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Parks board declines Mirabella (Marabella) park agreement amid access and funding concerns
Summary
Board members voted to deny the revised Mirabella park facility agreement after questions about floodplain land usability, long‑term maintenance and whether the town or council would fund park build‑out; staff and the developer discussed land donation vs. fee options and potential trail easement compromises.
The Parks and Recreation Board voted to deny revisions to the Mirabella (Marabella) park facility agreement on May 13 after extended discussion about floodplain, public access and the town’s limited capacity to fund major park construction.
Parks Director Dan Baker described the offer as roughly 19.4 acres of land donation, but noted only about 2.3 acres are high and dry; much of the offered site lies in floodplain. Developer partner Andre Ferrari of Telus Group told the board the parcel is “a remarkable piece of land” that the developer would prefer to donate and let the town decide when or how to activate it. Ferrari said the intent was to preserve mature trees and provide natural, low‑impact park experiences rather than heavily improved playgrounds. "Let's provide the town the land and let the town decide, if and when they want to activate it," he said.
Board members voiced concern about long‑term maintenance obligations, whether gated neighborhoods would allow true public access, and the town’s current funding limits for major park projects. One board member urged staff to explore a negotiated public access easement or developer‑built trail connections as an alternative to an unconditional land donation. With no motion to approve, the board moved to deny the agreement; the motion to deny passed (vote recorded with one nay, Valerie Little).
Next steps: staff will explore alternative agreements (public access easement or partial developer participation in initial trail work) and decide whether to present a revised package to council. Andre Ferrari and staff said they will continue discussions with town staff about possible compromises.
