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YEAH, I BET YOU DID.[Notice of Commissioners Court Consortium Meeting on October 15, 2025.]
ALL RIGHT, EVERYONE.WELCOME TO THE INFRASTRUCTURE CONSORTIUM.
IT'S FIVE 30, IT'S OCTOBER 15TH.
WE'RE GONNA GET THE MEETING STARTED.
UM, WE'RE, WE'RE GONNA DO THIS MEETING A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT.
AS, AS MANY OF YOU KNOW, THIS USED TO BE THE ROAD CONSORTIUM.
I CHANGED IT SEVERAL MONTHS AGO TO THE INFRASTRUCTURE CONSORTIUM.
WE'VE ALREADY HAD A PRESENTATION BY THE SCHOOL DISTRICT, UH, THAT IS, SCHOOLS ARE ONE OF THE 16 ITEMS THAT ROCKWALL COUNTY CONSIDERS INFRASTRUCTURE.
ANOTHER ONE IS DISPATCH, UH, RADIO SERVICE JAILS.
AND THE SHERIFF'S GONNA DO A PRESENTATION TODAY.
IT'S NOT GONNA BE LONG, HE'S PROMISED ME, BUT HE ALSO HAS A TASER AND A GUN.
SO IF HE WANTS TO GO LONG, HE CAN
UH, SO HE'S GONNA DO A QUICK PRESENTATION, AND THEN WHEN HE'S DONE, MR. MICHAEL MORRIS WITH NORTH CENTRAL TEXAS COUNSEL OF GOVERNMENTS IS GONNA DO A PRESENTATION OVER THE OUTER LOOP.
AND THEN ONCE THAT'S DONE, THEN WE'RE GONNA HAVE SOME CONVERSATION AROUND THE CONSORTIUM TABLE ABOUT THE OUTER LOOP.
AND THEN AFTER THAT'S DONE, THEN WE'LL ALLOW SOME PUBLIC INPUT.
SO, UH, I SAY THAT TO TELL YOU, DON'T, DON'T GET WORRIED.
PUBLIC INPUT WILL COME, BUT IT WILL BE AFTER THE CONVERSATION HAS HAPPENED HERE.
SO, WITH THAT, THANK YOU EVERYONE FOR COMING.
AND I'M GONNA HAND IT OVER TO SHERIFF GARRETT.
I THINK JUDGE ASKED ME TO, UH, COVER SOME THINGS AS FAR AS INFRASTRUCTURE REGARDING PUBLIC SAFETY IN, IN ROCKWALL COUNTY AS A WHOLE.
AND, UH, I KNOW ALL OF YOU AROUND THE TABLE THERE AND, AND EVEN IN THE AUDIENCE, ARE INVESTED IN, IN THE PUBLIC SAFETY IN THE COUNTY.
I SEE MITCH DOWN THERE IN THE CORNER TOO.
SO, UH, AND I KNOW HE'S, HE'S GONNA HAVE SOME INPUT ON SOME OF THIS, BUT I WANTED TO COVER SOME OF THE THINGS THAT, THAT WE'VE WORKED ON IN THE PAST AND WE CONTINUE TO WORK ON, AND SOME THINGS THAT PROBABLY NEED SOME, UH, SOME ATTENTION FROM US.
AND AS THE, THE, THE PUBLIC SAFETY, UH, CHIEFS IN THE AREA, INCLUDING THE FIRE DEPARTMENTS, UH, WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WHAT WE'RE DOING, WE'RE DOING ALTOGETHER.
WE ALWAYS TALK ABOUT HOW WE'RE THE SMALLEST COUNTY IN THE STATE, AND WE NEED TO BE DOING THINGS, UH, BETTER.
UH, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT, THAT WE DO AS CHIEFS IS MEET ON A, ON A SEMI-MONTHLY BASIS, UH, TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE ON TOP OF EVERYTHING AND HELPING EACH OTHER OUT.
SO, I'M GONNA COVER A FEW THINGS HERE, UH, THIS AFTERNOON.
FIRST THING I CAN GET IT TO WORK HERE.
FIRST THING IS THE, UH, COUNTYWIDE RADIO SYSTEM.
UH, AS MOST OF YOU'RE AWARE, UH, SEVERAL YEARS AGO, WE INVESTED IN A COUNTYWIDE RADIO SYSTEM.
THE COUNTY FUNDED THE ENTIRE SYSTEM, AND EACH CITY IS, UH, A PART OF THAT SYSTEM.
AND, AND THAT GIVES US THE CAPABILITY TO TALK TO EACH OTHER, UH, INTEROPERABILITY WISE, AND TO, TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE, IF WE DO HAVE AN INCIDENT, UH, WE'RE ABLE TO COMMUNICATE.
UH, AND THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS THAT ALSO CAME OUT OF SOME OF THE, UH, DISASTERS THAT HAVE HAPPENED AROUND THE COUNTRY.
SO I THINK WE'RE A LITTLE AHEAD ON SOME OF THOSE THINGS.
FOR EXAMPLE, ON, ON MY RADIO, IF I, IF I TELL SOMEBODY TO GO TO CHANNEL FIVE, I KNOW THAT ON EVERYBODY'S RADIO IN THE COUNTY, THAT'S ROCKWELL PD.
SO THAT GIVES US THAT FAMILIARITY AND TO BE ABLE TO WORK WITH EACH OTHER LIKE WE DO ON A REGULAR BASIS.
ON THE RADIO SYSTEM, THOUGH, THERE ARE SOME, UH, IT, IT IS A P 25, UH, DIGITAL SYSTEM, AND THERE'S SOME THINGS COMING UP, UH, WITHIN THE YEAR.
ONE OF THE THINGS IS A HARDWARE REFRESH THAT, UH, WE'RE STARTING TO TALK TO HARRIS RADIO ABOUT.
AND AS STATED TO BEGIN AFTER THE EIGHTH YEAR.
AND THE PLANNING AND THE ENGINEERING FOR THIS, UH, WILL BE AFTER JANUARY 1ST, 2026.
AND SO WE'RE ALREADY TRYING TO SET UP FOR THAT.
WE'VE HAD SOME, SOME REFRESH, UH, ON THE SYSTEM ITSELF, UH, PRIOR.
AND, UH, WE, WE DO HAVE THE CAPABILITY TO, TO TALK TO ONE OF THE, THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS TOO, WHICH IS ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE MEET ON SEMI ANNUALLY.
UM, WE'RE STARTING TO ORDER THE NECESSARY EQUIPMENT.
AND, UH, SO AFTER THE EIGHTH YEAR OF THE MAINTENANCE CONTRACT AND THE MAINTENANCE CONTRACT IS, UH, KIND OF WHERE WE, WE GET ALL OF THIS, AND THERE'S MONEY THAT EACH, EACH ENTITY PUTS IN EVERY YEAR.
MARY PROBABLY KNOWS THE FIGURE OFF THE TOP OF HER HEAD.
UH, I DON'T, SO IF SHE, IF SHE BARELY KNOWS IT, SHE KNOWS IT MORE THAN I DO.
SO,
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20, 26.ADDITIONAL COSTS ARE NOT ANTICIPATED.
HOWEVER, ONCE, ANYTIME YOU GET INTO ONE OF THESE SYSTEMS AND START LOOKING AT IT, THERE COULD BE SOME ADDITIONAL COSTS THAT WERE NOT, UH, ANTICIPATED, BUT, UH, HARRIS IS ASSURED TO.
SO KEEP US UP TO DATE ON THOSE POTENTIAL IS ISSUES.
UH, THE MASTER FIVE BASE EQUIPMENT, UH, AND M-A-S-T-R IS NOT A MISSPELLING.
THAT'S HOW IT IS IN THE CONTRACT.
SO ANY ENGLISH MAJORS HERE DON'T GET ON ME.
FAILURES, UM, EQUIPMENT FAILURES DUE TO NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR, UH, THERE MAY BE NEW CORE ISSUES, WHICH WILL BE STAGED.
UH, WHEN, WHEN THEY START DOING THE WORK, THEY WILL STAGE THE EQUIPMENT.
SO WE'LL HAVE, HAVE TO HAVE SOME STORAGE SPACE FOR THOSE.
SO, UH, WE'RE GETTING THOSE WORKED OUT AT THE TIME.
SITE OUTAGES, UH, FOR THE BASE EQUIPMENT SOFTWARE, UH, MAY BE NECESSARY.
BUT THE WAY THE, THE SYSTEM WORKS, THERE'S SIX, UH, TOTAL TOWERS IN THE COUNTY RIGHT NOW.
AND SO WE HAVE REDUNDANT SYSTEMS ON THAT, SO THAT SHOULDN'T BE A PROBLEM EITHER.
SCHEDULED MAINTENANCE WILL OCCUR DURING NON-PEAK HOURS, MOST LIKELY EARLY MORNING BETWEEN TWO AND 5:00 AM SOME OF THE EXCLUSIONS, UH, IN THESE FUTURE UPDATES WOULD BE A LOGGING RECORDER, WHICH LOGS ANY, ANY PROBLEMS AND ANY ISSUES WITH THE SYSTEM.
UH, THE MICROWAVE RING UPGRADE AND REPLACEMENT, AND THAT WILL BE COMING UP IN A FEW YEARS.
AND THAT WE DON'T REALLY HAVE A COST ON THAT YET, BUT THOSE ARE THINGS THAT THROUGH THE EMERGENCY SERVICE CORPORATION, UH, COULD BE, THAT COULD BE HANDLED OR HOWEVER, HOWEVER, WE'RE FUNDING THOSE KIND OF THINGS.
FIRE STATION ALERTING, WHICH, UH, EACH, EACH CITY, UH, PURCHASE THEIR OWN FIRE STATION ALERTING THERE, AND THEN IT HOOKS INTO THE DISPATCH CENTERS AND THEN THE BATTERY BACKUPS.
AND THOSE ARE, UH, PROBABLY ONE OF THE BIGGEST THINGS THAT WE HAVE.
AND MAINTENANCE ON THE, ON THE TOWER SITES.
TRAINING FACILITY IS ANOTHER, UH, ISSUE THAT WE'RE LOOKING, LOOKING AT IN THE FUTURE.
WE'VE GROWN APPROXIMATELY 92%, 92 TO 94% SINCE 2017.
AND SO, AND TO KEEP UP WITH THAT AND, AND, UH, EACH LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY, WE'RE ALWAYS LOOKING AT EACH PUBLIC SAFETY AGENCY, INCLUDING THE FIRE DEPARTMENTS.
UH, WHICH WHEN WE STARTED ALL THIS, WE'RE MOSTLY VOLUNTEER, BUT NOW, UH, BEING PAID, WE'RE ALWAYS LOOKING FOR, UH, EQUIPMENT.
WE'RE LOOKING FOR PERSONNEL AND THOSE KIND OF THINGS.
SO, UH, TRAINING IS ONE OF THE BIG THINGS THAT IS MANDATED, UH, FOR THE FIRE DEPARTMENTS, POLICE DEPARTMENTS, AND EMS ON A REGULAR BASIS.
SO WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE SOMETHING LOCAL THAT WE CAN DO.
UH, WE CAN PERFORM OUR TRAINING WITH THE LAW ENFORCEMENT FIREARMS RANGE, WHICH WAS FINISHED IN 2006, UH, IS, YOU KNOW, IN NEED OF SOME REPAIRS NOW.
I THINK THE COMPUTER WE'RE USING OUT THERE WAS PROBABLY A HAND ME DOWN IN 2006.
UH, BUT WE'RE STILL ABLE TO, TO OPERATE THE, THE RANGE, UH, WITH THE AGENCIES THAT THAT BOUGHT IN ON THAT FROM THE BEGINNING.
SO, UH, THE CHIEFS OF THE DIFFERENT AGENCIES AND I, WE, WE'VE STARTED MEETING ON A REGULAR BASIS AND COMING UP WITH, UH, SOME SUGGESTIONS AND WHAT WE NEED TO LOOK AT MAINTENANCE WISE ON THE RANGE.
THE GENERAL MAINTENANCE, THE TARGETING SYSTEMS ARE, UM, ARE, ARE OLD AS WELL, AND NEED TO BE, NEED TO HAVE SOME UPDATE DONE TO THEM.
UH, AND ANOTHER THING, UH, IS AGENCY ACCOUNTABILITY.
UH, AS YOU CAN IMAGINE, UH, IF YOU LOAN YOUR CAR TO A BROTHER OR SISTER, UH, GETTING IT BACK IN THE SAME CONDITION, YOU LOANED IT TO 'EM, EVEN, EVEN THOUGH YOU TRUST THEM AND YOU'RE RELATED TO 'EM, MAY SOMETIMES CAUSE A PROBLEM, RIGHT? SO, UH, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THOSE ISSUES AND MAKING SURE THAT, THAT THE FACILITY THAT WE HAVE, WHAT WE PAID FOR IT AT THE TIME, THAT WE'RE MAKING SURE THAT IT'S STILL ONE OF THE TOP GRADE FACILITIES IN THE AREA.
UM, ANOTHER THING IS EX EXPANDED TRAINING CAPABILITIES.
THE CAPABILITIES TO DO DIFFERENT TRAINING THERE, UH, EVERY AGENCY KNOWS AND HAS, UH, HAS A CAGE OUT THERE FOR THEIR EQUIPMENT, BUT TO KNOW WHAT, WHAT IS ALLOWED OUT THERE AS FAR AS, UH, FIREARMS AND WHAT WE CAN AND CAN'T DO AT THAT FACILITY.
ANOTHER THING, AND I WANTED TO MENTION THIS, UH, IS FIRE TRAINING NEEDS.
WE TALKED ABOUT THIS FOR SEVERAL YEARS.
UH, THAT'S JUST AS IMPORTANT AS AS THE LAW ENFORCEMENT TRAINING.
UH, BUT, BUT LOOKING AT UNIFIED TRAINING STANDARDS, ALL OF OUR FIRE DEPARTMENTS, UH, MUTUAL AID EACH OTHER.
AND, UH, IF YOU GO TO A FIRE IN FATE, FOR EXAMPLE, YOU PROBABLY SEE ROCK WALL ROYCE, CITY, MCLENNAN, CHISHOLM HEATH, DEPENDING ON WHAT TYPE OF INCIDENT YOU HAVE.
AND IT IS NOT JUST FOR FIRES, THIS IS FOR, UH, LARGE SCALE, UH, INCIDENTS SUCH AS THE WINDSTORM WE HAD A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO.
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SO WHEN THAT HAPPENS, UH, YOU DON'T REALLY HAVE THE MUTUAL AID, YOU'RE KIND OF ON YOUR OWN AT THAT TIME BECAUSE IT WAS SUCH A WIDESPREAD, UH, ISSUE.ANOTHER THING IS ENHANCED EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS, UH, TO HAVE THAT, THAT COMBINED TRAINING THERE.
MUTUAL AID READINESS, MODERNIZED FACILITIES, AND SCALABLE FOR GROWTH.
SO WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT AS WE'RE GROWING, UH, YOU KNOW, WITH TRAFFIC ISSUES, WITH POPULATION ISSUES, THAT WE'RE STILL, WE'RE SCALING OUR TRAINING AND OUR RESPONSE FOR THOSE ISSUES.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT, UH, WE APPLIED FOR LAST YEAR AND RECEIVED IS A, A GRANT.
UH, IT INCLUDES LICENSE PLATE READERS, UH, FOR INVESTIGATIVE PURPOSES AND DFR DRONES, OR DRONES AS FIRST RESPONDERS.
WHAT THAT IS, IT'S, I CALL IT A DRONE IN A BOX.
AND IT'S PROBABLY ABOUT THE SIZE OF ONE OF THOSE SETS OF TABLES.
AND, UH, IT CAN BE DEPLOYED FROM DISPATCH CENTER.
UH, AND THE GOOD THING ABOUT THIS IS WE'RE GETTING, WE'RE GETTING TWO IN THIS GRANT, AND THEY SHOULD BE IN SERVICE BY LATE 2025.
AND THE MISSION FOR THESE DRONES IS TO PROVIDE RAPID INTERVENTION AND OVERWATCH FOR CRITICAL CAUSE.
SO EACH DRONE HAS A, ABOUT A THREE MILE RADIUS.
UH, THAT IS NOT A LINE OF SIGHT.
SO WE HAVE TO APPLY FOR A, AN FAA WAIVER FOR THESE, UH, SO THEY CAN BE DEPLOYED AND THEY CAN PUT EYES ON A SITUATION WHERE, WHETHER IT'S AN ACCIDENT, IT'S A DISTURBANCE, CALL A MISSING CHILD BEFORE, UH, THE OFFICERS COULD ACTUALLY GET THERE.
SO IT GIVES US SOME ADDITIONAL CAPABILITIES.
UH, RESPONSE WISE, ADDITIONAL DFR ASSETS WILL BE DETERMINED WITH STATS FROM THESE FIRST TWO DRONES.
AND, UH, WE WE'RE, WE'RE ALREADY LOOKING AT HOW MANY WOULD TAKE TO, UM, YOU KNOW, OVERLAY THE ENTIRE COUNTY.
SO WE COULD USE THESE IN EMERGENCY SITUATIONS.
I KNOW ALONG THE INTERSTATE, A LOT OF TIMES WHEN YOU HAVE THE ACCIDENTS, UH, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT THE FIRE DEPARTMENTS AND THE POLICE DEPARTMENTS ARE ALWAYS ASKING WHAT DIRECTION IS IT? SO THEY'LL KNOW WHERE TO GET ON.
IS IT BETWEEN AN ENTRANCE OR AN EXIT RAMP? AND SO WITH ALL THE CONSTRUCTION GOING ON, THAT WOULD BE PERFECT TO HAVE IN PLACE RIGHT NOW, BUT WE DON'T, WE DON'T HAVE 'EM UP AND RUNNING YET, BUT THAT WOULD GIVE US THE CAPABILITY TO PROVIDE A MORE EFFICIENT RESPONSE TO, TO MOST OF THESE INCIDENTS.
AND THEN, UH, ANOTHER THING WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT, OR MOBILE COMMAND POST, UH, WE CURRENTLY HAVE ONE THAT, CARL, DO YOU REMEMBER HOW THAT THING IS? THAT'S, IT'S AT FIRE STATION FOUR RIGHT NOW.
NO, NO, IT'S THAT LITTLE BIT YOUNG, BUT, UH, IT'S WHAT, IT'S OLDER THAN GUN RANGE.
UH, BUT WE'RE LOOKING AT, UH, WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT IS MAYBE, UH, SOME GRANTS AND SOME THINGS TO BE ABLE TO HAVE MULTIPLE MOBILE COMMAND POSTS.
NOT ONE THAT'S SO HUGE THAT NOBODY WANTS TO GO GET IT OR TAKE IT OUT.
BUT WITH EXPANDING INCIDENTS AND WHAT WE'VE BEEN DELEGATED TO DO AND MANDATED TO DO BY THE LEGISLATURE ON SOME OF THE, THE, THE SCHOOL, UH, ACTIVE SHOOTER, UM, RESPONSES, YOU, YOU NEED A COMMAND POST THAT IS GONNA BE ABLE TO HOUSE YOUR, YOUR INCIDENT COMMAND AND MAYBE EVEN SOME OF YOUR OTHER FUNCTIONS.
SO IF WE HAD SEVERAL OF THESE STATION PROBABLY ABOUT 25 YEARS AGO, UH, I THINK WE BOUGHT MAYBE THROUGH A GRANT, MAYBE THE FIRE SERVICE GRANT, UH, SOME, UH, TENDERS OR TANKERS THAT WOULD TAKE WATER.
AND SO THOSE ARE STATIONED THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY.
SO WE'RE LOOKING AT, AT POSSIBLY DOING SOME GRANTS AND TRYING TO GET SOME MONEY FOR THESE SO THEY COULD BE STATIONED THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY.
SO FOR A RAPID RESPONSE AND THEN A UNIFIED RESPONSE BECAUSE WE'RE GONNA BE RESPONDING WITH OTHER AGENCIES, MAYBE NOT EVEN, NOT JUST IN THIS COUNTY.
AND THEN IT WOULD, UH, INTEGRATE INTO ALSO THE RADIO SYSTEM AS WELL.
SO IT WOULD GIVE US ON SCENE COMMUNICATIONS WHILE STILL PROVIDING A DAILY AND, UH, ROUTINE RESPONSE TO ANY OTHER CALLS THAT COME IN DURING A CRITICAL INCIDENT.
SO THOSE ARE THE THINGS THAT I CAME UP WITH TO KIND OF BRIEF YOU WITH, UH, OF SOME OF THE NEEDS WE MAY BE COMING TO, UH, TO YOU IN THE FUTURE AND LOOKING AT EQUIPMENT WISE, PERSONNEL WISE, AND, AND THOSE KIND OF THINGS TO MAN THIS AS WE CONTINUE TO GROW.
