New subdivisions and commercial projects in Denison would help pay for outdoor warning sirens under a fee the city hopes to begin collecting at the start of 2027, according to minutes of the Oct. 19 City Council meeting.
The minutes, posted Tuesday in the packet for the council's Nov. 2 meeting, record an update from Hunter Harris, the city's assistant emergency management coordinator, on a proposed emergency notification and siren fee ordinance. The council did not discuss the item or vote on it.
Where coverage falls short
Denison has five outdoor warning sirens, Harris told the council, plus a few smaller sirens and weather stations with lightning detection, including ones at the new Heritage Park and at THF Park. Each siren reaches about 5,000 feet, or roughly 1,803 acres.
As new homes and businesses go up beyond that reach, the coverage gap grows, he said. He pointed to Preston Harbor as an example: the development would need about three sirens for adequate coverage and has none today.
Harris said the city's tight budget leaves no room to expand its notification network, so staff looked for another way to pay for it.
How the fee would work
The proposed charge is $29.70 per acre. Harris said staff arrived at that number by dividing the $53,544 cost of one siren by the 1,803 acres it covers.
