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IT'S GOOD TO HEAR YOUR CHATTER.
SORRY TO, TO BREAK UP ALL THIS FELLOWSHIP.
[1. Call meeting to order.]
BUT I WONDER, OFFICIALLY CALL THIS MEETING TO ORDER.WE DO HAVE A FULL QUORUM OF CITY COUNCIL PRESENT.
UH, THIS IS THE REGULAR SCHEDULED MEETING OF THE, UH, CITY COUNCIL.
SO WE WOULD, UM, THIS IS ALSO, UH, OPEN CARRY IS NOT PERMITTED WITHIN THIS, UH, COUNCIL CHAMBER.
AND WITH THAT, WE'LL BEGIN WITH AN INVOCATION BY PASTOR JOEL, UM, BIRTH BETSON, UH, HOPE, UH, LUTHERAN CHURCH, AND FOLLOW THAT.
WE'LL HEAR FROM OUR COLOR GUARD AND, UH, LED BY OUR COUNCIL MEMBER, DAN.
HEY, HOW YOU DOING, SIR? WE ALL CAN STAND.
LORD GOD, WE COME TO YOU IN JESUS NAME.
FIRST OF ALL, WE TAKE A MOMENT TO REMEMBER FELLOW CITIES SARASOTA.
WE REMEMBER TIMES PASS WHEN WE HAD BEEN GIVEN THE TASK OF HELPING IN THE MIDST OF DISASTER.
AFTER KATRINA HIT, I HIT OUR OWN COAST.
WHAT, GOD, WE PRAY FOR THEM THAT THEY COULD WORK TOGETHER.
WHAT GOD, YOU'VE GIVEN US THE TASK OF WORKING TOGETHER WELL ON BEHALF OF OUR FELLOW CITIZENS.
MAY YOUR BLESSING BE UPON THIS MEETING TONIGHT.
WE THANK YOU THAT YOU ARE ALWAYS MAKING INTERCESSION FOR US AT THE RIGHT HAND OF THE FATHER.
WE SO APPRECIATE YOUR PRAYING FOR US AND ALWAYS HAVING EARS READY TO LISTEN.
SO WE ASK YOU TONIGHT IN THE DELIBERATIONS, IN THE DISCUSSIONS, IN THE THOUGHTS AND DECISIONS, BE WITH US LORD GOD, GIVE US YOUR HELP TO THE END THAT THINGS WOULD WORK TOGETHER WELL AND FOR THE GOOD OF ALL.
AND I PRAY THIS IN JESUS NAME ALL.
TODAY'S A VERY SPECIAL DAY THIS TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 27TH.
WE WILL BE HONORING A VERY GOOD FRIEND OF OURS.
UM, BEFORE I CONTINUE ON, I WANNA RECOGNIZE A FEW PEOPLE.
UH, ONE, WE HAVE, UH, JERRY WHITE WHO SERVED IN OUR CITY COUNCIL.
THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE, SIR.
ALONG NEXT TO HIM IS GREG PATTONS.
AND, UH, ONE OF MY LONG TIME GOOD FRIENDS IS MY GOOD FRIEND JULIE LAKE.
I JUST WANTED TO EMBARRASS HER.
UM, SO NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS CITIZENS FORM IN PUBLIC COMMENT.
UH, COUNSEL, I DO NOT HAVE ANY, UH, PUBLIC, UH, COMMENTS AND, UH, I DON'T THINK WE HAVE ANY IN PERSON, UH, CITIZENS.
[a. Case No. PD-488-2022 – Conduct a public hearing and consider an application for a change in zoning from “LR” (Local Retail District) to “PD” (Planned Development District) including retirement housing, retail, and restaurant uses on the northwest corner of East Wintergreen Road and Highway 67, with the approximate address being in the 1400 Block of North J. Elmer Weaver Freeway. Applicant: Nicholas Balsamo, Kalterra Property Owners: Winter Cedar 6, LLC and E&D Investments]
MOVE ON TO THE NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA, WHICH IS A PUBLIC HEARING.[00:05:02]
UH, CASE NUMBER PD 48 8 2022, CONDUCT A PUBLIC HEARING AND CONSIDER AN APPLICATION FOR A CHANGE IN ZONING, UH, FROM LR LOCAL RETAIL DISTRICT TO PD PLAN DEVELOPMENT DISTRICT, INCLUDING RETIREMENT, HOUSING, RETAIL, AND RESTAURANT USES ON THE NORTHWEST CORNER OF EAST WINTER GREEN ROAD AND HIGHWAY 67 WITH THE APPROXIMATE ADDRESS BEING IN THE 14TH HUNDRED BLOCK OF NORTH J ELMER WEAVER FREEWAY ADVOCATE, NICHOLAS, UH, BIO SOMO, CALERA AND PROPERTY OWNERS WINTER CEDAR SIX LLC AND E AND D INVESTMENTS.DO WE HAVE AN APPLICANT HERE BEFORE US? WOULD YOU LIKE TO SAY ANYTHING OR PRESENT BEFORE THE COUNCIL? I'D BE HAPPY TO.
UM, CITY COUNCIL, MR. MAYOR CLINT NOLAN, CALERA, CAPITAL PARTNERS 1845 WOODALL ROGERS FREEWAY, SUITE 60, DALLAS, TEXAS 75,201.
UH, YOU, YOU'VE SEEN ME BEFORE.
WE WERE HERE BEFORE YOU, UH, WITH THE CASE PREVIOUSLY, UH, PASSED BY PLANNING AND ZONING, BUT, UM, UH, DENIED AT CITY COUNCIL DUE TO, UH, SOME CONCERNS.
WE HAVE SUBSEQUENTLY MADE SIGNIFICANT CHANGES TO OUR SITE PLAN AND TO THE APPLICATION.
THAT'S WHY WE'RE HERE BEFORE YOU AGAIN TODAY.
UH, THAT WAS PASSED LAST WEEK AT, UH, PLANNING AND ZONING AND, UM, YOU KNOW, LIKE I SAID, WE'RE HERE BEFORE YOU AGAIN TO, TO COVER THOSE ISSUES.
SO, UH, HOW MUCH TIME DO I HAVE? UH, YOU GET OUT THE FLOOR, SIR.
I'M GONNA, I'M GONNA TRY TO GO, GO QUICK, BUT IF I COME ACROSS AS LONG WINDED, PLEASE KNOW THAT IT'S BECAUSE, UM, WE'VE SPENT A LOT OF TIME TRYING TO GO BACK AND REVIEW COMMENTS THAT WE'VE HEARD TO DATE, WHETHER THAT BE FROM CITY STAFF, FROM PLANNING AND ZONING FROM NEIGHBORS.
AND I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT EVERYONE KNOWS HOW IMPORTANT THOSE COMMENTS ARE.
WE DO WANT TO BE A HIGH QUALITY DEVELOPER AND A COOPERATIVE DEVELOPER.
AND SO I WANTED TO GO THROUGH AND TRY TO COVER ANY AND ALL COMMENTS AND CONCERNS THAT WE'VE HEARD.
UM, NOT, NOT TO RUSH YOU, BUT YOU DO HAVE AN ANXIOUS AUDIENCE.
UM, WELL, I'LL TELL YOU WHAT, RATHER THAN DO THAT, UH, I KNOW THAT WE'VE ALL SEEN THE SITE.
UM, I, WE'VE SEEN THE APPLICATION PREVIOUSLY.
I'M ASSUMING THAT YOU'VE BEEN WELL BRIEFED ON THE CHANGES THAT HAVE BEEN MADE.
UM, THE, THE, I THINK MOST SIGNIFICANT CHANGES, TO SUMMARIZE CONCERNS THAT WE'D HEARD BEFORE WERE COMPLETE ELIMINATION OF THE STORAGE FACILITY ALTOGETHER, UH, IN REPLACEMENT OF THAT STORAGE FACILITY WITH AN ADDITIONAL RETAIL PAD SLASH RESTAURANT PAD.
UM, THE ADVANTAGE OF DOING THAT WAS, UM, THAT THAT STORAGE FACILITY TOOK UP QUITE A SIGNIFICANT PAD ON THE SITE.
BY ELIMINATING THAT AND ADDING ANOTHER RETAIL PAD THAT ALLOWED US TO DO WHAT WE FELT ALSO AT LEAST SOMEWHAT ALLEVIATED CONCERNS THAT WE HEARD AND, AND SET BACK TO ADJACENCY OF SINGLE FAMILY.
SO THAT ALLOWED US TO SHIFT THE ACTIVE, ACTIVE ADULT COMMUNITY FURTHER TO THE EAST, UM, TO 125 FEET AS OPPOSED TO 110 FEET.
UM, TO, YOU KNOW, ECHO WHAT'S BEEN SAID BY CITY, CITY STAFF AT PLANNING AND ZONING.
UM, THE, THERE IS NO BASE ZONING, IF YOU WILL, FOR ACTIVE ADULT OR, OR INDEPENDENT LIVING TYPE PROPERTIES.
THAT'S TYPICALLY NEGOTIATED IN A PLAN, A PLAN DEVELOPMENT.
UM, AS YOU ALL KNOW, PLAN DEVELOPMENTS NEGOTIATED PROCESS BETWEEN THE DEVELOPER AND THE CITY.
THERE'S A LOT OF GIVE AND TAKE IN DOING THAT.
UM, WE HAVE WORKED REALLY, REALLY HARD TO, UH, ADHERE TO THAT.
SO NOT JUST THE CHANGES THAT WE'VE MADE THAT I JUST MENTIONED, BUT THE CHANGES THAT WE EVEN MADE PRIOR TO THE, THAT THE ORIGINAL APPLICATION, WE ARE DEALING WITH A 30 FOOT, UH, UTILITY EASEMENT, PLUS ANOTHER 10 FOOT EASEMENT THAT ALREADY FORCES CERTAIN SETBACKS FROM THE FRONTAGE, UH, FOR THE RETAIL.
AND AS CATHERINE POINTED OUT, WE ARE, BELIEVE IT OR NOT, LIMITED TO, UH, THE, THE MINIMUM DENSITY THAT WE NEED TO GET ON AN ACTIVE ADULT COMMUNITY.
UH, AS SUCH, UH, THE LOWEST DENSITY THAT WE'VE EVER DEVELOPED IN ANY MULTIFAMILY ACTIVE ADULT OR CONVENTIONAL IS 24 UNITS PER ACRE.
UM, WITH THE ELIMINATION OF PUBLIC STORAGE REPLACEMENT OF A RETAIL PAD, WE'VE ACTUALLY, UH, IMPROVED ON DENSITY, AS KATHERINE POINTED OUT ON A MIXED USE DEVELOPMENT.
IT'S TYPICALLY LOOKED AT OVERALL, WE'RE ONLY ABOUT 13, UH, UNITS PER ACRE.
HOWEVER, IF WE WERE TO LOOK AT JUST THE ACTIVE ADULT SITE, UH, IN A VACUUM, WE'RE NOW AT ABOUT 24.3, I BELIEVE, UNITS PER ACRE.
SO, UM, WE'RE VERY, YOU KNOW, COMPARABLE.
WE'RE, WE'RE ACTUALLY COMPARABLE WITH OUR ACTIVE ADULT COMMUNITY THAT WE'RE CURRENTLY UNDER CONSTRUCTION ON WALKS A HATCHIE.
AND WE DO BELIEVE THAT, UH, WE'RE AT, AT AN ADEQUATE DENSITY FOR THE SITE.
UH, OTHER CONCESSIONS THAT WE'VE MADE, UM, ARE, UH, COOPERATING WITH THE CITY STAFF ON CERTAIN LANDSCAPING, UM, CERTAIN PUBLIC SPACES, INTER INTERACTIVITY AND PEDESTRIAN FRIENDLINESS, UH, COHESIVENESS BETWEEN THE, UH, RESIDENTIAL UNITS AND THE RETAIL, UH, THAT WE HAVE ON THE SITE.
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UM, IN ADDITION, AS YOU ALL KNOW, UM, AND I, AND I, I TRIED TO BRING PHOTOS, I HAVE THEM, BUT I DON'T EVEN KNOW THAT IT'S WORTH SHOWING THE PHOTOS OF THE TREES.BUT, UH, YOU CAN'T APPRECIATE IT UNTIL YOU'RE THERE IN PERSON.
THE, THE TREES THAT ARE ON THE SITE RIGHT NOW, THE CLUSTER TREES ARE SUBSTANTIAL.
UH, LEAVES ARE NOT, THEY'RE VERY SUBSTANTIAL AND ARE AS, AS, AS YOU KNOW, OUR GOAL IS TO, UM, YOU KNOW, TO, TO MAINTAIN, UH, ALL OF THOSE AS POSSIBLE BECAUSE WE BENEFIT FROM THAT BUFFER JUST AS THE, THE SINGLE FAMILY DOES.
SO WITH THAT SAID, I, I HAD A LOT OF POINT THAT I WAS GONNA TRY TO MAKE COVERING, YOU KNOW, EVERY INDIVIDUAL CONCERN, BUT, UM, I'M SURE YOU HAVE QUESTIONS FOR ME, SO I'D LOVE TO SURE.
WELL, WE'LL GO AHEAD AND CONTINUE WITH THE PUBLIC HEARING AND THEN WE'LL BRING YOU BACK UP IF COUNCIL SAL DELIBERATE.
I WANNA GO AHEAD AND BEGIN THE PUBLIC HEARING.
ANYONE WISH TO SPEAK IN FAVOR OR OPPOSITION TO CASE NUMBER PD 4 88 2022? ANYONE WISHING TO SPEAK IN FAVOR OR OPPOSITION? ACE NUMBER PD 4 88 2022? NOT SEEING ANYONE APPROACH? I WILL.
YOU'RE SPEAKING IN PUBLIC HEARING.
PLEASE GIVE US YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD.
UH, GOOD EVENING, MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL.
AT MY COMPANY IS WNET PROPERTIES AT 81 17 PRESTON ROAD IN DALLAS.
MY CAREER IS A REAL ESTATE BROKER IN DFW.
UM, TONIGHT I'M HERE TO SPEAK IN FAVOR OF THIS PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT PROJECT BEFORE YOU.
I BROUGHT THESE TWO LAND SITES TO, TO CALERA AS A DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITY THAT, THAT FIT RIGHT WITHIN THEIR DEVELOPMENT EXPERTISE.
