MDD begins strategic planning workshop; board brainstorms 12 potential projects
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Summary
At the Jan. 14 meeting the MDD board began a strategic-planning workshop, compiling a list of 12 candidate projects including land acquisition to encourage retail/services, a scaled community center, water-conservation reimbursements (suggested $5,000 cap), trail linkages/underpass tied to TxDOTs FM 3351 work, parkway beautification, oak-wilt prevention, recreation facilities and a veteran memorial park.
The Fair Oaks Ranch Municipal Development District (MDD) used its Jan. 14 meeting to kick off a strategic-planning workshop, and board members generated a list of a dozen potential projects the district could study further.
Vice President Nicholas Deciani, who led the session, said the purpose of the workshop was brainstorming rather than producing a finished plan. He asked members to limit pitches and to provide ideas the marketing committee could consolidate; he suggested a preliminary report by April.
Deciani proposed purchasing land to influence the type of development the city attracts, saying the district could acquire parcels inside or adjacent to the city, work with a developer and aim for low-intensity commercial uses (examples he cited included services such as a UPS store). He also proposed a scaled community center (3,000—2,000 square feet) that could be used as a senior center, civic center or meeting place for local organizations, with ownership and operating details to be worked out.
A board member presented a Water Assets Conservation Program that would use the MDDs small-projects process to reimburse homeowners, HOAs, businesses or civic entities for water-saving measures such as rainwater harvesting, high-efficiency fixtures, xeriscaping or permeable ground cover. The presenter suggested a $5,000 reimbursement cap for small projects and noted that larger projects could follow the regular application process.
Another presenter reviewed city ordinance maps and past TxDOT materials for the FM 3351 expansion and proposed MDD consideration of a pedestrian/equestrian/bicycle underpass or other trail linkage where the highway crossing severs connections to the Arbors Preserve. The presenter said TxDOT has moved the project into schematic design and recommended coordination with city staff and TxDOT for feasibility and funding.
Ruben Olvera recommended parkway beautification and a cost-share oak-wilt prevention program to help homeowners address tree disease. Other ideas discussed included recreational facilities for families (rentable turf or fields), targeted land purchases for environmental protection or to encourage desired zoning, advancing the gateway feature at additional city entrances, and creating a veteran memorial park.
President Kerner compiled the ideas into a list of 12 candidate projects for further study and instructed the marketing committee and staff to package the ideas for review. Board members emphasized that many projects will require city staff, city legal review, zoning changes, cost-sharing or partnerships to assess feasibility; they did not take formal votes on any of the workshop ideas during the meeting.
Next steps: the marketing committee will begin initial research on the ideas, staff will record outstanding questions (for example, whether MDD funds can be used inside private HOAs), and the board targeted a preliminary package for April review.
