[00:00:19]
IT IS SIX 30 NOW, SO IN THE INTEREST OF TRYING TO BE AS TIMELY AS WE CAN, I'D LIKE TO WELCOME EVERYBODY THAT'S HERE.I'M CHERYL O'BRIEN, THE NEWLY ELECTED CHAIR OF THE ALLIANCE.
KEITH DOWNEY IS ALSO ON, HE IS THE, UH, VICE CHAIR OF THE ALLIANCE.
UM, I, WE'RE GOING TO START WITH THE ROLL CALL, KEITH, I'M GONNA LET YOU HANDLE THAT FOR US, PLEASE, EVERYBODY.
WELCOME TO OUR MARCH MEETING OF THE SUPER ENABLED ALLIANCE.
UM, WE'RE GONNA GO THROUGH A ROLL CALL BASED ON THE ATTENDANCE OF THE PAST THREE MONTHS FROM DECEMBER 22, JANUARY 23, AND FEBRUARY OF 2023.
IF I DON'T CALL YOUR NUMBER OF YOUR SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD, UH, PLEASE PUT IT IN THE CHAT.
R WE CAN CIRCLE BACK AND YOU CAN LET US KNOW THAT YOU WERE IN ATTENDANCE FOR YOUR, FOR YOUR SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD, UH, AS A REPRESENTATIVE, UH, OFFICER THEREOF.
NUMBER FIVE, SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD NUMBER 12, SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD NUMBER 15.
SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD 16 GREG SURGERY SCATTER HERE.
SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD NUMBER 17, SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD 22 AVENUE SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD NUMBER 25.
DOUG SMITH, SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD NUMBER 32.
CHERYL O'BRIEN, BRIGHTWOOD, SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD NUMBER 37 ON WESTBURY.
SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD NUMBER 41 FOR BEND HOUSTON SUPER.
NEIGHBORHOOD NUMBER 49 AND 50 MARTIN PRESENT FOR BOTH THE NEIGHBORHOOD NUMBER 52, WHICH IS CASHMAN GARDEN.
WE HAVE SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD NUMBER 63 SECOND WARD AND SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD NUMBER 83 MCGREGOR.
IF I DIDN'T CALL YOUR NUMBER, PLEASE, IF YOU CAN EITHER PUT IT IN THE CHAT OR LATER ON IN THE AGENDA, WE'LL ASK FOR THOSE WHO WE HAVE MISSED.
I SEE YOU STOPPED AT SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD 83.
FOR THE LAST THREE MONTHS IN ATTENDANCE.
I THOUGHT 86 WAS HERE, BUT OKAY.
I'LL, I'LL JUST PUT IT IN THE CHAT.
AND WE'LL PLEASE PUT IT IN THE CHAT AND, AND HE'LL BE MONITORING THE CHAT AS WE GO THROUGH.
AND I JUST WANNA POINT OUT, I DON'T KNOW WHETHER, UH, THE CITY CAN DO ANYTHING ABOUT THIS, BUT I, THIS HAS HAPPENED BEFORE.
I CAN SEE CHAT, BUT I CAN'T CHAT.
UM, AND THIS HAS HAPPENED BEFORE.
WE'RE GONNA CIRCLE BACK IN THE, UH, LATER ON NEAR THE END OF THE MEETING WHEN WE HAVE OPEN COMMENTS TO LET US KNOW THAT YOU WERE IN ATTENDANCE, IF THAT WORKS FOR YOU, CHERYL.
SO KEITH WILL TRY TO CATCH FOR THE PEOPLE WHO CAN PUT IT IN CHAT, AND THEN WE'LL GO THROUGH AND SAY, HERE ARE THE PEOPLE THAT WE DIDN'T CATCH IN PERSON OR IN CHAT.
SO THE NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS THE APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES.
AND I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION THAT WE POSTPONE THE APPROVAL OF THEIR MINUTES UNTIL A LATER MEETING POINT OF INFORMATION.
SO A MOTION'S BEEN MADE SECONDED.
PARDON? POINT OF INFORMATION ON THE
[00:05:01]
MINUTES.SO, UH, WHO PREPARED THE DRAFT OF THE FEBRUARY MINUTES? OUR SECRETARY.
AND IS SHE WITH US TONIGHT? UH, SHE WAS, YES.
I WOULD EXPECT SYLVIA TO DO THE ROLL CALL.
THAT'S WHY I WAS FIRST OF ALL ASKING.
UH, SYLVIE'S HAD MY COMMENTS FOR OVER A WEEK, BUT I HAD NO SUBSTANTIVE RESPONSE TO THOSE, SO I WAS CHECKING IN ON THAT.
THAT'S ONE OF THE REASONS WE'RE LIKING.
WE WOULD LIKE TO POSTPONE THE APPROVAL UNTIL WE HAVE A CHANCE TO ADDRESS THE COMMENTS THAT WERE RAISED.
WELL, GREG, WE'LL BE DISCUSSING THAT.
I PROMISED IN IN OLD BUSINESS.
SO WE HAVE A MOTION MADE, SECONDED.
MAY I CALL FOR A VOTE? ALL IN FAVOR? RAISE YOUR HAND OR SAY AYE.
ALL ANY OPPOSED? PLEASE SAY MAY MOTION PASSED.
WE'LL DEFER THE MINUTES APPROVAL TILL A LATER MEETING.
ALSO, CHERYL, WHAT'S THE STATUS OF THE SEPTEMBER AND OCTOBER MINUTES? I, SO ALL MINUTES THAT NEED TO BE APPROVED WILL BE APPROVED AT A LATER MEETING.
WELL, AND THOSE ARE WHICH ONES THEN? ANY OF THE ONES THAT ARE OUTSTANDING THAT NEED TO BE APPROVED FROM 2022 AS WELL AS THE 20, 23 MINUTES.
OKAY, BUT YOU DON'T KNOW WHICH ONES THOSE ARE? I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE RIGHT AT THE TOP OF MY HEAD, I DO NOT HAVE THAT INFORMATION IN FRONT OF ME.
I HAVE ALL THE MINUTES WILL BE APPROVED.
THAT INFORMATION WAS SENT TO HER RIGHT BEFORE THE MEETING WHEN YOU AND I WERE EMAILING.
MARGARET, WOULD YOU CARE TO START YOUR PRESENTATION? SORRY ABOUT THAT.
SO, UM, LET ME ASK BEFORE I START, IF ROMAN MCALLEN IS IN THE ROOM, I CAN'T TELL, I KNOW HE IS GONNA BE ON A CALL, BUT I CAN'T TELL FROM PHONE NUMBERS WHETHER I CAN SEE HIM OR NOT.
I'D JUST LIKE TO KNOW IF I CAN SAY ROMAN CAN ANSWER THAT QUESTION OR IF I'M GONNA HAVE TO DO IT.
I'M LOOKING MARK, I'LL DIAL HIM IN.
THIS IS ISSA, BUT I BELIEVE HE WAS PLANNING TO JOIN AT SIX 40.
OKAY, WELL, HE'LL CATCH UP WITH US THEN, 'CAUSE I'VE GOT A FEW MINUTES TO TALK ABOUT BEFORE, A FEW THINGS TO TALK ABOUT BEFORE HE GETS HERE.
I'M GONNA, CAN I SHARE MY SCREEN OR IS SOMEBODY ELSE SHARING IT FOR ME? PLEASE SHARE YOUR SCREEN.
DIRECTOR, I'M TOLD THAT YOU WOULD BE, UM, HANDLING THE SCREEN.
OKAY, I'M SHARING IT RIGHT NOW.
I WANTED TO JUST GO TO THE PERSON WHO KNEW.
CAN EVERYBODY SEE MY BLUE PLANNING INITIATIVE UPDATES SCREEN? YES, MA'AM.
UM, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE TIME, UM, WITH YOU ALL TODAY.
I KNOW THAT WE'VE BEEN, WE, THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT HAVE BEEN HERE ON YOUR CALENDAR MULTIPLE TIMES OVER PAST, OVER THE PAST MONTHS.
AND I JUST, UM, I APPRECIATE IT EVERY TIME YOU GIVE ME TIME.
SO WE'RE GONNA, I'M GONNA GO THROUGH THIS.
I'VE BEEN TOLD I'VE GOT A VERY LIMITED AMOUNT OF TIME.
I'M GONNA GO THROUGH IT PRETTY QUICKLY.
UM, WANNA TALK FIRST ABOUT, UM, SO THERE'S A COUPLE THINGS WE'RE GONNA TALK ABOUT TONIGHT, BUT THEY ARE ALL PRETTY MUCH UNDER THE RUBRIC OF THE LIVABLE PLACES.
HOUSTON, UM, WORK THAT WE'RE DOING.
MANY OF YOU KNOW ABOUT LIVABLE PLACES.
UH, MANY HAVE JUST HEARD ABOUT IT RECENTLY.
IT'S A COMMITTEE THAT THE MAYOR FORMED, UM, IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE PLANNING AND, UH, PLANNING COMMISSION ABOUT, UM, TWO AND A HALF YEARS AGO.
THEY'VE BEEN WORKING THROUGH OUR DEVELOPMENT CODE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE, UM, TO MAKE, UM, COMMUNITIES MORE LIVABLE, EQUITABLE, WALKABLE.
MRS. ROMAN, I'M DISAPPOINTED I MISSED YOUR CALL.
PLEASE LEAVE A MESSAGE AT THE TONE AND ILL CALL YOU BACK AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
TERESA, DON'T PLEASE MUTE, PLEASE MUTE.
MR. MCALLEN IS ON THE CALL NOW.
THIS IS THERESA GEER FROM THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT.
AS I WAS DIALING HIM, HE WAS JOINING THE CALL, SO IT WENT TO HIS VOICEMAIL.
SO LIVABLE PLACES, EQUITABLE, WALKABLE, AFFORDABLE.
WHAT WE'RE DOING IS, UM, SO THE FIRST THINGS THAT CAME OUT OF THE LIVABLE PLACES ACTION COMMITTEE WERE AMENDMENTS TO OUR BUFFERING ORDINANCE.
THOSE HAVE RECENTLY GONE INTO EFFECT, AND YOU MAY START SEEING SOME OF THE
[00:10:01]
BENEFITS OF THOSE IN THE NEXT FEW MONTHS, BUT ESSENTIALLY WHAT THEY DID WAS THEY SPENT, UM, SEVERAL MONTHS WORKING WITH, UH, COMMUNITIES AND PROPERTY OWNERS AND, UM, LIGHTING EXPERTS AND, UM, IN A VARIETY OF TECHNICAL EXPERTS TO DEVELOP A STRONGER BUFFERING AND LIGHTING PLAN FOR HOUSTON.AND SO WE'VE IMPROVED THE BUFFERING STANDARDS, WHICH IS BASICALLY THE DISTANCE BETWEEN A MID OR A HIGH RISE AND RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT, THE AMOUNT OF SPACE IT HAS TO GIVE THE LANDSCAPING THAT THERE HAS TO BE.
SO WE'VE IMPROVED THE DISTANCING SPECIFICATIONS.
WE'VE ALSO IMPROVED THE GARAGE SCREENING STANDARDS SO THAT NOW DUMPSTERS THAT FACE A PUBLIC RIGHT OF WAY HAVE TO BE SCREENED.
IN THE PAST, THEY HAVEN'T HAD TO, AND MANY OF THEM HAVE, UM, KIND OF IN INFLUENCED YOUR NEIGHBORHOODS.
YOU'VE SEEN THEM EVERY DAY WHEN YOU DRIVE DOWN THE STREET.
SO NOW THEY HAVE TO BE SCREENED.
WE'VE ALSO IMPROVED THE LIGHTING STANDARDS FOR, UM, FOR INSIDE, UM, GARAGES AND, UM, AND IN PARKING LOTS.
SO THAT LIGHTS NOW FACE DOWNWARD.
WE ARE TRYING TO ELIMINATE AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE ERRANT LIGHT THAT'S GOING INTO YOUR BEDROOMS OR INTO, UM, YOUR HOMES IN ANY WAY.
