Meeting presentation summary: 

Date: 12/8/2015 at the at Fiddyment Farm NA and WestPark NA General Meeting at Chilton Middle School Multi-Purpose Room

Tara Gee of the Roseville Parks and Recreation Department, along with members and developers of the Placer Valley Tourism group, led a 90-minute presentation and Q&A session on the soccer field project to be built in the Fiddyment Farm neighborhood. The soccer complex is shown on the West Roseville Specific Plan (WRSP) as parcels F-55 and F-56 and designated originally as a Regional Sports Park.

The soccer complex is a joint partnership between the Placer Valley Tourism ($30 Million) and the City of Roseville ($5 Million plus donation of the land). Although it was originally designated to be a Regional Sports Park like Mahany and Maidu Parks, the project definitely appears to be all about a soccer complex. The facility has already been named the Placer Valley Sports Complex.

A number of goals have been set for the complex, including:

• National tournament level play; long field events.
• Provide for spectator seating, picnic and trail facilities.
• Estimated to have a revenue impact of approximately $13 Million per year for the City with “heads and beds”.
• Operation and maintenance costs will be covered by the facility, saving the City an estimated $750,000 per year from the General Fund which can go toward other projects.

Planned features include:

• 10 fields (all artificial turf)—8 fields on the north parcel, 2 on the south parcel, bisected by the creek.
• 2 parking lots –541 spaces on the north lot, 351 spaces on the south lot.
• The area will be fenced in, but the trail will be accessible.
• 2 Play areas—one fenced inside, one outside the fence.
• A multi-purpose center with meeting rooms inside.

A Question/Answer session continued with the neighborhood members:
1. Q--Concerns were expressed about restrooms not being large enough for the expected crowds or close enough? A--Restrooms were 2 fields away from anywhere, and sufficient per studies.
2. Q—Has rainwater collection been addresses? A—Yes, project cannot impact the floodplain, must maintain percolation and address run off requirements.

3. Q-Why all artificial turf? A—They visited numerous complexes over 10 years and feel the synthetic turf is best. The materials will get hot, but they are checking alternatives to mitigate the heat factors. They will have trees that exceed City requirements.
4. Q—Are the parking spaces sufficient? A—A study revealed there should be 80 stalls per field (which would be 800 spaces for the 10 fields); they have provided 892 spaces.
5. Q—Concerns were expressed about whether sufficient warm-up space has been provided. A—Warm-up areas have been placed along sides of the fields and in designated areas.
6. Q—Has seating been provided? A—Seating is bring-your-own on the fields; but there will be some seating along the ‘spine’ walkway through the complex.
7. Q—The plan includes the extension of High School Road, what will that encompass?
A—According to CEQA requirements, all issues must conform to the original West Roseville Specific Plan.
8. Q—Between the fencing and fields, will there be sufficient access for emergency vehicles? A—The Fire Department must approve all plans including access. In an emergency, vehicles can drive on the fields.
9. Q—What roads will have access? A—The only roads to be built now are the extension to High School Road and a small extension of Blue Oaks Blvd.; other access like Westpark Drive and further extension of Blue Oaks Blvd. will happen with the normal plan of development for the specific plan agreement.
10. Q—Concerns were expressed about the lack of facilities and increase of traffic that will affect this area, especially considering two future college campuses and the lack of the 3rd East-West corridor that was a mitigation factor required in the original WRSP. A— Chris Craft, from the City of Roseville, said Blue Oaks Blvd. is being developed as the commercial center for the area, including the HP Campus Oaks project. He also said the Placer Parkway will serve as the 3rd East-West corridor for the region.
11. Q—Will alcohol be served? A—There will be potential for alcohol to be served at certain events.

What happens next?

• After today, the plan will be presented to the Parks & Recreation Committee nextTuesday (Dec. 15th) to seek approval of the Master Plan.
• The matter will go for Environmental Impact Report which will take several months, probably ready in the spring of next year—it will be available for a 30-day review, comment period.
• They expect to present the Master Plan to the City Council in the beginning of January 2016, have SEQUA report between Dec/March of 2016, design approval Jan/March 2016, and construction review March/August 2016—with final approval  after the final plans are presented. Construction could begin winter of 2016 and completed in the spring of 2018.
• Three Agreements will be developed—overall Agreement with Placer Valley Tourism; ground lease; and operation, maintenance and rehab of the facility.

Other updates mentioned:

• There will be a joint use of baseball fields (with the high school).
• F-50 will break ground in the spring of 2016, they will probably plant grass then.
• Fiddyment House—the current renters have been given notice to move out by 1/31/2016, Signature Homes will give the property over to the City thereafter. The City is going to meet with preservation officials of the Roseville Historical Society and work to develop the property into a living history museum and facility to hold special events.

Any questions should be addressed to Tara Gee at tgee@roseville.ca.us.