[Service Delivery Committee on March 26, 2025.]
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STAFF FROM COUNCIL MEMBER SHABAZZ'S OFFICE, ALCORN FLICKINGER, THOMAS RAMIREZ CASTILLO, AND, UM, VICE MAYOR PRO, TIM TATUM.
UM, I KNOW WE HAVE SOME COUNCIL MEMBERS THAT'S GONNA BE LISTENING IN BECAUSE THIS IS A VERY IMPORTANT, UM, TOPIC.
UM, COUNCIL MEMBER THOMAS, SHE JUST, UM, SHARED WITH ME, SHE HAS SOME COMMENTS THAT SHE WANT TO MAKE.
SO I WANNA THANK THEM FOR, UM, BRINGING THIS, UM, PRESENTATION, UM, FORWARD.
BUT THIS MEETING HAS BEEN HELD IN HYBRID MODE IN PERSON AND VIRTUALLY, AND IT IS OPEN TO THE PUBLIC.
THE CHAIR IS PRESIDING OFFICE OF THE COMMITTEE IS PHYSICALLY PRESENT IN THE CHAMBERS, UM, IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE PROVISIONS OF SECTION 5 5 1 DASH 12 SEVEN OF THE TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE APPLICABLE TO A GOVERNMENTAL BODY THAT EXTENDS INTO THREE OR MORE COUNTIES.
ALL OTHER COMMITTEE MEMBERS HAVE THE OPTION TO PARTICIPATE IN PERSON VIRTUALLY VIA TEAMS. AND AGAIN, TODAY WE'LL BE HEARING PRESENTATIONS FROM HPD, UM, LIEUTENANT LEWIS PARKER, AND SERGEANT MICHAEL PROVOST.
UM, WE WILL BE HEARING PRESENTATIONS ABOUT AUTO REPAIR SHOPS AND RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOODS.
UM, I'M EXCITED ABOUT THIS PRESENTATION.
AGAIN, I WANT TO THANK COUNCIL MEMBER ALCORN AND THOMAS FOR, UM, BRINGING THIS ISSUE FORWARD.
UM, THIS IS AN ISSUE THAT MANY OF US DEAL WITH, UM, WITHIN OUR, UM, NEIGHBORHOODS RESPECTED DISTRICTS.
UM, DISTRICT B, WE DEAL WITH A LOT OF THESE TYPE OF ISSUES, AND SO I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO LEARNING HOW WE CAN, UM, MITIGATE IT.
AND SO, COUNCIL MEMBERS AND STAFF, PLEASE HOLD YOUR QUESTIONS TO THE END OF THE PRESENTATION.
UM, IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO ASK A QUESTION AND YOU'RE IN CHAMBERS, JUST ASK TO SPEAK.
IF YOU'D JOINING VIRTUALLY TYPE REQUEST TO SPEAK IN THE CHAT POD AND YOU WILL BE RECOGNIZED IN ORDER.
UM, WHEN YOU ARE RECOGNIZED, PLEASE UNMUTE YOUR MICROPHONE AND ENSURE YOUR CAMERA IS ON, AND YOU WILL BE ADVISED WHEN THE TWO MINUTES HAVE EXPIRED.
AND COUNCIL MEMBERS THAT ARE ATTENDING VIRTUALLY USE THE CHAT POD IF YOU EXPERIENCE ANY PROBLEMS. SO, WITH THAT BEING SAID, WE HAVE TWO PEOPLE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK, UM, FOR PUBLIC COMMENT.
AND SO IF YOU'VE ANYONE ELSE IS IN THE CHAMBERS WANNA SPEAK, JUST LET US KNOW.
AND SO, WITH THAT SAID, WE WILL INVITE HPD, LIEUTENANT LEWIS PARKER.
AND, UM, SERGEANT MICHAEL PROVOST.
AND WE'VE BEEN JOINED BY STAFF FROM DISTRICT.
I, UM, COUNCIL MEMBER MARTINEZ, THANK YOU.
AND STAFF FROM, UM, COUNCIL MEMBER ABBY CAYMAN'S OFFICE.
AND I THINK WE GOT COUNCIL MEMBER, UM, POLLARD STAFF.
THANK YOU FOR, UM, JOINING US.
THANK YOU FOR HAVING US COME THROUGH
HOW DO YOU TURN THIS MIC ON? MIC? IT'S JUST THAT.
I'M LOUIS PARKER, UM, LIEUTENANT WITH HOUSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT'S, UH, AUTO DEALER DETAIL.
UH, WE FALL UNDER THE AUTO THEFT DIVISION, AND I'VE BEEN A PART OF THE AUTO DEALERS DETAIL FOR, UH, ABOUT GOING ON FOUR YEARS NOW, I THINK IT IS.
AND, UM, ALSO WITH MS. SERGEANT PROVOST, HE'S BEEN ASSIGNED TO AUTO DEALERS FOR PROBABLY OVER 20 YEARS.
UH, SO IT BRINGS A WEALTH OF, UM, HISTORICAL AND INSTITUTIONAL KNOWLEDGE, UH, ABOUT AUTO, AUTO DEALERS DETAILED PRACTICES AND PROCEDURES.
SO THE REASON WHY WE'RE HERE TODAY IS, UH, WE'RE, WE'RE ASKED TO COME BECAUSE THERE'S BEEN MULTIPLE COMPLAINTS, UH, FROM CITIZENS, UM, REGARDING AUTOMOTIVE REPAIR FACILITIES, UM, A ACROSS THE CITY.
AND, UH, IT'S A, UH, IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE TAKE VERY SERIOUSLY, AS I KNOW EACH OF YOU DO AS WELL.
IT'S, UH, AFFECTING, I THINK, THE ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY, UH, NOT TO MENTION THE, UM, UH, THE VALUES OF, OF PROPERTIES, UH, IN, IN CERTAIN AREAS.
AND SO, UM, WHAT THE AUTOMOTIVE REPAIR FACILITIES ARE, ARFS, AS WE CALL THEM, UH, BUT, WELL, LET ME BACK UP.
AUTO, AUTO DEALERS DETAIL IS RESPONSIBLE FOR, UM, REGULATING, UH, BUSINESSES THAT'S RELATED TO THE AUTOMOTIVE INDUSTRY IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
AND SO THESE INCLUDE AUTO REPAIR FACILITIES, UH, MOBILE AUTO REPAIR FACILITIES, UH, RETAIL SUPPLY DEALERS, AUTO PARTS, REBUILDS, AND USE PARTS AND USE ACCESSORY DEALERS AS WELL.
AND WE CONDUCT, UM, INSPECTIONS AND, UH, WE RECEIVE OUR REGULATORY AUTHORITY FROM
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CHAPTER EIGHT OF THE CITY OF HOUSTON CODE OF ORDINANCES.UM, ALSO, SOME BUSINESSES FALL UNDER, UH, THE STATE STATUTES AS WELL, SUCH AS THE OCCUPATIONS CODE AND SO FORTH.
UM, BY DEFINITION, A AUTO, A AUTO REPAIR FACILITY IS DEFINED IN SECTION EIGHT DASH 16 OF THE CITY OF HOUSTON CODE OF ORDINANCES.
AND THAT READS, ANY PERSON WHO ENGAGES IN, CONDUCTS OR CARRIES ON THE PUBLIC BUSINESS OF REPAIRING MOTOR VEHICLES OR MOTOR VEHICLE TRAILERS, OR BOTH.
THIS TERM INCLUDES A MOBILE AUTOMOTIVE REPAIR BUSINESS, UM, AUTOMOTIVE REPAIR FACILITY OVERSIGHT.
