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Park board reviews draft CIP pages; Cullen Nature Preserve funding, denied grant, and ADA-audit proposal dominate discussion
Summary
Park staff presented draft CIP pages including a re-scheduled park master-plan timeline, a Cullen Nature Preserve implementation page (estimated $900,000; prior grant application denied), and a staff proposal to scope a systemwide ADA accessibility audit. Board members discussed tradeoffs, potential reallocation of park funds, and next steps to consult finance and return with funding options.
Park staff reviewed draft capital improvement plan (CIP) pages on May 6, focusing on park master-planning timing, an implementation page for smaller park projects, and funding options for the Cullen Nature Preserve.
Kelly, speaking for parks staff, described the CIP as a five-year plan that balances projects against available resources and noted parks and trails currently account for about 8.4% of the draft CIP. She said the CIP pages are draft and that the board’s feedback tonight would be used to refine the requests before the council study session in mid-June.
Cullen Nature Preserve
Staff reported that the Cullen master plan is complete but the city did not receive the hoped-for LCCMR grant. The full implementation estimate in the plan is roughly $900,000; previous drafts had shown $450,000 tied to a grant that did not materialize. Staff and board members discussed options: pursue alternative grants, use park-investment funds in phases, or seek private matching funds. Gerald Gershone of the Friends of Cullen said the group has been pursuing private foundation support and urged full funding rather than piecemeal implementation to protect a rare oak‑savanna habitat and deliver interpretive programming.
Board members discussed whether they would signal to finance and the city manager a willingness to reprioritize some projects to advance Cullen. Several members said they would be open to trading timing on other park projects to fund key elements of the Cullen plan; staff cautioned that finance must evaluate tradeoffs across multiple funds and projects.
ADA audit proposal
A board member proposed adding a CIP page for a citywide ADA audit of parks, playgrounds and major park amenities to identify gaps, prioritize repairs and reduce legal risk. Discussion covered scope (all parks versus a prioritized set), consultant options, likely costs and the difference between immediate fixes and long-term upgrades. Staff indicated they will consult accessibility experts and return with options and cost estimates so the board can consider including an ADA-audit page in the CIP.
Next steps and schedule
Staff will meet with finance and the city manager to explore funding paths, will prepare refined CIP pages for board feedback in June, and will bring the final recommendation to the council. The board set its next meeting for June 3 to review the final draft CIP and other items; staff also noted upcoming public events (Farmer’s Market, Shady Oak Beach opening, Summerfest).
