Cambria residents press board on long-delayed skate park; board sets East Ranch park plan and budget items for future agenda

Residents, skate‑park builders and project volunteers used public comment at the Feb. 12 Cambria Community Services District meeting to press the board to move the long‑delayed skate park forward and to set firm RFP and permitting timelines.

Connor Hendry, a local skate‑park builder, told the board the community has raised significant funds and that the skate park has been torn out for more than five years. “We almost have a full generation that has not had the experience of skating,” he said, urging the district to expedite permitting and construction. Julie Amadeuski and Chelsea Foster echoed the call for the board to meet previously promised milestones and for staff to put the project out to bid in the second quarter of 2026.

General Manager McElhaney and contracted engineer Monty Sota (present online) explained the immediate hold-up: county planners are requiring flood‑proof engineering calculations from the restroom vendor rather than accepting the district‑engineer’s independent calculations. McElhaney said the vendor’s delay in delivering the calculations has created an estimated 8–11 week delay for resubmission and that staff has filed an extension with the county as a stopgap measure.

Separately, the board received an extended update on the East Ranch Community Park (phase 3). Staff and the PROS committee recommended limited initial steps: a visual impact assessment (quotes ranged in staff materials from about $1,500–$2,000) and preliminary engineering/permitting estimates (staff ballparked $15,000–$20,000 for scoping). Director Thomas and staff urged setting a modest design/permitting budget to produce firm cost estimates that would support fundraising and grant applications.

By consensus and subsequent motions the board directed staff to put two items on a future meeting agenda: (1) discussion and consideration of adoption of the East Ranch Community Park phase‑3 plan, and (2) a discussion and consideration of a budget adjustment to fund the visual assessment and preliminary engineering/permitting work.

Board and staff discussed fundraising approaches, including the possibility of a dedicated nonprofit fundraising vehicle and how donor hesitancy to place funds directly with the district complicates planning. Staff said some private pledges exist but that many grants are reimbursement‑based, requiring the district to expend funds before being repaid. PROS committee members said a clear scope and an adopted plan would help galvanize donors.