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P&R 04-05-12 APPROVED AMENDED MINUTES PARKS AND RECREATION COMMISSION CITY OF CUPERTINO Regular Meeting April 5, 2012 at 7:00 p.m. Community Hall, 10350 Torre Avenue, Cupertino, CA Note: This meeting will be televised 1. CALL TO ORDER Chairperson David Greenstein called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. in the Community Hall Council Chamber, 10350 Torre Avenue, Cupertino, CA. 2. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE 3. ROLL CALL Commissioners present: Darcy Paul, David Greenstein, Marcia St.Clair, David Fling Commissioners absent: David Lee Staff present: Mark Linder, Timm Borden, Roger Lee, Donna Henriques 4. MISCELLANEOUS—NO ACTION REQUIRED A. Staff oral reports Director Mark Linder said the McClellan Ranch Master Plan was discussed at the April 3 City Council meeting and there were no major changes to the Commission's recommendations. Director Linder said this year's, Big Bunny Fun Run is on Saturday, April 7, beginning at City Hall Civic Center at 9:00 a.m. Pre-registration is up to 450 and registration is open online or in person at the Quinlan Community Center on Friday, April 6 until 6:00 p.m. or register the day of the race before 8:45 a.m. In honor of the Parks and Recreation's 50th Anniversary this year, each participant will receive a wristband and $5.00 from each registration will go to Charity Water Organization. B. Commissioner contacts Commissioner St.Clair said that she was recently at Blackberry Farm Golf Course and heard some complaints about the weeds being out of control and players were asking why the ninth hole reconstruction is the last part 1 of the golf course to be upgraded. She also reported that she attended the March Mayor's meeting and that the TICC Commission expressed interest in the placing of cell towers in City parks. 5. MINUTES OF PREVIOUS MEETING A. Regular meeting of March 1, 2012 Action: Commissioner Paul made a motion to approve the minutes and Commissioner Fung seconded the motion. The motion carried unanimously,with one absence. 6. ORAL COMMUNICATIONS—None 7. NEW BUSINESS - None 8. OLD BUSINESS A. Linda Vista Ponds update—Roger Lee, Assistant Director, Public Works - Maintenance Director Mark Linder said that the Commission and the community have expressed interest in what is being done to restore the ponds in Linda Vista Park. He said that Timm Borden, Public Works Director and his Assistant Director, Roger Lee have been working on reconstruction options. Since there is money approved by Council in the CIP budget, Public Works is currently working with a consulting firm to decide the best construction option. Director Linder said the Commission's comments will be taken into consideration when the construction options are presented to Council. Assistant Director of Public Works, Roger Lee said the pond has not been in use for several years and they are currently considering three options to better utilize this picturesque eleven-acre City Park. He presented a brief history of the park and said that this reconstruction project was included in the 2010-11 adopted CIP budget on the unfunded list. The three options presented were as follows: • Concept 1 —Full restoration of the upper and lower ponds with an estimated cost of$1,180,000. • Concept 2—Partial restoration of the upper pond only, with an existing swale with vegetated check dams at an estimated cost of$1,100,000. 4, • Concept 3 —Removal of upper and lower ponds with a dry creek, and an expanded overlook area, and picnic area with an estimated cost of $1,043,000. • Access Improvements, such as ADA handrails and new walkways from the parking area to the reconstructed area, would be added as needed with an estimated cost of$570,000. Assistant Director Lee said the costs associated with each Concept include an estimated cost of the ADA access improvements. Director Borden said it would be useful to get the Commissioners' thoughts about what they like about the three Concepts and he will take the same presentation to Council and include the Commissioners' comments so Public Works can move forward with having the preferred concept included in the 2012-13 CIP budget. Commissioner St.Clair asked how the leaves and debris from the trees would be prevented from clogging up the waterfall. Assistant Director Lee said the waterfall will be realigned and the manhole will be shifted to the south of the existing storm-drain manhole. He also said there may be one or two trees that could be removed from that area. Commissioner Paul asked what the difference of annual maintenance costs to the City would be between the Concepts, with and without water. Mr. Lee said the costs would be estimated at about $30,000 per year, regardless of whether it was Concept 1 or 2. Commissioner Paul asked whether Concept 1 involved removing the upper pond and surrounding boulders and Mr. Lee said that all concrete and boulders would be removed and reused. The new ponds would be fit more into the landscape rather than the previous location. Commissioner Paul asked if Concept 3 had a waterfall and Mr. Lee said that the ponds and the waterfall would be removed so there would be no water features at all in that option. Commissioner Fung asked if there are going to be a lot of trees removed due to the ADA picnic area access plan improvements. Mr. Lee said he feels they would be able to move the pathway out into the turf area so they wouldn't have to remove any of the trees in that area. Director Borden said the consultants felt they could grade around the trees so they could be saved. Commissioner Fung also asked if there was a water feature with a waterfall if it would be running 24-hours a day and Mr. Lee said no, and that it would cycle off and on. 3 Chair Greenstein asked if the ponds were man-made or if there were natural wetlands or ponds there originally. Mr. Lee said the ponds were definitely man- made so Chair Greenstein asked why they leaked. Mr. Lee said because concrete can crack and leak over time. Chair Greenstein asked how they could be sure that they wouldn't leak if they were rebuilt and Mr. Lee said the design would be better now and more maintenance-free than in 1970. Chair Greenstein also said that the accessibility improvements should be done regardless of which option is chosen and he asked whether the handrails have to be added. Assistant Director Lee said that handrails are required for any trail area that exceeds a 5% slope. Commissioner St.Clair said she favors Concept# 2 Partial Restoration because she thinks it would be more compact to take care of the upper pond and would give more flexibility to use the space in the picnicking area. She would also like to open up the old haul road that ends across from the entrance to McClellan Ranch Preserve. Commissioner Paul said he favors Concept# 3 because he feels the ponds were originally built in the park due to the nature of the rural setting of the park back in the 70's and thinks that it's now outdated. He believes that due to the current water conservation policies, that the ponds should be removed. Also, removal of the ponds would make more useable space available for picnic areas, etc. Commissioner Fung said he also favors Concept# 3 because of a lot of the same reasons regarding water features and the additional expense of$30,000 per year in water maintenance costs. He also thinks we should obtain more feedback from the public regarding what features they would want in the park. He added that although he's not set on the idea of a contained pathway and he feels that it's reasonable to include the ADA access improvements, regardless of which Concept is chosen. Commissioner Greenstein said that water features are not as desirable as they once were because of the maintenance expenses and have already been replaced in Portal Park by a play area for children because there are more issues these days with the danger of having water in a park area. He said there are certain park locations where water features are more desirable to look at but since Linda Vista Park is set back and not very visible, he feels it's not worth the extra money to put in a water feature. He would also like to see more useable space for park benches and picnic areas and would like to hear back from the public regarding the water feature. He also favors Concept# 3. Director Borden thanked the Commission for their feedback and said it was very helpful. He said they would be bringing this item back to Council and if Council makes a decision on one of the Concepts presented, Public Works will move 4 forward with further notification to obtain feedback from the surrounding neighborhood and then proceed with the project. 9. ADJOURNMENT - Chair Greenstein adjourned the meeting at 8:03 p.m. Res ectfully submitted, Donna Henriques, Administrative sistant Minutes approved at the May 3, 2012 regular meeting 5