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Residents press council on property-rights enforcement during citizens forum
Summary
Paris residents used the citizens forum to urge the council to reconsider enforcement and zoning practices after notices to remove storage containers and fines for yard conditions; several speakers tied concerns to fairness and local economic pressures.
Residents raised repeated concerns about property-rights enforcement and inconsistent code application at the start of the Paris City Council meeting on Aug. 24, 2020.
Robert Giberson, who identified himself as the owner of property at 741 9th Northwest Street, said he received a notice requiring the removal of conex/storage containers from a commercially zoned lot used for storage and shop work. “I bought the property over 8 years ago, and I’ve been working on the place a little, as I have the money to do so,” Giberson said, adding that his primary request was for the city to respect property rights so long as structures meet gas, electrical and building codes.
Donna Swindle (1740 10th Northeast) told the council she owns a business and a residence and asked for help with narrow-road traffic while emphasizing that taxpayers should retain rights to use their property if they cause no harm. Harold Vartanian and others spoke in support of Giberson, urging the council to be fair. Carolyn Williams raised separate code-enforcement concerns about overgrown grass obscuring street signs and about neighbors living in a camper on property abutting her lot.
Michael LeCornick, speaking partly about the budget, urged the council to re-evaluate ordinances that he said unduly restrict personal property rights and warned that the city’s economic indicators merit focused development.
The chair closed the citizens forum after the allotted public comment time and directed constituents with case-specific questions to follow up with staff, noting that the Texas Open Meetings Act limits council responses during the forum to referral to a future agenda, existing policy, or staff.
