[00:00:07]
ALL RIGHT.[1. Call the meeting to order.]
GOOD AFTERNOON EVERYONE.TODAY IS TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 9TH, 2025.
THIS IS THE REGULAR SCHEDULED BRIEFING SESSION WITH THE CITY COUNCIL.
I DO HAVE THE MAJORITY OF THE COUNCIL MEMBERS HERE WITH US TODAY, UH, LET THE RECORDS REFLECT THAT EVERYONE IS ALL HERE,
SO, UH, I'D LIKE TO GO AHEAD AND OFFICIALLY CALL THIS MEETING TO ORDER.
IT IS SIX 30 AND, UH, WELCOME EVERYONE.
[2. City Manager Reports: City Council Calendar/Upcoming Events City Operations Conduct a briefing to discuss items for the 7:00 p.m. regular meeting]
THE AGENDA IS THE CITY MANAGER.GOOD AFTERNOON, MADAME CITY MANAGER.
GOOD EVENING MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL.
IT'S AN HONOR AND PLEASURE TO BE HERE TO CONTINUE SERVING THE CITY OF CEDAR HILL.
I DEFINITELY DON'T WANT TO TAKE ANY TIME AWAY FROM OUR BIRD CITY TEXAS CERTIFICATION.
WE'RE VERY PROUD OF ALL THE WORK THAT THE PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT HAS GONE INTO AND PUT INTO, UH, BECOMING AND MAINTAINING A BIRD CITY, TEXAS CERTIFIED CITY.
AND SO I, I DEFINITELY DON'T WANNA TAKE AWAY FROM THEM, SO I'LL BE QUICK.
UM, WE'LL START WITH THE CALENDAR AND, UH, THERE'S JUST A FEW ITEMS I WANNA BRING COUNCIL'S ATTENTION TO THIS ACTUALLY TOMORROW.
UH, THIS IS HOMECOMING WEEK FOR THE, UH, CEDAR HILL INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT, WHICH MEANS THAT THE HOMECOMING PARADE IS TOMORROW AT 6:30 PM AND IT STARTS AT LONG, THE LONGHORN STADIUM AND ENDS AT LONG STORY LONGHORN STADIUM WITH THE SAME ROUTE AS THE COUNTRY DAY ROUTE.
SO IF YOU'RE INTERESTED IN THE COMMUNITY'S INTERESTED IN GOING OUT AND SEEING THE AMAZING SCHOLARS OF OUR DISTRICT, WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU TO JOIN US TOMORROW NIGHT AT 6:30 PM IN RED AND BLACK.
THEN ON, UH, FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 12TH.
THIS FRIDAY IS NORTH TEXAS COMMISSION ANNUAL MEETING AT 11 TO 1:00 PM NOW WE ARE, UM, UH, I'VE SENT OUT INFORMATION, UM, TO THE COUNCIL ON OUR, UH, ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER HUSBAND.
HIS FUNERAL IS ON FRIDAY AT 10:00 AM AND, UH, IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THAT, I KNOW THAT INTERFERES WITH THAT, BUT WE DO NEED TO KNOW IF YOU'RE PLANNING ON ATTENDING THIS LUNCHEON, UM, SO THAT WE CAN EITHER CONFIRM OR CANCEL YOUR RESERVATION.
SO PLEASE LET US KNOW, UH, ROSIE OR, UH, BELINDA IS OUT, UM, PROBABLY FOR THE REST OF THE WEEK, BUT LET MYSELF, ALLISON, OR ROSIE KNOW IF YOU PLAN TO ATTEND THAT.
I, I CAN'T REMEMBER IF I OFFICIALLY CALLED THE MEETING TO ORDER AT 6:30 PM OH, THANK YOU.
ALRIGHT, ON THE SECOND PAGE ON SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 20TH IS OUR BEST SOUTHWEST HISPANIC HERITAGE FESTIVAL.
WE DO THIS WITH OUR PARTNERS OF DUNCANVILLE, DESOTO, AND LANCASTER THIS YEAR, IT'S IN DUNCANVILLE AT ARMSTRONG PARK FROM FOUR TO 10:00 PM THEY, I BELIEVE, UH, AND I'LL ASK OUR PARKS AND RECREATION DIRECTOR TO COME UP BECAUSE EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU HAVE VIP PACKETS AT YOUR SEAT.
AND SO I'D LIKE TO LEND THE MIC OVER TO SEAN RAY TO GIVE AN UPDATE ON THAT EVENT.
GREAT TO BE HERE TO TALK ABOUT THIS FUN EVENT.
UH, AS OUR CITY MANAGER SAID, SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 20TH, WE'LL BE HOSTING, UH, OR DUNCANVILLE WILL BE HOSTING INJUNCTION WITH, UH, CEDAR HILL, DESOTO, AND LANCASTER, THE BEST SOUTHWEST HISPANIC HERITAGE EVENT.
THE EVENT WILL START AT FOUR O'CLOCK AT ARMSTRONG PARK, UM, AND 6 45 WILL BE THE TIME THAT WE'LL NEED MAYOR AND COUNCIL TO BE ON TO THE STAGE.
BUT WITHIN YOUR PACKET, UH, YOU HAVE YOUR PARKING PASS AND THE VIP PARKING AREA IS AT 2 0 3 EAST WINTER GREEN, OR I'M SORRY, WHEATLAND.
UM, AND WE'LL SEND THIS INFORMATION OUT LATER.
UH, YOU ALSO HAVE A SITE MAP, UH, THE PARADE ROUTE, WHICH WILL START AT THREE O'CLOCK.
UH, THE RUN OR SHOW, UH, AGAIN, THAT INCLUDES, UH, THE TIME FOR YOU ALL TO BE ON THE STAGE AT 6 45, UH, AS WELL AS, UH, THE RUNNER SHOW WITH ALL THE BANDS.
