Fulshear EDC reviews three FY26 CIP infrastructure projects; staff to place Harris Street placeholder in draft budget

Fulshear Development Corporation members spent the bulk of their June 9 meeting reviewing three capital-improvement projects that city staff identified as important to enable commercial development in and around downtown Fulshear.

Interim Public Works Director Cliff Bruford described the scope, schedule and budget for each project and answered board questions. The three projects discussed were:

- Harris Street sanitary sewer upsizing: Staff said a change order added upsizing of the sanitary gravity line on Harris Street to serve anticipated commercial growth. The board heard the total cost for that project is $478,021, construction began in March 2025, and the anticipated completion date tied to the Harris Street reconstruction project is November 2025. Bruford said the work will replace the sanitary line from Fifth Street to First Street and increase pipe sizes where needed to route flow to the wastewater treatment plant.

- Pecan Knoll wells and improvements: Staff described a phased project that includes one additional on‑site shallow well at the existing Pecan Knoll water plant and two off‑site wells to increase firm pumping capacity (the project target is a total firm pumping capacity of 5.75 MGD). The budget shown in the packet included roughly $1,800,000 for design in FY2025, an estimated $4,059,000 for the on‑site well in 2026, and an estimated $16,000,000 for the two off‑site wells in 2027. Staff requested funding consideration for the FY2026 portion (the on‑site shallow well and associated electrical and appurtenances).

- Katy Fulshear lift station expansion: Staff described a project to increase capacity at the Katy Fulshear lift station from 0.5 MGD to 1.2 MGD, rehabilitate the wet well, add pumps and construct an 8‑inch force main to divert flows to the Cross Creek Ranch Water Reclamation Facility. Design began in October 2024; staff estimated bidding in early 2026 and construction start thereafter.

Board discussion and guidance: Board members repeatedly asked how to allocate EDC funds given limited project‑fund balances. Legal staff referenced Local Government Code section 501.103 and advised that EDC funds must be used for projects that the board finds will “promote or develop new or expanded business enterprises,” with supporting agreements to document funding amounts and uses.

Several board members and staff said Harris Street is primarily commercial and therefore appears fully consistent with EDC authority. After discussion the board directed staff to include a placeholder in the FY26 draft budget covering up to 50% of the Harris Street sanitary sewer ask (the board indicated staff should aim to have B board cover the other half). Staff committed to present precise numbers, fund‑balance impacts and a recommended split between commercial and residential components for the other two projects at the next meeting.

What was not decided: The board did not commit to funding the Pecan Knoll off‑site wells or the full Katy Fulshear lift station expansion. Members asked staff to prepare additional engineering analysis showing what portions of each project would be eligible for EDC funding (commercial share) and to return with a recommended funding split and the projected remaining fund balance.

Next steps: Staff will add a Harris Street placeholder to the draft FY26 budget, provide updated fund‑balance calculations and work with legal to prepare funding agreements that document findings and percentage splits for any amount the EDC would commit to fund.