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MY NAME IS SALLY[Regulatory and Neighborhood Affairs Committee]
ALCORN.THIS IS THE JULY MEETING OF THE REGULATORY AND NEIGHBORHOOD AFFAIRS COMMITTEE.
UH, AS CHAIRS OF THIS C OF THIS COMMITTEE, I WILL BE SERVING AS PRESIDING OFFICER AND WOULD LIKE TO CALL THIS MEETING TO ORDER IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE PROVISIONS OF SECTION 5 5 1 0.127 OF THE TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE APPLICABLE TO A GOVERNMENT BODY THAT EXTENDS INTO THREE OR MORE COUNTIES.
ALL OTHER COMMITTEE MEMBERS HAVE THE OPTION TO PART, PARTICIPATE IN PERSON OR VIRTUALLY VIA MICROSOFT TEAMS. THIS MEETING IS OPEN TO THE PUBLIC, BUT RE OH, I WOULD LIKE TO WELCOME ALL COUNCIL MEMBERS IN ATTENDANCE.
WE HAVE COUNCIL MEMBER TARSHA JACKSON, COUNCIL MEMBER TIFFANY THOMAS, COUNCIL MEMBER ROBERT GALLEGOS, VICE MAYOR PRO TEM MARTHA CASTEX.
TATUM, COUNCIL MEMBER DAVID ROBINSON.
COUNCIL MEMBER MICHAEL KUBOSH.
AND MY VICE CHAIR COUNCIL MEMBER AMY PECK.
ALSO STAFF FROM DISTRICT C, DISTRICT E, DISTRICT H, AND AT LARGE FOUR.
I ALSO, LET'S SEE IF THERE ARE ANY MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WHO ARE HERE IN PERSON, WOULD LIKE TO PARTICIPATE IN PUBLIC COMMENT WHO HAVE NOT ALREADY SIGNED UP.
THERE IS A SIGNUP SHEET AT THE FRONT TABLE.
I THINK WE HAD SEVEN PUBLIC COMMENTERS SIGN UP BEFORE THE DEADLINE OF FIVE YESTERDAY.
TODAY WE ARE TALKING ABOUT ALL THINGS VEHICLES, JUNK MOTOR VEHICLES, COMMERCIAL VEHICLES, VEHICLES PARKED ON LAWNS AND 18 WHEELERS IN RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOODS.
TODAY'S AGENDA WILL INCLUDE PRESENTATIONS ON COMMERCIAL AND LARGE VEHICLE PARKING ISSUES AND ENFORCEMENT AND RESIDENTIAL AREAS.
AND AN OVERVIEW OF THE PROHIBITED YARD PARKING ORDINANCE AND RELATED ENFORCEMENT DEPARTMENTS WILL DISCUSS HOW THE ORDINANCES THAT GOVERN THESE VEHICLES ARE WRITTEN AND ENFORCED, AS WELL AS HOW THE CITY MIGHT IMPROVE THAT ENFORCEMENT.
I'D LIKE TO THANK COUNCIL MEMBERS, TIFFANY THOMAS, AND COUNCIL MEMBER ED POLLARD FOR PUTTING THESE ISSUES ON OUR COMMITTEE'S RADAR AND REQUESTING WE TAKE A DEEPER LOOK AT THE CURRENT SITUATION AND HOW THE ORDINANCE LANGUAGE MIGHT BE CHANGED AND IMPROVED PRESENTERS.
I KNOW THERE MIGHT BE SOME OVERLAPPING INFORMATION.
THIS IS PART OF THE PROBLEM OF SOME OF THESE ORDINANCES.
THERE'S A LOT OF ORDINANCES, A LOT OF DEPARTMENTS THAT DEAL WITH THESE ORDINANCES.
LISTEN CAREFULLY IF YOU'RE A PRESENTER, IF SOMETHING ON A SLIDE HAS BEEN COVERED IN A PREVIOUS PRESENTATION, FEEL FREE TO JUST KIND OF BLOW PAST THAT IN THE INTEREST OF TIME.
'CAUSE THERE'S, I DID SEE SOME REPETITIVENESS IN SOME OF THE PRESENTATIONS.
UM, AS A REMINDER TO THE PUBLIC, THE PRESENTATIONS IN THEIR ENTIRETY HAVE BEEN POSTED ON THE RNA WEBSITE.
THERE'S ALSO A QR CODE, IF YOU WANNA, IF YOU WANNA LOOK AT THE, UH, THE PRESENTATIONS ON YOUR PHONE.
IF YOU'RE IN THE AUDIENCE COUNCIL, MEMBERS AND STAFF, PLEASE HOLD YOUR QUESTIONS UNTIL THE END OF EACH PRESENTATION.
IF YOU'RE VIRTUAL, PLEASE REMEMBER TO UNMUTE YOUR MICROPHONE BY PRESSING STAR SIX BEFORE YOU BEGIN SPEAKING.
I WILL LET YOU KNOW WHEN YOUR THREE MINUTES FOR QUESTIONS HAS ENDED.
WE HAVE OH NINE PUBLIC SPEAKERS SO FAR.
SO WE WILL START WITH PARK HOUSTON AND A RA ASSISTANT DIRECTOR MARIA ERSAD.
SHE WILL PRESENT FIRST ON COMMERCIAL VEHICLE PARKING ISSUES AND ENFORCEMENT.
UH, AGAIN, I'M MARIO HAW WITH PARK HOUSTON, UH, IN THE A RA DEPARTMENT.
COUNCIL MEMBER ALCO AND VICE CHAIR, UM, PECK AND COMMITTEE MEMBERS FOR PROVIDING TIME ON THE AGENDA FOR US TO TALK ABOUT LARGE VEHICLE PARKING ON CITY STREETS TODAY.
SO, BEFORE WE TALK ABOUT THE VARIOUS PARKING CODES RELATED TO LARGE VEHICLES, IT'S IMPORTANT TO KNOW THE DEFINITIONS THAT ARE BEHIND SOME OF THESE CODES.
SO THE FIRST ONE IS LARGE VEHICLE.
AND A LARGE VEHICLE IS ESSENTIALLY ANYTHING THAT IS, IT'S DEFINED AS ANYTHING THAT IS TALLER THAN EIGHT FEET OR, UM, EXCEEDS 22 FEET IN LENGTH.
IF THERE IS A MOTOR VEHICLE AND A TRAILER ATTACHED, THEN IT NEEDS TO EXCEED 30 FEET IN LENGTH.
UM, NEXT WE TEND TO ISSUE THE MOST CITATIONS TO LARGE VEHICLES IN RESIDENTIAL DISTRICTS.
SO THE DEFINITION OF A RESIDENTIAL DISTRICT IS, UH, PERTINENT.
AND ESSENTIALLY WHAT CITY CODE SAYS THAT A RESIDENTIAL DISTRICT IS 300, AT LEAST 300 FEET OF, UH, MAIN STREET.
THAT IS IMPROVED BY RESIDENCES.
IT DOES NOT MAKE A DISTINCTION BETWEEN SINGLE FAMILY OR MULTIFAMILY RESIDENTIAL.
FINALLY, TRAILERS CAN BE CITED SEPARATELY FOR, UH, OVERTIME PARKING ON THE RIGHT OF WAY.
AND THE DEFINITION OF A TRAILER IS ESSENTIALLY A VEHICLE THAT CARRIES PERSONS OR PROPERTY.
UM, AND IT HAS SPECIFIC LANGUAGE ABOUT HOW THE, THE MAKEUP OF A TRAILER.
UH, THIS IS IMPORTANT FOR ENFORCING ONE SECTION OF THE CODE, WHICH I'M GONNA DISCUSS IN DETAIL ON THE NEXT SLIDE.
CITY CODE HAS THREE SECTIONS, UH, THAT DEAL WITH LARGE VEHICLES IN NEIGHBORHOODS.
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26 9 4, WHICH LIMITS A TRAILER TO PARKING ON ANY CITY STREET FOR A MAX OF TWO HOURS.UH, SOMETIMES THESE TRAILERS HAVE A LICENSE PLATE OR A VIN.
SO WHEN WE SEE THESE VEHICLE, THESE TRAILERS ON THE STREET, WE WILL MARK THE TIRES AND THEN RETURN AFTER TWO HOURS.
IF THE TRAILER IS STILL ON THE STREET, WE'LL ISSUE THE VIOLATION TO THE TRAILER.
THERE ARE TIMES WHEN A TRAILER HAS NO VISIBLE VIN AND, AND HAS NO PLATE.
IN THOSE INSTANCES, WE REFER IT TO HPD FOR HANDLING.
UH, THE SECOND ONE IS PRETTY STRAIGHTFORWARD.
SECTION 26 DASH 95 BASICALLY SAYS NO COMMERCIAL VEHICLES CAN BE PARKED ON ANY CITY STREET BETWEEN 2:00 AM TO 6:00 AM.
THIS CODE IS PRIMARILY ENFORCED BY HPD.
WE DO NOT HAVE STAFF AT THAT TIME.
THE LAST CODE IS SECTION 26 DASH 96, AND THIS IS THE MOST ISSUED VIOLATION BY BOTH HPD AND PARK HOUSTON.
AND THIS SECTION PROHIBITS LARGE VEHICLES FROM PARKING IN A RESIDENTIAL DISTRICT.
AND AGAIN, THE RESIDENTIAL DISTRICT IS THAT MAIN STREET THAT HAS AT LEAST 300 FEET OF RESIDENCES.
THE THREE ONE ONE CUSTOMER SERVICE CALL VOLUME FOR LARGE VEHICLES IN THE YELLOW ROW.
THE PINK ROWS BELOW THAT PROVIDE DATA FOR CITATIONS THAT HAVE BEEN ISSUED FROM 2019 TO YEAR TO DATE 2022.
YOU CAN SEE THAT LARGE VEHICLE VIOLATIONS INCREASED IN SPITE OF THE PANDEMIC ON THE CITATION DATA.
WE FURTHER BROKEN, UH, DOWN THE CITATION COUNT TO QUANTIFY CITATIONS ISSUED BY PARK HOUSTON AND HPD.
AGAIN, YOU CAN SEE ON THE SECOND TO LAST ROAD, THIS IS THE LARGE VEHICLE PARKED IN A RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOOD.
THAT IS BY FAR THE, UM, MOST ISSUED CITATION FOR THESE VIOLATIONS.
UM, SO WE ISSUE ABOUT, TO PUT A LITTLE PERSPECTIVE ON THIS, WE ISSUE ABOUT 190,000 CITATIONS PARKING CITATIONS IN A YEAR.
SO 3%, ABOUT 5,700 IS WHAT WE'RE ISSUING TO LARGE VEHICLES.
SO 3% OF THAT 190,000 IS TWO LARGE VEHICLE VIOLATIONS.
UM, IN 2022, WE ARE IN LINE WITH WHAT WE DID IN, UM, 2021.
SO WE ARE LOOKING TO ISSUE ABOUT 5,700 PARKING CITATIONS FOR VEHICLES, UM, IN VIOLATION OF EITHER OF THESE THREE ORDINANCES.
ONE ITEM I DO WANNA POINT OUT IS THAT, UM, WHILE THE CITATION ISSUANCE HAS INCREASED, THREE ONE ONE CALL VOLUMES REMAIN ABOUT THE SAME.
SO, YOU KNOW, THE PANDEMIC GAVE US SOME OPPORTUNITY TO GO AND HAVE SOME MORE TIME IN NEIGHBORHOODS BECAUSE THE DOWNTOWN PARKING AND MIDTOWN PARKING WAS A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT, UM, AS OPPOSED TO WHAT IT WAS PRE PANDEMIC.
UH, WE ALSO CONDUCTED A SURVEY OF TEXAS CITIES TO SEE WHAT THE FINE, UH, FOR LARGE VEHICLES PARKED IN RESIDENTIAL DISTRICTS WAS.
AND YOU COULD SEE THAT HOUSTON IS IN LINE WITH DALLAS.
AUSTIN DOES NOT ENFORCE THIS ORDINANCE.
AND THEN THE OTHER TEXAS CITIES HAVE A FINE THAT IS SUBSTANTIALLY HIGHER THAN WHAT WE, UH, WHAT WE HAVE IN HOUSTON AND DALLAS.
HOWEVER, ON A NATIONWIDE SURVEY, HOUSTON PRETTY MUCH FALLS IN LINE WITH OTHER LARGE METROPOLITAN AREAS.
UH, THE NATIONWIDE FINE FOR A LARGE VEHICLE IN A NEIGHBORHOOD OR RESIDENTIAL DISTRICT IS ABOUT $72.
AND WE HAVE A $60 FINE HERE IN HOUSTON.
THIS SLIDE KIND OF IS JUST A VISUALIZATION OF THE CITATIONS THAT WE'VE ISSUED IN 2022 YEAR TO DATE FOR LARGE VEHICLE VIOLATIONS.
UH, IT'S NOT, UM, A CHALLENGE THAT IS CONFINED TO ANY ONE DISTRICT IN PARTICULAR.
UH, WE SEE THEM ALL AROUND HOUSTON.
SO THAT BRINGS ME TO THE END OF MY PRESENTATION.
I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MAY HAVE.
WE HAVE A QUESTION FROM VICE MAYOR PRO TEM.
LOOKS LIKE SHE WROTE IT IN THE CHAT.
WHO SHOULD WE CONTACT WHEN LARGE VEHICLES ARE PARKED IN RESIDENTIAL AREA? WHO IS THE DIRECT CONTACT AT PARK HOUSTON? HOW LONG SHOULD WE EXPECT FOR ENFORCEMENT TO TAKE PLACE? THESE ARE CALLED INTO 3 1 1, AND THAT GETS DIRECTLY FUNNELED TO PARK HOUSTON.
AND THEN WE SEND OUR RESOURCES OUT THERE.
UM, AT THE RSR, UH, IT RESPONSE TIME FOR PARKING VIOLATIONS IS 14 DAYS.
WE USUALLY GET OUT THERE WITHIN THE SAME WEEK, IF NOT WITHIN THREE DAYS.
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18 WHEELERS PARKED ON CITY STREETS IN RESIDENTIAL AREAS DURING EVENING AND WEEKENDS IS A PROBLEM.IT'S DIFFICULT FOR HPD TO ENFORCE.
WE NEED TO HAVE NIGHT AND EVENING SHIFT EMPLOYEES FOR ENFORCEMENT.
OTHERWISE, ORDINANCES AREN'T GOING TO WORK.
WE WORK EVENINGS AND WEEKENDS.
AND IN THE FY 23 BUDGET, WE'VE ADDED A FOURTH SHIFT TO, UM, ACCOMMODATE SOME MORE, UH, EVENING AND WEEKEND ENFORCEMENT BECAUSE WE DO KNOW THAT THERE ARE SOME CHALLENGES ON WEEKENDS AND, UH, EVENINGS.
HOW MANY, HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE OUT? IT WILL BE, UH, 10 OFFICERS, INCLUDING A SUPERVISOR.
THAT'S WHAT WE'RE ANTICIPATING, THAT THAT'S GONNA HELP THAT.
BUT WE ARE ALREADY ADDRESSING THOSE EVENING CALLS.
WE DO HAVE, UH, WE WORK SEVEN DAYS A WEEK, UH, THURSDAY THROUGH SATURDAY.
WE HAVE SHIFTS THAT GO TILL 2:00 AM UH, SUNDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY.
WE'RE 10:00 PM TO MIDNIGHT DEPENDING ON THE DAY.
UH, WE TRY AND STAY OUT AS LATE AS WE CAN, DEPENDING ON DEMAND, BUT MONDAYS AND TUESDAYS ARE KIND OF QUIET.
IS THE FOURTH, HAS THE FOURTH SHIFT ALREADY STARTED? WE ARE IN THE PROCESS OF DOING THE PAPERWORK TO GET OKAY.
SO, SO WE ANTICIPATED IN THE NEXT COUPLE MONTHS, IT'LL TAKE YEAH, A FEW MONTHS.
UM, NEXT WE'LL HEAR FROM COUNCIL MEMBER MARYANNE HUFFMAN STAFF.
AND, UH, THANK YOU DIRECTOR AAD.
SO I, I GUESS, UM, RELATING TO THE, THE FINES, UH, WE'VE HAD SOME CONCERNS FROM CONSTITUENTS THAT MAYBE THE, UM, UH, IT'S TIME THAT WE REEVALUATE, UM, THE, THE, THE AMOUNT OF THE FINE BECAUSE, UM, IT'S BEEN SUGGESTED THAT PERHAPS THE FINE IS NOT, UM, UH, I, I GUESS IT'S, IT'S, IT DOESN'T DISINCENTIVIZE PARKING IN RESIDENTIAL AREAS BECAUSE IT'S UL ULTIMATELY PAYING THE FINE IS CHEAPER THAN PAYING FOR VEHICLE STORAGE.
SO WHEN IS THE LAST TIME WE'VE, UH, WE'VE EVALUATED THAT FINE.
AND, UM, IS THAT SOMETHING WE TAKE INTO ACCOUNT? YEAH, NO, THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION.
SO THE LAST TIME WE ADJUSTED FINES WAS IN 2011 OR 12, I BELIEVE.
UH, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT IS DONE IN COORDINATION WITH THE MUNICIPAL COURT'S.
PRESIDING JUDGE PARKING FINES HAVE A RANGE ACCORDING TO ORDINANCE.
SO THESE ARE KIND OF SET IN, IN COORDINATION WITH THE PRESIDING JUDGE.
I'D LIKE TO WELCOME STAFF FROM DISTRICTS J AND AT LARGE POSITION ONE TO THE MEETING.
AND NEXT WE'LL GO TO COUNCIL MEMBER GALLEGOS.
THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.
UM, WHAT YOU JUST EXPLAINED, IS THIS SOMETHING NEW THAT'S, THAT WE'RE, WE'RE NOW GONNA BE ENFORCING? OR IS THIS SOMETHING THAT WE'VE BEEN ENFOR WE'VE SUPPOSEDLY BEEN ENFORCING.
THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE'VE BEEN ENFORCING THIS, THE THE DATA THAT I PROVIDED TO YOU IS FROM 2019 FOR CITATIONS THAT HAVE BEEN ISSUED.
BUT THESE, UH, VIOLATIONS HAVE BEEN IN CITY CODE AND WE HAVE BEEN ENFORCING THEM.
ON ON, ON THE, UH, THERE'S NO NUMBERS ON THIS PAGE.
SO THIS RIGHT HERE, IT SAYS COUNCIL MEMBER GALLEGOS.
I THINK THAT'S THE HPD PRESENTATION.
OH, IS IT? SO THIS IS FROM PARK HOUSTON.
SO THEY'LL BE COMING, HPD WILL BE COMING UP.
WELL THEN I GUESS ON, ON MY QUESTION FOR YOU, UH, IN YOUR PRESENTATION, YOU MEN MENTIONED HOUSE TRAILER.
SO IS THAT A MOBILE HOME? UH, THAT WOULD BE A LARGE VEHICLE.
A TRAILER IS, UM, LIKE WHAT YOU PUT A BOAT ON OR A, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT IS ATTACHED TO THE, THE CAB AND MAYBE A CONTAINER'S ON TOP OF IT.
SO THAT IS WHAT A TRAILER IS, WHAT A MOBILE HOME WOULD FALL UNDER A LARGE VEHICLE.
SO FOR CLARITY, A MOBILE HOME CAN BE PARKED ON THE STREET FOR MORE THAN TWO HOURS AND THEY WOULD NOT BE FINED A MOBILE HOME.
ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT LIKE AN RV, A, A LARGE, ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT AN RV? YEAH, RV, A LARGE RV, LIKE AN RV, AN RV CAN BE PARKED ON A CITY.
SO THERE IS AN EXCEPTION TO LARGE VEHICLES IN NEIGHBORHOODS.
AND THAT INCLUDES, UM, UH, LIKE A RENTAL TRUCK.
SO IF I'M MOVING AND I HAVE A U-HAUL TRUCK OUT, I CAN KEEP A U-HAUL TRUCK ON THAT STREET FOR UP TO 72 HOURS, THREE DAYS TO ACCOMMODATE MY MOVE.
UM, BUT, UH, AN RV WOULD HAVE TO MOVE, UM, EVERY 24 HOURS.
THEY CAN'T STAY ON THE CITY STREET EVERY 24 HOURS.
I'LL, I'LL LEAVE MY QUESTIONS TO THANK YOU.
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MUCH.WOULD YOU PUT THE MAP BACK UP WHERE THESE, UH, VIOLATIONS HAVE BEEN OCCURRING? NOW? I, I WAS A LITTLE SURPRISED TO SEE THAT, UH, FOR A LOT OF REASONS.
UM, THERE'S HARDLY ANY IN DISTRICT A I SEE.
AND VERY FEW IN DISTRICT E UH, IT, IT SEEMS LIKE THE MAJORITY OF 'EM ARE IN, IN, IN C AND J AND THEY'RE, THEY'RE JUST ALL, JUST A LOT OF 'EM.
I GUESS MY QUESTION TO YOU IS, UH, YOU, YOU TALKED ABOUT FINES.
AREN'T THESE FINES OR MAXIMUMS, UH, SET BY THE STATE LEGISLATURE, EVEN THOUGH THE CITY CAN, UH, YOU KNOW, HAS A, HAS A LIMIT, BUT IT'S, THEY'RE SET.
CLASS C MISDEMEANORS ARE SET BY THE STATE LEGISLATURE.
AM I CORRECT? THESE ARE CIVIL VIOLATIONS, NOT CLASS C MISDEMEANORS.
SO, CITY CITY CODE HAS A RANGE OF ONE TO $200 FOR MOST PARKING VIOLATIONS.
THERE ARE A FEW EXCEPTIONS, LIKE A, A HANDICAPPED PARKING VIOLATION, WHICH IS SET BY STATE CODE.
AND, AND WHEN I LOOKED AT THE, THE, THE FEE OF $60, NO WONDER, UH, I THINK COUNCIL MEMBER GALLEGOS OR SOMEONE SAID IT'S CHEAPER TO MM-HMM
TO, UH, TO PAY THE FINE THAN IT IS TO, TO PARK IT IN A, IN A, IN A PARKING AREA.