AND THEN THERE'S TWO WRISTBANDS THAT SHOW VIP, UH, FOR YOU AND YOUR PLUS ONE.
UM, AND SO WE LOOK FORWARD TO HAVING A GREAT EVENING AND, UH, I'VE BEEN PROMISED THAT THE WEATHER IS GONNA BE OUTSTANDING.
UH, WITH THAT, I WILL TAKE ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE.
AND, UM, QUICK QUESTION, IF I HAVE A PLUS TWO, IS THERE AVAILABILITY FOR FAMILY TO ATTEND? LET ME, UH, DOUBLE CHECK.
I THINK WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO ACCOMMODATE THAT, BUT I WILL GET BACK TO YOU IN A TIMELY FASHION AND LET YOU KNOW.
THANK YOU FOR THE QUESTION PRO TIM, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FROM COUNSEL? ALRIGHT.
UH, YOU CAN COME UP HERE ANYTIME AND GIVE US VIP PASSES.
I'LL, I'LL FIGURE OUT WHAT OUR NEXT BIG EVENT IS AND GET Y'ALL SOME VIP PASSES.
[00:05:01]
MYSELF.UH, MAYOR PRO TIM GLOVER AND YOU CAN HAVE MINE.
I'LL BE IN LA UM, WATCHING MY NEPHEW PLAY.
UH, HE'S THE PLACE FOR USC, SO I WILL NOT BE HERE FOR THAT EVENT.
I'M SORRY, MADAM CITY MANAGER, COUNCIL MEMBER MCCURDY, I I HAVE A QUESTION.
UM, GOING BACK TO, YOU KNOW, THE ANNOUNCEMENT ABOUT THE HOMECOMING PARADES THIS WEEK IS, IS THE HOMECOMING GAME.
WE USUALLY GET, UH, PASSES ATHLETIC PASSES FOR UIL YEAH, THE UIL PASSES FOR THE C-H-I-S-D GAMES.
DID DID WE GET THOSE THIS YEAR? UH, LET ME INQUIRE AND I'LL, I'LL SEND EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU A TEXT OKAY.
YEAH, I MEANT TO ASK THAT WITH THE NEW SUPERINTENDENT, SO SHE MAY NOT BE AWARE, SO OH, GET WITH HER.
THAT, THAT, THAT REQUEST USUALLY COME FROM, FROM ME IN THE PAST, BUT SORRY, I'LL TAKE CARE OF THAT FOR YOU.
ALRIGHT, ON TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 23RD, IT'S OUR NEXT CITY COUNCIL MEETING.
SO NEXT TUESDAY IS AN OFF TUESDAY.
YOU GET TO ENJOY DINNER WITH YOUR FAMILY, SO ENJOY THAT.
UM, AND OUR NEXT COUNCIL MEETING ISN'T UNTIL TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 23RD.
AND THEN THE ONLY OTHER EVENT I WANT TO BRING COUNCIL'S ATTENTION TO IS MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 29TH AT 7:30 AM IS THE CEDAR HILL CHAMBER'S LAST GASP OF SUMMER GOLF TOURNAMENT ALREADY FEELS LIKE FALL.
SO I DON'T KNOW WHAT IT'S GONNA FEEL LIKE ON SEPTEMBER 29TH, BUT, UM, SHOULD BE A VERY NICE DAY, 7:30 AM TANGO RIDGE GOLF COURSE.
IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN PARTICIPATING IN THAT, JUST PLEASE LET US KNOW AND WE WILL GET YOU REGISTERED IN, IN A, ON A TEAM.
ANY QUESTIONS ON THE CALENDAR? OKAY, AWESOME.
WE'LL GO THROUGH THE AGENDA REALLY QUICK.
UM, COURSE STARTING OFF WITH THE PROCLAMATION BY PASTOR JOSIAH OTTO WITH HILL CITY CHURCH.
WE HAVE TWO PROCLAMATIONS DESIGNATING THE MONTH OF SEPTEMBER, 2025 AS NATIONAL LIBRARY CARD SIGNUP MONTH.
AND I HEAR THAT OUR LIBRARY DIRECTOR MAY CHALLENGE THE COUNCIL TO A LINE DANCE.
UH, ITEM B IS TO PRESENT A, I HEARD THE LAUGH, UH, PRESENT A PROCLAMATION DESIGNATING THE MONTH OF SEPTEMBER, 2025 IS HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH IN CEDAR HILL.
OF COURSE WE GOT CITIZENS FORUM AND THEN BUDGET AND TAX MA MATTERS FIVE AGENDA ITEMS FOR BUDGET.
PUBLIC HEARING FOR THE FI FISCAL YEAR 26, PROPOSED TAX RATE OF 63 CENTS, 6 4 4 9 PER $100 OF TAX TAX VALUATION.
ITEM B IS TO ADOPT ORDINANCE NUMBER 2020 5,859, WHICH APPROVES AND ADOPTS A BUDGET FOR THE FISCAL YEAR ENDING BEGINNING OCTOBER 1ST, 2025 AND ENDING SEPTEMBER 30TH, 2026.
ITEM C IS ADOPTED AN ORDINANCE ESTABLISHING THE FISCAL YEAR 25 AND 26 CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN.
EVERYTHING INCLUDED IN THERE WAS REVIEWED WITH COUNSEL AS, UH, WE WERE GIVEN DIRECTION AT THE CIP WORKSHOPS THIS YEAR.
ITEM D IS AN ADOPTION OF ORDINANCE 20 25 861, LEVYING THE AVALOR TAXES FOR FISCAL YEAR 20 25 26 AT A RATE OF 63 CENTS PER $100 ASSESSED VALUATION.
