OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD
Record of Proceedings

Denton City Council Meeting Summary for December 2, 2025

City Council — Tuesday, December 2, 2025
BodyAustin, Texas
SessionCity Council
DateTuesday, December 2, 2025
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 6:53:36

Transcript — Verbatim
0:01

Good afternoon and welcome to this meeting in Denton City Council.

0:04

Today it's Tuesday, December 2nd 2025.

0:09

It is 2 p.m.

0:10

We have a quorum, so I'll call the meeting to order.

0:13

First thing on the agenda is uh any speakers.

0:22

Seeing none.

0:24

That takes us to our second point is request for clarification on agenda items listed on the agenda for public hearing and individual consideration questions on individual consideration items or public hearing.

0:40

Any questions?

0:42

Seeing none, I and then I will give everyone a heads up.

0:45

We are on a uh tight schedule uh today, obviously action-packed agenda agenda.

0:53

So please uh keep it as much as question and answer uh format as possible.

0:59

Lots and not gonna ignore the elephant in the room, lots of opinions, lots of thoughts.

1:04

Let's not lecture each other.

1:07

Let's ask questions, gather information, and then we're gonna vote.

1:11

So uh I will just give you a heads up, I'll remind you out there uh that we're not gonna lecture each other.

1:16

Hopefully, questions for staff, get answers, get information you need, move forward uh to a vote.

1:23

And so um if that gets out of whack and there's five ten minutes of of uh kind of opining, then I'm going to start as chair.

1:39

I have the right to start reeling that in and limiting that time.

1:44

So I am hoping to avoid that.

1:45

We can self-regulate.

1:47

So uh I'll remind you out there again, just uh just to make sure we're all on the same page.

1:52

That takes us to our first work session 3A ID 251543, receive report, hold discussion, give staff direction regarding the airport master plan.

2:12

Mayor, members of the council, Ryan Adams Enterprise Airport.

2:15

Uh, before we have our consultants, Kaufman Associates step up to deliver the presentation.

2:19

I just want to give a few comments.

2:21

This uh presentation, this plan is the culmination of about 18 months of work.

2:26

Uh we last met with the council December of 2024 to give a preliminary update uh once the data had been collected.

2:33

Uh this plan is a facilities plan, it's not a strategic plan.

2:36

So this is planning for how we as the airport construct the public facilities that can serve the aviation demand over the next 20 years.

2:45

It follows a very prescribed process from the FAA, so they very much tell us how to run this planning process.

2:52

And I would be remiss if I didn't give you a heads up.

2:54

On the last slide, you are gonna see a very extensive list of projects with an even more extensive uh price uh per project.

3:02

Uh what I want to share with you is that this is not everything that the city has to do over the next 20 years.

3:07

It is very much a menu of potential projects.

3:10

We include them in the plan because when projects are in the plan, they are eligible for FAA funding, and that funding is at 90 percent.

3:17

So we want to make sure we have options going forward so that as the market shifts, we can pivot to other projects that we need more at that time.

3:25

So uh without further uh delay, I will hand it over to Eric Pfeiffer with Kaufman Associates.

3:33

All right, good afternoon, Mayor City Council members.

3:35

Really appreciate you uh giving us the time to talk.

3:38

Um let's see, I want to make sure, just use the keyboard to click through.

3:45

All right, perfect.

3:46

Uh, so I'm gonna run through uh kind of what we've done over the last year.

3:50

You know, we spoke to you last December.

3:52

Um, so I'm gonna give you a high-level overview of the recommendations that have come out of this.

3:57

Um I went through the process last time we were here.

4:00

We've broken out into three different phases.

4:02

We look at a lot of different things over the course of the last year.

4:05

We are at the draft final stage, um, and basically what we're gonna be showing you is our overall recommendations on how to develop the airport over the next 20 years.

4:13

Um, and then we will take this plan uh and the documents that are associated with that and submit that to TechSot and to the FAA after this process and get them to start their review and approval of uh of our plan.

4:29

We had established at the onset a planning advisory committee consisting of uh uh a little over 20 individuals uh from various stakeholder groups, uh tenants on the airport, uh city staff, um, and different stakeholders throughout the community to offer us feedback and input throughout the master plan process.

4:48

And that is really a key, important part of this, so that we get a really robust uh uh feedback on what we're trying to accomplish at the airport.

4:56

And this group did a fantastic job of giving us that feedback and kind of guiding us throughout the master plan.

5:02

We also set up a study website where we distributed all the draft materials and made that available to the public so that they could review everything and submit comments and feedback over the course of the study, and that's always been a very successful process for us.

