[A. Call to Order and Announce that a Quorum is Present.]
[B. Approval of Minutes]
[00:00:23]
ORDER IS ANNOUNCE THAT WE HAVE A QUORUM PRESENT. NEXT APPROVAL OF MINUTES, DOES ANYBODY HAVE ANYTHING TO ADD OR CHANGE ON THE
MINUTES? >> MOTION TO APPROVE.
>> MOTION BY FRANCIS SECOND BY AINSLEY, PLEASE VOTE. MOTION PASSES 5-0. SEE, WE CAN'T ALL BE KAREN, CAN WE? NEXT, WE HAVE
[C. Public Hearings ]
PUBLIC HEARINGS, FIRST UP IS THE CONSIDERATION OF A SPECIAL USE PERMIT FOR AUTOMOTIVE REPAIR MINOR AND CARWASH ON APPROXIMATELY 1.22 ACRES, LEGALLY DESCRIBED AS LOT 3, BLOCK A, CORNERS AND VALLEY PARKWAY ADDITION LOCATED AT WEST 1111 ROUND GROVE ROAD FM 3040, ZONED LOCAL COMMERCIAL LC, AS REQUESTED BY QUICK CAR ON BEHALF OF ROYCE, THE PROPERTY OWNER,>> GOOD EVENING COMMISSIONERS, THIS CASE IS REGARDING 1111 W.
ROUND GROVE ROAD, THE PROPERLY -- PROPERTY HAS TWO EXISTING BUILDINGS, ONE IS FOR MINOR AUTOMOTIVE REPAIR AND THE OTHER WAS DEVELOPED AS A CARWASH. THE VEHICLE REPAIR SERVICES THAT THE APPLICANT HAS PROVIDED INCLUDE OIL CHANGES, STATE INSPECTIONS, TUNEUPS, MINOR AUTOMOTIVE REPAIR. IN THE PROPERTY IS ZONED LOCAL COMMERCIAL WHICH DOES REQUIRE AN SEP FOR BOTH, THE APPLICANT IS REQUESTING ONE FOR BOTH AND TO OCCUPY BOTH BUILDINGS. THE APPLICANT IS NOT PROPOSING ANY CHANGES TO THE BUILDING FAÇADE OR THE PARKING BUT THEY ARE MAKING CHANGES AND PROPOSING CHANGES TO THE LANDSCAPING. ORIGINALLY AN SU P WAS GRANTED IN 2019 FOR THE CARWASH AND AUTOMOTIVE REPAIR, THAT WAS TERMINATED DUE TO SOME OF THE LANDSCAPING NOT BEING INSTALLED AND THE PROPERTY BEING VACANT, AND ANOTHER SUP WAS GRANTED IN EARLY 2025, FOR JUST A CARWASH, AND THE APPLICANT PROPOSED TO REDEVELOP THE SITE. THE APPLICANT NO LONGER HAS THE INTENT OF FOLLOWING THROUGH ON THE SUP, SO WITH THIS CHANGE, IT WOULD BE A NEW SUP, ALLOWING FOR BOTH THE CARWASH AND THE MINOR AUTOMOTIVE REPAIR WITHOUT CHANGES TO THE EXISTING BUILDING OR PARKING BUT THE ADDITIONAL LANDSCAPING THAT WAS APPROVED WITH THE ORIGINAL ORDINANCE IN 2019. GIVEN THAT THE BUILDINGS ARE EXISTING AND SPECIFICALLY DESIGNED FOR THESE PROPOSED USES, STAFF DOES RECOMMEND APPROVAL. THE APPLICANT IS HERE
AS WELL. >> ANYBODY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR STAFF? IF NOT, WE WILL GO AHEAD AND OPEN UP THE PUBLIC HEARING, ANYONE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM, COME FORWARD AND STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS. OKAY, IF NOT, I GUESS WE WILL GO AHEAD AND CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING ON THIS. ANYBODY HAVE ANYTHING THEY WANT TO ADD? NO. OKAY. I WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION.
>> I LIKE TO RECOMMEND APPROVAL OF THE SPECIAL USE PERMIT AS PERMITTED . MOTION BY FRANCIS, SECOND BY RICK . PLEASE VOTE.
ALL RIGHT, MOTION PASSES 5-0. >> THANK YOU COMMISSIONERS, THIS ITEM WILL GO BEFORE THE CITY COUNCIL FOR A SECOND PUBLIC HEARING AND FINAL DECISION BEFORE THE COUNCIL ON NOVEMBER
17. >> THANK YOU. THE NEXT PUBLIC HEARING IS THE CONSIDERATION OF A SPECIAL USE PERMIT FOR A CONTRACTOR'S YARD ON APPROXIMATELY 4.967 ACRES OUT OF
[00:05:03]
THE JW HAVEN SURVEY ABSTRACT NUMBER 541 LOCATED ON THE NORTH SIDE OF EAST MAIN STREET, APPROXIMATELY 200 FEET WEST OF VALLEY RIDGE BOULEVARD, ZONED HEAVY INDUSTRIAL, AS REQUESTED BY SEAN FALCONER, FORESIGHT GROUP LLC ON BEHALF OF KOBLE INVESTMENT PROPERTY I LLC CASE NUMBER 25-03-4-SUP.>> CODE ENFORCEMENT ISSUED A CITATION FOR NONCONFORMING USE IN JANUARY 2025. STAFF HELD A REVIEW COMMITTEE ON FEBRUARY 12, 2025 AND GAVE THEM A 30 DAY NOTICE TO SUBMIT FOR SPECIAL USE PERMIT FOR A CONTRACTOR'S YARD OR CEASE THE USE. THE APPLICANT SUBMITTED THE APPLICATIONS ON MARCH 17, AND THE APPLICATION WAS ISSUED TO STAFF ON THE 21ST. CURRENTLY THE SITE IS UNPAVED.
WITH SEVERAL CONSTRUCTION VEHICLES AND MISCELLANEOUS MATERIALS ACROSS THE SITE , THE SITE IS HIGHLY VISIBLE FROM VALLEY RIDGE BOULEVARD AND EAST MAIN STREET. WITH THE PERMIT THE PROPERTY OWNERS WILL BE REQUIRED TO REMEDY THE SITE BY ADDING PARKING SPACES FOR THE VEHICLES, LANDSCAPING STRIPS , AND ADDING A SIX FOOT TALL SCREAMING WALL WHERE THE PROPERTY IS VISIBLE FROM THE RIGHT-OF-WAY. THE OWNERS WILL BE REQUIRED TO IMPROVE THEIR HALF OF MAIN STREET, WITH A CONCRETE CURB AND GUTTER AND BUILD A SIX FOOT SIDEWALK. THE PROPERTY OWNERS INTENT ON MAKING ADDITIONAL IMPROVEMENTS TO THE SITE BY ADDING ONE NEW OFFICE BUILDING AND ONE NEW SERVICE BUILDING TO THE SITE. AS FAR AS THE COMPOUND ABILITY WITH THE, IT'S SURROUNDED BY HEAVY AND LIGHT INDUSTRIAL USES. BY GRANTING THE SUP, THAT WOULD ALLOW THE OWNERS TO BRING THEIR SITE UP TO COMPLIANCE IMPROVING THE SITE ALSO ALIGNS WITH THE CURRENT ECONOMIC VITALITY FOR LOUISVILLE BY IMPROVING THE QUALITY OF BUSINESS SPACE IN LOUISVILLE.
QUESTIONS THAT YOU MAY HAVE. >> ANYBODY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS?
>> WHAT KIND OF CONTRACTOR'S YARD IS IT, CONSTRUCTION, LOCAL?
>> I BELIEVE IT IS CONSTRUCTION.
>> UTILITY CONSTRUCTION. >> THANK YOU.
>> ANYONE ELSE? OKAY, WITH THAT WE WILL GO AHEAD AND OPEN UP THE PUBLIC HEARING, ANYONE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM COME FORWARD AND STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD. WITH NO ONE COMING FORWARD, WE WILL GO AHEAD AND CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING. COMMISSIONERS ANY THOUGHTS OR DISCUSSION, I WILL
ENTERTAIN A MOTION ON THIS. >> MOTION TO APPROVE THE SPECIAL
USE PERMIT. >> SECONDED BY FRANCIS.
>> PLEASE VOTE NOW. MOTION PASSES 5-0.
>> THANK YOU, COMMISSIONERS, THIS WILL GO FOR A SECOND PUBLIC HEARING BEFORE THE CITY COUNCIL ON NOVEMBER 17.