SO, I'LL ENTERTAIN ANY QUESTIONS OR ANY COMMENTS THAT YOU HAVE ON THESE.
DOES ANYBODY HAVE ANY EASY QUESTIONS? AND, AND, UH, TURN ON YOUR MICROPHONE.
AND, AND HERE'S GONNA BE A CAVEAT.
THESE MICROPHONES, THE BATTERIES LAST ABOUT TWO HOURS, SO DON'T LEAVE THEM ON, BUT TURN 'EM ON WHEN YOU SPEAK, PLEASE.
UM, TERRY, AS YOU MENTIONED, WE'VE GROWN RADICALLY IN THE LAST, UH, SINCE 2017.
AN INCREASE OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
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WHATEVER THE NUMBERS ARE, OBVIOUSLY GROWTH PUTS A HUGE IMPACT UPON, UH, YOUR, YOUR OFFICE AND ALL OF THE EMERGENCY SERVICES OFFICES THAT WE HAVE IN THE COUNTY.IS THERE ANY WAY THAT YOU CAN WORK, UH, TO DEVELOP A MODEL SO THAT WE CAN DETERMINE THE IMPACT FUTURE GROWTH HAS ON THE EMERGENCY SERVICES, THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE, THINGS LIKE THAT, SO THAT WE CAN TRY AND COME UP WITH A, A FORMULAIC MODEL FOR DETERMINING HOW MUCH WE CAN, UH, ASK, UH, OTHER PARTICIPANTS, UH, PRIVATE PARTICIPANTS, DEVELOPERS, YOU MIGHT SAY, TO PARTICIPATE IN THAT PROCESS? I THINK THAT'S DEFINITELY POSSIBLE.
UH, LOOKING AT THE, UH, PROJECTED GROWTH, LOOKING AT THE PATTERNS OF GROWTH THAT WE'VE HAD IN THE PAST AND, UH, WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT, YOU KNOW, WHAT, WHAT IS, WHAT HAS BEEN APPROVED, FOR EXAMPLE, FROM SOME OF THE CITIES IN THE COUNTY AND IS NOT BROKEN GROUND YET, SO.
AND JUST, UH, YOU, AS YOU'RE PROBABLY AWARE, WE'RE, WE'VE HAD MULTIPLE CONVERSATIONS THE LAST FEW MONTHS WITH OUR TRAFFIC, UH, THOROUGHFARE, GUYS FREEZE NICHOLS TO TRY AND MAKE THAT DETERMINATION REGARDING ROADS.
BUT I THINK IT WOULD BE TO OUR BENEFIT AS A COUNTY IF WE CAN KIND OF COME UP WITH A METHOD FOR DETERMINING THAT ON ALL OF OUR INFRASTRUCTURE, INCLUDING, UH, YOU AND THE WHAT YOU DO YES.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? ALRIGHT, THANK YOU SHERIFF.
ALRIGHT, SO QUICK, QUICK CAVEAT, JOHN, BEFORE, BEFORE YOU TAKE OVER, LET'S GO AROUND THE ROOM, UH, AND INTRODUCE OUR NAMES AND THE ENTITY WE SERVE.
I'M FRANK NEW, THE ROCKWALL COUNTY JUDGE.
I'M MICHAEL MORRIS, DIRECTOR OF TRANSPORTATION AT THE NORTH CENTRAL TEXAS.
CAL GOVERNMENTS STAFF DIRECTOR TO THE REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION COUNCIL.
I'M COMMISSIONER DANA M**K, REPRESENTING PRECINCT TWO.
I'M JANET NICHOL, THE MAYOR OF ROYCE CITY.
JAMES BRANCH CITY COUNCIL, ROYCE CITY, MARY SMITH, ROCKWALL, CITY MANAGER.
RICHARD HENSON, ROCKWALL CITY COUNCIL.
I'M THE MAYOR FOR THE CITY OF ROCKWALL.
STEVE ALEXANDER, CITY MANAGER FOR THE CITY OF HEATH.
MITCHELL, BE EMS, CHIEF ROCKWELL COUNTY, EMS. BRIAN MCNEIL, MAYOR OF MCLENNAN, CHISHOLM FABRIC.
GAONA MCLENNAN, CHISHOLM, CITY MANAGER.
ANDREW GREENBERG, MAYOR OF FATE.
BOBBY ALANA, ROCKWALL COUNTY COMMISSIONER PRECINCT ONE.
CINDY HORN HEATH CITY COUNCIL SITTING IN ONE.
JOHN STACY, COUNTY COMMISSIONER PRECINCT FOUR.
MICHAEL KOVAC, CITY MANAGER, CITY OF FATE.
LAUREN LTY, COUNTY COMMISSIONER PRECINCT THREE.
JEREMIAH MCCLURE, MAYOR OF THE CITY OF HEATH.
I DON'T KNOW IF YOU OR JEFF OR JOHN OR WHO'S GONNA LEAD IT.
UH, I THINK, UH, JUDGE, I'M GOING TO DO IT IF THAT'S OKAY.
UM, I FIRST WANNA PUBLICLY THANK, UH, JEFF NEIL.
HE'S A STAFF PERSON HERE AT THE COUNCIL GOVERNMENT SENIOR PROGRAM MANAGER.
HE HAS BEEN COMING HERE SINCE 2004 WITH THE BOND PROGRAM.
I KNOW YOU'VE ALL PROBABLY COMING THAT LONG AS WELL, BUT SOME OF YOU HAVEN'T.
SO I'D LIKE TO, UH, HAVE A ROUND OF APPLAUSE FOR JEFF.
NEIL'S COMMITMENT TO WE HAVE HAD TWO, UH, DECADES OF UNBELIEVABLE PARTNERSHIP, UH, BETWEEN THE REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION COUNCIL, THE CITIES, AND THE COUNTY AND TXDOT.
UM, IT IS LARGELY DUE TO THIS PARTICULAR GROUP, WHICH I WANTED TO COME.
UM, YOU HAD INSIGHT IN CREATING A PARTNERSHIP AMONG YOURSELVES, SPEAKING WITH A COMMON VOICE, MAKING IT A LOT EASIER FOR THEREFORE THE STATE AND THE REGION TO THEN BE A PARTNER WITH YOU.
THAT ABILITY TO WORK TOGETHER IS NOT COMMON AROUND THE REGION, AND IT IS RESULTED IN UNBELIEVABLE FINANCIAL BENEFITS TO YOU.
'CAUSE IT MAKES IT A LOT EASIER TO, UH, BUILD PROJECTS WHEN THEY'RE READY TO GO TO CONSTRUCTION.
UH, BECAUSE YOU CANNOT CONSTRUCT A PROJECT THAT HAS NOT BEEN DESIGNED OR ENVIRONMENTALLY CLEARED.
AND THAT'S A CREDIT TO THIS PARTICULAR GROUP.
YOU, YOU'VE BEEN DOING IT FOR A LONG TIME.
THE REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION COUNCIL WORKS WITH THE TEXAS TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION, OUR STAFF WORKING WITH THE REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION COUNCIL SEASON CLEMENS AND THE TXDOT STAFF.
UH, IRONICALLY TODAY WE'VE REVIEWED ALL THE PROJECTS IN YOUR PARTICULAR COUNTY.
UH, THERE'S SIX OF THEM IN THAT BUCKET.
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UH, TWO OF THEM NEED SOME FINANCIAL RESOURCES.THAT INFORMATION WILL GO TO THE COMMISSION THIS SPRING.
UH, WE HOPE ANNOUNCEMENTS IN AUGUST OF NEXT YEAR.
IT'S CALLED THE UNIFIED TRANSPORTATION PROGRAM PROCESS.
THE SECOND BUCKET IS THE BUCKET HERE.
IT'S THE BUCKET YOU HAVE WITH BOND PROGRAM PROJECTS, UH, PARTNERSHIPS YOU HAVE WITH CITY COUNCILS, LOCAL MATCH COMMITMENTS.
UM, FUNDS CAN COME FROM THE REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION COUNCIL AS PART OF THAT PARTICULAR PARTNERSHIP.
SO I WANT TO COME AND THANK YOU, UM, FOR 21 YEARS OF MAKING IT EASIER ON US TO COME UP WITH CONSENSUS TO DELIVER THESE PARTICULAR PROJECTS.
UH, MY PRESENTATION TONIGHT IS ON, ON THE, UH, OUTER LOOP.
UM, MY JOB, JUST SO YOU KNOW WHAT MY RESPONSIBILITY IN THE REGION IS, I DON'T HAVE THE LUXURY OF LOOKING OUT TWO WEEKS TO DETERMINE TRANSPORTATION NEEDS UNDER FEDERAL LAW.
I HAVE TO LOOK OUT TO 20 YEARS INTO THE FUTURE.
SO I HAVE TO LOOK AT 2050 AND WHAT THE WORLD'S LIKE IN 2050.
WHAT WOULD THE CITIZENS IN 2050 WANT TO TELL US IN 2025, UH, TO DO THE RIGHT THINGS TODAY FOR THAT PARTICULAR SYSTEM? NOW, I'M NOT ASKING YOU TO TAKE THE SAME VIEW I'M TAKING, I'M JUST EXPLAINING WHAT MY RESPONSIBILITY IS AND WHY THE REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION COUNCIL EXISTS TODAY.
THERE'S EIGHT, 8.4 MILLION PEOPLE IN THE REGION.
IN 2050 THERE'LL BE 12, 12.4 MILLION PEOPLE.
NONE OF THOSE INDIVIDUALS CALL US.
HEY, IS IT OKAY IF WE COME? UH, THE STATE OF TEXAS WISHES TO BE A PRO-GROWTH STATE.
DALLAS-FORT WORTH HAPPENS TO HAVE AN UNBELIEVABLE, UH, SET OF INFRASTRUCTURE.
AND WE END UP PICKING UP A LARGER SHARE OF THAT EVERY YEAR.
MEANING OUR REGION IS GROWING FASTER THAN THE REST OF THE STATE.
UH, WHEN I CAME TO WORK AT THE COUNCIL GOVERNMENTS, WE WERE THE 15TH LARGEST REGION.
WE WILL SOON, UH, GO PAST CHICAGO AS THE THIRD LARGEST REGION IN THE COUNTRY.
THIS PRESENTATION, I DON'T WANT PEOPLE TO TAKE A LOT OF NOTES.
THIS PRESENTATION, UH, WILL BE MADE AVAILABLE.
I ASSUME THE CONSORTIA CAN MAKE IT AVAILABLE TO EVERYONE THAT'S HERE.
UM, THERE'S LOTS OF GOOD INFORMATION HERE.
UM, BUT DON'T THINK YOU HAVE TO TAKE A LOT OF NOTES IN THE PROCESS.
SO THE REGIONAL LOOP IS THE PURPLE ALIGNMENT ON THE OUTSIDE.
UM, I WAS ASKED BY COMMISSIONERS, UH, HERE IN ROCKWELL COUNTY, UH, COULD WE LOOK AT OPTIONS? UM, WITH REGARD TO THE REGIONAL LOOP, NOT ONLY CAN YOU LOOK AT OPTIONS, I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU TO LOOK AT OPTIONS AND THEN GIVE US A CHANCE TO EVALUATE THE OPTIONS.
'CAUSE IF THE OPTIONS ARE GOOD, THEN I THINK WE SHOULD PROCEED.
IF THE OPTIONS AREN'T AS GOOD, THEN I THINK WE HAVE OTHER TOOLS TO HELP YOU.
SO RIGHT NOW YOU'RE ONLY LOOKING AT THE FIRST TOOL.
CAN WE AVOID WHATEVER OUR CONCERNS ARE IN ANOTHER ALIGNMENT? YOU HAVEN'T LOOKED YET AT MINIMIZE, YOU HAVEN'T LOOKED YET AT MITIGATE, YOU HAVEN'T LOOKED AT YET AT ENHANCE, AND YOU HAVEN'T LOOKED AT LAND USE TEAM PARTNERSHIPS BETWEEN THE COUNTIES AND THE CITIES.
SO RIGHT NOW YOU'RE TRYING TO SOLVE THIS PROBLEM WITH ONLY ONE TOOL.
YOU'RE USING ONE TOOL, TRY TO BUILD A HOUSE WITH ONE TOOL VERSUS USING ALL FIVE TOOLS TO, TO UH, TRY TO SOLVE YOUR PARTICULAR PROBLEMS. AND I'M GONNA GIVE YOU EXAMPLES OF THAT AND THOSE THAT WE'VE USED IN OTHER REGIONS.
SO YOU CAN GET A FEEL FOR THE EXTENT OF ALL THE TOOLS IN THE TOOLBOX THAT YOU CAN, UH, POTENTIALLY USE.
THE OPTIONS YOU'VE ASKED TO LOOK AT ARE IN THE SOUTHERN PART OF YOUR COUNTY, YOUR NORTH OF KAUFMAN.
WE ASKED YOU NOT TO HURT KAUFMAN IN LOOKING AT YOUR PARTICULAR ROUTES.
SO I'M JUST SHOWING YOU THE CONTEXT OF WHERE THOSE ARE.
AND I'M GONNA GO THROUGH EACH OF THE ONES YOU ASKED US TO LOOK AT.
THE FIRST ONE IS THE ORANGE ALIGNMENT.
UM, YOU'RE SEEING THE ORANGE IN ALIGNMENT COMPARED TO THE ORIGINAL PURPLE ALIGNMENT.
THE VOLUME YOU HAVE THERE IS THE ANTICIPATED VOLUME IN THE FUTURE.
I THINK WE'RE OUT TO THE 20, 20 50 TIMEFRAME.
THAT'S THE VOLUME YOU HAVE ON THE PARTICULAR CORRIDOR.
YOU'LL NOTICE THESE VOLUMES ARE LOWER ON THE ORANGE CORRIDOR THAN ON THE PURPLE CORRIDOR.
AND YOU'LL ALSO NOTICE, GIVEN THE NUMBER, THERE'S A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO STAGE CONSTRUCT THIS PROJECT OVER TIME.
AND THAT'S REALLY WHAT I WOULD CALL, UM, A MITIGATING TOOL.
BUT I'M GONNA SHARE THAT TOOL, UH, WITH YOU.
CAN, CAN YOU EXPLAIN THE NUMBERS? JUST WHAT, OH, WHAT A GREAT QUESTION.
[00:25:01]
THOUSANDS OF CARS PER DAY ANTICIPATED ON THE FREEWAY PAVEMENT ON THOSE PARTICULAR SECTIONS.SO IN THE UPPER LEFT NUMBER 51 50 1,500, AND THEN YOU HAVE 42,802, IT'S EAST FURTHER DOWN, YOU HAVE 62,000, YOU HAVE 51,000.
SO THAT'S THE SIMULATION OF THE TRANSPORTATION OPTION GIVEN TO US ON HOW MANY THOUSAND VEHICLES A DAY WOULD BE ON THAT PARTICULAR ALIGNMENT.
AND THEN WE'RE GONNA SHOW YOU WHAT THAT THAT IMPLIES, UH, WITH REGARD TO HOW GOOD OR BAD THAT IS AND WHAT YOU'RE TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH.
OKAY? SO THIS IS AN ATTEMPT OF MAKING IT EASIER.
THE BLUE COLORED LINES ARE PLACES WHERE YOU'RE ADDING TRAFFIC.
SO YOU DON'T BUILD THE PURPLE FREEWAY, YOU BUILD THE FREEWAY TO THE RIGHT.
ALL THE BLUE ROADS ARE INCREASING IN TRAFFIC.
ALL THE ORANGE ROADS ARE DECREASING IN TRAFFIC.
THE WIDER THE ROAD, THE WIDER THE BAND, THE BIGGER THE NUMBER.
SO INSTEAD OF READING A WHOLE BUNCH OF NUMBERS WHERE YOU SEE BLUE, YOU'RE SEEING INCREASED TRAFFIC, WHERE YOU SEE YELLOW, YOU'RE SEEING REDUCED TRAFFIC.
SO YOU SEE A WHOLE BUNCH OF BLUE TRAFFIC WHERE THE OLD FREEWAY WAS.
WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? WE DON'T WANT TO GO TO THE NEW ALIGNMENT.
WE'RE GONNA STAY ON THE OLD ALIGNMENT.
AND THE PROBLEM FOR YOU, FOR ALL OF US, IF THEY STAY ON THE OLD ALIGNMENT, SOMEONE HAS TO BUILD A PROJECT IN THAT ALIGNMENT.
SO YOU'RE BUILDING TWO PROJECTS AS PART OF THAT PROCESS.
SO THE ESTIMATED COST OF THE ALIGNMENT GIVEN TO US IS A LITTLE LESS THAN A BILLION.
UH, IT'S A HUNDRED, $109 MILLION MORE THAN THE ALIGNMENT THAT WAS IN THE MIDDLE.
UM, THE ANNUAL BENEFITS ARE SIGNIFICANTLY LESS.
WHY ARE THEY SIGNIFICANTLY LESS? 'CAUSE A LOT OF PEOPLE AREN'T TAKING THE NEW ROUTE BECAUSE IT'S FASTER TO STAY ON THE EXISTING NOT SO NICE THOROUGHFARE STREET SYSTEM 'CAUSE IT'S SO CIRCUITOUS.
YOU'RE NOT REALLY HELPING US WITH THE, MAKING THE CONNECTION AT KAUFMAN COUNTY.
'CAUSE THIS IS COMING IN WAY TO THE EAST SIDE.
KAUFMAN COUNTY IS COMING IN CLOSER TO THE ORIGINAL ALIGNMENT.
SO OUR RECOMMENDATION IS, I, I DON'T THINK, I THINK YOU SHOULD CONTINUE TO LOOK AT OPTIONAL ROUTES, BUT GOING THIS FAR EAST IS IS NOT VERY HELPFUL TO, TO THE PROCESS.
'CAUSE ALL YOU'RE DOING IS BUILDING A NEW FREEWAY AND ALL YOUR USERS WISH TO STAY SOMEWHERE NEAR THE CORRIDOR WHERE THE OTHER FREEWAY WAS.
HERE'S THE RED ORANGE ALIGNMENT.
THIS IS ANOTHER ALIGNMENT THAT WE WERE GIVEN.
AGAIN, YOU SEE 64 7 VERSUS 48, 62 3 VERSUS 43 SIMILAR RESULTS.
IF YOU LOOK AT THE NEXT SLIDE, LOTS OF BLUE IN THE SAME LOCATION NEAR THE OLD OLDER ALIGNMENT, PRETTY WIDE YELLOW SOUTH OF IT.
WHAT THIS IS TELLING YOU IS, IS THE KAUFMAN COUNTY RESIDENCE AREN'T EVEN GOING USE THE REGIONAL LOOP 'CAUSE YOU PUT IN SUCH A CIRCUITOUS COMPONENT TO IT.
I'M GONNA USE COMPLETELY OTHER THOROUGHFARE STREETS TO GET TO WHERE I'M GOING.
CONCLUSION IS SIMILAR, $164 MILLION MORE IN THIS CASE.
UH, THE BENEFITS WEREN'T AS GOOD.
UM, YOU'RE NOT, YOU'RE NOT COMING INTO THE KAUFMAN COUNTY CONNECTION.
SO I DON'T WANT YOU TO THINK THEY'RE ALL BAD.
UM, THE NEXT ONE, THE BLUE ORANGE ROUTE.
AND I'M GONNA GIVE YOU THE TOOLS THAT I THINK CAN REALLY HELP YOU.
THE BLUE ORANGE ROUTE, 60,000 TO 43 63, 7 TO 41.
YOU HAVE MORE BLUE IN THIS ONE.
A LOT MORE PEOPLE WISH TO STAY IN THE ORIGINAL QUARTER.
UH, AND REMEMBER, IF WE PUT ALL OF OUR MONEY INTO THE REGIONAL LOOP AND NOT EVERYONE WANTS TO COME TO THE PARTY, WE THEN GOTTA FIND A WHOLE BUNCH OF MONEY TO STILL SOLVE THE PEOPLE THAT WISH NOT TO COME TO THE REGIONAL LOOP.
SO YOU'RE, WHEN I GIVE YOU THESE COST ESTIMATES, I'M NOT EVEN ADDING IN.
THE COST OF THE ADDITIONAL FACILITY WOULD STILL HAVE TO BUILD A, A FARM TO MARKET ROAD OR A SIX NINTH OR A FAIR STREET.
UH, COST DIFFERENCES HIGHER, UM, ANNUAL BENEFITS OF COURSE AREN'T AS GOOD 'CAUSE YOU HAVE LESS PEOPLE WANTING TO GO THE NEW ROUTE.
THEY'RE STAYING, STAYING IN THE OLD ROUTE.
