2026-06-30; City Council Veterans Memorial Park Veterans Recognition Subcommittee Ad Hoc; 01; Solicitation of Input on Veterans Memorial Park Veterans Recognition — City Council Veterans Memorial Park Veterans Recognition Subcommittee (ad Hoc), June 30, 2026

Meeting Date: June 30, 2026
To: Veterans Memorial Park Veterans Recognition Subcommittee From: Faviola Medina, Director of Constituent & Clerk Services Staff Contact: Kyle Lancaster, Parks & Recreation Director [email protected], 442-339-2941
Subject: Solicitation of Input on Veterans Memorial Park Veterans Recognition Districts: All
Rec
ommended Action

1. Receive a presentation regarding the history of the development of Veterans Memorial Park.

2. Solicit input from veterans, non-profit veteran organizations and residents on concepts to honor and recognize veterans at the future Veterans Memorial Park.

3. Provide direction to staff on the next steps, as appropriate.

Executive Summary
The City Council authorized on March 10, 2026, the formation of the Ad-Hoc City Council Veterans Memorial Park Veterans Recognition Subcommittee and appointed City Council Members Burkholder and Shin to serve on the subcommittee. The intent of the subcommittee is to solicit input from veterans, non-profit veteran organizations and community members on concepts to honor and recognize veterans at the future Veterans Memorial Park. The subcommittee is also tentatively scheduled to meet at 5 p.m. on July 29 and Sept. 30, 2026, to obtain such input and then report back to the City Council with its recommendations.

This staff report provides a summary of the community engagement conducted during the initial stages of design of Veterans Memorial Park, including solicitation of input specific to the Veterans Memorial Plaza and about the public art. The report also provides a summary of the additional memorial and honorific recognition opportunities within Carlsbad parks and facilities.

Lastly, in anticipation of the subcommittee’s first meeting, the report provides ideas that, in addition to other ideas provided by the public, further honor veterans. Staff recommend the subcommittee receive and consider this report, solicit public input on Veterans Memorial Park veterans recognition, and provide direction to staff on the next steps, as appropriate.

Explanation & Analysis
Background
The Veterans Memorial Park property is located southeast of Agua Hedionda Lagoon, bordered by
Faraday Avenue and Whitman Way. Of the 93.7-acre park property, 38.82 acres will be developed, and 54.88 acres will remain designated as hardline habitat preserve areas.

AD HOC VETERANS MEMORIAL PARK

VETERANS RECOGNITION SUBCOMMITTEE

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Community engagement on the overall park
The city’s Communications & Engagement and Parks & Recreation departments conducted a comprehensive community engagement process to help shape the Veterans Memorial Park Master Plan and ensure the park reflects the community’s needs, priorities and values.

Community engagement began at the start of the planning process with a public workshop on March 9, 2019. The workshop was attended by 66 community members and included a tour of the park site. An online survey was also available from March 9-23, 2019, and received responses from 1,466 community members. Feedback from the workshop and survey was summarized in a public input report (Exhibit 1) and organized into key themes, some of which included enjoying nature, active recreation and honoring veterans.

A second public workshop was held on Sept. 21, 2019, to present and gather feedback on two concepts for the park design developed based on the community input received from the first workshop and online survey. The workshop was attended by 55 community members. A second online survey was also available from Sept. 21 - Oct. 6, 2019, and received responses from 777 community members. The concepts discussed in the public input report of October 2019 (Exhibit 2) explored different options for active and passive recreation, children’s play areas, gathering spaces and memorial features.

Parks & Recreation staff also held meetings with staff from other city departments, wildlife agencies and the California Coastal Commission to gather additional input. The combined feedback was referenced in creating the recommended Veterans Memorial Park Master Plan.

On Feb. 23, 2021, the City Council approved the master plan in concept and directed staff to begin the environmental review permitting process. (Exhibit 3).

Community engagement specific to the Veterans Memorial Plaza The city conducted targeted community outreach to inform the design of the Veterans Memorial Plaza, including an online survey from May 27 - June 11, 2022, and a focus group meeting on July 27, 2022. The survey received responses from 152 community members, including 34 military veterans and 89 family members of veterans or active-duty service members. Outreach also included engagement with veterans organizations in North County.

Located in the northwest segment of the park, the Veterans Memorial Plaza is designed to honor the service and sacrifice of members of the United States Armed Forces. Community feedback on the proposed design was generally positive. Most survey respondents agreed or strongly agreed that the plaza design would:
• Provide a quiet place to reflect on the sacrifices of our veterans • Be easily accessible to people of all abilities
• Be a good place to hold events honoring veterans
• Provide opportunities to recognize specific veterans from Carlsbad • Provide opportunities to educate people about veterans Community input was incorporated into the plaza’s final design and construction plans.

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The Veterans Memorial Plaza includes the following elements in honor of military service:
• An accessible elevated concrete platform with a large American Flag for educational programs and veteran events
• Vertical acrylic panels highlighting the history of each of the six military branches • Concrete bands with bronze inlays displaying each branch’s motto • Seat walls and decorative landscaping for reflection, remembrance and relaxation Final master plan and construction plans for the park
On July 26, 2022, the City Council adopted the final Veterans Memorial Park Master Plan, made a finding of compliance with the city’s parks performance standard and adopted the related California Environmental Quality Act findings. The City Council also directed staff to oversee the design team’s development of the park’s construction plans and specifications (Exhibit 4).

On Oct. 21, 2025, the City Council adopted the plans, specifications and contract documents and authorized the advertisement for bids for the Veterans Memorial Park Project. On Feb. 24, 2026, the City Council awarded a contract to Brightview Landscape Development, Inc., to construct the park. Construction will begin in Summer 2026 with completion anticipated approximately two years later.

Public outreach and selection of public art for the park The highest point of Veterans Memorial Park upper plateau, which overlooks the ocean, lagoon and golf course, will feature a permanent public art piece developed in alignment with the city’s Art in Public Places guidelines. To help guide the public art for this space, public input was gathered between 2023 and 2025 and summarized in a report (Exhibit 5).

In response, the final design concept was modified to incorporate six vertical bars (three on each side) to represent the six military service branches and address concerns about safety. The design also accommodated accessibility for people with disabilities. Seating and landscaping in the area around the art will be addressed separately by the park project team as part of the park’s overall design.

The final design, known as "The Ring," was created by Gordon Huether Studio and approved by the City Council in October 2025. The circular sculpture will serve as a space for reflection and remembrance, complementing the park’s memorial plaza and landscapes. Installation of the artwork will be performed as part of the overall Veterans Memorial Park project. The design of the elliptical area around the public art piece has not been finalized. The intent is to ensure the design of the area marries well with the public art piece. The design of that area could likely include aspects that honor and recognize veterans, such as commemorative pavers, or similar donation-supported elements.

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P
ublic outreach for this subcommittee
The city has and will continue to use a combination of direct stakeholder outreach and citywide communications channels to promote community participation in the Veterans Memorial Park Veterans Recognition Ad Hoc Subcommittee meetings.

Outreach efforts include:
• Establishing a dedicated project webpage with meeting information, background materials, agendas, summaries and an email sign-up option. • Promoting the meetings through the City Manager's Update e-newsletter. • Sending targeted email announcements and reminders to Veterans Memorial Park subscribers, previous project participants and interested stakeholders. • Sharing meeting announcements, reminders and updates through the city's social media channels, including Facebook, Instagram, X and Nextdoor. • Distributing flyers at city facilities.
• Posting news release in the city’s website newsroom.
• Conducting direct outreach to local veteran organizations, military-affiliated groups and other community stakeholders through email and/or phone calls. • Encouraging partner organizations and stakeholder groups to share meeting information through their own communication channels and member networks.

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Additional memorial and honorific recognition opportunities Memorial Program
On Aug. 17, 2004, the City Council adopted a donation-based Tree and Bench Memorial Program. The brochure for the memorial program noted that, "Planting a tree in a city park is a great way to honor or remember a friend or relative." The brochure also noted that people could, "Remember that special person or that memorable event by dedicating a park bench in the city." Donation amounts were based on the container size of the tree or the bench selected.

