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HomeMy WebLinkAbout09/26/1991 PRC MinutesCITY OF DIAMOND BAR MINUTES OF THE PARKS AND RECREATION COMMISSION SEPTEMBER 26, 1991 CALL TO ORDER: Chairman Whelan called the meeting to order at 7:03 p.m. in the Community Room, 1061 Grand Avenue, Diamond Bar, California. PLEDGE OF The audience was led in the Pledge of Allegiance by ALLEGIANCE: Commissioner Plunk. ROLL CALL: Commissioners: IPlunk, Meyer, Vice Chairman Ruzicka, and Chairman Whelan. Commissioner Stitt was absent. Also present were Assistant City Manager Terrence Belanger, Administrative Analyst Kellee Fritzal, and Recreation Superintendent Bob Rose. CONSENT CALENDAR: Commissioner Meyer requested the Minutes of August 22, 1991 to be pulled from the Consent Calendar. Motion was made by VC/Ruzicka, seconded by C/Plunk and CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY to approve the Consent Calendar. Motion was made by VC/Ruzicka, seconded by C/Plunk and CARRIED to approve the Minutes of August 22, 1991. C/Meyer abstained. OLD BUSINESS: General Plan: ACM/Belanger informed the Commission that the City Resource Council has directed that the draft General Plan go Management back to the GPAC for further review. Staff Element recommended that the Commission postpone discussions concerning the Resource Management Element of the City's draft General Plan until GPAC has reviewed and approved the General Plan. C/Plunk suggested that the Commission may want to begin preliminary discussion of the document, with the understanding that there may be some changes. ACM/Belanger stated that the purpose of asking the Commission to refrain from further discussion of the General Plan is wait until the document better reflects the goals and aspirations of the GPAC. Furthermore, because the City intends to request a one year extension from the State, there is more time for the Commission to read and reflect on the document in terms of the recommendations that may be made to the City Council. j Chair/Whelan inquired if the request previously made by VC/Ruzicka, as to what is available to open space to the community, could be discussed. September 26, 1991 NEW BUSINESS: Page 2 ACM/Belanger explained that not all of the open spaces listed in the document are currently zoned open space, further the property owners have not been notified of the potential change in status of their property. The item was pulled from discussion because the issue has not been ultimately resolved. C/Meyer suggested that it would be helpful to get a schedule of events regarding the review process. It would also be helpful if staff defined the purpose of the General Plan to help the Commission focus their input. Payment Fees ACM/Belanger informed the Commission that private non-profit athletic groups are currently being charged $7.50 per participant for use of public agencies' fields and facilities, causing a financial strain on some of the City's non-profit organizations. It is recommended that the Commission consider having the City pay the fees to other public agencies, on behalf of Diamond Bar non-profit athletic organizations, for the use of athletic fields and facilities, and recommend the proposal to the City Council at it's October 1, 1991 meeting. The fiscal input of this proposal is estimated to be $5,000 per year. As a caveat, the issue of "gift of public funds" must be researched. Jeff Stevens, residing at 23710 Monument Canyon Drive, representing the Board of Directors for Diamond Bar Little League, explained that the Walnut Valley unified School District (WVUSD) wants last year's bill paid plus half of what next year's fee will be, causing a financial strain on the organization. The Board of Directors has decided not to pay the bill, and not to use the WVUSD fields. ACM/Belanger suggested that, as a revenue -raising alternative, the Little League could rent their facilities to the City, creating a quid pro quo for the payment of the fees to the Little League. C/Meyer suggested that the Little League, and other organizations struggling to pay the fees, lobby the School District, in mass, to try to get them to lower the fees. VC/Ruzicka explained that there has been numerous discussions, with the School District regarding' these fees, to no avail. H� September 26, 1991 Page 3 Chair/Whelan inquired if it would be appropriate for the Commission to send a letter to the School District asking for the justification of charging the fees, and, as a Commission, asking them to waive the fees. ACM/Belanger suggested that the Commission could include, as one of the elements in the recommendation to the City Council, that a strong letter be directed to the School District asking for a change in this particular policy. VC/Ruzicka stated that one of the main issues at hand is the appropriateness of the School Board to be charging this fee. C/Meyer indicated that the concept of the recreation program is to make it available to all the residents of the community, and, in terms of the City paying these fees, to demonstrate that there is an economic hardship. The Little League does have an asset, and an opportunity to turn the f-, asset into a revenue producer. That avenue should be explored further. ACM/Belanger, responding to VC/Ruzicka's inquiry, explained that the monies to pay the W.V.U.S.D. would come from the General Fund. Chair/Whelan informed Mr. Stevens that the Commission is not able to alleviate the Leagues existing debt. He suggested that the City consider, at a later date, assessing a $1.00 flat field usage fee to everyone that participates