HomeMy WebLinkAboutP&R 05.06.1993 Minutes CITY OF CUPERTINO, S'rATE OF CALIFORNIA
10300 Torre Avenue, Cupertino, CA 95014 PRC Telephone (408) 252-4505 Unapproved
MINUTES OF THE REGULAR MEETING
OF THE
PARKS AND RECREATION COMMISSION
Conference Room C & D
May 6, 1993
CALL TO ORDER
1. Regular meeting of the Parks and Recreation Commission called to order at 7:04 p.m. i
SALUTE TO THE FLAG cats to Urder
2. Flag Salute
ROLL CALL
3. Commissioners present: Lohmiller, Hendrickson, Throne, Hopkins, Quinlan
Commissioners absent: None
Staff present: Stephen Dowling, Director of Parks and Recreation Roll Call
Linda Lagergren, Recording Secretary
Mike O'Dowd, Recreation Supervisor
Barbara Banfield, Department Naturalist
Bert Viskovich, Director of Public Works
INTRODUCTIONS
4. Director introduced Recreation Supervisor, Mike O'Dowd and Department Naturalist, Barbara
Banfield, who are both members of the McClellan Ranch Ad Hoc Committee.
ORAL COMMUNICATIONS
Resident
5. Resident Steven Haze (22681 San Juan Road) spoke before the Commission as a representative Steve,
of the National Parks Services and stated that he was involved in a multi-state effort to establish glaze
the Juan Bautista De Anza Natural Historic Trail. He advised Commission that he wrote a letter
in response to the draft E.I.R. requesting that language be added to the General Plan supporting
the National Parks efforts. He also wanted Commission to be aware that there is I.S.T.E.A.
funding available at the local and regional level. Director Dowling informed him the
Commission did endorse adding language relevant to the Juan Bautista De Anza Trail.
OLD BUSINESS
b. None
NEW BUSINESS
Cotnpast
8. Director Dowling stated. "In deference to our audience, we will begin with the discussion of the Program
compost pick-up site and then move into the discussion of the Simms lease agreement. The aMCC
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reason this is coming to you tonight in this manner is because as these decisions were being trash Par►
made staff was not sensitive to the public review and public input process. At the Council
meeting on Monday night, Council directed this Commission to give an opportunity to tho%e
park user% and %uppt)rters to express their virws and opinions regarding the proposed compt)st
pick-up program. The reason we are here tonight is to listen and then after we`ve done that.
there is a basic question that needs to be addressed and that is, is this site appropriate for the
compt+st pick-up site program'"
Page 2
Compost
Pick-up Director continued, "If it is, in your opinion, how does this current plan work to achieve that? If it is not,,
(Coned) in your opinion, are there alternate sites that you would advise be reviewed?" Director Dowling continued
by giving a little background on this mandated program AB939. The issue is where do we provide a pick-up
site facility? Of the options available to the City, the posture taken was it makes sense to do it on City
owned and City maintained and managed property. Probably, the Service Center makes the most sense.
Regrettably, most of it will be picked up on the weekends and that facility is secured on the weekends. The
next option was our park system and McClellan Ranch was seen as most viable, principally because through
the garden program there has historically been composting at McClellan Ranch and secondly, there is a
relationship between the environmental awareness theme at McClellan Ranch and this program."
Director said, "In addition to whether we want to intrude into the nature preserve area, a second issue was
accessing and exiting the site.That's been a concern for some time.What we saw was an opportunity through
Resource Recovery funding to finally get around to making some modifications to that entrance that would
increase safety for park users."
Director showed transparencies of McClellan Ranch Park before and after the modifications.
Chairman opened up discussion to the Commission. After a brief disc
opened up for public comment. ussion by the Commission, it was
Lonnie
Toens[eldt Lonnie Toensfeldt(21640 Fitzgerald Drive) resident,member of McClellan Ranch Park Ad Hoc Long
Range
Planning Committee, one of the community leaders for Rolling Hills 4-H Club and past Parks and
Recreation Commissioner. "The Committee does not feel this is an appropriate place to do this.Our biggest
objection is safety. It is an extremely scary entrance. We also have concerns from a philosophical point of
view. My objective is to ask the Commission to recommend to Council and staff that another more
Roxanne appropriate site be identified and that this issue be studied more carefully."
