Subcommittee reviews Veterans Memorial Park plan; staff reports construction contract awarded

City staff presented an overview of Veterans Memorial Park and asked the ad hoc Veterans Recognition Subcommittee to accept public input on conceptual recognition elements.

“Kyle Lancaster, Parks and Recreation Director,” said the park sits near the intersection of Cannon Road and Faraday Avenue and that roughly 57% of the property will remain natural open space. Lancaster also told the committee the City Council awarded a construction contract to BrightView Landscape earlier this year and held a groundbreaking ceremony at the site this month.

Staff showed renderings that place the Memorial Plaza in the park’s northwest corner and a public‑art plaza on an upper plateau that overlooks the Agua Hedionda Lagoon and the ocean. Lancaster said those two areas are where many of the proposed recognition elements—donor pavers and plaques, branch flags and an American flag—would be concentrated.

The subcommittee was reminded that this body’s purpose is to gather input from veterans, nonprofit veteran organizations and community members and return recommendations to the full City Council. Staff asked the subcommittee to receive the presentation and deliver any direction; staff will prepare a follow‑up report for the subcommittee’s final meeting on 2026‑09‑30. The meeting adjourned after public comment and council feedback.