HomeMy WebLinkAbout2026-04-28 Parks and Recreation Commission Summary Minutes1 MINUTES
2 PARKS & RECREATION COMMISSION
3 Regular meeting
4 April 28, 2026
5 In-Person & Virtual Conference
6 Palo Alto, California
7
8 Commissioners Present In-Person: Chair Nellis Freeman; Vice Chair Bing Wei; Commissioners
9 Vadim Axelrod, Amanda Brown, Yudy Deng (arrived 7:25 p.m.),
10 Shani Kleinhaus (arrived 7:35, left at 8:44 p.m.), and Roger
11 Smith
12 Commissioners Absent: None
13 Staff Present: Sarah Robustelli, Ben Heinstein, Adam Howard, Michael
14 Warner, Megha Bansal
15 CALL TO ORDER AND ROLL CALL
16 Meeting was called to order at 7:00 p.m.
17 The clerk called the roll and announced a quorum.
18 PUBLIC COMMENT
19 1. Curt K. spoke about the potential conversion of tennis courts at Mitchell Park into pickleball
20 courts, noting that no one is against pickleball but some fear that Mitchell Park will become
21 mostly pickleball when it was designed as a multi-use facility for the community to engage in all
22 sorts of recreation. Curt K. stated that the expansion of 15 to 23 pickleball courts will make it the
23 center for pickleball, which is not bad in itself but limits other citizens of Palo Alto from using it
24 as a general recreation center.
25 2. Juanita Salisbury described how 10 years ago, with the City's permission and countless
26 volunteers, the Primrose Way Pollinator Garden was created. Since then, 6 more gardens have
27 been added and a habitat corridor along Embarcadero Road is being created. Juanita Salisbury
28 emphasized that this is part of a larger vision to transform Palo Alto into a city within a park by
29 bridging a gap between Baylands and Foothills Nature Preserves. Juanita Salisbury stated this
30 vision needs permanent expert stewardship in the form of a habitat manager position equipped
31 with dedicated staff and budget. Juanita Salisbury said this is the way to turn volunteer passion
32 into permanent green infrastructure and make Palo Alto the model for the rest of California.
33 3. Harriet S. has been organizing programs for the past 4 years for Magical Bridge, which was
34 founded 16 years ago to provide a place of sanctuary and joy for people with disabilities in a
35 corner of Mitchell Park. Harriet S. stated she did not imagine next door would become a regional
36 center for racket sports and noted that as pickleball has increased at Mitchell Park, there has
37 been a decrease in visitors to the playground. Harriet S. said it is difficult to park, much less park
38 close, which discourages disabled people from using the playground, and people with sensory
39 sensitivities can be triggered by the repetitive pop of the pickleball hitting the racket. Harriet S.
40 pointed out that the noise is such that when working with scouts on their disability sensitivity
41 merit badges last week, she could not hear their presentations at the community stage.
42 4. Mark Weiss stated he organizes a series of concerts at Lytton Plaza and events at Mitchell Park
43 and several indoor facilities. Mark Weiss noticed a change at Lytton Plaza, the installation of
44 new green metal tables and fixed seating, which obstruct where they normally set up the band
45 facing the fountain. At a recent event, they had to move the stage about 50 feet south and tilt it
46 back toward the fountain. Mark Weiss said he was not at the meeting when this was deliberated
47 and wondered if the benches could be moved 50 feet to the north.
48 5. Thomas shared that he recently retired and is getting back into tennis. Thomas noticed there are
49 only 4 active tennis courts left at Mitchell Park and voiced concerns about them being converted
50 into pickleball courts. Thomas asked that the tennis courts be retained because there are plenty
51 of pickleball courts and only 4 tennis courts.
52 6. Leslyn L. stated she plays tennis and pickleball regularly at Mitchell Park and that Mitchell Park's
53 unique waterspout feature for the kids was a big appeal when moving to Palo Alto. Leslyn L.
54 stated that park users who have been silent and need to be considered are families who use the
55 picnic tables, summer events and concerts, children who use the play structures and open
56 space, the Magical Playground, seniors doing tai chi and early morning walks, and residents who
57 want green open space for contemplation and quiet. Leslyn L. said the goal is for all groups to be
58 accommodated and the City needs to consider how to provide more pickleball courts while
59 ensuring the many other uses of the park are maintained.
60 AGENDA CHANGES, ADDITIONS, AND DELETIONS
61 None.
62 APPROVAL OF MINUTES
63 1. Approval of Minutes from February 24, 2026.
64 MOTION: Commissioner Smith moved, seconded by Commissioner Brown, to approve the Parks and
65 Recreation Commission meeting draft summary minutes of February 24, 2026.
66 MOTION CARRIED: 5-2 (Commissioners Kleinhaus and Deng absent)
67 2. Approval of Minutes from March 24, 2026.
