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[Plan Commission Pre Meeting]
TO THE AUGUST 28TH MEETING OF THE GARLAND PLAN COMMISSION.THIS IS OUR WORKING SESSION PORTION OF OUR MEETING WHERE WE GET BRIEFINGS FROM STAFF TO ASK QUESTIONS OF STAFF.
AND AFTER WE'RE DONE WITH THAT PORTION, WE WILL GO INTO RECESS AND COME BACK AT SEVEN O'CLOCK FOR OUR PUBLIC HEARING PORTION OF OUR MEETING.
UH, FIRST, UM, FOR THE CONSENT AGENDA, DO WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THE CONSENT AGENDA? I SEE NONE.
OUR FIRST CASE TONIGHT IS, UH, Z 2306.
THE APPLICANT REQUESTS APPROVAL OF A SPECIFIC USE PROVISION FOR A RESTAURANT DRIVE THROUGH, USE A, UH, MOSTLY SNOW CONE WITH FOOD SERVICES ON A PROPERTY ZONED COMMUNITY RETAIL DISTRICT.
THE SITE IS LOCATED AT 5 5 1 4 AND 5 5 1 6 BROADWAY BOULEVARD.
IT IS A 0.289 ACRE SITE ON COMMUNITY RETAIL LAND.
THIS IS WHERE THE SITE IS LOCATED WITHIN THE CITY, AND THIS IS WHERE THE SITE IS LOCATED WITHIN THE GENERAL AREA.
SO YOU CAN SEE IT IS MOSTLY SURROUNDED BY OTHER, UH, COMMUNITY RETAIL ZONE PROPERTIES, FEATURING THINGS LIKE RETAIL STORES, UH, UH, FOOD ESTABLISHMENTS, UH, MEDICAL OFFICE, UH, TATTOO SHOP, AND OTHER VARIOUS, UH, ALLOWED USES WITHIN THE ZONING.
AND THEN A SINGLE FAMILY, UH, ZONING TO THE EAST.
THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN DOES HAVE THIS, UH, AREA LABELED FOR COMPACT NEIGHBORHOODS.
COMPACT NEIGHBORHOODS PROVIDE MODERATE, UH, INCREASES IN RESIDENTIAL, UH, DENSITY FOR THE AREA.
IT EXPANDS HOUSING OPTIONS AND INFILL, UH, FOR REDEVELOPMENTS WHILE CONTINUING WALKABLE DEVELOPMENT PATTERNS.
UM, THEY PROVIDE TRANSITIONS BETWEEN, UH, RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOODS AND HIGHER DENSITY RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOODS.
UM, THEY ALSO PROVIDE, UH, AND ACCOMMODATE USES SUCH AS CONVENIENCE, RETAIL, GOOD AND SERVICES, UH, OFFICE SPACE AND PUBLIC SERVICES.
THE PROPOSED USE WILL OFFER ADDITIONAL FOOD SERVICE TO THE SURROUNDING RESIDENTIAL AREA.
HERE ARE PHOTOS OF THE SITE LOOKING, UH, NORTH AND SOUTH DOWN BROADWAY BOULEVARD, UM, AND LOOKING SOUTH DOWN BROADWAY BOULEVARD.
YOU CAN SEE THE, UH, PARTIALLY AND, UH, THE EXISTING ICE KIOSK THAT WILL SHARE THE PROPERTY WITH THIS, UH, PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT.
HERE'S A VIEW OF THE SITE LOOKING EAST AND THEN, UH, LOOKING WEST ACROSS BROADWAY BOULEVARD.
UM, THERE IS ONE DEVIATION REQUIRED, UH, REQUESTED FOR THE PERIMETER SCREENING THAT I WILL SOON GET INTO.
AND HERE'S THE LANDSCAPE PLAN.
UM, THERE'S ALSO ANOTHER DEVIATION REQUESTED THIS TIME FOR THE, UH, LANDSCAPE, UH, BUFFER THAT I WILL GET INTO ON THE NEXT COUPLE SLIDES.
AND HERE ARE THE BUILDING ELEVATIONS.
UH, IT SHOULD BE NOTED THAT THE BUILDING ELEVATIONS DO MEET ALL G D C REQUIREMENTS FOR THE FIRST VARIANCE.
UM, IT IS A REQUEST ABOUT THE PERIMETER SCREENING.
UH, NORMALLY A SIX TO EIGHT FOOT, UH, TALL MASONRY WALL, A FIVE FOOT TALL ORNAMENTAL METAL FENCE WITH MASONRY COLUMNS, UM, OR A SIX FOOT TALL EARTHEN BERM OR UNDULATING SERIES OF BERM WITH A LIVING SCREEN IS REQUIRED.
THE APPLICANT PROPOSES A WOODEN FENCE THAT MATCHES THE CURRENT DESIGN AND THE HEIGHT OF THE EXISTING FENCE THAT DOES, UH, THAT IS ON THE, UH, ADJACENT NORTH AND SOUTH PROPERTIES.
THE APPLICANT'S JUSTIFICATION IS THAT, UH, THERE'S A LACK OF SPACE FOR A LARGER FENCE, SUCH AS A MASONRY WALL OR A ORNAMENTAL FENCE WITH A GREENERY.
UM, AND THEY WOULD PREFER, UM, A FENCE THAT WOULD BE THINNER AND WOULD MATCH ITS SURROUNDINGS.
UM, AND PROPOSING TO, UH, CONTINUE THE SAME STYLE WOODEN FENCE THAT DOES CURRENTLY EXIST ON NEIGHBORING PROPERTIES.
INSTEAD, UH, A, UH, FOR THE OTHER DEVIATION, A SITE AND PERIMETER LANDSCAPING, UH, DEVELOPMENT VARIANCE IS REQUESTED.
NORMALLY WE REQUIRE A 15 FOOT LANDSCAPE BUFFER ALONG BROADWAY BOULEVARD, UM, PROPOSED AS A LANDSCAPE BUFFER.
UH, THAT IS RANGING FROM 6.67 FEET TO 10.46 FEET FOR TWO-THIRDS OF THE PROPERTY.
UH, DUE TO THE EXISTING ICE KIOSK AND THE LACK OF ROOM TO EXPAND THE LANDSCAPE BUFFER ON THE SOUTHERN PART OF THE PROPERTY ALONG BROADWAY BOULEVARD, THIS WOULD BE A SOUTH OF THE ENTRANCE TO THE SITE.
UM, A DEVELOPMENT VARIANCE, UH, TO ONLY REQUIRE A SIX FOOT LANDSCAPE BUFFER IS REQUESTED.
HOWEVER, IT SHOULD BE NOTED THAT MOST OF THE LANDSCAPE BUFFER ON THIS PART OF THE PROPERTY IS OVER 10 FEET, WHICH IS THE REQUIRED BUFFER FOR THOROUGHFARES LESS THAN TYPE D.
UM, ALSO A 15 FOOT LANDSCAPE BUFFER IS PRESENT ON THE NORTHERN PART OF THE PROPERTY,
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SO THAT WOULD BE THE, UH, LAND OR THE FRONTAGE NORTH OF THE, UH, ENTRANCE TO THE PROPERTY.UM, ALSO THE REQUIRED, UH, LANDSCAPE PLANTINGS ARE PROVIDED, UH, PER THE G D C.
SO JUST TO GO BACK REAL QUICK, THE LANDSCAPE ELEVATION, THIS IS THE, UH, SIDE THAT WON'T MEET THE 15 FEET, AND THIS SIDE DOES MEET THE 15 FEET REQUEST.
A QUICK QUESTION, THAT'S AN EXISTING CROSS ACCESS EASEMENT, SO THAT'S REALLY BLOCKING 'EM IN, ISN'T IT? YES, SIR.
THIS IS, UM, ALL EXISTING, UH, CONCRETE THERE.
UH, THE APPLICANT IS REQUESTING APPROVAL OF A 25 YEAR SPECIFIC USE PROVISION.
THE SS U P TIME PERIOD GUIDE RECOMMENDS 20 TO 25 YEARS FOR A RESTAURANT DRIVE THROUGH STAFF RECOMMENDS APPROVAL OF A, UH, SPECIFIC USE PROVISION FOR A RESTAURANT DRIVE-THROUGH, UH, SERVICE USE, UH, IN A PROPERTY ZONE COMMUNITY RETAIL, AS WELL AS A VARIANCE TO SECTION 4.34 IN THE G D C REGARDING THE LANDSCAPE BUFFER WITH ALONG BROADWAY BOULEVARD.
WE ALSO RECOMMEND APPROVAL, UH, OF A PLAN FOR A RESTAURANT DRIVE THROUGH USE.
HOWEVER, REGARDING THE VARIANCE REQUEST TO SECTION 4.39 STAFF RECOMMENDS AN ENHANCED PERIMETER SCREENING FENCE, A MASONRY SCREENING WALL PER SECTION 4.39 IS THE TYPICAL STANDARD FOR COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, UH, COMMUNITY RETAIL DEVELOPMENT.
ALTHOUGH A BOARD ON BOARD STAINED WOODEN FENCE MAY BE CONSIDERED AS AN ALTERNATIVE, WE SENT OUT 70 LETTERS TO THESE SURROUNDING PROPERTIES AND WE RECEIVED ONE THAT WAS OUTSIDE THE NOTIFICATION AREA THAT WAS AGAINST THE REQUEST.
DO WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? UH, COMMISSIONER JENKINS, THEN COMMISSIONER ROSE.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE PRESENTATION.
A QUESTION REGARDING THE FENCE, UH, JUST IN TERMS OF CONSISTENCY OF THE AREA AS I WAS DRIVING THROUGH AND THEN LOOKING ON GOOGLE MAPS, I DIDN'T SEE A LOT OF FENCING IN THE AREA, BUT THERE'S A REFERENCE IN THE REPORT TO, I GUESS, EXISTING FENCING.
CAN YOU WALK ME THROUGH THAT? YES, SIR.
UM, I DO WISH I HAD SOME IMAGES OF THAT.
THEY MIGHT SHOW UP IN THE PHOTOS THAT I HAVE.
BUT, UM, CURRENTLY, SO THERE YOU CAN KIND OF SEE HERE, THERE IS PART OF THE FENCE OVER HERE ON THE NEIGHBORING PROPERTY, BUT UM, THE TRUCK IS A BIT BLOCKING IT HERE, BUT NORMALLY ON STREET VIEW THIS, THESE ARE SITE PHOTOS, BUT ON STREET VIEW YOU'D BE ABLE TO BETTER SEE, UM, THERE IS AN EXISTING WOODEN FENCE BEHIND THIS, UH, PROPERTY TO THE NORTH.
THIS IS THE TATTOO SHOP AND THEN THERE IS FOR THE PROPERTY NEXT DOOR, UM, A LITTLE BIT AS WELL.
AND IT'S KIND OF JUST A STRAIGHT UP, UH, NORMAL BROWN WOODEN FENCE.
UM, AND THEY WERE PROPOSING, SINCE IT DOES EXIST ON THE PROPERTIES ON BOTH ADJACENT SIDES, THAT THEY WOULD JUST FILL IT IN WITH THE EXISTING FENCE.
UM, THAT IS RATHER HARD TO SEE, ESPECIALLY IF THERE'S THICKER VEGETATION.
COMMISSIONER ROSE, WHEN YOU SAY A WOODEN FENCE BOARD ON BOARD, IS THAT A VERTICAL OR HORIZONTAL BOARD ON BOARD, WHICH YEAH, HORIZONTAL, UM, IS TYPICALLY IT, BUT, UM, THAT'S HORIZONTAL'S MORE DECORATIVE, I THINK.
WE MAY HAVE TO MAKE THAT CLEAR.
'CAUSE I THINK BOARD ON BOARD ONE AND THEN IT'S OVERLAPPING VERSUS THE MM-HMM.
AND I WOULD ALSO SUGGEST STEEL POST BE PART OF THAT RECOMMENDATION SO IT STAYS THERE.
AND WHEN I WENT OUT THERE AND LOOKED AROUND, YEAH, THERE IS A WOOD FENCE TO THE NORTH.
AND TO THE SOUTH APPEARS TO BE A C M U WALL THERE TOO.
I DIDN'T GO ON THEIR PROPERTY.
AND THE WOOD FENCING THAT'S ON THAT PROPERTY, UH, I MEAN, BEHIND IT, THAT'S ON THEIR PROPERTY AND SOMEBODY'S PUT A STORAGE SHED ON THEIR PROPERTY, SO THEY MAY HAVE SOME ISSUES THERE, BUT THAT'S THEIR PROBLEM.
UH, THEY'VE ALSO TAKEN OVER THE CITY ALLEY TOO, SO THAT'S A CITY PROBLEM.
ON THE SITE PLAN, I BELIEVE THEY DON'T INDICATE THAT.
UM, YEAH, ANYTHING LIKE THAT EXISTS.
YEAH, IT'S A, IT'S A PLASTIC STORAGE BUILDING AND UH, APPARENTLY THE PEOPLE BEHIND HAVE TAKEN OVER THE 15 FOOT, IT'S A UTILITY ALLEY.
BUT IF WE GO WITH THE BOARD ON BOARD FENCE, I WOULD SUGGEST ADDING STEEL POSTS TO THE CONDITION.
AND, UH, NEXT ONE IS, AS Y'ALL HAVE SEEN, IS BEING, UH, UH, THE CONSIDERATION APPLICATION OF P UH, PACHECO COKE.
UH, THAT'S BEING PUT OFF FOR TILL SEPTEMBER 11TH.
UH, APPARENTLY THERE WERE SOME PROPERTY LINE ISSUES THAT THEY NEEDED TO GET CLEARED OUT, SO IT WASN'T ACCEPTED AS A FORMAL APPLICATION AND IT'S STILL UNDER THE 30 DAYS.
THE APPLICANT REQUEST APPROVAL OF A MOBILE FOOD TRUCK PARK.
THE ACREAGE IS APPROXIMATELY 0.078 ACRES, AND THE EXISTING ZONING IS DOWNTOWN DISTRICT.
AND HERE'S THE CITYWIDE LOCATION MAP, AND THE RED STAR SHOWS THE GENERAL LOCATION OF
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THE SUBJECT PROPERTY.AND HERE'S THE LOCATION MAP, THE SUBJECT PROPERTY OUTLINED IN THIS TEAL BLUE COLOR.
AND, UM, IT IS IN THE DOWNTOWN DISTRICT AND MORE SPECIFICALLY IN THE DOWNTOWN HISTORIC SUBDISTRICT.
AND THE FOOD TRUCK, MOBILE FOOD TRUCK PARK REQUIRES A SPECIFIC USE PROVISION IN THE DOWNTOWN HISTORIC SUBDISTRICT.
AND ANY NEW DEVELOPMENT IN THE DOWNTOWN DISTRICT REQUIRES A DOWNTOWN DEVELOPMENT PLAN.
AND SURROUNDING ZONING ARE ALL IN THE DOWNTOWN DISTRICT, MAINLY RESTAURANT, RETAIL AND OFFICE USES THE FEATURE LAND USE MAP OF THE ENVISION GARLAND PLAN DESIGNATES THIS PROPERTY AS COMMUNITY CENTERS.
THIS PROPOSAL IS CONSISTENT WITH THE COMMUNITY CENTER'S DESIGNATION AND MAY ADD TO THE VIBRANCY OF THE CORE DOWNTOWN AREA.
THE TOP LEFT IS A VIEW OF THE SUBJECT PROPERTY FROM SOUTH SIXTH STREET, AND THE RIGHT IMAGE IS SOUTH OF SOUTH SIXTH STREET.
LEFT PICTURE IS EAST OF THE CEDRIC PROPERTY, AND RIGHT PICTURE IS NORTH OF THE CEDRIC PROPERTY.
AND HERE IS THE PROPOSED SITE PLAN, WHICH SHOWS A MAXIMUM OF FIVE FOOD TRUCK PADS, AND THERE'S A CENTRAL SEATING AREA WITH BENCHES AND UMBRELLAS AND FESTOON LIGHTING.
UM, THERE'S ALSO SOME PLANTERS AROUND, UM, AND THE DOWNTOWN HISTORIC SUBDISTRICT DOESN'T HAVE A MINIMUM PARKING REQUIREMENT.
THE APPLICANT IS PROPOSING FOR, UH, PEDE, SORRY, THE PATRONS TO USE THE ON STREET, UH, EXISTING PARKING.
UM, THAT'S ALONG SIXTH STREET AS WELL AS MAIN STREET.
AND THEY CAN PARK THERE AND THEN WALK OVER EITHER THROUGH SIXTH STREET OR THROUGH THIS ALLEY AS WELL.
AND THE FOOD TRUCKS CAN, UM, ENTER OR EXIT THE PROPERTY THROUGH THIS ALLEY.
IT'LL BE CURVED SO THEY CAN ENTER AND MANEUVER THROUGH THAT.
UM, AND THE, UM, THERE IS A RESTROOM, UM, JUST SOUTH OF SOUTH SIXTH STREET.
THERE'S A PUBLIC RESTROOM, WHICH YOU CAN SEE IN THIS PICTURE RIGHT HERE.
THERE WILL NOT BE A, UM, RESTROOM ON SITE.
AND THERE'S ALSO A DUMPSTER, A PUBLIC DUMPSTER, WHICH IS RIGHT HERE.
AND, UM, EVERYONE CAN USE THAT DUMPSTER AND THERE WILL NOT BE PROPOSING A DUMPSTER ON SITE.
AND THE APPLICANT IS ALSO REQUESTING TO WAIVE THE LANDSCAPING STANDARDS, UM, PER THE G D C JUST BECAUSE THIS SITE IS SMALL.
BUT, UM, THE APPLICANT IS PROPOSING THESE, UH, ROW OF PLANTERS, LARGE PLANTERS ALONG SOUTH SIXTH STREET, AND THAT'S TO CREATE A BUFFER BETWEEN THE SIDEWALK AND THE PROPERTY.
UH, THERE WILL ALSO BE PLANTERS THROUGHOUT THIS, UH, CENTRALIZED SEATING AREA AS WELL AS PLANTERS WITHIN EACH FOOD TRUCK POT.
IN ADDITION, UM, THE APPLICANT IS PROPOSING A, UM, MAXIMUM OF EIGHT FOOT FENCE ALONG THE NORTHERN PERIMETER, UH, WHICH WILL COMPLY WITH G D C STANDARDS.
THE APPLICANT IS REQUESTING THE APPROVAL OF A 10 YEAR SS E P.
THE S E P TIME PERIOD GUIDE DOES NOT HAVE A RECOMMENDED TIME PERIOD FOR A MOBILE MOBILE FOOD TRUCK.
STAFF RECOMMENDS APPROVAL OF A DOWNTOWN DEVELOPMENT PLAN, MAJOR WAIVER ON A PROPERTY ZONE DOWNTOWN DISTRICT, AND IN THE DOWNTOWN HISTORIC SUBDISTRICT APPROVAL OF A SPECIFIC USE PROVISION FOR A MOBILE FOOD TRUCK PARK AND APPROVAL OF A PLAN ON A PROPERTY ZONE DOWNTOWN DISTRICT AND THE DOWNTOWN HISTORIC SUBDISTRICT.
WE RECEIVED EIGHT WITH A NOT WITHIN A NOTIFICATION AREA FOR THE REQUEST NINE WITHOUT, WITHIN THE NOTIFICATION AREA AGAINST THE REQUEST.
ONE WAS A NEUTRAL REQUEST, ONE WAS OUTSIDE OF THE NOTIFICATION AREA FOR THE REQUEST, AND THREE WERE OUTSIDE OF THE NOTIFICATION AREA AGAINST THE REQUEST.
AND WE RECEIVED A TOTAL OF 22 RESPONSES.
I'D BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
COMMISSIONER ROSE AND COMMISSIONER WILLIAMS. AND COMMISSIONER JAMES.
YOUR, UH, S S U P IS FOR 10 YEARS.
YOUR RECOMMENDATION, THE APPLICANT IS RECOMMENDING FOR 10 YEARS, AND YOU'RE ACCEPTING THAT WE ARE OKAY WITH THAT.
COMMISSIONER WILLIAMS? UH, THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN.
