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GOOD AFTERNOON.[Community Services Committee on December 6, 2022. ]
IT IS, UH, TUESDAY, DECEMBER 6TH.UH, THE TIME IS 4:02 PM THIS IS A MEETING OF THE COMMUNITY SERVICES COMMITTEE.
UM, I AM CHAIR DEBORAH MORRIS.
AND WITH ME OUR COUNCILWOMAN, MARGARET LUT AND COUNCILMAN ED MOORE, ALONG WITH VARIOUS, UM, STAFF MEMBERS.
SO, MOVING ON TO ITEM ONE ON THE AGENDA IS THE APPROVAL OF MINUTES FROM THE OCTOBER 11TH, 2022 MEETING, UM, COMMITTEE.
HAVE, HAVE YOU HAD TIME TO READ THE MINUTES? AND DO I HAVE A MOTION FOR APPROVAL? MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE.
MOVING ON TO ITEM TWO IS THE FALL 2022 NEIGHBORHOOD VITALITY MATCHING GRANT APPLICATIONS.
AND JUST FOR THE SAKE OF THE MICROPHONE, WILL YOU BOTH SAY YOUR NAMES AND THANK YOU FOR SENDING THE, UH, INFORMATION AHEAD.
MY NAME IS LAURA VEGA AND I'M THE SENIOR PLANNER WITH THE OFFICE OF NEIGHBORHOOD VITALITY, SCOTT BOLLINGER, NEIGHBORHOOD RESOURCES MANAGER.
SO, UM, THANK YOU ALL FOR ALLOWING US TO BE HERE THIS AFTERNOON.
UM, WE ARE HERE TO PRESENT TWO IMAGINE AND GRANT APPLICATIONS TO THE COMMITTEE.
UM, AS YOU CAN SEE, THE FIRST ONE, UM, IS FIREWALL ESTATES, UM, AND THE SECOND ONE IS HERRONS BAY
SO, STARTING OFF WITH FIRE ESTATES HOA, UM, THEY ARE, UM, PROPOSING TO DO MEDIAN, A MEDIAN ENHANCEMENT PROJECT.
UM, THIS PROJECT, THE TOTAL PROJECT COST IS, UH, $119,953.
THEY ARE REQUESTING $89,000, UH, $989,965.
UM, BECAUSE OF THE TOTAL PROJECT COST THAT PUTS THEM IN THE 25% MATCH REQUIREMENT.
SO THE NEIGHBORHOOD MATCH WOULD COME OUT TO BE, UM, JUST UNDER $30,000.
UM, AND SO KIND OF DIGGING IN A LITTLE BIT DEEPER INTO, UM, EXACTLY WHAT THESE ENHANCED ENTAIL, UM, THEY ARE PROPOSING TO ENHANCE, UH, THE MEDIAN BY INSTALLING HARDSCAPING, UM, WITH A VARIETY OF RIVER ROCK BOULDERS AND OTHER HARDSCAPING MATERIAL.
UM, SO FROM HERE, UM, THEY'RE, THE TOP PHOTOS SHOW THE WHAT'S EXISTING IN THE MEDIANS.
UM, AND THEN BELOW YOU'LL SEE THE PROPOSED, UM, AREA FOR THE MEDIANS THAT THEY'LL BE ENHANCING.
SO THE PROJECT IS GONNA BE FROM FALL CREEK COURT TO PALM DESERT DRIVE.
AND SO THEY'RE GONNA BE, UM, ENHANCING SEVEN MEDIANS IN TOTAL.
UM, AND THEN THIS IS JUST AN EXAMPLE OF, UM, HARD HARDSCAPING THAT'S FURTHER ALONG MI MEREFIELD ROAD.
UM, IT'S ACTUALLY WITH THE, UM, ADJACENT NEIGHBORHOOD FIRE FARMS. UM, SO THEY WERE JUST USING THIS AS A, AS AN EXAMPLE.
UM, SOME STAFF COMMENTS INCLUDE, UH, FROM THE OFFICE OF NEIGHBORHOOD VITALITY THAT COMMON AREA OR RECREATIONAL IMPROVEMENTS ARE ELIGIBLE PROJECTS UNDER THE MATCHING GRANT.
UM, AND ALSO BACK IN 2021, CITY COUNCIL HAD, UM, VOTED THAT SOFTSCAPE IS NOW AN AN INELIGIBLE PROJECT.
HOWEVER, HARDSCAPING IS STILL ELIGIBLE.
UM, AND THIS PARTICULAR PROJECT DOES ALL HARDSCAPING.
UM, ENGINEERING HAD SOME COMMENTS REGARDING, UM, JUST RIGHT OF WAY AND, UH, IMPROVEMENT.
AND JUST TO BE AWARE OF THE PUBLIC WASTEWATER MAIN, UM, AS WELL AS, UM, THE REQUIREMENT OF A LICENSE AGREEMENT.
UM, AND, UM, THAT LARGE TREES CANNOT BE PLACED ON TOP OF PUBLIC UTILITY LINES.
HOWEVER, THERE WILL NOT BE, UM, ANY TYPE OF TREES OR PLANTS PLANTED THROUGH THIS PROJECT.
SO, UM, THEY ALSO, UM, REMIND THE NOT TO INSTALL OBJECTS THAT PENETRATE THE GROUND MORE THAN 36 INCHES AND TO CALL 8 1 1 TO, UM, TEXAS 8 1 1, UM, BEFORE CONSTRUCTION.
UM, BUILDING INSPECTIONS, UH, COMMENTED IF INSTALLING IRRIGATION A PERMIT IS REQUIRED.
HOWEVER, IRRIGATION IS NOT PART OF THIS OBJECT.
UM, AND SO, AND THIS IS JUST THE APPLICATION WHERE THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD GOALS.
UM, YOU KNOW, THEIR GOAL IS TO CREATE A COHESIVE AESTHETIC ALONG MURFIELD.
AND AGAIN, JUST REALLY, UM, HARMONIZING WITH THE LANDSCAPING
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OR THE HARDSCAPING THAT IS THERE IN THEIR NEIGHBORING, UH, WITH THEIR NEIGHBORING COMMUNITY.AND, UM, THEY, UH, HAD, UH, FOR THE LETTER OF OF INTENT, THEY, THEY ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THEY WILL BE SURE TO COORDINATE WITH TEXAS TX EIGHT 11, UM, AND THAT THEY WILL SUBMIT A LICENSE AGREEMENT, UM, AT THE TIME OF PERMITTING.
UM, AND THESE ARE JUST SOME PHOTOS THAT THEY HAD SUBMITTED.
UM, THIS IS CURRENTLY, UM, WHAT IS OUT THERE.
AS YOU CAN SEE, UM, THERE IS JUST GRASS AND SOME ESTABLISHED TREES.
UM, HOWEVER, THE GRASS IS A BIT SPOTTY THERE.
SO AGAIN, THEY'RE JUST LOOKING TO BEAUTIFY THAT AREA WITH SOME, UM, HEARTSCAPING.
UM, AND THEN, UH, I THINK YOU SHOULD HAVE RECEIVED ALSO IN YOUR PACKET THE ESTIMATE, UM, FOR THE BOULDERS AND THE, UM, RIVER ROCK AND DECOMPOSE GRANITE AND, AND WHAT HAVE YOU.
UM, AND THAT CAME OUT TO A HUNDRED, AGAIN, $119,952.
UM, THEY ALSO INCLUDED SOME PLANS FOR JUST HOW THEY WANTED IT TO LOOK.
AND SO, UM, I THINK THEY WOULD, THEY'VE REALLY THOUGHT THIS THROUGH.
AND I THINK THAT MIGHT BE ALL FOR FIRE FIREWALL ESTATES.
UM, I'LL GO AHEAD AND PAUSE FOR QUESTIONS.
UM, AND YOU, YOUR, YOUR MIC'S LIVE JUST, WELL, IT LOOKS LIKE A VERY GOOD USE OF THE LAND.
UH, ARE THEY GONNA BE, UH, TAKEN OUT THE TREES? SO, UM, THERE WILL BE SOME GRADING THAT THEY'LL DO TO THE MEDIANS.
UM, I BELIEVE THEY SAID THEY MIGHT TAKE OUT A FEW TREES, BUT THOSE ARE EITHER DEAD OR DISEASED.
SO IT'S JUST A MATTER OF, UM, UM, KIND OF CLEANING OUT WHAT NEEDS TO BE CLEANED OUT.
THEY SAID THEY REALLY WANTED TO PRESERVE THE CANOPY THAT IS ALREADY EXISTING.
BUT NO, AS FAR AS I'M CONCERNED, IT LOOKS LIKE A VERY GOOD USE OF, UH, THE LAND AND IT'S GONNA BEAUTIFY THAT NEIGHBORHOOD AND TRULY ENHANCE, UH, THE CITY AS WELL.
I THINK IT'S A, A GREAT AESTHETIC ADDITION TO THEIR, UM, NEIGHBORHOOD.
