IN THE HARLEM CONFERENCE ROOM.
[00:00:01]
UH, SO WE HAVE ITEM, RIGHT? AND WE HAVE ITEM ONE A, DISCUSS POSSIBLE AMENDMENTS TO THE BAYTOWN ANIMAL CONTROL ADVISORY COMMITTEE.SO WE'RE AMENDING WHAT WE JUST APPROVED RECENTLY? NO, THIS IS THE, OH, DIFFERENT.
CAN YOU HEAR US? I'M CONCERNED ABOUT THE PERSON ON THE, CAN YOU ASK MR. PARK IF HE CAN HEAR US? RICHARD, CAN YOU HEAR US? YOU'RE MUTED.
LET, SO THAT MEANS CAN YOU UNMUTE ME A BIT CORNER? OH, FAR DOWN HERE WHERE IT SAYS UNMUTE.
RICHARD, CAN YOU HEAR US? YES.
BEST I COULD DO YOU RIGHT ON TIME THOUGH.
I'M THE ONE THAT CALLED BACK TODAY.
WELL, I SAW WAS I WAS GETTING OUT MY TRUCK.
ALRIGHT, EVERYONE READY? UH, GOOD AFTERNOON OR GOOD EVENING, UH, MAYOR, COUNCIL, AND, UH, EVERYONE ELSE IN ATTENDANCE.
UH, TODAY WE'RE GONNA DISCUSS THE POSSIBLE AMENDMENTS TO THE ANIMAL CONTROL ADVISORY COMMITTEE.
UM, JUST TO BRING YOU UP TO SPEED ON THE STATUTORY REQUIREMENTS YOU SEE THERE, LISTED ON THE LEFT, THAT'S IN THE JUSTICE, HEALTH, AND SAFETY CODE, UM, REQUIRES A TOTAL OF FOUR MEMBERS COMPOSED OF A LICENSED VET, A MUNICIPAL OFFICIAL, UH, SOMEONE, OR A PERSON THAT WHOSE DUTIES INCLUDE THE DAILY OPERATION OF AN ANIMAL SHELTER.
AND THE FOURTH IS AN ANIMAL WELFARE, UH, REPRESENTATIVE.
OUR ORDINANCE, UH, GOES BEYOND THAT.
SO WE ARE IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE STATE.
WE WENT BEYOND THE FOUR AND ADDED THE FIFTH.
WHO IS THE, UH, CITIZEN COMPONENT THERE? UM, JUST TO BRING IT TO YOUR ATTENTION, THAT TWO MEMBERS ARE STATUTORILY REQUIRED TO BE OFFICIALS OR EMPLOYEES OF THE CITY.
AND SO WE HAVE THE POLICE CHIEF, OR IT'S DESIGNEE, AND THEN THE DIRECTOR OF HEALTH, OR WHOSE DESIGN DESIGNATED.
WE DID A COMPARISON SURVEY OF 13, UH, OTHER CITIES AND, UH, LOOKED AT THE NUMBER OF MEMBERS THAT THEY HAD ON THEIR COMMITTEES.
UH, YOU CAN SEE THERE'S, UH, PREDOMINANTLY, I THINK THERE'S FIVE THAT HAVE FIVE MEMBERS, UM, TWO THAT HAVE NINE.
AND WHAT DO WE HAVE? THERE HAVE FOUR THAT HAVE SEVEN, AND THEN A COUPLE OF THE OTHERS THAT HAVE FOUR.
UM, JUST AS A COMPARISON, THIS IS ALSO A COMPARISON AND KIND OF THE COMPOSITION OF WHAT THE OTHER CITY'S MAKEUP OF MEMBERS ARE.
UH, YOU CAN SEE, UM, THOSE THAT GO BEYOND THE FOUR.
UM, BRIAN, FOR EXAMPLE, THEY JUST INCLUDED THREE CITIZENS INSTEAD OF, INSTEAD OF ONE LIKE WE DID MM-HMM
THEY CHOSE TO ADD ANOTHER ANIMAL WELFARE COMPONENT MEMBER AND TWO CITIZENS.
UM, SO IT'S REALLY, UH, IT'S KIND OF A DIVERSE MAKEUP OF, UH, MEMBERS AND COMPOSITION.
YOU SEE, LEAGUE CITY HAS A TOTAL OF NINE AND THEY HAVE FIVE, UH, CITIZENS ON THEIR COMMITTEE.
AND THEN SUGAR LAND IS CUT OFF THERE AT THE BOTTOM.
UM, KIND OF MIMICS THE, UH, SAME THING AS LEAGUE CITY.
SO JUST FOR YOUR INFORMATION, JUST TO HOW IT'S OTHER CITIES HAVE, HAVE, UH, DEVELOPED THEIR COMMITTEES, YOU NEED TO, CAN YOU INVENT THEM? SAY AGAIN? HIT THE ADMIT BUTTON HERE.
WELL, WHILE YOU ADMIT THEM, CAN I, CAN I ASK ONE QUESTION, TONY? YES, SIR.
UM, ARE, ARE THE EVERYBODY WHO'S ON THESE COMMITTEES, THEY'RE ALL VOTING MEMBERS.
THEY ALL HAVE, I MEAN, THEY ALL HAVE RIGHTS TO VOTE.
I WAS JUST WONDERING 'CAUSE THERE WAS SOME WITH FOUR, BUT, ALRIGHT.
FROM THE STATUTORY REQUIREMENT WHERE THE STATE CREATED FOUR, UM, IT'D KIND OF HARD TO GET A MAJORITY WHEN YOU HAVE FOUR.
YEAH, THAT'S WHAT I WAS WONDERING WHEN.
SO, UH, IT, SO WHAT THE COMMITTEE DOES, UH, THIS IS, THIS IS FROM OUR ORDINANCE, UH, ESSENTIALLY, UM, TO ASSIST THE ANIMAL SHELTER IN COMPLYING WITH APPLICABLE LAW TO FORMULATE, UH, FUTURE ANIMAL CONTROL PLANS, STRATEGIES, AND EDUCATION, AND TO RECOMMEND REVISION IN THE ANIMAL CONTROL ORDINANCES.
UH, THOSE, THOSE BULLETS RIGHT THERE ARE FROM OUR ORDINANCE.
AND THEN THE LAST IS, UH, IT'S JUST A CAN.
UH, THE, THE COMMITTEE CAN REPORT TO THE COUNCIL AS NECESSARY TO CARRY OUT SUCH PURPOSES.
[00:05:06]
LET YOU LOG ME UP.SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE HEARD IS, UM, THAT MAYBE THERE NEEDS TO BE A LITTLE BIT MORE STRUCTURE TO THE ANIMAL PATROL ADVISORY COMMITTEE.
SO, UM, WHAT WE'RE PROPOSING IS DOING WHAT WE'VE DONE WITH A LOT OF OTHER COMMITTEES THAT, THAT YOU ALL HAVE ESTABLISHED IS TO GO AHEAD AND MAYBE PROPOSE SOME RULES AND PROCEDURES.
AND THEY'RE VERY SIMILAR TO WHAT YOU ALL HAVE.
UM, WE TRY TO MIRROR THEM THE SAME THROUGHOUT THE CITY WITH OUR DIFFERENT BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS, WHETHER THEY'RE ADVISORY OR NON ADVISORY.
AND SO, UM, BECAUSE THIS IS NON ADVISORY, IT HASN'T DONE ALL OF OUR, OUR OUR NON ADVISORY WARDS DO HAVE RULES AND PROCEDURES.
SO THIS WOULD JUST BRING IT IN LINE WITH THAT.
SO THE RULES BASICALLY TALK ABOUT THE AUTHORITY, WHAT THEIR AUTHORITY IS, WHAT THE AUTHORITY OF THEIR OFFICES ARE, GIVE GENERAL RULES AND CODE OF CONDUCT OF WHAT'S ALLOWABLE, LIKE COMMITTEE MEMBERS, STAFF, UM, UM, AND, UH, JUST IN GENERAL, THE PUBLIC ALSO TALKS ABOUT THE TYPE OF MEETINGS, WHETHER IT'S SPECIAL AND HOW THEY'RE CALLED, UM, AND HOW THEY GET THINGS ON THE AGENDA.
