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HomeMy WebLinkAboutAG RPTS 2019 1104 PR REG%z CITY OF MOORPARK ihtiweS//4w� PARKS, RECREATION & COMMUNITY SERVICES DEPT. I 799 Moorpark Avenue, Moorpark, CA 93021 ® Main City Phone Number (805) 517-6200 I Fax (805) 532-2550 I moorpark@moorparkca.gov PARKS AND RECREATION COMMISSION REGULAR MEETING AGENDA November 4, 2019 6:30 P.M. Moorpark Community Center 799 Moorpark Avenue 1. CALL TO ORDER: 2. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE: 3. ROLL CALL: 4. SPECIAL AGENDA ITEMS: 5. PUBLIC COMMENTS: 6. REORDERING OF, AND ADDITIONS TO, THE AGENDA: (Items to be pulled from the Consent Calendar shall be identified under this section) 7 ANNOUNCEMENTS, FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS AND REPORTS ON MEETINGS/CONFERENCES ATTENDED BY COMMISSIONERS: 8. PRESENTATIONS/ACTION/DISCUSSION: A. Consider Location for Universally Accessible Playground. Staff Recommendation: Recommend Tierra Rejada Park to the City Council as the location for a Universally Accessible Playground. B. Schedule 2019 Fall Park Tour. Staff Recommendation: Select a date and time for a 2019 Fall Park Tour and provide recommendations to staff on parks to be toured. 9. CONSENT CALENDAR: A. Approval of Minutes of the Park and Recreation Commission's Regular Meeting of October 7, 2019. Staff Recommendation: Approve as presented. 10. ADJOURNMENT: JANICE S. PARVIN Mayor CHRIS ENEGREN ROSEANN MIKOS, Ph.D. DAVID POLLOCK KEN SIMONS Councilmember Councilmember Councilmember Councilmember Posted: November 1, 2019 A. ministrative Assistant All writings and documents provided to the majority of the Commission regarding all agenda items are available for public inspection at the City Hall public counter located at 799 Moorpark Avenue during regular business hours. The agenda packet for all regular Commission meetings is also available on the City's website at www.moorparkca.qov. Any member of the public may address the Commission during the Public Comments portion of the Agenda, unless it is a Discussion item. Speakers who wish to address the Commission concerning a Discussion item must do so during the Discussion portion of the Agenda for that item. Speaker cards must be received by the Recording Secretary for Public Comment prior to the beginning of the Public Comments portion of the meeting; and for a Discussion item, prior to the Chair's call for speaker cards for each Discussion agenda item. A limitation of three minutes shall be imposed upon each Public Comment and Discussion item speaker. Written Statement Cards may be submitted in lieu of speaking orally for Discussion items. Any questions concerning any agenda item may be directed to the Parks and Recreation Department at 517-6227. In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, if you need special assistance to review an agenda or participate in this meeting, including auxiliary aids or services, please contact the Parks and Recreation Department at (805) 517-6227. Upon request, the agenda can be made available in appropriate alternative formats to persons with a disability. Upon advance notification of the need for disability -related modification or accommodation, reasonable arrangements will be made by City staff to provide accessibility to the meeting (28 CFR 35.102-35.104; ADA Title II). Regular Parks and Recreation Commission Meeting November 4, 2019 Page 3 STATE OF CALIFORNIA ) COUNTY OF VENTURA )§ CITY OF MOORPARK ) AFFIDAVIT OF POSTING I, Kimberly Sexton, Administrative Assistant of the City of Moorpark, County of Ventura, State of California, do hereby certify under penalty of perjury, that I posted a copy of the Notice of the Regular Parks and Recreation Commission Agenda for November 4, 2019. Executed on this 1st day of November 2019, at Moorpark, California. berly Se • n dministrative Assistant Parks, Recreation and Community Services Department ITEM: 8.A. MOORPARK PARK AND RECREATION COMMISSION AGENDA REPORT TO: Parks and Recreation Commission FROM: Jeremy Laurentowski, Parks & Recreation Director BY: Jessica Sandifer, Community Services Manager DATE: 11/04/2019 Regular Meeting SUBJECT: Consider Location for Universally Accessible Playground BACKGROUND Across the country nearly 1 in 5 people have a disability, yet most playgrounds are not built to accommodate them'. There are many benefits to providing playgrounds and encouraging children to play, such as brain development, developmental milestones, and the ability to develop social skills. Children with disabilities have less opportunity to experience these important benefits without access to fully accessible playgrounds and areas to play. Current playground design standards require that the playground meets the requirements of the American with Disability Act (ADA). However, ADA compliance is typically only