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Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. >> [music] [music] >> Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. N. Heat. Heat. [music] Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. [music] [music] [music] >> [music] [music] >> of the Irving City Council for May 7th, 2026. It's a pleasure to have each and every one of you with us this evening. Uh the first item on our agenda is Chennet. Do we have anyone who would like to sign up for the uh service announcements? >> Yes, we do. We have um Griselle, Lar La Lar. I'm sorry. I don't know how to say that. Come [clears throat] on up. You have three minutes. Laravel. Is that better? Okay. >> Yes. Mayor, members of council, city, city leadership, and the Irving community. I am Griselle Lariel, president of the Friends of Irving Museums. I am honored to share some exciting national recognition for the Irving Archives and Museums and its community partner, Badge of Pride, for the project Badge of Pride, from silence to celebration. This week, the museum received notification that it has won two significant awards. First, out of more than 3,000 entries, Badge of Pride has been selected to receive an award of excellence from the 32nd annual commu communicator awards by the Academy of Interactive and Visual Arts, recognizing the outstanding quality and impact of the exhibition's public communication, storytelling, and design. Even more significantly, Badge of Pride has been selected to receive a museum impact award from the American Alliance of Museums, AAM, the largest museum organization in the country. This award recognizes important and no noteworthy museum work that is driving um that is driving impact, making a difference in communities and serving as an example and inspiration to others in the museum field. In their official announcement this morning, the AAM described this as the landmark partnership and noted that this was the largest artifact based on LGBTQ plus history exhibition ever presented in Texas. They are now holding Irving up as the national model for how museums can build trust to preserve overlooked histories. That makes this recognition especially extraordinary for a museum that is only six years old and for a project created in partnership with the grassroot nonprofit and community members who entrusted the museum with deeply personal stories to be recognized at this level speaks powerfully to the quality, relevance and courage of the work being done here in Irving. It proves that when we tell stories with care and community trust, the entire country takes notice of what is happening here in Irving. Badge of Pride is a powerful example of what public museums can do at their best. Preserve history, build understanding, and create spaces for reflection. This project brought together city staff, community partners, sponsors, lenders, artists, storytellers, and supporters who believe that these histories deserved to be shared. These awards are not just a recognition of one exhibition. They are a recognition of the professionalism and purpose of the Irving Archives and Museums and the Department of Arts and Culture. They also reflect the city of Irving's continued commitment to cultural excellence, community storytelling, and public history. On behalf of the Friends of Irving Museums, I want to congratulate the I am the AAM team, the Department of Arts and Culture, Adrien Cardwell, and Badge of Pride. >> Thank you very much. >> Thank you. [applause] >> [applause] >> If you would please stand. The invitation this evening will be given by Pastor Matt Henselen Hensley from the Plymouth Park Baptist Church here in Irving. >> Good evening, pastor. >> Thank you. We appreciate your service and your ministry to the city. And it's an honor to be here tonight. And I'm glad I don't have a time limit, so I can pray as long as I want. Just kidding. Let's pray together. >> Amen. Heavenly Father, we come before you with gratitude for the breath in our lungs. Uh the city that we get to reside in and serve. And Lord, we thank you for the opportunity before us uh to have business done, to discuss, to plan. And Lord, we ask that you would direct the conversations and the decisions made in a way that's going to bring you glory. We thank you for each and every one of the men and women in front of me, uh the brave men and women that serve our uh great city and fire departments and police departments. And we thank you for the many many people in front and behind the scenes uh that make it the safe place that it is the wonderful place to raise children and to grow. In Jesus name I pray. Amen. Thank you all. >> Amen. >> Thank [clears throat] you pastor. If you please remain standing. Mayor Prom John Black will lead us in the pledges. >> Place your hand over your heart and recite the pledges with me. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Honor the Texas flag. I pledge allegiance to thee, Texas, one state under God, one and indivisible. >> Thank you, John. Uh, we've got a couple proclamations this evening, so I'm going to meet down front. Julia, which one am I doing first? >> Ah, >> are they here? Yes. >> You got your name coming down? >> I do. Well, this team right behind here is who takes care of me on a day-to-day basis and making sure that I'm where I'm supposed to be and doing what I'm supposed to be doing and saying what I'm supposed to be saying and uh bringing what I'm supposed to be bringing. They're very dedicated individuals and amazing individuals in their own right. We [clears throat] have a proclamation from M municipal clerks week. Whereas the profession of municipal clerks is the oldest among public servants is an essential to the efficiency and the foundation of local government in Texas. Ensuring transparency, accountability, and smooth operation of municipal services. And whereas Texas municipal clerks have pledged to be ever mindful in their neutrality and impartial impartiality while serving as the professional link between the citizens, the local governing bodies and the agencies of government at all levels. And whereas the these professionals serve as the office recordkeepers, managers of vital documents, conducting municipal elections, providing legislative support and ensuring compli compliance with laws and regulations in the city and across the state of Texas. And whereas municipal clerks demonstrate exceptional dedication, professionalism, and integrity in their work, often going above and beyond to serve their community and and [clears throat] effective and they effectively manage the municipal governments. And whereas municipal courts week provides an opportunity to recognize and celebrate the invaluable work of municipal clerks acknowledge their vital contributions to public service and highlight the importance of the role that they play in the day-to-day operation of our cities. Now therefore, I, Rick Stoer, mayor of the city of Irving and the Irving City Council, do hereby proclaim May 3rd through 