CALERA WAS THE FIRST GROUP I REACHED OUT TO ABOUT THIS DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITY.
I CONTACTED THEM ABOUT THE OPPORTUNITY AHEAD OF ANY OTHER DEVELOPER BECAUSE OF THE FLEXIBLE PLATFORM FOR WHICH THEY OPERATE AND THEIR SOLID IN THEIR SOLID TRACK RECORD IN DEVELOPING SIMILAR HIGH QUALITY TYPE PROJECTS ON SIMILAR RESPECTABLE LAND SITES AND NEARBY MUNICIPALITIES.
AS YOU CAN SEE, THIS PLAN HAS BEEN SIGNIFICANTLY MODIFIED COMPARED TO THE PLAN THAT WAS BEFORE YOU BACK IN JULY.
CLINT NOLAN DESCRIBED THIS IN DETAIL, BUT I DO WANNA HIGHLIGHT A FEW THINGS.
PER THE CITY PLANNING STAFF, THE DEVELOPMENT TYPE BEING PROPOSED FOR THIS PROPERTY DOES IN FACT THE LINE WITH CEDAR HILL'S NEW COMPREHENSIVE PLAN ADOPTED BY THE CITY COUNCIL MARCH, 2022.
THE RETAIL PAD SITES ON THIS PLAN WILL CREATE REAL OPPORTUNITIES TO CAPTURE DESIRABLE RETAIL, RESTAURANT AND AND ENTERTAINMENT TYPE USES THAT WILL NOT ONLY BE GOOD ADDITIONS TO BE UTILIZED BY THE CITIZENS OF CEDAR HILL, BUT GIVEN THE VERY CLOSE PROXIMITY OF THESE RETAIL SITES TO DUNCANVILLE, THERE COULD BE A REAL BOOST IN SALES TAX REVENUES BY WAY OF SALES DOLLARS GENERATED FROM OUTSIDE THE CITY AND ALSO KEEPING SALES DOLLARS INSIDE THE CITY.
THE ACTIVE ADULT COMPONENT PLAYS A MAJOR ROLE IN MANY WAYS BEYOND THE FACT THAT THIS PROJECT WILL PROVIDE A HIGH QUALITY, GREATLY AMENITIZED HOUSING OPTION FOR THOSE 55 YEARS AND OLDER.
IT'S IMPORTANT TO REALIZE THAT THE COM, THAT THIS COMPONENT WILL UNDOUBTEDLY SERVE TO EXPEDITE THE ACTIVATION OF THE RETAIL PAD SITES WITH THE PRESENCE OF A TOP NOTCH ACTIVE ADULT COMMUNITY WITHIN WALKING DISTANCE.
THE FRONT RETAIL SITES COULD BE VIEW, COULD BE VIEWED AS VERY OPP OPPORTUNISTIC BY SOME, BY SOME ALLURING RETAIL RESTAURANT IN ENTERTAINMENT BRANDS.
THIS QUADRANT IS PAR IS PART OF THE CITY'S BLUE BLUE RIBBON PROJECT WITH THE INSTALLATION OF, OF THE WELCOME THE CEDAR HILL FEATURE ACROSS THE SERVICE ROAD FROM THE SUBJECT SITE.
AND WE FEEL STRONGLY THAT THE PLAN DEVELOPMENT FOR YOU, THAT THE PLAN DEVELOPMENT BEFORE YOU TONIGHT WILL SERVE TO COMPLIMENT THAT WELCOMENESS FEEL IN EVERY WAY.
I KNOW, I KNOW THERE ARE A FEW HOMEOWNERS OPPOSE THIS PLAN WITH THEIR PRIMARY, PRIMARY OPPOSITION STEMMING FROM THE HEIGHT ASSOCIA ASSOCIATED WITH THREE, WITH THE THREE STORY ACTIVE ADULT STRUCTURE RELATIVE TO THEIR PROPERTY LINE.
WHILE I PURELY RESPECT THEIR OPINIONS AS ADJACENT HOMEOWNERS, I DO WANNA POINT OUT A FEW FACTS TO BE CONSIDERED BY ALL AS THIS AS PROPOSED IN THIS PLAN DEVELOPMENT.
THE, THE DISTANCE BETWEEN THE NEAREST RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY LINE AND THE PROPOSED THREE STORY ACTIVE ADULT STRUCTURE IS 125 FEET UNDER CURRENT, UNDER THE CURRENT LR ZONING, A TWO STORY BIG BOX RETAIL STRUCTURE COULD BE BUILT 20 FEET FROM THAT SAME RESIDE RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY LINE, OR A THREE STORY STRUCTURE BUILT 50 FEET FROM THAT RESIDENTIAL LINE, OR A FOUR STORY COULD BE BUILT 80 FEET FROM THE LINE, OR A FIVE STORY COULD BE BUILT 110 FEET FROM THAT SAME RESIDENTIAL LINE THAT I'VE BEEN MENTIONING.
MAXIMUM BUILDING HEIGHT ALLOWED IN
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LR DISTRICT IS SIX STORIES.WHEN REALIZING AND UNDERSTANDING THIS FULL PICTURE, I'M OF THE STRONG OPINION THAT THE PLAN DEVELOPMENT BEING PROPOSED TONIGHT IS MUCH MORE PALATABLE COMPARED TO THE AFOREMENTIONED DEVELOPMENT HEIGHT ALTERNATIVES THAT WOULD BE ALLOWED BY RIGHT UNDER THE CURRENT LR ZONING.
THIS 14 ACRE SITE CURRENTLY HAS TWO SEPARATE LANDOWNERS WITH TWO SEPARATE CONTRACTS, AND IT'S BEEN SOME, A SOMEWHAT CONTINUOUS PROCESS IN KEEPING THESE SEPARATE CONTRACT TIME TIMELINES ALIGNED SO AS TO ACCOMMODATE THE TIME REQUIREMENTS OF THE DEVELOPER IN GETTING THIS REVISED PLAN BACK ON THE AGENDA.
SO WE ARE VERY GLAD TO BE BACK BEFORE YOU TONIGHT WITH THE REVISED PLAN, AND WE HOPE THAT WE HOPE GAINED YOUR SUPPORT JUST AS IT GAINED THE SUPPORT OF YOUR APPOINTED PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSIONERS LAST TUESDAY NIGHT.
I'M CONFIDENT THAT CALERA WOULD BE, WILL BE RESPECTABLE STEWARDS OF THE PROPERTY AND DEVOTED DEVELOPMENT PARTNERS FOR THE CITY OF CEDAR HILL.
THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR TIME AND WE APPRECIATE YOUR SUPPORT.
UH, ANYONE ELSE WISHING TO SPEAK IN FAVOR OR OPPOSITION TO CASE NUMBER PD 4 88 DASH 2022? NOT SEE ANYONE APPROACH.
I APOLOGIES I DIDN'T SEE YOU THERE.
IF YOU WILL, PLEASE GIVE US YOUR NAME, ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD AND YOU HAVE FIVE MINUTES.
UM, I, I LIVE AT 10 46 SHERMAN DRIVE.
UM, I AM THE CLOSEST RESIDENT TO THIS PROPERTY.
UM, I JUST STILL OPPOSE, UH, DOING ANYTHING WITH IT.
UH, LIKE WHAT THEY'RE PROPOSING.
I'M DON'T, NOT GONNA TELL YOU WHY OR WHATEVER.
IT'S JUST, UM, I'M JUST IN OPPOSITION.
NAME AND ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD.
I LIVE AT 10 40 SHERMAN, IT'S NEXT DOOR TO JOHN, WHICH IS ALSO WITHIN THE NOTIFICATION AREA.
I ALSO AM OPPOSED TO THIS PROPOSED ZONING.
UH, KAY AND I HAVE LIVED IN THIS HOUSE FOR 14 YEARS.
WHEN WE BOUGHT THE HOUSE, WE LOOKED AT THE ADJACENT PROPERTY.
WE BOUGHT IT KNOWING THAT IT WAS ZONED LOCAL RETAIL FOR, FOR COMMERCIAL USES.
WE BOUGHT IT WITH THAT EXPECTATION.
WE FULLY EXPECTED A GROCERY STORE, SHOPPING CENTER, RESTAURANTS OFFICE USES AT THAT SITE.
WHAT WE DID NOT EXPECT OR NOR DO WE WANT IS MULTI-FAMILY, UH, RESIDENTIAL.
THE MULTIFAMILY RESIDENTIAL IS A, BASICALLY A LAND USE CATEGORY.
WHEN YOU'RE DRIVING DOWN THE FREEWAY, YOU'RE GONNA SEE APARTMENTS, YOU'RE GONNA SEE THOSE, THOSE MULTIFAMILY AS FAR AS LOOKING AT THE MULTIFAMILY AND SEEING THAT THE, THE OCCUPANTS ARE 55 YEARS AND OLDER DOES NOT CHANGE WHAT YOUR OPINION IS OF THAT LAND USE AND HOW IT AFFECTS THE ADJACENT PROPERTIES.
SO THAT'S ONE OF THE CONCERNS THAT, THAT WE DO HAVE.
WHEN YOU, UH, I HEARD THE DISCUSSION EARLIER ABOUT HOW DENSITY CAN BE ADDRESSED.
YES, THE DENSITY ON THIS IS QUITE A BIT GREATER THAN WHAT IS ALLOWED IN OUR STANDARD MULTI-FAMILY ZONING DISTRICT.
BUT TO SAY, WELL, WE'RE GONNA INCLUDE THE COMMERCIAL IN A DIFFERENT POD OR A DIFFERENT LANDOWNER IN OURS TO GET OUR DENSITY DOWN.
I'D ASK YOU, WHERE DO YOU DRAW THE LINE? I CAN, AT THAT POINT, YOU'RE ALL, IT'S STILL, NO MATTER HOW YOU CUT THE NUMBERS, IT'S 13 UNITS PER ACRE.
IT'S A MULTI-FAMILY DEVELOPMENT.
THE, UH, SETBACK, THE SETBACKS IN YOUR ZONING REGULATIONS ARE DESIGNED TO PROTECT ADJACENT PROPERTY OWNERS.
SPECIFICALLY FOR THOSE OF SINGLE FAMILY, IT'S SET IT'S SETBACK FOR A THREE STORY UNIT.
THREE STORY, UH, MULTI-FAMILY PROJECT IS 150 FEET.
IF I DON'T WANT TO COMPLY, THAT DOESN'T SOUND RIGHT TO ME.
IT'S HAS TO DO WITH THE ADJACENCY OF THE, UH, PROPERTIES.
AND THEN, UM, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT THEY HAVE DONE, AND YOU CAN SEE THIS ON YOUR SITE PLAN, IS BY MOVING THE APARTMENTS OR THE MULTIFAMILY FURTHER TO THE, TO THE EAST, THEY'VE BEEN ABLE TO PUT IN DUPLEXES.
DUPLEXES ARE STILL NOT A COMPATIBLE USE FOR LOW DENSITY RESIDENTIAL.
BASICALLY THESE ARE TWO, ONE UNIT ON TWO ACRES, AND THESE ARE DUPLEX UNITS.
WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT ANY OTHER
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PLACE THAT YOU HAVE ONE OR TWO UNITS OR, UH, LOT SIZES, WOULD YOU CONSIDER A DUPLEX AS AN APPROPRIATE ADJACENT LAND USEONE OF THE THINGS I DO WANT TO DO, AND I HEARD, I HEARD SOME, HEARD SOME OF THE STATEMENTS, BUT ONE OF THE THINGS, WHEN YOU LOOK AT YOUR FUTURE LAND USE PLAN OR YOUR, UH, CONSERVATION AND GROWTH MAP, IT SHOWS THIS PROPERTY AS BEING NEIGHBORHOOD CENTER.
AND THAT'S HOW A LOT OF PROPERTIES ARE DESIGNATED.
YOU KNOW, THE PROPERTY NEXT TO, UH, FUEL CITY ALONG THE FREEWAY THAT HAS THE SAME DESIGNATION, THE ENTRY INTO, UH, KINGSWOOD.
IS THAT A WAY? UH, THERE'S ANOTHER ONE DOWN MANSFIELD ROAD WHERE LAKE RIDGE PARKWAY, THAT'S HOW THAT'S DESIGNATED.
AND IF YOU JUST READ OUT OF THIS, IT'S BASICALLY A DESCRIPTION OF NEIGHBORHOOD CENTERS IS CENTERS THAT CONTAIN OFFICE RETAIL AND INFIELD HOUSING, EXCLUDING TRADITIONAL SUBURBAN STYLE APARTMENT COMPLEXES.
NEIGHBORHOOD CENTERS ARE LOW INTENSITY, UNOBTRUSIVE AND DESIGNED AT A SCALE TO BE COMPATIBLE WITH NEARBY RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOODS.
THEY PROVIDE SAFE AND CONVENIENT PEDESTRIAN AND BICYCLE ACCESS FOR RESIDENTS.
AND THEN IT ALSO GOES IN AND TALKS ABOUT, UM, AVERTING THEIR TRAFFIC AWAY FROM THE RESIDENTS.
I'M NOT, ANYWAY, I LOOK AT THIS, I DON'T SEE THIS MEETING THAT, THAT DEFINITION.
AND WHEN I ALSO LOOK AT WHERE ELSE YOU COULD PUT THIS, IT STARTS MAKING ME VERY, UH, IT, IT, IT BASICALLY OPENS PANDORA'S BOXED AS TO WHERE THE, YOU COULD EXPECT THESE TYPES OF DEVELOPMENTS TO OCCUR OR TO BE REQUESTED.
AND THOSE REQUESTS TYPICALLY ARE MET WITH, UH, NEIGHBORHOOD OPPOSITION AND YOU END UP MEETING A LOT OF YOUR NEIGHBORS THAT WAY.
ANYONE ELSE WISHING TO SPEAK IN FAVOR OR OPPOSITION TO CASE NUMBER 4 88 2022? ANYONE ELSE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK IN FAVOR OR OPPOSITION TO CASE NUMBER 4 88 2022.
I'LL CLOSE THAT PORTION OF THE PUBLIC HEARING AND I'LL OPEN IT UP TO COUNCIL FOR ANY QUESTIONS, COMMENTS, OR DELIBERATION.
MY, MY FIRST QUESTION IS REALLY PERTAINING TO THE RETAIL PORTION OF, OF THE DEVELOPMENT.