UM, YOU'RE STILL NOT MAKING THE CONNECTION TO WHERE HOFFMAN COUNTY IS COMING IN.
UM, AND I'M NOT SURE THIS, THIS OPTION WOULD HAVE HAVE LEGS, THE PINK ALIGNMENT.
SIMILAR RESULTS IN THE INTEREST OF TIME.
[00:30:01]
LOTS OF BLUE LINES IN THE OLD QUARTER.NOW REMEMBER THERE'S NOT A LOT OF BLUE LINES HERE 'CAUSE THE PINK QUARTER IS SO SHORT.
YOU'RE, YOU'RE EXTENDING DOWN THE REGIONAL QUARTER A LOT AND THEN YOU'RE PUTTING IN LIKE A GOLF BALL LOOP ON THE BOTTOM.
SO, UM, THE BLUE LINES CAN'T SHOW UP AS MUCH.
'CAUSE THE, THE, THE LENGTH OF IT IS SO SHORT WITH REGARD TO THE ITY THAT YOU'RE ADDING TO THE ROUTE.
UM, SIMILAR COST DIFFERENCES STILL DOESN'T MEET WHERE KAUFMAN COUNTY IS BRINGING THE FACILITY IN THE AQUA ALIGNMENT.
UM, YOU WISH TO LOOK TO GO TO THE WEST.
UM, I STILL THINK YOU SHOULD LOOK AT OTHER ROUTES TO AVOID, EVEN THOUGH I THINK THERE'S MORE TOOLS I'M GONNA SHOW YOU GOING TO THE WEST WOULD BE BE BETTER GOING TO THE EAST.
WHAT WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? UM, IF YOU LOOK AT THE NEXT SLIDE ON THE DIFFERENCE PLOT, YOU DON'T SEE THE BLUE.
YOU SEE THAT BECAUSE THIS IS MOVING TO THE WEST AND YOU'RE MOVING CLOSER TO THE, THE DENSITY AND GROWTH OF A REGION WITH 12 MILLION PEOPLE, YOU'RE NOT LOSING THE NEED OR CREATING THE NEED FOR, UH, A POTENTIAL REPLACEMENT FACILITY.
AND LOOK, ALSO, YOU DON'T HAVE THE BIG WIDE ORANGE TO THE BOTTOM.
NOW YOU HAVE A KAUFMAN COUNTY THAT SAYS THERE IS NO HUGE HICCUP IN THE MIDDLE OF THE QUARTER.
I'M GONNA TAKE THE REGIONAL LOOP NOW, JUST TO GIVE YOU ALL CONTEXT.
THE REGIONAL LOOP THAT I'M TALKING ABOUT STARTS NORTH OF THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTH TEXAS.
AT INTERSTATE 35 CROSSES ALL OF DENTON COUNTY CROSSES.
ALL OF COUNTY COLLIN COUNTY COMES ACROSS ROCKWALL COUNTY WHERE WE ALREADY BUILD THE SLOT FOR THE INTERCHANGE ON INTERSTATE 30.
INTERSTATE 30 WAS SOLD TO THE COMMISSION AS A NORTH SOUTH REGIONAL LOOP INTERFACING WITH AN INTERSTATE HIGHWAY AT THAT PARTICULAR LOCATION.
KAUFMAN COUNTY IS NOW FEEDING THE SOUTHERN ROUTE.
I WOULD HOPE ALL OF YOU GO VISIT LOOP NINE THAT'S BEEN BUILT.
SO YOU CAN SEE WHAT I'M GONNA TALK ABOUT IN A MINUTE.
EVENTUALLY WE'RE GONNA CROSS THE FLOODPLAIN ONTO LOOP NINE AND WE'RE GONNA START HEADING WEST OVER TO SOUTHWEST FORT WORTH AS PART OF THIS REGIONAL LOOP.
SO PICTURE YOURSELF IN A ROOM.
I WASN'T HERE WHEN LBJ WAS NOT EVEN TALKED ABOUT.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT YEAR THAT WOULD'VE BEEN.
UM, PEOPLE LAUGHED, LITERALLY LAUGHED WHEN THE GROUP LOOKED INTO THE FUTURE AND SAID WE NEEDED AN LBJ FREEWAY.
NOW, IN THIS PARTICULAR CASE, YOU'RE BLESSED THAT YOUR VOLUMES ARE ONE THIRD, ONE QUARTER, WHAT LBJ IS CARRYING TODAY.
BUT PEOPLE RODE THEIR BIKES WHEN LBJ OPENED.
PEOPLE RODE THEIR BIKES ON LBJ AND NOW LBJ IS THE HIGHEST VOLUME FREEWAY.
EAST WEST FREEWAY, NOT A NORTH SOUTH FREEWAY IS THE HIGHEST VOLUME FREEWAY IN THE STATE.
UM, SO AT AS REQUESTED, HEY MICHAEL, CAN WE LOOK AT OPTIONS? OF COURSE YOU CAN LOOK AT OPTIONS.
I ENCOURAGE YOU TO LOOK AT OPTIONS.
JUST GIVE US A CHANCE TO REVIEW THEM.
IN THIS PARTICULAR CASE, YOU'RE COMING IN WHERE, WHERE KAUFMAN COUNTY IS COMING IN.
YOU'RE VERY CLOSE TO WHERE KAUFMAN COUNTY IS.
I THINK IT'S HELPING YOU TREMENDOUSLY.
THE COST IS A LITTLE BIT HIGHER.
UH, THE BENEFITS AREN'T, YOU'RE NOT LOSING A LOT OF BENEFITS OF ALL THE OPTIONS YOU'VE GIVEN US TO DATE.
IT'S THE LOWEST IN THE LOS ANNUAL BENEFITS.
MOVING WEST HELPS YOU CAPTURE TRAVEL DEMAND AND IT'S VERY CLOSE TO THE CONNECTION IN KAUFFMAN COUNTY.
SO WHAT ELSE? WELL, HERE'S THE CONCLUSIONS.
YOU WERE NICE ENOUGH TO LOOK AT MORE OPTIONS AND LET US EVALUATE THEM.
UM, I THINK THESE ARE THE RESULTS TO DATE.
I I'M STRONGLY ENCOURAGING YOU TO MOVE ON WITH SOMETHING CLOSER TO THE REGIONAL LOOP.
UH, YOU, THE ORIGINAL PURPLE ALIGNMENT.
YOU STILL CAN LOOK AT OTHER ITEMS, BUT YOU NEED TO ADD ALL THESE OTHER TOOLS THAT I'M READY TO PRESENT TO YOU, TO THE PROCESS.
'CAUSE IT'S NOT FAIR TO THE PUBLIC FOR YOU TO TRY TO SOLVE THIS PROBLEM JUST WITH ONE TOOL.
YOU NEED TO USE ALL FIVE TOOLS IN THE PROCESS WE WERE OFFERED RECENTLY.
WHY DON'T WE JUST GO BUILD THE WHOLE PROJECT TO THE EAST.
UH, THAT OBVIOUSLY IS NOT GOING OVER VERY WELL WITH YOUR PARTNERS.
UM, BECAUSE COLLIN COUNTY IS ALREADY MOVING AHEAD ON THE PURPLE ROUTE.
UH, IT'S NOT GOING VERY WELL WITH US.
WHO HAS GONE TO THE RTC AND THE COMMISSION AND PLEADED FOR MONEY ON INTERSTATE 30 AND THE FRONTAGE ROADS.
UH, WE, WE HAVE DESIGNED INTERSTATE 30 FOR THIS REGIONAL CONNECTION.
[00:35:01]
THE PURPLE ROUTE IS DESTINED, UH, TO BE DOWN IN THIS PARTICULAR QUARTER.AND WE PLEAD WITH, USE ALL THE TOOLS I'M GONNA PRESENT TO YOU, UH, JUST LIKE WE HAVE IN EVERY OTHER QUARTER WE'VE DONE IN THE REGION.
UH, THREE 80 BEING THE MOST RECENT ONE.
AND I'LL SHARE THOSE WITH YOU IN THE INTEREST OF TIME.
I'M NOT GONNA GO THROUGH THESE PARTICULAR ITEMS. UM, I THINK IT'S PRETTY STRAIGHTFORWARD WHEN YOU HAVE IT, IT SORT OF CAPTURES WHAT I'M TRYING TO SAY.
I THINK IT'S IN YOUR BEST INTEREST TO ENVIRONMENTALLY CLEAR A ROUTE, GET THE RIGHT OF WAY PROTECTED THAT RESTRICTS DEVELOPERS TO BE ABLE TO DEVELOP ON THAT PARTICULAR LAND.
THAT LOWERS THE PRESSURE THAT A LOT OF YOU HAVE BECAUSE THE LEGISLATURE PERMITS DEVELOPERS TO NOT BE CONFINED ON BUILDING CODES AND OTHER THINGS ON UNINCORPORATED LAND VERSUS CITY LAND.
I DON'T THINK YOU'RE REACHING OUT TO YOUR CITY PARTNERS ENOUGH TO ENCOURAGE MORE OF THAT DEVELOPMENT THERE.
AND THERE'S WAYS WE CAN EASILY DO THAT THAT'LL DISCOURAGE DEVELOPMENT ON UNINCORPORATED PARTS OF THE COUNTY.
UH, AND GIVE YOU A PATH FORWARD, UH, BY BUILDING LIKE WE DID ON LOOP NINE, A LOGICAL PATH FORWARD WHERE THE NEEDS TELL YOU WHEN TO BUILD THE MAIN LANES.
'CAUSE RIGHT NOW WE DON'T THINK THE MAIN LANES NEED TO BE BUILT FOR AT LEAST 20 YEARS INTO THE FUTURE.
SO WHAT ARE OTHER TOOLS YOU CAN HAVE? AND I ASK YOU ALL TO GO VISIT LOOP NINE.
SO LOOP NINE IS BUILT WHERE WE BUILT JUST ONE FRONTAGE ROAD AND WE PUT TWO DIRECTIONS OF TRAFFIC ON THE FRONTAGE ROAD AND WE SIMPLY MEASURE THE TRAFFIC.
NOW WE'RE NOT NAIVE ENOUGH TO THINK LOOP NINE WILL SOON BE OVERWHELMED BECAUSE OF ALL THE TRUCKS AND GOODS MOVEMENT AND EVERYTHING THAT OCCURS.
'CAUSE THE FIRST SECTION'S BEING BUILT BETWEEN 35 AND 45.
SO WE'RE ALREADY PREPARING FOR THE OTHER SIDE OF THE FRONTAGE ROAD.
ONCE WE BUILD THE OTHER SIDE OF THE FRONTAGE ROAD, THEN ONE FRONTAGE ROAD GOES ONE WAY AND THE OTHER FRONTAGE ROAD GOES THE OTHER WAY.
BUT YOU SEE HOW IN ALL OF THESE CASES, WE ALREADY BOUGHT THE RIGHT OF WAY IN THE MIDDLE FOR THE FREEWAY AND WE DON'T HAVE TO BUILD A FREEWAY RIGHT AWAY.
IN FACT, WE DON'T HAVE THE MONEY TO BUILD A FREEWAY 'CAUSE IT'S NOT, IT'S NOT READY, IT'S NOT WARRANTED YET.
AND WHAT DO YOU SEE ON THAT PICTURE? NO BUILDINGS.
THE THE RIGHT OF WAY IS PROTECTED FOR FUTURE PUBLIC USE, WHICH IS THE TRANSPORTATION PROJECT.
AND THEN NOT TO GET TOO COMPLICATED, IF THESE FURNITURES CROSS THE STREET, YOU COULD SIMPLY BUILD THE ENTRANCE RAMPS, BUILD THE FREEWAY SECTION OVER THE BRIDGE, AND THEN BUILD THE EXIT RAMP.
SO YOU COULD COME AROUND THE THUNDER FRONTAGE ROAD, GET ON THE ENTRANCE RAMP TO THE FREEWAY AND BE ON THE FREEWAY FOR 400 YARDS.
TAKE THE EXIT RAMP AND CONTINUE.
YOU DON'T HAVE TO BUILD GREAT SEPARATIONS ON THE FRONTAGE ROAD.
YOU SIMPLY BUILD YOUR GREAT SEPARATIONS ON THE MAIN LANES AND STAGE CONSTRUCT THE PROJECT.
OVER TIME, 360 NORTH OF DFW AIRPORT WAS BUILT THIS WAY.
UH, OTHER PROJECTS IN GEORGE BUSH WERE BUILT SIMILAR.
UH, LOOP NINE IS THE BEST EXAMPLE I CAN GIVE YOU.
WHAT ARE THE OTHER TOOLS RIGHT NOW? YOU'RE JUST USING THE AVOID TOOL TO PREVENT SOME NEGATIVE IMPACT BY CHANGING, CHANGING THE ALIGNMENT OF THE THE ITEM.
AND WHERE DO YOU DO THIS? YOU DO THIS IN THIS PHASE IN THE ENVIRONMENTAL PHASE.
UM, MINIMIZE YOU, YOU CAN REDUCE THE SEVERITY OF THE IMPACT WHERE YOU LIMIT SOME DEGREE OF SOMETHING YOU DON'T WANT.
GEORGE BUSH HAS NO FRONTAGE ROADS IN THE CITY OF DALLAS.
CITY OF DALLAS WANTED RESIDENTIAL.
ONE WAY TO GET RESIDENTIAL IS DON'T BUILD FRONTAGE ROADS.
THAT'S HOW YOU TRIGGER RESIDENTIAL.
IF YOU WANT DEVELOPMENT, YOU BUILD FRONTAGE ROADS.
WHY DO YOU BUILD FRONTAGE ROADS? THE DEVELOPERS WANT ACCESS OFF OF THOSE PARTICULAR FRONTAGE ROADS.
SO WHAT PART OF THE COMMUNITY DO YOU WANT? RESIDENTIAL AND WHAT PART OF THE COMMUNITY DO YOU WISH TO HAVE A NODE OF DEVELOPMENT? YOU DON'T NECESSARILY HAVE TO BUILD THE FRONTAGE ROADS, THE WHOLE SECTION.
THAT TOOL ISN'T BEING USED YET 'CAUSE YOU'RE NOT ADVANCING THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROCESS.
MITIGATE HOW TO COMPENSATE FOR UNAVOIDABLE LOSS OR DAMAGE.
HOW TO REPAIR OR REPLACE WHAT'S LOST OR OR DAMAGED.
I'M GONNA GIVE YOU EXAMPLES OF THIS IN OTHER CORRIDORS.
ENHANCE, WE WISH THE PROJECT TO HAVE AN ARCHITECTURAL FEATURE.
WE WANT TO ADD SOMETHING TO CREATE THE HISTORIC NATURE OF OF OUR PARTICULAR COMMUNITY.
UM, CITY, CITY X HAS THIS PARTICULAR HISTORY.
WHEN YOU COME THROUGH OUR PARTICULAR COMMUNITY, WE WISH THE CONCRETE, UH, FORM LINERS TO TALK ABOUT THE HISTORY
[00:40:01]
OF THE PEOPLE THAT CREATED OUR TOWN.ALL OF THESE PARTICULAR ITEMS ARE QUOTE, ENHANCEMENTS TO THE PROCESS.
AND THEN THE ONE TOOL THAT I THINK YOU REALLY AREN'T LEANING ON IS LAND USE TEAM PARTNERSHIPS.
SO YOU HAVE A CONSORTIUM THAT IS MADE UP OF, SORRY, YOU HAVE AN INFRASTRUCTURE CONSORTIUM THAT'S MADE UP OF CITY REPRESENTATIVES AND COUNTY REPRESENTATIVES.
COUNTY REPRESENTATIVES UNDER STATE LAW FOR WHATEVER REASON, I DON'T UNDERSTAND, DON'T HAVE CONTROLS OVER LAND USE LIKE CITY REPRESENTATIVES DO.
CITY REPRESENTATIVES CAN BUILD MUCH BETTER PRODUCT THAN THE THE UNINTENDED RESULTS.
I THINK UNINTENDED SOME PEOPLE SAY ATTENDED BY CONSTRAINING COUNTY COMMISSIONERS AND, AND, AND COUNTY COURTS OF LAW NOT TO BE ABLE TO HAVE THE ABILITY TO MANAGE THAT PARTICULAR DEVELOPMENT.
I SAW SEVERAL OF YOUR COMMISSIONERS WORKING HARD.
I THINK THE LEGISLATION SHOULD BE CHANGED.
I THINK COUNTY COMMISSIONERS SHOULD HAVE CONTROL MORE CONTROL OVER LAND USE.
I THINK THE LEVEL PLAYING FIELD SHOULD BE EVEN.
YOU SHOULDN'T CREATE AN INCENTIVE FOR DEVELOPERS TO SIMPLY DO WHATEVER THEY WANT TO DO.
I PROBABLY SHOULDN'T HAVE SAID IT THAT WAY IN UNINCORPORATED AREAS.
BUT IF YOU ON THE CITY SIDE AND THE COUNTY SIDE CAN WORK TOGETHER, MORE OF THAT DEVELOPMENT CAN OCCUR IN THE CITY, THE, THE POTENTIAL ETJ OF THAT PARTICULAR CITY.
AND DON'T SAY THERE AREN'T GONNA BE DEVELOPERS THAT WANT TO BE INCLUDED IN THE CITY.
YOU PUT A FINANCIAL DEAL TOGETHER THAT INCLUDES WATER, SEWAGE TREATMENT, POLICE PROTECTION, FIRE PROTECTION VERSUS WHAT THEY'RE GETTING IN AN UNINCORPORATED AREA.
THAT'S A FINANCIAL DEAL THAT CAN EASILY BE PENCILED OUT WHEN IT COMES TO WHERE ONE WISHES TO LOCATE.
SO THE PURPOSE IS TO CREATE A SYSTEM RESULTING IN CITY DEVELOPMENT RULES GUIDING THOSE DEVELOPMENTS.
ALL OF YOU IN THIS ROOM SHOULD ENCOURAGE MORE DEVELOPMENT OCCURRING IN A CITY THAN IN A COUNTY BECAUSE THE PUBLIC SECTOR INTEREST CAN BE MET MORE BY THE RULES THAT THE LEGISLATURE HAS GIVEN CITIES THAN UNFORTUNATELY THE RULES THAT HAVE BEEN GIVEN TO COUNTIES.
THAT IS A TOOL YOU'RE NOT USING.
YOU HAVE A WHOLE BUNCH OF CITIES, YOU HAVE A WHOLE BUNCH OF COUNTIES THERE.
THERE'S GOTTA BE A WAY YOU CAN INTEGRATE A TRANSPORTATION CORRIDOR MAXIMIZING THE APPROPRIATE LOCATION OF THAT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
HERE IS A REAL WORLD EXAMPLE IN THREE 80 RESIDENTS OF TUCKER HILL ESTATES, UM, VOICE CONCERN OVER THE NOISE AND THE IMPACTS OF THE PARTICULAR PROJECT.
IF YOU LOOK IN THE BOTTOM LEAD HERE, LEFT HAND CORNER, REDUCE THE RIGHT OF WAY WIDTH BY A HUNDRED FEET, DEPRESS THE GENERAL PURPOSE LANES BY 25 FEET, STILL PERMITTING THE PROJECT TO GRAVITATIONALLY DRAIN.
UH, I, AS A PROFESSIONAL ENGINEER, I DON'T WANT TO GET INTO THIS, YOU GOTTA BE CAREFUL YOU DON'T LOWER THE GRADE MORE THAN THE ABILITY TO GET WATER OFF OF THE PAVEMENT SURFACE TO HAVE IT GRAVITATIONALLY DRAINED.
BUT IF YOU GO AHEAD IN THIS PROCESS, YOU CAN START LOOKING AT THOSE PARTICULAR ANSWERS ON WHERE COULD WE POTENTIALLY DEPRESS WHERE YOU CAN ADD RETAINING WALLS AND, AND SOUND WALLS.
LBJ EAST, YOU'VE PROBABLY ALL BEEN ON IT BEFORE CONSTRUCTION STARTED.
WE PUT ALL THE NOISE WALLS UP FIRST, FIRST TIME ON ANY PROJECT AT THE REQUEST OF THE CITIZENS AS A WAY TO ENHANCE A PARTICULAR PROJECT.
WOULD YOU PUT THE NOISE WALLS UP FIRST? SO REMEMBER, NOISE WALLS ARE, ARE FEDERALLY REQUIRED AS A RESULT OF THE NOISE ON THE ROADWAY.
SO THE NOISE WALL HA HAS TO GO IN BEFORE THE PROJECT OPENS.
WE PUT THE NOISE WALLS IN FOUR YEARS BEFORE THE PROJECT OPEN TO TRY TO MINIMIZE THE NOISE FROM THE CONSTRUCTION EVEN THOUGH NOISE WALLS HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH THE CONSTRUCTION.
