HomeMy WebLinkAboutStaff Report 2411 City of Palo Alto (ID # 2411)
City Council Staff Report
Report Type: Meeting Date: 4/23/2012
April 23, 2012 Page 1 of 14
(ID # 2411)
Summary Title: El Camino Park Improvement Project
Title: Approval of the Use of $2,275,796 of Park Development Impact Fees to
Fund Park Improvements at El Camino Park in Conjunction With Utilities
Department CIP WS-08002 El Camino Park Reservoir Project
From: City Manager
Lead Department: Community Services
Recommendation
Staff recommends that the Council:
1) Accept the Community Services Department (CSD) and the Parks and
Recreation Commission’s recommendations for the approval of the (pre-
Architectural Review Board reviewed) design for park improvements at
El Camino Park, including pathways, a synthetic turf playing field, a
multi-use natural turf playing field, landscaping, an expanded parking
lot, a dog exercise area, and other amenities (Attachment A); and
2) Accept CSD‘s recommendation that $2,275,796 of Park Development
Impact Fees (impact fees) be used to fund staff’s tentative list of
improvements to El Camino Park (Attachment B); and
3) Defer the actual construction of the Council and Park and Recreation
Commission’s recommended dog exercise area until an environmental
assessment can be completed for Stanford University’s approval, and
until funding can be identified and secured.
Executive Summary
Since June 2010, staff and the Parks and Recreation Commission (Commission)
have discussed possible park improvements at El Camino Park that could coincide
with construction of the Utilities Department’s El Camino Park Emergency Water
Reservoir Project (CIP WS-08002). On June 13, 2011 (CMR # 1746), Council
reviewed and approved in concept the park improvement design (as then
recommended by the Commission), and instructed staff to add a dog park and
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additional parking to the design; and then to return to the Commission for final
design approval.
At their September 27, 2011 regular meeting, the Commission approved a revised
design of the project that accommodated additional parking and a dog exercise
area. The Commission, however, felt that the $2,622,010 cost estimate for the
project would not leave enough in the Park Development Impact Fee account for
future park needs. The current Park Development Impact Fee balance is
$2,813,245. The Commission recommended that staff look to other funding
sources to pay for the dog exercise area ($207,000) and the expanded parking lot
($342,260).
Staff recommends that the Council approve the final proposed design and the
expenditure of $2,275,796 to fund the renovation of El Camino Park including the
list of improvements. Staff understands and appreciates the Commission’s
concern about using a significant portion of the impact fee balance, but given the
critical need for parking to accommodate anticipated increased park usage, staff
has included the expanded parking lot in the recommendation for impact fee
funding. Since the Commission felt that the dog park was a non-essential
improvement, staff further recommends deferring this portion of the project until
a future date when the impact fee balance has replenished; and a finalized design
and an environmental assessment and can be funded and completed to the
satisfaction of Stanford University (landowner).
Staff recognizes that there are many recommendations for capital improvement
funding in the Infrastructure Blue Ribbon Committee Report, and staff is hesitant
to further impact the already heavily committed capital improvement budget by
recommending new capital improvement projects funded by the General Fund at
this time.
Background
The Project, which began with construction on the Utilities reservoir and ancillary
buildings, has created a unique opportunity for the City to leverage time and
resources to improve several areas of the popular park. Since June 2010, the
Commission has discussed park design improvements at nine regular meetings
and one special on-site meeting at the park.
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● June 22, 2010- Utilities Department project managers presented to the
Commission an update on the El Camino Park Reservoir Project. The Commission
agreed with staff this was an opportunity to improve the park and significantly
expand recreational and sports opportunities in the north part of Palo Alto (as
recommended in the 2002 Field Report).
● June 29, 2010- A special Commission meeting was held at the park. Staff,
Commissioners and members of the public brain-stormed ideas for possible
improvements for the park. These ideas included synthetic turf fields, new public
bathroom, improved pathways and many other creative suggestions such as an
outdoor volleyball court or a BMX bike track.
● July 27, 2010- The Commission made a motion to ask staff to submit its list of
improvement ideas to Siegfried Engineering Inc., the landscape architect firm
designing the Project, to evaluate feasibility and possible design and construction
costs.
● September 28, 2010- Many of the Commission’s suggested park improvements
were included in the draft park project design. The Commission offered additional
feedback on the draft design. The Commission sent a memo to the City Council
recommending that Council find a way to fund park improvements at El Camino
Park as opposed to simply rebuilding the park as it was prior to the reservoir
project.
● October 26, 2010- Siegfried presented the Commission with an update on the
conceptual design of the Project. The Commission provided additional input on
the design.
● January 25, 2011- Siegfried presented the Commission with five refined design
options with varying pathway, parking, amenity and field configurations for their
consideration. The Commission asked to see a combination of three of the refined
designs, and highlighted the importance of expanding public parking to
accommodate the anticipated significant expansion of field and park use
generated by the redesign of the park.
● February 22, 2011- Staff presented a conceptual design incorporating the
Commission’s feedback, and presented two options for the use of impact fee to
fund the improvements (discussed in detail below).
● On June 13, 2011, staff presented the Council with a recommendation for using
impact fees to fund improvements at El Camino Park (CMR 1746; Attachment C).
The Council approved the motion 8-1 (Price opposed) of using $1,420,500 of
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impact fees for the Commission and staff’s recommendation of improvements at
El Camino Park with six amendments. The Council instructed staff to:
1. Pursue connectivity at the north (across Alma Street to the pathway) and
south end of the park (past the train station) for pedestrians and bicycles.
(See the bike/pedestrian page on Attachment A)
2. Return to the Parks and Recreation Commission for final design approval.
(The Commission reviewed and approved the final design recommendation
on September 27, 2011.)
3. Incorporate bike racks into the final design. (Fifteen bike racks have been
added to the design- each rack supports two bikes)
4. Return within 90 days with an alternative to the current PF zoning that
would be more restrictive or restricted to recreational uses so as to create a
disincentive for other uses in the future. (Staff has confirmed that the PF
zoning is the most restrictive zoning available for this property.)
5. Incorporate into the final design some type of dog exercise area and
provide more details on public parking to ensure that there will be no
overflow parking into the adjoining neighborhood. (A dog park and
additional parking are included in the recommended design; however, staff
proposes deferring the final design and construction of the dog exercise
area portion until impact fee funds have replenished and an environmental
assessment is completed to address Stanford University’s environmental
concerns.)
6. Pursue an extended term lease with Stanford University for El Camino Park
beyond the current June 2033 expiration date. (City staff is in discussion
with Stanford University regarding a possible nine year extension for the
lease for El Camino Park to 2042.)
