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Regular Council Meeting <br />November 16, 2015 <br />Page 5 <br />would allow multiple- family or apartment buildings. Mr. Efrussy further explained that Planning <br />and Zoning unanimously approved this zoning change, but staff did not support this zoning <br />request and recommended denial, because it could possibly represent spot zoning and did not <br />satisfy the Comprehensive Plan Future Land Use Plan. He reviewed three options with Council, <br />one was denial of the request and two of which recommended approval but recognizing the <br />issues. <br />Mayor Hashmi opened the public hearing and asked for anyone wishing to speak in favor <br />or in opposition of this item, to please come forward. Adjacent land owner Donie Hussey spoke <br />in favor of the zoning change and said to deny the request would also deny access to half of her <br />property. John House spoke in favor of this request and said he had until the end of the year to <br />invest the money from his sell of the Extended Stay. Mayor Hashmi asked of his plans, if he was <br />unable to get rezoning of this property. Mr. House said he would develop something in Beavers <br />Bend. With no one else speaking, Mayor Hashmi closed the public hearing. <br />Council Member Frierson said although he was not in favor of spot zoning, that he was in <br />favor of development in Paris and would agree with Planning and Zoning. Council Member <br />Plata agreed with Council Member Frierson. Council Member Lancaster said she took the <br />recommendations of staff seriously. Mayor Hashmi said he was not in favor of spot zoning and <br />appreciated staff's recommendation, but did not want Mr. House investing in Broken Bow. <br />Following additional discussion between City Council and Mr. Efrussy, a Motion to <br />approve this item was made by Mayor Hashmi and seconded by Council Member Pickle. <br />Motion carried, 7 ayes — 0 nays. <br />20. Receive presentation from Dr. Clifford regarding Paris Warehouse 107 tax abatements, <br />discuss and possibly act. <br />Council Member Clifford said this presentation was about the tax abatement agreement <br />with Paris Warehouse 107, but was also about how the PEDC, the City of Paris, and the Lamar <br />County Appraisal District really failed in their responsibility to the citizens of Paris Texas. <br />He said in March of 2006, the City of Paris, Lamar County, and Paris Junior College <br />entered into a tax abatement agreement with Paris Warehouse 107, in which taxes on a new <br />warehouse would be abated, a new 150,000 square foot warehouse would be constructed, and the <br />company would maintain 158 full -time jobs over the next 7 years. Council Member Clifford <br />explained that in exchange for the economic benefit of the new warehouse, that the City, the <br />County and the College were to abate the taxes according to a declining percentage formula. He <br />further explained the contract specified mandatory annual reports that had to be filed with the <br />PEDC or the City of Paris including the number of full time employees employed during each <br />quarter. <br />He said the established policy at that time delegated most of the compliance <br />responsibility to the PEDC. Council Member Clifford said he discovered that for the first several <br />years of the abatement, none of the required documents verifying compliance with the terms of <br />