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Minutes August 08, 2000CITY OF DENTON CITY COUNCIL MINUTES August 8, 2000 Work Session of the City of Denton City Council on Tuesday, August 8, 2000 at 6:00 p.m. in the Council Work Session Room in City Hall. PRESENT:Mayor Brock; Mayor Pro Tem Beasley; Council Members Burroughs, Durrance, Kristoferson and Young. ABSENT:Council Member Cochran 1.The Council was to receive a presentation from Diversified Utility Consultants, Inc. regarding electric utility rate design. This item was not considered. 2.The Council received a report, held a discussion, and gave staff direction regarding Denton Central Appraisal District’s 2000-2001 Budget. Joe Forsythe, Denton Central Appraisal District, reviewed the District’s budget as noted in the agenda materials. The Texas Property Tax Code required taxing jurisdictions to approve or disapprove their Appraisal District budget within 30 days after its adoption by the Board of Directors. Staff recommended accepting the 2001 proposed Denton Central Appraisal District’s budget. Consensus of the Council was to place the item on an upcoming agenda for approval. 3.The Council received a report and held a discussion concerning the future drainage project in the Stroud Street area. Jim Coulter, Assistant Director of Wastewater Utilities, stated that an engineering study had been done regarding the Pecan Creek Watershed that provided the basis for the PEC-4 channel improvements from Bell Avenue to Woodrow Lane. A finished floor survey would be completed to determine the extent of the needed channel improvements. No formal action was required by Council at this time. Staff would continue to meet with the neighborhood to discuss the issues as information became available. A suggestion was to hold an additional meeting after the finished floor survey was completed. Consensus of the Council was to continue looking at all options and continue meeting with the neighbors. 4.The Council received a report, held a discussion, and gave staff direction regarding a current contract with Greater Denton Arts Council (GDAC). Susan Croff, Utilities Services Manager, stated that the Greater Denton Arts Council had requested that the City revise and update the schedule authorizing the City to reimburse GDAC for the utilities used by the Campus Theatre. Under the current agreement, the City reimbursed GDAC for utilities used within reimbursement limits provided by the agreement. In addition, the GDAC was requesting that the City reimburse them for $10,691.42. That amount represented the difference between the actual expenditure by the GDAC and the amount reimbursed by the City for fiscal years ending 1997, 1998, and 1999. City of Denton City Council Minutes August 8, 2000 Page 2 Council Member Cochran joined the meeting. Consensus of the Council was to revise Schedule A, revise the ordinance allowing for a three year review of Schedule A, conduct an energy audit of the facility and gather more information regarding the request for reimbursement of the previous payments. 5.The Council received a report, held a discussion, and gave staff direction regarding potential annexation actions for the Ryan Road area. Doug Powell, Director of Planning and Development, stated that the City had received two inquires to voluntarily annex property in the Ryan Road area. The DISD had submitted a voluntary annexation petition for the elementary school site on Ryan Road. One issue dealing with the school site was the fact that the right-of-way was prescriptive meaning that the adjacent property owner actually owned the land to the center of the road. An alternative was to do a broad based annexation strategy that would provide for a unified responsibility for the maintenance of Ryan Road. Other options to consider were an involuntary strip annexation that would annex 1,000 feet or a voluntary strip annexation that the Ryan family would have to volunteer to dedicate to the City all the way to the school site. Staff was recommending a broader annexation strategy to eliminate fragmented road maintenance responsibilities to provide safe and efficient access to the school. As development interest continued in the area, other properties might be platted before annexation could be initiated if a case-by-case strategy was used. Consensus of the Council was to continue looking at the options available and return with an update for the Council. 6.The Council received a report, held a discussion, and gave staff direction regarding potential annexation actions for the I-35W/U.S. 377 area. Doug Powell, Director of Planning and Development, stated that Charles Jowell had discussed with staff a proposal to develop a 30 acre parcel that was currently undeveloped. To date, no formal application had been filed. Because a plat could be filed that would vest lot sizes, the matter was being brought to Council’s attention. Staff understood that Mr. Jowell intended to develop a single-family project with minimum lot sizes of approximately 7,500 square feet. Staff was recommending that a broader annexation strategy should be started. Council should start the process of annexation to protect the city’s interest in the development area. Consensus of the Council was to proceed with the annexation of this particular parcel and work on a policy development for future annexation strategies of this type. 7.The Council received a report, held a discussion, and gave