EDIT ON 1/4/22: DUE TO COVID CONCERNS, ALL CITY MEETINGS ON THURSDAY HAVE BEEN CANCELLED.
Hello Friends!
2022 is here! I hope that you all have a fantastic year full of good health, good times and many blessings! The city has multiple meetings this week so let's get started. Please feel free to refer back to the city's calendar on their website to see if any new meetings have been added. That link is: https://www.waxahachie.com/calendar.php
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Monday, January 3, 2022
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6:00 PM - City Council Briefing Session
Council Conference Room, City Hall
401 S. Rogers St.
Residents are welcome to attend this briefing session in which the Council and staff will go over items for the 7:00 PM regular meeting. If residents would like to address the Council, please do that during the public comments section of the 7:00 PM regular meeting (unless you are present to speak on a P&Z item, please address Council during the public hearing of that particular agenda item during the 7:00 PM regular meeting.) The 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
401 S. Rogers St.
Agenda Packet: https://commondatastorage.googleapis.com/document-uploads-001/uploads/video/agenda_file/150845/1-3-22_City_Council_Agenda_Packet.pdf
We have several continuations of P&Z cases for Monday night; however, there are some other items I'd like to point out:
12 & 13 - Continue the Public Hearing on a request by Jonathan Cruz, HGO Tire Shop, for a zoning change from future development to planned development to allow an outside storage use located at 211 E. Sterrett Road. P&Z voted to deny the case at the 11/9/21 P&Z meeting. At the 12/6/21 Council meeting, we voted to continue the case to Monday's meeting to allow them time to get with the TCEQ to find out how to properly dispose of old tires and to do some clean up on the property. They have cleaned up the site and there are several letters of support for this zoning; however, staff still is recommending denial of the case citing among other things, that "it will set a regretful precedent for future applicants who would also request a similar use of the property" if Council approves it. Because P&Z already denied the case, it will take a 4/5ths majority to approve it. The applicant has done what has been asked and have brought the site into compliance so that it does not seem to be a safety issue anymore. They have moved their excess tires away from their storefront on N. Hwy 77 to this Sterrett location, which I would think the city would be happy about, leaving their Hwy. 77 store front more aesthetically pleasing. We will have to see how things go during the public hearing, but I'd sure hate for undo hardship to be thrust upon this small business, especially when they have been so responsive to doing the things the city has requested.
16 - 17: Continue the Public Hearing on a request by Chip Boyd, JHDMC, LLC for a zoning change from SF1 (our largest residential lot size zoning) to a planned development - SF 3 (our smallest residential lot size zoning). This proposed development would have 458 dwelling units over 153.7 acres located at 823 Ovilla Road. P&Z voted down this development at the 12/28/21 P&Z meeting; however, they were willing to continue the case, but the applicant refused a continuance and pressed for a decision that night. Now, because of that P&Z denial, City Council must have 4/5ths approval in order to approve this subdivision. Staff is once again (as they were at the P&Z meeting) recommending approval per comments. I have issues with this development as it seems they are just shoving as much as they can into the area - which already has traffic concerns - and even more troubling to me is all the concessions they want the city to make. Not only are they not even meeting our SF-3 standards, but they are requesting the city to take 9.28 acres of their open space (which would most likely fall on taxpayers to support) instead of paying the cash-in-lieu fee of $400/lot; and if the city does not accept the land, they want the city to waive the fees altogether. There are other fees they are requesting relief from as well. Waxahachie is a very special place and I think it is important that the builders and developers who come here add to the city, not take, take, take. I will be interested to see what is presented at the meeting and what our residents have to say about this development before rendering a final verdict, but those are my thoughts on this matter currently.
19 - Consider proposed resolution to enter into a contract with First Financial Bank to serve as the city's primary depository. There are more details in the agenda packet (linked above), but it's not every day that a city changes banks, so I thought this was an item residents would be interested in.
The Council meeting is welcome to all citizens to attend in person, but is also live-streamed for your convenience. The link to view that live-stream is: https://www.waxahachie.com/government/city_council/city_council_meeting_live_stream.php
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Thursday, January 6, 2022
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8:30 AM - Cemetery Board Regular Meeting
Council Conference Room, City Hall
401 S. Rogers St.
Agenda Packet: https://commondatastorage.googleapis.com/document-uploads-001/uploads/video/agenda_file/150836/1-6-22_Cemetery_Board_Agenda_Packet.pdf
4 - Discuss cemetery activities
5 - Discuss damaged grave marker remains
This meeting is open to the public, should you wish to attend. It is not, however, live-streamed at this time.
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3:00 PM - Park Board Regular Meeting
Council Conference Room, City Hall
401 S. Rogers St.
Agenda Packet: https://commondatastorage.googleapis.com/document-uploads-001/uploads/video/agenda_file/150838/1-6-22_Park_Board_Agenda_Packet.pdf
4 - Discuss park events and activities
5 - Hear update on park projects
6 - Discuss Lions Park Master Plan
7 - Discuss lake parks projects
This meeting is open to all residents, should you wish to attend, but is not live-streamed at this time.
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4:30 PM - Keep Waxahachie Beautiful Committee Regular Meeting
Council Conference Room, City Hall
401 S. Rogers St.
Agenda Packet: https://commondatastorage.googleapis.com/document-uploads-001/uploads/video/agenda_file/150839/1-6-22_KWB_Agenda_Packet.pdf
** For those interested in litter cleanups, this is the meeting you'd want to attend! We always need folks to volunteer to help keep our town beautiful! **
2 - Public Comments: I don't normally list this item on agendas, but all meetings (not briefings) have this section. For those who are particularly interested in volunteering, this would be a great time to connect with the board and park staff and make any suggestions about areas that need cleaning up or any other ideas you might have.
4 - Discuss Keep Waxahachie Beautiful events and activities
5 - Discuss and consider a process of assigning tasks to committee members
6 - Discuss and consider PIN Award (Pride In Neighborhood) - Those folks who have really gone above and beyond getting their yards looking great.
This meeting is open to the public and residents are highly encouraged to attend, when possible. The KWB meetings are not currently live-streamed.
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Alright my friends, bundle up, and stay warm! You know how Texas is...
I hope that everyone has a great rest to your weekend and a wonderful week ahead!!!
Your Friendly Council Member,
Melissa Olson, CMO
(text) 817-507-5162
molson@waxahachie.com
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