Some Fort Worth residents and business owners say construction cones are sometimes the first sign of a project. Frezko Taco Spot owner Eliazar Salinas told NBC 5 in August that cones appeared one day along Eighth Avenue. Fort Worth City Council Member Elizabeth Beck said her office is sometimes left trying to find out which utility or project is responsible when residents call.
For non-city projects, the city relies on the companies doing the work to send notifications. Michael Owen of Transportation and Public Works said the city handles nearly 8,000 permits a year with eight staff members monitoring them. Owen told the council at a work session on Oct. 27 that the city can only pursue bad actors with the resources it has.
Owen said the city is considering stronger communication requirements in the permitting process. Options include extra outreach for some projects, expanding the notification area from 200 to 500 feet, requiring proof that notices were sent, and raising fines. Beck said she is also pushing for automatic alerts through software the city already uses, along with more staffing.