● June 21, 2011- Staff returned to the Commission to discuss the options for dog
exercise area locations as directed by Council on June 13, 2011. Staff presented
the Commission with five options for possible dog exercise area locations for their
consideration. The Commission voted 3:2 to recommend installing a dog exercise
area in the north side of the El Camino Park between Palo Alto Avenue/Alma
Street and San Francisquito Creek in an unimproved section of El Camino Park.
One of the dissenting Commissioners favored a dog park at the south end of the
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park; the other dissenting Commissioner preferred creating a shared ball field and
dog exercise area rather than a new area in the north part of the park.
● July 26, 2011- Staff returned to the Commission to discuss the options for
additional parking as directed by the Council on June 13, 2011. Staff presented
five options for their consideration. The Commission concurred with staff and
chose to recommend Option E, which added an additional 29 parking spaces (for a
total of 71 spaces). During the review the Commission highlighted the need to
include improvements for a convenient passenger loading/unloading area into
the parking lot design. (After adding the loading and unloading area to the final
parking lot design, there are an additional 26 parking spaces, for a total of 68
spaces.)
● September 27, 2011- Staff returned to the Commission to seek their
recommendation to the Council for the final design (as directed by the Council on
June 13, 2011). The Commission stated that they support the revised design;
however, they felt funding for the dog exercise area ($207,000 plus contingency)
and the expanded parking lot ($450,000 plus contingency) should come from
some source other than Park Development Impact fees. The Commission agreed
that expanding the parking lot at El Camino Park is critically important. They also
noted that the dog exercise area is a nice, but non-essential feature at this time.
The cost of the final design including the dog exercise area and the expanded
parking lot is $2,503,496. The cost of the final design without the dog exercise
area and expanded parking lot would be $1,899,310. If the dog exercise area and
the expanded parking lot were funded by other means, the impact fee balance
would be $913,935. (Sept. 27, 2011 Staff Report Attachment D)
Throughout these meetings the Commission raised questions and made
comments about pedestrian/bike access to the park, the replacement restroom
location (specifically related to safety and access), tree protection efforts,
maximizing parking spaces to accommodate the expansion of field and
recreational use, fencing possibilities for a joint-use dog exercise area, and
lighting improvements. In addition to the Commission’s guidance on design
features, Recreation staff has collected insight from various field user groups
(during the annual field booking process) regarding preferred field design features
such as synthetic turf, field size, and multi-use designs to accommodate growing
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interest in sports such as lacrosse. This input provided direction for the current
design of park improvements.
Discussion
Siegfried Engineering Inc. designers incorporated the Council, the Commission,
and staff’s recommendations regarding site features to create a final site design
for improvements at El Camino Park (Attachment A). The design includes a
synthetic turf soccer/lacrosse field on the north-end of the park, and a natural
turf softball/multi-use field on the south-end near the transit station. The
recommended design includes an expanded parking lot that adds 26 parking
spaces and a new loading/unloading area to the existing parking lot (total of 68
spaces), and a future dog exercise area.
Dog Exercise Area
The dog exercise area design allows for a fenced dog exercise area located in the
undeveloped north side of El Camino Park next to San Francisquito Creek. There is
an existing light pole in the area that would provide use of the dog exercise area
in the evening. The approximately .5 acre (about the size of half a football field)
dog run would have a wood chip base, benches, and a water fountain for humans
and a special spigot for dogs.
Stanford University requires certain mitigations to ensure that the dog exercise
area will not contaminate San Francisquito Creek and trout habitat. The City
would need to hire a consultant to help ensure the dog exercise area design
avoids runoff into the creek and mitigates other potential environmental impacts.
Although the use of the northern most portion of El Camino Park appears to be an
appropriate location for a dog exercise area that can serve the needs of residents
of North Palo Alto, because of its proximity to protected riparian habitat, the
need to mitigate any possible impacts to the creek, and serious funding
limitations, staff does not recommend final design and construction of the dog
exercise area at this time.
The Commission noted that they are in full support of dog exercise areas in Palo
Alto. However, they argued that it would be better to save the balance of impact
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fee money for future City-wide park needs, rather than to spend the impact fee
money on a dog exercise area at El Camino Park at this time. Staff considered the
possibility of funding the dog exercise area through other means, including
General Fund Capital Improvement Project (CIP) funds. However, the funding for
CIP projects is extremely limited, and populated with higher priority needs such as
replacing the restroom at El Camino Park. Once funds are available and a final El
Camino Park dog exercise area design is created and approved by Stanford
University, staff will ensure that its final design compliments the other dog
exercise areas in Palo Alto at Hoover, Greer, and Mitchell Parks.
If the Council opted to go beyond staff’s recommendation and fund the dog
exercise area with impact fees, the cost of the dog park would be $207,000 (plus
contingency), which would make the total cost for all the improvements to El
Camino Park $2,503,496. This would leave a balance in the impact fees of only
$309,749.
El Camino Park Restrooms
The existing cinder-block restroom building at El Camino Park was built in 1940.
The restroom is in very poor condition. Access for handicapped patrons is limited
and fixtures are outdated. The restroom must be removed to accommodate the
expanded parking lot and the synthetic turf field at the north end of the park. The
design illustrates the new location of the restroom, which will be located towards
the end of the parking lot between the two fields. The new restroom will cost
approximately $300,000. A new restroom cannot be funded with impact fees,
because impact fees cannot be used to replace or repair existing infrastructure.
Staff has submitted a separate CIP funding request for a new restroom at El
Camino Park for fiscal year 2013, which would allow for the restroom to be built
at the same time as the other El Camino Park improvements. In addition to this
centrally-located restroom, there is also a JC Decaux automated public toilet
(accommodates only one person at a time) located in the undeveloped, southern
most portion of the park near the Red Cross parking lot.
Other Design Elements
The final design also includes a new decomposed granite (DG) exercise pathway
with security lighting, mulch for the non-turf areas, soccer catchment fencing,
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four picnic tables, a maintenance equipment storage shed, and electric conduit
and footings, which will allow for adding soccer field lighting at a future time
without the need to renovate the synthetic turf. Fifteen bike racks have also been
added to the design (each rack supports two bikes).
Tree Impacts
The current park design requires the removal of two sweetgum (Liquidambar
styraciflua) trees (size of the two trees: 17.4’’ and 20.4’’ diameter at chest height
(dbh)) for the project, and the removal of one old Monterey Pine tree for safety
reasons. The project also requires relocating two small coastal redwood trees
(size of trees 2.2’’ and 2.3’’ dbh) in the park. Thirty-six new trees will be planted in
the park as part of the recommended design.
