HomeMy WebLinkAbout10-07-2020 PRC Agenda PacketCity of San Luis Obispo, Agenda, Planning Commission
Agenda
PARKS AND RECREATION COMMISSION
OCTOBER 7, 2020
PARKS AND RECREATION COMMISSION
Based on the threat of COVID-19 as reflected in the Proclamations of Emergency issued by both the Governor
of the State of California, the San Luis Obispo County Emergency Services Director and the City Council of the
City of San Luis Obispo as well as the Governor’s Executive Order N-29-20 issued on March 17, 2020, relating
to the convening of public meetings in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the City of San Luis Obispo will
be holding all public meetings via teleconference. There will be no physical location for the Public to view
the meeting. Below are instructions on how to view the meeting remotely and how to leave public
comment. Additionally, members of the Parks and Recreation Commission are allowed to attend the meeting
via teleconference and to participate in the meeting to the same extent as if they were present.
Using the most rapid means of communication available at this time, members of the public
are encouraged to participate in Commission meetings in the following ways:
1. Remote Viewing - Members of the public who wish to watch the meeting can view:
• View the Webinar (recommended for the best viewing quality):
o Registration URL
o https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/6428297340817800975
o Webinar ID 543-553-859
o Telephone Attendee: (631)992-3221; Audio Access Code: 617-134-415
2. Public Comment - The City Council will still be accepting public comment. Public comment can
be submitted in the following ways:
• Mail or Email Public Comment
o Received by 3:00 PM on the day of meeting - Can be submitted via email
to advisorybodies@slocity.org or U.S. Mail to City Clerk at 990 Palm St. San Luis Obispo, CA
93401. All emails will be sent to Commissioners and saved as agenda correspondence
however we cannot guarantee emails received after 3:00 PM on the day of the meeting we be
sent out to Commission or uploaded to the website prior to the meeting starting.
• Verbal Public Comment
o In Advance of the Meeting - Call (805) 781-7164; state and spell your name,
the agenda item number you are calling about and leave your comment. The verbal comments
must be limited to 3 minutes. All voicemails will be forwarded to the Council Members and
saved as Agenda Correspondence. Voicemails will not be played during the meeting.
o During the meeting – Joining the webinar (instructions above). Once the
meeting has started please put your name and the item # you would like to speak on in
the questions box. During public comment for the item your name will be called, and your mic
will be unmuted. Contact the office of the City Clerk at cityclerk@slocity.org for more
information.
All Comments/Correspondence received will be saved as part of the record for the meeting.
Parks and Recreation Committee Agenda for October 7, 2020
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Wednesday, October 7, 2020
5:30 p.m. REGULAR MEETING Via Webinar
CALL TO ORDER: Chair Rodney Thurman
ROLL CALL : Commissioners Kari Applegate, Rick Blair, Sommer Sheffield, Adam Stowe,
Andrew Webber, Vice Chair Robert Spector, and Chair Rodney Thurman
ABSENT:
PUBLIC COMMENT: At this time, people may address the Committee about items not on the
agenda. Persons wishing to speak should come forward and state their name and address. Comments
are limited to three minutes per person. Items raised at this time are generally referred to staff and, if
action by the Committee is necessary, may be scheduled for a future meeting.
CONSIDERATION OF MINUTES
1. Minutes of the Parks and Recreation Committee of September 2, 2020
CONSENT ITEMS
BUSINESS ITEMS
2. Parks and Recreation Master Plan and General Plan Element Update (Scott – 75 minutes)
Recommendation:
1. Provide feedback to staff regarding the progress and draft of the Parks and Recreation
Master Plan and General Plan Element Update: Prioritizations, Amenities, Locations
SUBCOMMITTEE LIAISON REPORTS & COMMUNICATIONS
Parks and Recreation Committee Agenda for October 7, 2020
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3. Subcommittee Liaison Reports (Chair) – 15 minutes)
a. Adult and Senior Programming: Commissioner Spector
b. Active Transportation Committee: Commissioner Webber
c. City Facilities (Fields, Golf, Pool, & Joint Use Facilities): Commissioner Applegate
d. Jack House Committee: Vacant
e. Tree Committee: Commissioner Thurman
f. Youth Sports Association: Commissioner Stowe
4. Directors’ Report (Avakian - 15 minutes)
5. Communication
ADJOURNMENT
To the meeting of the Parks and Recreation Commi ttee as approved by the PRC to Wednesday,
November 4, 2020, at 5:30 p.m., via Webinar.
