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AFTERNOON.TODAY IS WEDNESDAY, JULY 17TH, 2024.
[Prohibited Yard Parking Hearing]
IT IS NOW 3:30 PM MY NAME IS THERESA GEISER, AND AS THE HEARING OFFICIAL, I'D LIKE TO WELCOME YOU TO THE PUBLIC HEARING, UH, ON THE PROHIBITED YARD PARKING ORDINANCE.UM, PARTICIPATION GUIDELINES FOR THIS IN-PERSON HEARING ONLY ARE ONE.
THEY ARE, UH, PICK UP THE TRANSMISSION THROUGHOUT THE ROOM, SO IT'S HELPFUL IF YOU KEEP YOUR SI YOUR DEVICES SILENCED AFTER STAFF PRESENTS THE ITEM.
I'LL RECOGNIZE KNOWN SPEAKERS FIRST AND THEN ASK FOR ANY ADDITIONAL SPEAKERS.
ALL COMMENTS AND TESTIMONY MUST BE AUDIBLE.
THE DIRECTOR OF THE PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT APPOINTED ME TO CONDUCT THESE HEARINGS PURSUANT TO SECTION 28 3 0 3 L IN THE CITY ORDINANCE.
CITY COUNCIL PASSED THE PARKING AND YARDS ORDINANCE IN JANUARY OF 2009 TO ADDRESS GROWING CONCERNS ABOUT THE PARKING OF VEHICLES AND EQUIPMENT IN THE FRONT AND SIDE, YARDS OF SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENCES IN SOME NEIGHBORHOODS.
IN SO DOING, THEY IDENTIFIED THREE SPECIFIC REASONS WHY THIS ORDINANCE WAS NECESSARY.
ONE, TO PREVENT THE POTENTIAL DECREASE IN PROPERTY VALUES WHERE THE PRACTICE OF PARKING VEHICLES AND EQUIPMENT ON LAWNS IS PREVALENT.
TWO, TO ADDRESS THE DETERIORATION OF THE AESTHETIC APPEARANCE OF SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENTIAL AREAS WHERE THERE IS A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF PARKING OF VEHICLES AND EQUIPMENT ON LAWNS.
AND THREE, TO PREVENT THE POSSIBILITY OF UNDERGROUND INFRASTRUCTURE DAMAGE CAUSED BY THE WEIGHT OF VEHICLES OR EQUIPMENT PARKED ON LAWNS.
WE ARE HERE TODAY TO DISCUSS ONE APPLICATION THAT HAS BEEN SUBMITTED BY A RESIDENT ORGANIZATION.
THIS HEARING WAS SCHEDULED BECAUSE AT LEAST ONE PROTEST WAS FILED REGARDING THE APPLICATION ERROR ON TODAY'S AGENDA.
TODAY'S AGENDA CONSISTS OF THE APPLICATION OF TANGLE WILD SI CIVIC CLUB.
THE PROHIBITED YARD PARKING ORDINANCE APPLICATION NUMBER IS 23 11 0 1.
THE APPLICATION INCLUDES 684 LOTS WITHIN SECTIONS ONE THROUGH EIGHT OF THE TANGLEWOOD SUBDIVISION.
TWO PROTEST LETTERS WERE RECEIVED BY THE DEADLINE.
THE PURPOSE OF THIS HEARING IS TO DETERMINE IF THE APPLICANT HAS MET CERTAIN CRITERIA WHICH ARE NECESSARY FOR THE ORDINANCE TO BE RECOMMENDED FOR APPROVAL TO THE CITY COUNCIL.
A FINDING AT THIS HEARING THAT THESE REQUIREMENTS HAVE BEEN MET AND THAT THE APPLICATION SHOULD BE PRESENTED TO THE CITY COUNCIL FOR CONSIDERATION IS NOT THE FINAL STEP IN THE PROCESS.
ONLY THE HOUSTON CITY COUNCIL HAS THE AUTHORITY TO PASS THIS ORDINANCE PROHIBITING THE PARKING OF VEHICLES AND EQUIPMENT IN THE FRONT AND SIDE YARDS.
THE ORDINANCE APPLIES TO SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENCES ONLY AND DOES NOT APPLY TO COMMERCIAL OR MULTIFAMILY STRUCTURES.
