[{"_1":2,"_98":-5,"_99":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,74,86],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":56,"_73":56},"mediaId",6291667,"mediaKeyId","2529563-fbee8adcfae0583d2157ad9573e03d81","parentId",2529563,"title","Council approves plat‑approval code change, two alternative standards for Walmart drone operations and cap on short‑term rental permits","audioSeconds",1258,"startMs",4333000,"endMs",5591000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2529563-fbee8adcfae0583d2157ad9573e03d81&start=4333&end=5591","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2529563-fbee8adcfae0583d2157ad9573e03d81/thumbnail_4333000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6291667/Lewisville/Denton-County/Texas/Council-approves-platapproval-code-change-two-alternative-standards-for-Walmart-drone-operations-and-cap-on-shortterm-rental-permits","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6291667-175204befc2bbf9a27d5f21b25103e2d/orig.mp4?Expires=1771163654&Signature=gFIegTi10~-QPVfo4IN44yEhBwGMMPR2houcEdF4E4Cu~JeEGjIC8KSnFr8FRYIjLn-t9ksufJFi1rVyCoxeM3w47XXZEp8M5y1TkUqoCe4AKCfwMrYMAhHag4AigMqRBgrY6pGnYftu1OBH-TeQ7UMqVoOG77Q-dS8En816pLH3~Wm4QPzAYrtg7cRbd4WRX~~6ZN0HgOTt5Sx~lQkxtfQrRZOVXW-PnEQjbEQaUBQY5u9y6o5Q53rZoDrCNFYjpLeX3vu5rnJ8W6NKKG9jidiUkLtUGbr5eh0K4uvzYqvRLlekRgQWi1LbvBUyj3D6lmFMn-cPEICjz2NgGRf-pA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","","date","2025-03-04T18:56:59Z","article","The Lewisville City Council on Monday approved three separate land‑use and regulatory items in unanimous votes.

Lede: Council adopted an ordinance moving authority to approve plats where no variances are required from the council or planning and zoning commission to the planning director, approved two alternative standards for outdoor storage and screening at a Walmart drone site and adopted a short‑term rental (STR) ordinance that sets a maximum of 130 active STR permits for 2025.

Nut graf: Each action passed unanimously. Staff told the council the plat‑approval change is intended to increase administrative efficiency and align local practice with state law. The alternative standards concern outdoor storage location and fence material for a Walmart site used for drone delivery operations; the STR ordinance is part of a broader city plan to protect residential neighborhood character.

What the council voted

- Plat approval ordinance: Council approved an ordinance amending Volume 2 of the Lewisville City Code (the Unified Development Code) to delegate to the planning director the authority to approve, approve with conditions, or disapprove plats where no variances are requested. The ordinance clarifies appeal rights to the Planning and Zoning Commission and council. The planning and zoning commission had recommended unanimous approval. The motion to adopt passed unanimously, 6‑0.

- Alternative standards for Walmart/Wing (24‑11‑15‑ALT STD): The council approved two alternative standards previously granted for a temporary drone delivery operation and extended or renewed them pending staff work on supplemental unmanned aircraft systems standards. The two standards are: allowing outside storage in front of the principal building and allowing a black galvanized metal fence in lieu of a masonry wall or tubular steel fence. Planning staff recommended approval; the planning and zoning commission had recommended unanimous approval. The council vote was unanimous.

- Short‑term rental (STR) ordinance: Council adopted an ordinance adding subsections to Division 4 (Short Term Rental Units) of Article 6, Chapter 4 of the city code to (a) set a maximum number of active STR unit permits (130 for 2025), (b) provide for closure of the permit application process and priority for existing applications, and (c) implement the cap and related administrative measures. Staff said 130 represents roughly 0.5% of residential parcels in Lewisville. The Greater Lewisville Association of Realtors submitted an opposition comment; a resident urged staff to set lower caps to match enforcement capacity. Council approved the ordinance unanimously.

Votes and procedure notes

Each item passed by unanimous council vote. Public hearings were opened and closed where required, the planning director and city attorney read required ordinance language on the record, and staff confirmed planning and zoning commission recommendations prior to council action.