AND SO THERE ARE NEW LIGHTING STANDARDS, WHICH REQUIRE THAT THE LIGHTS IN PARKING LOTS AROUND, UM, ENTRYWAYS, UM, DECORATIVE ARCHITECTURAL LIGHTING AND THAT TYPE OF THING FACE DOWN AND HAVE A DIFFERENT, UM, LIGHT TEMPERATURE SO THAT THEY'RE LESS OBTRUSIVE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT.
UM, AND THEN LAST BUT NOT LEAST, WE INCREASED THE GARAGE SCREENING STANDARDS, WHICH ARE THE HEIGHT THAT A, UM, SPANDREL IN A GARAGE NEEDS TO BE IN ORDER TO PREVENT AUTOMOBILE LIGHTS FROM SHINING INTO YOUR WINDOWS AS THEY GO, AS THEY DRIVE THROUGH THE GARAGE.
SO ALL OF THESE WENT INTO EFFECT THE END OF FEBRUARY.
NOW, ANY DEVELOPMENT THAT MEETS THE CRITERIA FOR THESE CHANGES, UM, MUST REFLECT THE NEW CODE.
UM, THE BIG THING THAT WE DID IN DOING THIS IS THAT PREVIOUSLY SOME OF OUR SCREENING AND BUFFERING STANDARDS ONLY APPLIED TO SINGLE FAMILY LOTS ON 3,500 SQUARE FOOT, I'M SORRY, SINGLE FAMILY HOMES ON 3,500 SQUARE FOOT LOTS OR LARGER.
BUT WE LOOKED AT THIS FROM AN EQUITY PERSPECTIVE AND REALIZED THAT RESIDENTIAL, WHETHER YOU'RE ON A SMALL LOT OR A BIG LOT, OR IF YOU ARE IN A, UM, YOU RECORD HAS REACHED THE MAXIMUM LENGTH TO REPLAY YOUR MESSAGE, PRESS ONE.
TO DELETE AND RERECORD YOUR MESSAGE, PRESS THREE FOR DEL.
SO WHAT WE'VE DONE IS WE'VE CHANGED THE STANDARDS SO THAT THEY APPLY TO RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT, NOT JUST SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT ON 3,500 SQUARE FOOT LOTS OR LARGER.
SO WE THINK THAT'S A BIG STEP FORWARD FOR THE PROTECTION OF YOU AND MAKING SURE THAT LIGHTS AND, UM, UH, TO MAKE SURE THAT COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT THAT MAY BE ON THE EDGE OF YOUR NEIGHBORHOODS BE ARE, ARE BETTER NEIGHBORS THAN THEY HAD BEEN IN THE PAST.
VERY, VERY HAPPY ABOUT THE CHANGES WE'VE DONE HERE.
UM, THE OTHER CHANGE THAT GOES, THAT WENT INTO EFFECT RECENTLY IS THE SIDEWALK UPDATES.
AS MANY OF YOU KNOW, IN 2020, WE INCREASED THE REQUIREMENT TO CONSTRUCT AND MAINTAIN SIDEWALKS.
UM, IF SOMEONE REDEVELOPS A PIECE OF PROPERTY, THEY'RE REQUIRED TO BUILD A SIDEWALK.
UM, THAT HAD BEEN A, AN INCONSISTENT, UM, ENFORCEMENT OVER THE PAST COUPLE DECADES, BUT WE, UM, ESTABLISHED A STANDARD, WE REQUIRE SIDEWALKS.
NOW, THERE IS A METHOD TO ASK FOR A SIDEWALK DEFERRAL IF PERHAPS YOU DON'T HAVE A SIDEWALK IN YOUR HOME NEIGHBORHOOD.
IT DIDN'T MAKE SENSE TO, TO REQUIRE A SIDEWALK.
UM, AND SO NOW WE HAVE WHAT IS CALLED, WE HAVE ANOTHER OPTION FOR PROPERTY OWNERS WHERE IF THERE ARE REASONS WHY YOUR SIDEWALK SHOULDN'T BE BUILT AND YOU MEET A CERTAIN NUMBER OF CRITERIA, THEN YOU CAN PAY, UM, THE COST OF THAT SIDEWALK INTO A SIDEWALK FUND, WHICH IS THEN USED TO BUILD SIDEWALKS IN HIGHER, IN HIGHER NEED AREAS, PERHAPS ON THE MAJOR THOROUGHFARE IN FRONT OF YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD, UM, PERHAPS ASSOCIATED WITH, UM, UH, HIGHER TRAFFIC AREA, HIGHER, YOU KNOW, PEDESTRIAN TRAFFIC AREAS OR WHATEVER.
BUT THE CITY OF HOUSTON WILL NOW BE ABLE TO WORK TOWARDS A MORE COMPLETE SIDEWALK NETWORK INSTEAD OF REQUIRING SIDEWALKS AND AREAS WHERE THEY DON'T NECESSARILY MAKE SENSE.
SO WE ARE VERY PROUD OF THOSE TWO PIECES OF, OF, UM, LEGISLATION THAT WE'VE GOTTEN THROUGH THE CITY COUNCIL OVER THE PAST COUPLE MONTHS.
THE NEXT ONE, SO WE'RE LOOKING AHEAD NOW AND WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AHEAD TO IS CONSERVATION DISTRICTS.
AND I'M GLAD ROMAN'S ON THE CALL BECAUSE HE'LL PROBABLY, WE'LL PROBABLY, UM, WANT TO HAVE SOME QUESTIONS ANSWERED AT THE END.
BUT WHAT WE'RE DOING WITH CONSERVATION DISTRICTS IS WE ARE CREATING A NEW TOOL FOR YOU AND YOUR NEIGHBORS TO IDENTIFY CRITICAL CHARACTERISTICS AND ESTABLISH SOME STANDARDS TO HELP PROTECT THOSE CHARACTERISTICS.
THIS IS NOT PER SE, UM, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT IS KIND OF BETWEEN A MINIMUM LOT SIZE ORDINANCE THAT YOU MAY WANT TO DO AND SOMETHING,
[00:15:01]
UM, LESS THAN THE HISTORIC DISTRICTS THAT YOU MAY WANT TO CREATE.MANY OTHER CITIES IN AMERICA DO IT.
UM, CONSERVATION DISTRICTS ARE ABOUT THE, UM, CONTRIBUTING.
SO HISTORIC DISTRICTS ARE ABOUT HISTORIC MATERIAL, THE CONTRIBUTING STRUCTURES AND THE, UH, THE HISTORIC SIDING, THE HISTORIC WINDOWS AND THAT TYPE, YOU KNOW, HISTORIC, LOTS OF HISTORIC MATERIAL.
CONSERVATION DISTRICTS, ON THE OTHER HAND ARE ABOUT, UH, MORE ABOUT THE OVERALL SCALE AND SIZE OF THE STRUCTURES IN A NEIGHBORHOOD, HOW THEY ADDRESS THE STREET.
IT'S ALL ABOUT THE LOOK AND THE FEEL OF A NEIGHBORHOOD.
AND IT'S A NEW OPPORTUNITY FOR HOMEOWNERS AND BUSINESS OWNERS AND JUST PROPERTY OWNERS IN A NEIGHBORHOOD TO SAY THAT THIS PLACE MATTERS.
THIS PLACE HAS A FEEL, HAS A PERSONALITY, AND WE WANNA MAINTAIN THAT PERSONALITY.
UM, MANY OF YOU KNOW THAT WE'VE HAD TWO PUBLIC HEARINGS ON THIS ONE AT THE HAHC AND ONE AT CITY COUNCIL, AND THERE WERE A LOT OF QUESTIONS.
UM, AND SO WHAT WE'VE BEEN DOING OVER THE PAST FEW WEEKS IS REFINING THE ORDINANCE, UM, BASED ON THOSE QUESTIONS THAT WE, THAT WE GOT AT OUR PUBLIC HEARINGS, THAT'S WHAT PUBLIC HEARINGS ARE ALL ABOUT TO HELP US DO BETTER.
AND SO ONE OF THE, ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS THAT WE'RE, UM, ONE OF THE FIRST, I'M NOT ADVANCING, WHY AM I NOT ADVANCING? OH, COME ON.
MAYBE YOU NEED TO JUMP IN ON YOUR BACKUP
DON'T, DON'T OPEN ANYTHING UP.
UM, ONE OF THE MANY QUESTIONS THAT WE GOT WAS, UM, ABOUT THE COMMUNITY BEING THE LEAD AND OR WAS THE CITY THE LEAD? AND SO WE STRENGTHENED THE LANGUAGE IN THE ORDINANCE TO BE REALLY CLEAR THAT THE COMMUNITY IS THE LEAD ON THIS.
UM, WORKING WITH THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT, THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT CAN USE DATA TO HELP THE COMMUNITY ESTABLISH THOSE STANDARDS.
BUT THIS IS REALLY THE COMMUNITY'S PLAN AND THIS IS THE COMMUNITY'S WORK.
AND, BUT THE OTHER THING WE'VE ALSO DONE IS BECAUSE WE'VE GOTTEN SO MANY QUESTIONS ABOUT OUR CAPACITY, WHETHER WE HAVE THE CAPACITY TO DO ALL OF THE DISTRICTS THAT WE MAY GET REQUESTS FOR, NO, MAYOR HAS DECIDED TO IDENTIFY NO MORE THAN SIX NEIGHBORHOODS AS PILOT AREAS WITH WHICH WE WOULD START THIS PROGRAM.
UM, HE'S STILL CURRENTLY, UM, SPEAKING TO COUNCIL MEMBERS, LISTENING TO COMMUNITY LEADERS AND IDENTIFYING WHAT THOSE SIX WILL BE.
AND SO WHEN YOU SEE THE DRAFT, THE, THE NEW DRAFT THAT WILL BE RELEASED PROBABLY TOMORROW MORNING, UM, IT WILL NOT HAVE IDENTIFIED THOSE SIX, BUT THOSE SIX WILL BE IDENTIFIED UP UP TO SIX.
IT MAY BE FEWER, BUT UP TO SIX DISTRICTS WILL BE IDENTIFIED.
BEFORE WE GO TO CITY COUNCIL WITH THIS, UM, THE OTHER, THE OTHER ITEM WE HEARD WAS THAT THE CRITERIA FOR CREATING A DISTRICT WAS PROBABLY TOO LOOSE.
AND SO WE'VE TIGHTENED THAT UP.
THIS IS WHAT YOU'RE SEEING ON YOUR SCREEN IS THE FIVE CRITERIA THAT IN THE FIRST DRAFT, IT ALL SAID, UM, IT SAID MAY MEET ANY OF THESE FIVE, NOW IT MUST MEET, UM, THE FIRST THREE.
IT MUST MEET THE FIRST THREE, AND THEN MUST MEET ONE OF THE LAST TWO.
SO, UM, IT IS A MUCH MORE CONCISE WAY OF LOOKING AT IT.
IT'S, IT IS, UM, MORE CLEAR WE BELIEVE AND IS BETTER OFF FOR, UM, IDENTIFYING THE TYPES OF DISTRICTS AND THE TYPES OF NEIGHBORHOODS THAT, UH, THE MAYOR'S REALLY SEEKING TO, TO ASSIST ON THIS.
UM, THE MENU OF STANDARDS HASN'T CHANGED FROM THE FIRST TIME WE'VE TALKED ABOUT IT.
AND THE PROCESS THAT THE NEIGHBORHOOD WILL GO THROUGH IS THAT THEY WILL PICK AND CHOOSE.
THIS IS A MENU THAT THEY CAN CHOOSE FROM, AND THEY MAY CHOOSE ONE OR MORE OF THESE STANDARDS.
AND THEN BEFORE WE TAKE IT OUT TO THE COMMUNITY FOR A VOTE, THEY WILL ESTABLISH WHAT THAT STANDARD IS.
FOR INSTANCE, IF THEY CHOOSE THE FIRST ONE, BUILDING HEIGHT OR NUMBER OF STORIES, THE COMMUNITY WILL IDENTIFY, WELL, WE WANT ALL OF THESE TO BE TWO STORIES.
