HomeMy WebLinkAboutMin - PR - 2012.04.19MEETING MINUTES
Regular Meeting of the Burlingame Parks & Recreation Commission
Thursday, April 19, 2012
The regular meeting of the Burlingame Parks & Recreation Commission was called to order by
Chair Hesselgren at 7:00 pm at Burlingame City Hall, 501 Primrose Ave., Burlingame.
ROLL CALL
Commissioners Present:
Commissioners Absent:
Staff Present:
Others Present:
PUBLIC COMMENTS
None
Hesselgren, Baum, Bullotti, Griffith, Castner-Paine, Lau, Eaton
None
Director Glomstad; Administrative Secretary Helley
Mike Sgange, Collette Gahr, Jerry Hahn
MINUTES
The Minutes of the March 19, 2012 regular meeting were approved.
OLD BUSINESS
None
NEW BUSINESS
A. Alternate Dog Off Leash Sites — Director Glomstad stated the Council has established a task
force to look into alternate sites for dog parks. The task force will consist of two council
members (Mayor Deal & Council member Keighran), Parks & Recreation Director Glomstad,
Parks Supervisor Disco, a representative from the SPCA and two Parks & Recreation
Commissioners. Council is requesting two members of the Parks & Recreation be on the task
force. Commissioners Baum and Eaton volunteered. Hesselgren confirmed the appointment.
Commissioner Bullotti asked for clarification on the original directive from Council to
Commission that started the entire process on the evening off leash hours at Washington Park.
Hesselgren explained a petition was received by the Commission requesting evening off leash
hours at the park in the same area as the morning hours. Commission reviewed the petition and
recommended the approval of evening hours to Council for a trial period of three months.
Council asked that Commission reach out to the neighborhood with surveys and meetings, etc.
A sub -committee of the Commission distributed and retrieved 1,200 surveys to the
neighborhood, compiled the results of the 152 that were returned/collected and held a community
meeting in the recreation center. Commission returned the item to Council for approval and
Council approved the recommendation with the trial period being extended to six months and
requested Commission to evaluate how the trial period worked and report to Council at the end
of the period.
Mike Sgange, Burlingame, lives on Anita Road, has a small dog and visits Washington Park
regularly. He watched the last Council meeting at which Mayor Deal suggested a dedicated off
leash dog park area where the current horseshoe pits are located near the tennis courts. He noted
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there are often scoff -law citizens in the park. Dogs love it and it is healthy for the dogs and
owners and is psychologically beneficial to the both. Frustration was expressed at the decision
by Council to deny the permanent hours. No complaints were logged during the trial period for
the evening hours. There was a temporary dedicated space that worked (unfenced).
Collette Gahr, Burlingame, started the most recent petition to keep the evening off leash dog
hours at Washington Park. She has put together literature from the American Heart Association
about the benefits of dog ownership. Dog owners are out there in numbers and she is
disappointed how Council seems to feel the dog owners want to turn Washington Park into a dog
park. The group wants the park to continue to be a park that allows all types of users including
dogs without dedicating a special space to one use only.
Commission encouraged Mike and Collette to summarize there stories and beneficial
information in letters and/or attend Council meetings to speak to Council.
REPORTS/HANDOUTS
Staff Reports
1. Monthly Report — Distributed
2. Field Use Policy Review — Glomstad reported the third meeting with the user groups went
well. Another meeting has been scheduled.
3. Village Park Mural — The mural is completed.
4. Correspondence —None
Commissioner Reports
Commissioner Griffith reported progress on the Foundation formation. The Articles of
Incorporation and Bylaws are 99% complete and only two more signatures are needed for
completion.
Next Meeting
The next meeting of the Parks & Recreation Commission is scheduled to be held on Thursday,
May 10, 2012 at 7:00 p.m. at Burlingame City Hall.
There being no further business, the meeting adjourned at 8:00 pm.
Respectfully submitted,
Joleen Helley
Recording Secretary
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