FAQs
NTRA Chlorine
When will the conversion occur?
Beginning September 8 and continuing until October 5.
Why does NTRA use Chloramines most of the year?
While chlorine is an effective disinfectant, using chlorine alone creates byproducts, which are regulated by the US Environmental Protection Agency. We can drastically and cost-effectively reduce byproduct levels through the use of chloramines. Chloramines are a better long-term choice because it produces lower levels of disinfectant byproducts like trihalomethanes, improves the smell and odor of water (compared to chlorine), and lasts longer in the distribution system to prevent bacterial growth.
Why would NTRA convert from Chloramines to Free Chlorine?
This brief, scheduled change in disinfectant is a standard water treatment practice to keep water mains clean and free of potentially harmful bacterial throughout the year.
State drinking water guidelines recommend that utilities using chloramines periodically switch to free chlorine. The temporary use of chlorine will ensure that a high level of disinfection is maintained throughout the network of water mains and pipes that deliver your drinking water.
Free chlorine is a more aggressive disinfectant than chloramines, and this temporary change in the water treatment process denies bacteria the ability to form resistance to the usual disinfection treatment process.
Switching to free chlorine is a proactive step to ensure that we maintain optimal levels of disinfection in the water distribution system.
As always, the drinking water will be regularly monitored to ensure that the water delivered meets, or is better than, federal Safe Drinking Water Act standards.
Will hydrant flushing in my area cause cloudiness or sediment in my water?
Since the flushing process can stir up sediments in water mains, you may notice occasional short-term cloudiness in your water. If your tap water is cloudy, open your faucet and allow water to flow until the clarity improves.
Will I notice a difference in my water?
Possibly. Some customers may notice a slight change in the taste and smell of their tap water. Free chlorine may have a bit of a chemical odor or smell slightly like water in a swimming pool. Each individual customer has his or her own sensitivity level to the taste and/or odor of free chlorine. Many detect no change at all. The mild chlorine taste and smell is normal and poses no health risk.
Will I see a drop in water pressure due to the flushing?
Most customers will not see a drop in water pressure. If a change in pressure does occur, it usually lasts for less than half an hour.
Permitting
How do I obtain authorization to discharge industrial wastewater into the sanitary sewer system?
To obtain authorization to discharge industrial wastewater, you must submit a permit application to the Environmental Services Division. Please contact a member of the Environmental Services Division at 903-464-4483.
Planning & Zoning
What is a zoning variance?
A variance allows a deviation in the city’s land use rules (zoning) to meet a special need. While these rules are intended to promote such things as quality of life, increased property values and the safety of residents, it is sometimes possible to deviate from these rules through the variance process.
What is a plat and why do I need one?
A plat is a map of a land area. A plot is a piece of land used for a single purpose, like a park or a house. A plat shows the locations of the various plots, easements, streets, and similar items in the mapped area. The City of Denison requires plats for many reasons. Plats help protect property values, preserve historic sites, and to give a legal description to land, among other things. View and download the appropriate Plat Checklist and Application to get started on the platting process.
How can I find out who owns a piece of property?
Please visit the Grayson Central Appraisal District website to review ownership and other public records associated with a specific property within the county.
What rules apply to fences?
Permits are required for new fence construction, replacement of an existing fence, and repair of an existing fence involving 20 feet (20') or more of fence. Fences have a max height of 8 feet. Fences that go past the front of a home/business are restricted to a max height of 4 feet and must be 50% open. In order to obtain a permit you must submit a permit application and a site plan indicating the location of the fence with dimensions from property lines and other structures. The permit fee for a fence is $50.
For additional information, please visit the Fence Requirements page in the Building Department.
How do I know what the zoning is for a property?
Visit the City of Denison interactive map and search for the address in question. Open the Layer List option and select Zoning and Zoning District to view zoning for the address and the surrounding area.
This map is updated periodically, but may not reflect recent zoning changes made on a case-by-case basis by the City Council. Please contact our office at planning@cityofdenison.com if you need to verify current zoning.
How do I have my property re-zoned?
The zoning process may take anywhere from six to eight weeks to complete. You will need to attend two public hearings. The first meeting will be with the Planning and Zoning Commission. They are a recommending body to the City Council and forward their recommendations to the City Council. The second meeting will be with the City Council. The City Council has the final ruling for all zone change requests. Work sessions are held prior to the regular City Council meetings. It is recommended that all applicants attend these meetings. Visit the Planning homepage to view the annual schedule of public hearings. Please contact our office to begin the re-zoning process.
