Garland City Council members on Oct. 6 agreed unanimously to move forward with a professional services contract to assess conditions of the wastewater interceptor that runs through the Spring Creek Forest Preserve and to produce recommendations for access, inspection and habitat restoration.

The work order directs consultant Kimley‑Horn to conduct topographic and drone surveys, GPS‑locate sewer pipes and manholes, perform multi‑sensor and closed‑circuit television inspections of the interceptor mains, develop erosion‑protection recommendations and prepare a final technical memorandum of findings. City staff said specialists will also evaluate options to reduce or remove sewer outfalls from creek channels where feasible.

Why it matters: Residents and preservation advocates criticized earlier clearing activity in the preserve and pressed the city for better communication and less‑impact methods. The study aims both to document the sewer infrastructure and to produce access methods that minimize further damage to creek habitat and understory vegetation.

Public comment framed the meeting. Resident David Parish said he and others who reviewed the proposed plans were “on board with the plan” but urged sensitivity to the creek’s habitat, the understory species and the fungal networks that help trees share nutrients. Parish added the creek “is about as natural as you can get in a suburban area” and said protecting the habitat and avoiding scour should guide work.

City Manager (name not specified) acknowledged the city failed to coordinate adequately after clearing work earlier this year, and said staff have since worked with the Spring Creek Preservation Society and Dallas County to draft a “collaborative” approach. The manager described the consultant scope as an attempt to “balance” infrastructure maintenance with forest preservation and said staff made commitments at a July 21 meeting to improve coordination.

City staff described several technical details in the scope: producing a GIS map tied to aerial and drone data; using multi‑sensor inspection tools that can assess segments up to about 2,000 feet (greater than the city’s earlier CCTV capacity of roughly 500 feet); GPS‑locating manholes and vents; and surveying for erosion and other habitat impacts. Staff said the consultant will explore options for permanent access that limit on‑the‑ground disturbance and will evaluate whether relocating the sewer out of creek channels is feasible, though that option is technically challenging.

Council members pressed for details on assurances that the city will not repeat communication failures. Councilmember Thomas asked what procedures will reduce future mistakes; the city manager said an audit requested by council is pending and staff will report back once that audit is complete. Councilmember Dutton asked about drone use; staff said smaller aerial drones and high‑resolution imagery would be used to document locations the city cannot safely access on foot and to tie manholes to aerial photos.

Several council members and preservation society members referenced a previously published consultant paper (Friese & Nichols) that documents an earlier bored sewer line beneath the preserve and possible alignment alternatives. Staff described that paper as an earlier, technical account of the bored relief line and said it can inform Kimley‑Horn’s assessment but does not change the need to field‑verify manholes and pipeline condition.

Timing and next steps: Staff said tasks beyond the initial kickoff would be conducted over the following six months; the contract and scope were described at the meeting as part of an item the council approved by unanimous consensus. Staff said they expect to brief council again when key technical memorandums are complete and to hold stakeholder meetings (including Parks & Recreation, Dallas County and the preserve board) at major milestones.

Questions and concerns that remain: Several council members and public commenters asked for clearer documentation of historic studies and for audits of internal procedures that led to earlier clearing without full coordination. Councilmember Bass and others urged the city to respect “tribal knowledge” and prior planning documents. Staff said Parks & Recreation has been involved in recovery meetings since the incident and that communication lines will be improved.

The item concluded with council consensus to move forward with the consultant contract; staff said they will return with updates and final technical memorandums for review.