* This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting. THEY READY? [ CITY OF BAYTOWN NOTICE OF MEETING CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION THURSDAY, JANUARY 11, 2024 6:00 P.M. COUNCIL CHAMBER, CITY HALL 2401 MARKET STREET, BAYTOWN, TEXAS 77520 AGENDA CALL TO ORDER AND ANNOUNCEMENT OF QUORUM ] [00:00:07] SO NOW CALL THIS WORK SESSION THE BAYTOWN CITY COUNCIL TO ORDER. IT IS SIX 18. WE ARE IN BAYTOWN CITY HALL. COUNCIL CHAMBERS, WE DO HAVE A QUORUM. OUR FIRST ITEM IS CITIZEN COMMENTS. IS THERE ANYONE THAT HAS BEEN, UH, SIGNED [a. Receive a presentation and discuss a Relocation Policy.] UP TO SPEAK? IF NOT, WE'LL MOVE ON TO ITEM TWO A WHERE WE'RE GONNA RECEIVE A PRESENTATION, UH, TO, TO DISCUSS A RELOCATION POLICY. MR. CITY ATTORNEY. THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. THANK YOU, COUNSEL. UH, SCOTT LAMONT, CITY ATTORNEY. UH, MARTIN SCRIBNER IS NOT GONNA BE HERE TODAY. HE WENT HOME SIX. SO I'M GONNA TRY TO COVER HIS PORTION OF THE PRESENTATION, SO BEAR WITH ME ON THAT. UH, BUT THE CHIEF AND I WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK TO YOU BRIEFLY ABOUT RELOCATION POLICIES. UH, SO THE, WHAT IS THAT? THE CITY DOES NOT CURRENTLY HAVE A WRITTEN RELOCATION POLICY. WHY IS THIS IMPORTANT? BECAUSE WE WANT TO BE COMPLIANT WITH OUR FEDERAL LAW, STATE LAW, AND GRANT REQUIREMENTS. WE GET QUITE A NUMBER OF GRANTS, UH, IN THE CITY TO DO PROJECTS. AND, UH, YOU CAN SEE DOWN AT THE BOTTOM I HAVE, UH, WITH A QUESTION MARK, OPERATIONAL EFFICIENCY. AND I'LL LET CHIEF SPEAK TO THAT A LITTLE BIT. SO THE GOOD NEWS IS WE'RE NOT ASKING YOU FOR ANY MONEY, AND WE'RE NOT ASKING YOU FOR PERMISSION TO PROCEED WITH ANY PARTICULAR OPERATIONS. SO WHAT ARE WE HERE TO ASK YOU FOR? WE'D LIKE TO ASK YOU TO CONSIDER ADOPTING A WRITTEN RELOCATION POLICY, AND IT COULD BE JUST AS SIMPLE AS THE CITY WILL COMPLY WITH FEDERAL AND STATE LAW AND REGULATIONS. THAT'S THE DALLAS MODEL. UH, IF YOU PREFER, WE COULD DO, UH, A MORE COMPREHENSIVE POLICY THAT'S VERY DETAILED IF THIS THAN THAT, THAT'S MORE ALONG THE LINES OF, UH, HARRIS COUNTY OR CITY OF HOUSTON, 10, 12, 15 PAGES. UH, WE COULD DO SOMETHING VERY COMPREHENSIVE IF THAT'S THE DIRECTION YOU'D LIKE TO GO. THE LEGAL SETUP FOR ALL OF THIS, UH, FIRST WITH FEDERAL LAW IS UNIFORM RELOCATION ASSISTANCE AND REAL PROPERTY ACQUISITION POLICIES ACT. UH, IT JUST SAYS THAT DISPLACEMENT OF RESIDENTS OR TENANTS AS A RESULT OF PROGRAMS THAT ARE UNDERTAKEN WITH FEDERAL FUNDS, UH, THOSE PERSONS ARE ENTITLED TO SOME SORT OF ASSISTANCE IF THE CITY IS DOING A