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- Dennis Killough
Friday, June 2, 2023
Planning and Development Services (PDS) has released its Annual Development Activity Report for FY 2022.
“With a focus on envisioning the future while maintaining high standards, this department plays a crucial role in shaping the future of our community,” said Dennis Killough, the planning and development services director.
This report also gives insight into the department’s successes over the past year, including its priorities for what lies ahead.
One priority for PDS has been implementing high-quality scenic standards for public spaces. These efforts earned the City of Southlake the 2022 Platinum Texas Scenic City Award.
The City was granted this honor back in October 2022 through the Scenic City Certification Program, which was developed to implement and establish a foundation of cohesive scenic standards and land planning practices that demonstrate the protection of environmentally sensitive areas and the provision of shared community spaces, parks, walkable sidewalks, and scenic roadways.
“Managing the growth of our community is essential to the well-being of our residents and businesses,” said Killough, “We’re always working to improve on our implementation of the City’s comprehensive plans and adopted codes, which directly reflect the values of the community.”
Over twelve months, employees have accomplished various assignments and approved numerous permits. These figures can be observed below:
o 3,209 permits to 3,372 permits
o Approx. 10,000 building inspections to approx. 12,000 building inspections
o $1.38M to $2.47M
To dive deeper into the numbers, the FY 2022 Annual Development Report is available online.
Dennis Killough, who has served the City of Southlake since November 1994, has been appointed as Southlake’s new Director of Planning & Development Services, effective November 16, 2022. Killough served as Interim Director with the departure of Ken Baker and has previously served as the department’s Deputy Director since 2007.
“Dennis enjoys a strong reputation within our organization and in the development community. He’s been a very active member of our team for many years, and his knowledge is extensive,” said Shana Yelverton, City Manager. “Those who have worked with him think of him as a living, breathing encyclopedia of all things Southlake.”
Killough has been involved in every aspect of the city’s modern planning efforts and has been an integral part of creating effective regulations that have resulted in the orderly development of Southlake. His influence extends to many of the city’s landmark projects, including:
Killough is certified by the American Institute of Certified Planners, and is a member of the American Planning Association and the Texas Society of Professional Surveyors. In addition, he holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Geography from the University of North Texas, an Associate of Arts in Mathematics from Tarrant County Junior College. He also has a professional certificate in Geographic Information Systems from UNT.
“With over 38 years of experience in municipal planning, civil engineering, and surveying, Dennis is ideally suited to lead the Planning & Development Services Department,” said Yelverton. “I’m excited to see where he’ll take the team and how the city’s physical development will continue to flourish under his leadership.”
The Planning and Development Services Department recently won the Richard R. Lillie Planning Excellence Award from the Texas American Planning Association.
The award was presented during the Texas APA awards ceremony in El Paso, Texas in October of 2022.
The City of Southlake is one of 44 municipalities to take home this award across the state of Texas.
“It’s always an honor to receive recognition for our efforts,” Dennis Killough, interim director of planning and development services said. “Our team works diligently year-round to ensure that our planning reflects the community’s values and always serves as the blueprint for Southlake’s future.”
The goals of the program included:
Evaluation criteria included the level of training of planning commissioners and professional staff, professional qualifications of the planning staff, breadth and currency of master plan components, and completion of other planning-related projects.
“Our team of devoted professionals apply their knowledge and continued training in efforts to improve team collaboration and communication channels as well as engage with the public,” Killough said. “By fostering professional development, staff can adapt to industry changes while keeping Southlake’s vision, goals, and objectives in mind.”
To learn more about the City of Southlake’s Planning and Development Services division, please visit their webpage or give us a call at 817-748-8621.