3. CONSIDER SECOND READING OF AN ORDINANCE RAISING THE TAX EXEMPTION FOR A HOMESTEAD RESIDENCE OF PERSONS 65 YEAR OF AGE OR OLDER FROM $25,000 TO $30,000 AND RATIFYING PRIOR ACTIONS.

[3. CONSIDER SECOND READING OF AN ORDINANCE RAISING THE TAX EXEMPTION FOR A HOMESTEAD RESIDENCE OF PERSONS 65 YEAR OF AGE OR OLDER FROM $25,000 TO $30,000 AND RATIFYING PRIOR ACTIONS.]

EXEMPTION FOR HOMESTEAD RESIDENTS OF PERSONS 65 YEARS OF AGE OR OLDER, FROM $25,000 TO $30,000 AND RATIFYING PRIOR TO ACTION. GOOD EVENING, MAYOR COUNCIL, THIS IS YOUR SECOND READING.

THIS DOCUMENT SHOULD LOOK FAMILIAR, WE GOT UPDATED NUMBERS ON THIS THIS MORNING.

SO THE NUMBER LAST TIME YOU SAW IT WAS 615 RESIDENTS THAT QUALIFIED AND TOOK THE EXEMPTION, THE MOST RECENT DATA SHOWS, AT 622 RESIDENTS THAT QUALIFY AND TAKE THE EXEMPTION, AND THEN WE ADD AN ADDITIONAL COLUMN IN THERE JUST SO YOU COULD SEE THE ESTIMATED ADDITIONAL LEVY LOSS IF YOU WERE TO TAKE THAT INCREMENTAL STEP FROM $25,000 TO $30,000.

AND THE MATH HAS BEEN UPDATED TO REFLECT THAT.

HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY SPECIFIC QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE.

OTHERWISE, THIS IS AN ACTION ITEM. YOU CAN APPROVE THE ORDINANCE ON YOUR SECOND READING.

ALL RIGHT? MAYOR, I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE ORDINANCE 2025-06-24 .

SECOND. ALL RIGHT. SO WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND.

ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION ON THIS ITEM? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE.

AYE. OPPOSED? SAME SIGN, SO THAT ITEM PASSES.

ITEM 4, CONSIDER AND TAKE APPROPRIATE ACTION TO AFFIRM AND APPROVE THE AD VALOREM TAX ASSESSMENT AND COLLECTION CONTRACT BETWEEN THE WISE COUNTY

[4. CONSIDER AND TAKE APPROPRIATE ACTION TO AFFIRM AND APPROVE THE AD VALOREM TAX ASSESSMENT AND COLLECTION CONTRACT BETWEEN WISE COUNTY AND PALOMA TRAILS PUBLIC IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT MAJOR IMPROVEMENTS AREA. ]

AND PALOMA TRAIL'S PUBLIC IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT.

MAYOR AND COUNCIL. I'LL ACTUALLY EXPLAIN THIS ONCE FOR ITEM 4, BUT THE SAME LOGIC WILL APPLY TO ITEM 5.

YOU HAVE IMPROVEMENT AREA NUMBER 1, AND THEN YOU HAVE A MAJOR IMPROVEMENT AREA, THE PURPOSES OF HAVING EACH OF THESE CONTRACTS APPLY TO BOTH AGENDA ITEMS 4 AND 5. JUST A REMINDER PALOMA TRAILS IS THE HOUSING DEVELOPMENT THAT IS EAST ON THE EAST EDGE OF THE CITY, JUST OFF OF HIGHWAY 380 AND I PUT SNIPPETS OF THEIR IMPROVEMENT AREA DOCUMENTS FROM THE PIID AGREEMENT THAT WAS EXECUTED LAST YEAR WITH PALOMA TRAILS. THE IMAGES REPRESENT WATER AND SEWER IMPROVEMENTS THAT ARE BEING PUT IN AS PART OF THE PUBLIC IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT.

[00:10:09]

HAVING THIS AD VALOREM ASSESSMENT AND COLLECTION CONTRACT BETWEEN THE CITY AND WISE COUNTY JUST SIMPLY ALLOWS FOR THEM TO ASSESS THE TAX AND THEN COLLECT IT ON OUR BEHALF.

THERE'S A CONTRACTUAL OBLIGATION THAT THE CITY WILL PAY THEM FOR THEIR SERVICES.

EACH CONTRACT HAS A VALUE OF $1,500 ON IT AND THERE FOR A YEAR TIME PERIOD, AND THEY RENEW ANNUALLY THEREAFTER, SO THAT'S KIND OF THE BASICS OF THE NEED FOR THIS AGREEMENT.

NONETHELESS, IT IS AN AGREEMENT THAT THE COUNCIL HAS OVERSIGHT ON, SO I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER QUESTIONS BUT THIS DOES TAKE SEPARATE ACTION FOR ITEM 4 THAN ITEM 5. ALL RIGHT. COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS FROM COUNCIL.

