[A. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE]
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GOOD EVENING. THE TIME IS 6 P.M. WOULD YOU PLEASE STAND FOR THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE? BEING LED BY COMMISSIONER EDWARDS. PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS? ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.
THANK YOU. MAY BE SEATED. GOOD EVENING EVERYONE. THE TIME IS STILL 6 P.M, AND THE REGULAR
[B. REGULAR SESSION - CALL TO ORDER]
SCHEDULED MEETING OF THE PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION FOR THE CITY OF DESOTO IS CALLED TO ORDER. WE HAVE A QUORUM HERE IN COMMISSIONERS. BELL, EDWARDS, DEWBERRY AND MYSELF. IN ROUTE, WE HAVE VICE CHAIR OF BROOKS WHO'S DELAYED FROM HER WORK THIS EVENING. WE ALSO HAVE STAFF THAT IS PRESENT. ALL OF THE STAFF IS PRESENT THIS EVENING. AND, COMMISSIONERS, I HAVE BEEN ASKED IF WE COULD MOVE ONE OF THE AGENDA ITEMS UP TO THE BEGINNING OF OUR MEETING, AND I WAS, WOULD THERE BE ANY OBJECTION OF US GOING TO THE REGULAR SCHEDULE, AGENDA ITEM, DISCUSSION OF THE WORK SESSIONS TO THE PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION? UP, UP TO THE FRONT. IS THERE ANY OBJECTION? OKAY. WITHOUT OBJECTION. SO MOVED. AT THIS TIME, WE'RE GOING TO GO TO ITEM[1. Discussion of Work Sessions to the Planning & Zoning Commission ]
G ONE DISCUSSION OF THE WORK SESSIONS TO THE PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION. AT THIS TIME WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A PRESENTATION BY OUR NEW DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENTAL SERVICES, MR. AHMED ALKAZI. GOOD EVENING EVERYONE. MY NAME IS AHMED ALKAZI. I'M THE NEW DIRECTOR OF THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT. OKAY. GOOD EVENING EVERYONE. MY NAME IS AHMED AL-QAYSI. I'M THE NEW DIRECTOR FOR DEVELOPMENT SERVICES DEPARTMENT. TODAY WE HAVE THE DISCUSSION ITEM DISCUSSION OF WORK SESSIONS TO THE PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION. OUR AGENDA TODAY, I'LL WALK YOU THROUGH THE PURPOSE OF THIS PRESENTATION OF SOME BACKGROUND AND SOME EXAMPLES FROM SURROUNDING JURISDICTIONS, PROCESSES, AND SOME BENEFITS OF AND CHALLENGES ALSO WITH THE STAFF RECOMMENDATIONS. AND WE'LL OPEN THAT UP FOR QUESTIONS AT THE END OF THE PRESENTATION. THE PURPOSE IS TO EXPLORE AND STATING THE CITY OF DESOTO PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION WORK SESSIONS BEFORE REGULAR MEETINGS, YOU KNOW, CURRENTLY THE CITY DOES TWO REGULAR MEETINGS. THEN WE'RE EXPLORING THE OPTION OF INSTATING, ONE REGULAR MEETING AND ONE WORK SESSION. WE'LL TALK ABOUT SOME OF THE REGIONAL EXAMPLES AND SOME OF THE APPROACHES FROM FROM THE REGION. WE WILL IDENTIFY KEY BENEFITS AND CHALLENGES, AND WE'LL PRESENT THE STAFF RECOMMENDATION. BACKGROUND ON THIS. YOU KNOW, TWO REGULAR MEETINGS THAT WE DO HERE IN DESOTO, WE'RE PROPOSING IS WE'RE PROPOSING ONE WORK SESSION, NON-VOTING, JUST WORK SESSION FOR DISCUSSIONS PLUS CONSIDERATION. AND THEN THE OTHER ONE WOULD BE JUST REGULAR MEETING INSTEAD. AND THEN WE'LL TALK ABOUT SOME OF THE SURROUNDING CITIES OR USE A SIMILAR APPROACH EFFECTIVELY. AND THEN ESPECIALLY WITH THE INCREASED COMPLEXITIES AND THE VOLUME OF PROJECTS THAT HAS BEEN, YOU KNOW, DEALING WITH.THE NEXT SLIDE, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE OTHER CITIES, YOU KNOW, CITY OF CEDAR HILL, THEY DON'T DO WORK SESSIONS. THEY DON'T HAVE THEM SEPARATELY. THEY DO REGULAR MEETINGS AND THEY DO THEM TWICE A MONTH. AND THEIR POPULATION IS PRETTY CLOSE TO CITY OF DESOTO, GRAND PRAIRIE, A LITTLE BIT BIGGER CITY. THEY DO. AND THEY DO HAVE TWICE A MONTH, BUT THEY DO HAVE THE SEPARATE WORK SESSION MEETINGS. DUNCANVILLE PRETTY CLOSE TO US, AND THEY DO THEIR MEETINGS ON THE SECOND MONDAY, ONCE A MONTH AS NEEDED. AND THEY DO HAVE THEIR WORK SESSION. LANCASTER THEY DON'T DO THAT PRETTY CLOSE TO OUR POPULATION. AND THEN DALLAS, OBVIOUSLY PRETTY BIG CITY. AND THEY DO THIS SEPARATE WORK SESSIONS. GLEN HINES THEY DON'T DO THAT, ALTHOUGH THEY'RE PRETTY SMALL COMPARED TO THE POPULATION OF CITY OF DESOTO. AND LASTLY, WE HAVE ARLINGTON.
THEY DO HAVE THE WORK SESSIONS AND THEN THEY DO TWICE A TWICE MEETINGS A MONTH. SO, YOU KNOW,
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MAJORITY OF THE CITIES, THEY DO HAVE THOSE SEPARATE WORK SESSIONS. SOME OF THE KEY BENEFITS OF HAVING A WORK SESSION MEETING AND THEN A REGULAR SESSION MEETING IS TO SUPPORT EARLY IN-DEPTH DISCUSSIONS AND INPUT BEFORE FORMAL DECISIONS. SO THEN, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE PRESENT THE ITEM FOR YOU THE FIRST TIME, YOU DON'T HAVE TO TAKE THE VOTE ON IT. WE'RE JUST KIND OF, YOU KNOW, BRAINSTORMING AND COLLECTING YOUR FEEDBACK AND INPUT. AND THAT WOULD ALSO ALLOW APPLICANTS TO ADDRESS PNC COMMISSION CONCERNS EARLY IN THE PROCESS. THAT WOULD ALSO INCREASE CLARITY, REDUCE SURPRISES AT THE VOTING MEETINGS. AND THEN WITH THIS SETUP THAT WE'RE HAVING, YOU KNOW, ONE WORK SESSION PLUS PLAT CONSIDERATION, THE OTHER BENEFIT FROM DOING THIS IS TO FOR US TO CONTINUE TO BE CONSIDERED TWICE A MONTH. SO WE KNOW WITH THIS SETUP, PLANTS WILL CONTINUE TO BE CONSIDERED TWICE A MONTH INSTEAD OF ONCE A MONTH. AND THEN AND THEN WITH THAT ALSO COMES SOME KEY CHALLENGES. FIRST ONE IS KIND OF REDUCING THE FORMAL APPROVAL OPPORTUNITIES FROM TWICE A MONTH TO ONCE A MONTH, BUT THEN AT THE SAME TIME, IF WE'RE RECORDING EARLY FEEDBACK IN THE PROCESS AND WE'RE HAVING LIKE A MORE EFFECTIVE PROCESS, WE DON'T THINK THAT WOULD BE A CHALLENGE.NOW, THE SECOND ITEM, IT MAY DELAY TIME SENSITIVE CASES THAT NEEDED QUICKER TURNAROUND. BUT AGAIN, IF WE IF WE KIND OF HAVE A MORE EFFECTIVE PROCESS, THEN WE WOULD BE ABLE TO TACKLE THOSE ISSUES. AND THEN THE THIRD ONE, OBVIOUSLY THE PLAT WOULD NOT BE AN ISSUE. WE'LL CONTINUE TO HAVE THOSE TWICE A MONTH. STAFF RECOMMENDATION. WE DO RECOMMEND TRANSITIONING TO A NEW MEETING STRUCTURE CONSISTENT, CONSISTING OF ONE MONTHLY WORK SESSION FOR EARLY DISCUSSION AND GUIDANCE, PLUS PLAT CONSIDERATION, AND ANOTHER MEETING WOULD BE JUST REGULAR MEETING FOR FORMAL DECISIONS WITH THAT, THAT WOULD CONCLUDE MY PRESENTATION AND I WILL OPEN THAT FOR QUESTIONS.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MR. CASEY, FOR THAT PRESENTATION. AT THIS TIME, COMMISSIONERS, WE WILL HAVE AN OPEN DISCUSSION RELATIVE TO THE PRESENTATION THAT HAS BEEN GIVEN TO US THIS EVENING AND WHAT WE ARE GOING TO BE COLLECTIVELY MAKING A DECISION ON IS WHETHER WE REMAIN WITH THE SAME FORMAT IN WHICH WE ARE OPERATING, OR IF WE WOULD CHANGE AND GO TO A FORMAT THAT WOULD ALLOW US TO MEET THE SECOND AND FOURTH TUESDAYS AS WE DO MONTHLY. THE SECOND TUESDAY WOULD BE A WORK SESSION, THE FOURTH TUESDAY WOULD BE THE ACTUAL TIME WHEN WE WOULD COME HAVE THE REGULAR MEETING, AS WELL AS PUBLIC HEARINGS, ETC. AND I DON'T THINK IT REALLY MATTERS IF IT WERE THE FOURTH OR THE SECOND, BUT ONE WOULD BE JUST A WORKSHOP SESSION, I WILL REMIND. I KNOW MR. DEWBERRY IS VERY MUCH AWARE OF THIS, BUT MISS EDWARDS, THREE YEARS AGO WHEN THE COMMISSIONERS CAME ON, THERE WERE WE WERE DOING A WORK SESSION BEFORE THE MEETING, SO WE WOULD MEET ONE HOUR BEFORE OUR REGULAR SCHEDULED MEETING AND WE WOULD DISCUSS THE CASES, AND THEN WE WOULD GO INTO THE REGULAR SCHEDULED MEETING. CITY COUNCIL CHANGED THEIR APPROACH ON HOW THEY WERE HAVING THEIR COUNCIL MEETINGS, AND SO THAT WAS BROUGHT OVER TO PLANNING AND ZONING TO SEE IF WE WOULD MIMIC, WOULD LIKE TO MIMIC THE APPROACH THAT THEY HAD AT THAT TIME. WE CHOSE NOT TO MIMIC THEIR APPROACH AND TO STAY WITH THE APPROACH THAT WE HAD, WHICH WAS TO HAVE THE WORK SESSION FROM 6 TO 7, AND THEN THE REGULAR SCHEDULED MEETING WOULD THEN START AT 7 P.M. AFTER WE CAME TO SEVERAL DIFFERENT MEETINGS. WHAT WE FOUND OURSELVES SOMETIMES IS THAT WE WOULD BE SITTING HERE FROM 615 TO 7:00, WAITING FOR THE REGULAR SCHEDULED MEETING TO OCCUR. SO THEREFORE WE CAME BACK AND WE BROUGHT IT BACK TO THE COMMISSION, AND WE DECIDED THAT WE WOULD FOLLOW A SUIT WHERE CITY COUNCIL WAS JUST GOING RIGHT INTO THEIR REGULAR SCHEDULED MEETINGS. SO I BRING THAT TO YOU JUST SO THAT YOU WOULD KNOW THAT WE HAVE HAD WORK SESSIONS BEFORE REGULAR SCHEDULED MEETINGS. HOWEVER, THE DIFFERENCE HERE IS THAT WE'RE THERE ARE ASKING US TO HAVE ONE DEDICATED TUESDAY MEETING THAT WOULD ONLY BE WORKSHOPS, AND THEN THE NEXT DEDICATED TUESDAY MEETING IS WHEN WE WOULD HEAR THE CASES AND WE WOULD BE MAKING WE WOULD BE MEETING, HAVING VOTING AND MAKING DECISIONS ON THAT CASE FOR RECOMMENDATIONS THAT WE WOULD SEND TO THE CITY COUNCIL. SO ENOUGH HAS BEEN SAID FOR ME. I WOULD LIKE TO OPEN IT UP TO THE COMMISSIONERS TO PROVIDE ME YOUR INSIGHTS AND YOUR THOUGHTS RELATIVE TO THE