The City of San Luis Obispo wishes to make all of its public meetings accessible to the public. Upon request, this
agenda will be made available in appropriate alternative formats to persons with disabilities. Any person with a disability
who requires a modification or accommodation in order to participa te in a meeting should direct such request to the Parks
and Recreation Department at (805) 781-7300 at least 48 hours before the meeting, if possible. Telecommunications Device
for the Deaf (805) 781-7107.
Meeting audio recordings can be found at the following web address:
http://opengov.slocity.org/WebLink/1/fol/61014/Row1.aspx
DRAFT Minutes – Parks and Recreation Commission Meeting of September 2, 2020 Page 1
Minutes - DRAFT
PARKS AND RECREATION COMMISSION
Wednesday, September 2, 2020
Regular Meeting of the Parks and Recreation Commission
CALL TO ORDER
A Regular Meeting of the San Luis Obispo Parks and Recreation Commission was called to order
on Wednesday, September 2, 2020 at 5:30 p.m. via teleconference by Chair Thurman.
ROLL CALL
Present: Commissioners Kari Applegate, Rick Blair, Sommer Sheffield, Andrew Webber,
Vice Chair Robert Spector, and Chair Rodney Thurman
Absent: Commissioner Adam Stowe
Staff: Parks and Recreation Director Greg Avakian, Senior Planner Shawna Scott,
Recreation Manager Devin Hyfield, and Administrative Assistant III Jeff Andrews
PUBLIC COMMENT ITEMS NOT ON THE AGENDA
APPROVAL OF MINUTES
1. Consideration of Minutes of the Parks and Recreation Commission Meeting of July 8,
2020.
ACTION: Chair Thurman noted a correction for minor grammatical error.
UPON MOTION BY COMMISSIONER APPLEGATE, SECONDED BY VICE CHAIR
SPECTOR, CARRIED 6-0-1-0 (COMMISSIONER STOWE ABSENT,) the Parks and
Recreation Commission approved the Minutes of the Regular Parks and Commission Meeting
of July 8, 2020.
BUSINESS ITEMS
2. Parks and Recreation Master Plan and General Plan Element Update
Senior Planner Shawna Scott, and consultants from WRT, PROS, and Wallace Group
(Bianca Koenig & Michael Svetz) provided a PowerPoint presentation on the Parks and
Recreation Master Plan and General Plan Element Update and responded to Commission
inquiries. Commissioner Blair questioned if multiple pickleball courts were made together
would there be a cost savings, Ms. Koenig said there would be cost savings with multiple
courts made; if there was bocce ball and other activities available which were not in the
presentation, Mr. Svetz said this was just a snippet of what’s available; cost of ownership
DRAFT Minutes – Parks and Recreation Commission Meeting of September 2, 2020 Page 2
question, answered by Mr. Svetz. Vice Chair Spector asked about permitting and
consulting costs, Ms. Koenig provided an answer; labor hours question per acre, Mr. Svetz
provided an answer; is each park managed as a totality, or based on the individual
amenities in the park, Mr. Svetz answered that it is managed as a complete park, along with
each asset individually; asked where the vision statement was, it’s in the July meeting
update. Chair Thurman asked about management system as far as labor and expenditures,
Mr. Avakian said park maintenance falls under public works and Parks & Rec works with
them for labor and expenditures, and having a master plan and consultants, infrastructure
and positive relationships help keep on track as we invest finances and resources into parks
and amenities. Mr. Avakian thanked staff and consultants for their work on the update.
Commissioner Blair asked about an amenities list, Shawna Scott, Devin Hyfield & Greg
Avakian responded, as well as Mr. Peter Winch (WRT). Commissioner Sheffield asked
about formatting questions, Shawna Scott & Greg Avakian responded. Commissioner
Applegate asked are we considering budget or community input first, Shawna Scott & Greg
Avakian responded.
Public Comment
John McKenzie - Asked, regarding dog parks, if the Commission reviewed his letter, and do
they agree with the suggested changes. Chair Thurman and Greg Avakian thanked him for
his comments and letter.
--End of Public Comment--
ACTION: No action taken. Senior Planner Shawna Scott will share the presentation via
PDF. Commission and City staff to discuss additional questions based on prioritization via
email, as needed, within 2 weeks.
