Sunday, April 25, 2021

The Week of April 26th - 30th, 2021 in the City of Waxahachie

Hello Friends!
 
All our city meetings posted so far for this week fall on Tuesday!  To see if any other meetings have been added, please check back on the city's website calendar here:  http://www.waxahachie.com/calendar.php
 
Please keep in mind that there are local elections going on with early voting happening NOW!  So far, we've only had 5.28% of all registered voters in Ellis County, who have voted in this election.  It would be great if we could see higher participation numbers.  To see when/where to vote during early voting, please click here: http://www.co.ellis.tx.us/DocumentCenter/View/13872/Early-Voting-Vote-Center-Locations-May-1-2021?bidId= To keep up with the numbers of how many people have voted, you can view that on this page: http://www.co.ellis.tx.us/DocumentCenter/View/14345/May-Election_EVDaily-Report?bidId=  The ballot is really quite small and when my family went, there were no lines.  I think it took about 5 minutes from walking in the door to walking out - if it even took that long.  For a look at the sample ballot, you can find your specific one here: http://www.co.ellis.tx.us/702/Individual-Sample-Ballots Your voice AND vote matter!
 
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Tuesday, April 27, 2021 
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5:30 PM - IFCIAC - Impact Fee Capital Improvements Advisory Committee Regular Meeting
Council Conference Room, City Hall
 

5 - Presentation on the April 2021 mid-year Impact Fee Report.

This meeting is open to the public should you wish to attend, but it is not live-streamed at this time.
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6:15 PM - Planning & Zoning Commission Briefing Session
Council Conference Room, City Hall


The purpose of this briefing is to discuss items for the 7:00 PM regular meeting.  It is open to the public if you would like to attend; however, it is not live-streamed at this time.
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7:00 PM - Planning & Zoning Commission Regular Meeting
Council Chamber, City Hall


20 & 21 - Public hearing on a request for a zoning change from MF1 to a Planned Development - MF2 located just South of 865 Cantrell Street. The purpose of this request is to create a multi-family residential planned development to allow for construction of 216 multi-family development consisting of 1 and 2 bedroom apartments.  Staff is recommending approval, per comments.
 
22 & 23 - Public hearing on a request by George Salvador, Lilian Custom Homes, for a zoning change from Single Family 1 to Single Family 3 Planned Development to create a development of 212 single family detached homes called Dominion Park located at 401 Ovilla Road. Staff is recommending denial due to concerns regarding the lot sizes and screening, along with the variances the builder is requesting.  At this time, I do agree with staff's recommendation of denial.

This meeting is open to the public, should you wish to attend, but will also be live-streamed at the following link during the meeting: http://www.waxahachie.com/government/city_council/city_council_meeting_live_stream.php

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Saturday, May 1, 2021 ---  ***Election Day ***
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Polls will be open 7am - 7pm
Please mark your calendars for casting your vote during early voting or on Election Day!  Thank you!!
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I hope that everyone has a great rest of your weekend and a wonderful week ahead!
 
Your Friendly Councilmember,
 
Melissa Olson, CMO
(text) 817-507-5162
molson@waxahachie.com







 
 
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Sunday, April 18, 2021

The Week of April 19th - 23rd, 2021 in the City of Waxahachie

Hello Friends,

Let me start by providing the draft minutes of recent various board meetings.  You can view them here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1QvoN-StXQJT_AMjklfV2L_dASKcMomnm/view?usp=sharing  
 
Also, early voting starts on Monday, April 19th for the local elections (City Council and School Board) along with a bond for WISD and the CD 6 election.  Early voting locations can be viewed here:  http://www.co.ellis.tx.us/DocumentCenter/View/13872/Early-Voting-Vote-Center-Locations-May-1-2021?bidId=  We normally have only about 12% of the population who vote in these local elections. This election's ballot is so small that it will hardly take any time at all to vote.  You can find a sample ballot for your precinct here: http://www.co.ellis.tx.us/702/Individual-Sample-Ballots  Local elections affect your everyday life, so please take the time to get out and vote.
 
