What are your greatest concerns about the impacts of climate change on Denton and its residents, and what must the city do to mitigate those impacts? What barriers exist to getting these solutions enacted?
Keely Briggs
Extreme record breaking temperatures, drought, flash flooding, water supply, loss of habitat/insects. We must put a priority on green infrastructure and protecting and preserving our forests. The barriers would be funding and a lack of urgency by council.
Gerard Hudspeth
One of my top environmental and land development concerns is guarding against developmental sprawl. I support policies to incentivize infill development and repurpose existing buildings. Another priority is the tree canopy and green spaces. I will work to ensure both increase every year.
Michael Mitchell
No Response
2. Gas Drilling and Development Setbacks
The city recently voted to expand reverse setbacks on development near gas wells to 500 ft. Do you believe the 500 ft reverse setback is sufficient to protect public health? What measures would you like to see implemented to mitigate health concerns from potential air, water, soil, and fire concerns related to gas wells?
Keely Briggs
500ft. is better than 250ft. Data from other studies suggests it should be more. Without a local Denton study, 500Ft was agreed upon and it is in place. With the 500ft, I believe other measures should be implemented to help with safety. Soil and water testing, local health impact study, continued/increased inspections, notifications to homeowners and air monitoring around sites.
Gerard Hudspeth
Personal health concerns are not a one size fits all solution. As Mayor, I would take a very active role in ensuring Denton’s public health. Public health is a core responsibility of the City Council, per the city charter.
Michael Mitchell
No Response
3. Renewable Commitments
Denton has committed to using only 100% renewable energy and reducing air pollution. Recently there was a possibility City Council would have to decide whether or not to sell its share in the Gibbons Creek Coal Plant, which would restart the plant and create non-renewable energy and air pollution. The Gibbons Creek site still may be sold to be used for industrial processes that could create harmful emissions. How would you ensure Denton upholds its commitment to renewable energy and reducing air pollution?
Keely Briggs
I am not in favor of selling Gibbons Creek so that it can continue to run as a coal plant. In 2015 we were told as part of our renewable Denton Plan this dirty polluter would come offline. Most decisions then were made based on that assumption. All generation goes into the grid. Denton has committed to a 100% renewable energy goal and city leaders will need to continue to work and maintain that goal to help the grid stay as clean as possible.
Gerard Hudspeth
I cannot provide an answer because this decision has not come before council. It is important to have all available and updated information before making a decision of this magnitude.
Michael Mitchell
No Response
4. Landfill Expansion & Zero Waste
Denton is in the final stages of permitting to expand its landfill to over 200 ft high. Right now, over 50% of annual trash disposal is coming from outside cities and businesses at wholesale rates. What kinds of programs and policies would you consider to reduce trash volumes at the Denton Landfill from within the city and from outside cities and businesses? Would you consider any recycling mandates for businesses or apartments, or food waste diversion mandates (composting, food donations) for food businesses?
Keely Briggs
We do not need to renew the many outside contracts of waste we allow to come in to our landfill once they expire. If we are to prevent a 210ft trash pile we have to start doing something now. Recycling will help but it isn’t the answer. We can make multifamily units and commercial recycle but if it’s contaminated it will not be recycled. So education is still critically important. We need to start composting programs or change our policy to allow for private companies to begin composting in our city. There is so much food waste!
Gerard Hudspeth
The landfill expansion is not imminent and will be decided by a future city council. Denton has a number of programs that encourage citizens to reduce and divert the amount of waste. For example, the dumpsters downtown were removed so that the individual commercial customers could be accountable for their solid waste. Also, this change helped with illegal dumping. Denton offers recycling centers and free pick up to discourage illegal dumping.
Michael Mitchell
No Response
5. Land Development and Green Spaces
City Council and the Planning-and-Zoning commission have recently seen some high-profile development projects approved that would severely impact or even destroy large swathes of important green corridors, further exacerbating species loss and the financial impacts thereof. Where do you stand on such developments and what steps could the city take to sustain and protect regional environmental assets?
Keely Briggs
Losing quality forests and open spaces is hard to watch. These old growth trees and prairies have been here longer than we have.They provide many benefits to our ecosystem. I am concerned about the loss of habitat for our wildlife. We need to understand these areas have value and add to our quality of life. When they are gone, they are gone. Our tree code has been updated and is better than before but if an area was platted under the old code, they can use it. A positive is that we allow conservation areas now. It doesn’t seem to be enough. I understand development has to happen and is going to, but we can do it in a smart and sustainable way. These corridors are our highly valued assets and should treated as such.
Gerard Hudspeth
The citizens of Denton voted in last year’s bond election to purchase land to preserve green space. I support the vote of the citizens and staff has recently identified several acres to purchase. I currently discuss land banking, via first right of refusal agreements with the city staff. As Mayor I will continue to look for new and unique ways to protect our city green space.
Michael Mitchell
No Response
6. Community Engagement
How would you engage and support community members to make positive environmental changes in Denton?
Keely Briggs
I am very excited that we are creating a community Environmental Committee to help implement our sustainability plan. It was an idea that came from our own Environmental Committee, which I chair, to help our residents engage and be a part of solutions to make our city more sustainable. I will continue to host monthly meetings and make sure issues are made public and information is shared.
