012519 Friday Staff Report Memo 4(OF City Manager's Office
DENTON 215 E. McKinney St., Denton, TX 76201 • (940) 349-8307
MEMORANDUM
DATE: January 25, 2019
TO: The Honorable Mayor Watts and Council Members
FROM: Todd Hileman, City Manager
SUBJECT: Friday Staff Report
I. Council Schedule
A. Meetings
1. Zoning Board of Adjustment on Monday, January 28, 2019 at 4:30 p.m. in the
City Hall Conference Room.
2. Public Utilities Board Meeting on Monday, January 28, 2019 at 6:00 p.m. in the
City Council Work Session Room.
3. Special Called Mobility Committee Meeting on Tuesday, January 29, 2019 at
2:00 p.m. in the City Council Work Session Room.
4. Agenda Committee Meeting on Wednesday,January 30, 2019 at 2:30 p.m. in
the City Manager's Conference Room
B. Upcoming Events
1. US Conference of Mayors, January 23-25, 2019, Washington, D.C.
2. Denton County Days, February 18-20, 2019, Austin, TX
II. General Information & Status Update
A. Hickory Creek Road Safety Projects—The Capital Projects Department continues
to coordinate closely with Denton County on projects to improve the safety of
Hickory Creek Road. Short-term, the City is partnering with the County to install
guardrails, striping, and pavement markers along the curved stretch of Hickory
Creek, spanning approximately 0.5 miles to FM1830. The City installed reflective
striping on Thursday, Jan. 24. The County Commissioner's Court will vote to
approve a budget amendment to allocate funds for guardrail installation on Jan. 29
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and will issue a purchase order with the contractor who will conduct the work on
Jan. 31. Weather permitting, the County's contractor will begin guardrail
construction the week of Feb. 4. The County estimates that it will take
approximately two weeks to complete guardrail construction. While guardrail
construction is underway, the County will also complete select pavement repairs
along Hickory Creek. Once the guardrails are installed, the City will add raised
pavement markers (buttons with reflectors) the entire length of the guardrail.
Following the completion of the guardrails, striping, and pavement markers, the
City will install curve warning and guidance signs. All signs will have LED
lighting to provide maximum visibility. There is a 3-week lead time to order these
signs, and staff is working with the Purchasing and Compliance Department to
place an order with our vendor.
Long-term, the City is completing contract negotiations with an engineering firm
for the complete design of the future Hickory Creek Road, taking the road straight
(no curves) to FM1830 with a bridge over the floodplain. The City Council will
be asked to review and approve the contract in February 2019. Staff anticipates
having the long-term project designed and ready for construction within 24-
months providing funding availability. Staff will try to shorten that timeframe as
much as possible.
In addition to the City and County, TxDOT is also a partner in this endeavor. Bi-
weekly meetings are being held with all partners to ensure all aspects of these
important safety projects are well coordinated. Staff will continue to provide
updates on the status of these projects as additional information becomes available.
Staff contact: Todd Estes, Capital Projects.
B. Affordable Housing Committee — On Jan. 8, Council Member Briggs asked for
information about forming an affordable housing committee. City staff has
recently formed a committee with key housing partners in the city to begin meeting
on a regular basis to share information,have critical discussions,and work together
to understand the current housing environment, the needs and common goals, and
identify potential opportunities or partnerships to increase affordable housing. The
standing workgroup will consist of staff from the Denton Housing Authority,
Denton Affordable Housing Corporation, Habitat for Humanity, City of Denton
staff (Community Development, Economic Development, Development
Services),and the United Way of Denton County. If needed,the group may expand
or form sub-groups at a later date. A first meeting is scheduled in February and
City staff will provide updates on the work of the committee as it progresses. Staff
contact: Sarah Kuechler, Public Affairs/Dani Shaw, Community Development
C. Inclement Weather Plan and Resources — On Jan. 15, Council Member Armintor
inquired about what resources would be provided for individuals experiencing
homelessness for the upcoming forecasted inclement weather and if there was a
way to expedite recommendations of the Shelter Workgroup to address needs
during inclement weather. Based upon the forecasted weather, the inclement
weather plan was initiated for the prior weekend with both shelters in town,
Salvation Army Denton and MKOC, opening for Friday and Saturday nights, as
well as the Salvation Army Lewisville shelter. In addition to the shelters, DCTA
provided a shuttle for those needing to be transported from the northwest area of
town to the Denton shelters in the central area. Staff shared this information in
advance of the inclement weather openings with social service agency partners
and with the community through the City's social media. Staff will continue to
work with our partners and share communications when there is inclement weather
operations.
