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HomeMy WebLinkAbout04/23/2015 PRC MinutesCITY OF DIAMOND BAR MINUTES OF THE PARKS & RECREATION COMMISSION DIAMOND BAR CITY HALL - THE WINDMILL ROOM 21810 COPLEY DRIVE, DIAMOND BAR, CA 91765 APRIL 23, 2015 CALL TO ORDER: Chair/Hsieh called the Parks and Recreation Commission meeting to order at 7:01 p.m. in the City Hall Windmill Room, 21810 Copley Drive, Diamond Bar, CA 91765. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE: Commissioner Grundy led the Pledge of Allegiance. ROLL CALL: Present: Commissioners Dave Grundy, Benny Liang, Ted Owens and Kim Hsieh, Chairwoman Absent: Commissioner Vice Chairman Lew Herndon was excused. Staff Present: Bob Rose, Community Services Director; Anthony Jordan, Parks and Maintenance Superintendent; Christy Murphey, Recreation Superintendent; Alison Meyers, Community Services Coordinator, and Debbie Gonzales; Administrative Coordinator A) D134YOUTH "IN ACTION": RECOGNITION OF OUT -GOING / IN -COMING BOARD MEMBERS — CSC/Meyers MATTERS FROM THE AUDIENCE: Mary Vy asked how her parents could go about getting a block party approved. CSD/Rose referred Mary to the Public Works Department on the second floor of City Hall which handles permits for block parties because it involves an encroachment permit when the request is to close part of the public street. CALENDAR OF EVENTS: As presented by CSD/Rose 1. CONSENT CALENDAR: 1.1 Approval of Minutes for the March 26, 2015 Regular Meeting. C/Owens moved, Chair/Hsieh seconded, to continue Consent Calendar Item 1.1 to the May 28, 2015 meeting. AYES: COMMISSIONERS: Owens, Chair Hsieh NOES: COMMISSIONERS: None APRIL 23, 2015 PAGE 2 P&R COMMISSION ABSTAIN: COMMISSIONERS: Grundy, Liang ABSENT: COMMISSIONERS: VC/Herndon 2. INFORMATIONAL ITEMS: 2.1 2.2 Recreation Program Update — RS/Murphey 2.1.1 PowerPoint Presentation on DB4Youth — CSC/Meyers C/Grundy thanked CSC/Meyers for keeping this organization going for the past 10 years. The City appreciates her service and she has done a phenomenal job. Chair/Hsieh asked the age range for members and CSC/Meyers explained that when the organization was started it was designed for teens and high school youth. However, when a few younger individuals indicated an interest and the organization began hosting 6th, 7th and 8t' grade dances, the age range was expanded to include older elementary school students. So the organization generally accepts individuals. at about age 12 if they choose and they can come into the organization anytime between 12 and 18 years of age. The organization is actually open to individuals up to 24 years of age and every once in awhile someone in that age group comes back for a visit, but usually by the time individuals are 18 and moving onto college, they are likely to get very busy with other things and they generally do not participate after that. Chair/Hsieh asked about the turnout for youth night -out and CSC/Meyers said that the event attracts about 200 kids on average. Staff plans for larger participation and works to improve the event every year. Parks Report - PMS/Jordan Chair/Hsieh said she saw the new doggie waste bag dispenser; however, she was hoping that it would be at another location. PMS/Jordan said that two dispensers were installed, one on Pantera Drive in proximity to the dog park entrance and one a bit farther north on Pantera just north of the northern most entrance into the park at the walking entrance. If staff discovers they need to be in different locations they can be relocated. 2.2.1 Power Point Presentation on the Summitridge Park Walkthrough — PMS/Jordan C/Grundy asked if the parking issue has improved and PMS/Jordan said that it is substantially better. When he was in the park there were maybe three or four cars parked. He could not tell if the drivers were using it as a park -n -ride but there was not the typical APRIL 23, 2015 PAGE 3 P&R COMMISSION slew of work trucks, etc. He said he intended to take a photo of the new signs. C/Grundy asked if staff considered putting in stepping stones or a natural path instead of trying to divert the flow of foot traffic using the short cut between the softball fields. PMS/Jordan stated that staff is not attempting to divert the flow and in fact, opened up the hedges to allow the foot traffic. He believed that if something more permanent were to go into the area it would have to be engineered and have it comply with ADA standards. PMS/Jordan said that he felt it was working well as is. C/Grundy said there is an ADA path around the area and CSD/Rose said that anything the City puts down that is permanent means another liability for the City. If people choose to cut through and walk on the hard pan soil that is their risk. If the City installs stepping stones or any other type of walkway the City has just incurred liability for possible injury. C/Hsieh