that people recognize when it is that they make application
to the community, that the community is responding to them
to say that yes, we have this, hi, this is who I am
and this is how I'm going to provide service to you
and set expectations very early in the model rather
than just a submittal that ends into a void that they may
hear
from somebody in 30 days or two weeks.
We're going to respond in very short order.
And again, as I indicated, problem solving is a big piece
in this that we have a current development code
that has existed for a number of years.
We've modified as time has gone on.
But it really is a prescriptive code that attempts
to make all items fit into the same square peg
and not all development, especially as we evolve,
doesn't fit into that same box.
So we're in the development world.
Overall, our responsibility is sustainability.
So how it is that we partner that sustainability
with life safety.
We know that we have to have a vibrant community.
Development services, code enforcement really is
that best tool for economic development.
And we know that if we provide an environment
that is business friendly, that is safe and that is built
for long term, that we have a community that people desire
to move to, live in and develop in.
And that's where we go.
And that's through proper planning,
ensuring that the infrastructure is adequate,
that we plan infrastructure for where it is
that development is seeking to go so that we partner
with that long term plan, our Denton 2030 plan,
along with what the development needs are to make sure
that we're putting infrastructure appropriately
in planning that.
That our zoning is really looking
at those development trends.
How our community developments,
how it is that we maintain some of those portions of the
city,
whether it's historic or just our community flavor in each
of the different parts of our community and overall
in the character that we wish to portray.
Managing the construction, how it is
that whether we have aesthetic provisions within the code,
how our community looks, how it looks from the interstate,
what makes it desirable, our gateways and making sure
that we're maintaining what we have.
So regulatory strategies that are aligned with the 2030
plan
and regulatory strategies that really focus on the future
of Denton and how we develop Denton.
And throughout that we have to manage our resources.
And whether it's our tree code or historic preservation,
you know, the environmentally sensitive areas, all of the
pieces
and components that make our community what it is have
to be managed.
So we're going to make sure the resources
that we have here including the people in our universities
to make sure that long term that Denton is the place
that people choose to be and choose to develop.
The purpose in development services and the concept
of a one stop shop is really to expedite
and have safe responsible development
within our city limits and even in some of those areas
of our ETJ as the city grows.
We have to do that first by listening to our customers.
We have to understand our customers' needs.
We have to understand their perspective and try to balance
that with what the code or what our obligations
and responsibilities are as local government.
We're in the process
of transforming how we conduct business.
We're in the middle of a development code update
which I'll speak to in just a little bit.
But really we're transforming a culture,
a culture of how we do business, the best way to do
business
and how to partner with those doing business in the city
of Denton and balancing that with our citizens
and the desires of our community to grow overall.
We are focused on best practices.
I think in many areas we're looking to get
to contemporary practices.
So some of the processes that we have today truly can be
called
outdated, antiquated.
So we're looking to get to contemporary practices.
And if we can get to a place of contemporary practices all
the while we're looking at best practices in any area that
we
can to provide the best
or a world class service here in Denton.
We want to be that place that people are looking
at us to develop in.
And part of that is that, you know, we started by re
thinking
and I just have an example and you can't see too many
of the boxes and that's less important as much
as it is looking at a customer perspective.
What we have today is we have a very bureaucratic hierarch
ical
or what we've had is a hierarchical organizational
chart which really silos our business units.
So each of our business units would operate independently.
They'd have to go up through a process of talking
to their supervisor, talking to a different person
in a leadership role which stifled the ability
to get business done promptly.
And so we're flattening the organization more,
flattening development services so that we have the teams
that are working more closely together
and more across lines instead of up through channels.
And that's been very useful thus far and we're going to
continue
to improve on doing that to promote
that excellence of service delivery.
You know, our number one goal is to make life easier
for our customers and our customers
as I explained a very diverse group really is anybody
that we interact with and we interact
with just about anybody possible.
It is those that live, work, play, visit Denton is impacted
by development services and so we want to make life easier
for all of our customers.
We are taking radical steps in training staff.
We're building a foundation and taking just the basic
premise
of having that foundation like you build a building,
having a stable foundation to build staff upon
and then focusing on areas of expertise.
So those subject matter experts whether it's in planning
or engineering or building inspection, fire inspection,
that they've got the technical competencies to do their job
but really starting with the very basics of customer
service
and a practical approach to why we are civil servants
and why it is that we're here to do the work that we do.
And so we've taken a number of steps.
We continue to do that.
We're launching some internal online training
that supports our staff and some succession planning
and growing leaders, individual leaders and collectively
across the department and other departments.
We're working very hard to eliminate barriers citywide.
So where it is that departments may have operated in the
past,
our city manager has made a significant number of changes
in departmental structures and as those changes happen,
I'm reinforcing the fact that we all wear the same badge
which indicates that we work for the city of Denton.
My badge doesn't necessarily delineate that I work
in a particular department.
It may have my title on there but it does say that I work
for the city of Denton and so if we have a philosophy
that we all are employees of the city of Denton,
we have a common mission and a goal rather than it's my job
is
just this, our job is to serve our citizens,
our constituents and those customers.
We're simplifying processes.
We're making them much more simple, much more clear,
eliminating the bureaucratic components to that where it is
that somebody should be able to see
and understand what steps need to be taken
and then also be able to see
and understand the steps are being taken behind the scenes.
So again, making things more predictable and consistent
as a big piece of this is within the development code,
rewriting the development code and making certain
that that's clear and concise rather than having to go
to multiple different sections or different standards
that reference-- are referenced within the code.
