HomeMy WebLinkAbout012921 Friday Staff Report
City Manager’s Office
215 E. McKinney St., Denton, TX 76201 (940) 349-8307
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MEMORANDUM
DATE: January 29, 2021
TO: The Honorable Mayor Hudspeth and Council Members
FROM: Todd Hileman, City Manager
SUBJECT: Staff Report
I. Council Schedule
A. Meetings
1. Committee on the Environment on Monday, February 1, 2021 at 9:00 a.m.
via video/teleconference – City Council Work Session Room.
2. Special Called - City Council Luncheon on Monday, February 1, 2021 at
11:30 a.m. via video/teleconference – City Council Work Session Room.
3. Committee on Community Engagement on Tuesday, February 2, 2021 at
10:00 a.m. via video/teleconference – City Council Work Session Room.
4. Work Session of the City Council on Tuesday, February 2, 2021 at 2:00 p.m.
followed by a Regular Meeting at 6:30 p.m. via video/teleconference – City
Council Work Session Room.
5. Cancelled - Traffic Safety Commission on Wednesday, February 3, 2021 at
11:30 a.m. in the City Council Work Session Room.
6. Development Code Review Committee on Wednesday, February 3, 2021 at
1:00 p.m. via video/teleconference – City Council Work Session Room.
7. Cancelled - Agenda Committee Meeting Wednesday, February 3, 2021 at
2:30 p.m. in the City Manager’s Conference Room.
8. Cancelled - Work Session of the Planning and Zoning Commission on
Wednesday, February 3, 2021 at 5:00 p.m. followed by a Regular Meeting
at 6:30 p.m. via video/teleconference – City Council Work Session Room.
9. Cancelled – Downtown Economic Development Committee on Thursday,
February 4, 2021 at 8:30 a.m. in the City Council Work Session Room.
10. Bond Oversight Committee on Thursday, February 4, 2021 at 12:00 p.m.
via video/teleconference – City Council Work Session Room.
11. Downtown Denton Tax Increment Financing Zone No. 1 Meeting on Friday,
February 5, 2021 at 12:00 p.m. via video/teleconference – City Council Work
Session Room.
II. General Information & Status Update
A. DCTA Update – Yesterday, the DCTA Board, under Chairman Chris Watts, approved
a preliminary proposal from VIA, to launch on demand service in the City of Denton.
They are at the very beginning of the process with a proposed concept and will now
move forward with workshops with the City to refine the concept, a substantial public
involvement process to solicit feedback from the public and an equity analysis to
ensure no vulnerable populations are negatively impacted by the service changes. The
proposed service will replace some of the under-utilized bus routes with more
customer friendly, and more frequent service. On Demand is like Uber pool, where
customers are picked up near their origin and dropped off near their destination and
grouped with other riders traveling in the same direction. The service will have a
wider deployment, cover more of the City, provide pick up times of 10 -15 minutes
(rather than the 30-45-minute frequencies on the current bus routes), and run on
Sundays and holidays. DCTA Board Chairman Chris Watts and the City’s
transportation consultant, Brandi Bird, will provide a more detailed update to Council
on February 9. Staff contact: Sara Hensley, City Manager’s Office
B. Positive COVID-19 at North Lakes Rec Center – On Monday, January 25, staff
learned that a North Lakes group exercise participant who attended a class on
Thursday, January 21 at 10 a.m. tested positive for COVID-19. The individual wore a
mask in and out of the building. During the class, the individual stayed physically
distanced 16 feet from other participants. At the time of the class, the individual neither
felt sick nor experienced any symptoms. The individual had direct contact with a
positive family member and tested positive for COVID-19 on Saturday, January 23.
Staff contacted group exercise class participants present during the class. Additionally,
Parks and Recreation staff requested other members self-monitor for symptoms. At
this moment, no members have reported any symptoms.
Group Exercise classes established several safety measures for participants and staff
members. See below for some of the key measures:
• Members are encouraged to purchase memberships online.
• Upon arrival, all participants are temperature screened.
• Group exercise classes are scheduled in the gym to allow for 16 feet physically
distancing.
• Instructors set out all the equipment before the start of class at individual spots.
• Participants leave all equipment at the end of class.
• Instructors and staff disinfect equipment and put it away.
• Post-class participants are discouraged from gathering and asked to exit the
facility if they are done with their workout.
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Group exercise classes will resume as normal. Staff will provide an update if any
further development occurs. Staff contact: Caroline Seward, Parks and Recreation
C. February/March Resident Update – The February/March issue of the Resident Update
newsletter (attached) will be delivered to Denton homes throughout the first week of
February. This issue features information about nonprofits who help provide rent and
utility assistance to Denton residents, Mayor Hudspeth’s inaugural “From the Mayor”
column, how to apply for the new Sustainability Committee, information about the
residential trash and recycling survey, Economic Development’s Small Business
Resources page, and more. Staff contact: Justin Harmon, Customer Service and Public
Affairs
D. Foundation of Our History Mural – This week, artist Dan Black completed the
Foundation of Our History mural's re-creation, located at the railroad bridge at
Robertson Street and Bell Avenue. This mural is a collaborative project between the
City of Denton Public Art Committee (PAC) and Keep Denton Beautiful, Inc. (KDB),
but it first began as a grassroots community project.
This historic mural honor five of Denton's most influential Black female community
members: Alice Alexander, Alma Clark, Betty Kimble, Dorothy Minter, and Ruby
Cole. In the last six decades, their contributions to the Denton community inspired
longtime residents Margaret Neale and Willie Hudspeth to commission the original
mural at Willie's Fantastic Sales. After the property was sold in early 2020, PAC
partnered with KDB to fund the mural's re-creation at the Union Pacific Railroad
bridge underpass, a main entrance to the Southeast Denton neighborhood.
An anti-graffiti coating will be applied to protect the artwork from vandalism. Staff
are considering necessary improvements for the surrounding area (lighting, sidewalks,
and landscaping) and plan to add educational signage about the mural subjects. Staff
are currently planning a ribbon-cutting and dedication in accordance with current
public health and safety standards. See attached photos. Staff contact: Autumn
Natalie and John Whitmore, Parks and Recreation
E. State of the City 2021 – The City of Denton State of the City event is going virtual
this year. The City will host our first virtual State of the City over four days, beginning
Monday, February 1 and ending with a live event on Thursday, February 4 at 6 p.m.
on the City’s television channels, website and Facebook page.
On the days leading up to the live event, various videos produced by City staff to
provide overviews of current and upcoming projects and programs will be posted to
the City’s social media channels for viewing. The videos will be archived for future
access by the public.
During the live event, Mayor Hudspeth will deliver his inaugural address to the
community by highlighting accomplishments of the past year and what’s on the
horizon for the City of Denton. The Mayor will also introduce City Council members
and take part in a question and answer session wherein the Mayor will respond to
questions from the community. City staff encourage community members to submit
questions for a chance to be read during the State of the City and responded to by
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Mayor Hudspeth. For more information and for access to the form to submit questions,
please visit https://www.cityofdenton.com/en-us/stateofthecity. Staff contact: Rachel
Balthrop Mendoza, City Manager’s Office
F. New City-Related Bills Filed – During the current session of the Texas Legislature,
the Texas Municipal League provides its member cities with summaries of all city-
related bills that have been filed. The attached bill list represents bill summaries of
city-related bills filed in the last week. Staff is actively reviewing these proposed bills
to evaluate their potential impact and develop strategies to engage in outreach with the
legislature and our local delegation prior to and during the upcoming session.
Questions regarding any piece of legislation or to receive the full text of legislation,
please contact Ryan Adams or Rachel Balthrop Mendoza. Staff contact: Ryan Adams,
Customer Service and Public Affair s
G. MLK Jr. Recreation Center Resumes Rentals for Funerals – Recreation center staff
have received several requests to use the MLK Jr. Recreation Center for funeral
repasses. Although the staff is not approving special events or rentals for other
occasions, they have decided to allow them for this one purpose.
For these requests, staff works with individuals to identify the best option and if the
center is available. Staff then schedules the rental according to the Governors orders
and recreation COVID precautions such as limited capacity, temperature screenings,
and mask enforcement. Staff contact: Caroline Seward, Parks and Recreation
H. South Elm Street Sidewalk Concerns – On January 20, Council Member Ryan
forwarded the concerns from a downtown business owner to Capital Projects staff.
The business owner’s concerns included the missing sidewalks on S. Elm St. causing
their business to be inaccessible, the lack of fiber optic internet in the area, as well as
damage to the landscaping in front of their busine ss. The construction on S. Elm Street
is managed by TxDOT and includes a full reconstruction of the roadway and sidewalk
upgrades. City staff forwarded the business owners concerns to TxDOT’s Area
Engineer to address their concerns with the construction directly. City staff has a
meeting scheduled with TxDOT on February 10 to discuss improvements to public
communication and responsiveness.
Staff responded to the business owner to address their concerns about the lack of fiber
optic internet. Cost is the ma in limiting factor behind the commercial fiber not being
installed downtown. Boring is increasingly expensive in the area around the square. It
is estimated to cost hundreds of thousands of dollars to bore under streets to install the
conduit for the fiber to run through downtown due to the amount of aged utility
infrastructure in the square area. For this reason, Internet Service Providers are weary
of installing any underground fiber in the Denton Square area. The city has reached
out to the local Internet Service Providers for information on the possibility of running
fiber optic cable overhead from utility lines. Staff contacts: Becky Diviney, Capital
Projects & Drew Allen, Technology Services TxDOT contact: Tina Massey, Area
Engineer
I. Parkside Drive Speed Study Results – On September 24, former Council Member
Briggs requested staff conduct a speed study on Parkside Drive to assess whether
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traffic calming devices need to be placed on the roadway to deter driver s from
speeding. There was a previous speed study on Parkside Dr. conducted in 2015,
showing that an average of 17.5% of the drivers on Parkside exceeded the speed limit.
Staff recently performed a second speed study, from January 12 to January 21. The
results show driver speeds have decreased with additional signage since the previous
study. To mitigate the few drivers that are speeding, the City will install an additional
speed limit sign for southbound traffic between 2021-2025 Parkside Dr. To determine
its effectiveness, Staff will perform a follo w up speed study in 6 months. In the interim,
Staff will coordinate with the Police Department for time-specific enforcement. Staff
contact: Becky Diviney, Capital Projects
J. Bird City Texas Information – On January 8, Council Member Armintor forwarded
information that was provided by a citizen about the Bird City Texas program. Staff
is aware of this program and will include this discussion as part of the LED Street
Light Work Session this spring. Staff contact: Katherine Barnett, Sustainability
K. Duncan Street Trail Options – On January 13, Mayor Hudspeth requested information
on the possibility of adding a protected bike lane on Duncan Street that would
eventually connect South Lakes Park to the DCTA Trail. Currently, Duncan Street is
included in both the Trails Plan and Mobility Plan to connect South Lakes Park to the
DCTA Trail. This trail proceeds north on Teasley Lane to Duncan Street (adjacent to
the Dallas/Teasley Beautification Node) and connects to the current DCTA Trail.
Parks and Recreation present ed the "Trails Chapter" of the Parks, Recreation and
Trails System Plan; however, work is still to be completed and eventually presented
for adoption in late 2021. Also, the Mobility Plan will be proposed for adoption this
summer.
Currently, both Engineer ing and Parks and Recreation are working on completing as
well as beginning several projects within operational work plans. Since Public Works
is focusing on the projects within the current operational plans, it is recommended that
this project be considered as a future transportation improvement during the budget
process and work plan development for FY2021-2022. Staff contacts: Gary Packan,
Parks and Recreation, and Becky Diviney, Capital Projects
L. Londonderry Sidewalk – On January 22 and 23, staff received inquiries from Council
Members Armintor and Meltzer regarding upcoming sidewalk construction and
associated tree removal along Londonderry Lane. Once constructed, the new sidewalk
segment will be 800 linear feet and stretch from Teasley Ln.to Westminste r Dr. The
Londonderry sidewalk is part of the 2018 Sidewalk Program. Final design was
received in November 2020 from Dannenbaum Engineering. During design efforts,
staff coordinated with Dannenbaum to preserve as many trees as possible while
minimizing the amount of right -of-way the City had to purchase to contain project
costs and minimize impacts to adjacent residences. Suggestions have been made to
potentially create a meandering sidewalk to preserve existing trees. While meandering
sidewalks can be a great way to preserve trees in certain instances, staff and the design
firm confirmed that fewer trees would be impacted by keeping the sidewalk parallel
to the roadway alignment along Londonderry. In order to be Americans with
Disabilities Act (ADA) comp liant, sidewalk segments must be a minimum of 4 feet
wide and have no more than a 2% slope, as well as any segments less than 5 feet wide
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require a 5 foot by 5 foot landing every 200 feet. Due to the proximity of the trees,
keeping these criteria was not feasible with a meandering design unless significant
additional right -of-way was acquired, which would also place the sidewalk in very
close proximity to existing residences.
In the summer of 2020, the property owners of the multi-residential complexes were
contacted by City staff to discuss the sidewalk project. Plans were shared at that time,
and temporary construction easement requirements were discussed. None of the
owners had issues with tree removal as they expected some would need to be removed
for the sidewalk installation. On January 19, staff instructed the contractor to clearly
flag any trees needing removal, giving tenants an opportunity to contact their property
management representative or the City with any questions. On January 26, City staff
contacted property owners to ensure both they and their tenants had the opportunity to
see the trees slated for removal and to pose any questions or concerns. All but one
owner confirmed they and their tenants were excited to have sidewalks and understood
that some trees would require removal. Westminster Townhouses did not respond to
multiple attempts to reach them; however, the owner did sign the temporary
construction easement which authorized the construction of the sidewalk in the
selected location.
Sidewalk construction on Londonderry between Westminster Dr. and Teasley Ln. is
scheduled to be complete by February 19, 2021. Staff contact: Robin Davis, Capital
Projects
M. Park 7 Permits – On January 25, Mayor Hudspeth requested information on which
permits have been granted to the Park 7 development. To date, the Park 7 building
permits have been issued. Staff contact: Scott McDonald, Development Services
N. Landscaping Damage from Sidewalk Repair – On January 27, Council Member
Armintor forwarded a resident’s concern regarding damage to private landscaping
following a recent sidewalk repair performed by a City contractor. Staff made a site
visit to discuss the resident’s concerns and determine nec essary repairs. The contractor
will be replacing the landscaping that was damaged and will be leveling the yard with
the sidewalk to eliminate any safety hazards. The contractor will make the repairs by
February 12. Staff contact: Daniel Kremer, Public Wor ks
O. Fred Moore Park Swings and Basketball Court Improvements – On January 21, Mayor
Hudspeth forwarded a constituent's request to add a seven-foot goal and mix belt
swings with toddler swings at Fred Moore Park. Due to safety regulations by the
American Society for Testing and Materials and the Consumer Product Safety
Commission, belt swings and toddler swings cannot be located within the same bank
on a swing set. However, Carl Young Jr. Park has a "Friendship Swing" for both parent
and child to use together.
The Parks and Recreation Department will host public meetings this summer and go
through a Master Plan process for future improvements to Fred Moore Park. During
this process, all aspects of the park will be reviewed, including the addition of the
seven-foot basketball goal and additional "Friendship Swings." Staff contact: Drew
Huffman, Parks and Recreation
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P. Hickory Creek Road Expansion Resident Concerns – On January 22, Mayor Hudspeth
forwarded a resident’s concerns about the future Hickory Creek Road expansion. His
concerns were that with the expansion, the roadway would be closer to his home on
Chaucer Dr., creating a noise and safety issue, as well as where he would be able to
construct a fence without it be removed for construction. City staff met with the
resident to discuss his concerns on January 27. During this meeting they addressed the
placement of the new sidewalk in relation to his property, the distance from the road
to his property, the location of his fence, and his road noise concerns. Staff will remain
in contact with the resident to address any further concerns with the project. Staff
contact: Dustin Draper, Capital Projects
Q. Smith Street Business Owner Concerns – On January 27, Council Members Meltzer
and Johnson forwarded a business o wner’s concerns with drivers cutting through the
parking lot of her business while Smith Street is closed for a mill and overlay. Her
concerns were that drivers cutting through the park ing lot were a threat to the safety
of her patrons as well as the crews working on the road. The mill and overlay, from
Dallas Dr. to Johnston St., will be complete on January 29. Staff placed a No Outlet
sign on the driveway to deter drivers from cutting through the parking lot for the
remainder of the road closure. Staff co ntact: Daniel Kremer, Public Works
R. Eagle Drive and Elm Street Beautification Node – On January 25, Mayor Hudspeth
requested an update on the status of the beautification improvements at the northeast
corner of Eagle Drive and Elm Street.
The Pecan Creek Tributary Drainage Improvement Project (PEC-4) sanitary sewer
line upgrades in summer 2020 delayed the project. With the utility upgrades complete
and the sidewalk bridge's repair near the intersection, which was damaged during the
infrastructure construct ion, the beautification project is underway. Last week, Parks
and Recreation staff started work on the Beautification Node at Eagle Drive and Elm
Street to include landscaping and turf improvements. Staff anticipate the project will
be completed by early summer 2021. A concept for the beautification project is
attached. Staff contact: Drew Huffman, Parks and Recreation
S. Hinkle Construction Update – In the December 11 Friday Report, staff provided an
update on construction at the Hinkle roundabout, located at the intersection of Hinkle
and Mimosa. As reported on December 11, the remaining sitework includes
completion of sidewalk connection points to the roundabout, installation of two
retaining walls on the west side of the Mimosa and Hinkle intersection, general site
cleanup, and coordination with the developer of the Fireside Park residential
development to ensure the remaining sidewalk segment along Hinkle from Mimosa to
Windsor is constructed.