required to access the playground structure via ramps and other barrier free travel routes, with some accessible to various lower level play components. Universally Accessible Playgrounds go beyond accessibility and include play features and design elements that appeal not only to individuals with mobility impairments, but also individuals with cognitive, developmental, sight, and hearing impairments. Universally Accessible Playgrounds are not only designed to engage kids and adults with disabilities, but they also encourage able-bodied children and adults to interact in an inclusive, non -segregated setting. These playgrounds encourage children with disabilities and able-bodied children to play side-by-side, allowing children with varying abilities to engage in play with their peers. DISCUSSION Currently, there is an opportunity to apply for a grant from the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) for a Universally Accessible Playground in a City park. As part of the process for applying for the grant, the Parks and Recreation Commission (Commission) is being asked to consider a location for the playground. The project Barber, Megan. "Why cities need accessible playgrounds." www.curbed.com. July , 20, 2018. accessed 11/1/2019 1 Parks and Recreation Commission November 4, 2019 Page 2 would convert a current playground location to a Universally Accessible Playground. Universally Accessible Playgrounds are separated from traditional playgrounds because they are installed with accessible surface material which allows access to the playground from all sides, ADA compliant ramps for access to the play structures, play components such as merry-go-rounds, slides, and swings that accommodate access and use by children of all abilities, elevated sand tables, supportive swings, sensory play elements, ground height activity panels, descriptions in braille, and can even feature safe spaces where children can withdraw if they need a break from stimulation2. Staff has identified Tierra Rejada Park and Peach Hill Park as potential locations for the playground. Both of these parks have play equipment that is due to be replaced in the near future, restroom facilities, parking, and the impact to residents is minimal since both parks already have existing playgrounds. Staff anticipates that the introduction of a Universally Accessible Playground will be very popular not only for Moorpark residents, but also regionally, as staff does not believe that there is currently a Universally Accessible Playground located in Ventura County. The closest Universally Accessible Playground was recently installed in Calabasas. Due to this fact, staff recommends expanding the parking lots in either option to accommodate additional parking spaces, including additional disabled spaces. Additionally, Universally Accessible Playgrounds require greater distances between components in order to accommodate wheelchair access. The existing footprint of the playground at both parks would need to be increased to a minimum of 10,000 square feet, but it is possible that the size of the footprint could exceed this size as the design process progresses. Both parks have the space to accommodate expansion. Staff recommends including additional shade structures and picnic tables as a part of the project and grant request, as both parks are already very popular with Moorpark residents. For one of the sensory play elements noted above, staff is proposing to include a sensory wall in the park that would also become a part of the City's Art in Public. Places program. The wall would be unique to the City's playground while providing valuable sensory play to users. Research shows that sensory play builds nerve connections in the brain, which leads to the child's ability to complete more complex learning tasks. Sensory play also supports language development, cognitive growth, fine and gross motor skills, problem solving skills, and social interaction. This wall will be an important and prominent component of the playground. Of the two options, staff believes that Tierra Rejada Park is the preferred option. This is primarily due to the fact that the location of the softball field at Peach Hill Park could introduce a noise element that may make it difficult at times for certain children to use the playground. The general playground area at Tierra Rejada Park is also larger than Peach Hill Park, which will help when designing the new playground. Additionally, although Tierra Rejada Park is a neighborhood park it is also a destination park. It is 2 Barber, Megan. "Why cities need accessible playgrounds." www.curbed.com. July , 20, 2018. accessed 11/1/2019 2 Parks and Recreation Commission November 4, 2019 Page 3 centralized within the Mountain Meadows Planned Community and many residents already travel to Tierra Rejada