Aug 24, 2023 CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION

[ CITY OF BAYTOWN NOTICE OF MEETING CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION THURSDAY, AUGUST 24, 2023 5:45 P.M. COUNCIL CHAMBER, CITY HALL 2401 MARKET STREET, BAYTOWN, TEXAS 77520 AGENDA CALL TO ORDER AND ANNOUNCEMENT OF QUORUM ]

[00:00:21]

SO NOW CALL THIS MEETING, UH, OR THIS WORK SESSION WITH BAYTOWN CITY COUNCIL TO ORDER.

IT'S 5 48.

UH, WE HAVE FORM.

OUR FIRST ITEM IS, UH, CITIZEN COMMITTEE, UH, CITIZEN COMMENTS.

IS THERE ANYONE THAT HAS SIGNED UP TO SPEAK? THANK YOU, MA'AM.

SO NEXT IS, UH,

[a. Discussion Regarding the Vacant Building Ordinance and Related Strategies.]

THANK YOU, MAYOR.

UH, EVENING MAYOR AND COUNCIL.

MARTIN SCRIBNER.

UM, SO WE'VE HAD SOME KIND OF REALLY HIGH LEVEL CONVERSATIONS ABOUT THERE BEING A VACANT BUILDING ORDINANCE, UH, FOR THE CITY OF BAYTOWN.

IT HAS BEEN IN EFFECT SINCE 2008.

SOME MINOR CHANGES MADE TO IT IN 2011.

UM, I WANTED TO START OFF TONIGHT BY ASKING QUESTION.

SO IN FIVE TO 10 WORDS, TELL ME WHAT YOU BELIEVE THE VACANT BUILDING ORDINANCE IS DESIGNED TO DO CURRENTLY.

IS IT STACK? YES.

THE CURRENT ORDINANCE, UM, TO GET IT SECURED? UM, AVOID GRACIE.

UM, HOPEFULLY I, I HAVEN'T READ IT ALL.

OKAY.

BUT, UM, HOPEFULLY, I, I DON'T EXPECT THAT ANYBODY READ THE WHOLE THING THAT'S NOT NO, BUT THOSE ONLY BECAUSE I'VE GONE THROUGH THAT MM-HMM .

UM, IN MY DISTRICT.

I THINK THOSE ARE THE TOP TWO THAT I CAN REMEMBER.

OKAY.

FIVE TO 10 WORDS.

YEAH.

OKAY.

SECURE.

YEAH.

HEALTH TRANSIENT POPULATION.

UM, I WOULD SAY MA MOSTLY HEALTH HAZARD.

UM, SAFETY.

SAFETY.

YEAH.

I WOULD SAY HEALTH AND SAFETY AND, UM, UH, BEAUTIFICATION.

THAT'S A GOOD ONE.

OKAY.

I WOULD SAY PROBABLY UNOCCUPIED STRUCTURES WITH NO PURPOSE AND NO INTENDED PURPOSE.

FUTURE PURPOSE.

OKAY.

MA'AM, YOU'RE NEXT.

YOU TELL US, MARTIN.

I'VE GOT NOTHING NEW TO ADD, I DON'T THINK.

OKAY.

SAME WAY.

OKAY.

WE'LL LET YOU TELL US WHAT YOU THINK IT IS AND THEN WE'LL SEE IF WE CAN FIX.

SO, I, I'M NOT GONNA TELL YOU, I'M NOT GONNA TELL YOU WHAT IT IS.

I'M ACTUALLY GONNA TAG TEAM WITH MY TEAM AND, AND THEY'RE GONNA KINDA WALK YOU THROUGH SOME OF THE SPECIFICS OF THE ORDINANCE.

BUT ONE OF THE, ONE OF THE THINGS I THINK THAT WE'RE GONNA TRY AND, AND CONVINCE YOU OF IS THAT THERE MAY BE BETTER WAYS TO GET TO THE THINGS THAT YOU'VE ALREADY MENTIONED, SOME OF THOSE THINGS WE ALREADY HAVE IN PLACE.

UM, AND, AND THEN WE MAY NEED TO KIND OF STEP BACK FROM THAT AND REEVALUATE WHAT IS THE REAL PURPOSE OF THAT ORDINANCE AND, AND WHAT, WHAT ARE THE BEST WAYS TO GET THERE.

SO TONIGHT WE DO WANNA TALK ABOUT THE VACANT BUILDING ORDINANCE AND KIND OF WHERE IT STANDS, THE PROBLEMS WITH IT, AND ANY, UM, AND AGAIN, IDEAS AND THOUGHTS THAT STAFF HAVE WORKED THROUGH TO KIND OF GET US TO WHAT WE BELIEVE IS, IS THE NEXT STEP FOR THAT, FOR THE, THE, FOR THE PURPOSE, UH, THAT, THAT COUNCIL LAYS OUT FOR THAT.

UM, AND KIND OF HOW TO GET THERE.

AND THEN WHAT, ANSWER YOUR QUESTIONS ON THAT.

AND THEN TRY TO SEE WHAT ARE THE THINGS THAT WE'RE GOING TO DO MOVING FORWARD WITH THAT.

BECAUSE REALLY, REGARDLESS OF WHAT TOOLS WE USE, WE, WHAT WE'RE REALLY FOCUSED ON IS THAT PURPOSE.

WHAT IS THE PURPOSE THAT COUNCIL'S LAID OUT FOR, UH, WHATEVER IT IS WE'RE GONNA USE TO GET THERE.

SO, UM, SO WITH THAT, UM, I'M GONNA LET RJ KIND OF COME UP AND OUTLINE THE, THE CURRENT ORDINANCE, AND THEN WE'LL KIND OF MOVE ON WITH SOME OF THOSE OTHER ITEMS. GOOD EVENING, MAYOR COUNSEL.

UM, SO YOU'RE ALL CORRECT.

YOU GET A GOLD STAR, EVERY ONE OF YOU.

THAT'S THE PURPOSE OF THE DANGEROUS BUILDINGS ORDINANCE.

UM, SO A LITTLE BACKGROUND, A LITTLE HISTORY ON THAT.

UM, FOR A LONG TIME, UH, BACK WHEN IGNACIO AND KAREN WERE HERE, YOU KNOW, WE LOOKED INTO TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO ENFORCE THAT ORDINANCE, BECAUSE ONCE YOU READ IT, YOU'LL SEE THAT IT'S, IT'S VERY CUMBERSOME.

UM, THE FEEDBACK THAT WE GOT CONSISTENTLY WAS THAT IT WAS BASICALLY UNENFORCEABLE.

WE WEREN'T ABLE TO ENFORCE IT IN ITS CURRENT FORM, RIGHT? SO IT, IT CAME UP A FEW TIMES.

IT DIED.

IT CAME UP, IT DIED.

SO WE STARTED LOOKING AT IT AGAIN HERE RECENTLY.

UM, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE DID WAS IN AN EFFORT TO NOT REINVENT THE WHEEL, WE SURVEYED OTHER CITIES IN TEXAS, ALMOST ALL OF THEM THAT HAD A VACANT BUILDING ORDINANCE.

AND, AND IN THAT SURVEY, WE REACHED OUT WHEN WE FOUND ONES THAT, YOU KNOW, ACTUALLY LOOKED LIKE THEY COULD GAIN SOME TRACTION AND WE COULD USE THEM

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UM, SO WE REACHED OUT TO SOME OF THOSE CITY ENTITIES AND, YOU KNOW, BASICALLY TOOK A PULSE.

HOW'S IT GOING? YEAH.

THE ANSWERS DIDN'T COME BACK VERY WELL AT ALL, UM, THAT THEY WERE HAVING TROUBLE ENFORCING IT.

THEY WERE HAVING TROUBLE WITH THE STAFFING TO TAKE CARE OF THAT TYPE OF ORDINANCE AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

AND KNOWING OUR SITUATION WOULD, COULD POSSIBLY RUN CONGRUENT, CONGRUENT TO SOME OF THE, THE CONCERNS AND THINGS THAT WE HEARD FROM OTHER CITIES, WE STARTED TO DO A LITTLE BIT OF A DEEPER DIVE TO TRY TO FIGURE OUT, OKAY, WHAT WAS THE PURPOSE OF THIS ORDINANCE? AS YOU GUYS KNOW, IT'S GOT A PURPOSE STATEMENT IN THE BEGINNING.

