HomeMy WebLinkAbout05-25-10 Regular Meeting and Public Hearing of the La Porte Wrecker Committe City of La Porte
Wrecker Committee
Minutes of May 25, 2010
Committee Members Present: Tim Tietjens, Planning Director (designated representative of the City
Manager); Sharon Harris, filling in for Martha Gillett, City Secretary; and
Officer Kyle Jones, filling in for Lt. Gary Rice (designated representative
of the Police Chief)
Staff Members Present: Clark Askins, Assistant City Attorney; Debbie Wilmore, Chief Building
Official; and Peggy Lee, Office Coordinator
1. Call to order.
Meeting called to order by Chairman Tim Tietjens at 2:16 p.m.
2. Roll call of members.
Tim Tietjens, Sharon Harris (filling in for Martha Gillett), and Officer Kyle Jones (filling in for Lt.
Gary Rice) were present for roll call.
3. Consider approval of April 14, 2010, meeting minutes.
Motion by Sharon Harris to approve the Minutes of April 14, 2010, with a change to Item 2, Roll
Call, to reflect Officer Jones was filling in for Lt. Gary Rice, who was absent. Second by Kyle
Jones. The motion carried unanimously.
4. Conduct public hearing to receive input on possible amendments to the Code of Ordinances
Chapter 78 Vehicles for Hire, Article III Automobile Wreckers and Towing Vehicles.
A. Open public hearing
Chairman Tietjens opened the public hearing at 2:18 p.m.
B. Staff comments
Staff comments followed public comments. Debbie Wilmore, Chief Building Official,
confirmed statements made by Mr. Slocum and Mr. Hinds that the call out rotation
is based on the license issued to a specific vehicle and not the company.
C. Public comments
Public comments were heard prior to staff comments. Bobby Slocum, of La Porte
Towing, suggested there be only one rotation on the list for each company.
Wrecker Committee
Minutes of May 25, 2010
Page 2 of 3
Charlie Hinds, of Charlie Hinds Paint & Body, agreed with Mr. Slocum's comments
that there should be only one rotation for each company, regardless of how many
wreckers the company has permitted with the City. The permit should be issued for
the company, not the truck.
D. Close public hearing
Chairman Tietjens closed the public hearing at 2:26 p.m.
5. Consider action on a recommendation to City Council on amendments to the Code of
Ordinances Chapter 78 Vehicles for Hire, Article III Automobile Wreckers and Towing Vehicles.
Chairman Tietjens noted that a formal recommendation was not developed prior to the public
hearing. The following items have been discussed and will be used to help draft the ordinance
amendments that will be considered at a future meeting.
o Remove the word "without" from the definition of auto wrecker — Auto wrecker means
a towing vehicle which may lawfully appear at the scene of an accident where a vehicle
has collided with another vehicle or other object or which has been wrecked or disabled
in any manner for the purpose or expectation of towing, removing or hauling away the
wrecked vehicle from the scene of the accident without having been expressly
summoned there by the police department or the owner of one of the vehicles involved
in the accident.
o Add definition for heavy duty wrecker.
o City cannot limit the number of permits issued, unless it can be proven that such action
is related to safety and is supported by a study.
o Restructure call out rotation list so that each company has only one rotation on the list.
When called, a company could send any available wrecker that has been issued a permit
by the City to operate.
o Unnecessary to maintain a separate heavy duty wrecker rotation list.
o If legal, change ordinance language to require the applicant own /operate a storage
facility within the city limits (would no longer be able to lease from someone else).
o Change the minimum size of the letters for the signage on the wrecker to: license
holder name 3 ", license holder address and phone number 2 ", and vehicle owner name
and phone number 1 ".
o Ensure subcontracted wreckers carry insurance.
Wrecker Committee
Minutes of May 25, 2010
Page 3 of 3
Motion by Kyle Jones for the Wrecker Committee to decline making a recommendation to City
Council on ordinance amendments at this time and to reconsider at a future meeting. Second
by Sharon Harris.
6. Administrative Reports
There were no administrative reports.
7. Committee Comments
A. Matters appearing on agenda.
Kyle Jones requested a copy of the regulations from TDLR that govern vehicle storage lots.
B. Inquiry of staff regarding specific factual information or existing policy.
None.
8. Adjourn
Motion by Sharon Harris to adjourn. Second by Kyle Jones. The meeting adjourned at 3:22 p.m.
Prepared by Peggy Lee, Planning Department Office Coordinator