>> OUR LAST PUBLIC HEARING FOR THE EVENING, IS A CONSIDERATION OF A ZONE CHANGE FROM GENERAL BUSINESS DISTRICT GB TO MEDICAL DISTRICT MD ON APPROXIMATELY 4.714 ACRES, LEGALLY DESCRIBED AS LAKE POINTE PHASE 3, LOT 3B AND 3C , BLOCK D, LOCATED AT 751 HEBRON PARKWAY, AS REQUESTED BY NEIL FELDER, THE PROPERTY OWNER,
CASE NUMBER 25-09-10-Z. >> COULD EVENING AGAIN COMMISSIONERS. THE APPLICANT IS PROPOSING TO REZONE THE EXISTING OFFICE PLAZA FROM GENERAL BUSINESS TO THE MEDICAL DISTRICT. THE REZONE WOULD ALLOW FOR MEDICAL OFFICES TO RENT OUT THE SPACES WITHIN THE OFFICE PLAZA. THE EAST SIDE OF THE PROPERTY IS ADJACENT TO A LAKE THAT HAS SHARED ACCESS FROM THE CRESCENT COVE AT LAKE POINTE AND LAKE POINTE RESIDENCES, APARTMENT COMPLEXES, THE MEDICAL DISTRICT IS CONSIDERED A LESS INTENSIVE ZONING DISTRICT SO IT ALLOWS FOR LESS USES THAN GENERAL BUSINESS. THE APPLICANT IS PROPOSING NO ALTERATIONS TO
[00:10:02]
THE SITE OR TO THE EXISTING BUILDING, GIVEN THAT THERE ARE NO CHANGES BEING MADE TO THE SITE AND THE APPLICANT IS PROPOSING A LESS INTENSIVE DISTRICT, STAFF RECOMMENDSAPPROVAL OF THIS REQUEST. >> THANK YOU.
>> ANYBODY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? >> MY OPHTHALMOLOGIST IS IN THAT BUILDING. HE'S A DOCTOR SO DOES HE NOT FALL INTO THAT CATEGORY?
YES. >> MEDICAL OFFICE IS ALLOWABLE, THERE ARE A HANDFUL OF USES THAT ARE NOT ALLOWED WITHIN THE GENERAL BUSINESS ZONING DISTRICT THAT ARE ALLOWED IN THE MEDICAL ZONING DISTRICT, MOST NOTABLY, MEDICAL LABORATORIES. SO THERE ARE SOME EXISTING LABORATORIES THAT DO STANDARD TESTING AND THINGS LIKE THAT BUT DON'T SEE PATIENTS, SO THEY DON'T FALL UNDER THE DEFINITION OF A MEDICAL CLINIC OR OFFICE, SO THERE IS A USER THAT WAS DESIRED THAT DOES MEDICAL TESTING THAT DOESN'T SEE PATIENTS. THAT WAS THE IMPETUS FOR THE CHANGE. THE OTHER USE WOULD BE A HOSPITAL WHICH SEEMS FAIRLY UNLIKELY GIVEN THE SIZE OF THE SITE BUT THAT WOULD BE THE OTHER USE. IT WOULD ONLY BE ALLOWED IN THE MEDICAL DISTRICT.
>> THIS WOULD BASICALLY JUST KEEP EVERYTHING MEDICAL. SAME FAMILY JUST MEDICAL ONLY SO THERE'S NO CHANCE OF ANOTHER
INAUDIBLE ] >> OKAY, THANK YOU.
>> SO WITH THAT, WE WILL GO AHEAD AND OPEN UP THE PUBLIC HEARING, ANYONE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM, PLEASE COME FORWARD AND STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD. OKAY, NO ONE HAVING COME FORWARD WE WILL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING AND I
WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION. >> MOTION BY AINSLEY, SECONDED BY JOSH. PLEASE VOTE NOW. AND THE MOTION PASSES 5-0.
>> COMMISSIONERS THIS ITEM WILL GO FOR A SECOND HEARING ON
[D. Presentations]
NOVEMBER 17. >> ALL RIGHT, LOOKS LIKE WE HAVE A COUPLE OF PRESENTATIONS TONIGHT. FIRST UP, LOUISVILLE
2035 BIG ISSUES UPDATE. >> GOOD EVENING COMMISSIONERS, I KNOW MANY OF YOU ARE HIGHLY INVOLVED IN THE LOUISVILLE 2035 VISION PLAN BUT I WANTED TO GO AHEAD AND GIVE AN UPDATE TO THE ENTIRE BOARD ANYWAY , I WANTED TO KEEP YOU IN THE LOOP AND GIVE EVERYONE THAT WATCHES THESE MEETINGS AN OPPORTUNITY TO GET AN UPDATE ON THE PLAN. SO, JUST A LITTLE BIT OF THE PROCESS, WE ARE KIND OF RIGHT NOW, WORKING IN BETWEEN, WE ARE TRANSITIONING FROM OUR WORK PHASE 2 TO WORK PHASE 3, CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR LEWISVILLE AND WE ARE TRANSITIONING INTO OKAY, WHAT ARE THE OPPORTUNITIES AND LET'S RESOLVE CHALLENGES AS WE WORK THROUGH OUR PROJECT PHASES. SO WE WILL COME UP WITH OUR BIG IDEAS, KIND OF REFINE THOSE AND MOVE TOWARDS GETTING THE PLAN TOGETHER AND ADOPT IT. SO, JUST A RECAP, WITH THE BIG ISSUES PHASE, WE WANTED TO SHARE THE PROCESS WITH THE PUBLIC AND EXPLAIN WHAT LEWISVILLE 2035 IS USED, AND WE WANTED TO ENGAGE OUR RESIDENTS AND IDENTIFY WITH SOME OF THE BIG CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES ARE THAT EXIST TODAY. SO WE DID A KICKOFF SURVEY, A NUMBER OF MEETINGS, POP UP ENGAGEMENT EFFORTS, WE SET UP AT COMMUNITY EVENTS TOGETHER AND PUT. BUT ALSO, ON THE BACKSIDE OF THINGS, THE TEAM WAS LOOKING AT THE DATA, SO THEY WERE LOOKING AT, OUR EXISTING PLANS WITH THE FRAMEWORK HERE IN LEWISVILLE AND LOOKING AT TRENDS THAT WE NEED TO CONSIDER ON A NATIONAL BASIS SO AI, MOBILITY, THIRD PLACES, THOSE TYPES OF THINGS WHICH DID COME UP IN A LOT OF THE ENGAGEMENT AS WELL.
THEY LOOKED AT DEMOGRAPHIC DATA, LOOKED AT OUR CURRENT BALANCE OF LAND USES, THEY LOOKED AT OUR PHYSICAL BUILT IN ENVIRONMENT FRAMEWORK, THE NATURAL ENVIRONMENT LIKE THE LAKE, THE TRINITY RIVER AND ALSO THE ROADS AND HIGHWAY SYSTEM, THOSE THINGS THAT HAVE A STRONG INFLUENCE ON OUR PLACE AND ALSO PERFORMED A COMMUNITY RESILIENCE ASSESSMENT, SO LOOKING AT HOW THE COMMUNITY MIGHT BE RESILIENT AGAINST STRESSORS, WHETHER THEY ARE WEATHER EVENTS, OR ECONOMIC EVENTS. SO, WE WANTED REALLY TO DO A LOT OF ENGAGEMENT IN THIS PHASE FOR THE OVERALL 2035
[00:15:04]
PROCESS, WE DID SET A GOAL OF 8000 TOUCH POINTS WHICH WAS DOUBLING FROM THE 2025 PLANNED UPDATE THAT WAS CONDUCTED IN 2021 WHICH DOUBLE THE ORIGINAL 2025 PLAN ADOPTED BACK IN 2014.WE'VE HAD ABOUT 4800 TOUCH POINTS BUT WE HAVE DONE A LOT WITH NEIGHBORHOOD OUTREACH, WE'VE DONE A PUBLIC WORKSHOP, WE HAVE OUR STEERING COMMITTEE, WE'VE ALSO DONE A LOT OF ONLINE AND VIRTUAL ENGAGEMENT . SO JUST TO LET YOU KNOW, WE HAVE GONE TO EXISTING COMMUNITY EVENTS, SO THESE ARE EVENTS THAT WERE HAPPENING ANYWAY, NOT THAT WE SPECIFICALLY THROUGH FOR THIS AND WE HAD TABLES AND WE HAD IN FOOT -- INPUT FROM PEOPLE, PLAY LEWISVILLE ON WHEELS , WENT TO THE CASTLE HILLS FARMERS MARKET, WE WENT TO THE PARKING DAY EVENT, WESTERN DAYS, WE HAD TEAMS VISITING ALL OF THE NATIONAL NIGHT OUT THAT WERE HAD ACROSS THE CITY THE FIRST TUESDAY IN OCTOBER. AND WE GOT 783 PEOPLE, A TOUCH POINT IS A PERSON THAT WE TALKED TO. SO THAT'S WHAT A TOUCH POINT IS. WE SPECIFICALLY WANTED TO REACH OUT TO YOUTH AND FAMILIES AS THEY OFTEN DON'T HAVE TIME TO PARTICIPATE, SO WE WENT TO A LOT OF BACK TO SCHOOL FARES, WE WENT TO MEET THE TEACHER NIGHTS, WE WENT TO A HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL GAME, SO WE REACHED OUT AND WE HAD 457 TOUCH POINTS THAT WAY.
