San Benito County parks panel creates ad hoc river-design committee, hears $2.2 million mitigation estimate for regional park

The San Benito County Parks and Recreation Commission voted May 15 to form an ad hoc committee to advise on the San Oaks River design and heard project updates that included restroom repairs, a planned public water connection, a shade-structure grant, and an estimated multimillion-dollar mitigation requirement for habitat related to Riverview Regional Park.

Commissioners directed staff to recruit two commission members to serve on the ad hoc committee and asked staff to invite other stakeholders, including historically knowledgeable residents and tribal representatives, to participate. The commission approved the motion to create the ad hoc committee by voice vote.

Commission staff briefed the commission on several capital projects. Parks staff reported that a small playground and restroom renovation are complete and open for use; a separate restroom roof and partition replacement is slated for July 2025. Staff said they are moving to make one park’s well part of a public drinking-water system and expect consultant deliverables this week that will support a state submittal and water-meter installation before opening drinking water to the public.

The commission was told a local nonprofit received a $50,000 grant to add shade structures and benches in a north park area; county advisory funds contributed “a few thousand dollars,” bringing project funds to roughly $100,000, staff said. The commission authorized release of county funds so the nonprofit can proceed with summer installation.

Staff presented plans for Sunnyside Park, including playground surfacing, picnic areas and a small trail; construction is intended to protect the river edge with temporary fencing during initial work. The Sunnyside and a nearby Riverview site were described as neighborhood-serving amenities that will rely on impact-fee funding and other sources for construction and long-term maintenance.

Commissioners raised maintenance and staffing concerns. Staff said maintenance of the new parks will be contracted and funded through homeowners’ associations or similar mechanisms where applicable, and noted the parks department has limited in-house staff. Commissioners discussed a transition and training period for a long‑serving parks worker who is expected to retire and preliminarily agreed to place a formal commendation for that employee on a future agenda.

On Riverview Regional Park, staff reported an environmental mitigation estimate tied to protected amphibians and habitat that they said could require about $2,200,000 for off-site mitigation (staff used a number in the meeting transcript and described budget uncertainty). Staff outlined steps already taken: site surveys, protocol surveys to avoid in-season work if species are present, and options to reduce mitigation cost if surveys show hybrids or non‑listed individuals. Staff said they are pursuing potential mitigation acreage near Pinnacles and noted Spring Ranch as a possible mitigation site of roughly 50 acres.

Staff also said a large construction grant application has been submitted to cover park construction elements including additional restrooms, a small amphitheater, bocce courts, botanical plantings and landscaping; the status of that grant application was not yet resolved at the meeting.

Formal actions recorded during the meeting included acknowledgments and procedural votes (see Actions). The commission closed the meeting after routine calendar and community-event notes.

Ending: The commission instructed staff to proceed with recruitment for the ad hoc San Oaks River design committee and to return with more detailed cost and mitigation analysis at a future meeting; no final construction contracts or mitigation purchases were approved at this meeting.