in the Diamond Bar recreation program, to help pay the field usage fees. Chair/Whelan suggested that the Commission recommended that the City Council write a letter to the Walnut Valley Unified School District (WVUSD) Board of Trustees, regarding the assessment of fees to the citizens of Diamond Bar, for the use of fields for which taxes are already being paid. Motion was made by VC/Ruzicka, and seconded by C/Plunk to recommend that the City Council write a strong letter to the WVUSD requesting a change in policy with regard to field use fees. It is also recommended that the City Council authorize and allocate the expenditure of approximately five thousand dollars for the payment of current fees until the matter can be resolved. September 26, 1991 Page 4 Chair/Whelan suggested that the Little League should also write a letter. C/Meyer's stated that, in his opinion, the motion is limiting the range of the recommendation to the City Council. He suggested that the Commission include in the recommendation that before the fees are paid, it is recommended that the City Council develop the criteria to demonstrate that there is a hardship that residents are being denied recreational opportunity. Chair/Whelan indicated that the Parks and Recreation Commission's user group subcommittee could determine the hardship and bring back the information to the Commission and the Council. VC/Ruzicka requested C/Meyer to elaborate further on his amendment to the motion. i VC/Ruzicka amended his motion to include the suggestions made by C/Meyer. The motion CARRIED, UNANIMOUSLY. 4 sit C/Meyer stated that, in his opinion, with the information provided, it has not been demonstrated that there is a hardship. The sports groups have not sought other sources of revenue, have not approached the School District since the- bond change, have not organized with all the sport groups in mass, have not approached service clubs for help in defraying the liability, and have not explored leasing out their assets to create another revenue source. He suggested that VC/Ruzicka's motion include the following: the City Council should develop the criteria to demonstrate that there is a hardship that residents are being denied recreational opportunity because of the impact of the user fees imposed by the school district; on behalf of the Diamond Bar residents, the City Council should contact the School Board and register it's objections to those user fees; and, barring a change in the policy of the School' District, relative to the user fees, and upon demonstration of a hardship on behalf of a sport league, the City should pay the fees from the fiscal 191-192 budget. Chair/Whelan suggested that instead of discussing a hardship on the residents, it may be more appropriate to look at it as a facility use h hardship. i VC/Ruzicka amended his motion to include the suggestions made by C/Meyer. The motion CARRIED, UNANIMOUSLY. 4 sit September 26, 1991 Page 5 LA Park, Beach & ACM/Belanger informed the Commission that the Los Recreation Act Angeles County Park, Beach, and Recreation Act, if of 1992 passed by the voters, will provide approximately $800 million in bonds to preserve, improve, and restore park, beach and open space lands and recreation facilities throughout the County. Those projects that we'd like to have considered for funding must be turned in, to the County of Los j Angeles, by October 15, 1991. The two projects suggested by staff are the Site "D" project, and the Pantera Park project. Staff recommended that the Commission recommend to proceed with the application, and that the Parks Master Plan Sub- committee be directed to work with staff in finalizing the plan and the application, and bring the information back to the Commission on the October 10th meeting. Motion was made by C/Meyer, seconded by VC/Ruzicka and CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY to accept staff's recommendation. Summer Youth ACM/Belanger stated that the Summer Youth Program Program resembles the programs that the City engaged in during the summer session. It would not be difficult to incorporate those elements of the summer program that were already offered, into a program associated with the Sheriff's Department. Upon the Commission's direction, staff will try to incorporate the Walnut substation with those excursions and other programs. VC/Ruzicka indicated that the Diamond Bar Improvement Association (DBIA) expressed interest in this program. He suggested that they and other civic organizations be contacted. Intermural Sports ACM/Belanger reported that Councilwomen Papen Program suggested the possibility of creating an intermural sports program for at -risk children. The program will need a higher degree of marketing to get the children involved. Chair/Whelan stated that creating a weekend program in a neighborhood park, involving the community, had been discussed. p ^n ANNOUNCEMENTS: VC/Ruzicka stated that Don Schad is volunteering to replant the Larkstone Park site. He inquired if the City has control of the park, and the irrigation system. September 26, 1991 ADJOURNMENT: Page 6 I ACM/Belanger stated that the City has control of the park, but not of the rest of the site. VC/Ruzicka stated that the DBIA would like to know where the Redwood tree can be planted. ACM/Belanger suggested planting it in a place that it will have room to grow. Motion was made by VC/Ruzicka, seconded by C/Plunk and CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY to adjourn the meeting at 8:58 p.m. Attest: Pat Whelan Chairman i Res, ectively, Terrence Belanger Secretary I