Check out these six businesses from Grapevine, Colleyville and Southlake that have undergone changes recently.

New ownership

Holly Bullington took ownership of Sit N Stay Petreat, a pet grooming, boarding and day care business, on May 16, according to a news release. She has more than 20 years of experience in the pet care industry with grooming, boarding and pet day care companies. Sit n Stay Pet Retreat, located at 8300 Precinct Line Road, Ste. 110, Colleyville, offers pet boarding, day care, grooming and training programs. Bullington plans to expand its service offerings, including large-dog grooming and training programs, according to the release. 817-770-4432. www.sitnstaypetretreat.com

Fitness HQ in Southlake was one of one 17 retail stores purchased by Johnson Fitness & Wellness in March. The store, located at 2800 E. Southlake Blvd., has a temporary sign with the new name: Johnson Fitness & Wellness. The Wisconsin-based retailer offers an assortment of fitness and wellness equipment. In addition, Johnson Fitness & Wellness has a team of more than 60 tenured fitness consultants and operations staff to support the expansion into Texas, according to a news release about the purchase. 817-748-8855. www.johnsonfitness.com

Name changes

The Modish Home debuted its brick-and-mortar store’s new name, The Gift Bar, on April 22. Owner Sarah Varney said the store features curated gift boxes. Customers can either create a custom gift box in store or grab a ready-to-go gift box filled with individual items, such as coffee, handmade candles and self-care items. The Modish Home will still sell some of its items in the store, but Varney said most customers purchase the store's personalized items online. The Gift Bar is located 1821 John McCain Road, Colleyville. 817-897-5930. https://thegiftbarstore.com

Relocations

A little more than a week after announcing a move from Grapevine to Colleyville, Marshall Grain Co.'s new location has been unveiled. The organic garden center and pet supply store will open at 5311 Colleyville Blvd. in early 2024, according to a news release. June is the last month for the Grapevine location at 3525 William D. Tate Ave., according to previous reporting. A temporary store will be located in Hurst from July to January at 3417 Raider Drive, Ste. 9. 817-416-6600. www.marshallgrain.com

Rally House moved locations within Southlake and opened its new store April 25. The sports boutique sells apparel from professional teams, such as the Dallas Cowboys, the Dallas Stars, FC Dallas, the Texas Rangers and the Dallas Mavericks. Rally House opened in late 2020 and moved to 280 State St., Ste. 280, Southlake, in 2021. The new location is at 2924 E. Southlake Blvd., Southlake. 817-778-8080. www.rallyhouse.com

Two Southlake Town Square businesses will be moving to a new location later this fall. Chico’s and Soma Intimate will relocate from 300 E. Grand Ave. to the former location of Rally House at 280 State St., according to the Town Square Management Office. According to filings with the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation, the former Rally House store will be split into two spaces. Soma will occupy 3,000 square feet, while Chico's will be 5,000 square feet. Chico’s is a clothing chain that offers women’s clothes, shoes and accessories, according to its website. Soma offers lingerie, loungewear and beauty products for every body type, according to its website.

Chico’s: 817-251-8797. www.chicos.com; Soma: 817-416-4757. www.soma.com

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The Grapevine-Colleyville ISD board unanimously approved changes to the student code of conduct Aug. 28. During the discussion on the matter, several board members said more should be done to communicate to families about the severity of these changes that took effect Sept. 1.

The details

According to district documents, minor changes were needed to the Texas Education Code 37.001(a), which requires each school district to adopt a student code of conduct that specifies standards for student conduct and outlines prohibited behaviors. These changes came as a result of updates at the state level that occurred during the 88th legislative session, which include the following:

What they’re saying

Board members were concerned that students and parents were not fully aware of the gravity of these changes, especially when it came to HB 114.

“Parents need to be very cognizant of what the consequences of HB 114 are,” Trustee Becky St. John said. “We could find most of our student activities pretty empty and the DAEP very full.”

St. John said if a student is caught vaping or engaged in other activities listed in HB 114, the student will spend 10 school days in the DAEP for the first offense.

“You’re missing 10 days out of your [Advanced Placement] class,” St. John said. “You’re missing 10 days out of your [career and technical education] class. You’re missing two football games and all those practices. So how are we getting this information out to parents? Because this is huge.”

In her response to St. John, Chief of Schools Holly Ray said the information regarding these changes was in the back-to-school information given to families, complete with graphics and a QR code with a direct link to HB 114. Ray also said students were given presentations about the consequences of vaping on campus or at a school-related activity.

“We still have continued communication to do; there is no doubt about that,” Ray said. “But that is the beginning of our communication to let students and parents know how serious the consequences are.”