THE ORDINANCE ALLOWS THE HEARING OFFICER TO CONSIDER THREE CRITERIA.
FIRST, WHETHER THE APPLICATION COMPLIES WITH THE SUBMITTAL REQUIREMENTS AS OUTLINED IN THE ORDINANCE.
SECONDLY, WHETHER THE RESIDENTIAL AREA DESCRIBED IN THE APPLICATION CONTAINS AT LEAST FIVE CONTIGUOUS BLOCK FACES AND THIRD WEATHER.
THE CURBSIDE PARKING AREAS WITHIN THE RESIDENTIAL SUBDIVISION ARE SUFFICIENT TO ACCOMMODATE THE NUMBER OF VEHICLES OR EQUIPMENT TYPICALLY PARKED WITHIN THE AREA.
IF THESE C3 CRITERIA AND THE EVIDENCE PRESENTED TODAY DEMONSTRATE A LIKELIHOOD THAT ONE OR MORE OF THE PROBLEMS THAT PROMPTED THE CREATION OF THIS ORDINANCE IS PRESENT, THEN THE APPLICATION WILL BE FAVORABLY RECOMMENDED TO CITY COUNCIL.
THE DECISIONS ON THE APPLICATION WILL BE SET FORTH IN WRITING AND COPIES OF THE HEARING RESULTS WILL BE MAILED TO THE APPLICANTS AND PROTESTORS WHOSE NAMES WE HAVE ON RECORD.
COPIES WILL BE MADE AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST TO ANY OTHER INTERESTED PARTY SPEAKERS.
EACH PERSON WHO HAS SIGN SUBMITTED A SPEAKER SIGN AND REQUEST WILL BE GIVEN THREE MINUTES TO SPEAK.
EACH SPEAKER ONLY SPEAKS ONCE AT THE START OF THE HEARING, I WILL GIVE THE APPLICANT OR THE REPRESENTATIVE SPEAKING ON BEHALF OF THE APPLICANT THE OPTION OF SPEAKING FIRST OR LAST, EITHER BEFORE OR AFTER THE OTHER SPEAKERS.
THERE WILL BE ONLY ONE SPEAKER PER HOUSEHOLD AND THERE WILL BE NO OPPORTUNITIES FOR REBUTTALS.
PLEASE NO AUDIBLE DISPLAYS OF SUPPORT OR OPPOSITION FOR THOSE WHO ARE SPEAKING.
WHEN YOU APPROACH THE PODIUM, PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME FOR THE RECORD AND ADDRESS YOUR COMMENTS TO ME AND NOT TO OTHER RESIDENTS IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD OR OTHER PEOPLE IN THE ROOM.
WHEN YOU'RE MAKING YOUR COMMENT, PLEASE REFRAIN FROM ANY DISPARAGING
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REMARKS AND KEEP YOUR COMMENTS RELEVANT TO THE MATTER AT HAND.IF SOMEONE ELSE HAS ALREADY MADE THE POINTS YOU INTENDED TO MAKE, YOU MAY SIMPLY APPROACH THE PODIUM.
STATE YOUR NAME FOR THE RECORD AND STATE YOUR POSITION.
IN OTHER WORDS, WHETHER YOU SUPPORT OR OPPOSE THE APPLICATION OF THIS PARKING ORDINANCE TO YOUR AREA.
AT THIS TIME, I WOULD LIKE TO OPEN THE HEARING.
MAY I HAVE THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT STAFF REPORT? MS. SAWYER, GOOD AFTERNOON.
MY NAME IS TANYA SAWYER WITH THE PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT.
THE PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT HAS RECEIVED AN APPLICATION FOR THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A PROHIBITED YARD PARKING AREA FOR TANGLE WILD SUBDIVISION SECTIONS ONE THROUGH EIGHT.
THE APPLICATION AREA CONSISTS OF A TOTAL OF 684 LOTS, WHICH INCLUDES 683 SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENTIAL PROPERTIES REPRESENTING 99% OF THE APPLICATION AREA.
THE APPLICATION AREA INCLUDES A MINIMUM OF FIVE CONTIGUOUS BLACK FACES.
A LETTER SIGNED BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE TANGO WILD CIVIC CLUB WAS SUBMITTED.
