City Council - Regular Meeting

this coffee this week. I have one I had a whole bag at home.

Good evening everyone. It is now 6 o' and that means that we're about to open our meeting, our city council meeting. If you stand, we will open with a invocation and a pledge. Lord, we're just coming to you this evening, God, unless we know how. First of all, thanking you, Lord, for waking us up with your finger of love, God, and await us to a new day, God. Lord, we know we're here today to uh take care of the city's business, God. But first of all, we want to thank you for your son, Jesus Christ, who died upon the cross for each and every one of our sins. Lord, we just ask you right now to give us the wisdom, the knowledge, and know how to take care of your business, your people, God, that you would like us to uh see after and and look over while uh we're here uh at this time. Lord, we praise you, we glorify you, and we ask that each and everyone here today be continue to be blessed. and bless their families. In your son's name I pray. Amen.

Amen. Amen. Pledge I aliance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible with liberty and justice for all. Once again, we'd like to thank you all for taking out of your schedule to come and share with us this evening. We know that [snorts] the city business is important and your participating in it makes it even better. At this time, uh we have the recognition of v visitors. That was that. And just a reminder, comments from the audience. At this time, anyone will be allowed to speak on city related matters only. No personal matters or personal matters under litigation will be allowed. The length of time may not exceed 3 minutes. No council discussion or action may take place on a matter until such matter has been placed on an agenda and posted in accordance with law. With that being said, I think we only have one at this time. James Dancer.

First of all, I'd like to uh apologize to the entire city and to everybody up here for my antics and for losing my cool and I mean that. I'm not just saving face. I really don't care what people think of me. I mean it. So that being said,

that being said, the reason I addressed what I said to you Oh, can't be personal. No, no, address to Okay, the counselor. I made a lampoon of a council member. That council member's daughter didn't like it, which is fine. That's cool.

Personal? Yes. No, it's not personal. I I it was involving a city council member and it was doing something that I'm well within my rights to do. And in retaliation, this person said some pretty horrible things to me around town and to people.

Okay, that is that is fine. That's fine. You can stop me. But it it spurred from something that was directly related to this. Okay. So, that's being I'm done. I'm done. Okay. Thank you. That's why I addressed what I did. I'm just explaining. I'm not justifying.

The reason I also said is because there's only a couple of adults up here. I think now there's a couple more and you guys you guys have like flushed out the most of the BS. But um I just felt for a long time after watching a couple of years of city council meetings, word by word, syllable by syllable, doing the subtitles and understanding very very clearly like who does what and who says what and who doesn't say what. My frustration stemmed from somebody needing to say enough's enough, especially with [snorts] mumbling into a microphone and acting like you don't know how to carry on city council. You've been up here for years. You know how you know don't roll your eyes. You you you have been here long enough

to know how to introduce things to not waste our time. A lot of these people come from a long way and it's not exactly easy for a lot of these people to get here and you running everybody up here in circles and you've ran everybody up here in circles. You've ran her in circles.

We played it generically and not okay. I'm just saying that you've you've ran and that's what my frustration was is somebody needed to say enough. That's all I'm saying. Okay. So again, I apologize for my antics. I I apologize for the words that I chose. I do not apologize for my message.

Thank you. You're welcome. Thank you. With that, uh there are no others coming in from the audience. I'd like to relate it to the council. So at this time it brings us to our um comments from the council at this point uh to uh mayor and council. Um and uh basically um I think on the last time I spoke uh u I guess in regarding to the charter revision committee uh I'm providing information uh regarding term limits. I think I spoke on that uh the last time. Term limits for mayor. And according to the Houston County Courier newspaper in 1978, there was a city ordinance stating the mayor can serve no more than three consecutive terms. And at that um and at that time, according to the newspaper, the uh city attorney was uh Mr. Jim Turner. Um, so I would like to hand you a copy of the newspaper.

Okay. It's not necessary. And uh also hand one to um the city manager. So at this time just I know that um just state your [clears throat] statement. It's not it's not for discussion or anything. You just No, I'm just hand. Okay. No, you can keep it. Yes, ma'am. Thank you. And uh on the contrary of uh council member statement supposeding that our meetings are being held too long uh 30 minutes or going over two hours because of me. I found according to Houston County Carrier that there were at least one council meeting that I saw that they reported reported at least a two-hour meeting. So according to the Houston County Courier paper, it looks like the meeting have always or also have gone over two minutes uh two two hours more uh than starting just now.

You can state your statement. It's no it's not any dialogue just like that. Is that it? I'm I'm done. Okay. Thank you. Any other council? Okay. With that being said, that brings us down to item number one, regular session, January the 5th, 2026.