68 MOTION: Commissioner Axelrod moved, seconded by Commissioner Smith, to approve the Parks and
69 Recreation Commission meeting draft summary minutes of March 24, 2026.
70 MOTION CARRIED: 4-2-1 (Commissioner Brown abstained, Commissioners Kleinhaus and Deng absent)
71 CITY OFFICIAL REPORTS
72 1. Department Report
73 Sarah Robustelli, Division Manager for Open Space, Parks, and Golf, highlighted the Earth Day
74 Festival at the Art Center, which took place Sunday, April 19, and had about 400 attendees.
75 Ms. Robustelli announced upcoming events. May Fete will take place in Heritage Park on Saturday,
76 May 2, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. and the theme is "Not All Heroes Wear Capes". The 2026 Movie
77 Nights will be held at Mitchell Park athletic fields with seating starting at 7 p.m. and the movie
78 starting at sunset. The first movie is scheduled for May 5 and all the dates are available on the City
79 website. Twelve teams have signed up for the Chili Cookoff happening on July 4. Commissioners
80 have been invited to judge the competition.
81 Anyone who wants to sign up for Cubberley updates can do so at the project webpage,
82 paloalto.gov/cubberleyproject.
83 Palo Alto has been working with a native plant expert, Juanita Salisbury, who spoke during public
84 comments. She has developed a native planting palette that will support the City's ecological goals
85 and maintain clear visibility throughout the park. Community Services staff will have a team building
86 planting work party there next week.
87 Ms. Robustelli celebrated recent volunteer efforts in the City, including volunteers from Rivian
88 weeding at Eleanor Pardee Park Community Garden, prospective Eagle Scouts building raised beds
89 at Ventura Community Garden, and Kiwanis Club painting site amenities and building a split-rail
90 fence at Briones Park.
91 Recent Hopkins Park improvements include removal of overgrown vegetation and replacement of a
92 fence. The courts there will be resurfaced in upcoming months.
93 Ms. Robustelli provided an update on the Heritage Park site amenities project, including a new sign
94 and 3-sort receptacle being added in response to community feedback.
95 Chair Freeman thanked Ms. Robustelli for the presentation and opened the floor for commissioner
96 comments and questions.
97 Commissioner Smith noted there is a new gate at Heritage Park from the playground to the new
98 bathroom at the museum, which he stated is a wonderful addition for moms, children, and elders.
99 Vice Chair Wei expressed thanks for the presentation and great work.
100 Chair Freeman was glad to hear about the 12 teams for the Chili Cookoff and asked how many
101 teams participated last year and whether there is a cap for how many teams may sign up.
102 Ms. Robustelli confirmed that 10 teams participated last year, 20 is the maximum number of teams,
103 and the sign-up cutoff is 3 weeks before the competition in early June.
104 Chair Freeman applauded the volunteer teams who contributed to the community garden projects.
105 Chair Freeman stated he lives near Heritage Park and has noticed the improvements. Chair Freeman
106 said it is a very active park and the extension of it out to the museum is great.
107 To a question from Chair Freeman, Ms. Robustelli clarified there are no new updates on Cubberley
108 at this time and recommended signing up for email updates on the Cubberly project website.
109 Chair Freeman asked about the Movie Nights and Ms. Robustelli replied that this is the sixth year of
110 Palo Alto's Movie Nights and the first movie will be held on June 5.
111 Commissioner Brown highlighted the public comment about benches and tables and asked Ms.
112 Robustelli to speak to the process around improvements like that and how the community and parks
113 users are engaged for feedback.
114 Ms. Robustelli responded that the community engagement process is site-specific. If doing an in-
115 kind replacement, very little outreach is done because it is more of a maintenance-based item and
116 stays at the staff level. When it is a capital improvement project (CIP), there is a robust community
117 engagement process that involves stakeholder meetings, open public meetings, and updates to
118 commissions. For Lytton Plaza specifically, they worked with nearby buildings owners, the City
119 Manager's Office, and Recreation to make sure items were placed in ways conducive to
120 stakeholders.
121 Commissioner Axelrod shared that he had the pleasure of attending Earth Day. Commissioner
122 Axelrod noted there was heavy traffic when it closed down; it seemed like people wanted the event
123 to last longer and he wondered if that was possible.
124 Ms. Robustelli expressed thanks for the feedback and offered to bring it to the staff debrief the
125 following day.
126 3. Ad Hoc Committees and Liaison Updates
127 Commissioner Axelrod shared that the final version of the Cubberley Master Plan and CEQA will go
128 to Council on May 18. Poll Number 4 is completed but the results are not summarized and will be
129 available through staff on May 7. For Open Space, there is a presentation with Commissioner
130 Smith's daughter about the interpretive center. It is in the early stages but designs look good and
131 they are starting to move forward with fundraising and financing.
132 For Nature Connectivity, Vice Chair Wei shared that she and Commissioner Kleinhaus are looking
133 into the scope of it and will engage staff for discussion when ready.
134 Chair Freeman stated that for the park dedication at Ventura, they should be hearing back from
135 Planning this week on next steps. The Memorial Site Concept for Ventura was brought to the PRC at
136 their retreat and related public comments were received by email.