IS THERE A GATE WHERE THAT FENCE IS? UH, IT'S JUST A SOLID FENCE RIGHT HERE.
THIS IS, UM, SO THIS IS THE EXISTING BUILDING.
THIS IS A, UH, 20 FOOT RIGHT OF WAY.
AND THIS IS WHERE THE PROPERTY LINE IS, WHERE IT WILL BE FENCED.
I'M SAYING, IS THERE GONNA BE A GATE? NOT THAT I'M AWARE OF.
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AND THEN COMMISSIONER BIN.UH, FIRST QUESTION'S ACTUALLY FOR OUR ATTORNEY.
UM, ARE YOU AWARE, SIR, OF ANY, UH, EXISTING, UH, CASES, UH, INVOLVING THIS PARTICULAR ISSUE? I AM NOT.
UM, WHAT ARE, UM, OUR LIMIT LIMITATIONS AS IT RELATES TO RECOMMENDATION, UM, TO TIE IN A USE OR OPERATION WITH A SPECIAL, UH, SPECIAL EVENT PERMIT? I'M PRESUMING THAT WE HAVE SPECIAL EVENT PERMITS THAT WE, UH, THAT, UH, UM, YOU KNOW, WOULD APPLY FOR THE DOWNTOWN AREA.
WHAT, HOW CAN WE, OR CAN WE AT ALL TIE AN SS U P IN THE OPERATION OF USE TO A SPECIAL EVENT PERMIT? I'M NOT AWARE OF A WAY TO DO THAT.
CAN IT, THERE'S ONLY ONE WAY IN TO THIS PARTICULAR LOCATION, IS THAT CORRECT? I MEAN, OTHER THAN THROUGH THE PUBLIC ALLEY WHERE THE TRUCKS WOULD ENTER, THERE'S ONLY ONE WAY TO ACCESS THE SITE.
THE PUBLIC ALLEY IS MAINLY USED FOR THE FOOD TRUCK, UM, TO BE ABLE TO DRIVE IN THROUGH HERE, BUT, UH, THIS, THERE IS NO WAY TO ACCESS THROUGH SOUTH SIXTH STREET.
SO THIS IS ALL PLANTER, THIS IS THE SIDEWALK.
PE THE PEDESTRIAN ACCESS FROM THAT PARTICULAR, YOUR, YOUR EGRESS AND INGRESS IS FROM SIXTH STREET SPECIFICALLY.
IT CAN ALSO BE FROM THE ALLEY AS WELL, DEPENDING ON HOW THEY, FROM WHICH DIRECTION THEY'RE WALKING.
WELL WHY THE PROPOSAL FOR ONLY FIVE FOOD TRUCKS? THEY'VE GOT SPACE FOR A SIXTH.
THAT IS THE, WHAT THE APPLICANT IS PROPOSING.
THAT WAS THE APPLICANT'S REQUEST AND NOT THE OKAY.
UM, AND, AND DO WE KNOW, I, I'M NOT FAMILIAR WITH OUR PROCESSES AS IT RELATES TO FOOD TRUCKS.
I DON'T THINK WE'VE GOT MUCH, UH, AVAILABLE.
DO WE HAVE A PROCESS TO VET, UM, FOOD TRUCK USE? UH, SO CAN, CAN WE SAY, YOU KNOW, THE FOOD TRUCK HAS TO BE, UH, YOU KNOW, HEALTH DEPARTMENT CERTIFIED OR WHAT HAVE YOU, UH, THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT WILL LOOK AT THIS, UM, AFTER THE ZONING, UM, PROVIDED THAT THE ZONING IS APPROVED.
BUT, UM, WHAT OTHER, UM, I GUESS WHAT I'M TRYING TO UNDERSTAND WHAT OTHER, UM, THINGS THAT WE SURE.
SO JUST NEED CLARIFICATION ON THE QUESTION.
SO IT LOOKS LIKE ON, UH, IN SECTION, UH, 2.21, WE'VE GOT UNDER B SPECIFICALLY CONDITIONS THAT WE CAN, YOU KNOW, LIMIT, UH, OR, OR RECOMMEND, EXCUSE ME, REGARDING ANY APPLICATION FOR AN S U P.
ONE OF THOSE IS, UH, LIMITATIONS ON OPERATIONAL FUNCTION OF PROPOSED USE.
SO BASED UPON THE IDEA THAT YOU CAN HAVE, UH, FOOD TRUCKS, YOU'RE SAYING YES, YOU CAN OPERATE OR HIGHLY SHOOT FOOD TRUCKS, THE LIMITATION WOULD BE THAT THE FOOD TRUCKS MUST BE APPROVED BY CITY HEALTH, YOU KNOW, APARTMENTS OR SERVICES PRIOR TO, UM, YOU, THAT, THAT'S TIED IN WITH THE APPLICATION ISSUES PIECE SPECIFICALLY.
AND IT LOOKS LIKE WILL'S LEAN AND FORWARD.
UH, COMMISSIONER, GOOD QUESTION.
I, I BELIEVE THAT'S REALLY PART OF THE PROCESS ANYWAY.
THEY ARE SUBJECT TO HEALTH DEPARTMENT PERMIT APPROVAL REGARDLESS.
UM, SO WHETHER IT'S IN THE S U P ORDINANCE ANYWAY.
SO, BUT THERE'S, SO THERE'S NO, THERE'S NOTHING THAT THIS BOARD CAN DO AS IT RELATES TO RECOMMENDATION TO MAKE CERTAIN THAT ALL FOOD TRUCKS, ANY FOOD TRUCK THAT IS ON THAT SITE MUST BE APPROVED BY GARLAND SERVICES.
I DON'T THINK IT WOULD BE A NECESSARY FUNCTION OF THE PLAN COMMISSION.
UM, THAT WOULD BE, WE WOULD REALLY JUST DEFER TO THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT.
UM, ANY, ANY SIGNAGE, UH, THAT'S GONNA GO ON THE SITE? I DIDN'T, I DIDN'T SEE ANYTHING.
UH, BUT NOTHING TO SAY, YOU KNOW, FOOD TRUCKS HERE, ANYTHING LIKE THAT? NO SIGNAGE, UH, PER THE APPLICANT.
SO I JUST, I JUST WANNA CLARIFY OR GET AN UNDERSTANDING.
SO THE RECOMMENDATION IS PROVE THIS, BUT THEY'RE, THEY'RE NOT GONNA PROVE IF THEY DON'T PROVIDE ANY PARKING AND THEY'RE NOT GONNA HAVE THEIR OWN BATHROOMS AND THEY'RE NOT EVEN GONNA HAVE THEIR OWN DUMPSTER? THAT'S CORRECT.
THERE IS, UH, FLEXIBILITY IN DOWNTOWN.
UM, AND AS I MENTIONED IN THE DOWNTOWN HISTORIC SUBDISTRICT, THERE IS NO MINIMUM PARKING, UH, REQUIREMENT.
AND, UH, IS THAT, THAT DOESN'T SOUND LIKE THAT COULD POSSIBLY BE TRUE.
I'M, AND I'M NOT TRYING TO BE DIFFICULT, BUT, YOU KNOW, EVERY OTHER BUSINESS THAT COMES IN HAS PARKING REQUIREMENTS.
AND WE WENT THROUGH THIS WITH RESPECT TO PRETTY MUCH EVERYTHING.
THE, THE, YOU ALL WENT THROUGH IT WITH THE TATTOO PARLOR YOU GO THROUGH, WE, THIS WAS ONE OF THE REASONS WHY THE, UM, THE WOMAN'S CLINIC THAT WAS PROPOSED TO
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COME IN AT, AT FIFTH AND MAINE, THAT THEY WOULD'VE NEEDED LIKE 32 PARKING SPACES.SO I'M A LITTLE BIT CONCERNED THAT, THAT THERE'S, SO THERE'S NO REQUIREMENT AT ALL, OR IS IT JUST BECAUSE IT'S NOT DEFINED WITHIN THE, AS A USE FOR THAT? NO, CORRECT.
UH, IT, IT ACTUALLY IN THE, UH, DOWNTOWN SQUARE AND DOWNTOWN HISTORIC SUBDISTRICTS, UM, PROBABLY, UH, IT'S PROBABLY BEEN MORE THAN A YEAR AT THIS POINT, YEAR AND A HALF, IF THE COMMISSION COMMISSIONERS MAY RECALL.
BUT, UM, A MINIMUM OFF STREET PARKING REQUIREMENTS WERE REMOVED FROM THOSE TWO SUBDISTRICTS DOWNTOWN.
UM, THERE WAS A LIST OF G D C AMENDMENTS, BUT YES, SIR, THAT WAS, UM, THAT WAS CHANGED PROBABLY ABOUT A YEAR, A YEAR AND A HALF AGO.
SO THAT'S, THAT'S WHY THERE'S NO PARTNER REQUIREMENT.
IT'S NOT JUST THIS USE, IT'S THIS CORE DOWNTOWN AREA.
THE CORE OF DOWNTOWN NO LONGER HAS ANY PARKING REQUIREMENTS.
PART OF THE, YOU KNOW, OF COURSE WITH THAT CORE DOWNTOWN, IT'S VERY COMMON WITH A LOT OF DOWNTOWNS, THE LOT COVERAGE IS SO HIGH.
SOMETIMES THE BUILDING TAKES UP THE WHOLE LOT.
SO THERE'S NO OFTENTIMES PHYSICAL ROOM FOR OFF STREET PARKING.
SO YOU'RE RELYING ON THAT, THAT PUBLIC PARKING AND ON STREETE PARKING.
AND DID, UH, DO Y'ALL FEEL THAT THE PARKING IS SUFFICIENT THERE TO HANDLE WHATEVER LOAD THERE IS? I KNOW THERE'S BEEN A BUNCH OF DISCUSSION IN THE CITY, JUST LEASE SOME PROPERTY FOR ADDITIONAL PARKING.
DO YOU, ARE WE WORRIED ABOUT PARKING CONSTRAINTS OR, WELL, AND I THINK THE APPLICANT SAID ANTICIPATED ABOUT SIX TO EIGHT PARKING SPACES.
UM, BASED ON MY CONVERSATION WITH THE APPLICANT, HE BELIEVES IT WOULD BE A MAXIMUM OF FIVE TO SIX DURING PEAK HOUR.
UM, AND THAT'S JUST BASED ON WHAT THE APPLICANT MENTIONED, WHICH SHOULD BE SUFFICIENT BASED ON THE ON STREET PARKING THAT WE HAVE.
AND THEN, UM, THE, THE NO BATHROOM, IS THAT, ARE BUSINESSES DOWNTOWN REQUIRED TO HAVE BATHROOMS OR WE JUST, I MEAN, I, I, I GUESS I'D HAVEN'T THOUGHT ABOUT THAT, BUT I MEAN, IF THIS WAS A RESTAURANT THAT'D HAVE TO HAVE A BATHROOM, CORRECT? YES, THERE IS A REQUIREMENT FOR THE BATHROOM.
UM, BUT THERE IS A, UM, PUBLIC RESTROOM THAT IS JUST SOUTH OF SIXTH STREET, AND I CAN SHOW, I'M SHOWING THAT PICTURE RIGHT HERE.
UM, SO IT IS EXISTING, SO PATRONS CAN ACTUALLY WALK THERE AND USE THAT RESTROOM, AND THAT'S WHAT THE APPLICANT IS PROPOSING TO USE RATHER THAN CONSTRUCT ONE ON SITE.
DOES THAT REQUIRE A WAIVER FROM THE STANDARDS FOR MOBILE FOOD TRUCK PARKS? YES, SIR.
THAT, AND THAT'S A REQUIREMENT, ISN'T IT? IT'S A SPECIAL STANDARD WITH, FOR MOBILE FOOD TRUCKS PARKED, CORRECT? YES.
THAT'S THE TRIGGER FOR THAT MAJOR WAIVER? YES, SIR.
AND THEN SAME THING WITH THE DUMPSTER.
THEY DON'T, THEY'RE NOT GONNA HAVE THEIR OWN FACILITY FOR TRASH.
THEY'RE JUST GONNA USE A PUBLIC DUMPSTER YES.
WHICH IS RIGHT NEXT TO RIGHT IN FRONT OF THE PUBLIC RESTROOM AND, AND WHO'S PAYING.
SO THEY'RE NOT PAYING FOR THAT, THEN THE CITY'S GONNA, THE CITIZENS ARE GONNA PAY FOR THE DUMPSTER FOR THIS BUSINESS.
IS THAT, I MEAN, AM I MISREADING THAT? I I JUST, I MEAN, THEY'RE GONNA USE A PUBLIC DUMPSTER FOR ALL THEIR TRASH.
AND WE'RE NOT ASKING THEM THERE, THERE'S NO AGREEMENT.
AND I'M, THIS MAY BE A QUESTION FOR THE APPLICANT, THERE'S NO AGREEMENT THAT, THAT THEY PAY FOR SOME PART OF THAT OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT? AS FAR AS I KNOW, IS THERE, I'M NOT AWARE OF THAT AGREEMENT.
UM, PERHAPS THE APPLICANT HAS SOME ADDITIONAL INFORMATION.
THANK YOU COMMISSIONER DALTON.
UM, IS THIS A WIDE OPEN PARKING? DO THEY JUST SHOW UP AND TAKE A PLACE, OR DO THEY HAVE TO CALL AND RESERVE TO BE IN THIS PARK BEFORE THEY CAN COME IN, OR IT'S JUST FIRST COME FIRST SERVE THE PUBLIC TO USE THE PUBLIC.
PUBLIC PARKING? NO, TO BRING IN THEIR, UH, FOOD TRUCK, FOOD TRUCKS.
UM, I BELIEVE THERE'S DESIGNATED LOCATIONS, BUT I, UH, THE APPLICANT CAN EXPAND ON HOW THAT OPERATION WOULD WORK AND, UH, WHETHER IT'S RESERVED PER FOOD TRUCK OR, UM, THEY CAN JUST BRING A FOOD TRUCK.
COMMISSIONER WILLIAMS. UH, THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN.
ARE THESE PERMANENT TRUCKS OR ARE THEY GONNA BE IN AND OUT WHENEVER? SO THE MOBILE FOOD TRUCK PARK USE IS INTENDED TO BE A, A PERMANENT FACILITY, UM, OR A LONG TERM, UH, WHERE THIS, THESE FOOD TRUCKS CAN STAY FOR MONTHS OR IT CAN STAY FOR A YEAR.
UM, THE APPLICANT MENTIONED THAT HE'S NOT SURE EITHER, WHETHER THESE WOULD BE FOUR TO FIVE MONTHS, DEPENDING ON WHICH FOOD TRUCKS HE GETS.
UM, BUT IT COULD BE FOUR TO FIVE MONTHS.
THEY'LL BE THERE ALL THE TIME.
THANK YOU MR. WELL, YOU GUYS COVERED A LOT OF MY QUESTIONS.
UM, I, I READ THROUGH ALL THE LETTERS AND, UH, EARLIER THIS, UH, EARLIER IN THE WEEK
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AND THE PARKING LOT TO THE WEST, UH, THERE'S ABOUT FOUR OR FIVE, SIX SPACES THERE.THEY'RE CONCERNED ABOUT THEIR PARKING SPACES BEING TAKEN UP.
SO, AND SOME OF THIS IS STUFF FOR THE APPLICANT MAYBE TO ADDRESS IN HIS PUBLIC TESTIMONY.
AND, YOU KNOW, HE MAY EVEN OFFER UP, YOU KNOW, PARKING ONLY FOR THAT BUSINESS AND NO TRUCK PARKING HERE.
AND I FORGOT TO LOOK AND I DIDN'T BRING MY TABLET.
WHAT KIND OF FENCE IS THAT ALONG THE NORTH SIDE? THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION.
UM, THE APPLICANT WANTED TO LEAVE THE, UH, WANTED THAT FLEXIBILITY TO LEAVE IT OPEN.
UM, HE'S NOT CERTAIN AT THIS TIME.
IT COULD POSSIBLY BE A WOOD FENCE, BUT, UM, IT WILL COMPLY WITH THE G D C REQUIREMENTS.
UM, AND ANOTHER, WELL, THERE WERE THREE OTHER CONCERNS OR, OR PLENTY OF CONCERNS, BUT THREE, ONE BEING THE TRASH.
AND AGAIN, HOW WILL THAT BE HANDLED DURING REGULAR OPERATIONS? UH, HOW WILL BE COLLECTED AND STORED AND JUST, YOU KNOW, TAKING IT NIGHT OVER? SO THERE'S SOME OF THOSE THINGS PEOPLE ARE CONCERNED ABOUT TRASH GETTING ALL OVER.
UM, AND IF THESE ARE SEMI-PERMANENT, A LOT OF THESE FOOD TRUCKS RUN OFF OF GENERATORS.
AND I DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S GONNA BE ELECTRICITY PROVIDED TO THESE TRUCKS AND IF WE MAKE IT TO WHERE THEY CANNOT USE GENERATORS, UM, AND ODORS, PEOPLE ARE GONNA COMPLAIN ABOUT ODORS AND NOW RESTAURANTS HAVE SCRUBBERS AND STUFF TO REDUCE THE ODORS.
I DON'T KNOW IF THERE ARE ANY REQUIREMENTS FOR THAT, SINCE IT COULD BE A SIX MONTH USE AT EACH, EACH TRUCK.
SO THESE ARE JUST SOME ISSUES THAT ASK THE APPLICANT TO ADDRESS AND, UH, SO WE CAN FIGURE SOMETHING OUT.
AND THAT'S THE LAST WHOOP I MISSED, COMMISSIONER JENKINS WITH THE, THE SLATED OPENING OF THE DOWNTOWN, BASED UPON THE REDESIGN, UM, WE, THE CITY EXPECTS THERE TO BE INCREASED FOOT TRAFFIC IN THE AREA GENERALLY, IS THAT CORRECT? YES.
BUT FOR THE MOST PART, THERE HAVE BEEN NO ADDITIONAL ADD-ONS AS IT RELATES TO TRASH OR PARKING OR THE, THE THINGS THAT WE'RE CONCERNED ABOUT THIS EVENING.
OH, I DID FORGET ONE THING THAT I, I'D WRITTEN TO YOU ABOUT IF THEY WERE GONNA USE ANY ENHANCED PAVING OR MAYBE AT THE PEDESTRIAN ENTRYWAYS TO MAKE IT MORE OF A, A SPOT VERSUS CONCRETE AND GRAVEL.
AND MAYBE EVEN THE PLANTERS COULD HAVE SOME SIGNAGE AND A PLACE COULD BE GIVEN A LITTLE UNIQUE NAME TO, YOU KNOW, SUCH AND SUCH FOOD PARK IN DOWNTOWN GARLAND.
AND SO INSTEAD OF IT JUST BEING THERE, IT'S MORE OF A DESTINATION PLACE WITH, UH, YOU KNOW, ENHANCED PAVING.
AND, AND I NOTICED, AND YOU HAD MENTIONED THAT THEY WERE GONNA USE SOME KIND OF LIGHTING AND I, I'M NOT CERTAIN WHAT THAT IS, BUT AGAIN, MAYBE SOME LIGHTING OUT THERE TO GIVE IT SOME AMBIENCE AND STUFF AT NIGHT.
AND, AND THERE WERE THE QUESTIONS ABOUT WILL IT BE USED BY HOMELESS DURING THE NIGHT HOURS? SO SOME, SOME POSSIBILITIES THERE.
ALRIGHTY, I THINK THAT'S IT NOW.
SO WE ARE GONNA BE IN RECESS UNTIL 7:00 PM FOR OUR PUBLIC HEARING PORTION.
[Call to Order]
GOOD EVENING.WELCOME BACK TO THE AUGUST 28TH MEETING OF THE GARLAND PLAN COMMITTEE.
THIS IS OUR CUSTOM, WE COMMISSIONERS START OUR MEETING WITH THE PRAYER AND PLEDGE.
YOU'RE INVITED TO JOIN US, WHETHER YOU DO OR NOT, NO WAY AFFECTS THE DECISIONS OF THE COMMISSION.
TONIGHT'S PRAYER AND PLEDGE WILL BE LED BY COMMISSIONER ROSE.
