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Home My WebLink About0128.095City of Palo Alto City Manager's Report TO: A TfI:.NTlON: --- HONORABLE CITY COUNCIL POLICY AND SER\'ICES COMMITfEE FROM: . CITY MANAGER DEPARTMENT, CommuDity ServictJ AGENDA DATE: F.b ..... ry 7, 1995 CMR: 121:95 SUBJECT: Eod-or-SeasGn suw. Rrport Oil RInger ,.troll In Johnson Park RWUEST This report is in respoooe 10. r"'lu..a trom 1I>e July 19, 1994, Policy and Ser.ices Committee meeting '" an end-<l(~ "atus repof1 00 rang ... patrols in Johnson Park 'FCQMMENDAIIQNS Stalfrecommends OOilIinued patrols·O{Johnson Par!< throughout the year. C"n~ with Johnson Par!< ~ wiI! conmru.. Stafl'wiI! m.....,;g>1. baskotball court options during U-.. next fiscal)'W". lOUCY lMfUCATJQNS This report cIoes no! rep<eseoI any change 10 existing poticies. EXl:CUJ'D'E SUMMARY In 1une 1992, neighbon approached CoImc~ with • request 1llal restrooms be installed in Johnson Par!<. The ~ was mad. because 0{ concerns ab<>ut Par!< 'lisi\oo using neighbor>' yards and <arporu IS baIhroom &ci!ities. Concerns were also ,,"sed about alcohol use and inappropriat< language in !be: Park AJ.1I>e dir.aioo o{CoonciI. staffwcxked cIoseIy,.;a, downtown residenlS to e"l'lo« options 10 deal with 1I>e C<HlCCmS.!Iud: were raIsecL As. resull, staffinsfuuted 1I>e ose 0{ park ranger patrols in !he Par!< CIl a six-month trW basis. Pm rang« patrolJ ~ helped significantly 10 deal with the problems at Jolu'son Part: this year. IlAns .... cIevdoped and cIistriblMcI Byers 10 Parl< ~"'" e><pIaining par!< rules and neighbor concerns. Numerous contacts were made wit10 Parl< users and neigllbot>. Ccsts foe ""'ger patrol> in 1994 were appro~eIy 54,500. Staff tcpO<ted back 10 the Policy and ScMces Committee CD July 19. 1994 (CMR:l7S:94), stating Iba! most of!be: issues raised by re,;denl, lIad bee;, addressed through the increased ranger patrols. /;!UIlllx< «resident. spoke &t the Committee meeting. descriNng cootinued probtems wi'.ll pub6c l'·r 1011 f • ;.- urinanoo and k>ud ond abu,iv_1anguage. pri%rily ecming li-om young &duh basketboD players using Il:c haIf~ basblball cou~ StafF ..... L<ked io conlinue park r.lI1ger p •. trols in Johnson p.nc. 10 e>'IIuate poIeIlIiai c!Jang<s and dfectiveness of ranger patrols. and 10 report '" the Committee .t the end of the .esso... .o,s. fOS\JII of the July 19 Policy and Services Commlttee mo:etlng, rangers beg!llll"'trols of Johnson Park IaIe in the aIternoon and inlo \be early .vening boon. Because of thl .. rangers mel willi and gOl to know • IlWIlber ""the baslcetbaD p!ay<n, m&ay olwhom ."pre"sed • willingness Ie belp 'poEce thei: own. • Discussions v.itIl them indicate they would peef'er 10 play co • fuD <OUr!, but none is available clooe to JoImSOD POIl<. Tbey also indY-.ated wiIf"-.gnes> \0 move their play 10 El Camino Par'<, if. court 'MIS devdoped !here. Staff ~ • comrnuaity nlOeling on Iwgust 25. 1994. to diSC\l$' the issues related to the use ofth. basketbaU COUrt"' Johnsoo Park. Memben olth. Johnsro Park oeighborhood and basketball play .... were invited to attend. Appro><ima!ely I':;enl)' people .tr~nded the meeting. After general discussion, w.e opDon! emerged and were di.'lCUSSCd: • Continue the exiSting system ol penoJic park f1!Jlger patrols ol Johnson PaIl<, incl..oUlg Ix:using effixts 10 re.pood 10 neighbors' e<>n<:ern.s about the use olthe basketball court • ~n of the boop OOIghI (to eight feet), or removal of the ba.