MOM with City Manager of COL on 02-Jan-2020

Hello All - Here is the MOM with City Manager meeting occurred in the last week.

1. Discussed about What City is planning to do and how they operate.
2. City is very firm on getting the Annexation competed by Jul 2021.
3. Castle Hills - A jewel in the market, after annexation it will still be jewel in Lewisville.

4. Benefits of Annexation
1. City Dashboard - https://metrics.Cityoflewisville.com - Various analytical reports can be found here (including Police patrol, response times, Library issues, Water billing issues, IT issues,……. Etc)
2. Enhanced Patrolling - COL is adding addl. 10 officers in the current year and will keep adding more in the next couple years to facilitate the incoming need from future annexed area (Castlehills).  Currently we are paying additionally to have 12-14 hours of Patrolling our areas but this will become 24 hours on a typical patrolling done by Police department.
3. Public Library - Requested to look into setting up a Public library in Castlehills area. As CHNE residents needs to visit Colony Library (free), Plano/Carrollton (need to pay as outsiders). COL will be discussing this with Library department and check what best they can do for now (have an agreement with Plano/Carrollton to allow us as residents so we don't need to pay a fee for membership) or how to plan for a new one.
4. Public Parks - COL has a vision of "10 minute walk to park". COL will be discussing with Parks and Recreations department on this, as we (CHNE) do not have a public park nearby.
5. Property Taxes - As of today, we are all have a very Varieties of tax structure based on the water districts. Out of all, only 1F is at its best rate (2.1027%) due to the shopping centers within 1F district. However, we will all get the COL's best tax rate (currently 2.00607%). 1G is at 2.57%. This is a huge benefit for all Castle hills residents and savings will be anywhere between $1000 to $3000).
6. Board Positions - All CH residents will become COL residents hence all residents are eligible to get in to the various boards COL has based on its requirement criteria. Currently there are 2-3 residents on some boards as it is allowed under City policies.
7. Resident Rights -
8. Other benefits - Neighborhood Services - https://www.cityoflewisville.com/about-us/city-departments/neighborhood-services)
9. Animal Adoption Center
10. Health Inspection Certifications - COL will be inspecting each year for all the restuarants and issue the Certifications
11. Water Pressure -> As water district is actually buying the water from COL and COL is getting from Trinity upper district, they are planning to take some valves out so the pressure automatically build up and CHNE should see the benefits.
12. Events in CH area - As of today, City conducts all events at City Hall, they are planning to extend some events to CH area as well

5. Disadvantages of Annexation
1. Sales Tax increase - Currently Castle hills has 7.625% as sales tax rate but it will become 8.25%. This will be as good as you shop outside castle hills shops, which is applied as of today.
2. Homestead Exemption - This is in limbo as COL do not offer addl. Homestead exemption (this is beyond $25K. Currently 1F and 1G has issued maxed out at 20% addl. homestead exemption in the property taxes). However, COL is discussing with City councilmen during the Feb Retreat meeting. If anybody can attend, pls feel free to attend and pose any questions you may have on COL functioning.

6. Citizen University - New Batch starts from Sept'20. You can see the details here https://www.cityoflewisville.com/about-us/departments-services/city-secretary/citizens-university
7. New School (Josey Elementary School)
1. Will be ready for Aug 2021 school year
2. LISD has these pictures - https://www.lisd.net/site/default.aspx?PageType=3&DomainID=10202&ViewID=AC80B399-C322-4D19-9C4A-A824CB42011E&FlexDataID=44356&PageID=22967
3. Ground work - As the ground work starts and near to completion, speed limit signs on Josey Ln will be appears
4. Rezoning - COL do not have any details but will be discussing on this with LISD (Only after rezoning, we will know whether CHNE residents will be zoned to this new school)
8. ALDI Sales Tax - Reminded COL team again on this overcharge of Sales Tax. ALDI is charging us at COL sales tax rate (8.25%) instead CH sales tax rate (7.625%). However, this will be only until annexation.
9. Resident Districts will be defined or drawn only after the Census 2020 finalization, which will be done by end of 2020.
10. Noise Disturbance - Current noise disturbances on the north and west side of CHNE. COL can only request the cleaning companies to adhere to the state codes but not the COL codes. They can enforcement the city codes after annexation. This was brought up especially one of our resident is fighting against the noise made by the cleaning crew during the midnight around the 24/7 Fitness, Target complex, Public storage, Studio grill……)
11. Analysis Study - Study being done by various departments (Water, Public Services, Public works, …)
12. Water Billing System -> Currently Castle hills has inclining Rate structure -> As of today, COL has the standard rate system and they would like to bring this to all Lewisville residents. Inclining Rate structure is nothing but slab level rates based on the usage.
13. Street Lights on Windhaven Pkwy - Currently there are "no" streetlights on the median of Windhaven pkwy (from Austin ranch to Old Denton rd). COL is surprised on why there are no streetlights at all, so city manager is going to work with concerned department on identifying the issue.
14. Online Sales business encouragements - COL is encouraging to have more online sales and setup warehouses within City so revenue is generated

Feel free to reach me for any further details on the above or any other community things you would like to discuss. 

Best Regards

Gangadhar Kotu

Community Blog: https://castlehillsnehomes.blogspot.com/

"Arise, Awake and stop not till the goal is reached .. Swami Vivekananda"