2025 Garland Bond Proposals  3/25 K.Agee

The City of Garland will have four separate bond proposals on the agenda for the upcoming May 3^rd General Election, along with elections for our Mayor and City Council representative (for District 6). Early voting is as follows:

· Tuesday April 22, through Friday April 25, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

· Saturday April 26, from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

· Sunday April 27, from Noon to 6 p.m.

· Monday April 28 and Tuesday April 29, from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

In Garland, early polling places will be:

· Dallas College-Garland Center, 675 W. Walnut St.

· North Garland Library, 3845 N. Garland Ave.

· South Garland Library, 4845 Broadway Blvd.

· Vietnamese Community Center, 3221 Belt Line Road

Following are bond details in the words of the City, followed by expanded details based on research, and the March 6^th Town Hall (at the Hollabaugh Rec Center, hosted by our City Council representative Carissa Dutton, with guest speakers and support from other City officials):

BOND DETAILS:

(source= https://www.garlandtx.gov/CivicAlerts.aspx?AID=3495)

Proposition A – Streets ($230 Million)

Aimed at improving Garland’s infrastructure, proposition A allocates $230 million for street and alley repairs, as well as corridor and gateway beautification. Investments are intended to impact city-wide infrastructure with a focus on residential streets and alleys, as well as enhance the overall image and appeal of Garland.

Proposition B – Economic Development ($75 Million)

Proposition B seeks to stimulate economic and community development by investing $75 million in land assembly, development incentives, and revitalization grants for commercial and residential properties. Funds will support economic development projects city-wide — including key areas such as the Medical District, Harbor Point and South Garland — with the intention of promoting new business and neighborhood vitality in addition to creating destinations and amenities for the residents of Garland.

Proposition C – Cultural Arts ($25 Million)

Attracting over 75,000 visitors annually, proposition C allocates $25 million to renovate the City’s 40-year-old Granville Performing Arts Center. Funds from this proposition will replace mechanical systems that have reached their end of life, improve ADA accessibility, elevate the facility’s aesthetics and enhance the overall experience of patrons. A cultural asset not only to Garland but also North Texas and beyond, upgrades to the Granville are expected to directly impact tourism and the city’s economic vitality.

Proposition D – Parks and Recreation ($30 Million)

Proposition D seeks to solidify Garland as a regional destination for outdoor activities by investing $30 million in parks and recreation enhancements. Funds will support projects targeted at Harbor Point with the intention of creating public waterfront access, trails and other amenities.

Proposition A: $230,000,000 for streets. This is nearly double the $122.5M bond that was approved in 2019, but this one is more focused on repairing residential streets & alleys, compared to the 2019 bond which was more directed to improving main arteries, etc. $210M of this year’s bond is mostly to raise our standardized pavement quality scores from their current average of 69 out of 100 for streets, and 51 out of 100 for alleys. The goal is to achieve a score of 75 for streets and 60 for alleys wihin 5 years of bond passage. If the bond is not approved, we will basically be staying on the same trajectory for quality that we’re on now. The remaining $20M would go to “gateway and corridor beautifications” at several major inputs to the City, and similar high impact intersections, with the goal of complementing other economic development efforts.

Proposition B: $75,000,000 for economic development. Of this total, $33M will be earmarked for “development incentives”, to include recruiting developers who will invest in projects inside Garland. It would also include grants for entrepreneurships and possible small-business loans. Another $25M would be blocked-off for “land assembly”, meaning the City would seek to buy strategic property – developed or not – that can be combined to create future development / redevelopment projects. $10M would go toward extending a program started with 2019 bond money, used to encourage private investment by property owners of decaying commercial properties around town. The remaining $7M would go to “neighborhood vitality programs”, including rebates for certain home upgrades, matching grants, and various other assistance such as with neighborhood association projects.

Proposition C: $25,000,000 for cultural arts related items. The single biggest item in this proposal is for major renovations to the Granville Arts Center, which was built in 1982 and in need of various repairs and upgrades. Examples for this item are the need for Americans with Disabilities Act accessible seating, a better fire-suppression system, a better heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning system, and improvements to the Brownlee Auditorium.

Proposition D: $30,000,000 for parks and recreation. Most of these funds would go toward a major development at Harbor Point peninsula by Lake Ray Hubbard. The plan is to give it a holistic treatment similar to the recent upgrades to downtown Garland. The vision is for it to be a “destination” for residents and visitors alike, with 270-degree access to the lake, plus whatever mixed-use activity would benefit the area, including such things as walking-trails connecting the entire area from north to south of I-30 and more/easier access to the actual lake.

These proposals are the product of a months-long collaboration between various groups from the City and a team of residents (two from each of our eight Council Districts).