Parks and Recreation Commission

City of Sunnyvale Meeting Minutes Parks and Recreation Commission Wednesday, August 13, 2014 7:00 PM Murphy Park, Park Building, 250 N. Sunnyvale Ave., Sunnyvale, 94086 LOCATION CHANGE: Murphy Park Building, 250 N. Sunnyvale Ave. CALL TO ORDER Chair Alexander called the meeting to order at 7:12 p.m. in the Murphy Park Building. SALUTE TO THE FLAG Chair Alexander led the salute to the flag. ROLL CALL Present: 3 - Chair Henry Alexander III Vice Chair Craig Pasqua Commissioner Ralph Kenton Absent: 1 - Commissioner Robert Pochowski Commissioner Pochowski's absence is excused. Council Liaison Larsson (present) PRESENTATION 14-0765 Tour of Murphy Park Building 7:00 - 7:15 p.m. Superintendent Wax led a tour of the renovated Murphy Park building. He highlighted the environmentally friendly improvements including the new 960 square foot dedicated preschool room, 600 square foot reservable conference room, 2400 square foot multipurpose room, kitchen and new HVAC system. In addition to the preschool program, activities include senior table tennis, dance programs and room rental opportunities. PUBLIC ANNOUNCEMENTS None CONSENT CALENDAR City of Sunnyvale Page 1 Parks and Recreation Commission Meeting Minutes August 13, 2014 1A 14-0708 Draft Minutes of the Parks and Recreation Commission Meeting of July 9, 2014. Commissioner Kenton moved and Vice Chair Pasqua seconded the approval of the Consent Calendar. The motion carried by the following vote: Yes: 3 - Chair Alexander III Vice Chair Pasqua Commissioner Kenton No: 0 Absent: 1 - Commissioner Pochowski PUBLIC COMMENTS None. PUBLIC HEARINGS/GENERAL BUSINESS 2 14-0697 Approval of a Joint Field Use Agreement for Open Space at Multiple Sites within the Cupertino Union School District Parks Manager, Jim Stark provided the staff report. He answered Commissioner questions regarding which school sites are included in the agreement, the motivation for the agreement and if it includes revenue generation, why a soccer field and softball field were lost at Cupertino Middle School last year, what new facilities will be available per this agreement, and what permits will be required for rentals. Vice Chair Pasqua expressed support for the agreement. He would like Council to be aware that if an agreement gives the school priority use, it could supercede existing reservations by permitted groups and result in an impact to the existing renter. Director of Public Works, Kent Steffens explained that field use by the school outside of the agreed upon hours requires the school to obtain a permit. Commissioner Kenton requested that the contract specify how far in advance the school must request permits if those requests are beyond their regularly scheduled priority use times. Vice Chair Pasqua moved and Commissioner Kenton seconded to approve Alternative 1: Recommend that Council Approve Joint Field Use Agreement for Open Space at Multiple Sites within the Cupertino Union School District as presented in Attachment 1. Commissioners provided their rationale for their vote. All commissioners agreed City of Sunnyvale Page 2 Parks and Recreation Commission Meeting Minutes August 13, 2014 that the open space was critical for residents and liked the addition of the gymnasium facility. Chair Alexander stated it sets a good precedence, similar to the Peterson Middle School field. Commissioner Kenton thought the water cost fee is a reasonable addition. Vice Chair Pasqua felt the plan was well vetted and he was happy with the process. The motion carried by the following vote: Yes: 3 - Chair Alexander III Vice Chair Pasqua Commissioner Kenton No: 0 Absent: 1 - Commissioner Pochowski 3 14-0372 Approval of the Urban Forest Management Plan Urban Landscape Manager, Leonard Dunn provided the staff report. He detailed benefits of the Plan; to improve environmental factors by increasing the tree canopy 18% to 20% within Sunnyvale; to improve planning and maintenance of City trees; and to develop a non-profit group to foster community support. The Plan doesn't account for financial commitments, which would be individually approved by Council as they arise. He answered commissioner questions regarding the types of services the non-profit would provide, who would take responsible for tree roots that intrude upon sewer lines, the current ordnance about residents pruning street trees, requirements about trees in parking lots and how they are measured, and if the Planning Commission will review the Plan. Chair Alexander opened the public hearing. Deborah Marks expressed support to approve the plan Urban Forest Management Plan specifically to improve the canopy cover of the City, and because it provides for a volunteer group to educate the public about the importance of trees and how to take care of them. There were no further public comments, and Chair Alexander closed the public hearing. Commissioner Kenton moved to approve Alternative 1) Approve adoption of the Urban Forestry Management Plan. Vice Chair Pasqua seconded the motion. Commissioners provided the rationale for their vote. Vice Chair Pasqua is in favor of the plan and the environmental benefits an expanded tree canopy will provide. City of Sunnyvale Page 3 Parks and Recreation Commission Meeting Minutes August 13, 2014 Commissioner Kenton appreciates the beautiful trees in Sunnyvale, and feels the plan is comprehensive. Chair Alexander has observed the impact of the drought on trees in our parks, he thinks this plan is timely and provides an important focus for future planning. The motion carried by the following vote: Yes: 3 - Chair Alexander III Vice Chair Pasqua Commissioner Kenton No: 0 Absent: 1 - Commissioner Pochowski 4 14-0779 Propose Study Issues Superintendent Wax provided an overview of the study issue process and answered Commissioner questions regarding the timeline to propose study issues. He also provided an update on the park policy and user fee study issue suggested by former Commissioner Harms last year and ranked by Council during this years Study Issue Workshop. There were no study issues proposed at this time. Chair Alexander opened the public hearing. There were no public comments and he closed the public hearing. NON-AGENDA ITEMS & COMMENTS -Commissioner Comments Commissioner Kenton reported on the tennis competition at the Sunnyvale Municipal Tennis Center at Las Palmas Park on August 8-10. It was a successful event and well organized. Chair Alexander inquired about the commissioner recruitment process. Superintendent Wax reported that applications were due on August 8, 2014 and Council is scheduled to conduct interviews on September 16, 2014. Commissioner Kenton emphasized the importance of conserving water. Director Steffens commented that an Information Only report was provided to Council on August 12, detailing the plan to achieve 15% water reduction in parks and the impact on the appearance and functionality of parks. -Staff Comments Superintendent Wax provided the following information: City of Sunnyvale Page 4 Parks and Recreation Commission Meeting Minutes August 13, 2014 - Activity guides are available. A more colorful format was used, and the online version is a flip guide. - The Community Center Infrastructure project is moving forward. Work will be phased to minimize impact on programs. - State of the City event is on September 13, 2014, 11:00 a.m. at Seven Seas Park. Parks Manager Stark provide the following information: - Seven Seas Park has been a great success. It has been a very popular destination for visitors from all over the Bay Area, although there have been some parking issues. Social media has contributed to it's popularity. - Las Palmas Park's remodeled playground is now open and very beautiful. - The recruitment for two Parks Worker I vacancies received 200 applicants and 14 candidates are moving forward in the interview process. INFORMATION ONLY REPORTS/ITEMS None. ADJOURNMENT Chair Alexander adjourned the meeting at 8:29 p.m. City of Sunnyvale Page 5