Jun 25, 2024 Regular Meetings

[00:00:02]

[1. CALL TO ORDER AND ROLL CALL OF MEMBERS ]

CALL OF MEMBERS.

ANDY MANN.

HERE.

TOMMY CONES? HERE.

TOM CRUISE.

HERE.

COURTNEY CHADWELL.

HERE.

JUSTIN HICKS.

HERE.

CHAD TRESSLER.

YOU HERE? SEAN SAUNDERS HERE.

THANK YOU.

I'D LIKE TO INTRODUCE PASTOR ZACH ASHLEY WITH BAY AREA CHURCH TO BE OUR INVOCATION SPEAKER THIS EVENING.

LET'S PRAY TOGETHER.

FATHER, WE COME TO YOU TONIGHT AND WE BEGIN, UH, JUST WITH THANKS AND GRATITUDE.

GOD, WE PRAISE YOU BECAUSE YOU ARE THE CREATOR AND SUSTAINER OF ALL THINGS, GOD.

YOU'RE RIGHT.

GREAT.

AND YOU'RE MIGHTY OVERALL.

AND GOD, WE THANK YOU THAT WE CAN KNOW YOU GOD, AND WE CAN BE KNOWN BY YOU.

AND TONIGHT, GOD, WE THANK YOU FOR THE MANY BLESSINGS THAT WE ALL EXPERIENCE.

GOD, WE THANK YOU FOR THIS CITY.

WE THANK YOU FOR THIS COUNCIL.

WE THANK YOU FOR THE STAFF PRESIDENT AND THOSE THEY REPRESENT.

GOD.

WE THANK YOU FOR THEIR WORK, GOD, THEIR DEDICATION, AND GOD THEIR SERVICE.

AND GOD, TONIGHT WE PRAY FOR THIS TIME, FOR THIS MEETING.

GOD, WE ASK THAT IN ALL YOUR PERFECT WISDOM, GOD, YOU WOULD GRANT WISDOM, DISCERNMENT, AND GUIDANCE, GOD TO ALL MAKING DECISIONS TONIGHT.

GOD, WE PRAY THAT YOU WOULD HELP THEM TO LEAD AND SERVE WELL FOR THE GOOD OF PEOPLE IN OUR COMMUNITY, UH, GOD IN THIS CITY.

AND GOD, WE ASK ALL THIS IN JESUS' NAME.

AMEN.

AMEN.

WHAT LEADS US TO THE AMERICAN FLAG, TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND INTO THE REPUBLIC STANDS ONE NATION UNDER GOD, AN INDIVISIBLE WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL THE TEXAS FLAG ON OUR TEXAS FLAG.

I ALLEGED ALLEG TO LEAD TEXAS, ONE STATE UNDER GOD.

ONE AN INDIVISIBLE MR.

[3. APPROVAL OF MINUTES]

COUNCIL MEETING.

ARE THERE ANY CORRECTIONS? IF NOT THESE MEETINGS STAND THESE MINUTES.

STAND APPROVED.

UH,

[Additional Item]

THE FIREWORKS DISPLAY IS ON, UH, JULY 3RD AT THE SPORTSPLEX AGAIN THIS YEAR FROM SIX TO 10.

FIREWORKS WILL GO OFF AT NINE, SO HOPE TO SEE EVERYBODY THERE FOR THAT ONE.

[5. PUBLIC COMMENTS BEFORE CITY COUNCIL]

ALL RIGHT.

GOOD EVENING.

UH, WE'LL START OUT VERY QUICKLY JUST TO THANK THE COUNCIL FOR TAKING THE TIME TO DEVELOP THE PROPOSED REGULATIONS ON THE, UH, THE BEST SYSTEMS. UM, THERE'S NO SUCH THING, I THINK AS, AS PERFECT SAFETY.

THERE'S NO SUCH THING AS ZERO RISK.

AND I THINK THAT THE TIME TAKEN BY THE CITY COUNCIL TO PUT, DEVELOP, PUT TOGETHER SOME, UH, REQUIREMENTS FOR THESE SYSTEMS, UH, GOES A LONG WAY TO HELP MAKE THINGS PREDICTABLE FOR THOSE COMPANIES, AND ALSO PROVIDES A STANDARD OF SAFETY FOR THE, THE CITY RESIDENTS WHO, UH, WHO LIVE HERE.

UM, I THEN ALSO WANNA APOLOGIZE A LITTLE BIT FOR MY OUTBURST.

UH, AT THE LAST MEETING, UH, UH, IT TAKES A LOT TO GET ME RILED UP, AND I WAS PRETTY MUCH STUNNED BY, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER TOMMY COHEN'S DECISION TO USE HIS TIME AT THE DAIS TO PUBLICLY CALL OUT A MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC, AND, UH, BASICALLY SAY THAT HE WAS A LIAR, UM, TO QUOTE FOR THAT PERSON TO COME UP HERE AND SPEAK AT THE PODIUM AND SAY THAT HE SHOULD STICK TO THEIR ZONING.

I THINK THAT IS LYING TO THIS COUNCIL AND LYING TO THE PUBLIC OUT HERE.

AT THE LAST MEETING, I WAS THE ONLY PERSON WHO, UH, BESIDES THE DEVELOPER WHO SPOKE ON THE PROPOSED REZONING.

SO IT'S CLEAR TO ME THAT MR. CONES WAS SPEAKING ABOUT ME DURING MY COMMENTS.

I STATED THAT THE PROPERTY OWNER SHOULD, UH, SHOULD NOT COME TO COUNCIL TO REZONE THEIR PROPERTY AFTER PURCHASING IT UNDER A CERTAIN ZONE.

I THANK CITY STAFF FOR EDUCATING US THAT THE PROPERTY WAS ORIGINALLY ZONED SUBURBAN DEVELOPMENT DISTRICT.

THEY THEN CLARIFIED ALSO THAT, THAT WHEN THE CITY REZONED THE PROPERTY TO COMMERCIAL, THE OWNER HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO PREVENT THAT REZONING, AND THEY FAILED TO DO SO AT THAT TIME.

UH, ALTHOUGH THE STATEMENT THAT I MADE WAS NOT ENTIRELY ACCURATE, THE OVERALL MESSAGE REMAINS, THE DEVELOPER HAD CHANCES TO PREVENT REZONING TO COMMERCIAL AND FAILED TO DO SO.

NOW, THEY CAME TO COUNCIL AND ASKED FOR A CHANGE.

WHY IS THAT THE CITY'S PROBLEM? THAT'S NOT A LIE.

I APOLOGIZE THAT WHAT I SAID MAY NOT HAVE BEEN A HUNDRED PERCENT ACCURATE, BUT A LACK OF ACCURACY DOES NOT MAKE A LIE.

LYING REQUIRES INTENT TO DECEIVE.

FOR EXAMPLE, SOME MIGHT SAY THAT MR. CONES IN FILING HIS 2022 PERSONAL FINANCIAL DECLARATION, LIED WHEN HE FAILED TO DISCLOSE HIS OWNERSHIP AND REAL PROPERTY.

SOME PEOPLE MIGHT ACTUALLY CLAIM THAT HE COMMITTED PERJURY.

AS THIS IS A DOCUMENT FILED UNDER OATH.

I'M NOT GONNA SAY THAT YOU DID EITHER OF THOSE THINGS.

I THINK MOST LIKELY YOU MADE A MISTAKE, YOU DIDN'T UNDERSTAND THE INSTRUCTIONS, BUT THAT'S PRETTY MUCH THE DIFFERENCE

[00:05:01]

SO IN CLOSING, MR. CONES, YOU'RE A BULLY.

YOU EPITOMIZE WHAT IS WRONG WITH LOCAL GOVERNMENT HERE IN LEAGUE CITY? EPITOMIZE, IT'S A BIG WORD FOR YOU.

I KNOW.

I LOOK FORWARD TO YOUR CHALLENGER IN 2026.

AFTER RAYNET, IT WILL BE JOANNE DAUGHTRY.

MY NAME IS ETTE TINGLE, AND I'M REALLY SHORT.