Trail Connectivity
Staff is pursuing trail connectivity at the north end of the park (across Palo Alto
Avenue to the existing multi-use pathway) and south end of the park (past the
train station) for pedestrians and bicycles. Planning & Transportation and Parks
staff will hire a contractor to perform a traffic safety study to confirm the best
route for the connectivity at the north end of the park and the exact position of a
safe crosswalk on Alma Street. Staff is also working with Stanford University and
MacArthur Park to improve the pedestrian and bicycle connectivity at the south
end of the park. Staff is requesting that a concrete sidewalk be installed to allow
for pedestrians and bicyclists to continue from the corner of University Ave at El
Camino Real across the front of the MacArthur Park Restaurant past the top of
Circle Drive and connect to the existing Class I multi-use trail that runs past the
Palo Alto Medical Foundation and Palo Alto High School. (See Page 6 of
Attachment A for a map illustrating trail connectivity.)
Zoning Options
The Council directed staff to return with an alternative to the current PF (Public
Facility) zoning designation that would be “more restrictive” or restricted to
recreational uses so as to create a disincentive for other uses in the future.
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According to Curtis Williams, Director of Planning, the PF zoning is the most
restrictive zoning possible for the El Camino Park property. The PF zoning
designation does not allow for residential development.
Cost Increases
The Council’s request (June 13, 2011) to include significantly expanded parking
($342,260) and a dog run ($207,000) added significant costs to the project.
Design, engineering services and construction management is estimated to be at
least $400,000. The significant increase is because of field and parking lot grading
issues, tree conservation efforts, and lack of City staff to assume construction
management and engineering services duties as previously projected. A 10%
contingency for the park improvements ($206,891) was also not included in the
cost estimate in previous staff reports, but has now been added. There were also
previously undisclosed costs from the landscape architect for restoration planting
of perimeter trees, reseeding some turf areas and irrigating the natural grass area
north of the synthetic turf ($89,000).
Stanford University Lease for El Camino Park
Part of the approved June 13, 2011 Council motion was a directive for staff to
pursue an extended term lease with Stanford University for El Camino Park
beyond the current June 2033 expiration date. Palo Alto Utilities Department had
previously secured permanent easements for areas of the park where the
reservoir and pump station are located in order to protect the sizeable
investment in the infrastructure.
Given the large investment the City is making in developing and enhancing other
parts of the park, the Council expressed its desire to pursue options for extending
the City’s lease for El Camino Park.
A request was submitted by the Real Estate Division’s staff to Stanford University
to consider the extension of the lease. The City Attorney’s Office and the City
Manager’s Office are in discussion with Stanford University regarding Stanford’s
Campus Energy System Improvement Project which would replace the existing
campus heating and cooling co-generation plant with a state of the art and energy
efficient facility. Certain portions of the development are subject to the City’s
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approval under the Sand Hill Development Agreement. Stanford’s new energy
facility, located on the academic campus and in Santa Clara County’s jurisdiction,
is restricted by the development by the Development Agreement for nine years.
Stanford University has proposed extending the El Camino Park lease by nine
years commensurate with their request to allow early development of the energy
facility. Should the Council amend the Development Agreement, the El Camino
Park lease would then expire June 2042. This matter will be brought to Council for
consideration in the near future.
Other Park Projects Fundable by Impact Fees
Staff has identified several other park projects that meet the impact fee funding
requirements. These projects include:
1. Phase II Byxbee Park. The Baylands Master Plan states that park
development of Phase II at Byxbee Park Hills would cost as much as
$2,067,700 (in 1989 dollars) if all aspects of the conceptual plan were
implemented. This cost estimate was done in 1989 and was based on a
conceptual plan. Given the age and conceptual nature of the plan, staff
recommends re-examining and updating the plan. For example, the 1989
conceptual plan envisioned the construction of an additional parking lot,
the creation of a paved astronomical viewing platform, and the use of
expensive construction elements that staff feel need to be reevaluated and
prioritized based on current park user needs. CSD staff is currently working
with Public Works staff to construct the access path/trail system for Phase
II. The alignment of the shared access path/trail system is very similar to
the layout of the 1991 Hargreaves Phase II trail plan.
2. Cubberley Snack Shack/Restroom. This project is projected to cost
$220,000. Because the lease for Cubberley expires in 2014, staff
recommends deferring this project until a new lease that will ensure that
community access is in place.
3. Cubberley Tennis Court Lighting. This project is projected to cost $130,000.
Because the lease for Cubberley expires in 2014, staff recommends
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deferring this project until a new lease that ensures community access is in
place.
Staff suggests that these projects, and any additional park projects that could be
funded by impact fees, should be discussed at a future Park and Recreation
Commission meeting where the Commission could review the Infrastructure Blue
Ribbon Commission’s recommendations and findings, and then consider creating
a revised top ten list of projects to be funded by impact fees that could be
brought to Council for review.
Park Project Timeline
● September 2011 Begin Phase 1 Construction (reservoir, pump station, etc.)
● May 2012 Architectural Review Board Review Phase 2 Park improvements
● January 2013 Complete Phase 1 (reservoir, pump station, etc.)
● June 2013 Begin Phase 2 (park improvement construction)
● March 2014 Complete Phase 2 (park re-opens to the public)
Resource Impact
The El Camino Park Improvement Project would utilize $2,275,796 of the total
$2,813,245 in the park impact fee account. This would leave a balance of
$537,449 for future projects at this time.
At the June 13 2011, City Council meeting, staff anticipated having a balance of
$1,379,500 in the impact fee account. However, the additional Council directed
park features (expanded parking lot and dog run) and design, engineering and
construction services, and other unanticipated costs have significantly increased
the cost of the project.
Park Development Impact Fees
The Nexus report projected $1.3 million annual revenue from the Park
Development Impact Fees (based on ABAG forecasts of population and
employment).
Actual Impact fees collected since 2006:
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FY 2006 $470,000
FY 2007 $1,041,000
FY 2008 $1,316,000
FY 2009 $218,000
FY 2010 $352,000
FY 2011 $151,203
FY 2012 (to Dec.) $173,483
Maintenance Costs Associated with Park Improvements
Converting the north natural turf field (1.5 acres) to synethic turf will reduce
water, fertilizer, seed, rodent control, and mowing expenses at El Camino Park by
approximately $43,131 per year. The synthetic turf will require approximately
$3,447 in annual maintenance costs. The increase in maintenance cost due to the
new dog exercise area, trails, picnic tables, and increase in associated trash and
litter would be approximately $6,530 per year. The overall net decrease in annual
operating costs associated with the improvements in the park would be
approximately $33,154.