Trustee Diana Sager, who was the head girls basketball coach at Colleyville Heritage High School from 2002-22, said student athletes could be among the most heavily impacted due to missing part of their sports season. She also expressed her concern about district communication and her belief that students haven’t realized the severity of the new punishment under HB 114.

“It used to be when you were vaping, it was three days in [in-school suspension],” Sager said. “I can guarantee you that not every student in GCISD understands exactly what’s going to happen.”

GCISD Executive Director of Communications Nicole Lyons talked about what’s been done so far in terms of communication on the new vaping rules along with what can be done to continue the discussion with students and families.

“We have asked our principals to put it in their weekly newsletters for the next few months then as needed after that,” Lyons said. “We’ll do another reminder to campus principals to ask their teachers to continue to share so it is trickling down and the message is being disseminated through everybody.”

Education Reporter

Mark joined Community Impact in November 2022 after spending almost 20 years as a freelance writer. He covers education for Grapevine-Colleyville ISD, Keller ISD and Northwest ISD. When he's not writing, he enjoys the outdoors, making his wife laugh and trying to keep up with his two teenage sons in the gym.

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COLLEYVILLE — Just beyond rows of large homes in northeastern Tarrant County, trees stretch as far as the eye can see in one of Colleyville’s last remaining pieces of Cross Timbers forest.

To Tim Waterworth and what he calls a ragtag group of neighbors, the 14-acre property on Wilkes Road is more than just “a bunch of old trees.” The forest is home to nearly 1,000 large trees that represent some of the last natural space not lost to development, he said.

“It’s something I just think that people shouldn’t take for granted,” Waterworth, a wealth management adviser and 25-year Colleyville resident, said. “Colleyville has hit a tipping point in development, and people are very sensitive to hold on to what little green space we have left.”

More than 500 residents have submitted letters opposing a Southlake-based developer’s plan to build The Bluffs at Colleyville, a gated community of 19 luxury homes with prices starting at $2 million. Neighbors came together under the name Save Colleyville Trees to create an opposition campaign, complete with a website, video and petition, Waterworth said.

Colleyville planning and zoning commissioners voted unanimously to reject the proposal in November. But, following an appeal by Southlake-based WillowTree Custom Homes and Sage Group Inc., the decision is now in the hands of the City Council, which met for a Jan. 5 public hearing dedicated to the proposal.

The Thursday night meeting was the developer’s first chance to present its revised proposal to the public and answer questions from council members.

No action was taken because of council rules, with a formal vote expected for a special Feb. 7 session. The date is subject to change in the case Colleyville officials don’t receive more information on elements of the plan, said Mayor Bobby Lindamood. To overturn the rejection, developers would need five of seven council members to vote in favor of the proposal.

More than 50 residents filled council chambers, with all speakers expressing opposition to the proposal. Several council members, including Lindamood, were skeptical of how WillowTree Custom Homes could remove hundreds of trees on a steep slope without causing drainage problems to nearby Big Bear Creek.

Lindamood said the plan makes him “extremely nervous” — and wants to make sure the tree preservation and removal counts are correct.

“(The tree counts) doesn’t add up,” Lindamood said. “I’m not a tree professional, but I do know how to read those plans.”

Curtis Young, a principal at Sage Group Inc. and the lead representative for the proposal, said developers have already made several concessions to address resident concerns. Those adjustments include reducing the number of lots on the property by increasing lot size and purchasing additional land to keep traffic out of the adjacent Ross Downs neighborhood, Young said.

“We’ve already been at this for six or seven months. We’ve thought this through very carefully,” Young told council members. “Our intent here is to work out something that is best for the city that may not make everyone happy, but it’s best for all involved here and yields a very high quality development for Colleyville because it’s a beautiful piece of property.”

Beyond increased traffic flow, neighbors say they’re concerned about WillowTree Custom Homes’ proposal to remove about 5.48 acres of tree canopy, or about 47% of trees estimated on the property.

MaryAnn Nicholson, a 27-year resident and board member for the statewide Texas Garden Club, said she fears that removal will hurt wildlife and the community at large. She urged Colleyville officials to negotiate with the property owner to purchase the wooded area and preserve it as a city park. The Tarrant Appraisal District estimates the 12 acres currently owned by the developers is worth about $2 million.

Colleyville forestry regulations define heritage trees as post oaks, blackjack oaks, cotton wood, water oak, and green and white ash trees that have attained a significant age. More information on the specific definition, and penalties for removing heritage trees, can be found here.

