Manufactured homes, vacant buildings on council’s plate tonight

Vacant buildings, manufactured housing, panhandling – council members will weigh a variety of local ordinance issues this week.
The housing discussion is an ongoing dialogue stemming from a developer’s proposal earlier this year to build a shipping container home on the shores of Lake Gladewater, an idea that initially drew backlash from council members.
The group’s regular monthly meeting begins at 6 p.m. Thursday evening at Gladewater City Hall, opening with comments from Mayor Brandy Flanagan, the City Manager’s Report from Charlie Smith and Citizens Comments, the city’s scheduled ‘public forum’ – notably, updated state laws permit regulated public comments before or during the deliberation of any agenda item throughout the meeting.
Meeting minutes and a standard firefighting service agreement are on the council’s regular consent agenda ahead of a public hearing and vote on a Special Use Permit for a Wine & Malt Beverage Retailers Permit for Chad’s at 809 E. Broadway Ave. In addition to designating a law firm for the collection of delinquent taxes, fines and fees, the council members will consider a resolution tied to a Texas Parks & Wildlife grant for improvements at Lake Gladewater Park.
In their first code update of the evening, the elected officials will consider an ordinance that repeals and amends local regs related to manufactured housing.
As written, the proposal repeals current mobile home standards and adds rules defining and regulating the placement and installation of shipping container homes and modular homes as well as mobile/manufactured.
Notably, the changes include a rule that “Before a modular/container home is placed in the city, it must have a value equal to or greater than the median taxable value for each dwelling within 500 feet of the property line of the proposed installation site.”
If approved, the updated ordinance will officially restrict mobile/manufactured homes to a specific housing district (prohibiting them from Single-Family District).
Find a PDF with all the proposed changes (and other documents tied to Thursday’s agenda) below.
After the manufactured housing discussion, the council members will consider regulations tied to panhandling – find a separate story on the topic in today’s issue. The council will also consider a street drainage issue at 2807 Guy Street ahead of a discussion – no action anticipated – of the city’s current vacant building ordinance (see  below).
The final items are on the night’s agenda are a closed session and possible vote on the purchase, exchange, lease or value of real property such as the community ballpark.