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HomeMy WebLinkAboutAGENDA REPORT 2020 0115 REG CCSA ITEM 09FCITY OF MOORPARK, 
CALIFORNIA City Council Meeting of January 15, 2020 ACTION Approved staff recommendation, including adoption of Resolution No. 2020- 3875. BY B.Garza. F. Consider Inclusive Playground Design at Tierra Rejada Park; and Resolution Authorizing Submittal of Land and Water Conservation Fund Grant. Staff Recommendation: 1) Approve Inclusive Playground design at Tierra Rejada Park, and 2) Adopt Resolution No. 2020-3875 authorizing submittal of the Land and Water Conservation Fund grant and authorize the City Manager to sign all grant related paperwork. (Staff: Jessica Sandifer) Item: 9.F. MOORPARK CITY COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT TO: Honorable City Council FROM: Jeremy Laurentowski, Parks and Recreation Director BY: Jessica Sandifer, Community Services Manager DATE: 01/15/2020 Regular Meeting SUBJECT: Consider Inclusive Playground Design at Tierra Rejada Park; and Resolution Authorizing Submittal of Land and Water Conservation Fund Grant BACKGROUND On November 20, 2019, the City Council approved Tierra Rejada Park as the location for the City’s inclusive playground. The existing playground equipment will be removed and the location will be expanded for the new inclusive playground equipment design. As a reminder, the existing playground equipment at Tierra Rejada Park is scheduled to be replaced within the next couple years and this project would align with the timing of that work. In conjunction with the City Council’s action, Architerra, Inc. was selected as the landscape architect to help design the playground and Landscape Structures, Inc. was recommended as the playground equipment vendor. The City Council will recall that staff intends to apply for a Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) grant to offset the cost of the inclusive playground. Inclusive 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. Inclusive 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 or impairments to engage in play with their peers. DISCUSSION In order to obtain input on the theme of the playground and the various play components, staff conducted several public outreach efforts. A Community Meeting Item: 9.F. 523 Honorable City Council 01/15/2020 Regular Meeting Page 2 was held in conjunction with a Special Parks and Recreation Commission Meeting on December 7, staff attended an event for special needs children on December 15 called Day-in-the-Park, which was sponsored by the Girl Scouts, and an online survey was recently published and forwarded to several local agencies, such as the Moorpark Unified School District. Utilizing this input, the consulting team designed a ‘Whimsical’ themed playground that is 100% inclusive, includes a larger playground footprint, and an expanded parking area with additional accessible parking spaces. The whimsical theme that was identified during the outreach process generally includes a fun twist on natural and architectural elements such as play houses, seating elements, flowers, trees, mushrooms, forest animals, insects, boulders, and logs, to name a few. Additionally, the playground designer has suggested the inclusion of the Moorpark apricot into the design. This can be accomplished by incorporating apricot fruit and apricot blossoms into the tree house canopy, on the playground equipment side panels, or within the sensory wall. There may also be an opportunity to name the playground. Historically, playgrounds in Moorpark have not been specifically named and are generally identified by the park name. However, it is not unusual for unique playgrounds to have a separate name in order to identify them, such as ‘Apricot Grove’ in this case. Staff will evaluate this opportunity with the Parks and Recreation Commission and will provide the City Council with a recommendation at a future date. The new site layout will accommodate eight accessible parking spaces and includes the addition of sixteen regular parking spaces. It should be noted that although all efforts have been made to protect the existing trees at Tierra Rejada Park, it is recommended that the seven existing Carrotwood Trees (Cupaniopsis anacardiodes) that are currently located directly adjacent to the swing area, should be removed. Carrotwood trees drop an extensive amount of debris, such as leaf litter, stems, and round seed pods during certain times of the year. Additionally, their root structure is invasive, as they are notorious for damaging adjacent surfaces. Currently, the swing area at Tierra Rejada Park is composed of a sand play surface where the seed pods do not pose a safety concern. They are raked out of the sand on a daily basis by the City’s landscape maintenance contractor. However, the new playground will include rubberized