Denison Development Alliance sets sights on new goals at annual summit

DENISON, Texas (KXII) - As growth continues to move north from the DFW area, cities like Denison are welcoming the change with open arms.

Friday morning the Denison Development Alliance met with community members and future developers for their 20th annual summit. Denison Development Alliance President, Tony Kaai, said the event’s purpose is simple -- transparency.

“The general public, the taxpayers, pay for most of the things that are going on. So they need to know where their money’s going,” said Kaai.

DDA shared their list of goals set 20 years ago. Every item has been accomplished or is currently being worked on.

“Could we ever get a 4 year university here? Wouldn’t that be nice? Well you got to put it on a list and make it a priority and get to work on it because it might take 20 years but you got to start,” said Kaai.

Their next 20 year goal planning meeting is set in March and is open to the public.

“There’s so much money coming into this county and coming into this city, people wanting to buy, invest. A lot of that’s housing,” said Kaai.

Something of interest to former Mayor of Denison and current Paragon realtor, Ronnie Cole.

“It’s just amazing how many houses have been built in the last year or two and how many more are on the ground and about ready to be opened up,” said Cole.

From 2000 to 2014, the city issued 500 single family home permits. From 2015 to present day, they’ve issued 1,100.

“This is something that we’ve needed. We’ve needed apartments, we’ve needed residential growth for a long, long time because people are moving here, got to put them somewhere,” said Cole.

Cole said he’s seen a lot of necessary change come to Denison since moving here in 1956.

“Well we always wanted it to come but we never could figure out how to get it here. And now that the state of Texas is doing so well and the growth in Dallas is coming this direction it’s just run over us. But it’s a good thing, it’s a good thing,” said Cole.

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