Staff is currently developing options and budgets that City Council could consider
to support homelessness initiatives, including increasing nights of the week that
shelter is available. These options, along with their estimated outcomes and how
they fit into the DCHLT's strategic plan to end homelessness in Denton County,
will be presented to Council during a work session in April. Staff contact: Sarah
Kuechler, Public Affairs/Dani Shaw, Community Development
D. Atmos Refund Letter—Cities served by Atmos Energy were recently notified of a
one-time bill credit adjustment that will occur on February bills. The credit is a
result of the reduction in the federal corporate tax rate that was implemented last
year. The adjustment will affect all customer types, and the majority of those
benefitting from this credit are residential and commercial customers. For
example, residential customers will see a $4.08 and commercial customers a
$12.92 credit adjustment respectively. Attached is a letter from Atmos Energy
that was sent to the cities in late December. Staff contact: Mario Canizares, CMO
E. Appointment of New Municipal Court Judge — The Denton City Council has
selected Holly Fox as the new Municipal Judge for the City of Denton. The
Council will formally consider an employment agreement at the City Council
meeting on Feb. 5, with Judge Fox starting her new role Feb. 11.
Judge Fox brings a wealth of experience in municipal and criminal law to the City
of Denton. Prior to joining the City, Judge Fox concurrently served as a Denton
County Magistrate, an Associate Judge and Magistrate for the City of Lewisville
for 14 years, the Lewisville Independent School District Teen Court Judge for
more than a decade,the Presiding Judge for the Town of Ponder,and an Associate
Judge and Magistrate for the City of Highland Village, the Town of Little Elm,
and the City of Sherman. Furthermore, she served as an Associate Judge and
Magistrate for the City of the Colony and the Town of Flower Mound. She has
also served as a Municipal Court Prosecutor in the Town of Bartonville, the City
of Corinth, the City of Denton, the City of Keller, the Town of Argyle, and a few
other municipalities in the surrounding counties. Judge Fox holds a diverse
employment background in criminal justice, previously working as a Special
Agent with the FBI in the New York field office, an Assistant Criminal District
Attorney, and a criminal defense attorney. Please see the attached press release
for additional information about Judge Fox. Staff contact: Jessica Rogers, Public
Affairs
F. DCTA to Increase Transit Options — Lewisville, TX (January 21, 2019) — The
Denton County Transportation Authority(DCTA)has officially released a request
for proposal (RFP) for Mobility as a Service (MaaS) and is soliciting proposals
from firms or contractor teams to provide innovative mobility services for agency
member cities, contracted communities, partner organizations, as well as large
employment centers and other areas as the need arises.MaaS is a trending business
model in the transit industry that utilizes on-demand, real-time platform-based
services that can include any combination of various transport methods such as car
and bike sharing, taxis and car rentals/leases, and provides a seamless customer
experience for consumer, from travel planning to payments.
Firms selected by DCTA will be contracted to provide service proposals for
flexible,efficient,and effective mobility services. These services will enhance and
supplement DCTA's existing transit offerings and provide multimodal service to
areas where traditional transportation options are less effective. Please see the
attached press release for additional information. Staff contact: Jessica Rogers,
Public Affairs
G. DCTA Social Service Agency Forums—DCTA will be hosting two social
service agency forums in early February to gain more insight on how social
service agencies utilize their system and how DCTA can better support their
access to transit.
Below are the details of both the Denton and Lewisville forums.
Dates/Times:
• Wednesday, February 6
o Lewisville
o DCTA Admin Office
0 9:30 a.m. — 11 a.m.
• Thursday, February 7
o Denton
o DDTC Community Room
0 9:30 a.m. — 11 a.m.
DCTA's goal is to host these meetings on a quarterly basis to maintain regular
dialogue with the social service agencies in its member cities. DCTA has invited
roughly 140 individuals across all three member cities, and is hoping for a great
turnout. Staff contact: Sarah Kuechler, Public Affairs
H. Dallas Drive Mural Project — Keep Denton Beautiful and Community
Improvement Services(CIS)collaborated on the mural project on the Dallas Drive
Railroad Bridge. The mural has been completed with the exception of the CIS
contractor applying two graffiti-resistant clear coats to the installation. Weather
permitting, that work will occur on Sunday, Jan. 27 from 9:30 a.m. — 10:30 a.m.
One northbound lane from approximately Wye Street to just before the Eagle
Street intersection will be closed for approximately 30 minutes during this process.
Staff contact: Lancine Bentley, CIS
I. Intersection Safety at Teasley and Pennsylvania — The intersection of
Pennsylvania Drive and Teasley Lane is currently a two-way stop controlled
intersection. Consistent with state and federal guidelines, the current traffic
volumes do not warrant a traffic signal at this intersection. In the future, if the
traffic volume along Pennsylvania Drive increases, this intersection may warrant
a traffic signal. To that end, the owners of vacant parcel along the south side of
Teasley Lane between Hobson Lane and Pennsylvania Drive have approached the
City with a possible development to add office and retail use and potentially obtain
access from Pennsylvania Drive. If this development progresses, the added traffic
volume on Pennsylvania Drive may warrant a traffic signal.
