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Frequently Asked Questions:
Who do I call if my dog or cat has been picked up by the Animal Control Officer? The Animal Control Department is responsible for picking up loose or stray animals and housing them at the City Pound. Please contact the Animal Control Officer at (830) 997-1907 or (830) 997-7585. Does the City take care of the creeks for mosquitoes? The city does put larvicide out in areas throughout the city where stagnant water accumulates. If there is an area that needs attention please call the Code Enforcement Officer at (830) 997-7585. Where can I find Information about Economic Development and/or Relocation? This information can be obtained from the Gillespie County Economic Development Commission at (830) 997-6523 or at their website: www.fredericksburg-texas.com How do I contact the Chamber of Commerce? The Chamber of Commerce, Convention & Visitors Bureau, and Economic Development Commission are located at the new Visitor's Center located at 302 E. Austin St. The telephone number is (830) 997-6523 and their website is: www.fredericksburg-texas.com Who can I contact for information about City Ordinances? Many of the development related ordinances are available on this website by clicking here. Other ordinances or information about them can be obtained by visiting the Municode Web Site or by contacting the City Secretary at (830) 997-7521 Extension #2005.
How many City Council members are there? As per the Home Rule Charter, adopted by the citizens of Fredericksburg in 1991, the legislative and governing body of the City of Fredericksburg consists of a Mayor and four (4) Councilmembers. They are elected from the City at large. The term for the Mayor and Councilmembers is two years. No Mayor or Councilmember may serve more than four (4) consecutive two (2) year terms in the same office. The terms of the Councilmembers are staggered so that two members are elected to a regular term each year. Each member of the City Council must be a resident citizen of the City of Fredericksburg and have been so for a period of not less than twelve months immediately preceding his/her election. Each member must also be a qualified voter of the State of Texas, and shall not be indebted to the City of Fredericksburg. When and where are the City Council Meetings held? Meetings are held at the Law Enforcement Center, 1601 E. Main St., the first and third Monday of each month, beginning at 7:00 pm, unless otherwise noted in the agenda. Citizens who wish to speak on a particular agenda item or require an item to be placed on the agenda should contact the City Secretary at (830) 997-7521 during regular business hours Monday through Friday. Are signs allowed in Residential Zoning Districts? Commercial type signs are prohibited in residential districts. Exceptions include grandfathered signs (signs that existed before the sign ordinance was adopted) and auxiliary type signs. Auxiliary signs can be a maximum of 4 square feet and may only identify the name and address of the occupant of an individual residence or a historically significant site. Where is my property line relative to the street/curb? In most cases, private property starts approximately 5’ from the curb line or street. You may contact the City’s Engineering Department who will come to your property and attempt to locate the property line along the street, however they will not actually conduct a survey. If the City is unable to locate the property line, a professional surveyor should be consulted. What do I need to obtain a sign permit? An individual should contact the City to determine the amount of sign area allowed given the location and particular zoning district. A drawing is required that shows the proposed location and size of the sign (colors are required if located in the Historic district). The cost is $1 per square foot of sign area, with a minimum fee of $10 What is the ETJ and how does it affect me? The “ETJ” stands for Extraterritorial Jurisdiction, and is the area within one mile of the City Limits of Fredericksburg. The City enforces it’s Subdivision Ordinance and Sign Regulations within the ETJ. If you have a question as to whether or not your property is within the ETJ, you my visit the maps on the City’s web site by clicking HERE or contact the Planning Department. What can I do about a junky or weedy lot, or junked vehicles? You may contact the City’s Code Enforcement Officer to report such a situation. The Code Enforcement Officer will investigate the situation and, if it is determined that there is a code violation, the officer will contact the owner of the property and request that they remedy the situation. If the problem persists, a letter is sent to the property owner, who is given 10 days to rectify the problem. What Do I Do If The Power Goes Out?Check to see if others are without power. If you are the only one without electricity, check your circuit breaker panel or fuse box. Note that in some homes or buildings, the main breaker is located near the electric meter. If the breakers are in the “on” position or the fuses are not burned out, you will need to call an electrician. If others are without power, call the City of Fredericksburg Electric Department. On weekdays between 7:30 a.m. and 5 p.m., call (830) 997-7521. At all other times, call (830) 997-7585. If the phone is busy, try again. During an outage extra staff answer phones. Once you have reported an outage, please know that crews are working on the problem. In a major outage, duplicate calls jam the busy phone lines and prevent us from receiving critical storm damage information to help crews quickly repair the problem. When you call, be prepared to give:
