2.B. Update from the City Council and Management: Financial Position, Major Projects, Operational Issues, Upcoming Dates of Interest and Items of Community Interest.

[2.B. Update from the City Council and Management: Financial Position, Major Projects, Operational Issues, Upcoming Dates of Interest and Items of Community Interest. ]

>> OUR NEXT ORDER OF BUSINESS THIS EVENING IS ITEM 2B, UPDATE FROM CITY COUNCIL MANAGEMENT. FINANCIAL POSITION, MAJOR PROJECTS, OPERATIONAL ISSUES, UPCOMING DATES OF INTEREST AND

ITEMS OF COMMUNITY INTEREST. >> COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT. SANTA, MRS. CLAUS, AND THEIR REMAINDER JOIN FOR MEDICAL AFTERNOON IN DECEMBER WITH SANTA CLAUS AND HIS FAMILY. BRING YOUR CHILDREN AND CHERISHED PETS FOR A DELIGHTFUL TIME FILLED WITH JOY AND WONDER. TAKE PICTURES WITH SANTA CLAUS, MRS. CLAUS, AND SHELTER PETS DRESSED AS REINDEER. CHILDREN CAN SHARE HOLIDAY WISHES WHILE DRINKING HOT CHOCOLATE AND APPLE CIDER.

THE DATES ARE DECEMBER 7TH , 2025, AND DECEMBER 21ST, 2025 , 1:00 P.M. TO 3:00 P.M. . LOCATED AT 4402 INDUSTRIAL STREET . TO RSVP, PLEASE SEND AN EMAIL TO ANIMAL SERVICES AT ROWLETT.COM WITH YOUR PREFERRED DATE. THE LIBRARY EACH YEAR THE ARTS AND HUMANITIES COMMISSION RECOMMENDS GRANT FUNDING FOR LOCAL CULTURAL GROUPS ALONG WITH GRANT FUNDING FOR PUBLIC AND PRIVATE SCHOOLS IN ROWLETT. APPLICANTS MUST DEMONSTRATE HOW FUNDING WILL BE USED FOR SUPPORT . CULTURAL ARTS. PLEASE VISIT ROWLETT.COM/ARTS FOR ADDITIONAL DETAILS AND GRANT APPLICATION FORMS ARE DUE BY JANUARY 16, 2026. IT'S NOT TOO LATE TO PLAY TROMBONE AT THE ARTS AND HUMANITIES. COMMISSION ON THE ANNUAL TROMBONE THANKSGIVING. THE FREE PERFORMANCE IS ON WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 26, AT 11 A.M. IT IS A GREAT WAY TO KICK OFF THE HOLIDAY SEASON. VISIT ROWLETT.COM/TROMBONE TO REGISTER TO PLAY. DESPITE OUR WARMER TEMPERATURES, LIBRARY WINTER READING PROGRAM BEGINS SATURDAY. STOP BY THE LIBRARY TO PICK UP YOUR READING LOG AND BEGIN EARNING ENTRIES . THE READING CHALLENGE ENDS ON JANUARY 3RD. AT THE LIBRARY'S ELEMENTALS PROGRAM ON WEDNESDAYS AT 4:00 P.M. KIDS 5 TO 8 YEARS OLD INSPIRE FURTHER LEARNING AND FUTURE SCIENTISTS. VISIT ROWLETT.COM/LIBRARY FOR CALENDA1 -- SPECTACULAR LIBRARY PROGRAMS. FOR THE POLICE, THE ROWLETT POLICE OPERATION SAFE HOLIDAY IS UNDERWAY. OPERATION SAFE HOLIDAYS IS AN INITIATIVE FOCUSED ON HIGH VISIBILITY AND CRIME REDUCTION THROUGHOUT OUR COMMUNITY. THE OPERATION IS DESIGNED TO ENHANCE SAFETY, DETER CRIMINAL ACTIVITY AND REASSURE THE PUBLIC THROUGH PROACTIVE ENGAGEMENT AND STRONG VISIBLE PRESENCE. THE ROWLETT POLICE DEPARTMENT IT IS A LIGHTING -- UTILIZING TWO RESOURCES BETTER SERVING RESIDENTS, BUSINESSES , AND VISITORS. WE ARE PARTNERING WITH COMMUNITY LEADERS TO ENSURE SUCCESS. THE ROWLETT POLICE DEPARTMENT IS PARTNERING WITH OTHER DFW AREA AGENCIES FOR CIVILIAN RESPONSE TO ACTIVE SHOOTER , WHICH IS CALLED CRAZED 2.0 METROPLEX TRAINING ON SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 22ND, FROM 10:00 A.M. TO 12:00 P.M.

COMMUNITY FOCUSED EVENT IS PART OF OUR OPERATION SAFE HOLIDAY INITIATIVE AND IS DESIGNED TO HELP RESIDENTS AND BUSINESSES STAY PREPARED DURING THE BUSY HOLIDAY SEASON. PARTICIPANTS WILL LEARN TIPS ON HOW TO SURVIVE AN ACTIVE SHOOTER INCIDENT. FOR INFORMATION, EMAIL OFFICER ERIC MITCHELL AT D MITCHELL AT ROWLETT.COM . THANK YOU, MAYOR .

>> THANK YOU, MR. GIBBS. I DO WANT TO MENTION ALSO WE HAVE SOME WEATHER COMING THE NEXT COUPLE DAYS. KEEP AN EYE ON THE

[00:10:04]

FORECAST. FOLLOW OUR FACEBOOK PAGE OR LOCAL WEATHER STATION FOR THAT RAIN FORECAST. 2 TO 4 INCHES. DEFINITELY KEEP AN EYE

ON THAT. MR. REAVES? >> THANK YOU, MAYOR. IT IS MY PRIVILEGE TO INTRODUCE THE PET OF THE WEEK. MEET WINSTON. AT EIGHT YEARS OLD AND COMING IN AT 64 POUNDS, WINSTON IS READY FOR HIS HAPPY HOME. ONCE ADOPTED FROM ANOTHER SHELTER YEARS AGO, HE WAS FOUND AS A STRAY AND WINSTON ARRIVED IN ROUGH SHAPE BUT IS NOW HEALTHY AND FULLY RECOVERED AFTER EYE SURGERY.

CALM, GENTLE, EASY-GOING. RIDES WELL IN THE CAR, DOES NOT REACT WELL TO OTHER DOGS AND IS POTTY TRAINED. NEUTERED, VACCINATED, FOSTER TO ADOPT , OR FOSTER. MEET AND GREET IS REQUIRED FOR HOMES WITH DOGS. TO MAKE WINSTON A MEMBER OF YOUR FAMILY , PLEASE CONTACT ANIMAL SERVICES AT 972-412-6219 OR COME BY THE SHELTER AT 4402 INDUSTRIAL STREET TUESDAY TO SATURDAY.

PLEASE NOTE THE ANIMAL SHELTER IS CURRENTLY AT CODE RED . WE ARE OUT OF SPACE FOR DOGS. ALL THE CANDLES ARE FULL. ALL ADOPTIONS ARE 25 BUCKS AND INCLUDES SPAY, NEUTER, MICROCHIP AND UP-TO-DATE VACCINATIONS. ALSO NOVEMBER IS ADOPT A SENIOR PET MONTH. WE ARE CELEBRATING OUR SENIOR PETS, WHO COME IN ALL SHAPES AND SIZES AND TYPES. WHILE THEY MAY NOT GET THE SAME ATTENTION AS PUPPIES OR KITTENS, SENIOR PETS ARE SOME OF THE MOST LOVING, LOYAL, AND REWARDING COMPANIONS. UNLIKE YOUNGER PETS, THEY ARE FULLY GROWN, MAKING IT EASIER TO CHOOSE THE PERFECT PET FOR YOUR FAMILY. ADOPTING A SENIOR MEANS SKIPPING THE GRUB -- GROWING UP STAGE. STOP BY ANIMAL SERVICES TO MEET OUR THREE SENIOR PETS PICTURED ON THIS SLIDE . AND YOU WILL THANK YOURSELF FOR IT. WE ALSO HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO FOSTER SHELTER DOCS FOR THE WEEKENDS , SO IF YOU HAVE A FREE WEEKEND, PLEASE CONSIDER GIVING A SHELTER PET A SLEEPOVER. JUST A COUPLE DAYS AWAY FROM THE SHELTER CAN HELP THEM RELAX, RECHARGE , AND SHOW OFF THEIR TRUE PERSONALITY, WHICH HELPS THEM GET ADOPTED FASTER. SHORT COMMITMENT ON YOUR PART. BIG IMPACT ON THE COMMUNITY. SO GIVE THEM A BREAK AND RECEIVE SOME LOVE AND RETURN . SIGN UP BY CONTACTING ANIMAL SERVICES AT ROWLETT.COM OR BY CALLING 972 -412-6219. AND BOB BARKER HAD IT RIGHT. DON'T FORGET TO SPAY AND NEUTER YOUR PETS .

[3.Citizens’ Input ]

>> THANK YOU, MR. REAVES. COUNCIL, ANY OTHER UPDATE ? ALL RIGHT. SEEING ON, WE WILL MOVE ON TO ITEM THREE, CITIZENS INPUT. COMMENTS WILL BE TAKEN FROM THE AUDIENCE ON ANY TOPIC.

NO ACTION CAN BE TAKEN BY THE COUNCIL. WE DO HAVE A NUMBER OF REQUEST TO SPEAK FORMS. I'M GOING TO CALL UP ALL OF THE CITIZENS INPUT INDIVIDUALS AND WE ALSO HAVE A PUBLIC HEARING LATER AS WELL. IF YOU FILLED OUT A FORM AND IT SAYS FIVE A AND FIVE B OR TALKS ABOUT MERRITT ROAD AND REZONING AND YOU WANT TO SPEAK , YOU ARE WELCOME TO. I JUST NEED YOU TO LET ME KNOW.

OTHERWISE I'M GOING TO ASSUME YOU ARE HERE TO SPEAK DURING THE PUBLIC HEARING WHICH WILL BE LATER IN THE MEETING. IF ANYBODY HAS A TIME COMMITMENT. I HAVE A COUPLE CARDS RELEVANT TO ITEM 6 AND 7 ON THE AGENDA, WHICH IS THE ETHICS COMPLAINT. SO I WILL HAVE THOSE INDIVIDUALS SPEAK CLOSER TO THE END OF THE MEETING AS WELL JUST TO HAVE THOSE ALL IN ONE PACKAGE, IF YOU WILL, WHEN CONSIDERING THAT ITEM. OUR FIRST CITIZENS INPUT THIS EVENING WILL BE FROM ALLISON . IF YOU WILL COME FORWARD AND STATE YOUR NAME . I THINK YOU KNOW THE DRILL, ALLISON.

FOLLOWING ALLISON WILL BE DAN. >> GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND TRIED FIVE. I'M ALLISON. MONTGOMERY. SINCE I CANNOT BOTTLE THE SMELL OF LIBERTY GROVE, I BROUGHT YOU A PICTURE OF WHAT WE ARE DEALING WITH. SO EVERYBODY IN THE BACK CAN SEE TOO. MY NAME IS ALLISON.

I'M HERE BECAUSE SITUATION ON LIBERTY GROVE NEAR THE HOMESTEAD HAS BECOME TRULY UNBEARABLE. THE SEWER SMELL IN THIS AREA IS ABHORRENT. WE CAN'T TAKE IT ANYMORE. WE CANNOT WALK OUTSIDE WITHOUT SMELLING SEWER. WE CANNOT ENJOY OUR BACKYARDS. WE CAN'T EVEN TAKE A SIMPLE WALK WITHOUT BEING HIT IN THE FACE WITH HUMAN WASTE . THIS IS NOT A MILD NUISANCE. IT IS A DAILY QUALITY OF LIFE CRISIS FOR EVERY RESIDENT IN THIS AREA. THIS IS NOT JUST AN UNPLEASANT ODOR. IT IS A DANGEROUS GAS, YET HERE WE ARE BEING FORCED TO LIVE NEXT TO IT AS THOUGH THE SITUATION IS NORMAL OR ACCEPTABLE. I REFUSE TO BELIEVE THIS IS LEGAL.

SOMEONE APPROVED THIS DESIGNED AND CREATED THIS. A CIVIL ENGINEER SIGNED OFF ON THIS PLAN AND I CAN'T IMAGINE A RESPONSIBLE PROFESSIONAL BELIEVING WHAT WE ARE LIVING

[00:15:01]

WITH TODAY IS SAFE OR APPROPRIATE. HERE'S WHAT MAKES IT SO MUCH WORSE. ROWLETT CONTRACTORS $4,402,544.80 OF OUR TAXPAYER MONEY FOR THIS PROJECT. IT IS AN ENORMOUS INVESTMENT, YET WHAT DO WE RECEIVE IN RETURN? A NEIGHBORHOOD THAT WAKES UP AND GOES TO BED SMELLING SEWAGE. I CANNOT CALL THAT PROGRESS. IT IS A COMPLETE FAILURE OF EXECUTION AND OVERSIGHT AND IT IS REPREHENSIBLE. I WANT TO ADD SOMETHING PERSONAL. I MOVED TO ROWLETT WHEN I WAS FIVE YEARS OLD. I HAVE SEEN IT GROW AND CHANGE AND I'VE ALWAYS BELIEVED IN THE COMMUNITY SPIRIT THAT MAKES ROWLETT SPECIAL. BUT THE ROWLETT I SEE TODAY IS BEGINNING TO RESEMBLE PAWNEE, INDIANA FROM PARKS AND REC. IF YOU KNOW THE SHOW, YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN.

COMMON SENSE EVAPORATES AND DECISIONS ARE MADE WITHOUT THINKING ABOUT HOW THEY IMPACT REAL PEOPLE. ON TELEVISION IT IS WRITTEN AS A JOKE , BUT IN LIFE, IT IS NOT FUNNY. WE DESERVE BETTER AND WE DESERVE ANSWERS AND WE DESERVE IMMEDIATE ACTION . WHETHER THAT MEANS REDESIGNING THE SYSTEM FROM INSTALLING PROPER ODOR CONTROL, HOLDING CONTRACTORS ACCOUNTABLE, OR BRINGING INDEPENDENT EXPERTS TO FIX WHATEVER WENT WRONG.

SOMETHING MUST BE DONE NOW. NO FAMILY IN ROWLETT SHOULD BE FIGHTING TO BRAISE CLEAN AIR ON THEIR OWN PROPERTY. HEALTH AND SAFETY TO TREAT THIS AS AN URGENT ISSUE. WE PAY TEXAS. -- TAXES. AT THE VERY LEAST WE SHOULD EXPECT IN RETURN THE ABILITY TO WALK OUTSIDE WITHOUT GAGGING. THANK YOU, GUYS.

>> OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS DAN FOLLOWED BY PATRICK.

>> DAN. 6416 , ROWLETT MAYOR WINGET, THANK YOU FOR ANSWERING MY EMAIL. THE CITY APPROVED A SEWER LINE AND THE ANSWER WAS THAT WE NEEDED A SEWER LINE BECAUSE THE LAST ONE COLLAPSED BECAUSE THERE WAS NO VENTING. THE VENT STACKS ARE FOUR FOOT TALL, NUMBER ONE. I'VE TALKED TO PUBLIC WORKS. THEY CALLED ME BACK. THEY PUT AIR TRAP FILTERS ON THEM. THAT DID NOT WORK. NOW THEY ARE TAKING THEM OUT AND THERE IS ONE LEFT ON THE WHOLE SEWER LINE FROM PRINCETON ROAD ALL THE WAY DOWN TO THE CREEK.

SO THERE IS ONE VENT THERE NOW, BUT IT IS STILL HORRENDOUS JUST LIKE ALLISON WAS SAYING. I HAVE GONE TO THE TROUBLE TO CONTACT SOME ENGINEERING FIRMS . THE FIRST OPTION THAT CAN BE DONE NOW IS INJECT HYDROGEN PEROXIDE INTO THE LIFT STATION THAT IS UP ON PRINCETON . OR YOU CAN INJECT IT INTO THE MAINLINE. IT IS EXPENSIVE. IT IS NOT A REAL FIX FOR RIGHT NOW. BUT I WAS TOLD BY AN ENGINEERING FIRM -- SHOULD HAVE BEEN BUILT . ALONG WITH AIRTIGHT MANHOLE COVERS. NOW, I PERSONALLY THINK WE SHOULD NOT HAVE A GRAVITY FED LINE. WE SHOULD HAVE A PRESSURIZED LINE.

THE SEWAGE WOULD NOT HAVE TIME TO BUILD UP GAS IN THE LINE. IT WOULD BE CONSTANTLY MOVING , NOT JUST SLOWLY RUNNING DOWN THE HILL. SOMETHING JUST HAS TO BE DONE . IT'S EMBARRASSING TO HAVE PEOPLE COME OVER AND SAY, WHAT IS THAT SMELL IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD ? THEY KNOW WHAT IT IS. THEY ARE LAUGHING. WE'VE GOT TO PUT UP WITH IT. IT'S NOT FUNNY. IT'S TIME TO GET IT

FIXED. >> BEFORE YOU STEP UP AND SPEAK , I DID WANT TO GIVE OUR CITY MANAGER A CHANCE TO ADDRESS WHAT HE HAS BEEN WORKING ON THAT ISSUE.

>> SO I WANTED TO ADDRESS THIS BECAUSE THIS HAS A CONCERN. TO THE POINT MADE BY THE PREVIOUS SPEAKER WE HAVE GONE OUT MULTIPLE TIMES. THIS IS NOT SOMETHING WE ARE TAKING LIGHTLY . WE ARE NOT KEYSTONE COPPING THIS. WE HAVE THE SYSTEM WAS DESIGNED BY AN ENGINEER INSTALLED ACCORDING TO THOSE PLANS . THEY ARE SUPPOSED TO BE VENTED. THAT WAS AN ISSUE. WHAT IS HAPPENING IS THE LIFT STATION KICKS ON, THE FUMES KICK OUT.

STAFF THIS WEEK SEALED THE MANHOLE COVER TIGHT BECAUSE THERE WAS SEEPAGE FROM THE MANHOLE COVER. THEY DID REMOVE SOME OF THE OTHER VENTS. WE ARE NOT DONE, BUT WHEN THEY HAVE GONE OUT AND PART OF THE CHALLENGE FOR US IS THIS APPEARS TO BE INTERMITTENT AND IT IS DIFFICULT FOR US TO CAPTURE WHAT IS HAPPENING. SO WHAT I WOULD ASK YOU -- MY CONTACT INFORMATION -- YOU CAN REACH OUT TO CHRIS. TO ONE OF THE COUNCILMEMBERS. THERE IS A DELAY IN TIME . WE'RE TRYING TO FIGURE THIS OUT. WE HAVE PROFESSIONALS. IT IS EASY FOR

[00:20:05]

PEOPLE WHO AREN'T ON SITE TO SAY THIS IS WHAT YOU SHOULD OR SHOULDN'T DO THEY DON'T REALLY KNOW ALL THE CONDITIONS. SOMEONE WOULDN'T MISTAKENLY THINK WE HAVE IGNORED THE CONCERNS OF THE COMMUNITY. I HAVE BEEN OUT THERE MULTIPLE TIMES. SYSTEMS DIRECTOR HAS BEEN OUT THERE. WE ARE NOT RESTING UNTIL IT IS RESOLVED.

THAT IS REALLY THE WHOLE POINT. IF YOU HAVE A COMPLAINT IF THE ODOR IS ARISING, REACH OUT TO US DIRECTLY . IT WILL ALLOW US TO TRACK THIS DOWN AND JUMP ON TOP OF THIS A LOT SOONER.

>> OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS PATRICK VANDAL.

>> I CERTAINLY HOPE YOU CAN GET A RESOLUTION. MY NAME IS PATRICK VANDAL. I HAVE A COUPLE OF TOPICS I WOULD LIKE TO BRIEFLY COVER. STILL PATIENTLY AWAITING ANY UPDATES OF REPAIRS. EVERYONE GOT EXCITED -- BEAUTIFYING THINGS LIKE ENTRANCES. IT SEEMS AS IF THE IDEA MAY HAVE STALLED. SEEMS LIKE WE ARE STILL A LONG WAY FROM BREAKING GROUND THAN ACTUALLY DOING ANY PHYSICAL WORK. WE WOULD LIKE TO SEE SOME TRANSPARENCY. YOU HAD STATED TO ME THAT YOU CAN SEE PHYSICAL PROGRESS IN LESS THAN SIX MONTHS . I DON'T KNOW WHERE WE ARE AT WITH THAT. MIKE BRITTON SAID IN HIS PRAYER GOVERNMENT WORKS BEST -- WE HAVE BEEN ENGAGED . WOULD LIKE TO SEE YOUR WORK.