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Monday, April 19, 2021
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6:00 PM - City Council Briefing Session
Council Conference Room, City Hall


This briefing is being held to discuss items for the 7:00 PM regular meeting.  Residents are welcome to attend to hear the discussion.  This briefing session is not live-streamed at this time.
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7:00 PM - Waxahachie City Council Regular Meeting
Council Chamber, City Hall
 
 
There are going to be multiple items on the Council's Monday night agenda, but the only other one I'm going to mention, besides Emory Lakes is item 5i - the approval for funding the Wags-A-Hachie Dog Park redevelopment.  The funds for this project are coming from sales tax revenue, not property taxes, and will greatly enhance the dog park, including a parking lot.  This is a pretty exciting project and will make the dog park an even better place to visit.  The address of the park is 701 Howard Rd, Waxahachie, TX 75165
 
The main event, so to speak, of the evening will be Emory Lakes. Items 12-16 deal with the proposed zoning of Emory Lakes and the PID (public improvement district) that will be created, if the zoning is approved. For those who aren't aware, Emory Lakes is a 2800+ acre development to the West of I-35 and South of FM 875.  Here's a story about it in 2019 in the Waxahachie Daily Light:  https://www.waxahachietx.com/news/20190215/proposed-10000-home-development-sent-back-to-drawing-board-after-joint-workshop

The status of the development is this: Planning & Zoning approved the proposed zoning with stipulations.  Now, at this Monday night meeting, it will be heard by the City Council and IF the City Council approves it, then the developer still needs to meet all the stipulations, but then they can start on the development.  Being on the City Council is a great way to help folks.  I love that I get to do that.  Decisions like Emory Lakes, however, are NOT taken lightly.  I'm going to run through my list of pros and cons and how I view the situation.
Pros (reasons for approving Emory Lakes)
    1- Emory Lakes was already approved for zoning back in 2005.  A developer can, by right, come in right now and build a higher density subdivision and wouldn't have to even come before Council to do it. In other words, approving this proposal would LOWER the amount of homes that can be built in the subdivision, resulting in a nicer project and less density.
    2 - There is a PID that is being requested that will pay to put in ALL of the necessary city infrastructure for the entire subdivision and it won't cost current taxpayers a penny.
    3 - As I respect and try to protect the property rights of residents, the developers who own the land for Emory Lakes, do have a right to develop that land, especially with the stipulations put in place by the city.
    4 - The developer has agreed to all the stipulations requested by the city and the P&Z commissioners.
    5 - Once there are a few phases done in the subdivision, new retail will be opened, which will probably have a new grocery store (something requested by many Waxahachie residents)
    6 - Additional tax revenue from the homes could potentially lower the tax burden on existing residents 
    7 - They are donating land for school and civic uses.
    8 - Once retail is developed, it is possible that it could ease congestion on 77, with residents shopping in Emory Lakes instead of along 77.
Cons (reasons for denying Emory Lakes)
    1 - Traffic: I believe that traffic into downtown Waxahachie and traffic at 287 & 77 will be worse until the retail component of Emory Lakes is developed.
    2 - There will need to be WISD schools built in the development.  While the additional homes will add to WISD's tax base, I don't think it will be enough to cover the cost of all necessary schools by itself.
    3 - There will need to be additional city services for Emory Lakes such as a possible upgrade to the city's wastewater treatment plant to add capacity and additional first responders to cover that area.

That's what I've come up with so far.  I'm not sure if my reasons for denying the zoning are even legally reasons that I could deny it.  I'm not saying that I'm voting for or against it.  I would still love feedback from you, the residents.  I know that change is hard and if approved, it will change the face of Waxahachie, but not the heart of those who live here.

The Council meeting will be live-streamed at the following link starting at 7:00 PM Monday evening: http://www.waxahachie.com/government/city_council/city_council_meeting_live_stream.php  This is also an open meeting, meaning that residents are more than welcome to attend and even speak on this item, during the public hearing on item 12.

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Wednesday, April 21, 2021
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5:30 PM - Comprehensive Plan Committee First Meeting
Council Conference Room, City Hall
 

Being the first meeting of this committee, it will start by being called to order by the Mayor, introducing the committee members and organizing the committee.  The composition of the committee is made up of the 5 City Council members, the 7 Planning & Zoning Commission members, and 5 appointees from Council.

4 - Discussion of roles and responsibilities of Comprehensive Plan Committee

This meeting will not be live-streamed, but residents are welcome to attend.  There won't be any public comments during this meeting, however.  
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That's all of the city meetings for the week that have been posted as of Sunday, 4/18.  You can always check back on the city's website to see if any more have been added. http://www.waxahachie.com/calendar.php  Please feel free to contact me regarding Emory Lakes or any other item.  The fastest way to reach me is through text.  My personal cell number is 817-507-5162.  If you call and reach my voicemail, please leave a detailed message so I can get back with you.