THE FOLLOWING BUSINESSES ARE EXAMPLES OF, OF ARF OR AUTOMOTIVE REPAIR FACILITIES, UH, MECHANICS, INCLUDING THOSE ATTACHED TO FRANCHISER DEALERSHIPS, UH, BODY SHOPS, UH, TIRE SHOPS, UM, PLACES THAT DO OIL CHANGES.
UM, AND ALSO, UH, INSPECTION STATIONS ARE NOT INCLUDED.
THEY'RE, THEY'RE ACTUALLY REGULATED, UM, BY THE, THE STATE OF TEXAS, UH, UNLESS THEY PERFORM SOME OTHER TYPE OF, UH, UH, AUTOMOTIVE RELATED DUTY, UH, OR FUNCTION, WHICH WE WOULD REGULATE.
UM, SOME BUSINESSES WILL REQUIRE MORE THAN ONE LICENSE.
UH, FOR EXAMPLE, UH, TIRE SHOPS ALSO NEED A RETAIL SUPPLY DEALER LICENSE AS THEY SELL TIRES.
IN ADDITION TO INSTALLING THEM, UH, IF THEY USE, IF THEY SELL USED TIRES, THEN THEY ALSO NEED A USED PARTS AND USED ACCESSORY DEALER LICENSE.
UM, SOME COMMON AUTO REPAIR FACILITY VIOLATIONS, UH, NO ARF LICENSE, OBVIOUSLY IN ACCORDANCE WITH CODE OF ORDINANCES.
UH, CHAPTER EIGHT, YOU MUST HAVE A LICENSE TO CONDUCT THIS BUSINESS IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
UH, FACILITY REQUIREMENTS SUCH AS PARTS ON THE GROUND, HOW WEEDS, NO, ALL WEATHER SURFACE AND ALL ON THE GROUND IN ACCORDANCE WITH SECTION EIGHT DASH 30 OF CITY OF HOUSTON CODE OF ORDINANCES.
UM, IT, IT, IT REGULATES, UH, HOW THE PLACE SHOULD LOOK OUTSIDE, YOU KNOW, TO THE, THE TYPE OF, UM, UH, CLEANUP, YOU KNOW, THAT THEY SHOULD DO, OR, YOU KNOW, THEY CAN'T HAVE THIS OR OIL OR, YOU KNOW, THAT KIND OF STUFF ON THE GROUND.
UH, ALSO KEEPING CARS FOR MORE THAN 30 DAYS WITHOUT SURROUNDING THE SHOP WITH A SOLID FENCE.
SO IT'S NECESSARY FOR THEM TO PLACE A FENCE AROUND, UH, THE SHOP IF THEY'RE GOING TO, UM, UH, KEEP CARS, UH, FOR OVER 30 DAYS.
AND ALSO FAILURE TO KEEP RECORDS AS REQUIRED BY CITY OF HOUSTON, CODE OF ORDINANCES EIGHT DASH 27.
SO WHAT WE'VE DONE WAS JOTTED DOWN SOME REGULATORY OPPORTUNITIES, YOU KNOW, WAYS IN WHICH AUTO DEALERS OFTEN ENFORCE, UH, OR REGULATE, UH, RFS.
UM, ONE ILL CITATIONS MAY BE ISSUED FOR VIOLATIONS.
IF WE GO OUT AND INSPECT AN AUTO REPAIR FACILITY AND WE OBSERVE VIOLATIONS, UH, THAT, THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT'S INCONSISTENT WITH, UH, THE CODE OF ORDINANCES, THEN WE COULD WRITE THEM CITATIONS, UH, ON THE SPOT.
UM, WE'LL GO OUT, WE'LL, YOU KNOW, ASK TO SEE THEIR, UH, THEIR LICENSE, WHETHER IT BE A CERTIFICATE OF OCCUPANCY OR THEIR ARF LICENSE.
UH, IF THEY DO NOT HAVE A LICENSE, THEN WE ALSO COULD ISSUE A CITATION AS WELL FOR PERSISTENT UNCORRECTED VIOLATIONS BY A LICENSED BUSINESS.
WE ALSO COULD BRING THEM BEFORE, UM, THE AUTOMOTIVE BOARD.
THE AUTOMOTIVE BOARD IS ALSO, UM, UM, SPELLED OUT IN CHAPTER EIGHT OF, UH, CODE OF ORDINANCES.
AND, UH, THEY'RE APPOINTED, UH, MEMBERS OF THAT BOARD ARE APPOINTED BY THE MAYOR.
UM, AS I STATED, FOR BUSINESS WITH NO LICENSE, WE CAN WRITE CITATIONS.
AS A MATTER OF FACT, WE COULD WRITE CITATIONS FOR VIOLATIONS, UH, EVERY SINGLE DAY THAT THEY ARE IN VIOLATION.
UM, THESE ARE REGULATORY OPPORTUNITIES.
UH, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'VE DONE AT AUTO DEALERS DETAIL, UH, BEGINNING NOVEMBER OF 2024, UH, OFFICIALLY BEGINNING THEN, I SHOULD SAY, BECAUSE WE'VE BEEN DOING INSPECTIONS, UH, ALL, ALL WHILE, THAT'S PART OF WHY WE DO WHAT WE DO.
THAT'S, THAT'S PART OF WHY WE EXIST, IS TO DO INSPECTIONS.
AND SO WE'VE BEEN DOING INSPECTIONS ALL ALONG, BUT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I ASKED MY GROUP TO DO IS, UM, LET'S DO HOTSPOT ENFORCEMENTS.
AND SO THAT'S KIND OF WHAT WE'VE BEEN DOING.
AREAS OF TOWN WHERE WE'VE BEEN GETTING THE MOST COMPLAINTS FROM.
UH, FOR EXAMPLE, THE JEANETTA SCHUMACHER AREA, WE STARTED HOT FORCE, UH, HOTSPOT ENFORCEMENT THERE BACK IN NOVEMBER.
AND, UM, UH, SINCE THEN, WE IDENTIFIED 25 NEW BUSINESSES AND ALSO 77 LICENSES, WHICH, UH, UH, NEED TO COME INTO COMPLIANCE.
UM, BUT SOME REGULATORY CHALLENGES.
SOME BUSINESSES APPEAR UNMOVED BY CITATIONS.
UH, AS A MATTER OF FACT, SOME SEEM TO INCLUDE CITATIONS AS PART OF THEIR OPERATING EXPENSES.
UM, BUSINESSES WITH NO LICENSE ARE UNABLE TO BE BROUGHT BEFORE THE BOARD.
UM, IF A BUSINESS HAS A LICENSE, AS I MENTIONED, WE CAN, WE COULD BRING THEM BEFORE THE BOARD, AND THE BOARD WILL CONSIDER TAKING AWAY THEIR LICENSE.
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THE BUSINESS IS ALREADY OPERATING WITH AN OLD LICENSE, WE CAN'T BRING 'EM BEFORE THE BOARD BECAUSE THEY ALREADY DON'T HAVE A LICENSE.UM, A COUPLE RECOMMENDATIONS, UH, THAT WE JOTTED DOWN IS TO BRING TO THE TABLE REGULATORY PARTIES AND STAKEHOLDERS TO ASSIST WITH ENFORCEMENT, INCLUDING NON CITY, UH, PARTNERS.
YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY, UM, PARK HOUSTON AND A'S BEEN INVOLVED.
UM, TS SEC, UH, THE TEXAS COMMISSION OF ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY, I THINK IS A GREAT, UH, PLACE TO REACH OUT TO.
UM, I THINK THEY HAVE A ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY, UH, DEPARTMENT AS WELL.
THE HARRIS COUNTY, UM, ATTORNEY'S OFFICE.
'CAUSE I KNOW THEY DO LIKE NUISANCE AND ABATEMENT AND, YOU KNOW, THAT, UM, UH, BUT JUST BRINGING THESE PARTIES TOGETHER, I THINK, UH, TAKING A MORE OF A COMPREHENSIVE APPROACH IS THE WAY TO ADDRESS THIS IN A LONG TERM.