On Tuesday, January 19, staff received notification that the F ireside Park developer
will begin site preparation work to install the remaining 200 linear feet of 8 -foot
sidewalk and 1,415 linear feet of 5-foot wide sidewalk from Mimosa to Windsor
starting on Saturday, January 30, weather permitting. Staff estimates t he sidewalk
work will be completed by April 1, 2021.
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The City’s concrete repair and installation contractor is set to install the retaining walls
located on properties adjacent to the roundabout and the remaining 50 linear feet of
sidewalk on the west side of Hinkle and accessible ramps. Weather permitting, work
will begin in mid-February and should be completed in early March.
In the December 11 Friday Report, staff also provided information on efforts to
improve the visibility of the roundabout. On December 10, Denton Municipal Electric
(DME) replaced all existing High-Pressure Sodium (HPS) streetlights with Light
Emitting Diode (LED) streetlights along Hinkle from US 380 to Windsor. The new
LED streetlights are much brighter and have improved visibil ity along Hinkle from
the previous HPS lighting. Traffic Engineering engaged a lighting consultant from
Kimley-Horn and Associates to assess the current lighting of the Hinkle roundabout
and determine if additional illumination is necessary. Following that assessment,
Capital Projects staff will work with DME and the Finance team to review the study
and identify locations and funding for any additional streetlights that are needed. Staff
contact: Dustin Draper and Rachel Wood, Capital Projects
T. Pre-Emergent Use at Avondale Park – On January 27, Council Members Armintor
and Meltzer forwarded a resident’s concern of chemical use at Avondale Park in
relation to pre-emergent and the city-wide Integrated Pest Management (IPM)
Program. PARD strongly adheres to us ing the best practices related to pest treatment,
organic or inorganic, throughout City maintained properties per the IPM Program that
City Council approved. Only products that were approved by Council and the IPM
focus group can be used on City owned property. The pre-emergent used at Avondale
Park, Oxidiazon, has the lowest chemical toxicity per EPA regulations (EPA Level
III, Caution). PARD continues to evaluate the IPM Program and works towards using
the safest products per situation to control pest. Signage was also posted at the main
entry points to the Park area that was treated. Larger and/or more signage will be
addressed before the next application of any IPM products within a Park space. Staff
contact: Drew Huffman, Parks and Recreation
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III. Upcoming Community Events and Meetings
A. Events
1. Black History Month Virtual Celebration – on Saturday, February 13 hosted
virtually by MLK Jr. Rec Center. The virtual program will focus on the
theme of "The Black Family: Representation, Identity, and Diversity," and the
speaker is Mr. T. Mohair. The Denton Parks and Rec Facebook page will show
the program. Staff contact: Cheylon Brown, Parks and Recreation
IV. Attachments
A. Resident Update – Feb/March ........................................................................... 10
B. Mural Attachments ........................................................................................... 18
C. TML New Bill Listing ...................................................................................... 22
D. Eagle and Elm Concept..................................................................................... 43
V. Council Information
A. Council Requests for Information .................................................................... 44
B. Council Calendar ............................................................................................. 46
C. Draft Agenda for February 9 ............................................................................. 49
D. Future Work Session Items .............................................................................. 56
E. Street Construction Report ............................................................................... 57
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The economic impact of COVID-19 has left
some Denton families wondering how they will
be able to afford rent or utilities amidst reduced
work hours and job loss. Existing collaborative
COVID-19 relief efforts aided approximately
729 Denton households between March and
December 2020. The City of Denton continues
to coordinate with community partners to
secure and administer crucial relief funding
for households who have been financially
impacted by the pandemic.
The City was awarded a grant from the Texas
Department of Housing and Community Affairs
to prevent, prepare, and respond to the needs
of people experiencing or at risk of homelessness
during the pandemic. Local nonprofits Christian
Community Action; Giving HOPE, Inc.; Grace
Like Rain; and The Salvation Army Denton are
providing these services to the community on
the City’s behalf, and are prepared to help
individuals and families maintain stable housing
during uncertain times. The United Way of
Denton County also continues to collaborate
with these organizations to administer financial
assistance funding made available through the
Denton County Commissioners Court.
Residents can find the most up-to-date list of
financial assistance resources for rent and utilities
at www.cityofdenton.com/coronavirusresources.
Households only need to apply to one agency for
assistance. Information on how to utilize current
eviction protections is also available on the
website listed above.
CITY WORKS WITH LOCAL NONPROFITS TO PROVIDE
RENT & UTILITY ASSISTANCE TO DENTON RESIDENTS
www.cityofdenton.com
RESIDENT UPDATECITY OF DENTON
2021
FEBRUARY/MARCH
TO APPLY FOR UTILITY AND/OR RENTAL ASSISTANCE:
Contact one of the local nonprofit agencies listed below.
In-person applications are offered by appointment only.
Application does not guarantee assistance.
Income eligibility varies by program.
UNITED WAY OF DENTON COUNTY
Online: www.unitedwaydenton.org/info
Phone: Call (940) 566-2688 to leave a voice
message and receive a return call.
In-Person: No in-person applications at this time.
GIVING HOPE, INC.
Online: www.hopeincdenton.com/get-help
Phone: (940) 382-0609
In-Person: By appointment from 9 to 11 a.m., M-F.
Call (940) 382-0609 to schedule an appointment.
GRACE LIKE RAIN
Online: www.gracelikerainministries.com/need-help
Phone: Applications not accepted by phone.
In-Person: By appointment from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., M-F.
Email melmore@glrtx.org to schedule an appointment.
Grace Like Grain only services families with dependents.
THE SALVATION ARMY DENTON
Online: Applications not accepted online at this time.
Phone: (940) 566-3800. Apply over the phone from
9 a.m. to 9 p.m., M-F.
In-Person: By appointment from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., M-F.
Call (940) 566-3800 to schedule an appointment.
NOTE: If you need utility assistance only, you may also contact
Interfaith Ministires of Denton at (940) 565-5479 or online at
www.ifmdenton.org/i-need-help.
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City Works with Local Nonprofits to Provide
Rent and Utility Assistance to Denton Residents .....1
From the Mayor ...............................................................2
Denton City Council .......................................................2
Virtual Public Meetings...................................................2
Get Outside in 2021 and Enjoy the Parks, Trails,
and Natural Beauty of Denton...................................... 3
Apply for Denton’s Sustainability Committee ...........4
Tell Us About Your Trash & Recycling Habits! ...........4
Economic Development Launches
Online Resource for Small Businesses .......................5
2021 Great American Cleanup .....................................5
Online Maps Give Wealth of Knowledge ...................6
Why Does DME Trim Trees Around Power Lines? ....6
ARFF 9 Added to Denton Fire Department Fleet ......7
Featured Events ...............................................................7
IN THIS ISSUE
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To protect the health and safety of the
Denton community; City Council, board, and
commission members; and City staff, all public
meetings have moved to a remote format
until further notice. All meetings will use the
new Rules of Procedure that were adopted
during the March 31, 2020, Council meeting.
Scheduled public meetings are streamed
online at www.cityofdenton.com/dtv, made
available on-demand, and can be viewed live on
the City’s DTV cable channel (Frontier FiOS on
channel 38, Charter Spectrum on channel 194,
and Grande on channel 12). Due to the remote
format of the meetings, no in-person attendance
at Denton City Hall will be permitted.
Certain meetings will accommodate and receive
public input on eligible agenda items. Members
of the community are able to participate using
our virtual public comment options, including
an online Virtual White Card and by phone.
For additional information and a current
list of upcoming public meetings, visit
www.cityofdenton.com/publicmeetings.
VIRTUAL PUBLIC MEETINGS
It’s my honor and pleasure to start my
service as Mayor of the City of Denton.
I’d like to thank our residents for placing
their trust in me to provide leadership for
this great city and my hometown.
From Day 1 as a Council member and
through today, I’ve taken an active approach to getting things
done on behalf of our community and I’ll work even harder as
your Mayor. Over the past several years, the City has worked
diligently to provide great services at a fair and reasonable cost
to the taxpayer—growing our services while holding steady or
reducing the property tax rate.
Together with my fellow Council members, we will strive to
serve you as our city grows and achieve a high quality of life
that exceeds your expectations. The City of Denton is on a great
trajectory, though there is more to be done to keep us on the
best path forward into the future.
While I may not agree with every resident on every issue, there
is one thing tying us together —each of us wants Denton to be
successful and the very best place to live and work. I hope to be
a Mayor that continues us on that course.
I’d like to end with the simple message that we can accomplish
anything if we pull together, work together, and help each other.
Personally, I would not be here if it weren’t for the love and
support of my wife, Diane, and our daughters, LaNeisha,
Jordan, Alice, and Olalla; my mother, Dr. Doretha Hudspeth;
father, Rev. Willie Hudspeth; and our family matriarch, Octavine
McClendson. Lastly, I would like to thank Grandma Lopez
and our extended Hudspeth and Castro families.
FROM THE MAYOR
DENTON CITY COUNCIL
Gerard Hudspeth, Mayor | Gerard.Hudspeth@cityofdenton.com
Birdia Johnson, District 1 | Birdia.Johnson@cityofdenton.com
Connie Baker, District 2 | Connie.Baker@cityofdenton.com
Jesse Davis, District 3 | Jesse.Davis@cityofdenton.com
John Ryan, District 4 | John.Ryan@cityofdenton.com
Deb Armintor, At Large Place 5 | Deb.Armintor@cityofdenton.com
Paul Meltzer, At Large Place 6 | Paul.Meltzer@cityofdenton.com
Not sure who your Council Member is?
Visit www.cityofdenton.com/council, click on “Find Your Council
Member” in the menu bar, and enter your physical address.
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$0.6205
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$0.58
$0.60
$0.62
$0.64
$0.66
$0.68
$0.70
Tax RateFiscal Year
$0.5905
2021
8$
TAX RATE HISTORY
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GET OUTSIDE IN 2021 AND ENJOY THE PARKS,
TRAILS, AND NATURAL BEAUTY OF DENTON
START
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1
MILE
MILES
3
MILES
FINISH
RUN A
5K AT
SOUTH
LAKES
PARK
When was the last time you went outside to explore Denton? When you put your phone up, put the podcast
on pause, and just walked around enjoying the natural beauty around you? With winter making way for spring,
now is the perfect time to get outside.
Denton Parks and Recreation has so much to offer for the outside explorer. There are
dozens of parks in the city, and each has unique features like trails, playgrounds,
outdoor courts, and more. Did you know that there are nearly 50 miles of trails in
Denton? We’ve got everything from concrete to crushed granite to nature trails. You
can bike, walk, run, or go for a leisurely stroll with the family and dog.
North Lakes Park easily takes a day or more to appreciate fully. You can start at the
North Lakes Dog Park, walk the wildflower trail to the pond, stop to let the kids play at the
playground, watch a softball or kickball game, and hit a bucket of golf balls at the Driving
Range. That’s a full day—and North Lakes Rec Center, the RC Airfield, and the
ever-expanding disc golf course didn’t even appear! Furthermore, North Lakes is a
great place to run on the trails, and with a few simple laps, it’s easy to get mileage in.
Eukera 2 might be the most popular playground in Denton, but that doesn’t mean the
other 27 playgrounds should be ignored! Denton Parks and Rec is updating all the
playgrounds in the city and making them better than
ever. We replaced the playground at Quakertown Park in
early 2020, which includes a fantastic climbing structure
with a huge slide. The new McKenna Park playground
opened at the end of 2020 and has something for all kids
to enjoy. There are racing zip lines, a climbing spider net,
slides, an area for toddlers, and more. Mack Park and
Joe Skiles Park are next on the update list!
Or maybe you’re looking for a good place to run and
train for an upcoming virtual 5K (the Honey Run is right
around the corner). South Lakes Park is the perfect park
to track your run. The map to the left shows an easy route
that is a sanctioned 5K route. Maybe you can set a personal
record while the ducks at the pond root you on.
When the Texas sun starts to beat down, and you need
shade, try the nature trail at Lake Forest and Cross
Timbers North. It’s easy to forget you’re in the middle
of the city with the trees surrounding you. And if you
actually want to get out of the city, you don’t have to
go far. Clear Creek Natural Heritage Center is a beautiful
respite. With more than 10 miles of trails, a wetland, and so
much more, it’s the perfect place to explore. Be sure to take
your camera when you go because you will quickly get distracted
by a well-lit lilypad, a beaver swimming towards his beaver buddies,
or the sun shining through the trees.
Challenge yourself in 2021 to find a new sanctuary in Denton. This year, more
than ever, remind yourself to get outside and appreciate what is around you
and enjoy the parks, trails, and playgrounds the City of Denton provides.
To learn more about all that Denton Parks and Recreation has to offer,
visit www.dentonparks.com. 12
4
APPLY FOR DENTON’S NEW SUSTAINABILITY COMMITTEE
In 2012, the City created a plan for future sustainability: Simply Sustainable: A Framework for Denton’s Future.
This framework was updated in September 2020 to continue to guide the City in
environmentally conscious decision making.
This document provides goals and guidance as we move forward through the
next five years. Denton looks to stay at the leading edge of sustainability by
taking advantage of new opportunities as they arise and addressing the
following goals already outlined in the new framework:
• Establish a Greenhouse Gas Reduction Target;
• Create a Greenhouse Gas Mitigation Plan to meet newly set targets;
• Reduce solid waste generation and divert waste away from the landfill;
• Improve air quality non-attainment status;
• Increase Tree Canopy to 40 percent by 2040 in line with
the Urban Forest Master Plan;
• Incorporate Resiliency into City of Denton planning
efforts; and much more.
To help address these goals and encourage public
participation and engagement, the Denton City Council
approved the creation of the new Sustainability Advisory
Committee on Jan. 5. This group will be made up of Denton
community members, both experts and those with a passion
for the environment, to work with City staff to implement
and enhance the sustainability framework.
To learn more about the Sustainability Advisory Committee,
and to apply, visit www.cityofdenton.com/boards.
Interested individuals are encouraged to apply by Feb. 12.
AS WE LOOK TO THE FUTURE, it’s important
to recognize the incredible accomplishments
that have taken place since the inception of
the Simply Sustainable plan:
• DME is poised to have 100 percent
renewable energy within the next year;
• Since 2006, Community Greenhouse
Gas Emissions have decreased by
36 percent;
• Denton has become a Bee City, Monarch
City, and a member of the LEED for Cities
Program; and
• In 2019, Denton joined the annual
cohort of the Leadership in Community
Resilience Grant Program from the
National League of Cities.
TELL US ABOUT YOUR TRASH & RECYCLING HABITS
In October 2020, the City kicked off a Comprehensive Solid Waste Management Strategy project for the City
of Denton. The purpose of a comprehensive strategy is to consider all of the factors that impact recycling and
diversion in North Texas, and evaluate opportunities to provide residential, multifamily, and commercial waste
management in a more environmentally and fiscally efficient manner.
The development of the strategy will be completed in several phases. The first step of the process will be
to fully understand what we are throwing away and what we are separating for recycling and other uses.
This is where you come in! We are seeking resident input via a survey on the homepage of the City’s website
at www.cityofdenton.com. Take a few minutes to complete the survey where you can provide invaluable
feedback to help guide our strategic efforts.
In the next phase of the process, we will be asking Denton residents, business owners and managers, and
other local, interested persons for their opinions on a range of solid waste and recycling issues. To help provide
additional feedback, a community “Focus Group/Think Tank” will be established in March to discuss the results
of the survey and consider the findings of our previous waste strategic activities. Those who completed the
initial online survey will have the opportunity to apply for participation in the community focus group.
Finally, the focus group results will be discussed by City leaders to help lay the groundwork for our solid waste
program going into the future. We anticipate that the comprehensive strategy will be completed by late spring
2021 with implementation beginning later in the year.
To stay updated on the Comprehensive Solid Waste Management Strategy, visit www.dentonrecycles.com.13
March 2021March 2021
Small businesses make up a significant portion of our local economy, crossing
every sector and employing thousands of Dentonites. The City’s Economic
Development Department is committed to helping businesses of all sizes find
support and resources to help grow, expand, and thrive. Recently, the City
launched a new small business focused webpage, offering a comprehensive
directory of small business resources. The page includes reliable, easy to understand
resources that can help small business owners find what they need to succeed. We
know that building a small business is not an easy task, so we’ve worked to build a
consolidated resource that links businesses to the numerous organizations and programs available to them.
The page includes videos created by local
businesses on how to use digital marketing,
expand through e-commerce, and network
with other local businesses. It also offers a
comprehensive directory of small business
resources provided by local partners, state
and federal governments, and nonprofit
agencies. Topics covered include: starting a
business, social media, e-commerce, and
digital marketing, working with public
agencies and governments, accessing
training and workforce solutions, protecting
assets and investments, and support for
Black, disadvantaged, Latino, women, and
veteran-owned businesses.
To access all of these great online resources, visit www.cityofdenton.com/smallbusiness or call the City’s
Economic Development office at (940) 349-7776 to learn more.
5
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT LAUNCHES
ONLINE RESOURCE FOR SMALL BUSINESSES
14
6
The City’s interactive GIS (Geographic Information Systems) map is your source for discovering where
everything in the city is located. The online system, located on the City’s website, uses clickable layers, located
on the right-hand side of the screen, to show the various features available on the map. These layers include
items such as the city limit boundaries, City Council districts, historic landmarks, zoning information, water/
wastewater lines, parks, gas wells, and much more. The map can also provide you with detailed information
about the data layers for any specific location. Advanced search tools can be used to narrow in on finite
features, and measurement tools can be used to calculate distances and areas in various measurement units.