SINCE I KNOW YOU ARE ALL MULTITALENTED, I THOUGHT WE SHOULD ALSO LOOK INTO A VOTE ON THE -- I'M SURE YOU HAVE HEARD FOUR OF OUR NEIGHBORS CITIES -- FARMERS BRANCH, HIGHLAND PARK.

THEY ARE ALL ALLOWING VOTERS TO DECIDE IF THEY WANT TO LEAVE THE PROGRAM. IT SEEMS ONLY RIGHT SINCE IT IS CITIZENS WHO PAY FOR IT. WE SHOULD LOOK TO FOLLOW IN THEIR FOOTSTEPS. THIS IS AN EXCELLENT TIME TO EXIT THIS PROGRAM. IT IS A HUGE WASTE IN TAXPAYER DOLLARS. IT DOES NOTHING FOR THIS COMMUNITY EXCEPT BRING TRASH FROM DALLAS AND CRIME. IT HAS INCREASED DRAMATICALLY I ALSO THINK WE NEED TO GET TO THE BOTTOM OF THIS WATER BILL PROBLEM. WE STILL HAVE THE HIGHEST RATES IN THE DFW. PEOPLE WHOSE METERS STILL DON'T WORK WHILE THE REST OF US PAY A HIGHER RATE TO MAKE UP THE DIFFERENCE. THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR YEARS. ACTUAL YEARS. I KNOW SEVERAL TIMES I HAVE HEARD DAVID MENTION MONEY ALL THE TIME. WHY WOULD YOU VOTE TO RAISE TEXAS EVEN MORE ? WE ALREADY PAID THE HIGHEST RATE IN DALLAS BEFORE YOU VOTED TO RAISE OUR TAXES. NOW WE ARE EVEN HIGHER. DO WE WANT TO BE KNOWN FOR THE HIGHEST TEXAS AND THE WORST WATER BILLS IN THE DFW AREA? SURELY WE PAY OUR CITY MANAGER ENOUGH MONEY TO COME UP WITH A PLAN TO FIX THESE ISSUES.

VERY INTELLIGENT INDIVIDUAL AND IS ABLE TO JUGGLE MULTIPLE TASKS . THAT IS WHY YOU HIRED HIM IN THE FIRST PLACE. GET US OUT OF THE DARK AND LOWER OUR WATER BILLS AND LOWER OUR TAXES. THANK

YOU. >>

>> DID ANYONE THAT SUBMITTED A PUBLIC INPUT CARD WANT TO SPEAK NOW VERSUS DURING THE PUBLIC HEARING? GOING ONCE. GOING TWICE. OKAY. I HAVE ABOUT 10 OR 12 CARDS THAT WILL SPEAK DURING THE PUBLIC HEARING FOR FIVE A AND 5B. WITH THAT, THAT CONCLUDES CITIZENS INPUT. OH, YES. THANK YOU.

>> SO LET ME ADDRESS THE SCREENING WALLS. WE BEGAN THE EFFORT IMMEDIATELY AFTER THAT COUNCIL MEETING. I TRIED TO BE VERY CLEAR WHAT THE PROCESS WOULD BE AT THIS TIME. GO TEAR DOWN THE WALLS AND PUT ONE UP. THE DIRECTIVE WAS TO GO OUT AND GET A STUDY DONE. I CONTACTED THE CITY OF RICHARDSON, WHICH DOES SOME DEGREE OF SCREEN WALL REPAIR . AND WE ARE USING THE

[00:25:01]

ENGINEERING FIRM THEY UTILIZED TO DO THE ASSESSMENT . WE HAVE BEEN NEGOTIATING WITH THEM ON A SCOPE OF SERVICES AND THOSE THINGS. THAT WAS COMPLETED. WE RECEIVED A QUOTE FOR WORK LAST WEEK AND THE DEPUTY CITY MANAGER HAS BEGUN AND DIRECTED THEM TO BEGIN THE PROCESS. THAT PROCESS IS NOT SOME SMALL UNDERTAKING BASED ON THE DEGREE AND SCOPE OF THE WORK. THEY EXPECT TO BE FINISHED IN FEBRUARY TO MARCH. WE ARE PLANNING TO COME BACK BEFORE THE CITY COUNCIL TO FURTHER THIS DISCUSSION AT THE SECOND MEETING IN DECEMBER. THERE IS TIME TO ASK WHAT IS GOING ON. THIS IS THE PROCESS. WE WILL HAVE ANOTHER MEETING WITH THE COUNCIL IN THE SECOND MEETING IN DECEMBER. LONG BEFORE I WAS CITY MANAGER. WE HAVE BEEN WORKING DAY AND NIGHT. WE WERE ALSO DOING SOME PILOT PROJECTS WITH OTHER. THIS IS GOING TO BE A LARGE-SCALE SYSTEMIC RESOLUTION . WE ARE DILIGENTLY REPLACING METERS. WE HAVE REPLACED ALMOST 1000 METERS TO DATE. EVERY BUDGET SEASON WE SHOW THE WATER RATE STUDIES. WE DO NOT HAVE THE HIGHEST WATER RATES IN DFW. I JUST WANT TO CORRECT THE RECORD WITH RESPECT TO THAT. AND TO APPRISE THE PUBLIC THAT WE HAVE BEEN REPLACING THESE METERS. THAT IS A PROJECT THAT HAS GONE ON FOR A YEAR AND A HALF. THE PROBLEM IS, CANDIDLY, THE MORE METERS WE REPLACE , THE MORE THAT ARE FAILING, WHICH IS WHY -- AND I CANNOT GO TOO FAR INTO DISCUSSION NOW BECAUSE WE HAVE NOT HAD THIS WITH THE COUNCIL AND ARE PREPARING TO COME TO THEM. WE ARE GOING TO PERHAPS CONSIDER A LARGE-SCALE SYSTEMIC SOLUTION. BUT TO GET THERE, WE

[4.Consent Agenda ]

ARE DOING SOME PILOT PROGRAMS IN THE MEANTIME TO TEST THE

RESULTS. >> THANK YOU. NEXT WE MOVED TO OUR CONSENT AGENDA . OUR CONSENT AGENDA. THE FOLLOWING ITEMS MAY BE ACTED UPON IN ONE MOTION. CITY COUNCIL MEMBER OR CITIZEN MAY REQUEST ITEMS TO BE REMOVED FOR INDIVIDUAL CONSIDERATION. WE HAVE HAD A REQUEST TO PULL ITEMS 4D AND 4D . THE PARKS RECREATION AND TRAILS MASTER PLAN . SOLAR LIGHTS. WE WILL CONSIDER THOSE ITEMS INDIVIDUALLY. WE HAVE A REQUEST TO PULL ANY OTHER OF THE ITEMS? SEEING NONE, IF YOU COULD PLEASE READ THOSE THREE ITEMS

INTO THE RECORD . >> 4 A, CONSIDER ACTION APPROVING THE MINUTES. 4B, CONSIDER ACTION APPROVING AGREEMENT FOR JAIL SERVICES. 4C, CONSIDER ACTION AUTHORIZING CITY'S PARTICIPATION IN DISCOVER CARD MERCHANT CLASS

ACTION SETTLEMENT. >> THANK YOU, COUNCIL. ENTERTAIN

A MOTION . >> YES. I MOVE THAT WE APPROVE

THE ITEMS AS READ. >> WE HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE ALONG WITH A SECOND. CALL THE VOTE, PLEASE.

[4.D. Consider action approving a resolution approving the first amendment to the 2018 Rowlett Parks, Recreation and Trails Master Plan]

THOSE ITEMS CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY. NEXT WE MOVED TO ITEM 4D.

APPROVING THE FIRST AMENDMENT TO THE 2018 PARKS , RECREATION AND TRAILS MASTER PLAN. AND DEPUTY IS GOING TO PRESENT THIS ITEM. I DO WANT TO MENTION WE PULLED THIS ITEM BECAUSE I HAD SOME QUESTIONS ABOUT THE AMENDMENTS THAT WERE BEING MADE. WE DO HAVE AN AMENDED RESOLUTION IN FRONT OF YOU, COUNCIL, THAT WOULD CHANGE WHAT WE ARE AMENDING IN THAT CASE. WHEN THEY GET TO A POINT WE ARE CONSIDERING A RESOLUTION

>> MAYOR AND COUNCIL, JUST BRIEFLY , WE ARE ASKING YOU TO CONSIDER REVISING THE PLAN TO ADDRESS THE CREEK AREA. THIS IS RELATED TO THE EXTENSION. REALLY TRYING TO ENSURE THAT WE ARE COMMUNICATING EFFECTIVELY AS WE MOVE THROUGH THE ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW PROCESS WITH REGARDS TO THE CURRENT STATE OF THAT PLANNING REGARDING THAT PARK AREA IN THE FUTURE. AGAIN, MERRITT ROAD EXTENSION GOING THROUGH THIS AREA . WE DO THE ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW . IMPACT AN ACTIVE PARK. COMPLEXITY PART OF THAT ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW. THIS IS NOT AN ACTIVE PARK. IT IS ACTUALLY AN AREA THAT IS OWNED BY A DALLAS COUNTY. WE HAVE TO PERHAPS TALK ABOUT THIS AS A PARK. WE HAVE NOT DONE IT UNTIL THIS POINT. WE DID TALK

[00:30:02]

RECOMMENDED CHANGE.

PARKLAND. AN ISSUE THAT MAYOR BROUGHT UP SPECIFICALLY . WHAT OUR FLEXIBILITY IS TO ADDRESS PARKLAND IN GENERAL. THERE IS A STATE RESTRICTION REGARDING MAKING A CHANGE OF THAT USE.

THIS IS NOT THAT. IT IS TAKE AREA. WE DO HAVE AN INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT WITH DALLAS REGARDING THE USE OF THE TAKE AREA IF AN AREA IS NOT RELEASED , IT IS DESIGNATED BY ORDINANCE TO BE PARK SPACE. THAT IS NOT THE SAME HOWEVER AS BEING OFFICIALLY DESIGNATED AS PARKLAND CONSISTENT WITH STATE LAW. SO WE DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM IN MAKING THIS CHANGE. SHOULD THE COUNCIL CHOOSE O DO SO, WE HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO MAKE THIS CHANGE.

WE ARE TRYING TO MAKE SURE CLARIFYING IT IS NOT AN ACTIVE CITY PARK. WE ARE NOT PROPOSING DEVELOPMENT AS A PARK WITHIN THE PLANNING HORIZON.

HAVE. >> ANY QUESTIONS? SO, CHRISTOPH, IN PARTICULAR, CAN WE SWITCH BACK? IN PARTICULAR , WE ARE TALKING ABOUT MAKING THIS CHANGE BECAUSE WE WANT TO MAKE IT SIMPLER . I GUESS LESS ENCUMBERED TO BRING MERRITT ROAD AND CONNECTOR ALL THE WAY THROUGH . SO DOES IT MAKE MORE SENSE OR DOES IT MAKE SENSE AT ALL TO RATHER THAN TAKING THIS ENTIRE SECTION TO PARSE THAT OUT A LITTLE MORE CLEARLY SO THE ALIGNMENT OF THE ROAD IS WHAT WE ARE TAKING OUT RATHER THAN THE ENTIRE SEGMENT? OR DOES THAT NOT REALLY MATTER?

>> IT DOESN'T REALLY MATTER BECAUSE WE ARE NOT USING INAUDIBLE ] AT THIS POINT. SO WE ARE JUST REALLY TRYING TO I THINK ADEQUATELY AND APPROPRIATELY CORRECTLY IDENTIFY THE SCOPE OF THE APPROPRIATE ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW GIVEN THE FACT THAT THIS IS NOT A PARK. AND THAT IS THE CHANGE WE ARE

TRYING TO MAKE. >> AND BECAUSE OF THE IOA WITH THE DALLAS , IT IS STILL IN SOME WAYS CONSIDERED PUBLICLY ACCESSIBLE PARKLAND THAT PEOPLE CAN GO FISHING IN MUDDY CREEK

AND THINGS LIKE THAT . >> AND THAT IS WHY WE TOOK IT TO THE AREA THAT PEOPLE MAY BE USING IN THAT WAY. AGAIN, WE ARE NOT TRYING TO CHANGE THE USE AT ALL. IT IS JUST THAT RIGHT NOW WE HAVE AS A CITY ACTIVELY ACTIVATED THIS AREA AS A PARK.

SO THE ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW REALLY DOES NOT EXIST . THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT. BECAUSE WE ARE NOT GOING TO IMPACT ANYONE'S USE OF THE FACILITY . AND THAT IS WHAT WE ARE TRYING TO CLARIFY FOR THE FEDERAL PROCESS.

>> GOT IT. I MADE MENTION OF THAT ONLY BECAUSE A LOT OF PEOPLE DO FISH ON THE NORTH SIDE OF LIBERTY GROVE. THERE IS A DRIVEWAY JUST TO THE WEST OF THE CREEK AS IT WAS SO APPROPRIATELY STATED EARLIER WHERE PEOPLE DO PARK AND THEN WALKED DOWN TO THE WATER AND FISH. I JUST WANTED TO BE SURE THIS DOESN'T ENCUMBER THAT IN ANY WAY. COUNCIL, ANY QUESTIONS ? IF THERE ARE NO QUESTIONS, I WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION.

>> I MOVE THAT WE ACCEPT THE ITEM AS PRESENTED .

>> VICTORIA, WOULD THAT COUNT? >> LET'S CLARIFY IT IS THE

SUBSTITUTE RESOLUTION. >> I MOVE THAT WE ACCEPT THE SUBSTITUTE RESOLUTION AS PRESENTED.

>> WE HAVE A MOTION TO ACCEPT THE SUBSTITUTE SOLUTION AS PRESENTED. I SEE A SECOND BY MR. BRITTON. WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND TO APPROVE . LET'S CALL THE VOTE, PLEASE. THAT CARRIED

[4.E. Consider action approving the purchase of solar lights.]

UNANIMOUSLY. NEXT WE WILL MOVE ON TO ITEM 4E. CONSIDER A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING PURCHASE OF SOLAR LIGHTS FROM LIGHTING AMERICA. THIS WAS ASKED TO BE PULLED BY MR. BRITTON YESTERDAY

. AND HE HAD SOME QUESTIONS . >> THAT IS CORRECT. I JUST WANTED TO HAVE A CONVERSATION AS WE TALKED ABOUT LAST NIGHT BECAUSE I KNOW OUR CITIZENS KNOW WE RECENTLY INSTALLED SOLAR LIGHTS AND THAT WE ARE PURCHASING MORE. JUST A BRIEF EXPLANATION . I THINK WE HAVE FOUND SOME OPPORTUNITIES TO PURCHASE ADDITIONAL LIGHTS AT A PRETTY GOOD COST GRID SO WE ARE JUST TRYING TO PROVIDE THOSE LIGHTS ELSEWHERE , RIGHT?

>> YES, SIR. SO THE SHORT ANSWER IS , ONCE THE PLANS WERE REVISED, THERE WAS A SURPLUS OF LIGHTS. FONROCHE OFFERED TO SELL THEM TO US . CERTAINLY THERE ARE PARK AREAS AND OTHER PLACES THIS

[00:35:10]

MAY BE APPLICABLE FOR US TO INSTALL THESE LIGHTS. WE HAVE NOT DEVELOPED A FULL PLAN YET BUT WE HAVE BEEN INTERNALLY DISCUSSING, WHERE CAN WE INSTALL LIGHTS WITHOUT HAVING TO RUN THE ADDITIONAL COST . SO THE OPPORTUNITY THEY HAD APPROXIMATELY 56 REMAINING LIGHTS THEY OFFERED FOR SALE. SO WE NEGOTIATED DOWN TO RECEIVE THOSE LIGHTS WITH 20 OF THOSE LIGHTS BEING GIVEN TO US FOR FREE. SO TECHNICALLY WE ARE ONLY PURCHASING 34 OF THOSE LIGHTS. AGAIN, WE DON'T HAVE A DIRECT PLAN OF WHERE WE ARE PUTTING THEM JUST YET , BUT THE GENERAL INTENT IS TO ENHANCE LIGHTING IN PARKLANDS AND OTHER AREAS. YOU CAN LOOK AT THINGS WHERE WE COULD DEPLOY THEM OUT INTO ADDITIONAL STREET PLACES WHERE NEIGHBORHOODS MAY ASK FOR ADDITIONAL LIGHTING AND IT IS MORE DIFFICULT TO DEPLOY. WE MAY HAVE THESE IN OUR BACKUP TO DEPLOY OUT.

>> AND THAT SUFFICES. I UNDERSTOOD A LOT OF THAT FROM LOOKING AT THE PACKET AND EVERYTHING. I JUST IN THE INTEREST OF TRANSPARENCY I WANTED THE CITIZENS TO KIND OF

HEAR YOUR EXPLANATION. >> COUNCIL, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? IF I COULD ASK OUR COMMUNITY TO STOP RUNNING OVER THE STREETLIGHTS OVER 66, THAT WOULD BE REALLY COOL. WE HAVE HAD THREE THAT HAVE BEEN HIT SO FAR. FOUR THAT HAVE BEEN HIT. THERE IS ONE LAYING ON ITS SIDE IN FRONT OF THE LIQUOR DEPOT . BUT IT IS STILL LIT UP, I MIND YOU. LAYING ON ITS SIDE, BUT IT IS STILL LIT UP. ALL RIGHT, COUNCIL. IF THERE IS NO OTHER DISCUSSION, I WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION.

>> SINCE I ASKED FOR IT, I WILL MAKE THE MOTION. I MOVE THAT WE APPROVE THE PURCHASE OF THE SOLAR LIGHTS.

>> WE HAVE A MOTION BY MR. BRITTON AND A SECOND BY MR. GIBBS. ANY DISCUSSION? LET'S CALL THE VOTE, PLEASE. ALL

[5.A. Conduct a public hearing on an ordinance amending the Comprehensive Plan of the City of Rowlett by amending the Future Land Use Plan for an approximately 23.673 acre tract out of the James M. Hamilton Survey, Abstract No. 0544 in the City of Rowlett, Dallas County, Texas, commonly known as 8500 Merritt Road, from Employment Center to Medium Density Residential, approving a Regulating Plan to construct a 185-Townhome II development based on Form-Based Code Commercial Center Zoning District (FB-CC) thereon, and approving a minor access warrant in accordance with Section 2.10.3 of the Form Base Code (FBC) to connect to Merritt Road.]

RIGHT. THAT ITEM CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY AS WELL. WE WILL MOVE TO ITEM 5 A. BEAR WITH ME. THIS IS A LONG PARAGRAPH.

CONDUCT A PUBLIC HEARING ON AN ORDINANCE AMENDING THE CONFERENCE A PLAN OF THE CITY OF ROWLETT BY MENDING THE FUTURE LAND USE PLAN FOR APPROXIMATELY 23.673 ACRE TRACT OUT OF THE JAMES M HAMILTON SURVEY ABSTRACT NUMBER 544 IN THE CITY OF ROWLETT, DALLAS COUNTY, TEXAS, COMMONLY KNOWN AS MERRITT ROAD, FROM EMPLOYMENT CENTER TO MEDIUM DENSITY RESIDENTIAL. APPROVING A REGULATING PLAN TO CONSTRUCT A 185 TOWNHOME TWO DEVELOPMENT BASED ON THE COMMERCIAL DISTRICT THEREON AND IMPROVING MINOR ACCESS WARRANT IN ACCORDANCE WITH SECTION 2.10.3 OF THE CODE TO CONNECT TO MERRITT ROAD. MAKING THIS PRESENTATION IS DERRICK HALL, DIRECTOR OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT.

>> GOOD EVENING, MR. MAYOR. MEMBERS OF COUNCIL. DERRICK HALL. DIRECTOR. AND I WILL MAKE THIS PRESENTATION THIS EVENING .

THE REQUEST FROM THE APPLICANT IS TO CONSIDER AMENDING THE COMPREHENSIVE LAND USE PLAN FROM EMPLOYMENT CENTER TO MEDIUM RESIDENTIAL TO ADOPT A REGULAR PLAN AND CONSIDER PROVING A MINOR ACCESS WARRANT IN ACCORDANCE WITH SECTION 2.10.3 .

BY WAY OF PROVIDING A LITTLE BIT OF THE PROJECT DESCRIPTION, THE PROPOSED SITE IS 23.6 ACRES . IT IS LOCATED IN THE NORTH SHORE PLANNING AREA. SPECIFICALLY THE APPLICANT IS SEEKING TO CONSTRUCT 185 TOWNHOME TWO TYPE UNITS . ALSO TO BE CONSTRUCTED BASED UPON BUILT TO ZONE STANDARDS . THERE ARE GOING TO BE THREE RESIDENTIAL LOTS THAT WILL REMAIN AS PART OF THE OVERALL PROJECT SITE. BUT NOT PART OF THE DEVELOPMENT ITSELF.

