Comprehensive Plan & Mobility Plan Update
During their work session last week, the Denton City Council received an update and discussed proposed revisions to Denton’s Comprehensive Plan and Mobility Plan. Discussion focused on maintaining a rural feel in the city’s periphery, preserving green space, enabling more infill development, creating safer roads and providing more transportation options.
Comprehensive Plan / Denton 2040
The Comprehensive Plan, Denton 2040, is an update to Denton’s 2030 Plan. City staff reported that many of the goals of Denton 2030 were validated during public input for Denton 2040, including balanced growth, connected development, and an emphasis on infill development and redevelopment rather than outward sprawl on the periphery of the city.
Video: City Council discussion on Denton 2040 Plan
The growth scenario map from Denton 2030 will remain the same. When presented the cost of a variety of growth patterns during 2014 public input meetings, citizens preferred compact growth to be focused in specific centers in the city.
Preferred Growth Concept - Denton 2030
Fiscal, mobility, and environmental impacts of various growth scenarios (Denton 2030 Community Input Meeting, February 2014)
Council member Alison Maguire questioned why most development in Denton has been greenfield development rather than infill or redevelopment even though our comprehensive plan indicates that infill and redevelopment are better fiscally for the city and improve transportation options such as walking, rolling, cycling, and public transit. Staff responded that greenfield development is easier and often cheaper and quicker than infill and redevelopment. Infill and redevelopment often faces more resistance from residents than greenfield development, as well. Most developers build where it’s easiest.
To identify strategies to achieve Denton’s infill goals, Mayor Hudspeth requested staff to collect information on previously rejected infill development projects so Council can understand why those were turned down.
View the full DRAFT Denton 2040 Plan
Read: 5 Reasons You Should Participate in the Denton 2040 Plan
Mobility Plan
Staff presentations of the Mobility Plan draft emphasized a shift towards providing more transportation options for the people of Denton and focusing plans on moving people, not just automobiles.
Video: City Council discussion on draft Mobility Plan
Denton’s Bicycle, Pedestrian and ADA Coordinator, Nathan George, presented the Bike Plan update and new Pedestrian Plan. George emphasized the need to focus on comprehensive networks, not just one-off facilities. Increasing comfort of bicycle facilities is also a focus so people of all ages and abilities feel safe traveling by bicycle to work, school, social functions, medical appointments and other daily needs.
Uncertainty on whether bus service will continue in Denton creates some planning challenges for city staff, since sidewalk priorities are determined partially based on improving connectivity to bus stops. However, staff noted that areas with higher pedestrian activity potential, such as downtown, parks, schools and other public facilities are typically where bus stops are built, so sidewalk prioritization can continue despite the uncertainty around bus service.
Following the staff presentation, the first Council comment was a request by Jesse Davis (District 3) to move the Vision Zero goal from seventh to first in the list of Mobility Plan goals. “What’s the point of a transportation system if it’s not safe?” Davis asked. Council members Maguire, Armintor and Beck agreed with Davis in later comments. Staff clarified that the Mobility Plan goals are not listed in order of priority and that they are excited to present the Vision Zero Action Plan to the City Council later this year. In the meantime, there are weekly meetings with Denton PD to develop strategies to reduce speeding across the city.
In 2021, the City of Denton saw its highest number of traffic fatalities in more than a decade, following state and national trends toward increasingly deadlier roads.
Council Member Maguire questioned whether an increased number of secondary arterials or collectors could replace many of the primary arterials in the Mobility Plan, noting that primary arterials, such as Carroll Boulevard, University Drive, and Teasley Lane, serve as barriers to biking and walking. Due to the higher speeds of primary arterials, they also have a higher share of traffic injuries and fatalities.
Staff responded that traditional traffic engineering standards suggest that primary arterials are needed in order to focus dangerous automobile traffic onto a single higher-speed road rather than spread among a larger number of lower-speed roads and streets.
The Mobility Plan discussion concluded with Mayor Hudspeth encouraging staff to identify roads where sharrows can be upgraded to protected bicycle facilities and to continue investigating the purchase of mini street sweepers that can fit in protected bike lanes to keep them clear of debris.
Next Steps:
City Council and the Planning & Zoning Commission will continue discussion and revision of the Mobility Plan and Denton 2040 over the next several weeks before anticipated adoption on March 1, 2022. Your input is welcomed throughout this process.
February 8th at 10 AM - City Council Work Session
February 9th at 10 AM - Planning & Zoning Commission Work Session
February 14th at 10 AM - City Council and Planning & Zoning Joint Work Session
February 23rd - Public Hearing, Planning & Zoning Commission
March 1 - Public Hearing, City Council
