Land Commission approves Yellow Banks Park kayak launch site plan with ADA, curb and width conditions

The Village of Weston Land Commission approved the site plan for a new kayak launch at Yellow Banks Park on condition that staff finalize the road width to meet village code and ADA requirements and that a mountable curb be included in the design.

Commissioners and staff spent extensive time on practical details: how trailer parking and circulation would work, whether the loop would be wide enough for trailer‑and‑truck combinations, and how to accommodate van‑accessible handicap parking. Staff explained that the village secured grant funding that requires a competitive bid process and that certain donated goods or in‑kind work must be explicitly documented in bid documents.

Staff described the project budget and funding: an initial project budget of about $96,000 that currently projects to roughly $105,000 after surveying and engineering; a DNR grant match that will cover up to roughly half of eligible project costs; and additional grants/donations including a $25,000 grant from Impact 100, $10,000 from the Parks Foundation, and $2,500 from a donor identified in the transcript as Kewana. Staff said the dock component is significant: “the dock alone, I think, is about $40,000.”

Staff advised the commission that the DNR grant required the dock and the ADA‑accessible ramp to remain part of the funded project. “If we pull that out, now the DNR is no longer funding a ADA accessible launch,” staff said, explaining that removing the dock would jeopardize that portion of the grant.

Commissioners asked for practical adjustments: increasing loop width so trailers could pass and be parked safely, specifying a mountable (flat) curb to protect pavement while allowing trailer overrun, and ensuring the lone accessible stall is van‑accessible with an appropriate hatch/aisle. Roman Maguire, participating remotely, said, “The handicap parking stall needs to be van van accessible is my only comment regarding the the site.”

The commission also discussed procurement constraints. Staff said DNR grant rules trigger competitive bidding thresholds: donated labor or materials can count toward the village match but must be documented and included in bid specifications. Commissioners discussed whether the village could provide material (recycled base) or in‑kind services to reduce cash outlays and were told those items must be specified in the bidding documents.

Mumper moved to approve the site plan with the modifications that staff determine the road width per code and ADA requirements and require a mountable curb; Deason seconded. On a voice vote the motion carried.

Next steps: staff will finalize the site plan language for bidding and incorporate the grant match and any in‑kind contribution details in the bid documents. The project will proceed to procurement under DNR grant rules and village purchasing policy.