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Council asks staff to study Willow Waterhole trail and park concept on 43-acre detention pond
Summary
Council directed staff to perform preliminary feasibility work—depth checks, parking and access analysis, and preliminary cost estimates—on converting Willow Waterhole (approx. 43 acres, under a 1992 interlocal agreement with Missouri City) into a regional trail and park; council discussed jurisdictional, annexation, and funding questions.
Councilmember Bostick introduced a conceptual proposal to develop a trail and small park at Willow Waterhole, an approximately 43-acre regional detention pond located near Pike Road. He noted an interlocal agreement giving Stafford 60% use and Missouri City 40% and emphasized that any recreational use must not reduce the pond’s detention function. "In the interlocal agreement ... Stafford shall be entitled to use the tract for parks and recreation purposes," the presenter said, citing the 1992 memorandum.
Council and staff discussed practical issues: the parcel’s location and ownership (the waterbody and much of the tract sit outside Stafford’s city limits), access points and parking constraints, potential ecological or dredging work needed to improve the pond, liability and enforcement, and funding opportunities (county, regional bonds, conservancy partnerships). A nearby resident warned that unmanaged access could increase neighborhood traffic and late-night misuse; staff and council suggested shared parking, interlocal coordination with Missouri City, and possible grant funding for wetland/park projects. The council unanimously directed Director Riggs and staff to do preliminary feasibility work—confirm water depth, sketch parking/access options, and return with cost and timeline estimates.
What to expect: Staff will report back with feasibility findings (depth and dredging needs, access options, preliminary cost estimate, and potential funding partners) to inform future decisions and any required interlocal agreements with Missouri City or other stakeholders.