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REQUEST FROM THE STAFF PRESENTATION. THANK YOU. GOOD AFTERNOON COMMISSIONER. MY PEERS, I, I HAVE NOT BEEN ON THE ON THE COMMISSION VERY LONG, BUT I, I GUESS I'M A LITTLE CONCERNED AS TO CAN YOU GIVE ME SOME HISTORICAL REFERENCES AS TO WHY THIS IS BEING PROPOSED? I CERTAINLY, FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, DON'T BELIEVE THAT WE SHOULD FIX SOMETHING THAT'S NOT BROKEN. SO IF YOU COULD GIVE ME A LITTLE HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE BEHIND THE PROPOSITION. THANK YOU. SO, YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT NECESSARILY BROKEN. IT'S, YOU KNOW, MORE TO IMPROVE THE PROCESS. AND, YOU KNOW, AT THE END OF THE DAY, THAT WOULD BE AT THE COMMISSION'S WILL WHETHER THEY WANT TO, YOU KNOW, DECIDE TO PURSUE THIS NEW SETUP OR THEY WANT TO CONTINUE WITH THE TWO REGULAR MEETINGS. NOW, YOU KNOW, FROM JUST TALKING TO STAFF AND BASED ON THE CHALLENGES THAT WE'VE BEEN SEEING RECENTLY WITH THE COMPLEXITY OF THE PROJECTS, AND THEN, YOU KNOW, WE JUST THINK IT WOULD, YOU KNOW, IT MIGHT MAKE MORE SENSE IF WE KIND OF DO ONE DEDICATED SESSION AND THEN WE, YOU KNOW, WE BRING STAFF, BRING APPLICANTS, WE DO PRESENTATIONS. WE HAVE YOUR EARLY FEEDBACK IN THE PROCESS. AND THEN AND THEN THE APPLICANTS WILL HAVE A PRETTY GOOD IDEA OF TO KIND OF, YOU KNOW, KNOW WHAT WHAT YOUR CONCERNS ARE. AND THEN, YOU KNOW, AT THE END OF THE DAY WHEN WE WHEN WE COME, NEXT TIME, YOU, YOU KNOW, EVERYBODY IS GOING TO BE BETTER PREPARED AND IT'S NOT GOING TO BE THE FIRST TIME TO SEE THIS ACTION. AND WE WOULD HAVE TO VOTE FOR IT. JUST AS A FOLLOW UP, I, I AS FAR AS I KNOW, I THINK THE TEAM, THE COMMISSION COMMISSIONERS HERE ARE RELATIVELY PREPARED AND I, I HAVE A SIGNIFICANT CONCERN. AND THAT'S REGARDING THE CITIZENS, CITIZENS OF DESOTO AND THEIR NEED AND REQUEST TO ENSURE THAT THERE'S TRANSPARENCY. I AM CONCERNED THAT IF WE ADOPT WHAT YOU'RE PROPOSING, THERE MAY BE CONCERNS THAT WE'RE NOT BEING FORTHCOMING. AND THAT CONCERNS ME. WE WANT TO ENSURE THAT WE ARE FIRST AND FOREMOST UPFRONT, OUT IN THE OPEN AND NOT GIVE THE IMPRESSION THAT THERE ARE BACKDOOR DEALS AND DECISIONS MADE WITHOUT THE PUBLIC BEING AWARE. AND SO. SO THOSE ARE JUST MY COMMENTS REGARDING YOUR PROPOSAL. THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR SHARING YOUR FEEDBACK WITH US. I JUST WANT TO MENTION THAT, YOU KNOW, THOSE WILL BE RECORDED AND IT WILL BE OPEN TO PUBLIC AS WELL. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MISS EDWARDS. ARE THERE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? COMMISSIONER EDWARDS? ANY OTHER QUESTIONS. ALL RIGHT. ANY OTHER ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? MR. BILL.ALL RIGHT. MR. AL CASEY, WELCOME TO PLANNING AND ZONING. VERY NICE TO MEET YOU. LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU. MY FELLOW COMMISSIONER HERE KIND OF ASKED THE QUESTIONS, BUT I'M GOING TO ASK IT AGAIN BECAUSE I DON'T THINK WE GOT ANY CLARITY THERE. CAN YOU GIVE US THE PROBLEM STATEMENT THAT THAT, YOU KNOW, INITIATED THE IDEA TO CHANGE THE FORMAT OF THE WAY THAT WE CONDUCTED THESE MEETINGS SO FAR? RIGHT. SO WHAT IS IT THAT IS BROKEN NOW? NOT NECESSARILY BROKEN, INEFFICIENT THAT WE'RE NOT DOING? WHAT COMPLAINTS HAVE YOU GOTTEN THAT YOU THINK CHANGING THIS FORMAT WOULD SOLVE? THANK YOU SO MUCH. I LOOK FORWARD TO WORK WITH YOU AS WELL. AND THE OTHER COMMISSIONERS, THE OTHER COMMISSIONERS. YOU KNOW, YOU'RE RIGHT. I DO AGREE WITH YOU. I DON'T THINK WE HAVE ISSUES, NOT NECESSARILY THAT WE'RE HAVING ISSUES HERE TODAY, BUT HOW IS THERE ANY OPPORTUNITY THAT WE CAN MAKE THIS PROCESS EVEN BETTER? AND THAT WOULD BE, YOU KNOW, UP TO YOUR CONSIDERATION AND THE OTHER COMMISSIONERS, IF YOU, AT THE END OF THE DAY, DECIDE TO MOVE WITH THE NEW SETUP, WE WOULD BE MORE THAN HAPPY TO DO IT. IF YOU WANT TO CONTINUE WITH WITH THE SAME SETUP THAT WE'RE CURRENTLY HAVING, WE'D BE MORE THAN HAPPY TO DO IT AS WELL. NOW, THE REASON WHY WE'RE RECOMMENDING THE NEW SETUP BECAUSE OF THE, YOU KNOW, THE BENEFITS AND CHALLENGES THAT WE I PREVIOUSLY, YOU KNOW, ALLUDED TO AND MAINLY, YOU KNOW, WE THINK IT WOULD BE KIND OF MAYBE BETTER IN THE PROCESS IF WE HAVE YOUR EARLY FEEDBACK IN THE PROCESS AND WE HAVE YOUR COMMENTS EARLY IN THE
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PROCESS BEFORE WE COME HERE AND ASK YOU FOR A VOTE. UNDERSTOOD. THANK YOU FOR THAT ANSWER. IN YOUR PRESENTATION, YOU SHOWED US SEVERAL SURROUNDING CITIES THAT, WELL, YOU BASICALLY TOLD US WHAT THEIR FORMAT WAS FOR THESE MEETINGS. CAN YOU CLEAR IT UP FOR US? ARE THERE MEETINGS HAVING A PLANNING SESSION, THE FIRST SESSION AND THEN A VOTING SESSION? OR DO THEY JUST DO THEIR WORKING SESSION IMMEDIATELY BEFORE THEY'RE VOTING? YEAH. THANK YOU. THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION. SOME OF THEM OR YOU KNOW, LIKE THE OTHER CITIES THAT ARE CLOSER TO DESOTO IN POPULATION, WHAT THEY DO, THEY DO THE WORKING SESSION AT THE SAME DAY WITH THE REGULAR SESSION. SO FOR INSTANCE, WE DO, LET'S SAY 6 TO 7 FOR A WORKING SESSION. AND THEN, YOU KNOW, WE GO FOR APPROVALS AND ACTION ITEMS FROM 7 TO 8. SOME OF THOSE CITIES. AND I DID SEE SOME OTHER CITIES, THEY KIND OF HAVE THEM SEPARATED. BUT YOU KNOW, THE REASON WHY WE'RE NOT RECOMMENDING HAVING THE WORK SESSIONS AT THE SAME TIME WITH THE WITH THE REGULAR SESSIONS, BECAUSE WE THINK, YOU KNOW, MAYBE STAFF WILL BURN OUT, YOU KNOW, TAKING INTO CONSIDERATION THE SAME STUFF HERE TODAY WILL BE WILL BE AT THE, AT THE COUNCIL MEETING AS WELL. AND THEN, YOU KNOW BASICALLY WE'LL BE HAVING STUFF COMMITTED TO AFTER HOURS MEETING FOR SAY FOR EVERY WEEK. UNDERSTOOD. AND THOSE ARE SOME OF THE CONSIDERATIONS WE WEIGHED WHEN WE VISITED THIS NOTION PREVIOUSLY. WE'RE YOU KNOW, WE'RE SERVING HERE AT THE SERVICE OF THE PUBLIC. WE'RE NOT BEING PAID FOR THIS OUR TIME. WE'RE VOLUNTEERING AND DONATING IT. AND SO ANY WAY THAT WE LOOKED AT THIS AND WE THOUGHT THAT IF WE COULD STILL DO OUR JOBS EFFECTIVELY, BUT ALSO CUT DOWN THE TIME THAT WE HAD TO SPEND IN CHAMBERS, THAT WOULD PROBABLY BE BENEFICIAL. AND SO WE MADE A DECISION. AND THEN WE'VE BEEN DOING THAT EVER SINCE. AS YOU SAID YOURSELF, THERE HAS NOT BEEN ANY COMPLAINTS. THERE AREN'T ANY REAL ISSUES. YOU GUYS, I'M JUST GOING TO SAY WANT TO EXPLORE TRYING IT A DIFFERENT FORMAT AND I'M OPEN TO EXPLORING THINGS THAT'S, YOU KNOW, THAT'S NOT OUTSIDE THE REALM OF POSSIBILITY, BUT I WANT TO KNOW WHY DOING THE SESSION, THE FIRST MEETING SESSION, DOING THE, YOU KNOW, DISCOVERY SESSION OR THE WORKING SESSION AND, AND SEPARATE FROM THE VOTING SESSION. WHY, THAT'S BETTER THAN JUST HAVING THE WORKING SESSION IMMEDIATELY BEFORE THE, YOU KNOW, THE VOTING SESSION. AND I MEAN, IF THE IDEA IS TIME SAVING, THE SAME AMOUNT OF TIME IS BEING SPENT ESSENTIALLY, REGARDLESS OF WHAT FORMAT WE USE TO SPEND THIS TIME. SO IF NOTHING'S REALLY GOING TO CHANGE, IF NOTHING'S BROKEN, THE QUESTION THEN BECOMES WHAT EFFECT WILL WILL MAKING THIS CHANGE HAVE ON DAY TO DAY BUSINESS WHAT WE'RE DOING RIGHT NOW? AND SO A COUPLE THINGS COME TO MIND. I WON'T SPIT THEM OUT RIGHT NOW. I'M GOING TO GIVE MY FELLOW COMMISSIONERS A CHANCE TO SPEAK. BUT THERE'S A FEW THINGS THAT WILL PROBABLY BE PROBLEMS IF WE ADOPT THIS FORMAT FOR US. AND SOMEONE WILL HAVE TO THINK ABOUT HOW TO GET AROUND THAT.BUT RIGHT NOW, WE DON'T HAVE ANY PROBLEMS. ADOPTING THIS, IN MY MIND, WILL CREATE SOME PROBLEMS, AND I JUST WANT TO GET SOME CLARITY AROUND WHY WOULD WE GO TO PROBLEMS WHEN WE'RE NOT HAVING ANY PROBLEMS NOW? AND THAT'S ALMOST RHETORICAL. YOU DON'T NECESSARILY HAVE TO ANSWER THAT QUESTION RIGHT NOW. I JUST WANTED TO PUT YOU THAT'S MY LINE OF THINKING, RIGHT? I WANTED TO GIVE THAT TO YOU. SO I'LL OPEN IT UP TO MY FELLOW COMMISSIONERS NOW AND LET THEM SPEAK. THANK YOU, MR. BALE. COMMISSIONERS, WOULD YOU ALL MIND IF I ASK A QUESTION THAT KIND OF GOES ALONG WITH MR. BALES QUESTION, AND HE'S ALREADY ASKED. AND THEN I WILL COME OVER TO YOU, AND I'M GOING TO GO TO THE CITY MANAGER, IF I MAY. IS IT OKAY TO ASK YOU A QUESTION? OKAY. AT ONE OF THE MEETINGS, CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS, YOU MADE A STATEMENT TO ME THAT I THINK SOMETHING OCCURRED IN THE MEETING THAT YOU SAID IF WE ADOPTED THIS, THESE ARE THE TYPES OF THINGS THAT WE COULD PREVENT FROM HAPPENING. DO YOU RECALL THAT? IF YOU DON'T RECALL IT? ABSOLUTELY. OKAY. SO MY QUESTION ALONG THE LINES OF MR. BELL IS HE ASKED FOR THE PROBLEM STATEMENT. SO I'M GOING TO ASK IT A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENTLY. WHAT IS IT THAT YOU HAVE SEEN THAT WE HAVE DONE IN MEETINGS
