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Council weighs Duarte Park Phase 2 parking-lot add-on as neighbors and staff differ on green-space impacts
Summary
Staff proposed adding a parking-lot amenity to Duarte Park Phase 2 for an extra $49,000 in design fees (roughly $18,000 out of contingency). Councilmembers debated tradeoffs between added parking (19 spaces, 1 ADA) and loss of usable green space, enforcement and maintenance. No vote was taken; staff will return with cost updates for the May budget workshop.
City staff presented finalized Phase 2 design plans for Duarte Park and offered council an option to include a parking-lot amenity as part of the design contract. Emmanuel (S10) told the council that incorporating the parking-lot amenity into the design would cost an additional $49,000. "As part of the design contract, if the council wish to include the parking lot amenity, that'd be an additional $49,000 to the contract," Emmanuel said, and he noted the council had a 10% contingency remaining in the approved contract that would reduce the net new allocation required.
The proposed layout would add about 19 parking spaces (including one ADA space) at the park's northeast corner, adjacent to the existing park building. Construction cost estimates for the parking addition were discussed separately: Emmanuel said the parking-lot construction estimate in prior plans was roughly $800,000 but noted the new layout is tighter and would need a fresh cost update.
Council discussion focused on competing priorities: neighbors who have complained about on-street overflow parking may welcome the extra spaces, while others worried about losing usable green space and the long-term maintenance burden of paved areas. One councilmember suggested options such as using existing overflow lawn areas or adding a gated closure at night; staff said park-night enforcement is handled by the County Sheriff's Department and that staff could analyze gate or staffing costs.
Why it matters: the parking decision affects the park's functionality, neighboring streets, and future maintenance obligations. Staff said adding the parking-lot design now would allow engineering and lighting to be incorporated into the plan, enabling the city to pull the construction trigger more quickly if council later funds the build.
What happens next: staff will update cost estimates and present the refined numbers during the May 5 budget workshop. Council gave general direction to include the option on the future budget materials but made no formal motion or approval at the workshop.