I make a motion we approve the session. I second. Okay. Moved and second. Any question? All All in favor? [clears throat] Motion carries. uh reports brings us to item number two, police department manpower and criminal incident report for December 2025. Good evening, mayor, council, city administrator. the police department's manpower and criminal activity report for December 2025 total of uh 15 officers, worked 2,357 hours, responded to 400 calls, investigated seven traffic accidents, made 49 arrests, issued 369 traffic citations, completed 84 reports, responded to 30 alarm calls, and 25 of those were false alarm. Below you'll see a breakdown and I'll entertain any questions you have about our report.

Okay. Does anyone have any questions? Thank you for your um service during the time of the um freeze. I appreciate matter of fact, I want to mention something on that. Um, I want to thank our public works and u all of our road and street folks because they've done a really good job preparing for it.

Also, uh, city administrator throughout those couple of days, he stayed on the phone with me or our emergency management just making sure everything was going smooth, everything was well. And couple of those days we come out, he was out riding the roads and stuff as well. So, um, we really appreciate that. Good job.

And we're just grateful that we all got through as well as we did. Hey Clayton, how how we doing with the Has the 18-wheelers slowed down a little bit? I mean, I I still been seeing a lot come by my shop. No, we still get a lot. Uh the road signs that are that are put up. Um every stop we make, it's the same old thing. My GPS took me through here. Um, I'm hoping that once we hire the downtown square officer that that's going to help alleviate it because I think more you the more you stop the more the word traffic.

Are we ticketing them or are we just warning them? No, we do ticket them. Okay. A lot of the issues we see with those though is we ticket them. A lot of them are from out of state. It's a non-moving violation. So there's no restrictions on their driver's license. Is there any way we can get somebody to act on that right then instead of like if you if I'm if I'm in another state and I get a ticket

uh they might want me to so make the Yeah, there's there's a lot of ways you can handle that payment right then. We can uh take them before the judge right then if he's available and he's willing uh depending on the type of truck. if they have a reefer truck, we maintain that responsibility, um, which can be quite costly. We can't particularly leave the truck on the side of the road depending on where it's at. So, that would incur a a tow a tow fee as well. So, uh, that's something that would have to be worked out with the judge if he was willing to be called out at different times throughout the day, multiple times a day. Um,

well, maybe we can look into that and and uh see if the judge can can do that. And uh because they do talk on the radio. Uh don't don't don't go downtown Crockett, Texas, or you will

I think that'll be a lot easier, especially when we get a part-time officer. Um if if you have an officer that stops an 18-wheeler, uh you're going to tie that officer up for probably an hour, hour and a half, depending on how long it takes to because we're going to have to drive him down here. Um okay.

He's going to have to make some kind of Let's look into it though. Just run it. Look into it. Get with a judge and see what he can do. Thank you. At this time, it bring us to item number three, the fire department monthly activity status report for December 20 to 25. And it's being presented by u mayor and council. Chief Riselle has got a upper respiratory infection. So I want to give his report for him this evening. And uh for the month of December, there was 20 calls within the city, which gave them a total year-to- date of 315 calls within the city. They're broken down on your spreadsheet, as you can see. And then um county calls for the month of December, they had 17 and a total of 169 for the year. and their total um active members there. You can see on the breakdown of their sheet, but he apologized for being under the weather, not being able to attend.

Thank you. Any comments? Okay. If not, thank you for standing in. At this time, it brings us to item number four, project and business development updates. Mayor and Council, thank you all. Uh good evening. Um tonight we have a couple uh nice presentations that we wanted to uh give some of our local uh businesses the opportunity to present to you. Uh we have uh the opening of the old state school which is called now new era treat uh residential uh treatment uh center and we have uh owners Mr. Constantine Savon and Mr. Doug Shaw. They're going to present a little bit about their uh their program here in Crockett and uh some of the news about jobs and their timeline of construction and and opening.

Um I want to tell you a little bit about our company and what we do and I'll try to keep it short and brief. I know you guys want to get through the uh get through the evening. Um, predominantly what I do is I develop residential treatment care facilities in the state of Texas. Uh, we have a few that are currently uh underway. Um, and we are hoping to open uh one here in Crockett. Our population we're looking at is going to be right around 175 uh children with um autism and other um needs. Um, we're looking to hire roughly 300 people here locally. Um, so however much of that you guys could fill, we we want to open it to you locally first before we start bringing in people from other areas. And um, we're we're here to answer any questions you guys might have about populations or um, functions of the facility or anything else. So if there I'll happy to take questions first from the city council members and then I'll if if with your permission open it up to the floor and I'd like to introduce Doug Shaw here.

