Frequently Asked Questions

Yes. Please contact the Building Department for specific information.

All new windows must meet current code requirements. Under current 2015 IECC it's a U-Factor of .35 or better and SHG of .25 or better (Lower number or better)

Yes. Requirements for restaurants and temporary vendors can be obtained from the Grayson County Health Department and Environmental Health Division by calling 903-465-2878 ext. 241. Contact the Fire Marshal by calling 903-465-2720 ext. 2207 for Fire Department requirements. A Certificate of Occupancy is required from the Inspection Department by calling 903-465-2720.

Yes, a permit is required on all signs. Refer to the Code of Ordinances for more information.

Permits are good for six months or (six months after the most recent inspection up to one full year). Sign Banner permits are only good for 30 days

The City of Denison accepts cash, check, and credit / debit cards.

Permits will vary in cost according to type of application. Please refer to the fee schedule (PDF) for further information.

The Inspection Department uses the certificate of occupancy (CO) for information to help identify potential hazards that may be encountered while responding to emergency calls by the Fire Department. The CO verifies that the structure conforms to the most current life and safety standards.

Any time a new business is opened, a new building is built, a new business is opening in an existing building, ownership of the business changes, or the business name is changed.

It depends on the type of permit being applied for, but the following are a general guideline:

• Scope of work (detailed list of everything being done. Include materials)
• Owner and contractor's name and phone number
• Site plan, drawing, or floor plan
• Have a registered contractor registration

Yes. This is considered the corridor development area. Any new construction, exterior remodel, on and off-premise signs, lighting canopies, awnings, landscaping, etc. in this area needs to go through the Planning and Zoning Department. Email the Planning and Zoning Department here.

Information can also be found in the Zoning Ordinance: Article V - Special Area Standards.

This is a section of the City of Denison from the 700 Block of West Main to the 300 Block of East Main and from Gandy Street to Crawford Street. Any type of exterior work, including painting, is required to go before the Historical Preservation Board and also required to have a permit. If you have questions, email the city's Planning and Zoning Department.

The main office is located on the 2nd floor of City hall: 300 West Main Street, Denison, TX 75020.

The Building Department is open Monday through Friday from 8 am to 5 pm.

All work involving new roofs and re-roofing work must be permitted.

View our Adopted Codes and Ordinances page.

Yes, please contact us for specific information.

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.

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.

Please visit the Grayson Central Appraisal District website to review ownership and other public records associated with a specific property within the county.

Permits are required for new fence construction, replacement of an existing fence, and repair of an existing fence involving 20 feet or more of fence. Fences have a maximum 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 contact the Building Department.

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 email our office if you need to verify current zoning.

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 and Zoning homepage to view the annual schedule of public hearings. Please contact our office to begin the re-zoning process.

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 email our office.

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 email our office if you need help understanding the notice you received.

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.

The Planning and 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 and Zoning Commission calendar for more information.

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.

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.

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.

In order to operate a Short Term Rental (AirBnB, VRBO, etc.), 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 email our office 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 registering with Avenu Insights online or call 866-240-3665.

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 are required for your project.

The Office of Community Development maintains maps from the Texas Department of Transportation with counts of traffic for a 24-hour period on some city streets. Requests can be made through the City Manager’s Office for additional counts on streets that have not been counted or to request current raw counts for a specific location.

The demolition process starts with a call to the Code Compliance Manager at 903-465-2720 Ext: 2457. They will then determine that the structure is dilapidated and posts the house unsafe.

The location of the house determines what funds will be used to demolish the structure. The length of time from posting to demolition varies greatly due to a number of circumstances. The most time-consuming task is to contact all of the people who might have an ownership in the property and have them sign a release to demolish the house. This task alone can take up to six months or more.

The Minor / Emergency Rehabilitation Program addresses five areas of work. Those areas are:

• Electrical
• Heating
• Level / support
• Plumbing
• Roofing

The maximum amount that can be spent on a project is $3,500. There are limited areas that can be addressed under emergency rehabilitation such as gas leaks, broken water pipes, some sewer problems, and heating issues. The maximum amount that can be spent on emergency projects is $1,000.