FATHER GOD, WE HUMBLY COME BEFORE YOU FOR GUIDANCE THAT WE, UH, CAN HELP THE CITY OF GARLAND MOVE FORWARD.
WE ASK THAT YOU, UH, WATCH AFTER, WATCH OUT FOR OUR POLICE AND FIRE AND ALL THE, UH, PUBLIC WORKERS.
AND, UH, WE JUST APPRECIATE YOUR, YOUR, UH, SUPPORT.
I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, LIBERTY, JUSTICE FOR ALL.
WELL, GOOD EVENING AND WELCOME TO OUR MEETING.
HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF AGENDA HOUSEKEEPING FOR US HERE, UH, ON OUR AGENDA ITEMS TWO, UH, THREE C AND THREE D, CONSIDERATION OF THE APPLICATION.
UM, THAT ITEM IS GONNA BE POSTPONED TILL OUR SEPTEMBER 11TH MEETING, SO WE'LL NOT BE HAVING A PUBLIC HEARING ON THAT ITEM OR THOSE TWO ITEMS. ALL RIGHTY.
WE, UH, GIVE THE APPLICANT 15 MINUTES TO PRESENT THEIR CASE AND WE ALLOW OTHER SPEAKERS THREE MINUTES.
IF YOU'RE SPEAKING FOR HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATION OR SUCH, WE DO ALLOW MORE TIME.
[00:30:01]
EVERYBODY'S SPOKEN, WE DO ALLOW THE APPLICANT TO COME BACK UP AND RESPOND TO ANY OF THE INPUT.NOW WE DO NEED YOU TO STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS INTO THE MICROPHONE FOR OUR OFFICIAL RECORDS, AND WE'D APPRECIATE IT WHEN YOU DO THAT.
[CONSENT AGENDA]
FIRST ITEM AND OUR AGENDA IS OUR CONSENT AGENDA.CONSENT AGENDA ARE ITEMS THAT THE COMMISSIONERS HAVE REVIEWED AND WILL BE VOTING ON ONE VOTE TO APPROVE.
I WILL READ THROUGH THE CONSENT AGENDA ITEMS AND ANYBODY IN THE AUDIENCE OR COMMISSIONER WHO WANTS AN ITEM REMOVED FOR INDIVIDUAL CONSIDERATION, JUST LET ME KNOW AFTER I'M THROUGH AND WE WILL DO THAT.
ALRIGHTY, CONSENT AGENDA ITEM ONE A, CONSIDER APPROVAL OF THE PLAN COMMISSION MINUTES FOR THE AUGUST 14TH, 2023 MEETING.
ITEM TWO, A PLA 23 DASH 27 GARLAND FAIR STORAGE FINAL PLATT, ITEM TWO B PLAT 23 DASH 29 SOTO ONE EDITION, FINAL PLATT ITEM TWO C, UH, PLAT 23 DASH 30 AVANT GARLAND ADDITION, FINAL PLAT.
THOSE ARE ALL THE ITEMS IN OUR CONSENT AGENDA.
ANYBODY CARE TO HAVE AN ITEM REMOVED FOR INDIVIDUAL CONSIDERATION? MOVE TO APPROVE.
SECOND MOTION BY COMMISSIONER WILLIAMS AND A SECOND, UH, BY COMMISSIONER JENKINS.
[Items 3A & 3B]
THREE, A CONSIDERATION OF THE APPLICATION OF JESSICA, UH, JAMES SIKA SIMS, RON HOBBS, ARCHITECTURE AND INTERIOR DESIGN, L L P REQUESTING APPROVAL OF A SPECIFIC USE PROVISION FOR A RESTAURANT DRIVE THROUGH SERVICE ON PROPERTY ZONE COMMUNITY RETAIL DISTRICT, AND VARIANCES TO SECTION 4.34 AND 4.39 IN THE GARLAND DEVELOPMENT CODE REGARDING SITE AND PERIMETER SCREENING LANDSCAPING.THIS PROPERTY'S LOCATED 55 14 AND 55 16 BROADWAY BOULEVARD.
AND ITEM THREE B, CONSIDERATION THE APPLICATION OF JAMES SIMS, RON HOBBS, ARCHITECTURE AND INTERIOR PLANNING.
L L P REQUESTING APPROVAL OF A PLAN FOR RESTAURANT DRIVE THROUGH AT THE SAME ADDRESS.
IS THE APPLICANT HERE, OH, THERE YOU'RE, UM, THE APPLICANT IS HERE.
ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS OF THE APPLICANT? OR YOU CAN COME DOWN AND SAY SOMETHING IF YOU WANT.
OR IF YOU DON'T WANT WE'RE, WE'RE EASY AROUND HERE.
I HAVE MINI, LIKE A MINI PAMPHLET JUST SO YOU, I CAN BRING YOU INTO THE WORLD OF DOG CONE IS WHAT I'M ACTUALLY, UM, PROPOSING FOR THE LOT.
IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO TAKE A LOOK.
YEAH, WE, WE DID GET THOSE OR DID Y'ALL SEE IT? I DIDN'T GET, NO.
I GUESS I WAS HOARDING THE INFORMATION THERE.
SO, UM, BASICALLY, BASICALLY RIGHT NOW IT IS A MOBILE TRUCK.
UM, AND THEN WITH THE LOCATION, I ACTUALLY WANNA BE ABLE TO EXPAND THE BUSINESS, UM, NOT JUST FOR THE BUSINESS, BUT ALSO, UH, CREATING JOBS FOR, FOR YOUNG, YOUNG ADULTS OR WHAT.
SO, UM, ALSO WORKING WITH SCHOOLS AND NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS JUST TO BE ABLE TO GIVE BACK TO THE COMMUNITY.
UM, SOME OF THE COOL THINGS THAT WE DO, UM, IS JUST BEING CREATIVE.
THAT IS ONE OF THE BIG THINGS BEHIND THE BUSINESS.
JUST BEING ABLE TO CREATE DIFFERENT STYLE HOT DOGS, DIFFERENT STYLES, SNOW CONES OR WHATEVER.
AND JUST BEING ABLE TO HAVE A PLACE WHERE THE FAMILY CAN GO MONDAY THROUGH SUNDAY AND HAVE SOMETHING COOL AND SWEET AND JUST ENJOY FAMILY TIME.
ANY QUESTIONS TO THE APPLICANT? COMMISSIONER DALTON, AND THEN COMMISSIONER JENKINS.
SO YOU ARE GOING TO BUILD A PERMANENT FACILITY AT THIS ADDRESS? YES, SIR.
MS. SIMS, THIS IS A FANTASTIC IDEA.
AND, AND THANK YOU FOR COMING DOWN.
HOW DID YOU COME UP WITH THIS IDEA,
I WANTED TO GO TO SCHOOL FOR INTERIOR DESIGN.
UM, BUT WHEN I LOOKED AT THE ART INSTITUTE, IT COST LIKE A HUNDRED GRAND
[00:35:01]
AND I WAS LIKE, THAT'S TOO MUCH MONEY.SO AS I WAS WORKING WITH MY FRIENDS, UM, AT THE NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION, WE WOULD DO, WE WOULD WORK WITH USED AT RISK KIDS IN LOW COMMUNITY APARTMENT COMPLEXES, AND WE WOULD ALWAYS DO HOT DOGS AND WE WOULD HAVE TO RENT A SNOW C MACHINE WITH THE, WITH THE BLOCK CHIPS.
AND IT'S A HASSLE JUST GATHERING ALL THAT STUFF UP, HAVING TO PAY DIFFERENT VENDORS TO BRING DIFFERENT STUFF AT THE LOCATION AND SET UP AND TAKE DOWN.
SO THEY WERE LIKE, WHY DON'T YOU GET A TRUCK? LOOKED INTO THE TRUCK, GOT THE TRUCK, AND IT'S JUST BEEN A SUCCESS EVER SINCE.
HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN IN BUSINESS? I BOUGHT THE TRUCK IN 2016.
AND I DO NEED YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS, PLEASE.
JAMIA SIMS. ADDRESS IS 3, 2 3 PHOEBE LANE, ALLEN, TEXAS 7 5 0 1 3.
I APOLOGIZE FOR BUTCHERING YOUR NAME.
IT'S ABOUT THE BEST THING I DO UP HERE.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR COMING DOWN.
ANYONE ELSE? NO, DON'T, DON'T SEE ANY.
HOPEFULLY I GET TO SEE ALL OF YOU SOON.
I DON'T BELIEVE I HAVE ANY SPEAKER CARDS IN THIS ITEM.
ANYBODY IN THE AUDIENCE WISH TO ADDRESS THIS CASE? SEE NONE.
MR. CHAIRMAN, I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.
SECOND MOTION BY COMMISSIONER CORNELIUS, SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER JENKINS TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.
IS IT TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING ONLY? AND I, I IMAGINE YOU MEANT TO SAY YES, RIGHT? NO, SOMETHING'S NOT.
IT'S RARE THAT SOMEBODY VOTES AGAINST THEIR OWN MOTION, BUT WON'T
UH, WE'RE OPEN FOR DISCUSSION.
UH, COMM COMMISSIONER, UH, DALTON AND COMMISSIONER JENKINS.
I JUST THINK THIS IS A COOL THING TO DO.
NOT BECAUSE IT'S FROZEN ICE, BUT BECAUSE IT HAS OTHER THINGS AS WELL.
UH, I DO BELIEVE WE DID MENTION IN PRE-MEETING ABOUT HAVING THEM USE METAL POLES AND THE FENCING AND ALL THAT WE DO NEED TO, UH, BRING OUT, BUT OTHERWISE, LIKE I SAY, THIS IS A VERY NICE THING TO PUT ON THAT PIECE OF PROPERTY.
I'D LIKE TO, UH, PIGGYBACK ON COMMISSIONER DALTON'S COMMENTS.
UH, I THINK, UH, WE ARE CERTAINLY EXCITED, UH, ABOUT, UH, THE IDEA OF, UH, ENTREPRENEURS IN THE CITY, GROWING BUSINESSES AND, UH, HELPING, UH, UH, THOSE IN NEED, WHETHER THROUGH EMPLOYMENT OR WHETHER IT BE A PACE OF PLACE OF GATHERING.
UH, I WILL, UH, COMMENT AS WELL.
COMMISSIONER DALTON, UH, MADE, UH, REFERENCE TO THE FENCE.
UH, I BELIEVE THE RECOMMENDATION AS WE CONSIDERED IT AT THE WORK SESSION, UH, WAS THAT WE HAD METAL POLES, UH, AND THEN THE HORIZONTAL, UH, UH, BOARD ON BOARD AS OPPOSED TO THE VERTICAL BOARD ON BOARD.
UM, BUT AGAIN, I, I AM, I THINK IT'S EXCITING AND I'M CERTAINLY IN FAVOR OF THIS PARTICULAR REQUEST.
I THINK IT'S GREAT FOR THE AREA IN DISTRICT FOUR THERE ON BROADWAY.
UM, I THINK IT'S GONNA BE SOMETHING FUN AND A NEAT WAY TO BRING OUT THE FAMILY, SO I'M DEFINITELY GOING TO RECOMMEND THIS ONE.
IS THAT IN THE FORM OF A, OH, COMMISSIONER WILLIAMS, DID SHE BRING A, UH, SAMPLE TONIGHT?
YOU KNOW, WE MAY HAVE TO PUT THAT IN OUR BYLAWS THAT ALL RESTAURANTS HAVE TO BRING SAMPLES AND CITY ATTORNEY WOULD AGREE ON THAT ONE.
UH, COMMISSIONER CORNELIUS, LET ME GET YOU BACK ON LIVE AGAIN 'CAUSE I THINK YOU WANNA MAKE A MOTION.
I'D LIKE TO RECOMMEND APPROVAL OF, UH, AGENDA ITEM NUMBER THREE, A AND B AS PRESENTED BY STAFF SECOND.
WOULD THAT INCLUDE THE, UH, ALONG WITH THE PROPOSED VARIANCE AND SUGGESTIONS? YES.
AND THE REQUIREMENT FOR THE EVENTS.
AND I HEARD A SECOND FROM WHERE MAY, COMMISSIONER WILLIAMS MOTION BY COMMISSIONER CORNELIUS TO APPROVE ITEMS TWO A, UH, THREE A AND THREE B AS PRESENTED WITH THE PROVISION THAT THERE BE OFFENSE IN THE BACK BOARD AND BOARD HORIZONTAL WITH STEEL POST.
AND A SECOND BY COMMISSIONER WILLIAMS. ANY DISCUSSION, PLEASE VOTE.
OH, THE VOTE'S ALREADY UP THERE AND I'M GOING, THAT PASSES UNANIMOUSLY.
[00:40:01]
CONGRATULATIONS.AND, UH, GOOD LUCK WITH YOUR BUSINESS THERE.
UH, AS I MENTIONED IN AT THE BEGINNING, ITEMS THREE C AND THREE D, WE WILL NOT BE HEARING, HAVING A PUBLIC HEARING ON THAT.
THOSE ARE POSTPONED TILL OUR SEPTEMBER 11TH MEETING.
SO WE'RE MOVING ON TO ITEM THREE
[Items 3E & 3F]
E AND F THREE E CONSIDERATION, THE APPLICATION OF LARRY.HI, UH, ISHMA REQUESTING APPROVAL OF A SPECIFIC USE PROVISION FOR A MOBILE FOOD TRUCK PARK AND MAJOR WAIVER ON A PROPERTY ZONE DOWNTOWN DEVELOPMENT DISTRICT.
AND IN THE DOWNTOWN HIS, UH, HISTORIC SUB-DISTRICT.
THIS PROPERTY LO, IS LOCATED AT 1 0 1 SOUTH SIXTH STREET AND ITEM THREE F, CONSIDERATION OF THE APPLICATION OF LARRY ISHMA REQUESTING APPROVAL OF A DOWNTOWN DEVELOPMENT PLAN FOR A MOBILE FOOD TRUCK PARK ON PROPERTY ZONE DOWNTOWN DISTRICT AND IN THE DOWNTOWN HISTORIC SUB-DISTRICT.
I THINK THE APPLICANT'S HERE, IF YOU WANT TO COME ON UP AND NAME AND ADDRESS, PLEASE.
LARRY ISHMA FIVE 20 MAIN STREET, GARLAND 7 5 0 4 0.
SO THE UM, FREE TRUCK LOT IS LOCATED NEAR THE BATHROOMS. THE DUMPSTER THAT WAS IN QUESTION IS NOT ACTUALLY THAT DUMPSTER.
THERE'S ANOTHER DUMPSTER THAT'S JUST A LITTLE BIT FURTHER DOWN THAT THE CITY ACTUALLY MADE A LITTLE AREA FOR THAT DUMPSTER TO SIT AT, AT IT'S AN EIGHT YARD DUMPSTER.
I HAVE ALREADY SPOKEN TO, UH, THOMAS FROM THE SANITATION DEPARTMENT.
THERE'S NO FREE DUMPS DUMPING IN DOWNTOWN.
SO I'VE ALREADY MADE AGREEMENTS WITH THE CITY AS SOON AS I'M READY TO ACTUALLY START PAYING MY WAY THROUGH THAT.
THE ELECTRIC, THE WATER AND THE, THE, THE TRASH WILL ALL BE IN ONE BILL.
SO ALL OF THAT WILL BE TAKEN CARE OF BY THAT.
UM, THE REASON WHY FIVE TRUCKS IS BECAUSE I WANT TO KEEP ALL THE ELECTRIC AROUND THE FENCE LINE.
I DON'T WANNA KEEP ANYTHING OUT WHERE SOMEBODY COULD TRIP OVER, YOU KNOW, SO I WANNA KEEP EVERYTHING TUCKED AWAY IN THAT.
UM, THERE WILL BE LIGHTING, UM, I'M GONNA PUT A POST AND STRING LIGHTS WHERE THE DINING AREA WILL BE.
AS FAR AS THE HOMELESS, I MEAN, I GET TO WORK EVERY MORNING AT AROUND FIVE.
THERE ARE POLICE OFFICERS THAT PATROL THE AREA ALL THE TIME.
I SEE 'EM ALL THE TIME MOVING THEM OUT.
THEY SLEEP IN THE CHURCH THAT'S ACTUALLY BEHIND MY BUSINESS, WHICH IS ON MAIN STREET.
AND UM, SO I SEE IT EVERY DAY.
UM, IT'S PROBABLY NOT EVER GONNA GO AWAY, BUT IT CAN BE MINIMIZED.
SO FOR THEM TO SLEEP ON THE BENCHES AND STUFF LIKE THAT, IT MIGHT HAPPEN.
BUT THE OFFICERS ARE ALWAYS OUT RUNNING AROUND IN THE EARLY MORNING HOURS.
I THINK IT'D BE A GOOD USE OF THE PROPERTY.
IT'S, UH, SMALL, BUT YET IT CAN STILL BE, UH, EFFICIENT.
UM, DON'T WANNA PUT ANY SIGNAGE BECAUSE MOST OF THIS STUFF IS ALL SOCIAL MEDIA DRIVEN.
INSTAGRAM, FACEBOOK, MOST OF THESE PEOPLE WILL HAVE FOLLOWERS.
IN FACT, SHE'S EVEN ASKED IF SHE COULD PARK HER TRUCK ON MY PROPERTY
I THINK IT'LL BE A GOOD ADDITION TO DOWNTOWN.
I'VE BEEN TO NUMEROUS DOWNTOWNS AND I'VE SEEN FOOD TRUCK LOTS.
UM, IN FACT, I'VE BEEN TO THE ONE THAT THE CITY MANAGER, THE CITY THAT HE CAME FROM, I ACTUALLY WENT AND SAW IT.
PRETTY NICE LITTLE LOT IN DOWNTOWN.
SO, ANY QUESTIONS? UH, YEAH, WE HAVE A COUPLE.
SO YOU ARE PROVIDING POWER? YES.
SO THESE TRUCKS WILL DRIVE OFF AND DUMP WHEREVER THEY NORMALLY, RIGHT.
THE ESCAPE, THE ESCAPE PARK HAS FOUR TRUCKS AND THEY DON'T PROVIDE SEWER FOR THEM.
SO YOU HAVE POWER AND WATER SO THEY DON'T HAVE TO RUN GENERATORS ALL THE TIME.
HOW LONG CAN THEY STAY THERE? SO MY IDEA WAS TO ALWAYS CHANGE TRUCKS IN AND OUT.
SO NO MORE THAN A MONTH, BUT THEY CAN STAY A WEEK UP TO A MONTH AFTER THAT.
THEY GOTTA GO BRING IN A FRESH BATCH OF TRUCKS THAT ALL HAVE TO BE APPROVED BY THE CITY OF GARLAND'S HEALTH DEPARTMENT.
NOBODY WILL BE ALLOWED TO PARK UNLESS THEY'RE APPROVED.
SO YOU'RE GOING TO VET THESE FOOD TRUCKS AHEAD OF TIME? ABSOLUTELY.
I'M IN DOWNTOWN PRETTY MUCH ALL DAY LONG.
FIVE IN THE MORNING TILL FIVE AT NIGHT.
YEAH, I COME THROUGH DOWNTOWN PRETTY EARLY IN THE MORNING MYSELF GOING TO WORK.
[00:45:02]
UM, THAT'S ALL FOR THE MOMENT.COMMISSIONER ROSE, WHAT ARE THE HOURS YOU THINK THESE TRUCKS WILL BE OPENING? I'M, I'M GONNA SAY NINE TO NINE BECAUSE MAINLY THEY'RE THE EVENING HOURS, BUT IF THEY WANNA OPEN UP IN THE LUNCH HOURS, THEY'RE WELCOME TO, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE PAYING FOR THAT SPOT.
THEY'LL BE LEASED A SPOT THEY WANNA LEAVE.
'CAUSE A LOT OF THEM DO EVENTS.
SO THEY'LL HAVE AN EVENT THEY NEED TO GO TO OR SOMETHING, BUT THEIR SPOT IS RESERVED BECAUSE THAT'S, THEY'RE PAYING FOR IT.
SO THEY CAN GO AND COME AS THEY PLEASE.