Does the EMS file insurance for you? The EMS Billing Department takes assignment for Medicare and Medicaid only. A complimentary invoice will be sent out to the user just to show them what the bill was for and how much the charges are. Once Medicare/Medicaid pays, an invoice will then be sent to either your supplemental insurance or to you personally for the remaining balance. The billing office is located right here in Fredericksburg and Lori Seewald (EMS Accounts Administrator) can be reached at 990-2030. How many EMS units and personnel are on each day? There are two EMS units staffed each day for response in Fredericksburg and Gillespie County except for Harper VFD responds an ambulance in their Western territory. There is a third ambulance that can be put into service if needed. We also have a volunteer ambulance in the Doss area staffed by Doss VFD volunteers. There are usually two Paramedics on each ambulance. We do emergency transfers from the hospital to Johnson City, Brady, Kerrville, Blanco, Mason, San Antonio and Austin. The entire Department consists of 12 Full-time Paramedics, EMS Accounts Administrator is a Paramedic and the Director is a Paramedic. Our Communications Department is staffed with one Paramedic and one EMT. We also have a Part-time staff of approximately 12 personnel in which 6 are Paramedics and the others are various levels. What is the siren used for when the fire department has pagers? The siren which is on top of City Hall is used between the hours of 6 AM and 10 PM. The siren is used for each fire call that the fire department has to help summons fire department members and to warn the general public that there is an emergency going on and to be on the look out for emergency vehicles. How many paid and volunteer personnel are there? There is one paid fire department personnel on each day. During work days, the Director is also at work and he is a certified firefighter also. The paid personnel take care of all the daily duties and maintenance of the trucks and the station. The paid personnel are supplemented by a volunteer staff of 35 personnel. How far in advance can I make a tee time? Seven days maximum Can I make a tee time over the internet? Not at this time. Tee times are made either in person or by calling (830) 997-4010 or 1-800-950-8147. Do I have to have a tee time, or can I just "show up"? It is highly recommended to make a tee time, especially on weekends and holidays. This way, you are assured of getting on the course. On weekday evenings, there is an excellent chance of getting on without a tee time. If during peak times, you do not have a tee time, call ahead to see if you can get on, as there are always cancellations and other factors that may allow more players an opportunity to play. Can we play a "five-some"? "Five-somes" are allowed as long as pace of play is kept. (Ability to complete the round in four hours) Can I wear steel spike golf shoes? Our facility is soft-spike only. The personnel at the pro shop will be happy to change out your steel spikes to soft spikes for a minimal charge. Can I bring my own golf cart? The Lady Bird Johnson Municipal Golf Course owns and operates it 's own fleet of motorized driving golf carts. You may not bring your own driving cart. You may bring your own pull type (manual or motorized) cart. Does everyone in my group need to have their own set or golf clubs? Yes. To ensure pace of play, it is required that all players have their own set of clubs. Rental clubs are available at the Pro Shop. Check out the Lady Bird Johnson Municipal Golf Course web site What is required by the Gillespie County Health Division if I want to set up a food or beverage booth at a special event? A temporary health permit is required to set up in Gillespie County. A temporary health permit must be purchased 10 days prior to an event. Click here to download the Gillespie County Health Division Temporary Permit application. Why is it necessary to permit and inspect retail food operations? The Centers for Disease Control estimates that approximately 76 million Americans suffer from a foodborne illness. It is also estimated that about 5 thousand deaths occur annually as a direct result of these illnesses. This alone, as well as the billions of dollars these illnesses cost the consumers and the industry each year, makes continuous improvement in the areas of food safety and sanitation a goal shared jointly by both the food industries and those with responsibility for regulatory oversight. These senseless deaths caused from mishandling foods can be reduced by providing regulatory oversight of retail food operations. How can I obtain a Retail Food Establishment Application? A Retail Food Permit Application may be obtained by contacting City Hall at (830) 997-7521 or drop by 126 W. Main St. What type of factors contribute to food borne illnesses? The top ten factors which contribute to the occurrence of outbreaks of food borne disease due to mishandling and/or mistreatment of foods are: improper cooling, 12-hour lapse between cooking and serving, colonized infected personnel, inadequate reheating or hot holding, contaminated raw food or ingredient, unsafe food sources, improperly handled leftovers, cross contamination, inadequate cooking, and improper thawing. What is a Potentially Hazardous Food (PHF)?The Food and Drug Administration defines a "potentially hazardous food" as any food that is natural or synthetic and is in a form capable of supporting: (1) The rapid and progressive growth of infectious or toxigenic microorganisms; (2) The growth and toxin production of Clostridium botulinum; or (3) In shell eggs, the growth of Salmonella enteritidis. Is it safe to purchase dented canned foods off the grocery shelves or in a "reduced for quick sale" basket in the store? It depends. If the dent is a sharp dent on the top or bottom seam, or on the side seam of the can, the product is not fit for sale and should not be purchased. There could be a pinhole leak which may have sealed itself, but which may have caused contamination of the food. However, this should not preclude you from purchasing slightly dented cans which the store has placed for quick sale because the cans do not look good. What are the Texas Food Establishment Rules (TFER)? Can a person manufacture foods in their home, to sell to the public? Rules for Licensure of Manufacturers of Food and Wholesale Distributors of Food -Including Good Manufacturing Practices 229.183 (a) (3) states “No manufacturing of foods shall be conducted in any room used as living or sleeping quarters. All manufacturing operations shall be separated from any living or sleeping quarters by complete partitioning.” Are there alternatives to (1) above for a person who wishes to start up a small food manufacturing business? Yes. They may (a) utilize a licensed restaurant kitchen during off hours; (b) have the product made for them by a licensed food manufacturer; or (c) utilize a licensed church kitchen. In any case, the person must also license with the Manufactured Foods Division as a "Food Manufacturer". How about food safety? We have a complete section on "Food Safety Awareness" Click HERE to check it out! What hours are the landfill open?