SO LEGALLY I CAN'T BUILD NOISE WALLS FOR CONSTRUCTION NOISE.
I CAN'T BUILD NOISE WALLS FOR WHAT THE INTENDED NOISE IS GONNA BE WHEN THE FREEWAY OPENS.
BUT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT DOESN'T TELL ME I CAN'T BUILD THE NOISE WALLS FIRST.
WE SIMPLY BOUGHT, BUILT THE NOISE WALLS FIRST AND THEN THEY ALSO ASKED FOR A LOC RELOCATION OF THE ENTRANCE AND EXIT AND RAMPS.
THAT'S A TOOL YOU HAVEN'T EVEN STARTED TO THINK ABOUT YET.
WHERE WHERE DO I WISH TO USE A DIAMOND INTERCHANGE? AND WHERE DO I USE AN X INTER X SHAPED INTERCHANGE ON HOW I CAN ENCOURAGE MORE DEVELOPMENT TO THE FRONTAGE ROAD? 'CAUSE I WANT TO CREATE AN A, A, A DEVELOPMENT NODE NEXT TO THIS FARM TO MARKET ROAD TO CREATE AN ECONOMIC CENTER IN ORDER TO REDUCE THE TAX BASE THAT THE PROPERTY OWNERS ARE HAVING TO PAY BY HAVING MORE COMMERCIAL LAND USE.
MITIGATE, UH, THIS IS IN PRINCETON.
UM, THIS, THIS WAS ALSO ON THREE 80.
UH, I HATE TO TELL YOU THAT DEVELOPER IN THAT LITTLE
[00:45:01]
PICTURE THAT HAS THE 2, 4, 3 1 IN IT, THAT DEVELOPER SAID, I'LL BUILD HOMES FASTER THAN YOU CAN BUILD THREE 80.AND I SAID, WELL, WHY DON'T WE WORK TOGETHER AND I CAN BUY LAND INSTEAD OF $700,000 HOMES.
AND, UM, UH, HE GAVE ME A HAND GESTURE, UH, WHEN I SAID THAT, WHICH BROUGHT US TO THE CORPS OF ENGINEERS AND THE CORPS OF ENGINEERS WITH A VERY SIGNIFICANT SET OF MITIGATIONS.
WE ARE ON CORPS OF ENGINEERS LAND, UM, IN THE NORTHEAST PORTION OF COLLIN COUNTY.
HOPEFULLY WE DON'T EVER HAVE TO DO ANYTHING WHERE DEVELOPERS ARE NOT WILLING TO AT LEAST WORK WITH US IN SOME FORM OR FASHION.
BUT THE LONGER YOU WAIT, THE HARDER IT'S GOING TO BE TO CREATE THOSE PARTICULAR PARTNERSHIPS, UM, AS PART OF THAT PARTICULAR PROCESS.
AND THERE'S NOTHING THAT WOULD MAKE ME MATTER THAN TO BUY SOMEONE'S HOME THAT'S TWO MONTHS OLD BECAUSE WE HAD A DEVELOPER NOT WILLING TO INFORM, UM, SOMEONE WHO'S BUYING A HOME AND WE'RE ACTUALLY TRYING TO GET THE LAW CHANGED.
SO ANYONE BUYING A HOME KNOWS IF IT'S BEING STUDIED AS PART OF AN ENVIRONMENTAL QUARTER BECAUSE I THINK THE CITIZEN SHOULD HAVE THAT PARTICULAR RIGHT.
UH, ENHANCEMENTS, UM, AGAIN, JEFF NEIL FIND, FOUND SOME FOR ME.
UM, THERE'S LOTS OF WAYS TO ENHANCE WHAT YOU WISH TO DO.
SOME, SOME FOLKS ARE ADDING, UM, BICYCLE AND PEDESTRIAN FACILITIES ON THE OUTSIDE OF THE CORRIDORS.
IN FACT, INTERSTATE 30, UH, TEARING DOWN THE INTERSTATE 30 AT FAIR PARK, UH, HAS PARALLEL BICYCLE PEDESTRIAN COURT, UM, BECAUSE OF THE RESIDENTIAL DENSITY WANTING TO, UM, HAVE MORE GREEN SPACE AS PART OF THE IMPLEMENTATION.
AN ENHANCEMENT WOULD BE TO PUT IN MORE GREEN SPACE AS PART OF THIS PARTICULAR PROJECT AND CREATE SOME OF SOME GREEN SPACE AND BICYCLE PEDESTRIAN ACTIVITY AND OTHER HEALTH BELT BASED ELEMENTS THAT ARE ATTRACTING SOME OF YOUR NEW RESIDENTS TO THE COUNTY.
SO JUDGE, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE, THE PROCESS OF BEING ABLE TO COMMUNICATE BACK AND FORTH ON OPTIONS.
UH, MY HOPE IS YOU ADVANCE WORK AND MOVE AHEAD AND USE ALL THE TOOLS THAT ARE AVAILABLE TO YOU.
UM, OUR STAFF IS AVAILABLE TO GIVE OTHER EXAMPLES OF A COMMUNITY WISHES TO SAY, UH, HEY, IN THIS PARTICULAR LOCATION, CAN WE BE DEPRESSED IN THIS PARTICULAR LOCATION? UH, WHAT ARE THE PROS AND CONS OF NOT BUILDING FRONTAGE ROADS? ALL OF THESE PARTICULAR TOOLS ARE AVAILABLE TO YOUR CONSULTANTS, BUT YOUR CONSULTANTS, DEVELOPERS, UM, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT EXPERTS, THOSE PEOPLE AREN'T PARTICIPATING IN YOUR PROCESS, UH, BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT, THEY'RE NOT YET PERMITTED, UH, TO, UH, CREATE THOSE OPTIONS FOR YOU.
UM, THANK YOU FOR INVITING ME, UH, TO COME TODAY.
ALL RIGHT, WHAT I WANT TO DO NOW IS IN TRUE CONSORTIUM FASHION.
I WANT TO GO AROUND THE ROOM AND HAVE EACH ENTITY, UH, TE TELL ME YOUR THOUGHTS.
UH, LET'S START WITH ROYCE CITY.
YEAH, WE'RE GOOD WITH, WITH WHAT WE HAVE THAT, YEAH.
UH, YES, WE ARE GOOD WITH THE ROUTE THAT'S BEEN DESIGNED AND, UM, WE HAVE BEGGED FOR MONTHS TO GET OUR PHASE LOCKED IN BECAUSE WE ARE HAVING SOME DIFFICULTY WITH DEVELOPERS.
SO THANK YOU FOR SAYING THAT AND UH, HOPEFULLY THE COURT WILL FINALLY DO SOMETHING.
ALRIGHT, CITY OF ROCKWALL, MR. MORRIS, THANK YOU FOR COMING TODAY.
UH, THANKS FOR BREAKING IT DOWN FOR US.
I DO HAVE A FEW QUESTIONS BEFORE I GIVE YOU JUST SOME GENERAL FEEDBACK.
ONE OF THEM IS YOU MENTIONED THE RIGHT OF WAY AND ONE OF THE BIG THINGS, LOOK, I IT'S NO SECRET TO THOSE IN HERE THAT I WANT TO HELP CONTROL DENSITY AND I'VE, I'VE BEEN IN THE FIGHT AGAINST DENSITY AND PART OF THE UNINCORPORATED AREA.
PART OF WHAT YOU SAID IS ABSOLUTELY TRUE.
WE'VE SEEN CASES WHERE THESE DEVELOPERS, THEY WOULD MUCH RATHER BE IN A CITY THAT HAS SUIT WATER AND SEWER INFRASTRUCTURE.
FOR US, THERE'S A BIG ISSUE OF US HAVING TO ACQUIRE RIGHT AWAY AND ALL THE OTHER THINGS.
IF WE'RE GONNA PUT IN INFRASTRUCTURE AS PART OF THIS PROJECT, WOULD THE CITY HAVE ACCESS WITHOUT BUYING ADDITIONAL RIGHT AWAY? WOULD WE HAVE ACCESS TO THE RIGHT OF WAY TO PUT IN OUR CITY INFRASTRUCTURE AND THOSE PORTIONS THAT CROSS OUR PATH? YEAH.
WHAT I, WHAT I WOULD HOPE YOU WOULD THINK ABOUT
[00:50:01]
IS AS A FREEWAY IS DESIGNED, UM, WE HAVE WHAT IS CALLED THE PARKWAY, WHICH IS THE OUTSIDE 10 OR 12 FEET.AND WE BELIEVE THAT'S WHERE EVERYONE SHOULD BE PUTTING THEIR UTILITIES.
SO WHEN YOU CREATE A PARTNERSHIP WITH THE STATE IN YOUR ENVIRONMENTAL, YOU MAY WANT TO HAVE A CONVERSATION ABOUT HOW WIDE THAT PARKWAY IS.
I THINK AS A STAFF PERSON, I WOULD HAVE A UTILITY VAULT FOR FIBER AND A WHOLE BUNCH OF OTHER ITEMS INTEGRATED INTO THE PROJECT.
SO WE DON'T DO ALL THE STUPID THINGS WE DO NOW WHERE WE HAVE PEOPLE PUTTING IN UNDERGROUND FIBER BY PUTTING ORANGE CHALK AND PAINT.
AND THEN SOMEONE WILL COME IN AND DRILL ONE, SOMEONE WILL COME IN AND DRILL ONE.
WHY DON'T WE JUST OPEN UP THE VAULT AND LET 'EM SLIDE IT THROUGH THE, THE VAULT IN THE QUARTER? SO I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU TO HAVE A, NOT ONLY A, A A PARKWAY, I WOULD, I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU TO HAVE A SMART PARKWAY WITH A UTILITY VAULT FOR WHATEVER THE FUTURE BRINGS YOU BROADBAND OR WHATEVER THAT MAY BE.
UH, YOU MAY WANT TO BURY SOME OF YOUR ELECTRIC FACILITIES IN THAT PARTICULAR PARKWAY, BUT ONE WAY TO REDUCE YOUR COST IN CITIES AND IN THE COUNTY WITH REGARD TO THAT IS TO PARTNER WITH A BIG, UM, PARTNERSHIP, A FINANCIAL PARTNERSHIP WHERE YOU HAVE, YOU HAVE A PARKWAY FOR YOUR UTILITIES.
YOU CAN DECIDE IF YOU WANT A FRONTAGE ROAD OR NOT.
YOU MAY WANT TO HAVE MORE GREEN SPACE, NOT PERMITTING DEVELOPMENT AND DO SOMETHING IN THE GREEN SPACE.
THERE'S, THERE'S CONVERSATIONS WE'VE HAD WITH PEOPLE ABOUT MAYBE POTENTIALLY BUILDING A PARK IN THE MIDDLE OF THE GREEN SPACE OR HAVING A TEMPORARY PARK.
YOU HAVE A PARK FOR 15 YEARS BEFORE YOU NEED SOMETHING ELSE.
BUT THOSE ARE THE TYPE OF THINGS, MAYOR, I THINK YOU'RE NOT ADDING TO THE, TO THE CONVERSATION.
UM, AND YOU COULD START HAVING YOUR CONSULT CONSULTANT PENCIL OUT WHAT SOME OF THOSE BENEFITS COULD BE.
I THINK YOU ALSO SHOULD HAVE YOUR CONSULTANT PENCIL OUT THE TEAMWORK ON HOW YOU CAN PROBABLY ADVANCE YOUR UTILITIES LIKE WATER AND SEWER TO ENTICE A DEVELOPER TO NOT HAVE TO PAY FOR A PACKAGE PLANT.
AND THEN YOU HAVE THE ABILITY OF CAPTURING MAYBE COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT IN THE CORRECT PART OF A CITY INSTEAD OF SOME SORT OF HOUSING STOCK OR COMMERCIAL STUFF IN THE WRONG PART OF AN UNINCORPORATED COUNTY.
I THINK YOU COULD, I MEAN, YOU'RE EXACTLY RIGHT.
LOOK, WE KNOW THAT, THAT THE DEVELOPERS WOULD MUCH RATHER TAP INTO CITY SEWER AND CITY WATER IF IT'S AVAILABLE.
AND THAT'S THE WAY TO ENTICE, UH, THEM TO REQUEST ANNEXATION, WHICH IS THE ONLY TOOL WE HAVE AS YOU KNOW.
SO JUST TO CLARIFY, AS PART OF YOUR RIGHT OF WAY ACQUISITION, THERE WOULD BE, THERE WOULD BE LAND ALLOCATED THAT WE COULD USE FOR OUR INFRASTRUCTURE THAT'S NOT GONNA CREATE ADDITIONAL COSTS FOR, FOR US TO BUY MORE RIGHT OF WAY.
IS THAT RIGHT? THAT'S, THAT'S PART OF THE PARTNERSHIP YOU SHOULD BE CREATING.
RIGHT? I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WAS CLEAR.
AND THEN, AND THEN YOU MENTIONED SOMETHING IN YOUR PRESENTATION, UH, AND, AND THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE I THINK BRING UP IS THE MULTIFAMILY ALONG THE GEORGE BUSH.
AND, AND I THINK IT'S REALLY INTERESTING TO NOTE THAT, LOOK, I'M A, I'M A BIG FAN OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
I HAVE FOUGHT FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
WE ARE SO LUCKY IN THE CITY OF ROCKWELL, ONLY HALF OF THE TAX BURDEN FALLS ON OUR HOMEOWNERS.
THE OTHER HALF COMES FROM THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, FROM LIGHT INDUSTRY AND FROM RETAIL SALES IN THIS CITY.
THAT'S A FANTASTIC TESTAMENT TO HOW WE'VE HANDLED ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
THE OUTER LOOP WILL BE NO DIFFERENT, BUT IF YOU, IF YOU KEEP THE ACCESS LANES THERE, THOSE SPUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IN YOUR OPINION, RIGHT.
VERSUS RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT.
SO WE WOULD WANT TO MAKE SURE WE HAD THOSE ACCESS LANES THROUGHOUT, BECAUSE WHEN YOU DO WHAT THEY DID ON THE GEORGE BUSH WHERE THEY REQUESTED NO, NO ACCESS LANES, THEY ENDED UP WITH RESIDENTIAL.
THERE WAS THAT, IS THAT THE TRUTH? YEAH, I, I APOLOGIZE.
WE INTENTIONALLY DID NOT BUILD THE FRONTAGE ROADS TO ENCOURAGE RESIDENTIAL.
AND THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT HAPPENED.
YOU CAN, YOU CAN GO GO, YOU DON'T HAVE TO TRUST WHAT I'M SAYING.
NO ONE EVEN KNOWS WHERE THE FRONTAGE ROADS IN THE FRONTAGE ROADS ARE OR AREN'T.
WHERE YOU SEE THE FRONTAGE ROADS IS WHERE THE CITY WISHED THE CITY AND THE COMMUNITY SAID, WE WANT THE COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT OVER THERE.
WE DON'T WANT THE COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT OVER HERE.
SO COMING DOWN IN YOUR COUNTY, I'D BUILD FRONTAGE ROADS THROUGH THE INTER INTERSTATE 30 QUARTER BUILD DENSITY AROUND THE INTERSTATE 30 INTERCHANGE, CREATE SOMETHING REALLY BIG AND THEN FEATHER YOUR RESPONSE.
THE, THE, THE BAD NEWS IS IF THERE'S AN INCIDENT, YOU DON'T GET THE BENEFIT OF THE FRONTAGE ROAD.
BUT I WOULD RATHER GET THE SUPPORT FOR THE RESIDENT TO HAVE THE LAND USE AND PROXIMITY OF THE FACILITY THAT'S CONSISTENT WITH WHAT YOU WISH TO DO IN YOUR PARTICULAR COMMUNITY.
SO YOU MAY HAVE PARTS IN YOUR CITY, YOU HAVE FIVE OR SIX OR SEVEN BIG CITIES IN ROCKWALL COUNTY, YOU MAY HAVE PARTS OF YOUR CITY WHERE YOU WANT THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT NEAR YOUR DOWNTOWN OR WHATEVER.
IN OTHER PARTS YOU WISH IT TO BE AS RURAL AS YOU POSSIBLY CAN MAKE IT.
THOSE ARE THE PLACES YOU CAN BRING THESE OTHER TOOLS IN TO HELP MITIGATE AND SOLVE THOSE PROBLEMS. RIGHT, EXACTLY.
AND, AND I'LL JUST SAY ONE LAST THING.
[00:55:01]
OKAY WITH THE ALIGNMENT AS THE CITY OF ROCKWALL.I I, I DON'T THINK WE HAVE ANY ISSUES.
UH, I WILL SAY THOUGH, FROM EXPERIENCE, YOU SAID SOMETHING INTERESTING ABOUT 20 YEARS FROM NOW.
WHILE I WAS HERE 20 YEARS AGO, THERE WERE VERY FEW OF THESE PLAYERS AROUND THE TABLE AT THAT TIME THAT WERE IN ELECTED POSITIONS.
AND WE BUILT JOHN KING AND WE DID A BOND ELECTION FOR JOHN KING.
NOT THE SAME LEVEL AS AS THIS, BUT THERE WERE PLENTY OF SKEPTICS, PLENTY OF PEOPLE WHO SAID, WHY ARE YOU BUILDING A ROAD WHERE THERE'S NOTHING? OR YOU'RE GONNA GO NEAR MY, NEAR MY LAND.
MARY WAS THE FINANCE DIRECTOR THEN I WAS ON CITY COUNCIL.
AND CAN YOU IMAGINE GETTING AROUND THIS TOWN TODAY WITHOUT JOHN KING 20 YEARS LATER? NO WAY.
AND IT HAS SPURRED LOOK AT WHERE THE GROWTH HAS COME AND THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND THE RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT THAT'S BEEN APPROPRIATE DEVELOPMENT.
IT HAS BEEN VERY WELL PLANNED.
SO I AGREE WITH YOU, I AGREE WITH YOUR COMMENTS TODAY AND I I HOPE OUR COMMISSIONERS WILL, WILL DO THE RIGHT THING AND GET US MOVING FORWARD.
BECAUSE I WANT TO FOCUS ON 2 0 5 AND 5 49 AND 30 97 AND SOME OF THE OTHER MAJOR PROJECTS, THOSE PROJECTS THAT ARE GONNA BE BLUE, WELL THEY'RE BLUE TODAY.
ON MY WAY HOME, I'LL SIT THROUGH FIVE TURNS OF THE LIGHT AND I'D LIKE US TO BE ABLE TO FOCUS ON 2 0 5 AND LET'S GET PAST THIS OUTER LOOP DISCUSSION.
THANK YOU MR. MORRIS, UH, FOR COMING.
I'M BRIAN MCNEIL, CITY OF MCCLENNAN CHISHOLM.
UM, I APPRECIATE THE COMMENTS, UH, THAT YOU BROUGHT TODAY.
UM, AND I APPRECIATE THAT WE'RE ACTUALLY HAVING AN OPEN, UH, DIALOGUE WITH ALL THE ELECT HERE AND EVERYONE WHO'S GONNA HAVE INPUT.
I ALWAYS HAVE SOMETHING TO SAY ON CERTAIN THINGS AND I'M GONNA, I WANT TO KIND OF TELL A STORY OF WHEN WE DON'T TELL EVERYTHING OR WE DON'T PRESENT EVERYTHING.
SO A GUY LEAVES HOME, HE JOGS A LITTLE WAYS.
HE TAKES A LEFT HAND TURN, JOGS A LITTLE WAY MORE, TAKES ANOTHER LEFT HAND TURN, JOGS A LITTLE WAY MORE, TAKES ANOTHER LEFT HAND TURN.
AND AS HE APPROACHES HOME, THERE'S TWO MASKED MEN.
JOGS FROM HOME A LITTLE WAYS, TAKES A LEFT HAND TURN, JOGS A LITTLE MORE.
ANOTHER LEFT HAND TURN JOGS INTO A LITTLE MORE, ANOTHER LEFT HAND TURN AS HE APPROACHES HOME PLATE.
THE CATCHER AND THE UMPIRE ARE THE ONES IN THE MASK.
I SAY THAT BECAUSE WE HAVE TO SAY EVERYTHING.
WHEN WE ONLY GET PORTIONS OF, UH, PIECES OF INFORMATION, THEN IT CAUSES YOU TO AUTOMATICALLY BE BRAINWASHED BECAUSE FOLKS, THAT'S WHAT WE'RE HUMAN, WE'RE CREATURES OF HABIT.
MOST PEOPLE, AND YOU DON'T HAVE TO SHOW ME BY HANDS, BUT MOST PEOPLE PROBABLY THOUGHT HE WAS GONNA GET MUGGED OR ROBBED IN THE FIRST STORY UNLESS YOU'VE HEARD THAT RIDDLE BEFORE.
