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Park Place-CS 891220Mark Wolfe Mayor The City With A Beautiful Future P.O. Box 478 CoppeH, Texas 75019 December 20, ~ ~9 47, Coppell, Texas 75019 214-462-0022 City Council Members Alan D. Ratliff, City Hanager Re: Role of Board of Adjustment I think that it would be wise to have, as an egenda item in January, an item that deals with what exactly should be the role of the Board of Adjustment. This fine Board has always been asking for a more complete Job description and more action items every since I have been on the Council. I have some suggestions, and I am sure that some of you do as well. Out City Planner, Gary Sieb, is doing some extensive research on the issue as well. I think that with some mutual discussions, we can find a suitable solution to this on going controversy. Have a very Merry Christmas! Mark MW/122189 I~/0689 Keith J. Roberson 918 Sugarberry Dr. Coppell, Texas 75019 (214) 462-7904 December 16, 1989 Mr. Mark Wolfe 628 Briarglen Dr. Coppell, Texas 75019 Dear Mark; I am writing in reference to the plat approval for Park Place Addition. Please understand that I am writing to express my opinion only and do not represent the Board of Adjustments. Please accept this as a communication between friends. When I learned of the sub-section of the zoning ordinance that allowed the council to.grant a front yard setback variance as a part of a plat approval~ I was shocked and surprized. Mark, my ~xperience~ with the Board of Adjustments is very limited, but nevertheless~ I feel that the very existence of such a .clause in our ordinances is in conflict with the separation o~ powers 'that statutorally exists between the City Council and the Board of Adjustments, two separate but equal entities. That this section was used to circumvent the ~ightful authority of the Board goes to the heart of the powers o~.the Board. As an alternate a~d as a new member, I feel that the council's action was'a direct statement fioding me incompetent as well as perhaps the other members of the Board. I grant y~u that I am not as well versed as I.would like to be, and ~av .make mistakes in serving on the Board. ! hope, howeVer~ that the more experienced members of ~he Board can guide me and prevent me from doing something utterly stupid. In addition, I (and I am sure the other new members) would appreciate any input that you as a city leader or as a private citizen may have on any case that we 'may hear. I can appreciate the council,s position that the variance should be granted, as most other developments in the city have a 25 foot setback. I also understand that the council will soon change that part of the zoning ordinance, and rightfully so. I, as an alternate to the Board of Adjustment am quite prepared to take ali of this into consideration on hearing the case. My position is that the Board of Adjustment's power and authority has been seriously infringed upon. The City Council has granted itself the authority to enter into our area to the extent of granting front'yard setbacks to 25 feet~ a number that can be changed at will by the council. If allowed to stand, this section of the ordinance could allow the council to restate it~ limits from 25 ~eet to 15 feet, or maybe i0 feet~ or maybe 2 feet~ or maybe let~ talk about side yard setbacks... I think that you get the point. It is this line of reasoning that makes me question whether this part of the ordinance is even legally permitted to be in the ordinance. Mark, I ask two things of you to set things straight. First, Please see to it that this section of the zoning ordinance is repealed. Second, Please vacate that part of your plat approval for Park Place which concerns the front yard setback variance and turn that decision over to the rightful authority, the Board of Adjustment. I promise you a fair, impartial, just and complete hearing as far as I can ensure it. With all of the problems that the city has, lets not add to them by creating dissent between the legislative and judicial branches of our city government. Please accept Best Regards; Keith Roberson my best wishes for you and your family.