NOTICES WERE MAILED TO PROPERTY OWNERS BY STAFF ON MAY 24TH, 2024.
THE APPLICANT PROVIDED NOTICE BY THE POSTING OF SIGNS AND NEWSLETTER DISTRIBUTIONS, WHICH WAS VERIFIED BY STAFF ON MAY 31ST, 2024.
TWO VALID PROTESTS WERE FILED TIMELY PRIOR TO JUNE TH TO THE JUNE 13TH DEADLINE.
TWO PROTESTS WERE SUBMITTED AFTER THE JUNE 13TH DEADLINE.
THE APPLICANT SUBMITTED PHOTOS OF PROPERTIES WITHIN THE AREA WHERE SUCH OFFENSES ARE TAKING PLACE.
AT THIS TIME, WE WOULD LIKE TO OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING.
WHEN I CALL SPEAKER, YOU'LL HAVE THREE MINUTES TIME BY STAFF.
WHEN YOU BEGIN SPEAKING, PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME AND YOUR POSITION.
ARE YOU FOR OR AGAINST THIS PROHIBITED YARD PARKING ORDINANCE APPLICATION? THEN AGAIN, MAKE YOUR COMMENTS AND SHOW ME ANY EVIDENCE FOR YOUR POSITION.
STAFF CAN HELP YOU WITH EVIDENCE EXHIBITS ON THE SCREEN VIA THE DOCUMENT CAMERA, WHICH WILL BE TO YOUR RIGHT, UH, RIGHT NEXT TO THE PODIUM.
THE FIRST, UH, THAT I'D LIKE TO CALL IS MR. KEVIN WHITE.
WOULD YOU LIKE TO SPEAK NOW OR AT THE END, SIR? UM, I'M FINE TO LEAD OFF IF THAT'S SUPER.
HOPE EVERYONE IS RECOVERING FROM THE HURRICANE.
I'M HAPPY WE GOT TO HAVE THIS MEETING.
IT, IT'S BEEN A PROCESS, SO I APPRECIATE EVERYONE WHO'S HERE.
QUICK QUESTION FOR YOU, MS. SAWYER TOLD ME I SHOULD ASK YOU.
I DO HAVE SOME NEIGHBORS WHO SUBMITTED COMMENTS WHO COULDN'T MAKE IT DOWN HERE.
I DON'T IF YOU'D LIKE ME TO READ THEM TO YOU, I CAN.
I THOUGHT I WOULD ASK WHICH YOU PREFER.
MR. WHITEHEAD, HOW MANY DO YOU HAVE AND WHAT IS THEIR POSITION SUPPORTIVE OR OPPOSED? WELL, WE HAVE A DOZEN ALL SUPPORTIVE, AND I HAVE ONE EMAIL I JUST RECEIVED FROM ONE OF OUR BOARD MEMBERS.
HE ASKED IF I COULD READ THAT ONE.
UM, I I'M HAPPY TO SUBMIT THE WRITTEN ONES.
I CAN READ THE ONE IF YOU'D LIKE IT.
YOU'RE, THANK YOU, MR. WHITEHEAD.
UH, SINCE YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES TOTAL, UH, IF YOU'D LIKE TO PROVIDE THE WRITTEN ONES TO OUR STAFF, WE'LL HAVE THOSE IN THE RECORD.
YOU'VE ARTICULATED THEY'RE IN SUPPORT, WHICH IS HELPFUL TO KNOW.
UM, SO PLEASE PROCEED AS YOU'D LIKE WITH YOUR COMMENTS AND OR, UH, READING SOMEONE ELSE'S COMMENTS.
UM, AS YOU KNOW, I'M KEVIN WHITEHEAD.
I AM THE PRESIDENT OF THE TANGLE WILD CIVIC CLUB.
WE FORMED THE CLUB ROUGHLY ONE YEAR AGO AFTER A, A PREVIOUS CLUB HAD DISBANDED FOR ABOUT FOUR OR FIVE YEARS.
WE WERE WITHOUT ONE, SO WE FORMED THE CLUB TO ADDRESS NEIGHBORHOOD QUALITY OF LIFE ISSUES AND CONCERNS.
WE WERE HEARING FROM NEIGHBORS ABOUT THE DECLINE OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND PROPERTY VALUES.