said she had the same concern and if people are using it does the City have a liability and PMS/Jordan said that in this case there is a defined path that meets ADA requirements all of the way to the bottom so people cutting through are just taking a short cut which is detrimental to the plant growth. There is a clearly defined path and there are no obstacles to get from that point down below up on top so in terms of any work that needs to be done it would involve the aesthetics of the landscaping. The second area is where the walkers have forged the hardpan trail around the gate. It is a very stable area and staff opened it up by taking out some of the shrubs. In terms of people who are walking it affords a very viable way for them to get around the gate. In terms of any future improvements he believed they were not necessary because there is an existing and very viable means for folks to circumnavigate the gate. CSD/Rose further stated that there probably should have been a sidewalk that went along the road when the facility was built and this project could be put on a list for future project consideration. There is a v -ditch in the area so there's not much space for a sidewalk. 2.3 CIP Projects 2.3.1 Steep Canyon Trail Connector and Pantera Park Trail — CSD/Rose reported that the design team has completed the survey work and are now working on construction documents. After the construction documents are completed the project will go out to bid to obtain a contractor. The Steep Canyon Trail will result in a trail from the top of the stairs at Steep Canyon that connects to the Canyon Loop Trail. The Pantera Park Trail will result in a trail going up the steep slope above the dog park and will connect to the Silver Tip Park Trail and include a set of stairs from Pantera Drive APRIL 23, 2015 PAGE 4 P&R COMMISSION down to the dog park. Staffs goal is to have these two trails completed by the end of the calendar year. 2.3:2 Diamond Canyon Park — CSD/Rose stated that staff continues to work with LA County Public Works to get approval of the easement along the Brea Canyon Channel which will eventually lead to the Schubarum Trail. Although the trail is probably years away, now is the time to get the easement so that when the City is ready to put in the trail and have it available to the public all legal matters and easement issues will have been resolved. Lennar Homes has indicated the park will be completed by next fall. However, it is more likely the project will be delayed since Lennar is waiting for all of the permits to put in the pedestrian bridge which is part of the park project. 2.3.3 Design of Heritage Park Improvements — CSD/Rose indicated that public input continues. Construction is now likely to commence in FY 2016-17 rather than FY 2015-16. The design will be completed in FY 2015-16 and construction will commence in FY 2016-17. CM/DeStefano set aside about $700,000 in the 2015-16 proposed FY budget that goes to City Council on May 5 for consideration in order to have the funds available when the project is ready for construction. Depending on the number of improvements for the park and community center the cost could be as high as $1 million to $1.5 million. 2.3.4 Design of Longview Park South & Star Dust Park — CSD/Rose stated that the City plan check has been completed and the plans have gone back to Architerra for their response to the plan check comments. Both parks are projects that are included in the draft budget for the 2015-16 FY. In looking at the project there are new ASTM standards that are being considered for the tot lots surfacing, whether it be sand or rubberized surfacing. The standard states that when a weight likened to a child's head is dropped onto the surface it must conform to the required impact force that determines whether the surfacing material meets the safety standards established by the Consumer Safety Product guidelines. If the new standards go into effect which are slated to be considered by ASTM in mid-May, several of the City's tot lots may be required to have the rubber surfacing replaced immediately. As PMS/Jordan reported, the surfacing at Maple Hill, Ronald Reagan and Pantera Parks was just changed. There are other parks including Longview North, Starshine, Peterson and Heritage that have rubberized surfacing that will have to be tested and if the standards are exceeded, surfacing at those parks will probably not pass the new stricter standards and have to be replaced as well. Longview South and Stardust have sand surfacing which can be fluffed up to meet the drop standards. APRIL 23, 2015 PAGE 5 P&R COMMISSION Rubberized surfacing is very expensive to replace so it is possible that instead of constructing Longview South and Stardust one or both may be delayed to allow the change out of the rubber surfacing at Heritage, Peterson and Longview North parks. 