UH, WE COULD GO OUT THERE, WE COULD WRITE TICKETS AS WE, YOU KNOW, AS WE, WE'VE BEEN DOING.
UM, BUT IT, IT, IT, I THINK THAT'S PROBABLY MORE OF A SHORT TERM, UH, FIX.
YOU KNOW, WE, WE WANT TO GET, UM, BUSINESS IN COMPLIANCE.
AND THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'VE DONE OVER THE LAST FEW MONTHS, IS GOT MULTIPLE BUSINESS IN COMPLIANCE.
AND THAT'S IMPORTANT BECAUSE REMEMBER, ONCE THEY HAVE THAT LICENSE, IF THEY VIOLATE, UM, CITY OF ORDINANCE, THEN WE CAN BRING THEM FOR THE BOARD.
UH, BUT AGAIN, ACROSS THE CITY, THERE ARE MULTIPLE BUSINESSES THAT STILL OPERATING WITHOUT A LICENSE.
UM, BUT ALSO, UH, REVIEW CITY OF HOUSTON, CODE OF ORDINANCES, CHAPTER EIGHT, FOR OPPORTUNITIES TO ADD ADDITIONAL LANGUAGE TO ASSIST WITH RE UH, TO ASSIST WITH REGULATION.
UM, UH, I, I, I, I THINK THERE'S OPPORTUNITIES TO LOOK AT, UH, CHAPTER EIGHT AND, YOU KNOW, SEE PERHAPS WHETHER OR NOT, UM, THERE'S, UH, YOU KNOW, MORE THAT CAN BE ADDED THAT COULD HELP WITH, UH, REGULATION, UH, ALSO OPPORTUNITIES FOR STATUTORY, UH, ENFORCEMENT AS WELL.
YOU KNOW, MAYBE CONSIDER, UM, YOU KNOW, STATE LEGISLATIVE CHANGES THROUGH THE STATE LEGISLATURE AND, AND, UM, AND SO FORTH.
UM, THAT, THAT'S, UH, THAT'S REALLY ALL I HAVE.
UM, DO WE HAVE ANY, ANY QUESTIONS? YES.
THANK YOU FOR THE, UM, PRESENTATION.
UM, LIEUTENANT PARKER, RIGHT? YES, MA'AM.
UM, WE'VE JUST BEEN JOINED BY MAYOR PROTE PECK, THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.
UM, I HAVE A, DO I HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT THE CITATION? SO I KNOW WE GIVE THEM CITATIONS, UM, THEY SHOW UP TO COURT, AND THEN WHAT HAPPENS? SO WHAT I'VE BEEN ADVISED BY MY TEAM IS THAT IF WE WRITE MULTIPLE CITATIONS, UH, WHAT ROUTINELY OCCURS IS THAT IF THEY SHOW UP TO COURT, THEN MANY OF THE CITATIONS WOULD BE DISMISSED IN, IN, IN A PLEA DEAL.
AND, AND, UH, WHICH IS WHY PROBABLY SOME BUSINESSES CAN AFFORD TO, UH, INCLUDE CITATIONS IN THEIR OPERATING EXPENSES, RIGHT? YEAH.
AND SO WE CONTINUE TO LET THEM OPERATE.
UM, ARE THERE ANY OTHER, UM, I GUESS, SYSTEMS OR, UM, TOOLS THAT YOU USE, LIKE TOWING THE CARS? I MEAN, I'M, I'M LOOKING AT SOME OF THESE, THESE PICTURES RIGHT HERE WHERE YOU GOT CARS JUST UP AND DOWN THE, THE ROAD.
UM, DO WE TOW THEM OR WE JUST TAG 'EM AND THAT'S, THAT'S IT? NO, SO WHEN MY GROUP GO OUT, WE'RE MORE CONCERNED ABOUT THE BUSINESS, UH, WHAT LICENSE THEY HAVE, WHETHER OR NOT THEY'RE IN VIOLATION.
NOW, WHEN WE DO GO OUT AND WE SEE, LIKE THE PICTURE THAT I WAS HANDED, UM, EARLIER, IF THEY ARE, UH, IN VIOLATION OF LIKE, SAY IN THE STREET, LIKE SOME, SOME OF THESE CARS APPEAR TO BE, THEN CERTAINLY WE CAN, UH, ISSUE CITATIONS OR A TOW OF THEM.
UH, THE, THE PROBLEM WITH IT IS, IS THAT, LIKE, FOR EXAMPLE, WE GOT A CALL THE OTHER DAY, HEY, THERE'S MULTIPLE VEHICLES ON THE STREET, CITIZENS HAVING A HARD TIME GETTING BY.
SO WHAT I DID, UH, I HOPPED IN A CAR MYSELF.
I DIDN'T EVEN, YOU KNOW, SEND ANY OF MY PEOPLE.
I JUST WENT OUT THERE AND, UH, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A COUPLE CARS.
BUT THE ISSUE WITH IT IS BY THE TIME I GOT OUT THERE, I THINK A LOT OF THESE VEHICLES WAS CLEARED.
AND SO MY GROUP IS OUT THERE PRETTY, PRETTY FREQUENTLY.
UM, BUT SOME OF THE CONCERNS WE'RE NOT SEEING IN REAL TIME.
UM, WHEN WE, WHEN WE DO, OF COURSE WE CAN ADDRESS IT, BUT, UM, ABSENT HAVING SOMEONE, YOU KNOW, SITTING OUT AROUND THE CLOCK IS, IS DIFFICULT TO, YOU KNOW, ADDRESS EVERY SINGLE.
SO I'M GONNA GO TO QUESTIONS FROM, UM, COUNCIL MEMBERS AND THE STAFF.
UM, BUT I WANNA, UM, HIGHLIGHT THAT WE'VE BEEN JOINED BY STAFF FROM COUNCIL MEMBER PERFORMER'S OFFICE.
AND SO I'M GONNA TURN IT OVER TO COUNCIL MEMBER THOMAS STAFF.
UH, COUNCIL MEMBER THOMAS IS TRAVELING TODAY, BUT WANTS TO THANK YOU FOR
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YOUR TIME.UM, I HAVE A FEW QUESTIONS, UM, THAT SHE HAS FOR YOU ALL.
SO THE FIRST ONE IS, CAN YOU PROVIDE INSIGHT INTO THE ENFORCEMENT PROTOCOLS THAT HPD FOLLOWS REGARDING ILLEGALLY PARKED VEHICLES, PARTICULARLY IN RESIDENTIAL AREAS LIKE PINEY POINT, BAY, AIR WEST, AND IMPERIAL POINT? UM, THOSE AREAS SPECIFICALLY? I, I, I, I DON'T HAVE INSIGHT 'CAUSE I'M NOT FAMILIAR.
UM, IF A VEHICLE'S ILLEGALLY PARKED, UH, IN CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES, WE CAN TOW, UM, UH, IF, IF THERE'S SIGNAGE, UM, WE CAN TOW.
UH, BUT I'M JUST, I'M NOT FAMILIAR WITH THOSE AREAS, SO I DON'T REALLY WANT TO, WELL, THE AREA THAT YOU MENTIONED, SHOEMAKER AND MM-HMM
THAT'S PIONEER POINT IS JUST A DIFFERENT SIDE OF IT.
AGAIN, IF WE'RE OUT THERE AND WE'RE SEEING THIS AND IT'S, IT'S IN VIOLATION, AND LET'S SAY FOR EXAMPLE, IF THERE'S A A, A SIGN UP, NO PARKING, UM, THEN WE CAN TOW.