surfacing and artificial turf to accommodate children with physical disabilities. Staff believes that the debris dropped by these trees could pose safety concerns once the new playground is installed. Additionally, the trees would reduce the opportunity to expand the parking lot in the northerly direction. However, the new site design will include the addition of at least seven additional trees to mitigate for the trees that were removed. In addition to the parking lot expansion, visitors will be welcomed into the playground with an entry trellis and new decorative fencing to keep children from entering the expanded parking lot area. New shade structures with decorative paving, picnic tables and bar-b-ques are proposed on each side of the playground, and new bicycle racks, drinking fountains, benches, and picnic tables are proposed throughout the site. Rubberized surfacing and artificial turf is proposed for the playground surfacing and many new and exciting playground structures have been incorporated into the overall design. 524 Honorable City Council 01/15/2020 Regular Meeting Page 3 As discussed during the November 20 City Council meeting, staff recommended a sensory wall that would also become a part of the City’s Art in Public Places program. In addition to contributing to valuable sensory play, the wall would be unique to the City’s playground. 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. Another unique component of the playground incorporates the existing mound at the north/west corner of the site into the site design. A meandering walkway and two footbridges take advantage of the existing topography and lead children over a dry riverbed to a platform with several different slides designed to enable children with different types of disabilities to interact. The walkway eventually leads to the top of the mound where children will have an opportunity to cross a bridge to access the top level of a custom whimsical tree house. This design feature is exceptional, as it is not often that children in wheelchairs or other physical disabilities can interact with other children at the top level of a playground structure. The site also includes a second playground structure for children in the 2-5 year age category, a separate area for swings, and several private areas for children to interact in a calm setting with lower level playground components. And finally, interspersed throughout the play area are a variety of spinners, crawl structures and play elements that involve movement. These structures were the most popular type of playground structures identified during staff’s outreach efforts. In addition to the design of the playground, staff is also preparing an application for a grant from the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) through the California State Parks, Office of Grants and Loans (OGALS). The grant submittal is due on February 3, 2020. Staff believes that the proposed Inclusive Playground meets the requirements of the following 2015 Statewide Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan (SCORP) priorities: renovate existing parks not currently under federal 6(f)3 protection (preserve parkland in perpetuity); provide community space for healthy lifestyles, children’s play areas, environmental justices, cultural activities, historic preservation; and engage community residents during the project concept and design process. Achieving three of the identified priorities puts the project application in a high priority category with maximum points received. Staff feels that the proposed playground at Tierra Rejada Park meets these primary goals of the SCORP as it relates to the LWCF grant and is requesting authorization to submit the grant application. The maximum grant reimbursement request can be fifty-percent (50%) of the total project costs, with the City providing a 50% match. As part of the grant application, the City will have to certify that it has sufficient cash to advance 100% of the project cost and that we have eligible match sources. The grant would then reimburse 50% of the project. Depending on the size of the playground footprint, inclusive playgrounds can cost between $750,000, upwards of several million dollars. Initially, staff had estimated that the Inclusive Playground at Tierra Rejada Park would cost approximately $1 million. However, based on the additional site improvements that would need to be made at 525 Honorable City Council 01/15/2020 Regular Meeting Page 4 Tierra Rejada Park, such as the parking lot expansion and several drainage challenges, the total cost of the project is estimated at $1.3 million. As mentioned, if awarded, the LWCF grant would provide 50% of the costs of the playground and other park improvements as a reimbursement, and the City would be required to cash flow 100% of the project. The City’s match is proposed