Gerard Hudspeth
I have a clear record of promoting open communication on the council. And I want to do more, as Mayor. In the past, people could have direct and daily contact with their leaders. But this has been pushed that to the wayside as cities grew. I plan to use advancements in technology to help me bring that tradition back. As Mayor, I will continue with direct monthly meetings with citizens and use “CivicPlus”, a constituent relationship app to ensure citizens always have a voice. I will also continue to be active with local nonprofit organizations to be part of their weekly scheduled event. I will have an open door policy.
What are your greatest concerns about the impacts of climate change on Denton and its residents, and what must the city do to mitigate those impacts? What barriers exist to getting these solutions enacted?
Jon Hohman Because “Climate Change” lends itself to unnecessary controversy, please allow me to address the ecological collapse that is nearly uncontested:
We suffer this collapse along with our children in Denton with: our F-rated air from impervious surface area devoid of healthy soil and vegetation that would otherwise scrub green house gases and particulate matter, general biodiversity loss from continuous unsustainable development, flood/drought extremes, heat island effects, contaminated watersheds, crop nutrient loss, toxins in our parks and playgrounds around our children and expectant mothers (“biosolids”/Industrial Sewage Sludge, synthetic fertilizer/pesticides), etc. most of which affects marginalized people worst.
Following through with Denton’s current commitment to ecosystem function- as partly expressed in Section 5 of the Denton Plan 2030- would solve these problems while saving us money; making green work for us by transitioning from a stewardship to a biomimicry model or from car-centric to pedestrian-centric urban design.
Barriers are: outside interests versus a public too busy, trusting, over-worked or unfamiliar with proven New Urbanism benefits to demand them. Our disconnection from each other and nature- manifesting in our state of denial of infinite growth with finite resources.
Connie Baker My greatest concerns are about increased heat, drought, insect outbreaks and declining water supplies that lead to a reduced yield in crop, roadways, bridges, wildfires, etc. Same with extreme rainfalls in other areas. Many climate changes effects are manageable by reducing emission gases. Planning ahead and taking action to build protections where already exposed in vulnerable areas.
Daniel Clanton We need to look to our green spaces and tree canopy.
Ronnie Anderson
No Response
Kady Finley
No Response
2. Gas Drilling and Development Setbacks
The city recently voted to expand reverse setbacks on development near gas wells to 500 ft. Do you believe the 500 ft reverse setback is sufficient to protect public health? What measures would you like to see implemented to mitigate health concerns from potential air, water, soil, and fire concerns related to gas wells?
Jon Hohman Will the reader pause and take a moment to think back to playing in the clean river when you were a kid… Or did you ever get the benefit of trusting the well water at your friend’s ranch? Or have the luxury of not having to filter water for your cattle? That’s what’s at stake due to hydraulic fracturing all across the country and especially here where there’s around 300 wells already. Did you read the recent article about how some of the hill country’s water has turned brown or how you can light your faucet on fire in Fort Worth- because of fracking and socially suicidal fossil fuel operations?
No, I do not believe it is near sufficient and the only scientists who disagree are cashing fossil fuel interests’ paychecks or private interests who stand to profit at the expense of their neighbors’ childrens’ health for generations down the line.
Did you read about the fracking magnate in Fort Worth who tried to sue for the well too close to his house? This is a community rights issue and we’ll be seeing them asserted more and more everyday. Look to Grant Township in Pennsylvania in the Hidden Hand documentary…
Connie Baker No, I feel 500 ft. is still too close to protect the public. I am not sure what measures could be implemented, but i would be willing to look into this matter.
Daniel Clanton More testing around the wells. I am for capping of the wells near neighborhoods.
Ronnie Anderson
No Response
Kady Finley
No Response
3. Renewable Commitments
Denton has committed to using only 100% renewable energy and reducing air pollution. Recently there was a possibility City Council would have to decide whether or not to sell its share in the Gibbons Creek Coal Plant, which would restart the plant and create non-renewable energy and air pollution. The Gibbons Creek site still may be sold to be used for industrial processes that could create harmful emissions. How would you ensure Denton upholds its commitment to renewable energy and reducing air pollution?
Jon Hohman I believe the money’s already been set aside to clean the area up. Issues like these come and go- this is why it’s so important to change the world where you live, and if it isn’t you standing up to do it, who is it?
I decided to run as a candidate to change the world where my children live and play so I’d vote against any measures seeking to betray Denton’s commitment to renewable energy.
To a city leaking and misplacing its money the temptation is greater- I get it. You’re strapped for cash and your principles start to slide- so get up, look around, and find another way: advocate for local resiliency over outside dependency.
It’s a commitment we made on the broader scene, not just for our air, water and soil but for our neighbors’ clean air, water and soil too- municipalities can be good neighbors too and follow through to be good on our word. It’s simple.
Isolation is a most destructive illusion and we’ll all need our neighbors in mutual aid for the downturn we’re only just glimpsing, blinded by again (and it can’t be overstated) society’s state of denial of infinite growth with finite resources.
