Planning Report
PZ17-124 / Criteria Manuals
Planning & Zoning Commission
July 26, 2017
REQUEST:
Title
Receive a report, hold a discussion, and provide staff direction regarding amendments to the City of Denton Water and Wastewater Criteria Manual and the Construction Criteria Manual in order to update the standards associated with those criteria and receive information from staff regarding the procedure for such amendments.
Body
SUMMARY
The purpose of this work session is for staff to brief the Commission on the major changes proposed to update two Development Criteria Manuals (the Water & Wastewater Design Criteria Manual and the Construction Criteria Manual) and allow the Commission the opportunity to ask questions and provide comments and suggestions prior to the proposed updates being posted on the City’s website for public comment before final adoption. These Manuals were last updated in 2002.
BACKGROUND
To assist developers and their design engineers in preparing and submitting design plans for proposed developments, the City has prepared a number of Criteria Manuals to guide them in these efforts. These Manuals and the dates of their last updates are listed below.
• Water & Wastewater Criteria Manual Feb. 20, 2002
• Construction Criteria Manual Feb. 20, 2002
• Site Design Criteria Manual Feb. 2009
• Solid Waste Design Criteria Manual Apr. 2009
• Transportation Design Criteria Manual Jul. 26, 2013
• Drainage Design Criteria Manual Jul 26, 2013
City staff have undertaken the process of completing drafts of updates for these Manuals by the end of March 2018, with final adoption by mid-2018, and with one to two (depending on the number of pages in the Manual) of the Manuals being updated each calendar quarter. The first of the updates involves the Water & Wastewater Criteria Manual and the Construction Criteria Manual since their last updates are the oldest.
The process for amending the Criteria Manual is codified in Sec. 35.3.13 of the Denton Development Code, attached as Exhibit 1, which calls for the proposed amendments to be prepared and:
1. Presented to the Planning & Zoning Commission at a work session for suggestions or recommendations. Commission action on the proposed updates is not required;
2. Posted at City Hall and on the City’s website for 30 days of public comment;
3. All proposed changes become final after the 30 days, unless review is requested or a written protest is filed within the 30 day posting;
4. If all protests or requests for review cannot be resolved, the changes must follow the zoning amendment procedure with a public hearing by the Planning & Zoning Commission and a recommendation to the Council; and
5. A public hearing by the Council and final action by the Council on the proposed changes is required under the zoning amendment procedure.
Exhibit 2 contains a summary listing of the major proposed changes to the Water & Wastewater Criteria Manual and a copy of the Manual with proposed changes shown in “Track Changes” format (minor changes such as wordsmithing of current requirements, spelling corrections and reformatting are not shown in “Track Changes” format to provide as clear a picture of the significant proposed changes as possible).
Exhibit 3 contains a summary listing of the major proposed changes to the Construction Criteria Manual and a copy of the Manual with proposed changes shown in “Track Changes” format (again, minor changes such as wordsmithing of current requirements, spelling corrections and reformatting are not shown in “Track Changes” format to provide as clear a picture of the significant proposed changes as possible).
EXHIBITS:
1. City Code Section 35.3.13 Development Criteria Manual Procedure
2. Water & Wastewater Criteria Manual - Proposed Amendments
3. Construction Criteria Manual - Proposed Amendments
Respectfully submitted:
Munal Mauladad
Director of Development Services
Prepared by:
John T. Davis, PE
Engineering