1. Denton approves acquisition of land for Ryan Road Widening project
Denton City Council unanimously approved the acquisition of several properties along Ryan Road between Country Club Road and Teasley Lane for the Ryan Road widening project at a Nov. 18 meeting.
The purpose of the Ryan Road widening project is to create a second arterial route through the city, Senior Real Estate Specialist Angel DeLory said.
The project will turn the two-lane road into four lanes and also includes additional improvements to drainage, street crossings, sidewalks and street lighting, per city documents.
Funding for the Ryan Road project, which has a projected cost of $4 million, comes from 2019 bond funds.
The acquired land will be used to create:
- Drainage easements
- Rights of way
- Temporary construction easements
Read the full story by Reporter Mary Katherine Shapiro.
2. Denton ISD's Child Nutrition team aims to serve balanced, healthy meals
Denton ISD's Child Nutrition department served over 4 million lunches and about 1.6 million breakfasts during the 2024-25 school year, said Chris Bomberger, DISD's executive director of risk management and child nutrition.
The nutrition department focuses on ensuring students have access to healthy, balanced meals to help fuel student growth, learning and overall well-being, said Liz Raftery, director of Child Nutrition. Raftery shared updates on the Child Nutrition department during a Nov. 11 board meeting.
DISD's Child Nutrition department is made up of 283 staff members, Raftery said. The department staff is equipped to provide over 1.4 million breakfasts and over 3.3 million lunches each year, she said.
In the 2025-26 school year, approximately 13,900 DISD students receive free lunch while about 2,500 students pay a reduced price, according to the meeting presentation.
Currently, the district's free and reduced lunch participation hovers around 47% to 49%, Raftery said.
Read the full story by Reporter Hannah Johnson.
3. Denton promotes affordable housing with adjusted tax credit requirements
Denton City Council discussed changes to the housing tax credit program requirements in order to provide more affordable housing to residents at a Nov. 18 work session.
The housing tax credit program is a federally funded, state-administered program that supports affordable housing by giving tax exemptions to developments that include income-restricted rental housing, per city documents.
Since Denton adopted its current policy in 2018, nine projects have received council support and later received tax credit awards, producing 1,595 affordable units, city documents state. However, only 283 of those units serve households earning below 50% of the area's median income, according to city documents.
In response to council concerns raised during past project reviews, city staff presented a comprehensive update that adds new requirements and introduces a formal scoring system.
Read the full story by Reporter Mary Katherine Shapiro.
4. Denton OKs $60M loan request for water plant project
Denton City Council unanimously approved the submission of a $60 million loan application to the Texas Water Development Board to fund the Pecan Creek Water Reclamation Plant Reconstruction project at a Nov. 18 meeting.
Planning and Engineering Division Manager Kyle Pedigo gave a presentation detailing the project and process of applying for and receiving funding.
This project will increase the capacity of the water reclamation plant to 30 million gallons per day, modernize treatment processes, enhance nutrient removal and improve long-term reliability and compliance, according to city documents.
If approved, the $60 million loan will come from the Clean Water State Revolving Fund, which provides low-interest loans for wastewater and water-reclamation infrastructure and ensures compliance with environmental and financial standards, city documents state.
This program allows municipalities to fund upgrades at a lower cost than traditional bond financing with up to a 30-year repayment period.
The project is estimated to cost a total of $603 million, Pedigo said. Approximately $277 million will come from the Environmental Protection Agency’s Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act, and the remainder will come from future Clean Water State Revolving Fund applications.
Read the full story by Reporter Mary Katherine Shapiro.
