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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2025-04-22 Parks & Recreation Commission Summary MinutesMINUTES 1 PARKS & RECREATION COMMISSION 2 REGULAR MEETING 3 April 22, 2025 4 In-Person & Virtual Conference 5 Palo Alto, California 6 7 Commissioners Present In Person: Freeman, Cribbs, Greenfield, Kleinhaus, Wei, Deng (Arrived at 7:04 8 p.m.) 9 Commissioners Present Virtually: None 10 Commissioners Absent: Brown 11 Others Present: Councilmember Lythcott-Haims 12 Staff Present: Kristen O’Kane, Sarah Robustelli, Amanda Deml, Adam Howard, Mahealani Ah Yun 13 CALL TO ORDER & ROLL CALL 14 Meeting was called to order at 7:00 p.m. 15 Chair Freeman welcomed all to the meeting. 16 The clerk called roll and declared 5 were present. 17 PUBLIC COMMENT 18 Roger S., a founder of Friends of the Palo Alto Parks, complimented Council for attending the Tall Tree 19 Award. The 10th anniversary of Magical Bridge occurred on April 21. He read what he had discussed with 20 Council last night. An action plan for the old Magical Bridge bathroom has been developed, and he 21 hoped the bathroom will be open by July 4. 22 APPROVAL OF MINUTES 23 1. Approval of Draft Minutes from the March 25, 2025, Parks and Recreation Commission Regular 24 meeting 25 MOTION: Commissioner Cribbs moved, seconded by Vice Chair Greenfield to approve the minutes. 26 MOTION PASSED: 6-0-1, Brown Absent 27 AGENDA CHANGES, ADDITIONS, AND DELETIONS 28 There were no agenda changes or deletions. 29 CITY OFFICIAL REPORTS 30 2. Council Liaison Report (5 min) 31 Councilmember Lythcott-Haims summarized what Council has been dealing with since April 11. On April 32 14, the next stages for a downtown parking garage at Hamilton and Waverly and the next stages for 10 33 townhomes at 70 Encino was approved. They looked at a Fair Chance Housing Ordinance, which she 34 detailed. Council had asked to take an additional look at it, so no decisions have been made. On April 21, 35 a turf study for what should replace the existing field at El Camino Park was approved. There was a lot of 36 debate over artificial turf and natural grass. Staff will engage with a consultant to help understand the 37 latest technology, benefits, and consequences of different types of turf and grass. There had been an 38 update on Cubberley, and she looked forward to hearing from the PRC about Cubberley at this meeting. 39 PUBLIC COMMENT 40 There were no requests to speak. 41 3. Department Report (20 Minutes) 42 Sarah Robustelli, Division Manager, supplied slides. The anniversary of Magical Bridge that took place on 43 April 19. Upcoming events included Earth Day on April 20 and the May Fete Parade and Fair on May 3. 44 Spring swim lessons began about a month ago. There is a projects page for Cubberley, and scanning the 45 QR code will allow folks to receive updates via email. There was a turf study last night, which will focus 46 on El Camino Park. Council is scheduled to address the construction for the Stanford Palo Alto 47 community playing fields in June. Commissioner Kleinhaus’ photos of the spring blooms at Foothills 48 Nature Preserve were shared. The Byxbee Park restrooms have been refreshed. The new dog park at 49 Mitchell Park is substantially complete. However, new updates had taken place on April 21 and 22. 50 Boulware park is partially open, and she discussed the amenities. It is anticipated that the playground 51 will open later this week, and updates will likely be provided next month. Ramos Park opened a few 52 weeks ago. 53 Vice Chair Greenfield asked if ribbon cutting ceremonies are done for park re-openings. He was not 54 implying that they should or should not be done. He suggested that the new parks be on the 55 destinations for Bike Palo Alto. 56 Ms. Robustelli answered that they have been having discussions with the Public Works Engineering team 57 about ribbon cuttings but none are scheduled. A dedication for Fred Eyerly Tower Well Park is being 58 considered, and staff will provide an update. New parks being on the destinations for Bike Palo Alto is a 59 great idea. 60 Chair Freeman stated that a lot of good work has been happening in the background but the public 61 needs to know about the good job with Ramos Park, Mitchell Park Dog Park, and Byxbee Park. 62 Commissioner Cribbs noted that the May Fete parade is known as the oldest and largest children’s 63 parade in Northern California. She asked if there is an update on First Tee. 64 Ms. Robustelli replied that the annual golf update is planned for May and details will be provided as it 65 relates to First Tee. 66 Commissioner Deng questioned when the Cubberley track and field bathroom will open. 67 Ms. Robustelli anticipated that the Cubberley track and field bathrooms will open next month. It had 68 been estimated for mid-May. 69 Commissioner Kleinhaus asked what happened following the loss of trees at Ramos Park, if the trees 70 were replaced. 71 Ms. Robustelli responded that she has to consult with Urban Forestry regarding the trees at Ramos Park 72 and information will be returned to the Commission. 