Farmers Branch brown-out ordinance--out the window?

The Farmers Branch city attorney has been directed by the members of the city council to draft a new ordinance for them to consider next Monday night, which would repeal the divisive apartment ordinance adopted in November that penalizes apartment managers who rent to unauthorized immigrants. (See other posts here labeled Farmers Branch.)

Stephanie Sandoval of The Dallas Morning News has written an excellent and detailed piece on this today:

FB considers repeal of immigration ordinance
Move would reverse decision to enforce law until May election
05:11 PM CST on Thursday, January 18, 2007

Farmers Branch officials on Monday will consider tossing out a controversial ordinance banning apartments from renting to illegal immigrants and reversing last week's decision to implement the ordinance until voters decide in May if they want to keep it.

City Council members held a special meeting Wednesday night, and directed the city attorney to draft a new ordinance for them to consider Monday night, which would repeal the apartment ordinance adopted in November and which is the subject of four lawsuits. That ordinance requires apartment management to obtain proof all tenants are U.S. citizens or in the country legally.

The ordinance the council is to consider Monday also is to include revisions to the citizenship or residency requirements in the apartment ordinance and call for that revised ordinance to be put to the voters on May 12. If approved by voters it would go into effect May 22. It was unclear whether the ordinance would specifically target illegal immigrants.

The council's directive from Wednesday night also appears to make concessions to issues raised in a lawsuit claiming the city violated state open meetings act when they adopted the ordinance in November.

The directive specifically states that the new proposed ordinance will be posted on the city's Web site no later than 6 p.m. Friday, and that the agenda for Monday’s meeting will include a public hearing before the council votes on it.

(rest of story here)

Seems to me that this is an attempt on the part of the FB city council to limit their city's mounting legal liability..and to try and save their own political asses, too, although I suspect it's now too late for that.