HomeMy WebLinkAboutStaff Report 171-05, r
City of Palo Alto
City Manager's Report
TO: HONORABLE CITY COUNCIL
FROM: CITY MANAGER DEPARTMENT: COMMUNITY SERVICES
DATE: APRIL 4, 2005 CMR: 171:05
SUBJECT: PARKS AND RECREATION COMMISSION 2005 PRIORITIES
This is an infonnational report and no Council action is required.
DISCUSSION
As part the annual planning process, the Parks and Recreation Commission (Commission) met in
December 2004. The outcome of this planning meeting was the establishment of the
Commission priorities for 2005. The Commission spent several hours developing and
prioritizing issues relative to parks and recreation activities.
Open space issues discussed included a Baylands Management Plan, management of the duck
pond, long range priority planning for open space weed control, a comprehensive city-wide trail
master plan and priority areas of land to target for possible acquisition.
Recreation issues included athletic fields, health and wellness, resources for teens, libraries in
relation to the Cubberley center use, changing demographics, and priorities in difficult economic
times.
Park ideas included operations and management of the golf division, parks maintenance levels of
service, additional community gardens, new park restrooms, tennis course use, undeveloped
acreage at Greer Park, and Park impact fees.
After long discussions and objectively ranking the ideas, the Commission agreed on the
following areas of concentration for 2005:
1. Baylands Management Plan
The Commission. will receive updates and provide input on the plan. The Commission
requests that dollar amounts be attached to the plan's recommendations. As part of the
initial input, the Commission wishes to discuss the definition of "conservation".
2. Improve the inventory of athletic fields
The Fields Report should be implemented and lighting, artificial turf and possible land
purchase be investigated.
CMR:171:05 Page 1 of2
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3. Review standards for park maintenance
The Commission will review and reevaluate the level of park maintenance service. Staff
will provide Commission with suggestions on maintenance priorities. The Commission's
Adopt-A-Park program is a tool that can be used to evaluate the level of service and if it is
sufficient, survey community needs and available resources. .
4. Review potential use of impact fees
Recommend to Council the prioritization for the use of park impact fees.
PREPAREDBY:~~~~~~~ ________________________ _
PAULDIAS
Division Manager, Parks & Golf
DEPARTMENT HEAD: ---~-------l-~~~~~~:::.:::::::======---
'------....,
CITY MANAGER APPROV AL: ___ ------""'f"-==----=-----:~~~.=__ ________ _
Assistant City Manager
ATTACHMENTS
Attachment A Parks and Recreation Commission minutes from its November and
December 2004 meetings
Cc: Parks & Recreation Commission
CMR:171:05 Page 2 of2
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MINUTES
PARKS & RECREATION COMMISSION
SPECIAL MEETING
COMMISSION RETREAT
November 23, 2004
Palo Alto Golf Course
4444 Embarcadero Road
APPROVED
Commissioners Present: Anne Warner Cribbs, Ellie Gioumousis, Jennifer Hagan, Edie
Keating, Paul Losch, Jeanette Marquess and Judith Steiner
Commissioners Absent: None
Others Present: Jim Burch, Council Liaison
Staff Present: Dan Williams, Greg Betts, Richard James, Rob de Geus, Paul
Dias, Catherine Bourquin, and Virginia Gibbons
CALL TO ORDER: Meeting called to order by Chairperson Edie Keating at 5:00 pm
ROLL CALL: Conducted by Virginia Gibbons.
AGENDA CHANGES, REQUESTS, and DELETIONS:
change Item #5 to Item #4.
ORAL COMMUNICATIONS:
Move Item #4 to Item #5 and
1. Rita Morgin, 600 Channing Ave.,Palo Alto: requested that the Commission make a formal
request to the City Arborist and Parks Maintenance to clear out the dead trees and cut back
the ivy growth around the Main Garden site. The ivy has become a home for rats and yellow
jackets and people have been stung walking through this section of the garden. The dead
trees and low limbs are a hazard if they should fall.
BUSINESS:
1. Approval of Draft Minutes of October' 26, 2004 Meeting. Minutes were approved without
-change. Commissioners Steiner and Hagan abstained from voting as they were not present at
the October meeting.
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APPROVED
2. Opening Comments, Exercise. Chair Keating requested that Commissioners and staff take
a minute to tell the group what they would do if they had a free afternoon.
3. Update on the CSD Restructuring Plan. Richard James provided the Commission with
details regarding the restructuring of Community Services Division. This included
management title changes, retirements, changes in direct report staff, staff cross-training, and
frozen positions that will not be filled in the foreseeable future.
