STAFF REPORTS FOR
FEBRUARY 1, 2005
Red Hill Community
Park JPA Meeting
Item 3 – Minutes
RED HILL COMMUNITY PARK JOINT POWERS AUTHORITY
MINUTES
1.
CALL TO
ORDER.
Chair Breen called the meeting to order at 7:35 p.m. in the San Anselmo Town Council Chambers.
2.
ROLL CALL.
Present: Breen, Lopin, Thornton, Wright. Absent: Walter.
3.
ELECT
CHAIR AND VICE-CHAIR.
M/s, Lopin/Breen, to nominate Barbara Thornton as Vice-Chair. Ayes: All. Absent: Walter.
4.
APPROVAL
OF MINUTES.
M/s, Breen/Thornton, to approve the minutes with the following corrections:
§ Page 2, line 4, “Peter Hamilton” should be “David Hamilton.”
§ Page 2, line 5, “Peter” should be “Arnold.”
§ Page 3, item 6, line 1, “Ufrat” should be “Euphrat.”
§ Page 3, item 6, line 11, should read “Board Member Lopin stated that it may be a stop…”
§ Page 3, item 6, Field Lights, line 6, should read “ . . . Foundation needs evidence of support from the community for the lights in theory.”
§ Page 4, line 4 and 8, “Allonious” should be “Gazzoli.”
§ Page 4, line 14, should read “. . .Chair Breen indicated his support contingent on reaching agreement.”
Ayes: All. Absent: Walter.
5.
TREASURER’S
REPORT
Executive Director Little presented the Treasurers report.
Louise Mathews, Foothill Road, noted that donors’ identities are not confidential. She would like to see how the donations are coming in.
6.
REPORT ON
TOWN COUNCILMEETING/ACTIONS.
Breen reported that at the Town Council meeting of December 14, 2004, the Council heard testimony on the field lights issue. There were 75 people present, with a wide range of opinions. There was a significant outcry from the Sequoia neighborhood regarding potential noise and allowed hours of use. The Council discussion was limited to just the issue of field lights. Council recommendations to other bodies on use parameters, noise impacts, security lighting and fire safety were continued to January 11, 2005.
Louise Mathews, Foothill Road, noted that the Council minutes of 11/23/04 and 12/14/04 have not yet been approved and should be reviewed.
7.
REPORT
FROM ROSS VALLEY SCHOOL DISTRICT LIAISON.
Lopin reported that there are new members on the RVSD Board. Wade Stevenson was named the RVSD alternate to the Red Hill JPA. Lee Pollard is the new Board president.
8.
DESIGN
DEVELOPMENT REPORT.
This matter was continued to the meeting of Tuesday, February 1, 2005.
9.
FUNDRAISING
COMMITTEE REPORT.
Ann Murphy reported that the public campaign to date has received $28,000, $15,000 of which is in pledges. The committee is exploring whether they can work with the US Soccer Foundation on utilizing the offered discounts, even without utilizing lights. At their next meeting the committee will work on various fundraising strategies and on how to build awareness of the project. An important issue for major donors is signage and where to place recognition areas. They are working to revamp their powerpoint presentation in light of design changes. The MCF grant will be reworked and resubmitted.
Breen suggested walking tours of the park to bring the community to the site.
Louise Mathews, Foothill Road, asked that those involved be vigilant about signs at the site. She noted that staff reports should be written.
10. EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR’S REPORT
Executive Director Little presented the 4 phase plan prepared by Abey/Arnold. The phases are the order in which construction will be done. It would be difficult to fund the project in pieces, given the nature of the park. The total cost of the project is estimated to be $2.5 million, with about $300,000 in in-kind donations, mostly in labor and landscaping. Adding a baseball/softball field adds about $400,000 to the cost.
Heather Mitchell, San Rafael, noted that the dog supporters were assured that all the money would be raised before construction.
Louise Mathews, Foothill Road, noted that the phase plan doesn’t jibe with the Abey/Arnold plan. All materials should be made public. What phase contains the dog park?
Nancy Okada asked for a copy of the financials contained in the grant application. Little said it was the current budget document at the time of submission.
