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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes - Parks and Recreation Commission March 1, 2011MAS CITY OF PALM DESERT PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT INTEROFFICE MEMORANDUM TO: Rachelle D. Klassen, City Clerk FROM: Bertha A. Gonzalez, Senior Office Assistant DATE: April 5, 2011 SUBJECT: Submission of Minutes for the Parks and Recreation Commission Attached for your records are the approved Minutes of Parks and Recreation Commission Meeting of March 1, 2011. Please let me know if you have any questions or need additional information. Thank you. Attachment (as noted) CITY COUNCILACTION APPROVED .wDENIED RECEIVED ,C- OTHER. MEETING DATE -� f AYES: i K e NOES: - I)Ae ABSENT: - ��/► ���v __ ABSTAIN: VERIFIED BY: Original on File with City Clerks Office CITY OF PALM DESERT MINUTES PARKS AND RECREATION COMMISSION REGULAR MEETING TUESDAY, March 1, 2011 — 8:30 a.m. Administrative Conference Room — Palm Desert Civic Center 73-510 Fred Waring Drive, Palm Desert, California 92260 I. CALL TO ORDER Chairman Guyer convened the meeting at 8:30 a.m. II. ROLL CALL Present: Chairman Randy Guyer Vice Chair Jerry Dawson Commissioner Dean Dowty Commissioner Deborah Hall Commissioner Kim Housken Commissioner Mary Helen Kelly Commissioner Christopher Thomas Staff Prese Absent Commissioner Michael Barnard Mark Greenwood, P.E., Director of Public Works Bertha Gonzalez, Recording Secretary H. Spencer Knight, Landscape Manager Ryan Stendell, Senior Management Analyst John M. Wohlmuth, City Manager Guests: Barb Adair, Desert Recreation District Rob Ballew, YMCA of the Desert Craig DeWitt, Desert Recreation District Jim Foote, Bureau of Land Management Rachelle Klassen, City Clerk Laura McGalliard, Desert Recreation District Ruth Ann Moore, Redevelopment Agency Jeff Ronci, Desert Recreation District Robert A. Spiegel, Councilman Van Tanner, Planning Commission Liaison PARKS AND RECREATION COMMISSION APPROVED MINUTES MARCH 1, 2011 III. INTRODUCTIONS A. INTRODUCTION OF THE NEW COMMISSIONERS Following the swear -in of the new Commissioners, Mr. Ryan Stendell presented and offered them an opportunity to introduce themselves. Mr. Dean Dowty has worked for the College of the Desert since 1992 and is currently the head football coach and athletic director. He has been in the area for many years and thanked the Commissioners for allowing him to serve on the Commission. Ms. Mary Helen Kelly has been a Palm Desert resident for many years and has always had a high regard for the City parks. She also thanked the Commission for allowing her to participate. IV. ORAL COMMUNICATIONS NONE V. CONSENT CALENDAR A. MINUTES OF THE ADJOURNED MEETING OF TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 18, 2011. Approve as presented Upon a motion by Chairman Guyer, second by Commissioner Housken, and 7-0 vote of the Commission Board, the Consent Calendar was approved as presented. VI. NEW BUSINESS A. REQUEST FOR CONSIDERATION TO CHANGE ONE FIELD AT LEGENDS FIELDS TO THE MIKE GATES FIELD BY THE PALM DESERT YOUTH SPORTS ASSOCIATION — Discussion of Options by Ryan Stendell Mr. Stendell stated that the Palm Desert Youth Sports Association (PDYSA) submitted a request to rename one of the fields in Legends Fields to the Mike Gates Field, who passed away in January, in honor of his significant contribution to the PDYSA. The construction of Legend s 2 PARKS AND RECREATION COMMISSION APPROVED MINUTES MARCH 1. 2011 and/or other deserving residents. He added that determining the criteria for renaming a field can be extremely difficult and the process could be extensive. Should the Commission decide to undertake this task; the request will need to be submitted to City Council for approval. Staff recommended exploring alternatives to honor Mr. Gates. Following a brief discussion, the Commission agreed with staff's recommendation and presented a few alternatives: 1. A charitable contribution could be made in his honor 2. A trophy or yearly award can be given out 3. An event can be named after him Upon a motion from Chairman Guyer, second by Vice Chair Dawson and a 7-0 vote of the Commission, the Commission accepted staff's recommendation to honor Mr. Gates by naming an event rather than a field. VII. CONTINUED BUSINESS