UM, IT IS MY 14TH YEAR LIVING IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
IN ADDITION TO HELPING FORM THIS CIVIC CLUB, I'VE HELPED ORGANIZE OUR NEIGHBORHOOD 4TH OF JULY PARADE SINCE 2019.
UM, PUT OUT A NEIGHBORHOOD NEWSLETTER SINCE 2021.
UM, WE'VE DONE NATIONAL NIGHT OUT EVENTS.
WE'VE ADDRESSED PUBLIC SAFETY ISSUES.
WE, WE'VE HAD AN AFTER HOURS CLUB PROBLEM THAT WE'VE, UH, WORKED ON WITH VARIOUS PEOPLE.
NONE OF THAT IS MEANT TO BRAG, BUT IT'S JUST TO SAY THAT MY SIGNIFICANT OTHER COLLEAGUE WHO IS HERE TODAY, AND I HAVE GROWN MORE ENGAGED IN THIS GREAT 1950S ERA NEIGHBORHOOD THAT KIND OF FEELS LIKE IT'S IN TRANSITION.
WE'VE TRIED TO BECOME PEOPLE WHO TAKE ACTION TO MAKE THINGS BETTER RATHER THAN JUST COMPLAINING AND WONDERING WHAT CAN BE DONE.
UM, AND WE FEEL LIKE WE KNOW OUR NEIGHBORS AND THEIR CONCERNS.
WE DO A LOT OF SOCIAL ACTIVITIES.
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ENGAGED IN THIS NEIGHBORHOOD AND, AND WE'VE GROWN TO REALLY CARE ABOUT IT.ONE OF THE BIGGEST COMPLAINTS WE'VE HEARD FROM NEIGHBORS FOR A GOOD LONG TIME AS THEY DON'T LIKE PEOPLE PARKING IN THEIR YARDS.
THEY'VE TOLD, YOU KNOW, SOME HAVE TOLD ME WE'VE CALLED 3 1 1 TO COMPLAIN AND THEY TELL ME THEY CAN'T DO ANYTHING THAT'S OUTRAGEOUS.
YEAH, THAT'S TRUE, BUT WE HAVE SOME MECHANISMS TO ADDRESS THAT.
BUT EVERY TIME THEY HEAR THAT FROM 3 1 1, I, I HOPE THEY'RE NOT ABUSING THE 3 1 1 PEOPLE, BUT THEY'RE APPALLED AND, AND THEY WANT ACTION.
UM, AND SO AT SOME POINT YOU, YOU, YOU KNOW, GET TIRED OF HEARING ALL OF THAT AND YOU SAY, WELL, WHAT CAN WE DO? OUR COUNCIL MEMBER KIND OF RECOMMENDED, HEY, THERE, THERE'S THIS ACTION WE CAN TAKE.
IT'S KIND OF WHY WE'RE HERE TODAY.
UM, AND, AND SOME OF OUR EARLY MEETINGS, BOTH THE SOCIAL ACTIVITIES, BUT OUR EARLY MEETINGS OF THE CIVIC CLUB, UM, OUR, OUR NEIGHBORS WHO CAME, WERE OVERWHELMINGLY IN FAVOR OF THIS, UM, AT THE MEETING OF THE BOARD TO AUTHORIZE US TO BRING THE APPLICATION.
UM, WE INVITED NEIGHBORS IN, IN FAVOR AND OPPOSED TO SPEAK, EVERYONE WAS IN FAVOR.
WE HAD ABOUT 40 OR 50 PEOPLE IN THAT ROOM AT LOS TES THAT DAY.
THE BOARD VOTED UNANIMOUSLY TO PROCEED.
UM, AND I DO WANT TO THANK MS. SAWYER FOR HER HELP.
IT'S BEEN A PROCESS AND A VERY INVOLVED PROCESS.
I, I THINK THE CITY HAS MADE THIS FAIR FOR EVERYONE.
SO I JUST APPRECIATE EVERYONE HERE WHO'S HELPING US WORK THROUGH THIS AND ESPECIALLY MISS SAW YOUR SO I COULD GET EVERYTHING RIGHT.
MR. WHITEHEAD, ARE YOU FINISHED? I'M SORRY IF YOU'D LIKE TO WRAP UP FOR US.
