I hope that everyone had a fabulous time at the Red, White and You celebration this weekend. It was an amazing event that seems to get better each year. Thank you to our wonderful Garland staff from many Departments who helped put on a great party.
Monday I will conduct my first Work Session as your new Mayor. We’ve got a lot of items to discuss so let’s get to the Work Session notes. As always, my commentary is in bold italics.
PUBLIC COMMENTS ON WORK SESSION ITEMS
CONSIDER THE CONSENT AGENDA
WRITTEN BRIEFINGS
Council may ask for discussion, further information, or give direction to staff on an item posted as a written briefing.
1. Agreement with Valley Creek/State Highway 190 Partners, L.P., related to the dedication of right-of-way to the public
Council is requested to consider an agreement related to the dedication of right-of-way to the public, including roadway and drainage improvements, in exchange for the waiver of impact fees for property situated at the northeast corner of Firewheel Parkway and State Highway 190. Unless otherwise directed by Council, this item will be scheduled for formal consideration at the July 8, 2025 Regular Meeting.
The City Council is considering approval of a letter agreement to resolve a 20-year dispute over access to a landlocked property known as the Dyer Tract near Firewheel Mall. Mike Dyer, the property owner, has repeatedly attempted to develop the site in partnership with a multi-family developer but has been unable to proceed due to lack of legal access to a public right-of-way.
While LG Firewheel, the owner of the adjacent tract, has granted access, Valley Creek/State Highway 190 Partners, L.P., which owns the corner tract at Highway 190 and Firewheel Parkway, has refused. The proposed agreement provides that Valley Creek will dedicate part of its property to the City for a public right-of-way in exchange for a waiver of future impact fees. This dedicated portion already contains an improved drive approved by the City, so there will be no construction costs.
If approved, the agreement will enable development of the Dyer Tract, create future tax revenue, and permanently resolve the longstanding dispute between the property owners.
2. Amendment to Chapter 50, Article II - Rates and Fees
Garland Power & Light (GP&L) is experiencing an increase in very large load retail transmission customers that have the potential for outsized effects on the operations and finances of the utility. To address these effects, GP&L is proposing modifications and additions to its retail transmission tariffs, and an amendment to Chapter 50, Article II – Rates and Fees. Unless otherwise directed by Council, this item will be scheduled for formal consideration at the July 22, 2025 Regular Meeting.
The proposed ordinance amends Section 50.30 of the Garland Code of Ordinances to update electric rate structures for high-demand customers served by Garland Power & Light (GP&L). It establishes revised rate categories and conditions for three tiers of service: High-Tension Service (up to 5 MW), Transmission Voltage Service (less than 20 MW), and Large Transmission Voltage Service (20 MW or greater).
Each category includes specific eligibility criteria, rate components, billing methods, and contract terms, with rates determined by the customer’s load profile and service needs. The ordinance also mandates compliance with ERCOT power factor requirements, with penalties and billing adjustments for noncompliance. Customers may be required to post financial security to protect the City against market price fluctuations. The changes ensure alignment with ERCOT protocols and allow the City to recover costs and maintain electric service reliability. The ordinance includes provisions for penalties, severability, and takes effect upon approval.
It is important to note that this has no effect on residential electric service customers.
3. 2025 Code of Ordinances "Clean-up" Amendments
Council is requested to consider various amendments to the Code of Ordinances of the City of Garland to "clean-up" technical and procedural provisions and bring them in alignment with state law. Unless otherwise directed by Council, this item will be scheduled for formal consideration at the July 8, 2025 Regular Meeting.
Often following the State legislative session, we clean up our Code of Ordinances based upon State law changes. The following is a summary of the proposed changes for this session:
Chapter 22 – Health (Liquid and Hazardous Waste Management)
Section 22.106:
Deleted and replaced to require automobile wash rack waste to pass through a sand and grease interceptor before entering the sanitary sewer.
Section 22.108 (Definitions):
Updated definitions for terms such as "Permit," "Sanitary sewer," "Septage," "Tank," "Transporter," and "Trip ticket."