Utilities Department Contribution
The Utilities Department’s water bond funds will contribute approximately
$1,641,790 towards the basic cost of the park reconstruction. This contribution is
what the Utilities Department would have paid to restore the park to its original
condition after the impacts from the reservoir project. The $1,641,790 has
already been factored into the calculation of the funds needed for the park
improvements. The $2,275,796 from impact fees, combined with the contribution
from Utilities, is necessary to fund the additional park improvements (excluding
the dog park).
Limited General Funds to pay for El Camino Park Improvements
The Administrative Services staff advise that unless all available impact fees are
used to fund this project, or some of the park improvement features are removed
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or deferred, the project will place significant pressure on available General Funds
for infrastructure rehabilitation. Furthermore, it should be noted that this
project’s improvements have not been included in the Infrastructure Blue Ribbon
Committee (IBRC) report so it can be placed in context of overall General Fund
infrastructure needs. This information about the limited General Funds influenced
CSD staff’s recommendation to fund the expanded parking lot with impact fees
and to defer the dog exercise area until more funding is available.
Policy Implications
The proposed park improvements are consistent with Policy C-26 of the
Community Services element of the Comprehensive Plan that encourages
maintaining park facilities as safe and healthy community assets; and Policy C-22
that encourages new community facilities to have flexible functions to ensure
adaptability to the changing needs of the community.
The proposed project is consistent with the goals of the 2002 Athletic Fields
Report.
This project is also consistent with Parks and Recreation Commission policy that
staff carefully consider the construction of dog exercise facilities for large
neighborhood or regional parks when designing park improvements.
Environmental Review
The Utilities Department’s El Camino Park Reservoir Project is subject to
environmental review under provisions of the California Environmental Quality
Act (CEQA). An EIR has been completed for this project in accordance with the
CEQA requirements. An addendum to the EIR will be prepared to incorporate the
additional park improvements called out in Attachment B.
A separate study would need to be commissioned for the review of the future dog
exercise area to ensure that the design specifically addresses the concern of
Stanford University.
Attachments:
ATTACHMENT A -El Camino Park Final Design (PDF)
ATTACHMENT B- Park Improvements Funded By Park Development Impact Fees (PDF)
April 23, 2012 Page 14 of 14
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ATTACHMENT C - June 13, 2011 CMR El Camino Park Improvement Project (PDF)
ATTACHMENT D - Sept 27, 2011 Parks and Recreation Commission Staff Report El Camino
Park (PDF)
Prepared By: Daren Anderson,
Department Head: Greg Betts, Director, Community Services
City Manager Approval: ____________________________________
James Keene, City Manager
Staff Recommended Impact Fee Use
at El Camino Park
Attachment B
Improvements Impact Fee Costs
Design, CA, and Construction Management 400,000$
Remove or Relocate Existing Trees 7,500$
Soccer Catchment Fence $ 62,500
8 foot Safety Fence $ 10,000
Synthetic Turf Soccer Field $ 809,000
New Storage Building $ 19,000
Trash Enclosure $ 25,000
Existing Restroom Demolition $ 10,000
Concrete Pathways and Flatwork $ 98,930
Extended D.G.. Pathway $ 36,000
Extended D.G.. Pathway Lighting $ 67,500
Electric Conduit for Soccer Field Lighting $ 36,715
Additional Parking with Drop Off, Lighting,
and Landscaping
$ 342,260
Picnic Areas and Bike Racks $ 25,000
Rubber Mulch Areas $ 30,000
Re-Seed and Irrigate North Grass Area and
Plant Perimeter Trees
$ 89,500
Contingency(10%) $ 206,891
Dog Park Including Contingency $ (207,000 + 10%) Defer project 0
Total:2,275,796$
Park Development Impact Fee Fund 2,813,245$
Park Development Impact Fee Balance 537,449$
City of Palo Alto (ID # 1746)
City Council Staff Report
Report Type: Action ItemsMeeting Date: 6/13/2011
June 13, 2011 Page 1 of 11
(ID # 1746)
Summary Title: El Camino Park
Title: Approval of Park Development Impact Fees to Fund Park Improvements at
El Camino Park in Conjunction With Utilities Department CIP WS-08002 El
Camino Park Resevoir Project
From:City Manager
Lead Department: Community Services
Recommendation
Staff recommends that the Council:
1.Approve the Parks and Recreation Commission and staff’s suggested use of
$1,420,500 of Park Development Impact Fees (impact fees) to fund the
Parks and Recreation Commission’s recommended list of improvements to
El Camino Park (Attachment A); and
2.Direct staff to pursue a long-term lease with Stanford for EL Camino Park
beyond the current June 2033 expiration date.
Executive Summary
Since June 2010, staff and the Parks and Recreation Commission (Commission)
have discussed possible park improvements at El Camino Park that could coincide
with construction of the Utilities Department’s El Camino Park Reservoir Project
(CIP WS-08002) (Project). With the Commission’s guidance, staff created a list of
improvements (e.g., synthetic turf soccer/lacrosse field, expanded parking, and
new pathways) that can be funded by impact fees. Staff is recommending that
Council approve the use of impact fees to fund the list of improvements at El
Camino Park.
Background
The Project, which is currently in its final stage of design for the reservoir and
ancillary buildings, has created a unique opportunity for the City to leverage time
and resources to improve several areas of the popular park. Since June 2010, the
June 13, 2011 Page 2 of 11
(ID # 1746)
Commission has discussed park design improvements at six regular meetings and
one special on-site meeting at the park.
June 22, 2010-The Utilities Department presented to the Commission an
update on the El Camino Park Reservoir Project. The Commission decided this was
an opportunity to improve the park.
June 29, 2010-A special Commission meeting was held at the park. Staff,
Commissioners, and members of the public brain-stormed ideas for possible
improvements for the park which included synthetic turf fields, new public
bathroom, improved pathways among many other creative ideas such as an
outdoor volleyball court or BMX track.
July 27, 2010-The Commission made a motion to have its list of improvement
ideas forwarded to Siegfried Engineering Inc., the landscape architect firm
designing the Project, to evaluate feasibility and possible costs.
September 28, 2010-Many of the Commission’s suggested park improvements
were included in the draft park project design. The Commission decided to move
forward with making a recommendation to Council.
October 26, 2010-Siegfried presented the Commission with an update on the
design of the Project. The Commission provided additional input on the design.
January 25, 2011-Siegfried presented the Commission with five design options
for their consideration. The Commission asked to see a combination of three of
the designs, and highlighted the importance of expanding public parking to
accommodate expanded field use.
February 22, 2011-Staff presented a conceptual design incorporating the
Commission’s feedback, and presented two options for the use of impact fee to
fund the improvements (discussed below).