THERE ARE TWO PARKING SPACES PER UNIT. AND THERE ARE ADDITIONAL PARKING SPACES FOR VISITORS . APPROXIMATELY 90 SPACES . THERE ARE ALSO FIVE OPEN SPACE LOTS . AND THEN WITH THIS PROPOSED PROJECT BECAUSE IT LIES WITHIN THE AREA OF THE THOROUGHFARE PLAN, THERE IS PROPOSED CONSTRUCTION OF A NORTH-SOUTH CONNECTOR ROAD IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE MTP . AND IT IS HIGHLIGHTED IF YOU WOULD FOLLOW ME ON THE SITE PLAN TO THE LEFT -- TO THE RIGHT. TO THE FAR RIGHT IS THAT ACTUAL ROAD THAT HAS NO NAME AT THIS POINT. THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN AS YOU KNOW IS THE GUIDING DOCUMENT FOR ORDERLY GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT OF THE CITY. THIS AREA AS NOTED IN THE ILLUSTRATION IS CURRENTLY LAND-USE FOR EMPLOYMENT CENTER , WHICH IS INTENDED FOR LARGE-SCALE OFFICE PARK OR CORPORATE CAMPUSES TO SERVE AS THE CITY'S MAJOR EMPLOYMENT HUB. THIS IS DIRECTLY QUOTED OUT OF THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN. APPROPRIATE USES WITHIN THIS CATEGORY INCLUDE OFFICE , INSTITUTIONAL AND RESEARCH AND

[00:40:01]

DEVELOPMENT FACILITIES . HOWEVER, OTHER LAND USES SUCH AS RETAIL, ENTERTAINMENT, PARKS , AND OPEN SPACE COMMAND RESIDENTIAL MAY ALSO BE INTEGRATED SO LONG AS THEY SERVE AS A SECONDARY USE TO SUPPORT THE TRADITIONAL CONCEPT OF EMPLOYMENT WITHIN THE AREA. SHOULD THE AREA BE DEVELOPED, IT SHOULD BE DEVELOPED IN SCALE WITH PEDESTRIAN ORIENTED DESIGN WITH WIDENED SIDEWALKS, BENCHES, SHADE TREES, RAISED ENHANCE CROSSWALKS AND OTHER PEDESTRIAN AMENITIES, TAKING ADVANTAGE OF THE ASPECT OF PEDESTRIAN FRIENDLY ACTIVITY WITHIN THE AREA. THE APPLICANT IS PROPOSING TO CHANGE THE COMPREHENSIVE LAND USE TO MEDIUM DENSITY RESIDENTIAL , WHICH DOES NOT REQUIRE ANY ELEMENT OF EMPLOYMENT AS PART OF THE DEVELOPMENT . MEDIUM DENSITY LAND-USE IS DESCRIBED AS SMALLER LOTS . TYPICALLY LESS THAN 7000 SQUARE FEET. LAND-USE TYPES INCLUDE TOWNHOMES OR ZERO LOT LINE . DWELLINGS MAY BE ATTACHED OR DETACHED . BUT EACH UNIT SHOULD BE LOCATED ON ITS OWN LOT, MEANING EACH PROPOSED UNIT WOULD BE PLATTED INDIVIDUALLY.

THE CURRENT ZONING FOR THE LOCATION , AGAIN, IS FORMED BASED COMMERCIAL CENTER. THIS ENVISIONS A PEDESTRIAN CENTRIC LANDSCAPE WITH MOSTLY REAR ACCESS TO PARKING. COMMERCIAL CENTER IS A DESIGNATION OF MIXED-USE , COMMERCIAL, AND FLEX EMPLOYMENT BUILDING TYPES FOR THE RESIDENTIAL FABRIC IS INTENDED TO SUPPORT EMPLOYMENT USES. THERE ARE ALSO PUBLIC OPEN SPACE AREAS DESIGNED TO BE URBAN . AS AN EXAMPLE, DIFFERENT TYPES OF PLAZAS, SQUARES , ET CETERA. AREAS THAT ENCOURAGE A GATHERING OF BOTH RESIDENTS, VISITORS, AND BUSINESSES. ALL INTEGRATED WITH THE TIGHT NETWORK OF STREETS AND WIDE SIDEWALKS. TREE PLANTINGS AND BUILDINGS SET CLOSE TO THE SIDEWALKS. THE PROJECT THAT IS PROPOSED CONFORMS TO ALL OF THE DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS OUTLINED FOR COMMERCIAL CENTER IN THE FORM ILLUSTRATION SHOWS DIRECTLY FROM THE FORM-BASE CODE AS IT RELATES TO COMMERCIAL CENTER AS THE ZONING DESIGNATION . THE VARIOUS TYPES OF USES THAT ARE PERMITTED BY RIGHT. TOWNHOME TWO IS LISTED FIRST, BUT THEY ALSO INCLUDE MIXED RESIDENTIAL, SHOPFRONT, LIVE WORK , MIXED-USE, COMMERCIAL, AND FLEX EMPLOYMENT, AND THEN THE VARIOUS DESIGN GUIDELINES TO PROVIDE GUIDANCE . AND IN THIS CASE, THE APPLICANT SHOWS TO PROPOSE A CONCEPT OF TOWNHOME 2 AND HAS LAID OUT A SITE PLAN THAT MEETS ALL OF THE DESIGN CRITERIA. THIS ILLUSTRATION SHOWS THE PROPOSED REGULATING PLAN . THE AREAS IN GREEN ARE AREAS THAT ARE OPEN SPACE AS A PART OF THE PLAN. THE AREA DIRECTLY IN THE MIDDLE IS NOT A PART OF THE PROJECT. THOSE ARE GOING TO BE EXISTING HOMES THAT WILL REMAIN AS PART OF THE PROJECT. AND SO THE PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT IS IN AND AROUND THE THREE LOTS THAT ARE GOING TO REMAIN. AGAIN, 185 TOWNHOME TYPE TWO UNITS ALL INDIVIDUALLY PLATTED . THEY ARE ALLOWED BY RIGHT WITHIN THE ZONING DISTRICT. THERE ARE TWO PARKING SPACES PER UNIT. AN ADDITIONAL 90 SPACES CONTAINED THROUGHOUT THE PLANNING AREA FOR VISITORS PARKING. THERE ARE FIVE DISTINCT OPEN SPACE LOTS . THERE IS A REQUEST AS IS OUTLINED IN THE FORM-BASED CODE THAT ANY TIME YOU CONNECT TO MERRITT ROAD , YOU ARE REQUIRED REQUEST . I WILL JUST AS INDICATED ON THIS SITE PLAN -- THE EXISTING ROAD, WHICH IS ONE OF THE CONNECTIONS, ALREADY EXISTS. THE SECOND ROAD, WHICH IS INDICATED BY THE FIRST ARROW , ALREADY EXISTS BECAUSE THAT IS THE CURRENT ACCESS DRIVE TO THE THREE PROPERTIES THAT ARE GOING TO REMAIN AS PART OF THIS PROJECT. SO THE MINOR WARRANT TYPICALLY GOVERNS THAT LAST ARROW , WHICH WOULD BE A NEW SECONDARY ACCESS POINT IF THE PROJECT IS APPROVED. THE APPLICANT HAS INDICATED THAT THE INTERIOR ROADS WILL BE MAINTAINED BY HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATION. THIS IS JUST A CLOSER ILLUSTRATION OF THE MINOR WARRANT THAT IS REQUIRED BECAUSE IT TO MERRITT ROAD. THE APPLICANT HAS PROVIDED THE

[00:45:01]

FOLLOWING PROPOSED ELEVATIONS. AGAIN, THESE WILL BE AS PART OF THE ENTITLEMENT PROCESS , INDIVIDUALLY PLATTED LOTS . THEY HAVE ALSO PROPOSED ELEVATIONS FOR THE AMENITIES CENTER THAT IS LOCATED AT THE INTERSECTION OF MERRITT ROAD IN FAYETTEVILLE ROAD . AS IT RELATES TO LAND-USE ANALYSIS , THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN, WHICH AGAIN IS DESIGNATED -- AND THE CURRENT ZONING, WHICH IS FORM-BASED CODE COMMERCIAL CENTER ARE INCONSISTENT.

EMPLOYMENT CENTER REQUIRES EMPLOYMENT RELATED USES AS THE PRIMARY USE WITHIN A DEVELOPMENT PROJECT. THE APPLICANT IN THE PROPOSAL HAS NOT INDICATED ANY EMPLOYMENT ACTIVITY FOR THE PROJECT. THEREFORE, THE APPLICANT IS REQUESTING A CHANGE IN THE LAND USE FROM EMPLOYMENT CENTER TO MEDIUM CITY RESIDENTIAL. BY CHANGING THAT LAND-USE, IT WOULD MAKE THE CURRENT ZONING CONSISTENT WITH BOTH THE LAND-USE AND THE ZONING FOR THE AREA. THERE ARE NO CHANGES THAT ARE REQUIRED TO THE ZONING DISTRICT AS WAS MENTIONED EARLIER, TOWNHOME 2 IS A PERMITTED USE BY RIGHT AND FORM-BASED COMMERCIAL CENTER .

THE AMENITIES AND OPEN SPACE REQUIREMENTS HAVE BEEN MET AS PROPOSED AS HAS OTHER DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS WITHIN THE PROJECT . ALLEYS AND GARAGES AS A PART OF FORM-BASED COMMERCIAL CENTER ARE REQUIRED. THESE ARE REAR YARD ALLEYS AND THE ACCESS TO THE GARAGE ARE REAR ENTRY . THE ALLEYS AS PROPOSED BY THE APPLICANT ARE 27 AND 30 FEET, RESPECTIVELY , TO ACCOMMODATE FIRE VEHICLES. AS WAS MENTIONED, THESE ARE REAR LOADED SINGLE-FAMILY TOWNHOME PRODUCTS. THEY ALSO PRESERVE THE STREETSCAPE AS IT RELATES TO THE FACT THAT FRONT YARDS AND PATIO AND ADDITIONAL AREAS FOR COMMUNAL ENGAGEMENT. STREETS AND PRIMARY ENTRYWAY LANDSCAPES AS IT RELATES TO THE NORTH SHORE PLANNING AREA. THE STREET SEGMENT DESIGN REQUIREMENTS HAVE BEEN MET. THE TOTAL BASED UPON THE SIZE OF THE PLANNING AREA IS APPROXIMATELY 9600 SQUARE FEET OF LANDSCAPING AT THE FRONT ENTRANCE . THE APPLICANT IN THEIR DESIGN IS PROPOSING IS 26,773 SQUARE FEET. SO ABOVE THE MINIMUM STANDARD . AND THAT IS TO THE NORTHERN SIDE. AND THEN 21,786 SQUARE FEET AT THE SOUTHERN END. AS WAS ALSO INDICATED, THIS PARTICULAR PROJECT SITE IS LOCATED WITHIN AN AREA WITHIN THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN WHERE WE HAVE IDENTIFIED A MASSIVE THOROUGHFARE PLAN CONSTRUCTION OF A NEW ROAD. THIS ROAD IS NOT CURRENTLY NAMED, BUT IT WILL SERVE AS A NORTH-SOUTH THOROUGHFARE CONNECTOR. AND THEY HAVE PROPOSED THIS NEW CONSTRUCTION OF THE ROAD TO BE CONTAINED WITHIN THE PROJECT AREA. SO IT IS CONSISTENT WITH A MASSIVE THOROUGHFARE PLAN. AS IT RELATES TO THE PUBLIC NOTICE RESPONSES, IN ACCORDANCE WITH STATE LAW AND DEVELOPMENT CODE -- I SHOULD SAY IN ACCORDANCE WITH STATE LAW, THE CODE HAS NOT BEEN UPDATED YET, 61 NOTICES WERE SENT OUT TO PROPERTIES WITHIN 200 FEET AND ADDITIONAL 41 UNIT -- 41 NOTICES -- COURTESY NOTICES SENT OUT TO PROPERTIES WITHIN 500 FEET. AND THIS OCCURRED ON OCTOBER 17TH, 2025. AS OF NOVEMBER 17TH, WHICH WAS YESTERDAY, STAFF HAS RECEIVED THE FOLLOWING BASED UPON THE 200 FOOT AND THE 500 FOOT NOTICE REQUIREMENTS. 10 NOTICES IN FAVOR OF SUPPORT OF THE PROJECT RECEIVED IN WRITING BACK AND THEN ZERO NOTICES IN FAVOR AND ZERO NOTICES IN OPPOSITION BETWEEN 200 AND 500 FEET. THERE WERE SOME ADDITIONAL NOTICES THAT WERE RECEIVED AND SUBMITTED THROUGH THE CITIZENS FORM THAT WERE BEYOND THIS REACH. I DON'T THINK I HAVE THE SLIDE FOR THE PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION, BUT I REMEMBER IT, SO I'LL JUST GIVE IT TO YOU OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD. THIS CASE WAS PRESENTED AT PNC ON OCTOBER 15TH. THE INITIAL VOTE WAS 2-2. TWO IN SUPPORT AND TWO IN OPPOSITION. AT THAT PARTICULAR MEETING, WE ONLY HAD FOUR PLANNING AND ZONING

[00:50:03]

COMMISSIONERS THAT WERE PRESENT AT THE TIME. WE DID HAVE A QUORUM. HOWEVER, THAT VOTE FAILED. A SUBSEQUENT MOTION WAS MADE AND THE MOTION WAS TO TABLE THE ITEM UNTIL THE NEXT PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION MEETING. THAT VOTE WAS TWO IN FAVOR , ONE IN OPPOSITION, AND ONE EXTENSION. SO IT DID PASS . ON THE OCTOBER 29TH -- THE FOURTH TUESDAY OF OCTOBER. I CAN'T REMEMBER THE DATE. I THINK IT WAS THE 29TH. THE PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION BY A VOTE OF ZERO TO SEVEN APPROVED THE

DENIAL. DID I SAY THAT RIGHT? >> THE RECOMMENDATION TO DENY.

>> THEY MADE A RECOMMENDATION TO DENY THE PROJECT. AND SO THAT WAS THE RECOMMENDATION THAT WAS BEING BROUGHT FORWARD TO YOU TONIGHT AT CITY COUNCIL. SO THE RECOMMENDATION FOR CITY COUNCIL IS TO APPROVE WITH CONDITIONS OR TO DENY THE REQUEST. AND THE APPLICANT AND THE REPRESENTATIVES ARE ALSO HERE

WITH THE PRESENTATION. >> ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU, DEREK.

COUNCIL, BEFORE WE MOVED TO THE PUBLIC HEARING, I DO WANT TO CONVENE A VERY BRIEF EXECUTIVE SESSION. OUR CITY ATTORNEY READ THAT INTO THE RECORD. PURSUANT TO CITY COUNCIL SHALL CONVENE INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION PURSUANT TO TEXAS CODE CONSULTATION WITH ATTORNEY TO SEEK LEGAL ADVICE FROM THE CITY ATTORNEY ON AGENDA ITEM 5B, WHICH WE WILL READ INTO THE RECORD SHORTLY. THAT IS THE DECISION ITEM FOR THIS ONE.

COMPANION

>> ALL RIGHT, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN. WE CAN COME BACK TO ORDER, PLEASE. WE DID CONCLUDE OUR EXECUTIVE SESSION AT 7:59 P.M. IT IS NOW 8:00 P.M. AND WERE GOING TO RECONVENE AT OUR REGULAR SESSION. I DO WANT TO MENTION THE REASON WE CONVENED AT A HIGH LEVEL WAS TO DISCUSS THE NATURE OF THIS USE OF THE PROPERTY TO JUST ENSURE COUNCIL WAS CLEAR ON WHAT WE WERE CONSIDERING TONIGHT, PARTICULARLY IN LIGHT OF THE FACT THIS IS REALLY A CONVERSATION ABOUT THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN AND FUTURE LAND USE MAP AND I THINK IT IS IMPORTANT THAT WE POINT THAT OUT BECAUSE I ERRONEOUSLY STATED ON SOCIAL MEDIA THIS REQUIRES A SUPER MAJORITY VOTE TO APPROVE AND IT DOES NOT BECAUSE IT IS NOT A ZONING CASE ON ITS FACE.

IT IS A CHANGE OF THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN AND THE FUTURE LAND USE MAP, SO IT DOES REQUIRE A SIMPLE MAJORITY TO APPROVE THIS ITEM. I WANTED TO GET SOME CLARITY AROUND THAT.

ALSO HAD A QUESTION ABOUT THE VOTE AT THE P AND Z MEETING AS WELL. SO THAT WAS THE NATURE OF OUR DISCUSSION AS WELL. SO, DEREK, THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION. I DO WANT TO GO AHEAD AND OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING. ALL THOSE THAT HAVE COME THIS EVENING HAVE THEIR OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK. DEREK, I'LL ASK YOU TO TAKE A SEAT. WE WILL START IN ORDER. BASED ON THE CARDS THAT I HAVE, FIRST SPEAKER. WE WILL OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING AT 8101 P.M. FIRST SPEAKER THIS EVENING IS CHRIS WILLIAMS. AFTER CHRIS WILL BE JESSE -- STATE YOUR NAME AND PLACE OF RESIDENCE.

>> THERE IS GENERALLY NOT A SET PROCESS . I WILL KEEP THE PUBLIC HEARING OPEN. WE WILL HAVE THE DEVELOPER STEP UP AND MAKE A PRESENTATION. I APOLOGIZE TO WHOEVER IS GOING TO MAKE THE PRESENTATION FOR OMITTING YOU ALL.

>> THANK YOU FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY. I AM THE DIRECTOR OF ENTITLEMENT . LOCATED IN DALLAS. PRESENTING A PROJECT .

MERIT CROSSING. WE ARE PROPOSING AS DEREK MENTIONED DETACHED SINGLE-FAMILY HOMES, WHICH IS TOWNHOME TYPE 2. SHOWING THE EXISTING SITE CONDITION THAT THE SITE IS ABOUT 23.6 ACRES .

CURRENTLY SITE HAS THREE SINGLE-FAMILY HOMES. IT HAS VACANT LOT AND ONE SINGLE-FAMILY TO THE EAST. VACANT TO THE NORTH

[00:55:02]

AS WELL AS SOUTH . AND IT HAS ASPEN SQUARE, WHICH USED TO BE CALLED MERIT VILLAS, WHICH IS 60 TOWNHOME PROJECTS AND MULTI FAMILY LOT TO THE WEST OF IT.

WHAT WE ARE REQUESTING TONIGHT'S APPROVAL OF REGULATING PLAN. APPROVE OF CONFERENCE A PLAN AMENDMENT TO MEDIUM DENSITY RESIDENTIAL AND APPROVAL OF MINOR WARRANT TO CONNECT TO MERRITT ROAD . JUST BRINGING IN THAT NOTE THAT WE ARE NOT REQUESTING ANY ZONING CHANGE AND TOWNHOME 2 IS AN ALLOWED USE UNDER CURRENT ZONING.

OUR CONCEPT SHOWS THE LAYOUT OF THE 185 TOWNHOMES WE ARE PRESENTING AS WAS SHOWN IN THE CITY'S PRESENTATION. WE ARE PROVIDING FIVE DIFFERENT OPEN SPACES. WE ARE ALSO PROVIDING AN AMENITIES CENTER RIGHT OF THE INTERSECTION AT THE ENTRANCE OF FAYETTEVILLE AND MERRITT ROAD. THE EXISTING ZONING IS FORM-BASED COMMERCIAL DISTRICT IN NORTHSHORE SOUTH PLAN AND THE EXISTING COMPREHENSIVE PLAN LAND USE IS EMPLOYMENT CENTER, WHICH IS WHAT WE ARE REQUESTING TO MEDIUM CITY RESIDENTIAL SO THAT IT ALIGNS WITH THE USES THAT ARE ALLOWED UNDER CURRENT ZONING DISTRICT. WE ARE PROPOSING TWO PARKING SPACES PER LOT IN THE GARAGE AS WELL AS PROVIDING 90 SPACES IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE FORM-BASED CODE ON THE STREET. WE WANTED TO SHOW THE DEVELOPMENT STANDARD OF THE FORM-BASED CODE. WE ARE MEETING ALL THE DEVELOPMENT STANDARD OF THE CURRENT FORM-BASED CODE. THE UNDERLYING FORM-BASED CODE FROM ZONE. THE FRONTAGE DOOR YARD STOOPS. THE ALLEYS. STOOP FRONTAGE, AMENITIES ZONE .

