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Council approves seeking quotes for Bowden Point walkway and moves Dawn Circle toward CIP
Summary
After presentations from PRAC and Keep Lago Vista Beautiful, the council directed staff to solicit competitive quotes for a Bowden Point walkway (concrete and crushed-granite options) and signaled support for moving Dawn Circle park improvements into next year's CIP while instructing staff to resolve a private easement issue raised by adjacent condo owners.
The City of Lago Vista heard detailed designs and cost estimates for two small park projects and took separate steps on each. Representatives from the Parks & Recreation Advisory Committee (PRAC) and Keep Lago Vista Beautiful (KLVB) presented conceptual plans for Dawn Circle (a 2.2-acre pocket park near the municipal center) and Bowden Point (an accessible art and gallery walkway). Presentations included Phase 1 cost estimates for Dawn Circle (~$117,035 for parking, accessible path and furnishings), Phase 2 (playground and shelter, ~$200,000) and Phase 3 (restroom, ~$266,000). KLVB proposed a $75,780 package to construct the Bowden Point walkway and a 30-foot pedestrian bridge.
Condensed neighbor concerns: residents adjacent to the Dawn Circle concept (Skyroom condominiums) expressed anxiety about existing driveway access and a long-running prescriptive easement; they asked for a formal solution that preserves private garage and emergency access. Staff explained the property line currently splits an existing asphalt access roadway and recommended a formal easement agreement to preserve access and document responsibilities and costs.
Council action: Councilor Benefield moved that staff solicit a minimum of three quotes for two construction options for the Bowden Point walkway (concrete meeting KLVB specifications and decomposed crushed granite). That motion passed 5-2. The council also signaled general support for adding Dawn Circle improvements to the CIP for the next fiscal year, asked staff to pursue formalizing the easement arrangement with the affected condo owners and to coordinate design work and timing with PRAC and KLVB.
Fiscal note: Council discussed using the tree mitigation fund for parks projects; staff reported approximately $900,000 in the tree mitigation fund and advised caution about exhausting those reserves. Council recommended prioritizing Phase 1 for Dawn Circle and considering Phase 2 within budget constraints while reserving funds for tree mitigation and other high-priority items at Sunset Park.
What happens next: staff will solicit multiple quotes for Bowden Point (concrete and crushed-granite options) and return for council award; for Dawn Circle, staff will prepare engineering drawings (budgeted proposal ~$15,000 noted) and work on a formal easement agreement and rezoning steps before construction.
