HomeMy WebLinkAboutMin - PR - 1998.04.16MEETING MINUTES
Burlingame Parks & Recreation Commission
Thursday, April 16, 1998
The regular meeting of the Burlingame Parks & Recreation Commission was called to order by
Chairman Mike Nilmeyer at 7:01 p.m. in Conference Room A, Burlingame City Hall.
ROLL CALL
Commissioners Present:
Heathcote, Kelly, Larios, Lembi, Nilmeyer, Pera, Piccetti. Youth
Commissioners Getchel & Klimen
Commissioner Absent:
None
Staff Present:
Parks & Recreation Director John Williams, Recreation Superintendent
Randy Schwartz, Recreation Supervisor Tricia Pinney
Others Present:
Andrew McCarthy, 3111 Rivera Dr., Burlingame; Janice & Ray
Musante, 1665 Hunt Dr., Burlingame; William Raskoff, 1769 Escalante
Way, Burlingame
MINUTES
Minutes of the March 19, 1998 meeting were approved, as presented.
COMMENTS FROM PUBLIC
Andrew McCarthy addressed the Commission and stated that he was unhappy with the notification
process used to advise Cuernavaca Park users regarding the park neighbors meeting held in
November, 1996. Mr. McCarthy stated he was also unhappy that the meeting was held in a
neighbor's home and not in a public building. Mr. McCarthy stated he was advised of at least two
other subsequent public meetings to discuss park concerns and the shade structure remodeling plan,
but was unable to attend either meeting.
Mr. McCarthy stated that his family have used the shade structure and basketball court in the past.
He believes that user problems are minimal, but believes that the Police should take a more active
role in supervising the park and checking inside the shade structure. Dr. Raskoff suggested that
police patrols in the park be stepped -up with the advent of better weather.
Janis Musante stated that neighborhood meeting fliers were passed out to all of the homes on Hunt
and Alcazar near the park. Chairman Nilmeyer noted that the City typically notices neighbors
within 300 feet of the proposed project site for Planning Commission meetings. There was only
one Park & Recreation Commissioner (Don Roberts) in attendance at the 1996 meeting and no
official meeting notices were required.
M
Ray Musante suggested placing meeting notices on the cable TV bulletin board channel. Mrs.
Musante noted that there continues to be overuse and abuse of the park by large groups and by dog
owners who stop and let dogs free to run from their car. She stated that pooper scoopers help for
those who want to be responsible. She and other neighbors often ask other dog owners to use
scoops and to pickup after their dog. She expects more large group use problems now that good
weather seems to have arrived. She also asked if future Recreation Program Brochures could show
"No Large Group Picnics at Cuernavaca Park." She reported seeing one youth baseball team
practicing on the park ballfield, even though the park was marked closed and the gate was locked.
The team coach reportedly told her that he and the team had climbed over the fence in order to use
the field.
Mr. Musante stated that there are ongoing problems in the area of the shade structure, issues such
as abandoned hypodermic syringes, broken glass bottles, etc. He also expressed his concern over
the fact that there is no telephone available at the park. Director Williams and Chairman Nilmeyer
noted that public telephones do create problems and can lead to inappropriate behavior. Most City
parks do not have public telephones.
Commissioner Pera asked staff to contact the Police Chief and to ask for additional Police
Department activity in the park through the spring -summer -fall seasons.
OLD BUSINESS
1. Review of Staff Proposal to Remove Three Basketball Standards. Director Williams had
provided a staff report recommending that staff remove three of the six basketball standards
at Cuernavaca Park in order to respond to reported use problems at the park. Neighbors
have reported that groups of young adults monopolize the courts by playing full court, thus
not allowing others to play on the side baskets. Other reports state that large groups of
young adult also disturb neighbors with loud music boom boxes and noisy behavior after the
consumption of alcoholic beverages during long stints of basketball play. Cuernavaca Park
has six basketball standards. No other City park has more than two basketball standards.
In other City parks where the same types of behaviors have occurred, the Commission has
recommended that basketball standards be removed (Victoria and Ray Parks) so that full
court play can be eliminated. Full court play opportunities are available at virtually every
local school site and at Washington Park.
Dr. Raskoff stated that removing lengthwise full court play opportunities would not
necessarily eliminate all problems since he had observed some older young people playing a
full court game, cross court.
Commissioner Kelly noted that basketball backstops have had to be removed at other City
parks. Commissioner Piccetti asked staff about the costs involved in removing basketball
standards. Director Williams reported that Parks Division staff is capable of removing
2
basketball standards or installing new ones. New basketball standards and backboards can
be quite expensive to purchase, however.
Commissioner Larios suggested that two basketball standards might be removed and the
over four moved or relocated so as to prohibit full court play.
Youth Advisory Commissioner Klimen stated that she sometimes plays basketball on the
Cuernavaca Court and has encountered few of the problems that have been reported.
It was moved by Commissioner Larios, seconded by Vice Chairman Kelly and approved 7-0
to ask staff to return at the May meeting of the Commission with a plan to remove two or
three basketball standards and reposition the others so as to discourage full court play.
