MCDC holds public hearing on reappropriating about $7 million for seven parks projects

The McKinney Community Development Corporation on Thursday held a public hearing on a request from the city parks department to reappropriate roughly $6.9 million in previously awarded CDC funding to seven park projects, including Whatley Park, Old Settlers Park and the Towne Lake recreation center.

Parks planning and development manager Jenny Baker told the board the request covers seven projects and is intended to allow work to resume on projects that were paused because of related engineering and road-alignment work. “We are requesting to appropriate just under $7,000,000 of previously awarded CDC funding for a total of 7 projects,” Baker said.

The reappropriation list presented to the board included: $2,700,000 for PK1831 Whatley Park; $489,314 for PK2041 Old Settlers Park design; $1,500,000 for PK2109 Greens Neighborhood Park; $318,640 for PK2343 Horizon Park (final payment); $1,000,000 for PK4397 Towne Lake Recreation Center final construction payments; $200,000 for PK9143 Erwin Park; and $103,153–$115,000 for a mobile stage (amount in agenda: $103,153 $115,000). Baker said some projects are bid-ready but were paused to avoid heavy construction equipment traversing newly constructed areas while adjacent engineering or drainage work is completed.

Board members asked how the parks department developed designs and why projects were delayed past the two-year allocation window. Baker said the department held public input meetings and online surveys as part of master planning for many parks, and that delays were primarily caused by unforeseen schedules on related engineering projects — for example, a road alignment and drainage work that affected Old Settlers Park and the adjacent airport expansion and Virginia Street alignment. “It added time to the projects,” Baker said.

No final appropriation vote was taken at the meeting; the item was presented as a public hearing. The board voted to close the public hearing (motion to close moved by David Kelly, second by A.J. (board member); motion passed). Board members reiterated that the CDC expects funded projects to advance to completion and discussed continued oversight to ensure funds are used to finish parks work.

Staff also briefed the board at a high level on Parks C.I.P. priorities and timelines, noting the department’s continuing work on trails, master planning and a schedule of projects tied to recently approved bond funds. Baker said the department is preparing for a joint meeting with the park board to align priorities and funding assumptions.

The reappropriation request remains before the CDC for future action; the public hearing record will be part of the board’s packet when the board considers final action at a later date.