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HomeMy WebLinkAbout02-23-2004 Approved PCSC Minutes %,..17-,r47' O BIN .F DUE PARKS AND COMMUNITY SERVICESCOMMISSION r MINUTES OF: FEBRUARY 23,`2004 The special meeting of the Parks and Community Services Commission was called to order at 7:09 p.m. at the Dublin Civic Center,Dublin, California,by Chair Flores. Pledge of Allegiance Chair Flores led the Pledge of Allegiance. Roll Call Commissioners Present: Flores, Guarienti, Cain,Hildenbrand,Jones&Pawlowski , Commissioners Absent: None Oral Communications Paul Silvas, Chairperson, Senior Center Advisory Committee, addressed the Commission by advising that the presentation given to the Senior Center Advisory Committee by Parks and Community Services Manager Paul McCreary was wonderful. The Committee felt very good that they were being kept in the loop and included in planning issues. Mr. Silvas advised that last Thursday's luncheon at the Senior Center had a large turnout of about 80 participants. Mr. Silvas encouraged the Commission Members to attend one of the Special Luncheons, which are held on the first Thursday of each month. The cost is $5.00 and includes the meal and entertainment. Parks and Community Services Manager Paul McCreary introduced Lorri Polon, the new Recreation Coordinator for Special Events and Marketing. Polon stated that she was here to share information about the St. Patrick's Day Festival. The festival is scheduled for Saturday, March 13th and Sunday, March 14`h. The Dublin Sister City Association's Green & White Gala is scheduled to start the weekend celebration on Friday, March 12`.. On Saturday morning the Pancake Breakfast will be held from 7:00-10:00 a.m. at Fire Station No. 16. The Dublin Lion's Club St. Patrick's Day Parade starts on Saturday, at Safeway on Dublin Boulevard at 9:30 a.m. The festival itself runs from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. both days. Polon advised that the size of the carnival area will increase this year. The festival will have 140 arts and crafts booths, 8 bands, and 20 food vendors with a variety of menu items such as fish & chips, Irish nachos and corn-beef& cabbage. The City is also having a Celtic Blacksmith perform interactive presentations throughout each day. Sunday morning starts out with the Fun Run at 8:30 a.m. A website for the festival has been set up and can be located at www.DublinStPats.com. Approval of Minutes Chair Flores directed the Commission's attention to Page 5, Paragraph 12, where she stated that she would like the minutes of February 9, 2004 to reflect that Chair Flores and Cm. Guarienti both stated that they felt it would be very detrimental to remove the swings from Shannon Park play area because the public is used to being able to come to Shannon Park to play on the swings and, if they are removed, it could be viewed negatively by the public. ON A MOTION BY CM. HILDENBRAND,SECONDED BY VC. JONES AND BY UNANIMOUS VOTE, THE COMMISSION VOTED TO APPROVE THE MINUTES OF FEBRUARY 9, 2004 AS CORRECTED. Written Communications—None • Public Hearing-None Unfinished Business 7.1 Shannon Park Play Equipment Proposals Parks and Facilities Development Coordinator, Rosemary Alex, stated that at the February 9, 2004 meeting of the Parks & Community Services Commission, the Commission unanimously agreed that they preferred Ross Recreation as the vendor for the new playground equipment at Shannon Park. At that meeting the Commission also directed Staff to meet with Ross to make modifications to their original proposal as follows: Minutes—February 23, 2004 Page 2 of 6 1. Remove the retaining wall in the play area for ages 5-12 years 2. Provide an optional layout to include a swing for the play area for ages 2-5 years 3. Scale back the proposal in order to meet the budget and the Commission's preferences. Staff worked with Ross Recreation to integrate the preferred revisions to the play apparatus. Alex showed the Commission a picture of the existing 2-5 year old play area at Shannon Park. The original proposal for the 2-5 year old play area had a number of social elements positioned around the perimeter of the playground apparatus, a series of three decks, a number of slides as well as three spring toys. Alex showed the Commission the first new alternative for Play Area A that includes swings. The structure has been scaled back from three decks to two and there are two less slides. The second alternative, which has no swings, has spring toys, slides and a few social elements. Cm. Cain asked Alex if we were replacing the swing equipment. Alex confirmed that new swing equipment will be installed but it will be orientated differently. Cm. Guarienti asked Alex if there are any social play elements left in the 2-5 area. Alex answered that, the structure has a talking tube,which is considered a social play element. Cm. Cain stated that there are no spring toys. Cm. Hildenbrand asked if there still would be only one spring toy if the swings were not installed. Alex answered that she was correct and further clarified her statement by advising that the fall zone for the swings takes the place of where the spring toys would be located. Alex then presented the new design for the 5-12 year old play area. The original proposal for this area had approximately five slides and the new proposal has four. The only other