We've taken steps and continue to take steps and we'll
continue
to be on a path of continuous improvement
with communication that, you know, the number one problem
in just about any organization whether it's public
or private is communication.
So communicating internally across our teams,
communicating to our customers, A, what we're trying to do,
B, what we're doing and C, the mission or where we're
trying
to go, the vision of the city of Denton.
And within that is improving response times.
So where we make this more predictable is people can
anticipate what's supposed to happen when which ties
into an accountability component for staff
that staff is ultimately being held accountable
for their actions, that their timelines are being held true
.
And we're also broaching into the community
that our developers, our contractors are also accountable
for their timelines and we're going to make certain
that that's transparent.
We've typically communicated with the applicant
or we're dealing with a contractor or developer
and then the owner is upset because the process is taking
so long and, you know, their applicant
or their contractors indicating, well,
we're waiting on the city.
We don't have a defense to that
because we're not communicating with them.
So to the future, we're going to communicate with the
applicant,
the contractor and the owner.
We're going to communicate with all parties
so that they can see and understand what the process is,
that they know that we've received the application,
that they expect to get a response within a week.
They get that response within a week.
They're going to get copied on the response.
And then we're waiting on the applicant or that contractor
to provide those responses.
And many times there's a gap there, not to say
that city is not responsible
but the contractor has equal responsibility
but the city is always taking the brunt of that.
That's that piece, that part to transparency to where it is
that we can be more effective
in communicating what we're doing, how we're doing it
and holding all people accountable within this process.
And again, the development code is the place that we start
to refine and improve service delivery.
This has been a cultural change and it continues
to be a cultural change.
And that cultural change comes
from the city manager's office, council direction.
They've provided us with very clear guidance on what needs
to happen and where we need to go.
And I'm merely a tool in that.
That vision has been laid out.
The expectations are very clear and now we're delivering
that.
We have the support to do the work that we need to do.
We've got staff that are very capable of doing it.
They've not been empowered to do the work.
And we're empowering staff, training staff
and encouraging them to go out and do the work
that we need done.
We're working to build trust and trust both internally
and externally.
I think that with a lack of communication,
a lack of transparency, you have distrust.
And when you have that distrust, then it's very hard for
people
to take risks or to get out there
or to communicate as effectively as they could.
And so we're working very hard to stand behind what it is
that we're saying and do the things
that we're promising to do.
And so we're working to do that and that's a huge part
of this cultural change is to make certain--
all of our constituents and our customers have, you know,
a very good understanding of why we're doing what we're
doing.
And again, it's reinforcing the fact.
Again, if we empower our staff to be able
to make those decisions, we empower them
at the lowest level possible that rather than it going
up to that bureaucratic channel that staff are trained,
they feel comfortable, they have trust to be able
to make a decision that their leadership is going
to stand behind them, that they're confident to do that,
that will expedite the service delivery, expedite our
ability
to be able to develop Denton and make Denton the community
that people choose to develop in.
And then we're in turn more selective
on what developments we're doing
and how we're doing those developments.
We've done some things in short order where it is
that we've required plans and I won't get
into too much detail on how we do the plats,
replats, site plans, submittals.
But the bottom line is that typically
to the past we've required somebody to resubmit when it is
that drawings didn't necessarily meet our specifications.
And we're focused more on now redlining those plans,
meaning that we can mark on the plans where it is
that there's a problem, an area we can give the plans back
with a conditional approval.
So if in fact you understand you can't drain water
onto an adjacent property, if all of the provisions are
there,
except for there's an area that may not be clear,
we just clearly indicate you may not drain water
at that particular point.
We give the plans back.
They've been told we go out, we perform inspections as long
as they have complied with that.
We'll get an as-built set of plans in the very end.
And of course the intent of the code is met.
We've not violated any law and we've expedited
that service delivery.
We're certainly attempting
to provide all the resources we can
that promotes responsible development.
And that is the tools and the vehicles that--
where it is that we can make the code work in favor
of those attempting to do.
So it's clear, concise.
It ultimately gets the vision of what it is
that city management and council is achieving
without creating extra steps or burdensome steps.
So those resources are in play and will be a part
of the development code as that comes to be.
The actions that we've taken so far, I've touched on some
of that already.
We've reorganized the processes, whether it's a pre-develop
ment,
a site plan, construction plans, rather than asking
for specifications on drawings that, you know,
we're getting an indication
that the specifications meet our criteria manuals.
If in fact they do, then we'll prove that up at point
of inspection and if it doesn't, then again,
that accountability goes back to the contractor that, you
know,
he made that statement that it does comply
with our development standards.
They have the development standards and let's get it right.
I'm a big advocate of challenging why we're doing the
things that we're doing.
And so the first thing that I say is
when you can't answer the question why we're doing it,
then we shouldn't be doing it.
If you can't prove to me that we should be doing it,
then we shouldn't be doing it.
So it's got to be founded in the basis of something.
We can't do it because I was taught that's how we do it.
We can't do it because we think it's good.
We make a lot of recommendations and a lot of suggestions
and that's not our role.
That's for the policy makers.
For us, we have guidance.
It's very clear.
It's concise.
It either complies with the code or it does not.
So we need to be doing what the requirements of the code
are.
We need to clearly understand the intent of the code
and that's what we have to communicate to our customers.
As indicated, you know, the staff training is a huge piece
in that empowering them to be able to make those decisions
and to clearly communicate and articulate the intent
of why we have these provisions within our rules.
Oh, this is unusual.