WELL, LOOK FOR A MOTION. MR. MAYOR, I MOVE THAT WE APPROVE THE AD VALOREM TAX ASSESSMENT AND COLLECTION CONTRACT BETWEEN WISE COUNTY AND PALOMA TRAIL'S PUBLIC IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT, MAJOR IMPROVEMENT AREA.

SECOND. SO WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND. ANY FURTHER COMMENT OR QUESTIONS ON THIS MOTION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. AYE. OPPOSED SAME SIGN.

ALL RIGHT. THAT ITEM PASSES. ITEM 5. CONSIDER TAKE APPROPRIATE ACTION TO AFFIRM AND APPROVE THE AD VALOREM TAX ASSESSMENT COLLECTION CONTRACT BETWEEN WISE COUNTY AND PALOMA

[5. CONSIDER AND TAKE APPROPRIATE ACTION TO AFFIRM AND APPROVE THE AD VALOREM TAX ASSESSMENT AND COLLECTION CONTRACT BETWEEN WISE COUNTY AND PALOMA TRAILS PUBLIC IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT AREA #1.]

TRAILS PUBLIC IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT AREA 1. SAME YEAR.

THIS LIKE SAME STORY, DIFFERENT VERSE. YES, SIR.

ALL RIGHT, MR. MAYOR, MOVE THAT WE APPROVE THE ACTION TO AFFIRM AND APPROVE THE AD VALOREM TAX ASSESSMENT AND COLLECTION CONTRACT BETWEEN WISE COUNTY AND PALOMA TRAIL'S PUBLIC IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT AREA 1. VERY. SECOND.

VERY NICELY WORDED, SECOND. ANY FURTHER COMMENT OR QUESTIONS ON THIS MOTION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. AYE. OPPOSED SAME SIGN.

ALL RIGHT. THAT ITEM PASSES, THANK YOU. ITEM 6, U PDATE AND CONTINUATION OF DISCUSSION RELATED TO PROPOSED CHANGES TO ORDINANCE REGARDING

[6. UPDATE AND CONTINUATION OF A DISCUSSION RELATED TO PROPOSED CHANGES TO ORDINANCES REGARDING FENCES. ]

FENCES. MAYOR AND COUNCIL, I WANTED TO JUST TAKE A MINUTE TO TEE THIS UP, AND THEN I'LL GET OUT OF THE WAY AND LET WAYNE, AS OUR PROFESSIONAL, WALK THROUGH THIS CONVERSATION TONIGHT.

THIS IS ONE OF THOSE SITUATIONS WHERE THERE'S A LOT OF MOVING PIECES TO TO THIS DISCUSSION, AND MY DESIRE IS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE, AS YOUR PROFESSIONAL STAFF, HEAR EXACTLY WHAT YOU WANT OUT OF THIS TYPE OF ORDINANCE BEFORE WE EXHAUST A COUPLE OF MONTHS WORTH OF TIME AND RESOURCES ONTO DRAFTING SOMETHING THAT ULTIMATELY THE COUNCIL BODY WOULD BE DISAPPOINTED IN OR THE COMMUNITY MIGHT BE DISAPPOINTED IN.

SO I JUST WANTED THE OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE SURE THAT WE VERY CLEARLY UNDERSTOOD YOUR VISION SO THAT WE COULD GET TO WORK AND SETTING IT IN MOTION FOR YOU.

VERY GOOD. I'LL STAND OUT OF THE WAY AND LET WAYNE PICK UP WHERE WE LEFT OFF AT OUR LAST MEETING, THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

MAYOR. SO PUT TOGETHER A VERY SHORT SLIDE PRESENTATION HERE TO TALK ABOUT THE FRONT YARD FENCES AGAIN AND OF COURSE, THE CURRENT ORDINANCE THAT WE HAVE ON BOOKS, DIDN'T APPEAR THAT ANYBODY WAS OVERJOYED WITH THAT OUTCOME FOR WHAT THAT TURNED INTO WITH THAT, TO ALLOW CERTAIN FRONT YARD FENCES ON LOTS WITH MULTIPLE STREET FRONTAGES OR AN UNPLANNED SIDE YARDS WITH A MAXIMUM OF 6 FOOT IN THAT FRONT YARD FENCE WITH THE SETBACK OF 10 FOOT FROM THE STREET OR 5 FOOT FROM THE SIDE WALK.