SO I WOULD ENCOURAGE COUNCIL TO NEXT TIME HAVE SOMETHING FOR US CHALLENGED PEOPLE TO STEP ON THAT WOULD BE APPRECIATED.

UM, THE REASON I'M HERE TODAY IS THAT ON JULY 4TH, THE CITY IS DOING SOMETHING THAT'S AMAZING.

THEY ARE GONNA HAVE A, AN APPRECIATION EVENT FOR CITIZENS AND RESIDENTS.

AND THAT'S A GOOD THING.

I I DO APPLAUD THAT.

UM, IF YOU HAVE WANTED TO SUPPORT THE LIBRARY IN THE PAST AND HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO, WE WILL BE HAVING A BOOK SALE WHERE YOU CAN PURCHASE A BAG AND FILL IT UP WITH BOOKS.

YOU'LL BE HELPING THE LIBRARY.

AND WHEN YOU HELP THE LIBRARY, YOU ALSO HELP THE CITY.

SO IF THERE'S NOTHING ELSE THAT YOU CAN DO, COME OUT AND SPEND SOME MONEY AND DO THAT.

YOU WILL BE HELPING ALL OF US.

AND AS CONTENTIOUS AS SO MANY THINGS HAVE BEEN LATELY BETWEEN THE LIBRARY AND THE CITY COUNCIL AND THE CITY, THIS IS A GOOD THING.

THANK YOU.

IT'S JOANNE DAURY, AND THEN GREG VINEO HERE.

THE PICTURES OF LAKE CITY.

I DUNNO IF Y'ALL OF THE TREES.

I'M SURE Y'ALL SEEN ALL.

UM, I'M HERE, UH, REGARDING THE, UH, CITY ORDINANCE, UH, FOR TREE MAINTENANCE OF THE, UH, ORDINANCE 1 25 DASH SEVEN, UH, 0.9 AND 7.94, AND ABOUT THE TREES HANGING INTO THE STREET.

LAST SEPTEMBER, WE GOT A NOTICE SAYING THAT, UH, OUR TREE FROM THE CITY OR WHOEVER, UH, THAT OUR TREES WERE IN, UH, NOT IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE 15 FEET ABOVE.

SO WE TOOK CARE OF IT.

WE CONTACTED SOMEONE.

UM, I'VE BEEN IN THE MEDICAL FIELD MYSELF FOR MANY YEARS, AND, UM, ANYHOW, AND I BELIEVE THAT IF I HAVE AN EMERGENCY, I WANNA HAVE AN AMBULANCE COME OUT, A FIRE TRUCK, COME OUT AND BE ABLE TO GET THROUGH THE STREETS, UH, IN ORDER TO TAKE CARE OF, OF THEIR BUSINESS.

UM, THEN WE GOT ANOTHER LETTER ABOUT A WEEK AGO, OR, UH, 10 DAYS AGO MAYBE.

ANYHOW, UM, WHEN WE GOT THAT LETTER, LIKE TWO DAYS BEFORE THAT, WE ALSO HAD TRIMMED OUR TREES, UH, AGAIN.

AND, UH, UH, SO ON THE LETTER IT SAID, IF IT'S, ARE YOU ALREADY IN COMPLIANCE? CALL THIS NUMBER.

THEY'LL COME OUT AND CHECK.

SO WE HAD A, UH, UH, MARY HAD COME OUT AND PUT THE POLE UP, AND OF COURSE, WE WERE, UH, AT 14 FEET, NOT AT, UM, AT 15 FEET.

AND THAT'S OKAY.

I'M, I MEAN, I'M NOT COMPLAINING ABOUT THE ORDINANCE.

I THINK IT'S A GREAT THING.

THAT'S WHY I'M HERE TODAY.

THAT, ANYHOW, WE MOVED HERE IN LEAGUE CITY IN, UH, 1981, AND WE WERE HERE FOR ABOUT 10 OR 11 YEARS, MOVED AWAY, AND WE'VE BEEN BACK FOR ANOTHER 12 YEARS.

AND IN 19, UH, 1981, THERE WAS ONLY, I THINK IT'S 1600 HOUSEHOLDS IN LEAGUE CITY AT THAT TIME.

AND NOW THERE'S WHAT, LIKE 41,000 HOUSE, 16,000 HOUSEHOLDS, AND NOW THERE'S 41,000.

ANYWAY, WITHIN THAT TIME, LEAGUE CITY HAS EVERY HOME THAT HAS BEEN BUILT IN BETWEEN ALL THIS TIME THERE'S BEEN A, AN OAK TREE PLANTED IN THE YARD, AND IN SOME CASES THERE'S TWO OAK TREES PLANTED IN THE YARD.

AND IT'S GOTTEN TO THE POINT I WENT DOWN.

MY HUSBAND AND I WENT AROUND AND LOOKED AT ALL OF THE SUBDIVISIONS, THE OLD SUBDIVISIONS IN A FEW OF THE NEW SUBDIVISIONS.

THE TREES ARE ALL JUST ABOUT IN VIOLATIONS.

THERE'S VERY FEW SUBDIVISIONS THAT, UH, ARE NOT IN COMPLIANCE.

AND, UM, IT REALLY WORRIES ME ON MY PICTURES HERE THAT I TOOK, UH, OLD LEAGUE CITY OBVIOUSLY IS THE WORST.

HOWEVER, AT THE TIME THAT THOSE TREES WERE BEING BUILT, UM, OR NOT BUILT, BUT GROWING, UH, PEOPLE DID, WASN'T AWARE OF THE,

[00:10:01]

UH, PEOPLE WERE GO, WERE NOT, UH, AWARE OF WHAT THE SITUATION WAS GONNA BE LIKE TODAY, NOW THAT THESE TREES ARE GETTING TO THE POINT TO WHERE THEY'RE SO, UH, CANOPY OVER EACH OTHER, ACROSS THE STREETS.

UH, AND, AND IT'S QUITE A, A DANGEROUS THING.

SO ANYHOW, I HAVE A PROPOSAL FOR THE CITY, UH, TO HELP US OUT, UH, WITH THIS ORDINANCE.

UH, I THINK NUMBER ONE, BECAUSE THIS IS A REAL ISSUE AND IT'S GONNA GET A WORSE ISSUE BECAUSE THE TREES ARE AT THE POINT NOW, UH, THAT THEY'RE GONNA START GROWING EVEN MORE.

UH, ANY TREE OAK TREES, GENERALLY THE, THE HIGH POINT OF THE OAK TREE IS OF GROWTH IS BETWEEN 10 AND 15 YEARS.

AND AFTER THAT, IT GROW, GROWS SLOWER.

BUT YOU DO HAVE, UH, OTHER GROWTH SPURTS WITH IT.

AND SO ONCE YOU START DOING THAT, WHEN WE, WHEN MARY CAME OUT TO SEE US AND WE ASK, WELL, HOW, HOW, YOU KNOW, WE THOUGHT THIS WAS FROM THE SUBDIVISION SENDING OUT.

AND SHE SAID, NO, IT'S, WE ONLY, WE ONLY CONTACT PEOPLE OR SEND A LETTER WHEN WE HAVE, UH, A COMPLAINT.

AND SO WE'RE LIKE, WELL, HOW MANY DID YOU SEND OUT? SHE SENT OUT 80.

WELL, WE HAVE 400, UH, 41,000 HOMES IN LEAGUE CITY AND PROBABLY 39, YOU KNOW, THOUSAND OF THOSE HOMES HAVE LEAK, YOU KNOW, BIG OAK TREES.

WELL, ANYWAY, UH, THAT'S IN, IN ORDER FOR THIS TO REALLY ACCOMPLISH WHAT IT NEEDS TO BE ACCOMPLISHED IN LEAGUE CITY, UH, TO ACTUALLY BETTER, UH, ABIDE BY THE ORDINANCE, UM, WE NEED TO IT, YOU KNOW, CITYWIDE NOT 80, WHICH BY THE WAY, WHEN WE GOT THE LETTER, THIS LAST LETTER, IT HAD SEVEN PAGES IN IT.