73 Commissioner Wei requested information on the turf study. 74 Kristen O’Kane, Community Service Director, responded that the Council approved a contract for a 75 consultant to do the turf study. Staff needs to revise the scope. Council will be presented with a 76 construction contact in June to approve the replacement of the turf at the Mayfield playing fields, which 77 should be replaced late summer or early fall. 78 Chair Freeman queried if the number of participants for swim lessons has grown from previous years. 79 Ms. Robustelli responded that Tim Sheeper believed there has been an increase because spring lessons 80 started earlier. 81 Commissioner Kleinhaus asked if the brighter lights at the Byxbee restrooms are indoor or outdoor. 82 Ms. Robustelli answered that the brighter lights are indoor. 83 BUSINESS ITEMS 84 4. Palo Alto Pickleball Club Informational Update 85 Ron Gentile, Palo Alto Pickleball Club Member, displayed slides related to the role of pickleball in 86 addressing community issues, pickleball demand at Mithcell Park overwhelming the resources, and a 87 proposal to extend the partnership going forward. Pickleball is growing and provides benefits. He 88 discussed the work of PAPC. Pickleball at Mitchell Park is often 2 or 3 times court capacity. At the end of 89 2024, there were 1,400 members, and it is growing 25 percent a year with zero marketing. There are 90 long wait times to play, which is starting to hit a saturation point. The sport provides physical, mental 91 health, and social benefits. There is a wide range of youth programs. There are difficult tradeoffs due to 92 demand. It is not possible to support public open play and community events at Mitchell Park. He 93 proposed expanding capacity at Mitchell Park. He wants to investigate adding 8 new pickleball courts, 94 which PAPC and the benefactor are willing to pay for, and there will be no financial impact to the City. 95 PAPC cleaned and maintained the courts. There will be no environmental impact with resurfacing an 96 area. Expanding pickleball will help Council with their goals of wellbeing and community belonging. PAPB 97 is grateful for the partnership, and they want to work together to investigate expanding pickleball. 98 PUBLIC COMMENT 99 There were no requests to speak. 100 Commissioner Wei was considering joining PAPC. She wondered how the PRC could provide more 101 support. 102 Mr. Gentile wanted to act on adding courts quickly because they are far over capacity. 103 PUBLIC COMMENT 104 Young commented that adding courts had to come at the expense of someone. There is a lack of parking. 105 He suggested building a bigger pickleball center east of 101 or in an industrial area. He did not want 106 tennis courts to be converted to pickleball courts. 107 Commissioner Kleinhaus found pickleball to be a wonderful community and resource. The expansion is 108 not part of the notification. She did not know what was expected of the PRC. 109 Chair Freeman remarked that there is nothing to vote on, that it is primarily an informational item. 110 Commissioner Cribbs recognized PAPC for what has been created in the community. More space is 111 needed, and folks will work together for that to happen in the near future. Pickleball will continue to 112 grow. 113 Chair Freeman inquired if Mr. Gentile has any background on pickleball in other communities, such as 114 Menlo Park, etc. 115 Mr. Gentile stated that other communities are building courts but the demand is overwhelming and they 116 cannot keep up and they cannot be relied on to close the gap. PAPC tries to work with clubs in different 117 cities to educate them. 118 Vice Chair Greenfield stated that PAPC has a fantastic story, which benefits the community in many ways. 119 He asked if it is appropriate to discuss the offer made by PAPC and potential implications. 120 Kristen O’Kane, Community Service Director, stated it is appropriate to discuss that. 121 Vice Chair Greenfield thanked PAPC for the offer to fund the construction of new courts. He questioned 122 where the courts would be located. Parking is a concern. He asked what percentage of players drove, did 123 not drive, or carpooled to Mitchell Park. Pickleball growth will not stop any time soon, which highlights 124 the need for bigger-picture planning and multiyear projections in terms of capacity for the courts, 125 infrastructure, etc. He questioned if an additional Palo Alto pickleball hub should be considered. He 126 asked if there will be maintenance expenses to the City. He was also concerned about staff having the 127 capacity to manage this. 128 Adam Howard, Senior Resources Manager, stated that nothing about the proposal will be simple and 129 that a lot needs to go into every decision made around the topic. There are short- and long-term 130 approaches, which he was not ready to speak to. 131 Commissioner Kleinhaus supported Vice Chair Greenfield’s comments. She is aware of the benefits of 132 pickleball. She