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Katy council approves contract for Thomas Park conceptual master plan; consultant to hold public engagement
Summary
City council authorized a contract with MHS Planning and Design to prepare a conceptual master plan for Thomas Park and adjacent properties. Council members discussed timeline, available design funds, and that implementation costs will be addressed in a future budget process.
The Katy City Council approved a resolution on March 24 authorizing the mayor to sign a proposal with MHS Planning and Design LLC for public engagement and a conceptual master plan for Thomas Park and adjacent properties.
Hunter Rush of MHS told the council his firm will conduct open town halls, focused stakeholder meetings and community surveys to shape the plan and to better connect Thomas Park to the downtown historic square. “We really want to showcase the intrinsic value of Thomas Park and the adjacent properties and the history that it really shows,” Rush said.
Councilmembers asked about schedule and budget. Rush said the firm’s goal is to complete the conceptual master plan in about six months with progress updates to council roughly two months and four to five months into the process. City staff said $60,000 was the original budget for the project; because the scope expanded to include adjacent properties purchased this fiscal year, the figure under discussion was $72,000. Staff also told council that $16,000 in savings from recent equipment purchases could offset part of the increase.
Byron Abare, city administrator, confirmed the approved action was for planning and conceptual design only; any implementation or construction would require future budget approval. "We first need to see what they're gonna come up with and they can give us a ballpark of what it could cost us ... then we want to talk about that as strategic," Abare said.
Motion to authorize the mayor to sign the MHS proposal was made by Councilmember Koretz and seconded by Mayor Pro Tem Chris Harris; the motion carried.
Council and staff said they expect the consultant to use the recently completed parks master plan as background material but to approach Thomas Park’s design with an open mind that reflects community feedback. Implementation funding and a recommended cost range will be brought back for strategic discussion during the summer and in the next budget cycle.