Connie Baker The Gibson Creek Coal Plant would be beneficial to decommission the plant and go with the plan to create a family-friendly area. Selling the Gibson Creek Plant could endanger the health of area residents and polluting the air and water.
Daniel Clanton Declined to Respond
Ronnie Anderson
No Response
Kady Finley
No Response
4. Landfill Expansion & Zero Waste
Denton is in the final stages of permitting to expand its landfill to over 200 ft high. Right now, over 50% of annual trash disposal is coming from outside cities and businesses at wholesale rates. What kinds of programs and policies would you consider to reduce trash volumes at the Denton Landfill from within the city and from outside cities and businesses? Would you consider any recycling mandates for businesses or apartments, or food waste diversion mandates (composting, food donations) for food businesses?
Jon Hohman Yes because the number one landfill input is food and Americans waste half of their food. Food is wasted at every level of the supply chain. We’re literally throwing money away. Do we want to waste it or divert it? Feed the disadvantaged or let it rot? Feed livestock or pay for more feed? Compost it and fertilize Green Infrastructure and the local food economy to bolster local resilience or leave it and lean on more dependency?
There’s a ton of alternatives to so many of these environmental issues that so many multiple municipalities all across the globe are profiting from and taking advantage of- why should we short change ourselves and leave ourselves behind?
The first step in innovation is defining the problem so when did we all vote to become North Texas’ Mount Trashmore? Is that a problem for you? Did you hear the part about outsiders paying less to dump on Denton too?
When only 18% of landfill is actually not compostable or recyclable, then we have a nice starting metric for the problem that many Zero Waste innovations can solve here in Denton.
Connie Baker It is my understanding that clothes are a big item in landfills. It would help to have more clothes recycle bins around town and encourage people to donate to our 2 Goodwill centers. Bringing your own cloth bags for groceries helps save the landfills from plastic bags. Composting sites would be helpful with leftover food items, such as, banana peels, egg shells, etc. Recycling bins for paper and cardboard, etc. at business would be very beneficial. Denton has a great recycle program with containers available for home use. We need to use them more by talking to our community members.
Daniel Clanton I know that selling the right to outside cities keeps taxes down. I am not for this practice. I would like to see recycling containers near business and apartments
Ronnie Anderson
No Response
Kady Finley
No Response
5. Land Development and Green Spaces
City Council and the Planning-and-Zoning commission have recently seen some high-profile development projects approved that would severely impact or even destroy large swathes of important green corridors, further exacerbating species loss and the financial impacts thereof. Where do you stand on such developments and what steps could the city take to sustain and protect regional environmental assets?
Jon Hohman The verdict is out: unsustainable development (sprawl) increases air and water pollution (and Covid 19 has been directly linked to particulate matter), lowers productivity, increases crime rates and traffic fatalities and hemorrhages dollars as an economic development strategy.
No robust long term fiscal analysis justifies our sprawl- sprawl that pollutes and raises property taxes where the marginalized are hit the worst.
Those who would stand to gain over paving every inch of Denton usually aren’t Dentonites but are only exploiting our resources.
Many of the interests concerned with attracting people, jobs, and business to Denton are the same ones who, by failing to adequately preserve our old growth green spaces and employ New Urbanism principles develop a gray, unattractive, unprofitable, unhealthy place to attempt to attract them to.
If we develop our own city to be remarkable, to be exceptionally Livable, then it will pay for itself, as it has for other remarkable cities across the globe. The necessity to do so has become even more necessary in this growing recession: the green city, the low carbon city, the economically successful city, the resilient city, the happy city- is the same city.
It can be Denton. It’s not too late.
Connie Baker Building projects are essential to growth, but we need to consider how each project will effect the agriculture, wildlife, air pollution, traffic and other components. We need to develop a strategic future vision.
Daniel Clanton Declined to Respond
Ronnie Anderson
No Response
Kady Finley
No Response
6. Community Engagement
How would you engage and support community members to make positive environmental changes in Denton?
Jon Hohman I’ve made myself available at Regenerate Denton on Facebook where I engage and support my neighbors as an environmental activist here in Denton. I have so far worked successfully with council and city staff to:
1) Transition Avondale Park to all organic land management, with many others hopefully to follow with your help!
2) Update the IPM so organic pesticide use has replaced synthetic pesticide use as a first choice- even though we must ban the toxic synthetics altogether.
3) Temporarily halt the application of industrial sewage sludge on our parks where our children play (DynoDirt/biosolids)
4) Halt the use of neonicotinoids that destroy bee and butterfly populations in our Bee City and Monarch City USA
In the 2014 bond election we voted to spend $1,005,000 on property acquisition for parks but only received the money in January 2020 and are “still shopping” so I put a petition up to speed the process, along with the 5 million we voted for in 2019:
Let’s build a productive united front to advocate for all the proven strategies discussed here and more!
Connie Baker We could add more open spaces, such as hiking trails, parks and activity centers. Reduce waste by better recycling methods. Encouraging carpools, public transit and bikes as alternate transportation.
Daniel Clanton I would like to talk and listen to their ideas. See what can be done
What are your greatest concerns about the impacts of climate change on Denton and its residents, and what must the city do to mitigate those impacts? What barriers exist to getting these solutions enacted?
