In its early stages, a new plan is being ironed out to guide additional development in one of the largest subdivisions in the city of Magnolia—Magnolia Ridge.

Two officials—Scott Burrer, asset manager at United Development Funding, and Chris Patterson, vice president of RVi Planning + Landscape Architecture—presented the draft plan to Magnolia City Council during its Oct. 13 meeting.

“We are excited about this project,” Patterson said. “With everything we’ve got, it is very preliminary. We are just beginning our process—it’s very conceptual in nature.”

The conceptual land-use plan for the 550-acre subdivision takes into account the existing infrastructure in the first two built-out sections on 65 acres of the property as well as topography of the area, Patterson said. One idea includes creating an open-space system throughout the property with biking and walking trails.

“We see this as an opportunity to create kind of a greenbelt throughout the community by creating open-space areas and linking them with trail systems,” Patterson said.

In addition, part of the plan is to create a community recreation center with a possible pavilion, splash pad, playground and several parks.

“We want to see someplace that provides a place for the community to get together and have Fourth of July picnics and birthday parties—bringing folks together within the community,” Patterson said.

To achieve the vision, RVi and United Development Funding plan to work with the city to finalize development agreements moving forward, he said. The developers will need to go through the due-diligence process and will engage existing residents in the plan, Burrer said.

“They are living there—we are not—so we need to embrace them and bring them into the plan and make sure they are crystal clear on what we’re going to do,” Burrer said. “They are going to be part of our success.”

The plan and the remainder of development in Magnolia Ridge is expected to take place during the next eight to 15 years, Burrer said.

The new community features will largely be funded through a public improvement district that will collect fees from a portion of residents, Magnolia Mayor Todd Kana said.

After several months of deliberation with attorneys, the city of Magnolia opted to move forward Oct. 13 with a proposed PID assessment plan for the existing estimated 240 lots on the property, Kana said. The fee amounts residents will pay have yet to be determined.