North Richland Hills City Council Regular Meeting – April 14, 2025

The North Richland Hills City Council met in regular session at 7:00 p.m. on Monday, April 14, 2025, in the City Hall Council Chambers at 4301 City Point Drive. Mayor Jack McCarty presided; all seven council members were present (Tito Rodriguez, Ricky Rodriguez, Suzy Compton, Matt Blake, Blake Vaughn, Russ Mitchell, Kelvin Deupree). Staff included City Manager Paulette Hartman, City Attorney Bradley Anderle, and Assistant City Secretary Traci Henderson; City Secretary Alicia Richardson was absent. The agenda included a contested consent-agenda exchange, two public hearings, eight routine approvals, several program and grant actions, a citizens presentation, and an executive session on litigation. The meeting adjourned at 10:30 p.m.

Public Comments & Testimony

• No speakers signed up for the general public comments period (Agenda Item A.4) at the start of the meeting.
• Public testimony was heard during the two public hearings (detailed under Public Hearings below), and one citizen addressed the council during the Citizens Presentation period.

Consent Calendar

• Council Member Blake Vaughn removed item B.1 (approval of the March 24, 2025 minutes) from the consent agenda; the minutes were taken up later in the meeting and tabled to April 28, 2025 (see below).
• Consent items B.2–B.9 were approved unanimously (7–0), including:
  • Resolution No. 2025-022 – authorizing the City Manager to execute Regional Asset Transfer Addendum B_14 with Fort Worth for the subscription renewal of 10 ACOEM acoustic gunshot detection devices purchased with TAG Grant #2848910 funds.
  • Award of RFB 24-024 to Pavecon Public Works, LP for the Residential Asphalt Overlay Program in the amount of $1,452,510.
  • Resolution No. 2025-023 – submission of the FY25 Urban Areas Security Initiative (UASI) Homeland Security grant application for $44,248.98 for hazardous material gas detection equipment.
  • Resolution No. 2025-024 – submission of the 2025 Q3 Firehouse Subs Public Safety Foundation grant application for $22,952.88.
  • Purchase of a mobile command post vehicle from LDV Custom Specialty Vehicles for $699,985, using the FY23 Assistance to Firefighters Grant award and Houston-Galveston Area Council Cooperative Agreement No. AM10-23.
  • Increased tire purchases and roadside tire repair expenditures from Southern Tire Mart LLC, not to exceed $100,000, under BuyBoard Contract #729-24.
  • Purchase of three 2025 F-150 4x4 Crew Cab trucks from Chastang Enterprises Houston LLC dba Chastang Ford for a combined $148,845, under BuyBoard Contract #724-23.
  • Award of RFB 25-016 to Cole Construction for supply and installation of drainage pipe at Green Valley Park in the amount of $100,041.09.

Parliamentary Exchange and Future Agenda Item

• Council Member Vaughn questioned the Mayor's decision to move the removed minutes to later in the meeting, noted that no work session was on the agenda, and asked how he could place an item on a future agenda. After a parliamentary inquiry and an appeal of the chair's ruling, Council Member Vaughn moved, with a second by Associate Mayor Pro Tem Ricky Rodriguez, to suspend the rules to place an item on a future regular agenda. The motion carried 6–1, with Council Member Tito Rodriguez voting against.
• Council then approved 7–0 placing an item on the April 28, 2025 regular agenda to consider releasing all correspondence, drafts, emails, and related documentation connected to Resolution No. 2025-021 – the resolution from the April 9, 2025 special meeting that publicly reprimanded Council Member Vaughn – including communications with the city manager, city attorney, and other staff or officials. Vaughn said he is gathering signatures for a referendum related to the resolution and wants full transparency rather than a selective release of information.

Public Hearings

C.1 – Special Use Permit, 8033 Valley Drive (Ordinance No. 3901)

• Applicants Susan and Kevin Holden requested a special use permit for a 2,480-square-foot permanent accessory barn/workshop on their 1.89-acre RE-1 residential estate property. The building would replace three existing structures and include horse stalls, hay storage, a feed room, and a workshop. Because the building exceeds the maximum accessory size allowed by the zoning ordinance by approximately 432 square feet (making it larger than the 2,047-square-foot primary residence), exceeds the 12-foot maximum wall height (16 feet proposed, with a 19-foot-11-inch peak), and would use a modified roof pitch and no concrete driveway (which the Holdens said is safer for livestock, citing two veterinarians and a farrier), modified standards were requested through the SUP process.
• The Planning and Zoning Commission recommended approval 7–0 on April 3, 2025.
• Speakers in favor: James Orton (8041 Valley Drive), Doug Mann (8025 Valley Drive), and Marc Trevino (8017 Valley Drive), who said the project is a visual upgrade and had full family support. Speaker in opposition: Shawna Stiles (3908 Lochridge Court), who said on principle an accessory structure should not be larger than the primary residence.
• Council discussion included whether accessory building standards should be reviewed in the future, with Council Member Vaughn noting he does not favor an 'HOA city' approach and that most residents could not build such a structure on their properties. Motion by Council Member Tito Rodriguez, seconded by Council Member Compton; approved 7–0.