Deb Armintor Denton is an A+ city with F-rated air quality enabled by a C minus city government. That is actually a step up from the D and D minus track records of past city councils, but our people and environment deserve better. I’m proud to be part of the A minority on Council boosting our environmental GPA into the C range, but the people of Denton deserve far better, and I’m hopeful the November elections will give the people of Denton the A government they deserve.
This is the era of the Anthropocene, which means climate change caused by people; it is the irresponsible actions and inactions of people in government, far more than the general public that are responsible for the negative impacts we’re seeing in the form of F-rated air quality, depopulation of natural habitats, and destruction of natural resources.
To mitigate these impacts at the local level, we will need a grade A majority on Council after November 3rd committed to pass legislation to:
-Bulk up our skeletal outdated “sustainability plan” into a real Zero Waste Plan and Green New Deal for the 21st century that empowers activists and communities who put people and climate before private profit
-Cancel the toxic landfill expansion and stop taking other cities’ trash
-Stop the use of inorganic pesticides, artificial fertilizers, and toxic biosolids, and replace them with organic and environmentally responsible substitutes
-Decommission the coal plant and come up with a plan to decommission the gas plant that’s losing us money and replace it with a renewable energy source that will pay off the debt of that $225 million toxic mistake without raising rates on our ratepayer utility owners who didn’t get a say on the gas plant
-Strengthen our tree ordinance to actually preserve trees and urban forests and to not put a price on mature trees, instead of catering to developers like my opponent who support keeping the ordinance weak to allow developers to destroy a majority of existing mature trees for a price.
-Pass stricter laws protecting the health, safety, and income of Denton workers in environmentally hazardous jobs, preventing industrial pollution in Denton, holding corporate polluters accountable to their workers and the public, and preventing environmental racism and classism that pollutes some parts of town more than others.
Our current barriers to achieving these goals are:
– a C minus city government that enables and greenwashes instead of moving us forward
-an F-rated state government that preempts cities from passing critical environmental protections, sells out to corporate polluters, and has a compromised TCEQ and corrupt “Railroad Commission” that fails to sufficiently regulate polluting industries and hold them accountable
-and an F-rated federal government that imposes solar tariffs, destroys the EPA, and denies that climate change is even real.
Rick Baria
If climate change means gradual desertification we could abandon flush toilets and live in adobe or even underground. If it means heavier and more intense rainfall we could push our buildable zones back to the 500 yr. flood datum instead of the 100 year elevation. If high wind events become more extreme we could adopt a building technology in use today that has withstood 200 mph winds, ground movement, and forest fires; it adds about 15% to the cost of a conventional home that is shredded by a tornado.
Perhaps you’ve heard it said: adapt or die? Note carefully; that is a personal decision. Anything coercively communal is pushing a rope. The city doesn’t build houses; it monitors their construction. The flood plain datum won’t be changed w/o experiential evidence, and rules for stronger houses won’t be adopted until solidity becomes obviously more valuable than ostentation. There are no barriers to personal preparation. Real historical truth: even in the face of an invading army some will not flee. If impending death is not convincing enough, why frustrate your life and waste your time working on “getting solutions enacted”?
Put your labor into building your own sturdy home, with your own hands, and you will weather the storm.
2. Gas Drilling and Development Setbacks
The city recently voted to expand reverse setbacks on development near gas wells to 500 ft. Do you believe the 500 ft reverse setback is sufficient to protect public health? What measures would you like to see implemented to mitigate health concerns from potential air, water, soil, and fire concerns related to gas wells?
Deb Armintor HELL NO, 500 FEET IS NOT ENOUGH! (Caps, cussing, and exclamation point for added emphasis). 500 feet is an improvement on the previous 250, but the latest science clearly shows that 1500 feet is the bare minimum for public health and safety. In spite of misinformation to the contrary, reverse setback caps of any size needn’t infringe on property rights or constitute “a taking”: all existing structures can and should get automatically grandfathered in, and there is nothing in the new increased reverse setbacks, or in any future increased reverse setbacks, preventing anyone from rebuilding or improving in the case of a disaster or even for regular maintenance. On Council I fought for a minimum distance of 1500 feet, and had only 2 other votes (Briggs and Meltzer) out of 7 to back me up on that, even though this new reverse setback legislation actually reversed injustices to existing “noncompliant” properties under the prior 250-foot reverse setbacks who were not grandfathered in or even informed by previous city councils. Even our compromise of 500-feet, which we needed to get a 4-vote majority, was a narrow win and a hard-fought victory, as we fought misinformation disseminated by special interests and even by the City Attorney, who specializes in oil and gas law and who I believe has overreached his advisory role to block environmental progress and willfully misrepresent the truth too often for me to trust his advice. He is a major obstacle to environmental progress, as are the major opponents to Briggs (Mayor), Meltzer (D6), and myself (D6), and as would be November 3rd defeats of the only vocally environmentally-aware candidates running for the 2 other Council positions : George Ferrie [D1] and Jon Hohman [D2]). Briggs, Meltzer, and I are being challenged in this election by environmentally reactionary opponents funded by thousands of dollars from real estate and developer PACs who profit from destroying trees that clean the air poisoned by the fracking industry, and from selling the “mineral rights” attached to fracked properties.
