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HomeMy WebLinkAbout02-01-1999 Park and Recreation Commission Minutes Saratoga Parks and Recreation Commission Meeting Administrative Offices, 13777 Fruitvale Avenue, Saratoga February 1, 1999 7:30 p.m. Action Minutes I. Call to Order The meeting was called to order at 7:32 p.m. II. Roll Call Commissioners Present: Alberts, Clabeaux, Friedrich, Ioannou, Olsen, Swan, Whitney Commissioners Absent: None Others Pt~sent: Joan Pisani, Irene Jacobs ( various members of the community ~ seventy-one chairs were set out for the public; all were filled and there were individuals standing). Ill. Report on Posting of the Minutes: Pursuant to Government Code 54954.2 the agenda was properly posted on January 27, 1999. IV. Approval of Minutes of November 2, 1998 and January 4, 1999 Meetings: Commissioner Whitney made a motion that the approval of both sets of minutes until the next Commission meeting. Commissioner Alberts seconded the motion and the motion carried. (6/0) Administration: Staff reminded the Commission that the CPRS Conference would be taking place February I $~2I at the Santa Clara Convention Center. If any of the Commissioners had any questions, they should contact staff for clarification. Oral & Written Communication: Commissioner Friedrich recommended to the chair that since there were so many members of the public who wanted to speak under oral communications, they should limit the amount of speaking time to a three minute maximum per speaker and a total limit to ninety minutes. It was agreed upon and the oral communications portion of the meeting was opened. Forty members of the public addressed the Parks and Recreation on the Playfield Project Issue and more specifically the recommendation that had been proposed by the Playfield Task Force. Some adamantly supported the project and others adamantly opposed the project. The Commission thanked the public for their ideas, concerns and shared opinions and the oral communications portion of the meeting was closed at 9 p.m.. VI. Old Business: None VII. New Business: Jaye Beals of the Beals Group, whose services were retained by the City to serve as the project manager, presented the Task Force's recommendation to the Parks and Recreation Commission. The Task Force had identified ten possible sites within the city limits for playfield development and recommended to the Parks and Recreation Commission that four of those ten sites be developed. Those proposed sites are: Congress Springs Park, Blue Hills/Azule site, Marshall Lane School site and the Foothill School site. Mter the consultant finished his presentation, the chair opened discussion among the Commission regarding the issue before them; the recommendation from the Task Force. City staff reminded the Commission that the City Council had directed the Commission to resolve the maintenance issue first regarding the playfield project before they would give any further consideration to building more playfields. Thus, the Task Force was established for the ultimate goal of trying to resolve the maintenance issue for without this, the playfield project would not proceed. The Task Force had met for nine months and after a lot of work and compromise, they were able to come to an agreement where the school districts where committing their land, the city was committing development funds and the user groups were committing maintenance funding. They were now presenting a proposal to the Commission for initial consideration. The role of the Commission tonight was to discuss the proposal and how it fit into the priority list that the Commission had established for the Park Development Fund from the public meeting that had been taken place in 1996. Staff also reminded the Commission that it would be their job to clean up the situation before it went to the City Council for approval. The project has too many unresolved issues that need to be addressed before it can come before the City Council for approval. There was general discussion among the Commissioners about the issue. Commissioner Friedrich made a motion to proceed immediately with a recommendation to council to make improvements to Congress Springs Parks and to Foothill immediately and then to explore the possibilities of expanding the other sites at a later date. Commissioner laonou seconded the motion. There was discussion among Commissioners and this motion was withdrawn. Commission Whitney expressed that she was committed to the process that had been started in 1996 at that Community meeting where those individuals who had been present at that meeting had come up with possibilities for the entire community. She said that the Commission needed to continue with the process to create more play fields; where or how had not yet been determined for sure but the Commission should move forward with this process. She made a motion that the Commission host four meetings, one per proposed site consisting of representatives from the Commission (2), the appropriate user groups, representatives from the surrounding neighborhoods, the appropriate school district and staff. After these meetings were held and a resolution or some recommendation had come from the meeting, then the Commission would regroup and the reconsider the plan. Commissioner Clabeaux seconded the motion and the motion carried. (5/1) Blue Hills: Elaine Marianne Marshall Lane: Frank Shiela Foothill Judy Barabara Congress Springs: Kay Whitney These meetings would be scheduled as soon as was possible and the logistics of the meetings would be discussed at the next scheduled meeting on February 22, 1999 in the administrative offices at City Hall. This meeting was scheduled in order to discuss all those other projects that the Commission is working on besides the Playfield project. VIII. Reports: Commissioner Reports: none City Hall Upda~: none Recreation Department Status Report: none IX. Adjournment Commissioner Whitney made a motion to adjourn the meeting and Commissioner Alberts seconded the motion. The motion carried and the meeting was adjourned at 11:55 p.m. (6/0) Prepared By: