OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD
Record of Proceedings

Denton City Council Meeting Summary - January 13, 2026

City Council — Tuesday, January 13, 2026
BodyAustin, Texas
SessionCity Council
DateTuesday, January 13, 2026
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 4:49:36

Transcript — Verbatim
0:04

Good afternoon and welcome to this meeting of the Den City Council.

0:08

Happy New Year.

0:09

It's first meeting back.

0:11

And today is Tuesday, January 13th, 2026.

0:15

It is 202 p.m.

0:17

We have a quorum call the meeting to order.

0:21

And first thing is in person for regular consent agenda.

0:28

So anyone in person wishing to speak on uh consent agenda items.

0:34

Nope.

0:35

That takes us to uh in person.

0:40

Okay, got it.

0:41

Citizen comments rather is what I should have said, and then request for clarification agenda items on this agenda for the public hearing and individual consideration.

0:49

So request for clarification on public hearing and individual consideration.

0:55

Seeing none takes us to our first work session.

0:58

Uh and I will make everyone aware we only have one closed session.

1:02

Item A was a placeholder, so we don't need that.

1:05

Item D on the work session has been postponed.

1:08

So we'll go A through C, D is postponed, A we're we don't need, and we'll go into B and closed, and then we'll go into our individual consideration because we will transfer to the chambers to vote and take that up straight away.

1:23

So that takes us to our first work session 3A ID 252363.

1:29

Receive report hold discussion regarding the key focus areas for the city of Denton, including pursuing organizational excellence and collaborative respectful leadership, enhancing infrastructure and mobility.

1:43

A quick point of clarification if I'm a stage point of clarification.

1:46

Thank you.

1:47

So uh to repeat and make sure I'm clear in the um item D work session items is postponed.

1:58

Yeah, the the presenters uh under the weather.

2:01

Copy that, and then in the closed meeting, uh item A, we continue with item B is no the opposite.

2:09

Yes.

2:10

Item A was just a close placeholder just in case we needed it.

2:14

So we'll skip that.

2:15

We wasn't called upon.

2:16

That takes us to item B.

2:17

And anything pulled from the consent agenda today, Mayor.

2:20

Item F was pulled.

2:21

Sorry, for individual.

2:24

Thank you very much.

2:25

Thank you.

2:26

That completes my uh point of clarification.

2:28

Thank you.

2:30

All right.

2:30

Uh good afternoon, Mayor and Council.

2:32

Amy Caslight Chief Strategic Officer.

2:35

We're going to start today's presentation with a video highlighting some of the city's uh many accomplishments last fiscal year.

2:42

We'll then focus the rest of the presentation on providing a bit more detail about all of the amazing things that we were able to achieve.

2:58

Reflecting on the city's collective accomplishments is an opportunity to celebrate our progress as a community.

3:04

As we look back on fiscal year 2024-25, Denton's steady growth brought challenges.

3:10

Yet our dedicated workforce rose to the occasion and delivered outstanding results.

3:15

Our focus on completing projects within the city council's key focus areas demonstrates our shared commitment to aligning goals with the community's needs and expectations.

3:26

The foundation for the City of Denton's strategic plan is six long-term key focus areas.

3:33

Pursue organizational excellence and collaborative and respectful leadership.

3:37

Enhance infrastructure and mobility, foster economic opportunity and affordability, strengthen community and quality of life, support healthy and safe communities, promote sustainability and the environment.

4:07

Conducted employee survey to strengthen workplace culture and drive organizational growth.

4:13

Earned all six transparency stars from Texas Comptroller, demonstrating excellence in financial transparency.

4:20

Develop popular annual financial report to make complex financial data more accessible and understandable for residents and stakeholders.

4:28

Implemented zero-based budgeting to align department funding with current needs and strategic priorities.

4:35

Launch Denton 311 for streamlined city service access and improve community engagement.

4:41

By the numbers, 99% employees committed to the organization's success.

4:46

94% employees rated Denton a great place to work.

4:50

947,403 social media engagements.

4:55

3,955,713 website views.

5:01

We have invested in essential infrastructure and transportation improvements to support Denton's continued growth and to ensure our community remains connected and accessible.

5:12

Enhanced traffic signal infrastructure to improve mobility and efficiency.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Land Use and Zoning██████████████████████████████30%
Parks and Recreation██████████████████18%
Affordable Housing█████████████13%
Procedural████████8%
Engineering And Infrastructure████4%
Water And Wastewater Management███3%
Public Safety██2%
Electric Utility Management██2%
Public Engagement██2%
Summary of Proceedings

Denton City Council Meeting Summary - January 13, 2026

The Denton City Council convened on January 13, 2026, for its first regular meeting of the year. The session focused on work sessions regarding the city's fiscal year 2024-25 accomplishments, park naming approvals, and a park management audit. The council also held public hearings to approve significant zoning changes and plan amendments affecting housing, mobility, and commercial development. A closed session was held regarding personnel and attorney consultations before the council elected Cassie Ogden as Interim City Manager and approved several key development ordinances.