Clarified agencies involved (e.g., City of Dallas/Fort Worth, TCEQ, DSHS).
Section 22.109 – Transportation Permits:
Requires transporters of liquid/hazardous waste to obtain permits from Dallas/Fort Worth or TCEQ.
Outlines detailed permit application and inspection requirements.
Permits are non-transferable and exclude hazardous material hauling unless approved by TCEQ.
Sections 22.110 – 22.112:
Establish vehicle permit fees and display requirements.
Define vehicle maintenance standards.
Outline detailed inspection requirements for liquid waste transport vehicles.
Section 22.113 – Responsibilities of Transporters:
Prohibits transporting hazardous waste without proper authorization.
Mandates use of trip ticket system for tracking waste movement.
Requires reporting and recordkeeping for at least 2 years.
Section 22.116 – Grease Interceptors for Food Establishments:
Required for all new or ownership-changing food establishments (unless prepackaged only).
Must be professionally sized, located outside the building, and cleaned at least every 90 days (or 180 days with approved exception).
Section 22.117 – Responsibilities of Waste Generators:
Must use permitted transporters and retain trip tickets for 2 years.
Must maintain collection devices and report spills within 24 hours.
Section 22.118 – Responsibilities of Waste Disposers:
Must prevent accumulation of waste, only accept waste from permitted transporters, and keep records for 2 years.
Section 22.119 – Denial, Suspension, Revocation of Permits:
Authorizes permit denial/revocation for violations or failure to meet qualifications.
Section 22.120 – Appeal Process:
Establishes appeal rights for permit denial or revocation, including hearing procedures.
Section 22.121 – Responsibility of Corporations/Associations:
Holds corporations liable for violations by employees.
Establishes penalties up to $1,000 per offense and allows the City to recover cleanup costs and administrative fees.
Section 22.124 – Preliminary Environmental Site Evaluation:
Deleted entirely.
Chapter 25 – Parks and Recreation
Section 25.15 – Park Hours:
Standard park hours set from 6:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.
Certain athletic complexes may remain open until midnight.
Windsurf Bay Park has special hours (closed weekends and holidays).
City Manager can authorize temporary park closures for health and safety reasons.
Violations for being in parks during closed hours defined, with enforcement mechanisms clarified.
4. Consider Approving "Clean-up" Amendments to Certain Provisions of the Garland
Development Code Council is requested to consider "clean-up" amendments to certain provisions of the GDC. Unless otherwise directed by Council, this item will be scheduled for formal consideration at the July 8, 2025 Regular Meeting.
Much like the above item, the following proposed amendments are to bring our Garland Development Code.
The changes are considered “clean-up” amendments designed to:
Align local ordinances with state law (e.g., Texas Local Government Code, Alcoholic Beverage Code)
Improve regulatory and enforcement efficiency
Clarify existing policies without making substantial shifts in public policy
Summary of Amendments
Section 2.05(I) – Super-Majority Vote (Twenty-Percent Rule)
Updated to match Texas Local Government Code § 211.006(d)
Requires written protest to be signed by owners of at least 20% of:
The land subject to the zoning change or
Land within 200 feet of the proposed zoning change
Section 2.05(K)(3) – Reconsideration of Zoning Applications
Clarifies that if reconsideration is approved, the public hearing will be scheduled for the next available regular meeting (removes "immediately") after legal posting requirements are met
Section 2.52(a)(35) – Breweries, Wineries, and Distilleries
Removes the requirement that 35% of gross revenue come from food sales to qualify as a restaurant
Now qualifies as a restaurant if the facility:
Has permanent commercial food service equipment, and
Offers multiple entrées for sale on or off premises
Drive-through food service is prohibited
Section 2.52(a)(38) – Smoke Shops (New Subsection)
Requires a valid Special Use Permit (SUP) to operate a smoke shop
Establishes a rebuttable presumption that a tobacco store is a smoke shop if less than 75% of inventory consists of tobacco products in original packaging
Section 2.54 – Restaurants Selling or Serving Alcoholic Beverages
Updates the definition of "restaurant" to align with Texas Alcoholic Beverage Code § 1.04(29)
Establishments must either:
Derive 65% or more of gross revenue from food, or
Hold a valid alcoholic beverage certificate issued by TABC
Restaurant must have:
On-site commercial cooking equipment
Multiple entrée offerings
Waitstaff service and minimum 3,000 sq ft floor area if in a freestanding building
5. Consider a Resolution suspending Oncor Electric's requested rate change
Council is requested to consider a resolution suspending the July 31, 2025 effective date of Oncor Electric's requested rate change to permit the city time to study the request and to establish reasonable rates. Unless otherwise directed by Council, this item will be scheduled for formal consideration at the July 22, 2025 Regular Meeting.