The City’s website also includes
other useful maps, such as the
Active Projects map where you
can see recent and upcoming
developments throughout the
city and their current status. Use
the Neighborhood Association
map to see neighborhoods that
have organizations in the city,
or to see if yours has one.
The Restaurant Locator map can
help you narrow down your dinner
plans by cuisine type and distance,
and maybe you’ll find something
you haven’t tried before!
To view the City’s various GIS and printable maps, visit www.cityofdenton.com/landdevelopment and click
“GIS Maps” in the menu bar.
INTERACTIVE ONLINE MAPS GIVE RESIDENTS ACCESS
TO A WEALTH OF INFORMATION ABOUT DENTON
Denton Municipal Electric (DME) trims trees and vegetation in and around energized zones to ensure public
safety, reliable service, and to comply with local, state, and federal regulations. Trees are a major contributor
of electric service interruptions and fires nationwide.
Trees cause outages in two ways, mechanical and electrical. Mechanical damage refers to entire trees or
portions of trees failing and physically damaging facilities (knocking down wires, poles, etc.). Trees can also
conduct electricity, which can cause an interruption of service. These interruptions are caused when a portion
of a tree becomes a short-circuit path for electricity to flow, causing a protective device to operate and stop
electricity flow. Therefore, trees must be maintained at an adequate distance from
the conductors to prevent interruptions to electric service.
Additionally, overgrown trees and vegetation could fall into high-voltage power lines,
which could cause a wire down safety hazard and lead to sparks and fires.
State and local regulatory bodies such as Public Utility Commissions and the City’s
code of ordinances require electric utilities to maintain their electrical systems in
accordance with the National Electric Safety Code, which generally requires the
trimming or removal of interfering trees.
For these reasons, DME trims vegetation and contracts with a professional
arboricultural service to prune all parts of the trees and other vegetation within
a minimum of at least ten feet of energized zones.
For questions or additional information, email dme@cityofdenton.com or call (940) 349-7500.
WHY DOES DME TRIM TREES AROUND POWER LINES?
15
FEATUREDEVENTS
ZOOM CALL WITH THE EASTER BUNNY
Register your kiddos for a private
Zoom chat with the
Easter Bunny and his
handler (who is
great with
translating rabbit
to English!)
Denton Parks and
Rec is also offering
egg basket drop-offs,
yard cards, and more!
To learn more, and to register,
visit www.dentonparks.com.7
CARD YOUR YARD THIS VALENTINE’S DAY
Card your yard or a friend’s yard to
spread some love this year!
Cards will stay up
for a day, and
there are add-on
options like
balloons and
chocolates.
Sign up to card
someone’s yard at
www.dentonparks.com.
FIND THE POT OF GOLDON ST. PATRICK’S DAY
The leprechaun has lost his pot of gold
in our Denton parks!
Go exploring the trails and look for his
gold coins. If you find a coin,
he will reward you with prizes!
To learn more about this event,
visit www.dentonparks.com.
What is safety lime yellow, has a 697-horsepower engine, is
39.5 feet long, 10 feet wide, weighs up to 93,000 pounds, carries
3,000 gallons of water and 420 gallons of foam, and can shoot
water 230 feet, all while being able to accelerate to well over
70 miles per hour?
Welcome ARFF 9 to the Denton Fire Department Fleet!
ARFF 9 will be stationed at the Denton Enterprise Airport, protecting
the aviation and industrial area of the City.
The Denton Fire Department (DFD) got into the Aircraft Rescue Fire
Fighting (ARFF) business in 2011 when a local company received a
military contract for refurbishing aircrafts. The military required ARFF
personnel and equipment on site when aircrafts were fueling,
de-fueling, or running their engines. This has led to DFD having
more than 40 trained Aircraft Rescue Fire Fighters, most of which
are housed at Station 3 on McCormick Street and Station 7 on
Vintage Boulevard.
To be ARFF certified, DFD firefighters attended a two-week specialty
training at DFW Airport (pictured). In October 2020, six members of
the DFD completed this course, adding to the number of ARFF
certified firefighters at Fire Stations 3 and 7. We are glad to add ARFF
9 to our fleet and continue our legacy of having highly skilled and
trained firefighters to protect our community.
ARFF 9 ADDED TO DENTON
FIRE DEPARTMENT FLEET
16
STAY UPDATED
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@cityofdentontx
A publication of the City of Denton • 01/21 • ADA/EOE/ADEA • TDD (800) 735-2989 • www.cityofdenton.com
/cityofdenton
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CITY OF DENTON
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CITY-RELATED BILLS FILED
(Editor’s Note: You will find all of this session’s city-related bill summaries online
at https://www.tml.org/319/Legislative-Information.)
PROPERTY TAX
H.B. 1166 (Metcalf) – Appraisal District: would, among other things, require the chief
appraiser of an appraisal district to be elected at the general election for state and county
officers every two years.
H.B. 1167 (Metcalf) – Appraisal Review Boards: would, among other things, provide that: (1)
an appraisal review board consists of five members elected by the voters of the county in which
the appraisal district is established at the general election for state and county officers; and (2)
the members of the appraisal review board serve two-year terms, beginning on January 1st of
odd-numbered years.
H.B. 1168 (Metcalf) – Appraisal District: would, among other things, provide that: (1) an
appraisal district is governed by a board of five directors; (2) one director is elected from each of
the four commissioners precincts of the county for which the appraisal district is established;
and (3) one director is elected at large from the county: and (4) the directors other than the
county assessor-collector, who is a non-voting director, are elected at the general election for
state and county officers and serve two-year terms beginning on January 1 of odd-numbered
years.
H.B. 1197 (Metcalf) – Property Tax Exemption: would extend from six years to ten years the
amount of time that a tract of land that is contiguous to the tract of land on which a religious
organization’s place of regular religious worship is located may be exempted from property
taxes when the religious organization is expanding or constructing a new place of religious
worship.
H.B. 1279 (Kacal) – Property Tax Exemption: would provide that an individual is entitled to a
local option property tax exemption by a taxing unit of a percentage, not to exceed five percent,
of the appraised value of the individual’s residence homestead if: (1) the individual is a
qualifying volunteer first responder; and (2) the exemption is adopted by the governing body of
the taxing unit. (See H.J.R. 70, below.)
H.B. 1283 (Wilson) – Property Tax Freeze: would expand the existing law authorizing cities to
adopt a property tax freeze on the residence homestead of individuals who are elderly or
disabled and their surviving spouses to all taxing units other than school districts. (See H.J.R.
71, below.)
H.J.R. 70 (Kacal) – Property Tax Exemption: would amend the Texas Constitution to
authorize the governing body of a political subdivision to exempt from property taxation a
percentage, not to exceed five percent, of the appraised value of the residence homestead of a
volunteer first responder. (See H.B. 1279, above.)
H.J.R 71 (Wilson) – Property Tax Freeze: would amend the Texas Constitution to authorize a
political subdivision other than a school district to adopt a property tax freeze on the residence
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homestead of individuals who are elderly or disabled and their surviving spouses. (Note: Cities
already have this authority. H.J.R. 71 would expand the authority to additional political
subdivisions that levy property taxes.) (See H.B. 1283, above.)
PUBLIC SAFETY
H.B. 1172 (Howard) – Sexual Assault Victims: would, among other things: (1) amend current
law to provide that a peace officer or an attorney representing the state may not require,
request, or take a polygraph examination of a person who charges or seeks to charge, in a
complaint, the commission of certain sexual offenses; (2) repeal current law, which provides that
a law enforcement agency that receives a report of a sexual assault within 96 hours of the
assault may decline to request a forensic medical examination of the victim of the assault for
use in the investigation or prosecution of the offense if: (a) the person reporting the sexual
assault has made one or more false reports of sexual assault to any law enforcement agency;
and (b) there is no other evidence to corroborate the current allegations of sexual assault; (3)
provide that, before conducting an interview with a victim reporting a sexual assault, the peace
officer conducting the interview shall offer the victim the opportunity to have an advocate from a
sexual assault program be present with the victim during the interview, if the advocate is
available at the time; (4) provide that if the advocate described in (3), above, is not available at
the time of the interview, the peace officer conducting the interview shall offer the victim the
opportunity to have a crime victim liaison from the law enforcement agency or a victim’s
assistance counselor from a state or local agency or other entity be present with the victim
during the interview; and (5) provide that a peace officer or law enforcement agency that
provides an advocate, liaison, or counselor with access to a victim reporting a sexual assault is
not subject to civil or criminal liability for providing that access.
H.B. 1178 (Crockett) – Possession of Drug Paraphernalia: would repeal sections of the
Texas Controlled Substances Act that make it a Class C misdemeanor if the person knowingly
or intentionally uses or possesses with intent to use drug paraphernalia to plant, propagate,
cultivate, grow, harvest, manufacture, compound, convert, produce, process, prepare, test,
analyze, pack, repack, store, contain, or conceal a controlled substance or to inject, ingest,
inhale, or otherwise introduce into the human body a controlled substance.
H.B. 1194 (Wu) – Reporting of School Incidents: would, among other things, provide that: (1)
a school district that enters into a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with a local law
enforcement agency for the provision of a regular police presence on campus shall designate in
the MOU which entity shall be responsible for collecting the following data, which shall be
reported to the Texas Education Agency by the school superintendent not later than the 60th day
after the last day of classes for the academic year: (a) restraints administered to the student; (b)
complaints filed against a student; and (c) certain incidents that occur on school property that
result from a district employee’s request for intervention by a law enforcement agency, district
peace officer, or school resource officer, including citations issued to a student and arrests
made of a student; and (2) the report described in (1), above, shall not include information that
identifies the peace officer who issued the citation, and the identity of such officer is confidential
and not subject to disclosure under the Texas Public Information Act.
H.B. 1212 (Toth) – Disposition of Abandoned or Unclaimed Personal Property: would,
among other things, provide that: (1) for purposes of any unclaimed or abandoned personal
property, a person designated by the city to dispose of the property may, instead of sending a
notice to the last known address of the owner of the property by certified mail, place a one-time
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notice on the internet website and social networking website of the law enforcement agency that
seized the property; and (2) the notice described in (1), above, shall state that if the owner does
not claim the property before the 90th day after the date of the notice, the property shall be
disposed of, and the proceeds placed in the city treasury.
H.B. 1233 (Crockett) – Low-THC Cannabis: would: (1) provide that a physician is qualified to
prescribe low-THC cannabis to alleviate the symptoms of a patient’s medical condition or the
symptoms caused by other treatments for that medical condition if, among other things, the
physician dedicates a significant portion of clinical practice to the evaluation and treatment of
the patient’s particular medical condition, and the treatment of symptoms caused by that
medical condition and symptoms caused by other treatments for that medical condition; (2)
remove the current limited list of diagnoses for which a patient may receive low-THC cannabis;
(3) provide that a physician may prescribe low-THC cannabis if the physician certifies that the
patient is diagnosed with a medical condition that produces symptoms, or the treatment of which
produces symptoms, that are alleviated by medical use of low-THC cannabis; and (4) remove
the definitions of incurable neurodegenerative disease and terminal cancer from the state law
governing the use of low-THC cannabis.
H.B. 1236 (Anchia) – Immigration: would repeal certain provisions governing state and local
enforcement of immigration laws and other provisions related to immigration law, such as the
requirement that a law enforcement agency honor a detainer request. (Companion bill is S.B.
92 by Menéndez.)
H.B. 1238 (Biederman) – Firearms: would provide, among other things that: (1) a person who
is not otherwise prohibited from possessing a firearm under federal or state law may, without a
license, openly or concealed carry a handgun; (2) a city may not regulate the carrying of a
firearm at a public park or parade, rally, or political meeting in the city; and (3) the mere
possession or carrying of a handgun shall not constitute reasonable belief for a peace officer to
disarm or detain a person.
H.B. 1253 (Moody) – Firearms Task Force: would: (1) require each county commissioners
court to establish a task force to develop policy recommendations, model forms, and best
practice guidelines for the surrender, transfer, or other disposition of a firearm with regard to a
person who is under a court order related to family violence; and (2) provide that the chief of
police of the largest city in each county will serve on the task force in (1).
H.B. 1254 (Shaheen) – Mental Health: would modify current law to provide that: (1) a peace
officer may, without a warrant, take a person into custody, regardless of the age of the person, if
the officer: (a) has reason to believe and does believe that the person has a cognitive disability,
including autism, down syndrome, traumatic brain injury, and dementia, and because of the
cognitive disability there is a substantial risk of serious harm to the person or to others unless
the person is immediately restrained; and (b) believes that there is not sufficient time to obtain a
warrant before taking the person into custody; (2) a peace officer who takes a person with a
cognitive disability into custody as described in (1), above, shall make a good faith effort to: (a)
use the least restrictive available and appropriate means of transport; and (b) include in
transporting the person the person’s parent, appointed guardian, managing conservator, or
possessory conservator, as applicable; (3) the peace officer shall transport the individual to the
nearest appropriate inpatient mental health facility, or if not available, a mental health facility
deemed suitable by the local mental health authority; (4) a judge or magistrate that issues a
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warrant for emergency detention shall notify the applicable law enforcement agency of the
warrant by: (a) e-mail, with the warrant attached as a secure document in PDF; or (b) secure
electronic means, including satellite transmission, closed-circuit television transmission, or any
other method of two-way electronic communication that is secure, available to the judge or
magistrate, and provides for a simultaneous, compressed full-motion video and interactive
communication of image and sound between the judge or magistrate and the agency; (5) a law
enforcement agency that receives a warrant issued under (4), above, shall serve the warrant no
later than 48 hours after the agency receives the warrant; (6) if a law enforcement agency that
has a memorandum of understanding with a mental health authority to use telehealth service, a
peace officer who apprehends a person under the provisions (4), above, may arrange to have a
physician conduct a telehealth appointment with the apprehended person to determine whether
emergency detention is necessary before transporting a person to mental health facility; (7) if a
physician conducting the telehealth appointment described in (6), above, determines that
emergency detention is not required, the peace officer shall release the person; (8) if a peace
officer releases an apprehended person as described in (7), above, the peace officer shall notify
the judge or magistrate who issued the warrant not later than 24 hours after the peace officer
released the person; and (9) if a peace officer is contacted to locate a person who has left a
facility before the earlier of the time a preliminary examination is completed or the expiration of a
48-hour period, the peace officer must make a good faith effort to locate the person, and if
located, the peace officer must: (a) reevaluate whether the person meets the criteria for
apprehension as described in (1), above; and (b) if the person meets the criteria for
apprehension, transport the person to an appropriate mental health facility.
H.B. 1262 (Bowers) – Trauma-Informed Training: would provide that: (1) as part of the
minimum curriculum requirements, the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement shall establish
and require a peace to complete a statewide comprehensive education and training program on
trauma-informed techniques to facilitate interactions with homeless youth and adults and on the
resources available to those individuals; and (2) a peace officer shall complete the program not
later than the last day of the first full continuing education training period after the date the
officer is licensed or the date the officer applies for an intermediate proficiency certificate,
whichever date is later.
H.B. 1265 (Price) – Criminal Offense for Obstructing or Interfering: would: (1) provide that a
person commits a state jail felony if the person recklessly obstructs or interferes with: (a) a first
responder's ability to render aid to a person who is suffering serious bodily injury; or (b) the
passage of an authorized emergency vehicle that is operating the vehicle's siren or emergency
lighting system to or from the scene of an emergency where a person is suffering serious bodily
injury; and (2) provide for an enhancement to a third degree felony for an offense described in
(1), above, if shown that a person died as a result of the offense.
H.B. 1272 (Crockett) – No-Knock Entries: would prohibit a magistrate, including a municipal
judge, from issuing an arrest or search warrant that authorizes a peace officer from entering, for
the purpose of executing a warrant, into a building or other place without giving notice of the
officer’s authority or purpose before entering (a no-knock entry). (This bill is identical to H.B.
492 by Wu and the companion bill is S.B. 175 by Miles.)
H.B. 1275 (Crockett) – Prostitution: would: (1) provide that a child may not be referred to
juvenile court for prostitution; (2) provide that a law enforcement officer taking possession of a
child suspected of engaging in prostitution shall: (a) use best efforts to deliver the child to the
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child’s parent or another person entitled to take possession of the child; (b) in the event the
officer cannot find an individual under (a), take the child to a local service provider who will
facilitate the assignment of a caseworker; or (c) in the event an individual under (a) and (b) is
unavailable, transfer possession of the child to the Department of Family Protective Services;
and (3) provide that a person may not be prosecuted for prostitution that the person committed
when younger than 17 years of age. (This bill is identical to H.B. 162 by Thierry.)
H.B. 1287 (Meza) – DWI Blood Draws: this bill, known as “Colten’s Law,” would provide that:
(1) a peace officer shall require the taking a specimen of a person’s blood if: (a) the officer
arrests the person for operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated; (b) the person refuses the
officer’s request to submit to the taking of a specimen voluntarily; (c) the person was the
operator of a motor vehicle involved in an accident involving a pedestrian; (d) the officer
reasonably believes that the accident occurred as a result of the offense; and (e) at the time of
the arrest, the officer reasonably believes that as a direct result of the accident the pedestrian
died, will die, or has suffered a serious bodily injury.
H.B. 1326 (Geren) –Expunction: would, among other things, modify current law to provide that
a peace officer, firefighter, detention officer, county jailer, or emergency medical services
employee is eligible for an expunction of arrest records and files if: (1) such person has
completed a public safety employees treatment court program; (2) the person has not previously
received an expunction of arrest records and files for completion of a public safety employees
treatment court program; and (3) the person submits an affidavit to the court attesting to the fact
described in (2), above.