Consent Calendar

  • Consent Agenda (Item F): Passed 7-0, accepting all routine items except Item F as the council moved to individual consideration for specific discussions.
  • Annexation: Item A252C (Annexing 4.47 acres on Hartley Field Road) passed 7-0.
  • Hunter Ranch Agreements: Items B, C, and D (Amendments to Hunter Ranch agreement and cost-sharing for Rourke Branch Wastewater Trunk Main) each passed 7-0.
  • Utility Contracts: Items E and F (Contracts for Integrated Power Company and Stewart C. Erby Company LLC for DME) each passed 7-0.
  • Election Ordinance: Item G (Ordering the May 2026 General and Special Election) passed 7-0.

Public Comments & Testimony

  • Work Session (Strategic Plan): No public comments were taken during the work session.
  • Work Session (Naming Applications): Councilmember Bird expressed strong support for the Quaker Town Civic Center naming, emphasizing historical connection, while Mayor Hudson argued the geographic justification was arbitrary given other buildings in the same area were not renamed.
  • Work Session (Audit): Councilmember Hudson expressed non-compliance and opposition regarding the auditor's inclusion of race and income data in park equity analysis, stating it was out of scope and potentially legally risky without a clear city goal. Representative Jackson expressed appreciation for the audit but raised concerns about resource barriers to meeting goals.
  • Public Hearing (ADUs/Townhomes):
    • Support: Several residents (Isaiah Heck, Kate Rose, Joshua Taylor, Brand Richter, Chris Greeshauber, Lauren Penn, Stefan Shade, Charles Woot, Amanda Conway) expressed support, citing the housing crisis, the need for affordable "missing middle" housing, aging in place options, and economic benefits for local contractors.
    • Opposition: Dana Zoltner expressed strong opposition to ADUs in established neighborhoods, citing potential loss of neighborhood character and the inability to control architectural fit. Lenny McAdams opposed the proposal due to safety concerns (pedestrians on narrow streets) and traffic, noting a recent neighborhood tragedy.
    • Specific Concerns: Councilmember Holland raised concerns about lack of public notification for residents outside the downtown radius and the cost/time of Special Use Permits (SUP) acting as barriers to affordability.
  • Public Hearing (Comprehensive/Mobility Plan): Councilmember Beck expressed concern about high-intensity development within floodway zones, questioning the suitability of mixed-use designation in flood-prone areas. Developer Thomas Fletcher clarified that drainage studies and conditional Letter of Map Revision (cLOR) approvals mandated by FEMA account for the risk and require valley storage ponds.
  • Public Hearing (Zoning/Sign Districts): No public comments were recorded for the R1 rezoning or Special Sign District items.

Discussion Items

  • Strategic Plan Work Session (ID 252363): Chief Strategic Officer Amy Caslight presented the FY24-25 report, highlighting achievements in infrastructure, economic development, community safety (ISO Class 1 rating), and sustainability. Council members commended the use of external funding and the electric fire truck. Questions were raised regarding the feasibility of long-term acreage goals and the causes of project delays (resources and external factors).
  • Naming Applications (ID 252310): Staff recommended approving the naming of the "Quaker Town Civic Center" (sponsored by Councilmember Bird) and the "Popo Gonzalez Day Labor Site" (sponsored by Dr. Rodriguez), while denying the "John Royster Juneteenth Softball Tournament" due to policy prohibiting event naming. The council directed staff to bring resolutions to the next agenda and reaffirmed the Parks, Recreation and Beautification Board as the ad hoc committee for naming reviews.
  • Park Management Audit (ID 252340): City Auditor Madison Rorshaw presented findings on park planning, land acquisition, and maintenance. Key findings included the infeasibility of the 17.5-acre parkland goal, inequities in fee-in-lieu calculations, and lack of formal equity goals. The City Manager directed staff to immediately address findings, engage developers in park construction, and formalize design standards rather than waiting for the 2027 master plan updates.
  • ADU & Townhome Amendments (DCA 252501): Staff presented proposed amendments to allow ADUs in more districts and reduce townhome lot sizes. Council debated the "radius" for allowing a second ADU without a Special Use Permit (SUP). Mayor Hudson proposed a motion to require an SUP for a second ADU across the entire city to ensure neighbor notification and prevent neighborhood disruption, which overrode the Planning and Zoning Commission's proposal to waive the requirement within a 1.5-mile radius.
  • Comprehensive & Mobility Plan Amendments (CA 2503A, MPA 25004): Discussion covered the proposed change for the Hickory Grove Multifamily development from Agriculture to Regional Mixed Use and the removal of a future road extension. Concerns were raised regarding floodplain encroachment, which developer staff addressed by citing approved drainage assessments and storage ponds.
  • Zoning Changes (Z25015A): A request to rezone 224.9 acres from Rural Residential to R1 (1-acre lots) for single-family development was discussed as a transition between Craver Ranch PD and ETJ properties. Opposition was noted regarding the density and character of the area.
  • Modular Data Center (S252007A): A request for a Specific Use Permit for a modular data center in a heavy industrial zone was discussed. Staff noted Denton is one of the few regional communities with specific data center definitions and restrictions.
  • Special Sign District (SD 2501A): A request for the Landmark Special Sign District was discussed to allow larger, multi-tenant signs along I-35 at the Hunter Ranch area, including wind devices and portable signs, to support commercial visibility.