Beverstein Roxanne Beverstein (1061 November Drive) resident, gardener at the Ranch and a master gardener ti ith
University of California Cooperative Extension. "I'm here to speak from the perspective of a gardener and
a master gardener. The Ranch is a place to come and learn and spend time. It is not an appropriate place
to he used as a utility yard for compost pick-up."
Ralph
Riddle Ralph Riddle (1061 November Drive) resident,gardener at the Ranch and master gardener. 'The compost
I would smother 600 square feet of the nature preserve.The comp
ost is not from its product usefulness. I'm concerned with the additional traffic and ath tl he whole pr ocess habenefit to McCleanRbanch
een
done without much public input."
tt(nvard Howard Johnson (22560 Alcalde Road) resident. "I think our first goal is to try not to do any harm to t
Johnson
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preserve. I don't think most of the gardeners at the Ranch would use the compost. The changes in the lot
have created some problems with parking. I have two suggestions for places for compost pick-up. First we
Duina could redesign the front area of the corporation yard and the second place is the Mary Avenue on-ramp."
lhapkin
Darina Drapkin (22891 Longdown Road) resident and gardener at Ranch. "If the compost pick-up is at
(harks
McClellan Ranch, I am very concerned that the traffic will have a great impact on the life at the preserve."
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brAct Charles Liggett (22415 Palm Avenue) resident. "I would like to see the parking lot go back to the original
configuration. I would like Commission to recommend to Council that the Public Works Department take
('atherine the gravel out of the compost pick-up location and return the topsoil to that location."
Sleight Catherine Sleight (11074 La Paloma) resident and member of the McClellan Ranch Long Range Master
Plan Committee. "I am here as a resident and not representing the committee. _111c parking lot was alreadl
a difficult place for children, but now it will even he more difficult. People have worked let hard to keep it
a preserve. I feel alarmed that u)mcthing like this could happen so easily.
hopefully
It is a very special place and
we can treat it that way.'
Bill Niegel (21837 Woodbury Drive) resident. "I basically do not use the park, but I am a gardener Page 3
and have been for 30 years. Depending upon the quality (Co of the compost, I would be interested in compose
using it. I have talked to a number of people in my neighborhood and throughout the City who have up
Cnt'd)
had the same comment that they would like to see what it is and possibly use it. If it is acceptable Bill Niegel
to me, I can use it in large quantities. I would like to suggest that the park is a good place for a
partial site and then have a second site at the Corp yard."
Commissioner Quinlan stated, "Mr. Chairman, it might be appropriate at this point to let the
audience know that about two-thirds of the open space you see at McClellan Ranch Park is not
owned by the City. It's owned by the Santa Clara Valley Water District and it's a flood plain area
so there can't be a lot of structures put in on the portion from the parking lot towards the creek.
When I say two-thirds that did not include the Simms property, it includes everything that is open
space. In the agreement for the City to use that as a park, we agreed not to put any structures in
that would impede the hydraulic flow within that 100 year flood plain."
Ray Erny (7894 Fiesta Lane) resident. "Whether or not the compost is up to the standards of the Ray Erny
master gardeners has nothing to do with the fact that we want to put the compost on this site for
people to pick-up and use in their gardens. It doesn't matter whether it's good compost or bad
compost, if the people want it, let them have it. If traffic becomes a problem, then limit the hours
of use."
Lois Warburton (11001 Lucky Oak Street) resident. "I'm here to support the gardeners and activists
who are here tonight."