WE HAVE A CITY AMBASSADORS PROGRAM, SO WE TALKED TO THOSE FOLKS AND WE HAD OUR DIRECTORS AND MANAGERS AND OTHER KEY CITY STAFF DOING TARGETED OUTREACH TO DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS THROUGHOUT THE CITY. SO THERE WAS A TEAM OF STAFF MEMBERS THAT WAS REACHING OUT TO FAITH-BASED ORGANIZATIONS, ONE REACHING OUT TO SPORTS TEAMS, VARIOUS A'S, SMALL BUSINESSES, DEVELOPERS, SEEING IF WE COULD ATTEND THE MEETINGS OR GET SOME SORT OF GATHERING OF THEM TOGETHER TO TALK ABOUT LEWISVILLE 2035. AND WE REACHED OUT TO 728 PEOPLE THAT WAY. ONLINE ENGAGEMENT, A TOUCH POINT HERE IS DIFFERENT, IT'S ABOUT HOW MANY PEOPLE EITHER REACTED TO A POST ON SOCIAL MEDIA, OR UNIQUE VISITORS TO THE SITE EACH WEEK. BUT WE HAVE 2622 TOUCH POINTS WITH OUR ONLINE ENGAGEMENT, THROUGH THE PROJECT WEBSITE AND OUR SOCIAL MEDIA CHANNELS. ONE THING THAT IS A BIT OF A PIVOT IS WE DID LAUNCH CONECTANDO LEWISVILLE, THIS IS AN OUTREACH FOR THE LATINO COMMUNITY. THEY'VE BEEN GOING TO SHOPPING CENTERS WHICH HAVE A LOT OF HISPANIC ORIENTED BUSINESSES TO TRY TO INTERACT WITH FOLKS IN THOSE SHOPPING CENTERS AND THEY'VE HAD 302 TOUCH POINTS THAT WAY AT THEIR VARIOUS EVENTS. WE DON'T HAVE NUMBERS YET FOR THE DIGITAL ENGAGEMENT SITE. WE DO HAVE A LARGE STEERING COMMITTEE OF 120 MEMBERS WHICH IS AWESOME . AND HERE'S A PICTURE OF A LOT OF THEM, SOME OF YOU I THINK ARE IN THIS PICTURE BUT WE ARE EXCITED TO HAVE THIS STEERING COMMITTEE, IT'S BROKEN OUT INTO EIGHT SUBCOMMITTEES, THEY WERE DEVELOPED BASED ON SOME OF THE INITIAL SURVEY INPUT THAT WE GOT. AND SO THOSE ARE NATURAL LEWISVILLE WHICH FOCUSES ON GREEN SPACE, ENVIRONMENT AND SUSTAINABILITY, GROWING LEWISVILLE WHICH FOCUSES ON WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT, POPULATION GROWTH, NEW DEVELOPMENT . CONNECTED LEWISVILLE, WHICH FOCUSES ON CONNECTING PEOPLE PHYSICALLY AND DIGITALLY , WHETHER THAT IS THROUGH TREAT -- STREETS TRAILS OR OTHER MEANS. SAFE LEWISVILLE FOCUSING ON PUBLIC AND TRANSPORTATION SAFETY. LIVABLE LEWISVILLE FOCUSING ON HOUSING OPTIONS, AFFORDABILITY, QUALITY OF LIFE, SO IT'S A BROAD CATEGORY. PLAYFUL LEWISVILLE FOCUSING ON PARKS , RECREATION, ARTS AND CULTURE AND INNOVATIVE LEWISVILLE FOCUSING ON EDUCATION, TECHNOLOGY CHANGE AND A FUTURE READY LEWISVILLE. WE HAD APPOINTED EIGHT SUBCOMMITTEE CHAIRS. THEY'VE ALSO SELECTED COCHAIRS TO HELP THEM OUT. WE HAVE THROWN A LARGE VISION WORKSHOP DURING THE LUNCH HOUR AND THE WORKDAY. WE HAD 101 CITY STAFF MEMBERS COME. IT WAS GREAT TO GET INPUT FROM THEM. AND THEN WE HAD A COMMUNITY VISION WORKSHOP OPEN TO THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY ON A THURSDAY EVENING FROM 5:00 TO 8:00, WE HAD THREE GUEST SPEAKERS, EIGHT STATIONS BASED ON THE SUBTOPICS THAT I DISCUSSED, WE HAD A COMMUNITY ART DRAWING STATION, WE ALSO HAD A ROOM WHERE KIDS COULD BUILD AND DRAW AND COLOR AND ENGAGE THAT WAY. OVERALL, WE GOT A LOT OF DATA POINTS FROM THAT.
[00:20:06]
THAT'S EVERY TIME SOMEONE PUT A STICKY NOTE OR A DOT ON A BOARD, THAT'S A DATA POINT. SO WHILE THE ATTENDANCE WAS LOWER THAN WHAT WE HOPE, WE GOT A WHOLE LOT OF DATA POINTS. PEOPLE WERE GIVING US GOOD INSIGHT AND DISSIPATING IN ALL OF THE BOARDS AND STATIONS. WE DID GET A LOT OF INFORMATION WE CAN USE FOR THE PLAN. WE ALSO GOT A LOT OF FEEDBACK, BOTH ON FACEBOOK AND THEN THERE WAS THE ARTICLE, AND ALL THAT HELP TO IDENTIFY SOME KEY ISSUES AND THEMES THAT WE WILL MOVE FORWARD WITH IDEAS OF HOW DO WE TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THESE OR RECTIFY SOME OF THESE, AND THE CONSULTANT TEAM, AND WE ORGANIZE THEM INTO THE EIGHT SUBCOMMITTEE AREAS, JUST AS A FRAMEWORK FOR WHO'S GOING TO DIVE IN AND ADDRESS THESE . BUT, SOME OF THE KEY ISSUES WERE PROTECTING AND EXPANDING OUR NATURAL ASSETS, SO TREE CANOPIES, SHADED TRAILS, FLOODING, ADDRESSING TRASH AND NATURAL AREAS, ALSO BUILDING RESILIENCE AND INFRASTRUCTURE AND ENERGY, PREPARING FOR CLIMATE AND WEATHER RELATED EVENTS. STACY WILL TALK ABOUT TREES IN A LITTLE BIT SO THAT TIES INTO WHAT WE ARE HEARING. AND WE ALSO HEARD ISSUES ABOUT REVITALIZING SOME OTHER AGING CORRIDORS AND SHOPPING CENTERS .WE HEARD SUPPORTING SMALL BUSINESSES AND JOB GROWTH. WE HEARD BOUNCING GROWTH AND HOUSING OPTIONS, PROMOTING DIVERSE HOUSING TYPES WITHOUT OVERBURDENING OUR STRUCTURE.
HOUSING AND JUST GENERAL LIFE AFFORDABILITY IS A LARGE CONCERNING ISSUE. SO THE RISING COST OF HOUSING, GOODS, AND THEN WE ALSO HEARD ABOUT INVESTING IN THE NEXT GENERATION, STRENGTHENING THE SCHOOLS, JOB OPPORTUNITIES AND LOCAL BUSINESSES FOR LONG-TERM PROSPERITY. WE HEARD ABOUT IMPROVING SAFETY ALONG OUR REGIONAL THOROUGHFARES, PEDESTRIAN CROSSINGS, EXPANDING WALK ABILITY AND SAFE CONNECTIONS TO LOCAL DESTINATIONS. THERE WAS A LOT OF PEOPLE VOICING CONCERNS ABOUT TOLLS SO RETAINING FREE AND ACCESSIBLE THOROUGHFARES , THAT WAS A CONCERN AND IT PERTAINS MOSTLY TO DO WITH I- 35 WIDENING, THOSE TOLL LANES, WE HAVE THE 121, THERE'S A LOT OF CONCERNS ABOUT THE TOLL ROADS AS WE CONTINUE TO MOVE ALONG. AND THEN THE GROWING STRAIN ON INFRASTRUCTURE. PEOPLE PERCEIVE THE PACE OF GROWTH IS OUTPACING WHAT OUR ROADS AND INFRASTRUCTURE MIGHT BE ABLE TO HANDLE. FOR KIND OF THE SAFETY UMBRELLA, PEOPLE MENTIONED IMPROVING PUBLIC SECURITY AND COMMUNITY PERCEPTION, PREPARING FOR CLIMATE AND WEATHER RELATED EVENTS AND ENHANCING MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES WAS A BIG TOPIC AS WELL. OTHER KEY ISSUES WERE PRESERVING AND CELEBRATING LEWISVILLE'S SENSE OF IDENTITY.