H.B. 1331 (Canales) – Asset Forfeiture Proceedings: would: (1) provide that contraband is
not subject to seizure and forfeiture if the property is not otherwise unlawful to possess and the
admissibility of the property as evidence would be prohibited in the prosecution of the underlying
offense; and (2) limit the admissibility of evidence in an asset forfeiture proceeding.
H.B. 1349 (Crockett) – Murder Offense: would make the offense of murder committed by a
peace officer acting under the authority of the state or a political subdivision of the state a felony
of the first degree with a minimum term of imprisonment of 15 years.
H.B. 1352 (Crockett) – Release of Defendant: would reduce the amount of time a defendant
may be detained in jail, before the defendant must be released on personal bond or by reducing
the amount of bail, if the state is not ready for the trial of the criminal action: (1) from 90 days to
60 days from the commencement of the detention if the defendant is accused of a felony; (2)
from 30 days to 10 days from the commencement of the detention if the defendant is accused of
a misdemeanor punishable by a sentence of imprisonment in jail for more than 180 days; (3)
from 15 days to five days from the commencement of the detention if the defendant is accused
of a misdemeanor punishable by a sentence of imprisonment for 180 days or less; and (4) from
five days to three days from the commencement of the detention if the defendant is accused of
a misdemeanor punishable by a fine only.
S.B. 375 (Perry) – CPR Training: would require: (1) a state, county, special district, or
municipal agency that employs telecommunicators to require each telecommunicator who
provides dispatch for medical emergencies to receive training, including continuing education
training, in telecommunicator cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR); (2) a telecommunicator to
complete initial CPR training not later than the 60th day after the telecommunicator’s first date of
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employment with the entity; and (3) a telecommunicator to complete continuing education
training at least as often as recognized standards for telecommunicator CPR training are
updated. (Companion bill is H.B. 786 by Oliverson.)
S.B. 380 (West) – Body Worn Cameras: This bill known as the “Botham Jean Act,” would,
among things: (1) require a body worn camera policy include provisions related to collection of a
body worn camera, including the applicable video and audio recorded by the camera, as
evidence; (2) amend current law to provide that, other than in a non-confrontational encounter
with a person, a peace officer who participates in an investigation of the offense of intentionally
or knowingly deactivating a recording device being used in the investigation shall keep a body
worn camera activated for the entirety of the investigation unless the camera has been collected
as evidence by another peace officer in accordance with a body worn camera policy or
applicable law; (3) provide that body worn camera recording is confidential and not subject to
disclosure under the Public Information Act if: (a) the recording documents a victim of a crime
expressing a clear and unambiguous desire to not be recorded or allow the recording to be
made available to the public; (b) the recording documents a person providing assistance to a
law enforcement investigation and expressing a clear and unambiguous desire to not be
recorded or provide the assistance in an anonymous manner; (c) the recording documents a
child younger than 17 years of age; or (d) the recording was made: (i) on the grounds of any
public or private primary or secondary school; or (ii) inside a home by a peace officer who
entered the home with either a warrant, with consent or under lawfully authorized exigent
circumstances; (4) provide that a person commits a felony of the third degree if the person
knows that an investigation (defined as an inquiry conducted by a law enforcement agency to
determine whether a person has committed an offense or an employee of a law enforcement
agency has violated policy, order, rule or other regulation of the agency) is ongoing and
intentionally or knowingly deactivates, orders the deactivation of, or causes to be deactivated a
recording device, including a dash cam, a body worn camera, and an alarm system, being used
in the investigation; and (5) provide that it is an affirmative defense to prosecution for an offense
defined in (4), above, that: (a) a peace officer, other than the peace officer to whom the body
worn camera was issued, deactivated the camera in accordance with any policy adopted by the
employing law enforcement agency regarding collection of evidence and applicable law; or (b) a
non-peace officer deactivated the recording device at the request or command of a peace
officer and such request or command was made in accordance with any policy adopted by the
employing law enforcement agency regarding collection of evidence and applicable law. (This
bill is identical to H.B. 929 by Sherman.)
S.B. 404 (N. Johnson) – Missing Child: would, among other things: (1) amend the definition of
a "missing child" to include the child voluntarily leaving the child's home without the consent of
the custodian for a substantial length of time or without intent to return, by repealing the prior
definition that included engaging in conduct indicating a need for supervision; (2) add the
definition of "status offense" to include certain conduct committed by a child that would not be
considered a crime if committed by an adult; (3) provide the place and conditions of detainment
if the child is accused only of a status offense; (4) require that a child not be detained at a place
of non-secure custody for longer than six hours, or at a non-secure correctional facility for longer
than 24 hours, after the time the child arrived at the place of detention; (5) provide that if the
child is not released before the sixth hour after the time the child arrived at the place of
detention, the child is entitled to a detention hearing that must be held before the 24th hour after
the time the child arrived at the place of detention, excluding weekends and holidays; and (6)
repeal current law authorizing a law enforcement officer to fingerprint or photograph the child to
establish the child's identity under certain circumstances.
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SALES TAX
S.B. 402 (Johnson) – Street Maintenance Sales Tax: would, among other things, provide that:
(1) for a city in which a majority of the voters voting in each of the last two consecutive elections
concerning the adoption or reauthorization of the street maintenance sales tax favored adoption
or reauthorization and in which the tax has not expired since the first of those two consecutive
elections, the city may call an election to reauthorize the tax for a period of eight or ten years,
instead of four years; and (2) revenue from the street maintenance sales tax may be used to
maintain and repair: (a) a city street or sidewalk; and (b) a city water, wastewater, or stormwater
system located in the width of a way of a city street.
COMMUNITY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
H.B. 1196 (Hinojosa) – Homelessness: would require: (1) a state registrar, a local registrar, or
a county clerk to issue a homeless individual’s birth record to the homeless individual without a
fee; (2) the Department of State Health Services to adopt a process to verify a person’s status
as a homeless individual and prescribe the documentation necessary for the issuance of a
certified copy of a birth record; (3) the Department of Public Safety (DPS) to adopt a process to
verify a person is a homeless individual; and (4) DPS to exempt a homeless individual from the
payment of fees for the issuance of a driver’s license or personal identification certificate only if
there is a sufficient amount in the identification fee exemption account to waive the fees.
H.B. 1200 (C. Morales) – Historic Districts: would provide that a city that has not established
a process to designate historic landmarks may adopt and enforce an ordinance, order, or other
regulation the primary purpose of which is to protect or maintain historic or culturally significant
structures, objects, sites, or districts.
H.B. 1219 (Gates) – Municipal Management Districts: would, among other things, provide
that the board of a municipal management district shall dissolve the district on written petition
filed with the board by: (1) in a district created on or after September 1, 2017, the owners of at
least two-thirds of the assessed value of the property subject to assessment or taxation by the
district based on the most recent certified county property tax rolls; and (2) in a district created
before September 1, 2017, the owners of at least 55 percent of the assessed value of the
property subject to assessment or taxation by the district based on the most recent certified
county property tax rolls.
H.B. 1226 (Campos) – Homelessness: would, among other things: (1) provide that the
Department of Housing and Community Affairs may implement and administer a pilot program
to solicit donations made by text message for the benefit of local programs that provide services
to homeless individuals and families in municipalities with a population of 285,000 or more; and
(2) provide that of any money donated under the program, the department shall allocate: (a) not
less than 65 percent for costs associated with housing homeless individuals and families; (b) not
less than 20 percent for transportation costs; (c) not less than five percent for the promotion of
the program; and (d) not more than 10 percent for overhead and administrative costs.
H.B. 1260 (Bowers) – Homelessness Study: would: (1) require the Texas Interagency Council
for the Homeless to conduct a study on the feasibility of establishing a centralized
homelessness crisis response data system through which state agencies, local governmental
entities including law enforcement agencies, court systems, school districts, and emergency
service providers, and other relevant persons are able to share and access information related
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to individuals who experience chronic homelessness in order to connect or refer those
individuals to services, including affordable housing opportunities; (2) provide that, when
conducting the study in (1), above, the council shall: (a) consult with representatives of the
entities described by (1), above, to determine the challenges faced by those entities in
addressing chronic homelessness and how best to improve the responses to those challenges;
and (b) assess the feasibility of the centralized homelessness crisis response data system
described by (1), above, to collect data from other homelessness crisis response data systems
maintained or operated by a state agency, local law enforcement agency, or other entity of this
state; and (c) collect, aggregate, analyze, and share homelessness information with entities that
have access to the system; and (3) require the council to prepare and submit a report to the
Texas Department of Housing and Community affairs that summarizes the results of the study
required by the bill by November 1, 2022.
H.B. 1277 (Campos) – Homelessness: would, among other things: (1) provide that the Texas
Department of Housing and Community Affairs (TDHCA) may: (a) operate the transitional
housing pilot program in coordination with one or more cities or counties; and (b) provide a grant
from the Ending Homelessness fund to a city or county with which TDHCA coordinates to
operate the program; and (2) require TDHCA to give priority in issuing grants from the Ending
Homelessness fund to cities and counties that coordinate with TDHCA in the operation of the
transitional housing pilot program.
H.B. 1278 (Campos) –Homelessness: would require the Interagency Council for the Homeless
to hold annual public hearings in at least one county located in a rural area of Texas and one
county located in an urban area of Texas.
H.B. 1286 (Rosenthal) – Public Facility Corporations: would, among other things: (1) provide
for beneficial tax treatment relating to a leasehold or other possessory interest in a public facility
only if the local government sponsoring a public facility corporation, the public facility
corporation, the public facility user, and the housing development meet certain requirements; (2)
require a sponsoring local government, including a city, to identify goals for public facilities used
for housing developments and establish selection criteria based on the goals to be used by
public facility corporations for scoring proposals from developers of housing developments; and
(3) require a sponsoring local government that leases a public facility used as a housing
development to a public facility user to submit an annual report to the Texas Department of
Housing and Community Affairs and the comptroller that includes: (a) a copy of all contracts and
other agreements between the public facility user and the sponsor of the public facility
corporation relating to the housing development; and (b) statistics describing the demographics
of the residents of the housing development, including incomes and family sizes.
H.B. 1295 (Rodriguez) – Housing Tax Credits: would authorize the Texas Department of
Housing and Community Affairs to allocate housing tax credits to more than one development in
a single community only if: (1) one of the developments will be located wholly within a census
tract in which the median value of owner-occupied homes has increased by 15 percent or more
within the five years preceding the date of the application; (2) the governing body of the
municipality containing the development or, if located outside a municipality, the county
containing the development, adopts a resolution that authorizes an allocation of housing tax
credits for the development; and (3) the applicant for the development includes in the
application a copy of the resolution adopted under (2), above. (Companion bill is S.B.
400 by Zaffirini.)
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H.B. 1335 (Dutton) – Tax Preferences: would: (1) require a select commission to review all
state and local “tax preferences” and develop a review schedule under which tax preferences
are reviewed once during each six-year period; (2) require the commission in (1) to file a final
report on tax preferences to the governor and the presiding officers of the Senate Finance
Committee and the House Ways and Means Committee not later than September 1 of each
even-numbered year; (3) provide that a tax preference included in a final report under (2)
expires on the second anniversary of the date the final report is filed, unless reauthorized by
law; and (4) provide that each tax preference enacted by the legislature that becomes law on or
after September 1, 2022, expires six years after the date it takes effect, unless the legislature
provides an earlier or later expiration date.
H.B. 1347 (Goodwin) – Linkage Fees: would repeal the prohibition against linkage fees.
H.B. 1348 (Deshotel) – Charter Schools: would: (1) require a city to consider an open-
enrollment charter school a school district for purposes of zoning, permitting, code compliance,
and development, including land development standards in territory that a city has annexed for
limited purposes; (2) prohibit a city from enacting or enforcing an ordinance or regulation that
prohibits an open-enrollment charter school from operating at any location or within a zoning
district in the city; (3) provide that an open-enrollment charter school is not required to pay
impact fees unless the school’s governing body consents to the payment; and (4) provide that
an open-enrollment charter school may be exempt from utility drainage ordinances and
regulations, and that any such exemption granted to a school district before the effective date of
the bill automatically extends to all open-enrollment charter schools located in a city.
S.B. 386 (Powell) – Economic Development Corporations: would provide that, for an
economic development corporation in a city wholly or partly located in an area subject to a state
of disaster declared by the governor, an authorized economic development corporation project
includes expenditures found by the board of directors of the corporation to be required or
suitable for use to support businesses and retain jobs during the period the area is subject to
the disaster declaration.
S.B. 400 (Zaffirini) – Housing Tax Credits: would authorize the Texas Department of Housing
and Community Affairs to allocate housing tax credits to more than one development in a single
community only if: (1) one of the developments will be located wholly within a census tract in
which the median value of owner-occupied homes has increased by 15 percent or more within
the five years preceding the date of the application; (2) the governing body of the municipality
containing the development or, if located outside a municipality, the county containing the
development adopts a resolution that authorizes an allocation of housing tax credits for the
development; and (3) the applicant for the development includes in the application a copy of the
resolution adopted under (2), above. (Companion bill is H.B. 1295 by Rodriguez.)
S.B. 416 (Miles) – Historic Districts: would provide that a city that has not established a
process to designate historic landmarks may adopt and enforce an ordinance, order, or other
regulation the primary purpose of which is to protect or maintain historic or culturally significant
structures, objects, sites, or districts.
ELECTIONS
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H.B. 1170 (Rosenthal) – Elections: would provide that a person occupying a voting station
may use a mechanical or electronic device to access ballot or candidate information that was
downloaded or created before the person entered the polling place.
H.B. 1179 (Pacheco) – Polling Places: would prohibit electioneering, loitering, wearing certain
badges and insignia, and posting campaign materials within 300 feet of a polling place (Note:
the current distance is 100 feet).
H.B. 1183 (Dutton) – Eligibility for Public Office: would require a candidate to provide a
certified copy of the candidate’s pardon or other documentation evidencing removal of the
disability to holding public office.
H.B. 1184 (Dutton) – Final Convictions: would provide that, in order to be eligible to be a
candidate for, or elected or appointed to, a public elective office, a person must have not been
finally convicted of a felony from which the person has not been pardoned or otherwise released
from the resulting disabilities by a court of competent jurisdiction.
H.B. 1232 (Crockett) – Early Voting by Mail: would, among many other things, authorize early
voting by mail for any qualified voter and provide for implementing procedures. (Companion bill
is S.B. 95 by Menéndez.)
H.B. 1242 (Cole) – Early Voting: would provide that the period for early voting by personal
appearance would begin on the first business day after the last day a voter registration becomes
effective.
H.B. 1243 (Cole) – Early Voting: would, among other things, provide that: (1) the authority
ordering an election may order early voting by personal appearance at the main early voting
polling place to be conducted during an extended early voting period continuing for any number
of consecutive days up to and including the day before election day; and (2) an authority that
extends early voting under (1), above, shall order personal appearance voting at the main early
voting polling place to be conducted for at least 12 hours on any weekday or Saturday and for at
least five hours on any Sunday of the extended early voting period.
H.B. 1244 (Cole) – Voter Registration: would, among other things: (1) provide that the voter
registrar shall appoint at least one election officer serving each polling place for early voting by
personal appearance or on election day as a regular deputy registrar; (2) provide that a person
who would be eligible to vote in an election but for the requirement to be a registered voter must
be accepted during voting by personal appearance for voting the ballot for the precinct of the
person’s residence as shown by the identification presented if the person: (a) submits a voter
registration application that complies with state law to an election officer at the polling place; and
(b) presents as proof of identification a form of photo identification that complies with state law
and states the person’s current address, or another form of identification along with proof of
residency that complies with state law; and (3) require persons voting under this section to be
processed separately at the polling place from persons who are voting under regular
procedures.
H.B. 1245 (Cole) – Ballots Voted by Mail: would: (1) require election notice posted on a
county’s website to include: (a) the location of each polling place that will be open on election
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day; (b) the location of each polling place that will be open for early voting; and (c) each location
that will be available to voters to deliver a marked ballot voted by mail; (2) authorize a voter to
deliver a marked ballot voted by mail in person to the early voting clerk’s office or to another
designated location while the polls are open on election day or during the early voting period; (3)
provide that a voter delivering a marked ballot in person may return only the voter’s own ballot;
and (4) authorize the county clerk to designate any of the following locations for delivering
marked ballots under (2), above: (a) the early voting clerk’s office; (b) any polling place open for
early voting or for election day; or (c) any suitable location that meets criteria prescribed by the
secretary of state. (Companion bill is H.B. 844 by Bucy.)
H.B. 1300 (Guillen) – Voter Assistance: would provide that a child under 18 years of age may
accompany the child’s parent to a voting station and may read or mark the ballot at the direction
of the parent.
H.B. 1314 (Hefner) – Voting System: would provide that, beginning, September 1, 2021, for a
voting system or voting system equipment to be approved for use in an election, the voting
system must have all components of the voting system, including equipment, individual
component pieces, and data storage manufactured, stored, and held in the United States and
sold by a company whose: (1) headquarters are located in the United States; and (2) parent
company’s headquarters, if applicable, are located in the United States.
H.B. 1316 (J. Johnson) – Qualifications for Public Office: would, in relation to the eligibility to
hold public office, provide that: (1) in order to be eligible to a be a candidate for, or elected or
appointed to, a public office in this state, a person must (among other things) have not been
finally convicted of a felony or, if so convicted: (a) been fully discharged of the sentence,
including any term of incarceration, parole, or supervision, or completed a period of probation
ordered by any court; or (b) been pardoned or otherwise released from the resulting disabilities;
and (2) a person is not considered to have been finally convicted of an offense for which the
criminal proceedings are deferred without an adjudication of guilt.