This item addresses Oncor Electric Delivery Company’s request to increase system-wide transmission and distribution rates by approximately $834 million, representing a 13% revenue hike. Specifically, the company is seeking a 12.3% increase in residential rates and a 51% increase in street lighting rates, which would raise the average residential customer’s bill by about $7.90 per month.
Approval of this resolution will suspend the proposed July 31, 2025 effective date for the maximum 90-day period allowed by law. This suspension will give the City, in coordination with the Steering Committee of Cities Served by Oncor, sufficient time to evaluate the filing’s compliance with legal requirements and to develop an appropriate strategy, including the possibility of settlement discussions. The Steering Committee, established in the early 1990s, has long served as the main public interest advocate on electric utility matters. Although Oncor has implemented several rate increases over recent years, this filing represents its first comprehensive base rate case since May 2022.
VERBAL BRIEFINGS
Council may ask for discussion, further information, or give direction to staff on an item posted as a verbal briefing.
6. Interview candidates for possible appointment to the Texas Municipal Power Agency board Information was posted on the City's website for 21 days regarding the qualification for the Texas Municipal Power Agency Board Member in order to provide an opportunity for citizens to apply for the position. Qualified applicants were requested to apply by June 25, 2025. At the close of the notice period, seven applicants responded. Council is scheduled to formally appoint a representative to the Texas Municipal Power Agency at the July 8, 2025 Regular Meeting.
We will conduct interviews of the seven candidates for Garland’s appointment to the Texas Municipal Power Agency board. I am happy to see such an interest in this position and in serving the local community.
7. DART Overview
Ariel Traub, Managing Director of Legislative and Public Affairs, will provide the Council with an overview of issues related to the funding and governance of DART.
Presenter: Ariel Traub, Managing Director
Ariel Traub, Garland’s Director of Legislative and Public Affairs, will provide an overview of DART’s proposed changes to its operations, finances, recent disputes, and planned service changes. DART was established in 1983 to provide public transportation funded by a one percent sales tax from 13 member cities. Garland, a major contributor with over $726 million contributed since inception, hosts significant facilities including two light rail stations and two transit centers. It is interesting to note that no member cities have been added to the DART system since its inception 42 years ago.
Ridership has been recovering from the pandemic, with bus and rail usage still about 38% below pre-COVID levels but improving year over year. In recent years, Garland and DART have collaborated on projects to enhance transit access, such as expanding GoLink on-demand services and planning redevelopment around the Lake Ray Hubbard and South Garland Transit Centers.
Over the past several years, tensions have been growing between DART and several member cities over perceived funding inequities. Legislation was filed (HB 3187 and SB 1557) to reform DART’s governance and revenue distribution, but did not become law during this past legislative session. In response, DART created the General Mobility Program (GMP), proposing to redistribute 5% of sales tax revenue to seven cities for two years.
FY 2026 DART General Mobility Program Funding:
Addison - $2.93 million
Carrollton - $4.74 million
Farmers Branch - $1.51 million
Highland Park - $1.33 million
Plano - $28.01 million
Richardson - $2.67 million
University Park - $1.40 million
$42.59 million total
This move sparked controversy, as it required substantial budget reallocations and prompted threats of historic service cuts. The GMP led to proposed reductions in bus frequency, elimination of nine bus routes, cuts to GoLink service, and increases in fares, including paratransit fees. A timeline included in the slides show years of legislative attempts, failed negotiations, and ultimately DART’s announcement of the most extensive service reductions in its history. Public hearings began in June 2025, including one in Garland, with a broader hearing scheduled at DART headquarters on July 8.
