Placement: New Business
Action Requested: Motion / Vote
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Torino Regional Park Phase 1 Design Update
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Submitted By: Zakariya M. Sherman, Executive Project Manager, Parks and Recreation
Strategic Plan Link: The City's Goal to enjoy culture, nature and fun activities.
Executive Summary (General Business): As part of the Design contract scope of work, the Torino Regional Park Site Environmental Analysis was recently reviewed and updated to show there has been a significant increase to one of the wetland areas within the Phase I Concept Area. This wetland expansion will impact the proposed conceptual design, previously approved by City Council.
Presentation Information: Kristen Alexa, PLA, ASLA, & Stephanie Guerra, P.E., from Kimley Horn will provide a brief presentation to review the impacts of the expanded wetland and provide solution options for City Council consideration.
Staff Recommendation: Move that the Council approve Single Entrance - Option 1B, consolidating to a single entrance west of Briscoe Dr. as the preferred solution to address the expanded wetland area, with a secondary EMS-only access.
Alternate Recommendations:
1. Move that the Council amend the recommendation and approve with changes.
2. Move that the Council not approve and provide staff with further direction.
Background: On June 24, 2024, City Council approved the Torino Regional Park Conceptual Master Plan (Kimley-Horn) and the Phase 1 Funding and Phasing Recommendation.
On January 27, 2025, City Council approved the theme and layout, selecting Play Forest Concept One. This theming and layout will help inform the design decisions for the approved amenities throughout the Torino Regional Park Site.
The conceptual plan for Torino Regional Park currently includes two entrances that are aligned with Conley Drive and Briscoe Drive. Due to wetland expansion near Conley Drive, modifications to the park’s entrances are necessary. Options were presented at the February 10th Council meeting, and additional information was requested on mitigation costs, the timeline for mitigation given ARPA funding deadlines, and solutions to address potential emergency access concerns.
The decision between maintaining two public entrances or consolidating into one will also impact the extent of required roadway improvements. Because North Torino Parkway is a two-lane road, city engineering standards require a left turn lane for a new driveway connection. To accommodate the turn lane, portions of North Torino Parkway will require widening. Reducing to a single park entrance would help minimize costs, while an alternate emergency access route will address public safety and emergency access concerns.
In addition, reducing to one entrance will eliminate impacts to the expanded wetland, as a second entrance aligned with Conley Drive could require $300,000+ in wetland bank mitigation and as much as 12 additional months of permitting, which could impact ARPA funding deadlines.
Kimley-Horn is also presenting a roundabout option for a single primary entrance. A roundabout eliminates the need for road widening and turn lanes but is a more costly solution. This option also includes the emergency access route.
Kimley-Horn has prepared options for review and discussion. Staff is seeking Council’s input and approval on the best solution.
Phase 1 will focus on Parcel A, a 75-acre site consisting of 62.4 acres of upland and a 12.5-acre lake.
Issues/Analysis: Concerns include wetland expansion near the Conley Drive entrance and potential adjustments to the park’s entrances based on the preferred solution. Options include keeping two entrances aligned with Conley and Briscoe Drives, allowing the original concept to remain largely intact; consolidating to a single entrance just west of Briscoe Drive; creating a single entrance just west of Briscoe Drive with an emergency-only access driveway just west of Conley Drive; or creating a roundabout as a single entrance just west of Briscoe Drive with the emergency-only access drive west of Conley. Each option has trade-offs related to cost, public safety, and feasibility. Staff is seeking Council’s input on the best path forward.
The design will require road widening to a portion of North Torino Parkway for the addition of left and/or right turn lanes. A roundabout would eliminate the need for road widening and turn lanes but would be slightly more costly than those improvements. Keeping the two-entrance option could require wetland mitigation costs of $300,000+ and would extend permitting timelines by up to 12 months. This would impact the construction timeline and potentially impact the ARPA funding deadline. The goal is to achieve a cost-effective, feasible, and functional site layout for Torino Regional Park while addressing public safety and access concerns.
Financial Information: The total budget for the Torino Regional Park Phase I project is $21,365,000.00, sourced from various funding streams: ARPA funds ($5,541,600.00), Reserve Bond Proceeds ($9,730,000.00), Park Impact Fees ($2,093,400.00), and the St. Lucie County Interlocal Agreement Impact Fees ($4,000,000.00). On October 28, 2024, City Council approved $1,816,700.00 for the Kimley-Horn Torino Regional Park design contract. On November 12, 2024, $163,020.00 was allocated to Construction Manager At Risk (CMAR) Burkhardt for preconstruction services. $19,548,300.00 will be allocated for CMAR oversight and construction activities, once design is complete. For the options being discussed, staff are gathering preliminary estimates and working on identifying funding sources. Preliminary estimates will be presented during the presentation.
Special Consideration: The project operates on an aggressive timeline to begin construction by March 2026. All ARPA funds allocated to the project must be expended by December 31, 2026 to comply with federal deadlines.
Location of Project: North Torino Parkway
Attachments: PDF, Torino Regional Park Phase I Design Update from Kimley Horn
NOTE: All of the listed items in the “Attachment” section above are in the custody of the City Clerk. Any item(s) not provided in City Council packets are available upon request from the City Clerk.
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