is not comfortable with the notification, as the topic is not notified as a discussion of 133 expansion. The proposal mentions expanding in Mitchell Park, and many other uses there need to be 134 considered. It is important to discuss alternatives to manage demand, other than space, such as 135 reservation systems. Noise is a concern, and she wanted consideration to be given to the affordable 136 housing project being built within 300-400 feet of the pickleball courts. She wanted more information 137 before discussing it. 138 PUBLIC COMMENT 139 Elleen B., a member of PAPC, commented that she had attended events at the pickleball courts that she 140 never would have done without knowing people at PAPC. She asked what study or information is needed 141 and if it is something the club can provide, what the timeline and the process will be, and what the next 142 step is. 143 Chair Freeman responded that studies or information needed is not a point of discussion, so the 144 question cannot be answered. There is no timeline. This meeting is just for information, not to make a 145 decision about a process. 146 Ms. O’Kane declared that the public comment period is not intended to be dialogue. Staff will take the 147 comments in. 148 Mahealani Ah Yun, City Clerk, explained the process for making comments. She declared that Item 4 is 149 now closed for public comment. 150 5. Informational Update on the Cubberley Community Center Project including, Summary of 151 Community Meeting #1, Themes for Community Poll #1, and Workplan Update 152 Kristen O’Kane, Community Service Director, announced that there will be an update and staff will not 153 ask for direction from the Commission but staff wants to hear the Commission’s input on the progress 154 made. Staff will also share some ways the Commission can be involved in the project, specifically 155 engagement. She introduced Amanda Deml, Assistant Director Community Services. 156 Amanda Deml, Assistant Director Community Services, stated this is her first PRC meeting and she is 157 excited to meet everyone and present some information on Cubberley. 158 Ms. O’Kane furnished slides and discussed the background of the Cubberley site. Details of the 159 Memorandum of Understanding were outlined, which includes the City purchasing of 7 acres of land, but 160 it is contingent on a successful bond measure approved by voters in November 2026. There had been 161 reengagement with Concordia to assist in the reinitiation of the master planning process. The Previous 162 Master plan is being built upon, and input received from 2019 is being reaffirmed. Because there will 163 possibly be pursuit of a ballot measure, the City contracted with 2 organizations that are experts in 164 polling, ballot strategy, and ballot measure development. The master planning effort and the polling and 165 development of the ballot measure language will occur in parallel due to time constraints. The Cubberley 166 Ad Hoc Committee consisted of Councilmembers Lythcott-Haims (Chair), Burt, and Reckdahl. Council had 167 a visioning session in February, and a vision statement had been drafted. The first Cubberley master 168 planning community meeting occurred on March 19. On April 21, Council discussed the themes to be 169 used to develop a community poll. The poll will be released on April 28 through phone calls, emails, and 170 texts. Staff will return to Council in June and to the PRC later in June to review the poll results. The 171 second community meeting will be on June 12, and Concordia will present 3 concepts for a new center 172 at Cubberley, which will be based on input received from 2019, the first community meeting, and the 173 polling results. Folks may participate in an online survey on the project website. The first community 174 meeting was on March 19, and folks wanted a flexible, inclusive, and sustainable space, places to gather 175 to connect with others, wellness opportunities, affordability, and long-term community engagement 176 throughout the process. A slide was presented showing desired indoor programming, and there is 177 opportunity for shared space. Outdoor programming had also been addressed, and people valued open 178 green space with flexibility and adaptability, so not preprogramming the space. It was learned that there 179 are fewer opportunities to share space for outdoor programming. The poll that will be released on April 180 28 will seek voter input on goals, the future of the Cubberley Community Center, and voter willingness to 181 support a tax or bond measure to fund the purchase and development of the site. The Council Ad Hoc 182 will review poll results on May 16. Council will receive a full review on June 9. Staff will return to the PRC 183 in late June and present the results of the community meeting and the poll. She outlined what the PRC 184 could do as far as support. How folks could receive regular project updates was discussed. She requested 185 participating in the poll if an invitation is received. 