Minutes April 17, 1998CITY OF DENTON CITY COUNCIL MINUTES
April 17, 1998
The Council convened into a joint meeting with the Denton Independent School District Board of
Trustees on Friday, April 17, 1998 at the Radisson Hotel.
PRESENT: Mayor Miller; Mayor Pro Tem Brock, Council Members Beasley, Cochran,
Durrance, Kristoferson, Young and Council Elect Burroughs
1. Both the Council and Board of Trustees declared that a quorum was present for the
meeting.
2. City Manager Ted Benavides stated that the City is currently developing a new
comprehensive plan. He stated that in determining where the City’s growth was going to happen
and how we were going to manage that growth, we would have to look and see where the growth
was going to come, more specifically in areas within the City where it was going to impact a
higher rate than the average of the City.
Dave Hill, Director of Planning, went over the various population forecasts showing where it
would impact the City and the School District. Denton was broken into sub areas by boundaries
that fit census tracts. Population forecasts were being prepared by Rust Environment &
Infrastructure and HOK.
NCTCOG forecasts for growth were based upon different factors. The most optimistic projection
was that the 16-county COG region would grow to about 11 million by the year 2030. Forecasters
indicated significant numbers for Collin and Denton County, which were predicted to be the next
counties to be hit by the wave of growth extending northward from Dallas and Ft. Worth. Some
factors influencing growth were: Denton’s location in proximity to the junction of the I-35E and
I-35W corridor, infrastructure, the universities, the Alliance area, and the economy.
Comparatively speaking, the cost per acre of land was much lower in Denton than other metroplex
cities that were urbanized or rapidly urbanizing. Other cities had the capacity to be landlocked but
this might not be a factor for the City of Denton.
Population forecasts showed annual growth rates of 1-1/2 - 5%. We could be looking at a tripling
of the population by the year 2020. The forecast summary showed a build out population in the
city limits of 300,000-400,000 and in the ETJ of 800,000; growth rate of 4 to 10 percent; 2020
population range was forecast between 120,000 and 230,000; adsorption range of 300-600 acres of
land per year. The forecast assumed a population of 200,000 in 2020 that would be an increase in
population of 130,000, nearly triple the population. With an annual population increase of 5,900
that would mean 1340 building permits per year, 740 apartment units per year, $12,000,000
infrastructure investment and $160,000,000 added to the tax base per year.
Hill stated the need to figure out how we would accommodate this growth. He stated that
development of the comprehensive plan would involve the City Council and the Planning and
Zoning Commission partnering with the DISD and looking at issues affecting all entities.
Council Member Cochran asked if the School District had any growth projections.
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April 17, 1998
Page 2
Superintendent Albert Thomas stated that the figures they had were around 3 percent.
School Board Trustee Alexander stated it would be interesting to put forecasted population figures
with estimated student growth rates.
Hill stated the alternate development scenario would be selected sometime in June and it would
become the growth management basis. The comprehensive plan would be completed sometime in
the fall of 1999.
3. Victor Baxter with Schrickel, Rollins and Associates, Inc. reported on the master plan for
the Northeast Community School/Park Site. The 120-acre site is located at Stuart, Loop 288, and
FM 428.
Baxter presented two land use plans. The site would have a middle school, elementary school,
natatorium, high school stadium, city aquatic park, city park land, and R.O.W. dedication. Land
Use Plan 1 emphasized shared open space and Land Use Plan 2 emphasized shared parking. Both
scenarios created a campus-like atmosphere.
Council Member Beasley expressed concern about access to Stuart Lane.
Baxter stated there were grade level intersections on both sides so there would be access to both
sides.
Council Member Kristoferson stated an issue not to be ignored was that if this facility would go
in, there would be citizens from southern Denton upset because the location of recreational
facilities now are mostly in northern Denton.
4. Deputy City Manager Rick Svehla reported on development activity since 1997.
Preliminary plats indicated developments moving through the process – approved or not approved.
Final plats indicated that the lots are on the ground and building permits could be issued or have
been issued. Units constructed indicate completed projects.
Ray Braswell, Associate Superintendent, reported on development activity within the school
district.
President Schaake stated that planning efforts of developments should continue to be coordinated
between the City and the School District.
Mayor Miller stated that the City would have to look at a different kind of development than what
we had been accustomed to – such as a planned development with smaller lots with expensive
homes – and how we would fund the parks and school sites. New developments will look at what
the City is going to provide.
Council Members Young and Cochran left the meeting.
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April 17, 1998
Page 3
5. City Manager Benavides stated the City would begin planning for the next bond election to
be held in 1999. A Citizens Advisory Committee would be appointed by Council to study the
needs of the City and formulate the next five-year plan for capital improvements.
Superintendent Thomas stated that the School District would be looking at selling $35-40 million
in bonds. He pointed out the need for 6-10 additional elementary schools over the next 6-8 years
and a possible site for a third comprehensive high school on 2181. He stated the City and School
District needed to be deliberate in diversifying the tax base.