137 Chair Freeman added an update on wetlands work at the golf course. Remedial wetland work
138 completed last fall focused on test plots with a variety of plant species and now the City's ecologist
139 is evaluating how those test plots are performing. Based on those results and consistent with the
140 original plan, the City will be expanding planting in the additional wetland areas this fall. It will
141 continue to be monitored and adjusted as needed to ensure it meets the desired ecological
142 outcomes.
143 Chair Freeman shared that the City issued a Request For Proposal (RFP) for formal ongoing wetland
144 monitoring and reporting and a consultant has been selected. That monitoring is expected to begin
145 later this year, pending City approval of the contract, which is scheduled for May 4.
146 For Park Group updates, Chair Freeman said there have been several conversations regarding the
147 Skate Park Renovation Project and not much is happening with it but there should be more
148 information at the next PRC meeting. Chair Freeman said there is nothing new from Safe Routes.
149 Chair Freeman applauded Eric for the fine job he and community garden liaisons have been doing to
150 reduce the waitlist for various community gardens, which has gone from 100+ to 10 or less in some
151 areas. Chair Freeman shared that community garden policy updates are being reviewed internally by
152 Eric and staff, who will meet with community garden liaisons and then bring that to PRC for
153 approval.
154 BUSINESS ITEMS
155 4. Informational Update on the Foothills Nature Preserve Improvements Project (PE-21000)
156 Megha Bansal, Senior Project Manager, provided a slideshow presentation update on the Foothills
157 Improvement Project's background, outreach efforts, plan development, timeline, and next steps.
158 Foothills Nature Preserve opened to the general public in 2020 and significant increase in visitation
159 led to the need for improvements to pedestrian access, safety, and parking. At the PRC meeting in
160 October 2025, staff presented a reduced scope for the project, which PRC supported. PRC's
161 feedback was to add back the gravel parking lot across Boronda Lake, including accessible parking,
162 and further discuss parking and traffic control. Proposed improvements in this plan include
163 designated pedestrian pathways, asphalt curb and borders as safety barriers between pedestrian
164 and vehicular traffic, delineating and reconfiguring most existing parking, and removing the parallel
165 gravel parking at the entrance road and in the Boronda Lake area. In the Boronda Lake parking lot,
166 staff proposes converting 2 spaces to accessible parking and 2 other spaces into a turnaround zone.
167 The plan includes traffic control features such as crosswalks, speed humps, speed tables, and
168 signage to improve safety. A new dirt island with asphalt curb will be added at the south intersection
169 of Vista Hill to enforce 1-way traffic; this was chosen over the previously proposed tiger teeth spikes.
170 This plan will return to PRC in May for recommendation of Park Improvement Ordinance (PIO) to
171 City Council. Final project documents and Council adoption will take place in summer 2026, with
172 bidding and construction to begin in Fall/Winter 2026.
173 Chair Freeman expressed thanks for the presentation and the materials provided and reminded the
174 Commission that this session is informational only and the project will return to PRC for a motion in
175 May.
176 Commissioner Kleinhaus asked if this project would require retaining walls.
177 Ms. Bansal confirmed there are no retaining walls as part of this project.
178 Vice Chair Wei said this is one of her favorite parks in Palo Alto and asked if parking is the main
179 concern or challenge addressed by this project.
180 Mike Warner, Open Space Manager, responded that the park has enough parking for the amount of
181 vehicles allowed by ordinance, which is a cap of 250 based on previous formulas used by the City.
182 The Commission and City Council capped total visitation per day at 600. Current general parking is
183 about 292 spaces within the preserve. The plan removes 9 parallel parking stalls, which leaves about
184 40 parking spaces in excess of the vehicle cap of 250.
185 Vice Chair Wei replied that since parking is not the primary issue being addressed, the project must
186 be more focused on natural preservation.
187 Mr. Warner explained that the project's goals are multi-faceted: aesthetics of the park, fire fuel
188 reduction by reducing interaction between vehicles and vegetation, and making it an efficient and
189 easier-to-use space by correcting how parking is done.
190 Commissioner Axelrod stated this is an amazing park and one of Palo Alto's best and expressed
191 excitement for the project to move forward. Commissioner Axelrod asked what success looks like
192 for this project and how that will be measured.
193 Mr. Warner responded that on the park operation side, success means reduction in speed issues;
194 reduction in collisions between vehicles and wildlife, people, and objects in the park; and improving
195 pedestrian safety.
196 Ms. Bansal added that the pedestrian pathways will be made of quarry fines and existing asphalt
197 curbs and borders will be used as much as possible as a safety barrier between pedestrian and
198 vehicular traffic.
199 Chair Freeman asked what was removed from the original scope.
200 Ms. Bansal stated that the original plan presented in the October meeting was to have pedestrian
201 pathways all along the preserve road all the way to the interpretive center. Based on Council
202 direction in September of last year, the project scope reduced pedestrian pathways to the higher-
203 use areas of Boronda Lake and Vista Hill. The original plan's split-rail fencing and bus parking have
204 been eliminated.