AND I THINK WE SHOULD LET THIS PROJECT ROCK AND ROLL FORWARD
YOU GET BONUS POINTS FOR THAT
THE, AND, AND THE PICTURES ARE VERY TELLING.
THERE'S CLEARLY ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT.
AND, UH, AND I, AND I LIKE THE, THE HARDSCAPING IS, IS MORE IN KEEPING WITH WHAT WE'RE SEEING KIND OF GOING, AT LEAST IN TEXAS, A LOT MORE OF WHAT WE'RE SEEING.
AND IT'S QUITE ATTRACTIVE AND IT'S A WHOLE LOT MORE DURABLE, AS WE FOUND OUT IN FEBRUARY LAST YEAR, UH, THAT KILLED A GREAT DEAL OF OUR EXPENSIVE LANDSCAPING CITYWIDE.
SO, SO COMMITTEE ALL IN FAVOR OF GIVING THIS A GO AS PRESENTED.
OKAY, SO THE NEXT APPLICATION IS FROM HERRON BAY ESTATE H HOA.
UM, THE PROJECT NAME IS SANDRA LEAN DRIVE LIGHTING ENHANCEMENT.
UM, IT IS, UM, ESSENTIALLY THE LOCATION IS THE ENTRANCEWAY AT SAN DRIVE.
UH, THE TOTAL PROJECT COST IS $10,800.
UM, THEY ARE REQUESTING $9,180.
UM, IT PUTS THEM AT A 15% MATCH.
SO THE, THE MIN NEIGHBORHOOD MATCH IS GONNA BE $1,620.
UM, SO THEY ARE PROPOSING TO INSTALL NEW L E D LIGHTING, UM, AT THE SAND LINK ENTRANCE, UM, SIX ALONG THE SCREENING WALLS IN SAND LINK DRIVE, SO THREE ON EACH SIDE.
AND THEN, UM, TWO MOUNTED, UM, L E D LIGHTS, UM, ALONG EACH, UM, I GUESS BESIDE EACH NAME, UM, ENTRANCE NAME, MONUMENT SIGN.
AND THESE ARE JUST SOME PICTURES OF THAT PARTICULAR ENTRANCE.
UM, ABOVE YOU'LL SEE WHAT IS CURRENTLY EX UH, EXISTING.
AND THEN THE BOTTOM PICTURE, YOU'LL SEE WHAT THEY ARE PROPOSING TO DO.
SO AGAIN, UM, THERE'S THE THREE LIGHTS ON, UM, ON THE SIDE, ON THE SCREENING WALL ON THE SIDE, AND THEN TWO THAT ARE MOUNTED, SHINING ONTO THE NAME.
UM, AND THEN STAFF COMMENTS FROM, UH, NEIGHBORHOOD VITALITY.
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UM, SO THEIR, UH, FIVE YEAR GRANT PERIOD FOR HERRONS BAY STARTED IN MAY OF 2022.AND SO THEY ARE ELIGIBLE TO APPLY FOR UP TO ANOTHER A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS WORTH OF GRANT FUNDS.
UM, NEW LIGHTING IS ELIGIBLE THROUGH THE MATCHING GRANT PROGRAM.
UM, WE DID WANNA NOTE THERE IS AN EXISTING GROUND LIGHTING ILLUMINATING, UM, THE ENTRYWAY SIGN.
UM, SO WE DID WANNA MAKE YOU AWARE OF THAT.
UM, BUILDING INSPECTIONS SAYS IF INSTALLING NEW ELECTRICAL FOR LIGHTING, THE, THERE IS A PERMIT REQUIRED.
AND, UM, THIS IS ESSENTIALLY THEIR, UH, APPLICATION JUST SAYING THAT THEY'RE REALLY WANTING TO BUILD COMMUNITY AND SAFETY AND, UM, BEAUTIFY THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD.
UM, AND LET'S SEE, AND THE LETTER OF INTENT, THEY DID, UM, THEY DID WANT TO DO, UH, IN THEIR LETTER OF INTENT, THEY DID WANT TO DO CUSTOM STREET AND STOP SIGNS.
UM, BUT THEY RESCINDED THAT IN THE APPLICATION.
SO THAT'S NOT INCLUDED IN THE APPLICATION.
AND HERE ARE SOME, UH, ADDITIONAL PHOTOS, UM, AND THE ESTIMATE IT, AND I BELIEVE THAT IS ALL.
UM, ANY QUESTIONS REGARDING HERON'S BAY? UM, ON THE, UH, FIRST MONUMENT, UM, PICTURE THAT YOU HAVE, PAGE TWO OF THREE, IT SHOWS MULTICOLORED LIGHTING.
UM, IS THAT INTENTIONAL? I THINK THAT'S EXISTING LIGHTING.
FROM WHENEVER THEY PUT IN THE FOUNTAIN.
AGAIN, A VERY GOOD USE OF THE PROPERTY, UH, THAT THAT PARTICULAR NEIGHBORHOOD IS ADJACENT TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD THAT I LIVE IN.
AND YEAH, LET'S DO WHATEVER WE CAN TO BEAUTIFY IT.
CAUSE WE ARE ALWAYS TRYING TO KEEP OURS BEAUTIFUL ALSO.
AND, AND FOR THIS GRANT, I AM, I AM ALMOST ALWAYS IN FAVOR OF ADDING ADDITIONAL LIGHTING.
IT'S, IT'S NOT ONLY ATTRACTIVE, IT'S A SAFETY FEATURE.
UM, SO, UM, YEAH, I'M, I'M FINE WITH THIS PROCEEDING.
SO COMMITTEE ALL IN FAVOR PROCEEDING COMES UP.
WE ARE HAPPY TO SEE THIS MOVE FORWARD.
THIS WILL PROBABLY BE NOT QUITE AS SIMPLE OR AS QUICK.
UM, DISCUSS RETAIL PET STORE HEALTH INSPECTION RULES.
AND I BELIEVE WE HAVE WITH US.
I'LL JUST PREFACE THIS WHILE, WHILE IS TAKING HIS SEAT.
UM, UM, SEVERAL OF US HAVE RECEIVED, UM, HAVE BEEN APPROACHED BY CITIZENS WHO HAVE BEEN VERY CONCERNED, UM, ABOUT RETAIL PET STORES THAT SELL DOGS AND CATS AND ABOUT THE, UH, QUALITY OF THEIR CARE WHILE IN THE CARE OF THE RETAIL PET STORES ABOUT THEIR SOURCING, WHICH IS, UH, A DIFFERENT, UM, STORY.
UM, AND JUST ABOUT THEIR HEALTH AND WELFARE.
SO, UM, IN, IN RUNNING UP TO THIS, UM, COMMITTEE REFERRAL, I HAD ACTUALLY INITIALLY REACHED OUT TO OUR HEALTH DEPARTMENT THINKING THAT IT WOULD BE THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT WHO WOULD BE, UH, INSPECTING RETAIL PET STORES, UH, TO SEE IF THEY ARE HEALTHY ENVIRONMENTS FOR THE ANIMALS THAT ARE THERE TO BE SOLD.
AND THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT DOESN'T DO THAT.
THAT IS ANIMAL SERVICES, WHICH IS WHY ART IS HERE.
SO, UM, ART, DO YOU HAVE A, A PRESENTATION? DO YOU WANNA RUN, RUN US OVER THIS WHOLE TOPIC QUICKLY? SURE.
AND WE'LL ASK QUESTIONS, PRESENTATION, UM, BUT I CAN'T EXPLAIN THE INSPECTION PROCESS, WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE.
UM, SO ANY RETAIL PET SHOP OR FEED STORE OR ANY ESTABLISHMENT THAT SELLS ANIMALS, UH, MUST APPLY FOR A PERMIT WITH GARLAND ANIMAL SERVICES.
ONCE WE RECEIVE THAT APPLICATION, THEN WE SET UP A TIME TO GO DO THE INSPECTION.
UM, NOW THE INSPECTION IS A SIMPLE PROCESS ON OUR END AS WE'RE LOOKING AT, UM, HOW MANY ANIMALS ARE THERE, HOW ARE THE LIVING CONDITIONS, FOOD, WATER, ARE THEY UP TO DATE ON VACCINES VET CARE? UM, AND ONCE WE GO THROUGH THAT PROCESS, THEN WE ISSUE THE PERMIT.
ONCE WE ISSUE THE PERMIT, THEY MUST DISPLAY THIS ON FRONT OF THE BUILDING FOR THE PUBLIC TO SEE IT.
UM, AND THE PERMIT THEY HAVE TO RENEW ANNUALLY.
UM, AND IF THEY DON'T, THEY CAN RECEIVE CITATIONS.
UM, BUT I WILL SAY THAT IS ONE OF OUR WEAKER
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POINTS IS DOING THE INSPECTIONS MULTIPLE TIMES A YEAR.UM, AND I'LL KIND OF LEAVE IT UP FOR QUESTIONS.