SO, UH, WE, WE DEFINITELY NEED TO CONSIDER THAT.
AND ALSO, FAMILIES COME INTO THE NEIGHBORHOOD, UH, WITH, UH, WHO ARE TRAVELING TO VISIT OTHER FAMILIES AND THEY HAVE RVS.
AND SO YOU'RE SAYING IF THEY PARK IT ON THE STREET, UH, THEY CAN STAY IN FRONT OF THAT HOME FOR 24 HOURS AND THEN THEY HAVE TO MOVE IT SO THEY COULD GET IN IT AND DRIVE IT AROUND THE BLOCK, COME BACK, PARK IT RIGHT THERE AGAIN, SO LONG AS IT'S BEEN MOVED.
IS THAT, IS THAT THE IDEA GENERALLY? SO CITY CODE DOES NOT ALLOW A VEHICLE TO STAY ON THE STREET FOR MORE THAN 24 HOURS? WELL, I, I TALKED TO, UH, CITY ATTORNEY RANDY DE, WHO'S VERY KNOWLEDGEABLE ABOUT, UH, THE, THESE CLASS C MISDEMEANORS AND OTHER CITY CODE VIOLATIONS.
AND, UH, I'D SURE LIKE TO HAVE THAT MAP BACK UP.
AND, AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT, UH, THAT HE SAID, I, I SAID, WELL, HOW CAN YOU TELL ABOUT A CAR BEING MOVED? AND, YOU KNOW, UH, THE, THEY, THEY, THEY, THEY CHALK THE WHEEL AND THEY CHALK THE CONCRETE SO THEY CAN TELL IF, IF A VEHICLE HAS, HAS BEEN MOVED OR NOT BY CHALKING IT.
I, I, I WASN'T THINKING WHEN, WHEN I ASKED THE QUESTION, BUT IT WAS BRILLIANT ANSWER.
SO I, I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT, UH, 'CAUSE I GET A LOT OF COMPLAINTS ABOUT, UH, HEAVY VEHICLES PARKED IN NEIGHBORHOODS.
UH, AND, UH, I KNOW THERE FOR A WHILE I WAS GETTING, UH, COMPLAINTS ABOUT A TANK BEING PARKED OVER IN RIVER OAKS.
SO, BUT ANYWAY, I, I CERTAINLY APPRECIATE, UH, UH, YOUR PRESENTATION TODAY.
AND WE NEED TO DO WHATEVER WE CAN DO TO, TO KEEP THE COMMUNITY AS, UH, IN LINE WITH OUR ORDINANCES.
AND THANK YOU FOR THE, UM, PRESENTATION.
UM, YOU MENTIONED THAT THE TRUCKS THAT'S SITTING ON IN A NEIGHBORHOOD MORE THAN TWO HOURS, UM, THAT'S THE ONES THAT GET PENALIZED.
SO WHEN THEY DO MOVE, WHEN THEY MOVE THEIR TRUCK, WHEN THE TWO HOURS, SO I'M JUST TRYING TO SEE HOW ARE WE HOLDING THEM ACCOUNTABLE? YOU KNOW, SO THAT'S, TRAILERS CANNOT BE PARKED ON THE STREET FOR MORE THAN TWO HOURS.
A TRAILER, A LARGE VEHICLE CANNOT BE PARKED IN A RESIDENTIAL DISTRICT AT ALL.
SO WHEN WE SEE A LARGE VEHICLE PARKED IN A RESIDENTIAL DISTRICT, WE IMMEDIATELY CITE THE VEHICLE FOR LARGE VEHICLE VIOLATION.
AND THEN WE ALSO CHALK THE TIRES.
UH, AND WE ELECTRONICALLY CHALK AS WELL.
SO OUR RECORD STORE THAT WE CHALK THE VEHICLE THAT DAY AND WE COME BACK THE NEXT DAY.
AND IF THE VEHICLE HAS NOT MOVED, THEN WE ISSUE ANOTHER VIOLATION FOR PARKED MORE THAN 24 HOURS ON THE STREET.
SO IN THE NORTHEAST NEIGHBORHOODS, THERE ARE TRUCK, TRUCK YARDS IN RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOODS MM-HMM
AND SO A LOT OF THESE 18 WHEELERS ARE SITTING IN NEAR THE TRUCK YARD, BUT THEY'RE ALSO SITTING NEAR RESIDENT, THE RESIDENTIAL HOUSE, LIKE FOR EXAMPLE, PLEASANTVILLE.
SO HOW ARE WE DISTINGUISHING WHETHER THEY'RE SITTING AT A TRUCK YARD OR IN THE RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOOD? SO THE DEFINITION FOR RESIDENTIAL DISTRICT IS AT LEAST 300 FEET OF IMPROVED RESIDENCES ON THAT STREET.
SO IF THERE ARE, IF THE, THE TRUCK YARD IS ON ONE SIDE AND THE OTHER SIDE OF THE STREET IS RESIDENCES ALL THE WAY DOWN MM-HMM
THEN WE WOULD CONSIDER THAT A RESIDENTIAL.
NOW IF IT'S TWO BLOCKS OVER AND THEY DON'T SHARE THE STREET, THEN IT WOULD NOT BE CONSIDERED RESIDENTIAL.
BUT WE CAN TAKE A LOOK AT THE LOCATION THAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT.
IT'S LIKE THE NORTHEAST NEIGHBORHOOD.
AND SO LIKE, AND AS WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE FINES, UM, GUESS THE NEXT STEP IS TO
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INCREASE THE FINES.'CAUSE I'M WITH MY COLLEAGUES.
WE NEED TO INCREASE THE FINES.
UM, THESE 18 WILLS IN RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOODS.
THANK YOU MADAM CHAIR FOR PUTTING THIS MEETING TOGETHER.
AND THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR, UM, YOUR WORK AND WORKING WITH YOUR OFFICE HAS BEEN TREMENDOUS.
AS YOU CAN SEE ON THE MAP, WE HAVE A LOT OF BLUE DOTS.
UM, SO QUICK QUESTION, THIS IS PRETTY RANDOM, BUT I'VE HAD A REQUEST FROM A RESIDENT, UH, TO HELP WITH THE PARKING ENFORCEMENT IN THEIR AREA IN WEST CHASE.
DO Y'ALL HAVE ANY TYPE OF, UH, VOLUNTEER PARKING OPPORTUNITIES FOR RESIDENTS THAT WANT TO SUPPORT THIS TYPE OF EFFORT? IN DISTRICT F WE ACTUALLY HAVE DESIGNATED PEOPLE.
WE'VE ASKED TO HELP US BE OUR EYES AND EARS.
SO THEY SEND US THE PHOTOS, THE 3 1 1 REQUEST, AND THEN WE WORK WITH THE APPROPRIATE, YOU KNOW, OF COURSE, YOUR OFFICE AND HPD TO GET THIS DONE.
BUT WE HAVE SOME INDIVIDUALS THAT HAD RAISED THIS QUESTION, SO I WONDERED IF THAT WAS A POSSIBILITY.
SO STATE CODE ALLOWS US TO AUTHOR, UH, TO TRAIN VOLUNTEERS, BUT THEY CAN ONLY ISSUE ONE VIOLATION CODE.
AND THAT'S TO VEHICLES THAT ARE PARKED IN A A DA SPACE WITHOUT THE APPROPRIATE CREDENTIALS.
UM, WE HAVE ONLINE TRAINING FOR THAT.
WE ALSO HAVE VIRTUAL TRAININGS.
IF, IF THEY WOULD PREFER TO LEARN, LIKE IN A LIVE SITUATION.
ALL THIS INFORMATION IS ON OUR WEBSITE.
I'M HAPPY TO EMAIL IT TO YOUR OFFICE.
THAT IS THE ONLY, UH, WAY THAT WE CAN VOL AUTHORIZE A VOLUNTEER.
BUT OTHER THAN THAT, WE'RE HAPPY TO, UM, LOOK INTO THE INSTANCES THAT YOUR, UM, VOLUNTEERS BRING UP TO US.
I MEAN, I THINK SO FAR Y'ALL HAVE ISSUED UP TO 300 CITATIONS JUST IN ONE AREA.
I THINK THEY WANNA PARTICIPATE IN THAT.
UM, UM, BUT I APPRECIATE THE INFORMATION.
WE'RE HIRING, WE'LL BE HIRING FOR A FOURTH SHIFT.
UH, AGAIN, FROM THE VICE MAYOR, PRO TEM, FROM THE CHAT, I WILL READ, WE HAVE RESIDENTS REPORTING MOBILE HOMES IN DRIVEWAYS.
IS THAT A VIOLATION? AND ALSO PEOPLE LIVING IN RVS AND DRIVEWAYS ON DRIVEWAYS.
SO WHEN YOU'RE PARKED, WHEN A VEHICLE IS PARKED ON A DRIVEWAY, THE ONLY TIME IT IS IN VIOLATION IS WHEN IT IS BLOCKING THE SIDEWALK.
IT'S MEANT FOR WALKING, NOT PARKING.
SO IF THEY, IF SOMEONE CANNOT PASS THROUGH THAT SIDE, THAT DRIVEWAY UNIMPEDED, THAT IS A FINE FOR, UM, BLOCKING THE SIDEWALK.
AND WE, THOSE ARE REPORTED VIA 3 1 1 TO OUR OFFICE.
IF IT IS A LONG DRIVEWAY AND THEY'RE NOT BLOCKING A SIDEWALK, THEN IT IS THEIR PRIVATE PROPERTY AND THERE IS NO PARKING VIOLATION THAT CAN BE ISSUED.
UH, I'M ASKING THE, UH, PARK HOUSTON, IF THEY CAN ALSO LOOK AT INCREASING THE FINE, UM, WITH WHAT YOU HAVE HERE REGARDING TEXAS CITY SURVEYS.
YOU SHOW AUSTIN, THEY, THEY DON'T ENFORCE IT.
FORT WORTH IS AT 200, AND SAN ANTONIO IS AT 500.
UH, IS PARK LOOKING AT MAYBE INCREASING THIS FINE? WE ARE NOT LOOKING AT INCREASING ANY FINES AT THIS TIME.
BECAUSE, I MEAN, THIS IS AN ISSUE IN MANY OF OUR NEIGHBORHOODS.
AND I AGREE WITH, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER KUBOSH.
I MEAN, TO PAY THE $60 I I'M A TRUCKER.
I WOULD PAY THAT $60 INSTEAD OF I UNDERSTAND GOING, GOING AND LEASING A PLACE.
UH, SO, SO, YOU KNOW, WE NEED TO HIT, HIT 'EM WHERE IT HURTS.
UH, AND $60, I DON'T THINK IT CUTS IT.
I MEAN, HOUSTON IS A MA MAJOR CORRIDOR WITH I 10 AND, AND 69 FREEWAYS COMING THROUGH THE CITY.
UH, SO, SO WE HAVE THAT ISSUE IN MANY OF OUR NEIGHBORHOODS, ESPECIALLY IF THEY'RE NOT DEED RESTRICTED NEIGHBORHOODS.
UH, SO THEREFORE I'M ASKING PARK HOUSTON TO LOOK AT INCREASING THIS FINE, UH, TO PROTECT OUR NEIGHBORHOODS.
AND I COULDN'T AGREE MORE, AND CERTAINLY WILL COME UP WITH SOME RECOMMENDATIONS.
THIS MEETING WAS TO LAY OUT WHAT'S CURRENTLY IN PLACE, AND THEN I'M LOOKING TO MY COLLEAGUES HERE TO HELP FORMULATE SOME RECOMMENDATIONS TO SUBMIT TO THE ADMINISTRATION ON HOW WE CAN, UM, IMPROVE ON THE ORDINANCES AND THEIR ENFORCEMENT.
SO THAT WOULD CERTAINLY BE ONE.
NEXT, UM, COUNCIL MEMBER KOSH.
UM, ONE OF THE CONCERNS THAT I HAVE OF MADAM CHAIRMAN IS THAT WHEN THEY WRITE THESE CIVIL VIOLATIONS, SINCE THEY'RE CIVIL AND NOT CRIMINAL, UH, FIRST OF ALL, WHO ARE THEY RIDING THEM TO? WELL, THEY'RE, THEY'RE PROBABLY NOT RIDING TO THE TRUCK DRIVER, UH, WHO PARKED IT THERE.
THEY'RE RIDING TO THE COMPANY WHO OWNS THE VEHICLE OR THE TRAILER.
AND SO CONSEQUENTLY, I I'M CURIOUS, HOW MANY OF THESE, UH, WHERE WHERE ARE THESE CIVIL CASES GOING? ARE THEY GOING TO CITY COURT, UH, COUNTY COURT AT CIVIL COURT AT LAW OR, OR DISTRICT COURT? THAT'S ONE OF MY QUESTIONS.
UH, SO CIVIL VIOLATIONS HAVE AN ADJUDICATION PROCESS IN MUNICIPAL COURTS
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THAT FALLS UNDER THE PRESIDING JUDGE.HEARING OFFICERS ARE AVAILABLE TO, UH, FOR HEARINGS WHEN A PERSON WISHES TO CONTEST THEIR CITATION, THEY APPEAR IN PERSON AT MUNICIPAL COURTS, AT THE HEARING ADJUDICATION OFFICE WITHIN 30 DAYS OF CITATION ISSUANCE.
THEY CAN ALSO CONTEST THEIR CITATION ONLINE.
WE PROVIDE ALL THIS INFORMATION ON THE BACK OF THE CITATION AS WELL AS ON OUR WEBSITE.
HOW MANY OUTSTANDING CIVIL VIOLATIONS FOR PARKING LIKE THIS HAVE WE HAD OVER THE, UH, OVER THE LAST, UH, UH, FIVE YEARS? I MEAN, DO YOU HAVE ANY RECORDS OF HOW HOW MANY WE ACTUALLY HAVE, HOW MANY OUTSTANDING? I I'M SORRY.
THAT HAVE NOT, THAT HAVE NOT BEEN ADJUDICATED.
HOW MANY OF THESE, BECAUSE SEE, THEY, THEY'RE NOT GONNA PAY ATTENTION TO THESE TICKETS.
THEY'RE, THEY'RE JUST GOING TO DRIVE OFF AND GO SOMEWHERE ELSE.
AND, AND THEN, AND THEN WHAT IS THE ENFORCEMENT MECHANISM? ARE WE GONNA WITHHOLD THEIR RENEWAL OF THE LICENSE PLATE OF THEIR VEHICLE? WHAT, WHAT'S THE ENFORCEMENT MECHANISM? BECAUSE IF THERE'S NOT ONE, THEY ALREADY KNOW THAT THERE'S NOT ONE, AND THEY'RE GONNA CONTINUE TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THIS MATTER.
SO IF THEY CHOOSE NOT TO CONTEST THE CITATION AND THEY DON'T RESOLVE IT BY PAYMENT, UH, A CITATION BECOMES DELINQUENT.
ADDITIONAL FINES ARE ASSESSED.
UH, AT 90 DAYS A CITATION IS TURNED OVER TO THE DELINQUENT COLLECTIONS AGENCIES FOR COLLECTION.
IF A VEHICLE ACCRUES THREE OR MORE DELINQUENT PARKING CITATIONS, THEY BECOME BOOT ELIGIBLE.
AND WE ISSUE A BOOT NOTICE AND THEY, THEY'RE ADDED TO THE BOOT LIST.
AND IF WE FIND THAT VEHICLE ON THE STREET, WE WILL, UH, IMMOBILIZE THE VEHICLE.
AND THAT IS THE, THE COLLECTION METHOD.
DO WE HAVE BOOT MA DO WE HAVE BOOTS LARGE ENOUGH FOR 18 WHEELER TIRES? WE, WE HAVE BOOTED 18 WHEELERS.
WE'VE, UH, BOOTED, UH, IN FACT A MOBILE HOME AND WORKED WITH HPD TO HAVE THAT TOWED FROM THE STREET.
SO, UM, THE LARGE VEHICLES, YES, THEY DO MOBILE HOME TIRES A LOT SMALLER THAN AN 18 WHEELER TIRE.
BUT NONETHELESS, MY CONCERN IS, UH, I KNOW THAT THESE GUYS LAWYER UP WHENEVER THEY GET A, A NUMBER OF THESE CITATIONS, I, I WATCH AND, AND SEE WHAT HAPPENS TO THE TOLL ROAD AUTHORITY WHO HAS VERY STRONG ENFORCEMENT MECHANISM.
HOWEVER, UH, PEOPLE HAVE RUN UP 20, $30,000 WORTH OF, UH, WORTH OF VIOLATIONS ON OUR TOLL ROADS AND, AND, AND THEY JUST, UH, THEY NEVER PAY THEM.
AND, AND BECAUSE THEY'RE GOING AFTER THE VEHICLE'S OWNER AND NOT THE, THE INDIVIDUAL THAT'S ACTUALLY RUNNING THE, THE, THE TOLL.
AND THIS CASE, WE'RE GOING AFTER THE, I ASSUME WE'RE, WE'RE GOING AFTER THE, THE OWNER OF THE TRUCK IS, IS THAT WHO WE FILE ON? WE GO, YES.
THE VEHICLE OWNER AS, UH, REGISTERED IN THE TEXAS DMV THANK.
SO, SO, SO IT MAY BE, IT MAY BE SOME OF THESE LARGE TRUCKING COMPANIES, IS THAT CORRECT? CORRECT.
COUNCIL MEMBER WHO WATCH THAT AND, AND THANK YOU MARIA REPORT ON HOW MANY OF THESE ARE OUTSTANDING.
YOU HAVE SUCH GOOD SUCCINCT ANSWERS.
SO THAT'S A LOT I'D BE INTERESTED IN KNOWING, UM, NOT NOW, BUT IF YOU CAN GET ME THE DATA ON HOW MANY HAVE BEEN BOOTED AND HOW MANY HAVE GONE DOWN THAT ROAD, THAT WOULD BE INTERESTING.
UM, COUNCIL MEMBER THOMAS, ONE LAST REQUEST.
THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR, IF YOU CAN, 'CAUSE THAT'S NOT INCLUDED IN YOUR REPORT.
UM, WE DEAL A LOT WITH, UM, SMALLER, UH, CAR MECHANIC SHOPS THAT ARE ADJACENT TO NEIGHBORHOODS IN DISTRICT F, PARTICULARLY IN CARVER CREST.
SO THOSE RESIDENTIAL LOTS HAVE BEEN REPLANTED AS COMMERCIAL, UM, AND INDUSTRIAL AND THEN ALSO IN PORTIONS OF ALE, UM, PARTICULARLY IN BEL WEST IMPERIAL POINT.
SO I'M INTERESTED IN THAT, IN THAT INFORMATION ON, BECAUSE WE ARE CONSTANTLY CALLING YOUR OFFICE FOR SOME HELP WITH THAT.
'CAUSE ONCE THEY ARE SERVICING THOSE CARS, THEY'RE PARKING THEM ON THE STREET FOR EXTENDED PERIOD OF TIME.
THEY GET CHALKED, THEY MOVE THEM, THEY BUMP 'EM UP THE STREET FOR FIVE, YOU KNOW, 12 HOURS LATER, AND IT'S A REPEAT PATTERN AND IT'S AN OVEREXTENSION OF RESOURCES FOR THINGS LIKE THAT.
SO AT, AT A LATER, IF YOU CAN PROVIDE SOME INFORMATION ON THAT, 'CAUSE I WOULD LIKE TO INFORM THE RESIDENTS ON THAT PROCESS IN WHICH Y'ALL ARE DOING AROUND THAT PARTICULARLY.
WE'LL REACH OUT TO YOUR OFFICE, THANK YOU.
AND COUNCIL MEMBER THOMAS, ON THIS CHART, YOU CAN SEE THAT, THAT THAT'S A, THAT'S A, ON THE, THE DATA IT'S WAY FEWER, BUT, UH, MAYBE PEOPLE JUST NEED TO REPORT THEM MORE AND GET THOSE NUMBERS UP FOR THE COMMERCIAL VEHICLES THAT ARE PROHIBITED.
UH, COUNCIL MEMBER JACKSON, ONE QUESTION.
ARE THE, UM, THE RE THE PUNISHMENTS ARE THE, WHAT ARE THE, THE VIOLATIONS FOR BIGGER TRUCKS? OR IS IT THE SAME FOR SMALLER VEHICLES? LIKE I HEARD YOU SAY LIKE THREE CITATIONS, YOU GET BOOTED RIGHT.
AND IT'S THE SAME THING FOR SMALL CARS, RIGHT? CORRECT.
SO SHOULDN'T THE PENALTY FOR COMMERCIAL BE MORE STRICTER THAN, UM, SMALLER CARS? WELL, THAT'S SOMETHING TO LOOK INTO, BUT VIOLATION CODES ARE PRETTY MUCH SET.
UM, LIKE A EXPIRED METER IS $30.
UHHUH
[00:30:01]
SO IT'S SET A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENTLY, BUT THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE COULD CERTAINLY LOOK INTO BECAUSE I'M THINKING LIKE ONE CITATION SHOULD BE PUT THEM ON NOTICE.YOU KNOW, BECAUSE THEY ARE COMING IN AND OUT OF THE CITY.
YOU MAY, MIGHT, MAY NOT SEE 'EM AGAIN.
STAFF FROM COUNCIL MEMBER KNOX'S OFFICE.
THIS IS VERY HELPFUL INFORMATION ON PAGE THREE, UM, SECTION 2 6 9 5 AND 2 6 9 6.
I HOPE Y'ALL WOULD, THIS IS JUST AN OBSERVATION.
I HOPE Y'ALL WOULD CONSIDER CLARIFYING THIS INFORMATION.
I MEAN, CLARIFYING THE LANGUAGE BECAUSE IT APPEARS TO CONFLICT AND HAVE, YOU CAN BE PARKED FOR UP TO THREE DAYS, BUT THEN IN NINE FIVE IT SAYS NOW BETWEEN TWO AND SIX, AND IT WOULD JUST MAKE IT A LOT EASIER FOR THE GENERAL PUBLIC TO UNDERSTAND WHAT IS ALLOWED AND WHAT ISN'T.
