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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2025-05-27 Parks & Recreation Commission Summary MinutesMINUTES 1 PARKS & RECREATION COMMISSION 2 REGULAR MEETING 3 May 27, 2025 4 In-Person & Virtual Conference 5 Palo Alto, California 6 7 Commissioners Present In-Person: Jeff Greenfield, Amanda Brown, Shani Kleinhaus, Anne Warner 8 Cribbs, Yudy Deng 9 Commissioners Present Virtually: Nellis Freeman, Bing Wei 10 Commissioners Absent: None 11 Others Present: Kevin Springer, Matt Molloy, George Maxe 12 Staff Present: Sarah Robustelli, Kristen O’Kane, Lam Do, Charlie Coles, Sylvia Star-13 Lack 14 CALL TO ORDER & ROLL CALL 15 Meeting was called to order at 7 p.m. 16 PUBLIC COMMENT 17 None 18 AGENDA CHANGES, ADDITIONS, AND DELETIONS 19 The Council Liaison Report will not take place this evening due to an ongoing Council meeting. 20 APPROVAL OF MINUTES 21 1. Approval of Draft Minutes from the April 11, 2025, Parks and Recreation Commission 22 Annual Retreat 23 MOTION: Commissioner Brown moved, seconded by Commissioner Greenfield to approve the 24 draft minutes from the April 11, 2025 annual retreat. 25 MOTION PASSED: 7-0-0 26 2. Approval of Draft Minutes from the April 22, 2025, Parks and Recreation Commission 27 Regular Meeting 28 Chair Freeman wanted to change Commissioner Kleinhaus’ wording from “fun” to “found” on 29 line 108 to 109. 30 MOTION: Vice Chair Greenfield moved, seconded by Commissioner Cribbs to approve the draft 31 minutes from the April 22, 2025 Parks and Recreation Regular Meeting with Chair Freeman’s 32 change. 33 MOTION PASSED: 6-0-1, Commissioner Brown abstained. 34 CITY OFFICIAL REPORTS 35 3. Department Report 36 Sarah Robustelli, Division Manager, recapped the Earth Day and May Fete Parade and Fair 37 events and highlighted upcoming events such as Twilight Concert Series, Family Movie Nights, 38 and the 4th of July Summer Festival & Chili Cookoff. The Fred Eyerly Tower Well Park dedication 39 and Fire Station Open House will take place on June 18 at 4 p.m. Ms. Robustelli noted there will 40 be a second community meeting on June 12 for the Cubberley Community Center project. 41 Kristen O’Kane, Director of Community Services, added that Council will present the results of 42 the community poll at the June 9 meeting. 43 Ms. Robustelli said a valley oak tree was planted after losing one in Ramos Park. The Heritage 44 Park site amenities CIP will be completed this year. The replacement of the tree root structure at 45 Heritage Park was completed last week. The Mitchell Park restrooms were refreshed with new 46 paint, epoxy floors, and other reconditioning. The Friends of the Palo Alto Parks installed Port-o-47 potties near the pickleball and Magical Bridge. Ms. Robustelli noted the Public Works 48 Engineering team was working on a solution to add another set of bathrooms, which is an 49 upcoming CIP. Demolition is underway for the Greer Park project, which will include replacing 50 basketball hoops, expanding the smaller court, and resurfacing, and is anticipated to reopen at 51 the end of June. Boulware Park is fully reopened. The restrooms at Cubberley Field were 52 completed and set to open June 2. The project also included a new sewer pump station and 53 repaving the bike path from the adjacent restroom to Nelson Drive. 54 Vice Chair Greenfield was happy to have 4 units for the Cubberley restrooms. Vice Chair 55 Greenfield asked about the time of the Fred Eyerly Tower Well Park dedication and when the 56 Mitchell Park restrooms will be delivered and available. Vice Chair Greenfield clarified the 57 buildings were not on order yet and expected to be a year out. 58 Commissioner Cribbs asked if there was a timeline for the community meetings for the Mitchell 59 Park restrooms. 60 Ms. Robustelli reiterated the dedication started at 4 p.m. and would last until about 4:30 and 61 that there would be refreshments at the fire station open house. Ms. Robustelli said there was 62 no timeline for the Mitchell Park restrooms, but noted it was the next project the Public Works 63 and Engineering team would be working on. Ms. Robustelli confirmed the buildings were not on 64 order and the fabrication of the building is dependent on community meetings and agreed it 65 would be about a year out. 66 Commissioner Deng asked for updates on the Eleanor Pardee Park restroom and if the Mitchell 67 Park pickleball would be addressed first. 68 Commissioner Wei asked if there was a specific timeline to finish Mitchell Park and start the 69 Eleanor Pardee Park restrooms. 70 Vice Chair Greenfield asked if the Eleanor Pardee restrooms was still under review and if it was 71 subject to community outreach if approved in the budget. 72 Ms. Robustelli confirmed the work for Eleanor Pardee Park will begin after Mitchell Park. Ms. 73 Robustelli said the results of the community outreach will dictate the timeline and agreed to 74 give updates to the Commission. Ms. Robustelli explained if it is adopted in the FY 2026 budget, 75 the plan is to move forward, with the next step being community outreach, which is a standard 76 part of the CIP process. 77 Commissioner Kleinhaus cautioned against losing trees or vegetation in either park due to the 78 addition of restrooms. Commissioner Kleinhaus queried if staff was involved in the foothills of 79 Arastradero fire plan and if it was coming to the Commission, opining that it should because it 80 impacts the parks. 81 Ms. Robustelli noted the foothills fire plan was internally reviewed by staff but the project 82 manager was not planning to bring it to the Commission due to it being out of the PRC’s 83 purview. The Commission was sent an email for comments. 