Consultant urges ‘trail‑oriented development’ as Round Rock adopts Trails Plan first reading

Tim Bargainer, senior vice president at RVI Planning and Landscape Architecture, told the Round Rock City Council that the city's trail system should be treated as a connected transportation and recreation network, not a patchwork of segments. “A world class interconnected trail network supporting recreation, health, prosperity and transportation,” Bargainer said, summarizing the plan's vision and the community feedback that emphasized safer crossings, shade and improved connectivity.

Bargainer walked council through priority corridors — Brushy Creek, Chandler Creek and Dry Creek — and outlined implementation tools the city could use, such as a trail‑oriented development overlay, frontage standards, and incentives to encourage development that faces and activates the trail edge. Council moved to adopt the Trails Plan on first reading and later dispensed with a second reading; the plan will guide future trail investments and identify locations for targeted policy tools to shape development along key trail segments.