I DO HAVE RECOMMENDATIONS ON WHAT WE CAN DO TO, UH, HAVE MORE OF A ROBUST, UH, INSPECTION PROCESS.
AND LET ME JUST SET THIS UP AND THEN I'M GONNA PUT THIS OUT FOR, FOR COMMITTEE QUESTIONS.
UM, I THINK YOU'VE, YOU'VE SAID THAT AT PRESENT WE HAVE TWO RETAIL PET STORES THAT SELL DOGS AND CATS.
WE HAVE A NUMBER THAT SELL CHICKENS AND CHICKS AND LIKE ROACHES, FEED AND SEED.
BUT, UM, WE HAVE TWO THAT SELL, UM, DOGS AND CATS.
ONE OF THEM BEING, DID YOU SAY A NEW ONE? DREAM PUPPIES? YES.
AND ANOTHER ONE BEING FIND A PET.
BOTH ARE IN SOUTH GARLAND, I'M ASSUMING BOTH ARE IN YOUR DISTRICT CUZ THEY'RE DOWN AROUND OFF OF, UM, I 30 AND BASS PRO.
SO THOSE ARE, IT'S REALLY THE ENVIRONMENT THERE THAT WE'RE, WE'RE PROB THAT THIS PARTICULAR, UM, ISSUE IS, IS FOCUSED ON.
SO WITH THAT, LET ME OPEN IT UP TO COMMITTEE QUESTIONS.
UM, HAVE, WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME EITHER OF THESE STORES WAS INSPECTED? SO WE RECENTLY INSPECTED DREAM PUPPIES BACK IN AUGUST, UM, AND FIND A PET, UH, THEIR UPPER RENEWAL.
SO WE NEED TO DO THE INSPECTION AND RENEW THEIR PERMIT.
AND HAVE YOU FOUND ANY, UM, WHAT WAS THEIR SCORE, I GUESS?
SO EVERY TIME WE'VE DONE THE INSPECTION, WE HAVE NEVER FOUND ANY VIOLATIONS.
USUALLY WHEN WE DO THE INSPECTION, THEY'RE REALLY CLEAN.
UM, THEY DO HAVE VETS THAT THEY TAKE THE ANIMALS TO WHEN THEY GET SICK, THEY'RE UP TO DATE ON THEIR VACCINES.
UM, WE HAVEN'T HAD ANY ISSUES, UH, THAT I'M AWARE OF.
UM, SO FOR THE MOST PART, THE INSPECTIONS WE'VE DONE, AND THIS IS INCLUDING, YOU KNOW, ROACH FEEDING SEED, PETSMART, PETCO, THE WALMARTS, THEY USED TO SELL FISH BACK IN THE DAY.
UM, WE HAVEN'T NOTICED ANY VIOLATIONS.
AND THEN DO YOU, UM, ASK ABOUT WHERE THE ANIMALS COME FROM AND DO YOU GATHER THAT INFORMATION? SO WE DO ASK, UM, ALTHOUGH I WOULD HAVE TO GET WITH THE OFFICE, I DON'T BELIEVE WE VERIFIED THAT THEY ARE GETTING FROM AN ANIMAL SHELTER, RESCUE ORGANIZATION OR A LICENSED BREEDER.
UM, BUT WE DO ASK WHERE THEY ARE, UH, RECEIVING THEIR ANIMALS FROM.
WHAT'S THE PROBLEM? WHAT IS THE PROBLEM? WELL, I THINK SOME OF THE COMPLAINTS ARE THAT, UH, PET SHOPS ARE, UH, PROMOTING PUPPY MILLS AND THAT'S WHERE THEY'RE GETTING A LOT OF THEIR INVENTORY FROM.
UM, AND PUPPY MILLS IS A, IS A HUGE ISSUE HERE IN TEXAS WHERE IT'S LARGE BREEDING, UH, AND THE CONDITIONS ARE HORRIFIC.
UH, AND SO THE GOAL IS WE'RE WANTING TO PROMOTE MORE OF GETTING ANIMALS FROM OUR LOCAL SHELTERS OR RESCUE ORGANIZATIONS.
UM, NOW THERE ARE A FEW GUIDELINES FOR THE PET STORES, UM, WHEN RECEIVING THOSE ANIMALS.
AND, UH, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE INSPECTIONS AT BREEDING FACILITIES THROUGH, UH, TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF LICENSING AND REGULATION, UM, THAT THEY MUST MEET BEFORE THEY BECOME A LICENSED BREEDER HERE IN THE STATE OF TEXAS.
UM, BUT I BELIEVE THE COMPLAINTS ARE THAT THAT SYSTEM IS SOMEWHAT FLAWED AND THE INSPECTIONS ARE NOT BE DONE PROPERLY.
AND SO, UM, THESE BREEDERS ARE MAKING A ASTRONOMICAL AMOUNT OF MONEY EACH YEAR BY SELLING PUPPIES TO JUST YOUR GENERAL PUBLIC PET STORES.
AND OF COURSE YOU HAVE YOUR PUPPY PEDDLERS IN BETWEEN THERE.
SO THAT WE'RE TRYING TO BE PROACTIVE THEN, BECAUSE I'VE JUST HEARD YOU SAY THAT IN YOUR INSPECTIONS YOU HAVE NOT FOUND ANY VIOLATIONS.
SO WITH OUR TEST TO BE PROACTIVE TO ASSURE THAT, THAT TYPE OF THING DOES NOT HAPPEN HERE IN GARLAND.
I THINK, I THINK ALSO, UM, WE JUST HAVE A, YOU KNOW, A LARGE POPULATION IN, IN OUR ANIMAL SHELTER.
AND TO BE ABLE TO, YOU KNOW, OUTSOURCE SOME ANIMALS TO THOSE RETAIL PET STORES WOULD BE BENEFICIAL TO, THAT'S WHAT I'M LOOKING FOR.
GETTING SOME ANIMALS OUT OF THERE THAT WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO ALSO.
UM, WELL, ARE, SO, SO JUST TO BE CLEAR, THERE ARE NOT REGULAR INSPECTIONS OF THESE STORES.
CORRECT? IT ISN'T LIKE EVERY FEW MONTHS.
IT ISN'T LIKE THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT DOES WITH RESTAURANTS.
IT IS LITERALLY ONCE A YEAR WHEN THEY'RE RENEWING THEIR PERMIT AND I ASSUME THEY KNOW YOU'RE COMING.
YEAH, THAT, I SEE THAT AS A PROBLEM.
AND THAT'S HOW WE HAVE ACTUALLY, UH, WEEDED OUT A LOT OF RESTAURANTS THAT NONE OF US SHOULD BE EATING AT OVER
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THE YEARS.SO, SO THIS IS A, UM, THEY KNOW YOU'RE COMING NO SURPRISE INSPECTIONS AND IT IS ONLY ONCE A YEAR.
UM, AND LICENSED BREEDERS, WHICH SOUNDS REALLY GOOD AND SOUNDS REALLY IMPRESSIVE.
IN YOUR PAST EXPERIENCE, HAVE YOU FOUND THAT LICENSED BREEDER DOES THAT, THAT CLASSIFICATION, IS THAT DEEPLY MEANINGFUL? DOES THAT, UM, MEAN THAT THEY'RE TAKING GOOD CARE OF THEIR ANIMALS? ANY OF THAT? YEAH, I MEAN, IN MY EXPERIENCE, WHEN THIS BILL WAS PASSED YEARS AGO, UM, I WAS PART OF A LOT OF RAIDS HERE IN TEXAS WITH THE PUPPY MILLS.
AND I WILL SAY WE DID, UH, SEIZE SEVERAL THAT HAD BEEN INSPECTED THROUGH TDLR, UM, YOU KNOW, A COUPLE MONTHS BEFORE.
UH, AND THE CONDITIONS JUST WEREN'T UP TO PAR AND ANIMALS WERE LIVING IN HORRIFIC, UH, SITUATIONS WHERE, UH, WE WERE ABLE TO, UH, PROVE THAT IT WAS MORE ANIMAL CRUELTY THAN, THAN ANYTHING ELSE.
SO, SO EVEN THOUGH THEY, THEY WERE ABLE TO SAY THAT THEY WERE A LICENSED BREEDER AND TO SHOW THAT THEY HAD THE LICENSE, IN FACT, IT WAS NOT A SAFE OR A GOOD PLACE FOR ANIMALS? YES.
UM, AND SO THE, YOU TALKED ABOUT LIVING CONDITIONS, FOOD, WATER, VACCINES AND, AND VET CARE MM-HMM.
SO HOW, WHEN AT THESE ANNUAL PERMIT RENEWAL INSPECTIONS, UM, IS THIS JUST A QUESTION? DO YOU HAVE VET CARE? IS THIS SOMETHING THEY HAVE TO SHOW AND PROVE UP IN SOME WAY? NO, THEY GOTTA PRODUCE RECORDS OF VET CARE.
