Friday, March 29, 2024

Ken Baker Announces Retirement After Two Decades of Outstanding Service to Southlake

When he arrived in Southlake in 1999, Ken Baker already had almost a decade of planning experience. In the time since he has used his considerable skill and knowledge to help develop Southlake into what it is today.

With his recent retirement announcement, it has been observed that he spent 23 years on the job in Southlake, but his impact will likely last for many more to come.

“It is difficult to come up with the words to fully describe Ken Baker’s impact on our city,” said Shana Yelverton, city manager. “We have strong comprehensive plans, an effective set of development regulations, outstanding support of the business and development community, and a pool of talented planning staff dedicated to serving the city. All of this is directly attributable to Ken’s work.”

Ken began his career with Southlake in 1999 as a planner, eventually becoming Director in 2004. As the leader of the planning and development services department, he has enjoyed recognition in the community and also in his profession.

Ken’s team has received more than 16 awards for work on comprehensive planning, project planning, tree preservation and urban forestry, and their strong partnership with the building community. In addition, Ken was recognized as planner of the year by the Midwest section of the Texas chapter of the American Planning Association. He has also received numerous awards from the city.

“To me, one of the best things about working with Ken has been his approach,” said Yelverton. “Ken is a kind and patient person, and he is absolutely committed to doing his job professionally and effectively. He has an innate ability to work with people which stems from the fact that he is a great person.”

Baker’s last day is October 24. Deputy Director Dennis Killough has been appointed to serve as Interim Director beginning October 25.

Senior Planning Director and Assistant Police Chief Honored for their Work

Assistant Police Chief Ashleigh Casey and Senior Planning and Building Services Director Ken Baker were recently honored by their City of Southlake colleagues as Deputy Director of the Year and Outstanding Strategic Performer of the year, respectively.

“Ashleigh and Ken reached for and achieved excellence in their departments,” said City Manager Shana Yelverton. “2020 certainly didn’t turn out the way we had planned, but even with all of the challenges, I am so proud of how they worked with the community, the City Council, and city employees to keep the City moving forward during one of the most demanding years in memory.”

Chief Casey has been with the department since 2000 and was named Assistant Police Chief in 2015.  She has a Master’s degree in Criminology and Criminal Justice from the University of Texas in Arlington and is a graduate of the FBI National Academy.

Baker has been with the City since 1999. He was named Senior Director of Planning and Building Services in 2013. He has a Master’s degree in Geography with an emphasis in City Planning from Western Kentucky University.

Explorer Pipeline To Construct a New Fuel Storage Facility Tank

Explorer Pipeline Company will be constructing a new fuel storage facility on a 16 acre property located in the southeast portion of the City addressed as 2200 Mustang Ct., Southlake, Texas. The location of the new fuel storage tank will be south of the E. Continental Boulevard and Crooked Lane roadway intersection and within the existing Southlake fuel farm.

In 1992, City Council approved a Specific Use Permit and Site Plan for Explorer Pipeline to allow the location of petroleum operations on this property. The approval of the site plan allowed two (2) existing fuel storage tanks to remain in place at this location and permitted the construction of (4) new storage tanks. This is the first fuel storage tank that Explorer Pipeline has constructed since the 1992 approval. In addition to this new fuel storage tank, Energy Pipeline has the right to construct 3 additional new tanks at this location. However, at this time there are no plans to construct any additional tanks beyond the single new tank being installed.

 

The construction of the new tank will result in the removal of the tree cover in this general vicinity. “The 1992 Specific Use Permit and Site Plan approval took place before adoption of the City’s first Tree Preservation Ordinance,” Senior Director of Planning and Development Ken Baker said. “Therefore the 1992 site plan approval was not subject to the tree preservation standards or requirements that are in place today.”

Currently, the City is reviewing the technical building plans for the fuel storage facility and it is expected that the plans will be approved soon by the City and construction may begin as soon as this summer. Any road closures or traffic delays due to construction related traffic will be announced on Southlake Mobility.

Changes to Grapevine Lake Master Plan Are in the Works

The Grapevine Lake Master Plan will undergo revisions to verify compliance with new federal regulations. The original plan was completed in 1971 with a supplement plan published in 2001.

