Did you know that League City has 15 City Parks, 2 Dog Parks and 24 miles of Hike & Bike Trails? There is also a host of other amenities available to our citizens such as paddle trails, granite walking/running trails and a mountain bike course.
The Project Management group works in conjunction with the Parks Department to design and construct these amenities and renovate them when they have reached the end of their useful life. We are currently working on eight projects in varying stages of design or construction. Below are a few highlights from our on-going projects.
To learn more about projects that impact your neighborhood, explore our interactive project map here
Construction
Lynn Gripon Park Low-Water Crossing
https://www.leaguecitytx.gov/4217/Lynn-Gripon-Park-at-Countryside-Mountain
The low-water crossing at Magnolia Creek will allow access east of the creek to develop and maintain phase 2 of the mountain bike trail as a continuation of phase 1 that opened in fall of 2021. To avoid encroachment into wetlands, the consultant completed a wetland delineation for the area east of Magnolia Creek for the future development of phase 2 of the mountain bike trail. The project consists of three 11’x11’ box culverts crossing Magnolia Creek east of Lynn Gripon Park, cast-in-place wingwalls and headwalls, concrete pavement section for trail crossing, and grading around the crossing location.
Council approved the construction contract award on June 13th and the pre-construction meeting was held August 8th. Staff met with the contractor in mid-November, and it was discussed that the contractor will mobilize in December to begin clearing activities. Boxes for the crossing are anticipated to arrive in January 2024. There may be some prep work completed for the construction entrance via the lift station along Bay Area Blvd which will cut the southern corner of the dog park. Temporary fencing will be installed during construction to keep the dog park contained. The project is expected to be complete within 6 months which includes the lead time.
Design
There are several projects in varying stages of design.
Bay Colony Park (PK2001)
https://www.leaguecitytx.gov/4350/Bay-Colony-Park
The proposed Bay Colony Park is located on Ervin Street west of Calder Rd. It is approximately 106 acres that will include a 5-field girls softball complex, a 4-field Pony-Colt baseball complex, 2 soccer fields, 2 playgrounds, a 5K Trail, a 9-hole disc golf course, tennis/pickleball courts, lighted parking and roads, restrooms, concession stands, detention ponds, irrigation, landscaping, and a maintenance facility.
The 30% design submission was returned to the consultant with review comments on August 24, 2023. The 60% Construction Document submittal was received from the consultant in late September 2023. Plans for an entrance into the east side of the park from Calder Drive are being developed but are delayed due to negotiations with the owner. Metes and Bounds have been requested so our right-of-way manager can get an appraisal and begin the acquisition process for the ROW needed for the road. This is an important entrance as it will supplement the two entries into the north part of the park from Ervin Street, providing better ingress and egress from the park, especially during ball games and other large, heavily attended events. A right turn lane will be required into the eastern entrance off Ervin Street to reduce congestion on Ervin Street.
Remediation work is now being studied and will be carried out by the Texas Railroad Commission. We will coordinate so no delays in construction occur. Currently, Construction Documents are scheduled to be complete and reviewed by COLC by 5/1/24, according to the 60% submittal schedule. TPWD review is currently scheduled for 5/2/24 through 6/3/24, if the Outdoor Grant is approved. Bidding could take place as early as 6/11/24 if all TPWD Grant agreement documents are in place but those generally take several months to work through TPWD and the local sponsor (COLC). Therefore, construction is not likely until the last quarter of 2024 at the earliest. A more detailed timeline is being developed.
The Grand Parkway alignment through the southern part of the park has been finalized by TxDOT and will not affect the recreational uses of the park because areas south of the Grand Parkway will become detention for the park facilities; no recreational facilities will be constructed south of the Grand Parkway/Highway 99 corridor. The alignment must be confirmed with information previously received about the alignment for Highway 99. Hopefully no design changes to the park will be required.
FM 270 Public Boat Ramp Renovations
https://www.leaguecitytx.gov/4348/FM-270-Public-Boat-Ramp-Renovations
This project will renovate the existing FM 270 Public Boat Ramp to accommodate all forms of boats and watercraft. The renovation will remove silt from the launch area, repair damaged launch surfaces, and reinforce the bulkhead, which is at the end of its life. The parking lot will be repaired and expanded if funds allow.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Permit was approved in the Spring of 2022 and was recently approved by Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. Drawings for final review were received in mid-January and plans were approved and signed the week of Feb 13th. Approved plans were sent to Texas Parks & Wildlife Department (TPWD) in February 2023 and then to then US Fish & Wildlife Service (USFWS) for review and approval for grant funding. TPWD forwarded the plans to USFWS in March 2023 to continue the review process. In April, TPWD forwarded comments from USFWS which were sent to the consultant. Responses to those comments were forwarded to TPWD and USFWS. USFWS requested environmental information on May 10th via TPWD.
Staff communicated the city's concern over the long delay by USFWS for approval of the construction plans. TPWD replied with a detailed list of actions that must be completed with an uncertain but expected completion date of June 2024 to get to Bidding and Construction. An extension of the MUA has been approved by City Council and TxDOT and the final documents are being executed by the City Manager and all required TxDOT officials. Bidding will follow the necessary approvals and construction is expected to take 9 to 10 months.