The Utilities Customer Service Division is located at:

300 W Main Street
Denison, TX 75020

Payments can be mailed to:

P.O. Box 347
Denison, Texas 75021

The main recurring charges that appear on the utility bill are water, sewer, and refuse. For more information, please visit our Utility Rates page.

Citizen Portal is an online payment portal that we have partnered with Paya, a Nuvei company, for our utility bill payments. You access your account from this website, https://denisontx.payacp.com/home

Yes, the accounts do not carry over, so you will need to go through the quick and easy process of creating a new account in Citizen Portal. To do so, please visit: https://denisontx.payacp.com/home

Please contact the Public Works Department by calling (903) 465- 2720.

The American Red Cross or the American Heart Association both offer CPR certification.

Contact the Fire Dispatch by calling 9-1-1 or (903) 465- 1616. 

A DNR Form, also called a Out of Hospital Do Not Resuscitate (OOHDNR) Form can be obtained from the Texas Department of Health.

Contact our ambulance billing company by calling 1-800-244-2345.

All Denison fire stations are open to the public. We are most pleased to show you the fire apparatus anytime you visit one of our fire stations. If you would like for a firefighter to talk to your school, church, or business organization or to schedule a tour of the fire station, please call the Fire Department at 903-464-4427.

Fire reports can be obtained by submitting a Open Records Request. Simply access the Open Records Request Form and fill out the required information.

You will need to know the date and time of the fire and the correct address where the incident occurred. There is a $5 charge for each record. Cash, checks, and money orders are accepted. For more information about fire reports, please call the Fire Department at 903-464-4427.

The Denison Fire Department recommends that there be a UL approved dual sensor photoelectric / ionization smoke detector in and outside of all bedrooms.

The Denison Fire Department recommends that you have at least one CO detector in every occupancy where wood-burning stoves, fireplaces, or other gas-fueled appliances are in use.

Contact the Main Street Director for details on how you can purchase one or more of these affordable signs.

A list of tips and safety measures from electrical to hazardous material are included in the Fire Department Inspections Program brochure (PDF).

A list of things inspected by the fire marshal prior to issuing an occupancy permit are provided in the Fire Inspections - Are You Up To Code brochure (PDF).

Chapter 19 gives definitions and regulations of signs.

Visit our page on Historic Preservation for details on Denison's Historic District.

View Section 28.39: CA - Central Area District and Section 28.49: Use Regulations for more information.

Various programs are offered through the City and the Denison Development Alliance/Denison Development Foundation.

There are state and federal tax incentives.  

Federal Rehabilitation Tax Credits: The Federal Historic Preservation Tax Credit program offers a 20 percent income tax credit for the rehabilitation of historic, income-producing buildings. For more information, follow this link.

Texas Historic Preservation Tax Credit Program: The state tax credit program offers a 25 percent tax credit for the rehabilitation of historic, income-producing or non-profit use buildings. This credit can be sold, and may be used against Texas Business Franchise Tax OR Texas Insurance Premium Tax.

Contact the Main Street Director by calling 903-464-4452 and view business start-up information for details.

To qualify for a free library card, you must be a Grayson County resident. Non-residents may purchase an annual membership at the following rates:

• $10 – Individual
• $40 – Family

It's simple to get a library card!

• Stop by the circulation desk in the library.
• Bring your photo ID and proof of current address.
• Children under 16 will need to have a parent or legal guardian with them.
• Children's accounts must be linked to the parent or guardian account.

The Animal Services Manager or their representative can officially designate a dog as a dangerous dog. If a report is received and the designation made, the dog owner, City Manager, Police department, and Fire department are notified within three days of designation. All parties are given a description of the dog and what conditions must be met because the dog is dangerous. The owner of a dangerous dog must register the dog as such and pay a fee, restrain the dog at all times with a leash and a muzzle, stay with and keep the dog in a secure enclosure at all times (i.e. fenced yard), and obtain liability insurance or show financial responsibility in the amount specified by state law to cover damages from injury that could be inflicted by the dog.

Potbellied pigs are the only type of pig that can be kept inside City Limits. They must be vaccinated and have a valid application on file with Animal Services. No more than two potbellied pigs can be kept by one household. They must be kept indoors except for outdoor bathroom and exercise breaks.