Since the inception of the memorial program, staff have accommodated numerous requests for donated trees and/or benches in parks across all four of the city's park districts (i.e., the city's quadrants). The total number of accommodated requests for donated trees or benches is estimated at over 100.

On May 16, 2021, the City Council approved the expansion of the memorial program to include more geographic areas, and to allow for non-tree and non-bench related items (Exhibit 6). The memorial program now includes all city-owned or controlled preserves, trails, beach accesses, facility landscapes and street rights of way. The precise placement of the donated amenities within such areas remains the discretion of staff, in consultation with the donors. The memorial program also now allows for the donation of items aside from trees and benches, specifically hoop bike racks, pedestal barbeques and art cairns, with corresponding donation amounts.

This expanded memorial program will be applicable to Veterans Memorial Park, after the park is constructed. To address the interest in honoring and recognizing veterans, individual or otherwise, at this park in particular, the City Council formed the Veterans Memorial Park Veterans Recognition Subcommittee to solicit veteran and community input on how best to honor or recognize veterans. The elements later recommended by the subcommittee and decided upon by the City Council could potentially be incorporated into the park’s construction.

City Council Policy No. 48
On March 13, 2012, the City Council issued Council Policy Statement No. 48, Naming Rights of Parks and Facilities (Exhibit 7). This policy offers another form of public recognition via the naming rights of parks, municipal facilities and the amenities therein. Examples of memorial or honorific naming of amenities within parks under this policy include a baseball field – Thorp Field at Poinsettia Community Park, a gazebo – John L. Simons Gazebo at Magee Park, and a small theater – Kindle Theater at Leo Carrillo Ranch Historic Park.

This policy will also be applicable to Veterans Memorial Park, after the park is constructed.

Southern California entities’ veterans recognition programs Staff informally surveyed the following Southern California entities on opportunities for donation-supported veterans recognition elements in public spaces:
• City of Bellflower
• City of Burbank
• City of Escondido
• City of Port Hueneme
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• City of Poway
• City of Rancho Santa Margarita
• City of San Diego
• Mount Soledad
• Port of San Diego
Veterans recognition elements consistent amongst at least two of these entities included:
• Banners
• Bricks
• Pavers
• Plaques
• Tiles
• Walls
Next Steps
Staff will receive direction from the subcommittee as it determines appropriate and will present a follow-up report at the subcommittee’s next scheduled meeting on July 29, 2026. After the conclusion of the subcommittee’s three meetings, staff will return to the full City Council for consideration of the subcommittee’s recommendations.

Exhibits

1. Veterans Memorial Park Public Input Report – March 2019

2. Veterans Memorial Park Concepts Public Input Report – October 2019

3. City Council Staff Report, Recommended Master Plan, dated Feb. 23, 2021 (on file in the Office of the City Clerk)

4. City Council Staff Report, Final Master Plan-Park Performance Standard, dated July 26, 2022 (on file in the Office of the City Clerk)

5. Public Input Summary, Permanent Public Art, dated August 2023

6. City Council Staff Report, Expansion of Memorial Program, dated March 16, 2021 (on file in the Office of the City Clerk)

7. City Council Policy No. 48, Naming Rights of Parks and Facilities, dated March 13, 2012 (on file in the Office of the City Clerk)
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VETERANS

MEMORIAL
PARK

PUBLIC INPUT
REPORT
Exhibit 1
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Veterans Memorial Park Input Report 2
Veterans Memorial Park
Public Input Report

Table of Contents

Page

Introduction 3

Overall Themes 5

Public Workshop 6

Online Input 9

Next Steps 11

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Veterans Memorial Park Input Report 3
Introduction

The City of Carlsbad is taking a new approach to
community engagement based on several key
principles:

 Members of the public have a right to be
involved in decisions affecting their lives.
 Adequate time and resources are provided to
allow for meaningful public involvement.
 The public involvement planning process is
begun at the earliest stages of decision-making.
 Opportunities for public involvement are clearly
defined, including the decision or decisions to
be made, the decision-making process and how the
public has influenced the decision.
 It is the city’s responsibility to seek out and facilitate the involvement of those interested in or affected by a decision. The city errs on the side of reaching out to people who might not be interested, rather than potentially missing people who are.  Diverse participation helps ensure a broad range of perspectives is considered.  Public involvement processes are designed to enable members of the public to participate in ways comfortable and convenient for them.  City staff provide balanced and factual information to the public and do not engage in advocacy.
 Public dialogue strives for a focus on values over interests and positions.  Members of the public do not need to have technical expertise to provide valuable input. Their everyday experiences as members of the community have intrinsic value to even the most complex and technical decisions.
 Public involvement planning is coordinated across all city departments to ensure consistency and avoid process fatigue.

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Veterans Memorial Park Input Report 4
Veterans Memorial Park Process
In early 2019, the City of Carlsbad kicked off a master planning process for Veterans Memorial Park, located on 91.5 acres near the intersection of Faraday Avenue and Cannon Road.

To ensure the community’s needs, priorities and values are reflected in the park’s ultimate design city staff engaged the public at the beginning of the planning process. The public input process consisted of two main opportunities:

Public Workshop
Community members were invited to participate in roundtable discussions facilitated by the project team. City staff provided a brief history on the site, along with an overview of the master planning elements, opportunities, constraints and potential amenities at the park site.

Following the introduction, questions were posed for small group discussions designed to identify the community values, needs and priorities for the park. An optional tour of the site was offered following the workshop.

Saturday, March 9
Faraday Administration Center
10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Attendance: 66

Online Survey
The Veterans Memorial Park online survey provided an opportunity for members of the public to provide input at a time convenient to them. Topic areas identified at the public workshop helped inform the questions on the online survey.

March 9 – 23, 2019
1,466 respondents
2,137 individual responses from Carlsbad residents
1,793 comments

About the Findings
By providing multiple ways for the public to provide input, decision makers can hear from a larger and more diverse group of community members. Respondents were asked to disclose where they live, and the system prevented more than two responses per computer IP address (a computer’s unique address). However, unlike a scientific survey, the findings of this process cannot be generalized to the entire Carlsbad population within a defined level of confidence.

That’s why the input in this report should be considered with a similar weight as other qualitative forms of feedback that have always been part of the city’s decision-making process, such as comments made at City Council meeting or emails sent to the city expressing an opinion.

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Veterans Memorial Park Input Report 5

Differences Among Subgroups
In most cases, responses did not differ significantly when comparing subgroups, such as residents vs. nonresidents or based on geographic location. Where differences were observed, they are noted.

Carlsbad residents wanted to experience nature, peace and views the most. Nonresidents shared the desire to experience nature, but also wanted to experience fitness and fun at the park. For active features, Carlsbad residents had more preference for a children’s playground, while nonresidents wanted an area for frisbee golf.

Overall Themes
Comments have been categorized for the purpose of identifying key themes. Readers are strongly encouraged to read the verbatim comments in the appendices to get a better understanding of specific ideas, priorities and concerns expressed. Following are some of the key themes from the online comments:

• Experiencing nature
• Active recreation
• Honoring veterans
• Walking/hiking
• Dogs
• Art
• Accessibility
• Event venue
• Maximize views
• Peace/tranquility
• Places to gather
• Children’s areas

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Veterans Memorial Park Input Report 6
Workshop Input

With 66 participants, the public workshop reflects the input of a very small percentage of the overall community. However, by choosing to spend several hours at a public meeting, these community members have demonstrated a high level of interest in this project. For that reason, this input is being reported separately from the online input and deserves unique consideration.

Below are the key themes from each discussion. A full list of responses is included in the appendices.

Topic 1: What would you like to experience at the park? How would you like to feel when you come to the park?

Well being: community, peace, gratitude, enjoyment, calm, relaxation, happiness

Nature: openness, nature, views

Veterans: honor, respect, remember, gratitude

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Veterans Memorial Park Input Report 7
Topic 2: How will you use this park?

Social: gather, walk, events, concerts

Fitness: walking, hiking, running

Active/organized recreation: mountain biking, pickleball, frisbee golf

Relax: enjoy peace, tranquility, nature, views

Contemplative: history, veterans, connection to the past

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Veterans Memorial Park Input Report 8
Topic 3: What else would you like us to consider about this park?

