June 14, 2024

This is the latest edition of Week In Review — a series of weekly messages from the Mayor and City Council to help Richardson residents and businesses keep up to date on municipal events. If you would like to sign up to receive this in a weekly e-mail click here.

Throughout the year, the City Council or City Plan Commission will hold meetings on topics of significant interest to local neighborhoods or the community in general. Links to view all City Council or City Plan Commission meeting documents that may have topics of interest to you can be found here:

City Council | City Plan Commission

FEMA Opens Disaster Recovery Centers in Richardson, Garland
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) announced today that the agency has opened Disaster Recovery Centers in Dallas County, located in Richardson and Garland, to provide one-on-one help to Texans affected by the severe storms, tornadoes, flooding and straight-line winds that occurred April 26-June 5. Residents of 35 Texas counties including Dallas, Collin and Denton can visit any open center from 7 a.m.-7 p.m. every day to meet with representatives of FEMA and the U.S. Small Business Administration, with no appointment needed. 

Dallas County locations, open 7 a.m.-7 p.m.:

• Network of Community Ministries 
  1500 International Pkwy., Suite 300
  Richardson, TX 75081 

• Williams Elementary School 
  1821 Oldgate Ln.
  Garland, TX 75042  

Other ways homeowners and renters can access and apply for FEMA disaster recovery information: 

More information: www.fema.gov/disaster/4781  

Debris Haulers Progress on Storm Collection Schedule 
Debris haulers estimate they are 45 percent complete with collecting massive amounts of storm-related vegetative debris created when sustained hurricane force winds struck Richardson, and other North Texas communities, during a May 28 severe weather event. Wind gusts in the city were recorded at up to 83 MPH, snapping trees and damaging homes and buildings across the community.  

The cleanup effort is being supported by CrowderGulf Disaster Recovery and Debris Management, which was activated shortly after the storm to assist City solid waste workers to collect the debris. The company has brought in seven trucks outfitted with heavy-duty equipment capable of collecting oversized trunks of trees and branches, normal City vehicles are unable to gather. 

A map was published earlier this week providing an estimate on when debris haulers are expected to be in specific areas of the city. Their progress will be impacted by the amount of debris found on every street and the ability of drivers to fit trucks down neighborhood roads. To help, residents are asked to please avoid parking along the street or near debris piles between 7 a.m. and 8 p.m., which is when the trucks are operating. 

Regular updates on the progress of the cleanup, and updates to the collection map, are being published on the Richardson Today social media accounts available on Facebook, Instagram, and Nextdoor. 

Crews will complete a minimum of two passes through the community to collect material, which consists of driving every street in the city to pick up piles left in front of homes. The debris hauler determines routes based on its estimates to collect material efficiently and effectively across the city. 

Website: www.cor.net/SevereWeather  

Social media: www.cor.net/Social  

Ways to Assist in the Debris Removal Process 
As collection crews continue with Phase 3 of debris collection following the May 28 storm, residents can assist by: 

Note that City BABIC vehicles are only collecting non-vegetative storm debris; all tree limbs and other vegetative debris are being collected by the contracted semi-trailers. 

Website: www.cor.net/severeweather 

Parks Crews Work to Clear Trails, Common Areas 
Parks crews continue to stay busy across the city working to clear debris from trails and common areas in Richardson’s parks. Their first goal is to clear debris from trails and sidewalks to make them passable; then they are then hauling the debris to the City right-of-way where the debris collecting trucks can pick up the material.  

City parks sustained extensive damage during the May 28 storm, with a loss of more than 100 trees and impairments at some playgrounds.  

Richardson Named a Top 10 Best Place to Live in Texas 
Technology-powered real estate company Redfin.com has named Richardson to its 2024 list of “10 Best Places to Live in Texas” among cities with a population of 100,000 or greater. Coming in at No. 8, Richardson was cited for its economic stability, abundance of housing and delicious food, as well as its things to do. The ranking also considered several key factors including access to health care, open outdoor space, navigability, employment statistics, income and travel time to work.   