Pygmy goats are the only type of goat that can be kept inside City Limits. Proof of vaccination and a valid application must be on file with Animal Services. No more than two pygmy goats can be kept by one household.

• Identity your pets with tags and/or micro-chipping. If your pet is ever lost, identification will be crucial for returning them home to you.
• Spaying or neutering your pets will reduce the likelihood of them running away from home. This easy, cost effective step often improves animal temperament and response to training. In the big picture, it also helps reduce the number of stray and unwanted animals.
• Ensure your pet is up to date on all veterinarian recommended vaccinations. This gives your pets the best chance for a long healthy and happy life and reduces the spread of contagious diseases.

Be considerate and ensure that the manner in which you keep your pets does not result in a nuisance to others.

Contact Animal Services, 903-465-2422, or the Denison Animal Welfare Group, 903-361-4211 regarding retrieving your pet. Pound fees must be paid before animal can be released.

You must fill out a request for an amplification permit. You may also need a request form for permission to block a street with City barricades.

The offices of the city manager, city attorney, Finance, City Secretary, Planning and Zoning, Public Works, Records, Human Resource, Code Enforcement and Building, along with the Water Department are located in the City Hall at 300 W Main

No. It is not required that you obtain a permit or give the City advance notice of an activity. 

If you will let the City Attorney's Office know the date, time, and location of the activity, then we will inform the Police Department that there will be an activity and that you intend to abide by these guidelines.

No. The city attorney has no authority or jurisdiction over such matters. The Office of the Attorney General of Texas has a Consumer Protection Division that you may file a complaint with.

If you are unable to amicably resolve a barking dog situation with the dog's owner or caretaker, you may contact the City’s Animal Control Department at 903-465-2720 during regular business hours.

After hours, you may call the Police Department's non-emergency number at 903-465-2720, ext. 5105.

The Comprehensive Plan is located in Chapter 17 of the City of Denison Code of Ordinances and general zoning requirements and restrictions are located in Chapter 28.

If you have general questions about the applicability of any zoning regulations to your property, you may contact the City's Planning and Zoning Department at:

City Hall
300 West Main Street
Denison, Texas, 75020

Or, contact us by telephone at 903-465-2720, ext. 2467.

The City Secretary maintains all records related to board and commission appointments and the terms of office. If you are interested in volunteering to serve on a City board or commission, please contact the City Secretary in person at City Hall at:

300 West Main Street
Denison, Texas, 75020

Or, contact the City Secretary by telephone at 903-465-2720, ext. 2440. You may review the eligibility requirements and standards or conduct applicable to most board and commission members in Chapter 2, Article II, of the City of Denison Code of Ordinances.

Yes. Since the city attorney is the prosecutor in the Denison Municipal Court, complainants, witnesses, and defendants may contact the City Attorney’s Office on matters pending with the Municipal Court. However, defendants that are represented by legal counsel should make the contact through his/her attorney, since it is inappropriate and unethical for the city attorney to communicate directly with the defendant if he/she is represented by counsel.

It is inappropriate to contact the judge of the Municipal Court outside of the Municipal Court’s regular business hours. If you have any question about the pending trial, the availability of witnesses, or any matter pertinent in your case, you may contact the City Attorney's Office by calling 903-465-2720, ext. 2442.

Contact the Denison Municipal Court in person at:

300 West Main Street
Denison, Texas, 75020

Or, contact the Municipal Court by telephone at 903-465-2720, ext. 2448.

The rink has a tent cover and should help prevent closure due to rain; however, if there is lightning within a 10-mile radius, participants will be required to leave the venue until the threat of lightning is no longer a concern. Please check our website or Denison Parks & Recreation Facebook page for the latest updates of closures due to inclement weather.

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.

The special event must carry property, bodily injury, and municipal liability insurance of $1,000,000 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.

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.

Phase 1 is 1-mile (5,280 linear feet) in length.

There will be pole mounted solar lights at the trail heads but not along the trail itself.

Currently, there are no planned security phones. We are looking into adding emergency location trail markers along the trail.

Yes.

