Resident Update Feb March 21The economic impact of COVID-19 has left
some Denton families wondering how they will
be able to afford rent or utilities amidst reduced
work hours and job loss. Existing collaborative
COVID-19 relief efforts aided approximately
729 Denton households between March and
December 2020. The City of Denton continues
to coordinate with community partners to
secure and administer crucial relief funding
for households who have been financially
impacted by the pandemic.
The City was awarded a grant from the Texas
Department of Housing and Community Affairs
to prevent, prepare, and respond to the needs
of people experiencing or at risk of homelessness
during the pandemic. Local nonprofits Christian
Community Action; Giving HOPE, Inc.; Grace
Like Rain; and The Salvation Army Denton are
providing these services to the community on
the City’s behalf, and are prepared to help
individuals and families maintain stable housing
during uncertain times. The United Way of
Denton County also continues to collaborate
with these organizations to administer financial
assistance funding made available through the
Denton County Commissioners Court.
Residents can find the most up-to-date list of
financial assistance resources for rent and utilities
at www.cityofdenton.com/coronavirusresources.
Households only need to apply to one agency for
assistance. Information on how to utilize current
eviction protections is also available on the
website listed above.
CITY WORKS WITH LOCAL NONPROFITS TO PROVIDE
RENT & UTILITY ASSISTANCE TO DENTON RESIDENTS
www.cityofdenton.com
RESIDENT UPDATECITY OF DENTON
2021
FEBRUARY/MARCH
TO APPLY FOR UTILITY AND/OR RENTAL ASSISTANCE:
Contact one of the local nonprofit agencies listed below.
In-person applications are offered by appointment only.
Application does not guarantee assistance.
Income eligibility varies by program.
UNITED WAY OF DENTON COUNTY
Online: www.unitedwaydenton.org/info
Phone: Call (940) 566-2688 to leave a voice
message and receive a return call.
In-Person: No in-person applications at this time.
GIVING HOPE, INC.
Online: www.hopeincdenton.com/get-help
Phone: (940) 382-0609
In-Person: By appointment from 9 to 11 a.m., M-F.
Call (940) 382-0609 to schedule an appointment.
GRACE LIKE RAIN
Online: www.gracelikerainministries.com/need-help
Phone: Applications not accepted by phone.
In-Person: By appointment from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., M-F.
Email melmore@glrtx.org to schedule an appointment.
Grace Like Grain only services families with dependents.
THE SALVATION ARMY DENTON
Online: Applications not accepted online at this time.
Phone: (940) 566-3800. Apply over the phone from
9 a.m. to 9 p.m., M-F.
In-Person: By appointment from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., M-F.
Call (940) 566-3800 to schedule an appointment.
NOTE: If you need utility assistance only, you may also contact
Interfaith Ministires of Denton at (940) 565-5479 or online at
www.ifmdenton.org/i-need-help.
City Works with Local Nonprofits to Provide
Rent and Utility Assistance to Denton Residents .....1
From the Mayor ...............................................................2
Denton City Council .......................................................2
Virtual Public Meetings...................................................2
Get Outside in 2021 and Enjoy the Parks, Trails,
and Natural Beauty of Denton......................................3
Apply for Denton’s Sustainability Committee ...........4
Tell Us About Your Trash & Recycling Habits! ...........4
Economic Development Launches
Online Resource for Small Businesses .......................5
2021 Great American Cleanup .....................................5
Online Maps Give Wealth of Knowledge ...................6
Why Does DME Trim Trees Around Power Lines? ....6
ARFF 9 Added to Denton Fire Department Fleet ......7
Featured Events ...............................................................7
IN THIS ISSUE
2
To protect the health and safety of the
Denton community; City Council, board, and
commission members; and City staff, all public
meetings have moved to a remote format
until further notice. All meetings will use the
new Rules of Procedure that were adopted
during the March 31, 2020, Council meeting.
