City Council Agenda Report
September 2, 2025
TO: Honorable City Council
FROM: Jesus M. Gomez, City Manager
BY: Allan Perdomo, Director of Recreation and Park Services Mario Mera, Engineering Division Manager
Run Chen, Principal Civil Engineer
Sonia Batres, Recreation & Park Services Superintendent SUBJECT: HERMOSILLO PARK REHABILITATION, STORMWATER CAPTURE AND
INFILTRATION PROJECT UPDATE
Background:
The Hermosillo Park Master Plan project began with a vision to revitalize the park, making it serve as a community hub for the southeast portion of the city. The top priorities for a redesigned Hermosillo Park were to construct a new state-of-the-art community center with a banquet hall capacity of 200 people. The community center will also serve as the center piece of an overall Hermosillo Park revitalization project that replaces and upgrade park amenities. In response to community input, two new soccer fields with a lighting system will be installed to provide recreation opportunities currently not available at other Norwalk parks.
Along with the City’s goals to provide active living opportunities, the City is also promoting sustainable environmental practices such as choosing green infrastructure and environmentally sensitive building methods. The Hermosillo Park Rehabilitation demonstrates this commitment to the environment with the building of the Stormwater Capture and Infiltration Project under the proposed soccer fields. This system diverts and captures storm water to infiltrate into the ground water to replenish the area’s vital ground water resources rather than flowing out to the Pacific Ocean.
The Hermosillo Park Rehabilitation, Stormwater Capture and Infiltration Project will construct
11.8-acre-foot capacity sub-surface infiltration gallery with water reclaim abilities. Upon completion, the project will provide numerous community benefits and will serve to improve water quality in Coyote Creek and the San Gabriel River. Following concerted efforts by City leaders and City staff, the City applied and received approval for $20.1 million of Measure W funding for the Stormwater Capture and Infiltration Project in 2019.
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The project encountered several technical and regulatory challenges during the design phase, and the completion of the design was delayed primarily due to the higher project cost compared to the original 2019 cost estimate. As part of the ongoing park project, staff carefully reviewed the scope of recreational amenities in comparison to the available budget. During this process, unforeseen expenses associated with site preparation, infrastructure requirements, and increased construction material costs arose, resulting in a substantial increase of $20 million in the overall project cost.
The City received an additional $9,900,000 from Measure W funds from the Watershed Area Steering Committee (WASC), which includes funding for the soccer fields, as Measure W allows for recreational amenities to be charged to the grant if they are incorporated into any water infiltration projects. The funding is now being brought for routine approval at the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors meeting scheduled for November 2025. Including the additional Measure W funding, the project budget is still deficit of approximately $10 million.
Due to economic forces outside the control of the City, the project’s budget is not sufficient to include all the initially proposed recreational amenities. After evaluating options, staff prioritized essential safety and infrastructure elements to ensure the park remains functional, accessible, and welcoming to the community. As a result, certain recreational features such as the Splash Pad, Basketball Court, and Handball Courts are deferred to future park upgrade projects.
While these adjustments were necessary to keep the project within the approved budget, staff remain committed to identifying potential grant funding, sponsorship opportunities, or future budget allocations that may allow for the phased addition of these amenities at a later time. We recognize the importance of these recreational features to our community and will continue to explore opportunities to enhance the park as funding resources become available.
Timeline:
▪April-May of 2019 | Community Engagement meetings took place to develop the Hermosillo Park Master Plan.
▪December 13, 2019 | The City received a Measure W grant for $20,110,00 from the Safe Clean Water Program.
▪December of 2021 | California State Parks awarded the project with a Prop 68 Statewide Park Development and Community Revitalization Program of 2018 for $8,500,000. ▪January 2024 | City Council awarded a Design-Build Agreement to Reyes Construction. ▪March 11, 2025 | City Staff presented to the WASC and requested additional funding for Hermosillo Park. The WASC voted to approve an additional $9,907,101 in funding for the 2025 Stormwater Investment Plan (SIP), bringing the total budget to $30,017,101. ▪June 11, 2025 | Safe Clean Water Regional Oversight Committee (ROC) approved 2025 SIP.
