Minutes January 25, 2000CITY OF DENTON CITY COUNCIL MINUTES
January 25, 2000
After determining that a quorum was present and convening in an Open Meeting, the City
Council convened in a Closed Meeting of the City of Denton City Council on Tuesday, January
25, 2000 at 5:15 p.m. in the Council Work Session Room.
PRESENT: Mayor Pro Tem Beasley; Council Members Burroughs, Cochran, Durrance,
Kristoferson and Young.
ABSENT: Mayor Miller
1. Closed Meeting
A. Consultation with Attorney – Under TEX. GOV’T. CODE Section 551.071
1. Considered and discussed status of litigation styled Municipal
Administrative Services, Inc. v. City of Denton, Cause No. 99-50263-367,
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pending in the 367 District Court of Denton County, Texas, including
possible settlement and results of mediation.
2. Considered and discussed contemplated litigation concerning actions to be
taken, including the possible rezoning of the RNW Addition: an
approximate 8.3 acre commercial site included within the boundaries of
PD-16, an approximate 11.2 acre tract located on the southwest corner of
Teasley and Teasley – Item 1.b on the special meeting agenda – including
discussion with the City’s attorneys of the legal aspects of such a rezoning
under circumstances where the duty of the City’s attorneys under the
Texas Disciplinary Rules of Professional Conduct of the State Bar of
Texas requires such discussions to be held in private.
The Council convened in a Work Session on Tuesday, January 25, 2000 at 6:00 p.m. in the
Council Work Session Room in 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 on the Comprehensive Annual
Financial Report for the year ended September 30, 1999.
Kathy DuBose, Assistant City Manager of Fiscal/Municipal Services, introduced Terry Kyle,
Deloitte and Touche, who presented the Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, the Single
Audit Reports and the Report to Management.
2. The Council received a report and held a discussion regarding the Fiscal Year 1998-99
Annual Investment Report.
Diana Ortiz, Director of Fiscal Operations, presented the Annual Investment Report.
City of Denton City Council Agenda
January 25, 2000
Page 2
3. The Council received a report, held a discussion, and gave staff direction regarding the
cash handling regulations policy.
Diana Ortiz, Director of Fiscal Operations, stated the new policy consolidated five existing cash
policies. She stated the new policy outlined procedures for quality control. The new policy
required training and certification of each employee responsible for handling cash. It also
established the specific individuals accountable for their cash station. She stated the policy was
last updated in 1989.
Consensus of council was to proceed with implementing the new policy.
4. The Council received a report, held a discussion, and gave staff direction regarding a
telecommuting policy.
Carla Romine, Director of Human Resources, presented an overview of the policy. She stated
that a pilot program was started in May 1999 and ended in September 1999. She stated there
was a growing need for City staff to implement alternative ways to retain exemplary employees
as well as devise effective ways to deliver quality service. Other anticipated benefits for the
employer would be: enhanced employee recruitment and retention; improved employee work
performance/productivity; reduced turnover and absenteeism; increased morale; reduced office
expenses; and potentially eased accommodation of disabilities. Benefits for the employee would
be: improved job satisfaction; greater flexibility to establish a work environment; job retention
for the mobility-limited and physically impaired; greater flexibility to choose own hours;
eliminated commuting aggravation; and potential money savings.
Council Member Cochran asked what classes of jobs would work with this policy. He asked
how many city employees would fit into this category.
Romine stated they did not have a count on which jobs could be considered for telecommuting.
She stated that it would ultimately be up to the department director and specifications would be
reviewed by Risk Management and Human Resources.
Kathy DuBose, Assistant City Manager of Fiscal/Municipal Services, stated that this would be a
limited usage policy.
Consensus of the council was to proceed with implementing the new policy.
5. The Council received a report, held a discussion, and gave staff direction concerning
proposed Solid Waste regulations and related rate adjustments.
Charlie Watkins, Director of Solid Waste, stated that the Solid Waste staff has been monitoring
the effectiveness of the amendment to the Solid Waste Ordinance approved last year. He stated
that the portion of the ordinance relating to bulky items and trash around dumpsters was not as
effective as had been desired. All commercial customers were invited to a public meeting to
discuss these issues identify possible solutions.
The following suggestions were made relating to bulky item collections in the existing
ordinance: the collection day would be moved to the first Thursday of each month; up to eight
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January 25, 2000
Page 3
bulky items could be placed for collection; established fees for collection of non-compliant bulky
items or trash around dumpsters; established fees for unlawful placement of bulky items on curb
or next to dumpster unless within 48 hours of scheduled monthly collection; dumpsters should be
moved off curb where feasible.
Consensus of the Council was to proceed with revising the ordinance with suggested changes.
6. The Council received a report, held a discussion, and gave staff direction regarding the
rationale and policy options available for implementation of a rental property licensing and
inspection program.
Greg Mitchell, Building Official, stated that the Comprehensive Plan contained a recommendation
calling for the development of a program for periodic inspection and enforcement of city codes with
respect to apartment structures. He stated that presently there was no requirement for maintenance
on multi-family housing.
Consensus of the council was to hold some neighborhood meetings and find out what the citizens
wanted.
7. The Council received a report, held a discussion, and gave staff direction regarding the City
of Denton Small Area Plan Annual Report.