Thank you Constantine. Uh the timeline we've been working on the campus kind of quietly for the last six months. Uh I suspect it probably hasn't gone completely unnoticed. Uh our estimated completion date is uh we're planning by the end of this month and I think we'll have enough of it done by the end of the month that we'll be in a position where we can apply to the state of Texas for our license for residential treatment. We're going to begin our uh interviewing for positions this month as well. And I think we'll communicate that by putting some large banners up on the fence that surrounds the campus with the name of the organization, the fact that we have begun the hiring process, and a phone number to call so that we can create that that connection with the community. Uh, as far as where we do it, we're going to talk with Mayor Fiser and perhaps we can uh use one of the city facilities to meet with uh with applicants or we can do it at the campus. Probably more convenient to do it rather than at the campus. But that's a detail that we'll work out in the in the next week or two. Uh the positions, there's a lot of different skill sets that we need, but primarily it's youth care staff, which um what's the minimum age? 18

18 18 to probably 65 or 70. I mean, it's there it's it it is a responsibility where you're actually uh in the facility working with the kids. Um there's a little training that has to happen. There's background checks that have to happen, but it it really appeals to a wide range of people. So, we're really hoping, as Constantine said, that we can attract some interest in Crockett. Our our goal is to do as much of it here locally as we can, and we're also looking for ways to spend locally. So, that's the best way to be a good member of a community is to actually engage in and create in commerce with the community. So, we haven't had a big opportunity to do a lot of that [snorts and clears throat] yet, but we're looking for ways uh to do it. As far as opening, um the state has a big voice in that because we have to have a license before we can open. But, uh second quarter uh of this year and hopefully closer to the beginning of the second quarter than the end of the second quarter. And the state also a vote and how quickly we ran as far as how quickly the kids come on to the campus. I want to make a couple things clear. These are uh good kids that probably are coming from not so good uh home situations. So the this is not uh kids that are coming from the uh the juvenile justice system. These are kids that um that just let's just say they haven't had a lot of good luck and we hope to change that. We're going to uh actually educate on the campus. So, we're not going to be bringing these kids to the uh to the local school district. Um also, uh we might have some opportunities to interact with some of your medical providers in town. Uh particularly, uh optometry, opthalmology, and dental for sure. So, we're going to be talking to the professionals that are uh here local in the community. And uh that kind of gives

you a sense of what's happening and the speed at which uh we hope to move. I can I can assure you that we're doing everything that we can do to get this going as quickly as we can. We've had a lot of good fortune. Things have fallen into place on jobs like this or on projects like this. There's typically a lot of surprises and they're usually bad surprises. We've we've been fortunate to have a lot of positive surprises. that facility u was was well built and it actually weathered the dormcancy uh better than than you might expect. So, we've refreshed everything. Uh a lot of new paint on new floors, new roofs. Um it's I I think it's it's going to be a facility that once it's understood, staffed, and and ramped up, I think you'll be proud to have it in the community

with um with all that the facility has to offer. the cafeteria, the infirmary, um the different types of buildings. Do you know what percentage of the facilities you might be using? 100%. Oh, okay. We're using all the Okay. We have plans that we're not ready to discuss yet, but we adding on to it in the future.

Then you John, for a job fair for them to uh get applicants, uh could we open up a room in the civic center for them? spoke on that. Um that's what we're going to offer them is our conference room. Sure.

We have Yeah. Plenty of tables and chairs and set up. Yeah. Yeah. That'd be great. Yeah. I app I appreciate y'all coming out here and bringing your business, man. Um y'all have any requirements to get hired?

Oh, to get hired? Yes, sir. Yeah. You have to have no criminal background and a high school diploma. Um Most importantly, we're looking for the right type of attitude with these kids. It's not a prison guard mentality. It's more of a let's try to figure out nurturing.

Nurturing, but will there be some some security involved? Yes, there will be there will be quite a bit of security. Okay. One of the Oh, I'm sorry. Well, you answered my concern earlier because I wonder when the transition took place and you mentioned that whatever county or place they came from if they transition out that they would be returned to their original placement

because the concern was do they just turn and you just let them go but you actually return them to their place of origin so to speak. That's correct. I I I will let you know that if they originate in Crockett, they're they will return to discharge to Crockett, they belong to us, go to Armarillo.

But but having just said that, if we release a child that came from Crockett back into Crockett, if that child doesn't have a marketable skill, it's not for a lack of our trying. So we're we're going to place a big importance on vocational training. You I don't know how many people on council have actually been on the campus, but there is massive massive there there a number of kind of industrial arts type of buildings where we're going to be introducing uh plumbing, HVAC, electrical, the trades. We we can't graduate master plumbers, but what we can do is is create the enthusiasm,

get them involved in apprenticeship program, transition, help them transition into into really good solid good good solid work so that they they graduate with the skill and they're able to be self supported. And did that miss the age age limit? You say did you say age limit?