AND SO THAT'S WHERE WE HAVE OUR ORDINANCE AT RIGHT NOW, JUST LOOKING FOR DIRECTION ON WHICH DIRECTION WE WANT TO GO WITH THIS MOVING FORWARD AND SO WITH THAT IT BASICALLY COMES DOWN TO EITHER PROHIBITING THOSE FRONT YARD FENCES, WE CAN PROVIDE FOR A SIDE YARD FENCE ON LOTS THAT CANNOT HAVE A FRONT YARD THAT WAS SOMETHING THAT COUNCILMAN HAYES HAD BROUGHT UP THE OTHER DAY, THERE'S CERTAIN SMALL LOTS IN TOWN THAT THAT WOULD BE AMENABLE TO.

THERE IS AN OPTION THAT ALWAYS COMES UP WITH THIS.

IT'S A VARIANCE TO THAT ZONING ORDINANCE. IF IT PROHIBITS IT THEY CAN GO THROUGH A VARIANCE PROCESS, IT WOULD GO TO THE BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT, OF COURSE, THE BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT IS A QUASI JUDICIAL BOARD.

AND SO THAT DECISION THAT COMES FROM THE BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT WOULD NOT COME BACK TO CITY COUNCIL IT'S FINAL.

THE APPEAL TO THAT IS AT DISTRICT COURT, AND THAT'S THROUGH STATE LAW REQUIREMENTS OR PROVIDING REGULATIONS FOR FRONT YARD FENCES WHATEVER THAT MAY LOOK LIKE, YOU CAN BASE THAT ON THE LOCATION IN THE CITY, WHETHER IT'S A OVERLAY DISTRICT, A ZONING DISTRICT AND YOU CAN PROVIDE SPECIFIC REGULATIONS FOR THOSE FENCES THAT COME INTO PLAY FOR THAT.

[00:15:07]

AND SO THOSE ARE THE WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT ON THERE WHERE YOU WOULD ALLOW THOSE IF YOU CHOOSE TO ALLOW THOSE AND WHAT AREAS THOSE WOULD BE IN. ARE WE AT THE END OF YOUR PRESENTATION? I'VE GOT A FEW EXTRA SLIDES IN THERE. REGULATIONS THAT WE HAD TALKED ABOUT AT THE LAST COUNCIL MEETING THAT SEEMED LIKE THEY WERE HEADED IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION BUT WHEN WE FINISHED THAT MEETING, MY UNDERSTANDING, MAYBE WE DID NOT WANT FRONT YARD FENCES, BUT WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE HEADED IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION ON THINGS.

VERY GOOD, WE ALWAYS WANT CLARITY. I'LL COMMENT ON THAT, IN THE LAST MEETING, I WAS AGAINST FRONT YARD FENCES, AND NOW I'VE KIND OF, I THINK THERE'S AN APPLICATION THAT COULD HAPPEN FOR FRONT YARD FENCES.

I FEEL LIKE WE'RE RESTRICTING PEOPLE'S ABILITY, I KNOW THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF PEOPLE REACH OUT TO ME PERSONALLY ABOUT BEING UPSET THAT WE WEREN'T GOING TO ALLOW FRONT YARD FENCES, AND WE DO RESTRICT OUR CITIZENS WHEN WE DON'T ALLOW, I THINK THERE SHOULD DEFINITELY BE STANDARDS ON THE FRONT YARD FENCES.

YOU KNOW, THERE'S ONE STORY THAT I HEARD OF THAT A LADY HAS A KID WITH SPECIAL NEEDS, AND SHE'S ALWAYS SCARED OF HIM GETTING OUT OF THE FRONT DOOR AND RUNNING ACROSS THE STREET. SO SHE NEEDS A FRONT YARD FENCE.

I'M ALWAYS LEANING. TOWARDS WHAT? FREEDOM. YOU KNOW, I WOULD LIKE PEOPLE TO BE ABLE TO DO WHAT THEY WANT WITH THEIR HOUSE AND THEIR PROPERTY UNDER, YOU KNOW TO A CERTAIN DEGREE.

SO I'VE GONE BACK AND FORTH ON IT OVER THE PAST TWO WEEKS SINCE OUR LAST MEETING AND I'M KIND OF LEANING MORE TOWARDS, I GUESS THIS SLIDE AS I LOOK AT IT BUT I'M ONLY ONE PERSON SO AND I HATE TO BE SENDING HIM ON A WILD GOOSE CHASE TRYING TO WRITE AN ORDINANCE, NOT KNOWING WHAT WE WANT, SO THAT'S MY OPINION.

HEY, WAYNE QUESTION. YES, SIR. HOW MANY PEOPLE HAVE REACHED OUT TO APPLY FOR A PERMIT FOR A FENCE AFTER OUR LAST COUNCIL MEETING? YOU WOULD THINK THAT IT WAS SHOCK AND AWE AND ALL OF A SUDDEN, IT'S HELLFIRE AND BRIMSTONE.

I RECEIVED PROBABLY ABOUT 5 CALLS OFF THIS FROM DIFFERENT INDIVIDUALS IN THE LAST TWO WEEKS.

