20-1521ORDINANCE NO. 20- 152 1
AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF DENTON ADOPTING AN UPDATED DOWNTOWN
REnWESTMENT GRANT PROGRAM POLICY FOR THE DOWNTOWN REIFfVESTMENT
GRANT PROGRAM; PROVIDING A REPEALER, AND PROVIDiNG AN EFFECTIVE
DATE
WHEREAS, on February 14, 2007, the Downtown Task Force (now Downtown Economic
Development Committee) unanimously recommended creating an incentive program to promote
desired development/redevelopment in the downtown area of the City of Denton; and
WHEREAS, on April 3, 2007, the City Council of the City of Denton adopted the
Downtown Reinvestment Grant Program; and
WHEREAS, Ordinance No. 2010-3 16 designated Tax Increment Financing Reinvestment
Zone Number One (“Downtown TIRZ”), as provided by the Tax Increment Financing Act, Chapter
311 of the Texas Tax Code (the “Act”), to provide funding necessary to encourage development
in downtown Denton; and
WHEREAS, on December 7, 2010, the City Council authorized the Project and Finance
Plans for the Downtown TIRZ which authorizes the creation and expenditure of the Downtown
TIRZ fund for purposes authorized by the Act; and
WHEREAS, on September 18, 2018, the City Council adopted Ordinance No. 18-1321
approving changes to the Downtown Reinvestment Grant Program to allow fUnding through
monies collected by the Downtown TIRZ and to change the grant review process so that
expenditures of such Downtown TIRZ funds are reviewed by the Downtown TIRZ Board of
Directors (“TIRZ Board”); and
WHEREAS, on January 22, 2020 the TIRZ Board recommended making changes to the
Downtown Reinvestment Grant Program Policy to include the addition of language stating that
improvements made as required by or in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act are
eligible project improvements; and
WHEREAS, on February 6, 2020, the Downtown Economic Development Committee
concurred with the TIRZ Board recommendations; and
WHEREAS, on July 16, 2020, the Committee on Persons with Disabilities concurred with
the Downtown TIRZ Board recommendations; and
WHEREAS, on July 22, 2020, the TIRZ Board voted to recommend that the City Council
adopt an ordinance updating the Downtown Reinvestment Grant Program Policy to effectuate such
changes to the Downtown Reinvestment Grant Program Policy;
WHEREAS, the City Council finds that the expenditure of Downtown TIRZ funds for
improvements made to buildings, strbctures, and fixtures as required by or in accordance with the
Americans with Disabilities Act are eligible project costs in accordance with the Act and the
Downtown TIRZ Project and Finance Plans, and that such improvements and program benefit the
Downtown TIRZ; NOW, THEREFORE,
THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF DENTON HEREBY ORDAINS:
Section 1. The City Council of the City of Denton hereby approves the changes to the
Downtown Reinvestment Grant Program Policy, which is attached hereto and made a part of this
ordinance for all purposes.
Section 2. All provisions of any Downtown Reinvestment Grant Program Policy adopted
prior to this ordinance, and all ordinances of the City of Denton in conflict with the provisions of
this ordinance as related to Downtown Reinvestment Grant Program Policy, are hereby repealed,
and all other provisions of the ordinances of the City of Denton not in conflict with the provisions
of this ordinance shall remain in full force and effect.
Section 3. This ordinance shall become effective immediately upon its passage and
approval.
The motion to approve this ordinance was made by t and
seconded by P\aclU be; qq 3 , the ordinance was passed and approved by
the following vote [I - a :
Aye Nay Abstain Absent-rMayor, Chris Watts:
Gerard Hudspeth, District 1 :y’
7
./
V/
Keely G. Briggs, District 2:
Jesse Davis. District 3 :
John Ryan, District 4:
Deb Armintor, At Large Place 5 :a’
./Paul Meltzer, At Large Place 6:
PASSED AND APPROVED thI, th, \gtS d,y ,f ROBUSt ' 2020.
aiRHMm:MRtax
ATTEST:
ROSA RIOS, CITY SECRETARY
APPROVED AS TO LEGAL FORM:
AARON LEAL. CITY ATTORNEY
DOWNTOWN REINVESTMENT GRANT PROGRAM POLICY
1.GENERAL PURPOSE AND OBJECTIVES
The City of Denton’s Department of Economic Development promotes Denton and its
unique character through the redevelopment and revitalization of Downtown, historic
preservation, community involvement, and by providing educational and technical assistance
to business and property owners. With Downtown as a key focus area of Denton’s economic
development program, the City Council adopted the following Downtown Reinvestment
Grant Program.