Throughout these meetings the Commission raised questions and made
comments about pedestrian/bike access to the park, restroom location
(specifically related to safety and access), tree protection efforts, maximizing
parking spaces, fencing possibilities for joint dog exercise area, and lighting
improvements. In addition to the Commission’s guidance on design features,
Recreation staff has collected insight from various field user groups regarding
preferred field design features such as synthetic turf, field size, and multi-use
designs to accommodate growing sports such as lacrosse. This input provided
direction for the current conceptual design of park improvements.
June 13, 2011 Page 3 of 11
(ID # 1746)
The Commission believes improvements to current fields and the addition of new
multi-use sports facilities will attract downtown residents to the park and make it
a vibrant part of the City’s park system. Renovations to the park would increase
usability of current park assets, meet some well-understood recreational needs in
our community, and make effective use of space within the park that is currently
undeveloped. The Commission has urged the Council (October 20, 2010,
memorandum, Attachment B) to seek or provide supplemental funding to make
park improvements at the park in conjunction with the Utilities reservoir project.
Regarding funding alternatives, the Utilities Department is limited by the terms of
Proposition 218, in that the City's Water Fund may pay only for the water project
and in-kind replacement of the park and related park amenities directly impacted
by the Project, and not other new park improvements or enhancements. In
appreciation of the funding limitations, staff and the Commission recommend
using impact fees to augment the Utilities Department’s in-kind park
replacement.
Park Development Impact Fees
On March 25, 2002, the Council adopted Ordinance 4742, creating Chapter 16.48
of the PAMC, to establish development impact fees for parks, community centers,
and libraries. The impact fees are legally required to be expended to augment
recreational opportunities through the improvement of parks in order to
compensate for increased demand for City facilities and services brought about by
new residential and commercial development and the associated increase in
population.
In order to validly impose fees on new development, the City had to establish a
“nexus” between the development and the public facilities or services that would
be funded by the fee, and the City also had to establish a connection between the
development and the amount of the fee that is being imposed on the
development.
The City retained the services of DMG-MAXIMUS (DMG) to create a “nexus”
report (Parks and Community Facilities Impact Fee Study, September 2001) to
provide the legal framework for the imposition of development fees. According to
the report, impact fees for parks are intended to cover the cost of land acquisition
and park improvements for neighborhood and district parks. The report goes on
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to say, “Because of the difficulty of acquiring desirable park sites in Palo Alto, the
City may choose to expend impact fee revenue for improvements that enhance
the capacity of existing parks to serve additional demand, rather than to acquire
more land.” Impact fees cannot be used for maintenance or operating costs, and
should be used on capital projects that significantly enhance capacity.
After the Council established the development impact fee ordinance in 2002, staff
worked with community groups, recreation clubs, and the Parks and Recreation
Commission to study strategies for enhancing park and recreational facilities
throughout the City in order to mitigate for increased usage caused by new
development. A Commission-recommended prioritized list of ten park
improvement projects (Top Ten List, Attachment C) to be funded by impact fees
was approved by the Council on March 12, 2007 (CMR:168:07). This list includes
adding restrooms to parks with large sports fields, replacing natural turf with
synthetic turf on four popular sport fields to expand play capacity, adding lights
for tennis court and field facilities to expand play capacity into the evening, and
the addition of a children’s playground at Heritage Park.
The Commission’s Recommendation for Impact Fee Use at El Camino Park
On February 22, 2011, staff presented the Commission with two possible options
for using impact fees to fund improvements at El Camino Park (Attachment D).
Staff provided context for the recommended options by explaining the various
sources of funding for capital improvement projects (CIPs) in parks: the general
fund infrastructure reserve, grants, donations, and impact fees. The Commission
and staff carefully reviewed and analyzed the incomplete projects on the Top Ten
List, as well as other park projects that could potentially be funded by Park Impact
Fees. The Commission thoughtfully debated the two options for impact fee use at
El Camino Park.
Staff recommended “Option A,” which included the following features: a
synthetic turf north soccer/lacrosse playing field; a synthetic turf south
softball/multi use playing field; a new storage building for maintenance
equipment; expanded parking lot; lighting conduit for future lighting of north
field; mulch for non turf areas; soccer catchment fencing; and funding for limited
tree removal and design fees. This option would have used $2,360,500 of the
current impact fee balance of $2.8 million.
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The Commission voted 4-2 to instead recommend “Option B” (Minutes for
Commission Meeting, Attachment E), which included a synthetic turf north
soccer/lacrosse playing field; a natural turf south softball/multi use playing field; a
new storage building for maintenance equipment; expanded parking lot; lighting
conduit for future lighting of north field; mulch for non turf areas; soccer
catchment fencing; and funding for limited tree removal and design fees.; as well
as a new decomposed granite pathway with lighting, and four picnic tables.
Option B will use $1,420,500 of the current impact fee balance. The difference
between the two options is that Option B is $940,000 less expensive than Option
A; includes only one synthetic turf field instead of the two proposed in Option A;
and includes a decomposed granite path with lighting and four picnic tables that
were not included in Option A.
The Commission expressed the importance of retaining funding in the impact fee
account for future projects and possible land acquisition. The Commission
pointed out that having two artificial turf fields would likely draw high numbers of
field users to the park. They also noted that even with the additional 13 parking
stalls that will be added from expanding the parking lot, there would likely be
insufficient parking to accommodate the high volume of field users from two
multi-use synthetic turf fields. The current field use levels often exceed the
capacity of the existing parking lot. Staff had initially thought the close proximity
to public transit and the parking lot at the Stanford Shopping Center across El
Camino Real from the park would provide alternatives for park users to get to the
park. Several Commissioners pointed out that in their experience field users
typically do not use public transit to get to playing fields, and would be unlikely to
park far from the fields. The Commissioners also highlighted the high
replacement costs and relative short life spans of the synthetic turf fields
(synthetic turf has a typical life span of eight to ten years, and cost approximately
$550,000 to replace). Some Commission members felt that the City could add
synthetic turf to the south field at a future date if it is deemed prudent; while two
Commissioners felt there would be a cost savings from installing a south synthetic
turf as part of this project. After lengthy discussion, staff agreed with the 4-2
Commission vote that Option B represents the best use of impact fees at El
Camino Park. The majority of Commissioners supported Option B because they
felt that even with additional parking spaces created by the new design the park
would create too much user demand if there were two synthetic turf fields at this
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one facility. Two Commissioners voted against the motion because they felt that
Option B only provided for the conversion of one field (the soccer field) to
synthetic turf. They expressed their concern that because of the demonstrated
need for more playing fields in Palo Alto. The two Commissioners were, however,
in favor of all other aspects of the conceptual design of Option B, including picnic
areas, parking, and pathways.