Dedra Ragland, Small Area Planning Manager, highlighted some of the goals that had been
achieved. Staff determined that it would be necessary to provide the citizens with a Small Area
Planning Orientation pamphlet. This would assist and guide neighborhoods interested in having a
small area plan prepared for their area.
Council directed staff to continue with the Small Area Planning Program.
8. The Council received a report, held a discussion, and gave staff direction regarding the
draft interim residential and nonresidential development standards ordinance.
Dave Hill, Assistant City Manager for Development Services, stated there were two new draft
versions of the ordinances. Hill reviewed the highlights of the changes. The applicability
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section was revised. The May 1, 1997 date was deleted from the draft ordinance, only one date
would be used. A “Design Plan” requirement was added for residential developments considered
to be partially exempt. A partial exemption referred to applications approved or received prior to
the effective date of the interim ordinance that showed single-family lot layout or multi-family
building size or footprints.
Ed Snyder, Assistant City Attorney, stated that the amendments were text amendments to the
City’s existing codes. He stated the exemption section was revised to provide for the following
exemptions: a residential development application that qualified as a minor plat and did not
exceed 5 acres in size; an application for approval of a conveyance plat; a non-residential portion
of a Planned Development that was affected by the ordinance; a residential development within
an agricultural zoning district; a residential development application that either was approved or
that was accepted for filing prior to the effective date the ordinance that showed either the lot
layout for single-family dwellings or the size of or building footprint for a multi-family dwelling,
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January 25, 2000
Page 4
or any subsequent application for that residential development, provided that such application
was subsequently approved and further provided that the requirements for submission of a design
plan should apply to all subsequent applications.
Hill stated the Residential Interim Regulations would go before the Planning and Zoning
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Commission on January 26 for their recommendation. It would come before the Council on
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February 1 for action.
He stated the Nonresidential Interim Regulations would be presented to the Planning and Zoning
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Commission in a work session on January 26. A joint Planning and Zoning/City Council public
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hearing would be held on February 8. It would go before the Planning and Zoning Commission
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on February 9 for their recommendation and come before the Council on February 15 for
action.
Council made recommendations for revisions to the draft ordinances.
Direction from council was to continue with the schedule presented.
9. The Council received a report, held a discussion and gave staff direction regarding a
planned development sunsetting ordinance, which sets time limits on all steps and processes in
planned development districts.
Herb Prouty, City Attorney, stated that the ordinance was based on the concept that the various
stages of the PDs – concept plan, development plan, and detailed plan – all be subjected to time
limits.
Terry Morgan stated that the Council might want to determine whether the PD time limit
ordinance was necessary if the Council adopted interim development regulations, or whether
some aspects of the PD time limit ordinance should be considered as a part of the interim
development regulations.
Hill stated that the establishment of time limits on various steps of the PD process with
requirements of notice and a grace period would involve more staff time to consider some of the
PDs involved in the process.
Consensus of the Council was for staff to bring this item back to the Council on February 8.
Following the completion of the Work Session, the Council convened into a Special Called
Session to consider the following:
PRESENT: Mayor Pro Tem Beasley; Council Members Burroughs, Cochran, Durrance,
Kristoferson and Young.
ABSENT: Mayor Miller
1. The Council received a report, conducted deliberations, and determined appropriate
actions to be taken, including potential initiation of rezoning, regarding two nonresidential
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January 25, 2000
Page 5
development projects considered to be inconsistent with the City of Denton Comprehensive Plan,
identified as follows:
a. Ryan-Teasley: an approximate 13.7-acre commercial and multi-family site
included within the boundaries PD-93, an approximate 30.4-acre tract located on
the southwest corner of Ryan Road and Teasley Lane.
b. RNW Addition: an approximate 8.3-acre commercial site included within the
boundaries of PD-16, an approximate 11.2-acre tract located on the southwest
corner of Teasley and Teasley.
Herb Prouty, City Attorney, recommended the Council convene into closed session to deliberate
regarding this item.
The Council convened into closed session under Section 551.071 at 9:06 p.m.
The Council reconvened in open session at 10:37 p.m.
Dave Hill, Assistant City Manager for Development Services, stated that the council had the staff
reports prepared for the Planning and Zoning Commission. Current status of each project was
detailed. He stated that the Council could defer a decision on this tonight, which would give
staff time to review the potential impact of the interim regulations on this.
The following individuals spoke regarding the item:
Alyson Archer, 2112 W. Spring Creek, Plano, spoke in opposition to 1.a.
Howard Compton, 901 Main Street, Dallas spoke in opposition to item 1.b.
Raymond Redmon, 710 E. Prairie Street, spoke in support of keeping the present zoning
for 1.a. & b.
Cochran motioned to continue this item to the February 1 meeting and for staff to bring back
more information regarding this, Burroughs seconded. On roll vote, Beasley “aye”, Burroughs
“aye”, Cochran “aye”, Durrance “aye”, Kristoferson “aye”, and Young “nay”. Motion carried with
a 5-1 vote.
With no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 11:15 p.m.
_____________________________________
RONI BEASLEY, MAYOR PRO TEM
CITY OF DENTON, TEXAS
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JANE RICHARDSON
ASSISTANT CITY SECRETARY
CITY OF DENTON, TEXAS