Applications shall be submitted on the application form attached hereto as Exhibit “A“ and
incorporated herein for all purposes, and are considered as they are received, and may be
funded, if approved, until funds are depleted.
II. GRANT GUIDELINES
1. Facade rehabilitation grant funds are available for exterior work on building facades that
immediately overlook public streets located in the Downtown area as defined by the
Downtown Tax Increment Financing Reinvestment Zone Number One – Downtown
(TIRZ #1), see attached map, page 5 .
2. Roof and foundation work on commercial buildings in the TIRZ #1 area may also be
eligible for grant funds, providing costs do not exceed 50% of the grant request.
3 . Interior and Code Improvement work includes asbestos and mold abatement, fire suppression
systems, and improvements required by or in accordance with the Americans with
Disabilities Act, as amended.
4. No grant applications will be accepted for work that has already been started or completed,
or for work that is covered by insurance.
5. Grants are awarded on a reimbursement basis once completed work has been verified by
City staff as compliant with the plans proposed in the approved application. Any
deviation from the approved project may result in the total or partial withdrawal of the
grant. Grants are awarded as a single payment to the applicant.
6. All submitted work will be reviewed based on the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards
for Rehabilitation,as una\&& and the City of Denton’s Municipal Codes and Ordinances.
7. Grant applications and awards can be made in any of the reimbursable activities listed in
Section III and may be combined for any single property or project. However, the
maximum award amount available per property is $25,000.
8. An applicant is defined as an eligible property within the TIRZ # 1 area. A single owner
of multiple properties may apply for grant funds for each property owned, but may not
receive more than $25,000 per property.
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9. If an applicant is awarded a reinvestment grant for facade, awning or sign work and the
facade, sign or awning is altered for any reason within one (1) year from construction,
the applicant may be required to reimburse the City of Denton immediately for the full
amount of the grant.
10.Projects will be reviewed and ranked with the following considerations in mind:
Project results in an increase in property valuation and/or generates sales tax
revenue
Project rehabilitation reflects historic accuracy
Project improves the capacity of water, wastewater or electric utility services
Projects provides improvements to health and safety
Water/Wastewater impact fees are assessed
Project results in a significant increase in downtown population (residents and/or
day or night users). Other appropriate impacts may be considered on a case-by-
case basis, including, but not limited to: partners with other businesses (i.e., shared
parking), project is a “target“ business (i.e., grocery, pharmacy, etc.), and/or
promotes development of arts and entertainment downtown.
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Ill. PROGRAM DETAILS
Reinvestment grants are available for the following types of projects:
Facade Rehabilitation and Building Renovation
Definition:
Removing slipcovers or non-historic/added facades, repainting brick or replacing
mortar joints, replacing or restoring cornices, removing paint from brick, replacing
windows, restoring transom windows, painting, roof and foundation work.
Grant Limits :
Facade rehabilitation and building grants are limited to a 50% match of the eligible
projects costs, with a cap of $25,000 per grant for facade, roof and foundation work.
Roof and foundation repair may constitute no more than half of the request and shall
only be considered for funding if included as a portion of a larger project.
Paint-only grants are limited to a 50% match with a cap of $5,000 per grant.
Awnings and Signs
Definition:
Replacing, adding or repairing awnings and signs. Signs may include signboards,
projecting signs and pedestrian signage (includes window sign, hanging sign and
awning/canopy sign).
Grant Limits :
Awning grants are limited to a 50% match with a cap of $5,000 per grant. Sign grants
are limited to a 50% match with a cap of $500 per grant.
Impact Fee Reimbursement
Definition:
Reimbursement for City of Denton water and wastewater impact fees.
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Grant Limits :
Impact Fee grants are limited to a 50% match with a cap of $25,000 per grant.
Utility Upgrades
Definition:
Upgrades to water, wastewater and electrical service, includes interior upgrades as
well as exterior service upgrades.
Grant Limits:
Utility Upgrade grants are limited to a 50% match with a cap of $25,000 per grant.
Interior/Code Improvements
Definition:
Asbestos and mold abatement, fire suppression systems, and improvements made as
required by or in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, as amended.
Grant Limits:
Interior/Code Improvement grants are limited to a 50% match with a cap of $25,000
per grant.
IV. GRANT APPLICATION PROCESS
1.Contact the Economic Development department to discuss the project and determine
eligibility. If requested, a staff member with the Economic Development department will
set up an appointment with the Texas Main Street Center’s Architectural Assistance
Program, which provides free assistance in selecting paint, color schemes and building
and sign materials for building fagade and signs.
2. Complete the grant application form and sign the agreement form. Return the completed
application form with all original itemized work estimates, color samples, drawings and
example sign material of the proposed work to the Economic Development office at 215
E. McKinney. Applications should include:
a. Drawings of all proposed grant work to be done. Drawings may be prepared by the
Texas Main Street Architect, the project architect, or contractor. Color samples of all
final paint selections and/or final building or sign material selections must be included
with the application.
b. Itemized work estimates on all project work from contractors or project architects
must be included with the application. (Self-contracted work will be reimbursed for
eligible expenses, excluding labor.)
c. Photos of the building’s exterior, interior, roof or foundation (areas where work is to
be performed).
3. The approval process will include without limitation the following:
a. All projects must meet current building standards and codes, as well as building permit
requIrements.
b. Applicants are required to attend and present their project to the Downtown Economic
3
Development Committee (DEDC). The DEDC meets monthly, as needed.
Grants then must be reviewed and approved by the TIRZ # 1 Board prior to
consideration by the Denton City Council. The TIRZ meets bi-monthly and will
review submitted applications and consider the DEDC’s recommendation.
C.If recommended by the TIRZ #1 Board, grants will be placed on the Denton City
Council agenda. The DEDC and TIRZ #1 Board recommendations are advisory only,
and no recommendation shall be binding on the Denton City Council. The Denton
City Council has the final discretion with regard to funding and reserves the right to
modify or reject any project or elements of any project.
d. Applications must be complete and contain all required information. Additional
information requested by the DEDC, TIRZ #1 Board or the Denton City Council
must be provided prior to consideration of the grant.
e.All construction bids submitted by an applicant must be current and must be dated no
earlier than ninety (90) days prior to the application request. Bids shall be submitted
on the contractor’s or project architect’s letterhead and shall contain the contractor’s
name, address, and telephone number and shall itemize the bid in a manner that allows
the DEDC, TIRZ #1 Board and Denton City Council to determine the bid components
and authenticity of the bid.
f. An applicant whose application that has been denied by the Denton City Council shall
not be eligible to re-submit a grant application for six (6) months from the date the
prior application was declined by the Denton City Council.
g.Applicants receiving approval shall commence construction described within the
application within ninety (90) days from the date the grant is awarded. All applicants
must complete the construction described in the application within one (1) year from
the date the grant is approved. If the applicant is unable to commence construction
within ninety (90) days from the date the grant is approved or complete construction
within one (1) year from the date the grant is approved, the applicant may submit a
written request for an extension for the commencement date or completion date
provided the extension request is made prior to the ninety (90) day or one (1) year time
limit. The DEDC, TIRZ #1 Board or Denton City Council shall not be obligated to
allow extensions, but may do so for good cause determined solely by the entity which
authorized the grant. The extensions, if granted, shall be for the term and for the
conditions determined exclusively by the entity which authorized the grant. An
extension denial cannot be appealed and shall be final.
h As a condition of the grant, the applicant consents and shall allow Economic
Development staff to request City inspections to determine that the grant, if awarded,
will not be used for construction on any building that is not in compliance with the
City Municipal Codes and Ordinances that are applicable to the construction
contemplated in the application.
i. No applicant has a proprietary right to receive grant funds. Each request will be
considered on a case-by-case basis.
j. The applicant shall be required to furnish photographs of the building’s exterior,
roof and foundation after the construction is completed, as a condition of final
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grant reimbursement.
k. The applicant is required to obtain all applicable City permits and City approvals
required for the construction if a grant is awarded.
1. An applicant should attend DEDC, TIRZ #1 Board and Denton City Council meetings
in which consideration of the application occurs.
4.Reimbursement: When the grant project has been satisfactorily completed and
reviewed, the applicant shall present the Economic Development office with copies of all
paid invoices, including copies of cancelled checks and/or credit card receipts, for a
single payment reimbursement of the approved funding. In addition, the applicant must
complete a City of Denton Vendor Form and a Form 1099 to receive payment from the
City. Vendor forms and 1099s will be provided by the Economic Development office.