I had to do it with an Adobe document and I apologize.
So some of the other actions is we've moved the city
engineer
into development services as a-- just a partner.
The city engineer is housed
over in development services two days a week
so he can be more actively involved with his staff,
train his staff and make sure that we can, again,
make those decisions when we have the decision makers
at the table rather than having someone that can ask a
question
but can't provide an answer.
So when we have engineering staff that's not empowered
to make a decision, we've then lengthened the process.
So I just left a meeting that I came to this meeting
and in that meeting then we were able to make the decisions
at the table and that's the model
that we're looking to do is do that and that's
through partnerships of another department being
at the same table at the same time.
That's eliminating those silos.
It's ending that bureaucratic process that we all work
for the city of Denton and that we're working to make sure
that we have responsible development.
As I indicated earlier, we are contacting all applicants
within 48 hours of submittal to say, you know, hi, I'm
Scott.
I'm your project manager on this.
I'll be your primary point of contact.
Here's my email, here's my phone number.
If you have any questions, let me know.
It's anticipated we'll have a completeness review performed
within three days.
We'll have the site plan review conducted within seven,
you know, so on and so forth.
And so then we've set the expectation for the customer.
They know what's anticipated.
We're also going to provide such information as, you know,
we understand how many cases are coming before us.
We've been busy clearing out a backlog but we're
to the future going to schedule very clearly how many items
are
going to go to P and Z, how many items are going to go to
council
and we're going to balance that and we're going to indicate
to the customer this is where we're at,
this is where the timeframe is so that we're not inundating
council with a barrage of requests all at the same time
because of lack of planning or lack of proper preparation.
You know, again, we've eliminated the requirement
for specifications on the plans.
We don't need to know what color a valve is.
We don't need to know what brand the valve is.
We need to know if it meets our criteria manual.
So if it meets our criteria manual, we're going
to approve the plan without seeing what color it is
or what brand it is.
The inspector's responsibility is to go out there and
verify
that the type of valve they use does comply
with the criteria manual, just that simple.
We're utilizing-- in the process of utilizing email
for our submittals, we use a couple
of different software solutions currently.
We've gotten a lot of feedback that that software is
problematic
for a first-time user or those not familiar with the
process.
So we're just going to simplify the fact that we're going
to have a PDF version of their plan submitted to us.
We can look at all of the concepts,
where the plans are at and what we need from those plans.
And by virtue of that, then provide comments in Adobe
and then return it to the customer.
And then when we get to a point where we have more detailed
or more comprehensive drawings,
then we can have those submitted formally through a
software solution.
We have sent a comprehensive operational survey
to 27 other municipalities.
We've received that feedback.
We're in the process of mining that data to see, you know,
what our sister communities are doing.
So we can, again, borrow those best practices, find ways
to enhance the service deliver we have
without recreating the wheel.
Those that are doing it and doing it well, we want to
replicate
that work where we can.
So our next steps, along with the development code,
is that once we refine all of our processes,
we have a new development code in place.
We're going to make improvements to our software solution,
our technology, and we'll put an RFP out to say, you know,
here's what we're looking at.
We may stay with the same software provider
that we have today.
We may look at another software provider.
What we want to do is create that ease and convenience
for our customers to be able to access information,
make application, and, you know,
seek to get what it is that they need any time
that they can get it.
We're in the midst of the development of our mission,
vision, and values, including staff in this, that, you know
,
how we tie into Denton's mission, vision, and values,
how each of them individually roll up into a much broader
piece rather than the individual technical skills that they
have
and where they feel that they fit in their organization.
We want to make sure that they understand that we,
as the city of Denton, have one mission, one vision,
one set of values that we're all going to strive for.
I mentioned accountability.
We are holding people accountable.
We will continue to hold people accountable.
And that's both inside and outside of the organization.
We're working very hard to garner community input.
We have a consultant that we're working
with on the development code update.
They had hosted a number of public meetings and some one
on ones to garner input from our stakeholders, citizens,
our community leaders, developers, business owners,
and we're going to continue to do that.
We expect to have that first public draft in mid-December,
or excuse me, January, late January, mid-February,
that we're going to roll out in a very comprehensive way
so we can get feedback from our entire community on those
pieces
that will drive the future of Denton and where we go.
I mentioned to you continuous improvement is a core value
for the department.
We cannot go through a process and say we're now the best
and we'll just stay here.
We're going to look to be the best and we're going to
continue
to try to maintain that status by virtue
of just continually improving everything
in every way we can, all in little bites,
all in little bites.
We're working to expand our collaboration
with our local stakeholders, our citizens,
and making certain that the things that we're doing align
with what it's important to our community
and to our developers that are looking at our community.
And ultimately, our communication and education,
internally and externally.
We want to make sure that our constituents are informed
and knowledgeable and that we partner with some
of our community organizations to be, you know,
just more in front of the community, out in the community,
and participating at community events
where we can show the benefits of development services,
not as that barrier to what we do, but how it is that we
help
to make Denton a better place to live.
We've started.
We're there.
We've been working at it.
We're going to continue to refine those pieces,
just as I say, continuous improvement
as we see change needs to be made.
We're not making it for the sake of change.
We want stability.
We want stability in the department.
We want stability for staff and we want stability
for our customers to know that we're not
in a constant state of evolution.
But we ultimately have to make changes in order
to implement the best practices.
We've done a lot of that thus far.
I think we'll still have some as we refine the processes
and seek to enhance the service delivery.
We've taken care of training and training is ongoing.