205 Mr. Warner added that 1,200 feet of split-rail fencing was asked to be put in to protect the
206 grasslands to the southwest of Vista Hill but usage after the pandemic leveled out and increased
207 education and signs posted by staff persuaded most visitors to stay off the grassland and protect it.
208 The boulders along the road on that section also serve to encourage staying off the grassland.
209 Chair Freeman asked how confident staff are that the new layout will improve traffic flow, especially
210 on busy weekends.
211 Mr. Warner responded that the addition of the speed humps to slow traffic through the preserve
212 will protect wildlife and other users and improve the visual aesthetic when entering the park by
213 opening up the view of the lake.
214 Chair Freeman asked why Tiger Teeth are no longer planned.
215 Mr. Warner noted the Tiger Teeth suggestion came from someone who no longer works for the City.
216 They were discussed with Transportation and determined inappropriate for this location. The
217 consultant suggested adding the natural barrier of the dirt island to direct traffic and make it
218 difficult to drive the wrong direction down the one-way.
219 Commissioner Kleinhaus asked how often all parking spots are taken.
220 Mr. Warner responded that the last time the park reached full capacity was Christmas weekend in
221 2020 with a few times after that coming close. Easter Saturday 2026 had 215 vehicles. The $6 entry
222 fee has helped slow visitation.
223 Commissioner Kleinhaus opined there may be an oversupply of parking, which can be discussed
224 later. Commissioner Kleinhaus highlighted public questions that asked about the appearance of the
225 crossings, speed bumps, and signs, and asked whether they are designed for nature preserves or a
226 downtown area.
227 Ms. Bansal replied that the crosswalks and speed tables will follow standard City design per
228 discussions with Transportation. Some signs will be on wooden posts to help align their appearance
229 with the nature preserve. Excess asphalt in the Vista Hills area is being removed to maintain a
230 natural look.
231 Commissioner Kleinhaus asked for good visuals to be included in the next packet so commissioners
232 and the public can see what they safety features will look like and how many will be included.
233 Commissioner Kleinhaus expressed concerns that the nature preserve may start to look like an
234 urban street. Commissioner Kleinhaus pointed out that, while the project is called a minor
235 improvement and exempt from CEQA, it is not minor and should still follow CEQA best practices.
236 Ms. Bansal responded that the plan went through minor ARB/staff-level review and received
237 approval.
238 Commissioner Kleinhaus asserted that minor ARB review is not right for a nature preserve project
239 and recommended that CEQA standards and best practices should still be followed, such as
240 completing a bird nesting survey before doing construction. Commissioner Kleinhaus expressed a
241 need for more overall information and transparency related to mitigations.
242 PUBLIC COMMENTS:
243 1. Karen H. thanked the PRC for their work and expressed pride in the City's parks and nature
244 preserves. Karen H. serves on the Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District Board but spoke as
245 an individual this evening. Karen H. commented that she is used to seeing proposal maps with N
246 for new and E for existing but this project's map does not have those marks, so it is unclear what
247 is new, existing, or reconfigured. Karen H. asserted that there is a real responsibility to maintain
248 the character of the preserves and noted that striping and urban signage and colors degrade the
249 experience. Karen H. recommended following the Yosemite Design Guidelines, a beautiful
250 document about roadways, designs, and compatibility in a natural setting. Regarding CEQA,
251 Karen H. expressed concern about the project being exempt because it is unclear if new parking
252 is going in disturbed or undisturbed areas. Karen H. noted roadways are narrow and curvy, so
253 human pathways require expanding the roadway into undisturbed areas and vegetation/habitat
254 and may require a retaining wall for steep areas around the lake.
255 2. Jon Foster, Palo Alto resident, thanked everyone for their work on this. Jon Foster
256 recommended retaining the parking near the entrance because it is the only place to park when
257 accessing the beginning of the trail that starts at the entrance gate.
258 Ms. Bansal clarified that the 10-minute parking at the entrance is not proposed for removal but the
259 parallel gravel parking is proposed for removal because of safety concerns.
260 Mr. Warner stated that the public speaker was addressing the parallel parking under the tree at the
261 entrance. Mr. Warner said removal of that parking is not only related to aesthetics but some parking
262 issues on weekends in that specific spot. Mr. Warner added that staff has discussed allowing parking
263 in the 10-minute zone on weekdays.
264 Commissioner Axelrod expressed excitement for accessible parking being added and wondered why
265 staff chose to remove parking at the lake level and add it to a more elevated parking area.
266 Mr. Warner said that additional parking further back is a more natural spot. Parallel parking along
267 the lake area has had parking issues in the last 5 years, especially on busy days and evenings
268 because the lake is popular. Vehicles encroach on the roadway, making it a narrow spot and making
269 it difficult for cyclists and vehicles to pass both ways. The current parking plan improves that and
270 makes it possible to see the lake versus a row of cars the whole way. It also aims to reduce vehicles
271 trying to park close to the rocks, which pierce vehicle oil tanks, which staff have to clean up.
