Residents and board members would help shape the downtown square redesign under a panel council votes on Tuesday

Celina's plan to rebuild and expand its historic downtown square is moving from the master plan to the drawing board, and the City Council is set Tuesday to name a group of residents and board members to advise on the design.

A resolution on the Oct. 13 consent agenda would create the Downtown Square Redevelopment Ad-Hoc Committee. A memo from City Secretary Ashley Owens says the council asked for the panel at its Sept. 8 meeting and that the city is running a request for qualifications to hire a design team.

Who sits on it and what it does

The proposed roster draws from the Community Development Corporation, three at-large residents, a Downtown Commission representative, two Arts & Culture Board members and two members of the Special Events Advisory Committee.

The committee would be advisory only, with the council keeping every final decision. It would work with the design team over a design process the memo expects to take six to nine months, meeting about once every two months. Members would weigh in at four points: key design elements, two draft concept plans, the final schematic design and the final design.

The resolution lists topics the group may take up, including business operations, pedestrian design, historic preservation, landscaping and public art, room for special events, technology, street reconstruction and utilities. It would disband once the council approves a final design. Staff say the committee carries no cost.

The square's redevelopment traces back to the Downtown Master Plan the council adopted in January 2019.

Land for downtown streets

Also on consent, the council would let the city manager sign documents to acquire right-of-way, easements and property along three downtown streets in this year's Downtown Streets program: East Elm Street from South Preston Road to South Texas Drive, South Texas Drive from East Elm to East Ash Street, and East Oak Street from South Texas Drive to East Arkansas Street.

An engineering memo says Garver, hired in July to design the segments, found more land is needed for road, drainage and utility work. East Oak would end in a cul-de-sac east of Doe Branch Creek, and staff say buying neighboring private lots there could give the parks department access, parking and staging space in line with concept planning for Ousley Park.

Properties on the south side of East Elm are also possible purchases tied to Ousley Park and the street work. The money would come from bond funds.

The meeting starts at 5 p.m. at City Council Chambers, 112 N. Colorado St.

Sources

celinatx.api.civicclerk.com

celinatx.api.civicclerk.com