Parks board approves Abigail-area master plan, directs Phase 1 refinements

The Angleton Parks & Recreation Board on a voice vote accepted the Abigail-area master plan as presented and asked staff to refine Phase 1 details on lighting, restroom and splash‑pad specifications before the plan goes to city council.

Board members and staff said the current design merges two earlier concepts into a single plan that reduces paved surfaces and driveway entries, re-locates the restroom/pavilion for better sight lines to the playground and splash pad, and preserves large trees and a looping trail system. "We combined the concept A and concept B to address all of the different issues and concerns," said Bertit (design consultant). The consultant said the plan reduces concrete, keeps a single driveway aligned with the across‑street drive and provides a loop for emergency access with a possible future connection to Anderson Road.

Why it matters: the master plan sets the park's long‑term layout, funding priorities and a Phase 1 that staff say can be built within the city's current budget constraints while leaving room to expand amenities later. The board emphasized three topics for the next design stage: whether and where to include permanent lighting, the final restroom stall count, and the maximum practical size and water‑reuse approach for the splash pad.

The board reviewed the plan's programmed elements. Phase 1 as described would prioritize the playground (2–5 and 5–12 play zones), a splash pad (roughly 3,000 square feet in the current Phase 1 layout), a smaller combined restroom/pavilion (roughly a 30‑by‑60 foot building footprint split into a 30x20 restroom and a 30x40 pavilion), trails (about a 0.31‑mile loop), an amphitheater and a garden walk with decomposed‑granite paths and a possible donor paver area at the entry. The plan relocates the restroom/pavilion to improve visibility of the playground and splash pad and to create rentable space, staff said.

Costs and funding: the consultants presented an overall master‑plan estimate in the $4.2–$4.6 million range for the full project and described a Phase 1 package sized to fit a smaller budget; staff said the full cost could change after design development and when the project goes to bid. Board members asked about grant prospects and sponsorships: staff said one grant application remains outstanding for about $150,000 and that the city will pursue sponsorships and additional funding between now and construction.

Parking and site features: the design reduces paved area and proposed parking to roughly 37–39 stalls (board and staff compared that to an earlier plan with more spaces) while keeping a central lot and preserving the loop for emergency vehicles; the plan retains and protects existing larger trees where possible but anticipates removing several tallow trees that are dead or unstable. The plan includes a flexible space (labeled 27 in the plan) intended originally for food‑truck parking or a weekend market; staff said it could also serve as maintenance parking or extra plaza/parking area in a later phase.

Operational details: staff said the splash pad will use a water‑reuse approach (an underground storage and reuse system) rather than a continuously dumping system; that reduces environmental impact but increases initial cost. The splash pad could be timer‑ or push‑button‑activated so it does not run continuously. Staff also said the pavilion and restroom layout may be reduced from the original master plan footprint to meet Phase 1 budget limits, and that surfacing choices for the playground (poured‑in‑place vs. engineered wood fiber) remain under discussion.

Board action and next steps: a board member moved "I will make a motion that we accept the master plan as presented," seconded by Jim (board member); the motion passed on a voice vote. Staff will collect the board's comments, refine the Phase 1 package (lighting, restroom counts, splash‑pad engineering and parking), submit the ordinance language to the city attorney for review and bring the project to city council in May for additional review and funding decisions. Staff will also continue grant pursuit and sponsorship outreach to reduce the city's out‑of‑pocket costs.

The board noted the master plan is a living document: staff and the consultant said some Phase 1 items may change as engineering and cost estimates advance, and the city will not finalize construction quantities or bid prices until later design phases.