The trail is intended to be a shared use trail to accommodate walking, running, bicycling, users with dogs on leashes, wheelchairs, and strollers.

Yes.

The trail is intended to be a shared use trail to accommodate walking, running, bicycling, users with dogs on leashes, wheelchairs, and strollers.

Parking is available at Waterloo Lake Regional Park near the Dog Park area.

There is no parking available at the Day Street trail head area.

If you've lost something on the Trail, there are several things you can try:

• The Denison Parks and Rec Office has a lost and found, and your item may have been delivered there;
• The Denison Police Department patrols on the Katy Trail often recover lost items, so check with them;
• Sometimes items are dropped off at the Denison Parks and Recreation Office at City Hall. Give us a call at 903-465-2720 to describe and claim your item.

The offices of the City Manager, Accounting, City Clerk, Planning and Zoning, Public Works, Employee Services, Community Engagement, Code Compliance, and Building, along with Utility Billing and Municipal Court are located at: 300 W. Main St. Denison, TX 75020.

Parks and Recreation and Fire Administration are located at Old City hall at: 500 W. Chestnut St. Denison, TX 75020. 

Main Street and Tourism offices are located at the Katy Depot at: 101 E. Main St. Denison, TX 75021

By Calling: 903-465-2720 x.2440, completing the "Contact the City Manager" form, emailing the City Manager, or mailing the City Manager at P.O. Box 347 Denison, TX 75021

When you call the City’s main number, (903) 465-2720, the auto attendant should be able to direct you to the appropriate department or directly to the staff you are looking for. If you know the extension for the person you are looking for, you may enter that when the auto attendant picks up.

Denison was established on September 23, 1872 and incorporated on March 7, 1873.

Denison is a railroad town and was named after the Katy Railroad’s Vice President George Denison, who ironically never came to Texas.

Denison is located in Grayson County, Texas, and the city's population is approximately 28,000.

In April 2019 the City of Denison moved to the automated trash collection system. This is a proven method of trash collection which provides a safe, cost-effective trash collection system. Each residence is provided one 95-gallon trash cart which is then picked up by a garbage truck equipped with a hydraulic arm.

Each residence has a designated day of the week for their trash to be picked up. Your day can be found online under the City’s Interactive Maps. You can search for your address by typing it in the box provided under “information about an address”. You can also call the Public Works Department and ask one of our coordinators for your information.

Your trash will need to be at the curb no later than 6:30 a.m. on the day of collection. You may place it out the night before your designation collection. The cart may not be placed at the curb longer than 24 hours.

Your cart must be placed at least 3 feet from obstacles such as utility poles, mailboxes, trees and parked carts. The cart should be as close to the curb or public right of way as possible and no further away than 6 feet.

You can place your cart at any location on your property as long as it is within 6 feet of your residential structure. It can be placed in a garage, on the side of your house, in the driveway or behind your house.

Only bagged household trash can be put in your cart. Do not place recyclable materials, construction refuse, demolition refuse or hazardous materials in your cart. All trash must be bagged to reduce wind-blown litter and to keep the cart clean.

Yes, a second trash or recycle cart can be requested from the City for a cost of $14.95 per month. This charge will be placed on your utility bill. You can request an additional cart online under the Solid Waste Webpage or by calling the Public Works Department and requesting a paper form.

The City of Denison does provide a recycling service through a contract with Republic Services. Recycling is picked up every other week by Republic Services.

Acceptable recycling materials include the following: aluminum cans, cardboard, catalogs, glass bottles or jar, junk mail, magazines, newspaper, phone books, plastics #1-5 and #7, and steel/tin cans. Unacceptable items include the following: aluminum foil, batteries, hazardous waste, packing peanuts, Styrofoam, tissue paper, wax paper, plastic #6, window glass and fish tanks. It is extremely important that anything that is contaminated by food not be placed in the recycling cart. A high contamination rate city-wide could result in no longer having a recycling program.

The City picks up trash on each holiday except Christmas Day. Residents whose trash collection day falls on Christmas Day will be delayed one day. For example, if Christmas Day is on Tuesday and your trash collection day is Tuesday, your collection will be Wednesday.

