Voices
Did You Know?
TIMELINE & CITY PUBLIC RECORDS
FOR 'DOWNTOWN PARK WITH PARKING,' replacing parking Plazas 1 and 2
CIP Project - # CD-01030
2018 | August
Downtown Vision Plan - City Council adopted vision and guidance framework
Conceptual Plan included:
- downtown parking plazas as "opportunity" development sites relying heavily on underground parking and/or unstudied parking offsets.
- identification of central plaza and shared street "plaza or paseo" utilization with underground parking to offset parking loss in Plazas 4,5,6 with the primary goal to stimulate outdoor dining and increase economic vitality. Plaza 5 is designated as central core plaza/paseo.
-identification of Plaza 7 only for affordable housing with underground parking to offset parking loss.
-identification of a theater, above structure and/or underground parking, and a boutique hotel on Plaza 1, 2, 3 to offset parking loss.
-City Plan's recommendation for Next Steps: " It is recommended that the City create a comprehensive or specific plan for Downtown to more precisely capture the Vision Plan recommendations and fine-tune land uses, standards, and guidelines for the Downtown."
Planning doc did NOT include:
- Need, use, economic, environmental, cost traffic/parking/circulation studies or findings for the proposed construction elements
- Any recreational downtown park element on Plaza 1 and 2
- Any recreational park in the proposed Central Plaza Core (Plazas 4, 5, 6) - marked for outdoor dining and flexible use.
2024 | July
City FY July 2024 - 2025 Budget
and 5-Year Capital Improvement Project (CIP) Budget
Budget included:
- Authorized funding of $500K for feasibility study and design drawings for "Downtown Park Space with Parking" as a CIP project, CD-01030
-Title: Downtown Park Space with Parking
Description: Feasibility study to evaluate underground parking structure, preliminary layout and public outreach for the project. And look into possible project funding."
- Funding Source: In Lieu Park
Budget or CIP project did NOT show record of:
- Pre-design need, economic, or traffic studies or downtown park project justification OR record in adopted city plans - Vision Plan, Parks Plan, City Impact Fee Report or Nexus Studies
- Findings for the proposed downtown park project on Plaza 1 and 2
2025 | Jan, Feb
City RFP, Contract, Resolutions
Request for Proposal RFP: Date
- Scope: TBD, pending records request.
Awarded to RFP: Date
- Watry Design, proposal included the use of Park design subcontractor (MIG)
Who is Watry Design?
"Watry Design, Inc. is a specialized architecture and engineering firm, founded in 1975, focused entirely on creating innovative, sustainable, and efficient parking solutions—from surface lots to complex multi-story garages and underground facilities for airports, universities, hospitals, and mixed-use developments" (Source, website and online search)
Resolutions for project and contract award: February 2025
- City adopted two resolutions 2025-11 Watry Contract Award Authorization
and 2025-12 Allocation of Park Impact Fees
- $2.3 M for design services, not to exceed $2.51 M
- City claims project exempt from CEQA environmental review, by 15061(b)(3), no recorded findings for the exemption or determination.
What does this exemption from Environmental Review mean?
CEQA Exemption 15061(b)(3), known as the "Common Sense" exemption, allows agencies to exempt projects where it's "certain that there is no possibility that the activity in question may have a significant effect on the environment," meaning the project is so minor or routine (like minor repairs, normal operations) that it clearly won't cause substantial environmental harm, requiring factual evidence to prove no significant impacts, air quality issues, or increased energy/traffic, tree loss, heritage site impact and no unusual circumstances exist.
- Funding Source in Staff report: "Park Impact Fee" (different from budget determination, additional restrictions on use). Note: Resolution 2025-12 requires review of the adequacy of City findings to meet these restricted use requirements for the design of parking and the location of new park.
Resolutions and contract award did NOT show record of:
- Pre-design need, economic, or traffic studies or downtown park project justification OR record in adopted city plans - Vision Plan, Parks Plan, and indeterminate restricted park impact fee findings showing nexus.
2025 | July
City FY Jul 2025 - 2026 Budget and 5-Year Capital Improvement Project (CIP) Budget
Budget included:
- Authorized funding of additional $1.7 M (total $2.23M) for completed design to construction planning for "Downtown Park Space with Parking" CIP project, # CD-01030
-Title: Downtown Park Space with Parking
Amended Description: The City has hired a consultant who is working on completing community engagement and design before creating construction-ready bid documents. The consultant plans to complete robust community engagement and then refine aspects of the project into three feasible conceptual design alternatives, create cost estimates and identify funding sources for the alternatives, garner consensus on preferred alternatives, and provide a final update to City Council. At that time, City Council will move forward with the preferred design and create full bid-ready construction documents.
- Funding Source: In Lieu Park Fund.
Budget or CIP project did NOT show record of:
- Pre-design quantifiable need, economic, or traffic studies or downtown park project justification OR record in adopted city plans - Vision Plan, Parks Plan, City Impact Fee Report or Nexus Studies
- Findings for the proposed downtown park project on Plaza 1 and 2
2025 | August - Present
Logo and website design. Link here.
Planned Next Step
- WINTER 2026.
-
3 Conceptual Park and Parking Designs to be reviewed by City Council located on Plaza 1 and Plaza 2.
-
City Council to select 1 design direction to move to construction plans and drawings.
