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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMin - PR - 1996.11.21MEETING MINUTES Burlingame Park and Recreation Commission Thursday, November 21, 1996 The regular meeting of the Burlingame Park and Recreation Commission was called to order by Chairman Don Roberts at 7:33 p.m. in Conference Room A, Burlingame City Hall. ROLL CALL Commissioners Present Commissioners Absent: Staff Present: Guests Present: MINUTES Kelly, Larios, Nilmeyer, Nyhan, Pera, Piccetti, Roberts and Youth Advisory Commissioner Dougherty Youth Commissioner Cretan Parks & Recreation Director Williams, Recreation Superintendent Schwartz Richard Cottrell, 1685 Hunt Drive, Burlingame; Marti Knight, 455 Chatham, Burlingame The Minutes of the October 17 Regular Meeting were approved as presented. OLD BUSINESS Teen Programs and Activities. A. Director Williams presented the survey of local agency teen program budgets which he recently completed at the request of Mayor O'Mahony. The recent program survey of teens and parents had been sent to Commissioners in their, meeting packets. B. Williams reported on activities of the City Council teen study committee. The committee has met once and will meet again in January. Two subcommittees have been formed and are working: 1) Burlingame High Swim Pool. The sub committee will interview architects in December. It is anticipated that the City and High School District will jointly hire an architect to do a feasibility study and to develop some alternative pool rehabilitation schemes. 2) Teen Programs. The sub committee is scheduled to meet on December 11. 2. Cuernavaca Park Concerns. Williams and Chairman Roberts reported on the recent meeting with Cuernavaca Park neighbors. (See attached report of the meeting) Several of the Commissioners commented on their observations at the park. Williams reported that a work order has been put in requesting that Public Works repair the parking lot floodlight that currently is not in working condition. Parks staff will be installing a stand in the park to dispense free dog "pooper eco scoops." Police Sgt. Ransom is working with night shift patrol officers to improve police patrols through the area. Williams will work with the new City Attorney to determine if any items should be added to the Municipal Code to facilitate law enforcement in the park. Cuernavaca Park neighbor Richard Cottrell addressed the Commission. He stated that his position on park activities and problems were somewhat different than those of his neighbors. He likes the park and believes it to be well used by a variety of persons. He praised City Police for their responsiveness to calls for service and he also stated that the Parks Division staff does an outstanding job of maintaining and cleaning the park. Mr. Cottrell was not as concerned about the use of the basketball courts and felt that most park users are polite and considerate when asked to turn down amplified music, etc. He did state that, although the shade structure is used from time to time, it is in need of repair and did violate the neighbors understanding of what the height limit for construction was supposed to have been. Commissioner Kelly suggested that the full court basketball standards be removed so that young children could still play on the small cross courts. It was noted that eliminating full court play at Pershing and Victoria Parks have greatly reduced conflicts and neighbor noise complaints at those parks. Commissioner Larios stated his concern that neighbors be fully involved in the review process for any proposed changes in the shade structure or park facilities. Williams said that he will fully involve park area residents in any discussions about park changes or improvements. Commissioner Nyhan said that his inspection of the shade structure revealed that it was in need of repair and that fire marks on the walls indicated that the structure had been in danger of burning at some point in the past. Chairman Roberts proposed just removing the rim from one of the backboards on the east - west axis of the basketball court on a trial basis. That would eliminate full court games, but minimize the staff time needed to remove standards. It will be simple to put the court back into play if it is later decided that full court play is desirable. It was moved by Chairman Roberts, seconded by Commissioner Kelly and approved 7-0 to recommend that the rim on the east basketball standard at Cuernavaca Park be removed in order to reduce conflicts with full court users for a trial period of time. 2 Several Commissioners spoke in favor of studying the concept of removing the current park shade structure and reconfiguring the former group picnic area with less tables and better sight lines for public and police surveillance. Williams has made preliminary contact with a landscape architecture and can have alternative plans and a cost estimate available for consideration during the coming budget review period. It was moved by Commissioner Kelly, seconded by Chairman Roberts and passed 7-0 to concur with the steps taken by staff re Cuernavaca Park to date and to recommend that a landscape architect be hired to draft some alternative removal and renovation schemes for the shade structure and group picnic area that can be considered with the 1997-98 capital improvement project budget. Franklin Field Update. Williams provided a staff report describing recent problems at Franklin Field with the irrigation system and with field drainage. Williams believes that there are two separate issues: irrigation and drainage. A plan has been worked -out by the field maintenance contractor and the project architect to replace all sprinkler heads, move all heads slightly, and install one new sprinkler line to give more flexibility in irrigating. This work will be done in February and will impact field use during February and March. Staff will continue to work with the landscape architect on the drainage issues. 