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Residents could soon face tighter rules for storing RVs, trailers and trash carts after the City Council directed staff Aug. 18 to continue developing changes to city regulations.
The council also revisited the city’s ethics process. Council member Lupe Gonzalez apologized for profanity she used June 2, and Mayor Terry Lynne requested a future discussion on temporarily pausing new ethics complaints.
Much of the study session focused on RVs, boats, trailers and other oversized vehicles kept at homes throughout Farmers Branch.
City staff counted about 174 trailers as officials studied how oversized vehicles are stored in residential neighborhoods. Staff also identified about 45 RVs and fifth-wheel trailers and about 30 boats.
The proposed ordinance would apply to certain RVs, boats, box trucks, dump trucks, tow trucks and trailers. It also would cover vehicles more than 8 feet wide or 21 feet long.
Under the proposal, oversized vehicles generally would have to be stored in a side or rear yard and screened from public view.
RVs and travel trailers could be parked temporarily from 5 p.m. Friday until 8 a.m. Monday. Residents would receive a 12-month grace period before the new requirements were enforced.
Council member Tina Bennett-Burton raised concerns about residents whose properties may not allow them to comply.
Some homes in her district have no alleys or accessible side yards, she said. That could leave homeowners with no practical place to move an oversized vehicle.
“I would be much more comfortable when we pass this if we at that time already know how we can help our residents,” Bennett-Burton said.
She said some residents could be forced to pay for off-site storage or make costly property changes. In some cases, the layout of the property could make those changes difficult or impossible.
Council members David Reid and Elizabeth Villafranca supported moving forward with the proposal and giving residents a year to comply.
Staff said it had enough direction to continue working on the ordinance.
The council next considered where residents keep their trash and recycling carts.
Staff said the city has received about 40 complaints since January involving trash bags and carts. Most involved containers left out too long or stored where they could be seen from the street.
Current rules govern where carts can be stored and when they can be placed out for collection. Staff asked whether the city should add stronger screening requirements or change the times when carts can be put out and removed.
Council members generally supported requiring carts to be screened from public view when they are not out for collection. Options included placing carts behind fencing, inside a garage or behind landscaping.
“The last thing I want to do is fine residents out of living in Farmers Branch,” Lynne said.
He said the city should make expectations clear and educate residents before turning to enforcement.
Villafranca questioned whether residents should have to wait until 6 p.m. to put carts out during winter.
It gets dark earlier during those months, she said. That could create a safety concern for older residents and others who would have to move carts after dark.
Officials also said smaller carts are available for residents who have difficulty handling full-size containers. Assistance may be available in some cases for residents who are physically unable to move their carts.
Council members agreed staff should continue developing stronger screening rules.
The council returned to the ethics issue later during council member reports.
Gonzalez apologized for profanity she used during the events of June 2.
“To my residents, I sincerely apologize for using that language,” Gonzalez said.
She said the apology was limited to her use of profanity. She said it was not intended to concede disputed facts about what occurred, the circumstances surrounding the incident or her intent.
The statement led to a brief exchange later in the meeting. Gonzalez said her attorney had reviewed the apology because of the legal issues involved. Lynne ended the discussion and moved the meeting forward.
Earlier, the council met in closed session for legal discussions involving council member duties and discipline, the processing of ethics complaints and records related to those complaints. No action was taken after the closed session.
Before adjournment, Lynne requested a future discussion on whether the city should temporarily stop accepting new ethics complaints while it reviews its complaint procedures.
He asked that the discussion address how long a moratorium could last, what it would cover, its legal implications and whether exceptions would be needed.
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