UM, IT TALKS ABOUT THE PRESIDING OFFICER AND THE DUTIES TO MAINTAIN ORDER AND HOW BUSINESS IS CONDUCTED.
TALKS ABOUT THE ORDER OF THE BUSINESS AND ALSO VOTE THE VOTES REQUIRED.
SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE HEARD ARE JUST VOTING.
SO VOTING REQUIRES AN AFFIRMATIVE VOTE OF MAJORITY OF THE MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE THAT'S PRESENT IN ORDER TO TAKE ACTION OF THE COMMITTEE.
SO THAT'S JUST LIKE YOU ALL, UNLESS THERE'S A SPECIAL MAJORITY OR SOMETHING FOR YOU ALL, BUT THEY ARE JUST BEING ADVISORY THAT WE WOULD JUST NEED A MAJORITY OF THOSE THAT ARE PRESENT IN VOTING.
AND YOU HAVE TO HAVE A FORUM BEFORE YOU CAN DO ANYTHING.
THAT GOES TO THE MAYOR'S QUESTIONS.
ALL MAYOR, ALL MEMBERS CAN VOTE ON AN ITEM THAT'S SUBMITTED TO THE COMMITTEE.
AND THAT STAFF MEMBERS, UM, CAN SPEAK IF THEY'RE INVITED TO
AND THEY CAN TAKE PART IN DISCUSSIONS, BUT THEY DO NOT HAVE A VOTE.
SO STAFF MEMBERS, OTHER THAN THOSE THAT ARE ACTUALLY ON THE COMMITTEE, UM, WE PROPOSE ALSO THAT AGENDA ITEMS BE APPROVED BY THE DIRECTOR OF HEALTH OR THE CHAIRMAN.
WE ALSO HAVING THE RULES SIMILAR TO YOU ALL, THAT LESS THAN A QUORUM CAN MAKE A, UH, WRITTEN STATEMENT ASKING SOMETHING TO BE PUT ON THE AGENDA.
WE ALSO TALK ABOUT WHEN THE AGENDA ITEMS ARE DUE.
SO WE CAN POST IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE OPEN MEETINGS ACT.
UM, IF THERE'S AN ITEM THAT'S COME BEFORE THE COMMITTEE, SIMILAR TO YOUR RULES, THEY COULDN'T CONSIDER IT WITHIN THE SIX MONTHS UNLESS IT'S WAY BY MAJORITY.
UM, THAT'S IF THEY'VE TAKEN A VOTE ON SOMETHING, YOU KNOW, IF THEY'RE WORKING ON SOMETHING, OF COURSE, THAT CAN COME BACK AND BACK LIKE THEY DID SO MANY MEETINGS WITH THE ANIMAL CONTROL ORDINANCE THAT YOU ALL APPROVED.
SO, TALK ABOUT THE ORDER OF AGENDAS.
THESE WOULD JUST BE GUIDELINES.
IT ALSO ESTABLISHES, UM, AGAIN, HOW TO PUT THINGS ON THE AGENDA.
AND IT ESTABLISHES A THREE MINUTE LIMIT, UM, THAT YOU ALL HAVE UNLESS A LONGER PERIOD IS REQUIRED BY LAW.
UM, THE RULES OF PROCEDURE, TALK ABOUT THE ELECTION OF THE OFFICERS.
SO PROPOSED IN THIS WOULD BE THE OFFICERS WOULD BE A CHAIRMAN AND A VICE CHAIRMAN.
THERE WOULD BE A SECRETARY, BUT THAT WOULD BE A STAFF PERSON JUST APPOINTED BY THE DIRECTOR.
SO THINK OF THE DIRECTOR KIND OF BEING LIKE THE CITY MANAGER IN THIS MEETING.
SO THE DIRECTOR WOULD HAVE SOMEONE, UM, ON HIS STAFF TO TAKE MINUTES, KIND OF LIKE LEDDY DOES FOR YOU ALL.
UM, BUT THE OFFICERS COULD NOT BE AS WE PROPOSE, AND IT CAN BE CHANGED, BUT IT WOULD NOT BE EITHER OF THE TWO CITY OFFICIALS OR THE PERSON THAT'S OVER THE ANIMAL CONTROL FACILITY.
SO IT WOULD BE ONE OF THE CITIZENS.
THE VET, THE, UH, ANIMAL WELFARE GROUP, OR THE INTERESTED CITIZEN CURRENTLY IS PROPOSED.
UM, THERE'S TALK ABOUT CALLING TO ORDER HOW IT'S PRESERVED TO ORDER.
SO IF PEOPLE, UH, THE CHAIRMAN'S THERE ARE NOT THERE, OR IT HAS TO LEAVE THE MEETING EARLY, IT TALKS ABOUT THE SUCCESSION, WHAT HAPPENS, THE VICE CHAIRMAN WOULD STEP IN AT THAT POINT AND RUN THE MEETING.
IF THE CHAIRMAN AND VICE CHAIRMAN ARE BOTH GONE, IT TALKS ABOUT HOW THAT'S HANDLED AS WELL.
SO THOSE THAT ARE REMAINING WOULD BE ABLE TO, UH, VOTE AND, AND VOTE ON A PRESIDING OFFICER FOR THAT MEETING.
AND THAT WOULD JUST BE FOR THAT ONE MEETING.
UH, IT TALKS ABOUT POINTS OF ORDER AND HOW, UH, HOW MEETINGS ARE MOVED ALONG.
UM, REQUIRES THE, THE PRESIDING OFFICER TO STATE THE QUESTION BEFORE A VOTE.
IT CAN'T BE A COMPOUND QUESTION TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYBODY VOTES ON THE MATTER, BUT ACTUALLY BEFORE THE COMMITTEE, UM, THERE'S PROVISIONS FOR A RECESS AND HOW THAT HAPPENS AND JUST HOW EVERYONE, UM, GETS, GETS ON THE COMMITTEE GETS TO VOTE.
SO THE RULES ALSO WOULD PRESCRIBE JUST MEETINGS.
UH, THE, BY LAW THIS COMMITTEE IS REQUIRED TO HAVE THREE MEETINGS PER YEAR.
SO THAT'S WHAT WE PUT IN THE PROPOSED RULES.
AND THEN THERE COULD BE SPECIAL MEETINGS, UM, AS NEEDED.
SO, AND THEN WE TALKED ABOUT THE NOTICE THAT WE HAVE TO HAVE 72 HOURS AND HOW ALL THAT'S DONE AND WHERE IT'S POSTED IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE OPEN MEETINGS ACT.
SO THESE ARE JUST PROPOSED RULES, BUT THESE ARE IN LINE WITH WHAT WE DO WITH OTHER CITY'S COMMITTEES AND WHAT YOU ALL DO.
SO THAT'S WHAT WE WOULD PROPOSE.
THESE WOULD BE ADOPTED ACTUALLY BY THE COMMITTEE ITSELF.
THEY WOULD ELECT THEIR CHAIRMAN, VICE CHAIRMAN, AND THEY WOULD RUN JUST LIKE OUR OTHER COMMITTEES,
[00:10:01]
UM, OF THE CITY.I'M GONNA LET TONY FINISH THAT UP.
SO THE PATH FORWARD, UH, BASICALLY, UM, TO DETERMINE IF ANY CHANGES ARE NEEDED, UH, TO THE COMPOSITION OF THE ANIMAL CONTROL COMMITTEE.
UM, OBVIOUSLY APPOINTING MEMBERS TO THE COMMITTEE, UM, JUST, UH, I'M NOT SURE IF ALL OF YOU KNOW OR, UM, CURRENTLY ALL THE MEMBERS ARE IN A HOLDOVER STATUS, UH, WHICH MEANS THEIR TERMS HAVE EXPIRED ALREADY.
