- Mowing along fence lines of undeveloped property north and east of Brookfield Estates
|
- Forming of PID Neighbors get organized with the help of City Council representative Richard Fregoe to talk over establishing a PID to improve the look and community spirit of the neighborhood. After a successful petition drive, the City Council approves the formation of the Forum Estates PID, its Board of Directors, and its assessment rate.
|
- PID Begins Improvement Efforts After 2 years of planning and collections of PID assessments, the PID begins in earnest its improvement activities. Initial planning is followed and professional services are sought to help administer, maintain, and beautify the PID.
|
- Selection of Management Contractor - After conducting a multi-company selection process, the PID selected Principle Management Group (PMG) to perform its financial management activities. PMG performs account set up and administration, monthly and annual reports, City account coordination, bill payment, tax filings, and communication mailing services for the PID. PMG services several other large PID's and Home Owner Associations across the Metroplex.
|
- Selection of Maintenance Contractor - After conducting a multi-company selection process, the PID selected Land Works to perform its maintenance and general contracting services for improvements in our PID. Land Works is a Grand Prairie based company with its main office on Great Southwest Parkway. Land Works is providing all mowing, edging, trimming, litter pickup maintenance - roughly 36 times a year. In addition, Land Works is performing the PID's landscape installations and maintenance along with installation of holiday decorations. Land Works is also overseeing all of our major improvements including major wall refurbishment, irrigation systems installation, and sign monument installations.
|
- PID Maintenance Begins The PID begins mowing, edging, and litter control along 6.3 miles of PID right-of-ways and medians.
|
- Selection of Master Plan Contractor - After conducting a multi-company selection process, the PID selected Land Patterns to work with the PID and develop a Master Plan which will address a phased implementation of improvements in our neighborhood. In addition, Land Patterns is developing and documenting a site analysis, PID landscape asset inventory, maintenance standards, and design standards.
|
- Installation of Initial Flower Beds The PID implemented its first beautification improvement by installing 9 temporary flowerbeds along Forum Drive medians and corners. These are installed as an interim improvement until the Master Plan can be completed.
|
- Brookfield Estates Reimbursement Program Started The PID begins a neighborhood campaign to generate interest in fixing the Brookfield Estates masonry wall. After organizing the neighbors through several meetings, and after investigating legal actions against the original wall developers, the PID establishes a voluntary program to help our neighbors. The PID selects BrickMaster to provide masonry wall repairs at a volume rate and provides a 25% reimbursement incentive to encourage homeowners to participate in this voluntary program. (Note: As of July 2005, 3 families have participated in the program and repaired their panels and added cast-stone caps. 2 families have made repairs outside of the Program.)
|
- Selection of Security Contractor The PID selects a security firm, Absolute Security, to begin a few randomly scheduled patrols to try and reduce/deter crime in our area.
|
- New Year Holiday Decorations The PID installs decorations along major intersections and thoroughfares to brighten up the holidays.
|
- Initial Master Plan Draft Complete - The first major draft of the Master Plan is completed. Approximately 27 drawings of Forum Estates design elements are specified including PID sign monuments, neighborhood entry sign monuments, trees, flowerbeds, irrigation systems, and utilities.
|
- Great Southwest Parkway Wall Refurbishment With the cooperation of the homeowners along the GSW wall (east side south of Forum), complicated wall renovations are completed to correct soil erosion problems, major cracks, and other structural problems. In addition, a new long-lasting paint is applied to complete a long overdue face-lift to the wall.
|
- PID Master Plan Phases 1 & 2 Completed 2 beautification phases of the Master Plan are implemented focusing on improvements at the major entry points to the PID (GSW Parkway & Forum intersection and Mayfield & Forum intersection). Improvements include installation of 19 trees, 9 crepe myrtles, 1000s of plants and flowers, 3 lighted limestone sign monuments, irrigation systems, and all necessary utilities.
