The Fairfax Town Council on Thursday approved the concept for a small, enclosed “tot lot” inside the existing Perry Park playground, clearing the way for community fundraising and town-conducted procurement to complete the work.

The proposal, presented by Maria Baird to the council as a Parks & Recreation Commission concept, would create a fenced, gated 10-by-12-foot enclosure near an existing park pathway and ramp so parents can supervise toddlers while older children use the larger playground equipment. “The item you have before you is a proposed tot lot for the Perry Park playground area,” Baird told the council at the start of the presentation.

Parks staff and the town’s public works director, Lauren Umbertis, said the enclosure would not include a built play structure at this stage; proponents expect to place a soft surface for crawling and small toys. Umbertis told council the estimated community-funded cost was between about $9,000 and $12,000 and that the town would handle standard procurement and permitting steps because the enclosure would be on town property. “Because it is within a town park, there are certain requirements that we need to follow,” she said, listing bonding, prevailing wage and insurance as cost drivers.

Proponent Rafael Skovran, who brought the idea to Parks & Rec in 2024, said he had gathered more than 20 responses in a public survey and that the most common request was a continuous surface that posed no choking hazard for very young children. “The number one thing they want is a continuous surface that does not present a choking hazard,” Skovran said.

Several residents and parents spoke during public comment. Some urged a quick build and suggested private fundraising; others raised environmental and health concerns about artificial turf and “rubber pebble” resilient surfacing, noting heat, PFAS and microplastic risks. “Synthetic turf is harmful, especially to aquatic organisms,” one commenter quoted environmental group guidance and urged sod or other natural alternatives.

Council members debated options during council discussion. Some members suggested shade over the enclosure and a short timeline for fundraising; others pressed staff to prioritize nonplastic surfacing. A motion to approve the concept passed after the council rejected a separate motion that would have required sod specifically. The final council approval included an instruction that proponents pursue “environmentally friendly materials” for the surfacing.

Votes at a glance: the motion to approve the tot lot concept passed on the council floor with a recorded vote of 4–1 (one council member recorded a dissent). The council therefore authorized staff to proceed with the public-facing next steps: (1) accept community fundraising, (2) prepare a budget and procurement package for bids, and (3) return to council with a final design and timeline if required by procurement thresholds.

Proponents estimated fundraising and voluntary labor could cover most project costs; staff said the town would run a standard public contracting process for any work over the small-purchase thresholds and would apply prevailing wage, bonding and insurance requirements where applicable. The council asked staff to return with clarifications on surfacing alternatives and a short timeline so the proponent community can begin fundraising and outreach.

The council directed the town clerk to record the change to the minutes noted during the public input period and to follow the town’s procurement rules when seeking contractor bids for the approved concept.

The council did not adopt a specific construction contract or appropriation at the meeting; those details will be presented after fundraising and design clarifications are completed.