2.3.5 Longview Park North Swing Set installation — CSD/Rose reported that this project is budgeted this year and next year and replacement of the rubberized resurfacing at Longview Park North has been included as well as replacement of a walkway to meet ADA requirements. 2.3.6 Dog Park Improvements — CSD/Rose stated that amain waterline has been completed and the irrigation laterals are yet to be done before the 50 trees can be planted. 2.4 Pending Commission Requests — CSD/Rose CSD/Rose reported that staff is waiting to hear back on two grant applications, one of which is expected in June and the other one in September, for the funding to design and construct the Silver Tip Park trail. Heritage Park is currently in the design phase. Stairs at the dog park are included in the Pantera Park Trail project. The Public Information Department continues to put new videos on the City's YouTube site; the trail descriptions for each trail are included in the CIP budget and if the budget is approved on May 5 the description and design process will begin and be completed in FY 2015-16. t No new information is available on the bricks and tiles at the Diamond Bar Center. Walkway lights at Peterson Park are part of a future project. CSD/Rose explained that during the budget process the Council discussed this matter and the overall need for Peterson Park to receive a Master Plan for the park site. There is a master plan included in the Parks Master Plan which serves as a guide for proceeding with future improvements. Because there are a lot of requests for different improvements that are not currently in the master plan such as walkway lights, parking lot lights, removing and replacing the concession stand, it would be better to provide a master plan for the entire park which staff is projecting will be done in FY 2016-17, after which the design & construction work will commence in phases. APRIL 23, 2015 PAGE 6 P&R COMMISSION ► Military Banners were submitted as a decision package for the budget but this item was not approved and has been removed from the list. ► Dog waste bag dispensers have been installed at Pantera Park. ► Drainage at Star Dust Mini -Park is in the design that is proposed to be constructed in FY 2015-16. ► A new type of tot/parent swing will be considered for future park upgrades, including Heritage Park, as that project moves forward as well as, Maple Hill Park during a future rehab project. ► Additional outdoor exercise and rock climbing amenities at Longview Park South and North and Steep Canyon will be considered as future projects. ► VC/Herndon asked about ball field lights for Sycamore Canyon Park in conjunction with the installation of the cell tower. The cell tower mono elm or pine tree project goes to the Planning Commission in May and there is a possibility that one of the Commissioners will request that it be placed on a ball field light. Lights for Sycamore Canyon Park are not a high priority in the Parks Master Plan. The projected order for ball field lights is Lorbeer Middle School middle field first, then South Point Middle School and then other potential project sites. From the City's Parks Master Plan point of view it shows the possibility of ball field lights at Sycamore Canyon Park but unless the cell tower developer is interested in paying for either a four -pole system or a six -pole system, it does not make sense to install only one light pole. C/Owens asked who has the lead on the bricks and tiles at the Diamond Bar Center. CSD/Rose explained that the Diamond Bar Community Foundation took the lead on the initial installation. and most of the tiles were installed through that effort when the center first opened. After that the Foundation contacted the City and said they were no longer interested in overseeing the project and CSD/Rose has been taking care of the tiles on a per -request basis. The City does not promote the project. Occasionally, the City will be contacted by individuals who have another family member they want to recognize. New tiles are engraved every other year, which is when staff updates the Mayors' list. Over the last 10 years, five or six tiles have been purchased and engraved. VC/Herndon is interested in having the Foundation take over the project as a fundraiser but that request has not been approved by the City. C/Hsieh asked if the reason the banners were not approved was because of the cost and CSD/Rose responded no, that staff has a goal of concluding the banner program. The purpose of the banners was to APRIL 23, 2015 PAGE 7 P&R COMMISSION commemorate participation in the Iraq and Afghanistan wars which were initially thought to be short term conflicts. Although those events are winding down, it is difficult to stop the banner project. To invest money to install all new banners at a time the program should be concluded was more the issue. 