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Upcoming Dates
▪November 2025 | Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors to approve the 2025 SIP and authorize execution of transfer agreements.
▪November 2025 | City to Consider Award Construction Agreement to Reyes Construction, Inc., subject to approval of the SIP at the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors meeting
▪December 2025 | Groundbreaking Ceremony
▪December 2025 – December 2027 | Hermosillo Park construction will take place ▪Spring of 2028 | Ribbon Cutting Ceremony and Park Re-Opens to the Community Stormwater Capture Infiltration System
Pursuant to the Transfer Agreement between the City and the Los Angeles Region Safe Clean Water Program, the scope of work for the Hermosillo Stormwater Capture and Infiltration project includes educational elements to educate the public on the local water supply and demand. The Hermosillo Park Project consists of a perimeter concrete pathway with signage and narratives to highlight the stages of the water cycle and how the park’s subsurface basins fit into the cycle. The educational signs will be placed adjacent to the perimeter pathway at appropriate locations and, where possible, call out project elements (e.g., storm drain diversion pipes, subsurface basin inlets, hydrodynamic separators, equalization pipes, overflows, and discharge pipes) in the vicinity of the signs. At the end of the pathway, educational signs will highlight the capture, treatment, and reuse of a portion of the captured stormwater for on-site landscape irrigation at the park.
Recreational Amenities
Community Building: The Community Center will consist of the following: a 200-seat capacity multi-purpose room that can be divided into two smaller rooms via a retractable wall, a catering kitchen with park access, a reception hallway, an outdoor event patio, a Public Safety conference room/office, an office for Recreation staff, storage rooms, indoor restrooms, and park outdoor restrooms.
Soccer Fields: Two (2) synthetic soccer fields will be constructed that are 60 yards by 105 yards. This size will allow all levels to enjoy. The fields will also be used for significant-scale events and other youth sport programming, such as Flag Football. Sports netting has been designed to reduce the likelihood of balls entering the neighboring homes.
Outdoor Amphitheater: The amphitheater will serve as a community gathering space to host cultural, recreational, and educational programs. It will also serve as the gathering point for the annual Arturo Sanchez Halloween Parade. Designed with tiered seating and a performance stage, the amphitheater accommodates a variety of uses, including live City Council September 2, 2025
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performances, community meetings, educational workshops, and cultural celebrations. Its open-air setting fosters accessibility and promotes civic engagement.
Playground: The park will feature a new soccer-themed playground designed for children aged 5-12, complete with a shade structure for heat reduction.
Pedestrian Walkway: A pedestrian walkway has been designed throughout the exterior of the park to promote active walking.
Community Art Piece: A community art piece will be designed in accordance with the grant requirements.
Parking Lot: The parking lot will consist of 118 standard spaces, 6 Accessible Parking Spaces (ADA), 1 Electric Vehicle (EV) charging with ADA space, 4 EV charging spaces, and eight staff spaces.
Recreational Amenities Postponed: The following recreational amenities have been temporarily postponed from the park scope due to budgetary constraints.
1. Splash Pad
2. Handball Courts
3. Basketball Court
Fiscal Impact:
Funding for the Hermosillo Park Rehabilitation, Stormwater Capture, and Infiltration Project is supported through a combination of multiple funding sources. The City of Norwalk receives a Measure A allocation in September of each year. The amount shown in Table A is the projected amount after receiving our 2025 September yearly allocation. Staff are currently working on submitting an advancement request application to the Regional Park and Open Space District (RPOSD) for our Measure A allocation and will also apply to the Rivers and Mountains Conservancy for additional grant funding, ensuring the city does not solely rely on its Measure A allocation.
Table A – Funding Sources
Funding Source Amount
Measure W, Safe Clean Water Program $30,017,101
Proposition 68 Statewide Park Program $ 8,500,000
RPOSD – Measure A $ 4,659,618
Citizens Advised:
N/A
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Strategic Plan 2023 Implementation:
The recommended action will further the City’s Strategic Plan Goal 2.1 Re-Invest in Existing and Aging Infrastructure and Goal 3.1 Create dynamic neighborhoods.
Recommended Action:
Staff recommends City Council receive and file this report.
Attachments:
Hermosillo Park Concept Plan