AVERAGE BLOCK FACE LENGTH. MAXIMUM BLOCK FACE LENGTH AND MINIMUM OPEN SPACE . IN FACT, WE ARE EXCEEDING THE MINIMUM OPEN SPACE . REQUIRED IS 10%. WE ARE PROVIDING 14% OF OPEN SPACE. SO WE ARE MEETING WITH THE INTENT OF THE FORM-BASED CODE AND COMPLYING WITH ALL OF THE DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS. WE ARE ALSO PROVIDING TOWNHOME AND ACTUALLY WE HAD MANY CONVERSATIONS WITH THE CITY PLANNING STAFF, FIRE DEPARTMENT, ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT IN MORE THAN A YEAR THAT WE ARE WORKING ON THIS PROJECT . AND FIRE DEPARTMENT HAD REQUESTED TO PROVIDE WIDER THAN USUAL ALLEYS, WHICH WE ARE PROVIDING MINIMUM 24 FEET PAVEMENT WITH . BUT THE ACTUAL RIGHT-OF-WAY FOR THE ALLEY WILL BE 27 FEET AND SOME OF THEM ARE ALSO 34 FOOT WIDE ALLEY RIGHT-OF-WAY. THIS SLIDE SHOWS BASICALLY WHAT FORM-BASED CODE ALLOWS IN TERMS OF THE USE . TOWNHOME 2 IS AN ALLOWED USE IN THE NORTHSHORE OPPORTUNITY ZONE . AND FORM-BASED CODE ALSO PROMOTES HIGH DENSITY DEVELOPMENT IN A PEDESTRIAN FRIENDLY ENVIRONMENT WITH OPEN SPACE AND SHADE FOR OUT DOOR SUPPORTING EMPLOYMENT USERS IN THE AREA. AND THIS IS FROM THE FORM-BASED CODE OF THESE VISUALS. THIS PROJECT IS ALSO FOR FILLING NORTH FRAMEWORK PLAN IN TERMS OF STREET LAYOUT AS WELL AS CITIES , MASTER THOROUGHFARE PLAN BY EXPENDING FAYETTEVILLE ROAD AS WELL AS BUILDING 94 FEET STREET RIGHT-OF-WAY THROUGH THIS SIDE. SO THIS PROJECT WILL IMPLEMENT WHAT MASTER THOROUGHFARE PLAN HAS CONTEMPLATED FOR THE CITY .

AND WE ARE REQUESTING ONLY A MINOR WARRANT, WHICH IS REQUIRED TO PROVIDE CONNECTION TO MERRITT ROAD AS AN ENTRANCE INTO THE PROJECT.

I WANTED TO SHOW SOME OF THE SURROUNDING APPROVED RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT . AS MENTIONED EARLIER, THE IMMEDIATE NEIGHBORING SITE TO THE WEST , WHICH IS ASPEN SQUARE HOMES, WHICH IS 60 TOWNHOMES , AND OXEN FREE, WHICH IS AT THE INTERSECTION OF CASTLE AND MERIT , WHICH IS 145 HOMES . BOTH OF THESE PROJECTS ALSO HAS THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN OR FUTURE

[01:00:01]

LAND USE OR IS EMPLOYMENT CENTER . THEY DID NOT DO ANY COMP PLAN AMENDMENT. ALSO THIS PROPOSED LAND-USE IS COMPLEMENTARY TO WHAT IS IN THE SURROUNDING RESIDENTIAL USES. ALSO WANTED TO SHOW THE NEARBY INDUSTRIAL PARK , WHICH IS LAKEVIEW BUSINESS DISTRICT , WHICH IS ALMOST 1.8 MILLION SQUARE FEET OF INDUSTRIAL PARK. AND THIS PROJECT WILL PROVIDE SUFFICIENT HOUSING TO SUPPORT THE EMPLOYMENT USER IN THE INDUSTRIAL PARK.

BASED ON THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN OF CITY OF ROWLETT, IF YOU WOULD SEE THE LAST LINE, WHICH IS THE EMPLOYMENT CENTER IN THIS TABLE, THE EMPLOYMENT CENTER IS ALLOWED TO HAVE RESIDENTIAL USE . AND PROPOSE RESIDENTIAL USE EMPLOYMENT CENTER IS PROJECTED TO HAVE 2988 HOMES . WITH A DENSITY OF 20 DWELLIN UNITS PER ACRE. CURRENT NUMBER OF HOMES IN THE PROPOSED NUMBER OF HOMES IN THIS AREA TOGETHER MAKE ABOUT 1600 HOMES SO THAT IS STILL 1400 HOMES KIND OF REMAINING AND WE ARE REQUESTING 185 OF THOSE.

ABOUT 7.7 DWELLING UNITS PER ACRE DENSITY. THIS IS THE NORTHSHORE OPPORTUNITY ZONE AND ALL THE BLUE COLORS YOU SEE IS THE EMPLOYMENT CENTER AREA . AS YOU SEE THE LABELS ON THIS PLAN , FIRST OF ALL, THIS EMPLOYMENT CENTER AREA COVERS ABOUT 1178 ACRES IN THE NORTHSHORE OPPORTUNITY ZONE. MORE THAN 500 ACRES IS VACANT AS OF TODAY. EMPLOYMENT CENTER USE NORMALLY NEEDS LARGE PARCEL SIZE LIKE 165 ACRES . LAKEVIEW BUSINESS DISTRICT . 100 ACRES FOR STATE FARM. OUR SITE IS JUST 23 ACRES, WHICH IS NOT REALLY LARGE ENOUGH TO DEVELOP AN EMPLOYMENT CENTER.

AS YOU CAN SEE IN THE EMPLOYMENT CENTER AREA, IT SHOWS THE LOCATION OF JEFFERSON AT MERRITT PARK, OXEN FREE , OXEN FREE HOMES, MERRITT VILLAGE , ASPEN SQUARE , AND THEN LAKEVIEW BUSINESS DISTRICT . AND IT ALSO SHOWS IT IS OVERLAID ON THE AERIAL VIEW, WHICH SHOWS THE VACANT AREA. THE LAKEVIEW BUSINESS PARK IS COMPRISED OF 1.8 MILLION SQUARE FEET OF BUILDING , OUT OF WHICH ONLY 33% IS LEAST SO FAR . I WANTED TO POINT OUT KIND OF ROWLETT'S HOUSING NEEDS. THIS PROJECT IS GOING TO FULFILL THE NEED OF HOUSING TO SUPPORT GROWING POPULATION OF ROWLETT, WHICH HAS GROWN 8.6% SINCE 2020 . THE SECOND POINT IS FROM ROWLETT'S CONFERENCE A PLAN THAT BASED UPON HOUSING AND DEMOGRAPHIC TRENDS OBSERVED IN DALLAS COUNTY THROUGH U.S. CENSUS AND ANNUAL DEMAND OF OVER 1200 RESIDENTIAL UNITS IN ROWLETT. THIS PROJECT IS ALSO GOING TO GENERATE SIGNIFICANTLY MORE PROPERTY TAX REVENUE THAN THE CURRENT PARCELS, WHICH HAVE PRODUCED MINIMAL INCOME FOR YEARS DUE TO BEING EITHER VACANT OR HAVING ONLY SINGLE-FAMILY HOMES. SOME OF THE FEATURES ARE PROVIDING 14% GREEN OPEN SPACE, PROVIDING SUFFICIENT ON STREET PARKING . WE WILL BE ALSO PROVIDING BASED ON THE DIRECTION FROM THE CITY PLANNING STAFF AND ENGINEERING STAFF PROVIDING A PEDESTRIAN CROSSING WITH FLASHING LIGHTS FOR PUBLIC SAFETY TO CROSS MERRITT ROAD AT FAYETTEVILLE INTERSECTION. WE ARE ALSO PROVIDING THE ZONE AND AMENITIES ZONE RIGHT IN FRONT OF THE TOWNHOME WITH STREET TREES, PEDESTRIAN LEVEL STREETLIGHTING AND OTHER STREET FURNITURE , INCLUDING MINIMUM SIX FOOT WIDE SIDEWALK AREA AND EVEN ONE FOOT WIDE DISMOUNTS . SOME OF THE AMENITIES WE WILL BE PROVIDING

[01:05:02]

OUR AMENITY CENTER WITH POOL, BARBECUE GRILL , A LOT OF MASTER PLANNED COMMUNITIES OR BIGGER PROJECTS. PROJECTS -- 350 UNITS.

BUT WE DO LIKE TO PROVIDE THESE AMENITIES IN A PROJECT BECAUSE THEY DO -- PEOPLE DO APPRECIATE IT AND PEOPLE DO USE THEM A LOT.

SOME OF THE REPRESENTATIVE ELEVATION IMAGERY AND JUST SOMETHING ABOUT OUR COMPANY, BRIDGE TOWER , IS BETTER BUSINESS BUREAU ACCREDITED COMPANY AS WELL AS 4.1 STARS RATING. AND HERE ARE SOME EXAMPLES OF THE PROJECTS THAT WE HAVE BUILT , WHICH ARE HIGH-QUALITY AND HEAVILY AMENDED TIES WITH AMENITY CENTER AND WILL. I WILL HAVE BOB KIND OF

ADD . >> GOOD EVENING, MR. MAYOR, COUNCIL. MY NAME IS BOB. I WOULD LIKE TO ADD A FEW MORE POINTS TO WHAT SHE HAS PRESENTED TONIGHT. SHE MENTIONED -- AS SHE MENTIONED, THERE'S APPROXIMATELY 500 ACRES OF VACANT LAND IN THE NORTHSHORE OPPORTUNITY ZONE. AND WE ARE ASKING TO DEVELOP 23 OF THOSE 500 ACRES. AS SHE MENTIONED ALSO , EMPLOYMENT CENTERS -- EXCUSE ME. EMPLOYMENT CENTERS CAN VARY IN SIZE . IN FACT, THEY CAN VARY IN SIZE ANYWHERE FROM 30 ACRES OR SO UP TO ABOUT -- YOU MENTIONED 150 TO 200 JUST BY EXAMPLE. FIRE REAL TOWN CENTER. ABOUT 250 ACRES. LEGACY WEST IS 240. FRISCO IS 91 ACRES. EACH ONE OF THESE EMPLOYMENT CENTERS CONTAIN A RESIDENTIAL COMPONENT. SO THE 23 ACRES THAT WE ARE ASKING FOR. THERE'S PLENTY OF -- IT'S NOT GOING TO ENCROACH ON THE ACREAGE THAT IS REQUIRED TO DEVELOP A QUALITY EMPLOYMENT CENTER. LIKE THE ONES WE HAVE MENTIONED. ADDITIONALLY FOR THE LAND USES , AS I MENTIONED EARLIER , THESE OTHER EXAMPLES ALL HAVE AN EMPLOYMENT COMPONENT. IN FACT, YOUR LAND-USE -- YOUR COMPANY TO PLAN SPEAKS TO THE FACT THAT RESIDENTIAL IS A LAND-USE THAT SUPPORTS THE EMPLOYMENT CENTER .

WE ARE HERE BEFORE YOU BECAUSE WE BELIEVE THAT ALTHOUGH THERE IS NOT A COMMERCIAL USE IN OUR PROPOSED PLAN , WE DO BELIEVE THAT IT MEETS THE INTENT OF YOUR COMPREHENSIVE PLAN THAT THAT RESIDENTIAL THAT HOPEFULLY WE CAN DEVELOP WILL SUPPORT THE EMPLOYMENT CENTER THAT EVENTUALLY WILL BE DEVELOPED.

TWO MORE POINTS I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE ABOUT OUR PROPERTY IS THE COMMERCIAL USES ARE TYPICALLY -- THEY LIKE TO BE AT CORNERS OR FRONT IS -- FRIENDS OF HIGHWAYS. A MINIMUM OF 300 FEET OF FRONTAGE. IF YOU LOOK AT THE NORTHEAST CORNER OF OUR PROPERTY, THERE IS ABOUT A 1000 FOOT SEPARATION BETWEEN OUR PROPERTY AND THE NEAREST DISTANCE TO THE GEORGE BUSH TURNPIKE. IF YOU GO THE OTHER DIRECTION TO THE INTERSECTION, IT'S ABOUT 2500 FEET. 2500 FEET . SO THE WAY THAT THE PROPERTY WE ARE INTERESTED IN DEVELOPING IS POSITIONED , IT LEAVES PLENTY OF ROOM FOR AN EMPLOYMENT CENTER AND HEAVIER COMMERCIAL AND EMPLOYMENT CENTER DEVELOPED TO BE CONSTRUCTED ALONG THE GEORGE BUSH TURNPIKE AND THE INTERSECTION WITH AT THE INTERSECTION OF ROWLETT ROAD. THE OTHER THING TOO IS WITH REGARDS TO TYPICAL EMPLOYMENT CENTERS IS THOUGH CENTERS TYPICALLY INCLUDE ABOUT -- BY THE WAY, WE HAVE OTHER PROFESSIONALS HERE. SO IF I AM WRONG -- NOT ALLOWED TO SAY ANYTHING. BUT TYPICALLY IT IS TYPICAL TO SEE THAT EMPLOYMENT CENTERS CONTAIN AT LEAST 30% RESIDENTIAL. ALL RIGHT? SO IF WE WERE TO LOOK AT THE ENTIRE 1200 ACRES OR 1178 ACRES, I THINK IT IS, CURRENTLY THERE IS I THINK IT IS ABOUT 25% RESIDENTIAL IN

[01:10:03]

THAT ENTIRETY FOR THE 1200 ACRES. ABOUT 25%. IF YOU TOOK THE ENTIRE 1200 ACRES THE CITY CURRENTLY HAS 25% OF THAT IS RESIDENTIAL. OUR ADDITIONAL 23 ACRES WOULD MAKE IT CLOSER TO 26 OR 26.5%. SO THAT IS A PERCENTAGE BASED ON THE 1200 ACRES IN TOTAL. SO IT WOULD BE VERY APPROPRIATE TO EXPECT THAT ROUGHLY THE 300 FEET OF FRONTAGE CERTAINLY ALONG THE WEST SIDE OF THE GEORGE BUSH WHEN THAT IS DEVELOPED AS AN EMPLOYMENT CENTER AS SOME OF THE EXAMPLES WE HAD DISCUSSED , THERE WOULD BE ANTICIPATED RESIDENTIAL COMPONENT TO THAT AS WELL. SO IN CONCLUSION, WHAT I WOULD PRESENT IN SUMMARY IS THAT AS IT HAS BEEN MENTIONED A NUMBER OF TIMES, RESIDENTIAL IS ALLOWED UNDER THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN. AND THAT THIS PROJECT MEETS ALL OF THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE ZONING IN THIS PROPERTY. AND SO WE WOULD RESPECTFULLY ASK -- I NOTICE A DIFFICULT DECISION, BUT WE WOULD RESPECTFULLY ASK THAT THE COUNCIL WOULD CONSIDER APPROVING BASED ON THE WRITTEN STANDARDS AND THE PROJECT'S ADHERENCE TO THOSE STANDARDS AS OPPOSED TO SUBJECTIVE CRITERIA OR SENTIMENT. SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.

>> THANK YOU. >> MR. MAYOR, MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL, THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. MY NAME IS CHRIS YOUNG.

ASSEMBLAGE FOR OVER A YEAR NOW. AND BASED ON THE LAST P AND Z MEETING, THERE WAS SOME FEEDBACK OF WANTING TO SEE SOME MORE COMMERCIAL OR RETAIL AND PERHAPS A GROCERY STORE USE. KIND OF SPEAK TO THE CONSTRAINTS ON THE 23-ACRE SITE AS IT RELATES TO THOSE SPECIFIC USES. FIRST, THE TWO MAJOR CONSTRAINTS BEING LACK OF TRAFFIC. LACK OF ROOFTOPS. FOR COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT , YOU KNOW, ANY NATIONAL RETAILER, WHICH WE WOULD PROBABLY WANT FOR THE CITY TO GET HERE -- THEY ARE GOING TO HAVE A MANDATE AROUND 23,000 VEHICLES PER DAY IN ORDER TO MAKE A VIABLE LOCATION WORK FOR THEM TO STAY IN THEIR 16-MONTH LEASE TERM AS OPPOSED TO HAVING A VACANT RETAIL BUILDING, WHICH NOBODY WANTS . I ASSUME NOBODY WOULD WANT THAT. AND THEN THAT IS WHY YOU ARE GOING TO SEE ALL OF THE MAIN RETAIL ALL OF 66. SO THAT IS THE JUSTIFICATION FOR ALL THE RETAIL USE YOU SEE ON 66. THE LACK OF ROOFTOPS NOT PROVIDING DAYTIME AND NIGHTTIME POPULATION IS ANOTHER DETERRENT FOR RETAIL USE FOR THIS PARTICULAR SITE. AND THEN SEEING AS THE SITE SITS ABOUT A HALF-MILE WEST OF THE INTERSECTION OF MERRITT AND GEORGE BUSH , SOME RETAIL DEVELOPERS HAVE SAID TO US AFTER THEY SAID NO TO THE SITE BASED ON VEHICLES PER DAY THEY ASKED THE QUESTION, WHY WOULD ANY CUSTOMER GOING TO A RETAIL STORE TAKE THE EXIT OFF 190, DRIVE BY ALL OF THIS VACANT DIRT TO GO HALF A MILE TO THIS RETAIL SECTION AS OPPOSED TO JUST BUY THIS TRIANGLE THAT THE FAMILY OWNS AND DEVELOP THERE. SO THAT IS ANOTHER CONSTRAINT FOR THIS PROPERTY IN TERMS OF RETAIL. SPEAKING ON THE GROCERY STORE FRONT, I WOULD SAY THE BIGGEST HINDRANCE TO THIS SITE IS MARKET SATURATION. THERE ARE CURRENTLY FOUR MAJOR GROCERS WITHIN A 10-MINUTE DRIVE TIME OF THE SITE . TARGET, WALMART, ALDIE, SPROUTS. THERE IS ALSO GARLAND -- 66 AND DOWN ROCK . FOR THEM TO PUT ANOTHER LOCATION HERE WOULD CANNIBALIZE SALES. WE HAVE ALSO DONE WORK WITH KROGER AND OTHER DEVELOPMENTS IN THE PAST.

IN SPEAKING TO THEM, ONE OF THEIR NUMBER ONE MANDATES IS VEHICLES PER DAY. NUMBER TWO IS EXISTING ROOFTOPS. NOT JUST A PRETTY PLAN SAYING THIS MIGHT GET DONE. THEY WON'T PULL THE TRIGGER ON ANY DEAL UNLESS THERE ARE MORE BODIES LIVING IN THOSE HOMES TO ACTUALLY GO SHOP THERE. BIG ENOUGH TO ACCOMMODATE A GROCERY STORE FOOTPRINT. SO IN SUMMATION , THE ADDITION OF THE 108 FIVE TOWNHOMES BRIDGE TOWER WILL BRING WILL NOT ONLY

[01:15:05]

INCREASE TRAFFIC COUNTS ON MERRITT , THEY WILL CREATE MORE ROOFTOPS, CREATE LARGER DAYTIME AND NIGHTTIME POPULATION, WHICH WILL SUPPORT FUTURE COMMERCIAL, RETAIL EMPLOYMENT CENTER AS YOU CONTINUE TO GO EAST ON MERRITT TOWARD 190 AND THEN ALSO CREATING THAT TAX REVENUE WE ALL WANT. THAT BEING SAID, I'M GOING TO PASS IT OVER TO MY COLLEAGUE, WHO CAN SPEAK MORE TO THE EMPLOYMENT CENTERS. THANK YOU.