NORMALLY MY GROUP IS OUT THERE, WE'RE JUST, WE'RE FOR EXAMPLE, I, I'VE, WHEN I WENT OUT THERE, I'M NOT SEEING THIS.
UM, AND, AND SO, UH, UM, YEAH.
SO THAT PICTURE WAS TAKEN ON MUNCIE DRIVE, WHICH IS JUST OFF JEANETTA.
I KNOW EXACTLY WHERE THAT'S AT.
SO I WAS ON MY WAY TO THE CHURCH THERE ONE MORNING AND I COULDN'T GET THROUGH BECAUSE OF THE CARS THAT WERE ON THE STREET.
AND, YOU KNOW, AND THAT'S A COMPLAINT THAT WE HEAR OFTEN THAT SOMETIMES CITIZENS CAN'T GET THROUGH MM-HMM
AND THAT'S A CONCERN FOR US, BECAUSE GUESS WHAT? IF CITIZENS CANNOT GET THROUGH, NEITHER CAN AMBULANCES.
YOU KNOW, AND SO, UM, IT, YEAH, NO, IT, IT'S, IT'S, IT'S AN ISSUE.
AND, AND I'M JUST SURPRISED THAT WE'RE NOT TOWING, YOU KNOW, CARS THAT'S IN THE MIDDLE OF THE STREET, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, THAT'S IN VIOLATION, RIGHT? IF YOU ARE IN THE MIDDLE LOOKING AT THESE PICTURES LOOK LIKE IT'S A VIOLATION.
I THINK THE ISSUE IS BY THE TIME WE GET THERE, THEY'RE GONE.
USUALLY WHEN WE GO OUT AND THE CARS ON THE STREET, WE'LL GO TO THE BUSINESS AND THE BUSINESS WILL MOVE THE CARS.
WE DON'T JUST GO OUT THERE AND JUST TOW 'EM RIGHT AWAY.
BUT THEY'LL MOVE ALL THE CARS AND THEY'LL PUT 'EM SOMEWHERE.
AND THEN OF COURSE, WHEN WE LEAVE, IT HAPPENS AGAIN.
HEY, IS THIS YOUR CAR? YEAH, THOSE ARE MY CARS.
AND SERGEANT PROVOST, HE'S THE ONE WHO'S LEADING THE JEANETTA SCHUMACHER, UH, INITIATIVE.
AND, UM, AND SO, UM, IT, IT'S, IT'S A, IT'S A PROGRAM THAT WE RUN JUST ON AVERAGE, YOU KNOW MM-HMM
AND WE GO OUT THERE AT RANDOM TIMES, NOT THE SAME TIME, UH, NECESSARILY, OR NOT THE SAME DAYS OF WEEK MM-HMM
SO THAT WAY WE COULD TRY AND, UM, CATCH PEOPLE WHERE, YOU KNOW, WHERE THEY DON'T ANTICIPATE THAT WE'RE COMING.
UM, THE NEXT QUESTION IS, IN CASES WHERE AUTO REPAIR SHOPS ARE OPERATING IN RESIDENTIAL AREAS, HOW DOES HPD COLLABORATE WITH THE PLANNING COMMISSION TO ENSURE THAT VEHICLES PARKED INAPPROPRIATELY ARE AND OBSTRUCTING ACCESS ARE ADDRESSED SWIFTLY? SO I THINK THAT'S, YOU WERE DISCUSSING HAVING RELATIONSHIPS WITH OTHER DEPARTMENTS AND ENTITIES.
YEAH, YOU KNOW, WE, A A'S BEEN INVOLVED, WE'VE, WE'VE BEEN, YOU KNOW, SPEAKING WITH, UH, UH, MARIA AAD AND, YOU KNOW, SHE WAS, I KNOW, AT OUR LAST MEETING IN NOVEMBER.
AND, UM, IT, IT, IT'S, I I DON'T WANT TO SPEAK ON WHAT THEY CAN OR, OR CANNOT DO.
UM, BUT I KNOW THAT WE'VE BEEN IN CONTACT WITH MULTIPLE PARTNERS, UH, UM, REGARDING TOWING THE VEHICLES.
UH, AGAIN, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE COULD DO AT HPD, BUT ANYTHING BEYOND THAT AS FAR AS SIGNAGE AND THAT KIND OF STUFF THAT WOULD HAVE TO COME FROM, UH, FROM THEM.
WHAT STEPS CAN BE TAKEN TO IMPROVE COORDINATION BETWEEN HPD AND THE PLANNING COMMISSION WHEN IT COMES TO ADDRESSING PUBLIC SAFETY ISSUES ARISING FROM AUTO REPAIR SHOPS IN RESIDENTIAL AREAS? SO, ONE RECOMMENDATION THAT I HAVE IS TO BRING TOGETHER A COMMITTEE OF PEOPLE FROM DIFFERENT, UM, IT'S JUST DIFFERENT PARTNERS, CITY AND NON-CITY PARTNERS.
AND IF WE PUT TOGETHER THIS, UH, FOR LACK OF A BETTER PHRASE, UH, TASK FORCE OR WHATEVER YOU WANNA CALL IT, TO ADDRESS THAT SPECIFIC ISSUE, I THINK THAT'S A GOOD STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.
IS THERE ANY, THIS IS A QUESTION I HAVE.
UM, YOU MENTIONED IN, UM, EIGHT POINT 22, LIKE THERE ARE DIFFERENT THINGS THAT WE CAN ADD.
IS, COULD ONE OF THEM BE THAT THEY CAN'T PUT THE CARS ON THE STREET? THAT ANY CARS THAT THEY HAVE IN THEIR POSSESSION THAT THEY'RE WORKING ON MUST REMAIN WITHIN THEIR PROPERTY LINES? THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION, BUT THAT'S ONE THAT WOULD NEED TO BE ASKED THE CITY, UH, LEGAL.
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UM, COUNCIL MEMBER ALCORN'S OFFICE.THANK YOU GUYS FOR COMING OUT AND SPEAKING WITH US TODAY.
UM, I KNOW THAT MYSELF AS LONG ALONG WITH, UM, COUNCIL MEMBER JACKSON AND COUNCIL MEMBER THOMAS'S OFFICE, WE'VE BEEN WORKING VERY CLOSELY, UM, ON CHAPTER EIGHT.
AND SO ONE THING THAT WE'VE TALKED ABOUT IS THE ISSUE OF, ALTHOUGH WE TOW OR WE ARE TICKETING THESE CARS, A LOT OF TIMES IT'S TO THE DETRIMENT OF THE OWNER OF THE CAR.
UM, AND SO HAS THERE BEEN ANY DISCUSSION AROUND HOW TO KIND OF CHANGE CHAPTER EIGHT TO BE HEAVILY TO THE DETRIMENT OF THE ACTUAL OPERATOR? YEAH, YOU KNOW, I, I REMEMBER THAT CAME UP AT ONE OF OUR, OUR PRIOR MEETINGS.
SO THE, THE ISSUE IS, IS THAT IF WE WERE TO GO OUT OR, OR A AIR WHOMEVER, WAS TO GO OUT AND ISSUE CITATIONS ON EACH VEHICLE THAT'S BLOCKING THE STREET, UM, THE PROBLEM IS THAT, OR THAT'S ILLEGALLY PARKED.
THE PROBLEM IS THAT THE CITATION OFTEN GOES WITH THE VEHICLE.
SO THEREFORE THE VEHICLE'S OWNER WILL BE THE ONE WHO'S PENALIZED AND NOT THE BUSINESS.
AND SO FOR THAT TO BE ADDRESSED IN CHAPTER EIGHT, AGAIN, GOOD QUESTION, BUT THAT WOULD BE CITY LEGAL.