186 Chair Freeman asked what vehicle the PRC should use to stay informed. 187 Ms. O’Kane answered that staff could share updated information in an email. If a conversation should be 188 desired, the best way would be through the Commission’s Cubberly Ad Hoc. 189 Discussion ensued regarding the PRC having Cubberley liaisons, not an ad hoc. 190 Vice Chair Greenfield thought at the May meeting there had been discussion about creating an ad hoc, 191 which was contingent on getting feedback from staff on the specific project the ad hoc would be tasked 192 with. 193 Ms. O’Kane replied if something needs to be quickly reviewed or feedback is needed between PRC 194 meetings that it would be appropriate to create an ad hoc. 195 Chair Freeman thought the appropriate way to create an ad hoc would be to have an action item on next 196 month’s agenda. 197 Commissioner Wei agreed. She hoped to help both commissioners look into findings as well. 198 Commissioner Cribbs inquired how folks could be part of the poll. 199 Ms. O’Kane answered that the poll intends to engage voter interest and support for a future ballot 200 measure. There will be a random selection of Palo Alto registered voters. Industry standards will be 201 followed. 202 Chair Freeman inquired if the poll will be framed around the bond issue itself. 203 Councilmember Lythcott-Haims replied Poll 1 will be an extensive set of questions gauging what folks 204 hope to see in Cubberley. She thought Poll 2 would list options for what Cubberley might look like and 205 cost. Poll 3 will be the go/no-go point of the community supporting a bond measure. 206 PUBLIC COMMENT 207 There were no requests to speak. 208 Commissioner Kleinhaus inquired what will be the product of this effort. 209 Ms. O’Kane responded there will be a concept design, not detailed construction drawings. An architect 210 will need to be hired to design the depicted concept. 211 Commissioner Deng queried if the PRC will vote on the best concept design. 212 Ms. O’Kane envisioned the 3 concepts being brought to the PRC for feedback and a recommendation for 213 advancement. There will be a community meeting in September and various touch points with Council 214 between then and the final concept being presented, which will be based on community, PRC, and 215 Council input. A slide was shared outlining the themes of polling questions that will be asked. The 216 themes were built from the community meeting and what had been learned in the 2019 process. 217 Commissioner Kleinhaus asked if the PRC should provide feedback related to the survey questions and if 218 such might change the survey. Green space is being presented generically, and presenting it as a 219 butterfly garden, etc., may make a difference. 220 Ms. O’Kane answered that the questions will not be presented at this meeting and that the Council Ad 221 Hoc had not seen the questions. Council looked at the themes and did not direct going forward, but staff 222 is moving forward with the themes staff heard at that meeting. Regarding green space being presented 223 generically, opportunities to share preferences for the space will be shared in the community 224 engagement process, which can be designed into the concept. 225 Commissioner Cribbs discussed the language not being exciting. 226 Commissioner Wei agreed and stated there are ways to make the narrative of sharing the story 227 attractive. 228 Councilmember Lythcott-Haims voiced that the PRC’s feedback is essential and that it will be helpful to 229 hear the PRC’s concerns about the poll. The poll will not try to sell the public on the benefits of 230 Cubberley, but it will ascertain what folks want out of it. It will ask questions about green space, 231 performing arts, age groups, etc. 232 Ms. Deml expressed that the poll is meant to be neutral. It is not the right place to build excitement 233 because it could skew the data and provide a false positive. There will be other opportunities to build 234 excitement. 235 Vice Chair Greenfield asked what type of feedback staff is seeking from the PRC and if there is a number 236 targeted for survey participation. 237 Ms. Deml replied that the goal of the master plan is to stay high level with concepts and themes. Staff 238 welcomes more granular examples, and the data is being tracked. They are tasked with creating concept 239 plans and then information on facility design and individual elements will come in. Feedback on the first 240 community meeting is being requested so it can be incorporated into the 3 concept plans for the second 241 meeting. 242 Ms. O’Kane did not remember the number of participants the survey would target. 243 Councilmember Lythcott-Haims did not remember the number, but it is meant to be statistically 244 significant. The poll will be provided via email, phone call, and text and will start with voters who are 245 likely to vote in the November 2026 election. The data will be demographically balanced. 246 Ms. Deml thought about 1,000 people will be polled. 