Rich United Soccer Club urges use of vacant McDonald Avenue lots for community soccer fields; staff: application received

Samantha Torres (Coach Sam), president of the Rich United Soccer Club, addressed the commission during public comment about PLN26-0187, a conditional use permit application to temporarily activate vacant city-owned lots at 12th Street and McDonald Avenue as community soccer fields. Torres said the club would build, maintain and steward the fields at no cost to the city and submitted a petition with more than 925 signatures and endorsements from neighborhood groups including the Iron Triangle Neighborhood Council.

Torres described the lots as vacant for about 15 years and framed the proposal as a low-cost, reversible way to provide safe, accessible recreational space while long-term development is pending. "If a nonprofit is willing to maintain, ensure, and activate public land at no cost to the city, shouldn't we explore that opportunity?" she asked, and invited commissioners and staff to view details at mcdonaldminfields.com.

A staff representative responded that the city has received the application and will proceed with the normal processing; as a public comment the item did not require a formal staff response at the commission hearing. Earlier public commenter Codel Henland urged stronger applicant outreach to neighborhood councils and raised security concerns tied to recent projects, saying neighborhood input should be required or actively solicited for future applicants.

Outcome: No commission action was taken on PLN26-0187 at this meeting; staff will continue to process the application and the club requested staff assistance and direction to advance the temporary activation proposal.