But we can't stop training.
We won't stop training.
We're improving our review times and there's a continuous
effort
on the fact of how it is that we can continue to refine
that.
Our site plan application, we've ultimately reduced that
already
to a simple one page document that gives us a good concept
of where things are at, not those construction drawings.
The construction drawings then provide us the details
when we're a little further down the line.
But we want our developers to be able to go out and say,
this site plan is approved.
I can get my financing.
I can move forward.
All of those next steps rather than having to design all
of the infrastructure components that they know are
required.
We're telling them are required.
They have all of the specifications
of what they need to do.
They can figure out that math for themselves.
We don't need to approve those drawings yet.
We just need to make sure that the character of the project
that they're looking to develop meets A, our zoning,
B, what our community is looking for
and ultimately the development code.
We're still in the process of refining our applications.
Simplifying those, we're very close to a single application
for all building permits.
We have a new application for all of our planning events.
And again, as we talk about the communication component
that we're going to be notifying the applicant, the
developer
and the property owner that's on the application.
We're gathering the data for email, phone and physical mail
so that we can communicate in all three of those vehicles.
The development code, I spoke briefly on the fact
that that is in play.
We have taken that fresh approach.
We have module one which is the zoning districts.
That work is mostly done.
We've got some other areas that we're working within that
with some small area plans and some overlays that we're
going
to make sure that we're accounting
for our historic districts and how it is that we look
at that planning, making sure that it aligns
with our mobility plan.
And-- But the bulk of that work is completed.
The next couple of modules that we're focused
on today is the administration and procedures.
And that's going to be that fresh perspective
that you'll see end of January, beginning of February.
That will be an online document as well as email to a large
group
that we've been working with as far as our development,
engineering, design professional community and I'm certain
in a number of boards and commissions.
Within that, we will have those processes mapped out.
It will be a clear concise way to see the steps
that are necessary for development
within the community.
And it gets rid of, again, where the requirements
for specifications and particulars
that typically have bogged down or slowed
down a project unnecessarily.
We anticipate that we're going
to have the development code completed,
building season of 2018.
So it means hopefully May, we will have
that development code before our governing body looking
for that approval so that we can turn the page
in the development code and start to really, you know,
make the changes that are necessary
in other areas of the organization.
Again, our focus is being business friendly.
We're going to balance common sense with code sense,
that intent behind why it is that we have a set of codes,
how those codes play into development, how it is
that it works to protect the health, welfare and safety
of our citizens and those that, you know, visit or choose
to develop here in our community.
We want that ease of access for all, all those customers
that I spoke to earlier, that they're able to get
to the information that they want
when they want to get to it.
I think we can continue to improve accessibility
and transparency within that.
And we'll do that through the use of technology and, you
know,
ultimately just through someone's phone.
Questions of me?
>> All right, anybody have any questions or comments?
Katie?
>> I don't really have a question.
I just wanted to say that it's no secret
that this is the department that needed a lot of work.
And I appreciate all that you've done.
And I've already seen progress in the way
that you have responded to the citizens who have reached
out to me with issues or questions.
And so I wanted to thank you for that.
>> Thank you.
It's my pleasure, truly.
>> The part that I focused
on was the common sense part that's in there.
It seems like we've been missing that.
And I know, I would assume people are skeptical
because we've heard all this for years.
And it does seem like we're making some progress.
I ran into somebody in the hall earlier
that said they're seeing the results.
So it doesn't always mean
that developers get the answer they want.
Sometimes it's how you deliver that
and how you can offer a solution that maybe works
for both sides is all that matters.
And if we can have a reputation that we're here to help
folks,
that's important to economic development because those
of these projects that come through there go
through this department.
And it looks like we're on the right track.
>> Mark.
>> Yes, sir.
Jim.
>> Scott, right after Todd got to town, he engaged a
consultant
to come in and talk to stakeholders
about the development and the permitting process.
How much of that consultant report have you been able
to integrate into the changes?
>> A great deal.
Actually, there were two different consultant reports,
really three that were a basis for a number
of the things that I've done.
And yeah, it was really Todd's work that set the tone
as I indicated earlier.
I was provided very clear direction and expectations.
And off that would be the three consulting firms that
looked
at different parts of the development services.
And I would say that we're probably better than 80%
of what those recommendations were that were in the process
of if not fully adhering to.
So a lot of--
>> There were a ton of great ideas.
And again, when you employ specialists to look at
and evaluate, you'd be a fool not to take that advice.
And I think it's just merely tempering
that with the uniqueness of a community and making sure
that it's not too much too fast.
>> Change is hard in any organization.
How has the folks down at development services taken this
change because they were pretty--
some of them were pretty ingrained
in the old way of doing things?
>> I was very apprehensive about that.
I was very concerned with that.
And I just had a conversation with staff this morning.
And I couldn't be happier with the willingness, the
openness,
the desire to implement change.
I think the difference in the ingrained is been the silos.
I think the city manager has done a fabulous job of helping
to eliminate or lose those barriers.
And there's a lot of talented staff at the city.
And the staff have always, I think, just been put
into a position, this is your job and continue
to do your job, they've done it well.
I think it's been the lack of empowerment for them to be
able
to spread their wings a little bit and try
to look a little broader.
So to answer that specifically,
staff has been very cooperative, even energized by the fact
of the change, I've met little to no resistance
in any area in the organization.
So we are making so many changes that are very small
that most people wouldn't recognize.
But for staff, it's been very enlightening for them
and again, empowering, they appreciate it.
>> John?
