At Council Meeting DeSoto Resident Questions Long Term Impact of Hampton Road Redevelopment Project

DESOTO – The DeSoto City Council opened its council meeting this week making three presentations including School Board Recognition Month and acknowledging DeSoto Superintendent Usamah Rodgers in attendance. School Board Recognition Month was last month, but due to scheduling conflicts DeSoto Mayor Rachel Proctor explained council made the presentation Tuesday night. Proctor said, “From one elected official to another I definitely know the time and the dedication that you all put in, especially as it pertains to our children and so we want to thank you.”

Mayor Pro Tem Latitia Hughes read a proclamation honoring National School Counseling Week followed by a presentation of the November 2023 Financial Report.

Citizen’s comments included two residents who worked at the holiday skating rink this past year. They told council people are already asking if the skating rink will be back next year.

“The rink made a lot of people happy,” one resident said.

Another resident offered kudos to the city’s full-time animal control officers.

One gentleman talked about the passing of the upcoming character code, a new zoning ordinance for the Hampton Road redevelopment project. He said this ordinance is different from the current zoning and is extremely complicated. He said one aspect of the character code set forth a number of requirements for buildings within the district. There are 400 properties in that district, he explained when the code is activated all 400 properties will no longer be in conformity with the code.

He added this means there will be a problem if the property suffers a casualty loss or is abandoned for six months. He urged council to be familiar with this new ordinance before it was brought to vote as there will be issues with the cost therefore putting properties in a precarious position.

Council unanimously passed all but one consent agenda item, the latter, which was pulled for a separate vote passing 6 -1.

These items included the confirmation of the appointment of Terrence Stevens for Veterans Affair Committee – Place 2 and Betty Jenkins for Place 5.

Also passing was an Ordinance amending the Fiscal Year 2023-2024 Adopted Budget in Fund 229 (Police Grant Fund) accepting grant funds from the Office of the Governor for the Public Safety Office for the Truancy Prevention and Intervention Program Grant in the amount of $90,300.

An Ordinance was amended for the Fiscal Year 2023-2024 Adopted Budget for the PEG Fund to cover the cost of replacement equipment that facilitates the broadcast of public meetings on the City’s PEG channel; a Resolution passed authorizing the redemption of the City of DeSoto, Texas Limited Tax Note, Series 2023; and the City Manager was also given a nod to negotiate and execute a construction contract with Bernal Commercial Construction, Co. in the amount of $226,754.45 and approve a total contract amount of $258,500.08 for the Slope Stabilization Improvements for Heath Creek.

It was also approved to execute a change order to the contract with AECOM in the not-to-exceed amount of $7,500 for additional work required to finalize the City’s Comprehensive Plan Update and finally council approved the City Manager to negotiate and execute a contract with Aqua-Metric Sales Company for the purchase of Sensus water meters of various sizes and Sensus Smart Point Radios in the amount not to exceed $215,000.

The item pulled by Place 3 Nicole Raphiel was regarding a revision to a Preliminary Plat of Homestead at Daniel Farms Phase 3 located south of W. Danieldale Road and west of N. Westmoreland Road. The property owner is Wildwood Development Co. LTD, requesting changes to 76 and 38 lots for revision.

Three public hearings were heard and passed including a continuation of a public hearing from the January 2, 2024, on an Ordinance adopting the 2024 Comprehensive Plan as authorized. Staff notes also indicated the Comprehensive Plan Update is a fulfillment of Goal #3 of the City’s FY 2023 Business Plan to update the City’s Comprehensive Land Use Plan in addition to National Standards that require Comprehensive Plans to be updated every 10 years.

A public hearing was conducted for an Ordinance as requested by the property owner at 149 Ace Drive for a Specific Use Permit (SUP) to construct a 448-square-foot accessory building on the property.

And an Ordinance passed for a zoning change on 3.67 acres of land in Rolling Hills 1 Addition from a Planned Development-20 (PD-20) with a base zoning of General Retail to a new Planned Development with a base zoning of Single Family-10 (SF-10) with one (1) deviation request.

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