Scheduled public meetings are streamed
online at www.cityofdenton.com/dtv, made
available on-demand, and can be viewed live on
the City’s DTV cable channel (Frontier FiOS on
channel 38, Charter Spectrum on channel 194,
and Grande on channel 12). Due to the remote
format of the meetings, no in-person attendance
at Denton City Hall will be permitted.
Certain meetings will accommodate and receive
public input on eligible agenda items. Members
of the community are able to participate using
our virtual public comment options, including
an online Virtual White Card and by phone.
For additional information and a current
list of upcoming public meetings, visit
www.cityofdenton.com/publicmeetings.
VIRTUAL PUBLIC MEETINGS
It’s my honor and pleasure to start my
service as Mayor of the City of Denton.
I’d like to thank our residents for placing
their trust in me to provide leadership for
this great city and my hometown.
From Day 1 as a Council member and
through today, I’ve taken an active approach to getting things
done on behalf of our community and I’ll work even harder as
your Mayor. Over the past several years, the City has worked
diligently to provide great services at a fair and reasonable cost
to the taxpayer—growing our services while holding steady or
reducing the property tax rate.
Together with my fellow Council members, we will strive to
serve you as our city grows and achieve a high quality of life
that exceeds your expectations. The City of Denton is on a great
trajectory, though there is more to be done to keep us on the
best path forward into the future.
While I may not agree with every resident on every issue, there
is one thing tying us together —each of us wants Denton to be
successful and the very best place to live and work. I hope to be
a Mayor that continues us on that course.
I’d like to end with the simple message that we can accomplish
anything if we pull together, work together, and help each other.
Personally, I would not be here if it weren’t for the love and
support of my wife, Diane, and our daughters, LaNeisha,
Jordan, Alice, and Olalla; my mother, Dr. Doretha Hudspeth;
father, Rev. Willie Hudspeth; and our family matriarch, Octavine
McClendson. Lastly, I would like to thank Grandma Lopez
and our extended Hudspeth and Castro families.
FROM THE MAYOR
DENTON CITY COUNCIL
Gerard Hudspeth, Mayor | Gerard.Hudspeth@cityofdenton.com
Birdia Johnson, District 1 | Birdia.Johnson@cityofdenton.com
Connie Baker, District 2 | Connie.Baker@cityofdenton.com
Jesse Davis, District 3 | Jesse.Davis@cityofdenton.com
John Ryan, District 4 | John.Ryan@cityofdenton.com
Deb Armintor, At Large Place 5 | Deb.Armintor@cityofdenton.com
Paul Meltzer, At Large Place 6 | Paul.Meltzer@cityofdenton.com
Not sure who your Council Member is?
Visit www.cityofdenton.com/council, click on “Find Your Council
Member” in the menu bar, and enter your physical address.
$0.6898$0.6898 $0.6833
$0.6379
$0.6205
$0.5905
$0.58
$0.60
$0.62
$0.64
$0.66
$0.68
$0.70
2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020Total Tax RateFiscal Year
$0.5905
2021
8$
TAX RATE HISTORY
3
GET OUTSIDE IN 2021 AND ENJOY THE PARKS,
TRAILS, AND NATURAL BEAUTY OF DENTON
START
2
1
MILE
MILES 3
MILES
FINISH
RUN A 5K AT SOUTHLAKES
PARK
When was the last time you went outside to explore Denton? When you put your phone up, put the podcast
on pause, and just walked around enjoying the natural beauty around you? With winter making way for spring,
now is the perfect time to get outside.
Denton Parks and Recreation has so much to offer for the outside explorer. There are
dozens of parks in the city, and each has unique features like trails, playgrounds,
outdoor courts, and more. Did you know that there are nearly 50 miles of trails in
Denton? We’ve got everything from concrete to crushed granite to nature trails. You
can bike, walk, run, or go for a leisurely stroll with the family and dog.