<I<etba!! court at Johnson Pad wbicll ",ouId require I cba.,se in the Park', ded"ocaoon ordinance. • Re1enUon ol the exis6ng basIre:l>aII court and rangec patrols, with the COfIslruc'Jon ol I ....... basketba!! coon at EI C .. -ninc PL-k. A ..,.,...,.", of the peopl_ attending the meeting fell the las! o;>!ion .... the pref'erred ODe. A basketboD «mt It EI camino Pad ... oW<! J'l'O'llide. p1ace1Or young aduh basl:etl>alI p!ayers io play, yet. basketba!! court would b<i refaiMd II Johnson Park lOr less bmalbasketboD activities. for oow, CO<Itintd patrol> ol Johnson Pill<; and regular e<mtacl wi1b !lcigl;bors wi\! continue and :;taff will further srudy the feasibility ol_ basketbaD court options during the next fiscal year. FISCAL IMl'ACf If nIIlget1 continue! 10 patrol, the fiscal impact willI>< approximately 54,500 per year. Funds will be requestec! tIlroush the 1995-96 !>udget process 10 con'Jnue !.'Us approach. ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT This prngram is 00< • project as defln«! by the California Er.vironrruontal Quality Act and is nO( ... bject 10 CEQA reqW4lfIl<IlU. Pille 2 otJ -"-, •• ! ,-. , • CC: NeighboR 01 Johnson Park July 14, 1994 TIlE HONORABLE CITY COiJNCIL Palo ,6oJt9. CaHfornia Atleruion.:: Polky :and Services Commince STATlJS REPORT ON RANGER PATROLS IN JOHNSON PARK Members 0( the Cbunc~: !n response to-neighbors'" CO!lcerns about probfems in Jobll.-"'OQ Park, Council dir~cted that part rnngers continue POltrol'..s !rl Sohnwn park. 11115 report is an update on the resuls of those pauols. In June 1992, neignbors approached Counc~ with a request that rll':Strooms be mstaned in JOhnson Park. The req lle5.t was based on concerns raised about park visitors D nlizing neig'h00r'S9 yards and carports a..'Ii. bathroom facilities. Concerns were also nlised about alcohol use and fnappropr-Tat-e 12nguage in the parlc At the direction of C"V.Jocit, ~l.aff wor'ked c~r'y ..... i:'tb. oowntowg residents. to exp")(){e options to dear ~ith tfle concerns that were rai~d. To address the problems at johnson Park. staff insti'tuted the [J5e of ranger patroo in L.ie park on a six-month trial basis. This ultimately eme~·ged as the most prudent rt:cornm.endatioG 10 diffu.....e the problems identified by neighbors. Cbunc~ directed staff 10 continue the uS<: o(ranger pauols.t Joh"""n Park and report back on Of ber-ore the completion of the siX-month trial with any fdrtbe-r recommendations .. I>isc.,SSto a Park ranger patrols ~ave ~elped significantly '" deal .. ,til the problems at Johnson Park. Rangers developed and OlStdbuted flJ"ers t'O park users.explaTnlng park rules and neighbor ClJ..OC.e;rns... Numerous contacts ... 'ere made wIth park. visitors,. and the response was geneially cooperiiHive. The problem 0( park: visitDl"'S using neighboring property as a restroom has CMR:J75:94 1:,-: larse!) .topped. ThrOO&' regular <Xllllact wItll neigbOOti, only G<:casiooa1 incidents have been repo<tW. mo<t1i nDis< and inappropriate language, but this is usually after dark wben rangers do _ patrol, in these instan, .. neighbors have been directed to oall the police. Staff has maintained Ck.-.se <Xlntact with tbe neighbors and will continue to do so .. Though some concerns contimJe t.') be expressed :about noise and ioul language. the neigbbofs have e·:qK'es..~d overall sat$factioc with tJ:e se.rvices provided. Staff intends to continue the reguTar !anger pa.troIs through October 1994 .. and t..'le situation 'i.,nl be rec"i3-luated at tha! point. If aU goes .. -en, rangers ... ill make occasKmal patrols in the spring. If probiems TeCUf~ patrols .... ·m be increased. Frequent contact witl1 Jo!msoD Part neig.lWors will romTnu.e 0[1 3n ongoIng basrs, Staff r;J,rJl iepoct bad. to Ccunol if other problem.< are experienced. Respectfuny ... ubmitlcd, . ~l ~~ft=::J- .Paul Thltgen Dire-ekX of Comm unit) Se rvkes c<: Neighbor. of Joh""," Park CMR:315:94 ReTated CMR:576:93 2 ~-'M.~ Bernard K. Strojny Assistant Ciry Manager .. ~--.