A. CAHUILLA HILLS PARK RESTROOM As requested by the Commission at the previous meeting, staff has further researched alternatives to constructing a restroom at Cahuilla Hills Park. The installation of septic is not allowed by the City ordinance and the Baptist Church is not willing to let visitors use their facilities. Therefore, Mr. Stendell contacted a company in San Bernardino that installs 800-1000 gallon holding tanks and is less expensive than connecting to sewer. He reminded the Commission that there will be recurring costs for janitorial and pumping services regardless of the type of restroom that is installed and the CIP Plan will be in deficit unless another project is omitted. Mr. Stendell asked for the Commissions' suggestions and/or comments. Commissioner Thomas stated that he believes the installation of a holding tank is a good alternative and Commissioner Housken asked staff how the traffic compares to that of other City parks and has its usage increased. Mr. Stendell stated that he believes the Mike Schuler Trail behind target receives the most traffic, but Cahuilla Hills Park has the most visitors, since it is at the center of the three parks. Responding to Commissioner Kelly's inquiry, Mr. Mark Greenwood stated that it will take about 48 years of pumping the holding tank to match the expense of installing sewer. Chairman Guyer asked what the potential for vandalism is for the restroom and Mr. Stendell stated that it will have the same risk as any other restroom, but not to the degree of a portable restroom. The restrooms will be locked at night and placed fairly close or adjacent to the tennis courts or parking lot. 3 PARKS AND RECREATION COMMISSION APPROVED MINUTES MARCH 1, 2011 Nonetheless, Commissioner Housken expressed her concern with the cost versus the need, but Commissioner Thomas stated that when comparing the usage of the park to other City parks, Cahuilla Hills is consistently used. Chairman Guyer added that adding a restroom could make the park more user-friendly; therefore, increasing the visitors. Mr. Stendell agreed that the park has the potential to add more trails (i.e. Bike and Hiking), and stated that staff could research the possibility of creating less strenuous trails to accommodate beginners. Mr. Knight added that the native landscape and facilities could also be improved in order to attract residents. In addition, parking alternatives could be reviewed since it is limited and visitors tend to park on an easement that is own by the Coachella Valley Water District. Commissioner Hall agreed with the idea of adding a hiking path that is less strenuous and more appropriate for the aging population. Vice Chair Dawson asked if the alternatives to improve the park should be considered before deciding on the installation of a restroom. He asked staff to create an aerial that illustrates the potential improvements, along with parking and present it to the Commission for discussion. Commissioner Dowty asked if the restroom will be portable, but staff answered that it will permanent. He then stated that COD has added pickleball classes to their schedule, so he believes the sport will grow. Mr. Knight stated that all the ideas staff develops will be presented to the Commission at the next scheduled meeting. VIII. OLD BUSINESS A. HOPALONG CASSIDY'S CREED @ THE HOPALONG CASSIDY TRAIL Responding to the City Council's request, the Commission created a Trails Subcommittee to discuss the addition of Hoppy's Creed to the Hopalong Trail. Due to the installation and maintenance cost of adding signage to the trail, the subcommittee decided to update the panels and add Hoppy's Creed. The cost of updating the panels seemed to be the most cost effective alternative, since it costs approximately $1,000 for the four panels. Chairman Guyer stated that he asked hikers for their opinion on this modification and the result was a split decision. Half of the hikers believed it to be a great idea, while the other half did not care for it. Upon a motion from Commissioner Kelly, second by Vice Chair Dawson and a 7-0 vote of the Commission, the Trails Subcommittee's recommendation was approved as presented. 