2018-077 SPIN ProgramDate: 6/22/2018 Report No. 2018-077
INFORMAL STAFF REPORT
TO MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL
SUBJECT:
Provide information on the Southlake Program for the Involvement of Neighborhoods (SPIN)
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:
As a concluding item at the June 12, 2018 City Council meeting, Council Member Briggs
requested information on the Southlake Program for the Involvement of Neighborhoods (SPIN)
program as an example of citizen engagement during the planning process. SPIN is a voluntary
program that incorporates community involvement and feedback by having developers and City
departments present plans at town hall forums prior to taking items to the Planning and Zoning
Commission and City Council. During these town hall forums, community members are able to
have informal conversations and provide public comment on developments. Residents have the
opportunity to either ask questions at the forum or give feedback in person or via an online survey.
Notes and comments from these forums are considered by developers and are included in the
backup information provided to the Planning and Zoning Commission and City Council. Meetings
are held on the second and fourth Tuesday of each month, and are broadcast on the City’s cable
channel and online.
BACKGROUND:
The SPIN program began in Southlake in the 1990s as a way to allow and encourage citizen input
into proposed projects that directly affect them. Since that time, the application of the program has
evolved but the overarching goal has remained the same, to provide citizens the opportunity to be
engaged in the development process and other topics of interest. The SPIN meetings are hosted by
Southlake’s Community Engagement Committee, a committee of seven Southlake residents who
have been appointed by the City Council for two-year terms.
In order to make items more neighborhood specific, the City of Southlake is separated into 11
SPIN districts. As part of the development process, developers contact the SPIN staff liaison to
schedule a presentation at a SPIN meeting. Staff then advertises the items to the public and inform
residents of which SPIN district the project affects.
The SPIN meetings are posted and are open to the public. If there are no topics for discussion, then
meetings can be cancelled at the Committee’s discretion. During the meetings, the Vice-Chair of
the Community Engagement Committee serves as the moderator and meetings are held in
Southlake’s Council Chambers. Developers or builders present plans to interested residents, who
are then given the opportunity to engage in the process by asking questions or commenting on the
proposals. Because the meetings are televised, a survey link is provided for citizens to give
feedback digitally if they are unable to attend the meetings in person.
Following SPIN, a proposed development may be submitted to the Planning Department, reviewed
by staff, and scheduled for a Planning and Zoning Commission meeting. The item would then be
eligible to move forward to City Council for consideration. Staff from the Planning and
Development Services department attend the SPIN meetings and take notes, which are compiled
Date: 6/22/2018 Report No. 2018-077
into a SPIN report and included in all backup information for the Planning and Zoning Commission
and City Council (see attached example). This is an important step in the process because the
presenter then has the option of altering plans based on comments, or moving forward as is. The
Planning and Zoning Commission and City Council then know that projects have had the
opportunity for public feedback, and what actions, changes, or accommodations have been made
as a result of that feedback. City of Denton staff contacted the SPIN liaison for the City of
Southlake to discuss the program. The Southlake staff commented that meetings are well attended,
and developers are comfortable with the process.
The City of Southlake also uses SPIN meetings as a way to receive public input about a variety of
municipal projects including new municipal building plans, major road construction, and strategic
initiatives. Because of the success of the SPIN program, the City has also partnered with the local
school district to hold a School Board Election Town Hall Meeting and other special topics.
DISCUSSION:
Based on the information received from the City of Southlake, the City of Denton could implement
a program similar to SPIN into the development process during the pre-submittal phase. Although
it is not required, many large scale City projects, such as electric substations or major road
reconstructions, do already involved some sort of community meeting or forum to solicit feedback,
however they are not formally required as part of the development.
If a similar program were implemented in Denton, it would require additional staff time and
resources to develop and implement. The City of Southlake includes the following responsibilities
in addition to other duties of those staff members:
Staff liaison: Receives requests, schedules presentations, and coordinates with Community
Engagement Committee. This is currently performed by a principal planner in the Planning
and Development Services department.
Staff to attend meetings: Staff from Planning and Development Services rotate to have one
staff member attend each meeting to take notes and answer clarifying questions.
Television Staff: Because the meetings are televised, there is a requirement for staff to
work during the meetings.
Although there is no current Council appointed board in Denton that aligns with Southlake’s
Community Engagement Committee (a seven person, Council-appointed board), a program like
SPIN could be housed underneath another board or committee, or operate under a new heading or
possibly underneath the Planning and Zoning Commission.
ATTACHMENT(S):
Sample SPIN report from June 12, 2018 meeting
STAFF CONTACT:
Sarah Kuechler
Director of Public Affairs
Sarah.Kuechler@cityofdenton.com
940-349-8356
SPIN MEETING REPORT
SPIN Item Number: SPIN2018-27
City Case Numbers: ZA18-0011
Project Name: Zoning change and concept plan for two residential lots on
approximately 15.23 acres
SPIN Neighborhoods: SPIN #1
Meeting Date: June 12, 2018
Meeting Location: 1400 Main Street, Southlake, TX
City Council Chambers
Total Attendance: 4
Host: Ben Siebach, Community Engagement Committee
Applicants Presenting: Jason Rawlings representing Mike Lamon
Jason Rawlings: email: jason@millersurveying.com; phone: 817-
796-9714
Michael Lamon email: michael.lamon@outlook.com; phone 817-
233-5046
City Staff Present: Patty Moos, Planner
Presentation begins: 6:09 pm Presentation ends: 6:14 pm
Town Hall Forums can be viewed in their entirety by visiting http://www.cityofsouthlake.com and clicking
on “I Want to” and “View” “Video on Demand” – forums are listed under SPIN by meeting date.
FORUM SUMMARY:
Property Situation: Immediately west of 275 E. Bob Jones Road.
Details: A zoning change and concept plan for two residential lots on 15.2 acres. The west lot is
a proposed 6.26 acre parcel of property located immediately west of 275 E. Bob Jones Rd is
being rezoned from agricultural to “SF-2” single family residence is intended to be built on the
proposed 6.26 acres.
Presentation: Currently the western lot is zoned “AG” Agricultural District and eastern lot is
zoned “RE” Single Family Residential Estate District. East lot has a residence on it. Applicant is
moving the west property line 90 ft. west and incorporating the additional property into one 8.66
acre lot and rezoning the lot as “RE-5”. The western remaining tract of land will be rezoned to
SF-2” Single Family Residential District for the 6.26 acres. No plans to subdivide the west lot
and to sell it off as a single lot.
Questions and Concerns:
1. Where is the property located? North of Bob Jones Park on E. Bob Jones Road.
Located in Denton County. There are no structures on the west lot and an
existing house is on the east lot.
2. Is there going to be more than one lot on the west property? The owner wants to
expand his lot.
3. Is the lot under contract? The owner has one buyer contingent on the rezoning
on the rezoning of the property.
4. How many acres is the west lot? 6.26 acres. East lot is 8.6 acres and a single
platted lot.
SPIN Meeting Reports are general observations of SPIN Meetings by City staff and SPIN Representatives. The report is neither verbatim nor official
meeting minutes; rather itserves to inform elected and appointed officials, City staff, and the public ofthe issues and questions raised by residents and
the general responses made. Responses as summarized in this report should not be taken as guarantees by the applicant. Interested parties are
strongly encouraged tofollowthe case throughthe Planning and Zoning Commission and final action byCity Council.
Southlake Connect Results for the June 12, 2018 SPIN Town Hall Forum