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HomeMy WebLinkAbout06-01-1998 Park and Recreation Commission Minutes Saratoga Parks and Recreation Commission Meeting Administrative Offices, 13777 Fruitvale Avenue, Saratoga June 1, 1998 7:30 p.m. Action Minutes I. Call to Order The meeting was called to order at 7:40 p.m. II. Roll Call Commissioners Present: Clabeaux, Crotty, Friedrich, Ioannou, Olsen, Swan, Whitney Commissioners Absent: None Others Present: James & Terri Baron, Patrick Burns, Sandy Nichols, Joan Pisani, Irene Jacobs, III. Report on Posting of the Minutes: Pursuant to Government Code 54954.2 the agenda was properly posted on May 27, 1998. IV. Approval of Minutes of May 4. 1998 Meeting: Commissioner Swan made a motion to approve the minutes of May 4, 1998. Commissioner seconded the motion and the motion carded. (6/0) V. Administration: 1. Task Force Representative-The Commission appointed the following members of the Commission to serve on the Playfield Task Force: Barbara Olsen Elaine Clabeaux Jennie Crotty Marianne Swan (alternate) Frank Friedrich (alternate) The Commission Co-Chair, Kay Whitney, asked the group if anyone was opposed to reversing the order of Old Business with New Business in order to better accommodate members of the Public who had come to speak to the Commission regarding issues listed under New Business. There was no opposition from the Commission. VI. New Busjn. es s: A) Skateboard park The Commission heard from Patrick Bums, a Redwood Middle School student who had approached the City Council requesting that a skateboard park be established for Saratoga youth. The issue had been heard by the Youth Commission and was now being addressed by the Parks and Recreation Commission. Patrick shared with the Commission his reasons for wanting a skate park in Saratoga. There was discussion regarding those concems that would arise from undertaking such an endeavor. After the conclusion of the discussion, Barbara Olsen, Co-Chair to the Commissioner closed the hearing for the Public and opened discussion among the Commission. Commissioner Swan made a motion to recommend to the Council that in light of the current priority list that had been established by the Commission and approved by Council, this issue should be reconsidered once some priority listed projects had been completed. Commissioner Clabeaux seconded the motion and the motion carried. (5/1) The Commission felt that this project was worth further consideration at a later date, but right now there were too many projects that needed to be addressed and completed before any new projects were undertaken. B) Trial Grant Proem Sandy Nichols of the Trail Center based in Palo Alto had been contacted by residents of Parker Ranch subdivision regarding the condition of certain trails in the area. Mr. Nichols had contacted the City Manager directly and was present that evening to discuss what had been proposed. Mr. Nichols outlined for the Commission the improvements that he had proposed to Mr. Perlin focusing on an area that he described as a public safety hazard located south of Prospect, west of Parker Ranch Court. The Commission thanked him for his report and informed Mr. Nichols that the Commission was scheduled to address the format of the proposed Trail Grant Program that evening and that the Commission would respond to his request the following month when they had more information. At this point in the meeting there was general discussion about trails and the need to address various issues related to trails. Commissioner Swan had repeatedly raised the concern that some attention needed to be given to assessing the trail map situation in the city. Her concern arose from the encroachments that have occurred on existing trails by new developments. Commissioner Swan made a motion that of the $100,000 that had been earmarked for trails from the Park Development Fund, up to $10,000 be allocated to the assessment and creation of a trail map or supplementation of the information currently available and the remaining $90,000 be dedicated to grants and educational needs relating to trails and the public. Commissioner Clabeaux seconded the motion and the motion carried. (6/0) Effie Adamson Foun~lation Grant Re. quest: lames and Terri Baron attended this meeting to supply further information about the proposal that they had submitted earlier this month to the Commission requesting funds to make improvements to trails throughout Saratoga. The Barons grant revolved mainly around three areas of focus; 1) educating the Public to trials and what is available to them in Saratoga, 2) cataloguing the problems and issues that need to be addressed regarding trails in various areas throughout the city 3) cleaning and maintaining the existing trails. Commissioner Swan made a motion to accept the Baron's intent to submit a grant proposal to the City via the Commission and asked the Barons to come back in two months time when the Commission had addressed the format of the proposed Trail Grant Program. Commissioner Clabeaux seconded the motion and the motion carried. (6/0) C) Trail Improvela!.ents @, 13636 Deer Trail Court The Commission had received a memorandum from Community Development Director, James Walgren, requesting that the Commission consider the proposal submitted for development at 13636 Deer Trail Court. Mr. Walgren had asked the Commission to assess whether trail improvements would be needed at this property site. Their was discussion among Commissioners about trail easements and the process that is suppose to occur when new developments encroach on existing trail easements. Commissioner Swan made a motion to 1) request that improvements be made to the portion of the trail affected by the development at 13636 Deer Trail Court and 2) work with the Planning Commission, Community Development Department and other homeowners around Via Regina and Vista Regina to rectify the encroachment the has occurred with this portion of the trail. Commissioner Whitney seconded the motion and the motion carried. (6/0) The Commission discussed the internal planning process relating to trails and new development in addition to the condition of existing trails. The consensus of the Commission was to plan a time when members of the Planning and Parks and Recreation Commissions could meet to discuss 1) concerns of the Parks and Recreation Commission regarding trails and new developments and 2) to educate members of the Parks and Recreation Commission to the planning process as it involves trails and encroaching on existing trails. Commissioner Whitney made a motion to table the discussion of item V.B. (Trails Grant Program - Establish Format ) until the following meeting. The earlier items on the agenda had taken the majority of the scheduled meeting time and the Trails Grant Program would require more discussion time than would be devoted to it that evening. Commissioner Olsen seconded the motion and the motion carried. (6/0) VII. Old Business: Parks and Recreatign Development Fund Projects Update 1. Heritage Orchard - Commissioner Friedrich will work with staff to contact additional contractors who might be interested in bidding for maintenance and care of the Heritage Orchard. Additional maintenance options for the Heritage Orchard were discussed with Council at their joint meeting with the Parks and Recreation Commission. 2, Community Center Improvements- Recreation Director, Joan Pisani introduced Pamela Bmlle who had come to address the Commission about the Community Center feasibility study. She proposed that she prepare a report that would provide a menu approach to the project allowing the city to pick and choose those items that they wanted to include in the study depending on how much the city wanted to spend. The proposed program document would also help define the Request for Qualification. The Commission asked Ms. Pisani to move forward with the proposal so that the Commission might be able to provide the City Council with the information they had requested regarding the costs associated with a feasibility study of improvements to the Community Center. VIII. Reports: Commissioner Reports: Commissioner Crotty informed the Commission that fifty people had attended the National River Clean-Up Day on May 16a. Commissioner Whitney recommended, that in light of the many issues that were being addressed by the Commission, sub-committees be formed to better focus on the issues that required more attention than what could be discussed during a regularly scheduled Commission meeting. She suggested that, when appropriate, educational sessions be planned so as to better educate Commissioners to the issues that come before them. It was suggested that prior to the next Commission meeting, arrangements be made to walk certain trails and that members of the Community Development Department be invited to come along to answer questions about trails and trail easements. City Hall Update: No report at this time Recreation Dep_ ~ent Status Re?ort: No report at this time Park Maintenance Division Update: No report at this time. IX. Ad|ournment Commissioner Whitney made a motion to adjourn the meeting and Commissioner Friedrich seconded the motion. The motion carded and the meeting was adjourned at 10:30 p.m. (6/0) Prepared By: City StaffRepre{ejtative