Parks, streets, drainage focus of city plan
By SHANNON CRABTREE scrabtree@leader-news.com

A vision for the future complete with plans on how to get there were reviewed by El Campo City Council last week as they examined a proposed update to the 2020 Comprehensive Plan.

If later approved, the update - facilitated by the Lower Colorado River Authority - would help guide city planning for the next five to 15 years.

Kirk Scanlon presented the rework urging Council to use it as a supplement to 2000 work.

The data presented Oct. 16 was not to "restate the community's vision portrayed in the 2020 plan, but to celebrate the success of the city's accomplishments over the last seven years; update and identify new demographic and economic trends; and provide a clear, organized capital improvements program to provide guidance for the next five years."

Looking Back When the Comprehensive Plan was developed in 2000, the city Aquatic Center did not exist nor did the South Street extension through to the West Loop.

The El Campo Volunteer Fire Department added a training facility off North Wharton Street.

Wal-Mart was not on the West Loop and the retail boom at the intersection had not yet begun.

Those are just some of the major changes in the city of El Campo in the last seven years.

Since 2000, the city's population has increased by an estimated 242 persons from 10,945 to 11,187 with current projections calling for an additional 440 in the next eight years.

Those are estimates, Scanlon warned Council.

"There are many factors on El Campo's horizon that can alter this projection, such as the relocation of a major employer in the community or region, an aggressive annexation policy, or the construction or expansion of a major thoroughfare."

Moving Forward

Plans for additional improvements have also been developed including:

Parks - Three parks are recommended to be addressed in the next five years.

• Friendship Park - Of the eight tennis courts there, four are recommended to be reconverted into a covered pavilion while the other four should be resurfaced.

• Willie Bell Park - The parking lots should be paved and expanded with a possible cover over basketball courts.

• New park? - A small parcel of city owned land off the South Street extension would be reviewed as possible use as a mini-park.

Streets - South Meadow Lane, Philips Southland neighborhood streets and roads in the 3P subdivision should be reworked.

Drainage - The South Meadow Lane ditch should be concreted.

Other possible projects include an engineering study in the Town & Country area as well as better drainage at Ave. F and Pecan.