Plano staff outline $51.6 million parks and recreation bond package after large private donation

Plano City Council staff presented a revised parks and recreation bond proposal on the council’s agenda that would total $51,595,000 for the 2025 bond referendum after a recent $15 million private donation toward a park project.

The proposal, presented by Karen Rhodes Whitley, Budget Director, and Ron Smith, Director of Parks and Recreation, would fund a mix of park development, land acquisition and system-wide improvements. "I did come before y'all 2 weeks ago... Toyota's, giving us $15,000,000 towards the park that we had on the referendum list," Rhodes Whitley said, explaining the donation allowed staff to reallocate about $23 million from parks to public safety in the draft package.

The staff-proposed bond total now stands at $51.595 million, Smith said. The largest single allocation listed is $10,000,000 for initial development of Hall Park, a 50-acre site at Alma and Park Boulevard; staff said 38 acres of that site would be developed into park amenities and about 11 acres are intended for public safety facilities at the corner. "This 10,000,000...will fund the initial phase or phases of that park," Smith said.

Land acquisition is budgeted at $20,000,000, with $15,000,000 of that specifically identified for parcels associated with the Envision Oak Pointe plan and $5,000,000 set aside for other opportunities aligned with the Parks and Recreation master plan. Smith told the council the $15,000,000 figure is tied to appraisals for parcels identified in the plan: "that 15,000,000 is pretty much right on the button." Council members asked to see preliminary maps for the parcels when available.

Other line items in staff materials include $11,595,000 for community park renovation (staff said Shell Park is the likely candidate for a wholesale renovation), $5,000,000 for park improvements (examples cited include adding shade at Windhaven Meadows Park), and $5,000,000 for recreation trails to fill gaps in the city’s trail system.

Smith and Rhodes Whitley compared the proposed total with prior parks bond totals presented to the council during the meeting. Smith also noted that acquisitions planned under the master plan depend on property availability and owner willingness to sell; staff emphasized having acquisition funds available so the city can move quickly when opportunity arises rather than waiting for the next bond cycle.

Council members asked about alternatives to buying vacant land for new facilities, including repurposing existing buildings (examples mentioned: Montessori schools, banks) and use of a land-banking fund or the city’s treasury to move quickly when purchases arise. Finance staff noted the city normally sequences bond issuances over several years to align debt issuance with project timing and to avoid arbitrage issues; they said the city aims to spend issued bond proceeds within roughly three years when practicable.

No formal council vote was recorded on the bond figures at the meeting; the presentation was part of council discussion and staff said they would return with additional details at a future meeting.

The council moved on to the next agenda item after questions and staff responses.