9th, 2026 as Municipal Clerk's Week here in Irving, Texas. Congratulations. [applause] All right. >> Thank you. >> Thank you, Mayor. Okay, Julia. Now, what am I doing? Julie knows what I'm doing. Beth, I know you're here. Beth is with the Chamber of Commerce and the Economic Development. Her and her team are here to celebrate National Small Business Week and Economic Development Week. [snorts] >> Hey, Harry. >> How are you? Great. >> I shouldn't be in the middle. >> [laughter] >> Lisa, [clears throat] >> you can't sneak in. [laughter] >> Yes. Love it. [laughter] >> All right, we got the crowd here today. People that have been doing this for as long as I've been around. So, that's a long time. We [clears throat] have a proclamation for the national small business week and economic development week. Whereas the Irving Economic Development Partnership is a public private partnership between the city of Irving, the Greater Irving Lascalinus Chamber of Commerce, the Irving Convention and Visitors Bureau, and the Los Kolinus Association to fuel business growth, promote new capital investment, create highquality jobs and careers for Irving residents, and support the more than 10,000 small businesses and entrepreneur businesses in Irving, Los Kolinus. And whereas National Economic Development Week recognizes the economic development professionals and its role in the community successful growth and sustained by addressing issues such as workforce availability, training, international trade and foreign direct investment incentives and reduce costs of operations. And whereas the partnership continues to share the story of success that has made Irving Loscolinus the headquarters of headquarters in Texas based upon the per capita corporation headquarters in Irving, Texas. And whereas the Small US Business Administration recognizes National Small Business Week to highlight the the economy impact of entrepreneurship and small business owners who create two out of every three jobs in the US every year. And whereas the partnership will visit 1,000 1,000 of these Irving based businesses to say thank you for choosing Irving Lascolinus, driving innovation and increasing the community's global competitive every day. Now therefore, I Rick Stoer, mayor of the city of Irving and the Irving City Council to hereby proclaim May 3rd to May 9th as National Small Business and Economic Development Week in Irving, Texas. These people do amazing work. This last week they visited 1,000 businesses, small businesses here in the city of Irving. The they were one of the first five-star chambers and in their commitment to make sure that businesses recognized and understood these are the type of things that they do. They brought together about a hundred individuals. They all got together. They all broke up uh and got in groups and and visited 1,000 small businesses of the 8,500 that we have. This is something that happens every year. This is something that doesn't happen in most cities and this is something that a five-star chamber does to make sure that people know how important their business is to our community. So, congratulations to all of you. Beth, thank you so much for your leadership. [laughter] >> [applause] [applause] >> Thank you. Okay, you both got to speak. >> Okay. >> No, both both of you do. I'm not going to leave. Thank you. Well, uh again to um all the residents and business owners uh in workforce at home in Irving, Texas, uh we are celebrating you this week and on behalf of our incredible team and board of directors, we truly get to amplify one of the best stories um which is the location um in home in Irving, Texas and the phenomenal community, the amenities, the access. Um, and it's truly where business industry can have a local address with global access. I was sharing with mayor and council earlier today, the policy in which they set allows for us professionals to work together as a team day in and day out to roll up the red tape and roll out the red carpet for our customers. Um, so thank you to each of you for allowing us to amplify the Irving loss cleaner story and work on behalf of our business industry. I'll now turn it over to my boss, our chairman of the board, Harry Lake, president and CEO of COA Partners. Mr. Chairman, [applause] >> I'll be brief. I think uh the mayor and Beth has covered all of it. I just want to say thank you. Uh thank you to the volunteers, the hundreds of volunteers that that showed up to visit a thousand uh companies and small businesses. Small businesses, like the mayor said, is the heart of business in in our community. And it's not really just small businesses. These are family businesses and these are families are rooted right here. And so we appreciate the job creation is just phenomenal. We understand that these families and and business owners are out there sleepless nights trying to figure things out because this is a competitive environment. And so I'm really thankful that we have a phenomenal mayor and city council and the chamber that supports these small businesses and allow them to thrive and provide the quality of life that we all experience right here in Irving uh and Lasus. So, thank you very much, mayor, for acknowledging that today. Thank you. [applause] [applause] >> Turn this way. >> Thank you, sod. careful. Yeah. >> Yes. >> Thank you, Beth. So, next up on our agenda, while the mayor is walking back, this is Mayor Stoofer after 37 years of service to the city, nine years as mayor. Uh, three three-year terms. So, the term limit is out. Uh, next Wednesday in the great city of Irving, Texas will swear in Mayor Al Zapont. [applause] So, we put on the agenda item now is uh anybody who wants to speak to come and say any congratulations and years of service to the mayor Rick Stoer. Uh, as with anything in the city, we have a process. So, if you didn't sign up to speak, that's okay. you can still come speak. But our first speaker tonight is Kim Black. >> I wasn't expecting to be first. >> I'm ready to talk. >> Y'all are going to have to >> for the sake of time, y'all are going to have to stick to three minutes, but I'm not going to tell y'all when one minute is left. Just >> Oh, it should take three minutes. I'm I think I'm good. I want to say thank you to Mayor Rick and Irving First Lady Lady Melanie. When you guys took over as the leaders of our city, we were in a divisive place. It was a time of mayoral grandstanding and arrogance. Then along comes Mayor Rick and Melanie who participated in all weekend activities of Irving with all the citizens of Irving. Following you guys on social media, I was starting to wonder if you ever slept. I don't remember a mayor of Irving ever being so accessible and friendly to everyone in our city. So, thank you to you guys for leading our city with kindness and inclusiveness. Thank you for truly embracing the diversity of our city. And thank you for putting Irving first. I look forward to seeing you guys around town. Irving is a better city because Rick and Melanie stop for a live