S.B. 377 (West) – Ballots Voted by Mail: would: (1) require election notice posted on a
county’s website to include: (a) the location of each polling place that will be open on election
day; (b) the location of each polling place that will be open for early voting; and (c) each location
that will be available to voters to deliver a marked ballot voted by mail; (2) authorize a voter to
deliver a marked ballot voted by mail in person to the early voting clerk’s office or to another
designated location while the polls are open on election day or during the early voting period; (3)
provide that a voter delivering a marked ballot in person may return only the voter’s own ballot;
and (4) authorize the county clerk to designate any of the following locations for delivering
marked ballots under (2), above: (a) the early voting clerk’s office; (b) any polling place open for
early voting or for election day; or (c) any suitable location that meets criteria prescribed by the
secretary of state. (Companion bill is H.B. 844 by Bucy.)
S.B. 378 (West) – Early Voting by Mail: would, among other things, provide that a voter voting
by mail based on the ground of absence from the county of residence may elect to receive the
balloting materials by electronic transmission on the voter’s application for an early voting ballot
to be voted by mail. (Companion bill is H.B. 845 by Bucy.)
S.B. 379 (West) – Voting by Mail: would, among other things: (1) provide that a qualified voter
is eligible for early voting by mail if the voter submits an application for a ballot to vote by mail
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during a statewide public health disaster; and (2) provide an opportunity to correct a signature
defect on the carrier envelope certificate, the ballot application, or a mismatched name on the
carrier envelope certificate if the voter submits the following: (a) identification or a document
proving identity that complies with state law; and (b) a signed affidavit curing the defect.
S.B. 381 (West) – Changing Residence: would, among other things: (1) provide that an
election officer serving a polling place shall be a deputy voter registrar and shall have the same
authority as a regular deputy registrar; (2) provide that, after changing residence to another
county, a person must be accepted for provisional voting if: (a) the person would have been
eligible to vote in the county the person formerly resided in on election day if the person was still
residing in that county; (b) the person is registered to vote in the county the person formerly
resided in at the time the person offers to vote in the county the person currently resides in or
submitted a voter registration application in the county the person currently resides in; (c) the
person’s voter registration for the county the person currently resides in is not effective on or
before election day; and (d) in the county the person currently resides in, the person offers to
vote: (i) at any polling place during the early voting period; (ii) at any polling place on election
day if the county participates in the countywide polling place program; or (iii) at the polling place
of the precinct in which the person resides on election day if the county does not participate in
the countywide polling place program; and (3) require the form for a provisional voting affidavit
to include a space for entering the precinct number of the precinct in which the voter voted and
the name of the county in which the voter is registered to vote. (Companion bill is H.B.
857 by Bucy.)
S.B. 426 (Miles) – Return of Mail Ballots: would authorize: (1) a voter to deliver a marked mail
ballot in person to the early voting clerk’s office or to another designated location while the polls
are open on election day or during the early voting period; and (2) the early voting clerk to
designate any number of suitable locations for in-person delivery of ballots.
EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT
H.B. 1239 (Sanford) – Religious Freedom: would provide that: (1) for purposes of a disaster,
the Texas Religious Freedom Restoration Act is not considered a regulatory statute and may
not be suspended; and (2) a government agency or public official may not issue an order that
closes or has the effect of closing places of worship or in a geographic area of Texas.
(Companion bill is S.B. 251 by Paxton.)
S.B. 422 (Springer) – Emergency Powers Board: would, among other things: (1) establish the
Emergency Powers Board (Board) consisting of the governor, the lieutenant governor, the
speaker, the senate committee chair with primary jurisdiction over state affairs, and the house
committee chair with primary jurisdiction over state affairs to provide oversight during a declared
state of disaster, including a declared public health disaster; (2) provide that on or after the
eighth day after the date the governor issues the executive order, proclamation or regulation,
the Board, by majority vote, may set an expiration date for the order, proclamation or regulation;
and (3) provide that if an executive order, proclamation or regulation issued by the governor has
an expiration date set by the governor and not modified by the Board within 22 days after the
date the order, proclamation or regulation is issued, the governor shall convene a special
legislative session to implement, modify or repeal the order, proclamation or regulation.
S.J.R. 29 (Springer) – Special Legislative Session: would amend the Texas Constitution to
provide that: (1) the governor shall convene a special legislative session: (a) if a state of
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disaster or emergency declared by the governor continues for more than 21 days; or (b) on
receipt of a petition from any member of the legislature requesting legislative review of a state of
disaster or emergency declared by the governor if the petition is signed by at least two-thirds of
the members of the house and two-thirds of the members of the senate; and (2) a special
session convened under (1), above, shall be for the following purposes: (a) review an order,
proclamation or other instrument issued by the governor during the 90 days before the special
session begins: (i) declaring a state of disaster or emergency in the state; or (ii) in response to a
state of disaster or emergency in the state declared by any federal, state or local official or
entity; (b) terminate or modify an order, proclamation or instrument described by (2)(a), above,
by passage of a resolution approved by a majority vote of the members present in each house
of the legislature; (c) respond to the state of disaster or emergency; and (d) consider any other
subjects stated in the governor’s proclamation convening the special session.
MUNICIPAL COURTS
H.B. 1177 (Crockett) – Court Costs: would require the judge of any court, including municipal
court, who finds that the defendant or plaintiff in the proceeding is indigent to waive all court
costs, including costs on conviction, and all filing fees and other fees imposed by law on the
indigent defendant or plaintiff.
S.B. 417 (Miles) – Municipal Court Reporting: would: (1) require each justice and municipal
court annually to report to the Office of Court Administration for each criminal case filed with the
court during the reporting year: (a) the offense charged; (b) the final disposition of the case; and
(c) the defendant's race or ethnicity, as reported in the citation, affidavit establishing probable
cause, or offense report filed with the case; and (2) provide that a report made under (1), above,
is confidential and not subject to disclosure under the Texas Public Information Act.
OPEN GOVERNMENT
No Open Government bills were filed this week.
OTHER FINANCE AND ADMINISTRATION
H.B. 1173 (Noble) – Abortion: would: (1) provide that a governmental entity may not enter into
a taxpayer resource transaction, appropriate money, or spend money to provide to any person
logistical support for the express purpose of assisting a woman with procuring an abortion or the
services of an abortion provider; and (2) authorize the attorney general to enjoin a violation of
the prohibition in (1).
H.B. 1215 (C. Bell) – Federal Action: would: (1) establish a joint legislative committee to
review any federal action to determine whether such action is unconstitutional; (2) provide that
any federal action found by the joint legislative committee to be unconstitutional be sent to the
legislature for a determination, and then on to the governor for approval or disapproval; (3)
provide that any federal action declared to be unconstitutional has no legal effect in Texas; (4)
prohibit the state or a political subdivision of the state from spending money to implement a
federal action declared unconstitutional; (5) authorize the attorney general (and others) to
prosecute a person who attempts to implement or enforce an unconstitutional federal action for
official oppression, as well as other provisions of law; and (6) entitle a person to seek a
declaratory judgment that a federal action is unconstitutional and give all courts original
jurisdiction over such a proceeding.
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H.B. 1241 (Shine) – Annexation of Rights-of-Way: would provide that: (1) a city annexing an
area on request of the owners, an area with less than 200 population by petition, an area with at
least 200 population by election, or certain special districts may also annex with the area: (a) the
right-of-way of a street, highway, alley or other public way or of a railway line spur, or roadbed
that is contiguous to the city’s boundaries and the area being annexed or a right-of-way
described in (b); or (b) the right-of-way of a public road or highway connecting the area being
annexed to the city by the most direct route; (2) a city may only annex a right-of-way described
under (1) if the city: (a) provides written notice of the annexation to the owner of the right-of-way
not later than the 61st day before the date of the proposed annexation; and (b) the owner of the
right-of-way does not submit a written objection to the city before the date of the proposed
annexation; and (3) certain width requirements do not apply to the annexation of a right-of-way
under (1). (Companion bill is S.B. 374 by Seliger.)
H.B. 1256 (Ashby) – Specialty Court Funding: would require the comptroller to deposit one
percent of both the mixed beverage gross receipts tax and the mixed beverage sales tax to the
credit of the specialty court account.
H.B. 1264 (K. Bell) – Deceased Resident Report: would, among other things, require the local
registrar of deaths to file each abstract with the voter registrar of the decedent’s county of
residence and the secretary of state as soon as possible, but not later than one day after the
abstract is prepared. (Note: current law authorizes the local registrar to file the abstract with the
voter registrar not later than the 10th day after the abstract is prepared.)
H.B. 1276 (Parker) – Food Service Establishments: would allow a licensed food service
establishment (i.e., a place where food is prepared for individual portion service) to sell directly
to an individual consumer food, other than prepared food, that: (1) is in its original condition or
packaging as received by the establishment; (2) is labeled with the name and source of the food
and the date the food is sold; (3) bears an official mark of USDA inspection, if the food is meat
or poultry; (4) does not exceed the shelf life as displayed on the packaging; and (5) has been
properly refrigerated, if applicable.
H.B. 1290 (Reynolds) – County Assistance Districts: would provide that a county assistance
district may perform functions outside the district for the benefit of the district in a location that is
not more than five miles from the district in Texas, including the following functions: (1) the
construction, maintenance, or improvement of roads or highways; (2) the provision of law
enforcement and detention services; (3) the maintenance or improvement of libraries,
museums, parks, or other recreational facilities; (4) the provision of services that benefit the
public health or welfare, including the provision of firefighting and fire prevention services; or (5)
the promotion of economic development and tourism.
H.B. 1310 (Guillen) – Tuition and Fees for Paramedics: would: (1) require the governing
board of an institution of higher education to exempt from the payment of tuition and laboratory
fees any student enrolled in one or more courses offered as part of fire science curriculum who
is employed as a paramedic by a political subdivision; (2) provide that the governing board of an
institution of higher education may, in accordance with Texas Higher Education Coordinating
Board rule, exclude a course that is offered through distance education from the exemption that
provides a firefighter or paramedic employed by a political subdivision and certain members of
volunteer fire departments are exempt from paying tuition or laboratory fees for courses offered
as part of a fire science curriculum; and (3) require the Texas Higher Education Coordinating
35
Board to adopt rules governing the granting or denial of an exemption from paying tuition or
laboratory fees, including rules: (a) prescribing the educational attainment or level of certification
necessary to qualify for an exemption as a paramedic; and (b) relating to the exclusion from the
exemption under (2), above, of a distance education course, including prescribing the maximum
number of distance education courses that maybe excluded from the exemption. (Companion
bill is S.B. 384 by Powell.)
H.B. 1341 (Leach) – First Responder Admission to State Parks: would: (1) provide that the
Texas Parks and Wildlife Department shall waive the park entrance fees and certain license
fees for an individual who is a first responder; and (2) define “first responder” as, among others:
(a) a firefighter certified by the Texas Commission on Fire Protection or by the State Firefighters’
and Fire Marshals’ Association of Texas; (b) an individual certified as emergency medical
services personnel by the Department of State Health Services; or (c) a municipal police officer.
H.J.R. 72 (Leach) – Religious Services: would amend the Texas Constitution to prohibit the
state or a political subdivision of the state from enacting, adopting, or issuing a statute, order,
proclamation, decision, or rule that prohibits or limits religious services by a religious
organization established to support and serve the propagation of a sincerely held religious
belief. (Companion resolution is S.J.R. 27 by Hancock.)
S.B. 374 (Seliger) – Annexation of Rights-of-Way: would provide that: (1) a city annexing an
area on request of the owners, an area with less than 200 population by petition, an area with at
least 200 population by election, or certain special districts may also annex with the area: (a) the
right-of-way of a street, highway, alley or other public way or of a railway line spur, or roadbed
that is contiguous to the city’s boundaries and the area being annexed or a right-of-way
described in (b); or (b) the right-of-way of a public road or highway connecting the area being
annexed to the city by the most direct route; (2) a city may only annex a right-of-way described
under (1) if the city: (a) provides written notice of the annexation to the owner of the right-of-way
not later than the 61st day before the date of the proposed annexation; and (b) the owner of the
right-of-way does not submit a written objection to the city before the date of the proposed
annexation; and (3) certain width requirements do not apply to the annexation of a right-of-way
under (1). (Companion bill is H.B. 1241 by Shine.)
S.B. 376 (Nichols) – Governmental Self-Insurance Funds: would require a governmental unit
that establishes a self-insurance fund to: (1) register the fund with the Texas Department of
Insurance (TDI) on a form prescribed by the commissioner of insurance; and (2) annually file
with TDI the fund’s annual financial statements, the fund’s articles of incorporation, and any
other information requested by TDI.
S.B. 384 (Powell) – Tuition and Fees for Paramedics: would: (1) require the governing board
of an institution of higher education to exempt from the payment of tuition and laboratory fees
any student enrolled in one or more courses offered as part of fire science curriculum who is
employed as a paramedic by a political subdivision; (2) provide that the governing board of an
institution of higher education may, in accordance with Texas Higher Education Coordinating
Board rule, exclude a course that is offered through distance education from the exemption that
provides a firefighter or paramedic employed by a political subdivision and certain members of
volunteer fire departments are exempt from paying tuition or laboratory fees for courses offered
as part of a fire science curriculum; and (3) require the Texas Higher Education Coordinating
Board to adopt rules governing the granting or denial of an exemption from paying tuition or
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laboratory fees, including rules: (a) prescribing the educational attainment or level of certification
necessary to qualify for an exemption as a paramedic; and (b) relating to the exclusion from the
exemption under (2), above, of a distance education course, including prescribing the maximum
number of distance education courses that maybe excluded from the exemption. (Companion
bill is H.B. 1310 by Guillen.)
S.J.R. 27 (Hancock) – Religious Services: would amend the Texas Constitution to prohibit the
state or a political subdivision of the state from enacting, adopting, or issuing a statute, order,
proclamation, decision, or rule that prohibits or limits religious services by a religious
organization established to support and serve the propagation of a sincerely held religious
belief. (Companion resolution is H.J.R. 72 by Leach.)
PERSONNEL
H.B. 1216 (Hinojosa) – Civil Service Commission Hearings: would, among other things,
modify current law to provide that:
1. for purposes of appeals to the civil service commission by a police officer:
a. an appeal by a police officer of a charge for an incident that involves a member of
the public must also include the name and address of each individual involved;
b. not later than the 30th day before the date of the civil service commission hearing,
the commission shall notify each individual listed in an appeal by the police officer of the
date and time of the hearing, the individual’s right to attend, and instructions for exercising
the individual’s rights related to the hearing;
c. not later than the fifth day before the date of the hearing, a member of the public,
whether listed in the appeal or not, may provide evidence to the commission, including
documentation in support of an allegation against a police officer that is the basis of a
disciplinary action;
d. an individual named by the police officer as directly involved in the incident that is
the basis of the disciplinary action may request the commission to subpoena any books,
records, documents, papers, accounts, or witnesses that the individual considers
pertinent to the case, and such request must be made before the 10th day before the date
the commission hearing will be held;
e. if the commission does not subpoena the material as described in (1)(d), above,
the commission shall, before the third day before the date the hearing will be held, make a
written report to the individual stating the reason it will not subpoena the requested
material; and
f. the commission may consider, if applicable, any evidence submitted by a member
of the public under (1)(c), above, and any evidence provided in response to that
evidence;
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2. for purposes of a request to the civil service commission by a police chief to demote
a police officer:
a. before the commission may refuse to grant a request for demotion of a police
officer, the commission shall request from the police department the contact information
for any individual involved in any incident leading the department to recommend
demotion, including a member of the public or another police officer, and shall notify such
individual that the individual may request a public hearing and present reasons why the
commission should grant the department’s request for demotion of the police officer;
b. if there are no involved individuals as described in (2)(a), above, or the
commission does not receive a request for a public hearing from an involved individual
before the 10th day after the date notice was given to the individual, the commission may
refuse to grant the request for demotion; and
c. before the 10th day before the date the public hearing is held, the commission shall
give an individual who is a member of the public with knowledge of a specific incident that
is the basis of the recommendation of demotion of a police officer, notice of the time and
place of the hearing and of the individual’s right to testify;
3. if a city has adopted civil service, a meet and confer agreement between a city
and a police labor union may not conflict or supersede the provisions described in (1) and
(2), above; and
4. a collective bargaining agreement affecting police officers may not conflict with the
provisions described in (1) and (2), above, and must implement those provisions.
H.B. 1251 (Ramos) – Whistleblower: would provide that: (1) it a Class C misdemeanor for a
person to disclose the identity of a public employee who makes a good faith report of a violation
of law by the employing state or local governmental entity or another public employee to an
appropriate law enforcement authority if the disclosure is made to a person who is not assisting
in the investigation or prosecution of the violation of law reported by the public employee; and
(2) it is an affirmative defense to prosecution if the public employee who reported the violation of
law consented to the disclosure of the employee’s identity.
H.B. 1292 (Sherman) – Pay Equity Task Force: would: (1) establish the Texas Pay Equity
Task Force (Task Force) to assess whether a disparity exists on the basis of gender, disability
or race in compensation paid to employees of state agencies, counties, and cities; (2) provide
that the Task Force be comprised of nine members, including one city representative appointed
by the lieutenant governor and another city representative appointed by the speaker of the
house; and (3) provide that the Task Force may request payroll information, including the
gender, disability status, and race of each employee from a state agency, county, or city.