YES, SIR. NOW, PRIOR TO THAT, I HAVE HAD SEVERAL PEOPLE THAT HAVE REACHED OUT REQUESTING FRONT YARD FENCES, THAT'S WHY WE PUT THIS ON THERE AS A PROPOSED CHANGE.

WHENEVER YOU CONTINUALLY RECEIVE THAT INPUT FROM CITIZENS THAT THEY WANT THIS AND THE ORDINANCE RESTRICTS IT, IT'S TIME TO EXPLORE YOUR ORDINANCES TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE MEETING WHAT IS THE DESIRE OF OF THE GOVERNED? SURE. OTHER QUESTION, WHAT IS A GOAT FENCE? I FEEL LIKE IS THERE A PICTURE OR SCHEMATIC? I DO NOT HAVE A PICTURE OF THAT ONE.

I CAN BRING YOU. I WOULD SAY IT'S A LITTLE BIT OF SQUARE FENCING, IT'S WIRE FENCING.

IT ROLLS OUT A WIRE FENCE THAT IT ROLLS OUT, YOU USE HOGTIES TO HOLD HIM TO THE POST .

WHAT IS IT PREDOMINANTLY SPACED LIKE IF WE DECIDE TO GO WITH THE GAP? YOU KNOW YOU'VE GOT 2 INCH, 4 INCH. SO IT WOULD I MEAN, IT WOULD MEET THE REQUIREMENT FOR 50% VISIBILITY, ABSOLUTELY. HOWEVER, THIS WAS ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE WERE TALKING ABOUT, NO WIRE FENCES IN THE FRONT YARD ALONG WITH CHAIN LINK FENCE THINGS LIKE THAT AND OF COURSE, THIS IS DIRECTION THAT WE'RE LOOKING TO MOVE FORWARD TO.

AND ABSOLUTELY ANY INPUT THAT I CAN GET ON THIS IS GREAT BUT WE WANT TO DRAFT THIS THIS ORDINANCE AND BRING IT BACK TO YOU FOR YOU TO LOOK AT.

SURE. AND WE STILL HAVE THAT OPPORTUNITY TO TWEAK IT AT THAT POINT.

AND WAYNE MAYBE MENTIONED THE MAINTENANCE. YES.

THAT YOU WOULD TAG ON TO THE FRONT YARD. THOSE WERE THINGS THAT WERE ALL AGREED UPON AT THE LAST MEETING THAT WE WANTED THOSE MAINTENANCE STANDARDS FOR FENCE AND FENCES AND SO WE WILL CONTINUE WITH THAT, WE TALKED ABOUT THE SCREENING AND BUFFERING AND SO WE'VE ALREADY STARTED ON THOSE ITEMS AND OF COURSE THE FENCE MAINTENANCE STANDARDS WILL BE IN THERE ALSO. RIGHT.

IS THERE A WAY TO HAVE SOME TYPE OF WORDING THAT BASICALLY SAYS IT HAS TO MATCH THE ESTHETICS OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD? YES, MA'AM. I'M SURE THAT THERE IS A WAY YOU CAN PUT THAT IN THERE.

ESPECIALLY IN AUGUST, ESPECIALLY IN OUR HISTORIC DISTRICT AND OUR DOWNTOWN OVERLAY AREA.

[00:20:04]

OKAY. THERE HAS TO BE A PERSON THAT MAKES THAT DECISION, WHETHER IT MAKES THAT IT MEETS THE ESTHETICS FOR THAT.

I MEAN, MY MY IMMEDIATE THOUGHT WAS, WELL, 10 OF THE YARDS DON'T HAVE A FRONT YARD FENCE, IS THAT ESTHETIC TO HAVE A FRONT YARD FENCE IN ONE OF TEN? WAIT, THAT'S LIKE SIDEWALKS TO NOWHERE, REMEMBER WHEN WE WENT THROUGH THAT 6 YEARS AGO.

WELL, ALL I'M SAYING, OBVIOUSLY ORDINANCES ARE TO HAVE SOME LEVEL OF CONTINUITY, UNIFORMITY, THOSE KINDS OF THINGS AND YOU KNOW, HOMEOWNERS PROBABLY WANT TO HAVE SOME LEVEL OF PROTECTION FOR THEIR PROPERTY TO KNOW THAT WHEN THEY PURCHASE IT, THAT THERE'S KIND OF AN ONGOING. I MEAN, HOWEVER, THERE'S ALSO SOME COMMON SENSE ABOUT HOW HOW THAT WOULD BE UTILIZED OR BE APPLIED FOR INDIVIDUAL CIRCUMSTANCES AND I'VE. THAT'S REALLY NOT THAT COMMON.

