PRESENTER: Presenter
Scott McClelland, Assistant Transportation and Construction Services Director
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SUBJECT: Title
Approval of a contract with Lonestar Civil for site cleanup and removal services for the Northwest Park primitive trails project, along with authorization for the City Manager to execute change orders up to the contingency amount.
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DEPARTMENT: Transportation and Construction Services
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COUNCIL DISTRICTS IMPACTED: 4
BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
In February 2024, the New Braunfels Economic Development Corporation approved an expenditure of $8 million for the purchase of two land parcels for the future Northwest Park (NW Park). In April 2024, the City of New Braunfels completed the acquisition of 130.49 acres of land for a future community park in the city's northwest quadrant. The newly acquired property was adjacent to 15.03 acres held by the New Braunfels Park Foundation and connecting to the Alligator Creek Trail project for a combined 145-acre facility. In December 2024, the City contracted with RVi Planning and Architects to produce the master plan and schematic design for the project. The master plan is expected to be completed and adopted later this summer; however, a timeline and funding for final design and construction have not yet been identified. The NBEDC, City Council, and residents have all expressed a strong desire to provide public access to the park so the community can enjoy the space while the master plan, design, and ultimately the construction of the final facility is completed.
Currently, the property remains closed to the public due to several safety concerns. To open the park for primitive trail use, staff identified several items that would need to be completed on-site, such as debris cleanup, small-structure removal, and barbed-wire fence removal. To allow public access, an access point needs to be built off Conrads Lane, and a parking area needs to be constructed. Finally, a staging yard needs to be established for park maintenance to maintain the accessible areas of the park.
On March 3, 2026, the city requested proposals through a cooperative agreement. However, due to the lack of responsive proposals, the city issued an invitation for a Competitive Sealed Proposal (CSP) on April 7th, and on April 21, 2026, the city received four qualified bids. City staff interviewed the two top-scoring vendors, with Lonestar Civil selected as the best value. Lonestar Civil submitted a bid of $174,300, which includes the debris removal, access and parking, and staging area described above. Staff recommends an owner contingency of 10% for a total construction cost of $191,730.
ISSUE:
Provide public access to the NW Park to allow the community to enjoy the space while the master plan, design, and construction of the final facility are completed.
STRATEGIC PLAN REFERENCE:
☐Economic Mobility ☒Enhanced Connectivity ☒Community Identity
☐Organizational Excellence ☒Community Well-Being ☐N/A
FISCAL IMPACT:
This project will be funded by Quadrant 1 of the Park Development Fund. Sufficient funds are available to support this phase of the park.
Recommendation
RECOMMENDATION:
Approval of a contract with Lonestar Civil for construction services - $174,300 with an owner contingency of 10% for a total construction cost of $191,730 on the New Braunfels NW Park primitive trails project.