Item 6A - Corridor Report
Southlake 2035 Corridor Planning Committee Meeting Report
Meeting 43 – May 22, 2023
MEETING
LOCATION: 1400 Main St., Southlake, Texas 76092
City Council Chambers
IN
ATTENDANCE:
• City Council Members: Shawn McCaskill, Amy Torres-Lepp, Kathy Talley,
• Planning & Zoning Commission Members: Austin Reynolds, Gina
Phalen
• Park Board Member: Frances Scharli
• City Staff: Dennis Killough, Reagan Rothenberger, Madeline Prater
AGENDA
ITEMS:
1. Call to Order.
2. Administrative Comments.
3. Review, discuss and make recommendations for the proposed Diwalifest
event located between E. Southlake Blvd., State St. and Grand Avenue in
Town Square.
4. Review, discuss and make recommendations on the proposed Randol Mill
Offices located on approximately 2.59 acres at 360 Randol Mill Ave.
5. Review, discuss and make recommendations for a proposed commercial
building at 671 State Street, Lot 4, Block 16 of Southlake Town Square.
6. Review, discuss and make recommendations for a proposed single family
residential subdivision on approximately 12.1 acres of land located at 300
W Bob Jones Rd. and 4440 N White Chapel Blvd.
7. Review, discuss and make recommendations for a proposed mixed -use
development including single family residential and commercial lots on
approximately 32.8 acres located at 1451, 1535, and 1537 Brumlow Ave.
and 1719 E Continental Blvd.
8. Review, discuss and make recommendations for a proposed residential
subdivision of two lots on approximately 1.69 acres at 600 Randol Mil l
Avenue.
9. Adjournment.
MEETING
OVERVIEW:
On May 22, 2023 the Southlake 2035 Corridor Planning Committee held
their forty-third meeting. The Committee was sent a packet of materials
prior to the meeting that were to be discussed during the session. A
meeting agenda was posted, and the meeting time was advertised on the
City’s website. The following meeting report focuses on discussion points
made during the meeting by members of the Committee, public and City
staff. This report is neither verbatim nor does it represent official meeting
minutes; rather it serves to inform elected and appointed officials, City
staff, and the public of the issues and questions raised by the Committee,
City staff, and any attendees of the meeting. Interested parties are
strongly encouraged to follow development cases through the process.
Please visit CityofSouthlake.com/Planning for more information.
Southlake Corridor Planning Committee Item #3 – Diwalifest
Meeting #43 – May 22, 2023 Page 3
ITEM #3 DISCUSSION – Review, discuss and make recommendations for the
proposed Diwalifest event located between E. Southlake Blvd., State St. and Grand
Avenue in Town Square.
Staff presentation: Jenny Crosby
• Zoning – DT
• 6th year of Diwalifest hosted by the Southlake Foundation (3rd year in Town
Square; previously held at Bicentennial Park)
• Current SUP expires August 2026. This item is being brought forth to expand the
scope of the event from the current SUP.
• 2 days: Friday, November 3 and Saturday, November 4
• Music, cultural performances, live food stations, food trucks, vendor stalls, and
fireworks
• Options
o 1 day event
o Set-up: 7 am
o Performances: 3 pm to 8 pm
o Fireworks: 8 pm
o End: 11 pm
o Estimated 4,000 attendees.
o Cultural programs, live food stations, food trucks, and a variety of
handicrafts, art, and jewelry
o 2-day event
o Friday, November 3 and Saturday, November 4
o Day 1: Music, food stalls, inaugural ceremony
o Day 2: Music, cultural programs, live food stations, food trucks, a variety of
handicrafts, art, and jewelry, and fireworks
Questions for staff by the Committee:
Michael Forman: Attendance as it relates to Art in the Square or July 4th?
Jenny Crosby: I've heard the estimates were around 15,000 last year. Compared to
our other Town Square events, I'm unsure.
Michael Springer: How do the store owners feel about blocking the roads like this?
Jenny Crosby: I’ll defer to Economic Development to answer that question.
Southlake Corridor Planning Committee Item #3 – Diwalifest
Meeting #43 – May 22, 2023 Page 4
Applicant Presentation: Kush Rao
Questions for Applicant by the Committee:
Michael Forman: Attendance around 15,000 sound right?
Applicant: Correct, 15,000
Shawn McCaskill: I would recommend receiving a report from staff on what went well
and how to address concerns moving forward. Transitioning from a one-day event to
two will look very different. We want to make sure this event is safe, accessible, etc.
Kathy Talley: There were challenges based on the attendance from last year. We really
want you to work with staff to address future concerns. A two-day event will increase
police and fire presence, higher costs, etc.
