Cedar Hill city staff presented a draft five‑year strategic plan Tuesday that lays out priorities including public safety upgrades, economic development in Uptown and Midtown, protections for the library and signature park, and expanded community engagement.

The City Manager said, “So, tonight really is the first step in achieving the 5 year strategic plan,” and described the document as a vision-setting framework that staff will translate into a one‑year work plan for council review. The manager told council the work plan would show concrete tasks, timelines and department responsibilities after the council adopts the strategic plan.

The nut graf: The plan frames the mayor and council’s long‑term priorities and identifies “high‑impact action items” such as implementing the public safety strategic plan, advancing targeted economic development in the city’s Tax Increment Financing (TIF) areas, and protecting investments around the library and signature park. Staff emphasized that some items are long‑term or contingent on external partners and funding, and that additional, item‑level follow up will return to council.

Public safety ranked as a top focus. Staff listed five public safety goals rooted in the city’s 2023 public safety strategic plan: evaluate feasibility of a new Fire Station 5 and a regional training center; recruit and retain competitive public safety personnel; expand neighborhood safety and community‑public safety relationships; enhance regional public safety partnerships; and maintain high industry ratings. The City Manager noted Cedar Hill’s ISO fire rating of 1 and said staff will continue pursuing initiatives that keep the rating and its associated insurance benefits in place.

On economic development, the plan identifies targeted actions for three TIF/TIRZ zones created in 2017—Uptown (Hillside Village area), Midtown (government center and library area) and downtown. For Uptown, staff described a proposed modification to the Planned Development (PD) to allow restaurants with on‑premise alcohol by right to accelerate leasing and tenant fit‑outs. Council members asked that any fast‑track process still include formal opportunities for the mall or prospective tenants to brief council on specific businesses before final approvals.

For Midtown, staff said the next step is drafting context‑sensitive development regulations that reflect the West Midtown plan and will be shaped by stakeholder outreach. The manager said staff will return with options to protect the library‑in‑a‑park investment through compatible design rules and explore shared parking options.

Council questions included requests for clearer presentation opportunities from prospective tenants at Hillside Village, timing for work‑plan workshops, and public communications about the Zula B. Wiley (former library) site. The City Manager confirmed staff will produce a one‑year work plan after adoption and suggested a workshop or special session for council to review that work plan in detail.

The council pulled the strategic plan item from the consent agenda for further discussion and future formal consideration. The meeting recessed after briefings and a procedural motion to adjourn was moved (mover not specified), seconded by Councilmember Glover and approved by the council; staff announced the council would reconvene at 7 p.m. for the regular meeting.

Ending: Staff will return with a one‑year work plan that sets deliverables and timelines to implement the plan’s objectives, plus outreach materials and options for how future applicant presentations (for example, restaurant tenants at Hillside Village) would be shared with council.