What are the Recycling Center hours?
What can I do with old Paint and Household Pesticides? Old paint can be disposed of in two different ways. The can can be left open until the paint is completely hard, and discarded with regular trash. Paint in liquid form, as well as household pesticides can be taken to the landfill where they will be processed with wood chips, tested and landfilled. Cost of this service is:
What do I do with old appliances? Any metal object can be taken to the landfill and discarded at the metal collection area (next to the scale house. All appliances will be at no charge unless it has a compressor attached (refrigerators, freezers, air conditioners, etc..). If the compressor is attached, a $30.00 removal fee will be charged. Wire (from old fences, etc..) will also be taken, but needs to be rolled up and free from staves or other wooden posts. I know I can't put my yard waste in my garbage; what can I do with it? Grass, leaves, weeds and garden waste can be taken to the landfill's yard waste collection area for no charge. Brush and branches will also be taken, but for a processing fee of $42.00 per ton ($7.00 minimum charge). What do you do with the mulch and can I purchase some of it? The mulch is available for sale to the public during normal landfill hours. Loading will be self-service, except on Wednesdays and Fridays from 1:00pm - 3:00 pm, when the landfill staff will be available to load larger quantities using a front-end loader. The cost for mulch is:
Why does it cost so much to operate a landfill? The Landfill is operated under Subtitle D Regulations which requires each cell to be constructed with an impermeable liner. The cost of constructing these cells is approximately $125,000.00 - $150,000.00 per acre. Each acre of space lasts about 1 year Why doesn't the City offer curbside recycling? The City's recycling program has become a model for small communities. The percentage of citizens using the drop-off center rivals larger cities that have curbside service. The excellent participation along with the startup cost to offer curbside service versus the revenue from sale of recyclables has led the City to continue the drop-off program. The cost of starting a curbside program would have to be added to the garbage collection and disposal rates. Markets will continue to be monitored as well as other factors to make sure the citizens get the best service for the money. Why doesn't the City pick up commercial garbage? The City does not pick up commercial garbage due to the fact that there are commercial haulers already doing business in the City of Fredericksburg. Where can I find more information about Municipal Landfills? The EPA's website is chocked fill of information. It can be found at: http://www.epa.gov/epaoswer/non-hw/muncpl/index.htm Can we make camping reservations on-line? No, not at this time. All reservations must be made by calling the Park Headquarters at (830) 997-4202. How do I check on the availability of park facilities that are for rent? Availability, reservations, and rental fees of Parks and Recreation facilities can be obtained from the Park Superintendent at (830) 997-4202, Monday-Friday between the hours of 7:30a.m. and 5 p.m. What do I do if my street light is out?Please call (830) 997-7521. There is a four digit number located on the utility pole that the light is mounted. If you cannot locate this number, please supply the address or location (such as intersection of College St. and Llano St.). What do I do if a traffic light is out in my neighborhood or a sign is missing or knocked down? The traffic lights, signs, school zone lights, etc.. that are located on State or US Highways are all owned and maintained by the Texas Department of Transportation These include:
Please contact TXDot at (830) 997-4361. For stop signs, yield signs, etc. on all other city streets (within the city limits), please call the Street Department at (830) 997-7521. What if a tree or limb is down in the city street or alley? Please contact the Street Department at (830) 997-7521. What department do I call if I see a dead animal in the road?The Animal Control Department is responsible for picking up dead animals. Please call the Animal Control Officer at (830) 997-1907 or (830) 997-7585. How hard is our City Water? Water hardness is claculated in grains per gallon. Here is the info:
Grains Per Gallon of Hardness Conversion (Used for Customers installing a Water Softener) City Water has 350 mg/l of hardness 350 mg/l =350 parts per million 1 grain per gallon = 17.12 parts per million 1 part per million = 0.05841 grains per gallon 350 x 0.0584 = 20.44 grains per gallon in city water
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