WE WANT EVERYTHING IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD TO BE TWO STORIES, OR WE WANT EVERYTHING TO BE ONE STORIES.
THEY WILL IDENTIFY THE, THE STANDARD WITHIN THAT, UM, WITHIN THAT ATTRIBUTE.
AND THAT'S WHAT THE COMMUNITY WILL BE VOTING ON WHEN THEY, WHEN THEY VOTE.
UM, WHICH LEADS US TO THE 51%, UM, VOTE.
THERE WERE LOTS OF QUESTIONS ABOUT HOW THAT WAS CALCULATED.
HOW, UM, WE SPOKE WITH COMMUNITIES ABOUT THE 51% AND THEN WHAT HAPPENS AFTER, UM, THE VOTE IS TAKEN IF IN FACT THE 51% IS NOT ACHIEVED.
UM, SO WE'VE TIGHTENED UP THAT INFORMATION.
UH, THERE IS, UM, IT IS MUCH MORE CLEAR, YOU KNOW, HOW WE COUNT THE VOTES, HOW WE COUNT THE 51%.
[00:20:01]
A PROPERTY OWNER.UM, THE ONE THING THAT IS, THAT WE HEARD A LOT OF QUESTIONS ABOUT THAT IS NOT ACTUALLY WRITTEN INTO THE ORDINANCE, BUT IS STATE LAW AND SO THEREFORE DOESN'T NEED TO BE WRITTEN INTO THE ORDINANCE, IS THAT, THAT LAST BULLET YOU'RE LOOKING FOR, YOU'RE LOOKING AT, UNLESS THERE IS 100% PROPERTY OWNER SUPPORT, THE A HHC AND THE CITY COUNCIL MUST EACH APPROVE THE CONSERVATION DISTRICT WITH 75% MAJORITY VOTE.
SO WHILE 51% MIGHT SOUND LOW TO MANY PEOPLE, IN ORDER TO GET COUNCIL AND HISTORIC COMMISSION APPROVAL, IT HAS TO BE 75% OF THEIR VOTE.
SO THAT IS CERTAINLY, UM, A SUGGESTION TO US THAT THE, UM, THAT WE NEED TO HIT A LITTLE BIT MORE THAN 51% IF WE THINK WE'RE GONNA GET SUPPORT FROM CITY COUNCIL.
UM, AND THAT IS, UM, OH, LAST ONE.
WHAT THEY DON'T AFFECT, UM, THEY DON'T AFFECT ORDINARY MAINTENANCE.
THEY DON'T DEAL WITH LANDSCAPING OR PLANTS OR ANYTHING ON THE INTERIOR OF A HOME.
SO IT'S JUST ABOUT THE SCALE, THE MASSING, THE FEEL, THE PERSONALITY OF THE EXTERIOR STRUCTURES OF THE, OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
UM, AND WE BELIEVE THAT THIS IS A TOOL THAT MANY, MANY NEIGHBORHOODS, UM, CAN BENEFIT FROM.
AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING, UM, WITH NEIGHBORHOODS.
ONCE COUNCIL APPROVES THIS ORDINANCE, WE EXPECT TO BE GOING BACK TO CITY COUNCIL WITH THIS, UM, BY THE END OF THE MONTH, MAY THE VERY, VERY BEGINNING OF APRIL.
SO WE'LL TAKE QUESTIONS WHEN I'M DONE, I THINK, 'CAUSE THAT'S HOW YOU, I THINK THAT'S HOW CHERYL WANTED.
THAT'S HOW SHE WANTS ME TO DO IT.
I'M GONNA DO THIS VERY QUICKLY 'CAUSE I THINK I'M GETTING CLOSE TO OVER MY TIME.
UM, MAYBE WE'LL PLACE, THIS HAS ANOTHER ASPECT COMING UP TO CITY COUNCIL SOON.
THIS IS PROBABLY GONNA BE IN MAY.
WE'RE LOOKING AT SOME RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE, UM, DEVELOPMENT CODE AS IT PERTAINS TO RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT.
THE WHOLE GOAL IS TO HELP CREATE WHAT'S CALLED MISSING MIDDLE HOUSING.
RIGHT NOW WE HAVE A LOT OF SINGLE FAMILY DETACHED HOMES IN NEIGHBORHOODS, AND WE HAVE A LOT OF MID-RISE APARTMENT COMPLEXES IN NEIGHBORHOODS.
WHAT WE'RE NOT ABLE TO BUILD THESE DAYS ARE SOMETHING LIKE THE FOURPLEXES OR THE BUNGALOW COURTS OR THE, OR THE, UM, THE TRADITIONAL TOWN HOMES.
UM, WHAT WE CALL TOWN HOMES IN HOUSTON ARE REALLY SINGLE FAMILY ATTACHED BY DEFINITION.
AND SO WE'RE LOOKING AT WAYS TO ENCOURAGE THAT TYPE OF DEVELOPMENT SO THAT THEY'RE MORE NEIGHBORHOOD FRIENDLY.
UM, I WANNA BE REALLY CLEAR RIGHT OFF THE BAT THAT NOTHING WE'RE PROPOSING WILL USURP YOUR DEED RESTRICTIONS.
IF YOU'VE GOT DEED RESTRICTIONS, THOSE WILL STILL, UM, RULE.
AND, UM, I'M HAPPY TO TALK WITH YOU ABOUT HOW THAT WORKS THROUGH, IF YOU'VE GOT MORE QUESTIONS.
UM, THE FIRST, MARGARET, YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES.
THE FIRST OF THE FOUR ARE SECONDARY DWELLING UNITS, WHICH MOSTLY ARE GRANNY FLATS, GARAGE APARTMENTS, THAT KIND OF THING.
WE'RE LOOKING AT HOW WE CAN, UM, HELP PROPERTY OWNERS BUILD THOSE, HOW WE CAN, UH, PERHAPS, UH, REMOVE THE LIMITATION ON THE SIZE OF THEM SO THAT THEY CAN BE A REAL, UM, INCOME EARNER FOR THE PROPERTY OWNERS.
AND, UM, LOOKING AT THE PARKING, I CAN GIVE YOU DETAILS WHEN I GET OFF THIS CALL.
UM, AGAIN, I TALKED ABOUT FOURPLEXES, THOSE, WE HAVEN'T BUILT A FOURPLEX SINCE THE MID EIGHTIES IN THIS TOWN, AND WE BELIEVE THAT'S AN AFFORDABLE, UM, WAY THAT WE CAN PROVIDE HOMES FOR HOUSTONIANS THAT, THAT ARE COMPATIBLE WITH MOST NEIGHBORHOODS.
AND SO WE'RE LOOKING AT WAYS THAT WE CAN, UM, INCREASE THEIR CONSTRUCTION.
UM, THE LAR THE NARROW LOT DEVELOPMENT, WHAT WE OFTEN IN HOUSTON CALL TOWN HOMES, UM, THEY ARE BEING BUILT IN EVERY NEIGHBORHOOD IN HOUSTON, AND SOME OF THEM ARE COMPATIBLE WITH THOSE NEIGHBORHOODS.
WE'RE LOOKING AT HOW TO MAKE THEM MORE COMPATIBLE, WHETHER IT'S THE SHARED OR COMBINED DRIVEWAY APPROACH ON THE FAR LEFT, WHETHER IT'S THE ALLEY ACCESS ON THE FAR RIGHT OR, UM, THE SECOND FROM THE LEFT IS A FLAG LOT, WHICH GIVES A BETTER FACE TO THE STREET.
AND THEN THE THREE PACKS, WHICH WE'RE ALL PRETTY FAMILIAR WITH, HOW DO WE INCREASE THE, THE VISIBILITY, THE, THE, THE EYES ON THE STREET, THE UM, THE WINDOWS, THE FRONT DOORS AND ALL OF THAT TO MAKE IT MORE NEIGHBORHOOD COMPATIBLE.
AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST, WE'RE, LOOK, WE ARE TRYING TO CREATE A COURTYARD STYLE DEVELOPMENT, WHICH IS ON A RELATIVELY SMALL LOT, UM, SMALL HOMES THAT ARE ALL CENTERED AROUND A COURTYARD, UM, THAT TAKE ACCESS FROM THE COURTYARD THAT, UM, MAYBE HAVE REMOTE PARKING.
YOU'LL SEE THE PARKING IN THIS DRAWING ON THE BACK OF THE SITE SO THAT THERE'S A WAY TO MAXIMIZE THE, THE COURTYARD AND THE GREEN SPACE AND THE COMMUN THE SENSE OF COMMUNITY.
UM, THE LAST, THE TIME, AH, THIS IS, GO AHEAD.
YOUR LAST COMMENT IF YOU HAVE A LAST COMMENT.
SO THE OTHER THING WE ARE LOOKING AT IS HOW DO WE, HOW CAN WE MAKE, UM, MULTIMODALITY HOW CAN WE PROVIDE SAFE PASSAGE FOR HOUSTONIANS BY INCREASING, UM, TRANSIT AND, UH, REDUCE PARKING REQUIREMENTS, MAKING LOTS MORE AFFORDABLE FOR HOUSTONIANS? HAPPY TO TALK ABOUT ANY OF THIS IN DETAIL IF YOU WANT.
[00:25:01]
I NOTICED, UM, IF YOU HAD, UH, BEEN HAVING SOMEBODY FROM YOUR TEAM MONITORING THE CHAT OR NOT, BUT DOUG SMITH AND DEXTER HARDY HAD QUESTIONS IN THE CHAT, AND THEN WE HAD SEVERAL PEOPLE WHO HAD RAISED THEIR HAND WITH QUESTIONS.UM, BUT I'M HAPPY TO TAKE THEM NOW, OR IN INTEREST OF YOUR TIME, WE CAN WRITE THEM DOWN AND PROMISE TO GET BACK TO THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE ASKED THEM.
UM, WHY DON'T WE TAKE THE, WE JUST, WE HAVE A, JUST A FEW.
SO WHY DON'T WE START WITH, YOU CAN DO THAT.
THE PEOPLE WHO WENT IN ON THE CHAT, UM, SO DEXTER WAS THE FIRST PERSON WHO HAD SOMETHING ON CHAT FOLLOWED BY DOUG.
BASICALLY IN THE SIDEWALK, THE FEE IN LIEU OF SIDEWALKS.
UM, DO YOU PLAN TO MAKE SURE THAT, UH, YOU DON'T IN, UH, IMPEDE ON A DA FOLKS AND SENIORS AND CHILDREN? UH, UH, BASICALLY, ESPECIALLY ON THE MAJOR THOROUGH FAIR ROUTES, I WANNA MAKE SURE KIDS AND SENIORS CAN STILL GET TO THE DRUG STORES, TO THE SCHOOLS, ET CETERA, AMONG THOSE AREAS AND TO THE BUS STOPS.
SO THERE IS A SET OF CRITERIA THAT, UM, A PROPERTY OWNER MUST MEET IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO PAY THE FEE.
UM, AND THEN USING THE FEE, WE WILL ABSOLUTELY MAKE SURE THEY'RE A DA COMPLIANT AND ALL OF THAT.
AND WHAT WE'LL DO IS WE'LL BUILD, WE'LL FILL IN THE GAPS ON PRIMARILY MAJOR THOROUGH AFFAIRS AND COLLECTORS AND THAT TYPE OF THING.
UM, ALL OF THOSE DECISIONS WILL REST IN THE, UM, CHIEF TRANSPORTATION OFFICER'S, UH, HANDS.
AND SO DAVID ALWAYS HAS VISION ZERO AND SAFETY FOR OUR PEDESTRIANS, UH, TOP OF MIND.
SO I THINK, UM, WE'LL BE VERY, WE'LL BE SUCCESSFUL AT THAT.
I CAN HAVE HIM CALL YOU DEXTER FOR MORE DETAILS IF YOU'D LIKE.
DOUG, YOU WERE NEXT IN THE CHAT.
I JUST WANTED TO POINT OUT TO EVERYBODY THAT I ADDED IN CHAT, THE LINK TO THE ORDINANCE ITSELF, UH, WHICH I VIEWED FOR THE SECOND TIME TODAY.
