Pflugerville panel approves sending Mobility Master Plan to planning commission

The Pflugerville Parks & Recreation Commission voted to forward the city’s draft Mobility Master Plan to the Planning and Zoning Commission for review during its April 17 meeting.

Consultant Kelly Reese of Kimley‑Horn told commissioners the Mobility Master Plan combines three earlier documents—an older transportation master plan, the 2022 comprehensive plan and the 2023 parks and recreation master plan—into one strategy for roads, trails, sidewalks and other ways people get around the city. "The mobility master plan strives to create a sustainable network for multiple transportation options that enhance safety, connectivity, and resiliency for the Pflugerville community and its visitors," Reese said.

The plan places special emphasis on trails. Reese said Pflugerville already has more than 50 miles of existing trails and, on a per‑2,000‑residents basis, "the densest trail network per mile of any other city in Texas that's been studied." The draft maps concentrate the network inside the city limits while extending proposed corridors into the extra‑territorial jurisdiction (ETJ) to guide future development and require trail construction when new development occurs.

Reese described three trail types—"spine," "loop" and "arm"—and said roughly two‑thirds of the proposed additions are on‑street paths (10‑foot shared‑use paths parallel to roadways) while about a third are off‑street greenbelt paths. She said a recent change removed minor collectors from the trail count after cross‑section revisions produced narrower pedestrian/bike facilities that no longer meet the plan’s 10‑foot trail standard.

Commissioners and residents also asked about motorized use. Reese said the plan includes "shared‑use connector paths" as a flexible mechanism for limited, trial motorized access—for example, low‑speed golf cart‑style vehicles or certain permitted low‑speed micro‑vehicles—while stopping short of a recommendation to allow those vehicles across the trail network immediately. She noted the city could adopt future ordinances to allow shared use in designated trial areas but said, "Are we recommending to council that as soon as they adopt this, we're putting carts on our trails? No. Not yet." The consultant also said state law governs electric bicycles and that the city defers to the "state transportation code" until the city adopts more specific local rules.

A member of Strong Towns Pflugerville, Kurt Reinecke, spoke in public comment and urged continued community participation. "We're promoting a lot of ... helping citizens to be able to get a better... voice to be able to make a change in the community," Reinecke said, adding that the group supports the mobility plan and encouraged residents to take the online surveys.

The commission made a motion to approve the draft plan for Planning and Zoning review; commissioners voiced "aye" and the motion carried. Staff said Planning and Zoning review is expected next month and, if there are no major issues, the plan will go to City Council for a presentation and later adoption vote.

The plan’s next steps, as described in the meeting, are Planning and Zoning consideration followed by two City Council appearances: one briefing and one adoption hearing.