H.B. 1330 (Canales) – Credit Reports: would prohibit an employer, including a city, from taking
an adverse employment action against an employee or applicant based wholly or partly on a
credit report unless the employer provides a copy of the report along with instructions regarding
how the employee or applicant may provide additional information about the report.
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H.B. 1336 (Pacheco) – E-Verify: would, among other things: (1) require a political subdivision
to register and participate in the federal electronic verification of employment authorization
program in order to verify the information of all new employees; and (2) provide that an
employee of a political subdivision who is responsible for verifying information of new
employees is subject to immediate termination for failure to comply with the requirement in (1).
H.B. 1350 (Minjarez) – Police Arbitration Hearing Rulings: would provide that: (1) an
arbitrator selected to hear an appeal of the disciplinary suspension or dismissal of a city police
officer, deputy sheriff, deputy constable, or other police officer, including an appeal under civil
service rules, collective bargaining, meet and confer or other similar agreement, shall report to
the Department of Public Safety (DPS), for each hearing arbitrated: (a) the ruling in the hearing;
(b) the date of the ruling; (c) the sources of the arbitrator’s payment; and (d) amounts paid to the
paid to the police officer as a result of the ruling; and (2) DPS shall publish on DPS’s internet
website, the information reported under (1), above.
H.B. 1351 (Minjarez) – Eligibility Requirements for Arbitrators: would provide that: (1) an
arbitrator selected to hear an appeal of the disciplinary suspension or dismissal of a city police
officer, deputy sheriff, deputy constable, or other police officer, including an appeal under civil
service rules, collective bargaining, meet and confer or other similar agreement must be a
resident of, and an attorney licensed to practice in, Texas; and (2) notwithstanding any other
law, a collective bargaining agreement, meet and confer agreement, or other similar agreement
may not conflict with the provisions of (1), above.
S.B. 389 (Eckhardt) – Local Minimum Wage: would, among other things, allow: (1) a city to
adopt a minimum wage that exceeds the federal minimum wage to be paid by an employer to
each of its employees for services performed in the city; and (2) a county to adopt a minimum
wage that exceeds the federal minimum wage to be paid by an employer to each of its
employees for services performed in the unincorporated areas of the county, including areas
located within the extraterritorial jurisdiction of a city. (The companion bill is H.B.
224 by Ortega.)
PURCHASING
No Purchasing bills were filed this week.
TRANSPORTATION
H.B. 1199 (Metcalf) – License Plates: would provide that a person may operate a passenger
car or light truck on a public highway with only one rear license plate displayed. (Companion bill
is H.B. 1274 by Crockett.)
H.B. 1209 (Cortez) – Red Light Cameras: would provide that photographic traffic signal
enforcement contracts, including those executed before May 17, 2019, are void.
H.B. 1257 (Ashby) – Property in Right-of-Way: would authorize a law enforcement agency to
remove an unattended manufactured home from a roadway or right-of-way without consent of
the owner if the agency determines that the home blocks the roadway or endangers public
safety.
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H.B. 1274 (Crockett) – License Plates: would provide that a person may operate a passenger
car or light truck on a public highway with only one rear license plate displayed. (Companion bill
is H.B. 1199 by Metcalf.)
H.B. 1281 (Wilson) – Golf Carts: would: (1) allow a neighborhood electric vehicle and golf cart
to be operated in a master planned community: (a) that is a residential subdivision or has in
place a uniform set of restrictive covenants; and (b) for which a county or city has approved one
or more plats; (2) provide that a person may operate a golf cart in a master planned community
described in (1) without a golf cart license plate; and (3) allow a city to prohibit the operation of a
golf cart on a highway in the following areas if the city council determines the prohibition is
necessary in the interest of safety: (a) in a master planned community described in (1); (b) on a
public or private beach that is open to vehicular traffic; or (c) on a highway for which the posted
speed limit is not more than 35 miles per hour. (Companion bill is S.B. 206 by Schwertner.)
UTILITIES AND ENVIRONMENT
H.B. 1191 (Goodwin) – Environmental Justice Commission: would, among other things: (1)
define “permitting facility” as a facility required to obtain a permit from the Texas Commission on
Environmental Quality for wastewater discharge, injection wells, and under the Solid Waste
Disposal Act and Clean Air Act; (2) define “environmental justice community” as a United States
census block group, as determined in accordance with the most recent United States census,
for which: (a) 30 percent or more of the noninstitutionalized population consists of persons who
have an income below 200 percent of the federal poverty level; or (b) 50 percent or more of the
population consists of members of racial minority or ethnic minority groups; (3) create the Office
of Environmental Justice (OEJ) within TCEQ to protect the public health, general welfare, and
physical property of environmental justice communities in regard to issuance of permits; (4)
provide that when TCEQ is considering a permit within three miles of an environmental justice
community, that the OEJ shall provide a recommendation not later than the 7th day after the last
day of the public comment period applicable to the permit to TCEQ on whether the permit
should be issued and shall, in making its recommendation, consider: (a) whether the cumulative
effects of pollution from the proposed permitted facility or change to an existing facility on the
affected environmental justice community exceed the statewide average; and (b) any existing or
anticipated vulnerabilities in the affected environmental justice community; and (5) provide that
TCEQ shall consider the recommendation of the OEJ in making its determination about whether
to issue a permit in addition to other factors required by law.
H.B. 1267 (Walle) – Concrete Plants: would provide that a representative of a school, place of
worship, licensed day-care center, hospital, medical facility, or a person residing within 440
yards of a proposed concrete plant may request a public hearing prior to the construction or
permitting of the concrete plant.
H.B. 1282 (Deshotel) – Restriction on Regulation of Utility Services: would: (1) define
“regulatory authority” as the Public Utility Commission, Railroad Commission, or the governing
body of a municipality, in accordance with the context; (2) define “utility” as a person, company,
or corporation engaged in furnishing water, gas, telephone, light, power, or sewage service to
the public; (3) prohibit a regulatory authority, planning authority, or political subdivision of this
state from adopting or enforcing an ordinance, resolution, regulation, code, order, policy, or
other measure that has the purpose, intent, or effect of directly or indirectly banning, limiting,
restricting, discriminating against, or prohibiting the connection or reconnection of a utility
service or the construction, maintenance, or installation of residential, commercial, or other
40
public or private infrastructure for a utility service based on the type or source of energy to be
delivered to the end-use customer; (4) prohibit an entity, including a regulatory authority,
planning authority, political subdivision, or utility, from imposing any additional charge or pricing
difference on a development or building permit applicant for utility infrastructure that: (a)
encourages those constructing homes, buildings, or other structural improvements to connect to
a utility service based on the type or source of energy to be delivered to the end-use customer;
or (b) discourages the installation of facilities for the delivery of or use of a utility service based
on the type or source of energy to be delivered to the end-use customer; and (5) provide that
the bill does not limit the ability of a regulatory authority or political subdivision to choose utility
services for properties owned by the regulatory authority or political subdivision.
H.B. 1289 (Reynolds) – Notice of Accidental Spills: would require the Texas Commission on
Environmental Quality to notify the appropriate local government officials of a discharge or spill
as soon as possible after TCEQ receives mandatory notice from the individual operating, in
charge of, or responsible for the activity or facility where an accidental discharge or spill
occurs.
S.B. 387 (Schwertner) – Appeal Water Service Rates in ETJ: would provide that:
1. a ratepayer for water or sewer service in the extraterritorial jurisdiction of a municipality may
appeal the rates for that service to the Public Utility Commission (PUC) if the rates for the
service increase when a new service provider takes over the provision of the service, and the
retail public utility that is the new service provider is:
a. subject to the appellate jurisdiction of the PUC for the service area as:
i. a nonprofit water supply or sewer service corporation;
ii. an utility under the jurisdiction of a municipality inside the corporate limits of the municipality;
iii. a municipally owned utility, if the ratepayers reside outside the corporate limits of the
municipality;
iv. a certain type of district or authority that provides water or sewer service to household users;
and
v. an utility owned by an affected county, if the ratepayer's rates are actually or may be adversely
affected; or
b. the utility is a municipality or utility or water supply corporation rendering retail water service
without a certificate of public convenience and necessity;
2. a ratepayer may appeal the increased rates by filing a petition for review with the PUC and the
service provider not later than the 90th day after the effective date of the increased rates;
3. the petition in (2), above, must be signed by the lesser of 10,000 or 10 percent of the ratepayers
whose rates have been increased due to the takeover by the new service provider;
4. among other things, the PUC shall hear the appeal de novo and shall fix in its final order the
rates the governing body of the provider should have fixed and may consider only:
a. the information that was available to the governing body that approved the increased rates at
the time the governing body approved the rates; and
b. evidence of reasonable expenses incurred by the service provider in the appeal proceedings;
41
5. the rates established by the PUC remain in effect until the first anniversary of the effective date
proposed by the service provider for the rates being appealed or until changed by the service
provider, whichever date is later, unless the PUC determines that a financial hardship exists;
6. provide that the PUC may, on a motion by the PUC or by the appellant, establish interim rates to
be in effect until a final decision is made under (4), above;
7. in an appeal under the bill, the PUC shall use a methodology that preserves the financial
integrity of the service provider and ensure that every rate made, demanded, or received by the
service provider is just and reasonable and that rates may not be unreasonably preferential,
prejudicial, or discriminatory but must be sufficient, equitable, and consistent in application to
each class of customers; and
8. a ratepayer described by (1), above, may use the appeal process in the bill to appeal increased
rates charged to the ratepayer by a new service provider by filing a petition for review with the
PUC and the service provider not later than December 1, 2021, if the new service provider
began providing service to the ratepayer on or after September 1, 2016.
S.B. 398 (Menéndez) – Distributed Renewal Generation Resources: would: (1) provide that
“distributed renewable energy” means electric generation with a capacity of not more than 2,000
kilowatts provided by a renewable energy technology that is installed on a retail electric
customer’s side of the meter; (2) provide that “small commercial customer” means a commercial
customer having a peak demand of 1,000 kilowatts or less; (3) preempt a city from prohibiting or
restricting the installation of a solar energy device by a residential or small commercial customer
except to the extent: (a) a property owner’s association may prohibit the installation; or (b) the
interconnection guidelines and interconnection agreement of a municipally owned utility serving
the customer’s service area, the rules of the Public Utility Commission of Texas, or the protocols
of an independent organization, limit the installation of solar energy devices due to reliability,
power quality, or safety of the distribution system; and (4) provide that the bill does not apply to:
(a) transaction involving the sale or transfer of the real property on which a distributed
renewable generation resource is located; (b) a person, including a person acting through the
person's officers, employees, brokers, or agents, who markets, sells, solicits, negotiates, or
enters into an agreement for the sale or financing of a distributed renewable generation
resource as part of a transaction involving the sale or transfer of the real property on which the
distributed renewable generation resource is or will be affixed; or (c) a third party that enters into
an agreement for the financing of a distributed renewable generation resource.
42
Eagle & Elm Intersection
Corner Beautification Project
Produced for: Drew Huffman
By: Glenn McLain
2/27/2019
Concept 1
Eagle and Elm
43
44
Council Requests for InformationCouncil Member Requestor DateSummary of RequestStaff AssignedDepartmentComments1Council Member Armintor01/08/21What would it take for the City to become an Bird City Texas?Katherine BarnettEnvironmental ServicesInformation will be provided in the January 29 Friday Report2Mayor Hudspeth01/14/21Would staff support and are there funds for a protected bike lane - from the Katy trail to Teasleystreet? I believe the street is wide enough to support this modification. This would move the citytowards the plan to connect to the South lakes park & move towards connecting Township II to theRail Trail.Gary PackanPublic Works -ParksInformation will be provided in the January 29 Friday Report3Council Member Meltzer01/15/21Does staff feel there would be merit to requiring asbestos surveys in residential demolitions and whyor why notScott McDonaldDevelopment ServicesInformation will be provided in a future Friday Report4Council Member Ryan01/20/21Can staff check on the sidewalks that are under construction on S. Elm St.?Becky DivineyPublic WorksInformation will be provided in the January 29 Friday Report5Mayor Hudspeth01/21/21Can staff look into providing mix swings so that kids swings are next to adult swings at Fred MoorePark?Gary PackanPublic Works -ParksInformation will be provided in the January 29 Friday Report6Mayor Hudspeth01/21/21Can staff look into adding a 7-foot goal at Fred Moore Park so that smaller kids can play?Gary PackanPublic Works -ParksInformation will be provided in the January 29 Friday Report7Council Member Armintor01/22/21I'm writing to ask if there is any way that the new sidewalk on Londonderry leading into Southridgecan be built around the trees to save the trees while still making it ADA accessible. Trees add somuch necessary shade, fresh air, and beauty to urban pedestrian infrastructure. I hate to think thattrees and sidewalks have to be in competition when so often they work so well together.Becky DivineyPublic WorksInformation will be provided in the January 29 Friday Report8Council Member Meltzer01/23/21A constituent wrote appreciating a sidewalk coming in on Londonderry but unhappy about thenumber of trees marked for removal. She asks why it’s necessary, given the need for shade. Iwould ask if there’s an alternative that would preserve them.Becky DivineyPublic WorksInformation will be provided in the January 29 Friday Report9Council Member Meltzer01/24/21Will there be any additional traffic calming measures introduced along any segments of Windsorwhen the current construction is completed?Becky DivineyPublic Works-TrafficInformation will be provided in a future Friday Report10Mayor Hudspeth01/25/21With the Elm TX Dot Project work, have they worked on the green space that is at the corner ofEagle and Elm?Gary PackanPublic Works -ParksInformation will be provided in the January 29 Friday Report11Mayor Hudspeth01/25/21What is the status of the Park7 development?Scott McDonaldDevelopment ServicesInformation will be provided in the January 29 Friday Report12Council Member Meltzer01/25/21Can staff provide a response to a resident's information about the use of pesticides in the parks?Gary PackanPublic Works -ParksInformation will be provided in the January 29 Friday Report13Council Member Armintor01/25/21Can staff provide a response to a resident's information about the use of pesticides in the parks?Gary PackanPublic Works -ParksInformation will be provided in the January 29 Friday Report14Council Member Armintor01/28/21A one minute pitch to Council at the next possible meeting to form a formal partnership betweenCity of Denton and Solutions Addiction Treatment Center to help fund their new group homesSarah KuechlerCommunity ServicesInformation will be provided in a future Friday Report15Council Member Meltzer01/28/21Can staff provide comment about a user's experience with Engage Denton?Stuart BirdseyeCity Manager's OfficeInformation will be provided in a future Friday Report45
February 2021 Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat 1 9:00 am COE 11:30 am Council Luncheon 2 10:00 am Community Engagement Meeting 2:00 pm CC Work Session 6:30 pm CC Regular Session 3 Cancelled‐Traffic Safety Commission 11:30 am DCRC 1pm Cancelled ‐ 2:30pm Agenda Committee CANCELLED-5:00pm P&Z 4 CANCELLED - 8:30 a.m. DEDC 12:00 pm Bond Committee 5 Cancelled - 12:00 p.m. DDTIFZ No.1 6 7 8 9:00 am PUB 9 2:00 pm 2nd Tuesday Session 10 11:00 a.m. EDPB 3:00 pm Audit/Finance 5:30 pm - AAB 11 3:30 p.m. Library Board 12 13 14 15 16 2:00 pm CC Work Session 6:30 pm CC Regular Session 17 9:00 am Mobility Committee Meeting Animal Shelter Advisory 2pm 18 19 20 21 22 9:00 am PUB 23 10:00 am - CAC 2:00 pm 4th Tuesday Session 24 25 3:00 pm Board of Ethics 26 27 28 46
March 2021 Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat 1 9:00 am COE 11:30 am Council Luncheon 2 2:00 pm CC Work Session 6:30 pm CC Regular Session 10:00 am Community Engagement 3 11:30 am Traffic Safety Commission 4 8:30 a.m. DEDC 5 6 7 8 9:00 am PUB 9 No Council Meeting 10 11:00 a.m. EDPB 5:30 pm - AAB 11 3:30 p.m. Library Board 12 13 14 15 16 2:00 pm CC Work Session 6:30 pm CC Regular Session 17 9:00 am Mobility Committee Meeting 18 3:00 pm CoPwD 9:00 Community Partnership Committee 19 20 21 22 9:00 am PUB 23 10:00 am - CAC 2:00 pm 4th Tuesday Session 24 12:00 p.m. TIRZ No.1 25 26 27 28 29 30 No Council Meeting 31 47
April 2021 Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat 1 8:30 a.m. DEDC 2 3 4 5 9:00 am COE 11:30 am Council Luncheon 6 2:00 pm CC Work Session 6:30 pm CC Regular Session 7 11:30 am Traffic Safety Commission 8 3:30 p.m. Library Board 9 10 11 12 9:00 am PUB 13 2:00 pm 2nd Tuesday Session 14 11:00 a.m. EDPB 5:30 pm - AAB 15 16 17 18 19 20 2:00 pm CC Work Session 6:30 pm CC Regular Session 21 9:00 a.m. Mobility Committee Meeting 22 9: 00 Community Partnership Committee 23 24 25 26 9:00 am PUB 27 10:00 am - CAC 2:00 pm 4th Tuesday Session 28 29 30 48
City Council
City of Denton
Meeting Agenda
City Hall
215 E. McKinney St.
Denton, Texas 76201
www.cityofdenton.com
Council Work Session Room2:00 PMTuesday, February 9, 2021
SPECIAL CALLED MEETING
WORK SESSION BEGINS AT 2:00 P.M. IN THE COUNCIL WORK SESSION ROOM
CITY COUNCIL CONSIDERATION OF THE CONSENT AGENDA AND ITEMS FOR
INDIVIDUAL CONSIDERATION WILL BEGIN IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING THE WORK
SESSION IN THE COUNCIL WORK SESSION ROOM
Note: Mayor Gerard Hudspeth, Mayor Pro Tem Jesse Davis and Council Members Birdia Johnson, Connie
Baker, John Ryan, Deb Armintor and Paul Meltzer will be participating in the work session and meeting via
video/teleconference.
