C I T Y O F R I A L T O
Parks Master Plan
Professional Services Agreement
Presented by:
Cynthia Alvarado-Crawford
Director, Parks, Recreation & Community Services
City Manager: Tanya Williams | City of Rialto, California
Background
Quick Snapshot
104,000 residents — young, diverse & growing
10 parks totaling approximately 150 acres
2 community centers | Fitness & aquatic facility
13 baseball fields | 10 soccer fields | Football fields 10 basketball courts | 3 skate parks
2 tennis courts | 8 pickleball courts
Multi-use trails and athletic fields
1.06 Acres / 1,000 residents
City parks only (current)
3.0 Acres / 1,000 residents
City adopted standard
2.44 Acres / 1,000 residents
Projected 2040 — still below standard
Why Rialto Needs a Parks Master Plan
A Parks Master Plan is a 10 to 20 year strategic roadmap connecting community values to capital investment, programming priorities, and equitable access. It is a prerequisite for grant competitiveness — the cost is a strategic investment that positions Rialto to leverage significantly more in external resources than the plan itself costs.
Benefits of a Master Plan:
Make Data-Driven
Decisions
Defensible capital investment choices
Compete for
Grant Funding
Prop 4, LWCF, ORLP, SPP Round 5
Ensure Equitable
Park Access
Across all neighborhoods & populations
Plan for
Growth
10–20 year needs of changing population
Align with
General Plan
Housing Element & adopted city policies
Establish
Fees
Legal foundation for developer park fees
Note: Help the department work towards receiving accreditation through the Commission for Accreditation of Park and Recreation Agencies, administered by the National Recreation and Park Association. Only 5 organizations in the state of California have this. None are in San Bernardino County.
General Plan References
Policy 2-27.1 (Adopted 2010) — 15 Years Without Action:
"Establish a Master Plan for Parks and Recreation that achieves a park ratio of 3.0 acres per 1,000 residents, evenly distributes park facilities throughout the community, and contains strategies for funding facilities and maintenance." Goal 2-27
Provide variety of park facilities. Mandates adoption of a Parks Master Plan with 3.0 ac/1,000 standard, equitable distribution, and funding strategies.
Goal 2-24
Increase & enhance open spaces. Explore Lytle Creek floodplain acquisition; landscape Cactus Basin for passive recreation.
Goal 2-25
Maximize benefits of reclaimed mining/landfill areas. Link reclaimed sites to recreational trails system.
Goal 2-26
Maximize open space in urban areas. Explore pocket park creation in underserved urbanized neighborhoods.
Council Goal 1: Family First · Goal 3: Healthy Economy · Goal 4: Active Community
PROCUREMENT PROCESS
Request for Proposals — Bid Process
1 RFP Issued
RFP No. 26-017 issued Feb 12, 2026
Advertised on City website & PlanetBids
2 Proposals Received
Six (6) qualified firms submitted
proposals by March 11, 2026
3 Panel Evaluation
Multi-departmental staff (Parks &
Community Development) scored all proposals
4 Oral Interviews
Top 3 firms presented April 24, 2026:
Michael Baker · Berry Dunn · RJM Design
5 Recommendation
Michael Baker International unanimously
recommended as most qualified firm
PROPOSAL SCORING RESULTS (100-POINT SCALE)
Michael Baker International
97 #1
Berry, Dunn, McNeil & Parker
92.333
#2
RJM Design Group
92 #3
RHA Community Works
91.333
#4
KTUA
91 #5
City Fabrick
83.333
#6
Firm
Selected Consultant:
Michael Baker International
Firm Overview
Local Area Office (Ontario, California).
Team of 15 professionals assigned to Rialto.
Have a good understanding of our Community makeup
Comparable Projects:
Yorba Linda CA Parks Master Plan Update
Surprise AZ Parks
Element Update
Bonsall CA Community Master Plan
Seal Beach CA Open Space Elements
Fullerton CA Open Space Element
CONTRACT AMOUNT
Funded in Current Fiscal Year (10108150-52011)
$196,000
Why This Firm
Multilingual
Community Outreach
Surveys, workshops, pop-up events & focus groups — Spanish translation included Grant Readiness
Methodology
Framework aligned to Prop 4, LWCF, ORLP & Statewide Park Program scoring criteria Local Presence &
City Familiarity
Ontario, CA office. Prior City experience enables immediate project start
SCOPE OF WORK
What the Consultant Will Deliver
01 Project Initiation
Stakeholder coordination & data collection
02 Parks Inventory
Assessment of parks, facilities, trails & open spaces — field visits, GIS review, facility report card 03 Level-of-Service Analysis
Needs gap & equity analysis by neighborhood; service area mapping 04 Community Engagement
Multilingual surveys, public workshops, senior & youth focus groups, online tools, Spanish translation 05 Goals & Policies
Objectives, priorities & policy recommendations aligned to General Plan 06 CIP Development
Phased capital improvement plan with planning-level cost estimates 07 Grant Strategy
Funding identification, Quimby framework & grant readiness action plan 08 Final Master Plan
Print-ready & digital document; 2 Parks Commission
+ 2 City Council presentations
TIMELINE
Project Timeframe — 12 to 18 Months
Multiple phases proceeding concurrently. Projected adoption: November 2027. Note: Final dates to be confirmed with Michael Baker International upon contract execution.
Phase 1:
Kickoff &
Existing Conditions
Data collection, GIS review, field visits, facility report card, peer city comparisons Phase 2:
Community Engagement
Multilingual surveys, public workshops, senior & youth focus groups Phase 3:
Needs Assessment
Level-of-service analysis, equity analysis by neighborhood, service area gap study Phase 4:
Implementation
& Funding
Phased CIP with costs, grant readiness framework, funding mechanisms Phase 5:
Finalization & Adoption
Public review; 2 Commission + 2 Council meetings; final plan adoption ~Nov 2027
STRATEGIC VALUE
Opportunities the Parks Master Plan Creates
Grant Funding Unlocked
Prop 4 — SPP Round 5
Up to $7M+
Launch: Summer/Fall 2026
LWCF (Federal)
Up to $6M
Next CA cycle: 2026–27
ORLP Program
$500K – $2M
Urban underserved areas
Development Fees: The Master Plan will help establish & defend developer park fees Broader Strategic Opportunities
Equitable Investment
Data-driven framework ensures western boundary & Bloomington receive fair share of parks investment Community-Driven Vision
Multilingual, inclusive engagement builds public trust and support for future parks projects Development Fee Authority
Establishing a stronger foundation/strategy for developers to fund park improvements in-lieu fees Defensible Capital Plan
Prioritized, phased CIP gives Council a 10 to 20 year investment roadmap it can defend and execute Estimated leverage: $5M – $15M in external park funding over plan horizon
RECOMMENDED ACTION
Staff Recommendation
Staff recommends that the City Council:
1 Award a Service Agreement to Michael Baker International in an amount not to exceed $196,000 for the preparation of the City of Rialto Parks Master Plan 2 Authorize the City Manager or their designee to execute all related documents.