IT PROBABLY ISN'T THAT COMMON, THAT SITUATION THAT JAKE WAS REFERRING TO AND THERE MAY BE OTHER SOLUTIONS REGARDING THOSE KINDS OF THINGS TOO BUT OBVIOUSLY YOU'RE LOOKING FOR DIRECTION FROM US SO. SO WAYNE SAY I BOUGHT THAT PROPERTY RIGHT THERE AND I WANTED TO TAKE THAT FRONT YARD FENCE DOWN.

YES. IT'S POSSIBLE I DON'T HAVE TO COME BEFORE CITY COUNCIL, IT'S ALREADY BEEN.

MOVE IT. YEAH. LIKE YES. WHAT IS SO CONSTRUCTED IT NEEDS TO BE APPROVED, BUT TO REMOVE IT AND ALL MY NEIGHBORS BESIDE ME LEFT AND RIGHT HAVE THEM. YOU WOULD NOT BE REQUIRED TO HAVE A FRONT YARD FENCE.

RIGHT, OKAY BUT WHAT I'M ASKING IS THE APPROVAL TO REMOVE IT.

OKAY YEAH, YOU COULD TAKE THAT DOWN. JUST ASK THEM.

YES. QUESTION. WHAT OTHER COMMENTS DO WE HAVE? AS I LOOK AT THAT, I THINK WE WERE PRETTY STRONG AND THEN SOMEHOW WE GOT TO NOTHING.

AS WE LOOK AT THAT BUT TO GET INTO ESTHETICS AND WHAT I LIKE AND YOU LIKE AND SOMEONE ELSE LIKES, OUR DOWNTOWN AREA IS NOT THAT CONSISTENT. YOU HAVE TRUE HISTORIC HOMES, AND THEN YOU HAVE HOMES THAT MAY QUALIFY FROM HISTORIC BECAUSE OF THE AGE BUT IT'S REALLY I MEAN, I CAN'T REMEMBER WHO I WAS TALKING TO, YOU KNOW A FORD PINTO CLASSIFIES AS A CLASSIC, BUT THERE'S NOTHING CLASSIC ABOUT A FORD PINTO.

AND JUST BECAUSE THE HOME IS WITHIN A HISTORIC AREA DOESN'T MAKE IT AN HISTORIC HOME AND JUST BECAUSE I DON'T LIKE A FENCE AND SOMEONE ELSE DOES, I DON'T THINK IT'S REALLY MY RIGHT TO SAY I DON'T LIKE YOUR FENCE.

I LIKE THE NO CHAIN LINK, NO GOAT FENCE, NO HOG PANELS BUT JUST BECAUSE I'M NOT A FAVOR OF THE WOODEN FENCE DOESN'T MEAN SOMEONE ELSE DOESN'T LOVE IT.

FOR SURE, THAT WOULD BE THE HARD PART IS DETERMINING WHAT THAT ESTHETIC IS ON THERE.

MR. SMITH, I THINK WE'RE OPENING UP PANDORA'S BOX ON.

OKAY. RESIDENT A THEY'RE ADHERING TO THE HEIGHT AND THE 50% VISIBILITY BETWEEN THE COLUMNS OF WHAT IS APPROVED BUT HOW IS THERE JUST A GENERIC NOMENCLATURE OF APPROVAL? IT'S SO NEIGHBOR A HAS ITS WOODEN, AND THEN YOU'VE GOT WROUGHT IRON, AND THEN YOU'VE GOT I DON'T KNOW, I DON'T BUILD FENCES FOR A LIVING. JAKE, CAN YOU CHIME IN? WILL, I THINK IT'S SUPER SIMPLE, AS LONG AS YOU HAVE 50% VISIBILITY, IT'S NOT MADE FROM THESE THREE ITEMS, IT WILL PASS. THERE WOULD BE MORE, WE'LL TRY TO PROVIDE.

IS THAT CONSIDERED A CHAIN LINK FENCE. NO, IT WOULD BE A WIRE FENCE ON THAT AND SO.

TO ME IN OUR HISTORIC DISTRICT, A WIRE FENCE IS MUCH MORE IN LINE WITH WHAT YOU WOULD SEE IN THE PERIOD THAN SOME OF THE THINGS THAT HAVE RECENTLY GONE UP. SO, I MEAN, I DON'T THINK THERE'S ANYTHING WRONG WITH THAT LITTLE FENCE, THAT KIND OF FENCE WAS AROUND THE COURTHOUSE.

I MEAN, THAT'S THE. WE CAN ALLOW. COULD YOU, WAYNE COULD YOU JUST MAYBE GIVE US THE QUICK HISTORY? IN MY HEAD IT'S LIKE I BELIEVE IN 2015, THERE WAS THE ORDINANCE FOR NO FENCES AND THEN 2020, WE MADE THE. THERE WAS AN AMENDMENT. AN AMENDMENT WHICH I THINK THE INTENT WAS CONTINUED TO HAVE NO FRONT YARD FENCES BUT TO BE ABLE TO THIS IS MY RECOLLECTION TO EVALUATE THAT BASED ON THERE WAS TWO, YOU KNOW THIS HOUSE WAS SET WITH REALLY TWO FRONT YARDS IF YOU COULD, OR TWO BACKYARDS, HOWEVER YOU WANT TO LOOK AT IT, BECAUSE IT WAS IN THE MIDDLE OF TWO STREETS.