Amenities: restrooms, drinking fountains, dog waste stations, lighting, interpretive center

Local impacts: noise, parking, safety, lighting

Budget: cost to build and ongoing cost to maintain

Access: parking, access for people with disabilities or mobility concerns

Habitat: protect habitat areas and wildlife
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Veterans Memorial Park Input Report 9
Online Input

Input from the public workshop was used to refine questions for the online survey. The three most common responses for each question are shown below for Carlsbad residents (orange) and non-Carlsbad residents (green).

Total resident responses: 494
Total non-resident responses: 972

Detailed information about the responses for all questions is available in the appendices.

Question 1: First, help us understand what you would like to experience at this park. From the list below (some of the responses shared at our public meeting), choose the 3 things that are most important to you.

Question 2: Please choose up to 3 “passive” recreational features you would like to see.

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Veterans Memorial Park Input Report 10
Question 3: Please choose 3 “active” recreational features you would like to see.

Question 4: Please choose three “built” elements you’d like to see at the park.

Question 5: What else would you like the city to consider about this park? (open ended)

Key Themes From 290 Comments (some comments referenced multiple themes)

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Veterans Memorial Park Input Report 11
Next Steps

The City of Carlsbad used the input and ideas provided by the community, as well as other sources of information including the physical characteristics and location of the site, the core values of the Carlsbad community, and the city’s parks and recreation needs, to prepare conceptual plans for Veterans Memorial Park. Any ideas that came up more frequently were noted in the supporting appendices, with the understanding that the ideas represented those who decided to provide input, not necessarily the entire Carlsbad community. The conceptual plans will be shared at an upcoming community workshop in September 2019.

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VETERANS

MEMORIAL
PARK

CONCEPTS

PUBLIC INPUT
REPORT
Exhibit 2
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Veterans Memorial Park Concepts
Input Report
2 Veterans Memorial Park Concepts
Public Input Report

Table of Contents

Page

Introduction 3

Public Workshop Input 5

Online Input 9

Next Steps 14

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Veterans Memorial Park Concepts
Input Report
3 Introduction

The City of Carlsbad is taking a new approach to
community engagement based on several key
principles:

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Veterans Memorial Park Concepts
Input Report
4 Veterans Memorial Park Process
In early 2019, the City of Carlsbad kicked off a master planning process for Veterans Memorial Park, located on 91.5 acres near the intersection of Faraday Avenue and Cannon Road. City staff held a public workshop on March 9, 2019 and online survey from March 9 - 23 to give the community the opportunity to share their needs, priorities and values with city staff.

City staff designed two concepts for the park design based on the community input received from the workshop and survey. A second workshop and online survey was then held to share these concepts and request feedback about the two concepts presented.

Second Public Workshop
Community members were invited to listen to a presentation about the design of the two concepts and participate in small group discussions facilitated by the project team. City staff provided a brief history on the site, along with an overview of the master planning elements and the input received from the first workshop and online survey. Following the introduction, community members were allowed to ask questions and then were split into small groups to review and provide input on the four key elements of the two park concepts: memorial elements, kids’ play areas and places to gather, active recreation areas and passive recreation areas.

Saturday, Sept. 21, 2019
Faraday Administration Center
10 a.m. to 12 p.m.

Attendance: 55

Sept. 21 – Oct. 6, 2019
777 respondents
443 responses from Carlsbad residents
91 responses from individuals outside Carlsbad boundaries 12,382 individual responses
245 comments

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Veterans Memorial Park Concepts
Input Report
5 That’s why the input in this report should be considered with a similar weight as other qualitative forms of feedback that have always been part of the city’s decision-making process, such as comments made at City Council meeting or emails sent to the city expressing an opinion.

Public Workshop Input

With 55 participants, the public workshop reflects the input of a very small percentage of the overall community. However, by choosing to spend several hours at a public meeting, these community members have demonstrated a high level of interest in this project. For that reason, this input is being reported separately from the online input and deserves unique consideration.

Upon arriving at the public workshop, community members reviewed posters that featured conceptual images of four key park elements: kids’ play areas and places to gather, memorial elements, active recreation, and passive recreation. Community members were given two stickers and asked to place them on the two park elements that were most important to them.

Here is a summary of the number of stickers each park element poster received:

Active recreation: 41
Passive recreation: 22
Memorial elements: 21
Kids’ play areas and places to gather: 13

The project team presented two distinct conceptual plans for consideration at the public workshop, the Terrace Concept and the Hillside Concept.

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Veterans Memorial Park Concepts
Input Report
6 1 - Terrace Concept

2- Hillside Concept
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Veterans Memorial Park Concepts
Input Report
7 After listening to the presentation and watching a short video highlighting the unique features of each park concept, attendees split into small groups to discuss four different aspects of each concept: kids’ play areas and places to gather, memorial elements, active recreation, and passive recreation. Each group had a staff member and note taker to gather their feedback and capture ideas. For a complete list of notes and feedback gathered at the workshop at these small group discussions, see the appendices.

Below are summaries of the input received during the small group discussions on each of the park elements.

Topic 1: Kids’ Areas and Places to Gather

What’s working well:

Terrace Concept: Play areas are separate, smaller usable areas.

Hillside Concept: Larger play areas, all play areas are adjacent to each other, better connectivity between areas, parking is close to play areas.

Both concepts: Accessibility, natural play equipment, connectivity between active and play areas.

What’s missing: Art stations, butterfly garden

Other suggestions: Have parking spots near playgrounds and picnic areas, having kids’ activities separate might be difficult for parents, have artist come interact with kids to assist with the final design of the play areas, consider passive areas at the bottom and active areas at the top, interpretive gardens, provide drop-off area.

Topic 2: Memorial Elements

What’s working well:

Terrace Concept: Accessibility, peace and quiet, opportunity to educate.

Hillside Concept: Access to different activities, memorial site location, offers a place for reflection and inspiration, integrated.

Other suggestions: Docent-led presentations, natural elements, honor veterans by creating public understanding, educational opportunities, place to honor individual family members, incorporate natural elements/water, consider those with hearing loss.

Topic 3: Passive Recreation

Working well:

Terrace Concept: Good walking areas, quieter for neighbors, interesting.

Hillside Concept: Direct access to activities, several memorials throughout the site, more usable areas, paths are wide.

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Veterans Memorial Park Concepts
Input Report
8 What’s missing: Trees/shade in picnic areas, educational opportunities

Other suggestions: Keep materials and colors on design natural, keep passive and active areas separate, keep bikers and walkers separate, provide parking close to activities/areas used by families, preserve habitat, quiet areas for those with sensitivity to noise, loop trail, water conservation.

Topic 3: Active Recreation

Working well:

Terrace Concept: Active area away from neighbors, playgrounds near picnic area, biking away from other uses.

Hillside Concept: Larger area for biking, room for activities form different age groups, adjacency.

What’s missing: Dog areas, bocce ball, volleyball

Other suggestions: Keep materials natural, keep bikers and walkers separate, don’t locate active areas close to the memorial elements, mile markers for runners.

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Veterans Memorial Park Concepts
Input Report
9 Online Input

Input from the second public workshop was used to refine questions for the online survey.

Total resident responses: 443
Total non-resident responses: 91

Detailed information about the responses for all questions is available in the appendices.

Question 1: To get started, what are your favorite things to do at city parks (check all that apply)?

Carlsbad residents:

Non-Carlsbad residents:

Exercise

Connect
to nature
Relax
and
unwind
Get
together
with
friends
Play
with
my kids

Exercise

Connect
to nature
Relax
and
unwind
Get
together
with
friends
Play
with
my kids
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Veterans Memorial Park Concepts
Input Report
10 Question 2: Please drag and drop these Veterans Memorial Park themes in order of importance to you, with the highest on top:

Carlsbad residents:

Non-Carlsbad residents:

Question 3: Please take a closer look at the Terrace Concept and let us know what you think of the different parts (top three answers).

Really like:

• Active recreation area for fitness and biking on the south side of the park, separated from passive uses.
• Focus on passive uses like gardens, open grass areas, hiking, viewpoints and picnic areas.
• Accessible path along the terraces with a mixture of picnic and native gardens.

Question 4: Now please review the Hillside Concept more closely. What do you think of the different parts (top three answers)?