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EXHIBIT A
DENTON
CITY OF DENTON
DOWNTOWN REINVESTMENT GRANT PROGRAM APPLICATION
Department of Economic Development
215 E. McKinney Street Denton, TX 76201
940-349-7776
www.cityofdenton.com
ED@cityofdenton.com
Downtown Reinvestment Grant Program Application
Please return completed the application with necessary attachments and signatures to
the Economic Development Department office at 2 15 E. McKinney. If you have any
application questions, please contact the Economic Development Department at 940-
349-7776
Applicant Name Date
Business Name
Mailing Address
Contact Phone Email Address
Building Owner (if different from applicant)
Historical/Current Building Name
Project Site/Address
Type of Work: (check all that apply)
a Paint Only D Awnings
a Signage [] Impact Fees
a Utility Upgrades a Interior/Code Improvements
a Facade & Building Renovation
Details of planned improvements relating to grant request (attach additional information
if necessary).
How will this project benefit Downtown?
Project Categories
Facade/Building Rehab
Awnings
Signs
Impact Fees
Utility Upgrades
Interior/Code Improvements
Totals
Estimated Costs Grant Requested
TOTAL COST OF PROPOSED PROJECT $
TOTAL GRANT REQUEST
(May not exceed 50% of TOTAL COST up to $25,000)
$
Attach all required color samples of paint, awning/canopy, sign design, etc., as well as
photographs of building’s exterior facade, roof and foundation,
Applicant’s Signature Date
DOWNTOWN REINVESTMENT GRANT AGREEMENT FORM
Please complete and return with the Downtown Reinvestment Grant Application to the
Economic Development office, 215 E. McKinney. If you have any questions, please contact
the Economic Development Department at 940- 349-7776.
I have met with a representative from the Economic Development Department, and I have
read and fully understand the Downtown Reinvestment Grant procedures established by the
Denton City Council. I intend to use this grant program for the aforementioned renovation
projects to advance the efforts of revitalization and historic preservation of Denton’s historic
downtown. I have not received, nor will I receive insurance monies for this revitalization
project .
I understand that if 1 am awarded a Downtown Reinvestment Grant by the City of Denton,
any deviation from the approved project may result in the partial or total withdrawal of the
grant. (if I am awarded a reinvestment grant for facade, awning or sign work and the facade,
sign or awning is altered for any reason within one (1) year from construction, I may be
required to reimburse the City of Denton immediately for the full amount of the grant.)
Business/Organization Name
Applicant’s Signature Printed Name Date
Building Owner’s Signature (if different fom applicant) Printed Name Date
This section is to be completed by Economic Development staff.
Date considered by DEDC Recommendation Staff Signature
Date considered by TIRZ #1 Board Recommendation Staff Signature
Date considered by City Council Approval Staff Signature
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REVIEW PROCESS
Total project scores can range from 0 to 35 points.
Recommendations will be based on:
0- 14 points
15-19 points
20-24 points
25-35 points
No funding
Grant recommendation up to $5,000
Grant recommendation up to $10,000
Grant recommendation up to §25,000
All grants will be subject to a recommendation by the Downtown Economic Development Committee, TIRZ # 1
Board, and approval by the Denton City Council.
Grant applications will be scored based on:
• Economic Impact - 0-5 Points
o Total investment dollars as provided in the grant application
o Investment in structure construction or renovation (excluding purchase price)
o Investment in furniture, fixtures and equipment; estimated taxable sales
• Historic Accuracy/Design - 0-5 Points
o New construction/complements existing buildings
o Restores building to historic accuracy
o Renovation of building with historicmarker (Local, state or national historic marker)
•Upgrades to Utilities/Impact Fees - 0-5 Points
Requires upgrades in electrical service
Increases existing water/wastewater capacity
No existing utilities to structure
Extends water/wastewater lines (improves additional properties)
Impact fees may be ranked depending upon percentage of fees to eligible expenses
0
0
0
0
0
• Increases Population - 0-5 Points
o Increases consumer traffic (day or night)
o Increases quality residential units
• Interior/Code Improvements - 0-5 points
o Asbestos and mold abatement
o Fire suppression systems
o ADA improvements
Other - 0-10 Points
Including, but not limited to:
o Partners with other businesses (i.e., shared parking)
o Project is a ’'target" business (i.e., grocery, pharmacy, locally owned)
o Promotes development of Denton arts and entertainmento Longevjty of business
Grant Scoring System
Economic Impact (0-5
e
ldes/Impact fees (0-5)Utijity U1
Increases Population (0-5)
Interior/Code Improvements (0-5
Other (0- 10)
Totals
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