Council also approved a contract for design proposals for renovations and improvements at Southlake Town Hall Plaza, while a mixed-used development that has drawn opposition in past meetings was tabled.
What happened
The change orders for the athletic fields reflects a 6.54% increase in the total cost, which will be a little more than $12 million. The original contract was awarded in October 2023 for $11.6 million to GeoSurfaces for synthetic turf, ballfield fencing and other amenities.
The fields set to receive turf and fencing improvements include:
- Fields 5-7 at Bicentennial Park; turf only for Field 3
- Softball fields 3-6 at Bob Jones Park
- Turf only for multipurpose sports fields 4-6 at Bob Jones Park
BHB handled the structural engineering for the backstop walls, dugouts and installation of net poles on the baseball/softball fields and determined that the preliminary design of the structures did not meet the current building code requirements in Southlake, according to city documents.
That led to additional work being done at Bob Jones Park and Bicentennial Park that included:
- Using larger, longer net poles.
- Reconstructing backstop wall foundations and pole footings
- Adding additional rebar to the backstop walls and foundations
- Requiring the dugout poles to be larger and embedded into the foundation
- Requiring welded connections between the dugout frame and structural elements
- Mobilizing a larger crew with additional equipment to perform the work
Other changes to GeoSurfaces’ preliminary scope include installing fencing to protect the new turf on the soccer field at Bob Jones Field, add additional temporary fencing to the project site and installing a capstone on the backstop walls to match the existing design, according to city documents.
The changes resulted in additional cost of $415,000.
Also of note
Council approved a professional services agreement contract with TSK Architects to do a concept plan and feasibility study for Southlake Town Hall Plaza renovations in an amount not to exceed $194,800.
According to city documents, the concept plan would look at goals for the park renovations, including incorporating:
- a visitor center
- dedicated park restroom and event storage space
- closing Fountain Place street to through traffic
- installing infrastructure to temporarily close Main Street, as needed
- updating the water fountain feature
- upgrading existing utilities
- increase audio/visual capabilities in the park
- improving park drainage
- develop multiple gathering areas in the park
Also on the agenda
Two items on the agenda about a mixed-used development near Carroll Avenue and Southlake Boulevard was tabled to the May 7 meeting at the request of the developer.
Council passed the first reading of the two-part development, The Overlook, which is an office building, and WillowTree Gardens, a housing development, on April 2.
With a recent denial from the planning and zoning commission, council could only approve the project with a supermajority, which would be six out of seven affirmative votes.
Two surrounding neighborhoods, the Foxborough Homeowners Association and Southview Estates HOA, both sent letters to council to state their opposition to the project. The 9.6-acre lot, at 240 N. Carroll Ave., was rezoned from agriculture and single-family residential to a transitional zoning district during the April 2 meeting.
There were 39% of residents within 200 feet against the proposed plan, above the 20% needed to require a supermajority vote.
According to city documents, within 300 feet of the area, there were 10 responses in favor of the project and 109 against it. During the planning and zoning review of the property, there were 178 formal oppositions filed and 18 in support of the project during the March 21 meeting. Planning and zoning denied both the development plan and changing the amendment of future land use for the property, which council passed.