|
- Forum Apartments and P&Z Meeting Board members attend Citys Planning and Zoning Commission meeting stating concerns of safety (proximity to glide path), noise (apartments lie within previously identified high noise zone), security (concern about having additional non-home owner transients in area), apartment density (this zip code has extremely high apartment density). Commission votes 4-4 in accepting the developers proposal and thus rejects proposal. Assistant City Attorney steps in and recalls a vote to reject proposal, conducts a vote of 4-4 again and thus allows the proposal to pass. Board members state concern to Assistant City Attorney and City Council member but to no avail.
|
- Forum Apartments Signed Agreement for Improvements In the event that the Forum Apartments development effort passes, the PID Board signs an agreement with the apartment developer to a) substitute an 8 pre-stressed concrete wall instead of a 6 foot masonry wall on the west, b) to leave the majority of large trees along the west wall (to act as a natural buffer to the apartments), c) to substitute a stone/masonry design wall along the south in place of an original wrought-iron fencing, and d) to coordinate the installation of the drainage pipe across Forum to the creek so that the PID could save costs in creating utility bores to reach the Forum median just south of the apartment complex. (Note: no further contact has been attempted since the start of construction.)
|
- Forum Apartments and City Council Meetings Board members (new and old) attend City Council meetings addressing the proposed development of the Forum Apartments. After hearing concerns regarding the apartments from numerous groups including the Airport Board and National Pilots Association regarding the danger to both pilots and residents, and after tabling the issue 2 meetings (due to a probable rejection of the proposal), the City Council passed the proposal.
|
- Phase 3 Initiation Planning The PID requested, received, and negotiated Phase 3 landscape and irrigation quotes including the development of 2 medians south of the Forum & Mayfield intersection, the median west of the Forum & GSW Parkway intersection, and the wall refurbishment at Forum & Forrest Trail. It is noted that the Forum & GSW Parkway work would be timed to coincide with the development of the Forum Apartments if the apartment proposal passes.
|
- Inspection of abandoned sprinkler system for trees and shrubs-north side of Forum
|
- Began process for TXU and water meter reinstallation for sprinkler system
|
- First Pid to initiate draft concept with city and management firm payment of vendors - this relieves city staffers of administrative functions of PID and streamlines payment process for vendors.
|
- Primary interviewing for Master Plan Architecture
|
- Selection of LandPatterns Inc. as Master Plan Architect for PID
|
- PID Master Plan Phases 3 Partially Completed The first half of Phase 3 is completed which brings irrigation and 3 new trees from the second median south of Forum & Mayfield to the median close to Farrell Elementary School. Work also includes refurbishment of the Forum & Forrest Trail wall.
|
- Security Patrols Increase The PID continues to increase patrols. The patrols cover the entire PID including streets and alley-ways.
|
- First half of Phase 3 Complete LandWorks has SprinklerWorks put in irrigation systems (bores, electrical, water, controllers, and sprinkler zones) and installs trees along 2 medians south of the Forum & Mayfield intersection. LandWorks has BrickMaster repair 2 panels where the soil has upheaved and caused failures along the Forum & Forrest Trail wall. Also the wall has been cleaned making the wall attractive again. Additional bushes have been installed on the outside of the wall for cosmetic purposes.
|
- Forum Estates Participates In PID Conference The Citys PID Administrator facilitated a multi-city PID conference. In attendance were PIDs existing from Grand Prairie, Cedar Hill, and Arlington along with groups wanting to find out how to start a PID. The PID made a presentation of our current activities and held follow-up meetings with a newly proposed PID to provide guidance.
|
- Brookfield Estates Wall Repairs A new neighbor has participated in the PIDs Brookfield Estates Wall Repair Program. The neighbor has recently replaced 1 panel and repaired 4 additional panels along with putting 6 caps on top of columns. The neighbor received a total reimbursement of $1229.50 for participating in the voluntary program which uses a PID approved contractor implementing a PID approved repair design.
|