AND FOR THE FIRST TIME TODAY, I VIEWED THE COMMENTS AND THERE ARE MANY, MANY NEGATIVE COMMENTS ABOUT THIS ORDINANCE.
AND ONE COMMENT IN FAVOR, BUT I GAVE YOU THAT INFORMATION SO YOU COULD GO TAKE A LOOK AT YOURSELF AND MAYBE DECIDE YOU WANNA MAKE A COMMENT AS WELL.
BUT JUST ONE THING I'D LIKE TO STRESS WITH MY COMMENTS, AND THAT IS MARGARET, IN SECTION 33, 6 0 3, YOU TALK ABOUT NOTIFYING, UH, CIVIC ASSOCIATIONS.
UH, AND I WOULD, LIKE, I MENTIONED THIS AT A CITY COUNCIL MEETING AND I DIDN'T SEE ANY CHANGES OCCUR, BUT WHENEVER YOU HAVE A MEETING OR A NOTIFICATION, WHETHER IT BE, UH, UH, TO THE COMMUNITY, TO HACA OR THE COUNCIL, UH, COULD YOU PLEASE INCLUDE THE SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD AFFECTED AS WELL AS THE SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD ALLIANCE BECAUSE WE PROBABLY ARE MORE AWARE OF WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD THAN MANY OF OUR NEIGHBORS.
SO IT'S THE, WE, WE, YOU HAVE GIVEN THAT COMMENT BEFORE AND IT IS THE, UM, SUPER NEIGHBOR ALLIANCE AND SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD COUNCILS ARE ALL PART OF CIVIC ASSOCIATIONS BY OUR DEFINITION.
SO YES, THEY WILL ALL BE NOTIFIED.
UM, SO MY QUESTION RUNS THE EARLY PART OF THE PRESENTATION WITH THE, UM, UH, GARAGE SCREENING AND, AND, UH, BULK CONTAINER SCREENING OR WHATEVER DOES THAT APPLY TO SAY THERE'S, UH, HHA IS PUTTING IN SOME FIVE STORY APARTMENT BLOCKS ON THE WEST SIDE OF HOUSTON, AND MY CURIOSITY RUNS TO WHETHER THE, THE, THE LIGHT SHIELDING AND THE GARAGE SHIELDING AND SCREENING.
AND DOES THAT APPLY TO, YOU SAID IT WAS A MID, MID-RISE OR HIGH-RISE? UH, SO, UM, FIVE STORIES WOULD APPLY, BUT ARE THEY UNDER CONSTRUCTION NOW? YES, THEY'RE PROBABLY, THEY PROBABLY WERE, THEY ALREADY HAD THEIR PLAT OR THEIR, UM, PERMITS BEFORE THIS WENT INTO EFFECT, WHICH MEANS THAT THEY ARE NOT REQUIRED, THEY WERE VESTED, GRANDFATHERED EFFECTIVELY, AND THEY WOULD NOT BE REQUIRED TO HAVE THE NEW SHIELD.
BUT I CAN CHECK, IF YOU WANNA GIVE ME AN ADDRESS, I'M HAPPY TO CHECK AND THEN GET BACK WITH YOU.
UM, I'M SURE GREG, GREG IS PROBABLY GONNA BE ABLE TO PING YOU WITH THAT INFORMATION.
IF SOMEBODY WANTS TO PUT SOME INFORMATION IN THE CHAT, I'M HAP I THINK THERESA'S MONITORING OR CHAT.
UM, YEAH, THE PERMIT'S ALREADY BEEN ISSUED THOUGH, HH I DID NOT GIVE PROPER NOTICE FOR EITHER OF THOSE PROPERTIES.
TOMORROW, CHERYL? I THINK TOMORROW, YEAH, YEAH, TOMORROW HAD IS.
WHEN YOU WERE TALK, WHEN YOU WERE SPEAKING
[00:30:01]
ABOUT THE, UH, CHANGES THAT YOU ALL ARE PUTTING IN THERE, UH, YOU DIDN'T SAY ANYTHING ABOUT BRINGING BACK TO THE OWNERS FOR A VOTE AFTER YOU REDRAW THE MAPS, BECAUSE WHEN YOU REDRAW THE MAPS, IT INCLUDES PEOPLE WHO WERE NOT INITIALLY IN THE, UH, REQUEST FOR THE CONSERVATION DISTRICT.SO YOU ALL REALLY NEED TO TAKE THE VOTE AGAIN BEFORE YOU WITHDRAW IT, UM, NOT JUST MOVE FORWARD WITH THE NEW DRAWINGS.
AND, UH, YOU SAID THAT IN THE, UH, NEW DRAFT, IT NO LONGER SAYS THE DEPARTMENT CAN PICK, UH, N UH, AREAS.
IS THAT REMOVED NOW? SO THE, THE, LET LET ME ANSWER THE FIRST QUESTION FIRST, AND THEN ROMAN CAN CORRECT, UH, JUMP IN AND CORRECT ME IF I MISSTATE SOMETHING.
UM, THE, WHEN THE DISTRICT RES, WHEN, WHEN WE SEND THE DISTRICT OUT FOR THE, TO THE PROPERTY OWNERS FOR, FOR A VOTE ON SUPPORT, UM, IF THE DISTRICT DOES NOT RECEIVE SET 51%, THEN, THEN THE DISTRICT CAN BE REDONE, BUT CAN ONLY BE REDONE SMALLER IN ORDER TO, TO ACHIEVE THE 51%.
SO THERE'S NOBODY THAT WOULD BE INCLUDED IN THE REVISED DISTRICT THAT WASN'T IN THE ORIGINAL DISTRICT.
UM, AND SO, AND IT'S FEWER PE IT WOULD BE FEWER PEOPLE, FEWER PROPERTIES.
UM, AND SO NO, WE DID NOT CHANGE IT TO REQUIRE A SECOND VOTE AFTER, AFTER THE, UM, AREA IS, IS, UM, REVISED SMALLER.
UM, YOUR SECOND QUESTION, I'M SORRY, WAS IN THE, UH, IN THE, UH, UH, REVISED DRAFT THAT YOU ALL PUT OUT, IT STILL SAID THE DEPARTMENT COULD PICK AND SELECT AREAS TO PUT PRESERVATION OR CONSERVATION DISTRICTS IN THERE BEYOND THE, UH, HOMEOWNERS.
IS THAT STILL IN THIS DRAFT? NO, MA'AM.
THE DRAFT THAT IS, THAT WILL BE RELEASED TOMORROW MORNING SAYS THAT THERE WILL BE UP TO SIX, WELL, THE DRAFT SAYS THERE WILL BE UP TO SIX NEIGHBORHOODS IDENTIFIED.
THEY HAVE NOT YET BEEN IDENTIFIED, BUT THEY WILL BE IDENTIFIED BEFORE IT GOES TO CITY COUNCIL.
THE MAYOR IS CURRENTLY IN THE PROCESS OF WORKING WITH COUNCIL MEMBERS AND NEIGHBORHOOD GROUPS TO IDENTIFY WHAT THOSE POTENTIAL PILOT AREAS ARE.
AND SO THOSE WILL, THE NEIGHBORHOODS THAT ARE INCLUDED WILL BE SPECIFIED IN THE DISTRICT, IN THE ORDINANCE BEFORE IT GOES TO CITY COUNCIL.
AND THEN TO ADD ANY NEIGHBORHOODS AFTER THAT WOULD REQUIRE NE UH, UH, COUNCIL APPROVAL TO, OR TO CHANGE THE ORDINANCE.
SO IN THE SIXTIES, Y'ALL PROPOSING, ARE Y'ALL PROPOSING ANYBODY WHO DIDN'T ASK? NO.
I DON'T SEE ANYBODY ELSE THAT HAS THEIR HAND UP.
UM, AND TESS IS MONITORING THE CHAT.
OH, MAY I JUST ASK ROMAN, MAY I JUST ASK ROMAN, DID I MISS ANYTHING CRITICAL? ROMAN, IS THERE SOMETHING ELSE I NEED TO SAY THAT I DIDN'T SAY? NO, THERE.
EVERYTHING'S BEEN, OH, AND DEXTER DID JUST RAISE HIS HAND AGAIN, SO, YEAH, I HAD A SECOND QUESTION IN THE CHAT.
I'LL GO AHEAD AND ASK IT RIGHT NOW.
UM, WITH THE LIVABLE PLACES, I'M CONCERNED ABOUT, UH, A LOSS OF MORE GREEN SPACE AS WE KNOCKED DOWN ONE BUNGALOW AND PUT IN, UH, MOTHER-IN-LAW HOMES AND OTHER TYPES OF, UH, STRUCTURES WHERE ONLY ONE USED TO BE.
UH, ARE WE LOOKING AT THE IMPACT, THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT OF LESS TREES, LESS GREEN SPACE AND MORE CONCRETE IN THIS URBAN DENSE ENVIRONMENT THAT COULD TAKE A TAKE A STEP? GOOD QUESTION.
SO, UM, THE DRAINAGE REQUIREMENTS ARE STILL IN PLACE, WILL STILL BE IN PLACE, WILL ALL PROPERTIES WILL HAVE TO MEET THE DRAINAGE REQUIREMENTS IS AS ESTABLISHED BY HOUSTON PUBLIC WORKS.
WE'RE NOT MAKING ANY CHANGES TO THAT.
UM, THE INTERESTING THING ABOUT THE MOTHER-IN-LAW OR THE THE GARAGE APARTMENT IS THAT IN NEIGHBORHOOD, SO THE DEFINITION OF SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENTIAL RIGHT NOW INCLUDES TWO UNITS.
AND SO WE'RE NOT ADDING THE ABILITY FOR A, WE'RE NOT ADDING THE ABILITY FOR A GARAGE APARTMENT.
WHAT WE ARE PROPOSING IS THAT RIGHT NOW, GARAGE APARTMENTS ARE LIMITED TO 900 SQUARE FEET.
AND WE BELIEVE THAT IF, IF IT COULD BE A HIGHER NUMBER, THAT IT MIGHT BE A MORE USEFUL BUILDING FOR, UM, FOR, FOR A HIGHER RENT FOR A PROPERTY OWNER TO GET FOR, FOR MORE USEFUL FOR MAYBE FOR A FAMILY.
AND SO WHAT WE'RE PROPOSING IS THAT THE MAXIMUM LIMIT OF ADUS, UM, BE REMOVED AND LET THE PROPERTY OWNER DECIDE HOW MUCH A DU THEY WANNA BUILD.
WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THAT WITH A NUMBER OF NEIGHBORHOODS ALREADY AND ARE SEEING A LOT OF PUSHBACK.
SO THAT MAY ACTUALLY, NOT THAT NO LIMIT MAY NOT HAPPEN, BUT I DO THINK THAT JUST INCREASING THE SIZE OF AN A DU FROM 900 TO MAYBE 1200 FEET MAKES SENSE.
AND THE NOM, THE, YOU'VE GOTTA, YOU KNOW, BASICALLY YOU'RE ON TOP OF A GARAGE.
[00:35:01]
SO, UM, WE DON'T FORESEE THAT THERE'S A LOT OF GREEN SPACE LOST, BUT THAT'S SOMETHING THAT I'LL CERTAINLY, UH, WE'LL, WE'LL CERTAINLY HAVE TO THINK THROUGH.WELL, I ALSO MENTIONED COURTYARDS TO THAT EFFECT TOO.
SO THE COURTYARD, THE BEAUTY ABOUT THE COURTYARD IS THAT IT IS AROUND, IT WAS BUILT AROUND GREEN SPACE.
AND SO WHAT WE ENVISION IS THAT INSTEAD OF SOMEBODY TAKING A 50 BY 150 FOOT LADDER, 150 BY 150 FOOT LOT AND PUTTING SIX TOWN HOMES ONTO ON IT THAT HAVE NO, THAT HAVE NOTHING BUT DRIVEWAYS, WHAT WE ENVISION IS THIS COURTYARD, WHICH IS GREEN, UM, NOT A COURT, NOT A, NOT A BRICK COURTYARD, BUT A GREEN SPACE, UM, AROUND WHICH THE HOMES ARE, ARE CENTERED AND THE RULES THAT WE ARE WRITING IN, YOU KNOW, REQUIRE THAT.
