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Home My WebLink About01/22/2009 PRC MinutesCITY OF DIAMOND BAR MINUTES OF THE PARKS & RECREATION COMMISSION S.C.A.Q.M.D./THE GOVERNMENT CENTER 21865 Copley Drive Diamond Bar, CA 91765 JANUARY 22, 2009 CALL TO ORDER: Chairman Low called the Parks and Recreation Commission meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. in the SCAQMD/Government Center Hearing Board Room, 21865 Copley Drive, Diamond Bar, CA 91765. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE: Commissioner Grundy led the Pledge of Allegiance. ROLL CALL: Present: Commissioners Dave Grundy, Ted Owens, Vice Chairman Lew Herndon, Chairman Ruth Low. Absent: Commissioner Benny Liang was excused. Staff Present: Bob Rose, Community Services Director; Anthony Jordan, Parks and Maintenance Superintendent and Alison Meyers, Community Services Coordinator. MATTERS FROM THE AUDIENCE: None Offered. CALENDAR OF EVENTS: As Listed in the agenda and reported by CSD/Rose with the addition of the February 3 Recognition of Public Safety Officials who responded to the November freeway complex fire beginning at 5:00 p.m. in the AQMD/Government Center Offices and conclude just prior to the start of the regular 6:30 p.m. City Council meeting. Chair/Low suggested that DB 4 -Youth integrate government functions into their events. CSD/Rose responded to C/Owens that the City sponsors a Youth in Government Day. 1. CONSENT CALENDAR 1.1 Approval of Minutes for the November 20, 2008 Regular Meeting. VC/Herndon moved, C/Owens seconded to approve the consent calendar as submitted. Motion carried by the following Roll Call vote: AYES: Grundy, Owens, VC/Herndon, None Chair/Low Liang COMMISSIONERS: NOES: COMMISSIONERS: ABSTAIN: COMMISSIONERS: ABSENT: COMMISSIONERS: JANUARY 22, 2009 PAGE 2 P&R COMMISSION 2. INFORMATIONAL ITEMS 2.1 RECREATION PROGRAM REPORT — RS/Murphey C/Grundy asked how staff determined what non-residents to mail recreation brochures to. RS/Murphey responded that the non-residents had called and asked to be on the mailing list. C/Grundy asked if staff tracks statistics on whether the recipients have actually signed up for classes and RS/Murphey responded "not at this time." RS/Murphey responded to C/Owens that youth basketball starts at 8:30 a.m. and continues to about 4:30 p.m. at Mt. Calvary and about 2:30 p.m. at South Point Middle School. Chair/Low asked if the City donated to the Diamond Bar Community Foundation and CSD/Rose explained that the City purchased a table at the benefit. CSD/Rose responded to Chair/Low that the Foundation donated a concert last summer and has traditionally contributed toward scholarships for families who have problems paying the program registration fees for their children. The Foundation has also purchased program equipment for the City. VC/Herndon talked about the state of the state and asked if the City had been asked to cut some of the activities this year and CSD/Rose responded no but staff is looking closely at the budget. So far none of the state's plans affect D.B. CSD/Rose responded to C/Owens that the City's reserves are approximately $30 million. The City Council is very supportive of the programs and activities for the community. 2.2 PARKS REPORT — PMS/Jordan C/Grundy asked if all electrical vaults had been put underground in the parks. PMS/Jordan said that some have and others have concrete anchors and some have been sealed with glue. The majority of the work has been completed and there have been no recent thefts. CSD/Rose said that demand for copper has receded since the cost of copper declined. C/Grundy felt that in general, vandalism has declined. C/Grundy said that given the economic conditions it would be interesting to determine if people tend to use the parks more than usual. CSD/Rose said that the Snowfest was well -attended and the number of attendees was similar to last year. He said he would have to think about how staff could determine use. VC/Herndon asked if staff. planned to replace the structure that was -- removed at Maple Hill and CSD/Rose responded yes as staff proceeds through the Parks Master Plan. JANUARY 22, 2009 PAGE 3 P&R COMMISSION Chair/Low asked if the City was using biodegradable doggie and trash bags and CSD/Rose responded that staff will provide an answer at the next meeting. 2.3 CIP PROGRAM AND SPECIAL PROJECTS REPORT — CSD/Rose a. Emergency Generator Project at Diamond Bar Center — under construction. b. Trail Access at Steep Canyon at Clear Creek Canyon and at the Diamond Bar Center — the project was completed and trail is being heavily used. C. Pantera Park Storage Container Pad — project completed. CSD/Rose responded to Chair/Low that there are two trails projects budgeted in the current fiscal year — Phase III at Sycamore Canyon and Phase IV at Sycamore Canyon that would complete the decomposed granite trail from the waterfall to the trail head at Diamond Bar Boulevard. 2.4 PARKS MASTER PLAN UPDATE CSD/Rose reported that the current project is moving forward. Input has been received and is being analyzed and a demand analysis is being developed to show how much the facilities are being used along with a needs assessment about what is needed or is available in or adjacent to the City. On February 23 the Commission's subcommittee will receive the resulting data and discuss how to present the data to the public for additional input. If more than two Commissioners plan to attend the subcommittee meeting staff will notice the meeting. Four commissioners indicated they would be attending and CSD/Rose said that staff would notice the meeting. CSD/Rose stated that there is very strong and positive community support for the City's parks. 3. OLD BUSINESS: None 4. NEW BUSINESS: None 5. ANNOUNCEMENTS: At the request of Chair/Low, CSD/Rose provided an update on the status of the proposed City of Industry Football Stadium. C/Owens asked if any of the organizations provided additional help to the Diamond Bar Community Foundation with the Holiday Gala because they had to cancel the event due to the fires and because they gave the food to the evacuees. CSD/Rose responded that BP America donated $15,000. CSO Meyers responded that Majestic Realty doubled their original donation of $5,000 to $10,000 to help offset the expense of canceling the event. C/Grundy commended staff on the Snowfest and felt the event went well and was enjoyed by the attendees. He felt sorry for the hot chocolate booth but all other booths seemed to do well. He asked about the flags at Lorbeer Middle JANUARY 22, 2009 PAGE 4 P&R COMMISSION School. PMS/Jordan responded that they may have been irrigation repair flags but could not say with any certainty. C/Grundy asked if there might be a demand for a class on "making your dollars stretch" with the economy the way it is. Perhaps residents would be open to suggestions. --- VC/Herndon said he was pleased to see so many people at the Snowfest event and thought it was handled extremely well. Tomorrow he is traveling to Spain and when he returns he will report on parks in Southern Spain. Chair/Low asked what happened to the parcel of land by Washington that the City purchased and was designated as a park. CSD/Rose said the parcel is designated as a park in the Parks Master Plan. Consultants are preparing a conceptual plan and ultimately the City will go out with an RFP to get a landscape architect to design and create the improvements during this or the next fiscal year. Chair/Low felt the Snowfest was well -organized and run and it was quite obvious that everyone was having a great time. ADJOURNMENT: C/Owens moved, C/Grundy seconded, to adjourn the meeting. With no further business before the Parks & Recreation Commission, Chair/Low adjourned the meeting at 7:52 p.m. Respectfulty�ubmitted, CRETARY Attest: CH IRMAN `R1rTH LOW