Missouri City could see the area around city hall spruced up, or it could see two city streets beautified, and more eye-catching city signs built around town.

In a special meeting of the Missouri City City Council on March 6, council members discussed proposed beautification plans as the city council determines how to allocate $2.5 million left over from a 2014 bond issue.

One proposal calls for building elaborate city signs at three different places on the city’s borders: Dulles Avenue and Cartwright Road, Independence Boulevard at FM 1092 and at Independence Boulevard near Fondren Road. The proposal also calls for those intersections to receive new landscaping and other decorations, brick pavers.

Under the proposal considered Monday the signs would be made of brick, and would be flanked by tall brick columns between 12 and 27 feet tall.

“The point is to identify when you cross the line into Missouri City,” Scott Elmer, assistant city manager, told the council members.

Two stand-alone signs would also be placed in Buffalo Run Park and Community Park, under the $1.25 million proposal.

A second proposal calls for spending $1.25 million to beautify both Cartwright Road between FM 1092 and Texas Parkway, and Texas Parkway between Cartwright Road and Buffalo Run. Under that plan, the existing medians on those streets, which vary in length, would be replaced by uniform medians that would hold a uniform number of trees at specified lengths and with decorative shrubs and smaller trees planted at each end.

The final proposal discussed calls for using all of the $2.5 million and then some on beautifying the stretch of Texas Parkway in front of city hall.

“It’s what we call red-carpet treatment for the entry to city hall,” Elmer said.

That proposal calls for planting trees and installing street lights in the median and on both sides of Texas Parkway, with banners hanging from those light poles.

Elmer said the proposal would cost closer to $3 million.

Council members disagreed about where to put the money.

“I don’t think people expected us to spend all the money at city hall,” Council Member Jerry Wyatt said.

But Council Member Don Smith and Mayor Allen Owen spoke in favor of beautifying the area in front of city hall.

“The citizens were vocal that the money should be spent on city hall,” Smith said.

“We have to dress up our own back yard,” Owen agreed.

City Manager Anthony Snipes told council members that city staffers are recommending the council approve the plan to install the signs.

However the council decides to spend the money, Elmer said construction would likely begin in late fall.