Show All Answers

1. What is the cost associated with this application?

The schedule of fees applied to permits, licenses, services, and programs can be found under ordinances and resolutions.

2. How are building inspections handled?

Once the property is ready to be inspected, you will need to contact Town Hall to initiate the inspection process.

Show All Answers

1. How do I get an alarm permit?

Currently, the Town does not require a permit for alarms.

Show All Answers

1. What is the cost associated with this application?

The schedule of fees applied to permits, licenses, services, and programs can be found under ordinances and resolutions.

Show All Answers

1. What is required for a solar panel permit?

You will need to submit three physical copies of the plans and provide a sign-off letter from CoServ for the project.

2. What is the cost associated with this application?

The schedule of fees applied to permits, licenses, services, and programs can be found under ordinances and resolutions.

3. How are building inspections handled?

Once the property is ready to be inspected, you will need to contact Town Hall to initiate the inspection process.

Show All Answers

1. What is the process for new construction permits?

• The application and three physical copies of the plans are submitted to the inspector for review once the plan review fee has been received.
• Upon approval, of the application and the plans, the permit can then be issued once the inspection fee has been received.
• Once the inspection fee has been paid then the permit will be available for pick up at Town Hall.

2. What is the cost associated with this application?

The schedule of fees applied to permits, licenses, services, and programs can be found under ordinances and resolutions.

3. How are building inspections handled?

Once the property is ready to be inspected, you will need to contact Town Hall to initiate the inspection process.

Show All Answers

1. What is the cost associated with this application?

The schedule of fees applied to permits, licenses, services, and programs can be found under ordinances and resolutions.

2. Which Residential Certificate of Occupancy do I need?

Temporary

Grants temporary power for 45 days, during which no one can occupy, so that repairs can be made.

Regular

A regular Certificate of Occupancy is required before anyone can occupy.

3. Why is a Certificate of Occupancy required?

The Town Council passed the 2009 Building Code which requires that an inspection be done when the occupancy changes.

4. What is the Certificate of Occupancy process?

• Submitting the Application:
  • Once the application has been filled out it will need to be submitted by fax, email, or in person at Town Hall.
• Paying for the Inspection:
  • You will need to contact Town Hall once the application has been submitted to make payment for the inspection.
• Scheduling the Inspection:
  • Once the application and the inspection fee have been received, the Town’s inspector will schedule an inspection.  If a lockbox code has been provided on the application the inspector will inspect the property without scheduling an inspection unless an inspection has been requested.
• Results of the Inspection:
  • You will be contacted with the results of the inspection.
  • If the inspection passes, a release will be sent to CoServ at which point you will need to call CoServ.
  • If the inspection fails, you will need to correct the issues that caused the failure and then make payment for a re-inspection before the inspector will go back out to the property.

Show All Answers

1. Which Residential Certificate of Occupancy do I need?

Temporary

Grants temporary power for 45 days, during which no one can occupy, so that repairs can be made.

Regular

A regular Certificate of Occupancy is required before anyone can occupy.

2. Why is a Certificate of Occupancy required?

The Town Council passed the 2009 Building Code which requires that an inspection be done when the occupancy changes.

3. What is the Certificate of Occupancy process?

1. Submitting the Application:
   • Once the application has been filled out it will need to be submitted by fax, email, or in person at Town Hall.
2. Paying for the Inspection:
   • You will need to contact Town Hall once the application has been submitted to make payment for the inspection.
3. Scheduling the Inspection:
   • Once the application and the inspection fee have been received, the Town's inspector will schedule an inspection. If a lockbox code has been provided on the application the inspector will inspect the property without scheduling an inspection unless an inspection has been requested.
4. Results of the Inspection:
   • You will be contacted with the results of the inspection.
   • If the inspection passes, a release will be sent to CoServ at which point you will need to call CoServ.
   • If the inspection fails, you will need to correct the issues that caused the failure and then make payment for a re-inspection before the inspector will go back out to the property.

Show All Answers

1. How do I pay my town water bill?

Answer goes here...

2. How do I get a new trash can lid?

Answer goes here...

3. How do I apply for a job with the Town?

Answer goes here...

4. My trash didn't get picked up, what should I do now?

Answer goes here...

5. How do I get a garage sale permit?

Answer goes here...

6. How can I see the agenda for an upcoming Town Council or Board meeting?

Answer goes here...

