What you need to know
Southlake City Council approved an engineering services agreement with Kimley-Horn and Associates Inc., for design services and construction administration for the Town Hall Plaza Park Project during the June 3 meeting. The contract is for an amount not to exceed $1.77 million, according to city documents.
This is just the first step toward a project that was discussed at late last year with money already set aside in the fiscal year 2025-26 capital improvement budget, according to city documents.
The exact cost of the park has not been determined and could range between $13 million and $34 million, according to previous reporting.
The scope of the contract work includes:
- Upgrading underground utilities to allow for increased electrical capacity during events
- Food truck pad sites and related needs
- Addressing the pond and the condition of the retaining wall
- Adding bollards for traffic control
- Closing Fountain Place
- Address drainage concerns across the site
“I think it's better to go forward get all the conceptual pieces done,” Deputy Mayor Pro Tem Kathy Talley said. “Going and stopping or going backward is just going to cost more. I think we have options all along the way, and you're going to make those decisions.”
Southlake Director of Community Services David Miller said a 30% design should be done by late summer or early fall.
What else?
The ice skating rink that was in Southlake Town Square last holiday season will not be back this year, as all three bids were denied.
The city spent $97,000 last year for generator fuel, while Peter Pan’s Backyard LLC installed, operated and kept the rental fees for The Rink at Southlake Town Square. However, the contractor is no longer operating ice-skating rinks, according to city documents.
The city went out for bids from April 10 to May 2 and received three ranging from $69,000 to $698,493 with various types of ice and operations. None of the bids included the generator fuel, according to documents.
City documents state there is no funding available for these bids as the fiscal year 2025-25 budget was not adopted at the time the proposals were gathered.
In other news
Carillon Parc, a mixed-use development along SH 114 and North White Chapel Boulevard, was tabled again. A second reading for the proposed zoning change and development plan was slated to go to council for final approval or denial at the Nov. 19, 2024, meeting.
The developer asked for the vote to be tabled until Dec. 3, the first of now nine times it has been tabled. The next possible action will be taken Aug. 5 since Southlake City Council will not hold any meetings in July.
Carillon Parc is a $400 million development, according to previous reporting.
