Minutes October 26, 1999CITY OF DENTON CITY COUNCIL MINUTES
October 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, October 26, 1999 at 5:30 p.m. in the Council
Work Session Room at City Hall.
PRESENT: Mayor Pro Tem Beasley; Council Members Burroughs, Cochran, Durrance, and
Kristoferson.
ABSENT: Mayor Miller, Council Member Young
1. The Council considered the following in Closed Meeting:
A. Consultation with Attorney – Under TEX. GOV’T. Code Section 551.071.
1. Discussed status of litigation including a proposed ordinance authorizing the
City Manager to execute a contract for professional legal services with
Wolfe, Clark, Henderson & Tidwell to provide legal services with regard to
litigation styled Municipal Administrative Services, Inc. v. City of Denton,
TH
Cause No. 99-50263-367 filed in the 367 District Court of Denton County;
authorizing the expenditure of funds therefore; and declaring an effective
date.
The Council convened into a Work Session on Tuesday, October 12, 1999 at 6:00 p.m. in the
Council Work Session Room in City Hall.
1. The Council received a report, held a discussion, and gave staff direction regarding
funding options for the 2000 Capital Improvements Program.
Deputy City Manager, Rick Svehla, stated that the Planning and Zoning Commission and the
City Council had approved a Capital Improvement Program project list for $34.87 million. He
stated that there were several options to consider.
The first option would result in a one and one-half cent tax increase in the second, third, and
fourth years of the CIP program, and one-half cent in the last year. The second option would
implement a two-cent tax increase in the second and third year and three quarters of a cent tax
increase in the fourth year and one-quarter cent tax increase in the fifth year. The third option
was dependent upon a six percent annual growth with no tax increase, which would result in an
eight-year program. All options recommended no tax increase in the first year.
Staff recommended the second option. He stated they would be able to do more projects earlier
with this option. It would result in $.05 in tax increases over the life of the program.
Euline Brock, Chairman of the 2000 CIP Committee, advised the Council that the Committee
favored option 2.
Consensus of the Council was to proceed with option 2.
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October 26, 1999
Page 2 of 5
Svehla stated that they would bring an ordinance calling for the bond election back to the
Council on November 2.
2. The Council received a report, held a discussion, and gave staff direction regarding the
revised draft Comprehensive Plan.
Dave Hill, Assistant City Manager of Development Services, stated the following chapters
needed further review: 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 14, 16, 17, and 21.
Herb Prouty, City Attorney, stated that Terry Morgan had recommended that the council review
public facilities and environment.
Prouty asked if there were four council members that wanted to have a more intensive review of
the Plan.
Council Member Durrance asked if a joint meeting with Terry Morgan could be held to address
some of the questions being raised.
Hill stated that Morgan could recommend use of the plan to the Council.
The Council decided to have Terry Morgan address Council Member Kristoferson’s questions as
to legality, and any other revisions that council might have and bring them back to the November
9 work session and discuss some of the possible legal issues.
Following a brief recess, the Council decided to consider other agenda items and return to this
item following completion of those items.
5. The Council received a report on the public transportation planning study and gave staff
direction regarding recommendations for improvements to the public transportation system.
Veronica Rolen, Public Transportation Coordinator, stated that the City had received funding for
a transit planning study to provide an improvement plan for the public transportation system.
The consultant, KFH Group, Inc., cited several areas where the system could be improved to
provide better service. The consultant suggested eliminating the loop routes and set up routes
with a specific destination which would reduce ride time. The consultant suggested providing an
alternative to a fixed route for low ridership areas that had a transit need. Other
recommendations included renaming the system, marketing and promoting the service, and
transfer center improvements.
Rolen stated that in order to generate the highest ridership at the most efficient cost, the
consultant determined that a traditional fixed-route type of service should continue. The
consultant analyzed the existing ridership patterns to determine origins and destinations of the
current system. They also interviewed drivers and customers and held public meetings to solicit
comments.
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October 26, 1999
Page 3 of 5
Council Member Durrance asked about the proposed changes to the routes and whether the
current riders would be instructed in the changes in the routes.
Rolen stated that current riders would be informed at the public meetings.
Council Member Cochran stated that the new routes may not work for all riders and asked if
there was room for modifications to the proposed routes.
Rolen stated that input from the riders and drivers would help them determine the low ridership
patterns. She stated that a certain area might not support a fixed route, yet the area had a level of
transit need. These areas could be served on a demand response type service, which would be
flexible.
Rolen stated that marketing the transit system was very important to its success. The consultant
recommended keeping the budget low while getting widespread exposure. She stated they would
have a contest at the schools to help name the system.
Cochran stated that at one time Denton had a transportation system that was named Goose.