here. Thank you. [applause] >> David Shoemaker, if you'd like to come down. Mayor Stove, we have a lot in common. Not only are you an ex carer, but I still am. So, I don't know if that's good or bad, but I know you had an experience with my father and I know you've been big big experience with the highway expansion and and the things that you've done for the city. And I just want to say that you always put the business first and wasn't uh something that was a hidden agenda. You made it clear where we stood and we got got to do, but you did a great job for the city and you're going to be missed. Yeah, I hope you leave that big pair of shoes behind there so they can fill that up when Al's elected cuz you like like they said before, you're everywhere posting every activity you're at and you got every ribbon in the city. So, good luck to whoever Al can fall behind that. We appreciate you. >> Thank you, [applause] Sharon. FAF Um, do we have to say our address and all that stuff? No. Okay. Thank you. >> Um, Rick, on behalf of Kate and I, and David, we're very thankful for your class and leadership and um, and just everything that you and Melanie have brought to our city. I know you all give with lead with your whole heart and um, are truly servant leaders. you you want to serve the city and um as you know we thank thank you for calling David um last year and making him run for council um and that was a making him um run but um he um it's just been a a joy and a pleasure and Melanie um to site you know to to say this for the 10 millionth time I don't know how any of us are going to keep up with all the posting that you did because there's just no way [laughter] but we're very thankful. So, um, from the bottom of our heart, thank you for being mayor for the last nine years. We're very, very thankful for you both. [applause] Chuck Cooperstein, Rick, um I guess almost 40 years ago when uh you were just getting yourself started. I I remember going to a Valley Ranch zoning meeting at the Old Valley Ranch Baptist Church in Capel and I remember um listening to this guy and thinking this this might be the smartest person I have ever listened to who actually understands all this stuff that's just absolutely mind-blowing. Um but um that was the first time that I had heard you and and met you. Uh obviously in the last 15 years we've gotten to know each other a lot better through Karen. Um and uh I'm just I think we're all so fortunate that uh you have taken on the mantle of public service and really shown what public service is and uh what uh this city is capable of. uh if we all come together uh you've set an amazing example for for all of us and uh nothing but congratulations to you on uh being the longest serving mayor of the city of Irving and uh on an amazing tenure with the with the city and I hope retirement does agree with you and I know it'll agree with Melanie uh um what uh I know just what you both have done and uh you know seven days a week, 20 hours a day. I'll give you four hours to sleep. Um, what you've done is amazing and u I know I'm grateful and I know uh there are probably about 240,000 residents of the city of Irving who are grateful for your service. [applause] And uh Rick will be here late into the night. So, a lot of friendly faces out there. So come up and say a word of congratulations to him. We've already uh looked at as a council. We have him on about 10 different boards he's going to serve on for us. So Rick, we we'll still be seeing a lot of you. But thank you for all your years of service. We really appreciate it. [applause] Well, if you indulge me for a few minutes, I had the opportunity over the [clears throat] last week to sit down and talk think about some things and then Karen uh Berlin Cooperstein got with me and we I tried to put some thoughts together. So, I'll try to make it through this and uh just my perspective on some things here in the city of Irving. So, if you'll indulge me for a few minutes and I am going to read this. It'll be the first and the only script that I've read in the nine years that I have been been so that I can get through it. Uh, it has been an incredible privilege to serve the city for over 30 years during the last and as the last nine years as mayor. I think back to my early days of public service and where Irving was as a city and I look at where we are today. There has been growth and development across the whole city. We have made substantial investments in north, south, east, and west. Our parks department is a perfect example. We have re-imagined Heritage Park where we hold our regular Christmas programs. [snorts] We have Levy Plaza, which is home to our annual fireworks show, and so many other community events like the rare state competition that's taking place tonight. We have new swimming facilities. A new indoor facility will be opening in the south. A multi-generational recreation center under construction in the north. And we are finally going to connect the middle of the Campion Trails so that we have a 22mile connection between north and south that we started 30 years ago. >> [snorts] >> We have we have invested hundreds of millions of dollars in infrastructure including rebuilding 114 183 loop 12 interchange and rebuilding thorough affairs and intersections along Irving Boulevard, MacArthur Boulevard, Esther Boulevard. Our roads to the future initiative is repairing roads throughout the city. We have put time and money in water, sewer, and drainage systems that will set us up for the future. We are at the top of our game when it comes to economic development in our chamber. We were one of the first chambers to be recognized as a five-star chamber, excuse [clears throat] me, contributing to the a tribute to the work of Beth Bowman and her team and what they do every day. People sometimes forget how rare our situation is. Our corporate residents generate about 70% of our tax base which lowers the taxes for our residents. We currently have about a 46 billion tax base and annually we are permitting we are permitting about $1 billion worth of new value a year which is almost heard of in a city of our size. >> [snorts] >> So, [clears throat] we bring new businesses and approve new projects in our city. It allows us to keep our tax rate low and make adjustments to such adjustments such as increasing the homestead exemption for our seniors. The urban center has been transformed with the addition of Water Street, home of some great restaurants, coffee shops, and retail, along with the revitalization of the Mustang Plaza and upgrades to William Square. [gasps] We have our first new corporate highrises in the Urban Center in decades. And we welcome new Fortune 500 and Fortune 1000 to our city regularly. There has been a warehouse boom in the western part of our city dri [clears throat] driven by our location along the DFW air airport. These facilities have tremendous high tremendously highpaying jobs and industry leaders like Heritage Auction and Mars Candy which has over a million and a half square