AND I REALIZE IN A, IN A PD TYPE SETTING, THAT, YOU KNOW, IF APPROVED, THEN REGARDLESS OF WHAT HAPPENS, THOSE PD REQUIREMENTS ARE THERE, UH, THE RETAIL PORTION OF IT IS THERE.
BUT I GUESS MY QUESTION IS, IS THE TIMING OF YOUR PLANS WITH REGARDS TO, UH, THE RETAIL SIDE OF THE MIXED USE? SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE HAD AGREED TO DO PREVIOUSLY WAS, UM, TIE THE, THE START OF, YOU KNOW, OUR ACTIVE ADULT PROPERTY.
UH, IN OTHER WORDS, WE COULDN'T START THAT UNTIL WE ALSO HAVE, UH, AT LEAST ONE OF THE RETAIL USES IDENTIFIED AND READY TO GO, AND WE'RE WILLING TO TIE THOSE TOGETHER, UH, SO THAT WE AT LEAST HAVE ONE RETAIL CATALYST TO, TO GET THINGS GOING.
I'M, I'M NOT HEARING YOU REAL WELL, YOU'RE KIND OH, I'M SORRY.
BUT ARE YOU, ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT THE, THAT THE BAD SITES WILL BE DEVELOPED AND THEN YOU'LL BE WAITING ON WHAT YOU'RE GONNA DO AS FAR AS MARKETING IT OR, WELL, NO, I'M BASICALLY SAYING THAT WE WOULD, SO WE HAVE A PRETTY LONG DESIGN PROCESS THAT WE WOULD BEGIN ON AS FAR AS THE ACTIVE ADULT PROPERTY.
WE WOULD IMMEDIATELY START THAT IN A PARALLEL.
WE WOULD IMMEDIATELY START MARKETING THE RETAIL PAD, AND WE WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO START CONSTRUCTION, OR AT LEAST WE WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO CO UNTIL WE HAVE THE RETAIL USER IDENTIFIED IN THAT CONSTRUCTION UNDERWAY AS WELL.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS, COMMENTS FROM COUNCIL PRO TWO? THANK YOU.
SO FOR THE RECORD, I'M ABSOLUTELY THRILLED THAT THIS PROJECT IS, HAS BEEN MODIFIED FROM WHAT IT WAS ORIGINALLY PRESENTED TO THE COUNCIL.
UH, THIS IS A GATEWAY, UH, LOCATION.
I THINK THIS PROBABLY SOMEONE COMING DOWN DRIVING SOUTH ON HIGHWAY 67.
THIS MAY BE ONE OF THE FIRST DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS THAT THEY SEE WHEN THEY ENTER CEDAR HILLS.
SO THE REMOVAL OF THE PUBLIC STORAGE, UH, I'M VERY, VERY HAPPY ABOUT THAT.
AND FROM WHAT I SEE, IT HAS EXPANDED THE RETAIL COMPONENTS FROM THE PREVIOUS SITE.
O ONE OF THE THINGS I'M TRYING TO GRAPPLE WITH IS THE WHOLE ISSUE OF STANDARDS.
UM, AND SO THERE'S 150 FOOT STANDARD AND
[00:25:01]
THERE'S A LITTLE BIT OF A DEVIATION, AND I WAS TRYING TO FIND OUT IF WHAT OPTIONS EXIST TO HOLD TO OUR, UM, DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS.AND SECONDLY, DO YOU, DID YOU DEVELOP THE, ARE YOU THE DEVELOPER, THE ONE IN WA? AHA, THE YES, SIR.
THE HAMILTON, WHAT I, WHAT I SEE IS, THIS IS ACTUALLY ONE IN WAA HADE IS, IT'S A LITTLE BIT LARGER SITE AS FAR AS THE ACRES.
I THINK IT'S 7.79, WHAT I'M SEEING HERE, BUT IT HAS LESS UNITS HERE.
YOU HAVE 7.4 AC OR EIGHT, BUT MORE UNITS.
SO TELL ME WHY YOU, YOU TALKED ABOUT THE SIMILARITIES, BUT I SEE A SITE WITH, UH, LESS ACREAGE FOR THE MULTI, AND WHEN I SAY MULTIFAMILY, THIS IS SENIOR HOUSING.
YOU ALL HAVE USED MULTIFAMILY, BUT THIS IS SENIOR HOUSING, WHICH, UH, THAT'S A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT.
UH, THAN JUST STANDARD MULTIFAMILY.
JUST IS MY UNDERSTANDING, THIS IS AGE RESTRICTED THAT'S CORRECT.
FOR SOMEONE AT A, AT LEAST 55.
SO I JUST, LET ME ADDRESS THE SENIOR HOUSING BECAUSE THAT'S OFF.
SO THERE'S CATEGORIES OF SENIOR HOUSING ALL THE WAY FROM ACTIVE ADULT, WHICH HAS NO ASSISTED LIVING.
YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT ASSISTED CARE.
IT, IT USED TO BE CALLED INDEPENDENT LIVING.
I THINK, UH, A SEXIER NAME, IF YOU WILL, IS ACTIVE.
CAUSE YOU ESSENTIALLY, YOU'VE GOT ACTIVE ADULT SENIORS WHO ARE WANTING TO DOWNSIZE, UH, GET OUT OF A SINGLE FAMILY HOME THAT, UM, IS A LITTLE BIT HIGHER MAINTENANCE.
AND THEY'RE WANTING A LOW MAINTENANCE, YOU KNOW, COMMUNAL LIFESTYLE.
AND, AND THEY'RE STILL ACTIVE, UH, ON AN ACTIVE ADULT PROPERTY.
OUR AVERAGE AGE TENANT, AND IT'S PRETTY MUCH THE STANDARD ACROSS THE NATION IS ABOUT 72 YEARS OLD.
UH, BUT IT'S TRULY AN AGE RESTRICTED PROPERTY.
UH, YOU CAN STEP UP INTO, UM, YOU KNOW, UH, OTHER THINGS LIKE ASSISTED LIVING.
WE'VE ALL HEARD ASSISTED LIVING, THAT'S A MORE ADVANCED FORM OF SENIOR HOUSING WHERE YOU'VE GOT, YOU KNOW, O ONSITE MEDICAL CARE.
THIS IS TRULY A LUXURY SENIOR LIVING PROPERTY THAT'S AGE RESTRICTED ON AN ACTIVE ADULT PROPERTY.
OUR COMMON AREA, OUR CLUBHOUSE AND COMMUNITY, UH, SPACES IS DOUBLE THE SIZE IN SQUARE FOOTAGE OF WHAT WE TYPICALLY PUT IN A STANDARD OR CONVENTIONAL NON-RESTRICTED MULTI-FAMILY PROPERTY.
UH, ALSO OUR CORE, THE ALL THE CORRIDORS ARE CONNECTED AND AIR CONDITION.
SO I WANT TO GET TO SOMETHING THAT I HAVEN'T HEARD YOU RESPOND TO.
AND THAT IS, YOU, YOU DID THE ONE WHO WALKS THE HATCHES.
AND IT'S A LITTLE BIT, UM, AS I SEE THIS A LITTLE BIT MORE ACRES, BUT IT'S LESS UNITS HERE YOU HAVE A SMALLER AREA, LITTLE BIT SMALLER AREA, BUT MORE UNITS.
AND SO, UH, I'M TRYING TO, IS THERE A WAY TO ADJUST THAT THAT WOULD, UH, ALLOW YOU TO, UM, ADHERE MORE TO OUR, UH, DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS? UH, THE PUBLIC STORAGE THAT WE HAD BEFORE LOSING THAT CONTRACT WAS IMPACTFUL TO US.
THEY WERE SET TO CLOSE PRETTY QUICKLY, AND IT WAS GONNA BE A CATALYST FOR THE SITE.
UH, BY ELIMINATING THAT, REPLACING WITH A RETAIL PAD THAT WE'VE NOT, WE DON'T HAVE AN IDENTIFI USER FOR, UM, WE ARE LIMITED TO DENSITY.
UH, OUR, THESE, THESE PROPERTIES, WE TYPICALLY TRY TO BE BETWEEN 175 AND 185 UNITS.
AS I TOLD THE CITY STAFF WHEN WE LOST THE STORAGE, AND I, I TOLD THE CITY MANAGERS, WELL, WHEN WE LOST THE PUBLIC STORAGE, OUR, BASED ON OUR NUMBERS, OUR IDEAL TARGET WAS 186 UNITS.
THAT'S WHAT WE TOLD THEM WE WERE GONNA COME BACK WITH.
WE COULDN'T GET THERE WITHOUT IMPACTING SPACE PLANS, FLOOR PLANS.
SO WE STUCK WITH THE ORIGINAL 182.
OF COURSE, THAT SPREAD ACROSS A LARGER ATTRACTIVE LAND.
I, I DON'T WANT TO MISQUOTE WAXAHACHIE.
I THOUGHT THAT WE WERE AROUND 24 UNITS.
UM, IT'S A LITTLE BIT CONVOLUTED BECAUSE THERE'S A, THERE'S A SHARED POND BETWEEN OUR ACTIVE ADULT AND WAXAHACHIE AND ANOTHER, UH, CONVENTIONAL MULTIFAMILY PROJECT, UH, THAT INCLUDES SOME OF THE ACREAGE.
BUT ON THIS SITE, I CAN TELL YOU WE'RE CURRENTLY AND FORGET ABOUT THE OVERALL HORIZONTAL MIX USE.
LET'S TAKE THAT OFF THE TABLE.
LET'S JUST TALK ABOUT, TALK ABOUT THE, THE MULTIFAMILY TRACT.
UM, THAT, THAT IS, IN MY OPINION, UH, UH, AN APPROPRIATE DENSITY FOR THE SITE.
UM, AS I SAID BEFORE, WE HAVE SOME OFF OF WINTERGREEN.
WE'VE GOT SOME SUBSTANTIAL SETBACKS THAT, THAT PUSHED OUR RETAIL FORWARD.
UM, WE HAD DONE OUR BEST TO SHIFT EVERYTHING AROUND AND STILL TRY TO MAINTAIN THE RETAIL AND STILL TRY TO MAINTAIN AN ADEQUATE UNIT ACCOUNT THAT ALLOWS US TO MAKE THIS PROJECT WORK.
UM, SOME OF THE OTHER THINGS THAT WE, WE HAD TO DO, OR AS, AS PART OF THE, THE PLAN DEVELOPMENT WAS AGREE TO NO FUEL STATIONS.
RIGHT NOW, ANY FUEL STATIONS ALLOWED BY RIDE, ALL IT REQUIRES IS A SITE PLAN APPROVAL PROCESS.
SO NO FUEL STATIONS ALLOWED, NO VARIETY STORIES, ET CETERA.
UM, PART OF A PLAN DEVELOPMENT ALSO ENSURES THAT, YOU KNOW, OUR END USERS, UH, AND WE HAVE MORE CONTROL ARE, YOU KNOW, TO BE ACCESS TO HIGH VALUED OPERATIONS, RIGHT.
[00:30:01]
FOR THOSE FUTURE RESIDENTS AND, AND NEARBY RESIDENTS.UM, AS A MASTER, AND THIS IS, YOU KNOW, GRANTED WE HAVE A 55 ACRE MIX USE DEVELOPMENT GRANT PRAIRIE.
WE'VE GOT ABOUT A 16 ACRE MIX USE DEVELOPMENT IN CAL, TEXAS.
AND ONE OF THE BENEFITS OF BEING THE MASTER DEVELOPER ON THOSE SAME WOULD APPLY HERE IS WE PUT WHAT'S CALLED, AND THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE DO AS A DEVELOPER, BUT WE HAVE DESIGN GUIDELINES THAT WE PUT ON THE RETAIL TO MAKE SURE THAT THE DESIGNS OF THEIR BUILDINGS, UH, ARE COHESIVE WITH THE OVERALL, THE DESIGN OF THE DEVELOPMENT SO THAT IT ALL IS COHESIVE AND, AND, AND IT GOES TOGETHER.
AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE WOULD BE DOING HERE AND WE FEEL IS A BENEFIT TO THE COMMUNITY.
AS PRESTON POINTED OUT, WE'RE CURRENTLY DEALING WITH TWO, TWO TRACKS OF LAND.
AND I THINK THAT IT'S, I I THINK THAT IT'S VERY DESIRABLE THAT WE CAN TAKE BOTH TRACKS DOWN AND DEVELOP AN OVERALL COHESIVE, YOU KNOW, MIX USE DEVELOPMENT AS OPPOSED TO THOSE GETTING SOLD OFF SEPARATELY AND SOME SOMETHING MORE CONVOLUTED HAPPENING.
YOU WITH THOSE, THOSE TRACKS SEPARATELY.
SO, UM, YOU KNOW, AS FAR AS THE DENSITY, I CAN TELL YOU THAT WE'VE
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? NO, THANK YOU CUSTOMER GLOVER.
UM, I WANTED TO TAKE A LITTLE DIFFERENT APPROACH FROM LAST TIME.
I WANTED TO LIST THE THINGS THAT I LIKE IN THIS AND THEN THE THINGS THAT, UM, DRAW SOME CONCERN.
THE THINGS THAT I LIKE IN THIS IS THAT YOU'VE INCLUDED THESE SINGLE UNITS OR AROUND THE PERIMETER.
I THINK THAT'S A REAL ATTRACTIVE OPTION FOR SOMEONE WHO DOESN'T WANT TO, WHO WANTS THIS ENVIRONMENT, BUT DOES NOT WANT TO LIVE IN THE, THE LARGER UNIT.
UM, I DO LIKE THE FACT THAT WE NO LONGER HAVE THE STORAGE AND THAT YOU'VE INCLUDED INCREASED THE RETAIL OPTIONS.
UM, I, I AM STILL UP IN THE AIR WITH THE DENSITY.
UH, I CAN FOLLOW THE FORMULA AND RATIONALE TO, FOR INCLUDING THE DENSITY WITH THE RETAIL.
WE LOOK AT THE TOTALITY OF THE SITE.
UM, BUT I CAN ALSO SEE THE CONCERN ABOUT THIS IS STILL 182 UNITS IN THIS AREA.
UM, AND WHAT DRAWS MY CONCERN IS THAT, UH, WE HAVE FOUR RETAIL SITES AND WE DON'T HAVE A BONAFIDE RETAIL ESTABLISHMENT THAT HAS PARTNERED WITH US, UH, FOR THE SITE.