Really like:

• Focus on active uses, like family bike pump track, fitness areas and obstacle courses. • Accessible path through the natural hillside of the park that connects recreation and picnic areas.
• Robust kids’ play area comprised of nature inspired playground equipment for all ages.

Active and
energetic
Relaxing
with
nature

Honoring
veterans
Gathering
with
friends
and family

Active and
energetic
Relaxing
with
nature

Honoring
veterans
Gathering
with
friends and
family
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Veterans Memorial Park Concepts
Input Report
11 Question 5: Overall, what do you think of these concepts?

Preferences apply to all groups and subgroups:

Optional Question 1: Comparing the active areas of each design, what is your preference?

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70
Prefer larger area for multi-generational, family-focues active uses like a bike/skills pump track, obstacle
fitness course and parkour.

Prefer smaller area for active recreation uses which
are away from the passive elements.

No strong preference.

I like the
Hillside
Concept best
I like the
Terrace
Concept
best
I like them
both about
the same
I don’t
really
like
either
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Veterans Memorial Park Concepts
Input Report
12 Optional Question 2: Comparing the kids’ play areas of the two designs, what is your preference?

Optional Question 3: Comparing the gathering areas of the two designs, what is your preference?

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70
Prefer smaller scale kids' areas located in different
areas throughout the park.

Prefer one large scale kids' play area as the primary
focus of the park.

No strong preference.
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70
Prefer larger gathering area that is integrated into
natural setting surrounded by passive elements and
kids' nature play.

Prefer larger gathering area close to large scale kids' play area and larger area for active recreation.

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Veterans Memorial Park Concepts
Input Report
13 Optional Question 4: Comparing the picnic areas and more passive areas of the two designs, what is your preference?

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70
Prefer terraced picnic areas with great view that are
nestled into a natural setting.

Prefer bigger family focused picnic areas close to kids' play areas and expansive area for active recreation.

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Veterans Memorial Park Concepts
Input Report
14 Key Themes from 245 Comments (some comments referenced multiple themes)

Next Steps

The City of Carlsbad used the input and ideas provided by the community, as well as other sources of information including the physical characteristics and location of the site, the core values of the Carlsbad community, and the city’s parks and recreation needs, to prepare conceptual plans for Veterans Memorial Park. The input received at the public workshop and through the online survey will inform the final design for a park concept that will be presented to the Carlsbad City Council for review and approval in early 2020.

Exercise

Bikes

Dogs

Veterans
Family
friendly

Accessibility
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Exhibit 3

City Council Staff Report, Recommended Master Plan,
dated Feb. 23, 2021
(on file in the Office of the City Clerk)

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Exhibit 4

City Council Staff Report, Final Master Plan-Park
Performance Standard, dated July 26, 2022
(on file in the Office of the City Clerk)

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Permanent Public Art:

Veterans Memorial Park
Capital Improvement Program, Project No. 4609
Public Input Summary
Exhibit 5
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Veterans Memorial Park Public Art
Public Input Summary
August 2023
Intr
oduction
Veterans Memorial Park is set to become the city’s largest park once completed and a dedicated place to recognize and honor the na�on’s veterans, the ﬁrst such loca�on in Carlsbad. As part of the development of this new park, a separate permanent public art piece will be installed at the highest point of the park on the upper plateau, following the city’s Art in Public Places guidelines. As a site- speciﬁc piece, the public art will serve as a truly special piece to honor those who have served our country.

To help inform the selec�on of the ar�st who will create the public art piece, the city gathered input from local veterans, ac�ve duty military and fan in July and August 2023 to gain a deep understanding of the experience veterans would like to create through the artwork at this loca�on, so the art that is created becomes a source of pride for veterans and the en�re community.

How input was gathered
City staﬀ gathered input through several focus groups and mee�ngs with veterans in North County San Diego, along with an online survey:

Online survey
July 17 – Aug. 22, 2023 13 par�cipants
Focus groups
Feedback was gathered through three focus groups (two virtual and one in-person). • July 20, 2023, at 1 p.m. – virtual focus group held via zoom with City of Carlsbad employees who are veterans, ac�ve military or family members of those who served (10 atendees)
• Aug. 16, 2023, at 11 a.m. – virtual focus group held via Zoom (3 atendees) • Aug. 16, 2023, at 6 p.m. – in-person focus group at Veterans Associa�on of North County (5 atendees)
Veterans group mee�ngs
City staﬀ atended two mee�ngs with the following veterans groups to gather feedback:
• July 20, 2023, at 6 p.m. - Marine Corp League Detachment 21 (9 atendees) • Aug. 18, 2023, at 8 a.m. - Carlsbad Chamber of Commerce Military Aﬀairs Commitee (11 atendees)
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Ho
w the opportuni�es were promoted
Staﬀ conducted direct outreach to veteran and military groups in North County San Diego to promote the opportuni�es to provide input for the Veterans Memorial Park public art element. This outreach was conducted via email and phone calls. In addi�on, staﬀ conducted email outreach to city staﬀ to oﬀer opportuni�es to provide input as well.

About this input
The input was not gathered through a scien�ﬁc survey or method. Instead, the input reﬂects the opinions of those who were aware of the opportunity and had the ability to par�cipate. It should be considered with a similar weight as emails sent to the City Council or public comment at a City Council mee�ng.

What
we asked
Staﬀ used open ended ques�ons to engage par�cipants in conversa�ons, reﬂect on prior experiences visi�ng memorials and public art in the country and share their expecta�ons when visi�ng a veterans memorial. Ques�ons included:
• How would you honor past and future military service members through public art at the upper plateau of Veterans Memorial Park?
• What type of public art places give you a sense of renewal and inspira�on? Are there places or works of art that you’ve visited that evoked a sense of remembrance and pride? Key t
hemes summary
Below is a list of key themes that emerged at each focus group.

General themes:
- Tell a story
- Recognize all branches of the military
- Portray veterans from all ages and backgrounds, including women and diversity - Include youth and future ac�ve military that will become veterans - Acknowledge families of veterans who also make a sacriﬁce - Reﬂec�ve
- Interac�ve
- Embraces local nature
- Unique to and reﬂec�on of Carlsbad
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All public art public input results
For further reference, all public input compiled speciﬁcally for the public art component of Veterans Memorial Park is embedded below. The input is segmented by group and survey results.

Aug. 18, 2023 at 8 a.m.

Carlsbad Chamber of Commerce Military Aﬀairs Commitee mee�ng Key themes:
- Accessibility
- Golden hour
- Include people with noncombatant jobs: nurses, doctors, etc. - Ac�ve and re�red vets need to see themselves
- All wars
- All branches recognized

Aug. 16, 2023, at 6 p.m.

In-person focus group held at Veterans Associa�on of North County Key themes:
- Interac�ve
- Dynamic, textures, colors
- Visually appealing
- Peaceful views and environment
- All branches represented
- Highlight the local aspect
- Naming opportuni�es, a place to perpetuate the memory, like bricks - Highlight their humanity, their struggle once they return - Show veterans in rela�on to their families, the places they call home - A place for reﬂec�on – calming water element
- A place for healing

Aug. 16, 2023, at 11 a.m.

Virtual focus group mee�ng via Zoom
Key themes:
- Through art, inspire young people to join the military. - A piece that inspires honor and respect
- Use the natural environment to heal, renew
- Bold
- Highlight diverse cultures, backgrounds, cultural groups Exhibit 5
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- Ad
d an educa�on center or learning elements
- Include young voices
- Memorialize past warriors and inspire future genera�ons to feel like they belong - Diversity
- Culturally diverse, colorful, bold
- Remembrance
- Pride
- Capture names
- Serene

July 20, 2023, at 6 p.m.

Marine Corp League Detachment 21 mee�ng
Key themes:
- Serenity
- Incorporate dependents, families
- Golden hour is not talked about enough
- Make the opening of the art on a meaningful day
- Focus in all branches
- Show the pain
- Simple but powerful
- It would be good if the ar�st was a vet. They connect with their own experience. - Visually show how many people have died (boots, bricks) - Interac�ve
- Educa�onal
- History
- Evolu�on of military
- The reason why we volunteer

July 20, 2023, at 1 p.m.

