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Home My WebLink About03/08/1990 PRC MinutesMINUTES OF THE PARKS AND RECREATION COMMISSION j MEETING OF MARCH 8, 1990 CALL TO ORDER: Ch/Ivan Nyal called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. at Heritage Park, 2900 South Brea Canyon Road, Diamond Bar, California. PLEDGE OF: The audience was led in the Pledge of Allegiance by ALLEGIANCE Chairman Nyal. ROLL CALL: Chairman Nyal, Vice Chairman Nardella and commission- ers Whelan and Ruzicka. C/Stitt was out of town, per his submitted letter. Also present were Parks/Maintenance Director Charles Janiel, Secretary Peggy Sartin, Mr. Don Schad, Mr. Sandy Steeves and Ms. Cindy Morton. APPROVAL OF Chairman Nyal moved to approve the Minutes of Feb. 8, MINUTES: and the Minutes from the Study Session of Feb. 22, 1990, as submitted. VC/Nardella seconded the motion and with Concensus of Commission the, motion was ap- proved. MATTERS FROM Don Schad, of 1824 Shaded Wood Road, Diamond Bar, CA., AUDIENCE: informed the Commission about the Tree Planting Prog- ram, scheduled for April 22 at Peterson Park, is pro- gressing well with the trees allocated, the available children to help and cookies to be made. An unoffi- cial source stated that hot dogs and punch would be served. REPORTS: Additional In response to the memorandum from Robert L. Van Nort, Staff City Manager, a motion was made by C/Ruzicka that the Parks & Recreation/Maintenance Department be afforded additional staff to provide support for the Department and the Commission in an effort to meet the needs of both groups, and other various projects as they devel- op, such as the immediate priority to pin down addi- tional park lands. VC/Nardella seconded. Following roll call vote, the motion was passed: AYES: COMMISSIONERS: VC/Nardella, C/Whelan, C/Ruzicka and Chair/Nyal NOES: COMMISSIONERS: None ABSENT: COMMISSIONER: C/Stitt P & R Commission ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Page 2 Pantera Park Following a discussion of land for Parks use, Vice Site Ch/Nardella moved and Ch/Nyal seconded a recommenda- tion to Council and the Planning Commission that any development of the property, (Sandstone Canyon area at the base of the hill near South Point Middle School off Blue Canyon Road), be seriously reviewed in terms of retaining its natural state. Mr. Don Schad recom- mended an Environmental Impact Report (EIR) is recom- mended to extend for a minimum period of at least one (1) year due to the many varying seasonal fauna and flora in that area. The motion was amended to: Any development (including permits and CUP's) be reviewed by P & R Commission before going to the Planning Com- mission. Master Plan A Master Plan Subcommittee was formed by VC/Nardella 'Subcommittee and C/Whelan. Chairman Nyal would like to attend as a spectator in this subcommittee. Along with this, in- terest has been expressed among students at the fol- lowing universities: CSU Fullerton, Arizona State U. and Cal Poly. The Commission desires to find interns who are willing to work here locally for more than one semester. Summer/part-time employees would be an ide- al possibility. Com/Whelan recommended to pursue hir- ing of two -three interns during summer to help develop the Parks Master Plan. C/Ruzicka seconded. AYES: COMMISSIONERS: VC/Nardella, C/Whelan, C/Ruzicka and Chair/Nyal NOES: COMMISSIONERS: None ABSENT: COMMISSIONER: C/Stitt Public Forums, and press notices for them, were brief- ly discussed and recognized as a valuable tool for public inpyit. The Field Usage and related items were moved ahead of the Walnut Valley Recreation Report by Christine Ad- ams. Field Use A brief report by C/Ruzicka on the accomplishments of the Field Usage Subcommittee February Meeting.' Deci- sions were made in that meeting without the knowledge that Mr. Bob Russi was scheduling Parks Reservations at a charge of five dollars ($5.00) per child per sea- son. Therefore, the scheduling done in good faith re- sulted in a few conflicts. Mr. Sandy Steeves of 3460 Falcon Ridge, Diamond Bar, CA, gave his example of how he has played by the rules. He paid the five dollars per child per season charge, submitted at the time of --------------------------------------- P --------------------------------------P & R Commission Page 3 application for park reservation to Bob Russi, achiev- ing a park use schedule for MWF 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. and Saturday mornings at Sycamore Park. When the P&R Park Usage Subcommittee scheduled the parks, Mr. Sandy was scheduled for Heritage Park from 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. Wed. plus Sat. mornings from 10:00 a.m. to noon. Because the team Mr. Sandy coaches is 14-15 year old players, a larger field is desirable. He wishes to play by the rules, but the rules have changed, without notifying him. He was told of the scheduling changes by another coach at the Sycamore Park. He is request- ing a solution to this problem. The Commission apolo- gized for inconvenience to the team and desires to rectify a decision based on facts