MY QUESTION, ANOTHER QUESTION I HAVE IS, ARE HOAS ALLOWED TO WRITE MORE RESTRICTIVE LANGUAGE PROHIBITING VEHICLES IN NEIGHBOR ON PUBLIC STREETS IN THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD? I'M NOT SURE ABOUT THAT.
I DON'T KNOW THE ANSWER TO THAT.
WELL, IF Y'ALL CAN CHECK ON WHENEVER, THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL.
UH, COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, TIFFANY, UH, DD THOMAS? YES.
BROUGHT UP SOMETHING THAT STIRRED MY MIND IN REFERENCE TO THESE, THESE CARS BEING PARKED.
UH, THERE IS A, UH, A, A NOTABLE, UH, REPAIR SHOP IN IN DISTRICT C AND I, AND I'VE TALKED TO COUNCIL MEMBER CAYMAN ABOUT IT.
UH, AND I'VE, I'VE FILED REPORTS ON IT, WENT OUT AND TOOK PICTURES FOR THE NEIGHBORS.
THEY'RE, THEY'RE JUST PARKING, UH, CARS WITH NO, UH, LICENSE PLATES OR PAPER TAGS THAT THEY'RE WORKING ON ALL OVER THE STREET.
UH, A MINIMUM OF MAYBE FIVE OR SIX OF 'EM ARE PARKED RIGHT, RIGHT IN THIS LITTLE AREA.
AND I'VE REPORTED IT NUMEROUS TIMES AND I'VE EVEN TALKED TO THE OWNER OF THE SHOP AND I SEEM TO CAN'T GET ANY RELIEF OUT THERE.
UH, AND MAYBE THEY'RE MOVING THEM AND, AND PUTTING OTHER CARS THERE SO THAT THEY COMPLY.
BUT, UH, WE REALLY NEED TO PUT SOME TEETH IN THIS BECAUSE IT, IT MAKES IT DIFFICULT TO, UM, TO GO DOWN THE STREET WHEN IT CUTS IT DOWN TO JUST ONE LANE.
IN OTHER WORDS, IF YOU MEET A CAR, YOU HAVE TO WAIT BECAUSE THEY'VE GOT THESE CARS.
SO I APPRECIATE ALL Y'ALL ARE DOING.
I KNOW YOU'RE, YOU'RE, YOU'RE SOMEWHAT LIMITED WHEN WHAT YOU CAN DO.
BUT I'D REALLY LIKE TO SEE THE NUMBERS OF HOW MANY OF THESE CIVIL VIOLATIONS HAVE, HAVE, ARE OUTSTANDING.
AND THEN WHAT THE LEGISLATURE CAN HELP US TO DO, UH, TO, TO WITHHOLD THE RENEWAL OF THEIR, THEIR, THEIR, UH, THEIR LICENSE PLATES ON THESE BIG COMMERCIAL VEHICLES THAT'LL GET 'EM TO PAY.
CAN I, CAN I JUST COUNCIL MEMBER KBA? YEAH, SURE.
WE HAVE, UH, SUBMITTED LEGISLATIVE PROPOSALS IN THE PAST TO, UM, HOLD, UH, VEHICLE REGISTRATION FOR DELINQUENT CITATIONS.
THAT'S SOMETHING THAT STATE CODE DOES NOT AUTHORIZE TO DO THAT, UH, LEGISLATIVE PROPOSAL.
UM, WE WERE NOT ABLE TO, WE WERE NOT SUCCESSFUL IN GETTING THAT.
WELL, OUR GOVERNMENT RELATIONS PERSON, BILL KELLY, IS IN THE AUDIENCE, SO, WE'LL, THAT'S ANOTHER RECOMMENDATION I THINK THAT THIS BODY WOULD GET BEHIND.
I APPRECIATE YOUR THOROUGH KNOWLEDGE OF THIS.
UM, REALLY THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION AND WE HAD A LOT OF QUESTIONS ABOUT ENFORCEMENT, SO VERY RELEVANT THAT NEXT WE WILL HEAR FROM HPD LIEUTENANT CRAIG VELA, WHO WILL TALK ABOUT THIS ORDINANCE AND HP'S ROLE IN ENFORCING IT.
I'M THE LIEUTENANT OVER THE TRUCK ENFORCEMENT UNIT.
UM, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE DO HAVE CONVERSATIONS WHEN IT COMES TO CHANGING LAWS OR EVALUATING OR REEVALUATING LAWS BECAUSE PUTTING THAT TOGETHER, THIS PRESENTATION AT TIMES WENT DOWN RABBIT TRAILS.
IF IT'S CONFUSING TO ME AS IN LAW ENFORCEMENT, THEN THE PUBLIC PEOPLE PARKING AND IN THE NEIGHBORHOODS AND EVERYONE HERE, IT CAN BE VERY CONFUSING.
AND WHAT I'M GONNA DO IS I'M GONNA GO THROUGH A LOT OF IT FAIRLY QUICKLY SINCE A LOT OF IT WAS JUST DISCUSSED AS YOU HAD MENTIONED.
AND THEN I WANT TO GO, UH, TALK ABOUT SOME RECOMMENDATIONS ABOUT SOME REVISIONS.
ALRIGHT, SO LET'S GO THROUGH, UM, I'LL START OFF BY SAYING, WITH THE TRUCK ENFORCE MEETING, OUR PRIMARY JOB IS TO MAKE SURE SAFE TRUCKS ARE DRIVEN SAFELY.
SO PARKING IS, UH, SOMETHING THAT COMES THROUGH US.
EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE THROUGH THE CHIEF'S OFFICE OR THROUGH CERTAIN COMPLAINTS, THEY WILL GO THROUGH US.
JUST MATTER OF FACT, WE'LL CALL THE TRUCK ENFORCEMENT UNIT, BUT HOWEVER, THAT DOESN'T MEAN WE'RE THE, THE PARKING ENFORCEMENT FOR IT.
[00:35:01]
OTHER, UH, SECTIONS THAT HANDLE THAT.SO GOING THROUGH ALL THE DIFFERENT ONES, YOU CAN GO AHEAD AND, AND, AND PUT ALL THE OTHER ONES.
THESE ARE TYPICAL COMPLAINTS THAT WE CAN GET.
SO STARTING WITH THE OBVIOUS, THE 18 WHEELERS AND THEN TRUCK TRACTORS, THAT WOULD BE JUST THE TRACTOR WITHOUT THE TRAILER PART OF IT.
AND THEN, UH, ANOTHER COMMON ONE IS BOX TRUCKS.
YOU KNOW, THESE LARGE BOX TRUCKS, THERE'S MANY OF 'EM IN OUR CITY SEMI TRAILERS THAT IS JUST A TRAILER PORTION OF AN 18 WHEELER.
AND THEN YOU HAVE THE SMALLER ONE, THE BUMPER POOL.
SO JUST A, A REGULAR TYPICAL TRAILER THAT A PICKUP TRUCK CAN PULL.
AND THEN THE LARGER GOOSENECKS, UH, YOU SEE THESE, SOMETIMES THEY HAVE THREE, FOUR CARS ON THE BACK OF THEM.
SO THESE ARE THE VARIOUS DIFFERENT VEHICLES THAT WE DEAL WITH.
OKAY, SO THIS IS WHERE, UH, IT KIND OF GETS CONFUSING.
AND THERE'S MANY DIFFERENT DEFINITIONS THAT ARE INVOLVED IN THIS.
SO I'M GONNA GO THROUGH WITH CITY OF HOUSTON DEFINITIONS, AND WE HAVE POLICE DEPARTMENT, AND I'LL GO THROUGH EACH ONE.
SO FIRST, UH, COMMERCIAL VEHICLE.
SO THE, THE STATE SAYS A COMMERCIAL VEHICLE IS, UH, OVER 26,000 POUNDS.
UH, FOR INTERSTATE IT'S OVER 10,000, BUT THE CITY DEFINES IT AS DISPLAYING ONE OR MORE COMMERCIAL VEHICLE SIGNS.
AND THEN IF YOU LOOK AT COMMERCIAL VEHICLE SIGNAGE, IT MEANS THAT THAT DECAL OR LETTER, WHATEVER IT IS, HAS TO BE DISPLAYED ON THE FRONT DOOR.
SO YOU SEE THE HIGHLIGHTED PART FRONT DOOR.
I THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT TO TAKE NOTE AND WE'LL DISCUSS THAT A LITTLE LATER.
SO THIS IS SOMETHING WE TALKED ABOUT BEFORE.
SO BETWEEN TWO AND SIX, THERE'S A PROHIBITED HOURS.
SO AS WE DISCUSSED BEFORE, THE CITY DEFINITION SAYS A COMMERCIAL VEHICLE HAS TO DISPLAY THAT SIGN ON THE, THE DRIVER DOORS.
SO BETWEEN TWO AND 6:00 AM THIS CAN BE ENFORCED.
SO THAT BECOMES AN ISSUE BECAUSE BETWEEN TWO AND 6:00 AM A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE OFF.
UH, SO IT DOES FALL TO WHO IS WORKING AT TWO AND SIX.
A LOT OF TIMES IT'S PATROL OFFICERS.
AND PATROL OFFICERS, AS WE KNOW, ARE VERY BUSY.
AND BY THIS TIME, UH, THEY'RE STACKED UP ON REPORTS.
UH, DISTURBANCE CALLS ARE CONSTANTLY COMING IN AT THIS TIME.
SO TO SAY THAT THEY CAN ENFORCE PARKING, YOU COULD SAY THAT, BUT IT'S VERY, IT'S VERY DIFFICULT TO ACTUALLY TO DO.
AND THIS IS JUST SHOWING OUR HPD GENERAL ORDER IS FALLING IN LINE WITH THE CITY AND GO AHEAD TO THE NEXT ONE.
SO THESE PICTURES UP HERE, IT'S UH, A TRACTOR TRAILER OR SEMI TRAILER.
AND ACCORDING TO THE CITY DEFINITION, THIS DOES NOT MEET THE DEFINITION OF A COMMERCIAL VEHICLE BECAUSE IT DOESN'T HAVE THE SIGNS DISPLAYED ON THE DOOR.
SO THAT, I MEAN, THAT'S PRETTY SIGNIFICANT.
'CAUSE AS YOU SEE, IT LOOKS LIKE A COMMERCIAL VEHICLE AND IT IS ACCORDING TO OTHER DEF LIKE FEDERAL REGS, IT JUST HAS TO BE DISPLAYED ON THE SIDE OF THE VEHICLE.
BUT THAT WOULD BE CONSIDERED A LARGE VEHICLE UNDER OUR ORDERS.
AND ALSO, UH, THESE THREE DIFFERENT VEHICLES, YOU HAVE LARGE ONES AND THEN YOU HAVE, UH, SMALLER ONES.
SO THE, THE TWO ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE SCREEN, THOSE WOULD NOT BE CONSIDERED COMMERCIAL VEHICLES ACCORDING TO THE CITY DEFINITION BECAUSE AGAIN, THE DOORS DON'T HAVE ANYTHING DISPLAYED.
SO THERE'S TECHNICALITIES THAT ARE INVOLVED.
ALSO, THE ONE ON THE LEFT WOULD BE CONSIDERED A LARGE VEHICLE FOR A DIFFERENT ORDINANCE, BUT THE ONES ON THE RIGHT WOULD PROBABLY NOT MEET THAT DEFINITION.
AND I, I THINK THIS IS WHAT THEY WERE TRYING TO GET AT IS, YOU KNOW, THESE WOULD BE COMMERCIAL VEHICLES PARKED IN THE STREET, BUT NOT ACCORDING TO THE DEFINITION.
NOW THESE, THESE ARE JUST REGULAR PICKUP TRUCKS, BUT ACCORDING TO THE CITY DEFINITION, SINCE THEY ARE MARKED ON THE DRIVER'S DOORS, THOSE WOULD BE CONSIDERED COMMERCIAL VEHICLES.
ALRIGHT, NEXT, THE NEXT ORDINANCE WOULD BE THE TRAILER PARKING.
AND AGAIN, THIS IS ANY TYPE OF TRAILER.
SO THERE'S A LARGE ONE DISPLAY, BUT IT COULD ALSO BE A, A SMALL BUMPER POOL TRAILER.
AND THEY CANNOT PARK FOR OVER TWO HOURS.
SO AGAIN, THIS IS WHERE WE WOULD MARK THE TIRES AND IF IT'S OVER TWO HOURS AND WE CAN TAKE ACTION.
ALRIGHT, NEXT HPD GENERAL ORDER, AGAIN, IT FALLS IN LINE WITH THE ORDINANCE.
THIS IS ONE OF THE COMPLAINTS WE RECEIVED.
AND AS YOU SEE, THERE'S, IT'S A, IT'S A FULL STREET.
IT WOULD BE CONSIDERED A RESIDENTIAL DISTRICT.
YOU SEE AN APARTMENT COMPLEX IN THE BACK AND YOU SEE SMALLER TRAILERS.
UH, THE ONE ON THE, THE RIGHT IS A 18 WHEELER DOESN'T MEET THE DEFINITION OF A COMMERCIAL VEHICLE ACCORDING TO THE CITY, BUT IT IS A LARGE VEHICLE AND THERE ALSO IS A TRAILER.
AND WHAT WE FOUND ON THIS COMPLAINT, IT'S ACTUALLY A PRIVATE STREET.
[00:40:01]
THE STREET LIGHTING THAT IS NOT, UM, A CITY, HOUSTON STREET LIGHTING, THIS IS A PRIVATE STREET.SO IT APPEARS THAT IT'S A, A PUBLIC STREET.
THE PUBLIC WOULD THINK IT'S A PUBLIC STREET, BUT IN REALITY IT'S A PRIVATE PROPERTY.
SO THERE'S DIFFERENT WAYS OF, OF HANDLING THAT, BUT IT WOULDN'T BE THROUGH PARKING.
THIS IS THE SAME DEFINITION THAT WAS ALREADY DISCUSSED.
SO WE CAN GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE.
AND IF YOU NOTICE ON THREE, SO IT'S A DEFENSE TO PROSECUTION IF IT'S LEASED OR BORROWED AND PARKED FOR A PERIOD OF NOT MORE THAN 72 HOURS.
SO WHAT THAT MEANS IS IF YOU HAVE A VEHICLE, AND A LOT OF THE VEHICLES, COMMERCIAL VEHICLES, 18 WHEELERS THAT WE STOP WILL HAVE A LEASED TWO AT A CERTAIN COMPANY, IT'S COMMON.
IT'S COMMON TO HAVE A, A LARGE VEHICLE LEASED OR BORROWED SUCH AS A MOTOR HOME.
IF IT'S BORROWED AND IT'S NOT PARKED FOR OVER 72 HOURS, THEN THAT WOULD BE AN EXCEPTION, A DEFENSE TO PROSECUTION UNDER THIS ORDINANCE.
AND JUST HPD GENERAL OR FALLS IN LINE WITH THE ORDINANCE.
NOW THESE WOULD BE CONSIDERED LARGE VEHICLES HERE.
THIS IS THE BOX TRUCKS I WAS TALKING ABOUT.
THIS IS JUST A PICTURE OF AN EXAMPLE OF ONE YOU CAN GO TO THE NEXT.
SO THIS IS WHERE, UH, DISCUSS THE LIMITATIONS WE HAVE.
I'VE ALREADY DISCUSSED BETWEEN TWO AND 6:00 AM IT'S VERY DIFFICULT TO GET ENFORCEMENT ACTION DURING THAT TIME, BUT THERE'S ALSO TIME LIMITATIONS CONCERNING TOWING VEHICLES.
SO IT TAKES ABOUT AN HOUR AND A HALF ON AVERAGE TO GET A HEAVY DUTY WRECKER.
AND WE HAVE A CERTAIN ROTATION THAT WE HAVE TO USE.
AND ALSO WE DISCUSSED THE TWO HOUR ORDINANCE.
SO IF YOU HAVE 18 WHEELER TRAILER THAT'S PARKED THERE, AND IT HAS TO BE OVER TWO HOURS, YOU HAVE TO MARK THE TIRES, WAIT THERE TWO HOURS, OR YOU CAN COME BACK.
BUT REGARDLESS, YOU, YOU, YOU HAVE TO USE THAT TWO HOURS.
SO WE CAN'T CALL THE WRECKER UNTIL THAT TWO HOUR MARK BECAUSE IF WE CALL THE WRECKER WHEN IT, AND IT HASN'T BEEN TWO HOURS, THERE'LL BE A A, THERE'LL STILL BE A, A FEE ASSESSED.
IN OTHER WORDS, WE WON'T GET THE TOW.
THE, THE VEHICLE WON'T BE TOWED, BUT THE CITY'S STILL GONNA BE CHARGED.
AND THEN IT TAKES ABOUT AN HOUR TO ACTUALLY HOOK UP.
SO THIS IS A VERY DIFFICULT PROCESS FOR A HEAVY DUTY RECORD TO GET THE 18 WHEELER AND, AND HOOK IT UP FOR THE NEXT.
SO ALL THAT IS ABOUT FOUR AND A HALF HOURS FOR A TOW.
SO IT SEEMS LIKE A, A GOOD THING TO DO.
IT IS A GOOD THING TO DO IN THESE CIRCUMSTANCES, A TOW VEHICLE.
BUT YOU'RE LOOKING AT FOUR AND A HALF HOURS OF, UH, WORK THAT A POLICE OFFICER WOULD BE DOING THAT IN THAT SCENARIO.
SO THIS IS JUST THIS YEAR AND THIS IS ABOUT 55 VEHICLES THAT WE'VE, UH, TOWED.
AND IT'S VERY EXPENSIVE WHEN THAT PROCESS.
SO IT IS, IT DOES IMPACT THEM WHEN THE VEHICLE GETS TOWED.
SO YOU CAN SEE IT'S ABOUT $1,200 JUST TO GET A VEHICLE THAT'S THAT LARGE OUT OF A COMMERCIAL LOT WHEN IT'S ONLY A COUPLE HUNDRED TO GET A A PASSENGER CAR.
ALL RIGHT, SO NOW I'M GONNA GO OVER A COUPLE OBSTACLES AND REVISIONS AND SUGGESTIONS.
SO THE, THE TWO HOUR TIME LIMIT, YOU KNOW, UH, I'M NOT SURE WHERE THE TWO HOUR CAME FROM.
UH, I'VE, I'VE ASKED AROUND AND NOBODY SEEMS TO KNOW, BUT IT, AS FAR AS I KNOW, IT'S BEEN TWO HOURS.
SO ONE OF THE SUGGESTIONS WOULD BE TO, UH, KNOCK IT DOWN TO ONE HOUR.
THAT WOULD TAKE ONE HOUR AT LEAST OFF OF THE FOUR AND A HALF HOURS.
IF, UH, I, I THINK OF A CIRCUMSTANCE WHERE SOMEBODY'S OUT TO LUNCH OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT, THAT WOULD BE ABOUT AN HOUR, TWO HOURS.
REGARDLESS IF WE ARE TAKING ENFORCEMENT AND IT'S NOT LIKE WE'RE GETTING THERE AND THAT IT, THE VEHICLE JUST PARKED THERE, IT'S ALREADY GONNA BE THERE FOR A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF TIME.
AND THEN BELOW THAT IS JUST THE SUGGESTION ON HOW THE WORDING WOULD BE AND GO TO THE NEXT.
ALRIGHT, SO THIS IS WHERE WE'RE GETTING INTO LARGE VEHICLES AND A LOT OF TIMES IT'S DIFFICULT TO DETERMINE, OR AT LEAST IN THE COURT PROCESS OF DEFINING THE RESIDENTIAL DISTRICT.
IS IT OR IS IT NOT? YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE THE 300 FEET, BUT UH, IT'S OUR BELIEF THAT IT COULD BE EXTENDED TO ALL STREETS OF THE CITY INSTEAD OF JUST A RESIDENTIAL DISTRICT.
AND THEN YOU DON'T HAVE TO MAKE THAT DETERMINATION.
AND NEXT, THEN WE'RE ALSO SUGGESTING THAT IT CAN MIRROR THE TRAILER, WHICH IS NOT JUST SAYING THEY'LL ALL BE TOWED, BUT AT LEAST WAIT, UH, ONE HOUR.
AND THIS IS THE LEASE OR BORROW THAT I WAS REFERRING TO EARLIER.
[00:45:01]
THINK IT DOES NEED TO BE, UH, LOOKED AT AT LEAST A WORDING AND POSSIBLY REVISED.UM, I BELIEVE, I THINK EVERYBODY AGREES THAT IT'S PROBABLY MEANT TO BE FOR A U-HAUL OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
WHEN YOU'RE MOVING, YOU'RE GONNA HAVE THAT LARGE VEHICLE.
HOWEVER, IF YOU JUST SAY LEASED, THEN ANY 18 WHEELER OR ANYTHING THAT SAYS IT'S LEASED, UH, YOU KNOW, ACCORDING TO THAT DEFINITION, YOU CAN'T DO IT.
OR IF THEY SAY THEY BORROW IT.
SO ANYBODY CAN BORROW A VEHICLE AND HAVE IT PARKED OUT THERE AS LONG AS YOU'RE MOVING IT EVERY DAY.
AND SO THIS COULD BE A CIRCUMSTANCE WHERE SOMEBODY'S USING A LARGE VEHICLE, THEY'RE GOING TO WORK AND THEY'RE COMING BACK AND THAT 72 HOURS IS NEVER BEING REACHED.
AND HERE'S WHERE WE DISCUSSED EARLIER ABOUT THE SIGNAGE.
SO THE FEDERAL REGULATIONS STATES IT JUST HAS TO BE ON BOTH SIDES.
IT DOESN'T SAY EXACTLY WHERE BECAUSE COMMERCIAL VEHICLES HAVE THE WORDING.
THEY HAVE IT ON THE GAS TANK ON THE BACK DOOR, ON THE BACK CAB, IT JUST HAS TO BE ON THE VEHICLE ON THE SIDE.
AND IT HAS TO BE VISIBLE FROM 50 FEET.