4. 2005 Commission Priorities and Development of Annual Work Plan.
Vote Summary
OSS #1: 5
OSS #2: 0
OSS #3: 2
OSS #4: 3
OSS #5: 1
REC #1:
REC#2:
REC#3:
REC#4:
REC#5:
REC#6:
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Key: OSS = Open Space & Sciences
REC = Recreation
P&G = Parks & Golf
Commission's Top 4 Priorities for 2005
P & G#I: 0
P & G#2: 4
P & G#3: 1
P & G#4: 1
P&G#5: 2
P& G#6: 3
P&G#7: 4
OSS #1:
REC #1:
Development of a Baylands Management Plan
Athletic Fields
P&G#2:
P&G#7:
Parks maintenance -"level of acceptable maintenance services"
Use of park impact fees
Discussion Summary
Open Space
1. Development of a Baylands Management Plan (5 votes)
• Yacht harbor
.• Duckpond
2. Management of the duck pond (0 votes)
• Duck chow machine
• Flood control
3. Long-range priority plan for weed control (2 votes)
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• Recognition/support of volunteers
• , Community involvement
4. Comprehensive city-wide trail master plan (3 votes)
• Foothill Park access
• Neighborhood to park access
• Stanford trails
5. Priority areas ofland to target for acquisition (1 vote)
• Los Altos treatment plan
• Bressler property
Recreation
1. Athletic Fields (5 votes)
• Acquisition of land
'. Lighting
• Artificial turf
2. Health and Wellness -Attitude of developing a culture of fitness. (3 votes)
• Public relations
• Education
• Marketing
3. Resources needed for teens. (0 votes)
• Middle schools
• Cooperate with libraries
• Programmatic
4. Libraries, to the extent that we need to take a fresh look at resources (Le.,
Cubberley/Recreation). (3 votes)
• Long-term use of Cubberley
• Facilities
• Combine community centers
• Facilities management plan
APPROVED
5. Preparing for changing demographics (Le., the major increase in 50+ segment). (3 votes)
• Work with homeless resources
• Revenues
• Map demographics (over/under served), level of services
• Programs to support demographics
• Opportunities to work with A venidas
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6. Help set priorities given the poor economic outlook. (2 votes)
• Increase user fees
• Fee reductions/scholarships
• Partnerships (business, community private)
• Opportunity for city rentals
Parks and Golf
1. Operations and management of Golf Division (0 votes)
2. Parks maintenance -"level of acceptable maintenance services" (4 votes)
• Volunteer opportunities
• Adopt-a-park
• User survey
3. Additional community gardens in current parks spaces (1 vote) .
• Additional workload
4. Park restroom policy and priorities (1 vote)
• Use of impact fees (regulatory decision) (1 vote)
5. Tennis court use (2 votes)
• Greer?
• Lighting (Cubberley)
• Fees (for lighting)
6. Greer park undeveloped acreage (3 votes)
• Neighborhood wants
• Expenses for development
• Trade/sell
• Complete Greer
7. Use of park impact fees (4 votes)
• Dollars dedicated to Mayfield
• Staff direction (restrooms)
• Plan to use
APPROVED
8. Update on CSD Strategic Plan. Richard James gave the Commission an update on the
Community Services Strategic Plan. The 5-year plan is expected to be completed in the
spring, and will include the mission of CSD, identifying challenges, and focus on diversity of
programs.
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APPROVED
9. Information and Recommendations from the Fields Subcommittee. Jeanette Marquess
distributed copies of the committee's report, which included recommendations and next
steps. This item will be placed on the December agenda as an action item.
10. December Meeting Date. The next meeting of the Commission will be held on December
14,2004.
AGENDA FOR DECEMBER 14, 2004 MEETING
1. Recommendations from the Fields Subcommittee -Action Item -Anne Warner Cribbs (5
min.)
2. Update, Stanford Trails Environmental Impact Report
3. Community Gardens, Incorporate Rules into Park Policy and. Procedures. -Action Item -
Greg Betts (5 min.) .
ADJOURNMENT
Meeting adjourned at 8:50 p.m.
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I'kU(;ItAM
MINUTES
PARKS & RECREATION COMMISSION
REGULAR MEETING
December 14, 2004
Lucie Stern Community Center
1305 Middlefield Road
Commissioners Present: Anne Warner Cribbs, Ellie Gioumousis, Jennifer Hagan, Edie
Keating, Paul Losch, Jeanette Marquess and Judith Steiner
Commissioners Absent: None
Others Present: None
Staff Present: Dan Williams, Greg Betts, Rob de Geus, Paul Dias, and
Virginia Gibbons
CALL TO ORDER: Meeting called to order by Chair Edie Keating at 6:05 pm
ROLLCALL: Conducted by Virginia Gibbons.