UH, THE POSTAGE WAS 90 CENTS FOR OUR LETTER.

SO OUT OF THOSE EIGHTIES, THAT $72 OUT OF MY TAX PAYING MONEY THAT WAS SENT, AND THAT WAS JUST TO ME, A WASTE.

IT COULD BE DONE A LOT BETTER.

SO I HAVE A PROPOSAL, I DON'T REMEMBER WHAT THE NAME OF IT IS, BUT THE LEAGUE CITY NEWSPAPER THAT COMES OUT THAT Y'ALL TELL US EVERYTHING THAT'S HAPPENING OR GOING, OR WHATEVER IN THE CITY.

PUT FRONT PAGE ARTICLE ABOUT, THERE'S A PROBLEM WITH THE LEAGUE CITY OAK TREES.

UH, SECONDLY TO, UH, SEND THE LETTERS TO THE SUBDIVISIONS GOVERNING BODIES AND, AND HAVE THEM, THERE ARE, THERE ARE LEADERS IN OUR SUBDIVISION.

THEY CAN SEND OUT THE LETTERS THEMSELVES TO US.

YOU KNOW, WE DON'T NEED TO SEND CITY MONEY OUT.

THEY CAN CONTACT US, AND THEN THEY HAVE TO POLICE WHAT THEY HAVE SENT TO THEIR EACH SUBDIVISION.

THIRDLY, I THINK, UM, AND THEN THEY, THE EVERY YEAR, IF THEY SEND THEM THE GOVERNING BODIES, UH, NOTICE, UH, EVERY YEAR, THEN TO THE, TO MAKE SURE THEY GET IT OUT TO THE HOMEOWNERS, AND THAT WE ARE IN ORDINANCE.

UM, FOUR, UH, HAVE THE CITY ARBORIST, WHICH WHEN I READ THROUGH THE, UM, ORDINANCE, THERE IS AN ARBORIST IN LEAGUE CITY, BUT THERE'S ONLY ONE.

SHE CAN'T GO TO EVERYBODY'S HOUSE.

SO HAVE HER AT LEAGUE CITY SOMEWHERE IN OUR, YOU KNOW, FACILITY HERE AND HAVE HER, UH, HAVE SEVERAL MEETINGS WHERE SHE CAN EXPLAIN WHERE YOU CAN CUT THE, THE TREES AT, WHERE THEY'RE NOT GONNA DIE.

THERE'S A LOT OF GORGEOUS OAK TREES OUT THERE, BUT THEY ARE IN, IN COMPLIANCE AND NOT IN COMPLIANCE.

AND THEN, UM, FIFTH, I WOULD SAY, DESIGNATE SEVERAL DATES, UH, FOR HOMEOWNERS TO HAVE THEIR, ALL OF THEIR TREES CUT, HAVE THE CITY COME PICK 'EM UP, AND THEN, UH, SELECT A, A SITE SOMEWHERE IN LEAGUE CITY TO POSSIBLY PUT ALL OF THE OAK BRANCHES OR WHATEVER, HIRE A MULCHER AND MULCH IT.

AND YOU'RE GIVING FREE MULCH TO PEOPLE, TO RESIDENTS OF LEAGUE CITY.

AND THAT WOULD PRETTY MUCH SOLVE A LOT OF THE PROBLEM.

BUT IF WE DON'T TAKE ACTION PRETTY SOON, WE'RE GONNA HAVE PROBLEMS. UH, WHEN I WAS GOING THROUGH OLD LEAGUE CITY, I NOTICED, I'M SORRY, WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO CATCH UP.

I'M SORRY, BUT THANK YOU.

AND WE WILL HAVE THE ARBORISTS GET WITH COMMUNICATIONS AND SEE HOW WE CAN PUT TOGETHER A MORE COHESIVE PROGRAM WITH EVERYBODY.

ALL THANK YOU, GREG TREVINO.

UH, JUST A COUPLE OF THINGS.

UH, ONE, I'M AGAINST THE BATTERY PLACE.

[00:15:02]

AND Y'ALL HAVE HEARD IT SEVERAL TIMES.

I'M SURE WE TOLD THE PLANNING BOARD TWICE 'CAUSE WE ONLY KNEW ABOUT TWO OF THEIR MEETINGS.

SO, AND THEY VOTED IT DOWN TWICE, THEN I HEARD ALL OF A SUDDEN UNANIMOUS, IT'S IN.

IT'S JUST A LITTLE FISHY.

THAT'S ALL I'M SAYING.

SO I'M AGAINST IT.

AND THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE AGAINST IT.

AND IT'S NOT THE BATTERIES, IT'S THE LOCATION.

I JUST WANT Y'ALL TO KNOW THAT.

THE OTHER THING IS THIS.

I JUST NOTICE THIS, UH, FEDERAL ASSET FORFEITURE AND EQUITABLE SHARING PROGRAM.

YOU NEED TO WATCH THIS VERY CLOSELY.

THIS CAN BE VERY CORRUPTIBLE.

CHUCK DE FAL, OH, SORRY, UH, SHANNON NUN, SHARON NUN, AND THEN CHUCK, YOU'RE NEXT.

SHARON NEWSY LEAGUE CITY, TEXAS.

JUST A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS ABOUT THE, UH, INFORMATION ON THE AGENDA TONIGHT ABOUT THE BEST HEARING.

MY HUSBAND AND I HAD BOTH SIGNED UP TO BE NOTIFIED ANYTIME THERE WAS GONNA BE A PUBLIC HEARING INVOLVING, UM, ANYTHING INVOLVING ANY PORTION OF THE BEST PROGRAM.

WE DID NOT RECEIVE ANY SORT OF MAILING OR EMAIL OR ANYTHING.

AND I WAS QUITE SURPRISED TO LEARN LATE THIS AFTERNOON THAT IT WAS ON THE AGENDA.

IS THAT STANDARD PRACTICE THAT IT WOULD BE DONE THAT WAY WITHOUT LETTING THE PUBLIC KNOW WAS IT POSTED SOMEWHERE THAT WE MISSED? THIS IS A PUBLIC HEARING ON THE ORDINANCE, NOT A PUBLIC HEARING ON THE ACTUAL FACILITY, BUT IT IS STILL A VERY KEY ISSUE WITH INVOLVING LAYING PROPER STRUCTURE FOR SAFETY FOR THE CITIZENS OF LAKE CITY.

AND WE FEEL WE WERE OVERLOOKED, AND I'M SURE OTHERS FEEL THE SAME WAY, UM, FOR GIVING OUR OPINION TONIGHT.

THANK YOU CHUCK FALCO, MAYOR, COUNCIL AUDIENCE.

UM, I'D LIKE TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE, UH, REZONING YOU DID, UH, LAST MEETING ON JUNE 11TH.

LONG STORY SHORT, IT'S A CURRENTLY, WELL, IT WAS A COMMERCIAL AREA, REZONED TO RESIDENTIAL, UM, RIGHT ACROSS FROM, UH, THE FOOTBALL STADIUM, WHICH IS THE ONE THAT'S RIGHT NEXT TO, UM, CHALLENGER PARK.

UM, FIRST OF ALL, JUST, JUST LET ME SAY I'M, I'M DIFFERENT FROM A LOT OF PEOPLE HERE IN LEAGUE CITY.

I'M NOT WOUND UP ABOUT GETTING MORE COMMERCIAL, AND PARTICULARLY WITH INCENTIVES, BUT EVEN WITHOUT INCENTIVES, I'M NOT REAL WOUND UP.

RESIDENTIAL IS FINE WITH ME.

IF THE ENTIRE REST OF LEAGUE CITY IS BUILT OUT RESIDENTIAL, IT WOULDN'T BOTHER ME ONE BIT.

WE CAN DEAL WITH THE FINANCES AS WE GO.

THAT'S ANOTHER TOPIC.

UM, IT WAS KIND OF INTERESTING IN THAT THERE WAS NO RIGHT ANSWER TO THIS PARTICULAR ISSUE AS EVIDENCED BY THE TWO SPLIT FOUR, FOUR VOTES.

