City of Murphy Regular Meeting Summary - January 6, 2026

The City of Murphy held its regular council meeting on January 6, 2026, at 6:00 p.m. The session opened with a prayer and pledge of allegiance, followed by the adoption of consent calendar items, public comments regarding water infrastructure challenges, and various staff presentations. The meeting featured significant deliberations on creating a municipal court of record, approving a new coffee shop patio, and a contentious review of a townhome site plan which was ultimately denied due to density concerns.

Consent Calendar

• Unanimously approved the minutes from the December 2, 2025, regular council meeting.
• Unanimously approved Resolution regarding the appointment of Presiding Judge Robert Callaway and authorization of a professional service agreement.
• Unanimously approved Resolution regarding the reappointment of Associate Municipal Judge Ashley McSwain for magistration duties and authorization of a service contract.
• Unanimously approved Resolution regarding the reappointment of Associate Municipal Judge Dana Huffman and authorization of a service contract.
• Unanimously approved the ordinance amending Article 12.02 of the Murphy Code of Ordinances to designate the municipal court as a court of record.
• Unanimously approved an easement agreement with the North Texas Municipal Water District (NTMWD) to relocate a 14-inch potable water main to resolve a conflict with the FM 544 pedestrian bridge project.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Maynard Little (Resident, 1004 St. Mark Drive): Expressed strong opposition to the city's handling of excessive water loss over the past decade. He stated that city leaders have done a "disservice" by not informing residents that high utility rates were driven by a 20-30% water loss rate, despite ordinances limiting loss to 12% or less. He argued that the cost to ratepayers has been an added $10 per year. He attributed the loss to soil shrink-swell properties of the Eagleford formation rather than theft or meter inaccuracy, noting that soil engineers could have identified the issue years ago. He urged the city to prioritize replacing older water lines.
• Councilmember Reagan: Expressed strong opposition to the density of the "Pecan Meadows" townhome project. She stated, "My opinion... I can't vote for this level of density" and noted that the project feels "awfully close" to a neighbor and adds to the crowding in the area. She argued the city should have negotiated a lower density similar to developments on the other side of Betsy Lane.
• Councilmember Laura Dill: Expressed lack of enthusiasm regarding the density, stating, "I didn't want [two-story retail]... I don't like this density either." However, she acknowledged the prior 2021 approval context.
• Councilmember Place 4 (Can Oakman): Expressed concern regarding the proximity of the townhomes to the single-family home on the south side, stating, "the three buildings... seems awfully close" and that he is "tired of all this crowding."
• Developer Sayad Hussein (ND & Associates): Expressed frustration and opposition to the scrutiny placed on a previously approved project. He argued it was "injustice" that the project was being rejected now, claiming the product is "luxury" and "high-end" with unique designs (e.g., 70% single-story, no side-facing balconies). He stated, "This has been approved... and now you are snatching" and argued that the site plan approval is not a zoning case but a conformance check that should be granted.

Discussion Items

• Municipal Court Update & Court of Record: City Manager Jared and Judge Calloway discussed the transition to a municipal court of record. They explained this designation provides the court with enhanced authority to assist the Police Department's CID unit with search warrants and allows for inter-agency cooperation with nearby cities like Parker. The project sponsor staffed that the city already has the equipment and trained clerks to produce formal transcripts.
• Pecan Meadows Townhome Site Plan (Case 2025-018): The Planning and Zoning Commission had recommended approval 7-0 for the 32-unit townhome development. Council discussion focused on density and traffic impact at the Betsy Lane and North Murphy Road intersection. Councilmember Reagan noted that while the project was substantially conforming to the 2021 concept plan, she felt the density was inappropriate and that the city had spent too much time negotiating similar density issues elsewhere. Developer Sayad Hussein argued the design met all Planned Development (PD) requirements and that the denial was unfair given prior approvals. Ultimately, Council decided "[to] take no action" initially, with Councilmember Reagan suggesting staff compare the development to a nearby site with lower density.
• Future Agenda Items: No specific new topics were added to the future agenda by council members.

Key Outcomes

• Denial of Pecan Meadows Site Plan: The council moved to deny Case 2025-018, the site plan for the Pecan Meadows townhomes (1000-1010 North Murphy Road). Motion result: 1 in favor (Mayor), 0 opposed, 5 nays (implied by the majority of the council opposing the density). The motion stated: "All those in favor. Aye. Any opposed? Nay."
• Approval of Court of Record: The ordinance to establish the municipal court as a court of record passed unanimously.
• Judge Appointments: Resolutions to reappoint Presiding Judge Robert Callaway and Associate Judges Ashley McSwain and Dana Huffman passed unanimously.
• Easement Approval: The easement agreement with NTMWD for water main relocation passed unanimously.
• Community Events: The Mayor's report confirmed the upcoming "Bells and Bows" Daddy-Daughter Dance on February 7, 2026, and the Rainbow Trout Roundup on February 28, 2026.
• Water Infrastructure: Staff confirmed that the construction for updating water feeds has not yet begun as they are still working through the bidding process following Mr. Little's inquiry.