BUT AFTER A MONTH, IF THEY STAY A MONTH OR IF THEY STAY A WEEK, THEY HAVE TO GO.
AND THEN I BRING IN SOMEBODY ELSE.
SO IT'S ALWAYS A FRESH NEW TRUCK OR A FRESH NEW LOOK.
THERE'S ALWAYS GONNA BE SOMETHING DIFFERENT THAT'LL DRAW PEOPLE TO COME IN AND SAY, WOW, LET'S SEE WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE FOOD TRUCK LOT.
COMMISSIONER OBIN EVENING SIR.
UM, JUST AS A HEADS UP, YOU'VE GOT A COUPLE OF OF HYPER TECHNICAL ATTORNEYS UP HERE, SO WE'RE GONNA PESTER YOU WITH A BUNCH OF QUESTIONS AND ABSOLUTELY.
AND YOU'RE GONNA WEATHER THE STORM.
UH, THE FIRST QUESTION I'VE GOT FOR YOU IS, UM, RELATING TO THE, THE LONG-TERM PRESENCE OF THE TRUCKS.
YOU KNOW, THE FOOD TRUCK, UH, EVENTS OR EXPERIENCES THAT I'VE HAD, THE FOOD TRUCKS DON'T LINGER LIKE THAT.
CAN YOU TALK ABOUT THAT IDEA AND GIVE ME AN UNDERSTANDING OF HOW, SO THERE IS A FOOD TRUCK LOT IN LOWER GREENVILLE.
AND HE GAVE ME THE IDEA THAT HE ACTUALLY, 'CAUSE I CALLED HIM UP, SAID, HEY, I HAVE A FOOD TRUCK.
CAN I PARK THERE? HE IS LIKE, YES, YOU CAN STAY FOR A MONTH, BUT THEN YOU GOTTA GO, WE PUT YOU IN A ROTATION AND YOU CAN COME BACK AFTER A COUPLE OF MONTHS.
'CAUSE THERE'S SUCH A DEMAND TO BE THERE.
AND I'M TRYING TO CREATE THAT DEMAND HERE.
UM, WOULD, WOULD YOU HAVE ANY, UH, UM, ANGST, UH, IF THEY, YOU KNOW, THE, THE REQUIREMENT WAS THAT THEY COULDN'T STAY A MONTH.
THEY COULD, THEY COULD STAY TWO WEEKS OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT? UM, I, LIKE I SAID, IT WOULD BE UP TO A MONTH.
IF THEY WANTED TO STAY TWO WEEKS, THEY COULD, THEIR RENT WOULD BE ACCORDINGLY TO HOWEVER LONG THEY WANNA STAY.
SO IF THEY WANTED TO, BUT MAXIMUM WOULD BE A MONTH, THEN I'D PUT 'EM IN A ROTATION.
HOURS OF OPERATION IS ONE OF OUR QUESTIONS AS WELL.
UH, YOU KNOW, EVERY DAY FROM NINE TO NINE, YOU KNOW, MAYBE A LOT.
UH, WOULD YOU BE WILLING TO CONSIDER, UM, A REDUCTION IN YOUR NIGHTTIME HOURS? UNLESS IF, AND UNLESS THERE IS A SPECIAL EVENT THAT'S ASSOCIATED WITH THE DOWNTOWN AREA AS WELL? MOST FOOD TRUCKS WORK AT NIGHT.
UM, MOST OF THEM, YOU KNOW, FEED OFF OF NIGHT BUSINESS, YOU KNOW, THE DINNER HOURS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
SO, I MEAN, I DON'T SEE, YOU KNOW, THEM LEAVING BEFORE NINE O'CLOCK, MAYBE EIGHT O'CLOCK, YOU KNOW, DEPENDING ON THEIR, THE BUSINESS, DEPENDING ON THE DRAW, DEPENDING ON THE DAY.
SO ON A GOOD FRIDAY NIGHT OR A SATURDAY NIGHT, I DON'T THINK THEY'D LEAVE BEFORE EIGHT O'CLOCK.
AND THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE WALKING AROUND DOWNTOWN WEDNESDAY NIGHT WHEN THERE'S NOT, YOU KNOW, MUCH.
YEAH, THEY PROBABLY PACK IT UP AND LEAVE.
SO IF, IF, IF, IF THE RECOMMENDATION FROM THIS BODY WAS THAT HOURS OF OPERATION HAD TO BE LIMITED TO A SPECIFIC AMOUNT OF HOURS, I'M HEARING YOUR REQUEST THAT IT'S, IF WE HAVE TO DO THAT, EIGHT O'CLOCK WOULD BE APPROPRIATE AS OPPOSED TO THE NINE O'CLOCK.
UM, THE ELECTRIC AND WATER CONNECTIONS, ARE THEY GONNA BE, IS THERE, IS, ARE THESE PERMANENT CONNECTIONS THAT ARE BEING BUILT? YES.
THE WATER WILL BE UNDERGROUND SO THEY WON'T FREEZE PIPES AND, YOU KNOW, START HAVING WATER EVERYWHERE AND, OKAY.
WHEN, WHEN YOU MENTIONED TRIPPING HAZARD, I WAS A LITTLE CONCERNED THAT IT WAS GONNA BE, WELL BECAUSE EXTENSION CORDS YES.
THAT'S WHY THEY, THE TRUCKS MIGHT HAVE THAT, THEY'LL HAVE CORDS TO PLUG IN, BUT I, THAT'S WHY I DIDN'T WANT TO PUT MORE THAN FIVE BECAUSE I DIDN'T WANNA SEE A CORD COMING FROM THE FRONT OF THE PROPERTY ALL THE WAY TO THE BACK, YOU KNOW, AND I DIDN'T WANT SOMETHING STICKING OUT OF THE GROUND.
UM, ARE YOU GONNA ALLOW OVERNIGHT PARKING OF THE TRUCKS? IN OTHER WORDS, IF SOMEONE'S THERE FOR A MONTH, CAN THEY JUST BE LIKE, YEAH, WE'RE JUST LEAVING IT HERE TONIGHT AND WE'LL BE BACK TOMORROW AT, AT THEIR OWN DISCRETION? SURE.
YOU KNOW, AT THE OWN, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, IF THEY FEEL LIKE IT'S SAFE ENOUGH FOR THEM TO PARK THEIR TRUCK THERE AND NOBODY'S GONNA BREAK INTO IT, THAT'S UP TO THEM.
UM, THE, I I COULD NOT GET A SENSE FROM LOOKING AT THE DIAGRAM THAT WE WERE SHOWN THAT ARE, ARE TRUCKS GONNA BE ABLE TO INDEPENDENTLY COME IN AND OUT? I MEAN, IS THERE ENOUGH ROOM FOR THEM TO MANEUVER TO SAY, I'M, YOU KNOW, I'M IN THIS SPACE OVER HERE IN THE CORNER, BUT I'M GONNA GO.
SO THAT'LL BE MY JOB TO MAKE SURE THAT IF SOMEBODY SAYS, HEY, I'M ONLY GONNA BE HERE FOR A WEEK, I MAKE SURE THAT HE'S IN, GOT AN EXIT OUT QUICKER THAN SOMEBODY THAT SAYS, HEY, I'M GONNA BE
[00:50:01]
HERE FOR A MONTH.OR IF SOMEBODY'S LIKE, I'M GONNA GO, I I'M GONNA GO CATER A RIGHT PARTY SOMEWHERE.
SO THE ONE THAT'S ALONGSIDE THE ALLEYWAY, HE'LL BE SOMEBODY THAT CAN LEAVE REAL QUICK.
THE ONE THAT'S GOING PARALLEL TO THE PARKING LOT WILL BE ABLE TO LEAVE REAL QUICK AND THE GUY IN THE FRONT WILL BE ABLE TO LEAVE REAL QUICK.
THE TWO ON THE END, THEY MIGHT STAY.
UM, IT, IT, CANDIDLY, I KINDA LEAN THE OTHER WAY, WHICH IS WHETHER YOU WOULD CONSIDER EXPANDING YOUR HOURS.
I MEAN, I THINK TOO MANY PLACES CLOSE TOO EARLY.
I'D RATHER, I'D RATHER BE ABLE TO, I CLOSE AT THREE.
I MEAN, I'D RATHER BE ABLE YEAH, YOU, YOU, YOU, SOMEONE CAN SHOW, YOU KNOW, IF SOMEBODY WANTS TO GET LATE NIGHT FOOD, WHAT BETTER PLACE THAN A TACO TRUCK SITTING IN THE, YOU KNOW, THERE'S 500 PLUS APARTMENTS AROUND WALKING DISTANCE OF THAT FOOD TRUCK LOT, OR, YEAH.
OR SOMEBODY GETS, YOU KNOW, THAT WALKS ON AT THE PLAZA THEATER, YOU GET OUT, IT'S NINE O'CLOCK.
YOU WANT TO BE ABLE TO GET SOMETHING TO EAT.
YOU WANT TO HAVE TO BE LIKE, NOW I HAVE TO GO SOMEWHERE ELSE THAT YOU, OKAY.
UH, ONE, ONE, UH, FOLLOW UP QUESTION.
I SAID, UH, I SUPPOSE, EXCUSE ME, AS WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THIS IDEA, ARE YOU THE SOLE PERSON THAT'S GONNA BE MANAGING THE LOT ITSELF? THERE'S, YOU'RE NOT GONNA HIRE THAT OUT TO A 30? NO, SIR.
SEE NO OTHER QUESTIONS OF THE APPLICANT.
HAVE A SEAT AND WE'LL, THANK YOU.
WE'LL SEE WHAT THE OTHER FOLKS HAVE TO SAY AND THEN CALL YOU BACK UP.
I HAVE PREPARED AN OUTLINE OF MY, MY SPEAKING.
I'D LIKE TO PASS THAT OUT TO EVERYBODY.
UH, IS THIS THE SAME LETTER THAT WE'VE ALREADY SEEN THEN? UH, IT IS.
SO IF YOU WANNA HIT THE HIGHLIGHTS, 'CAUSE THAT'S A LOT TO GO THROUGH IN THREE MINUTES.
NO, I'M GONNA ADDRESS A COUPLE THINGS.
UM, FIRST OF, UM, FIRST OF ALL, UM, THE IDEA OF A FOOD TRUCK, I MEAN, IT'S KIND OF SHOCKED, JUST ONLY NOTIFIED ABOUT A WEEK.
SO, YOU KNOW, THE PREPARATION OF TRYING TO UNDERSTAND THIS AND WRAP THIS AROUND, FIRST OF ALL, I FEEL THAT IT IS TOTALLY UNFAIR FOR THE BUSINESSES AND THE RESTAURANTS THAT ARE B BRICK AND MORTAR THAT ARE THERE RIGHT NOW, EXCUSE ME, THAT HAVE SUFFERED THROUGH THIS TWO YEARS, EXCUSE ME, THE MICROPHONE PLEASE.
THAT HAVE SUFFERED THROUGH THIS YEAR AND A HALF, TWO YEARS OF COVID THROUGH THE CONSTRUCTION THAT CITY OF GARLAND HAVE DONE DOWNTOWN, AND THROUGH IT ALL, WITHOUT ANY COMPENSATION FROM THE CITY.
THESE BUSINESSES HAVE, UH, HAVE PERSEVERED THROUGH THIS ALL.
SO FOR YOU GUYS TO EVEN ALLOW THIS FOOD TRUCK WITH THIS DISTURBANCE, I MEAN,
UM, AND MY, MY BIGGEST CONCERN IS, YOU KNOW, THE CHALLENGING RESTAURANT AND BUSINESS THAT ARE ALREADY THERE, THAT HAVE BEEN THERE, AND FOR THEM TO PUT THIS FOOD TRUCK, IT'S GONNA TAKE AWAY THEIR BUSINESSES AND THE QUALITY OF THIS DOWNTOWN AREA.
UM, RECENTLY THE CITY OF GARLAND, DEBRA MORRIS, UM, HAD HOSTED THE INFORMATION ABOUT THIS FOOD TRUCK.
AND SOMEBODY HAD ASKED HER, WELL, WHAT HAPPENED TO THAT? UM, THE ONE THAT WAS ON APOLLO IN JUPITER HAS A MOVE SOMEWHERE.
SO THEN SHE ANSWERED, WELL, THE, THE, THE TRUCKS AT THE CLOSED CAR WASH THAT WAS NEVER A FOOD TRUCK.
THERE WAS A NUMBER OF COMPLAINTS ABOUT A CAUSING BACKUP TRAFFIC AND OTHER ISSUE, BUT DON'T KNOW WHERE THEY WENT.
SO AGAIN, AND I, AND I CAN, I CAN GIVE YOU OTHER EXAMPLES OF OTHER CITIES THAT HAVE HAD THESE FOOD TRUCK AND HAVE CAUSED PROBLEMS. UM, AND IT'S, IT'S AN INCONSISTENT BUSINESS AND HE'S ALLOWING THEM TO BE THERE A MONTH AT A TIME OR TWO WEEKS AT A TIME.
YOU KNOW, YOU GUYS HAVE PUT SO
[00:55:01]
MUCH MONEY IN THIS DOWNTOWN AREA FOR THE CONSTRUCTION TO TRY TO DEVELOP A GOOD DEVELOPMENTAL AREA WITH THE BUSINESSES AND THE COMMUNITY TO PUT MORE MONEY INTO THE, UM, TO THE CITY.AND THEN ALLOWING THIS FOOD TRUCK, FIRST OF ALL, AND, AND I'LL GO THROUGH A LITTLE MORE EXTENSIVE PART ABOUT HOW HE'S WANTING TO PUT FIVE TRUCKS ON THERE.
THERE IS NO WAY FOR NUMBER ONE, I DON'T, I DON'T EVEN KNOW IF THE FIRE, UM, FIRE DEPARTMENT CAN EVEN ALLOW THIS.
WHAT ABOUT THE FIRE HAZARD OF IN CASE A TRUCK GOES ON FIRE OR ONE OF THE BUILDING OR MY BUILDING GOES ON FIRE, HOW IN THE WORLD THEY'RE GONNA GET OUT, HOW THE WORLD'S A FOOD TRUCK, THE THE FIRE ENGINE GONNA GET IN THERE, AND THE FACT THAT HI HIM TRYING TO SQUEEZE IN FIVE TRUCK IN THAT SMALL PERIOD.
NOW, PLEASE UNDERSTAND, OTHER FOOD TRUCKS HAVE WHERE THERE'S A PARK, THERE'S NO BRICK, BRICK AND MORTAR AREA.
BUT YOU HAVE BRICK AND MORTAR RESTAURANTS AND BUSINESSES HERE THAT HAVE BEEN ESTABLISHED.
AND, YOU KNOW, MY CONCERN IS ALSO THE, YOU KNOW, HE TALKS ABOUT HOW, UM, THE, THE ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERN, IF IT'S, YOU KNOW, I, I DON'T KNOW.
AND AGAIN, YOU KNOW, I KNOW LARRY FROM A DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE AND HAVE HAD SOME CHALLENGING DIFFICULTIES WITH HIM, AND I DON'T BELIEVE ANYTHING HE SAYS.
BUT THE FACT THAT, YOU KNOW, THESE TRUCKS ARE, THESE TRUCKS ARE GONNA BE WITH THE ELECTRICITY AND, AND WATER.
AGAIN, THERE'S SO MANY, UM, THE, THE, THE DISRUPTION OF THE BUSINESSES, THE CONTAMINATION ENVIRONMENTAL, UM, CONCERNS THAT I HAVE WITH THE FOOD TRUCK AND, YOU KNOW, AND THE NOISE, THE NOISE, THE, THE NOISE OF THE CORRUPTION, YOU KNOW, CAUSING SOME OF THESE OTHER BUSINESS.
UM, AND YOU KNOW, I HAVE A BUSINESS NEXT DOOR TO ME THAT, THAT, THAT I OWN.
I UNDERSTAND ABOUT THE NOISE CONCERN AND, YOU KNOW, AND AGAIN, I THINK THE CITY'S PRIORITY IS THE CURRENT BUSINESSES AND THE CURRENT RESTAURANTS RIGHT NOW, ESPECIALLY WHAT THEY HAVE GONE THROUGH FOR THE PAST TWO YEARS.
AND, BUT, YOU KNOW, I DID OUTLINE MY LETTER THAT YOU GUYS HAVE ALL RECEIVED.
I THINK IT THOROUGHLY EXPLAINS EVERYTHING.
SO, UM, AGAIN, I I, ALL I ADVISE IS THE CITY DEFINITELY THOROUGHLY THINK ABOUT THIS AND, AND, UM, AND DECLINE THIS APPLICATION.
MA'AM, ARE YOU AWARE THAT THE, UH, FOOD TRUCK COURT ON JU ON JUPITER ROAD WAS HIGHLY SUCCESSFUL? AND THE REASON IT'S GONE IS BECAUSE THEY'RE SELLING THE LAND AND THEY WANTED TO GET THOSE TRUCKS OFF OF THERE.
THAT'S THE ONLY REASON IT'S CLOSED.
NO, I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE REASON WAS, BUT THAT'S THE REASON.
WELL, ACCORDING TO, UM, THE COUNCIL, MS. MORRIS, THERE WAS A LOT OF COMPLAINTS AND LOTS OF TRAFFIC, WHICH IS GONNA COME HERE AS WELL.
A LOT OF COMPLAINTS AND A LOT OF TRAFFIC.
I'M JUST TELLING YOU, IT'S A PRE-WARNING.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OF THIS SPEAKER, MR. CHAIR? I'M NOT SURE WE RECEIVED MS. WILLIAMS' ADDRESS.
DID WE, WE, DID WE GET YOUR ADDRESS? 6 0 6 AND 6 0 8 MAIN STREET.
I'M BAD ON THAT, BUT IT GIVES YOU SOMETHING TO DO.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR COMING DOWN.
ALRIGHTY, UH, PATRICIA ELUSIVE, ELUSIVE, AND PLEASE CORRECT ME ON YOUR NAME, PRONUNCIATION.
UM, I AM PART OF, UH, ADOS OF BUSINESS OWNERS IN DOWNTOWN GARLAND.
AND, AND YOUR ADDRESS, PLEASE? OH, YES, SIR.
THAT'S THE YOGA STUDIO NEXT TO MRS. WILLIAMS' PROPERTY.
UM, SO, UH, I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A DECLARATION IN, UH, IN ADDITION TO THE LETTER THAT WE SENT ON BEHALF OF A, OF A DOZEN OF BUSINESS OWNERS, INCLUDING MOST OF THE RESTAURANTS IN DOWNTOWN GARLAND.
SO THIS IS MY PERSONAL IMPACT STATEMENT.
UM, SO AS I SAID, I OWN THE YOGA STUDIO AT 6 0 4 MAIN STREET.
I'VE BEEN A GARLAND RESIDENT FOR 23 YEARS.
ESTABLISHING AND MAINTAINING A BUSINESS HERE IN GARLAND FOR THE PAST SEVEN YEARS HAS BEEN A LIBERAL LOVE THAT HAS ALLOWED ME TO CONTRIBUTE TO THE LOCAL COMMUNITY AND SUPPORT RESIDENTS IN NEED OF ALTERNATIVE HEALING METHODS.
I HAVE WORKED VERY, VERY HARD TO STAY OPEN AND HAVE STRUGGLED REALLY HARD ON THE PAST THREE YEARS.
UM, I USED TO HAVE A SECOND BUSINESS,
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A MASSAGE STUDIO AT 6 1 3 MAIN STREET.I HAD TO CLOSE IT FOR GOOD BECAUSE OF THE PARKING ISSUES WHEN THEY, WHEN THEY START CONSTRUCTION ON MAIN STREET, MY PATRONS JUST DIDN'T WANT TO DEAL WITH THE DETOURS, THE NOISE, THE FUMES.
SO THREE MONTHS AGO, I HAD TO CLOSE IT.
I DON'T SEE ANYTHING BUT SOMETHING SIMILAR WITH ALL, WITH A BUNCH OF FOOD TRUCKS THERE, BRINGING EXTRA PARKING ISSUES.
SO, UM, I UNDERSTAND BRINGING MORE VISITORS TO THE AREA IS IMPORTANT, BUT A VIBRANT DOWNTOWN ALSO BENEFITS FROM A DIVERSE MIX OF ESTABLISHMENTS SUCH AS MINE.