When are the Planning & Zoning Commission meetings?
The Planning & Zoning Commission meetings are held the second and fourth Tuesday of each month in the City Council Chambers at City Hall. The meetings are open to the public, and agendas are posted no later than 72 hours before each meeting by the City Clerk's office and at City Hall. Visit our Planning & Zoning Commission calendar for more information.
What building materials can I use?
Appropriate building materials and ratios depend on the zoning, any applicable overlay, and the nature of the project. To determine what the property is currently zoned and if there are any overlays, visit the City of Denison interactive map. From there, refer to the Zoning District Ordinance for detailed lists of compliant materials and ratios. If you have questions or issues, please contact our office at planning@cityofdenison.com.
I received a notice in the mail about proposed changes at a nearby property. What do I need to do?
The City of Denison is required to notify property owners within a certain area of a nearby property whose owner is seeking a zoning change or exemption. Follow the directions outlined in the notice to officially voice your support of, opposition to, or concerns regarding the project. Please contact our office at planning@cityofdenison.com if you need help understanding the notice you received.
What do I need to know about tree clearing for development?
In order for the City of Denison to maintain a natural, less manicured aesthetic, several incentives for preserving existing natural areas and trees during development have been established. Refer to the Landscape requirements Ordinance for more information.
How do I find out which buildings are currently scheduled for demolition in Denison?
Please submit an Open Records Request to the City Clerk's office asking for a list of properties currently scheduled for demolition in the City of Denison. You should receive a response within 3 days of submission.
Can I operate a business out of my home?
Yes. Standards have been established in City Ordinance to minimize annoyance and inconvenience to neighboring property while providing opportunities to pursue a home-based business. Please refer to the Home-Based Business ordinance to view the requirements and restrictions. Contact the Office of the City Clerk to determine if a business license is required.
Can I build a garage apartment or guest house?
If the property is in a Residential Zoning District, you can. Residential Zones have garage, covered, or other paved parking minimums. Converting a garage into a guest home may require replacement covered parking equal or greater to what the converted garage offered. Use the City of Denison interactive map to determine the Zoning (and Overlay is appropriate) and refer to the specific Zoning Requirements for your property.
All accessory buildings (including guest homes, pool homes, mother-in-law houses, etc.) must meet the requirements specific to the Zoning District they are in. Read the Accessory building and use regulations Ordinance for more information. Anyone living in or staying in your accessory dwelling must be of your household, and cannot be rented or leased out.
I would like to open an Air BnB. Where should I start?
In order to operate an Air BnB, you will first need to verify that the dwelling exists in an appropriately zoned area. Search the address in the City of Denison interactive map to determine the zoning. Any type of Single Family (SF) and Multi-Family (MF) zonings are appropriate. If the dwelling is zoned something other than SF or MF, you may still be able to operate an Air BnB. Please contact our office at planning@cityofdenison.com to verify.
Fees collected for lodging are subject to the 7% Hotel Occupancy Tax. Taxes on fees paid the prior month must be paid by the 15th of the current month. You may set-up your tax payments by visiting Muniservices at www.REVDS.com. If you have issues or further questions about setting up your tax payment account, please contact Muniserivces at (866) 240-3665 or support@muniserivces.com.
How do I find out what my setbacks are or what my maximum lot coverage is?
This will depend on the Zoning District your project is in. Use the City of Denison interactive map to determine what zoning district (and overlay district if applicable) the project will be in. Once you have established that, reference the City Zoning ordinances to verify what setbacks and/or maximum lot coverage is required for your project.
Search Tips and Tricks
Do the search results include the contents of PDFs and other documents?
Yes. The website indexes web pages as well as PDFs, Microsoft Office documents, and text documents.
If I search for a phrase (e.g. alarm permit), will the results only show exact matches?
No. By default, the search results will show matches for any word within the phrase. In this example, you would receive results for all web pages and documents that contained either the word alarm or the word permit or both.
In order to search on an exact phrase, enclose your search phrase in quotations. The search results for "alarm permit" will show matches for that exact phrase.
Can I exclude a word from a search (e.g. all pages that have the word "alarm" but not the word "permit"?
Yes. You can exclude words by using the minus sign (-). In order to find the results of all pages that have alarm in the result but not permit, you would search for alarm -permit.
Softball/Baseball
Do I have to sell a fundraiser?
No fundraiser this season.
Do I need to provide a copy of my child’s birth certificate?
Yes, you may attach a copy when registering online or scan a copy and email it.
The scanned copy must be of an actual birth certificate and not a hospital record.
Do you offer a discount for multiple siblings?
Yes, if you have:
- 2 siblings, you will receive $20 off the total registration cost.
- 3 siblings, you will receive $30 off the total registration cost.
- 4 siblings, you will receive $40 off the total registration cost.
**This discount excludes the Lil Rookie division.
Do you offer baseball for boys 5 years of age or older?
We do not, however, Denison Little League Baseball does offer a league for this age.
Click here for more information on Denison Little League Baseball.
How can I become a coach?
We are always looking for parents who are willing to volunteer their time to teach the game.
Each person that is interested in coaching will need to fill out an application and go through a background check. The applications are available on our Denison Girls Softball page.
Anyone who will be on the field or helping with practices must go through a background check.
How often and when are games played?
Lil Rookie and 6U games most often are played on Saturday mornings at Culpepper fields.
8U-15U games are most often played twice a week with the evening hours of 6:00 PM and 7:45 PM at THF fields.
Games may vary from week to week on what night they are played. For example, week one might be Monday and Thursday and week two might be Tuesday and Friday.
If I sign up my child, will they get to play?
Yes, everyone is drafted to a team and everyone will get to play.
Each division will bat the entire roster and there is a minimum amount of defensive innings that each player must play each game.
What are the age divisions offered?
- Lil Rookies T-ball is for boys and girls ages 3 and 4. Must be at least 3 years of age on December 31, 2019, and can be no older than 5 years old prior to December 31, 2019. (all t-ball)
- 6U division is for girls ages 5 & 6 (combination of t-ball and coach pitch)
- 8U division is for girls ages 7 & 8 (all coach pitch)
- 10U division is for girls ages 9 & 10 (player pitch with modified pitching rules)
- 12U division is for girls ages 11 &12 (player pitch)
- 15U division is for girls ages 13, 14 & 15. (player pitch)
** Age is based on their age as of December 31, 2019. Any parent requesting to play their child up in a division must first get approval from the staff.
What equipment do I need?
Each participant must provide their own softball glove. Cleats (no metal spikes) are optional but not required.
Team equipment will be provided which will include:
- helmets,
- catchers gear,
- balls, and
- a bat.
Participants may provide their own helmet if they wish, however it must have a facemask and a chinstrap.
What type of uniform is provided?
Parks and Recreation will provide a shirt and socks for each participant.
It is the responsibility of the parent to provide the shorts/pants. The head coach will select either shorts or pants, depending on which age group, and the color.
Lil Rookie and 6U shirts will be a cotton blend and 8U-15U shirts will be a dry fit material.
Special Events
I have had my event for 10 years. Why do I need a special event permit now?
It is our goal to enhance the quality of life and economic prosperity of Denison through supporting special events while balancing the needs of our residents and businesses affected by these events. The permit process was created to ensure events are carried out safely, thoroughly, and properly.
Why do events require insurance?
The special event must carry property, bodily injury, and municipal liability insurance of $1,000,000.00 per occurrence.This is to ensure that the event organizer as well as the City is not held liable in any incident, accident, or emergency situation.
Why is an explanation required for advertising campaigns?
Per City Ordinance, signs cannot be attached to trees or utility poles, fences or outside of abandoned buildings. It is our goal to assist event organizers but we are responsible for upholding all rules and regulations per our code enforcement department.
Swimming
How do I get to the Waterloo Pool?
Please click here to visit out Waterloo Pool page for more details on location and directions.
Utilities
What services are on the utility bill and how are they calculated?
The main recurring charges that appear on the utility bill are water, sewer, and refuse. For more information, please go to https://www.cityofdenison.com/utilities/page/utility-rates.
Where can I mail my payment?
Payments can be mailed to:
P.O. Box 347
Denison, Texas 75021
Where is the Utilities Customer Service Division located?
The Utilities Customer Service Division is located at: 300 W. Main St. Denison, TX 75020.