>> THANK YOU. HI, EVERYBODY. MY NAME IS DANIEL. I'M WITH RANGE REALTY ADVISERS AS WELL. CHRIS MADE A LOT OF THE POINTS ABOUT THE RETAIL . JUST WANTED TO HIT ON WHY YOU NEED MORE DENSITY IN THIS AREA TO ATTRACT RETAILERS . NOT ONLY FOR RETAILERS BUT FOR EMPLOYMENT CENTER TYPES, WHICH IS WHAT YOU'RE WANTING IN THE DISTRICT. THE TWO CLOSEST MOST SIMILAR PROJECT ARE THE STATION JUST NORTH OF HERE AS WELL AS CITY LINE AND RICHARDSON. TO SUPPORT THE RETAIL OF BOTH OF THESE DEVELOPMENTS, THEY HAVE BUILT UP DENSITY FOR BOTH OF THESE PROJECTS. HERE YOU CAN SEE THE STATION . YOU'VE GOT BIG EMPLOYMENT WITH THE MEDICAL CITY THERE. CHIPOTLE, STARBUCKS. ALL KINDS OF RETAIL AROUND IT. TO SUPPORT THAT, 2300 MULTIFAMILY UNITS LITTERED THROUGHOUT THE PROJECT. AND WHEN YOU GO BACK TO OUR OTHER PHOTO, YOU CAN SEE -- GO BACK ON THIS. YOU CAN SEE WHERE THERE IS NO RESIDENTIAL TO SUPPORT THOSE USES. AND WHERE THIS PROPERTY IS LOCATED, AND MIX ALL THE SENSE IN A WORLD FOR TOWNHOME DEVELOPMENT. MOVING ONTO CITY LINE AND RICHARDSON. EVERYTHING HIGHLIGHTED IN GREEN IS MULTIFAMILY OR TOWNHOMES. YOU'VE GOT WHOLE FOODS. YOU'VE GOT STATE FARM'S REGIONAL HUB . TWO HOTELS. YOU CURRENTLY HAVE 3900 MULTIFAMILY UNITS ON THE GROUND WITH PLANS FOR 12 OR 1300 MORE. LET'S SEE. IN ROWLETT, THE COMP PLAN CALLS FOR 2988 HOMES . CURRENTLY ONLY 1600 , OF WHICH WERE TRYING TO ADD AN ADDITIONAL 185. WHICH IS ONLY SEVEN UNITS TO THE ACRE. 38 ACRE MAKES UP SIX FAMILIES AND THERE'S 439 CONTINUOUS ACRES REMAINING FOR FUTURE EMPLOYMENT CENTER THAT IS MAJORITY OWNED BY TWO LANDOWNERS . FOR COMPARISON, CITY LINE IS ONLY 204 ACRES AND THE STATION IS ONLY 170 ACRES. THERE IS PLENTY OF SPACE LEFT FOR YOUR FUTURE EMPLOYMENT CENTER, WHICH THIS PROJECT WILL HELP SUPPORT AND EXPEDITE THAT PROCESS. THESE FAMILIES HAVE BEEN WORKING THROUGH THIS PROCESS WITH THE CITY OVER FOUR YEARS WITH THREE DIFFERENT DEVELOPERS. THE FIRST DEVELOPER WANTED TO DO INDUSTRIAL AND DIDN'T WANT THAT. THE SECOND DEVELOPER WANTED TO DO MIXED-USE . A LARGER RESIDENTIAL COMPONENT. NOW WE HAVE A DEVELOPER TRYING TO BUILD A PROJECT OWNED BY RIGHT AND WOULD HELP EXPEDITE FUTURE PLANS FOR THIS AREA AND FOR ALL THOSE REASONS WE ASK FOR YOUR SUPPORT

ON THIS DEVELOPMENT. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION. WITH THAT , WE WILL NOW OPEN OUR PUBLIC HEARING . IT IS ALREADY OPEN, BUT THAT'S OKAY. CHRIS WILLIAMS WILL BE OUR FIRST SPEAKER. YOU CAN STATE YOUR NAME AND CITY OF

RESIDENCE FOR THE RECORD. >> CHRIS WILLIAMS. MERRITT ROAD.

43 YEARS OLD. I HAVE LIVED THERE SINCE I WAS THREE YEARS OLD.

MOVED AWAY FOR A COUPLE YEARS. MET MY WIFE.

THERE. MY GRANDMOTHER UNFORTUNATELY PASSED AWAY WHEN WE CHOSE TO BUY OUR HOUSE. WE WANTED TO KEEP IT IN THE FAMILY.

MOST OF THESE HOMES HERE WITHIN OUR FAMILY. THESE ARE OUR HOMES.

MY COUSINS HERE. WE NEVER WANTED TO SELL THIS LAND. WHEN HE CAME KNOCKING ON THE DOOR AND ASKED TO BUY MY LAND, I BASICALLY TOLD HIM TO KICK ROCKS. THAT'S NOT WHAT WE INTENDED. AS IT HAS TAKEN OVER OUR FAMILY LAND, ONCE IT WAS ONCE THOUSANDS OF ACRES IS DWINDLED DOWN TO 23. WE HAVE A LOUD THIS TO BE SOLD. WE ARE THE LAST OF OUR GENERATION. ALLOW US TO FINALLY HAVE OUR TURN AND SELL IT TO REPUTABLE BUILDERS WHO ARE GOING TO BUILD BEAUTIFUL HOMES. I WOULD NOT DISGRACE MY GREAT-GRANDPARENTS, MY PARENTS OR MY GRANDPARENTS ' LAND BY LETTING SOME TRASH ON PUBLIC LAND. THIS IS SOMEWHEE I LIVED IT I TAKE MUCH PRIDE IN IT . AND IT IS EMOTIONAL AND VERY HARD FOR ME TO SELL, BUT IT IS TIME FOR US TO SELL. SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. UNDERSTAND IT IS A TOUGH DECISION TO MAKE. HOPE YOU CAN MAKE THE RIGHT ONE

AND ALLOW THEM TO. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU, MR. WILLIAMS. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS JESSE HOOKS. AFTER MR. HOOKS WILL BE SHEILA

WILLIAMS. >> I WILL MAKE IT PRETTY SHORT.

[01:20:05]

MY NAME IS JESSE HOOKS. I LIVE AT 8522 MERRITT ROAD. I'M HERE TO SUPPORT THE PROPOSED CHANGE IN THE FORM-BASED CODE ON MERRITT ROAD I BRIDGE TOWER. WE HAD LIVED HERE FOR 35 YEARS. OUR HOUSE WAS BUILT ON LAND THAT HAS BEEN IN OUR FAMILY FOR ONE AND A HALF GENERATIONS. I WAS PRESENT AT THE CITY COUNCIL MEETING WHEN THE TECHNICAL RESEARCH DISTRICT WAS PASSED AND THAT WAS 30 YEARS AGO. AND WE DON'T HAVE MUCH TO SHOW FOR IT. I WOULD ASK THAT YOU VOTE YES ON THE PROPOSED CHANGE IN THE BASE CODE REQUESTED BY BRIDGE TOWER HOMES FOR MERRITT ROAD. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND YOUR CONSIDERATION .

>> THANK YOU, MR. HOOKS. NEXT SPEAKER IS SHEILA WILLIAMS,

FOLLOWED BY ALLISON . >> HELLO. MY NAME IS SHEILA WILLIAMS. I LIVE AT 86 16 MERRITT ROAD. WE HAVE HAD THREE DIFFERENT INVESTORS IN THE LAST FOUR YEARS , ONLY TO HAVE ROWLETT PLANNING AND ZONING AND COUNCIL TURN THEIR PLANS DOWN.

THE INVESTORS WORKED TIRELESSLY TRYING TO WORK WITH THE COUNCIL IN ANY WAY THEY COULD, ASKING FOR THEIR ADVICE AND FOR THEIR HELP OR THEIR INPUT. THE LAST INVESTOR HAD TOWNHOMES, RETAIL, AND PLANS FOR THE DEVELOPMENT. HE SAID IT SEEMED LIKE EVERY TIME HE WENT TO MEET WITH ROWLETT THERE WAS A DIFFERENT GROUP OF PEOPLE SO EVERYBODY IS GOING TO HAVE THEIR OWN OPINION WITH DIFFERENT GROUPS OF PEOPLE. WE ARE ONLY TAKING 23 ACRES OF THE LAND, AND THERE'S THREE HOMES. OUR PROPERTY IS VERY SMALL IN THE NORTH SHORE. ROWLETT HAS HAD OVER 30 YEARS TO MOVE ON THIS . WE ARE IN OUR 70S AND RUNNING OUT OF TIME. THERE IS NO FRONTAGE ROAD AND NO RETAIL ON THE 23 ACRES. THERE NEEDS TO BE TOWNHOMES FOR THE BUSINESSES TO COME IN. THEY HAVE THE JACKSON SHAWL AREA THAT IF ANYONE LIVED IN THE TOWNHOME AREA THEY COULD ALMOST WALK TO WORK. PLEASE HEAR US OUT AND PUT YOUR SHOES IN OUR FOOTSTEPS BECAUSE WE HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR 30 YEARS PATIENTLY. LIKE MY SON SAID, WE -- IT HAS BEEN IN OUR FAMILY OVER 100 YEARS. WE HATE TO GIVE IT UP, BUT WE KNOW THE TIME HAS CAME. SO WE APPRECIATE YOUR TIME AND PRAY THAT YOU GO

WITH US. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU, MS. WILLIAMS. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS ALLISON FOLLOWED BY BOB WILLIAMS.

>> GOOD EVENING, COUNCIL. DO I HAVE TO DO MY NAME AGAIN? SORRY.

ALLISON. 6306 MONTGOMERY. MY FAMILY MOVED TO ROWLETT WHEN I WAS IN KINDERGARTEN AND I GREW UP HERE, STAYED HERE . THREE GENERATIONS OF MY FAMILY STILL CALL ROWLETT HOME. WE HAVE WATCHED THE CITY THROUGH THE YEARS, THE GOOD AND THE BAD, AND WE DEEPLY CARE ABOUT THE DIRECTION ROWLETT IS HEADING.

BRIDGE TOWER HOMES IS PROPOSING A BUILD TO RENT COMMUNITY THEY ARE DISGUISING US TOWNHOMES BUT IN REALITY, THESE ARE APARTMENTS. WHAT WE ARE SEEING RIGHT NOW IS A SHIFT AWAY FROM TRUE HOMEOWNERSHIP AND TOWARD A CITY THAT IS BECOMING KNOWN HALF JOKINGLY AND SADLY ACCURATELY AS RENT FOR THAT IS NOT PROGRESS.

THAT IS NOT STABILITY AND IS NOT HOW YOU BUILD A STRONG LASTING COMMUNITY. WE HAVE FAR TOO MANY RENTAL HEAVY DEVELOPMENTS THAT CROWD OUT OPPORTUNITIES FOR PEOPLE TO ACTUALLY BUY AND PUT DOWN ROOTS . BUILD TO RENT PROJECTS TAKE AWAY LAND THAT COULD SUPPORT STARTER HOMES AND AFFORDABLE OWNERSHIP OPPORTUNITIES. RENTALS CREATE TURNOVER AND HOMEOWNERSHIP CREATES COMMITMENT. THE DIFFERENCE MATTERS. THERE ARE ALREADY HUGE APARTMENT COMPLEXES GOING IN AT CASTLE AND MERRITT IN THE BILL TO RENT COMMUNITY IS NOT FULLY BUILT OUT YET EITHER.

IF THIS IS APPROVED, MERRITT ROAD WILL FLEXIBLY BECOME ROWLETT'S HEADQUARTERS, WHICH IS NOT GOOD FOR CRIME, SAFETY, OR THE ALREADY STRUGGLING PUBLIC SCHOOLS. SINGLE-FAMILY HOMES NEXT TO APARTMENT COMMUNITIES ARE WITH 15 TO 25% LESS THAN HOMES THAT ARE NOT. I WANT TO BE VERY CLEAR. NO ONE IS AGAINST THE PROPERTY OWNERS SELLING. WE UNDERSTAND TEXAS IS PROTECTIVE OF PROPERTY RIGHTS AND THE CONSTITUTIONAL GUARDS AGAINST REGULATORY TAKING. THIS IS NOT ABOUT PREVENTING A SALE. THE CITY ABSOLUTELY HAS THE AUTHORITY AND RESPONSIBILITY TO TAXPAYERS TO REQUIRE MORE APPROPRIATE PROPOSAL SINCE IT CONTRADICTS FORM-BASED CODE IN THE LONG-TERM ECONOMIC GOALS.

THIS IS THE LAST PIECE OF LAND THAT ROWLETT HAS TO EXPAND ITS OPPORTUNITIES FOR EMPLOYMENT CENTERS AND SO ON AND SO FORTH.

SO LET'S TALK ABOUT THE COMMUNITY INPUT OR LACK OF IT.

THE DEVELOPER HAS MADE ZERO ITEMS TO MEET WITH THE NEIGHBORS WHO ACTUALLY LIVE HERE. THE ONLY SUPPOSE IT SUPPORT A REFERENCE COMES FROM PROPERTY OWNERS AND FAMILY MEMBERS WHO FINANCIALLY

[01:25:01]

BENEFIT FROM THIS PROPOSED SALE. NOT THE COMMUNITY SUPPORT. THE REAL NEIGHBORS DO NOT SUPPORT THIS PROJECT AND THE DEVELOPERS' SILENCE AND AVOIDANCE BEAKS VOLUMES. THERE ARE ALSO SERIOUS CONCERNS BEING IGNORED. THE TRACK SITS ON A SIGNIFICANT SLOPE IF THERE IS NO PLANNED RETENTION POND, NO DRAINAGE PLAN, AND NO PROTECTIONS FOR NEARBY PROPERTIES AND HOMES GRID WHERE EXACTLY IS ALL OF THIS WATER SUPPOSED TO GO? IT IS AGAINST TEXAS WATER CODE SECTION 11.086 TO DIVERT RAINFALL WATER FROM YOUR PROPERTY ONTO A NEIGHBOR'S PROPERTY. SO WHY HASN'T THIS BEEN ACCOUNTED FOR ? I HAVE BEEN IN THE REAL ESTATE INDUSTRY 15 YEARS AND I CAN TELL YOU WITH CERTAINTY THOUGHTFUL PLANNING AND PRESERVING HOMEOWNERSHIP PROPERTIES OPPORTUNITIES ARE CRITICAL . ROWLETT MUST STOP SAYING YES TO ANYTHING PLACED IN FRONT OF IT AND WITHOUT TAKING TIME TO UNDERSTAND THE LONG-TERM CONSEQUENCES. MY FAMILY CHOSE THE CITY BECAUSE IT WAS PRIORITIZED --

>> THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS BOB WILLIAMS. AFTER MR. WILLIAMS WILL BE KAYLEE WILLIAMS.

>> MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS, MY NAME IS BOB WILLIAMS. I LIVE AT 8616 MERRITT ROAD. MY FAMILY HAS BEEN HERE IN ROWLETT SINCE 1877.

I MYSELF WAS RAISED IN GARLAND. MOVED HERE OVER 40 YEARS AGO. IT HAS BEEN GOOD EXCEPT FOR WHEN A TORNADO HIT OUR HOUSE IN '29 -- 19 AND JUST ABOUT WIPED IT OUT. WE REBUILT AND THINGS ARE GOING GOOD. BUT WITH THAT BEING SAID -- EVERYBODY WANTS MORE TAX REVENUE , AND WITH 185 HOMES BEING BUILT VERSUS THE FEW THAT ARE OUT THERE, THAT'S A LOT OF MONEY TO BE TAKING IN. YOU HAVE PEOPLE THAT ARE FRESH OUT OF SCHOOL. MILITARY , COLLEGE.

CAN'T AFFORD BIG HOMES. SO TOWNHOMES IS A GOOD , HAPPY MEDIUM. AND, 2 TO 5 YEARS. MAYBE IN ROWLETT. LET'S SEE. AT THE TOWNHOMES THEY ARE WANTING TO BUILD, THERE'S 3+ ACRES THEY WANT TO USE FOR GREEN SPACE. POOL AREA. AND WITH A LOT OF THINGS ALREADY BEEN SAID , WE HAVE BEEN HERE WAITING FOR 30 YEARS. WE FEEL LIKE WE HAVE BEEN CAPTIVE . KIND OF LIKE OWNING A TIMESHARE. YOU HAVE IT. YOUR WEEKS NEVER BECOME AVAILABLE.

YOU CAN'T GET OUT OF IT. AND THEN THE CROSSWALK ISSUE.

THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT RIDE THEIR BIKES, RUN, WALK UP AND DOWN MERRITT ROAD. HICKOK IS A BAD AREA. A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T EXPECT ANYBODY TO BE THERE. AND THEN AS FAR AS THE DRAINAGE , BACK IN 2014 WHEN THEY WIDENED MERRITT ROAD, THEY PUT IN A BUNCH OF STORM DRAINS. I HAVE LARGE DRAINS ON EACH SIDE THAT WILL CAPTURE ANY RUNOFF AND DOES NOW. THE WATER DOESN'T RUN DOWN ON THE WALKWAYS. THEY'VE GOT IT FIXED TO WHERE THE STORM DRAINS PICK UP MOST EVERYTHING. AND AGAIN, IF YOU WANT TO BUILD RESTAURANTS, IT LOOKS LIKE TO ME ON 190 BETWEEN MERRITT ROAD AND TARGET SHOPPING CENTER GREAT PLACES FOR RESTAURANTS. THEN YOU GO DOWN TO MAIN STREET GOING TOWARD THE OTHER ROAD. LOOKS LIKE A LOT OF GOOD PLACES THERE . PLUS THERE IS FRONTAGE ON BOTH SIDES OF THE HIGHWAY. AND THAT PRETTY MUCH DOES IT. SO THANK

YOU. APPRECIATE YOUR CONCERN. >> OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS KAYLEE

WILLIAMS FOLLOWED BY DAN. >> HI. MY NAME IS KAYLEE WILLIAMS. I LIVE AT 8620 MARRIOTT ROAD IN ROWLETT AND I'M IN SUPPORT OF THIS PROJECT AT MERRITT CROSSING. BRIDGE TOWER HAS WORKED WITH THE CITY OF ROWLETT FOR ABOUT A YEAR NOW, MEETING ALL THE REQUIREMENTS AND MAKING ALL REQUESTED ADJUSTMENTS UNTIL RECEIVING APPROVAL WITH THE CITY MANAGER, PLANNER, AND ENGINEER TO PASS THIS ON TO P AND Z AND CITY COUNCIL. PRIOR TO THIS, WE HAVE HAD SEVERAL DEVELOPERS LANDING COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENTS AS PREVIOUSLY STATED HERE AND NEVER RECEIVED FINAL APPROVAL TO BE ABLE TO PRESENT THE P AND Z AND CITY COUNCIL BECAUSE THESE DEVELOPERS WERE AGAIN TOLD THERE WERE MORE RESIDENTIAL NEEDS IN THESE PLANS. BRIDGE TOWER'S PLAN ACCOMMODATES THIS REQUEST AND IT WILL DRIVE THESE COMMERCIAL

[01:30:01]

BUSINESSES ON MORE APPEALING SURROUNDING MUCH LARGER PARCELS BETWEEN US AND PD BT. THAT IS JUST A MORE IDEAL AREA FOR THESE BUSINESSES . LIKE THEY SAID, A HALF-MILE OFF IS NOT GOING TO BE WHERE YOU ARE GOING TO WANT ALL OF YOUR COMMERCIAL. IT WILL BE KIND OF IDEAL FOR THIS AREA. THE EXISTING COMPREHENSIVE PLAN LIKE THEY SAID CURRENTLY INCLUSIVE 2988 LIVING SPACES . ONLY 1600 OF THESE HAVE BEEN DONE. I JUST WANT TO REITERATE THAT LEAVES ABOUT 1400 STILL LEFT AND THIS WOULD ONLY HELP WITH 185 OF THEM AGAIN AND THE MORE IDEAL LOCATION FOR LIVING. MEDIUM RESIDENTIAL OR MEDIUM DENSITY RESIDENTIAL TOWNHOME 2 I FEEL LIKE FILLS THE GAP BETWEEN SINGLE-FAMILY HOME AND HIGH-RISE APARTMENTS . THE PRIMARY FOCUS OF IT IS ON CREATING A QUIET AND LIVABLE COMMUNITY. NEIGHBORHOOD ATMOSPHERE WITH LOW MAINTENANCE, WHICH IS WHAT DRAWS NEW, YOUNGER HOMEBUYERS. ALLOWS HIGHER-LEVEL DENSITY TO SUPPORT THE EMPLOYMENT CENTER LAND-USE DESIGNATION FOR MOST OF THE SURROUNDING AREAS AS YOU SAW ON THE MAPS. AND IT CREATES A MORE WALKABLE COMMUNITY AND IS IDEAL FOR WHAT WE ALL ENVISIONED FOR THE NORTH SHORE. AS YOU KNOW, RESIDENTIAL DRIVES COMMERCIAL, NOT VICE VERSA. BRING THE APPROPRIATE NUMBER OF LIVING SPACES AND COMMERCIAL WILL BE ABLE TO THRIVE. OTHERWISE YOU WILL HAVE WHAT IS HAPPENING AT MALL AND EVEN CLOSER IN PROXIMITY AT SEXY STATION. ALSO WRITE OFF OF HICKOX WHERE THERE'S 10 VACANT OFFICE SPACES. JUST POST-PANDEMIC OFFICE SPACE IS NOT NEEDED LIKE IT USED TO BE. TIMES HAVE CHANGED. OVER THAT 30-YEAR PERIOD, DEFINITELY TIMES HAVE CHANGED. LET'S SEE. IN AN INTERVIEW TWO YEARS AGO I REALIZED THIS PERSON IS NO LONGER HERE BUT IS IMPORTANT TO NOTE THIS WAS EVEN IN DISCUSSION TWO YEARS AGO. DIRECTOR OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT FOR ROWLETT SAID THE NORTH SHORE WAS DESIGNATED 20 PLUS YEARS AGO AS EMPLOYMENT CENTER WHILE THE RESIDENTIAL TO DRIVE COMMERCIAL BUSINESSES. RESTAURANTS AND RETAILERS KEEP TELLING US -- KEEP TELLING THE CITY THEY NEED MORE DENSITY TO COMMITTEE THESE LOCATIONS. PLEASE JUST USE YOUR VOICE IN THIS AND YOUR EXPERTISE IN MAKING THIS DECISION.

>> THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS DAN FOLLOWED BY STONY ITEMS.

>> A COUPLE THINGS. I HAVE HEARD SOMETHING COMPLETELY DIFFERENT.

IT WAS A TIE. NOT 2-1-1 ON THE FIRST PLANNING AND ZONING MEETING. IT WAS TABLED AND THEN IT WAS VOTED DOWN IN THE NEXT PLANNING AND ZONING MEETING . I TOO. I'M NOT AGAINST THESE PEOPLE SELLING THEIR PROPERTY, BUT IT IS NOT TOO MUCH TO ASK IF THERE IS SOME KIND OF COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT WITH THIS. IT WOULD BE EASY TO HAVE MIXED-USE DEVELOPMENT IN 185 TOWNHOMES.

THE CLOSEST GAS STATION IS NOT EVEN IN ROWLETT. IT IS RIGHT AT THE STATION. WE HAVE DONE OXEN FREE NOW. WE HAVE PUSHED THE CODE TO THE SIDE TO LET THEM DO THAT. THERE IS ANOTHER APARTMENT BEING BUILT THERE . MERRITT AND GEORGE BUSH. WHEN ARE WE GOING TO STOP? AT SOME POINT IN TIME, WE'VE GOT TO BE COMMITTED TO SOMETHING . STAND FOR SOMETHING OR FALL FOR ANYTHING. IT'S NOT TOO MUCH TO ASK THE DEVELOPER TO FOLLOW THE CODE . COME UP WITH A SOLUTION INSTEAD OF JUST TRYING TO PUSH IT AWAY AND DO WHAT IS GOOD FOR THEM. BY THE WAY, I DON'T KNOW WHETHER THIS IS RIGHT OR WRONG. THEY ARE TALKING ABOUT A HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATION.

THIS IS -- THE DEVELOPER IS THE OWNER. NOT A HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATION. THE PEOPLE THAT LIVE THERE WILL HAVE NO SAY IN WHAT GOES ON IN THAT COMMUNITY. THEY ARE RENTERS. AND WE'VE GOT ENOUGH OF THOSE IN A ROW THAT ALREADY. IT IS TIME TO REALLY

STICK TO THE CODE. >> THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS STONY ADAMS. FOLLOWED BY CAROL.

>> MY NAME IS STONY ADAMS. MY PARENTS ARE ON ONE OF THE PROPERTIES. I REVIEWED THE CITY COUNCIL MEETING AGENDA.

VERY FEW THINGS INTRIGUING TO ME. THE COMPANY AND THE PLAN HAS BEEN 2019. FOCUSED ON THE LARGEST DEVELOPABLE AREAS IN THE CITY. PER THE CONFERENCE A PLAN , I HAVE A QUOTE, THE PLAN

[01:35:05]

SHOULD STILL BE REFERENCED AS A GUIDING DOCUMENT FOR THE COMMUNITY. ONE OF THE THINGS DISCUSSED IN THE COMPANY AND THE PLAN AS SHOWN ON PAGE 10, WHICH IS ADDRESSES HOUSING, PER THE SECTION, QUOTE, THE PRIMARY HOUSING TYPE IN ROWLETT IS SINGLE UNIT DETACHED HOUSING OR SINGLE-FAMILY HOMES, WHICH MAKE UP 93.9% OF THE CURRENT HOUSING STOCK. THIS REFLECTS LIMITED OPTIONS FOR THOSE LOOKING FOR HOUSING TYPES OTHER THAN SINGLE-FAMILY HOMES. THERE ARE 13 GUIDING PRINCIPLES IN ROWLETT 2020. ONE OF THOSE IS NUMBER THREE, MAKE ROWLETT A COMMUNITY ATTRACTIVE TO PEOPLE AT ALL STAGES OF THEIR LIVES. THAT IS EXACTLY WHAT THIS DEVELOPMENT IS HOPING TO ACCOMPLISH. PER SECTION 2.1 OF THE FORM-BASED CODE IS TITLED INTENT. SECTION 2.1.1 C SAYS PROVIDE A VARIETY OF HOUSING TYPES WITHIN THE CITY OF ROWLETT TO BALANCE THE LARGE AMOUNT OF EXISTING SINGLE-FAMILY AND GARDEN APARTMENTS , WHICH WILL SERVE TO BOTH ENHANCE EXISTING PROPERTY VALUES AND PROVIDE HOUSING FOR THE COMPLETE LIFECYCLE . YOUNG PROFESSIONALS, PROFESSIONAL COUPLES, FAMILIES, EMPTY-NESTERS, RETIREES AND SENIORS. THIS DEVELOPMENT ACCOMPLISHES THAT. SECTION FORM-BASED DISTRICT AND LAND-USE SUBSECTION 2.21 INTENT. SUBSECTION A SAYS IT IS INTENDED THE CITY OF BRALETTE DIVERSIFIES THAT CORRELATE TO YOUNG PROFESSIONALS, RETIREES AND OTHER UNDERSERVED COMMUNITY POPULATIONS AND NEW DEVELOPMENT. THIS ACCOMPLISHES THIS. SECTION 2.2.3 BUILDING TYPES. COMMERCIAL CENTER. THE FOLLOWING BUILDING TYPES MAY BE PERMITTED IN AREAS DESIGNATED AS COMMERCIAL CENTER UNDER THIS CHAPTER. NUMBER ONE LISTED . TOWNHOME TWO. THIS ACCOMPLISHES THAT. I'M IN SUPPORT OF THE DEVELOPMENT BECAUSE IT ADDRESSES LONG-TERM PLAN OUTLINED IN THE REALIZE ROWLETT 2020 AND COMPREHENSIVE PLAN . THIS MAY OR MAY NOT BE WHAT EVERYONE WANTS, BUT IT IS A SIGNAL OF GROWTH AND CHANGE, WHICH IS WHAT IS OUTLINED THROUGHOUT THE ROWLETT REALIZE ROWLETT 2020 AND THE COMPANY AND THE PLAN. THANK YOU FOR YOUR

TIME. >> THANK YOU, MR. ADAMS. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS CAROL HOOKS. FOLLOWED BY RANDY ROBERTS.

>> HI. MY NAME IS CAROL HOOKS. HERE I AM. I LIVE AT 8522 MERRITT ROAD. I AM HOPEFUL THAT MANY OF YOU READ ALL OF THE EMAILS I HAVE BEEN SENDING. THANKS TO Y'ALL THAT RESPONDED AND DROVE BY AND ACTUALLY HAD MEETINGS WITH US. I WANT TO SPEAK NOT JUST AS A PROPERTY OWNER -- NOT ONE THAT IS GOING TO MAKE MILLIONS AND MILLIONS OF DOLLARS FROM THIS AS SOME PEOPLE THINK, BUT AS A CITIZEN WHO HAS LIVED HERE AND WORKED HERE. I WORKED FOR OVER 15 YEARS AND WORSHIPED HERE IN ROWLETT FOR YEARS. WE BUILT OUR HOME ON FAMILY LAND. WE WERE ON COMMERCIAL. WE WERE TR DISTRICT. WE WERE NORTH SHORE AND THEN WE HAD A LOT OF OUR LAND -- IMMINENT DOMAIN -- TAKEN BY EMINENT DOMAIN TO WIDEN MERRITT. WE BECAME THE 190 SERVICE ROAD BETWEEN LIBERTY GROVE AND MILES. ROWLETT DOES HAVE A VISION FOR THE AREA , BUT WE LIKE EVERYONE SAID -- WE HAVE WAITED AND WAITED AND WE ARE STILL THERE. DURING THE YEARS WE HAVE WORKED WITH ALL THE DEVELOPERS AS PEOPLE HAVE SAID AND EVERY TIME EVERY ONE OF THE PROPOSALS WAS STRUCK DOWN, IT IS KIND OF HEARTBREAKING. THAT PROGRESS IS JUST IMPOSSIBLE FOR US. THE REALITY IS THE EMPLOYMENT CENTER LAND-USE IS JUST NOT VIABLE FOR THAT PARTICULAR LAND-USE. THERE ARE PLENTY OF OFFICE SPACES.

PLENTY OF OTHER LAND. WE HAVE 20 -- 23 ACRES. WE ALWAYS HEAR H-E-B, TRADER JOE'S. THOSE ARE HIGHLY DESIRED . BUT NO ONE -- THEY ARE NOT GOING TO COME AND BUILD AT THE CORNER OF MERRITT AND HICKOX. THERE IS NO RESIDENTIAL BASE. AND IN A RECENT CITY MEETING A MEMBER SUGGESTED A CORNER STORE SHOULD BE BUILT SO PEOPLE CAN WALK . BUT IF YOU DRIVE BY THIS AREA, YOU MIGHT ASK YOURSELF, WALK FROM WHERE AND WHAT PEOPLE? CONCERNS HAVE ALWAYS BEEN RAISED ABOUT BEING A RENTAL COMMUNITY.

A FEW INDIVIDUALS -- ESPECIALLY REALTORS -- HAVE BEEN VERY VOCAL IN OPPOSITION. TRUE, A REALTOR CANNOT SELL RENTAL HOUSING, BUT IT DOES NOT MEAN THAT RENTAL HOUSING IS AN APPROPRIATE. IN FACT, THE TOWNHOMES ARE JUST NEXT DOOR ADJACENT TO OURS. IT CREATES KIND OF A HEALTHY MIX. NOT EVERYONE IN TODAY'S -- WE RENTED BEFORE WE WERE EVER ABLE TO BUY. THIS AFFECTS THREE

[01:40:01]

HOMES. ABOUT SIX FAMILIES. AND A FEW VACANT PARCELS. THAT WILL GENERATE LIKE THIS AND MUCH MORE TAX REVENUE THAN SOME BOLD HOMESTEADED PEOPLE. BUT IF YOU TURN THIS DOWN, WHAT IS THE

PLAN? >> THANK YOU, MA'AM. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS RANDY ROBERTS FOLLOWED BY NAM.

>> MY NAME IS RANDY ROBERTS. I AM SORT OF A REPRESENTATIVE OF FOUR OF US. MY WIFE AND HER SISTER AND HER HUSBAND. THEY COLLECTIVELY OWN 11 1/2 ACRES OF THE PROPERTY WE ARE DISCUSSING.

I LIVE AT 8200 FOREST HILLS IN DALLAS. I'M NOT A CURRENT ROWLETT RESIDENT , BUT WE LIVED IN ROWLETT FROM 1987 TO 2020 .

WE RAISED OUR FOUR KIDS. THEY ALL WENT TO PUBLIC SCHOOL FROM ELEMENTARY THROUGH MIDDLE SCHOOL AND HIGH SCHOOL. WE STILL ATTEND CHURCH HERE AT UNITED METHODIST IN ROWLETT. SO WE DO HAVE A DEEP CONNECTION AND COMMITMENT TO THE CITY. WE BUILT A SECOND HOUSE THAT WAS OCCUPIED IN THE HARBOR SUBDIVISION AND DIRECTOR WAKING UP THE FIRST DAY WE LIVED THERE WITH NO OTHER HOUSES AROUND US .

I FELT LIKE I HAD WOKEN UP IN A NOVEL. WE COLLECTIVELY OWN 11 1/2 ACRES AND THE HANDOUTS THAT MY VERY LOW TECH HANDOUTS -- THE FIRST PAGE SORT OF REFLECTS WHERE THIS PROPERTY IS LOCATED.

THE SECOND PAGE IS A DIAGRAM OF THE PROPOSED PROJECT WITH OUR 11 1/2 ACRES OUTLINED IN RED AND IN ROUGH NUMBERS THAT HAS 300 -- 20 FEET OR SO OF FRONTAGE ON MERRITT AND ABOUT 1500 OR SO FEET DEEP GOING TOWARD 190 . IT IS STILL ALMOST 1000 FEET FROM THEIR TO 190. THAT IS ALL WE CONTROL. THAT IS ALL WE CAN DO ANYTHING WITH. THE THIRD PAGE SHOWS THAT A LITTLE BIT MORE GRAPHICALLY WITH THE HASH PART BEING 11 1/2 ACRES WE CONTROL.

SOME OF THE OTHER OPEN AREAS THAT HAVE BEEN ADDRESSED EARLIER WITH THEIR ACREAGE SHOWING WHERE THERE CAN BE OTHER DEVELOPMENTS.

PREVIOUS SPEAKERS HAVE SAID THEY ARE NOT TRYING TO KEEP US FROM SELLING THE PROPERTY. BUT FUNCTIONALLY THAT IS EXACTLY WHAT THIS WOULD DO IF THE PLAN IS NOT ACCEPTED. WE CONTROL 11 1/2 ACRES WITH 300 FOOT OF FRONTAGE ON MERRITT. THERE WAS VERY LITTLE IN COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT THAT CAN BE PUT ON THAT LAND. THERE IS NO EXISTING DESIRABLE COMMERCIAL USE I AM AWARE OF OTHER THAN MAYBE DRIVING RANGE OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT. SO I THINK IT IS IMPORTANT TO REALIZE THAT WE OWN INDIVIDUAL PARCELS COLLECTIVELY THAT THE 23 ACRES WE TALKED ABOUT HAVE BEEN PUT TOGETHER WITH PIECES OWNED BY A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT OWNERS AND INDIVIDUALLY NONE OF THOSE PIECES OF LAND CAN BE USED FOR ANYTHING WITH SIGNIFICANT COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.

>> THANK YOU, MR. ROBERTS. OUR LAST SPEAKER THIS EVENING IS NAM PHAM . IF THERE'S ANYONE ELSE WHO WISHES TO SPEAK DURING THE PUBLIC HEARING FOR ITEM 5A OR 5B, PLEASE COMPLETE A COMMENT

CARD . >> GOOD EVENING , COUNCIL MEMBERS. MY NAME IS NAM PHAM. 8822 MERRITT ROAD. I WILL MAKE THIS SHORT, I HOPE THAT I OPPOSE DEVELOPMENT FOR TWO REASONS. ONE IS ABOUT YEARS AGO THE CITY EMPLOYMENT CENTER AT NORTH SHORE. SO FAR TODAY THE CITY HAS NOT PRIORITIZED BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT AT NORTH SHORE .

PRETTY MUCH EVERYWHERE ELSE IN TEXAS. ROWLETT. I'M JST ASKING, LEASE KEEP YOUR PROMISE AND PRIORITIZE BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT FOR FUTURE PROJECTS IN ROWLETT. THE SECOND ITEM IS REGARDING THE DEVELOPMENT ITSELF , IT CAME TO MY ATTENTION -- MIGHT BE AN ISSUE FOR MY NEIGHBORS AND MY PROPERTY.

BECAUSE PART OF OUR PROPERTY IS IN THE LOWEST TERRAIN. SO I REMEMBER WE HAD NEW NEIGHBORS MOVING IN AND BUILD A BRAND-NEW GARAGE AND WHAT HAPPENED WAS THE RAINWATER RUNOFF FLOODED THE

[01:45:03]

NEXT-DOOR NEIGHBOR . UP TO A FOOT AND RUINED THE HOUSE AND THE INSIDE OF THE HOME. SO WITH THAT IN MIND, JUST DON'T WANT THIS TO HAPPEN TO MY HOME AND ALSO MY NEIGHBORS. JAMES. SO WITH THAT IN MIND, I REQUEST THIS COUNCIL TO CONSIDER VOTING AGAINST THIS ITEM AND WAITING FOR BETTER PLAN FOR ROWLETT AND

ITS FUTURE. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU.

>> ALL RIGHT. WE HAVE ANYONE ELSE THAT WISHES TO SPEAK DURING THE PUBLIC HEARING? OKAY. THANK YOU. SEEING THEN, WE WILL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING AT 8:54 P.M. SORRY. DID SOMETHING RAISE THEIR HAND? I APOLOGIZE. WE WILL CONTINUE KEEPING THE PUBLIC HEARING OPEN.

SIR, IF YOU WILL STATE YOUR NAME AND CITY OF RESIDENCE, YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES AND WAS CONCLUDE YOUR COMMENTS IF YOU COULD GRAB A FORM FROM THE BACK CORNER OF THE ROOM.

>> OKAY. I SAID 8814 MERRITT ROAD. I'M AGAINST THIS PROJECT.

WE HAVE ALREADY HAD -- WE HAVE TOO MANY TOWNHOMES . APARTMENTS . AND NOW RENT HOUSES. SO THAT IS ONE OF THE REASONS . THE CONGESTION WE ARE GOING TO HAVE. ANOTHER 185 HOMES. AND THEN FURTHER DOWN MERRITT ROAD, THE BIG ADDITION OF APARTMENTS. AND AS NAM STATED, THE DRAINAGE ISSUES. MY HOUSE HAS ALREADY BEEN FLOODED TWICE FROM WATER COMING DOWN THE HILL . SO I WOULD APPRECIATE IF Y'ALL WOULD CONSIDER. I'M SORRY. MY NEIGHBORON'T WANT ANYMORE TOWNHOMES , APARTMENTS .

WE HAVE BEEN TOLD THERE ARE SO MANY PEOPLE THAT EXPRESS THIS TO Y'ALL . SO YOU SHOULD LISTEN TO THE MAJORITY OF THE PEOPLE SAYING NO . WE ARE TIRED OF ALL THESE TOWNHOMES. APARTMENTS.

OKAY. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU, SIR. ALL RIGHT.

ONE MORE. MAYBE. YOU ARE FINE. NAME AND CITY OF RESIDENCE,

PLEASE. >> MY NAME IS AMY. I MET 3609 CASTLE DRIVE. WE HAVE BEEN HERE ABOUT 10 YEARS . WE BOUGHT THIS AREA BECAUSE THE WAY IT WAS OWNED IS -- IN THAT SECTION OF NEIGHBORHOOD IS OWNED . IT'S GOT THE HORSE FARM. IT'S REALLY NICE. I LOVE IT. WE HAD NOTICED ALL THESE RENT HOMES. THE RENT COMMUNITY OVER THERE. IT'S NOT WHAT WE WANTED WHEN WE MOVED TO ROWLETT . AND I HAVE BEEN A LONG TIME ROWLETT SUPPORTER. MY UNCLE WAS MAYOR FOR SEVERAL YEARS. SO I KNOW WHAT THIS CITY WAS PLANNING ON DOING. NOW LOOKING OUT MY BACKYARD , I HAVE THE HUGE APARTMENTS THAT ARE BEING BUILT. AND ACROSS MY STREET I HAVE THE RENT TOWNHOMES THAT ARE BEING BUILT . AND I DON'T WANT THE SMALL TOWN FEEL THAT ROWLETT HAD THAT DREW ME IN IS GOING AWAY WITH ALL THESE RENT HOMES AND ALL THESE PEOPLE. AND OUR WHOLE AREA WE MOVED INTO. LITTLE COUNTRY SECTION. LOOK OUT BACK AND SEE HORSES THAT WERE BACK THERE. THEY ARE STILL THERE BUT NOT AS OFTEN. AND IT IS JUST BEING OVERRUN AND FLOODED OVER.

I WOULD REALLY HOPE YOU VOTE AGAINST THIS.

>> THANK YOU, MAN. YOU COULD ALSO FILL OUT A COMMENT CARD.

THANK YOU. I APPRECIATE YOU. ALL RIGHT. DURING THE PUBLIC HEARING, IS THERE ANYONE ELSE WHO WISHES TO COMMENT? GOING ONCE. GOING TWICE. WE ARE GOING TO CLOSE PUBLIC HEARING AT 8:57

[5.B. Consider action to adopt an ordinance amending the Comprehensive Plan of the City of Rowlett by amending the Future Land Use Plan for an approximately 23.673 acre tract out of the James M. Hamilton Survey, Abstract No. 0544 in the City of Rowlett, Dallas County, Texas, commonly known as 8500 Merritt Road, from Employment Center to Medium Density Residential, approving a Regulating Plan to construct a 185-Townhome II development based on Form-Based Code Commercial Center Zoning District (FB-CC) thereon, and approving a minor access warrant in accordance with Section 2.10.3 of the Form Base Code (FBC) to connect to Merritt Road. ]

P.M. THANK YOU. COUNCIL, BEFORE WE GET INTO KIND OF THE TOPIC OF THIS DISCUSSION AND MOVE ONTO ITEM -- 5B -- IS NOT OFTEN WE HAVE A CAPTIVE AUDIENCE HERE AND I THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T NECESSARILY NECESSARILY FULLY WRECK THE SCOPE OF THE ZONING IS UNTIL THEY ARE AT ONE OF THESE MEETINGS. GRATEFUL YOU ARE HERE.