REGISTRATION GUIDELINES FOR ADDRESSING THE CITY COUNCIL
Due to COVID-19 precautions, members of the public will not be able to attend the February 9, 2021,
City Council meeting in-person. To accommodate and receive input on agenda items, citizens will be able
to participate in one of the following ways (NOTE: Other than public hearings, citizens are only able to
comment one time per agenda item; citizens cannot use both methods to comment on a single agenda item.
Public comments are not held for work session reports.):
• Virtual White Card – On February 5, the agenda was posted online at
www.cityofdenton.com/publicmeetings. Once the agenda is posted, a link to the Virtual White Card, an
online form, will be made available under the main heading on the webpage. Within this form, citizens may
indicate support or opposition and submit a brief comment about a specific agenda item. Comments may
be submitted up until the start of the meeting, at which time, the Virtual White Card form will be closed.
Similar to when a citizen submits a white card to indicate their position on the item, these comment forms
will be sent directly to City Council members and recorded by the City Secretary.
City Council Members review comments received in advance of the meeting and take that public input into
consideration prior to voting on an agenda item. The Mayor will announce the number of Comment Cards
submitted in support or opposition to an item during the public comment period. Comments will not be
read during the meeting. The City Secretary will reflect the number of comments submitted in
favor/opposition to an item, the registrant’s name, address, and (summary of) comments within the Minutes
of the Meeting, as applicable.
OR
Page 1 Printed on 1/29/2021
49
February 9, 2021City Council Meeting Agenda
• By phone – Citizens wishing to speak over the phone during this Council meeting, may call (940)
349-7800 beginning 30 minutes prior to the meeting start time. Comments by phone will be accepted until
the item is opened for discussion by the Council. When the call is initially received, a staff member will
receive the caller’s information and either: 1) offer to call the citizen back when it is time for them to speak,
or 2) record the caller’s information, support or opposition, and comment. If the caller chooses to record
their support or opposition, rather than speaking during the meeting, the Mayor will announce the number
of comments submitted in support or opposition to the item. If the caller wishes to receive a call back, the
voice of each caller will be broadcast into the meeting during the public commenting time of their desired
agenda item. Individuals will be able to comment once per agenda item, no matter the method.
• At regular meetings only, citizens can speak on any topic that is not on the agenda (Open Microphone).
Alert the call taker if you wish to speak under the Open Microphone category. If you would like to give a
public report, see the information below.
After determining that a quorum is present, the City Council of the City of Denton, Texas will convene in a
Work Session on Tuesday, February 9, 2021, at 2:00 p.m. in the Council Work Session Room at City Hall,
215 E. McKinney Street, Denton, Texas at which the following items will be considered:
WORK SESSION
1. Citizen Comments on Consent Agenda Items
This section of the agenda allows citizens to speak on any item listed on the Consent Agenda prior to its
consideration. Each speaker will be given a total of three (3) minutes to address any item(s). Any person
who wishes to address the City Council regarding these items may do so by utilizing the "By Phone"
registration process as referenced under the REGISTRATION GUIDELINES FOR ADDRESSING THE
CITY COUNCIL detailed at the beginning of this agenda. Registration is required prior to the time the City
Council considers this item. Registrants may call in and remain on hold or receive a call back at the time the
Work Session is called to Order and are encouraged to ensure they remain accessible to accept the call.
2. Requests for clarification of agenda items listed on this agenda.
3. Work Session Reports
Receive a report, hold a discussion, and give staff direction regarding improvements to the
City’s drainage infrastructure network and Stormwater Master Planning efforts.
ID 20-1661A.
Receive a report, hold a discussion, and give staff direction regarding the Downtown
Denton Tax Increment Reinvestment Zone No. 1 study and analysis being conducted by
TXP, Inc. and discuss associated projects being considered for TIRZ funding.
ID 20-2182B.
Receive a report, hold a discussion, and give staff direction regarding the Economic
Development Strategic Plan and additional funding options for economic development.
ID 21-124C.
Receive a report, hold a discussion, and give staff direction regarding the May 1, 2021
General Election, and any runoff election if applicable, including locations, dates, and
times.
ID 21-206D.
Receive a report, hold a discussion, and give staff direction on pending City Council
requests for information for:
ID 20-2273E.
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50
February 9, 2021City Council Meeting Agenda
Following the completion of the Work Session, the City Council will convene in a Closed Meeting to consider
specific item(s) when these items are listed below under the Closed Meeting section of this agenda. The City
Council reserves the right to adjourn into a Closed Meeting on any item on its Open Meeting agenda consistent
with Chapter 551 of the Texas Government Code, as amended, or as otherwise allowed by law.
1. Closed Meeting:
Deliberations regarding Real Property - Under Texas Government Code Section
551.072.
Receive information from staff, discuss, deliberate, and provide staff with direction
pertaining to terms and conditions of a potential lease of City-owned property in the BBB
& CRR Survey, Abstract No. 185, Denton County, Texas, and located generally south of
Parkway Street, between Bolivar Street and North Elm Street, City of Denton, Texas;
and the potential sale of City owned property in the Robert Beaumont Survey, Abs No
31 and the William Neill Survey, Abstract No. 971, City of Denton, Denton County,
Texas, and being known as part of Lots 6 and 8, Block 1 Barb’s Addition, Denton
County, Texas, near Carroll Street and Parkway Street.
ID 21-187A.
Any final action, decision, or vote on a matter deliberated in a Closed Meeting will only be taken in an Open
Meeting that is held in compliance with Texas Government Code, Chapter 551, except to the extent such final
decision, or vote is taken in the Closed Meeting in accordance with the provisions of Section 551.086 of the
Texas Government Code (the ‘Public Power Exception’). The City Council reserves the right to adjourn into a
Closed Meeting or Executive Session as authorized by Texas Government Code, Section 551.001, et seq.
(The Texas Open Meetings Act) on any item on its open meeting agenda or to reconvene in a continuation of
the Closed Meeting on the Closed Meeting items noted above, in accordance with the Texas Open Meetings
Act, including, without limitation Sections 551.071-551.086 of the Texas Open Meetings Act.
NOTE: Any item for which a formal action at the Regular Meeting has been taken by Council may
be subject to a request for a motion for reconsideration at any time during the meeting, at the
Concluding Items Section, or after the meeting. In order to comply with the Texas Open Meetings
Act, a request for a motion for reconsideration made during, at the end of, or after a Council meeting
will be placed on the agenda and considered at the next official meeting of the City Council.
Following the completion of the Work Session, the City Council will convene in a Special Called Meeting to
consider the following items:
2. CONSENT AGENDA
Each of these items is recommended by Staff and approval thereof will be strictly on the basis of the Staff
recommendations. Approval of the Consent Agenda authorizes the City Manager or his designee to
implement each item in accordance with the Staff recommendations. The City Council has received
background information and has had an opportunity to raise questions regarding these items prior to
consideration.
Listed below are bids, purchase orders, contracts, and other items to be approved under the Consent
Agenda (Agenda Items A – L). This listing is provided on the Consent Agenda to allow Council Members
to discuss or withdraw an item prior to approval of the Consent Agenda. If no items are pulled, the Consent
Agenda Items will be approved with one motion. If items are pulled for separate discussion, they may be
considered as the first items following approval of the Consent Agenda.
Page 3 Printed on 1/29/2021
51
February 9, 2021City Council Meeting Agenda
Consider approval of the minutes of January 26, 2021.ID 21-176A.
Consider approval of a resolution of the city of Denton supporting the TX Legacy
Denton, LP’s 9% housing tax credit application to the Texas Department of Housing and
Community Affairs for proposed new construction of The Legacy in Denton Apartments
to provide affordable rental housing; and providing an effective date.
ID 21-094B.
Consider adoption of an ordinance of the City of Denton ratifying and approving the
execution of a contract with the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs
(the “TDHCA Contract”) allocating to City funds for the Texas Emergency Rental
Assistance Program and the Texas Eviction Diversion Program; authorizing the receipt
and expenditure of funds therefor; authorizing the City Manager to execute a
Memorandum of Understanding with the United Way of Denton County, Inc. providing
for a subaward of the obligations and funds allocated under the TDHCA Contract;
authorizing the expenditure of funds therefor; and providing an effective date.
ID 21-140C.
Consider adoption of an ordinance of the City of Denton, a Texas home-rule municipal
corporation, authorizing the City Manager, or his designee, to execute a grant advance
agreement by and between and the City and the United Way of Denton County providing
for the working capital for the Emergency Solutions Grant Program (ESG-CV) in the
amount of $500,000.00 for in furtherance of the coordinated system of homeless
assistance programs; authorizing the expenditure of funds therefor; and providing an
effective date.
ID 21-057D.
Consider adoption of an ordinance of the City Council of the City of Denton authorizing
the City Manager to execute an agreement with the Texas Historical Commission to
participate in the Texas Main Street Program demonstrating the City of Denton’s
commitment to continue as a “sustaining level official main street city” and authorizing
payment of the annual fee in the amount of $2,600; and providing an effective date.
ID 21-132E.
Consider adoption of an ordinance of the City of Denton, a Texas home-rule municipal
corporation, authorizing the City Manager to execute an Interlocal Agreement with the
Denton Independent School District (DISD) for funding of Operation Connectivity, and
providing an effective date.
ID 21-170F.
Consider adoption of an ordinance of the City of Denton authorizing the City Manager, or
his designee, to execute a first amendment to the Memorandum of Understanding with the
Denton Independent School District (DISD), amending the agreement approved by City
Council on October 23, 2020, for reimbursement to the City in the estimated amount of
$987,121.74 for compensation and benefits of student resource officers (SROs) assigned
at DISD for the period of January 1, 2021, through June 30, 2021, and providing an
effective date.
ID 21-142G.
Consider adoption of an ordinance of the City of Denton, a Texas home-rule municipal
corporation, authorizing the City Manager, or his designee, to execute a Professional
Services Agreement with OCMI, Inc., to provide cost estimating review, cost estimating
preparation, and estimate at completion projection services for the City of Denton’s
capital infrastructure projects as set forth in the contract; providing for the expenditure of
ID 21-172H.
Page 4 Printed on 1/29/2021
52
February 9, 2021City Council Meeting Agenda
funds therefor; and providing an effective date (RFQ 7508 - Professional Services
Agreement for Cost Estimating Services awarded to OCMI, Inc., for two (2) years, with
the option for one (1) additional one (1) year extension, in the total three (3) year
not-to-exceed amount of $402,780.00).
Consider adoption of an ordinance of the City of Denton, a Texas home-rule municipal
corporation, authorizing the City Manager, or his designee, to execute a contract with
Procore Technologies, Inc. through the North Central Texas Council of Governments
(NCTCOG), contract #2020-064 and ratify a contract executed by Purchasing Agent
with Calance Software PVT. Ltd. which is the sole provider of these commodities and
services, in accordance with Texas Local Government Code 252.022, which provides
that procurement of commodities and services that are available from one source are
exempt from competitive bidding, for the purchase and implementation of project
management software for the Engineering Department; providing for the expenditure of
funds therefor; and providing an effective date (File 7533 - awarded to Procore
Technologies, Inc., in the two (2) year not-to-exceed amount of $363,078.00).
ID 21-173I.
Consider adoption of an ordinance of the City of Denton, a Texas home-rule municipal
corporation, authorizing the City Manager, or his designee, to execute a contract with
Parker Power Systems, Inc., to provide maintenance, inspection, and repair services on
generators for various City of Denton departments; providing for the expenditure of funds
therefor; and providing an effective date (RFP 7534 - awarded to Parker Power
Systems, Inc., for three (3) years, with the option for two (2) additional one (1) year
extensions, in the total five (5) year not-to-exceed amount of $750,000.00).
ID 21-174J.
Consider adoption of an ordinance of the City of Denton, a Texas home-rule municipal
corporation, authorizing the City Manager, or his designee, to execute a contract with
Patel & Patel General Partners dba Deluxe Inn, for temporary emergency shelter in hotels
for the Community Development Department; providing for the expenditure of funds
therefor; and providing an effective date (RFP 7547 - awarded to Patel & Patel General
Partners dba Deluxe Inn, in the one (1) year not-to-exceed amount of $800,000.00).
ID 21-175K.
Consider adoption of an ordinance of the City of Denton, a Texas home-rule municipal
corporation, authorizing the City Manager, or his designee, to execute a Professional
Services Agreement with NewGen Strategies and Solutions, LLC, a Colorado Limited
Liability Company, for transmission rate case filing services related to actions before the
Public Utility Commission of Texas as set forth in the contract; providing for the
expenditure of funds therefor; and providing an effective date (RFQ 7532 - Professional
Services Agreement for case filing services awarded to NewGen Strategies and Solutions,
LLC, in the not-to-exceed amount of $500,000.00).
ID 21-222L.
3. ITEMS FOR INDIVIDUAL CONSIDERATION
Consider approval of a resolution of the City Council of the City of Denton, Texas,
approving the Economic Development Strategic Plan; and providing an effective date.
ID 20-1635A.
Consider adoption of an ordinance of the City of Denton authorizing the city manager to
execute a lease agreement between the City of Denton and the Denton Chamber of
ID 21-171B.
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53
February 9, 2021City Council Meeting Agenda
Commerce for the use and occupancy of approximately 1600 square feet of office space
and 100 square feet of storage space in the city building at 401 North Elm Street; and
providing an effective date.
Consider adoption of an ordinance ordering an election to be held in the City of Denton,
Texas, on May 1, 2021 and, if a runoff election is required, on June 5, 2021, for the
purpose of electing Council Members to Districts 1, 2, 3 and 4 of the City Council of the
City of Denton, Texas; prescribing the time and manner of the conduct of the election to
be in accordance with the joint election agreement and contract for election services with
the Election Administrator of Denton County; providing a severability clause; providing an
open meetings clause; and providing an effective date.
ID 21-179C.
Consider nominations/appointments to the City’s Boards, Commissions, and Committees:
Airport Advisory Board, Animal Shelter Advisory Committee, Board of Ethics,
Committee on Persons with Disabilities, Community Development Advisory Committee,
Health & Building Standards Commission, Historic Landmark Commission, Human
Services Advisory Committee, Library Board, Parks, Recreation & Beautification Board,
Planning & Zoning Commission, Public Art Committee, Public Utilities Board, Traffic
Safety Commission, and Zoning Board of Adjustment.
ID 21-178D.
4. CONCLUDING ITEMS
A. Under Section 551.042 of the Texas Open Meetings Act, respond to inquiries from the City Council
or the public with specific factual information or recitation of policy, or accept a proposal to place the
matter on the agenda for an upcoming meeting AND Under Section 551.0415 of the Texas Open
Meetings Act, provide reports about items of community interest regarding which no action will be taken,
to include: expressions of thanks, congratulations, or condolence; information regarding holiday schedules;
an honorary or salutary recognition of a public official, public employee, or other citizen; a reminder about
an upcoming event organized or sponsored by the governing body; information regarding a social,
ceremonial, or community event organized or sponsored by an entity other than the governing body that
was attended or is scheduled to be attended by a member of the governing body or an official or employee
of the municipality; or an announcement involving an imminent threat to the public health and safety of
people in the municipality that has arisen after the posting of the agenda.
B. Possible Continuation of Closed Meeting topics, above posted.
C E R T I F I C A T E
I certify that the above notice of meeting was posted on the bulletin board at the City Hall of the City of
Denton, Texas, on the 5th day of February, 2021 at ___________________
__________________________________________
CITY SECRETARY
Page 6 Printed on 1/29/2021
54
February 9, 2021City Council Meeting Agenda
NOTE: THE CITY OF DENTON'S DESIGNATED PUBLIC MEETING FACILITIES ARE
ACCESSIBLE IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT. THE CITY
WILL PROVIDE ACCOMMODATION, SUCH AS SIGN LANGUAGE INTERPRETERS FOR THE
HEARING IMPAIRED, IF REQUESTED AT LEAST 48 HOURS IN ADVANCE OF THE
SCHEDULED MEETING. PLEASE CALL THE CITY SECRETARY'S OFFICE AT 940-349-8309 OR
USE TELECOMMUNICATIONS DEVICES FOR THE DEAF (TDD) BY CALLING 1-800-RELAY-TX
SO THAT REASONABLE ACCOMMODATION CAN BE ARRANGED.
