Kennedale Open/Transparent?

Jully 2022, with the change of the city council and administration. This story no longer represents what is happening, but is a reminder of what could be happening if voters fail to protect themselves.

Open/Transparent?

Back in January 2020 when the mayor filed to run for reelection, he talked of being in favor of improving transparency. Unfortunately, the city manager and his staff do not seem onboard with this idea. PZ20-09 is a perfect example of what needs improving.

The PZ20-09 Timeline includes (summer 2020):

Aug 25 – Public notice appears for several public hearings, including this PD (planned development).

Aug 26 – I requested further information following the directions of the public notice. I was told I had to wait for it to be posted, they would NOT tell me what the PD was to contain.

Sept 4 – Agenda is posted, but no further information of what this PD was. PDs can be many potential things.

Sept 8 – Late morning, the packet is finally posted with a description of the PD. [No wonder why they did not let the information out early; it was for tiny, tiny lots (1800 sq. ft. being the larger of the two sizes) with pre-fabricated homes or tiny wheeled homes (trailers).]

Sept 10 – P&Z meeting held. Absolutely NO mention of this being “affordable senior housing”. One speaker is in opposition. It is denied by P&Z, 2-3.

Sept 12 – We start hearing that some people are pushing for rumored “affordable senior housing” that will be before the city council on Tuesday. [We don't understand how $175K is “affordable senior housing”.]

Sept 15 – City Council Public Hearing where staff and developer refer to this as “affordable senior housing” multiple times. [I guess we know where the rumors started.] Discussion gets to a point where they might delay the vote for a month to allow the developer to collaborate with the HOA of the adjacent neighborhood. The developer wants no part of that potential problem. He wants a vote now with the deliberate lack of information flow. The council approves the item, 5-0.

Now we ask: Is this open/transparent? Or is this just more [let's use the term] garbage being slammed down the throats of the citizens?

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