The Josephine City Council on Nov. 10 received and accepted a draft Parks & Trails Master Plan prepared by Kimley Horn (presentation led by Nasia Mejia and Anna Raider). The six‑chapter plan documents the community engagement process (open house April 2025 and a July online survey), a needs assessment and level‑of‑service analysis and identifies opportunities for new parks, expanded programming and a regional trail spine along an existing railroad easement.

Consultants said the plan assessed 31 acres of parks and open space within the city limits and ETJ and found a current deficit of roughly 13 acres of public parkland inside city limits compared with NRPA benchmarks; if no additional parks are built, the deficit could grow to about 24 acres by 2040 based on projected population (presentation, SEG 1756–1790). The plan inventories existing park amenities, classifies parks and trails (recreational trails, multi‑use shared paths, side paths), and recommends a prioritization matrix with estimated timeframes, party responsibilities and potential funding sources (including Texas Parks and Wildlife Department grants).

Council members asked whether consultants had coordinated with Collin County’s regional-trail planning (they had shared materials and there is alignment on an east–west corridor and rail-trail spine), and whether the plan would improve the city’s chances for grants; consultants said it would. The council voted to receive and accept the presentation and directed staff to follow the implementation matrix and bring specific projects back for budgeting and grant applications.

What happens next: Staff will use the plan to prioritize park projects and to pursue applicable TPWD grants; individual projects brought from the plan will still require separate budget approvals.