GRATEFUL YOU HAVE BEEN ABLE TO ADD YOUR COMMENTS. WE HAVE AN ADDITIONAL 94 EMAILS WE RECEIVED WITH RESPECT TO THIS PROJECT. 12

[01:50:01]

IN FAVOR, 82 THAT WERE AGAINST. IN READING THOSE EMAILS AND READING SOCIAL MEDIA, WHAT REALLY OCCURRED TO ME IS THAT I THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE A MISCONCEPTION ABOUT WHAT THE CITY COUNCIL -- WHAT ROLE THE CITY COUNCIL AND CITY OF ROWLETT HAS IN THE PROCESS OF A ZONING CASE . SO EARLIER TODAY I WROTE UP A SOMEWHAT LENGTHY SYNOPSIS OF HOW THAT WORKS. I'M HOPING YOU WILL BEAR WITH ME. I THINK PEOPLE NEED TO BE AWARE OF THIS BECAUSE WHAT HAPPENS IN OUR CITY IS WHAT HAPPENS IN OUR CITY GOVERNMENT. SO THERE'S BEEN A GREAT DEAL OF CONVERSATION BOTH ONLINE AND VIA EMAIL ABOUT LAND USE AND ZONING THE PAST WEEK, MOST OF WHICH HAVE STEMMED FROM LANDOWNERS AND DEVELOPERS TO REZONE PROPERTY THEY OWN OR ARE CONSIDERING PURCHASING. IN THE INTEREST OF OPENNESS AND SHARING INFORMATION I WANT TO OFFER A FEW THOUGHTS ON THE CONCEPT OF REZONING NOT IN RELATION TO ANY SPECIFIC CASE BUT MORE BROADLY TO HELP FRAME HOW REZONING WORKS, WHAT IT MEANS IN TEXAS LAW, AND HOW RECENT DEVELOPMENTS SHAPE OUR AUTHORIY AND RESPONSIBILITIES AS A CITY. SO WHAT DOES THE CONSTITUTION SAY? FIRST AND FOREMOST I WANT TO EMPHASIZE THE RIGHTS AND THOSE WHO OWN PROPERTY -- WHICH GUARANTEES NO PERSON SHALL BE DEPRIVED OF PROPERTY . REZONING MATTERS, THAT MEANS THE PROPERTY OWNERS HAVE CONSTITUTIONALLY PROTECTED RIGHTS INCLUDING THE RIGHT TO USE PROPERTY AS THEY CHOOSE WITH CERTAIN LIMITATIONS INCLUDING THE RIGHT TO REQUEST IN DIFFERENT WAY THAT MIGHT CURRENTLY BE ALLOWABLE. DUE PROCESS IN THIS CONTEXT GENERALLY REQUIRES NOTICE AND A HEARING ANYWAY THAT AFFECTS PROPERTY INTERESTS. THIS IS CODIFIED AS PROCEDURAL SECTIONS BY STATE LAW. WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE? IT LOOKS LIKE WHAT WE'RE DOING TONIGHT . SO IN ROWLETT AS IN MOST TEXAS CITIES, A REZONING REQUEST BEGINS WITH CEMENTING AN APPLICATION TO THE CITY. THE APPLICATION MIGHT INCLUDE THINGS LIKE A SITE PLAN, DESCRIPTION OF THE INTENDED USE, AND SOMETIMES JUSTIFICATION OF RATIONALE FOR THE CHANGE. CITY STAFF DO NOT HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO ARBITRARILY REFUSE OR DENY AN APPLICATION BASED ON ASSUMPTIONS ABOUT THE OUTCOME. THEY CAN CERTAINLY ADVISE AN APPLICANT , BUT DUE PROCESS DEMANDS APPLICATIONS ARE CONSIDERED FAIRLY . FOLLOWING THAT THE PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION, BODY APPOINTED BY US, THE CITY COUNCIL, REVIEWS THAT REQUEST . THAT IS REQUIRED BY SECTION 211.007 OF THE TEXAS LOCAL GOVERNMENT CODE. IT READS, TO EXERCISE THE POWERS AUTHORIZED THE SUBCHAPTER OF THE GOVERNING BODY -- THAT'S US -- OF A HOME RULING MUNICIPALITY, THAT IS THE CITY OF ROWLETT, SHALL APPOINT A ZONING COMMISSION. THE ZONING COMMISSION SHALL MAKE PRELIMINARY REPORT AND HOLD AT LEAST ONE PUBLIC HEARING ON THAT REPORT BEFORE SUBMITTING A FINAL REPORT TO THE GOVERNING BODY. THAT IS THE PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION DOING WORK AND SUBMITTING A REQUEST OR RECOMMENDATION TO THE CITY COUNCIL. THAT MEANS THAT THE RESPONSIBLE FOR EVALUATING CONSISTENCY WITH CITY ZONING ORDINANCE POLICIES AND FUTURE LAND USE MAP. THAT PROVIDES AN OBJECTIVE EVALUATION AND HELPS INFORM THE CITY COUNCIL BY OFFERING RECOMMENDATION GROUNDED IN POLICY RATHER THAN POLITICS.

AS PART OF THAT REVIEW, THERE IS A PUBLIC HEARING. UNDER STATE LAW, PROPERTY OWNERS WITHIN 200 FEET RECEIVE NOTICE OF THAT HEARING. THAT GIVES THEM A CHANCE TO SPEAK FOR OR AGAINST THE PROPOSAL. I WANT TO REITERATE STATE LAW WE NOTIFY PEOPLE WITHIN 200 FEET IN ROWLETT. WE EXTEND THAT NOTIFICATION EVEN FURTHER TO A RADIUS OF 500 FEET AS A COURTESY TO OUR RESIDENTS. I KNOW IT HAS BEEN SUGGESTED THAT SHOULD BE INCREASED FURTHER. SOME PEOPLE HAVE SUGGESTED A MILD. I WANT TO POINT OUT WE HAVE TO MAIL OUT NOTICES TO ALL OF THOSE RESIDENTS . RADIUS IS GET REALLY BIG WHEN YOU START ENCOMPASSING LARGER DISTANCES. WE ARE ALREADY DOING MORE THAN WHAT STATE LAW REQUIRES BY DOING 500 FEET. ONCE THE PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION PROVIDES RECOMMENDATION ON A CASE, THE APPLICATION COMES TO US. THAT IS WHY WE ARE HERE TONIGHT. SO WHAT RIGHTS DO PROPERTY OWNERS HAVE? FUNDAMENTALLY A PROPERTY OWNER HAS THE RIGHT TO ASK FOR REZONING WELL-ESTABLISHED SENSIBLE AND MUNICIPAL LAW. ZONING IS A LEGISLATIVE PROCESS . THE AUTHORITY TO APPROVE OR DENY REQUESTS LIES WITH THE CITY COUNCIL, WHICH IS THE LEGISLATIVE BODY IN THE CITY.

STAFF HELP ADMINISTER THAT PROCESS BUT THEY DO NOT EXERCISE LEGISLATIVE JUDGMENT. RIGHT, MR. CITY MANAGER? OKAY. JUST MAKING SURE. AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, THE CASES WE HEAR ARE JUST THAT . THEY ARE REQUESTS. THE EXISTENCE OF A REQUEST PROCESS ENSURES PROPERTY OWNERS HAVE A VOICE AND CAN PROPOSE CHANGES THAT BETTER ALIGN WITH THEIR VISION WITH ECONOMIC PLANS AND/OR CHANGING MARKET CONDITIONS. THEY DO NOT GUARANTEE THAT REQUEST WILL BE ACCEPTED BY CITY COUNCIL BUT THEY DO HAVE A RIGHT TO MAKE THAT REQUEST. SO WE TALKED A LOT ABOUT THE COMPANY AND SUPPLANTING IT. MANY OF YOU HAVE A PRETTY GOOD UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT IT DOES. THE COMPANY AND THE PLAN IS A GUIDING POLICY DOCUMENT. IT ESTABLISHES OUR GOALS FOR FUTURE GROWTH. IT LAYS OUT LAND USE, TRANSPORTATION, INFRASTRUCTURE, AND FOCUSES ON QUALITY OF LIFE. ROWLETT'S COMPANY AND THE PLAN WAS LAST UPDATED IN 2018. MAYBE 2019. THE FUTURE LAND USE MAP WITHIN THAT PLAN REPRESENTS THE PREFERRED

[01:55:02]

LAND-USE PATTERNS WE HAVE AS A CITY . DESIGNATING AREAS FOR RESIDENTIAL GROWTH, COMMERCIAL CENTERS, MIXED-USE, GREEN SPACES, ET CETERA. WHEN CONSIDERING A ZONING REQUEST, CITY STAFF AND PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION CHECK ALIGNMENT. IN FACT EVERY TIME WILL CHECK ALIGNMENT WITH THE FUTURE LAND USE MAP. IF A REZONING REQUEST CONFLICTS , THAT IS A POLICY CONSIDERAION AGAINST APPROVAL UNLESS THERE IS A COMPELLING REASON TO AMEND THE PLAN. CONVERSELY, IF A REQUEST ALIGNS WELL WITH A FUTURE LAND USE MAP, THAT GIVES THE CITY SOME CONFIDENCE REZONING WILL FURTHER THE LONG-TERM VISION OF THE COMMUNITY IT HAS ADOPTED. WHAT THE STATE LAW SAY, A VERY SIGNIFICANT DEVELOPMENT FROM THE 89TH TEXAS LEGISLATIVE SESSION IS SENATE BILL 840 . IT BECAME EFFECTIVE SEPTEMBER 1ST, 2025. S E8 40 THE MENTAL GLOBAL GOVERNMENT CODE BY CREATING A NEW CHAPTER IN THE PASTA CITIES WITH POPULATIONS OVER 150,000 IN COUNTIES OVER 300,000. WE ARE VERY AFRAID OF THAT. UNDER SB 840, SUCH MUNICIPALITIES UNDER A 150 THOUSAND MUST ALLOW MIXED-USE RESIDENTIAL OR MULTIFAMILY RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT IN ZONING CLASSIFICATIONS THAT ALREADY PERMIT OFFICE, COMMERCIAL, RETAIL , WAREHOUSE, OR MIXED USES. ALL WITHOUT REQUIRING ZONING OR LAND-USE CHANGE. IT ALSO PREEMPTS SOME REGULATIONS. IMPOSE DENSITY LIMITS, HEIGHT RESTRICTIONS, SETBACKS AND OTHER REQUIREMENTS FOR DEVELOPMENTS.

IN OTHER WORDS, SB 840 REDUCES LOCAL DISCRETION TO CERTAIN ZONES AND FOR CERTAIN TYPES OF DEVELOPMENT IN LARGE TEXAS CITIES. ROWLETT COULD BE NEXT. SIMILARLY, SB 15 WAS PASSED IN THE 89TH LEGISLATURE AND LIMITS MUNICIPAL ZONING AUTHORITY REGARDING MINIMAL LOT SIZES . LARGE CITIES OVER 150,000.

300,000 COUNTIES. PROHIBITS LOTS TO EXCEED A CERTAIN SIZE. ET CETERA. SB 44. NEEDLESS TO SAY THEY ALL HAVE THE SAME EFFECT IN DIFFERENT WAYS . SB 844 INTRODUCED NEW PROTEST PROCEDURES. CITY ATTORNEY SHARE THIS ONE WITH COUNCIL MEETING A FEW WEEKS BACK. TYPICALLY WHAT WAS IN PLACE PRIOR WOULD BE THAT IF THERE IS A ZONING REQUEST ON A PARCEL OF LAND AND 20% OF THE SURROUNDING LAND OWNERS WITHIN A CERTAIN RADIUS PROTESTED THAT CHANGE. IT WOULD HAVE TO REQUIRE SUPER MAJORITY VOTE . AND NOW THAT THRESHOLD HAS BEEN MOVED FROM 20% TO 60% . THAT IS A SUBSTANTIAL CHANGE IN OUR STATE LEGISLATURE MADE . LASTLY, LIKE SB 840, IT LIMITS OUR ABILITY TO REGULATE CONVERSIONS OF OFFICE BUILDINGS TO MIXED-USE . AGAIN, THE LARGER SIZE CITIES. THOSE WOULD BE WHERE OFFICE BUILDINGS EXIST TODAY. I'M TRYING TO SAY THE STATE LEGISLATURE IS REALLY HONING IN ON INCREASING THE STOCK OF HOMES THROUGH THIS LEGISLATIVE ACTION . ULTIMATELY WHILE WE MAY REACH OUT TO OUR REPRESENTATIVES, OR REPRESENTATIVES OF OUR CITY SO WE ARE INHERENTLY BIASED IN OUR OPINION. WHAT WE NEED IS FOR YOU AS RESIDENTS OF OUR CITY AND CONSTITUENTS FOR THESE ELECTED REPRESENTATIVES TO REACH OUT TO YOUR ELECTED OFFICIALS. IF YOU HAVE CONCERNS ABOUT MULTIFAMILY ZONING, THAT IS A CONVERSATION YOU NEED TO BE HAVING WITH YOUR STATE LEGISLATOR AS WELL. ALL RIGHT. I'M NOT GOING TO READ THE REST OF THIS BECAUSE I HAVE DRONED ON WAY TOO LONG. NEEDLESS TO SAY ZONING IS AN INCREDIBLE POWERFUL TOOL. I DO PLAN TO POST THIS ON MY FACEBOOK BECAUSE I THINK IT IS REALLY GOOD INFORMATION THAT ALL OF OUR RESIDENTS -- I THINK IT WOULD BENEFIT ALL OF OUR RESIDENTS TO HAVE THAT INFORMATION. THESE ARE NOT THINGS THAT ARE NECESSARILY INITIATED BY THE CITY COUNCIL.

AS YOU HAVE HER TONIGHT, MANY OF THESE PROPERTY OWNERS SURROUNDING PROPERTY OWNERS AND DEVELOPERS HERE PITCHING THIS IDEA PUSHING THIS PROPOSAL AND BROUGHT THIS TO US FOR CONSIDERATION. IT HAS GONE THROUGH THE NECESSARY STEPS TO GO THROUGH STAFF. IT HAS GONE THROUGH THE NECESSARY STEPS OF THE PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION. NOW IT HAS FINALLY ARRIVED AT THE COUNCIL'S DOORSTEP. COUNCIL, WITH THAT, WE HAVE COMPLETED ITEM 5A. WE WILL MOVE ON TO ITEM 5B, WHICH IS THE ACTION ITEM FOR THIS ITEM. I WILL ENTERTAIN QUESTIONS IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS FOR EITHER THE STAFF, THE APPLICANT , OR ANYBODY ELSE. AND IF YOU DO, PLEASE CHIME IN. NO QUESTIONS.

EITHER I TALKED TOO LONG AND YOU ARE READY TO GO HOME OR VERY

[02:00:03]

THOROUGH IN EXPLANATION. OKAY. IF THERE ARE NO QUESTIONS , THEN LET ME MAKE SURE I DON'T HAVE ANY QUESTIONS. IF THERE ARE NO QUESTIONS I WILL TAKE A MOTION.

>> I DON'T . ALL RIGHT. WE HAVE A MOTION BY MR. SCHUPP. IF YOU WILL STATE YOUR MOTION, PLEASE.

>> OKAY. SINCE WE DO ALWAYS MAKE OUR MOTIONS IN A POSITIVE WAY REGARDLESS OF WHICH WAY WE ARE GOING TO VOTE, I WILL MOVE THAT WE APPROVE THIS ITEM AS PRESENTED.

>> WE HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE . I SEE A SECOND BY MR. REAVES.

MOTION TO APPROVE THE ITEM AS PRESENTED ALONG WITH A SECOND. I WILL OPEN THE FLOOR TO COMMENTS AND DISCUSSION.

>> I WILL GO AHEAD AND START. I APPRECIATE ALL THE WORK EVERYBODY HAS DONE. I APPRECIATE THE SITUATION YOU ARE ALL IN.

THIS IS -- OBVIOUSLY THIS IS A BIG ISSUE FOR EVERYBODY IN THE CITY. PRIMARILY BECAUSE -- AND THIS IS MY OPINION -- THIS IS PROBABLY THE SINGLE MOST IMPORTANT CONTIGUOUS PIECE OF PROPERTY IN THE CITY. WHEN I GOT ON CITY COUNCIL, ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT TASKS THAT I HOPED WE WOULD BE ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH OR AT LEAST MOVE TOWARD WAS TO RELIEVE THE TAX BURDEN ON OUR HOMEOWNERS. AS A CITY -- I DON'T KNOW EXACTLY WHERE WE ARE AT IT WE ARE SOMEWHERE AROUND OUR HOMEOWNERS PAY ROUGHLY 70% OF OUR GENERAL FUND. THAT IS A TREMENDOUS BURDEN ON OUR HOMEOWNERS. THE ONLY WAY WE CAN ALLEVIATE THAT TAX IS DEFINED -- TYPE OF COMMERCIAL CENTERS THAT WILL EMPLOY PEOPLE THAT WILL PAY TAXES AT THAT LEVEL. AT THE COMMERCIAL LEVEL. AT THE MEANINGFUL LEVEL . THERE WILL BE NUMBERS THAT ARE BIG ENOUGH THAT WILL HELP TO REDUCE THIS TAX BURDEN ON OUR CITIES. QUITE HONESTLY, I LIVE HERE TOO AND I FEEL IT ALSO. WE DO WHAT WE HAVE TO DO. BUT NOBODY WANTS TO FEEL LIKE THEY ARE IN A POSITION WHERE WE HAVE NO OTHER SOURCES OF INCOME. WE ARE SORT OF STUCK WITH WHAT WE HAVE GOT. AND THAT IS OUR RESIDENCES. THAT IS THE MOST IMPORTANT THING ABOUT THIS. AND WHAT I FEAR IS THAT IF WE MOVE AWAY FROM A CONCEPT OF A COMMERCIAL CENTER -- WHICH IN THE PLAN WILL INCLUDE -- IT WILL INCLUDE RESIDENTIAL. BUT IT IS NOT RESIDENTIAL. THE RESIDENTIAL IS ANCILLARY TO THE COMMERCIAL COMPONENT . AND I AM ABSOLUTELY OF THE MIND THAT THAT IS THE MOST IMPORTANT -- THAT IS THE WAY THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN IS CURRENTLY WRITTEN. THAT IS THE WAY I THINK AS A CITY WE HAVE LOOKED AT THAT PROPERTY FOR A LONG TIME. I KNOW I HAVE SINCE I HAVE LIVED HERE. YOU KNOW, WE HAVE HEARD VARIOUS EXAMPLES OF WHY PEOPLE DON'T WANT TO BE THERE. I DON'T KNOW. I DRIVE WEST ON THE BUSH . WHAT DO I SEE? I SEE LARGE, LARGE PROJECTS MOVING THIS WAY. AND THAT IS JUST A FACT . AND I DON'T KNOW.

I DON'T THINK ANYBODY IS EXPECTING THERE IS GOING TO BE AT TRADER JOE'S ON THE CORNER OF HICKOX AND MERRITT. WHAT WE DO NEED -- YOU LOOK ACROSS THE STREET WITH THE JACKSON SHAW PROJECT. THAT IS A HUGE, DYNAMIC TAX GENERATING FINANCIAL BENEFIT TO THE CITY. THESE ARE THE KIND OF LARGE TYPES OF PROJECTS .

VERY WELL THOUGHT OUT. WHAT WE DO NOT NEED IN MY OPINION IS TO START TAKING AREAS OUT OF THIS CONTIGUOUS PIECE OF LAND THAT WILL MAY BE CAUSE HARM TRYING TO FIND LARGER TYPE OF OPERATIONS.

THAT IS SORT OF MY TAKE ON IT. I WILL BE VOTING TO DENY THIS CHANGE OF THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN.

