From
Fred Bates, Jr.
Title
Ordinance amending the Code of Ordinances Part I, Chapter 28 - Housing Enforcement, Article II, Hotel Standards, Section 12 - Classifying hotels by tier and summary grade scoring, Article III - Multifamily Housing Standards, Section 18 - Multifamily housing complexes generally, Article III - Multifamily Housing Standards, Section 23 - Multifamily housing classifications, and Section 24 - Tier rating for multifamily housing requirements; providing for a severability clause; providing for a cumulative clause; providing for a savings clause; and providing for an immediate effective date upon passage
Presenter
Chief Steve Dye, Police Department, Director Bill Hills, Housing and Neighborhood Services
Recommended Action
Approve
Analysis
The City of Grand Prairie is situated within the expanding Dallas - Fort Worth Metroplex. This combination of varied; urban, suburban, commercial, and industrial growth necessitates robust housing standards and codes for the positive future development of the City and the citizens it serves. The Housing Department’s critical part in this part of the City’s development is to change the tiered assessment system in order to accurately assess the housing developers, corporations, and individuals who are responsible to adhere to these standards.
The Police Department’s participation in this quality of life issue extends into the enforcement of the various housing standards and codes in order to fully ensure that citizens of the City continue to enjoy positive development of the City. The Police Department seeks to obtain full participation by making it mandatory to join the Crime Free Multi-Housing program from all who develop, own, or manage housing in the City.
The Public Safety, Health and Environmental Committee reviewed this item on May 2, 2016 and recommended that it be forwarded to the City Council for approval.
Financial Consideration
None
Body
AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF GRAND PRAIRIE, TEXAS, AMENDING THE CODE OF ORDINANCES PART I, CHAPTER 28, ARTICLE II - HOTEL STANDARDS, SECTION 12 - CLASSIFYING HOTELS BY TIER AND SUMMARY GRADE SCORING, ARTICLE III - MULTIFAMILY HOUSING STANDARDS, SECTION 18 - MULTIFAMILY HOUSING STANDARDS GENERALLY, SECTION 23, MULTIFAMILY HOUSING CLASSIFICATIONS, SECTION 24 - TIER RATING FOR MULTIFAMILY HOUSING REQUIREMENTS; PROVIDING FOR A SEVERABILITY CLAUSE; PROVIDING FOR A CUMULATIVE CLAUSE; PROVIDING A SAVINGS CLAUSE; AND PROVIDING FOR AN IMMEDIATE EFFECTIVE DATE UPON PASSAGE
WHEREAS, the City of Grand Prairie has the power and authority to enact and enforce all ordinances to protect health, life and property; and to prevent and summarily abate and remove all nuisances;
WHEREAS, The City of Grand Prairie has the right to preserve and enforce good government, and order and security of the City and its inhabitants.
WHEREAS, Both the City of Grand Prairie’s Housing Department and Police Department serve as ordering and enforcement agencies of the City.
WHEREAS, The Chief of Police and the Housing Director seek the ability to prescribe and clarify tier grade scoring of Hotels and Multifamily Housing and to require all entities who fall under this authority to participate in the Grand Prairie Police Department’s Crime Free Multi-Housing program.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF GRAND PRAIRIE, TEXAS:
SECTION 1: That the City of Grand Prairie Code of Ordinances, Part I, Chapter 28 - Housing Enforcement, Article II, Hotel Standards, Section 12 - Classifying hotels by tier and summary grade scoring , subsections (d-f), and Section 13(c) (1) are amended to read as follows:
Hotel/Motel
28-12(d) Summary grading score. The summary grading score (SGS) is utilized to assess the number and types of serious outstanding violations, code convictions, and calls for service observed on a property annually. Each property will receive a tier rating based on the SGS which has a maximum of one hundred (100) points. Tier 1 scores indicate that a property has obtained a score between ninety (90) and one hundred (100). Scores between seventy-five (75) and eighty-nine are identified as Tier 2 properties as described in this chapter. Scores of seventy-four (74) or below will be identified as a Tier 3 property as described in this chapter. All properties will be subject to tier requirements described in section 28-14 of this chapter.
Sec. 28-12(e) Tier rating calculation. The tier rating will be calculated using the calls for service room ratio (CFSRR) during the previous calendar year and the current year summary grading score (SGS) for each hotel located within the City of Grand Prairie, or during actual operations if less than twelve (12) months.
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Tier 1. Good/Excellent |
SGS is 90 - 100 |
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Tier 2. Average |
SGS is 75 - 89 |
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Tier 3. Below Average |
SGS is 74 or below |
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(f) Tier notification. By March 1st of each calendar year ,each hotel owner will be billed based upon the prior year’s tier rating. The housing services director shall notify each hotel owner within the City of Grand Prairie, in writing, of their tier classification for the current calendar year.