UM, THE OTHER THING TO DETERMINE IS TO ALLOW THE COMMITTEE TO ADOPT RULES.
JUST, UH, SAME THING THAT KAREN JUST, UH, REVIEWED, UM, AND ELECT ITS OFFICERS AND CHAIR AND VICE CHAIR.
SO THAT, THOSE ARE THE THINGS TO LOOK AT GOING FORWARD.
UM, I WILL SAY THAT THE STAFF RECOMMENDS, UH, KEEPING THE, THE TOTAL MEMBERS TO FIVE, UH, AS IT'S CURRENTLY HELD.
UM, BUT IN LIEU OF STARTING OVER, UH, STAFF RECOMMENDS THAT WE SHOULD RESET OR REFRESH THE MEMBERS, CHANGE THE PEOPLE THAT ARE ON THE COMMITTEE.
UH, AS WE'RE GOING INTO A NEW YEAR, UM, DEFINITELY STAFF IS ON BOARD WITH ALLOWING THE COMMITTEE TO ADOPT RULES.
UH, THE OFFICERS ESTABLISH ITS OWN PROCEDURES AND ALLOW THE COMMITTEE TO ELECT A CHAIR AND A VICE CHAIR.
UH, AND THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT STAFF RECOMMENDS.
IF THAT CONCLUDES THE UPDATE OF THE, UH, OF THE COMMITTEE.
AND KAREN, I CAN TAKE SOME QUESTIONS.
WHY WOULDN'T WE ALLOW AT LEAST TWO MORE CITIZEN MEMBERS ON THE GROUP INSTEAD OF JUST HAVING ONE? BECAUSE I THINK THAT WOULD ACTUALLY OPEN IT UP WHERE YOU CAN GET A GREATER SENSE OF WHAT THE COMMUNITY WANTS.
AND HOW MANY ANIMAL ADV ADVOCACY GROUPS DO WE HAVE HERE IN THE CITY? WELL, THE, THE FIRST PART OF YOUR QUESTION, WE, WE COULD ADD MORE CITIZENS.
UH, IF WE DID, UM, STAFF WOULD RECOMMEND, UM, SOME LANGUAGE TO THE EFFECT TO, TO RESTRICT THE AFFILIATIONS AND THE PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS.
SO THERE'S, THERE'S NOT, UM, PEOPLE THAT KNOW EACH OTHER THAT ARE ALREADY GONNA BE APPOINTED, UH, TO, TO PROVIDE MORE DIVERSITY AND BALANCE ON THE COMMITTEE.
UM, AND THEN THE, UH, THE SECOND PART OF YOUR QUESTION, UM, WE'RE, WE'RE STILL FINE TUNING THE LIST.
WE HAVE, I'M GONNA SAY WE HAVE ABOUT THREE, UH, RESCUE GROUPS IN THE CITY LIMITS, AND THEN OUR SURROUNDING AREA, UH, THERE'S A HANDFUL AT LEAST.
AND THEN THE CLOSER YOU GET INTO HOUSTON, IT'S UH, IT'S QUITE NUMEROUS ACTUALLY.
I WOULD, I WOULD BE IN FAVOR OF THE ONE, THE ANIMAL ADVOCACY GROUPS HERE IN THE CITY, HAVING A ROTATION BEING ON THE COMMITTEE.
WHERE EACH GROUP WOULD HAVE A VOICE AT A CERTAIN POINT IN TIME.
UM, AND ADDING TWO MORE CITIZENS TO THE GROUP SO THAT YOU CAN HAVE AN ODD NUMBER FOR VOTING AND YOU ALSO HAVE MORE OF A, UM, FIELD OF WHAT'S GOING ON WITH THE CITIZENS.
AND SO, SO YOU'RE RECOMMENDING REFRESHING IT, YOU'RE RECOMMENDING FIVE.
HOW WOULD THOSE FIVE BE CHOSEN? WELL, THE, THE FIVE THAT'S ALREADY PRESCRIBED, SO YOU DON'T, YOU SAID YOU WERE GONNA REFRESH IT.
RIGHT? SO THE, THE HELP FROM MY, MY OPERATION, I HAVE A DESIGNEE ABILITY.
I WOULD DESIGNATE, UH, THE ASSISTANT DIRECTOR, JAMES GARCIA, TO BE A NEW MEMBER.
UH, HIS DAILY FUNCTION IS THE SHELTER AND THE ANIMAL SERVICES DIVISION REPORTS DIRECTLY TO HIM.
UH, I CAN'T SPEAK FOR THE CHIEF.
UH, HE HAS THAT ABILITY TO, TO BE A DESIGNEE.
LIPS IS NOT GONNA BE ABLE TO SERVE ANYMORE.
SO WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO FIND A NEW VETERINARIAN.
HOW ARE THE OTHER THREE CHOSEN? THE, SO WE HAVE THE, THE CITIZEN AND THE ANIMAL WELFARE PART OF IT.
UH, AND THE OTHER TWO ARE THE CITY AND THEN THE VET.
HOW ARE THEY CHOSEN? THEY'RE DESIGN, THE CHIEF PICKS WHOEVER HE WANTS.
HE PICKS THAT ONE FIRM BY COUNSEL.
SO WE WOULD BRING US A LIST ASKING, BRING THE LIST.
SO WE WOULD DO SIMILAR TO WHAT WE'VE DONE, WE DID WITH THE BAYTOWN POLICE.
WE WOULD DO OUTREACH, WE WOULD GET INFORMATION OUT, WE WOULD COMPILE, UH, A LIST FOR YOU, UM, AT LARGE, THEN.
AND WE WOULD, SO AT LARGE, IT'S ONLY THE SAME PROCESS THAT WE DID WITH THE OTHER ONE.
MY OFFICE WOULD WORK WITH OTHER, UM, OUR OUTREACH TO GET THE INFORMATION OUT, TO GET INTERESTED PEOPLE, TO GET A DIVERSE, UM, UH, GROUP OF APPLICANTS THAT WE WOULD THEN SEND YOU AND YOU COULD REVIEW RIGHT.
[00:15:01]
YOU AS THE COUNCIL, THERE IS NO SPECIFIC COUNCIL APPOINTMENT.AND, YOU KNOW, YOU, YOU WOULD APPOINT WHO, WHOMEVER YOU THINK WOULD BE THE, THE BEST, UM, THE BEST, UH, APPOINTMENT IS THE GENERAL CONSENSUS.
THAT, THAT, THAT WAS MY QUESTION.
THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO SEE MORE PEOPLE THAN FIVE.
I MEAN, IS THAT NOT, I, JUST, THE FEELING THAT I GET IS THAT YOU'D LIKE TO SEE, I THINK TWO MORE CITIZENS.
WELL, I, I THINK IT WOULD BE A GOOD PATH TO AT LEAST HAVE A GROUP OF THREE CITIZENS, UM, COMPARED TO JUST ONE.
I JUST, YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE ONE, YOU HAVE ONE VOICE FROM A CITIZEN AND FOUR THAT ARE, WHICH STATUTORILY, WHICH WOULD PUT IT AT SEVEN.
WHICH WOULD KIND OF PUT US IN THAT, IF YOU LOOK AT THE, THE DIFFERENT CITIES THAT'D PUT US ABOUT IN THAT THAT RIGHT, RIGHT.
KIND OF IN THE MIDDLE, SWEET SPOT.
WELL, I, I DON'T KNOW, BUT I, IF YOU DID THAT, AND I'M NOT SAYING I'M A FAN OF NINE, BUT IF YOU DID THAT, I THINK YOU WOULD AT LEAST HAVE TO CONSIDER TAKING IT ALL THE WAY TO NINE.
AND THAT WAY DISTRICT, DISTRICT, DISTRICT, EVERY, THE WHOLE GEOGRAPHY OF THE CITY IS INCLUDED WITH THE PERSON THAT HE GETS TO PICK.