AGENDA CHANGES, REQUESTS, and DELETIONS: Commissioner
Warner Cribbs will present Item #2 instead of Commissioner Losch.
ORAL COMMUNICATIONS: None
BUSINESS:
1. Approval of Draft Minutes of November 23, 2004 Special Meeting. The
Commissioners unanimously approved the minutes, subject to two corrections.
2. Recommendations from ,the Fields Subcommittee. ,After a short review of the
report, Commissioner Warner Cribbs requested that the Commission support the
Fields Subcommittee Report and recommend the following the actions to City
Council:
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A. Incorporate into the City's five-year Capital ImprovementProgram, installation of
sports turf at Cubberley football field, Greer Park Field #3, 'and the EI Camino
soccer field. '
B. Identify funding for athletic field sports turf installations -these could include
grants, impact fees, corporate partner sponsorships, community donations and
increased user fees.
C. After consideration of community and neighborhood concerns, install lighting at
the above fields.
MOTION: Commissioner Gioumousis made a motion that the P ARC support the
Fields Subcommittee Report and make recommendations to City Council. The motion
was seconded by Commissioner Marquess. FOR: 7 (Warner Cribbs, Gioumousis,
Hagan, Keating, Losch, Marquess, and Steiner) AGAINST: O.
Commissioner Warner Cribbs also requested that the Commission approve the Fields
Sub-committee Report's next steps:
1. Endorsement of the Sub-committee report by the PARCo
2. Write a memo to council soliciting Council support.
3. Maintain vigilance on Mayfield progress.
4. With staff, investigate which of these options could be included in the CIP
process.
5. Create short, intermediate and long-term plan including timelines and budget.
6. Identify potential land to purchase.
7. Develop outreachlfundraising plan to involve community, user groups and
PAUSD.
3. Community Gardens -Incorporate Rules into Park Policy and Procedures. Greg
Betts briefly reviewed this item, which was discussed at the November meeting and
requested that the Commission approve therequest.
MOTION: Commissioner Losch made a motion that the, Commission approve the
request to incorporate the community garden rules into th'e Park Policy and
procedures. The motion was seconded by Commissioner Marquess. FOR: 7
(Warner Cribbs, Gioumousis, Hagan, Keating, Losch, Marquess, and Steiner)
AGAINST: O.
4. Update, Stanford Trails Environmental Impact Report. Greg Betts gave the
Commission a brief update on the status of the report and noted that he will keep the
Commission informed on its progress.
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5. Commission Training. Dan Williams noted that a training class will be held in
February and requested that the Commissioners sign up for the training session.
Virginia Gibbons will register the participating Commissioners in one of the two
sessions per their request.
6. Follow-up Discussion of the Commission's 2005 Priorities from the November
. 23, 2004 Meeting. The Commission reviewed and worked on the wording of their
priorities.
1. Baylands Management (or Resource) Plan. Greg Betts noted that a Request for
Proposal for a conservation planning document is to go out to bid within the next
four months. There should be a preliminary plan by October or November of
2005, with the plan being finalized by January 2006. Commissioner Losch
requested that dollar amounts be attached to the plan's recommendations. It was
suggested that the initial step include a review of the auditor's report, a scope of
services be developed for the creation of a comprehensive plan, and that the word
"conservation" be defined .
. 2. The Fields Report should be implemented and that lighting, artificial turf and
possible land purchase be investigated.
3. Review and reevaluate the level of park maintenance service and provide the
Commission with feedback on maintenance priorities. The Commission's Adopt a
Park program is a tool that can be used to evaluation the level of service and if it is
sufficient, survey community needs and available resources.
4. Prioritize the use of park impact fees. It was suggested that the completion of
mid-town/Greer Park be made a high priority and that review of the tennis court
survey may be necessary.
AGENDA FOR JANUARY 25, 2005 MEETING
1. Approval of Draft Minutes of December 14, 2004 Meeting
2. Election of Officers.
3. Finalize Commission's Top Priorities for 2005
4. Work Plan Topics Update
5. Renaming a playing field for Richard Beckwith.
6. Park Impact Fees
7. Greer Park/Midtown Review (Cribbs)
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ADJOURNMENT
Meeting adjourned at 8:15 p.m.
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