ALPINE, Calif. (KGTV) — On Wednesday, the San Diego County Board of Supervisors certified an environmental impact report, before beginning to build Alpine's first county-managed park.
The board voted 4-0 to move forward with construction of the first phase of Alpine Community Park.
A group of Alpine residents who disagree with the size of the park were also at the meeting Wednesday to voice their concerns.
Travis Lyon, chair of the Alpine Community Planning Group said that after almost three decades of searching and a capital improvement report that showed deficiency of parklands in Alpine, the county settled on Wright Field as the location for the park.
However, not all of the land will be going towards the park, in fact, Lyon said the majority of it will be conserved.
"We're gonna be well over 300 acres of conserved land right in the middle of our town that's open to the public for trails and all other benefits," Lyon said.
Just 25 acres of the lot of land will be turned into Alpine's Community Park.
Lyon said that after collecting community input, including input from stakeholders, school districts, sports leagues, and the Viejas Band of Kumeyaay Indians, the community park is going to have a number of amenities.
"Definitely heard a lot of people who were very in favor of off-leash dog parks, so they're able to incorporate two dog parks into the community park," Lyon said. "A skate park, pickle ball, equestrian facilities, community gardens, real playgrounds, a basketball court, one baseball field, and then the rest is kind of that open grass area you think of in a park."
Lyon said the planning committee has gotten a lot of support from the majority of Alpine that includes almost 18,000 residents.
However, there is one group in Alpine who doesn't agree with the entire vision of the park.
Alanna Light, who lives right next Wright Field where the park will be built, described what she felt was like a "bait and switch" from what she heard in town hall meetings, in recent years.
"We thought it was gonna be a 12-acre park," Light said. "And then when they presented it, we got this huge map with almost 300 parking spots, pickle ball, tennis courts, and basketball. What most of the people visioned was hiking, a natural area, a playground, etc. What we expected was obviously not what they had planned."
Light said she wants to make certain of one thing.
"We are not anti-park. We want a park. We just want one that fits our community and that’s safe and that does not ruin this beautiful environment," Light said. "We want a park that goes with our community and will still be a wonderful asset, and won’t destroy the habitat and that our future generations can enjoy forever."
Light also raised concerns with the infrastructure surrounding the park, because she shared that she's witnessed fatalities on the road wrapping around where her house and the park is at.
"I don't understand how people in the community are gonna be able to access this because there's no bike lanes. It's a terrible road," Light said. "There's been multiple accidents and they want over 200 people coming here a day."
Lyon said he believes the park will improve the safety of the road around the park.
"This park is actually gonna improve the existing conditions by placing a stop sign at the entrance of the park," Lyon said. "Stop signs are a traffic measure and it's gonna slow down drivers."
Light also raised issues with the costs to build the park.
"Originally they said it was gonna be like $24 million and now it’s gone up to $40 million," Light said. "It’s not just the Alpine people who are gonna pay for this. Everyone in San Diego is and we’re talking $40 million right now by the time they actually break ground and start the process, well it’s already doubled once."
San Diego's Land Use and Environment Group said that with the expected approval of the environmental impact report Wednesday, the county will hire a contractor and begin phase one of building the park.
Phase one will be 10 acres starting in the spring of 2024, with expected completion by winter of 2025.