4 PARKS AND RECREATION COMMISSION APPROVED MINUTES MARCH 1, 2011 IX. PRESENTATIONS AND UPDATES A. THE PALM DESERT AQUATIC CENTER Mr. Stendell stated that the construction of the Aquatic Center is moving forward rather quickly. He added that the parking lot is almost completed and encouraged the Commission to visit the site at their convenience. Mr. Rob Ballew stated that at the meeting of February 10, 2011, the City Council approved the Commission's recommendation to award the management of the Aquatic Center to the YMCA of the Desert. He added that the YMCA has hired Mrs. Karen Creasy of Oregon as the new manager of the Aquatic Center. Mrs. Creasy was selected among a group of three finalists and will visit the construction site later this week. She will also be presented to the Commission at the next scheduled meeting. Mr. Ballew stated that they will be working on creating a policy for the Aquatic Center and the fees that were suggested by consultant will be implemented. Several organizations have showed an interest in becoming partners and schools, churches and other organizations have shown interest in holding events at the center. In addition, the YMCA will be meeting with COD to discuss their needs. Staff is currently working on getting suggestions from the residents on the type of programming they will like to see implemented. Mr. Ballew stated that the Grand Opening Day is scheduled for May 30, 2011, but the City Council will have a private opening that will include the YMCA and DRD one week prior. Responding to Commissioner Thomas' question regarding the scheduled opening date, Mr. Greenwood stated that the construction is on schedule and within budget. Details of the concession stand are still being worked on, but the lounges will be available to rent. Staff will continue to provide updates at every meeting. B. PRESENTATION FROM JOHN WOHLMUTH REGARDING REDEVELOPMENT FUNDS AND THE POTENTIAL AFFECTS TO THE PARKS As requested by the Commission at a previous meeting, Mrs. Ruth Ann Moore of the Redevelopment Agency (RDA) presented a PowerPoint that highlighted why the Redevelopment Agency is important and how it will affect the City and its parks. Mrs. Moore emphasized that should the RDA close, millions of dollars in the Coachella Valley alone will no longer be available for CIP Projects and/or improvements. 5 PARKS AND RECREATION COMMISSION APPROVED MINUTES MARCH 1, 2011 The Commission asked if the state could take the School Districts' reserves, but Mr. Wohlmuth stated that the legislation has not been written; therefore, it is unknown. Commissioner Thomas asked what the total amount that the City has in RDA funds and Mr. Wohlmuth answered that there is about $130 million in bond proceeds that have not been spent but have dedicated projects and $50 million in cash on hand. Chairman Guyer inquired how the parks will be affected with the closing of the Redevelopment Agency. Mr. Wohlmuth stated that the Portola Regional Park on the north of the City will probably not be constructed, along with the interchange improvements and upgrades. In addition, new funding streams will have to be found. He added that this would not only affect the construction of the actual park, but it will affect the roads that lead to the park and its drainage. Ms. Moore encouraged the Commission to contact their legislators in order to encourage them to keep RDA in place. C. UPDATE ON THE CJPIA PARKS AND RECREATION ACADEMY & NPRS NATIONAL AQUATICS MANAGEMENT SCHOOL Mr. Stendell informed the Commission that he and Mr. Knight attended the CJPIA meeting last month and one of the main changes coming in 2012 will be to the ADA requirements and inspection procedures. They met people from different agencies and learned that due to the potential closing of the RDAs many cities are looking for alternate funding streams. An example is the City, of La Mirada who has sponsors to offset the cost of their Aquatic Center. Also, the Riverside County's Parks and Open Spaces District has installed a new RV park with cabins in one of their parks in order to bring in revenue. Mr. Knight mentioned how impressed he was with how much other cities in California know about what the City of Palm Desert does. He added that the City of Palm Desert seems to have become the standard for other cities. Mr. Knight also informed the Commission that many cities are eliminating turf in their dog parks (i.e. Malibu). D. PARKS INSPECTIONS