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HomeMy WebLinkAbout11/15/2007 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 NOVEMBER 15, 2007 CALL TO ORDER: Chairman Owens called the Parks and Recreation Commission meeting to order at 7:05 p.m. in the SCAQMD/Government Center Building Auditorium, 21865 Copley Drive, Diamond Bar, CA 91765. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE: Commissioner Grundy led the Pledge of Allegiance. ROLL CALL: Present: Commissioner Dave Grundy, Benny Liang, Vice Chairman Ruth Low and Chairman Ted Owens Absent: Commissioner Lew Herndon was excused. Staff Present: Bob Rose, Director of Community Services; Anthony Jordan, Parks and Maintenance Superintendent; Alison Meyers, Recreation Specialist and Marisa Somenzi, Senior Administrative Assistant. MATTERS FROM THE AUDIENCE: None Offered CALENDAR OF EVENTS: As Listed in the agenda and reported by CSD/Rose. CONSENT CALENDAR 1.1 Approval of Minutes for the October 25, 2007 Regular Meeting. VC/Low moved, Chair/Owens seconded, to approve the Minutes for the October 25, 2007 Regular meeting as presented. Without objection, the motion was so ordered with C/Grundy and C/Liang abstaining and C/Herndon absent. 2. INFORMATIONAL ITEMS 2.1 RECREATION PROGRAM REPORT — RS/Meyers Chair/Owens asked how many spaces were left for the annual Rose Parade. SAA/Somenzi said she would get the information to Chair/Owens. Chair/Owens asked if there was a discount for the second and third child for youth basketball and CSD/Rose responded that there was a $5 discount. Chair/Owens wanted to know if local businesses sponsored the adult basketball teams. CSD/Rose indicated that teams pay their own fees but the NOVEMBER 15, 2007 PAGE 2 P&R COMMISSION teams may go out and get their own sponsors. CSD/Rose reported that Mickey McKitrick was hired as the full time youth and adult sports coordinator. 2.2 PARKS REPORT — PMS/Jordan PMS/Jordan stated that he would have SAA/Somenzi schedule park walkthroughs via email with each Commissioner with the goal to have the walkthroughs completed by January 24, 2008. C/Grundy asked if there were recent reports of vehicles on the fields. PMS/Jordan responded no, that since the last discussion there have been no further incidents. He further stated that staff still intends to install the fence at Pantera. CSD/Rose said that staff was working on getting the specifications for let of bids. VC/Low asked if any plaques had been recovered and PMS/Jordan said there was no update. The last plaque taken was from the City monument entrance on Brea Canyon. 2.3 CIP PROGRAM REPORT — CSD/Rose a. Batting Cages at Peterson and Pantera Parks — plans being finalized and possibly out to bid by the beginning of December. b. Trail Access at Steep Canyon at Clear Creek Canyon and at the Diamond Bar Center — one set of plans finished and one set to be finished. C. Sycamore Canyon Park Trail — Phase I I I — the portion of the trail from the waterfall to the steps at the trailhead off of Diamond Bar Boulevard. Staff has just begun getting the construction documents worked on with the estimated cost slightly higher than the budget and staff has asked the consultant to rework the documents. One of the consultant's goals was to have an alternative set of stairs that instead of the concrete stairs that is used to access the lower level of trail and the cost has pushed the budget beyond its limit. C/Grundy asked if there were plans to have a natural trail all of the way down Sycamore Canyon Park Trail avoiding any of the concrete culverts? CSD/Rose responded that ultimately, the trail would be a decomposed granite surface or a natural surface with a binder. C/Grundy asked if it was possible to move the trail to the right of the culvert and create a switchback into the creek area. CSD/Rose said that scenario was a possibility in the future. Staff is planning for a Phase III and Phase IV and the Phase III would be from the concrete staircase to the trailhead and Phase IV would go from the concrete staircase straight to the pad area behind the homes on Rio Lobos. C/Grundy said he would love to see a plan for a trail that has no concrete at all in it — no concrete stairs and no culvert. To him, a trail is a natural path through the woods/hills so if there were any 1 NOVEMBER 15, 2007 PAGE 3 P&R COMMISSION opportunity to avoid any of the concrete it would be, in his opinion, more in keeping with the way a trail would normally be constructed. Ultimately that would be the goal but for now the concrete portion would be needed. That portion of the trail would be replaced during a future phase. Currently, the funds available are not sufficient to create a different access. C/Grundy said he brought up the issue because concrete work can be expensive and if staff looked for a more natural access pathway whether that would be cheaper than looking at concrete. CSD/Rose said the concrete steps already exist and the additional steps would be wood steps. Chair/Owens asked what modifications were proposed for the batting cages. CSD/Rose responded that the original plans called for 8" pipe and those were reduced to 4" pipe. The other modification was that instead of the joints of the roofing section being welded they would be changed to clamps used on chain link fences. Both modifications were anticipated to save considerable dollars. 3. OLD BUSINESS: None 4. NEW BUSINESS: None 5. ,ANNOUNCEMENTS: C/Liang thanked staff and his colleagues for a great year and wished everyone happy and safe holidays. VC/Low said she received a comment from a resident who is a grandmother and wanted to know if the City could put in some benches where the kids play in Sycamore Canyon Park. This year has gone by very quickly. Congratulations to staff for a great year and for implementing the new summer programs. The City has much to be proud about and the residents have really benefited from staffs efforts. She wished everyone a Happy Thanksgiving and happy holidays. C/Grundy wished everyone happy holidays and offered many thanks and congratulations for some very significant accomplishments — Sycamore Canyon playground renovation, movies in the park, Lorbeer and preserving the investment in the sod at Pantera Park. C/Grundy said he missed the last Commission meeting because he was involved with his father's property in San Diego County and wanted to report how it was amazing that the firefighters were able to get to so many structures between Highway 15 and where his father lived off of Mission Road. Between the two points it was reported to be a complete burn area and yet when they drove through the area none of the homes were burned. The firefighters did a fantastic job. What is amazing is that the burn areas go up around the houses but the houses remain intact. His hat is off to the firefighters across California and the tremendous job that they did during the firestorms. Chair/Owens said he too appreciated staff's good work and on keeping the NOVEMBER 15, 2007 PAGE 4 P&R COMMISSION Commissioners so well informed about what is going on in the City with parks and recreation and for taking such good care of the City's park facilities. He has been in the business for 30 years and this is the best job he has seen by any staff in keeping the Commission and the residents informed. There are no complaints and not many residents at the meetings, which is an indication to him that residents are happy and informed. ADJOURNMENT: With no further business before the Parks & Recreation Commission, Chair/Owens adjourned the meeting at 7:43 p.m. to January 24, 2008. Respectfully Submitted, BO SE,SECRETARY Attest: ze , TED OWENS, CHAIRMAN