SO, UM, WE THINK IT WILL END UP BEING MORE GREEN THAN, THAN A LOT OF WHAT WE'RE SEEING TODAY.
TAMARA? BILL HAD ANOTHER QUESTION? YES, YES I DID.
SO YOU ALL ARE LOOKING AT AMENDING SINGLE FAMILY GARAGE APARTMENTS TO UNLIMITED, THAT WOULD VIOLATE ALMOST EVERY D RESTRICTION WITH A SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENT IN IT.
WELL, THE POINT IS, THESE DO NOT, THESE DO NOT HAVE ANY EFFECT OVER DEED RESTRICTED COMMUNITIES THAT THE DEED RESTRICTION PROHIBITS OR ESTABLISHED AS A SIZE THAT THAT IS WHAT TAKES PLAY.
THESE WOULD ONLY BE FOR NEIGHBORHOODS THAT ARE NOT, WHOSE DEED RESTRICTIONS EITHER DO NOT DEED RESTRICTIONS PER PERMITTED OR THEY DON'T HAVE DEED RESTRICTIONS.
'CAUSE SINGLE FAMILY FOR MY DEED RESTRICTIONS MEANS EXACTLY WHAT IT SAYS.
YES, MANY, MANY, MANY NEIGHBORHOODS YES.
BUT FOR YOUR SINGLE FAMILY, MEAN TOWN HOMES AND ALL OF THAT, THAT'S NOT WHAT IT MEANS OVER HERE.
BUT YOUR DEED RESTRICTIONS TAKE PRECEDENCE.
YEAH, RIGHT, MARGARET? THAT'S CORRECT.
THE MORE, THE MORE STRICT, THE MORE STRICT WILL ALWAYS TAKE PRECEDENT.
ME DRIVING YOUR EYES SUPPOSED TO MOVE BACK AND FORTH, BACK AND FORTH IN YOUR CAR.
NEIL, CAN YOU MAKE YOURSELF, IF YOU'RE NOT SPEAKING, THANK YOU.
MARGARET, UM, YOUR TEAM, DO Y'ALL SEE ANYTHING ON THE CHATS THAT YOU NEED TO ADDRESS? I DO NOT.
I'M HAPPY TO, I'M HAPPY TO, UM, PRINT THE CHAT AND CONTACT EVERYBODY INDIVIDUALLY AFTERWARDS IF WE, IF THERE ARE ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS OR YOU CAN ALWAYS CALL OUR OFFICE.
YOU ALL KNOW HOW TO GET AHOLD OF THERESA.
I THINK YOU KNOW HOW TO GET AHOLD OF ROMAN.
UM, YOU CAN ALWAYS GET AHOLD OF ME.
UM, FEEL FREE TO CALL US AND ASK US WHATEVER QUESTION YOU'VE GOT.
AS SOON AS I SAID THAT, I REALIZED GREG DID HAVE SOMETHING IN THE CHAT.
GREG? OH, YOU WANT ME TO ACTUALLY SAY IT? I, I'M JUST FOLLOWING UP ON TOMORROW'S QUESTION IS IF YOU'RE GONNA GO AHEAD, I CAN SEE A SITUATION WHERE I VOTE FOR THE FIRST BOUNDARY, BUT WHEN THE SECOND BOUNDARY IS NOW REDUCED AND I'M STILL IN THAT SECOND BOUNDARY, I'M GONNA GO, NO, I DON'T THINK I REALLY WANNA VOTE FOR THIS BECAUSE I WANT THIS WHOLE AREA INCLUDED, BUT IF IT'S JUST GONNA BE THIS AREA, I DON'T WANT TO BE INCLUDED.
SO I SEE THAT AS A DUE PROCESS ISSUE THAT MAY BE FRAUGHT WITH PROBLEMS. WE, WE'VE, YEAH, I THANK YOU.
I HEAR WE'VE DISCUSSED THIS, UM, QUITE A BIT AND, AND, YOU KNOW, EXPLORED ALL THE OPTIONS AND, AND, UM, I DO UNDERSTAND THAT THERE ARE PEOPLE THAT DISAGREE WITH HOW WE'VE ENDED UP ON THIS.
OKAY, Y'ALL HAVE A GREAT EVENING.
ALRIGHT, NEXT WE WILL HAVE, UM, MYRA HIPPOLITE, I BELIEVE YOU ARE WITH, UH, DEPARTMENT OF NEIGHBORHOODS.
AND, UH, YOU'RE HERE TO SPEAK ABOUT THE BANDIT SIGN.
LET ME SHARE, UH, A PRESENTATION.
CAN YOU SEE THE PRESENTATION? YES, YES, YES, MA'AM.
MY NAME IS MYRA HIPPOLITE AND I WORK WITH THE CITY OF HOUSTON, DEPARTMENT OF NEIGHBORHOODS.
UM, TODAY WE WANNA THANK YOU FOR, UH, INVITING US TO SPEAK ON THE BANDIT SIDE VOLUNTEER TRAINING PROGRAM ON BEHALF OF DIRECTOR OF AKASHA FRANCIS, UH, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR HERBERT SIMS, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR REGGIE HARRIS AND DIVISION MANAGER PAUL GREEN.
WE WANNA AGAIN, THANK YOU, UH, FOR INVITING US TO, TO DISCUSS ABOUT THE BAND ASSIGNED VOLUNTEER PROGRAM.
WHY BECOME A BAND ASSIGNED VOLUNTEER? NO MORE THAN EVER DO
[00:40:01]
WE NEED THE SPIRIT OF VOLUNTEER COMMUNITY SERVICE.WE'VE LEARNED OVER THE YEARS THAT MANY HANDS MAKE LIGHT WORK AS MUNICIPALITIES AND LOCAL AUTHORITIES, WE HAVE A MISSION TO CREATE A SPACE FOR INDIVIDUALS TO EXPRESS THEIR ALTRUISM.
OUR PRIORITY IS TO INVEST IN BLIGHTED AREAS MORE STRATEGICALLY.
AS YOU ALL KNOW, NO TASK IS TOO SMALL, ESPECIALLY THE CONFISCATION OF ILLEGALLY PLACED BANDIT SIGNS.
WHAT IS THE VOLUNTEER BANDIT SIGN REMOVAL PROGRAM? THE VOLUNTEER BANDIT SIGN REMOVAL PROGRAM IS A SIGN BUSTER.
IT'S AN EFFECTIVE SIGN FOR REMOVAL PROGRAM TIES BY THE HOUSTON VOLUNTEERS, UH, ORGANIZATION.
THIS ONE OF A KIND SIGN REMOVAL PROGRAM WAS DESIGNED TO IMPROVE NOT ONLY THE AESTHETICS OF A NEIGHBORHOOD, BUT EXECUTE THE BEGINNING OF NEIGHBORHOOD REGENERATION.
THERE'S SOME POINT THAT WE WANT TO MAKE SURE YOU REMEMBER.
THE INSPECTIONS AND PUBLIC SERVICE DIVISION IS HARD AT WORK ADDRESSING NEIGHBORHOOD CODE VIOLATIONS.
HOWEVER, IT'S AS VOLUNTEERS THAT SERVE AS THE, UH, GLUE THAT KEEPS THE COMMUNITY TOGETHER.
TELL ALL YOUR FAMILY AND FRIENDS AND NEIGHBORS ABOUT OUR PROGRAM AND HOW YOU ARE MAKING OR WOULD BE MAKING A DIFFERENCE.
SHOW OTHERS THAT IT CAN BE DONE AND CAN BE VERY EFFECTIVE.
THE CHANGE THAT YOU'RE PROMOTING IS GENERATIONAL BY HAVING A CLEAN AND SAFE NEIGHBORHOOD, YOU ARE EXTENDING THE LONGEVITY OF YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD, ALLOWING FUTURE FAMILIES TO SEE THE BEAUTY AND NOT LIGHT.
MOST PEOPLE ARE FAMILIAR WITH THE CONCEPT OF VOLUNTEERING, BUT FEW RECOGNIZE THE FULL POWER OF VOLUNTEERISM.
VOLUNTEERISM ENABLES CONTRIBUTION BY GENERATION, BY GENERATING WELLBEING FOR BOTH INDIVIDUALS AND COMMUNITIES.
SO WHAT ARE BANDIT SIGNS? BANDIT SIGNS ARE SIGNS WHICH ARE ILLEGAL PLACED ON PUBLIC PROPERTY OR RIGHT OF WAY.
THESE SIGNS ARE LIGHTWEIGHT, USUALLY INEXPENSIVE, UH, MADE OUT OF CARDBOARD.
UM, SOME COMMON TYPES OF, UH, SIGNAGE INCLUDE POLITICAL REAL ESTATE DEVELOPER AND GARAGE SALE SIGNS.
ILLEGAL AREAS ARE STATE TYPE SIGNS ON ESTIMATES, UH, AREAS BETWEEN THE SIDEWALK AND CURBS, OVERPASSES, UTILITY POLES, LIGHT STANDARDS, AND TRAFFIC SIGNAL BOXES, WHICH I'M SURE YOU ALL HAVE SEEN.
WHERE DO WE GET THE AUTHORITY TO REMOVE BANDIT SIGNS? STATE CHAPTER, UH, 3 9 3 OF THE TEXAS TRANSPORTATION CODE AND THE CITY OF HOUSTON MUNICIPAL CODE SECTIONS 28 THROUGH 38.
SO WHAT GUYS, IT'S JUST A BANDAGE SIGN.
WHY ARE BANDAGE SIGNS DANGEROUS? BANDAGE SIGNS CAN CAUSE ACCIDENTS IF NOT PROPERLY SECURED.
THEY CAN BECOME FLYING OBJECTS, CLUTTERS THE ROADS, AND RIGHT OF AWAYS A FORM LITTER, WHICH WE'VE ALL SEEN.
UM, ALSO IT ENFORCES THE BROKEN WINDOWS THEORY, ENCOURAGED FURTHER CRIME AND DISORDER.
I'M SURE MANY TIMES YOU'VE DRIVEN DOWN NEIGHBORHOODS AND YOU START SEEING A LOT OF BAND SIGNS AND YOU START GOING LIKE, WOW, SOMETHING'S GOING ON IN THIS NEIGHBORHOOD.
IT STOPPED REGENERATING COMPASSION OR REINVESTMENT IN THAT COMMUNITY.
IT CAN ALSO BE LINKED TO CRIMINAL AND PREDATORY ACTIVITY.
THERE IS SOME THINGS, A FEW THINGS THAT THE VOLUNTEERS CAN DO AND A COUPLE OF THINGS THEY CANNOT DO.
A VOLUNTEER IF THEY ARE TRAINED AND AUTHORIZED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF NEIGHBORHOODS IN ORDER TO CONFISCATE SIGNS THEY CAN REMOVE SIGNS, MAY DISCARD SMALL SIGNS OF LESS THAN $25 IN VALUE WITHOUT A NOTICE.
NOW THESE ARE THE THINGS THAT THEY CANNOT DO.
DO NOT REMOVE SIGNS FROM PRIVATE PROPERTY WITH A VALUE.
YOU CANNOT REMOVE SIGNS WITH A VALUE OF AT LEAST $25 OR MORE.
THOSE ARE USUALLY THE LARGER SIGNS, UH, FROM POLLING LOCATIONS DURING ELECTIONS.
NOW, I KNOW, I UNDERSTAND A LOT OF YOU ARE GONNA SAY, WAIT A MINUTE, IT'S TIME ELECTION SEASON.
WE SEE ALL THIS POLITICAL SIGNS.
THAT'S WHY WE HAVE CODE ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS THAT ARE HIRED TO DO THAT, SPECIFICALLY MAKE, INVESTIGATE THOSE SIGNS.
SO IF YOU SEE ANY OF THOSE POLITICAL SIGNS DURING THE ELECTION, CALL 3 1 1, A VOLUNTEER WOULD NOT BE ALLOWED TO REMOVE ANY OF THE VOL OF THE POLITICAL SIGNS OR ANY SIGNS THAT ARE OUTSIDE THE CITY LIMITS.
