The city of Bee Cave on Thursday was recognized as an official Platinum Scenic City through the Scenic City Certification Program. According to its website, the mission of the Scenic City Certification Program is to support and recognize Texas municipalities that implement high-quality scenic standards for public roadways and public spaces. Mayor Monty Parker accepted the award at the Texas Municipal League’s annual conference in Fort Worth Thursday, Oct. 11. City staff originally applied to be a Scenic City in 2016 and received a gold status along with a list of improvements needed to become a certified scenic city. After reviewing criteria where Bee Cave fell short in 2016, Director of Planning and Development Lindsey Oskoui said, city staff reapplied this spring and were notified July 9 that the application for upgrade had been accepted. Oskoui said the award focuses on cities based on how their code is structured. For its application Bee Cave referenced specific code sections, policies and programs that fulfill the Scenic Cities mission, which has several different areas but is especially focused on signs, landscaping and beautification. “I think Bee Cave has a fairly strict sign ordinance that keeps the signage in the area understated, and in terms of our landscaping we have a lot of language that emphasizes preservation of existing trees and, in the case of removal, replanting,” Oskoui said, adding that both of those objectives are consistent with Scenic Cities’ goals.

Other cities awarded a Scenic City Status this year:

Bee Cave (ranked up) – Platinum Corinth (ranked up) – Silver Duncanville (first-time) – Bronze Fort Worth (re-certified) – Gold Little Elm (first-time) – Silver Manor (first-time) – Bronze McKinney (re-certified) – Platinum Nacogdoches (first-time) – Recognized Pharr (ranked up) – Silver Prosper (ranked up) – Silver Rockwall (re-certified) – Platinum Seabrook (re-certified) – Recognized West University Place (re-certified) – Silver