272 Commissioner Axelrod encouraged staff to make sure a wheelchair can easily get from the new
273 accessible spots to the lake.
274 Vice Chair Wei recognized staff's efforts to balance the increased visitation since 2020 and the need
275 for safety. Vice Chair Wei echoed Commissioner Kleinhaus and public comments about the park's
276 identity as a preserve being first priority and its function as a park being secondary. Vice Chair Wei
277 stated the preserve-first framework is reflected in the plan.
278 Sarah Robustelli, Division Manager for Open Space, Parks, and Golf, asked for clarity from the PRC,
279 noting that the gravel parking lot was not in the plan presented at the October meeting, the PRC
280 asked for it to be added back to the plan, and tonight's discussion is voicing concerns about too
281 much parking and disturbing natural areas. Ms. Robustelli clarified that the parking lot was originally
282 asphalt and was converted to gravel per PRC feedback.
283 Commissioner Kleinhaus stated the plan is much better than where it started and appreciated the
284 work that went into it. Commissioner Kleinhaus noted the initial visual of coming down into the
285 lower part of the preserve is a gravel parking lot, which is better than asphalt, but with the trail on
286 the other side, it becomes a large area that is not natural. Commissioner Kleinhaus stated the lot is
287 not the highest priority in terms of nature conservation but is a visual place and a lot of birds forage
288 there, so it is good to not touch it much. Commissioner Kleinhaus was unsure about changing the
289 whole visual feel of the park for the few days each year that are at capacity. Commissioner
290 Kleinhaus said gravel is better than asphalt but none is even better and suggested keeping that lot
291 for overflow use on high visitation days. In terms of curbs, Commissioner Kleinhaus felt it was better
292 for staff to use natural materials like tree trunks, logs, and rocks versus asphalt as much as possible.
293 Commissioner Kleinhaus was unsure why pedestrian and vehicle use need to be separated on this
294 road, noting that Ross Road has cars, bikes, and pedestrians all together. Commissioner Kleinhaus
295 asserted that the beauty of this park is critical and if improvements make it less beautiful, that is
296 important to consider. Commissioner Kleinhaus shared that several people reached out about
297 keeping the top parking lot open. Commissioner Kleinhaus was not sure that a path could be put by
298 the road without shrinking the road or building a retaining wall.
299 Ms. Bansal pointed out that the existing shoulder is planned for conversion to the pedestrian path.
300 In certain areas, the path may have to be reduced to 3 feet but it can be mostly maintained at 3 to 4
301 feet with a gap wherever there is a conflict with existing trees since no trees are being removed.
302 Commissioner Kleinhaus asked how paths can be protected from erosion without a retaining wall.
303 Ms. Bansal said there is enough space for a 3 to 4-foot trail and there will be no retaining wall.
304 Commissioner Deng noted the gravel parking lot across Boronda Lake and the pedestrian road and
305 asked what materials are used.
306 Ms. Bansal shared that the material used for all of the pedestrian pathways is quarry fines, which is
307 a byproduct of quarry operation. This material is installed at Arastradero Preserve and staff have no
308 concerns about it. It has better maintenance than DG pathways, which is why it was selected.
309 Vice Chair Wei hoped that the goal was to get more efficiency rather than adding more parking,
310 reconfiguring and formalizing spaces to eliminate ambiguity for visitors, improve flow, and clearly
311 designate parking areas. Vice Chair Wei supported removing parking configurations that create
312 safety issues and ecological damage and reclaiming existing space where informal parking has
313 expanded beyond intended limits.
314 Chair Freeman hoped for a continued balance of safety improvements while preserving the natural
315 character of the preserve and asked what PRC can do before this comes back.
316 Ms. Bansal asked PRC for clear direction on whether they want the gravel lot across Boronda Lake,
317 which was added back to the plan per PRC's direction in October.
318 Chair Freeman wanted to make sure there was room to park while not distracting from the park's
319 beauty.
320 Commissioner Kleinhaus asked if it was possible for staff to have a grassy area instead of parking,
321 which could be used as overflow parking on peak days only.
322 Ben Heistein, Assistant Director of Open Space, explained that there is currently a lot of unofficial
323 parallel parking that is causing issues, so if they create an unofficial grassland area for parking, they
324 may run into the same level of safety issues being experienced now because it would be hard to
325 police and regulate.
326 Mr. Warner agreed with Mr. Heistein's statements and added that infrequent park visitors will not
327 understand that that area is overflow parking only and will want to park there all the time. Mr.
328 Warner expressed concerns that encouraging visitors to park on vegetation in one area can confuse
329 them about whether they can park on vegetation throughout the park. Mr. Warner stated he has
330 encountered visitors who think parking rules at other places like Mitchell Park should apply in the
331 preserve. Mr. Warner gave the example of occasional people sneaking a mini van between the
332 boulders to park on vegetation.
333 Commissioner Kleinhaus supported removing parking along the lake and wondered if more parking
334 is needed given the visitation is not as high as it was right after COVID.
