Council directs staff to study L'ola Park options for a new aquatic/community center; acquisition alternative also to be analyzed

San Carlos — Faced with competing neighborhood views and a large volume of public comment, the City Council on May 11 directed staff to move forward with a focused study and master‑planning process for an aquatic facility at L'ola Park while also developing a parallel alternative that would evaluate acquiring adjacent school‑district land for an expanded community/aquatic campus.

The background: Over multiple outreach rounds the city has evaluated options for a new community and aquatic center. Consultants presented four conceptual alternatives on May 11: (1) combined pool + community center at Burton Park, (2) community center only at Burton, (3) aquatic center at L'ola Park, and (4) combined community + aquatic center at L'ola that would require acquisition of neighboring Sequoia Union High School District property.

Public comment split: Residents near Burton Park and long‑term users urged avoiding large construction and loss of fields at Burton; Arbor Bay School and other space renters emphasized displacement risks if facilities were sited at Burton. East‑side community associations (GESC) and many residents urged a L'ola location and pushed for the acquisition alternative to secure more usable parkland and better access.

Council action: Instead of selecting a single build‑out tonight, council voted to direct staff to study both option 3 (aquatic center at L'ola) and option 4 (L'ola plus adjacent property acquisition) through a parks‑master planning and environmental (SQA) process. Staff will bring results, cost estimates and SQA analysis back to council for further direction. Council members stressed the need to study parking, traffic access and phased implementation and asked staff to coordinate outreach with the affected neighborhoods and the Parks & Recreation Commission.

Why it matters: The decision focuses the next round of planning on the east side — a part of the city where residential growth and planned development have raised demand for neighborhood and city‑scale park amenities. A council motion left both alternatives on the table so the city can pursue an achievable near‑term aquatic facility while preserving the option to seek land acquisition for a larger campus if that becomes feasible.

Next steps: Staff will begin a master‑planning and SQA analysis of both L'ola scenarios, refine costs and operating projections, evaluate parking and access, and report back to council with recommended preferred options and funding pathways.