[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6501347,"mediaKeyId","5602154-23d43c3bb23247426c0dfd96d4ddb095","parentId",5602154,"title","McKinney council discusses citywide no-camping, downtown sit/lie and aggressive-panhandling rules","audioSeconds",1640,"startMs",332000,"endMs",1972000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5602154-23d43c3bb23247426c0dfd96d4ddb095&start=332&end=1972","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5602154-23d43c3bb23247426c0dfd96d4ddb095/thumbnail_332000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6501347/McKinney/Collin-County/Texas/McKinney-council-discusses-citywide-no-camping-downtown-sitlie-and-aggressive-panhandling-rules","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6501347-7fe86324f38b787dbdd43edd609ae036/orig.mp4?Expires=1770437605&Signature=EkGLgpW6tC4qLMTMSoMfg4t2~2jAXSczxZMZZgzHVW4btxEtsNajOvUEripnDTW~6XPFtih7YzVEGZ1nDyAJ6JxHmZcxa6Yo2BE~4U7MYGs0TvGinIKNcJWLThyRNWnqeHu35-hUm7gw2yYH4PScSeWaWbomv0pwGUeXdI8vx3bA6B6v~ivls2-6uBJZ9NylJLCLTFnhhRHw24FUE5fcV5-6B5yH0Pm7TBR-Isc~B9Z0K1aDYRZTJlwO3D8xQBq-zITYPEFlUBnxH2qMEbgzNPRnHByKA95CB7oVVVqcpMW-03wDSpB8elD6VZpZaBrWx4wwM3s4k6Z9N7ISa2bNww__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","McKinney","date","2025-08-19T00:00:00Z","article","City staff presented draft changes to the McKinney Code of Ordinances on Tuesday proposing a citywide ban on camping in publicly accessible places, a downtown-specific prohibition on sitting or lying in pedestrian rights of way, and a new offense for aggressive panhandling.

The proposals, compiled by the city manager’s office with legal, police, code services and housing staff, would add definitions and enforcement tools to chapters 70 and 78 of the Code of Ordinances. Under the draft, \"camping\" would be prohibited between 7 p.m. and 7 a.m. on publicly accessible property except in designated park camp areas (Erwin Park), and property owners could be cited if they knowingly allow camping on publicly accessible portions of their land.

The code change for sitting and lying down would apply to a defined downtown area that aligns with the McKinney Town Center zoning boundary (about 212 acres), making it unlawful to sit or lie where an area is not intended for that use unless the sitting place is an exception such as a city-supplied bench. The aggressive-panhandling provision would not ban solicitation outright — which staff said would be a First Amendment concern — but would target blocking, physically interrupting patrons, or using threatening language.

Why it matters: council members said the measures are intended to give officers a clearer legal footing to engage individuals who are obstructing sidewalks, endangering patrons or creating chronic problems in the downtown core. Supporters at public comment urged action to improve safety and business conditions; opponents urged caution, saying the proposals risk criminalizing poverty and removing low‑barrier shelter options such as vehicle sleeping.

Public comment and council questions

Several residents addressed the council before the staff presentation. Molly Brown, who said she had experienced sleeping in a vehicle while working multiple jobs, urged the council to reject changes that would make sleeping in personal vehicles an offense and argued the amendments “punish people for visibly existing in poverty” rather than addressing housing affordability. Brown cited a local workforce housing shortage and warned that removing vehicle-sleeping options would strip a form of shelter.

Paul Ballesteros, founder of Emmanuel Labor, and downtown business owner Matt Hamilton also spoke. Ballesteros said he did not expect the ordinances to “move the needle” on homelessness but urged further conversation and relationship-based interventions. Hamilton described repeated problems with trash, drug paraphernalia and repeated encampments on or near his properties and said he supports giving police tools to address impacts on businesses.

Staff summary and legal scope

Jennifer Arnold, assistant city manager, said staff are presenting these drafts to request council direction, not to adopt ordinances. Arnold told the council the drafting team included the police, legal, code services and housing departments and that the draft provisions are meant to be one tool among many, including services and outreach, to address visible public-safety and nuisance concerns.

City attorney staff clarified the scope of the overnight-parking language. Jeremy Page, city attorney’s office, said the overnight-parking prohibition as drafted would apply to public streets and public parking lots; it would not prohibit a private property owner from allowing someone to sleep in a vehicle on private property (for example, a Walmart parking lot) if the owner permits it. Page and staff emphasized that “publicly accessible” can include private property that is open to the public and that the drafts remain subject to refinement.