So the youngest we take is eight um through 17 and it's going to be uh boys, excuse me. If we're we're going to be uh posting at this moment, it's going to be a male population. Uh the license that we will uh we'll obtain will be for boys and girls. Obviously, you keep the two populations separate, but we're we're going to

be working initially with with boys. It is. I've been riding by, man. Y'all got it looking good over there. We are opening it up to anybody who wants to come see it. Welcome to contact us to give you a tour. We've got indoor soccer field. We're redoing the basketball. We've actually just finished the basketball court this week. Looks amazing.

Great. putting new lights everywhere. So, awesome. I welcome you to come take a look. I just came by. I actually came by. Okay. Yes, sir. And I spoke with a gentleman that was um doing um that was painting and things like that. We got had a I don't know who he was. I didn't get his name, but we had a great conversation. Yeah.

Thank you. I also want to mention John's been hugely helpful to us in in getting us connected and and uh and encouraging this kind of conversation and and our commitment to you is that this is the first of many um if we might very well at least as we get started and u and begin to launch the business u be a regular fixture at these meetings so we have an opportunity to update you as to what's going on

communication is think be really helpful for both us and for you. Thank you so much. Looking forward to prosperous stuff. I wanted to tell you I work in a lot of cities in Texas and um two of my experiences that stand out are with the police chief and with the fire marshal. They have been absolutely amazing to work with and I really appreciate.

Thank you. Thank you. [clears throat] Thank y'all so much. Yes. Amen. Mayor and council. Um the next presentation is um short of going out and walking through I wanted to uh give an update on the Proalis facility as we finish the construction out there. Um I have a short slideshow and um little presentation on that. Um thank you. Um, as you see here, this was, uh, what we ended up beginning to to work with. Um, some overgrowth. Uh, we've changed that and put new landscaping in. Really clean the place up. Um, gutted all the floors. All the carpet has been taken out and all the, uh, floors are now concrete polished uh, floors. Um, all the rooms that you see here, the majority of them are no longer there or they've been moved or the walls have been changed uh to to fit the needs. Um, all of this area as we started the construction tearing tear down. Um, as you'll see, the the walls actually we had to cut these walls down. The old walls actually went all the way up to the ceiling to the roof joist line. So any walls that needed to be changed required significant amounts of construction. Um we had a really good contractor that we worked with Langston Construction. I can't say enough about them. They were just top-notch on the ball. Um all the everything that they did was completely documented with pictures presented and at the end of every day it was just a really good uh program that we were happy to have worked with them. Um if you see there, that's where the uh the conference room was pulled out. There used to be a little office in that corner and they uh put a new uh conference room in there. Being that we're in the middle in between Jasper and Henderson, Crockett

positioned in between them will be the site for uh many of their joint meetings uh where Jasper site and Henderson site can come to Crockett. And so that's really good for us. That's a lot. This room here was uh three classrooms in a corridor. All three classrooms were taken out and it was turned into one big work room. This is the new front. Um, Proales uh it wasn't a specific need uh for us to justify the expense, but ProVales paid for u everything outdoors Tony Salooi to come in and do the uh landscaping on the building to really freshen it up and make it look nice. make it look presentable. Um, we put drainage all the way around French drains. As you can see, the gutters that come down, all of those were dumping water and we're having lots of foundational issues. They have French drains now with all the gutters being directed away from the building. Um, French drains all the way around. There's a smoker's patio on the back side of the building. They we put two patios. Proalis paid out of pocket for this patio here. That way their smokers would have a place to go but on the back side of the building, not in front by the parking lot.

So that was really nice of them. U this is the patio that we put on and it also serves a dual protection of of the doors and the windows that we were having issues with with a lot of leaking water, storm water and rain going into the building. That's the new generator. This is the conference room. Pretty classy.

This is that big work room in the middle that used to be three classrooms. Another work room. Was that the library? No, ma'am. It was work room 124. I don't have a picture of the library on here. This is actually This used to be the welding room.

This was the welding room. about. So, all the ceilings, everything, the HVAC is has new HVAC because the welding uh facility did not have any of that. They left those rollup doors and put uh storefront windows.

Kind of add to a little bit of an industrial look, but sharpen it up. So, anyway, that's the training room. This is another work room. This is the uh dining room. They brought in commercial um coolers and fountains and ice machines. And so anyway, um so the project is complete. Um council um in our windown resolution, council approved $550,000 towards uh finalizing this entire project for the generator and all the projects going in out there. Um and we our contract with uh Langston, our Harrove Neil, all of our additional costs that we um incurred, we're right at $30,000 under budget and we're done. We're finaliz we finalized the project out of there.

