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HomeMy WebLinkAboutItem 12a - Possible Reconsideration of Basketball Courts at Eisenhower ParkPossible Reconsideration of Vote re Basketball Courts at Eisenhower Park September 3, 2019 Page 1 of 3 DATE: September 3, 2019 TO: Honorable Mayor and City Council FROM: Dominic Lazzaretto, City Manager Prepared by: Lisa Mussenden, Chief Deputy City Clerk SUBJECT: POSSIBLE RECONSIDERATION OF ACTION TAKEN AT THE AUGUST 20, 2019, CITY COUNCIL MEETING REGARDING BASKETBALL COURTS AT EISENHOWER PARK Recommendation: Provide Direction SUMMARY At its August 20, 2019, meeting, the City Council discussed adding basketball courts within the scope of the Eisenhower Park Improvement Project. On a 3-2 vote, the City Council approved Option 4 to continue with construction of the Eisenhower Park Improvement Project with no modifications to the scope of work. Since that time, at least one member of the majority on that decision has indicated to the City Manager at least some willingness to consider the item further. Given that time is of the essence for this project, this item has been placed on the agenda in advance of any formal request for reconsideration by the City Council as a whole. This staff report will include options for possible reconsideration of action taken at the August 20, 2019, City Council meeting and also includes an additional option for adding basketball courts at Eisenhower Park that has been developed by staff. This agenda item will allow for discussion and direction on the subject of adding basketball courts at the park. A copy of the August 20, 2019, City Council staff report is attached. DISCUSSION If the City Council wishes to reconsider its action taken on August 20, 2019, the following actions must be accomplished: 1. A motion to reconsider the prior action taken regarding the basketball courts at Eisenhower Park at the City Council meeting on August 20, 2019, must be made by a City Council Member who voted in the majority on that decision. That is, a motion for reconsideration may only be made by Mayor Pro Tem Chandler or Possible Reconsideration of Vote re Basketball Courts at Eisenhower Park September 3, 2019 Page 2 of 3 Council Members Beck or Tay. The motion may then be seconded by any Council Member, including any member of the minority on that decision. The motion to reconsider must pass with a majority vote of the City Council. 2. If a motion to reconsider is adopted, then the City Council may consider any of the options presented in the previous staff report (attached) as well as any new concepts that they wish. Option 5 A fifth alternative has been developed as a variation for the single court that was proposed to be placed between the baseball fields and the children’s play equipment. Rather than orient the court in a north-south direction in the center of the park, the court could be placed in an east-west direction and moved as close to the storm channel as possible. This would have the effect of moving the court as far away from the children’s play areas as possible while still preserving the open turf area on the southern end of the park. A schematic of this option is included in this staff report. An extended fence or netting would be required along the storm channel in that area; however, no fencing would be required around the court itself, unless it was desired as an additional protective measure. It is also likely that no additional trees would need to be removed to accommodate the court. As a result, the cost estimate would be the same $180,000 as previously given for a single court in this central area of the park. Project Timeline Implications Should the City Council choose to add basketball courts to the scope of work at this point, it would delay the project approximately one month, to May 2020, due to redesign and regrading that would need to occur; however, the baseball fields would still be ready for opening in January 2020. The costs associated with the time delays have been included in the cost estimates presented with each option. ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSIS The proposed project at Eisenhower Park has already undergone environmental review. It has been found to be exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act in that it is a minor alteration of an existing use. FISCAL IMPACT The total cost of the Eisenhower Park Improvement Project is $6,300,000 and will be fully funded by Park Impact Fees. In addition, a standard 10% contingency was approved to cover potential unforeseen costs or circumstances such as adverse soil conditions, drainage concerns, unknown field conditions, and the like. No General Fund money will be needed for this Project. Depending on the decision made by the City Council to include one or two basketball courts to the Eisenhower Park Renovation Project, an additional Possible Reconsideration of Vote re Basketball