School Board Trustee Alexander suggested the City and School District move toward a joint bond
election.
Superintendent Thomas stated if it was logical for the school to support the infrastructure and
infrastructure to support the school, then the voters needed to make that decision.
City Manager Benavides stated that the State was moving toward a more uniform election day.
6. Howard Martin, Assistant City Manager of Utilities, presented an overview of
implementing impact fees. Phase I included water and wastewater treatment facilities. This
would be brought to the Council in October. Phase II would include enacting fees to recover costs
associated with water distribution and wastewater collection lines, and roadway and drainage
improvements. Phase II would be developed by the end of 1999.
Duncan Associates prepared an analysis on school impact fees. The State of Texas does not
provide for enabling legislation to implement impact fees for school facilities.
Council Member Kristoferson stated that Senator Nelson’s office and Senator Haywood’s office
would be happy to meet with Denton to look at this.
School Board Trustee Woolfolk stated this was an issue that needed to be taken care of by fall so it
could be on the legislative agenda.
Mayor Miller stated the need to explore other avenues for school funding for revenue sources at
the state level. We could not achieve everything at the local level.
President Schaake suggested Benavides and Thomas put together a small task force of City and
School District officials to look into this and work on a proposal to lobby for.
7. a. City Manager Ted Benavides stated the need for an updated joint use agreement
between the City and School District. Possible revisions would include collaboration of services,
land use, buildings, coordination of future joint efforts, etc.
Superintendent Thomas stated the need to determine joint use and joint responsibility.
School Board Trustee Alexander suggested forming a joint task force to work on redrafting the
joint use agreement.
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April 17, 1998
Page 4
Benavides stated that Svehla and Braswell were presently working on this.
b. Barbara Fisher of the DISD presented the School Resource Officer Program that was
being developed jointly by the City and the DISD. She stated there was grant money available for
one resource officer.
Mike Jez, Assistant City Manager of Operations, stated the officer would be a veteran officer. The
resource officer would actually be a uniformed, bike patrol officer. The officer would primarily
have an enforcement role as it relates to statutes not school policy. There would also be an
educational component. The officer would spend some time in the classroom on approved
educational programs and be involved in extracurricular activities associated with the campus
being worked at.
Jez stated that the chain of command needed to be very clear at the inception of the program. He
suggested that a written agreement be drafted to include the job description, chain of command,
and lines of responsibility.
Superintendent Thomas stated that money would be available to expand the program. The City
and School District needed to have a clear understanding of where the program would be in five
years.
School Board Trustee Alexander stated that if the only reason we were doing this was because the
grant opportunity existed, then we should not do it. If the reason we were doing this was because
it was the right thing for this community, then we should go forward and make it work and make
it work successfully. He felt we had the opportunity to do some good.
Mayor Miller stated that a long-range plan needed to be developed and how this would affect the
police department and the budget.
Jez stated funding issues needed to be explored to include the DARE program in joint discussions.
c. Howard Martin, Assistant City Manager of Utilities, reviewed the Elm Fork Nature
Project. Part of the project would include an environmental restoration project of 609 acres and
the construction of two wetland cells totaling 98 acres.
Dalton Gregory with the DISD presented a proposal for a joint venture between the DISD and the
City for an Outdoor Education Center to be included in the Elm Fork Project. The Outdoor
Education Center would provide a gateway for people to come in and decompress from the urban
environment and learn how to walk along the nature trail and understand what they were seeing. It
would also provide a convenient location for day or half-day field trips for school groups.
Martin and Gregory will continue to work together on this.
8. Linda Ratliff reviewed the tax abatement policy. She stated Council and DISD Board
members gave direction to make it more strict but flexible. The minimum valuation threshold has
been increased from $5 million to $10 million. The new policy provides some flexibility in the
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April 17, 1998
Page 5
percentage of abatement granted. The policy has a 15% to 25% base percentage and allows for
additional increments of 5% for certain project factors such as: occupying a building that has been
vacant for at least two years; creating high-skilled, high-paying jobs; involving a partnership with
one of the universities in Denton; donating public art to the community, etc. The maximum
percentage of tax abatement would be 50%.
Mayor Miller commended staff on the tax abatement policy they had developed.
President Schaake stated the staff deserved high praise for the policy they had developed.
9. Rick Svehla, Deputy City Manager, reviewed Council’s request of moving truck traffic off
Highway 380. He stated we had not received approval from TxDOT yet.
10. Mayor Miller and President Schaake presented Euline Brock, Mayor Pro Tem, with a
plaque commending her dedication to the City Council and the community.
President Schaake suggested the next quarterly meeting be a regular meeting. The meeting after
the next regular meeting could be a long afternoon session. She suggested having a luncheon
meeting twice a year and a long afternoon session twice a year.
It was determined that July 15 would be the date for the next meeting.
With no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 4:25 p.m.
________________________________
JACK MILLER
MAYOR
CITY OF DENTON, TEXAS
________________________________
JANE RICHARDSON
DEPUTY CITY SECRETARY
CITY OF DENTON, TEXAS