Forest Lake staff told the Parks and Recreation & Trail Commission on Oct. 15 that Bayview Park is slated for reconstruction in 2026 and that $450,000 is in the preliminary budget. Staff said the project is included in a preliminary levy submitted to Washington County and that, to meet the 2026 schedule, the city should begin concept design and community engagement now.

Staff outlined a multi-step planning approach: inventory existing amenities, prepare a concept, solicit targeted community input (options included open houses, mailed notices within a defined radius, and year-round QR-code surveys posted at parks), refine the design, and return to the commission before bidding. Commissioners and staff discussed timing: staff proposed planning and community input October–January, design and cost estimates February–March, bid/award in spring, and construction targeted for a September–October window to limit disruption to peak-season use.

Commissioners and staff debated the scope and level of community engagement. Several commissioners said direct user input was valuable; staff recommended a focused outreach mix (mailing to immediate neighbors plus an on-site QR-code survey and an optional open house). Commissioners asked staff to propose a standard community-engagement procedure for future neighborhood park projects so the commission would not need to re-litigate the process at each project.

Accessibility and surfacing were substantial topics. Staff said Bayview is currently noncompliant with ADA standards. Options discussed included partial ADA upgrades, full ADA-compliant surfacing across play areas, rubber mulch, or poured-in-place surfacing. Staff noted poured-in-place surfacing is durable but costly—citing that a recent project (Belts Park) had poured surfacing costs that were more than half the overall playground cost—and said long-term rubber surfacing or recycled rubber options can reduce recurring maintenance. Commissioners asked staff to include cost comparisons in the draft concept.

Other amenities discussed: whether to retain or replace the existing half basketball court, the addition of teen-oriented amenities, picnic shelter/sheltered seating options, parking-lot size and use (staff and commissioners noted the lot is often lightly used and sometimes used by contractors), porta-potty presence (some commissioners expressed concern about appearance and neighborhood impact), shade and tree planting, and limited hardscape upgrades (curb or ribbon) where snowplow damage is a concern.

Staff asked for direction on several decisions and reported their current recommendation: pursue community input, plan for partial ADA improvements, prefer long-lived surfacing options over wood mulch (staff recommended rubber surfacing where budget allows), and return a draft plan to the commission in November for review. The commission agreed that staff should develop a standard engagement approach and produce a draft concept for review in November or December.

In a separate staff update, Kyle presented a parks classification and fee-policy draft intended to standardize how groups are categorized (class 1–3) and how fees are assigned; staff said the policy is near final and will return for a November recommendation to the council. Cindy, representing FLA (user organization), attended and said early conversations with the city about the revised fee structure were constructive; she acknowledged the new structure may increase fees for some user groups as the agreement moves from a lump-sum to usage-based accounting. Staff said the proposed fee schedule would still provide FLA a substantial discount relative to market field-use costs.

Staff also presented signage concepts (consistent display boards with changeable inserts and weatherproof covers were preferred over loose u-channel posts) and summarized ongoing capital projects: Belts Park grand reopening was well attended; veterans memorial and Manor Park work were progressing; the Chestnut Creek preliminary plat was forwarded by council to the developer with a recommendation to consider parkland in phase 2.

Why this matters: design choices (ADA level, surface material, parking and restroom provision) have cost and maintenance implications and affect who can use the park. Staff indicated decisions made now will influence bids and the 2026 schedule.

Next steps: staff will draft a Bayview concept that includes cost trade-offs for surfacing and ADA options, propose a standard community-engagement approach for neighborhood parks, and return to the commission for review (targeted November meeting). Separate policy items (fee schedule/classification and signage standards) will return for commission recommendation to council in November/December.