OUR CLIENTS VISIT US TO ESCAPE, RECHARGE, AND FIND RESPITE FROM THE HECTIC PACE OF THEIR LIFE.
AND DESPITE FACING FINANCIAL CHALLENGES, I'VE REMAINED COMMITTED TO OUR COMMUNITY, HOPEFUL FOR THE OPPORTUNITIES THAT ARE SUPPOSED TO BE IN THE HORIZON, IN ADDITION TO THE IMPACT ON PUBLIC HEALTH, BECAUSE A LOT OF THE FOOD THAT THEY SERVE, THESE DRUGS ARE MAINLY HIGH IN CALORIES AND VERY UNHEALTHY.
UM, WHAT THIS IS GONNA MAKE IS AN INCREASE OF NOISE LEVELS, UNWANTED FOOD THAT SMELLS AND POTENTIALLY HAZARD THOSE FUMES FROM GENERICS.
UM, IF IN CASE THEY OPERATE WITH GENERICS MUST BE CONSIDERED, ALL THEIR BUILDINGS LIKE MINE AT 6 0 4 ARE VERY SUSCEPTIBLE TO INFILTRATION OF SMELLS, FUMES AND CARBON MONOXIDE VAPORS.
WHEN LARRY, UH, TOOK DOWN THE TREES THAT WERE BEHIND THE BUILDING, UM, THERE SEEMED TO BE A BEEHIVE AND THE BEES COULDN'T FIND THEIR HIVE.
THEY FOUND MY, MY STUDIO AND FOR ABOUT TWO WEEKS I HAD TO VACUUM.
MY ENTIRE FLOOR WAS COVERED WITH BEES.
IT WAS LIKE HAVING A, A BLACK CARPET.
LARRY NEVER EVEN MADE AN ATTEMPT TO CONTACT ME TO SEE HOW THAT AFFECTED ME.
UM, HE SAYS THAT THE HOMELESS IS SOMETHING UNDER CONTROL.
HE'S BE AT 5:00 AM I'VE BEEN HERE AT 5:00 AM I USED TO TEACH A YOGA CLASS AT 5:00 AM FROM FIVE TO SEVEN.
THE LADIES GOT DISCOURAGED BECAUSE EVERY MORNING WE HAD HOMELESS PEOPLE SLEEPING AT MY BENCH THAT I USED TO HAVE MY FRONT DOOR AT THE BACK DOOR AND, AND, AND LEAVING US THEIR FACES AND STUFF THERE.
I DOUBT HONESTLY THAT LARRY IS GOING TO COME AND PICK UP THE TRASH BECAUSE AT THE END OF THE DAY, THE ONLY ONES WHO HAVE BEEN PICKING UP THOSE DISGUSTING, UH, LEFTOVERS IS THE, THE TENANTS ON THE FRONT STORES.
UM, THE INCREASE ON, ON THE FOOD TRAFFIC AND THE CONSUMPTION OF ON FOOTING IN THE GO WILL IT CREATE EXCESS TRASH AND WILL EXACERBATE ALL THESE HOME HOMELESS ISSUES.
THE CONSTANT FLOW OF CUSTO CUSTOMERS USING OUR, OUR ALREADY LIMITED PARKING SPACES.
WE ALSO DISCOURAGE OUR REGULARS FROM VISITING DUE TO THE INCONVENIENCE OF LACK OF ACCESSIBILITY.
AND LET'S NOT FORGET THAT RIGHT NOW THEY ARE DOING MAIN STREET AND WE LOST FOUR SPACES BECAUSE THEY CONVERT THEM INTO BEAUTIFUL FLOWER BEDS.
NOW I MUST, I FULLY SUPPORT THE ECONOMIC GROWTH IN DOWNTOWN.
OVER THE YEARS, WE HAVE SUCCESSFULLY COORDINATED WITH A LOT OF CONCERTS, EVENTS, FESTIVALS, AND I HAVE EVEN ENCOURAGED MY STUDENTS AND CLIENTS TO JOIN IN.
AND I UNDERSTAND THAT DOWNTOWN WON'T ALWAYS BE QUIET.
I I DON'T EXPECT SOMETHING QUIET.
HOWEVER, THE PROPOSED FOOD TRUCK WILL ATTRACT SIGNIFICANT CROWDS ON A DAILY BASIS INTO A VERY COMPACT AREA DIRECTLY BEHIND MY BUSINESS, POSTING ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY OF THE SERVICES THAT WE PROVIDE.
WE CAN KEEP WELCOMING THE FOOD TRUCKS JUST LIKE WE'VE BEEN DONE IN THE PAST, UM, AND HAVE THEM PARK AROUND THE, THE SQUARE, WHICH ULTIMATELY IS THE MAIN GOAL TO PUT ALL THIS MONEY HERE.
UM, THEY DID THAT BEFORE THE CONSTRUCTION STARTED, AND IT WORKED JUST FINE.
I EMPLOYED YOU TO STAND BEHIND THE RESILIENCE OF THOSE OF US WHO HAVE WEATHER THE CHALLENGES OF THE PANDEMIC AT TWO YEARS OF CONSTRUCTION.
AND AN OPTIONAL THING TO DO WORK WITH THAT BACK AND LOT IS JUST TO TRANSFER IN ADDITIONAL PARKING.
WE, WE NEED PARKING AND PEOPLE ALREADY PARK THERE.
SO PEOPLE ARE ALREADY, UH, GROWN ACCUSTOMED TO PARK THERE.
AND THAT WOULD BE A MORE BENEFICIAL AND SUPPORTIVE GESTURE FOR ALL OF US.
ANY QUESTIONS FOR THIS SPEAKER? COMMISSIONER JENKINS EVENING, MA'AM.
THANK YOU, UH, VERY MUCH FOR YOUR COMMENTS.
UH, MY, UH, AS A, AS A ASIDE A PERSONAL STORY, MY WIFE HAS VISITED YOUR STUDIO, UM, AND SHE, UH, HAD AN ISSUE, UH, THAT YOU DESCRIBED.
AND SO WE'RE FAMILIAR WITH THIS, THIS SORT OF, UH, ISSUE THAT YOU'VE DISCUSSED.
ONE, AS LONG AS THE PROPERTY OWNER IS SEEKING TO DEVELOP IT ONE WAY OR ANOTHER, IT'S GOING TO BE DEVELOPED IN SUCH A WAY THAT WE CAN'T FORCE THEM TO PUT PARKING THERE.
UH, TONIGHT WE'RE JUST MAKING RECOMMENDATIONS BASED UPON WHAT THE PROPOSED USE IS.
SO IF HE CAME IN AND SAID, WELL, THE PROPOSED USE IS GONNA BE A MULTI-TIERED, UH, YOU KNOW, UH, CO USE OR SOMETHING THAT'S APPROPRIATE FOR THAT PARTICULAR USE, OUR ONLY CONSIDERATION WOULD BE WHETHER OR NOT THAT PROPOSED USE IS GOOD FOR THAT LOT, FOR THAT SPECIFIC LOT.
AND YES, WE WILL CONSIDER HOW IT WILL IMPACT THE SURROUNDING AREA, BUT
[01:05:01]
FOR THE MOST PART, I CAN'T TELL THAT MAN TO PUT SOMETHING THERE THAT HE DOESN'T WANNA PUT THERE.UM, I, UH, I DON'T KNOW, WITHOUT YOU TELLING ME WHAT IT'S LIKE TO OWN A BUSINESS, I'VE ONLY EVER WORKED IN THE NONPROFIT OR PUBLIC INTEREST SPHERE.
I'VE WORKED WITH HOMELESSNESS, I'VE WORKED WITH ALL DIFFERENT SORTS OF COMMUNITIES PERSONALLY.
AND SO I ADMIRE YOUR COURAGE AND YOUR TENACITY.
WITHOUT YOU EDUCATING US ABOUT WHAT YOUR CONCERNS ARE, WE WON'T KNOW THEM.
SO THANK YOU AGAIN FOR COMING OUT.
LASTLY, UM, THE CITY I, I'VE HEARD AND READ, UM, SOME OF THE CONCERNS THAT THE CITY IS INDEBTED IN ONE WAY OR ANOTHER TO THE SMALL BUSINESSES, UM, THAT ARE IN, THAT ARE IN OR AROUND THE SQUARE.
AND WHEN I SEE THAT, I, I, I, I DON'T QUITE UNDERSTAND IT AND I DON'T QUITE UNDERSTAND IT BECAUSE IT LOOKS LIKE, IT APPEARS TO BE THAT THE CITY HAS INVESTED PUBLIC FUNDS TO REDEVELOP AN AREA FOR THE SOLE PURPOSE TO SUPPORT THOSE BUSINESSES.
SO IT'S MADE THE EFFORT THAT YOU ARE ALREADY TALKING, THAT THE CITY IS INDEBTED TO YOU FOR HELP.
HELP ME UNDERSTAND THAT A LITTLE BIT BETTER.
HELP, HELP ME UNDERSTAND, UM, IT, YOU'RE SAYING THE CITY STILL OWES YOU AT THIS POINT.
NO, THE, THE BUSINESS OWNERS GENERALLY THE COLLECTIVE THAT, THAT WE SEE IN THESE, THESE LETTERS AND SOME OF THE COMMENTS THAT WE'VE HAD, HELP ME UNDERSTAND HOW THE CITY HAS NOT MET ITS COMMITMENT THAT THIS POINT TO SUPPORT THE SMALL BUSINESSES FOR THIS PARTICULAR AREA.
IF THAT'S YOUR, ONE OF YOUR CONCERNS.
MY CONCERN IS THAT THE, THE PLAN THAT EVERYBODY AGREED UPON WAS TO DO THAT BIG CONSTRUCTION IN THE DOWNTOWN SQUARE AND, AND WEAVING WEATHER IN THIS FOR TWO YEARS.
AT NO POINT, THERE WAS A CONVERSATION ABOUT PUTTING FOOT TRUCKS THERE TO BE CRITICAL TO BRING VISITORS.
WE ARE JUST ONE MONTH BEFORE THIS IS SUPPOSED TO END.
AND FRANKLY, IF, IF THAT WAS THE PLAN, I COULD HAVE VERY GLADLY GIVEN UP MY LEASE AT THAT PROPERTY, UNPACK MY THINGS TWO YEARS AGO.
I I COULDN'T BE FIGHTING THIS FIGHT, UH, UNLESS I PUT EXTRA MONEY TO, UM, YOU KNOW, GIVE IT A, A, A FACELIFT TO THE STUDIO IN PREPARATION TO REOPEN IN OCTOBER.
SO, I'M, I'M NOT SURE IF I'M ANSWERING YOUR QUESTION, BUT BASICALLY WE DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY THIS IS SO CRITICAL FOR VISITORS WHEN THE WHOLE IDEA WAS TO, TO PUT ALL THAT INVESTMENT IN DOWNTOWN AND PEOPLE ARE SUPPOSED TO BE ATTRACTED TO THE DOWNTOWN SQUARE, NOT BEHIND THE DOWNTOWN SQUARE.
AM I ANSWERING YOUR QUESTION? I THINK, I THINK WE'RE GETTING THERE.
I HAVE NO OTHER QUESTIONS FOR YOU.
APPRECIATE YOU COMING DOWN, RO THANK YOU.
UM, I JUST WANTED TO COME AND CL JUST MAKE A QUICK CLARIFICATION.
THERE WAS AN EMAIL THAT WENT OUT FROM THE G D B, UM, AT GMAIL.
I'M THE VICE CHAIR OF THE GARLAND DOWNTOWN BUSINESS ASSOCIATION.
SO WE ARE A, AN THE NONPROFIT ENTITY OF, UH, SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS AND PROPERTY OWNERS DOWNTOWN.
I JUST WANTED YOU ALL TO KNOW THAT THE G D B A IS NOT TAKING ANY SORT OF STANCE EITHER WAY ON THIS.
WE'RE LETTING THE BUSINESSES INDIVIDUALLY SAY HOW THEY FEEL.
SO THE G D B A IS NOT THE G D B O, UM, AND I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT WAS UNDERSTOOD BY EVERYBODY.
DOES G D B A HAVE A POSITION OR THOUGHTS ON THIS? AT THIS TIME, WE HAVE NOT MET AS A GROUP TO DISCUSS IT.
SO WE ARE NOT TAKING ANY SORT OF STANCE.
WE'RE LETTING THE INDIVIDUAL BUSINESSES, BECAUSE I THINK THAT THERE ARE SOME BUSINESSES THAT LIKE IT AND SOME THAT DON'T.
SO WE ARE JUST LIKE, GO AHEAD AND, AND SAY YOUR PIECE AND WE'LL, US AS A GROUP, WE'LL STAY NEUTRAL.
DOES THE, THE ORGANIZATION HAVE ANY THOUGHTS AS TO THE CURRENT, UH, DEVELOPMENT OUT THAT THAT'S OCCURRING AND, OH, THE PARK ITSELF? OH, WE'RE, I THINK I CAN SAY THAT WE'RE THRILLED.
I GUESS WE HAVEN'T REALLY TALKED ABOUT IT, BUT, UM, IT, IT SEEMS A VERY POSITIVE THING AT OUR MEETINGS.
I DON'T WANNA THANK YOU VERY MUCH,
UM, ASIDE FROM THE G D V A OFFICIAL POSITION, THOUGH.
AND I AND I BELIEVE YOU FILED A FORM.
UM, I HAVE, I OWN A RETAIL BUSINESS AT FIVE 10 MAIN STREET.
[01:10:01]
I THINK THE BUSIER WE CAN BE DOWN HERE, THE BETTER THAT WE CAN BE DOWN HERE.UM, I LIKE THE FACT THAT IT WOULD BE ROTATING 'CAUSE IT'S SOMETHING NEW ALL THE TIME.
UM, IT'S NOT BEHIND MY BUILDING, SO I DON'T KNOW HOW THAT WOULD, I, IT SEEMS TO, TO BE BOTHERING SOME OTHER BUSINESS OWNERS.
BUT I SMELL THE BARBECUE SMOKING ALL THE TIME, AND I SMELL PIZZAS BEING COOKED, AND I SMELL COFFEE BEING ROASTED, AND IT MAKES IT FEEL LIKE WE'RE DOING SOMETHING DOWN HERE THAT IT'S ALIVE.
AND SOMEONE, I THINK, RICH, YOU SAID THAT, I'M SORRY, MR. BIN, YOU SAID THAT, UM, SOMETIMES YOU'D LIKE TO GET SOMETHING TO EAT A LITTLE LATER.
AND A LOT OF OUR RESTAURANTS CLOSE BETWEEN NINE AND 10.
UM, THERE'S SOME LATE NIGHT BIRDS.
I KNOW WE'RE DOING A, UM, A FILM FESTIVAL AND THAT MIGHT NOT GET OUT UNTIL THE RESTAURANTS ARE CLOSED.
AND IT MIGHT BE NICE FOR PEOPLE TO STAY DOWNTOWN AND BE ABLE TO EAT HERE TO TAKE THEIR FOOD INTO THE PARK, OR TO EAT IT AT THE FOOD TRUCK LOT.
I'M NOT, IT'S NOT IN MY BACKYARD, SO TO SPEAK, BUT AS A BUSINESS OWNER, I'D, I'D LOVE TO SEE SOMETHING OTHER THAN AN EMPTY LOT GATHERING DUST.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR COMING HERE.
I HAVE NO OTHER SPEAKER CARDS.
IS THERE ANYBODY ELSE IN THE AUDIENCE CLARIFICATION? WELL, IF, UH, YOU'LL, WHAT IS G D V O? OH, UH, YOU, YOU'LL HAVE TO COME ON DOWN IF, UH, YOU WANT TO ASK A QUESTION.
AND I DON'T KNOW IF WE HAVE THE ANSWER ANYHOW, AND NEED YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS FOR THE OFFICIAL RECORDS.
UH, JIM GRIFFIN, 24 0 9 LONE OAK TRAIL IN GARLAND.
UH, WHAT IS G D B O? I NEVER HEARD OF IT BEFORE.
SO,
I DON'T ALWAYS LOOK TO WHERE IT COMES FROM.
BASICALLY, WHEN WE PREPARE THE LETTER OF ALL THE BUSINESSES, SORRY, WE, UH, WANT YOU TO GO, UH, SPEAK PRIVATELY ABOUT THAT.
I DO HAVE, UH, HER GERALDO HERNANDEZ.
OH, NEED NAME, NAME AND ADDRESS AGAIN? NO, NO.
HOW'S IT GOING EVERYONE?
REALLY? UH, MY NAME'S ARD HERARDO HERNANDEZ.
I'M FROM 6 0 6 MAIN STREET AND 5 0 7 WEST WALNUT AS WELL.
UM, REPRESENTING SCOOP AND BOW, WHICH HAS OPENED UP A BOBA SHOP IN DOWNTOWN GARLAND.
UM, SO I GREW UP HERE, BEEN HERE ALL MY LIFE, WENT THROUGH THE PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM, BERLAND ACADEMY, AUSTIN GARLAND HIGH SCHOOL.
UM, THE MOTTO IN GARLAND HIGH SCHOOL IS ENTER OR LEARN, GO FORTH TO SERVE.
AND THAT'S KIND OF, YOU KNOW, THE MOTTO THAT I LIVE MY LIFE BY.
UM, SO, YOU KNOW, I GREW UP HERE, WENT TO SCHOOL HERE, WENT TO COLLEGE.
FIRST THING I DID WAS, WHEN I CAME BACK, I OPENED UP A LANDSCAPE BUSINESS.
THIS KIND OF HELPED PAY FOR THE COLLEGE AS WELL.
UH, AND I'M STILL OPERATING RIGHT NOW AS WELL.
UM, OPENED THAT UP WITH MY FAMILY.
AND THEN, YOU KNOW, COUPLE YEARS LATER, WE JUST DECIDED, HEY, WE WANNA DO SOMETHING COOL IN DOWNTOWN GARLAND.
THAT'S KIND OF WHERE THE SCOOP AND BUNS IDEA CAME THROUGH, IF YOU, IF YOU GUYS EVER BEEN THERE.
IT'S JUST A LOT OF CREATIVITY, A LOT OF COLOR, A LOT OF, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF STIMULATION OF THE SENSES.
AND, UM, YOU KNOW, OPENED UP 2021 AND THEN CONSTRUCTION STARTED THAT OCTOBER.
AND SO IMMEDIATELY WE FELT JUST THE HIT ON THE WEEKENDS.
AND EVEN DURING THE DAY, THE LACK OF TRAFFIC.
YOU KNOW, MOST PEOPLE WOULD GO TO INTRINSIC OR, YOU KNOW, THOSE BANDERAS, AND THEN THEY COME AND HAVE DESSERT AFTERWARDS.
AND SO FOR TWO YEARS WE FELT THAT IMPACT.
UM, AND SO THROUGHOUT THAT TIME, WE'VE HAD LANDLORDS ACTUALLY REACH OUT TO US.
LARRY WAS ONE OF THEM, AND HE MENTIONED TO US, HEY, I WANNA DEVELOP THAT PLOT OF LAND.
I WANNA PUT SOME, SOME RETAIL ESTABLISHMENTS OR SOMETHING IN THERE.
BUT IT JUST WASN'T THE TIME FOR US.
AND SO HE GAVE US THE OPPORTUNITY.
BUT HE DID SAY, UM, HE DID IMPLY, IF YOU DON'T COME TO DOWNTOWN, WE'RE GONNA BRING SOMEONE ELSE IN.
AND SO TWO YEARS LATER, WE FOUND THE OPPORTUNITY.
UH, MS. DONNA'S ACTUALLY OUR LANDLORD, AND, YOU KNOW, SHE TOOK A CHANCE ON US, JUST LIKE REESE DID ON US.
I CUT A LOT OF LAWNS, THOUSANDS OF LAWNS TO MAKE SCOOP AND BUNS HAPPEN.
I BUILT EVERYTHING WITH MY HANDS ALONG WITH ZOYA.
YOU KNOW, WE PUT A LOT INTO IT.
