Council debates moving pocket-park funds to skate park; Keystone Beach discussed as CRA-located alternative

Council members spent substantial time debating next steps for a designated pocket-park appropriation after staff reported the property owner had not committed to a sale. One council member proposed rededicating the pocket-park funds for a skate park at Sunrise; another council member responded that CRA funds must be spent within CRA boundaries and suggested Keystone Beach (which a council member noted falls inside the CRA) could be an alternative that would shorten procedural steps.

Council members emphasized a need for a deadline and urged the manager to follow up with the property owner. One member said, "if we don't have this resolved by the next meeting, let's move the funds," pressing staff to either secure the property or reallocate the money to other park projects such as Geneva Jungle. Staff said they would bring revised plans and budgets to the next CRA meeting and that $40,000 could be earmarked for a skate-park design or shifted if the owner does not decide.

The transcript records discussion of locations and CRA-spending limits: "You cannot spend CRA funds outside of the limits of the [CRA]," a council member said while querying whether a noncontiguous site would qualify. Another council member cited Keystone Beach as inside the CRA boundary and a potential way to avoid delays. The council did not adopt a binding reallocation at the meeting; members agreed to revisit the matter at the next CRA meeting or in November if needed.