Plan Officials along with the Fort Worth District of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) have recently initiated the process to revise the plan and desire input from the public.

USACE defines the Master Plan as the strategic land use management document that guides the comprehensive management and development of all recreational, natural and cultural resources throughout the life of the water resource development project.

The new revisions will address changes in regional land use, population, outdoor recreation trends and USACE management policy.

Key topics that will be addressed in the revised master plan include:

  • Revised land classifications
  • Revised natural, cultural and recreational resource management objectives
  • Recreation facility needs
  • Invasive species management
  • Threatened and endangered species habitat

Suggestions from the public are encouraged. The public involvement process will be conducted online in lieu of face-to-face workshops until the COVID-19 virus pandemic subsides.

The City of Southlake also plans to submit comments on the proposed Master Plan.

“Grapevine Lake is a great natural resource and provides our residents a nearby opportunity to experience nature firsthand with its many hiking and horseback riding trails,” Senior Director of Planning and Development Services Ken Baker said. “It’s imperative that the City’s citizens are aware of the Grapevine Lake Master Plan process and provide their input on how this land is utilized in the future.”

USACE will accept comments up to June 26, 2020. The USACE website contains a brief presentation describing the revision process, a copy of the current master plan, a map of the current land use classifications and instructions for submitting public comments.

For questions about the City’s role in the Grapevine Lake Master Plan, please contact City of Southlake Planning and Development Services at 817-748-8621.

FY 2019 Annual Development Report Available Online

Every year the City of Southlake Planning and Development Services Department creates and publishes an annual report to present along with the City’s budget. The report was recently published online and provides a small glimpse into the daily activities of the department during fiscal year 2019 to help tell Southlake’s development story.

“Our department strives to provide quality standards in the services we offer and exceptional customer service to stimulate growth and development in Southlake,” City of Southlake Senior Director of Planning and Development Services Ken Baker said. “That is why the annual development report is so important. It fosters transparency efforts that keep us accountable in promoting quality development and economic wellness in our City.”

View the FY 2019 Annual Development Report here.

The Annual Development Report is comprised of seven sections: Southlake Snapshot, Economic Overview, Understanding Development, New Residential Development, New Commercial Development, Valuation and Revenue.

The report includes:

Southlake At-A-Glance – In this section, residents and visitors can get a glimpse of Southlake’s public profile by reviewing the population size, percentage of land developed, number of square miles and financial valuation.

Economic Overview – This section displays data pertaining to the amount of consumer sales generated, the number of businesses in Southlake, office and retail space overview, the real estate market and other information that helps determine the state of the economy.

Understanding Development  This section shows a step-by-step overview of the development process and how to conduct development business in Southlake. It displays an overview of our 2035 Comprehensive Plan, which includes master plan elements that provide a vision for Southlake’s future. This section also provides information about the department’s organizational structure and the many services offered. New to this section is an overview of the numerous boards, commissions and committees the Planning and Development Services Department works with. Lastly, this section provides updates on current residential and commercial construction projects within the city.

New Residential Development – This section is new to the report this year. Within this section, you’ll find graphs and charts depicting information on new residential permit values, square footage permitted and permit fees collected. The data is collected throughout the fiscal year and is displayed against previous fiscal year data to show ongoing trends for development in the city.

New Commercial Development – This section is new to the report this year. Within this section you’ll find graphs and charts depicting information on new commercial permit values, square footage permitted, and permit fees collected. The data is collected throughout the fiscal year and is displayed against previous fiscal year data to show ongoing trends for development in the city.

Valuation – This section displays graphs and charts with valuation information for the City in fiscal year 2019. The data presented includes the amount of residential and commercial valuation added, the total residential and non-residential valuation and a comparison of the total assessed value and taxable value.

Revenue –This section displays graphs and charts of revenue collected by the City in fiscal year 2019. The data presented includes the amount of property tax, sales tax and franchise tax collected for the general fund, hotel occupancy tax collected, sign permit fees collected and total fees from building permits collected.

To learn more about the FY 2019 Annual Development Report or view the document, please visit our annual development report web page or give us a call at 817-748-8621.