City Connections - April Edition

Landscape Water Management Ordinance

The City of Highland Village has a landscape water management ordinance where a person commits an offense if he or she allows exterior plumbing leaks to exist, allows the irrigation or watering of lawn or landscape located on property owned leased or managed by that person in such a manner that causes a constant stream of water onto a street or alley in excess of fifty (50) feet from the property line, irrigating a lawn or landscape during any form of precipitation, this includes automatic sprinkler systems, or irrigating lawn or landscape when the ambient temperature is below 32 degrees Fahrenheit.

SPRINKLER HEADS AND SYSTEM MAINTENANCE REQUIREMENT

A person commits an offense if he or she operates a lawn or landscape irrigation system or device on property that he or she owns leases or manages that has broken or missing sprinkler heads or has not been properly maintained to prevent the waste of water. Please visit our website to view the complete ordinance.

Water Use Conservation / Drought Contingency Plan
Phase One – Seasonal Conservation

Effective each year beginning May 1st and ending September 30th.

1. No outside watering between the hours of 10:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. Hand watering of shrubbery allowed at any hour.
2. Variances to this regulation may be granted by permit only, available at the Municipal Complex (inspections/permits counter).
3. Users of private well water or lake water for irrigation are required to post a sign indicating so in a conspicuous location.
4. Hand washing of vehicles shall be permitted providing there is no wasteful runoff.
5. Wasteful runoff, by any means, shall be prohibited.

Private Sewer Lateral Back-Ups & Tree Roots

Sanitary sewer systems are constructed as a network of manholes and pipes that flow from each building that generates sewage that flows to a wastewater treatment plant.  Private lateral services are pipes from the building to the sewer main.  Tree roots are a common cause of many house back-ups.  A chemical root controller can be purchased at your local hardware supply and used annually, in some cases, to help prevent a blockage caused by roots.  Follow all instructions to gain the maximum benefit from a root controlling product.

The City’s Sanitary Sewer System

The City of Highland Village is mandated by the TCEQ to provide & maintain a sanitary sewer system free of blockages.  In order to achieve this, the City Utility crews perform Inflow & Infiltration studies, line repairs & line replacement projects and sanitary sewer line maintenance throughout the year by flushing the sewer main lines with equipment designed for that purpose.  Line flushing allows the utility crews to scour the City owned sewer mains & leave them free of grease, settled solids and grit.  It also allows the crews to visually inspect and locate issues that may require their immediate attention or further review (ie: televised inspection, excavation for repairs or additional treatment with various sewer products).  If you have questions regarding the City’s sanitary sewer system, do not hesitate to call us.  

Floodplain Map Determination

For those residents whose property is within or near the floodplain, or have experienced flooding issues, the city’s Department of Public Works has the following Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM) information:

• The parcels located in an identified special flood hazard area.
• The date of the FIRM, FIRM zone, community number, panel number and suffix.
• The base flood elevation shown on the FIRM and the elevation datum used on the firm.

The City of Highland Village’s Department of Public Works also maintains information that can provide the best available information about flood risk and guidance for submitting a Letter of Map Amendment (LOMA) in addition to the FEMA Flood Insurance Rate Map information. If you have questions about your location in relation to the floodplain, you can visit http://mcs.fema.gov or contact the City of Highland Village’s Department of Public Works at (972)899-5091 ext. 115 for assistance or to request a flood property determination.

Denton County Transportation Authority’s Rail Ready Safety Days

Come join us for a day filled with activities for all ages, learn about rail safety and tour the A-train. Mark your calendars, we look forward to seeing you there!

Highland Village/Lewisville Lake Station
2998 N. Stemmons Fwy, Lewisville
May 7, 2011
10:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.