UM, AND THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION AND I WAS A FEW MINUTES LATE, SO SORRY IF YOU ALREADY ANSWERED THIS, BUT, SO WHEN THE AUTO REPAIR SHOP, AND WE'VE, WE'VE TALKED TO YOU GUYS ABOUT THIS SO FAR, BUT WHEN THE AUTO REPAIR SHOP IS MORE OF A, BECOMES MORE OF A STORAGE LOT WHERE THE CARS ARE NOT ACTUALLY BEING WORKED ON AT ALL, BUT THEY'RE JUST BEING STORED FOR MONTHS AND MONTHS ON END, UM, I KNOW THAT WE WERE LOOKING AT A POTENTIAL ORDINANCE CHANGE ON THAT IN ADDITION TO CHAPTER EIGHT OR POSSIBLY CHANGING THE DEFINITION AT THE STATE LEVEL.
ARE WE STILL LOOKING INTO THAT, UM, AS WE'RE LOOKING AT CHAPTER EIGHT CHANGES? I HOPE SO.
UM, BUT I, I'VE, I'VE NOT, I'M NOT AWARE OF ANY, ANY CHANGES BEING DISCUSSED TO DATE, ALTHOUGH WE WOULD LIKE TO BE INCLUDED.
I'M GOING TO TALK TO THE LEGAL DEPARTMENT ABOUT THAT CHAIR.
'CAUSE THAT'S BEEN A BIG ISSUE FOR US IN DISTRICT A, THAT NOT ONLY ARE THEY AUTO REPAIR SHOPS, BASICALLY IN NEIGHBORHOODS, BUT A LOT OF THE CARS THAT WE'RE SEEING IN OUR DISTRICT ARE NOT CARS THAT ARE ACTUALLY BEING WORKED ON.
THEY'RE JUST SITTING THERE FOR MONTHS ON END.
AND SO THERE'S NO ROTATION OF THOSE CARS.
SOMETIMES THEY'RE JUST SITTING THERE.
SO I THINK AS WE'RE LOOKING AT THESE CHANGES, WE ALSO NEED TO LOOK AT, YOU KNOW, HOW ARE WE ADDRESSING PLACES THAT ARE ACTUALLY STORAGE LOTS THAT ARE NOT MAYBE EXACTLY.
MEETING THE CURRENT DEFINITION.
'CAUSE THAT WOULD REQUIRE AN ADDITIONAL LICENSE, WHICH COMES WITH ADDITIONAL QUALIFICATIONS.
AND I BELIEVE THAT THEY SHOULD BE SHUT DOWN AND IT SHOULD BE LIKE TAPE PUT AROUND THE BUSINESS IF THEY'RE OPERATING WITHOUT A LICENSE.
AND OF COURSE, THESE ARE IN THE MIDDLE OF NEIGHBORHOODS.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, WHY DO THEY HAVE A PERMIT IN THE FIRST PLACE TO OPERATE IN THE MIDDLE OF A NEIGHBORHOOD? YOU KNOW, HOW THEY, HOW DOES THAT HAPPENING? HOW ARE WE FLAGGING? 'CAUSE SOME OF THESE NEIGHBORHOODS ARE DE RESTRICTION, YOU KNOW, BUT YET YOU GOT A COMPANY SETTING UP AND IN DISTRICT B, THEY PUT A FENCE OVER THE WEEKEND.
LIKE YOU SAY, SOMETIME YOU GUYS GET OUT THERE AND, UM, THEY'RE GONE.
YOU KNOW, AND SO THEY PUT A FENCE UP AND BEFORE, YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT MUCH THAT YOU CAN DO.
UM, BECAUSE THE FENCE IS PROTECTING THAT BUSINESS.
AND SO, UM, I JUST THINK WE SHOULD, WE NEED TO GET STRICTER ON ENFORCEMENT, LIKE LITERALLY HOLDING 'EM ACCOUNTABLE.
WELL, YOU KNOW, AND, AND THAT'S A GOOD POINT BECAUSE LET'S, LET'S TAKE THAT FOR EXAMPLE.
WE GO OUT AND WE ISSUE MULTIPLE CITATIONS TO A BUSINESS, A LICENSED BUSINESS.
AND THE BUSINESS, YOU KNOW, THEY, THEY, THEY'RE, THEY'RE NOT WANTING TO COOPERATE MM-HMM
AND EVENTUALLY WE'RE LIKE, YOU KNOW WHAT, LET'S, LET'S GO BEFORE THE BOARD.
SO WE TAKE THEM BEFORE THE BOARD AND, AND I'M JUST HYPOTHETICALLY SPEAKING, AND THE BOARD SAYS, YOU KNOW WHAT, YOU KNOW, Y'ALL HAD LONG ENOUGH WHAT WE'RE GONNA TAKE YOUR LICENSE.
YOU KNOW, WHAT, WHAT, WHAT CAN THE BUSINESS DO? GO BACK TO WORK THE NEXT DAY WITH NO LICENSE.
BECAUSE WE HAD A TIRE COMPANY, YOU KNOW, AND I'M GONNA PASS IT ON, I'M SORRY, BUT I WANT TO MENTION THIS
WE TRACED IT BACK TO THIS COMPANY, UM, THAT DIDN'T HAVE A PERMIT, OCCUPANCY PERMIT.
AND SO, BUT THE CITY'S RESPONSE WAS, OKAY, WE WAITING ON THEM TO GET THEIR PERMIT.
WHY ARE WE WAITING ON THEM? WE SHOULD SHUT IT DOWN BOARD THE DOORS AND, UM, BASICALLY FORCE THEM OUT OF OUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
SO I THINK WE NEED TO COME UP WITH MORE STRICTER SURE.
SO WITH THAT BEING SAID, WE HAVE COUNCIL MEMBER RAMIREZ'S OFFICE.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR EVERYTHING YOU'RE DOING.
AND I HAVE A QUICK QUESTION FROM THE COUNCIL MEMBER.
UM, WHY DOES THE HOUSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT ENFORCE THIS? IS THIS SOMETHING THAT A RA SHOULD BE ENFORCING? UH, WHICH, WHICH PROVISION SPECIFICALLY? I WILL GET MORE INFORMATION.
SO AUTO DEALERS DETAIL IS, UH, IT'S
[00:25:01]
STATUTORY.WE CAME IN OPERATIONS, YOU KNOW, YEARS AGO BECAUSE THE STATE LEGISLATURE GAVE, UM, LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES THE ABILITY TO REGULATE THE AUTOMOTIVE INDUSTRY.
AND SO THE REASON WHY WE DO THAT IS BECAUSE, UM, WE DO, UH, AUCTIONS WHEN, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE WE REGULATE VEHICLE STORAGE FACILITIES.
SO LET'S SAY FOR EXAMPLE, SOMEONE GETS THEIR CAR TOWED, THEY DON'T COME PICK IT UP IN A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME, THEN WE'RE THE ONE AS THE LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENTS WHO WOULD GO OUT AND, UH, AUCTION THE VEHICLES.
UH, WE ALSO INSPECT, UM, VEHICLE STORAGE FACILITIES AS WELL.
WE ISSUE LICENSES TO, UM, MULTIPLE INDUSTRIES, UH, THAT'S AUTOMOTIVE RELATED WITHIN THE CITY, INCLUDING SALESMEN AND, UM, UH, VEHICLE DEALERS AND, AND ALL OF THESE.
THAT'S WHY WE'RE RESPONSIBLE FOR THAT.
SO WE HAVE A QUESTION FROM, UM, COUNCIL MEMBER FLICKINGER OFFICE.
UM, HOW DOES THIS DIVISION ENFORCE INSTALLERS OF NOISE SYSTEM PLUS NOISE VIOLATIONS? YEAH.
YOU KNOW, WE'VE, WE'VE NOT, AT LEAST TO MY KNOWLEDGE, HAD THAT ISSUE OF, OF ENFORCING NOISE COMPLAINTS.
