Cottonwood Shores holds off on park dedication
COTTONWOOD SHORES — Plans for an athletic park on city land off Lakeview Drive were put on hold at Thursday’s City Council meeting, after some residents sought to hang on to the property for future use.
The proposed Aspen Athletic and Recreation Park would have included a soccer practice field and open space for families to enjoy picnics and other activities, Mayor Bentley Martin said.
However, questions about the property’s value and the city’s finances led the council to refrain from dedicating three lots — valued at a combined $90,000 — as parkland.
The city already is engaged in seven grant-funded park projects, including upgrades to Noah Thompson Park, a new boat dock and a skateboarding area. The Aspen park would not have been part of the grant projects, Martin said. The fenced-in land is currently used as a storage area by city Public Works crews.
Former Councilman Roger Wayson said the Lakeview property could better serve the city as collateral for future loans.
“There is no going back once the land is dedicated,” Wayson said at the meeting. “The city has no other major (cash) reserves.”
The area previously served as parkland before the city was incorporated in 1987, and Wayson said the area later earned a reputation for “drug use and a sexual meeting place for teenagers.”
The land was also formerly used a burn site by the city, though Martin said a recent Lower Colorado River Authority environmental survey found no current danger to residents stemming from the fires.
Former councilman Donald Orr sought to have the land reappraised, adding nearby property held more than twice the value.
“The Aspen lots are undervalued at this time,” he said. “They are the last relatively liquid assets for collateral in the event of an emergency loan.”
Wayson said city leaders could still use the land as a park while keeping it on the city rolls.
“We could open it up as an open-use area during daylight hours,” Wayson said. “As a minimum, it could be used as matching funds in future grant applications.”
Public Works Manager George Perry said his crews could convert the open space to a soccer field for about $1,000 in city funds, adding a fence around the property would need to be moved to make room for parking space off Aspen Street.
Councilwoman Janet Taylor-Carusi, who was absent due to illness, said in a statement she hoped to return the land to use as a park.
Councilman Bill Plumley agreed, moving to dedicate the property for use as a park “in perpetuity.”
That motion died due to lack of a second.
Meanwhile, other parks projects are proceeding on schedule, officials said. Plans for a nature preserve off Dogwood Lane were approved at Thursday’s meeting, and grant-funded upgrades to Community Park are expected to begin later this year.
The council will meet in special session 6 p.m. March 25 to discuss proposed increases to city water rates.
That meeting will take place at the Public Library, 4111 Cottonwood Drive.