The URL can be used to link to this page

Home My WebLink About2002-07-15 City Council (14)City of Palo Alto C ty Manager’s Report TO: FROM: HONORABLE CITY COUNCIL CITY MANAGER DEPARTMENT: MANAGEMENT ACADEMY 3 DATE:July 15, 2002 CMR:337:02 SUBJECT:PARK IMPROVEMENT ORDINANCE FOR IMPROVEMENTS TO THE MEMORIAL GROVE AT ELEANOR PARDEE PARK RECOMMENDATION With the consent of the City Manager, the Management Academy, Group I, of 2002 recommends that the Council-approve the attached Park Improvement Ordinance for improvements to the Memorial Grove honoring the victims of September 11 at Eleanor Pardee Park. BACKGROUND Each year, the City. of Palo Alto conducts a Management Academy to develop the management skills of City staff~ One assignment of the Academy is for the participants to design, a final project benefiting the community and reflecting a current community need. This year’s Group I Management Academy has developed the following mission statement for its project: In keeping with the values of the City of Palo Alto, the Spring 2002 Management Academy has chosen to enhance the setting of the September 11 Memorial Grove in Eleanor Pardee Park. In partnership with the community, the goal of the project is to further improve the grove as a peaceful, sustainable memorial to celebrate life, honor the victims of September 11, and benefit the public. DISCUSSION This project will enhance the setting of the existing Memorial Grove to honor the victims of September 11 that was dedicated at Eleanor Pardee Park in October of 2001. The project consists of four phases. The phases were established as a way to scale the project to correspond with the amount of funds that can be collected through the efforts of the Management Academy class. The phases will be done as funding allows. Each phase of this four-phase project will add a special, dynamic feature to the Memorial Grove. CMR:337:02 Page 1 £f 3 The first phase will bring the colors of two annual flowerbeds. The flowerbeds will add an ever-changing color theme to the site. The first phase consists of a bed of annual flowers. The initial planting will be red, white, and blue begonias. This flowerbed can be changed out by the Parks Department as routine maintenance to the park. It will also have a drip irrigation system that is compatible with others used throughout the City. Phases two and three will provide newly installed pathways and provide a comfortable place to sit on two new park benches. The second phase consists of a decomposed granite path from the Center Drive sidewalk to the memorial grove, a donated bench, and the permanent bronze memorial plaque to replace the temporary one presently on site. All decomposed granite will be of the same type and nature as that used elsewhere in thecity, such as inthe shaded areas of the Civic Center Plaza. The third phase consists of more decomposed granite path, and another donated bench. The fourth and final phase is the labyrinth. The labyrinth of meandering Pathways and small hedges is designed to allow a person to .meditate and be at peace~ The fourth phase will consist of a decomposed granite path in the form of a labyrinth with boxwood hedges to delineate the path. An Akebono che.rry tree, similar to those at the Art Center, will be installed to shade the labyrinth. The boxwoods and the cherry tree will be irrigated with a ¯ drip irrigation system. The group anticipates the rededication of the Memorial Grove honoring the victims of September 11 in the fall of this year. Information on how the public can participate in this project will be included in future versions of Frank’s Weekly Memo. The Parks and Recreation Commission reviewed and approved this project at its June 25th meeting. RESOURCE IMPACT One of the conditions imposed by the Human Resources Department on the funding of the project was that the class participants could not fund the project themselves. As a result, the Public Relations/Fundraising Committee- of the Management Academy 2002~ Group I, has begun soliciting donations. Funding for this project will be obtained through outside sources. Therefore, a fund raising plan is underway. A number of local contractors have indicated their willingness to donate their expertise. The Design/Approvals Committee has contacted a landscaping contractor who would like to do the installation work pro bono in hopes of submitting it for an industry award. The Installation!Logistics Committee has contacted Canopy about donating the Akebono CMR:337:02 Page 2 of 3 cherry tree and other assistance. One of the.benches has already been donated and installed. The other, bench will be donated soon. The city will supply the materials and installation costs for items that were already planned for the area such as ,a permanent plaque. There will be minimal time, effort, and money needed from the City for this project as it is being done as a community service. The only long-term costs of the project are the maintenance and upkeep of the amenities installed, most notably the irrigation system. The benches, boulders, and annual flowers will add,a very small increment to the Parks maintenance efforts at this location. POLICY IMPLICATIONS This recommendation does not represent any change to existing Citypolicies. TIMELINE The Management Academy, Group 1, of 2002 will be holding a number of volunteer workdays andwill invite the community.to participate. A project "kick-off" event has been tentatively planned for September 11, 2002. ENWRO UENTAL Rr WEW This project is categorically exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). ATTACHMENTS Attachment A: Park Improvement .Ordinance for Improvements to the Memorial Grove at Eleanor Pardee Park. DEBRA JACOBS Design/Ap,,provals Committee Chair ~anag .~/nt Academy 2002, Group I DEPARTMENT HEAD: CITY MANAGER APPROVAL: CMR;337:02 STEVE SIMS Project Manager Management Academy 2002, Group I M-~iLY HARRISON Assistant City Manager Page 3 ~f 3 ATTACHMENT A ORDINANCE NO. ORDINANCE OF THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PALO ALTO APPROVING AND ADOPTING A PLAN FOR IMPROVEMENTS TO THE MEMORIAL GROVE AT ELEANOR PARDEE PARK The Council of the City of Palo Alto does ORDAIN as follows: SECTION i. Findings and Declarations. finds and declares as follows: The City Council (a)Article VIII of the Charter of the City of Palo Alto and Section 22.08.005 of the Pal6 Alto Municipal Code requlre that, before any substantial building, construction, reconstruction or development is commenced or approved, upon or with respect to any land held by the City for park purposes, the Council shall first cause zo be prepared and by ordinance approve and adopt a plan therefore; (b)Eleanor Pardee Park is dedicated to park zurposes; (c)The site and design review of the Eleanor Pardee Park Memorial Grove Plan ("the Plan") has been conducted and the Plan has been recommended for approval by the City boards and commisslons having jurisdiction over such matters, because it conforms to the provisions of Chapter 18.82 of the Palo Alto Municipal Code and the Palo Alto Comprehensive Plan; and (d) The Counc±l desires to approve enhancement of that portion of land that lies within Eleanor Pardee Park, which is approximately 60’L X 80’W or 4800 sq.ft in length being west to east and the width north to south, as more specifically described on the Plan attached hereto as Exhibit "A", including, without limitation, the following: (i)Reconstruction of Memorial Grove area of Eleanor Pardee Park; (2)Construction of irrigation system; and (3)The installation of new pathway, boulder and landscaping. park benches, 020620 sm 7080077 SECTION 2. The Plan, a copy of which is at[ached hereto as Exhibit "A" and incorporated by this reference is hereby approved and adopted. SECTION 3. The City Council hereby finds that it can be seen with certainty that there is no potentia! for this action to have a significant adverse effect on the environment. SECTION 4. This ordinance shall be effective on the thirty-first day after the date of its adoption. INTRODUCED: PASSED:~ AYES: NOES: ABSENT: ABSTENTIONS: ATTEST: City. Clerk APPROVED AS TO FORM: Mayor APPROVED: City Attorney City Manager Director of Community Services 020620 sm ~ 080077 2 > >~ x>J\ w [] wZ x W