City Implements Precautionary Measures to Reduce COVID-19 Risk

DENTON, TX, March 17, 2020 – To protect the health and safety of the community and our employees, and help minimize the potential spread of COVID-19 (Coronavirus), City Manager Todd Hileman has announced that City facilities will be temporarily closed to the public, effective Wednesday, March 18. Facility closures include but are not limited to:

City Hall (215 E. McKinney St.)

City Hall East, including Customer Service (601 E. Hickory St.)

Development Services Center (215 W. Hickory St.)

Service Center (901 Texas St.)

Linda McNatt Animal Care and Adoption Center, open by appointment only (3717 N. Elm St.)

All Library branches, except for certain services – see below (3020 N. Locust St., 502 Oakland St., 3228 Teasley Ln.)

All Parks and Recreation facilities, except Martin Luther King Jr. Rec Center (1300 Wilson St.)

These facilities are tentatively scheduled to reopen Monday, April 6. However, given the rapidly changing impacts of COVID-19, the City will continue to reassess the situation and make adjustments as necessary. A complete listing of facility closures, events, and programming suspensions is available and routinely updated at www.cityofdenton.com/coronavirus . Prior press releases and additional FAQs also can be found on the City website.

Services will continue to be provided virtually or over the phone where possible. See more details below. Residents may still access online services at www.cityofdenton.com and submit service requests at www.engagedenton.com .

Animal Services

To schedule an appointment for adoptions or owner reclaims at the Linda McNatt Animal Care and Adoption Center, contact Animal Services at (940) 349-7594. View all adoptable pets at

www.cityofdenton.com/animalservices .

Animal Field Services will only be responding to animal-related emergency calls. If you have an animal-related emergency, call (940) 349-7594. Animal intakes due to owner surrendering will be declined. At this time, residents are asked to hold animals or utilize Animal Services’ partner agencies for placement.

Customer Service and Municipal Court

Utilities customers can pay online, by phone, by mail, and by drop box. To pay your bill or speak with a Customer Service representative, customers should call (940) 349-8700. Please visit www.cityofdenton.com/paymybill to pay online.

As previously announced, Municipal Court in-person proceedings have been suspended until Wednesday, April 1. To speak with a Court Clerk, call (940) 349-8331. Payments can be made online and by mail. For forms, payment options, and other information, visit www.cityofdenton.com/court .

Development Services

The Planning and Zoning Commission meeting scheduled for Wednesday, March 18, has been canceled. No additional Commission meetings are scheduled at this time. Until further notice, the Development Services Department will suspend accepting new development application submittals that require Planning and Zoning Commission review. The City will not accept new plat applications at this time. All other planning and development applications—including all building, construction, and health-related permits—may be submitted online only at www.dentondevelopmentservices.com . For any accepted applications that require consideration during a public meeting, final action will be withheld until a meeting can be scheduled. Development Services can be reached by phone at (940) 349-8541.

Library

Denton residents and library cardholders are still able to access the Library’s multitude of digital resources. For information on digital resources and how to access them, visit bit.ly/2Qg8WCx . Denton residents without a card can request a temporary eCard online at bit.ly/2WhyTFE . Those with an expired library card may also renew online at bit.ly/39R9ztT .

If a patron has a physical item that they need to return to the Library, the book drops will still be accessible. Once items are returned, Library staff will sanitize them for future use. In addition, even though the libraries will be closed, physical items such as books, movies, CDs, and Discovery Kits may still be placed on hold via the online library catalog or by calling the Library at (940) 349-8752 and selecting option 2. After receiving notification about holds becoming available, patrons may pick up holds via the drive-up service window at North Branch Library (3020 N. Locust St.) or the new temporary curbside pickup at Emily Fowler Central Library (502 Oakland St.) and South Branch Library (3228 Teasley Ln.).

For patrons unable to return items, the Library’s fine-free policy will protect them from any potential penalties. For more information on how the Library will serve patrons, including curbside pickup instructions, visit www.dentonlibrary.com and follow the Library on social media.

Parks and Recreation

The Parks and Recreation Department will cancel all programs, rentals, and activities through Sunday, April 5. City-hosted events are also canceled, including but not limited to, the Easter Egg Hunt and Egg’stravaganza, Breakfast with the Easter Bunny, Teen Twilight Egg Hunt, and Summer Job Fair.

The Denton Civic Center, Denton Senior Center, North Lakes Rec Center, MLK Jr. Rec Center, Denia Rec Center, Goldfield Tennis Center, North Lakes Driving Range, and Denton Natatorium are closed. The MLK Jr. Rec Center will remain open to the public Monday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. with access restricted to the lobby and restrooms. Parks, trails, playgrounds, and dog parks remain open, and park users are urged to refrain from congregating in large groups and practice social distancing.

Staff will contact all customers relating to refunds and credits. For more information, please call (940) 349-7275 or email parksnrec@cityofdenton.com.

Solid Waste & Recycling

The City of Denton Landfill will continue to be open to customers during its normal business hours. For operating hours, visit www.cityofdenton.com/landfill .

The City of Denton’s Home Chemical Collection Center and Reuse Store will be closed to drop-off customers beginning Wednesday, March 18. Home chemicals and appliances may still be collected by calling (940) 349-8700 to schedule a curbside collection. Please visit www.cityofdenton.com/hcc for a list of acceptable items and how to prepare them for collection.

Per the Texas Department of State Health Services , if you are experiencing fever, cough, or difficulty breathing, and you have been in close contact with a person known to have COVID‑19 or have traveled from an area with widespread or ongoing community spread of COVID‑19 in the last 14 days, you should contact your healthcare provider. Be sure to call ahead before going to your doctor’s office or emergency department to prevent any potential spread of illness.

The City will continue to release updates at www.cityofdenton.com/coronavirus and the City’s social media channels.

Contact: Ryan Adams, (940) 349-8565, Ryan.Adams@cityofdenton.com

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Source: City of Denton