4. Washinaton Park Tennis Court Bumns. Williams report that the issue of tennis court "bumps" is now in the arbitration process. 5. Burlingame Intermediate School Athletic Field Rehab. Williams reported that the project has been completed and turf and landscaping materials have been planted. There is a 90 day maintenance period for the contractor while the turf is being established. In response to Commissioner questions, Williams responded that he is preparing a proposal and cost analysis for use if the City wishes to consider whether or not the Parks Division staff should take on school athletic field maintenance. This proposal will be presented to the City Manager after the first of January. 6. Victoria Park Playground Rehab. Williams reported that the Victoria Park project is nearing completion, but has fallen considerably behind schedule. The contractor is finishing up final "punch list" items. The new playground area is attractive and is being used on a regular basis. 7. Ray Park Tennis/Athletic Court_Re1L. Williams reported that the project has been completed. The tennis courts are in use and the parks staff will install the new basketball backstop as soon as weather permits. NEW BUSINESS I. December meeting of the Commission. It was agreed that the December Commission meeting may be cancelled, if it is not necessary. Chairman Roberts and Director Williams will confer in early December and make a final decision. Commissioners will be notified of the meeting status. REPORTS Parks Division. Williams noted that November is a busy month for the tree crew because of the fall planting program and winter storms. Some parks maintenance staff members will now be assisting the tree crew during the fall and winter months. 2. Recreation Division. Director Williams reported: ■ The annual Holiday Tree Lighting ceremony at City Hall and the Holiday Open House on Burlingame Avenue will occur at 4:30 p.m., Friday, December 6. ■ Flag football and volleyball have wrapped at Burlingame Intermediate School. Basketball is now underway, with first games scheduled in early December. ■ The new Burlingame Together sponsored program matching senior citizens up with teenagers to learn about computers is underway. 20 seniors and 20 teens are presently meeting on a weekly basis. The Recreation Division and Burlingame HS are conducting the program. Burlingame Rotary will reimburse the high school for computer lab use. Commissioners. Commissioner Kelly expressed his concerns about the administration of the B.I.S. after school sports program. He stated that there had been problems with coaches in the past and that there was a problem with a football coach this past season. Too many young people are being used to coach in the program. Williams stated that recruiting coaches who can work from 3:00 to 5:00 p.m., in competition with every other program in the County, continues to be very difficult. Staff presently has recruited, assigned and trained coaches for 50 youth and B.I.S. basketball teams this season. Most of the elementary program coaches are adults and those teams can practice after 5:00 p.m. It is very difficult to get coaches from 3:00 to 5:00 p.m. when the B.I.S. program must be run. Staff welcomes suggestions or the names of potential coaches. Kelly repeated his prior meeting suggestion that the Recreation Division tap the community's volunteer resources to insure that at least one volunteer parent is assigned to each youth team. He felt that volunteers would come forward. They are trained from their work in other youth sports leagues. Williams stated that it would be very difficult to recruit parent volunteers for 3:00 p.m. work assignments. It will require considerable more staff time than is presently available to recruit, train, assign and manage up to 50 parent volunteers during the basketball season.. ■ Commissioner Larios stated that he has been advised by high school officials that the District will take down the tennis backboard practice wall behind the tennis courts. The wall has been heavily used by soccer players and the noise of the soccer balls hitting the wall has generated constant tennis player and neighbor complaints. PUBLIC COMMENT Marti Knight stated that when her son had participated in the B.I.S. sports program that the matter of parent drivers to away games had been a problem. Coaches were lax in scheduling drivers and in obtaining signed release forms from drivers. Williams will investigate what procedures are in place at this time. Commissioner Pera noted some of the problems he encounters in the management of the Hillsborough intermediate school athletic program. He stated that the B.I.S. program has a reputation as one of the better programs on the Peninsula. Hillsborough has many of the same problems experienced here, plus an ongoing financial problem, since the Town does not underwrite the program, as does the City of Burlingame. ADJOURNMENT The meeting was adjourned by Chairman Roberts at 9:16 p.m. Respectfully Submitted, Qi k�, . �4dvA� John W. Williams Parks & Recreation Director Attachments: #A. Report on Cuernavaca Park Neighbors Meeting #B. Letter re Cuernavaca Park from Richard Cottrell #C. Teen & Parent Interest Survey #D. Survey of City Teen Program Budgets 5