I hope November we finally have a majority on Council willing to mandate the common-sense measures I fought for and lost in my first term:
-an increase to at least 1500 feet
-mandatory soil testing near gas wells
-increased air quality monitoring near gas wells and real accountability for offenders
-mandatory capping of inactive wells
-a Council effort to pressure the Texas state legislature to reverse the pre-emptive statewide “ban on bans” HB40, and to
-THE REINSTATEMENT OF OUR DEMOCRATICALLY-DECIDED FRACKING BAN
Rick Baria
Well heads rarely leak, but detectable vapors, primarily benzene, evaporate from the saline water in the condensate tanks. We measure from edge of plat rather than from the tanks and this gives 100’ or so greater distance than cities’ ordinances that are structure-to-structure based. Generally there’s a breeze at ground level mixing pollutants into air. If you run a calculation for a truncated cone 600’ long, a beginning radius of 5’ (lid of the tank), expanding at a modest 24 to 1 diffusion rate, it yields a dilution of 338,000 to 1, using only the upper half since airborne HC doesn’t appreciably move into the ground. Diffusion is affected by wind speed and greatly by molecular weight, but this rough math gives perspective; distance is a huge dilution factor.
Given that Barnett gas is clean enough to go into the grid w/o sulfide removal, that well heads have real time leak detection, very few failures, and repair crews immediately dispatched to make repairs, I would not lose sleep. New horizontal gathering wells are a greater point source of gas so greater oversight is called for, but since production of the formation has dropped fireball size should not be greatly enlarged, an increase in radius requires a cubic increase in volume. Disposal of saline condensate has been a greater problem.
Objectively, the greatest pollution risk indoors originates indoors from the chemicals inside our homes. It’s where we spend most of our time. Plastics can be full of endocrine disruptors, a verifiable, observable effect.
3. Renewable Commitments
Denton has committed to using only 100% renewable energy and reducing air pollution. Recently there was a possibility City Council would have to decide whether or not to sell its share in the Gibbons Creek Coal Plant, which would restart the plant and create non-renewable energy and air pollution. The Gibbons Creek site still may be sold to be used for industrial processes that could create harmful emissions. How would you ensure Denton upholds its commitment to renewable energy and reducing air pollution?
Deb Armintor
The Gibbons Creek Coal Plant has been an environmental and economic disaster since Day 1, and I can’t wait for it to be decommissioned. I have promised to vote no to any sale that would not guarantee its decommissioning. I will do everything I can to ensure that no new toxic industry pops up in its place. There’s a lot that remains to be seen, and I will continue to proceed with caution, continuous research, and skeptical questioning, but for now it appears that the decommissioning of the coal plant is going to happen. I will proceed with cautious optimism and not take anything for granted moving forward.
This subject is personal for me, as I spent a couple years of my life fighting the source of generation intended to replace the coal plant plant before that substitute generation source, the Wartsila gas plant known as the Denton Energy Center, ever existed. I was elected in 2018, but before that I ran and lost a high-stakes election against an incumbent in 2016 when the $225 million gas plant, which has turned out to be an even more burdensome economic liability than we (activists and concerned individuals and communities) warned, was the most contentious issue in the election. Had I won in 2016, there would be no gas plant today, and ratepayers could breathe easier for now and for the long term, in more ways than one.
To make our commitment to clean energy and air more than just greenwashed PR, we need a Council majority willing to commit to what I’ve been fighting for for years on and off Council:
-a decommissioned gas plant replace with a renewable resource that will help ratepayers save money instead of giving them asthma and unjustified utility bill increases
-a concrete plan to make, use, and incentivize 100% cheap renewable energy in Denton, instead of just a 100% renewable “portfolio” on paper
-a ban on public investments in the fossil fuel industry.
Rick Baria
If we can salvage anything from the Gibbons Creek Coal Plant then we ought to do so. Coal fired electricity is such a poor economic proposition today that without some indulgence from the state, it is unlikely. If we sell the Gibbons Creek site, it’s true it might be used for an industrial purpose and produce emissions. I assume you are not so doctrinaire that you consider CO2 to be a harmful emission. If that is so, and the will of the People, then let’s be forthright, write it off, and dedicate the site to trees, bamboo, or hemp. For us to dictate the future use of the site clouds any possibility that we could sell it. Imagine that you are a buyer for a moment; if your intended use becomes a bust you may not be able to extricate yourself.
If I sell a car and the next owner drives it into the Post Office am I responsible? How then are we responsible for the future use of the site? Under the legal doctrine of covenants we can exercise some control, but are we not guilty of overreach? Does our influence not have a natural, logical limit? Shall we buy up land elsewhere just to set it aside? I can’t seem to find that provision in our Charter. We may instead buy land here to use as a Park, perhaps with the greater proceeds we’d get by recognizing the right of others to do as they see fit.