84 Ms. O’Kane proposed tabling the fire plan discussion because it was not an agenda item. 85 Chair Freeman asked if there was an increase in the number of entrants to the July 4 Cookoff 86 compared to last year. Chair Freeman wondered how the word gets out, noting people from 87 multiple cities attend. Chair Freeman questioned who was responsible for maintenance of the 88 portable restrooms in Mitchell Park. 89 Ms. Robustelli noted 12 teams signed up last year and 10 signed up this year, 4 returning and 6 90 new. The event coordinator mentioned potentially extending the time for signups. Ms. 91 Robustelli remarked that there was a meeting that will take place with staff to outline the next 92 steps and procedures. Ms. Robustelli said word is getting out through all typical avenues. 93 Maintenance of the portable restrooms was handled by a vendor through payment made by the 94 Friends of the Palo Alto Parks. 95 BUSINESS ITEMS 96 4. Baylands Golf Links Update 97 Superintendent of Community Services Lam Do presented updates on Baylands Golf Links, which 98 included operations and financial performance. Kevin Springer and George Maxe were present 99 to answer questions. 100 Mr. Do explained that the Palo Alto Municipal Golf Course closed for 2 years to be reconfigured 101 into a links-style course and reopened in 2018 as Baylands Golf Links. The links-style course 102 offers contours, rolling elevation, integration with wetlands, and more challenging course play. 103 Paspalum grass was chosen due to its salt resistance and ability to be irrigated with recycled 104 water. Baylands Golf Links is owned by the City of Palo Alto and operated by OB Sports under a 105 course management contract. OB Sports oversees all aspects of golf operations, including course 106 maintenance, play, and practice; merchandise sales; and food and beverage services. 107 A table was shown reflecting financial performance and course play each fiscal year since 2018. 108 Mr. Do noted losses of $0.3M in 2019 due to 2 debt service repayments and $0.7M in 2020 due 109 to closure and limited play because of COVID-19. The golf course had an annual positive 110 contribution of over $1M towards the City’s General Fund for fiscal years 2021 through 2023. A 111 decrease to $0.5M in 2024 was associated with a water meter and billing error which is being 112 corrected and should be reflected in FY 2025’s reconciliation. 113 Director Sarah Robustelli presented on wetland mitigation and monitoring. Ms. Robustelli said 114 City staff continues to coordinate with the State Water Board to ensure compliance with 115 mitigation requirements. The City submitted a current conditions report in August 2024 which 116 determined the current coverage of wetland areas and made recommendations on next steps 117 towards meeting the requirements. In December 2024, the City notified the State Water Board 118 of the intent to conduct a jurisdictional wetland delineation, which began in February 2025 and 119 is anticipated to be completed in July 2025. It will inform if any hydrological modifications are 120 necessary to ensure wetland success and will outline the current existent acreage of wetlands. 121 Ms. Robustelli noted that staff has been coordinating with the golf course operator for 122 maintenance. Additional protective measures were implemented in and around the mitigation 123 areas, including installing more split rail fencing, improving signage, additional educational 124 materials, and implementing a local rule for stroke relief to discourage entry into sensitive 125 habitat areas. 126 Mr. Do stated that the City has either cosponsored or partnered with First Tee Silicon Valley or its 127 predecessors since 2009. The City and First Tee have a short-term agreement in place that allows 128 First Tee access to teaching facilities including practice putting greens, driving ranges, a portion 129 of the Youth Practice Area, and on-course. First Tee teaches 4 seasons a year in 8-week sessions 130 primarily in the late afternoon. The program involves boys and girls from 2nd grade through high 131 school and provides scholarships to participants when needed. The City and First Tee are 132 reviewing a draft term sheet to develop a long-term partnership which would expand First Tee 133 programming, allow additional access times and locations, and further facilitate youth 134 development. 135 Staff is reengaging with the National Golf Foundation on a second deck driving range study. It 136 will evaluate the potential to construct a double deck driving range and includes looking at 137 financial feasibility and leveraging technology enhancements to attract more golf patrons. A 138 draft report is being updated with current golf market analysis. Utilization models and financial 139 projections are being updated. Mr. Do said the study will come back to the Commission. 140 Senior Vice President for OB Sports Matt Molloy presented on course operations. Mr. Molloy 141 revisited the financial performance table, highlighting the dollars per paid round. A lesser rate in 142 2024 was attributed to the change of time people played but has seen a rebound this year. Mr. 143 Molloy projected over $90 per round due to dynamic pricing and the Links Card loyalty program. 144 Mr. Molloy acknowledged the paspalum grass requires a high level of aerification on fairways 145 and tees and hopes to begin a top-dressing program this year. New equipment was received in 146 2024. The first step of the Audubon certification was completed, and a couple case studies are 147 ongoing. Native areas are flourishing due to maintenance practices. 