LIKE ME, IF I'M DRIVING FROM WORK TO HOME AND I'M, IF I SEE ABANDONED SIGN, GUESS WHAT? I'M GONNA PICK IT UP AND PUT IT IN THE BACK OF, OF, OF MY CAR.
ESPECIALLY IF IT'S LESS THAN $25.
VOLUNTEERS MAY BE DISMISSED, AND I PROMISE YOU THEY WILL BE DISMISSED.
[00:45:01]
AND THE CITY OF HOUSTON LEGAL DEPARTMENT WILL NOT REPRESENT THEM AT ALL IF THEY'VE CONDUCTED CRIMINAL ACTIVITIES SUCH AS TRESPASSING, ROBBERY, ASSAULT, DEFACING, PROPERTY, ILLEGAL CARRYING WEAPONS, IMPERSONATING A POLICE OFFICER OR MISREPRESENTING THEIR ROLE, UM, VERBAL PHYSICAL THREATS, OR PERFORMING UNDER INFLUENCE OF DRUGS OR ALCOHOL.THE CITY OF HOUSTON IS A LARGE CITY AND THE DEPARTMENT NEIGHBORHOOD CAN ONLY DO SO MUCH.
CREATING THE VOLUNTEER BANDIT SIGN PROGRAM ALLOWS CONCERNED CITIZENS LIKE YOURSELF TO FIGHT BLIGHT ALONG WITH US THROUGH YOUR PARTICIPATION.
WE CAN COVER MORE GROUND THAN EVER BEFORE.
IF YOU'RE INTERESTED IN BECOMING A BAND SIGNED VOLUNTEER, PLEASE GO TO VOLUNTEER HOUSTON WEBSITE AND REGISTER AS A VOLUNTEER.
ONCE WE RECEIVE YOUR REGISTRATION, THE PROCESS STARTS, THEN YOU'LL ONLY BE ABLE TO BE A BAND SIGNED VOLUNTEER FOR ONE YEAR INCREMENTS.
SO IF YOU START IN JANUARY AND YOU GOT CERTIFIED IN JANUARY, YOU'LL ONLY BE ABLE TO BE A BAND ASSIGNED, UH, VOLUNTEER FROM JANUARY THROUGH DECEMBER.
AND THEN YOU'LL HAVE TO TAKE THE TRAINING AGAIN.
AGAIN, ONE OF THE GREATEST PARTS ABOUT THIS VOLUNTEERING PROCESS IS THAT WE'RE ALSO SCHEDULING BANDAID SIGNED VOLUNTEER CLEANUP DAYS.
UM, THIS WAY IT KINDA WE'RE ABLE TO MEET TOGETHER AGAIN.
AND IF THE VOLUNTEERS HAVE QUESTIONS, WE CAN KIND OF REITERATE THE PROCESS.
AND IF SOME VOLUNTEERS HAVE HAD SOME PROBLEMS AND THEY'VE SOLVED IT AND OTHER VOLUNTEERS IN OTHER NEIGHBORHOODS HAVE THE SAME PROBLEMS, WE CAN KIND OF WORK WITH EACH OTHER AND AND, AND LEARN THE PROCESS.
ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IS THIS IS A NEW PROGRAM AS WE ALL UNDERSTAND THAT A GREAT PROGRAM IS CONTINUOUSLY CHANGING AND GROWING WITH THE VOLUNTEERS THAT ARE INVOLVED.
SO THE MORE VOLUNTEERS THAT WE GET INVOLVED, THE MORE ACTIVITY WE HAVE IN THE, IN THE VOLUNTEER BAND DESIGN VOLUNTEER PROGRAM, THE PROGRAM'S GONNA GET EVEN BETTER.
AND, UM, IT'S GONNA BE BETTER FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF NEIGHBORS AS WELL AS YOUR COMMUNITY.
TAKE THE TIME, REGISTER WITH HOUSTON VOLUNTEER AND LET'S BECOME, UH, BAND DESIGN VOLUNTEERS.
AND IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, PLEASE DON'T HESITATE TO CALL ME.
MY NAME IS MYRA HIPPOLITE AND I WORK WITH THE CITY OF HOUSTON, DEPARTMENT OF NEIGHBORHOODS.
UH, MY CONTACT INFORMATION IS ON, UH, ON, ON, UH, THE SCREEN.
UH, IT'S MYRA, M-A-Y-R-A-D DOT HIPPOLITE, H-Y-P-O-L-I-T E@HOUSTONTX.GOV.
OR YOU CAN CALL ME AT (832) 394-0701.
MYRA, WE HAD A QUESTION FROM DOUG SMITH.
CAN VOLUNTEERS REMOVE POLITICAL SIGNS NOT NEAR A VOTE VOTING LOCATION? NO.
THEY'RE NOT ALLOWED TO TOUCH ANY NOT POLITICAL SIGNS THERE TO CALL 3 1 1 AND OUR CODE ENFORCEMENT OFFICER WILL GO OUT AND INVESTIGATE.
OKAY? AND IF IT TAKES LONGER, UM, UH, THAN WHAT THEY THINK THAT A CODE ENFORCEMENT OFFICER HAS GONE OUT THERE AND MAKE INSPECTION, DON'T, DON'T FORGET THAT YOU CAN ALSO EXPEDITE YOUR CONCERN.
ANOTHER QUESTION CAME IN, HOW LONG IS THE RETRAINING? THE TRAINING IS VERY SHORT.
WE'LL SEND YOU A LINK OF THE TRAINING AND THEN ONCE YOU FINISH THE TRAINING, UH, THE VIRTUAL TRAINING, THEN YOU'LL DO AN ASSESSMENT.
YOU PASS THE ASSESSMENT AND UH, WE'LL GO FROM THERE.
THEN THERE WAS A QUESTION THAT SAYS HOW MANY TIMES, OH, THAT MANY TIMES THESE SIGNS END UP IN OPEN DRAINAGE DITCHES AND THEY CAN BE REMOVED BY THE VOLUNTEERS FROM THE DITCH, RIGHT? YES.
BUT WHEN YOU COME TO A DANGEROUS AREA, PLEASE DON'T, DON'T GO IN AND HURT YOURSELF, UH, MAKE YOUR SAFETY'S NUMBER ONE.
SO IF YOU COME, IF YOU SEE A BAND SIGN AND YOU FEEL LIKE IT'S IN A DANGEROUS AREA, YOUR SAFETY IS THE NUMBER ONE PRIORITY.
SO CALL 3 1 1 AND WE'LL HAVE A CODE ENFORCEMENT OFFICER GO OUT AND INVESTIGATE IT.
AND THEN, UH, QUESTION, LET ME SEE.
IS THE $25 LIMIT A STATUTORY REQUIREMENT? WHO HAS THE AUTHORITY TO REMOVE THOSE LESS THAN $25? THE VOLUNTEER BAND SIGN VOLUNTEER CAN DO THAT OVER $25 AND OVER.
IT WOULD BE A CODE ENFORCEMENT OFFICER.
SO YOU WOULD HAVE TO CALL THREE ONE ONE AND CALL IN THE CONCERN.
SO THAT'S A STATUTORY REQUIREMENT? YES, MA'AM.
I THINK THAT ANSWERS THE QUESTIONS THAT WERE IN THE CHAT.
DID ANYBODY ELSE? I DON'T SEE CHERYL PEDRO HAS A QUESTION.
[00:50:01]
TO YOU.SO YOU WERE SAYING IF THERE'S A POLITICAL SIGN ON AN ESPLANADE OR A CITYWIDE WAY THAT A CITIZEN CANNOT REMOVE IT, YOU HAVE TO CALL SOME TYPE OF SIGNED POLICE TO COME REMOVE IT.
DID I, DID I UNDERSTAND YOU RIGHT?
NO, YOU WOULD CALL 3 1 1 AND A CERTIFIED CODE ENFORCEMENT OFFICER LIKE ANY OTHER, UH, NUISANCE VIOLATION, THEY WOULD GO OUT THERE AND, UH, MAKE AN INVESTIGATION AND AND NOTIFY THE PROPERTY OWNER.
SO, SO I CAN REMOVE A, A MA A SIGN FOR A MATTRESS, A SALE, BUT I CAN'T REMOVE ONE FOR A POLITICAL SIGN.
IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE SAYING? OR, UH, YES, SIR.
THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT I'M SAYING.
SO A POLITICIAN WHO PUTS DOWN AN ILLEGAL SIGN HAS MORE RIGHTS THAN A GUY SELLING MATTRESSES ON 11TH AND HEIGHTS, SOMETHING LIKE THAT, RIGHT? ACTUALLY, NO, BECAUSE THEN WE'RE SENDING A CERTIFIED CODE ENFORCEMENT OFFICER TO ISSUE A NOTICE.
AND THAT'S A BIT MORE, UM, STRONGER THAN YOU JUST REMOVING IT.
SO WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE NOTIFIED.
YOU'RE NOT NOTIFYING A SINGLE PERSON, YOU'RE JUST REMOVING THE SIGN.
UH, THE NEXT ORDER OF BUSINESS ON OUR AGENDA IS FOR, UH, S AND A MEMBERS TO HAVE OPEN FORUM AND ANNOUNCEMENTS.
AND WE, KEITH, CAN YOU GO DOWN THE LIST, UH, OR RAISE YOUR HANDS IF YOU'VE GOT, UH, A QUE YOU WANNA MAKE AN ANNOUNCEMENT OR SOMETHING.
WE TRY TO KEEP THESE AS BRIEF AS WE CAN BECAUSE WE DO HAVE SOME OLD BUSINESS AND NEW BUSINESS THAT WE NEED TO TAKE INTO ACCOUNT.
JUST WANNA MAKE AN ANNOUNCEMENT MAYBE, UH, A LITTLE BIT AHEAD OF TIME.
BUT ON APRIL 22ND, WE ARE HAVING THE ANNUAL GREAT TASTE OF HEIGHTS AT ALL SAINTS CATHOLIC CHURCH.
THAT'S GONNA BE BETWEEN, UH, 5:00 PM AND 10:00 PM APRIL 22ND.
THE, A GREAT TASTE OF THE HEIGHTS AT ALL SAINTS CATHOLIC CHURCH.
FOR THOSE THAT SHOWED UP FOR OUR MINI RODEO IN RIVERSIDE PARK, WE HAD OVER 600 PEOPLE COME.
AND NOW I WANNA ANNOUNCE OUR EASTER EGG HUNT.
IT IS ON APRIL THE FIRST FROM 11 TO TWO, UH, BEHIND GOOD HOPE BAPTIST CHURCH OFF OF MCGREGOR, NORTH MCGREGOR IN RIVERSIDE PARK.
I LOVE COMMUNITY THAT'S LIKE THAT.
UM, I'M WITH HERE WITH FAIR FOR HOUSTON, WHICH IS A CHARTER AMENDMENT CAMPAIGN THAT WOULD REFORM THE VOTING STRUCTURE OF THE HOUSTON GALVESTON AREA COUNCIL.
FOR THOSE THAT DON'T KNOW ABOUT THE HJC, IT'S A REGIONAL COUNCIL OF GOVERNMENT THAT ALLOCATES FEDERAL INFRASTRUCTURE MONEY TO PROJECTS IN OUR REGION.
SO 13 COUNTY AREAS CENTERED AROUND HOUSTON WITH MANY CITIES AND COUNTIES WITHIN THAT AREA.
PARTICIPATING HOUSTON AND HARRIS COUNTY MAKE UP 60% OF THE POPULATION OF THE REGION, BUT WE ONLY GET ABOUT 20% OF THE VOTE COMBINED BETWEEN BOTH THE CITY AND THE COUNTY.
UM, WE'VE BEEN LEFT OUT OF THINGS LIKE FLOOD INFRASTRUCTURE MONEY, AND WE'VE BEEN FORCED TO ENDURE THINGS LIKE THE I 45 EXPANSION AT THE BEHEST OF A RURAL AND SUBURBAN MAJORITY VOTE ON THIS COUNCIL.