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THAT MAKES YOU FEEL THAT WE NEED TO ADOPT? TO ADOPT THIS CHANGE OF A WORKSHOP, GOING AND THEN DOING IT. SO I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW, WHAT WERE YOUR OBSERVATIONS THAT LED YOU TO COME TO US, TO ASK US TO MAKE THAT CHANGE? WELL GOOD EVENING, CHAIRPERSON RAVENEL. MEMBERS OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION, THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME THE TIME HERE TO SPEAK. I'M LISTENING TO SOME OF THE ARGUMENTS AND THE CONCERNS, AND I KNOW THERE'S A COUPLE OF OCCASIONS WHERE I KNOW STAFF AMONG THEMSELVES ARGUED A SPECIFIC CASE BEFORE YOU. SO THE ISSUE IS NOT ABOUT THE PLANNING COMMISSION, BUT ABOUT HOW WELL STAFF IS PREPARED TO ALSO PRESENT THE ITEM TO YOU AND FOR YOU TO MAKE AN INFORMED DECISION. I KNOW COMMISSIONER EDWARDS MENTIONED SOMETHING ABOUT TRANSPARENCY. THIS IS NOT ABOUT LOSING TRANSPARENCY WHATSOEVER. THIS IS ABOUT ACTUALLY HAVING THE ABILITY TO BE ABLE TO DISCUSS THIS ITEM IN DETAIL AND STILL BRING IT TO THE OPEN SESSION. SO THERE'S NOT GOING TO BE SOMETHING THAT IS HIDDEN. BUT DOING THE DUE DILIGENCE SOMETIMES WHERE I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT STAFF IS PRESENTING THE ITEMS FULLY TO YOU, AND THAT THE PLANNING COMMISSION IS MAKING AN INFORMED DECISION BASED ON THE DUE DILIGENCE THAT STAFF HAS DONE. I DON'T WANT STAFF TO ARGUE IN THE PLANNING COMMISSION AND THEN ARGUE IN FRONT OF COUNCIL, AND THEN WHEN WE HAVE STAFF'S RECOMMENDATION OF A YES AND A PLANNING COMMISSION RECOMMENDATION OF A NO. OKAY. AND HAVING COUNCIL TO MAKE THAT DECISION, I HAVE TO ALSO PROTECT MY COUNCIL MEMBERS AND MAKE SURE THAT THEY ARE NOT PLAYING REFEREE. I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THE BUCK STOPS WITH THE PLANNING COMMISSION AND MAKE SURE THAT THE PLANNING COMMISSION HAS THE FULL AUTHORITY AND THE POWER TO MAKE THOSE INFORMED DECISIONS ON BEHALF OF ON BEHALF OF THE CITY OF DESOTO. SO I'M NOT SAYING ANYTHING IS BROKEN. I THINK THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO REALLY HAVE DISCUSSION ITEMS. AND THE REASON FOR DOING ONE WORKING SESSION AND ONE VOTING SESSION IS TO REALLY NOT EXHAUST YOU OR PUT MORE BURDEN ON YOU TO SAY, WELL, YOU KNOW, LET'S EXTEND THIS, THIS, THIS WORK SESSION OR THIS, THIS VOTING SESSION. SO THE IDEA WAS TO BE A LITTLE BIT MORE INFORMED ABOUT THINGS I'VE NOTICED IN MY YEAR HERE IN DESOTO. NOT NOTHING IS ABSOLUTELY URGENT, BUT THAT'S ALSO AT YOUR LEVERAGE OF SAYING IF SOMETHING IS URGENT, WE CERTAINLY CAN CAN TURN A WORK SESSION INTO INTO A VOTING SESSION. YOU HAVE THAT ABILITY, YOU HAVE THAT POWER. YOU HAVE THE ABILITY TO ADD ANOTHER WORKING SESSION, OR YOU HAVE THE ABILITY TO ADD ANOTHER VOTING SESSION THAT'S NEVER GOING TO BE TAKEN AWAY FROM YOU. SO THE IDEA IS TO HAVE THE ABILITY FOR STAFF TO REALLY DEDICATE THE TIME AND THE APPLICANT, FOR THAT MATTER, TO EXPLAIN THE PROJECT TO YOU, BECAUSE OFTENTIMES THE APPLICANT DOESN'T HAVE THE CHANCE, OTHER THAN THE 20 MINUTES OR THE TEN MINUTES THAT THEY PRESENT THE ITEM. OKAY. AND THERE'S DISCREPANCIES EVEN AMONG STAFF OR BETWEEN THE COMP PLAN, THE ZONING ORDINANCES AND OTHER THINGS. THIS IS AN ABILITY FOR YOU TO HAVE ALL THE QUESTIONS THAT YOU NEED TO ASK AND WORK WITH THE APPLICANT. SO IF THERE'S IF THERE'S A SPECIFIC CASE WHERE YOU'RE SAYING, WELL, WE REALLY LIKE THIS, BUT WE DON'T LIKE THIS, THAT'S AN ABILITY FOR YOU TO WORK WITH THE APPLICANT RATHER THAN COME BACK TO HIM AND OR HER AND SAY, NO, THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO WORK TOGETHER AND COME TO A RESOLUTION THAT IS A BENEFIT TO THE CITY OF DESOTO. THANK YOU, MR. CITY MANAGER. I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT I'M CLEAR IN WHAT I UNDERSTOOD YOU TO SAY. YOUR OBSERVATIONS WERE. THERE WAS ONE PARTICULAR INSTANCE WHERE STAFF WAS NOT IN AGREEMENT WITH A SPECIFIC THING, AND THERE BECAME AN EXCHANGE THAT DID NOT LOOK GOOD. THAT'S JUST MAKE SURE IF I'M REPEATING IT, THAT'S CORRECT. SECONDLY, YOU SAID THAT YOU BELIEVE THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY NOT TO EXHAUST THE COMMISSION AND BURDEN US WITH TOO MUCH WORK AT ONCE. AND THEN THIRDLY, IT GIVES US AN OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH DEVELOPERS AND SHARE WITH THEM IF THERE'S SOMETHING WE LIKE OR DO NOT LIKE THERE. SO I WANT TO ADDRESS EACH ONE OF THOSE REASONS THAT YOU[00:25:02]
GAVE US, JUST FROM MY PERSPECTIVE. AND THEN I'M GOING TO OPEN IT UP. AND IF YOU HAVE SOMETHING YOU WANT TO SAY AFTER I MAKE THIS OBSERVATION, THEN I'M GOING TO I'LL HEAR FROM YOU AND THEN I'LL TURN IT OVER TO MR. DEWBERRY AND VICE CHAIR, RELATIVE TO HAVING. OH, I FORGOT THERE WAS A FOURTH ONE. ENSURING APPLICANTS HAVE ENOUGH TIME THAT THE TEN MINUTE OR WHATEVER. I'LL START WITH THAT ONE. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT IF YOU WILL GO BACK AND LOOK OVER THIS COMMISSION ALLOWS AN APPLICANT TO HAVE UNLIMITED TIME TO PRESENT THEIR INFORMATION. AND WE DO NOT RUSH APPLICANTS AND WE ALLOW THEM ALL THE TIME, AND WE ALLOW THE COMMISSIONERS TO ASK ALL THE QUESTIONS THAT THEY NEED TO MAKE AN INFORMED DECISION. SECONDLY. WHAT I UNDERSTAND FROM MY TIME ON THE COMMISSION IS THAT STAFF HAS THOSE EXCHANGES WITH THE DEVELOPERS WHEN THEY'RE COMING TO BRING SOMETHING TO US, AND STAFF IS TELLING THEM WHAT OUR ORDINANCES ARE AND WHAT THEY HAVE TO MAKE. THOSE DEVELOPERS WILL THEN ASK FOR CERTAIN DEVIATIONS, WHICH STAFF WOULD THEN BRING TO US. IT'S TYPICALLY THE DEVIATIONS WHERE THE COMMISSION MAY NOT LIKE, BUT STAFF IS BRINGING WHATEVER THE DEVELOPER IS SAYING THEY THEY WANT. SO I DO BELIEVE, JUST BASED ON MY OBSERVATIONS, THAT THEY'RE HAVING SOME DYNAMIC DISCUSSIONS WITH OUR STAFF PRESENTLY, BUT IT'S WHAT THESE DEVELOPERS WANT TENDS TO BE THE THINGS THAT WE MAY NOT AGREE WITH WHAT THEY'RE WANTING BASED ON OUR ORDINANCES. EXHAUSTING. OUR TYPICAL MEETINGS MAY LAST ANYWHERE FROM AN HOUR TO AN HOUR AND A HALF. WE MAY HAVE BEEN HERE 2.5 HOURS. I HAVE NEVER, I HAVE NEVER, AND I'VE NEVER HEARD A COMMISSIONER EXPRESS THAT THEY HAVE BEEN EXHAUSTED BECAUSE THAT IS NOT THE NORM. THE 2.5 HOURS IS NOT A NORM, AND TYPICALLY WE HAVE FUNCTIONED QUITE WELL WITHOUT EXHAUSTION AND WE STAY ATTENTIVE AND ALERT TO THE CITIZENS AS WELL AS TO THE PLANNERS. NOW, THE LAST THING WHICH I THINK IS MOST TELLING FOR ME, AND THE FIRST THING THAT YOU LET OUT WITH WAS THAT THERE WAS A SITUATION WHERE STAFF WAS NOT ON THE SAME PAGE. AND IF YOU REMEMBER THE EXCHANGE THAT I HAD WITH THE DIRECTOR AT THAT TIME, THAT THAT WAS NOT A GOOD LOOK FOR OUR CITY AND THAT IT STAFF SHOULD BE ON THE SAME PAGE WHEN THEY COME TO PRESENT THESE PRESENTATIONS TO US. IT'S NOT OUR RESPONSIBILITY TO TELL STAFF HOW TO DO THEIR JOB. BUT I THINK THAT IF YOU'RE HIRING INDIVIDUALS AND THEY KNOW THEY'RE GOING TO COME OUT, THEY SHOULD BE COMING TOGETHER IN A UNIFIED MANNER. I THINK THAT THAT PARTICULAR SITUATION WAS AN IN-HOUSE PROBLEM, HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH THIS COMMISSION AND HOW WE WOULD MAKE THAT RULING, BUT I FELT LIKE THEY SHOULD HAVE BEEN ON THE SAME PAGE. AND THE LAST THING THAT I'M GOING. SO IN OTHER WORDS, I'M SAYING THAT'S NOT A COMMISSION PROBLEM. THAT'S AN IN-HOUSE PROBLEM THAT SHOULD BE CORRECTED AND HANDLED. THE LAST THING THAT I WOULD SAY, CONVERSELY, MR. BREWER AND I'M SAYING HIS NAME BECAUSE I'M GOING TO COMPLIMENT HIM, WAS A VERY SMART MAN, AND HE KNEW HIS INFORMATION. WE COULD ASK MR. BREWER ANY QUESTION AT ANY TIME, AND MR. BREWER COULD ANSWER THE QUESTION, OR HE WOULD GET THE BOOK AND GO STRAIGHT TO THE QUESTION AND ANSWER IT. STAFF HAS ALWAYS BEEN AVAILABLE TO US TO PICK UP THE PHONE AND CALL THEM, AND IF WE HAVE QUESTIONS BEFORE WE COME TO THIS MEETING, WE'RE ABLE TO CALL STAFF AND SAY, I'VE GOT A QUESTION ABOUT THIS, I'VE GOT A QUESTION ABOUT THAT. AND THEY HAVE BEEN VERY GOOD ABOUT GETTING THAT INFORMATION TO ME. OTHER COMMISSIONERS, IF THEY'VE USED THEM, THEY CAN TELL YOU HOW THEY HAVE BEEN VERY GOOD ABOUT DOING THAT. BUT WHAT I WOULD SAY IS THAT STAFF THAT WE HAD IN PLACE PRIOR TO ALL THE TURNOVER, THEY KNEW THEIR INFORMATION AND THERE WERE TIMES WHEN WE WOULD COME INTO THESE MEETINGS AND WE WOULD ASK THEM QUESTIONS THAT THEY HAD NO IDEA THAT WE WERE GOING TO ASK THEM, AND THEY COULD EITHER ASK THEM ON THE SPOT OR THEY WOULD TELL US, WE'LL GET THAT ANSWER FOR YOU WITHIN THE NEXT FEW MINUTES. SO I'M JUST BELIEVING THAT THE STAFF THAT WE[00:30:06]
HAVE IN PLACE NOW IS GOING TO BE AN IMPROVEMENT OVER WHAT WE HAVE, WHICH WOULD MEAN THEY'RE GOING TO BE KNOWLEDGEABLE, THEY'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO ANSWER THE QUESTIONS THAT WE HAVE FOR THEM. SO AND I BELIEVE THAT YOU'RE GOING TO PUT PEOPLE IN PLACE THAT YOU DON'T THINK WILL DO THE TYPES OF THINGS THAT HAPPEN IN THE PREVIOUS WITH THE PREVIOUS STAFF. I'M VERY CONFIDENT THAT YOU'RE GOING TO MAKE THAT KNOWN THAT THEY WOULD DO THAT. SO. I'VE JUST KIND OF TELLING YOU HOW I FELT ABOUT THE REASONS THAT YOU GAVE ME FOR COMING UP HERE. BUT I WOULD TELL YOU FROM MY PERSPECTIVE AND MY VANTAGE POINT WHAT WE HAVE, WHAT I HAVE DONE AND WHAT I HAVE SEEN WITH THE PRESENT, WITH THE STAFF IS IT WORKED. THEY GAVE, THEY CAN GIVE US. AND THE MOST IMPORTANT THING THAT I'M GOING TO STATE IS THEY KNEW THEIR INFORMATION, THEY KNEW PLANNING, THEY KNEW ZONING. THEY COULD ANSWER ANY INFORMATION QUESTION THAT WE HAVE. AND I'LL SAY THIS, MR. WARNER IS THE ONLY ONE THAT'S HERE. SHE COULD TELL YOU THE ORDINANCE, THE NUMBER. SHE'S GOING TO GIVE IT TO YOU. SO I DON'T SEE STAFF BEING THE ISSUE UNLESS YOU FEEL SOMEWHAT CONCERNED THAT THE STAFF THAT WE MAY HAVE WILL NOT BE ABLE TO ANSWER THOSE QUESTIONS ON THE SPOT. AND IF THAT IS THE CASE, THEN I WOULD SAY, TELL US THAT AND THEN THAT WE COULD WEIGH THAT INTO OUR DECISION, BECAUSE THE LAST THING WE WANT TO DO, OR THE LAST THING THAT I WANT TO DO IS A CHAIR, IS TO COME INTO A MEETING AND TO MAKE OUR CITY LOOK LIKE THEY DON'T KNOW WHAT THEY'RE DOING. THAT'S NOT A GOOD LOOK FOR OUR CITY. AND THAT'S WHY I HAD THE ISSUE WITH THE LAST DIRECTOR WHEN THEY CAME IN AND WERE NOT ON THE SAME PAGE. SO I'M GOING TO BE QUIET NOW, BUT I'VE MADE MY THOUGHTS AND MY PERCEPTIONS AND HOW I SEE THINGS KNOWN. I WELCOME ANY RESPONSE THAT YOU HAVE. MAY YOU MAY HAVE TO WHAT I'VE SAID. AND IF YOU DON'T HAVE ANY, THEN I'LL TURN IT OVER TO THE OTHER COMMISSIONERS. I WILL, BUT I WILL WAIT FOR THE VICE CHAIR AS AS WELL AS COMMISSIONER DEWBERRY TO HAVE THEIR, YOU KNOW, STATEMENTS OR OR OR ASK QUESTIONS. THANK YOU, VICE CHAIR. GOOD EVENING EVERYONE. I SEE WE HAVE SOME NEW STAFF.UNFORTUNATELY I WAS WORKING A LITTLE LATE AND DIDN'T GET AN OPPORTUNITY TO MEET MEET YOU ALL PRIOR TO THE MEETING. SO WELCOME TO THE CITY OF