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Burlington Council adopts 30-year City Park Master Plan
Summary
The Burlington City Council voted unanimously to adopt a high-level 20–30 year master plan for City Park that lays out goals for connectivity, ecological improvements and long-term redevelopment, while noting the plan contains no immediate funding mechanism.
The Burlington City Council voted to adopt the City Park Master Plan, a 20–30 year roadmap for roughly 90 acres of City Park that lays out long-term goals for connectivity, ecological health and recreational facilities.
Assistant City Manager Rachel Kelly introduced the plan and called forward consultant Graham Smith of Site Collaborative, who told the council the document is intended as a guidebook rather than a detailed construction design: "It's a road map for 20 to 30 years," Smith said, describing stakeholder work, site constraints such as floodplain and landfill conditions, and multiple options for phasing improvements.
The plan highlights improved pedestrian and vehicular connectivity across the park, ecological restoration for the creek corridor, and options to repurpose or replace some ball fields. During discussion council members emphasized maintaining the city's active athletics program. One council member noted that if any of the four primary ball fields are removed or repurposed, replacements would be needed to avoid displacing heavy use.
On the issue of the existing fields, councilors and staff discussed safety and ground stability concerns linked to historical landfill trenches beneath portions of the athletic complex; the consultant said past attempts to "just add dirt" have not fully resolved uneven playing surfaces. The plan recommends considering relocation or replacement of fields in phases tied to funding availability and further site analysis.
Council and staff also discussed the dog park, which the draft plan proposes moving from its current location near the former pool toward the softball/parking area on the west side of the park to improve shade and flatness, while acknowledging concerns about accessibility from parking.
The council adopted the master plan by motion and voice vote. City staff said the plan is intended to inform prioritization and future budgeting and can be amended as community needs and funding opportunities evolve. The council did not adopt a funding package at the meeting; staff outlined follow-up steps that include design work, community engagement on specific projects and future budget requests.
The adoption concludes the council’s review of the master plan; next steps include prioritized design and funding discussions at future work sessions and commission meetings.