MedPark Station

Help us Design Our Transit Service

The City of Highland Village is currently involved in the planning efforts with DCTA to better understand the potential ridership for the A-train.  A key component of ridership for the A-train is the ability to commute from your home to the Highland Village/Lewisville Lake Station for the A-train.  DCTA is still in the planning stage for the exact schedule time that the A-train will leave the Highland Village/Lewisville Lake Station.  The City is very interested in communicating with our residents and the DCTA organization in an attempt to make alternate transportation work for our residents. We are asking for your help in determining the best transit service to residents in Highland Village. Visit the city website at www.highlandvillage.org and click on theDCTA Public Input link to answer a few questions. We appreciate your help!

May 14, 2011 - Election Day

The General Election scheduled for May 14, 2011 is uncontested and the election will be cancelled in accordance with the Texas Election Code.  The Council, on March 8, 2011, ordered an election to be held on May 14, 2011 for the purpose of electing Council members to Places 3, 5 and 7.  The filing deadlines for placement on the ballot and declaration of write-in candidacy have passed and the city secretary received one application for each place.  Pursuant to Chapter 2 of the Texas Election Code, the city secretary shall prepare written notification that each candidate is unopposed for the election. Upon receipt of the notification, the Council is authorized to declare each unopposed candidate elected to office and cancel the General Election.  The following candidates are unopposed, and upon approval of the resolution to cancel the election, will be declared elected to the specified offices and begin their official duties on May 24, 2011: 

The election for Lewisville Independent School District (LISD) Board of Trustees Places 6 and 7 will be conducted on May 14, 2011. The Highland Village Municipal Complex will be a polling location for the LISD election. The hours of the polling location on Election Day will be 7:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m.

Early Voting Hours:

May 02 – May 07:  8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.       

May 09 – May 10:  7:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m.

In addition to the Highland Village Municipal Complex, residents will also be able to vote at a number of polling locations during the early voting period.  Please refer to Denton County’s website (http://elections.dentoncounty.com) for additional location sites. 

The Lewisville Independent School District ballot will include the following races:

School Trustee Place 6         

School Trustee Place 7

Highland Village residents, if eligible, may vote early by mail.  A registered voter may be eligible if they meet at least one of the following criteria: (a) out of the county on Election Day and during the early voting period; (b) disability; (c) voter is 65 years of age or older on Election Day; and (d) confinement in jail.  Applications for a ballot by mail shall be mailed to:

Frank Phillips, Early Voting Clerk
P.O. Box 1720
Denton, TX 76202

Visit http://elections.dentoncounty.com or call 940.349.3200 for more information

Veterans Memorial Dedication

In 2008 the City dedicated the community funded Veterans Monument on the south side of the Municipal Complex. The Monument represents each branch of the armed services. The newly constructed Veterans Memorial is adjacent to the Monument and is designed to memorialize individual Highland Village Veterans who have died in the line of duty or passed away after full retirement from the service. We invite you to join us for the dedication of our Veterans Memorial and for the placing of the first plaque honoring Pfc. Aaron Hudson from Highland Village who was killed in Iraq in 2005.

Veterans Memorial Dedication
Friday, April 15, 2011
4:00 p.m.
City of Highland Village Municipal Complex
1000 Highland Village Road
Southside along Brazos Boulevard and City Trail

Read Any Good Books Lately?

Every now and then we read a book that has such a positive impact on us we can’t wait to share it with someone else. You can do just that at Highland Village Business Association April 12 luncheon. This event will be very interactive as we’d like you to bring a book or two that has impacted you in some way. Maybe it’s a business book, a motivational book, a self-help book or just a great read - bring it and share the story with the group. If you’ve written a book or know someone locally who has, please attend and tell us about the book. Dr. Gayle Sulik, local professor and author, will be present to share information and to help guide our discussion. For more information visit us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/highlandvillagebusinessassociation. Call 972-899-5131 to RSVP.

Save a Life! Learn CPR!

The Highland Village Fire Department conducts monthly CPR / 1st Aid courses for our residents and our neighboring communities.  Training covers Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) for Adults, Infants and Children and Automated External Defibrillator (AED) training. Upcoming CPR classes will be held on:

Wednesday, April 6 ~ Wednesday, May 4 ~ Thursday, June 2

Held at the Highland Village Fire Station from 6:00 pm-9:00 pm

CPR costs are $25 for residents of Highland Village and $45 for non-residents.

