February 02, 2015 MinutesCITY OF DENTON CITY COUNCIL MINUTES
February 2, 2015
After determining that a quorum was present, the City Council convened in a Wark Session on
Monday, February 2, 2015 at 11:30 a.m. in the Council Wark Session Room at City Hall.
PRESENT: Mayor Pro Tem Engelbrecht, Council Member Gregory, Council Member Hawkins,
Council Member Johnson, Council Member Roden, Council Member Ryan, and
Mayor Watts.
ABSENT: None.
A. ID 15-054 Receive a report, hold a discussion, and provide staff direction regarding solid
waste and recycling dumpster locations in the public right-of-way, on public city sidewalks,
in the Square District, and in the City's Downtown Implementation Plan (DTIP) area.
Vance Kemler, General Manager Solid Waste Administration, stated that The Denton Plan 1999-
2020 listed the Solid Waste Goals as providing solid waste services for the City (meeting state
and local requirements), protecting public health, reducing litter and enhancing community
appearance, ensuring protection of the environment, and encouraging waste minimization and
maximizing material recovery and reuse.
New Constructions requirements required dumpster screening or enclosures if it was visible from
the street or a residence and would be located behind the front building line. Existing property
constructed before adoption of the current code were not required to meet the current
requirements.
Dumpster Categories - dumpsters in the right-of-way could be divided into (1) possible
relocation, (2) were difficult to relocate, (3) had no relocation option, (4) were in the Downtown
Square District with no relocation option, (5) were in an alley right-of-way, (6) were in the street
ar(7) were on a sidewalk.
Council discussed the option of shared dumpsters and whether they were effective. Another
consideration was whether roll out carts could be used if a business had a small amount of waste
or possible incentives for property owners to have a dumpster on their property when used by
others. Illegal dumping and who would be responsible for that dumping was also an issue.
Mayor Watts asked about options for cart service where currently there was a dumpster and not
on a residential route. He felt there were a lot of those circumstances and challenged staff to find
a solution even if not on a residential route. That would help achieve a goal of removing the
dumpster.
Kemler replied that it certainly was something staff could look at and determine various
circumstances for each type of property.
Council Member Johnson felt that Council needed to decide what was most important to them.
The City was spending lots of money in the Downtown area to make it pedestrian friendly with
quality retailers but that was coupled with dumpsters on the street. If it was important to make
the area more aesthetically pleasing options needed to be considered to do so. A decision should
not only be the cost and what to charge the user but take the discussion to the level on how
important was it to the City to get rid of the dumpsters. He questioned what other powntowns
were doing.
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February 2, 2015
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Kemler stated that some other cities had a private contractor with cart service in the downtown
and may pick up the trash every day. Some had common drop-off enclosures, bag service, or
cart service with specific carts for specif'ic types of waste.
Council Member Johnson suggested considering other options to the dumpsters in terms of
where they were currently located and present those options on what could be done.
Council Member Gregory stated that when Cedar Street was redone, there was to be building
enclosures on the street and questioned what happened to those.
Kemler stated that the enclosures were not provided for by the project manager due to financial
constraints.
Council Member Gregory asked if the TIF money would be eligible to help fund dumpster
proj ects.
Council Member Hawkins asked about the possibility of side loader dumpsters for the
Downtown area.
Council discussed the different types of dumpster enclosures such as those with doors, those
without doors, how to make them convenient for trucks and users, the need for gates and the
procedures for using a gate.
Kemler continued with Council Vision and Guidance for City Staff Implementation. Those
items included (1) provide a general policy on the location and enclosure requirements for
existing dumpsters in the public rights-of-way for each dumpster category, (2) provide a target
date to begin and complete implementation, (3) consider strategies to minimize impact on
affected dumpster users or customers, (4) consider requiring existing property to meet current
Development Code requirements by a certain date, (5) establish special accommodation or
waivers far Infill areas, (6) require Recycling containers to meet same requirements, and (7)
revise Solid Waste, Development and other affected codes to provide clear standards to ensure
Code Enforcement could efficiently enforce changes. Options for the Downtown area were
reviewed as noted in the agenda backup materials.
Consensus of the Council was to (1) report on possible bag service and cart service with details
on how it would impact customers, increased costs, leakage, etc., (2) provide information on
enclosures and how to pay for them, and (3) possible use of TIF money. Return with options and
details for those options. Dumpsters on sidewalks should be a priority for compliance. Property
owners should be contacted to find out if the options would be possible. Present options, initial
cost, and payment options,
B. Under Section 551.042 of the Texas Open Meetings Act, respond to inquiries from the City
Council or the public with specific factual information or recitation of policy, or accept a
proposal to place the matter on the agenda for an upcoming meeting AND Under Section
551.0415 of the Texas Open Meetings Act, provide reports about items of community interest
regarding which no action will be taken, to include: expressions of thanks, congratulations, or
condolence; information regarding holiday schedules; an honorary or salutary recognition of a
public official, public employee, or other citizen; a reminder about an upcoming event
organized or sponsored by the governing body; information regarding a social, ceremonial, or
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February 2, 2015
Page 3
community event organized or sponsored by an entity other than the governing body that was
attended or is scheduled to be attended by a member of the governing body or an official or
employee of the municipality; or an announcement involving an imminent threat to the public
health and safety of people in the municipality that has arisen after the posting of the agenda.
Council Member Gregory noted that 2nd Tuesday wark sessions are typically not televised. He
requested an Informal Staff Report on the possibility of televising them on a regular basis.
City Manager Campbell stated that currently those meeting with high profile items or action
items on the agenda were televised.
Council Member Ryan asked for a report on dissolving the convention center TIRZ.
With no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 1:02 p.m.
CHRIS WATTS
MAYOR
CITY OF DENTON, TEXAS
JENNIFER WALTERS
CITY SECRETARY
CITY OF DENTON, TEXAS