Gilmore Elementary-Claremont Trail
https://www.leaguecitytx.gov/4383/Gilmore-ElementaryClaremont-Connector-Tr
The Gilmore Elementary-Claremont Trail connection will connect to and become a part of the City’s trail system as well as provide new sidewalks and a pedestrian bridge as a safe route from existing trails north of Gilmore Elementary School. The trail will cross a detention/drainage area adjacent to the school. After reviewing alternate layouts, the City chose the option that is anticipated to be the most cost effective, as well as a more direct route for end users, and a shorter bridge span. Final design plans have been approved. Acquisition of easements is in progress. Bidding is anticipated in early 2024.
Hike and Bike Trails Wayfinding Signage Project Phase 2
https://www.leaguecitytx.gov/4382/Hike-Bike-Way-Finding-Signage-Project-Ph
The City of League City has developed a family of hike and bike trail wayfinding signage which includes four different sign types. The first phase of signage was installed in 2021 within the Feathered Friends Trail System and included directional signs, park signs, and informational signs. Phase 2 is anticipated to incorporate 29 new signs within the Flora and Flowers Trail System, 20 signs within the Coastal Creatures Trail System, as well as installing an additional four signs within the Phase 1 trails, totaling 53 new signs. Final sign placements have been determined and trail and segment names for the Flora and Flowers Trail System and the Coastal Creatures Trail System have been sent to the consultant. 90% design plans were submitted in mid-November.
Master Planning/Studies
Heritage Signature Trail Layout
https://www.leaguecitytx.gov/4541/46002/Heritage-Signature-Trail
On Tuesday evening, March 7th, a public meeting was held at Butler’s Courtyard for City staff and consultants to explain this project in some detail to residents of the historical district. This study, started in November 2022, will look at possible routes to connect League Park and Heritage Park through the Historical District. The consultant shared maps of possible walking and interpretive pathways to allow residents and visitors a way to see more of what League City has to offer. The meeting, which ran from 6:00 – 7:00 PM, was well-attended by city residents and staff and the consultants received valuable input into the options being considered. The presentation from the public meeting is available on the city website. Staff used conceptual schematics for a request to Union Pacific railroad to place the trail in their ROW—the alignment most preferred by residents attending the public meeting. However, Union Pacific has denied the city permission to locate the trail within their right-of-way. The city is considering some other layout options and is looking at other routes through the neighborhood.
Clear Creek Master Plan
https://www.leaguecitytx.gov/4547/46075/Clear-Creek-Master-Plan-Update
Clear Creek is a major nature-centered recreational asset for the City of League City. This project is designed to determine how the largely untapped resource can provide recreational opportunities in the coming years. A final public meeting on the Clear Creek Master Plan took place at the Hometown Heroes Park Recreation Center on Wednesday night, July 26th from 6 to 7 p.m. Then, on Tuesday evening, August 8, consultants hired by the City presented a slide show and answered questions before city council during a workshop meeting that began at 5 pm. That was followed with a presentation to the Park Board on August 21st. The Park Board unanimously approved the plan.
On Tuesday, September 12, 2023, City Council approved the Clear Creek Master Plan as presented with the addition of wording that will prevent any public vehicular access to the future Myrtle Park through Clear Creek Village subdivision. Residents of Clear Creek Village have attended many of the previous meetings that provided opportunities for input from the public. Again, at the city council meeting on September 12, 2023, residents appealed to council to prevent public access into the park along the residential streets in their neighborhood to help keep traffic to a minimum.
The Clear Creek Master Plan contains a preliminary conceptual plan for Myrtle Park that indicates parking and access to the park would be provided in a location other than city streets within the subdivision. At this time, funding for any improvements to the park are many years in the future.
Presentation information from the public meetings and city council discussion are available on the website and the final Masterplan will soon also be available at that location.
Parks, Trails, and Open Space Master Plan Update
The City of League City Parks, Trails, and Open Space Master Plan (Master Plan) was approved in 2017 but must be updated every 5 years to be viable for use in Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) park grant applications. A scientifically valid random survey of residents has been conducted and the City’s consultant is reviewing the information to include in a new chapter for the Master Plan that will determine Park and Recreation priorities for the next 5 years. The Master Plan update will be completed later in 2023 and will include a new chapter on changes since 2017 as well as the new chapter on Mountain Bikes approved in 2022. The City’s consultant is assisting with preparation of an additional chapter which summarizes the updates from the original masterplan. An extension of the contract has been requested due to the length of time required to access census information for the city. Completion of the update is expected by early summer 2024. That will make the update available for use in any grant applications later in the year. The consultant is currently working on a draft of the changes and will present those by mid-December. A timeline for the remainder of the work, including public meetings will be developed following a review of the draft of the Master Plan Update.
Kilgore Tract Preliminary Assessment
The City of League City is exploring the feasibility of developing a connecting trail and boardwalk between Heritage Park and the future Kayak Launch at Kansas Street, within a site known as the Kilgore Tract. The site will provide views of the Clear Creek environment as well as an approximately 3000 linear foot walking trail.
Environmental, Archaeological, and Wetland studies were recently conducted by the City’s consultant on this project. The results of the studies show that no Phase 2 Environmental Assessment is required, and the Wetland delineation revealed that trail and boardwalk access to the shoreline of the site is feasible with a US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Nationwide Permit.
The FY 2024 CIP Budget shows funds for design. The design of the trail/elevated boardwalk along the shoreline of the park will not begin until FY 2025.