SUBCOMMITTEE LIAISON REPORTS
3. Subcommittee Liaison Reports
A. Adult and Senior Programming: Commissioner Spector
• They have not been meeting, things are on hold
B. Active Transportation Committee: Commissioner Webber
• They were meeting at the beginning of the year; things have cooled down. New
paving and speed bumps, Pismo bike lane, plans are available online
C. City Facilities (Fields, Golf, Pool, & Joint Use Facilities): Commissioner Applegate
• Defer to Devin – refer to director report
D. Jack House Committee: Vacant
E. Tree Committee: Commissioner Thurman
• Met in the last 2 weeks, addressed tree removals, Ron Combs to retire in
December, hiring to continue
F. Youth Sports Association: Commissioner Stowe - Absent
UPDATES
DRAFT Minutes – Parks and Recreation Commission Meeting of September 2, 2020 Page 3
4. Director Report
Recreation Manager Devin Hyfield provided an update on Aquatics, Facilities, Golf, Sports
A. Aquatics – only open in July and August for lap swimming with limited attendance;
working on rooftop at Swim Center, to be closed during construction; SLO Seahawks
have a block of the pool; private swim lessons start next week, go through end of October,
lessons sold out very quickly; Kudos from Director Avakian to the SLO Swim Center
Staff including Coordinator Shawn Tucker on successful reopening plans which are
being adopted by Cal Poly
B. Facilities – majority of staff focused on OpenSLO, maintaining and sanitizing tables and
chairs; no longer renting tables and chairs as we’ve received nice stainless steel sets;
program will continue to be evaluated through the fall as weather changes; OpenSLO
soon to be self-service as staff pivot to assist with youth sports; Youth sports permits
allowed with moderate restrictions put out by County and State agencies; field closures
will happen for maintenance
C. Golf – very busy with limited hours & tee times; evaluated and adjusted tee times and
group sizing; only ADA golf carts available for rental; no tournament or club play
permitted, but working with organizations to try and accommodate within guidelines;
while golf course hours dropped dramatically due to COVID-19, paid rounds have stayed
steady
D. Sports – staff are assisting with sports, OpenSLO, youth services; clinics and contract
classes to use parks and fields; adult recreation leagues not permitted under current
COVID-19 guidelines
Director Greg Avakian’s update:
A. Fitness gyms (Fitness in the Parks program) offered to use City parks as part of OpenSLO
program, currently 11 businesses using 6 different park locations, very successful
program well received by businesses and their clients, will most likely extend program
through end of October
B. Community Gardens – Emerson cleaned up with Laurel and Meadow on schedule soon,
virtual gardening class coming soon
C. Youth Sports – shifted from leagues and games to clinics and camps; pickleball, golf,
basketball, soccer being looked at as options, using current staff as leads while adhering
to current COVID-19 guidelines
D. Senior Center – Not authorized by County and State to reopen yet; looking at virtual
classes and activities as options for citizens; conference call to take place with senior
center staff
E. Youth Services – 7-week summer camp very successful; SPARK (SLO Parks And Rec
Kids) program started August 24th, following all CDC guidelines and recommendations;
remote learning at school sites; second session starts September 8th; SLCUSD paying for
half of program for in-district children
F. Open Space & Rangers – routine trail maintenance; Miossi Open Space trail design,
scheduled to break ground on new trails in 7-10 days; Whale Rock trail complete;
planning new trail Mines Hill at Tank Farm & Orcutt, new trailhead and system similar
to Islay Hill; COVID-19 has brought complications on working with transient
population, partnering with PD and County; 30-40% increase in trail use since March &
DRAFT Minutes – Parks and Recreation Commission Meeting of September 2, 2020 Page 4
April has possibly resulted in more trash on the trails, will look into starting a social
media campaign; will discuss about permanent pandemic trail signage
G. Public Art – Greg discussed Parklets and barrier wraps, upcoming artwork for greenway
project (bike paths/roadways)
H. Jack House – not operational; virtual tours are available; park area is closed to public;
JHC is not meeting due to current closure
I. Righetti Ranch – there are park locations in the area, will research amenities and present
to the commission
J. Froom Ranch – park location will be at top of road against Irish Hills open space; Parks
& Rec to use barns and buildings for Rangers and equipment
K. Islay Park Playground – complete and going through final inspection in the next few
days, fencing coming down shortly
L. Parks & Recreation Youth Services Supervisor Megan Burger was honored by First5 as
a Hands-On Hero for the month of September; YS staff including coordinator Michelle
Rolle have been incredible during COVID-19 with super successful summer camp and
start of the fall child care program (SPARK)
ADJOURNMENT
The meeting was adjourned at 7:45 p.m. The next Regular Parks and Recreation Commission
meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, October 7, 2020 at 5:30 p.m., via teleconference.