247 Chair Freeman assumed there will be almost an equal number of people participating from different 248 demographics. 249 Ms. Deml affirmed that that is the goal. 250 Vice Chair Greenfield asked what will happen if a call should go unanswered, how long it will take to 251 complete the survey, and if there will be discussion of room design related to outdoor space. 252 Councilmember Lythcott-Haims did not know what would happen with unanswered calls, but the 253 pollsters know it is essential to reach people. 254 Ms. Deml believed the survey will take an average of 10-15 minutes to complete, although it depends on 255 the method. 256 Ms. O’Kane responded that flexible space had been discussed with Concordia, which staff hopes to 257 incorporate. 258 Commissioner Kleinhaus stated that folks not responding to the poll can be data in itself, and she 259 inquired how that will be addressed. 260 Ms. O’Kane did not know the answer. Staff could speak with the consultant about it if desired. 261 Chair Freeman expressed that there will be lessons learned with each poll, so the polls will evolve. He 262 questioned when the polls will be done. 263 Ms. Deml replied that the first poll be on April 28 and run for 2 weeks. The second poll will be around 264 November and the third poll closer to August 2026. 265 Commissioner Cribbs queried if the poll will be extended if the numbers are not met. 266 Councilmember Lythcott-Haims thought the poll will be extended if the numbers are not met. It may be 267 helpful for the consultant to outline the number of people reached, the most successful methodology 268 used, etc. 269 Chair Freeman discussed defining spaces, such as a basketball court also being used for dancing, etc. 270 Ms. Deml stated that the goal is to have flexible spaces. The poll will not be just yes or no questions, but 271 preferences will be ranked. 272 Commissioner Cribbs questioned how those taking the second poll will be chosen. 273 Ms. O’Kane believed those taking the second poll will be chosen in the same way. 274 Vice Chair Greenfield asked if the poll was included in Council’s agenda. The adopted City meeting report 275 format was awkward, and it does not feel transparent. He encouraged the City to reconsider that 276 methodology. 277 Ms. O’Kane replied that the PRC Staff Report has a link to the poll themes. The poll themes are reflected 278 in an attachment to Council’s packet. 279 Ms. Deml added that after the meeting she will supply a link to the Attachment from last night’s Council 280 meeting. 281 Commissioner Kleinhaus struggled with keeping the project size scaled to the community but yet doing 282 what the community desired. 283 Ms. Deml replied that Council had provided such feedback. Staff and the consultant are aware of the 284 desire to do that. There are plans to offer phased approaches if necessary. 285 Councilmember Lythcott-Haims asked the commissioners to attend the June 12 community meeting. The 286 poll uses the term gym and wellness in different places. It is not intended for the poll to use a term that 287 might narrow the sense of what is possible. 288 Chair Freeman understood that staff will provide the PRC with any needed information prior to the next 289 meeting. 290 [The Commission took a 5-minute break] 291 6. Update on the Ad Hoc Nature Access Policy and Proposed Trail Closure at Pearson-Arastradero 292 Preserve – 45 minutes 293 Sarah Robustelli, Division Manager, shared slides and detailed what will be addressed in this meeting. In 294 2023, the State of California regulated E-bikes and coasting devices in parks and open spaces, and local 295 agencies need to take formal action to regulate or restrict access. The Staff Report detailed the nuances 296 and details of what Council and the PRC had done previously. In February, in an internal meeting with 297 the Ad Hoc, there were discussions of Arastradero potentially needing access limitations. In February, a 298 field visit further assessed the conditions. The Ad Hoc wanted staff to consider seasonal trail closures of 299 the portion of the Upper Bowl to support habitat protection during the wet season. Staff proposed the 300 trail closure of an unmarked trail, and staff requested the PRC’s feedback related to that. PABAC had 301 provided feedback at the April 1 meeting. It was determined that the connectivity is adequate and that 302 the closure will unlikely impact public access. There was support to increase community outreach. A map 303 of the preserve was displayed. The proposal is to close a 390-foot trail segment to support habitation 304 restoration efforts and to reduce redundant parallel trail routes within the preserve. She believed signs 305 are posted in the area. Public comment is being sought through July 1. In terms of next steps, staff will 306 continue to conduct community outreach related to the proposed trail closure, public feedback will be 307 gathered, and the needs for additional educational materials will be evaluated. Staff plans to return to 308 the PRC to report findings and recommendations following the outreach and evaluation phase. 