What residents need to know
At a July 16 meeting, Fulshear City Council directed staff to plan for a May 2025 general obligation bond election for Primrose Park Phase 3.
The bond, which was originally being considered for the November election, was recommended to be delayed by staff due to the fast-approaching deadline to call the election, Public Works Assistant Director Tiffany Stodder said. The state’s deadline to file is Aug. 19 for the Nov. 5 election.
“Staff feel that the November 2024 [bond] might rush the timeframe, potentially lacking good cost estimates for some of the projects,” she said. “[The May 2025 bond] would allow additional time for Primrose design to progress, and would also provide time for other projects under consideration and ensure the budget is adopted before we move into the bond package.”
The bond was initially presented in January when City Council and staff debated adding a $56.13 million parks and recreation bond for several projects, including Primrose Park, Irene Stern Park and Frances Smart Park. Although, council decided they weren’t ready to consider a parks bond, Community Impact reported.
What else?
Beyond Primrose Park, Stodder said the city could also consider bonds for other areas of improvement, including:
- Drainage: Lea-Penn outfall channel Phase 1 improvements
- Facilities and parks: facility for public works, parks operations and maintenance; park land acquisition
- Streets: Bois D’Arc reconstruction, Rand and Penn subdivision street rehabilitation, and downtown street reconstruction
Phase 1 of Primrose Park, located at 7603 Patterson Road, includes walking trails and parking, with the city planning to add more features to the 25-acre park in future phases, Community Impact reported.
The city is wrapping up design for Phase 2 and is expected to bid the project in September, with construction beginning by early 2025, Stodder said.
The cost of Phase 2 was not available at press time, but Community Impact will update when the information is available.
Primrose Park Phase 3 is expected to cost $10.76 million, although the cost could increase depending on final design, Stodder said. Planned improvements for Phase 3 include:
- Amphitheater
- Additional parking
- Walking trails
- Playground
- Pavilion
- Food truck area
- Restroom facility
- Additional detention requirements
Why it matters
In comparison to other cities of similar size, Fulshear falls behind in parkland with only 55 acres in the city, Stodder said.
Looking ahead
City Council will need to call for a vote to place the bond on the ballot between Feb. 2-14, 2025, and must notify the Fort Bend County clerk of the intended election by March 4.
The general election will be held on May 3, 2025, with early voting running from April 21-29, according to the Texas Secretary of State’s website.
