West Covina council delays design selection for Del Norte dog park, directs new RFP by year end

The West Covina City Council on May 6 debated a planned Del Norte Park improvement project and ultimately voted to reject the current design bids and direct staff to post a new request for proposals before the end of the year.

Council members sparred over whether to proceed now with a landscape design contract or to wait for a citywide parks and recreation master plan. Council member Paul Gutierrez argued the Del Norte area has been waiting “for over 12 years” for improvements and urged moving forward; Councilwoman Letty Diaz and others said the project should align with the master plan so the city could leverage grant matches.

Councilman Gutierrez said the park’s improvement account currently holds $1.3 million budgeted for Del Norte Park and the dog-park element. Staff told the council the immediate contract before them was for design services only and the lowest-cost bid was not the highest-scoring firm; staff recommended the highest-scoring firm for quality despite a higher fee. Several council members said pausing now could help the city use the $1.3 million as matching funds to seek larger grants once the master plan is complete.

After extended public testimony and council debate about fairness to District 1 residents and about grant leverage, the council approved a motion to reject the bids and post a new RFP before the winter holidays. The motion passed 3–2 with Councilmembers Gutierrez, Mayor Pro Tem Lopez Villaro and Mayor Wu voting yes; Councilman Cantos and Councilwoman Diaz voted no.

Council members directed staff to: (a) preserve the $1.3 million allocation for Del Norte Park in the capital budget, (b) coordinate the new RFP with the parks master plan when draft guidance is available, and (c) post the RFP no later than the city’s December work period (staff clarified they will post as soon as feasible after formal master-plan milestones). Staff also noted that if master-plan findings expand the project scope, the RFP and cost estimates could change and would be brought back to council.

The council discussion touched on several practical points: prior repairs at Del Norte (playground surfacing fixed for safety), the history of an earlier proposed private entrance from a developer that residents opposed, and the importance of public outreach to District 1. Staff said the proposed design contract under consideration included a $215,000 design allowance (the design-phase amount presented in the agenda), not immediate construction funding. The park master plan is expected later in 2025; the council’s instructions were intended to allow the new design procurement to incorporate that plan’s priorities.

What’s next: staff will reject the current bids, preserve the Del Norte Park allocation in the CIP, coordinate the RFP with the parks master plan outcomes, and return to council with a timeline and recommended procurement steps.