I WOULD LIKE TO SEE ALSO RATHER AT TRADER JOE'S OR SOME TYPE OF SMALLER, UM, GROCERY LOCATION THERE.
I THINK THAT WOULD BE A, A WELCOME ELEMENT FOR NOT ONLY FOR THIS, BUT FOR OUR ENTIRE COMMUNITY.
UM, A LITTLE CONCERN WITH THE DESIGN, THE, IT'S NOT MY TASTE, BUT THAT, THAT'S OKAY.
I'M, I'M MORE CONCERNED THAT IT DOES NOT SHOW THE PREMIER STATUS OF OUR COMMUNITY.
SOME MISSING SOME OF THOSE DESIGN DETAILS ON THE EXTERIOR WHEN YOU GO BY AND YOU GO, WOW, THAT'S A REALLY NICE PLACE.
UM, AND THEN ALSO THE AMENITIES.
THE WAS HATCHI LOCATION HAS PICKLE BALL, THE SPA, THE INDOOR GOLF SIMULATOR, AND THAT'S SLACKING HERE.
YOU DID MENTION IT'S A LARGER, UM, CLUB CLUBHOUSE, BUT THEY'RE ALSO LIKE TO SEE SOMETHING DONE WITH THAT OTHER THAN JUST OPEN SPACE.
I, I CAN TELL YOU RIGHT NOW, AND I CAN COMMIT TO THAT.
WE WE'RE HAPPY TO PROVIDE EVERY SINGLE AMENITY THAT WE HAVE ON OUR WAX AAE PROJECT.
AND I, IF, IF, IF I NEED TO COMMIT TO THAT, I'M HAPPY TO DO THAT.
SO I'LL MOVE THAT TO MY PLUS LIST THING.
UM, THE, MY, MY BIG, ONE OF MY PRIMARY CONCERNS ALSO IS, IS SECURING THE RETAIL SO THAT WE'RE NOT LOOKING AT THIS STRUCTURE FIVE YEARS OUT AND STILL LOOKING AT FOUR VACANT PATH SITES THAT NOW BECOME LESS DESIRABLE RETAIL OPTIONS.
UM, IF YOU COULD SECURE A REAL A FOR MULTIPLE SITES, WHETHER IT'S A RESTAURANT OR, YOU KNOW, THE, THE, THERE ARE STILL RETAIL THAT WE WOULD LIKE HERE IN CEDAR HILL.
UM, IF YOU COULD SECURE SOME OF THOSE, THAT WOULD MAKE THIS MUCH MORE FAVORABLE IN MY EYES.
UM, I WANTED TO SPEAK A LITTLE BIT TO JUST THE COTTAGES.
I APPRECIATE, UH, YOUR, YOUR THOUGHT ON THAT.
UM, I CAN TELL YOU THAT THOSE ARE THE FIRST UNITS TO, TO RENT.
WE WOULD'VE LOVED TO BE ABLE TO DO THEM ON OUR WAX A PROJECT.
WE COULDN'T, WE COULDN'T FIT THEM.
WE COULDN'T FIT IT WITHIN THE, THE SHAPE OF THE SITE.
UH, WITH THE, WITH SHIFTING THIS FURTHER EAST, WE WERE ABLE TO ACCOMMODATE THAT ON THE WEST SIDE, AS YOU HAVE SEEN.
UM, AND I, I, UM, THEY'RE NOT DU I MEAN I I GUESS YOU COULD CALL 'EM DUPLEXES, BUT THEY'RE SINGLE STORY COTTAGE THAT ARE PART OF THIS COMMUNITY AND THEY'RE, THEY'RE DESIRABLE AND THEY PROBABLY OFTEN GO THE QUICKEST BECAUSE IT, IT ALLOWS SOMEONE TO FEEL LIKE THEY STILL HAVE THE PRIVACY OF AN INDIVIDUAL RESIDENTS, BUT STILL HAVE ACCESS TO ALL THE COMMUNITY FEATURES THAT ARE IN YOUR INTERIOR
[00:35:01]
BUILDING.AND WE LIKE 'EM, WE WOULD'VE LIKED TO DO THEM ON THE NORTHERN SIDE.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I TOLD CITY STAFF, UH, IS BECAUSE OF THE USE AND THE WATER TOWER TO OUR NORTH, WE WOULD HAVE A VERY DIFFICULT TIME LEASING THOSE.
SO WE INSTEAD WE'RE JUST DOING DETACHED GARAGES.
UM, AND WE ALSO NEED THOSE DETACHED GARAGES TO SERVE AS A BUFFER FOR THE TENANTS IN THE, IN THE, YOU KNOW, INTERIOR BUILDING.
UM, TO NOT HAVE TO LOOK AT WHAT'S TO THE NORTH OF US.
UH, I, AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, WE'RE, WE'RE HAPPY TO TIE OURSELVES TO AT LEAST ONE OF THE RETAIL PADS.
IT'S DIFFICULT FOR ME TO STAND BEFORE YOU AND SAY THAT WE CAN, YOU KNOW, TIE OURSELVES TO ALL OF THEM AND, AND BE, I THINK THAT THAT WOULD BE VERY DIFFICULT FOR US TO GO AND FIND RETAIL USERS AND OR RESTAURANT USERS FOR ALL OF THOSE SITES BEFORE WE CAN GO IN THE ROOFTOPS.
I CAN, AND I, I MENTIONED THIS BEFORE, UM, AND WE'VE, THIS HAS BEEN OUR DIRECT EXPERIENCE AT OUR OTHER MIXED USE PRO PROJECTS.
ONCE CONSTRUCTION STARTS ON THE ROOFTOPS AND OUR RETAILERS SEE THAT WE'VE GOT A CAPTIVE AUDIENCE, IT IT SPURS A LOT OF ACTIVITY WITH FANTASTIC USERS.
KYLE, TEXAS IS ONE THAT I LOVE TO USE.
UM, WE, WE DID NOT HAVE ANY LINK, UH, REQUIREMENT BETWEEN THE RETAIL AND THE, AND THE MULTIFAMILY BEFORE WE EVER BROKE GROUND ON THE MULTIFAMILY.
ONCE THE PD WAS APPROVED, WE HADN'T EVEN BROKE GROUND THE MULTIFAMILY.
WE HAD 100% OF THE RETAIL PADS ON THE I 35 FRONTAGE.
AND ON THE KOHLERS CROSSING FRONTAGE UNDER CONTRACT, UH, TONY SEES MIGHTY FINE RUDY ZAXBY'S, UM, ROSES.
UM, AND SO IT'S EXCITING THAT THE WAY THAT THAT PLAYED OUT, UH, I WOULD HOPE THAT WE WOULD HAVE SOME SIMILAR SUCCESS HERE.
AND LIKE I SAID, I'M, I'M WILLING TO TIE OURSELVES TO ONE OF THOSE RETAIL PATHS.
UM, AND, AND ONE LAST STATEMENT.
I THINK WE HAVE A NEW ECONOMIC, UM, EDC DIRECTOR, AND THIS IS DIRECTED TO COUNCIL, TO THE MAYOR, TO OUR CITY STAFF.
WE HAVE TO HAVE A RETAIL STRATEGY FOR THIS.
WE CAN'T JUST, IF THIS IS APPROVED, WE CAN'T JUST HOPE AND PRAY THAT THIS IS GONNA HAPPEN.
WE HAVE TOO MANY EXAMPLES OF VACANT RETAIL THAT WAS SUPPOSED TO COME IN.
SO THIS WOULD BE A PRIME OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO COME TOGETHER AND DEVELOP A RETAIL STRATEGY SO THAT WHEN THIS IS FULLY OPEN, THE RETAIL SPONSOR ALSO OPENED AT THAT TIME, SIR.
AND I'D BE HAPPY TO CONTINUE WORKING TOGETHER WITH CITY STAFF TO, TO DEFINE, YOU KNOW, WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE AND HOW WE CAN COOPERATE IN ANY WAY.
DOING MCCARTY COUNCIL MEMBER DANIEL, AND THEN, UH, UH, HAYDEN AND THEN, UM, MAYOR FULL TIM SIMS TO, TO WRAP IT UP.
I, I DO UNDERSTAND, UM, OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS' CONSTERNATION OVER THIS AND THE, YOU KNOW, AND, AND I APPRECIATE YOU, YOUR WILLINGNESS TO TIE YOURSELVES TO, TO ONE OF THE RETAIL PROJECTS.
WE WERE BURNED ON A SOMEWHAT SIMILAR PROJECT WHERE WE APPROVED IT WITH THE ANTICIPATION OF, YOU KNOW, WE WERE, WE WERE ACTUALLY GIVEN THE NAME OF, YOU KNOW, WELL WE COULD BRING SOMETHING LIKE TRADER JOE'S HERE ON THIS SITE AND TO THIS DATE, THERE'S NOTHING ON THAT SITE, YOU KNOW, AND, UM, SO IT, IT, IT LEAVES KIND OF SOMETHING LIKE THAT HAPPENS, LEAVES KIND OF A BAD TASTE IN YOUR MOUTH, BUT IT ALSO LEAVES THE LASTING MEMORY.
AND, UM, SO IT, IT IS, IT'S MORE ENCOURAGING TO ME TO HEAR SOME OF THE OTHER RETAIL PARTNERS THAT, THAT YOU HAVE PARTNERED WITH.
HAVE YOU REACHED OUT TO ANY OF THEM ABOUT THIS PROJECT? WE HAVE.
WE, WE'VE REACHED OUT TO, THEY WANNA SEE HOW THINGS PROGRESS.
THEY, THEY, YES, WE'VE REACHED OUT.
YES, WE'VE REACHED OUT TO ALL OF THEM.
AND THEN SOME, AND, AND I, I DON'T, I THINK I SAID THIS LAST TIME, I DON'T PRETEND TO HAVE THOSE USERS IDENTIFIED RIGHT NOW.
UM, I CAN TELL YOU THAT WE'RE GONNA GO OUT, WE'RE HIGH, WE'RE PERFECTLY INCENTIVIZED TO DO SO.
WE DON'T LIKE BUYING LAND AND THEN SITTING ON IT AND NOT DEVELOPING.
WE'RE IN THE DEVELOPMENT BUSINESS.
AND SO WE'RE GONNA IMMEDIATELY GO OUT AND TRY, TRY TO FIND THE HIGHEST AND BEST TENANTS THAT WE CAN BECAUSE THE HIGHER QUALITY TENANTS THAT WE CAN FIND, GUESS WHAT THOSE INCREASE, IMPROVE THE VALUE OF THE ACTIVE ADULT COMMUNITY AND VICE VERSA.
AND, AND WE DO, I'VE, I'M OBVIOUSLY BIASED, BUT WE, WE ONLY DEVELOP, YOU KNOW, HIGH QUALITY LECTURE, UH, RESIDENTIAL.
UM, I'M VERY PROUD OF EVERYTHING THAT WE'VE DONE AND I, I'M CONFIDENT THAT YOU'RE GONNA BE PROUD OF THIS PROPERTY AS WELL.
SO I, I DO HAVE ONE, ONE MORE FOLLOWING QUESTION AND I APOLOGIZE, MR. MAYOR.
UM, AND I'LL BE A LITTLE BIT MORE DIRECT THAN, THAN WHAT MAYOR PRO TIM WAS IN ASKING HIS HIS QUESTION.
SO IN IN WALKS A HATCHET, YOU HAVE FEWER UNITS, AND YOU'RE SAYING THAT IF YOU REDUCE 1 75 UNITS THAT YOU KNOW, OR, OR IF YOU HONOR THE SETBACK, THAT YOU WOULD LOSE A, A PAD SITE.
BUT IT SEEMS LIKE THAT IT WOULD JUST REDUCE THE SIZE OF THE, THE PROJECT.
YOU KNOW WHY? AND, AND, AND YOU MAY HAVE ALREADY ANSWERED THIS AND, AND IT JUST HASN'T REGISTERED WITH ME YET, BUT WHY WOULD FEWER, FEWER UNITS BE ACCEPTABLE
[00:40:01]
IN MOA HATCHIE? UM, BUT, BUT NOT IN, IN THIS PARTICULAR CASE.AND, AND IF YOU REDUCED THE, TO THAT NUMBER OF SAME NUMBER OF UNITS, WOULD IT ALLOW YOU TO, TO MEET THE SAME SETBACKS? THE, THE ANSWER IS ECONOMICS AND SCALE.
WHEN WE, WHEN WE BID OUT AND WE, IT'S CALLED BUYING OUT THE CONTRACTS FOR CONSTRUCTION AND WALKS THE HATCHET, THAT'S 175 UNITS.
UM, OUR COSTS WERE ABOUT 40% LESS THAN WHAT THEY ARE TODAY.
UM, IT, IT COST US A LOT MORE TODAY TO CONSTRUCT THESE PROPERTIES.
AND SO THERE IS A, IT JUST, THERE JUST IS, THERE'S, THERE'S A SCALE REQUIREMENT IN, UM, I, I ALWAYS FEEL A LITTLE DISINGENUOUS BRINGING THIS UP BECAUSE EVERYONE'S LIKE, OH, SURE, YEAH, IT'S THE NUMBER, YOU KNOW, IT DOESN'T PENCIL, BUT IT DOESN'T PENCIL.
UM, AND AS I TOLD CITY, CITY STAFF FOR IT, I MENTIONED IT, OUR, OUR, OUR THRESHOLD WAS, BELIEVE IT OR NOT, 186 UNITS.
AND I WENT BACK TO CITY STAFF CUZ THEY WERE EXPECTING TO SEE THAT IN THE REVISED SITE PLAN WHEN I SENT IT TO THEM.
AND I, AND THEY SAID, WHY IS IT NOT ONE HUNDRED A HUNDRED EIGHTY SIX? I THOUGHT THAT'S WHERE YOU NEEDED TO GET TO.
AND IT, AND IT WAS, BUT IT WAS GONNA JEOPARDIZE THE, THE LAYOUT AND IT WAS GONNA SQUEEZE CERTAIN UNITS TO WHERE WE FELT THEY WERE GONNA BE UNDESIRABLE.
AND THAT'S, I MEAN, IT, THAT'S WHERE WE ARE.
SO IT'S, UH, CAUSE WE'RE READY.