C.2 – Zoning Change, 8851 Bud Jensen Drive (Ordinance No. 3902)

• Bill Gietema of the Arcadia Group (TBG Partners listed as applicant) requested a zoning change from O-1 (Office) to Residential Planned Development (R-PD), based on the town center district, for the 13.82-acre site. The proposal includes approximately 199–210 for-sale dwelling units – single-family detached homes (starting around $650,000) and townhomes (starting around $500,000) – with rear-loaded garages, green streets, on-street parking, about three parking spaces per home, and no multifamily units. Gietema said the project would add roughly $115 million in new home value compared with the existing office park appraised at about $15 million, generate recurring household income of just under $26 million, and relieve key intersections by up to 25% at build-out through new access easements.
• The developer described noise insulation using railroad-adjacent building standards for homes near Birdville High School, a decorative fence to prevent NRH Centre and library parking poaching, more than 60 reserved visitation parking spaces, an HOA managing maintenance, art programs, short-term rentals, street trees, and an antenna monopole fall-zone disclosure. The Planning and Zoning Commission recommended approval 5–2 on April 3, 2025.
• Speaker in opposition: Jan Lane (7909 Mimosa Drive), who cited concerns about traffic on Hawk, parking, noise from school playing fields, small homes on small lots, and potential spillover into fitness center parking.
• Council discussion covered HOA restrictiveness, short-term rental management, street/porch/alley lighting, rental restrictions, and homeownership. Council Member Mitchell raised a possible two-year rental restriction; the developer said he would include it in the CC&Rs if legal under state law, while staff clarified the city cannot require rental restrictions through zoning. Motion by Mayor Pro Tem Deupree, seconded by Council Member Blake; approved 7–0. Council Member Tito Rodriguez briefly left the chamber at 8:23 p.m. and returned at 8:24 p.m.

Public Works

• E.1 – Bursey Road Rehabilitation: Public Works Operations Manager Kenneth Garvin presented the interlocal agreement with Tarrant County to rehabilitate Bursey Road from Bursey Road South to Hunter Lane. The 2,021-foot stretch will receive full-depth rehabilitation (curb and gutter repairs, subgrade stabilization, and new asphalt). Tarrant County Precinct 3 will perform most of the work; the city will pay for materials, trucking charges, and half of the fuel. The project is expected to take place in summer 2025 over four to five weeks. Approved 7–0.

General Items

• F.1 – Open Rewards Shop Local Program: Economic Development Director Craig Hulse reported the restaurant rewards program had 2,600 users. The program ran January 1 – April 30 at 5% reward until February 13, then 10% from February 14 onward; transactions doubled after the increase while new user signups declined to about 8 per day. Hulse projected over $500,000 in customer spend and roughly $44,000–45,000 in rewards by April 30 against the $100,000 budget; continuing until funds were exhausted would extend the program to late July/early August. He noted 20 Texas cities use the same software, most at 5% reward. Council Member Tito Rodriguez expressed concern that budget pressures might prevent funding a year-two program, supporting ending on April 30 and carrying remaining funds over. Motion by Mayor Pro Tem Deupree, seconded by Council Member Tito Rodriguez, to end the program April 30; carried 6–1 with Council Member Mitchell voting against. Staff will debrief council in June/July using sales tax data.
• F.2/F.3 – Operational Efficiency Audits: City Manager Paulette Hartman presented awards to Matrix Consulting Group, LTD for a Permitting Process Operational Efficiency Audit (RFP 25-012, not to exceed $59,970) and a Fleet Services Operational Efficiency Audit (RFP 25-013, not to exceed $61,530). The RFQ reached 2,350 vendors; Matrix has completed over 200 permitting studies and over 350 fleet studies in its 20-year history. Each project will take about six months (tentatively May 1 – October) with one-year contracts. Matrix representatives confirmed the reports will include detailed, quantifiable recommendations and implementation plans, and that staff and community concerns about job cuts are addressed through an engagement process. Both awards approved 7–0 separately.
• F.4 – STEP Grant (Resolution No. 2025-025): Assistant Police Chief Ed Wright presented the FY 2026 Selective Traffic Enforcement Program grant application. The maximum grant is $43,572.12, with TxDOT reimbursing up to $33,284.69 and the city matching $10,287.43 (20% of wages plus 100% of administrative costs). Funds cover 425 projected overtime hours for speed compliance, impaired driving, and intersection control from October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026. The application deadline is April 18, 2025. Approved 7–0.
• F.5 – Polling Location Sign Policy: City Attorney Bradley Anderle presented a policy for placing signs at city facilities used as polling locations, specifically City Hall (4301 City Point Drive) for the first time in the May 2025 election. Under Texas Election Code 61.003(a)(1), electioneering cannot be prohibited outside the 100-foot marker but reasonable time, place, and manner regulations are allowed. Existing city code already limits signs on city polling properties to 3 feet in height and 6 square feet of sign face. The proposed policy would limit signs to green areas, require stakes that will not damage irrigation or electrical lines (no T-posts or wooden stakes; wind stakes/yard signs recommended), designate tent and seating areas, and require temporary removal of signs during Sounds of Spring concerts (e.g., April 25) with storage available for pickup the next business day. Council Member Mitchell expressed concern about enforcing the 3-foot rule against four-by-four signs already purchased; Council Member Tito Rodriguez supported the policy citing safety concerns. Motion by Council Member Blake, seconded by Mayor Pro Tem Deupree; approved 6–1 with Council Member Mitchell voting against.