elements that changed were two small social elements that have been replaced with basic screening panels to lower the equipment costs. The City was able to retain the rock climbing wall as requested by the Commission. Since the last Commission meeting Staff and Ross Recreation further analyzed the feasibility of adding a bridge over the water element connecting the two play areas. It was determined that the modifications needed to install a bridge element would not be compatible with the water play structure. Alex stated that they were able to scale back the costs of the equipment while still addressing the Commission's requests and retaining the original intent of this project. In the original proposal from Ross, equipment costs were $91,000, which left only $44,000 for the installation contract. The equipment costs in the revised proposal are $71,000,which leaves approximately$64,000 available in the budget for the installation work. • Chair Flores asked Alex to review the revised layout of Play Area A with the swings. Chair Flores stated that there appears to be empty space, outside of the swing fall zone,to install one spring toy. Alex explained she would need to ask to vendor if this is possible. Cm. Guarienti thought the fall zones shown on the diagrams appeared to be too large for infant swings. Cm. Guarienti asked Alex to investigate this matter further. Alex believes that fall zone standards are universal for a youth swing versus a bucket/infant swing. Chair Flores, Cm. Cain and Jones all agreed that there was quite a bit of empty space in this area and, if the budget can accommodate purchase and installation of a spring toy and,the safety requirements can be met,they would like a spring toy added to Play Area A. Alex advised she would first check to see if the spring toy would fit in the area discussed, without removing any more equipment. If the equipment fits, the spring toy would be included as an alternate item. Then if funds remained in the project budget after awarding the installation contract the equipment would be purchased and installed. Minutes—February 23, 2004 Page 3 of 6 • ON A MOTION BY CM. CAIN SECONDED BY CM. HILDENBRAND AND BY UNANIMOUS VOTE, THE COMMISSION VOTED TO ACCEPT ROSS RECREATION AS THE SUPPLIER TO REPLACE THE SHANNON PARK PLAY EQUIPMENT AND PREFERRED THE SWING OPTION AND A POSSIBLE ADDITION OFA SPRING TOY FOR PLAYAREA A AND THE REVISED PROPOSAL FOR PLAYAREA B. Chair Flores asked Alex to clarify what needs to be done with the bridge in order to be in compliance. Alex stated that the existing bridge must be removed in order to be in compliance. • Cm. Guarienti stated that if a replacement bridge is feasible, it be considered under a separate contract as not to delay the opening of the.playground once the new equipment is installed. Alex stated that she is aware how widely used Shannon Park is, especially in the summer time, and therefore plans to complete the project in June. 8.1 Parks and Community Services Goals and Objectives McCreary explained that annually the City sets goals and objectives that provide direction to Staff on project priorities and allocation of the City's financial resources. McCreary explained that this evening he would first review the 2003-2004 Approved Goals and Objectives, the City's new Strategic Plan and then the proposed Goals and Objectives for 2004-2005. McCreary directed the Commission's attention to Attachment #1 in their handout, labeled Adopted 2003/2004 Goals and Objectives. McCreary then reviewed the status of the current Goals and Objectives with the Commission, indicating which goals would be completed this year and which would carry-over to next year. Cm. Hildenbrand stated that in regards to the Community Garden the City may be able to develop a pilot program at the elementary school sites. The children would take care of the garden and sell their produce. This may be a way to get the community involved and teach the children how to grow their own food,market their product, etc. Cm. Cain felt this item should be deleted. Cm. Guarienti stated that he would like to see a survey done to see if there is interest in this project. McCreary began reviewing the City of Dublin's new Strategic Plan. The City Council's purpose in developing the plan was to meld a strategic planning process into the existing goals and objectives and budget processes. The plan was developed after a full-day City Council workshop and an additional workshop with the City's Management Staff. The Council first developed a Mission, Vision and Values statement for the City. McCreary directed everyone's attention to Attachment 2 in their staff report for specific information regarding the City's mission, vision and values. McCreary stated that the Strategic Plan included six strategies that will provide a focused framework for the allocation of City resources over the next ten years. Strategic goals were established by the Council for each of the six strategies. Strategic objectives will be established and reviewed annually to make progress toward accomplishing the strategic goals. These new strategies and strategic goals should help the City to achieve its . vision. McCreary reviewed the six strategies with the Commission which included establishing villages within the City of Dublin; facilitating and encouraging continued investment in Downtown