AND THEN ITEM E IS AN ADOPT AN ORDINANCE WHICH RATIFIES THE PROPERTY TAX REVENUES IN THE FISCAL YEAR 25 26 BUDGET.
THESE ARE ALL OF THE FINAL AGENDA ITEMS TO ADOPT THE BUDGET.
AND, UH, THE COUNCIL'S ALREADY ESTABLISHED AND AND ADOPTED THE PID BUDGETS LAST WEEK ON SEPTEMBER 2ND, I BELIEVE.
AND, UH, THIS IS THE LAST GEN ITEMS ASSOCIATED WITH BUDGET ADOPTION.
WITH REGARDS TO CONSENT, UH, WE HAVE AN ADOPTION OF AN ORDINANCE.
THIS TO CHANGE THE ZONING FROM SF 10 TO 10,000 FOR 10,000 SQUARE FOOT LOT MINIMUMS DISTRICT TO PD.
THIS IS FOR HERITAGE HILLS PROPERTY OWNER TOMMY WYNN.
LAST COUNCIL MEETING, YOU OPENED THE PUBLIC HEARING AND CLOSED IT AND, UH, GAVE, UH, STAFF DIRECTION TO BEGIN DRAFTING OF THE ORDINANCE.
SO THIS IS THE FORMAL ORDINANCE ADOPTION NOW, HOWEVER, WE DID GET SOME QUESTIONS, UH, OR DIRECTION WITH REGARDS TO THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE PROJECT.
UM, YOU GAVE US DIRECTION THAT YOU WANTED.
THE CONSTRUCTION, UH, VEHICLE ROUTING FOR ALL OF THE CONSTRUCTION WORK TO BE HANDLED APPROPRIATELY AND WITH RESPECTFULLY TO ADJACENT NEIGHBORHOODS.
ITEM TWO WAS THE ANIMALS AND PESTS DISTURBED TO MAKE SURE THE ANIMAL CONTROL IS ON HAND.
IN THE EVENT WE HAD ANY ISSUES WITH ANIMALS RUNNING AT LARGE FROM TREE CLEARING.
AND THEN, UH, THREE WAS ADJACENT.
PROPERTY OWNER IMPACTS OF CONSTRUCTION.
SO AT THIS TIME WE DO NOT HAVE A BUILDER, SO ALL WE HAVE IS A CURRENT PROPERTY OWNER AND A POTENTIAL, YOU KNOW, POTENTIAL BUYER, BUT WE DON'T HAVE THE BUILDER.
SO ONCE WE DO GET A BUILDING CONSTRUCTION PERMIT, WE WILL COMMUNICATE THESE THINGS WITH THE BUILDER AND WE WILL HOLD THEM ACCOUNTABLE THROUGH INSPECTIONS, UM, TO THOSE AGENDA ITEMS. OKAY.
UM, ANY QUESTIONS ON THAT? OKAY.
[00:10:01]
ITEM B IS ADOPTION OF ORDINANCE 20 25 8 65, WHICH CHANGES THE ZONING FROM LR TO OLD TOWN CORRIDOR, THE WEST MIDTOWN PLAN.THIS IS OFFICIAL ADOPTION OF THE ORDINANCE AND THE ZONING CASE FOR WEST MIDTOWN PLAN.
OF COURSE, AGAIN, UH, LAST WEEK WE UM, PRE PRESENTED THE PD FOR, UH, THE DISTRICT AND COUNCIL GAVE US ONE, UH, SMALL CHANGE TO LOOSEN UP OR PROVIDE THE OPTION FOR, UH, BUILDERS OR DEVELOPERS TO HAVE, UM, MORE OPPORTUNITIES FOR SIGN REGULATIONS MORE.
AND SO WHAT WE DID WAS WE INTEGRATED THAT SIGN LANGUAGE.
I INCLUDED IT IN MY UPDATE TO COUNCIL LAST FRIDAY.
AND, UM, THAT IS INCLUDED IN THE ORDINANCE.
SO THAT IS HERE FOR YOUR ADOPTION.
THAT'S A MAJOR THING, UM, AS PUT IN YOUR STRATEGIC PLAN IN YOUR WORK PLAN.
SO ADOPTING THIS ORDINANCE ALLOWS THE PROPERTIES TO HAVE DEVELOPMENT RIGHTS FOR, FOR, UM, WHAT YOU'VE DEEMED APPROPRIATE FOR THE PROPERTIES.
ITEM C IS TO EXECUTE AN AGREEMENT OF FOOD ESTABLISHMENT EXP INSPECTION SERVICES.
EVERY RESTAURANT, DAYCARE, UM, ENTITY THAT SERVES FOOD GETS AN INSPECTION AND WE CHARGE THOSE UH, ENTITIES AND IN, UH, AN ANNUAL FEE IN WHICH IS THIS FOOD ESTABLISHMENT INSPECTION SERVICE IS COVERED UNDER THAT, THAT ANNUAL FEE.
SO THIS IS JUST UPPING THAT CONTRACT.
UH, D IS ADOPTING RESOLUTION WHICH APPROVES AND AUTHORIZES THE MAYOR TO EXECUTE A PROJECT SPECIFIC AGREEMENT WITH DALLAS COUNTY FOR STREET STRIPING SERVICES.
ITEM E IS A RESOLUTION ADOPTING A NEGOTIATED SETTLEMENT FOR ATMOS ENERGY CORP.
REGARDING THE 2025 RATE REVIEW MECHANISM FILING, OF COURSE, WE'RE PART OF THE ATMOS CITY STEERING COMMITTEE AND WE COLLECTIVELY WITH 130 OTHER CITIES NEGOTIATE A SETTLEMENT OF RATE INCREASES.
THEY, THAT LANDED AT 9% FOR THIS YEAR.
