Title
Consider an ordinance re-adopting and amending the Parks and Recreation Master Plan Update "Playbook 2030: Building a Connected Community" to add the "Round Rock Trails Plan." (First Reading)*
Body
The Parks and Recreation Master Plan, Playbook 2030: Building a Connected Community, adopted the updated Trails Priority List by reference as an appendix to the plan. At the time of adoption, it was anticipated that a comprehensive update to the Trails Master Plan would follow. This ordinance will formally incorporate the updated Trails Master Plan into the City’s overarching Parks and Recreation Master Plan.
PARD worked closely with RVi Planning + Landscape Architecture to develop the Trails Master Plan. RVi is a highly respected planning and landscape architecture firm with extensive experience developing trails master plans for communities nationwide.
A robust public engagement process was conducted as part of the Round Rock Trails Plan. Three in-person community open houses were held in different areas of the City, along with an online survey that remained open for several months. More than 600 community members participated in the process, generating approximately 3,300 comments and suggestions. The feedback received was carefully evaluated and incorporated by the project team to establish guiding principles, identify future trail connections, and develop trail priorities.
The planning process also established a framework for Trail-Oriented Design (TrOD) recommendations along the Brushy Creek Trail. TrOD is an urban planning approach that integrates trails and greenways with the surrounding built environment to create vibrant, walkable, and bike-friendly communities. This approach considers the strategic location of development near trails and encourages trail-supportive features in the design of buildings, streets, and public spaces.
RVi also evaluated potential economic opportunities associated with the City’s trail system and developed a hierarchy of design principles that can help guide future development, potential property acquisitions, and incentive agreements along the trails. Additionally, Brushy Creek Trail was used as a case study to develop recommendations for trailhead signage, wayfinding, interpretation, and trail safety. By establishing a consistent framework for what information should be communicated and how it should be presented, PARD will be able to apply these principles consistently across the City’s broader trail system.
The completed Trails Master Plan provides a comprehensive framework for the continued development, enhancement, and integration of Round Rock’s trail system and establishes a clear vision for how trails can support connectivity, recreation, economic development, and quality of life throughout the community.