Key clarifications and carve-outs discussed

- Erwin Park: the draft preserves designated camping in Erwin Park if done through the parks department’s reservation process; council members noted the number of approved camping areas in Erwin Park is limited.
- Private parking: staff stated the draft would not reach private parking lots where a property owner explicitly permits overnight vehicle sleeping; enforcement focus would be public streets and public parking lots.
- Property-owner liability: the draft creates an offense for property owners who knowingly allow camping in publicly accessible areas of their property; staff said enforcement tools would include citations and criminal-trespass processes where appropriate.
- Downtown sitting/lying: the draft is targeted to the McKinney Town Center zoning area; staff acknowledged existing downtown features (low walls, steps or “pony walls”) are ambiguous in the draft and said they would clarify whether those elements are intended as seating exceptions.

Enforcement, services and review

Police and community services staff said the ordinances are intended to provide an opportunity for engagement and voluntary compliance most of the time; Chief Ellenberg and a police representative said officers frequently obtain voluntary compliance and that the community services unit and homeless coalition provide casework and referrals when individuals request help. Staff and council discussed practical constraints of enforcing class C misdemeanors against indigent people and noted fines are often not effective where defendants are indigent.

Multiple council members asked staff to include a sunset or mandatory reevaluation provision; staff said they would return an evaluation after one year to measure impacts and provide a path to modify or repeal the ordinances if they do not produce the expected outcomes.

Remaining questions and next steps

Council members and staff identified areas for redrafting before any ordinance is brought back for formal consideration: clearer definitions (camping versus overnight vehicle sleeping), explicit carve-outs for private-property permission, treatment of downtown walls and steps that are functionally seating, and a required annual review of effectiveness. No formal vote on the draft ordinances occurred during the work session; staff requested direction on whether the council wants staff to continue refining the drafts.

Ending

Staff emphasized the package is part of a broader set of responses including housing and services; the council signaled interest in pursuing downtown-targeted provisions with clarified exceptions and a built-in review, while also urging continued investment in outreach and service connections for people experiencing homelessness.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","McKinney - City Council Work Session","oneSentenceSummary","City staff presented draft changes to the McKinney Code of Ordinances proposing a citywide ban on camping in publicly accessible places, a downtown-specific prohibition on sitting or lying in pedestrian rights of way, and a new offense for aggressive panhandling.","taxTitle","McKinney, Collin County, Texas","taxId",2778,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6501339,"Council reviews boards-and-commissions nomination summary before appointments",729,4560000,5289000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5602154-23d43c3bb23247426c0dfd96d4ddb095&start=4560&end=5289","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5602154-23d43c3bb23247426c0dfd96d4ddb095/thumbnail_4560000.jpg","/articles/6501339/McKinney/Collin-County/Texas/Council-reviews-boards-and-commissions-nomination-summary-before-appointments","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6501339-dd8ce15f2a2cace58c8ac2cf54bc2f9e/orig.mp4?Expires=1770437605&Signature=boSzrObB1cCuzZTlBKOoqHUE6R5Znpd3emTg00gzxDjvDYn5wfzGrO8Er57iE8GoGsmvN60rda96a-RYw-7Mh2jY4HWWd3oeMLMUCj4KzzjNTdOo3ljfTEm~lGTGG5t9758aR17ZS4cWPbrx-hATGcWQFNMytg9zl2~oiBIVCAvj1rsR-tkt2ZH9vvtvYFu~Dm8rHmM009RU6XHgFqnhtWn9FQV8Bv5828y6JGYtr48Q3UnrL9LF52YkGrrwj8hkdhcVFdCpXS3fMhbORALDMDn8~iWejSgOL~yKMm1l5IceE6qwSUVaqAzN0FGIseKoInlfHZ90XKP6nHV5nJtNMw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","City Secretary Empress Drane briefed the council Tuesday on the boards-and-commissions nomination and preferencing process and presented a compiled recommendation list for roughly 19 advisory bodies ahead of next week’s appointment actions.

Drane said staff had received expressions of interest from more than 100 residents and had produced a recommendation list that prioritized incumbents and counted nominations; the list does not bind council members and is intended only to streamline the appointment process. The packet noted where nominees had reached term limits, where incumbents had not applied, and where alternate members were being recommended to be elevated to regular membership.

Why it matters: council members will make final appointments next week, and several boards (for example, Capital Improvement Advisory Committee items) are awaiting additional policy decisions. Drane told council that some past short-term appointments (one‑year placements) were used for continuity and that attendance/performance considerations had not been incorporated into staff recommendations but could inform council choices.

Clarifications and next steps

Drane noted the Capital Improvements Advisory Committee will be treated as a holding item pending state-code updates and council guidance; councilors asked about nominations for external entities such as the regional appraisal district (CAD) and were reminded those processes run on separate schedules involving multiple taxing jurisdictions. Drane said staff will supply councilors with any additional nomination pools for those external seats when the CAD requests them.