That was the biggest expense of ongoing expenses uh that we're incurring from EDC, the sales tax. Um that's the big check mark. Um there's a few little small projects, but after this all all funds will be going directly towards paying down the loan on this building.

Great job. So that's the stage that we're at now. Um and I also have Miss Bernit Davis. Uh she's site site administrator at Proalis. Uh she's one of our our locals and uh she's done really uh well out there. She's been helping. I don't believe you were sight administrator until

um recently technically it's it's it's still in the works. I'm a woman of many hats. So I'm site admin, team lead, social committee administrator. Um what else? I know I'm forgetting one. But yeah, that that part

but looking at where we came from to where we are now, it's night and day difference. Um I look and I see the little rooms that we had divided into classrooms and now we're in one area as one family, one unit working together and it's amazing. So thank y'all for the opportunity for us to actually be in Crockett. lives here one call at a time.

Great. They're at um they're at 70 about 70 employees. 70 72 employees and growing currently and growing. They're hiring with this uh with the construction work that's been completed out there. They have 166 seats, I believe.

Correct. So they can hire with the current um sitting uh seating. Uh the next kink or the next weak link is parking lot. So if we do hire 160 plus people we have about 100 parking spots out there.

And so we're going to have to get creative and figure some of that out down the road. So got some flat surface. So we looking at potential probalis and this new organization 450 jobs between them um ANA business capital and new era we're looking at over 400 jobs. Yes sir. 450 jobs.

Wow. Um they're wanting New Era is wanting to be at 100 jobs by the end of this year. And so lots of opportunities. That's good. You want a job? We're And hopefully, you know, if we don't have enough employees, we're going to have more people moving in to fill those jobs. So, it's good. Really good.

Do y'all have do y'all have any requirements to to get hired? Um, again, no criminal background because you're dealing with um right now we're in the midst of doing taxes. So, that's you know, classified information, social security numbers and everything. and also high school diploma.

All right. Thank you. Thank you very much. And the last quick project um I want to give you an update so we don't have to go out and uh do drivearounds is the siren project. All the warning sirens have been installed and are operational. Um we're working with the company to try to uh streamline the um a periodical warning test siren. Um and we'll I will update y'all as we get that settled. We right now we're looking at probably once a month kind of midday where it becomes an expected thing, doesn't scare anybody, but it's also becomes familiar to where they know

what to listen for and everything and we know that everything's working. So, um, that'll be coming. Those are the sirens. Those, that's two stacks. The siren itself is 12 foot tall. So, it's as tall as the ceiling. A little bit taller than the ceiling. Just the siren portion. It stands on top of a 50-ft pole out of out of the ground. Um, that's as they were installing it. These are some of our There's six of them around town and they overlap the area the cone of sound overlaps each other to where everybody in town can hear it. You can also put out an audible voice message on these as well if something wants to happen that you really need to get a quick message out to everyone.

And they're all gener they're all battery backed up generator power. So, um they'll run even if they lose electricity. Great. This is a a letter that we sent uh to Communities Unlimited. I mentioned it, but I wanted to uh just let y'all know once again, [clears throat] and really took their horn, so to speak, and and and thank them. Communities Unlimited came in and paid for the 10% grant match. This project was $538,000 and we had a 10% grant match that we were going to pay out of pocket. Communities Unlimited covered that through another grant. So we wrote another grant to Communities Unlimited and so this total half a million plus dollar pract.

Awesome. Thank you. Appreciate it. And that's it. Are there any questions on any of that? We're just excited and things a bright future. [laughter] Yes. Thank you.

Just um I was just want to ask um because I know you mentioned capitals. I thought you um far as an update for that. U I'll try to put I'll put an update on that. Yes, sir. Okay. And I believe they're in construction right now. Um, and they've been willing anytime that anybody wants to go out there, y'all, we can maybe schedule one or two visits. Um, right now we they would be in the throws of construction building their lines out. Yes, ma'am. But I'll definitely put that together. Thank you.

Thank you so much. At this time, it brings us down to business. A public hearing on planning and zoning commission final report of proposed wisecale zoning code text amendment. At this time the public hearing is open. You are free to come to the podium. Does anyone have any comments?

This is public hearing. This is about the tiny homes and all that.

Okay. I'm talking them. I'm sorry, but Um just I was just asking them a question. Okay, you go. My question was your statement is to tiny homes or dominion. Thank you. [clears throat]

Just um I think I mean I have some I do have. So basically I my question is um the zoning map um does the information uh correspond because I'm not really familiar with the zoning and I didn't have um because it's very lengthy.