335 Mr. Warner noted the visitation limit is decided by PRC and Council. The 600-person cap is based on
336 calculations around visitation for the last 20 to 30 years but the municipal code allows up to 1,000
337 visitors per day and the cap could change based on who is seated on PRC and Council. Mr. Warner
338 recalled the explosion in park visitation after COVID and asserted that things can change overnight,
339 so built-in contingency is a good thing but it must be done mindfully.
340 Chair Freeman asked if staff have enough feedback and information to create their ordinance for
341 approval at the next PRC meeting.
342 Ms. Robustelli stated guidance was still fuzzy on the gravel parking lot, which PRC recommended at
343 the October meeting but is now opposed by 2 commissioners. Ms. Robustelli asked for a better
344 sense of PRC's recommendation on the current plan and scope moving forward.
345 Chair Freeman recalled a lengthy discussion around the gravel parking at the October meeting and
346 expressed surprise that it has now become an issue. Chair Freeman stated a need for a consensus on
347 whether to keep or remove that parking.
348 Commissioner Smith spoke in favor of keeping the gravel parking lot and cautioned against some
349 parking being overflow on specific days only because it takes staff time to communicate and
350 enforce.
351 Commissioner Brown supported keeping the gravel parking lot to accommodate high-traffic days
352 and prevent damage to habitat and more work for the rangers.
353 Commissioner Deng agreed about keeping the gravel parking lot because it will make up for the
354 parallel parking being removed.
355 Chair Freeman noted that people parking where they want to has been an issue that rangers and
356 others have observed and keeping the gravel parking lot in the plan will help address that. Chair
357 Freeman noted it can always be re-evaluated in the future.
358 Commissioner Axelrod said that if there is sufficient parking without the gravel lot, it may be easier
359 to do work on the other parking and then see if more is needed.
360 5. Middle School Athletics Program: Future Management Model and Program Direction
361 Adam Howard, Community Services Department, provided a slide presentation update on the
362 Middle School Athletics (MSA) Program and requested feedback from PRC on the preferred
363 management model.
364 The City of Palo Alto took full responsibility for MSA in 2009/2010. In October 2024, the City Council
365 asked PRC to review the program and align it with universal student access and applicable state laws
366 and explore the feasibility of outsourcing program operations to local nonprofit organizations. Mr.
367 Howard provided an overview of the current MSA program, fees, offerings by season, related City
368 staffing, participation levels, compliance with state law, participation and expenses, and program
369 accessibility and capacity.
370 At the PRC meeting on July 22, 2025, alternative models that were discussed included a tiered fee
371 structure, nonprofit partnerships, and partial or full program management outsourcing. Staff and
372 the ad hoc committee sought solutions that do not increase registration costs or City subsidy and/or
373 do increase program capacity. Staff and the ad hoc recommended against a tiered fee structure and
374 the partial program management outsourcing because it raises the cost to remaining sports and
375 creates concerns around equitable experience from sport to sport. Staff and the ad hoc
376 recommended continuing to strengthen the partnership with the Palo Alto Recreation Foundation
377 (PARF) and completing a Request For Proposal (RFP) to fully vet the full program management
378 outsourcing option.
379 Chair Freeman thanked staff and the ad hoc committee for their efforts and asked whether the ad
380 hoc members had anything to add.
381 Commissioner Brown spoke for the ad hoc committee, noting this item was a request by Council in
382 the PRC's previous work plan. Commissioner Brown expressed appreciation for staff's work on it.
383 To a question from Vice Chair Wei, Mr. Howard clarified the MSA sports offerings are listed in the
384 fall Enjoy! catalog with all the registration dates listed but it is not listed each season.
385 Vice Chair Wei asked about tennis court maintenance and Mr. Howard confirmed the school
386 operates their tennis courts and fields and that does not impact the MSA because it is separate.
387 Commissioner Axelrod asked if total participation time per sport is roughly equal, which Mr. Howard
388 confirmed.
389 Commissioner Smith asked about the Palo Alto Recreation Foundation (PARF).
390 Mr. Howard explained that PARF is a nonprofit organization whose sole mission is to support the
391 Recreation division. They help support the Rec Department and supply funding for a lot of special
392 events to help continue or expand them.
393 To a question from Commissioner Smith, Mr. Howard clarified that PARF's $10,000 equals about 60
394 scholarships, which pay half the registration fee for 60 participants.
395 Commissioner Smith wondered what other similar funding might be available.
396 Mr. Howard believed other similar funds are out there and noted that PARF running Thursday night
397 events at Cal Ave and coming back to the forefront should help them gather more donations and
398 fundraise.
399 Commissioner Smith stated athletics are so important for getting kids off their devices, teaching
400 them how to compete, and having someone besides their parents telling them what to do.
401 Chair Freeman asked how staff is communicating the availability of sports fee scholarships.
402 Mr. Howard stated this is something new and they will advertise to bring it to the forefront. Mr.
403 Howard noted there is an information gap around which families cannot afford to participate even
404 with a 50 percent scholarship because they rarely reach out. Mr. Howard felt that adding the option
405 to apply for a scholarship covering 100 percent of the fee will help staff understand the level of need
406 in the community.