The City collects all brush waste (grass, leaves and hedge trimmings) every other month.The city collects one manageable pile no larger than 4 feet by 4 feet by 5 feet. Any brush that is bagged will not be picked up unless it is placed in biodegradable paper bags. Black bags or white plastic bags will not be collected. If you have brush waste that you need to dispose of outside of your scheduled pickup, you may bring the brush waste to the Residential Collection Station for a minimal fee or call public works to schedule a special pickup for $15 per cubic yard.

Larger items will be collected every other month under the new bulk collection. The size limit for bulk collection is two cubic yards. This is approximately the size of a refrigerator.Residents are encouraged to bring anything larger than two cubic yards to the residential collection station for a minimal fee.

The Residential Collection Station is located at 300 W. FM 84 Denison, TX 75020. This is just north of Munson Park. The station is open Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and on Saturday from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. Please make sure to bring a valid ID picture and a copy of your last water bill.

A service line connects the water main to your home or business. This line is made up of two separate pipes. One connects the water main to the water meter, and the other connects the water meter to your home or business.

Per the Environmental Protection Agency, or EPA, exposure to lead in drinking water can cause serious health effects in all age groups. 

Infants and children can have decreases in IQ and attention span. Lead exposure can lead to new learning and behavior problems or exacerbate existing learning and behavior problems. The children of women who are exposed to lead before or during pregnancy can have increased risk of these adverse health effects. 

Adults can have increased risks of heart disease, high blood pressure, kidney, or nervous system problems.

The Environmental Protection Agency, or EPA, issued rules requiring water systems to notify customers regarding known or potential service lines containing lead. The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, or TCEQ, oversees the State of Texas program and requires that all customers be noticed unless the water system has verified that their service line does not contain lead.

The City of Denison, who provides your water, has checked approximately 50% of all City water service lines. Less than 1% were confirmed to be lead. The remaining uninventoried service lines will be inspected in the coming months. Lines that need to be replaced will be replaced by the City at no cost to you.   

Traces of lead are typically introduced into water through the corrosion of lead pipes, solders, fixtures, fittings, and faucets.  Prior to 1988, lead was commonly used on these ways.

Lead was prohibited to be used as a service line material in Texas with the State lead ban on July 1, 1988. Homes built after this are designated as having non-lead service lines. The City of Denison will inventory all service lines.

If a lead service line is identified at your home, you will be notified in writing by the City of Denison. A service line replacement plan has been developed and is currently in review for approval by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, or TCEQ. 

The City’s contractor will replace any lead service lines identified through the inventory and replacement program. The replacement will be from the water main to the building line of your home or business. This will be at no cost to you.

Boiling water is not effective in removing lead from drinking water. Using cold water for drinking and cooking, replacing old fixtures, cleaning out aerators, and using home filters certified for lead removal are all effective methods for minimizing lead exposure in drinking water. The EPA’s Consumer Tool for Identifying Point-of-Use and Pitcher Filters Certified to Reduce Lead in Drinking Water is a useful resource for finding a filter that will reduce lead.

Yes. Verify that the filter you purchase is Certified to reduce lead in drinking water. The EPA’s Consumer Tool for Identifying Point-of-Use and Pitcher Filters Certified to Reduce Lead in Drinking Water is a useful resource.

Check the EPA’s on-line step by step guide to learn how to find lead pipes in your home: Protect Your Tap.

If you would like to know more about having your water tested at a local laboratory, please call Melissa at Public Works at 903-465-2720 ext. 2451.

EPA Consumer Tool for Identifying Point-of-Use and Pitcher Filters Certified to Reduce Lead in Drinking Water

EPA on-line step by step guide to learn how to find lead pipes in your home: Protect Your Tap

EPA Basic Information about Lead in Drinking Water   

CDC Recommended Actions Based on Blood Lead Level

EPA Lead in Drinking Water Infographic 

The City will notify you in writing if your service line is a replaceable material such as lead or galvanized. You can also search your address here /DocumentCenter/View/2468. If the service line material is listed as unknown, the City will inventory your service line in Phase 2 of the project. Phase 2 inventory has begun and is scheduled to be completed by November 2025.