Coppell Chronicle Vol. 2, No. 12
Hogs Go Wild on Ritzy Cul-de-Sac • Sherwood Park Carports Can Remain in Place • Seniors Get Bigger Exemption From City • Council Concerned About Late-Night Library
Hogs Go Wild on Ritzy Cul-de-Sac
Stratford Lane is a cul-de-sac on the north side of Coppell where the average home value is $1.2 million. Unfortunately, feral hogs don’t give a flip about home values.
These primitive porkers have been tearing up yards on Stratford since at least the fall of 2020. One property on the north end of the street, which abuts Denton Creek, was victimized three times in a span of 15 days. The pigs create the kind of damage seen here.
Those pictures are from a public hearing that happened during Tuesday’s Coppell City Council meeting. The Stratford Manor Homeowners Association installed a hog-wire fence to keep the pigs out, and that installation required a zoning change because the hog-wire fence is not nearly as pretty as the wrought-iron fences permitted on that block.
Senior Planner Mary Paron-Boswell told the council that the hog-wire fence is about 70 feet from the street. I drove down Stratford to take a look, and I honestly wouldn’t have noticed it at all if I hadn’t been specifically looking for it. The otherwise empty lot where the fence was installed is heavily treed.
However, the homeowners who live on the north end of Cambridge Manor Lane, which is due east of Stratford Lane, said they could see the hog-wire fence from their backyard. They spoke in opposition to the zoning change during the Coppell Planning and Zoning Commission’s April 21 meeting. Paron-Boswell said a compromise has been reached since then. The hog-wire fence’s path will be altered as illustrated below to make it less visible to the Cambridge Manor residents.
There are 28 homes on Stratford Lane, and a petition in support of the zoning change was signed by 25 residents. A few of them showed up to speak at Tuesday’s hearing, including George Cooper, who said the damage these pigs inflict on yards is nothing compared to what they could do to one of the several children who live and play on Stratford.
“These are not your Smithfield hogs,” he said. “These are, you know, 300-pound rats.”
I predict this won’t be the last article I write about wild hogs and preventative fences. During Tuesday’s hearing, Mayor Wes Mays pointed out that several streets that run parallel to Stratford can be freely accessed from the creek. He asked, “Why are the other subdivisions not having the same trouble?”
Paron-Boswell said nearby subdivisions are dealing with feral hogs. In fact, she said they tore up the front yard of the Cambridge Manor residents who complained about being able to see the new fence from their backyard. But Tuesday’s hearing was not about keeping pigs out of all of those neighborhoods; it was about a zoning change to allow that particular fence on Stratford. Other HOAs may install their own hog-wire fences, because the pigs who can no longer wreak havoc on Stratford will just move on until they can find another access point.
Sherwood Park Carports Can Remain in Place
Tuesday’s public hearing about the hog-wire fence was preceded by another public hearing regarding carports. As reported in the April 24 edition, residents of the Sherwood Park neighborhood were seeking a zoning change that would allow carports erected decades ago to remain standing.
Last month, the Coppell Planning and Zoning Commission recommended approval of the zoning change with several conditions, including one that says the carport owners will need to apply for retroactive permits and hire a structural engineer to evaluate how well their carports comply with city code.
On Tuesday, the City Council approved the zoning change — which was supported by a petition signed by more than half of Sherwood Park’s residents — but the council made things even sweeter from those residents’ perspective. They voted to do away with the need for a structural engineer and also waived the permit fee for the carports.
“This is the way that cities ought to work,” said Council Member Mark Hill, who made the motion to remove structural engineers from the process. “We come to an agreement for neighborhoods, and what they’re willing to accept in terms of beauty or other items that may be considered by others an eyesore, but if that neighborhood says carports are wonderful, then we’ve done the right thing.”
Because I’ve seen people on social media mistakenly report that carports are now allowed throughout Coppell, I want to reiterate that what the council approved on Tuesday applies only to this particular neighborhood. Just as residents of Sherwood Park don’t have free rein to erect hog-wire fences near their duplexes, homeowners on Stratford Lane can’t install carports outside their mansions.
Seniors Get Bigger Exemption From City
As mentioned in the May 1 edition of the Chronicle, the Coppell City Council made it clear during their April 26 meeting that they wanted to raise the extra homestead exemption for residents who are at least 65 years old from $75,000 to $100,000. Consequently, such a change was included on the consent agenda for Tuesday’s meeting.
A memo from Director of Finance Kim Tiehen said a senior citizen who owns a home with Coppell’s average value ($412,364) will save an extra $136 on their taxes. Meanwhile, the city will lose about $344,762 in revenues. If the City Council chooses to offset those losses when setting the final tax rate, the average homeowner younger than 65 would see their tax bill go up by $16.
All of those numbers are pending the certified values that the city will receive from the Dallas and Denton central appraisal districts in July. The council will vote on the tax rate in August.
Meanwhile, here’s one final reminder that tomorrow is the deadline to protest the appraisal district’s latest valuation of your home.
Council Concerned About Late-Night Library
The Coppell City Council was briefed last week on a plan to allow Cozby Library patrons to remain in the building for a few hours after the staff goes home. Some council members were not on board with the plan.
The most vocal critic was Mayor Pro Tem Brianna Hinojosa-Smith. “My biggest issue is safety,” she said during the council’s Tuesday work session. “I’d rather have a skateboard park than do the extended hours.”