REHABILITATION DEMOLITION CODE ENFORCEMENT PROJECT OR AN ACQUISITION. WE HAVE AN ANALOG IN STATE LAW UNDER CHAPTER 21 OF THE PROPERTY CODE. UH, IT REFERENCES THE FEDERAL ACT. UH, AND THEN IT ALSO SAYS THAT WHEN POLITICAL SUBDIVISIONS ARE ENGAGING IN IMMINENT DOMAIN ACQUISITIONS, THOSE PERSONS, UH, WHO ARE AFFECTED ARE ENTITLED TO RELOCATION ASSISTANCE. WHAT IS PARTICULARLY IMPORTANT IN TERMS OF OUR ASK TODAY IS, UH, PART OF THE CODE SAYS THAT A DEPARTMENT AGENCY, INSTRUMENTALITY OR POLITICAL SUBDIVISION THAT INITIATES A PROGRAM, UH, UNDER INTERMITTENT DOMAIN POWERS, SHALL ADOPT RULES RELATING TO THE ADMINISTRATION OF THE PROGRAM. WE DO HAVE PROCEDURES HERE IN THE CITY, BUT WHAT WE'D LIKE TO ASK OF CITY COUNCIL IS SOMETHING MORE FORMAL COMING FROM YOU ALL THAT WE CAN PUT IN WRITING AND IMPLEMENT. WE ALSO, UH, WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE COMPLYING WITH ALL OF OUR FEDERAL GRANT REQUIREMENTS. AND I PULLED HERE JUST A TYPICAL, UH, PROVISION AND SOME OF OUR GRANT REQUIREMENTS. THEY TYPICALLY SAY SOMETHING LIKE THE GRANTEE, WHICH WOULD BE THE CITY, WILL COMPLY WITH THE FEDERAL ACT AND, UH, ALL THE IMPLEMENTING REGULATIONS AND HAS AN EFFECT AND IS FOLLOWING A RESIDENTIAL ANTI DISPLACEMENT AND RELOCATION ASSISTANCE PLAN. SO, UH, AGAIN, WHILE WE HAVE PRACTICES AND PROCEDURES, UH, IT WOULD PROBABLY BE IN OUR BEST INTEREST TO DO SOMETHING IN A WRITTEN FORM THAT HAS BEEN VETTED BY COUNSEL. AND WHY IS IT IMPORTANT ON THE OPERATIONS SIDE? UH, WHAT MIGHT THIS LOOK LIKE FOR THE POLICE DEPARTMENT FOR OUR CODE ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES? UH, I'LL LET THE CHIEF TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT HOW IT MIGHT IMPACT HIM. THANK YOU. JOHN STRINGER, CHIEF OF POLICE. CURRENTLY THE BAYTOWN POLICE DEPARTMENT PERSONNEL REGULARLY INTERACT WITH LOCATIONS WE REFER TO AS HIGH CRIME AREAS. THESE AREAS ARE KNOWN LOCATIONS FOR THE USE IN SALE OF NARCOTICS, HUMAN TRAFFICKING AND PROSTITUTION. THE STORAGE OF [00:05:01] STOLEN PROPERTY AND SIGNIFICANT VIOLENT CRIME OCCUR AS WELL. THESE LOCATIONS, UH, REPRESENT ALL TYPES OF PROPERTIES RANGING FROM, UH, SINGLE AND MULTIFAMILY, UH, RESIDENTIAL, COMMERCIAL, INDUSTRIAL, AND EVEN HOTEL PREMISES. WHILE WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO CRIMINALLY INVESTIGATE AND CHARGE THOSE WHO COMMIT WRONGDOING, UH, PROBLEMS OFTEN REOCCUR. DUE TO THE NATURE OF THE LOCATION ITSELF. RESIDENTS ALLOW THE ACTIVITY TO OCCUR, UH, PROVIDING ACCESS TO THOSE WHO WOULD CONTINUE TO VIOLATE THE LAW. PROPERTY OWNERS WILL OFTEN FAIL TO MAINTAIN