UM, AND THEN THEY WALK US THROUGH THE ENTIRE BUILDING, UH, FRONT BACK, WHEREVER THEY'RE KEEPING ANIMALS.
UM, UH, WE ALSO SEE, OR, UH, LOOK AT WHAT KIND OF, UH, CHEMICALS ARE USING TO CLEAN, UM, HOW THEY'RE BEING HOUSED.
UH, WE MAKE SURE THERE'S NO OVERCROWDING.
UM, YOU KNOW, AND I THINK MOVING FORWARD, UH, I, I KNOW WE CAN DO A BETTER JOB BY CREATING A BETTER PROCESS WHEN IT COMES TO THE INSPECTIONS AS FAR AS THE REGULATION OF ANIMAL HOUSING, UM, CHEMICALS, VET CARE, UM, YOU KNOW, CUZ TLR DOES HAVE A MORE RESTRICTED PROCESS THAT MAYBE WE CAN, UH, MAYBE NOT MIRROR, BUT, UH, I GET SOME GOOD IDEAS ON WHAT THAT WOULD LOOK LIKE.
ALSO, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE US INSPECT, YOU KNOW, EVERY COUPLE MONTHS, UH, MAYBE SURPRISE VISITS OR WHATEVER MAY BE THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, AND THEN KEEP UP WITH THE PERMIT.
UM, NOW JUST LOOKING UP THIS INFORMATION, WE FOUND OUT THAT ONE OF THE ESTABLISHMENTS WAS BEHIND ON THE PERMIT, SO, UM, OBVIOUSLY WE COULD DO A BETTER JOB WITH THAT.
HOW FAR BEHIND IS FIND A PET? UH, I BELIEVE IT'S OCTOBER OF LAST YEAR, I BELIEVE.
DOES THAT NOT, AND THAT DOESN'T AUTOMATICALLY TRIGGER CLOSURE? IT DOESN'T, YEAH.
UNLESS, THE ONLY TIME WE'LL KNOW IS IF THEY SEND IN THE APPLICATION, THEN IT'S, OH, WE NEED TO RENEW THAT APPLICATION.
I GOTTA CHECK AND SEE IF THEY'RE EVEN STILL OPEN.
CAUSE A LOT OF THESE, WE'VE HAD SEVERAL IN THE PAST, I WAS ABLE TO PULL 'EM UP THAT THEY'RE HERE FOR A YEAR OR TWO, AND THEN THEY GO ELSEWHERE.
SO YOU SAID YOU HAD WELL COMMITTEE, DO YOU HAVE OTHER SPECIFIC QUESTIONS BEFORE WE HEAR HIS RECOMMENDATIONS? YOU DO.
UM, SO HOW MUCH NOTICE DO YOU GIVE BEFORE THE INSPECTION? UM, USUALLY WE'LL CALL ME IN THE MORNING AND SAY, HEY, WE GOTTA DO THE INSPECTION.
UH, WE'LL BE THERE AT WHATEVER TIME.
UM, IT CAN BE A MORNING OR WE'LL CALL HIM THE DAY BEFORE AND SAY, HEY, WE'RE GONNA HAVE AN OFFICER, UH, BE THERE AT THIS TIMEFRAME.
UM, WE TRY NOT TO TELL 'EM WE'RE GONNA BE THERE RIGHT AT 10 30 BECAUSE OF OUR CALL VOLUME.
UH, SO WE GIVE HIM A, A TIME, LIKE A WINDOW OF WHEN WE'RE GONNA BE THERE.
UM, SO USUALLY IT CAN BE BE COUPLE OF HOURS OR IT COULD BE A DAY.
UM, HAVE YOU HAD ANY COMPLAINTS FROM ANYONE WHO'S PURCHASED A PET FROM EITHER OF THOSE FACILITIES? THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION.
I THINK MOSTLY PEOPLE THAT DO THAT USUALLY COMPLAIN ON GOOGLE
I KNOW WHEN I WAS AT THE SPCA OF TEXAS, THEY USED TO WORK PART OF THOSE A LOT.
BASED ON WHAT I'VE HEARD SO FAR, IT STILL SOUNDED LIKE WHAT WE'RE ATTEMPTING TO DO THEN IS TO BE PROACTIVE, BECAUSE THIS IS IN MY DISTRICT AND I'M JUST REALLY HEARING ABOUT IT.
UH, I THINK COUNCILWOMAN MORRIS BROUGHT IT TO MY ATTENTION A COUPLE OF WEEKS BACK, BUT NEITHER HER NOR THERE, IF THAT'S WHAT WE'RE ATTEMPTING TO DO.
IT SOUNDED LIKE YOU STATED EARLIER THAT YOU HAVE SOME THOUGHTS, SOME IDEAS AS IT RELATES TO HOW WE MIGHT GO FORWARD WITH, UH, PUTTING TOGETHER SOME TYPE OF PLANS TO BE PROACTIVE.
WOULD YOU LIKE TO SHARE SOME OF THOSE? YES.
SO, UM, KINDA LIKE I SAID, WAS REALLY HAVING
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MORE OF A STRICT INSPECTION PROCESS.WHAT THAT MEANS IS, AS FAR AS LIKE ANIMAL HOUSING AREAS, WHAT THE SIZE IS GONNA BE, HOW MANY ANIMALS CAN BE KEPT IN THAT AREA, IS THERE APPROPRIATE, UH, SURFACE? SO THEY'RE NOT GETTING INJURED, THEY'RE NOT SITTING ON WIRE TYPE OF MATERIAL, UM, CHEMICALS.
WHAT ARE THEY USING TO CLEAN, DO THE, ARE THE ANIMALS ABLE TO GET OUT OF THAT ENVIRONMENT, ENVIRONMENT WHILE THEY'RE CLEANING? UM, I THINK IT'S JUST MORE OF A ROBUST INSPECTION PROCESS.
AND I CAN DEFINITELY PUT AN OUTLINE TOGETHER AND SHARE WITH YOU GUYS.
UM, AND WE CAN GO OVER, YEAH, I'M THINKING THAT YOUR EXPERTISE IN THE AREA, UNDERSTANDING WHAT THE CONCERNS AND PROBLEMS ARE, AND THAT WILL BE GREAT TO BRING US A TEMPLATE, BRING US A MODEL OF MM-HMM.
CAN YOU BRING THAT BACK TO US NEXT MONTH OR, YEAH, NEXT MONTH.
AND WE'LL BE LOOKING FORWARD TO, UH, TO KIND OF SEEING YOUR, UM, YOUR BEST IDEAS.
AND AGAIN, MY, MY TRAIN OF THOUGHT WAS MOVING ALONG THE LINES OF SOMEWHAT MIRRORING THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT'S RHYTHM WITH RESTAURANT INSPECTIONS, BUT, UM, YOU'LL KNOW WHAT'S, WHAT WILL FIT BEST WITH THIS PARTICULAR CATEGORY.
AND WE WOULD ALSO REALLY LIKE TO HEAR, UH, ABOUT FIND A PET AND MM-HMM.
AND IF, IF YOUR RECOMMENDATIONS CAN, CAN INCLUDE HAVING SOMETHING TRIGGER A, SOMEBODY DIDN'T RENEW, SO WE SHOULD FIND THEM.
OR WHAT IS THE PROCESS THEORETICALLY, IF WE NOTICED
I MEAN, IS THERE, IS THERE ANYTHING THAT SHOULD YEAH, SO WE, WE GOTTA CALL THEM AND TELL 'EM, HEY, YOU DIDN'T RENEW YOUR PERMIT.
WE GOTTA COME OUT AND DO ANOTHER INSPECTION.
SO THERE ISN'T A FINE INVOLVED OR THERE, THERE CAN BE, THERE IS, THERE CAN BE, UH, WE CAN'T ISSUE A CITATION.
AND THAT'S ALL ON THE PERMIT WHEN THEY APPLY FOR IT.
IT DOES HAVE IN THERE THAT IF THEY DO NOT RENEW THEIR PERMIT WITHIN THE ONE YEAR MARK, THAT THEY ARE SUBJECT TO CITATIONS ONE YEAR.
OH, I MEAN, LIKE FROM THE FIRST PERMIT MM-HMM.
SO WHEN WE ISSUE THAT PERMIT, THEY HAVE ONE YEAR TO GET INSPECTED AGAIN.
WELL, WE'LL BE LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING THAT.
DID YOU HAVE ANOTHER COMMENT? UM, YEAH, I'D LIKE TO KNOW HOW YOU WOULD RECOMMEND WE INTEGRATE ANIMAL SERVICES, UM, INTO RETAIL PET STORES AND HOW WE COULD POSSIBLY GET OUR ANIMALS IN FROM OUR SHELTERS IN THERE.
