City of University Park           September 2019
Welcome to UPdate.   This mid-month publication provides residents with timely information about upcoming City projects, programs and events. You can sign up for things too.    
CITY HALL
City Council votes on  FY2020 proposed budget/tax rate - September 17 

On Tuesday, September 17 the City Council will hold its second and final public hearing on the proposed budget. Immediately following that hearing, the Council will vote to adopt the FY2019 budget and tax rate. The Council Meeting will begin at 5 p.m. at City Hall (3800 University Blvd).       
Centennial Master Plan Steering Committee
In preparation for the City’s 2024 Centennial, the City Council has asked for the development of a new master plan to help the community with decisions and policies to preserve and enhance the city for the next generation.    

The 1989 Master Plan, our previous effort, helped shape the allocation of resources for operational and capital needs with nearly 200 objectives to accomplish. Of those, a substantial number are ongoing programs that are still in practice today. One example is the City’s mile-per-year replacement of water and sewer mains, which has resulted in the complete replacement of nearly a third of all the City’s aging water and sewer mains.

The 1989 Master Plan was formulated with the aid of extensive input from residents through use of a steering committee, community surveys, and public listening sessions. Staff was supported by an outside consultant, and the entire process took approximately 18 months to complete. To replicate this success, a similar public engagement process will be used for our Centennial Master Plan.

Call for Volunteers

In August, City Council appointed former Mayor Pro Tem Bob Begert to serve as chairman of the steering committee. Additional resident volunteers are now needed to serve alongside Chairman Begert to help guide the Centennial Master Plan process. For more information and to apply for a spot on the steering committee, click on the button below. An online application is available through September 30.
Community CloseUP Website Photo Contest

Have you noticed the photo bar on our website home page?! Well, we want to see YOUR photos here! This fall, we are hosting a Community Photo Contest and we can’t wait to see what amazing photos we receive!

What does an award-winning photograph look like? We want to see what you love most about our community – and what you think captures the true essence of University Park! We are also looking for some fall-themed photos for the upcoming season! If you are interested in participating, submit your original photos in a JPG format by emailing them to  media@uptexas.org . We will accept photo submissions until September 30. Once the contest is closed, the photos chosen by our communications team will be on display the entire month of October!  

Legal stuff -- By entering the contest, you grant the City of University Park a royalty-free, world-wide, perpetual, non-exclusive license to publicly display, distribute, reproduce and create derivative works of the entries, in whole or in part, in any media now existing or later developed, for any purpose, including but not limited to the City website, social media accounts, and newsletter publications.
UPCOMING EVENTS
Park Cities recycling event - Saturday, September 28

Event location - across from Burleson Park
The next Park Cities recycling event will take place at the SMU parking lot on the south side of Burleson Park on Saturday, September 28 from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Participating firms/organizations
Shred-it will collect and shred all documents on-site.

Global Asset will collect and dispose of all E-waste items.

Salvation Army will collect donations. Donated items must be in working condition, and contain all parts and accessories. Clothing items must not be torn or stained. The Salvation Army will also take all wood furniture, refrigerators, stoves, washing machines, dryers and any appliances. All donors will be given a receipt for tax deduction purposes.
Community Night Out & Movie in the Park
Join us Friday, October 18 for a night of family fun! Activities in Goar Park begin at 5 p.m. with Community Night Out. Public safety vehicles and equipment will be on display until 7:30 p.m. Police and Fire personnel are looking forward to meeting you!
Then, at 7:30 p.m., it’s time to hit the blankets and camp chairs for a free showing of Beetlejuice.
In addition to Community Night Out and the movie, the event features bounce houses, games and music too!
PARKS DEPARTMENT
2019 Pool Season Recap

The Holmes Aquatic Center had a terrific 2019 pool season! The pool’s concession stand made a big splash with pool goers for the second year in a row. This past summer, attendees purchased 40,418 concession items. That is almost 4,000 more items than 2018! As the illustration shows, snow cones and hot dogs were among the most popular snacks. Root beer floats, a new addition to the menu this year, were also a big hit!

Senior Swim, Wibit Wednesdays, Story Time at the Pool, swim lessons and Dive-In Movies were just some of the popular program options offered during the 2019 pool season. Add in weeks of mostly rain-free days, and overall, things went swimmingly! 
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
Tree limb regulations in UP

The impact of the June 9 storm, that left thousands in University Park without power for several days, is still being felt. Hundreds of trees have weakened limbs. In your preparations for the fall and winter months, if you have trees on your property that could use some attention, help the City and your neighbors by trimming and pruning in accordance with existing City Ordinance.

Clearance requirements for trees and shrubs are:

  • 14 feet above the street curb line
  • 8 feet over the sidewalk
  • 15 feet above the alley

These heights help ensure that sanitation and service trucks can safely access alleys. They also help motorists clearly see traffic signs and help keep sidewalks clear of obstructions for walkers and joggers. Cut limbs and shrubbery should be placed in the parkway for collection by City sanitation crews. For larger debris piles, call 311 or 214-363-1644 to arrange for pick-up. The cost for collection depends on the volume of material. Any brush charges will be added to your next utility bill.

Here are the costs for brush based on volume:

  • Manual pick-up $23
  • Mechanical pick-up - less than ½ truckload $75
  • Mechanical pick-up - ½ truckload $115.50
  • Mechanical pick-up - full truckload $152.50
FRIENDS OF THE UP PUBLIC LIBRARY
Upcoming City Meetings & Events