SURE. SO, YOU KNOW, WHERE'S WHERE'S MY FRONT YARD? WHERE'S MY BACK? SO I THINK WE DID THAT WAS THE INTENT THAT I UNDERSTOOD WAS TO CONTINUE DOWN THE PATH OF STILL THE NO FRONT YARD FENCES FOR THE 2015, BUT TO ALLOW THAT EXCEPTION.

I HEAR JAKE TALKING ABOUT, IS THERE A WAY THAT WE CAN DO SOME SORT OF EVALUATIVE PROCESS ON THESE CASES?

[00:25:08]

BUT NO. NO, NO, SIR, OR YOU'RE JUST KIND OF LEANING IN.

NO, I'M MORE LEANING TOWARD TOWARDS THESE RESTRICTIONS RIGHT HERE.

THAT'S KIND OF I MEAN. SO IF YOU'RE THINKING HAVE A FENCE WITH THESE SPECIFIC CRITERIA.

YEAH, I THINK HAVING SOMEONE, IT BOGS THEM DOWN.

IF YOU DON'T HAVE A LIST OF THINGS YOU CAN DO THIS OR YOU CAN'T DO THAT, IN MY OPINION, I DON'T THINK IT'S GOOD FOR STAFF YEAH TO BE LIKE OH YEAH YOU CAN HAVE ONE OR YOU CAN'T.

YOU KNOW BASED ON THESE, I THINK IF IT'S BLACK AND WHITE IT'S EASIER FOR EVERYBODY TO GET ON BOARD.

WELL, I ALSO LIKE THE FACT THAT WE SAY NO WIRE FENCES AND THAT WOULD PRECLUDE SOMETHING LIKE THIS, WHICH IS HISTORICALLY ACCURATE. OKAY. NO WIRE FENCE, THAT'S NOT HISTORICALLY ACCURATE.

I DON'T KNOW HOW YOU SAY THAT, BUT I MEAN, THOSE ARE ALL OVER TOWN.

AND THEY WERE IN OUR COMMUNITY WHEN OUR COURTHOUSE WAS BUILT, THAT WAS AROUND THE COURTHOUSE AND THE ORIGINAL FENCES THAT WERE AROUND IT ARE STILL IN THE COMMUNITY IN FRONT YARDS.

WELL, I MEAN, THAT'S WHAT HE'S ASKING.

HE'S JUST TWEAKING THAT, SO I THINK HE WE CAN WORK ON SOME LANGUAGE TO SEE IF WE CAN COME UP WITH SOMETHING THAT WOULD PROVIDE FOR A DECORATIVE WIRE FENCE. LET ME WORK WITH THAT AND BRING SOMETHING BACK TO YOU, IF THAT'S THE DIRECTION THAT COUNCIL WANTS TO GO WITH THIS.

RIGHT. I DEFINITELY WANT TO GET TO A SPOT THAT EVERYBODY'S COMFORTABLE WITH THIS.

NOW ESTHETICS, IT COMES INTO THAT THAT IS A HARD THING FOR AN INDIVIDUAL TO DETERMINE, WHAT I LIKE THE NEXT PERSON MAY NOT LIKE. RIGHT. SO IF I DECIDED I WANTED TO COLLECT A WHOLE BUNCH OF PALLETS AND I WANTED TO MAKE MY FENCE OUT OF PALLETS, IT'S NOT GOING TO STOP ME, RIGHT? I CAN POP OUT, I CAN.

NOPE, 36 INCHES AND I COULD JUST POP OUT, YOU KNOW, A BOARD HERE AND THERE.

IT MIGHT NOT LOOK VERY PLEASING, BUT I SURE COULD DO IT AND MAKE IT WORK TO FIT THAT RIGHT.

YES. AND THERE IS NOTHING YOU COULD DO ABOUT IT, OKAY.

AS LONG, THOUGH, AS LONG AS THEY ABIDE BY THE MAINTENANCE STANDARDS AND SEAL IT, STAIN IT.

AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE WANT TO MAKE SURE WE GET IN THERE IS THAT IF YOU IF YOU DO HAVE A WOOD FENCE, THAT IT IS PAINTED, STAINED AND SEALED, SO THAT IT MAINTAINS THE QUALITY OF THAT, THAT INSTALLATION. OTHER COMMENTS FROM COUNCIL.