I JUST WANTED TO, UH, TO MAKE SURE I UNDERSTAND AND CLARIFY THE 125 FEET.
UM, YOU KNOW, I, I WAS LOOKING AT THE PREVIOUS, FIRST OF ALL, LET ME SAY I, I DO APPRECIATE, UM, THE, UH, STANDARDS THAT YOU WANNA SET IN HERE AS FAR AS, UH, IN THE PD AND, AND I GUESS THAT WHEN, THAT'S, THAT'LL BE SET IN STONE, SO TO SPEAK, UH, IN THE SENSE THAT THEY WANNA LIMIT THE TYPE OF SERVICES THAT CAN BE PUT IN THERE, CAR WASHES, UH, YES.
UM, YOU KNOW, GAS STATIONS, STUFF LIKE THAT.
SO THAT'LL, THAT'LL REMAIN IN THE PD.
SO THE, UH, THE OTHER ASPECT OF IT IS, IS, YOU KNOW, LOOKING HERE, YOU KNOW, YOU, THE, THE SINGLE, THE SINGLE FAMILY PORTION OF IT, WHICH IS FACING MORE TO THE WEST, UM, SO THE 125 FEET OFF THE RESIDENTIAL LINE, AND YOU GOT THE, YOU GOT THE RE YOU GOT THE SINGLE STORIES RIGHT OFF THE, THE COTTAGES? YES.
HOW FAR IS THE 20 FEET? NO, HOW FAR, HOW FAR IS THE, UH, THE ACTUAL THREE STORY UNIT? SO THEY'RE 125 FEET, THEY'RE 125.
SO, SO THEN THE ONE STORIES ARE CLOSER.
ALL, SO IT'S 1 25 OF THE THREE STORY THAT'S COMING THERE.
AND, AND TO TALK ANOTHER, WHAT I BELIEVE IS BENEFIT OF THOSE SINGLE STORY COTTAGES IS INSTEAD OF IN THE PRIOR SITE PLAN, PRIOR APPLICATION, IT, YOU JUST HAD PARKING.
YOU HAD, UM, SURFACE PARKING ALONG THAT FENCE LINE.
BY REPLACING THAT WITH THE SINGLE STORY COTTAGES THAT HAVE ENCLOSED GARAGES, YOU HAVE ALL OF YOUR VEHICLES ON THAT LEFT SIDE OF THE FENCE ARE GOING INTO GARAGES.
BEFORE THEY DOUBLE CLICK THE REMOTE AND HONK THEIR HORN TO LOCK THEIR DOORS.
WELL, TIM, UM, SO I JUST WANTED TO CLARIFY.
IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING YOU PREVIOUSLY COMMITTED TO, UM, UH, BUILDING AND, UM, AND HAVING 4,000 SQUARE FEET OF RETAIL, ONE OF THE RETAIL PADS, 4,000 SQUARE FEET CONCURRENT WITH THE ACTIVE SENIOR LI LIVING.
IS THAT CORRECT? I BELIEVE THAT'S CORRECT.
SO YOU'RE, TONIGHT, YOU'RE HONORING THAT COMMITMENT, SIR, TO 4,000 SQUARE FEET OF RETAIL? YES, SIR.
UH, CONCURRENT WITH THE ACTIVE SENIOR LIVING.
UM, I GUESS A FEW FOLLOW UP THINGS THAT I HAVE, UH, AS A FOLLOW UP SECOND, DID YOU HAVE SOMETHING OH, AS A, I'M SORRY.
YEAH, I SAID DANIELS BUT I MEANT EIGHT.
UM, AS A FOLLOW UP TO HIS QUESTION, THE TOTAL FLOOR WOULD STILL BE 24,000.
THE TOTAL, WHAT? THE TOTAL FLOOR OF THE RETAIL WOULD BE? 24,000.
I DO YOU REMEMBER THE TOTAL? OH, MY NOTES, MY NOTES SAY 24,000.
I'M, I'M NOT SURE IT'S INCREASED, UH, FROM WHAT IT WAS BEFORE.
UH, NOT COUNTING THE PUBLIC STORAGE.
CUZ THE RETAIL PADS AND BUILDINGS THAT WE HAD THERE BEFORE ARE THE SAME.
AND WE ADDED ONE MORE RETAIL BUILDING.
UM, THE NOTES I HAVE, I HAVE HERE IT SAYS 24,000 AND THAT'S WHAT IT IS.
I, I JUST DON'T HAVE IT IN FRONT OF ME.
UM, IT, THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT'S PROPOSED AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE GONNA GO WITH.
UM, ALSO, I JUST WANT TO, YOU KNOW, CUZ UH, PREVIOUSLY IT MENTIONED THAT IT WILL REQUIRE FAST FOOD RESTAURANTS OF CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT.
UH, IT WILL PROHIBIT, UH, CONVENIENT STORES, GAS STATIONS, LIQUOR STORES, PAWN SHOPS, OUTDOOR PLANT NURSERIES, AUTO MAINTENANCE, AUTO REPAIR, TIRE SALES, CAR WASH, CAR LOTS, AND CAR RENTALS.
UM, AND THE CURRENT, UH, ZONING ALLOWS COMMERCIAL USE WITH RETAILS.
UH, YOU STILL PROPOSE THE SAME, UH, RESTRICTIONS NOTE UNDERNEATH
[00:45:01]
THE, UH, FOR LANDSCAPING CORRECT.TO BE ALONG HIGHWAY CCC SEVEN? CORRECT.
UM, YOU KNOW, I I WOULD LIKE TO SAY A COUPLE THINGS.
UM, YOU KNOW, THANK YOU FOR STILL HAVING A, I GUESS A, A STRICT, UM, YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, A PLAN DEVELOPMENT, YOU KNOW, STANDARD.
UH, ORIGINALLY YOU WANTED TO, UH, PUT IN STORAGE, UM, AND, AND THE STORAGE WAS GOING TO BE, YOU KNOW, KIND OF, I GUESS A HIGH END TYPE OF A STORAGE, UM, COUNCIL, WE KIND OF FELT LIKE, YOU KNOW, THE STORAGE AT THAT LOCATION, UH, IS KIND OF THE GATEWAY OF OUR CITY.
WE, WE SPENT, I DON'T KNOW, FIVE, SIX YEARS FOR THE BLUE RIBBON CONTRACT TO BE ALONG HIGHWAY 67.
UM, AND YOU TOOK IT BACK AND, UM, YOU TOOK IT OUT.
AND I KNOW THAT YOU COULD HAVE JUST VERY EASILY FILLED THAT SITE WITH THAT ALONG WITH, UH, SOME, SOME RETAIL AND IN YOUR DEVELOPMENT.
SO, SO THANKS FOR THE FLEXIBILITY ON THAT.
UM, I KNOW COUNCIL WAS PRETTY, UH, TOUGH ON YOU BEFORE AND UH, BUT UH, THANKFULLY YOU DIDN'T GIVE UP AND TRY IT ONE MORE TIME.
UH, ALSO, UH, THERE'S A TALK ABOUT, UH, SETBACK.
UM, NOW YOU'RE PROPOSING 1 25 FROM OUR STANDARD OF BEING ONE 50, BUT ORIGINALLY YOU PROPOSED 110.
UH, SO I STILL FEEL LIKE, YOU KNOW, THERE'S SOME COMPROMISE, UH, FROM THAT PERSPECTIVE.
AND, UH, I WANT TO ALSO, UH, RECOGNIZE THAT, UH, I SEE THAT AND, UH, I APPRECIATE YOUR EFFORTS FOR GIVING IT ANOTHER, UH, STRONG LOOK AT IT AGAIN.
UM, SO I GUESS THOSE ARE PRETTY MUCH SOME CLARIFICATIONS THAT I NEEDED, UH, ON MY END.
UM, I DON'T REALLY DON'T HAVE ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS.
UM, COUNSEL, DO WE FEEL LIKE THIS IS ENOUGH FOR US TO BE ABLE TO MOVE FORWARD AND IF SO, UH, ENTERTAIN MOTION MAYOR, UM, WHILE IT'S, IT'S NOT THE PERFECT PROJECT, UH, I'M GONNA MAKE A MOTION FOR APPROVAL OF PD 4 88 DASH 2022 AND LET ME EXPLAIN IF I, IT CAN, UM, SOME OF THE TYPES OF RETAIL THAT WOULD BE ON THE SITE WOULD REQUIRE SOME EXTRA TRANSPORTATION ACCESS.
AND YOU'VE GOT IT ALONG 67, BUT WINTER GREEN RIGHT NOW IS, IT'S, IT'S A, IT'S LIMITED ACCESS.
IT'S NOT GONNA BE THE KIND OF, IT'S NEVER GONNA GENERATE HIGH VOLUMES ATTRACTIVE TO JUSTIFY THE KIND OF RETAIL THAT I WOULD REALLY WANT.
AND SO THIS TO ME, THIS IS KIND OF A COMPROMISE FOR THE SITE.
UM, AND BECAUSE OF THAT, I MAKE THE MOTION FOR APPROVAL.
DO WE HAVE A SECOND? DO HAVE A SECOND FROM CUSTOMER, MICHELLE.
UM, YOU MENTIONED ABOUT YOUR PROJECT IN KYLE.
YOU MENTIONED ABOUT YOUR PROJECT IN WAX ACHE.
WELL IN GRAND PRAIRIE AS FAR AS THE OTHER PROJECT.
UM, AND I, AND I, AND I WANT TO SAY THIS, AND I HOPE YOU DO YOUR BEST EFFORT.
I DON'T WANT CEDAR HILL TO BE LIKE KYLE, I DON'T WANT CEDAR HILL TO BE LIKE GRAND PRAIRIE.
I WANT TO HAVE OUR OWN CUSTOM, I WANT HIGHER END TYPE OF RETAIL TO BE IN THIS DEVELOPMENT.
SO JUST, I KNOW I SAID IT BEFORE, BUT I WANNA ALSO, YOU KNOW, ILLUMINATE THAT.
I STILL EXPECT THAT SAME I UNDERSTAND.
SO WE DO HAVE A MOTION FROM MAYOR PROTE.
WE DO HAVE A SECOND FROM CAST MEMBER HAW.
ANY ADDITIONAL PURCHASE COMMENTS? COUNSEL, IF NOT, I'LL I FAVOR YOU.
ANY OPPOSITION? ONE OPPOSITION.
ALL RIGHT, NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA.
NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS CASE NUMBER.
UH, I'M SORRY, THIS IS CONSENT ITEM.
LET ME GO BACK TO MY AGENDA SCREEN.
[6. Consent Agenda: The Consent Agenda includes routine items that may be acted upon with a single vote. Any council member may remove items from the Consent Agenda for separate discussion and consideration.]
NEXT ITEM IS CONSENT AGENDA.THIS INCLUDES ROUTINE ITEMS THAT MAY BE ACTED UPON WITH ANY SINGLE VOTE.
ANY COUNCIL MEMBER MAY REMOVE.
UH, ARE THERE ANY ITEMS TO BE PULLED FROM CONSENT? I KNOW WE HAD DISCUSSION EARLIER.
ALL RIGHT, I'LL GO AHEAD AND CONTINUE THIS RED CASE.
UH, CONSENT AGENDA ITEM A, UH, CASE NUMBER S P 4 74 2021, APPROVING THE COURSE WITH THE PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION RECOMMENDATION AND APPLICATION FOR A REVISED SITE PLAN ON THE PROPERTY ZONE.
LR LOCAL RETAIL DISTRICT LOCATED SOUTH OF SPRINGTIME DRIVE, SOUTHEAST OF NORTH JMA WEAVER FREEWAY WITH THE APPROXIMATE ADDRESS BEING FOUR 50 NORTH JMA WEAVER FREEWAY ADVOCATE, NORMAN PATTON.
NORMAN PATTON AND ASSOCIATES PROPERTY OWNER BOB COW.
UH, SAM LYNN, UH, CEDAR CROSSING PLAZA, LLC.
ITEM B, CASE NUMBER FP 40 90 2022.
APPROVING ACCORDANCE WITH THE PLANNING IS ONLY COMMISSION RECOMMENDATION IN APPLICATION FOR A FINAL PLA FOR THE, UH, ADRIAN PENA EDITION.
LOT ONE, BLOCK ONE AND A VARIANCE TO SECTION 20 DASH 22 B.
[00:50:01]
REGULATION ON PROPERTY ZONE S F E DISTRICT SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENTIAL ESTATE, MINIMUM ONE ACRE LOSS.GENERALLY LOCATED ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF ROCKY ACRES.
DRIVE EAST OF TAR ROAD WITH THE APPROXIMATE ADDRESS BEING FOUR 12 ROCKY ACRES.
REPRESENTATIVE LUKE KEATON KEATON SURVEYING APPLICANT, UH, PROPERTY OWNER ADRIAN JOE PENA.
UM, AND THAT IS IS YOUR CONSENT TO THE ITEMS COUNCIL, WE DO HAVE A MOTION FOR APPROVAL.
BUT DO WE HAVE A SECOND? COUNCIL MEMBER GLOVER A FAVORITE, PLEASE RAISE YOUR RIGHT HAND.
NOW IS THE REASON WHY WE ARE ALL HERE
[a. Presentation to Caroline McKee.]
EXCITED ON THE AGENDA, IS DISTINCTIVE CHARACTER LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD.YOU KNOW, UM, WE ALL KNOW MISS CAROLINE.
UM, YOU KNOW, I'VE MAKE THIS PERSONAL FOR ME.
UM, CAROLINE AND I HAVE SERVED ON SEVERAL BOARDS AND COMMITTEES TOGETHER FOR SEVERAL YEARS.
UM, SHE'S ALWAYS BEEN WELCOMING AND OPENED HER HOME FOR MANY OF US.
UM, PERSONALLY, I JUST REALLY APPRECIATE YOU AND ALL THAT YOU HAVE DONE HERE IN CEDAR HILL.
UM, IF YOU HAVEN'T ATTEND THE LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD, OUR DISTINCTIVE CHARACTER, UH, BEFORE, UH, THE COUNCIL STARTED THIS BACK PROBABLY ABOUT SIX, SEVEN YEARS AGO.
UM, WE WANTED TO BE ABLE TO HAVE A PLATFORM AND RECOGNIZE, I GUESS, SOME OF OUR TRAILBLAZERS IN THE PAST AND ALSO TO ALSO, UM, YOU KNOW, GIVE SOMETHING FOR OUR FUTURE LEADERS AS WELL.
