Blog

Nov 15

Junked Vehicles Ordinance

Posted on November 15, 2019 at 2:30 PM by Aaron Hall

One of the biggest complaints the City receives is regarding junked vehicles and the negative effect they have on the overall look of White Settlement. At their November meeting, the White Settlement City Council voted to amend the junked vehicles ordinance. This change shifts the oversight of this issue away from the Planning and Zoning committee and puts it under the authority of the Municipal Judge. This is an issue that our Code Compliance Officers are on the lookout for, so if you are unaware of how the junked vehicles ordinance works you may want to familiarize yourself with it by reading on.

Junked vehicles that are visible from a public place or public right-of-way are considered a public nuisance. They are detrimental to the safety and welfare of the general public, tend to reduce the value of private property, invite vandalism, create fire hazards, can create safety hazards for minors, and are detrimental to the economic welfare of the city.

For the purpose of this ordinance, a vehicle can be a motor vehicle, aircraft, or watercraft. To be considered junked, a vehicle must be wrecked, dismantled or partially dismantled, discarded, or inoperable for a set amount of time. If it is on public property, a vehicle that has remained inoperable for seventy-two consecutive hours is considered junked and if it is on private property the inoperable vehicle is considered junked after thirty consecutive days. Vehicles without the required license plates, identification numbers, or certificates are also considered to be junked.

If a junked vehicle is identified, three parties will receive notices. The last known registered owner of the junked vehicle, any lienholders of record, and the owner or occupant of the property where the junked vehicle is located. This notice provides ten days during which the junked vehicle can be removed by the owner or a public hearing can be requested to contest the removal of the junked vehicle by the City. That hearing will take place in front of the municipal judge.

If no hearing is requested or if the judge rules against the requestor, an order will be made to remove the junked vehicle. Per court order, the vehicle will be picked up and be disposed of at a scrapyard, demolisher, or similar scrap or salvage location.

If you have any questions about this ordinance please contact our Code Department either via email at rrogers@wstx.us or by calling 817-246-4971 ext. 267. friendly towtruck

Nov 15

Doo the right thing

Posted on November 15, 2019 at 1:30 PM by Aaron Hall

Pet waste that is not disposed of properly can put your health, your dog's health, and your child's health at risk.

Parvovirus is a serious, highly contagious disease that affects dogs of any age, breed, or sex. It is highly contagious to unvaccinated puppies. A dog may be a carrier of the disease without even showing signs of being infected. It affects the intestinal lining, causing diarrhea, vomiting, loss of appetite, depression, and even death. It is transmitted by contact with infected dog waste either directly or indirectly through soiled shoes, car tires, and anything else that it touches. The virus can remain infectious on the ground for six months or even longer!

Dog waste can also affect people. Some of the diseases or parasites that can be transmitted to people from dog waste include campylobacteriosis, cryptosporidium, and toxocariasis. Children playing in the yard and adults gardening can be exposed to these diseases or parasites. That’s why it is important to not leave dog waste on the ground. Help keep pets and people safe and healthy by picking up after your dog.

Additionally, improperly disposed pet waste can wash into storm drains by rain, melting snow, and even from sprinkler runoff and other landscape watering. Storm drains in North Central Texas drain directly into our lakes and streams, carrying many pollutants along with the water. This water is NOT treated or cleaned before it empties into a body of water.

Pet waste that ends up in our lakes, rivers, and streams causes many problems. Pet waste in the water increases bacteria levels and that can cause gastrointestinal problems and skin reactions, making the water unsafe for swimming and other activities. Pet waste in the water also decays, using up oxygen and sometimes releasing ammonia. Low oxygen levels and ammonia combined with warm temperatures can kill fish. Pet waste also contains nutrients that encourage weed and algae growth. Overly fertile water becomes cloudy and green--unattractive for swimming, boating, and fishing. This is why it is important to not leave dog waste on the ground. Help protect our water quality by picking up after your dog.

graphic about picking up dog waste

Nov 15

Reverse Litter Campaign

Posted on November 15, 2019 at 1:28 PM by Aaron Hall

We are currently bringing attention to Ten on Tuesday campaign pledge that is a part of the reverselitter.com website. Reverse Litter is an anti-litter awareness and education campaign that was created in 2012. The campaign is centered around protecting North Texas waterways from trash and debris. Most littering doesn’t just happen. It doesn’t accidentally end up by sidewalks, in parking lots, or along roadways. That Styrofoam cup didn’t just fly out of the back of a pickup truck on its own. Someone had to put it there in the first place. Most litter finds its way into the environment because someone chose convenience over finding a trash can. And that’s not cool. Litter trashes out the places we live, work, and play. It also winds up in our waterways, polluting a resource that we all depend on to survive. We’re stepping up to change that. Are you willing to help?

We as a City have taken this pledge to pick up ten pieces of litter each Tuesday and we invite each of you to take the pledge with us. You can follow along with our progress each Tuesday on our Facebook Page and you can even have your own litter cleanup efforts highlighted by emailing us your cleanup photos to ahall@wstx.us.

graphic for recycling program