Minutes September 13, 1993SEPTEMBER 13, 1993
The Council convened into a joint session with the Keep Denton
Beautiful Board at 11:45 a.m. on September 13, 1993.
PRESENT: Mayor Castleberry; Mayor Pro Tem Smith; Council Members
Brock, Cott, and Miller.
ABSENT: Council Members Chew and Perry
1. The Council held a discussion, considered locations and gave
staff direction for using the $100,000 landscape grant from the
Governor's Community Achievement Awards.
Dick Engle, chair-Keep Denton Beautiful Board, stated that the
Board would like the Council's input on where and how to utilize
the money received from the Achievement Award.
Cecile Carson, Keep Denton Beautiful Coordinator, presented a
landscape project development flow chart which the Department of
Transportation suggested using to coordinate location of a project
and steps in completing the project. The Department of
Transportation was projecting a year's time frame from the time the
City chose a location until the maintenance/planting stage. This
year the Department of Transportation budgeted the money to the
regional office where the cities won the award which would
facilitate receiving the money. It was anticipated that from the
initial meeting to select a site until approval from the Department
of Transportation would be 30-90 days. As this was not a matching
grant, the City would not have to do any work and the design would
be done by the Department of Transportation. The beginning of the
construction would be a variable date due to weather and any extra
construction necessary at the chosen site. There would be a 90 day
maintenance period for replacement of any plantings. Any street or
right-of-way which was state right-of-way was eligible for site
selection.
Council Member Cott asked if only one site could be selected.
Carson replied no but that the Department of Transportation
suggested using only one location as part of the money could be
lost if there were barricading work, design work, etc. necessary
for multiple sites.
Engle suggested a continuation of University Drive for the site
selection.
Mayor Castleberry stated that in the area of Malone to Carroll, the
utility poles would be relocated to the alleys and Denton Center
was planning to upgrade the shopping center. There was also a
possibility of the City performing in-kind services to help make
the dollars go further such as dirt removal in the medians.
University Drive would be widened to six lanes in the future.
Frank Robbins, Executive Director for Planning, stated that the
City had requested enhancement funding from the Texas Department of
Transportation and Council had passed a resolution applying for
$150,000 of funding for the medians from Malone to Carroll at an
80-20% funding.
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September 13, 1993
Page 2
Council Member Miller stated that with the state funding, the City
did not know if it would receive the funding. He asked if the
State would change its position on allocating the funds with the
widening project.
Carson replied that it would not disqualify the site but that the
City would have to use materials which would survive the
construction.
Council Member Miller stated that the enhancement review would be
sometime in October.
Robbins stated that the COG review would be in October, the Texas
Department of Transportation review would be in November and the
award should be in January.
Carson stated that there was no requirement as to when to submit
the requests but that the Department would prefer them by the end
of the year. She presented slides of some potential sites for
consideration: Dallas Drive right-of-way area; Highway 77 and
Eagle Drive banks and sides of the intersection; university Drive
medians; I35 and University Drive on the west side for the medians
and the triangle portion of the roadway; Fort Worth Drive and I35;
purchase red bud trees for planting on the right-of-ways.
Jeane Morrison stated that she would suggest the west side of
University and I35 and the medians on University Drive which would
be included in the enhancement project. If a second area were
needed, she would suggest a continuation of the Dallas Drive
project. She asked if there was a reason why Dallas Drive could
not be continued.
Mayor Castleberry stated that there were no medians in that area on
Dallas Drive and could not be created.
city Manager Harrell indicated that a median could be constructed
from the signal to the patterned concrete. The problem was with
the businesses in the area which did not want the ability to make
left turns into their businesses taken away. If medians were
installed, there would be no left turns allowed.
Morrison suggested creating a turn lane.
Council Member Cott suggested an area by Loop 288 and the Golden
Triangle Mall.
Gertrude Gibson suggested the triangle area west of I35 on the
service road.
Martha Len Nelson suggested a site on Dallas Drive where there was
overgrown grass and a need for clean-up.
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September 13, 1993
Page 3
Dave Boston suggested using the mall area and planting trees and
installing picnic areas. These would be small parks in small areas
for the citizens to use.
Council Member Miller stated that the project had to be on state
right-of-way and could not be in the mall property.
Carson indicated that there were some small pieces of corner
property at the Mall which was State right-of-way.
Don Hayes suggested I35 and Loop 288 on the north side by the
Outlet Mall.
Jean Ross suggested the University Drive area.
Judy Smith asked how many medians could be done for the $100,000.
City Manager Harrell replied that it was estimated at $150,000 to
finish University Drive including the triangle piece of property.
If the City did some in-kind work, the $100,000 would be close to
completing the project.
Betty Kimble was in favor of the Mall area location.
Morrison asked that if the Award was used for the triangle on
University plus the medians and the City then received word of
enhancement money, would the State not award the enhancement money.
Robbins replied that the $100,000 could not be used to help
leverage the enhancement funding. Other State money could not be
used with enhancement funding. This was only the first round of
enhancements and the City had been told that the next round of
enhancement funding would begin in January. At that time, the City
would apply again for funds and could ask for the same locations as
were suggested above.
City Manager Harrell stated that if the Board was concerned about
duplicate funding, a tentative decision could be made and let the
funding cycle continue until October/November. If the project did
not receive enhancement funding, then formally notify the
Department of the project selection. If the University Drive
project received enhancement funding, then submit a second or third
choice to the State.
Council Member Cott suggested making no decision at this time and
wait to see if the City received enhancement funding.
Council Member Miller felt that the City needed to be more
aggressive in applying for enhancement money including such
projects as monument signs for the City's entranceways.
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September 13, 1993
Page 4
303
Council Member Brock stated that she would like one day to see many
red bud trees in Denton which would be unique to Denton as the "Red
Bud Capitol".
Engle replied that that was part of the agenda for the Keep Denton
Beautiful Board and they had approached the Chamber of Commerce for
some type of Red Bud Festival.
Morrison suggested that the trees could be planted along I35 from
one end of the City limits to the o'ther. This could be a possible
second alternative for the Award money.
Council Member Miller suggested using the money for the University
Drive project and coordinate it with the enhancement request. For
the next round of enhancement projects, those mentioned this
meeting could be considered and coordinated with the Council and
the Keep Denton Beautiful Board.
Consensus of the Keep Denton Beautiful Board was to
completion of University Drive as first priority of
money.
select the
the Award
Mayor Castleberry suggested that the Keep Denton Beautiful Board
propose a plan for a Red Bud Trail in Denton. Residents and
businesses along with the City could be encouraged to plant red
buds throughout the City.
Hayes suggested getting the community involved in .a tree planting
project.
With no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 1:15 p.m.
BOB CASTLEBERRY, MAYOR /
CITY OF DENTON, TEXAS
ACC00151