Linda Cogswell, senior design manager in Architecture Services, updated the commission on the Memorial Park redevelopment and expansion. Cogswell said the revised plan combines the existing 10.3‑acre Memorial Park with the 2.9‑acre former Fisher Lumber site to create a 13.2‑acre community park designed to meet growing recreational demand. She said the project advances sustainability goals by replacing impermeable parking and aging facilities and by integrating native landscaping and water‑capture systems.

Cogswell reviewed the project history: master planning beginning in 1997, renewed council priority in 2016, voter approval of Measure V allocating up to $20,000,000, a 2019 master plan adoption, and subsequent contract actions including awarding SWA Group a design contract in August 2024. She described the design phasing: phase 0 is the sustainable water infrastructure project (SWIP); phase 1 and phase 2 are construction phases with updated estimated construction budgets of $25,000,000 and $15,000,000, respectively. In the presentation Cogswell identified a proposed underground stormwater tank for capture, reuse or infiltration with a stated maximum capacity of 3,000,000 gallons to harvest runoff from roughly 135 acres in the Pico subwatershed.

Cogswell said the draft Environmental Impact Report for the project was released in September and that the public comment period closed Nov. 3; staff plan to bring the final EIR and revised plan to City Council on Jan. 27. She also described tree and parking impacts in the revised plan: the design team counted 96 existing trees in phases 1 and 2, said they would protect or relocate 14 and remove 82, propose planting 110 new trees on‑site and cited a restitution policy requiring replanting 423 trees (staff indicated the excess replanting would be placed within a quarter mile of the park and citywide to meet policy). Cogswell said the design team is pursuing grants and partnerships to address funding shortfalls and would present 60% plans in spring and proceed to bidding and construction planning once funding is available.

Commissioners questioned whether the SWIP cost is included in the phase budgets (staff said SWIP is included in the phase 0 cost estimate), the timing and prioritization of tank location, grant competitiveness and coordination with other city projects. On trees, city landscape staff explained constraints on species selection and noted a goal to increase native species where feasible.

No formal commission vote was taken on the Memorial Park update at this meeting; staff sought feedback to carry to the January council presentation.