North Lakes Park easily takes a day or more to appreciate fully. You can start at the
North Lakes Dog Park, walk the wildflower trail to the pond, stop to let the kids play at the
playground, watch a softball or kickball game, and hit a bucket of golf balls at the Driving
Range. That’s a full day—and North Lakes Rec Center, the RC Airfield, and the
ever-expanding disc golf course didn’t even appear! Furthermore, North Lakes is a
great place to run on the trails, and with a few simple laps, it’s easy to get mileage in.
Eukera 2 might be the most popular playground in Denton, but that doesn’t mean the
other 27 playgrounds should be ignored! Denton Parks and Rec is updating all the
playgrounds in the city and making them better than
ever. We replaced the playground at Quakertown Park in
early 2020, which includes a fantastic climbing structure
with a huge slide. The new McKenna Park playground
opened at the end of 2020 and has something for all kids
to enjoy. There are racing zip lines, a climbing spider net,
slides, an area for toddlers, and more. Mack Park and
Joe Skiles Park are next on the update list!
Or maybe you’re looking for a good place to run and
train for an upcoming virtual 5K (the Honey Run is right
around the corner). South Lakes Park is the perfect park
to track your run. The map to the left shows an easy route
that is a sanctioned 5K route. Maybe you can set a personal
record while the ducks at the pond root you on.
When the Texas sun starts to beat down, and you need
shade, try the nature trail at Lake Forest and Cross
Timbers North. It’s easy to forget you’re in the middle
of the city with the trees surrounding you. And if you
actually want to get out of the city, you don’t have to
go far. Clear Creek Natural Heritage Center is a beautiful
respite. With more than 10 miles of trails, a wetland, and so
much more, it’s the perfect place to explore. Be sure to take
your camera when you go because you will quickly get distracted
by a well-lit lilypad, a beaver swimming towards his beaver buddies,
or the sun shining through the trees.
Challenge yourself in 2021 to find a new sanctuary in Denton. This year, more
than ever, remind yourself to get outside and appreciate what is around you
and enjoy the parks, trails, and playgrounds the City of Denton provides.
To learn more about all that Denton Parks and Recreation has to offer,
visit www.dentonparks.com.
4
APPLY FOR DENTON’S NEW SUSTAINABILITY COMMITTEE
In 2012, the City created a plan for future sustainability: Simply Sustainable: A Framework for Denton’s Future.
This framework was updated in September 2020 to continue to guide the City in
environmentally conscious decision making.
This document provides goals and guidance as we move forward through the
next five years. Denton looks to stay at the leading edge of sustainability by
taking advantage of new opportunities as they arise and addressing the
following goals already outlined in the new framework:
• Establish a Greenhouse Gas Reduction Target;
• Create a Greenhouse Gas Mitigation Plan to meet newly set targets;
• Reduce solid waste generation and divert waste away from the landfill;
• Improve air quality non-attainment status;
• Increase Tree Canopy to 40 percent by 2040 in line with
the Urban Forest Master Plan;
• Incorporate Resiliency into City of Denton planning
efforts; and much more.
To help address these goals and encourage public
participation and engagement, the Denton City Council
approved the creation of the new Sustainability Advisory
Committee on Jan. 5. This group will be made up of Denton
community members, both experts and those with a passion
for the environment, to work with City staff to implement
and enhance the sustainability framework.
To learn more about the Sustainability Advisory Committee,
and to apply, visit www.cityofdenton.com/boards.
Interested individuals are encouraged to apply by Feb. 12.
AS WE LOOK TO THE FUTURE, it’s important
to recognize the incredible accomplishments
that have taken place since the inception of
the Simply Sustainable plan:
• DME is poised to have 100 percent
renewable energy within the next year;
• Since 2006, Community Greenhouse
Gas Emissions have decreased by
36 percent;
• Denton has become a Bee City, Monarch
City, and a member of the LEED for Cities
Program; and
• In 2019, Denton joined the annual
cohort of the Leadership in Community
Resilience Grant Program from the
National League of Cities.
TELL US ABOUT YOUR TRASH & RECYCLING HABITS
In October 2020, the City kicked off a Comprehensive Solid Waste Management Strategy project for the City
of Denton. The purpose of a comprehensive strategy is to consider all of the factors that impact recycling and
diversion in North Texas, and evaluate opportunities to provide residential, multifamily, and commercial waste
management in a more environmentally and fiscally efficient manner.
The development of the strategy will be completed in several phases. The first step of the process will be
to fully understand what we are throwing away and what we are separating for recycling and other uses.
This is where you come in! We are seeking resident input via a survey on the homepage of the City’s website
at www.cityofdenton.com. Take a few minutes to complete the survey where you can provide invaluable
feedback to help guide our strategic efforts.
In the next phase of the process, we will be asking Denton residents, business owners and managers, and
other local, interested persons for their opinions on a range of solid waste and recycling issues. To help provide
additional feedback, a community “Focus Group/Think Tank” will be established in March to discuss the results
of the survey and consider the findings of our previous waste strategic activities. Those who completed the
initial online survey will have the opportunity to apply for participation in the community focus group.
Finally, the focus group results will be discussed by City leaders to help lay the groundwork for our solid waste
program going into the future. We anticipate that the comprehensive strategy will be completed by late spring
2021 with implementation beginning later in the year.
To stay updated on the Comprehensive Solid Waste Management Strategy, visit www.dentonrecycles.com.
March 2021March 2021
Small businesses make up a significant portion of our local economy, crossing
every sector and employing thousands of Dentonites. The City’s Economic
Development Department is committed to helping businesses of all sizes find
support and resources to help grow, expand, and thrive. Recently, the City
launched a new small business focused webpage, offering a comprehensive
directory of small business resources. The page includes reliable, easy to understand
resources that can help small business owners find what they need to succeed. We
know that building a small business is not an easy task, so we’ve worked to build a
consolidated resource that links businesses to the numerous organizations and programs available to them.
The page includes videos created by local
businesses on how to use digital marketing,
expand through e-commerce, and network
with other local businesses. It also offers a
comprehensive directory of small business
resources provided by local partners, state
and federal governments, and nonprofit
agencies. Topics covered include: starting a
business, social media, e-commerce, and
digital marketing, working with public
agencies and governments, accessing
training and workforce solutions, protecting
assets and investments, and support for
Black, disadvantaged, Latino, women, and
veteran-owned businesses.
To access all of these great online resources, visit www.cityofdenton.com/smallbusiness or call the City’s
Economic Development office at (940) 349-7776 to learn more.
5
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT LAUNCHES
ONLINE RESOURCE FOR SMALL BUSINESSES
6
The City’s interactive GIS (Geographic Information Systems) map is your source for discovering where
everything in the city is located. The online system, located on the City’s website, uses clickable layers, located
on the right-hand side of the screen, to show the various features available on the map. These layers include
items such as the city limit boundaries, City Council districts, historic landmarks, zoning information, water/
wastewater lines, parks, gas wells, and much more. The map can also provide you with detailed information
about the data layers for any specific location. Advanced search tools can be used to narrow in on finite
features, and measurement tools can be used to calculate distances and areas in various measurement units.
The City’s website also includes
other useful maps, such as the
Active Projects map where you
can see recent and upcoming
developments throughout the
city and their current status. Use
the Neighborhood Association
map to see neighborhoods that
have organizations in the city,
or to see if yours has one.
The Restaurant Locator map can
help you narrow down your dinner
plans by cuisine type and distance,
and maybe you’ll find something
you haven’t tried before!
To view the City’s various GIS and printable maps, visit www.cityofdenton.com/landdevelopment and click
“GIS Maps” in the menu bar.
INTERACTIVE ONLINE MAPS GIVE RESIDENTS ACCESS
TO A WEALTH OF INFORMATION ABOUT DENTON
Denton Municipal Electric (DME) trims trees and vegetation in and around energized zones to ensure public
safety, reliable service, and to comply with local, state, and federal regulations. Trees are a major contributor
of electric service interruptions and fires nationwide.
Trees cause outages in two ways, mechanical and electrical. Mechanical damage refers to entire trees or
portions of trees failing and physically damaging facilities (knocking down wires, poles, etc.). Trees can also
conduct electricity, which can cause an interruption of service. These interruptions are caused when a portion
of a tree becomes a short-circuit path for electricity to flow, causing a protective device to operate and stop
electricity flow. Therefore, trees must be maintained at an adequate distance from
the conductors to prevent interruptions to electric service.
Additionally, overgrown trees and vegetation could fall into high-voltage power lines,
which could cause a wire down safety hazard and lead to sparks and fires.
State and local regulatory bodies such as Public Utility Commissions and the City’s
code of ordinances require electric utilities to maintain their electrical systems in
accordance with the National Electric Safety Code, which generally requires the
trimming or removal of interfering trees.
For these reasons, DME trims vegetation and contracts with a professional
arboricultural service to prune all parts of the trees and other vegetation within
a minimum of at least ten feet of energized zones.
For questions or additional information, email dme@cityofdenton.com or call (940) 349-7500.
WHY DOES DME TRIM TREES AROUND POWER LINES?
FEATUREDEVENTS
ZOOM CALL WITH THE EASTER BUNNY
Register your kiddos for a private
Zoom chat with the
Easter Bunny and his
handler (who is
great with
translating rabbit
to English!)
Denton Parks and
Rec is also offering
egg basket drop-offs,
yard cards, and more!
To learn more, and to register,
visit www.dentonparks.com.7
CARD YOUR YARD THIS VALENTINE’S DAY
Card your yard or a friend’s yard to
spread some love this year!
Cards will stay up
for a day, and
there are add-on
options like
balloons and
chocolates.
Sign up to card
someone’s yard at
www.dentonparks.com.
FIND THE POT OF GOLDON ST. PATRICK’S DAY
The leprechaun has lost his pot of gold
in our Denton parks!
Go exploring the trails and look for his
gold coins. If you find a coin,
he will reward you with prizes!
To learn more about this event,
visit www.dentonparks.com.
What is safety lime yellow, has a 697-horsepower engine, is
39.5 feet long, 10 feet wide, weighs up to 93,000 pounds, carries
3,000 gallons of water and 420 gallons of foam, and can shoot
water 230 feet, all while being able to accelerate to well over
70 miles per hour?
Welcome ARFF 9 to the Denton Fire Department Fleet!
ARFF 9 will be stationed at the Denton Enterprise Airport, protecting
the aviation and industrial area of the City.
The Denton Fire Department (DFD) got into the Aircraft Rescue Fire
Fighting (ARFF) business in 2011 when a local company received a
military contract for refurbishing aircrafts. The military required ARFF
personnel and equipment on site when aircrafts were fueling,
de-fueling, or running their engines. This has led to DFD having
more than 40 trained Aircraft Rescue Fire Fighters, most of which
are housed at Station 3 on McCormick Street and Station 7 on
Vintage Boulevard.
To be ARFF certified, DFD firefighters attended a two-week specialty
training at DFW Airport (pictured). In October 2020, six members of
the DFD completed this course, adding to the number of ARFF
certified firefighters at Fire Stations 3 and 7. We are glad to add ARFF
9 to our fleet and continue our legacy of having highly skilled and
trained firefighters to protect our community.
ARFF 9 ADDED TO DENTON
FIRE DEPARTMENT FLEET
STAY UPDATED
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A publication of the City of Denton • 01/21 • ADA/EOE/ADEA • TDD (800) 735-2989 • www.cityofdenton.com
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