3. OLD BUSINESS: None 4. NEW BUSINESS: None 5. ANNOUNCEMENTS: Chair/Hsieh asked Diamond Bar High School students to come to the podium, state their names and residence. Gabriel asked for support of tomorrow's baseball game at Claremont High School. He said he and his fellow students were representing the Civics and Econ project, a senior project. C/Owens thanked staff for the reports and audience participation. Chair/Hsieh said she attended the opening day event for senior softball and that she was asked if the City could promote the fact that they are seeking more players to form a fourth team. She asked if the City presents certificates to individuals and organizations for a job well done. She has been doing a lot of public relations appearances on behalf of the Parks and Recreation Commission to let people know about the Commission and that the City is interested in what people do. She would like to present them with certificates as a form of recognition and to encourage their continued efforts. GSD/Rose asked C/Hsieh to contact AC/Gonzales. C/Hsieh asked where Rowland Heights got the money to open a new community center and CSD/Rose responded from Supervisor Don Knabe. C/Hsieh asked Diamond Bar High School students to contact the Supervisor and promote Diamond Bar. C/Liang thanked staff for the great presentations this evening. He commended staff on the dog park. A few weeks ago he and his wife visited the dog park for the first time because his wife had heard so many great comments from her friends and decided they needed to see it for themselves. He was shocked because it appears that the dog park has become a community gathering place. Dog owners seem to know the names of other dogs and their owners. It was a great opportunity for him to observe what takes place. He stayed there for more than half an hour to observe the goings on and it seems like the dog park is a great project and he wanted to commend staff for taking such good care of the dog park. This year's Birthday Party attendance seemed to be slightly less than last year's participation. He suggested that more signs directing people to next APRIL 23, 2015 PAGE 8 P&R COMMISSION year's event might help, especially on Golden Springs Drive and Grand Avenue and to promote the event to new residents. C/Liang said that he and CSD/Rose attended the Rowland Heights Community Center Grand Opening which is a county funded project. Rowland Heights is an unincorporated area and is not a city so they have a different funding source. He asked for input from CSD/Rose because he was concerned that because the center will book events it might affect the Diamond Bar Center revenue. CSD/Rose responded that the Rowland Heights facility is beautiful. It was designed by the same architect that designed the Diamond Bar Center. About 2,000 people attended the dedication. One of the reasons he wanted to visit this facility was to determine if it will likely compete for reservation business with the Diamond Bar Center. His first reaction is that it probably won't affect future reservation business at the Diamond Bar Center. The Diamond Bar Center has a very unique location on top of a hill which is a very rare location for a publicly operated community center. He believes the Diamond Bar Center revenue stream is safe and that upscale events will continue to rent space because the view is unrivaled. C/Owens said he would like to purchase a tile and asked CSD/Rose to let him know when he would be making changes. Andre Casias, Diamond Bar High School student said he was concerned about wood chips at the dog park which his dog does not appreciate. Andre feels the dog park needs more grass. CSD/Rose said that others have expressed similar concerns about wood chips but it is difficult to keep grass growing, plus it creates a huge maintenance issue. It is likely the surface will remain wood chips. C/Grundy said he hiked the trails last weekend and congratulated staff for doing such a nice job keeping them well maintained which obviously helps make the trails very popular. Not too many cities have the ability to have the kind of trails system Diamond Bar has. This feature is very unique to Diamond Bar. He complimented staff on the City Birthday Party. It was a great job as always. It seemed to him that attendance was down but it did not take away from the nice setup and well-run event. He thanked staff for their reports and all of the hard efforts staff puts into public works and park improvements. C/Hsieh thanked CSD/Rose and staff for the reports and thanked the senior class for attending tonight's meeting. APRIL 23, 2015 PAGE 9 P&R COMMISSION ADJOURNMENT: With no one objecting and no further business before the Parks and Recreation Commission, Chair/Hsieh adjourned the meeting at 8:23 p.m. The foregoing minutes are hereby approved this 25 day of -runn 12015. Attest: Kfl H, CHAIRMAN