IS THAT THE VARIANCE IS NECESSARY TO PERMIT DEVELOPMENT OF A SPECIFIC PARCEL OF LAND THAT DIFFERS FROM OTHER PARCELS OF LAND BY BEING OF SUCH RESTRICTIVE AREAS, SHAPE OR SLOPE, THAT IT CANNOT BE DEVELOPED IN A MANNER COMMENSURATE WITH THE, WITH THE DEVELOPMENT UPON OTHER PARCELS OF LAND WITH THE SAME ZONING.
AND THE LAST STANDARD IS THAT THE VARIANCE IS NOT GRANTED TO RELIEVE A SELF-CREATED OR PERSONAL HARDSHIP, NOR FOR FINANCIAL REASONS.
AND AGAIN, THIS IS WHEN IT'S MORE THAN 25% OR MORE THAN 35%.
SO IT GOES FROM SPECIAL EXCEPTION TO VARIANCE.
UNLESS, AND VARIANCE SAYS THE THREE CRITERIA FOR SPECIAL EXPRESSION HAS ONE.
OKAY, SO HERE'S ANOTHER, UM, EXAMPLE FOR VARI, WELL, VARIANCE OF THE PARKING DEMAND.
UM, THE PROPOSED USE SQUARE FOOTAGE WAS 1068 SQUARE FEET.
PARKING RATIO WAS ONE SPACE PER 300 SQUARE FEET, A FLOOR AREA.
THE APPLICANT WAS REQUESTING A 50% REDUCTION, UM, OR TWO SPACES.
THEY WERE REQUIRED FOR SPACES BUT ONLY WANTING TO PROVIDE TWO.
SO HERE'S A SUMMARY OF A SPECIAL EXCEPTION VERSUS A VARIANCE, A SPECIAL EXCEPTION OR REQUEST OF 25% OR LESS.
UM, THE DETERMINATION IS IN THE OPINION OF THE BOARD.
UM, A STAFF DOES NOT OFFER A RECOMMENDATION WHEN IT COMES TO A VARIANCE REQUEST.
THE REQUEST IS 25% OR MORE, OR AS SPECIFIED IN THE PLAN DEVELOPMENT.
IT MUST MEET ALL THREE STANDARDS THAT WE RECENTLY, UM, DISCUSSED.
AND STAFF DOES OFFER A RECOMMENDATION ON QUESTIONS ON THOSE QUESTIONS FROM THE BOARD TO OUR BOARD ADMINISTRATOR ON THE COMPARISON ON SPECIAL EXCEPTION PARKING VERSUS VARIANCE PARKING.
OKAY, ONE MORE SEGMENT, THEN I'M GONNA BREAK FOR LUNCH.
LUCKY YOU, YOU'RE GONNA, EVERYONE'S GONNA BE FACING YOU DOWN BECAUSE THEY'RE, THEY SEE THE CLOCK AND THEY SMELL FOOD.
OKAY, MS. BOARD ADMINISTRATOR, THE NEXT ONE, UH, MR. BRYANT THOMPSON WILL REVIEW BLOCK FACE CONTINUITY.
SO TODAY, A LITTLE CLOSER IN THE MICROPHONE PLEASE.
IS THAT BETTER? ALRIGHT, SO GOOD MORNING.
UH, WE'RE GONNA DISCUSS, UH, BLOCK FACE CONTINUITY.
UM, THE IMPORTANCE OF BLOCK FACE CONTINUITY WHEN BLOCK FACE CONTINUITY APPLIES.
WE'RE GOING TO HAVE SOME EXAMPLES AND THE END, WE'RE GONNA HAVE A TEST.
SO WHAT IS BLOCK FACE? UM, THE DISTANCE ALONG ONE SIDE OF THE STREET BETWEEN THE NEAREST TWO INTERSECTING STREETS WHERE A STREET DEAD ENDS THE DISTANCE ALONG ONE SIDE OF A STREET BETWEEN THE NEAREST INTERSECTION INTERSECTING STREETS AND THE END OF THE DEAD END STREET.
OR WHERE A CENTER LINE CONTAINS A CHANGE OF DIRECTION 90 DEGREES OR MORE.
THE DISTANCE OF A STREET BETWEEN EITHER THE NEAREST INTERSECTION STREET OR THE DEAD.
END OF THE POINT, DETERMINING THE ANGLE OF THE CHANGE OF DIRECTION.
UH, WHAT IS BLOCK FACE CONTINUITY, UH, APPROACH DESIGNED TO PROVIDE UNIFORMITY ALONG STREET FRONTAGES SPECIFICALLY IN AREAS SUCH AS RESIDENTIAL AREAS? UH, WHY IS BLOCK FACE CONTINUITY IMPORTANT? IT IS IMPORTANT BECAUSE IT IS IN KEEPING WITH AND OR THE MAINTAINING OF THE ESTABLISHMENT OF SETBACKS ALONG STREET FRONTAGE.
UH, WHEN A BLOCK FACE STREET FRONTAGE IS DIVIDED BY MULTIPLE ZONING DISTRICTS, UH, THE FRONT YARD OF THE ENTIRE BLOCK FACE MUST MEET THE REQUIREMENT OF THE DISTRICT WITH THE MOST STRINGED FRONT YARD REQUIREMENT.
IF A CORNER LOT, HOLD ON A SECOND.