Ending

Council took no further action on other agenda items and recessed to closed session later in the evening on unrelated litigation and economic development negotiations. No votes were recorded from closed session at the meeting’s end.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","2025-03-03 (City Council)","oneSentenceSummary","Lewisville City Council voted unanimously to (1) delegate plat approval authority to the planning director, (2) renew two alternative standards for a Walmart/Wing drone operation site, and (3) adopt a short‑term rental ordinance that caps active permits at 130 and closes the application process to manage neighborhood character.","taxTitle","Lewisville, Denton County, Texas","taxId",2789,"location","headline","shortSummary",{"_33":75,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":76,"_41":77,"_43":78,"_45":79,"_47":80,"_49":81,"_51":82,"_53":83,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":84,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":85,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":56,"_73":56},6291672,"Lewisville finance team lays out economic outlook, assessed‑value gains and budget calendar for FY2026",2492,1504000,3996000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2529563-fbee8adcfae0583d2157ad9573e03d81&start=1504&end=3996","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2529563-fbee8adcfae0583d2157ad9573e03d81/thumbnail_1504000.jpg","/articles/6291672/Lewisville/Denton-County/Texas/Lewisville-finance-team-lays-out-economic-outlook-assessedvalue-gains-and-budget-calendar-for-FY2026","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6291672-d5b9be5a799653931d89ec71a0d2f3e8/orig.mp4?Expires=1771163654&Signature=KtXV2dVSZiWSoShHUVHomzXi6KXng~0I4dSDbcT7oO3OOPYvswBU6-8~vy-DimicmibrjQuLJpx3B4a4q8X~AKwqBOdaFCImjnHdj3d7oOniutiuh4CNsWWzl9PNkHvdAXiJBdPqkQASlsM7VJOP7Vz3a0kS3zilFg9~d9hvrfgAdbYtiTTHLsn4B6ex43mdDRyOjP-IFmjy0FdkFNbxpuzCUxRC0QUQfA5S2c0wHPTiBGGS5dOdhtW7o4Qg8UycDJX--qPRDw7OVIyHBuN7GSnozAlh~wC8qYHtv1pssrUH3YjvEuC4neeai-2OXGQ0vEmE2Wt1mQbd4wj1KUPg2A__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","City finance and economic development staff presented an economic outlook and budget timeline to the Lewisville City Council on Monday, reviewing assessed‑value growth, development projects, bond rating notes and a recommended FY2026 budget calendar that does not require a voter election.

Director of Finance Dave Erb said the city’s taxable assessed value increased from about $11.7 billion in tax year 2020 to approximately $19.4 billion in 2024, a rise he attributed in part to the Castle Hills annexation and ongoing development. “That is a 65% increase over that 5 year period,” Erb said.

Why it matters: Erb and colleagues told council that assessed‑value growth, construction activity and sales tax trends underpin revenue projections for the upcoming budget. Staff recommended preparing the FY2026 budget without pursuing a property tax election, while keeping options open if council later chooses otherwise.

Key points from the presentation

- Assessed value and new value: Staff said new taxable value additions spiked (examples cited at $720 million and $780 million in recent years) and that single‑family residential accounted for about 46% of the total assessed value. City staff projected long‑term single‑family assessed value growth of roughly 4–6%.

- Bond ratings and borrowing: Erb summarized Standard & Poor’s and Fitch ratings from August 2024. He said revenue bonds previously rated AAA remain strong but noted Fitch reduced one general obligation rating; staff said the change reflected rating criteria updates rather than weakened city finances. Staff estimated about 4% as a planning assumption for the next bond sale’s interest cost.

- Development pipeline: Economic development staff presented a list of major projects, including Old Town multifamily, Lakeside Crossing, Crown Center and a large Wells Fargo data center. Christina Williams summarized retail, office and industrial trends via CoStar market data and said industrial vacancy remained low with heavy demand.

- Revenues and risks: Budget manager Ashley Carlisle reviewed general‑fund sales tax trends, building permit receipts and hotel occupancy. Staff said sales tax growth spiked with Castle Hills and has moderated since; FY2024 sales tax came in about $435,000 higher than the prior year. Carlisle also described federal grant reimbursements and noted some recent federal grant suspensions are being monitored but, as of the report, reimbursements were flowing for Lewisville.

- Calendar recommendation: Staff proposed the calendar that avoids a tax election, with the public hearing and votes on the budget and tax rate set in September per statutory deadlines. Staff’s recommendation: proceed without an election for FY2026 and continue monitoring revenues, inflation, interest rates and federal grants.

Council questions and next steps

Council members asked several technical questions about industrial vacancy rates, downtown projects, and hotel occupancy. Staff said they will continue one‑on‑one budget meetings with council, monitor building permits and sales tax receipts and return with final budget materials per the recommended calendar.