Regarding the lease amendment, Little said all three agencies have approved the amendment and it will be circulated for signatures. Lopin questioned whether RVSD had given approval. Staff will check with the Superintendent. Regarding the Sunny Hills easement, the attorney is working on the agreement and it will be on the February 1, 2005 JPA agenda. Regarding the amended traffic study, studies may be required of other Town projects in close proximity to Red Hill that will enable joint studies.
Lopin asked about concerns regarding traffic traveling through the Red Hill Shopping Center and whether a stop light was considered at Sunny Hills. Little said it has been considered. Staff will attend a merchants meeting in the near future to hear their concerns.
Louise Mathews, Foothill Road, noted that the Town has assumed liability for the park. Does that include the Sunny Hills easement area? Little answered affirmatively. Mathews noted that a stoplight is costly and an answer is needed.
David Hamilton, 415 Sequoia, noted that the Red Hill Shopping Center is already congested.
11. APPOINTMENT OF INTERIM EXECUTIVE
DIRECTOR.
M/s, Thornton/Lopin, to appoint Debra Stutsman Interim Executive Director. Ayes: All. Absent: Walter.
12. OPEN TIME FOR PUBLIC EXPRESSION.
Gil Deane, 25 Carlson Court, said the shopping center circulation is difficult and unsafe.
Louise Mathews, Foothill Road, noted that the design development workshop was fun and informative. No minutes were taken.
13. ADJOURNMENT.
The meeting was adjourned at 9 p.m. to the next meeting on Tuesday, February 1, 2005.
Respectfully submitted,
Debra Stutsman
Interim Executive Director
Item 5 – Report on
San Anselmo Town Council meeting/actions:
RED
HILL COMMUNITY PARK JOINT POWERS AUTHORITY
STAFF
REPORT
For the meeting of February 1, 2005
TO: Board
Members
FROM: Debra Stutsman, Interim Executive
Director
SUBJECT: San Anselmo Town Council Actions
That the Board consider the visual and noise impact of fencing, signage and bleachers during the design/development phase.
At its meetings of November 23 and December 14, the Town Council heard extensive public comment, primarily from the residents of the Sequoia neighborhood, about the impact of the proposed park on their neighborhood, in particular with respect to visual and noise impacts. At the meeting of January 25, the Council directed staff to forward the minutes of those meetings to the Red Hill JPA Board with a recommendation that the concerns of the Sequoia neighbors be addressed during the design development phase of the project.
Attached are the minutes of the Town Council meetings of November 23 and December 14, 2004 for your review.
Respectfully submitted,
Debra Stutsman
TOWN
OF SAN ANSELMO
STAFF REPORT
TO: Red Hill Community Park Joint Powers Authority
FROM: Dean Nyberg, Parks Director
RE: Parks & Recreation Commission Recommendations
A motion for endorsement of the new RHCP plan with the recommendation that the tennis court be changed to a multi-use court was made and carried.
(See attachment A)
ATTACHMENT A
MINUTES
Town of San Anselmo
Parks and
Recreation Commission
Monthly Meeting
Thursday, November 16, 2004
Council Chambers
1. Meeting called to order at 7:33 p.m.
2. Roll Call.
Commissioners Present: Coleman, Eagle, Childs, Murphy, Brouillet
Staff present: Little, Nyberg
3. Open Time for Public Expression.
None
4. Approval of Minutes: Meeting of October 14, 2004
Brouillet: requested remark attributed to him regarding periodic open time on the week-end for Memorial Park picnic rentals be removed.
Louise Mathews: Clarified she made the request and further requested that the Elders Garden be removed from rental requirements and her name be corrected.
August minutes to be re-circulated for approval at next meeting.
MSC (Coleman, Brouillet) minutes accepted with noted corrections.
5. Task Force Reports
Skate Park Task Force
Murphy: role of task force discussed.
Louise Mathews: asked about fundraising and validity of Skate Park plans if not built in the near future.
Little: Plans are good through May, 2005. An extension will be required before that time.
6. Red Hill Park Update-
Director Little reported a task force was formed to explore a possible dog park at White Hill School. The concept has been abandoned due to neighborhood objections.
Action Items:
Director Little presented the new Red Hill Community Park proposal: with an expanded playing field to include a majors size baseball diamond overlaid on the soccer field; a new parking configuration with Shaw Drive to be the main entrance; one tennis court instead of two; and a slightly larger dog park.
