|
The DeLeon City Council met in regular
session, Thursday, August 9 -- with all members present -- and amended
two ordinances. There were no citizen’s presentations.
The first ordinance amended, Ordinance
#002-02, was the ordinance dealing with (among other nuisances) the
height of grass and weeds.
“I believe the issue here,” Mayor Owen
said, “is the height of the grass and weeds before it becomes a
violation of the city ordinance.” He noted that the current ordinance
declared grass and weeds to be too tall at 48 inches, when many other
area cities have ordinances declaring weeds and grass a nuisance at 10
to 12 inches.
Karen Wilkerson, city secretary, noted
that when grass and weeds were allowed to grow to 48 inches there was
often a problem of rats, snakes and skunks. Councilman Howard Gifford
commented that it would be easier to deal with the grass when it was
just 12 inches, and that once it reaches 48 inches in height, heavy
equipment, including a shredder, is often needed.
After a brief discussion, Council members
voted to amend the DeLeon ordinance to declare that grass and weeds
will now be considered a nuisance at 12 inches.
Some council members commented on the
fact that in several places in the ordinance there were references to
“building officers” and/or “code enforcement officers,” and that
DeLeon has neither. That wording will now be changed to “city
official.”
The second ordinance addressed, Ordinance
#013-04, addressing rules and regulations for manufactured homes, was
added to the agenda at the request of Councilman Howard Gifford.
“I don’t believe we’ll be able to resolve
this one tonight,” Gifford said, “but I wanted to bring it up so we
can do some discussion on it, and read through this (the ordinance)
and give some thought to it.”
Gifford then said he had a problem with
the ordinance because it might have been implemented when there were
dreams of making DeLeon a “suburb” instead of a rural Texas town.
“The problem I have,” Gifford said, “is
putting restrictions on people living in mobile homes, or even travel
trailers for that matter, that we don’t restrict in standard type
frame homes. The more I thought about it, you’ve got travel trailers
that are designed to be pulled down the highway -- so they’re
structurally built to stay together. You’ve got people who are living
in travel trailers 12 months out of the year, it’s just that they’re
not in the same place all 12 months...and they’re perfectly safe in
that situation.”
Gifford said he thought the council
should consider that the homes might also be safe “if they were
permanently attached somewhere and connected up.”
“I think if we do decide, as a council,”
Gifford said, “to allow travel trailers, then I do think the wheels
should be removed and they should properly blocked, tied down and
underskirted, just like a regular mobile home would be.”
Gifford said he also thought that travel
trailers should have their own city water and sewer connections.
“I think we have to be real careful in setting standards though,”
Gifford said. “There needs to be some kind of standard there, but what
might be sub-standard housing for us, might be a step up for other
people. I think our concern as a council needs to be that our
residents are living in a safe structure and that we’re not allowing
them to move something in that would be a hazard to their own safety.
But I think we’ve got to allow them to have a place to live. If we
don’t, they’re going to find somewhere to live, they’ve got to. I
would rather see someone living in a 12x24 foot travel trailer that is
properly set up, because it’s something they can afford, rather than
living in a house with holes in the floor where raccoons can walk in
on them.
“I’m afraid we’re putting some limitations on the residents of
DeLeon,” Gifford said, “that we may not be in a position to do.”
“I agree with that,” Council member Gayle
Stroud said, “but I would not like to see the whole town be travel
trailers.”
“My thought is, if you drive around town
you see a lot of residences that people are living in,” Gifford said,
“and that I would rather see them living in a small travel trailer or
mobile home. I feel more comfortable, for their safety. This is not
going to fix everbody’s problems. But I think it will give more
options to some of our residents that are not as fortunate as others,
as far as what they can afford to live in.”
Stroud agreed that the cost of housing was a real problem for some
people.
“For first time homeowners, these pre-fab
houses are sometimes easier to finance,” Mayor Owen said.
“Well, my thought tonight was just to bring it up, and give everybody
a chance to read through the (current) ordinance,” Gifford said.
Karen Wilkerson then suggested that
perhaps research should be done into HUD requirements as well. Council
members then agreed to research the issue, and revisit it at a later
date.
In other business, Council members:
• Approved the minutes for the regular
meeting July 26, and three called meetings (budget workshops).
• Authorized Chief Ralph Dickey to make
arrangements for Police Department identification cards. According to
materials provided to the Council, Governor Rick Perry recently signed
into law HB-3613 outlining specific ID card requirements (i.e.
tamperproof) for full-time, part-time, and retired law enforcement
officers.
• Approved accounts payable.
• Approved employee payroll. • Approved
the second and final reading of Ordinance #008-07, denying Atmos rate
adjustments.
• Heard a report on Texas Parks and
Wildlife grant #5000312 in which Mayor Owen noted that work was still
progressing, and that the RV park was reserved in full for the
Festival week. |