>> John Baines.
Thank you for your presentation.
>> Thank you.
>> I wanted to ask a question.
Now that you've rolled out this plan of action,
what is the timetable for evaluating yourself?
>> We're our own worst critics.
So I evaluate myself, I think probably daily.
When I leave work, what did I accomplish today?
And there are so many days that I feel
like I didn't do anything because I had an agenda
that I set first thing in the morning and I didn't follow
that because there are so many different squirrels
that kind of run across my paths.
That's really I think my boss's responsibility to evaluate
me.
I'm very hard on myself and I have high expectations
of what it is that I'm attempting to deliver.
I think with the support of staff,
I've actually accomplished more than I intended
and I'm incredibly aggressive in the things
that I attempt to accomplish.
So for me to evaluate myself or win,
I haven't completed a business plan.
My role has been pretty unique since I've been here.
And I started with a business plan
so I understood my short, mid and long term goals.
Today I've probably for the past 90 days been in really
in a crisis management role.
And just to be honest, it's just really where I've been.
And I think over the course of the next 90 days,
I'll be very busy with the development code.
But it will be more of a framework
where I can really evaluate what those changes look like.
Right now they're very small successes
that I'm very happy with and probably more small successes
than I anticipated having.
And that may not have answered.
>> Having been involved in the business arena for over 30
years
and having had a lot of feedback on activities
from contractors and developers, there is a perception
there
about the city of Denton and doing business with the city.
And now that we've rolled out these changes,
I would think you'd probably want to take a hard look maybe
at four months, six months after you've had a chance to
really--
I mean because a lot of these things are ingrained
in the culture and are not removed that easily.
I think the plan is great.
I would just like to hear from those that are directly
affected
and perhaps you can kind of give us some feedback and even
ask
for it from, you know, folks and so
that we could have some record of their perception
of how things have gone.
>> And I may have misunderstood your question.
Let me step back a little bit.
We have-- we've already conducted an internal survey
so of our staff so we can establish benchmarks.
>> Yes.
>> And so we've done that with staff.
We're in the process of developing an external.
And it's very challenging to do because again,
where we've had a number of changes over the course
of the past couple of years is trying to establish
that place or that benchmark.
It was challenging enough to do with staff but we did
that two and a half months ago.
So in the next couple of weeks, we're going to roll
out another one and we're going to stay on that path
so we understand those benchmarks internally.
How are we doing-- how are we doing in our service delivery
?
Like I say, we're in the process of developing an external
and then that's going to be tied to all of our employees'
email
so that external component when they're delivering
something
that it's asking for that survey to be filled out
so we can constantly monitor.
Second piece to that is with each building permit is
attaching
with that certificate of occupancy just a very brief
survey to say how did we do, who do you interact with,
how was the service delivery.
So we have some of that but along those lines,
we are looking at making sure that we're getting feedback
from those customers to understand how we're doing.
>> Thank you.
>> I think Gerard had some questions.
>> Yes sir.
>> Thank you Scott.
My question would be on the reporting back,
so the 48 hour mark and then the--
I think you said seven day follow up or contact.
Are those industry standard or can you just kind of walk me
through those expectations, are they consistent?
I'm just curious how you arrived at those and are they--
will your customers experience similar or used
to similar experience response times just trying to
understand
that the kind of the supporting I guess math if you will
or just kind of how you arrived at those benchmarks
or opportunities to follow up or commitments,
that sort of thing?
>> Multifaceted.
So I'll start with the 48 hours.
The 48 hours is a little more liberal than what I want.
I want a 24 hour response but again
with change is trying to evolve into that.
So the expectation of having a first contact made from the
city
to the applicant rather than the applicant submitting
and not hearing anything until they get comments,
that's that first step.
So within 48 hours that we make contact
to say I'm the person that you need to contact
if you have any questions, I'm assigned this project
and then the expectations are based on the type
of application that's being made and that's really set
through in many instances state statute.
So we have some limitations on some of the components
of where it is that we have to have comments back.
In other areas it is what is that time that is really
required
to perform whatever the review might be.
There's a lot of difference between a completeness review
and an actual review of a site plan
versus construction drawings.
And so each of those dates are driven truly from--
each of the dates short of the 48 are driven from a
standpoint
of a statute or truly a practical--
the practical ability to perform the work.
The first step is just that of attempting to be more
proactive
in making contact and making sure that our customers know
who it is that they can contact if they have a question
and setting the expectations.
So some of those will be windows.
So you can anticipate there are five projects in front of
you.
We should begin the review within seven days.
We may take, you know, 15 days
and then the review will take this much time.
So again, giving them some windows of opportunity
to better understand rather than today or to the past,
the model has been that you make application and you'll
hear
from somebody when you hear from them,
if that answers that for you.
>> Yes, thank you.
>> Martin.
>> Yes, Jim.
>> Scott, have you been in contact with [inaudible]
and the development community alliance?
>> I met with that group week one or week two
since I was here and I just left a meeting with him.
>> Okay. Because you could probably get some really good
feedback on how you're doing from that group
because they are key in development.
>> And he's provided positive feedback thus far
so I feel good about it.
If I were to quote or attempt to quote Lee today,
he can already hear or feel the diminishing of that
organization.
>> One other question.
Historically, the practice has been
that within the first 10 days to get comments back,
sometimes you get comments that aren't applicable
to the project itself, have no bearing on it whatsoever,
which is a clear indication some of our minds is
that somebody didn't look at it.
They just sent something out to get it off their desk
and meet the 10-day commitment.
