Local News

Let us be your local news source! 380Guide in association with 380News is providing you with news, developments and other pertinent information in the 380 corridor. We cover Northeast Denton County and Northwest Collin County communities including, Abrey, Pilot Point, Prosper, Little Elm, Oak Point, Frisco, Celina, Cross Roads, Denton, Krugerville, and Lakewood Village. Click here to submit press releases.

Wind Turbine Turbulence

Wind Turbine

By R.C. Taylor
“Going Green,” is becoming as American as Apple Pie, Baseball and Hot Dogs. It is quintessential for the future for our children and our planet. Cities and companies are hearing applause for their efforts to develop and build green and some are even receiving standing ovation. All of us need to embrace renewable energy, recycling and everything else that falls into the realm of green. Why would we not? You might be surprised at some of the reasons that people have outside of the normal realm of what one may expect, such as the pay off and the overall upfront investment. Recently at a City Council Meeting in the 380 corridor, the argument seemed to focus on partiality, appearance, property values and aesthetics. The hot topic for the evening was Wind Turbines. A local company is utilizing different forms of renewable energy in a commercial building and they are meeting opposition by other business owners in the community.

The initial concern was the noise that it may produce which was baffling considering the company is directly off HWY 380 where traffic noise is astronomical. However, it did raise concern enough that I drove to two different locations where there are wind turbines to listen. No, there was not a sound that I could hear coming directly from the turbines. I even drove to the wind turbine outside of a local store in McKinney off of HWY 380 that is considerably larger (and less attractive) than the wind turbine in question. Decrease in property value could raise an eyebrow too, this is not graffiti, an overgrown lawn, trash accumulation, or an abandoned home it is a modest wind turbine in question.

The wind turbine shown was noble in appearance with curved blades and solid in color. The company was requesting only one turbine (not a wind turbine farm) that would be about fifty feet behind the building. With all of the Billboards, communication towers, telephone poles and other elements of the Human Landscape why would one shun the dignified wind turbine?

City Council to Vote on Wind Turbine

By Jodie Linton-Prickett
The City Council of Cross Roads will vote on the wind turbine at upcoming City Council Meeting. This meeting is open for anyone to attend but you must sign up if you wish to speak. There has been opposition to the wind turbine citing everything from property value to wind noise. In efforts to dispel these arguments and concerns Bill Snyder of Snyder Custom Homes and other supporters met with the planning and zoning committee armed with a slide show and locations of like wind turbines for concerned citizens to view. Bill Snyder would like to install a fifty-foot wind turbine fifty feet behind his commercial building located at 8300 West HWY 380. The building is on a large commercial lot with a minimum clearance of fifty feet from any structure and well within his property line. The Planning and Zoning Committee passed the wind turbine with three for the wind turbines, one against and one abstention due to conflict of interest. This vote will now move to the City Council. While the city of Cross Roads wishes to maintain the look of “Old Town Texas,” the wind turbine may be facing some serious turbulence. The structure also exceeds the height limitations, which caps out at thirty-five-feet. Concessions may be needed considering the positive facts surrounding the structure including domestic, renewable and clean energy. If you would like your voice heard please attend the meeting, send a letter or make a phone call to the City of Cross Roads.

Providence and Savannah Residents Vie for Seats on Water District Boards

Denton County, TX

By Michael Ryan
It’s a given in most cities that the elected officials are neighbors and friends of those who voted them into office and active members of the community in which they were elected to represent.

In Texas Freshwater Supply Districts, the governing body is often comprised of officials who don’t live in the district and have minimal vested interest in the financial, development, and legal decisions they are required to consider. Several residents of Providence Village and Savannah are hoping to change the current political and decision making climate on May 10 when they run for positions on their respective Fresh Water Supply District Boards.

Candidates

In communities like Providence Village and Savannah, a certain degree of uncertainty often exists regarding the governmental structure. Several layers of community management including developer representatives, home owners associations, and resident committees often contribute to further blurring the big picture. It can be difficult to discern which governing body is responsible for specific projects or decisions, and quite often, the Fresh Water Supply District Boards go unnoticed.

Despite being responsible for deliberating and voting on a variety of significant multi-million dollar community issues, including the tax rate, road and water projects, and public safety, the Fresh Water Supply District Boards often meet off site and hold meetings with minimal resident attendance or participation. Depending on how many residents vote and who they vote for, that could change in May.

Providence Village residents Clint Shipp, Brian Roberson, and Kate Julian, and Savannah resident Michael Ryan have all filed to represent their communities and will be on the ballot. While they are technically not running as a unified platform, they do share the same political and philosophical beliefs regarding how their community should be governed, the core of which is a certainty that both communities need to be managed by residents who have a stake in the future of the 380 corridor.

Providence - Shipp, an administrator with the University of North Texas, has been a resident of Providence Village with his wife and two children since 2003. In addition to a background in public administration, non profit management, and college-level lecturing, he holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Economics and a Master’s of Public Administration, and expects to complete his Doctorate this year.

After having attended the District Board meetings for several years, Shipp chose to run this year and will focus on governmental transparency, operational procedures, and staffing and budgeting. Along with his running mates, he believes the district has reached a point in its natural evolution that necessitates resident representation.

“The district has a considerable amount of power. More power than people realize. They serve a very similar role as a city council,” said Shipp. “The current board has done a good service for the past eight years, but they don’t have a true vested interest. It’s time for the residents to take control of the board and the district.”

Roberson has been a Providence Village resident with his wife, daughter, and son for almost four years. With a Bachelor’s of Science from the University of North Texas, a career background in municipal government and information technology, and a history of serving on local committees and advisory boards, he intends to use his knowledge and history to address governmental structure, taxing issues, and the development possibilities for the 380 corridor water districts.

“I think it’s just wise to have homeowners who live and breathe with everybody else in the neighborhood on the board. I want to make sure that we have homeowner representation, so we can make informed decisions about our future,” said Roberson. “The biggest thing for me is probably the government structure. I think we need to get a handle on what it should be. And, the second thing is taxes. If there is anything that can be done, we need to find a way.”

A parent of three, Julian has been a resident of Providence Village for almost five years. She currently serves as Vice-President of the local PTA and has served on several committees in Providence Village. With a background in public service, experience with the Frisco Independent School District, and a Bachelor’s of Arts from the University of Texas at Arlington, Julian will focus on fiscal responsibility and long-term planning.

Savannah - A resident of Savannah with his wife and daughter since 2004, Ryan intends to utilize his Bachelor’s of Arts in Communications and more than eight years of municipal government administration to also bring transparency and open communications to Fresh Water Supply District #10. The former 380 News Publisher and Editor has stated a desire to ensure the district is efficiently and effectively acting as a good steward of the tax payer dollars, while also providing a high-quality level of service to the residents.

“The residents of Savannah deserve to have a board that truly represents their side of the issues. I believe that in order to accomplish that, the elected officials must also be residents, neighbors, and friends of those who put them into office,” said Ryan. “We spend a lot of time and effort working with the HOA and the committees, but the reality is that the water district boards are the ones who set the tax rates, repair the roads, and conduct the long-term planning for our community.”

The Election - The general elections for Providence Village (Freshwater Supply District #9) and Savannah (Freshwater Supply District #10) is scheduled for 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. on Saturday, May 10 at the respective clubhouses. For more information, visit www.380elections.com.