No formal votes occurred during the briefing; the city secretary asked council members to review the nomination lists and be prepared for final appointments at the upcoming meeting.","City secretary presented a summary of nominations for roughly 19 boards and commissions and explained the recommendation listing methodology; no appointments were made during the work session and staff asked council members to review the compiled preferences ahead of the formal appointment process next week.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6501342,"McKinney gives quarterly update on airport eastside terminal; staff says commercial service still on track for Nov. 2026",541,3665000,4206000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5602154-23d43c3bb23247426c0dfd96d4ddb095&start=3665&end=4206","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5602154-23d43c3bb23247426c0dfd96d4ddb095/thumbnail_3665000.jpg","/articles/6501342/McKinney/Collin-County/Texas/McKinney-gives-quarterly-update-on-airport-eastside-terminal-staff-says-commercial-service-still-on-track-for-Nov-2026","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6501342-cec2bf30aa2288c6ec549aa56e110385/orig.mp4?Expires=1770437605&Signature=bcsCmx5AU77D4~9nWhqhERs8BQO1DuRbuKMe0eyKYXYGh8C4xwpT3Qvpfe7~W-rXs05do3iSA3sAv85nW3jiUQgKkrhxvtkeEf6KdQpApFpLAeJ~Li1Oiji-U5MdFpLEvpuBXSUP1K3cfnTKrxgYX~Ja72f-pzFkftyhAbfyqXO1VXhtGmZSDsM7z1Lx8vuLY2DrSW10Cc2FvSZ0lGWag3-SA~ARdR2Qc1E2np~46Fd84LUS79UHUS1iWjOrc-L8LL5jjTuAhPqL4ksrj2-A6MzVP7FtLx9GJlo-EPiXngqgonE-BzwBKK6k7dj5VBaig7UWf8bpAnYEngJ-LWsr5w__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","City staff provided a construction and funding update Tuesday on the McKinney Airport eastside terminal and associated infrastructure, reporting steady progress on site grading, utilities and terminal foundations and saying commercial passenger service remains on track for November 2026.

The presentation, delivered by Shelton (filling in for the absent project lead), included aerial photos of the site, renderings of the planned terminal interior and exterior, and a timeline showing the building will go vertical in December and that roundabout access at FM 546 and Taxiway Charlie will be bid in September with construction beginning in January 2026.

Why it matters: staff said the terminal project, roundabout and taxiway work are fully funded with local and state sources at present and that the city is pursuing additional federal competitive grants for air-service marketing. The project’s financing includes a pending TIFIA loan application that would replace sales-tax revenue bonds at a lower interest rate; staff reported the project passed the TIFIA project review and is in the credit-review phase with a closing planned in the first quarter of next year.

FAA inspection and certification

Shelton said FAA inspectors conducted a day inspection and a subsequent night inspection focused on airfield lighting and signage required for Part 139 certification (the federal standard for airports with commercial service). He described the FAA feedback as “relatively minor” punch‑list items that staff expect to address quickly.

Construction status and schedule

Staff showed recent aerials indicating the stormwater detention pond and mass grading are complete, the parking-lot islands and drives are being formed and select fill (approximately 10 feet in places) has been placed beneath the terminal pad to address expansive clay soils. The airport apron and the footprint for six aircraft parking positions and the terminal pad are in place.

Key schedule and procurement points

- Building permit/vertical construction: staff expects framing and visible structure work to begin in December 2025.
- Roundabout and Taxiway Charlie: these elements are not part of the current site package; they will be bid in September 2025 with construction anticipated to start January 2026.
- Commercial service target: staff reiterated a target to begin commercial passenger operations in November 2026.

Funding and grant efforts

Shelton said the terminal and current site work are funded without federal grant dollars but the city is pursuing federal discretionary programs for market support. Staff highlighted the Small Community Air Service Development (SCASD) grant program as a potential source for marketing dollars to support route launches and said the federal Airport Improvement Program (AIP) and the IIJA funding track remain relevant for future capital phases.

The TIFIA loan application is in its credit-review phase following successful project review; Shelton said the city expects to close the loan in Q1 2026. Staff also noted procurement and concession planning is underway for parking, rental cars, food and beverage and other terminal services, and that conversations with airlines remain under non-disclosure agreements.

Operations and future planning

City staff said FY 2026 budget planning includes hiring airport operations staff and training them ahead of service launch; TSA equipment and IT requirements are a current coordination focus because federal requirements call for dedicated networks and camera access for security screening. Shelton said the city is also seeking to put future projects on the FAA’s five‑year Capital Improvement Plan to compete for future AIP funding if subsequent phases are needed.

Ending

No formal council action was taken. Staff said they will return with regular quarterly updates and will bring policy decisions about airport management (single management company vs. multiple concession vendors) to the council for direction.","City staff showed construction photos and renderings, reported an FAA Part 139 inspection with minor punch-list items, described a TIFIA credit-review process and said roundabout and Taxiway Charlie will be bid in September with construction expected in early 2026; commercial service remains scheduled for November 2026.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

McKinney council discusses citywide no-camping, downtown sit/lie and aggressive-panhandling rules

Council reviews boards-and-commissions nomination summary before appointments

McKinney gives quarterly update on airport eastside terminal; staff says commercial service still on track for Nov. 2026