Coppell Chronicle Vol. 3, No. 44
Coppell Becomes Dumping Ground for Pets • Permit Request Has Coppell Greens Seeing Red • Neighboring Cities Tackle Short-Term Rentals • Lewisville Expected to Call Bond Election
I don’t yet know what my beautiful wife and handsome sons got me for Christmas, but they’ve got a tough act to follow. On Friday morning, I received quite a gift: The New York Times included an article from your favorite newsletter in a roundup headlined “Local Journalism Worth Reading from 2023.” The article the Gray Lady chose to highlight was “District’s Board Flooded With Questions” from the Sept. 24 edition.
Coppell Becomes Dumping Ground for Pets
A lot of unwanted animals are being dumped in Coppell these days. The manager of the city’s shelter recently called it an “epidemic.”
Charlene Lovato used that term at the most recent meeting of the Coppell Animal Services Advisory and Appeals Board. During that Nov. 7 meeting, Lovato reported that the shelter was caring for 30 animals, only 12 of which (nine cats, two rabbits, and one dog) “were turned in the right way,” meaning they were strays or surrendered by their owners. “Everything else was either dumped at a park, dumped in an alley, dumped in a box.”
Lovato said three puppies and a pig (A PIG!) had been left in an alley with residential garbage the day before the meeting. That placement by trash cans was the third such incident in recent memory, and two of those happened on the same street.
“I don’t think they’re doing it so that they’ll go in the trash,” Lovato said. “I think that they just know that as long as it’s clearly an animal in the cage that somebody’s going to see it.”
Lovato also said a box of kittens had recently been left outside the shelter at the south end of Coppell Road. That’s not an uncommon occurrence, and Lovato said it contributes to the prevalent sightings of undomesticated animals near the shelter.
“That’s how come the bobcats don’t leave and the coyotes, ’cause they like staying in this little area, ’cause it’s a smorgasbord,” she said. “That’s what’s feeding ’em. This is a Golden Corral buffet up here in front of the shelter.”
A week after that meeting, Coppell Animal Services published a Facebook post that says, “We have seen an increase in the number of animals being abandoned in Coppell.” When I asked for some stats to quantify that increase, I was told 32 strays — 17 of which were abandoned — were received between Oct. 1 and Nov. 15. In the same timespan last year, 13 strays were taken in, and three of those 13 were abandoned.
Tracy Allard, who serves as vice chair of the Animal Services Advisory and Appeals Board, attributes the problem to Coppell’s reputation as a “no kill” shelter. It leads heartbroken pet owners from other cities to bring their animals here, in the hopes that they’ll find a new home.
“That’s what everybody in the Metroplex thinks,” Allard said during the Nov. 7 meeting. “‘We’ll bring them to the Coppell shelter and dump them there because they’re a ‘no kill’ shelter,’ because we’re Coppell.”
To be clear, some animals at the Coppell shelter do get euthanized. Lovato and I recently exchanged a few emails to clarify what “no kill” means. She said the usual benchmark is a live-release rate of 90 percent. The last time she calculated Coppell’s rate, it was at least 92 percent.
“Although our numbers would allow us to classify as ‘no kill,’ I’m hesitant to do so due to the exact issue we’re facing,” she wrote. “I have been told through local rescues and individuals that our shelter has a good reputation for not euthanizing for breed, space, or time, which is believed to be the reason for the increase in [animals] dumped within our jurisdiction.”
When they can, Lovato’s staff work with police to track down the people abandoning their animals. Doing so is a Class C misdemeanor, which carries a maximum fine of $500, but Lovato said the typical assessment locally is less than $200.
A few times, people have brought animals to Coppell’s shelter that they claimed to have found on the street. These people apparently forgot that their pets were chipped, and the data in those chips includes their name and address. Lovato told the advisory board her staff figured this out at least once before the owner could walk out the door.
“Lookie there — it looks like we have a two-for-one. We have a stray and an owner reunite, right in front of us,” she said.
Let’s end this depressing article on a positive note: When I stopped by the shelter on Saturday morning, the number of animals there had been reduced by more than half since early November. The staff was caring for seven cats, two rabbits, and three dogs, two of whom barked incessantly as I approached the shelter on foot. If you’d like to make their time in Coppell more pleasant, check out the shelter’s Amazon wish list.
Permit Request Has Coppell Greens Seeing Red
In retrospect, Delon Onsin never had a chance. His request to legally operate a short-term rental in Coppell Greens was opposed by city planners, dozens of his neighbors, and the leaders of his homeowners association.