“It is essential to keep trees and wildlife habitats for survival of all wildlife species as well as for the enjoyment of current and future residents,” Nicholson said. “I would be happy to volunteer for any type of work that is needed in order to make that a reality for the citizens of Colleyville.”

Young’s proposal meets Colleyville rules to preserve at least half of the canopy. Developers would also be required to make up for the hundreds of removed “heritage” trees by either planting 276 large trees, paying a $176,600 fee or combining the two methods. A city staff report also found that the zoning change complies with Colleyville’s comprehensive plan.

In an email statement before the hearing, Young said the sloped property will require a certain amount of grading to safely install streets, utility services and home sites. Grading involves adjusting the slope and soil elevation around a construction site before building.

Removing trees is a necessary part of accomplishing that goal, Young said, and developers have proposed a “tree preservation buffer” to preserve the trees planted by the current property owner.

“We have every intention to work with the city to minimize the amount removed,” Young said. “This high quality residential neighborhood would undoubtedly result in the support and enhancement in the property values of our neighbors and the city at large.”

Several residents said the incremental increase in tax revenue from the development isn’t worth the cost. Emily Lucht, a member of the Save Colleyville Trees group, said there’s already a lot of construction in the area.

The city is rapidly developing, with Colleyville officials approving a $8.3 million project to build “gateway pillars” as part of a beautification project. Several residents, including Lucht, call the pillars an eyesore that has contributed to residential opposition against development.

“The thought of having to then add development into it, and take out a bunch of really old and really historically significant green space just really upset everybody,” Lucht said. “And made everybody that much more gung ho to keep it green and not tear down.”

Young said some of the public comments were “a bit hyperbolic” because many trees will be preserved. Developers will continue working with city staff, including Colleyville’s urban forester, on the project proposal, he said.

Per Colleyville regulations, at least 50% of the entre subdivision must be preserved, excluding trees located in existing utility easements or right-of-way. Once the lots are ready for homebuilders, at least 75% of the trees on each lot must be preserved. Tim Waterworth of Save Colleyville Trees fears this rule will wipe out more trees as part of the building process.

Before the Jan. 5 hearing, Waterworth expected council members to favor developers, in part because of misunderstanding around the tree ordinance and how many trees will be preserved once homes are built on the property.

But several council members, including George Dodson, appeared to share neighbor concerns over the narrowness of the home lots.

“I would be much more positive if it were half the number of lots that we’re looking at,” Dodson said. “That’s sort of where I stand right now. I would like to see further analysis of the trees that will have to be taken out.”

Lindamood assured residents that since he was elected last summer, the council has not approved any high-density housing projects. The high amount of public attention on the development has brought council members around to their cause, Waterworth said, and he has high hopes Colleyville officials will make an offer to acquire the property for parkland.

“The track that it’s on, if the city says it’s too many houses and they cut back the amount of houses, that’s cutting down the economic feasibility for the developer,” Waterworth said. “I just wish they would get it over with. I hope we don’t go on for 10 months like this.”

Haley Samsel is the environmental reporter for the Fort Worth Report. Her position is supported by a grant from the Marilyn Brachman Hoffman Foundation. Contact her by email or via Twitter.

Seth Bodine is a business and economic development reporter for the Fort Worth Report. Contact him at seth.bodine@fortworthreport.org and follow on Twitter at @sbodine120.

At the Fort Worth Report, news decisions are made independently of our board members and financial supporters. Read more about our editorial independence policy here.

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Haley SamselEnvironmental Reporter

Haley Samsel is the environmental reporter for the Fort Worth Report. You can reach them at haley.samsel@fortworthreport.org. Her coverage is made possible by a grant from the Marilyn Brachman Hoffman... More by Haley Samsel

Residents in Grapevine-Colleyville ISD will be paying less in property tax this year.

Grapevine-Colleyville ISD board members unanimously adopted the fiscal year 2023-24 tax rate at their Sept. 25 meeting. The reduced tax rate translates to an 18% property tax rate decrease for homeowners, according to district documents.

The backstory

The Texas Property Tax Code Section 26.05(a)(b) requires the board of trustees to adopt a tax rate by resolution in a public meeting before the later of Sept. 30 or the 60th day after the date the certified roll is received by the taxing unit, according to district documents.

The details

District documents stated the FY 2023-24 tax rate of $0.9247 is $0.2061 less than the adopted FY 2022-23 tax rate of $1.1308. Tax rates are based on each $100 of assessed valuation on all property, real and personal, in GCISD.

School costs typically fall into two categories: maintenance and operations, and debt service—also called interest and sinking. Maintenance and operations includes teacher salaries, school resource officers, and grounds and maintenance costs. Debt service is used to pay for voter-approved bonds.