4. Landfill Expansion & Zero Waste
Denton is in the final stages of permitting to expand its landfill to over 200 ft high. Right now, over 50% of annual trash disposal is coming from outside cities and businesses at wholesale rates. What kinds of programs and policies would you consider to reduce trash volumes at the Denton Landfill from within the city and from outside cities and businesses? Would you consider any recycling mandates for businesses or apartments, or food waste diversion mandates (composting, food donations) for food businesses?
Deb Armintor
As I have emphasized repeatedly on Council, Denton desperately needs a comprehensive Zero Waste plan. Denton residents and local small business owners have let us know in countless letters and emails that they want a Zero Waste plan for Denton. Right now we have no vision to even limit waste, outside of our current recycling efforts, and have instead counterproductively invested actual ratepayers money to expand our landfill’s trash heap to skyscraper height when it’s not even at 50% capacity, and consists mostly of other cities’ and entities’ trash, dumped on us for a fee. I have consistently voted against and have fought both the landfill expansion and the acceptance of other cities’ and entities’ trash for money.
We need to:
-stop taking other cities’ and entities’ trash
-institute residential and commercial food waste composting with door-to-door service
-institute mandatory recycling for apartments and businesses
-make hazardous waste disposal more accessible
-institute a plastic bag ban and challenge the state when they preempt it on us, or at the very least incentivize it so that city businesses will stop using plastic bags even without a plastic bag ban
-reduce plastic use, and incentivize reuse citywide
-partner with DISD for less waste in schools
Rick Baria
Understanding the land fill problem needs a little background. A few years ago it wasn’t run so well, perhaps because it was such a challenge to build it. At the end of the day too much cover soil was used and the trash was not placed in a logical, incremental way. This took more excavated soil, more fuel, and left gaps in the trash layer. I personally witnessed this when I went to the landfill several times. The crush and cover loaders were too small for their large iron wheels. The rotating inertia of the heavy wheels would snap the drive axles. This was horrendously expensive to repair. New management corrected these problems. Purchasing heavier, sturdier loaders had a high capital cost. Other fleet purchases were necessary as well, and some of the other operations were not yet optimized. Plain and simple, we were in a hole.
This is why we are taking in trash from outsiders. Our soil consumption has greatly diminished; sometimes a large paper cover is used. (Although we don’t use them, there are systems that employ durable proteinaceous foam for overnight cover.) We are taking outside waste and turning a profit. Incredibly, the disposal rate was lowered for Denton residents. This is excellence in management. The question now is how long we should continue this practice? Two hundred feet seems excessive and we may ask, “Shall we sell our inheritance for a bowl of porridge?” We definitely should look at diversion of food waste and intelligent recycling.
5. Land Development and Green Spaces
City Council and the Planning-and-Zoning commission have recently seen some high-profile development projects approved that would severely impact or even destroy large swathes of important green corridors, further exacerbating species loss and the financial impacts thereof. Where do you stand on such developments and what steps could the city take to sustain and protect regional environmental assets?
Deb Armintor
I voted against Cole Hunter Ranch for fiscal and environmental reasons. I consider it scandalous that such reckless growth and corporate taxation is even legal. Council never should have allowed it. I would like to see our rural peripheries and mature urban forests taken off the table through proactive zoning and preserved through land acquisition for parks.
Rick Baria
Not every environmental problem has a legislative solution. City ordinances are limited in scope by the state and enforcement can be difficult and costly. Legal strong-arming, even if by plebiscite, may get overruled by the state courts. (We could have gotten 80% of the goal of Frack Free Denton by unassailable local regulation). Obviously we want to retain these green corridors with more than enough space for trails or bike paths. The only practical way is with developer cooperation and their actual enthusiasm for this type of green space. What does it matter if our motives are not the same but our goals are similar enough?
Proper incentives are self-enforcing. Punitive measures create resistance and avoidance; that costs money to police. So let us identify the corridors, and acquire them if we must. However, with proper inducements developers will cooperate in corridor preservation because it provides high perceived value for a small cost. Sounds like profit to them, but it’s a more attractive and livable city for you and me. The major side benefit is economic vitality. Better employers will consider relocating here and other local business spring up to serve them and their employees. All because green natural space is more relaxing that concrete; so simple.
6. Community Engagement
How would you engage and support community members to make positive environmental changes in Denton?
Deb Armintor
I encourage individuals and families to do whatever they can to reuse, reduce, recycle, eliminate plastics, xeriscape, bring your own bags when shopping (buy reusables at the checkout, and choose paper for pickup/delivery) , replace your current gas car with a used electric car when the gas guzzler runs out (I did that and am loving the money I’m saving on gas, and how smoothly my electric car runs), and save up to get solar panels on your roof if you’re a homeowner (my family and I are saving up for that, and are hopeful the current federal tariffs and other cost obstacles will be removed to make it will even more affordable).
That said, I believe that the most important and effective changes will come not from individual human behavioral choices but from legislative changes at the local, state, and federal levels to prevent and hold corporate polluters accountable. On November 3rd, or better yet in early voting October 13th – 30th, vote for candidates up and down the ballot who don’t just talk the talk when it comes to caring about the environment, but who have a track record of actually walking the walk in putting public health and climate before corporate polluters.
