The Levelland City Council met this past Monday to discuss numerous agenda items for appointments, zoning, quotes and other city topics. Awards were presents to the Centennial Parade winners at the start of the meeting. Winners included LISD, first place ($750), Smith Auto Family, second place ($500), VFW Post 2466, third place ($250), and Girl Scouts, Honorable Mention ($150).
City manager James Fisher, in a presentation, recognized Eliezer Colunga for completing the Texas State Board of Plumbing Examiners requirements to become an inspector. Fisher presented an overview on the proposed zoning updates and reasons for the revisions as well as public hearing dates, ordinance adoption reading and dates. Upcoming public hearings will include Planning & Zoning Commissions on April 27, and city council hearings on May 4 and May 18. All will be held at city hall.
The council discussed the appointment of a District B city council member. With the passing pf Max Ledesma, a council vacancy has been created and a need to fill the seat and finish the District B term of office. Potential applicants must be qualified voters in District B and should send a letter of interest explaining their interest in serving Levelland and their current involvement in the community. Letters of interest may be submitted by mailing to Mayor Breann Buxkemper, District B Applications, PO Box 1010, Levelland, Texas 79336 or hand delivering to Levelland City Hall. The applicant appointed to serve as council member for District B will serve until the May 2027 General Election.
A discussion and public hearing were held concerning substandard structures. With the new ordinance in place the Levelland Housing Standards Commission recently met and considered action on several structures that have been identified as substandard by building official Eli Colunga. Structures are located at 1805 10th Street, 508 9th Street, 1812 Ave. I Place (mobile home), 1813 Ave. I Place, and 535 W Hwy 114. Property owners have been notified by certified mail and by placing notices on the structures. The Levelland Housing Standards Commission voted to recommend the council order the demolition of the noted structures.
The council approved the commission’s recommendations to order the abatement of the structures and property owners will have 30 days to demolish the structure, and if not doing so, the city will move ahead and demolish the structure and assess the charges to the property (See “City Council” continued on page 2)
owner.
Substandard structures may include property abandonment, dilapidated, deteriorating, damaged, inadequate light, air, ventilation, mechanical, plumbing, electoral, sanitation, exterior walls and structural members lean or buckle, improper structural loads on floors and roof, and have insufficient strength to be reasonably safe. Additionally, structures, including roofs, exterior walls, siding, doors and windows have insufficient protection from deterioration and action of weather, or have attached parts that may fall and injure members of the public.
A public hearing regarding Ordinance No. 1115 adopting a local amendment to Appendix AQ of the 2021 International Residential Code defining tiny homes as dwelling that is 600 sq. ft or less was held. The council approved the ordinance on first reading.
In other business, council approved a board appointment for the Main Street Advisory Board. Toney Cowan was selected to replace Devin Sonnenburg who is resigning. Current board members include Nicole Campbell (chair), David Noles, Albert Garcia, Iris Keeling, Kimberly Young, Meleta Atchison and Amanda Chapa.
The council approved the Freese & Nichols Scope of Services for the update of the American’s Water Infrastructure Act of 2018 Rish and Resilience Assessment and Emergency Response Plan for the city public water supply system and ratified the city manager’s signature for executed documents.
Additionally, the board approved the Freese & Nichols Score of Services for the Levelland Groundwater Well Inventory and Evaluation and authorized the city manager’s signature for executed documents.
In other action, the council reviewed quotes for the new fence at Barty Johnson Field and Field F at the City Park. A bid from Rentfro Construction-Semi Local ($104,350) and Arrow Fencing – Local ($108,277 were submitted. The council approved the bid from Rentfro. The new fence will be heavy gauge wire as is the fence on the fields at Oxy Sports Complex with a concrete curb on the backstops to provide a longer lasting fence for the future.
The council held a discussion concerning the proposed micro-surfacing project.