I I CAN SHARE MY, UH, DOCUMENT CAMERA.
I I CAN SHARE MY ONE, UH, VICE PRESIDENT OF THE CIVIC CLUB DID EMAIL ME AND ASK IF I COULD READ HIS COMMENTS.
SO WITH YOUR PERMISSION, I'LL GO AHEAD AND DO THAT VERY QUICKLY.
IF YOU DON'T MIND, I'LL HAVE HIM AT, I'LL CALL YOU, SPEAK ON HIS BEHALF AT THE END OF THE SESSION IF YOU'LL TURN IN A FORM FOR ME REPRESENTING HIM.
THE NEXT SPEAKER THAT I HAVE, UH, MR. JAMES SCHAFER.
MY NAME IS JAMES SCHAFER AND I'M OPPOSED TO THE ORDINANCE.
THE FIRST QUALIFICATION IS IZATION OF PROPERTY VALUES.
I WOULD LIKE TO GIVE EXHIBIT FROM ZILLOW.
THIS IS THE PROPERTY VALUES OF ONE OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF THE CIVIC CLUB.
IF YOU'LL NOTE OVER ABOUT A FOUR YEAR PERIOD, THERE'S A 50% INCREASE IN PROPERTY VALUES.
SO WITH SUCH AN INCREASE, I DON'T THINK YOU CAN SAY THAT THERE'S A ATIVE AMOUNT OF PROPERTY VALUES IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
IT SAYS IT NEEDS A SIGNIFICANT OR PREVALENT OCCURRENCE.
THE PERSON THAT APPLIED SAID THAT THERE ARE 12 OUT OF 684 PROPERTIES AFFECTED.
THIS DOES NOT SEEM TO BE SIGNIFICANT OR PREVALENT.
THIRD, IT SAYS THERE NEEDS TO BE DAMAGE TO INFRASTRUCTURE.
I HAVE HEARD NOTHING SAID THAT THERE'S DAMAGE TO ANY INFRASTRUCTURE, UM, DUE TO PUBLIC PARKING.
THE CIVIC CLUB WAS FORMED AND THE NEIGHBORHOOD WAS NOT NOTIFIED.
HE SAID HE REPRESENTS ABOUT 50 PEOPLE OUT OF 684.
I DON'T THINK THAT REPRESENTS THE AREA.
I THINK THAT THE APPLICATION SHOULD HAVE TO BE DONE BY A HOMEOWNER, WHICH REQUIRES A 60% RIDDEN CONFIRMATION FROM THE NEIGHBORHOOD SO THAT IT WOULD GO THROUGH.
UM, AND SO THERE'S THE 60% REQUIREMENT AND I THINK THEY SHOULD HAVE TO FOLLOW THE HOMEOWNER PETITION.
THE CIVIC CLUB SAYS THAT THIS IS AN AREA OF AFFORDABLE HOMES, SO I DON'T KNOW WHY HE'S TRYING TO DRIVE UP PROPERTY VALUES.
THE CIVIC CLUB ACTUALLY BROKE THE DEED RESTRICTIONS OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD BY POSTING THE SIGNS.
THERE ARE NO ALLOWED SIGNS TO BE POSTED BY POSTING THE SIGNS ABOUT THIS MEETING.
THEY BROKE OUR OWN DEED RESTRICTIONS THAT THE CIVIC CLUB SAYS THAT THEY ARE HERE TO MAINTAIN.
CIVIC CLUB WAS SUPPOSED TO NOTIFY EVERYBODY ABOUT IT.
THIS IS THE CALENDAR FROM THE CIVIC CLUB.
YOU CAN SEE THAT THERE IS NO MEETING ON IT.
THERE'S NO 4TH OF JULY CELEBRATION THAT HE NOTED BECAUSE THEY DO NOT NOTIFY PEOPLE.
THE CIVIC CLUB ACTIVELY SEEKS PEOPLE TO BREAK THE LAW.
HE RECOMMENDED IN HIS NEWSLETTER TO CONTACT LINEMEN OUT IN THE STREET AND TRIED TO GET THEM TO REPAIR YOUR HOUSE IF YOUR POWER IS OUT AND HE NOTES MULTIPLE TIMES, THIS IS AGAINST WHAT THE PUBLIC SAFETY OFFICERS WOULD DO.
