City to bid new north entrance and parking at sports park; costs may exceed budget

City parks staff unveiled designs for a new north-side parking lot and full entrance to better serve soccer and baseball users at the sports park and said the city will go out to bid in the coming week. The plan adds a north–south parking area adjacent to Fields 9 and 10 with more than 100 spaces, an entrance and exit, ADA spaces and a lighting package that staff said was included in the Build-a-Field trust fund. "It's a North South parking lot essentially right next to Fields 9 to 10, over 100 spots there," a parks staff member said. Staff said sight-line and safety reviews were done with engineering and public-works staff to ensure the new entrance is safe for trail users and pedestrians. "We're keeping people ahead as they as trail users go; they are ahead of the parking," the parks staff member said, describing pedestrian sight lines and vehicle stacking for safe crossing. The proposed lighting meets code (about one foot-candle per parking spot), and staff noted some of the lighting budget — $150,000 — was set aside specifically for lights in the Build-a-Field trust fund. The parking construction budget is $700,000 from that fund, plus $150,000 for lights, but staff cautioned that the full project as currently designed will likely exceed the $700,000 construction budget and may require additional council action. "Don't be surprised if I come back and say we're over budget on that," the parks staff member said. Council members raised questions about whether the design would require bridges or tunnels at the trail; staff answered that there will be no bridge or tunnel and that the parking entrance will follow the same pattern as existing park entrances. Staff said the next phase could include a formalized parking area behind Fields 2 and 3 and that the full completion plan is included in the Capital Improvement Plan (CIP). One council member asked whether the lighting and parking meet ADA standards; staff confirmed the five handicap spaces follow ADA standards. No formal vote on the parking design was recorded; staff said the plan would go out to bid imminently and return to council if bids exceed available funds.