UM, AND, AND, YOU KNOW, HOW, HOW COULD WE GET THERE, RIGHT? UM, SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT YOU GUYS TALKED ABOUT WAS THE CRIMINAL ELEMENT.

UH, FIRE HAZARDS, THAT'S A CONCERN.

THESE, UH, THESE SIX ITEMS RIGHT HERE ARE KIND OF SYNOPSIS OF THE PURPOSE STATEMENT THAT'S AT THE FOREFRONT OF OUR, UH, CURRENT, UH, VACANT BUILDING ORDINANCE, UM, TO, TO PREVENT FIRE HAZARDS, UH, DEGRADATION OF THE COMMUNITY, AESTHETICS AND THINGS LIKE THAT, TO KEEP THE BUILDINGS, UH, IN, IN BETTER CONDITION.

UM, THE ENDANGERING THE PUBLIC TRANSIENT USE AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

THE BUILDINGS IN A DECREPIT STATE.

UH, AND, AND IF THEY, IN GENERAL, REQUIRE ATTENTION ABATEMENT OR REHABILITATION OF THOSE BUILDINGS, THAT'S ONE OF THE PURPOSES THAT, YOU KNOW, MOST, UH, ALL OF THE ORDINANCES THAT WE RAN ACROSS, UM, WE'RE TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH.

AND THEN TO PREVENT THE BUILDINGS FROM BECOMING A NUISANCE.

SO, AGAIN, LOOKING AT THOSE ORDINANCES, HEARING FEEDBACK FROM OTHER CITIES THAT, THAT THEY WERE HAVING TROUBLE ENFORCING THAT ORDINANCE AS WELL.

WE KIND OF DOVE A LITTLE DEEPER INTO THAT.

AND WE REALIZED AFTER READING OUR OWN PURPOSE STATEMENTS AND OUR OWN ORDINANCE, THAT WE ACTUALLY ALREADY HAVE THE MECHANISMS IN PLACE TO ACHIEVE EVERY ONE OF THOSE PURPOSE STATEMENTS THAT A VACANT BUILDING ORDINANCE, WHICH WE HAVEN'T BEEN ENFORCING SINCE I'VE BEEN HERE.

UM, BUT WE CAN, WE CAN ACCOMPLISH THAT WITH SOME OF EXISTING PROCESSES AND SOLUTIONS THAT WE CURRENTLY HAVE IN PLAY.

SO, AS YOU GUYS ALL KNOW, THE POLICE DEPARTMENT DOES AN AMAZING JOB OF TAKING CARE OF THE CRIMINAL ELEMENT VAGRANT AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

THEY'RE ALREADY IN PLAY.

THEY'RE DOING THEIR JOBS.

UM, FIRE HAZARD, THE FIRE MARSHAL'S OFFICE DOES AN AMAZING JOB OF TAG TEAMING WITH BUILDING SERVICES AND CODE ENFORCEMENT TO WORK WITH SOME OF THESE STRUCTURES THAT AREN'T VACANT AND SOME, SOME THAT ARE, UM, THE, UH, PROPERTY MAINTENANCE AND CODE ENFORCEMENT.

WE HAVE AN ENTIRE HEALTH DEPARTMENT THAT TAKES CARE OF AESTHETICS OF THE OUTSIDE IF THE GRASS IS TOO HIGH, IF, UH, JUNK VEHICLES ARE THERE OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.

AND THEN ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THAT, WE HAVE THE CODE ENFORCEMENT DEPARTMENT THAT TAKES CARE OF THE BUILDING AND THE STRUCTURE ITSELF, PERMITTING AND THOSE KIND OF THINGS.

SO IF A BUILDING IS IN A DILAPIDATED STATE, WE HAVE A MECHANISM TO HANDLE THAT.

WE DO IT ALL THE TIME.

WE HAVE A $500,000 BUDGET FOR IT.

YOU KNOW, THE, THE, THE SUBSTANDARD, UH, BUILDING PROCESS, UM, HEALTH DEPARTMENT ALSO TAKES CARE OF, UH, THE, THE PREMISES AROUND HEALTH KEEPING THE BUILDING IN A MORE SIGHTLY CONDITION.

UM, AND THEN WE ALSO HAVE OUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, WHICH IS OUR INCENTIVE PROGRAMS THAT WE ALREADY HAVE IN PLACE, SUCH AS THE, THE BIG PROGRAM, WHICH I BELIEVE EMILIO IS GONNA TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THOSE THINGS.

AND ALL OF THOSE THINGS ARE DESIGNED TO TAKE THAT VACANT BUILDING FROM A VACANT, UM, CONDITION INTO, YOU KNOW, AN OPEN SIGN IN THE WINDOW AND A, AND A TAXABLE BASE, UH, IN, IN THAT, UH, IN THAT ARENA.

SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE IDENTIFIED WAS EVERYTHING THAT WE INTENDED THAT ORDINANCE TO DO, WE ALREADY HAD PROCESSES, PEOPLE, AND, AND DIVISIONS SET UP TO HANDLE THOSE THINGS.

SO WE KIND OF REALIZED THAT THAT MAY NOT HAVE BEEN A NECESSARY ORDINANCE FOR, FOR US TO TRY TO REINVENT THE WHEEL ON OR BRING INTO SOME SORT OF COMPLIANCE STATUS.

ANYBODY GOT ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THAT ORDINANCE OR ANYTHING THAT I TALKED ABOUT? NO.

ALRIGHT.

I'M GONNA TURN IT OVER TO RYAN TO TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THE SECOND PRONG OF THE APPROACH.

GOOD AFTERNOON, UH, COUN, UH, MAYOR AND COUNCIL.

RYAN , ASSISTANT DIRECTOR PLANNING DEVELOPMENT SERVICES.

I'M GONNA TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT SOME POLICY ISSUES HERE AND KIND OF, UH, WHAT HAVE BEEN SOME ROADBLOCKS, UH, BOTH, UH, INTERNALLY AS WELL AS EXTERNALLY, UM, HERE, UH, WITH OUR VACANT BUILDING.

SO THE FIRST ONE IS, UH, THE POLITICAL CLIMATE.

SO, PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS, UH, UH, THERE WAS, UH, SOME APPREHENSION, UH, TO PURSUE ENFORCEMENT ON CERTAIN PROPERTIES WITHIN THE CITY.

UH, STAFF WAS BE GIVEN, UH, CONFLICTING, UH, UH, DIRECTION, UH, FROM, FROM LEGAL, FROM, UH, THE COUNCIL.

UH, YOU KNOW, WE'RE, WE'RE MOVING PAST THAT.

UH, WE HAVE A NEW ADMINISTRATION, A NEW, A NEW COUNSEL.

UH, HOPEFULLY WE CAN, UH, CONTINUE TO, TO, UH, MOVE PAST THAT.

UH, THE LEGAL SYSTEM, UH, DUE PROCESS, UH, IT'S VERY LONG AND CUMBERSOME

[00:10:01]

UH, OFTENTIMES WE'RE TALKING MANY YEARS TO ACTUALLY GET THROUGH A PROCESS.

UM, YOU KNOW, WE, WE TRY TO WORK WITH THE PROPERTY OWNERS.

WE TRY NOT TO, UM, YOU KNOW, GO WITH THE, THE, THE HEAVIEST, UH, PENALTIES.

AT FIRST.

WE REALLY DO WANT TO TRY TO BE A COLLABORATIVE PARTNER WITH, UH, WITH OUR PROPERTY OWNERS IN THE CITY.

UM, SO, YOU KNOW, WE, WE DO WORK WITH THEM, YOU KNOW, THINGS, UH, YOU KNOW, WE WILL GET PROMISES FROM FOLKS.

UH, YOU, WE WILL STAY, UH, ENFORCEMENT, UH, WORK WITH THEM, AND THEN WE'LL HAVE MISSED DEADLINES.

WE HAVE TO GO BACK ALSO WITH, UH, PROPERTY CHANGES HANDS.

WE HAVE TO START BACK FROM SQUARE ONE.

SO IT, IT IS A LONG AND CUMBERSOME PROCESS.

UM, OBVIOUSLY THE, UH, THE 600 POUND GRILL IN THE ROOM.

