Providence Village, Texas

Providence Village is a master-planned community in Denton County, Texas, United States. The development includes approximately 1,700 homes and 5,000 people.^[1] On May 8, 2010, residents voted overwhelmingly in favor of incorporating the community as a town.^[2]

Geography

Providence Village is located at 33°13′19″N 96°57′40″W / 33.22194°N 96.96111°W (33.221944, -96.961111). It is situated along U.S. Highway 380 near the intersection with FM 2931 in east central Denton County.

Background

Providence Village was developed as a master-planned community in 2000.^[3] The developer, Huffines Communities, formed a special taxing entity known as Denton County Fresh Water Supply District #9 (DCFWSD #9) to help pay for the development's infrastructure. In order to attain road and police powers, the DCFWSD #9 was converted to and renamed the Providence Village Water Control and Improvement District on November 30, 2000.^[3][4] As of early 2010, the community is about two-thirds complete.^[5]

Homes in Providence Village feature Cape Cod and Craftsman style architecture. Major builders in the subdivision include D.R. Horton and History Maker Homes. Other unique features in the community include a clubhouse, waterpark, greenbelts, two dog parks, and a 25-acre lake.^[6]

Incorporation

As early as 2004, residents of Providence Village began to study the possibility of incorporating the community. It wasn't until late 2009, however, that the idea again gained momentum. A group known as the Citizens for the Incorporation of Providence Village (CIPV) was formed to inform citizens, neighboring city, and county officials of the effort. The CIPV was led by Brian Roberson, Clint Shipp, Eddie Army, Lisa Garcia and Phillip Mack Furlow, and included over 100 volunteers. The desire to incorporate the community was due to several factors, including inadequate safety provisions, preservation of property values, and the retention of tax revenue.^[7]

Although located in unincorporated Denton County, Providence Village sat within the extraterritorial jurisdiction (ETJ) of several cities, including Little Elm, Aubrey, Lincoln Park, and Cross Roads. For the incorporation process to move forward, all of the cities had to release portions of their ETJ to Providence Village. This was achieved in February 2010.^[8] Organizers then had to gather 50 signatures on an election petition. On February 26, the county elections administrator certified that enough petition signatures had been gathered for a proposition to incorporate Providence Village to be put to a vote.^[9] The Denton County Commissioners Court approved the item on March 2, 2010, which called for an incorporation election to be held on May 8, 2010.^[1]

The Providence Village Clubhouse served as the official polling place on election day. The ballot proposition asked voters whether they were in favor of or opposed to the incorporation of the Town of Providence Village as a Type A municipality. Of the 421 votes cast in the election, 296 (70.31%) voted 'for' incorporation while 125 (29.69%) voted 'against' the measure.^[2] Nearly twenty percent of the 2,210 eligible voters participated in the poll, which is considered a high turnout for a local election. The incorporation election results were canvassed by the Denton County Commissioners Court on May 11, 2010.

City government

The Town of Providence Village is defined under state law as a Type A, general-law municipality. On May 11, 2010, the Denton County Commissioners Court called for an election to be held on June 19, 2010 to select a mayor and five aldermen at-large. Six candidates filed papers to run for the position of mayor, but five ended up on the ballot.^[10] Eleven candidates ran for the five alderman positions.^[11]

In the June 19, 2010 election, Brian Roberson, who previously led the Committee to Incorporate Providence Village (CIPV), was elected mayor with 58 percent of the vote. Eddie Army, Clint Shipp, Ernie Law, Mike Thompson, and Mark McCullough won seats on town's first council.^[12][13]

Education

Public education in Providence Village is provided by two Independent School Districts (ISDs), Aubrey and Denton.

The Aubrey Independent School District serves the portion of Providence Village that lies north of Fish Trap Road. Students are zoned to Monaco Elementary School (grades PK-5), Aubrey Middle School (grades 6-8), and Aubrey High School (grades 9-12). Areas south of Fish Trap Road are served by the Denton Independent School District. Students are zoned to Providence Elementary School (grades K-5), Navo Middle School (grades 6-8), and Ryan High School (grades 9-12).^[14][15][16]

Both Monaco Elementary and Providence Elementary are located within the Providence Village community.

