Minutes December 29, 1987390
City of Denton City Council Minutes
December 29, 1987
The Council convened into a Work Session at 5:30 p.m. in the
Civil Defense Room.
PRESENT:
Mayor Stephens; Mayor Pro Tem McAdams; Council
Members Alexander, Ayer, Boyd, Gorton and Hopkins.
ABSENT: None
1. The Council convened into Executive Session to
discuss legal matters, real estate and personnel and board
appointments. More specifically to discuss litigation
including Texas Utilities Electric Company vs. Tex-La Electric
Cooperative, et al and Maverick vs. the City of Denton and
duties of TMPA Board Members Vela and Stephens. No official
action was taken.
Council completed Executive Session at 7:07 p.m. and
reconvened for open session.
2. The Council held a discussion regarding the status
of various City projects and possible adjustments of schedule
and/or approaches. Lloyd Harrell, City Manager, made a short
introduction of the six initiatives outlined in the agenda
packet. After an overview by Staff, th'e Manager asked that the
Council give guidance as to how Staff should proceed.
Steve Brinkman, Director of Parks and Recreation,
addressed the problem of increased deficiency of neighborhood
parks. After an outline of the problem of insufficient
neighborhood parks to attain the goal of three acres of park
for every 1,000 people, Mr. Brinkman offered the solution of a
mandatory dedication ordinance. C.I.P. funds could be used to
make improvements to the parks.
Gary Kirchoff, Chairman of the Parks and Recreation
Board, gave a brief history of the need for the mandatory
dedication ordinance. Mr. Kirchoff reported the Parks and
Recreation Board approved and recommended the ordinance.
However, he anticipated a negative reaction by developers.
David Ellison, Acting Executive Director of
Planning, presented the need for clarification of subdivision
regulations in an effort to eliminate deficient construction
which must be corrected with tax dollars. After a short
outline of the problem, Mr. Ellison stated that Staff expected
to bring the proposed changes to Council in March or April of
1988. This ordinance would address in particular plats and
replats, driveways, and street sections.
City of Denton City Council Minutes
December 29, 1987
Page 2
Cecile Carson, Urban Planner, reported that the
Beautification Committee was recommending a Landscaping and
Tree Preservation Ordinance. The result of this ordinance
would make specific guidelines for tree preservation in new
developments and provide for minimum landscaping. Although the
negative side of this ordinance would include increased staff
time to monitor and maintenance costs for the developer, it was
still felt by the Committee that it would be beneficial to the
City.
Capital recovery fees were discussed as the solution
to offset some of the costs of providing water and sewer
services that would be necessary because of growth. Robert
Nelson, Executive Director of Utilities, briefly discussed the
effect of these fees on the developer which would be an
increase in cost. He asked for Council's guidance' in
reconvening the committee that had been established to study
capital recovery fees and pursuing the next phase.
Mayor Pro Tem McAdams expressed her concern that all
of these additional costs to the developers would put the cost
of a home out of the reach of low and medium income citizens.
Robert Nelson, Executive Director of Utilities, also
addressed the problem of the high cost of electricity which had
been especially evident in some of the new apartment
complexes. One solution would be an ordinance banning electric
resistance heating. This was not popular with developers as
was evidenced in their attendance and expression of concern at
a recent Public Utility Board meeting.
An alternative to this ordinance would be an energy
envelope. Mr. Nelson explained that this effort would readopt
some of the construction codes previously used by the City such
as insulation minimums, etc. This energy envelope would allow
electric resistance heating but would require a certain amount
of energy consumption per 1000 square feet, and this would be
accomplished by increased insulation, better windows, etc.
Rick Svehla, Deputy City Manager, outlined Fire
Chief John Cook's intention with proposing a sprinkler
ordinance. This ordinance would address large facilities of
10,000 square feet or more or facilities which held large
numbers of people. The result of this ordinance would be
increased safety to the public and less manning requirements
for the Fire Department.
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City of Denton City Council Minutes
December 29, 1987
page 3
Lloyd Harrell, City Manager, provided a summary. He
stated that the Landscaping and Tree Preservation Ordinance was
ready to bring to the P ~ Z in January 1988. One option would
be to continue to take an aggressive stance with developers.
Mayor Stephens asked for the Council's comments.
Council Member Boyd expressed a desire of getting
the neighborhoods involved in the beautification.
Council Member Gorton agreed with neighborhood
participation.
Mayor Pro Tem McAdams questioned the funding and the
time allotment of this ordinance. Because of the impact of all
of these ordinances on the developer, she recommended that
Council look at all of the ordinances collectively since they
all would affect the price of homes for low and middle income
families.
Council Member Hopkins agreed that since these
ordinances would be affecting the same group of people, Council
must look at them all as a whole.
Lloyd Harrell, City Manager, discussed that an
alternative to the mandatory park dedication ordinance would be
establishing a more hard line policy concerning neighborhood
parks.
Council Member Alexander stated that in his view the
Tree Preservation ordinance had number one priority and the
Subdivision Regulations number two. Ail the other issues
addressed could be delayed a little longer.
Harrell reported that the capital recovery fees
could be traded out in support of other ordinances. It was the
consensus of the Council that Staff should wait on this issue
and observe what action was taken by other cities and the
resulting impact on the development community.
On the high cost of future electric
Harrell felt the energy envelope concept was
acceptable to the community.
generation,
the most
Harrell summarized that feedback on the subdivision
regulations had not been negative. There were some trade off
situations in these regulations.
Harrell also reported that reaction to the sprinkler
ordinance by the developers was uncertain at this time.
City of Denton City Council Minutes
December 29, 1987
Page 4
Mayor Stephens asked for final comments by the
Council Members.
Council Member Ayer expressed concern about the
Council's interest and concern for the developers. He stated
that Council must make sure they had input from the community.
Council Member Gorton expressed concern that
comments he had heard from other people were not the same as
those reported by staff. He wanted staff to be sure that their
ideas were not different.
Mayor Pro Tem McAdams expressed the need to look at
alternatives and to compare the impact of these on the
community.
Council Member Hopkins expressed a need to think
about the people that were going to be impacted by these
ordinances and to be fair and equitable.
Council Member Alexander restated his request that
complete and comparative reports be submitted on all issues to
aid in Council's evaluation of each of these issues.
Council Member Boyd stated that the time schedules
in the report looked just fine to him.
Mayor Stephens directed staff to move right along.
It was his feeling that the time schedule presented was
satisfactory and to keep at this pace making sure that the
Council was presented accurate and complete information.
Lloyd Harrell, City Manager, expressed the desire of
the Land Use Planning Committee to meet with Council on
Saturday, January 16, or Saturday, January 23, to make its
presentation. The meeting was set for Saturday, January 23.
Mr. Harrell also announced that tentative
arrangements had been made with First State Bank for Tuesday,
January 5, 1988, for Council to view the model of their new
building between 5:00 and 5:20 p.m.
Mayor Stephens stated for future agenda items the
need to nominate a replacement for Richard Taliaferro to the
Denton County Housing Finance Corporation.
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City of Denton City Council Minutes
December 29, 1987
Page 5
Debra Drayovitch, City Attorney, reported that Diane
Callander, Assistant City Attorney, would be leaving the City
of Denton to be the City Attorney for Georgetown. All of her
cases had been split between staff.
There was no further business. Meeting adjourned at
8:58 p.m.
BETTY A~ILLIAMS
DEPUTY CITY SECRETARY
CITY OF DENTON, TEXAS
3787M