Warburton
Henry Bruski (22891 Longdown Road) resident and gardener at the community gardens at
McClellan Ranch Park. "Since we as residents have chosen to preserve this area, I would like to see henry
Bunri
this area be re-established and replanted with native plants. It is a good idea that City's are looking
at recycling waste." I
Director stated that a resident, who was unable to attend the meeting tonight telephoned her
comments in and wanted them read for the record. Recording Secretary read the comments from
resident, Ann Westwood. "Since you have spent all the money, the time, the expense and the agony
of getting that site graded and prepared and the crushed rock down, that is quite a bit of money to
walk away from ... It would certainly be a rational place to put it ... Please put me down as in favor
of saving money and just leaving it there at McClellan Ranch."
Barbara Banfield, Department Naturalist. "I just had a clarification about the parking lot. One of the Barbara
things that worked well with the old plan is that it circulated traffic well for the parents dropping Banfield
off children for camps."
Ralph Riddle, resident. "I would like to propose that the City consider educating the public about Ralph
home composting, so we don't have the problem of recycling yard waste in the first place." Ri dle
Chairman Lohmiller brought the discussion back to the Commission. i
Commissioner Hendrickson commented, "I heard of this yesterday and this is the extreme example
of the lack of communication. My opinion is that this is not for the Parks and Recreation
Commission, this came from the Department of Public Works, if I am correct in who made that
decision down there."
Director said, "No they did not make it solely, they did consult with our Department."
Commissioner Hendrickson asked, "Was Council aware of this:''
I
Pale 1 Compost Director replied, "As I mentioned a moment ago, the package that Council approved in February made very
general reference. The and waste program was not specifically spelled out to the extent of the plans that
Pick-up Y P g
(conrd) you see tonight. It just made reference that it would be appropriate to have it at McClellan Ranch. Then
about five weeks ago when staff realized the quantity and what was all involved, then these changes were
precipitated.Yes,Council approved a big package that involved a lot of Resource Recovery issues,this being
one small component. So to say that Council thoroughly looked at this issue isn't true, and to say it was just
a Public Works decision, isn't true. I was involved in that decision making based upon the inappropriateness
of the Service Center site. We obviously turned to parks next and McClellan Ranch came to the front."
Commissioner Hendrickson remarked, "So possibly it was some mis-communication as well as lack of
communication."
Director replied, "Oh, absolutely."
Chairman Lohmiller added, 'That was expressed very clearly by staff at the Council meeting before the oral
remarks were made and I think everyone is aware of that now."
Commissioner Hopkins asked, "I would like clarification on what is being asked of Commission at this time."
Director Dowling replied, "The fundamental question is, is McClellan Ranch an appropriate site for this
compost pick-up program based upon what you have heard and what you know of the program. Based upon
what you decide about that, if it is appropriate, what recommendations and comments do you have about
this plan that you have reviewed tonight. If it is not an appropriate site,do you have suggestions about other
sites that would be worth reviewing and investigating."
Commissioner Quinlan remarked, "I have some concerns about McClellan as the site. I think some of the
comments made regarding possible contamination of the soil is a concern. I don't know how real that is, but
it strikes an alarm to me. I would not like to see any more money spent in regards to the parking facility
or the site until this thing has been resolved. What is lacking for me, is now that the question has been
raised about this as a good site in my mind, is what other sites are available."
Commissioner Throne asked, "Where did the money come from for this project?"
Director of Public Works(Bert Viskovich) replied,"'There is a Resource Recovery fund that the City collects
from fees for garbage and all the funds came from that particular fund."
Commissioner Throne asked, "Do we have any idea of what kind of demand we will have for the compost?"
Director of Public Works replied,"The whole recycling program is brand new and most cities are just getting
into this. We know that we have X amount of quantity which was part of our program to come back to the
community as free compost to our residents. We don't know what the response will be, all we do know is
that roughly 29 x 30 x 3' high pile is going to be available at all times. Engineering has been receiving a lot
of calls from people waiting for the program, so there seems to be a lot of interest. I perceive it to be a
successful program."
Commissioner Throne commented, "The issue is that the City has an obligation to provide a site:
Director Viskovich added, "We asked for this compost to come back to the City. Twenty-five percent of the
debris that leaves the City comes back in compost."
Commissioner Throne said, "My understanding is that we are mandated by the State to provide the compost
to the residents. Did we ask to do that?"
