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Denton staff outlines plan to identify and sell surplus city property; council signals support
Summary
City staff presented criteria to identify underused real property and recommended selling seven parcels by sealed bid; staff estimated roughly $1 million–$2 million in potential revenue and asked council for direction to proceed with the process and periodic milestone updates.
Deanna Cody, the city’s deputy director for real estate, told the council the city has completed draft criteria to identify underused or unneeded real property and listed seven parcels staff recommends moving forward to a sealed‑bid sale process.
The presentation summarized the inventory review, collaboration with operating departments and finance, and two disposition methods: sealed bids (with statutory newspaper notice and bidder packet requirements) or direct sale (including to other government entities or, in limited cases, abutting owners). Cody said proceeds would be returned to the fund sources that financed the properties’ acquisition and that appraisal or auction results would determine market value.
Why it matters: staff said the effort is intended to prevent long‑term inactive assets and align property holdings with the city’s development priorities. Cody told the council that, if all identified properties sold, staff’s rough estimate is between $1 million and $2 million in revenue and that council would see bid results and updates in about four to six months.
Council members asked questions about using closed session for property‑specific questions, marketing and notice, and whether the Central Appraisal District value would affect asking price. Cody said the newspaper notice is a statutory requirement but staff has additional marketing options (on‑site signage and other outreach) and that DCAD values are for taxation and are not necessarily market value, though they could inform a floor.
Council reaction was broadly supportive of the recommendation to apply the criteria and proceed with sealed bids while reserving the council’s right to accept or reject any bid. Several council members asked staff to return with property‑specific details and milestone updates during the bidding process.
Next steps: staff said it would move forward with the recommended criteria and the sealed‑bid approach and return with bid results and periodic updates to council, and noted a closed‑meeting option remains available for detailed property deliberations.