foot distribution center here in Irving. Our hospitality industry is thriving under the leadership of Mora Gast who just marked 35year anniversary with our city. Tourism is a huge business in Irving and directly impacts our residents. We welcome nearly 4.5 million visitors each year, generating over 4 billion in visitor spending and 85 million in local tax revenue. The tax revenue supports crucial city services, saving every Irving household approximately $900. If we didn't have the tourism industry and the dollars that they raise in order to operate the city we do with our police, our fire, our parks, and each city, each homeowner would have to pay an extra $900 a year. That's what that does for us. The hotel tax not only supports our convention center, which just turned 15 in the past January, but also the convention and visitors bureau, which marks which ma markets our city to visitors in our award-winning museum and art center. Nine years ago, when I started my time as mayor, we were just opening the Toyota Music Factory. And then two and then two years later, we celebrated the opening of the Western Hotel. This marked a culminate a culmination and completion of decades of long planning to build out a 48 40 40 acre entertainment district which [snorts] is thriving. More than half of our revenue we generate as a city fund our police and fire. We have built new fire stations and upgraded equipment for our police and for our fire. We have raised their salaries, which I'm very, very proud of, to be more competitive in the marketplace and ensure that we are fully staffed. We have made sure that our pension plans are solvent when so many cities are upside down on theirs. We have made these investments. We can we can better serve and protect our residents and businesses, not just today, but in the future. At the end of the day, all this progress is possible because of the team we have here. Our city manager, Chris Hillman, and 2,000 plus city employees and dozens of people who serve on boards and commissions as volunteers, our thriving business community, and of course, our residents. We are one Irving. As I leave office, I see much opportunity ahead for the city. our residents, our businesses. We have companies that want to invest here, create opportunities for redevelopment. We have families looking to put roots down, creating demand for housing. Our low unemployment rate means people are at work in Irving, underscoring we have the talent pool to meet the workforce needs of our business community. As I reflect on the last 30 years of service, I reflect on the things I learned from my father. He taught me there are two things that matter, respect and responsibility. My dad always said, "I don't care what you do for a living. I respect you for getting up every day and doing that job. He believed in treating people well. He also believed a person's responsibility. Doing your job well. If you wash cars, be the best washing car person you can be. If you mow lawns, be the best you can be. If you work in an office, be the best that you can be. I hope people look back on my service. [clears throat and snorts] They see these characteristics in me, respect and personal responsibility. I hope they remember me for taking the job seriously, excuse [clears throat] me, and giving it my all. To my fellow city council members, thank you. Thank you for your service. Keep working every day to improve our community. Keep showing up to the city and staff. Thank you for sharing up, for showing up every day and being the very best at your jobs. Irving is a better place because of your hard work. And to my wife Melanie, thanks for being by my side for this incredible journey. Thank you for allowing me to do this. [applause] [applause] [applause] I always choke up when I think about my dad. U when I was 5 years old going to kindergarten, I walked by the shop where he worked. He was an auto body repair man. So every day at 3:30 when I walked by, he would take a coffee break and we'd go over to the local diner and I'd get a brownie and a Coke. But then he would teach me how to weld. He would teach me how to to do body repair. He would teach me how to do these things. And I uh I was with him my whole life. Uh the whole time I worked, my dad was by my side. And he really instilled into me the person that I am today. So I get a little choked up when I talk about him. Okay, we'll get back on what we're supposed to be doing here. Thank you all. Thank you all for your kind words and the respect that you've shown me and Melanie over the years. Uh, very much appreciated. And thank you all for your kind words this evening. It's very heartfelt and very much appreciated. Okay. Do we have a city operations update? >> No, sir. But on behalf of 2500 employees, thank you for all you've done for them and for our community and our residents. Thank you. >> Okay. The next item is the consent agenda which is items 2 through 16. Uh is there anyone that has any thing that they would like to say on this or entertain a motion? >> We have a motion for approval. Do I have a second? >> Second. >> Would you please vote? And it passes unanimously. The next item 17 may >> just real quick on one of the items just uh so the citizens know the uh via contract >> Oh, sure. >> is getting signed. If maybe if you can talk about that. >> Please go ahead. You >> uh we we've been talking about a lot of DART uh items lately this year. So, this is a pretty big item that we're passing [snorts] on the agenda. We've uh talked about it and signed a contract with VIA to restore the 225 and the 255 routes. that'll be up and running in 30 days, I believe, Chris, >> after [snorts] >> and uh also a circulator in the urban center. So, those two two uh three items will be uh using the money that DART has provided [clears throat] back to us in the general mo mobility program. So, I just want to make sure all our citizens know that we're working hard uh to make sure that we're getting service for our citizens. So, David, I appreciate you making sure everyone knows that we are working towards that. We'll have both those routes back up on 30 days and we'll be evaluating how we can best use the circulator system and uh Al brought up some good thoughts today of how we work with the deer as well and and looking at how if we could incorporate the people mover as well or at least the the system along it. So I think uh thank you for for bringing that forward. Item number 17 is a public hearing an ordinance readopting section 13 through 14 of the code of civil and criminal ordinances of the city of Irving, Texas related to child care for operating uh youth programs. Chenet, did we have anyone speak that would like to speak on this item? >> No, sir. >> Any comments or questions or suggestions? I I'll entertain a motion. >> Motion for approval. >> We have a motion and a second. would you please vote? And it passes unanimously. And now that brings us to our zoning cases, which are 18 through 20. At this time, we will ask anyone wishing to