THE WELCOMING REPUTATION THAT WE HAVE, STRENGTHENING OUR COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, EXPANDING OUR OUTREACH BEYOND THE OLD TOWN AREA. CREATING AN IDENTITY DESTINATIONS THAT ARE UNIQUE AND FAMILY-FRIENDLY, EMPHASIZING QUALITY OF LIFE AND SAFETY AND INCLUSION. RESIDENTS WERE PRIORITIZING THAT SENSE OF BELONGING AND SAFETY AND EQUITABLE ACCESS. THAT JUST CAME UP AGAIN AND AGAIN. FOR THE LIVABLE LEWISVILLE, PEOPLE WANTED ENHANCED ACCESS TO EVERY DAY AMENITIES, GROCERY STORES, THAT'S PROBABLY THE NUMBER ONE THING WE HEAR ABOUT. ANOTHER ISSUE IS EMPHASIZING BEAUTY, LIVABILITY AND QUALITY. THAT IS LOOKING AT OUR DEVELOPMENTS AND HOW CAN WE MODERNIZE THEM TO MAKE SURE THEY RETAIN THE QUALITY THAT THEY HAD WHEN THEY WERE ORIGINALLY CONSTRUCTED, AND BOUNCING GROWTH AND HOUSING OPTIONS. AGAIN, WE TALKED ABOUT THAT ONE, IT OVERLAPS WITH GROWING LEWISVILLE. ONE OF THE MAIN ISSUES THAT HOUSING IS LESS AFFORDABLE TO THE AVERAGE RESIDENT AND THAT WAS A TOP CONCERN. OTHER ISSUES WERE IMPROVING ACCESS TO LEWISVILLE LAKE AND OTHER FEATURES WE HAVE IN THE CITY. OUR VARIOUS CREEKS, PONDS, THOSE SORTS OF THINGS. EXPANDING ARTS, CULTURE AND RECREATION, SPECIFICALLY WITH MARTIN NEIGHBORHOOD EVENTS AND FESTIVALS. AND PROVIDING EXCITING PLACES TO MEET, ENGAGE AND PLAY, SO THIRD SPACES, IT'S A NATIONAL TREND THAT CAME UP QUITE A LOT. THE YOUTH, THEY WANTED A PLACE TO GO. AND THEN WE HEARD THE ISSUES ABOUT FUTURE PROOFING THROUGH INNOVATION AND EDUCATION, INVESTING IN SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, AND MATH, MAKING SURE THAT WE ARE PREPARED TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES, AI, AUTOMATION, ALL OF THESE THINGS ARE COMING FAST AND THE DIFFERENT APPLICATIONS IS EXPANDING RAPIDLY, SO MAKING SURE WE ARE TAKING ADVANTAGE OF THOSE WHERE THEY MAKE SENSE. AND SUPPORTING AND ENCOURAGING YOUNG
[00:25:05]
PROFESSIONALS AND DRAWING THOSE INTO LEWISVILLE. THOSE WERE THE MAIN ISSUES. I WANTED TO GIVE YOU AN OPPORTUNITY TO ASK ANY QUESTIONS BEFORE I MOVE ON. I THINK YOU'VE HEARD A LOT OFTHESE ALREADY. >> THE TOUCH POINTS, A LOT OF NUMBERS. DO YOU HAVE A FEEL OF WHETHER THIS TIME AROUND IN THE 2035 PLAN WE ARE HAVING MORE TOUCH POINTS THAN THE 2025 PLAN?
>> YES, SO, WHEN WE DID THE 2025 PLAN UPDATE IN 20 AND 21, WE HAD ABOUT 4000 TOUCH POINTS, SO WE'VE ALREADY EXCEEDED THAT IN JUST THE FIRST DAYS. SO WE ARE REALLY PLEASED WITH THAT AND WE WANT TO KEEP PUSHING, THE GOAL IS 8000.
>> I DON'T KNOW IF IT WAS DONE TO THE SAME EXTENT. I KNOW THAT WE DID HAVE GROUPS THAT FOCUS ON YOUTH BUT I'M NOT SURE THAT WE WERE NECESSARILY AT THE BACK TO SCHOOL EVENTS IN THE SAME WAY WE
WERE THIS TIME. >> I'M WONDERING IF THAT'S A CORRELATION, LIKE WE'VE ALREADY EXCEEDED WHAT THE WHOLE PLAN
WAS, THAT'S AMAZING . >> THAT IS A PART OF IT AND TRACKING THE ONLINE ENGAGEMENT MORE, THAT'S A PART OF IT. I ALSO REALLY FOUND AT THE BACK TO SCHOOL FAIRS AND THE COMMUNITY EVENTS, WE WERE ABLE TO GET TOUCH POINTS FROM A LOT OF PEOPLE AND A LOT OF FACES I'VE NEVER SEEN BEFORE. SO THAT'S ALWAYS EXCITING FOR ME. SO JUST KIND OF WHAT IS UP NEXT AS WE MOVE INTO THE BIG IDEAS PHASE, WE WILL REFINE THOSE BIG ISSUES, WE WILL USE THE STEERING COMMITTEE A LOT FOR THAT. WE WILL IDENTIFY THE BIG IDEAS, ENGAGING RESIDENTS TO GO THROUGH THIS OVERALL FUTURE VISION, OUR GOALS AND PRIORITIES FOR LEWISVILLE, AND WE WILL CONTINUE THAT TARGETED ENGAGEMENT. THERE ARE SOME GROUPS THAT I DON'T THINK WE'VE REALLY GOTTEN A LOT OF FEEDBACK FROM SO WE WILL PUSH ENGAGEMENT IN THOSE DIRECTIONS.
AND THEN WE HAVE OUR COMMUNITY WORKSHOP NUMBER TWO. THAT IS COMING UP ON THURSDAY, DECEMBER 4TH. IT WILL BE AT INDEPENDENCE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. WE ARE TRYING TO HAVE EACH ONE OF THESE WORKSHOPS IN DIFFERENT GEOGRAPHIC AREAS OF THE CITY, THE FIRST ONE WAS HERE IN OLD TOWN. THIS WILL BE ON THE EAST SIDE AND THEN WE WILL GO NORTHWEST AND THEN SOUTHWEST. SO WE CAN HIT UP ALL OF THESE DIFFERENT AREAS. THAT EVENT WILL BE FROM 5:00 TO 8:00, AGAIN, INDEPENDENCE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL AND WE ARE EXCITED TO HAVE OUR GUEST SPEAKER, WHO IS AN AUTHOR, AND IS NATIONALLY KNOWN, HE WROTE LOVE WHERE YOU LIVE AND FOR THE LOVE OF CITIES WHICH ARE BOTH BOOKS THAT I RECOMMEND THAT YOU CHECK OUT AND READ. OUR LIBRARY HAS THEM. THAT IS ALL.
>> THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT, COME ON DOWN, STACY. NEXT PRESENTATION UPDATES THE UNIFIED DEPARTMENT
CODE, TREE MITIGATION. >> PART OF THE PRESENTATION, DO I NEED TO START OVER AGAIN? DID
YOU ALL HEAR ME? >> EXCELLENT. SO, THANK YOU ALL FOR HAVING US, WE APPRECIATE YOU TAKING TIME OUT OF YOUR DAY. WE HAVE A COUPLE OF PROPOSED WELL A COUPLE PROPOSED UPDATES TO THE UNIFIED DEVELOPMENT CODE. WE WILL TALK ABOUT THE BACKGROUND, WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR IN TERMS OF TREE PRESERVATION, PARKLAND DEDICATION, WHAT OUR NEXT STEPS ARE AND TAKE SOME QUESTIONS SO LITTLE BIT OF THE BACKGROUND OF THIS, IS, WE PASSED THE HEALTHY INFRASTRUCTURE PLAN BACK IN 2023 AND THAT REALLY TALKED ABOUT , THAT'S OUR NEW MASTER PLAN AND WE TOOK A LITTLE BIT OF A DIFFERENT SPIN ON IT, WHERE WE TALKED ABOUT PARKS, TRAILS AND THE URBAN TREE CANOPY AND REALLY SAYING THAT AS PUBLIC INFRASTRUCTURE, NOT NECESSARILY , JUST HEALTHY INFRASTRUCTURE LIKE YOU WOULD SEE A STREET, STORM WATER SYSTEM, INFRASTRUCTURE TO HELP OUR COMMUNITY, BE MORE ENTICING TO PEOPLE, TO HELP PEOPLE BE HEALTHY IN THEIR NORMAL DAY OF LIVING, HOW DO WE CREATE ASSETS THAT BRING PEOPLE OUT OF THEIR HOMES TO CONNECT, MAKE IT EASIER TO LIVE, MITIGATE SOME OF THE
[00:30:05]
IMPACT OF LIVING IN AN URBAN HEAT BUBBLE HERE IN THE DFW AREA AND HOW DO WE PROTECT IT AND HOW DO WE GROW IT? SO, WE SET FORTH SOME RECOMMENDATIONS AND SOME ACTION STEPS OF HOW WE CAN PROTECT OUR TREE CANOPY NOT ONLY GROW IT IN OUR PARK SYSTEM, HOW DO WE PROTECT IT IN OUR RESIDENTIAL AREAS, SPECIFICALLY ALONG OUR RIGHT OF WAYS, SO THAT AS WE MARCH TOWARDS THE GOAL OF HAVING A PARK WITHIN A 10 MINUTE WALK OF EVERYBODY'S FRONT DOOR, THAT 10 MINUTE WALK IS PLEASANT, AND IT'S SAFE. ESPECIALLY IN THE HOTTEST PARTS OF THE YEAR, IT'S EASY TO GET THERE. SO, IN THAT PURSUIT, WE HAVE TALKED TO CITY COUNCIL ABOUT HOW DO WE UPDATE OUR UNIFIED DEVELOPMENT CODE TO PROTECT THAT CANOPY TO GROW OUR HEALTHY INFRASTRUCTURE, RECENTLY, RIGHT AFTER WE PASSED THE HEALTHY INFRASTRUCTURE PLAN, WE WERE GRANTED SEVERAL GRANTS TO HELP US STUDY THE CANOPY IN CERTAIN AREAS IN TOWN WHETHER IT WAS WEAK OR IF WE HAD VULNERABLE POPULATIONS IN TERMS OF THEIR HEALTH DATA OR SOCIOECONOMICS OR DEMOGRAPHICS, WE WORKED WITH THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTH TEXAS RESEARCH INSTITUTE, TO HELP US DO SOME STUDIES ALONG THE WAY. AND SO, BACK IN FEBRUARY, WE PREPPED CITY COUNCIL WITH NOTIFYING THEM THAT WE ARE ALMOST DONE WITH THE STUDIES THAT THIS GRANT HAS ALLOWED US TO LOOK AT TREE CANOPIES IN THE RESIDENTIAL AND PUBLIC SPACES AND HOW CAN WE STRENGTHEN IT, AND HOW DO WE ALSO LOOK AT OUR PARK DEVELOPMENT PORTION OF THE UDC, TO MAKE IT EASIER TO WORK WITH DEVELOPERS , TO BUILD PARKS WHEN WE ARE DEVELOPING NEW SPACES, NEW RESIDENTIAL AREAS, SO WE LET CITY COUNCIL KNOW THAT WE WERE DOING THAT BACK IN FEBRUARY AND THEN IN APRIL, DR.FISHER WHO IS WITH THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTH TEXAS HE'S GONE ON TO RUN A SIMILAR INSTITUTE AT THE UNIVERSITY OF BUFFALO AND MADE A HESITATION ABOUT, HEY, HERE'S WHAT WE ARE SEEING WITHIN THE URBAN TREE CANOPY, AND THERE ARE A FEW THINGS IN THE DEVELOPMENT CODE THAT WE COULD IMPROVE ON TO STRENGTHEN THAT CANOPY. THEN IN MAY, WE MADE PRESENTATIONS TO CITY COUNCIL ABOUT HOW WE MIGHT REVISE SOME OF OUR OUTDATED ORDINANCES, WHERE WE MIGHT IMPROVE OUR TREE STANDARDS AND HOW WE MIGHT ADJUST OUR MITIGATION COSTS, TO HELP US EITHER INCENTIVIZE SAVING EXISTING TREE CANOPY OR WHEN THAT CAN'T BE DONE, THAT WE HAVE THE FUNDS TO REPLANT AND REINVEST IN THE CANOPY. SO, HERE ARE SOME OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT WHEN WE TALK TO CITY COUNCIL, WE SET GOES STUDY THESE MORE, WORK WITH THE PLANNING AND LEGAL DEPARTMENT TO SEE HOW WE CAN MAKE SOME UPDATES. AND SO, IN SECTION 3.3, USES, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE WANT TO TALK ABOUT IS OUR LANDSCAPING STANDARD. RIGHT NOW, WHEN AN EXISTING COMMERCIAL PROPERTY, IF THERE LANDSCAPING DIES OR THEY HAVE TREES OR BUSHES, THEY HAVE TO REPLACE IT WITH WHAT THEIR ORIGINAL LANDSCAPING PLAN WAS, AND IN SOME CASES, THAT WAS WAY BACK IN THE 90S, EARLY 2000'S, AND IT WAS BEFORE WE WERE HIP TO THE IDEA OF NATIVE LANDSCAPING AND HOW THAT CAN HELP US PROTECT OUR NATURAL RESOURCES. AND ALSO, IT GIVES THAT COMMERCIAL LANDSCAPING A BETTER CHANCE OF SURVIVING, WHEN WE HAVE THE SWINGS OF OUR HOT AND DRY SUMMERS, OR OUR REALLY COLD WINTERS. AND SO, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT CITY COUNCIL AND THE CITY MANAGER WANTED US TO LOOK AT WAS HOW DO WE UPDATE OUR ORDINANCE TO ENCOURAGE THOSE COMMERCIAL PROPERTIES TO REPLANT, WITH NATIVE TREES AND BUSHES. AND THIS REALLY KIND OF OPENS IT UP FOR THE COMMERCIAL OWNERS AND GIVE THEM MORE FLEXIBILITY TO GET PLANT MATERIAL THAT WILL SURVIVE IN THE LONG RUN AND IN THE LONG RUN IT'LL SAVE THEM MONEY BECAUSE THEY ARE REQUIRED, IF THERE LANDSCAPING DIES, TO REPLACE IT. THEY WILL GET CITED BY A CODE.
THIS HELPS US KILL TWO BIRDS, WELL I SHOULDN'T SAY THAT, SAVE TWO BIRDS WITH ONE NEST, BY CREATING SOME FLEXIBILITY. AND ONE OF THE THINGS WE ARE TRYING TO DO IS IMPROVE OUR ROOTS FOR WINGS PROGRAM, WHERE WE WILL EXPAND IT FROM PURELY RESIDENTIAL, TO A COMMERCIAL PROGRAM WHERE WE HELP COMMERCIAL
[00:35:02]
OWNERS UNDERSTAND THE BENEFITS AND HOW TO GET THERE WITH A BETTER TREE SELECTION. AND WE ALREADY HAVE APPROVED AN UPDATED SHADE TREES AND NATIVE LANDSCAPING PALLETS THAT WAS ADOPTED IN THE UDC. THIS IS KIND OF TIES IT TOGETHER. THE NEXT THING WE WANT TO DO IS LOOK AT TREE PRESERVATION. YOU ALL KNOW THAT WHEN A DEVELOPER COMES IN AND THEY ARE GOING TO REDEVELOP A PIECE OF PROPERTY, IF THEY ARE GOING TO TAKE OUT TREES, THEY HAVE TO DO A TREE SURVEY AND TALK TO US ABOUT A TREE PRESERVATION PLAN, THEY HAVE TO SUBMIT IT. SO, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE NOTICED WHEN WE WENT THROUGH THE STUDY WAS THE HEALTHY INFRASTRUCTURE PLAN LOOKED AT OUR TREE CANOPY AND TOLD US THAT 60% OF OUR TREE CANOPY, TREES OF SIX INCHES, 60% IS SIX INCHES OR LESS. WELL, OUR REQUIREMENT FOR TREE SURVEYS WAS EIGHT INCHES OR LESS. THAT'S WHAT COUNTED TOWARDS PRESERVATION PLANS. WELL THEN THAT MEANS, 60% OF OUR TREE CANOPY IS VULNERABLE TO BEING REMOVED. SO, OUR PLAN, OR OUR UPDATE IS TO SAY, HEY, INSISTING MINIMUM OF EIGHT INCHES DBH, LET'S TAKE THAT DOWN TO SIX INCHES BECAUSE THAT WOULD PUT THAT AT THE MAJORITY OF OUR TREES OR AT LEAST GIVE US A CHANCE TO KNOW WHAT'S GOING TO BE IMPACTED BY DEVELOPMENT AND EXACT MEDICATION FOR IT. THE OTHER THING IS, INITIALLY, WE HAD CREATED A PRESERVATION CREDIT PROGRAM THAT GAVE DEVELOPERS EXTRA CREDIT FOR PRESERVING POST OAKS AND BLACKJACKS. AND IF YOU KNOW, THOSE ARE, IT'S THE CROSS LAND TIMBERS, POST OAKS AND BLACKJACKS, VERY RARE TREES THAT ARE NATIVE TO THIS AREA AND THEY ARE HARD TO BE REGROWING THOSE, IT'S