I hope that you have a great rest of your weekend and a wonderful week ahead!

Your Friendly Councilmember,

Melissa Olson, CMO
(text) 817-507-5162
molson@waxahachie.com


at 2 comments:

Sunday, April 11, 2021

The Week of April 12th - 16th, 2021 in the City of Waxahachie

 
Hello Friends!

I hope everyone is doing well!  We have some very important meetings this week on Tuesday, April 13th, that I'd like to bring to your attention and I'll go into more detail on those below.  Please feel free to check back on the city's calendar here http://www.waxahachie.com/calendar.php to see if any more meetings have been added after this newsletter has gone out.
 
Also, I want to let you know of a tool that shows the zoning of land in the city.  Let's say that you are purchasing a home and there's a field behind the house in question.  You might be told that it will always stay a field.  Chances are, it is already zoned for something.  You can enter that address into the box on this page and it will tell you what that area is zoned for and usually give you the ordinance that goes along with that zoning.   https://waxgis.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=585bd455f22d477882e98c5555ee7de9  This is a great tool for realtors as well, to let their clients know what is coming in near a particular property.  I hope you find this helpful!

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Monday, April 12, 2021
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8:30 AM - Firemen's Relief and Retirement Fund Board Regular Meeting
Waxahachie Fire Station No. 2
1601 Cleaver Street


3 - Consider appointment of civilian member to the FR&R board.

4 - Administer oath of office to civilian board member.

5 - Reorganize the board.

The rest of the meeting seems to be fairly standard, but you can review those details in the agenda packet, linked above.  Also, this meeting will not be live-streamed, although it is an open meeting, so the public may attend.

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** Tuesday, April 13, 2021 **
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8:30 AM - City Council Retreat
Waxahachie Civic Center, Crape Myrtle Room
2000 Civic Center Lane


There are very few Council meetings that I really push people to attend, if possible, but this is one of those.  I understand with it being during the day that it is a hard one to attend, but it will be jam-packed with great information about our city.

2 - Presentations and discussion:
    - Introduction
    - Legislative update
    - Special districts overview
    - Community survey results
    - Major project updates
    - 5 year capital and operating plan discussion
    - Budget timeline and initial requests

I do not believe that this meeting will be live-streamed, but as is the case with all our Council meetings and briefings, there will be an audio recording that is made and can be requested from our City Secretary's office. To request that audio or to make any other open records request, you may do that online through here: http://www.waxahachie.com/departments/city_secretary/open_records_requests.php .

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6:00 PM - Planning & Zoning Briefing
Council Conference Room, City Hall


This is the pre-meeting where staff will brief the P&Z commission on the items that are on the agenda for the 7 PM meeting.  This is a highly informative hour and is open to the public to attend.  Given that Emory Lakes, the massive 2800+ acre development is on the agenda, this is one briefing that you won't want to miss!  Unfortunately, the briefing is not live-streamed at this time.
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7:00 PM - Planning & Zoning Regular Meeting
Council Chamber, City Hall

 
** 16 & 17 **- Emory Lakes is up again in front of the P&Z commission.  Please see the agenda packet for all details.  Staff is recommending denial, but saying that if the commission wishes to approve, that certain criteria are met.  That criteria, along with the changes that the applicant has made from the last time they presented are in the agenda packet- there are many.  The changes that have been made to the development start on page 50 of the packet.  The criteria for approval start on page 57.  The rest of the packet (201 pages in total) is dedicated to this case, so there is a lot of material you can review, if you wish.

This meeting will be live-streamed and available via this link at the time of the meeting. http://www.waxahachie.com/government/city_council/city_council_meeting_live_stream.php  The meeting is open to the public and residents are welcome to attend.

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Thursday, April 15, 2021
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3:00 PM - WCDC - Waxahachie Community Development Corporation Regular Meeting
Council Conference Room, City Hall

 
4 - Consider WCDC annual financial report for year ended September 30, 2020
 
5 - Hear and discuss presentation on improvements at city's dog park and take any necessary action
 
6 - Hear Mid-Way Airport presentation
 
This meeting is not live-streamed at this time, but is open to the public should you wish to attend.
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That's all we currently have scheduled for this upcoming week.  It'll be a busy one, but productive.  Please feel free to reach out to me (text is the fastest) if you have any questions, comments or concerns.  I hope y'all have a blessed and wonderful week ahead!
 
