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Parks staff: Memorial Park expansion advances after state and county approvals
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Summary
Parks staff said the Memorial Park expansion has cleared state and county site‑plan reviews; staff outlined next steps (planning commission review, easement recording, RFP for contractors) and estimated construction and turf‑establishment timelines that could delay play until fall 2027.
Parks staff reported the Memorial Park expansion has moved past key permitting hurdles and is ready to advance toward procurement and construction. "We finally crossed the hurdles of getting the final site plan approval from State Highway and County Forest Conservation," the staff member said, and added that the consultant is drafting an RFP to solicit contractors.
Staff told the board that the project team has submitted a road access permit to State Highway and will submit a joint permit to the Maryland Department of the Environment because the connector road will cross a stream. Staff said the project will also require recording final site plans with the county and conveying easement deeds for floodplain and forest conservation so the county has authority to inspect plantings and restorations.
Board members asked how construction will affect sports schedules and parking. The staff member said the new connector road will alter traffic patterns and remove some overflow grass parking used by baseball teams during construction; temporary parking or use of other parks such as Festival Park may be needed. On schedule, staff estimated "five to six months if all goes well" for construction work but cautioned that turf must establish before play resumes; the staff member said fields "may not be able to even play on these fields until 2027, fall of next year." The board discussed including a germination/establishment guarantee in the RFP so contractors are held accountable for turf quality.
Next administrative steps identified by staff included the planning commission review (referenced in the meeting as occurring later this month), recording easement deeds with the county, moving the RFP to release once paperwork is recorded, and conducting a preconstruction meeting with the awarded contractor and Morton Buildings when the contract is awarded. Staff said they plan to provide the board with bids for review before making a recommendation to the mayor and council.
The board did not take a formal vote on the project during the meeting; staff will continue to pursue permitting, prepare the RFP, and return with contract recommendations and a procurement schedule.