Dublin; developing a transportation system that facilitates ease of movement throughout the City; developing an open space network that ensures environmental protection and provides public access where appropriate; providing a balance of jobs, housing and services in a fiscally sound manner; and, developing dynamic community facilities that provide unique recreational and cultural experiences in the region. McCreary explained that tonight the Commission would need to assign a priority level to each task on the Preliminary Goals & Objectives for 2004-2005. The ranking levels to choose from are High, Medium, Low and Delete. Each Commission member will vote and the majority vote will decide the level assigned to each task. McCreary then reviewed the proposed objectives for 2004-2005. Minutes—February 23, 2004 Page 4 of 6 Goal/Objective#1 Complete construction of new Senior Center and prepare for operation of new facility. McCreary stated that since the new Senior Center is now under construction Staff rates this objective as a high priority. McCreary will be working with Anna Hudson, Recreation Coordinator, and the Senior Center Advisory Committee to develop a program plan for the new facility and prepare for the operation of the expanded facility. The Commission voted unanimously to rate this as a high priority. Goal/Objective#2 Develop a master plan and phasing plan for the sports park on Gleason Drive and Fallon Road, including evaluation of BMX track. McCreary stated that development of the Master Plan will be begin this spring and should be completed next year. The Commission voted unanimously to rate this as a high priority. Goal/Objective#3 Conduct a programming study to explore trends/local market opportunities to determine the community's preferred components for a new recreation/aquatic complex. McCreary stated that a programming study would be performed and a task force formed to determine what components the community prefers for the new Recreation and Aquatic Complex. The Commission voted unanimously to rate this as a high priority. Goal/Objective#4 Based on the results of the programming study, conduct a financial analysis to determine.the estimated construction and operational costs of a new recreation/aquatic complex. McCreary stated that currently in the 2002-2007 Capital Improvement Program (CIP) the complex is slated to open in late 2007. This objective will help Staff to determine when it will be financially feasible to both construct and operate this facility. The Commission voted unanimously to rate this as a high priority. Goal/Objective#5 Work with EBRPD to complete negotiations for land acquisition in the Western Hills for an Open Space Area. McCreary stated that until the negotiations for the land acquisition are completed the City and EBRPD can not start on the master plan and environmental review for the Dublin Hills Regional Park. It is difficult to estimate when the negotiations will be completed because EBRPD is working with multiple property owners. The Commission voted unanimously to rate this as a high priority. Goal/Objective#6 Identify and secure sources of funding for land acquisition in the Western Hills for an open space area. Once the negotiations for the land acquisition are completed, the City and EBRPD will be able to investigate potential funding sources to purchase the land. The Commission voted unanimously to rate this as a high priority. Goal/Objective#7 Develop and implement a teen website to promote teen activities, services and programs for Dublin teens. McCreary stated that since teens are connected to the Internet and primarily communicate and research using this technology, Staff believes a teen website would be an effective tool for communicating with local teens. Funding would be necessary for website design and ongoing operational costs for hosting the website and maintenance. The Commission voted unanimously to rate this as a high priority. Goal/Objective#8 Work with EBRPD and the City of Pleasanton to conduct a preliminary engineering study and identify funding sources to facilitate the connection of Alamo Creek Trail under 1-680 to Pleasanton Trails. McCreary stated that Staff have met with the City of Pleasanton and Pleasanton is interested in pursuing this project. An engineering study is necessary to determine how the trail will cross the creek under the constraints of the freeway bridges and overpasses. Once the study is complete the cities will have a better understanding of the costs and potential funding sources. The Commission voted unanimously to rate this as a high priority. Minutes—February 23, 2004 Page 5 of 6 Goal/Obiective#9 Upon completion of land acquisition in the Western Hills, complete an Open Space Master Plan and appropriate CEQA documents. The Commission voted unanimously to rate this goal as medium priority. Goal/Objective#10 Explore with DHPA land/cemetery extension feasibility study. McCreary explained that Staff rated this as a medium priority because the City will be developing a master plan for Dublin Historic Park,which would be a high priority. Cm. Cain stated this objective should belong to the Heritage and Cultural Arts and not Parks and Community Services Commission. Cm. Guarienti agreed with Cm. Cain. The Commission voted unanimously to rate this as a medium priority with the understanding that