YOU KNOW, AND I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING, UH, WE CAN SIT DOWN AND TALK ABOUT, AND I THINK WE MAY HAVE A, SOME CHALLENGES WITH THAT IS BECAUSE I KNOW A LOT OF THE PET STORES ARE LOOKING FOR PUREBRED TYPE ANIMALS.
UH, AND MAYBE THERE'S A WAY WE CAN ALL KIND OF MEET TOGETHER AND SEE WHAT THAT WOULD LOOK LIKE, UM, BECAUSE THEY CAN, THEY CAN SELL ANIMALS FROM A LOCAL ANIMAL SHELTER RESCUE ORGANIZATION AND OR, UH, THIS, THIS IS OUTSIDE OF OUR POSTED AGENDA, SO THIS WILL HAVE TO BE AN OKAY.
A ANOTHER CONVERSATION FOR ANOTHER DAY.
ITEM FOUR, WHICH IS OUR FINAL ITEM IS TO DISCUSS MULTI-FAMILY PROPERTY, AIR CONDITIONING REQUIREMENTS.
AND AGAIN, THE, THE BACKGROUND TO THIS ONE IS, UM, WE HAVE HAD, AND, AND I'M SAYING WE, SO I, I KNOW CERTAINLY, UM, COUNCILMAN SMITH AND I HAVE HAD A NUMBER OF INCIDENTS IN OUR DISTRICTS WHERE, UM, APARTMENT COMPLEXES HAD THEIR AIR CONDITIONING GO OUT, AND THEY HAD DESPERATELY MISERABLE, UM, RESIDENTS WHO, UH, THEY COULDN'T GET IT FIXED QUICKLY.
SOME OF THESE AIR CONDITIONING UNITS ARE OLD, CENTRAL AIR CONDITIONING UNITS ARE WAY OLDER THAN PROBABLY PROBABLY AS OLD AS I AM, WHICH WOULD BE A PRETTY BAD THING FOR AN AIR CONDITIONER.
UM, ANYWAY, SO WE'RE LOOKING AT WAYS WE CAN'T, RIGHT NOW, WE DON'T HAVE REALLY TOOLS TO DO AN ENORMOUS AMOUNT OF IMMEDIATE STOPPING THE PAIN.
UM, SO WE JUST WANNA, UM, THIS WAS REFERRED TO COMMITTEE FOR US TO CONSIDER ANY, ANY WAY WE CAN IMPROVE OUR TOOLBOX WITH THIS AND SEE, UM, HOW WE CAN IMPROVE LIFE FOR, UH, RESIDENTS OF MULTIFAMILY PROPERTIES.
SO, UM, GENTLEMEN, WILL YOU PLEASE INTRODUCE YOURSELVES BY NAME SINCE THIS IS NOT VIDEO AND IT'S JUST RANDOM VOICES ON THE TAPE? YES.
THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR, RICK BARKER, UH, CITY OF GARLAND CODE COMPLIANCE, LANCE POLLSTER HOUSE AND STANDARDS MANAGER, CODE COMPLIANCE.
[00:30:01]
FIRST OF ALL, THANK YOU FOR, UM, ALLOWING US TO BE HERE TODAY.UM, WANTED TO, FIRST OF ALL, I, I'VE PROVIDED A MATRIX FOR YOU.
WE, WE DID SOME RESEARCH WITH, WITH OTHER SURROUNDING CITIES THROUGH, UH, THROUGHOUT THE NORTH TEXAS AREA, UH, BASICALLY JUST TO GET A KIND OF A BENCHMARK TO SEE WHAT OTHER CITIES ARE DOING.
UH, SO IF, IF YOU LOOK AT THIS MATRIX THAT WE'VE PROVIDED, UM, THE, THE CITIES ARE LISTED ON THE LEFT HAND COLUMN, UH, INCLUDING GARLAND, WHAT WE CURRENTLY HAVE AND WHAT SOME, SOME CHANGES THAT WE WOULD EVEN PROPOSE OR MAYBE EVEN ENDORSE, UM, THAT IF THEY, IF THEY COME THAT DIRECTION.
UM, BUT THEN WE ALSO HAVE THE, UM, THE VARIABLES AT THE TOP, UM, SUCH AS IF, IF AIR CONDITIONING IS ACTUALLY REQUIRED, UH, THE PERIOD OF ENFORCEMENT.
AND THEN THE, UM, THE TERM THAT WE USE HERE IN GARLAND AND, AND IS USED THROUGHOUT, THROUGHOUT OTHER CITIES IS CALLED THE COMFORTABLE TEMPERATURE ZONE.
UH, AND THEN WE ALSO HAVE, UH, THE TIME, UH, THAT'S REQUIRED TO REPAIR, UH, A, A PROBLEM.
AND THEN ALSO, UH, ANY ANY ACCOMMODATIONS THAT ARE NECESSARY, UH, FOR REPAIR, UH, OUTSIDE OF THE REQUIRED TIME.
SO, YOU KNOW, ACCOMMODATIONS THAT, UH, FOR, FOR A RESIDENT TO, UM, TO BE ABLE TO, TO GET SOME RELIEF.
AND AS YOU ALL KNOW, UH, AS YOU MENTIONED IN, IN YOUR, IN YOUR OPENING STATEMENT, UH, THIS PAST SUMMER WAS BRUTAL.
UH, WE HAD RECORD HEAT, UH, AND, AND, AND WE, WE, WE KNEW THAT THAT RESIDENTS IN GARLAND, UH, THAT THAT LIVED IN AN APARTMENT COMPLEX THAT HAD CHILLING UNITS, UH, IF THOSE CHILLING UNITS GO DOWN, UH, IT AFFECTS THE WHOLE COMPLEX, UH, NOT JUST, UH, A UNIT HERE AND A UNIT THERE.
UH, THE WHOLE COMPLEX IS AFFECTED.
SO, UM, JUST TO GIVE YOU THE SCOPE OF THIS, UH, OUT OF OUR 240 MULTIFAMILY PROPERTIES THAT WE HAVE IN GARLAND, WE HAVE APPROXIMATELY 10% OF THOSE, UH, COMPLEXES HAVE CHILLERS.
SO WE'RE, YOU KNOW, WE'RE, YOU KNOW, 10% OF THE, OF THE COMPLEXES, UH, HAVE THESE CHILLING UNITS.
AND SO THIS IS, THIS IS WHAT THEY DEAL WITH EVERY YEAR.
SO, UH, BUT ANYWAY, UH, WITH THAT BEING SAID, UH, CURRENTLY, UH, HERE AT GARLAND, UH, WE, WE DO REQUIRE AIR CONDITIONING, UH, IN OUR, OUR PERIOD OF ENFORCEMENT, UM, IS FROM MAY 1ST THROUGH OCTOBER 1ST, UH, AND THEN OUR COM COMFORTABLE TEMPERATURE ZONE, UH, IS BASICALLY 81 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT OR 20 DEGREES UNDER THE OUTDOOR TEMPERATURE, UH, OVER 101 DEGREES.
SO, UH, AS YOU CAN SEE, UH, YOU KNOW, UH, AND THAT'S, THAT'S PRETTY MUCH THE INDUSTRY STANDARD, UH, OF A, OF A, OF A, UH, MECHANICAL EQUIPMENT, UH, IS, IS PRETTY MUCH THAT 20 DEGREE DELTA IS, IS WHAT THE INDUSTRY WILL TELL YOU.
THAT'S, THAT'S ABOUT WHAT WE CAN DO.
UM, SO WE, WE'VE, WE'VE KIND OF MIRRORED THAT BASED ON THE INDUSTRY STANDARD.
UH, BUT THERE IS SOME, THERE IS SOME FLEXIBILITY THERE, AS YOU CAN SEE FROM OTHER CITIES.
UH, BUT, AND CURRENTLY, UM, A, UH, LACK OF AIR CONDITIONING IS, IS BY POLICY, UH, CONSIDERED A CRITICAL VIOLATION FOR US, WHICH A CRITICAL VIOLATION WOULD BE A 72 HOUR TIMELINE TO COMPLY SO THAT THERE'S, THERE'S SOME ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT THERE.
UH, IF WE REALLY WANT TO, TO TIGHTEN, TIGHTEN THE WRENCH, SO TO SPEAK, UH, ON THAT AREA, UH, WE CAN, WE CAN, AS, AS YOU CAN SEE IN THE, IN THE PROPOSED AREA, UM, IN THE, THE PROPOSALS THAT WE, THAT WE, UH, ARE LOOKING AT, I'VE, I'VE, UH, IDENTIFIED THOSE IN, IN RED.
UH, SO THAT WOULD BE SOMETHING THAT WE WOULD BE WILLING TO, TO CORRECT, UH, AND CHANGE.
UH, AND WE CAN DO THAT BY POLICY.
UH, SO WE CAN CERTAINLY DO THAT IF THAT'S, UH, UH, COUNCIL'S WISH.