Rick Baria
We are doing a pretty good job in getting citizen input for the planning of our park systems and connected trails. However, I have noticed that we are spending too much time indoors after the covid protocols. Such fear must not live on in our hearts; indeed such a long sedentary pause will no doubt contribute to heart debility compared to an earlier baseline.
More of us should recognize the overall general improvement in wellbeing from regular walking. Most of us do walk, but not as regularly as we should. People are a bit competitive; we could use a simplified system of geo tagging to verify a daily walk and recognize those that meet cumulative milestones. When people are engaged they will volunteer for cleanups, trail improvements and so on. Council should encourage City Staff to be creative.
As a City: The adoption of I-SWMM protocols provides cleaner water discharge using bio filtration, especially for parking lot runoff. Green corridors are often created for this purpose, so incorporation of existing green areas is not so difficult. I think most of us would like to see a reduction of unneeded parking at the mall with the planting of trees in the “liberated” asphalt. It would be less of an imposition on the owners of dying retail spaces if volunteers lent a hand in some way. BTW: Parking lots need actual soil specs; most of the soil is the same as the rest of the parking lot, compacted with lime and inhospitable to plants roots. (There are slow motion videos of roots turning at the compacted layer) In the case of gas well re-fracking, we are encouraging new horizontal wells from central locations. This reduces the number of gas well sites.
What are your greatest concerns about the impacts of climate change on Denton and its residents, and what must the city do to mitigate those impacts? What barriers exist to getting these solutions enacted?
Paul Meltzer Increasing temperatures make the “heat island” consequences of rapid development worse. We need to preserve and enhance tree canopy, make funded parkland purchases, and be open to creative zoning-for-preservation swaps.
Liam York
I don’t support the environment.
Jim Mann
Declined to Respond
2. Gas Drilling and Development Setbacks
The city recently voted to expand reverse setbacks on development near gas wells to 500 ft. Do you believe the 500 ft reverse setback is sufficient to protect public health? What measures would you like to see implemented to mitigate health concerns from potential air, water, soil, and fire concerns related to gas wells?
Paul Meltzer In the balance of property rights and health protections, I think 500 feet is a realistic and prudent basic reverse setback. I’d be interested in exploring other avenues to encourage well capping and zoning-for-conservation swaps.
Liam York
I don’t support the environment.
Jim Mann
Declined to Respond
3. Renewable Commitments
Denton has committed to using only 100% renewable energy and reducing air pollution. Recently there was a possibility City Council would have to decide whether or not to sell its share in the Gibbons Creek Coal Plant, which would restart the plant and create non-renewable energy and air pollution. The Gibbons Creek site still may be sold to be used for industrial processes that could create harmful emissions. How would you ensure Denton upholds its commitment to renewable energy and reducing air pollution?
Paul Meltzer I was relieved to see that the sale would involve decommissioning the plant and doing the associated environmental cleanup. We’re continuing to engage in new longer term renewable energy contracts. I also support increasing our tree canopy and protecting green space to sequester carbon and particulates.
Liam York
I don’t support the environment.
Jim Mann
Declined to Respond
4. Landfill Expansion & Zero Waste
Denton is in the final stages of permitting to expand its landfill to over 200 ft high. Right now, over 50% of annual trash disposal is coming from outside cities and businesses at wholesale rates. What kinds of programs and policies would you consider to reduce trash volumes at the Denton Landfill from within the city and from outside cities and businesses? Would you consider any recycling mandates for businesses or apartments, or food waste diversion mandates (composting, food donations) for food businesses?
Paul Meltzer I support finding ways to limit contamination so we can expand our recycling program to include commercial and multifamily—a waste stream three times as big as residential. I also support investigating introducing curbside compost pickup for residential and commercial. Other municipalities do it.
Liam York
I don’t support the environment.
Jim Mann
Declined to Respond
5. Land Development and Green Spaces
City Council and the Planning-and-Zoning commission have recently seen some high-profile development projects approved that would severely impact or even destroy large swathes of important green corridors, further exacerbating species loss and the financial impacts thereof. Where do you stand on such developments and what steps could the city take to sustain and protect regional environmental assets?
Paul Meltzer We have about $6 million in bond money for parkland purchases. We prioritize adding people into the 10-minute-walk to green space range and trail connectivity. I’ve also asked staff to add an evaluation of conservation value to each parcel considered. I feel we need to protect the trees areas around our major watersheds, Clear Creek, Hickory Creek, Pecan Creek, and Cooper Creek and preserving what’s left of our original cross timbers. I encourage exploring zoning-for-conservation swaps to achieve this.
Liam York
I don’t support the environment.
Jim Mann
Declined to Respond
6. Community Engagement
How would you engage and support community members to make positive environmental changes in Denton?
Paul Meltzer I supported forming a new Sustainability Committee to tap local expertise to help guide us toward our sustainability goals.
What are your greatest concerns about the impacts of climate change on Denton and its residents, and what must the city do to mitigate those impacts? What barriers exist to getting these solutions enacted?