Show All Answers

1. What are some of the distinctions between a General Law Town and Home Rule Town?

There are numerous distinctions between a Home Rule Town and a General Law Town, and the following are just a few of the distinctions that tend to receive the most attention amongst towns considering the transition:

• Home Rule is self-governance in its ultimate form. The Charter, which defines the local government, is written by citizens and adopted by citizens of the Home Rule community via the election process. The community prepares its Charter based on community norms, values, and priorities. Unlike, the General Laws of the state, which must address a multitude of conditions faced in many Texas communities, Home Rule communities are able to define for themselves how they want to be governed.
• Home Rule communities have a variety of tools available to manage the affairs of town government. The Charter provides a local response to the form of government desired by citizens; defines the structure of town government; establishes controls over town finances; and limitations on the powers of town government.
• The initiative, Referendum, Recall are important tools that are reserved for use by local voters to remedy unusual situations. The proposed Providence Village Home Rule Charter permits local citizens to define under what circumstances and requirements a citizen or group of citizens may initiate legislative action, repeal laws, and recall its elected officials.
• As communities grow, they must deal with ever-increasing complex issues. They must have flexibility in addressing those issues. The Home Rule Charter provides the flexibility to address the complexity of local government. It is no coincidence that the vast majority of Texas cities that have reached the 5,000 population threshold have elected to pursue their own Home Rule Charter as opposed to continuing to remain a General Law city.
• Once a Charter has been adopted, the citizens retain control over the Charter through the amendment process. This ensures the citizens are always in a position to determine the form, power, and authority of their town government.

2. What is a Town Charter?

Home Rule towns are required to write and adopt a Charter. The Charter, for all practical purposes, is a Municipal Constitution that is written and adopted by the citizens of the Home Rule town via an election. The Charter defines and limits the powers, duties, and responsibilities of local government based on local preferences and desires. It defines the form of local government and establishes organizational provisions. The citizens determine the necessary controls over their town government such as elections, referendums, initiatives and recall, and definition of the procedures to amend the Charter. Essentially, the Town Charter describes and defines local government based on local preferences and controls as opposed to general laws which have been written by the Texas legislature such as:

• It is a natural progression in the life of the community. In a sense, it is a graduation from a small city to a larger city that recognizes the issues are different and more complex than when the community was smaller.
• The Home Rule Charter permits the community to define for itself the nature and form of city government rather than the Legislature. Every Texas community has its own needs, issues, and concerns. The best place to have those needs addressed is by the local citizens.
• It helps the local community to promote itself as a well-managed and thoughtful community. This can be a significant benefit when dealing with a myriad of economic development and growth issues. Decision-makers understand the importance of local self-governance and tend to respect communities that have undertaken a deliberate process of defining the role and responsibility of their local government.
• It removes the community from the whims of the Texas Legislature.

3. What is Home Rule?

Texas towns operate under 2 different types of local government, General Law and Home Rule.

General Law 

General Law is a town whose powers are limited by the specific authority granted by Texas statutes. They are restricted to doing what state statutes direct or permit them to do. A specific grant of authority or permission must be provided for in the statutes to initiate a particular action or it may not be taken. General Law towns are generally smaller and most often under 5,000 in population.

Home Rule 

Home Rule is towns with a population over 5,000 in which the citizens have adopted a home rule charter to define the structure, power, duties, and authority of their local government. The legal position of Home Rule towns is the reverse of general Law towns. Rather than looking to state statutes to determine what they may do, Home Rule towns look to their local Charters to determine what they may do. Thus, a Home Rule town may take any action that is not prohibited by the Texas Constitution or statutes as long as the authority is granted in the Charter of the town. Home Rule towns have the full power of self-government and may take any action in the interest of the citizens’ health, safety, and welfare which is not contrary to the Texas and U.S. Constitutions or federal or state laws.

Show All Answers

1. What is the cost associated with this application?

The schedule of fees applied to permits, licenses, services, and programs can be found under ordinances and resolutions.

2. What is the Contractor Registration process?

• Submitting the Application:
  • Once the application has been filled out it will need to be submitted by fax, email, or in person at Town Hall.
  • Applications must include all required supporting documents.
• Paying for the Registration:
  • You will need to contact Town Hall once the application has been submitted to make payment for the inspection.
• Obtaining the Permit:
  • Permits are issued in person at Town Hall.

Show All Answers

1. What is the process for the fire inspection?

• Submitting the Application:
  • Once the application has been filled out it will need to be submitted by fax, email, or in person at Town Hall.
• Paying for the Inspection:
  • You will need to contact Town Hall once the application has been submitted to make payment for the inspection.
• Scheduling the Inspection:
  • Once the application and the inspection fee have been received, the Town’s fire marshal will schedule an inspection.
• Results of the Inspection:
  • You will be contacted with the results of the inspection.
  • If the inspection passes, you will be given a report reflecting the result.
  • If the inspection fails, you will need to correct the issues that caused the failure and then make payment for a re-inspection before the fire marshal will go back out to the property.

