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Residents ask Temple council to address alley trash, illegal dumping; resident thanks planning staff for help with homestead exemption
Summary
At a Temple City Council meeting residents complained about alley trash and illegal dumping and requested signage in specific blocks; another resident thanked planning staff for assistance resolving a homestead exemption issue.
During the public-comment period at the June 19 Temple City Council meeting, resident David Rowe said the city is not doing enough to address trash and overgrown vegetation in alleyways and that property owners are not consistently maintaining the alley areas adjoining their properties.
"The side with the trash cans, if it's not in the trash can, it's not addressed by the city, and the code doesn't do anything about it if it's grown up. I've been on this since 2019," Rowe said.
Another longtime resident, Bobby Thompson of 904 Henderson Street, asked the council to post illegal-dumping signs at three locations: the 500 block of South Henderson Street, the 800 block of Avenue I and the 900 block of South Henderson Street. Thompson praised recent cleanup work in parts of East Temple and asked the council not to forget neighborhoods on the east side of the city.
Online commenter Alan Lytle thanked the city’s Planning and Development Department and named staff members Cheryl Maxwell, Kathy Clover and Brian Kozel for help with a homestead-exemption problem. Lytle said he remains engaged with the county on a related item.
Context and limits: Mayor Davis opened the public-comment period by reminding speakers that comments should be three minutes or less and that "no final action or discussion will take place" during public comment. The remarks recorded during public comment do not reflect formal council action; council members may follow up through staff or a future agenda item.
Community requests and specifics: Rowe said he has pressed the issue since 2019 and cited the city's code and an interpretation he received from city attorneys that property owners are responsible for alley maintenance from the curb to the center of the alley on both sides. Thompson asked specifically for signage at the three blocks he named to deter illegal dumping.
Ending: The council did not take action on the public comments during the meeting; speakers and council members indicated staff follow-up or future agenda consideration would be the path for addressing the concerns raised.
