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HomeMy WebLinkAbout01/28/2010 PRC MinutesCITY OF DIAMOND BAR MINUTES OF THE PARKS & RECREATION COMMISSION THE GOVERNMENT CENTER HEARING BOARD ROOM Diamond Bar, CA 91765 JANUARY 28, 2010 CALL TO ORDER: Chairman Herndon called the Parks and Recreation Commission meeting to order at 7:03 p.m. in the SCAQMD/Government Center Hearing Board Room, 21865 Copley Drive, Diamond Bar, CA 91765, PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE: Vice Chairman Grundy led the Pledge of Allegiance. ROLL CALL: Present: Commissioner Benny Liang, Ruth Low, Ted Owens, Vice Chairman Dave Grundy, and Chairman Lew Herndon. Staff Present: Bob Rose, Community Services Director; Anthony Jordan, Parks and Maintenance Superintendent; Claude Bradley, Parks and Maintenance Supervisor; Andee Tarazon, Recreation Specialist, and Marcy Hilario, Senior Administrative Assistant. MATTERS FROM THE AUDIENCE: None CALENDAR OF EVENTS: As listed in the agenda and reported by CSD/Rose. 1. CONSENT CALENDAR 1.1 Approval of Minutes for the November 19, 2009 Regular Meeting. C/Low moved, C/Owens seconded, to approve'the November 19, 2009 regular Meeting Minutes as amended. Motion carried by the following Roll Call vote: AYES: COMMISSIONERS NOES: COMMISSIONERS ABSENT: COMMISSIONERS 2. INFORMATIONAL ITEMS Liang, Low, Owens, VC/Grundy, Chair/Herndon None None 2.1 RECREATION PROGRAM UPDATE — CSD/Rose C/Owens asked what the total revenues were for the 2008/2009 contract classes and CSD/Rose responded between $200,000 and $300,000. JANUARY 28, 2010 PAGE 2 P&R COMMISSION C/Owens asked the status of the Tuesday/Thursday Tiny Tots classes. CSD/Rose said it was similar to the previous numbers. C/Owens asked if the Rose Bowl parade event sold out and CSD/Rose responded that 41 of the 45 tickets sold. Chair/Herndon asked if it was correct that there were 45 more classes with about the same number of participants as the previous year and CSD/Rose responded that Chair/Herndon was correct. Participation depends on the classes offered and the way in which individuals choose to spend their discretionary money. Although the total revenue and total number of participants and revenue over the year is fairly consistent, it fluctuates for any given class depending on what is popular at the time. Staff attempts to offer new trend classes which have a tendency to attract more people. Chair/Herndon asked the ages of the major and minor summer camp groups and CSD/Rose responded 5 to 12 years of age. The major refers to the higher quality and cost of excursion and the minor refers to the lesser quality and less cost of excursion and has no relationship to age. a) PowerPoint presentation on Candy Cane Craft Fair and Winter SnowFest — RS/Tarazon. VC/Grundy said that one of the comments was to limit the number of teens volunteering at the Lions Club booth. RS/Tarazon explained that the Lions booth always has a large number of volunteers. C/Liang asked if the down -turn in traffic was due to the slow economy or if the City did not promote the event enough. RS/Tarazon said it was difficult to judge because one crafter's opinion may differ from another crafter's opinion. This was the third year for the Candy Cane Craft Fair at the Diamond Bar Center and traffic has always been on the slow side. The advertising was definitely upgraded. Perhaps it had to do with the economy and craft items were not a priority for individuals during the economic down -turn. Chair/Herndon said he had attended many conventions and has never heard anyone comment that there was "enough" traffic at any of those events (craft fairs). C/Low said that most crafters probably made a profit since the booth charge was so low. RS/Tarazon believed that the majority of crafters made a profit and the majority of folks who visited the fair came to shop and left with crafts. C/Owens attended the event and was very impressed with the event. In his observation, the attendance was up from last year. RS/Tarazon agreed that there were more people in attendance this year. Sales of wristbands, game cards and craft purchases were up this year. She estimated the attendance at about 3000. JANUARY 28, 2010 PAGE 3 P&R COMMISSION Chair/Herndon commented on the budget for personnel services for the Haunted House. RS/Tarazon responded that staff costs were up from the previous year because there was an additional day of setup. Recreation staff is needed to the greatest extent possible. The event is also very popular among high school volunteers. 4. NEW BUSINESS: 4.1 Washington Street Mini Park CSD/Rose reported that the City of D.B. purchased a 15,000 square foot vacant parcel of land at the corner of Washington Street and Lincoln Avenue for the purpose of constructing a neighborhood park. Staff and the City's consultant from David Volz Design conducted neighborhood meetings on October 17 (on-site) and December 17 (AQMD Headquarters). Approximately 30-35 individuals attended the October 17 meeting and offered numerous ideas and suggestions about what they believed should be included in the park development. The consultant took the ideas from the meeting and presented three concepts to about eight residents who attended the December 17 meeting. The residents concurred with conceptual plan #3 which is the most passive of the three concepts. Eric Sterling, David Volz Design, presented the three