GAI Consultants presented the city’s Phase 2 parks and public spaces master plan at the Sept. 8 council meeting, laying out current, short-, mid- and long-term recommendations that include five playground replacements already ordered, site-specific master plans for the Z Venue and Shepherd Park, an ADA transition plan, and a multi-year land-acquisition strategy.

Kristin Caborn, parks and public spaces director for GAI Consultants, reviewed Phase 1 findings and Phase 2 recommendations and said the plan is intended to be a living document the city can update regularly. “The goal of any parks and recreation master plan is to increase the quality of life for your residents,” Caborn said, summarizing the project purpose and the public input process that guided priorities.

Key short-term recommendations (current fiscal year and next two years) include standardized park signage, five playground replacements that have already been ordered and funded, sidewalk and crosswalk improvements at Depot Park and other small ADA and accessibility upgrades, and tree plantings and shade improvements at several parks. The plan identifies Zephyr Park as a major capital priority (the council had earlier discussed a multi‑million dollar capital program) and recommends a site-specific master plan for the Z Venue to shape future programming and events.

Council discussion centered on bathroom access, lighting and safety, dog-park specifics (watering stations, surface materials and shade), and expectations for developer-provided parkland. Several council members recommended requiring stronger park-standards language during development review so future subdivisions include close-to-home amenities. Tracy Mahan, a parks-board member, told the council that some residents live nearly two miles from a park and urged better sidewalks and lighting in park-adjacent areas.

The consultant said the plan includes an implementation spreadsheet that staff can adjust between fiscal years and that the team recommends an interim update in five years with a full refresh every 10 years. Council asked staff to clarify several plan passages before wider public distribution — in particular, to mark a proposed recreation center/aquatics facility as a potential partnership with Pasco County rather than a city commitment and to better explain references to HOA parks and acquisition priorities. The consultant and staff agreed to revise language and return the document for review.

Council did not take a formal vote on the phase‑2 plan itself but directed staff to refine the plan’s wording and implementation tables and to coordinate public engagement as projects move into design and construction.