5:20

So, in terms of how we're planning the airport facilities and the kinds of aircraft that we're trying to accommodate as a general aviation airport, which is intended to serve all manner of aircraft operations, civilian aircraft operations, excluding uh scheduled commercial service types of activities.

5:40

This airport needs to be able to accommodate a variety of small aircraft on up to the largest business jets operating in the national fleet.

5:48

As you what you see here, the Challenger 600 and the Gulf Stream G650, these represent your existing and future critical aircraft.

5:56

Um, and so we want this airport to be able to accommodate the largest business jets that operate.

6:01

And some of these aircraft, you know, the G650 can certainly operate at the airport now, but there are a few minor enhancements that we have planned to help better accommodate them.

6:10

And certainly when we're talking about land side facilities, apron spaces, hangars, and things like that, we want to start thinking more about developing those types of facilities to accommodate these types of critical aircraft.

6:25

Another big component of what we looked at was evaluating the airport in terms of its capability or potential capability for commercial operations, both uh passenger service as well as air cargo.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Land Use and Zoning█████████████████████████25%
Personnel Matters██████████10%
Procedural████████8%
Management and Operations███████7%
Engineering And Infrastructure██████6%
Aviation Infrastructure██████6%
Transportation Safety██████6%
Fiscal Sustainability█████5%
Public Engagement████4%
Summary of Proceedings

Denton City Council Meeting Summary: December 2, 2025

The Denton City Council convened on December 2, 2025, to address a series of work sessions and major public hearings focused on long-term infrastructure planning, employee scheduling reforms, succession management, and the controversial development of the Craver Ranch Master Plan Community. The meeting was characterized by significant public testimony opposing the Craver Ranch project due to concerns over fiscal sustainability, traffic impacts, and alignment with the Comprehensive Plan, contrasted by strong staff and developer advocacy for the project's economic benefits.

Consent Calendar

  • Approved unanimously (7-0) the routine consent agenda items.

Public Comments & Testimony

  • Sherry Reese expressed concern regarding increased speed limits (30 mph) in the East Oaks neighborhood, arguing the narrow streets and parked cars create dangerous conditions for children and elderly residents; she requested staff review traffic calming options.
  • Urban Rodriguez, a law enforcement officer shot in 2019, requested continued support for his neurological rehabilitation therapy at "React" after his workers' compensation coverage was terminated.
  • Laura Cote, Chance Harrington, and Chris Watts spoke against potential immigration enforcement cooperation (287G agreements) and advocated for Denton's stance against such protocols.
  • Nathan Goldsmith, Richard Wells, Karen DeVinny, Elizabeth Seymour, Jan Dickinson Dixon, Cecilia Williamson, Mark Laird, Tim Williamson, Patricia Adams, Olivia Lilly, Jay Brian Lilly, Sharon Kramer, Edward Flores, Ann Woodbridge, Ned Woodbridge, and Patsy Campbell testified in strong opposition to the Craver Ranch development. Key positions included:
    • Fiscal concerns: Several speakers, including Ned Woodbridge and Ann Woodbridge, argued that the development violates the Comprehensive Plan and will lead to long-term fiscal deficits as infrastructure replacement costs exceed tax revenues.
    • Traffic and Infrastructure: Multiple speakers, including Richard Wells, Jay Brian Lilly, and Patricia Adams, highlighted that surrounding roads (FM 2153, FM 2164) lack capacity and that the pending TexDOT Outer Loop route creates uncertainty, making the development premature.
    • Environmental and Community Impact: Speakers expressed concerns about the destruction of agricultural land and wildlife corridors, water table depletion, and the lack of genuine community input, noting that many affected neighbors in the ETJ were not notified.
    • Urban Sprawl: Elizabeth Seymour and others argued the project represents undesirable leapfrog development that contradicts the Denton 2040 Plan's goal of concentrating density in the urban core.
  • Shavisekmark criticized the city council for rejecting the "Northeast Denton Area Plan" due to a developer's fraud issues and expressed skepticism that the council truly represents citizen input in the ongoing Craver Ranch process.
  • Chris Watts highlighted previous failures in affordable housing funding and urged a moratorium on tax-exempt affordable housing projects without enforceable guarantees.

