Set your landscape up for success! Join us for this one-of-a-kind gardening seminar to learn gardening tips from local experts with the Tarrant County Master Gardeners and Texas AgriLife Water University.
Whether you are new to North Texas or just new to gardening in general, this event will arm you with all the knowledge you need for a lush landscape. This helpful seminar is designed to provide homeowners with a foundation to create lavish landscapes using sustainable methods. Learn how to maintain a healthy lawn, create a beautiful ornamental garden and grow a productive vegetable garden amidst the challenges the unique climate and soils of North Texas throw our way.
Date: February 22, 2020
Location: Whitely Road Elementary School Auditorium
Address: 7600 Whitley Road, Watauga, TX
Cost: FREE
The City of Southlake has partnered with Tarrant Regional Water District and surrounding cities in Tarrant County to bring you this program. Register online at: STWHomeLandscapingSeminar.eventbrite.com
The 2019 Drinking Water Quality Reports are headed your way and should arrive at your home soon.
The report gives consumers information about their drinking water in Southlake including but not limited to where the water comes from to what contaminants could be in the water. More importantly, it tells you whether or not the water in Southlake is safe.
At first glance, the document is a bit technical; however, it comes equipped with a guide on how to read the report, definitions and abbreviations and helpful information on testing.
The report takes a deep dive into water loss which includes water lost to leaks, line breaks and other conditions that may cause an uncontrollable flow. According to the report, the City lost approximately five gallons per account in 2018. The average amount of water used per account is about 256,543 gallons per year.
If you are curious as to how much water you are using, the City has resources available to monitor water usage. The EyeOnWater app is an application that assists users in managing their water utility accounts and gives them 24/7 access to view their water consumption, including the detection of leaks. The City also offers a W.I.S.E. Guys program, which can help identify leaks on irrigation systems and the F.O.G program which covers fats, oils and grease build up in our drains.
The City is committed to providing residents with a safe supply of water and the 2019 Water Quality report is a great resource and provides helpful information on how the City maintains its water supply and how you can help.
You can review the water report online here. For questions or concerns about your water report, please contact us at 817-748-8082.
We all love our furry friends, but unfortunately, waste that is not picked up can end up in our rivers, lakes and streams. As a result, our community and our pets can come into contact with that waste, exposing us to harmful bacteria and parasites.
Doo the Right Thing is a campaign created by the North Central Texas Council of Governments (NCTCOG) that serves to encourage and promote pet owners to dispose of pet waste accordingly. The campaign educates pet owners on why waste in our community is a problem and provides helpful ways to eliminate it.
Pet waste in Southlake is estimated to be around 2,625 Ibs per day. That amount of waste being produced each day is why taking the proper steps to eliminate it is so important! Not only does waste hold harmful bacteria and parasites, but it can also lead to long term damage like algae blooms and fish kills if carried into waterways after rain or sprinkler events. Lastly, waste is smelly and doesn’t add to curb appeal.
Every year, the NCTCOG puts on a calendar contest to promote Doo the Right Thing. The contest runs from May 1 – June 30 and all pet owners are encouraged to participate! All you have to do is take the pledge, submit your pet photo and Doo the Right Thing!
Although picking up pet waste may not be exciting, it is a quick fix to helping the environment. There are several ways to remove waste from your yard and community areas. One of the most convenient ways is to always keep doggie bags handy. If you find yourself in a pinch and don’t have doggie bags available, you can use produce, sandwich and grocery bags as an alternative. Once picked up, make sure the bag makes its way into the trash! In order to maintain a safe clean yard, a good rule to go by is to pick up your pet’s waste at least once a week and always before rain events. If you’re not in the business of picking up waste, some other good ideas are in-ground digesters or hiring a company that specializes in waste disposal in your area.
For more information on the Doo The Right Thing pledge and entering your furry friend into the 2020 DFW calendar contest visit: www.dfwstormwater.com/petwaste.
For additional questions or comments please contact Ashley Carlisle at acarlisle@ci.southlake.tx.us.
Mayor John Terrell, on behalf of the Southlake City Council has proclaimed Saturday, October 4th as DFW Solar Tour Day. Said Mayor Terrell, “The City of Southlake’s vision is to protect and enhance the quality of life or future generations and the City Council is pleased to recognize our residents who have reduced their environmental impact by implementing renewable energy and other sustainable technologies.”
