Thread by @lukeranker

I have reclaimed a city in the Council Chambers and am starting a new thread for tonight's meeting.
Council has approved an affordable housing development in the Caville area of Stop Six. #FortWorth

The mayor's technical trouble appears to be so rough she now has a new computer.

Council is on an item expanding the Union Gospel Mission center on Lancaster. There is concern from then Historic Southside about the concentration of poverty along Lancaster.
Gray says this is part of overall revitalization plan for Lancaster and could move forward w/o zoning

Council is moving through some other zoning cases with no public comment.

Council is on a new development planned for the Cultural District across Carol Street from the Montgomery Plaza Target.
It's an affordable housing apartment complex, but Lindwood residents are worried about increased traffic in the rapidly gentrifying area. #FortWorth

Developers say this is the best option for affordable housing the popular area.
Staff says it meets the city's comprehensive land use plan.

I broke all this down in February.
star-telegram.com/article2404035… #FortWorth #FWTX

The project has more than 120 built in parking spaces and the fire department approved no parking long the street, developers say. They say they've had 10 community meetings since Dec. and many concessions were made

RJ Griffin says the development will open up the often high-end West 7th area to those who otherwise wouldn't be able to afford it.

Bobak Tehrany, a traffic engineer who worked on the project to estimate parking needs, he points to do bus stops, the close Target and other resources to say the 127 parking spaces is enough.
103 is the highest recommended number based on bedrooms.

Jenifer Reiner, who lives across W. 7th from the area, is a city planner and says it fits with Linwood.
A range of affordable housing is appropriate for area, she says.

Reiner said her family worked hard, saved, planned to live in the W. 7th area and she'd like other to have that same access.

Jungus Jordan is having trouble pronouncing @meghan_ridds last name, which made me lol. She's speaking in favor of the Azelea project and said she was lucky to find affordable housing near downtown.

She's the last speaker in favor and lived a few blocks from the planned developed.
Eva Bonilla is up, pres of Linwood neighborhood. She says neighbors are against high-density and she doubts families will move in to Azelea West because W. 7th attracts young professionals

Speakers against Azelea West are pretty consistent: too much traffic in the area.
For anyone not familiar with Linwood, it's sort of sandwiched between University Drive, 7th, White Settlement and Montgomery Plaza

Tracey Neilson, on a call, says the development is too big. "Why fit a size 12 foot in a size 9 shoe," she says.

The Mayor has disappeared for the video screen and Gyna Bivens has been frozen for awhile.
A Fun New Time.

Because of the amount of opposition, this zoning change in Linwood requires a super majority.
Councilwoman Ann Zadeh, who reps the area, doesn't want to move forward until the whole council is available.

Zadeh says because the affordable hosing projects are so competitive she doesn't want to hamstring any proposal. She voted in favor of the affordable housing tax breaks for this one and one north off Jacksboro Highway

Holy cow it's cold in the Council Chamber.
Anyway, Councilman Dennis Shingleton says the city hasn't done a great job with West. 7th District, which he says may be too dense.

It's after 9 p.m. and we're still on the Azelea West development. I think I counted 40 names signed up for public comment later.

Price says she's going to abstain on the vote because she didn't hear the conversation.
Cary Moon said he will vote no citing the neighbors' concerns

Linwood vote fails. Jordan, Moon are Nos, Price abstains.

We are finally on to public comment.

We've had three speakers demanding change to the #FortWorth PD.
John MacFarlane is up now from the Sierra Club, and says the local chapter is ally of protesters seeking reform.

The council heard about these demands and some things staff say can be done earlier.
That story is here
star-telegram.com/news/local/for…

Lon Burnum is up, hitting a lot of points. He briefing mentioned this story from today's front page.
star-telegram.com/news/local/for…
Lon says the city hasn't done in enough for equity in the city on many issues. #fortWorth

Attorney MarQuetta Clayton is readding a letter addressed to Police Chief Ed Kraus. She's pushing for erasing the the records of people arrested on the bridge a few weeks ago.

Earlier today Kraus said the "riot" charge was dropped, but those who were suspected of vandalism or assault may face other charges.
He said he set a letter to those who had charges drop that should help with having records expunged

A group that includes Estella Williams and Tierra Ladkin are reading a community letter noting concerns - Ladkin is specifically talking about how it's unclear to lodge a complaint with the new #FortWorth police monitor

Coletta Strickland is up now, saying that the lack of website for the police monitor is troubling. She says the position does not appear to be independent from the police and the community should have more input in shaping the role and responsibility of the police monitor

The Mayor is frozen again, but apparently she can hear all the comments.
Everyone has been pretty focused - not enough has been regarding the community oversight board and the police monitor office

Doyle Fine is up now and on a different note, he's advocating for mask.
"I'm mystified about how the pandemic has become a partisan issue."
Fine says it's common courtesy to wear a mask to protect other from your germs. #FortWorth

For the few folks who follow my live tweets, I dipped off for a minute to write a story.
Turns out I can't tweet and compose articles at the same time.

Popping back in. Sounds like Alexander Surbaugh is speaking via phone, says the police department is "at least in part failing" to serve the city.
He's urging the city move money from the police to community based programs.
Lost of speakers tonight have spoke against the CCPD tax

Some how we only have 5 speakers left? Unclear what happened there, unless a lot of folks didn't speak or I passed out.

I think Lizzie Maldonado, speaking via phone, just accused Mayor Price of using screen shot or cardboard cut out of herself today to avoid listening.
Price appearing via video and is repeatedly frozen in a way that does look like a screen shot.