Planning commission recommends Murrieta parks and trails master plans to council after broad outreach

The Murrieta Planning Commission on May 14 voted unanimously to recommend that City Council approve the Parks & Recreation Master Plan update and adopt a new Trails Master Plan following a presentation by City Parks staff and consultant RJM Design Group.

Leah Kolick, parks and community services manager for the City of Murrieta, opened the presentation and said the update reflects a city that has grown “substantially,” noting roughly 115,000 residents and 53 parks. Kolick turned the presentation over to RJM, which led a 16-month public process.

"It's my pleasure to be here with you at tonight's planning commission meeting," Kolick said in introducing the project team. Zach of RJM summarized the outreach strategy, which included focus groups, stakeholder interviews, three in‑person workshops, three virtual workshops, a multimodal statistically valid survey and a continuously available project website.

"We received over 3,900 data points as part of this outreach process," Zach told the commission, and RJM said those responses informed a prioritized needs matrix. High-priority items identified by residents included improved program marketing and engagement, more pickleball courts, swim classes and added youth and senior programming. Facility priorities included additional sports fields, improved restroom maintenance and more walking and bike trails.

The consultants presented an implementation and funding picture that distinguishes between about $12,600,000 in currently funded parks and trail projects and approximately $52,800,000 in additional projects identified by the plan that lack funding. Commissioners pressed staff on how capital projects would be funded; Leah Kolick said the city’s primary capital sources are development impact fees (community center, park development and open-space fees), noting the open-space fee is temporarily paused because of current reserves.

Commissioners and staff discussed operating and maintenance constraints: Kolick explained three operating buckets established when the community services district was formed and noted a $45-per-EBU maintenance cap for property owners, with additional maintenance expenses drawn from the general fund. Staff said public‑private partnerships and targeted fundraising are among options to close funding gaps for new amenities.

Members raised several site‑specific priorities. Commissioners noted the deteriorated condition of Cal Oaks Sports Park and its pool; a staff speaker described a past chemical/acid‑tank failure that triggered a hazardous‑materials response and said earlier rebuild cost estimates of $5–6 million rose to about $12 million after the incident and are roughly $15 million today. Staff said rebuilding Cal Oaks is a high priority but that dedicated funding is not in hand.

The commission also discussed Los Alamos Hills Sports Park Phase 2. Staff said the original concept included multiple fields and an aquatic center but that biological constraints, including sensitive species habitat, have reduced the feasible scope; current planning suggests fewer soccer fields (staff estimated as many as six could be feasible) and that permitting will take additional time and funding.

RJM presented the Trails Master Plan as a companion document built from a similar outreach approach. The consultant described analysis of 19 trail segments, recommendations to improve connectivity and loop opportunities, trail classification and design standards, and recommended trail signage and wayfinding. Staff said regional coordination is already underway for the Murrieta Creek Regional Trail, which spans multiple jurisdictions from Temecula to Lake Elsinore.

On connectivity, staff identified two priority bridge crossings that are needed to complete regional trail connections — near Sykes Ranch Park and at Copper Canyon Park — and said the city has sought grant funding for those bridges and will pursue easements from private parcel owners. Staff also noted constraints where Rancho California Water District property or Riverside County flood control rules limit routing.

After discussion, Commissioner Voy Wojciech moved and Commissioner DeSena seconded a motion to recommend City Council approve the Parks & Recreation Master Plan update and the Trails Master Plan and to find both consistent with the General Plan 2035. The motion passed on a roll-call vote, 4–0.

Next steps: staff will forward the commission’s formal recommendation and the plans to City Council; City Council will consider adoption and funding priorities as part of forthcoming budget and CIP discussions.