available to them prior to the surfacing of the latest news of parks reservations already committed. It was strongly sug- gested by Vice Chairman Nardella that an immediate meeting with Bob Russi to get all of this year's sche- duling information from him. The Field Use subcommit- tee, Ch/Nyal and C/Ruzicka will be available to meet with Bob Russi on Monday evening at 7:00 p.m. in the City Hall Conference Room. Frank Luzano will also be requested to attend and bring all Little League sched- uling to the meeting. Walnut Valley Christine Adams' Report was reviewed; several stated Recreation there is a lack of effective community knowledge for existing programs and a need for better programs for the Diamond Bar area. The after-school program is not successful, due primarily, to a lack of advertising. It seems that we have a need to sit down and make some decisions on the type of program most effective for Diamond Bar after school sports, arts/crafts/etc. and an identifiable agenda. Since Christine Adams is on vacation, Charles Janiel will contact her on Monday. Co-op Day Care Currently there are five (5) children enrolled. Sug- gestions to contact Liz Meyers and Sunny Martindale for follow-up, post flyers in the elementary schools, in park areas and do some advertising to increase en- rollment. Ch/Nyal requested to have this subject on the next regular meeting agenda to ensure a thorough follow-up. ------------7---------------------------------------------------------- P & R Commission Page 4 ----------------------------------------------------------------------- "iihh Field Use Chairman Nyal requested a motion to eliminate fees for Charges Diamond Bar residents%organizations and to include fees for out of town organizations. C/Ruzika made the motion and Vice Chairman Nardella seconded. The�ensu ing discussion determined a need for more information for lights, a differential charge made to out of town groups, resulted in the motion being tabled to the next Commission meeting on April 12. Hours of Park A request to close Ronald Reagan Park at 9:00 p.m. Operation raised the question of how to close a park without staff. A need to override the light timer (usually off at ten p.m.), is now set to go off at 9:00 p.m. until a decision after an investigation can be'made. At Maple Hill the lights were working last Friday with a second light needing to be repaired. A possible solution: Maple Hill Park could be open to 10:00 p.m. and Ronald Reagan Park could be closed at 9:00 p.m. Ch/Nyal has a motion on the floor to support staff to close Ronald Reagan Park at 9:00 p.m. until such time as citizen complaints warrant a light change. 'Vice- C/Nardella seconded the motion. A letter is to be drafted by Charles Janiel to the complaintant re: during an investigation the lights to go off at 9:00 p.m. pending a final resolution, for Chairman Nyal to sign. Also, a request for' Larry Luter to survey the park at 10:00 p.m. as to how the lights are being used. Senior Citizens Senior Citizens Subcommittee needs a couple of Commis - Subcommittee sion members to serve. The first meeting is to be held Tuesday, March 13, at three o'clock at City Hall to discuss senior issues and concerns. This subcommittee will be comprised of Ch/Nyal and C/Ruzicka. Joint Powers Two commissioners are needed for the monthly meeting Agreement of Recreation JPA Advisory Board, consisting of two Walnut Recreation Commissioners and Christine Adams. JPA Subcommittee: VC Nardella and C/Whelan. Ch/Nyal wishes to be an attendee. A request for minutes and H agenda of JPA Advisory Board meeting be mailed to all the Commissioners was made. VC/Nardella wishes to have his mailed to work address, all others to their homes. a i � a I '' c. ,e 7•,, _ . .. , .. ... ... .i .. '.. .. ,._ ,.,-_ _., _. .R.ii_ "'T ':'i" y �' 4�1� LI.D i IU I...J�V ------------------------------------=-----------=------------------------ P & R Commission Page 5 --------------------------------------- -------------------------------- � � DISCUSSION ITEMS: Subcommittees A request by VC/Nardella to see some major categories of "normal" subcommittees to help determine what Cate- gories are appropriate for us as a new city. Diamond Bar It will be the Staff's recommendation to Council on Blvd. Median March 6, to award the lowest bidder to Valley Crest Development Landscape. , COMMISSION C/Ruzicka will schedule the pay phones issue to the COMMENTS: next regular Agenda. Ch/Nyal stated that we also need more information on the Sycamore Canyon Park avail- ability to turn the building into Nature Center par- ticularly since Sycamore Park has very low enrollment. Discussion determined that perhaps this can be suc- cessfully achieved through the JPA. Ch/Nyal is to pick up his pictures of the canyon trip with Don Schad for the next meeting. The kids really enjoyed the trip; we need to preserve the canyon for the future. r 4 The Parks/Recreation commission dismissed at 9:38 p.m. i 'I The next meeting scheduled is for the Study Session on March 22. The meeting adjourned at 9:38 p.m. Peggy Sartin Secretary 1 ATT Ivan Nyal, hairman