Summer is officially here and the heat is coming with it, but then what did we expect, it is July in Texas. Fortunately, we had a mild start to summer; which is much better than last year’s record heat. As we move into the summer heat, I want to remind you of our water system and conservation efforts.
Here in Highland Village, our water is provided by Upper Trinity Regional Water District and in the summer months, the City uses our five water wells to supplement the higher usage as we all water our lawns. During extreme heat, we may be tempted to water our landscape more than normal, however the best thing we can do is continue with our normal watering habits.
The City has a water conservation plan in place to ensure we have enough water not only for drinking purposes, but also to ensure we have enough in the event of a fire or some other water emergency. Phase 1 of the plan begins in May and runs through September 30.
There are five regulations included in Phase 1 with the main one prohibiting watering between the hours of 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. I encourage all our residents to follow this regulation. We know that watering slightly more and less frequently will build a stronger root system and a stronger lawn that will be able to withstand high heat and drought conditions. If we all do our part to conserve our water now we will not have to move to the more stringent phases of our water conservation plan.
If you want to stay out of the heat, there are many businesses in Highland Village offering fun indoor adventures like Escape Room 5280, Be Legend Gaming, Color Me Mine, Buff City Soap, and of course the cool AMC IMAX Theater. Grab your family and friends to do something fun and support our local businesses. You can learn about our local businesses at thehvba.com.
You can also head outside and take the kids to the splash pad at Doubletree Ranch Park. You will see several changes to this amenity. During the 2022-23 off-season, we installed a new cool deck type of surface material that is used in both residential and commercial applications. We removed the boulders for safety and maintenance reasons, including algae buildup around the base of the boulders that attributed to safety issues with a slippery surface. Fencing is now in place around the perimeter of the splash pad area providing added security and protects the splash pad from unauthorized use during off hours. Shade canopies have been added to provide much needed respite from the sun. City staff is continuing to look at options to enhance the play elements at the splash pad while maintaining safety and integrity of this popular amenity. The splash pad at Doubletree Ranch Park is open from 10 a.m. – 8 p.m. every day except Thursdays for maintenance. Along with the splash pad, there are shade structures along the grassy area, tables and benches, a playground, and the treed area south of the splash pad for hammocking or just hanging out on the rock benches. Also over at Pilot Knoll Park, Bluet SUP offers stand up paddle boarding and kayak rentals.
We are seeing more and more kids riding scooters in the City, and unfortunately, we had several scooter related incidents in June. City staff was beginning to work on scooter education and updates to our outdated scooter ordinance in time for the new school year. A working group of staff from several city departments and council representation has begun meeting to work through updates to the ordinance and to develop safety guidelines and recommendations. Stay tuned for opportunities to provide input via short surveys and attendance at Council meetings if you wish to express your opinions. Our police department’s community policing model is successful because of education, prevention and the partnership with the community. That being said, the most important factor is parental involvement with their kids alongside our police department.
Phase 1 of the 2022 Street Improvement Projects will be underway soon. We approved the construction contract at our June 13 meeting. As part of the 2022 Street Improvement Projects, staff identified 25 streets that meet the criteria for reconstruction. The construction will take place in phases in order to minimize the amount of street construction in the City at one time. Streets included in Phase 1 are Glenmere Drive, Camden Drive, Turpin Drive, La Mesa Drive, Catlin Drive, Catlin Terrace, Ranney Drive, Moran Drive and Lakeland Drive.
The GIS department has launched the Capital Improvement Program interactive map. You can click on the map to see all the specific projects along with a summary, cost, and progress. Staff will periodically update the map to keep you up to date on the projects. Just go to highlandvillage.org/CIPMap to check it out.
If you are interested in playing a role in the City, I encourage you to apply to serve on a City Board or Commission. We are currently accepting applications for appointment to our boards and commissions. In September, Council appoints interested residents to the Planning & Zoning Commission, the Parks and Recreation Advisory Board, the Community Development Board (which oversees the planning and budget of the 4B sales tax which is designated for trails and the soccer complex), the Zoning Board of Adjustments, and the Ethics Board. In order to be considered for appointment, you need to fill out an application. All the details and application are available on the City website under Boards and Commissions. I can tell you serving our wonderful City is a very rewarding experience.
Another great way for you to be involved in the City is to stay up to date on what is happening here and be an advocate or ambassador for our wonderful community. The City provides many ways for you to stay informed and aware of projects, initiatives and events. You can sign up for the monthly email newsletter, The Villager, and the bi-weekly City Manager’s Report. You can follow the City, Parks, Police, Fire, and Highland Village Business Association on Facebook and Instagram. The City streams public meetings on the website and on its YouTube channel, just go to www.youtube.com/highlandvillagetx and subscribe to receive notifications when a video is live. At the Notify Me link on the City website you can sign up to receive notifications of events, news, public meetings, and emergency alerts. Be in the know about what is happening in our City and, most importantly, ask me, other Council members, or City staff if you have a question about something or want more information. We welcome the opportunity to share information.
We are continuing our 60th birthday celebration with fun facts on our social media pages, my monthly video and your involvement by sending pictures you have from the last 60 years in Highland Village. You have the opportunity to win a 60th anniversary tumbler just for sending in some of your historical pictures from the last 60 years to [email protected]. Just send them before the end of July to be included in the drawing.
Stay cool, and I hope to see you and your family out enjoying all Highland Village has to offer.
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