148 Mr. Molloy spoke about utilizing occupancy-based dynamic pricing to drive revenue, which offers 149 scaled rates dependent on the time of day and the day of week. A high-end daily fee service 150 level is used to improve guest experience. Mr. Molloy mentioned a quarterly secret shopper 151 program that gives a 90-point evaluation to identify missed service standards. A Google review 152 tracker is used to manage all social media reviews. Mr. Molloy considered scaling rates 153 seasonally in the coming years due to the dormant grass type. 154 The Links Card is a buy-in loyalty program that gives discounted rates and a shorter window to 155 book tee times, has over 1,400 participants, and makes up 37 percent of rounds. Troon Rewards 156 allows golfers to earn points through Links Cards which can be redeemed at other Troon-157 managed courses. The membership program, Troon Access, is used to drive additional rounds to 158 clubs, which includes Tee Time alerts. A new app was launched with a new tee time system. Mr. 159 Molloy talked about golfer development programs, which include junior camps, hosting Paly and 160 Gunn boys and girls school golf teams, participating in Youth on Course, and offering individual 161 golf instruction. Mr. Molloy noted there were over 4,000 junior rounds in 2024. 162 PUBLIC COMMENT 163 1. Lynn C. expressed concern about the drop in revenue from $1M to $0.5M and wanted to know 164 what the net was for the year with all expenses and revenue accounted for. Lynn C. was curious 165 if the sales inside of clothes generated money for the City and if the City rents the restaurant 166 space. Lynn C. believed a consultant was being hired and asked if that was coming out of the City 167 of Palo Alto General Fund. Lynn C. questioned who was responsible for the landscaping and 168 design and noted having seen people take shortcuts through the designated natural areas and 169 asked if that had been remedied. Lynn C. asked if the current number of rounds exceed what it 170 was before 2016. 171 2. Karen P. was concerned about the proximity of the golf course to the Palo Alto Airport, noting 172 approximately half of one side is less than 200 feet from the runway. Karen P. said the airport has 173 an average of 160,000 operations annually, the majority of aircraft using the airport run on 174 leaded fuel, and that no unleaded fuel has been sold by the airport this year. Karen P. was 175 concerned about the risks of lead emission exposure on the adults and children who use the golf 176 course. In 2022, the California Public Department of Health released a handout on steps those 177 near airports should take to protect themselves from lead emissions. Karen P. asked if the 178 Commission would encourage the City to distribute the notice to everyone who uses the golf 179 course and erect signs in prominent locations around the course displaying the risk of lead 180 emission exposure. 181 Chair Freeman asked for more detail on the long-term partnership between First Tee and the 182 City, when the agreement is expected to be signed, and if there are any potential issues that may 183 prevent that from progressing. Chair Freeman questioned if there has been an increase in youth 184 participation in golf over the past few years and how Palo Alto compared to other communities. 185 Chair Freeman asked about the $3.8M in expenses in 2023 and the higher expenses in 2024. 186 Mr. Do said the short-term agreement runs through February 2026 and the intent is to have the 187 long-term partnership in place prior to then. Mr. Do clarified that First Tee is one of the programs 188 for the introduction and inclusion of youth in golf. The Youth on Course program had over 1,800 189 players last year which accounted for roughly 3 percent of rounds. Mr. Do reiterated that the 190 higher expenses in 2024 were due to the potable water usage cost and that a billing 191 reconciliation is necessary. Mr. Do agreed to get back to the Commission with more information 192 regarding the 2023 expenses. 193 President and CEO of First Tee Silicon Valley George Maxe explained that the long-term 194 agreement would be tied to the development of the youth area between Embarcadero Road and 195 the driving range. Mr. Maxe said that things were steady because of the fixed capacity but 196 classes were filled every season. Mr. Maxe noted about a 10 percent growth in demand per year 197 in the rest of Silicon Valley. 198 Mr. Molloy commented that the golf course is busy with both adults and juniors more than other 199 facilities throughout the country. 200 Commissioner Cribbs asked what could be done to facilitate the long-term agreement with First 201 Tee and was concerned that some youth were unable to participate because the agreements 202 were not yet in place. Commissioner Cribbs wanted to know more about the golf clubs and 203 asked if resident fees had been extended to East Palo Alto or if that was part of this year’s 204 budget discussion. 205 Mr. Do recognized the process had been slower than anticipated but believed both parties are 206 close to reaching an agreement, citing the current term sheet being reviewed. Mr. Do 207 acknowledged the work with clubs is ongoing. Mr. Do said that extending resident fees was part 208 of the upcoming FY 2026 operating budget. 209 Mr. Maxe said there are waiting lists every season for specific classes. Full capacity is 512 210 registrations annually, and though the report showed 460, any given class could have a waiting 211 list of up to 10 to 15 children. 212 General Manager for OB Sports Kevin Springer noted the men’s club has almost 500 members 213 and a significant waiting list. The 9-hole women’s group increased by almost 50 percent 214 compared to 3 years ago, and there is an 18-hole women’s group as well. Instructors were added 215 to staff and the clinics opened were well attended by women. Mr. Springer felt that all the clubs 216 were strong due to the value players get and that there has been an increase in demand. 