SO I THINK IT COULD BE POSSIBLY REVISED AND MEET THE, THE WORDING OF THE, THE FEDERAL REGULATIONS ELATIONS NEXT.
WE'VE DISCUSSED THIS I THINK IN DEPTH EARLIER.
THIS IS THE $60 FINE THAT WE'VE TALKED ABOUT.
IT CAN, I THINK BY ORDINANCE NOW CAN BE ANYWHERE FROM ONE TO 200.
AND AS DISCUSSED BEFORE, THERE'S OTHERS HANDICAP, I THINK THEY'RE UP TO $750.
BUT, UM, AS YOU SEE RIGHT THERE, THE COMMERCIAL DRIVERS HAVE ACTUALLY TOLD OUR OFFICERS THAT THEY'D RATHER DO THAT BECAUSE THEY HAVE TRUCK YARDS THEY CAN'T PARK AT, BUT IT COSTS THEM MONEY.
SO THEY'RE LOOKING AT WHAT DO I DO? DO I GET A FINE SOMETIMES 'CAUSE THEY'RE NOT, THERE'S SO MANY 18 WHEELERS AND YOU KNOW, THE PROBLEM'S ALL OVER THIS CITY.
IT'S NOT JUST THEM THAT IS GETTING ENFORCED.
SO IT'S A EASY, YOU KNOW, YOU PICK WHICH ONE I'D GET A COUPLE TICKETS FOR $60.
ALRIGHT, NUMBER SEVEN, SUGGESTION.
UH, A LOT OF TIMES THESE DRIVERS ARE NOT AWARE OF WHERE THEIR PARKING IS WRONG.
AND THIS COULD BE IN NEIGHBORHOODS, STREETS, THERE'S NOT PARKING SIGNS.
IT DOESN'T MEAN IT'S REQUIRED, BUT I THINK AS ADVISING THE, THE PUBLIC, THE DRIVERS, I THINK IT WOULD AT LEAST HELP THE PROBLEM IF THERE'S MORE SIGNS AND ALSO IF IT'S EASIER TO GET THOSE SIGNS.
'CAUSE THERE'S DIFFERENT CIRCUMSTANCES WHERE WE'VE TRIED TO GET SIGNS IN THE PAST FOR CERTAIN LOCATIONS, BUT THERE'S A, A PROCESS AND SOMETIMES IT'S, IT'S BEEN DIFFICULT TO DO.
SO I THINK THERE SHOULD BE, UH, MORE SIGNS AND EASIER ACCESS.
ALRIGHT, LET'S GO TO NUMBER EIGHT.
SO PARK HOUSTON HAS, UH, YOU JUST HEARD FROM, SO AS OF LAST YEAR, UH, THE STATE AND THEN ALSO THE CITY ORDINANCE CHANGED, ALLOWING A MUNICIPAL EMPLOYEE TO BE ABLE TO TOW VEHICLES.
SO IT'S OUR SUGGESTION THAT VEHICLES BE TOWED BY PARK HOUSTON, NOT JUST SIDED, BECAUSE EVEN IF THE FINE GOES UP A LITTLE, I THINK IT'LL STILL BE IN THEIR BEST INTEREST IN THE LONG RUN TO STILL PARK IN THE STREET INSTEAD OF A TRUCK YARD.
HOWEVER, IF THEY'RE GETTING TOWED AND PAYING $1,200, THAT'S GONNA HIT 'EM A LOT HARDER AND THEY'RE GONNA ACTUALLY START PARKING IN A TOW YARD.
SO JUST IN CONCLUSION, WHEN WE, WHEN WE HAVE GOTTEN GOTTEN THESE COMPLAINTS, IT'S ALREADY TO WHERE THERE COULD BE, WE, WE GOT ONE LAST WEEK WHERE THERE'S AN AVERAGE OF 24 18 WHEELERS ON THIS, ON A NEW STREET ON THE WEST SIDE OF THE CITY.
SO IF, IF THERE'S A WAY WE CAN KNOCK THAT BEFORE IT GETS TO 24, IT'S GONNA BE A LOT EASIER TO ENFORCE.
'CAUSE IF YOU THINK HOW HARD IT IS TO GET 24 HEAVY DUTY RECORDS AT FOUR AND A HALF HOURS EACH, THAT'S A PROCESS THAT IS NOT PRACTICAL.
SO WE WANNA MAKE IT MORE PRACTICAL.
AND IT'S ALSO PROBABLY SOMETHING, A GOOD IDEA TO EXAMINE IS HOW TO GET MORE HEAVY DUTY RECORDS.
UH, THAT'S A DIFFERENT DIVISION, UH, THAN I'M IN, BUT IT'S SOMETHING TO PROBABLY LOOK AT.
AND THEN ULTIMATELY THE, THE CHANGES IN THE ORDINANCES, THE WORDING AND I THINK WILL ULTIMATELY BENEFIT IN THE LONG RUN.
UM, LIEUTENANT, THANK YOU SO MUCH.
THIS WAS A GREAT PRESENTATION.
REALLY APPRECIATE THE PICTURES AND ALSO REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR SUGGESTIONS.
I MEAN, FROM THE FIELD, YOU GUYS KNOW BEST WHAT MIGHT WORK.
I WANNA BE CLEAR TO EVERYBODY.
THESE ARE NOT PROPOSED REVISIONS RIGHT NOW.
THESE ARE SUGGESTIONS FROM HPD THAT WE WILL TAKE UNDER ADVISEMENT AS A BODY, UM, TO DECIDE WHAT KIND OF RECOMMENDATIONS WE WANNA PUT FORWARD.
BUT REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR VERY THOUGHTFUL AND COMPLETE PRESENTATION.
AND WE'LL GO TO QUESTIONS NOW.
OH, AND ALSO I WANNA WELCOME COUNCIL MEMBER EVAN SHABAZZ.
SHE HAS BEEN ON THE CALL FOR QUITE SOME TIME, SO WELCOME TO THE MEETING.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, UH, LIEUTENANT.
AND, UH, YOU JUST VERIFIED EVERYTHING I SAID TO THE SPEAKER BEFORE, AND THAT IS THE ENFORCEMENT PROCESS IS, UH, IN THIS MATTER IS VERY WEAK.
UH, AS YOU BROUGHT UP THE LEASED VEHICLES, I I'VE SEEN THIS OVER THE YEARS.
YOU KNOW, I'VE, I'VE WORKED HEAVILY OVER THE YEARS BEFORE I WAS A COUNCIL MEMBER IN THE MUNICIPAL COURTS.
I, I'VE SEEN THE, THE, THE FRUSTRATION ON THE PART OF THE PROSECUTORS TRYING TO DEAL WITH ANY OF THIS, UH, BECAUSE OF ALL
[00:50:01]
THE LOOPHOLES THAT ARE THERE.AND, UM, I, I KNOW THAT, UM, THAT I, WHEN I HEARD YOU TALK ABOUT THE ONE HOUR, I WOULD BE ALL FOR IT, BUT I DON'T THINK THAT SOLVES ANYTHING.
AND THEN, UH, WHEN YOU SAY THAT, CHANGE IT TO A PUBLIC, UH, YOU KNOW, A CITY STREET.
SO DOES THAT, HOW WOULD THAT AFFECT, UH, STATE HIGHWAYS? BECAUSE YOU KNOW THAT, THAT THERE ARE STATE HIGHWAYS RUNNING RIGHT THROUGH THE CITY OF HOUSTON AND WE WOULD CONSIDER, UH, ALAMEDA A PUBLIC STREET, A CITY STREET, BUT YOU, YOU KNOW, IT'S A STATE HIGHWAY.
SO I'M JUST TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW, HOW THAT MIGHT HELP AND IMPACT US.
THESE, THESE TRUCKS, UH, MOST OF THEM THAT I SEE HAVE A TEXT DOT NUMBER ON THEM.
AND, AND I WOULD THINK THAT, UH, THAT THAT IN ITSELF WOULD BE SUFFICIENT.
BUT ONCE AGAIN, TOWING ONE OF THESE VEHICLES, UH, IT IS A MONUMENTAL TASK.
THAT'S WHY THERE'S A $1,200 FEE.
YOU NOT ONLY HAVE TO HAVE A BIG RIG TO PICK IT UP, BUT YOU GOTTA HAVE A PLACE TO PUT IT.
AND, AND, UH, I, I REALLY THINK THAT WE NEED TO GO BACK AND, AND LOOK AT THE LEGISLATIVE, UH, IDEAS ON HOW, HOW THE CITY CAN, CAN GET THE LEGISLATURE TO, TO, UH, TO MAYBE BEEF THIS UP WHERE IF, IF THEY ARE REPEAT OFFENDERS IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON, UH, WE CAN SUSPEND THE RENEWAL OF THE, THE REGISTRATION OF THE TRAILER AND OR THE TRUCK AND, AND, UH, AND IT'S BEING LEASED.
WELL, LET ME TELL YOU, I I LEASE A LOT OF VEHICLES WHEN I TRAVEL AND IF I, IF I GET ANY KIND OF A, A CITATION, A CIVIL VIOLATION, UH, OR ANYTHING, UH, THE, THE, THE, THE COMPANY TURNS RIGHT AROUND THE, THE COMPANY I LEASED THE, THE RENTAL CAR FROM, AND THEY DINGED MY CREDIT CARD AND I REALIZED THAT THESE TRUCK COMPANIES DON'T HAVE CREDIT CARDS, UH, ON FILE WITH US.
BUT I DO KNOW THAT THERE IS A WAY TO PUT TEETH IN IT, AND I WOULD HOPE THE LEGISLATURE WOULD WORK HARD BECAUSE THIS IS A PROBLEM IN OUR COMMUNITIES.
I KNOW YOU'RE FIGHTING AN UPHILL BATTLE.
I KNOW THAT YOU'RE UNDERSTAFFED.
I, I DON'T SEE HOW YOU'VE DONE AS MUCH AS YOU HAVE WITH THESE VEHICLES.
SO I THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE.
THANK YOU SO MUCH, LIEUTENANT.
THIS IS A REALLY GOOD REPORT AND THANKS FOR BEING WITH US.
UH, WE EXPERIENCE A LOT OF REQUESTS ON THE WEST SIDE OF TOWN, UM, AND I SEE MR. MARCUS HERE FROM THE WEST CHASE MANAGEMENT DISTRICT, AND I'M SURE HE'LL SPEAK TO THAT.
UM, SO I THINK THE 18 WHEELER PHOTO THAT YOU SHOWED PROBABLY WAS FROM
UM, THE EXPECTATION FROM RESIDENTS IN ORDER TO GET A CAR TOWED, I MEAN, THEY BELIEVE IT'S SUPPOSED TO HAPPEN WITHIN 30 MINUTES AND IT'S, IT'S NOT REAL.
SO THIS IS REALLY GOOD INFORMATION, UM, IN TERMS OF THE TIME.
AND I THINK WHAT WILL BE HELPFUL, UM, IF WE CAN HAVE THIS SYNTHESIZED AND MAYBE SHARED WITH OFFICES SO WE CAN THEN EXPLAIN TO RESIDENTS SO WE CAN KEEP THEIR EXPECTATIONS.
BECAUSE MY HOTSPOT TEAM ACTUALLY WILL SEND PHOTOS OF 18 WHEELERS PARKED ALL UP AND DOWN ASHFORD POINT ON DAIRY ASHFORD, AND IT'S ABOUT 12 OF THEM, 10 OF 'EM OR WHATNOT.
UM, AND SO THEY DON'T HAVE A UNDERSTANDING OF HOW THE TYPE OF EFFORT IT TAKES IN ORDER TO GET THAT DONE.
SO IS IT POSSIBLE FOR US TO GET THAT INFORMATION AS LIKE A ONE PAGER SO WE CAN START COMMUNICATING THAT OUT? IS THAT SOMETHING THAT Y'ALL CAN SEND TO US FROM THIS POWERPOINT? YES.
AND THANK YOU LIEUTENANT FOR THE, UM, PRESENTATION.
UM, AGAIN, DISTRICT B UM, GETS A LOT OF CALLS ABOUT 18 WHEELERS IN RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOODS.
AND SO, UM, WITH THE SUGGESTION OF REDUCING THE TIME FOR AN HOUR, I STILL JUST BELIEVE THAT 18 WHEELERS SHOULDN'T BE IN RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOODS, PERIOD.
BECAUSE IF WE GIVING THEM TIME TO, YOU KNOW, PARK THEIR CAR, THAT'S GIVING THEM THE GREEN LIGHT TO COME INTO NEIGHBORHOODS.
AND SO IS THERE A WAY TO JUST SAY, PROHIBIT 18 WILLERS FROM BEING IN RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOODS? THERE ARE TRUCK STOPS ALL OVER THE PLACE THAT THESE 18 WHEELERS CAN SET UP AT, BUT WHEN THEY'RE NEIGHBORHOODS, THEY'RE DESTROYING PEOPLE.
PROPERTIES I WROTE THROUGH PLEASANTVILLE AND YOU SEE WHERE 18 WILLERS JUST WENT ON PEOPLE LAWNS AND THE RESIDENT HAD TO GET LIKE, CONCRETE BARRIERS TO PROTECT THEIR RESIDENTS.
SO I JUST REALLY BELIEVE THAT WE SHOULD PROHIBIT 18 WILLERS FROM GOING INTO RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOODS.
SO IS THAT POSSIBLE? IS THERE A LAW THAT REQUIRE THAT WE GIVE THEM TIME TO PARK ON THESE STREETS? NO.
AND THAT WAS JUST ONE OF THE, UH, SUGGESTIONS.
AND I THINK PROBABLY ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS IS TO REVISE THE LANGUAGE IN IT AND NOT GIVE PEOPLE OUTS FROM, YOU KNOW, DEFENSE PROSECUTIONS AND EXCEPTIONS.
THE, THE, THE REASON BEHIND IT MAKES SENSE, YOU KNOW, LIKE I SAID FOR U-HAUL AND ALL THAT, BUT YOU HAVE TO REALLY BE CAREFUL WITH THE WORDING.
'CAUSE THEN IT ALLOWS THE OUTS AND IT ALLOWS THEM TO BE ABLE TO DO IT.
UM, YOU'VE GIVEN US A LOT OF GOOD INFORMATION TO GO BACK AND, AND LOOK AT AND FIGURE OUT WHAT COULD POSSIBLY WORK AND CHANGING, ESPECIALLY STUFF ABOUT THE COMMERCIAL VEHICLES AND THE,
[00:55:01]
YOU KNOW, WHERE THE SIGN IS.I MEAN, THAT DOES JUST DOESN'T MAKE MUCH SENSE.
SO, UM, A LOT TO GO OVER AND I REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR PARTICIPATION IN THIS MEETING AND YOUR PRESENTATION.
NEXT WE WILL MOVE ON TO THE SECOND PORTION OF THE MEETING, WHICH IS OUR OVERVIEW OF THE PROHIBITED YARD PARKING ORDINANCE AND RELATED ENFORCEMENT.
FIRST WE'LL HAVE DEVONTE CALDWELL FROM THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT.
PLEASE BE AWARE THAT PLANNING REVISED AND UPDATED THEIR PRESENTATION LAST NIGHT.
IF YOU'VE GOT AN EARLIER VERSION, THIS NEW VERSION HAS BEEN UPLOADED TO THE RNA WEBSITE AS OF THIS MORNING.
AND WE WILL KIND OF GET A, AN OVERVIEW OF THE PROGRAM BY MR. CALDWELL.
MY NAME IS DEVONTE CALDWELL AND I'M WITH THE PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT, UH, AS A PLANNER TOO.
UM, AND I'LL BE, UH, GOING OVER THE PROHIBITED YARD PARKING PROGRAM AND THE PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT'S ROLE.
AND THIS PROGRAM HAS BEEN ESTABLISHED BY CITY COUNCIL SINCE 2009.
AND, UH, THE PURPOSE IS TO REGULATE THE PARKING OF VEHICLES OR EQUIPMENT ON THE LAWN OR UNIMPROVED SURFACE IN THE FRONT ARE SIDE YARDS OF SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENTIAL PROPERTIES.
AND THIS, THIS PROGRAM WOULD, UH, IT GIVES THE OPPORTUNITY FOR COMMUNITIES TO APPLY FOR SUCH PROTECTIONS.
AND, UM, WHAT THESE ORDINANCES WILL DO IS THAT THEY WILL ALSO HELP PROTECT THE PROPERTY VALUES, PREVENT DAMAGE TO UNDERGROUND INFRASTRUCTURE, AND PRESERVE THE AESTHETIC APPEARANCE OF RESIDENTIAL AREAS.
HOWEVER, IT WILL NOT PROHIBIT THE PARKING OF VEHICLES OR EQUIPMENT ON AN UNAPPROVED SURFACE IN THE YARD AREAS OF MULTIFAMILY, VACANTS, OR OTHER NON SINGLE FAMILY LOTS.
UM, AND TO, TO GO OVER SOME OF THE KEY DEFINITIONS, UM, UNDER CHAPTER 28, WHICH IS WHAT THIS PROGRAM IS FOUND UNDER, UH, SPECIFICALLY SECTION 28 3 0 1.
UM, WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT SINGLE FAMILY, UH, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT PROPERTIES THAT CAN ALLOW UP TO TWO UNITS TO STILL BE CLASSIFIED AS SINGLE FAMILY, SUCH AS A DUPLEX OR A, UM, SINGLE FAMILY HOME WITH A GARAGE APARTMENT THAT IS NO, UM, MORE THAN 900 SQUARE FEET.
AND A BLOCK FACE, UH, WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT BLOCK FACE IS WE ARE TALKING ABOUT A PORTION OF A BLOCK, UH, FACING A MAIN STREET BETWEEN TWO INTERSECTING STREETS OR IT TERMINATES OR A TERMINATION POINT.
AND ALSO, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT IMPROVED SERVICES, UM, EXCLUDING DRIVEWAYS, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT SURFACES THAT CAN BE CONSTRUCTED WITH MATERIALS SUCH AS ASPHALT, CONCRETE, UH, PERMEABLE PAVEMENT, OR ANY OTHER MATERIALS THAT WOULD GENERALLY BE APPROVED BY HOUSTON PUBLIC WORKS.
AND, UH, ACCORDING TO THE ORDINANCE ITSELF, UM, THE VEHICLES AND EQUIPMENTS, UH, THAT SOME OF THE LISTED ARE MOBILE AND MOTOR HOMES, UM, MOTOR VEHICLES, TRUCKS, MOTORCYCLES, TRAILERS, AND ANY TYPE OF FARM MACHINERY OR SIMILAR EQUIPMENT.
SO, SINCE 2009, UM, THERE HAVE BEEN, UH, ALMOST 200 APPLICATIONS APPROVED AROUND THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
AND MAJORITY OF THESE APPLICATIONS THAT WERE APPROVED, UM, ARE FROM, UH, COUNCIL DISTRICTS, A, D, AND K, UM, AS YOU CAN SEE ON THE MAP IN THE TABLE.
AND TO BRIEFLY GO OVER SOME OF THE APPLICATIONS REQUIREMENTS.
UM, THERE ARE TWO WAYS THAT A, UM, THAT PEOPLE CAN APPLY FOR THIS PROGRAM.
ONE IS, AS A REPRESENTATIVE OF A HOMEOWNER'S ASSOCIATION OR CIVIC CLUB OR AN INDIVIDUAL PROPERTY OWNER CAN, UM, CAN STEP UP TO THE PLATE AND, AND APPLY ON HIS, HER AREA, AND THEY CAN, UM, WITH THAT, UH, A PROPERTY OWNER WOULD NEED TO PROVIDE A PETITION OF SUPPORT FROM 60% OF SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY OWNERS WITHIN THAT DESIGNATED BOUNDARY.
IF IT'S A HOMEOWNER'S, A CIVIC ASSOCIATION OR CIVIC CLUB APPLYING, UM, THEN WE WILL NEED LIKE SOME MATERIALS SUCH AS THE COPY OF THEIR BYLAWS, UM, AND ALSO THE MEETING MINUTES THAT WOULD, UH, COVER THEM AUTHORIZING THE FILING OF THIS APPLICATION.
AND THEN, AND WE WILL NEED TO, AND WE ARE ALSO, UM, REQUESTING THEM TO SUBMIT A LETTER OF SUPPORT BY THE PRESIDENT OR LEADER OF THAT ORGANIZATION.
UM, BUT ALSO REGARDLESS OF WHICH, UM, OPTIONS TO CHOOSE THAT DESIGNATED BOUNDARY MUST INCLUDE A MINIMUM OF FIVE CONTIGUOUS BLOCK FACES, OR AT LEAST 60% AND ACTUALLY END AT LEAST 60% OF SINGLE FAMILY LOTS WITHIN THAT AREA.
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AND, UM, TO BRIEFLY GO OVER THE PROCESS, WE ACCEPT THESE APPLICATIONS, THE PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT.UH, WE, WE ACCEPT THESE APPLICATIONS ON THE FIRST TWO BUSINESS DAYS OF EACH MONTH BEFORE THE CLOSE OF BUSINESS.
ONCE WE HAVE RECEIVED AN APPLICATION, WE WILL REVIEW THE APPLICATION TO MAKE SURE THAT ALL OF THE REQUIRED MATERIALS HAVE BEEN SUBMITTED.
AND THEN ONCE WE HAVE REVIEWED THE APPLICATION FOR COMPLETENESS, UM, THIS WILL, UH, FALL INTO A 20 DAY PROTEST PERIOD.
AND STAFF, WE WILL NOTIFY PROPERTY OWNERS ABOUT THE, UM, ABOUT THIS PENDING APPLICATION FOR SUCH PROTECTIONS.
AND THEN FOR THEM TO, IF THEY WISH TO FILE A 20, UM, FILE A PROTEST WITHIN THAT 20 DAY PERIOD.
UM, BUT AFTER THAT PERIOD HAS BEEN CONCLUDED, UM, BECAUSE ALSO IT IS ALSO REQUIRED FROM THE APPLICANT TO ALSO PLACE NOTIFICATIONS SIGNS ON THEIR END.
UM, THIS APPLICATION COULD GO ON EITHER, THERE ARE TWO SCENARIOS THAT CAN, THAT MAY TAKE PLACE.
