Katy City Council approves zoning change, park design contracts and multiple trail agreements

The Katy City Council on April 28, 2025 approved a package of ordinances and resolutions including a zoning amendment for the Katy Court Planned Development District, multiple interlocal agreements to build trail segments, professional services agreements for park improvements and a construction-administration services contract for the Lehi Station rehabilitation project.

The council voted to amend the zoning ordinance for the Katy Court Planned Development District to add a community monument sign and adjust certain development requirements. Council member Gina Hicks moved the ordinance; Mayor Pro Tem Chris Harris seconded. The ordinance text, as read into the record, includes a $2,000 daily penalty for violations of the ordinance. The amendment had been recommended by the city planning and zoning commission on April 8, 2025.

Council members approved a consent agenda that included routine items and then passed a series of trail-system interlocal agreements that had been tabled on April 14. Resolutions authorizing the mayor to sign interlocal agreements were approved for Harris Waller County Municipal Utility District No. 2 (Falls at Green Meadows), Municipal Utility District No. 3 (Cane Island) and an agreement with Fawn Lake Homeowners Association for a pathway. During the Fawn Lake discussion staff confirmed the pathway width in a constrained area “will not exceed 8 feet,” while other bayou-adjacent sidewalk sections will be 12 feet.

The council authorized two professional-services agreements with Kimley-Horn and Associates for concept and design work at Katy City Park (5850 Franz Road/5850 Brands Road). One contract covers drainage and site improvement concept design; a separate contract covers design work related to artificial turf and four new pickleball courts. Christina Malik of Kimley-Horn told the council that, if approved, construction documents would begin immediately and staff expected construction completion “sometime in summer of 2026.” Council members said the design-fee estimate discussed during the meeting (referred to in the discussion as about $225,000) would be in addition to the roughly $1.5 million construction budget; staff said final costs will be known after bidding.

The council approved a resolution authorizing the mayor to sign a proposal with ARC Engineers LLC for construction-administration services on the Lehi Station rehabilitation project in the amount of $17,750; the staff report listed the total contract amount with construction administration at $566,689.50 and identified enterprise fund reserves as the source of the funds.

An ordinance adopting Amendment No. 7 to the city’s 2024–25 budget was passed to account for the use of those enterprise fund reserves related to the Lehi Station contract. Most items were approved by voice vote; the record shows motions, seconds and council voice approval on each item but does not include roll-call vote tallies for individual yes/no votes in the transcript.

Why it matters: the zoning amendment changes permitted signage and appearance in a portion of the city; the park contracts begin design work for a major city park improvement that includes artificial turf and new courts; the trail agreements extend municipal trail responsibilities and rights through multiple developments; and the budget amendment authorizes use of enterprise reserves to pay for the Lehi Station work.

Votes at a glance (motions, movers/second, outcome): - Ordinance: Amend zoning ordinance (Katy Court PDD). Motion by Council member Gina Hicks; seconded by Mayor Pro Tem Chris Harris. Outcome: approved (voice vote). (Transcript: public hearing opened/closed; ordinance read.) - Consent agenda. Motion by Mayor Pro Tem Chris Harris; seconded by Council member Dan Smith. Outcome: approved (voice vote). - Resolution: Interlocal agreement — Falls at Green Meadows (Harris Waller County MUD No. 2). Motion by Council member Hicks; seconded by Council member Janet Court. Outcome: approved. - Resolution: Interlocal agreement — Cane Island (MUD No. 3). Motion by Council member Roy Robertson; seconded by Council member Hicks. Outcome: approved. - Resolution: Trail agreement — Fawn Lake Homeowners Association (HOA). Motion by Council member Dan Smith; seconded by Council member Court. Outcome: approved. Note: pathway width in constrained area “will not exceed 8 feet”; other bayou-adjacent sidewalk 12 feet. - Resolution: Professional services — Kimley-Horn (Katy City Park, drainage and site improvement concept design). Motion by Council member Robertson; seconded by Council member Court. Outcome: approved. - Resolution: Professional services — Kimley-Horn (Katy City Park, artificial turf and pickleball courts). Motion by Council member Dan Smith; seconded by Council member Gina Hicks. Outcome: approved. Staff estimate: construction documents to start immediately if approved; estimated construction completion summer 2026; final bid amounts to be determined. - Resolution: ARC Engineers LLC — construction-administration services for Lehi Station rehabilitation. Amount for services in this approval: $17,750. Motion by Council member Robertson; seconded by Council member Court. Outcome: approved. Staff noted total contract with construction-administration services = $566,689.50; source: enterprise fund reserves. - Ordinance: Adopt Amendment No. 7 to the 2024–25 budget (to account for enterprise fund reserves for Lehi Station). Motion by Council member Janet Court; seconded by Council member Dan Smith. Outcome: approved.

No formal amendments to the motions were recorded in the transcript. Several items had been tabled at the April 14 meeting and were returned for final action on April 28.