George Ferrie
I am very concerned about climate change and its effects on the environment. Increased severity of storms and droughts, hotter heat waves, worsening air quality (which is already very poor in Denton), increased flooding and costs of damages. The list goes on but those are a few very real concerns citizens should be aware of right here in Denton. It also important to note how climate change disproportionately affects poorer communities. I think a barrier is how we educate our public about the importance of knowing our individual contributions, both beneficial and harmful, to the environment. Also, educating folks on the many ways to change, curb, or increase daily habits to reduce our footprint as a community and city.
Birdia Johnson
Deforestation; policy must be implemented to protect the climate.
2. Gas Drilling and Development Setbacks
The city recently voted to expand reverse setbacks on development near gas wells to 500 ft. Do you believe the 500 ft reverse setback is sufficient to protect public health? What measures would you like to see implemented to mitigate health concerns from potential air, water, soil, and fire concerns related to gas wells?
George Ferrie
I think this was a step in the right direction, but by no means is this the end of the conversation. We are seeing nationwide conversations surrounding the issue of gas wells and their effects on the health and safety of those that live near them. I would like to see an increase of reverse setbacks to 1,000 feet. I think it is very telling how much money is spent by Oil and Gas lobbyists to try and bury these needed discussions. We do not have a federal mandate on setbacks, and with the tens of millions of dollars spent by lobbyists, it is easy to assume we won’t anytime soon. This leaves you local leaders in charge of advocating for the community. Almost every City Council candidate will say public safety is of the utmost importance to their campaign. If this is true, then each one must take this issue seriously before we have another explosion in our city which puts lives in danger.
Birdia Johnson This requires updated don’t know
3. Renewable Commitments
Denton has committed to using only 100% renewable energy and reducing air pollution. Recently there was a possibility City Council would have to decide whether or not to sell its share in the Gibbons Creek Coal Plant, which would restart the plant and create non-renewable energy and air pollution. The Gibbons Creek site still may be sold to be used for industrial processes that could create harmful emissions. How would you ensure Denton upholds its commitment to renewable energy and reducing air pollution?
George Ferrie
This story is still developing, however, from a report I read published on 09/24/20 it would appear the plan is to decommission the plant. This would not reopen the plant. “GCERG will shut down and decommission the coal power plant and complete all necessary environmental remediation work for the site landfills and ash ponds.” I stand with the City’s commitment to using only 100% renewable energy and reducing our impact on air pollution.
Birdia Johnson
From my Understanding the Gibson creek decisions have already taken place. We must continue to push for clean air policy’s
4. Landfill Expansion & Zero Waste
Denton is in the final stages of permitting to expand its landfill to over 200 ft high. Right now, over 50% of annual trash disposal is coming from outside cities and businesses at wholesale rates. What kinds of programs and policies would you consider to reduce trash volumes at the Denton Landfill from within the city and from outside cities and businesses? Would you consider any recycling mandates for businesses or apartments, or food waste diversion mandates (composting, food donations) for food businesses?
George Ferrie This is a very concerning issue. We shouldn’t be giving outside businesses and cities wholesale pricing, when the environmental impacts caused affect our citizens directly and daily. The city has already spent over $11 million dollars and 15 years on acquiring the land for the expansion and plans for the expansion. We need a better commitment from the city to increase participation in recycling, composting, and waste reduction throughout our city. The city should require all multi-family developments to provide adequate recycling bins and knowledge for their residents. We need to encourage more partnerships between local businesses and food banks to reduce food waste. We need more money allocated to education and access to waste reduction, recycling, and composting.
Birdia Johnson I must understand the process : and evaluation of options can’t not make informed decision without this
5. Land Development and Green Spaces
City Council and the Planning-and-Zoning commission have recently seen some high-profile development projects approved that would severely impact or even destroy large swathes of important green corridors, further exacerbating species loss and the financial impacts thereof. Where do you stand on such developments and what steps could the city take to sustain and protect regional environmental assets?
George Ferrie:
As a member of the Parks, Recreation, and Beautification Board for over 2 years, I’m thrilled with how hard the staff works to address needs and concerns with developers, citizens, other city departments, and city council officials. I’d love to know the input P&Z received from the Parks and Rec Department, and what can be done to improve communication between these entities. We have established protections over ESA’s, created the Tree Mitigation Fund, and recently implemented the Urban Forestry Master Plan. We must continue to assess as we grow, how to do so sustainably and responsibly.
Birdia Johnson:
Assess all available options That allow for protection of the environment as well as allows growth for the community. Preservation plan are needed
6. Community Engagement
How would you engage and support community members to make positive environmental changes in Denton?
George Ferrie Meeting regularly with local community organizations and experts to develop a climate action plan would be a beginning step when elected to office. Ensuring we create equitable opportunities in city hiring, organizations the city collaborates with, and in how we build trust in communities where the climate change effects are exacerbated. We have so many wonderful experts in our City, and it is my responsibility to ensure they are given a chance to educate and speak to their concerns.
Birdia Johnson Join with All council members together we can figure out the best strategy to work on environmental change.
Gerard Hudspeth
Jon Hohman
Connie Baker
Daniel Clanton
Deb Armintor
Rick Baria
Paul Meltzer
Liam York
George Ferrie
Birdia Johnson
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