407 Chair Freeman noted there are 1,200 registrations with 60 waitlisted and asked whether that
408 number is trending up or remaining stable.
409 Mr. Howard replied that the waitlist number remains stable and MSA tries to keep it as small as
410 possible. If someone was invited to participate in another sport and turned that down, they are not
411 included in the waitlist number.
412 To a question from Chair Freeman, Mr. Howard explained that basketball and girls volleyball drive
413 the waitlist the most. They have to have the right amount of coaches and team sizes come into play
414 because of the limit to how many people can be on the court. There are also space limits because
415 basketball is a winter sport, so there are no options to put things outside because there would be
416 weather delays.
417 In response to a question by Chair Freeman, Mr. Howard clarified that staff recommends continuing
418 to investigate full outsourcing. Staff recommends against partial because if they outsource 1 or 2
419 sports, the remaining sports have to increase in cost to cover the fees. The only way to avoid this is
420 if all sports are able to be individually contracted out. Even if that is possible, the question is
421 whether all sports are getting equal attention from 8 different organizations and how to manage all
422 those contracts. Staff concludes that individual contracting out does more harm than good and
423 recommends fully investigating the potential for full outsourcing, though it is unclear whether the
424 right group can be found to manage it.
425 Chair Freeman commented that the previous RFP did not get much response and asked what staff
426 will change, whether the RFP itself or reaching out to other communities to find out what worked
427 for them.
428 Mr. Howard clarified that the first request was a Request For Information (RFI), which is more
429 informal and vague. Mr. Howard stated that some organizations perhaps did not want to provide
430 information or take the time to do it because it is informal. An RFP is more formal, will be very
431 specific to full contract management, and can go from an RFP to taking ownership of the program.
432 Mr. Howard said the results may not be different but they need to try and find out for sure.
433 To a question by Chair Freeman, Mr. Howard further explained that using the RFP to fully test the
434 market is the best solution. The City can weigh any RFPs submitted and can still choose to keep MSA
435 in house.
436 Commissioner Smith asked what time these sports activities take place.
437 Mr. Howard explained that the activities start within an hour of school getting out. Practice is
438 typically an hour, Monday through Friday. The game schedule fluctuates but some games go as late
439 as 7, though they try to avoid that as much as possible.
440 Commissioner Smith wondered if these activities are considered childcare assistance.
441 Mr. Howard thought MSA may act as childcare for some but stated that the importance of sports,
442 especially at middle school level, is that is provides one of the last opportunities where kids can
443 participate in a team sport where skill is not the main driver. Once at the high school level, skill
444 becomes a more prominent focus.
445 Commissioner Deng commented about the program's promotion via PAUSD and City email channels
446 and wondered if there is any on-site promotion or introductory session during the middle school
447 visit to make parents aware and help them plan their kids' afterschool programs in advance.
448 Mr. Howard stated it is easier to reach seventh and eights graders. The incoming sixth graders are
449 hardest to reach, so they are working with elementary schools to see if they can send out MSA
450 information to incoming sixth graders at the end of fifth grade.
451 PUBLIC COMMENTS:
452 1. Tom Haxton stated he came prepared to argue for the RFP and was happy to hear about the
453 adjustments and recommendation for the RFP. Tom Haxton shared that he founded the Palo
454 Alto Middle School Athletics Community Organization (PAMSACO), which is a nonprofit whose
455 advocacy led to the City Council vote. Tom Haxton highlighted the motivation for evaluating
456 partnering with nonprofits was to increase the level of service for middle school sports. Tom
457 Haxton started off as a volunteer coach for cross country and track and field at JLS Middle
458 School and found the student experience is determined by the quality of coach, which can vary.
459 Tom Haxton stated the biggest thing to do to improve the program is to support the coaches
460 more and pay more to be reasonable compensation for time in the Bay Area. Tom Haxton noted
461 most of the registration fee goes to administrative overhead, not the coaches, and encouraged
462 staff to put the RFP out there as soon as possible.
463 2. DC, parent to a seventh grader at JLS, thanked the PRC for their service and time. DC shared that
464 he and his wife did a lot of sports growing up and stated that middle school is a crucial time to
465 learn a new sport. DC highlighted nonprofits in Palo Alto and noted the experience with middle
466 school sports has been poor by comparison because there is no organization or consistency
467 among the sports. Sometimes they lack able coaches or there are too many participants for the
468 coaches to manage. DC shared that in flag football, a coach was unable to stop unregistered
469 players and complaints to the City about it received no response. DC noted he sent written
470 comments earlier and hoped his eighth grader would have a better experience next year.
471 Vice Chair Wei stated MSA is doing great work and hoped they can get more funding, perhaps from
472 corporations in Palo Alto.