UH, STATE PREEMPTION, UH, SPECIFICALLY HB 2127, UH, I THINK WE'RE ALL STILL TRYING TO KIND OF FIGURE OUT WHAT THAT ACTUALLY MEANS FOR, UH, CITIES AND, AND WHAT, UH, WHAT THE STATE'S GONNA ALLOW FOR US TO, TO DO.

UM, AND THEN UTILITY AVAILABILITY, ESPECIALLY IN TEXAS AVENUE AND DOWNTOWN.

UM, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF THESE BUILDINGS, A LOT OF THE USES THAT FOLKS WANT TO DO, THEY NEED FIRE SPRINKLERS THAT REQUIRES A, A HIGHER AMOUNT OF WATER AND WATER PRESSURE.

UM, AND SO, UH, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE THE ISSUES WITH UTILITY AVAILABILITY DOWN, UH, DOWNTOWN, BUT AS, UH, RJ SAID, UM, WE DO HAVE ADEQUATE SOLUTIONS THAT WE DO BELIEVE ARE ALREADY AVAILABLE AND ARE IN USE.

UM, AND STAFF WOULD, UH, RECOMMEND, UH, WOULD, WOULD RECOMMEND AT LEAST, UH, THE COUNCIL LOOKING AT REPEALING, UH, CHAPTER 18, UM, ARTICLE 15 OF, OF THE CITY CODE, UM, REMOVING THOSE REGULATIONS THAT ARE REALLY IMPRACTICAL TO ENFORCE.

UM, AND, AND AGAIN, GO WITH THAT, THAT LIST OF, OF THE SIX ITEMS, UM, THAT, UH, RJ WENT THROUGH THAT WE ALREADY HAVE, UH, IN OUR TOOLBOX.

SO ANYONE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ON SOME OF THE POLICY IMPLICATIONS HERE? I HAVE A QUESTION.

YES, MA'AM.

UM, SO MY QUESTION IS IN REGARDS TO, UM, I GUESS PROPERTIES THAT DON'T RESPOND UNRESPONSIVE OR, UM, A LOT OF THE VACANT BUILDINGS MAY BE OWNED BY PEOPLE OUTSIDE OF THE STATE MM-HMM .

SO THEY REALLY HAVE NO VESTED INTEREST OTHER THAN JUST LEAVING THE BUILDING TO CONTINUE TO DLA DILAPIDATED.

AND SO, UM, WHAT CAN WE DO, OR WHAT PROCESSES CAN WE TAKE ON THOSE? I MEAN, THAT, AGAIN, IS A PERFECT ILLUSTRATION OF, OF ONE OF THE ISSUES THAT WE HAVE WITH OUR, WITH THE DUE PROCESS IS THAT IT DOES MAKE IT RATHER DIFFICULT TO SERVE PEOPLE FROM OUTTA STATE.

UH, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE IN, IN TERMS OF, OF HAVING THEM COME TO MUNICIPAL COURT TO, UH, YOU KNOW, REPORT TO A JUDGE OF WHY THEY'RE NOT, UH, WORKING ON THE, THE, UH, PROPERTY.

UM, AND SO, YEAH, THAT, THAT IS A DIFFICULT THING.

I KNOW THAT CITY ATTORNEY, UM, AND OUR, OUR, UH, CITY PROSECUTOR AND MUNICIPAL JUDGE, UH, YOU KNOW, CONTINUES TO WORK ON REGULARLY.

AND THEN, UH, I'LL, I DON'T KNOW IF RJ IF YOU HAVE ANYTHING NO, I, NOTHING TO ADD.

YOU DID A GREAT JOB.

YEAH.

SO, SO RIGHT NOW WE JUST CONTINUE TO, I MEAN, WE WORK WITH THEM.

WE TRY, TRY AND BE UNRESPONSIVE.

YEAH.

I MEAN, IT REALLY BECOMES A DIFFICULT THING.

UM, AGAIN, UH, AGAIN, YOU CAN'T REALLY FORCE SOMEBODY TO, YOU KNOW, WE, I MEAN, YOU, YOU CAN'T SWEAR OUT A WARRANT.

YOU CAN'T REALLY DRAG THEM IN.

UM, IT, IT ENDS UP BEING KIND OF A, A RATHER DIFFICULT PROCESS.

LEMME JUMP IN REAL QUICK.

YEAH, ABSOLUTELY.

UM, THE, THE THING TO REMEMBER IN THE CONTEXT OF THE VACANT BUILDING ORDINANCE IS THE VACANT BUILDING ORDINANCE.

ACTUALLY, I'M NOT GONNA SAY IT WORKS AGAINST THAT, BUT IT, IT DOESN'T MOVE THE, IT DOESN'T MOVE THE NEEDLE FORWARD AT ALL.

IT DOESN'T HELP US IN THAT.

IN FACT, THERE ARE, UM, UH, SO HOPEFULLY YOU GOT A CHANCE TO READ THE SUMMARY THAT I PROVIDED, WHICH IS A ONE PAGER THAT KIND OF SAYS, THERE'S ALL THIS STUFF THAT ACCORDING TO THE VACANT BUILDING ORDINANCE, YOU HAVE TO DO, YOU GOTTA REGISTER YOUR BUILDING, YOU GOTTA LET US KNOW HOW LONG IT'S GONNA BE VACANT.

YOU GOTTA LET US KNOW WHEN AND WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN WHEN IT BECOMES OCCUPIED AGAIN.

UM, YOU HAVE TO PROVIDE A CERTAIN LEVEL OF SECURITY.

UM, THERE'S ALL THESE DIFFERENT THINGS THAT, THAT ARE AT VERY LEAST IMPRACTICAL TO ENFORCE AND ON IN SOME CIRCUMSTANCES ARE, ARE LEGALLY UNENFORCEABLE.

UM, SO THAT, THAT'S REALLY, I, I WANT YOU GUYS TO KEEP THESE CONVERSATIONS IN CONTEXT WITH THOSE PARAMETERS, BECAUSE THAT'S REALLY WHERE WE STARTED.

LIKE, WHAT ARE WE GONNA DO WITH THIS? HOW DO WE MAKE IT BETTER? AND THEN WE REALIZED WE KIND OF HAVE EVERYTHING WE NEED.

SO, UM, IT, THERE ARE SOME INTERNAL PROCESSES THAT WE ARE WORKING ON, BUT THERE'S ALSO THAT WE GOTTA TALK CARROT AND STICK.

IF, IF THE IDEA IS TO MAKE SURE THAT THESE BUILDINGS ARE OCCUPIED IN ONE WAY OR ANOTHER, SO, SO THAT THEY'RE KEEPING THE, THE MAINTENANCE UP ON THOSE BUILDINGS, THEN WE HAVE THIS, WE HAVE THE, THIS ORDINANCE, WHICH IS LARGELY STICK AND IT'S NOT A VERY BIG ONE.

THEN WE ALSO HAVE THOSE CARROT PROGRAMS THAT WOULD HELP US, LIKE, LET'S ENCOURAGE PEOPLE, LET'S FIGURE OUT HOW TO GET PEOPLE IN THESE BUILDINGS.

AND THAT'S NOT ONE OF THE PURPOSES THAT WAS ON THE FIRST PAGE, BUT IT REALLY IS ONE OF THOSE ONES.

I, I THINK, UM, MAYOR SAID, YEAH, WE WANT PEOPLE IN THE BUILDINGS.

AND SO THAT REALLY IS LARGELY, WE TALK ABOUT WEST TEXAS AVENUE BEING A BIG

[00:15:01]

IT'S NOT SPECIFIC TO COMMERCIAL BUILDINGS.

IT HAS TO DO WITH ALL BUILDINGS.

BUT REALLY WHEN WE TALK ABOUT VACANT BUILDINGS, LARGELY WE'RE THINKING, OKAY, COMMERCIAL BUILDINGS, AT LEAST SOME OF THEM, UH, ON WEST TEXAS, IN, IN THE ACE DISTRICT.

SO AS WE THINK ABOUT THOSE THINGS, AGAIN, KEEP THOSE OTHER, THOSE OTHER ITEMS IN MIND AS WE KIND OF MOVE FORWARD WITH, WITH SOME OF THAT CONVERSATION.