217 Mr. Molloy said that women are the largest growth segment coming out of COVID-19 with no 218 close second. Mr. Molloy believes a contributor to growth at Baylands is the playability of the 219 course. 220 Commissioner Brown asked for comments on the regional Topgolf and golf simulator rooms and 221 said that industry professionals opine it does not take away market share but drives more people 222 to golf courses. 223 Mr. Molloy said Topgolf is an entertainment product and believes it does bring people to golf, 224 but the crossover is negligible. Mr. Molloy said off-course growth in golf has increased since 225 COVID-19, but programs such as First Tee and other core-specific junior programs are what help 226 introduce youth to golf. 227 Commissioner Kleinhaus queried if the funds for consultants and mitigation efforts would come 228 from the golf course fund or the City’s General Fund. Commissioner Kleinhaus questioned if the 229 budgeting for consultants and mitigation work was included in the calculation of how much 230 money the golf course generates versus how much is used. Commissioner Kleinhaus asked if the 231 $0.5M positive revenue was before or after the mitigation and consultant fees and any other 232 related expenses. Commissioner Kleinhaus wanted to know if there was less than $0.5M left 233 after everything was taken into account and if there were other similar costs not included in the 234 information provided. Commissioner Kleinhaus felt the budget was not transparent and asked if, 235 taking all things into account, the golf course was making or losing money, or neither. 236 Mr. Do explained that the expenditures for consultants are paid out of the golf course fund and 237 that the golf course’s operating budget falls under the City’s General Fund. All revenue from the 238 golf course goes back to the General Fund. Mr. Do said the revenue presented was before those 239 expenses. The mitigation-related elements are currently funded through a capital program, 240 which is also funded through the City’s General Fund. Mr. Do clarified that if everything else, 241 including operations, was taken into account, then there could be less than $0.5M, and that 242 there were no other similar costs not included at present. Mr. Do confirmed that the golf course 243 has operated in the black since 2001. 244 Ms. Robustelli explained that the operating budget is what was presented today, and any capital 245 expenses would come out of the capital improvement fund and would not be included. Ms. 246 Robustelli noted that a current CIP, which was part of the reconfiguration of the golf course, 247 addresses the mitigation expense and is capitalized. 248 Commissioner Kleinhaus asked if there was any monitoring of how well the City’s goal of making 249 the golf course a habitat-friendly area was working, noting there were no replacements of trees 250 that had died. Commissioner Kleinhaus was concerned there was no monitoring independent of 251 the Water Board requirements. Commissioner Kleinhaus acknowledged that things were planted 252 and there was some maintenance but felt the habitat was not sufficiently improved. 253 Commissioner Kleinhaus mentioned having asked about burrowing owls and other species and 254 asked for more investment in the ecology. Commissioner Kleinhaus questioned what was done 255 about squirrels, if CO2 was used, and if it was ensured no burrowing owls were present prior to 256 usage. Commissioner Kleinhaus had noticed the paspalum encroaching into native wetlands 257 years ago and assumed it will be removed during the mitigation work. Commissioner Kleinhaus 258 wanted to know if the paspalum was invading the baylands and if that was being monitored. 259 Ms. Robustelli said according to the existing conditions report, the 5-year monitoring period will 260 not begin until any corrective actions are taken. 261 Mr. Do acknowledged there were separate requirements that the regulatory agencies required, 262 primarily having to do with wetland plant species and survival rates. Mr. Do highlighted the City’s 263 efforts on-course, off-course, and off-site to create an environment for wildlife through the 264 planting of more vegetation off-site and by leaving fallen trees to create snags. Mr. Do said 265 monitoring would be part of the overall stewardship of Open Space areas. Nontoxic wildlife pest 266 management methods were utilized in correlation to a pest management plan, but verification 267 was needed on CO2 usage and the presence of burrowing owls. Mr. Do was not aware of 268 whether the grass had spread throughout the baylands. 269 Mr. Springer mentioned looking for paspalum regularly while walking the trail and had not 270 noticed it, noting it is easy to recognize. Mr. Springer agreed to the importance and necessity of 271 monitoring the spread of the grass. 272 Commissioner Deng asked about the percentage of revenue from golf versus the restaurant and 273 if it was substantial. 274 Mr. Do explained the food and beverage service is provided by OB Sports under a license 275 agreement. There was no expenditure or revenue related to the restaurant reflected on the 276 financial figures shown except for a rent revenue and utilities payment factor, which was not 277 substantial compared to the $5M revenue. Mr. Do said operators were asked to provide various 278 models and the model chosen was for the current operator to provide all services and take on 279 food and beverage as a separate business. 