CITY MANAGER’S WEEKLY UPDATE
For the week of:
February 10, 2008
Super Bowl XLII
Division Chief Terry McGrath and his K9 partner Retha were sent to Glendale, Arizona to work with the ATF at Super Bowl XLII. They worked with other K9 teams to conduct sweeps of buses, vehicles, hotels and buildings that the ATF felt needed additional security.
Planning and Zoning Meeting
The Planning and Zoning Commission met on February 5, 2008 to consider four plats and two zone change requests. The P&Z approved three of the plats and continued the fourth to the March 4th meeting as requested by the applicant:
-Final Plat of Bella Madera Addition, Lot 1, Block A, a 30.55 acre tract zoned Multi-Family Two (MF-2), located between East Hill Park Road and Leora Lane, south of Lake Ridge Road and on the north side of the channel.
-Amended Final Plat of High Point Oaks Addition, Lots 3R-1 & 3R-2, Block C, a 5.8 acre tract zoned Light Industrial (LI), located at the southwest corner of State Highway 121 and Denton Tap Road.
-Amended Final Plat of Q.T. 941 Addition, Lots 1 & 2, Block A, an 8.2 acre tract zoned Local Commercial (LC), located at the northwest corner of FM 3040 and Vista Dr.
-Continued: Final Plat of Storage Super Center Addition, Lot 4R, 5R and 6, Block A, a 10.14 acre tract zoned General Business (GB) and Warehouse (WH), located on the northeast corner of Main St. and Business SH 121.
The Commission recommended approval of the two zone change requests:
-Consideration of a zone change request from General Business (GB) to Light Industrial (LI) on a 2.0 acre tract located at 335 McDonnell Street; as requested by Michael Sandefur, the current property owner.
-Consideration of a zone change request from Agriculture Open-Space (AO) to Light Industrial (LI) on a 2.82 acre tract located on Business State Highway 121; as requested by Wilbarger Street, LP, with authorization from the current property owner Ray H. Wright.
Zoning Board of Adjustment Meeting
The Zoning Board of Adjustment met on February 6, 2008. Chairman James Davis had been appointed to serve on the Planning and Zoning Commission, leaving a vacancy on the ZBOA. Leroy Vaughn was appointed to serve the remainder of his term. The members elected Stephanie Rogers, who was the Vice-Chairman, as Chairman, and Marshan Naragon as Vice-Chairman.
The one case on the agenda was the consideration of a variance request to allow an encroachment into the required 100 ft. front, side and rear yard setbacks, by allowing a front and rear yard setback of 50 ft. and a side yard setback of 25 ft., in an Agriculture Open-Space District identified as 301 E. Uecker Lane, requested by Dan Matise, with authorization from the current property owner. The item originally was taken to the P&Z and City Council as a zone change request from AO to ETH zoning. The City Council tabled the item and recommended that the applicant try to obtain a variance for relief of the setbacks. The lot's configuration and AO's 100 ft. setback requirements essentially are prohibitive to building a home on the site. The Board unanimously granted the variance request (5-0).
City Conducts Realtor Training for First Time Homebuyers Program
The City of Lewisville hosted its first Real Estate Agent Training & Certification at the Greater Lewisville Association of Realtors (GLAR) on Wednesday, February 6 for the City's First Time Homebuyer Program (FHAP). The seminar was hosted in partnership with Legacy Texas Mortgage, Sierra Title of North Texas, and Consumer Credit Counseling Services of Greater Dallas. There were 41 real estate agents in attendance.
The three-hour seminar consisted of a detailed look into the program background, assistance levels and the process. Handouts included a slide show presentation, examples of completed documents that realtors can expect to encounter and sponsor information for the program. A continental breakfast was sponsored by Sierra Title of North Texas. Certificates of completion were furnished at the conclusion of the seminar.
The next seminar will take place the morning of Wednesday, March 5 at the GLAR office at 997 S. Edmonds. While previous workshops have been offered at City Hall, through these expanded seminars the City hopes to market its Homebuyer grants and provide in-depth training for real estate and mortgage professionals that will inspire confidence in the program and its process. Interested professionals can call Adrienne Lothery, Grants Intern at 972-219-3482 to RSVP or Andrea Rincon, Grants Specialist for more program information at 972-219-5026.