UH, WE'VE, WE'VE, WE'VE NOT HAD THAT
AND THEN WE HAVE A PERSON FROM, UM, MAYOR PRO TEM OFFICE ARE THE AUTO SHOP BUSINESSES REQUIRED TO HAVE ADEQUATE STORAGE CAPACITY FOR VEHICLES AS OPPOSED TO USING THE STREETS AS TEMPORARY STORAGE,
THE CAPACITY IS REGULATED UNDER, UH, CITY OF HOUSTON CODE ORDINANCES.
AUTOMOTIVE REPAIR FACILITIES DO NOT HAVE THE SAME SPATIAL REGULATIONS.
SO YOU COULD HAVE A BUSINESS WITH A SMALL SPACE AND THEY TAKE IN MORE VEHICLES THAN THEY COULD OPERATE OR, OR FIXED AT A TIME.
WE DON'T REGULATE THAT PART WHEN THEY GET THEIR CERTIFICATE OF OCCUPANCY MM-HMM
WHAT KIND OF BUSINESS THEY GONNA HAVE, HOW LARGE THE BUSINESS IS, AND HOW MANY PARKING SPOTS THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO HAVE.
WHATEVER DIVISION THAT DOES THAT, THAT'S THE ONE THAT APPROVES THEM TO HAVE IT.
BUT THEY USUALLY GO OVER THAT NUMBER.
AND THAT'S WHY THEY'RE PARKING IN THE STREET.
OBVIOUSLY, AND E LIKE EVEN THAT AREA.
AND LIKE YOU, ME, LIKE JUST DRIVING DOWN THAT AREA.
THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT YOU, YOU SEE VEHICLES, THAT'S, I MEAN, I, I WAS THERE THE OTHER DAY.
I SAW A VEHICLE BASICALLY BEING WORKED ON IN THE, IN THE ROAD.
I MADE A MOVE, YOU KNOW, BUT IT, IT'S, IT'S JUST OVER, I THINK THE AIR.
AND, AND SOMETIMES IT MAY LOOK LIKE IT'S ONE BUSINESS, BUT THEY'RE ACTUALLY BEING OVERFLOWED BY CARS FROM THE BUSINESS NEXT DOOR, YOU KNOW? AND SO IT'S JUST, IT'S VERY OVERPOPULATED.
UM, COUNCIL MEMBER SHABAZZ'S OFFICE.
UH, THANK YOU BOTH FOR YOUR INFORMATION TODAY.
UH, AS YOU HEAR FROM ALL OF US, WE EXPERIENCE PRETTY MUCH THE SAME THING FROM OUR CONSTITUENTS.
UM, MY CIVIC CLUB, ONE OF MY CIVIC CLUB PRESIDENTS, UH, THEY'RE DEALING WITH THIS IN DISTRICT D UH, WITH THE COUNCIL LADY ON AT LEAST FOUR LOCATIONS IN RESIDENTIAL COMMUNITIES.
UH, BUT ISSUES THAT WE'RE ASKING IS ONE, WHAT LEVEL OF ENFORCEMENT DO YOU ACTUALLY HAVE DO DOES, UH, BASED ON THE LACK OF ZONING IN THE CITY, DOES THAT NEGATE YOUR ABILITY AS THE LAW ENFORCEMENT ARM OF THE CITY TO SHUT DOWN A BUSINESS FOR ANY LENGTH OF TIME? YOU HAVE NO AUTHORITY IN THAT REGARD.
IT DEFINITELY MINIMIZES OUR ABILITY TO ENFORCE.
UH, AND, AND GRANTED, WE'RE NOT, WE'RE AUTO DEALERS ARE, WE'RE NOT IN THE BUSINESS OF SHUTTING THAT.
THAT'S, THAT'S BEYOND OUR CAPACITY, YOU KNOW, SHUTTING DOWN BUSINESSES, YOU KNOW, BUT THAT, THAT REALLY DOES MINIMIZE THE AUTHORITY THAT WE HAVE TO, YOU KNOW, LIKE I MENTIONED EARLIER, WE'RE, WE'RE, IT'S RESTRICTED WHEN A BUSINESS IS, THAT'S WHEN A BUSINESS THAT'S LICENSED, WHICH IN MY OPINION IS UNFAIR ANYWAY, BECAUSE YOU HAVE A LOT OF BUSINESS IN THE CITY THAT'S TRYING TO DO THE RIGHT THING.
THEY'RE GETTING LICENSED, THEY'RE IN REGULATION, AND THEN YOU HAVE A BUSINESS ACROSS THE STREET THAT'S
SO IT'S, I THINK IT'S UNFAIR TO THE BUSINESS THAT ACTUALLY HAS A LICENSE, BUT ALSO, UM, IF THEY DO HAVE A LICENSE, BUT THEY'RE CHOOSING NOT TO COOPERATE, WE WRITE 'EM, WE WRITE 'EM, WE COULD TAKE THEIR LICENSE AND THEN THEY OPEN UP THE NEXT DAY, AS I MENTIONED EARLIER.
AND WHAT, WHAT I, I WISH WE COULD SHUT THEM DOWN, BUT WE DO NOT HAVE THAT, UH, ABILITY.
MY LAST, I APOLOGIZE, MY LAST QUESTION HAS REFERENCE TO DO WITH, UH, AS YOU MENTIONED THE CITATIONS.
WHAT IS THE RANGE OF PENALTY, IN OTHER WORDS, DOLLAR AMOUNT, CAN YOU ALL CHARGE? BECAUSE AS YOU SAID EARLIER, WE KNOW THIS TO BE TRUE COST OF DOING BUSINESS.
RIGHT? AND AS MUCH AS IT'S THE COST OF DOING BUSINESS, HOW MUCH ARE YOU HURTING THEM FINANCIALLY BY WRITING CITATIONS?
[00:30:02]
USUALLY WHEN THE OFFICERS WRITE CITATIONS, THEY GO TO COURT.IF THEY GET FINED IT SOMEWHERE BETWEEN, IT'S USUALLY NO MORE THAN $200.
I KNOW THE TICKETS CAN GO UP TO 500, BUT USUALLY THEY NEVER GET FINED EVEN MORE THAN 200.
AND YOU KNOW, I'M BIG ON SHUT 'EM DOWN IF THEY'RE NOT DOING THE RIGHT THING.
WHAT CAN WE DO? YOU KNOW, LIKE WHAT, WHO DO WE BRING TO THE TABLE? I KNOW THAT ONE OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS IS PULLING STAKEHOLDERS IN DIFFERENT OTHER DEPARTMENTS TO THE TABLE, BUT WHAT CAN WE DO AS FAR AS OUR, WHAT WE CAN DO IS CONTINUATION CITATIONS, BUT IT, WE, I I THINK IT'S, IT'S AN ISSUE THAT BEYOND AUTO DEALER'S CAPACITY.
SO WHO, WHO, SO YOU I, I'LL SUGGEST STARTING WITH CHAPTER EIGHT IN THE LONG TERM, BUT ALSO MAYBE THE COUNTY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE.
YOU KNOW, JUST BECAUSE THEY, LIKE I MENTIONED, THEY DO.
IF, IF A BUSINESS THAT'S JUST SO, IF IT'S A NUISANCE, IF IT'S, YOU KNOW, IF IT'S, THERE'S ENVIRONMENTAL PROBLEMS THAT'S GOING ON, I THINK THAT'S PROBABLY A PLACE TO START.
BECAUSE THAT'S ONE OF THE CHALLENGES IS ABSOLUTELY HOLDING THEM ACCOUNTABLE.
WE GOT DE RESTRICTION, THEY STILL OPERATE, YOU KNOW, IT'S JUST HOW DO WE ACTUALLY HOLD THEM ACCOUNTABLE? RIGHT.
