Menifee staff outline design, environmental limits and funding for Quail Valley Nature Park

The Menifee City Parks and Recreation Commission on Feb. 5 received a detailed design update on the planned Quail Valley Nature Park, a roughly 11‑acre site that staff said transferred to city ownership in May 2025.

Senior Management Analyst Corey Jones told commissioners the city has $750,000 allocated in its capital improvement program for the park and that the project also has a $750,000 federal pass‑through grant through the Outdoor Legacy Recreation Program. Jones said the design team is preparing plans to meet grant requirements, including walking and nature trails, nature‑based play, interpretive signage, shade shelters, a multi‑use lawn and a gravel parking lot.

Alex Kazoukas, project manager and licensed landscape architect with InSite Landscape Architecture, walked the commission through the 30% design. He said the site is bisected by a coyote‑brush riparian habitat regulated by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife and that a portion of the property encroaches on a mapped 100‑year floodplain. Kazoukas said the design intentionally avoids impacts to the protected riparian zone and that plantings will focus on locally native species; the civil engineering team is finalizing drainage solutions.

Kazoukas described proposed amenities including ADA‑accessible walking trails, nature‑based play elements with wood‑fiber surfacing (which he said runs cooler than common rubberized surfacing), a multi‑use lawn with an overhead shade structure and portable restrooms and ADA parking at the gravel lot near Newport Drive. The design team is proposing extensive native tree planting for shade; staff and commissioners discussed tradeoffs between protective shade sails and fire‑resilience requirements in a high‑fire area.

Commissioners raised questions about trail length and heat safety. One commissioner asked roughly how far the walk is from the parking area to the lawn; Kazoukas estimated about a quarter‑mile. Commissioners urged additional water stations and signage warning visitors to bring water; staff said those are being considered. Staff also noted the project underwent required environmental reviews, including CEQA and NEPA analyses because of the federal grant, and completed an archaeological review before proceeding to design.

A member of the public, Janine Ibanelli, spoke during public comment and suggested adding a bicycle rack near the parking area and using wood seating instead of concrete for comfort on very hot days. Jones and Kazoukas said interpretive signage and future additions could be added as the park programming develops.

The design team said 30% plans have been submitted to the city and they are working toward 60% construction documents. Staff asked the commission for feedback on shade, water, access and interpretive content, and commissioners provided preferences focused on heat mitigation, wayfinding and accommodating groups.