DESOTO. GLAD TO HAVE YOU AND LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU. SO I'LL EXPRESS A COUPLE OF CONCERNS I HAVE, AND MANY OF THEM KIND OF ECHO WHAT WE'VE ALREADY HEARD FROM MY COLLEAGUES HERE. NUMBER ONE, I'LL START WITH TRANSPARENCY. IF YOU'RE WATCHING SOCIAL MEDIA RIGHT NOW IN OUR CITY, OR IF YOU'RE ATTENDING ANY OF THESE PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION MEETINGS, COUNCIL MEETINGS, YOU WOULD UNDERSTAND THAT THERE'S A CONCERN THAT WE'RE NOT BEING TRANSPARENT WITH THE CITIZENS OF DESOTO. AND EVERY TIME WE TRY TO ADJUST THINGS, IT MAKES IT LOOK THAT MUCH WORSE. IT'S LIKE WE'RE TRYING TO, YOU KNOW, BAIT AND SWITCH OR HIDE THINGS FROM THE CITIZENS. AND I DEFINITELY DON'T WANT TO BE A PART OF THAT, IF THAT'S, YOU KNOW, WHAT THE CITIZENS HAVE CONCERNS ABOUT. I WANT TO BE VERY SENSITIVE TO THAT BECAUSE WE PRIDE OURSELVES ON BEING TRANSPARENT. IT'S ONE OF OUR KEY GUIDING PRINCIPLES IN THE RECENTLY APPROVED COMPREHENSIVE PLAN. SO WE WANT TO STICK TO THAT. I GUESS ONE OF MY OTHER CONCERNS, AND I WAS A LITTLE LATE, I APOLOGIZE, I MAY HAVE MISSED THIS DURING YOUR PRESENTATION. IT SEEMS YOU IDENTIFIED WHAT OTHER CITIES AROUND THE REGION, AROUND THE SOUTHERN SECTOR, HOW THEY'RE HOSTING THEIR MEETINGS, YOU KNOW, AND AS A PLANNER, BY EDUCATION MYSELF, I KNOW THAT WE ARE KIND OF SHIFTING AWAY FROM THIS COOKIE CUTTER APPROACH TO DOING THINGS RIGHT. SO WE'RE TRYING TO JUST BECAUSE DUNCANVILLE IS HOLDING THEIR MEETINGS ONE WAY, OR CEDAR HILL IS HOLDING THEIR MEETINGS ONE WAY, IT DOES NOT NECESSARILY MEAN IT WORKS FOR THE CITY OF DESOTO. SO THE COOKIE CUTTER APPROACH AS AS A REASON FOR CHANGE IS NOT SUFFICIENT FOR ME. YOU KNOW, I NEED MORE MEAT ON THE BONE TO REALLY HEAR HOW THIS IS GOING TO BENEFIT US. I HEARD SOMETHING ABOUT STAFF BURNOUT, WHICH, YOU KNOW, MAY HAVE SOME CONCERNS ABOUT. I DON'T UNDERSTAND. I DON'T AGREE WITH
[00:35:05]
THAT. STAFF IS HERE THE SAME AMOUNT OF TIMES, WHETHER WE HAVE A WORK SESSION ON THE FIRST OR THE SECOND MEETING. SO THAT'S REALLY NOT A VALID CONCERN RIGHT NOW. MR. COMMISSIONER BELL DID MENTION WE ARE VOLUNTEERS. SO, YOU KNOW, WE'RE NOT CONCERNED ABOUT BURNOUT. AS COMMISSIONER RAVENEL INDICATED, WE UNDERSTAND THAT THERE ARE SOME MEETINGS THAT ARE GOING TO BE LONGER THAN OTHERS, SOME THAT ARE GOING TO BE MUCH SHORTER THAN OTHERS. SO IT ALL BALANCES OUT. HOWEVER, WE DO WANT TO BE VERY EFFICIENT WITH THE USE OF OUR TIME. A QUOTE THAT COMES TO MIND FOR ME IS CHANGE FOR THE SAKE OF CHANGE IS OF NO VALUE TO ANYONE. IT IS AN ILLUSION OF PROGRESS. SO IF WE ARE USING ONE OUTLIER INCIDENTS, THE INCIDENT COMMISSIONER RAVENEL JUST MENTIONED AS SOMETHING TO INFORM A WHOLE NEW PROCESS WHERE WE CANNOT ARTICULATE THE REAL BENEFIT, MAYBE WE NEED TO STEP BACK AND GO BACK AND REALLY COME UP WITH THAT PROBLEM STATEMENT.AS COMMISSIONER BELL SAID, WHAT EXACTLY ARE WE TRYING TO SOLVE? FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, I THINK IT HAS BEEN IN THE THREE YEARS I'VE SERVED, WE'VE MADE A CHANGE, AS COMMISSIONER BELL INDICATED, AND IT SEEMED TO HAVE BEEN WORKING. SO AGAIN, I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO FIX. I WOULD REALLY WANT TO KNOW WHO HAS CONCERNS ABOUT THE PROCESS AS IT'S WORKING NOW. YOU INDICATED THAT WE WOULD HAVE THE ABILITY TO ADD A WORK SESSION, ABILITY TO TURN A WORK SESSION INTO AN ACTION ITEM SESSION, WHICH I DON'T AGREE WITH. I THINK IF WE IF WE ADVERTISE THIS AS A WORK SESSION AND I TURN TO CALEB AS OUR ATTORNEY, ARE WE ABLE TO TURN A WORK SESSION INTO AN ACTION ITEM SESSION? WILL THE WORK SESSION IS JUST A MEETING. IT'S JUST ANOTHER MEETING. SO IF IT'S ADVERTISED CORRECTLY ON THE AGENDA, SOMETHING COULD BE AN ACTION ITEM. YOU CAN ALSO I MEAN YOU'D HAVE TO PREVIOUSLY POST THE AGENDA. WE WOULD KNOW AT TIME OF POSTING IS THIS GOING TO BE A WORK SESSION OR ARE WE TAKING ACTION AT THE TIMING AT THE TIME WE POST THE AGENDA? IT WOULDN'T BE CALLED A WORK SESSION ANYMORE. IT'D BE CALLED A PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION MEETING WITH A REGULAR FULL I'M SORRY, IT WOULD BE CALLED A WHAT? IT WOULD BE A REGULAR MEETING. AT THAT POINT. WE WOULDN'T NECESSARILY HAVE AN ITEM ON THERE. I MEAN, THE AGENDA ITEM ITSELF, HOW WOULD IT BE ADVERTISED AS AN AGENDA ITEM ITSELF WOULD HAVE TO BE ADVERTISED AS AN ACTION ITEM. WE DO NOT HAVE THE ABILITY TO HAVE THE PUBLIC HEARING, GOT IT AND ALL THAT. BUT WE WOULD KNOW THAT WHEN THE AGENDA WAS POSTED. SO TO MAGIC'S STATEMENT, WE WOULD HAVE THE ABILITY TO CHANGE A WORK SESSION FROM A WORK SESSION TO AN ACTION ITEM. IS THAT ACCURATE OR IS THAT ARE WE ABLE TO DO THAT? YOU'RE ABLE TO DO IT IN THE FACT THAT WE POST THE AGENDA THREE DAYS PRIOR, RIGHT? WE WOULD HAVE TO KNOW AT THE TIME WE POST THE AGENDA WHAT KIND OF MEETING THIS IS GOING TO BE, BUT SO NOT ON THE SPOT. ON THE SPOT. ABSOLUTELY. THAT'S WHAT MY CONCERN WAS. OKAY. AND I'M I DON'T BELIEVE THAT'S WHAT HE WAS INSINUATING I THINK WELL THAT'S WHY I ASKED BECAUSE I WANTED CLARIFICATION. YEAH. I THINK GOING INTO THE MEETING WE WOULD DEFINITELY KNOW, OH, THIS IS AN EMERGENCY ITEM. WE NEED TO GET THIS TO THE COMMISSION FOR APPROVAL OR DENIAL. YOU KNOW, AT OUR NORMALLY SCHEDULED WORK SESSION. AND THAT WOULD BE ADVERTISED PROPERLY, POSTED ON THE AGENDA PROPERLY, AND WE WOULD BE ABLE TO DO THAT KIND OF GOING OFF THAT SINCE I'M ALREADY TALKING THE CODE OF ORDINANCES ONLY REQUIRES PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION TO HAVE ONE MEETING A MONTH. YOU MUST MEET ONE MEETING A MONTH.
HISTORICALLY, YOU KNOW, COUNCILS AND COMMISSIONS VERY REGULARLY REGULARLY MEET TWICE A MONTH.
SOMETIMES THOSE ARE SPELLED OUT IN CODE. SOMETIMES THAT'S JUST THE STATUS QUO, RIGHT? BUT YOU'RE ONLY REQUIRED TO HAVE ONE MEETING. SO STAFF'S PROPOSAL WOULD WORK. AND EVEN THEN A WORK SESSION STILL IS A MEETING. IT'S A PUBLIC MEETING. WE'D LIKELY BE OUT HERE IN THE OPEN. YOU COULD DO IT IN THE IN THE CONFERENCE ROOM, BUT IT WOULD IT WOULD STILL BE AN OPEN MEETING FOR THE PUBLIC TO JOIN. AND IT WOULD KIND OF MEET YOUR REQUIREMENTS AS WELL. THANK YOU. CAN WE GO TO THE SLIDE ON THIS PRESENTATION? I THINK IT WAS KEY BENEFITS HERE. AND MAYBE IT WAS NOT ON THIS SLIDE. I THINK I HEARD SOMETHING ABOUT THE ABILITY TO OKAY, SO IT SUPPORTS THE IN-DEPTH DISCUSSION AND INPUT BEFORE FORMAL DECISIONS. I THINK IN, YOU KNOW, IN MY MEMORY, YOU KNOW, MY COMMISSIONERS BILL AND MR. RAVENEL, CHAIR RAVENEL CAN CONFIRM, I THINK IN THE THREE YEARS WE'VE SERVED, WE MAY HAVE FIVE OR LESS MEETINGS WHERE WE'VE HAD TO KEEP THE PUBLIC
[00:40:04]
HEARING OPEN TO GET ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. IT'S BEEN MINIMAL, BUT IT'S BEEN VERY MINIMAL. SO I DON'T THINK THAT'S BEEN A CONCERN TO DATE FOR US. AND I DO HAVE CONCERNS ABOUT HAVING A WORK SESSION AND COMING BACK AND HAVING ANOTHER MEETING. I DON'T KNOW IF THAT WOULD BE EFFICIENT AND EFFICIENT USE OF OUR TIME IN THAT INSTANCE. AND THEN IN THE SUMMER MONTHS, WE DO CURRENTLY MEET ONCE PER MONTH. WHAT IS THE PROPOSED STRUCTURE FOR THOSE ONCE A MONTH MEETINGS? IT WOULD BE THE ACTUAL AGENDA MEETING. IT WOULDN'T BE A WORK SESSION. OKAY, SO THOSE ITEMS THAT ARE TYPICALLY ON FOR THE FIRST OR SECOND AS A WORK SESSION, WE WOULD NOT HAVE THOSE WOULD BE DELAYED UNTIL AFTER THE SUMMER MONTHS. I DON'T THINK IT'S ABOUT DELAYING AGAIN, I THINK LET ME TAKE A STEP BACK. AND THIS IS IMPORTANT. WHEN WE BROUGHT THIS ITEM TO YOU, IT'S MERELY A SUGGESTION. WE'RE SUGGESTING THAT WE'RE NOT SAYING YOU SHOULD OR YOU SHALL. WHAT WE'RE SAYING IS THAT THIS IS AN OPTION FOR YOU TO CONSIDER. AND SO IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT FOR US TO TELL YOU THIS IS PURELY A SUGGESTION. IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT WE'RE SAYING. WE'RE DICTATING THAT OR WE BELIEVE, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A STAFF BURNOUT OR A COMMISSION BURNOUT OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.WE'RE WE'RE WE'RE SAYING THIS IS SOME OF THE A COUPLE OF THE OBSERVATIONS THAT I'VE SEEN IN, IN MY YEAR HERE, AND I'M OFFERING THESE AS SUGGESTIONS. THERE'S BENEFITS TO THIS. I RAN SEVERAL PLANNING AND ZONING DEPARTMENTS. I RAN SEVERAL DEVELOPMENT SERVICES DEPARTMENTS. SO I'VE BEEN IN THAT BUSINESS FOR QUITE SOME TIME. AND NO COOKIE CUTTER. THIS IS NOT A COOKIE CUTTER, AND I'M NOT PLANNING ON USING THIS AS A COOKIE CUTTER. THIS IS MERELY A SUGGESTION TO SAY THIS IS ANOTHER WAY OF DOING THINGS. OKAY, SO IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT I'M SAYING BECAUSE THE CITY OF DUNCANVILLE IS USING IT, OR THE CITY OF DALLAS IS USING IT, OR THE CITY OF ARLINGTON IS USING IT. THAT MEANS THAT WE HAVE TO USE IT ALL. I'M ALL I'M SUGGESTING IS THAT YOU MAY WANT TO CONSIDER THAT, OR YOU MAY NOT WANT TO CONSIDER THAT. SO I HAVE I HAVE THE FULL TRUST AND BELIEVE IN STAFF. I DID HAVE THE FULL TRUST AND BELIEVE IN STAFF BEFORE. SO WHETHER IT'S DIRECTOR BREWER OR THE DIRECTOR, AL CASEY, I KNOW THEY'RE GOING TO DO THE GREAT JOB. THEY'VE DONE THE GREAT JOB BEFORE. THEY WILL CONTINUE DOING THE GREAT JOB BEFORE. MY CONCERN IS NOT ABOUT THAT. MY CONCERN IS ABOUT THE DEVELOPERS HAVING THE ABILITY TO PRESENT THINGS BEFORE YOU AND HAVE THE RIGHT TIME AND, AND, AND DILIGENCE TO BE ABLE TO DO THIS. WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, YOU KNOW, TRANSPARENCY, RIGHT. AND THINGS THAT THAT ARE IMPORTANT.