SO, I KNOW, I THINK, UH, AMELIA HAS, HOLD ON.

I HAVE A QUESTION FROM COUNCILWOMAN GRANT.

YES.

UM, ONE OF THE THINGS, AND I I ASKED IT BEFORE WHEN VACANT BUILDINGS WERE BROUGHT UP, UM, WITH OUR ORDINANCE, AND, AND I DO APPRECIATE EVERYTHING Y'ALL PUT TOGETHER IN THE PACKAGE, BUT, UM, WITH THE ORDINANCE, HOW, AND WHO, UM, DECIDES, YOU KNOW, WHICH VACANT BUILDINGS ARE GONNA BE ADDRESSED OR, UM, ADDRESSED UNDER THE ORDINANCE? YOU KNOW, WHERE IS THAT? THAT'S ALWAYS BEEN MY MAIN QUESTION.

I, I KIND OF KNEW THAT WE HAD HEALTH CODE AND, AND LEGAL AND ALL OF THESE THINGS, BUT WHAT I'VE NEVER REALLY UNDERSTOOD AND, AND I BROUGHT UP A VERY SPECIFIC LOCATION THAT WAS IN MY DISTRICT.

UM, I DON'T UNDERSTAND HOW SOME PROPERTIES ARE ADDRESSED SO MUCH QUICKER THAN OTHERS WHO MAKES THOSE DECISIONS.

IT'S KIND OF A LOADED QUESTION ALMOST.

UM, THE OWNERS LARGELY MAKE THAT DECISION FOR US.

DOES THAT MAKE SENSE? NO, .

NO, NO.

SO I, I'LL GIVE IT, I'LL GO BACK TO AN EXAMPLE I GAVE UP HERE MONTHS AGO, UM, IN DISTRICT TWO, TEXAS AVENUE.

MM-HMM .

THERE ARE LOTS OF WHAT WOULD BE DEEMED VACANT BUILDINGS.

UM, SOME OF THEM ARE HAZARDS, SOME OF THEM AREN'T.

THERE WAS A HOME THAT WAS LIVED IN THAT I WAS VERY FAMILIAR WITH THE PROPERTY LESS THAN A YEAR AGO.

SOMEHOW IT WAS RED TAGGED, TORN DOWN, AND IT WASN'T, IT WASN'T ENOUGH FIRE.

THERE WAS NOTHING LIKE THAT GOING ON.

AND I COULDN'T, I, I WENT AND TRIED TO TALK TO THE OWNER MYSELF.

THIS WAS BEFORE I WAS ELECTED OFFICIAL.

I JUST DIDN'T UNDERSTAND.

AND I, AND I, I'VE ALWAYS WANTED TO KNOW THAT EVEN AS A CITIZEN WHO GETS TO DECIDE, AND I DON'T, I DON'T THINK THAT IT'S THE OWNER DRIVEN.

THAT'S KIND.

WHY DO WE WRITE, I GUESS IT IS A LOADED QUESTION BECAUSE WHY DO WE WRITE POLICIES? WHY, WHY ARE WE EVEN MAKING DECISIONS IF THE OWNERS OF THE VACANT BUILDINGS DRIVE WHAT WE DO WITH THEM? SO WE ARE STAFFED IN SUCH A WAY THAT WE WE'RE ON A, A COMPLAINT BASIS.

AND THAT'S FAIRLY COMMON ACROSS THIS.

SO THE ANSWER IS IT'S COMPLAINT DRIVEN.

IT IS COMPLAINT DRIVEN.

BUT WHEN WE TALK ABOUT, SO YOU KIND OF, YOU KIND OF WENT INTO AN AREA WHERE WE TALK ABOUT SUBSTANDARD BUILDINGS.

MM-HMM .

YEAH.

THAT, THAT'S A, SO FIGURE CODE ENFORCEMENT WHERE WE CAN, UM, ISSUE CITATIONS AND, AND WHAT PROBABLY AT LEAST HALF OF THE, AND I KNOW WE KIND OF WENT OVER THIS A COUPLE MONTHS AGO WITH THE, THE PRESENTATION WE DID FOR THE OVERALL CODE ENFORCEMENT.

SO REMEMBER THAT CODE ENFORCEMENT HAS THIS PATH, UM, AND, UH, SUBSTANDARD HAS THIS PATH OVER HERE.

IT'S, IT'S TWO DIFFERENT, TWO DIFFERENT WAYS TO, TO GET TO THE END RESULT.

UM, ONCE A COMPLAINT IS MADE, WE DETERMINE WHICH DIRECTION TO GO.

AND AGAIN, THERE ARE DIFFERENT LAWS AND ORDINANCES LIKE SENDING US IN, IN, IN WHICHEVER DIRECTION.

UM, UH, THE, I, I GUESS I'M TRYING TO THINK OF HOW TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTIONS A LITTLE BIT BETTER THAN JUST SAYING, WELL, IT'S COMPLAINT DRIVEN.

IT IS COMPLAINT DRIVEN, BUT THERE ARE SO MANY OTHER FACTORS THAT GO INTO IT.

SOME OF THE THINGS THAT, UM, THAT RYAN WAS TALKING ABOUT THAT'S ON YOUR SCREEN, THAT LEGAL PROCESS, AGAIN, THERE ARE LAWS AND REGULATIONS THAT KIND OF DICTATE WHAT WE CAN AND CAN'T DO.

IF WE CAN GO TO A PERSON AND PROBABLY AT LEAST HALF OF THE ONES WE GO TO, AND WE'LL SAY, LOOK, THIS IS A PROBLEM.

A LOT OF TIMES THEY'LL CALL US AND GO, I HAD NO IDEA.

I'M GONNA TAKE CARE OF THIS.

AND THEN WE WORK WITH 'EM OVER 30, 60, 90 DAYS TO GET THOSE THINGS HANDLED.

IT NEVER GOES INTO THE COURT SYSTEM.

THE OTHER HALF, WE HAVE TO, WE HAVE TO, TO DEAL WITH SOMEHOW.

AND IF WE ISSUE CITATIONS, THAT'S, IT'S NOT THE MOST EFFECTIVE THING IN THE WORLD.

SOMETIMES IT WORKS, SOMETIMES IT DOESN'T.

IF THE BUILDING IS DEEMED IN A, A, A STATE OF DISREPAIR THAT CAN'T COME BACK FROM THAT, IT'S IN, UH, IN DANGER, UH, THAT SOMEBODY'S IN DANGER OR IT'S IN DANGER OF FALLING DOWN, THEN WE GO IN THAT, THAT SUBSTANDARD ROUTE.

AND THAT TAKES TIME.

AS RYAN ALSO MENTIONED, IF SOMETIMES, AND THIS HAPPENS MORE THAN YOU'D, MORE THAN YOU'D IMAGINE, THEY'LL SELL THE PROPERTY IN THE MIDDLE OF THE PROCESS.

WE ARE FIVE MONTHS INTO IT, WE'RE GETTING CLOSE TO SOME SORT OF RESOLUTION.

THEY SELL THE PROPERTY, WHAT HAPPENS? WE START OVER FROM SCRATCH.

WE HAVE TO START OVER.

LIKE IT'S A BRAND NEW COMPLAINT.

WE ARE FIVE MONTHS DOWN, LOOKS LIKE WE'RE NOT DOING ANYTHING FROM THE OUTSIDE.

WE HAVE BEEN, WE'VE PROBABLY PUT IN, AT THAT STAGE IN THE GAME, WE'VE PUT IN ANYWHERE BETWEEN 80 AND 120 HOURS OF STAFF TIME JUST TO GET TO THAT POINT.

AND I'M NOT EVEN TALKING ABOUT THE, THE COURT.

UM, SO MY LAST PART OF MY QUESTION WAS THIS.

WE HAVE THE, THE OLD KMART, REALLY, REALLY LARGE VACANT BUILDING OVER OFF PRUITT.

DO WE HAVE ANYBODY ON OUR STAFF OR OUR TEAM THAT EVER, UH, REACHES OUT TO TRY TO, UM, MAYBE, I DON'T KNOW, GET, GET

[00:20:01]

BUT I'M GONNA TELL YOU THAT WE'RE NOT REALLY STAFFED FOR THAT LEVEL OF OUTREACH.