280 Commissioner Wei asked if the new signage would include multiple languages. Commissioner 281 Wei suggested adding Spanish and Simplified Chinese Mandarin to better serve the diverse 282 community, which includes about 35 percent Asians and 10 percent Latinos, and offered to help 283 bring translators if needed. 284 Mr. Do noted the signs were in English at present but agreed to take that into consideration. 285 Mr. Springer did not believe the issue would have a large impact on the budget and agreed it 286 could be done quickly and easily. 287 Commissioner Kleinhaus wanted to know how valuable the Audubon certification was aside 288 from a business perspective. Commissioner Kleinhaus asked for an update about the plan to 289 bring a sewer line from East Palo Alto and opined it was beneficial for the Community Service 290 staff to review because it would go through the golf course. Commissioner Kleinhaus agreed to 291 look it up and send it to Kristen. 292 Mr. Do said the Community Service staff was not aware of that plan and not involved in that 293 project. 294 Vice Chair Greenfield requested a summary of the golf course’s net profit with the numbers 295 presented and any related CIPs taken into consideration and believed it would help for full 296 transparency. Vice Chair Greenfield questioned if there were 2 CIPs, 1 for infrastructure and 1 for 297 environmental mitigation. Vice Chair Greenfield asked for an explanation of the process of 298 retrieving golf balls hit out of bounds. Vice Chair Greenfield wanted more clarification for the 299 year’s high expenses and low profit and asked if things would look better when balanced over 2 300 years. Vice Chair Greenfield wanted comments on the Audubon certification and asked what 301 percentage of golf courses carry that distinction. 302 Ms. Robustelli said it was typical to look at operating expenses when there was an operator. The 303 City owns the land and takes ownership of capital improvements. Ms. Robustelli agreed to 304 discuss the issue internally and get back to the Commission. Ms. Robustelli said there is a CIP 305 that addresses the mitigation and monitoring line item and was willing to send the Commission a 306 link to the page to view funding. Ms. Robustelli reiterated that there was a meter error from 307 utilities, the issue was being rectified, and a refund will be granted. 308 Commissioner Brown asked why that information was being requested for golf and not for other 309 areas. 310 Mr. Molloy said that talking about how to proceed in environmentally sensitive areas is part of 311 the welcome. Players are allowed to retrieve the ball and are asked to return to the fairway to 312 play the next shot with no penalty. The area around hole No. 6 was graded and soil was added 313 because there was a high propensity for balls to run off the fairway. The area has since been 314 revitalized, and native growth is returning. Mr. Molloy noted an ongoing case study related to 315 owls and bird boxes throughout the native areas in the golf course and native flowers. The 316 Audubon has stringent criteria and it can take 3 to 5 years to get certified. Mr. Molloy believed 317 the benefits were both public relations and the monitoring of different species throughout non-318 golf areas. Mr. Molloy agreed to get back to the Commission on the percentage of certified 319 courses. 320 Commissioner Kleinhaus asked if the adjustments to the course changed the hydrology so that 321 water would not flow into the wetlands. 322 Mr. Molloy explained the grade was not changed and a berm was built so the hydrology was not 323 affected. 324 Commissioner Cribbs asked how well the restaurant was doing and if the dining area and 325 conference space would be redeveloped in the future. 326 Mr. Springer said the restaurant was a semi-profitable enterprise and attributed that to the 327 continuity of staff and management. The restaurant caters to golfers and businesses in the 328 surrounding area. Mr. Springer thought the addition of a banquet center would be a good 329 revenue source for the City and that a lot of people inquire about it. 330 Mr. Molloy believed the consistency of food and service draws customers from businesses on 331 Embarcadero. There is a banquet meeting event business, but the small room and limited 332 parking are restrictive. Mr. Molloy agreed there is a good market and noted some golf courses do 333 50 to 100 weddings per year. 334 Chair Freeman asked for elaboration on the student waitlist for First Tee and if those on the 335 waitlist get into the program. Chair Freeman wondered if the long-term agreement would solve 336 the problem of Saturday programming. 337 Mr. Maxe said there were 8 classes, 2 per day, Tuesday through Friday and the waitlists are per 338 class. Waitlisted children get first priority for the next season via early registration. The biggest 339 demand throughout all Silicon Valley is on Saturdays. Baylands has no Saturday programming but 340 a youth area would allow the program to expand. Mr. Maxe confirmed the long-term agreement 341 would solve that problem. The point of the youth area is to provide space for youth 342 programming without affecting the other golf operations. 343 5. South Palo Alto Bike/Ped Connectivity: Provide Feedback on Initial Crossing Opportunity 344 Locations and Draft Design Priorities and Evaluation Criteria 345 Division Manager Sarah Robustelli was joined by Charlie Coles and Sylvia Star-Lack from the 346 Office of Transportation. 347 Senior Transportation Planner Charlie Coles presented a slideshow on the South Palo Alto 348 Bike/Ped Connectivity. Mr. Coles emphasized the PRC is 1 of 6 Committees identified as being 349 most relevant to engage with during the first phase of the project because some potential 350 crossings could connect with existing parks and the PRC advises on recreational activities and 351 active transportation. 