Courts at Eisenhower Park September 3, 2019 Page 3 of 3 $180,000 to $250,000 from the Parks Impact Fee Fund will be included to the Project total. RECOMMENDATION It is recommended that the City Council consider: (1) adopting a motion to reconsider its action taken at the August 20, 2019, City Council meeting; and (2) selecting an option for the addition of a basketball court within the Eisenhower Park Improvement Project. Attachments: August 20, 2019, City Council Staff Report Proposed Map of Basketball Courts (Option 5) Eisenhower Park Improvement Project August 20, 2019 Page 1 of 4 DATE: August 20, 2019 TO: Honorable Mayor and City Council FROM: Tom Tait, Public Works Services Director Sara Somogyi, Director of Recreation and Community Services SUBJECT: REPORT, DISCUSSION, AND DIRECTION REGARDING BASKETBALL COURTS WITHIN THE EISENHOWER PARK IMPROVEMENT PROJECT Recommendation: Provide Direction SUMMARY On June 4, 2019, The City Council awarded a contract to Byrom-Davey, Inc. to provide professional design-build services for the Eisenhower Park Improvement Project . The proposed project includes playground equipment, a lighted perimeter walking path, synthetic turf baseball fields, shaded bleachers, and dog park improvements. At the August 6, 2019, City Council meeting, the City Council took action to request an item be placed on the August 20, 2019, City Council Meeting agenda to discuss adding basketball courts within the scope of the Eisenhower Park Improvement Project. This agenda item will allow for discussion and direction on the subject of basketball courts at the park. BACKGROUND The Recreation and Parks Master Plan (“Master Plan”) is a guiding policy document that prioritizes future recommendations for growth, development, and implementation strategies related to parks and recreation services. The recommendations proposed were based on a detailed assessment of community demographics, needs of the community, existing conditions of recreation and parks facilities, and effectiveness of the various recreation and community services programs. Before finalizing the Master Plan at the end of two years of development, the City of Arcadia’s Recreation and Community Services Department had provided 23 different public outreach opportunities, including:  stakeholder interviews  web surveys  printed surveys  phone surveys Eisenhower Park Improvement Project August 20, 2019 Page 2 of 4  surveys of City staff  community outreach meetings before the Leadership Academy, Chamber of Commerce, Arcadia Chinese Association, and Arcadia Sports User Groups  a joint meeting with Los Angeles County on parks use in Arcadia  outreach at communitywide special events such as the Concerts in the Park, movies, and snow festival  a neighborhood meeting near the park  public meetings before the Recreation and Parks Commission, Planning Commission, and City Council On August 1, 2017, the City Council adopted the Master Plan , including a scope of work for the Eisenhower Park Improvement Project. On February 28, 2019, a community meeting was held to discuss the Eisenhower Park Improvement Project. Additionally, the Public Works Services Department and Recreation and Community Services Department presented the proposed Eisenhower Park Improvements at a March 5, 2019, study session of the City Council. The discussions included information on new themed playground equipment, lighted perimeter walking path, synthetic turf baseball fields, shaded bleachers, and dog park improvements. There are two main reasons for the basketballs courts were not recommended in the project. The first reason dates all the way back the 2007, when outside groups would swarm the park and host unsanctioned tournaments. The Recreation and Community Services Department along with the Police Department at that time recommended that this type of use at the facility be suspended, which the City Council ultimately approved. Periodically, staff still receives complaints that the tournaments continue to take place, and these comments were echoed from individuals who commented during the Recreation and Parks Master Plan process. Second, the ADA upgrades for the parking lot and restroom facilities cause the footprint of the project to shift, making less room for the courts to comfortably fit into the park. Placing courts next to the children’s playground area would create possible conflicts between uses at the facility. That is, spillover from the basketball court use could go into the playground, causing injuries and other negative effects. Moreover, the southern end of the park has traditionally been used for picnics and passive activities. In fact, the current shelter there is the City’s most popular picnic area. Basketball courts in that area would disrupt the picnic area with added commotion and possible spillover, thus effectively eliminating the only unprogrammed greenspace in the park and hindering the enjoyment