HomeMy WebLinkAbout1996-12-10 - AGENDA REPORTS - CITY CENTRAL PARK PHASE I (2)AGENDA REPORT
City Manager Appro,
Item to be presented
Rick Putnam
UNFINISHED BUSINESS
DATE: December 10, 1996
SUBJECT: CITY CENTRAL PARK PHASE I - LAND LEASE UPDATE
DEPARTMENT: Parks, Recreation, and Community Services
The City Council approved a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) in November of 1995, and
directed staff to negotiate a lease for the design and development of the City Central Park. A
series of public meetings resulted in a park development plan for the entire 130 acre lower mesa
of the Castaic Lake Water Agency (CLWA) property located adjacent to Bouquet Canyon Road.
This park development plan was presented to the City Council in May of 1996. At that time,
Council approved the concept plan for Phase I of the park site.
The passage of the 1996 Proposition A Safe Neighborhood Park Act provides the City of Santa
Clarita $2,000,000 to develop Phase I of the Central Park. -The total available funding, including
$800,000 from 1992 Proposition A, is $2,800,000. The Phase I concept for the park remains the
same as previously presented to the Council. However, it will now include additional multi -use
sports fields. Phase I of the City Central Park Site will generally include three to four soccer
fields, one to two softball diamonds, restrooms, parking, grading, and infrastructure to support
the site.
As a result of the increase in available funding, the size and scope of Phase I has. increased from
developing 5 to 10 acres, to developing approximately 20 acres. Due to this increase in size of
Phase I, an amendment to the negative declaration previously prepared is required.
The revised project has been officially noticed per the California Environmental Quality Act
(CEQA) guidelines. A public review period for the amended negative declaration will be
completed on December 19, 1996. In the event there are no comments or opposition, a Notice
of Determination will be filed within five days to the County of Los Angeles for posting. After
the required posting period of 30 days, the Notice of Determination will be recorded.
NPROVEN /_3
Upon the completion of the environmental process for Phase I, staff will return to the City
Council at its January 28, 1996 or February 11, 1996 meeting, for authorization to enter into
a land lease for Phase I. Also, at that time, staff will recommend entering into a professional
service contract for the preparation of construction documents for Phase I.
A lease has been negotiated identifying approximately 40 acres of the northeast quadrant of the
site. The land lease has been reviewed and approved by the City Attorney's office, and is in
compliance with the executed MOU between the City and CLWA. A draft copy of the land lease
is available in the City Clerk's office for review.
Upon completion of the CEQA requirements, and the execution of the land lease, staff is
prepared to begin the design process for Phase I of the park site. Approximately 16 months will
be required for the design, bidding, construction, and plant establishment period for this park
site. It is estimated that Phase I of the City's Central Park will be open for public use by
summer of 1998.
The City Council receive staffs presentation and direct staff to return to the Council the land
lease upon final recordation of the Notice of Determination.
Land Lease
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