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HomeMy WebLinkAboutAGENDA REPORT 1995 1018 CC REG ITEM 11D. .......... CITY OF MOORPARK AGENDA REPORT TO: The Honorable City Council _� —_/,/// / � FROM: Christine Adams, Director of Community Service d-Tj DATE: October 17, 1995 (Meeting of October 18, 1995) SUBJECT: Consider Pedestrian Hours for Home Acres Buffer Zone. • ��, . The City Council received information on this subject under a separate cover. This information was also distributed at the subject meeting on October 16. The Home Acres Buffer Zone is governed by a Joint Powers Authority Committee which consists of two members of the City Council, Supervisor Judy Mikels, a representative from the Home Acres Home Owners Association, and a representative from RBD, Moorpark Investors, Ltd., representing the homeowners in Tracts 4340, 4341, and 4342 of PC - 3. At a meeting of October 16, 1995, the Joint Powers Authority Committee met to discuss the hours for the pedestrian gates at Shadyridge Drive and Dalaway Drive. There had been concern from both Home Acres residents and those residents who live adjacent to the buffer zone in the Belmont housing tract, regarding the hours for the pedestrian gates to be locked and unlocked each day. When the landscaping improvement construction work began in June, a black wrought iron gate was installed around the perimeter of the buffer zone, per the approved plan. A large 20' gate was installed at both entrances to the buffer zone to provide access for emergency vehicles (fire and sheriff) and for access for Ventura County Flood Control District, who have an easement on the buffer zone property for access for maintenance and repair of the adjacent flood control channel. These large gates are locked at all times, except when the above mentioned vehicles need access. In an effort to keep other vehicles from driving through the buffer zone, a separate pedestrian gate was included in the design, that could be utilized during daylight hours for residents of both neighborhoods, and for school aged children who need convenient access to go to Moorpark schools. The concerns raised are related to the hours of operation. Staff has been opening the gates at 7 a.m. and locking the gates at 8 p.m, Monday through Friday. The gates are opened at 7:45 a.m. on weekends and holidays. The gates will be locked earlier (approximately 5 p.m.) during daylight savings time. The hours listed above coincide with the time period that a City staff person locks the City park restrooms. By scheduling the locking of the Home Acres Buffer Zone gates during this time, no additional costs are incurred by the City. Residents from Home Acres desire that the gates be opened at 6:00 a.m. during the week, as this time is more convenient for some high school children who need to get to school by 7 a.m. The Home Acres residents also desire that the gates be left open later at night, until 10 p.m., so residents can walk in Moorpark in the evening, and so school children who are attending evening school functions can also walk to and from the activities. The JPA voted to recommend to the City Council that the aforementioned hours, 6 am - 10 pm daily, be the official hours for the gates to be opened. The JPA Committee also voted to have the homeowners from both neighborhoods to cooperate and voluntarily lock and unlock the gates at the prescribed times. The motion also indicated that this would be a trial program, to be reviewed prior to the end of the 1995 -96 fiscal year. City staff will be meeting with interested homeowners on Monday, October 23, at 6 pm to coordinate this effort. In the event that the voluntary assistance for the access gates is not effective, it is staff's intention to provide this service for the least expensive option. Staff has calculated that the total cost for this service for the remainder of the fiscal year would be $4926.00, using available part and full time staff. After analysis, staff has determined that the additional cost for locking and unlocking the gates at the requested hours will be approximately $7162.00 per year. This cost could be included in the annual assessment for the buffer zone. As the assessment district is already in place for FY 1995 -96, the City Council would need to appropriate an additional $4926.00 for the remainder of the year (November 1 - June 30), from the General Fund Reserves to salaries, and to include this cost in the 1996 -97 AD 84 -2 assessment. Another option that was mentioned at the meeting was to hire a part time person only for the function of opening and locking the gates every day. Staff estimates that this cost would be approximately $2400 per year. Depending upon the outcome of the volunteer meeting on October 23, staff would recommend that the Council consider the recommended action for scheduling the pedestrian gate hours and associated costs, in the event that the residential volunteers do not come forward to assist with the task of opening and closing the gates each day. For the Council's information, this issue has taken more unreimbursable staff time which is paid coley by the City since assessment district administration is not charged to the assessment district. 1) Establish hours as 6:00 pedestrian access gates at Authorize staff to use City en zone gates using the most cost any needed appropriation prior FY 1996/97. a.m. to 10 p.m., daily for the the Home Acres Buffer Zone; 2) iployees to open and lock the buffer efficient option; and 3) Bring back to Assessment District hearings for Prepared 10/17/95 Estimated Costs October 23 - June 30 81 holidays and weekend days 167 weekdays (excluding holidays) 81 days x $8.50 hr. (part time rate) x 2 hours $1377 167 days x $15 hr (1/2 hr. M &O Supervisor time) $2505 167 days x $6.25 hr (1/4 hr Recreation Supervisor time) $1043.75 TOTAL $4925.75 July 1 - October 23 34 holidays and weekend days 78 weekdays (excluding holidays) 34 x $8.50 x 2 hrs $ 578 78 x $15 $1170 78 x $6.25 $ 487.50 TOTAL $2235.50 GRAND TOTAL FOR FULL YEAR $7161.25