I GET TO PICK, SHE GETS TO PICK, YOU KNOW, LIKE WE JUST DID THE POLICE ADVISORY COMMITTEE.
OH, YOU WANNA SAY EXPAND IT TO LIKE ONE PERSON, ONE COUNCIL, ONE COUN, ONE COUNCIL.
WELL, I MEAN, I'M JUST, I'M JUST THINKING OUT LOUD HERE.
I'M SAYING, BUT YOU'D HAVE TO DO SEVEN, YOU'D HAVE TO INCLUDE FIVE MORE.
SO WOULD YOU MEAN IT WOULDN'T BE NINE BECAUSE IT WOULD BE, IT'D BE 11, BE NINE BECAUSE YOU GOTTA HAVE THE, OR THE 11 DESIGN AND IT'S BIG.
IT'D BE FOUR BY STATUTE WOULD AND SEVEN BY, I WAS JUST THINKING ABOUT TO GET THE WHOLE GEOGRAPHY, THE CITY MAKE IT THREE CITIZENS.
AND WE HAVE OTHER COMMITTEES THAT ARE FULLY AT LARGE.
SO I DON'T THINK THIS WOULD BE ANY DIFFERENT.
YOU JUST GO AT LARGE WITH YEAH, THAT WOULD GET TOO BIG IF YOU DID THAT WITH THE MANDATED SPOTS.
I MEAN, WE CAN RECRUIT PEOPLE FROM OUR DISTRICT.
HEY, THERE'S AN OPENING, KIND OF LIKE WHAT WE DID WITH THE PAC, AND THEN IT WOULD JUST BE UP TO THEM TO APPLY OR NOT.
SO I THINK IT'S, I THINK I WILL SAY ONE IS NOT ENOUGH, WHATEVER IT IS.
AND I'M, I'M GONNA REITERATE THIS.
I THINK IF WE HAVE ANIMAL RIGHTS GROUP ANIMAL ADVOCACY GROUPS HERE IN THE CITY, AND THERE ARE THREE OF THEM, THEY SHOULD EACH HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO SERVE ON THAT COMMITTEE.
I'D LIKE TO SAY SOMETHING ABOUT THAT.
MOST OF THE TIME THEY'RE MAD AT EACH OTHER.
SO AS FAR AS ONE REPRESENTING ALL THREE, THAT'S NOT GONNA HAPPEN.
BUT RIGHT NOW, DO WE HAVE ONE REPRESENTING ALL THREE? NO, WE HAVE ONE REPRESENTING ONE.
AND THAT'S WHY I'M SAYING GIVE THE OTHER TWO AN OPPORTUNITY TO COME AND CIRCULATE IT.
AS LONG AS, BUT YOU MADE A STATEMENT THAT ONE WILL REPRESENT ALL OF THEM.
I GUESS I, I LOOK AT IT A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT.
I WOULD SAY THAT, UM, LET'S CHOOSE THREE CITIZENS BASED OFF OF THEIR QUALIFICATIONS AND, AND OTHER CRITERIA.
I THINK IT'S A PUBLIC MEETING.
SO ADVOCACY GROUPS CAN ALWAYS BE INVOLVED.
BUT I THINK I WOULD, I WOULD STICK AWAY FROM SAYING, THIS IS A-S-B-C-A, THIS IS, UH, BASED ON HUMANE SOCIETY.
IT'S GONNA BE ONE THING'S GONNA BE HARD TO MANAGE.
NUMBER TWO, SOMETIMES THEY ARE BUYING FROM DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVES OF, UH, IN SOME CASES.
SO, SO DO, DOES THE ANIMAL ADVOCACY REPRESENTATIVE APPLY LIKE THE INTERESTED CITIZEN, OR ARE THEY APPOINTED LIKE THE POLICE DESIGNEE? NO, THEY APPLY.
THEY, THEY APPLY JUST LIKE AN INTERESTED CITIZEN.
BUT THEY SPECIFY THAT THEY'RE APPLYING AS AN ANIMAL GROUP REPRESENTATIVE.
SO WE COULD TAKE, WE COULD TAKE LIKE THE APPLICANTS WE RECEIVED THE 47 FROM THE, THE LAST THING.
THERE MAY BE SOME THAT HAVE BEEN INTERESTED IN THAT, BUT WE CAN REENGAGE AND SEE THIS IS A DIFFERENT, I MEAN, YOU'RE GONNA GET A DIFFERENT, TOTALLY DIFFERENT GROUP.
AND, AND, AND SO I THINK, UM, MY RESERVATION IS BECAUSE OF THIS, THE SHELTER AND THE PROGRAMS MOVING FORWARD, IT'S ALREADY GONNA BE DEPENDENT ON PARTNERSHIPS WITH THESE ORGANIZATIONS.
SO THEY'RE ALREADY GONNA BE INVOLVED.
AND IF THEY HAVE VYING INTEREST, THEN YOU'RE GONNA, YOU'RE GONNA MUDDY THE WATERS.
AND WE'RE TRYING TO AVOID THAT.
I THINK LET'S GO AND LET'S, LET'S CHOOSE CITIZENS THAT MAY NOT HAVE AN AFFILIATION WITH AN ORGANIZATION.
AND THEN AT THESE ADVOCACY GROUPS, COULD BE ADVISORS.
THEY BE MAD ABOUT WHAT? I'M JUST MAKING A COMMENT.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT THEY WOULD BE MAD ABOUT EACH OTHER.
THEY'RE ALL FLYING AND IT'S SOMETHING THAT, AND WE'RE MAKING THE DECISION.
I'M, I'M, I'M JUST DON'T WANT TO SEE ONE ADVOCACY GROUP SERVING ON THE COMMITTEE FOR 20 YEARS.
AND THE COUNCIL MAKES THAT DECISION.
AND EVERY TWO YEARS YOU WOULD MAKE THE DECISION OF YES OR NO.
MAYOR I TWO COMMENTS? YES, MA'AM.
SO, UM, I THINK I AGREE WITH THE GROUP.
I THINK INCREASING CITIZEN PARTICIPATION IS REALLY IMPORTANT.
'CAUSE THIS IS SUPPOSED TO BE A CITIZEN DRIVEN ADVISORY COMMITTEE.
UM, THE TWO TWO QUESTIONS I HAD WAS FOR ITEMS TO GET ON THE AGENDA, IT REQUIRED THE HEALTH
[00:20:01]
DIRECTOR'S APPROVAL.IS THERE A PROCESS WHERE LIKE THREE OR MORE MEMBERS WANT AN ITEM? CAN IT GET ON THE AGENDA WHETHER THE HEALTH DIRECTOR AGREES WITH IT OR NOT? YES, BECAUSE I REALLY DON'T WANT STAFF DRIVING.
JUST LIKE IT TAKE LESS IN A QUORUM.
SO IT'D BE TWO OR IF WE HAVE SEVEN, IT WOULD BE THREE.
WE TAKE IT TO PUT IT ON THE EDGE.
THAT'S WHAT I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE.
AND THEN, UM, I DON'T THINK THREE MEETINGS A YEAR IS GONNA BE ENOUGH.
WE ARE GOING THROUGH A MAJOR TRANSFORMATION WITH ANIMAL CONTROL.
AND SO I KNOW THAT THREE IS WHAT'S REQUIRED.
AND SO, UM, IS IT GONNA REQUIRE THREE OR MORE MEMBERS TO REQUEST SPECIAL MEETINGS OR IS THAT AGAIN, BY HEALTH DIRECTOR APPROVAL? OR IT COULD BE THE CHAIR CHAIR, THE HEALTH DIRECTOR OR WITH, WITH THREE OR MORE MEMBERS? WELL, THREE MEMBERS, NOT MORE, BECAUSE WE DON'T WANT THE FOUR.
WE, WE ALSO KNOW THAT THE TWO EMPLOYEES CANNOT CHAIR THE COMMITTEE.
THAT WAS WHAT'S RECOMMENDED IN THE RULES.
I WOULD ALMOST SAY THE CHAIR WOULD BE A CITIZEN.