2. Review of Commission C I.P. Priority List. Commissioners reviewed the priority list
developed at the March Commission meeting and no changes were made.
3. Discussion of Teen Activity Program and Possible Teen Interest Survey. Williams
presented two teen interest surveys that had been made by staff and the Commission during
the past three years. Williams reviewed the history of the City Council Teen Blue Ribbon
Study Committee which met in 1996-97. The Committee began the work necessary to
begin the Aquatic Center project and recommended the development of the teen recreation
program now in place in the Recreation Division.
Youth Advisory Commissioner Getchel presented a copy of a recent teen survey from San
Carlos and noted that the two recent Burlingame surveys had primarily focused on
recreation activities and recreation program interests. Williams noted that the Parks &
Recreation Department staff are Recreation professionals and there has been no direction to
move into the area of human services or social services programming.
Recreation Supervisor Tricia Pinney is the staff member assigned to supervise the part time
Teen Coordinator and the teen activity program. She noted that the cities of San Carlos
and Belmont have been doing some exciting programming for teens in recent years. She
reported on some of the highs and lows experienced by staff in working with the new teen
program over recent months.
Commissioner Lembi recalled serving on the Teen Park and Recreation Committee when he
was a teenager. He expressed his opinion that the City Council might be supportive of a
Youth Parks & Recreation Committee with representatives from each school.
Commissioner Larios noted that, although 50% of Burlingame High students do not live in
Burlingame, many would participate in after school activities. Larios also stated that he
believes that the City, School, Burlingame Together and other community groups need to
get into the human services area. He stated that high school students do drink and
elementary school kids do do drugs. He is not sure that the community really is aware of
the problems that kids have in 1998.
It was the consensus of the Commission to recommend to the City Council that the Council
appoint a new Blue Ribbon Teen Study Committee to review issues involving teens in
Burlingame.
NEW BUSINESS
There was no new business to come before the Commission or to schedule for May.
Capital Improvement Project Status Updates.
A. Recreation Center. The remodel project is almost completed.
B. Paloma & Alpine Tot Lots. Director Williams reported that the final plans and
specifications for these two projects are nearly complete. Bidding will be advertised
within the next two weeks. The City Manager has announced that the J Lot Tot Lot
rehabilitation will be scheduled for Spring, 1999 and the 5-Year C.I.P. Plan has
Laguna and Trenton Tot Lots scheduled for the 1999-200017Y.
C. Washington Park Restroom Rehabilitation. Williams stated that the final purchase
and installation contract for the restroom building is being completed at this time.
The modular restroom unit may be in place before Art in the Park in June.
D. Washington Park Tennis Court Resurfacing. This project to cleanup tennis court
"bumps" and to resurface the courts has been bid and will be completed in May.
E. Burlingame Aquatic Center. Williams presented the most recent submittal of partial
Aquatic Center plans (65% completed). The project is still on schedule for Fall
construction.
F. BHS Running Track. Commissioner Larios reported that the Burlingame High
Booster Club has raised adequate funds so that the track resurfacing project can
proceed. He expects that the project will be bid in the month of May.
G. Landfill Closure and Bayside Park Masterplan. Williams gave Commissioners a
copy of the most recent proposed Landfill and Bayside Park Masterplan. Work will
be starting on the Bayside Park masterplan soon and the Environmental Review
process Scoping Meeting is scheduled for Thursday, April 23 at City Hall.
rd
H. Bayside Park Soccer/Ballfield Lights. Williams reported that the bid for
construction of lights at Bayside Park has been awarded. A pre -construction
meeting was held Monday, April 12 and soccer and baseball league representatives
attended the meeting. Construction will start in June at the conclusion of the BYBA
baseball season and will, hopefully, be completed before the beginning of the soccer
season.
BYBA Batting Cage in Washington Park. Williams stated that construction should
be started on this project by the end of April.
2. Parks Division Report. Director Williams noted that the spring baseball and softball season
is now underway. Maintenance staff is busy with ballfield maintenance activities. The City
was fortunate during the past winter to have had minimal tree problems during the storm
season.
Recreation Division Report. Director Williams reported that the Summer Recreation
Program Brochure has been mailed and the busiest time of the calendar year has arrived.
Superintendent Schwartz will be presenting a "show and tell' session with Burlingame
senior citizens to showcase how a future senior drop -in center has been planned in the
newly remodeled Recreation Center. Hopefully, this event will pique interest in local
seniors and will translate into financial support for the next phase of Recreation Center
remodeling.
Recreation Supervisor Pinney presented fliers for the upcoming Art in the Park show and
discussed some of the programs which she manages for the City.
4. Commissioner Reports.
Commissioner Piccetti noted the lack of problems with large trees during the winter storms
and suggested that the good work of the City tree crew probably was a significant factor in
the lack of problems this year.
The meeting was adjourned by Chairman Nihneyer at 8:38 p.m.
Respectfully Submitted,
J W. Williams
Parks & Recreation Director