Onsin and his wife, Faith Onsin, have owned their house on Lairds Drive since 2008. In March of 2022, they bought another home in Farmers Branch.
Late last year, Coppell officials learned the Onsins were renting their Lairds Drive home on a short-term basis without a permit. The city sent them a cease-and-desist letter last January, but the short-term rentals did not cease or desist until a municipal judge ordered them to in June.
Following that court order, the Onsins applied for a permit under the rules the City Council enacted last May. During Thursday’s meeting of the Coppell Planning and Zoning Commission, Senior Planner Mary Paron-Boswell said Delon stated that he resides in Farmers Branch while his wife still lives in Coppell. Faith was not present during a recent inspection, Paron-Boswell said, but six people were, including a man occupying the primary bedroom.
Paron-Boswell also said there were no family photos on the walls, not much food in the pantry, and few clothes in the closets. A sign posted in a bathroom advised against flushing anything in the commode besides toilet paper.
“There was essentially no evidence of Ms. Onsin actually living at the address,” Paron-Boswell told the commissioners.
More than 40 people submitted written opposition to the Onsins’ request. Before several of them spoke during the public hearing, Delon Onsin said there’s plenty of space for parked cars on and near his corner lot. “I don’t see why they should oppose it,” he said.
When Commission Chair Edmund Haas asked Onsin whether he lives in the Coppell Greens house, he replied, “We moved out in July of 2022, but we had issue with my wife, so she went back to the house where we used to be.”
The public hearing’s first speaker, Ryan McCormick, lives at the other end of Coppell Greens. He had no specific complaints about the Onsins’ property, but he’s against short-term rentals in general.
“I’d prefer if there were no short-term rentals in Coppell,” McCormick said. “I think community cohesion is damaged by them.”
The final speaker, Tarkeshwar Shrimali, lives around the corner from the Onsins’ house. Before speaking hyperbolically about short-term rentals — “You’re destroying the life as we know it” — he made what he admitted was a “bad” analogy about them: “There’s no point in getting married, because you can every day have a one-night stand.”
The commission also heard from neighbors who live directly across the street. Besides expressing safety concerns about short-term rentals as a concept, Tamera Westervelt said broken spigots in the Onsins’ sprinkler system led to water in the street during droughts, when we weren’t supposed to be watering our grass, much less our asphalt. And Bo Jackson — no, not that Bo Jackson — complained of 2-foot weeds in the yard.
Phil Laberge, the vice president of the Coppell Greens HOA, said the Onsins have consistently been sent letters about issues with their lawn maintenance. He also said they have been in arrears on their HOA dues numerous times, including now.
“This is a house in particular that we really don’t want to see approved,” Laberge said.
Once the public hearing was closed, Commissioner Kent Hafemann asked Onsin for permission to pose some “uncomfortable questions.” When asked why he had defied the city, Onsin said he didn’t know a permit was required to operate a short-term rental. He was out of the country when the city sent the cease-and-desist letter; his son was managing the property in his absence and didn’t know what to do. When Onsin returned from his trip, he pleaded “no contest,” paid a fine, and stopped renting the house out.
Hafemann also wanted to know why Onsin hadn’t maintained his property to the neighborhood’s standards. Onsin claimed he paid his HOA dues in advance, two to three years at a time, rather than on a monthly basis.
“I know we had a few issues with the lawn not being mowed properly, but it’s been fixed since then,” he said.
Onsin insisted that he has not rented the house since July. When Hafemann brought up all the people who were on the premises during the recent inspection, Onsin had an explanation. These were his exact words:
“We have a family coming from Florida. It was recommended by us for a friend to stay for Christmas. That’s the people who was with us now. That’s what the zoning people found over there.”
That explanation did not help. Hafemann made a motion to recommend denial, and the five other commissioners on the dais agreed with him. The City Council will have the final say on Jan. 9, assuming the Onsins continue with the process.
Click here to read previous articles about short-term rentals.
Neighboring Cities Tackle Short-Term Rentals
Coppell wasn’t the only place short-term rentals were discussed last week. They were also on the Grapevine City Council’s agenda on Tuesday. That’s when Grapevine Planning Director Erica Marohnic said this:
“It has been the city’s contention since 2017 that short-term transient rentals — also referred to as short-term rentals — are not allowed and have never been allowed in single-family districts or within the zoning ordinance of the City of Grapevine.”