UM, THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO BE ABLE TO, TO CELEBRATE, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THE ACCOMPLISHMENTS OR THE ACHIEVEMENTS OR THE SWEAT EQUITY THAT YOU HAD ALSO BROUGHT INTO OUR CITY.
UM, THE CITY COUNCIL HAS DEVELOPED A PROGRAM THAT, YOU KNOW, HONORS THE PAST, BUT ALSO FEED THE FUTURE FOR FUTURE LEADERS.
UM, WE HAVE THREE COMPONENTS THAT ACTUALLY RECOGNIZES THAT, UM, ONE BEING A GOOD SAMARITAN, UH, ONE ALSO BEING DISTINCTIVE CHARACTER AND OFF TIME AND I, AND OBVIOUSLY A LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD.
UM, IF YOU'RE NOT AWARE, BUT SOME OF OUR LAST, UH, A PAST RECIPIENTS OF LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD WAS MS. LEWIS KENNEDY, DR.
GLENN CLARK, UH, FRANK CRAWFORD, MISS T HICKMAN, CHARLES RAY SIMS, MISS JIMMY, RUTH WHITE, MR. DAVID C. WILSON, PEGGY WILSON, AND GREG PATTON.
SO IT'S AN HONOR TO BE ABLE TO DO THIS TONIGHT.
AND BEFORE WE CONTINUE, WE HAVE A TRIBUTE TO YOU.
BUT CAROLINE RAY MCKEE HAS BEEN A DEVOTED CEDAR HILL CITIZEN FOR OVER 40 YEARS AND HAS BEEN INSTRUMENTAL IN DEFINING CEDAR HILL'S DISTINCTIVE CHARACTER.
CAROLINE WAS BORN IN THE FORT WORTH AREA IN 1936, AND SHE GREW UP ACROSS THE STREET FROM THE FAIRGROUNDS IN DALLAS, TEXAS, ORIGINALLY NAMED CAROLINE WITH A WHY NEIL DIAMONDS 1969 HIT SONG.
SWEET CAROLINE INSPIRED CAROLINE TO CHANGE HER NAME.
IN 1954, CAROLINE LOANED HER MOM $250 TO OPEN A COTTON CANDY STAND AT THE FAIRGROUNDS WHERE SHE LATER LAUNCHED STATE FAIR STALL WART NEWPORT CONCESSIONS.
CAROLINE EARNED THE TITLE OF CONCESSION QUEEN OPERATING 10 FOOD BOOTHS FOR 42 YEARS, AND PIONEERING FAIR FOOD STAPLES LIKE SAUSAGE ON A STICK.
CAROLINE PURCHASED THE OLD POST OFFICE BUILDING ON TEXAS STREET IN 1980 WHERE SHE AND HER LATE HUSBAND OPERATED A PAWN SHOP, CEDAR HILL JEWELRY AND LOAN.
SHE LEASED SPACE IN HER BUILDING TO THE CEDAR HILL CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, WHICH SPARKED DECADES OF PARTNERSHIP AND SERVICE TO THE COMMUNITY.
CAROLINE MARRIED THE LOVE OF HER LIFE, JIM MCKEE IN 1997 AND MOVED TO CEDAR HILL ON CEDAR COVE CIRCLE IN 2003.
CAROLINE EXEMPLIFIES SERVANT LEADERSHIP, THE CEDAR HILL WAY, AND HAS BEEN A STAUNCH SUPPORTER OF BRIDGES, SAFE HOUSE, THE CEDAR HILL CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, THE CEDAR HILL FOOD PANTRY, CEDAR HILL EDUCATION FOUNDATION, AND THE TRI-CITY ANIMAL SHELTER AND ADOPTION CENTER.
AMONG OTHER COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS, CAROLINE HAS BEEN A FRIEND, ADVISOR, CONSTITUENT ADVOCATE, FINANCIAL SUPPORTER, AND MORE TO THESE ORGANIZATIONS FOR DECADES, THE ULTIMATE HOST, CAROLINE OPENED HER HOME ON MANY OCCASIONS FOR RETREATS, BOARD MEETINGS, AND FUNDRAISING EVENTS.
THROUGH THE MCKEE FOUNDATION, CAROLINE HAS DONATED TENS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS TO CAUSES.
DEAR TO HER HEART, CAROLINE MCKEE HAS RECEIVED NUMEROUS ACCOLADES THROUGH THE YEARS.
SHE WAS NAMED THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE'S WOMAN OF
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THE YEAR IN 2010 AND RECEIVED THE GOLDEN CEDAR LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD FROM THE CHAMBER.IN 2007, SHE RECEIVED A LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD FROM THE TEXAS ASSOCIATION OF AFFAIRS AND EVENTS IN 2009.
PLEASE JOIN US IN CELEBRATING THE DECADES OF SERVICE AND DISTINCTIVE CHARACTER OF CAROLINE MCKEE.
SO GOOD EVENING EVERYONE ON, UH, BEHALF OF, UH, THE MAYOR OF CITY COUNCIL AND THE WHOLE COMMUNITY OF CEDAR HILL.
IT'S A GREAT HONOR TO HAVE YOU TONIGHT.
THERE'S NO BETTER PLEASURE THAN TO BE ABLE TO WELCOME FAMILY.
UH, AND SO, UH, ON BEHALF OF THE CITY, I WANNA WELCOME CAROLINE AND JIM AND YOUR WHOLE FAMILY, UH, TO THIS BUILDING, WHICH YOUR EXAMPLE HAS HELPED INSPIRE.
THIS IS THE ONLY BUILDING OF ITS KIND WHERE THE COMMUNITY GOT TOGETHER AND FIGURED OUT HOW TO DO SOMETHING THAT NO ONE ELSE HAS EVER DONE.
AND THAT'S LARGELY BECAUSE OF THE EXAMPLE THAT LEADERS SUCH AS YOURSELF HAVE LEFT FOR US ALL OF THESE YEARS.
NOW, I GO BACK WAYS AND I REMEMBER VERY WELL THE, UH, THE THE LOAN AND THE THE PAWN SHOP ON TEXAS STREET.
I REMEMBER WHEN IT WAS THE POST OFFICE, BUT THE THING I REMEMBER THE MOST IS THAT WHEN I WAS A YOUNG KID AND THEY TELL ME TO GO DO STUFF WHEN THERE WAS, THERE WAS A PROBLEM, THEY ALWAYS SAID, WELL, GO ASK CAROLINE.
AND I KEPT HEARING, GO ASK CAROLINE.
AND WHEREVER I WENT, YOU WERE INVOLVED AND YOU WEREN'T NECESSARILY ON THE FRONT ROW, BUT YOUR FINGERPRINTS WERE OVER EVERYTHING.
AND SO THIS TOWN AND THE WAY THAT IT HAS GROWN AND DEVELOPED AND THE WAY THAT IT IS SO DISTINCTIVE IS HERE BECAUSE OF THE WORK THAT YOU PUT INTO IT AFTER ALL OF THESE YEARS.
OH, AND BY THE WAY, UH, HAVING SPENT, UH, A FEW CORNY DOGS MYSELF OVER THE YEARS AT THE STATE, UH, AT THE STATE FAIR, YOU'LL BE HAPPY TO KNOW THAT OUR RECEPTION IS FULL OF FAIR FOOD IN YOUR HONOR.
SO, SO AGAIN, WE, UH, APPRECIATE YOUR INDULGENCE FOR THE SAUSAGE MAKING THAT WE HAD TO DO AS PART OF THE PART OF THE MEETING, BUT NOW WE CAN GET TO WHY WE WERE HERE.
SO YOU HAVE INSPIRED NOT JUST FOLKS WITHIN THE CITY, BUT THIS WHOLE COMMUNITY.
AND SO THE THING I LOVE ABOUT CEDAR HILL ARE THE HOMEGROWN NON-PROFITS IN CHARITIES THAT STARTED BY PEOPLE WHO WERE HERE THAT SAW A PROBLEM AND FIGURED OUT HOW TO GO AND FIX IT.
AND YOU WERE INVOLVED IN EVERY ONE OF THOSE.
SO WE HAVE A NUMBER OF PRESENTATIONS FOR YOU TONIGHT, AND THEN THE MAYOR WILL PRESENT THE AWARD ITSELF AND THEN WE'LL GO HAVE FAIR FOOD AND ENJOY EACH OTHER'S COMPANY.
SO LET'S, UH, BEGIN WITH, UH, MS. APRIL SNOOK, WHO IS REPRESENTING BRIDGES SAFE HOUSE, ONE OF THAT PEOPLE.
ALL THIS PUT WELCOME, UM, RIGHT HERE.
WELL, IT IS AN HONOR TO BE HERE TONIGHT.
OUR STAFF IS ACTUALLY ALL OUT OF TOWN, UM, AT BRIDGES SAFE HOUSE.
AND I COULDN'T BE MORE THRILLED BECAUSE THAT MEANS THAT I GET TO BE HERE TO HONOR MY FRIEND.
AND IT WAS AFTER A BRIDGE'S EVENT THAT, UH, I MET YOU FOR THE FIRST TIME.
AND, YOU KNOW, WE INSTANTLY, WE INSTANTLY SPARKED AS I'M SURE ALL OF YOU HAVE.
AND TO BE HONEST, ANY LADY THAT INTRODUCES HERSELF AS THE HOT DOG LADY, IT JUST SEEMS UN-AMERICAN NOT TO JUST LOVE HER INSTANTLY.
RIGHT? WELL, WE STARTED HAVING COFFEE TOGETHER AND GETTING TOGETHER AND EVERY TIME THAT WE WOULD MEET, I WOULD JUST WANNA PICK HER BRAIN FOR, TELL ME ABOUT HOW YOU GREW UP.
TELL ME ABOUT HOW YOU STARTED YOUR BUSINESS, TELL ME ABOUT THE WAY THAT YOU THINK.
AND, UM, BUT I REALLY DIDN'T WANT TO DEPEND ON MY MEMORY AT SUCH AN IMPORTANT EVENT LIKE THIS.
AND SO I DECIDED THAT I WAS GOING TO DO SOME RESEARCH ON YOU WITH ALL THE ARTICLES THAT HAD BEEN WRITTEN OUT THERE IN THE INTERVIEWS.
I WANTED TO GIVE AN ACCURATE PRESENTATION TODAY ON YOUR ACCOMPLISHMENT.
SO IN MY RESEARCH, I FOUND OUT THAT CAROLINE MCKEE HAS NOT ONLY DONE EVERYTHING THAT YOU SAW ON THAT SCREEN, BUT THAT SHE IS A FAMOUS HORSEBACK WRITER, AN AUTHOR, A DESIGNER, A PILOT, AND HAS GOD HALF A DOZEN TIMES IN TEXAS ALONE.
BUT THEN I REALIZE I REALLY SHOULDN'T DEPEND ON MY RESEARCH ABILITY EITHER.
AND SO I LOOK TO WHAT I CAN DEPEND ON.
AND SO I ASK THE LORD, I SAY, GOD, TELL ME ABOUT MY FRIEND
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CAROLINE MCKEE.AND WHEN I HEAR FROM THE LORD, WHAT I MEAN IS HIS VOICE COMES LIKE A THOUGHT THAT COMES UP FROM YOUR HEART, NOT DOWN FROM YOUR HEAD.
AND IF YOU KNOW CAROLINE, YOU KNOW THAT SHE LOVES THE LORD.
AND THAT IS A VERY, HE IS A VERY BIG PART OF HER LIFE.
AND THE VERY FIRST THING THAT I HEARD IN MY HEART FROM THE LORD IS THAT YOU HAVE LIVED WELL BECAUSE YOU HAVE LOVED, WELL, YOU KNOW, YOU DON'T RECEIVE LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS BECAUSE OF THE AMAZING FAIR FOOD THAT YOU MAKE.
UM, YOU GET THESE AWARDS BECAUSE OF HOW YOU HAVE LOVED.
AND I WAS REMINDED, I EVEN CALLED TO ASK YOU TODAY JUST TO MAKE SURE THAT IT WAS GOOD MEMORY AND IT WAS THE MEMORY OF THE LORD AND NOT SOMETHING I MADE UP.
I SAID, DIDN'T YOU GROW UP RIGHT ACROSS FROM THE STATE FAIR? AND SHE SAID THAT SHE DID.
AND THE LORD HAD BROUGHT TO MY MIND HOW MOST PEOPLE, WHEN THEY LOOK AT THE STATE FAIR, THEY DO NOT SEE OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE MONEY.
WE SEE OPPORTUNITY TO LOSE A WHOLE LOT OF MONEY.
WE SEE OPPORTUNITY TO BE AROUND A WHOLE LOT OF PEOPLE THAT WE DON'T WANNA BE AROUND.
BUT THE LORD SHOWED ME THAT HE SPARKED IN YOUR HEART AT AN EARLY AGE THAT YOU COULD SEE THE OPPORTUNITY NOT ONLY TO MAKE MONEY, BUT TO EMPOWER OTHER PEOPLE TO PROSPER AND TO REACH AND AFFECT NOT JUST HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF LIVES, MILLIONS OF LIVES AND REALLY ALL AROUND THE WORLD.
WHAT YOU DID THERE WAS YOU CREATED A SPACE FOR GOD IN THE MIDDLE OF THE TEXAS FAIR, JUST BECAUSE YOU WERE THERE.
AND I DID ASK HER ONE TIME, I SAID, TELL ME WHAT IS THE THING THAT YOU HAVE ENJOYED THE MOST ABOUT YOUR CAREER? AND SHE SAID, THE FAMILIES THAT I HAVE BEEN ABLE TO HELP THE FAMILIES THAT I'VE BEEN ABLE TO PROVIDE OPPORTUNITY FOR THEM TO WORK AND TO PROSPER AND KNOWING THAT THEY HAVE PROVIDED FOR THEIR FAMILIES, THAT'S THE HEART THAT YOU HAVE.
YOU ARE ONE OF THE LONGEST STANDING PARTNERS THAT BRIDGES HAS HAD.
AND WE ALWAYS SAY, WHEN YOU TOUCH THE LIFE OF A MOTHER, YOU TOUCH THE GENERATIONS AFTER HER.