SO THE BLOCK FACE, IF IT'S MULTIPLE ZONING DISTRICTS, IT'S WHICHEVER IS THE MORE RESTRICTIVE.
DID EVERYONE ABSORB THAT? THAT'S INTERESTING.
[03:10:01]
SINGLE FAMILY DUPLEX OR AGRICULTURAL DISTRICT HAS TWO STREET FRONTAGES OF EQUAL DISTANCE, ONE FRONTAGE IS GOVERNED BY THE FRONT YARD REGULATIONS OF THIS SECTION AND THE OTHER FRONTAGE IS GOVERNED BY THE SIDE YARD REGULATIONS.IF A CORNER LOT HAS TWO STREET FRONTAGES OF UNEQUAL DISTANCE, THE SHORTER FRONTAGE IS GOVERNED BY THE FRONT YARD.
AND NOTWITHSTANDING THE PROVISIONS OF THE CONTINUITY OF THE ESTABLISHED SETBACK ALONE, UH, STREET FRONTAGE MUST BE MAINTAINED.
SO, UH, SO WE'RE GONNA HAVE SOME EXAMPLES HERE OF BLOCK FACE CONTINUITY.
AND AGAIN, IN THE END WE WILL HAVE A TEST.
SO, UH, SO BLOCK FACE RUNS FROM STREET TO STREET.
AND SO, UM, THE EXAMPLES ARE SHOWING WHERE WE HAVE STREET TO STREET.
SO YOU HAVE LOTS 20, STARTING AT LOT 13, GOING TO LOT 24 STREET TO STREET, UP TOP, JUST ABOVE STREET B.
UM, SO BELOW ON STREET B YOU HAVE LOTS GOING FROM ONE TO 12 ON STREET A.
YOU HAVE LOTS GOING FROM, WHAT IS IT? YEAH.
SO IT'S GOING IN REVERSE ORDER.
SO 12 DOWN TO ONE ON STREET TWO, WE HAVE LOTS, WE DO HAVE STREET FRONTAGE BECAUSE OF THE LOTS FROM STREET A, THE CORNER AND WE HAVE THREE LOTS FACING IT.
SO THAT'S WHY WE HAVE STREET FRONTAGE.
IF YOU NOTICE ON STREET ONE THERE IS NO LINE, EVEN THOUGH IT IS A CORNER LOT, THERE IS NO STREET FRONTAGE BECAUSE IT IS THE SHORTER OF THE TWO, UH, FRONTAGES.
SO I'M SORRY, IT'S THE LONGER, THE SHORTER CREATES THE FRONT, THE LONGER IT CREATES THE, UH, SIDE.
SO QUESTIONS, 'CAUSE I'M GONNA GO OVER THE BLUE, THE RED ON EACH ONE OF THESE.
ANY QUESTIONS SHORTER CREATES THE FRONT.
SO LIKE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT RED DOWN HERE, RIGHT? YEAH.
SO RED HAS STREET FRONTAGE ON STREET A AND STREET TWO.
WE ALL AGREE WITH THAT? YES, WE DO.
BASED ON THE CODE ON THE PREVIOUS PAGE, THE SHORTER OF THOSE CREATES, BECAUSE THIS IS NOT EQUAL DISTANCE.
THE SHORTER CREATES THE FRONT AND THE LONGER CREATES THE SIDE.
SO I SHOULD HAVE 25 NOT WITH STANDING OF CONTINUITY OF BLOCK FACE.
AND BECAUSE WE HAVE BLUE ON THE OPPOSITE END AND THOSE GRAY IN BETWEEN, WE HAVE STREET FRONTAGE ON ALL ALONG STREET A FROM BLUE AND THE GRAY.
AND THAT'S THE REASON WHY THEY WOULD HAVE THE CONTINU OF THE BLOCK FACE.
THIS APPLICANT WOULD HAVE TO COME IN BEFORE US AND REQUEST A, UM, A, A VARIANCE TO THE FRONT YARD SETBACK AND IT WOULD BE OFF OF STREET A.
SO BECAUSE CORNER GUY RED HAS WHAT HE HAS, HE SCREWS EVERYTHING UP FOR THE REST OF THE BLOCK.
WELL YEAH, BUT IT'S NOT AS OKAY.
BUT IN THIS CASE, DESPITE THE FACT THAT NORMALLY THE SHORTER WOULD CREATE THE FRONT LONGER WOULD CREATE THE SIDE, THE SECOND PART OF THAT SENTENCE SAYS, BUT YOU HAVE TO, YOU HAVE TO MAINTAIN THE CONTINUITY.
SO IT'S, SO THAT'S WHY WE ESSENTIALLY IN THIS CASE, RED HAVE TWO FRONT YARDS, RIGHT? CORRECT.
AND SO ALL OUR GRAYS ARE OUR INTERIOR LOTS.
SO HOW COME WE THEN, WHY SHOULD IT BE ANY DIFFERENT BY VIRTUE OF TURNING THE RECTANGLE BLUE IN THE TOP RIGHT ESSENTIALLY HAS NO BUILDABLE AREA, RIGHT? BLUE BASICALLY HAS NO BUILDABLE AREA, RIGHT? WELL, I MEAN THE, THE BLACK LINES WERE JUST KIND OF PLACED ON OUR JUST KINDA SHOW STREET FRONTAGE FROM STREET TO STREET.