NOW WHY COULDN'T WE UP IT FROM MORE THAN THREE MEETINGS A YEAR? WHY COULDN'T THEY MEET EVERY TWO MONTHS OR ONCE? I THINK THAT'S WHAT THEY SAID.
THEY JUST SAID I CAN'T, THESE SPECIAL MEETINGS.
ALL THE, THE GENERAL MEETINGS OR THE REGULAR MEETINGS, THOSE ARE STATUTORY REQUIRED.
SO ANY OTHER MEETINGS WOULD JUST BE SPECIAL.
I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE IF THE THREE CITIZENS WANNA MEET MORE OFTEN THAT THEY CAN DO THAT.
AND IT'S NOT WHERE THE HEALTH DIRECTOR'S SAYING, NO, NO, NO, WE'RE ONLY MEETING THREE AND THAT'S IT.
YOUR RULES ON ALLOWED FOR THAT.
STATED THAT IT'S EVERY OTHER MONTH THAT WAY.
DON'T WORRY ABOUT WHETHER YOU AT THE MINIMUM, JUST SAY EVERY OTHER MONTH WE HAVE A MEETING HERE TO DISCUSS THESE ITEMS. NOT WORRY ABOUT WE, THEY GET TOGETHER AT THE BEGINNING.
SO LIKE CCPD AND FIRE CONTROL, THE, THOSE THAT HAVE LIKE A SET BUDGET, THEY MEET ONCE EVERY QUARTER.
RIGHT? THAT'S THE, THE ONLY THING ABOUT PUTTING MEETINGS THAT YOU SAY, OKAY, THEY WILL MEET THIS IS THEY HAVE TO, THEN IT STARTS, WE START CANCELING AND WE START CANCELING AND THERE'S OTHER THINGS THAT COME IN.
SO, UM, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN SET HOWEVER MANY YOU WANT.
MY RECOMMENDATION IS DON'T PUT TOO MANY BECAUSE ALL YOU'RE GONNA DO IS YOU'RE GONNA START CANCEL CANCELING.
AND, AND, AND THAT'S JUST ANOTHER, I THINK ANOTHER LAYER.
I THINK THAT'S WHAT I'M SAYING IS THREE'S NOT ENOUGH NEED TO GO ON AND STATE WHAT DAYS OR HOW MANY, HOW OFTEN YOU'RE GONNA MEET.
IF IT'S FOUR TIMES A YEAR OR WHATEVER.
GOING TO SAY THAT AT THE VERY FRONT.
AND YOU KNOW, MAYBE RIGHT NOW, SINCE WE'RE GOING THROUGH SO MUCH TRANSFORMATION, THERE'S A NEED FOR MORE MEETINGS.
BUT AS TIME GOES ON, THERE WON'T BE, BUT FOR RIGHT NOW, THEY'RE DEFINITELY NOT MEETING ENOUGH OR AT LEAST NOT ADDRESSING THE ISSUES THAT EVERYONE WANTS TO ADDRESS.
SO YOUR CURRENT ORDINANCE DOESN'T PRESCRIBE THE NUMBER OF MEETINGS THAT THEY HAVE TO HAVE.
UM, IF THE STATUTE DOES, YEAH.
THE RULES COULD PRESCRIBE THAT AND WE COULD LEAVE THAT UP TO THE COMMITTEE.
UM, IF THEY WANTED TO HAVE MORE THAN THREE OR, OR WHATEVER THEY THINK IS APPROPRIATE IS THEIR MINIMUM.
BUT I, I THINK WE'RE, WE'RE GIVING A LOT OF, A LOT MORE, UM, AUTHORITY TO A GROUP OF THREE IF THAT'S WHAT WE DECIDE.
I THINK YOU STICK WITH WHAT STATUTORY, STATUTORILY REQUIRED.
AND THEN YOU CAN HAVE A, YOU CAN MEET EVERY WEEK IF YOU WANT, BUT DON'T PAINT YOURSELF IN A CORNER.
JUST DO THE THREE AND THEN THEY'LL DO AS NEEDED IF IT'S EVERY MONTH FOR THE FIRST YEAR, MAYBE.
SO HOW OFTEN ON HOW, HOW OFTEN ON THESE MEETINGS HAVE WE GONE THROUGH THE AGENDA AND GO ALL THE WAY THROUGH THE END? OR IS THE AGENDA SO LONG THAT YOU DON'T GET THROUGH ALL OF IT ALL THE TIME? THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION.
WE, THIS PAST YEAR WE HAD FIVE.
DOES IT TAKE SIX HOURS? EXCUSE ME? DOES IT TAKE SIX HOURS? I MEAN, NO, SIR.
IT SOMETIMES TAKES TWO AND A HALF.
WHAT TIME DO Y'ALL USUALLY MEET? SIX.
BUT THAT WAS ALSO WITH THE WHOLE REWRITE OF THE, THEY REALLY DELVE INTO A GOOD REWRITE ALL TO CONSIDER.
HOW SOON ARE Y'ALL LOOKING TO IMPLEMENT CHANGES AND OPEN UP APPLICATIONS FOR THE COMMITTEE MEMBERS? IT'S KIND OF BASED ON TONIGHT'S THE FEEDBACK WE GOT TONIGHT.
RIGHT? SO TONIGHT, RIGHT NOW YOU HAVE FIVE MEMBERS.
SO IF YOU WANTED TO, WHAT WE'RE HEARING IS WE'RE GONNA GO AHEAD AND PUT SOMETHING ON THE AGENDA, THE NOVEMBER MEETING, TO HOPE TO CHANGE IT TO SEVEN MEMBERS.
ONCE WE KNOW HOW MANY MEMBERS WE WOULD START ADVERTISING, WE CAN ADVERTISE NOW, BUT WE, WE KNOW MORE AFTER THAT.
IS THAT SIMILAR TO WHAT WE DID WITH THE BAYTOWN POLICE? AS SOON AS YOU, YOU KNOW, WE CAN START WORKING ON, ON THE INFORMATION AND THE OUTREACH, BUT AS SOON AS YOU GUYS PASS IT, WE DO A MONTH AT LEAST OF OUTREACH TO COMPILE THE INFORMATION AND WE WOULD PROBABLY BRING IT TO YOU, UM, IF WE CAN GET A GOOD AMOUNT OF PEOPLE, UH, AT THE DECEMBER MEETING.
IF NOT, IT WOULD BE AT YOUR FIRST MEETING IN JANUARY.
SO I WOULD SAY, 'CAUSE WE HAVE ANOTHER ITEM TO DISCUSS.
SO IT SOUNDS LIKE THE CONSENSUS IS THREE TO HAVE THREE CITIZENS ON, ON THIS.
DOES ANYBODY? WE'RE NOT, WE CAN'T VOTE, BUT EVERYBODY AGREE ON THAT? YEAH.
AND THEN IT SOUNDS LIKE ALL, ALL OTHER CONCERNS AS FAR AS THE STRUCTURE HAS BEEN ADDRESSED ALREADY IN WHAT Y'ALL PRESENTED.
RIGHT? EVERYBODY GOOD WITH THAT? YEAH.
SO THEN, THEN THAT'S THE DIRECTION THAT WE NEED TO DO AND WE'LL MOVE ON.
[00:25:01]
HAVE, OKAY.ONE B, UH, DISCUSS PROPOSED MODIFICATIONS OF THE FLOODPLAIN AND SUBDIVISION ORDINANCES.
MR. SEMINO, I'M ASSUMING YOU KNOW HOW I GET OUTTA THIS.
THE ESCAPES STOP SHARE UP AT THE TOP.
DO YOU SEE WHERE IT SAYS STOP SHARE, STOP SHARE.
JUST GOT HAVE ANOTHER MEETING.
IS IT THIS ONE? YOU HAVE, YOU TAKE A LOT OF NOTES, CHRIS, AND THEN YOU CAN START HERE WORKING ON, OKAY.
