Council moves $8.1 million reserve into CIP to begin Northgate Park feasibility and concept design

The Salinas City Council approved, as part of the consent agenda on March 11, a staff recommendation to appropriate an $8,100,000 reserve (established by council in 2022) into the Capital Improvement Program to begin feasibility studies and early conceptual designs for Northgate Park, including a proposed recreation center and related amenities.

What the council approved

Public Works staff explained the action: the appropriation will fund an initial feasibility study and conceptual design phase that staff said would take a few months and include community input. A staff member described the action as: "take the reserve account, the $8,100,000 that council established in '22 and move that and appropriate it into a CIP so that we can begin a feasibility study as well as some early conceptual designs of Northgate Park to include a recreation center and other amenities." Council Member Sandoval asked whether design work would include community input; staff confirmed additional outreach during the design phase.

Vote and context

Council Member Barajas thanked the public-works team for the project. The council amended and approved the consent agenda to include the District 5 item and then voted to move the full consent agenda; roll call was unanimous. No separate public hearing was required for the appropriation because the item was on the consent calendar and approved in the omnibus consent vote.

Next steps

Staff said the feasibility and conceptual-design phase would take several months and that future updates and budget actions would return to council as the project advances.