APPROVED BY THE PARKS AND RECREATION COMMISSION: XX/XX/2020
Parks and Recreation Commission
Agenda Report Meeting Date: 10/07/2020
Item Number:
DATE: October 7, 2020
FROM: Greg Avakian, Parks and Recreation Director
Prepared By: Shawna Scott, Senior Planner, Community Development
SUBJECT: Parks and Recreation Master Plan and General Plan Element Update
RECOMMENDATION
1. Provide feedback to staff regarding the Parks and Recreation Master Plan and General Plan
Element Update
DISCUSSION
During the September 4, 2019 public meeting1, the Parks and Recreation Commission (PRC) received a
presentation from the project consultant, WRT, on the Park-by-Park Assessment, which included: a
review of the full list of City park and recreation facilities; identification of the general physical condition
of each site; any relevant issues pertaining to site access and use; and park-specific recommendations
communicated by members of the public and the PRC during the Plan Update process. Based on these
factors, the presentation included preliminary park improvement recommendations and each park was
classified according to what type of improvements are needed. The September PRC meeting was the
first opportunity for public consideration of these preliminary Master Plan project recommendations,
and WRT-recommended tier designations including: Tier 1, Critical Park Improvements (Maintenance);
Tier 2, Strategic Park Improvements, Improvement of Existing Parks/Facilities; and Tier 3, “Visionary”
Park Improvements, New Opportunities.
Following WRT’s presentation and public comment, the PRC provided direction to staff to develop a
list of potential Parks and Recreation Element and Master Plan visionary and aspirational programs,
parks, facilities, and specific projects. At the November 6, 2019 public meeting, staff presented Draft
Themes/Strategies, Goals, and Concepts for PRC and public review, which will further inform the
revised project list.2 Based on public comments and questions and statements from the PRC, additional
information including presentation of quantified needs and deficiencies based on national standards was
identified as a key component to determine what projects should be included and prioritized in the Master
Plan and General Plan Element Update.
1 Parks and Recreation Commission Agenda Report, September 2019, available here.
2 Parks and Recreation Commission Agenda Report, November 2019, available here.
City of San Luis Obispo, Title, Subtitle
Parks and Recreation Master Plan and General Plan Element Update
Page 2
On March 4, 2020,3 Staff provided additional information for the PRC to consider, including a
Recreation Amenities and Level of Service Analysis that identified standards for parkland and recreation
and facility amenities based on the City’s current and future resident and daytime populations.
Information presented included potential locations for identified new facilities and amenities. It was
recognized by Staff and the PRC that these standards provide the base minimum to serve identified
populations, and that the City should strive to exceed these standards. In addition to the base needs,
aspirational amenities identified by the community were also recognized as important to include in the
Master Plan Update.
At the July 8, 2020 PRC meeting4, staff presented a Draft Vision, Goals, and Policies document and
received comments and direction from the PRC. The Vision statements, Goals, and Policies as amended
based on PRC input will be incorporated into the Draft Master Plan Update. The draft cost estimates for
park and facilities amenities were also presented for initial introduction and will be discussed further
during this current PRC meeting.
During the September 2, 2020 PRC meeting5, the City’s consultant team, inclusive of Wallace Group
and PROS Consulting, presented draft capital and operational cost estimates for park and facility
amenities for the PRC’s review. The identified costs include the initial capital investment, and operation
and maintenance of parks and amenities. This information was provided to the PRC and the public to
help inform future project prioritization to be incorporated into the Master Plan Update.
QUESTIONS FOR THE PRC TO CONSIDER
In anticipation of the PRC’s review of the first public draft of the Parks and Recreation Master Plan
Update in November 2020, staff requests that the PRC consider and provide feedback and responses to
the following questions:
1. What are the amenities that are most important to prioritize, understanding operation
and maintenance costs? Consider near-term (0 to 5-year, 5 to 10-year) and long-term (10
to 20-year) timeframes.
2. What are the parks and facilities that are most important? What parks and facilities
should be our highest priority to improve? What spaces?
3. What is the right fit between amenities and parks (what amenities should be where)?
Input from the PRC will be provided to the City’s consultant team led by WRT and will be considered
as the draft Update is prepared. Next immediate steps in the process will include a public workshop on
the Draft Master Plan Update, further refinement of the Update document, and environmental review
pursuant to the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA).
3 Parks and Recreation Commission Agenda Report, March 2020, available here
4 Parks and Recreation Commission Agenda Report, July 8, 2020, available here
5 Parks and Recreation Commission Agenda Report, September 2, 2020, available here