UH, THE FIRST SCENARIO IS THAT, UM, IF THERE IS NO PROTEST, THEN THIS WILL GO STRAIGHT THROUGHOUT YOUR, THROUGH OUR, UM, ADMINISTRATIVE APPROVAL AND GETTING OUR DIRECTOR'S APPROVAL.
AND THEN EVENTUALLY IT WILL GET TO CITY COUNCIL.
HOWEVER, IF THERE IS A PROTEST THAT WE RECEIVED, THIS WILL BE DEFERRED TO A PUBLIC HEARING WITH A HEARING OFFICER.
UM, AND, UH, THIS WOULD GIVE THE OPPORTUNITY FOR, UH, PEOPLE OF BOTH SIDES, WHETHER THEY'RE IN OPPOSITION OR SUPPORT TO SPEAK OF THEIR POSITION.
AND THE HEARING OFFICER WILL REVIEW THE CRITERIA ESTABLISHED IN CHAPTER 28, UM, IF, IF THIS IS ELIGIBLE.
AND THEN, UM, AFTER THE HEARING, THE HEARING OFFICER WILL HAVE SOME TIME TO DECIDE WHETHER OR NOT TO FORWARD THIS APPLICATION TO CITY COUNCIL.
AND ONCE THIS APPLICATION HAS, HAS BEEN APPROVED BY CITY COUNCIL, THIS IS A STAGE IN THE PROCESS WHEREAS WE WOULD HAND OFF THE, THE ESTABLISHED ORDINANCES TO A, TO THE HOUSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT, UH, FOR ENFORCEMENT.
UM, GENERALLY WE IN, WE INSTRUC RESIDENTS TO REPORT ANY COMPLAINTS THROUGH 3 1 1 OR CONTACTING THEIR NEAREST HPD STOREFRONT.
UM, AND JUST TO, UH, PROVIDE SOME OF THE LANGUAGES IN THE ORDINANCE.
UM, ACCORDING TO SECTION 28, 3 0 4 ORDINANCES MAY BE ENFORCED BY ANY LAW ENFORCEMENT OR OFFICER, THE NEIGHBORHOOD PROTECTION OFFICIAL OR THE PARKING OFFICIAL.
AND, UM, AND THEN THE FOLLOWING SECTION STATES THAT VIOLATIONS ARE A MISDEMEANOR PUNISHABLE BY A FINE NOT TO EXCEED $150.
UM, BUT, UH, H THE HOUSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT WILL TALK ABOUT MORE OF THE ENFORCEMENT FOLLOWING THIS PRESENTATION.
BUT FOR ANYONE WHO WILL BE INTERESTED IN APPLYING FOR, UM, UNDER THIS PROGRAM, THEY MAY CONTACT THE PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT AT 8 3 2 3 9 3 6 6 0 0 OR VISIT US ONLINE.
WE HAVE INFORMATION ON THERE ONLINE@HOUSTONPLANNING.COM AND COPIES OF THE APPLICATION PROCESS IN THE OVERALL, UM, APPLICATION PROCESS.
THANK YOU MR. CALDWELL, FOR LAYING OUT THE ORDINANCE AND HOW, HOW PEOPLE CAN APPLY FOR IT.
THANK YOU FOR THE, UH, PRESENTATION.
UH, HERE WHERE IT SAYS APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS, YOU SHOW HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATIONS OR CIVIC CLUB, AND THEN YOU HAVE THE HOMEOWNER PETITION.
UH, IN REGARDS TO THE APPLICATION FOR A HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATION OR CIVIC CLUB, I KNOW THAT BACK WHEN I WAS PRESIDENT OF MY CIVIC CLUB, UM, WE APPLIED FOR THE NO PARKING ON THE GRASS ORDINANCES.
AND WE ACTUALLY HAVE IT IN OUR DEED RESTRICTIONS.
UM, WHICH I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY THE CITY JUST DIDN'T ACCEPT THAT.
UH, BUT WE HAD TO GO THROUGH THE PROCESS, UH, WHICH FOR ME MAKES NO SENSE.
SO HAS THAT CHANGED THAT THAT WAS SEVERAL YEARS AGO.
SO HAS THAT CHANGED? IF YOU'RE A CIVIC CLUB, YOU ACTUALLY HAVE IT IN YOUR DE DEED RESTRICTIONS.
YOU'RE NOT SUPPOSED TO PARK ON THE GRASS, UH, YOU KNOW, I'M ASSUMING JUST APPLYING THE, UH, PROVIDING A MAP, SHOWING YOU WHERE THE BOUNDARIES OF THE CIVIC CLUB ARE.
UH, A LETTER OF SUPPORT FROM THE PRESIDENT, MAYBE A COPY IN THE BYLAWS SAYING HERE IT IS, NO PARKING ON THE GRASS IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
UH, AND THEN THAT SHOULD BE IT.
I MEAN, ARE ARE, ARE THEY STILL HA ARE, IS THE NEIGHBORHOOD STILL HAVING TO GO THROUGH THAT PROCESS OF TRYING TO GET IT APPROVED THROUGH CITY COUNCIL? UM, IF THEY'RE ALREADY DE RESTRICTED IN THE AREA? YEAH.
THE STATES IN YOUR DEED RESTRICTIONS, YOU DO NOT PARK ON THE GRASS.
UM, THAT IS A QUESTION I WOULD HAVE TO GET BACK TO YOU FOR, UM, AS IT IS MORE DEPENDING, IT'S MORE FALLS IN THE, UM, ENFORCEMENT ARENA OF, OF HOW, IF THEY ARE DE RESTRICTED, THAT IS PROBABLY MORE OF A LEGAL QUESTION AS WELL.
THAT I'LL HAD TO GET BACK TO YOU.
AND THEN THE OTHER THING I WANT TO QUICKLY MENTION IS, UM, BACK
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THEN, AND I DON'T KNOW HOW IT IS NOW.BACK THEN WHEN WE DID IT, UH, IT WAS A OPT-IN, SO YOU HAD TO GO DO THE PETITION.
UH, WE WERE TOLD BACK THEN THAT IT'S GOOD FOR 20 YEARS.
UM, SO MY QUESTION IS, IS THAT STILL THE CASE? IF YOU OPT IN, IS IT STILL GOOD JUST FOR 20 YEARS AND THEN AFTER 20 YEARS, WHOEVER LIVES IN THAT NEIGHBORHOOD WILL HAVE TO GO BACK OUT AND DO IT ALL OVER AGAIN? MY QUESTION IS THAT NEEDS TO BE CHANGED WHERE IT'S OPT OUT.
IF, IF YOU LIVE IN THAT NEIGHBORHOOD AFTER 20 YEARS, IF YOU DON'T, IF YOU WANNA PARK ON YOUR GRASS, WELL THEN YOU GUESS WHAT? YOU HAVE TO GO AND DO THE PETITION.
YOU HAVE TO DO THE LEG WHERE YOU HAVE TO KNOCK ON THE DOORS WHEN NOBODY ANSWERS THE DOOR.
AND YOU HAVE TO GO BACK AND BACK AND BACK KNOCKING ON THOSE DOORS TO TRY TO GET THIS PETITION SIGNED.
IT SHOULD BE A OPT OUT AFTER THE 20 YEARS.
SO IF YOU CAN ASK, IS, IS THAT THE CASE? IS IT STILL 20 YEARS? YES, IT'S STILL 20 YEARS.
UH, AND IS IT STILL WHERE YOU HAVE TO GO BACK AND DO IT ALL OVER AGAIN? UM, IT'S, IT IS, IT WOULD BE DUE FOR EXPIRATION AT THAT POINT.
THAT IS, AGAIN, THAT IS SOMETHING I HAD TO GET BACK TO YOU IN TERMS OF, I DO NOT KNOW IF THERE HAS BEEN CONVERSATIONS DEVELOPED AS WE ARE TALKING ABOUT HOW TO HANDLE ANY EXPIRATIONS, WHICH GENERALLY WE WILL RECEIVE OUR FIRST SET OF APPLICATIONS OR ORDINANCES IN 2029, SINCE SOME HAVE BEEN ESTABLISHED IN 2009, UM, FROM, UH, BECAUSE IT WILL BE DUE FOR EXPIRATION.
IT WOULD BY DEFAULT REQUIRE PEOPLE TO GO THROUGH APPLICATION PROCESS.
BUT I HAVE, I WOULD HAVE TO GET BACK TO YOU WITH MORE COMP, MORE INFORMATION ON THAT.
'CAUSE I'M HOPING THAT CAN BE CHANGED WHERE IT WILL BE HAVE TO BE AN OPT OUT AFTER YOUR 20 YEARS.
AND I, I CERTAINLY AGREE YOU WOULDN'T PUT THE BURDEN ON THE PEOPLE THAT, THAT, I MEAN, YOU DON'T WANNA HAVE TO MAKE THE PEOPLE GO DO THE WORK AGAIN, AFTER 20 YEARS, YOU PUT, PUT THE, PUT THE BURDEN ON THE PEOPLE THAT WANNA OPT OUT.
AND ALSO TO YOUR POINT ABOUT DEED RESTRICTIONS, I THINK WHAT HE, UM, HE WAS ASKING IF THAT COULD KIND OF WAIVE THE PETITION THING IF YOU'RE ALREADY LIVING IN A, A NEIGHBORHOOD WHERE, UM, DEED RESTRICTIONS ARE IN PLACE FOR NO PARKING IN THE YARD.
IF THAT, IF THAT WE COULD POSSIBLY LOOK AT SOME, MAYBE PERHAPS REVISING THE ORDINANCE TO, TO NOT HAVE TO GO THROUGH THE PETITION PROCESS.
IS THAT, WAS THAT YOUR POINT? RIGHT.
SO WE'LL, WE'LL, WE'LL TAKE THAT UNDER ADVISEMENT TO COUNCIL MEMBER KOOSH.
AND, UH, DOES THIS ALSO AFFECT PARKING IN THE BACKYARD? NO, ONLY THE FRONT AND SIDE YARDS.
THE REASON I SAY THAT IS THAT THERE WAS A, A MATTER OFF OF F TWO A 59 COUPLE YEARS AGO, PROBABLY MAYBE FIVE OR SIX YEARS AGO NOW, WHERE A GENTLEMAN HAD PARKED MAYBE, UH, 10, 15 JUMP VEHICLES IN HIS BACKYARD.
AND THEN OF COURSE, THE GRASS AND THE VINES AND EVERYTHING GREW OVER AND YOU COULDN'T EVEN SEE IT WITH A PICTURE FROM THE TOP THAT THERE WERE CARS THERE.
SO I KNOW THAT, UH, DO YOU HAVE A HEAT MAP, UH, AS THE PARKING DEPARTMENT DID ON WHERE THE VIOLATIONS HAVE OCCURRED? DO YOU, DO YOU HAVE, I I DIDN'T SEE A MAP EARLIER.
UM, AND GENERALLY, UH, BEYOND THIS STAGE OF THE APPLICATION PROCESS, THE ENFORCEMENT IS HANDED TO OVER TO HOUSTON, TO THE HOUSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT, AND ALSO 3 1 1 CAN MAY HAVE CONTAINED SUCH DATAS OF ANY REPORTED VIOLATIONS.
COUNCIL MEMBER KOSH, UH, UM, PLANNING IS REALLY JUST RESPONSIBLE FOR, UM, ANALYZING AND REVIEWING THE APPLICATIONS THAT COME IN, BRINGING THEM TO CITY COUNCIL, AND THEN THEY KIND OF WALK OUT.
AND NEXT, IT'S A PERFECT SEGUE IF THERE ARE NO OTHER QUESTIONS FROM COUNCIL MEMBERS OR STAFF.
CAN WE GO BACK TO PAGE THREE ON YOUR APPROVED APPLICATIONS? UM, YOU MENTIONED IT, IT SHOWS THE APPLICATIONS THAT ARE APPROVED AND THAT ARE CURRENTLY IN USE.
CAN, DO YOU HAVE THE INFORMATION ON APPLICATIONS THAT WERE SUBMITTED AND POSSIBLY DENIED? AND IF THEY'RE DENIED, WHAT ARE SOME OF THE REASONS THAT A APPLICATION WOULD BE DECLINED? UH, SO FOR EXAMPLE, UM, YEAH, FOR ANY APPLICATIONS THAT HAVE BEEN DENIED, THERE MAY HAVE BEEN DENIED THROUGH A PUBLIC HEARING PROCESS.
AND THE PUBLIC HEARING OFFICER, UM, THEY REVIEW THE PART OF THE CRITERIA IN CHAPTER 20, AND THIS CHAPTER 28, UM, STATES THAT, UM, IF THERE IS, LIKE, IN ORDER FOR, UH, SUCH PENDING PROPOSALS TO BE EL TO BE ELIGIBLE, IS THAT THERE ARE SOME ELIGIBLE PARKING SPACES ON THE CURBSIDE OR ANY OTHER TYPE OF ALTERNATIVE FOR THE VEHICLES TO PARK ON THOSE IN THOSE AREAS INSTEAD OF PARKING ON THE LAWN.
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UM, ALTERNATE SUPPLY OF PARKING IN THE AREA, UM, TO JUSTIFY, UM, THE PROHIBITED YARD PARKING.I'M JUST TRYING TO MAKE SURE THAT IT'S NOT LIKE A, AN ADMINISTRATIVE ERROR ON THE SUBMISSION SIDE OF THE COMMUNITY BECAUSE IF THEY NEED THOSE PROTECTIONS AND THE APPLICATION WAS KICKED BACK BECAUSE SOMETHING WASN'T COMPLETE, I WANT TO BE ABLE TO HELP THOSE NEIGHBORHOODS AND CIVIC CLUBS GET THAT APPLICATION IN.
SO I, OFFLINE, I CAN FOLLOW UP WITH YOU AND YOUR TEAM ABOUT MAYBE APPLICATIONS THAT WERE SUBMITTED IN F THAT WERE NOT APPROVED TO SEE IF WE CAN REVISIT THAT WITH THOSE CIVIC CLUBS.
AND SOMETIMES YES, UM, APPLICATIONS DO NOT MOVE FORWARD BECAUSE OF THE INSUFFICIENT SUBMITTALS.
NEXT WE WILL HEAR FROM THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
NEXT WE WILL HEAR FROM DEPARTMENT OF NEIGHBORHOODS DIRECTOR TASHA FRANCIS, I THINK COUNCIL MEMBER KOSH, THIS WILL ADDRESS SOME OF YOUR ISSUES ABOUT JUNK MOTOR VEHICLES.
GOOD MORNING, MADAM CHAIR AND COMMITTEE, IF WE COULD LOWER THE PODIUM, PLEASE.
I AM GOING TO TAKE MY LADYLIKE SEAT AND DO MY PRESENTATION THIS MORNING.
I AM TASHA FRANCIS, DIRECTOR OF THE CITY OF HOUSTON, DEPARTMENT OF NEIGHBORHOODS, AND I'M HERE TO SPEAK ON BEHALF OF OUR DEPARTMENT AND WE ARE DEALING WITH JUNK MOTOR VEHICLES.
UH, COUNCIL MEMBER KOSH, I WILL ADDRESS YOUR INQUIRY WITHIN MY PRESENTATION, AND WE'LL PROBABLY GIVE A LITTLE BIT MORE, UH, INFORMATION REGARDING IT.
BUT TO BEGIN, LET'S JUST LOOK OVER A COUPLE OF, UH, SMALL DEFINITIONS.
THE DEPARTMENT OF NEIGHBORHOODS INSPECTIONS AND PUBLIC SERVICES DIVISION ADDRESSES VIOLATIONS UNDER CHAPTER 10 OF THE CITY'S MUNICIPAL CODE.
THAT INCLUDES JUNK MOTOR VEHICLES, AND WE ARE SUPPORTED BY THE FOLLOWING LEGAL AUTHORITIES.
AS I'VE MENTIONED, IT IS THE CITY OF HOUSTON MUNICIPAL CODE CHAPTER 10, WHERE WE ARE RESPONSIBLE UNDER ARTICLE 13 FOR THE ABATEMENT OF JUNK VEHICLES.
THEN THE PRECURSOR TO THIS ORDINANCE IS THE TEXAS TRANSPORTATION CODE, CHAPTER 6 83 SUBCHAPTER E JUNK VEHICLES, WHICH ARE CONSIDERED TO BE A PUBLIC NUISANCE AND THE ABATEMENT PROCESS THEREOF.
SO TO BEGIN, WHAT IS A JUNK VEHICLE? WELL, IN THIS SUBCHAPTER, WE'RE LOOKING AT THE TRANSPORTATION CODE 6 83 DASH 0 7 1.
IT IS A VEHICLE THAT IS SELF-PROPELLED THAT DOES NOT LAWFULLY HAVE AN, UH, ATTACHED TO IT, AN UNEXPIRED LICENSE PLATE, A VALID MOTOR VEHICLE INSPECTION CERTIFICATE, AND IT IS WRECKED, DISMANTLED, OR PARTIALLY DISMANTLED OR DISCARDED, OR IT IS AN OPERABLE AND HAS BEEN ON A PUBLIC PROPERTY FOR 72 CONSECUTIVE HOURS OR ON A PRIVATE PROPERTY FOR 30 CONSECUTIVE DAYS.
THIS IS THE THRESHOLD WHERE THE DEPARTMENT OF NEIGHBORHOOD ENFORCES ON PRIVATE PROPERTIES WHEN IT COMES DOWN TO JUNK MOTOR VEHICLES.
THE PREVIOUS PRESENTATIONS HAVE OUTLINED VERY CLEARLY THAT VEHICLES THAT ARE ABANDONED ON PUBLIC PROPERTY ARE HANDLED BY OTHER ENTITIES, WHICH WOULD BE PARK HOUSTON, UH, AND A PARTNERSHIP WITH HPD.
NOW, WHY ARE JUNK VEHICLES PROBLEMATIC OUTSIDE OF THE FACT THAT THEY ARE UNSIGHTLY, THEY'RE DETRIMENTAL TO THE SAFETY AND WELFARE OF THE PUBLIC.
THEY TEND TO REDUCE PROPERTY VALUES.
THEY INVITE VANDALISM CRIME, THEY INVITE VISITORS, VERMIN, CREATE FIRE HAZARDS, AND SOMETIMES CAN ALSO CREATE AN ATTRACTIVE NUISANCE IN THE PARTICULAR COMMUNITY THAT THEY'RE IN.
THERE'S ALSO, UH, THE ISSUE OF BLIGHT AND ALL OF THESE THINGS COME TOGETHER TO CREATE WHAT WE KNOW AS A PUBLIC NUISANCE.
NOW, WHEN WE START LOOKING AT THE PENALTIES FOR THE OFFENSE OF HAVING A JUNK MOTOR VEHICLE ON YOUR PRIVATE PROPERTY, UH, THE CITY'S MUNICIPAL CODE AS WELL AS THE TRANSPORTATION CODE, ALLOWS CIVIC AND CRIMINAL PENALTIES.
SO, A PERSON WHO COMMITS THIS OFFENSE COULD BE CHARGED EITHER WAY BY A CRIMINAL CITATION, WHICH COULD AMOUNT TO A MISDEMEANOR PUNISHABLE BY FINE, NOT TO EXCEED $200 OR A CIVIC, UH, CRIMINAL, I'M SORRY, A, A CITATION THAT CAN GO THROUGH OUR MUNICIPAL COURTS, WHICH WILL HAVE CIVIC PENALTIES, CAN ALSO BE ASSESSED IF A PERSON IS FOUND GUILTY OF HAVING A JUNK MOTOR VEHICLE.
THE OTHER OPTION AS WELL IS THE ABATEMENT AND REMOVAL OF THE NUISANCE UPON CONVICTION.
[01:15:01]
NEXT SLIDE PLEASE.NOW, THERE ARE CERTAIN EXCEPTIONS FOR EVERY LAW.
THERE IS AN EXCEPTION, AND I WILL NOT READ THIS ENTIRE, UM, THIS ENTIRE SLIDE, BUT THERE IS AN EXCEPTION IF A JUNK MOTOR VEHICLE HAS BEEN ENCLOSED APPROPRIATELY.
SO WHEN WE SAY ENCLOSED APPROPRIATELY, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT ENCLOSED IN A LAWFUL MANNER THAT'S NOT VISIBLE FROM THE STREET, UH, BY THE PUBLIC.
SO IF IT'S IN A GARAGE, WHICH IS TYPICALLY WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, THEN THAT WOULD BE SOMETHING, UH, THAT WOULD BE APPROPRIATE AND IT CANNOT BE VISIBLE FROM THE STREET.
ALSO, THIS HAS TO BE, UH, A JUNK MOTOR VEHICLE IS, UM, AN EXCEPTION IF IT IS STORED OR PARKED IN A LAWFUL MANNER, UM, IN CONNECTION WITH A LICENSED VEHICLE DEALER OR JUNKYARD.
SO THAT DOES NOT MEAN YOU TAKING IT UPON YOURSELF AS AN INDIVIDUAL CITIZEN WITH YOUR PROPERTY DETERMINING THAT YOU HAVE SAID BUSINESS OR SAID RIGHT.
IT HAS TO BE ATTACHED TO AN ACTUAL BUSINESS.
AND EVEN IF IT IS AN ACTUAL BUSINESS, IT HAS TO BE MAINTAINED AND STORED IN AN ORDERLY MANNER.
SO SOME OF THE HEALTH HAZARDS THAT WE MENTIONED EARLIER, THE VERMIN, THE FIRE HAZARD, ALL OF THOSE THINGS CANNOT BE PRESENT IN YOUR STORAGE OF THOSE VEHICLES, EVEN IF YOU HAVE A LEGITIMATE BUSINESS.
AND IT HAS TO BE SCREENED BY, UM, ORDINARY VIEW, BY APPROPRIATE MEANS, UH, MEANING, UH, A FENCE OR SHRUBBERY OR TREES.
NOW, IF YOU HAVE AN ANTIQUE VEHICLE, THERE IS A COLLECTOR'S EXEMPTION.
THERE ARE SOME INDIVIDUALS WHO ACTUALLY TAKE AN INTEREST IN COLLECTING ANTIQUE VEHICLES.
