The Menifee Parks, Recreation and Trails Commission voted Thursday to hold off on the Boulders II park assessment as concerns continue over plans for a road through Spirit Park.
The assessment will return no earlier than December, with commissioners also calling for a joint workshop with the Planning Commission to discuss the proposed road.
“It presumes a road through the park is a foregone conclusion. It is not,” Commissioner Tom Giedroyce said before making the motion to table the assessment.
The commission first considered the assessment in September, when commissioners raised concerns about safety, the loss of park space and the road’s impact on Spirit Park.
Boulders II is a proposed 240-unit multifamily development on approximately 10 acres north of Newport Road and east of Berea Road. The project would have two access points, including one that would connect to Newport Road through a portion of Spirit Park.
The proposed road would affect approximately one-tenth of an acre of existing parkland.
Developer Rich Wilson said the city suggested the route through Spirit Park as a way to connect the development to Newport Road without sending traffic and fire access through existing neighborhoods. He said the road would also add lighting to an area of the park that is currently dark at night.
“This will actually increase the light, and that would make it a more secure park,” Wilson said. “We think Spirit Park is an absolute excellent park.”
The proposal has changed since September. The developer would no longer receive credit toward its required park fees for improvements to city parks, increasing the amount it would pay from $525,000 to $834,000.
The developer has also proposed replacing five outdoor fitness stations and renovating the pollinator garden at Spirit Park, along with restroom and basketball court improvements at E.L. Pete Petersen Park.
The Parks Commission’s decision does not delay the Planning Commission’s consideration of Boulders II. City staff said the park assessment can be approved after the Planning Commission considers the development.
The Planning Commission postponed making a recommendation on Boulders II in September to give the developer additional time to work with city staff on concerns involving the project. It is scheduled to return Wednesday, Oct. 14.
Residents still spoke about the proposed road Thursday after the commission tabled the assessment. One resident who lives at the Boulders supported the new access and said additional lighting would make the area safer for residents walking at night.