AND YOU HAVE DONE THAT FAITHFULLY WITH BRIDGES, BUT YOU HAVE DONE THAT FAITHFULLY EVERYWHERE THAT YOU HAVE GONE.
AND I CAN JUST TELL YOU THAT GOD IS SO PLEASED AND SO IN LOVE WITH YOU, AND YOU ARE JUST A DELIGHT.
AND I WANNA TELL EVERYONE HERE THAT IF YOU LOVE THESE ATTRIBUTES ABOUT CAROLINE MCKEE, IF YOU LOVE HER SPUNKINESS AND HER CONFIDENCE AND HER GENEROSITY AND THE LOVE THAT JUST OOZES OUT OF HER, YOU WILL ABSOLUTELY LOVE HER.
GOD, YOU WILL LOVE HER GOD BECAUSE THAT IS WHERE IT COMES FROM.
SO I WANNA THANK YOU FOR SHOWING HIM SO WELL AND WE LOVE YOU.
NEXT MS. MARY WHITE AND TRI SITTING ANIMAL FILTER.
I'M GONNA LEAVE THIS FOR RIGHT NOW, CAROLINE.
IT IS MY DISTINCT JUST PRIVILEGE HONOR TO, UH, BE HERE ON BEHALF OF THE TRI-CITY ANIMAL SHELTER AND BY EXTENSION, THE FRIENDS OF THE TRI CITY ANIMAL SHELTER.
NOW, WE ALL KNOW THIS WOMAN IS A FABULOUS WOMAN, BUT MOST OF US, OR MANY OF US IN THIS ROOM WOULD ALSO CALL HER A CERTAIN NAME, AND THAT WOULD BE BASED ON, YOU KNOW, MAYBE A CERTAIN SONG.
AND SO WE WOULD CALL HER SWEET CAROLINE.
WHO WOULD WE CALL HER? SWEET CAROLINE.
YOU KNOW, WHAT WAS APROPO TONIGHT? I WAS STANDING OUT FRONT AND I WAS TALKING TO THE BELOVED PAT BATEMAN AND SHE SAID, OH MY HEAVENS, CAROLINE USED TO CALL GOD, THERE'S A DOG ALONG THE SIDE OF THE ROAD.
THERE IS THIS YOU NEED TO GO DO, THERE IS THIS YOU NEED TO GO DO.
AND I'M GUESSING, CAROLINE, THAT WE COULD HAVE EVERYBODY IN THIS ROOM THAT WOULD TELL THOSE STORIES ABOUT YOU.
IT'S NOT LIKE YOU'RE JUST ON THE SIDELINE THERE.
BUT AS I THOUGHT ABOUT THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE HERE TONIGHT, I THOUGHT EVERY GROUP, EVERY NONPROFIT IN THIS COMMUNITY COULD BE LINED UP HERE BEHIND ME, SAYING, CAN WE TALK ABOUT HER? YEAH.
CAN WE TALK ABOUT ALL THE TIMES THAT CAROLINE HIJA HAVE OPENED THEIR HOME AND SAID, COME ON, COME ON, WE'LL HOST IT.
CART THE TABLES, CART THE CHAIRS, PROVIDE THE FOOD.
AND CAROLINE, THAT'S THE SERVANT MODEL THAT YOU HAVE CREATED FOR THIS COMMUNITY.
IT IS, AND IT IS A INCREDIBLE MODEL FOR ALL OF US HERE IN THIS COMMUNITY TO TRY TO CONTINUE, ISN'T IT? I MEAN, REALLY, REALLY IS.
[01:05:01]
I THINK ABOUT ALL THE THINGS THAT, WHETHER IT'S FAIR TICKETS, WHETHER IT IS DINNERS AT SOMEONE'S HOME.WELL OF COURSE WE'LL PROVIDE THAT FOR THE, THAT AUCTION ITEM.
HOW MANY OF US IN THE ROOM? COME ON.
WE'LL, SHOW OF HANDS, HOW MANY AUCTION ITEMS HAVE WE BENEFITED FROM FROM THEM? KEYS OF ALL THEY HAVE DONE.
NOW I THINK ABOUT, THOUGHT ABOUT WHAT TO KIND OF PRESENT YOU WITH ON BEHALF OF THE SHELTER AND THE FRIENDS.
AND OF COURSE THE FIRST THING WAS, WELL, A PUPPY
AND THEN I WAS THINKING BACK TO YOUR BOY NAMED SUE KITTY, THAT YOU HAVE HER, PAUL, WHICH IS A BOY, BUT HIS NAME SUE, SO YOU CAN UNDERSTAND.
AND THEN I THOUGHT, WELL, TODAY WE HAD A JUVENILE GOAT BROUGHT IN TO THE ANIMAL SHELTER.
SO I'M LIKE, WELL, MAYBE WE COULD BRING HER A GOAT.
BUT THEN I THOUGHT, NO, SHE HAS ENOUGH TO TAKE CARE OF.
AND SO WE JUST HAVE A LITTLE BASKET OF GOODIES FOR YOU TO SHARE FOR YOU.
AND, UM, SHE MIGHT HEAR A LITTLE BIT WITH YOU, MAGNIFICENT, JIM, BUT WE LOVE YOU AND WE ALL CALL YOU SWEET CAROLINE, BECAUSE YOU ARE OUR TREASURE.
SO THANK YOU FOR ALL YOU DO FOR OUR COMMUNITY AND ALL THE NONPROFITS AND ALL THE PEOPLE THAT ARE HERE.
NEXT, MS. MIRANDA AINE REPRESENTING THE CEDAR HILL CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.
UM, HI, HOW ARE YOU? I'M GOOD.
UM, I'M JUST HAPPY TO BE HERE, UH, TO HAVE THIS OPPORTUNITY.
UM, I HAVE NOTES
AND THESE ARE JUST FOUR
SO IN 19 93, 93, THIS IS 15 YEARS BEFORE I EVEN BECAME ACTIVE IN THIS CITY.
15 YEARS BEFORE 1993, SHE WAS THE RECIPIENT OF A DISTINGUISHED BUSINESS AWARD.
OKAY? UM, IN 1995, SHE WAS CHAIR OF THE CEDAR HILL CHAMBER.
UH, IN 2006 SHE WON THE GOLDEN CEDAR AWARD.
NOW THAT'S THE HIGHEST, UM, HONOR THAT YOU CAN GET THROUGH THE CHAMBER.
AND THEN SHE WAS THE WOMAN OF THE YEAR, UM, FOR IN 2010.
SO I REMEMBER THE WOMAN OF THE YEAR AWARD BECAUSE IT'S LIKE, FOR SEVERAL YEARS LEADING UP TO THAT, MISS CAROLINE AND I WERE BOTH DOMINATED, LIKE YEAR, YEAR, YEAR.
AND I WAS BEGINNING TO FEEL LIKE I WAS THE SUSAN LUCI.
UM, I CHAMBER FOR THIS AWARD AND I JUST REMEMBER, UM, I REMEMBER THAT.
BUT THE THING THAT I REMEMBER ABOUT THAT IS WHEN IT FINALLY, I REMEMBER HOW HAPPY I WAS FOR HER WHEN IT FINALLY HAPPENED FOR ME, I'M GONNA OPEN UP THEIR GIFT FOR YOU.
UM, THIS WAS OUR, THIS WAS OUR CROWN.
AND I WAS SO CONCERNED OF, I WAS LIKE, WHAT DO I DO WITH THIS? IT'S SO BEAUTIFUL.
DO I GET IT BACK? AND SHE WAS LIKE, NO, DON'T WORRY ABOUT IT.
AND, UH, SO THIS HAS BEEN, I DON'T KNOW, 12 YEARS BORED MORE THAN THAT.
AND SO I'M GIVING THIS BACK TO YOU CAUSE THIS IS YOUR NIGHT.
AND THIS WAS SOMETHING THAT WAS PASSED BACK.
UM, SO THE, THE MAIN THREE THINGS THAT I THOUGHT ABOUT MS. CAROLINE IS, OH MY GOSH, SHE IS FEAR LESS.
IF YOU'VE EVER WORKED ON A PROJECT WITH HER, YOU CAN PUT HER UP TO ANYTHING AND SHE WILL DO IT.
SHE WILL CALL AND ASK BA AND SHE HAS THIS WAY THAT SHE APPROACHES YOU AND YOU KIND OF DON'T KNOW IT UNTIL IT'S OVER.
AND SO I JUST LOVE THAT ABOUT HER, THAT SHE'S FEARLESS AND THAT SHE BELIEVES IN THE CAUSE SHE'S ALL IN FOR
[01:10:01]
IT.UM, THE SECOND THING IS THAT SHE IS AND ENCOURAGER.
UM, SO I HAD, THIS WAS AGAIN, SEVERAL YEARS AGO.
I HAD WRITTEN A LITTLE NOTE AND I WAS REALLY PROUD OF THE NOTE, BUT I JUST WANTED, I JUST LIKE, FELT THAT I WANTED TO WRITE HER NOTE TO TELL HER HOW AMAZING SHE WAS.
AND I WRITTEN SOME DETAILS, UH, ABOUT IT.
AND I WAS SO PROUD FOR HER TO GET THE NOTE.
WE WERE SITTING AT A TABLE, WE WERE MEETING AT NORTHWOOD UNIVERSITY, AND I WAS SO HAPPY I SPLIT HER THE NOTE.
SHE'S GONNA READ THE NOTE AND SHE READ THE NOTE AND SHE GOT LIKE THE SMILE THAT SHE GETS ON HER FACE.
I WAS LIKE, OH MY GOSH, SHE'S ABOUT TO WRITE ME A NOTE.
AND THEN SHE CROSSED HER NAME OFF THE ENVELOPE, PUT MY NAME ON IT, AND SPLIT IT BACK TO ME BY SAYING, AND JUST THE THOUGHT OF HER SAYING THAT, YOU KNOW, I AM, WHATEVER THAT SHE IS SAYING, IT, IT'S JUST A TRUE REFLECTION OF HER HEART.
AND, UM, JUST, I, I JUST LOVE YOU SO MUCH.
AND THERE ARE JUST SO MANY THINGS THAT I, THAT I DO REMEMBER.
AND I THINK WE HAVE AN OFFICIAL, UH, PRESENTATION FROM THE CHAMBER.
YOU PROBABLY GOT LIKE 452 FEET FOR CHAMBER, BUT WE'RE GONNA GIVE YOU ONE MORE.
UM, AND THESE PEOPLE ARE GONNA GET MAD.
IF THERE'S ANYONE HERE THAT HAS SERVED ON THE CHAMBER, JUST RUN DOWN SO YOU CAN JUST LIKE ACTUALLY SEE YOUR FACE AND KNOW THAT YOU'RE HERE.
UM, AMANDA, DON'T ROLL YOUR EYES.
SO JUST SO THAT SHE CAN SEE ALL THE PEOPLE THAT JUST FROM THE CHAMBER ALONE, THESE ARE THE PEOPLE THAT HAVE SERVED SO MANY MORE IMPACTED.
SO WE ARE, UM, YES, WE ARE ALL HERE.
AND WE WOULD LIKE RANDALL IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO.
ON BEHALF OF THE CEDAR HILL CHAMBER, WE WANT TO PRESENT WITH YOU A LIFETIME, UH, MEMBERSHIP.
HONOR YOUR LIFETIME MEMBERSHIP.
YOU'VE BEEN INTEGRAL TO THE CHAMBER.
WHEN I FIRST CAME HERE, YOU MET WITH ME AND JUST GAVE ME SO MUCH WISDOM.
JIM, YOU GAVE ME SOME STORIES THAT I'LL NEVER FORGET.
WE WERE SITTING OUT ON THE PATIO AND JUST GOT TO CHATTING.
AND I DIDN'T REALIZE HOW LONG WE JUST SAT THERE AND TALKED AND IT WAS AMAZING.
AND YOU'VE, YOU'VE, YOU'VE MADE SO MANY PEOPLE FEEL WELCOME.
SO MANY PEOPLE FEEL LOVED, CARED ABOUT.
YOU'VE IN YOUR WORK AND IN SERVICE THROUGH THE CHAMBER.
YOU'VE HELPED, YOU'VE HELPED ADVOCATE FOR AND TRULY BLESSED THE BUSINESSES WITHIN THIS COMMUNITY THAT WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN ABLE TO GET TO WHERE THEY WERE WITHOUT YOU.
I SAW YOU IN THE, WELL, I, I LEARNED FROM THE BEST.
IT'S LIKE A FAMILY REUNION, ISN'T IT, CAROLINE? AND, UH, LAST BUT NOT LEAST, MISS DENISE ROOT, REPRESENTING THE CEDAR HILL EDUCATION FOUNDATION.
SO WHAT CAN I SAY ABOUT MISS CAROLINE THAT HASN'T ALREADY BEEN SAID TONIGHT AND I KNEW WHEN I WAS GONNA BE LAST.
IT'S LIKE, OKAY, A LOT OF THINGS THAT I MIGHT THINK ABOUT SAYING WILL ALREADY BE SAID.
BUT WHAT I'D LIKE TO SAY ABOUT MISS CAROLINE IS WHO HAS SERVED SELFLESSLY FOR SO MANY ORGANIZATIONS.
UH, SOME THAT ARE, HAVE BEEN MENTIONED HERE TONIGHT, AND SOME THAT HAVEN'T BEEN MENTIONED TONIGHT.
BUT IF SHE'S SERVING ON YOUR BOARD AND YOU SAY, OKAY, WE NEED A COMMITTEE MEETING AND WE NEED TO EVERYBODY TO SHOW UP SO WE CAN GET SOME WORK DONE, IT'S LIKE MS. CAROLINE SAYS, WELL, LET ME HOST IT AND WE'LL THROW A FEW THINGS OUT.
WE'LL HAVE A LITTLE BIT TO EAT, HAVE A LITTLE BIT TO DRINK.
AND WHEN EVERYBODY KNOWS IT'S GONNA BE AT MS CAROLINE'S DAY, EVERYBODY SHOWS UP.
CUZ YOU KNOW IT'S GONNA BE A SPREAD
AND IF YOU'RE DOING A GALA AND YOU'VE GOT AN AUCTION TO PUT ON AND YOU DON'T WANNA JUST SLAP THINGS OUT ON THE TABLE, YOU KNOW, KNOW, SLAP A GIFT CARD OUT THERE, SLAP AN ITEM OUT THERE.
