Council approves two Communications Hill parks and names one Azevedo Park

The City Council approved park master plans and a revised turnkey parkland agreement for two new parks in the Communications Hill development on Tuesday, endorsing staff-recommended names including Communications Hill Dog Park and Azevedo Park.

Parks staff said the phase three park will be a one‑acre dog park with separate large and small dog areas and picnic space; the phase four park is proposed as a 1.7‑acre multifunction lawn with walking loops and picnic areas. Staff said the parks will satisfy dedication obligations for the 799 units in phases three and four and estimated park dedications or fees would equate to about $9 million if the developer chose to pay fees instead of dedicating land.

Leo Tapia, a planner with the Parks Department, said the parks are scheduled to be completed and dedicated by June 2028 (phase three) and December 2029 (phase four). Mary Beth Bowman outlined the park-naming process, explaining staff vetted public name suggestions against Council Policy 7-5 and that the Parks Commission's recommendation was not advanced because it did not meet policy criteria.

Councilmembers asked about ongoing maintenance for new parks; staff said maintenance costs are considered in project planning and that requests are made to the budget office to secure operations funding. The council voted unanimously to adopt the master plans, approve the amended turnkey agreement, and adopt the proposed park names.