Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Open Space Parks topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Commission members discuss owner offer to donate Lake Olympia wetlands for park and trails
Summary
Grass Valley Historic Commission members reported that the owner of the parcel around Lake Olympia has expressed interest in donating roughly 3–4 acres of wetlands to become open space with trails and historical signage; commissioners discussed next steps including a formal offer to the city and creating a concept rendering for council review.
Commission member Mark said the landowner next to the planned Radisson Hotel has expressed interest in donating “about 3, 4 acres” of the Lake Olympia parcel that are essentially wetlands where Glenbrook Creek and Olympia Creek drain into Wolf Creek.
The donation would cover land commissioners described as not developable and “lend itself to open space and a park like condition with trails,” Commission member Teresa said. Commissioners discussed features the parcel could include, such as interpretive history signage and a small pond fed by existing water sources.
Why it matters: converting the unbuildable portion of the property to open space would create green space for nearby residents, including low‑income housing nearby, and would connect to the Wolf Creek trail network commissioners expect to be funded in the future.
Commission members emphasized process steps rather than outcomes. Diane (commission member) said the next step is for the owner to make a formal offer to the city and for the commission to determine whether the city would accept it. “First is to see if the city has an interest before we even ask him to go forward,” Diane said.
Commission members suggested producing a simple concept or preliminary drawing to help the city and the public visualize possible park uses. Mark said a rendering, like the one used for Memorial Park, helps build public support: “Without having that formal plan to present, that’s when people got it. When they saw it on paper.”
Commission members also noted site constraints and connections: the lot sits next to Westamerica Bank and behind the Radisson site; it drains into Wolf Creek a few blocks away, and commissioners said clearing blackberry and other brush could be an early community cleanup step to create initial access to the water and trail connections.
No formal action was taken. Commissioners agreed to keep the concept moving: encourage the owner to make a formal offer, coordinate with city staff on whether the city would accept donated land, and prepare a preliminary concept for presentation to stakeholders.
Ending: Commissioners indicated they will continue outreach with the owner and city staff and will bring any formal offer and concept materials to a future meeting for possible action.