Task Force recommends dogs be allowed off leash on the perimeter walkway when no games are being played and on leash during games/field use. Commission is being asked to endorse the plan before it goes to the RHCP JPA and San Anselmo Town Council.
RHCP approved concept of lights for grant application purposes, only. Lights to be explored at a later date.
Sequoia Ave. neighbors have expressed concern about lights and noise from the project.
Two tennis courts have been reduced to one tennis court in the new plan. Commissioners expressed concern about whether a tennis court is needed or whether a multi-use volleyball/basketball court would better serve the public.
Motion to consider replacement of bond money to Memorial Park Tennis Courts 3 & 4 renovation and change RHCP tennis court to multi-use court. MSC (Brouillet, Murphy)
Endorsement of new RHCP plan with the
recommendation that the tennis court be changed to a multi-use court. MSC (Brouillet,
Coleman )
7. Discussion Items: Adopt-a-Park, Coleman reported the results of a meeting between himself, Commissioner Brouillet, and Kay Coleman, Volunteer Coordinator. Recommends changing the concept to Celebrate the Children, separating the tasks and time of year for volunteers, having Commissioners spend a week-end day recruiting parents in the parks, and utilizing the Recreation Departments data-base.
Brouillet reported various problems he noticed when visiting Memorial Park including:
Dirty swing seats in the tiny tot area, lack of recycling, commercial name on snack shack, recommends healthier menu at snack shack. Further recommends a gate on the tiny tot area of the Millennium Playground entrance and to the Elders Garden from the playground.
Brouillet requests a letter of appreciation be sent to Kim Ford-Kitz for the wonderful mural painted on the Memorial Park water tank.
Lansdale Park problems include outgrown tree borders, worn out play structure, gate problems. Louise Mathews concurs. Both recommend a port-a-potty for the park.
Louise Mathews requested doggy bag dispensers at Red Hill. Director Nyberg stated he has spent his budget for them and the cost for two is $650.
Louise Mathews requested temporary fencing for a dog park at Sorich Ranch Open Space Park be considered.
8. Staff update / Report
Director Little: none
Director Nyberg: Parks Dept. lost a staff member to the MMWD. Recruitment to take place in January. The Department is now short two positions.
Item 9 – Fundraising
Report
Red Hill Community Park
Fundraising Committee Report
January 25, 2005
Given the revised groundbreaking date of Spring 2006 for Red Hill Community Park, the
Fundraising Committee is devoting the year 2005 to major fundraising efforts. These will be broken down into Spring (February to June) and Fall (August to November) events. Tentative plans for each fundraising area include:
Direct Mail Campaign:
The initial direct mail campaign of November/December 2004 was a huge success
with over $ 45,871 raised to date. People targeted in this initial campaign included school-aged (K-12) families. During the first two weeks of February, the campaign will be expanded to pre-school-aged families.
Another, expanded direct mail campaign is scheduled for mid-April.
Sports Clinics:
A series of youth sports clinics/fundraisers will be sponsored by Red Hill Park during the Spring and Fall. These will include baseball, soccer, lacrosse, tennis, and basketball for boys and girls ages 9-14. To be held at Drake High School, these clinics will be staffed by Drake JV and Varsity team members, their coaches, and featured guests (when available). Dates will be publicized in the Spring/Summer Recreation Department flyer. Other publicity vehicles will be used as well. A local business is being asked to sponsor t-shirts for participants.
Adult Fundraisers:
Several Ross Valley business owners have volunteered to host fundraising events
in their businesses. Plans are underway to hold a series of these events over the course
of 2005.
Major Donor:
Major donor activities are being stepped up and additional help is being sought to
identify key individuals and businesses in the area. Proposals to name the field, as well
as other areas in the park, are being delivered to prospective donors.
Grant Proposals:
The proposal for the Marin Community Foundation is being revised and will be resubmitted within a few weeks. Other grant opportunities are being studied. The PowerPoint presentation that was developed to accompany grant and major donor proposals is being revised to reflect the new park design and the addition of baseball/softball. The grant application submitted to the U.S. Soccer Foundation was withdrawn.
