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HomeMy WebLinkAboutStaff Report 3779 City of Palo Alto (ID # 3779) City Council Staff Report Report Type: Consent Calendar Meeting Date: 6/10/2013 City of Palo Alto Page 1 Summary Title: Park Improvement Ordinance for Eleanor Pardee Park Title: Adoption of an Ordinance Approving and Adopting a Plan for Improvements to Eleanor Pardee Park From: City Manager Lead Department: Public Works Recommendation Staff recommends that Council adopt the Park Improvement Ordinance for landscape, irrigation, furnishings, tot-lot playground, and pathway improvements at Eleanor Pardee Park (Attachment A). Background Under the Charter, a park improvement ordinance is required to be adopted whenever any substantial building or construction project may affect the use, protection, or enjoyment of parks or open space lands. Capital improvement project funds in the amount of $674,000 (PE-12012) have been approved by the Council for the renovations of Eleanor Pardee Park. The renovations include infrastructure and maintenance repairs and modifications, which serve as sustainability and aesthetic enhancements to the park. Discussion The renovation scope for Eleanor Pardee Park includes (Attachment B):  Repaving the existing degraded asphalt walkways and installing new redwood header board (infrastructure maintenance). City of Palo Alto Page 2  Renovations to the existing irrigation system to correct coverage and ponding issues (Infrastructure maintenance and sustainability enhancement).  Upgrading the existing irrigation controller (infrastructure maintenance).  Replacing the aged tot-lot play equipment and swing, and adding rubberized play surfacing and perimeter fencing (infrastructure maintenance).  Adding native shrub/groundcover planting to mulched areas along Center Drive (sustainability/aesthetic enhancement).  Adding new trees: (17) Coast Live Oaks, and (10) Flowering Cherries (infrastructure maintenance).  Repairing the drainage at the existing concrete bowl (infrastructure maintenance).  Providing new site amenities (benches, picnic tables, BBQ’s, drinking fountains, trash/recycling receptacles) (infrastructure maintenance).  Removing existing turf in non-active areas and installing sustainable native planting to reduce water consumption (sustainability enhancement). Other landscape renovation items proposed as bid alternates include:  Installing decomposed granite (DG) pathways in the native area where a beaten path already exists.  Renovating the 9/11 Memorial Garden with better defined DG pathways and enhanced shrub planting along Center Drive (aesthetic enhancement).  Installing boulders along Center Drive to replace the existing telephone pole bollards. Public Outreach Staff held community meetings to review the scope of the project on February 7 and July 10, 2012. In addition, on August 12, 2012, staff also presented the project to the Parks and Recreation Commission (PRC) and received feedback on the concept plan and the PRC’s desire to have staff investigate the potential for City of Palo Alto Page 3 incorporating a dog park in the project scope. On February 27, 2013, staff held a third community meeting to review the modified plan from the 2012 community meetings and to review and discuss options for a potential dog park within the park. Community members raised concerns about the addition of picnic tables and barbeques in the open native area, as well as a proposed dog park, due to the lack of a restrooms and parking needed to support an increase in park amenities. Two additional recycling receptacles were requested to be added to the park, as well as more benches along the walking path. These community-requested modifications, removing additional tables, barbeques and removal of the dog park were incorporated into the project’s scope as well as adding the recycling receptacles and additional benches. The final renovation plan was presented to the PRC on March 26, 2013. The PRC recommended Council approval of a Park Improvement Ordinance to allow the project to proceed. Timeline Pending the ordinance’s adoption by the Council, staff will prepare bid documents with an anticipated construction bid opening in summer 2013. Following Council approval of the construction contract, a 90-day construction phase starting in the summer of 2013 is anticipated. Resource Impacts Funds for the renovation of the Eleanor Pardee Park are available in the Capital Improvement Program project PE-12012, Eleanor Pardee Park. Policy Implications The proposed CIP recommendations are consistent with Policy C-26 of the Community Services element of the Comprehensive Plan which encourages maintaining park facilities as safe and healthy community assets; and Policy C-22 City of Palo Alto Page 4 which encourages new community facilities to have flexible functions to ensure adaptability to the changing needs of the community. Environmental Review The proposed improvements are considered minor alterations and repairs to existing facilities and are categorically exempt under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) section 15301 guidelines. Attachments:  A - 00710188A ORDN Pardee Park Plan of Improvements (PDF)  B - Park Improvement Plan (PDF) *NOT YET APPROVED* 1 130320 dm 00710188 Ordinance No. Ordinance of the Council of the City of Palo Alto Approving and Adopting a Plan for Improvements to Eleanor Pardee Park The Council of the City of Palo Alto does ORDAIN as follows: SECTION 1. Findings. The City Council finds and declares that: (a) Article VIII of the Charter of the City of Palo Alto and Section 22.08.005 of the Palo Alto Municipal Code require 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 to be prepared and by ordinance approve and adopt a plan therefor. (b) Eleanor Pardee Park is dedicated to park, playground and recreational space. (c) The City intends to authorize the construction of certain park improvements within Eleanor Pardee Park, as shown on the Eleanor Pardee Park Improvements schematic (the “Plan”), attached as Exhibit “A,” including: (1) Replacing the asphalt walkway with new asphalt materials; (2) Replacing the children’s tot playground structure, and adding a new fence around the playground area and picnic tables; (3) Renovation of the current irrigation system; (4) Planting of new plants and trees; (5) Replacing all on-site furniture, including, without limitation, benches, tables, trash receptacles and a drinking fountain; (6) Repair of the drainage facilities at the concrete bowl; (7) Installation of a decomposed granite pathway in the native oak woodland area; (8) Renovation of the 9/11 memorial as well as installation of a decomposed granite pathway and planting enhancements around the memorial; and *NOT YET APPROVED* 2 130320 dm 00710188 (9) Installation of natural boulder bollards in replacement of the short telephone pole bollards. (d) The improvements at Eleanor Pardee Park will include much of the area of the Park. (e) The project improvements will avoid protected trees and other sensitive resources, if any. In addition, existing park uses will be restored following the completion of project construction. (f) The project described above and as more specifically described in the Plan, attached hereto as Exhibit "A,” is consistent with park and conservation purposes. (g) The Council desires to approve the project described above and as more specifically described in the Plan, attached hereto as Exhibit "A.” SECTION 2. The Council hereby approves the Plan for the construction of the improvements at Eleanor Pardee Park, and it hereby adopts the Plan, attached hereto as Exhibit "A,” as part of the official plan for the construction of the park improvements at Eleanor Pardee Park. SECTION 3. The Council finds that the project to construct the facilities at Eleanor Pardee Park is categorically exempt under the California Environmental Quality Act. // // // // // // // // // // *NOT YET APPROVED* 3 130320 dm 00710188 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 Mayor APPROVED AS TO FORM: APPROVED: _____________________________ ____________________________ Senior Asst. City Attorney City Manager ____________________________ Director of Community Services ____________________________ Director of Administrative Services *NOT YET APPROVED* 4 130320 dm 00710188 EXHIBIT “A”