Virtual internal focus group with city staﬀ via Zoom
Key themes:
- Create a calming experience
- A place for reﬂec�on
- Highlight Carlsbad’s unique beauty: ﬂower ﬁelds, ocean view - Show diversity of ages, backgrounds, ethnici�es, gender - Memorialize the people who sacriﬁced
- A marine voice
- Represent all the branches
- A place to connect with nature
- A place for special experiences, such as commissions or re�rements Exhibit 5
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- A s
tatue made with Legos
- A place where we could reﬂect about Carlsbad’s history - Tell the story of Carlsbad veterans
- A place that can be con�nuously updated/actualized
- A place that is beau�ful and people want to go back to - Figura�ve art
- A place where people can exhibit their art, in partnership with schools, etc. - A public art piece that includes movement and change

Online survey, through 08/22/2023
Key themes:
- Interac�ve
- Culturally diverse
- Water feature
- A place for reﬂec�on
- Use oﬃcial seal of each branch of service
- Include all branches
- Peace, serenity, reﬂec�on
- Paying tribute to all wars and military advancements, women, technology - Diﬀerent missions, singularity of purpose
- Include history for a learning opportunity about American history and the involvement of veterans in preserving the freedoms we enjoy today
- Open space that is not intrusive
- Shaded sea�ng area
- A dynamic space that encourages movement between the components for a full experience - Realis�c
- Evokes the senses
- Males, females, family members

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Public Input Results
Veterans Memorial Park Public Art

Table of contents
I. Military Aﬀairs Commitee focus group, Carlsbad Chamber of Commerce, 08/18/2023

II. Veterans Associa�on of North County focus group, 08/16/2023

III. Virtual mul�-branch focus group, 08/16/2023

IV. Marine Corp League Detachment 21 focus group, 07/20 /2023

V. City staﬀ internal focus group, 07/20/2023

VI. Online survey, through 08/22/2023

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I. Mil
itary Aﬀairs Commitee focus group, Carlsbad Chamber of Commerce, 08/18/2023 Date 08/18/23
Group name Military Affairs Committee, Carlsbad Chamber of Commerce
Number of participants total 11
Com
ments/ques�ons during the presenta�on:

POW ﬂag at the memorial site ﬂag pole
How
would you honor past and future military service members through public art at the upper plateau of Veterans Memorial Park?
Would the garden be accessible?
Aircra�, from someone nose
How will the golden hour be addressed?
They show a movie, helicopter, from Vietnam, soldiers wai�ng to hear from them.

Vietnam, they par�cipated in Saigon, they had diﬀerent routes coming in, the embassy, each �me they would see the power line ge�ng closer and closer.

Is there a main focus, like marine corps, or avia�on component, Iraq, and Afghanistan, or it will cover all of the diﬀerent wars?
Marines and sailors probably will be more prominent in the display, being closer to Carlsbad, besides airmen, etc.

When you say art, is it one piece or several pieces?
Helicopters are the mode most wounded soldiers get medical aten�on. That’s why it is so important to men�on/highlight the golden hour.

It would be nice to have something that recognizes the work of nurses, these are all veterans, for everyone. You have a whole number of people, combat, doctors, nurses, they need to relate somehow to the art regardless of how they served.

People will be coming to see the memorial from the heart. It is not just a park.

Ac�ve duty and re�red vets need to see themselves.

You have to highlight all services working together. You couldn’t do it without everybody’s work.

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Wi
ll there be mul�ple trails, with mul�ple stories, and then maybe coming at the main art piece? Each trail can be a branch or work in the military, but we all work together to get to the same place.

Army/Navy Academy has a memorial, has it been discussed to move this piece into the park?

What else you would like for us to consider regarding the public art for Veterans Memorial Park? Clariﬁed that the park isn’t Vietnam focused.

Are there any places for statues that people could pay for?

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II.

Veterans Associa�on of North County focus group, 08/16/2023

Date 08/16/23
Group name

Veterans Association of North County
Number of participants total 5

How would you honor past and future military service members through public art at the upper plateau of Veterans Memorial Park?

Visually appealing, interac�ve. Airforce monument, spires, in DC comes to mind. Know instantly what branch is represented.

Like the local aspect, someone from the region, history, those who died in Carlsbad as a focus. Tie to veterans of the future. Wife from Australia, small towns lots of representa�on of local service people, family oriented. Simple statue, not too large. Looking in admira�on as a child, naming of the local veterans.

The mural in Vista, no one knows what it is, just colors like pinks, etc. Created by Pinamon�, statue of man killed in Vietnam reading leters, has names of those killed in ac�on. Felt moved.

Interac�on, texture and color is grounding for veterans. Inclusion of shadows, shades, shows skin tones, male and female, texture, grain. Example of buterﬂies exhibit using texture

What type of public art places give you a sense of renewal and inspira�on? Are there places or works of art that you’ve visited that evoked a sense of remembrance and pride?

Rosecrans Cemetery, maximize contours of the surrounding hills. Peaceful views Landscape important. Con�nue, perpetuate the memory. Bricks and served, great loca�on at the upper plateau with the landscaping, allows for the season and changes.

Book, “Heroes Lived Here”, Amy Forsythe, wrote about all the memorials, Camp Pendleton

Gary, shared from a friend: I picture a combat veteran, in full gear with helmet, holding hands with wife and children, “he did the �me, now we must help him realign”.

Takes a courage of a warrior to ask for help. One percent of the na�on has served in combat. No grotesque.

Marine Corp Museum, Legacy Walk, sponsor bricks of people who served No par�cular place that I’ve seen as art in open, every works of art evokes a diﬀerent feeling Exhibit 5
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What
else you would like for us to consider regarding the public art for Veterans Memorial Park? Personal experience, have the ar�st be sensi�ve to people’s feelings, not oﬀend anyone as they did in Seatle, upside down disassembled ﬁghter jet, very oﬀensive. All branches to be represented.

Expand to family members, writer groups, children’s writers group, veterans, dependents, scholarships Future and present, healing your inner child, military child, looking up to itself, reﬂec�on as he looks back to him. Calming water element, fountain.

Dignify the art through veterans. Loves the veterans involved in San Diego County, 1/3 of the community are veterans. Include veterans in the ecosystem, their family.

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III. Vi
rtual mul�-branch focus group, 08/16/2023

Date 08/16/23
Group name

Virtual – multi-branch focus group
Number of participants total 3

How would you honor past and future military service members through public art at the upper plateau of Veterans Memorial Park?

To inspire future children to join the military and keep them in. Honor where they came from and how they can bring it back. Honor & respect.

From chat bar: “It would be triumphant to overcome the term diversity and embrace who America is.”

Hope for a strong number of women who served before WW1, in & out of military, to be recognized.

Don’t meld women into 1 group. Group diverse cultures, backgrounds, reﬂect cultural groups perhaps in a sculpture. Educa�on center or learning elements at the park.

Diversity aspect. San Diego County region. Typical young, white male are thought of, does not represent the popula�on moving forward. Represent to show young people how and inspire them. Younger genera�on engaged.

At Palomar College 6-years-ago; Culturals, past. They took an old, ugly, huge building and incorporated parts of cultures, making it big bold, and colorful.

What type of public art places give you a sense of renewal and inspira�on? Are there places or works of art that you’ve visited that evoked a sense of remembrance and pride?

Quan�co Museum, Virginia. Incredible. Takes you back in the moment, remember. Also, just going out in nature has beau�ful healing. Incorporate the use of nature, not art but renewal.

Young voices are important, pull them in. Have classes, group mee�ngs, focus groups there. Diversity doesn’t embrace concept. Star Trek example, lots of imagina�on. Peers should be involved in Carlsbad.

Loves going to the Vietnam Memorial Wall. Feels emo�onal, emo�onal experience, gives renewed sense of doing the right thing. Remembrance, pride. No connec�on to those people but feeling a connec�on to them. Faces a huge open space but feels serene. Elevated, used the hill in the design. In track with the environment. Simple ligh�ng empowers, simple to captures names. Serene. Nature around.

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What
else you would like for us to consider regarding the public art for Veterans Memorial Park?

