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Board recommends approval of Creekside park agreement, urges council to expedite playground funding
Summary
The board voted to recommend the Creekside Park improvement agreement, accepting developer-donated land and park-fee credits but asked town council to prioritize funding for playground amenities as soon as funds are available.
The Park and Recreation Board on Oct. 9 recommended that town council approve a park improvement agreement for the Creekside subdivision that will dedicate roughly 7.034 acres of parkland and provide park-improvement fees intended to help construct a neighborhood park.
Dan Baker, parks staff, described Creekside as a 221-lot development and said the developer’s fee obligation equaled $1,500 per lot under the present fee schedule for a total of $331,500; the developer is donating 7.034 acres where the town requires one acre per 35 units (the town is proposing to change that ratio in separate fee discussions). Baker said the developer will construct a perimeter hike-and-bike trail and that the town would apply credits if the developer upsized required sidewalks to wider trail sections.
Clint Richardson, the developer’s representative, said the developer will manage construction and turn the completed park over to the town; he described the planned work as irrigated sod, trees, trail and perimeter improvements, with no playgrounds or backstops included in the developer-funded package. "Our intention was we don't have enough money to finish the whole park. We have enough money to basically do the perimeter, and then we would just have to hydro mulch it and hope for the best," Richardson said, explaining why the developer asked the town to partner on finishing the site.
Board members expressed concern that the initial deliverable would be a sodded, irrigated green space without playground equipment, and they asked staff to urge council to expedite additional funding to provide playgrounds as soon as fiscally possible. Baker said town funds and park development fees or bond funds might be used later to add amenities, and he reminded members that council is the ultimate decision-maker.
A motion to recommend approval of the Creekside Development Park agreement passed; the board’s recommendation included an explicit request that council prioritize adding playground amenities to the site as funds become available.
Next steps: staff will forward the board’s recommendation to town council for final action at the Oct. 28 council meeting.
