HomeMy WebLinkAboutStaff Report 13536
City of Palo Alto (ID # 13536)
City Council Staff Report
Report Type: Consent Calendar Meeting Date: 10/18/2021
City of Palo Alto Page 1
Title: Adoption of a Park Improvement Ordinance for Renovations, Expansion
and New Amenities at John Boulware Park as Recommended by the Parks
and Recreation Commission
From: City Manager
Lead Department: Public Works
Recommendation
The Parks and Recreation Commission and staff recommend that Council adopt a Park
Improvement Ordinance (Attachment A) for the Boulware Park Improvements project, Capital
Improvement Program project PE-17005.
Background
In 2017, Council approved capital improvement funding to address Boulware Park maintenance
needs as part of the FY 2018 Capital Budget. The renovation included infrastructure,
accessibility, and maintenance improvements. The project was postponed to Fiscal Year 2019
due to budget constraints. During that period, the adjacent 3350 Birch Street property owned
by AT&T became available. The City pursued the purchase of the parcel in order to add new
parkland to the Ventura neighborhood, which is densely populated and has a limited amount of
open space. Upon finalizing the purchase of the land in 2019, the City re-engaged the
community-based design process to determine how the existing Boulware Park and the newly
purchased property would be developed into one contiguous park. Council dedicated the new
parcel as parkland on February 10, 2020 (CMR ID# 10990).
Discussion
Community Outreach Process
On November 9, 2019, the first community meeting for the project was held at Boulware Park.
The goal of the meeting was for the community to have the opportunity to provide input on
what park facilities should be considered in the renovation and expansion of Boulware Park.
The community provided input on different park facilities and ranked them based on
preference and priority. The facilities presented were drawn from existing facilities at Boulware
Park and facilities that were highlighted in the Parks Master Plan to be considered as part of all
park renovation projects. These facilities included:
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Existing Facilities at Boulware Park
• Playground
• Basketball Court
• Group Picnic Area
• Open Turf Area
Master Plan Park Facilities
• Restroom
• Dog Park
• Community Garden
• Loop Walking Path
• Adult Fitness
• Pickle Ball Courts
• Shaded Seating Areas
• Habitat/Native Planting
• Security Lighting
Upon completion of the first community meeting, an on-line version of the facility survey was
released for those who could not attend. A total of 62 community members responded to the
survey. Survey responses can be viewed on the project web page at
www.cityofpaloalto.org/boulwarepark.
Input from the community and survey, as well as an initial draft park plan, were presented to
Parks and Recreation Commission (PRC) on January 28, 2020. PRC stressed the importance of
aligning the proposed park plan with the recommendations of the North Ventura Coordinated
Area Plan (NVCAP), which is an on-going comprehensive community planning effort to provide a
walkable, mixed-use neighborhood (additional information can be found at
https://www.paloaltonvcap.org/). PRC also expressed support for the initial draft plan including
support for a dog park, the removal of a section of Ash Street to combine the two parcels of
land, a restroom closer to the playgrounds, and limiting built park facilities along the edge of
Matadero Creek for potential creek restoration.
On February 27, 2020, a second community meeting was held. This was a joint meeting with
the NVCAP working group. As the closest adjacent park to the proposed redevelopment area,
Boulware Park is important in providing open parkland to the area. The community was
presented three draft plan options of the overall park design for input, each of which combined
the existing parkland and newly purchased AT&T property, as well as a portion of Ash Street.
The design options and facilities were developed from the input received at the first community
meeting and guidance from PRC.
On December 7, 2020, a third community meeting (virtual) was held to allow the community to
review the draft park plan layout. Utilizing input collected from PRC and other previous
community meetings, a final draft plan was presented for community input.
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Overall, the park plan (Attachment B) includes the following amenities (italicized items are
existing park amenities that are found in the current Boulware Park):
• Inclusive playground (both tot (2-5) & children (5-12))
• Basketball Court
• Restroom
• Dog Park
• Turn around Drop-Off
• Open Turf Area
• Loop Pathway
• Picnic Area
• Shaded Seating Area
• Bocce court
• Covered picnic area
• New head-in and accessible parking stalls along Lambert Ave.
Environmental amenities include:
• Runoff filtration gardens
• Native habitat gardens
• Net increase of 20 trees
The plan was supported by the community, including the locations of the proposed site
amenities, the location of the restroom close to the playground, the added head-in-parking
along Lambert Avenue, and the removal of the section of Ash Street. The community was also
supportive of a proposed 65-foot setback for built structures along the creek in support of
future creek restoration.
On January 26, 2021, PRC reviewed the proposed park plan and community feedback. The
community and PRC were supportive of the overall park plan design. PRC also expressed
support for funding and implementing the Boulware Park Improvement Project as soon as
funding was available. On July 27, 2021, PRC voted unanimously to recommend that Council
adopt a Park Improvement Ordinance for the proposed improvements at Boulware Park.
All materials presented to the community and PRC can be viewed on the project web site at
www.cityofpaloalto.org/boulwarepark
Construction drawings are currently being prepared for the project with an anticipated
construction bid in spring of 2022 and construction beginning in the summer of 2022.
