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Fulshear board weighs Primrose Park expansion and developer partnership for large preserve
Summary
City Manager Zach Glickbender told the parks board that a recent 4.4-acre purchase expands Primrose Park to about 30 acres and that a nearby Taylor Morrison development on the old Foster Farms tract creates a 2,200-acre floodplain preserve opportunity; staff will refine plans and cost estimates and return to the board.
Fulshear City Manager Zach Glickbender updated the Parks and Recreation Board on early concepts to update the city's parks and pathways master plan, highlighting a recent purchase that increases Primrose Park by roughly 4.4 acres to about 30 acres and a potential partnership with Taylor Morrison on adjacent preserved land. "So what do we want to do with that additional 4.4 acres?" Glickbender asked the board as he introduced the preliminary layouts.
The presentation followed two developments that prompted the master-plan update: the Primrose Park parcel acquisition and a very large nearby residential project on the old Foster Farms tract, which Glickbender said includes significant floodplain and floodway. "There's approximately 2,200 acres that can actually not be developed," he said, describing that acreage as an opportunity for preserved parkland and agricultural grazing on which the developer has expressed willingness to partner.
Why it matters: the city must balance active recreation (fields, courts, parking) with natural-resource preservation and floodplain constraints. Staff presented two schematic approaches: a conservative option preserving most land west of Stratman Road for grazing and passive uses, and a heavier-use option with more fields and programmed recreation east of Stratman.
Board members and residents suggested a range of uses, from traditional sports fields and multiple courts to equestrian trails, disc golf and sand volleyball. The group discussed shifting some court programming between Primrose and Irene Stern parks and the tradeoffs of parking and mitigation in flood-prone areas. Chair (board member) noted the value of existing natural features: "there's some incredible wild natural wildflower fields in there," and asked staff to try to preserve them where practical.
Staff captured several preliminary directions: consider moving pickleball courts from Primrose to Irene Stern to free space for parking at Primrose; convert a proposed half basketball court into a full court; identify and preserve mature trees and notable wildflower areas; and work with the developer (Taylor Morrison) on timing and site access. Glickbender said staff will convert line drawings into more detailed concept images, add cost estimates and return with updated plans and timetables.
What happens next: staff will continue coordination with the developer and bring revised designs and cost estimates to the board at a future meeting. No formal land-use or budget decisions were taken at the meeting.
