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Denton trustees reject ordinance to permit 'non-related' dwellings tied to religious assemblies
Summary
After a public hearing, the Village of Denton Board voted down an ordinance amendment that would have allowed dwellings for non-related persons affiliated with religious assemblies; trustees cited public concerns and inconsistent Planning Commission recommendations.
The Village of Denton Board of Trustees voted on April 7 to reject an amendment to Section 5.08.02 of the 2007 Zoning Ordinance to add a new permitted use described as “Dwelling, Non-Related Persons.” The ordinance language read in the hearing would have defined the use as “Dwellings for persons not immediately related by blood, marriage, or adoption and living as a single housekeeping unit, and limited to no more than two persons per legal bedroom in said unit and affiliated with a religious assembly or religious institution.”
Supporters urged the board the change would allow certain group housing tied to faith organizations; opponents raised questions about how the village would define "religious organization," whether the change would increase residential density in R-2 neighborhoods, and how enforcement of bedroom occupancy limits would be handled. The record notes that the Planning Commission’s earlier motion on the same amendment failed during that body’s March 17 meeting.
Trustee Trent Wheatley moved to adopt the amendment; Trustee Amanda Fangmeier seconded. The roll call as recorded in the minutes showed AYEs from Wheatley and Chair Joe Hobelman and NAYs from Fangmeier, Doug Rosekrans and Ryan Osborn, and the motion failed. The minutes also record public questions about an existing lagoon on the property under review; developer William Jefferies told the board the lagoon is operational and, per the minutes, "the lagoon was functioning properly."