HOWEVER, EVEN IF YOU ARE AN ANTIQUE VEHICLE COLLECTOR, YOU HAVE TO STORE THAT ANTIQUE VEHICLE, WHICH HAS TO BE AT LEAST 25 YEARS, UH, OR OLDER.
UM, IT HAS TO BE STORED APPROPRIATELY.
IT CANNOT JUST SIT IN YOUR FRONT YARD, SIT IN YOUR DRIVEWAY, SIT IN YOUR BACKYARD, WHICH IS WHAT A LOT OF PEOPLE TEND TO DO WHEN WE TELL 'EM IT HAS TO BE MOVED FROM PUBLIC VIEW.
YOU STILL HAVE TO VIEW IT APPROPRIATELY, AND THERE CANNOT BE ANY HEALTH HAZARDS, UM, PRESENT IN THE STORAGE OF THAT VEHICLE.
TYPICALLY, MOST COLLECTORS ARE ACTIVELY WORKING ON MOST VEHICLES, AND THOSE ARE THE THINGS THAT OUR INVESTIGATION WILL ALLOW US TO BE ABLE TO DETERMINE.
NOW, THE NOTICE OF VIOLATION ONCE WE HAVE DETERMINED, UH, UPON RESPONDING, UH, TO A COMPLAINT OF A JUNK MOTOR VEHICLE, IS THAT IT HAS TO BE PERSONALLY DELIVERED, SENT BY CERTIFIED MAIL OR LEFT ON THE VEHICLE.
TYPICALLY, WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF NEIGHBORHOODS, WE HAVE THE OPTION OF USING ONE PARTICULAR FORM OF NOTICE.
SO WHEN IT COMES DOWN TO OTHER CHAPTER 10 NUISANCES, THAT IS THE YELLOW PLACARD YOU SEE IN PEOPLE'S YARDS.
IN THIS INSTANCE, IT IS THE RED PLACARD THAT WILL BE PLACED ON THE VEHICLE.
AND THEN WE ALSO FOLLOW UP WITH CERTIFIED MAIL NOTICE TO THE REGISTERED OWNER OF THE VEHICLE AND THE LIEN HOLDER OF THE VEHICLE.
THE NOTICE HAS TO STATE THAT THE NUISANCE HAS TO BE MOVED AND ABATED NOT LATER THAN 10 DAYS AFTER THE DATE THAT THE NOTICE WAS PERSONALLY DELIVERED.
AND THEN IF THE OWNER, A LIEN HOLDER, WOULD LIKE TO HAVE AN ADHERING TO CHALLENGE OUR FINDINGS, THEY HAVE TO MAKE THAT REQUEST WITHIN 10 DAYS.
IF THERE IS NO REQUEST AT THAT TIME, THE HEARING TIME HAS PASSED.
AND TYPICALLY ONCE WE ARE SENDING THE NOTICE OF VIOLATION, WE WILL SEND THAT NOTICE.
IF IT IS RETURNED UNDELIVERED, THEN WE CAN MOVE FORWARD ON ABATEMENT ACTIONS AND THOSE ABATEMENT ACTIONS USUALLY WILL INCLUDE REMOVING THE VEHICLE.
NOW, AS I MENTIONED BEFORE, VERY BRIEFLY, THE HEARING PROCESS IS BASICALLY WHERE ONE OF THE RESPONSIBLE PARTIES WILL MAKE A REQUEST TO PREVE, UH, TO PRESENT EVIDENCE AT THE SCHEDULED HEARING.
AND, UH, BEFORE OUR HEARING OFFICER, IT IS AN ADMINISTRATIVE PROCESS.
NOW, LET ME JUST NOTE PRIOR TO THAT, ON THE NOTICE THAT THE DEPARTMENT OF NEIGHBORHOODS LEAVES ON THE VEHICLES, THERE IS THE NAME AND THE PHONE NUMBER OF THE CODE ENFORCEMENT OFFICER.
IF YOUR VEHICLE IS OPERABLE AT THE TIME THAT WE COME TO VISIT, BECAUSE WE WOULDN'T HAVE A WAY OF KNOWING, THEN WE LEAVE A NOTE FOR THE OWNER OF THE VEHICLE TO CALL US SO THAT WE CAN MAKE A CHECK BACK INSPECTION TO PROVE THAT THE VEHICLE RUNS.
IF THE VEHICLE INDEED IS RUNNING AND IS OPERABLE, THEN WE CAN MOVE FORWARD AND CLOSE OUT OUR INVESTIGATION BECAUSE THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT QUALIFY.
SO PLEASE KEEP IN MIND WHEN YOU SEE THAT RED NOTICE, IF YOUR VEHICLE IS OPERABLE, YOU DON'T HAVE TO GO THROUGH A HEARING PROCESS OR ANY OTHER TYPE OF RIGAMAROLE, JUST CALL US BACK OUT AND SHOW US THAT THE CAR IS INDEED OPERABLE AND THEN WE WILL MOVE FORWARD AND CLOSE THE INVESTIGATION.
NOW, COMPLIANCE IS ACHIEVED WHEN THE VEHICLE IS NO LONGER PRESENT FROM PUBLIC RIGHT OF WAY WHEN IT IS PROPERLY STORED IN AN ENCLOSED AREA OR THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN PROVEN TO BE OPERABLE.
[01:20:01]
SLIDE.NOW LET'S JUST REVIEW THE PROCESS VERY BRIEFLY.
ONCE WE GET THE INITIAL INSPECTION DONE, WE WILL COME OUT, WE'LL MAKE A DETERMINATION ON WHETHER OR NOT THIS IS A JUNK MOTOR VEHICLE.
WE WILL LOOK AT IT TO SEE HOW LONG IT'S BEEN THERE.
OF COURSE, WE WILL TAKE WHATEVER NOTES WE RECEIVE WITH 3 1 1.
IF WE FIND IT MEETS THE THRESHOLD OF A JUNK MOTOR VEHICLE, WE WILL PLACARD THE VEHICLE AND WE WILL PROVIDE NOTICE, UH, TO THE OWNER TO ACTUALLY RESPOND.
WE WILL SCHEDULE A FOLLOW UP INSPECTION AND CHECK BACK.
TYPICALLY, WE GIVE 10 DAYS FOR THE OWNER TO REMOVE THE ISSUE, BUT BASED ON OUR CURRENT RESOURCES, SOMETIMES THAT NOTICE PERIOD CAN EXTEND TO 30.
AND SO THAT'S THE REASON WHY 30 DAYS IS NOTED HERE IN THE NOTICE REQUIREMENT.
ONCE WE ACTUALLY HAVE OUR FOLLOW UP INSPECTION AND CHECK BACK, IF THE VEHICLE STILL MEETS THE THRESHOLD OF A JUNK MOTOR VEHICLE, WE WILL ISSUE A CITATION FOR NON-COMPLIANCE OR WE WILL GRANT AN EXTENSION DEPENDING ON WHAT CIRCUMSTANCES ARE PRESENT.
THEN IF WE SEE THAT THERE IS NO COMPLIANCE, WE WILL MOVE TO THE ABATEMENT PROCESS WHERE WE SEND FINAL NOTICE TO THE LIEN HOLDER AND THE REGISTERED OWNER OF THE VEHICLE AND THE PROPERTY OWNER.
AT THAT POINT, WE THEN WILL MOVE FORWARD TO COORDINATE WITH OUR PARTNERS WITH THE HOUSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT DIFFERENTIAL RESPONSE TEAM TO PREPARE TO TOW THE VEHICLE.
TYPICALLY, WE WILL DO THAT PROCESS ONCE WE HAVE NOT HEARD OR THE PERSON HAS NOT COMPLIED AND ABATEMENT MEANS THAT THE VEHICLE WILL, WILL BE TOWED, BUT NOT ONLY TOWED BUT DESTROYED.
AND ONCE THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN TOWED AND DESTROYED, THEN THAT WILL COMPLETE THE ENTIRE PROCESS.
NOW, DON INSPECTORS PROACTIVELY ADDRESS VIOLATIONS REGARDING JUNK MOTOR VEHICLES.
WE ALSO GET A NUMBER OF REQUESTS FROM 3 1 1 LOOKING AT OUR FISCAL YEAR 2022 RESULTS, WE HAVE 1,969 TO DATE FOR FISCAL YEAR 2022.
AND THEN THE TOTAL NUMBER OF JMV VIOLATIONS FOUND WERE 3,639 VIOLATIONS.
NOW, AS FAR AS COMPLIANCE IS CONCERNED, ACCORDING TO OUR RECORDS, WE HAVE 1099, UH, INSTANCES OF COMPLIANCE.
AND HERE, I'D JUST LIKE TO TAKE A QUICK DEPARTURE.
A LOT OF TIMES WE HAVE, UH, PEOPLE THAT HAVE SENTIMENTAL VALUE ATTACHED TO SOME OF THESE VEHICLES.
SOME PEOPLE DON'T KNOW HOW TO GET RID OF THESE VEHICLES.
I'D LIKE TO JUST ADVISE THE PUBLIC THAT THERE ARE NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS.
THERE ARE COMPANIES THAT WILL COME AND PICK UP THESE VEHICLES THAT ARE LOCAL HERE.
SO YOU DON'T HAVE TO GO OUT OF YOUR WAY TO TRY TO FIND RELATIVES OR PEOPLE WHO WILL COME AND PICK UP THOSE VEHICLES FOR YOU SO THAT YOU TOO CAN ACHIEVE THE COMPLIANCE THAT IS NEEDED AND WILL NOT HAVE A VIOLATION.
NOW, SWITCHING GEARS VERY BRIEFLY, UM, TO PIGGYBACK OFF OF THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT'S PRESENTATION ON PARKING LOT, I'M SORRY, THE, UH, PARKING AND RESIDENTIAL PROPERTIES.
UNDER CHAPTER 28, UNDER MISCELLANEOUS OFFENSES, WE HAVE THE PARKING LOT, UM, VEHICLES ORDINANCE.
NOW, UM, IN THE INTEREST OF TIME, I'M NOT GONNA GO BACK OVER THE ORDINANCE BECAUSE THAT HAS BEEN WELL ESTABLISHED.
WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO TALK ABOUT IS THE DEMARCATION BETWEEN ENFORCEMENT AND WHERE THE ENFORCEMENT FOR THIS PARTICULAR ORDINANCE IS BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW THAT WE SPENT ENOUGH TIME THERE.
SO IF YOU ARE UNDER THE PROTECTIONS OF CHAPTER 28, AND THAT IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT, YOU HAVE TO FIRST KNOW WHEN YOU CALL IT IN A THREE ONE ONE, THAT YOU HAVE TO BE UNDER THE PROTECTIONS OF CHAPTER 28 IN ORDER FOR IT TO APPLY FOR YOU.
NOW, IF YOU ARE NOT UNDER THE PROTECTIONS OF CHAPTER 28, THEN THIS ENTIRE CHAPTER IS NOT GOING TO APPLY TO YOU.
THEREFORE, THERE WOULD NOT BE A VIOLATION FOUND HERE.
BUT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE WANTED TO POINT OUT IS THAT IF YOU HAPPEN TO HAVE, THERE IS NO LAW THAT SAYS YOU CANNOT PARK VEHICLES IN YOUR YARD.
AND THAT IS PRETTY MUCH WHAT WE KIND OF, UH, WANTED TO MAKE CLEAR.
IF WE COME OUT, AND YOU'VE CALLED US BECAUSE THERE ARE PEOPLE PARKING JUNK MOTOR VEHICLES IN THE YARD, KIND OF GOING TO COUNCIL MEMBER ASH'S QUESTION, WHAT WE WILL ASSESS IS NOT WHETHER OR NOT THE VEHICLES ARE PARKED IN THE YARD IS WHETHER OR NOT THOSE VEHICLES MEET THE THRESHOLD OF A JUNK MOTOR VEHICLE.
IF THEY DO, THEN WE WILL TREAT THAT CASE AS A JUNK MOTOR VEHICLE CASE.
IT WILL NOT BE TREATED AS A PARKING YARD INFRACTION.
SO I HOPE THAT I'M MAKING THAT LINE THAT THAT DEMARCATION VERY CLEAR.
FURTHERMORE, UNDER THE MUNICIPAL ORDINANCE, AT THE TIME THAT THIS ORDINANCE WAS WRITTEN IN 2009, HPD WAS, UH, THE INSPECTIONS AND PUBLIC SERVICES DEPARTMENT UNDER DAWN WAS PREVIOUSLY NEIGHBORHOOD PROTECTION.
SO THE ENFORCEMENT AND THE EXPECTATION OF THAT, OF THIS PARTICULAR ORDINANCE WAS TO STAY WITH HPD IN PARK HOUSTON.
NOW, AS A NEIGHBORHOOD PROTECTION OFFICIAL, IT WAS NEVER REVISITED.
SO THAT IS THE REASON WHY UNDER THIS PARTICULAR ORDINANCE, WE HAVE THE NEIGHBORHOOD
[01:25:01]
PROTECTION DIVISION, DON, YOU HAVE A RA PARK, HOUSTON, AND HPD.ALL THREE OF THOSE AGENCIES HAVE THE RESPONSIBILITY AND THE ABILITY TO ENFORCE THIS ORDINANCE IF IT IS APPLICABLE.
SO, BY WAY OF SUGGESTION, I THINK WE NEED TO CLARIFY WHERE THE SPECIFIC AGENCY OF ENFORCEMENT WOULD NEED TO BE FOR THIS PARTICULAR ORDINANCE.
HOWEVER, IF YOU HAVE AN ISSUE, UH, THAT FALLS UNDER CHAPTER 28 AND YOU REPORT IT TO 3 1 1, ANY ONE OF OUR AGENCIES CAN AND WILL ADDRESS THE ISSUE.
SO WITH THAT, I'D LIKE TO CLOSE OUT MY PRESENTATION AND I'M OPEN FOR QUESTIONS.
AND THANK YOU FOR POINTING OUT THAT, THAT THERE'S A LOT OF CONFUSION ON WHO ENFORCES IT.
AND AS YOU SAID IN THE ORDINANCE, IT IS PARK HOUSTON.
IT IS INSPECTIONS CODE ENFORCEMENT.
SO WE DO NEED TO LOOK AT THAT BECAUSE, UM, THAT'S NOT WHAT'S HAPPENING IN IN PRACTICALITY.
AND ALSO THERE'S STATE ISSUES TO CONSIDER, WHICH WE'LL HEAR ABOUT IN A MINUTE.
EXCELLENT PRESENTATION DIRECTOR FRANCIS, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
IT WAS, UH, VERY, VERY DETAILED AND I, I, I APPRECIATE IT.
I HOPE THE CITIZENS THAT LISTEN TO THIS UNDERSTAND, UH, WHAT ALL YOU SAID, AND, UH, I'LL DO ANYTHING I CAN TO HELP.
UM, AND MAYBE TO MAKE YOU LAUGH, DIRECTOR, UH, MY DADDY MAY OR MAY NOT HAVE HAD A JUNK MO MOTOR HEAT MAY OR MAY NOT
AND SO, YOU KNOW, WE'RE JUST MORE SENSITIVE TO WHAT'S HAPPENING IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
AND I THINK PEOPLE, THEY THINK IT'S MY PRIVATE PROPERTY, IT'S IN MY DRIVEWAY, OR THIS IS HAPPENING, AND THEY DON'T REALIZE THAT THERE'S ACTUALLY SOME GUIDELINES AROUND THAT.
AND SO, UM, THIS INFORMATION IS REALLY HELPFUL.
I PLAN ON USING A LOT OF THIS LANGUAGE AS A UPDATE IN THE NEWSLETTER, JUST TO REMIND PEOPLE, UM, PUT SOME AIR IN THOSE TIRES, GET AN INSPECTION STICKER, DO THOSE THINGS BEFORE YOU END UP ON THE NEWS.
UH, SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR WORK AND YOUR TEAM'S WORK ON THIS EFFORT.
AND I, I DEFINITELY UNDERSTAND MY, UM, GRANDFATHER, GOD REST HIS SOUL, MAY OR MAY NOT HAVE HAD TWO JUNK MOTOR VEHICLES IN THE DRIVEWAY AND IN THE GARAGE.
AND, UH, WHEN HE PASSED AWAY IN 2014, MY GRANDMOTHER, UH, WAS SWIFT IN GETTING RID OF THOSE VEHICLES.
SO WE DEFINITELY UNDERSTAND THE MINDSET OF PEOPLE THAT HAVE ATTACHMENTS.
AND WITH THAT WE'LL MOVE ON TO HERE FROM HOUSTON POLICE SERGEANT MATTHEW SIMON, WHO WE ALL KNOW AND LOVE.
AND HE WILL TALK ALSO ABOUT ENFOR ENFORCEMENT OF THE PARKING IN THE YARD, PROHIBITED YARD PARKING ORDINANCE.
I WAS GONNA STAND, YOU PROBABLY DON'T HAVE TO RAISE IT THAT HIGH.
HELLO, COUNSEL AND, UH, VIRTUAL ATTENDEES.
UM, WE WERE SPECIFICALLY, UH, MY NAME IS MATTHEW SIMON, ASSIGNED TO THE HOUSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT PATROL OPERATIONS, UH, SPECI, SPECIFICALLY TASKED WITH, UH, REGARDING THE OVERVIEW OF ENFORCEMENT FROM THE POLICE DEPARTMENT'S PERSPECTIVE, AND THEN HINDRANCES TO ENFORCEMENT.
AND SUBSEQUENTLY ANY FUTURE ISSUES WE MIGHT HAVE.
UM, PROHIBITED YARD PARKING AND TOPICS AGAIN, WHAT WE'RE GONNA DISCUSS, OVERVIEW OF ENFORCEMENT FROM THE IDEOLOGY OF THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, HINDRANCES TO ENFORCEMENT, AND THE FUTURE CONCERNS.
UH, SECTION 28, 3 0 3 OF THE HOUSTON CODE OF ORDINANCES IS WHERE WE DERIVE OUR POWERS TO ENFORCE PROHIBITED YARD PARKING.
OKAY, AGAIN, THIS IS AN INDIVIDUAL'S PRIVATE PROPERTY, OR EXCUSE ME, PRIVATE, UH, UH, SUBJECTS ON THEIR PROPERTY.
OKAY? SO WE, IT IT'S VERY IMPORTANT, BUT THE OFFICERS READ THE LAW.
WE'RE NOT DEALING WITH STATE LAW.
WE'RE, WE'RE, PEOPLE GET VERY, VERY, UH, UH, PERSONAL WHEN IT REGARDS TO THEIR CARS AND THEIR PROPERTY.
UH, IT'S, THE LAW SAYS FOR ANY, HERE, GO BACK REAL QUICK.
UH, FOR ANY PERSON TO PARK CAUSE OR SUFFER OR PERMIT THE PARKING OF A VEHICLE OR EQUIPMENT ON ANY SURFACE THAT IS NOT AN APPROVED SURFACE.
UH, I WANNA DRAW ATTENTION TO APPROVED SURFACE AND WE'LL TOUCH UPON IT IN A SECOND.
THE PRESUMPTION OF GUILT IS TO THE REGISTERED OWNER OF THE VEHICLE OR THE EQUIPMENT THAT WHERE IT IS PARKED.
UH, AGAIN, RELAYING HEAVILY TO THE ORDINANCE BECAUSE WE ARE DEALING WITH PEOPLE'S PERSONAL PROPERTY ON THEIR LAND, WE DIVE FURTHER INTO IMPROVED SURFACE.
IMPROVED SURFACE IS FURTHER DEFINED AS ASPHALT PERMEABLE PAVEMENT OR OTHER MATERIALS APPROVED BY THE DIRECTOR OF THE HOUSTON PUBLIC WORKS.
THAT IN AND OF ITSELF HAS VAGUENESS.
OKAY, UH, PERMEABLE PAVEMENT, COMMONLY KNOWN AS BRICK PAPERS.
IT COULD BE, YOU MIGHT CONSIDER PERMEABLE PAVEMENT.
COMBINATION OF GRAB ON CONCRETE.
SOME PEOPLE MIGHT CRUSH UP A POTTY PLANK AND CONSIDER THAT PERMEABLE PAVEMENT.
THAT VAGUENESS, UNFORTUNATELY LEADS TO A HINDER A HINDRANCE IN ENFORCEMENT.
[01:30:01]
CLARIFICATION OF THAT DEFINITION OF WHAT IS AN APPROVED SURFACE WOULD HELP, I THINK ALL DEPARTMENTS INVOLVED.THIS FURTHER TRANSITIONS INTO MORE HINDRANCES.
PREVIOUSLY, AS MRS. FRANCIS, UH, STATED, IN 2011, WE HAD THE RESTRUCTURING OF CITY DEPARTMENTS.
THE ORDINANCE, THE YARD PARKING ORDINANCE WAS PASSED IN 2009.
AT THE TIME THE HOUSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT HAD THE NEIGHBORHOOD PROTECTION CORPS UNDER OUR UMBRELLA.
SUBSEQUENTLY, IN 2011, THE CITY OF HOUSTON RESTRUCTURED THE CITY, UH, HPD LOST DEPARTMENT, OR, UH, NEIGHBORHOOD PROTECTION CORPS.
AND IT WAS GIVEN TO DEPARTMENT OF NEIGHBORHOODS.
THUS, THE MANPOWER WE HAVE, THE MANPOWER WE HAVE TO ADDRESS THIS ISSUE WAS ALLOCATED ELSEWHERE.
AND SUBSEQUENTLY, THE LOT LESS MANPOWER WE NEED TO FOCUS POLICE DEPARTMENT'S INVOLVEMENT ON PROHIBITED YARD PARKING ISSUES OR JUNK VEHICLES THAT HAVE A MORE NEFARIOUS OR AGGRAVATING FACTOR.
EXAMPLES THAT THE POLICE DEPARTMENT'S BEEN INVESTIGATING, WHERE PROHIBITED YARD PARKING WAS ONE VARIABLE IS A CRIMINAL.