AND THE SAME THING WITH SCOOP AND BOBA.
AND SO, UM, YOU KNOW, WE BUILT UP SCOOP AND BOBA, YOU KNOW, BY OURSELVES AS WELL.
WE JUST WANTED TO BRING SOMETHING COOL IN DOWNTOWN AS WELL.
AND NOW THAT WE'RE HERE, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A POSSIBILITY OF THE LOSS OF BUSINESS JUST LIKE ANYONE ELSE IS
[01:15:01]
SHARING, JUST WITH THESE FOOD TRUCKS.UM, AND WE HAVE A LOT OF EXPERIENCE WITH FOOD TRUCKS.
WE'VE DONE A LOT OF EVENTS, A LOT OF POP-UP EVENTS, A LOT OF FESTIVALS.
ANYTIME THAT WE COMPETE AND THERE'S OTHER SNOW CONE PEOPLE, OTHER ICE CREAM PEOPLE, WE IMMEDIATELY SEE THE, YOU KNOW, THE IMPACT ON OUR BUSINESS.
IT JUST, IT CUTS OUR, IT CUTS OUR SALES.
AND SO, UM, AND THIS GOES FOR, IT'S GONNA, THE WAY LARRY DESCRIBES IT, HE'S GONNA BE ROTATING THE MENU.
AND SO HE IS GONNA HAVE, YOU KNOW, ONE, ONE MONTH IT'S GONNA BE ICE CREAM THE NEXT MONTH, IT MIGHT BE TACOS, IT MIGHT BE BARBECUE.
AND SO WE, WE KIND OF SEE THIS AS, YOU KNOW, I DON'T THINK IT'S THE RIGHT TIMING RIGHT NOW, ESPECIALLY WITH ALL THE CONSTRUCTION, THE PANDEMIC, UH, JUST THE LOSS OF BUSINESS WHEN IT COMES TO, YOU KNOW, WITH EVERYTHING THAT'S BEEN GOING DOWN.
I JUST DON'T THINK IT'S THE RIGHT TIME RIGHT NOW.
UH, ANOTHER CONCERN IS GONNA BE PROBABLY, WELL, THAT, YOU KNOW, LET'S SAY THE FOOD TRUCKS ARE AT AN ADVANTAGE, LET'S SAY ICE CREAM PER SE.
YOU KNOW, THEY'RE ABLE TO COME IN DURING THE SEASONAL TIME OF THE A YEAR AND JUST LEAVE.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, US ON THE OTHER HAND, WE'RE KIND OF STUCK WITH THE, WITH THE LEASE, YOU KNOW.
AND SO THEY'RE ABLE TO COME IN WORK MARCH TO MAYBE AUGUST AND LEAVE AND, YOU KNOW, GO SOMEWHERE ELSE.
AND SO THEY'RE KIND OF AN ADVANTAGE WHEN IT COMES TO THAT.
UH, ANOTHER CONCERN, IT IS GONNA BE THE NOISE.
IT'S GONNA BE INSIDE OF A ALLEY.
THOSE, YOU KNOW, THE SOUND'S GONNA BE GOING, IT'S GONNA RICOCHET OFF THE WALLS.
AND ALSO THE, THE WASTE WATER.
I SEE A LOT OF FOOD TRUCKS JUST DUMP THE WATER, YOU KNOW, JUST ONS ONSITE AND IT'S GONNA EVAPORATE.
BUT EVENTUALLY YOU CAN START GETTING PESTS.
YOU START, YOU KNOW, I DO PEST CONTROL AS WELL.
YOU START GETTING PESTS, YOU START GETTING ODOR, STUFF LIKE THAT.
YOU JUST THANK YOU GUYS FOR YOUR TIME.
UH, COMMISSIONER DALTON HAS, UH, I'D LIKE TO TALK TO YOU.
YOU, YOU DID UNDERSTAND THAT THE GENERATORS ARE NOT NECESSARY.
THAT'S, THEY ARE PROVIDING POWER.
SO YOU'RE NOT GONNA HAVE GENERATORS, FUMES, ANY OF THAT FOR THESE, FOR THIS LOCATION.
BUT NO WASTE, RIGHT? WELL, WASTE WATER, JUST THE WATER.
I MEAN, IT, IT'S DIRTY WATER TOO.
WELL, WATER, SEWER THAT NO SEWER, THAT FALLS INTO THE REALM OF, UH, CODE ENFORCEMENT, I BELIEVE WOULD BE WATCHING OVER THAT.
AND, UH, KEEPING THAT IN CHECK.
AND, AND YOU MENTIONED SOMETHING THAT JUST, YOU SAID AN ICE CREAM TRUCK COMES IN AND JULY AND STAYS THROUGH AUGUST, IT CAN LEAVES.
WHAT IF I SPENT ALL THE MONEY TO PUT IN AN ICE CREAM STORE PERMANENTLY INSTALLED ON THE SQUARE, AND THEN WHEN AUGUST IS OVER, I'VE GOT NO MORE CUSTOMERS.
I'M STILL TAKING CARE OF ALL THAT.
WHERE A TRUCK THAT IS SEASONAL MM-HMM.
UM, GOOD EXAMPLE IS THE LADY THAT CAME HERE TONIGHT WITH HER FACILITY, SHE'S GOING TO BE PUTTING ON BROADWAY AND ANOTHER COMPANY CALLED KONA ICE THAT I SEE EVERYWHERE.
AND THERE'S A LOT OF THESE PLACES AROUND.
UH, THEY CAN BE SEASONAL SOMETIMES, SO, OKAY.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR COMING DOWN AGAIN.
I HAVE NO OTHER SPEAKER CARDS.
IS THERE ANYBODY ELSE IN THE AUDIENCE? OKAY.
STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS AND GO AHEAD.
AND, UH, I OWN THE BUILDING AT 6 0 4 MAIN STREET.
AND I'VE LISTENED TO THE PEOPLE SPEAK AND THEY'VE GOT SOME GOOD VALID POINTS, WHICH IS THE BUSINESSES OF GARLAND HAVE SUFFERED ENOUGH.
THEY WERE HOPING TO GET THEIR BUSINESS GOING.
YOU KNOW, AS SOON AS WE GOT TO DOWNTOWN, I HAVE A FEELING THAT THIS HAS BEEN A RUSH JOB.
I GOT A NOTICE OF THIS JUST ABOUT 10 DAYS AGO ABOUT THIS MEETING.
I'M SAYING IT SEEMS LIKE THIS IS LIKE A PUSH THROUGH JOB CONCERNING THESE TRUCKS.
'CAUSE AT ONE TIME, MS. NICHOLS WANTED TO SELL IT TO ME.
I DON'T SEE HOW YOU CAN PUT FIVE TRUCKS ON THAT PIECE OF PROPERTY TO BE SAFETY.
NOW I UNDERSTAND ABOUT THE EXHAUST FUMES IS I UNDERSTAND THERE'S NOT GONNA BE ANY, THAT'S FINE.
NOW, I DON'T KNOW ABOUT THE HOMELESS PART, UH, PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, BUT I DO THINK THAT, UH, A COUPLE QUESTIONS I HAVE IS YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT ELECTRICITY AND WATER.
HOW ARE YOU GOING TO DO THAT? I MEAN, I'D LIKE TO KNOW, OKAY, YOU GOT A VACANT LOT.
ARE YOU GONNA RUN POLES TO RUN ELECTRICITY SO THEY CAN PLUG INTO THE WATER? HOW ARE YOU GOING TO DO THAT? UH, I MEAN, BECAUSE OTHERWISE, UH, YOU'RE
[01:20:01]
GONNA HAVE STUFF STICKING UP, WHICH IS A HAZARD IN ITSELF.MY MAIN THING IS, I THINK YOU GUYS ARE RUSHING THIS TOO MUCH NOW, I'M ALL FOR GARLAND.
I'VE BEEN HERE 35 YEARS, 30 PROBABLY LONGER THAN SOME OF YOU GUYS.
AND I'VE HAD MY BUSINESSES AND MADE MY FORTUNE IN THE CITY OF GARLAND.
SO ANYTHING I CAN DO TO SUPPORT YOU GUYS, I WILL DO.
BUT AT THE SAME TIME, WHAT I DON'T LIKE ABOUT THIS, IT JUST SEEMS TO BE A RUSH DEAL.
NOW, ON THE PROPERTY, AS I TOLD YOU, MS. NICHOLS TRIED TO GET ME TO BUY IT, I LOOKED INTO IT AND I WAS GONNA BUY IT A HECK OF A LOT CHEAPER THAN WHAT LARRY PAID FOR.
THE PROPERTY IS NOT BIG ENOUGH TO PUT A BUILDING ON IT.
THE PROPERTY IS NOT BIG ENOUGH TO PUT A PROFITABLE BILL BUILDING ON IT.
IT'S JUST NOT THAT BIG BECAUSE OF THE WAY IT IS AND SITUATED.
HE'S GOT A BUNCH OF LAND, HE DOESN'T KNOW WHAT TO DO WITH MY SUGGESTION TO THE CITY, GO TO LARRY AND SAY, SELL US YOUR PROPERTY.
WE'LL GIVE YOU 20% OF WHAT YOU PAID, MAKE IT INTO A PARKING LOT, WHICH GARLAND DOWNTOWN NEEDS IS PARKING.
SO WHEN WE HAVE SPECIAL CELEBRATIONS, COLUMBUS DAY, LABOR DAY ON MY BIRTHDAY, YOU CAN HAVE YOUR PARTY OUT THERE.
BUT I'M JUST SAYING TO YOU, UH, YOU GUYS ARE KIND OF RUSHING SOMETHING HERE.
AND I DON'T THINK YOU'VE LOOKED AT ALL OF THE THINGS THAT'S GONNA COME INTO PLAY.
THE OTHER PEOPLE THAT SPOKE, PATRICIA AND THE OTHER LADY, THEY HAD SOME GOOD VALID POINTS ABOUT THE SMELL.
MAYBE, UH, ABOUT THE HOMELESS PEOPLE, I DON'T KNOW, BUT AT NIGHT, MAYBE DRAWN OUT OTHER PEOPLE.
BUT, UH, THAT'S BASICALLY ALL I HAVE TO SAY, GUYS.
ANY QUESTIONS? COMMISSIONER JENKINS? GOOD EVENING, SIR.
THANK YOU FOR JOINING US THIS EVENING.
UH, I HAD NOTHING BETTER TO DO.
I'M SURE, I'M SURE YOU DID, BUT I APPRECIATE YOU SAYING THAT.
YOU SUBMITTED AN EMAIL TO US, OR I THINK YOU SUBMITTED AN EMAIL TO US.
YOU, YOU, THE, YOU SAID YOU'RE THE OWNER AT WHAT BUILDING? 6 0 4 MAIN.
UM, AS IT RELATES TO YOUR, UH, CONCERNS, I WANT TO TO TO LET YOU KNOW THAT I HEARD WHAT YOU SAID.
I, I HEAR THAT, THAT THERE ARE CONCERNS REGARDING SAFETY AND SECURITY AND OVERNIGHT PRESENCE.
AND THAT I'M WONDERING, AS SOMEBODY THAT'S BEEN HERE FOR 35 YEARS, I BELIEVE YOU SAID, WHICH YES, SIR.
JUST LIKE YESTERDAY, WOULD THOSE, THOSE CONCERNS STILL BE PRESENT DESPITE THIS DEVELOPMENT? WOULD THOSE CONCERNS WITH WITHOUT THIS PARTICULAR DEVELOPMENT STILL BE CONCERNS? OKAY, MY CONCERN IS THE RUSHING OF IT.
MAKING SURE THE PROCESS AND MAKING SURE THE ANSWERS I HEARD, LARRY, HE GAVE SOME GOOD ANSWERS, AND HE'S GONNA FOLLOW UP ON ALL THIS.
HE'S GONNA SUPERVISE ALL THIS.
MY NEXT QUESTION TO YOU IS, WHAT IF HE DOESN'T? WHO DOES WE GO TO? OKAY.
SEE THAT MAN RIGHT DOWN THERE, THE ONE SITTING THERE QUIETLY, NOT LOOKING AT ANYBODY THAT, THAT MAN IS RESPONSIBLE FOR MAKING SURE THAT, YOU KNOW, ALL THE ENFORCEMENTS HAPPEN.
NO, I, I'M ALL FOR BRINGING MORE PEOPLE IN.
I THINK PERSONALLY, IT'S NOT GONNA AFFECT THE RESTAURANT BUSINESSES THAT MUCH.
YOU KNOW, PEOPLE BUYING FROM OFF OF THESE TRUCKS, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, IT'S GONNA BE, I WOULD ASSUME IT'S GONNA BE LIKE CLYDE WARREN PARK, YOU KNOW, MAMAS WITH LITTLE KIDS.
AND, UH, SO I'M NOT CONCERNED.
I DON'T, I THINK THEY'RE OVERLY CONCERNED ABOUT THAT.
BUT MY CONCERN IS MAKING SURE THAT HE IS LIABLE FOR ANY AND ALL DAMAGES OR WHATEVER.
UH, COMMISSIONER DALTON, I'D LIKE TO TALK TO YOU, PLEASE.
DO YOU KNOW WHEN WE WERE NOTIFIED OF THIS? WELL, NO.
YEAH, I WAS GONNA GO THROUGH THE WHOLE PROCESS.
WE WERE NOTIFIED THIS COMMISSION WAS NOTIFIED OF THIS LAST THURSDAY.
YOU GUYS ARE CONVENIENTLY NOT ANSWERED.
WHAT ARE YOU GONNA DO ABOUT THE BACK? THE BACK LOT.
YOU CAN'T PARK VEHICLES ON, ON,
[01:25:01]
UH, ON GRAVEL.I THOUGHT THE CITY MAKES YOU PAVE IT.
A COUNTRY, THE CITY IS REQUIRING PAVING.
UM, AND I DO THIS A COUPLE TIMES A YEAR.
I EXPLAIN THE PROCESS, THE PROCESS OF NOTIFICATION AND HOW THINGS ARE RUN.
A LOT OF IT'S DRIVEN BY STATE LAW.
STATE LAW REQUIRES THAT WE NOTIFY WITHIN 200 FEET OF A PROPERTY.
GARLAND DOUBLES THAT WE GO 400 FEET.
WE SEND OUT NOTICES AS SOON AS AN APPLICATION IS COMPLETE.
A LOT OF PEOPLE DIDN'T GET 'EM.
WELL, IF YOU'RE LEASING THE PROPERTY, YOU DON'T GET IT.
THE PERSON WHO OWNS THE PROPERTY GETS IT.
AND, UH, WE ALSO HAVE SIGNS PUT UP ON THE PROPERTY, UH, AT THE SAME TIME.
AND WE ARE JUST A RECOMMENDING BODY.
AND IT'S, UH, STATE LAW IS JUST CHANGED, BUT UP UNTIL IT'S FULLY IMPLEMENTED, WE CANNOT EVEN POSTPONE A CASE.
STATE LAW DID NOT ALLOW US TO POSTPONE ANY CASE WITH A, A, A DETAILED PLAN ON IT, WHICH THIS HAS.
WE ARE RECOMMENDING BODY, UH, THIS WILL GO TO THE CITY COUNCIL IN SEPTEMBER SOMETIME.
SO YOU STILL HAVE COUPLE, TWO, THREE WEEKS TO, UH, DEAL WITH IT AND WORK WITH IT.
BUT A LOT OF THIS IS ESTATE DRIVEN STAFF AS GOOD AS GETTING THINGS OUT AS SOON AS THEY CAN.
AND LIKE COMMISSIONER DALTON SAID, WE DON'T GET THE INFORMATION UNTIL, UH, THURSDAY.
SO YOU GUYS ACTUALLY GET NOTIFICATION.
WELL, WE DO GET NOTIFICATION OF, UH, CASES COMING UP, BUT THAT'S IT NOW.
BUT YOU SAY IT, THE IT IS GONNA BE PAVED.
THAT'S, UH, THE REQUIREMENT, THOUGH.
UH, THERE'S, UH, CONCRETE PAVEMENT ON IT AND IN THE SEATING AREA IN THE MIDDLE, UH, CRUSHED GRAVEL KIND.
BUT Y'ALL HAVE NEVER CONSIDERED MAYBE GOING INTIMATE DOMAIN.
OH, THIS, THIS BODY HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH ANY OF THAT.
SO YOU DON'T HAVE, UH, THAT'S ABOVE OUR PAY GRADE.
YOU CAN'T GO TO LARRY AND SAY, LARRY, WE'RE GONNA BUY YOUR PROPERTY.
WE'LL GIVE YOU 10% THAT'S ABOVE OUR PAY GRADE, AND WE GET ZERO.
SO THAT'S A, THAT'S A CITY COUNCIL THING.
AND GO AHEAD AND GIVE YOUR CARD TO THE PLAN COMMISSION SECRETARY, PLEASE.
ANYBODY ELSE IN THE AUDIENCE WISH TO? HELLO? HELLO.
SO I WASN'T THINKING ABOUT COMING HERE, BUT I ACTUALLY, MY NAME IS ARIEL CASTILLO.
UM, I SERVED IN THE MILITARY ADDRESS, PLEASE.
MY ADDRESS IS 2 26 NORTH 12TH STREET.
UH, AND ANYWAYS, I SERVED IN THE MILITARY.
I LEFT GARLAND AT THANK YOU FOR THAT.
2009, I CAME BACK AND I ACTUALLY LIVE HERE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
UM, I CAME BACK WITH, WITH THE HOPE OF MAKING THE NEIGHBORHOOD A BETTER LOOKING NEIGHBORHOOD, A PEACEFUL NEIGHBORHOOD.
BUT UNFORTUNATELY, UH, THIS TACO IDEA, THIS TACO TRUCK IDEA, SOUNDS LIKE A LOT OF FUN FOR EVERYONE, EVEN FOR ME.
'CAUSE, YOU KNOW, WE ALL LOVE TO EAT.
YOU KNOW, WHY NOT? BUT, UH, THE PROBLEMS THAT CAN, IT CAN CREATE ARE LOTS, BECAUSE I LIVE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND I HAVE SEEN THE CHANGES THAT IS THAT BEEN HAPPENING WITH HOMELESS PEOPLE.
AND, UM, SADLY, UH,
UM, I KNOW WHERE YOU'RE PRETTY MUCH, UH, AND I HAD TO DEAL WITH, UH, VANDALISM, UH, TRASH, CONSTANTLY AROUND MY HOUSE.
UM, THAT CR CREATED BY HOMELESS PEOPLE.
AND I FEEL THAT THIS TACO, UH, BUSINESS OR LOCATION IS, IS JUST GONNA, UH, ADD ON TO WHAT I'VE ALREADY DEALT WITH.
AND I'VE SEEN IT NEXT TO ME, NEXT TO MY HOUSE BECAUSE THE CITY HAS ALLOWED SOMETHING THAT SHOULDN'T BE THERE, UH, TO EXIST.
UM, UNFORTUNATELY, UH, YOU KNOW, MOST EVERYBODY, THE BUSINESS OWNERS GET TO GO HOME AND THEY DON'T GET TO SEE WHAT GOES AROUND HERE.
WELL, I LIVE HERE AT FIVE IN THE MORNING.
I SEE ALL KINDS OF CROWDS GOING AROUND HERE.
YOU KNOW, JUST, UH, CREATING TRASH.
I MEAN, IT'S, IT'S SAD TO SEE THE, THE CITY GOING THAT IN THAT DIRECTION.
UH, OUR DOWNTOWN IS LOOKING BEAUTIFUL.
I THINK WE WANT CREATE A CLEAN, UH, ENVIRONMENT FOR EVERYONE TO, TO ENJOY.
AND, UM, I FEEL THAT THIS BUSINESS WOULD TAKE AWAY FROM THAT.
UM, UNFORTUNATELY, LIKE I SAID, I, THE CITY HAS ALLOWED SOMETHING NEXT TO MY RESIDENCE THAT HAS CREATED THE PROBLEMS THAT I CAN SEE COMING AND CREATED BECAUSE THEY WANNA DO THIS.
SO I JUST DON'T BELIEVE IT'S A GOOD IDEA.
