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Residents deliver petition, raise concerns about Livingston parks master plan, bulb‑outs and survey access
Summary
Multiple residents presented petitions and public comment asking the commission to delay action on the parks and trails master plan and to address survey design, downtown bulb‑outs and potential loss of parking and historic sites.
More than two dozen residents spoke during public comment at the Livingston City Commission meeting, and petition organizers delivered what they said were 240 signatures asking the commission to delay a formal vote on the city's parks and trails master plan until all residents can participate in the process.
"We're turning in. There's 240 signatures that you have," Linda Tang told the commission as she handed petitions to commissioners and staff.
Tang and several other speakers said they were concerned that parts of the draft plan, as provided by city staff and consultant Stockwell Engineers, would reduce parking and close streets near park land; that the public survey used to gather input had duplicate or missing questions and was not accessible to many seniors or residents without internet; and that some historic site protections needed clearer treatment.
Local resident Linda Gilson told the commission she opposed downtown "bulb‑outs" that she said reduce parking and make downtown circulation more complicated. Barbara Britt and other speakers said the printed survey copies repeated questions and lacked space for comments on large concepts such as the proposed parking lot next to the gazebo and the closing of McGree Drive.
One speaker placed a separate set of original deeds on the public table and warned that donations or conveyances to the city could carry reversion clauses. A speaker who reviewed those deeds for the Miles family and others said the documents show conditions that, if violated, could allow families to reclaim land.
City Manager Grant Gager and commissioners responded that the parks master plan remains in a public‑process stage and that no commission decision has been made. Gager told the room that the parks master plan process included public meetings and that the final plan will return to the commission for additional public comment and formal consideration. He also said staff would not schedule construction work that would interrupt the city's July parade.
Commissioners and staff repeatedly told the public that the parks master plan is a framework, not a binding construction plan, and that specific projects would be subject to separate public processes and budget decisions.
No formal action on the parks and trails master plan was taken at the meeting; commissioners and staff said the plan will be the subject of further public input and future hearings.
