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HomeMy WebLinkAbout09/10/1992 PRC MinutesCITY OF DIAMOND BAR MINUTES OF THE PARKS AND RECREATION COMMISSION STUDY SESSION SEPTEMBER 10, 1992 CALL TO ORDER: Chairman Ruzicka called the meeting to order at 7:15 p.m. at City Hall, 21660 East Copley Drive, Diamond Bar, California. PLEDGE OF The audience was led in the Pledge of Allegiance by ALLEGIANCE: Chairman Ruzicka. ROLL CALL: Commissioners: Schey, Whelan, Vice Chairman Plunk, and Chairman Ruzicka. Commissioner Medina was absent (excused). Also present were Administrative Assistant Kellee Fritzal, and Parks and Recreation Director Bob Rose. OLD BUSINESS: Parks Master Chair/Ruzicka stated that the purpose of this Plan meeting is to discuss the development of a Parks Master Plan. He requested an update to the General Plan referendum. PRD/Rose explained that the City has requested the -.I State to grant an extension of the time to develop a General Plan. The State has not yet given a response. The Parks and Recreation Elements are not expected to change significantly. Therefore, it would be viable to continue using the General Plan as the foundation to formulate the work we do. The Commission concurred. Chair/Ruzicka stated that the Commission has received, from staff, an explanation for the steps to a Master Plan. The Master Plan sub -committee is in the process of enlisting the help of some experts in the field from the local educational institution. PRD/Rose indicated that pieces of the Parks Master Plan may be going out to a consultant at some later date. Staff is currently meeting with two consultants who are assisting staff in delineating those areas, of the Parks Master Plan, that could be completed by staff/Commission, completed with a consultants assistance, or best completed entirely by the consultant. The information, attached to the steps to a Master Plan inventory, includes this delineation from one Consultant. He reported that -ry the steps to a Master Plan have been outlined in a simple format. The first step is to start with an z Inventory Analysis of existing facilities within the City, which includes open space, and programming, and to determine their condition. Then we review the specific standards set by the State, the National Parks and Recreation September 10, 1992 Page 2 Chair/Ruzicka reported that the sub -committee, at their last meeting, also discussed the idea of task assignments. It was suggested that VC/Plunk and C/Medina work together in determining the Inventory of Sites/Facilities, both within the City, and those facilities around the City that could be considered for City use. An inventory of all the parks in the City can be obtained through staff. He explained that it will not be necessary to have a second meeting every single month, but rather to meet when we have accomplished the tasks assigned. VC/Plunk stated that, because the Parks Master Plan is a huge task that will require a lot of the Commissions time, it may be necessary to meet more often. C/Whelan pointed out that the sub -committee will continue to meet often, however, it will require more time than two weeks for each Commissioner to accomplish the tasks given out. AA/Fritzal explained that since the agenda for the regular meeting has been light, there is an opportunity to discuss the Parks Master Plan during the regular meetings. Staff will be meeting with the sub -committee, as well as with each Commissioner doing these tasks. Chair/Ruzicka reported that C/Whelan volunteered to do research on the Program Inventory, and it was suggested that C/Schey do the Current Standards. r~� He stated that he will be available to coordinate, and help gather information. �� Association, and other boards, as to what should be in parks, and, how many acres, of developable land, should be available for active space, and passive space. The next step is to determine what the residents feel they need. This is accomplished with user groups, neighborhood meetings, and surveys, coupled with random surveys that will determine what people will actually participate in. We compare what we have, to what we need, then apply those with the standards, develop an implementation strategy for meeting the gaps, and develop a financing mechanism for each of the strategies we hope to complete. The Inventory Analysis also includes the projection of population. Chair/Ruzicka reported that the sub -committee, at their last meeting, also discussed the idea of task assignments. It was suggested that VC/Plunk and C/Medina work together in determining the Inventory of Sites/Facilities, both within the City, and those facilities around the City that could be considered for City use. An inventory of all the parks in the City can be obtained through staff. He explained that it will not be necessary to have a second meeting every single month, but rather to meet when we have accomplished the tasks assigned. VC/Plunk stated that, because the Parks Master Plan is a huge task that will require a lot of the Commissions time, it may be necessary to meet more often. C/Whelan pointed out that the sub -committee will continue to meet often, however, it will require more time than two weeks for each Commissioner to accomplish the tasks given out. AA/Fritzal explained that since the agenda for the regular meeting has been light, there is an opportunity to discuss the Parks Master Plan during the regular meetings. Staff will be meeting with the sub -committee, as well as with each Commissioner doing these tasks. Chair/Ruzicka reported that C/Whelan volunteered to do research on the Program Inventory, and it was suggested that C/Schey do the Current Standards. r~� He stated that he will be available to coordinate, and help gather information. �� September 10, 1992 Page 3 I PRD/Rose, stated that both consultants felt that the telephone survey was an important method to obtain information from the community. It was suggested that this gathered data be compared to some of the information obtained from the neighborhood, and user group meetings, to give it a balance so that all of the future strategies aren't based on slanted view of what the needs for parks are. The final step, the Implementation/Strate- gies/Financing, pulls together the overall document. Once it is adopted by the City Council, it will be the blueprint for our future, and establish the priorities of what we want to accomplish. It will serve as a method to get things accomplished, and to obtain the necessary funding. AA/Fritzal suggested that the Commission may want to review the existing information found on page 2- N-1 through 2-N-18, of the Master Environmental Assessment. C/Whelan noted that the Steps to a Master Plan indicate that the majority of the tasks should be - completed by a consultant. AA/Fritzal explained that the report is simply the consultants recommendation. Staff will be determining what actions are better accomplished by staff in order to reduce the costs. However, one of the items that a consultant may be used for is for the "as built" plans for existing parks, and "future phasing" for parks. C/Whelan requested that the document state "staff/Commission" wherever it indicates "staff", so that the accountability does not fall entirely on staff. Chair/Ruzicka reiterated the intent to have one regular Commission meeting a month, to include the Parks Master Plan as an agenda item. Additional meetings will be scheduled, as needed. ANNOUNCEMENTS: PRD/Rose reported that staff has just received information that one of the youth soccer organizations, in Diamond Bar, has written a petition that their participants support the fact that the Parks and Recreation Department could use L additional resources in their endeavor to serve the City. The statement is apparently a result of their frustration of trying to find facilities for practice. He stated that he will be attending their Board meeting, Wednesday, October 7, 1992, at September 10, 1992 Page 4 7030 p.m., at Oak Tree Lanes, as a representative of the City, to hear what they have to say, and to present the options available. Specifically the information regarding the upcoming Safe Park Act Prop A, in November of 1992, for potential funding of pantera Park, of 1.4 million dollars, and $540,000 of discretionary funds to be used for the parks. C/Whelan suggested that the organization be sent a letter inviting them to discuss the matter at the next Commission meeting. Chair/Ruzicka requested that the item be placed on next month's agenda. C/Whelan stated his concern that there is a feeling in the community that Peterson Park is a girls softball park, and that the City built a concession stand because of the things they did. They do not realize that it was phase three, of the plan for Peterson Park. There may be a feeling within the community that if enough of a concern is raised, the City will find a way to pay for something to have it built. The community needs to know of the priority list, and that as funds are available,) field upgrading will be done. C/Schey pointed out that the Commission has to put their energy into the Parks Master Plan to, establish the goals for the entire City. I ADJOURNMENT. Hearing no objection, Chair/Ruzicka adjourned the! meeting at 8:20 p.m. Respectively, Bob Rose Secretary Att Jo R ick Cliai an 9 I