Mr. Stendell stated that the new Commissioners will be added to the inspection schedule, so the Commissioners were asked to not conduct any inspections until the new schedule is created. He proceeded by giving the status of the inspections: - In response to Commissioner Housken's inquiry, Mr. Stendell stated that Washington Charter School asked that only one of their four gates remain open during the weekend. - The benches at Magnesia Falls Park are being re -painted. PARKS AND RECREATION COMMISSION APPROVED MINUTES MARCH 1, 2011 - The benches and shade cover at Palma Village have been replaced and staff has asked for an increase in the sheriff's presence. - The shade structures at Civic Center Park have been lifted. - The Soccer Park Frisbees are being cleaned and/or replaced. - Staff will ask Mrs. Frankie Riddle on the current plans for the University Park's potential community garden. - Commissioner Thomas stated that the water pressure at the Cahuilla Hills Park is very low and the pickleball court net needs to be extended about 10 feet in order to detain the balls. Chairman Guyer informed the new Commissioners to look for maintenance issues along with design improvements. E. FAMILY YMCA OF THE DESERT Mr. Rob Ballew reported that Healthy Kids Day and Easter Egg Hunt will be held Saturday, April 16, 2011. Football will start next week and they expect approximately 140 participants. The summer programs are currently being outlined. F. DESERT RECREATION DISTRICT Mr. Jeff Ronci reported that the All District Track Meet will be held March 12, 2011, at Coachella Valley High School. Opening day of baseball will be held on the same day at the Civic Center Park. The month of March has many walk-o-thons and an update on the Senior Games will be presented at next meeting. The International Sports Festival Dinner was a great success; therefore, the DRD is planning on having the event again next year. The Palm Desert Community Center will add photography, theater, music, and Latin dance to their programming. In addition, the DRD has been approved by JPIA, so programming should become easier. The First Tee Program will be presented in May and the new DRD Catalog will be out May 3, 2011. The cover was created by a local artist named Snake Jagger. The reservation system software has been updated; therefore, it now features a daily schedule for the cities. Mr. Ronci stated that the DRD tries to keep the facility usage accurate, but sometimes residents fail to swipe their cards. Mr. Kevin Kalman informed the Commission that the DRD has acquired the Cook Street Frontage that is located by the first tee, so improvements are currently being implemented. Mr. Jeff Ronci presented the monthly reports as follows: 7 PARKS AND RECREATION COMMISSION APPROVED MINUTES MARCH 1, 2011 Program / Activity Enrollment Zumba — 2 Days 2 Salsa Aerobics 5 Ballroom Dancing 2 Belly Dancing 6 Swing Dance Workshop 2 Yoga 1 da /wk 5 Yoga 2 da s/wk 8 Beginning Ballet 2 After -School Club 25 Guitar Beginning 10 New Rock Solo Class 2 Karate Taekwondo 11 Tiny Tots 16 Dance Play Pretend 5 Membership/ Facilities Use Rentals Tennis 2085 Facility 1 Field 174 Pavilion 7 Vill. COMMISSIONER COMMENTS - Commissioner Thomas stated that International Pickleball Week is April 11-17, 2011 and a free pickleball clinic will be held on Saturday, April 16, 2011, from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. at the Cahuilla Hills Park. He asked if it could be advertized on the City's Brightside, but, unfortunately, the deadline to submit articles has passed. Staff will include it on the website and advertise in the Desert Sun. Mr. Stendell stated that the reservations for the pickleball courts need to be done through the Desert Recreation District. Mr. Stendell reported that the Petanque Courts were completed on Friday. Staff will install signs that will describe the game as requested by the Commission and a fence that will prevent the balls from going into the horseshoe area. The members of the Pentanque Club are very happy with outcome and do not have a problem with sharing facilities with Horseshoe players. IX. ADJOURNMENT With no further business or discussion, and with the Commissioners' unanimous concurrence, the meeting was adjourned at 10:05 a.m. Bertha . Gonzajei, Recordi Secretary 8