December 2017
Richardson Coalition Three Minute News
December 2017
Santa’s Village Open
Santa’s Village opened on Saturday, December 2. It is free and open to the public on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday nights through Sunday, December 17. Each year, Santa’s Village comes to
life from 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm with children’s activities inside each structure, live entertainment, a petting zoo, and the opportunity to visit with Santa Claus. The Village Hometown on Thursday, December 7 and 14 is reserved for Richardson Residents only. Free tickets will be distributed at Richardson City Hall and both Heights and Huffhines recreation centers with proof of residency (driver’s license, water bill or similar). More information is available at: http://www.cor.net/santasvillage.
New Park Open
Fox Creek Park, Renner Road, between Plano Road and Jupiter Road near CityLine, officially opened Saturday, October 28. The 13-acre site includes paved trails, a pavilion, a playground, and open green space near CityLine development. This is Richardson’s 38th city park.
City Goals Set
The City Council goals for 2017-19 and strategies that focus on maintaining and enhancing Richardson as a quality living, working, and investing environment were adopted by the City Council in September. The full list of the goals is available online at www.cor.net/goals.
East Arapaho Development Plan Underway
In September the City staff presented to the City Council the Arapaho Center Station/ East Arapaho Area work plan. The East Arapaho area is one of six enhancement/redevelopment areas in the City’s comprehensive plan. The Arapaho Station is the only DART station without a formalized transit oriented development (TOD) plan. The staff will work with a consultant to build on previous studies and work with the Chamber for the area identified by the task force.
New Hotel Planned
The City Council approved zoning for a full service hotel to be built on 1.43 acres at the northeast corner of US-75 and E. Lookout Drive. The hotel, Four Points by Sheraton, will include the six-story hotel, totaling 58,091 square feet with amenities such as restaurant and bar, meeting rooms, outdoor seating, outdoor pool and a putting green near the existing cellular tower.
Methodist Hospital Expansion
City Council approved zoning for Methodist’s Renner Road Hospital for the addition of two floors and a parking garage. This will add almost 100,000 square feet, 150 beds and 500 parking places to the hospital. Construction is expected to start early 2018.
Fire Extinguishers Recalled
Richardson Fire Department is helping to spread the word that the U. S. Consumer Product Safety Commission has issued a recall notice for certain types of Kidde fire extinguishers due to malfunction problems, including failure to discharge. Complete listing of models included in the recall and information on how to return a recalled unit to Kidde and receive a replacement is online here: https://inmarmarketaction.com/kidde/Kidde284US/.
Brush and Bulky Item Collection
Public Services Department launched a “Think Big” campaign this month to encourage people to remember the “Bulky” part of the City’s BABIC service is meant for large, bulky items generally weighing more than 50 pounds. The campaign was created after a noticeable increase in the number of BABIC calls for very small amounts of trash or vegetative debris. More information on Think Big is available at www.cor.net/ThinkBig.
Winter Irrigation
Winter water conservation began November 1. Residents may water their yards at any time of day on their twice-per-week designated watering days. Residents should avoid watering when temperatures may drop below freezing. To receive weekly, personalized recommendations on how much water your yard needs, visit www.watermyyard.org.