2. What is the cost associated with this application?

The schedule of fees applied to permits, licenses, services, and programs can be found under ordinances and resolutions.

Show All Answers

1. What is the process for a food establishment permit?

• Submitting the Application:
  • Once the application has been filled out it will need to be submitted by fax, email, or in person at Town Hall.
• Paying for the Permit:
  • You will need to contact Town Hall once the application has been submitted to make payment for the permit.
• Obtaining the Permit:
  • Permits are available for pick up at Town Hall.
• Scheduling the Inspection:
  • Inspections will randomly occur bi-annually.
• Results of the Inspection:
  • You will be contacted with the results of the inspection.
  • If the inspection fails, you will need to correct the issues that caused the failure.
  • Please have the results of the inspection posted on site.

2. What is the cost associated with this application?

The schedule of fees applied to permits, licenses, services, and programs can be found under ordinances and resolutions.

Show All Answers

1. Can parking be prohibited on my residential street?

Residential streets are designed to be a compromise between providing parking, allowing emergency access, and preventing traffic from driving too fast in front of homes. Residential streets need to be narrow to discourage people from speeding in front of people's homes, yet they need to be wide enough to allow emergency vehicles to drive past cars that are parked on the street. It is important to note that residential streets are not intended to be wide enough to guarantee that traffic can flow in both directions at the same time.

The narrowest residential streets in Providence Village are wide enough to have cars parked on both sides of the street and still provide a minimum of 10 feet between them (and more room is usually available when people have done a good job of parking). Passenger cars are 6 feet wide and fire trucks are 8 feet wide, so each can travel between the parked cars. Forcing cars to take turns traveling in each direction on a residential street is not considered to be a problem that needs to be corrected. In fact, this is a natural way to slow down traffic on a residential street (which people are often worried about).

Beyond the situations described above, it is not legal to park within 15 feet of a fire hydrant, in a crosswalk, or within 5 feet of a mailbox, Monday through Saturday between the hours of 8 am and 6 pm.

2. Who do I need to contact about my vehicle being towed?

L. W's Towing

• L. W's Towing Website
• 15020 King Road
  Frisco, TX 75034
• Phone: 972-625-8500

Show All Answers

1. Are pocket bikes (or mini bikes) street legal in Texas?

No, they may not be operated on roads, alleys, or sidewalks. They may only be utilized on private property.

Show All Answers

1. Can speed bumps be installed on my residential street?

The Town of Providence Village does not allow speed bumps/humps to be installed on any public street. They are a hindrance to emergency vehicles, cities have been held liable for damage caused by them, they do not always have the intended effect (because some people will speed up between them), and they are very divisive within neighborhoods. Some residents on a street will want them, but others will not, and residents of nearby streets will not want traffic diverted to their street. Studies have shown that for the humps to be effective, several must be installed on a street at a specific distance apart, which impacts more residents and further slows down emergency vehicles (it is estimated that each hump delays emergency vehicles 10 to 15 seconds).

Show All Answers

1. Can the speed limit be lowered on Main Street?

The Texas Department of Transportation sets the speed limit on Main Street. They will periodically conduct an engineering and traffic investigation, which typically involves a survey of actual motorist speeds during free-flow conditions. The survey provides the 85th percentile speed, which is the speed at or below which 85% of the motorists are traveling. The speed limit is typically then set within 5 mph of the 85th percentile speed. The speed limit can be adjusted slightly to account for sight distance restrictions, accident history, presence of driveways, and other factors. Setting the speed limit close to the 85th percentile speed ensures that the speed limit reflects the speed that the majority of drivers consider being reasonable and prudent based on the conditions.

Residents often request that speed limits be lowered with the expectation that this will lower traffic speeds. However, studies have shown that most people drive at the speed they are comfortable with for the given conditions regardless of the posted speed limit. There is little or no significant change in speeds following the posting of a revised speed limit. This is true whether the speed limit is increased or decreased. Also, safety is not improved by establishing unreasonably low-speed limits, since this only encourages more variation in vehicle speeds, leading to more conflicts.

2. Can we lower the speed limit on my street or alley?

The Texas Transportation Code states that "an operator may not drive at a speed greater than is reasonable and prudent under the circumstances then existing". Therefore, regardless of the posted speed limit, every driver has a duty to drive at a reasonable and safe speed for the conditions at that time.

All roadways in Texas have a default speed limit called the prima facie limit based on the type of roadway. This applies to residential streets (30 miles per hour (mph)), alleys (15 mph), interstates (70 mph), etc. For residential streets, state law does allow the Town Council to reduce the prima facie limit to 25 mph by Ordinance and then post the speed limit, making it effective. The Town Council has done this on the residential streets of Providence Village. State law does not allow the residential speed limit to be set lower than 25 mph, nor does it allow the speed limit to be set lower than 15 mph on alleys.

