Council authorizes conceptual design work for Mission Canyon pedestrian improvements and fish passage

The council discussed conceptual design contracts for pedestrian trails and fish‑passage improvements in Mission Canyon after several residents and the Mission Canyon preservation coalition spoke in favor of restoration and careful community engagement.

Speakers from the coalition praised the decision to limit the action to conceptual design and urged the city to protect the canyon’s natural values and fish‑passage habitat. Staff said the contract being approved would develop concepts, analyze constraints, and design options for community review; it was not a construction authorization.

Councilmembers stressed that the contracts are the first step in a longer design process that will involve extensive public outreach and reiterated that the city will pursue options that remove barriers to fish migration and improve pedestrian circulation where appropriate.

The city will bring multiple design concepts back to the community and to the council for further review before any final approvals or construction funding commitments are made.