Previously Garland did not take a position on either the proposed bills in the State House or the GMP proposed by DART. I believe it is time for the City Council to take a stand for the Garland DART riders and taxpayers who contribute 1% of their sales tax to fund DART operations. We must advocate for ourselves or be left without a voice in this important conversation regarding public transportation.
8. Update on Alcoholic Beverage Zone Legislation
Ariel Traub, Managing Director of Legislative and Public Affairs, will provide an update to Council and staff on alcoholic beverage zone legislation.
Presenter: Ariel Traub, Managing Director
In 2023, I started a petition to allow for packaged liquor sales within Garland. Currently, Garland is considered partially wet, allowing beer and wine sales but prohibiting liquor stores. Restaurants that derive at least 51% of sales from food may also serve mixed drinks.
If the petition was signed by 35% of voters who participated in the last gubernatorial election, with signatures gathered within 60 days, it would trigger a local option election to allow for the sales of bottled liquor in Garland.
Multiple legislative efforts over two sessions attempted to bypass this burdensome petition requirement. During the 88th Legislative Session, HB 1694 failed on a point of order. In the 89th Session, HB 3085 did not advance, while SB 2633 passed the Senate but never received a House hearing. Later, the City’s language was added to HB 2885, but the House refused to concur, forcing conference negotiations. Ultimately, stakeholders negotiated a compromise enabling Garland to skip the petition process solely to allow mixed beverage sales, effective September 1, 2025.
Future state legislative action would be difficult with the entrenched opposition from the alcoholic beverage distributors and the difficulty of reforming election code. With the passage of our amendment to SB 2885, the Council has several options.
We can order a local option election to legalize mixed beverage sales (i.e. bars)
We can request new legislation next session in two years to bypass the petition process for zoning and land use regulations
We can hire a consultant to conduct a petition drive or support a grassroots petition effort to bypass the legislature.
We can negotiate with past opponents of the bill which is unlikely to be successful
We can pursue election code reforms to lower the petition requirement.
Given past resistance and limited legislative momentum our best strategy may be to pursue a petition option ourselves to bypass the ineffective legislature and keep our fate in our own hands. I would be happy to support this effort as I have done so in the past.
9. Mayor Appointments to Council Committees and Outside Boards
The Mayor will brief Council on his selection of appointments to the Council Committees and Outside Boards.
Presenter: Mayor Dylan Hedrick
Each year the Mayor makes appointments to the various council committees and outside boards. The following are my appointments as I tried to give each council member his or her preferences and each member a chair position as well.
CONSIDER APPOINTMENTS TO BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS
Terms are usually staggered whereby at least half of the membership has previous experience. Members are appointed based on qualifications.
10. Garland Youth Council Appointments
Council is requested to consider appointments to the Garland Youth Council for 2025-26 as presented. Unless otherwise directed by Council, these appointments will be scheduled for formal consideration at the July 8, 2025 Regular Meeting.
11. Deputy Mayor Pro Tem Margaret Lucht
• Trayc Claybrook - Cultural Arts Commission
12. Deputy Mayor Pro Tem Margaret Lucht
• Lucian Giambasu - Tax Increment Finance #1 Downtown Board
ANNOUNCE FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS
EXECUTIVE SESSION
The City Council will adjourn into executive session pursuant to sections 551.071 and 551.087 of the Texas Government Code to deliberate and discuss the following:
13. A potential offer by the City of financial and other incentives to a business prospect and the
receipt of commercial or financial information that the City has received from that same business prospect, which the City seeks to have locate within the downtown district of the City and with which the City is conducting economic development negotiations (551.087); and attorney/client communications related to the same. (551.071).
ADJOURN
With the interview for the Texas Municipal Power Agency and an Oncor rate item, here’s “The Power” by Eurodance group Snap! I bet you’ve heard this song, but never actually knew the band’s name.