Key Outcomes

  • Personnel Appointment: The council voted to direct the City Manager to appoint Cassie Ogden as Interim City Manager, effective April 1, 2026 (7-0).
  • Nominations to DCAD: The council nominated two candidates (Devon English and Jordan Villarreal) to fill the vacancy on the Denton Central Appraisal District Board of Directors. The board will select one nominee (5-2 for Villarreal).
  • ADU/Townhome Ordinance: The ordinance to amend the Development Code was approved 6-1. The motion passed with the condition that a Special Use Permit (SUP) is required for a second ADU across the entire city (removing the radius exception), while one ADU remains permitted by right. The council deferred discussing rent control incentives for SUP waivers due to state law complexity.
  • Hickory Grove Development:
    • Comprehensive Plan Amendment (Agriculture to Regional Mixed Use) passed 5-2.
    • Mobility Plan Amendment (removing future road extension) passed 6-1.
  • R1 Zoning: The rezone of 224.9 acres to R1 passed 5-2.
  • Modular Data Center: The Specific Use Permit was approved 7-0.
  • Special Sign District: The Landmark Special Sign District was approved 7-0.
  • Adjournment: The council recessed for a two-minute break before resuming for public hearings on annexation and zoning items.

Meeting Transcript

Good afternoon and welcome to this meeting of the Den City Council. Happy New Year. It's first meeting back. And today is Tuesday, January 13th, 2026. It is 202 p.m. We have a quorum call the meeting to order. And first thing is in person for regular consent agenda. So anyone in person wishing to speak on uh consent agenda items. Nope. That takes us to uh in person. Okay, got it. Citizen comments rather is what I should have said, and then request for clarification agenda items on this agenda for the public hearing and individual consideration. So request for clarification on public hearing and individual consideration. Seeing none takes us to our first work session. Uh and I will make everyone aware we only have one closed session. Item A was a placeholder, so we don't need that. Item D on the work session has been postponed. So we'll go A through C, D is postponed, A we're we don't need, and we'll go into B and closed, and then we'll go into our individual consideration because we will transfer to the chambers to vote and take that up straight away. So that takes us to our first work session 3A ID 252363. Receive report hold discussion regarding the key focus areas for the city of Denton, including pursuing organizational excellence and collaborative respectful leadership, enhancing infrastructure and mobility. A quick point of clarification if I'm a stage point of clarification. Thank you. So uh to repeat and make sure I'm clear in the um item D work session items is postponed. Yeah, the the presenters uh under the weather. Copy that, and then in the closed meeting, uh item A, we continue with item B is no the opposite. Yes. Item A was just a close placeholder just in case we needed it. So we'll skip that. We wasn't called upon. That takes us to item B. And anything pulled from the consent agenda today, Mayor. Item F was pulled. Sorry, for individual. Thank you very much. Thank you. That completes my uh point of clarification. Thank you. All right. Uh good afternoon, Mayor and Council. Amy Caslight Chief Strategic Officer. We're going to start today's presentation with a video highlighting some of the city's uh many accomplishments last fiscal year. We'll then focus the rest of the presentation on providing a bit more detail about all of the amazing things that we were able to achieve. Reflecting on the city's collective accomplishments is an opportunity to celebrate our progress as a community. As we look back on fiscal year 2024-25, Denton's steady growth brought challenges. Yet our dedicated workforce rose to the occasion and delivered outstanding results. Our focus on completing projects within the city council's key focus areas demonstrates our shared commitment to aligning goals with the community's needs and expectations. The foundation for the City of Denton's strategic plan is six long-term key focus areas. Pursue organizational excellence and collaborative and respectful leadership. Enhance infrastructure and mobility, foster economic opportunity and affordability, strengthen community and quality of life, support healthy and safe communities, promote sustainability and the environment. Conducted employee survey to strengthen workplace culture and drive organizational growth.

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