309 Vice Chair Greenfield, the Ad Hoc Chair, had concerns about some of the environmental stewardship 310 issues at the Upper Bowl area. A slide was furnished from the April 2024 meeting in which the Ad Hoc 311 discussed Pearson-Arastradero Nature Preserve, which included looking into the social branches of the 312 Bowl Loop Trail and managing access at the Upper Bowl and specifically looking at the ponds. Photos of 313 the Upper Arastradero Bowl and the Lower Bowl/Quarry were provided. The Ad Hoc recommended that 314 staff look into the feasibility of a permanent closure of roughly 50 percent of the Upper Bowl. Bike usage 315 in the Nature Preserve should be limited to the trails. It will be difficult to close the Bowl areas to bike 316 traffic altogether, but if that should occur, the problem will move to another location, and finding a place 317 to manage it will be ideal. The goal is to balance environmental stewardship with recreation 318 opportunities. A slide was provided showing the benefits of a partial closure of the Upper Bowl. The Ad 319 Hoc suggested closing half of one of the bowls to protect some unique habitat. It was explained that it 320 would also be a potential educational opportunity. 321 Chair Freeman, and Ad Hoc Member, remarked that there are pros and cons to both. The environmental 322 impact supports closure of the Upper Bowl, which he supported. 323 Commissioner Kleinhaus voiced that there are not many visitors to the Upper or the Lower Bowl aside 324 from youth biking activities. The Ad Hoc agreed to closing the trail as staff had suggested. 325 Vice Chair Greenfield did not think staff is proposing moving forward with this now except under the 326 consideration of the feedback of the PRC. 327 Ms. Robustelli commented that staff is seeking feedback and that they will be happy to discuss it with 328 the rangers again. 329 Commissioner Kleinhaus mentioned that if there are discrepancies she would put the blame on that. 330 Chair Freeman thanked all for the work that had been done. 331 PUBLIC COMMENT 332 There were no requests to speak. 333 Commissioner Cribbs did not feel that bikes should be allowed in nature preserves. Closure is probably a 334 good idea, although she did not know if it should be all or half of it. She requested the definition of a 335 reasonable recreational activity. She asked what the process will be to do the closure and how much 336 fencing would cost. 337 Vice Chair Greenfield replied that the definition of a reasonable recreational activity is subjective. 338 Ms. Robustelli responded that the process and the cost of fencing will need to be assessed, which will 339 potentially result in another Ad Hoc meeting for a site visit. The information is not available. 340 Commissioner Deng liked the educational opportunity. 341 Commissioner Wei inquired how the public should be educated on where to ride bikes. 342 Vice Chair Greenfield thought education would include enhanced signage and fencing and then 343 enforcement. The number of folks using the Upper Bowl for recreational activities will not be known 344 until community feedback is received. If it should be closed, other options should be considered. 345 Vice Chair Greenfield noted that the current activity is not illegal. Youth had been observed riding bikes 346 in the water. It did not seem that such should be encouraged at a nature preserve. Real-world 347 considerations should be balanced. Preserving wildlife is important. 348 Commissioner Wei mentioned that educational materials may include fliers and park rangers conducting 349 classes, etc. The naturalists classes from the Santa Clara County park rangers are informative, and their 350 resources may be leveraged. 351 Commissioner Kleinhaus expressed that the Ad Hoc had addressed safety. If the City did not sanction an 352 activity, she did not think the City would be liable if something should happen, but if the City says an 353 activity can be done in a certain area, the City could potentially be liable. The Ad Hoc is trying to 354 accommodate the youth and the wildlife. 355 Vice Chair Greenfield mentioned that the definition of reasonable is to accommodate the youth and the 356 wildlife. 357 Ms. Robustelli requested feedback on the proposed trail closure. 358 Commissioner Wei questioned when the closure will happen and if a particular seasonal closure is being 359 considered. 360 Ms. Robustelli answered that after the comment period staff would plan to return to the PRC with an 361 update on the evaluation and the community input. The potential trail closure will restore it back to its 362 natural, which is typically done in the wet season. 363 Commissioner Wei noted that there are park closures to allow grass to grow, which the public easily 364 accepts. 365 Commissioner Deng supported closing the trail if the cost will be reasonable and if the community 366 receives advanced notice. 367 Commissioner Cribbs asked what the rangers suggested. 