UH, WHAT I, WHAT WE ARE DOING, WHAT FAIRFIELD HOUSTON IS DOING IS SEEKING SIGNATURES FOR A, UH, A BALLOT INITIATIVE FOR THE NOVEMBER ELECTION THAT WOULD AMEND THE CITY OF HOUSTON'S CHARTER.
AND IT WOULD GIVE A MANDATE TO THE CITY THAT THEIR PARTICIPATION IN HJC GOING FORWARD IS CONTINGENT ON HJC ADOPTING A VOTING STRUCTURE THAT IS PROPORTIONAL TO POPULATION REPRESENTED.
I'M GONNA PUT SOME INFORMATION IN THE CHAT.
UM, I'VE BEEN TO SEVERAL SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD MEETINGS ALREADY, BUT I'D LOVE TO SPEAK AT YOURS IF I HAVE NOT.
UM, SO FEEL FREE TO REACH OUT TO ME AND ALSO CHECK OUT FAIR FOR HOUSTON.COM TO LEARN MORE.
NEXT WE'RE GONNA HAVE, UM, IF YOU DON'T MIND, UH, DESMOND ALLEN.
JUST WANTED TO SAY GOOD AFTERNOON TO EVERYONE.
UH, MY NAME'S DESMOND ALLEN WITH THE CITY OF HOUSTON SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT DEPARTMENT.
UH, JUST WANTED TO ANNOUNCE A COUPLE CDO UH, DRIVER HIRING EVENTS.
EVENTS THAT WE'LL BE HAVING, UH, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 22ND AT OUR SOUTHEAST SOLID WASTE FACILITY.
UH, THAT LOCATION IS 1506 CENTRAL STREET FROM 9:00 AM TO 1:00 PM WE'LL BE HIRING CDO DRIVERS.
UM, I'LL ALSO SEND THE, THE FLYER OUT TO THE SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD ALLIANCE, UM, SO THAT EVERYONE CAN HAVE THE REMAINDER OF THE DATES WE'LL BE HIRING THROUGH JUNE 21ST.
[00:55:01]
SO WE'D LOVE TO SEE ANY, ANY POTENTIAL CDO DRIVERS THERE.UH, KEITH JUST TO, UH, CHIME IN ON THE FACT THAT WE WERE SKIPPED DURING ROLL CALLS, BRA OAK, SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD 36 AND HAVE BEEN ATTENDANCE IN ALL THE MEETINGS.
I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE ANNOUNCEMENT.
UH, WE'RE GONNA HAVE A EASTER BLAST, ONE EVENT, TWO LOCATIONS ON APRIL 7TH, UH, FROM NINE TO 3:00 PM AT THE HOBERT TAYLOR PARK AT 8,100 KENTON AND THE NORTH WEST SIDE SPORTS AND RECREATION CENTER AT 9 5 5 5 NORTH WEST SIDE.
COME OUT AND HAVE A GREAT TIME.
WE HAVE AN EASTER EGG HUNT AND THINGS LIKE THAT, SO IT'D BE GREAT TIME HAD BY ALL.
DEE, YOUR TURN DE EVENING SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD, SUPER NEIGHBORHOODS.
UM, DEE CHAVIS, CHIEF OF STAFF FOR VICE MAYOR PRO, TIM MARTHA KATZ, COUNCILMAN FOR DISTRICT K.
UM, UH, JUST WANNA THANK DIRECTOR WELLIS FOR THE PRESENTATIONS, UM, THAT HE PRESENTED AND ALSO, UM, MYRA HIPPOLITE.
UM, SHE TALKED ABOUT BANDIT SIGNS.
I DO WANNA, UM, REITERATE THAT VICE MAYOR PROM, UM, IS AN ADVOCATE FOR REMOVAL OF THESE SIGNS.
AND, UH, DURING THE LAST, UH, TEXAS LEGISLATIVE SESSION, SHE DID, UM, TESTIFY BEFORE THE TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEES AND, AND THE LEGISLATURE ON, UH, BANDIT SIGNS TRYING TO INCREASE THE FINES.
UM, WHICH THAT, UM, THE BILL THAT WAS PRESENT THAT WAS INTRODUCED DID PASS UNANIMOUSLY IN THE SENATE, HOWEVER, STALLED IN THE HOUSE.
BUT ONCE AGAIN, SHE'S PLEASED THAT SENATOR BORIS MILLS IS INTRODUCING, UH, SENATE BILL ONE 90 AND REPRESENTATIVE SEAN THI IS INTRODUCING HOUSE BILL 1863 TO ADDRESS BANDIT SIGNS, UH, IN THE CITY RIGHT OF WAY.
AND THAT IS TO INCREASE THE FINES FOR THOSE WHO ARE NOT IN COMPLIANCE OF THE, UH, OF THE ORDINANCE.
UM, THE INITIAL FINE IS FROM, UH, 500 TO, UM, WILL BE INCREASED TO A THOUSAND DOLLARS FOR THE FIRST, FIRST OFFENSE, AND THEN $2,500 FOR THE SECOND VIOLATION, AND THEN 5,000 FOR THE THIRD AND SUBSEQUENT VIOLATION.
SO WE'RE HOPING TO GET, UM, THOSE BILLS PASSED THROUGH THE LEGISLATURE.
AND ALSO I'D LIKE TO, UM, UH, MENTION THAT VICE MAYOR PRO TIMM WAS RECENTLY APPOINTED AS A MEMBER OF THE NATIONAL LEAGUE OF CITIES TRANSPORTATION AND INFRASTRUCTURE SERVICES COMMITTEE.
WE WILL PLAY A KEY ROLE IN SHAPING THE NL, THE NATIONAL LEAGUE OF CITIES, CITIES POLICIES AND POSITIONS, AND ADVOCATE ON BEHALF OF AMERICA, CITIES, TOWN, AND, UH, VILLAGES BEFORE THE MEMBERS OF CONGRESS, THE PRESIDENT'S ADMINISTRATION AND AT HOME.
AND SHE'S LOOKING FORWARD TO REPRESENTING THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
UM, THANKS FOR YOUR TIME AND ATTENTION AND LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING THE REST OF THE COMMENTS.
HI THERE, MY NAME'S JORDAN FRAZIER.
I'M WITH COUNCIL MEMBER SALLY ALCORN'S OFFICE.
SHE IS, UM, COUNCIL MEMBER FOR AT LARGE POSITION FIVE.
UM, I JUST WANTED TO LET YOU ALL KNOW WE WILL BE HOLDING A REGULATORY AND NEIGHBORHOOD AFFAIRS COUNCIL COMMITTEE MEETING NEXT THURSDAY.
UM, MARCH 23RD AT 10:00 AM UM, THIS IS A SPECIAL CALL CONSIDERING THIS WEEK IS SPRING BREAK.
UM, AND OUR COUNCIL BREAK WEEK WHEN WE USUALLY HAVE OUR MEETINGS ON THE SECOND TUESDAY.
UM, WE WILL HAVE REPRESENTATIVES FROM AIRBNB AND HOPEFULLY VRBO TO DISCUSS SHORT-TERM RENTALS IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
YAY, CHERYL, I SEE YOUR THUMBS UP.
UM, SO WE'RE INVITING THE PUBLIC ALSO TO COME AND MAKE COMMENTS AT THAT MEETING AS WELL.
YOU CAN DO SO VIRTUALLY OR, UM, IN PERSON.
UM, THAT AGENDA SHOULD BE READY FOR DISTRIBUTION LATER THIS WEEK AND I'LL MAKE SURE THAT IT'S SENT TO THE SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD ALLIANCE, UM, EXECUTIVE TEAM AND THAT IT GETS OUT TO YOU ALL.
LEMME KNOW IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS.
I JUST WANTED TO LET EVERYONE KNOW THAT THE CITY OF HOUSTON, DEPARTMENT OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD HAS THREE POSITIONS THAT ARE OPEN.
WE HAVE A DIVISION MANAGER POSITION OPEN.
UM, IT POSES ON MARCH THE 30TH, A COMMUNITY SERVICE INSPECTOR AND A CODE ENFORCEMENT OFFICER TRAINING POSITION.
YOU KNOW, ANYONE, THOSE ARE ENTRY LEVEL POSITIONS.
SO IF ANY, IF YOU KNOW ANYONE THAT'S INTERESTED IN APPLYING FOR ANY OF THOSE POSITIONS TO GO TO THE CITY OF HOUSTON, HUMAN HUMAN RESOURCE CAREER, UH, WEBSITE AND APPLY ONLINE.
MYRA, SORRY FOR CLARIFICATION.
YOU SAID MAY 31ST, DID YOU MEAN MARCH 31ST? NO, FOR THE CODE ENFORCEMENT OFFICER TRAINEE AND THE SUPER, UM, COMMUNITY
[01:00:01]
SERVICE INSPECTOR.IT'S OPEN FOR A COUPLE MONTHS.
UH, WE'RE TRYING TO, UH, GET AS MANY APPLICANTS AS WE CAN.
UM, ACTUALLY WE'VE EVEN GONE TO HCCU OF H, RICE, TSU AND MOST UNIVERSITIES.
UM, BECAUSE AS YOU KNOW, THE CITY OF HOUSTON REIMBURSES, UH, WHILE YOU'RE GOING TO YOUR COLLEGE TO SCHOOL.
SO, SO IF YOU KNOW ANYONE THAT'S INTERESTED, PLEASE TELL THEM TO APPLY.
IT'S A GREATER ENTRY POSITION FOR ANYONE.
THE DIVISION MANAGER POSITION DOES CLOSE ON, UH, MARCH THE 30TH.
AND, AND ALSO I WOULD LIKE TO, UH, MENTION THAT CASHIER GARDEN HAS A HEALTH AND WELLNESS DAY, UH, PUT ON VI PRAIRIE REVIEW AT THE CATHERINE MULTI-SERVICE CENTER.
THIS WILL BE SATURDAY, THIS COMING SATURDAY, MARCH 18TH FROM 12 TO TWO.
AND THIS IS FOR CHILDREN AS WELL AS ADULTS.
SO, UH, IT'S A WELLNESS PART OF THEIR WELLNESS IN HOUSTON, UM, PROGRAM THAT THEY PUT ON.
BUT JUST WANTED TO SHARE THAT INFORMATION AS WELL.
I THINK WE'RE GONNA MOVE TO THE NEXT ITEM ON OUR AGENDA, WHICH IS OLD BUSINESS.
RHONDA, DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING YOU'D CARE TO SHARE WITH US ON OLD BUSINESS OTHER THAN THE FACT THAT WE DO KNOW WE HAVE SOME MINUTES THAT NEED TO BE UP APPROVED AND WE WILL HANDLE THOSE AT AN UPCOMING ME MEETING.
FEBRUARY'S, UM, MINUTES ARE, UM, ALSO DELAYED TILL ONE MONTH.
WE DO HAVE SEPTEMBER AND OCTOBER MINUTES THAT NEED TO BE ADDED.
AND SO I DO APOLOGIZE, BUT WE'LL TRY TO GET THOSE OUT AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
AND DOES ANYBODY ELSE HAVE ANY OLD BUSINESS THEY NEED TO BRING UP MOVING ON TO NEW BUSINESS? UM, WE HAVE, UH, WE NEED TO MAKE AN ANNOUNCEMENT THAT OUR SECRETARY HAS TENDERED HER RESIGNATION, AND WE'RE LOOKING FOR SOMEBODY WHO WOULD LIKE TO BE NOMINATED TO FILL THE ROLE OF SECRETARY FOR THE SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD ALLIANCE.
AND I WOULD ENTERTAIN NOMINATIONS.
YOU DON'T HAVE TO MAKE IT TONIGHT, BUT IF YOU COULD REACH OUT AND LET KEITH, MYSELF OR RHONDA KNOW IF YOU'RE INTERESTED, WE WOULD APPRECIATE IT.
I HAVE SOME COMMENTS THAT HAVE COME IN PRISCILLA.
UM, ACTUALLY MY HAND WAS UP FOR OLD BUSINESS.