Director Viskovich replied, 'It's a state mandate to reduce the waste stream to landfill. but it % the City's
policy that we wanted w►me of it back free to our residents."
i
t
Commissioner Quinlan said, "I presume you don't have to-take the 25%; you get up to 25%. Is that Page s
the way it is written?" Compost
Pict-up
(Cont'd)
Bert Viskovich replied, "We get up to 25% free, anything over 25%you have to pay the gate price."
Commissioner Hendrickson commented, "If we are going to go ahead and make this available to the
citizens, perhaps the two sites do make sense. It can be reduced at McClellan Ranch, if we are sure
it is not going to contaminate the soil down there. The other one is the City Corporation Yard as
a possible site. Put it there on a three month trial basis at the two sites and see if that does fill a
need for the public use."
Commissioner Hopkins remarked, "I would agree that a natural preserve is not the ideal place for
a compost pick-up site, probably a more appropriate place would be a utility yard. That was good
information to hear that we don't have to have any compost if we don't want to or we can make the
amount of compost a lot smaller than 1 12 tons."
Director interjected, "Council would have to change policy to not have any."
Commissioner Hopkins continued, "I also think that we as a Commission cannot recommend another
site for it, I think that would be the responsibility of Public Works. I do think that it does have a
significant impact on the preserve. Use or non-use of the compost is not the real issue here. I would
recommend that we find another place for this compost."
Chairman Lohmiller stated, "I think it is a real intrusion on the park. In reading the guidelines of
the park, I don't think that this is the intent of the park. I think more traffic in and out of there is
a hazard. Even with the changes that were made in the parking lot, it is still difficult to see the cars
coming down from the right. The more traffic we have, the more danger there is. As far as oth,:r
sites go, I don't think it's our job to decide on the other sites."
Commissioner Quinlan said, 'Two possible sites were suggested. I think we need to have a central
location. Unfortunately, those two sites(Corp.yard and McClellan l:anch) are both on the west side
of town. If you are going to talk about two sites,you should have one east of De Anza Blvd. and one
west of De Anza Blvd.
Commissioner Lohmiller asked, "What other sites might be potential sites'?"
Bert Viskovich stated, "When we started this we did look at other sites. One is the Corp. yard. That
was discounted because of security, the inability to have it open on the weekends and after hours,
and there is no room to use the parking lot. The Service Center is out and not even a viable
consideration. There are two other sites. At the end of Mary Avenue, the ramp to go over 280 was
suggested. There is a potential there, however, there are residential dwellings and we thought that
might be an impact. DeAnza College was eliminated as a site. Another site was Kaiser-Permanente.
However, that is way to the west side and conflicts with truck traffic, so that was discounted. So we
then started looking at park sites. First was the Civic Center and then we went to each of the other
sites.Any place we chose was going to have some disruption or impact. McClellan Ranch was chosen
because we felt compost was a natural thing for McClellan Ranch and it was somewhat remote from
residential. We looked at the Simms property. We felt all the residents would be looking down on
it and that would he an objection. McClellan Ranch seemed like the natural place to have it. We
really are in a difficult situation trying to find a new location."
Director Dowling added, "One thing that would he in order now is to make a recommendation of
the appropriateness of the site to Council."
Commissioner Throne said, "I don't think that we should make a recommendation. If there is no
alternative and we want to do compost pick-up then I don't think we should make a recommendation
until there has hcen u1mc discussion about what the alternatives arc.'
Page b Chairman Lohmiller remarked, "I would not want to step on the plans of the McClellan Ranch Master
Compost Pick-up trying Plan Committee. We're t n to look at that whole site and now we've had an intrusion go in there.
(Cont'(1) I don't feel comfortable having the principal site at McClellan Ranch Park. As a resident though, I do
recognize that we have a bigger problem."
Commissioner Throne said,"Without having review of other site alternatives we can't make a statement
one way or the other. I would recommend that we continue this until the next meeting after we hear
the report from the Master Plan Committee and hear about all the other possible sites."