THEIR PROPERTIES, WHICH RESULT IN CODE VIOLATIONS, LIFE SAFETY ISSUES, AND QUALITY OF LIFE ISSUES. THESE QUALITY OF LIFE ISSUES LEND THEMSELVES TO FUTURE CRIMINAL ACTIVITY BECAUSE THE APPEARANCE OF DECAY AND NEGLECT REDUCE THE PERCEPTION THAT THESE ARE AREAS OF, THESE ARE NOT AREAS OF CONCERN FOR SOCIETY. THIS IS THE ESSENCE OF THE BROKEN WINDOWS THEORY. AS ONE PROPERTY GOES SO GOES THE NEXT PROPERTY AND SO ON THROUGH A NEIGHBORHOOD, THE POLICE DEPARTMENT OFTEN TURNS TO OUR PARTNERS WITHIN THE CITY, THE CODE ENFORCEMENT, UH, GROUP, UH, THESE ENTITIES WITHIN THE CITY HELP US ASSIST WITH THESE ISSUES, UH, USING TOOLS SUCH AS CRIME PREVENTION THROUGH ENVIRONMENTAL DESIGN OR SEP TED. UH, THE BROKEN WINDOWS THEORY NUISANCE AND ABATEMENT HAVE SHOWN TO BE PROVEN EFFECTIVE WAYS TO MITIGATE THE PROBLEMS WE REGULARLY DEAL WITH, AS WELL AS IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR OUR CITIZENS IN THESE SURROUNDING AREAS. EFFECTIVE CODE ENFORCEMENT IS AN INTEGRAL PART OF THIS PROCESS. PROPERTY OWNERS OR TENANTS WHO INHABITANT, WHO INHABIT OR OCCUPY SUBSTANDARD LOCATIONS OFTEN PREVENT TIMELY AND EFFICIENT AND EFFICIENT ABATEMENT EFFORTS. BY REFUSING TO VACATE EITHER INTENTIONALLY OR THROUGH THE LACK OF NEEDED RESOURCES. THESE PROPERTIES CANNOT BE EFFECTIVELY ABATED IN A TIMELY MANNER. THE SIGNIFICANT TIMELINE NEEDED TO CORRECT THESE ISSUES CAUSES ONGOING SIGNIFICANT QUALITY OF LIFE ISSUES FOR ALL PARTIES INVOLVED. AND AGAIN, IT SPREADS THROUGHOUT THE WHOLE NEIGHBORHOOD, ALMOST LIKE A DOMINO. UH, IT LEADS TO ONGOING AND EVEN SOMETIMES INCREASING CRIMINAL ACTIVITY. EFFECTIVE LAW ENFORCEMENT INVOLVES A GAME OF RESOURCES, THE TIME, MANPOWER, AND RESOURCES NEEDED TO CONTINUALLY RESPOND TO THESE HIGH CRIME AREA LOCATIONS CAN OFTEN BE MEASURED IN TAX DOLLARS. THE BAYTOWN POLICE DEPARTMENT CURRENTLY PARTICIPATES IN A MULTIDISCIPLINARY TEAM COMPRISED OF CITY DEPARTMENTS, UH, WORKING TO SOLVE BOTH QUALITY OF LIFE AND CRIMINAL PROBLEMS ASSOCIATED WITH SUCH PROPERTIES. A RECURRING THEME OF OUR MEETINGS, STRATEGIES AND EFFORTS IS THAT A RELOCATION POLICY IS THE MISSING PIECE TO THIS PUZZLE. THE ADOPTION OF A POLICY, UH, OF SUCH A POLICY ALLOWS FOR THE CITY TO ASSIST IN THE RELOCATION OF PERSONS IN THESE, UH, SITUATIONS WOULD ALLOW FOR A FASTER, MORE EFFICIENT RESPONSE TO THE PROBLEM IN THE SAME AREAS THROUGH CODE ENFORCEMENT PROCESSES. EFFECTIVE CODE ENFORCEMENT ALLOWS NOTED PROBLEMS TO BE ABATED IN A TIMELY MANNER, THEREFORE REDUCING THE NEED FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT RESOURCES TO BE CONTINUOUSLY RE RECALLED TO THESE AREAS. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. I AM GONNA STEP IN FOR MARTIN. UH, WHAT HE WANTED ME TO CONVEY TO YOU ALL THIS EVENING IS THAT, UH, STAFF WOULD, UH, RECOMMEND SOMETHING ALONG THE LINES OF THE DALLAS MODEL, A VERY SHORT AND SWEET POLICY SAYING THAT WE COMPLY WITH FEDERAL AND STATE LAW. UH, BUT WITH RESPECT TO IMPLEMENTATION, UH, A LOT OF THIS FALLS ON, UH, HIS DEPARTMENT AND THE CODE ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS THERE. AND TO LARGE EXTENT, WHEN WE HAVE SITUATIONS, UH, COME UP WITH SAY, SQUATTERS OR PEOPLE WHO ARE IN BUILDINGS OR RESIDENCES WHO DON'T HAVE A LEGAL RIGHT TO BE THERE, UH, WE SORT OF WAIT ON THE COURT PROCESSES TO GET THEM OUT, AND THEN WE TRY TO ABATE THE NUISANCE. UM, IF WE HAD A POLICY THAT TALKS ABOUT WHAT TO DO WITH SQUATTERS WHEN THEY'RE THERE, IT WOULD GIVE US MORE IMMEDIATE, UH, REACTION TIME. AND ALSO A WRITTEN POLICY MIGHT PUT US IN LINE FOR BETTER FUNDING FROM THE FEDERAL AND STATE GOVERNMENTS SO THAT INSTEAD OF USING CITY DOLLARS, WE CAN RELY ON SOME OF OUR OTHER PARTNERS TO HELP FUND THESE RESOURCES. SO THAT'S WHAT WE HAVE. UH, WE'RE HAPPY TO TAKE ANY QUESTIONS. IS THERE ANY QUESTIONS FROM COUNSEL? I HAVE ONE QUESTION. UH, AS FAR AS THE DA DALLAS MODEL, HOW LONG HAS IT BEEN IN PLACE AND HAVE YOU HEARD ANY, UH, FEEDBACK, EITHER POSITIVE OR NEGATIVE ABOUT THE MODEL ITSELF? THE, THE FEEDBACK THAT WE'VE HEARD AT, UH, THE CITY ATTORNEY'S ASSOCIATIONS MEETING HAS BEEN, THAT'S BEEN VERY EFFECTIVE. UM, THEY PARTNER WITH THE VARIOUS AGENCIES, THE POLICE DEPARTMENTS, THE CODE ENFORCEMENT, THE CITY ATTORNEYS, UH, TO HELP ABATE THOSE [00:10:01] NUISANCES. I CAN'T TELL YOU HOW LONG THAT'S, UH, BEEN IN PLACE, BUT WHEN WE COME BACK TO YOU FOR FURTHER DISCUSSIONS, I CAN, UH, PROVIDE THAT INFORMATION. I CAN PRO PROVIDE MORE DATA FROM, UH, THE OTHER CITIES ON HOW THOSE PROGRAMS ARE, ARE RUNNING. OKAY. I JUST DIDN'T KNOW IF THE MODEL BEEN, HAS BEEN CHALLENGED BY ANY, ANY LEGAL MATTERS IN ANY WAY THAT THAT'S ALL I'M INTERESTED IN. UH, I CAN LOOK THAT UP FOR YOU AND I'LL HAVE IT NEXT TIME. THAT'S FINE. AND JUST THAT, AND, UM, ALONG AS, UH, BAYTOWN PD, IF THEY AGREE THAT MAYBE THIS MODEL'S THE RIGHT APPROACH, WHICH I THINK THAT'S WHAT YOU SAID THEN, THEN, UH, FOR ME, I, I, THAT'S PROBABLY WHAT I'D BE SUPPORTING. OKAY. YES, MA'AM. YOU HAVE A QUESTION? OH, IT, IT WASN'T REALLY A QUESTION. I JUST WANTED TO SAY I WAS GLAD TO SEE THIS ON THE WORK SESSION AND, UM, I JUST, I VERY GOOD INFORMATION AND I'M GLAD THAT IT WAS SHARED HERE PUBLICLY. AND