LAST YEAR WAS ON AVERAGE FOR RESIDENTS 6.3% AND UH, SO IT WAS PROPOSED AT 9% INCREASE FOR RATES.
ITEM F IS AUTHORIZING THE USE OF CAPITAL FUNDS IN THE AMOUNT OF 1.3 MILLION FOR ASPHALT STREET IMPROVEMENTS AND RENT WITH REYNOLDS ASPHALT AND CONSTRUCTION COMPANY EVERY YEAR, THE CITY COUNCIL EVERY OTHER TWO YEARS, THE CITY COUNCIL ADOPTS A BUDGET FOR ASPHALT AND CONCRETE OVERLAY REPAIRS IN THE AMOUNT OF $2 MILLION.
THIS 1.3 IS COMING OUT OF THAT 2 MILLION.
AND SO IT IS BUDGETED IN OUR CIP PROGRAM.
AND THEN OF COURSE WE HAVE A CLOSED SESSION.
WE HAVE FOUR EXECUTIVE SESSIONS TO REVIEW IN CLOSED SESSION WITH COUNCIL.
ANY QUESTIONS ON THE AGENDA? ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS FROM COUNCIL ON ANY ITEM ON THE AGENDA? ANY ITEMS ON THE CONSENT TO BE PULLED? COUNCIL MEMBER SIMS, ADAM E OH, YOU YOU WANNA PULL IT? YES.
ANYTHING ELSE, COUNSELOR? ALRIGHT MADAM CITY MANAGER.
[3. Update on Bird City Texas certification. ]
THE AGENDA IS A WONDERFUL, UH, PRESENTER, MS. KATIE CHRISMAN.GONNA TALK ABOUT AN UPDATE ON BIRD CITY TEXAS CERTIFICATION.
DO YOU SEE, IS THE MIC CLOSE TO YOU? YEAH, DO I NEED A BREAK CLOSER? IT'S OKAY, I CAN SEE IT.
GOOD EVENING MAYOR AND COUNCIL, FOR THOSE THAT DON'T KNOW ME, MY NAME IS KATIE, I'M THE NATURE AND OPEN SPACE COORDINATOR AND I AM SO EXCITED AND UM, IT'S A PLEASURE TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT BIRD CITY AND OUR RECENT RECERTIFICATION AND ALL OF THE NATURE AND OPEN SPACE, UM, HAPPENINGS THAT WE HAVE HERE IN CEDAR HILL.
AS YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A VISION TO BE A PREMIER CITY THAT RETAINS ITS DISTINCTIVE CHARACTER WHERE WE CAN ALL FLOURISH IN A VIBRANT COMMUNITY.
UM, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE FOCUS ON AND I GET TO FOCUS ON IS BRINGING THAT VIBRANCY OF OUR PARKS AND OUR TRAILS AND OUR NATURE TO ITS COMMUNITY MEMBERS.
ONE OF THE THINGS I REALLY WANT TO FOCUS ON IS THE PLANNING, OUR STRATEGIC PLANNING THAT, UM, OUR CITY COUNCIL HAS WORKED REALLY HARD ON AND OUR PARKS DEPARTMENT HAS WORKED REALLY HARD ON.
UM, SO SOME OF THOSE THINGS AND I HAVE ONE OF OUR PARTNERS HERE I WANNA SHOUT OUT TO JULIE FROM DOGWOOD CANYON.
UM, OUR PARTNERS HAVE WORKED DILIGENTLY WITH US OVER THE PAST COUPLE YEARS AND CONTINUE TO MOVE FORWARD, UM, TO BRING FORWARD PROGRAMMING AND SOME OF THE CONSERVATION INITIATIVES THAT YOU'RE GONNA LEARN ABOUT IN THIS PRESENTATION.
AND WE'RE WORKING TO ACTIVATE OUR GREEN SPACE TO IMPLEMENT THE EFFORTS OF OUR GREAT GREENWAY AND TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE HAVING THAT BALANCE OF, YOU KNOW, GREEN SPACE AND UM, GETTING PEOPLE CONNECTED TO NATURE.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I THINK SOME PEOPLE DON'T REALIZE IS HOW MUCH
[00:15:01]
GREEN SPACE THAT WE HAVE HERE IN CEDAR HILL.I MOVED HERE TO CEDAR HILL ABOUT 11 YEARS AGO AND THE GREEN WAS ONE OF THE THINGS THAT TOOK ME AWAY.
I MOVED FROM A VERY GREEN STATE, I MOVED FROM UPSTATE NEW YORK AND SO THEN MOVING TO DALLAS WAS, WAS EYE-OPENING FOR ME.
AND SO HEARING THAT THERE IS A COUNCIL, THERE'S A LEADERSHIP THAT SETS ASIDE THE AMOUNT OF OPEN SPACE THAT WE HAVE, I THINK, UM, SETS THE BAR REALLY HIGH TO SOME OF THE OTHER CITIES IN THE METROPLEX.
WE ARE CURRENTLY AT 16% OF OPEN SPACE WITHIN THE CITY, WHICH I THINK IS PRETTY INCREDIBLE AND WE'RE LOOKING TO ADD MORE OF THAT IN THE NEXT COUPLE YEARS.
WE HAVE 52 PARKS, INCLUDING OUR BEAUTIFUL AUDUBON CENTER AND THE STATE PARK.
THERE'S NOT TOO MANY CITIES THAT CAN SAY THEY HAVE A STATE PARK AND AN OTTAWA CENTER WITHIN THEIR CITY.
WE HAVE OVER THREE, 3000 ACRES OF PARKLAND, 36 MILES OF TRAILS AND OVER 200 SPECIES OF BIRDS THAT YOU CAN FIND HERE WITHIN THIS CITY.
AND IT'S ESTIMATED BY 2029 IN DFW.
THERE'S GONNA BE ABOUT 1.4 MILLION PEOPLE THAT ARE MOVING HERE TO THE DFW METROPLEX.
SO I THINK THAT GOES TO SAY THAT HAVING THAT OPEN SPACE, GREEN AREAS, AREAS WHERE PEOPLE CAN CONNECT TO NATURE IS EVEN MORE IMPORTANT.
ONE OF THE THINGS I WANNA DRAW YOUR ATTENTION TO IS US TRYING TO BRING NATURE AND THINGS ABOUT NATURE OUT MORE TOWARDS OUR COMMUNITY.
I KEEP ON HITTING THAT, SORRY.
IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT OUR NATURE AND OPEN SPACE, YOU CAN SCAN THE QR CODE AND YOU CAN LEARN ABOUT BIRDS IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD, THE DIFFERENT EVENTS THAT WE HAVE COMING UP.
SO FEEL FREE TO SCAN THAT RIGHT THERE.
I WOULD APPRECIATE ALL AND ANY FEEDBACK THAT YOU HAVE.
SO LET ME TELL YOU A LITTLE BIT ABOUT BIRD CITY.
ONE OF THE REALLY NEAT THINGS ABOUT BIRD CITY IS THIS IS A HIGH LEVEL CERTIFICATION, UM, THAT WAS BROUGHT OUT BETWEEN AUDUBON, TEXAS AND TEXAS PARK AND WILDLIFE.
WE ARE ACTUALLY ONE IN 15 CITIES THAT HAS THIS CERTIFICATION.
IT'S A COMMUNITY FOCUSED CERTIFICATION, SO IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT YOU CAN JUST DECIDE TO DO ON YOUR OWN.
YOU HAVE TO HAVE PARTNERS LIKE DOGWOOD CANYON, THE STATE PARK, AND OTHER AMAZING PARTNERS, WHICH I'LL TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT.
AND THERE'S A LOT OF BENEFITS TO IT FOR US TO HAVE IN OUR CITY.
AND IT'S NOT A ONE AND DONE DESIGNATION.
IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT WE JUST SAY, HEY, WE'RE A BIRD CITY AND THEN, YOU KNOW, YOU JUST LEAVE IT THERE FOR THE NEXT COUPLE OF YEARS.
THERE'S A LOT OF WORK THAT GOES INTO THIS CERTIFICATION AND WE FOCUS ON THREE MAIN THINGS.
WE FOCUS ON OUR COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, WHICH I SAID IS A REALLY BIG PART ABOUT THIS BECAUSE I CAN TALK ABOUT BIRDS ALL DAY IF YOU KNOW ME.
I LOVE BIRDS AND I THINK THEY'RE COOL, BUT NOT EVERYBODY DOES AND THAT'S OKAY.
UM, BUT WE WANT OUR COMMUNITY TO BE A PART OF THIS CERTIFICATION.
WE WANT THEM TO BE PART OF BIRD CITY.
WE FOCUS ON HABITAT ENHANCEMENT AND PROTECTION AND CREATING THOSE SAFER SPACES FOR BIRDS.
ONE OF THE THINGS I LOVE THIS MOTTO THAT AUDUBON HAS WHERE BIRDS THRIVE, PEOPLE PROSPER.
SO WHAT'S GOOD FOR BIRDS IS GOOD FOR PEOPLE IN THE LONG RUN.
SO OUR CERTIFICATION IS ABOUT THREE YEARS OLD.
WE WERE AWARDED INITIALLY IN 2022.
WE RECERTIFIED IN 2025 AND THEN WE HAVE OUR ACTION YEARS FOR THE NEXT THREE YEARS AND WE'LL RECERTIFY AGAIN IN 2028.
SO DURING THAT TIMEFRAME, OUR RECERTIFICATION, WE CAN CHOOSE IF WE WANNA WORK ON A SPECIFIC ACTION WITHIN THAT PLAN AND WE CAN CHOOSE TO CHANGE THAT DEPENDING ON WHAT OUR FOCUS IS ON.
SO ONE OF THE BIG QUESTIONS I USUALLY GET IS, WHAT VALUE DOES BEING A BIRD CITY BRING? WHAT VALUE DO BIRDS BRING TO CEDAR HILL? 'CAUSE SOMETIMES PEOPLE IN THEIR HEAD THEY'RE THINKING, OH THOSE GRACKLES, ALL THEY DO IS EAT ALL THE STUFF AND THEY POOP ON MY CAR IN THE MCDONALD'S PARKING LOT.
BUT THERE IS A LOT OF VALUE TO THE BIRDS THAT WE SEE HERE.
ONE OF THE BIG THINGS THAT WE'RE NOTICING IS BIRD AND WILDLIFE WATCHING HAS A HIGH ECONOMIC VALUE TO PEOPLE.
IT'S ACTUALLY BIRD WATCHING IS THE THIRD HIGHEST TOURISM VALUE IN THE STATE OF TEXAS HAS BECOME THE THIRD LARGEST IN INDUSTRY HERE WITHIN THE STATE.
WE'RE FINDING THAT GREEN SPACE ACTUALLY INCREASES PROPERTY VALUES AS MUCH AS $32,000.
UM, CONSERVATION LAND THAT IS SET ASIDE HAS, UH, AFFECTS US FLOOD CONTROL, INSECT AND RODENT CONTROL.
UM, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A LOT MORE OPPORTUNITIES FOR FISHING AND HUNTING AND OTHER RECREATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES.
UM, WE'RE SEEING THERE'S ABOUT 4 MILLION TEXANS THAT ARE WILD DISTINGUISH THEMSELVES AS WILDLIFE VIEWERS.
ABOUT 2 MILLION ARE BIRD WATCHERS AND THAT'S GOING TO GENERATE ABOUT $1.8 BILLION
[00:20:01]
IN TOURISM DOLLARS.AND SO HERE IN THE STATE OF TEXAS, WE SEE ABOUT 640 SPECIES OF BIRDS THAT HAVE BEEN RECORDED THAT MIGRATE THROUGH WHAT WE CALL THE CENTRAL FLYWAY AREA.
THERE'S OVER 200 SPECIES OF BIRDS THAT CALL CEDAR HILL THEIR HOME.
AND SO FOR US, WE'RE SEEING THIS HIGH VALUE TO WHAT IT CAN BRING TO THE AREA.
AND ONE OF THE BIGGEST THINGS, I THINK THERE'S A LOT OF VALUE TO OUR CHILDREN AND THEIR FAMILIES TO BE ABLE TO GET OUT AND TO CONNECT TO NATURE.
THERE'S A LOT OF EMOTIONAL, UH, MENTAL AND ALSO PHYSICAL VALUES TO THEM.
SO LIKE I SAID, ONE OF THE BIGGEST VALUES I SEE WITH BIRD CITY IS WE GET TO CONNECT OUR COMMUNITY TO NATURE.
UM, THAT'S ONE OF THE BIG THINGS, ONE OF THE BIG DRAWS WITH THE BIRD CITY CERTIFICATION, BUT IT'S ALSO ONE OF THE BIGGEST DRAWS WITH LIVING IN CEDAR HILL IS ALL THE GREEN SPACE.
I HEAR ALL THE TIME FROM PEOPLE THEY'RE LIKE, OH, I DROVE INTO DOWNTOWN DALLAS AND THEN I COME BACK AND IT'S ALL GREEN AND IT'S THAT BROTHER FRESH AIR.
AND SO THE COMMUNITY PARTNERS ARE ONE OF THE BIG KEYS TO OUR SUCCESS WITH OUR NATURE AND BIRD CITY PROGRAMS. LIKE I SAID, DOGWOOD IS HERE, BUT WE ALSO WORK WITH THE STATE PARK AND OUR MASTER NATURALIST CONSERVATION ALLIANCE AND A LOT OF OTHER, UM, COMMUNITY PARTNERS THAT WE SEE HERE WITHIN THE CITY.
ONE OF THE THINGS I ALSO WANNA DRAW YOUR ATTENTION TO, I THINK THIS IS A UNIQUE FEATURE FOR WORKING WITH CEDAR HILL, IS THAT THE SUPPORT OF OUR COUNCIL AND OUR LEADERSHIP, OUR DEPARTMENT, UM, HAS LED US TO GET TO THIS PATH.
AND TO GET TO THE POINT, UM, THAT WE HAVE HERE, CEDAR HILL IS REALLY SETTING THE STANDARD FOR HOW MUNICIPALITIES CAN SUPPORT CONSERVATION EFFORTS, HOW THEY CAN BALANCE GROWTH, AND THEN MAKING SURE THAT WE HAVE PLACES FOR WILDLIFE AND BIRDS.
SO WHAT TYPE OF THINGS DO WE DO WITHIN BIRD CITY? SO WE HAVE DIFFERENT TYPES OF BIRD CITY CENTERED PROGRAMS. LIKE WE HAVE THE BREAK, GREAT BACKYARD, BIRD COUNT, UM, AND OOH, I DON'T KNOW IF THIS ONE HAS, UM, BUT THAT PICTURE AT OUR BIRD BLIND, IF YOU HAVEN'T BEEN TO THE BIRD BLIND ALONG THE, IN THE SIGNATURE PARK, WE WERE OUT.
IT WAS A PRETTY CHILLY MORNING AND THEN IT GOT REALLY SUNNY AND THAT FAMILY WAS SO EXCITED.
UM, WE SAW, I THINK IT WAS LIKE 40, 40 SPECIES OF BIRDS, ABOUT 35 PEOPLE SHOWED UP.
BUT IT WA IT WAS A LOT OF FUN.
EVEN IF YOU'RE LIKE, I DON'T KNOW WHAT SPECIES OF BIRDS I'M LOOKING AT.
IT WAS JUST THE JOY OF BEING ABLE TO SHOW PEOPLE HOW TO USE BINOCULARS AND TO LEARN ABOUT WHAT'S IN YOUR BACKYARD.
WE DO A WORLD MIGRATORY BIRD DAY NATIVE PLANTS FOR BIRDS.
WE DID OUR FIRST EVER UH, PLANTING CLASS WITH A, A LADY CALLED CLAIRE WHO RUNS A COMPANY CALLED BALCONY BOX.
AND A LOT OF PEOPLE WERE SO EXCITED 'CAUSE THEY'RE LIKE, I DON'T HAVE SPACE FOR BIG GARDEN BUT I CAN LEARN HOW TO DO CONTAINER GARDENING IN MY APARTMENT.
SO TRYING TO JUST FIND THOSE CONNECTION POINTS FOR PEOPLE IS ONE OF OUR BIG GOALS.
AND THEN AGAIN, WE'RE WORKING WITH OUR PARTNERS ALL THE TIME TO BE LIKE, OKAY, HOW CAN WE CONNECT PEOPLE TO NATURE AND OUR PARTNERS REALLY, I RELY ON THEM QUITE A BIT 'CAUSE I'M ONE PERSON AND I, EVEN THOUGH I WORK IN PARKS AND WE HAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE, BUT I'M ONE PERSON DOING NATURE PROGRAMS AND SO WE ALWAYS TRY TO FOCUS ON OFFERING FREE OR MINIMAL COST PROGRAMS. WE WANNA REDUCE BARRIERS AS MUCH AS WE CAN.
AND ONE OF THE MOTTO I TRY TO RULE BY IS THAT WE MEET PEOPLE WHERE THEY'RE AT.