I ALSO, AS A CITY MANAGER, I'M ENTRUSTED TO CONTINUE MOVING THE CITY FORWARD. AND DEVELOPMENT IS A VERY IMPORTANT THING. AND I WANT DEVELOPERS TO FEEL GOOD, NOT JUST ABOUT STAFF, ABOUT THE PLANNING COMMISSION AND ABOUT THE CITY COUNCIL. SO THIS IS ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY FOR YOU TO ENGAGE WITH DEVELOPERS AND UNDERSTAND THEIR PERSPECTIVE. NOW, VICE CHAIR, DID YOU HAVE SOMETHING ELSE? GO AHEAD. AND I AND I DIDN'T WANT THIS TO BE A DEBATE. IT'S YOUR IT'S YOUR CALL. IT'S YOUR DECISION. YOU YOU KNOW, YOU CAN YOU CAN SAY YES, WE SUPPORT IT OR NO, WE DON'T WANT IT AND WE'RE GOOD. WE'RE GOING TO SERVE YOU EXACTLY THE SAME. OKAY. VICE CHAIR, JUST LET ME MAKE. I DON'T WANT YOU TO THINK THIS IS A DEBATE. IF YOU'VE WATCHED ANY OF THE MEETINGS THAT I HAVE PRESIDED OVER, I AM VERY OPEN AND I LIKE TO GET FEEDBACK. I LIKE FOR PEOPLE TO INPUT INPUT. I BELIEVE THAT THIS IS AN IMPORTANT OPTION THAT YOU'RE PRESENTING, PRESENTING TO US. AND THE REASON I BELIEVE IT IS AN IMPORTANT OPTION THAT YOU'RE PRESENTING TO US IS BECAUSE IT'S BEEN PRESENTED BEFORE AND WE VOTED ON IT, AND IT'S COME BACK TO US AGAIN. SO FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, IT'S IMPORTANT TO YOU OR TO STAFF THAT WE REALLY CONSIDER THIS. AND IN MAKING A DECISION, I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO HEAR WHAT OUR THOUGHTS ARE, HOW WHAT OUR PERCEPTIONS ARE. BUT I DON'T BELIEVE THAT IT'S A DEBATE. I THINK IT'S A VERY PROFESSIONAL AND OPEN EXCHANGE AMONG INDIVIDUALS. AND WHILE I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT I, I HAVEN'T SEEN IT ANY OTHER WAY AS A DEBATE, I'VE JUST SEEN IT AS AN OPEN DISCUSSION AND DIALOG
[00:45:03]
BETWEEN THE COMMISSION AND STAFF AS TO SO WE CAN GET TO THE PLACE WHERE WE'RE GOING TO MAKE THE DECISION ON HOW WE'RE GOING TO MOVE. BUT THE ORDINANCE REALLY PUTS IT IN THE CHAIR'S HAND, AND THE CHAIR COULD JUST DECIDE WHAT WE DO. BUT THAT'S NOT HOW I OPERATE. I'D LIKE TO HEAR WHAT THE COMMISSIONERS, HOW THE COMMISSIONERS SEE IT, BECAUSE THEY CAN THINK OF SOMETHING TOTALLY DIFFERENT THAN HOW I SEE SOMETHING. AND IN ORDER TO BE THE BEST, YOU HAVE TO HEAR DIFFERENCE OF OPINIONS THAT DON'T AGREE WITH HOW YOU SEE IT OR HOW YOU THINK. THAT'S WHAT MAKES ONE THE BEST. THAT'S WHAT MAKES GOOD DECISIONS. AND THAT'S WHY I OPEN IT UP, BECAUSE SOMEONE MAY SAY SOMETHING THAT I'VE NEVER THOUGHT OF AND MAY HELP ME GET TO THAT PLACE. SO I JUST WANTED TO SAY THAT I REALLY DON'T WANT YOU TO THINK PEOPLE ARE DEBATING, OKAY. I THINK I'VE MADE MY POINTS AT THIS TIME. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT, COMMISSIONER DEWBERRY. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. I'M GOING TO TALK ABOUT WORK SESSIONS. AS I THINK ALL MY COLLEAGUES UP HERE KNOW AND CALEB KNOWS. THIS IS MY THIRD TIME ON PLANNING AND ZONING. I SERVED FROM 2002 TO.NO. EXCUSE ME, 2006 TO 2013. I GOT AN EXTRA YEAR BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T HAVE ANYBODY IN THE DRAWER THAT WAS VOLUNTEERING TO COME UP HERE, SO THEY MADE ME STAY. ANOTHER YEAR. I SAT IN MR. RAVENEL'S SEAT FOR THREE YEARS, SO WHEN I WAS ON HERE BEFORE, AND THIS IS A HISTORY TALK TO, WE MET FOR WORK SESSION AT 6:00, AND THE P AND Z MEETING STARTED AT SEVEN. NOW, OF THE SEVEN OF US THAT WERE ON THE PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION AT THE TIME, DEPENDING ON WHO WENT OFF THE BOARD AND CAME BACK ON, WE HAD EITHER 4 OR 5 RETIRED INDIVIDUALS ON THE BOARD. WE USED TO GET OUR PACKAGE TO HAND DELIVERED TO US, EITHER IN A 2 OR 3 OR A FOUR INCH BINDER, DEPENDING ON HOW MUCH BUSINESS WE HAD. ON THURSDAY MORNING. THAT GAVE US TIME TO ACTUALLY PHYSICALLY GO OUT, LOOK AT THE PROJECTS, AND THEN WHEN WE DID HAVE OUR WORK SESSION BEFORE THE MEETINGS, WE COULD ALL REALLY TALK INTELLIGENTLY ABOUT WHAT WAS GOING ON AND SHARE WITH THE OUR FELLOW COMMISSIONERS THAT UNFORTUNATELY STILL HAD JOBS. NOW, I DO NOT BEGRUDGE ANYBODY WORKING. I'M GLAD YOU ALL ARE, AND I'M NOT. BUT WORK SESSIONS TO ME ARE VERY IMPORTANT. WE WOULD HAVE CONCERNED CITIZENS AT THE WORK SESSIONS. WE HAD THEM BACK IN THE CONFERENCE ROOM. WE WOULD HAVE DEVELOPERS THERE. WE WOULD HAVE PEOPLE THAT JUST DIDN'T HAVE ANYTHING TO DO THAT EVENING, WANTED TO COME UP AND LISTEN. AND BETWEEN THE COMMISSIONERS AND BETWEEN THE STAFF AND BETWEEN THE DEVELOPERS AND CONCERNED CITIZENS, WE GOT A LOT OF INFORMATION OUT ON THE TABLE, AND WE'RE ABLE TO MAKE MUCH TO MY WAY OF THINKING, A LOT BETTER DECISIONS, BECAUSE WE DID HAVE THOSE INTERCHANGES. SO BOTTOM LINE, I WANT TO WORK SESSION. I DON'T CARE IF IT'S BEFORE THE MEETING AT 6:00 AND THEN WE MEET AT SEVEN, OR I DON'T CARE IF IT'S TWO WEEKS BEFORE, AND THEN WE DO THE VOTING AND STUFF AT ANOTHER IN ANOTHER SESSION. BUT WE DO HAVE THE OUT THAT IF WE DO NEED TO DO SOMETHING IN A HURRY, WE CHANGE THE WAY THE JOB, THE AGENDA IS POSTED AND WE CAN CONDUCT BUSINESS AT BOTH SESSIONS. IT LOOKS LIKE A WIN WIN TO ME EITHER WAY, BUT I'M VERY PASSIONATE ABOUT HAVING WORK SESSIONS AND DISCUSSING THE PRODUCT. THE PROJECTS. BACK THEN WE HAD SUBDIVISIONS GOING IN LEFT AND RIGHT. SOME HAD PARK.
THERE WAS A LOT GOING ON WITH SUMMIT PARK. IT WAS A IT WAS A BIG ONE. MATTER OF FACT, WE HAD A CONTRACTOR THAT CUT DOWN ABOUT 150 TREES. HE WASN'T SUPPOSED TO TOUCH THAT HE HAD TO MITIGATE BECAUSE WE WENT OUT AND LOOKED AT THE PROJECT. SO I LIKE WORK SESSIONS. I LIKE GOING OUT AND LOOKING AT THE PROJECTS AND KNOWING WHAT I'M VOTING ON. SO WITH THAT, I'M GOING TO PUNCH
[00:50:02]
THE RED BUTTON OFF. THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER DEWBERRY. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? ANY FOLLOW UP? MR. BELL? I JUST WANT TO SAY, MR. MAGIC, THANK YOU FOR PRESENTING US WITH OPTIONS. I DON'T THINK ANYBODY ON THIS COMMISSION IS FEELING LIKE SOMEONE IS TRYING TO TELL US THIS IS WHAT YOU HAVE TO DO, OR THIS IS WHAT YOU NEED TO DO. I'M NOT SURE HOW FAMILIAR YOU ARE WITH POPULAR CULTURE, BUT THERE'S THIS MEME ON THE INTERNET AND THE GUY, HE'S SITTING AT A TABLE, HE'S GOT A SIGN, IT SAYS SOME STATEMENT. AND UNDERNEATH THAT STATEMENT HE SAYS, CHANGE MY MIND. AND THAT IS WHAT THIS IS RIGHT NOW. I DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THE WORD DEBATE, BUT WE CAN SAY DISCOURSE. WE WANT TO UNDERSTAND ALL OF THE DYNAMICS AT PLAY BEFORE WE MAKE A DECISION. I THINK THAT'S HOW YOU MAKE THE BEST DECISION. RIGHT. AND SO I LOVE LIVELY DISCOURSE. I THINK THAT'S WHAT WE'RE HAVING HERE. AND I THINK THERE'S NOTHING WRONG WITH IT. RIGHT. AND ANYBODY WHO HAS IDEAS OR FROM UP. MR. DEWBERRY, I DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM WITH WORKING SESSIONS. I ENJOY WORKING SESSIONS. I WILL SAY THAT, YOU KNOW, YOU GOT YOUR PACKET ON THURSDAY AND IN TIME FOR THE WORKING SESSION, YOU COULD HAVE WENT OUT AND DONE THAT. YOU CAN DO THAT NOW.THERE'S NOTHING TO STOP YOU FROM DOING THAT NOW. RIGHT. SO AND WE CAN PREPARE AS COMMISSIONERS BEFORE WE COME IN HERE ON THAT DAY, DO OUR DUE DILIGENCE AND RESEARCH AND BE PREPARED TO HAVE THE CONVERSATION WHEN WE GET HERE. STAFF HAS ALL THE TIME IN THE WORLD THEY GET PAID TO DO THEIR DUE DILIGENCE AND BE PREPARED WHEN THEY COME HERE. THE APPLICANT, IT IS INCUMBENT ON THEM TO DO THEIR DUE DILIGENCE AND BE PREPARED WHEN THEY COME HERE. SO IT SOUNDS LIKE WE'RE TRYING TO FIX A PROBLEM OF PREPAREDNESS FOR SOMEONE ELSE BY ADDING TIME TO THE SYSTEM, AND I DON'T THINK THAT IS THE PROPER WAY TO ADDRESS THIS ISSUE. RIGHT. I THINK THAT WE'VE BEEN DOING LIKE WHAT WE SAID, WE DON'T MIND TRYING THINGS. WE TRIED THIS FORMAT HERE, AND IT'S BEEN WORKING FOR US BEFORE. WE HAD WORKING SESSIONS. AND WHAT WE FOUND IS THAT THEY CAN BE VERY REDUNDANT. WE HAVE THE WORKING SESSION, THEY GO THROUGH THE SPILL, STAFF GIVES THEIR REPORT, WE COME OUT HERE, GO THROUGH THE SPILL, STAFF GIVES THE REPORT.
WE HAVE THE SAME QUESTIONS. WE HAVE THE SAME ANSWERS. WE'RE WASTING TIME. WE'RE VOLUNTEERS.
WE WANT TO MAKE THIS EFFICIENT, JUST LIKE YOU SAID. AND SO THIS IS THE WAY WE APPROACH MAKING IT EFFICIENT. WE TRIED IT. IT WORKED. AGAIN, NOT OPPOSED TO, YOU KNOW, SUGGESTIONS, NEW OPPORTUNITIES TO MAKE THINGS BETTER. BUT I HAVEN'T BEEN CONVINCED HERE, LIKE THE GUY ON THE INTERNET, WHY WE SHOULD MAKE THIS CHANGE. AND SO I'M SAYING THIS TO ALL OF MY COMMISSIONERS.
CONVINCE ME. AND IF YOU CAN CHANGE MY MIND, I WILL CERTAINLY CHANGE MY MIND. I'VE HEARD IT SAID THAT A FOOLISH CONSISTENCY IS THE HOBGOBLIN OF SMALL MINDS, AND I BELIEVE THAT. SO I'M WILLING TO CHANGE MY MIND AT ANY TIME. IF YOU CAN CHANGE IT. THAT'S MY STATEMENT. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU, MR. BILL. COMMISSIONER EDWARDS. OKAY, SO I JUST WANTED JUST TO SHARE AGAIN.
SO ONE OF THE KEY BENEFITS IT SAYS ALLOWS APPLICANTS TO ADDRESS THE P AND Z COMMISSION CONCERNS EARLY IN THE PROCESS. AND I WOULD JUST HAVE TO PIGGYBACK ON WHAT COMMISSIONER RAVENEL SAID IN TERMS OF MR. BREWER, HE'S NO LONGER HERE. AND THE STAFF, I CONSIDER THEM ADEQUATELY PREPARED. AND I DO NOT SEE WHERE THIS ITEM HOLDS REALLY ANY SIGNIFICANCE, BECAUSE THE STAFF, FROM MY OPINION, YOU KNOW, THEY'VE BEEN PREPARED AND THEY'VE DONE THEIR JOB. SO I DON'T THINK WE'VE HAD REALLY IN-DEPTH CONCERNS REGARDING APPLICANTS AND. THE NEED TO NOT HAVE WHAT WE NEEDED TO MAKE INFORMED DECISIONS. SO I WOULD RESPECTFULLY DISAGREE WITH BULLET POINT NUMBER TWO. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. COMMISSIONER EDWARDS. VICE CHAIR, I'M GOING TO COME BACK TO YOU BECAUSE YOU DID HAVE SOMETHING THAT WAS IN YOUR MIND.
I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE YOU YOU'RE GOOD. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. MR. GRAHAM NOTIFIED ME THAT HE WOULD NOT BE HERE THIS EVENING. AND I ASKED HIM IF HE HAD ANYTHING THAT HE WOULD LIKE TO SHARE WITH THE COMMISSIONERS, AND HE SAID. BASED ON THE PRESENTATION THAT WAS INCLUDED, IT LOOKS LIKE THE LARGER CITIES DO THESE, WHICH WOULD MAKE SENSE FOR LARGER
[00:55:03]
CITIES, BUT NOT NECESSARILY WOULD MAKE SENSE FOR OUR CITY. MR. LAURA SENT AN EMAIL, WHICH I CAN PROVIDE. HE SAYS AT THIS TIME, I'M IN FAVOR OF KEEPING THE MEETINGS AS THEY ARE. OVER THE PAST FEW MONTHS, THE AGENDAS HAVEN'T SEEMED PARTICULARLY DEMANDING OR COMPLEX, AND I THINK THE CURRENT FORMAT ALLOWS US TO HANDLE BUSINESS EFFICIENTLY WITHOUT THE NEED FOR AN ADDITIONAL WORK SESSION. IF FUTURE AGENDAS BECOME HEAVIER OR MORE INVOLVED, I'D BE OPEN TO REVISITING THIS IDEA. BUT FOR NOW, I THINK WE'RE STRIKING A GOOD BALANCE. SO THAT'S WHAT I HAVE FOR YOU ALL THIS EVENING. I WOULD LIKE TO PROPOSE TO YOU, COMMISSIONERS, THAT WE COULD LOOK AT TWO THINGS. WE COULD LOOK AT CONTINUING THE WAY WE ARE DOING IT NOW, OR WE COULD LOOK AT GOING BACK TO THE WAY WE DID IT WHEN WE CAME ON. BASED ON THE INPUT OF MR. DEWBERRY, OF MEETING AT 6 TO 7 FOR WORK SESSION AND THEN GOING IMMEDIATELY INTO OUR REGULAR AGENDA, WE COULD GO BACK TO HOW WE DID IT, OR WE CAN JUST REMAIN AND CONTINUE TO DO IT THAT WAY.SO AT THIS TIME, I'LL, I'LL ENTERTAIN. IF ANYBODY HAS A RECOMMENDATION FOR US AND THEN WE'LL GO FROM THERE. UNLESS MR. CASEY HAS ANYTHING HE WANTS TO SAY OR THE CITY MANAGER. YEAH.
THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. I'LL JUST HAVE A FINAL COMMENT. YOU KNOW, THIS IS GREAT. THIS HAS BEEN GREAT. YOU KNOW, VERY ENGAGING. AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR. THIS IS AMAZING. AND IT'S BEEN, YOU KNOW, A GREAT FIRST PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION MEETING FOR ME. BUT I DO ALSO WANT TO TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY TO INTRODUCE STAFF NOW THAT WE HAVE MISS CAMBRIA JORDAN. SHE'S OUR MR. CASEY, WOULD YOU MIND BEFORE YOU INTRODUCE THE STAFF THAT WE COMPLETE THIS BUSINESS AND THEN AT, AT AN AT AN APPROPRIATE TIME THAT I WOULD ASK YOU TO MAKE THOSE INTRODUCTIONS. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. SO DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING ELSE THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO SHARE WITH US RELATIVE TO THE DECISION WE HAVE TO MAKE HERE? NOT REALLY. IF, IF, IF ANYTIME THAT, YOU KNOW, THIS COMMISSION WANTS TO SEE ANOTHER SETUP, WE WOULD BE HAPPY TO DO IT. OKAY. ALL RIGHT.