THEN HE, INSTEAD OF USING 3 1 1, WENT STRAIGHT TO THE CITY AND TRIED TO USE HIS POSITION TO GET A TREE REMOVED FROM THE STREET EARLY
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AND TALKS ABOUT THAT THE CIVIC CLUB DID NOT FUND THE JULY 4TH.THAT WAS DONE BY A PRIVATE CITIZEN, WHICH HAPPENS TO BE ONE OF THE BOARD MEMBERS.
BUT THEY HAND OUT LOTS OF FLYERS ABOUT THESE GET TOGETHERS, BUT NONE ABOUT THE CIVIC CLUB.
MY TIME IS UP, BUT I HAVE MORE.
WOULD YOU WRAP UP WITH JUST A FEW MOMENTS FOR US, PLEASE? MY WRAP UP IS THAT I'M OPPOSED TO THE APPLICATION BY THE CIVIC CLUB BECAUSE I DO NOT BELIEVE IT REPRESENTS THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
PREVIOUSLY, THEIR WEBSITE NOTED THAT THEY FORMED THE CLUB ONLY TO APPLY FOR THIS APPLICATION.
I BELIEVE THEY USE THE NAME OF CIVIC CLUB TO GET AROUND THE 60% REQUIREMENT.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS, SIR.
COULD YOU SHOW THIRD SPEAKER I HAVE IS MARK CAN CANTON PLEASE? I ACTUALLY CAN'T SPEAK BECAUSE I I'M IN THE SAME HOUSEHOLD.
ALRIGHT, THANK YOU FOR LETTING US KNOW.
NO, I DON'T HAVE MUCH PREPARED, BUT, UM, I AM THE SECRETARY OF THE CIVIC CLUB AND WANTED, UM, TO JUST LET EVERYONE, I'M ABSOLUTELY FOR THE YARD, THE BANON YARD PARKING.
UH, I HAVE A 7-YEAR-OLD SON AND MY HUSBAND AND WE WORK FROM HOME AND FROM OFFICES AND WE ARE AROUND THE NEIGHBORHOOD ALL DAY AND I CARE A LOT ABOUT THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
WE'VE, I'VE BEEN IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD MYSELF FOR OVER 16 YEARS, UM, AND HAVE SEEN A DECLINE IN WHAT I WOULD CONSIDER THE SAFETY AND THE AESTHETIC OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD TO THE POINT WHERE I DON'T LET MY SON RIDE HIS BIKE.
YOU KNOW, IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD WE GO TO, WE DRIVE THE BIKE TO MY PARENTS' NEIGHBORHOOD OR TO A PARK BECAUSE OF, YOU KNOW, CONCERN.
AND AS THINGS LIKE PEOPLE INCREASING PARKING IN YARDS, UM, HAPPEN.
I THINK IT ALLOWS MORE PEOPLE TO THINK OF OUR NEIGHBORHOOD AS A SAFE PLACE TO PASS TO, A GOOD PLACE TO PASS THROUGH, UM, FROM WESTHEIMER, UM, ONTO GESNER AND VICE VERSA.
PEOPLE A LOT OF TIME WILL, WILL DRIVE THROUGH THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND I THINK AS MORE PEOPLE ARE PARKING IN THE YARDS AND THE AESTHETIC IS GOING DOWN, PEOPLE ARE LIKE, AH, I'LL JUST, IT, IT CREATES MORE TRAFFIC AS THE AESTHETIC OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD GOES DOWN AND KIND OF THE PERCEIVED VALUE OF THE HOMES THERE.
UM, AND THAT'S NOT GREAT FOR MY FAMILY.
IT'S NOT GREAT FOR THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
IT'S NOT A GREAT WAY FOR, FOR OTHER FAMILIES COMING IN TO REALLY LIVE THEIR LIVES AND HAVE THEIR CHILDREN OUT IN THE STREET AND WANTING TO HAVE A REALLY NICE COMMUNITY.
SO I, FOR THAT REASON, I THINK JUST HAVING THE BOATS AND THE CARS AND THE TRUCKS AND THE YARD IS REALLY KIND OF DISRUPTIVE TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND JUST MAKES IT LOOK NOT PLEASANT AND INCREASES, YOU KNOW, TRAFFIC AND POTENTIAL CRIME IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
AND, UH, I, YOU STATED AT THE BEGINNING YOU WERE SUPPORTIVE OF THE APPLICATION.