Complete list/more information: Click here 

City to Help Revitalize Promenade North Shopping Center 
The City of Richardson and SHOP Development have entered into a partnership agreement that will support planned upgrades at the Promenade North Shopping Center. Located along Coit Road, south of Arapaho Road, the 177,000-square-foot retail development is one of the city’s legacy shopping center destinations that benefits from high exposure to a large commercial office and residential customer base in the area, as well as significant daily traffic volumes from Coit Road commuters.   

Over the next two years, SHOP Development will upgrade the 12-acre property with improvements to the interior and exterior of the buildings. Other improvements will also be made to landscaping, signs, lighting and parking areas.   

Collectively, the upgrades to the property will allow ownership to accommodate two new tenants—Civil Pour, a combination specialty coffee shop, beer bar and sandwich shop; and Hibbett | City Gear, a sports apparel retailer. 

Complete news release: Click here 

City Council Approves Bicycle Parking Requirements 
The City Council voted to amend Richardson’s Comprehensive Zoning Ordinance Monday to include a section detailing new bicycle parking standards that will apply to new non-residential and apartment construction and building expansions. The standards are a best practice consistent with other cities regionally and were previously approved by the City Plan Commission and the Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee.  

The parking standards:  

Adopting bicycle parking standards is one of several steps the City has taken toward becoming more bike-friendly with the goal to enhance the City’s Bicycle Friendly Community designation to Silver-level. The City is in the process of completing its League of American Bicyclists’ Bicycle Friendly Community renewal application, having received Bronze status in 2015 and 2019. 

“Deep Dive” Presentations Begin for 2024-25 City Budget Planning 
Transportation and Mobility and Information Technology (IT) staff gave “strategy overviews” at Monday’s City Council meeting, kicking off an annual procession of department reports that prepare the Council for its summer budget workshop, this year scheduled for Aug. 5-6. These “deep dives” provide the Council with detailed information about current programs, infrastructure and maintenance tasks along with proposed work plans and budget requests.  

Monday’s presentations included a look at traffic signal projects, the Galatyn Shuttle, and IT enhancements in several areas including sewer inspection, utility billing and the 911 call system.    

Upcoming presentations include (schedule is tentative): 

June 10 Transportation and Mobility presentation: Click here 

June 10 IT presentation: Click here 

DART CEO Gives Update to City Council 
DART’s President and CEO Nadine Lee gave a comprehensive update to the City Council Monday, covering DART’s Strategic Plan Update and DART Silver Line progress. The overarching goal of the new plan is “to move DART from being a service that people sometimes use, to being a valued regional economic and mobility asset.” Lee outlined ways that DART has been moving toward that goal including several initiatives to improve security, cleanliness, and reliability.    

Silver Line regional rail service is expected to begin in late 2025/early 2026 with several construction milestones recently completed, including 12 rail crossings in Plano and Richardson and 75 percent of the US 75 rail bridge. In addition, DART has been working with UT Dallas to create a mobility hub on UT Dallas property adjacent to the UT Dallas Silver Line station, funded by a $2.5 million community project grant—expected completion date is late 2026.    

Testing of Silver Line vehicles on the Silver Line rail segment between Richardson and Plano is scheduled to begin between July-September this year. The next DART biannual Silver Line community meeting is planned for July 23 at Richardson Temporary City Hall.   

Monday’s presentation: Click here 

Slagel Reappointed to DART Board
At Monday’s City Council meeting, the City Council approved a resolution to reappoint former Richardson Mayor Gary Slagel to represent Richardson on the Board of Directors for Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART). His board position, appointed every two years, represents Richardson, University Park, Highland Park and Addison, out of the 13 DART member cities.   

Slagel has served on the DART board since 2011 and is the current Board Chair.  

City’s History Video Wins First Place in Statewide Communications Awards   
A 20-minute video about Richardson’s history recently earned a first place in the Texas Association of Municipal Information Officers’ annual TAMI awards, presented at the group’s annual conference in San Antonio. The video, created “in-house” by the City’s Communications Department/CITV division in conjunction with the City’s 150th birthday in 2023, features narration by City Parks and Recreation Assistant Director Shohn Rodgers and interviews with Richardson Local History Librarian Stacey Davis as well as current and former Richardson mayors Bob Dubey, Paul Voelker, Gary Slagel, Steve Mitchell, and Ray Noah. It resides on the City’s website as well as the “Richardson150th” website.  