Page 7 Printed on 1/29/2021
55
Meeting Date24-Nov1-Dec COVID-19 Update Overview of Construction 17 - Dec
2021 4 - Jan 2021 City Council 2020 Committees 12 - Jan 2021 Internal Audit - Utility Meter Reading Council Requests 26 - Jan 2021 ETJ Update 2021 May General & June Runoff Council Retreat
1 - Feb 2021
Luncheon
Police Department Overview
20-2354
2 - Feb 2021
Affordable Housing
Assessment Report
20-1844
Tax Housing Credit
21-093
9 - Feb 2021
Stormwater Master
20-1661
TIRZ Study
20-2182
DCTA Briefing
TBD
Economic Development Strategic Plan
and Funding Options
21-124
2021 May General & June Runoff
elections - locations, dates, and times
21-206
Council Requests
20-2273
16 - Feb 2021
Loop 288 Building Agreement
21-056
DCRC Discussion
21-136
Council Requests
20-2274
23 - Feb 2021
Capital Project CIP Update
20-2531
Legislative Update
21-080
Policy for Naming of Parks
20-2320
Council Requests
20-2275
1-March 2021
Luncheon
Joint DISD Meeting
TBD
Council Requests
20-2385
2-March 2021
COVID-19 Update Mar. 2
20-1886
Mosquito Abatement Policy
TBD
Internal Audit - Utility Payment
Assistance Program
20-2554
Council Requests
20-2386
9-March 2021 No Meeting
16-March 2021
Parkland Dedication & Development
Ordinance
21-109
MOU Denton County - 288 Building
TBD
Council Requests
20-2387
23- March 2021
Municipal Court Payments Audit
20-2553
20-21 Utilities Budget and Rates
20-2261
Fund Balance Policy (General Fund,
Internal Service Fund, Utilities
20-2394
Certified Agenda Process for Closed
Meetings
21-207
Council Requests
20-2388
30 -March 2021 No Meeting
Accessory Dwelling Units, and
Screening
DCA19-0011 Construction Code Review (TBD)
Economic Development Incentive
20-2529 July 27
Delegated Authority
TBD
Council Requests
21-188 April 5
LED Lighting and Birds session DME Solar Programs
Council Requests
21-189 April 6
Redistricting Update
June/July 2021
Hartlee Field PID
20-1789 Group Home Code Amendment
Council Requests
21-190 April 13
Council Requests
21-191 April 20
Council Requests
21-192 April 27Work Sessions Planned - Date TBDFUTURE WORK SESSION ITEMS MATRIX
As of January 28, 2021
Currently Slated Work Session Items
Canvass Runoff Election Results &
56
Street/Intersection From To Closure
Start Date
Closure
End Date Description Department Upcoming
Info/Notes
Public
Meeting
Other
Communication
Department
Contact
Bell Ave McKinney
Street
Hickory
Street 02/01/21 04/30/21
Various traffic shifts will be
required at the intersection of
Bell and Oak (between
McKinney and Hickory) in order
to cross Bell with a new
drainage line on Oak Street.
Engineering,
Drainage, Public
Works
Inspections
NextDoor, Email
Notification, Direct
business contact
(940) 349-8425
Bell Ave at Mckinney St 07/08/21 09/04/21
Water Distribution will be
installing a new water main line
and services.
Water Email Notification, Direct
business contact, N/A (940) 349-7278
Bell Ave at Mingo Rd 06/22/21 07/07/21
Water Distribution will be
installing a new water main line
and services.
Water Email Notification, Direct
business contact, N/A (940) 349-7278
Bell Ave Withers St Mingo Rd 05/10/21 06/21/21
Water Distribution will be
installing a new water main line
and services.
Water Email Notification, Direct
business contact, N/A (940) 349-7278
Bell Ave Texas St Withers St 04/15/21 05/07/21
Water Distribution will be
installing a new water main line
and services.
Water Email Notification, Direct
business contact, N/A (940) 349-7278
Bell Ave Administratio
n Dr Texas St 03/18/21 04/14/21
Water Distribution will be
installing a new water main line
and services.
Water Email Notification, Direct
business contact, N/A (940) 349-7278
Carmel St Hobson El Paseo 02/08/21 04/09/21
Curb and Gutter Repair. The
process starts with Barricading
the failed sections of, Curb and
Gutter remove and install
Curbs.
Streets N/A (940) 349-7146
Colorado Blvd Valley Creek
Rd
San Jacinto
Blvd 02/08/21 02/17/21
Contractor for Vista Verde
(Private Development) will be
performing a bore and installing
a water tap.
This will be a lane closure not a
full closure.
.
Public Works
Inspections,
Private
Development
NextDoor, Other (940) 268-9842
Crescent Fulton Coit 02/05/21 03/11/21
Water Distribution will be
installing a new water main line
and services.
Water NextDoor, N/A, Other (940) 349-7278
Street Closure Report
Upcoming Closures
Week of February 1, 2021 - February 7, 2021
Upcoming Closures
57
Street/Intersection From To Closure
Start Date
Closure
End Date Description Department Upcoming
Info/Notes
Public
Meeting
Other
Communication
Department
Contact
Drexel Purdue Hofstra 02/08/21 03/12/21
Concrete Street Panel and
Sidewalk Repair. The process
starts with Barricading the failed
sections of concrete pavement,
remove the pavement, and
install new concrete.
Streets N/A (940) 349-7146
Friesian Morgan Cul v Sac 02/08/21 03/12/21
Concrete Street Panel and
Sidewalk Repair. The process
starts with Barricading the failed
sections of concrete pavement,
remove the pavement, and
install new concrete.
Streets N/A (940) 349-7146
Mayhill Morse MKinney St 02/05/21 02/26/21
Phase one should last two
weeks. 02-05-2021 thru 02-19-
2021
Contractor will be constructing
the drive way approaches and
will be moving traffic to the
West side of Mayhill per
attached plan.
Phase 2 should last one week
02-19-2021 thru 02-26-2021
Contractor will be constructing
the drive way approaches and
will be moving traffic to the
North Side of McKinney St per
attached plan.
Public Works
Inspections,
Private
Development
NextDoor, Email
Notification, Social
media
(940) 268-9842
McKinney Railroad Ave Bell Ave 02/01/21 04/02/21
The Downtown Storm Sewer
Project will upgrade the storm
drainage in the downtown
corridor along the West side of
the UPRR tracks between
McKinney and Hickory. The
contractor will trench across
Hickory in 3 phases to place
storm sewer.
Engineering,
Drainage, Traffic,
Public Works
Inspections
NextDoor, Email
Notification, Direct
business contact
(940) 349-8425
Upcoming Closures
58
Street/Intersection From To Closure
Start Date
Closure
End Date Description Department Upcoming
Info/Notes
Public
Meeting
Other
Communication
Department
Contact
Oak Street Bell Street UPRR
Railroad 02/01/21 04/30/21
Adding drainage line to Oak
Street as part of the Downtown
Storm Sewer Project.
Engineering,
Drainage, Public
Works
Inspections
NextDoor, Email
Notification, Direct
business contact
(940) 349-8425
Old Bonnie Brae Roselawn Vintage 02/08/21 03/08/21 Bonnie Brae Phase 2 will be
repaving Old Bonnie Brae Engineering NextDoor, Direct
business contact (940) 349-8938
Uland Railroad Rose 02/16/21 04/24/21
Wastewater collections will be
installing a new wastewater
main line and services.
Waste Water NextDoor, N/A, Other (940) 349-8909
Total 16
Upcoming Closures
59
Street/Intersection From To Closure
Start Date
Closure
End Date Description Department Upcoming
Info/Notes
Public
Meeting
Other
Communication
Department
Contact
Bell Ave Chapel Dr Administratio
n Dr 02/08/21 03/18/21
Water Distribution will be
installing a new water main line
and services.
Water Email Notification, Direct
business contact, N/A (940) 349-7278
Bell St University Dr Chapel Dr 12/14/20 02/05/21
Water Distribution will be
installing a new water main line
and services.
Water Email Notification, Direct
business contact, N/A (940) 349-7278
Bonnie Brae IH 35E Scripture 06/15/20 07/30/21 North South Water Main Phase
3
Engineering,
Water
Temporary Flagging in
all lanes for pipe
delivery.
Direct business contact (940) 349-8938
Creekdale Dr Raintree
Way
Riverchase
Trl 12/09/20 03/20/21
Wastewater Collections will be
installing a new wastewater
main and services.
Waste Water N/A (940) 349-8909
Elm Hickory Prairie 05/11/20 02/26/21 PEC 4 Utility Project Engineering Direct business contact (940) 349-8938
Fannin St Welch St Bernard St 12/21/20 02/04/21
Water Distribution will be
installing a new water main line
and services.
Water N/A (940) 349-7278
Ft. Worth Dr. (US 377)IH 35E FM1830 10/17/19 03/12/21
Infrastructure Safety Upgrades
& New Sewer Main Install
(temporary closures)
TxDOT (940) 349-8938
Hickory CreeK Road Teasely FM 2499 10/06/20 02/16/21
Widening of Hickory Creek road
from Teasley to FM 2499 with
an acceleration lane being
constructed on FM 2499.
Project also included drainage
upgrades.
Engineering NextDoor, Email
Notification (940) 349-7426
Highland Park Bonnie Brae Jasmine 01/25/21 02/10/21
Laying new waterline to the
along Highland Park towards
Bonnie Brae
Engineering NextDoor (940) 268-8946
March Rail Cat Tail Heron Pond 01/11/21 02/12/21
Concrete Street Panel and
Sidewalk Repair. The process
starts with Barricading the failed
sections of concrete pavement,
remove the pavement, and
install new concrete.
Streets N/A (940) 349-7146
Street Closure Report
Week of February 1, 2021 - February 7, 2021
Current Closures
Current Closures
60
Street/Intersection From To Closure
Start Date
Closure
End Date Description Department Upcoming
Info/Notes
Public
Meeting
Other
Communication
Department
Contact
Mistywood Lane Woodhaven Jamestown 10/01/20 02/26/21
Street Reconstruction
Remove and replace curb and
gutter as needed.
Remove old asphalt and
stabilize subgrade.
Install asphalt pavement.
Weather delays.
Streets N/A (940) 349-7146
Prairie Elm Pierce 06/01/20 03/26/21 PEC 4 Utilities Engineering NextDoor, Direct
business contact (940) 349-8938
Prairie St.Locust St.Elm St.03/23/20 03/26/21
Storm drain improvements, as
part of Pec-4 Ph 1&2
Project. Street closed to thru
traffic.
Engineering Direct business contact (940) 349-8938
Precision Dr Airport Rd 1500' north 01/20/21 02/15/21
Wastewater Collections will be
installing a new wastewater
main and services.
Wastewater
Purdue Drexel Syracuse 01/11/21 02/12/21
Concrete Street Panel and
Sidewalk Repair. The process
starts with Barricading the failed
sections of concrete pavement,
remove the pavement, and
install new concrete.
Streets N/A (940) 349-7146
Riverchase Trl Stoneway Dr Waterside Pl 12/09/20 03/20/21
Wastewater Collections will be
installing a new wastewater
main and services.
Waste Water N/A (940) 349-8909
Ryan Rd Roxbury St FM 2181 01/04/21 02/15/21
Update: Due to multiple rain
events, contractor has been
delayed and plans to be
complete by 02-15-2021.
Contractor will be demoing the
existing drainage and roadway
and then installing drainage
improvements across Ryan RD
at the Hunter's Creek area.
Public Works
Inspections,
Private
Development
NextDoor, Email
Notification (940) 268-9842
Spencer Road Bridges St.Mayhill Road 12/07/20 02/08/21
Greystar will be placing their
sanitary line along Spencer Rd
for the Elan Denton project.
Waste Water,
Public Works
Inspections,
Private
Development
Pushed back 2 weeks
due to a delay with the
Sanitary Sewer install.
Email Notification (940) 391-6299
Current Closures
61
Street/Intersection From To Closure
Start Date
Closure
End Date Description Department Upcoming
Info/Notes
Public
Meeting
Other
Communication
Department
Contact
West Hickory Street Welch Carroll 08/31/20 05/29/21
Construction is set to begin on
West Hickory Street between N.
Welch Street and Carroll Blvd in
September of 2020 and
continue through May of 2021.
Detailed lane closure
information is forthcoming
pending approval of the
contractor's phasing and traffic
control plans.
Atmos, Streets,
Drainage, Water,
Waste Water
8-20-20: Atmos Energy
is currently relocating
gas line on the South
side of W. Hickory
between Welch and
Bernard. Once Atmos
finishes, the contractor
will mobilize into that
same area to begin
construction.
Email Notification, Direct
business contact (940) 349-8425
Western Blvd Airport Rd Jim Chrystal 12/21/20 03/31/21 Westpark Warehouse Phase 2
Public Works
Inspections,
Private
Development
Direct business contact (940) 205-9230
Windsor Hanover Branch
Crossing 08/24/20 08/16/21 Install utilities and road
reconstruction Engineering NextDoor, Email
Notification (940) 349-7426
Windsor Stuart Longfellow 08/24/20 08/23/21 Installation of utilities and street
reconstruction Engineering NextDoor, Email
Notification (940) 349-7426
Total 21
Current Closures
62
Street/Intersection From To Closure
Start Date
Closure
End Date Description Department Upcoming
Info/Notes
Public
Meeting
Other
Communication
Department
Contact
Amherst Dr Georgetown
Dr Hinkle Dr 09/28/20 01/19/21
Wastewater Collections will be
installing a new wastewater
main line and services.
Wastewater N/A (940) 349-8909
Avenue C Chestnut
Street
Highland
Street 12/14/20 12/18/20
Unite Private Networks, and
sub-contractor Verticom,
temporarily closing street to
install fiber optic service.
Public Works
Inspections,
Unite Private
Networks
Direct business contact (940) 205-3779
Barrel Strap Road
North of
Hickory
Creek Road
Ocean Drive 09/07/20 01/04/21
This project is to add drainage
upgrades and widen Hickory
Creek Road. It is also adding an
acceleration lane to Barrel
Strap Road.
Engineering NextDoor, Email
Notification (940) 349-7426
Brinker Colorado
Blvd.
I-35 Service
Rd 01/19/21 01/29/21
Concrete Street Panel Repair.
The process starts with
Barricading the failed sections
of concrete pavement, remove
the pavement, and install new
concrete.
Streets N/A (940) 349-7146
Club House at Sombrero 11/30/20 12/23/20
Concrete Sidewalk and ADA
Ramps Repair. The process
starts with Barricading the failed
sections of concrete Sidewalk,
remove, and install new
concrete
Streets N/A (940) 349-7146
Clydesdale Weeler
Ridge
Spainsh
Lane 12/07/20 01/15/21
Concrete Street Panel and
Sidewalk Repair. The process
starts with Barricading the failed
sections of concrete pavement,
remove the pavement, and
install new concrete.
Streets N/A (940) 349-7146
Crow St Panhandle
St Gober St 12/21/20 01/08/21 New Sewer Line & Water
Services will be installed.
Public Works
Inspections
NextDoor, Email
Notification, Direct
business contact
(940) 231-9965
Hidden Meadows Trail
Intersection
with Vintage
Blvd
back of
Vintage blvd
right of way
03/16/20 01/01/21
Intermittent closures of this
intersection for construction
activities
Engineering NextDoor, Email
Notification (940) 349-8938
Street Closure Report
Week of February 1, 2021 - February 7, 2021
Completed Closures
Completed Closures63
Street/Intersection From To Closure
Start Date
Closure
End Date Description Department Upcoming
Info/Notes
Public
Meeting
Other
Communication
Department
Contact
Highland Park Jasmine st Bonnie Brae 12/03/20 12/17/20 boring a new water and sewer
line under the KCS Railroad.
Public Works
Inspections
NextDoor, Email
Notification (940) 268-8946
Johnson Street Daugherty
Street Smith Street 10/26/20 01/29/21
Install new curb and gutter. Mill
off old pavement and install
new asphalt to match the grade
of the new inlets. Weather
delays, asphalt base course
has been installed.
Streets
Scheduling conflict with
concrete contractor so
we move the start date
to 10-26-20. 80%
complete the surface
course still needs to be
installed. Asphalt
Surface will be install on
1-27-28-2020.
Door hangers (940) 349-7146
Locust St.Prairie Highland 03/09/20 01/01/21
Storm drain improvements as
part of Pec-4 Ph 1&2
Project. East Side ln Closure
Engineering Direct business contact (940) 349-8938
Mockernut Rd.
Intersection
with Vintage
Blvd.
back of
Vintage
Blvd. right of
way
03/16/20 01/01/21
Intermittent closures of this
intersection for construction
activities.
Engineering NextDoor, Email
Notification (940) 349-8938
Paddock Lipizzan English
Saddle 12/14/20 01/07/21
Concrete Street Panel and
Sidewalk Repair. The process
starts with Barricading the failed
sections of concrete pavement,
remove the pavement, and
install new concrete.
Streets N/A (940) 349-7146
Precision Airport Rd 1500ft north 10/12/20 12/18/20
Water Distribution will be
installing a new water main and
services
Water N/A (940) 349-7278
Smith Street Johnson Dallas 01/25/21 01/29/21 Mill and Overlay Streets N/A (940) 349-7146
Spring Creek Creek Bend Beechwood 10/05/20 12/18/20
Concrete Street Panel and
Sidewalk Repair. The process
starts with Barricading the failed
sections of concrete pavement,
remove the pavement, and
install new concrete.
Streets N/A (940) 349-7146
Underwood McCormick Ave. B 11/09/20 01/04/21
Road will be closed for paving
and sidewalk construction for
the new Fire Station #3
Public Works
Inspections N/A (210) 563-1599
Completed Closures64
Street/Intersection From To Closure
Start Date
Closure
End Date Description Department Upcoming
Info/Notes
Public
Meeting
Other
Communication
Department
Contact
W Windsor Dr I-35
Frontage Rd
Winddosr
Farms Dr 01/18/21 01/20/21 Stripping all lanes with new
signs.
Public Works
Inspections
NextDoor, Email
Notification (940) 231-9965
Welch Eagle Maple 01/25/21 01/25/21 Repair Water Main Leak Water Work was completed on
1/25 Direct business contact (940) 349-7332
Welch St.Eagle Highland 01/19/21 01/19/21 water tap for 811 S. Welch Water NextDoor, Email
Notification (940) 349-7278
Windsor Stuart E. Sherman 09/07/20 12/22/20 This closure is to reconstruct
Windsor Drive Engineering NextDoor, Email
Notification (940) 349-7426
Total 21
Completed Closures65