It’s no secret, the aesthetic and design for the City of Southlake is one of the many factors in what makes up the world class community you see today. Ken Baker, the senior director of Planning and Development Services discusses the City’s on-going efforts to ensure it maintains its beautification standards. Baker also discussed the strategies Planning and Development Services have in place to implement such goals. “The City has a Comprehensive Plan that encompasses several strategic plans to serve as a guideline for us to navigate the City’s goals, activities, and decision making for future development,” Baker said. An important component of planning process is to make sure that all development including public projects such as City road and facility infrastructure meet the design standards established in the Comprehensive Plan. In order to be considered as a Scenic City, the SCCP reviews every applicant’s existing zoning ordinance, code language and built environment in the following areas: The City of Southlake has a solid record of Scenic City Certifications with a total of three certifications since 2012, when the City received Gold Certification. The 2022 Scenic City Certification will make the second Platinum Certification the City has received since 2017. Each certification lasts 5 years. About the Scenic City Certification Program The Scenic City Certification Program (SCCP) was developed and implemented to establish a foundation of cohesive scenic standards and land planning practices that demonstrate protection of environmentally sensitive areas and the provision of shared community spaces, parks, walkable sidewalks, and the scenic roadways. The “Platinum” designation is the highest designation that a City can obtain and is a reflection of City Council’s commitment and support to the planning process. The SCCP criteria can be found online. For more information about the City of Southlake’s planning efforts, please visit our website or call 817-748-8621.
“Winning this award is always an honor,” Baker said. “Planning and Development Services places so much effort into making sure we exceed the standards of design from all angles, from our parks to roads, to infrastructure and code ordinances in order to keep Southlake safe as well as a beautiful place to live.”