In terms of the pedestrian safety at this intersection, staff is working closely with
Sam Houston Elementary School to increase the educational effort. Staff met the
school principal to discuss pedestrian safety at the intersection of Pennsylvania
Drive and Teasley Lane. According to the Principal, a pedestrian crossing is not
recommended at this intersection as there is an established pedestrian with a school
crossing guard at Indian Ridge Drive. Parents and students are encouraged to use
the Indian Ridge crosswalk to cross Teasley Lane. Staff contact: Pritam
Deshmukh, Capital Projects
J. Update on Safe Routes to School Projects —The Capital Projects Department has
three Safe Routes to School grant-funded sidewalk projects that are currently being
planned. Those projects include Wilson/Pecan, Ginnings/Lee, and
Sycamore/Welch and are intended to improve sidewalk connectivity to make it
safer for students who walk to school. Safe Routes to School is a federal grant
program that is administered by TxDOT. Capital Projects worked with the Finance
Department to send the first payment for the City's portion of the project to
TxDOT, which was mailed in early January 2019. TxDOT has not yet processed
their first payment. Once the payment is processed, staff will request a meeting
with the TxDOT project manager to kick-off the project and determine the project
timeline. Staff will provide additional project information in future Friday Reports
once the project timeline has been established. Staff contact: Marc Oliphant,
Capital Projects
K. Pavement Failure Update — Capital Projects' pavement failure analysis will have
a preliminary draft completed by the end of January. A review of the analysis is
scheduled for the week of Jan. 27, and include information on the types of failures
and factors contributing to existing pavement distress, thickness and strength of
concrete cores, and recommendations for reducing potential pavement
distress/failure in the future. A formal final draft will be prepared and distributed
by early March 2019. Staff contact: Daniel Kremer, Capital Projects
L. DCTA Microtransit Accessibility — Earlier this month, the Denton Record
Chronicle (DRC) published an article about DCTA utilizing on-demand
ridesharing services to provide transportation services to their patrons,also known
as "microtransit options." After reading the article, a resident contacted Council
Member Hudspeth to inquire if the ridesharing services underwritten by DCTA
are accessible for persons with disabilities. City Staff forwarded the inquiry to
DCTA for a response,which is provided below.
"When implementing service, DCTA looks at a number of factors including Title
VI of the Civil Rights Act (as mentioned in the DRC article), as well as
accessibility. For the two (2) on-demand services implemented by DCTA in
Denton(Enterprise Airport Zone) and Lewisville (Lakeway Zone),the services are
provided by DCTA operators using accessible vehicles. When Lyft is
implemented, such as in the Highland Village and UNT examples mentioned in the
article, another service option is available for customers that cannot utilize the Lyft
service due to their mobility needs."
Contact information for Michelle Bloomer, DCTA's Vice President of Operations
was provided to the resident to ensure their service need questions were fully
answered. Staff contact: Mario Canizares, CMO
M. Fiscal Impact Analysis- During a recent public hearing, Development Services
staff was asked about the feasibility of requiring a fiscal impact analysis with
rezoning applications. Although the DDC currently has criteria for approval of a
rezoning that relate to the provision of infrastructure, there is not a specific
requirement for a fiscal analysis. However, staff is in the process of updating all
of the development project applications and checklists, and as a part of this update
will be revising the requirements for a rezoning request submittal. Once this update
is complete, a fiscal impact analysis, including a cost of service analysis for the
City's roadway and utility infrastructure,will be required for all rezoning requests
where the proposed zoning change could result in an increased density or intensity
of development. This update, as well as other updates to the development review
process, is expected to be implemented by early March. In addition to these more
immediate process updates, staff will be document the criteria and requirements
for a fiscal impact analysis for rezoning requests in the update to the Denton
Development Code. Staff contact: Hayley Zagurski, Development Services
N. Presentations from Members of the Public — During the Jan. 15 City Council
meeting, staff was asked to provide information on what could be done to either
pilot an unlimited public comment period or potentially hold a dedicated monthly
meeting for public comment. The City Council Rules of Procedure currently
permits two types of presentations from members of the public, prior registration
and open microphone.
• Prior Registration: The Rules of Procedure allows up to four individuals
to register to speak for up to four minutes per meeting. In order to register
to speak, residents are asked to contact the City Secretary by noon on the
Thursday prior to the City Council meeting date. Scheduled citizen reports
can include audio/visual aids, as long as they are submitted to the City
Secretary's Office 24 hours prior to the start of the meeting. Scheduled
citizen reports take place immediately following the proclamations
portion of the City Council agenda.