In addition, the City’s ongoing “Make a Difference” social media campaign, created by Communications staff to help increase applicants for City jobs, received a second-place award. It featured 11 video interviews with current and former employees shared in more than 50 social media posts.  

150th history video: click here 

Social media campaign videos: click here (scroll down) 

DART Silver Line Work to Close Lanes Near CityLine This Weekend 
The frontage road of westbound Bush Turnpike between Plano Road and US 75 at the railroad, and the frontage road of eastbound Bush Turnpike between US 75 and Plano Road at the railroad, may be fully closed to traffic at all times between Friday, June 14 (today) and Monday, June 17 as DART Silver Line rail tracks are installed. Traffic will be detoured to East Plano Parkway. The work is expected to be complete by the end of day Monday.  

www.dart.org/silverline  

Multiple Lane Closures Expected Near Belt Line/Plano Intersection 
The right lane of southbound Plano Road between Larkspur Drive and Belt Line Road, and the right lane of northbound Plano Road extended 200 feet north and south of Belt Line Road, may be closed to traffic from 9 a.m.-3:30 p.m. for construction of DART bus pads. (Bus pads are highly durable areas of  

roadway surface at bus stops that help maintain the integrity of the road surface and improve the overall transit experience for riders.) The work is expected to be complete by mid-October.  

Meanwhile, the right lane of eastbound Belt Line Road, extended 500 feet east and west of Plano Road, may be closed to traffic at all times as concrete repair takes place on the outside lane east of Belt Line Road. The work is expected to wrap up by late June.  

www.cor.net/Projects

CityLine Night Market, Live Music Tonight 
CityLine Plaza, 1160 State St. 
Admission: Free, including free parking 
Friday, June 14
6-10 p.m.  

Enjoy more than 45 booths at the “Boho Market,” featuring handmade and vintage goods from local makers and vendors, plus live music.  

Website: www.citylinedfw.com 

“Mr. Dad Pageant” in the CORE District Sunday
Happy Hippie Brewing Co., 500 Lockwood Dr.
Admission: Free (early registration for the contests is encouraged, beginning at 1:30 p.m. day of event)
Sunday, June 16
2-6 p.m.  

Celebrate Father's Day in style with the ultimate tribute to dads everywhere. This fun-filled, family-friendly event is designed to honor all the amazing fathers with a series of light-hearted and entertaining competitions that showcase their unique charm, humor and all-around dad-ness, including a Dad Joke Contest and a Stereotypical Dad Dress Competition. Also included will be food trucks, a Kids’ Zone with crafts for the little ones, and cornhole.  

More information: Click here  

Learn About the Sun and the Parker Solar Probe Tomorrow 
City Council Chamber, 2360 Campbell Creek Blvd., Ste. 525
Admission: Free (registration required; call 972-744-4358 to register)
Saturday, June 15
2-3 p.m.  

Join NASA Solar System Ambassador Michelle Wilde for a super solar discussion about the Parker Solar Probe (PSP) and its unique mission to study the Sun. Learn fun facts about the Sun and how the PSP orbits our home star. Handouts and prizes provided! For children in grades 3-8. 

Free Movie Screening: “Raiders of the Lost Ark” Sunday 
City Council Chamber, 2360 Campbell Creek Blvd., Ste. 525
Admission: Free
Sunday, June 16
2-4 p.m.  

Sit back and enjoy an adventure-filled movie in conjunction with Adventure Begins at your Library, RPL's Summer Reading Program. In this PG-rated film, intrepid archaeologist Indiana Jones is sent on a mission to locate the elusive Ark of the Covenant and must find it before the Nazis do.  

Suggested ages: 13+  

www.cor.net/Library

Richardson Community Band Performs Tonight at RHS 
Richardson High School Auditorium, 1250 W. Belt Line Rd.
Admission: Free
Friday, June 14
8 p.m.  

As part of the Regional American Concert Band Conference, the RCB is a featured performer and will be giving a public performance, followed by other area and regional groups. 