COMMISSIONERS, WHAT I WILL DO IS I'LL JUST GO DOWN AND I WILL ASK YOU, WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS, MR. BELL? I THINK I KNOW WHERE YOU SIT, BUT I WOULD LIKE FOR YOU TO, FOR THE RECORD, JUST STATE YOUR POSITION. MY POSITION IS THAT. I'M STILL OPEN TO GOING BACK THE WAY WE HAD IT, ACTUALLY. RIGHT. MR. BELL, I'M GOING TO INTERRUPT YOU. WE'VE HAD OUR DISCUSSION, AND I WANT YOU TO JUST TELL ME WE'RE GOING TO DO IT. WE'RE GOING TO STAY THE SAME OR WE'RE GOING TO CHANGE. MR. CHAIR, I'M GOING TO VOTE NO ON MAKING A CHANGE. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER EDWARDS. MR. CHAIR. NO. COMMISSIONER DEWBERRY. I DON'T CARE. I CAN WORK EITHER WAY.
OKAY, GIVE ME ONE. GIVE ME ONE CHOICE. WE'RE GOING TO EITHER GO BACK TO THE 6A6PM WORKSHOPS AT SEVEN, OR WE'RE JUST GOING TO STAY THE WAY WE ARE. LIKE I SAY, I LIKE WORK SESSIONS. OKAY. SO DOES THAT MEAN YOU'RE GOING FOR 6 P.M. WORK SESSIONS AND 7 P.M. REGULAR SESSIONS? ALL RIGHT.
THANK YOU. VICE CHAIR. CAN I ASK A QUESTION, MAYOR, A QUESTION, BUT NO COMMENTS BECAUSE I WANT TO BE VERY CONSIDERATE OF MY COLLEAGUE, MR. DEWBERRY AND HIS DESIRE TO HAVE WORK SESSIONS. IF WE. I'M NOT IN FAVOR OF GOING BACK TO THE WAY IT WAS, BECAUSE I DON'T LIKE THE ADVERTISEMENT OF WORK SESSION AT SIX, AND THEN MEETINGS START AT SEVEN. IS THERE A WAY TO START THE MEETING IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE WORK SESSION? IF THERE'S, YOU KNOW, A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF TIME BETWEEN THE TWO? BECAUSE THAT WAS ONE OF THE ISSUES WE WERE SOLVING WHEN WE CHANGED OUR FORMAT. SOMETIMES THE WORK SESSION WOULD END AT 605, AND WE HAD TO SIT AROUND 55 MINUTES TO START OUR REGULAR MEETING, BECAUSE THAT'S HOW IT WAS ADVERTISED. SO I'M NOT OPPOSED TO A WORK SESSION, BUT I'M NOT INTERESTED IN IN, IN FAVOR OF GOING BACK TO THE WAY IT WAS. SO VICE CHAIR, JUST LET ME MAKE SURE THAT I'M CORRECT. AND THEN I'M GOING TO LOOK OVER TO ATTORNEY. I BELIEVE WHAT SHE'S ASKING. IS THERE A WAY FOR US TO ADVERTISE THE MEETING AS A WORKSHOP AT SIX? AND IF WE ARE FINISHED WITH THE WORKSHOP AT 615, THEN WE CAN IMMEDIATELY GO
[01:00:02]
INTO WORK TO OUR REGULAR WORK SESSION. YES, I BELIEVE THE OPINION OF OUR OFFICE THAT WE CAN POST THE AGENDA IN THAT WAY, SAY, YOU KNOW, HAVE THE WORK SESSION AT SIX, REGULAR SESSION IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING THE CONCLUSION OF THE WORK SESSION. AND I BELIEVE THAT WAS PRESENTED IN THE PAST AS WELL AS AN OPTION. SO I DEFINITELY DON'T WANT TO CONTRADICT MYSELF EITHER. SO I BELIEVE THAT WAS DISCUSSED LAST TIME AS WELL. OKAY. THANK YOU FOR THAT ATTORNEY. SO WHAT I'M GOING TO DO IS I'M GOING TO HEAR FROM YOU. WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS AFTER YOU GOT THAT ANSWER TO YOUR QUESTION, HOW ARE YOU GOING TO VOTE? AND THEN I WILL GO BACK TO THE OTHER COMMISSIONERS TO SEE BASED ON THAT QUESTION AND THAT INFORMATION, DOES THAT CHANGE YOUR POSITION? SO I THINK WHAT WAS ON THE AGENDA WAS VOTING TO CHANGE IT TO ONE WORK SESSION A MONTH AND ONE VOTING A MONTH. THAT WAS THE OPTION. BUT WE HAVE THE CHOICE AS THE AS THE CHAIRMAN, I AM PRESENTING YOU WITH THESE CHOICES BECAUSE IT SATISFIES THEIR NEED AND IT ALSO SATISFY YOUR NEEDS. IT KIND OF IT'S KIND OF THE BEST OF BOTH. BUT THAT'S THAT THAT COULD BE THE A KIND OF A MUTUAL AGREEMENT TYPE OF THING KIND OF MEETING IN THE MIDDLE. SO, SO I'M VERY MUCH NOT IN FAVOR OF AS IT WAS PRESENTED, BUT I'M IN FAVOR OF THIS NEW OPTION THAT SATISFIES MR. DEWBERRY'S DESIRE TO HAVE WORK SESSIONS. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU, MR. BELL. AND MISS EDWARDS, DOES THIS NEW INFORMATION CHANGE YOUR POSITION? SO QUESTION WOULD THE WORK SESSIONS BE TWO TIMES A MONTH OR WOULD IT BE ONE TIME A MONTH? THE MEETINGS WOULD BEGIN WITH WORK SESSIONS EACH TIME WE HAVE A MEETING. YOU DON'T HAVE TO. IT DEPENDS ON. I WAS GOING TO SAY UNLESS WE DON'T HAVE ANYTHING BUT A PLATTER APPROVAL OF MEETINGS, THEN IT WOULD JUST BE STRAIGHT TO IT. BUT IF WE HAVE CASES THAT ARE COMING BEFORE US, THEN WE WOULD HAVE THE WORK SESSIONS.I WILL JUST SAY, MR. DEWBERRY, I DO UNDERSTAND YOUR CONCERNS, AND I'VE HEARD THOSE, AND I CAN BE A BONEHEAD AND STUBBORN SOMETIMES. HOWEVER, I WOULD BE OPEN TO MEETING YOU HALFWAY. MR. BELL, WE HAVE THREE PEOPLE THAT ARE OPEN TO DOING THE WORK SESSION AT SIX. AND HAVE YOU ARE YOU CONVINCED TO CHANGE YOUR MIND OR HOW DO YOU DO? BERRY, I LOVE YOU, BUT IT DOES NOT CHANGE MY VIEW. I DON'T SEE ANYTHING WRONG WITH WHAT'S GOING ON NOW. I, I USUALLY COME HERE WITH ENOUGH INFORMATION TO MAKE DECISIONS, SO I FEEL LIKE EVERYONE ELSE CAN DO THE SAME THING. AND SO I'M NOT GOING TO CHANGE MY POSITION, BUT I FEEL YOU ALL RIGHT, EDWARDS? WERE YOU? YEAH. I MEAN, IT'S WORKING FOR US. I MEAN, HONESTLY, I. AS I ASK THE MR. AHMED OR WHATEVER, YOU KNOW, IF IT'S NOT BROKEN, WHY FIX IT? AND SO THAT THAT REALLY THAT GOES BACK TO WHAT I INITIALLY SAID.
IF IT'S NOT BROKEN, WHAT ARE WE FIXING? HOWEVER, I DO TRY TO BE A TEAM PLAYER, BUT. MY INITIAL STANCE WAS TO AND IS TO. ALLOW THE SITUATION TO REMAIN AS IS. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT COMMISSIONERS, WHAT I UNDERSTAND IS THAT YOU ALL ARE OPEN TO HAVING THE WORK SESSION BEGIN AT SIX IF NEED BE. LET ME ASK YOU. THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION. I AM GOING TO HOLD MY DECISION AND I WILL FOLLOW UP WITH YOU ALL. I, I WILL MAKE THE DECISION FOR THE COMMISSIONERS AND LET YOU KNOW HOW WE WILL MOVE FORWARD. BUT I JUST NEED TO ASK THE COMMISSIONERS ONE OTHER THING, AND I WANT TO MOVE FORWARD NOW AT THIS POINT. ALL RIGHT. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR PRESENTATION. AND WE WILL LET YOU KNOW AT THE END OF THE MEETING TONIGHT WHAT WILL HOW WE'LL MOVE FORWARD. OKAY. SOUNDS GOOD. THIS IS GREAT. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. JUST ALLOW ME TO INTRODUCE STAFF. OH, Y'ALL MUST BE GETTING READY TO GET UP OUT OF HERE. THOUGHT Y'ALL WERE GOING TO STAY WITH US TONIGHT. OKAY. ALL RIGHT, MR. AL CASEY, THANK YOU SO MUCH. AND WE ARE
[01:05:04]
LOOKING FORWARD TO HAVE YOUR INTRODUCTION OF THE NEW STAFF THAT WE HAVE. AND I WAS WONDERING, WELL, I'M GOING TO LET YOU MAKE YOUR INTRODUCTIONS AND THEN WE'LL GO FROM THERE.THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. YEAH. NO, I'M HAPPY TO, YOU KNOW, REPORT TO THE COMMISSION THAT WE HAVE A PLANNING AND ZONING MANAGER NOW, AND THAT IS MISS CAMBRIA JORDAN. SHE'S HERE WITH US TONIGHT. AND WE ALSO HIRED THE NEW CIVIL ENGINEER. HIS NAME IS GETACHEW GAULT, AND HE IS WITH HERE WITH US HERE TONIGHT AS WELL. SO, YOU KNOW, WE'RE FULLY STAFFED. AND THEN WE ALSO HIRED A CONSULTANT THAT IS HERE TONIGHT AS WELL. AND WE HOPE THAT WE CONTINUE TO MEET OUR EXPECTATIONS. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU, MR. CASEY, IF YOU WOULD. I ALWAYS PERSONALLY I LIKE TO KNOW A PERSON'S BACKGROUND, WHAT THEY'RE BRINGING TO THE CITY OF DESOTO, AND I'M OKAY WITH IT IF THE COMMISSIONER IS OKAY, IF WE HAVE EACH INDIVIDUAL COME TO THE PODIUM AND JUST REINTRODUCE THEMSELVES, TELL US WHAT WHERE THEY WERE BEFORE THEY CAME TO OUR CITY, WHAT THEIR ROLE WAS THERE. AND I'D BE HAPPY IN KNOWING THAT. IS THAT OKAY WITH YOU? THAT WOULD BE GREAT. THANK YOU. ALLOW ME TO START AGAIN. MY NAME IS AHMED AL CASEY. YOU KNOW, THIS DEPARTMENT IS A LITTLE BIT UNIQUE. WITH THE CITY OF DESOTO, EXPANDS OVER PLANNING AND ZONING, BUILDING INSPECTIONS AND PERMITTING. ALSO ENGINEERING AND CONSTRUCTION AND TRANSPORTATION, PUBLIC WORKS, STREET AND FLEET AND FACILITIES. SO I'M HAPPY TO BRING 14 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE IN ENGINEERING CONSTRUCTION EDUCATION. I WORKED WITH THE PRIVATE SECTOR. I WORKED WITH THE TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION, TEXTILE AND CITY OF DALLAS. I'M HAPPY TO BRING A DIVERSE EXPERIENCE OF PRIVATE SECTOR, LOCAL GOVERNMENT, STATE GOVERNMENT, AND ALSO HAPPY TO HAVE FULLY EQUIPPED STAFF WITH PRETTY GOOD EXPERIENCE. THANK YOU SO MUCH.
THANK YOU SO MUCH, MR. CASEY. I'M REALLY GLAD THAT YOU'RE HERE. THANK YOU FOR YOUR INTRODUCTIONS. DOES ANYBODY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR MR. AL CASEY BEFORE HE LEAVES? ALL RIGHT.
THANK YOU. OH. ALL RIGHT, CHAIR. SO I THINK WE HAVE TWO NEW FOLKS. AND YOU SAID THAT WE HAVE A CONSULTANT. IS THERE A IS THE PERSON HERE? YES, MA'AM. HE'S HERE TONIGHT. AND HIS NAME IS DAVID. HE WAS JUST, YOU KNOW, IN THIS ROOM, I THINK HE I DON'T SEE HIM NOW. I THINK HE LEFT FOR A MEETING WITH THE DEPUTY CITY MANAGER, I THINK. I'M NOT QUITE SURE, BUT HE WAS HERE EARLIER.
HIS NAME IS DAVID. AND THE SCOPE? I'M SORRY. THE SCOPE, THE. CAN YOU ELABORATE? WHAT'S HIS ROLE? YOU'RE ASKING WHAT IS HIS ROLE? WHAT ROLE WILL HE BE PLAYING IN THE PLANNING AND ZONING DEPARTMENT? HE WILL SUPPORT STAFF WHEN IT COMES TO PLANNING AND ZONING AND WHEN IT COMES TO PERMITTING AS WELL AND AS NEEDED. SO I KNOW HE'S NOT HERE, BUT WHAT WHAT ROLES DID HE HAVE PRIOR TO COMING TO OUR CITY AS WELL AS WHERE DID HE WORK? YOU KNOW, HE'S GOT A SO MANY YEARS OF EXPERIENCE IN PLANNING AND ZONING. HE USED TO BE THE CHIEF BUILDING OFFICIAL AND BELIEVE THE DIRECTOR FOR DEVELOPMENT SERVICES DEPARTMENT WITH THE CITY OF DALLAS. AND I'M MORE THAN HAPPY TO SHARE WITH YOU THE AGREEMENT AND TO ME THAT WE HAVE ON THE AGREEMENT. HE SAID HE WAS PLANNING AND ZONING AND WHAT WAS WHAT WAS THE SECOND THING THAT YOU SAID HE DID? OH, CHIEF BUILDING OFFICIAL. CHIEF. CHIEF BUILDING OFFICIAL. OH, CHIEF BUILDING OFFICIAL. OKAY.
AND APPRECIATE THAT. ALL RIGHT. NEXT. THIS RED BUTTON. GOOD AFTERNOON OR GOOD EVENING, EVERYONE. MY NAME IS CAMBRIA JORDAN. FIRST NAME CAMBRIA. I STARTED OUT, I GUESS, MY PROFESSIONAL CAREER AT OR WITH DALLAS AREA RAPID TRANSIT. SO THAT'S DART. I WAS THERE FOR A LITTLE OVER THREE YEARS. I STARTED OUT THROUGH OR AT DART IN THEIR ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT.
