March 2017 | Business View Magazine

102 103 Tiseo Paving Co. 419 E. Hwy. 80, Mesquite, TX 75150 Phone (972)289-0723 Fax: (972)216-5637 Established 1974 urban, open space in the region. That sets us apart from the rest of the region for business purposes, for residential purposes, and for visi- tation purposes.” Thus, according to Porter, Cedar Hill wants to grow in a way that appeals both to a broad and diverse commercial and industrial sector, as well as to a residential sector that enjoys living in the midst of open space and greenery.“The commu- nity has a very clear picture of what it wants to be,”he says.“Businesses that already identify with sustainability and nature are attracted to this area, as are companies that have a labor force that val- ues things such as healthy lifestyles, availability to trails and open spaces, and high-quality services.” So, the city’s plan for future development Cedar Hill, Texas also incorporates those places where it doesn’t want development of any kind to take place. “Our Open Space Plan has a goal to set a full 20 percent of the land area of the city, aside,” Porter states. “Because it’s not just the number of peo- ple here, it’s the quality of life that the people here get to have, which is a combination of a strong economy and an efficient set of quality services matched to the values of the people. It’s building a city in such a way where it’s designed to be healthy and sustainable down the road.” “Every study that comes out, more and more, says that a community’s health–both physical and economical –has direct ties to the amount of accessible, open space associated within both the living and the commercial areas,” Porter con- tinues. “That includes the cognitive abilities of children, which are affected positively when they have access to parks and open spaces. So, all of our plans are directed towards having a city that looks like it was built in a park, as opposed to a city that just has a few parks in it. It’s a philo- sophically different approach to how you build a community and an economy.” One of the development projects that Cedar Hill is embarking upon is the revitalization of its downtown core. The City Center Plan is dedicat- ed to transforming the area into a more walk- able, transit-oriented, mixed-use destination. “It’s the vehicle by which we are working to have a very efficient, effective commercial core that incorporates residential, entertainment, high-end retail, and office presence,” Porter says. In addi- tion to the approximately four million square