AND WE AGREE WITH THE PURPLE ROUTE.
UH, I REPRESENT CITIZENS OF MY CITY.
UM, AND I KNOW THE, THE DECISIONS THAT WE MAKE IN OUR CITY DO IMPACT NEIGHBORING CITIES AS WELL AS THOSE IN THE ETJ OF MCCLENNAN CHISHOLM.
BUT THAT PERSON, UH, IS REPRESENTED BY THE COMMISSIONER'S COURT.
SO I HAVE TO FOCUS ON WHO I WAS ELECTED TO REPRESENT.
SO IF YOU'LL INDULGE ME ONE SECOND, LET'S SEE IF I GOT THIS CORRECT.
SO THE PURPLE ROUTE IS THE PREFERRED ROUTE, IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN, THE TECHNICALLY PREFERRED ROUTE.
SO WHAT I DID IS I TOOK THE MAP MANY MONTHS AGO AND I HUNG IT IN OUR CITY HALL AND I MADE A PLEA TO THE CITIZENS OF MCCLENDON CHISHOLM IN OUR CITY TO COME UP TO CITY HALL AND TELL ME WHICH ONE THEY WANT BECAUSE THAT'S WHO I HAVE TO GO WITH.
SO IF I WAS GOING TO REPRESENT MY CITIZENS OF MCCLENNAN CHISHOLM, IT IS A RESOUNDING PURPLE ROUTE.
AND SO THAT IS WHY I CHOSE THE PURPLE ROUTE AND I WOULD HAVE TO SUPPORT IT BECAUSE AGAIN, THAT'S WHO I REPRESENT.
WE MADE SURE TO LAY EVERYTHING OUT SO WHEN THEY CAME UP, THEY UNDERSTOOD WHAT THE COST WAS, WHAT THE IMPACT WOULD BE AND WHAT THE BENEFITS WOULD BE.
AND, AND I KNOW IT IMPACTS PEOPLE, BUT WHAT I LEARNED HERE TONIGHT IS WE'VE BEEN ONLY USING ONE TOOL.
SO DO THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE A WORRY IN HIGH POINT LAKE ESTATES AND HIGH POINT RANCH, WE HAVEN'T BEEN USING ALL THE TOOLS.
I THINK IF WE USE ALL THE TOOLS, WE'RE GONNA FIND OURSELVES THAT WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO HAVE A LITTLE BIT MORE HELP FOR YOU.
UM, SO AS FAR AS THE CITY OF MCCLENDON CHISHOLM IS CONCERNED, WE SUPPORT THE PURPLE ROUTE.
AND IF I COULD, I WOULD ASK THE COMMISSIONERS TO GET ON BOARD BECAUSE I THINK WE CAN, UH, GET A LOT OF OTHER PROJECTS DONE.
CITY OF FATE AGAIN, YES, THANK
[01:00:01]
YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.I APPRECIATE THE EXAMPLE OF BUILDING A HOME WITH ONE TOOL THAT WAS WELL TAKEN AS, AND THEN THE EXAMPLES TO LOOK AT OF DIFFERENT PROJECTS, UH, HELPED KIND OF PUT THE WHOLE THING TOGETHER.
MY ONLY QUESTION, AND I I APPRECIATE YOU GUYS, I DON'T HAVE A COOL STORY TO TELL LIKE MAYOR MCNEIL DID.
BUT AS FAR AS THE TOOLS OPTION AGAIN, BECAUSE AS AS I'M TALKING WITH MY CITIZENS ABOUT THIS, THE, THE QUESTIONS COME UP AND, AND IT'S THE SAME THING WE'VE HEARD AROUND THE TABLE.
SO I WOULD ASK THIS AS FAR AS THE TOOLS, YOU MENTIONED SEVERAL TIMES THAT WE'RE NOT USING ALL OF THE TOOLS AVAILABLE, UH, TO US.
IS THIS ONE OF THOSE THINGS WHERE IT'S A, UH, LIKE APPROVE THE PURPLE ALIGNMENT ROUTE AND THEN WE WE UNLOCK MORE OF THOSE TOOLS THAT ARE AVAILABLE? OR IS THIS A, YOU KNOW, WE, WE'VE HAD THESE TOOLS AVAILABLE THIS WHOLE TIME AND WE JUST HAVEN'T BEEN USING THEM, AND WE COULD, WE COULD HAVE BEEN USING THEM, UH, DURING THIS ENTIRE PROCESS.
WELL, YOU, YOU CERTAINLY COULD HAVE BEEN USING THEM THROUGH THE ENTIRE PROCESS AND A LOT EARLIER, BUT I THINK UNDER FEDERAL LAW, WHAT YOU'RE SAYING, WE GENERALLY WISH TO BE IN THIS PARTICULAR CORRIDOR, BUT WE WANT TO SEE ALL THE TOOLS USED TO SEE IF WE CAN MAYBE AVOID BY MOVING SOME, MOVING IT A LITTLE WAY MAYBE TO THE WEST.
BUT YOU CAN'T MOVE IT A WHOLE BUNCH TO THE EAST, ESPECIALLY WHERE IT DOESN'T MEET WHERE KAUFMAN COUNTY IS WORKING AND WELL, YOU KNOW, WE DON'T LIKE THIS PARTICULAR ROUTE, UH, BECAUSE WE CAN SEE THE FREEWAY.
WELL, INSTEAD OF THE FREEWAY GOING OVER THE THOROUGHFARE STREET, WHY DOESN'T THE FREEWAY GO UNDER THE THOROUGHFARE STREET SO YOU DON'T SEE THE FREEWAY, AND THAT'S WHAT YOUR GEOMETRIC DESIGNERS ARE GONNA DO.
AND YOU ITERATE AND YOU ITERATE AND YOU ITERATE, WELL, WHAT IF, CAN YOU MAKE IT SMALLER? SO IT'S FURTHER FROM, UH, CAN YOU, CAN YOU CREATE GREATER GREED SPACE? CAN YOU DELAY WHEN THE FREEWAY CAN BE BUILT? BECAUSE WE'RE, WE'RE HOPING TO GET WHATEVER YOU DO, THE ABILITY TO BUILD SOME NORTH-SOUTH THOROUGHFARE.
MAYBE IT'S A SET OF FRONTAGE ROADS WHERE YOU APPROVE FRONTAGE ROADS.
MAYBE IT'S ADVANCING YOUR FARM TO MARKET ROADS OR OTHER THINGS FOR A WHILE.
THEN MAYBE WE HAVE TO BUILD THE FREEWAY SECTION AND THE PARTS THAT DON'T HAVE THE FRONTAGE ROADS.
YOU JUST GOTTA GIVE ALL THE TOOLS TO, TO YOUR GEOMETRIC DESIGNERS AND YOUR TEAMS. THERE MAY BE OTHER TEAMS YOU NEED, YOU MAY NEED SOME VERY GIFTED LAWYERS TO HELP ON THE PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN CITIES AND COUNTIES.
THAT'S ANOTHER TOOL YOU COULD ADD WITH REGARD TO THE LAST ENTITY THAT I HAD WITH ENCOURAGING AND PENCILING OUT DEVELOPMENTS THAT ENDS UP GETTING THE PACKAGE PLANTS NOT IN THE COUNTY AND GET THE DEVELOPERS BACK IN THE CITY.
I'M NOT SURE THOSE CONVERSATIONS ARE OCCURRING.
I APPRECIATE YOU TAKING THE TIME AND THE PATIENCE TO BE HERE WITH US TONIGHT.
UH, I WOULD SAY THANK YOU TO ALL THESE ELECTED OFFICIALS FOR THE ELOQUENCE THAT YOU'RE PUTTING, UH, BEHIND BIG DECISIONS.
THESE ARE LEGACY, UH, DEVELOPMENTS.
UH, THEY COME WITH VERY DYNAMIC AND COMPLICATED SOLUTIONS.
THANK YOU TO THE INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE HERE TONIGHT.
I ASSUME THE ROOM IS PACKED BECAUSE YOU WANTED TO HEAR THE SHERIFF SPEAK, NOT LISTEN TO THE OUTER LOOP.
HOWEVER, UM, ONE THING THAT I WOULD SAY IS ALSO THANK YOU FOR MAKING SURE THAT ONE OF THESE OPTIONS DIDN'T GO THROUGH THE CITY OF HEATH, BECAUSE I DON'T HAVE TO ACTUALLY LOOK AT IT FROM THE STANDPOINT OF LISTENING TO MY RESIDENTS AND TRYING TO FIGURE OUT THE COMPLICATIONS OF APPEASING SO MANY DIFFERENT PEOPLE.
AND, AND, AND I DO WANT TO, TO IMPLORE EVERYONE, AND I KNOW THAT YOU DEAL WITH THIS ON A DAILY BASIS, IS, IS THAT, YOU KNOW, THE INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE IN THIS ROOM, THE INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE LISTENING, THE INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE TRYING TO WATCH ALL OF THE, THE DECISIONS BEING MADE HAVE A GREAT DEEP PASSION FOR WHAT WE'RE REALLY TALKING ABOUT.
AND SO FOR THE CITY OF HEATH, YOU KNOW, I DON'T HAVE A DIRECT RELATIONSHIP FROM THE STANDPOINT OF THINKING ABOUT THE BACK OF MY PROPERTY, HAVING A HIGHWAY COMING THROUGH IT, NEAR IT BY IT, ET CETERA.
SO LET'S ALL BE MINDFUL OF THE IMPACT TO THE INDIVIDUALS THAT REALLY HAVE TO THINK THROUGH THE DECISIONS THAT WE'RE MAKING IN THIS ROOM.
I'D ALSO SAY THAT WE HAVE TO BE VERY MINDFUL TO EMERGENCY SERVICES, RIGHT? SO AS I LOOK AT THESE PLANS, I DO AGREE WITH THE ALIGNMENT THAT WAS PUT FORTH.
I UNDERSTAND THE CONCERNS BY THE RESIDENTS.
I ALSO UNDERSTAND THE CONCERNS BY EMERGENCY SERVICES AND TRYING TO TRAVERSE IN AN EMERGENCY SITUATION, AND HOW DO WE GET TO AND FROM A LIFE-THREATENING SITUATION.
I ALSO UNDERSTAND THE COMPLEXITY OF OUR BUSINESS COMMUNITY,
[01:05:01]
THAT OUR SERVICE PROVIDERS, FOR ALL OF US IN THIS ROOM THAT HAVE TO FIGURE OUT LOGISTICS AND MANPOWER AND HOW TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY CAN SUPPLY WHEN THERE'S DEMAND.UM, SO I WOULD JUST, UH, AS FAR AS THE CITY OF HEATH, IT IS NOT A DIRECT IMPACT, BUT IT IS AN INDIRECT IMPACT.
AND I BELIEVE THAT WE HAVE TO BE VERY, VERY CAREFUL AS WE TRY TO SOLVE PROBLEMS THAT ARE 35 YEARS FROM NOW.
WE HAVE TO THINK ABOUT WHAT WE'RE EXPERIENCING TODAY.
AND WHEN I MOVED HERE 10 YEARS AGO, IT WAS A LOT EASIER TO GET TO DOWNTOWN ROCKWALL.
UM, IT'S VERY COMPLICATED NOW BECAUSE OF THE TRAFFIC.
AND THAT'S NOT JUST BECAUSE OF DEVELOPMENT HERE, IT'S DEVELOPMENT OUTSIDE OF OUR COMMUNITY, IT'S DEVELOPMENT IN OTHER, UM, UH, COUNTIES.
AND SO I DO THINK IT IS VERY IMPORTANT THAT WE WORK VERY WELL WITH NET COG AND, AND TRY TO, UH, COMPROMISE WHEN WE CAN STAND STRONG WHERE WE DON'T HAVE TO BEND.
BUT I AGREE THAT IF THERE ARE OTHER TOOLS, THIS HAS TO BE A VERY COLLABORATIVE PROCESS TO FIGURE OUT A VERY BIG PROBLEM THAT IS FACING ALL OF US.
AND WE'RE ON A GUIDED PATH AND THERE'S A GLACIER IN FRONT OF US.
AND IF WE'RE NOT CAREFUL, WE'RE GONNA HIT IT.
LET'S, UH, LET'S HEAR FROM OUR COMMISSIONERS.
LET'S START WITH COMMISSIONER IN PRECINCT THREE, WHO HAS MANY OF THE ALIGNMENT
UM, AND, UH, EVEN THOUGH, UH, I LIVE IN HEATH WITH MY BUDDY JEREMIAH MCCLURE HERE, UM, MY PRECINCT DOES DEAL WITH THIS, AND PEOPLE IN THIS AUDIENCE WHO I'VE TALKED TO MULTIPLE TIMES DO DEAL WITH THIS ON A REGULAR BASIS.
UM, I GUESS I WOULD, I, I HAVE A FEW THINGS TO SAY.
FIRST OF ALL, UH, AGAIN, THANKS FOR COMING OUT AND, AND FOR EVERYONE IN THE CROWD.
UM, UH, COMMISSIONER STACY AND I HAVE MET WITH, UH, MR. MORRIS TWICE, HAD GOOD MEETINGS.
I THINK ACTUALLY I'VE MET WITH YOU THREE TIMES, HAVE WE'VE HAD GOOD MEETINGS AND WE'RE TRYING TO FOCUS ON A SOLUTION.
AND I THINK THAT'S MY FIRST POINT, IS WHAT WE'VE GOTTA FIND IS THE BEST SOLUTION FOR ROCKWALL COUNTY, PERIOD.
NOW, THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS THAT GO INTO THAT, AND AS, UH, MAYOR MCCLURE SAID IT, IT MAY NOT AFFECT HIS CITY DIRECTLY BECAUSE HE DOESN'T HAVE PEOPLE LIVING NEXT TO IT, BUT THERE ARE PEOPLE IN THE AUDIENCE WHO DO LIVE NEXT TO IT.
AND I APPRECIATE WHAT YOU SAID ABOUT, LET'S BE MINDFUL OF DEALING WITH THEIR ISSUES.
WE HAVE TO COME UP WITH THE BEST SOLUTION FOR THE COUNTY.
AND THAT'S A VERY COMPLICATED, AND, UM, I KNOW OVER THE LAST 10 MONTHS THAT I'VE BEEN IN OFFICE, UM, I PROBABLY SPENT MORE TIME ON THIS ISSUE THAN ANY OTHER, AND THE, THE REASON WAS NOT TO DELAY IT.
THE REASON WAS TO FIND A SOLUTION THAT IS THE BEST THING FOR THE COUNTY.
UM, I GUESS MY QUESTION AND, AND MY COMMENT TO YOU, I'M NOT ASKING A QUESTION, BUT MY COMMENT TO YOU, AND YOU AND I HAVE DISCUSSED THIS BEFORE, IS I, YOU, WE ARE BEING FACED WITH HAVING TO MAKE A DECISION TO SPEND PROBABLY $10 MILLION OF COUNTY MONEY TO DO ANOTHER ENVIRONMENTAL STUDY.
AND WHAT I'VE TOLD MANY PEOPLE, UH, INCLUDING YOU, UH, IS THAT IF I AM GOING TO SPEND $10 MILLION OF COUNTY MONEY TO DETERMINE AN ENVIRONMENTAL CLEARANCE FOR THIS, I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE, WE ARE, WE KNOW THAT WE WILL HAVE THE PARTICIPATION NECESSARY TO USE ALL THOSE STEPS.
I APPRECIATE YOU BRINGING THAT TO EVERYONE'S ATTENTION BECAUSE IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT.
AVOID, MINIMIZE, MITIGATE, ENHANCE, AND THEN LAND TEAM USE TEAM PARTNERSHIPS.
ALTHOUGH I'M STILL TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT THAT MEANS.
UM, BUT YOU'RE RIGHT, TOO OFTEN WE FOCUS ON JUST AVOIDING.
AND WHEN WE CAME TO YOU AND SAID, WOULD YOU RUN THESE TRAFFIC STUDIES? THAT WAS AVOIDANCE, AND I APPRECIATE YOU RUNNING THOSE TRAFFIC STUDIES, BUT I WANNA KNOW IF WE'RE GOING FORWARD AND IF WE'RE GONNA SPEND $10 MILLION OF OUR MONEY, HOW DO I KNOW THAT WE ARE GOING TO HAVE AN INFLUENCE ON WHAT HAPPENS? THAT WE ARE GOING TO BE ABLE TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE THE BEST SOLUTIONS FOR OUR COUNTY, THAT WE'RE GONNA BE ABLE TO DO THINGS LIKE MITIGATE AND ENHANCE? I THINK I TOLD YOU ONCE AT ONE OF OUR MEETINGS, IF YOU GIVE ME TWO THINGS, YOU CAN, I, YOU SOLVE ALL MY PROBLEMS. ONE IS GIVE ME ZONING, A ZONING CORRIDOR ALONG THE FREEWAY.
AND I APPRECIATE YOUR COMMENTS VERY MUCH THAT YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY THE STATE DOESN'T LET US ZONE.
WE SHOULD HAVE THAT, RIGHT? BUT THAT'S A HUGE ISSUE.
THE OTHER ONE IS BUILD ME A ONE MILE TUNNEL.
AND AFTER YOU STOPPED LAUGHING, YOU SAID, THAT PROBABLY WOULDN'T WORK.
[01:10:01]
UM, WE, IF WE'RE GOING TO BE INVOLVED AND WE GET BENEFITS BY, BY BEING INVOLVED, IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO ME THAT WE WORK TOGETHER AT THE FRONT END AS YOU'RE DOING TONIGHT, TO MAKE SURE THAT WHATEVER WE GET, WE HAVE, WE'RE ABLE TO PARTICIPATE AND WE'RE ABLE TO ACHIEVE THE BEST SOLUTION FOR OUR COUNTY AND IMPLEMENT THOSE OTHER FOUR TOOLS, UH, FOR THAT.YEAH, I WOULDN'T BE, I WOULDN'T BE HERE SAYING, HEY, WHY AREN'T YOU USING ALL YOUR TOOLS? AND THEN WHEN YOU USE ALL YOUR TOOLS, SOMEONE'S GONNA SAY, WHY ARE YOU USING ALL YOUR TOOLS? SO I'VE SHOWED YOU IN OTHER ENVIRONMENTAL DOCUMENTS, TWO, TWO EXAMPLES WHERE THAT ACTUALLY WENT IN THE ENVIRONMENTAL DOCUMENT.
THAT'S A COMMITMENT THAT WAS MADE IN THE ENVIRONMENTAL DOCUMENT.
SO YOU, YOU HAVE OUR COMMITMENT, MORE IMPORTANTLY, IT NEEDS TO BE IN THE INSTRUCTION TO YOUR ENGINEERING COMPANY, RIGHT? AND, UM, YOU NEED TO INCLUDE US AS A PARTNER BECAUSE WE MAY BE ABLE TO COME UP WITH SOME OF THESE IDEAS EVEN WHEN YOUR CONSULTANT TEAM CAN'T.
UM, LIKE WE DID IN, UH, THREE 80, THOSE TWO IDEAS DIDN'T COME OUT OF THE CONSULTANT TEAM.
THEY CAME OUT OF US WORKING WITH THE COMMUNITIES, A VERY OUT OF THE BOX CORPS OF ENGINEERS SOLUTION TO NOT BUY PEOPLE'S HOMES.
AND YEAH, AND I THINK THAT, AND THE OTHER EXAMPLE, JUST VERY QUICKLY ON 6 35, YOU KNOW, IN, IN THE PROCESS WE TOLD THE CITIZENS, COULD WE, THIS IS BETWEEN 75 AND 35, 25 YEARS AGO.
WELL, WE DON'T, WE DON'T TRUST YOU BECAUSE WE THINK YOU'RE GONNA ELEVATE 6 35 AND YOU'RE GONNA TAKE A LOT OF RIGHT AWAY.
AND I, WE COINED THE PHRASE NO HIGHER, NO WIDER.
AND I SAID, WHY DON'T WE INTEGRATE INTO THE ENVIRONMENTAL, THE DESIGN OF A PROJECT THAT'S NO HIGHER, NO WIDER, MICHAEL, THAT'S IMPOSSIBLE.
YOU CAN DRIVE ON 6 35 NOW WITH CANTILEVER FREEWAY LANES UNDERNEATH AN EXPRESS LANE, WHERE WE CAME UP WITH A WAY TO STACK THOSE ROADWAYS STILL PUT IN CONTINUOUS FRONTAGE ROADS AND NEVER BUILD AN ELEVATED STRUCTURE IN THE QUARTER.
UM, SO THE ANSWER IS YES, I THINK WE'VE DEMONSTRATED IN OTHER QUARTERS, UM, YOU MAY WANT TO PUT THAT INTO YOUR ACTION.
