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Residents press council on flood risks, surveillance, ICE cooperation and utility billing
Summary
Public speakers urged the council to revisit a Cooper Creek 'no‑mow' designation over flooding concerns, adopt protections limiting local cooperation with ICE, increase transparency and limits on Flock license‑plate cameras, and investigate a longstanding small‑business billing dispute; several commenters also urged ADU design changes to protect neighborhood character.
Several Denton residents used the presentations portion of the meeting to raise neighborhood and policy concerns.
Mary Wright described Mill Pond and Cooper Creek’s history of flooding and said the city’s 2024 reclassification of the creek as a 'wildflower zone' has led to reduced maintenance and overgrown vegetation that raises flood and safety concerns for nearby homes. "We respectfully ask the city council to revisit this designation, restore appropriate maintenance, and work with this community to ensure Cooper Creek is managed in a way that protects both the environment and the homes around it," Wright said.
On public‑safety and civil‑liberties issues, Grace Hansen asked council to adopt policies limiting Denton Police Department cooperation with Immigration and Customs Enforcement, including barring ICE agents from operating in the city jail and protecting immigration‑status information. June Cook urged greater transparency around Flock vehicle‑tracking cameras and any proposed real‑time information center, asking for a public log of data accesses and a binding written prohibition on using or sharing camera data for immigration enforcement. "These flock cameras photograph every car that passes and stores that data for later search without requiring warrants or notice to residents," Cook said.
Mark Redding, a long‑running local business owner, described a billing dispute in which his business accumulated nearly $2,867 in back utility charges over 22 months that he says he was not notified about; staff pledged to have city staff follow up and meet with him. Dana Zaltner urged the council to revisit ADU design standards to avoid 'warehouse'‑style accessory structures in older neighborhoods.
Councilors and staff acknowledged the concerns and committed follow‑up actions: staff agreed to meet with the business owner about billing; the parks and stormwater staff were asked to examine Cooper Creek maintenance designations and to consider more public engagement; and the police and city manager’s office were asked to document existing surveillance and data‑sharing agreements and return with options for transparency or policy changes.
