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Committee urges clearer process after council sets May 31 target for Howard Preserve plan
Summary
Members said the council had directed a first draft of the Howard Preserve management plan by May 31, discussed the failed council vote to extend a 90-day events hold, and agreed to ask council to reconsider to allow fuller stakeholder input.
Christina told the committee she had been informed the council "had voted to have the management plan completed by May 31, which is a month," and members responded that the timeframe leaves little time for stakeholder review. The staff member summarized the council action, saying council considered but did not pass an extension of a 90-day hold on new events in the preserve; if not extended, event permitting could reopen after the 90 days.
Committee members said the friends group and the Wood River Land Trust have been actively fundraising and that the parks committee should seek more time to involve stakeholders and finalize the draft. “I think we can bring it back to city council to have them still extend that deadline further,” the staff member said, urging better explanation to council about the time needed for the committee, land trust and irrigation contractor to participate.
Members discussed procedural options if council does not add the item: request reconsideration by a council member and return it to a future agenda so the management plan can be completed with broad input rather than rushed. The committee did not adopt formal direction during the session but agreed to pursue council re-engagement.