UH, AND THEN ALSO, UM, ONE, ONE THING WE, WE WERE LOOKING AT, UH, AND THIS WAS A SUGGESTION, I BELIEVE BY, BY, UH, MR. ENGLAND, UH, IS THAT WE COULD EX EXTEND OUR, UH, PERIOD OF ENFORCEMENT, UH, TO OCTOBER 31ST.
UM, OR, UH, SOME CITIES, AS YOU CAN SEE, BASICALLY DO NOT HAVE A TIME PERIOD.
IT'S BASED ON THE, BASED ON THE, YOU KNOW, THE, THE CONDITIONS, THE WEATHER.
SO, UH, YOU KNOW, WE HAD SOME, UH, UH, EXTREME TEMPERATURES IN MAY, UH, UH, EARLY MAY THAT WERE SOMEWHAT UNUSUAL, UH, FOR THAT TIME OF YEAR.
UH, AND SO WE, WE BEGAN RECEIVING COMPLAINTS, UH, FOR, FOR NO AIR CONDITIONING IN, IN EARLY MAY.
UH, SO SOME OF THE COMPLEXES WERE LATE, KIND OF GETTING THEIR SYSTEMS STARTED UP.
UH, AND SO, UH, AND THEN THEY ENCOUNTERED PROBLEMS, UH, WITH WATER LEAKS, THIS AND THAT, UH, THE SUPPLY CHAIN, UH, CAUSED SOME EQUIPMENT, UH, YOU KNOW, UH, PARTS ISSUES THAT THEY, THEY WERE, THEY WERE FAILING.
UH, SO THAT DELAYED SOME OF THE REPAIRS, UH, THAT WERE, THAT WERE NEEDED TO GET THE SYSTEMS UP AND GOING.
[00:35:01]
UM, IF YOU, IF YOU CAN SEE IN THE RED, UM, UH, PROPOSAL THERE FOR, FOR OUR CITY, UM, SOME, SOME OF THE RECOMMENDED RECOMMENDATIONS BY DEPUTY MAYOR PRO TIMM SMITH, UM, AND, AND HE'S PROVIDED THOSE TO, TO BRIAN.AND, UM, WE, WE'VE LOOKED AT THOSE AND, AND FEEL VERY COMFORTABLE WITH THOSE.
IT'S, AND, AND, AND THESE RECOMMENDATIONS ARE, ARE, ARE HIS, HIS RECOMMENDATIONS, UM, ARE ALSO SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE, WE RECOMMEND TO THE PROPERTY MANAGERS AND OWNERS.
UH, WE CURRENTLY DO NOT HAVE THOSE WRITTEN AS A STATUTE, AS A REQUIREMENT, BUT THAT'S JUST A RECOMMENDATION THAT WE MAKE.
YOU KNOW, HEY, IF, IF THE, IF YOUR, IF THEIR UNIT IS DOWN AND, AND, AND THE, UH, OCCUPANTS ARE NEEDING AIR, UH, YOU NEED TO DO SOMETHING, YOU NEED, NEED TO PROVIDE A WINDOW UNIT, UH, OR YOU NEED TO, UH, PROVIDE SOME TYPE OF ALTERNATIVE, UH, ACCOMMODATION, UH, SUCH AS, UH, YOU KNOW, UH, RELOCATING THEM TO A HOTEL OR MOTEL AT, AT, AT THE PROPERTY OWNER'S EXPENSE, UH, OR, UM, ALLOW SOME TYPE OF VARIANCE.
UH, IF YOU HAVE A, A WINDOW UNIT RULE THAT, YOU KNOW, WINDOW UNITS AREN'T ALLOW, AREN'T ALLOWED AT YOUR COMPLEX, THEN YOU NEED TO, TO EASE OFF OF THAT AND, AND PROVIDE A VARIANCE FOR THAT TO HAPPEN.
SO, UH, BUT THOSE ARE JUST SOME OF THE THINGS THAT, UH, THAT, THAT DEPUTY MAYOR PRO TIMM SMITH RECOMMENDED.
UH, I DIDN'T REALIZE THAT HE WAS SUCH A, A WORDSMITH
SO, UH, ANYWAY, UH, I'LL TAKE CREDIT FOR THAT ONE,
UH, BUT ANYWAY, HE, UH, HE REALLY, UH, WROTE IT UP REALLY NICE.
UM, LANCE AND I, UH, AND BRITA HAVE MET AND TALKED ABOUT IT.
AND AGAIN, IT'S THINGS THAT WE CURRENTLY RECOMMEND, UH, BUT WE COULD, WE COULD CERTAINLY INCORPORATE THAT INTO A REQUIREMENT AND, UM, AN ENFORCEABLE REQUIREMENT IF THAT'S, IF THAT'S WHAT WE NEED TO DO.
UM, REALLY, UH, THAT'S, THAT'S REALLY THE, THE, THE PRESENTATION THAT I HAD.
I DIDN'T WANNA TAKE A WHOLE LOT OF TIME, BUT JUST TO GIVE YOU A PERSPECTIVE OF SOME OF THE OTHER CITIES THAT THEY'RE DOING.
UM, AND SOME OF THE THINGS AND OPPORTUNITIES THAT WE CAN DO, UH, AND THAT WE FEEL VERY, UM, UH, IT, IT, THERE'S A NEED.
UH, AGAIN, YOU KNOW, THIS, THIS PAST SUMMER, UH, REALLY OPENED OUR EYES, UH, WHEN THESE, AND A LOT OF THESE COMPLEXES WERE COMING OFF THE, AS YOU RECALL, THE, THE BAD WINTER THAT WE HAD, THE, THE PREVIOUS YEAR.
AND, UH, THEY, THEY WERE STILL SUFFERING FROM WATER LEAKS, UH, IN THEIR PIPING SYSTEMS JUST FROM THE FREEZES.
SO IT'S, UH, UH, WE, WE REALLY FELT THE BRUNT OF THAT.
SO, UH, NOW WE DID, AND WE DO ESCALATE, UH, ENFORCEMENT, YOU KNOW, WE DO ISSU ISSUE TICKETS ON THIS, AND WE DID ISSUE SOME TICKETS THIS PAST SUMMER.
UH, BUT WE, WE TAKE THIS VERY SERIOUSLY, UH, ESPECIALLY WHEN WE'RE HAVING, UH, THE HEAT, THE HEAT WAVE THAT WE HAD.
AND, AND AS, AS YOU KNOW, UM, I DON'T USE THIS WORD VERY OFTEN, BUT GLOBAL WARMING IS,
UH, AND SO WE'RE HAVING EARLIER, EARLIER SUMMERS AND, AND THE LONGER SUMMERS.
UM, SO, BUT, UH, WITH THAT BEING SAID, WE'LL, WE'LL TAKE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS AND, AND GO FORWARD.
COMMITTEE, YOU HAVE QUESTIONS, UH, NOT NECESSARILY QUESTIONS.
UH, IT SEEMS TO ME THAT THIS IS, UM, IT'S AN EXPECTATION FOR WHEN THE WEATHER GETS HOT.
UH, THESE TYPES OF SITUATIONS ARE GOING TO OCCUR, AND YOU'RE GONNA HAVE SITUATIONS WHERE, UH, THE AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEMS ARE GONNA GO OUT.
AND I THINK THAT, THAT, UH, JUST BASED ON WHAT I'M SEEING PRESENTLY, WE HAVE, UH, PROCESSES IN PLACE TO ADDRESS IT AND TO DEAL WITH IT.
BUT AGAIN, IT SOUNDS LIKE ALSO A SITUATION OF WHERE WE'RE TRYING TO BE PROACTIVE AND, UH, I LIKE THE, THE THOUGHTS AND THE IDEAS THAT, UH, DEPUTY PROAM ROBERT SMITH HAS PUT IN PLACE IN MEANING PROBABLY RATHER THAN WAIT UNTIL IT HAPPENS TO BE PROACTIVE AND GO AHEAD AND DEAL WITH ORDINANCES OR DEAL WITH SOME TYPE OF WRITTEN, UH, DOCUMENTATION THAT, UH, THE PROPERTY OWNERS HAVE THE EXPECTATION THIS IS, THIS IS WHAT WE EXPECT, THIS IS WHAT WE ANTICIPATE, THAT IF THE TEMPERATURE GOES, UH, IN THE DIRECTION OF BEING ABOVE OR BELOW WHAT OUR EXPECTATIONS ARE, THEN THIS IS WHAT YOU NEED TO BE DOING IN ORDER TO, UH, CORRECT THE PROBLEM.
SO, UH, I'M PRETTY MUCH IN LINE WITH, UH, NOT LIKE TO SEE US GO FORWARD PROBABLY WITH SOMETHING WRITTEN, SOME TYPE OF WRITTEN DOCUMENTATION THAT, UH, THE PROPERTY OWNER CAN HAVE AN EXPECTATION AS WELL AS, UH, THE PEOPLE WHO, UH, THE TENANTS THAT LIVE IN THE, IN THESE PROPERTIES.
