Bridgeport Planning Commission submits Berryman Park upgrade grant

Bridgeport – Plans to upgrade Berryman Park, replace the city’s gateway signs, improve the tree sculpture parking lot, and review the Community Revitalization Plan (CRP) survey results were among topics covered at the August 4 meeting of the Bridgeport Planning Commission.

The city received a Community Development Block Grant to complete the CRP which included a community wide survey. In April 2020 the city mailed the 14-question survey to 466 property owners and used internet and media resources to encourage response. It received nearly 200 in return.

Berryman Park

At its April meeting the Bridgeport City Council gave the green light to city engineer Gray & Osborne to complete the Berryman Park site plan and meet the May 3 deadline to apply for a grant from the state Recreation and Conservation Office (RCO) to help fund a major park renovation project. Upgrades would include the sports court, playground equipment, restroom, picnic shelter, fending, signage, and more.

“What we are trying to do is replace some of the primary amenities within the park, excluding the swimming pool,” city planner Kurt Danison told the council. “The only new thing we would be adding that is not presently in the park are pathways that will be ADA (American Disabilities Act) accessible.”

Danison said the RCO grant application has been submitted.

The total projected renovation is pegged at about $760,000-780,000 of which the city would kick in about 30 percent. At an earlier council meeting it was suggested that RV park revenues could provide the city’s share of the funding thereby avoiding use of General Fund dollars. Construction is anticipated to commence in 2024 so the city could set aside $65,000-plus annually to cover its share.

“This is one of the things the public has been very adamant about,” said Bridgeport Mayor Janet Conklin at the April council. “They would like to upgrade Berryman Park.”

Gateway signage

The planning commission reviewed two USDA grants, one of which will fund two new gateway signs for the city, one damaged in the 2020 Pearl Hill wildfire and the other in need of replacement.

“A condition of the grant is that all materials must be U.S. made,” Danison said.

The commission is inquiring about the difficulty of sourcing U.S. made materials such as aluminum and whether the contract work must be put up for bid. Sign size and content are topics reserved for the next commission meeting.

Parking lot

A second USDA grant provided $50,000 for the first phase of the tree sculpture parking lot. Those funds are being used for signage and crosswalk development. The city will also be distributing a visitor brochure highlighting the background and attractions of its more than two dozen tree sculptures,

Subdivision code

A public hearing on updating the Title 16 Subdivision Code has been extended to the September commission meeting after hearing attendee Chris Erlandsen, of professional surveyors Erlandsen & Associates, requested additional clarification on some points.

Danison said the Subdivision Code needs to be addressed since it was last updated in the 1970’s and the city is “getting lots of inquiries.”

“We might want to add in parcel consolidation and de-consolidation,” said Danison citing one example.

Dollar General

After abruptly advising the city last June that was abandoning plans to locate a store in the city business district, consultants fronting the development have advised the commission to complete the plan review with the possibility that the Bridgeport store is back on the projects list.

The corporation’s earlier decision to withdraw apparently was triggered by higher than acceptable construction bids that have since been revisited and revised.

Earlier in the year the city had vacated a portion of the alley between 17th and Conklin Street to provide extra space for the development.