McNear Park plan raises questions

Petaluma businessman Seth Nobmann wants to renovate McNear Park and he’s organizing a private effort for that goal. Nobmann is leading a group of volunteers who will raise private funds and in-kind donations of labor to rebuild the park. Working with the city of Petaluma, Nobmann estimates it will cost from $80,000 to $120,000 for the renovations to the picnic area, which he says is the first phase of the project.

A preliminary plan for the first phase of redevelopment at McNear Park was presented to a packed house at the Cavanaugh Center on February 24. Organizers presented architectural drawings showing improvements to the picnic area, with the addition of bocce ball courts, corn-hole courts and a new pathway cutting though the park.

But critics say the plans for rebuilding McNear ignores pressing issues in favor of less critical needs.“We need the areas around the restrooms and bleachers repaired first,” said neighborhood resident Pip Morris. “We need to fix what is broken before renovating the rest of the park. That is critical. The other things would be nice, but we should focus first on where the real problems exist.”

He and Assistant City Manager Scott Brodhun described where they saw the park changing. Located between 8th and 11th streets on G Street, the park has a long history as a center for recreation and baseball in Petaluma.

The Petaluma High School baseball team, the summer league Petaluma Express and other groups have held baseball games in the park over the years.

“I think we are going in the right direction,” said Nobmann. “We’re working with the city, and when we’ve gotten a project approved and a scope of work in place, we’ll be able to start raising the money we need. The picnic area is the first phase.”

Brodhun explained to residents that the city would help guide the effort and would be responsible for maintenance of the park, but in order to pay for the renovations, private contributions would be necessary.

The McNear project follows similar efforts from private groups to renovate Walnut Park, on the corner of Petaluma Boulevard and D Street.

Many residents attending the meeting expressed support for the McNear plans. Marge Hodapp, who has lived near the park for 45 years and raised her family in the area, said she liked the looks of the plan.

“You can’t get a large group of people to agree on everything, but I think they’ve done a good job,” said Hodapp.

However, several in the audience expressed doubts about the development. Among other concerns besides the bathrooms and bleachers were new trees and bushes proposed, which they worried might create places for people to gather without being seen. This would encourage parties, as well as more homeless to take up residence in the park, said critics.

“We don’t need more people using the park to live in and party in,” said 30-year resident George Mueller. “Get rid of the stadium seats and fix the bathrooms before you build corn-hole courts and bocce ball.”

The private funding for the plan sparked discussion as well. Many applaud the idea of raising private funds for a municipal project, saying if the city couldn’t afford to do the work, then private donations are an acceptable alternative.

“If the city were paying for this, then I would agree that the priority should be to renovate the bathrooms and the bleachers,” said Hodapp. “But this is a private group offering to spend money to improve this park. They should have a right to decide what their priorities are going to be.”

Mueller said he worried that if the city can’t afford to pay for improvements to McNear Park, they might not be able to pay for maintenance either.

“There is no demand for bocce ball fields or corn-hole. Nobody I know is for this,” said Mueller.

In 2012, Measure X, a special parcel tax proposed exclusively for parks, received 62 percent of the vote, but narrowly failed, due to a two-thirds requirement of support. Nobmann said that the non-profit group Mentor Me would be used as a vehicle to raise money for the project. Mentor Me operates in the Cavanagh Recreation Center at the northeast head of the park on 8th and G streets. Mentor Me director Deborah Dalton said her organization would not directly give money to the cause, but would act as a “fiscal sponsor” and fundraising agent for the effort.

“Because we are a non-profit, we can accept tax-deductible donations for this project,” said Dalton. “Anyone that wants to contribute can donate to Mentor Me and earmark the donation specifically for McNear Park.”

(Contact E. A. Barrera at ernesto.barrera@arguscourier.com)