HARD TO HARVEST, HARD TO GROW THOSE IN A NURSERY, SO REALLY PROTECTING THOSE OLD STANZA TREES, THAT'S IMPORTANT.IN OUR EFFORT TO TRY TO INCENTIVIZE PEOPLE TO SAVE THEM AND GIVING PEOPLE, IF YOU'RE GOING TO REMOVE ONE TREE , OR IF YOU SAVE ONE TREE, YOU GOT CREDIT FOR ONE TREE BUT IF YOU SAVE A POST OAK OR A BLACKJACK, YOU GET TWO CREDITS. WELL, WHAT IT DID IS IT CREATED COVER. FOR PEOPLE TO SAY I'M GOING TO SAVE THESE TWO POST OAKS AND BLACKJACKS BUT BECAUSE I HAVE EXTRA CREDIT, IT GAVE ME BANK TO REMOVE MORE TREES, SO IT KIND OF WORKED AGAINST US. WE THOUGHT WE WERE TRYING TO INCENTIVIZE BUT IT CREATED THE SYSTEM WHERE MORE WERE GETTING REMOVED THAN WE THOUGHT. SO WHAT WE'D LIKE TO DO IS REMOVE THAT TWO INCH CREDIT FOR POST OAKS AND BLACKJACKS. ONE OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT WE HAD GOTTEN ALONG THE WAY WAS OUR TREE MITIGATION FEE WASN'T KEEPING UP WITH WHAT IT COST US TO REPLACE TREES. SO WE WERE AT 150, WE'VE GONE UP TO 200, AND CITY COUNCIL APPROVED THAT. BUT WE JUST WANTED TO LET YOU KNOW THAT. THE OTHER THING THAT WE WANTED TO DO IS UPDATE SOME OF OUR TREE PRESERVATION AND MITIGATION DESIGNATIONS, AND WE WANTED TO CREATE A HERITAGE TREE DESIGNATION. ONE OF THE THINGS WITH THE HEALTHY INFRASTRUCTURE PLAN IS TO SAVE SOME OF OUR HISTORIC TREES THAT HAVE BEEN AROUND FOR A LONG TIME. AND ONE OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS WAS THAT WE WOULD LOOK AT ANY TREE THAT IS 26 INCHES OR GREATER, SO, ABOUT THIS BIG WOULD BE DESIGNATED AS A HERITAGE TREE . AND THAT, IF YOU WERE GOING TO REMOVE IT, YOU WOULD PAY AN ELEVATED PRICE FOR DBH. AND PART OF THE REASON IS THE IMPACT AND THE BENEFIT OF THAT TREE, AND WHAT IT MEANS IN TERMS OF CARBON SEQUESTERING, WE REALLY SHOULD DO OUR BEST TO PROTECT THOSE. AND THEY COST A LOT MORE TO REPLACE BECAUSE THEY ARE JUST THAT BIG. SO, THIS KIND OF
[00:40:01]
SUMMARIZES WHAT WE ARE LOOKING AT, RIGHT NOW, THE CURRENT UNPROTECTED TREES OR ANYTHING UNDER EIGHT INCHES, SO WE ARE PROPOSING THAT WE MOVE THAT PROTECTION DOWN TO SIX INCHES.WHAT IS EXCLUDED FROM THAT ARE THE COTTONWOODS IN THE BOAT ARTS, THOSE AREN'T NECESSARILY NATIVE, AND HACKBERRY, UNDER 12 INCHES. PROTECTED TREES WOULD BECOME 6 TO 26 INCHES, AND HACKBERRY IS OVER 12 INCHES. THE PROPOSED FEE WOULD GO FROM 200 DBH TWO 300 FOR A PROTECTED TREE. I'M GOING TO ASK JOSE TO COME UP AND TALK ABOUT THE CHANGES THAT WE ARE PROPOSING TO
THE PARKLAND DEDICATION. >> LEAVING COMMISSIONERS. I AM THE SENIOR ADMINISTRATIVE ANALYST, AND I SERVE AS A REPRESENTATION FOR THE DEVELOPMENT REVIEW COMMITTEE.
BEFORE I JUMP IN TO OUR PROPOSED UPDATES, I WANTED TO GIVE YOU A BACKGROUND OF HOW THE PARKLAND DEDICATION AND DEVELOPMENT PROCESS WORKS. WE HAVE A HORIZONTAL AND VERTICAL REVIEW OF PARKLAND DEDICATION. THAT COMES IN EITHER ACREAGE OR CASH IN LIEU, FOR ACREAGE, WE ASK FOR THREE ACRES PER 100 DWELLING UNITS FOR RESIDENTIAL PROPERTIES. AND IF YOU CANNOT PROVIDE THREE ACRES, WE ASK THAT YOU PAY A CASH IN LIEU FEE, WHICH IS $75,045 PER ACRE. AND IT IS JUST BASED ON THE DEVELOPMENT WHERE WE EITHER ASK FOR THE PARKLAND DEDICATION, OR THE CASH IN LIEU OR A COMBINATION OF BOTH. YOU CAN DEDICATE A QUARTER ACRE, HALF AN ACRE OR AN ACRE, DEPENDING ON THE VISIBILITY OF THE SITE THE HEALTHY INFRASTRUCTURE PLAN GOALS AND THE 10 MINUTE WALK TO PARK MAP IN THE AREA. WE CAN DO A COMBINATION OF BOTH. FOR THE VERTICAL, FOR THE PARKLAND DEVELOPMENT PROCESS, THAT IS TO IMPROVE EXISTING PARKS OR NEW PARKS IN THE AREA, OR IT COULD BE TRAILS. WE DO HAVE A FEE OF $1682 PER DWELLING UNIT , AND THIS FEE IS BASED ON AN ANALYSIS THAT WE DID ON RECENT PARK PROJECTS SUCH AS GLORY PARK. WE HAVE SOME RECENT PROJECTS, IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CASTLE HILLS AREA, AND THIS IS THE COST OF IT TODAY, IS $1682 PER ACRE. SO, THAT IS HOW OUR PROCESS WORKS. OUR PROPOSED CHANGES TO PARKLAND DEDICATION IS TO UPDATE THE MINIMUM PARK IMPROVEMENT STANDARDS, SO WE ASK FOR A DEVELOPER TO DEDICATE SOME PARKLAND TO US, CURRENTLY, IT JUST STATES TO CLEAR AND GRADE THE PROPERTY FOR US. WE WANT TO YES, GRADE IT BUT WE ALSO WANT TO REMOVE THE CLEAR SECTION AND CHANGE IT TO PRESERVE, PROTECTED AND HERITAGE TREES SO THEY JUST DON'T CLEAR THE LAND AND THEY LEAVE THE TREES. THE TREES ARE GOOD FOR THE PARKS AND WE DON'T WANT THEM TO REMOVE THE TREES. WE CAN DO OUR OWN ASSESSMENT OF THE TREES WHEN WE GET THERE. MODIFICATION OF MECHANISM, FOR PARK DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENTS, THAT INCLUDES A SYSTEM FOR CREDITS, SO, WHEN A DEVELOPER COMES IN, THE DIRECTOR HAS THE DISCRETION TO ALLOW FOR THE DEVELOPER TO DEVELOP THE PARK FOR US, AND WE CAN HOLD THEIR FEES IN ESCROW UNTIL THEY DEVELOP THE PARK AND WE APPROVE THE PARK AS IT FALLS WITHIN OUR STANDARDS. SO, ONCE THEY DEVELOP THE PARK TO OUR STANDARDS, WE REVIEW AND APPROVE IT, THEN WE CAN RELEASE THE ESCROW FEES AND RETURN ALL OR A PARTIAL AMOUNT OF THE FEE THAT THEY HAVE GIVEN IN THE PARKLAND DEVELOPMENT PROCESS. ALSO, AN UPDATE IS A CLARIFICATION OF HOW PARKS SHOULD BE LABELED ON FINAL PLOTS. CLEARLY MARKED CITY PARK. I'VE SEEN A LOT OF PLOTS, YOU
[00:45:06]
HAVE TO, PROBABLY, FROM THE 80S AND 90S AND IT'S NOT VERY CLEAR WHAT IS A CITY PARK, WE JUST WANT CONSISTENCY AND CLARITY FOR THE FUTURE TO BE DEDICATED AS CITY PARK, CLEARLY LABELED ON THE FINAL PLAT. ALSO CLARIFICATION OF TIMELINE, WHEN DEVELOPERS CAN REQUEST A REFUND OF CASH IN LIEU, TO 10 YEARS, SO WE HAVE A SET TIMELINE OF 10 YEARS. YOU CAN REQUEST A REFUND FOR YOUR FEES, AFTER THAT, WE CANNOT. AND THEN, OTHER PROCESS IMPROVEMENTS THAT WE ARE WORKING ON WITH LEGAL AND PLANNING IS A STANDARDIZED TEMPLATE FOR PARK DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENTS. THIS WILL PROVIDE MORE CONSISTENCY AND PREDICTABILITY FOR NOT ONLY US IN THE PARKS DEPARTMENT AND THE CITY BUT ALSO FOR DEVELOPERS, AND EXPEDITE THE EXECUTION WHERE IT DOESN'T TAKE MONTHS TO BOUNCE BACK AND FORTH A REVIEW. WE WANT TO STANDARDIZE THAT. AND PRIOR ACTION IN THIS NEW FISCAL YEAR, FY 26. ONE OF THE UPDATES TO OUR FEE SCHEDULE IN ADDITION TO THE TREE MITIGATION FEE WAS THE PER DWELLING UNIT FEE FOR PARKLAND DEVELOPMENT. IT WAS $1100, THAT WAS BASED ON 2022 MEMBERS BUT THE COST SINCE THEN HAS ESCALATED AND NOW THE FEE IS 1682 PER DWELLING UNIT. I WILL GIVE THAT MICROPHONE BACK TOSTACY. >> THANKS, GREAT JOB. SO, WE HAVE TAKEN THIS PRESENTATION TO THE PARK BOARD EARLIER THIS MONTH AND THEY GAVE US THE THUMBS UP. WE HAVE A CITY COUNCIL WORKSHOP SCHEDULED FOR NOVEMBER 3RD. WE WILL ALSO BRING THIS BACK FOR YOUR FORMAL RECOMMENDATION ON NOVEMBER 4TH AND LET YOU KNOW IF THERE WAS ANYTHING THAT CITY COUNCIL SAID, HEY, WE WANT TO MODIFY THAT AND THEN WE WILL TAKE IT BACK TO CITY COUNCIL FOR ACTION ON THE 17TH OR DECEMBER 1ST, DEPENDING ON WHAT KIND OF CHANGES WE HAVE TO MAKE. WE DO HAVE POSTING REQUIREMENTS FOR CHANGES TO THE UDC. SO, ANY QUESTIONS?
