Saratoga News
News
Council accepts design presented by kevin moran park task force
By Shannon Burkey
The Saratoga City Council voted unanimously at its Nov. 1 meeting to approve the conceptual design plan for Kevin Moran Park that was agreed upon by the Kevin Moran Park Task Force on Oct. 12.
For years, the park has been at the heart of many battles between the neighbors of the park and soccer user groups who sought to have a full-size game field put into the park. With concerns about the impact a game field would have on the park and their neighborhood, the neighbors have for years fought plans to build one.
The task force, which consists of two soccer user group representatives, three neighborhood representatives and two community at-large representatives, met twice in October to discuss and try to agree upon a redesign plan for the park that would be satisfactory to all sides.
The first of those two meetings was successful. With the task force making compromises on each side, it was able to come to a consensus. At the second meeting, staff brought a plan to the task force for review, and the task force unanimously agreed upon the conceptual design it felt was ready to go before the city council for approval.
"After over 35 years of planning for Kevin Moran Park, the city finally has a plan," said task force neighborhood representative Elaine Clabeaux. "Are there concerns? Of course. Are they surmountable? Certainly."
Peter Pranys, who also represented the neighbors on the task force, urged the council to go forward and accept the plan the task force had agreed upon.
"There has been so much give and take trying to come up with the best plan for the community," he said.
David Mighdoll, who is active on the soccer side, also asked the council to approve the plan.
"A lot of compromise has gone into the conceptual plan, and I think it would be in the best interest of the community for you to support this conceptual plan," he said to the council.
The plan approved for the park includes a tennis court, a half-size basketball court, two bocce ball courts, additional picnic facilities, a meditation garden, restrooms and a 325-foot-long flat grass area to be used for soccer practices.
The flat grass area has been the bone of contention among the task force members in coming up with the conceptual plan. The soccer user groups wanted to make sure that they had an area of flat grass big enough for all ages to practice, but the neighbors worried that if the area were too big it could be turned into a play field in the future.
Both sides were able to agree on the size of the flat grass area and move the design plan along.
"I am glad we are at this stage now," Councilwoman Ann Waltonsmith said. "We could add more things to it or change it, but I don't want to do that. I want to go with what the task force has come up with."
Mayor Norman Kline said the plan was good, and he is ready to see it move forward.
"I'm impressed, and I wouldn't change a thing. I will support the plan 100 percent the way it is," Kline said.
According to Public Works Director John Cherbone, the project is estimated to cost $1,381,426. That sum includes a 10 percent construction contingency, design fees and an allotment of $10,000 for environmental work.
"The $10,000 is seed money to get an initial environmental study done," Cherbone said. "This will help us get a handle on what level of environmental review we will have to do. It will help us move forward and be able to give city council an idea of whether we will need a lower-level environmental study or a full-blown one."
The process from now until the city breaks ground could take from 18 months to two years, depending on the type of environmental study that is required, according to Cherbone.
As the process is now ready to begin, Councilman Nick Streit encouraged all those involved to continue to come to the council to make sure the project is funded and moving along.
"This is one more step in a long process before we start barbecuing in the park," Streit said.
