The overview
On Sept. 11, League City City Council approved the Clear Creek Master Plan, which includes millions of dollars worth of possible improvements to 9 miles of the creek, including:
- 3 parks on public land
- 8 kayak launches
- 17 miles of trails
- 2 miles of boardwalks
Consulting firm Halff and city officials held public meetings over the spring and summer to gather input from residents, Halff Planning Team Leader Louis Cutaia Jr. said.
Those opposed
During City Council’s Sept. 11 meeting, several residents from the Clear Creek Village neighborhood spoke out against the plan. The neighborhood is just northwest of the I-45 and Main Street intersection.
The plan includes creating access to Myrtle Park, an undeveloped patch of green space just north of the neighborhood. Residents cited drivers speeding through the neighborhood, a lack of sidewalks and the park’s flooding issues as reasons the park could be dangerous for visitors.
“That’s why it’s such a shock we’re considering to develop this at all,” Clear Creek Village resident Rusty Tidwell said during the meeting.
Developing and providing access to Myrtle Park will require future council approval, Wei said.
The breakdown
The projects in the plan don’t come cheap. If the city were to implement all the major projects today, they would total nearly $40 million, according to the plan. Inflation means costs will increase as time goes on, Cutaia said.
Part of the plan helps city officials identify what types of grant opportunities exist for the projects, Wei said.
For the three proposed parks, officials could use the city’s park dedication funds to help reduce the cost. Officials behind new developments in the city are required to pay toward the park dedication fund, which city officials pull from when doing park projects, Wei said.
For the trails, city officials could use 4B Industrial Development Corp. funds, which come from sales tax revenue and are dedicated to amateur sports developments.What they’re saying
“League City has an abundance of natural space, beautiful waterways and scenery, and my impression ... is that citizens just want to better utilize that space.” Rick Davis, assistant city manager, on the plan's origin
“I’m excited ... we have something in hand that we can work from. It’s a recreation opportunity that we haven’t really fully taken advantage of.”
Chien Wei, director of parks and cultural services, on the plan’s creation
“Clear Creek does have a lot of constraints with it. It takes a lot of effort.”
Louis Cutaia Jr., Halff planning team leader, on implementing the plan’s proposed projects
“There’s nothing to develop back there. It stays underwater most of the time.” Rusty Tidwell, Clear Creek Village resident, on developing Myrtle Park
What’s next
The Clear Creek Master Plan splits projects over short-, medium- and long-term time frames. While some can be done in the next few years, others are earmarked for more than a decade from now, according to the plan.
Davis said the ball is in city staff’s court to decide which projects to pitch to City Council, which ultimately makes the decision on which projects get approved and when. City officials will brainstorm with City Manager John Baumgartner and council members during their annual retreat in March as they begin considering the fiscal year 2024-25 budget, Davis said.
Wei said there are some projects officials are already considering first, such as developing the Kilgore Davis Tract Park located off North Kansas Avenue with a boardwalk.