473 Commissioner Brown asked if the staff who administer the MSA program are 100 percent dedicated
474 to MSA or if they perform other functions. Commissioner Brown wondered if contracting out MSA
475 entirely would eliminate these positions and remove that administrative overhead.
476 Mr. Howard confirmed that MSA staff perform other functions, including adult sports, summer
477 camp contracts, and special events. Should MSA be contracted out, there would be a discussion
478 around whether full-time positions could be kept.
479 Commissioner Brown emphasized the importance of remembering that those employee positions
480 would not be entirely eliminated because they are not 100 percent dedicated to MSA. Eliminating
481 them means service impacts to the department while not eliminating them means less cost savings
482 related to outsourcing the program.
483 Commissioner Brown highlighted that they are looking at MSA not only to address the service and
484 improve the quality of the experience but also to make it more equitable in terms of access and
485 address changing needs. The research done showed the in-house delivery service model offers the
486 most flexibility in terms of being responsive to new sports being requested, though that could be
487 baked into a contract in some way. Since this conversation started, some considerations like
488 increasing the subsidy became less realistic given the reality of the current budget conditions.
489 Commissioner Brown expressed support for the staff recommendation. Commissioner Brown noted
490 it is very low cost and low effort to fully vet the outsourcing option and it will get the PRC the
491 answers it needs moving forward.
492 Commissioner Axelrod advocated for reconsidering partial program management across all sports
493 because it would enable them to find vendors who are best-of-breed and have a mission and
494 passion about each individual sport rather than looking for an umbrella organization. Commissioner
495 Axelrod stated it is hard to find a group that loves and offers great programs for the full range of
496 sports. Commissioner Axelrod recommended RFPs for individual and/or groups of sports.
497 Commissioner Freeman stated the goal is to grow and refine the MSA program and some of the
498 biggest constraints are facilities, staffing, and funding. Commissioner Freeman asked what processes
499 have been tried to address constraints, such as advertising and raising awareness.
500 Mr. Howard stated that websites like Indeed are used to increase the number of coaches available.
501 There are difficulties finding people available from 3 to 6, Monday through Friday, and it is not a
502 large chunk of time or pay. Mr. Howard stated they continue to reach out and use the current
503 coaches to promote to other people. Mr. Howard noted the economy and number of people looking
504 for work plays a role. Mr. Howard shared that high school students get out a little later, so the
505 schedule has been adjusted to allow them to coach because that is a good pull. It is about as much
506 communication as possible and being flexible with scheduling based on coach availability.
507 Commissioner Freeman recalled that when his kids were younger and in sports, the City had
508 programs for coaching and referee workshops.
509 Mr. Howard responded that the City is trying to find a coach certification program to offer through
510 the Enjoy! catalog, which could increase the potential coach pool.
511 Vice Chair Wei stated that is a great idea and asked if there are any resources from Stanford
512 students or their sports department.
513 Mr. Howard shared that they advertise the need for coaches through Stanford Athletics and other
514 junior colleges in the area, anything to promote to anyone available and interested in coaching.
515 Commissioner Smith asked if coach pay is competitive to neighboring towns.
516 Mr. Howard stated coach pay is competitive to neighboring cities but not private clubs because they
517 are able to pay more. Palo Alto pays coaches a range depending on coach level, starting at $20.91
518 per hour for Rec 1.
519 Commissioner Brown moved to accept the staff recommendation of an RFP contracting out the full
520 program.
521 Chair Freeman moved an addition that staff should return to the PRC with a comparative analysis
522 between the final decision, seconded by Commissioner Deng.
523 SUBSTITUTE MOTION: Commissioner Axelrod moved adding an RFP for partial program management
524 across all sports in addition to the staff's recommendation of an RFP for full program management,
525 seconded by Commissioner Smith.
SUBSTITUTE MOTION FAILED: 3-3-1 (Brown, Deng, Freeman no, Kleinhaus absent)
MOTION: Commissioner Brown moved to accept the staff recommendation of an RFP for the full
533 program, seconded by Commissioner Deng.
MOTION PASSED: 5-1-1 (Axelrod no, Kleinhaus absent)
6. Review and Confirm the Revised Parks and Recreation Commission Fiscal Year 2027 Work
537 Plan
PUBLIC COMMENT: Dan Garblik spoke on behalf of Rinconada Park parents and community members
560 who are proposing a small, nonprofit-operated café at Rinconada Park. Dan Garblik stated that Palo Alto
561 has an approved model for this, Ada's Café, which has successfully served Mitchell Park for years. The
562 same is wanted for Rinconada Park, which has a lot of foot traffic but no food or beverage options
563 within a 25-minute walk. The café would be operated by the nonprofit and local high school students,
564 giving them real entrepreneurial and leadership experience in their community. Supporters of the café
565 have a full presentation ready, are talking with City Planning, and are looking for guidance on the path
566 forward, specifically about the official park design process and how the proposal would fit into it.
COMMISSIONER/BOARD MEMBER QUESTIONS, COMMENTS, ANNOUNCEMENTS OR FUTURE AGENDA
568 ITEMS
ADJOURNMENT