AND WE, YOU KNOW, WE CAN, WE CAN CERTAINLY COMMUNICATE WITH OUR, OUR MULTI-FAMILY POPULATION, OUR OWNERSHIP POPULATION, UM, THROUGH OUR LICENSING PROGRAM.
UH, THEY FILL OUT AN ANNUAL APPLICATION.
UH, WE'RE, WE'RE IN CONSTANT COMMUNICATION WITH THEM, SO WE CAN, WE
[00:40:01]
CAN DO A, A MASS EFFORT TO COMMUNICATE THESE CHANGES OR ANY CHANGES THAT, THAT COME FORWARD.UM, AND WE HAVE A, WE HAVE AN ANNUAL MEETING.
UH, UNFORTUNATELY WE HAVE OUR ANNUAL MEETING IN OCTOBER.
UH, WE'RE RIGHT IN THE, WE'RE RIGHT IN THE REIS REGISTRATION SEASON NOW.
UH, BUT WE CAN STILL, UH, OFFER THAT COMMUNICATION, UM, VIA EMAIL.
UM, AND, AND CERTAINLY DO THAT.
LANCE, LANCE AND HIS TEAM DO A REALLY GOOD JOB OF COMMUNICATING WITH OUR, OUR APARTMENT MANAGEMENT.
UH, WE, WE CAN PUT THINGS ON OUR WEBSITE, UM, YOU KNOW, THERE, THERE'S, WE CAN, WE CAN GO ALL DIFFERENT AVENUES TO MARKET THESE, THESE CHANGES AND INFORM PEOPLE.
UM, SO I WOULD LIKE TO THINK THAT MOST PROPERTY OWNERS ARE NOT GOING TO BE THE KIND OF PEOPLE THAT WANT TO PUT THEIR TENANTS IN AN UNTENABLE SITUATION WHERE THEY'RE NOT, YOU KNOW, WHERE THEY'RE VERY UNCOMFORTABLE.
I THINK THAT WE DO THIS IN ORDER TO DEAL WITH THOSE PEOPLE WHO ARE JUST BLATANTLY NOT GOING TO COMPLY.
AND SO, I'M, I'M, I'M, I THINK THAT THE, THE DIRECTION THAT YOU, YOU'VE ALREADY IDENTIFIED WILL BE APPROPRIATE FOR US TO, UH, GO AHEAD AND PUT SOMETHING IN WRITING, HAVE THOSE EXPECTATIONS SO THAT NOW WE CAN GO OUT AND WE CAN ENFORCE IF NECESSARY.
UM, WHEN YOU HAVE A, WHEN YOU WRITE A TICKET FOR NON-COMPLIANCE, HOW MUCH IS THE FINE? UH, I'M NOT REAL SURE.
I THINK IS THE COURT SET THE FINE ON THOSE LANDS, OR IS THERE A BASE? IT'S, IT'S ROUGHLY, I THINK $269 I BELIEVE'S THE CITATION.
IS THAT, AND FOR, AND HOW OFTEN IS THAT TICKET REINSTATED? DO YOU GIVE THEM, LIKE, IS IT JUST THE ONE FINE OR NO, IT CAN BE A DAILY.
AND BECAUSE OF, OF A LOT OF CITIZEN DRAMA, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT DEPUTY MAYOR PROM SMITH AND I HAVE, UH, HASHED OVER NUMEROUS TIMES.
UM, SO A COUPLE OF THE THINGS, THE QUESTIONS THAT I HAD ON, ON OUR CURRENT, UM, COMFORTABLE TEMPERATURE ZONE, WE SEEM TO BE, UM, OUTTA STEP WITH EVERYBODY ELSE WHO'S 85 DEGREES INSTEAD OF 81, 80 ONE'S.
UM, SO IS THERE SOME REASON WE'RE AT 81 AND EVERYBODY ELSE IS AT 85? NOT, NOT THAT I RECALL.
YEAH, THAT WAS PROBABLY SOMETHING THAT'S BEEN CARRIED OVER FOR YEARS.
I WOULD PROBABLY SUGGEST WE GET IN STEP WITH EVERYBODY ELSE AND JUST MAKE IT 85 OR OR 20 DEGREES UNDER OUTDOOR TEMPERATURE OVER, UM, I DON'T KNOW WHY IT SAYS OVER 101, BUT I GUESS OVER 105 IS WHAT EVERYBODY ELSE, AGAIN, IS SAYING JUST TO, TO BE A LOT OF, UM, APARTMENT MANAGEMENT MANAGES APARTMENTS IN MULTIPLE CITIES, SO AS MUCH AS WE CAN ADHERE TO STANDARDS SO AS NOT TO BE OVERLY CONFUSING, UM, I ALWAYS PREFER THAT THE, UH, TO MAKE SURE I UNDERSTAND.
SO IF WE, IF WE BUMP THAT TO 85, THAT'S GONNA MAKE IT A LITTLE WARMER, IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE RIGHT.
THAT, THAT WOULD BE ACCEPTABLE BECAUSE APPARENTLY IT'S ACCEPTABLE IN ALL THESE OTHER CITIES, SO THAT ARE ALL AROUND US.
I JUST HATE TO BE THE ONLY ONES SAYING WE THINK 81 IS THE HOTTEST TEMPERATURE AND EVERYBODY ELSE GOING, WELL, WE THINK 85.
AND ANYWAY, THAT'S A, A SMALL POINT, BUT STILL, IF WE CAN JUST BE, UH, IN, IN SYNC WITH THE OTHER CITIES AROUND US, UM, I WORK A LOT WITH THE APARTMENT ASSOCIATION OF GREATER DALLAS, AND SO THEY, THEY DEAL WITH APARTMENT MANAGEMENT THAT CROSS CITY BOUNDARIES ALL THE TIME.
SO IT IS HELPFUL WHEN WE HAVE STANDARDS THAT ARE STANDARD.
SO, UH, THAT WOULD BE MY POSSIBLE SUGGESTION.
UM, TIME REQUIRED FOR DE UH, FOR REPAIR, I SEE THAT RIGHT NOW IT'S 72 HOURS, UM, AND YOUR PROPOSAL IS 24 HOURS, RIGHT.
WHICH, WHEN PEOPLE ARE ROASTING WITH THEIR FAMILIES, I LIKE 24 HOURS.
UM, VERY MUCH AGREE WITH GOING AHEAD AND MAKING THIS POLICY AND MAKING IT ENFORCEABLE.
UM, BECAUSE EVEN THOUGH IT'S A FAIRLY SMALL POPULATION OF APARTMENTS THAT HAVE THESE CHILLERS AND THAT HAVE THESE ATTITUDES, UM, THEY'RE THE SAME ONES OVER AND OVER AGAIN.
UM, AT LEAST IN MY DISTRICT, IT'S THE SAME ONES.
SO, AND SOME OF THESE, SOME OF THESE COMPLEXES ARE RATHER LARGE TOO.
UM, SO COMMITTEE, I WANNA KIND OF, I LIKE, I LIKE, UM, DEPUTY MAYOR PRO TEM SMITH'S RECOMMENDATIONS.
UM, I KNOW HE WAS CONCERNED ABOUT LEASES THAT
[00:45:01]
PROHIBIT WINDOW UNITS.I HAVE NOT TO DATE FOUND ONE THAT ACTUALLY PROHIBITS WINDOW UNITS AS PART OF THEIR LEASE.
I'VE JUST BEEN TRYING TO GET SOMEBODY TO SAY, OOH, THAT'S WHAT MY LEASE SAYS.
THE ONE THAT CAME CLOSEST, ONE OF MY CONSTITUENTS IN A SMALLER APARTMENT COMPLEX THAT WENT OUT FOR QUITE SOME TIME, UM, THEY WEREN'T, THEY WERE ONLY ALLOWED TO HAVE ONE WINDOW UNIT.
AND WHEN EVERYTHING WAS GOING REALLY BAD AND IT WAS REALLY HOT, UM, THIS ONE YOUNG WOMAN GOT A SECOND WINDOW UNIT AND THE APARTMENT MANAGER, UM, SAID SHE COULDN'T DO THAT.
SO, UM, AND, AND I JUST, JUST A ON THAT IT COULD BE AN, AN EGRESS THING, UM, YOU KNOW.
YOU KNOW, IT COULD, IT COULD GET INTO AN EGRESS SAFETY FACTOR.
UM, SO THAT, THAT'S, YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE TO POINT, YOU HAVE TO LOOK AT THAT TOO.
SO, SO THE WAY THAT IT'S WRITTEN HERE AND, AND MR. ENGLAND, I ASSUME THAT YOU'VE ALREADY GONE OVER THE, OKAY.
SO ARE YOU SATISFIED WITH THE LANGUAGE? YES.
IT'S, IT'S, THERE'S A RATIONAL BASIS FOR EVERYTHING THAT'S OKAY.
TESTED, SO THERE'S NO PROBLEMS WITH IT.