speak for or against uh a zoning case to stand and be sworn in by our city secretary, Chennai Jennings. >> Please stand and raise your right hand if you're going to speak on a zoning case. Do you solemnly swear or affirm that all statements which you will make tonight to the city council of the city of Irving will be the truth and nothing but the truth? Thank you. You may be seated. And I want to let you guys know that y'all as applicants have 10 minutes total together to speak. >> Okay. Okay, our first zoning ca first zoning case is ordinance 2025213ZC considering a zoning change from SP2C generalized site plan community to SP1 RAB detailed site plan restaurant with the attended accessory uses of the sale of alcoholic beverages for on premise consumption in CC community commercial uses at 8080 Walton Boulevard suite 120. Are there any questions of the applicant? >> Was there anyone signed up? >> Yes. I I don't know if it's the applicant or not. It's um Muna Raj. Yes. Come on down. >> You're the applicant. Okay. Did Are there any questions of the applicant? I'd entertain a motion. >> Motion for approval. We have a motion. Second for approval. Would you please vote? and it passes 8 to one. Thank you. [clears throat] The next item is uh 202652 CP considering U amendment to the comprehensive plan future land use map for business office to manufacturing warehouse [cough] at [clears throat] 4203 West Royal Lane. I know that the applicant has asked for us to postpone this, but they also have asked to come down and speak on the item and and get input back from from the excuse [clears throat] me, from the uh commission. So, or from the council, excuse me. Uh so, if uh we have someone signed up on this, Chenet. >> Yes, sir. We do. Yes, sir, we do. Our first person signed up to speak is Adam Couga. Quinga. >> Kunga. >> Coingga. Yeah. >> Yeah. Sorry. Followed by Michael and I couldn't write read the last name. He maybe >> Hugh. >> Hugh. Okay. >> Um, >> good evening. >> Good evening, mayor, council members. My name is Adam Kinga. I'm president of Hoffman Planning Associates. Um, do I need to give my address? I can. Um, uh, 2352 Seasons Road, Oceanside, California. Um I'm joined tonight by Michael Hugh and Brendan Lefaber from Tesla. Um so I'm going to keep my comments pretty short. Um it's mainly dealing with the land use and zoning um for this site. Um, as you heard from Jocelyn uh earlier today, um, we're requesting a zone change from freeway to ML20 a light industrial um, and a, uh, a comprehensive plan amendment to uh, amend the future land use from business [clears throat] office to warehouse manufacturing. Um, and this would be in support of uh, let me get make sure I get this right. Autonomous vehicle maintenance and service hub. um to support the robo taxi um operations that Tesla is hoping to bring into the city. Um we've heard uh as you've said, we're requesting a postponement. Um there's some items we're working through with fire and police and other um city departments to address any public safety concerns. Um we want to make sure that you guys are comfortable. Um that this is going to be a safe use for your city. Um that it's going to be a benefit to to the residents. um and that we just want to be a good partner um to kind of make sure that everybody's on the same page moving forward um so we can be a benefit to your community. Um let's see, as Jocelyn also mentioned, the it's not a kind of outlier zoning request. The majority of those properties in [clears throat] that area are already the ML2A light industrial zoning. Um, so we're consistent with what's going on there. Um, the kind of crux of the matter is the uh future land use designation as business office. Um, Josyn also mentioned that uh the facility that we're trying to move into is relatively new, like really new. Um, and it's an exist and it's a warehouse facility. Um, there's several other warehousing facilities going into this area. Um, so, uh, there seems to be a slight disconnect with the future land use and and kind of what people are envisioning for this area. So, I don't know if that's going to come into play with other users as they kind of, you know, try to locate here, but um, we're hoping to address that in a way that makes sense. Um, I think it's a good location for this use. It's near the airport. It's near the freeway. Um, it's not near residential. um you know the landlord who's going to speak on in support he him and the surrounding tenants are in support of this. Um so really what Tesla wants to do is is work with the public safety teams that the city has in place um to make sure that everybody's comfortable. Um but they also need uh are hoping to have a confidence level um that when they you know go through this process that could take you know a little bit of time here um that they don't get hit this wall at the end of of the land use being a sticking point um because they want to make the investment in the city um but it would be hard to make that type of investment um if the land use is still an issue at the end of the day. So, uh, as far as land hooing goes, that's kind of our question, the topic that we wanted to bring to you just so we could kind of have an an open forum to see if there's, um, consideration that could be made to to amend the the future land use and the zoning. And I'm going to turn it over to Michael and Brendan. They're going to kind of talk about operations and and some of the safety aspects of the use. >> Thank you. >> Uh, good evening, council members. Michael Hugh based in Austin. I'm part of the infrastructure development team at Tesla and I did want to just share a few words. Just regarding our intentions for this proposed facility that kind of seem unknown at this point, our Tesla like rotaxi maintenance hubs differs quite a bit from our customerf facing Tesla centers where you might take your Tesla car to get serviced or visit a showroom to look at Teslas or or pick up a new car. Where these facilities are a little more similar is that the Robbo taxi maintenance facilities also hire local skilled employees for actual servicing our fleet vehicles as well as local staff to manage our on-site operations. We expect up to uh upwards of 150 on-site local Tesla employees during like peak overnight hours to clean the vehicles at night. Um and just noting the building will take we expect about like 6 months to go through like the design and permitting process. Um our Tesla like robo taxi geoence which is where we currently operate autonomous vehicles in Dallas is is pretty small and we have performed uh first responder training for both the Dallas fire and police department already. We totally understand that there are cons valid concerns from uh fire chief Connelly here and uh police chief Miller uh regarding just the unknowns about our robo taxi operations. But I would like to note that in the past week that we've kind of heard about these concerns. Tesla, our first responder outreach team, uh they have started building some relationship and support