Citizens Presentation

• Charlie Ruiz (4109 Vance Road) asked the council to release emails related to the April 9, 2025 special meeting and raised concerns about the accuracy of the January 27 and February 10, 2025 meeting minutes, asserting the minutes did not reflect decisions made regarding a carport survey and questioning how those minutes were approved.

Minutes of March 24, 2025 Meeting (Item B.1)

• Council Member Vaughn requested amendments to the March 24, 2025 minutes to reflect: (1) his request for follow-up on how carport survey questions were formed, (2) correction of survey-result language to specify residents opposed carports in their own front yards rather than broadly opposing carports, (3) the Mayor's accusation that he was lying and the cutting off of his microphone, and (4) his departure from the meeting in protest at 5:49 p.m. Vaughn also stated he had been fired as a substitute teacher by Birdville ISD due to his actions and speech in council sessions. The City Attorney recommended amendments be submitted in writing. A motion to table the minutes to the April 28, 2025 meeting carried 7–0.

Executive Session and Litigation

• The council entered executive session at 10:10 p.m. under Texas Government Code Section 551.071 to consult with the City Attorney about pending litigation – Hale v. Walterbach, Civil Action No. 4:24-cv-455 (U.S. District Court, Northern District of Texas, Fort Worth Division). The session ran from 10:15 to 10:24 p.m.; Council Member Vaughn was not present. After reconvening at 10:25 p.m., a motion by Mayor Pro Tem Deupree, seconded by Council Member Blake, approved the mediated settlement agreement as presented and authorized the City Manager to take all actions necessary to carry out its terms. The motion carried 6–0.

Announcements

• Council Member Tito Rodriguez announced pop-up Easter egg hunts at six NRH Parks & Recreation locations, a free Backyard Chicken Care Class at the NRH Library (registration not required), the Sounds of Spring Concert Series launching Friday, April 25 at 7:00 p.m. on the City Hall plaza, and a Kudos Corner recognizing Police Officer Dylan Davis for assisting a citizen who locked her keys in her car in the City Hall parking lot.

Key Outcomes

• Approved consent agenda items B.2–B.9 unanimously (7–0).
• Approved Ordinance No. 3901 (special use permit at 8033 Valley Drive) 7–0.
• Approved Ordinance No. 3902 (R-PD zoning at 8851 Bud Jensen Drive) 7–0.
• Authorized the Bursey Road interlocal agreement with Tarrant County 7–0.
• Ended the Open Rewards Shop Local Program on April 30, 2025 (6–1; Mitchell dissenting).
• Awarded RFP 25-012 (permitting audit, $59,970) and RFP 25-013 (fleet audit, $61,530) to Matrix Consulting Group, each 7–0.
• Approved the STEP grant application (Resolution No. 2025-025) 7–0.
• Adopted the polling location sign policy (6–1; Mitchell dissenting).
• Placed a future agenda item on the April 28, 2025 meeting regarding release of privileged communications related to Resolution No. 2025-021 (7–0).
• Tabled the March 24, 2025 minutes to the April 28, 2025 meeting (7–0).
• Approved the mediated settlement agreement in Hale v. Walterbach (6–0) and authorized the City Manager to implement it.
• Meeting adjourned at 10:30 p.m.