WE'D LOVE TO BE, WE WOULD LOVE TO BE DOING THAT.

UM, I, I'VE GOT EMILIO PRETTY MUCH UP TO HERE WITH, WITH HIS TASKS RIGHT NOW.

SO, UM, SO ACTIVELY, NO.

BUT WE DO GET CALLS, WE LIKE IT AND WE HANDLE THOSE AND WE BRING THOSE TO THE DEPARTMENT AND KIND OF WALK THROUGH WHAT, WHAT CAN AND CAN'T BE DONE.

THANK YOU, MARTIN.

YEAH, I THINK MY ANSWER PROBABLY TO THAT LAST PORTION WAS THAT'S WHAT THE THIRD ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STAFF PERSON WAS TO GO THAT NEXT LEVEL DEEP I KNOW WITH THE SMALL BUSINESS.

YEAH.

SO THAT'S WHY.

SO WE DID HAVE A LITTLE BIT MORE OF THE PRESENTATION FOR YEAH, I DIDN KNOW, KNOW, I'LL TELL YOU SO FAR, JUST IN THE INTEREST OF TIME, UM, I MEAN, I'M SURE THERE'S PLENTY.

WHAT I'VE HEARD SO FAR IS, IS THIS, IS THAT Y'ALL HAVE TOOLS IN PLACE.

YOU, DO YOU NEED TO BE HAND, I GUESS, UNHANDCUFFED IN ORDER TO GO AND PROCEED? IS THAT WHAT I WOULD GATHER SO FAR IN CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES? YES.

OKAY.

ALRIGHT.

PROCEED.

THEN AT THE SAME TIME, ALSO BE AWARE THAT THE THINGS THAT ARE THERE STILL HAVE THEIR OWN ROADBLOCKS IN FRONT OF THEM WITH THE COURT SYSTEM AND CHANGING HANDS AND WHATEVER THE CASE MAY BE.

SO STILL, WE'RE STILL WORKING ON IT.

RIGHT.

YEAH.

OKAY.

ALRIGHT.

WELL, GOOD EVENING, UH, CHANGING GEARS A LITTLE BIT UNRELATED, BUT, UH, I GUESS WHILE WE HAVE THIS OPPORTUNITY, WE WANNA TAKE TIME TO SHED LIGHT ON SOME, SOME THINGS THAT, UH, THAT REALLY BECOME A PART OF THE BIGGER PICTURE OF, YOU KNOW, AN, UH, AN INFILL STRATEGY FOR INFILL DEVELOPMENT.

UM, IT SHOULD SOUND A LITTLE BIT FAMILIAR.

MARTIN KIND OF TOUCHED ON IT AT THE, ON THIS MONTH'S MDD MEETING, UM, BUT, UH, KIND OF OUR STRATEGY FOR, UH, MOVING THE NEEDLE ON OUR SURPLUS PROPERTIES THAT WE HAVE AROUND TOWN.

UM, SO I JUST WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT, UH, KIND OF, UH, WHAT HAS INFORMED THAT STRATEGY FROM A STAFF'S PERSPECTIVE, BUT IT'S IMPORTANT TO KEEP IN MIND, UH, KIND OF THE, UH, HOW STATE LAW, UH, REALLY DICTATES THE PROCESS IN WHICH WE CAN DISPOSE OF PROPERTIES.

AS YOU'RE FAMILIAR, THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT CODE SECTIONS 2 72 AND AND 2 53, UH, FOR CONVENTIONAL, JUST GETTING RID OF PROPERTIES, UH, SELLING THEM.

THERE'S, YOU KNOW, PUBLIC NOTICING BIDDING REQUIREMENTS THAT ARE IN PLACE.

THERE'S CERTAIN EXCEPTIONS THAT WE KIND OF, UH, WENT DOWN THOSE RABBIT HOLES.

UM, JUST A FEW, UH, TO MENTION, AND WE WILL, WE'LL EXPLORE THE INDEPENDENT FOUNDATION ROUTE AND THE NEXT KIND OF BIT OF THAT.

BUT, UM, PROPERTY SWAPS, UM, LOOKING AT IT THROUGH A TURS, UM, THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS INVOLVED, UH, WITH THOSE OTHER TWO OPTIONS.

BUT THE BEST PATH FOR THE CITY THAT STAFF BELIEVES, UH, WOULD BE TO PARTNER WITH, UH, THE WEST BAYTOWN, WEST CHAMBERS COUNTY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT FOUNDATION AS A WAY TO USE, UM, A NON-PROFIT ENTITY THAT THEY HAVE, UH, TO ASSIST WITH THESE DISPOSITIONS OF PROPERTY.

UM, THERE'S ADVANTAGES TO THAT, OBVIOUSLY, WHICH IS TIME, WHICH IS KIND OF THE, THE, OF THE ESSENCE HERE.

UM, THEY'RE NOT HANDCUFFED, AS WE MENTIONED, BY A LOT OF THE, THE PARAMETERS THAT THE CITY IS.

SO THEY CAN MOVE AT A MORE EXPEDITIOUS RATE THAN WE CAN WHEN IT COMES TO DISPOSING OF THESE PROPERTIES.

UM, BUT THERE IS SOME SAFETY MEASURES THAT WE CAN PUT IN PLACE, UH, WHENEVER WE CONVEY THESE PROPERTIES, UM, ENSURING THAT THESE TRANSACTIONS ACHIEVE SOME KIND OF PUBLIC PURPOSE OR, OR THE RESULT THAT WE WANT THEM TO.

SO, UH, WE'LL BE BRINGING THAT FORWARD.

IF THERE'S CONSENSUS IN THAT IDEA, WE'LL BRING THAT FORWARD.

WE'LL WORK WITH EDF STAFF TO, UM, MAKE THAT OPTION A, A A A A REALITY.

SO WE WILL BE IDENTIFYING ALL THE PROPERTIES, PUTTING THEM IN DIFFERENT BASKETS, BRINGING THEM TO Y'ALL, UH, FOR CONVEYANCE TO THIS FOUNDATION.

UM, AND THEN, YOU KNOW, THROUGH AGREEMENTS AND ORDINANCES, UH, ENSURING THAT THOSE SAFETY RAILS ARE IN PLACE.

OKAY.

OKAY.

WE, YES.

OKAY.

SORRY.

WE REALLY SHIFTED GEARS THERE.

WE WERE TALKING ABOUT VACANT BUILDINGS, PRIVATELY OWNED, DILAPIDATED BUILDINGS AND STRUCTURES, AND, AND THEN WE SWITCHED TO, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT CITY OWNED PROPERTIES AND HOW WE WE MOVE THOSE ON THAT.

I MEAN, THAT REALLY SWITCHED GEARS REAL QUICK THERE.

MM-HMM .

SO I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE WE'RE ALL CLEAR THAT YEAH.

AND ACT, THE SURPLUS PROPERTIES YOU JUST TALKED ABOUT ARE THE CITY OWNED FACILITIES, AND WE CAN HOPEFULLY, WE'RE NOT IN VIOLATION OF OUR OWN CODES.

THAT'S TYPICALLY VACANT PROPERTIES.

THEY'RE, THEY'RE MAINLY JUST LAND.

THERE'S VERY FEW THAT HAVE ANY STRUCTURE.

BUT YEAH, WE, WE SWITCH GEARS FROM TALKING ABOUT WHAT WE'RE GONNA DO WITH VACANT AND DILAPIDATED STRUCTURES THAT DON'T BELONG TO THE CITY.

TALKING ABOUT STUFF THAT WE DO OWN.

SO HOW MANY MORE SLIDES YOU HAVE LEFT? UH, THIS IS THE LAST ONE.

AND ACTUALLY TIES ALL OF THIS KIND OF BACK TOGETHER, UH, HERE.

SO, UH, TALKING ABOUT INFILL DEVELOPMENT AND THE INFILL DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY.

SO WE ALL KNOW THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, INFILL DEVELOPMENT IS, UM, IS SOMETHING THAT WE WANT TO ENCOURAGE AS A CITY.

UM, IT, UH, IS A BETTER

[00:25:01]

IT'S A BETTER USE OF THE, THE TAXPAYER'S MONEY.

WE DON'T HAVE TO RUN NEW UTILITIES, THINGS LIKE THAT.