352 The purpose of the project is to improve bicycle and pedestrian access across the rail corridor in 353 the southern portion of the City. The goal is to identify 2 locally preferred locations and design 354 concepts for additional grade-separated crossings of the Caltrain corridor. The concepts would 355 then be developed into 15 percent designs. An implementation plan and funding strategy would 356 be developed. Funding would then be applied for and secured for the next steps, which would 357 include environmental review, the final design, and construction. Mr. Coles noted this was the 358 conceptual planning phase of the project. 359 A map was shown of the project study area that included current crossing locations, suggested 360 walking and cycling routes, and labeled parks. Mr. Coles defined the southern part of the City as 361 south of Page Mill Road or Oregon Expressway. Current crossings include the California Avenue 362 bike/ped underpass, the crossings at Meadow and Charleston, and an underpass at the San 363 Antonio Caltrain Station in Mountain View. Mr. Coles noted the Oregon Expressway and San 364 Antonio Road crossings are primarily for vehicles. 365 Several citywide plans and studies have identified a need for additional grade-separated 366 crossings. The project is implementing the recommendations of previous plans and work by 367 addressing mobility gaps and barriers to walking and biking, which is in support of the City’s 368 mobility and sustainability goals. Mr. Coles referenced other ongoing projects in the area. 369 A slide was shown explaining the project timeline. A review of existing conditions had been 370 completed. The project was currently in Phase 1 of community engagement to establish design 371 priorities for crossing alternatives. Phase 2 will include developing crossing alternatives and 372 designs to share with the community for feedback, which is set to occur in the fall of 2025. Phase 373 3 will involve refining the alternatives and releasing a public draft report for review and 374 comments. Phase 4 will be to obtain Council adoption of the final plan and pursue funding 375 opportunities. 376 Mr. Coles presented a slide showcasing various ways the community has been engaged 377 throughout Phase 1. The purpose of the Existing Conditions Report, which was provided this 378 evening, was to establish a detailed and accurate baseline. The report included a detailed review 379 of existing conditions data, previous plans and studies, right-of-way constraints, and field visits 380 and on-site assessments. Mr. Coles emphasized the potential crossing opportunity locations at 381 the end of the report and expressed a desire for feedback. There were 6 locations identified and 382 labeled A through F. Location A is near Colorado Avenue and Page Mill Road. Location B is a 383 larger segment from El Dorado Avenue to Loma Verde Avenue that had been identified in 384 previous plans as having high opportunity for bike/ped connectivity. Location C is near Barron 385 Creek and El Verano Avenue. Location D is between Meadow Drive and Charleston Road with a 386 potential connection from Lindero Drive to Robles Park adjacent to Park Boulevard. Location E is 387 near Adobe Creek with a potential connection to Ely Place and Greenmeadow Way. Location F is 388 the San Antonio Road interchange, which could include a future connection at the adjacent San 389 Antonio Avenue or modification of the existing overpass structure. 390 There were 5 draft design priorities: to improve mobility, enhance user experience, maximize 391 ease of construction, enhance visual appeal, and minimize community impacts. The priorities 392 were based on project needs, goals, benefits, and themes documented in other plans and 393 studies prepared by the City. Mr. Coles wanted to know which priorities the Commission would 394 suggest as most or least important and why. 395 A slide showed a table of the evaluation criteria metrics for each of the 5 major design priorities. 396 Mr. Coles stated those will be how future crossings are compared against each other. Mr. Coles 397 said the goal is to put together a packet of information the community will use to make a 398 decision about which 2 crossings to move forward with. Mr. Coles asked for feedback on the 399 metrics, if any should be revised, or if anything was missing. 400 Public Comment: None. 401 Vice Chair Greenfield asked if the project will be returning to the PRC during Phase 2 for more 402 feedback. Vice Chair Greenfield clarified that there are 8 alternatives with only 6 identified sites 403 because there are multiple approaches to some sites. 404 Chair Freeman asked if the project will return to the PRC once meetings have occurred with all 5 405 Committees and Council even if the 2 proposed locations do not involve a park. 406 Mr. Coles said that was to be determined and would depend on which locations more forward. 407 The 8 crossing alternatives identified for Phase 1 will move through an alternative evaluation. 408 The project will likely return to the PRC if a location involves a park. Mr. Coles believed the City 409 Council would be the key decision-making body and as such would receive the information and 410 feedback from the 5 Committees. 411 Commissioner Kleinhaus commented that the draft priorities were good but wanted to include 412 minimizing impacts to parklands. 413 Commissioner Brown felt the accompanying pictures on page 72 of Attachment A were helpful. 