August 06, 2018 Minutes
CITY OF DENTON CITY COUNCIL MINUTES
August 6, 2018
After determining that a quorum was present, the City Council of the City of Denton, Texas
convened in a Work Session on Monday, August 6, 2018 at 11:30 a.m. in the Council Work
Session Room at City Hall.
PRESENT: Council Member Hudspeth, Council Member Briggs, Council Member Duff,
Council Member Armintor, Council Member Meltzer, Mayor Pro Tem Ryan, and
Mayor Watts.
ABSENT: None.
1. Work Session Reports
A. ID 18-1194 Receive a report, hold a discussion, and give staff direction regarding
nominations to the City’s Boards and Commissions.
Jennifer Walters, City Secretary, presented a revised list to the Council. The nominations would
be voted on at the August 7 meeting. Council Member Briggs nominated Randi Skinner to the
Community Development Advisory Committee; Mayor Watts nominated Bob Tickner to the
Airport Advisory Board; Mayor Watts nominated Mary Beth Cottingham to the Community
Development Advisory Committee, Mayor Watts nominated Dr. Ling Jeng to the Library Board,
Council Member Ryan nominated Michelle Lynn to the Public Art Committee; Mayor Watts
nominated John Weber to the Public Art Committee, Council Member Armintor nominated
Hannah Bagheri to the Traffic Safety Commission, Council Member Armintor nominated
Maureen Leak as an Alternate to the Zoning Board of Adjustment.
B. ID 18-1155 Receive and report, hold a discussion, and give staff direction regarding the
operations of Development Review Engineering.
Todd Estes, City Engineer, stated that some updates and revisions had been made to the
Development Review Engineering process. City Standard Details had been updated. Revisions
had been adopted for the Water and Wastewater Design Criteria Manuals, Traffic and Drainage
Design Criteria Manuals. Revisions to the Denton Development Code and updates to the Design
Criteria Manuals and Standard Details should be completed by January 2019. Creation and
adoption of City Standard Specifications was anticipated to be completed by December 2019.
Estes stated that the Engineering Review process has been cumbersome to the point of frustration
for both the development community and City staff. Currently, City staff was working through
145 active development projects with a staff of three senior engineers, one technician and a
consultant to help offset the high workload. Staff currently worked 10 to 12 hour days 5 and 6
days a week to keep up with the workload. With the increasing number of development projects
submitted for review since 2008, staff resources were becoming extremely limited and they had
little time to focus on process improvements.
The Capital Projects Department budget for Fiscal Year 2018-2019 included two additional
engineers and another technician to help bring current workloads to a manageable level. The
budget also provided for the continuation of staff augmentation as demand increased by
providing funding for consultant services. In preparation for this, a request for qualifications was
City of Denton City Council Minutes
August 6, 2018
Page 2
advertised that would provide immediate staff augmentation while the City looked to fill the
three new positions. A condition of the RFQ was also to search for a consultant that would
review all current review processes and fees to determine the optimal processes and resources to
contend with current and future private development submittals. Staff had reviewed all
submittals, interviewed the top 3 firms, and performed extensive background checks on the
finalist.
Estes reviewed the issues to be resolved. Expedited Review Fee, Deposit Based Review Fee,
Assessment of Review Time Required per Project. Issues with Developer Agreements,
Alternatives to Developer Agreements, Other Improvements.
Estes reviewed the options. Option 1 - utilize existing staff and resources proposed in the FY 18-
19 budget. Option 2 - maintain existing staffing and increase consultant involvement in process
review and plan review. Option 3 - outsource the complete engineering review responsibilities
and repurpose existing staff. Staff recommended Option 3.
Council discussed the various options. Consensus of Council was to proceed with Option 3.
2. Concluding Items
A. 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 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.
Mayor Watts asked if the TIF numbers could be categorized when they were brought back to
Council.
Mayor Watts gave a shout out to our Fire Department as they responded to the fire on Saturday
by the 380 Flea Market. The following Fire Departments assisted our Fire Department - Aubrey,
Flower Mound, Justin, Krum Lake Cities, Little Elm, Pilot Point, Ponder, and Denton County
Emergency Services. The following agencies that backfilled for our City were Argyle and
Lewisville. Two of the City’s employees in the Streets Department also helped with a backhoe.
We are very fortunate for the assistance from our neighboring communities that assisted with
that fire.
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August 6, 2018
Page 3
With no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 1:28 p.m.
_______________________________
CHRIS WATTS
MAYOR
CITY OF DENTON, TEXAS
_______________________________
JANE RICHARDSON
ASSISTANT CITY SECRETARY
CITY OF DENTON, TEXAS