After years of controversy, there’s finally some agreement on the future of Santa Barbara’s Ortega Park.

The city’s Architectural Board of Review recently granted project design approval for the Ortega Park Revitalization Project.

Even though the $20 million construction costs are not yet funded, the approval marks a significant step for a park that has long been a recreational heaven for the community. City officials, however, have been looking to give the park a makeover to serve more needs in the community.

“I am here to talk about Ortega Park, which has not been significantly improved for over 50 years and it does not any longer adequately serve the community,” said Justin Van Mullem, capital project supervisor for the city.

The renovation would include a new lap pool with six lanes, and the ability to host small swim meets. Plans call for a new skate park to accommodate bicycles, inline skates and scooters. The basketball courts would remain but would shift closer to the street.

The city also intends to build a synthetic turf, multipurpose field for soccer, baseball and other youth sports.

Earlier plans for the park included an iron fence around the perimeter, but the city dropped that after neighborhood and activist opposition. The plans still call for the pool, skateboard area and field to be fenced in.

In addition to wanting to improve the services offered at the park, the city is also attempting to reduce the amount of loitering, the presence of homeless individuals, and public drinking. The city had considered locking the park at night with a full fence but has retreated from that position.

In an earlier version of the plan, the city proposed a bocce ball court and an area for cornhole and ping pong, but it has dropped those uses.

The Ortega Park murals would be preserved and artists would include new ones on the pool building.

The murals were painted between 1979 and 2011. They were created by several artists, most of them youths, and later were touched up by artist Manuel Unzueta. With names such as “Ninos de Maiz,” “La Playa” and “Campesinos,” they depict Aztec, Mexican and Chicano art and have long served as the visual heart of the park.

The city had considered applying for an $8.6 million grant for renovation of the park, but city officials and activists could not come to an agreement on the fate of the murals.

Activist Victoria Valente spoke at the March 23 meeting and said she was pleased with progress of the plan, but also raised some concerns.

“The perimeter fencing around the sports field clashes with the neighborhood feels unwelcoming and will prevent spontaneous field play enjoyed by so many residents,” Valente said.

She also said the pool lacked enough deck space and that the skate park was too big.

“It’s very well thought-through and very well done,” ABR member Lauren Anderson said.

Board member David Black said the project had “a little more pavement” than he wanted and that the walkable circulation of the park should be evaluated, but that overall he could support it.

“It’s very thoughtful,” Black said.