TO DARLENE'S POINT, I DON'T DISAGREE WITH WHAT SHE SAID, I GET HER POINT THAT WE ARE RISKING SOMEBODY PUTTING UP A HORRIBLE, UGLY FENCE, AND THAT'S NOT GOING TO BE GREAT BUT WE RISK YOU KNOW, SOMEBODY'S BUILDING THE UGLY HOUSE.

THEY CAN, SOMEBODY CAN COME TO YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD AND BUILD A REAL UGLY HOUSE AND MEET ALL THE CRITERIA'S, MEET ALL THE CODES. THEY CAN PAINT IT AN AWFUL COLOR BECAUSE WE, THE STATE OF TEXAS, WON'T ALLOW US TO DETERMINE WHAT COLOR THEY PAINT THEIR HOUSE.

RIGHT? I DON'T BELIEVE THAT THERE'S ANY REGULATION AGAINST THAT BUT WE DO NOT HAVE ANY ORDINANCE.

BUT REGARDLESS, LIKE, YOU CAN MAKE A NEIGHBORHOOD REALLY UGLY IF YOU'RE WILLING TO, YOU KNOW, SACRIFICE YOUR FINANCIALS TO NOT BE ABLE TO SELL THE HOUSE ONCE YOU BUILD IT BUT, YOU KNOW, I AGREE WITH YOUR POINT IS WHAT I'M TRYING TO SAY.

AND THAT'S KIND OF THE CRAPPY THING ABOUT FREEDOM [LAUGHTER].

CAN WE CONSIDER SOMETHING THAT MAYBE SAYS IN THE DOWNTOWN MAIN STREET HISTORIC DISTRICT, NO WOOD FENCES, ONLY WIRE. HISTORICALLY ACCURATE FENCES.

WELL, WE CAN. WE WOULD NEED TO DEFINE THAT HISTORICALLY ACCURATE TERM.

MY QUESTION IS, IN THE DOWNTOWN AREA, YOU CAN'T TELL ME THAT A WHITE WOODEN PICKET FENCE WASN'T HISTORIC AND ACCURATE AT ONE POINT IN TIME. I DON'T DISAGREE WITH THAT, BUT I DON'T THINK PALLETS WOULD FALL UNDER THAT.

I AGREE, BUT.

I THINK WE'RE OVERREACHING IN A WAY, UNFORTUNATELY.

IF YOU JUST PUT IN THERE HISTORICALLY ACCURATE, THEN WHEN SOMEBODY COMES UP AND APPLIES TO PUT A FENCE IN, STAFF HAS TO GO BACK AND SAY, YEAH, THIS IS NOT A HISTORICALLY ACCURATE, THEN THAT PERSON'S GOING TO COME UP WITH A PICTURE FROM 1895 THAT

[00:30:09]

HAS A YOU KNOW, CHICKEN WIRE FOR A FENCE AND SAY, MY PAPA HAD CHICKEN WIRE FOR A FENCE AND THAT WAS IN 1895 AND I WANT TO PUT UP CHICKEN WIRE FOR A FENCE.

WELL, I CAN IMAGINE THAT THERE'S OTHER CITIES IN THE STATE OF TEXAS THAT HAVE HISTORIC DISTRICTS AND PROBABLY REGULATIONS OR ORDINANCES ON FENCES AND I DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S BEEN AN OPPORTUNITY YET TO RESEARCH ALL THOSE KINDS OF THINGS, BUT THERE MAY BE SOME GOOD WORDING, AND IT FEELS LIKE THERE'S SOME LEVEL OF TOLERANCE THAT I'M GAINING FROM THE GROUP HERE ABOUT FRONT YARD FENCES BEING APPROPRIATE, POTENTIALLY APPROPRIATE BUT IT REALLY KIND OF COMES DOWN TO UNDER SOME SORT OF GUIDELINE OR, YOU KNOW, OVERSIGHT. WELL, I DO WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT I AM HEARING WHAT YOU'RE SAYING, AND WE ARE RESEARCHING THESE THINGS.

WE'VE TALKED WITH FRIEDA ON DIFFERENT LEVELS AT THIS, AND WE'LL CONTINUE TO DO THAT AND WE'LL CONTINUE TO RESEARCH THIS IF THIS IS THE DIRECTION THAT WE'RE GOING TO TRY TO BRING BACK SOMETHING THAT THAT SHOWS THAT WE'RE LISTENING TO WHAT, COUNCIL THE DIRECTION THAT YOU WANT TO GO WITH THIS.

WELL, YOU'VE GOT A GREAT START ON THE FIRST TWO AND THE SETBACKS.

IT'S JUST FIGURING OUT THE RIGHT MATERIALS AT HOW TO WORD IT APPROPRIATELY.