>> I HAVE A QUESTION. >> OKAY.
>> JUST GOING BACK TO WHAT YOU WERE TELLING US ABOUT REMOVING CREDITS ON THE BACKEND, LIKE YOU SPECIFICALLY POINTED OUT THE BLACKJACKS IN THE POST-OAKS, SO, IF A CREDIT IS GOING TO BE TAKEN AWAY WHICH WAS PREVIOUSLY GIVEN FOR PRESERVING THOSE ARE THOSE GOING TO BE TREATED DIFFERENTLY NOW, ARE THEY GOING TO BE MOVED TO THE HERITAGE CLASSIFICATION ? MY
>> THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION, NO, AS PROPOSED, WHAT WE SET IT UP FOR IS THAT THEY ARE NO LONGER VULNERABLE TO PEOPLE WHO ARE JUST USING THE CREDIT TO CREATE COVER. THAT'S A GOOD POINT, WE HAVE JUST KIND OF REMOVED IT. WE COULD CONSIDER JUST KIND OF LIKE WE'VE TREATED THE HACKBERRY'S, WHERE IF THERE OVER 12 INCHES, THEY ARE TREATED AS A PROTECTED TREE. WE COULD DO SOMETHING SIMILAR ON THE HERITAGE TREES SIDE BY SAYING, ANY POST OAK OR BLACKJACK OVER 12 INCHES COULD ALSO BE CONSIDERED A HERITAGE TREE AND WE COULD TAKE THAT BACK AND KIND OF LOOK AT IT.
>> YEAH, I WOULD THINK WE WOULD WANT TO SAY, WE ARE NOT SAVING
THEM ON THE FINANCIAL AND. >> NO, THAT'S A GOOD POINT. I THINK THAT WOULD BE PRETTY EASY. THE ONE THING WHEN WE ARE TALKING TO CITY COUNCIL THAT THEY ASKED WAS THAT THERE WASN'T ANYTHING THAT WAS TOO DIFFICULT ABOUT WHAT WOULD BE A HERITAGE TREE AND THAT IT WAS PRETTY BLACK-AND-WHITE. BUT LET US LOOK AT THAT AND WE WILL PITCH THAT WHEN WE TALK TO COUNSEL IN NOVEMBER, AND IF THEY ARE THUMBS UP ON IT, WHENEVER WE BRING BACK TO YOU, WILL HAVE THAT.
>> WHEN DEVELOPERS COME TO YOU AND THEY'RE WANTING TO DEVELOP AND THEY'RE WANTING TO BUILD 100 HOUSES AND THESE REGULATIONS, HOWEVER MUCH LAND YOU HAVE, SO MUCH OF IT HAS TO BE SET ASIDE FOR A GREEN SPACE OR A PARK OR WHATEVER. THE DEVELOPER COMES BACK AND SAYS WELL, YOU KNOW, I CAN BUILD 10
[00:50:02]
MORE HOUSES OR I CAN BUILD 15 MORE HOUSES, IF YOU JUST GIVE ME SOME SORT OF AN EXEMPTION HERE. DO YOU HAVE THOSE KIND OF CONVERSATIONS, DO YOU EVER MAKE THOSE CONSIDERATIONS OR IS IT JUST, THIS IS HOW IT IS AND LIVE WITH THAT?>> IT REALLY DEPENDS WHERE, RIGHT, BECAUSE AN ACRE HERE IS NOT EQUIVALENT TO AN ACRE THERE, AND LIKE JOSE MENTIONED, A LOT DEPENDS ON OUR MAP, WHERE WE NEED PARKLAND, OR WHAT MOTHER EARTH IS GOING TO PROVIDE US. AND SO, THAT THREE ACRES PER 100 DWELLING UNIT, IS ACTUALLY, IT'S THE CURRENT LEVEL OF SERVICE WE OFFER THE RESIDENCE NOW. SO WE HAVE THREE ACRES OF PARKLAND FOREVER -- FOR EVERY DWELLING UNIT THAT EXIST TODAY.
THE PURPOSE OF THE PARKLAND DEDICATION ORDINANCE IS THE PROVISION OF PARKS FOR NEW RESIDENTS SHOULD BE BORNE BY THE NEW RESIDENT. HOWEVER, IN SOME CASES, THERE'S NOT ENOUGH ROOM FOR THAT, FOR INSTANCE, IN OLD TOWN, THERE'S NOT ENOUGH PLACES IF WE ARE GOING VERTICAL, IF YOU ARE GOING TO PUT 100 UNITS IN THAT YOU COULD ALSO GIVE US THREE ACRES BUT WE HAVE OTHER PARKS IN THE AREA THAT WE COULD IMPROVE, THAT COULD SERVE AS THEIR PARKS AND THAT'S WHERE THE CASH IN LIEU COMES. WE DO HAVE DEVELOPERS WHO HAVE A CAPACITY TO GIVE US THREE ACRES BUT IT MIGHT NOT ALWAYS BE THE THREE ACRES THAT WE WANT. AND SO, WE TALKED WITH THEM ABOUT HEY, COULD WE REALIGN WHAT THAT DEVELOPMENT LOOKS LIKE , TO GIVE US ENOUGH SPACE AND THEN LET'S WORK TOGETHER THERE. SO, IT REALLY IS CASE-BY-CASE ON WHAT WE ARE, BUT THIS IS OUR STARTING POINT, AND THIS MEETS THE CURRENT LEVEL OF STANDARD AND GIVES US PREDICTABILITY WITH
DEALING WITH EACH DEVELOPER. >> SO, YES.
>> DID I ANSWER THAT? IT REALLY IS CASE-BY-CASE.
>> OBSERVATION, I MEAN, WE SIT HERE AND WE APPROVE THESE DEALS AND WE REQUIRE THAT THEY PUT IN SO MANY SHRUBS AND TREES AND WE DO ALL THIS, OUT HERE ON 121 BUSINESS, THEY HAVE PLANTED ALL THOSE TREES, THERE MUST BE 200 TREES THEY PLANTED OUT THERE LAST YEAR. I ALWAYS THINK, YOU KNOW, THE BIGGEST PROBLEM WE HAVE IN NORTH TEXAS IS, WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH WATER. SO FOR ALL THE STUFF WE PLANT, IT HAS TO BE WATERED OR IT WILL DIE. IF YOU GUYS TAKE THAT INTO CONSIDERATION, HOW MUCH WATER IT
TAKES TO SUSTAIN THIS STUFF? >> THAT'S EXACTLY WHY WE ARE TRYING TO WELL NOT TRYING, OUR NEW GOAL AFTER THE HEALTHY INFRASTRUCTURE WAS, PURE NATIVES, BECAUSE THEY HAVE, ONCE ESTABLISHED, THE BEST CHANCE OF LIVING. YES, EVERYTHING IS GOING TO NEED WATER TO GET ESTABLISHED AND WE DO TAKE THAT INTO CONSIDERATION, AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT JOSE WAS TALKING ABOUT WAS, GUESS WHAT, IT'S A LOT EASIER FOR US WHEN WE TAKE PROPERTY TO KEEP A TREE ALIVE THAT HAS BEEN THERE FOR 10, 15, 20 YEARS, THEN IT WOULD BE FOR THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A NEW TREE.