References

1. ^ ^{a b} "May 8 election set for Providence incorporation vote". BJ Lewis, Denton Record-Chronicle. 2010-03-03. http://www.dentonrc.com/sharedcontent/dws/drc/localnews/politics/stories/DRC_Providence-Incorporation_0303.16e571335.html. Retrieved 2010-05-10.
2. ^ ^{a b} "Voters OK forming city of Providence Village". Incorporation wins approval from subdivision. Peggy Heinkel-Wolfe, Denton Record-Chronicle. 2010-05-09. http://www.dentonrc.com/sharedcontent/dws/drc/localnews/politics/stories/DRC_Providence_0509.943ab57.html. Retrieved 2010-05-10.
3. ^ ^{a b} "History". The Committee to Incorporate Providence Village. http://townofprovidencevillage.com/history. Retrieved 2010-05-10.
4. ^ "DCFWSD #9 Applies for Name Change". 380Districts.com. 2009-09-21. http://www.380districts.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=68:dcfwsd-9-applies-for-name-change&catid=4:providence-district-9-news-a-announcements&Itemid=11. Retrieved 2010-05-10.
5. ^ "Providence plan gets boost". Little Elm clears way for development to push for incorporation. Peggy Heinkel-Wolfe, Denton Record-Chronicle. 2010-02-19. http://www.dentonrc.com/sharedcontent/dws/drc/localnews/stories/DRC_providence_0219.13019778f.html. Retrieved 2010-05-10.
6. ^ providence.com. "Providence - Quick Facts". http://www.providence-tx.com/frame_quickfacts.html. Retrieved 2009-06-22.
7. ^ "Reasons (to vote for incorporation)". The Committee to Incorporate Providence Village (CIPV). http://townofprovidencevillage.com/reasons-to-vote-for-incorporation. Retrieved 2009-11-21.
8. ^ "Council clears way for incorporation of Providence Village". Penny Rathbun, Little Elm Journal. 2010-02-18. http://www.littleelmjournal.net/articles/2010/02/18/little_elm_journal/news/574.txt. Retrieved 2010-05-10.
9. ^ "Petition allows call for election". Peggy Heinkel-Wolfe, Denton Record-Chronicle. 2010-03-01. http://www.dentonrc.com/sharedcontent/dws/drc/localnews/stories/DRC_Providence_0301.1639a6e8b.html. Retrieved 2010-05-10.
10. ^ "Providence Village Candidates". June 19, 2010 Providence Village Special Election. Denton County Elections Administration. http://elections.dentoncounty.com/20100619/PDFs/Providence-Village-Candidates.pdf. Retrieved 2010-06-20.
11. ^ "Six vie to be first mayor". Providence Village vote set for June 19. Peggy Heinkel-Wolfe, Denton Record-Chronicle. 2010-06-01. http://www.dentonrc.com/sharedcontent/dws/drc/localnews/politics/stories/DRC_providence_0601.5c12268c.html. Retrieved 2010-06-20.
12. ^ "Election Results - Combined Totals (unofficial)". Denton County Elections Administration. 2010-06-19. http://elections.dentoncounty.com/20100619/Results/providence%20village%20ed_cumulative.pdf. Retrieved 2010-06-20.
13. ^ "Providence Village elects Roberson as first mayor". Lowell Brown, Denton Record-Chronicle. 2010-06-19. http://www.dentonrc.com/sharedcontent/dws/drc/localnews/stories/DRC_providence_0620.bdd47f9d.html. Retrieved 2010-06-20.
14. ^ "2009-2010 Elementary School Attendance Zones". Denton Independent School District. http://www.dentonisd.org/51238713153554/lib/51238713153554/09-10_Elementary_School.pdf. Retrieved 2010-05-10.
15. ^ "2009-2010 Middle School Attendance Zones". Denton Independent School District. http://www.dentonisd.org/51238713153554/lib/51238713153554/09-10_Middle_Schools.pdf. Retrieved 2010-05-10.
16. ^ "2009-2010 High School Attendance Zones". Denton Independent School District. http://www.dentonisd.org/51238713153554/lib/51238713153554/09-10_High_School.pdf. Retrieved 2010-05-10.

External links

• Providence • official site.
• Providence HOA
• Citizens for the Incorporation of Providence Village
• 380districts.com - Water District Website

Categories: Dallas • Fort Worth Metroplex | Denton County, Texas | Unincorporated communities in Texas