Carrollton City Council Worksession & Regular Meeting Summary - September 24, 2024

The Carrollton City Council convened for a Worksession at 5:45 PM and a Regular Meeting at 7:00 PM on Tuesday, September 24, 2024, at City Hall. The agenda included presentations on Information Technology projects (including a new mobile app, chatbot, and voicebot demonstrations), a discussion on the Community Funding Policy, a proclamation recognizing Live United Month, approval of a substantial Consent Agenda, public hearings on a short-term rental and an amusement arcade, and a Public Forum. The meeting recessed into Executive Session for legal and personnel matters.

Consent Calendar

Items 9 through 25 were approved unanimously as a block with two stipulations. Key items included:

• Approval of the September 10, 2024 Regular Meeting Minutes.
• A four-year contract not to exceed $640,000.00 for water meters from Zenner USA and Neptune Technology Group.
• Authorization of a construction contract with 3D Paving & Contracting, LLC for the Webb Chapel Road Reconstruction Project in an amount not to exceed $3,945,845.00.
• A two-year renewal of the contract with Vector Fleet Management, LLC for fleet services in a total amount not to exceed $5,487,578.00.
• An ordinance amending the number of authorized Police Officer (to 146) and Sergeant (to 22) positions.
• An ordinance aligning local wastewater pretreatment rules with TCEQ and Trinity River Authority updates.
• Three-year insurance contracts with Cigna, MetLife/Superior Vision, and Standard Insurance for a total not to exceed $2,150,208.00.
• A five-year contract with WEX Health, Inc. for FSA and HRA administration not to exceed $206,184.00.
• A five-year agreement with Frost Bank for depository and banking services not to exceed $600,000.00.
• Resolutions amending contracts with the Children’s Advocacy Center for North Texas (FY2025: $115,560) and Metrocrest Services (FY2025: $511,464) to allow annual funding amounts to be determined by Council.
• Resolutions authorizing participation in the Texas Music Office’s Music-Friendly Community program and establishing a Music Advisory Board.
• A resolution authorizing an agreement with Articulation Art, LLC for a new mural on the Downtown Silos (not to exceed $150,000.00) and a 20-year extension of the Silos Easement Agreement (fee not to exceed $21,398.00).

Stipulations:

• Item 17: Former Councilmember Mike Kennefer was nominated as a candidate for the Denton Central Appraisal District Board of Directors.
• Item 23: The Music Advisory Board will consist of 5 members appointed by the City Council, with initial terms staggered (three 2-year terms and two 1-year terms).

Public Comments & Testimony

• Public Comment (Item 8): No members of the public addressed the Council on regular agenda items prior to the meeting.
• Public Hearing – Short-Term Rental (Item 26): Three residents spoke in strong opposition. Brady Barnett (2514 Canterbury Drive) cited concerns over increased traffic, noise, security, and a lack of vetting of guests. Johnny Fuentes (2512 Gantry Bay Drive) reported specific incidents of excessive noise, marijuana smoke, and safety hazards (broken fence, accessible hot tub) during prior rentals. Conchita Delgado Timmy (neighbor for 25 years) questioned the property manager’s absentee ownership, lack of a local call center for complaints, and the transient nature of guests impacting neighborhood peace.
• Public Hearing – Arcade (Item 27): No members of the public spoke on the Kiddleton Arcade request.
• Public Forum (Item 28): No members of the public spoke on non-agenda items.

Discussion Items

• Information Technology Project Updates (Worksession): CIO Chris Chiancone provided an update on numerous IT projects. Highlights included the status of the fiber network project (41 leased sites, 20-year term), the mobile app proof-of-concept, and a live demonstration of the “Carrie” chatbot and voicebot. The demonstration illustrated the chatbot’s ability to schedule utility appointments, handle misspellings, and its self-learning capabilities. Discussions covered scalability, third-party security reviews, and integration with Waze and other city systems.
• Community Funding Policy (Worksession): The Community Funding Committee recommended formalizing how in-kind facility rental waivers are granted for grant recipients. The Council reached consensus that the Historic Downtown Carrollton Association will receive one 8-hour gazebo rental waiver for 2025, and other applicants will receive one standard business-hours space rental waiver per year.
• Public Hearing – Short-Term Rental (Item 26, 2510 Canterbury Drive): Planning Manager Loren Shapiro presented the case. Staff recommended approval with stipulations, but the Planning & Zoning Commission had recommended denial. The property is near a school and had received noise complaints. Mayor Babick noted that a supermajority (6 of 6 present) was required to override the Commission’s denial. Following public testimony, a motion to deny the request was made and seconded.
• Public Hearing – Kiddleton Arcade (Item 27, 2540 Old Denton Road): This standalone arcade (113 gaming stations) in the LR-2 district was presented with stipulated hours of 11:00 AM to 9:00 PM daily and a prohibition on alcohol. The Planning & Zoning Commission recommended approval. A motion to approve passed unanimously.

Key Outcomes

• Short-Term Rental Denied: The Special Use Permit for a short-term rental at 2510 Canterbury Drive was denied by a vote of 6-1 (Councilmember Fleming opposed).
• Kiddleton Arcade Approved: The Special Use Permit for the Kiddleton Arcade was unanimously approved.
• Consent Agenda Approved: All items on the Consent Agenda were approved with the stated stipulations, including the nomination of Mike Kennefer to the DCAD Board and the framework for the new Music Advisory Board.
• Proclamation: September 2024 was proclaimed “Live United Month” in Carrollton, with representatives from the United Way of Denton County present.