Laguna Hills commission backs low-cost park upgrades with selected add-on items

The Laguna Hills Parks & Recreation Commission voted unanimously to recommend that City Council advance the low-tier design packages for five parks, while adding a short list of higher-priority upgrades as bid alternates.

Consultants from RJM and DVD presented conceptual low, medium and high design options for Cabot, El Conejo, Mackenzie, San Remo and V Ranch parks, with estimated low‑option costs ranging from roughly $528,000 at San Remo to about $640,000 at V Ranch. City staff framed the decision around Quimby Act park-in-lieu funds, noting “So right now, we have about 2,050,000 on deposit with Quimby funds,” and that an additional $2,000,000 payment is projected in April 2026, which staff used to build the budget spreadsheet for the commission’s review.

Designers summarized community outreach and site constraints. Cabot’s outreach returned very few online responses (eight), which designers and commissioners attributed to the park’s use pattern (many users at practices rather than as casual visitors). El Conejo’s low option (about $750,000) requires ADA entry work and creek remediation to eliminate standing water; Mackenzie’s high option would add a fenced dog area and multiple ADA upgrades (approximately $1.8 million); San Remo drew the strongest outreach (about 60 in-person attendees) and its low option came in at roughly $528,000; V Ranch’s low option focused on resilient surfacing, swings and light-pole replacement (about $640,000).

Residents who spoke urged the commission to factor long intervals between renovations and to preserve amenities for older children. Resident Vivian Stapleton said she hoped the commission would “keep in mind that, you know, there are some areas that the outdoor space is very important to us,” and asked for equipment that serves older kids as well as toddlers.

Commissioners and staff discussed sequencing, contingency allowances and trade-offs. Staff recommended bidding the low designs with a set of additive (alternate) items so the construction bids could reveal actual costs and allow selected medium upgrades if bids permit. Commissioners identified several priorities to treat as additive bids: upgrading the sand‑volleyball area at San Remo to a more substantial renovation, addressing drainage that affects a court at El Conejo, evaluating swing options or modest expansions at Mackenzie, and considering restroom renovations at Cabot.

After discussion, Commissioner (unnamed in the transcript) moved and a second was recorded; the commission voted by voice and the chair announced the motion carried unanimously.

The commission directed staff to prepare final low‑alt plans plus the selected additive items for presentation to City Council—anticipated in June or July—and to post a compiled budget spreadsheet showing the low option totals, additive items and the available Quimby funds. The commission noted that final costs will be determined by the public bidding process and that additive items can be awarded if bids allow.