AND WOULD YOU PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME FOR THE RECORD? MORGAN LEE HORVITZ.
THE NEXT SPEAKER IS BRUCE WILKERSON TO BE FOLLOWED BY MC SWEARINGEN AFTERNOON.
UH, I HAVE OWNED MY HOME IN TANGLE WILD SINCE 1986, WHICH IS, UH, WAS IT 38 YEARS.
AND I AM IN SUPPORT OF THE, OF THE ORDINANCE AND I WANT TO SEE THE PROPERTY VALUE MAINTAINED AND THE SAFETY AND THE, UM, INTEGRITY OF THE, UH, NEIGHBORHOOD.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR COMMENTS, SIR.
THIS IS THE LAST SPEAKER I HAVE SIGNED.
I'M SORRY I CANNOT READ YOUR NAME.
WOULD YOU TELL ME PLEASE? MY NAME IS THERESA GEISER.
AND TO MY ACQUAINTANCES, I AM BOTH FOR AND AGAINST THE ORDINANCE.
AND THIS IS WHY I THINK I KNOW THAT CARS OUGHT NOT PARK ON SOIL.
I WILL EXPAND ON THAT IN A MOMENT.
AND AT THE SAME TIME, WE SHOULD CONSIDER THE EXPERIENCE OF WESTBURY,
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ANOTHER SECTION OF HOUSTON.I WAS TOLD BY A LONGTIME RESIDENT THERE THAT AS SOON AS THEY PASSED AN ORDINANCE AGAINST PARKING ON THE SOIL, PEOPLE STARTED PAVING THEIR FRONT YARDS AND SO THERE WAS MORE PAVEMENT.
AND WHAT THAT MEANS IS MORE RAINFALL RUNNING OFF INTO THE STREET.
IT IS NO SURPRISE THAT HOUSTON HAS A FLOODING PROBLEM.
IN FACT, THE STREET IN FRONT OF MY HOUSE FLOODS EVERY TIME WE HAVE A SIGNIFICANT RAIN.
SO IF I HAD A MEDICAL EMERGENCY DURING SUCH A FLOOD, I WOULD HAVE TO DEPEND ON SOMEONE ELSE TO GET ME OUT OUT OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
ONE OF THE HOMES IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD HAS BECOME, UH, BY DEFINITION A LODGING HOUSE AND THERE ARE NINE CARS GENERALLY PARKED IN FRONT OF THAT SUBURBAN RESIDENCE.
UM, I COMPLAINED TO TIFFANY THOMAS AND HER STAFF, UM, SOON AFTER I NOTICED THIS PREDICTING THAT IT WOULD KILL SOME OF THE TREES IN THE FRONT YARD.
AND BEHOLD NOW AT LEAST ONE TREE IN THE FRONT YARD THERE IS DEAD BECAUSE SO MANY CARS RAN ACROSS THE SOIL.
THE LIFE AND DEATH MATTER THAT IS ADDRESSED BY THIS ISSUE IS THAT WHEN WE PARK ON THE SOIL OR OTHERWISE COMPACT THE SOIL THAT PUSHES THE AIR OUT BETWEEN THE LITTLE GRAINS OF ROCK AND THE LITTLE GRAINS OF CLAY, IT PROHIBITS WORMS, UM, FUNGUS, BENEFICIAL FUNGUS, TREE ROOTS, PLANT ROOTS FROM GROWING IN THAT SOIL.
AND AS WE KILL OUR SOIL, WE MAKE IT HARDER AND HARDER FOR THE NEXT GENERATION TO LIVE ON THIS SOIL.
UM, SO I AM BOTH FOR THE ORDINANCE TO PREVENT CARS FROM PARKING ON THE SOIL, BUT I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT ADDED TO THAT IS A PROHIBITION OF SOME DEGREE OF SIMPLY PAVING OVER MORE SOIL.
AT THIS TIME I'D LIKE TO CALL FOR COMMENTS, UH, BY SETH MILLER WILL BE PRESENTED BY KEVIN WHITEHEAD.
