Lori Chapin

The Town Council of the Town of Highland Park, Texas, will hold a public hearing to provide a forum for public comments on the FY 2025-26 Proposed Budget. The proposed budget is available for review on the Town's website and in the Town Secretary's Office. The budget will raise more total property taxes than the previous year's budget, reflecting both an overall increase and additional revenue from new property added to the tax roll.

The Town Council study session included discussions on the Fiscal Year 2025-26 Combined Operating and Capital Budget, focusing on property value estimates, tax rate scenarios (No New Revenue and Voter Approval), sales tax projections, building permit revenue, and other key revenue assumptions such as water, sanitary sewer, stormwater, and solid waste rates. The council also reviewed the Capital Improvement Plan, covering general capital improvements, stormwater improvements, and utility fund improvements.

The Town Council study session included discussions on the development of the Fiscal Year 2025-26 Combined Operating and Capital Budget. Key topics included property value estimates, property tax rate estimates (NNR and VAR), sales tax preliminary estimates, building permit revenue, and other key revenue assumptions such as water, sanitary sewer, stormwater, and solid waste rates. The council also reviewed upcoming dates for the budget development process and discussed the Town's 10-year Capital Improvement Plan.

The ADA Self-Evaluation and Transition Plan outlines the activities completed to date for ADA compliance and provides a roadmap for the Town of Highland Park to update their ADA Transition Plan. It includes a review of programs, services, and activities (PSAs), an inventory of existing facilities, and an action plan for self-evaluation. The plan addresses physical and programmatic barriers to accessibility, prioritization methods for improvements, funding opportunities, and next steps for implementation, with the goal of achieving equal access to the Town's PSAs within a reasonable timeframe.

The Board of Adjustment will conduct public hearings to consider two variance requests. The first request concerns a variance from Section 7-201 (4) regarding accessory building or structure definitions for a lot at 4321 Lakeside Drive, allowing accessory structures without a main structure. The second request is for variances from Sections 10-101 and 8-601 (1) to construct a new home exceeding the maximum height and setback requirements for a lot at 4501 Highland Drive, due to the property's topography.