ONE ON PLANNING AND ZONING, AND ONE ON CITY COUNCIL A COUPLE OF MONTHS AGO.

UM, IT WAS PASSED LAST TIME AROUND BECAUSE THE DEVELOPER CAME BACK WITH A BETTER PLAN.

UM, NICER HOUSES, SOUND WALL, AND, AND THAT'S, THAT'S ALL GOOD STUFF.

ANOTHER GOOD THING THAT CAME OUTTA THE MEETING WAS THAT Y'ALL HAVE A FAIRLY GOOD HANDLE ON WHAT HOUSE PRICE, NEW HOUSE PRICE IT TAKES TO SUPPORT ITSELF, PAY ITS OWN WAY IN LEAGUE CITY.

UM, 'CAUSE WITH EACH HOUSE COMES A COST IN CITY SERVICES.

AND I REMEMBER 15 YEARS AGO WE WERE TALKING ABOUT THIS.

IT WAS TWO TO 200 TO TWO 20 5K IN THAT RANGE.

AND NOW WE'RE TALKING 400 TO FOUR 50.

THAT SEEMS ABOUT RIGHT.

THE BAD THING, THAT'S WHY I WANT TO EMPHASIZE RIGHT NOW IS THAT Y'ALL REZONED IT STRAIGHT FROM A COMMERCIAL ZONE TO RSF RESIDENTIAL SINGLE FAMILY WITH NO PUD NO PLAN UNIT DEVELOPMENT, NO PLAN, JUST THE DEFAULT SUBDIVISION PLAN.

AND THE UPSHOT OF OF THAT IS THAT ALL THE PROMISES THAT THE DEVELOPER MADE ABOUT NICER HOUSES, UM, SOUND WALL, UM, NONE OF THAT IS, IS LEGALLY BINDING.

NOW THERE'S JUST PROMISES.

AND I'VE BEEN AROUND THAT BLOCK BEFORE ON A MUD BOARD.

OTHER SITUATIONS, I, I, I WANT IT, WE SHOULD HAVE HAD IT CONTR, CONTRACTUALLY OBLIGATED THROUGH A PUD.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU ZOR.

[00:20:04]

MR. MAYOR, I'M LOOKING FOR TWO WORDS FROM YOU.

WHEN I REACH MY THREE MINUTES, I'D LIKE TO HEAR, KEEP GOING.

SO, YOU KNOW, JUST A REQUEST IN CASE THAT WOULD WORK.

YOU'RE SO GOOD AT HITTING RIGHT ON THE THREE MINUTES.

I WOULD NEVER ASK.

I'M TELLING YOU.

WELL, I'M NOT SURE ABOUT THIS TIME 'CAUSE I'VE TAKEN 30 SECONDS TO TALK TO YOU.

UM, I'D LIKE TO TALK ABOUT TWO AGENDA ITEMS. UH, NUMBER ONE IS SIX B, AND THEN THE OTHER ONE WILL BE, UH, COMMENTS ABOUT THE BEST ORDINANCE.

AND I WILL ALSO SPEAK AT THE PUBLIC HEARING.

UH, FOR SIX B, UH, THERE IS A REQUEST FROM OUR LIBRARY FOR, UM, APPROVAL FOR AN APPLICATION GRANT FOR INTER-LIBRARY LENDING.

UH, LOAN LENDING REQUIRE, UH, REIMBURSEMENT.

AND I COULD NEVER SAY THAT, THAT IF I HAD TWO GLASSES OF WINE, BUT OBVIOUSLY I CAN'T EVEN SAY IT WITH NO GLASS OF WINE.

UM, THIS IS, THIS IS SO, UM, IMPORTANT FOR US TO UNDERSTAND.

OUR LIBRARY STAFF IS SO CREATIVE IN THE WAY THEY WORK AROUND THE CHALLENGES WE HAVE, SUCH THAT WE CAN MEET THE NEEDS OF ALL OF OUR PATRONS.

THIS GRANT IS AVAILABLE THERE, THERE ARE NO MATCHING FUNDS FROM THE CITY.

THIS WILL, I THINK, GIVE THE MESSAGE TO OUR STAFF HOW MUCH WE APPRECIATE WHAT THEY DO ON A DAILY BASIS TO SERVE OUR PATRONS.

AND WE, WE LOOK AT WHAT THE LIBRARY DOES.

NUMBER ONE, IT PROMOTES FAMILY ACTIVITIES.

NUMBER TWO, AND AS IMPORTANT, IT PROMOTES THE IMPORTANCE OF LITERACY.

AND FROM A COMMUNITY LIKE OURS, AS WE GROW, I THINK THAT IS THE MESSAGE WE ALL OUGHT TO CONTINUE TO COMMUNICATE TO, TO EVERYONE.

UH, REGARDING THE VEST ORDINANCE, I ATTENDED PNZ AND I THOUGHT THE BACKGROUND INFORMATION THAT WAS PROVIDED, UH, TO THE CITIZENS, UH, PER THE POSTING, UH, WAS OUTSTANDING.

AND TO SEE WHAT THE STAFF HAS INCORPORATED IN THE ORDINANCE TO ADDRESS WHAT HAVE BEEN LONGSTANDING CONCERNS FROM OUR CITIZENS.

WE'VE COME A LONG WAY AND, AND I COMPLIMENT OUR STAFF ENORMOUSLY.

THE CONVERSATION AT PNZ, UH, WAS VERY DIFFERENT THAN ANY CONVERSATIONS WE'VE HAD EARLIER REGARDING BESS.

AND I THINK THAT IS, UH, DUE TO THE IN DEPTH DEALINGS WITH ISSUES OF THE CITIZENS, UH, BY OUR STAFF.

SO THE THE ONE THING I WOULD LIKE TO ASK YOU, I WILL SUPPORT THE ORDINANCE, BUT THE ONE THING I'D LIKE TO ASK YOU IS FOR THE APPLICATIONS THAT ARE IN THE PROCESS, THERE IS THE OPPORTUNITY FOR CITY COUNCIL TO GRANT A VARIANCE IF, IF, UH, IF THE ORDINANCE IS APPROVED TONIGHT AS A CITIZEN.

AND I HOPE THE REST OF YOU AGREE WITH ME.

I STRONGLY ENCOURAGE YOU.

HOWEVER, OUR ORDINANCE SHAKES OUT.

WHEN THE APPLICATIONS COME FORWARD, EVERYBODY SHOULD ABIDE BY THE ORDINANCE.

SO PLEASE KEEP THAT IN MIND, NO VARIANCES FOR ANYBODY UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES.

PERFECT.

MAYOR, I DIDN'T LET YOU DOWN.

I KNOW, THAT WAS GREAT.

[6. CONSENT AGENDA]

SECOND.

SECOND.

ALL RIGHT.

PLEASE VOTE ALL , I ROLLED IT.

QUICK.

MOTION PASSES.

EIGHT FOUR.

NONE AGAINST

[7A. 24-0314 Hold a public hearing on an amendment to Chapter 125 of the Code of Ordinances of the City of League City entitled, "Unified Development Code", creating regulations related to Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) (Director of Planning)]

A PUBLIC HEARING.

HOLD A PUBLIC HEARING ON AN AMENDMENT TO CHAPTER 1 25 OF THE CODE ORDINANCES OF THE CITY OF LEAGUE CITY ENTITLED, UNIFIED DEVELOPMENT CODE CREATING REGULATIONS RELATED TO BATTERY EN ENERGY STORAGE SYSTEMS, OR BASS HEARING STARTS AT 6 24.

UH, MS. LAURA, OH, YOU ALREADY GOT ONE? OKAY, FANTASTIC.

MY NAME IS LAURA TEITSWORTH.

I RESIDE AT FIVE 17 SMALL CEDAR DRIVE.

IF PEGGY GETS, UH, KEEP GOING, I WANT IT TOO.

SHE HIT HER TIME.

EXACTLY.

