The second public park workshop for the new neighborhood park at The Junipers was held on April 25, 2019 at the Hotel Karlan.
In addition to the members of the Rancho Peñasquitos Recreation Advisory Group and City staff, approximately twenty-five community members attended to share their thoughts and ideas on the new park.
The primary goals of the meeting were:
-
Summarize the findings from the first community workshop with attendees.
- Present and receive input on two (2) park design alternatives in an “open house” format.
The meeting started with an introductory welcome from Scott Sandel, City of San Diego Planning Department. Allegra Parisi, Project Manager for Lennar, welcomed the participants and provided an overview of the project. Scott explained the General Development Plan process. JT Barr, Principal with Schmidt Design Group, reviewed the criteria for a neighborhood park outlined in the City of San Diego General Plan and Rancho Peñasquitos Community Plan. He then presented site opportunities and constraints, and reviewed the process for the evening’s activities.
Following the introductions, JT summarized the findings from the first community workshop and reviewed the two preliminary park alternatives with attendees.
PARK ALTERNATIVE #1
Park Alternative #1 derives inspiration from the community’s significant open space influence, including Black Mountain Open Space Park and Los Peñasquitos Canyon Preserve. This plan included the following amenities:
-
Large Shaded Picnic Area
- Children’s Playground
- Multi-Use Natural Grass
- Perimeter Walking Path
- Restroom/ Comfort Station
- Fenced Dog Run
- Shade Trees and Landscaping
- On-Street Parallel Parking (20 stalls)
PARK ALTERNATIVE #2
Park Alternative #2 draws inspiration from the historic Rancho de los Peñasquitos Adobe. This plan included the following amenities:
-
Multiple Shaded Picnic Areas
- Children’s Playground
- Multi-Use Natural Grass
- Perimeter Walking Path
- Community Performance Space
- Whimsical Nature Education
- Multi-Purpose Sports Courts
- Shade Trees and Landscaping
- On-Street Parallel Parking (20 stalls)
Community Input Summary
Following the presentation, the plans were separated into two stations for an interactive activity to further discuss the two preliminary park design alternatives. Each attendee was given one dot to place on his or her preferred park plan. Afterwards, additional feedback was recorded by participants on note pads. The dots were tallied and the responses receiving consensus within each group are listed below.
PARK PLAN #1 (15 DOTS)
The following items pertain to the amenities that were well-liked:
-
On-site restrooms
- Separation of the dog park and the remainder of the park
- Organic feel of the design
- Slope integrated into Playground
The following were suggested by attendees as items to add to Plan #1 :
-
Increase the amount of shaded picnic area
- Provide storage for Parks & Recreation
- Propose angled-parking instead of parallel parking
- Provide an area for designated sports such as basketball, tennis, and pickleball
PARK PLAN #2 (3 DOTS)
The following items pertain to the amenities that were well-liked:
-
Designated sport courts such as basketball, tennis, and pickleball
- Presence of game tables
- Multiple shade structures
The following were suggested by attendees as items to add to Plan #2:
-
Provide a restroom on-site
- Reconsider the amphitheater/terraced layout
- Provide a designated area for dogs
- Provide a tennis court in lieu of basketball
Since Plan Alternative #1 received more votes, community feedback will be used to refine Plan 1. An updated version of the plan will be presented at the May 23 PQ Recreation Advisory Group as an action item.