oversight of this objective would be transferred to the Heritage and Cultural Arts Commission. Goal/Obiective#11 Explore opportunity to use Dougherty Hills Open Space on Amador Valley Blvd. at Stagecoach for Dog Park. Cm. Hildenbrand stated this project has been on the list since 2001. She feels that there is a need for a dog park in Dublin. Bray Commons is only a dog run for small dogs and owners of larger animals do not have a place for their animals to run free. Cm. Guarienti stated he feels that there are quite a few citizens interested in this project. McCreary stated that there are no funds currently identified in the CIP for this project. McCreary stated that the feasibility needs to be established first then the City would need to determine the costs associated with constructing and maintaining this area. The Commission voted unanimously to rate this as high priority, indicating that if it is not feasible at the site on Amador Valley Boulevard, that another location be found in the City fora dog park. Goal/Objective#12 Conduct research on various unique passive park/recreation facilities and identify preferred components and site requirements. McCreary stated that once the community's preferred unique elements are determined,then the City could look for opportunities to include those elements in new park facilities. The Commission voted unanimously to rate this as a medium priority. Goal/Objective#13 Closely monitor development projects Citywide to identify potential sites for a unique passive park/recreation facility. The Commission voted unanimously to rate this as a medium priority. Goal/Objective#14 Replace existing marquee at Shannon Community Center. McCreary explained that Staff rated this as a medium priority because it will be a costly project and it is uncertain if funds would be available for construction in 2004- 2005. Chair Flores stated that she would like to see this goal moved up to a high priority. She feels that the current marquee is awful and rarely up to date. Chair Flores suggested partnering with a community group to get this project completed. Cm. Hildenbrand felt it was important to figure out what kind of marquee is needed. It may be expensive to purchase a good marquee that operates better than the one at the High School. Cm Guarienti is not sure that the best place for an electronic marquee is at Shannon Park. More residents would see the marquee at another location like the Civic Center. At Shannon Park it is primarily seen by residents in the western part of Dublin. Minutes—February 23, 2004 Page 6 of 6 The Commission voted unanimously to change this objective to plan for replacement of the existing marquee at Shannon Park with an electronic marquee. Once the project costs have been determined,then the City could solicit community involvement to help raise funds for this project. The Commission voted unanimously to rate this as a medium priority. Goal/Obiective#15 Explore opportunities for a Community Garden. Cm. Cain and Chair Flores voted to delete this objective. Cm. Guarienti, Hildenbrand and Pawlowski voted to rate it as a low priority. VC. Jones voted to rate it as a medium priority. By majority vote, this objective was rated as a low priority. Goal/Objective#16 Update Facility Use Agreement with Dublin Unified School District. Staff recommends deleting this objective. The agreement is working in its current form and there would be no significant benefit to the City by updating the agreements. The Commission voted unanimously to delete this objective. Goal/Objective#17 Work actively to develop a regional park in the West Hills Open Space Area to the public. McCreary stated that this project has been melded into other projects and should be deleted as a stand-alone objective. The Commission voted unanimously to delete this objective. Goal/Obiective#18 Explore Historic Park on Donlon Way. Staff recommends deleting this goal and moving this to the list for the Heritage and Cultural Arts Commission. The Commission voted unanimously to delete this objective. Chair Flores asked the Commission if anyone wanted to add any goals or objectives for 2004-2005. Cm. Hildenbrand stated that she was concerned with the access to Emerald Glen Park from the neighborhoods west of the park. She explained that the current path/staircase that leads from Persimmon Drive through the creek to the park is not adequate. She suggested installing a bridge across the creek. McCreary explained that constructing a bridge may not be feasible due to environmental constraints and capital costs. The Commission voted to add a new objective to explore opportunities to improve pedestrian access to Emerald Glen Park. The Commission voted, except for Cm. Cain who felt this goal should not be added,to rate this as a medium priority. Other Business Brief INFORMATIONAL ONLY Reports from Parks& Community Services Commissioners and/or Staff Chair Flores asked McCreary if the artwork recommended by the Commission for the St. Patrick's Day Poster was overridden by the City Council. McCreary stated that the City Council preferred the bagpipers since the photo with the children was from behind, and did not depict the faces of the children. Adjournment Being no further business,the meeting was adjourned at 9:30 p.m. Respectfully submitted, Christie Marks Senior Office Assistant APPROVED: Chairperr n