Be bold. Keep out of the box. Poli�cs aside. Serve the people. Remind that they are serving people, not government. Young people see, we need to protect our neighbors.

When we started this discussion, the Vietnam Memorial Wall (Washington DC) was men�oned, people have fought for sense of hope, freedom and peace. The ar�st will be challenged and struggle to memorialize and inspire future genera�ons to feel like they belong, be a part of here. We have to get out of the mindset that a ‘vet is a vet’, we are all a people. Granddaughter says to me, thank you for your service. This tells me that she thinks I have done something posi�ve. Honor those serving.

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IV. Ma
rine Corp League Detachment 21 focus group, 07/20 /2023

Date July 20, 2023
Group name Marine Corps League Detachment 21 at
Veterans Association of North County
Number of participants total 9

Have you seen veterans public art that really caught your aten�on? What’s not there that you’d like to see memorialized?
Very simple memorial, the one in Arizona, all pillars lined up, it’s at 11 a.m. it shines through all the pillars and shows the seal on the ﬂoor. Anything on DC, Korean, Vietnam, Pearl Harbor, it’s only a bridge but very impac�ul.

Mt. Soledad before the plaques, it was very serene. I’m not too keen on the plaques they place there right now.

WWII museum in New Orleans, bricks memorializing veterans start from the street. They keep making more room to add more bricks. It was a nice way to dedicate something to their rela�ves who have sacriﬁced.

Talking about the Marine Corps base, the ﬁ�h marine regiment, diﬀerent set ups for young marines who have died in combat. Someone asks if the city has looked for any sponsors. Vet suggested Tony Morso, who owned Camp Pendleton, he owned Capistrano all the way down to Oceanside. He is a big provider for the historical society, also the guy who founded Fedex was a marine captain, there is a lot on that base that can give you inspira�on. We just put up a statue of Cpt. Pendleton, 200,000 bronze statue.

I’m a Vietnam vet, we weren’t well liked when we came back, we have to force people to like us again.

We don’t memorialize Vietnam guys at all. Everyone always volunteered for a reason, and just with other wars, they did it for a reason and we are missing all that. We put something nice in the art but why are we doing it? What’s the reason for it? Talk about the people who volunteered, why they did it. Men and women who have fallen in combat, it was for a reason. They loved their country. I was in college and I said I’m going to Vietnam. Talega, where we had the Vietnamese refugees, the big thing is that there are a lot of things to see. Talk to the communica�ons oﬃcial on base to enter the base and have a tour of those memorials.

Oklahoma Bombing Memorial, the chairs, when you walk through it there is a story. If Jose was going to develop a memorial, it would be with some type of history over �me like old story military, how we’ve evolved as the military.

MCRD museum – should visit. There is a hand towards Talega and talks about the refugees, you sit in it and you read it, very powerful.

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Ma
rine and Army guy, I did both. I’ve seen Ft. Worth TX and I’ve seen the memorials for both branches of service, the ar�st, it would be more meaningful if the ar�st was a veteran. It is great to see somebody pouring their hearts in it. A police oﬃcer rescued a ﬂag from 9/11. I was in NJ, was asked to open the ﬂag at a ceremony, US Open, was going to. They gave it to me in a box. Box was made out of rubble from 9/11, I was chained to the box, it was televised, someone painted that image on the side of the building.

But it was some painter, no real connec�on to it. It would be wonderful to have someone who really is going to understand, put their hearts down into the art. There was this other memorial. Every road, from every gate, there was a set of boots signifying all people who have died. There are so many boots, no names, just a huge numbers. That means more. It is a visual. An understanding. To visually see a million boots, it hits you more than to say the number. Less is more but it gives the person an understanding of how many people died. Focusing on all branches. Seals museum, they show you through the pain they go through. There is nothing to really signify the gut-wrenching pain, when I saw the boots it was painful.

Somehow incorporate dependents. Because the families suﬀered.

Agree. When I was in Iraq my family didn’t know if I was coming back. They suﬀered too.

I would like to see talk of the golden hour. Not a lot of people know about this but it is when a marine is wounded, if he gets medical aten�on in the ﬁrst hour a�er ge�ng hurt they will likely survive. In Vietnam, people looked at the sky, that was the only help they could expect.

For the loca�on and the installa�on, think about veterans who can’t walk, climb stairs. Consider the handicapped. The golden hour is something that is not talked about enough.

Someone talks about how now they do bike tours and boat rides in Vietnam, when there is s�ll so much ordnance and mines, s�ll buried in many places.

If you are going to unveil the art or open the park, choose April 30, 2025, anniversary of the end of the Vietnam war.

Visit the Vietnamese memorial on base at that �me.

Something that represents veterans in their totality. Veterans since the year 1775, all the way to now.

Most veterans are seniors. Something that represents veterans in all their service that made this country a great country.

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V. Ci
ty staﬀ internal focus group, 07/20/2023

Date July 20, 2023
Group name Internal focus group with city staff
Number of participants total 10

What comes to mind as someone who has served? When you think about visi�ng a public park site? What would you like to have, or experience?
Beau�ful view, with the ocean and all, how can we enhance it to be more medita�ve, a pond, a fountain.

Visi�ng son in San Jose, they had a great water fountain, acres of ﬂowers, very calming experience. One of the themes is Carlsbad, why don’t we add some ﬂowers to show want Carlsbad represents? Sit down and reﬂect. I would like that.

For me, hit me on the head, I visualize an open area and the ﬂower ﬁelds, diﬀerent varie�es of ﬂowers you can walk through, some type of trail, all diﬀerent types of colors, something serene and comfortable.

I really, when I think about my �me, is so much community and we served as young adults and have such diversity of people, even people here right now, we come from diﬀerent places, we served together, there is so much in common between us. I want to see everyone represented. Every �me people assumed my husband is the one who had served, not me as a female, I think I’d like to see that diversity represented.

Maybe I was in Chula Vista veterans area, part of the military is the sacriﬁce and for some the ul�mate sacriﬁce. They had the names of people who were from the city, from Chula Vista so many who made the ul�mate sacriﬁce. It would be great to have that list as part of the memorial to see the names who served from Carlsbad.

I think we need some marine voice. I love history, love military history, serendipity art, in Solana Beach one of the ocean walls has a dedica�on to the military, so well done, the anchor memorial somewhere but in the beach park the beach wall there are connec�ons, there is a city in OC, a litle street sign, direc�ons to Marine Corp history, etc. a litle plaque to honor all the veterans, that’s it, this is a big park with a larger theme, litle things serendipitous, I like the ﬂowers too.

Along the lines of represen�ng the diﬀerent branches, my wife and I walk a lot. I saw it in Encinitas, and I also saw diﬀerent statutes, something represen�ng each branch, sailor, marine, in bronze, a conglomerate of those branches somewhere it would be nice if we could add. Might not be feasible with the money available.

I was thinking something at nigh�me that is lit up that shows the three branches, when you drive and you see something on the hillside, and I also like the historical approach, I also enjoy seeing the history of how these branches have come to be and what they have done.

I see that in the rendi�on there is a ﬂag pole, a representa�on of the ﬂag, that is huge, we are serving the whole na�on, regardless of where we are around the world. I think it needs to be something special.

I like other people’s sugges�ons.

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Fo
llowing up on that, absolutely. The ﬂag made me think many years ago, there was a lawsuit because of the ﬂag, I would hate to see something like that happening to Carlsbad, how do we get past that? We have people who served 9, 20, 25 years, how do we sell litle plaques, raise more money to put money into the park.

There was clariﬁca�on that fundraising was possible.

Regarding diversity, to ﬁnd a way to show how branches are connected, the coast guard is at the core to which the navy wraps around, I don’t think people know about this, maybe 1%, so I think it would be an educa�onal piece showing how they support each other in �mes of war.

I wanted to go back to the ﬂag and representa�on of each branch and a ﬂag, maybe there is a way to show coast guard, marine, navy, those should be represented somehow.

I wanted to share that in addi�on to the coast guard, now we have the star force, and include them as well, Edward was talking about this idea, fundraising. Are talking about that later? Can we talk about that now? If you have any P&R fundraising opportuni�es maybe we can share the informa�on.