UM, AND, AND AGAIN, ALL OF THESE VACANT BUILDINGS, UH, THEY'RE ALL PART OF THIS OVERALL INFILL, UH, DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY.

SO, YOU KNOW, THE, UH, KNOWN GAPS THAT WE ARE LOOKING AT, UM, AND WE ARE ABOUT TO EMBARK ON THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGIC PLAN.

AND THE DOWNTOWN BAYTOWN PLAN, UM, IS, UH, AGAIN, THAT MARKETING AND OUTREACH, UH, WHICH IS, UH, WHAT, UH, COUNCIL, UH, UH, WOMAN, UH, GRAHAM WAS SPEAKING ABOUT IN TERMS OF THE VACANT KMART.

UM, AGAIN, SO, YOU KNOW, UH, ESTABLISHING AN EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION STRATEGY TO PROMOTE THOSE BENEFITS.

UH, IDENTIFYING POTENTIAL DEVELOPMENT PARTNERS, UH, AND THEN MARKETING THOSE INFILL AND THOSE REDEVELOPMENT PROPERTIES.

UH, LOOKING AT OUR REGULATORY ENVIRONMENT, UM, UH, WHAT CAN WE DO AS A, A CITY TO ENCOURAGE, UH, THE REDEVELOPMENT OF THESE PROPERTIES.

UM, SO, UH, LOOKING AT THE RELIEF AND ALTERNATIVES, UH, THAT, UH, CURRENT DEVELOPMENT ENVIRONMENT, LOOKING AT, UH, THE PARKING MIN MINIMUMS VERSUS THE MAXIMUMS. LOOKING AT, UH, GOING TO A MORE FORM-BASED CODE INSTEAD OF BEING, UH, A STRICT, UH, USE BASED, UH, ZONING ORDINANCE.

LOOKING AT, UH, DENSITY BONUSES, UH, YOU KNOW, LOOKING AT, UH, YOU KNOW, WHAT CAN WE DO TO, UH, BRING THESE PROPERTIES INTO COMPLIANCE WITH OUR, OUR DEVELOPMENT.

UH, BUT DOING IT IN A, IN A WAY THAT WE UNDERSTAND, UH, IS A LITTLE BIT MORE DIFFICULT FOR AN EXISTING PROPERTY.

UM, AND THEN ALWAYS CONTINUING TO, UH, LOOK AT POTENTIAL IMPROVEMENTS FOR OUR INTERNAL PROCESSES.

AND THEN, UH, THE ADMINISTRATIVE OVERSIGHT.

UM, THAT'S A COUNCIL THAT'S ADMINISTRATION, UM, YOU KNOW, UH, PREPARING AND GIVING US GOALS AND MEASURES OF PROGRESS, REGULAR REPORTING AND MONITORING, UM, OF THIS.

AND THEN ENHANCING, UH, THE COORDINATION OF EFFORTS, UM, WITH, UH, WITHIN, UH, DIFFERENT CITY DEPARTMENTS.

SO ALL OF THESE ARE GOING TO BE, THAT WILL BE ADDRESSED WITHIN, UH, THESE TWO UPCOMING PLANS.

UM, AND AGAIN, THAT REALLY KIND OF TIES IN WHAT WE WERE TALKING ABOUT WITH THE VACANT BUILDINGS AS WELL AS THE CITY OWNED PROPERTY.

IT'S ALL PART OF THE, THE LARGER BASKET ABOUT INFILL DEVELOPMENT.

SO WITH THAT, HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS Y'ALL MIGHT HAVE.

OKAY.

YES.

YES, MA'AM.

SO, WHEN, WHEN I BROUGHT UP VACANT BUILDINGS, UM, NOT CITY OWNED SURPLUS BUILDINGS, BUT VACANT BUILDINGS, UM, WHAT I WAS TOLD WAS THAT THERE ISN'T ENOUGH STAFF TO HANDLE THE SHEER NUMBER OF VACANT BUILDINGS WHO HAVE ISSUES AND, YOU KNOW, VIOLATE OUR CODES TO DEAL WITH IT.

SO WHAT WE'RE DOING RIGHT NOW IS PUTTING TOGETHER A LIST OF WHAT STAFF CONSIDERS THE WORST CASE BUILDINGS, AND THEN DEDICATING THEIR TIME AND RESOURCES TO THAT.

AND I FORGET THE NUMBER, IT WAS LIKE THE TOP 10 OR SOMETHING.

AND THEN WHEN I ASKED HOW ARE WE PRIORITIZING THESE PROPERTIES, UM, IT, THERE REALLY WASN'T, UM, A CLEAR ANSWER OTHER THAN IT JUST STAFFS WHAT STAFF THINKS IS THE PRIORITY.

SO MY QUESTION IS, HAVE WE GIVEN ANY CONSIDERATION TO INCREASING STAFF OR RESOURCES TO FULLY ADDRESS THESE BUILDINGS? WERE OUTSOURCING IT, AND HAVE WE COME UP WITH A METHOD FOR PRIORITIZATION THAT'S NOT SUBJECTIVE TO WHAT JUST STAFF THINKS? UM, I, I'M GONNA TRY TO ANSWER THOSE QUESTIONS.

UM, THE, THE FIRST QUESTION IN TERMS OF, SO AS WE KINDA WALK THROUGH SOME OF THESE, A LOT OF THE, WE'RE, WE'RE, WE'RE USING THE WORD VACANT BUILDING.

SO A LOT OF THE BUILDINGS THAT WE'RE DEALING WITH ARE NOT VACANT, AND THAT REALLY THROWS A MONKEY WRENCH IN THE ENTIRE PROCESS.

UM, AS I THINK, YOU KNOW, 'CAUSE WE'VE, WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT, UH, ONE OF THE PROPERTIES, UM, IN DISTRICT FOUR.

WE HAD ONE THAT, UM, HAPPENED A FEW MONTHS PRIOR TO THAT ONE WHERE, UM, WE, ALL OF THE, THE DEPARTMENTS THAT HAVE A PART TO PLAY IN CODE ENFORCEMENT KIND OF CAME IN AT THE SAME TIME.

AND IF I GAVE YOU THE SHEER AMOUNT OF, UH, MANPOWER HOURS THAT WE PUT INTO THAT ONE, IT DID HAPPEN QUICKLY, BUT ONLY AFTER THEY VACATED THE BUILDING.

UM, IT REALLY WAS ONE OF THOSE THINGS WHERE CITY HAD TO MAKE IT VERY UNCOMFORTABLE FOR THEM TO STAY THERE.

AND THEN ONCE THEY LEFT, THEN WE WERE ABLE TO GO IN AND, AND DO WHAT WE NEEDED TO DO AS A CITY.

AGAIN, THERE WAS SIX DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS WORKING TOGETHER, PROBABLY, I DON'T KNOW, 200 HOURS, UM, EASILY JUST TO GET THAT, THAT ONE BUILDING TAKEN CARE OF IN TERMS OF OUTSOURCING OR ADDITIONAL STAFF.

UM, WE, THERE ARE STILL GONNA BE, UM, BOTTLENECKS IN THE PROCESS.

IF I HAD 10 MORE STAFF MEMBERS, WE COULD WRITE MORE VIOLATIONS AND GET MORE, MORE, UH, ITEMS IN THE HOPPER.

AND THAT THEN PUTS PRESSURE ON EVERYBODY ELSE DOWN THE, DOWN THE PROCESS.

I WOULD THEN LOOK AT SCOTT'S DEPARTMENT AND SAY, OKAY, YOU GUYS GOTTA KEEP UP.

AND THEN SCOTT WOULD LOOK AT THE COURT AND SAY, YOU GUYS GOTTA KEEP UP.

SO IT, IT'S, I I WISH THAT THAT WAS THE, THE ANSWER.

I WISH THAT THAT WAS SOMETHING THAT WE COULD JUST SAY, LET'S GET MORE STAFF AND LET'S JUST, YOU KNOW, KNOCK THESE OUT.

UM, BUT IT BECOMES A MUCH BIGGER, A MUCH BIGGER ISSUE AS I'M SURE YOU CAN, YOU CAN SEE IN TERMS OF PRIORITIZING THOSE.