OH, PERFECT.

, WE'RE DOING A GREAT JOB WITH WORKING THROUGH THIS ORDINANCE.

UM, BUT THERE ARE JUST A FEW LITTLE PIECES THAT I WOULD LIKE TO TALK ABOUT.

BEFORE I GO INTO THAT THOUGH.

I WANNA SAY THAT THE PURPOSE OF THIS HEARING IS TO TALK ABOUT THE ORDINANCE, NOT, UH, DECIDING WHETHER OR NOT WHICH COMPANY GOES, UH, AND, AND GETS PASSED THROUGH.

BUT JUST THE ORDINANCE ALONE, WE HAVE TO HAVE OUR MINIMUM STANDARDS SET BEFORE WE CAN AGREE ON THESE LITHIUM BATTERY STORAGE FACILITIES.

UH, IF YOU LOOK AT ITEM FOUR, THE PLUME LINE ITEM IS A MAY, WHICH CARRIES NO OBLIGATION LIKE THE WORD SHALL,

[00:25:02]

I AM RESPECTFULLY REQUESTING THAT YOU CHANGE THAT WORD FROM MAY TO SHALL.

ALSO, THE NEAREST SETBACK DISTANCE I FOUND ANYWHERE IN THE COUNTRY IS FROM, UH, A KANSAS COUNTY AT 200 FEET.

AND THE PLUME MODELING SETBACK BEING A SHALL OBLIGATES AND AN INCREASED SETBACK WHEN APPROPRIATE.

SO IN MY OPINION, THREE AND FOUR SHOULD BE COMBINED WITH THE FOLLOWING.

QUOTE, SETBACK IS 200 FEET OR THE SAFE, MINIMAL DISTANCE AS REQUIRED FROM THE PLUME MODELING SLASH TESTING, WHICHEVER IS GREATER AS WRITTEN.

IN MY OPINION, A PLUME STUDY MAY SAY A HIGHER DISTANCE IS NEEDED, BUT THERE IS NO SHALL TO OBLIGATE IT TO BE INCREASED.

I ASK YOU TO JUST CHANGE JUST TWO THINGS FROM THE WORD MAY TO THE WORD SHALL AND 250 FEET FROM THE NUMBER 200.

I THINK THAT WOULD BE A GREAT IDEA FOR, UH, TO DISCUSS AND TALK ABOUT.

AND AT THIS TIME, I'D LIKE TO ASK FOR YOU TO POSTPONE ANY DECISION MAKING ON THIS ORDINANCE UNTIL IT IS A HUNDRED PERCENT RIGHT.

WE HAVE TO GET IT RIGHT THE FIRST TIME AND NOT TRY TO AMEND IT AFTER WE'VE PASSED IT.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

IT'S JOANNE DAUGHTRY AND THEN DON AND BRENDA MEADOWS.

YOU GOOD? UH, I THINK IT'S, I THINK IT'S DON AND BRENDA MEADOWS.

OKAY.

TYLER FIX OR TYLER FOX AFTER TYLER.

IT'S, UH, GARY MAYER.

OH, THAT IS AN O IT'S ALL RIGHT.

UM, I'D LIKE TO FIRST THANK FIRE CHIEF LUGO AND AMBER PETTIGO FOR ATTENDING OUR OAKS OF CLEAR CREEK ANNUAL HOMEOWNER MEETING LAST WEEK FOR GIVING OPPORTUNITY FOR RESIDENTS TO HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT THE BEST ORDINANCE AND APPLICATIONS THAT HAD COME IN WITH THE CURRENT WORDING.

SIMILAR TO LAURA'S COMMENTS, I DID A SEARCH FOR OTHER AREAS OF THE COUNTRY FOR SETBACKS THAT THEY HAD IN PLACE.

IT WAS JOHNSON COUNTY, KANSAS THAT WITH THEIR RESOLUTION, RESOLUTION, 38 DASH 22 HAD SET BACK REQUIREMENTS OF 150 FROM THE PROPERTY BOUNDARY OR THE STREET LINE FOR BEST STRUCTURES AND 250 FEET FROM ANY DWELLINGS.

A HIGHER LIMIT IN AMELIA COUNTY, VIRGINIA, FROM THEIR MUNICIPAL CODE, HAD A DEFAULT SETBACK OF 5,000 FEET REDUCIBLE TO A MINIMUM OF 1000 FEET ONLY WITH A, UH, CITY COUNCIL EQUIVALENT SPECIAL EXCEPTION.

SO THE 200 FEET AS WRITTEN, I BELIEVE, IS BELOW OTHER STANDARDS THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY.

SO I HAVE CONCERNS OVER THAT DISTANCE RESIDENTS IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD HAVE EXPRESSED CONCERN OVER THE RELATIVE LOCATION TO THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD, AND MULTIPLE FACILITIES THAT WOULD BE NEAR THERE.

SO THE LACK OF A SETBACK REQUIREMENT FROM A SCHOOL OR A PUBLIC, UH, GATHERING PLACE SUCH AS A PLACE OF WORSHIP WAS A CONCERN AMONGST RESIDENTS.

AND I ALSO ECHO THE CONCERN ON SHELL VERSUS MAY IN THE WORDING OF THE ORDINANCE, THAT IF A STUDY COMES BACK SAYING 200 IS FINE, GREAT, BUT IF A STUDY COMES BACK SAYING 501,000 MAY DOES NOT OBLIGATE THE WAY THE WORD SHALL DOES, UH, YOU KNOW, REQUIREMENT.

SO THANK YOU.

ABSOLUTELY.

UH, CAN WE GET GRAY MEYER AND THEN GREG TREVINO? YOU GUYS BOTH COME UP.

GOOD EVENING.

GRAY MEYER, 30 YEAR RESIDENT OF LEAGUE CITY.

IT IS STILL MY OPINION THAT THE BUILDING OF A LITHIUM ION BEST FACILITY SO CLOSE TO AN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL IS AT BEST OF BAD DECISION.

OKAY? UH, AT THE LEAST, EVEN A CONTROLLED FIRE IN A SINGLE LITHIUM ION BATTERY UNION COULD TAKE DAYS TO BURN ITSELF OUTTA FUEL, RESULTING IN AN EXTENDED CLOSURE OF THE SCHOOL.

THAT BEING SAID, IT APPEARS THAT THE PASSING OF THIS NEW CITY ORDINANCE IS A POSITIVE STEP FORWARD AND THE BEST THAT WE CAN

[00:30:01]

MY QUESTION NOW ALSO TURNS TO COMPLIANCE.

LAKE CITY ALREADY HAS ONE LITHIUM ION BEST FACILITY BUILT, AND I CAN UNDERSTAND THAT IF THIS FACILITY, THAT THIS FACILITY MAY BE GRANDFATHERED IN AND NOT HELD, UH, TO ADHERE TO THE ASPECTS OF THIS NEW CITY ORDINANCE, I NOW ASK ALL CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS IF IT IS THEIR UNDERSTANDING THAT ALL FUTURE LITHIUM ION BEST FACILITIES NOT YET CONSTRUCTED BE HELD TO THIS NEW CITY ORDINANCE, INCLUDING THE ONES WHO HAVE ALREADY PETITIONED THE CITY FOR A ZONING CHANGE.

WILL THERE BE ANY SPECIAL CONSIDERATION FOR THESE PETITIONERS? AND IF SO, WHAT WOULD THAT VARIANCE ENTAIL TO BE MORE SPECIFIC? WOULD THEY BE HELD TO A MINIMUM OF 1500 FEET BETWEEN TWO DIFFERENT BEST FACILITIES? IF NOT, I ASK THE INDIVIDUALS OF THE LEAGUE CITY COUNCIL TO VOTE NO TO THE PASSING OF THIS ORDINANCE AS WRITTEN.

THANK YOU.

GUESS TO, TO GREG TRIVINIA LEAVE.

UH, OKAY, PERFECT.

UH, SHARON, UH, SHARON NUN AND THEN BECKY ELDRIDGE.