That may be the city’s contention, but when I searched Airbnb last week for accommodations in Grapevine over the Martin Luther King Jr. Day weekend, I found 12 listings. They included single bedrooms and guest houses, but there was also a listing for an entire house on a residential cul-de-sac that could supposedly accommodate 13 people. The asking price was $1,133 per night.
During Tuesday’s council meeting, Marohnic went on to say, “Operation of short-term rentals deteriorates single-family neighborhoods with their influx of residents, greater amounts of traffic, on-street parking, the noise, litter, and the need for additional emergency services, and other public nuisances that are not normally occurring in owner-occupied neighborhoods.”
That said, Grapevine will consider amending its zoning ordinance to allow short-term rentals in certain multifamily developments. Under a set of proposed amendments, short-term rentals would be permitted in complexes with 50 or more units, as long as the complex is not within 500 feet of a single-family district. No more than 3 percent of any development’s units could be rented on a short-term basis.
The council was provided this map that shows the short-term rentals would be clustered around the Grapevine Mills mall.
The Grapevine City Council scheduled a public hearing on the proposed amendments for Jan. 16.
Meanwhile, the Lewisville City Council is expected to consider a one-year moratorium on new short-term rentals next month, following the lead of their peers in Plano. The Dallas Morning News has more details.
Lewisville Expected to Call Bond Election
There are more than 150 homes in Coppell ISD that are also in the City of Lewisville. If you own one of those homes, consider this article my Christmas gift to you.
The Lewisville City Council is expected to place a $262.4 million bond package on the May 4 ballot. The official vote will most likely take place next month, but it has to happen no later than Feb. 16.
Earlier this month, a “blue ribbon” committee recommended three bond propositions to the council:
$198.5 million for streets improvements
$47.5 million for parks, open space, and recreation improvements
$16.4 million for public safety improvements
The dollars raised by that second proposition would help renovate a park and amphitheater along Lake Vista Drive, just outside the Coppell city limits. Longtime subscribers may recall how intrigued I was by that dilapidated amphitheater when I stumbled upon it in 2021.
(See “Will Amphitheater Rise From the Dead?” in Vol. 1, No. 22.)
Assuming the council calls the election as recommended, and all three propositions are approved by voters, the average Lewisville homeowner would see an annual tax increase no higher than $52.75, which is about $4.40 per month.
Council Member Ronni Cade pointed out that $4.40 is cheaper than many drinks at Starbucks. Confirming her credentials as a connoisseur of drive-thru restaurants, Cade added, “This is actually less than a Happy Meal nowadays.”
Those estimated increases were presented as a worst-case scenario. It’s possible that the tax rate will not go up, Mayor TJ Gilmore said, which would align with every bond election during his tenure on the council.
“The reality of how we run this city, fiscally, is that that has not ever happened,” Gilmore said. “That’s not a promise. We can’t promise that, but we will manage to that.”
Chronicle Crumbs
• TRAFFIC ALERT: A stretch of East Belt Line Road will be reduced to one lane in each direction for three months due to the construction of DART’s Silver Line tracks. The tracks will cross East Belt Line between Kyra Court and Moore Road at ground level (as opposed to the bridge over South Belt Line). Contractor Archer Western Herzog plans to start closing lanes on Jan. 3, and the closures are expected to continue in three phases through March.
• TRAFFIC ALERT PART II: If you ever drive on the ramps connecting Interstate 35 to the George Bush Turnpike, then you should be aware that they will be closed nightly for maintenance until early January, according to WFAA.
• Coppell’s trash, recycling, and yard waste collections will shift one day this week. Trash will be collected on Tuesday and Friday, while recycling and yard waste will be collected on Thursday. Lewisville will follow the same “delayed by one day” pattern, so collections that normally happen on Wednesday will occur on Thursday. But in Irving, the trash collectors will take Christmas and Tuesday off, then pick up as normal the rest of the week.
• In the Sept. 10 edition, I reported that the Coppell Police Department was looking for a hit-and-run driver whose vehicle collided with a pedestrian on Interstate 635. Last week, the Coppell Fire Department shared that several firefighter-paramedics were recognized by a Grapevine hospital for saving the pedestrian’s life; she’s alive and well after spending 45 days in the intensive care unit. That prompted me to ask Coppell Officer Kelly Luther if the cops ever located the driver. She said they had, but the incident ended up not being a hit-and-run as originally thought.
• U.S. Rep. Beth Van Duyne, whose Congressional District 24 includes most of Coppell, has endorsed Southlake Mayor John Huffman in the crowded Republican primary in District 26, which includes the Denton County portion of Coppell.
