Proposed development would move Copper Sky dog park

City council on Tuesday night discussed the sale of about 12 acres of land, including the dog park at Copper Sky, for possible development of an Innovation Center.

The property, situated along the east side of John Wayne Parkway, between the new La Quinta hotel and Palo Brea, would be developed by Copper Sky Innovation Group LLC, a company whose principals are also developing four acres at the southeast corner of John Wayne Parkway and Bowlin Road as a hospital.

The company would purchase the property from the city for $1.46 million.

A dog park would remain at Copper Sky though it would move from its current location to a smaller park, perhaps east of the lake, officials said. But the city has plans for two additional parks on city land with a map shown at the meeting locating the parks at Pacana Park and near City Hall. In total, the three parks would equal the three acres at the current dog park.

Nathan Ullyot, the city’s director of community services, told councilmembers the current park will not close until another opens in one of the new locations.

A conceptual site plan for the Innovation Center campus showed it could include:

• Research labs, co-working space and startup office space of about 100,000 square feet
• Behavioral health and sports psychology facility with about 120 beds
• Academic classroom, fitness center and multipurpose gymnasium building of about 100,000 square feet
• Student/staff housing, auditorium and cafeteria building of about 80,000 square feet
• A 350-unit rent-to-own condo/apartment building with a pool
• A film production studio integrated with a makers shop

The campus is being designed by triARC architectural & design, a Phoenix firm.

City Manager Rick Horst showed a sketch of the proposed development while stressing it was conceptual in nature and could change. More information would be forthcoming from the developer at some time in the future, he said.

The land sale will provide the funding needed to develop the new dog parks. Ullyot also talked about enlisting HOAs to build their own canine parks in existing greenbelts and retention areas.

The City has identified dog parks as a preferred amenity for new communities, with several developments already planning their inclusion in six current designs.

In the future, Ullyot said it is possible there could be a couple dozen dog parks within a mile of a majority of city residents.

The City estimates there are 20,000 dogs in town.