FAQs

Area plans are forward-looking. Current residents, business owners, and other community stakeholders determine what their community should look and feel like in 10 to 20 years.

Area plans are specific to a particular area. They seek to improve the quality of life for current and future residents, business owners, and visitors of the area. They also help to define a community’s vision, manage growth and desired land uses, promote economic investment, address housing needs, identify public investment opportunities, and more!

Area planning is flexible. There is not “one right way” to prepare a plan. In fact, the best plans tailor the public engagement, data collection, and implementation actions to the needs and desires of stakeholders within the study area.

An area plan is a policy document. It does not change any permitted land uses or development standards for any particular property. Instead, it is a roadmap for the action steps needed to achieve a community’s vision. An area plan also gives guidance on zoning decisions and public investments.

The Southeast Denton Area Plan began by recognizing the past harms of the forced removal from Quakertown in the 1920s and a proposed Urban Renewal demolition plan in the 1960s. Although the community still feels generational trauma and loss of generational wealth, through this plan, the City in partnership with the community developed actions to prevent further displacement.

During extensive community engagement, we heard concerns about recent development activities, the need for additional public infrastructure investments, a desire to preserve the history and culture of Southeast Denton, and anxiety about housing affordability and displacement.

The Southeast Denton Area Plan includes a variety of goals, strategies, and implementation actions to address the concerns and help achieve the community’s vision. The overall goals are outlined below:

Goal 1. Build trust within the Community and with the City as a whole

Goal 2. Honor the culture and heritage of Southeast Denton

Goal 3. Invest in economic prosperity

Goal 4. Strengthen neighborhoods

Goal 5. Elevate the quality of public amenities and infrastructure

Goal 6. Create a safe and connected multi-modal travel system

After the plan is adopted, the City will start implementing the actions. Actions are separated between short-term (1 to 2 years), mid-term (3 to 5 years), and long-term (6 to 10 years).

The actions vary and include:

• Tailor and improve communications between City departments and Southeast Denton residents
• Increase participation in Denton 360
• Survey the area’s historic assets
• Provide financial assistance for Southeast Denton entrepreneurial spaces
• Create overlay districts (specific guidelines) to allow growth and redevelopment while maintaining the scale and character of the neighborhood
• Add Southeast Denton’s history to Juneteenth event programming

Other actions include:

• Attract small fresh produce stores and/or full-service grocers to the area through economic development incentives
• Coordinate with DISD to ensure Southeast Denton children are able to attend schools within the area
• Raise awareness about water quality
• Increase parks and recreational programming at Fred Moore Park and/or MLK Recreation Center
• Install ADA compliant trail heads at key points along the trail network
• Establish a Neighborhood Revitalizations Strategy Area