414 Commissioner Brown opined the Colorado Avenue and Page Mill Road location offered the most 415 value for money, especially when considering connectivity to trains and potential to connect to 416 California Avenue and Park Boulevard. Commissioner Brown noted a park was near that 417 location. Commissioner Brown thought the constructability, whether it is feasible and cost-418 effective and able to be completed in a timely manner, was a top priority. 419 Vice Chair Greenfield felt the biggest connection gap was the El Dorado and Loma Verde 420 location. Vice Chair Greenfield thought the proximity of the Page Mill location to the California 421 Avenue tunnel could diminish the priority of that location. Vice Chair Greenfield opined it was 422 difficult to proceed with the Charleston and E Meadow location without knowing what the rail 423 crossing would look like and thought that neighborhood would be significantly impacted by the 424 rail crossing work. Vice Chair Greenfield felt it would be difficult to garner public support for 425 adding a bike lane to the existing overpass at San Antonio Road. Vice Chair Greenfield believed it 426 would be helpful for the Commission to have more information on the rail crossings and 427 impacts. Vice Chair Greenfield mentioned the length of the crossing could impact how much it 428 gets used. 429 Mr. Coles noted that options would be further looked at in Phase 2. The project team had been 430 exploring a variety of options for crossings, either over or under. Mr. Coles believed the project 431 team will rule out an overcrossing with the exception of the San Antonio Road overpass because 432 of the height of the Caltrain electrical lines, which are in excess of 20 to 30 feet. Mr. Coles 433 thought the majority of options expected in Phase 2 would be a variety of tunnel combinations. 434 There could be a separated, protected bike lane going down the center of the San Antonio Road 435 overpass. 436 Chair Freeman believed overcrossings would be cheaper and more expedient and asked if that 437 possibility would be eliminated for all locations. Chair Freeman questioned what methods were 438 in place to reach the large number of non-English speaking residents in order to ensure their 439 understanding and input. Chair Freeman queried how the project team will get feedback from 440 and address the high-injury corridors such as Oregon Expressway and El Camino Real. 441 Mr. Coles said the project team would consider all possible locations, not just the opportunity 442 locations. The project team was looking for consensus, input, and feedback from the 443 community, especially if a potential location was missed. There was an online survey that was 444 able to be translated. Attendees at Council meetings could receive translations in real time. 445 Other forms of outreach included social media posts, posts through Uplift Local, and sending out 446 over 1,500 mailers within a block of the rail corridor. Mr. Coles acknowledged most 447 communication was in English and expressed a willingness to speak with the consultant team on 448 identifying ways non-English speakers can contribute going forward. Mr. Coles said crossing 449 designs and a series of network improvements, some extending blocks away from the rail 450 corridor, will be put forward in the next phase. 451 Vice Chair Greenfield wanted to add route convenience as a sub-priority and felt safety was a 452 top priority. Vice Chair Greenfield highlighted the Stanford Mayfield playing fields as a busy 453 corridor for bicyclists and felt the community would like to avoid impacting existing parcels. Vice 454 Chair Greenfield was open to using a park area for an ingress or egress point for added 455 convenience if it is a more acceptable alternative to the community. 456 Commissioner Brown left the meeting at 9:39 p.m. 457 6. Approval of the Parks and Recreation Commission Workplan 458 Division Manager Sarah Robustelli suggested showing a working document of the workplan to 459 help facilitate discussion. 460 Vice Chair Greenfield asked for staff input on the suggestion to focus on creating an ad hoc for 461 Cubberley and tabling the rest of the discussion for the next meeting. 462 Director of Community Services Kristen O’Kane asked if there was interest in assigning ad hoc 463 members to Cubberley. 464 Ms. Robustelli noted Commissioner Wei and Commissioner Brown had left. The approach 465 previously discussed was to make edits to the workplan. Ms. Robustelli said if the Commissioners 466 still present could reach a consensus on the plan and on adding a Cubberley ad hoc, it would be 467 agendized as an action item for June’s meeting. 468 Chair Freeman said if it was decided Cubberley would be a separate ad hoc, it could be revisited 469 at the June meeting to discuss topics brought up at the retreat. Chair Freeman mentioned 470 reviewing the goals, objectives, and timelines from the consolidated document staff put 471 together and the potential at the next meeting for Commissioners to move from one ad hoc to 472 another. 473 Commissioner Kleinhaus asked about the potential overlap between the Cubberley ad hoc and 474 the gym. Commissioner Kleinhaus was concerned that, if the same people that serve on the 475 board of another group outside the forum that promotes the Wellness Center are on the ad hoc 476 for Cubberley, it would appear the ad hoc is prioritizing one element over potential others. 477 Ms. O’Kane mentioned combining the Recreation & Wellness Center and Cubberley since they 478 are part of the Cubberley masterplan. Ms. O’Kane suggested having 2 separate ad hoc as a 479 potential solution. 