>> COUNCIL, OTHER COMMENTS ? >> YEAH, MAYOR. I HAVE SOME

[02:05:08]

COMMENTS. THIS IS A PRETTY INTERESTING CASE TO ME. I HAVE TALKED WITH BOTH SIDES. ONE THING I ALSO KNOW IS CHANGES THE ONLY CONSTANT THING IN LIFE. WE GO THROUGH CHANGES EVERY DAY. WE GO THROUGH CHANGES EVERY MINUTE. CONTRARY TO MAYOR PRO TEM'S VIEWPOINT, RESIDENTIAL USE IS IN CONJUNCTION WITH COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT IN A LOT OF PLACES. TALKING ABOUT THE STAR IN FRISCO. WE TALK ABOUT LEGACY WEST IN PLANO. THINGS WE WANT TO BRING TO OUR COMMUNITY . WE NEED TO UPDATE OUR DAYTIME POPULATION. THE PEOPLE MOVING IN OUR CITY DURING THE DAY. THESE ARE THINGS THAT WE NEED TO MAKE SURE ROWLETT MOVES IN A CERTAIN DIRECTION. I DO UNDERSTAND WHAT MAYOR PRO TEM IS SAYING. BUT I ALSO UNDERSTAND THE MAYOR MENTIONED IT HASN'T BEEN UPDATED SINCE 2018. 2018 WE WERE ALL IN DIFFERENT STANDPOINTS.

PRE-COVID . TIMES WERE DIFFERENT. I THINK THERE IS SOME THOUGHT THAT NEEDS TO GO THERE BEHIND WHAT THIS DEVELOPMENT IS.

ALSO THE MENTIONED THAT 23 ANCHORS WOULD NOT BE MAJOR PARAMOUNT FOR EMPLOYMENT CENTER. IT IS TRUE. THEY MENTIONED THINGS ABOUT HAVING 91 ACRES. 23 IS A FRACTION OF THAT. THAT IS WHERE I AM BATTLING WITH RIGHT NOW.

>> COUNCIL, ANY OTHER COMMENTS ? MR. REAVES.

>> I APPRECIATE BOTH . I'M JUST THROWING THIS OUT THERE FOR CONVERSATION. ULTIMATELY I AM STILL DEBATING IN MY HEAD HOW WHERE I LAND ON THIS ULTIMATELY. I AGREE WITH BOTH OF YOUR STATEMENTS. THAT IS WHERE THE CONFLICTION IN MY HEAD IS.

LAND-USE. FUTURE LAND USE FOR THE EMPLOYMENT CENTER. THIS IS AN IMPORTANT PIECE OF PROPERTY. ROWLETT DOES NOT HAVE MUCH DEVELOPABLE LAND LEFT. AND WE ARE A VETERAN COMMUNITY. THAT IS WHERE OUR TAX BASE IS. WE'RE TRYING TO DIVERSIFY FROM THAT.

PART OF ME DOES NOT WANT TO APPROVE THIS SIMPLY BECAUSE THE LONG-TERM VISION. I'M THINKING 40 YEARS FROM NOW, WHAT IS GOING TO BENEFIT THE CITY THE MOST? TO YOUR POINT, COUNCILMEMBER ELISE -- BOWERS, I DON'T DISAGREE WITH THAT RATIONALE EITHER. I'M ONLY SAYING THIS REALLY OUT LOUD AS I'M THINKING ABOUT THIS.

I'M THINKING OUT LOUD BECAUSE I HOPE IT SPURS MORE CONVERSATION BECAUSE I WOULD LOVE TO HEAR MORE OPINIONS ON THIS MATTER. I THINK THERE IS WISDOM IN COUNSEL . WE ARE NOT ALLOWED TO TALK OUTSIDE OF THE PUBLIC MEETING. IT IS AGAINST THE LAW . SO SOMETIMES WE JUST HAVE TO ERROR IT IN PUBLIC AND ACTUALLY HAVE THESE DISCUSSIONS, WHICH I THINK IS HELPFUL -- HELPFUL FOR THE PUBLIC. SOMETIMES IT IS EMBARRASSING WHEN YOU'RE HAVING TO CALL A VOTE COMING IN REALLY NOT SHARE -- SURE WHERE YOU LAND ON IT. I'M REALLY BEING FORTHCOMING HERE. I WOULD LOVE TO HEAR WHAT EVERYONE ELSE THINKS BECAUSE I KIND OF LEAN ON DENYING THE REQUEST BECAUSE OF THE LONG TERM -- THE FUTURE LAND USE. WHAT IS THE BEST, HIGHEST LAND-USE? BUT TO THAT POINT , I'M ALSO OPEN TO GETTING SOME OTHER VIEWPOINTS HERE BECAUSE I POTENTIALLY COULD BE SWAYED. BUT I'M LEANING TO DENY IT SIMPLY FOR THAT BECAUSE I DO THINK IT IS IMPORTANT. IF ANYBODY HAS ANY OTHER COMMENTS , THOSE ARE MY VIEWPOINTS.

>> YOU WANTED TO WEIGH IN. I WILL WEIGH IN. SO I AGREE WITH EVERYBODY. THERE'S TWO SIDES OF THIS THING. BUT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I TAKE SERIOUSLY -- THAT IS , I REPRESENT THE CITIZENS. WE GOT OVERWHELMING NUMBERS OF EMAILS OVER THE PAST COUPLE OF DAYS. IT MIGHT HAVE ECLIPSED THE TRASH SAGA THAT WE WENT THROUGH A COUPLE OF MONTHS AGO. I DON'T KNOW. BUT THERE'S AN AWFUL LOT OF PEOPLE WHO EXPRESSED THEIR DESIRE FOR OPPOSITION. AND I FEEL FOR THE FOLKS WHO ARE IN FAVOR OF IT. I FEEL FOR THE PROPERTY OWNERS WHO WOULD LIKE TO BE ABLE TO SELL .

I DO. BUT I AM SIDING WITH THE MAJORITY OF THE CITIZENS WHO HAVE VOICED THEIR OPPOSITION. THAT IS WHERE I WILL LAND. SO.

>> COUNCIL, ANYBODY ELSE? ALL RIGHT. SO I APPRECIATE EVERYBODY'S COMMENTS BECAUSE I THINK THOSE ARE VERY WELL-FOUNDED REMARKS . I ALSO APPRECIATE OUR COMMUNITY SHOWING UP FOR THIS ONE. NOT ONLY TODAY BUT IN THE EMAILS THAT HAVE GONE

[02:10:01]

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

IN MY OPINION. >> TO THE DEVELOPER -- I HEARD YOUR PRESENTATION AND I SAW WHAT YOU PUT TOGETHER. I APPRECIATE THAT. YOU PULLED PHOTOS OF HOMES OUT OF OUR COMPREHENSIVE PLAN .

RIGHT NEXT TO THE EMPLOYMENT CENTER SECTION ON PAGE 44, THERE IS THE IMAGE OF THE CITY LINE DEVELOPMENT . ANOTHER DEVELOPMENT I'M NOT FAMILIAR WITH. IT SAYS THE EMPLOYMENT CENTER LAND IS USED AS INTENDED FOR LARGE-SCALE OFFICE PARK OR CORPORATE TO SERVE AS A MAJOR EMPLOYMENT HUB , APPROPRIATE USES INCLUDE OFFICE INSTITUTIONAL RESEARCH DEVELOPMENT FACILITIES TO PROVIDE EMPLOYEES WITH WORK LIFE BALANCE AMENITIES . TO PROVIDE EMPLOYEES WITH WORK LIFE BALANCE AMENITIES. LAND-USE SUCH AS RETAIL , PARKS, OPEN SPACE, AND RESIDENTIAL MAY BE INTEGRATED. AS LONG AS THEY SERVE ACCESSORY USES TO THE EMPLOYMENT CENTER. I THINK THERE IN LIES THE CRUX .

WE DON'T HAVE AN EMPLOYMENT CENTER THERE TODAY. WE HAVE A PLAN FOR EMPLOYMENT CENTER. RESIDENTIAL COMPONENT LIKE THIS WOULD SUPPORT. AND WE DO HAVE RESIDENTIAL THAT HAS BEEN ADDED TO THE NORTH SHORE IN SUBSTANTIAL WAYS. JPA DEVELOPMENT WAS KIND OF A LAST STRAW BEFORE THE CITY COUNCIL BEFORE US CAME AND SAID WE NEEDED AN OVERLAY DISTRICT THAT PREVENTS ALL MULTIFAMILY ZONING. WITHOUT A SPECIAL USE PERMIT.

AND IT IS STILL BEING BUILT BECAUSE THEY GOT THEIR APPROVAL IN ONE DAY -- THAT ARE ZONED FORM-BASED CODE AND HAVE THE ALLEYWAYS THAT ARE SO DIFFERENT FROM ANYTHING WE ARE ACCUSTOMED TO WITH SINGLE-FAMILY RESIDENTIAL. AND THEN I LOOK AT FURTHER DOWN IN THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN ON PAGE 55. FOOTNOTE FIVE. THERE WAS MADE MENTION OF THE NUMBER OF RESIDENTIAL SPACES AND THERE'S A FOOTNOTE UNDER EMPLOYMENT . THERE IS A LITTLE FOOTNOTE THAT SAYS BASED ON 25% OF TOTAL ACREAGE PER RESIDENTIAL MAXIMUM.

SO THERE IS STILL A CAP ON THAT EVEN THOUGH WE ARE TALKING ABOUT RESIDENTIAL EMPLOYMENT CENTERS. THERE IS A DESIGNED CAP. WHEN WE START TO CHEW AWAY AT THE NORTH SHORE PLAN AND START TO CHEW AWAY AT THOSE PIECES OF THE LAND THAT IS STILL THERE, WHAT WE END UP WITH IS FRAGMENTS OF A PLAN THAT ARE LEFT. IT WAS MADE MENTION OF THE STAR AND FRISCO AND OTHER MASTER-PLANNED DEVELOPMENTS . THE ONE AT PRESTON. THESE ARE GREAT DEVELOPMENTS, BUT THEY ARE MASTER-PLANNED AREAS. THEY ARE NOT SMALL COMPONENTS BUILT ONE SECTION AT A TIME.

MASTER-PLANNED GROUP OF COMMERCIAL RESIDENTIAL TOWNHOMES , MULTIFAMILY, MIXED-USE -- ALL OF THE ABOVE CONSTRUCTED AS PART OF A VERY OVERWHELMING MASTER PLAN AND UNFORTUNATELY THIS DEVELOPMENT BY ITSELF DOES NOT CONTAIN THOSE COMPONENTS AND THAT IS WHAT I'M AFRAID WE'RE MISSING. ASIDE FROM THAT, THE FUTURE LAND USE MAP IS A GREAT GOVERNING DOCUMENT. WHEN YOU LOOK IMMEDIATELY TO THE SOUTHEAST WHERE THE SITE IS, THERE'S A PORTION THERE THAT IS MIXED-USE. THAT IS REALLY WHAT I THINK WAS PROPOSED IN WHAT HAS BEEN TALKED ABOUT IS THE MIXED-USE COMPONENT MORE NEAR GEORGE BUSH. UNFORTUNATELY ROWLETT GOT THE SHORT END OF THE STICK. WE DON'T HAVE SERVICE ROADS. THAT IS INCREDIBLY FRUSTRATING. I WISH I HAD A TIME MACHINE . BUT ALL WE CAN DO TODAY IS HAVE CONVERSATIONS AND

[02:15:07]

TRY TO GET SERVICE ROADS. THOSE CONVERSATIONS ARE HAPPENING. I MET WITH HIM PROBABLY A YEAR AGO AND TALKED ABOUT THE ON-RAMP LENGTH AT THE LAKEVIEW BUSINESS DISTRICT BECAUSE TAT WAS A CONCERN. SO THESE ARE CONVERSATIONS THAT HAVE TO CONTINUE AND HAVE TO BE ONGOING. TO THE FAMILIES , AGAIN, I CANNOT JUSTIFY MAKING A BAD DECISION AFTER BAD DECISIONS WERE ALREADY MADE . THAT'S INCREDIBLY HARD TO SAY BECAUSE I REALLY DO FEEL FOR YOU BUT THIS HAS TO BE A LOGICAL DECISION AND NOT AN EMOTIONAL DECISION. I FIRMLY BELIEVE IN PROPERTY RIGHTS. I FIRMLY BELIEVE YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO SELL YOUR PROPERTY. I WOULD LOVE TO SEE A DEVELOPER THAT COMES BACK TO US THAT IS MORE MASTER-PLANNED . IT PROBABLY INCLUDES ADDITIONAL ACREAGE BECAUSE TO YOUR POINT AS DEVELOPERS, 23 IS NOT ENOUGH. SO IT PROBABLY INCLUDES MORE LAND THAT IS PART OF A BIGGER COMPONENT OF THE PROPERTY. COUNCIL, AND ANY OTHER COMMENTS ? AGAIN, I HAVE RAMBLED ON FAR TOO LONG. ALL RIGHT. SEEING NONE, WANT TO REMIND EVERYBODY THAT MOTION IS TO APPROVE THE REQUEST AS PRESENTED. WITH THAT, A VOTE YES IS A VOTE TO APPROVE THE MOTION. APPROVING THE DEVELOPMENT AS PRESENTED. VOTE NO WOULD BE TO DENY THE MOTION. ANY DISCUSSION? ALL RIGHT.

LET'S CALL THE BOAT, PLEASE. THAT ITEM -- THAT ITEM -- THAT MOTION FAILS BY A VOTE OF 1-6. WE HAVE BOWERS VOTING IN FAVOR.

ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU, EVERYBODY, FOR BEING HERE. THANK YOU FOR BEARING WITH US THROUGH THAT PROCESS. TO THE PUBLIC, LET ME READ ITEM 5C, WHICH HAS BEEN WITHDRAWN AT THE REQUEST OF THE APPLICANT. CONDUCT A PUBLIC HEARING REGARDING A ZONING CHANGE REQUEST FOR APPROXIMATELY 21.412 ACRE TRACT LOCATED GENERALLY NORTH OF MILLER ROAD AND WEST OF ROAD AND BEING FURTHER DESCRIBED AS A PORTION OF THE JAMES HOBBS SURVEY, ABSTRACT NUMBER 571, PAGE 721, TRACT 19 TO AMEND THE PROPERTY BY AMENDING THE FUTURE LAND USE PLAN FROM LOW-DENSITY RESIDENTIAL, MEDIUM DENSITY RESIDENTIAL, AND RETAIL COMMERCIAL OFFICE TO MULTIFAMILY TO AMEND THE COMPREHENSIVE ZONING ORDINANCE AND MAP FOR THE PROPERTY FROM SINGLE-FAMILY RESIDENTIAL 40 24 DISTRICT TO PLANT DEVELOPMENT DISTRICT AND TO PROVE THE CONCEPT PLAN TO CONSTRUCT 170 SINGLE-FAMILY HOMES ON THE PROPERTY. AGAIN, THAT ITEM HAS BEEN WITHDRAWN BY THE REQUEST OF THE APPLICANT. I DID ALSO SPEAK WITH THIS DEVELOPER AND HE INDICATED -- HE DOES NOT INTEND TO BRING THIS ITEM BACK FOR FUTURE CONSIDERATION. JUST SO THE PUBLIC IS AWARE OF THAT AS WELL. NOW, WITH THAT BEING SAID, DO WE HAVE TO OPEN A PUBLIC HEARING? NO? PERFECT. WE WILL MOVE TO ITEM -- LET ME ASK THE PUBLIC FIRST. IS ANYONE HERE TO LISTEN TO ITEM 5D ? OKAY. THEN WE ARE GOING TO REALIGN THE AGENDA A LITTLE BIT. WE'RE GOING TO MOVE ON TO EXECUTIVE SESSION FOR ITEM 6A, AFTER WHICH WE WILL HAVE ITEM 7 A. I DO KNOW THAT WE HAVE SOME MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WHO WISH TO SPEAK ON THAT ITEM. I WANT TO BE RESPECTFUL OF EVERYBODY'S TIME AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE. IS IT QUICK? OKAY. APPARENTLY ITEM 5D IS REALLY

[5.D. Consider action to adopt a resolution approving and authorizing the City Manager to execute job creation incentive agreement with SAF-Holland pursuant to Chapter 380 of the Texas Local Government Code (Economic Development Agreement)]

QUICK SO WE ARE GOING TO KNOCK IT OUT. CONSIDER ACTION TO ADOPT A RESOLUTION APPROVING AND AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE JOB CREATION INCENTIVE AGREEMENT WITH 2F PURSUANT TO CHAPTER 380 OF THE TEXAS LOCAL GOVERNMENT CODE. TAKE IT AWAY.

>> A 380 AGREEMENT. TEXAS AGREEMENT FOR SAF-HOLLAND. JANET SAF-HOLLAND IS A MAJOR NEW TENANT FOR THE LAKESIDE BUSINESS DISTRICT . WE WILL GO THROUGH THAT AGREEMENT AND TALK ABOUT SAF-HOLLAND QUICKLY. JOB CREATION PROGRAM. SAF-HOLLAND OF COURSE IS A COMPANY THAT IS INTERNATIONAL. THIS PROPOSAL IS TO CONSOLIDATE OPERATIONS . ARIZONA.

>> CONSOLIDATE . THEY WILL CREATE ADVANCED MANUFACTURING CAPABILITY THERE. PRODUCT LINE. I.T. FUNCTION AND OTHERS THERE.

THEIR STATEMENT THERE IS AT THE BOTTOM ABOUT WHY THEY THINK THIS WILL BE VALUABLE TO THEM. AN OPPORTUNITY TO ENHANCE THIS FACILITY. THEY DO HAVE 50,000 SQUARE FEET BUILT INTO THEIR

[02:20:03]

LEASE. CONTINUE TO INVEST AND GROW THEIR EMPLOYMENT AT THIS LOCATION. PROPOSING TO CONSOLIDATE 126 POSITIONS INITIALLY. LOOKING AT POTENTIALLY GOING TO 152 IF THAT PLAN PLAYS OUT PROJECTED TO HAVE PAYROLL OF ABOUT $10 MILLION BY YEAR THREE. SO WITH THE JOB CREATION PROGRAM IN OUR ADOPTED ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT INCENTIVE PROGRAM IS IT PROVIDES AN INCENTIVE FOR JOBS THAT ARE ABOVE THE AVERAGE WAGE FOR A SPECIFIC JOB CLASSIFICATION . IN THIS CASE, YOU HAVE TO HAVE A MINIMUM OF 25 FULL-TIME JOBS AND THEN YOU GET A DIFFERENT INCENTIVE DEPENDING ON HOW HIGH YOU ARE ABOVE THE BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS AVERAGE WAGE IN THIS REGION. SO IF YOU ARE SOMEWHERE BETWEEN 100 TO 124% OF THAT WAGE , YOUR INCENTIVE IS $3000 PER FULL-TIME POSITION. THAT IS PAID OVER TWO YEARS.

1500 PER YEAR . IF IT IS 125 OR MORE, THEN IT IS 5000 PER. TOTAL AMOUNT CAN EXCEED 53 PERCENT OF THE NET NEW TEXAS GENERATED .

THAT'S KIND OF THE WAY THE PROGRAM OUR PROGRAM IS SET UP FOR THE PROPOSED AGREEMENT FOLLOWS THAT CRITERIA. CURRENT ESTIMATE . BASIC INFORMATION THEY GAVE US IS TO HAVE ABOUT 43 QUALIFYING JOBS . THAT INCENTIVE WOULD BE A TOTAL OF 135 .

BASICALLY HALF OF THAT PER YEAR. SO ESTIMATED TAX BY 160,000 PER YEAR. ABOUT 80,000 OF THAT WOULD BE -- BELIEVE THIS IS 50% OF THAT IS AVAILABLE TO THE CITY . SO HALF OF THE 135 WOULD BE ABOUT 62.5 PER YEAR. THIS IS BASED ON ACTUAL EMPLOYMENT DATA.

THEY PROVIDE US INFORMATION ABOUT WHAT THEY ACTUALLY INAUDIBLE ] THE FIRST YEAR WOULD BE -- ACTUALLY -- EMPLOYMENT DATA . BASED ON EMPLOYMENT DATA WE WOULD GIVE THE AMOUNT OF GRANT PER YEAR. WE PLAY THEM. IT IS A THREE-YEAR AGREEMENT BECAUSE THERE IS POTENTIAL THEY MIGHT BRING NEW EMPLOYMENT ON IN YEAR TWO. SO FOR THE FIRST TWO YEARS, THEY HAVE A GRANT PROGRAM. IF THEY BRING ON MORE EMPLOYMENT IN ADDITION TO THAT IN YEAR TWO THEY HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO EARN THAT NEXT TO TWO YEARS FOR THOSE NEW EMPLOYEES. QUESTIONS?

>> COUNCIL QUESTIONS? >> AND YOU GO THROUGH THAT VERY LAST PART AGAIN? I THINK YOU SOMEWHAT LOST ME.

>> I KNEW THAT WAS GOING TO BE CHALLENGING. LET ME TRY THAT AGAIN. BASICALLY IT IS A TWO-YEAR PROGRAM. -- SO AFTER THE FIRST YEAR , THEY EARN HALF THAT FIRST GRANT. FOR THAT SAME CADRE OF EMPLOYEES , THEY HAVE THE 43 WE HAVE IDENTIFIED HERE.