Resident Rick Bollar explained, “Southlake’s government has long recognized the importance of environmental sustainability in making our town a great place to live. I could not be more thrilled that the City Council has recognized the Solar Tour and I hope to see many of my fellow residents drop by on October 4th.
“We’re happy to see Southlake’s enthusiasm for the DFW Solar Tour,” said tour coordinator, Mellen West. “The American Solar Energy Society’s National Solar Tour is the nation’s largest volunteer solar event. The goal is to build public awareness of a huge clean energy resource that shines above us each day. Appreciation of renewable energy and resource conservation is probably most effective when it starts in our own back yards. Neighbors working together can then begin to shape a sustainable future.
The DFW Solar Tour (DFWSolarTour.org) is a free, one-day event on Saturday, October 4, 2014, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. during which you are invited to tour innovative green homes and buildings around the DFW Metroplex and learn how homeowners and businesses can use solar energy, wind energy, energy efficiency, and other sustainable technologies.
The DFW Solar Tour is organized by the non-profit, volunteer-based North Texas Renewable Energy Group in cooperation with the Texas Solar Energy Society and the American Solar Energy Society National Solar Tour. The National Solar tour is the largest grassroots solar event in the nation, involving about 150,000 participants and 5,000 solar-energy sites nationwide.
When the Crime Control and Prevention District (CCPD) was approved by voters in November 1997, the vision was clear: to allocate a dedicated funding source, via a half-cent sales tax, for programs and capital purchases to reduce crime, increase public safety and maintain a high quality of life in Southlake. During the past 17 years, this vision has come to fruition through the hiring of additional police offers, firefighters and school resource officers; acquiring vital equipment and software; implementing a citizen safety academy; and most notably, building three state-of-the-art public safety facilities, the last of which will officially open January 14.
“This facility is an investment in our community and a promise for enhanced safety and security for our residents,” adds Mayor John Terrell. “The vision of the City Council and the Crime Control Prevention District Board for the DPS North Station has been years in the making, and we are proud of the work that everyone involved has put in to making this facility a success.”
Southlake’s DPS North Station has been in the making since June 2010, when City Council unanimously approved its construction. Located at 100 E. Dove Road near Bob Jones Park, the campus includes a 28,186 square foot operation and training building, and a separate 10,738 square foot firing range. Housing four firefighters per shift and a brand new engine, it is strategically positioned to serve the northern parts of the city faster, which results in saving lives and property.
Wade Carroll, Southlake’s deputy director of fire services, confirms this has already taken place since personnel began operating out of the building November 25.
“A structure fire was called in December 19 in Estes Park, which is a neighborhood down the street from the new station. Our guys arrived in just a little over three minutes and were able to contain the fire in the garage and keep it from damaging the rest of the home,” said Carroll, noting the average response time to north Southlake is approximately 10 minutes from the other two stations in the city.
However, DPS North was designed for more than emergency response. Equipped with three classrooms and an auditorium that can seat up to 100 people and has four flat screen monitors, surround sound and live streaming capabilities, it is meant to be a training center for internal purposes, as well as public and regional events. The adjacent underground gun range will also be made available to other DPS departments. A range master and two training officers (one for police and one for fire) are stationed at the facility and additional office space is available as the training program expands.
“There is no public safety facility like this in our neighboring cities and we expect it to be utilized for training activities throughout the year for our own employees, citizens and regional law enforcement partners,” Police Chief Stephen Mylett explained, adding initial events include a Business Safety Series starting January 29 and a city-wide CPR class February 15 in honor of the American Heart Association’s Go Red for Women campaign. “Not only does this keep our public safety employees nearby for training, but it will save the department money in training expenses.”
The DPS North Station also includes a walk-in clinic to assist injured persons, a kitchen and break area for training attendees, and a fitness room and living/sleeping quarters for fire personnel that were designed for quicker access to the engine bay.
Designed by Robert Garza, the same architect used for DPS Headquarters on Carroll Avenue, the buildings share similarities in exterior appearance, interior design and commemorative artwork that includes two bronze statues and a mural in the entrance depicting various scenes of police and fire personnel in the community.