AND HOPEFULLY YOU GUYS, UH, JUST, UH, MAKE THE RIGHT CHOICE HERE.
ANY, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR COMING DOWN.
ASK AGAIN, ANYBODY ELSE WHO WISH TO ADDRESS THIS ITEM.
[01:30:01]
I'LL ASK THE APPLICANT TO COME BACK UP AND ADDRESS ANYTHING IF HE CARES TO.LARRY ISHMA FIVE 20 MAIN STREET, GARLAND, TEXAS 7 5 0 4 0.
SO LEMME JUST START BY SAYING, I AM A RESTAURANT OWNER, SO IF ANYBODY'S ENDURED, IT'S ME.
I NEVER ASKED THE CITY FOR A PENNY.
I DON'T EXPECT THEM TO DO ANYTHING IN RETURN.
UM, MY ROAD GOT SHUT DOWN TWICE WHEN IT FIRST STARTED AND NOW, SO I'M STILL, I'M STILL SURVIVING.
SO I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE OTHER BUSINESS'S STRUGGLES ARE.
DO BANDERAS OR IF ANYBODY ELSE'S, WE'RE ALL HERE.
SO IF THEY'RE STRUGGLING, IT'S PROBABLY BECAUSE OF THEIR OWN FAULT.
YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW WHAT THEY'RE DOING, BUT I'M HERE.
I OPEN SIX HOURS A DAY, I'M ABLE TO PAY MY BILLS.
I'M ABLE TO TAKE CARE OF EVERYTHING.
AND NOW I HAVE MONEY TO INVEST, BRING UP PROPERTY VALUES, TAXES.
SO, YOU KNOW, I'M NOT TRYING TO CLUTTER UP DOWNTOWN GARLAND.
MY BUILDING, I TOOK A BUILDING THAT WAS BUILT IN 1911, REDID IT ALL IN 2017.
I THINK I HAVE A BEAUTIFUL BUILDING.
SO I JUST DON'T THINK THAT THE IDEA OF ME TRASHING ANYTHING BACK THERE, THAT'S OUT OF THE QUESTION.
I'M NOT GONNA INVEST MY MONEY TO DO THAT.
ONE OF THE THINGS YOU'RE ASKING FOR IS A SPECIAL USE PROVISION.
AND THIS IS MORE FOR EVERYBODY.
ONE OF THE NATURES OF, UH, OH, NO, GO AHEAD.
ONE OF THE NATURE OF A SPECIAL USE PROVISION IS THAT CITY COUNCIL CAN CALL IT BACK TO BE REHEARD TO BE REMOVED TOO.
SO IF YOU'RE A BAD ACTOR, REALLY BAD ACTOR AND DO A BUNCH OF WRONG STUFF, THEY CAN ACTUALLY WITH, UH, REVOKE THAT SPECIFIC USE PROVISION.
UH, I, I JUST HAVE AN OBSERVATION AND NOT A QUESTION, AND THEN IT, IT, IT'S, UH, HAS TO DO WITH A LOT OF THE COMMENTS.
THERE WAS A FOOD TRUCK COURT ON ARAPAHOE ROAD, AND IT WAS TERRIBLY, TERRIBLY, TERRIBLY BUSY.
THEY WERE BUSY ALL THE TIME, AND THERE WAS NO TRASH.
I NEVER SAW ANY FUMES, I NEVER SAW, IT JUST WAS WELL ORGANIZED AND RUN.
I HAD NO IDEA WHO IT WAS INVOLVED.
AND, AND, AND, AND IT WAS THERE FOR YEARS UNTIL SOMEBODY BOUGHT THE PIECE OF DIRT OR THE BUILDING, AND THEY KICKED THEM OUT.
SO IT WAS A SUCCESSFUL OPERATION.
AND, AND, AND IF IT WAS A PROBLEM, THEY WOULD'VE PROBABLY BEEN KICKED OUT, UH, LONG BEFORE THE LAND WAS SOLD.
AND THE BUYER SAID, GET OUTTA HERE.
THEY'RE PROBABLY GONNA TEAR IT ALL DOWN AND PUT A SEVEN 11 IN HERE OR SOMETHING.
WHO KNOWS? BUT IT'S NOT GONNA BE A, UH, A FOOD CARD.
BUT, SO MY MY POINT IN BRINGING THIS UP IS IF THIS MAN TENDS TO HIS PROPERTY, LIKE HE DOES HIS CURRENT PROPERTY, AND THIS IS GONNA BE A SUCCESSFUL OPERATION.
AND IF HE DOESN'T, UH, THEN THE CITY WILL COME AFTER HIM AND SAY, HEY, LOOK,
EITHER FIX IT OR SHUT IT DOWN.
ANYWAY, IT'S, IT'S JUST AN OBSERVATION I HAVE IN RESPONSE TO SOME OF THE QUESTIONS AND COMMENTS.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR COMING DOWN.
CHAIRMAN, I MAKE A, A MOTION TO CLOSE PUBLIC HEARING.
SECOND, UH, MOTION BY COMMISSIONER JENKINS.
I BELIEVE I HEARD THE FIRST SECOND, WHICH IS A STRANGE PHRASE BY COMMISSIONER ROSE.
THIS IS TO CLOSE A PUBLIC HEARING ONLY, AND WE'VE ALL VOTED AND WE HAVE CLOSED THE PUBLIC HEARING.
UH, I, I WANT TO, TO FIRST SAY, YOU KNOW, I, I'M CERTAINLY APPRECIATIVE, UH, OF, UH, ALL OF THE COMMENTS THAT WE, UH, WERE ABLE TO HEAR THIS EVENING TO PROVIDE US, UH, INSIGHT AND PERSPECTIVE REGARDING THE COMPLEXITIES OF DEVELOPING IN DOWNTOWN.
UM, I CERTAINLY, AGAIN, AS I SAID EARLIER, I HAVE HAVE NEVER,
[01:35:01]
UM, OWNED A BUSINESS AND KNOW NOTHING ABOUT IT.AND, AND, AND BELIEVE THAT EVERYONE THAT DOES IT IS IN INSANELY COURAGEOUS, UH, AND HAS A LEVEL OF PERSEVERANCE THAT I WOULD KNOW NOTHING ABOUT.
UH, THAT BEING SAID, THE ISSUE REGARDING FOOD TRUCKS IS NOT A NEW ONE.
UH, THERE HAVE BEEN MULTIPLE, UH, SOURCES THAT HAVE REPORTED ON CERTAIN, UH, ORDINANCES OR DEVELOPMENTS AS IT RELATES TO FOOD TRUCK, UH, FOOD TRUCKS, EXCUSE ME.
I WAS ABLE, AFTER A VERY BRIEF GOOGLE SEARCH TO LOCATE AN ARTICLE IN THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH, WHICH WAS, UH, PUBLISHED IN 2013.
AND THIS PARTICULAR ARTICLE CITED, UH, RESEARCH THAT HAD BEEN DONE BY A NUMBER OF, UH, BUSINESS ENTITIES AND LAW FIRMS REGARDING FOOD TRUCKS IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF FOOD TRUCKS.
UH, SOME, SOME OF THE RESEARCH, AND I'LL, I'LL GIVE THE TITLES HERE, UH, FOOD TRUCK TRUTH, WHY RESTAURANTS AND CITIES HAVE NOTHING TO FEAR FROM MOBILE FOOD BUSINESSES.
CIRCA 2 20 13 AND A MORE RECENT FOOD TRUCK TRUTH 2022, CONCLUDED THAT MORE FOOD TRUCKS DO NOT RESULT IN FEWER RESTAURANTS.
THE REPORT FURTHER SUGGEST THAT FOOD TRUCKS COMPLIMENT THE BRICK AND MORTAR RESTAURANT INDUSTRY.
THE STUDY EXAMINED 12 YEARS OF CENSUS DATA ON FOOD TRUCKS AND RESTAURANTS IN A GIVEN GEOGRAPHIC LOCATION, AND FOUND AN INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF FOOD TRUCKS IN ONE YEAR, DOES NOT LEAD TO A DECREASE IN THE NUMBER OF RESTAURANTS THE FOLLOWING YEAR.
FAR FROM THREATENING TO PUT RESTAURANTS OUT OF BUSINESS, FOOD TRUCKS COEXIST WITH RESTAURANTS AND MAY EVEN HELP THE RESTAURANT INDUSTRY TO GROW.
AND WHILE YES, SOME RESTAURANTS MAY CLOSE DUE TO COMPETITION FROM FOOD TRUCKS, THOSE SAME RESTAURANTS WOULD LIKELY CLOSE FROM COMPETITION FROM OTHER RESTAURANTS AS WELL.
SO THOSE BUSINESSES SHOULD LARGELY WELCOME A GROWTH FROM A VIBRANT FOOD SCENE.
UH, I, AS I WAS LISTENING TONIGHT, I WAS UNDER THE IMPRESSION THAT THE, UH, LOCAL BUSINESSES ARE REQUESTING, UH, RESTRICTIONS, UH, IN SOME, IN SOME WAYS PROTECTIONIST IDEAS THAT ARE DESIGNED TO PROTECT THOSE RESTAURANTS FROM OTHER FORMS OF COMPETITION.
AND THAT SORT OF REQUEST, I DON'T THINK THAT I COULD SUPPORT.
UM, THERE ARE A LOT OF POLICY DECISIONS ASSOCIATED WITH THIS THAT I THINK ARE PROBABLY BEST LEFT TO THE CITY COUNCIL.
SOME OF THOSE DECISIONS HAVE ALREADY BEEN MADE, LIKE ELIMINATING THE PARKING REQUIREMENT, UH, FOR DOWNTOWN, UM, WHICH WOULD OTHERWISE HAVE BEEN MY PRIMARY CONCERN.
I MEAN, YOU KNOW, THERE IS, I, I BELIEVE THERE'S PARKING ISSUE DOWNTOWN, BUT DEPENDING ON WHO YOU TALK TO, AND DEPENDING ON HOW THEY FEEL ABOUT THAT PARTICULAR ISSUE THAT'S, OR THAT PARTICULAR BUSINESS, IT'S, ITS ISSUE OR WHATEVER, THERE EITHER IS NO PARKING ISSUE WITH PLENTY OF ADEQUATE PARKING ALL OVER THE PLACE, OR THERE IS A TERRIBLE PARKING ISSUE AND NOBODY CAN GET ANYTHING DONE.
AND IT, AND I DON'T REALLY KNOW WHERE IT FALLS ON THAT.
I KNOW THE CITY DID A STUDY, I THINK IN 2017 ABOUT PARKING IN DOWNTOWN.
ONE MEMBER OF THE CITY COUNCIL WAS SAYING THAT THERE WAS AMPLE PARKING RIGHT NEXT DOOR HERE IN THIS PARKING GARAGE.
YET A FEW WEEKS AGO, SHE SAID THAT WE WERE DESPERATE FOR PARKING.
AND THE CITY THEN, YOU KNOW, LEASED A A A A A SPACE, UH, TO IMPROVE IT, TO PUT ADDITIONAL PARKING THERE.
UM, THAT SAID, YOU KNOW, THIS IS A DECISION OF THIS BUSINESS OWNER.
IT'D BE A TERRIBLE POSITION FOR THE CITY TO SAY, CAN YOU IMAGINE IF THE CITY COULD SAY, WELL, BECAUSE WE WANT TO BUY YOUR FACILITY, WE'RE GONNA DENY YOUR REQUEST.
I MEAN, THAT, THAT'S THE AB THAT'S THE ABSOLUTE WORST THING THAT ANYBODY THINKS ABOUT GOVERNMENT IS THIS KIND OF MALICIOUS, LIKE, YOU KNOW, THE CITY HAS THIS INTEREST, SO THEY'RE GOING TO LEVERAGE IT AGAINST YOU.
UM, FROM A LAND USE PERSPECTIVE, THERE, I, I HAVE TO SAY, THERE ARE NOT A LOT OF, NOT A LOT OF OTHER, I MEAN, YOU MIGHT BE ABLE TO FIT THAT SHAVED ICE BUILDING, WHICH IS PRETTY SMALL RIGHT THERE.
BUT OTHER THAN THAT, THERE ARE NOT A LOT OF OTHER POTENTIAL USES FOR WHAT'S A RELATIVELY SMALL, UH, LOCATION.
UM, YOU KNOW, BY THE SAME TOKEN, I UNDERSTAND THE CONCERNS.
I, I THINK A 10 YEAR SS U P IS PROBABLY TOO LONG.
IF THERE'S SOME REAL CONCERNS ABOUT THE POTENTIAL NEGATIVE IMPACTS, I'D SAY DO A FIVE YEAR S U P AND, AND COME BACK AND, AND LET'S TALK ABOUT IT AGAIN, AND EITHER CELEBRATE THE SUCCESS OR, OR FIND SOME OTHER OPTION FOR IT.
UM, YOU KNOW, AS, AS A COMMISSION, WE HANDLE A LOT OF CASES WHERE FOLKS, WHETHER IT'S BECAUSE THEY DON'T WANT APARTMENT FOLKS MOVING IN OR BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, WHETHER THE TOWNHOUSE FOLKS DON'T WANT THE APARTMENT FOLKS, OR WHETHER THE HOUSE FOLKS DON'T WANT THE TOWNHOUSE FOLKS,
[01:40:02]
AND, YOU KNOW, WHO DOESN'T WANT WHO AND WHO GOT HERE FIRST, WHICH IS, I MEAN, KIND OF AN ISSUE THAT'S PROBABLY BEEN AROUND SINCE THE FOUNDING OF THE COUNTRY.AND, UM, YOU KNOW, BUT I BELIEVE THAT FROM A BUSINESS PERSPECTIVE, FROM A LOT OF PERSPECTIVES, WE DO BETTER.
UH, WHEN, WHEN WE SUPPORT EACH OTHER AND WE WORK TOGETHER AND WE DO BETTER WITH, IF, YOU KNOW, A, A CRITICAL MASS OF RESTAURANTS, UH, WHETHER THEY'RE FOOD TRUCKS OR, YOU KNOW, HOWEVER, HOWEVER THAT FOOD GETS HERE IS WHAT BRING, I MEAN, WE WANT, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, YOU KNOW, I, I THINK I WANT THE YOGI BERRA SITUATION WHERE, YOU KNOW, NOBODY GOES THERE ANYMORE.
AND, UM, AND, AND THAT IDEA OF, OF HAVING THAT CRITICAL MASS OF RESTAURANTS IS SOMETHING THAT'S BEEN AROUND FOR A WHILE, IS HOW DO YOU BRING THAT INTO DOWNTOWN SO THAT, BECAUSE IT, BECAUSE THE IDEA IS, AND I THINK THIS IS VERY MUCH TRUE WITH FOOD TRUCKS, IT'S LIKE, YOU KNOW, YOU BRING, YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE A GROUP OF PEOPLE, THE THOUGHT OF HAVING A GROUP OF PEOPLE WHO WILL SAY, WHERE DO WE WANT TO GO TODAY? WHERE DO WE WANT TO GO TONIGHT? WELL, LET'S GO TO DOWNTOWN.
'CAUSE I CAN GET, I CAN GET SOMETHING OVER HERE AND I CAN, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN GO OVER TO INTRINSIC AND I CAN GO OVER TO THIS FOOD TRUCK AND YOU CAN GO OVER TO MAIN STREET DELI, AND WE CAN ALL FIND SOMETHING THAT WE LIKE, OR SOMEONE GO TO THE NEW PIZZA PLACE AND WE'LL ALL JUST MEET AND SIT IN THE SQUARE.
AND WHAT AN OPPORTUNITY THAT PROVIDES TO BUILD COMMUNITY AND TO BUILD BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES FOR EVERYBODY, WHETHER YOU'RE A RESTAURANT OR WHETHER YOU'RE SOME OTHER KIND OF BUSINESS.
UM, YOU KNOW, AND THE COUNCIL ADDRESSED THIS.
UM, YOU KNOW, THERE WAS A FOOD, THERE WAS FOOD TRUCK ISSUES, BUT ABOUT A YEAR AND A HALF AGO OR SO THAT WENT THROUGH THE COUNCIL, AND THE QUESTION WAS, WHAT DO WE DO ABOUT FOOD TRUCKS? AND THERE WAS, THERE WAS A PROTECTIONIST MOVEMENT THAT WAS ASSOCIATED WITH THAT, THAT WAS, YOU KNOW, WELL, DON'T LET THEM BE WITHIN A HUNDRED FEET OF A, OF THE FRONT DOOR OF A, OF A BRICK AND MORTAR BUSINESS, AND DON'T LET THEM THIS AND DON'T LET THEM THAT.
AND I JUST, I, I JUST DON'T THINK THAT'S WHO WE WANT TO BE AS A CITY.
AND SO, IF, IF THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY, YOU KNOW, LET'S, LET'S SEE IF THERE'S OPPORTUNITY HERE AND LET'S BE, YOU KNOW, LET'S GIVE THESE FOLKS A CHANCE BECAUSE THEY MAY, I MEAN, THE BEST THING THAT CAN HAPPEN IS THAT YOU MAY HAVE A CIRCUMSTANCE WHERE THESE FOOD TRUCKS, SOME OF THESE FOOD TRUCKS ARE GONNA DO GANGBUSTER BUSINESS, AND THEY'RE GOING TO WANT TO BE IN THE BRICK AND MORTAR STORES.
THEY'RE GONNA WANT TO BE HERE YEAR ROUND.
THEY'RE GONNA WANNA MAKE THAT.
AND, AND IT'S NOT A SMALL INVESTMENT EITHER.
AND THERE WAS SOME TESTIMONY, YOU KNOW, A YEAR AND A HALF AGO WHEN, WHEN ALL THESE FOOD TRUCK ISSUES WERE COMING AROUND, AND, YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES OPERATING A FOOD TRUCK IS MORE EXPENSIVE THAN OPERATING A BRICK AND MORTAR RESTAURANT.
I MEAN, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THESE BRICK AND MORTAR RESTAURANTS FAILS, AND ANOTHER ONE COMES IN AND THEY TAKE, YOU KNOW, THE, THE, THE PROP ALL THE, THE, THE FIXTURES AND EVERYTHING, WERE ALREADY BEEN LEANED UP.
AND SOMEONE SAYS, WELL, YOU KNOW, AND WE SEE A LOT OF IT, YOU KNOW, LAST WEEK IT WAS A BURGER PLACE, AND THIS WEEK IT'S A TAQUERIA, AND NEXT MONTH IT'S AN ITALIAN PLACE BECAUSE EVERYTHING'S ALREADY SET FOR THEM.
BUT THESE FOOD TRUCKS TEND TO BE AT LEAST VERY HIGHLY SPECIALIZED, AND THESE PEOPLE ARE SPENDING FOUR OR FIVE, $600,000 ON, ON A FACILITY TO MAKE IT, YOU KNOW, TO MAKE THIS FOOD.
SO, YOU KNOW, I I, THERE ARE DEFINITELY SOME POLICY ISSUES AND QUESTIONS.
UM, I PERSONALLY HAVE, YOU KNOW, I HAVE, I HAVE SOME, YOU KNOW, THE IDEA THAT THERE'S NO BATHROOMS, THAT IT'S RESTING ON THE, THE, THE CITY'S PUBLIC RESTROOMS AND ALL THIS OTHER STUFF ARE DEFINITELY CONCERNS.
BUT THOSE ARE ALL POLICY ISSUES THAT I THINK THAT THE COUNCIL EITHER HAS TO, OR HAS ALREADY IRONED OUT.
SO, UM, AND I THINK WITH A, WITH A RELATIVELY SHORT SS U P, IF IT TURNS OUT THAT THIS WAS A HORRIBLE IDEA AND PEOPLE HAVE HORRIBLE IDEAS ALL THE TIME, I HAVE 'EM MOST OF THE TIME.
BUT IF PEOPLE HAVE A HOR, IF IT'S A HORRIBLE IDEA, WE'LL KNOW, YOU KNOW, AND WE'LL, WE'LL FIGURE IT OUT.
IT'LL FAIL OR WON'T OR WHATEVER.