Despite the recent poor housing market, the City is proud that the FHAP program is structured in such a way that over 50 residents have been assisted with affordable, stable housing opportunities. Only one grant recipient in six years has been foreclosed on. Prospective homebuyers are encouraged to check the City's website for information on the program, eligibility and restrictions as well as upcoming Homebuyer Education classes that are open to the general public. Grants for down-payment and closing cost assistance are available to families with low-to-moderate income who otherwise can qualify for mortgage financing and are first-time homebuyers (or no longer own due to divorce or have not owned a home in over three years) that plan to occupy the home for at least five years.
HOME Grant Program
The City of Lewisville is finishing out a HOME Grant from the Texas Dept. of Housing and Community Affairs with the reconstruction of a home on Birch Street in Old Town Lewisville. The HOME Investment Partnership is a federal program from HUD offering grants that can be used for various affordable housing activities. The City received a HOME grant through the state specifically to perform housing rehabilitation of owner-occupied housing. Grants were made to six extremely-low income homeowners who were elderly or disabled. Five of them were completed in 2007. All needed repairs and code deficiencies were addresses with the HOME grant. Each house was completely rehabilitated with a city housing specialist managing inspections, the scope of work, bids and construction oversight. Each home cost between $40,000 and $55,000 to rehabilitate.
The last house that is now being completed was determined to be infeasible for rehabilitation, so the City took another option available in this particular HOME grant: to completely reconstruct the home. The home was in an un-repairable state and construction of a new home was the better option. A new 1100 s.f. house with a one-car garage is being constructed. The HOME grant is matched by City Housing Finance Corporation funds.
Construction is expected to be completed by the end of March. The home is in the Tanglewood Addition which is part of the McKenzie/Hembry Targeted Reinvestment and Improvement Neighborhood (TRAIN) designated by the City for priority funding for housing and community development grant efforts. Anyone interested in grants for housing rehabilitation or reconstruction can call Jamey Kirby at 972-219-3780 to be screened for potential eligibility and be put on an interest list for potential future programs.
Storm Drain Installation in Alley Between Juniper Lane and San Antone
The City of Lewisville Street Division will be installing storm drain pipe and inlet boxes in the alley between Juniper Lane and San Antone. The alley will be closed to through traffic. Homeowners can enter from Cimmaron Strip. Construction is scheduled to begin on Thursday, February 7, 2008, and be completed by Thursday, February 21, 2008, weather permitting. This will require that trash be placed in front of the residences until the work has been completed.
Work is being performed in the areas listed below.
Use caution in these work zones.
Use caution in these work zones.
Street Repairs
Continuing street panel work on Corporate Drive from SH 121 to I35E
Continuing street panel, drive approach, and sidewalk repairs on Tiffany
Street repairs on Buffalo Bend
Crack sealing on south bound MacArthur
Installing storm drain pipe and inlet boxes in the alley between Juniper Ln. and San Antone
Sanitary Sewer Line and Manhole Repairs
Video inspecting the main lines in the Meadow Lake Addition
Main line cleaning in the Valley IV Addition including Garden Ridge from Kirkpatrick Ln. to Valley Pkwy.
Upcoming Events
February Meetings & Events
- February 11 Old Town Design Review Committee Meeting
February 13 Park Board Meeting-CANCELLED
February 18 City Council Meeting
February 19 CDBG Meeting
February 19 Planning and Zoning Commission Meeting
February 20 Library Board Meeting
February 25 Old Town Design Review Committee Meeting
March Meetings & Events
- March 3 City Council Meeting
March 4 Planning and Zoning Commission Meeting
March 5 Zoning Board of Adjustment Meeting
March 8 Second Saturday Collection Day
March 10 Old Town Design Review Committee Meeting
March 12 Park Board Meeting
March 17 City Council Meeting
March 18 CDBG Meeting
March 18 Planning and Zoning Commission Meeting
March 19 Library Board Meeting
March 24 Old Town Design Review Committee Meeting