Archtectural Review Board (ARB) Study Session
On May 5, 2011, Siegfried presented the proposed improvements to the ARB for a
study session. The Board stated that they appreciated the decomposed pathways
and the tree preservation efforts. They were pleased with the clustering of
restroom, scorekeepers booth, and storage facility; and liked that the design of
these structures match the design of the proposed Utilities pump station building.
The Board suggested joining the storage building and scorekeepers building into
one structure. They also asked staff to return with a species list for the trees to be
planted, and a sample of the proposed rubber mulch. The Board commented that
they would like to see the bike path connect with Alma Street. Staff explained
that this is a future design element, however it is currently unfunded and requires
additional study. Staff will return to seek final ARB approval in July or August.
Discussion
Conceptual Site Design and Staff’s Recommendation for Remaining Impact Fee
Use ($1,420,500) at El Camino Park
Siegfried incorporated the Commission’s and staff’s recommendations regarding
site features to create a conceptual site design (Attachment F). The design
includes a synthetic turf soccer/lacrosse field on the north-end of the park, and a
natural turf softball/multi-use field on the south-end near the transit station. The
benefits of this option are increased capacity for the park to accommodate field
users, increased revenue from field brokering fees, and an improved and safer
playing surface. The 2002 Parks and Recreation Commission report “Got Space”,
identified field space as one of the most critical recreation needs of our
community. The report suggested that Palo Alto would benefit from having a
synthetic playing field in the north, south, east, and west regions of the City. The
City has synthetic playing fields in the south and west (Cubberley Community
Center and Stanford/Palo Alto Playing Fields). A synthetic field at El Camino Park
would provide a field for the northern region of Palo Alto. At some point in the
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future, a synthetic turf field can be added to Greer Park, which serves the eastern
region of the City.
The recommended design also includes an expanded parking lot (13 additional
parking stalls), a new decomposed granite exercise pathway with security lighting,
mulch for the non-turf areas, soccer catchment fencing, four picnic tables, a
maintenance equipment storage shed, and electric conduit and footings, which
will allow for adding soccer field lighting at a future time without damaging the
artificial turf. It should be noted that future lighting for the soccer field has not yet
been thoroughly vetted with the community or residents who might be affected
by the lights. Attachment A lists the features that would be funded by impact fees
and their associated costs.
Many of the Commission’s and staff’s Park improvement wish-list items (new
restrooms, score keeper building, dog run, and replacement of existing asphalt
pathways) do not meet the “increase park capacity” requirement for legal use of
impact fee funds. Staff will continue to research funding sources for these park
improvements including future capital improvement projects with an attempt to
have the additional projects completed while the park is under renovation.
Dog Run
The Commission requested that Siegfried look at opportunities to incorporate an
off-leash dog exercise area into the park design. Siegfried’s design allows for a
fenced dog run located just north of the north-end playing field. The decomposed
granite path has been configured in such a way that a dog run could conceptually
be placed inside the pathway loop.
A fenced dog run would require more maintenance than the proposed passive
recreation multi-use lawn area, which would serve as an area where people could
recreate near the surrounding picnic tables. The size for the dog run would be
approximately .5 acres. Though the City has small dog runs at Greer Park and
Hoover Park that are less than .5 acres. A study on off-leash dog exercise areas by
the School of Veterinary Medicine at UC Davis finds a correlation between the
size of the dog run and its success, with larger dog runs being ranked as more
successful. The City of Boulder Colorado has a minimum size of 1 acre for fenced
dog runs.
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Given the size limitations and increased maintenance costs associated with dog
runs, staff does not recommend an exclusive-use dog exercise area in this
location.
El Camino Park Lease
Owned by Stanford University, El Camino Park is under long-term lease to the City
of Palo Alto. On January 12, 2009 Council approved the recommendations in CMR
104:09 to sign an agreement with Stanford University on the terms and conditions
for the easement rights to place the reservoir in the park. Five permanent
easements were established to permit the construction, maintenance and
operation of the reservoir, pump station, well and water supply pipelines. These
easements are permanent and will only terminate upon the abandonment or
non-use of the facilities for a period of two consecutive years. The north section
of the park, where the synthetic turf is proposed, does not have a permanent
easement. It is under lease through June 2033. Due to the significant investment
the City of Palo Alto may make in improving El Camino Park, the Parks and
Recreation Commission made a motion that was unanimously approved at their
April 26, 2011 meeting to request that Council pursue a long-term lease with
Stanford for El Camino Park beyond the June 2033 expiration date.
Tree Protection Efforts
An Arborist’s Pre-construction Tree Protection Report was performed Ray
Morneau in 2008 for this project. Early in the design process, Siegfried estimated
that 16 trees would be removed for the reservoir project. The City Planning
Arborist, Dave Dockter, worked with Siegfried, Parks, and Utilities staff to devise
options for preserving additional trees. The current proposed park design requires
the removal of two sweetgum trees (size of the two trees: 17.4’’ and 20.4’’
diameter at breast height -dbh) for the project, and the removal of one Monterey
Pine tree for health and safety reasons. The project also requires relocating two
small coastal redwood trees (size of trees 2.2’’ and 2.3’’ dbh) in the park. Thirty-
six new trees will be planted in the park as part of the conceptual design. The cost
for the tree removals and relocations is estimated to be approximately $2,500.
Olympic Grove
The southwestern border of the park is occupied by four trees planted in the
1980s in honor Palo Alto Olympic medalists. The four Coast Redwoods were
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planted to honor their notable achievements. As part of the proposed project, an
honorary plaque will be installed to commemorate the Olympic Redwood Grove.
Future park projects that could utilize impact fee money
Staff has identified several other projects at other City parks that meet the impact
fee funding requirements of significantly expanding user capacity. After funding
the suggested improvements for El Camino Park, the remaining impact fee
balance would be $1,379,500. These potential impact fee-funded projects might
include:
1.Magical Bridge (universal access) Playground at Mitchell Park. This project
is projected to cost approximately $1.6 million. The City will allocate the
land necessary for the playground and $300,000 (recommended in the
2012 Capital Budget recommendation) for the project. The remainder of
the funding is expected to come entirely from fundraising and grants from
the Friends of the Magical Bridge Playground.
2.Phase II Byxbee Park Trails (once the landfill is closed and capped in 2012).
There has been no formal cost analysis for trail design and construction,
though staff estimates that a simplified version of the Hargreave’s 1991
Byxbee Park Plan trail design (listed in the Baylands Master Plan) would
cost approximately $275,000 for trail developments, signage and visitor
amenities.