• Open Microphone: Following scheduled citizen reports, up to two
individuals who have not registered to speak may make comments through
the open microphone procedure. Those speaking during the open mic
portion of the agenda have up to four minutes to make their remarks.
It is within the purview of the City Council to amend the Rules of Procedure to
revise public comment requirements and/or allow for additional public comment
options. Staff contact: Rachel Wood, CMO
O. I-35E Frontage Road Closure — Earlier today, TxDOT provided notification that
the right lane of the northbound Interstate 35E frontage road will be closed for
more than two weeks beginning Monday, Jan. 28 from Loop 288 to San Jacinto
Boulevard. Please see the attached press release for additional information. Staff
contact: Jessica Rogers, Public Affairs
P. Pedestrian Access to TWU Soccer Fields — Staff was recently asked to provide
information about the safest way for pedestrians to access the TWU soccer fields
located on E. University Drive. Currently,the safest pedestrian route from TWU's
main campus is to cross University Drive at Bell Avenue and then take Woodland
Street to access the soccer fields. There is not currently a sidewalk on the side of
University that is adjacent to the soccer fields. Staff prepared a preliminary cost
estimate to install a sidewalk stretching from Bell Avenue to the soccer fields,
which totals$972,000. Staff has been notified that TWU may be moving its soccer
fields to the former golf course site. Staff will provide additional information about
the potential move of the soccer fields once confirmation and a project timeline is
provided by TWU. Staff contact: Pritam Deshmukh, Capital Projects
Q. Fire Training Facility Grand Opening- The City of Denton is pleased to announce
the completion of the Denton Fire Department Training Facility.The facility offers
hands-on training designed to be realistic, effective, and safe for firefighters of all
experience levels. All residents and community members are invited to join us at
the grand opening ceremony for the Fire Training Facility at 1 p.m. Saturday, Feb.
23. The facility is located at 4201 Vintage Blvd., directly behind Fire Station 7.
Please see the attached press release for additional information. Staff contact:
Jessica Rogers, Public Affairs
R. Water Park Passes - A software error in the Parks and Recreation Department's
(PARD) registration software specific to the Water Works Park seasonal
promotion was identified late last week. The error allowed customers to register
for the Water Works Friends and Family Pass sale without meeting the minimum
requirement of four or more individual passes to receive the reduced rate of$50
each. As a result, 16 passes were sold at the reduced rate to individuals not meeting
the minimum requirement. An additional 23 passes were sold to customers who
purchased fewer than four passes using the appropriate rate of$65 each.
PARD is currently working with the software vendor to resolve the issue however,
it is not expected to be completed by the end of the promotion date which runs
through Jan. 31. Moving forward, PARD will review the system to ensure all
registration and pricing features are working properly. To honor the seasonal
promotion of water works passes, the seasonal pass is now available to all
customers at a rate of$50 each with no minimum requirement through the original
marketed date. For individuals and families who purchased seasonal passes at the
$65 rate, free one-day passes or a $15 refund will be offered as an equitable
adjustment. Staff contact: Laura Behrens, Parks and Recreation
III. Upcoming Events
A. Audra Heights Phase 2 Neighborhood Meeting (Z18-0028), January 28, 2019 at
6:30 p.m. at the North Branch Library(3020 N. Locust Street)
B. Good Samaritan East Tract Neighborhood Meeting (AESA18-0003), January
31, 2019 from 5:30- 7:30 p.m. at the Denton Country Club, 1213 Country Club
Road
C. Mockingbird Multi-Family Neighborhood Meeting(Z18-0022/518-0005),
January 31, 2019 from 6:00-8:00 p.m. at the Woodlands of Denton
Apartments, 1555 Nottingham Drive
D. Roberts Street Special Use Permit for Accessory Building Public Meeting (S 19-
0001) January 31, 2019 at 7:00 p.m.at 606 Roberts Street
IV. Attachments
A. Atmos Refund Letter
B. Municipal Court Judge Press Release
C. DCTA Transit Options Press Release
D. I-35E Frontage Road Closure Press Release
E. Fire Training Facility Grand Opening Press Release
V. Informal Staff Reports
A. 2019-015 Gas Well Inspection Summary Report
B. 2019-016 Small Area Grants
C. 2019-017 Utility Assistance for Furloughed Federal Employees
VI. Council Information
A. Council Meeting Requests for Information
B. Other Council Requests for Information
C. Draft Agenda for February 4 and February 5
D. Council Calendar
E. Future Work Session Items
F. Street Construction Report