UH, EVENING MAYOR AND COUNCIL TONIGHT, UH, GONNA TALK TO YOU ABOUT POSSIBLE PROPOSAL REVISIONS ARE, UH, FLOOD PLAIN AND SUBDIVISION ORDINANCE.
UM, SO AS YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, UH, THE GULF COAST HAS GONE THROUGH A PERIOD OF, YOU KNOW, HISTORIC FLOODING AND ALL, UH, LEVELS OF GOVERNMENT ARE LOOKING AT WAYS THAT WE CAN TRY TO MITIGATE FLOOD.
SO, UH, HARRIS COUNTY IN PARTICULAR HAS, UH, COME OUT WITH, UH, INCREASED STANDARDS FOR FLOODPLAIN AND, UH, FLOOD MITIGATION.
AND THEY HAVE SET A DEADLINE, TAKE OFF THE MASK.
THEY SET A DEADLINE FOR, UM, MUNICIPALITIES WITHIN HARRIS COUNTY TO ADOPT THEIR NEW MINIMUM STANDARDS BY DECEMBER 31ST.
OR, YOU KNOW, WE COULD POSSIBLY LOSE FUNDING ON CERTAIN PROJECTS, UM, THAT THEY ADMINISTER.
AND, UM, UH, ALSO THE CITY HAD GONE THROUGH A AUDIT FROM FEMA AND ALONG WITH, UH, 17 OTHER COMMUNITIES, UH, WE DID FAIL THAT AUDIT, AS DID MOST OF THE OTHER COMMUNITIES BECAUSE OUR ORDINANCES ARE NOT UP TO THE MINIMUM STANDARDS THAT THEY REQUIRE AS WELL.
SO, UPDATING OUR ORDINANCES WILL ALLOW US TO, YOU KNOW, MAINTAIN ELIGIBILITY FOR, UH, ALL LEVELS OF FUNDING AND HELP TO IMPROVE OUR NATIONAL FLOOD INSURANCE PROGRAM RATING.
AND WHICH IN TURN, YOU KNOW, GIVES OUR CITIZENS HIGHER A DISCOUNT THAN THEIR FLOOD INSURANCE.
SO I'M GONNA GO THROUGH, UH, EACH CHAPTER.
SO WE HAVE, UH, FLOOD PLAIN REGULATIONS AND, UH, CHAPTER ONE 10 JUST LOOKING AT WHAT WE HAVE EXISTING AND THEN WHAT'S PROPOSED AND COMPARING THE TWO.
SO CURRENTLY THE CHAPTER IS APPLICABLE TO THE A HUNDRED YEAR FLOOD PLAN.
UH, NOW HARRIS COUNTY IS, UH, DETERMINED THAT WE NEED TO MAKE THE, UH, ORDINANCE IS ALSO APPLICABLE TO A 500 YEAR FLOOD PLAN.
AND THE REASON FOR THAT IS A LOT OF THE FLOOD INSURANCE, UH, MAPS ARE OUT OF DATE.
AND SO IT TAKES TIME TO UPDATE THOSE MAPS.
AND REALLY THE THINKING IS THAT THE CURRENT, UM, 500 YEAR FLOOD PLANE IS REALLY ABOUT EQUAL TO WHAT THE A HUNDRED YEAR FLOOD PLANE SHOULD BE BASED ON, YOU KNOW, MORE RECENT STORMS. SO THAT'S THE REASON FOR INCLUDING THE 500 YEAR FLOOD PLANE.
UH, OUR CURRENT ORDINANCE SAYS YOU HAVE TO, YOU KNOW, HAVE, IF YOU'RE IN THE HUNDRED YEAR FOOT PLANE, YOU HAVE TO BE TWO FEET ABOVE THE A HUNDRED YEAR FLOODPLAIN WITH YOUR FINISHED FLOOR ELEVATION.
THE, UH, PROPOSED WILL SAY THAT YOU, UH, MAINTAIN THAT STANDARD TWO FEET ABOVE THE A HUNDRED YEAR FLOODPLAIN.
WE ADD THE CAVEAT THAT YOU HAVE TO ALSO MEET THE 500 YEAR FLOODPLAIN, WHICHEVER IS HIGHER.
SO BE AT THE 500 OR TWO FEET ABOVE THE 100.
THE CURRENT, UH, REQUIREMENT IN OUR, UH, BUILDING CODE IS THAT YOU HAVE TO HAVE AN ELEVATION CERTIFICATE FOR YOUR FINISHED FLOOR.
UH, WE'RE GONNA PROPOSE TO PUT THAT IN OUR FLOODPLAIN ORDINANCE SO THAT IT'S REQUIRED THERE.
UH, CAN I ASK ONE QUESTION ABOUT THAT? SURE, SURE.
WE'RE DEALING WITH ELEVATIONS HERE IN, UH, 24 INCHES ABOVE 100 OR 500 TO ALL THESE HOUSES THAT WE HAVE IN THE CITY RIGHT NOW.
NOW WE HAVE DEVELOPERS THAT ARE COMING IN AND BRINGING IN THREE FOOT OF DIRT AND RAISING THEIR ELEVATION OF THEIR WHOLE RESIDENTIAL AREA.
NOW THEY GO TO A DETENTION POND AND THEY RELEASE THAT SLOWLY, THAT'S FINE FOR THAT NEIGHBORHOOD, BUT WHAT THAT DOES DO IS
[00:30:01]
WHENEVER YOU RAISE 125 ACRES, THREE OR FOUR FOOT, THEN IT AFFECTS THE, THE NEIGHBORING COMMUNITIES.SO WHAT DO YOU DO ABOUT THAT? WELL, THEY, THEY SHOULDN'T, YOU KNOW, IF THEY'RE NO FLOW FROM THEIR DEVELOPMENT SHOULD GO TO ANOTHER, THEY'RE NOT SUPPOSED TO.
THEY'RE, THEY'RE, THEY'RE DOING THAT.
THE POINT IS, THEY HAVE AFFECTED THE, THE RUNOFF OF THE OTHER COMMUNITIES THAT THEY'RE FILLING.
IF THEY'RE FILLING IN THE FLOODPLAIN, THEY HAVE TO MITIGATE, THEY HAVE TO REMOVE SOME FUEL TO, IS THAT RIGHT? YES, SIR.
UM, IF INSIDE THE A HUNDRED YEAR FLOOD PLAIN, IF THEY ARE TAKING UP ANY POTENTIAL WATER VOLUME FROM A FLOOD STORAGE, THEY HAVE TO REMOVE THAT SAME AMOUNT WITHIN A HYDRAULIC HYDRAULICALLY CONNECTED AREA TO THAT.
SO, SO THEY SHOULDN'T BE AFFECTING EXISTING IF THEY DO IT RIGHT, AND WE RIGHT, BUT, BUT THEY'RE, BUT THESE, HANG ON, THESE, THESE NEIGHBORHOODS ARE, ARE BEING SURROUNDED BY OTHER COMMUNITIES AND THESE NEIGHBORHOODS THAT ARE GOING IN ARE NOT TAKING ANYTHING OUT.
THAT'S WHAT THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO DO.
THEY'RE NOT DOING, THEY'RE IN THE HUNDRED YEAR FOOT PLANE.
THEY NEED TO MEDICAID WHO, WHO CONTROLS THAT? WHO OVERSEES IT? WE DO.
UH, UH, COUNCILMAN ABARA HAD A QUESTION.
UH, MY QUESTION IS ON EXISTING, UM, DEVELOPMENT, SO LET'S SAY HOUSE BURNS DOWN OR BUILDING BURNS DOWN, AND IT'S MORE THAN 50% OR WHATEVER, SO THEY HAVE TO COMPLETELY REBUILD, THEREFORE, ACCORDING TO NEW STANDARDS, THEY'RE GONNA RAISE YES.
SO THAT IF THERE IS NO DETENTION PONDS, THAT'S GONNA GO TO THE NEIGHBORING HOMES OR BUILDINGS AROUND THAT.
