Carrollton City Council Regular Meeting & Worksession – April 2, 2024

The Carrollton City Council convened a Worksession at 5:45 PM followed by a Regular Meeting at 7:00 PM on Tuesday, April 2, 2024, at City Hall. The Council received an extensive update from the Trinity River Authority (TRA) regarding water/wastewater infrastructure, cost projections, and capital improvements. Presentations were made recognizing Denton County CASA, Newman Smith High School, Women's First Responders, and the Creekview High School Wind Symphony. The Council voted on zoning changes for the Broadway/IH-35E corridor and Avenida Carrollton, adopted the updated Water Conservation and Drought Contingency Plan, and conducted the first public hearing for a right-of-way annexation.

Consent Calendar

• Items 10–14 and 16–21 were approved unanimously in one motion. Notable items included:
  • Item 10: March 5, 2024 meeting minutes approved as stipulated (with a clarifying sentence added).
  • Item 12: Contract with DataVox for IP camera equipment and installation at 17 facilities and water towers ($758,615.26).
  • Item 13: Bid for irrigation supplies from multiple vendors ($73,000 annually, $219,000 three-year total).
  • Item 14: Fiduciary consultant services from Hyas Group ($45,000 annually, $135,000 three-year total). Councilmember Carpenter asked who the fiduciary committee is; Diana verified its composition (City Manager, Treasurer, Assistant City Managers, etc.).
  • Item 16: Purchase of SWAT team body armor and helmets ($121,842.46).
  • Item 17: Construction contract with 3D Paving for Ridgecrest Estates Phase 2 ($6,069,897).
  • Item 18: Change Order No. 2 with KIK Underground for Northland Estates ($50,849 increase, total contract $5,320,873.04).
  • Item 19: Resolution to amend authorized individuals for TexPool investments.
  • Item 20: License agreement with DART for drainage improvements ($10).
  • Item 21: Contract with Garrett Demolition for asbestos abatement and demolition at 1301 S IH-35E ($153,547).
• Item 15 (Legislative consultant services, Waterloo Capitol, $78,000 annually, $390,000 five-year total) was pulled for a separate vote.

Presentations & Recognitions

• Child Abuse Awareness Month: A proclamation was presented to Denton County CASA. It was noted that of the 550 children served by CASA in 2023, 38 were from Carrollton.
• Newman Smith High School: The Council recognized the school with street signs commemorating Zach's Place and the "Trojan Way." Coach Robert Boone and Officer Jonas Robinson (SRO) were credited for originating the idea.
• Women's First Responder Day: A proclamation was presented declaring April 20, 2024, as Women's First Responder Day in Carrollton, highlighting a recruitment event at the Carrollton Senior Center.
• Creekview High School: During the Worksession, the Council recognized the Creekview High School Wind Symphony and Percussion Ensemble for their extraordinary performance.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Public Forum: A resident (Wang Gia Giacio) addressed the Council regarding alleged unfair Code Enforcement citations, claiming 54 citations and a $2,000 fine were issued without prior warnings for violations. Documents were submitted to the record. The Mayor stated the Council could not respond during the public forum.
• Public Hearings:
  • Items 23 & 24 (Broadway Corridor): Alena Severa (NRP Group, applicant) and Tim House (property owner) spoke in support of the rezoning and multifamily development project.
  • Item 25 (Water Conservation Plan): Susanna Dooling expressed support for the plan, noting Texas A&M AgriLife identifies water as the biggest threat to Texas and suggesting future landscaping rules like the "one-third rule" (one-third hardscape, one-third landscape, one-third lawn) to conserve water.
  • Items 22 & 26: No speakers from the public.

Discussion Items

• Trinity River Authority Update (Worksession):
  • Matthew Jalbert provided a detailed update on the Central Regional Wastewater System. He stated the facility has not had a permit violation since the 1960s and treats an average of 189 million gallons per day (MGD) with a peak capacity of 409 MGD.
  • The TRA's Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) for 2025–2029 totals roughly $1 billion, driven primarily by aging infrastructure condition ($339 million of $512 million for the treatment plant). Carrollton represents approximately 8.5% to 9% of the system's flows and debt. Cost projections for Carrollton are increasing by 7% to 9%.
  • A key project impacting Carrollton is the Elm Fork pipeline replacement (13 miles, 7 phases), replacing deteriorating RCP pipe with fiberglass-reinforced pipe designed to last 50+ years.
  • Council discussion focused on Inflow and Infiltration (I/I) reduction, the board's oversight structure (25 members appointed by the governor), methane gas monetization, and proactive infrastructure management.
• Item 22 (Avenida Carrollton Covered Parking): Amendment to PD-132 to add three covered parking carports and revise development standards. Staff recommended approval. The Council approved the item unanimously.
• Items 23 & 24 (Broadway, IH-35E, Jackson Corridor):
  • The transportation plan for Broadway was amended from a 4-lane undivided collector (C4U) to a 3-lane special design collector (C3SD) based on a traffic study.
  • The zoning for a 17.4-acre tract was changed from Freeway District to a Planned Development (PD) to allow a 370-unit multifamily, mixed-use development with structured parking, a hike-and-bike trail, and streetscape standards. The site was previously a mobile home park. The Council approved both items unanimously.
• Item 25 (Water Conservation & Drought Contingency Plan):
  • Cory Heppel presented the mandatory 5-year plan update for TCEQ/TWDB submission (due May 1). No changes were made to the Drought Contingency Plan. Changes to the Water Conservation Plan were primarily housekeeping and new Best Management Practice (BMP) targets.
  • Future targets include data analysis, financial impact studies, and evaluating a transition from a voluntary to a mandatory twice-weekly watering schedule, with a proposed ordinance for 2026 and enforcement by 2027. Heppel noted that roughly half of DFW residents (nearly 4 million) are already on such a schedule. He confirmed the action before the Council was solely the adoption of the plan, not the future watering schedule.
• Item 26 (West Plano Parkway Annexation): First of two public hearings for the annexation of 2.719 acres of TxDOT right-of-way left out of previous annexations. No action taken.

Key Outcomes

• Consent Agenda (Items 10–14, 16–21): Approved unanimously.
• Item 15 (Legislative Consultant, Waterloo Capitol): Approved (6–1). Councilmember Fleming voted in opposition.
• Item 22 (Avenida Carrollton PD Amendment): Approved unanimously.
• Item 23 (Broadway Transportation Plan Amendment): Approved unanimously.
• Item 24 (Broadway/IH-35/Jackson PD Zoning): Approved unanimously.
• Item 25 (Water Conservation & Drought Contingency Plan): Approved unanimously. The ordinance adopting the plan by reference was passed.
• Item 26 (West Plano Parkway Annexation): First public hearing held. Second public hearing and final action scheduled for May 21, 2024.
• The meeting was adjourned at 8:15 PM.