uh or report with these departments. Uh we also have Brendan Lefave, our our fire protection engineer here today. uh we're hoping to share a few words uh as well about how that's kind of going. >> Hello council. Uh first and foremost, it's it's very clear by what we were able to see earlier. >> Please state your name and address. >> Sorry. My name is Brendan Lefay. I reside in Austin, Texas. Uh it it's very clear that this is a special community. I think that was made um extremely touching speech by by yourself, Mayor Stoer there about uh your tenure here. Um I'm just here to reinforce our commitment to the first responders to fire life safety. Uh I'm also part of the infrastructure development. I oversee all of our fire protection and fire life safety. Um, so, uh, with that, we will be making a a commitment to train and educate all the first responders and ensure that you have ongoing training needs met. I'll be working with with Chief Connley here to make sure that all of his needs are addressed. um that the first responders of your community have a thorough understanding of our products and of our facilities, that we provide all of the proper uh documentation required for permitting, fire life safety plans, emergency response guidelines, um and that we are good partners within the community. and then throughout the life of the facility um as it were to proceed past that that we would be collaborating for continued education efforts and um maintaining a positive relation within your guys' community. Thank you. >> Good evening. >> Good evening, Mr. Mayor, Mayor Elect, council members. My name is Angela Hunt. I uh work at 500 North Akert Street. I represent the owners uh in this case. I just want to orient everyone for just one second. Um last year the owner developed this property with three warehouses. They're already built. Two of them are already 100% leased. This is the last warehouse. It's partially leased. We're looking to um uh work with Tesla on coming to a resolution here. We think it's a good use for this property, but I wanted to reassure you, we're not looking at reszoning this for a new development subject to ML2A. That's not what we're doing. This is an already existing development that we have uh that the city approved that is already up and operating and we're just looking to lease kind of the last portion of it and bring jobs uh and tax base to the city. We're asking tonight if uh if the complexities of uh Irving zoning code are such that we can't just come to you and get this one singular use put in to the freeway zoning. We can't just kind of overlay it. That'd be wonderful if we could. We can't do that though. The way this is structured, we have to get a resoning and we have to change the comprehensive plan to get this one singular use. And we are more than willing to find a way that we can strip out any of the uses that are in the more intensive light industrial district that we're proposing. Strip that all back. Nothing else. We're not seeking any other types of uses that that would allow. We can pull it all back to the freeway district and just add this one thing that Tesla is seeking. That's all we want to do. Uh so if because we had a denial from PNZ, we've got to get a super majority from you all. If we can't get that tonight, we would respectfully ask if we could >> One minute left. >> Thank you. If we could defer that until July, we can't go beyond that because the reality is we've got to go ahead and get this land leased. But if we could just move this to July, we think we have a real opportunity to work with staff uh work with fire and get this resolved. Thank you all and congratulations, Mayor. >> Thank you. >> Chenet, do we have any others that wish to speak? >> No, sir. >> Okay, I'll close it at the floor and return it to the council. Also, are you here? >> Thank you. Um, can you get the uh slide up there that shows the land use and the color schemes and how this uh plays, please? >> Is that the one you're looking for? >> The other. >> There you go. that one there. >> Do you want to explain how that fits in this whole uh color scheme and what we call our land use and how we can go forward on this? >> Sure. And and the map that was up just a second ago kind of helps to Joselyn Murphy, director of planning. Um so this area used to be what was called business district until a few years ago. Uh where we separated the business office and the the warehouse manufacturing into two different categories. And when we did that, we relooked at the Freeport area. And the areas you see now in purple are were manufacturing at the time and and were designated as manufacturing. The areas that were left kind of in the pink are um currently or were at the time offices and therefore remained future land use for office. >> Thank you. I think the critical piece [clears throat] in our discussions this afternoon and also I did hear the planning and uh zoning uh commission on Monday night and I [clears throat] think the the key thing that I see and I am familiar with this and this is in my district even though I'm now vacating it um it doesn't fit it doesn't fit the land use it's being slid right in. We're looking at autonomous vehicles throughout an area where there's a lot more um congestion from many of the commercial as well as warehouses there. So, I mean, I will tell you right now, I'd love to see this kind of an operation, but in the right kind of location, not here. And um it was denied Monday night for a reason. And I'm going to support that reason because it's not about your organization or Tesla. At the end of the day, it's about making sure that we have a good development that will in fact improve not only the ability for us to understand what the autonomous vehicles and some of the um new technology that's coming forward. So, at this point, I want you to know that I understand where you're coming from. I know your company. I know it's in Oceanside. There are two other locations where autonomous vehicles are having problems because of congestion and the almost in they're being in a kind of obstacles to the traffic pattern. And so, I'm saying that we're not against you. We'd like you to seek a better location where you can in fact fit what your application is going to be, whether it's manufacturing, repair, maintenance, etc. But it's also going to have vehicles. And I think if I look at the numbers that I heard on Monday night, it's going to be a lot of congestion. And so at this point, unless you want to respond to me, I will tell you right now that I'm not in favor of this. Dennis. >> Yeah. Uh so we had a very lengthy discussion about this today and uh you know my main concern was was the uh safety issues uh and the concerns of the fire chief. Uh as far as I'm concerned, I'll support it. I think you couldn't find a better place in the city to put it uh simply. And so um um so I'm going to support as long as y'all can satisfy the police chief and you can satisfy the fire chief and y'all can bring something to me that they