WHAT WE START WITH IS WE START WITH, UM, PLANNING,

[00:30:01]

HERE'S WHERE THE, THE PROPERTIES ARE THAT HAVE THE MOST OVERLAP.

SO IF I'VE GOT ONE PROPERTY THAT WE KNOW IS A DANGER, WE KNOW MAYBE HAS SOME CRIMINAL ACTIVITY, HAS, UH, JUNK IN THEIR YARD, AND, AND YOU KNOW, MAYBE THERE'S SOME, SOME POSSIBLE FIRE ISSUES THAT'S GONNA BE AT THE TOP OF THE, THE TOP OF THE PRIORITY LIST.

ANYTHING WITH MAJOR SAFETY ISSUES ARE GONNA JUMP STRAIGHT TO THE TOP.

UM, THAT I THINK THAT GOES WITHOUT SAYING.

SO WE KINDA LOOK AT THAT AND, AND MOVE DOWN FROM THERE.

AND REALLY THE WAY THE THIS WAS DESIGNED, AND THIS IS STILL BEING REFINED AS WE GO, WAS DESIGNED TO SAY WE WANT TO TAKE THE ONES THAT, UM, THAT THAT POSE THE BIGGEST RISK.

AND THAT THAT'S NOT A, IT'S NOT A NUMBER SYSTEM.

IT'S REALLY HARD TO BE, UH, OBJECTIVE ABOUT THAT OTHER THAN TO SAY, WE KNOW THERE'S CRIMINAL ACTIVITY, THERE'S, YOU KNOW, ALL THESE DIFFERENT THINGS HAPPENING, THEN WE NEED TO KINDA HIT THOSE.

AND AS I MENTIONED, IT TAKES A HEAVY COORDINATED EFFORT AND WE REALLY ONLY HAVE TIME ASIDE FROM ALL OF OUR OTHER DUTIES FOR SAY, ONE OR TWO AT A TIME UNTIL THAT ONE GETS RESOLVED, THEN WE CAN MOVE ON TO THE NEXT ONE AS SOON AS WE DO MORE POP ONTO THE LIST THAT WE DIDN'T EVEN KNOW WERE THERE.

SO WE TRY TO LOOK AT THE TOP 10 OR 12 AND HOPE THAT WE CAN GET THROUGH THAT OVER THE COURSE OF A FEW MONTHS.

BUT AGAIN, WE'RE SORT OF REFINING THAT SYSTEM AS WE GO.

UM, I, I DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S A GOOD WAY TO MAKE THAT SYSTEM MORE OBJECTIVE.

WE COULD PUT IN SOME SORT OF POINT SYSTEM, BUT REALLY IT ALL COMES DOWN TO IS THERE SAFETY ISSUES, ARE THERE IMPACTS TO THE NEIGHBORING PROPERTIES? ARE THERE X, Y, Z? SO, UM, I'M NOT SURE IF THAT ANSWERS YOUR QUESTION.

NOT REALLY.

I DO HAVE CONCERNS OF PERSONAL FEELINGS OR POLITICAL INFLUENCING INTO THE DECISION MAKING OF THIS.

SO FOR EXAMPLE, ONE OF YOUR SLIDES SAID PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS DIDN'T WANNA DO IT.

THAT MAY HAVE BEEN THEIR OWN PERSONAL FEELINGS OR, UH, POLITICAL INFLUENCE FROM CERTAIN COUNCIL MEMBERS.

AND IT COULD GO THE OTHER WAY WHERE MAYBE STAFF DOESN'T LIKE CERTAIN COUNCIL MEMBERS, SO THEY'RE NOT GONNA ADDRESS THE ISSUES IN THOSE DISTRICTS.

SO I JUST DON'T HAVE CONFIDENCE IN SUCH A SUBJECTIVE PROCESS.

UM, I I HEAR YOUR CONCERN THAT YOU DON'T, THEY'RE NOT SURE HOW TO MAKE IT MORE OBJECTIVE.

IF THERE WAS A WAY I, I WOULD LIKE THAT.

I THINK THE COMMENT FROM THAT SLIDE WAS LESS ABOUT THE, THAT THAT PROBLEM PROPERTIES, UM, LIST AND MORE A GENERAL STATEMENT THAT THERE WERE CERTAIN PROPERTIES THAT WERE, UM, DEEMED PROBLEMATIC AND MAYBE, UH, UH, PUSHED TO THE BACK BURNER.

I ASSURE YOU IT WASN'T A STAFF ISSUE.

OKAY.

YEAH.

OTHER QUESTIONS COMING, HAVE ABOUT 10 MINUTES TO, TO FINISH THE COMMENT ON, I MEAN, UM, I WOULD SAY ON VACANT BUILDINGS, UH, I I WAS HOPING THERE'S GONNA BE MORE DISCUSSION.

I THINK WHAT WE'RE HEARING IS, UM, YOU'RE KIND OF PRESENTING THIS TO US, BUT ARE YOU GONNA COME BACK ME? WHAT, WHAT'S GONNA TAKE PLACE? YOU HAVE NEXT STEPS IS THIS TO DEVELOP A PLAN WITH ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT? AND THEN I CERTAINLY SUPPORT THE DOWNTOWN BAYTOWN PLAN.

THAT'S KIND OF IT WITHIN ITSELF.

THAT'S, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'VE BEEN DEALING WITH FOR YEARS.

SO WHEN IT COMES TO VACANT BUILDINGS IN DOWNTOWN BAYTOWN, I THINK IT'S A DIFFERENT ANIMAL THAN COMPARED TO OTHER O OTHER AREAS OF TOWN, RIGHT? YEAH.

UM, YEARS AGO, I WANNA SAY PROBABLY OH 7, 0 8 IS WHEN WE CAME UP WITH THE ABANDONED BUILDING ORDINANCE.

AND THAT WAS MAINLY, THERE WAS BUILDINGS ALONG BAYWAY THAT THERE LIKE, LIKE I THINK IT WAS EXPRESSED THE OWNER WAS NOWHERE NEAR THE BAYTOWN AREA.

HE'S BUILT MISSOURI, ABANDONED DOESN'T, YOU CAN WRITE CITATIONS, YOU DO EVERYTHING THERE.

THERE'S NO RESPONSE.

ALRIGHT.

SO THAT'S, THAT'S AN ABANDONED BUILDING.

I THINK ISSUES THAT WE HAVE ON TEXAS AVENUE IS SUMMER THERE.

THERE'S AN OWNER, THE OWNER MAY BE LOCAL, BUT WHAT IS HAPPENING IN THAT BUILDING AND IS THAT BUILDING'S USE, IS IT IN ALIGNMENT WITH KIND OF WHAT, WHAT OUR COMMUNITY REALLY WANTS TO GET OUT OF TEXAS AVENUE? IS THAT A GOOD WAY TO PUT IT? MAYOR, CAN I ASK A QUESTION? YES.

UM, YOU, YOU SAID THAT YOU WERE HOPING FOR MORE DIALOGUE.

AND SO FOR US IT'S REALLY ASKING WHAT YOU'RE EXPECTING FROM THE VACANT BUILDING ORDINANCE, WHICH IS WHERE MARTIN STARTED.

UM, AND IF WE'RE WE'RE EXPRESSING THAT HEY, WE CAN ADDRESS SOME OF THOSE THINGS WITH WHAT WE CURRENTLY HAVE, THEN I WOULD, I WOULD POSE TO COUNSEL, WHAT OTHER QUESTIONS DO YOU HAVE THAT WE'RE NOT ADDRESSING AT THIS POINT SO THAT WE CAN MEET WHAT YOUR EXPECTATIONS ARE.

AND RIGHT NOW, LIKE I, I WANTED TO BE VERY CLEAR AND THAT'S WHY I WAS TRYING TO PROBE ON A FEW QUESTIONS.

JUST BECAUSE WE HAVE THE OTHER THINGS IN PLACE DOESN'T MEAN THAT THERE'S SOME MAGIC KEY WHERE WE CAN JUST GO AFTER THESE VACANT BUILDINGS.

SOME OF THE PROBLEMS THAT WE HAVE IS, IF YOU GO BACK TO THAT SECOND SLIDE WHERE IT TALKS ABOUT A VACANT BUILDING, AND WE CAN GO TOWARDS A NUISANCE, EVEN IF IT'S BOARDED UP OR LOCKED UP LIKE IT'S SUPPOSED TO

[00:35:01]

SO YES, WE HAVE TOOLS ON OUR TOOLBOX, BUT IT COMES DOWN TO WHAT IS COUNSEL ULTIMATELY TRYING TO GET AT OR WANT.

