Minutes January 26, 1999 CITY OF DENTON CITY COUNCIL MINUTES
January 26, 1999
After determining that a quorum was present and convening in an open meeting, the City Council
convened in a closed meeting on Tuesday, January 26, 1999 at 5:15 p.m. in the Council Work Session
Room at City Hall.
PRESENT: Mayor Pro Tem Beasley; Council Members Burroughs, Cochran, Durrance,
Kristoferson and Young.
ABSENT: Mayor Miller
1. The Council considered the following in Closed Meeting:
A. Conference with Employees – Under TEX. GOV’T. CODE Sec. 551.075. The
Council received information from employees during a staff conference or briefing, but
did not deliberate during the conference.
B. Consultation with Attorney – Under TEX. GOV’T. CODE Sec. 551.071
1. Received briefing from attorney in litigation styled Cassie Dean Johnson,
Administratrix of the Estate of Aaron T. McCoy, Debra Vontel McCoy,
Individually, and James Edward McCoy, Individually and Cassie Dean
Johnson, Individually and as Administratrix of the Estate of Frederick J.
Johnson v. City of Denton, Case No. PR-94-458-01 filed in the Probate Court,
Denton County, and considered and discussed status and possible settlement
authority.
The Council convened into a Work Session on Tuesday, January 26, 1999 at 6:00 p.m. in the Council
Work Session Room at City Hall.
PRESENT: Mayor Pro Tem Beasley; Council Members Burroughs, Cochran, Durrance,
Kristoferson and Young.
ABSENT: Mayor Miller
1. The Council received a report and held a discussion regarding a report by the Denton Central
Appraisal District (DCAD) on the role of DCAD.
Bill Giese, member of the Board of Directors, gave a report on the role of the Denton Central
Appraisal District. He stated that DCAD’s objective was to estimate market value of property for ad
valorem tax purposes. The ultimate goal was to appraise property at 100% of market value. A
primary element of the objective was to promulgate an appraisal program that was fair to the property
owner, the payer of the taxes, the taxing jurisdictions, and the recipient of tax revenues. He stated that
the Appraisal District would try to make the preliminary roll available on a weekly basis.
2. The Council received a report, held a discussion, and gave staff direction regarding proposed
amendments to the Zoning Code, Subdivision Regulations, and Development Review Fee Schedule for
the purpose of improving public hearing notification procedures for zoning changes and amendments,
annexations, variances, zoning appeals, and special exceptions.
Dave Hill, Director of Planning and Development, stated that during the September 22nd Work
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January 26, 1999
Page 2
Session, Council had approved the implementation of the following public hearing notification
procedures: The legal notice of public hearings would be published in the local newspaper as
permitted by state law. The State required a 200-foot legal notice to be delivered via certified
mail. Courtesy notices would be delivered to residents/occupants located within 500 feet of a
public hearing property via first class mail. Core-tex signs would be installed, using only two
different sign copies - Zoning Change Requested and Variance Requested. The Planning and
Zoning Commission and the City Council were now being asked to consider two ordinances that
would amend city zoning regulations and subdivision regulations. Hill stated that staff
recommended approval of the ordinances, in association with the proposed fee schedule revisions
needed to cover the costs of the new notice requirements.
The Council advised staff to proceed with their recommendations.
3. The Council received a report and gave staff direction regarding the 1999-2000 budget
calendar.
Jon Fortune, Director of Management and Budget, reviewed the 1999-2000 operating budget
calendar. He asked the Council to reserve the dates of August 12 and 13 for a budget workshop.
4. The Council received a report and gave staff direction regarding the 1999-2000 City Council
budget priority questionnaire.
Jon Fortune, Director of Management and Budget, stated that the 1999-2000 budget priority
questionnaire would be delivered to the Council on January 27 and asked that they be returned to him
at the February 2nd Council meeting.
5. The Council received a report, held a discussion, and gave staff direction regarding the
adoption of an ordinance ordering an election to be held on May 1, 1999 in conjunction with the
regular City Council election for the purpose of submitting amendments to the Denton City Charter
regarding sale and alienation of portions of public utilities, creating new utilities, qualifications of
candidates for elections, procedures for holding elections, franchise charges, procedure for adopting a
budget, correcting references to applicable laws, expansion of the Board of Adjustment and Public
Utilities Board to seven members, removal of Parks Board from the City Charter, providing notice of
claim procedures in compliance with state law, eliminating planning commission recommendations on
sales and purchases of property and on utility capital improvements; and providing that the Charter
shall be gender neutral; designating the place of holding such an election; naming the officers thereof;
prescribing the form of ballot; providing for notice; providing a severability clause; and providing an
effective date.
Herb Prouty, City Attorney, stated that this ordinance would order an election to be held on May 1,
1999 in conjunction with the regular City Council election for the purpose of amending the City
Charter. He reviewed each amendment and asked for consensus of Council as to whether or not to
include it on the ballot.
Amendment One – Council Member Burroughs and Young indicated that they wanted this amendment
on the ballot; Durrance, Cochran, Beasley, and Kristoferson did not want this amendment on the ballot.
Amendment Two - Council agreed to place on the ballot.
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January 26, 1999
Page 3
Amendment Three - Council agreed to put this amendment on the ballot with a wording change “all
witnesses known at the time”.
Amendment Four - Council agreed to put this amendment on the ballot.
Amendment Five - Council agreed not to put this amendment on the ballot.
Amendments Six –Ten - Council agreed to put these amendments on the ballot to make the Charter
consistent with the election code.
Amendment Eleven – Council agreed to place this amendment on the ballot to establish the Municipal
Court No. 1 as a municipal court of record.
Amendment Twelve – Consensus of Council was to place this amendment on the ballot in order to
delete this section out of the Charter.
Amendments Thirteen – Twenty – Council agreed to place these amendments on the ballot.
Amendments Twenty-One – Twenty-Nine – Council agreed to place these amendments on the ballot.
With no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 9:00 p.m.
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RONI BEASLEY, MAYOR PRO TEM
CITY OF DENTON, TEXAS
_________________________
JENNIFER WALTERS
CITY SECRETARY
CITY OF DENTON, TEXAS