The Manvel Parks Board voted May 22 to recommend that city staff explore partnerships, including with the Sedona Lakes utility district, to improve Almost Heaven Park and report back to the board.

The recommendation seeks to speed cleanup and limited development of a park parcel identified in the city’s 2016 parks plan that officials and residents described as underused and in rough condition. Board members emphasized that the vote was only to direct staff to investigate collaboration and possible agreements; the board did not commit city funds.

Brian Sarunito, parks staff, told the board the site has “good bones” and “it's a real diamond in the rough,” noting a half-mile trail, a central pond and large oak trees but also holes, dead trees and a trail in need of resurfacing. Jim Forrest, president of the Sedona Lakes utility board, asked the city to consider resurfacing the decomposed-granite trail, cleaning up trees and adding benches. “We only get paid $5,000 a year to cut that grass,” Forrest said, describing the neighborhood’s current maintenance arrangement.

Representatives from Sedona Lakes described a development proposal for land near the community’s wastewater plant that would include play areas, two pickleball courts (expandable), a two-zone dog park and a 12–15 space parking area. Forrest said the Sedona Lakes board has set aside money for neighborhood park work, saying, “We allocated right at, $2,000,000. 1.7, I think it was.” He and other Sedona Lakes representatives told the Parks Board they would not spend taxpayer money beyond the neighborhood’s property without an interlocal agreement or memorandum of understanding to allow joint work on city-owned land.

Board members and residents raised several practical constraints. Staff and Sedona Lakes representatives said four-wheelers and other off-road vehicles frequently tear up decomposed granite, prompting a discussion of whether to resurface trails with more decomposed granite, or to install asphalt — an option staff warned would require substantial base work because soils at the site are loose sand. Forrest estimated that building a compliant pedestrian bridge to link Almost Heaven Park with adjacent Dolores Martin Park would be expensive; he recalled a prior bridge estimate on the order of “$800,000.”

Access and parking were recurring concerns. Sedona Lakes speakers said neighborhood access to Almost Heaven Park would be primarily via Turnbridge/Kestrel Ridge, and cautioned that adding parking close to the cul-de-sacs could prompt resident complaints about overflow street parking. Staff noted alternative parking or a small gravel trailhead farther from the subdivision as options to reduce neighborhood impacts.

Parks staff framed the board’s question as whether members were open to having staff approach potential partners and draft an interlocal agreement or memorandum of understanding. Joseph (parks staff) moved that the board recommend the city council authorize staff to explore partnership options; the motion was approved. Joseph told the board staff would follow up with updates: “We'll bring updates to you on, whatever progress we make,” he said.

Discussion items the board identified for follow-up included: clarifying which entity would own and maintain improvements; what funding sources could be used (Sedona Lakes MUD funds, county partnership, federal grants, or city funds); options and cost differences for trail surfacing; a possible small parking area away from residential cul-de-sacs; and the legal mechanics an interlocal agreement would require. The board emphasized these steps would be investigatory only and that any funding or formal agreement would return for separate review and approval.

The Parks Board did not adopt a development plan or commit city money at the May 22 meeting. Staff will report any material progress to the board and to the city council as next steps.