City Council reviews Cedar Park's updated stormwater master plan for 2025

The Cedar Park City Council convened on April 10, 2025, to discuss significant updates to the city's stormwater master plan. Ryan Beardmore, the stormwater program manager, presented a comprehensive overview of the plan's history, purpose, and key updates, emphasizing its role as a guiding document for city development.

The stormwater program was initiated in 2018 following a voter-approved sales tax reallocation. The first master plan was adopted in March 2019, focusing primarily on project identification and cost estimates for drainage projects. The council approved an update to the plan in January 2024, which is now being presented for adoption.

Beardmore highlighted that the 2025 update shifts focus towards capital improvement projects and their revised cost estimates. The plan also incorporates essential elements such as operations and maintenance, drainage policy, floodplain management, and community education initiatives. Notably, an upcoming event will involve first graders from Reed Elementary School, where students will learn about the water cycle and flood control through interactive demonstrations.

The updated plan categorizes projects into local and regional drainage, with local projects addressing smaller-scale issues in older neighborhoods and regional projects focusing on larger flooding concerns. Beardmore noted that the costs of implementing these projects have significantly increased since 2019, citing an example where a project initially estimated at $4 million ended up costing nearly $9.5 million due to unforeseen complications like road reconstruction and land acquisition.

Funding for local drainage projects will come from the stormwater fund and utility fund, while regional projects may receive state and federal grants. The council will prioritize projects based on severity, funding availability, and staff capacity, with plans to update the master plan every five years.

No action was required from the council during this meeting, but Beardmore indicated that the updated stormwater master plan could be adopted as soon as the next meeting. The council members expressed their appreciation for the update, acknowledging the increasing importance of effective stormwater management in light of worsening weather patterns. The meeting concluded with a commitment to continue addressing the challenges posed by stormwater management in Cedar Park.