THEN I HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO LEARN CONTRACTS IN THERE, SO I PROMOTED TO THEIR PROCUREMENT DEPARTMENT. THROUGH THE PROCUREMENT DEPARTMENT, I BECAME A SECONDED EMPLOYEE THROUGH A ENGINEERING FIRM CALLED DIATEC ENGINEERING, WORKED WITH DIATEC FOR A LITTLE OVER THREE YEARS AS WELL. THEN I PROMOTED FULL TIME. WELL, I WAS WORKING ON CONTRACTS WITH DIATEC THROUGH DART, AND THEN IT TRANSFORMED INTO A CITY OF DALLAS. I WAS WITH CITY OF DALLAS FOR SIX, ALMOST SEVEN YEARS. AT THE CITY OF DALLAS. I WORKED IN ENGINEERING, AND THEN THE LATTER HALF OF MY CAREER I WORKED IN PLANNING. SO I CAME FROM CITY OF DALLAS, THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT, AND I'M
[01:10:02]
HAPPY TO BE HERE. ANYBODY HAVE ANY COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS? WHAT WHAT ROLE DID YOU PLAY IN PLANNING AND ZONING? THE SENIOR PLANNER. SENIOR PLANNER, YES. AND IN THE CITY OF DALLAS CITY OKAY. THAT'S CORRECT. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. NO PROBLEM. ANY MORE QUESTIONS FOR ME. WELCOME TO PLANNING AND ZONING, MISS JORDAN. THANK YOU SO MUCH. I'M HAPPY TO BE HERE.THANK YOU. YEAH. JUST PUSH THE BUTTON ON THE RIGHT. OKAY. CAN YOU HEAR ME NOW? MY NAME IS GETACHEW. I CAME FROM CITY OF DALLAS. I GRADUATED FROM UT, A MASTERS OF CIVIL ENGINEERING AND CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT 2020. WHEN I WAS GOING TO SCHOOL, I WORKED FOR TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION AS A CONSTRUCTION INSPECTORS IN SEVERAL PROJECTS, BRIDGES AND ROADWAYS AND. IN FORWARDS. AND THEN I MOVED TO CITY OF DALLAS, ALSO IN INSPECTION. AFTER THAT, I GET INTO ENGINEERING ROTATION. I DID DESIGN FOR PROJECTS. AFTER I GOT MY LICENSE, I CAME TO CITY OF DALLAS AS PROJECT MANAGERS. FOR TWO AND A HALF YEARS I'VE BEEN MANAGING PROJECTS. ALICE IN THE CITIES. AFTER THAT, I CAME HERE NOW AS A CIVIL ENGINEERING POSITION. IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTION, FEEL FREE TO ASK HIM. WELCOME, SIR, TO PLANNING AND ZONING. YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO BEAR WITH ME TILL I CAN PRONOUNCE YOUR NAME FLUENTLY. BUT THANK YOU. AND IT'S A IT'S A LITTLE BIT DIFFICULT, BUT IT'S GUILTY. GUILTY? YES. CORRECT. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
IT'S A PLEASURE TO HAVE YOU HERE. THANK YOU FOR INTRODUCING YOURSELF. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT.
MR. COME ON UP. YOU WERE OUT WHEN YOU CALLED THEM? YES. OKAY. THEY'RE JUST INTRODUCING THEMSELVES. GOOD EVENING. COMMISSIONERS. SOME OF YOU I RECOGNIZE. HI, TANYA. I'VE REALLY JUST HERE AS A CONSULTANT WITH THE CITY. I'M AGAIN JUST HERE TO PROVIDE SOME DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVES WHEN THEY'RE NEEDED. JUST HAPPY TO HELP WHERE I CAN. MY BACKGROUND REALLY IS ON THE PLANNING AND ZONING SIDE AND BUILDING INSPECTION. I WORKED FOR THE CITY OF GRAND PRAIRIE FOR TEN YEARS. BEFORE THAT I WAS WITH THE CITY OF DALLAS. THEN AFTER I LEFT THE CITY OF GRAND PRAIRIE, I CAME BACK TO THE CITY OF DALLAS AND SERVED IN A VARIETY OF FUNCTIONS FROM. DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT SERVICES TO PLANNING MANAGER, TO WHAT WE CALLED DEVELOPMENT SERVICES ADMINISTRATOR, WHICH WORKED WITH BUILDING INSPECTION AND ENGINEERING. SO I'VE GOT A BIT OF A VARIED BACKGROUND AND AGAIN, JUST REALLY HERE TO BE A RESOURCE TO THE DEPARTMENT TO KIND OF TAKE A LOOK AT THINGS AND REFLECT ON SOME OF THE CHANGES AND THE STATE LEGISLATURE THAT HAVE BEEN GOING THROUGH. MAKE SURE OUR CODES ARE IN ALIGNMENT WITH WITH CHAPTER 211 AND 212 OF THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT CODE. SO BUT I'M JUST HERE AS A RESOURCE. AND THAT'S, THAT'S REALLY WHAT IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS I'D BE HAPPY TO RESPOND. I DO WELCOME, SIR.
CERTAINLY. SO ARE YOU. IS YOUR ROLE BILLED AS JUST A GENERAL CONSULTANT OR IS THERE A SPECIFIC AREA I'LL. I'LL DEFER TO THE. NO THANK YOU DAVID. YES, SIR. IT'S JUST GENERAL CONSULTING PROFESSIONAL SERVICES FOR PROFESSIONAL SERVICES. PROFESSIONAL SERVICES? YES. GOT IT. THANK YOU. SAY, I HAVE HAD A CHANCE TO GO BACK AND REVIEW MANY OF YOUR MEETINGS AND CONGRATULATE YOU ON ON THE WAY Y'ALL DO FUNCTION AND SERVE AND DO APPRECIATE THE TRANSPARENCY INVOLVED AND HOW YOU HANDLE YOURSELVES. SO I THINK I'VE COME TO APPRECIATE THAT. SO THANK YOU MR. OKC. YOU SAID HE'S GOING TO BE DOING GENERAL CONSULTING. HOW LONG IS THE CONSULTING PERIOD GOING TO BE LASTING? I WAS JUST CURIOUS HOW LONG WILL IT BE A CONSULTANT FOR THE CITY. SO REALLY UP TO, YOU KNOW, CITY'S DISCRETION, WE DON'T HAVE, YOU KNOW, LIKE ANY COMMITMENT THAT
[01:15:03]
WE WOULD HAVE TO SPEND THAT MANY OF HOURS, LET'S SAY, YOU KNOW, FOR LIKE SIX MONTHS OR SO. OKAY.SO, YOU KNOW, IT'S REALLY UP TO THE CITY'S DISCRETION AS WE NEED THIS SUPPORT. AND I WAS JUST CURIOUS IN HIS CONSULTING POSITION, WILL HE BE SUPPORTING YOUR ENTIRE DEPARTMENT OR A SPECIFIC AREA WITHIN YOUR DEPARTMENT. SO, YOU KNOW, WE'LL CONTINUE, YOU KNOW, OUR COMMITMENT TO PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION WILL PROVIDE ALL THE RESOURCES THAT WE HAVE.
YOU KNOW, JUST TODAY WE HAVE FULL STAFF FROM PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION, I'M SORRY, PLANNING AND ZONING TEAM TO BE HERE TONIGHT. SO DAVID WILL BE KIND OF, YOU KNOW, SUPPORT OUR DEVELOPMENT SIDE OF IT OF THE DEPARTMENT, AS YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, THE DEPARTMENT HAS PLANNING AND ZONING PERMITTING, YOU KNOW, STREETS, FLEETS, FACILITIES, ENGINEERING AND CONSTRUCTION. AND AS THE TEAM NEEDS TO SUPPORT ON THE PLANNING AND ZONING OR PERMITTING, THEN WE'LL, YOU KNOW, WE'LL USE THAT SUPPORT FOR SURE. THANK YOU SO MUCH. APPRECIATE IT. IT'S. SURE.
SO I JUST AND WELCOME ABOARD SIR I, I GUESS THERE'S A YOU HAVE ABOUT 14 OR 15 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE CUMULATIVELY. AND I THINK THE, THE YOUNG LADY HAS MAYBE PROBABLY ABOUT THE SAME GIVE OR TAKE. I THE. KIND OF I SAY THIS SO WITH THE CUMULATIVE EXPERIENCE OF THE FOLKS THAT YOU'VE BROUGHT ON BOARD, DO YOU NOT HAVE THE LEVEL OF EXPERTISE TO PROVIDE THE CITY WITH THE.
WITH THE SERVICES THAT WE NEED IN TERMS OF KNOWLEDGE, YOU. JUST I MEAN, I'M GOING TO INTERRUPT YOU. I UNDERSTAND YOUR QUESTION, BUT MAYBE THAT COULD BE A ONE OFF. OKAY. BETWEEN THE TWO OF YOU. OKAY. SO WE'LL WE'LL WE'LL TALK AFTER. YEAH, DEFINITELY. YES, MA'AM. IF I CAN INTERRUPT, I DO THINK WE PROBABLY NEED TO MOVE ON A LITTLE BIT. I THINK WE'RE GETTING A LITTLE TOO DEEP INTO SOME VERY OFF TOPIC ITEMS, SO WE'LL JUST KIND OF PROBABLY MOVE ON. SO MY STATEMENT WAS THAT I WOULD CHECK WITH HIM AFTERWARDS. THAT'S FINE. I'M ABSOLUTELY I'M JUST FOLLOWING UP ON THAT STATEMENT. SO I AGREE. LET'S LET'S DO THIS OFFLINE. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. LET'S SEE WHERE WE'RE GOING TO GO TO NEXT. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR INTRODUCING EVERYONE AND EVERYBODY. WELCOME TO THE CITY OF DESOTO. WE'RE EXCITED TO HAVE YOU ALL ON. AND IT'S GOOD TO HAVE A FULL STAFF SO THAT WE CAN BE ABOUT THE CITY'S BUSINESS. THANK YOU LOT. ALL RIGHT. LET'S MOVE ON NOW TO OUR MEETING. WE'RE GOING TO GO BACK TO THE BEGINNING. YEAH WE DID WE WENT WE MISSED VICE CHAIR. GO. WHAT. YEAH, WE MOVED UP THE ONE PRESENTATION THAT WE HAD THIS
[C. CITIZEN APPEARANCES The Planning and Zoning Commission invites citizens to address the Commissioners on any topic not already scheduled for Public Hearing. Citizens wishing to speak should complete a "Citizen Comment Card" and return it to the table prior to the meeting. In accordance with the Texas Open Meetings Act, the Planning and Zoning Commission cannot take action on items not listed on the agenda. However, your concerns may be addressed by City Staff, placed on a future agenda, or responded to by some other course. Anyone desiring to speak on an item scheduled for a Public Hearing is requested to hold their comments until the Public Hearing on that item.]
EVENING. SO EVERYTHING ELSE NOW IS JUST A MATTER OF AT THIS TIME WE'RE GOING TO GO TO ITEM B, ITEM C CITIZENS APPEARANCES IS WHERE WE ALLOW PEOPLE THAT ARE PRESENT IF THEY HAVE ANYTHING TO SAY. THE PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION INVITES CITIZENS TO ADDRESS THE COMMISSIONERS ON ANY TOPIC NOT ALREADY SCHEDULED FOR THE PUBLIC HEARING. CITIZENS WISHING TO SPEAK SHOULD COMPLETE A CITIZEN COMMENT CARD AND RETURN IT TO THE TABLE PRIOR TO THE MEETING. IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE TEXAS OPEN MEETINGS ACT, THE PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION CANNOT TAKE ACTION ON ITEMS NOT LISTED ON THE AGENDA. HOWEVER, YOUR CONCERNS MAY BE ADDRESSED BY CITY STAFF PLACED ON A FUTURE AGENDA OR RESPONDED TO BY SOME OTHER COURSE. ANYONE DESIRING TO SPEAK ON AN ITEM SCHEDULED FOR PUBLIC HEARING IS REQUESTED TO HOLD THEIR COMMENTS AND THEIR PUBLIC HEARING ON THAT ITEM. DO WE HAVE ANY CITIZEN COMMENTS CARDS AT THIS TIME, MISS JORDAN WILLIAMS? ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU.ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. HAVING NONE. WE WILL GO ON TO THE CONSENT AGENDA. COMMISSIONERS. I WILL BE DOING THE CONSENT AGENDA, BUT I AM GOING TO GO AHEAD AND MAKE THE I'M GOING TO DO THEM ONE ITEM AT A TIME, BECAUSE THERE HAS BEEN A CHANGE TO THE ITEM, THE SECOND ITEM. SO WE'RE GOING TO JUST HANDLE THEM INDIVIDUALLY IF THAT'S OKAY. WITHOUT OBJECTION. ALL RIGHT.
