Parks and Recreation Commission Meeting

MINUTES PARKS AND RECREATION COMMISSION MEETING CITY OF MONTEREY Wednesday, September 8, 2021 5:30 PM COUNCIL CHAMBER AND ZOOM TELECONFERENCE MONTEREY, CALIFORNIA Commissioners Present: Gibson, McCarthy, McEwen, Schmidt, Spangler Commissioners Absent: Crampton, Panetta Staff Members Present: Parks and Recreation Director, Recreation Manager, Sports Center Manager, Park Operations Manager, Recreation Coordinator, Administrative Assistant CALL TO ORDER Chair Gibson called the meeting to order at 5:49pm (due to technical issues). ROLL CALL PRESENTATIONS 1 Presentation on the Status of the Parks and Recreation Department Operations for April through August 2021 (Not a project under CEQA Article 20, Section 15378 and under General Rule Article 5, Section 15061) Action: Presentation given. PUBLIC COMMENTS: Barbara Lang asked what the plan is to hire additional staffing to continue offering more programs. Director Larson stated the City relies on TOT (Transient Occupancy Tax) and sales tax, so it would depend on how the pandemic progresses and how the City recovers fiscally. Commissioner McCarthy inquired about bringing in volunteers with special skills to run certain programs. Director Larson said we utilize volunteers as much as possible but it takes just as much training as with part time staff. It is nice to augment with volunteers. Manager Leon said we have contractual instructors which is a better option right now. Bringing on volunteers is an extensive process and staff currently doesn’t have the time or resources for the training. CONSENT ITEMS Approval of Minutes 2 Wednesday, April 14, 2021 Action: Approved as submitted (5-0-2, Crampton and Panetta absent). ***End of Consent Agenda*** PUBLIC COMMENTS None.  Parks and Recreation Commission Minutes 9/8/2021 5:30:00 PM PUBLIC APPEARANCE 3 Receive Report on Pickleball and Tennis at Via Paraiso Park (Not a project under CEQA Article 20, Section 15378 and under General Rule Article 5, Section 15061) Action: The Parks and Recreation Commission received a report on Pickleball and Tennis at Via Paraiso Park. PUBLIC COMMENTS: Jean Rasch, Vice President of the Monterey Vista Neighborhood Association (MVNA), the board recommends the return of one tennis court to only tennis use and the elimination of priority times. Susan Nine, President of Monterey Vista Neighborhood Association, played a recording of her visit to the courts this morning where there were 16 players and spectators. Some players were using the soft balls and paddles and it was significantly quieter than the others; there is an issue with enforcement of the equipment. Bruce Zanetta MVNA Board Member and resident, visited the court today and the noise level was low, but this evening the courts were crowded and the noise level was back up. He recommends issuing use permits with fees and requirements for use, which should cover the sound impact, parking impact and the impact to other courts. An extra amount could be assessed to go towards the long term development of a facility. Char Carter is pro tennis and pro Pickleball and does not want any changes. She parked in the lot up by the barbecue area and could barely hear the Pickleball noise from there. Don’t take this away from this public park, it is not exclusive for the Monterey Vista Neighborhood. Barbara Lang stated since COVID-19 hit, there has been no club play happening. The club is not meeting and playing together as a club or supplying any equipment. The Club wants to focus on getting dedicated Pickleball courts at Ryan Ranch but in the meantime, players must make do with all the local courts. People are playing in the afternoon and evenings because it’s during the first come, first serve time. Jay Zwagerman said priority times do work, because Pickleball is played so differently than tennis. Quiet paddles are working but enforcement of the usage of them is not easy. Christie Thomas raised her family in this neighborhood and is concerned about the contentiousness and negativity about activity happening at the park. The parks were built in the neighborhoods for the community. If you live near a school or park you should expect activity. Charles Carter, resident for 39 years, plays tennis and Pickleball, do not take this away from the tax paying citizens. Michael Lang, Board Member of the Monterey Bay Pickleball Club, reiterated that the club has not had any organized play since April of last year. When the courts reopened, there was no club play, but people of have gone and established new patterns of play. Cheryl Puckett enjoys playing Pickleball and appreciates being able to play after work in the evenings with an intergenerational mix of people and enjoys the social aspect of the game. Parks and Recreation Commission Meeting Minutes 9/8/2021 5:30:00 PM 2  Parks and Recreation Commission Minutes 9/8/2021 5:30:00 PM Marta Kraftzeck, resident and MVNA board member, walks her dog by Via Paraiso Park daily. Pickleball is raucous in nature and disturbs the peace and quiet of the neighborhood. Urges Parks and Recreation to re-stripe one court so only a single court is available for Pickleball, do not allow priority times, no club equipment should be stored at the park, and only allow noise reducing paddles and balls. This is a City of Monterey issue and should not be argued between the local residents and the Pickleball players. John Sovereign, resident and MVNA member, said that learning to play Pickleball at Via Paraiso over the past three years has improved his physical and mental health. He does not support the opinion of the MVNA Board and although the board says they are supportive of Pickleball, removing the only lines that are available on a public court in Monterey is not supportive. Joe Sleckman, resident that moved here in 2018, having priority times make