WORKSHOP #2--F-56 REGIONAL PARK UPDATE:

Date:  6/29/2017 at Mahany Meeting Rooms

Roseville Parks & Recreation Department personnel and project planners gave updates at the 2nd public workshop for the project, located in Fiddyment Farm.  It will be joint use project with the high school for many of the amenities, and include restoration of the historical Fiddyment House.  This is a city-wide regional park created to serve a large community area; maintenance is usually provided through City General Funds for Regional Parks, but Tara Gee added “at this time”.   She presented the current concept plan created after the 1st public workshop (held May 4th) and indicated public comments should be submitted before July 13, 2017.  Then a Master Plan would be created and submitted to the Parks & Recreation Committee for review for approval, and then on to City Council. 

Planning members took workshop members through the plan purposes and concepts, and showed photos from other park and historical type facilities that might be considered for similar use in our park.   Overall, responses from the audience members indicated a desire to keep the historical theme consistent with Fiddyment House throughout the entire park.  The number one priority concern raised by Christina Richter and other members from the Roseville Historical Society was the need for prompt attention to keep the Fiddyment House from falling further into disrepair.  Tara Gee indicated the Fiddyment House report indicated it would require about $200,000 to stabilize the property, stating “the money was not there [in the budget] yet.”

Amenities of the plan (which also showed some of the high school features), included: 

• Estimated 200 parking spaces (plus 900 expected at the high school), not related to parking to be provided for the soccer complex.  There was some concerned expressed about impact from car pollution to the historical site (as mentioned as possibly ‘significant’ in the EIR).
• Extension of Blue Oaks Blvd., stated to be dependent on the Creekview Specific Plan project.
• Ballfields -- one large, two smaller fields -- given priority to go in first.
• Expect to break ground in April, and open fall of 2020.
• 6 Tennis courts to keep grouped. 
• Playground and picnic areas near the historic site, and more near the ballfields.
• Sue Cook inquired about the site of the public pool that the original West Roseville Specific Plan indicated was to be in the City’s portion of the Regional Park, but was not shown anywhere on the plan.  Tara’s response was that the pool would be in the high school property, but they couldn’t explain how the public would access to the pool enclosed in the school property.  Nor was maintenance funding addressed. 
• A large barn-type facility for multi-purpose functions (potential use for banquets, education, and other functions which might offset maintenance costs) to be near the Fiddyment House.
• Trees will try to be maintained in the historical area, although probably not pistachio trees from the original farm -- deemed too messy to maintain. 
• Walking and bike trails will connect with F-54 and other areas.   

The proposed F-56 Park Site Master Plan can be found on the Roseville website; comments should be submitted to TGee@roseville.ca.us by July 13, 2017.