IF YOU COME UP TO BECKY, TWO SPECIFIC, TWO SPECIFIC THINGS.

ONE IS ON PAGE THREE, THREE, PARAGRAPH F, EMERGENCY RESPONSE PLAN.

UM, I'M PRESUMING, DEPENDING ON THE LOCATION OF WHERE THERE MIGHT BE AN ISSUE WITH ANY OF THE BEST PLANTS THAT WOULD EVENTUALLY BE INSTALLED, THAT THERE WOULD BE A CALL FOR MUTUAL AID IF NECESSARY.

HOW, OR IS IT LISTED SOMEWHERE IN THE DOCUMENT THAT I HAVEN'T SEEN? HOW WE WOULD MAKE SURE THAT WHICHEVER CITY OR MUTUAL AID FACILITY FIREFIGHTERS, POLICE INVOLVED, UH, HAVE BEEN PROPERLY TRAINED.

AND THE OTHER PART OF THAT QUESTION IS, SINCE EACH SYSTEM FROM EACH COMPANY THAT PUTS IN A BEST, BEST SYSTEM IS DIFFERENT, I HOPE THAT SOMEWHERE IN THIS ORDINANCE YOU WOULD PUT ANOTHER CLAUSE SAYING EACH AND EVERY COMPANY MUST TRAIN THE FIREFIGHTERS SPECIFICALLY ON HOW THEIR UNITS WORK, POSSIBLE HAZARDS THAT MIGHT BE DIFFERENT FROM OTHERS, UH, SO THAT THEY ARE AWARE THAT THEY MIGHT FACE SOMETHING DIFFERENT AND HAVE IT IN WRITING IN THEIR PROCEDURES.

SECONDLY, ON PAGE THREE DASH 4G SETBACKS AND LOCATION ITEM THREE.

YOU MENTIONED A 200 FOOT FROM THE NEAREST RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY, BUT WHAT ABOUT BUSINESSES? THERE'S, I CAN'T SEE WHERE THERE'S ANY DEFINITION OF HOW CLOSE THEY CAN PUT A BEST FACILITY CLOSE TO A BUSINESS.

I WOULD LIKE THAT INCLUDED SOMEWHERE IN THIS.

THIRDLY, NUMBER SEVEN ON THE SAME PAGE, PREFERENCE WILL BE GIVEN TO SITES THAT ARE NOT ADJACENT OR WITHIN 300 FEET OF A ROADWAY, CLASSIFIED AS AN ARTERIAL OR HIGHER.

PLEASE EXPLAIN WHAT THAT IS, BECAUSE THE AVERAGE PERSON READING THIS WOULD NOT UNDERSTAND WHAT THAT MEANS, SO THAT THERE'S CLARITY AS TO HOW THIS APPLIES.

THANK YOU.

BECKY ELDRIDGE.

WHAT? IT'S BECKY.

SORRY.

OH, REALLY? YOU SIGNED UP? YOU SIGNED UP LAST ON THE PAPER, LIKE ALWAYS.

NOT LAST.

LAST.

IT'S BECKY, THEN CHUCK, THEN PEGGY, BECKY, CHUCK, PEGGY.

MY NAME IS BECKY ELDRIDGE.

I'VE LIVED IN OAKS OF CLEAR CREEK FOR ALMOST 31 YEARS, AND WHILE MY NEIGHBORS AND I APPRECIATE THE EFFORTS BEING MADE ON DRAFTING THE ORDINANCES TO RAISE THE BAR FOR BUILDING BEST UNITS IN LAKE CITY, OUR REMAINING CONCERN IS LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION.

THERE ARE TWO PROPOSALS THAT WE KNOW OF TO BUILD BEST FACILITIES ACROSS FROM THE OAKS OF CLEAR CREEK AND PAR ELEMENTARY ON HIGHWAY THREE, PEREGRINE AND CYPRESS CREEK.

WILL THESE FE WILL THESE TWO FACILITIES BE AT LEAST 1500 FEET APART, LIKE THE ORDINANCE RECOMMENDS? WILL THESE, UH, WILL THIS BE ONE OF THE SAFETY ISSUES INVESTIGATED, IS HOW CLOSE YOU CAN HAVE TWO DIFFERENT BEST UNITS? UH, IS 1500 FEET FAR ENOUGH APART FROM ANOTHER BEST UNIT TO OPERATE SAFELY? I, I REALLY PERSONALLY DON'T THINK IT'S A GOOD IDEA TO HAVE ONE BEST, UM, SO CLOSE TO A NEIGHBORHOOD AND A SCHOOL.

HOWEVER, TWO IS JUST

[00:35:01]

THESE TWO PROPOSED PROJECTS WILL BE FEEDING OFF OF ONE SUBSTATION.

HOW MANY BEST UNITS CAN SAFELY FEED OFF ONE SUBSTATION? FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND, WE HAVE SIX SUBSTATIONS IN LAKE CITY, AND I HAVE NOT HEARD A QUESTION ANSWERED YET ABOUT HOW MANY BUSES CAN WE CONNECT TO ONE SUBSTATION.

SO THAT'S ANOTHER ISSUE WE NEED TO ADDRESS BEFORE WE GET TOO DEEP INTO THIS THING.

UM, AND MY NEIGHBORS AND I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW HOW THIS WILL BE ADDRESSED BEFORE FINAL DECISIONS ARE MADE.

THANK YOU FOR LISTENING.

CHUCK.

CHUCK AND THEN PEGGY, CHUCK DE FALCO OF 2118 EASTLAND COURT.

SO I THINK MANY OF YOU, ESPECIALLY IN CITY COUNCIL AND STAFF, MIGHT FALL INTO THE TRAP OF FOCUSING IN ON THE ORDINANCE AND THE DETAILS, WHAT THE CONSULTANTS SAY, AND LEGAL ISSUES AND ALL THIS SORT OF THING.

AND YOU MIGHT DEVELOP TUNNEL VISION.

I THINK ESPECIALLY CITY COUNCIL NEED TO ASK OTHER QUESTIONS LIKE, WHAT DO PEOPLE HERE IN LEAGUE CITY WANT TO KNOW THAT DON'T HAVE EXPOSURE TO THESE ISSUES OR RESEARCH INTO THESE ISSUES? NUMBER ONE, THEY WANT TO KNOW IF THESE BATTERY ELECTRIC STORAGE FACILITIES ARE SAFE.

AND THE ANSWER TO THAT RIGHT NOW IS WE DON'T KNOW BECAUSE WE JUST HAVE DEFAULT BUILDING CODES AND WHATEVER STATE REGULATIONS THERE ARE, AND PEOPLE LIKE ME HAVE, AND MANY OTHERS IN LAKE CITY HAVE ZERO CONFIDENCE IN THOSE.

WHEN WE HAVE THIS ORDINANCE, WE HAVE SOMETHING.

BUT IF A FACILITY MEETS THAT ORDINANCE, THAT DOESN'T MEAN IN MY MIND, IT DOESN'T MEAN THAT IT IS SAFE.

IF, IF THEY DON'T MEET THOSE SAFETY REQUIREMENTS IN THE ORDINANCE THAT THIS PASSES, WE KNOW IT'S NOT SAFE.

IF THEY DO MEET THEM, WE STILL DON'T KNOW.

WE'VE HAD, I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY NATURAL DISASTERS OVER THE YEARS THAT HAVE THROWN ALL THE PRECEDENTS AND PLANS OUT THE WINDOW.

SO WE STILL DON'T KNOW.

BUT I THINK A GOOD QUESTION TO ASK MIGHT BE, WILL THESE, WILL THIS, WILL THE REGULATIONS IN THIS ORDINANCE, SAFETY ONES HAVE PREVENTED THE ONLY, UM, INCIDENT IN THIS COUNTRY THAT I KNOW OF, OF, UH, A BEST FACILITY CAUSING INJURY THAT WAS TO FIREFIGHTERS IN ARIZONA IN 2017? IF I HEARD CORRECTLY, WILL THIS ORDINANCE HAVE, HAVE PREVENTED THAT? AND THERE ARE ENOUGH SMART PEOPLE IN THIS ROOM, UH, TO ANSWER THAT, UM, NATIONAL, UH, UH, UH, UH, UH, ORGANIZATIONS NATIONAL, UH, UH, SAFETY BOARD THAT REGULATES AIRLINES ANSWERS THOSE QUESTIONS ALL THE TIME.