368 Vice Chair Greenfield clarified that the closure is a staff suggestion, which the Ad Hoc supported. It is 369 intended that staff will return to the PRC after doing any needed analysis and compiling public feedback. 370 Chair Freeman did not know how staff would determine whether there is daily bike riding activity in the 371 Upper Bowl. If such occurred once or twice a month, signage and fencing may be sufficient. 372 Commissioner Wei felt that signage and fencing would work well for a closure from November to the 373 spring of 2025. She asked if there had been recruitment of a staff naturalist, which had been discussed 374 previously. 375 Ms. Robustelli remarked that there has not been a position added for a staff naturalist. The rangers are 376 knowledgeable of the natural environment. 377 Commissioner Kleinhaus supported adding a naturalist/biologist. The trail closure will be permanent and 378 it will not reopen. The rangers recommended closing the trail because it is redundant and there is 379 erosion that is hard to control. Some restoration is already happening in the area, so it seems to be a 380 natural place to return to nature. 381 Vice Chair Greenfield supported closing the trail. 382 COMMISSIONER/BOARD MEMBER QUESTIONS, COMMENTS, ANNOUNCEMENTS OR FUTURE AGENDA 383 ITEMS 384 Sarah Robustelli, Division Manager, shared that the May agenda includes the South Palo Alto Bike and 385 Pedestrian Connectivity Project, which will be presented by the Transportation Department, and an 386 annual golf update. Adding a Cubberley Ad Hoc will be a potential action item. She did not know if park 387 dedication will be ready. 388 Chair Freeman requested putting an asterisk by park dedication to see if it will be ready. 389 Vice Chair Greenfield thought it would be helpful to include it in the May agenda, as June is a larger 390 agenda. The Ad Hoc needs to report to the full Commission. 391 Commissioner Cribbs asked what will be included in the golf update. 392 Ms. Robustelli answered that the golf update will include vendors, programs, First Tee, mitigation, and 393 finances. 394 Chair Freeman stated that, in addition to adding the Cubberley Ad Hoc, work needs to be done on 395 developing the Work Plan. 396 Ms. Robustelli stated that the Work Plan could be folded into Cubberley, although that will be too many 397 items for May. 398 Vice Chair Greenfield thought the assumption at the retreat was that a major portion of the May agenda 399 would focus on updating/reviewing the Work Plan. 400 Chair Freeman stated the item needs to be completed. Each Ad Hoc should work on completing the 401 Work Plan item to support each Ad Hoc. 402 Vice Chair Greenfield added that new ad hocs will need new Work Plan items and that existing Work 403 Plan items may need to be edited to accommodate the longer timeline. 404 Chair Freeman noted that the existing ad hocs had been reviewed, which will be posted on the PRC 405 website this week. He requested reports from ad hocs. 406 Commissioner Cribbs commented that there had been a community meeting concerning the tennis court 407 situation, which went well. She thought Adam Howard and the ad hoc are working together to put 408 together ideas for the future. There are 2 areas of concern – the ability of the leagues to reserve courts 409 and the unauthorized teaching on the tennis courts all over the city. 410 Chair Freeman added that there have been weekly meetings with Adam Howard and Chase, which 411 included working on developing a team to incorporate comments from the community meeting. A 412 rackets policy will be presented at some point, although there is a lot of work to be done. The most 413 immediate issue is trying to get a handle on the USTA as it seems that they are monopolizing the courts. 414 Private lessons are also monopolizing the courts. 415 Commissioner Cribbs added that an important consideration is how to best extend the use of the tennis 416 courts. 417 Chair Freeman wanted to ensure that ad hocs will meet once to twice a month, so there will be 418 meaningful content presented at the PRC meetings. 419 Commissioner Cribbs mentioned that the skate park continued to have meetings every 2 weeks and they 420 are extending their outreach. There is a group helping with some things. She asked if there will be a 421 replacement for Peter at Public Works. There had been a couple meetings about middle school athletics, 422 and Adam Howard is working with Purchasing on an RFP for a third-party vendor, and consideration is 423 being given to working with/creating a nonprofit to help with the cost of middle school athletics. The 424 goal is for there to be access to all who want to play and that there be coaches. 425 Ms. Robustelli stated there is not a replacement for Peter at Public Works at this time. There will be 426 updates related to recruitment. 427 Vice Chair Greenfield mentioned that the public comment period regarding the tree and landscape 428 technical manual review has closed and staff is reviewing the feedback and finalizing the documents. 429 ADJOURNMENT 430 Meeting was adjourned at 9:59 p.m. 431