THANKS FOR ALLOWING ME TO DO THIS.
SETH WAS ACTUALLY, HE THOUGHT HE MIGHT MAKE IT, HE INJURED HIS ANKLE SEVERELY HELPING, UM, A NEIGHBOR CLEAN UP AFTER THE HURRICANE.
AND SO HE HAD HOPED TO BE RECOVERED BUT JUST WASN'T ABLE TO MAKE IT.
SO, I'M SORRY TO INTERRUPT, BUT IF YOU'LL SAY HIS NAME FOR THE RECORD OF WHO YOU'RE SPEAKING ON BEHALF OF.
SO I'M READING THIS FOR SETH MILLER.
HE LIVES AT 95 35 BEVERLY HILL STREET.
AS A FORMER OPERATOR OF PRIVATE WATER DISTRICT FOR OVER SIX YEARS, I'VE SEEN FIRSTHAND THE DAMAGE THAT CAN BE DONE OVER TIME TO HOUSE LINES AND SERVICE LINES CONNECTED TO THE WATER MAIN BY PARKING ON YARDS AND ROAD BRIDGES.
IT ALSO COMPACTS THE TERRAIN TO REDUCE RAINWATER ABSORPTION AND CAN KILL NEARBY TREE ROOTS.
NOT TO MENTION THE EYE SOURCE AESTHETIC IT BRINGS TO A NEIGHBORHOOD TRYING TO MAINTAIN OR IMPROVE ITS PROPERTY VALUE.
AND SETH WANTED US TO KNOW HE'S IN SUPPORT OF THE ORDINANCE.
HE'S ALSO A MEMBER OF, SORRY, AN OFFICER OF THE CIVIC CLUB.
THOSE ARE ALL THE SPEAKERS THAT I HAVE SIGNED IN ADVANCE.
IS THERE ANYONE, ANYONE ELSE IN THE AUDIENCE WHO WOULD LIKE TO APPROACH THE PODIUM, BE RECOGNIZED TO SPEAK AT THIS TIME? THANK YOU.
I DO HAVE ONE QUESTION, IF I MAY.
UH, WOULD YOU TALK TO US ABOUT THE CIVIC CLUB, UH, REGISTRATION? THAT QUESTION CAME UP DURING THE SPEAKER'S TESTIMONIES.
SO THAT IS ONE OF THE REQUIREMENTS.
WHEN YOU ARE APPLYING FOR THE PROHIBITED YARD PARKING APPLICATION TO BE A CIVIC CLUB, YOU HAVE THE OPTION OF AN HOA CIVIC CLUB OR INDIVIDUAL.
AND THAT IS ONE OF THE REQUIREMENTS THAT YOU ARE CERTIFIED WITH THE, WITH THE STATE TO THAT YOU HAVE, THAT YOU ARE A, IN FACT A CIVIC CLUB.
OKAY, SO I HAVE THE DOCUMENTATION CERTIFICATE OF FILING
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OF THE TANGO WILD CIVIC CLUB BY THE OFFICE OF SECRETARY OF THE STATE OF TEXAS, ALONG WITH THEIR FILING NUMBER.SO THIS LEGITIMIZED THEM BEING A CIVIC CLUB.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT EXPLANATION.
UH, HEARING NO OTHER SPEAKERS, THE HEARING ON AGENDA ITEM NUMBER ONE IS NOW CLOSED.
I WOULD LIKE TO REMIND YOU THAT THE PURPOSE OF THIS HEARING WAS TO DETERMINE WHETHER OR NOT CERTAIN REQUIREMENTS OUTLINED IN THE ORDINANCE WERE MET.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TESTIMONIES AND ONLY THE CITY COUNCIL HAS THE AUTHORITY TO PASS THE ORDINANCE PROHIBITING THE PARKING OF VEHICLES AND EQUIPMENT IN, IN THE FRONT AND SIDE YARDS.
THANK YOU FOR COMING OUT TODAY AND GETTING INVOLVED IN THE FUTURE OF YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, REPRESENTATIVES FROM THE PARK DEPARTMENT OF PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT ARE HERE AND ARE AVAILABLE TO SPEAK WITH YOU.
AND WITH THAT, THE PROHIBITED YARD PARKING HEARING FOR TODAY IS ADJOURNED.