Exhibit 1 - Agenda Information Sheet DRAFT 1-5-2018City of Denton
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AGENDA INFORMATION SHEET
DEPARTMENT: Development Services
CM/ DCM/ ACM: Todd Hileman
DATE: January 9, 2018
SUBJECT
Consider adoption of an ordinance of the City of Denton, Texas authorizing the approval of a First
Amendment to a Professional Services Agreement between the City of Denton and Calvin, Giordano, and
Associates, Inc. for municipal planning services, originally administratively approved in the amount of
$91,224; providing for the expenditure of funds therefor; and providing an effective date (File 6604–
providing for an additional expenditure amount not-to-exceed $150,000, with the total contract amount not-
to-exceed $241,224).
BACKGROUND
During the summer and fall 2017, the Development Services Department and Planning Division had a
number of vacancies and unexpected resignations, including the Director of Development Services. In order
to provide immediate continuity of services, while continuing to move forward with critical process and
customer service improvements, staff sought quotes from municipal planning firms to provide monthly
contractual services for planning case management, process review, and staff training.
Calvin, Giordano, & Associates, Inc. (“CGA”), a firm based out of Fort Lauderdale, FL, was retained for
short term assistance. CGA has delivered a range of government services for dozens of municipalities and
public agencies over a course of decades ranging from engineering, surveying, construction management,
planning and zoning, code and building inspection, and more. CGA employs 13 planners certified by the
American Planning Association (AICP). In addition, CGA was knowledgeable of the City of Denton’s
development processes and personnel after being hired to conduct a development review audit in the
summer of 2017. With their experience, a thorough understanding of Denton’s challenges, and due to the
urgency and quick mobilization required by a firm, staff engaged CGA in October 2017 for a monthly
contract for an Interim Planning Director and planning services, including process improvements and staff
training.
DISCUSSION
Staff has been very satisfied with the services received. Over the interim time span, the Interim Planning
Director has been an integral part to rethinking and transforming how Development Services does business
for customers, as previously presented to the City Council in a work session on November 7, 2017.
Furthermore, the Department is the midst of the Denton Development Code rewrite project and working on
an accelerated timeline. The continuity and role of the Interim Planning Director is critical in this process.
The Interim Planning Director has improved customer service, morale, provided training, and reduced
review time in each area of the planning process. Some examples are outlined in the following tables:
City Hall
215 E. McKinney Street
Denton, Texas
www.cityofdenton.com
REDUCED Site Plan Review; Number of Reviews and Average Number of Days to Review
Site Plan Review
Timeframe Number Approved
(Average per Month)
Average Number of Reviews Average Days in Review
Jan 1 - Sept 15
(8.5-months)
28
(Avg. 3 per month) 3 172
Sept 18 - Dec 31
(3.5-months)
30
(Avg. 9 per month) 2 49
REDUCED Special Use Review Time by 65%:
Special Use submittals
Timeframe Average Days in
Review
Jan 1 - Sept 15
(8.5-months) 170
Sept 18 - Dec 31
(3.5-months) 60
REDUCED Number of Reviews Required for each Rezoning by 50%:
Rezoning Application; Number of Reviews for each Application
Timeframe Average Number of Reviews Performed
Jan 1 - Sept 15
(8.5-months) 2
Sept 18 - Dec 31
(3.5-months) 1
Additionally, the Interim Planning Director has been an integral part of the reorganization of the
Department, improving internal and external service delivery and producing measurable outcomes:
Eliminated the need for construction drawings with site plan submittal; expediting review, resulting
in major time and cost savings for Development Services customers.
Implemented a more even distribution of cases, eliminating specialization and expediting service
delivery.
Documented in writing formal determinations and distributed to all development review staff
members.
Provided applicants with clear direction on applications needed and staff recommendation.
Cleared backlog of applications, including some major projects that were stalled for 11 months.
Created a submission schedule that provides the applicant with more predictability.
Created development review process map outlining new changes.
Drafted Standard Operating Procedures for development review applications based on new review
procedures.
Streamlined internal review of staff reports for Planning and Zoning Commission meetings which
has resulted in more timely preparation and distribution of the agenda packet.
Created pdf fillable forms to reduce the amount of staff spent on creating notices.
Worked with staff to create a monitoring tool to begin to analyze growth trends in the city in terms
of residential units and commercial square footage and attributable traffic generation.
Researched and drafted memos on conveyance plats and residential parking standards for City
Council.
Staff is proposing to enter into an agreement for six (6) months for the following reasons:
To continue progress towards customer service and process improvements leveraging the industry
knowledge and experience provided by a well-respected municipal planning firm;
To continue training and coaching of in-house planners, providing them with the confidence and
skill sets to manage all facets of the planning and development review process;
To continue continuity of leadership through the Denton Development Code (DDC) review project,
which will require significant work with a targeted completion date of spring 2018; and
To provide staff with more time to analyze and determine the best staffing structure and model for
planning. With considerable turnover in this division in the past, it will be important to determine
and analyze the options, including performing a recruitment for an in-house Planning Director and
potentially hiring some internal staff positions, going out to RFP for an outsourced model of service
provision, or a hybrid model with public and private resources. An internal recruitment for a
Planning Director or an RFP process would take about three (3) months to complete.
If approved, staff would bring back longer-term staffing model options and a recommendation to City
Council in March/April 2018 to receive direction on how to proceed in advance of the six (6) month
agreement expiring.
Section 252.022 of the Local Government Code provides that procurement of professional planning
services are exempt from competitive bidding, if over $50,000, shall be awarded by the governing body.
RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends approving a six (6) month agreement with CGA in the total amount of $150,000.
FISCAL INFORMATION
To date, the City has spent $91,224 with CGA for an Interim Planning Director and planning services for
eleven weeks, inclusive of travel & lodging expenses.
CGA has provided a proposal for a six (6) month agreement for the same scope of services in the total
amount of $150,000. Travel and lodging expenses would not be charged as part of this agreement.
In FY2017/18 budget, the total Personal Services budget for Planning was $2,238,109. However, there are
currently 7 current vacancies in Planning. Staff intends to hold off on refilling some of the vacant positions
for the next six months, as process improvements continued to be worked on and a staffing model can be
determined. Of the current vacancies, three are supervisory positions that are not planned to be filled in the
next six months (Planning Director and two Planning Supervisors), amounting in an estimated personnel
savings of approximately $194,727 and covering the proposed CGA contract of $150,000 within budget.
STRATEGIC PLAN RELATIONSHIP
The City of Denton’s Strategic Plan is an action-oriented road map that will help the City achieve its vision.
The foundation for the plan is the five long-term Key Focus Areas (KFA): Organizational Excellence;
Public Infrastructure; Economic Development; Safe, Livable, and Family-Friendly Community; and
Sustainability and Environmental Stewardship. While individual items may support multiple KFAs, this
specific City Council agenda item contributes most directly to the following KFA and goal:
Related Key Focus Area: Organizational Excellence
Related Goal: 1.2 Develop a high-performance work force
EXHIBITS
Exhibit 1: Agenda Information Sheet
Exhibit 2: Original Agreement
Exhibit 3: Ordinance
Exhibit 4: First Amendment
Respectfully submitted:
Karen Smith, 349-8436
Purchasing Manager
For information concerning this acquisition, contact: Scott McDonald, 349-8539.