Class size is limited, please sign-up early!  

Please contact the Highland Village Fire Department at (972) 317-0890 to register. 

Senior All-Stars

Choctaw Casino
Wednesday, April 20, 2011
Must sign up by 3:00 p.m. Friday, April 15, 2011
Cost: $5/includes bus ride
You will receive $10 Casino play money and a discount on breakfast
Bus leaves from 1000 Highland Road at 9:00 a.m. and leaves Choctaw at 5:00 p.m.

Germanfest - Muenster, TX
Come join us for German food, music and fun!!
Saturday, April 30, 2011
9:30 a.m.- 5:00 p.m.
Cost: $5/bus ride. Please bring an additional $10 for the entry fee at the gate.
Registration deadline is Monday, April 25, 2011

Sign up for the trips at The Robert & Lee DuVall Center at

Easter Egg Hunt – April 16 at 10:00 a.m. Sharp!

Each year the City of Highland Village holds their annual Easter Egg Hunt at the Unity Park baseball/softball field facility (Behind Briarhill Middle School). This event is free to the public and includes pictures with the Easter Bunny, face painting, a bounce house and fire engine.  The Hunt starts immediately at 10:00 a.m. If Hunt is cancelled due to rain, it will be held the following Saturday at Unity Park, April 23 at 10:00 a.m.

Movies in the Park

Grab your lawn chairs and blankets and head out to Pilot Knoll Park every Friday in May for Movies in the Park. The movies will start 8:30 p.m. but feel free to come out and enjoy the park before then and to pick out your spot. It will be a fun evening for the whole family to enjoy. There will not be an entry fee at the gatehouse for these movies.

Movie Lineup:

May 6 – Kung Fu Panda
May 13 – Bedtime Stories
May 20 – Yogi Bear
May 27 – Megamind

Highland Village Days Red, White & Blue Festival

Remember the awesome fireworks show in Highland Village last June? Don’t miss out seeing them up close and personal this year! Mark your calendar for this year’s Highland Village Days Red, White & Blue Festival on Saturday, June 4. Morning festivities include a 1K/5K run and the family fish out at Unity Park. Then head over to Copperas Branch Park for food, drinks, kids activities and music by the Bart Crow Band and Josh Abbott. Finish off the night with a spectacular fireworks extravaganza!

Highland Village Kids Kamp

Highland Village Parks and Recreation Department has planned a summer for your children they will never forget. Join us in the mornings for organized games and activities and then stick around in the afternoon for field trips you won’t find offered by any other kamp out there! Field trips are taken 4 out of 5 days a week weather permitting. Each participant will receive a free T-shirt and additional T-shirts can be purchased for ten dollars each.  Our kamps are scheduled weekly so you can customize your summer activities. Kamp starts June 13 and ends August 12. Visit hvparks.com or call the Parks and Recreation Department at 972-317-7430 for more information.

We’ve Got Your Guide to Fun!

The Highland Village Parks Department is now offering community education classes. Visit hvparks.com and click on
Your Guide to Fun! to see all the classes offered this spring and summer!

Community Education Instructors

The Parks and Recreation Department will be offering Community Education Classes this spring as part of the new programming that will be offered at The Robert & Lee Duvall Center. We are seeking enthusiastic instructors with innovative ideas. We hope to offer quality leisure educational and recreational programs to enhance the quality of life of Highland Village residents. We seek instructors that will allow us to offer progressive classes that constantly challenge and explore. If you possess a skill or valuable knowledge that you would like to share with your community, be sure to contact the Parks and Recreation Office at 972-317-7430. Instructors will be compensated through a contract basis based upon class registration.

We Want Your Opinion

The City is conducting an informal communication survey and we want your input. Your input will help us rate our current communication efforts and develop our future communication plans. Visit our website at highlandvillage.org and click the Communication Survey link.