The Town Council discussed the draft Park Facility Master Plan and guiding document at an extended roundtable on Aug. 7, with staff seeking guidance on prioritization ahead of a planned adoption date of Aug. 19.
Parks staff described a public-engagement process that included an in-person workshop with roughly 80 residents and an online survey with about 800 responses; consultants and staff produced a 10-year implementation matrix that categorizes projects as short (1'3 years), mid (4'6 years) and long term (7'10 years). Major priorities in the plan include playground replacements, athletic-field upgrades (including proposed artificial turf at Jupiter Community Park), shade structures, trail connectivity, restroom and storage improvements, and enhanced asset-management practices.
Council reaction emphasized money, timing and strategic tradeoffs. Several councilors asked staff to align the master plan's prioritized projects with the town's upcoming CIP workshop so the council can weigh scope and funding together. "This plan gives us a strategic framework," the mayor said, but "we don't have the money to do everything at once." Members suggested focusing on capacity-enhancing improvements that give the most use per dollar, including sports lighting and shade to extend usable hours, and pursuing interlocal agreements with the School District and Palm Beach County to leverage existing facilities.
Councilors also asked staff to footnote where neighborhood or HOA-owned facilities fill townlevel needs and to revisit level-of-service standards established previously so the plan reflects current usage patterns (for example: tennis and pickleball demand has shifted rapidly). Staff said they will incorporate council direction, finalize cost phasing with finance and return with revisions before formal adoption.
Ending: Staff will update the draft to reflect council input, align priorities with the five-year CIP and return to the council for formal action at a future meeting.