Officer Luna - Police Perspective on Event Last Year:
• Concerns with the footprint - it was too small.
• Barricade situation was tough - these were being moved by patrons. The
barricades were not manned.
o Barricades were moved to accommodate the elderly community entering
the event.
o Incorporating a drop-off lane to accommodate the elderly would be more
helpful.
• Food made off-site.
• Copying a layout like Oktoberfest would help the event breathe.
• Similar to Art in the Square or Stars and Stripes - having volunteers, hired
security, or police stationed at the barricades would be much safer and secure .
• Operation of hours were inconsistent - suggestion for better communication
about hours of the event. Music ends roughly 30 minutes to an hour prior to end
of the event.
• PD and FD - we recommend at least 8 officers for this event (similar to the big 3
events in Town Square)
Questions for Officer Luna by the Committee:
Frances Scharli: Difference between volunteers vs. security for barricades - I would
assume a company would be preferential for safety and security.
Officer Luna: Better to have security or staff to man these areas.
Kathy Talley: Oktoberfest uses a company the entire weekend. For Art in the Square,
we use volunteers during the day and a hired company at night to man the gates, since
we serve alcohol at this event.
Officer Luna: Yes, this is a TABC rule. Especially to take alcohol from exiting patrons at
the end of the event.
Michael Springer: Advantageous for golf carts to ferry the elderly people in and out of
the event?
Southlake Corridor Planning Committee Item #3 – Diwalifest
Meeting #43 – May 22, 2023 Page 5
Officer Luna: Yes, that would be allowable. That would be up to Kush if he wants to
provide golf carts for the event.
Chief Starr - Fire Perspective on Event Last Year:
• Fireworks will not be shot off Town Hall anymore.
• There was a fence up to court off the fireworks area - vendors moved the fences
around for more space to set up.
• Fire and EMS staff is needed on scene. Action plans should be in place - we
need weather evacuation plans, or if an incident happens on scene, we need
medical staff.
Questions for Chief Starr by the Committee:
Frances Scharli: Where are fireworks supposed to be shot from? Can they be on the
ground?
Chief Starr: Normally there are lower-level fireworks being shot off the ground. We do
not allow fireworks to be shot off Town Hall, because its hard to justify to citizens that
pay for this building to allow someone to shoot fireworks off it and potentially burn it
down. We allow fireworks off the parking garage because it’s made of concrete. We
would allow this event to shoot fireworks off the garage; however, this creates a bigger
fallout that needs to be fenced off. They will also need Town Square approval and Fire
Marshalls on scene.
Frances Scharli: Will this event require the same number of staff on the ground for
fireworks off the ground?
Chief Starr: Some of the feedback we received was once our personnel came by for
inspections on food trucks and left, they may not have all obeyed the fire code. So,
moving forward we will have staff come by to ensure all the vendors are abiding by the
rules.
Daniel Cortez – Director of Economic Development and Tourism Perspective
• This is a high-quality problem - this event has outgrown what we expected.
• This event was so close to Oktoberfest it was difficult to ensure areas were
cleaned up and pristine following the event.
• Dumpsters and comfort stations – need better placement.
• Having this event go through the SUP process will be beneficial moving forward.
• Parking garage and surface parking was limited due to fencing off area for the
fireworks off the West garage.
Shawn McCaskill: Who will be the point person for Kush moving forward on this SUP?
Daniel Cortez: Economic development will assist, but many city staff and departments
will be involved. Dennis Killough and Chief Starr for sure.
Frances Scharli: From a Parks perspective, we try to make sure the area is up to
Southlake standards following events. I will say 4 major events within 6 weeks will be
challenging to ensure our parks are in great condition.
Southlake Corridor Planning Committee Item #3 – Diwalifest
Meeting #43 – May 22, 2023 Page 6
Michael Forman: This event is now being compared to larger scale events in
Southlake. Maybe before moving to a two-day event, get with Daniel and see how that
transition plays out. We do need to address the issues and concerns from police and
fire. These events are a massive undertaking, but a great problem to have.
Kathy Talley: Make sure that Kite Realty company is involved in the planning. We use
about 1,000 volunteers for Art in the Square, just FYI.
STAFF PRESENTATION SHOWN TO COMMITTEE:
Southlake Corridor Planning Committee Item #3 – Diwalifest
Meeting #43 – May 22, 2023 Page 7
Southlake Corridor Planning Committee Item #3 – Diwalifest
Meeting #43 – May 22, 2023 Page 8
Southlake Corridor Planning Committee Item #3 – Diwalifest
Meeting #43 – May 22, 2023 Page 9