Council Member Burroughs asked if there would be bike racks at the bus stops so as to
encourage other types of riders.
Rolen stated that bike racks could be installed on the buses.
Council Member Durrance stated that the transit shelters and benches should reflect the spirit of
the City of Denton.
Consensus of the council was to proceed with the timeline as presented.
3. The Council received a report, held a discussion, and gave staff direction regarding
implementation of the Fry Street Small Area Plan, including the creation of a Fry Street Zoning
Overlay District.
Dedra Ragland, Small Area Planning Manager, stated that the Council adopted the Fry Street
Small Area Plan in June. She stated that the Plan recommended the creation of a special zoning
district to address off-street parking, minimum area and height requirements, location of solid
waste containers, residential densities, and sign regulations. She stated that a meeting was held
with Fry Street area merchants and property owners to discuss the creation of the Fry Street
Zoning Overlay District and the specific requirements of the district.
The height and area requirements, location and consolidation of solid waste containers,
maximum residential and nonresidential densities, and sign regulations were developed and
presented in the draft Fry Street Zoning Overlay District Ordinance. The draft Loitering and
Glass Container Ordinance was also developed and presented to the merchants and property
owners.
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October 26, 1999
Page 4 of 5
Parking was the most discussed issue and three options were presented. The three options were:
(1) to reduce the parking requirements for existing and new restaurant, retail, private club, etc.
from one parking space for each 100 square feet of floor area to one parking space for each 200
square feet of floor area; (2) to maintain the present number of off-street parking spaces
associated with existing development and exempt new non-residential development from the
provision of additional off-street parking spaces with two exceptions–[the conversion of
residential uses to non-residential uses and the expansion of floor area that exceeded 25% of the
existing floor area would require the provision of additional off-street parking]; and (3) exempt
all non-residential development (new and existing) from the provision of off-street parking
requirements with one exception–[the conversion of residential uses to non-residential uses
would require the provision of additional off-street parking].
Ragland stated that staff recommended Option 1.
City Attorney, Herb Prouty, stated that the Legal Department would need to look at the draft
loitering ordinance to determine if it was unconstitutional. He stated there might be some
changes made to the glass container ordinance.
Council Member Cochran questioned the multi-family parking requirements and stated that some
business owners do not have any parking and wanted to know what the long-term implications
would be.
Ragland stated they had discussed with the stakeholders the possibility of spillover parking into
the residential neighborhoods and how to deal with it.
Council Member Kristoferson stated that the multi-family parking requirements needed to be
revisited.
Council Member Durrance asked if anyone had visited with UNT regarding spillover parking.
Ragland stated there was spillover parking allowed at night.
Mayor Pro Tem Beasley instructed staff to look at the parking requirements, glass container
ordinance, issues with dumpsters, and signage issues.
4. The Council received a report, held a discussion, and gave staff direction regarding the
Draft Scope of Work for the Denia Neighborhood Small Area Plan.
Dedra Ragland, Small Area Planning Manager, stated that staff suggested holding a meeting with
neighborhood representatives and City staff to identify specific issues and develop an action plan
for addressing the issues. After the completion of the Development Code rewrite, staff could
then reassess the need for a Denia Small Area Plan.
Consensus of the Council was to proceed with staff’s recommendations.
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October 26, 1999
Page 5 of 5
6. The Council received a report, held a discussion, and gave staff direction regarding the
preparation of the City’s annexation plan, including the effect of Senate Bill 89, which enacted
several amendments to state annexation law.
Dave Hill, Assistant City Manager of Development Services, stated that the legislature had
enacted amendments to annexation requirements that placed significant and complex restrictions
on municipalities considering annexation. He stated all municipalities must approve a three-year
annexation plan no later than December 31, 1999, even if the municipality had no land being
considered for annexation. The annexation plan must list any land to be annexed within a three-
year period. If the land was not annexed within the time period specified, the city could not
reconsider the area for annexation for one to two years.
Hill stated the city could approve a resolution that simply stated that no land was identified on
the three-year annexation plan. Exemptions could be claimed on areas to be annexed where
fewer than 100 dwelling units would be located.
Consensus of the Council was to proceed as outlined and to amend the schedule as noted.
The Council continued with Item #2.
2. The Council received a report, held a discussion, and gave staff direction regarding the
revised draft Comprehensive Plan
The Council reviewed proposed changes and made recommendations for further refining of the
document.
Council Member Burroughs reported on a meeting of the air quality control committee that he
attended.
With no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 11:45 p.m.
__________________________________
RONI BEASLEY, MAYOR PRO TEM
CITY OF DENTON
_______________________________________
JANE RICHARDSON
ASSISSTANT CITY SECRETARY
CITY OF DENTON