of those using the picnic area. Currently, the City of Arcadia and the Arcadia Unified School District have a Joint Use Agreement for the lighted basketball courts at First Avenue Middle School. Additio nally, there are courts at Arcadia High School, which are available for public use. Therefore, although the elimination of basketball courts was not ideal, open basketball play will Eisenhower Park Improvement Project August 20, 2019 Page 3 of 4 continue to exist within the community even if the courts were eliminated at Eisenhower Park. DISCUSSION At the August 6, 2019, Council Meeting, the City Council requested additional information on cost and options for adding one or two basketball courts within the Eisenhower Park Improvement Project scope. The City Council may consider the following options for the addition of basketball courts within the Eisenhower Park Project: 1. Utilize Park Impact Fee Funds to renovate the basketball courts located at Camino Grove School and install additional fencing and parking lot improvements. This will allow the public to have access to the three basketball courts there. The basketball courts and parking lot are on City property, but have been used exclusively for school use over the years. The cost for this work is approximately $21,000. 2. Approve a change order to the contract with Byrom-Davey, Inc. to construct one or two basketball courts within the Eisenhower Park Improvement Project. The cost per basketball court is $120,000 and an appropriation from the Park Impact Fee Fund would be necessary. See attached Exhibit “A” for possible location for basketball court(s). If the council chooses Exhibit “A”, strong consideration should also be given to increasing the height of the fencing in that area. The cost to extend the height of the existing chain-link fencing is approximately $10,000. Therefore, adding two courts as shown in Exhibit “A” with fencing would cost approximately $250,000. 3. Approve a change order to the contract with Byrom-Davey, Inc. to construct one basketball court within the Eisenhower Park Improvement Project as shown in Exhibit “B”. Due to additional grading and concrete work, the cost for adding one court as shown in Exhibit “B” would be approximately $180,000. 4. Continue with construction for the Eisenhower Park Improvement Project and do no modification to the scope of work. It is possible to complete any combination of Options 1-3 above; however, Park Impact Fee funds are limited and have been fully programmed for future phases of the Parks Master Plan implementation over the coming years. Therefore, any additional appropriations at this time will require delaying or omitting other elements of future projects that were included in the Master Plan. Due to the cost and the previously identified concerns, it is recommended that the City Council pursue Option 1 to establish three additional basketball courts for open play at Eisenhower Park Improvement Project August 20, 2019 Page 4 of 4 Camino Grove School. Should the City Council wish to add basketball to Eisenhower Park’s redevelopment plan, it is recommended that only one court be added in order to minimize potential negative impacts to other uses in the park as well as costs. ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSIS This Project is considered a Class 1 exemption as defined in Section 15301 “Existing Facilities” Projects of the California Environmental Quality Act (“CEQA”), which exempts projects consisting of the minor alteration of existing public structures. A Notice of Exemption has already been filed with the County. FISCAL IMPACT The total cost of the Eisenhower Park Improvement Project $6,300,000 and will be fully funded by Park Impact Fees. Park Impact Fees may only be used for acquisition of parkland, park expansion, and typical park improvements such as those recommended for the Eisenhower Park Improvement Project. In addition, a standard 10% contingency was approved to cover potential unforeseen costs or circumstances such as adverse soil conditions, drainage concerns, unknown field conditions, and the like. This contingency, if needed, would also be funded by Park Impact Fund. No General Fund money will be needed for this Project. If the City Council decides to include one or two basketball courts to the Eisenhower Park Renovation Project, an additional $120,000 for each basketball court and $10,000 for extension of existing chain -link fence from the Parks fund will be included to the Project total. If the City Council wishes to create open play basketball courts at Camino Grove School, then the cost would be approximately $21,000. An appropriation would be necessary from the Park Impact Fees Fund. RECOMMENDATION It is recommended that the City Council provide direction on options for the addition of basketball courts within the Eisenhower Park Improvement Project. 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