AND, UM, IT'S, I FEEL LIKE WE ARE HAVING THE SAME CONVERSATION OVER AND OVER AGAIN, BUT NOT GETTING TO THE ROOT WHO CAN LIKE IMPLEMENT IT.
YOU KNOW, WHO CAN LIKE SHUT 'EM DOWN? YOU'LL HAVE TO GIVE A CITY LEGAL TO SEE HOW STRICT THE ORDINANCE CAN BE TO SHUT 'EM DOWN.
IF THAT WOULD, IF WE COULD EVEN WRITE AN ORDINANCE THAT'S STRICT AND THEN LIKE, IS THE STATE INVOLVED? BECAUSE I KNOW LIKE THE STATE HAVE PRESIDENTS OVER SOME OF THESE YEAH.
SO REALLY THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
THIS, WE OWN IT AND WE CAN LIKE REALLY, LIKE YOU SAY SECTION EIGHT.
IF YOU COULD SHUT IT DOWN EIGHT LEGAL TO TELL YOU IF THAT'S POSSIBLE FOR US TO WRITE SOMETHING NEXT TRICK WHERE IF THEY'RE NOT IN COMPLIANCE WITH CHAPTER EIGHT, YOU CAN ACTUALLY SHUT 'EM DOWN.
COUNCILMAN MARTINEZ OFFICE, YOU KNOW, I'M STILL TRYING TO SHUT HIM DOWN.
AND THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.
I JUST HAVE A QUICK QUESTION ON WHAT YOU MENTIONED ABOUT HOTSPOT ENFORCEMENT.
UH, I WANTED TO SEE HOW DO YOU DETERMINE THOSE AREAS? IS THERE SPECIFIC TIMES OF THE DAY THAT YOU RECEIVED THE MOST VOLUME OF CALLS? AND HOW DO YOU GO ABOUT IN ADDRESSING THOSE, THOSE LOCATIONS? USUALLY IT'S HISTORICAL COMPLAINTS.
SO, SO IT'S NOT NECESSARILY COMPLAINTS RECEIVED AT, YOU KNOW, IT, IT, IT IS, LET'S SAY FOR EXAMPLE, IF IN THE LAST MONTH OR TWO, AND I'M JUST GIVING AN EXAMPLE, IN THE LAST MONTH OR TWO, WE'VE GOTTEN SAY, 80 COMPLAINTS AND SAY 25% OF THE COMPLAINTS OF THOSE 80 WERE FROM A SPECIFIC VICINITY.
FOR ME, THAT'S PROBABLY WHERE I'M GONNA SEND MY TEAM.
AND NO SPECIFIC ON TIMES OF OPERATION, IF THERE'S A BUSINESS OR A REPAIR SHOP THAT'S SEPARATING THROUGH LATE NIGHTS.
AND DOES THAT FACTOR IN THE, THE ENFORCEMENT PROCESS? IT, IT, IT, IT DOES AND IT CAN, SO WE HAVE REGULAR INSPECTIONS THAT'S THROUGHOUT THE DAY, BUT MY TEAM WORK AND I MEAN SOMETIMES OF THE NINE AT NIGHT AND ON SATURDAYS AS WELL.
UM, COUNCIL MEMBER ALCORN, I WANTED TO GO BACK TO THE PRICE OF A CITATION AND I WAS JUST KIND OF CURIOUS ON, YOU KNOW, IF YOU HAVE A REPEAT OFFENDER, WHY AREN'T THEY GETTING THAT $500 CITATION? IS IT KIND OF UP TO THE, THE OFFICER WHO'S ISSUING THE CITATION? OR IS THERE LIKE, YOU KNOW, IF YOU'VE DONE SO MANY CITATIONS PREVIOUSLY, YOU'RE GONNA GET A HIGHER CITATION NOW.
LIKE HOW DOES THAT WORK? YEAH, DEFINITELY NOT UP TO THE, ALL WE COULD DO IS ISSUE THE CITATION.
WHAT HAPPENS FROM THERE IS BEYOND OUR SCOPE.
AND WHAT I MEAN BY THE OFFICER IS IF THERE IS THE OPPORTUNITY TO, YOU KNOW, FIND $500, WHAT KIND OF, WHAT SCALE ARE THEY LOOKING AT TO SAY WE'RE GONNA GIVE $200 TODAY AND 500 TOMORROW? THAT WOULD BE THE MUNICIPAL COURTS.
AND YOU KNOW, I JUST HAD A CONVERSATION WITH OUR NEW APPOINTMENT, UM, OF MUNICIPAL COURTS LETTING HER KNOW THAT THIS WAS AN ISSUE.
'CAUSE YOU GOT 'EM COMING, NOT SHOWING UP TO COURT, THEY GETTING TICKETS AND THEY STILL NOT DOING EXACTLY WHAT THEY SUPPOSED TO DO.
SO MAYBE WE CAN GET WITH THE COURTS TO CREATE A POLICY TO WHERE, YOU KNOW, VERSUS IT BEING 500 NOW IT GOES UP TO A THOUSAND AFTER THE SECOND TIME AND THEN EVENTUALLY, YOU KNOW, THIRD TIME GO UP 2000, JUST KEEP GOING IT UP.
JUST LIKE THEY DO, UM, CLASS C, CLASS B MISDEMEANORS, YOU KNOW, AFTER YOU GET SO MANY MISDEMEANORS ON THE SAME OFFENSE, IT GOES INTO A FELONY.
YOU KNOW, LIKE USING THOSE TYPE OF CONCEPTS TO TRY TO HOLD THESE PEOPLE ACCOUNTABLE, JUST DESTROYING OUR NEIGHBORHOODS.
COUNCIL MEMBER THOMAS'S OFFICE NEXT.
SORRY, I HAVE ONE MORE QUESTION.
SOMEONE MENTIONED IF YOU GUYS DO ANYTHING REGARDING SOUND ORDINANCE, WHAT ABOUT ENVIRONMENTAL? WE HAVE A 91-YEAR-OLD, UM, CONSTITUENT WHO LIVES AT
[00:35:01]
THE END OF MUNCIE AND CAN SMELL THE FUMES IN OUR HOUSE FROM THE, THE AUTO SHOPS AROUND HER.SO IS THERE ANY KIND OF ENVIRONMENTAL TESTING? SO WE, IN AUTO DEALERS, WE DO NOT DO THAT.
UH, WE DO HAVE A MAJOR OFFENDERS DIVISION WHO DO HANDLE, UM, SOME ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY STUFF.
I THINK THAT'S PROBABLY MORE GEARED TOWARDS, SAY, UM, TIRES ON THE GROUND OR ALL ON THE GROUND, YOU KNOW, THAT KIND OF THING.
BUT, UM, I WOULD PROBABLY SUGGEST, UM, THE TEXAS COMMISSIONER OF ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY OR, OR, UH, OR SHE HAS AN ADDRESS, LET US, BECAUSE USUALLY IF SHE CAN SMELL LIKE PAINT AND ALL THAT, THEY DON'T HAVE A PAINT BOOTH.
BECAUSE YOU, YOU'RE NOT GONNA SMELL ANYTHING FROM AUTOMOTIVE, BUT IF YOU DO, MOST TIME WE GET THOSE COMPLAINTS, THEY'RE JUST OUTSIDE PAINTING.
SO THEN THAT'S GONNA BE ILLEGALLY AND WE WOULD GIVE THEM TICKETS FOR THAT, SAYING THAT THEY'RE PAINTING CARS WITHOUT A PAINT BOOTH AND ALL THAT.
OR FIRE DEPARTMENT HAS TO ISSUE 'EM A PERMIT TO DO THAT, WHICH THEY WON'T HAVE.
