Newark council adopts updated parks master plan by segmented votes amid multiple recusals

The Newark City Council approved the final parks master plan update in segmented votes, adopting conceptual plans and priority project listings for several parks and the plan’s non‑park specific updates. Because multiple council members reported real property interests within 500 feet of particular parks, staff and the council used a randomized process to determine the order of consideration and which conflicted members would participate for the minimum quorum in each segment.

City staff described the plan as an update to the 2017 citywide parks master plan. Strategic Initiatives Manager Roy Gonzales said the city manages about 134 acres of parks and presented the update process, community engagement results (an online survey with about 470 respondents, six stakeholder interview groups and several outreach events) and key priorities: playground replacement, restroom improvements, maintenance and play‑field upgrades, and trail/pathway improvements. Project prioritization grouped projects into eight priority bundles; staff presented aggregate cost groups for the early priority bundles: Group 1 totaled about $9.7 million (13 projects), Group 2 about $5.0 million (11 projects), and Group 3 about $4.1 million (13 projects).

Because of conflicts of interest some votes were taken with recusals: - Lakeshore Park: Councilmember Anna Apodaca and Vice Mayor Freitas recused themselves; the record shows the Lakeshore item was moved by Councilmember Matthew Jorgens and approved on the record with three affirmative votes (the minutes state "passes unanimously" for the participating quorum). The conceptual plan includes a potential new restroom, new playground and pathway/trail improvements; the project priorities for Lakeshore fell into the staff’s priority groups 2, 5 and 6. - Jerry Raber (Ash Street) Park: No changes were made from the draft; staff confirmed a complete walking path around the ballfield. The council adopted the conceptual plan; the minutes record three yes votes and two recusals for this segment. - Cedar Boulevard Linear Park: The conceptual plan required no changes from the draft; the project items were placed into priority groups 3 and 8 and the council adopted the plan. The record contains the vote notation "motion passes 5, 4 a's and 1 recuse Mayor Mike Herndon" in the transcript; earlier in the record Mayor Hannan had announced a recusal for Cedar Linear Park.

After the three segmented votes, the council considered and adopted a single resolution covering the remainder of the parks (Birchgrove Park, Byington Park, Civic Center Park, MacGregor Playfields, Mayhews Landing Park, Mirabeau Park, Music Park, Newark Community Park, Sanctuary Park, Shirley Cisgrove, Sportsfield Park, Susan Johnson/Bridgepointe Park, and non‑park specific updates). Staff noted some changes incorporated since the draft: expanded paths at Byington Park, relocation of a restroom at Shirley Cisgrove to move it away from the stage and additional parking analysis language, and replacement of a proposed cricket pitch at MacGregor Playfields with additional sports fields consistent with community priorities and school‑district constraints.

Why it matters: The plan sets priorities for millions of dollars in park projects and will guide capital improvement planning and budgeting for parks improvements. Staff said the prioritized list will be used to update the CIP in mid‑2025 and staff will present expenditure recommendations at that time.

Speakers on the record for this item included Strategic Initiatives Manager Roy Gonzales, City Manager David J. Banoon (recusal statements), Councilmember Matthew Jorgens and Vice Mayor Freitas.