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Highland Village presents 'State of the City' highlights: parks, public safety, street projects and stable finances
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Summary
City leaders showcased 2025 accomplishments in parks, safety and infrastructure, including park upgrades, a 'safe-haven' public safety program, two major road reconstructions funded by certificates of obligation with Denton County matching, and a 3% employee salary adjustment.
Highland Village staff and a city-produced video presented the city’s 2025 highlights to the council on Feb. 24, focusing on parks and recreation upgrades, public-safety programs, capital projects and finances.
The video and staff described improvements at DoubleTree Ranch Park (added splash-pad features and teen programming), a new basketball court at Unity Park, and the city’s role in creating a Parks-and-Wildlife-endorsed paddle trail on Lewisville Lake. The city also previewed community events such as Celebrate Highland Village and Christmas at the Ranch.
Public-safety initiatives were presented under a local branding called “safe haven mode,” which staff said includes a drone program for event coverage, replacement of two outdoor warning sirens with new sirens for broader coverage, acquisition of portable radios for reliable dispatch communications and an emotional-support dog deployed in schools and during crises. Staff noted recognition for both police and fire departments for best-practice compliance.
On infrastructure and finance, staff reported a 4.2% increase in assessed valuations for the year, council approval of voter-authorized certificates of obligation totaling $7.4 million to fund 50% of two street reconstruction projects (Highland Shores Boulevard and Highland Village Road), and Denton County’s agreement to match 50% of the projects. Staff said the city maintained a healthy fund balance and approved a 3% salary adjustment and market adjustments for some positions.
Council and staff also briefly discussed ongoing projects such as dredging of neighborhood ponds, trimming along FM 2499 to improve sight lines, replacement of an aging Lake Vista groundwater well, and planned reconstruction phases for identified streets. Staff said Phase 3 of a multi-phase street reconstruction program is expected to begin in 2026.
The presentation closed with a call to community engagement and an emphasis on Highland Village’s brand as a destination that offers parks, small-business growth and planned, measured service delivery.