[1. Approval of Minutes]
THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THE FIRST ITEM THAT WE'RE GOING TO HANDLE IS ITEM A. CONSIDER APPROVAL OF MINUTES FOR THE PLANNING AND ZONING REGULAR MEETING OF MAY THE 27TH. AT THIS TIME, COMMISSIONERS HAVING RECEIVED THE MINUTES ELECTRONICALLY AND HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO REVIEW THEM. ARE THERE ANY NECESSARY CORRECTIONS? HEARING AND SEEING NONE. I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION AT THIS TIME. MOVE. APPROVAL. SECOND. ALL RIGHT. I'LL GIVE THAT SECOND TO COMMISSIONER EDWARDS. IT'S BEEN MOVED AND PROPERLY SECONDED THAT WE APPROVED THE MEETINGS FROM ON[01:20:05]
MAY THE 27TH MEETING. ALL IN FAVOR? I, I ANY OPPOSED? SAME SIGN. THE AYES HAVE IT. WE'RE[2. (Case #PP-351-25) Consider making a recommendation to the City Council for the Parkerville Meadows Subdivision Ph. 5A preliminary plat creating fifty-one (51) residential lots and one (1) non-residential lot. The property is legally described as being Abst 464 PG 590 & Elisha Chambers Abst 240 PG 690 (210 Vincent Cemetery Road). The applicant is JJ Cuellar of Southland Consulting Engineers, Inc. and the owner is Keith Davis of Oporto Investments LLC. ]
MOVING ON NOW TO ITEM B, WHICH IS A PRELIMINARY PLAT. 35125. I WILL READ IT AS IT IS LISTED ON THE AGENDA. AND THEN I'LL GIVE YOU THE UPDATES ON THIS. COMMISSIONERS CONSIDER MAKING A RECOMMENDATION TO THE CITY COUNCIL FOR PARKERVILLE MEADOWS SUBDIVISION PHASE FIVE, A PRELIMINARY PLAT CREATING 51 RESIDENTIAL LOTS AND ONE NONRESIDENTIAL LOT. THE PROPERTY IS LEGALLY DESCRIBED AS BEING ABSTRACT FOR 64. PAGE 590 AND ALICIA CHAMBERS ABSTRACT 240, PAGE SIX 9210 VINCENT CEMETERY ROAD. THE APPLICANT IS JJ SELLER OF SOUTHLAND CONSULTING ENGINEERS INC. AND THE OWNER IS KEITH DAVIS OF OPTO INVESTMENT LLC. THE STAFF'S RECOMMENDATION WAS TO APPROVE IT WITH CONSIDERATION, WITH ADDITIONAL CHANGES, BUT THEY HAVE ALREADY GONE AND MADE THOSE CHANGES. SO AT THIS TIME I WILL ENTERTAIN A THOUGHT. I MEAN EMOTION, AS YOU KNOW THAT THE ONLY THING THAT WE CAN REALLY DO FOR PRELIMINARY PLAT IS APPROVE IT IF IT MEETS.AND SO AND EVERYTHING IS UP. MISS JORDAN WILLIAMS HAS GONE TO PLANNING MANAGER. ARE YOU FAMILIAR WITH THIS? JUST SO THAT IT CAN ANSWER QUESTIONS FOR US? NO, I JUST NEED TO MAKE SURE. I JUST WANT TO CONFIRM FOR THE RECORD THAT THIS PRELIMINARY. OH, THERE SHE IS. MISS. WISH YOU THERE THE WHOLE TIME. OH, WELL, I COULD NOT SEE YOU. ARE YOU JUST STANDING? I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU'RE THAT THAT THE PRELIMINARY PLAT MEETS ALL. EVERYTHING THAT THEY WERE ASKING IT. YES, SIR. THE ITEMS THAT WERE MISSING CAME FROM FIRE AND ENGINEERING. AND THE APPLICANTS APPLIED THE CHANGES I DISTRIBUTED TO STAFF. AND I GOT AN OKAY FROM BOTH THE FIRE MARSHAL AND OUR ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT DIVISION. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BRINGING THAT INTO THE RECORD. SO THEN, COMMISSIONERS, AT THIS TIME, I'M READY TO ENTERTAIN A MOTION. IF SO, BE IT FOR APPROVAL OF CASE NUMBER P35125. MR. CHAIR, IS IT STATED THE PREVIOUS VERSION. DO I NEED TO MAKE THE MOTION WITH THE UPDATES? NO. YOU CAN JUST SAY CAN THE MOTION BE JUST ACCEPT THE PRELIMINARY CASE NUMBER P335125 AS UPDATED AND APPROVED? YES, MR. CHAIR, I MAKE A MOTION TO ACCEPT OR RECOMMEND APPROVAL FOR CASE P35125 AS PRESENTED. SECOND SECOND MOTION.
ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU, MR. BEAN. IT'S BEEN MOTIONED. AND SECOND THAT WE APPROVE CASE NUMBER P-35125. ALL IN FAVOR. ANY OPPOSED? SAME SIGN. THE AYES HAVE IT. IT'S PASSES. ARE THERE ANY CITY COUNCIL UPDATES FOR US THIS EVENING? INTERIM DIRECTOR. ANYTHING. ALL RIGHT. HEARING AND
[1. Conduct a Public Hearing and consider making a recommendation to the City Council for a requested zone change from Single Family 10 (SF-10) to Two Family (2F) for the new construction of a Duplex Townhome. The property is located at the northeast corner of E. Parkerville Road and Terrance Dr. Legally known as CURTIS PARKS abst 1124 pg 365 trac 13 and addressed as 409 E Parkerville Road, DeSoto, Texas. The applicant is Israel Garcia and the owner is GMR Prime Investments LLC.]
SEEING. NONE. WE WILL GO ON TO THE PUBLIC HEARING. WE WILL READ THE PUBLIC HEARING AND BRING IT OPEN IN CASE THERE ARE INDIVIDUALS THAT WISH TO SPEAK ON IT. AND THEN WE WILL GET AN UPDATE FROM THE PRESENTER. F1 CONDUCT A PUBLIC HEARING AND CONSIDER MAKING A RECOMMENDATION TO THE CITY COUNCIL FOR A REQUESTED ZONE CHANGE FROM SINGLE FAMILY TEN FT 10 TO 2 FAMILY TO F FOR THE NEW CONSTRUCTION OF A DUPLEX TOWNHOME. THE PROPERTY IS LOCATED AT THE NORTHEAST CORNER OF EAST PARKERVILLE ROAD AND TERRANCE DRIVE, LEGALLY KNOWN AS CURTIS PARKS. ABSTRACT 1124, PAGE 365, TRACK 13 AND ADDRESSED AS 409 EAST PARKERVILLE ROAD, DESOTO, TEXAS. THE APPLICANT IS ISRAEL GARCIA AND THE OWNER IS GMR PRIME INVESTMENT LLC. GOOD EVENING, MISS WILLIAMS. GOOD EVENING. I'M SORRY I DID NOT GREET Y'ALL EARLIER, BUT GOOD EVENING. COMMISSION. SO WITH THIS CASE WITH THE TWO FAMILY, THE APPLICANT IS SUPPOSED TO PRESENT A PRELIMINARY PLAT ALONG WITH THE ZONING APPLICATION. WE WERE CONSISTENTLY REVIEWING BOTH THE ZONING AND THE PRELIMINARY PLAT. SO THE APPLICANT DOES NOT HAVE THE PRELIMINARY PLAT READY AT THIS TIME OF STAFF ASK THAT WE TABLE THIS ITEM TO THE NEXT PLANNING AND ZONING MEETING IN JULY, SO THAT THE APPLICANT CAN HAVE THEIR PRELIMINARY PLAT AVAILABLE. OKAY, SO THERE WILL BE NO NEED FOR US TO HEAR THIS PRESENTATION, BUT WE NEED TO OPEN UP THE PUBLIC HEARING. IS[01:25:03]
THAT CORRECT? AND DO WE NEED TO LEAVE IT OPEN OR ARE YOU GOING? I WAS SPEAKING WITH THE ASSISTANT DIRECTOR. SHE SAID YOU ALL MAY HAVE TO RESEND OUT ALL OVER AGAIN. SO DO WE NEED TO LEAVE IT? JUST WANT TO CONFIRM. ARE WE LEAVING THE PUBLIC HEARING OPEN OR ARE WE CLOSING IT AND RESCINDING? I THINK I WOULD NEED DIRECTION FROM STAFF ON THAT QUESTION IF THEY'RE GOING AHEAD AND GO AHEAD AND IF THEY'RE GOING TO GO AHEAD AND RE-ADVERTISE, THERE'S NO NEED TO EVEN HAVE THE PUBLIC HEARING. WE'LL JUST PULL IT. BUT IF THEY'RE DEPENDING ON THIS ADVERTISING, THEN THEN YES, WE DO NEED TO OPEN THAT AND LEAVE IT OPEN, OKAY. BECAUSE THE, THE MEETING WAS TABLED, WE PREFER TO OPEN A PUBLIC HEARING AT THIS TIME BECAUSE IT'S JUST A PRELIMINARY PLAT. OKAY. THE REASON I WAS GOING TO OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING BECAUSE IT WAS ADVERTISED AS SUCH. AND WHAT I'VE NOTICED IN CITY COUNCIL, THEY ALWAYS OPEN IT UP JUST IN CASE SOMEBODY DOES WANT TO SPEAK. WE'LL OPEN IT AND THEN WE'LL JUST CLOSE IT. YES. LEAVE IT, WE'LL LEAVE IT OPEN. PARDON? RIGHT. WE LEAVE IT OPEN. RIGHT? YES. SO GO AHEAD AND OPEN IT AND LEAVE IT OPEN. JUST CONTINUE IT TO A DATE. CERTAIN AND STAFF CAN PROVIDE THAT DATE UNTIL THE DATE CERTAIN. OKAY. YOU'RE GOING TO PROVIDE THE DATE LATER. YES. FOR JULY 22ND. OH SO YOU'RE GOING TO MAKE IT FOR THE NEXT MEETING. YES. OKAY. JULY 27TH OKAY. SO COMMISSIONERS ANY QUESTIONS. ALL RIGHT. COMMISSIONERS, THE TIME IS 726. AND I WOULD LIKE TO MOVE TO OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING FOR.FOR THE PRELIMINARY PLAT AT THIS TIME. ARE THERE ANY CITIZENS THAT ARE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS PUBLIC HEARING, MISS JORDAN WILLIAMS? I DON'T THINK ANYONE IS HERE TONIGHT TO SPEAK ON IT, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO LEAVE IT OPEN FOR IN CASE BECAUSE THE APPLICANT IS AWARE THAT THE CASE IS MOVED TO THE NEXT MONTH. SO THEY MAY HAVE OTHER PEOPLE THAT COME AND WANT TO SPEAK ON THE CASE. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THERE ARE NO INDIVIDUALS HERE THIS EVENING WISHING TO SPEAK ON IT. SO AT THIS TIME I'LL TAKE A MOTION THAT WE WOULD LEAVE THE PUBLIC HEARING OPEN.
AND UNTIL THE MEETING IN JULY, WHICH IS JULY THE 27TH. MR. CHAIRMAN, I MOVE THAT WE LEAVE THE PUBLIC HEARING OPEN UNTIL OUR NEXT REGULAR SCHEDULED MEETING. SECOND. ALL RIGHT. IT'S BEEN MOVED AND PROPERLY SECONDED BY MR. DEWBERRY AND VICE CHAIR THAT WE TABLE THE PUBLIC HEARING, LEAVING IT OPEN UNTIL THE NEXT REGULAR MEETING OF THE PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION AT THIS TIME. ALL IN FAVOR I. AYE. ANY OPPOSED? ALL RIGHT. THE AYES HAVE IT AND THE PUBLIC HEARING REMAINS OPEN. WE HAVE ALREADY HAD OUR ITEM G. OH, WE DO HAVE ONE OTHER THING. THE JOINT BOARD MEETING PREPARATION. WHO WILL BE LEADING THAT DISCUSSION. SO IT WAS IT WILL REMAIN ON THE AGENDA IN CASE YOU WANT TO DISCUSS LAST MEETING. YOU DID DECIDE TO MOVE FORWARD WITH NONCONFORMANCE. SO WE ARE JACKIE. YOU WANT TO SPEAK ON IT? WE ARE PREPARED TO GIVE THEM THAT ANSWER FROM YOU THAT YOU WANT TO SPEAK ON. NONCONFORMANCE. BUT THIS IS THE OPPORTUNITY. IF YOU WANT, YOU'RE JUST GOING TO BE LEAVING THAT ON. AND THE MEETING THAT WE WILL BE HAVING WITH THE JOINT BOARD IS AUGUST. IS THAT CORRECT? YES, SIR. OKAY. SO THEN I WOULD ASK THAT YOU WOULD PLACE THIS ITEM BACK ON THE AGENDA FOR JULY SO THAT WE CAN DISCUSS THE PRESENTATION. AND COLLECTIVELY WE WOULD PROVIDE INFORMATION THAT WE WOULD WANT FOR THE SLIDE
[H. JOINT BOARD MEETING PREPARATION Discussion and Consideration of Planning and Zoning Commission Project Priorities]
PRESENTATION. ABSOLUTELY. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH I APPRECIATE IT. I'M NOW MOVING ON THE JOINT BOARD MEETING. CAN YOU TELL US THE DATE OF THE JOINT BOARD MEETING? IT IS AUGUST 20TH. AUGUST 20TH. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. WE CAN SEND YOU REMINDERS. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU[I. ITEMS OF COMMUNITY INTEREST Discussion will be limited to the following pursuant to Gov't Code 551.0415: (1) Expressions of thanks, congratulations, or condolence; (2) information regarding holiday schedules; (3) a recognition of an individual; (4) a reminder about an upcoming Planning & Zoning events; (5) announcements involving an imminent threat tithe public health and safety.]
VERY MUCH. ALL RIGHT. MOVING NOW TO ITEMS OF COMMUNITY INTEREST. ARE THERE ANY PERSONS THAT HAVE ANY INFORMATION, ANY INFORMATION THEY WISH TO SHARE WITH US? ALL RIGHT. IF NOT, I DO HAVE TWO. WE RECEIVED AN EMAIL NOTIFICATION THAT THE DESOTO VOLUNTEER FAIR WILL BE HELD THURSDAY, AUGUST THE 7TH AT 6 P.M. IT WILL BE AT OUR BLUEBONNET ROOM IN THE TOWN CENTER. SO I WOULD ENCOURAGE PLANNING AND ZONING MANAGERS IF YOU'RE FREE. IF YOU COULD COME ABOUT THAT EVENING AND YOU GET THE OPPORTUNITY TO TALK TO CITIZENS WHO ARE INTERESTED IN VOLUNTEERING FOR OUR CITY ON OTHER BOARDS AND COMMISSIONERS, AND THEY'RE USUALLY PEOPLE THAT JUST WISH TO TALK TO US ABOUT PLANNING AND ZONING. SO IF YOU'RE FREE ON ON THAT PARTICULAR DAY, AUGUST THE 7TH, AGAIN AT 6 P.M. IN THE BLUEBONNET ROOM, PLEASE PLAN TO BE THERE. SECONDLY, WE ALSO[01:30:05]
RECEIVED ABOUT OUR ANNUAL BOARD AND COMMISSIONS MASQUERADE BALL, WHICH IS WHEN THEY RECOGNIZE THE VOLUNTEERS. THAT'S GOING TO BE SEPTEMBER THE 18TH AT 6:30 P.M. AT THE DESOTO CIVIC CENTER, AGAIN IN THE BLUEBONNET ROOM. THE ATTIRE IS FORMAL, AND I DO KNOW THAT SOMETIMES PEOPLE ARE FORMAL AND SOMETIMES THEY ARE NOT. BUT YOU DO NEED TO REGISTER FOR THAT PARTICULAR EVENT AND I'D ASK YOU TO DO SO. YOU WOULD RECEIVE THE EMAIL TO YOUR PERSONAL. I RECEIVED MINE AND MY PERSONAL, BUT IF YOU DIDN'T RECEIVE IT YOUR PERSONAL, I WOULD THEN ASK YOU TO CHECK YOUR EMAIL TO SEE IF YOU HAVE IT THERE SO THAT YOU CAN REGISTER FOR THAT WONDERFUL EVENING WHERE THEY RECOGNIZE ALL OF THE VOLUNTEERS. ARE THERE ANY OTHER ITEMS? ALL RIGHT. IF NOT HEARING OR SEEING NONE AT THIS POINT, WE'RE AT J FOR THE ADJOURNMENT AND I WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO ADJOURN. SO MOVE. ALL RIGHT. IT'S BEEN MOVED ANY SECOND.* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.