From the Feb. 17th “Friday Staff Reports to City Council”

The Friday Staff Report to City Council is a weekly communication between staff and Council. Libraries are closed this Friday. The Public Library was recently awarded a $600 mini-grant. Camelot Street is undergoing rezoning while Fire Station #5 will be conducting rat remediation. Denai Park renovations public meetings and Clear Creek has been granted an award. To top it all off we’ll be celebrating Mardia Gras, Black History Month, and Kids Rock among other events – upcoming road closures in the area.

General Information

All libraries will be closed on Friday, Feb. 24, for staff development training.

The City of Denton recently received a $3,731,892 award under the 2021 SAFER Grant Program. There is no match required for these funds and it will fund 12 full-time staff positions at the new Fire Station No. 9. The station is located at the Denton Enterprise Airport and is projected to be completed in Summer 2024. It will have a minimum staffing of four firefighters to operate both a structural fire apparatus and an Aircraft Rescue Fire Fighting (ARFF) unit.

The Public Library has been awarded a $600 mini-grant from Humanities Texas to celebrate Women’s History month in March 2023. The “Rural Texas Women at Work, 1930-1960” exhibition will be on display from March 1 through 31 and includes photographs and explanatory texts to illustrate the lives of rural Texas women.

Camelot Street was originally platted as a residential street with triplexes and fourplexes, but in 2019 the zoning transitioned to Residential 3 which does not permit those uses. The Planning Staff will be holding a neighborhood meeting to discuss the City-initiated rezoning that is tentatively scheduled for consideration by the Planning and Zoning Commission on March 15, 2023.

The City hired a third-party consultant to test the indoor air quality and mold at Fire Station# 5, which concluded that there was no indoor mold concern but rat allergens were detected. A third-party contractor will begin the remediation process starting Monday, Feb. 20, which includes the removal of impacted insulation and ceiling tiles, cleaning of air registers & vents, a general deep clean of the building (including ductwork and HV AC equipment), and continued pest control.

The City of Denton received an award for Outstanding Outreach for including Air Quality as part of sustainability events throughout the year.

The Parks and Recreation Department will hold a hybrid meeting to receive feedback on renovations to Denia Park from residents, with the in-person meeting taking place at the Denton Development Services Center and the webinar being available online. The park is considering renovations that include a loop trail, better irrigation and turf quality, safety improvements, and general landscape improvements.

At the monthly meeting of the Elm Fork Chapter of Texas Master Naturalists (EFTMNP), Clear Creek Natural Heritage Center won the “2022 Outstanding Project of the Year” award.

Council Member Requests

On Feb. 7, 2023, staff responded to a Council Member’s inquiry about trees at 1501 Audra Lane by Shiloh Farms. The property owner has requested an understory clearing/grubbing application so the developer can conduct a tree survey for development review, but the developer has not yet submitted a formal development application.

The LED stop signs located at the intersection of Bonnie Brae and Windsor were not functioning, so they were replaced with 36-inch static stop signs and 12-inch LED flash cubes on Feb. 15.

Mayor Pro Tern Beck has asked staff to assess the intersection of Oak Street and Carroll Boulevard, citing safety concerns after a bicyclist was hit by a vehicle. The city staff has found that the faded striping at the intersection of Oak Street and Carroll Boulevard is correct, but recommends repainting it.

Riney Road from the Denton ISD property to US 77 / Elm Street is in the planning phase, but no funding has been identified yet. The city staff estimates it will take 6 months to design a project and 10-12 months to construct it, assuming they can acquire the right-of-way from two property owners.

Council Member McGee asked whether all City facilities have an AED, or automated external defibrillator. Staff confirmed that all City facilities have defibrillators, and both the Fire Department and Safety teams work together to maintain them.

Upcoming Community Events and Meetings

Kids Rock: The Return – Kids Rock is a program that allows kids to have fun while parents get the night off. The program runs 7 – 11 p.m. and includes games, activities, mini-sports tournaments, inflatable fun, ping-pong, and video games on a large screen. The cost is $25 per child, with a $5 late fee if registering the day of after 5 p.m., with upcoming program dates of Feb. 17, March 2, and Apr. 21

Mardi Gras – Fat Tuesday– The Denton Senior Center will be hosting a Fat Tuesday potluck and live music event on Feb. 21. The event costs $5 per person with registration available online.

Black History Month Celebration – The Martin L. King, Jr. Recreation Center will celebrate Black History Month on Saturday, Feb. 25, from 10 a.m. to noon. Patrick Powers, a teacher with DISD, will be the keynote speaker.

Black History Month Program – On Feb. 24, the American Legion Hall Senior Center will celebrate Black History Month with games and presentations. The event is free to attend.

Women’s History Month – The Parks and Recreation Department will host a Women’s History Month Celebration on Mar. 11 at the MLK Jr. Recreation Center, beginning at 10 a.m. The celebration is co-sponsored by the Denton County Alumnae Chapter- Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., and will commemorate the achievements of women in American history with Marian R Hicks as keynote speaker. Various vendors, resources, and raffles are also featured during this event to celebrate Women’s History Month

Great American Cleanup – The 35th Annual Great American Cleanup (GAC) is a citywide litter cleanup in Denton on Saturday, Mar. 25 starting at 9 am. After the cleanups, there will be a Volunteer Appreciation Party from 11 am-1 pm with free lunch from In-N-Out Burger and other treats, educational activity booths, bounce houses & more. Prizes will be awarded to the largest group of volunteers that collect the most bags and find the oddest item during their cleanup efforts. The goal is to engage 1,500 participants; currently, 121 volunteers are registered but more are needed by Mar 15 at 5 pm via the registration page open to individuals or groups of all ages & experience levels who receive free supplies & t-shirts (while supplies last).

Upcoming Street Closures