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Planning commission recommends expansion of Lambert Park’s south parking lot with option to add gate
Summary
The Alpine City Planning Commission on June 3 recommended that City Council approve an expansion of the south parking lot at Lambert Park, adding roughly two dozen spaces and asking staff to consider moving the new stalls south and adding a lockable gate to limit access during high-risk times.
Alpine City Planning Commission members voted June 3 to recommend that the City Council approve an expansion of the south parking lot at Lambert Park and asked staff to consider siting the new stalls farther south and adding a gate that could be locked.
The change, presented by City Planner Ryan Robinson during a public hearing, would increase the lot’s capacity by about 23 additional spaces; Robinson described the existing lot as having "probably about 23 spots" and later referenced existing counts of 32 in some drawings. Robinson said the project is a material change to park property and will require the City Council to act because the park is subject to a conservation easement.
The commission’s recommendation matters because the conservation easement imposes additional approval steps before built work can proceed; Robinson told the commission that Council approval will be required and that the vote threshold may be a supermajority (he said it would take "4 or 5" votes in some form). The commission’s action was a recommendation to Council, not final construction authorization.
During discussion commissioners raised safety, access and usage concerns. Commissioners debated whether expanding parking would simply attract more nonresident visitors, creating maintenance or traffic burdens for the city, and whether a gate could limit unauthorized motorized access. Robinson said signs and restrictions would be used to limit motorized vehicle access beyond the lot, reserving motorized access for people with disabilities or other authorized uses. Commissioners suggested alternatives including shifting the new stalls nearer the existing restroom area to allow a single controllable gate and to reduce encroachment into vegetated areas.
Commissioner Greg Butterfield moved to recommend approval of the expansion with the modification that the parking be moved further south and that staff consider adding a gate so the area could be locked when appropriate. Troy Slade seconded the motion. The commission voted in favor; commissioners present said “aye,” and the motion carried. Robinson noted the item will go to City Council for public hearing and final approval.
No members of the public spoke during the commission’s hearing.
Next steps: staff will prepare the recommendation packet for the City Council, include engineering options for re-siting the stalls and gate locations, and the Council will consider the conservation-easement and public-hearing process required for park changes.