AND THAT WE CAN'T, WE CAN'T HAVE A DISCUSSION ON THAT UNLESS Y'ALL START TELLING US SOMETHING, UH, DIFFERENT THAT WE'RE NOT MEETING WITH WHAT, WHAT CURRENTLY IS, IS THERE, I JUST THINK, I MEAN, IT MAY BE ON OUR END, IT MAY, MAY TAKE SOME THOUGHT TO, TO BUILD A RESPONSE, NOT LIKE, YOU KNOW, KIND OF A POP QUIZ.

WHAT, HOW DO YOU, HOW DO YOU SEE VACANT BUILDING SO I CAN SPEND OUT AN ORDINANCE NEXT WEEK, RIGHT? I DON'T THINK THAT'S HOW WE NEED TO OPERATE.

SO, SO I, I, I CAN THROW ON THE TABLE.

I THINK WE ARE REALLY LOOKING FOR JUST GENERAL CONSENSUS AND FEEDBACK ON THE DIRECTION THAT WE NEED TO GO AS STAFF.

AND, AND I'LL PUT IT OUT AS, AS THREE DIFFERENT OPTIONS.

THE FIRST ONE IS TO LEAVE WHAT'S THERE IN PLACE AND WE DEAL.

THE SECOND ONE IS TO REWRITE IT AND COME BACK WITH SOMETHING DIFFERENT.

UM, THE THIRD IS TO REPEAL IT ALTOGETHER.

SO THOSE, THOSE ARE THE THREE OPTIONS AS STAFF SEES IT ON THE TABLE.

STAFF'S RECOMMENDATION WOULD BE TO REPEAL IT ALTOGETHER.

AND WE WORK ON OUR CURRENT PROCESSES TO GET THEM AT A HUNDRED PERCENT, WHICH NONE OF THEM ARE FIRING AT A HUNDRED PERCENT.

WE KNOW THAT AND WE ARE IN A CONSTANT STATE OF IMPROVEMENT ON THOSE PROCESSES.

OKAY.

NO, I MEAN, I DO APPRECIATE, I MEAN, I, I LIKE THE SLIDES.

I MEAN, THERE, THERE WEREN'T MANY OF THEM.

IT'S JUST, UM, I WAS HOPING NOT JUST DIALOGUE FROM US, OBVIOUSLY I HEARD LOTS OF WORDS FROM YOU, BUT LIKE, WHERE ARE WE GOING REALLY NEXT IS WHAT I WANTED TO HEAR.

I KNOW THAT THERE IS A NEXT STEP YOU SAID, YOU KNOW, DEVELOP A STRATEGIC PLAN WITH EDF AND I'M NOT SURE IF I'M IN AGREEMENT WITH THAT YET, OR NOT TO TELL YOU THE TRUTH.

I'M TRYING TO THINK.

WE ARE, WE'RE GOING DOWN DEEPER AMONGST OUR STAFF AND I DON'T KNOW WHERE AN, WHERE AN AGREEMENT WITH EDF IS GOING TO GO AND, AND HELP A BUILDING THAT'S VACANT ON TEXAS AVENUE.

IT, IT WAS CON IT WAS A CONTEXT THING.

SO YES, MA'AM.

OVERALL, I, I ACTUALLY WASN'T EXPECTING TO, TO HAVE AN OPINION ON THIS PARTICULAR PART, BUT I AGREE WITH, UM, WITH COUNCIL MEMBER BETON COURT, I DO THINK THAT THERE SHOULD BE SOME KIND OF TIER AND I, I DO UNDERSTAND THAT BEFORE I EVEN SAY WHAT I'M ABOUT TO SAY, I KNOW THAT WHAT IT ISN'T DIRECTLY RELATED TO WHAT WE'RE DOING HERE CONSENSUS WISE, I AGREE WITH ALL OF THIS, BUT I DO THINK THAT THERE NEEDS TO BE A TIERED SYSTEM OR SOME TYPE OF RUBRIC WHEN YOU TALK TO US ABOUT MEETING WITH FIRE AND POLICE.

AND OBVIOUSLY SAFETY IS ONE OF, WE WOULD GO AFTER A BUILDING IF IT WAS POSING A SAFETY ISSUE.

UM, I THINK WE SHOULD HAVE A FORM A, A TIERED FORM WHEN YOU'RE HAVING THOSE MEETINGS THAT MAYBE THERE'S A RATING, A RATED SYSTEM, A RUBRIC, UM, THAT WAY WE DO TAKE OUT THE, THE SUBJECTIVITY OF THIS.

AND SO I JUST, I WANTED TO SAY THAT I DO AGREE WITH THAT AND I WASN'T EXPECTING TO, TO GARNER AN OPINION ON THAT TONIGHT.

UM, BUT SINCE IT'S THE TOPIC, I THINK THAT THAT'S SOMETHING WE SHOULD LOOK INTO, UM, FOR THE FUTURE.

BUT AS FAR AS THE ACTUAL ORDINANCE ITSELF, YOU'RE ASKING, YOU'RE WANTING FEEDBACK, YOU'RE WANTING WORDS, YES, I AGREE WITH IT, BUT NOT MUCH IS CHANGING.

UM, I LIKED THE VERBIAGE OF TAKING OFF THE HANDCUFFS.

I MEAN, AS FAR AS A COUNCIL MEMBER, I'M ALWAYS GONNA BACK YOU ON THAT BECAUSE I WANT SEE THINGS DEVELOPED.

I WANNA SEE, UM, OUR COMMUNITY BE BEAUTIFIED SAFE, ALL THOSE THINGS.

I THINK WE ALL AGREE WITH THAT.

YEAH.

YEAH.

AND, AND AGAIN, AGAIN, YOU PRESENTED THAT, YOU WENT AND DID A, BASICALLY INQUIRED OTHER COMMUNITIES THAT HAVE THESE SAME SIMILAR CIRCUMSTANCES AND THAT YOU DO HAVE THE TOOLS IN PLACE, OR GENERALLY YOU HAVE THE TOOLS IN PLACE.

AND SO, UM, IF THERE'S THINGS YOU NEED FOR EITHER ADDITIONAL COUNSEL ACTION OR IF IT'S JUST A PHILOSOPHICAL SUPPORT IN A WAY OF, 'CAUSE A LOT OF TIMES IT'S LIKE, GO CLEAN SOMETHING UP, GO CLEAN, PEOPLE ARE ASKING CLEAN STUFF UP, AND THEN WE GET THE CALLS, HEY, WHY ARE, WHY ARE THEY PICKING ON ME? RIGHT? SO THAT'S THE, THAT'S WHERE THE POLITICAL WILL, OR YOU SAY THE POLITICAL CLIMATE COMES INTO PLAY, SO IT'S JUST, IT'S MINDFUL OR COUNCIL MEMBERS NEED TO BE MINDFUL OF THAT.

THAT WILL, THAT WILL BE A RESPONSE.

YES, SIR.

ON THE, UH, FOR POLICY PURPOSES, IS THERE A CONSENSUS ON AN OBJECTIVITY OF THE FORM, BECAUSE THAT WOULD BE BUILT INTO THE POLICY OR THE ORDINANCE CHANGE? SO I, I'M JUST, I'M LOOKING FOR FOREHEADS NODDING UP AND DOWN, HAVING A, WELL, I WOULD, I WOULD THINK IN GENERAL, WE ARE PROBABLY ALL IN AGREEMENT TO TRY TO MAKE THIS AS OBJECTIVE AS POSSIBLE.

UM, IT'S VERY APPARENT, I THINK WHEN THERE WAS SOME ISSUES WITH RESIDENTIAL PROPERTIES, RIGHT? THERE WAS, YOU KNOW, THERE WAS, UH, LET'S JUST SAY THERE WAS PEOPLE WHO WERE TRESPASSING, THERE WAS ISSUES WITH THE STRUCTURE ITSELF.

THAT'S EASY TO SCORE, RIGHT? THERE WAS, THERE WAS A RISK TO MM-HMM.