Solana Beach considers design for new pocket park

Solana Beach has begun the process of planning for a pocket park to “reflect the coastal location, the cultural and lifestyle elements of Solana Beach.”

During the council’s Jan. 26 meeting, City Manager Greg Wade said that the Glenmont Pocket Park project, which is on the council’s work plan for the 2021-22 fiscal year, needed preliminary input from council members.

“The next step is going to be to go out to the public, when directed by council, to provide a discussion point, a starting point for how we might develop this space,” Wade said.

The property is located on about a half-acre of land on Glenmont Drive at the water reservoir site owned by the Santa Fe Irrigation District, Wade said. The budget for the initial design phase of the project is $10,000. The conception design has been handled so far by the city’s Engineering Department.

“The conceptual design includes flat walking surfaces at various elevations, along with rolling slopes shaped like waves, with possible railroad ties or other organic stepping pathways to connect walkways and to create continuous walking surfaces,” Wade wrote in a report to the council. “This design is supplemented with segmental landscaped areas shaped like surfboards and planted with drought-tolerant landscaping.”

The City Council voted 4-0 to move forward with the project. Solana Beach Mayor Lesa Heebner was recused because she lives close to the property.

The city and irrigation district have held several meetings over the past few months, according to city staff.

“Not always do you see great collaboration between the municipalities and special districts in this type of way just because we’re all so busy, and it’s just nice that something that is important but won’t necessarily rise to the top is making progress in this way,” Solana Beach City Councilman David Zito said.