Park from surrounding areas in Moorpark. Once the Commission has made a recommendation on the location of the playground, staff intends to enlist the services of a consultant to move the design process forward. An important part of the grant application includes community involvement, which staff believes can be accommodated through the design process. Staff intends to start this process immediately in order to have a shovel ready project completed by the grant deadline in February, 2020. FISCAL IMPACT Depending on the size of the playground footprint, Universally Accessible playgrounds can cost between $750,000, upwards of several million dollars. Staff is estimating that the playground at Tierra Rejada Park would cost approximately $1 million. If awarded, the LWCF grant would provide 50% of the costs of the playground and other park improvements, and the City would be required to match the remaining 50%. The City's match is proposed to come from Community -wide Park Improvement Funds and the Art in Public Places Fund. STAFF RECOMMENDATION Recommend Tierra Rejada Park to the City Council as the location for a Universally Accessible Playground. Attachments: 1. Tierra Rejada Park option 2. Peach Hill Park option PEACH HILL PARK UNIVERSALLY ACCESSIBLE PLAYGROUND IMPROVMENTS PICNIC TABLES W/SHADE STRUCTURES SENSORY WALL APPROX. 10,000 S.F. UNIVERSALLY ACCE PLAYGROUND .I.IHIHX�•V'8 :IN TIERRA REJADA PARK UNIVERSALLY ACCESSIBLE PLAYGROUND IMPROVMENTS EXISTING RESTROOM EXISTING GAZEBO ICNIC TABLES W/SHADE TRUCTURES ITEM: 8.B. Schedule 2019 Fall Park Tour. Verbal Presentation No Staff Report 6 ITEM: 9.A. MINUTES OF THE REGULAR PARKS AND RECREATION COMMISSION Moorpark, California October 7, 2019 A Regular Meeting of the Parks and Recreation Commission of the City of Moorpark was held on October 7, 2019 at the Moorpark Community Center located at 799 Moorpark Avenue, Moorpark, California. 1 CALL TO ORDER: Chair Estrella called the meeting to order at 6:34 p.m. 2. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE: Commissioner Thompson led the Pledge of Allegiance. 3. ROLL CALL: Present: Commissioners Gunning, Morgan, Thompson, Vice Chair Norwalt and Chair Estrella. Staff Present: Jeremy Laurentowski, Parks and Recreation Director and Kimberly Sexton, Administrative Assistant. 4. SPECIAL AGENDA ITEMS: None. 5. PUBLIC COMMENTS: Lars Truckenbrod, a resident, spoke about rocks in the bike lane at Tierra Rejada near the SCE lot. 6. REORDERING OF, AND ADDITIONS TO, THE AGENDA: None. 7 ANNOUNCEMENTS, FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS, AND REPORTS ON MEETINGS/CONFERENCES ATTENDED BY COUNCILMEMBERS AND MAYOR: Vice Chair Norwalt requested a future agenda item to look at potential opportunities for installing solar at the parks. Commissioner. Thompson commended staff on the Concert in the Park featuring Yachtley Crew and commented on it being the City's first alcohol in the park event, enjoyable and uneventful in regards to any alcohol related issues. 7 Minutes of the Regular Park and Recreation Commission Moorpark, California Page 2 October 7, 2019 Commissioner Gunning commented that the playground equipment replacement project at Country Trail Park is complete and people love it. Commissioner Gunning also requested future agenda items to discuss the status of recreation class offerings, trends and facility usage. 8. PRESENTATION/ACTION/DISCUSSION: A. Consider Converting Tennis Courts) at Miller Park to Pickleball. Staff Recommendation: Select an option to recommend to the City Council regarding converting the tennis court(s) at Miller Park to pickleball courts. Mr. Laurentowski gave the staff report. One written statement card and sixteen speaker cards were received. A written statement was received from Dennis Aten in favor of converting the tennis courts at Miller Park to pickleball. Dawn Mortara, Moorpark resident, spoke in favor of converting the tennis courts at Miller Park to pickleball. Marilee Quady, Thousand Oaks resident, spoke in opposition of converting the tennis courts at Miller Park to pickleball. Ms. Quady voiced a concern about inadequate parking if the courts were converted. Libby Santos spoke in opposition of converting the tennis courts at Miller Park to pickleball. Ms. Santos suggested building courts that are specifically designed for the space needed for pickle ball, voiced a concern about inadequate parking if the courts were converted, and asked staff to take the initial tennis court investment into consideration when making a decision. Dieter Wolf, Moorpark resident, spoke in favor of converting the tennis courts at Miller Park to pickleball. Mr. Wolf suggested lighted pickle ball courts. Susanne Cullen, Moorpark resident, spoke in favor of converting the tennis courts at Miller Park to pickleball, option A. Ms. Cullen suggested