3.Cubberley Snack Shack/Restroom. This project is projected to cost
$220,000. However, because the lease for Cubberley expires in 2014, staff
recommends deferring a decision on this project until a new lease that
ensures long-term community access is in place.
4.Cubberley Tennis Court Lighting. This project is projected to cost $130,000.
However, because the lease for Cubberley expires in 2014, staff
recommends deferring a decision on this project until a new lease that
ensures long-term community access is in place.
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Staff suggests that these projects, and any additional park projects that could be
funded by impact fees, should be further discussed at a future Commission
meeting where the Commission will consider creating an updated Top Ten list of
projects to be funded by impact fees that will be brought to Council for review
and adoption.
Park Project Timeline
May 5, 2011 Architectural Review Board Study Session
November 2012 Complete Phase 1 (e.g., reservoir and pump station)
November 2012 Begin Phase 2 Construction (e.g., park restoration, synthetic
and natural turf, and pathways)
May 2013 Complete Phase 2. Park re-opens to the public
Resource Impact
The El Camino Park Improvement Project, as recommended to Council by staff
and the Parks and Recreation Commission, would utilize $1,420,500 million of the
total $2.8 million in the impact fee account. This would leave a balance of $1.435
million for future projects. The Nexus report had projected $1.3 million annual
revenue from the Park Impact Fees (based on ABAG forecasts of population and
employment). Below are the actual impact fees collected since 2006:
FY 2006 $470,000
FY 2007 $1,041,000
FY 2008 $1,316,000
FY 2009 $218,000
FY 2010 $352,000
FY 2011 thru Jan’11 $112,000
Policy Implications
The proposed park improvements are consistent with Policy C-26 of the
Community Services element of the Comprehensive Plan that encourages
maintaining park facilities as safe and healthy community assets; and Policy C-22
that encourages new community facilities to have flexible functions to ensure
adaptability to the changing needs of the community.
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The proposed project is consistent with the Park and Recreation Commission’s
review of the design of the project and is consistent with the goals of the 2002
Athletic Fields Report.
Environmental Review
This project is subject to environmental review under provisions of the California
Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). An Initial Study has been completed and a
Draft Mitigated Negative Declaration has been prepared for this project in
accordance with the CEQA requirements.
Attachments:
·Attachement A -Impact Fee Improvements (PDF)
·Attachement B -Memo to Council (PDF)
·Attachment C-Park and Recreation Commission Top Ten List 2007 (PDF)
·Attachment D-Park and Rec Commission Staff Report El Camino Park (PDF)
·Attachment E -Feb 22, 2011 PARC Minutes (PDF)
·Attachment F-Conceptual Design (PDF)
Prepared By:Daren Anderson,
Department Head:Greg Betts, Director, Community Services
City Manager Approval: ____________________________________
James Keene, City Manager
TO: PARKS AND RECREATION COMMISSION
FROM: Daren Anderson, Division Manager
COMMUNITY SERVICES DEPARTMENT
DATE: September 27, 2011
SUBJECT: El CAMINO PARK IMPROVEMENT PROJECT
Recommendation
Staff recommends that the Parks and Recreation Commission recommend
to Council the approval of $2,682,164 of Park Development Impact Fees
(impact fees) to fund the Parks and Recreation Commission’s and Council’s
final list of improvements to El Camino Park (Attachment A).
Executive Summary
Since June 2010, staff and the Parks and Recreation Commission
(Commission) have discussed possible park improvements at El Camino
Park that could coincide with construction of the Utilities Department’s El
Camino Park Reservoir Project (CIP WS‐08002) (Project). With the
Commission’s guidance and considerable input, staff created a list of
improvements (e.g., synthetic turf soccer/lacrosse field, expanded parking,
and new pathways) that can be funded by impact fees. Staff is
recommending that the Commission recommend that Council approve the
final proposed design and the expenditure of $2,682,164 to fund the full list
of improvements at El Camino Park.
Background
The Project, which is currently in its final stage of design for the reservoir
and ancillary buildings, has created a unique opportunity for the City to
leverage time and resources to improve several areas of the popular park.
Since June 2010, the Commission has discussed park design improvements
at eight regular meetings and one special on‐site meeting at the park.
● June 22, 2010‐ The Utilities Department presented to the Commission an
update on the El Camino Park Reservoir Project. The Commission decided
this was an opportunity to improve the park.
● June 29, 2010‐ A special Commission meeting was held at the park. Staff,
Commissioners, and members of the public brain‐stormed ideas for
possible improvements for the park which included synthetic turf fields,
new public bathroom, improved pathways among many other creative
ideas such as an outdoor volleyball court or BMX track.
● July 27, 2010‐ The Commission made a motion to have its list of
improvement ideas forwarded to Siegfried Engineering Inc., the landscape
architect firm designing the Project, to evaluate feasibility and possible
costs.
● September 28, 2010‐ Many of the Commission’s suggested park
improvements were included in the draft park project design. The
Commission decided to move forward with making a recommendation to
Council.
● October 26, 2010‐ Siegfried presented the Commission with an update on
the design of the Project. The Commission provided additional input on the
design.
● January 25, 2011‐ Siegfried presented the Commission with five design
options for their consideration. The Commission asked to see a
combination of three of the designs, and highlighted the importance of
expanding public parking to accommodate expanded field use.
● February 22, 2011‐ Staff presented a conceptual design incorporating the
Commission’s feedback, and presented two options for the use of impact
fee to fund the improvements (discussed below).
● June 21, 2011‐ Staff returned to the Commission to discuss the options
for dog park locations as directed by Council on June 13, 2011. Staff
presented the Commission with five options for possible dog park locations
for their consideration. The Commission voted 3:2 to recommend installing
a dog park in the North side of the El Camino Park next to San Francisquito
Creek.
● July 26, 2011‐ Staff returned to the Commission to discuss the options for
additional parking as directed by Council on June 13, 2011. Staff presented
five options for their consideration. The Commission concurred with staff
and selected Option E, which adds an additional 29 parking spaces (total of
71). The Commission highlighted the need to include improvements for
loading/unloading area into the parking lot design.
Throughout these meetings the Commission raised questions and made
comments about pedestrian/bike access to the park, restroom location
(specifically related to safety and access), tree protection efforts,
maximizing parking spaces to accommodate the expansion of recreational
use, fencing possibilities for a joint dog exercise area, and lighting
improvements. In addition to the Commission’s guidance on design
features, Recreation staff has collected insight from various field user
groups (during the annual field booking process) regarding preferred field
design features such as synthetic turf, field size, and multi‐use designs to
accommodate growing sports such as lacrosse. This input provided
direction for the current design of park improvements.
On June 13, 2011, staff presented Council with a recommendation for using
impact fees to fund improvements at El Camino Park (Attachment B).
