Heath Mayor’s Message: City Update

Mayor Lorne O. Liechty

(HEATH-March 10, 2013) A tremendous amount of work is underway to ensure Heath continues to be a premier community in the DFW Metroplex.  From the City Council members and staff to our volunteers serving on boards or commissions, we are benefiting from the expertise and dedication of many people who care about our hometown.

As we approach the end of the first quarter of the year, I thought it would be a good opportunity to provide an update on a variety of topics affecting our City.

City Council Meetings

Please note that we have moved the date and time of our City Council Meetings.  For 2013, our regularly scheduled meetings will be held on the second and fourth Tuesday of each month, commencing at 6:30 p.m.

Council Retreat

The City Council and City management staff gathered for our annual retreat on February 8. In past years, we used this time to discuss a wide variety of City issues.  This year was slightly different, as we focused the majority of our day upon the City’s Capital Improvement Plan and the infrastructure needs we must address now and in the future to be the City our citizens want and deserve.

After reviewing a comprehensive list of capital improvements, we discussed what each council person considered to be priorities.  We plan to continue this discussion during a work session prior to the Council meeting on March 26.  I look forward to getting input from our community as we work toward improving our roads, parks, trails and water and sewer systems.

Planning Tools

Some of the planning tools we are using include the recently completed Water and Thoroughfare Plans.  The Water Plan outlines the infrastructure required to ensure an adequate water supply and delivery system for our growing community.  The Thoroughfare Plan provides a long term vision of the major street network necessary to meet future travel needs in and around Heath.

Also completed recently was a traffic study for Amy Parks-Heath Elementary. It’s no secret that traffic congestion is a problem as families drop off and pick up their children. We join the Rockwall ISD leadership in being very concerned about this situation, and we are reviewing options for relieving the traffic congestion around the school as quickly as possible.

Safe Routes Grant

A long-term solution for reducing traffic around all of our schools and throughout the City is to make it easier for school children and other residents to bike or walk to their destination.  Each year, we take several more steps towards achieving our vision for a City that is fully connected by a trail system.

The Safe Routes Grant that the City received in 2010 for $1 million is enabling us to design and build four trails that will connect each of our schools to the trail hub system.  Freese  &  Nichols has been contracted as the design engineer for the trails, and the City continues to acquire the right of way needed to build the trails.  You can view the four trails at www.heathtx.com.

FM 740 Northern Expansion

Completion of the widening of FM 740 from FM 3097 (Horizon Road) to FM 1140 in December brought two additional miles of trails into our system, and I love seeing people walking, jogging and biking along the sidewalks on either side of the completed four-lane roadway.

Landscaping in the medians will begin this spring, and we are using drought-resistant and native plants to the greatest extent possible to achieve a hearty, yet vibrant streetscape.

I thank our residents for their patience during the construction of this important project.  The end result is well worth any inconvenience as we now enjoy not only improved traffic flow in and out of Heath, but increased opportunities for economic development as high quality businesses and retailers take note of the easy accessibility to our growing community.

The convenience will get even better with completion of the second phase of the FM 740 widening project.  The road will be widened to four lanes from Heathland Crossing/FM 740 to FM 1140/Hubbard Drive.  The City will gain an additional 3.1 miles of trails with a sidewalk on one side of the road, and a foot trail on the opposite side.  TxDOT anticipates beginning construction in late 2014 and projects a completion date in 2016.

New Development

In the past year, we have seen an increased demand for new homes in Heath.  Permits for single family homes increased 54% during Fiscal Year 2011-2012from the previous year.  Existing home sales throughout Rockwall County are also up 24% so far this year, according to the North Texas Real Estate Information Systems, Inc.

Heath’s neighborhoods are expanding to meet the demand.  Tri Terra’s Development for Phase 5 of the Stoneleigh community is underway, and will include 41 acres of park access area with two lakes and 4,000 feet of new trails.  Upon build out, Phase 5 will encompass 83 lots on 128 acres. Typical lot sizes will be between .6 and .75 acres.  Additionally, new plats for additional phases of Heathland Crossing are being finalized.

Economic Development Activities

Heath citizens approved the sale of beer and wine for off-premise consumption in the General Election last May.  This enhances our ability to attract high quality retail development that will further expand our tax base.  To date, two businesses have received permits to sell beer and wine.

The Heath Economic Development Corporation is working with urban planner, Paris Rutherford of Catalyst Urban Development to guide commercial and retail development efforts.  Concept plans and zoning regulations that uphold the vision we have for an upscale, attractive community are in the works for targeted areas where developer/property owner partners have approached the City.

The HEDC is also investing in upgraded street signage.  The attractive new sign posts and plates reflect the high-quality brand we have established for our City.  You can see examples of these signs at City Hall if you wish to stop by.

Volunteer Leadership

As I mentioned, much of the work in our City is undertaken by volunteers.  Last year, the Council implemented a new policy limiting the terms of board or commission service, and we are now benefitting from the fresh ideas and expertise of 17 newly appointed members.

The City of Heath Special Events Board plans annual community events including the Heart of Heath 5k Fun/Run April 7. Register at heathtx.com.

Our Special Events Board is preparing for the 2013 Heart of Heath 5k Run/Walk on March 30.  Kicking off Easter weekend with this event is Heath tradition, and I hope you will join us.  Dedicated runners will appreciate the new chip-timed start and finish lines, and I personally look forward to a repeat of last year’s new addition…the Little Bunny Run for children five and under!

If you want to become more involved with the City, I encourage you to apply for a position on one of our boards or commissions.  You can download an application at heathtx.com or just drop by City Hall during business hours.  As openings become available, the City Council will use these applications to make new appointments.

In the meantime, keep up with your hometown at heathtx.com; read the newsletter that comes with your monthly utility bills; follow us on Facebook and Twitter; attend our council meetings when your schedule allows; and always feel free to call or email me, any of your City council members or the City Staff.