UH, UH, WE ENCOURAGE, UH, THE, THE FULL PARTNERSHIP OF TDOT AND THE M IN THE COUNCIL OF GOVERNMENT'S REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION COUNCIL TO USE ALL TOOLS AND WORK WITH OUR CONSULTANT AND CONTINUES TO CONTINUE TO WORK WITH US AND BRING US REPORTS, UH, WITH REGARD TO THOSE TOOLS MOVING FORWARD.
AND A, AGAIN, IT'S JUST, I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT WE WORK REALLY HARD ON THOSE THINGS AT THE FRONT END SO THAT WE KNOW WHAT WE'RE GETTING INTO AND WE KNOW WHAT OUR PARTNERSHIP IS.
THAT'S WHY I BROUGHT EXAMPLES TODAY.
I REALLY AM TRYING TO UNDERSTAND THE LAND PARTNERSHIP THING BECAUSE MOST OF THIS FREEWAY IS IN UNINCORPORATED ROCKWALL COUNTY, AND I DON'T KNOW THAT IT'S TOUCHING.
I MEAN, DOES IT TOUCH ROCKWALL? NO, IT'S IN, IT'S IN YOUR ETJ.
AND, AND IS IT IN MCCLENNAN, CHISHOLM'S, ETJ OR IS IT AWAY FROM MCCLENNAN? CHISHOLM'S, ETJ ON THE PREFERRED PATH.
SO IT IS IN, SO IT'S TOUCHING A COUPLE OF ET JS IS OBVIOUSLY GOING THROUGH ROYCE CITY, MAKE IT CLIPSE FATE FOR HALF A SECOND.
SO WE JUST DON'T HAVE A LOT OF CITY ABILITY.
AND I THINK THAT OTHER THAN THE AVOIDANCE TACTICS OF TRYING TO AVOID SOME OF THE NEIGHBORHOODS IN THE SOUTHERN PART OF THE LOOP, I I THINK THAT WITHOUT THOSE SORTS OF MEASURES, THAT IS SOMETHING THAT GIVES US A LOT OF PAUSE BECAUSE IT'S ALL IN THE COUNTY.
IF IT WAS ALL IN CITIES, IT WOULD BE COMPLETELY DIFFERENT AND THEY WOULD HAVE A LOT BETTER LAND USE AND, AND, UH, A LOT BETTER ABILITY TO CONTROL, UM, WHAT'S HAPPENING.
SO I'M NOT SURE HOW AN ENHANCED LAND USE WOULD WORK.
UM, BUT OTHER THAN THAT, I THINK ALL OF THE TOOLS YOU'VE TALKED ABOUT, WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THE ENTIRE TIME.
I MEAN, OBVIOUSLY AVOIDANCE IS THE EASIEST.
AND, UM, AND I, AND I THINK THAT WE'VE AT LEAST HAD THESE CONVERSATIONS ABOUT EVERYTHING ELSE.
SO OBVIOUSLY YOU GAVE A VERY SIMILAR PRESENTATION THAN WE DID A FEW MONTHS AGO.
AND, AND, UH, I DO APPRECIATE THAT.
AND I, I LIKE THE OPENNESS TO, TO WORK WITH US FOR SURE.
UM, BUT THAT'S THE ONLY THING THAT I THINK MAKES ROCKWALL EXTREMELY UNIQUE IS THAT IT'S GOING THROUGH MOST OF THE LOOPS PATH IS IN UNINCORPORATED COUNTY, WHICH MAKES IT A LANDMINE, UH, BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE ANY ABILITY TO CONTROL ANY DEVELOPMENT, UM, IN THE COUNTY.
I DON'T KNOW IF YOU WANT ME TO ANSWER.
I DIDN'T WANNA ANSWER IF YOU DIDN'T WANT ME TO.
SO DEVELOPERS ARE MAKING LOCATION DECISIONS AND YOU'RE BASICALLY SAYING, WE
[01:15:01]
HAVE NO ABILITY TO INFLUENCE YOU.SO WE'RE GONNA SIT ON OUR HANDS AND THEY'RE GONNA ELECT TO, UM, GO AHEAD AND BUILD PACKAGE PLANTS.
CONVINCE HOMEOWNERS, YOU'RE, YOU'RE IN A REAL CITY, YOU DON'T REALLY HAVE TRUE, UH, POLICE.
YOU'RE AT THE MERCY OF THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT.
YOU DON'T HAVE A FIRE DEPARTMENT.
UM, THERE'S NO COMMUNICATION PLAN THAT TELL, THAT REALLY COMMUNICATES WHAT'S THE THERE BECAUSE YOU'RE SITTING ON YOUR HANDS.
WHAT YOU DO IS YOU CREATE A PARTNERSHIP WITH THE CITIES AND YOU WORK HAND IN GLOVE WITH THE CITIES.
OH, WE WANNA BUILD 500 UNITS OF APARTMENTS.
SO THEY SAY, FINE, THERE'S NO COMMUNICATION.
WE'LL BUILD A PACKAGE PLANT, WE'LL PLAN THESE APARTMENTS.
THESE, THESE PEOPLE WON'T KNOW THERE'S LIMITED SERVICES IN THIS PARTICULAR APARTMENT.
YOU CREATE A PARTNERSHIP AND YOU WORK WITH THE CITIES AND SAY, OH, YOU'RE A DEVELOPER THAT HAS, UH, 500 UNITS.
WE HAVE SIX, SIX CITIES THAT HAVE AN INTEREST IN THAT.
THREE OF US HAVE HAVE THESE SPECIFIC LOCATIONS WE'RE TRYING TO DEVELOP.
IT ALREADY HAS WATER AND SEWER.
SO YOU MAY NEED SOME ASSISTANCE HERE.
BUT YOU START DOING, WE DO THESE PENCILED OUT DEALS ALL THE TIME.
WE CALL IT A COST REVENUE MATRIX.
OKAY? YOU BUILD A PACKAGE PLAN, YOU, YOU COME TO US, YOU DON'T BUILD A PACKAGE PLAN.
AND THEN INSTEAD OF THEM JUST SIMPLY SAYING, I'M JUST GONNA GO TO AN UNINCORPORATED AREA.
'CAUSE THERE'S NO COMMUNICATION PLAN, THERE'S NO FEEDBACK TO THE RESIDENTS, THERE'S NOT A COUNTY TAKEN IN ACTIVE POSITION TO KNOW WHAT HAPPENS WHEN THAT OCCURS.
THERE'S NO GIS MAP THAT SAYS, HERE'S THE 18, HEY, THERE'S 18 DEVELOPMENTS IN OUR PARTICULAR COUNTY.
HERE'S A MAP OF WHERE THOSE 18 DEVELOPMENTS CAN GO.
WHY DON'T YOU HAVE A CONVERSATION BEFORE YOU JUST ASSUME PROBABLY, AND IT PENCILS OUT WORSE FOR YOU.
WHY DON'T YOU HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH THE OTHER CITIES AND THE OTHER CITY MANAGERS THAT WANT THAT DEVELOPMENT TO OCCUR AT THAT LOCATION? YOU AS A COUNTY COMMISSIONER, WANT THAT DEVELOPMENT TO OCCUR IN A CITY.
IT MIGHT VERY EASILY PENCIL OUT THAT THEY'RE MUCH BETTER OFF MOVING INTO THAT PARTICULAR CITY BECAUSE OF THE ELEMENTS THEY'RE LOOKING FOR RIGHT NOW.
THAT CONVERSATION DOESN'T EXIST.
IT WOULD BE A VERY INNOVATIVE WAY TO ADD TO THE TOOLBOX THAT CONVERSATION.
AND IF YOU HAVE EXPERIENCE AS A CITY MANAGER AND A MAYOR, THEY'RE HAVING THOSE CONVERSATIONS ALL THE TIME, BUT THEY'RE NOT AT THE BENEFIT OF THE COUNTY HAND IN GLOVE WITH THEM ENCOURAGING THOSE CONVERSATIONS TO OCCUR.
DO YOU ALL FOLLOW WHAT I'M TRYING TO SAY? MAPPING THOSE CONNECTIONS OUT? IT'S A, IT'S A POWERFUL TOOL TO HELP YOU ON YOUR NUMBER ONE ISSUE.
YOU, YOU, YOU AT THE COUNTY HAVE EVERY RIGHT TO BE TOTALLY FRUSTRATED ON WHY DOES A LEGISLATURE, AND I KNOW WE, I THINK WE HAVE A LEGISLATOR HEARD HERE.
HOW DOES THAT LEGISLATOR HELP YOU? MAYBE YOU DON'T GET ALL THE RIGHTS THE CITIES DO, BUT WE GOT DEVELOPMENTS GOING IN IN COLLIN COUNTY.
THE WIDTH OF THE THOROUGHFARE STREET CAN'T TAKE A FIRETRUCK.
WHEN A FIRETRUCK GOES INTO THAT PARTICULAR TOWN, THAT FIRE CHIEF IS FORCED, DO I PLOW ALL THE CARS OUTTA MY WAY TO SAVE THAT BURNING HOUSE THAT HAS CHILDREN IN IT? OR AM I GONNA TRY TO RUN A HOSE 150 YARDS AND SAVE THAT CHILD'S LIFE? THOSE DECISIONS SHOULDN'T BE OCCURRING.
AND TO BE, AND AND TO BE FAIR, OUR STATE REP DID FILE A BILL TO TRY TO STOP THAT FROM HAPPENING.
WELL, WE, TO BE TOTALLY FAIR, WE NEED TO ALL HELP HER.
WE NEED TO ALL GO ARM IN ARM AND HELP HER WITH REGARD TO THAT.
AND IF YOU CAN DO THAT, IT MAXIMIZES THE LAND USE TOOL I'M TALKING TO YOU ABOUT.
I JUST, JUST TRYING TO SEE EXACTLY WHAT YOU MEANT, BUT YEAH, NO, I AGREE.
FRANK COMMISSIONER PRECINCT ONE.
MR. MORRIS, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.
UM, WE ACTUALLY TALKED ABOUT THAT VERY BILL, UH, YOU AND I, YOU AND I AND YOUR TEAM DID, AND, AND, AND YOU DID HELP US WITH THAT.
IT DIDN'T HAPPEN TO GO ANYWHERE, BUT SOMETIMES IT TAKES MORE THAN ONE SESSION.
AND I'M CONFIDENT WE CAN REAPPROACH THAT BILL AND, AND AT LEAST HAVE STREET WIDTHS THAT ARE SAFE.
BUT YOUR PRESENTATION, UM, COULD I JUST ADD ONE THOUGHT FOR YOU? SURE.
YOU HAVE DRINKING WATER TO YOUR WEST, RIGHT? YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO USE DRINKING WATER PROVISIONS BECAUSE OF THE AMOUNT OF WATER THAT HUMANS ARE DRINKING ON YOUR WEST SIDE, THAT YOU SHOULD HAVE MORE, RIGHT? MAYBE YOU'RE NOT FIGHTING EVERY COUNTY IN THE STATE THAT HAS THAT.
BUT IF ANY COUNTY SHOULD HAVE THAT RIGHTS UPHILL TO DRINKING WATER, YOU SHOULD HAVE THOSE RIGHTS.
LOOKING AT ALL THE, THE ROUTES, AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR STUDY ON THE EXTRA ROUTES THAT WE REQUESTED.
UM, IT, IT'S CLEAR TO ME THAT THE PREFERRED ROUTE IS THE BEST ROUTE.
UM, AND THERE ARE SEVERAL STEPS THAT WE HAVEN'T DISCUSSED TO, TO MITIGATE.
UH, YOU AND I BRIEFLY DISCUSSED SOME THINGS LIKE THE POTENTIAL OVERLAY AND SOME OTHER THINGS THAT WE COULD, WE COULD ASK FOR IN THE INTERIM.
UM, AND WE DISCUSSED BUILDING,
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UH, JUST THE ACCESS ROADS, BUILDING THE HIGHWAY LATER, GREEN SPACE.THERE'S ALL KINDS OF THINGS WE CAN DO TO PROTECT, UH, THE CITIZENS THAT ARE AROUND THIS ROAD.
AND, AND I HATE THAT IT IMPACTS THEM.
AND, AND I, AND I FEEL FOR THEM.
AND NO MATTER WHERE WE PUT THIS ROAD, SOMEBODY IS GONNA BE NEGATIVELY IMPACTED, UNFORTUNATELY.
BUT THE LONGER THAT WE WAIT, THE WORSE THIS IS GONNA GET, THE MORE EXPENSIVE THIS IS GONNA GET FOR ALL OF US.
AND THERE IS AN OPPORTUNITY THAT COMES WITH THE OUTER LOOP FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
BUT WE ALL NEED TO WORK TOGETHER TO REALIZE THAT OPPORTUNITY AND WHAT YOU WERE SAYING WITH THE LAND USE TEAM, YOU KNOW, THIS IS A PRETTY, UH, THIS IS A GREAT IDEA.
WE NEED TO HAVE CONVERSATIONS WITH DEVELOPERS BETWEEN THE COUNTY AND CITIES, AND WE CAN ENCOURAGE THOSE DEVELOPERS TO SELF ANNEX IF IT'S BEST FOR THEM.
THEY DON'T WANNA BUILD A PACKAGE PLAN NECESSARILY, THAT THEY'D RATHER TIE INTO STUFF IN CITIES.
AND THEY WOULD, AND THEY COULD SELF ANNEX TO DO THAT.
THOSE ARE JUST CONVERSATIONS WE CAN HAVE.
NOT EVERYONE MAY AGREE TO THAT.
UM, BUT I THINK THAT'S A GOOD PLAN TO APPROACH.
I'M READY TO MOVE FORWARD AND, AND TO, AND TO GET THIS THING GOING AND MOVE ON TO BUILDING ROADS.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE PRESENTATION.
IT WAS VERY THOROUGH, VERY GOOD, AND VERY INFORMATIVE.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I'VE SPENT THE LAST, UM, NEARLY TWO YEARS, UM, THE JUDGE AND COMMISSIONER STACEY AND I WERE ELECTED IN 23.
AND, UM, WE HAVE, WE DECIDED TO WORK ON A STRATEGIC PLAN FOR THIS COUNTY.
IT WAS, IT WAS UNDER, WE, WE BEGAN TO LOOK AT COUNTIES IN THE STATE OF TEXAS THAT WERE FAST GROWING COUNTIES AND THIS BEING ONE OF THEM.
AND WE NEEDED TO HAVE A VISION, AND WE NEEDED TO HAVE A PLAN.
'CAUSE OBVIOUSLY IF YOU DON'T HAVE A PLAN, AND I KNOW THAT'S WHAT YOU DO EVERY DAY.
YOU DON'T, YOU'RE GONNA GET THERE, BUT YOU MAY NOT KNOW HOW YOU GET THERE IF YOU DON'T HAVE A PLAN.
SO I'M, I'M VERY, VERY PROUD OF THE COLLABORATION ON THIS, ON THE, THE COMMISSIONER'S COURT WITH THE JUDGE, AND WITH JOHN AND I WHEN WE CAME IN.
AND THEN THIS, THIS YEAR WHEN WE HAD, UM, BOBBY AND, AND, UM, COMMISSIONER TI JOIN US.
WE ARE VERY, WE ARE VERY VESTED IN THE FUTURE FOR ROCKWELL COUNTY AS EVIDENCE OF OUR STRATEGIC PLAN.
AND I THINK I GAVE YOU ONE OF THESE WHEN YOU WALKED IN WHILE AGO, BUT A LOT OF THE THINGS ON THIS STRATEGIC PLAN IS THINGS THAT WE HAVE TO HAVE TRANSPORTATION.
WE, WE, WE'VE GOT PEOPLE THAT WE MOVE TO ROCKWALL.
THIS IS A WONDERFUL PLACE TO LIVE.
AND IT'S GOING TO CONTINUE TO GROW THROUGH THAT STRATEGIC PLAN.
WE REALIZE THAT WE WILL, BY THE TIME 2050, WE WILL HAVE 250,000 PEOPLE LIVING IN ROCKWALL COUNTY, A 12 BY 12 SMALLEST COUNTY IN THE STATE OF TEXAS.
SO BUILDING ROADS AS COMMISSIONER, UM, GALANA SAID IS VERY IMPORTANT TO US.
WE'VE GOT SOME THAT HAVE BEEN, UM, NOT BEEN ADDRESSED, UM, IN A, IN A, IN A, IN A TIMELY MANNER.
AND AS IT WAS ALREADY BEEN POINTED OUT, IT'S ONLY GONNA GET MORE EXPENSIVE TO BUILD ROADS FOR ROCKWALL COUNTY.
UM, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT HAS BEEN DISCUSSED HERE.
AND, AND THE, THE, THE TOOLS THAT YOU'VE SHARED, WE NEED TO, WE NEED TO EXPLORE THOSE.
AND THEY'RE THERE AND WE HAVE HAD CONVERSATIONS ON 'EM, AND NOW WE'VE JUST GOT TO GET TOGETHER WITH THIS CONSORTIUM THAT IS HERE.
I THINK THAT THE LEADERS THAT ARE SITTING AROUND THIS TABLE, THE LEADERS THAT SAT AROUND THIS TABLE, UM, YEARS AGO WHEN COMMISSIONER MAGNUS STARTED THIS, THIS CONSORTIUM, I THINK THAT THE, THE INTENT AND THE HEART OF THE LEADERSHIP IN THIS COUNTY IS STILL THERE.
AND WE WANT TO FIND SOLUTIONS TO OUR, OUR, OUR GROW, OUR GROWING ISSUES.
IN FACT, I LOVE THAT, THAT, THAT MAYOR YOU PUT ON HERE, THAT WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT THE GROWTH ISSUES.
AND THAT WAS ON OUR, OUR WORDING TODAY.
AND THESE ARE THINGS THAT ARE NOT GONNA GO AWAY.
AND IF WE CONTINUE TO, TO NOT LOOK FOR THESE, THESE TOOLS AND THESE OPPORTUNITIES THAT WE CAN KIND OF CA WE CAN COLLABORATE WITH OUR PEERS HERE AND THE CITIES AND LOOK AT HOW WE CAN MAYBE DEVELOP RELATIONSHIPS WITH THE DEVELOPERS THAT WANT TO COME AND THEY WANNA BUILD HOUSES HERE.
AND PEOPLE WANT TO COME AND LIVE IN ROCKWALL AND ATTEND OUR SCHOOLS AND, AND, AND THE, AND THE, AND THE ENVIRONMENT WE GIVE, WE HAVE GOT TO, AS LEADERS, WE HAVE TO LEAD.
AND I AM, I'M VERY, I I'M VERY COMMITTED AND TO, TO THIS PROJECT.
I AGREE THAT IT IS TIME FOR US TO MAKE SOME DECISIONS, AND IT MAY NOT PLEASE EVERYONE.
AND I, THAT'S, I, I HATE THAT BECAUSE THAT IS PART OF MY DNA THAT I LIKE TO BE A COLLABORATOR AND I WANNA TRY TO, YOU KNOW, PLEASE EVERYONE.
BUT AT THE SAME TIME, WE'VE GOT INVESTMENTS HERE THAT WE NEED TO, WE NEED TO ADDRESS.
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EVERYTHING ELSE HAS ALREADY BEEN SAID BY MY, MY PEERS ON THE COURT.BUT I CAN, I CAN HONESTLY LOOK AT EVERYONE IN THIS ROOM AND SAY THAT THIS, THE, THE COMMISSIONERS AND THE LEADERS THAT ARE REPRESENTED HERE FROM THEIR CITIES, WE, WE DO WANT TO WORK TOGETHER ON THIS.
THERE, THERE IS ONE MORE PEER ON THE COURT.
THANK YOU FOR COMING TO ROCKWALL COUNTY AND THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING YOU'VE DONE FOR US.
UH, ROCKWALL COUNTY IS UNIQUE, UH, AND EVERYBODY THAT LIVES HERE KNOWS THAT WE'RE UNIQUE.
ONE OF THE MOST UNIQUE THINGS IS WE ARE A 12 BY 12 COUNTY.
THE THOUGHT OF LBJ OR 6 35 RUNNING THROUGH OUR SMALL COUNTY JUST BREAKS MY HEART.
I MEAN, IT ABSOLUTELY JUST BREAKS MY HEART TO THINK ABOUT THAT.
AND, AND ONE OF THE TOOLS YOU TALKED ABOUT IS COLLABORATION.
WE, WE, THERE'S, UH, A DEVELOPER THAT'S TRYING TO BUILD OUT IN THE ETJ.
UH, WE SENT THEM TO MCCLENDON CHISHOLM, WHO THEY JUST ATTEMPTED TO BULLY MCCLENDON CHISHOLM AND, AND UNDER THE THREAT OF DO WHAT WE WANT, OR WE'LL JUST GO IN THE COUNTY AND BUILD IT HOW WE WANT.