What types of places have you been to that gives you reﬂec�on, inspira�on and what are the elements of those places, a sense of place?
I grew up in the N. East, serenity, the landscape, I love the forest, the mountains, I connect with nature most. Natural, habitats, connec�ng to what’s here and what has been here before the Spanish were here. Love the ﬂowers, love the trees.

The same thing, a lot of the answers touched on that, the water, the fountain, I was sta�oned at the Pentagon and all the monuments, Vietnam, etc. there is that serenity because there is an opportunity to reﬂect, to be with nature, enjoy the �me. It’s going to be used for ceremonies for someone who wishes to re�re, maybe some honor or recogni�on, something along those lines, maybe consider it, not like everyone who is coming to reﬂect, but also for how beau�ful it would look for a litle P&A for a moment in �me, enlis�ng, or ge�ng their commission or re�ring.

How do you think this public art could reﬂect the iden�ty of the City of Carlsbad? Paul men�oned the statues, maybe Legoland can make them in Legos, more brainstorming. At least the pavers.

History, we know there are other people before us. Any thoughts about reﬂec�ng our history? We have the names of the Kellys, people who have street names, Capitan Marron, Pio Pico, that might �e in that �me in history.

Tell Carlsbad’s veterans stories. I visited a veterans memorial plaza in Vista, in Old Vista. There is a part of the plaza that combines water feature, memorial wall, bronze statues, and uses them in this context, they use leters of Vista residents that were sent home while people were sta�oned, the leters were transcribed into the pavement. You can read the service members’ leters writen back to their families.

What Vista residents were experiencing, how they were responding.

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@ L
egos, this park is not only for adults, but for families and children and to represent Carlsbad maybe add a Lego vibe to it, could be a playground made out to look like Legos.

What else would you like us to consider as we look for an ar�st? Being a forever place, knowing that there will be more veterans, something to keep it actualized, �me- prooﬁng it, plaques, fundraising.

Something with tons of bronze statues, a place over the top.

Some public art works in SD are dedicated to the US navy or other military, and sadly the larger, more conspicuous pieces are defaced. I try to think the monument aspect of it, from the maintenance point of view, the more monumental the piece the more people mess with it.

I don’t want, when folks are thinking about vets, they think the barb wires, back in the old days, and that can get very heavy, I went to the WWI museum in KC, and it got heavy, great history, as a vet but all the guns and the barb wire, that just takes away from what we are trying to accomplish with this piece.

I don’t want to see fences, sec�oning property, anything that encloses the property has to be appealing.

Are you doing any kind of look out point in the hill? Telescopes or viewpoints? We would suggest that to the ar�sts, we go with the ar�sts idea, with people’s ideas to create the art.

I live at double-peak, there is a view point, they have pinned on the ground what everything is.

Not having a heaviness about it. I want to go someplace where I feel good, and people want to go back to. So it is a nice experience. I like statues. I can walk away with an emo�on vs. so subtle that I have to read an en�re wall, and those are nice too but they don’t do as much for me as a reﬂec�on for people.

It’s for community members.

I like ﬁgura�ve art, it doesn’t have to be so literal. There is a Marine memorial which consists of an ocean wave with seagulls to commemorate those who died at sea, it’s a coastal town, more conceptual.

How do we bring the schools, create some art, some awards, something for kids to hang art and scroll through, people would come to see what the kids did.

I wouldn’t want a type of memorial that had an ulterior mo�ve or agenda, war sucks but those who try to pass a message along those lines, I have an issue with those.

In Oceanside, they put pain�ngs all over, with prices, then post the artwork somewhere.

I thought of one, I really like those that you see it from one angle and you see something and then you change posi�on and you see something so diﬀerent, a tribute to veterans but not just one view, but movement and change.

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VI. O
nline survey, through 08/22/2023
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Exhibit 6

City Council Staff Report, Expansion of Memorial
Program, dated March 16, 2021
(on file in the Office of the City Clerk)

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Exhibit 7

City Council Policy No. 48, Naming Rights of Parks and
Facilities, dated March 13, 2012
(on file in the Office of the City Clerk)

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From: Faviola Medina
To: City Clerk
Subject: Fw: Reminder: Help shape veterans recognition at Veterans Memorial Park Date: Monday, June 29, 2026 7:08:46 PM
From: Bart Billings <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, June 29, 2026 5:03 PM
To: Communications <[email protected]>
Subject: Re: Reminder: Help shape veterans recognition at Veterans Memorial Park Please have all members visit the Vet Center on Oceanside on Mission to get an idea for a building here. COL B Billings
Yahoo Mail: Search, Organize, Conquer
On Mon, Jun 29, 2026 at 4:12 PM, City of Carlsbad
<[email protected]> wrote:

Attend the first subcommittee meeting June 30
Reminder: Help shape veterans recognition at Veterans
Memorial Park
Recognizing and honoring those who have served our country will be one of the most important aspects of the future Veterans Memorial Park.

You are receiving this email because you signed up for Veterans Memorial Park updates or previously expressed interest in the project.

Earlier this year, the City Council formed an Ad-Hoc Veterans Memorial Park Veterans Recognition Subcommittee to gather input from veterans, nonprofit veteran organizations and community members on ways to recognize veterans at the park. After that input is received, the subcommittee will return to the full City Council with its recommendations.

The first of three subcommittee meetings will take place tomorrow:

Tuesday, June 30, 10 a.m.

City Council Chamber
1200 Carlsbad Village Drive

All Receive - Agenda Item #_____
For the Information of the:

SUBCOMMITTEE
Date: ___________ CA ____ CC____
CM ____ ACM ____ DCM (3) ____
1 6/29/2026 x x
x x x
View the agenda packet

Additional meetings are scheduled for:

Wednesday, July 29, 5 p.m.

Wednesday, Sept. 30, 5 p.m.

All meetings will take place in the City Council Chamber, 1200 Carlsbad Village Drive.

The subcommittee’s work will focus on additional ways to recognize veterans at the park, such as through commemorative pavers or similar memorial elements. Veterans Memorial Park already includes a Veterans Memorial Plaza designed to honor all six branches of the U.S. military. The subcommittee will explore whether additional recognition elements should be incorporated into the park through a potential donation-based program or other approach.

How to participate
Community members can share input by:

Attending a meeting and speaking during public comment
Emailing written comments in advance to [email protected]
Emails received by 5 p.m. today will be provided to the subcommittee prior to the start of tomorrow's meeting. Any others will be provided after.

How to watch
Meetings will be livestreamed on the city’s website
, and recordings will be
available to watch after each meeting.

As a reminder, Veterans Memorial Park will be the largest park in Carlsbad and the city’s first dedicated place to recognize and honor the nation’s veterans.

Located near Faraday Avenue and Cannon Road, the 93.7-acre park will include:

Veterans Memorial Plaza
Public art
Trails and viewpoints
Picnic areas
Playgrounds
Open recreational spaces
A bike park
Protected habitat preserve areas

Construction is expected to begin this summer and take about two years to complete.

More information
Ad Hoc City Council Veterans Memorial Park Veterans Recognition Subcommittee
March 10 City Council staff report
March 10 City Council meeting recording
Veterans Memorial Park webpage
Veterans Memorial Park public art

Visit the website

City of Carlsbad | 1200 Carlsbad Village Drive | Carlsbad, CA 92008 US

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SOLICITATION OF INPUT ON

VETERANS MEMORIAL PARK

VETERANS RECOGNITION
Kyle Lancaster, Parks & Recreation Director
Sarah Lemons, Senior Program Manager
Nick Stupin, Parks Planning Manager
June 30, 2026
1 SUBCOMMITTEE’S PURPOSE
Gather input from veterans, nonprofit veteran
organizations and community members on ways to
honor and recognize veterans at the future park.

Three meetings:

Tuesday, June 30, 10 a.m.

Wednesday, July 29, 5 p.m.

Wednesday, Sept. 30, 5 p.m.

ITEM 1 – VETERANS MEMORIAL PARK
2 3

VETERANS MEMORIAL PARK
• 93.7 acres total
• 54.9 acres preserved
• 38.8 acres developed
4 5

PROJECT BACKGROUND
• Park is priority project in the 2023-27 Strategic Plan and 2023-30 Parks & Recreation Department Master Plan
 Aligned with the Carlsbad Community Vision Statement
of “Access to recreation and active, healthy lifestyles.” ITEM 1 – VETERANS MEMORIAL PARK
6 RECENT CITY COUNCIL ACTIONS
• Oct. 7, 2025: Approved of the park’s public art piece • Oct. 21, 2025: Adopted the park’s plans and specs, and authorized its advertisement for bids
• Feb. 24, 2026: Awarded a contract to Brightview
Landscape Development, Inc., to construct the park
• March 10, 2026: Formed Ad-Hoc City Council Veterans
Memorial Park Veterans Recognition Subcommittee
ITEM 1 – VETERANS MEMORIAL PARK
7 8

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT

9 YEARS OF COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT

SHAPED THE FINAL DESIGN
ITEM 1 – VETERANS MEMORIAL PARK
May - July 2022
Veterans Memorial Plaza input
July - Aug 2023
Public art community values
Big picture community needs,
priorities, values for overall park
March 2019

Two park design concepts
Sept - Oct 2019
Public art design
concepts
April - June 2025

Veterans Recognition
Subcommittee
June - Sept 2026
ENGAGEMENT - OVERALL PARK (2019)
ITEM 1 – VETERANS MEMORIAL PARK
10 2 public workshops
121 workshop participants
2 online surveys
2,243 responses total

WHAT WE HEARD
ITEM 1 – VETERANS MEMORIAL PARK
11 Experience nature
Active recreation
Honor veterans
Walking/hiking
Maximize views
Accessibility
Gathering spaces
Children’s play areas
WHAT WE HEARD – HONORING VETERANS
ITEM 1 – VETERANS MEMORIAL PARK
12 • Honor local veterans and their stories
• Provide a quiet place to pay respects
• Ways to honor specific family members/friends who are veterans • Represent all branches of the military
• Include educational opportunities
• Ensure accessibility for all
• Reflect diverse military service across roles, genders and eras • Space for small gatherings on Veterans Day and other holidays ENGAGEMENT - VETERANS MEMORIAL PLAZA (2022)
ITEM 1 – VETERANS MEMORIAL PARK
13 Online survey (152 responses)
34 veterans
89 family members of veterans or
active-duty service members
Focus group to gather feedback on
sample renderings for the plaza

HOW COMMUNITY FEEDBACK SHAPED THE PLAZA
ITEM 1 – VETERANS MEMORIAL PARK
14 What we heard
• Quiet place for reflection
• Accessibility to people of all abilities
• Space to hold events honoring veterans
• Recognition of local veterans
• Educational opportunities/ceremonies
Design features
• Seating and decorative landscaping
• Accessible elevated platform for events
• Large American flag
• Military branch history panels
• Concrete with bronze inlays displaying
each branch’s motto
ENGAGEMENT – PUBLIC ART
(2023 & 2025)
ITEM 1 – VETERANS MEMORIAL PARK
15 2 online surveys
572 responses total
Meetings with veteran groups
Virtual and in-person focus groups
100+ participants
PUBLIC ART - WHAT WE HEARD – THEMES
Desire for clear military symbolism
Interest in creating a space for reflection
Concerns about safety and durability
Appreciation for designs that fit into the natural setting Suggestions to enhance storytelling
16 ITEM 1 - VETERANS MEMORIAL PARK
SUBCOMMITTEE PUBLIC OUTREACH (2026)
ITEM 1 – VETERANS MEMORIAL PARK
17 • Dedicated project webpage
• Direct outreach to local veteran groups
• City Manager’s Update e-newsletter
• Targeted emails
• Social media and Nextdoor
• Flyers at city facilities
• News releases on city’s website
• Shared through veteran groups’ comms. channels

18 OVERALL PARK DESIGN

OVERALL PARK DESIGN
• Park will be the city’s largest community park,
designed as a welcoming, family-oriented destination
 Will feature a diverse range of multi-generational and inclusive amenities within active and passive spaces
ITEM 1 – VETERANS MEMORIAL PARK
19 20
21 PARK FEATURES
• Terracedwalls and steps
• Pathways and trails
• Family-friendly bike park
• Three playgrounds
• Outdoor fitness stations
• Public Art
• Veterans Memorial Plaza

VETERANS MEMORIAL PARK
ITEM NO. 3 - DEPARTMENT REPORT
22 VETERANS MEMORIAL PARK
ITEM NO. 3 - DEPARTMENT REPORT
23 24
25 26

VETERANS MEMORIAL PLAZA
27 27

VETERANS MEMORIAL PLAZA
• Concept designed using input from the community
 Provides for reflection and inspiration
 Honors and pays tribute to those that have served
 Creates an understanding of the sacrifices made
ITEM 1 – VETERANS MEMORIAL PARK
28 • Military history panels
• Military motto inlays
• Small platform/stage
• Perimeter seating
• Large American flag
• Support buildings
• Added ADA parking

MEMORIAL PLAZA

30 31

32 PUBLIC ART SITE
33 33

35 35

38 RECOGNITION OPPORTUNITIES

MEMORIAL PROGRAM
• Aug. 17, 2004: City Council adopted a donation-based
Tree and Bench Memorial Program

 Since inception, staff have accommodated numerous
requests for donated trees and/or benches in parks
• May 16, 2021: City Council approved expansion of the
memorial program to include more geographic areas,
and to allow for non-tree and non-bench related items
ITEM 1 – VETERANS MEMORIAL PARK
39 MEMORIAL PROGRAM
• Program now allows for the donation of hoop bike
racks, pedestal barbeques and art cairns

 This expanded program will be applicable to Veterans
Memorial Park, after the park is constructed

• Elements for veterans recommended by subcommittee
and decided upon by the City Council could potentially
be incorporated into this specific park’s construction
ITEM 1 – VETERANS MEMORIAL PARK
40 CITY COUNCIL POLICY NO. 48
• March 13, 2012: City Council issued Council Policy
Statement No. 48, Naming Rights of Parks and Facilities  Offers another form of public recognition via the naming rights of parks, municipal facilities and amenities therein • Examples of memorial or honorific naming of amenities within parks under this policy include a baseball field, a gazebo and a small theater
ITEM 1 – VETERANS MEMORIAL PARK
41 SO. CAL. ENTITIES’ PROGRAMS
• Staff informally surveyed these Southern California
entities on opportunities for donation-supported
veterans recognition elements in public spaces:
 Cities of Bellflower, Burbank, Escondido, Port Hueneme, Poway, Rancho Santa Margarita and San Diego
 Mount Soledad and Port of San Diego
ITEM 1 – VETERANS MEMORIAL PARK
42 SO. CAL. ENTITIES’ PROGRAMS
• Veterans recognition elements consistent amongst at
least two of these entities included:

ITEM 1 – VETERANS MEMORIAL PARK
43  Banners  Bricks  Pavers
 Plaques  Tiles  Walls
ITEM 1 – VETERANS MEMORIAL PARK
44 BANNERS
ITEM 1 – VETERANS MEMORIAL PARK
45 BRICKS/PAVERS
ITEM 1 – VETERANS MEMORIAL PARK
46 PLAQUES
ITEM 1 – VETERANS MEMORIAL PARK
47 TILES

NEXT STEPS
• Staff will receive direction from the subcommittee as it determines appropriate and will present a follow-up
report at the subcommittee’s next scheduled meeting
• After the conclusion of the subcommittee’s three
meetings, staff will return to the full City Council for consideration of the subcommittee’s recommendations
ITEM 1 – VETERANS MEMORIAL PARK
48 RECOMMENDED ACTION

1. Receive a presentation regarding the history of
the development of Veterans Memorial Park

2. Solicit input (at today’s and future meetings)
from veterans, non-profit veteran organizations
and residents on concepts to honor and
recognize veterans at the future park

3. Provide direction to staff on the next steps
ITEM 1: VETERANS MEMORIAL PARK
49 COMMENTS/QUESTIONS
Thank you
ITEM 1 – VETERANS MEMORIAL PARK
50

City Council Veterans Memorial Park Veterans Recognition Subcommittee (ad Hoc)June 30, 2026

City Council Veterans Memorial Park Veterans Recognition Subcommittee (ad Hoc)
June 30, 2026