HomeMy WebLinkAbout08-16-2023 PRC MinutesCity of San Luis Obispo, Agenda, Planning Commission
Minutes
PARKS AND RECREATION COMMISSION
Parks and Recreation Commission
MINUTES
August 16, 2023
Library Community Room – 995 Palm Street
The City of San Luis Obispo has returned to in-person meetings. Zoom participation will not
be supported. For those attending in-person, City facilities will be at limited capacity and
masks are strongly recommended.
INSTRUCTIONS FOR PUBLIC COMMENT:
Public Comment prior to the meeting (must be received 3 hours in advance of the
meeting):
Mail - Delivered by the U.S. Postal Service. Address letters to the City Clerk's
Office at 990 Palm Street, San Luis Obispo, California, 93401.
Email - Submit Public Comments via email to advisorybodies@slocity.org. In
the body of your email, please include the date of the meeting and the item number
(if applicable). Emails will not be read aloud during the meeting.
Voicemail - Call (805) 781-7164 and leave a voicemail. Please state and spell your
name, the agenda item number you are calling about, and leave your comment.
Verbal comments must be limited to 3 minutes. All voicemails will be forwarded to the
members and saved as Agenda Correspondence. Voicemails will not be played
during the meeting.
*All correspondence will be archived and distributed to members, however, submissions
received after the deadline will not be processed until the following day.
Public Comment during the meeting:
Meetings have returned to an in-person format. To provide public comment during the
meeting, you must be present in the Library Community Room, 995 Palm Street. Zoom
participation will not be supported. The Parks and Recreation Department is located 1341
Nipomo Street, San Luis Obispo. If you have questions, contact the City Clerk's Office at
cityclerk@slocity.org or (805) 781-7100.
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Wednesday, August 16, 2023
5:30 p.m. RESCHEDULED MEETING Library Community Room
995 Palm Street
CALL TO ORDER: Chair - Bob Spector
ROLL CALL : Vice Chair - Kari Howell, Commissioners - Rick Blair, Kari Dupperon,
Toni Kincaid, Kris Roudebush (absent) and Adam Stowe
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.
Cathy Marvier – SLO Senior Center. Thank you for the Parks and Recreation Department event
funding support. Thank you for the funding which allowed members to attend a Blues baseball game
and to the Oceano Melodrama Theater. 30 people were able to attend both events. Twenty-one new
members have joined the Senior Center and membership is now at 300 members.
CONSIDERATION OF MINUTES
1. Minutes of the Parks and Recreation Commission of June 14, 2023
Action: Approval of the Regular Meeting Minutes of the Parks and Recreation Commission for June
14, 2023.
Carried 6:0:0:1 to approve the minutes of the Parks and Recreation Advisory for the regular meeting
of 06/14/23 as motioned by Commissioner Stowe and a second by Commissioner Blair.
Ayes: Spector, Stowe, Howell, Blair, Kincaid, Dupperon
Noes: None
Abstain: None
Absent: Roudebush
CONSENT ITEMS
NA
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BUSINESS ITEMS
2. Receive Staff Report on Emerson Park Amenity Upgrades and Beautification
Project (Long – 40 min)
a. Review and discuss proposed layouts (Attachment A) for the Emerson Park
Amenity Upgrades and Beautification project.
Project background provided. Summer/Fall 2024 is projected construction
kick-off date. Survey result details reviewed. Erica Long, City of SLO Project
manager and Christian Harris of SSA Landscape presented design themes
with two layout options. Playground elements: Shade, Bathroom, Dog Park.
These elements are included in the Grant 68 options.
b. Provide direction to Staff on the preferred draft layout option to proceed with
final layout preparation.
Director Avakian - Public Art is included in the plan although not defined yet and
will be incorporated into the design.
Public Comment:
John McKenzie - Dog Park comments. The only dog park in downtown for the
foreseeable future. With the human living density downtown increasing that will
mean increased need and usage by dog owners, therefore I request an
enlargement of the dog park. Also, more shade is needed in the dog park area
for both the large and small dog areas. Shade structures and benches are
needed in this area as well as ample dog drinking water stations. Nowhere else
in town is there a ½ acre available for a dog park.
Kelly Heffernon - Dog Park comments. Many visitors from out of town will also
use the city dog parks. The parks need more trees, so please do not remove
any of the shade trees and do not add Palm trees, they don’t provide much
shade.
Director Avakian: The city policy is that if a tree is removed; one must be
replaced in the vicinity.
Janet Santacqua - Emerson Park garden plots - Garden Security is needed.
All sorts of garbage is being left in the garden and there is destruction of plots.