SO SOMEONE MAY NOT LIKE A CERTAIN THING OR MAYBE THEY'RE LIKE, HEY, MY VERSION OF GETTING OUTSIDE IS I WANNA FISH.
OR MAYBE I AM, YOU KNOW, BRAVE ENOUGH TO GO WALK ON THE CONCRETE TRAIL 'CAUSE I'M AFRAID OF SNAKES OR SOMETHING.
ANY OPPORTUNITY WE HAVE TO CONNECT PEOPLE TO NATURE IS, IS ANY OPPORTUNITY THAT WE'LL TAKE.
SO WE WANT PEOPLE TO HAVE THOSE POSITIVE EXPERIENCES IN NATURE.
SOME OF MY FAVORITE THINGS, WE TOOK THE KIDS FROM THE REC CENTER FROM SUMMER CAMP FISHING AT THE STATE PARK.
YOU CAN SEE, UM, SMILING FACES OF KIDS THAT ACTUALLY CAUGHT FISH.
UM, THEY THOUGHT THAT WAS THE BEST THING EVER.
WE DID HAVE A FEW THAT CAUGHT TURTLES, WHICH WAS ALSO QUITE FUNNY.
UM, SO ONE OF THE OTHER THINGS WE'RE WORKING ON TOO THAT TIES INTO OUR CERTIFICATION IS WE ARE INCREASING OPPORTUNITIES FOR OUR STAFF TO LEARN AND GROW AS WE ARE.
YOU KNOW, OUR SIGNATURE PARK HAS A LOT MORE NATIVE PLANTS.
UM, THEY ARE INTERESTED HOW THEY CAN DO BETTER, THEY CAN PERFORM BETTER WITH CARING FOR ALL THE THINGS THAT THEY HAVE, UM, WITHIN THE SIGNATURE PARK.
SO WE'RE BRINGING IN LIKE NATIVE PLANT SOCIETY MASTER NATURALISTS TO DO TRAININGS AND HELPING THEM, UM, INCREASE THEIR SKILLS.
ONE OF THE OTHER BIG THINGS WE FOCUS ON IS CONSERVATION.
AND SO WE WORK WITH OUR PARTNERS LIKE THE MASTER NATURALISTS DALLAS COUNTY, UM, TO DO THINGS LIKE
[00:25:01]
REMOVING PRITT.THAT'S THAT REALLY BIG, UH, PLANT THAT YOU SEE ON THE TRIER THAT'S ACTUALLY AN INVASIVE SPECIES.
SO, UM, IF YOU LOOK OUTSIDE YOU'RE LIKE, OH MY GOSH, IT'S SO GREEN.
'CAUSE PRITT TAKES OVER EVERYTHING.
AND SO WE'RE HELPING TO BRING BACK OUR NATIVE PLANT SPECIES, UM, PLANNING THINGS LIKE MILKWEED TO ENCOURAGE MONARCH BUTTERFLIES TO COME BACK INTO THE AREA.
SO THOSE ARE SOME OF THE DIFFERENT, UM, PLANS THAT WE HAVE IN DIFFERENT PROGRAMS THAT WE HAVE GOING ON WITH OUR PARTNERS.
ONE OF THE OTHER THINGS THAT I DID MENTION IS THAT WE, UM, HAVE THAT OPEN SPACE THAT WE'VE SET ASIDE.
SINGLETON PRESERVE IS ONE OF THE NEWEST ONES THAT WE HAVE THAT WE'VE BEEN MANAGING, UM, WITH THE, IF YOU HAD NOT HEARD OF THE GOLDEN CHEEK WARBLER WAS RECENTLY FOUND, UM, ON THE PROPERTY OF DOGWOOD CANYON AUDUBON CENTER.
THE GOLDEN CHIEF WARBLER IS AN ENDANGERED SPECIES IN THE STATE OF TEXAS AND IT'S ENDEMIC, MEANING IT ONLY, UM, CAN BE FOUND NESTING IN THE STATE OF TEXAS.
AND SO WE PUT OUT WHAT WE CALL AN A RU.
IT RECORDS VOCALIZATIONS OF BIRDS ON SINGLETON PRESERVE AND DOGWOOD CANYON IN 2024.
SO WE WERE ABLE TO RECORD OVER A HUNDRED BIRD SPECIES OBSERVED AT SINGLETON PRESERVE.
REALLY, REALLY, UM, EVEN THOUGH THE GOLDEN TREE PORT BLUE WAS NOT FOUND ON SINGLETON PRESERVE, WE FOUND SOME OTHER SPECIES THAT WERE A LITTLE BIT MORE RARE THAT ARE NOT NOTED AS OFTEN ON THAT PROPERTY.
AND IN THE AREA, THE GOLDEN CHEEK WARBLE, I WILL NOTE WAS FOUND ALSO ON CEDAR MOUNTAIN PRESERVE, WHICH IS A PRESERVE THAT WE HELP MANAGE WITH DALLAS COUNTY IN, UM, THIS YEAR, IN SPRING OF THIS YEAR.
SO ONE OF THE OTHER PROJECTS, UM, I DON'T THINK SAM IS HERE.
UM, SO SAM KNICK, HE'S OUR URBAN WILDLIFE BIOLOGIST WITH TEXAS PARK AND WILDLIFE AND HIS INTERN EMMA, ALSO CONDUCTED BIODIVERSITY SURVEYS AT SINGLETON PRESERVE OVER THE SUMMER USING DIFFERENT TECHNIQUES, CATALOGING THEM ON INATURALIST.
AND THEY CAME UP WITH ABOUT 691 INDIVIDUAL SPECIES.
AND WHY IS THAT IMPORTANT? IT JUST GOES TO SHOW THE LEVEL OF DI DIVERSITY OF SPECIES BETWEEN, UM, BUTTERFLIES AND INSECTS, PLANTS, ALL THOSE DIFFERENT THINGS.
AND UM, I KNOW NOT EVERYBODY'S A FAN OF SPIDERS, BUT IF YOU SEE THAT PICTURE OF THE CONE FOOTED SPIDER, IT IS ACTUALLY THE FIRST RECORD IN DALLAS COUNTY THAT WAS DOCUMENTED ON SINGLETON PRESERVE.
SO WHY IS THAT SO IMPORTANT? IT'S REALLY DOCUMENTING THAT WITHOUT THAT GREEN SPACE, LIKE IF YOU PUT A BUCKY'S UP THERE, WE WOULD NOT HAVE THOSE SPECIES FOR IN THAT SPACE.
AND THAT ALL TIES INTO THE GREAT GREENWAY SPECIES DIVERSITY, THE PRESERVES, THE ABILITY FOR PEOPLE TO GET OUT AND ENJOY NATURE.
YOU KNOW, THAT CONNECTIVITY BETWEEN CEDAR MOUNTAIN PRESERVE, DOGWOOD, THE STATE PARK, IT REALLY HIGHLIGHTS THE SUCCESS AND THE NEED FOR THAT CONTINUITY OF HABITAT BECAUSE WITHOUT THAT, YOU WOULDN'T HAVE THINGS LIKE THE SPIDER THAT WAS FOUND AT SINGLETON.
YOU WOULD NOT HAVE THE GOLDEN CHEEK WARBLER THAT HAS BEEN FOUND AT DOGWOOD OR CEDAR MOUNTAIN PRESERVE.
AND I MIGHT ADD, YOU KNOW, THE GOLDEN CHEEK WARBLER HAD DISAPPEARED FROM DOGWOOD FOR THE PAST 20 YEARS.
FOR SOME REASON IT HAS COME BACK TO CEDAR HILL.
DON'T KNOW WHY, BUT I THINK THAT'S PRETTY AMAZING FOR US TO BE ABLE TO SAY, HEY, THAT'S MADE ITS HOME HERE.
SO THAT BEING SAID, MY LAST THING I WANNA FINISH OFF WITH, I'D LIKE YOU GUYS TO STAY CONNECTED WITH THE DIFFERENT THINGS.
UM, WE ARE DOING, SO WE TRY TO HIGHLIGHT A DIFFERENT BIRD.
LIKE I SAID, THERE'S OVER 200 BIRDS THAT CAN BE FOUND HERE IN CEDAR HILL THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.
UM, SO WE TRY TO HIGHLIGHT ONE DIFFERENT SPECIES A YEAR DURING COUNTRY DAY.
WE WILL BE, UH, VOTING, UM, ON A DIFFERENT SPECIES.
THERE'S FIVE THAT YOU GET TO CHOOSE FROM, SO STOP BY THE PARKS AND REC BOOTH.
UM, THERE'S SOME THAT ARE TRYING TO MAKE SURE THEIR SPECIFIC BIRDS WIN, SO TRYING TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY DON'T CHEAT SEAN, UH,
SO, UM, PLEASE MAKE SURE TO INTERACT WITH THAT.
IF YOU'D LIKE TO GO TO OUR BIRD CITY WEBSITE, THE QR CODE IS RIGHT THERE.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME AND I'M HAPPY TO TAKE ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MAY HAVE.
WELL, I THINK THAT WAS A VERY GREAT PRESENTATION.
UM, AND UM, ALLOW ME TO SAY CONGRATULATIONS AGAIN ON THE RENEWAL CERTIFICATION FOR THANK YOU FOR BIRD CITY, CEDAR HILL.
UM, THIS IS, UH, SOMETHING THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, IS ORGANIC.
YOU KNOW, WE JUST CAN'T GO ANYWHERE AND BUILD A, UH, A GREEN SPACE.
SO FOR US TO BE ABLE TO HAVE THE AUDUBON HERE IN THE STATE PARK AND WE'VE TAKEN ADVANTAGE OF THAT AND BUILDING A PARTNERSHIP
[00:30:01]
MM-HMM.SO WE CAN BE ABLE TO HAVE THE PRESERVE, UH, REALLY MEANS A LOT.
SO YES, THANK YOU FOR YOUR ONE MAN ARMY
SO I REALLY DO APPRECIATE THAT.
UH, ANY QUESTIONS, COMMENTS FROM COUNCIL? ALL RIGHT, GREAT.
WELL, UM, YOU HAD AS A SCAN, THAT FIRST ITEM, WAS THE SECOND ONE THE SAME, GOING TO THE SAME PLACE OR IT GOES IT GOES TO A DIFFERENT WEBSITE.
YEAH, I DIDN'T GET THE SECOND ONE.
IT GOES TO OUR BIRD CITY, TEXAS CEDAR HILL WEBSITE.
SO IT'S A LITTLE BIT MORE SPECIFIC.
AND YOU CAN SEE SOME OF THE OTHER CITIES THAT, UM, HAVE THE DESIGNATION, UM, THROUGHOUT TEXAS AND THROUGHOUT THE NATION AS WELL.
ALRIGHT COUNSEL, I BELIEVE THAT CONCLUDES EVERYTHING ON OUR BRIEFING SESSION.
UM, IF THERE'S ANYTHING ELSE, LAST ITEM ON THE AGENDAS TO ADJOURN.
DO WE HAVE A SECOND? A SECOND FOR COUNCILWOMAN AZI.
UH, COUNCIL BEFORE I ASK FOR A MOTION, I SAW, UH, MR. AL HERNANDEZ WALK IN, UH, JUST GIVING YOU A HEADS UP THAT, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER SIMS DID PULL YOUR ITEM.
WANNA RECONVENE ABOUT FIVE MINUTES.