Design efforts will continue for the development of new downtown parks that will be connected by a walking path, but the Morgan Hill City Council might have to scale back the vision for the recreation effort in the coming months as the projected cost has increased by more than $1 million.
The council voted 5-0 Feb. 3 to approve a design contract with Verde Design to develop a “turn-key” design for the three new downtown parks. The contract cost is $393,569, which includes a 10 percent contingency reserve.
The parks project is intended to complement the city’s overall “downtown placemaking investment strategy,” which is under way with street and infrastructure improvements and the recent installation of public art pieces.
At the Feb. 3 meeting, Community Services Director Chris Ghione updated the council that the projected overall budget for the trail project, including construction, has jumped by about $1.1 million since he first presented the proposal in October 2015. The total budget is now projected at about $4.3 million.
City staff advised the council to proceed with the design contract, then consider their options when the designs are complete. These options include allocating more park impact funds to the project or reducing the size of the effort. City staff will continue to pursue grant funding for the parks as well.
Although the project appears on existing drawings as three separate parks, Ghione described them as a single project connected by walking paths and improved sidewalks.
Based on conceptual drawings, the project will turn a city property and two Santa Clara Valley Water District parcels on the west side of downtown into a walking path with a foot bridge crossing over West Little Llagas Creek. This trail would traverse the vacant properties between existing homes and a shopping center from Second Street to Third Street. The existing Third Street bridge sits between one of the SCVWD properties and the city-owned property.
Travelers on foot can be seen occasionally ambling through the tall grass and dry creek bed that currently occupy the properties.
The Third Street bridge would likely be improved as West Third Street is re-routed as a one-way passage for vehicle traffic, in order to make room for the walking trail to continue up the hill to the city’s water reservoir, according to Ghione. This trail would lead to a hilltop park and rest area.
Ghione told the council Feb. 3 that the city will have to purchase the two SCVWD parcels from that agency. The total fair market value cost of the properties is $126,000.
The project also includes a “Depot Park” on Depot Street, on the east side of downtown Morgan Hill. This park would replace dozens of parking spaces adjacent to the railroad tracks with playground equipment, shade trees, benches, new fences, artificial turf, bike parking and other amenities like a giant wooden xylophone, according to city staff.
This park would include public restrooms, estimated at about $150,000.
When city staff requested design bids from firms in November, they received two bids—one from Verde Designs and one from BFS Landscape Architects. Verde Designs submitted the lower bid and passed the test for being the better qualified of the two contractors, Ghione explained to the council.
On Third Street, just on the west side of the bridge, resident Chuck Mross said he was unaware of the creekside parks proposal, which would be located just a few feet from his front door.
“I think it would be OK,” said Mross, a Morgan Hill resident since 1978 who just moved to his current home a few months ago.
