Cambria board delays decision on East Ranch Community Park Phase 3, seeks joint site review

The Cambria Community Services District Board of Directors voted unanimously March 12 to continue discussion of the East Ranch Community Park Phase 3 Plan and a related budget amendment until the Board and the Parks, Recreation and Open Space (PROS) Committee can meet on site.

General Manager Matthew McElhenie introduced the park plan and Director Michael Thomas summarized the Board’s discussion of Phase 3. After public comments from Dennis Dudzik and Christina Galloway, Director Michael Thomas moved to continue items 7C and 7D to a subsequent meeting following a joint Board and PROS Committee site visit; Director Tom Gray seconded. The motion passed 5-0.

Why it matters: the Phase 3 plan and the associated budget amendment (item 7D) were deferred together so the Board can view the park site and further confer with the PROS Committee before making final design or budget decisions. The Board’s vote paused immediate action on design approvals and any related fiscal changes.

Board members took a lunch break after the vote and later reconvened. Vice President Karen Dean separately suggested holding a special on-site Board meeting to view the Community Park before returning the item to a future agenda.

The continuation leaves open what, if any, design changes or budget adjustments will be proposed following the joint site review. The Board provided no timetable for the subsequent meeting in the minutes; the item was recorded as continued to a future meeting after the joint site session.

Next steps: the Board will revisit items 7C (East Ranch Community Park Phase 3 Plan) and 7D (Resolution 10-2026 amending the FY 2025-2026 budget) after the joint Board/PROS Committee site meeting. No final design approvals or budget amendments were adopted at the March 12 meeting.