Other Activities:
Plans are underway for Red Hill Park participation in the following scheduled events:
* Celebrate the Children - a March event being planned by the Parks & Recreation Commission
* Easter Egg Hunt - the annual event sponsored by the Recreation Department
* San Anselmo Art Festival - efforts will be made to coordinate with the San Anselmo Chamber of Commerce
* San Anselmo Community Fair -- Red Hill Park will participate in the parade and a booth
The Fundraising Committee continues to meet every other Monday night at 6:30 p.m. Anyone interested in participating is encouraged to attend.
Submitted by Ann Murphy, Major Donor Committee Chair
Item 10 a – Sunny Hills Easement
RED
HILL COMMUNITY PARK JOINT POWERS AUTHORITY
STAFF
REPORT
For the meeting of February 1, 2005
TO: Board
Members
FROM: Debra Stutsman, Interim Executive
Director
SUBJECT: Sunny Hill’s Easement Agreement
That the Board direct staff to prepare an Easement Agreement for review by the Sunny Hills Children’s Garden Board of Directors, per the terms outlined in the April 26, 2004 letter from Joseph Costa, Chief Executive Officer, Sunny Hills.
Board Member Peter Breen has been working with the Sunny Hills Children’s Garden to obtain a parking and access easement on a portion of the Agency’s Sunny Hills Drive property. This easement would allow parking for twenty-six (26) cars for park participants, as reflected on the attached preliminary park plan.
In exchange for the easement, Sunny Hills asks that the JPA provide the following:
§ Remove the existing entrance gate.
§ Reconstruct the entrance gate approximately 30 yards north on Sunny Hills Drive.
§ Install paved parking, curbs, drainage and sidewalk adjacent to Sunny Hills Drive to accommodate parking.
§ Landscape the perimeter of shared property to protect the Agency’s privacy.
§ Install signage at the intersection of Sunny Hills Drive and SF Drake Blvd. identifying the school.
§ Allow for scheduled access to the field without cost.
The first five items in the above list appear to be no problem. The scheduled access to the field without cost should not be a problem if Sunny Hills field use can be scheduled on weekdays during regular school hours, so as not to compete with Drake after school practices and scheduled weekend games.
Respectfully submitted,
Debra Stutsman
Attachments: 4/26/04 letter from Joseph Costa, Sunny Hills Executive Director
Item 10 (b) –
Progress Report
RED
HILL COMMUNITY PARK JOINT POWERS AUTHORITY
STAFF
REPORT
For the meeting of February 1, 2005
TO: Board
Members
FROM: Debra Stutsman, Interim Executive
Director
SUBJECT: Progress Report
That the Board acknowledge and file the progress report on the Lease Amendment and amended Traffic and Noise Studies.
The Lease Amendment has been prepared by JPA Attorney Hadden Roth. The amendment has been signed by the Town and the Tamalpais Union High School District. It has been forwarded to the Ross Valley School District for signature.
AMENDED TRAFFIC AND
NOISE STUDIES
An initial traffic study for this project was prepared by W-Trans in June 2004. The initial noise study was prepared by Illingworth & Rodkin in April 2004. Since those studies were prepared, changes to the design have been made that change the assumptions used in the studies, as follows:
§ Traffic Study – When the traffic study was performed, the project had sole access off Sunny Hills Drive. The current proposal utilizes the parking lot accessed off Shaw Drive, as well as Sunny Hills Drive. A revised traffic study is needed to assess the impact of this change
§ Noise Study – When the noise study was performed, the field proposal was for a soccer field only. The current proposal includes both a soccer field and a baseball diamond.
Another issue has surfaced with the San Anselmo Town Council regarding the cumulative effect of increased traffic on Sir Francis Drake Blvd. in that there are a number of proposed projects in the works, including the Red Hill Community Park, a commercial/residential development at 790/800 Sir Francis Drake, the skate park at 1000 Sir Francis Drake Blvd. and an 11-unit development at 1535 Sir Francis Drake Blvd. The Council has requested that a traffic study be completed that examines the cumulative impact of all four projects.
Staff recommends that the revised traffic and noise studies be commissioned after final approval of the proposed park plan, currently scheduled for the March meeting. The results of the cumulative study should be available at that time and can be used as supplemental information.
Respectfully submitted,
Debra Stutsman