THEY, THEY, THEY CONNECT THE DOTS.

THE SECOND QUESTION THAT PEOPLE ASK IS, WHAT BENEFIT ARE THESE FACILITIES TO ME? UM, CAN THEY PUT POWER BACK TO THE GRID IF THERE'S A BLACKOUT THAT ENCOMPASSES THAT SUBSTATION? UM, AND, AND HOW MUCH POWER CAN THEY ACTUALLY PUT BACK, SAY DURING, UH, FOR HOW MANY HOMES CAN THEY POWER FOR HOW LONG DURING THE SUMMER, UH, DURING PEAK USAGE OR DURING THE WINTER WHEN THERE'S A BLACKOUT? I HOPE YOU CONSIDER THESE QUESTIONS.

THANK YOU.

NOW IT'S PEGGY SAYLOR 1802 RAMPART.

UM, I, I REALLY APPRECIATE ALL OF OUR CITIZENS TAKING THE TIME TO, TO MAKE THEIR COMMENTS.

AND I THINK ALL CONCERNS ARE, ARE VERY VALID.

UM, I, I DON'T BELIEVE THERE'S ANYTHING WE CAN EVER DO.

UH, AND HOPEFULLY YOU WILL NEVER TELL US THAT YOU'RE PUTTING SOMETHING IN PLACE TO WHERE YOU ABSOLUTELY GUARANTEE US A HUNDRED PERCENT SAFETY.

I, I JUST WOULDN'T BELIEVE YOU.

UM, I, I DO THINK WE'RE AT AN INTERESTING POINT, UM, IN DEALING WITH OUR GRID, AND I WOULD ASK THE CITIZENS WHO HAVE NOT HAD AN OPPORTUNITY, UH, TO LISTEN TO THE P AND Z MEETING AND THE DIALOGUE.

THERE WERE GOOD POINTS BROUGHT UP BY OUR CITIZENS AS WELL AS BY OUR COMMISSIONERS, UH, TO UNDERSTAND THE DEPTH THAT WE'RE DEALING WITH.

HOWEVER, I, I DO BELIEVE THAT WE NEED TO ALL COME TOGETHER AND FIGURE OUT WHAT IT IS WE CAN DO AS A, A CITY THAT

[00:40:01]

IT'S A STATE ISSUE.

UM, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE, AS LONG AS THERE ARE PRIVATE COMPANIES COMING IN AND WILLING TO INVEST AND WILLING TO SIT WITH THE CITIZENS AND EXPLAIN WHY THIS IS IMPORTANT TO THE CITY AS WELL AS TO THE STATE, I WOULD LIKE TO THINK WE HAVE A PROCESS BY WHICH THAT'S POSSIBLE.

I WOULD CERTAINLY NOT ENCOURAGE OR NOT SUPPORT ANY TYPE OF, UH, PUBLIC, UM, FINANCIAL SUPPORT.

UM, I WANT THIS TO BE A PRIVATE INVESTMENT.

I WANT IT TO STAND ON ITS OWN.

AND, AND I WANT TO ENCOURAGE ALL OF THE COMPANIES WHO COME IN TO TALK ABOUT THE ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY, THE ADVANCED PROCESSES WE HAVE IN PLACE.

THEN FROM WHAT HAPPENED IN 2017.

YOU KNOW, MONDAY WE HAD A MASSIVE PROBLEM IN SOUTH KOREA.

BUT, BUT I HOPE THAT ALL OF US UNDERSTAND THAT THE REGULATIONS WE HAVE IN THE STATES ARE VERY DIFFERENT THAN GLOBALLY.

SO I DON'T TAKE THAT AS AN EXAMPLE OF HOW TRULY DANGEROUS ALL THIS IS.

HOWEVER, I, I DO THINK WHEN WE HAVE STAFF TELLING US ON THE PUBLIC RECORD THAT HOWEVER, THE TESTING AND THE MODELING SUPPORTS ITSELF, THE, THE, UM, THE SETBACKS THAT ARE LISTED IN THE ORDINANCE, THAT'S THE ABSOLUTE MINIMUM.

SO ANYTHING IN THE TESTING THAT COMES UP AND IS DOCUMENTED THAT IS GREATER THAN THAT TO ME, IT'S NOT A NEGOTIATION AT THAT POINT.

THAT IS THE NUMBER.

AND I THINK WE WILL ALWAYS HAVE A DISCUSSION ABOUT LOCATION, AND I CAN CERTAINLY UNDERSTAND THAT.

HOWEVER, I DO THINK IT'S IMPORTANT IF WE WANT TO DEAL WITH SOME OF THE GRID ISSUES, THAT WE WILL HAVE CHALLENGES BECAUSE LOCATION TO A SUBSTATION OR SOME COMPONENT IS DRIVING THE DECISION.

THAT WAS ANOTHER PERFECT ONE, MAYOR.

THAT WAS ANOTHER GOOD ONE.

ALRIGHT.

AND AT 6 42, WE WILL CLOSE THIS PUBLIC HEARING.

[7B. 24-0309 Consider and take action on an ordinance amending Chapter 125 of the Code of Ordinances of the City of League City entitled, "Unified Development Code", creating regulations related to Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) (Director of Planning)]

PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION HELD A PUBLIC HEARING AND RECOMMENDED APPROVAL BY THE VOTE OF FIVE TO ZERO WITH THREE MEMBERS.

ABSENT, I MOVE TO APPROVE THE ORDINANCE SUBJECT TO THE FOLLOWING AMENDMENTS, ONE IN SUBSECTION G REGARDING THE SETBACK REQUIREMENTS, SUBSECTIONS THREE AND FOUR SHALL BE COMBINED TO READ AS FOLLOWS.

A BEST SITE PERIMETER FENCE SHALL BE THE GREATER OF EITHER A, THE 200 FOOT MINIMUM FEET FROM THE NEAREST PROPERTY ZONE FOR SINGLE FAMILY USES OR SCHOOL, OR B, A SETBACK DISTANCE REQUIRED BASED ON PLUME MODELING AND TESTING DATA.

AND TWO, IN SUBSECTION ONE REGARDING PAYMENT.

IN LIEU OF TAXES, THE APPLICANT SHALL ENTER INTO A PAYMENT IN LIEU OF TAXES AGREEMENT OR SIMILAR AGREEMENT WITH THE CITY OF LEAGUE CITY TO COMPENSATE THE LOCAL TAXING AUTHORITIES FOR THE LOSS IN TAX REVENUE ATTRIBUTABLE TO DEPRECIATION AND OTHER FACTORS.

SECOND, SORRY FOR THE LAST MINUTE CHANGES.

I KNOW A LOT OF US UP HERE ON THE DIA DON'T LIKE THIS.

UM, I SPOKE WITH ONE OF THE CITIZENS WHO, WHO MENTIONED THE CONCERN ABOUT THE MAY LANGUAGE ON THE, THE SETBACK REGARDING THE PLUMES STUDY.

SO I WANTED TO MAKE IT A, A PULL IT UNDER A GREATER OF SHALL STATEMENT SO THAT IT'S GOING TO BE WHICHEVER IS THE, THE BIGGER DISTANCE, THE, THE MINIMUM, OR WHATEVER THE PLUM STUDY SHALL.

AND THE OTHER PART IS PART OF ADDRESSING, UH, SOME CONCERNS THAT MRS. ZALAR HAD, UH, REGARDING THE, THE REVENUE, UM, TO ENSURE THAT, UH, ONE OF THE ISSUES WITH THESE BATTERIES IS THAT LOOKING AT THEIR TAXABLE VALUES IN OUT YEARS, UH, THEY DEPRECIATE FAIRLY RAPIDLY.