staff direction regarding design options and painting alternatives for the 1MG elevated storage tank for the upper pressure plane. Tim Fisher, Assistant Director of Water Utilities, presented design options and painting alternatives for the new water storage tank as noted in the agenda materials. City of Denton City Council Minutes August 8, 2000 Page 3 Consensus of the Council was to pursue the design of the composite tank with the City logo. 8.The Council received a report, held a discussion, and gave staff direction regarding the construction of streetscape improvements around the Courthouse Square. Ed Hodney, Director of Parks and Recreation, presented design proposals for streetscape improvements around the Courthouse Square and along Hickory Street to Bell Avenue. He noted the objectives as detailed in the agenda materials. Consensus of the Council was to proceed with the project. 9.The Council received a report, held a discussion, and gave staff direction regarding the Denton Entrance Monument project. Ed Hodney, Director of Parks and Recreation, stated that the 1996-1999 CIP included $250,000 for the design and construction of entrance monuments at five locations along the SH 380 and Interstate 35. The project was designed and advertised for bid in 1998 but only one bid was received exceeding the project by nearly 300%. The decision was made to redesign and re-bid the project. Bids had been received on a redesigned project and staff was reviewing the bids at this time with a recommendation due to Council in late August. Staff would like Council’s consent to proceed with the project. Current funding would only allow one monument to be built at this time. Other monuments would require additional public and/or private resources. If Council decided to not proceed with the project, funds would be reallocated to other efforts such as new directional and site signage for city facilities and major destinations in Denton. Consensus of Council was to proceed with the project with a change in the color of the star. 10.The Council received a report, held a discussion, and made a recommendation for proposed median modifications on Colorado Boulevard in front of Target near the Loop 288 intersection. Jerry Clark, Director of Engineering and Transportation, stated that Target had requested a modification in the traffic flow in the area since they had enlarged their store. Traffic in the area had steadily gotten worse and it was difficult to get into the store. The proposal was for enclosed right turns that would enhance the movement of traffic. Target offered to pay for materials, amounting to nearly $40,000. The Street Department was prepared to handle project administration and construction, providing for all removals, grading, backfill, and installation with a value of almost $40,000. Patterned concrete would be installed in the new medians. Consensus of the Council was to proceed with the proposal. 11.The Council received a report, held a discussion, and gave staff direction regarding a paperless agenda. Jennifer Walters, City Secretary, presented an overview of the process and asked Council for a decision on whether or not to proceed with a paperless agenda. If the Council decided to proceed, a system would be designed to make an efficient paperless agenda for Council use. A consensus of the Council was needed to proceed with a paperless agenda for the Council. City of Denton City Council Minutes August 8, 2000 Page 4 Consensus of the Council was to not proceed with a paperless agenda but to begin e-mailing routine memos and reports. 12.The Council received a report, held a discussion, and gave staff direction regarding citywide planning activities. Dave Hill, Assistant City Manager for Development Services, stated that in 1997 Council identified several planning objectives such as the sign ordinance amendments, a park dedication ordinance, landscape ordinance amendments, establishment of impact fees, and development of the Denton Plan. All of the assigned projects had been completed or would be incorporated in the Development Code Rewrite project. A draft planning activities timetable was developed to enable Council discussion and direction regarding future planning activities. Those future activities would include a facilities master plan, open space master plan, annexation plan, and roadway capacity analysis. Consensus of the Council was to proceed with the finalization of the timetable. Following the completion of the Work Session, the Council convened into a Special Called Session. 1.The Council considered nominations/appointments to the City’s Boards and Commissions. Jennifer Walters, City Secretary, reviewed the current vacancies at noted in the agenda materials. Beasley motioned, Burroughs seconded to suspend the rules and vote on the nominations at this meeting. On roll vote, Beasley “aye”, Burroughs “aye”, Cochran “aye”, Durrance “aye”, Kristoferson “aye”, Young “aye”, and Mayor Brock “aye”. Motion carried unanimously. Beasley motioned, Durrance seconded to approve the nominations made at this meeting. On roll vote, Beasley “aye”, Burroughs “aye”, Cochran “aye”, Durrance “aye”, Kristoferson “aye”, Young “aye”, and Mayor Brock “aye”. Motion carried unanimously. With no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 10:10 p.m. _______________________ EULINE BROCK, MAYOR CITY OF DENTON, TEXAS ___________________ JENNIFER WALTERS CITY SECRETARY CITY OF DENTON, TEXAS