City of Highland Village staff presented a detailed update to the City Council on July 22 about infrastructure and program needs at Pilot Knoll and the surrounding park complex, focusing on the water and sewer systems the city would need to maintain existing operations.

Public-works staff said an on‑site 2‑inch water main serves the park and that several breaks and maintenance calls over recent years signaled a higher long‑term risk and cost than routine patching. Staff presented recorded work orders tied specifically to Pilot Knoll: multiple water-line repairs and a small number of sewer repairs across the last three years. Council members asked for a fuller breakdown of labor and overtime costs tied to those work orders; staff committed to provide line‑item maintenance cost history.

Because the park currently uses septic systems for the RV restrooms, showers and the on‑site dump station, staff and council discussed two engineering paths. One engineering firm the city contacted (KBC Engineering, cited in the staff briefing) provided a preliminary order‑of‑magnitude for replacing three separate systems (RV restroom/dump‑station, gatehouse and cabin cluster) and estimated engineering fees; the firm’s ballpark construction cost range to replace the RV/dump‑station system and two manager slips was roughly $240,000 in the consultant’s examples. Staff cautioned that those numbers are preliminary ‘‘educated‑guess’’ figures and said the city needs site surveys, soil and seepage tests, and a formal design before a firm cost estimate can be produced.

Council members pressed staff to separate ‘must‑do’ items needed to keep the park operating from enhancement items that would increase programming or user experience. Staff agreed: the city’s immediate infrastructure priorities for continued operations were a new water main and replacement of the septic system that serves the RV restrooms and dump station. Other items discussed — adding a nonmotorized craft ADA launch, an upgraded courtesy dock, shade‑structure replacement, pavilion repairs and an expanded volleyball area — were described as enhancements that should be considered after the essential infrastructure needs are documented and costed.

Staff also reported that the boat‑launch area and some lighting poles are within the park’s flood‑exposure zone; staff recommended moving electrical equipment and exploring solar lighting where flood vulnerability is high. The council and staff discussed options to maintain boat‑launch days during moderate lake elevations by modifying the ramp, adding chevrons and installing a raised courtesy dock suitable for higher water. Those changes could be eligible for a state parks grant, staff said, but require a planning grant and subsequent construction grant applications and Corps of Engineers coordination.

On the question of cabins: staff said an incremental replacement and design package for up to 16–20 cabins would add both septic and water costs. The consultant’s preliminary ballpark for the incremental sewer component tied specifically to cabins was in the neighborhood of $110,000, but staff emphasized that figure was conceptual and would depend on final cabin count, exact placement, and engineered systems. Council members asked for site visits and reference checks for the engineering firm and requested a follow‑up package that lays out a clear, separated list: (A) essential infrastructure needed to keep the park open; (B) enhancements that improve programming and revenue potential; and (C) incremental investments required only if the council decides to add cabins.

Staff will return with the detailed design steps, a prioritized list of essential repairs with cost estimates, and a timeline for pursuing any grant funding for boat‑launch improvements. The council did not take formal action during the meeting; members directed staff to continue the engineering work and bring the refined cost estimates back for a future decision.