Below is the comparison of those rates for each fiscal year:

What you need to know

According to district documents, the average home value in GCISD is $444,520. Based on that valuation, the tax savings on that average home at the FY 2023-24 tax rate would be $917.

Private schools in the area offer a variety of specialized instruction from different religious affiliations and various types of curriculum. This guide features primary and middle schools with grade levels through eighth grade and as well as high schools with grade levels through 12th grade. This guide is not comprehensive.

Colleyville

1. Covenant Christian Academy

Grades served: pre-K-12

Religious orientation: Christian

Tuition: $7,980-$20,315/year, depending on grade

901 Cheek-Sparger Road

817-281-4333

www.covenantchristian.net

2. Crown of Life Lutheran School

Grades served: pre-K-8

Religious orientation: Lutheran

Tuition: $1,700-$11,550/year, depending on grade and program

6605 Pleasant Run Road

817-251-1881

www.colschool.org

3. Inspire Academy*

Grades served: K-12

Religious orientation: Christian

Tuition: $17,000-$19,000/year, depending on grade

55 Main St., Ste. 280

817-803-5010

www.inspireacademytx.com

4. Waypoint Montessori

Grades served: 14 months-sixth grade

Religious orientation: None

Tuition: $12,600-$17,700/year, depending on age group and program

1513 Hall-Johnson Road

817-354-6670

www.waypointmontessori.org

Grapevine5. Accommodated Learning Academy

Grades served: 1-12

Religious orientation: Christian

Tuition: $17,700/year

860 Mustang Drive

817-421-2955

www.alagrapevine.com

6. The Children’s Courtyard of Grapevine

Ages served: 6 weeks-12 years

Religious orientation: None

Tuition: up to $350/week, depending on age group

1950 W. Glade Road

817-421-2605

www.childrenscourtyard.com

7. Grapevine Faith Christian School

Grades served: pre-K-12

Religious orientation: Christian

Tuition: $10,750-$20,750/year, depending on grade

730 E. Worth St.

817-442-9144

www.grapevinefaith.com

8. Holy Trinity Catholic School

Grades served: pre-K-8

Religious orientation: Catholic

Tuition: $9,410

3750 William D. Tate Ave.

817-421-8000

www.holytcs.org

9. The Novus Academy*

Grades served: K-12

Religious orientation: None

Tuition: $20,250-$21,750, depending on grade

3400 William D. Tate Ave., Ste. 1000

817-488-4555

www.thenovusacademy.org

10. Primrose School of Grapevine-Colleyville

Grades served: 6 weeks-fourth grade

Religious orientation: None

Tuition: $120-$340/week

2300 Hall-Johnson Road

817-416-0404

www.primroseschools.com/schools/grapevine-colleyville

11. Southlake Montessori at Grapevine

Grades served: 3-12

Religious orientation: None

Tuition: $9,500-$13,500/year

1105 W. Wall St.

817-557-7520

www.southlakemontessori.org

12. Vine Academy

Grades served: 4-10

Religious orientation: Christian

Tuition: $9,000 per year

422 S. Church St.

817-719-0280

https://vineacademygrapevine.com

Southlake13. The Clariden School

Grades served: age 3-12th grade

Religious orientation: None

Tuition: $9,050-$17,600/year depending on grade

100 Clariden Ranch Road

682-237-0400

www.claridenschool.org

14. Fusion Academy Southlake

Grades served: 6-12

Religious orientation: None

Tuition: $47,760/year for middle school and $55,380/year for high school

301 State St., Ste. 200

817-416-0306

www.fusionacademy.com/southlake

15. The Goddard School for Early Childhood Development of Southlake

Grades served: Up to 11 years old

Religious orientation: None

Tuition: Not provided

435 W. Southlake Boulevard, Southlake

817-488-4754

www.goddardschool.com

16. Primrose School of Southlake

Grades served: 6 weeks-fourth grade

Religious orientation: None

Tuition: $120-$340/week

155 S. Kimball Ave.

817-421-8087

www.primroseschools.com/schools/southlake

* School for students with learning differences (Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, dyslexia, dyscalculia and anxiety)

Editor

Cody joined Community Impact in August 2022. He covers local and county government; and businesses in Grapevine, Colleyville, Southlake, Westlake, Trophy Club, Keller, Roanoke and Fort Worth. Prior to CI, Cody worked for various Missouri newspapers in Kansas City, St. Joseph, Maryville, Neosho and Joplin. When he is not writing, Cody enjoys attending sporting events, traveling and trying various barbecue establishments.

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