Ending

Staff recommended moving forward with budget preparations without an election and emphasized ongoing monitoring of sales tax, building permits and federal funding. Erb described the city as financially strong with solid reserves and continuing development activity expected to support revenues.","City finance and economic development staff told the council the city’s taxable assessed value rose from about $11.7 billion in 2020 to $19.4 billion in 2024, reviewed development projects and recommended proceeding with the FY2026 budget without calling an election on the tax rate.",{"_33":87,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":88,"_41":89,"_43":90,"_45":91,"_47":92,"_49":93,"_51":94,"_53":95,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":96,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":97,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":56,"_73":56},6291676,"DCTA reports record ridership, pushes A-train enhancements and Old Town Lewisville development",1296,188000,1484000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2529563-fbee8adcfae0583d2157ad9573e03d81&start=188&end=1484","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2529563-fbee8adcfae0583d2157ad9573e03d81/thumbnail_188000.jpg","/articles/6291676/Lewisville/Denton-County/Texas/DCTA-reports-record-ridership-pushes-A-train-enhancements-and-Old-Town-Lewisville-development","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6291676-7a95310559b2d05ecc3f970d64c8be8a/orig.mp4?Expires=1771163654&Signature=WIu6ReOl3XUyOO7peCw6iaJ-kcczENEvv~N9IEXNIaLSXVAnii2u1chFwBZex~L~VRMNjnXAUw4Pg3Ad9kPdcXLux4dcg4Lwvf~Ky9mbOhCfMKYZcXb-ir0oDksHpYAFSgJx2TOEWlW00mkFcIhHQ1ZjHbCVl5MMZfSiEVhYOFlFHUd6t0d9lc~JOdbleEyTOAJpDyMup6X0ivPv3wV59S3WgjTPy~T-sJf5M4GuI71t13RbfZuiAJrDHH5p19qgq0Tei9lapvxbkxQY1K0GSaAWvxiM6jvC4f~mmZ3sUujFZlMlUaNeSU3YBN~9WtCinhxoef230I5t5R~Fh7UcSA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Denton County Transportation Authority Chief Executive Officer Paul Christina told the Lewisville City Council on Monday that DCTA recorded an all‑time high of 3,200,000 passenger trips in fiscal 2024 and is pursuing service and development changes intended to increase connectivity and regional access.

Christina said the agency will pursue an A‑train enhancement program that aims to shorten run times and move toward a 15‑minute headway, and is studying a roughly 2‑mile extension that would tighten a connection to Dallas Area Rapid Transit’s planned Silver Line. “When the schedule is running on a 15 minute frequency, it means you don't care what the schedule is,” Christina said.

The DCTA CEO said the authority’s GoZone microtransit — a demand‑responsive service operated with partner Via — delivered about 860,000 trips last year and has allowed the agency to reallocate fixed‑route hours where appropriate. Christina said GoZone ridership is flat overall but that ridership dropped in Denton and rose in Lewisville and Highland Village after the agency rebalanced service: “Reducing ridership 12% in Denton drove 14% ridership growth in Lewisville, and 25% ridership in Highland Village.”

Why it matters: Christina told council members that the A‑train remains primarily a commuter rail, with most boardings at end‑of‑line stations, and that the 2‑mile extension plus regional fare integration could make the A‑train a one‑seat option to DFW Airport for many riders. He also framed the Old Town Lewisville station area as a transit‑oriented development opportunity on about 13 acres DCTA owns adjacent to the station.

Details of planned changes and finances

- Ridership: Christina said DCTA delivered 3,200,000 trips across services in fiscal 2024 and that A‑train ridership has posted multiple consecutive years of double‑digit growth.

- A‑train enhancement program: The program will study run‑time improvements, frequency increases (targeting a 15‑minute schedule), potential service hour extensions and a possible new station tied to the Silver Line connection. Christina noted later service requires addressing interoperability with freight operations and additional cost analysis.

- GoZone microtransit: DCTA’s GoZone service remains the region’s largest Via‑operated microtransit deployment in North America. Christina said DCTA used GoZone data to optimize where fixed routes are the better, more cost‑effective option and to reallocate capacity from Denton into Lewisville and Highland Village.

- Paratransit and vulnerable riders: Christina said paratransit usage has remained consistent and that GoZone can substitute for some trips for riders who do not require the higher cost paratransit service. He listed common trip purposes as medical, education and employment.

- TRIP program and funding: Christina said the agency has obligated about $14.7 million of roughly $19.2 million available since the TRIP program began; fiscal 2025 had about $7.7 million available and the DCTA board voted to extend the TRIP program into perpetuity so funds may be considered annually.

Local reaction and questions

Council members asked about GoZone pickup locations, virtual stops and safety; Christina and Austin Frith, DCTA vice president of planning and development, said staff will review virtual stops around Old Town station and consider safety and walkability parameters. Council members asked about Sunday and late‑night A‑train service; Christina said Sunday service and later hours are feasible but depend on maintenance scheduling, positive train control solutions and additional budget.

Ending

Christina closed by thanking Lewisville officials for local support and said DCTA will continue optimization work and coordination on Old Town Lewisville station planning. “We appreciate the support that we've gotten from, obviously, the city of Lewisville,” he said. The presentation preceded a short question period from council members.","Denton County Transportation Authority chief Paul Christina told the Lewisville City Council that DCTA recorded 3.2 million trips in fiscal 2024, described plans to shorten A-train headways to 15 minutes and outlined a mixed‑use vision for land next to Old Town Lewisville station.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Council approves plat‑approval code change, two alternative standards for Walmart drone operations and cap on short‑term rental permits

Lewisville finance team lays out economic outlook, assessed‑value gains and budget calendar for FY2026

DCTA reports record ridership, pushes A-train enhancements and Old Town Lewisville development