AND YOU SEE THE EXAMPLES RIGHT HERE, CRIMINAL NEXUS, FIRE HAZARD, HEALTH HAZARD, SUBSTANTIAL QUALITY OF LIFE OFFICERS WILL BE TASKED TO INCIDENCES INVOLVING THIS.
IF YOU OR YOUR NEIGHBOR HAVE A HEALTH HAZARD IN WHICH A VEHICLE IS BEING USED AS A, UH, OUTHOUSE OR MAKESHIFT STORAGE SHED IN THE FRONT, IT'S APPROPRIATE THAT OFFICERS GO OUT THERE AND HELP.
HOWEVER, I WANT TO MAKE A CLEAR DELINEATION.
SHOULD YOUR NEIGHBOR SIMPLY GO AND PARK IN A YARD EVERY DAY? 'CAUSE HE LIKES PARKING UNDERNEATH A SHADY TREE.
AND SUBSEQUENTLY, EVERY MORNING HE GOES TO WORK EVERY DAY.
ALRIGHT, WE ARE GOING TO WORK WITH DEPARTMENT NEIGHBORHOODS WITH THAT ISSUE.
AGAIN, THE TASKING OF OFFICERS IS VERY IMPORTANT THAT THE TASKING OF OFFICERS BE, UH, AFFORDED TO MORE SERIOUS VIOLATIONS.
WHEN HVD IS ASSIGNED A CASE, OR I ASSIGN IT TO OFFICERS IT FIRST, AS A COUNCIL MEMBER, KUBO, UH, PREVIOUSLY ALLUDED TO, WE NEED TO DETERMINE THE APPLICABILITY OF JUNK VEHICLES.
IT IS A, UH, UH, STATUTORILY, WE HAVE MORE AUTHORITY ON HOW WE CAN GO ABOUT IT.
AGAIN, WE ARE NO LONGER DEALING WITH SOMEONE WHO IS MERELY PARKING THEIR VEHICLE.
WE ARE DEALING WITH NOW A JUNK VEHICLE, WHICH STATE LAW CLEARLY STATES HOW WE ABATE THAT NUISANCE.
UM, NONETHELESS, HPD WILL GO THROUGH WARNINGS AND EDUCATION WITH THE COMMUNITY.
AS YOU, AS YOU STATED BEFORE, WE HAVE FAMILY MEMBERS THAT SOMETIMES THEY JUST DON'T KNOW WHO TO TALK TO CITATIONS.
AND I'M CONFIDENT THE HOUSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT IS NOT MAKING ANY ARREST FOR INDIVIDUALS PARKING THEIR PRIVATE CAR ON, ON THEIR PRIVATE PROPERTY.
SO THIS GOES INTO FUTURE CONCERNS, OKAY.
AS, UH, MR. ERSAD TALKED ABOUT WITH PARKING COMMUNITIES WHERE UNFORTUNATELY, PRO UH, PROHIBITIVE YARD PARKING HAS BEEN HEAVILY ENFORCED, WE SEE THIS.
FIRST I AM A PRIVATE PROPERTY OWNER.
I OWN A CAR AND I OWN A RESIDENCE IN HOUSTON.
I PARKED MY CAR IN MY DRIVEWAY.
UH, YOU KNOW, BASIC EXAMPLE, GIVEN I SUBSEQUENTLY RECEIVED A CITATION, UNDERSTANDABLE, I'M NOT SUPPOSED TO BE BLOCKING THE SIDEWALK.
NEXT, NOT TO BLOCK THE SIDEWALK BECAUSE EVERYBODY SHOULD HAVE THE RIGHT TO SIDEWALK.
I PARK MY CAR IN MY PRIVATE PROPERTY IN MY YARD, AND THEN I RECEIVED A CITATION FOR THAT.
AND SUBSEQUENTLY, ALL THESE CARS ARE IN THE STREET.
AND AS I THINK WE TALKED ABOUT PREVIOUSLY, SOMETIMES THE STREETS CAN GET A LITTLE JAM PACKED.
UM, THAT'S JUST ONE OF THE LOGISTICAL ISSUES WE'VE RUN INTO.
SHOULD WE GO HEAVY ENFORCEMENT IN THESE COMMUNITIES? OKAY.
AND JUST FOR CLARIFICATION, UH, HINDRANCES, EXCUSE ME, PERMEABLE PAVEMENT, IF WE COULD CLARIFY THAT DEFINITION.
DEFINITION, OTHER MATERIALS APPROVED BY THE DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS.
UM, YOU KNOW, THE, AGAIN, VAGUENESS, UH, MESSAGING TOWARDS THE COMMUNITY.
IS IT A DEPARTMENT OF NEIGHBORHOODS ISSUE, AN HPD ISSUE, COMBINATION THEREOF, OR IS IT PARK HOUSTON DOING THE ENFORCEMENT AND AN, A POSSIBILITY OF SHIFTING THE ISSUE FROM THE PRIVATE PROPERTY INTO A PUBLIC ROADWAY? NEXT SLIDE PLEASE.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, SERGEANT.
REALLY SUCCINCTLY LAID OUT KIND OF WHAT THE ISSUES ARE, SO I APPRECIATE THAT.
THERE'S A LOT OF PING PONG IN BETWEEN THE DEPARTMENTS MM-HMM
AND, AND WE'RE GONNA NEED TO CLEAR THAT UP.
UM, ANY QUESTIONS FROM COUNCIL MEMBERS OR STAFF NOT SEEING ANY? OH, WAIT, I, I HAVE COUNCIL MEMBER KUBOSH.
COUNCIL MEMBER, KUBOSH SERGEANT.
UH, THESE ARE CIVIL, THESE ARE ALL CRIMINAL VIOLATIONS IF YOU WRITE A CITATION BECAUSE YOU'RE NOT ABLE, AS AN OFFICER TO WRITE A CIVIL VIOLATION, AM I RIGHT? CORRECT.
THE, THE WAY THAT IF, IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN, THE WAY LAW IS WRITTEN IS CRIMINAL.
IF WE GO BACK TO THE, UH, IF WE CAN GO BACK TO THE PREVIOUS SLIDES TO, I THINK IT'S A SECOND, THE
[01:35:01]
PRESUMPTION WHERE WE TALK ABOUT THE PRESUMPTION OF GUILT RIGHT HERE.SO THE PRESUMPTION IS FOR THE REGISTERED OWNER OF THE VEHICLE, THAT'S WHERE THE, THE NO MATTER IF IT'S THE DEPARTMENT OF NEIGHBORHOOD IS AN INSPECTOR OR A POLICE OFFICER, WE HAVE TO DO OUR INVESTIGATION.
RIGHT? THE PRESUMPTION IS THE REGISTERED OWNER, HOWEVER, THAT REGISTERED OWNER SAYS, HEY, I SOLD THE CAR FIVE YEARS AGO.
IS IT APPROPRIATE TO BE ISSUING THAT INDIVIDUAL CITATION? NO.
THEN IT'S INCUMBENT UPON US TO GO TO THE HOMEOWNER, HEY, IS THIS YOUR CAR? WHY IS IT OUT HERE? HEY, THAT'S MY SON'S CAR.
OKAY, IS YOUR SON AN ADULT? AND THAT'S THE INVESTIGATION.
IT IS A, THE WAY THE LAW IS CURRENTLY WRITTEN, IT'S A CRIMINAL VIOLATION IN WHICH WE ISSUE THE CITATION TO AN INDIVIDUAL.
YOU, YOU KNOW, THOUGH, I, UH, I'VE WORKED AT THE COURTS FOR MANY YEARS, UH, AND, AND I SAW A LOT OF, UH, CITATIONS WRITTEN TO OWNER OCCUPANT.
AND, UH, YOU KNOW, THAT'S NOT A PERSON, THAT'S JUST A, A NAME BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T KNOW WHO IT WAS.
AND SO I DID A, I I DID A SEARCH ON ALL OWNER OCCUPANTS UNDER THE, WHEN I WAS, UH, WHEN I WAS WORKING WITH THE COURTS BEFORE I BECAME A BONDSMAN.
AND I FOUND THERE WERE THOUSANDS, LITERALLY THOUSANDS OF OWNER OCCUPANT VIOLATIONS AND HAD HAD NOBODY'S NAME ON IT.
AND, AND I KNOW THAT'S GOT TO BE FRUSTRATING 'CAUSE I'M SURE THAT THERE'S, THERE'S A STATUTE OF LIMITATION ON ALL THIS STUFF.
BUT ANYWAY, UH, I'M, I WANT TO HELP ANY WAY I CAN TO, TO HELP YOU.
I KNOW THESE PEOPLE, LAWYER UP, UH, BUT, UH, I, WE, WE CERTAINLY NEED TO PROTECT OUR NEIGHBORHOODS.
AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE TO OUR CITY.
AND THANK YOU AGAIN, SERGEANT SIMON FOR YOU'RE WELCOME.
I KNOW THAT, UM, WE DO, WE DO KNOW YOU HAVE BIGGER FISH TO FRY THAN PARKING IN THE YARD ORDINANCE.
AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO GET AT HERE.
HOW WE CAN FORCE THE ORDINANCE WITHOUT TYING UP MM-HMM.
AND WITH THAT, I WOULD LIKE TO BRIEFLY CALL BILL KELLY TO THE PODIUM.
HE IS, OF COURSE, AS EVERYONE KNOWS, THE MAYOR'S DIRECTOR OF INTERGOVERNMENTAL RELATIONS.
AND THERE HAVE BEEN SOME, THERE HAVE BEEN SOME MEASURES PRESENTED TO THE STATE LEGISLATURE TO GET AT THIS.
SO IT'S NOT A CRIMINAL OFFENSE.
AND IF YOU COULD JUST TALK BRIEFLY ABOUT THAT.
UM, BRIEFLY, AND I BELIEVE ON THE, UH, UH, POWERPOINT, WE HAVE TWO CAPTURES FROM OUR 2019 AND 2021 LEGISLATIVE REPORTS THAT GO INTO THE CITY OF HOUSTON'S EFFORTS.
UH, AS COUNCIL MEMBER PECK IS WELL AWARE TO BE ABLE TO ISSUE CI UH, CIVIL CITATIONS FOR PARKING IN THE YARD, SO THAT HPD IS NOT THE ENFORCEMENT AGENCY ABOUT DOING THIS, BECAUSE I THINK WE CAN ALL AGREE THEY HAVE BETTER THINGS TO DO.
UH, REPRESENTATIVE GENE WU, UH, WHO HAS SEVERAL NEIGHBORHOODS IN HIS DISTRICT THAT WANT THIS CITY ORDINANCE ENFORCED, UH, HAS BEEN ABLE TO, UH, OFFER THE BILL.
UH, I'VE BEEN THE DIRECTOR OF GOVERNMENT RELATIONS, UH, SINCE THE, UH, SINCE TAX DAY, UH, 2016.
UH, SO THAT'S THREE LEGISLATIVE SESSIONS, 17, 19 AND 21 WE HAVE FILED.
AND LITERALLY WHEN YOU SEE THIS BILL IS POINTING OUT TO THE COUNCIL MEMBER EARLIER, THE ONLY DIFFERENCE IS THE EFFECTIVE DATE EVERY YEAR.
IT GOES FROM 17 TO 19 TO 21 TO BE ABLE TO GET THIS PASSED AND SAY, CAN WE JUST WRITE A CIVIL TICKET FOR THIS? IT'S, IT IS AN OPT-IN.
I MEAN, ALL THE ARGUMENTS THAT YOU HAVE BEEN HEARING ABOUT FOR THE LAST HOUR, UH, HAD BEEN LAID OUT.
UH, IN 2017, REP WOO WAS ABLE TO GET THE BILL OUT OF THE HOUSE AND WENT TO INTERGOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS, AND THERE WAS ONE PERSON VOTE AGAINST IT, AND WHO ACTUALLY SAID THAT THERE SHOULD BE A CITYWIDE ELECTION, UH, TO BE ABLE TO DISPUTE THIS ORDINANCE.
AND THAT WAS SENATOR BETTEN COURT.
AND I INVITE EVERYBODY TO GO BACK ONLINE AND LOOK AT THAT HEARING, BECAUSE IT WAS PRETTY EMBARRASSING, FRANKLY, ABOUT NOT UNDERSTANDING THE POLICY.
IN 2019, THE BILL WAS PUT ON THE LOCAL AND CONSENT CALENDAR BECAUSE THERE WAS ABSOLUTELY NO OPPOSITION.
IT WAS TALKED TO DEATH BY REPRESENTATIVE STICKLAND FROM NORTH TEXAS WHO CLAIMED IT WAS TYRANNY AND THAT WE WOULD BE, UH, ACTUALLY HIS WORDS USING THE GESTAPO, UH, TO BE ABLE TO PUT FOLKS IN JAIL.
YOU CAN ACTUALLY READ ABOUT THAT ON THE LINK THAT'S ON THE POWERPOINT THERE, ON THE AUSTIN AMERICAN STATESMAN.
UH, THAT REALLY, UH, GOES THROUGH IN DEPTH ON SOME OF THOSE ANTICS.
UH, AND THEN IN 2021, THE HOUSE URBAN AFFAIRS COMMITTEE PASSED THE BILL OUTTA COMMITTEE AND IT GOT HELD UP.
UH, REPRESENTATIVE WU OPTED NOT TO HAVE IT, UH, GO TO THE, UH, LOCAL AND CONSENT CALENDAR SO IT COULD BE TALKED OFF.
UH, AND IT JUST GOT STUCK, UH, WITH OVERALL BILLS THAT WERE IN THE, UH, GENERAL CALENDAR WITH IT.
SO, UH, THIS IS A VERY EASY FIX.
THIS IS A NOT COMPLICATED BILL.
THIS IS SUPPORTED BY A RA, THIS IS SUPPORTED BY OUR DEPARTMENT OF NEIGHBORHOODS.
I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU, WHEN THE HOUSE URBAN AFFAIRS COMMITTEE IS IN THIS CHAMBER ON THURSDAY AT 11:00 AM IF YOU COULD STOP BY AND TELL THEIR MEMBERS THAT NO MATTER WHAT AREA OF HOUSTON THAT YOU REPRESENT, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT OUR COMMUNITY NEEDS.
IT'S LITERALLY JUST TRYING TO PROTECT OUR COMMUNITY WITH IT.
[01:40:01]
WU WILL NOW COME UP TO THE MICROPHONE WHEN HE PRESENTS THIS BILL BECAUSE HE CAN LITERALLY RECITE IT WORD FOR WORD BECAUSE IT'S NOT LONG AND IT'S NOT COMPLICATED.WE REALLY JUST HOPE THAT THEY CAN HEAR FROM HOUSTONIANS TO SAY, THIS IS A NEEDED CHANGE AND WE'D LIKE TO BE ABLE TO GET THIS DONE.
SO WITH THAT COUNCIL MEMBER, ANY, UH, ANY QUESTIONS THAT I CAN HELP ANSWER, HAPPY TO.
NO, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR LAYING THAT OUT.
AND ALL OF THIS IS ON THE RNA WEBSITE IF PEOPLE WANNA LOOK INTO IT MORE.
UM, JOHN MOSS WITH COUNCIL MEMBER KNOX'S OFFICE.
UM, I HAVEN'T READ THROUGH THAT.
SO, QUESTION IS THIS, IS THE, IS THE PROPOSED LEGISLATION BRACKETED TO HOUSTON? CORRECT.
IT HAS A MUNICIPALITY OF 1.9 MILLION OR OVER IN SECTION B OF THE BILL.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH MR. KELLY.
WITH THAT, WE WILL GO TO OUR PUBLIC SPEAKERS.
IF YOU'RE CALLING IN, PLEASE MAKE SURE TO PRESS STAR SIX TO UNMUTE.
I WILL START WITH CHARMAINE LEBLANC.
UM, I KNOW I'VE GOT THREE MINUTES.
I THINK I JUST WANNA START BY SAYING THAT I HAD GIVEN UP ON THIS, UH, I HAD GONE TO AUSTIN, UH, TO SPEAK TO THE URBAN AFFAIRS COMMITTEE ALL THREE TIMES THAT IT FAILED.
AND FRANKLY, I'VE JUST LOST HOPE THAT ANYTHING WAS EVER GONNA BE ABLE TO BE DONE ABOUT IT.
SO YOU ALL ATTENDING THIS, ESPECIALLY WITH SO MANY COUNCILMEN, UM, WOMEN, UH, IT, IT TELLS ME IT'S NOT JUST A SHARPSTOWN DISTRICT J ISSUE.
AND YOU'VE GIVEN ME LOTS OF ENCOURAGEMENT THAT THIS IS SOMETHING THAT SMART HEADS CAN GO TOGETHER AND FIGURE OUT.
UM, IT IS A STAFFING ISSUE ON EVERY FRONT.
IT IS NOT A, AN ISSUE THAT IT NEEDS TO BE DECIDED WHETHER IT'S GOOD OR BAD.
IT'S SIMPLY HOW DO WE, HOW DO WE WHACK THE MOLE BETTER SO THAT WE CAN START PUTTING THIS, UM, TO BED? I LOVE THE VOLUNTEER IDEA.
YOU'VE GOT GOOD PEOPLE IN THE NEIGHBORHOODS THAT ALL DISTRICTS THAT WILL GET OUT THERE AND HELP AND DO THIS IN A FAIR AND LEGAL WAY IF YOU'LL JUST GIVE US THE TOOLS TO DO IT.
SO THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU.
UM, UM, YOUR STAFF, UM, SALLY AND EVERYBODY ELSE.
AND I REMEMBER YOU CAME UP TO, UH, TO ME AT THE DISTRICT JCIP MEETING AND TALKED ABOUT THIS, SO I'M GLAD WE CAN GET IT, UM, BACK ON, BACK ON THE FOREFRONT AND, AND NOT GIVE UP ON IT.
NEXT WE'LL HEAR FROM LINDA SCURLOCK KESWICK PLACE, RAM WOOD PARK CIVIC CLUB.
UH, I, AS I SAID, WE'VE HAD THE, UH, PYP AS WE CALL IT, SINCE 2010.
AND, UH, FROM WHAT I WAS TOLD BY THE DRTS, THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, IS THAT THE TICKET DOESN'T, A PERSON HAS TO RECEIVE A TICKET, THE CAR DOESN'T RECEIVE A TICKET.
AND I THINK, I THINK THAT'S A PROBLEM BECAUSE THEY CAN'T ISSUE A TICKET FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND, UNLESS THEY ISSUE IT TO THE PERSON WHO OWNS THE CAR.
SO I THINK THAT THE ORDINANCE NEEDS TO BE TWEAKED SO THAT, YOU KNOW, THE TICKET CAN'T BE PUT ON THE CAR LIKE A PARKING TICKET.
AND AS SAID, IT SHOULDN'T BE, IT SHOULD BE CIVIL RATHER THAN WHAT IT IS NOW.
NEXT, JEFF BAKER WITH SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD 17.
DON'T SEE YOU ON JEFF, BUT I KNOW WE'VE WORKED A LOT AND LOTS OF US HAVE WORKED ON.
WE DON'T SEE YOUR NUMBER, BUT MAYBE YOU'RE AT A DIFFERENT NUMBER.
I'M SORRY, I THOUGHT I UNMUTED, BUT I GUESS I DIDN'T.
UH, I APPRECIATE THE VISIBILITY THAT Y'ALL ARE GIVEN THIS ISSUE.
UH, I'VE BEEN FIGHTING IT FOR ABOUT THREE TO FOUR YEARS NOW IN SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD 17.
AND UH, I NOTICED IT STARTED RIGHT BEFORE COVID AND I'M NOT SURE WHY IT STARTED WITH EVERYBODY FEELING IT'S OKAY TO START PARKING THEIR 18 WHEELERS, BOX TRUCKS, TANKER TRUCKS, AUTO HAULERS, ALL THAT WITHIN OUR NEIGHBORHOODS.
AND IT, I FEEL IT REALLY DETRACTS FROM THE LOOK OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
Y'ALL HAD A LOT OF GOOD CONVERSATION.
I JUST HAD A FEW COMMENTS TO MAKE QUICKLY.
UH, SOMEONE POINTED OUT THAT IT MIGHT BE HOUSTON, IT'S GETTING HIT WORSE THAN SOME OF THE OTHER CITIES DUE TO OUR PROXIMITY TO THE FREEWAYS.
AND I THINK IT'S NOT ONLY THE FREEWAYS LIKE I 10, BUT POSSIBLY,
[01:45:01]
YOU KNOW, WE'RE NEAR MEXICO NEAR THAN, UH, DALLAS AND AUSTIN AND WE MIGHT BE SEEING A LITTLE BIT MORE OF IT.AND I NOTICED THAT SAN ANTONIO AND EL EL PASO HAD THE HIGHER FEE STRUCTURE, AND IT MIGHT BE THAT THEY'RE FIGHTING THE SAME BATTLE THAT WE ARE.
I ALSO WONDER, I KNOW THERE'S A STAFFING ISSUE, BUT I DIDN'T KNOW IF WHEN PARK HOUSTON GETS RAMPED UP A LITTLE BIT, IF THEY COULD PROACTIVELY HIT THE HOT SPOTS.
RIGHT NOW, I'VE NOTICED I ONLY SEEM TO SEE TICKETS ON THE 18 WHEELERS WHEN I'M CALLING IT IN INTO 3 1 1 OR, UH, REACHING OUT TO SOMEONE TO HAVE THE DRT GO THROUGH THERE.
SO I DON'T, I DUNNO IF THEY COULD IDENTIFY THE WORST SPOTS THAT HAVE LIKE 8, 10, 12, 18 WHEELERS, BOX TRUCKS OUT THERE.
I ALSO NOTICE I'M SEEING MORE OF THE VEHICLES WITHOUT LICENSE PLATES ON THEM.
SO THEY'RE PARKING AND TAKING THEIR LICENSE PLATES OFF, OR I'M SEEING AN INCREASE IN PAPER PLATES.
SO THAT'S A LITTLE ACT OF DECEPTION ON THEIR PART.
UH, I ALSO WONDERED IF ANYONE HAS ATTEMPTED TO REACH OUT TO ANY OF THE CARRIERS.