to come from a combination of Community- wide Park Improvement Fund (2010) and the Art in Public Places Fund (2007). ENVIRONMENTAL DOCUMENTATION As this project involves the installation of playground equipment in an existing park and a minor increase in the parking lot, there is no reasonable possibility that it would result in a significant effect on the environment, either individually or cumulatively in consideration of other reasonably foreseeable projects, it is the Community Development Director’s determination that the project is categorically exempt from environmental review under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to Sections 15301 (Existing Facilities) and 15311 (Accessory Structures) of the CEQA Guidelines. If this project is approved, staff will file a Notice of Exemption with the County Clerk. FISCAL IMPACT There is no fiscal impact from submitting the grant application. Funds for the project will be allocated once the grant has been awarded. COUNCIL GOAL COMPLIANCE This action is consistent with City Council Strategy 5, Goal 5, Objective 3 (5.5.3): Seek grant funding for installation of universally accessible play equipment. STAFF RECOMMENDATION 1. Approve Inclusive Playground design at Tierra Rejada Park; and 2.Adopt Resolution No. 2020-_____ authorizing submittal of the Land and Water Conservation Fund grant and authorize the City Manager to sign all grant related paperwork. Attachment 1: Playground Design Concept Attachment 2: Draft Resolution No. 2020-____ 526 ATTACHMENT 2 A.. ° D ► � 0,D0_1 �!p--� 7.r.,.;:.-E.,::..;:.:04p._.� '''-.11..i..,....:\, '.,---------.----- ...: • L . �nr STR — gy,p � .' r yam_ �,., J 1 • . -, • .....i...,• - -.. ,. , a___ : . .. -.c•-;=--„,.._., . r• • . ...1 .. . ,.ill* ...t., k \It t.l'i'' ..;:..'. 4.'-'. I. ' .-:, I ....:.:: , . ',... ..,,. .. 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C4C I, 1 411„*.finf-AN5i, /110-0-Kf,a-p- .r!c.. a/ ? TIERRA REJADA PARK UNIVERSALLY ACCESSIBLE PARK REDESIGN ARCH. - 0.I T ,�44. 11900 Mountain Trail St, Moorpark, CA 93021 n l lij LC-2 DESIGN ��l f!` ED LECOiFRn 2211 .... ..a. RESOLUTION NO. 2020-_____ A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF MOORPARK, CALIFORNIA, APPROVING THE APPLICATION FOR LAND AND WATER CONSERVATION GRANT FUNDS FOR INCLUSIVE PLAYGROUND AT TIERRA REJADA PARK WHEREAS, Congress under Public Law 88-578 has authorized the establishment of a federal Land and Water Conservation Fund Grant-In-Aid program, providing matching funds to the State of California and its political subdivisions for acquiring lands and developing facilities for public outdoor recreation purposes; and WHEREAS, the California Department of Parks and Recreation is responsible for administration of the program in the State, setting up necessary rules and procedures governing Applications by local agencies under the program; and WHEREAS, the City certifies by resolution the approval of the Application and the availability of eligible matching funds prior to submission of the Application to the State. NOW, THEREFORE, THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF MOORPARK DOES HEREBY RESOLVE AS FOLLOWS: SECTION 1. Approves the filing of an Application for Land and Water Conservation Fund assistance for the proposed Inclusive Playground at Tierra Rejada Park. SECTION 2. Agrees to abide by Section 6(f)(3) of Public Law 88-578 which states “No property acquired or developed with assistance under this section shall, without the approval of the National Secretary of the Interior, be converted to other than public outdoor recreation uses. The Secretary shall approve such conversion only if he finds it to be in accord with the then existing comprehensive statewide outdoor recreation plan and only upon such conditions as he deems necessary to assure the substitution of other recreation properties of at least equal fair market value and of reasonably equivalent usefulness and location.” SECTION 3. Certifies that City has matching funds from eligible source(s) and can finance 100 percent of the Project, which up to half may be reimbursed. SECTION 4. Appoints the City Manager as agent of the Applicant to conduct all negotiations and execute and submit all documents, including, but not limited to, Applications, Contracts, amendments, payment requests, and compliance with all applicable current state and federal laws which may be necessary for the completion of the Inclusive Playground at Tierra Rejada Park. ATTACHMENT 2 529 Resolution No. 2020-____ Page 2 SECTION 5. The City Clerk shall certify to the adoption of this resolution and shall cause a certified resolution to be filed in the book of original resolutions. PASSED AND ADOPTED this 15th day of January, 2020. ________________________________ Janice S. Parvin, Mayor ATTEST: ___________________________________ Ky Spangler, City Clerk 530