WE CAN WORK THROUGH THOSE MATERIALS AND SEE IF WE CAN'T COME UP WITH SOME LANGUAGE THAT WILL ASSIST WITH THAT BUT EVERYBODY'S GOOD WITH THE 36 INCH HEIGHT, THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF DISCUSSION AROUND OUR OFFICE AND AROUND TOWN ON DIFFERENT THINGS WITH THAT BUT I THINK 36 INCHES IS A GOOD PLACE.

I BELIEVE THAT ONE IS 36 INCHES, I'VE NEVER PUT A TAPE MEASURE ON IT, BUT I WOULD GUESS THAT IT'S 36.

IT LOOKS LIKE IT. IT LOOKS LIKE IT MIGHT BE A PIECE OF FENCE THAT CAME FROM AROUND THE ORIGINAL COURTHOUSE.

I KNOW MISS DAVENPORT'S OLD HOUSE HAS IT AROUND IT, AND IT LOOKS THE SAME.

WE WILL WORK THROUGH THAT TO SEE IF WE I DO NOT. SO THE ONLY THING THAT I WANTED TO DO IS PUT THIS UP, WE'RE GOING TO START WORKING ON THIS IN THE NEXT WEEK OR SO, TO GET AN ORDINANCE IN THERE. WE'LL HAVE A INFORMATIONAL ITEM ON THE P & Z AGENDA.

THIS DOES NEED TO GO THROUGH PLANNING AND ZONING BECAUSE IT IS A ZONING AMENDMENT.

WE'LL BRING IT TO PLANNING AND ZONING FOR RECOMMENDATION AT THE AUGUST 4TH MEETING, AND THEN SHOULD HAVE IT BACK BEFORE YOU FOR FIRST READING ON AUGUST 14TH. VERY GOOD. COUNCIL, ANY OTHER COMMENTS THAT YOU WANT TO MAKE SURE WAYNE HEARS BEFORE WE CLOSE THIS ITEM? ANY OTHER? ANY OTHER COMMENTS FROM COUNCIL? ALL RIGHT.

HEARING NONE. WE'LL MOVE ON. THANK YOU SIR. ITEM 7 DISCUSSION

[7. DISCUSSION REGARDING THE PLANNING OF WASTEWATER AND WATER TREATMENT FACILITY TOURS TO SUPPORT AND BUILD UPON OUR ONGOING EXPANSION AND MAINTENANCE INITIATIVES.]

REGARDING THE PLANNING OF WASTEWATER AND WATER TREATMENT FACILITY TOURS TO SUPPORT AND BUILD UPON THE ONGOING EXPANSION AND MAINTENANCE INITIATIVES.

MAYOR AND COUNCIL AT THE TIME IS HERE, WHERE WE NEED TO TAKE SOME SITE VISITS TO LOOK AT OUR INFRASTRUCTURE.

WE'RE ABOUT TO GET REAL, IN-DEPTH AND VERY SERIOUS ABOUT THE NEXT FEW PHASES OF OUR WATER AND WASTEWATER PLANT EXPANSION, UPDATES, MAINTENANCE, ALL THOSE SORTS OF THINGS BUT I WOULD REALLY LIKE FOR YOU TO JOIN ME IN A TOUR OF ALL OF THE FACILITIES.

WE'D LIKE TO INVITE A COUPLE OF OTHER FOLKS TO COME ALONG WITH US TO DO THAT.

I WANT YOU TO MEET SOME OF THE OPERATORS, ASK SOME OF THE QUESTIONS THAT WE'VE ALL HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO SIT IN A ROOM AND TALK ABOUT, BUT MAYBE SEEING THE PLANTS IN THEIR CURRENT STATE AND, AND HEARING FROM THE EXPERIENCED OPERATORS WOULD JUST HELP YOU HAVE A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF THE DIRECTION THAT WE'RE HEADED ON UPDATES, EXPANSION AND ALL THAT SORT OF THING.

THAT BEING SAID, I DO WANT TO START OVER AT OUR PUMP STATION OR LIFT STATION.

PUMP HOUSE IS WHAT WE CALL IT OVER AT THE LAKE.

LET YOU SEE THAT FACILITY AND ALL OF ITS GLORY AND ITS BEAUTY, AND THEN JUST SIMPLY WORK THIS WAY, ALL THE WAY THROUGH THE SYSTEM AND SEE, ULTIMATELY, THE WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT.

AWESOME. SO WORKING THROUGH SOME DATES, I DO HAVE THESE AS OPTIONS.

THIS WOULD BE ONE OF THOSE DAYS WHERE WE WOULD POST A MEETING AND WE WOULD POST THE GENERAL AREA IN WHICH WE'RE GOING TO BE.

BUT WE WOULD BE MOBILE MOST OF THE MOST OF THE MORNING.

MY THOUGHT IS IF WE START AT 8 A.M., WE CAN WORK ALL THE WAY THROUGH LUNCH AND BE DONE.