Commission recommends JM 51 neighborhood park master plan to City Council pending environmental clearance

The Parks and Recreation Commission on May 5 recommended the JM 51 neighborhood park master plan and asked staff to forward the plan to the Roseville City Council for formal approval pending environmental clearance.

Tara G, park planning and development manager for the city, told commissioners the proposed plan covers a roughly 2.6-acre site in the Sierra Vista area bounded by Shimmer Falls Drive, Lake Haven Drive and Whisper Wind Way. She said outreach included a virtual workshop in September 2024 (22 residents), an in-person workshop in February 2025 (54 residents) and a brief follow-up comment period in April that produced 10 additional written comments. The plan would connect to a future bike trail, include two turf areas, a children’s play area with shade, a shaded picnic area, a half basketball court with activity space, natural trails, bark-mulch planting pockets and irrigation. Two items were identified as potential add-alternates if budget allows: an extended turf area north of the play area and the half-court activity area.

Commissioners pressed staff on cost and phasing. Tara G said the project budget is approximately $950,000 in total that includes soft costs—engineering, architecture, permitting and inspections—and that current construction costs are running about $800,000 per acre on comparable recent projects, explaining why the full build of the 2.6-acre site would exceed available funds. She said the department hopes to receive competitive bids that could allow both add-alternates to be built, but that the tight budget makes a phased approach likely; staff also said a later second phase is possible if future development fees or other revenues materialize.

Commissioners asked whether the undeveloped areas would be usable by children even if left as bark mulch; staff said some areas adjacent to open space would likely be less developed but still suitable for informal play. Commissioners and staff also discussed park-fee collection, how rezonings or changes in housing density affect available park fee revenues, and the city’s effort to monitor intensity and adjust fees where appropriate.

If the commission’s recommendation is approved by the City Council and environmental clearance is obtained, staff said they would begin construction document preparation with a target to start construction in spring 2026.

Votes at the meeting: a commissioner moved to recommend approval of the JM 51 neighborhood park master plan and forward it to the City Council for formal approval pending environmental clearance; a second was recorded; when the commission voted the chair called for “All in favor?” and commissioners responded “Aye.” The motion carried and the plan will be forwarded to the City Council. The meeting transcript records the motion and the aye vote but does not record individual roll-call votes or a numerical tally.