As detailed in the March 27 edition of this newsletter, extended hours would provide library patrons with more opportunities for activities that don’t require interaction with a librarian, such as browsing, studying, or printing. Although my original report said the minimum age for using extended hours would be 18, Director of Library Services Dennis Quinn told the council on Tuesday that the minimum age would be 17 so any high school senior could participate. Council Member Kevin Nevels questioned the wisdom of that change.
“I remember being 17 and being a senior in high school and not always making the best choices,” Nevels said.
Extended hours will be available only to library patrons who opt in to the service and sign paperwork detailing their risks and responsibilities. Quinn said a 17-year-old who signs up will need a parent’s signature on the agreement form.
Hinojosa-Smith wondered how often police would patrol the library and its parking lot during extended hours; Quinn said that will vary based on officers’ other duties. She also wanted to know how the building would be cleared once extended hours end at midnight; will the lights go out automatically at that time?
Quinn said the lights would remain on because “we wouldn’t want to leave someone in an unsafe situation.” Hinojosa-Smith’s response: “The fact that you’re leaving them unattended is an unsafe situation.”
Council Member Mark Hill wanted to know whether an alarm would sound if someone propped the library door open; Quinn said he would look into that. Hill also had questions about whether the city would be legally liable if someone were attacked or accidentally injured in the library during extended hours. Council Member Cliff Long pointed out that restrooms in city parks are accessible without staff present, so the same liability issues already exist.
Although my March 27 report said the council would vote on extended hours, Quinn and City Manager Mike Land were not formally seeking the council’s permission to roll out the program. In fact, that lack of a vote was part of Tuesday’s discussion.
“Are you telling us you’re doing this, or are you asking us for input?” Hinojosa-Smith asked. Land’s response to that question included this: “We’ll do our best to address the concerns that you have, but we believe this is the right thing for us to do, and that’s the plan — to go forward.”
Two days later, Quinn told the Library Advisory Board about the council’s concerns and summed up his report thusly: “We’re confident that we have a good solution to launch the service in the month of June, but we will be providing them some information and updates as we go forward.”
On Tuesday, Hinojosa-Smith promised that she will be one of the first library patrons to sign up for extended-hours privileges. “If I can poke holes and gaps and bring them to your attention,” she told Quinn, “I will poke holes and gaps into it.”
Update from the Sports Desk
• The Coppell Cowboys varsity baseball team swept the Jesuit Rangers in the second round of the playoffs. Next up is a three-game series with the Prosper Eagles: 7:30 on Thursday, 7:30 on Friday, and 1 p.m. on Saturday if necessary. All three games will be played in Little Elm.
• Sky Schuller was Coppell High School’s lone representative at the UIL State Track and Field Meet. She won the silver medal in the pole vault by clearing 14 feet; that reportedly would have been a new state record, but Tomball Memorial’s Molly Haywood cleared 14 feet, 3 inches. Schuller also tied for sixth place in the high jump at 5 feet, 6 inches.
• Memo to area restaurant employees, who often need help figuring out which sports are on which channels: Game 7 of the Mavericks’ series against the Suns will start at 7 p.m. today on TNT. Game 7 of the Stars’ series against the Flames will start at 8:30 p.m. today on ESPN2.
Chronicle Crumbs
• In last week’s edition, I reported that the hours for the outdoor pools at The CORE would be limited due to a lack of lifeguards. The Parks and Recreation Department has since released a June schedule that calls for the pools to be closed on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays.
• Early voting for the primary runoffs begins tomorrow and ends Friday. Election Day is May 24. The polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. each day. Democrats who reside in the Dallas County portion of Coppell have decisions to make in eight campaigns (sample ballot), while Republicans will finalize only three competitions (sample ballot).
• Although this is the first time the December 2021 mauling of Jacqueline Durand has been mentioned in the Chronicle, I’m betting you’re aware of the tragic event that happened here in Coppell. If not, a thorough CBS News report is embedded in this GoFundMe page. Durand’s friends and family are hosting a fundraiser on Saturday afternoon at Andrew Brown Park Central.
Community Calendar
Ride of Silence: Local cyclists will meet at Coppell Town Center on Wednesday to conduct a 10-mile ride memorializing their fallen brethren.
Encanto: A free outdoor screening of the Disney movie had to be called off in early March due to inclement weather. It has been rescheduled for 8 p.m. on Friday at Andrew Brown Park East.
Steel Magnolias: You have three opportunities to see Theatre Coppell’s production of the classic play set at Truvy’s hair salon next weekend: 8 p.m. on Friday, 8 p.m. on Saturday, and 2:30 p.m. on May 22.
Summer Reading Kickoff Bash: In an attempt to get kids to crack open books over the summer, the Cozby Library and Community Commons staff will offer games, special visitors, and treats at 10 a.m. on Saturday in Town Center Plaza.
Encore!: The Coppell Children’s Chorus will present a free concert at 11 a.m. on Saturday outside the Coppell Arts Center.
Broadway!: You can catch a double-header of free performances with exclamation points in their titles on Saturday. The Coppell Community Orchestra will perform at 3 p.m. inside the Coppell Arts Center.
Red Cross blood drive: You can donate blood between noon and 6 p.m. on May 24 at Rejoice Lutheran Church.
Glad to hear the council made the right and very fair decision for the Sherwood Park homeowners with (existing) carports. 🙌🏻
Thanks Dan. Especially for the sample ballots.