Yes, it is lengthy. So, um I didn't have a a lot of time to really just dive in it, but just uh wanted to make sure that the zoning map corresponded um with with the information. Yes, ma'am. That process started a little over a year and a half ago, nearly close to two when um and so the planning and zoning commission met I I would venture to guess 12 18 times trying to work through that whole process between state statute updates and then what's good for the city. And so, yes, ma'am, there was a lot of time, effort, not counting what Miss Reed has done in terms of legal research and everything that's been put into that document. I can guarantee you that everything's within standards.

Um, and I think I had asked before about the location. Do we have specific locations for the tiny homes? No, ma'am. No ma'am. So, with that being said, and I think I've asked this before, so the tiny homes will uh far as the value of of work's property, the increase or decrease, what what are we looking at

on the property value? So, we don't know. It doesn't. Well, part of the process in this was when you put tiny homes in there, there are some specifications that are required. So we don't move in the portable shed and it actually looks like a home from the outside. So we don't have a problem with property value decreasing.

Okay. Um also like some of the tiny homes um I'm quite sure will be uh used as uh purpose will be as used as Airbnbs. Yes or no? No. So they should be primary dwelling units. Okay.

Primary dwelling units. Yes. Um so the only thing we focus on like the barn dominions as well. and you explain a little bit about their locations and where we're looking at putting one dominion.

Well, I think as you dive through that, you'll see that so many of those things still require specific use permits in some areas to where the planning and zoning commission still has a say, which would that translates into the council still has a say.

And so, not everything is just cart blanch that you can do that. There's still guidelines built in this document. So, planning and zoning exist and does their purpose, which ultimately relies on council, too. I will just clarify that this is a public hearing for people to speak for or against it. We will Next item read a little bit more of a detailed list of exact question.

Okay. If there are not any more questions at this time, we'll close the public hearing. Public hearing is officially closed. That brings us to item number six. Consider and approve an audience containing a widecale text amendment to appendix A zoning of the Crockett code with a focus on adding and clarifying regulations relating to the use of land buildings and structures and incorporation incorporating editorial formatting and confirming changes throughout all amended section. Amend section 101 through 104 of article one title purpose application and definitions to include addition and revision of numerous definitions of men section 201.01 through 201.09 09 of article 2 establishment of district and regulation and zoning map to add MH-1 manufacturer home subdivision district MH-2 manufacturing home park and RV park campground district to the established districts to add regulations relating to outdoor commercial displays in the C-2 district to pro prohibit routine outdoor merchandise display or storage in the C-3 district to require specific use permit and assessment from the city's fire chief or designate when a new land use in the one district abuts a residential district and adds section 201.10 to contain the amended land use charts. Amends section 301, 303, 305, and 306,

articles 3, additional district provisions to not read. Let me get this to add new regulation relating to to design standards for detached uh single family and two family dwellings. to add screening requirements for manufacturer home parks and recreational vehicle parks. and to add regulation relating to temporary uses of building equipment and recreational vehicles in incidental to construction and or extensive cleanup work at section 311 accessory buildings. Section 312 accessory dwelling units. Section 313 of barn dominiums. Section 314 manufacturer homes outside of the MH1 and the MH2 district. Section 315 mixed use properties in section 316 tiny homes with each addit section containing related regulations. A amend section 401, article 4, parking and off streetet loading requirements to add regulations relating to reserve spaces in city-owned parking lots in the C3 district and to prohibit recreational vehicle parking on any street in a front yard other than an oversight driveway or parking area not being used to meet the minimum parking standards. containing servability calls, containing repealing calls, and providing an effective date.

I would like to know what all that meant. He's fixing to explain it to you. [laughter] So, we broke down each and every amendment as it addressed our planning and zoning requirements instead of highlighting it and glossing over it. That right there specifies all the changes that are going into our planning and zoning. We've had several of them that have been lingering from our mixed use of our downtown part uh uh square. Um as buildings are as you see more and more buildings are getting renovated and being used. Um it there was a lot of mixeduse issues that were not addressed, parking issues that were not addressed um that this zone addresses. However, we had the overing lingering um accessory dwelling units, tiny homes and barnaminiums that we put on a moratorum because we had no definitions for them.

So, people were coming in um and saying, "Hey, I've got three open lots. They buy three storage buildings and rent them out or live in one." There was a lot of things going on and we No, you can't. Well, but we don't have a we don't even have a ordinance that addresses it. We don't even have a definition. What is a tiny home?

