City planners outline park level‑of‑service gaps and unveil Landify partnership for Centennial bike park

Park planning staff used the commission’s May 6 meeting to walk through the city’s park and recreation master plan standards, gaps in facilities, and the development-to-construction process. Senior park planner Hugh Hesterman and park planning manager Nemo Gonzalez emphasized that Vacaville’s adopted level of service is 4.5 acres per 1,000 residents (neighborhood parks 1.8, community parks 1.7, regional parks 1.0) and that the city is under the recommended standard for many facility types, including court and field amenities.

Why it matters: Commissioners heard that the city’s population growth and successful recreation programs are straining field capacity. Youth leagues reported nearly 2,000 participants in baseball/softball programs, and staff warned registration caps may be needed without additional fields or scheduling changes.

Turnkey parks and funding choices: Staff explained typical delivery options for new parks: a developer may build a turnkey park and receive fee credit, or the city can accumulate impact fees and deliver parks through the CIP process. Turnkey agreements speed delivery and often lower the city’s upfront cost, but they can reduce early resident input and still require long‑term maintenance funding.

Landify partnership for Centennial Park bike facility: As part of capital project updates, staff presented a partnership with Landify (a subsidiary of an international firm) that would use clean construction fill brought in from developers to shape the bike‑park terrain. A company representative said that model converts what would otherwise be construction waste into value used to fund park construction: “The city is not paying anything for this project. 100% of this project is funded through Landify’s business model,” the presenter stated in a recorded segment played for the commission. Staff cautioned the schedule depends on the steady arrival of suitable clean fill and estimated the bike‑park phase could complete as late as 2033 under current projections.

Maintenance and equity considerations: Commissioners pressed staff on maintenance funding and the need to distribute amenities equitably across neighborhoods so residents don’t routinely need to drive across town for fields and courts. Staff reiterated that one of the master plan’s important pillars is not only providing land and amenities but ensuring the city can maintain them over time.

What’s next: Staff said they will continue to refine development impact fee use, phasing and turnkey negotiations, and will return with proposals as projects near design and construction.