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Home My WebLink About04/26/2007 PRC MinutesCITY OF DIAMOND BAR MINUTES OF THE PARKS & RECREATION COMMISSION S.C.A.Q.M.D./THE GOVERNMENT CENTER AUDITORIUM 21865 Copley Drive Diamond Bar, CA 91765 APRIL 26, 2007 CALL TO ORDER: Chairman Owens called the Parks and Recreation Commission meeting to order at 7:03 p.m. in the SCAQMD/Government Center Building Auditorium, 21865 Copley Drive, Diamond Bar, CA 91765. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE: VC/Low led the Pledge of Allegiance. ROLL CALL: Present: Commissioners Dave Grundy, Vice Chairman Ruth Low and Chairman Ted Owens. Absent: Commissioners Lew Herndon and Benny Liang were excused. Staff Present: Bob Rose, Director of Community Services; Anthony Jordan, Parks and Maintenance Superintendent; Sara Somogyi, Recreation Services Manager, and Marisa Somenzi, Senior Administrative Assistant. MATTERS FROM THE AUDIENCE: Tony Kim, 2609 S. Prairie Lane, asked if the City could provide lights at Maple Hill Park so that the kids could play basketball in the evening. CSD/Rose responded to the speaker that the item could be placed on the list for consideration during 2007-2008 FY budget discussions. Staff has considered lights at Summitridge Park. The other possibility is to work with the school district to see if it would permit the City to light the outdoor courts at Lorbeer or Chaparral. Tony Kim confirmed to CSD/Rose that the location was not as important as having lighted courts. CALENDAR OF EVENTS: As Listed in the Agenda and reported by CSD/Rose. 1. CONSENT CALENDAR VC/Low moved, C/Grundy seconded, to approve the Consent Calendar. Without objection, the motion was so ordered. 1.1 Approval of Minutes for the March 22, 2007 Regular Meeting. 1.2 Transmitted naming policy for city -owned land and facilities from the following cities: Apple Valley, Dixon, Escondido, Moreno Valley, Palo Alto, Santa Clara and West Hollywood. Commissioners felt it was appropriate for the City to have a policy and APRIL 26, 2007 PAGE 2 P&R COMMISSION C/Grundy said he would be happy to participate in drafting the resolution. VC/Low felt it would be more appropriate for staff to draft the resolution. 2. INFORMATIONAL ITEMS 2.1 RECREATION PROGRAM REPORT — RSM/Somogyi VC/Low asked if families with children unable to participate due to their financial status had been identified. RSM/Somogyi responded that the City has had only one or two such requests and those individuals were referred to the Heritage Park Youth Council and the Diamond Bar Community Foundation for sponsorship. CSD/Rose stated that the Heritage Park Rec Council had more than $2500 dollars and turned the funds over to the Diamond Bar Community Foundation on the proviso that the funds be used for needy sports participants. C/Grundy asked if the City ever got to the point of having more applications than positions for the Volunteens. RSM/Somogyi responded that the City is inundated each year but does not want to turn away qualified teens and does its best to accommodate everyone in some program. C/Grundy suggested steering some of the Volunteens with interest toward the D.B. 4 -Youth group. RSM/Somogyi responded that the staff person who does the recruiting would be actively recruiting for all groups including the D.B. 4 -Youth group. Chair/Owens asked for consensus to have the Commission send a thank - you letter to the Diamond Bar Community Foundation for its $2000 donation to the Battle of the Bands. Commissioners concurred. 2.2 PARKS REPORT — PMS/Jordan. VC/Low said she was amazed about the report of significant graffiti action at Sycamore Canyon Park and asked if staff had an update on the temporary surveillance. CSD/Rose responded that staff presented a decision package to get $6-7,000 for the item in the next fiscal year budget. C/Grundy said that during the Cottontail Tournament some of the participants from one of the visiting teams from another city were placing graffiti inside the bathroom. The kids were caught and taken away by the police in handcuffs. Chair/Owens asked if the long jump pit was part of the maintenance agreement and CSD/Rose responded that when the football field was renovated some grass seed got into the long jump pit and that it would be returned to its intended use. 2.3 DIAMOND BAR COMMUNITY FOUNDATION — CSD/Rose — No report. 2.4 TRAILS MASTER PLAN REVIEW APRIL. 