concepts. VC/Grundy asked if staff had any idea what the cost of the concepts would be. Mr. Sterling responded to VC/Grundy that Concept #3 was designed to be more maintainable. VC/Grundy said that from an interest point of view, the eye is drawn to Concept #3_ It looks like a more interesting and pleasing design. C/Low asked if staff envisioned how residents with dogs would use this park. CSD/Rose said dogs would be allowed and would require leashes while walking through the park. The drinking fountain is a three -tiered fountain with the lower tier being a doggie drinking fountain. Doggie bags would also be made available as well, as they are in the other City parks. C/Low commented that the parcel of land was fairly small and wondered if it would look busy. She wondered if it would feel crowded or spacious. Mr. Sterling responded that it would feel cozy. It is not a large piece of property but staff is attempting to break it up with various materials. This could be accomplished by reducing the amount of turf, the visibility of the plant material, and focus on space around the large specimen tree at the center. The plant material will be no more than 30 inches in height. C/Low asked if it would be so cozy that with one family present another arriving would feel hesitant to use the park. Mr. Sterling responded that there is adequate distance between the seating areas and benches and there is a 125 linear foot seat wall through the center of the park that functions as a security barrier so that children do not run straight out of the JANUARY 28, 2010 PAGE 4 P&R COMMISSION play area toward the street. This wall doubles for overflow seating as well. There is a variety of seating that will include private and conversational seating. C/Law asked how many children could comfortably and safely use the play structure at any one time. Mr. Sterling responded that play structures have an assigned "play value" that include a determined number of features. Some are single person — some are two -person features. These structures do not define the number of children, merely the element (play value). There are about 18-20 different elements on the play structure. C/Low asked if there would be a place for an artistic piece in this park and Mr. Sterling said he liked incorporating art pieces in parks. However, the drawback is coordination between the design consultant and a private artist. C/Low asked if there was an artistic feature that could be incorporated in the design and Mr. Sterling responded that community tiles can be incorporated in the wall, for example. Other features might be children's handprints in the concrete. C/Low asked if there were such features incorporated in Concept 43 or if they could be added. Mr. Sterling said there were none but they could be added. If the City decided to provide tile he would have to know exactly how many and what size so the contractor could incorporate those into the final design. The proposed finish for the seat wall is a thin natural stone veneer with a 2-3" thickness grouted onto a masonry wall. C/Low asked about the topography of the parcel. Mr. Sterling stated that the parcel is relatively flat and drains in one direction. C/Low asked if hills would be added or if the parcel would remain flat. Mr. Sterling responded that they would be working with the topography to create bio swells on the perimeter of the park to create a drainage system planning to maintain as much water as possible on-site before it would overflow into the storm drains. C/Low asked about the lighting plan for the park. Mr. Sterling responded that there would be five to seven security lights only and one or two up -lights for aesthetics. C/Owens said he liked the idea of a passive park and access for maintenance off of Lincoln Street. C/Owen said he noticed only one waste receptacle and Mr. Sterling agreed that there would probably be three or more receptacles depending on the use of the park. C/Owens asked how big the boulders are at the back of the park and Mr. Sterling ' :A •4-t- a.a. 4.11responded about f0ui eel iue with cvvo to Ufr ee feet above ground . C/Owens said he liked the idea of security lighting. He said he liked Concept # 3 and felt it would meet the needs of the neighborhood. Chair/Herndon and Mr. Sterling talked about the backlit glass wall that would have the name of the park on the front side. Mr. Sterling assured Chair/Herndon that it would not be dangerous and it is very durable. Chair/Herndon said he was concerned about vandalism and Mr. Sterling said this would be more durable than stone. Chair/Herndon said he was concerned about vandalism of the wooden bridge. Mr. Sterling responded that it would be a treated lumber bridge that would look like a bridge but function as a crossover for the drainage element six inches from the finished surface. It will not be a high visibility item. Chair/Herndon asked if security cameras were considered for this park and CSD/Rose responded that this is not being considered at this time. If the JANUARY 28, 2010 PAGE 5 P&R COMMISSION Commission makes that recommendation, it will be forwarded to the City Council for consideration. PMS/Jordan said that while security cameras are always good, he believed this site was pretty small and may not warrant a security camera. Chair/Herndon said he really liked the idea of the neighborhood kids' handprints in the park