Friday, February 1, 2008

Farmers Branch mayor gives Chamber of Commerce his final State of the City Address

By Minnie Payne

FARMERS BRANCH — The air was festive and handshakes and hugs were bountiful as 170 city dignitaries, Chamber members, state and federal representatives, city employees and volunteers gathered to hear Farmers Branch Mayor Bob Phelps give his 12th and final annual State of the City Address at the Sheraton Dallas North, Jan. 31. A reception was held at 6:30 p.m., with dinner and program starting at 7 p.m.

Phelps started his speech by saying that the time friends and colleagues spend together at the Farmers Branch Chamber of Commerce is always valuable.

He said that the activity and advancement seen in the city in the last 12 months has been outstanding. For instance, home incentive programs, both the renovation of existing homes and buying of new ones, are proving to be successful.

“Mixed-use and multi-family developments are springing up in all manner of places, redefining residential living in the 21st century and helping the city grow vertically,” he said.

According to Tom Bryson, Farmers Branch Public Information Officer, and Lara Orlic, Director of Chamber Relations, Farmers Branch had 12 groundbreakings and ribbon-cuttings in 2007. Phelps said this underscores the remarkable level of ongoing progress being seen in the community.

Specifics of some of the things that occurred in 2007, he said, are:

• The local economy continues to recover.

• The only constant on the local landscape is change – the kind of change that occurs with exciting new businesses and dynamic new developments continuing to move into the city.

• City council, staff and volunteers continue to excel in their daily delivery of the highest quality of service to business and residential citizens.

Business and commercial community provides nearly 80 percent of the Farmers Branch tax base, thus providing low property taxes for residents, he said. In 2007, 175 businesses moved into Farmers Branch, filling nearly 2 million square feet of space and creating 3,076 new jobs. In addition to that, 48 existing businesses expanded by adding an additional 439,000 square feet. Building permits were issued in the amount of $120 million in 2007, up 23 percent from the $93 million mark in 2006. Occupancy in Farmers Branch office space is running at a constant 79 percent. Valwood Business Park space continues to stand at a strong 94 percent.

Phelps said that through technological enhancements, personnel expansion and scheduling shifts in the evenings and on weekends, code enforcement officers are better able to serve the citizens of Farmers Branch. Volunteer citizens are also being trained to report code violations.

“Farmers Branch is growing vertically,” he said. “An abundance of multi-story developments featuring typically either all apartments or town homes, or in the mixed-use model, ground-floor level office/restaurant/retail, with residential units on the upper floors, is being utilized.”

Of most importance, he said, is the progress made on the new DART rail system. Official groundbreaking ceremonies took place late summer 2007, and work is ongoing along the DART right-of-way, just west of city hall. Light rail service is promised by 2010, if not sooner.

As far as the DART light rail station area is concerned, he said that the new heart of the city will embrace a community vision to create attractive parks, plazas and city streets, in a vital and vibrant transit-oriented neighborhood, mixing those uses of residential, retail, restaurant and office use.

“We are pleased to announce that we have just entered into a memorandum of understanding with Icon Partners to be the master developer of the Farmers Branch station area, so look for great things, sooner than later,” Phelps said.

Farmers Branch is known for its athletic program and facilities, he said. In addition to nationally recognized athletic fields and state-of-the-art senior and recreation centers, the city also boasts the new Ross Stewart Soccer Complex, expected to draw more than 15,000 players and spectators each year. Not only will the complex be utilized for soccer, but the 2008 flag football national championships will bring teams from all over the country in May 2008.

“Farmers Branch is well on its way to capturing market share in sports activities,” he said. “In 2007, the city experienced roughly 12,000 room nights, or an estimated $1 million in hotel revenue.”

On the side of public safety, he said that in late 2007, the Farmers Branch Fire Department added fire station No. 3 and the Bob Phelps Fire Administration Building, the first new expansion for the Farmers Branch Fire Department since 1974.

“We want to extend our congratulations to Chief King and his staff on this wonderful new addition to our city,” Phelps said.

Police Chief Sid Fuller came to Farmers Branch 18 months ago and hasn’t let up, he said.

“The chief has been instrumental in furthering community watch in our neighborhoods, has initiated the citizens on patrol program, and a community-based policing approach that has officers taking ownership of their beats,” he said.

In regards to debt and capital improvements, Phelps said that the city’s debt service dropped from $3.2 million to under $500,000 in 2007, creating the opportunity to use some short-term debt to supplement the pay-as-you-go capital funding plan.

“With fire station No. 3 being paid for by fund balances from past years, the new short-term debt will enable improvements to Webb Chapel Road, Midway Road, Benchmark Drive and the design and construction of a new animal shelter,” he said.

The Farmers Branch City Council in late 2007 approved a new location for a new state-of-the-art/neighborhood-friendly Farmers Branch Animal Adoption Center, Phelps said.

“The new location, just east of the Farmers Branch Justice Center, near Marsh and Valley View, will minimize response times to the entire community, provide greater convenience to citizens and increase shelter awareness, patronage and adoption rates,” he said.

He gave an invitation to the thousands of people who work in Farmers Branch, but who are not residents, to come home to Farmers Branch.

“Between the businesses, colleges, schools and residents, the daytime population of Farmers Branch in 2008 is estimated to be more than 91,000, three times the size of the nighttime population,” he said.

He listed some of the reasons for making their home in Farmers Branch as being:

• We’re geographically in the center of the metroplex.

• We’ve got ever-increasing options for housing.

• DART light rail and the rail station area will be a major transportation installation and a destination for many.

• Our public and private schools and colleges offer educational options for all ages.

• Our low property tax rate and residential incentive programs indicate that it pays to live in Farmers Branch.

• Our amenities, facilities and services are second to none.

• Our community is steeped in Texas history, but with an eye to the future.

Finally, he mentioned the new Liberty Plaza, an area designed to honor our country and those who served, as well as to act as an area of meditation and reflection for visitors of all ages.

Mayor Phelps ended his address with “God bless.”

“The Farmers Branch Chamber has enjoyed a close working relationship with the city, and we look forward to an update on all the things happening in Farmer Branch,” said Chamber Chair Richard Brown.

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