Amendments to the City of Southlake’s Mobility Master Plan are under consideration. The plan addresses transportation needs in the community, from roads to sidewalks.
The amendment to be considered by Council reprioritizes specific sidewalk segments, modifies the pathways map, adds a project at the intersection of Highland Street and Shady Oaks Boulevard and recommends a study for SH 114 improvements.
A detailed list of the prioritized sidewalk segments can be found in the November 16 City Council meeting materials or on the Mobility Master Plan Feedback webpage. Sidewalks were prioritized by the connectivity to other sidewalks, locations near parks or schools, available right of way or easement, tree removal consideration, utility relocation, bridge construction and drainage improvements. Tier one sidewalks are recommended to be developed from one to three years, with tier two in the four-to-seven-year range and tier three at eight or more years.
The City Council passed the amendments during the first reading at the November 16 City Council Meeting. The second reading of the plan changes will occur during the December 7 City Council meeting.
Residents are encouraged to complete the Sidewalk Priority Feedback form if they have questions or comments. Feedback from the public on the plan began October 26. Resident feedback was also taken during the October 26 SPIN meeting. The Planning and Zoning Commission provided recommendations for adjustments during the November 4 P&Z meeting.
The Mobility Master Plan is an element of the City’s Comprehensive Plan, which services as a blueprint for the future of Southlake and a framework to guide City programs and projects for 20 years. The Plan prioritizes capital projects, allocates resources and establishes programs, and is constantly evaluated by the City for potential updates.
Once the plan is approved, the City begins implementation. Projects in the Mobility Master Plan are subject to available funding during the given budget year and will be placed in the Capital Improvements Program (CIP) accordingly.
Sidewalks in Southlake are also built outside of the Mobility Master Plan, through the CIP program, roadway projects, new residential and commercial developments, park construction, gap projects and the Neighborhood Matching Fund.
For more information on how the City of Southlake addresses mobility in the community, visit www.ConnectSouthlake.com and follow the Southlake Mobility Facebook page.
Daniel Cortez, Deputy Director of Economic Development and Tourism, has been promoted to Director, effective July 1. After the departure of Assistant City Manager Ben Thatcher, Cortez’s history of strong work performance, world-class professionalism and commitment to assist Southlake businesses and residents make him fit for the task to lead the Southlake economic development team.
“Daniel Cortez has many notable accomplishments under his belt,” said Assistant City Manager Alison Ortowski. “His energy, creativity, intelligence and strong people skills make him ideal for this role.”
Since 2017, Cortez has worked to implement key recommendations of the 2035 Economic Development Master Plan. He has also created and implemented a commercial site assessment project, resulting in valuable insights into Southlake’s commercial centers. He managed the City’s first Business Climate Survey to understand the local business community’s strengths and challenges, track trends and ensure the City has useful data for business support programs.
"I am humbled at the confidence the City's leadership has in me. I look forward to continuing to serve our business community with the same tradition of excellence Southlake is known for, with new inspiration and determination to meet the challenges of the future," Cortez said. "There is truly no place like Southlake. It is my privilege to be part of a great community and I'm excited to strengthen the City's relationships with local businesses."
Ortowski also highlights his business retention work, noting that “he has established strong relationships through one-on-one visits and programs he’s created to improve business engagement with the City.”
Southlake youth have also benefited from Cortez’s hard work. Through the Southlake Kids Interested in Leadership (SKIL) program, Cortez has worked with Mayor Hill and Carroll ISD to offer selected students access to local business leaders through educational seminars and internship experiences. Cortez guides the students through the program, which has been in place for three years.
Perhaps Cortez has demonstrated his strongest performance with his work through the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Untangling the complex and sometimes confusing information related to the various executive orders was a terrific service he was able to provide to our business customers,” noted Ortowski. “He promoted businesses in unique and creative ways. He demonstrated a keen knowledge of the needs of our businesses and worked proactively to provide needed support.”
In his new role, Daniel will be responsible for economic development work, and will oversee the day-to-day activities of the City’s tourism and special events team.
Daniel Cortez, Deputy Director of Economic Development and Tourism, has been promoted to Director, effective July 1. After the departure of Assistant City Manager Ben Thatcher, Cortez’s history of strong work performance, world-class professionalism and commitment to assist Southlake businesses and residents make him fit for the task to lead the Southlake economic development team.
“Daniel Cortez has many notable accomplishments under his belt,” said Assistant City Manager Alison Ortowski. “His energy, creativity, intelligence and strong people skills make him ideal for this role.”
Since 2017, Cortez has worked to implement key recommendations of the 2035 Economic Development Master Plan. He has also created and implemented a commercial site assessment project, resulting in valuable insights into Southlake’s commercial centers. He managed the City’s first Business Climate Survey to understand the local business community’s strengths and challenges, track trends and ensure the City has useful data for business support programs.
"I am humbled at the confidence the City's leadership has in me. I look forward to continuing to serve our business community with the same tradition of excellence Southlake is known for, with new inspiration and determination to meet the challenges of the future," Cortez said. "There is truly no place like Southlake. It is my privilege to be part of a great community and I'm excited to strengthen the City's relationships with local businesses."
Ortowski also highlights his business retention work, noting that “he has established strong relationships through one-on-one visits and programs he’s created to improve business engagement with the City.”
Southlake youth have also benefited from Cortez’s hard work. Through the Southlake Kids Interested in Leadership (SKIL) program, Cortez has worked with Mayor Hill and Carroll ISD to offer selected students access to local business leaders through educational seminars and internship experiences. Cortez guides the students through the program, which has been in place for three years.
Perhaps Cortez has demonstrated his strongest performance with his work through the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Untangling the complex and sometimes confusing information related to the various executive orders was a terrific service he was able to provide to our business customers,” noted Ortowski. “He promoted businesses in unique and creative ways. He demonstrated a keen knowledge of the needs of our businesses and worked proactively to provide needed support.”
In his new role, Daniel will be responsible for economic development work, and will oversee the day-to-day activities of the City’s tourism and special events team.
The City of Southlake often refers to the Capital Improvement Program when citing projects and infrastructure, such as mobility projects.
The program, often referred to as CIP, is a five-year plan the City has in place for construction of new or investing in the replacement of the City’s physical assets or infrastructure. The City utilizes cash and proceeds from bond sales to fund CIP projects.
With CIP, City staff can budget and identify projects that otherwise cannot be addressed due to funding limitations within the annual operating budget or limited, internal resources or manpower.
When it comes to mobility, this five-year program identifies construction projects identified and prioritized within the Southlake 2030 and Southlake 2035 master plans.
The Mobility 2030 Master Plan includes several citywide plans that prioritize the development of thoroughfares, sidewalks, trails and parks. The recommendations within the plan serve as a guide to the development of CIP projects as well as departmental business plans.
Two major mobility CIP projects currently in progress are the N. White Chapel Widening and Zena Rucker Connector.
Other projects such as the SH 114 Frontage Roads and FM 1938 improvements are managed by the Texas Department of Transportation. The City often partners with TxDOT, contributing to these projects financially, while TxDOT manages and oversees construction.
You can view active and upcoming projects on our interactive CIP map. Find more information about the Capital Improvement Program and the 2030 Mobility Master Plan on our website.
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:
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.