UH, THE COUNTY'S BEEN SUED TWICE.
ALL, ALL THE COMMISSIONER'S COURT HAD BEEN SUED INDIVIDUALLY FOR ATTEMPTING TO COLLABORATE.
SO DEVELOPERS HAVE SPOTTED THE ETJ AND THE COUNTY AREA AS THE WILD WEST.
AND THEY ARE JUST GOING AT IT IN, IN, IN A INCREDIBLE MANNER.
WE, WE ARE ATTEMPTING, AND WE'RE THE FIRST COUNTY, WE'RE, WE'RE THE TIP OF THE SPEAR TO TRY TO STAND UP AND USE SOME NEW LAWS.
WE DON'T HAVE THE ABILITY AND TO ADVOCATE LEGISLATIVELY.
I'VE BEEN DOING IT SINCE I'VE BEEN HERE.
AND, AND WE'RE NOT MOVING THE NEEDLE.
I MEAN, WE CAN KEEP ADVOCATING, BUT THE DEVELOPMENT WILL RUN OVER THE TOP OF US.
AND, AND, AND WE WILL BE DONE.
AND, AND THE THOUGHT OF, AND AS COMMISSIONER STACY SAID, THIS PREFERRED ROUTE RUNS PRIMARILY ONCE IT GETS THROUGH ROYCE CITY IS IN COUNTY LAND.
THE DEVELOPMENT THAT WILL COME WITH IT WILL, WILL, WILL BE WHATEVER, WHATEVER THE DEVELOPER WANTS TO DO.
UH, AND, AND THERE WON'T BE ANYTHING WE CAN DO ABOUT IT OTHER THAN STAND UP AND SUE THEM LEGALLY.
AND, AND, YOU KNOW, THE CURRENT LAWSUIT, I MEAN, WE'RE, WE'RE BEING SUED BY SOMEBODY WITH A BILLION DOLLARS IN THE BANK.
UH, AND OUR LITTLE COUNTY IS JUST TRYING TO DO WHAT'S RIGHT.
SO IN A PERFECT WORLD, YOU'RE RIGHT TO HAVE THAT COLLABORATION IS GOOD.
BUT WHEN THERE'S A DEVELOPER JUST LOOKING FOR HOW MANY HOMES THEY CAN CRAM IN AND, AND, AND THIS ROAD OR EVEN DRAWING THE ROADWAY HAS INDUCED THIS DEVELOPMENT.
I MEAN, THIS DEVELOPER CAME BECAUSE THEY SAW WHERE IT SAID PROPOSED OUTER LOOP, UH, AND, AND THEY'RE, THEY ARE GOING TO PACK IN HOMES THAT ARE GONNA OVERRUN OUR INFRASTRUCTURE.
YOU KNOW, THE SHERIFF SPOKE ABOUT SOME OF OUR INFRASTRUCTURE, THE SCHOOLS, UH, ROADS, OBVIOUSLY.
I MEAN, WE, WE, WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH WATER HERE.
AND WE'VE GOT DEVELOPERS COMING IN, UH, BECAUSE OF THIS.
SO I, I APPRECIATE THAT EFFORT.
WE'VE ATTEMPTED IT AND, AND IT GOT US SUED.
UM, SO JUDGE, THE FIRST THING, WHEN I SAY THE LBJ, I'M REFERRING TO THE LBJ AS A LOOP ROAD.
THE LBJ PROJECT HAS FIVE TIMES THE AMOUNT OF TRAFFIC THAT THIS ROAD WILL EVER HAVE.
SO I DON'T WANT ANYONE TO ASSOCIATE A LOOP ROAD TO BE THE SAME TRAFFIC AS LBJ.
THINK, THINK ABOUT THE UNINCORPORATED LAND.
DEVELOPERS ARE GOING TO UNINCORPORATED AREAS IN ALL 16 COUNTIES.
IT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH, THERE'S POTENTIALLY GOING TO BE A FREEWAY HERE.
NOW YOU HAPPEN TO BE PLANNING A FREEWAY AND YOU HAVE A WHOLE BUNCH OF DEVELOPERS COMING.
I CAN SHOW YOU 16 COUNTIES WHERE THERE'S NO FREEWAY BEING PLANNED AND A WHOLE BUNCH OF DEVELOPERS ARE COMING.
SO YOUR DEVELOPERS ARE COMING BECAUSE OF THE LOOPHOLE THE LEGISLATURE HAS FOR YOU.
IT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH A A STAGE FREEWAY PICTURE.
DOES IT CHANGE THE DEVELOPERS COMING TO YOUR
[01:30:01]
COUNTY? NO.SO YOU ACTUALLY WILL HAVE MORE DEVELOPMENT 'CAUSE YOU DIDN'T TAKE THE LAND FOR THE FREEWAY.
SO YOU'RE GONNA HAVE WORSE DEVELOPMENT 'CAUSE THEY'RE GONNA COME ANYWAY.
UM, I BELIEVE THE PARTNERSHIP THAT I'M TALKING ABOUT DOESN'T EVEN EXIST YET IN THIS COUNTY BETWEEN CITIES AND COUNTY.
THE REASON YOU'RE MAYBE BEING SUED IS YOU HAVEN'T IMPLEMENTED THE PARTNERSHIP PROGRAM THAT I'M ENVISIONING THAT YOU COULD POTENTIALLY DO, BUT DON'T BUILD A FREEWAY.
ALL THE LAND IS THEN USED FOR DEVELOPMENT.
AND THEN HOW THE HELL ARE YOU GONNA MOVE ANYBODY IF YOU DON'T HAVE A TRANSPORTATION PROJECT? NOW PICTURE, YOU HAVE THE STAGED RIGHT OF WAY THAT DEVELOPERS CAN'T GO ON AND YOU CONTROL THE PHASING OF THAT PARTICULAR PROJECT, NOT THE DEVELOPERS.
SO YOU BUILD YOUR FRONTAGE ROAD, YOU'RE GONNA, YOU'RE GONNA GET COMPLAINTS WHEN THE SCHOOL BUS CAN'T MOVE UP AND DOWN AND PEOPLE CAN'T GET THROUGH THE TRAFFIC SIGNAL.
SO YOU REQUEST THE OTHER HALF BE BUILT AND YOU DO IT LIKE OTHER COMMUNITIES HAVE DONE IT.
SO I'VE WORKED HARD TO GET YOU DEVELOPMENT RIGHTS.
I'M GONNA CONTINUE TO WORK HARD FOR YOU TO GET DEVELOPMENT RIGHTS, ESPECIALLY IN A COUNTY THAT HAS ACCESS TO DRINKING WATER.
UM, I THINK THERE'S PROVISIONS IN OTHER COUNTIES THAT HAVE ACHIEVED THAT.
YOUR LEGISLATURE LEGISLATOR WHO'S WORKING ON THIS, PROBABLY VERY WELL KNOWS.
BUT YOU HAVE TO CREATE SOME ABILITY 10 TIMES MORE THAN WHAT YOU HAVE NOW IN GETTING OPPORTUNITIES FOR DEVELOPERS TO NOT GO TO ONE CITY THAT MAY HAVE ONE SITE, BUT GO TO SIX OR SEVEN CITIES THAT MAY HAVE 48 SITES WITH REGARD TO WHAT A PARTICULAR DEVELOPMENT MAY BE.
AND, AND MAYBE YOU DON'T HAVE THOSE CAPABILITIES YET TO DO THAT MAPPING, BUT THAT WOULD BE A REALLY GOOD WAY, YOU COULD SHOW A SMALL 12 BY 12 COUNTY HOW TO TRY TO MITIGATE THIS FOR THE REST OF THE COUNTY BECAUSE MAYBE A 12 BY 12 COUNTY CAN DO IT A LOT EASIER THAN A 30 BY 30 COUNTY BECAUSE YOU'RE ALSO CLOSE TO EACH OTHER.
UM, OKAY, SO A COUPLE PEOPLE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK, SO I'M, I'M GONNA ALLOW THAT RIGHT NOW.
FIRST ON THE LIST IS MARK KIPPET.
FIRST ON THE LIST, MARK KIPPET, 31 FIRESIDE DRIVE, MCCLENDON CHISHOLM.
UH, MR. MORRIS, I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
UH, I FIRST HEARD OF YOU WHEN I HAD A CONVERSATION WITH DAVID MAGNUS A FEW YEARS AGO.
UH, HE UNDER, HE, UH, HE CLEARLY HAD A HIGH OPINION OF THE VALUE THAT YOU BRING TO THE REGION.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR, YOUR SERVICE.
UM, THE ONE THING THAT, AND I I JUST WANNA HIGHLIGHT ONE POINT HERE, AND THAT'S GOING BACK TO THE STRATEGIC PLAN, IS THIS CONVERSATION'S BEEN GOING ON NOW FOR A OVER TWO YEARS.
IT'S ACTUALLY BEEN GOING ON FOR OVER 20 YEARS.
UH, AND THE ONE THING WE DON'T HAVE IS LUXURY OF TIME.
WE'VE, WE'RE RUNNING OUT OF TIME AND, AND THAT IS THE THING WE CANNOT, CANNOT REPLACE.
AND THEN THAT THE ONLY WAY YOU CAN OVERCOME TIME IS WITH MORE AND MORE, MORE AND MORE MONEY, WHICH I THINK IN THIS COUNTY IS NOT SOMETHING THAT CITIZENS WANNA SPEND A LOT MORE IN TAX MONEY.
SO I WOULD ENCOURAGE THE COURT TO MOVE ON, UM, TAKE THE, START THE PROCESS, GET MOVING, BECAUSE I LIVE IN MCCLENDON CHISHOLM, SO I FIGHT THE TRAFFIC OF 2 0 5 ANY EVERY DAY.
SO I INVITE ANYBODY THAT WANTS TO DRIVE UP AND DOWN 2 0 5 AT VARYING TIMES TO COME ON DOWN AND SIT IN A MILE BACK UP.
UH, BECAUSE WE'RE INFRASTRUCTURE.
AND THAT'S, I'M JUST GONNA REMIND THAT THE ONE LESSON OUT OF THE STRATEGIC PLAN, WHEN WE DEALT WITH THOUSANDS OF RESIDENTS ACROSS THIS COUNTY, THOUSANDS OF DATA POINTS, THE NUMBER ONE ISSUE, ROADS NUMBER ONE, PERIOD.
UH, NEXT IS ANDREW CALDEN, K-A-L-L-D-I-N.
NOPE, WAITED OUT TODD AS WELL.
UH, KATHY MARCHETTI, 2120 LAKE ESTATES DRIVE IN ROCKWELL, TEXAS.
[01:35:01]
AND I LIVE IN HIGH POINT LAKE ESTATES.AND I CAN TELL YOU THE ONLY THING ABOUT ORANGE COUNTY NOW IS THERE'S NO MORE ORANGES.
DEVELOPERS CAME BUILT HOMES, BUILT HOUSES.
THEY HAVE FREEWAYS JUST LIKE THEY HAVE HERE, 20 LANES WIDE.
THE WALLS ARE LOOK LIKE THEY'RE 50 FEET HIGH.
WE CAME OUT HERE FOR A STYLE OF LIFE.
THE GOVERNOR THEN ENCOURAGED ALL THESE CALIFORNIANS TO COME, COME AND GET SOMETHING DIFFERENT, LIVE A DIFFERENT WAY.
AND I SEE MOST OF YOU, YOU DID AN INCREDIBLY GREAT JOB OF THREADING THAT NEEDLE SO THAT MOST OF THE CITIES ARE NOT IMPACTED BY THIS ROAD.
AND THEN YOU WOULD SUGGEST THAT THE PEOPLE WHO ARE, OH, WELL, LIFE IS THAT WAY.
YOU MADE IT THAT WAY BECAUSE YOU THREADED IT THROUGH YOUR LANDS.
WHERE IT DIDN'T IMPACT HEAT, IT DOESN'T IMPACT ROCK WALL.
IT DOESN'T IMPACT MCC, CLEN, CHM.
BUT WHEN SOMEONE SUGGESTS THAT WE MOVE TO THAT, IS IT THE ORANGE THAT WOULD IMPACT MCCLENAN CHM? THAT'S NOT THE RIGHT CHOICE.
YOU WOULD PUT IN A THREE MILE, SQUARE MILE AREA IN EIGHT LANE FREEWAY WITH FRONTAGE ROADS.
YOU'D MAKE 5 48, 6 LANES WIDE.
YOU'D GO OVER TAPE FARMS WHERE THEY DO ALL THE WORK.
NOW YOU BUILD THIS WHAT, UH, MC WARREN PARK.
AND THAT'S YOUR MI MITIGATION.
YOU HAVE TO BUILD A PARK ON TOP OF FREEWAYS.
THAT'S WHAT YOU WOULD NEED TO DO FOR US SO THAT WE COULD WALK OUT OF OUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
YOU'RE PUTTING 28 TO 30 LANES OF HIGHWAY IN YOUR STRATEGIC PLAN FOR THE NEXT 50 YEARS, WHERE OUR CHILDREN, AND I GUESS MY GRANDCHILDREN CAN'T RIDE A BIKE OUTSIDE ON CUBAN ROAD BECAUSE WE CAN'T GET ANYWHERE.
YES, THERE'S GROWTH AND IT'S ALWAYS UNCONTROLLED.
ORANGE COUNTY USED TO BE A BEAUTIFUL PLACE.
NONE OF MY FAMILY LIVES THERE ANYMORE.
IT'S HORRIBLE LIVING IN CALIFORNIA.
IT'S BEGINNING TO BE HORRIBLE LIVING HERE WITH THE SMOG.
YOU DON'T TAKE CARE OF THE PROBLEMS THAT YOU HAD WITH 2 0 5 AND 5 48 AND 5 49, BUT YOU SUGGEST THAT GETTING A FREEWAY ON THE WAY NOW IS THE SOLUTION SO THAT HEATH CAN LIVE BETTER.
SO MCLENNAN CHISHOLM CAN LIVE BETTER SO THAT ROCKWALL CAN LIVE BETTER.
YOU DIDN'T IMPROVE TWO LANE HIGHWAYS AND YOU HAVE THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE IMPROVE YOUR INNER STRUCTURE.
DON'T PUT A FREEWAY IN THE MIDDLE OF THE COUNTRY.
I'M, I LIVE IN HIGH POINT LAKE ESTATES.
I'M THE HOA PRESIDENT AS WELL AS THE CHAIR OF THE OUTOF LOOP COMMITTEE.
I HAVE SEVERAL OF MY MEMBERS HERE AND MY, UH, RESIDENTS FROM MY COMMUNITY HERE WITH US TODAY.
I WANT TO THANK LAUREN LTE, JUDGE NEW AND JOHN STACY FOR ALL THEIR HELP AND TIME THAT THEY'VE SPENT WITH US, ESPECIALLY LAUREN LTE WHEN HE WAS RUNNING.
HE'LL, HE LOVES TO TELL THE STORY.
HE CAME OUT, KNOCKED ON MY DOOR, AND I SAID, I CAN ONLY TALK TO YOU IF YOU TELL ME WHERE YOU STAND ON THE OUTER LOOP.
ONCE HE TOLD ME HE WAS A NO, I GAVE HIM A TOUR OF MY YARD TO SHOW HIM WHERE THE OUTER LOOP WAS GOING TO GO OVER.
SO, AND I THINK HE WAS KIND OF ASTONISHED AT HOW CLOSE IT WOULD BE TO MY PROPERTY.
SO NOT ONLY MY PROPERTY, BUT A LOT OF MY NEIGHBORS THAT ARE HERE WITH ME TONIGHT.
SO I DID WANNA TAKE A FEW MINUTES AND, AND, AND THANK YOU FOR GIVING US THE TIME, JUDGE, NEW.
I KNOW THIS ISN'T NORMAL, THAT WE GET TO GET, GET UP HERE AND SPEAK.
SO, UM, THANK YOU ALL FOR THE OPPORTUNITY AGAIN TO SPEAK TODAY.
AS A RESIDENT OF ROCKWALL COUNTY, I'VE WATCHED OUR COMMUNITY GROW INTO A VIBRANT PLACE TO CALL HOME.
ONE WHERE FAMILIES THRIVES FARMS THE LANDSCAPE AND OUR QUALITY OF LIFE FEELS UNHURRIED.
BUT TODAY I COME BEFORE YOU WITH AN URGENT QUESTION ABOUT THE PROPOSED SOUTHEAST ROCK WALL OUTER LOOP.
THIS PROJECT PROMISES CONNECTIVITY, YET IT RISKS UNRAVELING THE VERY FABRIC THAT MAKES OUR COUNTY SPECIAL.
THIS HIGHWAY SEEMS TO BE AT ODDS WITH THE ROCK ROCKWELL COUNTY'S QUALITY OF LIFE RESOLUTION SIGNED EARLIER THIS YEAR IN 2025.
LET'S ADDRESS THE HEART OF THE ISSUES HEAD ON FIRST.
WILL THIS HIGHWAY EXACERBATE OVERCROWDING AND CONGESTION PROJECTS SHOW IT COULD FLOOD OUR ALREADY
[01:40:01]
STRANGE ROAD ROADS WITH THOUSANDS MORE VEHICLES, DAILY TURNING RURAL TRANQUILITY INTO GRIDLOCK.AND YES, IT WILL ADD TRAFFIC TO OUR ARTERIAL ROADWAYS.
LOCAL STREETS LIKE THOSE NEAR HIGH POINT LAKE ESTATES, HIGH POINT RANCH, CHISHOLM RANCH, AND WHERE THE RESIDENTS ALREADY BATTLED DAILY BACKUPS.
IMAGINE 2 0 5 27 55 AND HIGHWAY 2 76, OVERWHELMED, NOT RELIEVED.
NO DOUBT IT WILL EXACERBATE THE CURRENT PROBLEM THAT WE HAVE ON 2 0 5 ALREADY.
WHO BENEFITS THE MOST FROM THIS LOOP? N-C-T-C-O-G DATA REVEALS KAUFMAN COUNTY COULD SEE UP TO A 30% TRAFFIC REDUCTION WHILE ROCKWALL GAINS ONLY A 10% REDUCTION ARE ROCKWALL TAXPAYERS TRULY SUBSIDIZING A BYPASS FOR OUR NEIGHBORS FOR THEM TO GO AROUND DALLAS AND AROUND ROCKWALL.
OUR FUNDS POURED INTO ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES AND PLANNING.
WHY SHOULD WE FOOT THE BILL FOR A REGIONAL RELIEF THAT BARELY TOUCHES OUR CORE ISSUES OF ALL OUR ARTERIAL ROADS AND THE CONGESTION THAT THIS ROAD IS GOING TO BRING TO US? THE PROPOSED, UM, WITH I 30 ON ONE SIDE AND THIS OUTTA LOOP ON THE OTHER SIDE, THE ROCK WALL RESIDENTS WILL BE TRAPPED BETWEEN TWO MAJOR HIGHWAYS WITH NOWHERE TO GO IN GRIDLOCK.
THE RISKS OF OVERDEVELOPMENT OVERDEVELOPMENT IN URBAN SPRAWL LOOM LARGE.
THIS EIGHT LANE HIGHWAY COULD PAVE THE WAY FOR THOUSANDS OF NEW HOMES, APARTMENTS, AND COMMERCIAL STRIPS ALONG ITS PATH, STRAINING OUR SCHOOLS, OUR WATER SYSTEMS, OUR EMERGENCY SERVICES AND PLANS FOR MULTI-FAMILY UNITS AND RETAIL ARE ALREADY IN THE WORKS ALONGSIDE THIS HIGHWAY.
SO IT'S, IT'S, YOU'RE RIGHT, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT'S COMING, BUT WITH THAT COMES PEOPLE.
AND RIGHT NOW, THERE'S NO WAY TO STOP THE OVERDEVELOPMENT OF THIS LAND.
SO IT'S GOING TO BRING MORE PEOPLE.
WE'RE JUST GONNA PUT MORE PEOPLE ON OUR ROADS.
AGAIN, MCCLENDON CHM, YOU'RE GONNA HAVE MORE TRAFFIC THAN YOU HAVE TODAY.
SAME FOR FATE, SAME FOR ROY CITY.
SO IN WILLIS, THIS OUTTA LOOP WILL SUPERCHARGE ALL THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND THE HOUSING DEVELOPMENT THROUGH, THROUGH OUR COMMUNITIES WITH NOWHERE FOR US TO GO.
SO IT'LL ERASE OUR OPEN SPACES.
KAUFMAN COUNTY STANDS TO GAIN FAR MORE REROUTING, COULD PROTECT OUR UNINCORPORATED COMMUNITIES WHILE SERVING THE BROADER REGION EQUITABLY, IT APPEARS AS GROWTH HAS COME FASTER THAN WHAT WAS INITIALLY PLANNED FOR THIS ENTIRE REGION.