And then the other thing that happens historically is once
you
do your resubmittal and answer all of those comments,
then you get comments back from a section
that had already been reviewed that now somebody's coming
back
with additional comments and puts it out another 10 days.
Have you heard that?
>> I can't count how many times.
>> Okay. Nevermind.
>> I will say, well, and so that's --
but that's another one of those changes
that really is challenging to measure or to evaluate.
But I will say, really, we're giving everyone
that one bite at the apple.
You've got your opportunity.
Make your comments.
We are not accepting suggestions,
recommendations I would like to see.
It's going to be on the basis of code.
You best have a code section to support what it is
that you're indicating on that comment.
Then when it is that if it is a second submittal,
when we get that resubmittal, you're looking
at from the comment standpoint.
You're not looking at the rest of the plan.
If you miss something, shame on you as the reviewer.
If it isn't going to cause a health safety issue,
if it isn't catastrophic to our infrastructure,
we're not going to go back after that.
And we're certainly not doing that on a third review.
And so we're minimizing the number of reviews
and holding people accountable to ensure that the quality
of the review is conducted right the first time.
And again, no more editorials either.
>> Okay. Good luck.
>> Thank you.
>> You'll get feedback.
>> Hi. Jill Jester.
First of all, thank you.
I thought it was a great presentation
and it's very refreshing.
I think just kudos all the way around is what I'm hearing.
And thank you for tackling what has been going on here
for decades and decades, at least the reputation.
So thank you so much.
I wanted to know who is leading the development code
rewrite
and do you know anything about the --
I don't know if it's you or someone else,
but their background with development codes.
Who is it that's kind of the lead on the right?
>> Us. So it's a group.
I'm responsible and accountable
for the development code rewrite.
We have contracted with Clarion and Associates.
They are out of Colorado.
That's what they specialize in.
We've been working with them for a number of years.
They came forward a couple of months ago
with a partial rewrite.
We've asked them to go back to the table and to clean it up
.
So we're taking a fresh approach and so again, I'm
responsible
but I'm only one piece of a much larger pie.
And so our planning director, our utilities director,
our city engineer, our capital,
all of us will have an integral part and a critical part to
this.
City manager is -- reinforced the fact that all
of the departments will look at this very closely.
It's a priority for the city and so it's no one person.
>> Got one more quick question.
You talked about some of the like radical steps you're
taking
and different training.
Specifically, are we talking about customer service
or operational or the technical aspects?
What kind of training are you implementing
or planning to implement?
>> Everything.
So I guess in simplest, so we have some new employees
that have started.
We've launched an element -- a learning management system
which is an online solution.
They're taking government 101, customer service, ethics,
diversity, the city offers those programs
but we're augmenting that.
We're working with our library
and we're teaching Microsoft basic Excel outlook.
So employees have the very basic tools to be able
to do their job more effectively and again,
communicate with our outside constituents.
And so we're creating that foundation for all employees
and then we're looking at each of the technical
or subject matter expert areas
and then we're giving them specific training
for those components.
We've brought in a couple different trainers
on technical components.
We are working with CGA to do training on planning.
We've had the Plumbing Heating Cooling Contractors
Association
come in for plumbing inspectors.
We're using SGR as a component of this.
So we have -- it's multifaceted and we're doing it
on every front in small bite-sized pieces.
>> That sounds great and amazing in the timeframe
that you've had to put all this together.
Thank you again.
>> Thank you.
>> Chuck?
>> Chuck Parkender, Dent Chamber of Commerce.
Thank you for doing this.
Marty and I hosted 18 months worth
of Development Code Review meetings in 1999,
which may be the problem with what you're doing.
But I remember there were multiple meetings
where the discussion would say is this ordinance
or is this policy?
And so you mentioned two things that you're probably now
hearing
in terms of examples in dealing with Lee.
And by the way, Lee's on our board
and we will be hosting Fire Marshal Brad Layhart right
after the first of the week -- a month.
And he mentioned how he's working with you.
So thank you very much.
But the multiple contacts you talked about,
applicant, contractor, owner,
and then the red line plan release, is that procedure
or policy or is that ordinance?
In other words, are you doing that unencumbered
as an administrative decision or is that something that's
had
to be decided by --
>> That's the administration.
So that's policy.
And we're going to -- a couple of things that we're doing.
We provide informal staff reports to council.
And then we're memorializing those internally.
We're turning them into an interpretation, if you will.
And so then that way we have a policy document
or some guidance when it is
that staff may have the same question.
They've got a guide or a reference to go to.
When we talk about the code is going
to provide those administrative provisions where --
what authority the planning director has
or whatever body it is, what steps they're able
to take to clearly define this is the role.
This is where it is that it's going to go to a governing
body
where someone else is going to make the decision
or where staff is going to make the decision.
We're going to attempt to put everything into the code
from a performance standpoint rather
than a prescriptive standpoint.
Here's where we're trying to go.
And then within that, then we'll have some administrative
guidance
or policy documents and some of that might be similar
to a criteria manual for storm water or for streets.
That here's the criteria manual for planning and how we
work.
Another example of that would maybe better be our zoning
code
is very prescriptive -- or excuse me,
our landscape code is very prescriptive.
So we're in the process
of crafting a points-based landscape code.
Because not every part of town can we landscape the same
way,
but our code is very prescriptive.
Within that, the point system then is going to be evaluated
by staff where it's going to be a policy decision
that this actually meets the intent of the code.
The code has specified this is what you must do
and here's how you can meet that.
