Council told federal grant will fund comprehensive plan; Parks master plan consultant recommended

City staff told the Navasota City Council on July 14 that a federally funded comprehensive plan update totaling $300,000 is under way and that the first public town hall will be the evening of Aug. 4 at the Navasota Center. Staff said the comp plan project is 100% grant funded and requires no local match.

Staff described plans to update the city's 10-year capital improvement program and strategic-plan objectives and said the city intends to use Ron Cox Consulting, a firm the city has used previously, to lead the CIP update. The presenter said the CIP update and a comp plan run in parallel would also inform a possible update to the Major Thoroughfare Plan to reflect current mobility needs as development interest resumes.

On parks planning, staff said the Parks Master Plan RFQ process produced a top-ranked firm, Burdick Consulting, and that the firm's representative would appear on the council agenda that evening to answer questions. City staff asked the council for permission to begin contract negotiations with Burdick and said prior parks studies and localized designs (including previously developed concepts for Burley Park and Bruley Pool area) will be incorporated into the master plan so the effort does not start from scratch.

Staff also emphasized an impact-fee study for streets, water, sewer and other infrastructure, saying that study would identify projects needed to serve new growth areas, estimate costs and help set developer fees so existing residents do not bear the cost of new growth. The impact-fee study is tied to the utility-rate study staff described elsewhere; staff said reallocating some personnel costs from enterprise funds to the general fund will produce more accurate utility cost and rate calculations.

Council members raised sidewalks and ADA-compliance needs, asking where sidewalk repairs and new sidewalks fit in the planning and budgeting process. Staff responded that sidewalk repairs generally follow street projects and that new sidewalks often accompany new development; staff agreed to ask the parks master-plan consultant to include sidewalk connectivity considerations, including ADA ramp upgrades and possible use of existing in-lieu sidewalk funds. A council member requested staff report back on the current balance of any "in-lieu" sidewalk funds and whether the city has used them for sidewalk projects.

Staff said the annual street project will continue and that the comp plan consultant has used photographic analysis and an initial AI-driven assessment to prioritize streets; staff said the consultant will return with a prioritized street list for council review so the council can set annual priorities and funding levels.

If approved, the schedule for the comp plan includes public outreach beginning with the Aug. 4 town hall and consultant work that will feed into the CIP and thoroughfare discussions; staff said the comp plan is a separate, grant-funded contract and the parks master plan will be negotiated in parallel.