Lewisville charter election

Voters will decide on two propositions dealing with potential governance changes. The two propositions on the ballot include:

Proposition A

The ballot reads: Should the charter be amended to provide that if, prior to January 1, 2023, the city makes an annexation that increases the geographic size of the city by at least eight percent, the city will convert to an election system using residential election districts—i.e. candidates will be required to live in a specified district but will continue to be elected by the vote of the entire city.

What it means: If approved the city would be divided into five residential districts of a relatively equal total population, numbered according to the five City Council seats. In order to run for a council seat a candidate would be required to live in the corresponding district. Candidates for mayor could live anywhere within the city. Currently council members are elected at large for three-year terms.

Council voted to put the proposition on the ballot after the city’s charter review committee debated adding another council member or moving to single-member districts so that the Castle Hills development would have representation when annexed. Lewisville has plans to annex Castle Hills as early as 2020. The annexation could increase Lewisville’s population by approximately 30,000 people. If the proposition is approved, the city would not change to residential districts until future annexations added at least 8 percent to the city’s total land mass, which Castle Hills would do. At that point, the city would be divided into five council districts of equal population based on the most recent federal census data. District boundaries would be redrawn every 10 years after new census data is released. Currently all five council members and the mayor live west of Edmonds Lane and I-35E. All Lewisville voters would be eligible to vote for all council positions on the ballot regardless of where they live. Castle Hills residents do not get to vote on this ballot item.

Proposition B

The ballot reads: Should the charter be amended to provide that city council vacancies for which the unexpired term is twelve months or less shall be filled within thirty days of the occurrence of the vacancy by appointment of a majority vote of the remaining city council members, while vacancies for which the unexpired term is for more than twelve months shall be filled by a majority of the qualified voters in a special election; provided that all vacancies filled by appointment or election shall be for the remainder of the unexpired term of the office so filled.

What it means: This proposition would reflect a change in state law that allows cities to fill a council vacancy by appointment if the vacancy occurs with less than 12 months remaining in the elected term. If the remaining term is longer than 12 months, a special election would be held to fill the position. Lewisville City Charter currently requires all council vacancies to be filled through a special election.



Highland Village bond election

A bond election totaling $7.15 million will be included on the ballot. The ballot will contain two propositions:

Proposition A

The ballot reads: Shall the issuance of $2,860,000 general obligation bonds for street improvements be approved?

What it means: Highland Village conducts a Pavement Condition Inventory Survey to determine the priority of streets that need repairs, overlays or full replacement. The streets to be addressed in this proposition have reached the end of their life cycle and are in need of full reconstruction.

Streets in the proposition include: Rosedale Street, Ranier Court, Catesby Place, Rockland Drive, Hickory Ridge Drive, Oak Forest Drive, Winding Creek Drive, Dickinson Drive, South Clearwater Drive, Scenic Drive, North Clearwater Drive, Springway Drive, Mockingbird Drive, Post Oak Drive, Pecan, Raintree Drive, Greensprings Street, Duvall, Baird Circle, Donna Circle, Savanna Drive and Arbor Court.

Proposition B

The ballot reads: Shall the issuance of $4,290,000 general obligation bonds for park and recreation improvements be approved?

What it means: This proposition includes upgrades and improvements to several parks. Potential projects include replacing the Kids Kastle play area in Unity Park, addressing erosion issues and safety concerns at Sunset Point Park, adding 50 parking spaces to the Brazos Park parking lot, making improvements to the ponds at Unity Park, construction of a sidewalk on Highland Village Road from the Municipal Complex to Sellmeyer Lane and resurfacing the walking track at Victoria Park. Additionally,  a section of Unity Park will be redeveloped to add an additional softball field to complement the existing baseball fields.