Your Friendly Councilmember,
 
Melissa Olson, CMO
(text) 817-507-5162
molson@waxahachie.com
 
 
 
at 2 comments:

Sunday, April 4, 2021

The Week of April 5th - 9th, 2021 in the City of Waxahachie


 Happy Easter, Friends!
 
I hope that everyone is having a great weekend!  We have a few city meetings this week, but before I get into those, I wanted to let you know that there are some very interesting draft minutes I've scanned in for your review.  They discuss what happened at the Airport Board meeting in regards to renaming the airport (spoiler alert - the renaming was denied); the details of the North Grove zoning case that had several residents speak in opposition; and, the status of things with the Lake Parks Steering Committee.  The draft minutes can be reviewed here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1MkPIu_sHO5lF8U9yBm3LMFkyfvB6qA1Y/view?usp=sharing
 
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Monday, April 5, 2021
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6:00 PM - City Council Briefing Session
Council Conference Room, City Hall
 

This briefing is to discuss items for the 7:00 PM regular meeting.  Due to the length of the meeting agenda, the briefing will begin at 6 PM. Briefing sessions are highly informative. Residents are welcome to attend; however, the briefing sessions are not live-streamed at this time.

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7:00 PM - City Council Regular Meeting
Council Chamber, City Hall


As always, I will point out some items which I think you might find of interest, but all items and their detail can be found in the agenda packet, linked above.
 
6 - Consider City of Waxahachie Annual Financial Report for year ended September 30, 2020.  When this is approved by Council, it will be added to the city's website where you can review it along with past annual financial reports as well.  http://www.waxahachie.com/departments/finance/finance_documents.php#outer-108

**7-10: The Emory Lakes PID and zoning cases are all continued to the 4/13/21 Planning & Zoning meeting and the 4/19/21 City Council meeting.  There will be no information presented nor considered regarding these items at this meeting.**
 
16-18: Public hearing on a request for property owner Mark Singleton, North Grove 12.5 LLC Series 1, to amend existing Ordinance # 2733 to create a Planned Development allowing for retail, commercial, office, multi-family apartments and townhome uses.  The only change that is being requested is to add the townhome use to the planned development.  All other existing uses are allowed by right through the existing ordinance approved on March 3, 2014. Here is a link to that ordinance: https://library.municode.com/tx/waxahachie/ordinances/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=638267  

21 - Discuss appointment of Comprehensive Plan Committee and take any necessary action.  I am assuming that staff will present a list for our review/discussion at the briefing, as there was no list given to us in the agenda packet.

22 -23:  Convene into executive session for consultation with attorney regarding pending or contemplated litigation as permitted under Section 551.071, Texas Government Code. Reconvene and take any necessary action.  I don't know what the matter is for sure, but legally, Council is not allowed to share details of executive sessions, except for any action that may be taken when we reconvene into the Council chamber.

This meeting is open to the public, but is also live-streamed at the following link: http://www.waxahachie.com/government/city_council/city_council_meeting_live_stream.php

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Wednesday, April 7, 2021
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12:00 PM - Civil Service Commission Meeting
Council Conference Room, City Hall


The only item up for action is for the police department to consider approval for an entry police written examination and physical ability test to be held on May 15, 2021.

This meeting is open to the public should you wish to attend, but is not live-streamed at this time.
 
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Thursday, April 8, 2021
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5:30 PM - Heritage Preservation Commission Meeting 
Council Conference Room, City Hall


4 - Discussion with property owners of 200 S Rogers and 320 W. University and consider approval for tax programs.

5 - Workshop on draft residential design guidelines.

This meeting is open to the public should you wish to attend, but it is not live-streamed at this time.

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These are all the meetings that are posted as of now.  Please check back on the city's calendar to see if more have been added through the week.  http://www.waxahachie.com/calendar.php

Have a wonderful week ahead!

Your Friendly Councilmember,

Melissa Olson, CMO
Waxahachie City Council, Place 3
molson@waxahachie.com
(text) 817-507-5162








 
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