LIKE WHEN YOU SEE THE, UH, JB HUNT, THE WARNER, YOU KNOW, THE COMPANIES THAT ARE HAULING FOR THE RETAILERS AND THAT SORT OF THING.
IF ANYONE'S REACHED OUT TO THEM, IF WE COULD TAKE A PICTURE OF THE SIDE OF THE VEHICLE AND AS WELL AS THE LICENSE PLATE AND LOCATION AND SEND THAT TO SOMEONE TO WHERE THEY COULD CALL THE CARRIERS, I PERSONALLY WOULDN'T WANT TO DO THAT WITH MY HOME PHONE OR CELL PHONE FOR FEAR.
AND, UH, I WAS ALSO WONDERING IF THE TICKETS FROM HPD AND PARK HOUSTON ARE SIMILAR.
ARE THEY BOTH, BOTH CIVIL OR ARE THE HPD ONES, DO THEY HAVE ANY MORE WEIGHT THAN THE ONES FROM PARK HOUSTON? AND I LIKE THE IDEA OF DOING THE TEST TESTING, THE SIGNING.
I'D ASK FOR SIGNING ALONG SHADOW BRO AND OXFORD PARK AND HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO GET THAT DONE.
I DIDN'T KNOW IF ANYONE COULD REGULATE THE STORAGE LOTS WHERE THEY PARK.
ARE THEY CHARGING EXORBITANT FEES ALL OF A SUDDEN TO WHERE THE TRUCKERS NO LONGER WANT TO USE THEM? I KNOW THAT LIKE WRECKER STORAGE LOTS ARE REGULATED AS FAR AS WHAT THEY COULD CHARGE.
I DIDN'T KNOW IF THIS COULD BE REGULATED SOMEHOW OR NOT, BUT THAT'S ALL I'VE GOT.
I APPRECIATE ALL THAT Y'ALL ARE DOING AND LOOKING INTO THIS.
AND, UH, I THINK THAT THE KEY IS TO RAISE A FINE, AND I DIDN'T KNOW IF YOU COULD DO IT ON A RAMP UP STRUCTURE TOWARD THEIR FREQUENT FLYERS, GETTING A LOT OF TICKETS IF THEY COULD GET A HIGHER FEE ASSESSED OR NOT AS FAR AS THEIR FINE.
BUT, UH, THANKS AGAIN FOR ALL YOU'RE DOING.
YOU'VE BEEN REALLY, UM, LEADING ON THIS ISSUE AND FIGHTING FOR YOUR NEIGHBORHOODS, SO I APPRECIATE YOUR BEING HERE.
I SEE MS. EARSHOT IN THE AUDIENCE TAKING NOTES AND NODDING HER HEAD ON MANY OF THE THINGS THAT YOU SAID.
I I DO KNOW THAT, UH, MY STAFF LOOKED AROUND, FOUND ABOUT 10 JUST ON A CURSORY SEARCH OF THOSE STORAGE LOTS.
WE FOUND KIND OF THE MOST EXPENSIVE ONE TO BE ABOUT $200 A MONTH THAT WE FOUND.
I MEAN, WE, IT'S NOT ALL, ALL, UM, ENCOMPASSING, BUT WE FOUND A 10 THROUGHOUT THE CITY.
SO I DON'T THINK THOSE, THOSE ARE EXORBITANT RATES.
I WOULD'VE THOUGHT IT'D BE A LOT MORE THAT THEY'RE RESORTING TO WHAT THEY'RE DOING.
IT WAS ABOUT 150 TO $200 THAT WE FOUND.
AND WE'VE GOT, WE'VE BEEN TAKING NOTES AND WE'LL GET BACK TO YOU ON SOME OF YOUR QUESTIONS.
NATASHA BUTLER FROM THE SPICE LANE COMMUNITY.
NATASHA BUTLER, PLEASE PRESS STAR SIX TO UNMUTE.
MOVING ON TO MANNING ROLLON, CLASSY LEMONS.
MS. MOORE, WE DO SEE YOUR NUMBER ON, IF YOU'LL STAR SIX TO UNMUTE, GO AHEAD AND START.
UM, I, MY QUESTION IS, I'M REPRESENTING THE CARDALE COMMUNITY CIVIC CLUB AND THE COMMUNITY ITSELF.
UH, THERE ARE SEVERAL STREETS.
ONE OF THE STREETS IN PARTICULAR IS, IS PUERTO RICO, UH, AT PUERTO RICO AND GESNER.
AND WE HAVE SOME BUSINESSES THERE THAT ARE, UH, THEIR BUSINESSES ARE ON GESNER, WHICH IS CORRECT, BUT THEN THEY'RE PARKING ON THE RESIDENTIAL STREETS AND IT'S CAUSING PROBLEMS UP AND DOWN THE STREETS.
PEOPLE CAN'T GET INTO THEIR HOUSES, INTO THEIR DRIVEWAYS LIKE THEY SHOULD.
AND SOME OF THEM HAVE COMPLAINED AND SAID THAT THEY'VE HAD TO, UM, GET THE POLICE OUT THERE.
AND THEN THEY, THEY'VE CALLED AND THEY TALKED TO THE OWNERS AND STILL COULDN'T GET ANY HELP.
[01:50:01]
UH, I'M WONDERING HOW THE ORDINANCE, UH, WILL HELP US WITH THAT PARTICULAR PROBLEM BECAUSE IT'S NOT JUST ON PUERTO RICO.WE HAVE IT ON BURNSIDE AND SOME OF THE OTHER STREETS WHERE PEOPLE HAVE BUSINESSES AND THEY'RE PARKING THEIR CARS ON THE STREET.
AND WE DON'T HAVE, UM, ON THESE PARTICULAR STREETS, WE DON'T HAVE SIDEWALKS, UM, THERE.
SO DOES THAT CAUSE A PROBLEM? THANK YOU, MS. MOORE.
UM, AND KAREEN, THANKS FOR SPEAKING TODAY.
IF YOU CAN GET WITH MY OFFICE TO GIVE US THE EXACT, UM, ADDRESSES AND SOME MORE INFORMATION ABOUT EXACTLY WHAT'S HAPPENING, WE CAN GET THAT OVER TO THE CORRECT DEPARTMENTS AND JUST, UM, HAVE THEM CHECK AND SEE IF THERE'S ANY VIOLATION OF ANY OF THE ORDINANCES.
ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT COMMERCIAL VEHICLES OR JUST, UH, PEOPLE WHO ARE PATRONIZING THE BUSINESSES? UM, I'M TALKING COMMERCIAL BU UH, COMMERCIAL VEHICLES.
AND ALSO PEOPLE THAT ARE WORKING, I THINK SOME OF THE PEOPLE ARE EITHER WORKING AT THE PLACE AND PARKING THEIR CARS THERE AND, UH, AND SOME OF THEM ARE COMING THERE AND, AND PATRONIZING THEM.
SO I THINK IT'S A COMBINATION OF PEOPLE.
AND IN PERSON WE HAVE JEFF HOLSTEIN.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR PATIENCE SITTING THROUGH WORD TO PUSH A BUTTON.
UH, THANK YOU FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY TO VISIT WITH YOU ON AN IMPORTANT MATTER TO OUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
I'M HERE ON BEHALF OF THE LARCHMONT CIVIC ASSOCIATION.
WE'RE A GROUP OF ABOUT 250 HOMES NEAR CHIMNEY ROCK AND RICHMOND.
AND THE GOOD NEWS IS WE DON'T HAVE TO DEAL WITH 18 WHEELERS OR, OR ABANDONED CARS, THAT SORT OF THING.
WHAT WE WRESTLE WITH, OR IS CHURRO, WHICH IS A DISRUPTOR CAR RENTAL GROUP.
AND WE HAVE, UH, ONE PARTICULAR INDIVIDUAL THAT HAS BEEN THERE FOR FOUR OR FIVE YEARS.
HE RUNS BETWEEN 15 AND 20 CARS AT A TIME AND IS REALLY DISRUPTING OUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
WE HAVE WANNA RECOGNIZE OFFICER LOUIS SANCHEZ WITH THE HPD AUTO DEALERS DETAIL.
A RA HAS BEEN HELPFUL, BUT THEY COME AND THEY, AND THE CARS DIS SCURRY AWAY AND THEN THEY'RE WRITE BACK THE NEXT DAY.
IT IS, UH, IT IS CHALLENGING AND DISRUPTIVE TO OUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
MOST OF THESE GET, MANY OF THESE CARS HAVE PAPER PLATES AND GET, MANY OF THE PAPER PLATES ARE EXPIRED.
SO THIS IS A RIDE SHARE GROUP, IS IT TURO A YES.
IT'S INDIVIDUALS THAT RENT THEIR CARS OUT FROM TIME TO TIME SUPPOSEDLY, BUT WHAT WE SEE ARE MOST IS THIS IS A USED CAR KIND OF, UH, DEALER THAT IS RENTING HIS CARS OUT DAILY.
SO MORE OF A CAR RENTAL SITUATION? YES.
UM, WE WILL, UH, SOUNDS LIKE YOU'RE ALREADY WORKING WITH HPD AND A RA.
WE'LL CERTAINLY LEND OUR SUPPORT TO, UH, HELPING YOU ALLEVIATE THIS MATTER.
I DON'T KNOW THAT OUR, THE ORDINANCES THAT WE'VE DISCUSSED TODAY REALLY ADDRESS THAT, ALTHOUGH IT WOULD BE KIND OF A COMMERCIAL VEHICLE OR COMMERCIAL ESTABLISHMENT, WHICH PROBABLY YOUR DEED RESTRICTIONS MIGHT PROHIBIT.
AND, UH, AGAIN, WE ARE NOT AN HOA, WE DO NOT HAVE DEEP POCKETS TO, TO REALLY ENFORCE THESE, UH, AGAIN, IF WE COULD SEE A CAP ON THE NUMBER OF CARS THAT COULD OPERATE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD OR, AND PARTICULARLY CLAMP DOWN ON THE PAPER PLATES.
THE PAPER PLATES ARE JUST, UH, AND I KNOW, I KNOW THAT'S BEING ADDRESSED AND, AND A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE TALKED ABOUT THAT.
MY, MY FIRST HOUSE WAS IN LARGEMONT ON JULAN.
OH, REALLY? SO, WE'LL CERTAINLY WE'RE ON A SHOEMAKER.
SO WE WILL, UM, WE WILL CERTAINLY WORK WITH YOU, GET YOUR INFORMATION AND WORK WITH YOU AND COUNCIL MEMBER HUFFMAN, UM, YOUR DISTRICT REP TO SEE WHAT WE CAN DO TO HELP YOU OUT.
AND JUST A QUICK COMMENT, WE UH, HOPE WE STAY IN AREA G
THANK YOU THAT THAT MEETING'S TOMORROW.
DO WE HAVE ANY OTHER PUBLIC SPEAKERS? OKAY.
COME ON UP AND PLEASE JUST STATE YOUR NAME FOR THE RECORD AND THANK YOU FOR STAYING WITH US SO LONG.
[01:55:01]
MY NAME'S MARK HUAC.I'M PUBLIC SAFETY DIRECTOR FOR WESTCHASE DISTRICT.
UH, AND THANK Y'ALL FOR HAVING US TODAY.
I THINK, UH, THIS ORDINANCE IS, IT'S TIME FOR IT TO GET UPDATED AND GIVE US SOME GREAT IDEAS.
UM, I HEARD HERE TODAY, UH, THE, THE COMMERCIAL TRUCK ISSUE IN WEST CHASE IS BY FAR, BY FAR NUMBER ONE COMPLAINT.
IT'S, WE GET NUMEROUS CALLS A DAY.
SOMEBODY MENTIONED EARLIER THERE WAS 24 TRUCK LARGE TRUCKS PARKED ON ONE STREET.
AND I WOULD BET YOU MONEY THAT WAS ON ONE OF OUR STREETS IN WEST CHASE.
WE HAVE ONE OF 'EM THAT'S JUST NOTORIOUS.
UM, AND WE GET COMPLAINTS ON IT AND IT'S VERY, VERY HAZARDOUS TO DRIVE AROUND THAT CORNER, AROUND THOSE STREETS.
UM, BUT I DO WANNA THANK Y'ALL FOR HAVING US TODAY.
UH, I KINDA MADE SOME BULLET POINTS OF JUST STUFF I HEARD AND I THOUGHT THESE THINGS WERE, THEY WERE REALLY GOOD, UM, AND, AND NEEDED.
AND IF WE COULD PUT THESE THINGS, MAKE ALL THESE THINGS HAPPEN, I THINK WE WOULD GAIN A LOT OF GROUND WITH THIS ISSUE BECAUSE, UH, IT'S SOMETHING THAT'S, UH, NOT JUST THE WESTCHASE ISSUE.
IT'S OUR NUMBER ONE COMPLAINT, BUT IT'S HAPPENING EVERYWHERE.
UM, YOU KNOW, THE TRUCKERS THAT, THAT ARE GETTING THE, THE TICKETS, UH, FROM WHAT WE'VE FOUND, YOU KNOW, THEY DON'T CARE.
THEY'RE NOT, THEY'RE NOT THE TRUCK COMPANY OR THEY'VE LEASED THE TRUCK.
AND SO THEY GET, THEY'LL COME AND PARK IN THE SAME PLACE, COME BACK NEXT WEEK, PARK AGAIN.
THEY JUST GET TICKET AFTER TICKET AFTER TICKET.
AND THEY DON'T SEEM TO, DON'T SEEM TO CARE.
UM, SOME OF THE BULLETS THAT I HEARD TODAY THAT I THINK WERE FANTASTIC IDEAS, AND I DON'T KNOW WHETHER THESE CAN HAPPEN OR NOT, UH, BUT THE FIRST ONE WAS ADDING ANOTHER SHIFT, UH, WITH PARK HOUSTON.
I THINK THAT WAS A GREAT IDEA.
'CAUSE THIS IS A, IT'S A BIG ISSUE AND I THINK HPD IS REALLY TAXED, UM, AS WE ALL KNOW.
UM, BUT IF THAT'S SOMETHING THAT CAN HAPPEN, THAT'LL BE A BIG HELP FOR ALL OF US.
UM, RAISING THE FINES, UM, YOU KNOW, IF IT'S CHEAPER TO GET A TICKET THAN IT IS TO PARK THE TRUCK SOMEWHERE, PEOPLE ARE GONNA GET THE TICKET.
UM, I THINK THAT FINE, A HIGHER FINE IS A BIG DETERRENT.
UM, RAISING THE TOW FEES AND STORAGE RATES, THOSE ARE ALWAYS A TURN.
I NEVER WANT TO HAVE MY VEHICLE TOWED.
I DON'T WANT TO TAKE IT JUST 'CAUSE OF THE COST OF THE FINES.
UM, AND THEN IF WE COULD GET TO WHERE WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO HOLD REGISTRATIONS WHERE YOU CAN'T GET THAT VEHICLE REGISTERED, THAT WAS, I'M SURPRISED THAT ONE'S NOT A DONE DEAL ALREADY.
UM, AND I KNOW THAT GOES THROUGH THE LEGISLATURE, BUT IF WE COULD MAKE THAT HAPPEN, THAT WOULD BE GREAT.
UH, AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT IT WOULD TAKE TO GET MORE HEAVY DUTY WRECK.
UH, IT DOES TAKE A LOT OF TIME FOR AN OFFICER TO WAIT ON ONE.
I DON'T KNOW HOW WE GO ABOUT THAT, IF THAT'S WRECKER COMPANIES THAT DO THAT.
MAYBE THERE'S MORE RECORD COMPANIES OUT THERE THAT HAVE 'EM OR BE INTERESTED EVEN PURCHASING MORE OF THE WRECKERS.
BUT, UM, THEY COULD GET A LOT OF BUSINESS IF THEY HAD MORE WRECK.
AND THEN ALSO THE LIEUTENANT, UH, MENTIONED REDUCING THE TIME FROM TWO HOURS TO ONE HOUR PARKING THESE BIG 18 WHEELERS AND STREETS THAT ARE JUST ALL APARTMENT COMPLEXES REALLY MAKES IT DIFFICULT TO DRIVE BY.
AND IF THEY'RE THERE OVER AN HOUR, UM, I THINK THAT'S PLENTY OF TIME.
IT'S JUST SOMETHING TO REALLY CONSIDER.
I THINK THAT WAS A GREAT IDEA.
UH, THE VOLUNTEERS THAT CAN GIVE TICKETS, I THINK SOMEBODY MENTIONED THAT'S ONLY FOR PEOPLE PARKING IN A DA SPACES.
I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S SOMETHING THAT CAN BE CHANGED WHERE OTHER PEOPLE, WHERE THOSE PEOPLE CAN DO THOSE TYPE TICKETS AS WELL.
AND THEN IF PARK USED USED TO COULD HELP TOW, UM, IF THAT'S SOMETHING THAT'S A POSSIBILITY, I HEARD THAT COME UP EARLIER FROM THE LIEUTENANT, THAT WOULD BE A WONDERFUL IDEA.
THIS, LIKE I SAID, THIS IS A BIG PART, BIG PROBLEM CITYWIDE.
AND IF WE COULD PUT HALF OF THESE THINGS IN PLACE, WE COULD, WE COULD REALLY DO A LOT.
YOU HAVE, YOU HAVE NAILED A LOT OF WHAT OUR NOTES SAY TOO, AND I REALLY APPRECIATE THAT.
AND AS I STATED EARLIER, THIS WAS TO KIND OF LAY OUT WHAT WE HAVE RIGHT NOW AND THEN PUT OUR HEADS TOGETHER TO SEE HOW WE CAN IMPROVE IT.
AND WE GOT A LOT OF GOOD SUGGESTIONS TODAY AND REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR PARTICIPATION.
AND WE'RE EVEN DOING THIS MEETING BECAUSE OF YOUR COUNCIL MEMBER, COUNCIL MEMBER TIFFANY THOMAS, WHO, WHO HAS HAD SUCH, UM, COMPLAINTS IN HER AREA ABOUT THIS.
AND SHE BROUGHT IT TO MY ATTENTION.
I HAVE LEARNED A LOT ABOUT THIS ISSUE AND, AND SEE A LOT THAT COULD BE DONE TO IMPROVE IT.
COUNCIL MEMBER KUBOSH WOULD LIKE TO ADDRESS YOU.
UH, MY, MY GRANDDAUGHTER'S NAME IS HUAC.
[02:00:01]
UH, ARE YOU, ARE YOU FROM THE WHARTON AREA? UH, MY DAD IS, MY DAD'S FROM EL CAMPO, TEXAS, RIGHT OUTSIDE OF WHARTON COUNTY.PROBABLY CAME TO MY GRANDDAUGHTER.
BUT LISTEN, UM, MY, MY CONCERN HAS BEEN A LONG TIME ON, ON THE ENFORCEMENT MATTER.
UH, IF, IF YOU DON'T HAVE SOME, SOME, UH, WHERE THERE'S NO ACCOUNTABILITY, THERE'S NO RESPONSIBILITY.
AND SO WHEN THESE PEOPLE PARK IN THIS AREA, UH, IT WOULD SEEM TO ME THAT IF THEY GET A CITATION, THAT, THAT THE STATE LEGISLATURE WOULD ALLOW US TO, TO, UH, WITHHOLD THE RENEWAL OF THEIR PLATES.
UH, TH THIS WOULD PUT A STRONG, UH, UH, ENFORCEMENT MECHANISM AND THAT THAT MAY, UH, TOTALLY, UH, IT MAY TAKE HERE SITUATION.
IF WE COULD JUST WITHHOLD THOSE PLATE RENEWALS UNTIL THEY ADJUDICATE THIS MATTER IN THESE, THESE COURSE.
UH, I KNOW YOU'RE IN THE WEST CHASE AREA, SO I'M WONDERING IF THE WEST CHASE MANAGEMENT DISTRICT, UH, IS ALSO, UH, BEING INVOLVED IN THIS.
AND I'LL, I'LL CALL SOMEBODY THERE LATER TODAY.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR, THANK YOU.
AND, AND COUNCIL MEMBER KUBOSH, DEFINITELY SOMETHING ELSE TO TALK TO BILL KELLY ABOUT.
AND, AND TO, UH, THE REGISTRATION THING WAS A GOOD POINT.
THAT WAS, WE HIGHLIGHTED OVER HERE TODAY TOO, SO MAYBE WE'LL BE COMING TO THE URBAN AFFAIRS COMMITTEE AND TALKING ABOUT THAT TOO.
YOU CAN SEE BY THE COUNCIL MEMBER PARTICIPATION AND THE NUMBER OF PUBLIC SPEAKERS THAT THIS IS REALLY IMPORTANT TO SO MANY NEIGHBORHOODS.
AND WE WANNA IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF LIFE AND GET THESE VEHICLES THAT AREN'T SUPPOSED TO BE THERE OUT OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR COMING EVERYBODY.
WE'RE GONNA TAKE A BREAK IN AUGUST FROM THE REGULATORY AND NEIGHBORHOOD AFFAIRS COMMITTEE.
UM, REAL QUICKLY, COUNCIL MEMBERS WHO WERE HERE, AND I'LL CERTAINLY ASK THE ONES THAT WERE VIRTUALLY AND AND WEREN'T HERE, UM, WHAT YOU HEARD TODAY, PLEASE PROVIDE MY OFFICE WITH WHAT YOU THINK IS MOST IMPORTANT.
I WANNA MAKE A PRESENTATION TO THE ADMINISTRATION BASED ON, UM, WHAT THE RESIDENTS AND WHAT THE, THIS BODY THINKS MIGHT BE DONE TO THE ORDINANCES TO IMPROVE, UM, THEIR ENFORCEMENT.
WE'LL BE WORKING ON THAT OVER THE NEXT, YOU KNOW, MONTH OR TWO.
AND THEN WE'LL HAVE TO SEE IF THE ADMINISTRATION, UM, YOU KNOW, HAS AN APPETITE FOR REVISITING THE ORDINANCE.
AND, AND THEN WE'LL GO FROM THERE.
SO WE'LL BE BACK SEPTEMBER 13TH, THAT THE NEXT RNA MEETING.
THANK YOU GUYS FOR STICKING WITH ME.