Community Theater

• “Poodles Postmen and Pastrami” Opens Next Friday at The Core Theatre 
  518 W. Arapaho, Ste. 115
  Tickets: $15-$20 (click here)
  June 21-July 14
  Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 3 p.m.
  
  In this original comedy written by Rusty Harding, Matt Gunther, and Core Artistic Director James Prince, Annie Lipski (“dog groomer to the Hollywood stars”) has returned to her hometown to find her parents’ cherished business—a combination sushi bar, feed store and kosher deli— totally trashed as part of a ruthless plot for “Scarbucks” to take over the store. To make matters worse, Annie’s parents have been killed in an accidental (or was it?) collapse of a fertilizer bin. Annie’s only allies are her uncle Leo, a relentlessly talkative teenager named Andy, and a homeless former postal carrier named Hank Aaron. Find out whether Annie saves her parents’ beloved business from becoming “just another frivolous font of flavored Frappuccinos!” 

What to Do About “Storm Spots” on Grass 
If you’re worried about the health of your lawn while waiting for curbside storm debris piles to be removed, here’s some advice on how to avoid large dead grass “storm spots”: 

The type of grass underneath the pile will affect whether the spot may survive. Bermudas and zoysias are very likely to have underground rhizome stems pop up and recover the turf. St. Augustine, centipede and carpet grasses have only stolons (runners) and it is unusual for large, damaged spots of these types of grasses to repair themselves, but healthy green stolons present after debris removal indicate there is a chance for a comeback.   

Re-establishing grass 

If it’s time to re-establish grass in the spot, experts from the Louisiana State University Ag Center recommend planting vegetative material (solid sod, mature grass pieces, or plugs/sprigs) as the surest route to success, rather than seeding the spot, because seeding at this point in the summer or later is likely to produce young grass that won’t survive the first freeze of next winter.   

More information: Click here 
 

Drain Standing Water to Help Control Mosquitoes 
With recent steady rainfall, the City is reminding residents to protect themselves from mosquitoes by following The Four D’s of Protection, including to DRAIN standing water. Standing water is where mosquitoes breed and grow into adults, so eliminating it can help control the population. Here are some additional tips on preventing standing water: 

The “Four D’s” also include: 

Website: www.cor.net/mosquito 

www.cor.net/EPI

Animal Services Kennel Attendant ($39,288 - $47,352 Salary)
Animal Services is looking for an individual who can provide care for the Shelter animals including feeding, watering, exercising grooming and cleaning cages of all types.

Combination Inspector – Plumbing ($61,716 - $83,580 Salary)
Building Inspection is looking for an individual to inspect buildings, construction sites and construction components for compliance with Building, Electrical, Plumbing, or Mechanical codes and laws by making routine field inspections throughout the construction period. Master or Journeyman Plumbing license required.

Director of Engineering and Capital Projects (Starting Salary $175,000, DOQ)
The City of Richardson is seeking a solutions-oriented, experienced leader to serve as its next Director of Engineering and Capital Projects. This position requires a bachelor’s degree in public administration, civil engineering from a university with an engineering program recognized by the Accrediting Board for Engineering and Technology, or a related field. A master’s degree is preferred. Candidates should also have at least 10 years of experience in civil engineering or project management including 5 years of management or supervisory experience in a municipal or county government organization. Professional, administrative, and technical knowledge in Civil Engineering design, construction, and related fields is required. A licensed engineer is preferred but not required. Candidates should possess a Texas driver’s license and be licensed as a Professional Engineer for the State of Texas, or be able to obtain one within six months.

www.cor.net/jobs

Pet of the Week
Meet Bones, a 2-year-old dog with a heart as big as his personality. Bones is sweet and intelligent, traits that make him an endearing presence in any home. Bones may be a bit shy at first, a testament to his gentle nature, but give him a little time and patience, and you'll be rewarded with the sweetest dog you could ever hope to meet. He's the kind of dog who will bring a smile to your face with his antics and melt your heart with his affection. Adopting Bones means bringing into your life a friend who will love you unconditionally, a confidante who will listen without judgment, and a family member who will bring joy and warmth into your home.

For information about animals available for adoption, visit the Animal Shelter’s web page here.

City Council Links