SO I, I'M INCLINED TO SUPPORT IT WITH A, ALTHOUGH I AM CONCERNED ABOUT THE, THE, THE, THE SEWER ISSUE ABOUT PEOPLE, UH, YOU KNOW, ABOUT WASTEWATER AND STUFF LIKE THAT.
I DON'T KNOW THE BEST ANSWER FOR THAT.
UM, YOU KNOW, BUT I'M, I'M, BUT I ALSO TRUST OUR HEALTH DEPARTMENT TO, UH, TO TAKE CARE OF THAT.
BUT I, I, I WOULD SUPPORT THIS PROJECT, BUT WITH A, WITH A SHORTER S U P FIVE YEARS OR SHORTER.
UH, COMMISSIONER DALTON, THEN COMMISSIONER WILLIAMS, THEN COMMISSIONER.
I'D LIKE TO KINDA LOOK AT THIS FROM A 10,000 FOOT PERSPECTIVE.
I'VE HAD INTERFACE WITH FOOD COURTS,
[01:45:01]
FOOD TRUCKS OVER THE YEARS DOING VARIOUS THINGS I'VE DONE, UH, WITH THE CITY AND PUBLIC SERVICE.AND ONE THING AND ANOTHER, AND ONE WAS AT THE GRANVILLE WHEN WE WERE HAVING A NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TRAINING AND THEY BROUGHT FOOD TRUCKS IN FOR LUNCH.
I WALKED OUT, LOOKED AT THEIR PRICES, AND WALKED DOWNTOWN AND WENT TO MAIN STREET CAFE BECAUSE THE FOOD TRUCK'S PRICES WERE RIDICULOUSLY HIGH.
WE'VE HAD FOOD TRUCKS DOWN ON THE SQUARE MORE THAN ONCE DURING SPECIAL EVENTS.
IT'S NOTHING NEW TO HAVE THESE PEOPLE SHOW UP.
WE'VE ALSO HAD FOOD TRUCKS OUT AT FIRE WHEEL WHEN WE'VE HAD THE 4TH OF JULY.
AND AGAIN, IN EACH ONE OF THOSE CASES, I WAS NOT INCLINED TO BUY THEIR PRODUCT.
SO I, I'VE GOTTA GIVE THEM KUDOS FOR BEING WILLING TO SPEND AS MUCH MONEY AS I KNOW THEY HAVE TO PUT THESE TRUCKS TOGETHER AND HAVE THEM.
I DON'T THINK A FOOD TRUCK WITHIN ITSELF IS, COMMISSIONER ALMOND SAID IT'S GOING TO CAUSE MAIN STREET CAFE OR MAIN STREET DELI OR INTRINSIC BARBECUE TO GO OUT OF BUSINESS.
I DON'T THINK THAT'S GONNA HAPPEN.
BUT, UM, I DO HAVE A CONCERN ABOUT LETTING THEM PARK FOR WEEK, TWO WEEKS, THREE WEEKS, A MONTH, AND JUST PARK AND STAY THERE.
ALL OF MY EXPERIENCES WITH FOOD TRUCKS, THEY COME IN, THEY DO THEIR, THEIR DRILL, AND THEY LEAVE, AND THE NEXT GUY COMES IN.
UH, AND THERE'S PLENTY OF FOOD TRUCKS OUT THERE THAT WOULD BE WILLING TO COME IN HERE.
SO MY ONLY CONCERN IS THAT DURATION OF HOW LONG THEY'D BE ALLOWED TO STAY ON A, ON, ON A CONTINUING BASIS PRIOR TO HAVING TO LEAVE.
SO I'D LIKE TO, FOR US TO RESTRICT THAT TIME LIMITATION, AND AS COMMISSIONER VIN SAID, GIVE THEM A, A SHORTER SS U P, THAT'S WHERE I WOULD STAND ON THIS.
COMMISSIONER WILLIAMS, THEN COMMISSIONER ROSE.
UH, THIS QUESTION IS PROBABLY FOR STAFF.
IF THIS APPLICATION DID NOT EXIST, WAS THE CITY GONNA CALL FOOD TRUCKS FOR SOME OF THESE SPECIAL EVENTS THAT WE'RE GONNA HAVE LATER ON THIS YEAR? YES, SIR.
UM, THAT I'M NOT SURE, SIR, AS FAR AS ANY, UM, AS FAR AS THE CITY, YEAH.
I, I KNOW THIS APPLICATION CAME COMPLETELY FROM, FROM THE APPLICANT.
UM, AS FAR AS HIS REQUEST AND WHICH SPECIFIC, UM, FOOD TRUCK TENANTS HE'S SPEAKING TO, I'M NOT SURE.
AND WHETHER THOSE CROSS PATHS WITH ANYONE THAT THE CITY HAS LOOKED AT IN THE PAST OR IN THE FUTURE, THAT I, I CANNOT ANSWER THAT, SIR.
YEAH, HE'S NOT REALLY IN CHARGE OF DOWNTOWN ENTERTAINMENT
WELL, MY CONCERN WAS IS THAT WE HAVE FIVE FOOD TRUCKS IN THIS, IN THIS, UH, PLACE.
AND THEN THE CITY CALLS THREE OR FOUR MORE, MORE FOOD TRUCKS IN THE DOWNTOWN AREA WITH SOME OF THESE SPECIAL EVENTS THAT'S COMING UP, UH, LATER PART OF THIS YEAR ON THE FIRST PART OF NEXT YEAR.
SO WE'VE GOT AN OVERABUNDANCE OF FOOD TRUCKS IN THE DOWNTOWN AREA.
THIS IS AN, SO, OKAY, THIS IS AN OBSERVATION.
SEVERAL YEARS AGO, SEVERAL YEARS AGO, A BUSINESS WAS WANTING TO COME DOWN ON MAIN STREET.
AND, UH, A LOT OF NEGATIVE QUESTIONS, UH, SURFACED.
WE DON'T WANT THAT KIND OF BUSINESS IN GARLAND, BUT IT PASSED THE PLAN COMMISSION AND IT PASSED THE CITY COUNCIL.
AND LO AND BEHOLD, THIS BUSINESS IS SUCCESSFUL AND IS NOT A PARKING PROBLEM.
IT IS NOT A NEGATIVE BUSINESS ON MAIN STREET IN DOWNTOWN GARLAND.
AND I'M JUST BRINGING THIS UP BECAUSE WE'VE HEARD FOLKS SAYING, OH, WE CAN'T ALLOW THIS TO HAPPEN HERE.
THAT'S WHAT HAPPENED SEVERAL YEARS AGO WHEN THIS BUSINESS DECIDED TO COME TO GARLAND AND, AND THEY'VE A LOT OF NEGATIVE THINGS, AND NOW IT'S SUCCESSFUL AND IT'S NOT A PROBLEM.
AND NOBODY ELSE HAS CHIMED IN, AND YOU ALL HAVE SAID A LOT OF WHAT I WAS THINKING, BUT I'M GONNA BRING IT BACK TO THE LAND USE ISSUE.
WE EVEN HAD A SPEAKER COME UP AND SAY, CAN'T EVEN BUILD A BUILDING ON THERE.
SO IS THERE AN ALTERNATE LAND USE? I'M
[01:50:01]
NOT EVEN CERTAIN DIMENSIONS WORK OUT FOR PARKING, SO I'M WILLING TO GIVE IT A TRY MAYBE FOR A SHORTER TIME PERIOD.AND IN BUSINESS, UH, THE OLD DALLAS SHOW, ONE OF THE THINGS I GOT OUT OF THAT JR'S TALKING TO BOBBY EWING, SAYS, BOBBY, IN BUSINESS, YOU GOTTA BE LIKE A SHARK.
AND HE SAID, HUH, HOW COME YOU GOTTA KEEP MOVING OR YOU DIE? AND IF YOU ALL KNOW SHARKS HAVE TO SWIM, EVEN WHEN THEY'RE SLEEPING TO FORCE WATER THROUGH THEIR GILLS.
UM, I'VE GOT A CLIENT, UH, THAT HAS A FOOD TRUCK, AND HE'S BUILDING A BUILDING HERE IN DOWNTOWN GARLAND OFF OF AVENUE B FOR THE SAME.
SO HE'S EXPANDING, HE'S MOVING LIKE SHARK.
MAYBE AS COMMISSIONER MOND SAID, IT'LL BRING A SYNERGY OF STUFF INTO DOWNTOWN, UH, WHEN LOWE'S WAS, UH, CAME IN FOR PERM, UH, FOR ZONING RIGHT NEXT TO HOME DEPOT OUT IN ONE 90, I TALKED TO THE GUY FROM LOWE'S, SAID, WHY DO YOU WANNA DO THAT? HE SAYS, WE, WE WORK OFF OF EACH OTHER.
THEY DON'T FIND SOMETHING AT HOME DEPOT.
AND LOWE'S, HE SAID, IS MORE OF A, UH, FAMILY DRIVEN BUSINESS.
AND HOME DEPOT IS MORE A CONTRACTOR DRIVEN BUSINESS.
NOW, THESE FOLKS OUT HERE, THEY HAVE BEEN THROUGH, UM, PARDON MY FRENCH, ALL KINDS OF HELL THE PAST FOUR YEARS, AND I RECOGNIZE THAT, AND I'M JUST HOPING THINGS COME OUT OF OUTTA THE CHUTE WHERE THEY CAN MAKE A LOT OF MONEY.
BUT BACK TO THE LAND USE, I RIGHT NOW, IT'S THE HIGHEST AND BEST USE FOR ME.
COMMISSIONER ROSEN AND COMMISSIONER BIN, IF, IF WE, UH, RECOMMEND THIS TO COUNCIL WITH A SHORTER S U P, DOES THE APPLICANT KNOW WHAT THAT MEANS? UM, THAT'S A QUESTION.
WELL, IT MEANS YOU'D HAVE TO COME BACK IN FIVE YEARS AND RENEW IT.
UH, COMMISSIONER BIN AND COMMISSIONER JENKINS.
I, YEAH, AS, AS YOU WERE TALKING, IT REMINDED ME OF, UH, A YEAR AND A HALF AGO OR SO WHERE WE WERE TALKING ABOUT THINGS LIKE FOOD TRUCKS AND FOOD TRUCK ORDINANCES AND STUFF LIKE THAT, AND HOW RESTRICTIVE THEY COULD BE.
THAT, UM, THAT I WAS TALKING WITH SOME FOLKS FROM DOWNTOWN BUSINESS AND PEOPLE ARE ACTUALLY HERE TONIGHT WHO REMINDED ME THAT, YOU KNOW, THERE'S ALL KINDS OF OTHER COMPETITION THAT GOES ON TOO, THAT, THAT, YOU KNOW, WE WOULD HAVE THE, I'M GONNA CALL IT A FLEA MARKET, BUT I'M GONNA, THE URBAN, URBAN FLEA AND OTHER THINGS THAT GO ON DOWNTOWN THAT BRING IN PEOPLE WHO SELL THINGS THAT ARE SOLD, THAT IS COMPETITION TO THE NON-RESTAURANT BUSINESSES, WHETHER PEOPLE ARE SELLING CANDLES OR EARRINGS OR OTHER, OR CLOTHING OR OTHER THINGS THAT THEY COULD BUY.
AND IT'S JUST A RECOGNITION THAT THERE'S A VALUE IN GETTING THAT KIND OF TRAFFIC, GETTING PEOPLE HERE, GETTING PEOPLE WHO WOULD OTHERWISE MAYBE NOT BE DOWN HERE.
AND THAT IF THEY LOOK AND THEY SEE, YOU KNOW, AND THEY'RE, AND THEY'RE, YOU KNOW, THEY END UP LOOKING FOR A, I DON'T KNOW WHAT, YOU KNOW, THEY, THEY END UP LOOKING FOR, YOU KNOW, BRACELETS OR JEWELRY OR SOMETHING, AND THEY DON'T FIND WHAT THEY WANT ON THE SQUARE, AND THEN THEY LOOK AND THEY SAY, WHOA, WELL, THERE'S A BUSINESS RIGHT THERE.
AND SO IF SOMEONE COMES, AND IF THERE'S NOT A, IF THERE'S NOT A BARBECUE, YOU KNOW, IF SOMEBODY COMES DOWN AND THEY'RE REALLY CRAVING BARBECUE OR THEY'RE REALLY CRAVING PIZZA AND, YOU KNOW, THERE WAS A PIZZA TRUCK HERE LAST MONTH, BUT THERE'S NOT A PIZZA TRUCK HERE NOW, BUT BOY, I REALLY WANT PIZZA.
YOU KNOW, THERE'S GONNA BE THAT OPPORTUNITY, THERE IS THAT OPPORTUNITY FOR THEM.
THERE ARE THOSE KINDS OF, OF THINGS.
AND SO I THINK THAT THAT'S ACTUALLY A, YOU KNOW, JUST ANOTHER POINT IN, IN FAVOR OF, OF DOING SOMETHING HERE.
COMMISSIONER JENKINS, AND THEN COMMISSIONER CORNELIUS.
ONE, UM, I, I CERTAINLY WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THE CITY HAS AN OPPORTUNITY AHEAD OF IT, BECAUSE AT SOME POINT, THE VAGRANCY AND THE, THE OTHER ISSUES ASSOCIATED WITH THAT WILL HAVE TO BE ADDRESSED IN ORDER TO GENERATE FOOT TRAFFIC AND DEVELOPMENT THAT THE CITY, I BELIEVE, AND, YOU KNOW, I BELIEVE, I'M NOT CERTAIN, I'M NOT AN EXPERT IN THIS, BUT I BELIEVE THAT THE CITY WOULD LIKE TO SEE, UM, YOU HAVE A LOT OF SERVICES THAT, UH, OR ORGANIZATIONS THAT CATER TO THAT POPULATION LOCATED IN THIS AREA, WHICH IN ONE WAY OR ANOTHER ARE GOING TO CONTRIBUTE TO, UM, TO SOME OF THE CONCERNS.
SO, UH, YES, THERE IS AN OPPORTUNITY, YES, THE CITY WILL RISE TO MEET THAT CHALLENGE, UM, WHEN YOU KNOW IT, WHEN THE OPPORTUNITY PRESENTS ITSELF IN A MORE APPROPRIATE SETTING OR VENUE.
UH, AND, AND WE'LL GET IT DONE.
THE SECOND IS, AND KIND OF WHAT COMMISSIONER
[01:55:01]
BIN AND SOME OF WHAT COMMISSIONER DALTON SAID, THE FOOD TRUCKS REALLY CATER TO A VERY SPECIFIC MARKET.AND SO IF THE IDEA IS TO GENERATE FOOT TRAFFIC AS OPPOSED TO THE IDEA OF, YOU KNOW, QUARTERING ALL OF THE, YOU KNOW, MARKET SHARE FOR FAMILIES OR FOR PERSONS THAT ARE SEEKING TACOS SPECIFICALLY, OR WHAT, WHAT HAVE YOU, THE MORE THAT WE CAN GET PEOPLE TO COME TO THIS AREA, THE MORE ECONOMIC, UH, DEVELOPMENT AND INCREASE WE'LL SEE.
SO AGAIN, I, I AM IN FAVOR OF THIS PARTICULAR REQUEST.
WE'VE HAD SOME NOW CONVERSATION, UM, ABOUT, UH, SOME OF THE, UH, SPECIFICS OF THE S U P I'M HEARING FIVE YEARS.
UH, I, I I, I JUST WANNA MAKE CERTAIN THAT FIVE YEARS IS SOMETHING WE'RE CONSIDERING, AND THEN COMMISSIONER DALTON THREW OUT AN IDEA THAT WE, YOU KNOW, WE'RE CONSIDERING TIME OR, YOU KNOW, HOURS OF OPERATION ARE CONDENSED OR, BUT I HAVEN'T HEARD ANYBODY SAY ANYTHING ABOUT THAT.
SO I'D LIKE MR. UH, COMMISSIONER DALTON, EXCUSE ME, TO, TO KIND OF GIVE SOME MORE CREATIVE BACKGROUND IF, IF THERE IS ANY,
WELL, I, I PROTRACT EVERYTHING I JUST SAID.
THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN, COMMISSIONER CORNELIUS.
I, UM, I WANTED TO KIND OF LISTEN TO EVERYONE.
I, UM, I'VE LIVED, I LIVED IN THE DALLAS, DOWNTOWN DALLAS AREA FOR A VERY LONG TIME.
AND WHEN THE CLYDE WARREN PARK CAME DOWN INTO THAT AREA, IT WAS VERY EXCITING.
UH, THE FOOD TRUCKS THAT ARE THERE ON A REGULAR BASIS, IT IS A GREAT THING FOR DOWNTOWN DALLAS.
SO WHEN I FIRST MOVED TO GARLAND AND I WAS JUST LOOKING AT THINGS TO DO IN THE AREA, UM, I WAS REALLY KIND OF EXCITED WHEN I CAME DOWNTOWN IN THIS AREA BECAUSE I DIDN'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT IT.
AND IT WAS LIKE, OH, WOW, THEY HAVE THIS GOING ON.
THEY HAD A, YOU KNOW, THE LIBRARY WAS DOWN THERE, WHICH I LOVE A GOOD LIBRARY.
UM, SO I LOOK AT THIS AS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR GROWTH.
I LOOK AT IT AS AN OPPORTUNITY TO CONTINUE TO EXPAND ON SOMETHING THAT'S GOOD, TO BRING PEOPLE INTO THIS AREA, NEW RESIDENTS INTO THE AREA, TO SEE THAT GARLAND CAN BE JUST AS VIBRANT AS, UH, DALLAS OR JUST AS VIBRANT AS SOME OF THE OTHER AREAS.
AND WE'VE BEEN SMART ABOUT THE WAY WE'VE LOOKED AT THESE, UH, CASES BEING PRESENTED TO US.
AND WE'RE SAYING, OKAY, THAT IS A GOOD USE OF LAND AS WELL AS IT'S GOOD FOR THE CITY.
SO, UM, THAT'S MY THOUGHT ON THAT.
UM, THE DEAL ABOUT RESTRICTING HOW LONG THEY CAN STAY THERE, HOW DO YOU ENFORCE ANYTHING LIKE THAT? AND STAFF'S NOT SET UP TO DO ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
IT'S KINDA LIKE THE, UH, RV PARK.
IS ANYBODY OUT THERE CHALKING TIRES? NO.
SO, UH, IT'S A NICE IDEA, BUT I, I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S REALLY ENFORCEABLE AND, UH, YEAH.
AND ANYBODY CARE TO MAKE A MO WELL, COMMISSIONER ROSEN, THEN SEE IF THERE'S A MOTION TO BE HAD.
I WOULD, UH, MAKE A MOTION WE APPROVE.
UH, WAS, IS IT C AND D? UH, THE APPLICANT'S REQUEST, BUT LIMITED TO, UH, A FIVE YEAR S U P.
I BELIEVE WE'RE DEALING WITH ITEMS THREE.
SORRY, I WAS GONNA CALL ON YOU COMMISSIONER JENKINS, BUT I THOUGHT IT WAS A COMMENT COMING.
WE HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE AS PRESENTED ITEMS THREE E AND THREE F TO CONSIDERATION APPLICATION.
LARRY HAMMISH FOR THE MOBILE FOOD TRUCK PARK.
ANY DISCUSSION WITH AN S U P OF, WITH AN S U P OF FIVE YEARS? CORRECT.
AND THAT PASSAGE UNANIMOUSLY BEFORE WE LEAVE TONIGHT, I WANT TO THANK EVERYBODY FOR COMING OUT AND PARTICIPATING.
IT'S, THE SYSTEM ONLY WORKS WITH Y'ALL'S INPUT AND EVERYTHING, AND, AND WE HEARD A LOT OF THE CONCERNS AND I KNOW THE APPLICANT HEARD A LOT OF CONCERNS.
AND SO I HOPE, YOU KNOW, LET'S ALL HOPE EVERYTHING WORKS OUT FOR THE BEST FOR EVERYBODY.
AND AGAIN, WE'RE ONLY RECOMMENDING BODY, IT GOES TO CITY COUNCIL SOMETIME IN SEPTEMBER.
SO THAT WAS THE LAST ITEM ON OUR AGENDA.
SO UNTIL OUR MEETING OF SEPTEMBER 11TH, WE ARE ADJOURNED.