480 Chair Freeman believed the current Cubberley liaison would go away and become part of the ad 481 hoc presentation, which would provide input as to what is happening for Cubberley and the Palo 482 Alto Wellness Center, which includes the gym. Chair Freeman was willing to move off a couple ad 483 hoc. 484 Vice Chair Greenfield was concerned that 3 members of the Wellness Center ad hoc are part of 485 the nonprofit that is working on the Wellness Center. Vice Chair Greenfield felt there would be a 486 perception that support would be weighted towards the Wellness Center over other potential 487 considerations at Cubberley. Vice Chair Greenfield mentioned it was already agreed that there 488 were too many ad hoc for staff and the Commission. 489 Commissioner Kleinhaus asked what staff expected an additional ad hoc for Cubberley would 490 contribute to the process. 491 Ms. O’Kane had discussed with the City Manager about having joint meetings with the Council 492 ad hoc when appropriate and beneficial. Ms. O’Kane believed the PRC ad hoc would be helpful 493 once the operating model for the Community Center moves forward. Ms. O’Kane clarified the 494 operating model referred to how spaces are utilized and shared, what types of spaces are 495 available for nonprofits, and hourly versus long-term rentals. 496 Chair Freeman asked if that would lend itself to being a liaison as opposed to an ad hoc. 497 Ms. O’Kane said she believed it was more than a liaison. 498 Commissioner Kleinhaus opined there was time to look at operating model and voiced concern 499 over the potential for a small pool for a second ad hoc. 500 Commissioner Cribbs felt the Commission should do whatever possible to support Cubberley, 501 move it forward, and ensure it represents the needs of the community. Commissioner Cribbs 502 noted the Wellness Center arose from the need to have an indoor gym in Palo Alto but it did not 503 need to be at Cubberley. Commissioner Cribbs and Vice Chair Greenfield’s terms expire in 504 November. Commissioner Cribbs opined it was important to make a decision regarding the ad 505 hoc to encourage support. 506 Vice Chair Greenfield agreed an ad hoc was more appropriate than a liaison. Vice Chair 507 Greenfield suggested standardizing the terminology for the workplan timeline to ensure 508 consistency but was hesitant to make changes and discuss workplan items with the limited 509 group present. Vice Chair Greenfield felt the workplan was partially based on members of the ad 510 hoc working on the item and noted uncertainty regarding who will work on which ad hoc and 511 wondered if it was possible to create an ad hoc without assigning people to it. 512 Ms. Robustelli mentioned adjusting the workplan to create an ad hoc next month. Ms. Robustelli 513 felt there was support to add a Cubberley ad hoc separate from the Recreation & Wellness 514 Center, add some content from Director O’Kane, and bring it back to the June meeting for 515 approval of the workplan and creating an additional ad hoc. 516 Commissioner Kleinhaus suggested that staff give a comparison of the pros and cons of having 1 517 or 2 ad hoc for Cubberley and the Wellness Center. 518 Vice Chair Greenfield suggested Chair and Vice Chair meet with staff before the next meeting 519 and put together a skeleton draft workplan for what the Cubberley ad hoc would be doing with 520 options for uncertainties and look at refining other current ad hoc. 521 Commissioner Cribbs wanted to make sure the Commission had an opportunity to be involved in 522 what will happen at Cubberley. Commissioner Cribbs asked if there were any ad hoc not needed 523 for the coming year. 524 Vice Chair Greenfield agreed the Commission has been waiting to be asked to help with 525 Cubberley and felt it was the top priority. 526 Ms. O’Kane agreed to meet with the Chair and Vice Chair to come up with a more detailed 527 workplan to be reviewed at next month’s meeting. 528 Commissioner Kleinhaus had the impression that the Cubberley process was moving very fast 529 and Council was working with the consultants and wondered how much influence a PRC ad hoc 530 would have or if presentations would be more impactful. 531 Vice Chair Greenfield felt a key goal when drafting the workplan should be to answer that 532 question. 533 Ms. Robustelli summarized the decision to not fully hear the item this evening, have a staff 534 meeting with Chair and Vice Chair to create a draft workplan for the Cubberley ad hoc in 535 addition to Recreation Wellness Center, and to put the item earlier on the June agenda. The 536 current June agenda includes adopted budget, Cubberley update, and park dedication of FY26. 537 Chair Freeman proposed making this the number 1 agenda item but felt having 4 items would 538 not be too time consuming. Chair Freeman felt it was important for the PRC goals and objectives 539 to be included in the Cubberley project. 540 Vice Chair Greenfield suggested hearing the Cubberley update first and then discussing the 541 workplan at the June meeting. 542 Commissioner Kleinhaus asked who would be giving the Cubberley presentation and if the 543 presentation will be of 1 or 2 ad hoc or include alternatives. Commissioner Kleinhaus wanted 544 information on both options. 545 Ms. O’Kane said it will likely be a combination of staff and consultants. 546 Ms. Robustelli said the information could be outlined in a staff report. 547 Commissioner Cribbs clarified there was no ad hoc report tonight. 548 COMMISSIONER/BOARD MEMBER QUESTIONS, COMMENTS, ANNOUNCEMENTS OR FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS 549 Vice Chair Greenfield suggested adding ad hoc and liaison reports as the last business item on 550 the agenda. 551 Commissioner Cribbs to give ad hoc report in June. 552 ADJOURNMENT 553 Meeting adjourned at 10:07 p.m. 554