Resource Impact
Capital improvement funding of $495,000 was approved to address park maintenance needs in
the Fiscal Year 2018 Adopted Capital Budget in the Boulware Park Improvements capital project
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(PE-17005). To cover the costs of developing the new parkland and renovation of the existing
park, including incorporating a segment of Ash Street into the park area, Council approved
consolidating funding for the previously approved Birch Street Improvements project (PE-
19003) into PE-17005 as part of the Fiscal Year 2022 Adopted Capital Budget. Total capital
improvement funding for the project in FY 2022 is $3.8 million. The ongoing maintenance costs
for this project are estimated to be approximately $45,000 annually for landscaping and
custodial expenses, in addition to major renovations every 20 years after completion of this
project to replace equipment and park amenities.
Stakeholder Engagement
Extensive stakeholder engagement has been completed in developing the proposed project
improvement plan, including the many community and public meetings described in this report.
Policy Implications
The proposed recommendations 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.
Environmental Review
The proposed Boulware Park and Birch Street Property Renovation Project is categorically
exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) under Title 14 California Code of
Regulations Section 15301 (Existing Facilities), Section 15302 (Replacement or Reconstruction),
Section 15303 (New Construction of Small Facilities or Structures), and Section 15311
(Accessory Structures) because it consists of the redevelopment of an existing park. Although
the new park area will also include the Birch Street property, the proposed amenities would
largely replace existing amenities at the site (e.g. playgrounds, picnic areas, basketball court) or
would otherwise provide local-serving amenities. Therefore, the expansion in use would be
negligible. In addition, although a small new parking area is proposed, it would replace existing
street parking along Ash Street that would be removed as part of the project. Therefore, these
alterations to an existing public facility and addition of small new structures would be
consistent with the Class 1 (Section 15301) and Class 3 (Section 15303) exemptions.
Attachments:
• Attachment8.a: Attachment A - Boulware Park PIO REVISED
• Attachment8.b: Attachment B - Boulware Park Plan
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ORDINANCE NO.
Ordinance of the Council of the City of Palo Alto
Approving and Adopting a Plan for Facility
Improvements at John Boulware Park
The Council of the City of Palo Alto does ORDAIN as follows:
SECTION 1. Findings and Improvements. 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) John Boulware Park (the “Park”) is dedicated to park purposes. (See
Municipal Code section 22.08.030.)
(c) The City intends to authorize the renovation of John Boulware Park.
(d) The plan of improvements shall comprise as follows:
(1) Asphalt basketball court with bermed grass seating area
(2) Pre‐fabricated 2 stall unisex restroom building
(3) Street Improvements along Lambert Avenue including:
i. Addition of 8 head in parking stalls (current 4 parallel)
ii. Addition of 2 head in accessible stalls
iii. Drive access to Matadero Creek maintenance gate
iv. New street tree planting and irrigation
(4) Picnic area
(5) Bocce ball court and bench seating
(6) Dog park area
(7) Open grass area
(8) Asphalt and decomposed granite loop pathway around the park
(9) 6‐12 year‐old children’s playground area with perimeter fencing
(10) 2‐5 year‐old children’s playground area with perimeter fencing
(11) ADA and Crosswalk improvements on Fernando Avenue
(12) The incorporation of a portion of Ash Street into the overall park area
(13) Create a Cul‐de‐sac turn around and drop off at the end of Chestnut Ave.
(14) New site furnishings including:
i. Benches
ii. Accessible picnic tables
iii. Trash receptacles
iv. Shade structure
v. Drinking fountains
vi. Bike Racks
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(15) Low flow Irrigation system
(16) Native planting
(17) Infiltration planters and associated drainage
(18) Park area lighting
(19) New fencing along the residential edges of the park
(e) Exhibit A depicts the expected implementation of the plan of improvements.
(f) The plan of improvements described above is consistent with park,
playground, recreation, and conservation purposes.
(g) The City Council desires to approve the plan of improvements described
above.
SECTION 2. The City Council hereby approves the plan of improvements described in
Section 1 above.
SECTION 3. The City Council finds that this ordinance falls under the California
Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) exemptions found in Title 14 California Code of Regulations
Section 15301 (Existing Facilities), Section 15302 (Replacement or Reconstruction), Section
15303 (New Construction of Small Facilities or Structures), and Section 15311 (Accessory
Structures).
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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:
Deputy City Attorney City Manager
Director of Community Services
____________________________
Director of Public Works
Director of Administrative Services
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Exhibit A
8.a
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Basketball Court 6' Vine Covered Fence----�• r,n
(8) New Head-In Parking & (2) Accessible Stalls Nalive Tree Shaded
Picnic�cG�:!efa���---:;;�-ll�l!,,J',.�/;�-:!4g (1) Regulalion Bocce --"""T=-,,i-;,..p Court (90' x 13'). Alt. Creek Mainlenance Access---...., Bio-Filtration Planter-----i�,,..�k.l
Existing Creek Access-----...... Ramp
Boulware Park, Palo Alto
Bermed Grass Seating
Double Gate Dog Park Ent,y
Fenced Dog Park .25 Acre (Mulch) wilh Native Tree Stand
CITY OF PALO ALTO
.::::;:�:.,,/,1-4+.l---,,l--+---Fenced Tot Loi (2--6 yrs.) &Childrens Playground (6-12 yrs.)
8.b
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