How we got here
Construction on Ridgeline, a 663-lot residential development just east of Erwin Park, began Oct. 27, city staff said.
City officials received reports from residents Oct. 28 who said part of a trail at the park had been disconnected due to construction on the development.
City staff have since visited the site and identified the disconnected trail, Executive Director of Development Services Michael Quint said.
“Part of the city’s ... Erwin Park trail actually went onto private property, so the developer was well within their rights to remove it,” Quint said.
The project, by developer Wynne Jackson, is located in the city’s extraterritorial jurisdiction, meaning the city has limited control over the project and city ordinances, such as tree preservation requirements, do not apply, Quint said.
Following the placement of survey markers, city staff also identified two areas of encroachment onto city property, including damage to Erwin Park trees.
“There is a long shared property line that we’re still investigating to ensure that no additional encroachment beyond the two that we’ve identified [has occurred], but again still monitoring, still [a] very fluid situation,” Quint said.
Quint said city staff plan to contact the property owner and developer to identify a remedy for the damage to property inside Erwin Park boundaries.
The details
The affected trail has been permanently rerouted within Erwin Park property, city staff said.
The trails at the park are maintained primarily by the Dallas Off-Road Bicycle Association as well as by parks and recreation department staff and volunteers. Members of the Dallas Off-Road Bicycle Association finished the trail rerouting on Nov. 4, Interim Parks and Recreation Director Ryan Mullins said.
City officials are continuing to monitor the Ridgeline development and effects to Erwin Park, Quint said.
Also of note
The neighboring development also caused a drainage swale that directed water from city property onto the Ridgeline development to become blocked.
City staff has directed the developer to re-establish drainage channels to avoid impacts to city property, Quint said.
For more information on McKinney’s Erwin Park, visit www.mckinneytexas.org/885/erwin-park.