are satisfied would be good for our uh city. I think uh having this here in our city would be good. Uh it's it's what's coming. Uh and so um I asked the question today uh about the storage and uh under a previous approval that you could actually store uh trailers, I guess semi-tractor trailer trailers or whatever on this same piece of property. And I would much rather uh see Tesla vehicles uh as I drive by this as opposed semi-ractor trailer. So, uh, I will support it if all of that is worked out with the, uh, police chief and fire chief. And just one correction, this vote does not require a supermajority. This is a simple majority vote that's required regardless of PNZ's denial uh, when it gets to us here as the council. My understanding is it's just a simple majority vote. KO, you can correct me if I'm if I'm wrong. >> That's correct. Thank you, >> John. Thank [clears throat] you very much, Mayor. So the difficulty that we face when we have these kinds of cases is you know we may love the project uh but we're not voting on the project we're voting on land use and land use sticks. It's forever. Um so that's and you know on top of that the comprehensive plan you know that is an instructive tool that we use to guide future development. The difficulty and you know in just the four years that I've been on this council I've seen this a lot. The difficulty is you you chip away at that future use and before you know it that entire future has just vanished because well it's just a little project. It's just this one thing. Um okay fine. And then the next one well you already have it in the area. And then the next one well the area is already 30% this use and pretty soon that's all there is. So these are some of the considerations that we have to weigh when we have these cases. Um now with this case um the use is already there. Now Joselyn correct me if I'm wrong but freeway allows distribution warehouses by right correct. >> Yes. Correct. That's how those buildings were built. >> Yes. Okay. So, this property was just redeveloped with brand new warehouses and it's going to be warehouses for the foreseeable future whether the comprehensive plan is changed or not. Um, so really the land use question that we're being asked to consider is, you know, do we do we chip away at that knowing that it's not going to make a difference for this property, but it might for others in the future? Um, for this particular property, I'm inclined to support it because of what the project is. But that's a very slippery slope. It's a very dangerous beginning to the end of preserving this office space in this area. So, >> Adam, >> well, we'll let them respond after everybody's talked. >> Uh, thank you, mayor. Um, yeah, not not a whole lot to add. I appreciate you all meeting with the with both chiefs and, uh, working with the city on that. Um, uh, that was my main concern in the work session. You know, I think the public safety uh is a real issue, but I know you've saw this in other cities and their their training and protocol that that u I'm happy that we're going to learn about. Um so I I do actually uh I'm in favor of this case. I think it's um very similar use to what was already there. And then if we think from a project perspective strategically, you know, 5 10 years from now, I think this is um going to be what I think is going to be very useful and practical for our city, especially as a supplement to um you know, other public transportation and other uh options like that. So, I'm in favor of the case. Thank you, >> Mark. Yeah, I have a question um really about the uh the zoning category. So ML28 with additional use of facility for the storage, dispatch, service, and repair of an autonomous vehicle fleet. I don't think I I've heard much about the expectations for cars, the autonomous cars coming in and out. Is this going to is this like a heavy volume of um cars like going to serve the airport or is it just like is it a location for the whole metroplex to for the cars to go to? Go ahead. Someone can answer that question. Yeah, the the entire intent of having the fleet based uh here in Irving primarily the the location was ideal just because of the close proximity to DFW airport. Um the question is like where does the vehicle >> what kind of volume of cars are going to come in and out of there? We expect initial operations to be um closer to approximately a thousand vehicles, but at higher volume or once we get to like maximum efficiency for this site, which is primarily like cleaning the vehicles at night, uh closer to 4 to 5,000 >> per day coming in and out. >> Yeah. So all four to 5,000 vehicles would come to this site daily pretty much at night to be cleaned so you can get rid of the crumbs or dust or make sure the car is looking nice from the outside before it goes out onto the roads again. >> So they're coming primarily at night time. So they they've been I guess been driven around wherever they are. >> Yeah. The entire intent is that so we have charging on site. So they they would leave the site and on on a full charge in the morning and pick up like the morning customers or the morning demand and then they'd be out in the roads and capture like the uh rush hour 5:00 p.m. traffic or 5:00 p.m. rush hour uh demand and then return back to this site closer much closer to the evening when there aren't really that many rides. And that's when we would have tons of staff on site to actually clean them. >> Okay. Thank you. Any more questions of the from the council? Abdul? Um, and we'll we'll when you're finished, we'll give them an opportunity to answer any of the questions that have showed. So my question is uh as you probably heard in the work session the concerns brought by [clears throat] the uh fire chief and the police chief how we are going to address that because I understand that you are asking for a 30-day defer to postponement and um those concerns couldn't be answered if in 30 days if they need more time. Do you have the ability to extend it to postponement to more than 30 days? >> Yeah. When we spoke with or when our first responder outreach team spoke with both uh police and fire chief yesterday, um the kind of verbal agreement is that we would do training like on-site training uh for the city of Irving staff um closer to August. And although yeah, that is quite a few months out um kind of past this 30-day extension, it would be possible for us to work with them um within these next 3 months and then continue with the resoning and hopefully get that approved. It would kind of just delay our project a bit from actually being able to get the site uh permitted and then constructed and then opened. Um, we were hoping ideally we could get this facility open before end of year so we could start deploying vehicles in Irving. Yeah, it would pretty much just push however long um it would take to get that approval if we could. >> Yeah, if I remember correctly, I think they were asking about 90 days. You think that could be enough for you to provide? because we don't want