BUT THAT'S PROBABLY WHAT IT'S, THANK YOU.
AND IF THAT'S, IF IF YOU COULD SEND THAT, UM, CONTACT INFORMATION, WE COULD GO OUT THERE AND, AND LOOK, YOU KNOW.
ANY MORE QUESTIONS? THIS IS A GOOD CONVERSATION.
I DON'T THINK WE HAVE ANY MORE, UM, QUESTIONS FROM THE COUNCIL MEMBER OFFICES.
DO WE HAVE SPEAKERS? I KNOW WE HAVE A COUPLE OF SPEAKERS THAT WANNA SPEAK.
AND YOU, YOU WELCOME TO STAY AROUND JUST IN CASE THE SPEAKERS, YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE, THEY HAVE A QUESTION THAT YOU MIGHT CAN ANSWER.
SO APPRECIATE THANK YOU FOR TAKING THE TIME.
THANKS FOR HAVING, WE KNOW TO, UM, LIKE DIVE IN THE CHAPTER EIGHT AND JUST LIKE START ADDING SOME STRICT POLICIES IN THERE.
SO Y'ALL READY? WE'RE GONNA DO IT.
UH, MAYOR, VICE SM MAYOR PRO TEMP PAC AND COUNCIL MEMBER REPRESENTATIVES.
I RESIDE IN THE EAST END AND I SERVE ON THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS FOR THE EASTWOOD CIVIC ASSOCIATION.
I COME BEFORE YOU TODAY TO EXPOSE CRITICAL FLAWS IN THE JOINT REFERRAL COMMITTEE'S STREET ABANDONMENT PROCESS.
CITY OF HOUSTON'S CURRENT ORDINANCE, SECTION TWO DASH 2 3 7, WHICH GOVERNS THE ABANDONMENT OF STREETS AND ALLEY, HAS PROVEN INADEQUATE FOR HOUSTON.
FIRST APPLICATION TO ABANDON SIX DOWNTOWN RIGHT OF WAYS POLK PLAY BELL JACKSON, UNIVER AND HAMILTON.
WHILE THIS PROCESS MAY ASSERT SIDE STREETS, DEAD ENDS AND ALLEYS, IT REVEALS SYSTEMIC FAILURES IN OUR PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT MECHANISMS. JRC CHAIR ADDIE JACKSON, HERSELF ACKNOWLEDGED THIS IS AN UNPRECEDENTED APPLICATION, UNLIKE ANY OTHER, WHICH SHOULD IMMEDIATELY SIGNAL DEEP PROCEDURAL INADEQUACIES.
THE TIMELINE OF THIS PROCESS HAS BEEN TROUBLING.
SUBMITTED IN MID-NOVEMBER 2024.
HOUSTON FIRST APPLICATION WAS INITIALLY REJECTED, THEN APPROVED IN JANUARY, 2025.
COMMUNITY MEMBERS WERE FIRST ALERTED ON FEBRUARY 1ST WHEN NOTICED TO ABANDON.
SIGNS WERE NOTICED BY A NEIGHBOR CYCLING TO THEIR DOWNTOWN PLACE OF EMPLOYMENT CATCHING RESIDENTS AND OR COUNCIL MEMBER COMPLETELY OFF GUARD.
THE SUBSEQUENT EVENTS UNDERSCORE A PROCESS DESIGNED TO DISCOURAGE GENUINE PUBLIC PARTICIPATION.
WHEN SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD LEADERS ORGANIZED A MEETING TO SEEK CLARITY, HOUSTON FIRST DECLINED TO ATTEND.
THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD WAS EXTENDED TO APRIL 6TH.
AFTER SIGNIFICANT COMMUNITY PRESSURE, A CRITICAL TPIA REQUEST FOR THE FULL APPLICATION WAS DEFERRED BY THE CITY ATTORNEY TO THE ATTORNEY GENERAL ON THE 10TH DAY AT THE 11TH HOUR.
FURTHER OBSCURING TRANSPARENCY, MOST EGREGIOUSLY IT TOOK UNTIL MARCH 12TH.
THAT'S 40 DAYS INTO THE COMMENT PERIOD TO REVEAL THE FULL SCOPE OF THE PROJECTS INVOLVED.
SIX STREETS, NOT THREE, AN ADDITIONAL SIX DAYS PASS BEFORE THE JRC APPLICATION WAS RE-RELEASED PUBLICLY.
THE PUBLIC NOW HAS A MERE SIX WEEKS TO UNDERSTAND AND RESPOND TO A 191 PAGE APPLICATION REQUESTING THE CLOSURE OF OVER 240,000 SQUARE FEET OF PUBLIC RIGHT OF WAYS.
AS OF TODAY, THERE ARE STILL NO NOTICE TO ABANDON SIGNS ON JACKSON UNIVER AND HAMILTON STREETS.
I'VE BEEN TOLD BY PUBLIC WORKS THAT THE SIGNS ARE A COURTESY AND NOT A STATUTORY REQUIREMENT.
HOW WOULD YOU FEEL IF YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD'S MAJOR COLLECTORS WERE CLOSED WITH ZERO PUBLIC NOTICE? THE PROPOSED REVIEW OF PUBLIC COMMENTS FROM MAY 5TH TO WAIT MAY 12TH IS NOTHING MORE THAN A BUREAUCRATIC FORMALITY.
ONE WEEK TO REVIEW MONTHS OF COMPLEX DOCUMENTATION IS NOT ENGAGEMENT.
IT'S AN ALLUSION OF PUBLIC INPUT.
WE HAVE ALSO DISCOVERED THAT THE COMMENTS BEING RECORDED ARE TRUNCATED TO OPPOSE THE ABANDONMENT AND NOT REFLECTING THE PUBLIC SPECIFIC CONCERNS.
WE NEED IMMEDIATE REFORMS INCLUDING TRANSPARENT AND CONSISTENT TIMELINES, COMPLETE AND MEANINGFUL INFORMATION SHARING AND MEANINGFUL COMMUNITY COMMUNITY
[00:40:01]
ENGAGEMENT.AS PUBLIC SERVANTS AND COMMUNITY LEADERS, WE MUST RESTORE INTEGRITY TO OUR CIVIC PROCESSES.
THE CURRENT SYSTEM DOES NOT SERVE THE PUBLIC INTEREST.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR, UM, YOUR COMMENTS.
DO YOU HAVE A COMMENT? ANYBODY HAVE A COMMENT FOR HER? NO.
AND THAT'S THE END OF OUR SPEAKER'S LIST.
AND SEEING THAT WE DON'T HAVE ANY MORE SPEAKERS, UM, I'LL REMIND THE AUDIENCE THAT THIS COMMITTEE IS FOR YOU.
UM, PLEASE HELP US SET THE AGENDA FOR FUTURE MEETINGS.
IF THERE IS A CITY SERVICE YOU WANT EXPLAINED, PLEASE LET MY OFFICE KNOW.
UM, YOU CAN CALL OR TEXT OUR OFFICE AT 8 3 2 3 9 3 3 0 0 9 OR YOU CAN EMAIL US AT DISTRICT B@HOUSTONTX.GOV.
AND SO, UM, THIS IS, WE WILL BE ADJOURNED.
UM, JUST WANT EVERYONE TO KNOW, OUR NEXT SERVICE DELIVERY COMMITTEE IS SCHEDULED FOR WEDNESDAY, APRIL THE 30TH.
AND ALSO, IF YOU'RE INTERESTED IN RECEIVING MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE SERVICE COMMITTEE MEETINGS, PLEASE CONTACT THE DISTRICT B OFFICE AT DISTRICT B@HOUSTONTX.GOV.
AND THE TIME IS 1:41 PM AND THIS MEETING IS ADJOURNED.
THANK YOU, UM, FOR JOINING US.