SO, UM, SO OUR REQUIREMENTS WOULD THEN BECOME THAT IF THERE IS A, AN AIR CONDITIONING OUTAGE THAT, UM, HAS, HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED WITHIN 24 HOURS, THAT WE WILL COMPEL THE MANAGEMENT TO, TO PROVIDE A WINDOW UNIT CAPABLE OF MEETING OUR STANDARDS OR PROVIDE ALTERNATIVE ACCOMMODATIONS, AND ALSO STATE THAT ANY, UM, ANY RULE PROHIBITING THE USE OF A WINDOW UNIT, UM, WOULD HAVE TO BE, UH, WAIVED DURING AND UNTIL THE CENTRAL AIR CONDITIONING WAS HEATED, WAS, UH, REPAIRED.
IS THAT CORRECT? THAT IS CORRECT.
AND ARE, AND YOU'RE COMFORTABLE WITH ALL OF THAT? YES.
ARE YOU COMFORTABLE WITH MOVING OUR, OUR ALLOTTED TEMPERATURE UP TO 85? UH, I HAVE A LITTLE LITTLE CONCERN ABOUT THAT.
I KNOW, I KNOW 81 AND TO ME IS UNCOMFORTABLE
UH, BUT AGAIN, WE'RE, YOU KNOW, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT'S WHAT, WHAT, WHAT Y'ALL PREFER.
UH, THAT'S, THAT'S MY PERSONAL PREFERENCE WOULD BE TO LEAVE IT AT 81.
LANCE, DO YOU HAVE ANY, DO YOU HAVE YOUR PHONE? I'D SAY 61 MYSELF, BUT
SHOULD BE IN QUOTE, COMFORTABLE DOING THE GOOGLE GREAT GOOGLE SEARCH.
UM, IT LOOKS LIKE 81 MIGHT BE SOMETHING THAT COMES FROM THE NURSING HOME INDUSTRY.
IT MIGHT BE A STATE, COMMON STATE OR FEDERAL MAXIMUM.
SO THAT'S MAYBE WHERE THAT CAME FROM.
WE WOULD NEED TO CHECK THAT FOR ACCURACY.
UM, WELL COMMITTEE, MY, MY INCLINATION ON THIS WOULD BE TO SAY, UM, TO LET RICK COME BACK NEXT MONTH, WORK WITH MR. ENGLAND AND BRING US BACK A WRITTEN DRAFT PROPOSAL OF WHAT WE'D LIKE TO DO.
AND COULD YOU ALSO, UH, DRILL A LITTLE DEEPER ON THE 81 85 QUESTION? NEITHER, NEITHER ONE OF THOSE ARE COMFORTABLE.
SO COMFORTABLE TEMPERATURE ZONE IS A, UH, NOT AN ACCURATE LABEL, BUT, UM, TOLERABLE, LIVABLE.
YOU WON'T, IT WON'T MAKE YOU DIE.
UM, THAT'S PROBABLY WHAT WE'RE GOING FOR IN THESE CRITICAL SITUATIONS, RIGHT? YES.
UM, WHAT IS THE TIMEFRAME FOR WHICH THEY HAVE TO PROVIDE WINDOW UNITS OR ALTERNATIVE ACCOMMODATIONS AFTER THAT? RIGHT.
WE, WE WERE SAYING IF THEY DON'T FIX THE UNIT WITHIN 24 HOURS, THEN HOW LONG BEFORE THEY HAVE TO ALLOW OR HAVE TO HAVE EVERYONE A SEED? WELL, IT WOULD BE IF, IF ONCE WE GIVE THEM A NOTIFICATION, IF IT'S, IF IT'S DOWN AND WE GIVE THEM A, A NOTIFICATION, THEY'VE GOT 24 HOURS TO EITHER GET IT UP AND RUNNING TO GET TO THE, TO THE STANDARD OR, OR PROVIDE, GOT IT.
UM, YOU KNOW, THE THING WITH, UH, NURSING HOME STANDARDS, THAT'S INTERESTING.
SO ANOTHER THING, UH, COMMITTEE TO CONSIDER, WE DO HAVE, AMONG OUR MULTI-FAMILY, WE HAVE SENIOR FACILITIES,
[00:50:01]
WE HAVE ASSISTED LIVING FACILITIES, UM, WHICH MIGHT ARGUE FOR LEAVING IT TO WHATEVER THE STATE STANDARD IS FOR THE MORE FRAGILE ELDERLY.SO, UM, WELL, SO WE, WE DO HAVE, UM, PLACE FOR ACTIVE ADULT COMMUNITIES, IF YOU'RE CORRECT.
AS, AS MULTIFAMILY, WE DON'T, UH, CURRENTLY REGULATE THE ASSISTED LIVING BECAUSE THEY'RE ALSO REGULAR BY THE STATE AGENCY.
WE DON'T BASICALLY LICENSE AND INSPECT THOSE.
SO WE WOULD BE JUST TALKING ABOUT ACTIVE SENIORS, WHICH WOULDN'T BE THE SAME AS A NURSING HOME.
SO I'M STILL LEANING TOWARD 85, BUT IF YOU CAN CHECK INTO THAT AND COME BACK TO US SURE.
NEXT MONTH WITH A AN A DRAFT THAT WE CAN, UM, GO THROUGH AND, AND HOPEFULLY PRESENT BACK OUT TO COUNSEL.
I, I'M VERY HAPPY ABOUT GETTING, UH, GETTING TOOLS IN HAND AND HAVING, HAVING THEM HAVE TEETH.
24 HOURS LAUGH EL RELAPSED AND THEY ARE NOT ABLE FOR WHATEVER THE REASON MAY BE, AND USUALLY IT'S GONNA BE SOMETHING THEY, THEY JUST CANNOT MAKE IT HAPPEN.
AND THEN WE HAVE THAT THEY WOULD BE ALLOWED, UH, ACCOMMODATIONS FOR THE, UH, FOR THE TENANTS.
HOW DO WE, HOW DO WE ENFORCE THAT? HOW DO WE MAKE THAT HAPPEN? WHAT HAPPENS WHEN HE SAYS THAT? WELL, I, I'M NOT ABLE TO PUT THEM INTO OTHER ACCOMMODATIONS.
WELL, ULTIMATELY OUR ULTIMATE TOOL HERE IS WE COULD REVOKE A LICENSE.
BUT THAT'S MORE OF A, A LONG TERM SOLUTION.
BUT, BUT WE COULD, WE COULD STILL DO THAT DOWN THE ROAD, BUT, UH, THE DAILY CITATIONS WOULD THAT, THAT'S, THAT'S THE TOOL WE HAVE OTHER THAN REVOKING A LICENSE.
SO 24 HOURS, IT DOESN'T HAPPEN.
WE GIVE THEM A TICKET 24 HOURS.
UH, I'M JUST LOOKING AT THAT PIECE ABOUT THE, UH, PROVIDING ALTERNATIVE ACCOMMODATIONS.
I'M THINKING HOW THAT, ESPECIALLY IN, LIKE YOU SAID, SOME OF THESE APARTMENTS ARE VERY LARGE.
WELL, AND WE WOULD ALL, WHAT ARE YOU, ARE YOU DONE? I'M FINISHED, YES.
UM, THE, THE QUESTION THAT, UM, COUNCIL MEMBERS LUCKED AND, AND MORE RAISED, I, I THINK ARE ALSO SOMETHING THAT WE'D BE INTERESTED IN HEARING.
UM, WHAT PART OF THAT, AND MAYBE MR. ENGLAND KNOWS THIS OFF THE TOP OF HIS HEAD, WHAT PART OF THE FINE AMOUNT IS LEGALLY WITHIN OUR REACH TO NOT AS PART OF THIS, UM, TO ADJUST, TO INCREASE, TO ESCALATE, MOST LIKELY $500 UP TO $500 MAX.
BUT THERE ARE SOME EXCEPTIONS TO THAT THAT I CAN LOOK TO SEE IF IT FITS IN.
AND, AND SOME HEALTH AND SAFETY, UM, EXCEPTIONS FALL WITHIN THAT.
I'M NOT SURE IF THIS WOULD OR NOT, BUT I CAN LOOK AND SEE.
UM, AND I'M TRYING TO STAY WITHIN OUR, OUR, UH, OUR BOX HERE WITH THE AGENDA POSTING.
SO I DON'T KNOW IF THAT WOULD BE, UM, ACCEPTABLE FOR YOU TO BRING BACK TO US NEXT MONTH AS WELL.
WE WILL SEE YOU ALSO NEXT YEAR.
IT SOUNDS SO MUCH BETTER AND MORE COMFORTABLE AND MORE RELAXING THAN, UH, TAKE ALL THE TIME.
YEAH, I'M GETTING OLD FASTER THAN YOU ARE.
UH, COMMITTEE ITEM FIVE IS ADJOURNED.
SO AT 4:56 PM WE ARE ADJOURNED.