And then somebody ultimately has to interpret that data.
Does that help?
>> Yes, sir.
Thank you.
>> Any more questions or comments?
Some good questions and comments and great discussions.
Scott, I appreciate you being here today and good luck
with your endeavors.
>> Thank you.
Thank you for the opportunity.
Glad to be here and again, if anybody has any questions
ever,
don't hesitate to contact me.
>> All right.
We do not have a closed session today, so we will move
into our regular meeting portion.
And our first item is to review item 17-067,
the minutes of our November 13, 2017 meeting
which were distributed in advance.
I'll take a motion or discussion.
>> So moved.
>> Second.
>> We have a motion by Mr. Baines and a second
by Mrs. Jester for approval of the minutes.
Any discussion?
All those in favor say aye.
>> Aye.
>> Any opposed?
Motion is approved unanimously.
And we will move next to staff reports.
Our first staff report is the chamber activity report.
Adam?
>> Thank you.
Hello everyone.
Staff report reporting on activity for the month of
November.
We had four new projects for the month bringing us to seven
total
for this fiscal year starting October 1st.
Project Kansas is a headquarters
and manufacturing operation looking for a 50-acre rail
service site.
Project Golan is looking for 60 to 100 acres to construct a
200
to 300,000 square foot facility with future expansion
into multiple buildings.
Project Conrad looking for 6 to 10 acres to build a 20
to 40,000 square foot warehouse.
And then Project Kilwin is looking for a 12
to 1500 square foot small retail shop to go right on the
square.
We had two site visits for the month.
Project Brentwood is a manufacturing project.
They are out of the Kansas City area looking for a 20
to 35-acre rail site to construct a 100,000 square foot
facility.
Project will be 50 new jobs.
The site visit was conducted on November 6th and we are
still
in follow-up process with that project.
The other one was Project Kansas.
That one is, as mentioned above, the headquarters
and manufacturing distribution project.
Looking for 20 to 35-acre rail site --
oh, I'm sorry, the 50-acre rail service site
to construct a 265,000 square foot facility.
It will be 100 new jobs.
The site visit was conducted on November 6th.
And we are also still in follow-up process with that one.
The consulting firm who brought in that company is bringing
in another company this Friday as well.
This consulting firm has, I guess, taken a liking
to our industrial areas and some of our industrial sites,
especially the rail service sites.
They work with a lot of manufacturing
and distribution food grade related projects.
So we're seeing a lot of activity from that particular
group.
Other activities, met with the Office of the Governor's
Office
of Economic Development and Tourism here in Denton.
They were on their way into Dallas and had never been
to Denton and I've had a good relationship with one of the
guys
from their office for about 10 years now.
So hosted them here in Denton.
Met with and presented an overview on Denton
to the European American Investment Council or EAIC
for short and a German delegation of aviation companies.
They all met in Fort Worth and they allowed about 10 of us,
10 DFW communities to come in and present our locations
to these companies that have expansion plans
into the DFW market.
And we're also making plans to meet them again
at a maintenance, repair,
and overhaul conference that's coming up in March.
Also that same group,
the European American Investment Council had their annual
conference in Frisco which Team Texas was a sponsor
and we attended with them as well.
I personally hosted a broker
from the Trans Westerns Dallas office
which is a global site selection firm.
Hosted them in Denton for an industrial tour and overview.
He was also interested in the industrial park
and the rail service sites.
We're having a lot of interest right now
on the rail service sites out there.
I don't know if that's mainly due to the product rail load
that's coming in and creating a lot of buzz
and things like that, but it's great for Denton.
Hosted another company representative from FCL Builders
in Denton for another industrial tour and overview.
Met with Paladin Partners, their industrial team
which is a Dallas based site selection firm
and presented our industrial sites for their client.
They are the ones who have presented us
with the project Conrad that I mentioned up above
on that report looking for the six to 10 acres to build a
20
to 40,000 square foot warehouse.
Next, also attended a DFW marketing team fam tour
where five global site selection firms were in attendance.
So we had the ability to go and meet with them and had
lunch.
We got to present our communities
to these five site selectors.
They were from all over the place.
One was from Chicago, one from Atlanta,
I think two from LA and one from New York.
Next, we hosted a private investors reception
at First State Bank.
So thank you Marty and his group for hosting us.
And I saw most of you there.
So thank you all for attending.
And then the other smaller items,
met with a small business development director
for some products that they're working on as well.
Met with private economic development investors.
This is our fundraising time of the year.
Now that the city budget was approved, now we have to go
and raise our private funding from the private investors.
So far we have had only one that has elected to not renew
and that's only because of a relocation which I can get
into at the next meeting once we have more details on that.
But other than that, it's looking good.
The funding is going to be well over our $70,000 mark
that we have to raise from the -- for the city contract.
Met with the marketing firm that's redoing the --
or redesigning the didn'tedp.com website.
Once again, that's not a full redesign.
It is a facelift.
So just refreshing things, new modules, new components,
upgraded building and site features
and things along those lines.
And last, attended a ribbon cutting and open house
for one of our private investors and chamber members.
Yes.
>> Carol.
>> Adam, when do you expect the refresh of the website
to be finished?
>> We are looking at the end of January.
>> Okay, great.
>> Okay. We're still working on that and going back there,
refreshing pictures and things like that.
It may be the first couple weeks of February,
but around that time frame.
>> Okay, thank you.
>> Sure.
>> Jim.
>> Adam, what about project railroad?
What are we at on that one?
>> Project railroad is still in the works.