SO THAT'S ALSO ONE OF THE REASONS WE ARE TRYING TO CHANGE THAT BASELINE STANDARD FOR WHAT IS REQUIRED OF DEVELOPERS WHEN THEY GIVE US THAT PIECE OF PROPERTY.
>> OKAY, ONE MORE QUESTION. CAN A HOMEOWNER REMOVE ONE OF THESE PROTECTED TREES OR DOES THAT FALL UNDER THE -- DOES THIS ONLY APPLY TO COMMERCIAL? I UNDERSTAND THE CODE BUT IF I HAVE ONE OF THESE BIG TREES, CAN I CUT IT DOWN.
>> YOU ARE A HOMEOWNER, TEXAS WRITES. I DON'T WANT YOU TO.
>> I DON'T HAVE ONE BUT I'M JUST CURIOUS. THANK YOU.
>> I'VE GOT TWO QUESTIONS AS WELL. KIND OF QUALITATIVE. IN TERMS OF THE SURVEY WORK THAT'S GOING ON , HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE THE CURRENT HEALTH OF LEWISVILLE STOCK UP TREES OVERALL? DO WE FEEL LIKE WE HAVE ENOUGH DIVERSITY IN THE CURRENT STOCK AND ENOUGH DIVERSITY IN WHAT YOU ARE PROPOSING, TO MAINTAIN THAT HEALTH? I'M ALSO CONCERNED, I'VE BEEN IN PART OF THE COUNTRY THAT HAVE BEEN DEVASTATED BY OAK QUILT AND I'VE SEEN THE DEVASTATION THAT IF YOU DO HAVE TOO MUCH OF A GOOD THING, IT CAN BE GONE IN A HURRY.
>> RIGHT. >> HAS THAT BEEN A THOUGHT
PROCESS? >> IF YOU LOOK AT THE TREE SURVEY, THAT WAS ONE OF THE CONCERNS. WE , ESPECIALLY LIKE SO FOR INSTANCE, IF YOU TAKE CASTLE HILLS, FOR INSTANCE, WHEN THEY FIRST DEVELOPED, THEY DECIDED EACH STREET WOULD HAVE A TYPE OF TREE. SO, ONE STREET WILL HAVE THE SAME TYPE OF TREE
[00:55:03]
ON IT. IT'S LOVELY AND IT LOOKS GREAT. BUT TO YOUR POINT, IF A PEST GETS ON THAT STREET, THAT STREETS TREE CANOPY WILL BE WIPED OUT. AND SO, WE DO HAVE SOME VULNERABLE AREAS AROUND, AND WE JUST SIGNED A CONTRACT WITH DB RESOURCES, WHERE THEY ARE ACTUALLY GOING TO DRIVE AROUND TOWN AND ALL OF THE TREES IN THE RIGHT OF WAYS AND THE PARKS ARE GOING TO GET A DIGITAL TWIN, THEY KIND OF USE LIDAR, AND THE GOOGLE MAP SYSTEM TO TAKE PICTURES OF EACH OF THE TREES AND IDENTIFY WHERE WE MIGHT HAVE SOME VULNERABILITY THERE. ONE OF THE REASONS, YOU KNOW, WE TALK ABOUT, WE WANT TO ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO PLANT NATIVES. WELL, ONE OF OUR BIGGEST PARTS OF OUR TREE CANOPIES ARE CHINESE TO STASH, IF WE TOLD EVERYBODY TAKE THEM ALL OUT BECAUSE THEY ARE NOT NATIVES, WE WOULD LOSE LIKE 23% OF OUR TREE CANOPY. SO WE UNDERSTAND IT'S A PROCESS AND OVER TIME WE NEED TO GET BACK TO THAT. BUT YOU ARE CORRECT. WE ARE DOING THOSE STUDIES TO HONE IN ON WHERE THE SPECIFIC VULNERABILITIES ARE GOING TO BE. HOW CAN WE MANAGE THOSE TRUE -- THROUGH TREE CARE AND WHEN NECESSARY, REPLANTING SPECIES THAT WOULD BE RESISTANT TO THE OAK QUILT OR THE NEXT ONE IS THE EMERALD ASH BOHR AND WE ARE WORRIED ABOUT THAT, AND KEEPING AN EYE ON IT. THE NEXT PART OF THE CODE OF ORDINANCE IS THAT WE WILL LOOK AT NOT NECESSARILY THE DEVELOPMENT CODE BUT WHETHER THE CITY CAN HAVE AUTHORITY TO ASK A HOMEOWNER, WHO HAS A DISEASED TREE, TO REMOVE IT, FOR IF THE PROTECTION OF THE REST OF THE URBAN TREE CANOPY AND HEALTH AND SAFETY, IF WE KNOW THERE'S AN EMERALD ASH, AND WE DON'T WANT A TREE IN SOMEONE'S YARD FALLING DOWN AND THEY DON'T KNOW, SO, WE ARE GOING TO BELOOKING AT THAT. >> SECOND QUALITATIVE QUESTION IS MORE OF THE FUTURE QUESTION, IN TERMS OF, DO YOU FEEL LIKE THE CURRENT DEVELOPMENT PRACTICES IN USE AND IN PLACE IS PROTECTING THE TREES THAT ARE DETERMINED TO BE SAFE THROUGH THE CONSTRUCTION PROCESS? I'M AFRAID I'VE SEEN SOME CONCERNS.
OR IS THERE WORK TO BE DONE? >> WE CAN ALWAYS IMPROVE. WE DO
LIVE IN THE STATE OF TEXAS. >> THANK YOU.
>> SO I HAVE JUST A LITTLE BIT OF CLARITY, STACY, THE COTTONWOOD, BOATER, WHY ARE THEY ON THE UNPROTECTED TREE LIST?
>> A LOT OF IT LIKE, THEY ARE HARDWOODS AND THOSE ARE HARD TO MANAGE, THEY KIND OF BELONG IN GREENBELT AREAS WHERE THERE'S NOT A LOT OF PEOPLE LIKE WALK ABILITY THERE, IT'S LIKE THE HACKBERRY, THAT PROVIDES A LOT OF WILDLIFE BENEFIT, BUT THEY ARE REALLY HARD FOR PLACES THAT YOU ARE TRYING TO ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO PLAY AND LIVE. DOES THAT ANSWER YOUR QUESTION?
>> I FEEL LIKE IT'S A SHAME IF YOU HAVE SOMETHING 26 INCHES OR GREATER AND IT'S A BOIS D'ARC, IS THAT A HERITAGE TREE STILL?
>> LET ME GET BACK TO YOU ON THAT.
>> JUST A THOUGHT, THANK YOU. >> THAT'S GOOD.
>> BEING MARRIED TO A LANDSCAPER THAT DOES PROFESSIONAL LARGE DEVELOPMENTS OF HOMES, ANY KIND OF CLARITY WE CAN BRING TO THE UDC, I KNOW THAT HELPS THEM IMMENSELY ALSO, BEING A HOMEOWNER WITH A LOT OF TREES THAT I'VE HAD TO REMOVE, IT'S EXPENSIVE, ESPECIALLY IF THEY ARE BIG . SO IF WE EVER GET TO A POINT WHERE WE ARE ASKING RESIDENTS TO REMOVE TREES, HOPEFULLY THERE WOULD BE SOME ASSISTANCE TO NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICES, SOMEWHERE DOWN THE LINE. BUT NOW, I'M EXCITED ABOUT THIS, THANK YOU FOR ALL OF YOUR HARD WORK.
>> THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU VERY MUCH, WE
APPRECIATE YOUR QUESTIONS. >> THANK YOU, STACY.
[E. Announcements]
>> MICHELLE, ANY OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS THIS EVENING?
>> A LOT OF PLANNING STAFF WILL BE ATTENDING THE ESTATE PLANNING
[01:00:02]
CONFERENCE THIS WEEK. SO IF YOU ARE REACHING OUT TO US, WE MAY BE SLOWER TO RESPOND BUT NO OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS BESIDESTHAT. >> WHERE IS IT GOING TO BE?
>> IT'S IN COLLEGE STATION. >> DID YOU SET THAT UP?
>> WHY AREN'T YOU THERE? >> ALL RIGHT, WITH THAT, I WILL
ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO ADJOURN. >> MOTION TO ADJOURN.
>> SECOND. >> MOTIONED BY JOSH, SECONDED BY
AINSLIE. >> I WAS READY TO
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.