to do I wouldn't support anything which goes against the safety and and the congestion and things like that. If you have the ability to cure that with PD and fire department, I would think that we could have to postpone it then for more than 30 days. >> Yeah. And we were also hoping or just bringing up today as well like because our actual building permits would need to be approved by both like building and fire as well that we could possibly um have this as sort of like a condition of the approval or the reasonzoning approval so that like we know our Tesla first resp first first responder staff will be scheduling and doing the on-site training in August and locking that in if it's possible. to still continue with like the actual decision making earlier than August so we could still make sure the building is kind of ready in the same sequence and it wouldn't be delayed as far. Um it's something that we were hoping to see if the folks here were open to that like as an approach. So if there is no comments, I I would like to propose the postmonement for 90 days. Uh we got Al's going to make a comment. So turn your hold off for a second. Let me um be sure I understand. Are you asking for a postponement and for how long? Because you kind of haven't told us that. you said 30 days and maybe August, we need to understand what you're asking us to do. So, unless you can be really clear on that because you were denied by the commission. >> Okay. And so, >> let's hear what you expect of us. >> Um, so we are asking for a postponement. Our request was 30 days, but if it if it needs to be 90, I think Michael and his team are okay with that. His ask was, is there a way to condition the project where um we're allowed to proceed maybe after a month if we kind of have these initial talks with fire and they seem to be on board and then there's follow-up training. That training has to be scheduled. There could be a delay, but in the meantime, they're going to they're expecting uh you know, six months of work on on the building. um there, you know, and then they need to go through the fire inspections, building inspections, certificate of occupancy. if there was a way to condition the project to hold occupancy up um while that training until that training's completed to um the approval of um the fire chief and and the police chief and any other public safety officers that were involved because we kind of see those being able to move parallel um you know project approval and they wouldn't be able to occupy or operate in any way, shape or form until uh public safety was satisfied. Um so ideally for them obviously the the the lesser time or or the parallel path is best but if that's an issue and and I think if they have to go through this 90 days and that's what you're more comfortable with um it sounds like you would be willing to accept that as well. Is is that the case? >> Yeah. >> Okay. Let me make it really clear. It's not about what we're going to be comfortable with. You need to do your homework and you need to get it done prior at the end of the day. And what your relationship is with the owner of the facility, that's between you two. Okay? So, let me put it really clear out there. We're not against you being here. We're not against you asking for the postponement. But if you think we're going to give you 30 days and then at the end of 30 days we we don't have the fire. We might even have to have a traffic report. There are other things that we have to concern ourselves with. >> So we have please make your statement and then we can deal with it. >> Okay. We have touched base with the traffic division and they said that they were they had no concerns with the traffic impact. So we have reached out to them about this. >> Um and so I I >> and let me clarify something for the owner. Okay. >> And and uh council member to directly to your question of what's the timing on this? What's the ask? We as the owner are asking no later than July. And here's why. We've been working together with Tesla to try to find a path forward as quickly as possible, but we need to get the property leased. Uh if we come back in July, the answer is no. We accept that and we move forward, but we can't wait beyond that. If Tesla can get this worked out to your satisfaction, the council and mayor's satisfaction regarding public safety by July, that's fine. But we we have to move forward. So, we would requested to delay only through July. Thank you. >> Let me ask you a question, Miss Hunt. >> Yes, sir. >> Are you you're representing the owner? >> Yes, sir. >> Have you registered as a lobbyist? >> I will do that tonight, sir. >> You're a little late, but go ahead and do it. >> Thank you. Thank you for advising me >> because you're in violation. Okay. Just to let you know that. >> Thank you, mayor. >> Okay. I'm comfortable if we want to do your your proposal that Oh, go ahead. >> I think she was basically saying suggesting 60 days. Right. That would be the timeline. >> So, we got to do enough time. We're gonna do it. So, let him do it. >> You understand? [clears throat] >> But she just asked for July. That's 60 days, right? Or >> just before he's making the motion. >> Wow. [clears throat] >> Go ahead. >> Go ahead. L ask. >> I I would like to amend that to to until July whatever meeting we have. Um 60 60 how many? >> 16th. >> 16th. >> 16th. Okay. That one. So we have a mo you making that motion Louise. >> Do I have a We have a second. >> Okay. So we have a motion a second to delay it till the July 16th meeting. Would you please vote? So what are we voting on >> the 16th >> specific to July 16th >> and it passes 8 to one. We [clears throat] need to make the same motion on uh the next item. Mayor, I move to move item uh 20 to the July 16th meeting. >> Have a motion and second. Would you please vote? and it passes 8 to1 as well. Mayor, >> can I make a comment? >> Sure. >> Yeah, I know we're talking about fire and other things and uh and the traffic did not have an objection, but I would I definitely would like to see have a clear understanding of the number of cars expected to come in and out during the different times of the day um for the facility. I think that that's an important consideration for me. So, thank you. >> Okay. Thank you. That brings us to item number 21, which is confirming the appointment. And uh David, do you have a motion on this? Yes. I move [clears throat] to confirm the appointment of Aean Rajan to serve as a commissioner on the firefighters and police officers civil service commission to serve a term expiring November 2028 and to confirm the appointment of Jorge Cruz to serve as an alternative commissioner on the firefighters and police officers civil service commission to serve a term expiring October 1st, 2020. 28. >> We have a motion and a second. Would you please vote? [clears throat] And it passed unanimously. That concludes our regular agenda. We're going to take a brief pause here for about four or five minutes and then we'll come back and do the public comments. [music]