Another unique feature of the DPS North Station is its nod to the environment. Using the U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design (LEED) guidelines, many energy efficient and conservation measures were implemented during construction:
LEED standards are intended to reduce energy and water usage, lower operating costs and improve comfort. As a result, an application has been submitted for the building’s LEED Gold Certification.
Saving lives and property is the mission of the Southlake Fire and Police Departments. Whether it is an auto accident, structure fire or medical emergency, getting there as fast as possible is critical to providing the highest level of public service. As one of only four accredited fire departments in Texas, Southlake must meet certain standards of operation and performance measures, including response times:
Currently, Southlake Fire Department’s standard response time is 6 minutes and 30 seconds, surpassing the national standard by 30-40 seconds. With the opening of the DPS North Station, the goal is to reduce the response time to 5 minutes. During 2013, Southlake Fire Department responded to 2572 calls, 409 of which were in the north district.
“There is no such thing as status quo. We are either improving every day or we are growing stale and complacent,” stated Carroll. “The Fire Department does not have influence on the location of the emergency it responds to, but it does have control of how quickly help arrives. Our goal is the fastest response possible to all citizens within Southlake.”
For more photos of the Southlake DPS North Station grand opening, click here. For more information about the DPS North Station’s LEED Gold Certification features, click here.
The City of Southlake held its second Crud Cruiser event for the year recently and it was big success! The Citywide event was held on Saturday, September 8, 2012 at Carroll ISD’s Dragon Stadium on Kimball Avenue. Hundreds of residents turned out to bring household waste items to the Crud Cruiser for disposal. Volunteers collected everything from old batteries, aerosol sprays, lawn and pool chemicals, to paint and painting supplies. More than 5200 lbs. of household waste items were collected.
The event provides residents with a one-stop, drive-through location to drop off household waste items, electronic recycling and document shredding. Nearly 1300 lbs. of paper were shredded. We also partnered with Goodwill Services and accepted a large amount of electronics including old cell phones, computers and other items for recycling.
The City of Southlake DPS is happy to provide an environmentally friendly location for its residents to dispose of these items especially hazardous household waste products in a safe, hassle-free and responsible way. We are so grateful to our wonderful Southlake volunteers who were on hand to assist residents and the Department of Public Safety as they collected items for disposal.
A special “Thank you” to Cindy Robinson (pictured below in the dark shirt) for the photos she took at our Crud Cruiser event and to all of our wonderful Southlake volunteeers.
***NEXT CRUD CRUISER EVENT: SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 2012.
This year’s CRUD Cruiser was held on Saturday on June 2nd at Carroll ISD’s Dragon Stadium. Residents arrived in an orderly fashion, no long lines, to dispose of any old hazardous household waste products around their home.
The “Crud Cruiser” operated on a “first come, first serve” basis and once the unit was full, the environmental collection center closed at its schedule time, 11:00 a.m.
Residents who were unable to dispose of their household waste items at the CISD location will have another opportunity on September 8th. At that time we will also be offering document shredding and electronics recycling. Watch for more information on that upcoming event.
So what items and products are accepted at the “Crud Cruiser” disposal event?
What’s accepted? What’s NOT accepted?
•Automotive fluids Ammunition & Explosives
•Batteries Appliances & electronics
•Cleaners & chemicals Building Materials
•Cooking oil Bulk Trash & yard waste
•Lawn/garden/pool chemicals Butane/propane cylinders
•Light bulbs Medical waste
•Medicines Tires
•Paint & painting supplies Asbestos/PCBs/Radioactive items
**IMPORTANT: If you have non-oil based paint (latex, water-based paint) you can let it dry out and place it out for residential trash pick-up. If you need more helpful information, you can find it here: http://www.tceq.texas.gov/assets/public/comm_exec/pubs/pd/020/04-03/waste-x.pdf
The City of Southlake DPS is happy to provide an environmentally friendly location for its residents to dispose of hazardous household waste products in a safe, hassle-free and responsible way. If you have any questions, please contact our DPS Community Initiatives Officer Renni Burt at 817-748-8349 and she will be happy to help you.