lighted pickle ball courts that would allow residents to play year-round and would help keep the players and the money they spend in Moorpark: Chris Gailey, Moorpark resident, spoke in favor of converting the tennis courts at Miller Park to pickleball, option A. 8 Minutes of the Regular Park and Recreation Commission Moorpark, California Page 3 October 7, 2019 Lars Truckenbrod, Moorpark resident, spoke in favor of converting the tennis courts at Miller Park to pickleball, option A. Mr. Truckenbrod requested lights at the Tierra, Rejada pickleball courts. Carolina Howard, Moorpark resident, spoke in favor of converting the tennis courts at Miller Park to pickleball. Beth Clarke, Moorpark resident, spoke in favor of converting the tennis courts at Miller Park to pickleball, option A. Ms. Clarke requested lights at the pickleball courts. Richard Yawn, Moorpark resident, spoke in favor of converting the tennis Courts at Miller Park to pickleball, option A. Lisa Aamoth, Moorpark resident, spoke in favor of converting the tennis Courts at Miller Park to pickleball, option A. Sheffield Clarke, Moorpark resident, spoke in favor of converting the tennis Courts at Miller Park to pickleball, option A. Deborah Singer, in opposition of converting the tennis courts at Miller Park to pickleball and stated that the financial loss of the tennis courts as an asset to the City should be taken into consideration. Lori Ross, Moorpark resident, turned in a Speaker Card, however was not available to speak. David Wahh, Moorpark resident, suggested staff come up with a solution that would assist the pickball players without taking courts away from the tennis players. Maureen Platz, Moorpark resident, turned in a Speaker Card, however was not available to speak. Chair Estrella closed the public discussion and thanked the speakers. In addition to the one written statement card and sixteen public speaker cards received prior to the opening of Item 8.A., additional correspondence including emails and written statement cards, were received after the discussion was concluded. The additional correspondence included six emails; five in opposition and one in support of converting the tennis court(s) at Miller Park to pickleball courts and four written statement cards; one in opposition and three in support of converting the tennis court(s) at Miller Park to pickleball courts. 9 Minutes of the Regular Park and Recreation Commission Moorpark, California Page 4 October 7, 2019 A discussion followed among Commissioners and staff which focused on 1) Waiting for the Parks and Recreation Master Plan data before making a permanent decision about pickleball courts; 2) Parking challenges that could be created by converting tennis courts to pickleball courts at Miller Park or Tierra Rejada; 3) An immediate need for lighted courts so pickleball can be played year-round and 4) Funding options and costs related to building new stand-alone pickleball courts with sports lighting. Commissioner Morgan suggested relining some courts at Arroyo Vista Park for pickleball and provide temporary mobile nets. Mr. Laurentowski stated that relining some courts at Arroyo Vista Park for pickleball and providing temporary mobile nets could be a viable option. Staff would need to reach out to the Moorpark Unified School District, who has a priority use agreement with the City for all 8 tennis courts, to see if relining the courts would violate CIF rules. MOTION: Commissioner Morgan moved and Chair Estrella seconded a motion to recommend Option D to the City Council, with changes as proposed by the Commission, including 1) If there are no conflicts with the Moorpark Unified School District, reline the couits at Arroyo Vista Park for pickleball and provide temporary mobile pickleball nets; 2) If Arroyo Vista Park is not an option, reline the courts at Miller Park for pickleball and provide temporary mobile pickleball nets. The motion carried by unanimous voice vote (4-1, 1 dissenting). B. Consider Presentation by Sandra Thompson, Parks and Recreation Commissioner, on the California Park & Recreation Society Conference. Staff Recommendation: Receive and file report. Ms. Thompson gave the oral report. There were no speakers. MOTION: Commissioners received the oral report. 9. CONSENT CALENDAR: MOTION: Vice Chair Norwalt moved and Commissioner Thompson seconded a motion to approve the consent calendar. The motion carried by unanimous voice vote. A. Approval of Minutes of the Park and Recreation Commission's Regular Meeting of August 15, 2019. Staff Recommendation: Approve as presented. 10 Minutes of the Regular Park and Recreation Commission Moorpark, California Page 5 10. ADJOURNMENT: October 7, 2019 MOTION: Chair Estrella adjourned the meeting at 8:11 p.m. APPROVED: George Estrella, Chair ATTEST: Kimberly Sexton, Administrative Assistant 11