it easy to show up and join a group of players. He does not think the noise is that bad. Judy wanted to make sure that all the emailed comments were received. Chair Gibson stated that 32 comments were received and read. Bill Clancy, member of MVNA, they were sold on making a local Pickleball court but ended up with a large, organized club. Walks around there a lot and it’s loud and annoying. Virginia lives in Monterey, both she and her husband are retired and enjoy playing Pickleball. Priority times make it easy to be able to show up and know that you can play and get some exercise and social interaction. Strongly recommends the Park and Recreation Department of the City of Monterey provide the public with the necessary Pickleball facilities and since Via Paraiso is the only facility provided, she would like to see it continue. Nick, resident speaking on behalf of Paul, stated that residents surrounding Via Paraiso Park have spent two years pleading with the City to bait the ever-increasing degradation to their quality of life due to club-promoted Pickleball play. Casual, residential Pickleball play is one thing but club-promoted play by people primarily from outside of the neighborhood is another. The Pickleball crowds are increasing daily and the loss of parking is discouraging residents use. Pickleball noise is an indisputable issue that cannot be ignored. Requests the commission adjust current policy and initiate measures that stop the increase in degradation to quality of life for the residents, saves and promotes traditional tennis play, and restores easy, reliable access to parking for our neighborhood and community. Terry said this is not the neighborhood’s park, it actually belongs to the City. It’s not realistic to let the people around that area, who moved there knowing it was a park, to determine what happens there in terms of what sports can be played. Commissioner Gibson clarified that Via Paraiso is classified as a Community Park, not a neighborhood park, per the Parks and Recreation Master Plan. Need to find a way to peacefully resolve this issue. Commissioner McEwen is very interested in the overall wellbeing of the community. Would love to continue having Pickleball at Via Paraiso in a way that is not overly-noisy for the residents. Perhaps greater enforcement of the use of soft paddles and balls, time considerations, or number of people considerations. Commissioner Gibson suggested lining all of the tennis courts in the City to help soften some of the pressure at Via Paraiso if Pickleball can be played at other parks. Acoustic fencing could Parks and Recreation Commission Meeting Minutes 9/8/2021 5:30:00 PM 3  Parks and Recreation Commission Minutes 9/8/2021 5:30:00 PM help soften the noise level. This is a short term problem with a long term solution of dedicated courts. Commissioner Spangler has been thinking about how to put some protective measures in for the neighborhood. Maybe adding protective times for tennis. Acoustic fencing, could the funds that had been set aside from the approved re-striping project that never happened could be utilized. Look at other courts within the City. If the desire for mediation was there and if there’s a need for a commissioner to join that process, that is something we could discuss and consider. Commissioner McCarthy commented about the suggestion for potential mediation. The people that have the most at stake are the Monterey Vista Neighborhood Association and the Pickleball players. Mediation could at least help come up with a partial solution that both sides have agreed to. Commissioner Gibson asked Director Larson about the possibility of getting cost estimates for acoustic fencing and some of the other ideas. Director Larson said visibility is a challenge for the Police Department with acoustic fencing. Commissioner Gibson asked Director Larson if any of the tennis groups/players have reached out regarding priority times; Director Larson said no. Manager Leon doesn’t think that doing blending lines at other parks would be too expensive. Manger Marcuzzo said the cost is about $800 per court. He does not support acoustic fencing due to lack of visibility. Commissioner McCarthy said free mediation is offered through the Mandell Gisnet Center. Commissioner Spangler asked what the next step would be to initiate mediation. Commissioner McCarthy said the two groups need to talk to each other and see if there’s an agreement to sit down and meet, then one of the groups can set up the mediation. He said a Parks and Recreation Commissioner does not have to attend the mediation but it might be helpful to have a commissioner there to listen. Director Larson said if they’re able to go through mediation and come to an agreement, they can present it to the City and bring it back to the Parks and Recreation Commission. Commissioner McEwen stated that the commission recommends both groups consider finding representatives to move forward with mediation. Director Larson said the representatives from each group can call or write a letter with their intent. INFORMATIONAL REPORTS & STAFF COMMENTS Director Larson thanked everyone for being here tonight and appreciates this discussion. Manager Leon thanked staff and looks forward to moving through this as quickly as we can towards some sort of resolution with Pickleball. Manager Willer thanked her staff and all the members. COMMISSIONER COMMENTS None. NEXT MEETING Wednesday, October 13, 2021 Parks and Recreation Commission Meeting Minutes 9/8/2021 5:30:00 PM 4  Parks and Recreation Commission Minutes 9/8/2021 5:30:00 PM ADJOURNMENT Chair Gibson adjourned the meeting at 8:04pm. Respectfully Submitted, Approved, Karen Larson Donna Gibson, Chair Parks and Recreation Director Parks and Recreation Commission Parks and Recreation Commission Meeting Minutes 9/8/2021 5:30:00 PM 5