AND I, I KNOW BECAUSE THAT HAPPENED OVER ON, UH, PINE STREET, UM, WHEN WE WERE DOING ALL THOSE NEW HOUSES BECAUSE OF DEMO.
UM, AND SO THE, THE HOMES WERE BEING RAISED ACCORDING TO THE NEW STANDARDS, RIGHT? BUT THE NEIGHBORS ACROSS, SINCE THE HOMES ARE SO TIGHT, THEY WERE INITIALLY FLOODING THAT, THAT, THAT IS THE ISSUE.
AND, YOU KNOW, BUT IF WE'RE GONNA MAKE AN IMPACT ON FLOOD MITIGATION, WE HAVE TO, I UNDERSTAND THAT, BUT WHAT CAN WE DO SINCE WE HAVE THESE NEW, IF WE'RE GONNA INCREASE IT EVEN MORE? UM, I, I BELIEVE, I KNOW CHRIS ISN'T HERE, BUT I BELIEVE THEY FOUND A WORKAROUND FOR PINE STREET, UM, WITH THOSE NEW HOMES.
UM, BECAUSE WHAT I'M TOLD IS NOW THEY'RE NOT FLOODING ANYMORE WHEN IT RAINS BAD.
BUT I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT'S HAPPENING ON THE OTHER AREAS BECAUSE NOW IT'S GONNA BE A LITTLE HIGHER.
UH, I KNOW THIS ISN'T A FLOOD ZONE OR FLOODPLAIN, RIGHT? UM, BUT FOR THE AREAS THAT ARE, AREAS THAT ARE, I MEAN, WE'RE LOOKING AT, UH, THINGS THAT WE CAN DO AND, YOU KNOW, MITIGATING THE, THE FLOODING THROUGH STORMWATER PROJECTS.
AND CAN THAT BE THOUGHT OF DURING THE PLANNING PROCESS OR LET'S SAY THE, THE OWNER COMES AND DOES THEIR PERMITTING PROCESS.
CAN IT BE DONE AT THAT POINT AND NOT WAIT UNTIL, OKAY, EVERYTHING'S DONE, AND THEN THE NEIGHBOR'S CALLING TO COMPLAIN THAT THERE'S FLOODING.
SO CAN WE ADD THAT STEP DURING THAT REBUILD PROCESS? OKAY, SO PART OF OUR CURRENT REQUIREMENTS ARE THAT IF YOU ARE BUILDING A RESIDENTIAL STRUCTURE INSIDE THE A HUNDRED YEAR FLOOD PLANE, YOU CAN'T HAVE SLIDE ONE GRADE.
IF YOU'RE RAISING IT, IT ACTUALLY, IT SPECIFICALLY SAYS YOU CAN'T HAVE SLIDE ONE GRADE.
SO IT HAS TO BE PEERED NO MATTER WHAT.
IT'S A RESIDENTIAL STRUCTURE INSIDE THE HUNDRED YEAR FLOODPLAIN.
SO IF THEY ARE, IF IT'S SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED OR SUBSTANTIAL IMPROVEMENT TO THE HOME, THEN IT HAS TO BE PUT ON PIERCE IF IT'S IN A HUNDRED YEAR.
SO THEN IT WOULDN'T BE PUSHING WATER OFF ONTO SOMEONE ELSE.
SEE, AND THAT'S CURRENT AND THAT IS STAYING FROM ONE TO THE NEXT.
ALRIGHT, SO OUR SUBDIVISION ORDINANCE IS CHAPTER 1 26.
WE, UH, WITHIN THAT WE HAVE A LOT OF, UH, ENGINEERING, UH, DESIGN CRITERIA, UH, NOT ONLY RELATED TO STORM WATER, BUT YOU KNOW, UH, DRINKING WATER, WASTEWATER, STREETS, EVERYTHING IS IN THERE.
AND SO WHAT WE'RE PROPOSING TO DO IS TO TAKE THE ENGINEERING STANDARDS OUT OF THAT CHAPTER AND CREATE A NEW CHAPTER 1 0 9, WHICH WOULD BE SPECIFICALLY FOR THE ENGINEERING STANDARDS.
SO, UH, YOU KNOW, SO I'LL, I'LL TALK ABOUT WHAT WE PROPOSE TO PUT IN 1 0 9.
UH, TONIGHT I'M JUST TALKING ABOUT STORMWATER.
LIKE I SAID, WE'RE ALSO WANTING TO MOVE THE OTHER ITEMS WITHIN THIS CHAPTER, AND WE'RE WORKING ON THAT.
BUT TO COMPARE WHAT'S IN CHAPTER 1 26 RELATED TO STORMWATER, UH, AND ENGINEERING DESIGN, IT'S, UH, CURRENTLY THE DESIGN STORM USED TO
[00:35:01]
DESIGN, YOU KNOW, YOUR PIPES AND DETENTION.AND IT IS BASED ON TWO DIFFERENT STANDARDS DEPENDING ON WHICH COUNTY YOU'RE IN, WITHIN THE CITY.
SO THAT, UM, WE WOULD LIKE TO HAVE THAT BE MORE CONSISTENT WITHIN THE CITY.
SO YOU ONLY HAVE ONE STANDARD WITHIN THE CITY.
UM, AND SO WE'RE PROPOSING TO USE THE, UH, HARRIS COUNTY STANDARD, WHICH IS USING THE, THE HIGHER INTENSITY STORMS, UH, UNDER ATLAS 14, UH, THE EXISTING STANDARDS MENTIONED, YOU KNOW, UH, INTERIOR AND MAJOR DRAINAGE SYSTEMS. AND SO THOSE ARE DESIGNED AT THE FIVE YEAR AND THE 25 YEAR EVENT.
UM, WHAT WE'RE PROPOSING IS TO HAVE PIPE SYSTEMS DESIGNED AT THE FIVE YEAR EVENT AND THEN, UH, USE AN EXTREME OVERFLOW STRUCTURE, WHICH IS BASICALLY, UM, YOU KNOW, A A, A CHANNEL OR A, WE CALL IT A SWALE, A WHITE, A WEIR, A SWALE.
UH, SO THAT EXPLOSIVE ALL WEIR, IT COULD CARRY ON THE SURFACE A HUNDRED YEAR EVENT.
UM, AND THEN, UM, SO YOUR DITCHES, IF YOU HAVE DITCHES THAT THEY WOULD BE DESIGNED TO THE FIVE YEAR EVENT PLUS SIX INCHES OF FREEBOARD, AND THERE WOULD BE A REQUIREMENT THAT, UM, UNDER THE A HUNDRED YEAR EVENT, NO STRUCTURE WOULD BE FLOODED.
SO THEY WOULD HAVE TO CHECK FOR THAT.
UH, THE DETENTION, CURRENTLY IT'S BASED ON CHANGE IN, UH, WATER SURFACE ELEVATION.
UH, THAT KIND OF LEADS TO SOME, UH, ASSUMPTIONS THAT MIGHT NOT BE APPLIED CONSISTENTLY.
SO, AND, AND HARRIS COUNTY IS, UM, WHAT BOTH COUNTIES HAVE NOW, A, UM, A, A CERTAIN DETENTION AMOUNT PER ACRE.
SO, UH, WE'RE PROPOSING TO GO TO 0.65 ACRE FEET PER ACRE TO MAKE IT CONSISTENT THROUGHOUT THE CITY.
AND HOWEVER, IF YOU'RE JUST DISCHARGING DIRECTLY TO THE BAY, WE WOULD SAY NO DETENTION IS REQUIRED FOR THAT.
AND THEN WE WOULD JUST REMOVE ANY SPECIFIC, THERE'S CLEANUP OF, YOU KNOW, MENTIONING TYPES OF PIPE IN THE ORDINANCE.
WE, THAT SHOULD BE MORE IN OUR, YOU KNOW, UH, STANDARD SPECIFICATIONS AND DETAILS RATHER THAN IN THE ORDINANCE.
UH, TONIGHT WE'RE INTRODUCING THE TOPIC, UM, AT THE NOVEMBER 17TH P AND Z MEETING.