Discussion Items

Item A: Airport Master Plan (ID 251543)

  • Staff Presentation: Ryan Adams (Enterprise Airport) and Eric Pfeiffer (Kaufman Associates) presented a 20-year facilities plan for Denton Airport. Key points included:
    • The airport is designated for general aviation and business jets (e.g., Gulfstream G650), not commercial passenger service, as McKinney is better positioned for that.
    • The plan includes 61 potential projects totaling $421 million, described as a "menu of options" to secure 90% FAA funding eligibility, not a guaranteed list.
    • Major proposals include a 1,000-foot extension to the secondary runway (18L/36R), expanded aprons and hangars on the east side, and development of the west side contingent on Loop 288 construction.
    • A "vertiport" is reserved for future Advanced Air Mobility (electric vertical takeoff and landing) operations.
  • Council Deliberation: Council members asked about revenue generation (non-aeronautical uses), the viability of Part 139 certification (determined not cost-effective for football charters), and runway maintenance procedures during work. Council directed staff to provide a list of all declined development proposals.

Item B: Early Closure and Alternative Work Schedule Pilot (ID 252041)

  • Proposal: Amy Castlick proposed a pilot program to close city facilities at noon on Fridays for four weeks to improve work-life balance and allow for strategic staff work. The program includes alternative schedules like compressed work weeks (4x10, 9/80) and staggered hours.
  • Council Deliberation:
    • Supporters (Mayor Protum, Council members Holland, Beck, Jester, and Bird) emphasized the need for employee recruitment/retention and noted that Friday afternoon usage is historically low, with 311 available 24/7.
    • Opponents (Council members Holland initially then shifted, and Council member Holland's concerns were echoed by Council member Holland and Beck regarding service levels). Council member Holland initially expressed concern over reduced public access but later supported the pilot after being assured of low impact. Council member Holland (District 4) explicitly stated, "I will not support this," citing citizen service priorities. Council member Beck (District 5) voiced skepticism about community reaction but was willing to try it.
    • City Manager Feedback: City Manager Hensley expressed disappointment that concerns about the public hour reduction were raised only now, despite prior discussions about alternative work schedules in general. She clarified that the reduction is intended to minimize service disruption.

Item C: Interim City Manager and Recruitment (ID 252158)

  • Context: City Manager Hensley departs in March 2026. Staff presented options for appointing an interim manager immediately, at a later date, or not at all, and timing for full recruitment.
  • Council Deliberation:
    • Consensus: There was a majority consensus to appoint a City Manager immediately (Option 1) to ensure continuity and stability, with a recommendation to source the candidate internally from the existing Deputy or Assistant City Managers.
    • Recruitment Timing: The Council debated whether to delay the full permanent recruitment until after the next election or start immediately. A majority direction emerged to start recruitment immediately (Option 3) to allow an internal candidate to be evaluated, though some concerns were raised about the timing of the budget and election.
    • Executive Session: The Council moved into closed session to discuss specific candidates and qualifications for the interim and permanent roles. No official action was taken in open session.

Craver Ranch Public Hearings (Items A, B, C - ID 250001A, MPA 25003, PD 25003A)

  • Proposal: Development of a 2,499-acre Master Plan Community (Craver Ranch) involving a Comprehensive Plan Amendment, Mobility Plan modification, and Plan Development Zoning.
  • Applicant Position: Alexa Knight (Dakey Law) argued the project is fiscally beneficial ($106M net surplus to the city), self-funded via a Municipal Management District (MMD), and provides significant infrastructure, parks, and affordable housing contributions ($7.5M in cash/land).
  • Council Deliberation:
    • Council member Holland (District 2), Mayor Protum, and Council member Beck (District 5) raised serious doubts about the fiscal analysis, noting it assumed current inadequate funding levels would continue and that long-term infrastructure replacement costs were not fully accounted for. Council member Holland stated the project violates the Comprehensive Plan's preferred growth concept.
    • Council member Holland (District 4) and Councilmember Bird (District 1) supported the project, citing the need for housing supply and the potential for long-term revenue.
    • Outcome: Despite strong opposition from the public and concerns raised by several council members regarding fiscal sustainability and the Comprehensive Plan, the Council voted to approve all three items. The rationale provided by supporters was the urgent housing demand (83 people/day moving to Denton) and the developer's financial guarantees.