Council approved the motion 8:1 (Price opposed) of using $1,420,500 of
impact fees for the Commission’s and staff’s recommended improvements
at El Camino Park with five amendments.
Council instructed staff to:
1. Pursue connectivity at the north (across Alma Street to the pathway)
and south end of the park (past the train station) for pedestrians and
bicycles.
2. Return to the Parks and Recreation Commission for final design
approval. (This will be brought to the Commission on September 27,
2011.)
3. Incorporate bike racks into the final design.
4. Return within 90 days with an alternative to the current PF zoning
that would be more restrictive or restricted to recreational uses so as
to create a disincentive for other uses in the future.
5. Incorporate into the final design some type of dog exercise area and
provide more details on public parking to ensure that there will be no
overflow parking into the neighborhood.
Discussion
Siegfried incorporated the Council’s, the Commission’s, and staff’s
recommendations regarding site features to create a site design for
improvements at El Camino Park (Attachment C). The design includes a
synthetic turf soccer/lacrosse field on the north‐end of the park, and a
natural turf softball/multi‐use field on the south‐end near the transit
station. The recommended design includes an expanded parking lot that
adds 26 parking spaces and a new loading/unloading area to the existing
parking lot (total of 68 spaces), and a new dog park. The dog park design
allows for a fenced dog run located in the undeveloped north side of the El
Camino Park next to San Francisquito Creek. There is an existing light pole.
The approximately .5 acre (about the size of half a football field) dog run
will have a wood chip base, benches, and a water fountain.
The design also includes a new decomposed granite exercise pathway with
security lighting, mulch for the non‐turf areas, soccer catchment fencing,
four picnic tables, a maintenance equipment storage shed, and electric
conduit and footings, which will allow for adding soccer field lighting at a
future time without damaging the artificial turf. Fifteen bike racks have
been added to the design (each rack supports two bikes).
The current park design requires the removal of two sweetgum
(Liquidambar styraciflua) trees (size of the two trees: 17.4’’ and 20.4’’
diameter at breast height ‐dbh) for the project, and the removal of one old
Monterey Pine tree for health and safety reasons. The project also requires
relocating two small coastal redwood trees (size of trees 2.2’’ and 2.3’’ dbh)
in the park. Thirty‐six new trees will be planted in the park as part of the
conceptual design. The cost for the tree removals and relocations is
estimated to be approximately $2,500.
Staff is pursuing trail connectivity at the north end of the park (across Palo
Alto Avenue to the pathway) and south end of the park (past the train
station) for pedestrians and bicycles. Planning and Transportation and Parks
staff will hire a contractor to perform a traffic safety study to confirm the
best route for the connectivity at the north end of the park and the exact
position of a safe crosswalk. Staff is also working with Stanford University
and MacArthur Park to improve the pedestrian and bicycle connectivity at
the south end of the park. Staff is requesting that concrete sidewalk be
installed to allow for pedestrians and bicyclists to continue from the corner
of University Ave at El Camino Real across the front of the MacArthur Park
Restaurant past the top of Circle Drive and connect to the existing Class I
multi‐use trail that runs past the Palo Alto Medical Foundation and Palo
Alto High School.
Council directed staff to return with an alternative to the current PF (Public
Facility) zoning designation that would be more restrictive, or restricted to
recreational uses so as to create a disincentive for other uses in the future.
According to Curtis Williams, Director of Planning, PF zoning is the most
restrictive zoning possible for the El Camino Park property. The PF zoning
designation does not allow for residential development.
Council’s (June 13, 2011) request to include increased parking ($500,000)
and a dog run ($206,594) added significant costs to the project. Other costs
that also increased were design and construction management ($400,000)
(due to the lack of adequate City staff to assume construction management
duties requires more contractor costs), and 10% contingency for the park
improvements. There were also unanticipated costs such as planting
perimeter trees and reseeding and irrigating the natural grass area north of
the synthetic turf ($89,000).
Part of the approved June 13, 2011 Council motion was a directive for staff
to pursue a long‐term lease with Stanford for EL Camino Park beyond the
current June 2033 expiration date. Palo Alto Utilities Department secured
permanent easements for areas of the park where their reservoir and
pump station are located in order to protect the sizeable investment in the
infrastructure. Given the large investment the City is making in developing
and enhancing other parts of the park, Council would like to pursue options
for extending the City’s lease for El Camino Park. A request has been
submitted from City Real Estate staff to Stanford University to consider the
extension of the lease.
Park Project Timeline
● October 2011 Council Approval Phase 2 Park Improvements
● September 2011 Begin Phase 1 Construction (e.g., reservoir, pump station)
● November 2011 Architectural Review Board Study Session
● November 2012 Complete Phase 1 (e.g., reservoir, pump station)
● November 2012 Begin Phase 2 Park improvement construction
● October 2013 Complete Phase 2. Park re‐opens to the public
Resource Impact
The El Camino Park Improvement Project, as recommended to the Parks
and Recreation Commission would utilize $2,682,164 of the total $2.8
million in the impact fee account. This would leave a balance of $117,837
for future projects at this time.
At the June 13 2011 City Council meeting, staff anticipated having a balance
of $1,379,500 in the impact fee account. However, the additional Council
directed park features (expanded parking lot and dog run) and other
unanticipated costs have significantly increased the cost of the project.
*The City anticipates that $_____ in new park development impact
fees will be received in the next fiscal year. (This information will be
available at the September 27, 2011 Parks and Recreation
Commission meeting.)
* This information was not provided at the meeting, the
Planning department was unable to provide us with this
amount.
Policy Implications
The proposed park improvements are consistent with Policy C‐26 of the
Community Services element of the Comprehensive Plan that encourages
maintaining park facilities as safe and healthy community assets; and Policy
C‐22 that encourages new community facilities to have flexible functions to
ensure adaptability to the changing needs of the community.
The proposed project is consistent with the goals of the 2002 Athletic Fields
Report.
This project is also consistent with Parks and Recreation Commission policy
that staff consider the construction of dog exercise facilities for large
neighborhood or regional parks when designing park improvements.
Environmental Review
The Utilities Department’s El Camino Park Reservoir Project is subject to
environmental review under provisions of the California Environmental
Quality Act (CEQA). An EIR has been completed for this project in
accordance with the CEQA requirements. An addendum to the EIR has been
prepared to incorporate the additional park improvements called out in
Attachment A.
Attachments
Attachment A‐ Park Improvements to be funded by impact fees
Attachment B‐ CMR to Council June 13, 2011
Attachment C‐ El Camino Park Site Design
Prepared By: Daren Anderson, Open Space, Parks, and Golf Manager
Community Services Department