Consultants present revised Leon Valley Parks Master Plan; council to review final edits before March vote

Consultants from Ardura presented an updated Parks, Trails and Open Spaces Master Plan to the Leon Valley City Council on Feb. 4, summarizing community engagement and offering citywide and park‑specific recommendations for 14 parks, trails and open spaces.

The nut graf: the plan compiles public input and advisory‑committee recommendations into a prioritized set of themes — family and inclusivity, amenities and recreation, reinvestment and maintenance, comfort and safety, access and connectivity, nature and environment, and sustainability/resiliency — and ties those themes to individual park recommendations and phasing guidance.

Jessica Relucio and Lotta (Ardura planners) told the council the project included advisory‑committee meetings, stakeholder interviews, an online questionnaire, in‑person outreach at City Hall and the library, and a public draft that was posted on the city website. The plan maps park service areas, documents existing conditions, and provides specific, themed recommendations for each park, along with a simple relative cost indicator for priorities (e.g., lower to higher cost symbols rather than exact dollar estimates).

Melinda Morts, the city’s public works director, and the consultants noted the plan aims to preserve green space, improve shade and trail connectivity, add restrooms and water fountains at select locations, and consider ADA upgrades and maintenance priorities. The plan also flags drainage and resilience measures for parks in flood‑prone areas.

Council discussion focused on maintenance capacity and funding. Councilmembers asked whether staff could provide estimated maintenance and staffing costs tied to the recommendations; Melinda Morts said costs are volatile but the plan uses a symbolic “$” ranking to indicate relative costs and staff can return with dollar estimates. Several councilmembers said parks have increased in recent years and asked for an evaluation of additional staffing needs, including whether positions should be public‑works labor or a combination of maintenance staff and park rangers for safety.

The Parks Commission approved the draft plan contingent on adding two forward letters from staff and the commission; consultants said they would incorporate those forwards and bring a final draft back to the City Council at the March 4 meeting.

Ending: Council members and staff asked colleagues and the public to submit any final edits before the end of February so staff could place the final plan on the March 4 agenda for adoption.