Key Outcomes

  • Airport Master Plan: Council directed staff to provide the list of declined development proposals.
  • Work Schedule Pilot: Council approved the early closure (noon Friday) and alternative work schedule pilot program to begin January 2, 2026, with full implementation by March 2027.
  • Interim City Manager: Council voted 5-2 in favor of appointing an interim City Manager immediately from an internal candidate and to start the full recruitment process immediately. (Note: The closed session results confirmed the direction to search internally and start immediately).
  • Craver Ranch Development:
    • Item A (Comprehensive Plan Amendment): Approved 5-2 (Motion by Councilmember Bird; Second by Councilmember Holland).
    • Item B (Mobility Plan Amendment): Approved 6-1 (Motion by Councilmember McGee; Second by Councilmember Bird).
    • Item C (Plan Development Zoning): Approved 5-2 (Motion by Councilmember McGee; Second by Councilmember Bird).
  • Denton County MUD 16: Strategic Partnership Agreement approved 7-0.
  • Milo Insulation Specific Use Permit: Approved 7-0 for medium impact manufacturing of biodegradable insulation.
  • Universal Natural Gas Franchise: Approved 7-0.
  • Craver Ranch Agreements:
    • Operating Agreement (MUD 1): Approved 5-2.
    • Project Agreement (Developer): Approved 5-2.
    • NMD Creation Consent: Approved 5-2.
  • DCAD Board Appointment: 80 votes allocated to Jordan Villarreal to serve on the Denton Central Appraisal District Board, passing 4-3.
  • Economic Development Partnership Board: Appointed Councilmembers Bird, Jester, and Marty Rivers to the nominating committee, passing 7-0.

Meeting Transcript

Good afternoon and welcome to this meeting in Denton City Council. Today it's Tuesday, December 2nd 2025. It is 2 p.m. We have a quorum, so I'll call the meeting to order. First thing on the agenda is uh any speakers. Seeing none. That takes us to our second point is request for clarification on agenda items listed on the agenda for public hearing and individual consideration questions on individual consideration items or public hearing. Any questions? Seeing none, I and then I will give everyone a heads up. We are on a uh tight schedule uh today, obviously action-packed agenda agenda. So please uh keep it as much as question and answer uh format as possible. Lots and not gonna ignore the elephant in the room, lots of opinions, lots of thoughts. Let's not lecture each other. Let's ask questions, gather information, and then we're gonna vote. So uh I will just give you a heads up, I'll remind you out there uh that we're not gonna lecture each other. Hopefully, questions for staff, get answers, get information you need, move forward uh to a vote. And so um if that gets out of whack and there's five ten minutes of of uh kind of opining, then I'm going to start as chair. I have the right to start reeling that in and limiting that time. So I am hoping to avoid that. We can self-regulate. So uh I'll remind you out there again, just uh just to make sure we're all on the same page. That takes us to our first work session 3A ID 251543, receive report, hold discussion, give staff direction regarding the airport master plan. Mayor, members of the council, Ryan Adams Enterprise Airport. Uh, before we have our consultants, Kaufman Associates step up to deliver the presentation. I just want to give a few comments. This uh presentation, this plan is the culmination of about 18 months of work. Uh we last met with the council December of 2024 to give a preliminary update uh once the data had been collected. Uh this plan is a facilities plan, it's not a strategic plan. So this is planning for how we as the airport construct the public facilities that can serve the aviation demand over the next 20 years. It follows a very prescribed process from the FAA, so they very much tell us how to run this planning process. And I would be remiss if I didn't give you a heads up. On the last slide, you are gonna see a very extensive list of projects with an even more extensive uh price uh per project. Uh what I want to share with you is that this is not everything that the city has to do over the next 20 years. It is very much a menu of potential projects. We include them in the plan because when projects are in the plan, they are eligible for FAA funding, and that funding is at 90 percent. So we want to make sure we have options going forward so that as the market shifts, we can pivot to other projects that we need more at that time. So uh without further uh delay, I will hand it over to Eric Pfeiffer with Kaufman Associates. All right, good afternoon, Mayor City Council members. Really appreciate you uh giving us the time to talk. Um let's see, I want to make sure, just use the keyboard to click through. All right, perfect. Uh, so I'm gonna run through uh kind of what we've done over the last year. You know, we spoke to you last December. Um, so I'm gonna give you a high-level overview of the recommendations that have come out of this. Um I went through the process last time we were here. We've broken out into three different phases. We look at a lot of different things over the course of the last year. We are at the draft final stage, um, and basically what we're gonna be showing you is our overall recommendations on how to develop the airport over the next 20 years. Um, and then we will take this plan uh and the documents that are associated with that and submit that to TechSot and to the FAA after this process and get them to start their review and approval of uh of our plan. We had established at the onset a planning advisory committee consisting of uh uh a little over 20 individuals uh from various stakeholder groups, uh tenants on the airport, uh city staff, um, and different stakeholders throughout the community to offer us feedback and input throughout the master plan process.

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