28-13(c) Additional requirements.
(1) Properties with an initial SGS of seventy-four (74) or below will require quarterly inspections based on the annual inspection. Additionally, the property will be subject to citation.
SECTION 2: That the City of Grand Prairie Code of Ordinances, Part I, Chapter 28 - Housing Enforcement, Article III - Multifamily Housing Standards, Section 18 - Multifamily housing complexes generally, subsection (j) is amended to read as follows:
(j) The purpose of crime-free multi-housing is to protect the health, safety, morals and welfare of the occupants of apartment complexes and other citizens of the City of Grand Prairie by obtaining greater compliance with minimum property standards through the establishment of a crime-free program thereby reducing the crime rate within the apartment complexes. The program utilizes three key phases to reduce crime in rental communities: Phase I (Advanced Management Techniques Seminar) is designed for the owner and/or the key property employees such as managers, leasing agents and maintenance supervisors. Phase II of the program requires the landlord to meet the minimum security requirements of crime prevention through environmental design (C.P.T.E.D.). Phase III of the program involves property management hosting a safety social event annually for the residents of their community.
All multi-family housing communities approved on or after October 1, 2016 must participate in the Grand Prairie Police Department’s Crime-Free Multi-Housing Program in order to help deter and reduce crime in their multi-family housing communities in Grand Prairie.
SECTION 3: That the City of Grand Prairie Code of Ordinances, Part I, Chapter 28 - Housing Enforcement, Article III - Multifamily Housing Standards, Section 23 - Multifamily housing classifications, Subsections (d-f) are amended to read as follows:
Multi-family:
Sec. 28-23(d) - Summary grading score. The summary grading score (SGS) is utilized to assess the number and types of serious outstanding violations, code convictions and calls for service observed on a property annually. Each property will receive a tier rating based on the SGS which has a maximum of one hundred (100) points. Tier 1 scores indicate that a property has obtained a score between ninety (90) and one hundred (100). Scores between seventy-five (75) and eighty-nine (89) are identified as Tier 2 properties as described in this article. Scores of seventy-four (74) and below will be identified as a Tier 3 property as described in this article. All properties will be subject to tier requirements.
Sec. 28-23(e) - Tier rating calculation. The tier rating will be calculated using the calls for service apartment ratio (CFSAR) during the previous calendar year and summary grading score (SGS) for each apartment community located within the City of Grand Prairie, or during actual operations if less than twelve (12) months.
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Tier 1. |
Good/Excellent: SGS is 90 - 100 |
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Tier 2. |
Average: SGS is 75 - 89 |
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Tier 3. |
Below Average: SGS is 74 and below |
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(f) Tier notification. By March 1st of each calendar year, each apartment community owner will be billed based upon their prior year’s tier rating. Apartment community owners will be notified of their current calendar year tier classification by the housing and neighborhood services director, in writing, upon completion of the annual inspection.
SECTION 4: That the City of Grand Prairie Code of Ordinances, Part I, Chapter 28 - Housing Enforcement, Article III - Multifamily Housing Standards, Section 24 - Tier rating for multifamily housing requirements, subsection (c)(3) is amended to read as follows:
Apartment communities with an initial SGS of seventy-four (74) and below will require quarterly inspections. Additionally, the property will be subject to citation.
SECTION 5: If any section, subsection, sentence, clause, phrase, or portion of this ordinance is for any reason held invalid or unconstitutional by any court of competent jurisdiction, such shall be deemed a separate, distinct and independent provision and such holding shall not affect the validity of the remaining portions thereof.
SECTION 6: That this Ordinance shall be cumulative of all other Ordinances and shall not repeal any of the provisions of such Ordinances except for those instances where there are direct conflicts with the provisions of this Ordinance, Ordinances, or parts thereof, in force at the time this Ordinance shall take effect and that are inconsistent with this Ordinance are hereby repealed to the extent that they are inconsistent with this Ordinance. Provided however, that any complaint, action, claim or lawsuit which has been initiated or has arisen under or pursuant to such other Ordinances on the date of adoption of the Ordinance shall continue to be governed by the provisions of such Ordinance and for that purpose the Ordinance shall remain in full force and effect.
SECTION 7: That all ordinances or parts of ordinances in conflict with this ordinance are hereby repealed.
SECTION 8: That this ordinance shall be in full force and effect from and after its passage and approval.
PASSED AND APPROVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF GRAND PRAIRIE, TEXAS, THIS THE 3rd DAY OF May, 2016.