• Speaking of Southlake, Carroll ISD Board of Trustees President Cam Bryan made news last week by declaring that he’s tired of hearing about “winter break” and wants the school district to call it “Christmas and New Year’s break.” Channel 4 has more details.
• “Santa on Havencrest” may have wrapped up his yearly duties, but I’m told the “Frozen Snow Queen” will be at the Christmas display at 345 Charleston Drive from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. today and tomorrow, weather permitting.
• The very first edition of this newsletter included an article about the plans for a Smoothie King at 205 N. Denton Tap Road. Consequently, that building will always hold a special place in my heart. On Saturday, I spied with my little eye a new sign above the vacant space between Smoothie King and Donut City. That sign bears the name of Sweathouz, a spa chain that offers infrared saunas, cold plunges, and vitamin C showers.
• It’s been a year since I purchased two tacos from the pop-up version of Taqueria La Ventana in Old Town Coppell, and there’s still no sign that the permanent version will open anytime soon. Meanwhile, a new venue for tacos is on the horizon. On Tuesday, the Grapevine City Council approved a zoning change that will allow the 7-Eleven at Grapevine Mills Boulevard and State Highway 121 to be renovated so that a Laredo Taco Company can be added.
• One of my newsprint competitors recently published an interview with Alexis Wellborn, the relatively new manager of the Cozby Library and Community Commons. That interview does not mention the fact that Wellborn is pregnant; she announced the bun in her oven during the Coppell Library Advisory Board’s Dec. 14 meeting.
• If you have anyone left on your shopping list (perhaps college students who need a way to stay connected to their hometown), I have an idea:
Community Calendar
Sing in the New Year!: Teenagers are invited to show off their karaoke skills while enjoying games and crafts between 5:30 and 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday at the Cozby Library and Community Commons.
Wild by Nature: Families are invited to learn about local winter birds between 1 and 3 p.m. on Friday at the Biodiversity Education Center. There will be games, including “migration headache” and “seek the beak,” designed around our frequent flyers. Participants will discover how birds fly and look at their feathers under a microscope. All children must be accompanied by an adult.
Game Night: Families are invited to enjoy classic and contemporary board games, plus a few giant ones, between 6 and 8 p.m. on Jan. 3 at the Cozby Library and Community Commons.
Guided Bird Walk: A Cozby Library and Community Commons staffer will help participants observe winter bird species between 9:30 and 11 a.m. on Jan. 7. Registration is required.
Four Day Weekend: The acclaimed improv comedy troupe will return to the Coppell Arts Center for their monthly engagement at 7:30 p.m. on Jan. 11.
Meditative Drawing: No art experience is necessary to attend this class scheduled for 2 p.m. on Jan. 13 at the Cozby Library and Community Commons, but registration is required.
Darren Nicholson: The Grammy-nominated bluegrass musician will perform at the Coppell Arts Center at 7:30 p.m. on Jan. 13.
Assistance League of Coppell meeting: Is your New Year’s resolution to become more actively engaged in Coppell? Come to the next Assistance League meeting and see how you can easily connect. Members and guests will gather at 11:15 a.m. on Jan. 18 in Room 236 at Valley Ranch Baptist Church for a two-part program. First, Atmos representative Jan Rugg will present a donation that will bring the company’s three-year total to $8,000. Then, Lynne Ryan will lead attendees in putting together games for goody bags that will go Night to Shine participants on Feb. 9. After the meeting, members and guests will go to lunch at a nearby restaurant.
Coffee With a Cop: Coppell Police Department officers will be hanging out at Gas Coffee between 8:30 and 10:30 a.m. on Jan. 20, when Frost Bank will pay for your cup of joe.
9 to 5: Coppell High School’s Cowboy Theatre Company will present five performances of Dolly Parton’s musical based on the 1980 film. The first show is scheduled for 7 p.m. on Jan. 20.
Dallas Symphony Orchestra: The musicians from Big D will venture to suburbia for a performance at 7:30 p.m. on Jan. 24 at the Coppell Arts Center.
Congrats on the NYT recognition! Another great edition. Specially like your Chronicle Crumbs section each week. Am puzzled how a hit and run could be mistaken for something else?
Merry Christmas! Thank you for the great reporting on short term rentals. I’ve been trying to get to read all I can on how the cities are handling them.
I hope you’re going to get to report Sunday on the evacuation and road closure on the 200 block of Plantation. I see the road is closed and lots of men working there today. I have t heard what caused the emergency yet.