Palo Alto staff propose 2026 capital projects; commissioners press for clearer schedules on park restrooms and Baylands repairs

City staff presented a draft five‑year capital improvement program to the Palo Alto Parks and Recreation Commission on Dec. 18, highlighting proposed projects for fiscal year 2026 and seeking the commission’s input on prioritization.

The presentation, led by Lambda Do, superintendent of Open Space, Parks and Golf, listed recurring maintenance items (trail and lake maintenance, athletic court resurfacing), eight open‑space projects and 14 parks/golf/recreation projects the department wants to advance. Staff said council funds the first year of the plan and years 2–5 remain for planning only.

The draft includes continuing work at the Foothills Nature Preserve, eucalyptus removal, lake/pond and trail maintenance, playground and park restroom installations and several golf‑course items. Staff said about 25 projects are active in the current fiscal year and some — including dock replacements and park renovations — are anticipated to roll over into 2026.

Why it matters: Commissioners said the public needs clearer project pages and status updates so the commission can make informed prioritization recommendations before staff submits final requests to the Office of Management and Budget in mid‑January. Several residents urged the commission to fast‑track restrooms for smaller neighborhood parks.

Public commenters pressed for a named pledge to an Eleanor Pardee ("Partee") Park restroom. Nancy Kalafidas, Sharon Erickson and Penny Proctor said gardeners, families and volunteers need a permanent restroom at Eleanor Pardee and asked for a transparent schedule of outreach and a clear deadline for adding the project to the 2026 CIP. Staff answered that Mitchell Park restroom design work is planned this fiscal year, construction in fiscal 2026, and a community survey for Eleanor Pardee is expected in mid‑January; if community outreach demonstrates support, staff said they would propose the park for funding in the FY2026 submittal.

Commissioners pressed staff for more usable materials — not just an alphabetical list — including project pages, current status, approximate dollar bands and an explanation of whether projects are "keep up" (maintenance) or "catch up." Lam Do and other staff said those pages exist in the city budget book linked from the staff report but acknowledged the report did not include the specific pages in the packet; staff agreed to return with more detailed status material and to clarify which projects are most feasible to deliver in FY2026 given city staffing and contractor lead times.

Flooding and Baylands work: staff also reported a separate but related operational response after an unprecedented early December high tide and storm caused significant flooding at the Baylands. Staff described sandbagging attempts, evacuations of visitors and short‑term levee and trail repairs. Do said rangers and public works inspected damage and that staff completed immediate repairs and reopened the park the next day; he said design and permitting to address levee infrastructure are planned in FY2026.

Commissioners asked whether damaged grade‑control structures on Buckeye Creek and other creek restoration needs are in the five‑year plan; staff said Buckeye Creek repairs and several Foothills improvements are included within the Foothills Nature Preserve line item and may be split into phased work depending on available funding and permits.

Process and timing: staff emphasized that modular restroom fabrication can have long lead times — often nine months or more — so even projects approved in FY2026 would commonly reach construction in 2027. Commissioners asked that outreach results include clear next steps and timelines so neighborhood groups understand when a restroom might actually be installed.

What’s next: staff said it would submit the department’s capital project requests to OMB in January and return to the commission to present the finalized FY2026 submittal and the more detailed project pages requested.

Ending: Commissioners and members of the public agreed they want an ongoing, transparent status feed as projects move from concept and outreach into design and construction phases so expectations match funding and staff capacity.