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Council hears North Sphere park update; UNSP plan boosts open space
Summary
Staff updated the council on public engagement and needs for the North Sphere Regional Park and reported the UNSP plan increases total open space from 22 to 56 acres, with a consolidated park area around 22 acres and options to fund through developers or park impact fees.
City staff gave a progress report on the North Sphere Regional Park planning and the University Neighborhood Specific Plan (UNSP), summarizing public engagement results and options for park acreage, amenities and funding.
Community services manager Sean Muir said the outreach program included five open houses, nine stakeholder meetings and multiple commission briefings; survey results showed strong interest in athletic fields, pickleball and disc golf. He noted existing North-Sphere parks are relatively small and that Dave Irwin Park — a 27-acre facility described earlier in the meeting — will open soon and provide large fields and courts.
Deputy director Carlos Flores then outlined updates to the UNSP site: the plan increases open space from 22 acres to a total of 56 acres, including a consolidated roughly 22-acre park area that could be the primary recreational site. Flores said the plan builds flexibility into funding and timing — the park could be developer-funded, supported by park impact fees, or phased — and suggested retention basins could be programmed for recreation (for example, disc golf) to maximize multiuse value.
Why it matters: the proposed open-space increase would create a substantial new park resource in the city’s north area and could affect future development patterns and funding priorities. Staff paused this portion of the briefing to move the council into a noticed closed session as scheduled; staff will return to complete the remaining park items after closed session.
Next steps: staff will resume the UNSP and Cal State site updates after closed session and return with programming and funding options as part of the ongoing North Sphere park planning process.