26, 2007 PAGE 3 P&R COMMISSION ' CSD/Rose spoke about the maps in the Commission packets. The maps show the actual route in red and the proposed route in yellow that reduces the path steepness from 30 degrees to about 10 degrees. Staff is waiting for national standards to be developed that would indicate accessible outdoor recreational areas. Staff has a draft document from the Federal Access Board indicating 10 percent would be the maximum accessible route for an outdoor trail. The document has not yet been adopted and when adopted it would be enforced by the Department of Justice. Slopes at Peterson Park are at about 25 degrees. Sycamore Canyon and Summitridge Parks will remain as indicated by the red route. CSD/Rose said it would soon be time for the subcommittee to get together to discuss these items. 2.5 CIP PROGRAM REPORT — CSD/Rose a. Sycamore Canyon Park ADA Retrofit — Phase III — on schedule. b. Sycamore Canyon Trail — Phase III — in Design Phase. C. Batting Cages at Peterson/Pantera Parks — In the works d. Paul C. Grow Park ADA Retrofit — Going out to bid — Construction to begin in the summer and be completed by early September. e. Trail Connections at Steep Canyon at Clear Creek Canyon and DBC — plans and specs in plan check and should go out to bid shortly — construction slated for summer to be completed by the end of September. f. Lorbeer Middle School — Football Field/Slope Improvements — Construction to begin this summer with completion slated for September 17. CSD/Rose reported that Diamond Ranch High School varsity team has requested to use the Lorbeer Middle School field for practice on Wednesday nights. C/Grundy asked if the Joint Use Agreement gave Diamond Ranch priority and CSD/Rose responded affirmatively. C/Grundy stated that two weeks ago he visited Sycamore Canyon Park and said it was looking sensational. He said he could not wait for it to be done so he could enjoy it. 3. OLD BUSINESS: 3.1 RESOLUTION TO NAME A FUTURE FACILITY IN HONOR OF BOB ZIRBES — this matter was discussed at the March 22 Commission meeting and tabled to this meeting and changes requested by the Commission have been completed. C/Grundy and VC/Low favored the resolution. Chair/Owens felt the City should establish a "naming" policy before moving forward with this resolution. C/Grundy recommended that this item be continued to the next meeting so that the entire Commission could consider this matter and staff would have additional time to look into a "naming" policy. He said he liked the wording of APRIL 26, 2007 PAGE 4 P&R COMMISSION the resolution but was in no hurry to push the item forward. Commissioners concurred. 4. NEW BUSINESS: 4.1 ENVISION DIAMOND BAR OPEN HOUSE CSD/Rose reported that the City hosted an "Envision Diamond Bar Open House" for D.B. residents on Saturday, April 21 from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. during which a survey was taken regarding desired facilities. CSD/Rose presented the first draft of the open house results. The top seven items were: 1) Walking -Jogging„ shortterm wok with PUSDhs (City responding with rfor use of 2) Gymnasiumof Lorbeer) 3) Hiking Trails/Mountain Bike Trails (Trails Master Plan) 4) Aquatics Facility (nothing in the works) 5) Sports Complex/Lighted Ball Fields (continuing to look for facilities) 6) Performing Arts Center (low priority for the City) 7) Library (looking for alternative financing) C/Grundy asked the status of the firm that talked about building an Aquatics facility and leasing it back to the City. CSD/Rose said the firm was still interested and was progressing more slowly than first thought. CSD/Rose responded to C/Grundy that walking -jogging paths was always a high priority and was number 1 for the Parks Master Plan completed in 1998. The hiking and mountain bike trails has moved up on the list. Chair/Owens asked how omany 110-1 a5vwith labout 55 people complet ng the s attended the open house and CSD/Rose guessed abu survey. 5. ANNOUNCEMENTS: VC/Low asked how Larkstone Park was progressing. CSD/Rose said plans were moving forward. He met with Richard Gould, JCC Homes yesterday and they are including the City's plans in their conceptual design. There is no timeframe for construction of the park because it depends onw when foCC is r forwardable to stnrrt . construction on the homes. However, it looks very po VC/Low felt that if the City prodded the developer there was a good chance he would put an art piece in the park. VC/Low was pleased that Sh ity Council announcedlthat on May 4 the D B.H.S B ahma ntended to recognize citizens who attained their 100 birthday. Foundation would hold its fundraiser at the Diamond Bar Center. Chair/Owens thanked staff for their work on the Easter Egg Hunt, the City's Birthday Celebration and the Envision Open House. APRIL. 26, 2007 PAGE 5 P&R COMMISSION I ADJOURNMENT: On motion by C/Grundy, seconded by VC/Low and with no further business before the Parks & Recreation Commission, Chair/Owens adjourned the meeting at 8:0:5 p.m. Attest: Ted Owens, Chairman 1 1 z y S bmitted, ecretary