As New Braunfels' 145-acre Northwest Park begins to take shape, some residents worry about the traffic impact on their neighborhoods.
The latest
Throughout the development of the park’s master plan, city staff gathered public input through six focus groups and a survey. The findings included:
87% of respondents want the park to be based on nature and shade
61% of respondents said they want trails and connectivity
58% of respondents wanted a focus on family and community
60% of respondents said the park should be natural and low impact
Approximately 340 survey respondents, or 83%, live in the Wasser Ranch, Northwest Crossing, Cloud Country or Arroyo Verde subdivisions, according to an Oct. 26 City Council meeting presentation.
City staff also held two master plan adoption open house events at the Wasser Ranch Homeowners Association Park and City Hall in October, where residents voiced concerns regarding excessive speeding, the railroad crossing at Orion Drive and traffic congestion related to the ongoing construction of the Goodwin/Conrads Lane bond project.
“These are not specific to the Northwest Park or adoption of the master plan,” Deputy City Manager Jordan Matney said during the Oct. 26 meeting.
Matney said the city can address excessive speeding through its neighborhood traffic calming policy. The Orion Drive crossing is outside city limits, but Comal County officials are developing safety improvements in coordination with the city and the Texas Department of Transportation.
The temporary traffic patterns created by the Goodwin/Conrads Lane project are nearly complete, Matney added. Nearby residents' primary concern was park access from Alster and Pader.
“We heard a lot of community feedback about not wanting a secondary access through Alster in front of those homes, which is why we started having the conversation with the community and with the HOA about acquiring the property for the secondary access to travel behind those homes,” Matney said.
Public input
New Braunfels resident Amy Stone encouraged the council to adopt the plan as presented. Residents living in Wasser Ranch, the subdivision adjacent to the planned park, said they were concerned about traffic.
Wasser Ranch resident Chuck Keenley said many people in his neighborhood support the park but oppose the Pader/Alster connection to the park.
Brenda Benard, another Wasser Ranch resident, said they would like the city to conduct a traffic impact study in the area.
District 4 resident Jonathan Alorda said the traffic concerns seemed separate from the park.
Approving the master plan will allow the city to move forward with traffic impact analyses and engineering and design plans, said Destin Singleton, a resident and member of the parks and recreation advisory board.
“If you live near this park, continue to stay involved because we will continue to listen,” Singleton said on behalf of the city’s parks and recreation advisory board.
Project details
Amenities proposed for the 145-acre park include a multiuse pavilion, shade structure with picnic tables, overflow plaza with splash features and a plaza for a farmer’s market or food trucks. The plan also includes dedicated playscapes for children ages 3-5 and 5-12.
Trail infrastructure is another key feature. Northwest Park would have approximately 4.65 miles of trail with future connections to Mayfair, the Texas Bicentennial Trail and the Alligator Creek Trail.
The park would have rain gardens that collect and filter runoff before it returns to the water system. The presentation also calls for space for a commercial business at the park’s trailhead.
The cost
Building the park in one phase would cost the city about $56.2 million; however, the master plan prioritizes access and infrastructure, trails, gathering spaces and environmental stewardship, according to the presentation.
Since the proposed park project is unfunded, there is no construction timeline. If funds become available, the plan calls for phasing in construction. Matney said funding could be in the form of a future bond proposition, grants, park development fees or other alternative funding sources.
District 1 Council member Toni Carter said she was “all for a good park,” but $56 million was a lot of money.
“Not every piece of land needs to be developed,” Carter said.
District 6 Council member Nikki Shaw said she was all about keeping green space green and loved the idea. A similar sentiment was echoed by District 4 Council member Lawrence Spradley.
“I love the plan and look forward to seeing this one day,” Spradley said.
What’s next
City staff will bring the master plan back for council consideration and potential adoption on Nov. 9.