Like like most cities as more and more people are finding more creative ways, accessory dwelling units, adding mother-in-law suites. Up until now, we didn't allow it, but now it's happening a lot and in some cases is very legitimate addition and it doesn't devalue properties. it provides more living space and the the state says you shall allow it. So all of this came into play when the state started saying you can't restrict people from doing certain things. Um and the other one was mobile homes. Um the state now requires every city to have at least one district where mobile homes are allowed by right. So once this is adopted, as Miss Hicks was questioning the map about a map and the different zones, we will have once this ordinance is in place and the zone zoning ordinance is in place, uh, one of the recommendations from the PNZ board and is finding an area that already has nothing but mobile homes and designating that because even that one requires them to go through a PN a PNZ specific use permit when they're in a mobile own entire neighborhood and that's a um quail trail off of 2022. Um and so finding areas designating those but then those will have to go through zone change requirements. So it's not the city doesn't go out and just kind of highlight it on a map and say this is going to be mobile home one district. We'll have to go through a zone change process where notices are sent out, public hearings on P&Z and council are held and then we're going to say this is going to be to bring us into compliance with state. You know, this is our new mobile home district. Um anyway, a lot of a lot of state regulations led to this as well as other things that are

happening pretty quickly in town and uh this addresses a lot of them to where we're not peacemilling a lot of our zone changes. I can address any of these and uh we've we've handed out the basically uh several weeks ago we handed out a red line that says everything that's going to be struck out of our ordinance, our current ordinance. And then in that red line, we added what will be added. So that gave everybody more of a detailed u review. This is a 533 page ordinance. Um, just looking through here, the only other one I didn't address is the other thing that we were we had nothing really addressing and it was happening was RV usages for if your home burned down, you have a major construction project, you had a flood, something that triggered that you pull, if you pull and have an active construction permit to rebuild your home and you have an RV to live in to where you're not staying at a hotel, you're staying there on sight tools aren't getting stolen at night and stuff like that, you can now have an RV if you have an active construction pro uh permit and while construction is going on. Um, but other than that, you we now have ordinances that restrict parking because we've had a lot of complaints over the last few years of people parking RVs in their front in the front of their or even out in the street and letting them sit there for months. So, and we didn't have a way to address that. Now, we do. This ordinance addresses it. But it's common sense to allow people to live in them if there is a a certain situation.

Okay. So technically we now have the rules that can tell you can or cannot. But we also have an appeal process where you can actually go through the planning and zone and they'll tell you specifically what it is and what it can be. So right now we have actually a systematic process for addressing it. And I have Miss Reena here who's done extensive work over the last couple years. She's

she sees words at night while she sleeps from review and other cities and state stat sheets and everything. Um our code enforcement officers here as well if there's any questions. Um we've had planning and zoning uh public hearing uh with no one speaking against any of the proposals. Um as well as tonight as you hear no one. and we've sent out notices. Um, and espec especially anything that we felt like might be, hey, this person might need to know, uh, we've reached out to them. Especially like businesses downtown where you don't we don't want them storing stuff out on the sidewalk overnight.

Um, so we haven't really received we've gotten a lot of good support. John, are there um changes or fluctuations in pricing for the permits? No. No. Okay. No permit.

Okay. Changes. I think it's I was going [clears throat] to ask on the U like on the tiny homes. Uh so on the tiny home, so about permits. So far as construction, would they need a like a new bill construction permit?

Just like a regular home. Yes, ma'am. Um homes are homes um the permit process and everything are based on the square footage. So a tiny home would be smaller permit price even but it addresses what it is a tiny home needs to be. Um it needs to meet code. It can't be a fire hazard. The wiring needs to be done correctly not for like a storage building.

Okay, but it also makes it affordable for somebody that but they have to go through a P&Z process specific use. The neighbors need to know that this is happening and can speak for or against. It still doesn't just happen by itself. Yeah.

Well, I like I said, what I like is that everybody's going to get equal treatment. You won't have to guess. If this is a tiny home here, is a tiny home there. It might be where you situated where your neighbors might have conflict, but it will be a standard procedure of what acceptable because I think everybody's getting a little confused. You get a little little bitty cample thing and call it a tiny home. Looks tiny.

It's tiny. It's own, [laughter] but I don't think it meets the specs. But I think in it in the long run, it will add a a measure of safety, too. Yes, ma'am. because fire hazards are always a consideration when you're in close proximity.

Well, I tell you that's a lot of work. We appreciate the work that is done to know that it's legal and to know that we're moving on in an organized fashion. Thank you so much. So, would any So, would anything like a square footage limitation come into that or

what constitutes? Yes, sir. There's defin in the definitions of a tiny home there's square footage Um there's um a pertinances or u what is it called? On the tiny homes um that has to have at least five identifiable apartments. You have to have at least a couple windows, a gable.

Yeah. It can't be just, you know, a box, right? A cargo. Yeah. Yeah. We're making preparation for all five of those children. And it doesn't it can't go in just any pre in any uh in any district in any zone.