UM, AND THAT BUSINESS PROPERTY TAX IS A, A BULK OF, UM, WHAT THEY CONTRIBUTE TO THE CITY.

SO WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT'S THERE, THAT'S WHAT THAT ITEM'S ABOUT.

UM, IF I MAY HAVE THAT BACK FOR A SECOND, HAD A COUPLE OTHER NOTES IN RESPONSE TO SOME OF THE ITEMS FOLKS BROUGHT UP.

UM, ITEM UH, SEVEN DOES CONTAIN LANGUAGE ABOUT THE TRAINING EVERY YEAR.

UM, THIS IS PART OF THE ORDINANCE.

IT'S CONDITIONAL TO GET AN SUP,

[00:45:01]

UM, AND OUR, UH, UM, MUTUAL WAVE RESPONDERS.

UM, ITEM F OR SORRY, THIS IS MY NOTES LETTER F SORRY, YOU DIDN'T NEED THAT.

UM, QUESTION OF THE WORD SAFE.

UM, SAFE IS NOT A BINARY THING.

THINGS ARE NOT SAFE OR UNSAFE.

THEY FALL SOMEWHERE ON A SCALE FROM TOTAL SAFE TO TOTALLY UNSAFE, AND NOTHING'S AT EITHER END POINT.

UM, WE'RE NOT GOING TO SAY THIS IS TOTALLY SAFE.

UM, NOTHING YOU DO IS TOTALLY SAFE.

UM, I DOUBT MANY OF Y'ALL WALKED HERE TONIGHT.

YOU GOT IN THE CAR AND CAME TO THIS MEETING.

UM, THERE'S AN AMOUNT OF RISK THAT WE ACCEPT ON A DAILY BASIS.

SO WHAT WE'RE DOING HERE IS LOOKING TO FIND THE AREAS OF RISK THAT ARE THE GREATEST IMPACT TO OUR CITIZENS AND FINDING A WAY TO MITIGATE THEM WITH THE LANGUAGE OF THIS ORDINANCE.

UM, ONE RISK THAT, THAT'S NOT MENTIONED IN THIS ORDINANCE, BUT WE HAVE TALKED IT UP HERE, IS THAT IF WE TAKE A STANCE THAT'S A HARD NO ON THESE.

UM, WE RUN THE RISK OF TAKING THIS OUT OF OUR HANDS AND PUTTING IT IN THE HANDS OF THE LEGISLATURE TO SAY, YOU CAN'T DO THAT ANYMORE.

UM, WE'VE SEEN IT HAPPEN.

WE HAD A MASONRY ORDINANCE HERE IN LEAGUE CITY, STATE LEGISLATURE SAID, IT'S TOO RESTRICTIVE, IT'S GONE.

YOU CAN'T DO THOSE ANYMORE.

UM, SO WE HAVE TO BE CAREFUL.

UM, SO PART OF MITIGATE RISK IS FINDING A WAY TO ALLOW THESE, WHERE IT MITIGATES THE RISK TO THE CITIZENS.

UM, AS FOR HOW MANY CAN TIE INTO THE GRID, UH, WE'RE NOT GOING TO ANSWER THAT.

UM, AND THE REASON BEING NOT ONE OF US UP HERE IS REMOTELY QUALIFIED TO DO THAT.

UM, ERCOT ISS THE ONE THAT'S GOING TO HANDLE THAT.

THEY'RE GONNA DECIDE HOW MANY, UM, FOLKS THEY ALLOW TO TIE IN WITH THESE SYSTEMS AND THEY KNOW HOW TO DO THAT.

UM, I HAVE A FEELING THE NUMBER THEY CAN HANDLE IS FAR MORE THAN COULD FIT IN LEAN CITY.

UM, BUT THAT'S JUST MY GUESS.

UM, AS FOR, UM, UH, WHAT, WHAT DO WE GET OUT OF THIS? UH, THERE'S TWO BENEFITS TO LEAGUE CITY.

THE, I SEE, UM, THE FIRST ONE BEING, UM, IF IT'S A LARGE ENOUGH FACILITY, WHICH AT LEAST ONE OF THE FOLKS WHO'S TALKED ABOUT BEING IN APPLICANT IS A LARGE ENOUGH FACILITY, IT PROVIDES HOURS OF SUPPLY TO THE NUMBER OF HOMES THAT ARE IN LANE CITY.

UM, WITH THE WAY ELECTRICITY WORKS, IT'S GONNA FOLLOW THE PATH TO LEAST RESISTANCE.

UM, WHICH MEANS IT'S PROBABLY NOT GOING TO GO TOO FAR FROM THE SUBSTATION THAT IT'S TIED INTO.

UH, SO WHEN YOU START TALKING ABOUT WHERE THEY WORK TO BENEFIT LEAGUE CITY IN LEAGUE CITY, UM, I ALSO HAD A CONVERSATION WITH SOME FOLKS WHO KNOW ABOUT THESE THINGS.

AND THERE'S A REASON WHY THERE ARE SO MANY APPLICANTS COMING HERE DESPITE OUR HIGH COST OF LAND, UH, BECAUSE I WAS ABSOLUTELY MYSTIFIED THAT YOU WOULD WANNA PUT SOMETHING LIKE THIS WHERE LAND IS RELATIVELY EXPENSIVE COMPARED TO SURROUNDING COMMUNITIES.

AND THEY SAID, ERCOT SENT US HERE BECAUSE THE, THE SHAPE AND DESIGN AND NATURE OF THE GRID WE'RE KIND OF AT AN END POINT, UM, HANGING OFF A NODE, UH, WHICH MAKES US HIGHLY SUSCEPTIBLE TO THOSE ROLLING BLACKOUTS AND OTHER ISSUES WHEN THE GRID IS COMPROMISED.

IT'S WHY WE WERE ONE OF THE CITIES HIT WORST IN THAT FREEZE WITH FROZEN PIPES.

UM, SO WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THINGS THAT ARE SAFE FOR US, BEING WITHOUT POWER IN THE MIDDLE OF WINTER OR MIDDLE OF SUMMER IS NOT A SAFE THING FOR THE CITIZENS OF LEAGUE CITY EITHER.

UH, SO AGAIN, WE'RE TRYING TO MITIGATE THE RISKS WHILE GET THE BENEFITS.

THE SECOND BENEFIT, AND, AND SOME HAVE MENTIONED THIS, UM, AS IS THAT WHAT'S MOTIVATING YOU, UM, IS REVENUE.

UM, AND FRANKLY THAT IS A MOTIVATOR, AT LEAST FOR ME.

UM, WHEN I LOOK AT ONE OF THE NUMBER ONE COMPLAINTS IN OUR CITY, UM, DESPITE WHAT I WOULD SAY IS A CONCERTED EFFORT BY THE STAFF AND THE COUNCIL TO KEEP TAXES LOW IS PROPERTY TAXES.

UM, THE WAY TO GET THE BURDEN OFF RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY OWNERS IS TO HAVE MORE COMMERCIAL.

WHEN YOU LOOK AT COMMERCIAL THOUGH, IT COMES WITH ITS OWN IMPACTS TO THE CITIZENS.

THE SECOND BIGGEST THING PEOPLE COMPLAIN ABOUT LINK CITY AND MAYBE THE ONE YOU HEAR ABOUT ON

[00:50:01]

AND MOST COMMERCIAL BRINGS FAIRLY HEAVY TRAFFIC.

A BEST FACILITY BRINGS ABOUT ONE VEHICLE ROUTE A WEEK TO THAT LOCATION.

UM, YOU CAN'T BEAT THAT WHILE MATCHING THE REVENUE PER ACRE DENSITY OF A TYPICAL HIGHER END STRIP MALL.

SO, UM, YES, THE REVENUE IS APPEALING, NOT SO WE CAN SPEND IT, BUT TO DECREASE THE BURDEN ON HOMEOWNERS.

UM, AND THAT'S HOW I VIEW IT.

UM, THIS ORDINANCE IS NOT SAYING YES TO ANY SPECIFIC PROPOSED LOCATION.