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City of University Park, Texas, 3800 University Blvd. |
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Mayor Stewart looks ahead to 2023 |
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Along with so many of you, my family enjoys the optimism that a new year brings, and the anticipation that stems from the accomplishments that will be achieved in the months ahead. In 2023, the City will continue to work on improvements both above and below ground, start to address resident-guided enhancements as identified in the City's Centennial Master Plan, and prepare for a birthday we can all celebrate and be proud of.
Snider Plaza enhancements
Having completed the replacement of water and sanitary sewer utilities in and around the plaza, the City is moving forward with construction documents for a second stage of improvements. The streetscape project includes new pavement, stormwater utilities, landscaping, pedestrian amenities, and parking enhancements.
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To assist with final consideration of design elements, the City has constructed a streetscape mock-up to showcase all of the components. It's located on city property along Rankin, just west of Snider Plaza (see aerial photo). You can read more about the mock-up here.
Final design and bidding for this upcoming work will be a major point of emphasis for the City this year. Before construction can begin, the City still needs to address rights-of-way issues and overall parking management with Snider Plaza property owners.
Stormwater System improvements
In 2020, the City completed the installation of a 3.5 million-gallon underground detention structure in Caruth Park. To optimize this new facility, the next phase of improvements increased capacity of the stormwater pipes that feed into and out of that facility. That work involved the installation of box culverts and bigger capacity pipe along portions of Hillcrest and Southwestern on the city's northeast side. That phase was completed months ahead of schedule last April.
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Over the past few years, City staff has been working closely with the engineering firm Huitt-Zollars to analyze the City’s existing stormwater infrastructure to help assess the entire system’s capabilities and performance. As part of this effort, the firm has been compiling data and updating the stormwater model in the aftermath of the recently installed improvements, and is ready to present these materials to City Council. We are scheduled to discuss the next phasing of stormwater projects during our January 17 City Council Meeting.
Centennial Master Plan
This year, staff will also begin implementing some of the action items that were identified in the recently adopted Centennial Master Plan that involved two years of planning, meetings and discussions both in person and virtually, and was bolstered by input from more than 4,000 residents. The plan is centered on five major themes that are intended to provide a focus for the City for the next 20 to 30 years. Under the themes are a number of action items that are each assigned to a time table of Short, Medium, or Long-Term. Short-term items can be completed in under three years. In contrast, long-term items may take more than seven years to accomplish. To kick-off this implementation phase, the City has been working to develop a digital dashboard to communicate achievement of master plan initiatives. Progress on action items will be reported regularly through this platform that is set to launch this spring.
Redesigned City website
In addition to the Centennial Master Plan dashboard, the City is also in the process of designing a brand new website, scheduled to launch in February. The redesigned website will have an upgraded look and feel, with expanded search capability, a master neighborhood calendar, and a chatbot feature. We hope that you will find the new website easy to navigate on all platforms, whether you are viewing it on your mobile device, a tablet, or your desktop.
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2024 City Centennial
The start of 2023 also means we are on the door step of the City's 2024 Centennial. The City was incorporated in April 1924 and we plan to celebrate that milestone with various events and programs designed for residents of all ages. We will soon form a committee to assist City staff with organizing festivities centered on University Park's history, life and culture, including HPISD, SMU churches and civic organizations.
As we embark on a new year, I want to underscore that it is an honor to serve you and this community that has been my home for my entire life. I’m grateful for the remarkable efforts of the City’s workforce and for all those residents who assist us through their involvement on our various boards and committees. Working together, I look forward to seeing what we can accomplish to better University Park in the months and years ahead!
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City announces 2022 Employees of the Year |
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During last month’s annual holiday luncheon, several City employees were recognized for outstanding service to the community. Those selected were all nominated by their colleagues. An employee committee comprised of previous honorees chose the two Gold Award winners who are shown below with Mayor Tommy Stewart, Mayor Pro Tem Liz Farley and Councilmember Mark Aldredge. During the festivities, the work accomplishments of five Silver Award recipients were also highlighted. |
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A signal technician with more than 25 years of service to the City, Randy's nomination reads in part, "He promotes a positive, inclusive, caring, committed, and optimistic workplace, and he leads by example." An excellent cook, coworkers also report that Randy makes "the best muffins," and that he thoughtfully shares them with staff. |
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Miquel Herrera, Jr. - Equipment Services |
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With more than two years of service to the City, as a member of the Equipment Services team, Miguel's coworkers say, "He is devoted to keeping city equipment running properly so that everyone is safe on the road." Team members also are quick to mention that Miguel is always glad to help and that he does so with a smile on his face. |
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In recognition of their service, our two Gold Award Employees of the Year will receive a cash award from the University Park Community League. Congratulations also to our Silver Award winners!
Silver Award Honorees
- Elizabeth Anderson - Purchasing
- Marcos Aldape - Sanitation
- Jose Castellanos - Sanitation
- Stewart MacDonell - Fire
- John Trussell - Police
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Santa and UPFD spread holiday cheer |
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Last month, while his elves remained at the North Pole to prepare his sleigh for the big night, Santa Claus toured the streets of University Park in a UPFD fire engine. Residents were able to track Santa’s nightly progress through the neighborhoods using a Santa Tracker. Over five nights, the Santa Tracker logged more than 4,600 hits. Saying that red is his favorite color, Santa commented that he enjoyed riding in the fire engine. The North Pole Gazette reports, despite his busy schedule, Santa has already told his elves to clear his calendar for “Santa Around Town” next December. |
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SMU Gary Weber End Zone Stadium project |
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This week, those of you who travel on Mockingbird or reside near the south side of the SMU campus will see increased activity on the grounds of Ford Stadium. Here are project details from SMU's Office of Facilities Planning and Management.
SMU’s Garry Weber End Zone Complex project kicks off January 3 with the start of construction demolition. By expanding and improving Gerald J. Ford Stadium, the new south end zone structure will provide additional seating, suites, athletic spaces, concessions, and training facilities to support SMU Athletics and enhance guest experiences.
To minimize congestion and ease the flow of traffic, construction vehicles and crews will follow a specified route (see map below). All construction loading or unloading will take place within the fenced area of the site.
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Don’t forget to recycle your Christmas tree. The Sanitation Division will pick up discarded trees on scheduled collection days from front curbsides. Before setting your tree out for collection, remove the tree’s stand and all ornaments, lights, tinsel and plastic. If you live south of Lovers Lane collection is free if the tree is at the curb by January 9. For residents who live north of Lovers Lane, curb collection is free through January 10. After those dates, the collection fee is $28.42. If you place your tree at curbside and do not remove the tree stand, lights or ornaments, your next monthly water bill will show a $28.42 charge. For more information, call the Sanitation Division at 214-987-5451, or dial 311.
Would you like to receive an email reminder to set your tree out? Click on the green button below, type in your address and then click get a reminder!
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Water Bill processing error for some recurring credit card customers |
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Due to a processing error, a number of recurring credit card customers have paid their November water bill a bit earlier than normal. These customers, whose billing period runs from November 1 to November 30, are generally billed around December 15 and their credit card charges are processed around January 5. Those payments (which are correct) were processed as of December 22. We apologize for the glitch. Please feel free to contact Utility Billing at 214-987-5322 if you have any questions. |
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