I JUST WANTED THE MINUTES TO REFLECT THAT SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD 65 AND 82 HAVE BEEN PRESENT FOR JANUARY AND FEBRUARY.
UM, OUR NUMBERS WERE NOT CALLED.
AND THOSE NUMBERS, SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD NUMBERS AGAIN WERE WHAT, 65 AND 82? 65 AND 82.
JANUARY AND FEBRUARY PRESENT, IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE SAYING? CORRECT.
UH, GREG, YOUR HAND WAS UP? YES.
I JUST WANNA BRING TO THE ATTENTION THREE BILLS THAT ARE CURRENTLY AT THE LEGISLATURE THAT I'VE SEEN, AND I DON'T KNOW IF OTHER PEOPLE HAVE THEM.
HOUSE BILL 2244 IS THE RESIDENTIAL SPEED LIMIT THAT'S BACK IN PLAY.
UNFORTUNATELY, IT'S THE SAME LANGUAGE THAT WAS PUT INTO PLAY LAST TIME, WHICH IS HAS IT'S FATALLY FLAWED.
SO HOPEFULLY WE CAN DO SOMETHING WITH THAT.
I'M NOT HOLDING OUT NECESSARILY.
THEN THERE'S HOUSE BILL, UH, 1252, WHICH YOU MAY WANT TO CHECK INTO BECAUSE IT HAS CONCERNS WITH REQUIRING EVERY HOA ABOVE A LOW NUMBER TO REQUIRE A ACTUAL AUDIT OF THEIRS.
THAT RUNS INTO THE LOW FIVE FIGURES TO DO THAT.
ANOTHER ONE IS SB 4 68, WHICH IS RELATING TO PEOPLE COMING ONTO YOUR PROPERTY AND BEING ABLE TO USE YOUR CLUBHOUSE AND EVERYTHING ELSE.
YOU HAVE NO RESTRICTIONS AT ALL TO BE ABLE TO DO, FOR THEM TO BE ON THE, ON THE PROPERTY.
SO THOSE THREE ITEMS I JUST WANTED TO BRING TO YOUR ATTENTION.
WHAT WAS THAT THIRD ONE AGAIN? THE SB, THAT'D BE SENATE BILL 4 6 8 4 4 6 8.
AND I WILL REPEAT AGAIN JUST SO THAT EVERYBODY KNOWS THAT WE ARE TAKING NOMINATIONS FOR, UM,
[01:05:01]
THE ROLE OF SECRETARY.UH, AND WE WILL HANDLE THE, THE LEGALITIES OF GETTING THAT VOTED IN ONCE WE HAVE SOME NOMINEES TO PRESENT.
IS THERE ANY OTHER NEW BUSINESS THAT ANYBODY WOULD LIKE TO BRING UP OR ANY OTHER DISCUSSION ITEMS? IF YOU DON'T MIND? ONE OTHER QUESTION IS, I, I WONDER WHAT'S THE GATING ITEM FOR US? UH, I KNOW THE PAST PRESENT, CINDY HAS TALKED ABOUT LIKE, TO GET BACK TOGETHER IN PERSON.
WHAT'S THE GATING ITEM HOLDING THAT UP? WELL, WE'VE HAD A CHANGE IN ADMINISTRATION AND IT HAS COME UP AND THE DISCUSSION, WHAT THE PROS AND CONS THAT WE'RE WEIGHING RIGHT NOW ARE THE ABILITY FOR PEOPLE TO MAKE IT BACK TO IN-PERSON MEETINGS VERSUS CONTINUING ON WITH, UM, THE REMOTE MEETINGS.
WE'RE, WE'RE DISCUSSING AND WE'RE, WE WELCOME INPUT FROM PEOPLE, UH, AS TO WHETHER OR NOT YOU FEEL LIKE YOU WANT TO MEET IN PERSON OR NOT.
DID YOU WANNA WEIGH IN? UH, PART OF THE ISSUE IS BUDGET BECAUSE WHEN IT'S ENTIRELY REMOTE, UM, THE BUDGET ONLY ALLOWS FOR ONE TECHNICIAN.
AND IF YOU GO TO IN PERSON, MY UNDERSTANDING IS, IS THAT WE WOULD NEED TO HAVE IN THE BUDGET FOR TWO TECHNICIANS, ONE AT THE LOCATION AND ONE AT THE, UM, I GUESS, UM, WHEREVER THE SCREENING LOCATION IS, VERONICA CAN EXPLAIN IT BETTER, BUT, BUT SHOULD HAVE FROM ONE TO TWO TECHNICIANS IN THE BUDGET.
AND ALSO, GREG, WHAT WE ARE FINDING OUT IS WE DO HAVE A LARGER NUMBER OF ATTENDEES AND WE HAVE THE SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD ALLIANCE MEETING ONLINE BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE COMING FROM ALL OVER.
SO THOSE ARE SOME OF THE THINGS THAT, UM, WE'VE ALL DISCUSSED.
WELL, I KNOW 'CAUSE I HAVE TO DRIVE PROBABLY ABOUT THE FURTHEST, BUT THERE MAY BE A QUESTION OF QUALITY VERSUS QUANTITY.
MORE PEOPLE MAY BE ATTENDING, BUT THE QUALITY OF CONVERSATION IS NOT AS GOOD.
AND I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING WE'VE DISCUSSED PREVIOUSLY WITH CINDY.
AND WE HAVE ALSO GREG JUST TOSSED AROUND, UM, HAVING BOTH, YOU KNOW, HAVING A COUPLE OF IN PERSON, A COUPLE OF HI, UH, AND A COUPLE OF REMOTE, YOU KNOW, TRYING TO, TO MIX IT UP.
THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS THAT ARE GOING INTO THE CONVERSATION AND WE DO WELCOME PEOPLE'S INPUT ON THAT AND LET US KNOW, UM, IF YOU HAVE A, A STRONG PREFERENCE ONE WAY OR ANOTHER, FEEL FREE TO REACH OUT.
CINDY, YOU ARE, YOU ARE UP AGAIN.
OH, SORRY, I NEVER TOOK MY HAND DOWN.
OH, I JUST TOOK IT DOWN FOR YOU.
I BELIEVE VICKY MARTIN HAD A QUESTION.
DID YOU HAVE YOUR HAND UP EARLIER? UH, HELLO? YES.
CAN YOU HEAR ME NOW? YES, YES, YES.
HI, IT'S UH, SUNNY ALCON'S OFFICE STILL ON THE LINE.
I WAS TRYING TO PUT SOMETHING IN THE CHAT.
UH, WE, MY COMMUNITY WANTED MORE CLARIFICATION ON THE KNOW THROUGH TRUCK SIGNS.
WE HAVE, UH, QUITE A FEW OF THOSE POSTED IN THE AREA, BUT IT SEEMS TO BE A LACK OF ENFORCEMENT.
SO WE WANTED THE INTERPRETATION OF WHAT NO, THROUGH TRUCKS REALLY MEAN FOR A RESIDENTIAL AREA.
AND THEN WE WANNA SPEAK TO HAVE, UH, ENFORCEMENT DONE IN THE AREA BECAUSE IT'S AS IF THEY'RE BEING IGNORED.
UM, I DO KNOW ON THOSE SIGNS, UM, ENFORCEMENT WOULD BE UP TO HPD.
I KNOW THAT THERE IS SOME BACK AND FORTH ABOUT, YOU KNOW, PRIORITI PRIORITIZING THOSE TYPES OF CALLS.
I'M HAPPY TO TAKE THIS OFFLINE ALSO, IF THAT'S BETTER FOR TIME.
I'LL GIVE YOU OFFICE A CALL TOMORROW.
AND I'LL, I'LL SEND AN EMAIL AS WELL, JORDAN.
IF JORDAN, IF I MAY, UM, INTERJECT THAT IS A, THAT IS A QUESTION THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE BRING UP, BUT NO, THROUGH TRUCKS MEANS LEGITIMATELY THAT, LIKE YOU CAN'T USE THAT STREET AS A CUT THROUGH IF YOU HAVE BUSINESS THERE.
IF THIS IS THE ROUTE TO A CONSTRUCTION SITE OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT, THEN YOU HAVE EVERY BUSINESS THERE.
NO, THROUGH STREET MEANS LEGITIMATELY JUST A CUTTHROAT.
CHERYL, I DON'T, I, YES, I WANNA CIRCLE THE WAGONS ON THE ATTENDANCE AS I STATED EARLIER.
CAN YOU STATED, CAN YOU, YEAH, CAN YOU MAKE IT QUICK? I'M GONNA MAKE IT QUICK.
SO WHAT I'M UNDERSTAND WHEN WE CALL OFF THE DO THE ROLL CALL,
[01:10:01]
IT'S BASED ON THE LAST THREE MONTHS IN SUCCESSION OF ATTENDANCE.SO THAT WAS DECEMBER 22, JANUARY 23, AND FEBRUARY OF 2023.
SO IF I MISS YOUR NUMBER, CALLING IT OFF OF YOUR SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD RIGHT NOW IN ATTENDANCE TONIGHT, LET ME KNOW.
UH, SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD FIVE, WE HAVE SIX, WE HAVE 15, WE HAVE 16, WE HAVE 22, 24, 25, 27, 28, 31, 32, 36, 37, 38, 47, 48, 50, 52, 55, 63, 65, 64, 80, 83, 86 AND 88.
UM, KEITH, I THINK 17 IS, GO AHEAD.
I BELIEVE 17 IS, I BELIEVE 17 IS HERE.
AND KEY 12 IS HERE MARCH LINE.
CALL PARCEL SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD 45.
AM I CORRECT? I THOUGHT I SAW KATHY WAS HERE EARLIER.
AND I THINK 63 AND 66 WERE BOTH HERE ALSO.
UM, I ALSO, I ALSO WOULD LIKE TO PUT OUT A REQUEST.
IF THERE'S ANYBODY IN THE ALLIANCE WHO IS FOND OF MANAGING SOCIAL MEDIA, ENJOYS GOING OUT IN SOCIAL MEDIA, WE, UH, WOULD WELCOME, UM, SOMEBODY TO HELP US MANAGE THAT PROCESS FOR US ON OUR FACEBOOK PAGE.
UM, AND IF YOU'RE INTERESTED, IT'S A, A TASK THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO TACKLE, EVEN IF IT'S JUST FOR A COUPLE OF MONTHS, REACH OUT AND LET ME KNOW.
WE WOULD WELCOME YOUR, YOUR ASSISTANCE AND HELP WITH THAT.
DID THE DEPARTMENT OF THE NEIGHBORHOODS HAVE ANYTHING ELSE THEY WOULD LIKE TO BRING TO THE ATTENTION OF THE GROUP? IF I MAY, THIS IS JACK LINSKY.
I KEEP THE DATABASE OF ALL THE CITY CLUBS AND IF YOUR CIVIC CLUB IS NOT LISTED ON THE CITY'S WEBSITE, YOU CAN GO TO TX.GOV/OUR NEIGHBORHOODS.
THERE'S A FORM TO UPDATE OR PUT INFORMATION IN ABOUT YOUR CIVIC CLUB.
WE WOULD ENCOURAGE EVERYBODY TO SHARE THIS INFORMATION, UM, WITH YOUR SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD.
ASK THEM TO PLEASE, UH, SHARE IT WITH THE CIVIC CLUBS AND VARIOUS, UH, ORGANIZATIONS THAT MAKE UP YOUR SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD, UM, SO THAT THEY CAN MAKE SURE THAT JACK'S DATABASE IS UP TO DATE.
IF THERE'S NO OTHER BUSINESS THAT ANYBODY WOULD LIKE TO BRING UP, I THINK THIS MIGHT BE A RECORD
DO I HEAR A MOTION TO ADJOURN? I MOVE THIS SECOND DEXTER.
ALRIGHT, THANK Y'ALL VERY MUCH.
WE'LL SEE YOU AT THE APRIL MEETING ON APRIL 10TH.
AGAIN, IF YOU'RE INTERESTED IN BEING SECRETARY, PLEASE REACH OUT TO US AND LET US KNOW.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH EVERYBODY.