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Carrollton council hears CPAC plan for $235 million 2026 bond, prioritizing neighborhood streets
Summary
CPAC and engineering staff presented a $235 million proposed bond package for a Feb. 2, 2026 referendum that would direct about 70% to infrastructure — heavily toward residential streets — and 30% to facilities including public safety, parks and libraries. Denton County matching funds make Hebron Parkway a high-priority project.
Carrollton City Council on Dec. 2 reviewed a proposed $235 million bond referendum the Citizen’s Project Advisory Committee (CPAC) recommends sending to voters in February 2026. CPAC Chair Kareem Ali and Jonathan Wheat, the city’s director of engineering, told the council the proposal allocates roughly 70% for infrastructure and 30% for facilities.
At a presentation to the council, Wheat said the infrastructure side would total about $164 million, with a major emphasis on neighborhood (residential) street repairs that account for roughly 53% of that infrastructure allocation. ‘‘If you look at some of the projects which are residential streets, you probably would see some of the older neighborhoods we try to focus on,’’ Wheat said.
Kareem Ali described CPAC’s public outreach and prioritization process, including field tours and meetings with police, fire, parks and neighborhoods. Ali said the committee recommended the 70/30 ratio because it has worked for the city in prior cycles and because residents consistently ranked streets and neighborhood infrastructure as top concerns.
The facilities portion — about $70 million — would fund public safety buildings (including two fire station relocations and a police fitness and training facility), municipal court renovations and library updates, plus park projects such as the Elm Fork Nature Preserve and senior‑center expansion. Ali told the council CPAC also considered geographic distribution across quadrants and tried to avoid concentrating funds in only one area.
Wheat and Ali pointed to a Denton County matching allocation of about $24 million that makes Hebron Parkway (a large scope, design‑phase project) a recommended priority; the city would need to contribute local funds in a matching formula to unlock the county money. ‘‘It’s a very sweet deal where you have to spend 58% of the money and 42% is matching from Denton County,’’ Ali told council.
Wheat said the bond program is designed as a five‑year implementation plan, and staff expects projects to begin after the city completes prior bond obligations and the election. Councilmembers asked detailed questions about how the bond would affect the city’s capital plan, whether it would require a tax rate increase (staff said the intent is to maintain the current debt service rate), and the planned sequencing of streets and utilities work.
Next steps: staff and CPAC will refine proposition language and return with additional details at January work sessions; the city is scheduled to place the propositions on the Feb. 2, 2026 ballot if the council moves forward.
Why it matters: The package prioritizes near‑term maintenance and neighborhood pavement improvements that would be highly visible to residents, while also funding public safety and recreation needs. The Denton County match increases the leverage for large arterial work but requires local commitments to capture outside funds.