Show All Answers

1. Who do I need to contact about a street light outage?

• CoServ Electric

Show All Answers

1. My bill seems higher than normal, what do I do?

Check for leaks, such as toilet flappers, or check your irrigation heads and system controller. Most substantial increases in water usage are related to irrigation system controllers.

2. I found a leak, can my bill be adjusted?

Yes, the full rate order outlines the process, including the types of events that qualify and the documentation required.

3. Is there a website to view my bill?

Yes. Just go to Pay My Bill, once you have received your new account number, and create your login. Online payment options include Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Discover, and online checks.

4. Are there paperless billing options?

Yes. Once logged in to your account, you can select the paperless option. Pertinent details will be included with your bill each month.

5. When will my automatic draft payment occur?

Automatic draft payments will be processed on the bill due date each month.

Show All Answers

1. Can parking be prohibited on my residential street?

Residential streets are designed to be a compromise between providing parking, allowing emergency access, and preventing traffic from driving too fast in front of homes. Residential streets need to be narrow to discourage people from speeding in front of people's homes, yet they need to be wide enough to allow emergency vehicles to drive past cars that are parked on the street. It is important to note that residential streets are not intended to be wide enough to guarantee that traffic can flow in both directions at the same time.

The narrowest residential streets in Providence Village are wide enough to have cars parked on both sides of the street and still provide a minimum of 10 feet between them (and more room is usually available when people have done a good job of parking). Passenger cars are 6 feet wide and fire trucks are 8 feet wide, so each can travel between the parked cars. Forcing cars to take turns traveling in each direction on a residential street is not considered to be a problem that needs to be corrected. In fact, this is a natural way to slow down traffic on a residential street (which people are often worried about).

Beyond the situations described above, it is not legal to park within 15 feet of a fire hydrant, in a crosswalk, or within 5 feet of a mailbox, Monday through Saturday between the hours of 8 am and 6 pm.

2. Who do I need to contact about my vehicle being towed?

L. W's Towing

• L. W's Towing Website
• 15020 King Road
  Frisco, TX 75034
• Phone: 972-625-8500

_{Keywords: tow, towed, towing}

Show All Answers

1. What is the cost of the deposit?

The initial deposit for water and trash/recycling is $95, $35 of which was non-refundable. When you discontinue service, the remaining $60 will be applied to your final bill and/or presented in the form of a refund check.

2. What is the water, sewer, and trash process?

• Submitting the Application:
  • Once the application has been filled out it will need to be submitted by email, or in person at Town Hall.
• Paying for the Deposit:
  • You will need to contact Town Hall once the application has been submitted to make payment for the deposit.
• Setting up Service:
  • Once the application and payment have been received a work order will be placed to initiate service.
  • For newly constructed properties it is advised that you contact Inframark to confirm that trash service has been requested.
  • For previously constructed properties you do not have to contact Inframark except in cases where there are no trash receptacles.

Show All Answers

1. Does Providence Village have weather sirens?

Not at this time. Civil defense sirens are a World War II-era mechanism initially designed to warn individuals who were outdoors to go indoors in preparation for an impending air raid. In the 1950s these sirens multiplied across the country as the first line of defense against nuclear fallout during the cold war. Once again, the primary function of the sirens was to warn those out of doors to go indoors.

Today many populated areas continue to utilize this legacy technology as a weather signal to warn those who are outdoors to go indoors. These sirens were not designed to be heard indoors, particularly with improvements in modern insulation and building materials, nor do they provide useful information about an impending threat. In fact, most weather emergency plans suggest that, once indoors, you utilize traditional local media sources and NOAA weather radios for additional information about the potential threat. Sirens require manual activation, are susceptible to lightning damage and other malfunctions, and are cost-prohibitive to install and maintain.

Additionally, evolving technology by cellular providers and NOAA will automate wireless emergency alerts to cell phones across the nation in the near future as part of their "Weather-Ready Nation" program, which is currently being piloted in 14 states. These messages will produce an audible and vibration alert, display the type and time of the alert, as well as recommended actions, and will be broadcast by cellular towers, giving you additional peace of mind while on the go.

In lieu of warning sirens at this time, the Town recommends that you sign-up receive storm warnings through the Denton County Alerts system and that you consider the use of a portable NOAA weather radio in conjunction with traditional local media outlets (local TV channels 4, 5, 8 and 11), internet radar (such as National Weather Service or The Weather Channel) and smartphone apps (such as American Red Cross, The Weather Channel) or text message alerts.