I'LL BE INTERESTED TO SEE WHERE THIS GOES. YOU MAKE A COMMENT. THANK YOU. YEAH, I MEAN, MY ONLY COMMENT WOULD BE, I KNOW, UM, WHEN PLANNING, UM, WHEN THERE IS USUALLY A RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY OR ANY KIND OF PROPERTY THAT, THAT, UM, HAS GONE, LET'S TO SAY, WHERE THERE'S, IT COULD BE VAGRANT, IT COULD BE ALL KINDS OF ISSUES GOING ON, IT BECOMES VERY, VERY DIFFICULT TO GO AND TRY TO ABATE THAT. AND ALMOST EVERY DEPARTMENT, I THINK, GETS INVOLVED. SO IT, IT REQUIRES, UH, LOTS AND LOTS OF MAN HOURS. BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, JUST BECAUSE, BECAUSE WE DO NOT HAVE ANY KIND OF POLICY, IT KIND OF BASICALLY REALLY HANDCUFFS, UH, THE ABILITY FOR THE CITY TO MOVE FORWARD WITH WHAT NEEDS TO BE ABATED. SO, UM, I GUESS AS SOON AS YOU CAN GET IT TO US AND FOR SOMETHING TO CONSIDER, I THINK THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL. AND, UH, COUNSEL, IF YOU HAVE ANY, UM, THOUGHTS ABOUT WHETHER YOU WANT TO GO WITH A, A DALLAS MODEL TYPE OR, UH, A MORE COMPREHENSIVE PLANS AT THE MOMENT, OR I COULD BRING, UH, EXAMPLES OF THEM TO YOU FOR, UH, DISCUSSION AT A LATER TIME. I'M HAPPY TO DO EITHER. FOR ME, IT'S JUST AS MUCH AS IT PAINS ME, YES, I'LL GO WITH THE DALLAS BOTTLE . YEAH. UM, MY FEEDBACK WOULD BE, I'M, I'M, I THINK THE DALLAS MODEL IS A GOOD, A GOOD START JUST TO GET US COMPLIANT, AS YOU MENTIONED. UM, I WOULD BE CURIOUS TO JUST SEE WHAT SOME OTHER CITIES HAVE DONE, BUT I THINK IT'D PROBABLY BE BEST IF WE JUST GET THAT IN PLACE. AND THEN THAT GIVES US SOME TIME TO LOOK AT WHAT OTHER OPTIONS THERE ARE. I CAN BRING THOSE TO YOU. I WILL SAY THAT, UH, FROM THE STAFF PERSPECTIVE, UH, CROSS DEPARTMENTALLY, WE THINK THE DIALYSIS MODEL IS A BETTER MODEL. IT LENDS TO MORE FLEXIBILITY. UH, IF WE HAVE TOO MANY IFS, ANDS, THEN WE COME TO A SPOT WHERE THERE'S NO ANSWER AND THEN WE'RE STUCK. SO THAT'S WHAT WE'RE AFRAID OF. IF WE WENT TO A, A HOUSTON OR HARRIS COUNTY MODEL. AND THEN MAYBE YOU COULD JUST ADD OR TAKE A FEW WORDS AND CALL IT THE BAYTOWN MODEL. I LIKE THAT. IT WILL BE THE BAYTOWN MODEL. ONCE IT, ONCE WE BRING IT BACK TO YOU, . SO, OKAY. ANY OTHER FURTHER QUESTIONS OR, ALRIGHT. THANK YOU. MM-HMM . OKAY. SO I THINK THAT IS IT. SO WHAT I'LL DO IS SINCE, UH, FOR OUR WORK SESSION, ALL POSTED AGENDA ITEMS HAVE BEEN, UH, BEEN, UH, ADDRESSED. SO WE'RE GONNA ADJOURN THIS MEETING. AND NOW I JUST, UH, WANNA ASK COUNSEL, DOES ANYBODY NEED A BREAK, UH, FOR A MINUTE OR TWO? IF NOT, WE'LL GO RIGHT INTO OUR. * This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting.