2026-004 Craver Ranch Municipal Management District October 17,2025 Report No. 2025-004
INFORMAL STAFF REPORT
TO MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL
SUBJECT:
Craver Ranch Municipal Management District
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:
City Council will have a work session on the Craver Ranch Development on October 21, 2025.
Staff and the Developer will be presenting information on the development, the related
infrastructure,and the key points of the project and operating agreements. Staff is seeking feedback
from the City Council on these items. Presentations to Planning and Zoning are scheduled for
October 22, 2025, and in November, then coming back to City Council for consideration of the
zoning and related agreements on December 2, 2025.
BACKGROUND:
Craver Ranch is an approximately 2,870-acre property in North Denton situated between FM 2153
to the east and north, FM 2164 to the west, and Shepard Road and Gribble Springs Road to the
south. The majority of the property was annexed into the City in 2008 and 2009 and has remained
undeveloped since that time. Following annexation, the placeholder zoning designation of Rural
Residential (RD-5X) was applied under the City's 2002 Denton Development Code (DDC), and
this transitioned to Rural Residential (RR) zoning with the adoption of the 2019 DDC.
The City received notice of intent to introduce legislation for the creation of the Craver Ranch
Municipal Management District (MMD) No. 1 (the "District") on February 6, 2025 which the
developer, Old Prosper Partners Acquisitions,LLC, intended to develop 2,500-acres of the overall
site with the intended mixture of uses, which includes single-family dwellings, multi-family
dwellings, townhomes, commercial/retail uses, school sites, and a variety of open spaces.
On March 4, 2025, the City Council adopted a resolution supporting legislation related to the
creation of the District, which was approved through a special act by the 891h Legislature of the
State of Texas. Part of the requirement of the City Council resolution was that the Developer had
to negotiate and enter into a development agreement with the City for the property. Staff and the
Developer have been working through studies and negotiations regarding the development
agreements since that time, and plan to present this information to the City Council at a work
session on October 21, 2025, and introduce the project to the Planning and Zoning Commission
on October 22, 2025.
DISCUSSION:
In general, the development agreement being proposed follows the structure of the Hunter and
Cole Ranch agreements,except for the MMD,rather than assessing a separate tax,receives funding
through the use of a special assessment.
Zoning
October 17,2025 Report No. 2025-004
In addition to the development agreements, Craver Ranch has submitted and been working with
City Staff on a Planned Development(PD)District zoning request.Along with the PD application,
Craver Ranch has also submitted a request for a Comprehensive Plan and a Mobility Plan
amendment, which are all expected to be brought forward concurrently for public hearings. The
PD is intended to establish the locations and boundaries of sub-districts for residential and
nonresidential development, detail the permitted uses and establish maximum number of dwelling
units within each subdistrict, and establish the minimum standards for open space and parkland
within the overall Craver Ranch development.
Predominantly, the Craver Ranch development will follow Denton Development Code standards.
However, the PD does propose the following deviations or enhancements:
• Add standards for the development of zero-lot-line homes,
• Establish a lot size mix for residential uses that includes the maximum number of each lot
size allowed and specific dimensional standards for each lot size,
• Establish increased landscape, fencing, and building design standards for residential uses,
and
• Provide unique roadway cross-sections for streets within the development.
Staff are in favor of these changes and plan to recommend approval when bringing the zoning case
forward to Planning and Zoning Commission and City Council because the changes allow for a
variety of different housing types, and the standards being put in place will ensure a higher quality
of development than required by typical City of Denton standards.
Utilities
The property will be served by City of Denton Water, Wastewater, and Solid Waste. The electric
utility provider for the property is Oncor.
The Developer will be constructing the public infrastructure (Water, Wastewater, Streets, and
Drainage) within the project according to City of Denton standards. At the completion of the
construction, the City will inspect and accept the public improvement, similar to our standard
process.
The City will be committing to building off-site infrastructure to serve the project, which include
the Clear Creek Interceptor and a water transmission main from the Lake Ray Roberts Treatment
Facility. The Developer will construct the necessary improvements to connect to this infrastructure
in phases and in coordination with their development. They will also be required to fund and
construct an elevated storage tank on the property and will be providing easements on the property
for the water transmission line.
Roadways
October 17,2025 Report No. 2025-004
The Developer will be constructing and conveying to the City all the roadways within the
development. The City will assume maintenance of those roadways; however, unlike other
developments, the District will be maintaining all of the landscaping within those rights-of-way.
The Developer has commissioned a traffic study as part of the process of drafting the agreement,
which demonstrates the adjacent TxDOT roadway's (FM2153 and FM2164) ability to
accommodate the additional trips from the development. Additionally, the Developer has
committed to making improvements to the Denton County-owned Shepard and Gribble Springs
Roads adjacent to their property to get traffic to those TxDOT roadways. The future Outer Loop
is also planned to be constructed by TxDOT in the future to the south of the property,which would
support the majority of the traffic from the development.
City Council will be considering a Mobility Plan Amendment with this project to accommodate
changes related to the development's east-west arterial. The way in which the current mobility
plan was adopted, this roadway was displayed going through a large floodway, which would
require an approximately 2,800-foot bridge crossing. The proposed alignment would require a less
than 1,000-foot crossing, but because this alignment was more than 1,000 feet deviation from the
current mobility plan, it requires an amendment. The traffic study supports the development's
ability to use this alignment.
Parks
The Developer has created a Parks Concept that includes a 358-acre central park area, which will
have park amenities and a trail system throughout the area, connecting to more open space within
the property. There would be an additional 8-acre City Park, a 2.5-acre trail head, three
neighborhood parks, and pocket parks throughout the development.
In total, the developer is proposing 13.5 miles of trail systems and to, between all park amenities,
meet the City's 10-minute walk goals. All these amenities will be constructed by the developer
and maintained by the MMD with no obligations by the City.
Agreements
City Council is familiar with the structure of the proposed agreements, with the City having a
project agreement with the Developer for the construction of the development and an operating
agreement with the District for future maintenance and operation. The Project Agreement
establishes the responsibilities for designing, constructing, and financing public infrastructure and
park improvements within the Craver Ranch development. It outlines how the developer will
advance funds for these improvements,with reimbursement through assessments and bonds issued
by the District. The agreement sets standards for land use, zoning compliance, and phased
dedication of parks and municipal facilities.It includes provisions for maintenance responsibilities,
cost-sharing for oversized infrastructure, and coordination with the City on offsite improvements.
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The agreement is structured to align with the Operating Agreement and ensures that all
improvements meet City standards before being conveyed.
The Operating Agreement outlines how public infrastructure such as water, wastewater, roads,
drainage, and parks will be financed, constructed, and maintained within the Craver Ranch
development area. It establishes a framework for the District to issue bonds and levy assessments
to reimburse developers for infrastructure costs. The agreement includes detailed procedures for
project approval, financial reporting, and compliance with city standards. It allows for the division
of the District into smaller entities and sets conditions for their participation. The agreement also
defines how and when improvements are conveyed to the City and under what terms the District
may be dissolved.
Benefits
The Developer intends to meet the City of Denton codes and criteria similar to other developments
within the City of Denton. In addition to that,they are providing the following additional benefits:
• Providing a total of 380.5 acres of parks, which is approximately 320 acres above what is
required by the parkland dedication requirements,
• Maintenance of all park space and right-of-way landscaping,
• $7.5 million in capital funding for emergency services, a public works facility, and
affordable housing,
• 6 acres provided for fire stations and additional easements for a future large transmission
water line from the water treatment plant, and
• Based on the initial results of the fiscal impact study, the City will receive a net positive
benefit from the development of$38 million over a 40-year period. With expected revenue
of$1.16 billion and $1.12 billion in expenditures.
CONCLUSION:
The Craver Ranch development represents a significant opportunity to guide high-quality,master-
planned growth in North Denton. The proposed agreements and zoning framework ensure that
infrastructure, parks, and public services are delivered in a coordinated and fiscally responsible
manner, with substantial contributions from the developer beyond standard requirements. Staff
recommends moving forward with the zoning and agreement approvals, as the project aligns with
City goals for housing diversity, infrastructure planning, and long-term financial sustainability.
Feedback from City Council during the upcoming work session will allow for input on the details
before formal consideration by City Council of the agreements, zoning, comprehensive, and
mobility plan amendments on December 2, 2025.
STAFF CONTACT:
Charlie Rosendahl
October 17,2025 Report No. 2025-004
Interim Director of Development Services
Charlie.Rosendahl@cityofdenton.com
(940) 349-8452
REQUESTOR: Staff Initiated
STAFF TIME TO COMPLETE REPORT: 4 hours