Preliminary parks master-plan feedback: residents favor connectivity, multi-generational facilities and willingness to consider a bond

Carlos Perez, principal of Perez Planning and Design, briefed the council on early findings from the recreation and parks master-plan work paired with the comprehensive-plan engagement.

Perez said outreach to date suggests strong demand for improved connectivity (trails and wayfinding), both enhancement of existing parks and targeted park expansion, and "a strong demand for multi-generational parks and recreation experiences." He also reported early signals that residents may be willing to invest tax dollars in parks improvements, noting that a potential bond has surfaced during public discussions.

Staff confirmed two pending data sets that will shape final recommendations: a statistically valid mail survey and an online survey to be released soon. The city scheduled two public meetings in August to gather additional feedback before drafting policy recommendations and potential implementation steps. Council members asked that the parks study explicitly consider access, inclusivity, and trade-offs between recreational and mobility-focused trails.

Next steps: staff will publish survey results as they are available, continue pop-up outreach (including multilingual materials), and return with draft policies informed by the expanded data set. The parks master-plan findings will be integrated with the comprehensive-plan policies as the team moves toward recommendations.