Frequently Asked Questions:
History has shown that once a park is developed, it is the long-term operating and maintenance costs that can be very difficult for cities to fund. The commercial uses are limited to a small percentage of the land, but the lease revenue from these commercial uses will cover the on-going operations and maintenance costs of the park. This will save the taxpayers of Oceanside from having to pay for this.
Probably -Yes. The Master Plan does not require housing, but allows up to 300 housing units. Housing is only allowed under strict conditions: there are no stand-alone units, they are only allowed to be built in the commercial part of the park (not on park land used for the public) and they are limited to the second story above commercial uses. Both the master developer and the owner of the small parcel at the entrance to the park have proposed some modifications to these restrictions. These plans are still being finalized, so at this time, we are not exactly sure what they are proposing and how consistent it will be with the adopted Master Plan.
The pond was part of the old sand mine and is actually ground water. The steep slopes surrounding the pond are not stable and will eventually need to be graded, recontoured and compacted, which will be necessary to protect El Camino Real from slipping into the pond some day! This will be some time in the future. In the interim, this part of the park will not be open to public use.
Yes. This recycling of construction materials is what has been used to reclaim the land from a sand mine back to land that can be used for things like a park. It has saved the taxpayers hundreds of thousands of dollars that would have otherwise cost us to fill in the old mine pits. It also saved us lots of truck trips on our roads hauling construction waste longer distances. This reclamation effort is now almost complete. Either Moody’s will close or another plan will be developed to possibly reclaim other parts of the El Corazon site.
The Master Plan allows them to stay. That decision is up to the City Council. The Citizen’s Committee thought this was an appropriate activity in the park. The green waste center provides free compost to Oceanside residents, saves money on trash transfer fees, and reduces the amount of green waste we send to landfills. In addition, it provides extensive community training and outreach from classes on composting and gardening to supporting local non-profits restoring natural lands
We have one trail this currently accessible to the public while still being developed. It is called the View Trail. It can be accessed from the far northwest corner of the parking lot behind the Senior Center. One can park at the Senior Center to access it during the hours the center or sports fields are open. A beautiful natural trail along Garrison Creek will open in 2016
The Senior Center, parking lot, small city park and View Trail are open during regular hours posted. The playing fields are open during the week for the use of the soccer club only. When SoCal Sports is holding events on the weekends, the small park is open and so is the View Trail. However, there is a $20 charge for parking on site during events. Please check with the City to confirm park and Senior Center hours.
SoCal Sports Complex is fully responsible for the upkeep, watering, and maintenance of the playing fields. It is currently watered partially from a well on site. The city is in the process of extending a recycled water pipeline to the site. At that time, the water use is expected to be 100 percent recycled or from the on-site pond with no need for potable water from the city.
Yes. The swim complex is currently in the basic design stage now. This will take about one year. Then, the challenge is to secure the funds needed to build the facility, which is estimated to be close to $16M. Once funds are secured, it will still take about two years for final engineering and construction. The current plan for the Aquatic Complex includes an Olympic-sized lap pool for competitive use, (the first of its kind in Oceanside), a smaller lap pool for classes and recreational use, and a splash pool for toddlers. The facility will be located behind the Senior Center. This location is a change from the Master Plan. However, this area of the park has facilities in place, access roads, and shared parking with the Senior Center. This should substantially reduce the city’s infrastructure costs. Locating the Aquatic Complex here will also help support commercial development, which we need for park revenue.
You can become an official member of FELC. It is $15 for a single membership and $25 for a family membership. You can share your time and talents by volunteering in a variety of ways. You can share any emails or information you receive from FELC with your Oceanside friends and neighbors and most importantly, you can be an advocate for building a park in the heart of Oceanside–a place with something for everyone and a place of respite for our busy lives. Monies raised go to help us with our community outreach efforts, educational programs and creating opportunities to involve the community in developing our great new park at El Corazon.