Okay. There's also restriction. You it's not allowed in our in all of our R2 subdivisions. I actually went through and and and I found the the map the colored map and tried on our website. Yeah. Yeah. Tried to put everything together according to what y'all had here, but I couldn't. After this is done, I'm recommending I've actually spoke with the city manager. We we want to get some pricing, speak with some engineers that can do and update that that zoning map is 2006.

So, we want to update it with this in mind also. Okay. Because we have a lot of people that are living everywhere right now. So, this it is going to alter where some people are living and how they're living. Um, mayor and council, I move that we make a motion to approve agenda item number six. Second.

Okay, it's been moved and second. All in favor? Motion car. Okay, that brings us to item number seven. Consider and approve a resolution calling for the regular election of council members in precincts 3, four, and five in and for the city of Crockett, Texas. Mayor and council. This is basically the resolution calling for the election um and to be May 2nd, 2026 from 7:00 a.m. to 700 p.m. for elections city council precincts 3, 4, and 5.

I make a motion we approve. I see. Has been moved and second. All in favor? Motion carries. That brings us to item number eight. Consider and approve election service contract with Houston County.

I know we've spoken of this in the past. Yes, ma'am. For cost purposes. Mayor and council. This is basically the joint election agreement using the county to provide our election services for the election we just approved in the resolution. You can see the contract. It's in your packet. And if you go to appendix F, you will see the the cost to the city there at the bottom. And it'll be the normal polling places with early voting at the senior citizens building as is normal.

Whoops. And it hasn't varied from my last election. No, sir. Okay. Well, I was I was going to ask you actually actually see that uh the polling location has changed um that it was the previous polling location for precinct 3 was held at the Crockett High School. So I was just asking how did

that that's probably that's probably a change between the school and the county election there because that is a countywide election. because Ah, the high school doesn't have internet. All right. Thank you.

That makes a difference. Okay. Any other questions, concerns? Motion that we uh move to consider, I mean move to approve election services contracted with Houston County.

I see. Okay, it's been moved and second. All in favor? Motion carries. Uh item number nine, consider and approve a resolution of the city council of the city of Crockett, Texas, authorizing the submission of a community development block grant disaster recovery application to the Texas general land office and authorizing the mayor and the city manager to act as the city's executive officers and authorize representatives in all matters pertaining to the city's participation in the community development block grant disaster recovery program.

Mayor and council, this is just the general resolution you'll see in your packet. And this is the absolute initial phase of this process for one, we need your approval to even apply. And so, and what the purpose of it is, it's for up to $5 million. And the project in mind is rehabbing and fixing Town Creek and the drainage through there. That's what the if we are funded that's what it will work on. And so this is just the initial resolution that we'll even apply after this.

Okay. So that location which what part of the location? So depending on how much we can afford, it may be any or all depending on what after you get engineering and bids and whatever else. So yeah, where does where does town creek actually start again?

Oh my. You have a map starts at the railroad at the railroad museum. Yes, that's the first part of it and it goes down along Kevin railroad track. It goes behind it and goes all the way over west Houston and then Spring Creek comes in ties big.

So what creek is that right there at MK crossing that? What is that? That's that's not a designated creek, but it's part of it's a tributary to town, I believe, but it's not a designated creek. It's kind of a a drainage system.

So, it does not tie it ties into Town Creek. Town branch. So, so that's a different town creek and town branches. I said creek, but meaning Okay.

Yeah. But with that being a tributary though, if if if if we did work on town branch, that would also alleviate some flooding there as well. Absolutely. So, uh so basically right there in the area where this uh where one of the residents house is getting flooded. We're going to be able to take care of that.

It could it could address that very much. So, okay. Because it's a divert. Yes. Yeah. And so, we can do an assessment public hearing however council wants to do. Like I said, this is just the first initial step to even be able to apply to move forward.

I make a motion that we approve. Let me ask you this real quick. We're still in. Okay. Well, actually, we should have had a motion before we started discussion. I'll make a motion that we approve. I second it. Okay. It's been moved and second that we approve the resolution to apply.

Okay. And in favor? Okay. Okay. Um my question is Okay. So the Okay. So 5 million. So what's the 250,000? That's the match. It's a 5% match. Oh, okay. It's a 5% match.

Okay. Uh, it's been moved in second. Uh, all in favor? Motion carries. Okay. I got to get work on that. I forgot you open it up, then you go to the question. We're getting there. getting organized. Okay. Uh that brings us up to item 10, our executive session. At this time, um we just pretty much stay here.

Yes, ma'am. We'll stay here and we'll let y'all go out and fellowship for a minute or two. Yeah. Why? Okay. A minute or two. Yeah, that sounds good.

Here you go. I give it to you now. I try to give it away while ago to give it to me. I hope that helps, baby.