WE WILL, UH, MAKE A PRESENTATION AND THEY'LL HAVE RECOMMENDATION TO COUNCIL.
WE'LL HAVE A PUBLIC HEARING AT COUNCIL, AND THEN BRING IT TO COUNCIL FOR, FOR ADOPTION ON DECEMBER 10TH WITH, UM, EFFECTIVE DATE OF JANUARY 1ST TO MEET THE HARRIS COUNTY REQUIREMENT OF DECEMBER 30.
FRANK, I THINK IT'S WORTH EMPHASIZING THE IMPORTANCE OF ALIGNING OUR CODE WITH THE STANDARDS OF FEMA AND HARRIS COUNTY IN ORDER TO PERPETUATE OUR ABILITY TO YES.
UH, I MEAN, HARRIS STATE FUNDING, HARRIS COUNTY IS SERIOUS WITH THIS.
LIKE I SAY, THEY, THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY, THERE HAS BEEN SIGNIFICANT FLOODING.
AND I SAY, I THINK JUST ALL LEVELS OF GOVERNMENT ARE NOW BEING SERIOUS WITH FLOOD MITIGATION.
UM, YOU KNOW, FEMA IS THE SAME WAY.
WE'VE BEEN WORKING CLOSELY WITH THEM TO TRY TO ALIGN OUR ORDINANCE WITH WHAT, UH, THEY PROPOSE.
AND REALLY, I'M WORKING TO, UM, INCREASE OUR SCORE RIGHT NOW TO GET US A HIGHER DISCOUNT FOR OUR RESIDENTS.
UM, RIGHT NOW WE RATE A SIX, WHICH IS PRETTY AVERAGE THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY.
UH, I'D LIKE TO GET US, YOU KNOW, A LITTLE BIT HIGHER.
AND I THINK THE SIX, IT'S SIX OUT OF 10 THAT, THAT GETS US A 20% DISCOUNT.
UH, I REALLY LIKE TO TAKE THAT HIGHER AND SOME, WHAT WE HAVE PROPOSED IN THE ORDINANCE WILL TAKE US TO A HIGHER LEVEL FOR FEMA.
SO LET'S ASSUME YOU MAKE ALL THE, THE CHAPTER CHANGES AND YOU PUT IT IN IN A DIFFERENT FORM.
SO THEN I, I'M ASSUMING WITH THE FEMA AUDIT, WE KNEW ALL THE AREAS THAT WE WERE NON-COMPLIANT.
SO THEN HOW DO THEY, WE GET THEM BACK IN TO, TO SHOW EITHER COUNTY? SO I, I FORGOT TO MENTION, WE HAVE, UH, SENT THIS PROPOSED, UH, ORDINANCE TO, UH, FEMA TO HARRIS COUNTY AND CHAMBERS COUNTY.
AND WE'VE HAD, HAD FEEDBACK FROM FEMA ALREADY.
UH, IN FACT, WE'VE HAD A COUPLE OF TURNAROUNDS AND THEY'RE VERY PLEASED WITH OUR PROPOSED.
I WAS WONDERING HOW DO WE, HOW THEY AND OUR RESPONSE.
SO SAY, OKAY, WE'RE GOOD WITH IT.
[00:40:01]
WE, I THINK WE'VE MET ALL OF THEIR, UM, IF WE DO WHAT WE DO, SAY WE'RE STANDARD.DO WE NEED TO CONCENTRATE ON ANY DITCH CLEAN OUT? I MEAN, HARRIS COUNTY HAS GONE THROUGH AND DONE A LOT IN DONE A LOT, AND I KNOW WE'VE DONE A LITTLE BIT.
DO WE NEED TO ALLOCATE MONEY IN THE NEXT BUDGET OR DO SOMETHING WHERE WE DO MORE DITCH CLEAN OUT? THERE'S A LOT OF FILTERED UP DITCHES WE HAVE OUT THERE.
WE'RE GOING THROUGH A PROCESS TO, UH, TRY TO CATEGORIZE THE CONDITION OF OUR DITCHES.
AND IT'S, UH, WE'RE WORKING THROUGH OUR ASSET MANAGEMENT SYSTEM.
IT'S CALLED A DRAINAGE CONDITION INDEX.
WE'RE GONNA CATEGORIZE THE, THE LEVEL OF SILT IN EACH OF THE DITCHES AND THEN PRIORITIZE OUR WORK EFFORTS.
WE ARE DOING SOME OF IT THOUGH, I WILL TELL YOU THAT.
BUT, YOU KNOW, DITCHES ALSO INVENTORY FOR, FOR SOME OF THIS RAIN RUNOFF.
AND LIKE I SAY, WE'RE, WE'RE TRYING TO PUT IT INTO ASSET MANAGEMENT SYSTEM SO THAT WE CAN PRIORITIZE, GET THE WORST ONES AND THE MOST CRITICAL DITCHES CLEAN LIKE A PC.
BUT IT IS, I'M ASSUMING LIKE ANY OF OUR HOT SPOTS, OBVIOUSLY WE GO AND TRY TO, YOU KNOW, CLEAN THAT OUT.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? ANY ITEMS? SO, SO WE'LL MOVE ON TO THE NEXT ITEM.
UH, MR. SEMINO AND MATT ON THAT.
UM, SO WE'LL MOVE ON TO ITEM ONE C.
DISCUSS ANY OF THE, ANY AGENDA POSTED AGENDA ITEMS FOR THE MEETING TONIGHT? ANYBODY WANNA DISCUSS ANYTHING OR YOU JUST WANNA WAIT TILL THE MEETING? I'M GONNA BE PULLING ITEM SEVEN I FOR CONFIDENCE.
WHICH ONE? ITEM SEVEN I I SEVEN.
I SEVEN I CHARLES TAKE PLAYGROUND EQUIPMENT.
WHAT IS IT? TELL WHAT IS IT TOLD? WHAT IS IT? GINGER CREEK PARKING.
YOU, YOU'RE GONNA PULL IT FOR DISCUSSION OR COMMENTS.
IF YOU'RE JUST GONNA COMMENT ON IT, SAY YOU HAVE TO PULL IT.
WELL, THAT'S WHAT I'LL DO UNLESS ANYONE ELSE WANTS TO JOIN IN.
ANYBODY CAN COMMENT ON ANY OF, I SAID YOU CAN APPROVE IT AND THEN JUST LET ME KNOW.
YOU WANNA MAKE A COMMENT? YOU, UNLESS USE THE WORDS HAPPY CAMPER.
WHAT, WHAT, UH, WHERE IS THAT AT? OH, THAT, THIS IS JUST A COMMENT THAT I'VE TALKED TO A LOT OF PEOPLE IN THE LAST 48 TO 72 HOURS, AND I TRULY BELIEVE IT NEEDS TO BE DISCUSSED TONIGHT.
AND, UH, IF I HEAR ANYTHING THAT ENLIGHTENS ME OR IF I LEARN ANYTHING THAT I'M UNAWARE OF, UM, YOU KNOW, WE, WE, I, I'D BE WILLING TO TALK ABOUT THAT, BUT I DO THINK THE TIME HAS COME TO DISCUSS IT AND I'VE LEARNED A LOT AND HEARD FROM A LOT OF FOLKS IN THE LAST COUPLE OF THREE DAYS.
SO, UH, I'M NOT IN FAVOR OF TABLING IT.
I, I DO THINK IT DESERVES DISCUSSION TONIGHT.
I'LL, I'LL START WITH YOU AND THEN YOU, WHEN YOU, I'LL LET YOU GO FIRST.
UH, ANY OTHER ITEMS THAT ANYBODY WANTS TO MAKE ME AWARE ABOUT SO I CAN MAKE SURE, UM, WE, THEY'RE ADDRESSED APPROPRIATELY.
EITHER DISTRICT SPECIFIC OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT? OKAY.
THEN THIS, UH, WORK SESSION IS ADJOURNED.