IT'S LIKE YOU JUST TAKE EVERYTHING OVER TO MISS CAROLINE'S HOUSE AND SHE MAKES IT ALL GORGEOUS AND BEAUTIFUL AND PUTS IT IN BASKETS AND ADDS A BOTTLE OF WINE AND DOES ALL THIS LITTLE EXTRA STUFF THAT ONLY MISS CAROLINE DOES.
AND THEN YOU GO TO THE EVENT AND ON THE DAY OF SETUP, YOU JUST MAKE SURE THERE'S PLENTY OF EXTRA TABLECLOTHS OR A LOT OF FABRIC AND YOU TAKE BOXES, ALL KINDS OF BOXES, BIG BOXES, LITTLE BOXES, TALL BOXES, SHORT BOXES, AND YOU GET OUT OF THE WAY.
AND WHEN THE EVENT STARTS, YOU HAVE THIS GORGEOUS ARRAY OF AUCTION.
AND I SEE SMILES AND NODS IN THE ROOM CUZ YOU GUYS KNOW WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT.
YOU'VE BEEN THERE AND EVERYBODY'S RUSHING TO THE TABLES TO GO BID ON THESE ITEMS BECAUSE THEY GOTTA SEE
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WHAT WAS DONE AND OH, AND WHAT ELSE IS IT? WHAT ELSE IS IN THAT BASKET? OH, LOOK, LOOK, LOOK, THERE'S SOME, I CAN'T QUITE SEE THAT.SO EVERYBODY THEY BID ON THE BASKETS CUZ YOU WANNA TAKE IT HOME AND FIND OUT WHAT ALL'S IN THERE CUZ THERE'S ALWAYS SOME EXTRA SURPRISE GOODIES IF MISS CAROLINE DID IT.
AND WHEN YOU'RE TRYING TO FILL THOSE TABLES UP AND GET THOSE LAST SPONSORSHIPS DONE, AND YOU STILL HAVE SOME ROOM IN THE ROOM, YOU CALL MISS CAROLINE.
AND THE FIRST THING SHE DOES IS PULL OUT HER CHECKBOOK AND SHE GETS HER TABLE TOGETHER AND SHE BRING ALWAYS BRINGS FUN PEOPLE, ONLY FUN PEOPLE SET AT MS. CAROLINE'S TABLE.
BUT THEN SHE PICKS UP THE PHONE AND SHE GOES, HOW MUCH MORE DO WE HAVE? HOW MUCH MORE DO WE NEED? AND SHE PICKS UP THE PHONE AND SHE STARTS MAKING PHONE CALLS AND PEOPLE START WRITING CHECKS AND SAYING, OH YES, I CAN DO THAT TABLE, I CAN DO THAT, I CAN BRING THIS.
UH, YES, I CAN DONATE THAT OTHER ITEM FOR THE, FOR THE AUCTION.
SO MISS CAROLINE IS THE TRIPLE THREAT AND, AND AS MIRANDA SAID, YOU UH, YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT HAPPENED TILL IT ALREADY HAPPENED.
IT'S LIKE, WHAT DID I JUST DO? WHAT DID I JUST VOLUNTEER FOR? WHAT DID I JUST COMMIT TO? SO, UH, ALL OF THAT BEING SAID, ON A PERSONAL NOTE, MS. CAROLINE IS SOMEONE THAT I WANT TO GROW UP TO BE SOMEDAY.
AND WHEN IT'S, WHEN YOU JUST GOT MARRIED FOR THE SECOND TIME AND YOU'RE GOING ON YOUR HONEYMOON AND IT'S FOUR 30 IN THE MORNING, WHO COMES TO PICK YOU UP? TAKE YOU TO THE AIRPORT.
COFFEE IN HAND, MS. CAROLINE, CUZ SHE DID DO THAT FOR CRAIG AND I AND NOBODY ELSE GETS UP AT FOUR 30 IN THE MORNING AND IS SMILING AND AWAKE AND PERKY.
SO FOR THAT, I I THANK YOU FOR THAT AGAIN TOO, FOR BEING SO VERY, VERY SPECIAL.
AND AS I LOOK AROUND THIS ROOM, UH, CAROLINE SERVED ON OUR BOARD ON THIS BOARD FOR A LONG TIME.
SHE WAS SERVING ON THE BOARD BEFORE I WAS HIRED, UH, IN THIS POSITION.
AND I SEE PEOPLE ALL AROUND THIS ROOM THAT HAS SERVED ON THE EDUCATION FOUNDATION BOARD.
SOME OF YOU SERVED WITH CAROLINE, SOME OF YOU SERVED AT DIFFERENT TIMES, BUT I WOULD ASK EVERY PERSON THAT SERVED ON THE EDUCATION FOUNDATION BOARD, WHETHER YOU SERVED WITH HER OR NOT, TO PLEASE STAND AS I READ THIS AWARD BECAUSE YOU'RE HELPING ME GIVE THIS AWARD TO HER.
SO ALL OF YOU WHO HAVE SERVED ON THE EDUCATION FOUNDATION BOARD, WOULD YOU PLEASE STAND? WE HAVE A LOT OF YOU IN THE ROOM HERE.
SO, AND THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR TIME THAT YOU SERVED, WHETHER YOU SERVED WITH MISS CAROLINE OR WHETHER YOU SERVED MORE RECENT OR AT A DIFFERENT TIME.
BUT CAROLINE, WE WOULD LIKE TO PRESENT THIS AWARD TO YOU AND GRATEFUL APPRECIATION FOR SERVING ON THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS FOR YOUR SIGNIFICANT AND CONTINUOUS FINANCIAL SUPPORT AND FOR COUNTLESS HOURS OF VOLUNTEER SERVICE.
YOU ARE AN AMAZING, WELL, THANK YOU SO MUCH.
AFTER I PRESENT THIS, I'M GONNA HAVE YOU TO COME UP AND SAY A FEW WORDS.
UM, CEDAR HILL IS SO BEAUTIFUL,
UM, YOU KNOW, WHENEVER WE HAD FIRST MET, UM, IT WAS DURING MY YOUNG PROFESSIONAL CAREER, I KNEW REALLY NOTHING ABOUT BUSINESS, HOW TO NETWORK, UM, YOU KNOW, BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT.
UM, BUT YOU WAS ONE OF THOSE THAT MADE ME FEEL WELCOME.
UM, THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE HERE IN CEDAR HILL MADE ME FEEL WELCOME.
PART OF THE REASON WHY I'M HERE SERVING IN THIS CAPACITY.
AND, UM, YOU ALWAYS GREETED ME, GAVE ME ENCOURAGING WORDS, UM, YOU KNOW, ALWAYS, YOU KNOW, GAVE ME LOVE AND, AND, UM, I JUST SO MUCH APPRECIATE YOU FOR DOING THAT.
SO HAVE A PROCLAMATION HERE AND IT GOES LIKE THIS.
CAROLINE RAY MCKEE WAS BORN IN FORT WORTH IN 1936 AND JUST ACROSS THE STREET FROM THE FAIRGROUNDS IN DALLAS.
SHE GRADUATED FROM FOREST AVENUE HIGH SCHOOL IN DALLAS, 1954, WHERE SHE HAS MANY FUN MEMORIES.
CAROLINE RAY MCKEE LOANED HER MOM $250 IN 1954
[01:20:01]
TO OPEN A COTTON CANDY STAND INTO FAIRGROUNDS WHERE CAROLINE LATER OPERATED NEWPORT CONCESSIONS 10 FOOD BOOTHS FOR 42 YEARS.THERE CAROLINE EARNED A TITLE OF CONCESSION QUEEN PARA EYEING FAIR FOOD, STAPLES
AND CAROLINE PURCHASED A POSTAL OFFICE BUILDING IN ON TEXAS STREET IN 1980, WHERE HER, WHERE SHE AND HER LATE HUSBAND OPERATE A PAWN SHOP CEDAR HILL JURY ALONE.
SHE BECAME ACTIVE IN THE COMMUNITY AND LEASED THE SPACE TO THE CEDAR HILL CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.
IN 1997, SHE MARRIED A LOVE OF HER LIFE.
JIM MCKEE AND LATER MOVED TO CEDAR HILL ON CEDAR COVE CIRCLE IN 2003.
THE HOUSE IS AS DISTINCTIVE AS CEDAR HILL WITH WOODEN BEAMS IMPORTED FROM CANADA AND UNIQUE ARCHITECTURE.
MM-HMM
IN 2009, SHE WAS AWARDED THE LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD BY THE TEXAS ASSOCIATION FAIR AND EVENTS.
CAROLINE MCKEE IS ADMIRED AND APPRECIATED ABOUT THE COMMUNITY AS WE SEE RIGHT HERE TODAY AND THE CITY OF CITY HILL.
AND DEAR FRIENDS, CAROLINE MCKEE, DISTINCTIVE CHARACTER IS A TRUE CREDIT TO THIS COMMUNITY AND ALL WHO KNOW OF HER NOW.
THEREFORE, I, STEVE MASON, MAYOR OF THE CITY OF CEDAR HILL DO HEREBY HONOR CAROLINE MCKEE WITH A DISTINCTIVE CHARACTER LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD.
BEFORE YOU SAY A FEW WORDS, I HAVE ONE MORE THING THAT I'D LIKE TO GIVE TO YOU.
THIS SAYS 2002 GREAT IMPACT SERVANT LEADER AWARD PRESENTED TO CAROLINE MCKEE FOR BRINGING PEOPLE TOGETHER AND MAKING A SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCE IN OUR COMMUNITY.
NO PLACE ELSE TO DO IT RIGHT HERE.
WELL, NUMBER ONE, OUR TR SICK OF THE NAME CAROLINE.
NO, WE DON'T WANNA HEAR THAT FOR A WHILE.
I'M SEEING ALL KINDS OF, OF PEOPLE THAT, THAT I DIDN'T KNOW WOULD BE HERE TONIGHT.
UM, IS RICK GATO HERE? RIGHT HERE.
HE'S THE ONLY ONE IN THIS ROOM WHO MIGHT REALLY TALK DIFFERENTLY ABOUT ME THAN, THAN THESE NICE PEOPLE HAVE BEEN DOING.
REMEMBER THAT? RICK, WHERE ARE YOU? THERE YOU ARE.
WE WERE DOING AN AUCTION ONE YEAR AND RICK COMES UP AND HE'S, HE DOESN'T KNOW WHAT HE IS DOING THERE.
AND HE AND HIS, HE WALKS UP AND HIS WIFE OR, YEAH.
ANYWAY, HIS WIFE TELLS TELL THEM, GO OVER THERE AND DO SOMETHING FOR ME.
WELL, SOMEBODY HAD REALLY MADE ME MAD BECAUSE THEY DID SOMETHING WRONG.
AND SO RICK CAME AND HE SAID, UH, I'M HERE TO DO THAT FOR YOU.
I DON'T CARE WHO YOU ARE, WHATEVER YOU DO, I HAVE TO GO DO IT AGAIN.
SO HE WALKED OFF, SCARED HIM TO DEATH.
SO I WOULD LIKE TO JUST SAY TO ALL OF YOU, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.
I'D LIKE TO WELCOME MY FAMILY OVER HERE FROM ARKANSAS AND, UH, AND GRAND AND I'VE MORE, AND I HAVE OTHER FAMILY HERE THAT USED TO BE HERE FOR, UH, FROM CEDAR HILL THAT ARE, THAT ARE IN DALLAS NOW, BUT THE MOATS AND, AND BERLIN.
MY GOOD FRIENDS FROM, THEY USED TO BE NATE'S DOOR AND BILL AND JUDY, THEY USED TO LIVE HERE.
BILL AND I WORKED TOGETHER FOREVER.
BUT I WAS THINKING WHILE EVERYBODY WAS TALKING, I WAS THINKING OF ALL THE, UH, WONDERFUL THINGS PEOPLE HAVE SAID AND DONE.
THERE'S MY BOSS FROM 25 YEARS AGO AT THE STATE FAIR.
[01:25:01]
SAYS KATE.OH, WHERE ARE MY, WHERE'S MY DAUGHTER AND SON-IN-LAW? WHERE ARE THEY? OH, HI Y'ALL.
HATE AND PLAY BOAT AND THE MOATS ARE RIGHT HERE.
OH, THERE'S MY, THERE'S MY WIFE IN-LAW BACK THERE.
SO, UM, I JUST, UM, I HAVE SO MANY MEMORIES AS EVERYBODY'S TALKING ABOUT THE MEMORIES AND THE THINGS THAT WE'VE DONE TOGETHER AND ALL THE AUCTIONS AND, UH, A MILLION OF THE, I FINALLY GAVE AWAY THE BASKETS OF RIBBONS AND PAPER AND I HAD A ROOM FULL OF THAT STUFF AND I KEPT GIVING IT TO DIFFERENT PEOPLE TO TAKE IT AWAY SO I DON'T DO AUCTIONS ANYMORE.
BUT ANYWAY, UM, WHAT ELSE DO I WANNA SAY? HELLO, CLAIRE, HOW ARE YOU? UM, I JUST WANT ALL OF YOU TO KNOW THAT I HAD FUN DOING IT AND IT WASN'T WORK AT ALL.
LET'S TAKE ONE QUICK PHOTO AND THEN I BRING THE SEATED MANAGER.
WHERE? SEE? MANAGER, ARE WE IN HERE? THINK I'M STANDING.
WELL LEAST I CAN SEE EYE TO EYE TO CAROLINE.
WE READY? MY GRANDDAUGHTER SAYS, IS IT OVER? OH, GOODNESS.
MR. CIE, MANAGER, WHERE ARE YOU? DO YOU SEE HIM? OH, WE'VE GOT MORE.
C UM, DID, DID YOU HAVE A FEW WORDS, MISS CITY MAN? NO, SIR.
WE LIMIT YOUR JOURNAL IS A JOURNALIST.
WILL YOU B OH, I'VE GOT, SAY ONE MORE THING.
GREG CALLS ME AND TELLS ME THAT THE CITY WANTS TO DO THIS.
AND THE FIRST THING I THOUGHT, AND I SAID TO GREG, I SAID, THERE ARE A HUNDRED PEOPLE IN THIS TOWN THAT I CAN NAME RIGHT NOW THAT WE COULD DO THAT WITH.
AND THEN I SAID, BUT ONE MINUTE.
I'M THE OLDEST ONE HERE,