and encouraged the consultant to incorporate the idea in the proposal. C/Owens asked staff to comment on the design with respect to on-going maintenance. PMS/Jordan felt that the maintainability was overall good. C/Owens asked if staff was considering adding another drinking fountain and CSD/Rose responded no. Grace Hays, President, Hampton Court Townhomes Association, said the residents of the townhomes liked the third concept and she loves the passive concept because they believe it is the most suitable for the surrounding homes in the area. Basketball and skateboarding would be disruptive. The residents also like the use of space and the bio swell that would help conserve the turf and walking areas. Many residents participate in Tai Chi and would find the mini -park very useful. This concept can be enjoyed by children and adults and it seems that the proposed concept will improve the residents' quality of life and enhance the safety of the children. She said that children's handprints and art would be a welcome addition. Wanda Tanaka, wife of Councilmember Jack Tanaka, thanked staff and the consultant for this special project that will enhance the neighborhood. VC/Grundy moved, C/Liang seconded, to recommend that City Council adopt Concept # 3, subject to incorporation of the colorful tiles and children's handprints as discussed. Motion carried by the following Roll Call vote: AYES: COMMISSIONERS: Liang, Low, Owens, VC/Grundy, Chair/Herndon NOES: COMMISSIONERS: None ABSENT: COMMISSIONERS: None 2. INFORMATIONAL ITEMS — Continued: 2.2 PARKS REPORT — PMS/Jordan — Power Point Presentation on Sycamore Canyon Park walkthrough and flood water damage that occurred in and around the City's parks during the recent heavy rainstorms. VC/Grundy asked if staff had reports of anyone trying to enter the storm drains and PMS/Jordan said he had no such reports. However, when he was at the site he wanted to get an idea of the flow pattern of the water into the playground so that staff could determine how to correct the problem at Sycamore Canyon and there was a person walking up and down the slope and trotting across the sidewalk between the creek and JANUARY 28, 2010 PAGE 6 P&R COMMISSION 2.3 playground with a video camera. CSD/Rose explained to Chair/Herndon that there is a sump drain at the site and the sump is connected to the flood control system in the park so that it percolates through the sand and through the sump and then into the pipe. PMS/Anthony stated that the water table is very high at Peterson Park and once it gets saturated, even though the sump is there, there is nowhere for the water to go. PMS/Anthony responded to Chair/Herndon that he believed that, in general, the top priority for taking corrective action would be at Sycamore Canyon Park. The City needs to construct some type of wall to keep the water out of the playground area. CIP Projects Update — CSD/Rose a) Sycamore Canyon Trail — Phase III b) Sycamore Canyon Park ADA — Restroom/Office Building CSD/Rose responded to Chair/Herndon that due to redesign and delay issues, the cost of the project has increased by about $30,000. About 60 percent will be paid with CDBG funds and 40 percent from the contingency (General Fund dollars). CSD/Rose said that not all of the problems could have been avoided. Most of the issues have to do with interior posts which resulted in having to redesign the walls to hide the posts that could not be removed. 3. OLD BUSINESS: None 5. ANNOUNCEMENTS: VC/Grundy felt staff had a great start on the year with the proposed mini -park and other project in the works. The Winter Snow Fest was a great outing, the weather was beautiful and it was a great start for the year. C/Owens also felt the Winter Snow Fest was a great activity and a great day. He asked the status of the Parks Master Plan. CSD/Rose responded that the last revision was submitted about November 18. The document is with CM/DeStefano for review and he will meet with the consultant prior to. the matter coming back to the Parks and Recreation Commission for final consideration and recommendation. Based on today's discussion, the final document is likely to come to the Commission at its March meeting. C/Low complimented staff and the consultant on the Washington Street Mini - Park presentation. It is great to see the community involved. She felt the park would be a great addition to the City. She hoped everyone had a great holiday. C/Liang said that this morning he attended the Four Corners seminar at the Diamond Bar Center. He was sitting at the table with individuals from the cities of Baldwin Park, Norco, Riverside and San Bernardino. Everyone commented on what a great facility the Diamond Bar Center is and it is good promotion of the JANUARY 28, 2010 PAGE 7 P&R COMMISSION City. The Diamond Bar Center is "top notch." Chair/Herndon was pleased about the progress of the Washington Street Mini - Park and said it was great to see the community involvement in the process. He is also impressed by the City's Volunteen program. Hats off to staff! ADJOURNMENT: VC/Grundy moved, ClOwens seconded to adjourn the meeting. With no further business before the Parks & Recreation Commission, Chair/Herndon adjourned the meeting at 8:36 p.m. The foregoing minutes are hereby approved thisl�-sI� day of 1?&U4U 2010. Re spe tfu ly Si�bmitted, f � 1 fr ;i BdBSE;SECRETARY Attest: LEW HERNDON, CHAIRMAN