The Razor Company has gone back and forth.
They have a contract in place.
It just has not been formally executed yet and signed off
on.
But the contract is there.
The Razor Company has reviewed their revisions
and now they're going back and forth.
So it could be, it's my understanding
that it could be any day now or a few more weeks.
>> Okay. Good.
>> Quick question.
>> Jill.
>> Jill Jester.
>> Yes, ma'am.
>> As far as having contacts with the Office of the
Governor
of Economic Development and Tourism in Denton,
I'm kind of new.
So tell me how they help us and how, I mean,
it sounds like an amazing contact.
Can you tell me a little bit about what they can do
to help us, what we can do to help them and how that--
>> Sure. A lot of larger companies and along
with global site selection firms will go to the state first
with their projects.
And so they'll issue an RFI or RFP to the state of Texas
in the governor's office out of Austin where they will in
turn,
send that out to all the communities of interest.
So they'll send it out to either the whole state or just DF
W
or just Houston or wherever that falls.
But they issue that RFI, then we respond.
The city handles the lead with the governor's office now
as of the new contract.
It's still good for us to market to them regardless of who
's
from Denton is marketing to them.
I've had a great relationship with them for 10 years now
in previous locations that I've worked in.
So it's great to have them here in Denton.
They had not been here before so they were passing through.
>> And did they make the decision as far as they get in,
you know, the contact or the questionnaire about, you know,
what in Texas would be appropriate for us
and the price and then the office of the governor's--
the governor's office at that point makes their
recommendations
and so is that kind of how it works?
>> Not exactly.
They-- when the company will come to them and say either we
want
to do a full statewide search and they might be looking
at other states too.
It could be, you know, five to 10 states.
But they want-- they come to Texas,
they want to do a statewide search.
So they'll issue that out
to every single economic development agency.
We respond with what we have available in terms
of real estate incentives and things like that.
So not all communities are going to be a good fit every
time.
Sometimes they just target the DFW Metroplex,
sometimes they'll target two or three areas.
We send those back-- they assemble a packet and send all
of those to the company.
So they're not biased towards one location.
>> They're more organizational versus recommending--
>> Correct.
>> -- the good fit for what they think would be--
>> They're all--
>> -- the future, et cetera, that--
>> They're more of a one-stop shop.
>> OK.
>> The state is so-- rather than a company having to come
to Denton,
Frisco, Round Rock, Georgetown, and Midland, you know,
they go to the state and the state can issue that RFI to
all
of us and then we respond with what are available sites
and incentives and things like that.
>> I appreciate your knowledge in this area.
>> No problem.
>> Thank you very much.
>> Sure.
>> Thank you.
>> John?
>> Adam, this is something for maybe perhaps a future
meeting.
>> Sure.
>> The secrets of closing the deal,
to me it's still kind of a black box.
I've been doing this committee for a couple of years now,
but maybe in a future presentation,
you could maybe bring us back, you know, the one,
two, threes of closing the deal.
I see these, but I'd like to kind of make sure it's more
than a black box to me.
I just kind of see a black box right now.
>> So--
>> Kind of the whole process from start to finish.
>> Sure, yeah, we can do that.
No problem.
>> Thank you.
>> Sure.
>> Anybody else have any questions or comments for Adam?
>> Thank you, Adam.
>> Thanks, Adam.
>> All right, thanks.
>> We have a stand report that's in the back,
which is our statistics for our city.
If you haven't, if you're not paying attention,
that is a lot of really great information on sales tax
and what's happening with development.
So take a look at that if you're not doing that.
Other than that, we're ready to come to our concluding
items.
Does anybody have anything to--
>> I have a question.
>> Yeah, Jim.
>> Caroline, what kind of activity have we had
from the Dallas Regional Chamber and from the governor's
office
as far as interest in Danton coming
into the city for responses?
>> So thanks for the question, Jim.
We're going to be adding an additional staff report
starting
in January so that you guys can see the monthly activity
that we're getting from the governor's office
of economic development in the Dallas Regional Chamber
to quickly answer your question.
The leads from the Dallas Regional Chamber
and the governor's office have decreased.
There's a little bit of a seasonal aspect to some of that.
And so around the holidays, those--
the RFPs that are issued tend to decrease.
But we'll be glad to include an annual review of what we've
taken
in and respond to or not for the next meeting.
And then we'll start with monthly reports.
So you'll be able to have that information.
>> So you're going back to last October?
>> Yes, sir.
>> Are these standard reports updated monthly
or is this quarterly?
>> No, they're updated monthly.
And the economic development staff works really hard.
We've been working with a lot of different departments
in the city to pull that together.
And it's a fantastic tool that we actually share a lot
with developers, folks who are interested
in locating in the community.
So it often answers every question
that they might have and more.
So it's great and it's available on the EDP website
and you can download it as a PDF.
So I do encourage people to use it
if it would be a handy tool for you.
>> I like it.
>> Thank you.
>> Mm-hmm.
>> Anything else to discuss?
>> I did want to make sure to mention for everybody
to hold the morning of January 11th
for the Mayor Council breakfast.
There'll be some invitations going out for that this week.
Is that correct?
Okay. So everybody will see one of those invitations
and it's actually going to be at the new convention center.
So it'll be good to get inside there and get a tour,
see how it's looking.
>> Great. Thank you.
>> You're welcome.
>> Exciting.
Anything else?
All right.
Seeing that there's no other business,
we'll call our meeting adjourned at 12, 13 p.m.
Thanks for being here.
[ Silence ]