031720 Press Release - COVID-19 City Facilities Update 1O1-
`FJ60 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
DENTON Ryan Adams • (940) 349-8565 • Ryan.Adams@cityofdenton.com
City Announces Additional Facility Closures
City Implements Precautionary Measures to Reduce COVID-19 Risk
DENTON, TX, March 17, 2020—To protect the health and safety of the community and our
employees, and help minimize the potential spread of COVID-19 (Coronavirus), City Manager
Todd Hileman has announced that City facilities will be temporarily closed to the public,
effective Wednesday, March 18. Facility closures include but are not limited to:
• City Hall (215 E. McKinney St.)
• City Hall East, including Customer Service (601 E. Hickory St.)
• Development Services Center(215 W. Hickory St.)
• Service Center(901 Texas St.)
• Linda McNatt Animal Care and Adoption Center, open by appointment only (3717 N.
Elm St.)
• All Library branches, except for certain services—see below (3020 N. Locust St., 502
Oakland St., 3228 Teasley Ln.)
• All Parks and Recreation facilities, except Martin Luther King Jr. Rec Center (1300
Wilson St.)
These facilities are tentatively scheduled to reopen Monday, April 6. However, given the rapidly
changing impacts of COVID-19, the City will continue to reassess the situation and make
adjustments as necessary. A complete listing of facility closures, events, and programming
suspensions is available and routinely updated at www.cityofdenton.com/coronavirus. Prior press
releases and additional FAQs also can be found on the City website.
Services will continue to be provided virtually or over the phone where possible. See more
details below. Residents may still access online services at www.cityofdenton.com and submit
service requests at www.engagedenton.com.
Animal Services
To schedule an appointment for adoptions or owner reclaims at the Linda McNatt Animal Care
and Adoption Center, contact Animal Services at(940) 349-7594. View all adoptable pets at
www.cityofdenton.com/animalservices.
Animal Field Services will only be responding to animal-related emergency calls. If you have an
animal-related emergency, call (940) 349-7594. Animal intakes due to owner surrendering will
be declined. At this time, residents are asked to hold animals or utilize Animal Services' partner
agencies for placement.
Customer Service and Municipal Court
Utilities customers can pay online, by phone, by mail, and by drop box. To pay your bill or speak
OUR CORE VALUES
Integrity•Fiscal Responsibility•Transparency• Outstanding Customer Service
ADA/EOE/ADEA www.cityofdenton.com TDD(800)735-2989
with a Customer Service representative, customers should call (940) 349-8700. Please visit
www.cityofdenton.com/pnMybill to pay online.
As previously announced, Municipal Court in-person proceedings have been suspended until
Wednesday, April 1. To speak with a Court Clerk, call (940) 349-8331. Payments can be made
online and by mail. For forms,payment options, and other information, visit
www.cityofdenton.com/court.
Development Services
The Planning and Zoning Commission meeting scheduled for Wednesday, March 18, has been
canceled. No additional Commission meetings are scheduled at this time. Until further notice, the
Development Services Department will suspend accepting new development application
submittals that require Planning and Zoning Commission review. The City will not accept new
plat applications at this time. All other planning and development applications—including all
building, construction, and health-related permits—may be submitted online only at
www.dentondevelopmentservices.com. For any accepted applications that require consideration
during a public meeting, final action will be withheld until a meeting can be scheduled.
Development Services can be reached by phone at (940) 349-8541.
Library
Denton residents and library cardholders are still able to access the Library's multitude of digital
resources. For information on digital resources and how to access them, visit bit.ly/2Q 8�.
Denton residents without a card can request a temporary eCard online at bit.l. /�.yTFE. Those
with an expired library card may also renew online at bit.ly/39R9ztT.
If a patron has a physical item that they need to return to the Library, the book drops will still be
accessible. Once items are returned, Library staff will sanitize them for future use. In addition,
even though the libraries will be closed, physical items such as books, movies, CDs, and
Discovery Kits may still be placed on hold via the online library catalog or by calling the Library
at(940) 349-8752 and selecting option 2. After receiving notification about holds becoming
available,patrons may pick up holds via the drive-up service window at North Branch Library
(3020 N. Locust St.) or the new temporary curbside pickup at Emily Fowler Central Library(502
Oakland St.) and South Branch Library(3228 Teasley Ln.).
For patrons unable to return items, the Library's fine-free policy will protect them from any
potential penalties. For more information on how the Library will serve patrons, including
curbside pickup instructions, visit www.dentonlibrqa.com and follow the Library on social
media.
Parks and Recreation
The Parks and Recreation Department will cancel all programs, rentals, and activities through
Sunday, April 5. City-hosted events are also canceled, including but not limited to, the Easter
Egg Hunt and Egg'stravaganza, Breakfast with the Easter Bunny, Teen Twilight Egg Hunt, and
Summer Job Fair.
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The Denton Civic Center, Denton Senior Center, North Lakes Rec Center, MLK Jr. Rec Center,
Denia Rec Center, Goldfield Tennis Center,North Lakes Driving Range, and Denton Natatorium
are closed. The MLK Jr. Rec Center will remain open to the public Monday through Saturday
from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. with access restricted to the lobby and restrooms. Parks, trails,
playgrounds, and dog parks remain open, and park users are urged to refrain from congregating
in large groups and practice social distancing.
Staff will contact all customers relating to refunds and credits. For more information, please call
(940) 349-7275 or email parksnrec@cityofdenton.com.
Solid Waste & Recycling
The City of Denton Landfill will continue to be open to customers during its normal business
hours. For operating hours, visit www.ciiyofdenton.com/landfill.
The City of Denton's Home Chemical Collection Center and Reuse Store will be closed to drop-
off customers beginning Wednesday, March 18. Home chemicals and appliances may still be
collected by calling (940) 349-8700 to schedule a curbside collection. Please visit
www.cityofdenton.com/hcc for a list of acceptable items and how to prepare them for collection.
Per the Texas Department of State Health Services, if you are experiencing fever, cough, or
difficulty breathing, and you have been in close contact with a person known to have COVID-19
or have traveled from an area with widespread or ongoing community spread of COVID-19 in
the last 14 days, you should contact your healthcare provider. Be sure to call ahead before going
to your doctor's office or emergency department to prevent any potential spread of illness.
The City will continue to release updates at www.cityofdenton.com/coronavirus and the City's
social media channels.
Contact: Ryan Adams, (940) 349-8565,Ryan.Adams@cityofdenton.com
Visit www.cityofdenton.com for more news and to stay updated.
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