I have reviewed policies of other cities and they all have security in
place…included fencing, gates, and lights. The gardens and gardeners need
to be protected.
Vice Commissioner Howell - is here an association of gardeners who can
communicate information about garden plot topics?
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Chair Spector - We need a group to meet to discuss park security and safety
plan. We will address it.
Director Avakian - The prop Grant 68 did not specifically call out the garden
plots, however it includes the entirety of the park and property, and therefore
includes safety lighting, walkway lighting and fencing for the gardens, parking
lot and Parks & Recreation Department office. We have a coordinator who
oversees all community gardens and when we get to that design point, we will
consult with all involved.
Commissioner Blair - Huge improvement for Emerson. Blacktop area is too
large moving forward, so I suggest reducing it and enlarging the children’s
playground area and grass area and not be restricted by what’s there now.
Director Avakian - The homage to keep area as a school playground theme
with flat smooth surface for basic roller skating and scooters, is how this came
to be.
Commissioner Dupperon - Great on adding the self-cleaning restrooms. Like
the tree layout on plan B. Would love to see a youth sized basketball court.
Director Avakian - We could have adjustable basketball hoop heights.
Afternoon basketball is popular.
Commissioner Stowe - Provided input on Layout A and Layout B. Garden
theme is preferred. Prefer a standalone art piece.
Vice Commissioner Howell - The large oak tree is a very welcoming feature. A
socializing area in the dog park area would be great. The educational
component in garden area is great and prefer the garden style theme. All
playground options should be accessible.
Commissioner Kincaid - Youth sized basketball would be great. The Garden
Theme is more appealing.
Christian Harris (SSA Design) - Inclusive playground elements will be
included. We will take the information from tonight’s meeting along with the
survey input and will come back to you with a modified plan.
Chairman Spector - Personalizing the neighborhood artwork elements are a
great idea. More greenery and trees and surfaces should consider global
warming. I would also like to see a stage/gazebo gathering place added to the
plan. Can there be a walkway in the interior of the park? More green space is
needed. Not sure that full sized basketball court is really needed. Prefer the
Garden Theme.
Director Avakian - Some adjustments can be made to the blacktop footprint.
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3. Staff and PRC Discussion Regarding PRC Sub-Committee for Ensuring Future
Projects are in Support of the Parks & Recreation Blueprint and Community
Needs (Hyfield – 20 min)
a. Discuss sub-committee roles and responsibilities to support the Level of Service
(LOS) status for appropriate and equitable amenities within scheduled new and
beautification park projects.
b. Establish appropriate criteria based on Parks & Recreation Blueprint (general
element) and national standards to be utilized for evaluating and assessing
future projects. Set appropriate timelines for PRC sub -committee to provide
reports at PRC meetings.
c. November meeting report out from the new sub-committee on the proposed
plan and project parameters.
4. Receive Staff Update on Playground Replacements and the Status Updates on
Current Projects (Avakian/Hyfield – 20 min)
a. Provide update on the Vista Lago Park (July 26 outreach event) playground and
DeVaul Park (August 14 outreach event) playground community outreach
efforts.
b. Update on status of:
i. Laguna Lake Dog Park project - Discussion planned for September with
PRC.
ii. North Broad Street Park Project - Fall 2023 project start date.
iii. Cheng Park Beautification Project - Construction bid going to council on
Sept. 5.
iv. Mitchell Park Grant Beautification Project - Received extension from
State for completion of project to March 2024.
v. Righetti Ranch Park: Staff to provide update at September PRC meeting.
vi. Bike Park pilot project on temporary pause due to other divisional and
department priorities.
SUBCOMMITTEE LIAISON REPORTS & COMMUNICATIONS
5. Subcommittee Liaison Reports (Chair– 15 minutes)
a. Adult and Senior Programming: (Commissioner Blair)
i. The concerns about the parking area and are being addresses.
b. Active Transportation Committee: (Vice Chair Howell)
i. July 20 meeting cancelled. The next meeting is on Sept. 20.
c. Youth Sports Association: (Commissioner Stowe)
i. No update.
d. Jack House: (Commissioner Kincaid)
i. Tours are picking up and the Carriage House is now open. Thanks to
Parks and Rec Department for assisting with the clear out. August 27th
music concert is planned. We need volunteers to assist with the
December holiday event.
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Director Avakian - We will bring you an update on the new exterior signage for the Jack House
at upcoming PRC meeting.
Communication:
NA
ADJOURNMENT: meeting adjourned at 8:17 p.m.
To the Regular Meeting of the Parks and Recreation Committee as approved by the
PRC to Wednesday , September 6, 2023 , at 5:30 p.m. to be in-person at City Hall (990
Palm Street).
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 participate 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