Chairman Lohmiller commented, "I feel our only concern is, is this appropriate for McClellan Ranch
Preserve, or not? In the way it's been proposed, I don't feel it is. Maybe a modified smaller version if
it was spread out among the City, maybe then I would think it would be appropriate."
Commissioner Hopkins said, "I would agree. I think we have to be careful about going beyond our own
Commission's responsibilities(parks and open space) and not try to take on the responsibility of trying
to find a site for the compost."
Commissioner Quinlan remarked, "I have a problem with that. I think we have to look at the pluses and
minuses. It's very possible after hearing everything we may say that this is the only site available. I'm
just not prepared to say no tonight without studying alternatives."
Commissioner Throne added, "In a vacuum I would agree it's not appropriate for McClellan Ranch
Park. But we don't live in a vacuum."
Commissioner Hendrickson made a motion to table this item until the next meeting to have an
Nlotion opportunity to hear input from staff on alternate park sites for compost pick-up in conjunction with the
overview from the Ad Hoc Committee on the McClellan Ranch Master Plan. Comr.;issioner Throne
seconded the motion.A friendly amendment to the motion was made to establish a date for the meeting
and that date was set at 6:00 p.m. on May 19 at McClellan Ranch Park.
Commissioner Hopkins remarked, "It's my basic opinion that we are making a mountain out of a mole
hill here, that we are really just looking to see if it is appropriate for this site and if we need more
information on then we should get it, but I think we are getting beyond our boundaries."
Chairman Lohmiller said, "Your comments are well taken, we aren't making a decision regarding
something without looking at the whole plan and I think that is our intent in tabling it, so we can look
at the plan and we don't jump to a conclusion."
Commissioners Quinlan, Hendrickson, Throne and Chairman IA)hmiller voted in favor, with
Commissioner Hopkins voting against. Motion passed.
Director stated, "It's time to look at renewal of the McClellan Ranch Simms house lease agreement.
Simms The current lease is a two year lease (that expires on July 1993) which is part of a five year agreement.
tLease
t„usc The assumption was when we put this in place that we would have a two year experience,look at it, see
Agreement what the concerns were and then decide if we wanted to renew. In my view, this arrangement has
:1Rrr
worked. There have been very few complaints and for the most part, the caretaker concept with the
residents there has not been compromised. This will be on the agenda for the June 3, 1993 meeting for
your recommendation to Council."
Co-spons,ved 7. Commissioner Hopkins reported on the concept of the special event co-sponsored with the Fine Arts
Fine its Commission. The concept included either a musical performance or theatrical performance to br held
Fine fin:
('ummtsrion on either Sunday, September 12 or Sunday, September 19.
9. Commissioner Throne made a motion to continue agenda item #f9, Status Repx)rt on the Park
Dedication Ordinance) to the June 3, 1993 Commission meeting.
I
MINUTES OF PREVIOUS MEETING Page 7
• 10. Commissioner Hendrickson moved and Commissioner Hopkins seconded a motion to approve Motion
the minutes of the April 1, 1993,Parks and Recreation Commission meeting. Motion approved.
WRITTEN COMMUNICATION
11. None
MONTHLY REPORTS
12. Director reported on the "Early Bird" Registration for summer programs.
13. Commissioner Hendrickson made a community contact report announcing an upcoming meeting
to include Commissioner Quinlan, Commissioner Hendrickson and Bob and Polli Rychlik. The
meeting was to discuss the dog park concept.
MISCELLANEOUS
14. There was no legislative update.
15. Chair Lohmiller reported on the Mayor's luncheon.
16. Director reported on the upcoming CREST awards.
ADJOURNMENT
17. At 10:10 p.m. Commissioner Hopkins moved and Commissioner Throne seconded a motion to
adjourn to the adjourned regular commission meeting on Wednesday, May 19, 1993 at 6:00 p.m., MO11on
McClellan Ranch Park. Motion unanimously approved.
Respectfully submitted,
inda M. Lagergren, Secre
ATTEST: APPROVED:
City Clcrk Chairper%on