AN EASTWOOD SHIFT WOULD ALLEVIATE FUTURE GROWTH ISSUES.
WHILE I SAW THOSE NUMBERS UP THERE, IT'S PRETTY MINIMAL.
IT'S 10,000 CARS, RIGHT? THAT'S NOT A, A BIG THING IN THE GRAND SCHEME OF THINGS.
BUT IN 20 YEARS, HOW MANY CARS ARE GONNA BE EAST AND IN HUNT COUNTY THAT AREN'T ACCOUNTED FOR TODAY? I'M SURE THEIR POPULATION IS GOING TO GROW.
AND THAT LOOP COMES AS WELL, NO MATTER WHERE IT GOES, WHETHER IT GOES WEST THROUGH THE PURPLE PLAN OR THROUGH THE EAST PLAN.
SO FINALLY, I HEARD A LOT ABOUT TOOLS TODAY, BUT I DON'T THINK YOU HAVE A TOOL BIG ENOUGH IN YOUR TOOLBOX TO, TO STOP IT FROM DESTROYING HIGH POINT LAKE ESTATES, HIGH POINT RANCH, LA UNITED STATES, BLUE BONNET, ALL THE COMMUNITIES OUT THERE.
I DON'T THINK THAT THERE'S A TOOL BIG ENOUGH THAT'S GONNA HELP US.
SO WHAT STEPS ARE UNDERWAY TO MITIGATE IMPACTS ON THOSE COMMUNITIES IN PXI? PROXIMITY, NOISE BARRIERS, FLOOD PROTECTIONS FOR ELEVATED SECTIONS.
THIS GOES THROUGH A MAJOR FLOOD PLAIN IN A WATER CAUSEWAY THAT EMPTIES OFF TATE FARM THROUGH THE A HUNDRED FOOT EASEMENT OFF HIGH POINT LAKE ESTATES AND OUT INTO THE LAND WHERE THIS ROAD IS GOING TO BE BUILT.
SO WHAT, WHAT PRECAUTIONS ARE BEING MADE TO STOP FLOODING THAT'S GONNA COME OFF THOSE ROADS? WHERE'S ALL THAT WATER GOING TO GO ONCE THIS IS BUILT? SO WHAT BUFFERS ARE GONNA BE PUT IN PLACE? WHAT SOUND WALLS WILL THE COMMUNITY HAVE INPUT IN DESIGN? OR WILL IT BE LEFT TO THE PEOPLE AT THIS TABLE? BECAUSE I HEARD A LOT ABOUT, WELL, IT'S NOT REALLY TOUCHING MY NEIGHBORHOOD, SO I'M IN FAVOR OF THE PURPLE ROUTE.
COME SPEND SOME TIME IN MY YARD AND SEE WHAT THAT HIGHWAY'S GOING TO DO TO OUR DEVELOPMENT.
AND FOR ALL MY NEIGHBORS THAT ARE HERE WITH ME TODAY, IT'S, IT'S NOT GOING TO BE A PLEASANT EXPERIENCE FOR US BECAUSE WE'LL HAVE NOWHERE TO REST.
SO I THANK YOU ALL AGAIN FOR YOUR TIME TODAY AND I HOPE YOU HAVE A TOOL IN YOUR TOOLBOX BIG ENOUGH TO HELP US.
I THINK TODD CAME BACK IN HERE.
I CALLED YOUR NAME AND YOU, YOU WERE ABSENT.
SO THANK GOOD EVENING EVERYONE.
TODD AARONS, UM, I LIVE IN UH, HIGH POINT LAKE ESTATES.
SORRY I'M LATE AND I MISSED THE BEGINNING.
BUT, UM, AS THE ROADS GO IN DALLAS, IT TOOK ME TWO HOURS TO GET FROM GRAND PRAIRIE TO HERE.
AND YOU KNOW WHAT? THAT OUTER LOOP WOULD NOT HAVE HELPED ME GET HERE ANY QUICKER.
AND WE ALL NEED TO REALIZE THAT THAT OUTER LOOP IS GONNA HELP EVERYBODY EXCEPT FOR PEOPLE LOCAL.
I WAS TOLD IN MEETINGS IN 2013 THAT 2 0 5 WAS GONNA BE SIX LANES BY 2020.
IF YOU WERE HERE THEN YOU WERE TOLD THE SAME THING.
[01:45:01]
HOW WE DOING? THANK YOU.SO WE MOVED TO ROCKWALL BECAUSE THE ROAD IN THE COMMUNITY WAS GONNA COME TO US.
WE'RE IN HIGH POINT LAKE ESTATES.
YOU WANNA PUT AN OUTER LOOP THROUGH MY BACKYARD? NOW, OKAY, WHETHER THE REALTOR TOLD ME OR THAT OR NOT IS, IS MAKES NO DIFFERENCE AT THIS POINT.
SOME PEOPLE WOULD LOVE TO LIVE NEXT TO A MAJOR HIGHWAY.
AND ALL THE FANCY NEIGHBORHOODS WITH THE NORTH SOUTH TOW WAY RUN THROUGH, RIGHT? I GET THAT.
WHEN N-C-T-O-G SET THIS UP, ROCKWELL COUNTY WAS JUST THAT.
YOU HAD TATE FARMS OUT THERE, YOU HAD UH, NEIGHBORHOOD.
YOU DIDN'T EVEN HAVE 30 HOUSES IN IT BACK THEN.
ROCKWELL COUNTY HAS CHANGED SO DRAMATICALLY THAT WE DON'T NEED THIS ROAD ANYMORE.
IT IS GONNA FILL IN ORGANICALLY WHETHER THIS ROAD IS THERE OR NOT.
YOU HAVE A BEAUTIFUL COUNTY THAT PEOPLE WANNA LIVE IN.
WE DON'T NEED TO COVER IT WITH MORE CONCRETE.
I 30 RIGHT NOW IS GOING TO WHAT? EIGHT LANES STRAIGHT ACROSS THE COUNTY.
THAT'S NOT EVEN GONNA BE ENOUGH.
AND THIS IS GONNA START OFF SMALL LIKE IT DOES IN ROANOKE.
AND IT'S GONNA GROW AND GROW AND GROW UNTIL YOU FINALLY FILL IN THE MIDDLE.
AND TO FRANK'S POINT, IT'S JUST GONNA BRING MORE CRIME, MORE POLLUTION.
HAVE WE STUDIED THE IMPACTS INTO THE ENVIRONMENT? NOW, I'M NOT A GREENPEACE GUY, BUT HAVE WE EVEN LOOKED AT THAT? 'CAUSE IT'S GOING THROUGH FLOODPLAINS.
HAVE WE LOOKED AT WHAT IT'S GONNA DO TO THE PROPERTY VALUES? OUR PROPERTY VALUES? THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE IN HERE THAT THIS ROAD BACKS UP RIGHT TO THEIR HOUSE.
THE ADDITIONAL TAX BURDEN TO EVERYBODY SITTING IN THIS ROOM IS GOING TO BE ENORMOUS.
THAT'S PART-TIME FROM MCLENNAN CHISHOLM.
I'VE BEEN ON THE FIRE DEPARTMENT FOR 11 YEARS AND I KNOW WHAT MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS GO THROUGH EVERY SINGLE DAY ON I 30.
WHETHER THE ROY CITY FATE OR ROCKWALL, THAT ROAD JAMS UP, SEMIS, ROLL OVER SEMIS, START FIRE, PEOPLE GET KILLED.
THOSE FIRE DEPARTMENTS AND FIRST RESPONDERS, THEY NEED MORE AND THEY NEED TO BE SAFER.
SO THIS ROAD BRINGS AN ADDITIONAL TAX BURDEN TO ALL OF US JUST ON FIRST RESPONDERS.
'CAUSE WE WANT TO KEEP THEM SAFE.
BUT WHEN THAT ROAD BACKS UP, THEY'RE COMING DOWN 5 48 RIGHT NOW ANYWAYS.
BUT WHEN THIS OUTER LOOP'S GONNA BACK UP, THEY'RE GONNA BE ON ALL OUR LOCAL ROADS.
MY LAST POINT IS, IS THAT AS A CITIZEN OF ROCKWELL COUNTY FOR A DOZEN YEARS NOW, I FEEL THAT I HAVE BEEN LIED TO, WHETHER IT BE THE PREVIOUS COURT COMMISSIONERS OR NOT.
I WAS TOLD IN 2020 THAT I WAS GONNA HAVE SIX LANE, 2 0 5.
I DON'T KNOW WHO ON THIS COMMISSION, PROBABLY PRIOR STIFLED THAT, BUT I WAS LIED TO.
AND SO WAS EVERYBODY ELSE THAT LIVES IN THAT PART OF THE COUNTY.
'CAUSE THAT ROAD'S NOT EVEN ANYWHERE NEAR DONE.
AND RIGHT NOW IT'S PROBABLY 20 27, 20 28, WHICH WOULD PUT IT A FULL EIGHT YEARS BEHIND.
WHEN I SIGNED A REFERENDUM, I VOTED FOR A REFERENDUM IN 2021 TO EXPAND 5 48, 5 49 AND FIVE 50 AND TO USABLE ROADS WITH BOULEVARDS AND SIDEWALKS.
IF YOU'RE GONNA MAKE MY LOCAL LIFE BETTER, RAISE MY TAXES, PLEASE.
WHERE'S THAT MONEY NOW THAT MONEY'S BEING DANGLED OVER OUR HEADS LIKE A PRIZE THAT IF WE DON'T LET THIS ROAD GO WHERE N-C-T-O-G WANTS IT TO GO, TOO BAD YOU'RE NOT GETTING THAT MONEY.
HOW IS THAT NOT POLITICAL BLACKMAIL? HOW ARE THE CITIZENS OF ROCKWELL COUNTY NOT BEING HELD? IT? IT'S A SHAME.
WE'VE GOT A GREAT COMMUNITY, A GREAT COUNTY, AND GREAT CITIZENS LISTEN TO US AND I DON'T KNOW WHO'S BEEN LYING TO US, BUT STOP LYING TO US AND LISTEN TO US.
DO THE ROADS HERE AND THEN PUT YOUR ROAD OUT.
PUT YOUR OUTER LOOP IN, IN HUNT COUNTY TO KAUFMAN.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME.
I APPRECIATE Y'ALL AND I KNOW YOU'RE GONNA MAKE A GREAT DECISION.
JOHN POLLSTER, DO YOU WANT, DO YOU WANNA GO OVER PROJECTS? NO, I JUST WANTED TO POINT OUT KIND OF WHAT YOU HEARD A SECOND AGO.
DID, DID YOU WANNA SPEAK SHARON? CAN YOU KEEP IT TO THREE MINUTES? OH YES.
UM, I'M GONNA KEEP IT REALLY BRIEF BECAUSE THERE'S SO MUCH THAT COULD BE SAID HERE.
UM, MR. MORRIS, I APPRECIATE YOU BEING HERE AND, AND PRESENTING YOUR INFORMATION.
UM, THERE'S SO MANY QUESTIONS.
IN YOUR PRESENTATION, YOU SPOKE ABOUT WHAT THE PEOPLE WANT AS FAR AS
[01:50:01]
WHAT THE PEOPLE WILL WANT ON THOSE, UH, DIFFERENT AVENUES.HAVE YOU EVER COMMUNICATED WITH THE RESIDENTS OF ROCKWALL COUNTY ABOUT THE OUTER LOOP FROM TDOT OR NICK COG TO GET A SURVEY OR SO AT, AT THE REQUEST OF THIS COUNTY, THE COUNTY WISHED TO TAKE THE LEAD AND DO THAT THROUGH YOUR PARTICULAR CONSULTANT? UH, WE, WE ARE, WE WERE ASKED NOT TO TAKE THE LEAD.
I THINK THE PROJECT HAS A BETTER CHANCE FOR YOUR COUNTY COMMISSIONER'S COURT TO BE GUIDING THE PROCESS AND GETTING THAT INPUT DIRECTLY VERSUS OUR OFFICE OR TXDOT DOING IT.
SO AT YOUR REQUEST, WE'RE NOT DOING THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROCESS.
YOUR COUNTY IS LEADING THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROCESS.
I I NEVER GOT THAT SURVEY, SO IF THAT'S BEEN OUT THERE, I'D LIKE TO SEE IT AND I APPRECIATE, UH, MR. MORRIS, YOU'RE 35 YEARS WITH NET COG, RIGHT? IS THAT RIGHT? 35 YEARS WITH NET COG.
UM, AND THEN I'VE BEEN TOLD ALSO THAT IT DOESN'T REALLY MATTER WHAT ANY OF US WANT, THAT THIS IS HAPPENING, PERIOD.
IS THAT TRUE? I JUST REALLY WANNA KNOW.
I WOULDN'T BE HERE IF, IF I THOUGHT THAT WAS TRUE.
I'M, I'M HERE TO ENCOURAGE YOU TO ASK ALL YOUR QUESTIONS IN A PROCESS THAT CAN EXPAND TO GET A WHOLE BUNCH OF DIFFERENT OTHER IDEAS THAN SIMPLY LIMIT IT TO THE IDEAS WE CURRENTLY HAVE.
SO THERE'S LOTS OF QUESTIONS ABOUT, UH, STORM WATER AND THE FLOOD PLAIN.
THE WAY YOU ANSWER THAT AS YOU DO ENVIRONMENTAL PROCESS AND SEE WHAT THE IMPACTS ARE ON THE STORMWATER AND THE FLOODLINE, WE CAN'T ANSWER THOSE QUESTIONS IF YOU DON'T DO THE WORK TO ANSWER THOSE QUESTIONS.
I GUESS MY QUESTION REALLY TOO, AND JUST, JUST JUST ONE LAST THING ON THE NUMBERS THAT YOU PRESENTED ON THE, THE TRAFFIC FLOW, THE DIFFERENCES, UM, WHAT ARE THE DIFFERENT ELEMENTS THAT ARE INVOLVED IN, IN COMING TO THOSE CONCLUSIONS? AND YOU TALK ABOUT THE DEVELOPMENTS THAT ARE IN PLACE THAT ARE GOING TO BE IN PLACE THAT YOU EXPECT WILL BE, WILL BE IN PLACE, AND THE RESIDENTS THAT ARE THERE THAT WHO LIVE IN THIS COUNTY.
I, I THINK THAT'S A VERY GOOD, GOOD PARTICULAR QUESTION.
IT'S GONNA BE HARD TO DO IT IN LIKE A MINUTE.
UH, I CAN PRODUCE A REPORT THAT LOOKS AT THE CURRENT POPULATION ESTIMATES MATCHED AGAINST THE CURRENT CENSUS.
HOW WE HAVE DONE GOING BACK TO 1970.
WE FORECAST THE DE DEMOGRAPHICS IN THE FUTURE, COMPARE IT TO THE OFFICE OF THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE.
THOSE POPULATION EMPLOYMENT ESTIMATES ARE LOCATED IN WORKING WITH YOUR CITY AND THE COUNTY ON WHAT DEVELOPMENTS THEY'RE ANTICIPATING.
WE KNOW HOUSEHOLD SIZES OF A CERTAIN SIZE AND A CERTAIN INCOME FROM SURVEYS THAT WE DO PRODUCE CER CERTAIN NUMBER OF TRIPS.
EMPLOYERS ATTRACT CERTAIN NUMBER OF ATTRACTIONS.
WE KNOW AN AMAZON PRODUCES A LOT FEWER WORK TRIPS 'CAUSE IT'S A WAREHOUSE.
WE KNOW A RETAIL STORE LIKE COSTCO PRODUCES A LOT MORE.
ALL THAT DATA HAS GONE INTO THE COMPUTER PRODUCTIONS ARE MATCHED AGAINST ATTRACTIONS.
WE KNOW HOW WILLING, HOW LONG PEOPLE WISH TO TRAVEL.
IT'S A VERY COMMON INTERNATIONAL PRINCIPLE.
UH, THE COMPUTER SIMULATES THOSE PARTICULAR ITEMS, BUT I CAN SHARE WITH YOU THE REPORT THAT THAT DOES THAT, UH, TO HELP GUIDE YOU KNOW, WHY WE THINK, UH, 12, 12 MILLION WILL PEOPLE WILL BE IN THE REGION AND WHY WE THINK SO MANY WILL BE IN YOUR PARTICULAR COUNTY.
SO WE'LL MAKE, UH, THE, UH, COGS, UH, PRESENTATION AVAILABLE TO COMMISSIONER'S COURT TOMORROW MORNING AND THEY CAN UPLOAD IT ON THEIR, UH, THEIR, UH, WEBSITE.
I KNOW A LOT OF Y'ALL WERE TAKING NOTES AND PICTURES, BUT IT'LL BE AVAILABLE TO YOU TOMORROW.
UH, JUST TO PUT A FINAL CAP ON WHAT Y'ALL HEARD A LITTLE EARLIER, IF YOU CAME IN LATE, THE FM 5 49 PROJECT FROM UH, 2 0 5 TO 2 76 HAS BEEN SLOTTED FOR FEBRUARY, 2026, UH, FOR FULL FUNDING AND AND CONSTRUCTION.
SO IN FEBRUARY, THAT SECTION ROAD STARTS THE CONSTRUCTION.
AND, AND WHAT WE HAD TO DO IS WE HAD THE MONEY FOR A LONG TIME.
THAT WAS ONE OF THE PROJECTS THAT THE MPO FUNDED FOR THE INITIAL PHASE OF THE OUTER LOOP.
WE HAD TO GET IT INTO THE FOUR YEAR PLAN AND THEN THE COMMISSION HAD TO GIVE US A SLOT.
SO WE GOT IT IN FEBRUARY AND IT'LL START CONSTRUCTION THEN, UH, BOTH 2 0 5 IS THE MIDDLE AND THE SOUTH ALL THE WAY TO TARRELL ARE FULLY FUNDED.
UH, LARGE PART OF THAT MONEY WAS MPO FUNDING FOR 327 MILLION BUCKS.
AND AGAIN, WE'RE WORKING THROUGH UTILITY RELOCATIONS, UH, AND TRYING TO FIND A SLOT TO GET IT INTO THE LETTING CYCLE.
THAT'S ALL I HAVE, JUDGE, UNLESS YOU HAVE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS.
ANY QUESTIONS FOR JOHN? ALRIGHT, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FROM ANYBODY SITTING AT THE TABLE? I HAVE A, OH, I SAID QUESTIONS.
[01:55:01]
THANK YOU.UH, I DO, I DO WANNA POINT OUT, AND I THINK THIS IS REALLY IMPORTANT FOR THE AUDIENCE, UH, AND THE, AND THE REASON THAT I MADE THE STATEMENT THAT I MADE, UH, WHENEVER WE WERE FIRST ADDRESSING, I THINK IT'S VERY IMPORTANT THAT EVERYBODY TUNE INTO THESE MEETINGS, COME TO THESE MEETINGS BECAUSE, UH, THE COMMENTS THAT WERE MADE ABOUT 2 0 5 AND FIVE 50 AND 5 49, I WOULD SAY PRETTY MUCH EVERYBODY AT THIS TABLE SHARES YOUR SAME CONCLUSION, YOUR SAME CONCERN.
SO JUST SO YOU KNOW, EVERY SINGLE ONE OF US HAVE TALKED ABOUT THE NEED TO AND HOW FAR BEHIND WE ARE AND HOW WE'VE GOTTA TACKLE THESE BIG PROBLEMS. SO I JUST WANNA BE CLEAR, IF YOU HAVEN'T BEEN TO THESE MEETINGS, YOU RIGHT NOW, YOU'RE, YOU'RE LISTENING TO THE OUTER LOOP AND THE, AND THE IMPACT OF THE OUTER LOOP.
AND I, UH, I DID ADDRESS IT IN MY STATEMENT THAT WE ALL CONCUR THAT IT IS VERY, VERY COMPLICATED TO FIGURE OUT WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE 35 YEARS FROM NOW.
AND, AND IT IS VERY IMPACTFUL, THE THINGS THAT YOU SAID TONIGHT AND, AND I TAKE IT HOME WITH ME.
UH, BUT PLEASE KNOW THAT, THAT THESE ROADS ARE ABSOLUTELY A PRIORITY AND WE'VE GOTTA GET IT DONE.
AND THAT WAS WHAT I WAS REFERENCING WITH, WE'RE ON A PATH TO HIT A GLACIER.
AND, AND THE SOLUTION IS NOT JUST THE OUTER LOOP, IT'S ALL OF THESE THINGS.
SO JUST, JUST WANTED TO BE ON THE RECORD ON THAT.
ANYBODY ELSE? 7 26 WORD ADJOURNED.