HomeMy WebLinkAbout04/03/2014
B A K E R S F I E L D
Staff: Committee Members
Rhonda Smiley, Assistant to the City Manager Jacquie Sullivan, Chair
Bob Smith
Willie Rivera
REGULAR MEETING OF THE
COMMUNITY SERVICES COMMITTEE
of the City Council - City of Bakersfield
Thursday, April 3, 2014 – 12:00 p.m.
City Hall North
1600 Truxtun Avenue, Bakersfield, CA 93301
First Floor, Conference Room A
A G E N D A
1. ROLL CALL
2. ADOPT MARCH 6, 2014 AGENDA SUMMARY REPORT
3. PUBLIC STATEMENTS
4. NEW BUSINESS
A. Discussion and Recommendation regarding Feasibility of Installing Artificial
Turf in Medians – Hoover / Fidler
5. COMMITTEE COMMENTS
6. ADJOURNMENT
B A K E R S F I E L D
Committee Members:
Rhonda Smiley, Assistant to the City Manager Jacquie Sullivan, Chair
Bob Smith
Willie Rivera
AGENDA SUMMARY REPORT
SPECIAL MEETING OF THE
COMMUNITY SERVICES COMMITTEE MEETING
Thursday, March 6, 2014
12:00 p.m.
City Hall North
First Floor - Conference Room A
1600 Truxtun Avenue, Bakersfield CA 93301
The meeting was called to order at 12:05 P.M.
1. ROLL CALL
Committeemembers Present:
Councilmember Jacquie Sullivan, Chair
Councilmember Bob Smith
Committee member Absent:
Councilmember Willie Rivera
Staff Present:
Alan Tandy, City Manager Virginia Gennaro, City Attorney
Rhonda Smiley, Asst. to the City Manager Richard Iger, Associate Attorney
Steven Teglia, Asst. to the City Manager Raul Rojas, Public Works Director
Chris Huot, Asst. to the City Manager Nick Fidler, Asst. Public Works Director
Caleb Blaschke, Management Assistant Doug McIsaac, Com. Development Director
Dianne Hoover, Rec. & Parks Director Tom Jones, Park Construction/Facility Planner
Others Present:
Jaime Escudero, City in the Hills Homeowner Mary Brown, City in the Hills Homeowner
Heidi Carter Escudero, City in the Hills Homeowner
Community Services Committee Meeting
Agenda Summary Report
Thursday, March 6, 2014
Page 2
2. ADOPT JANUARY 9, 2014 AGENDA SUMMARY REPORT
Adopted as submitted
3. PUBLIC STATEMENTS
None
4. DEFERRED BUSINESS
A. Update Regarding the Possible Expansion of Mesa Marin Sports Complex, Phase 2 –
Tandy / Hoover
Assistant to the City Manager Steven Teglia stated Vice-Mayor Ken Weir and City
Manager Alan Tandy, along with other City staff, hosted a public meeting on
February 13th with the City in the Hills community regarding the park land exchange
concept and addressed questions and comments. The response to the proposed
land exchange was positive, with only a few dissenting opinions.
City Manager Alan Tandy stated several residents who are supportive of the
concept want certain assurances that the development of the 10 acres will be
compatible with what currently exists in the neighborhood. The City’s Property
Manager intends to pursue a tentative contractual agreement with the land owner
involved with the land exchange. It will be presented for consideration by the
Planning Commission and then by the full City Council.
City Attorney Virginia Gennaro stated it is important that all who are affected by
the project are informed as to future meetings so they have the opportunity to be
present to speak on the project.
City in the Hills homeowner Heidi Carter Escudero thanked City Manager Tandy for
clarifying that the concept and agreement will first be presented to the Planning
Commission so she can speak before them to express her perspective. She also
stated she would not like to see the 10 acres within the neighborhood lost, but
would instead like to see it developed with a xeriscaping concept. Ms. Carter also
stated that Mesa Marin is a large sports complex, not a family orientated park, and
that the installation of regular park amenities will only increase the danger for the
neighborhood children as they will have to cross Highway 178.
City in the Hills homeowner Mary Brown stated she is concerned with what will
happen to home property values in the area. She also stated she would not like to
see the 10 acres of land intended for a park lost.
City Manager Tandy stated that although Mesa Marin is currently a large sports
complex, the installation of regular park amenities, such as a dog park, a skate
park, and picnic areas, among others, would change the concept of the complex
into a family orientated park. A community meeting to discuss the specific
alternative amenities for installation at Mesa Marin will be held. In addition, several
safety features will be incorporated into the Highway 178 improvement project.
Community Services Committee Meeting
Agenda Summary Report
Thursday, March 6, 2014
Page 3
Recreation and Parks Director Dianne Hoover stated a new elementary and junior
high school is opening in the fall, therefore, the community located on the other
side of the Mesa Marin Sports Complex would also be invited to attend the
community outreach meeting.
Committee member Bob Smith asked if Mesa Marin Sports Complex was strictly a
pay to play facility with no public access to the fields.
Recreation and Parks Director Hoover stated the fields are located in an enclosed
fence, which is locked. There is a high level of maintenance associated with the
fields, including, stripping the fields during the day in preparation for evening play
which takes place daily. Therefore, there is no public access to the fields. There is
no charge for spectators to watch the games when they occur.
City Manager Tandy also presented a map detailing the current Mesa Marin sports
complex, the land exchange area, and another map detailing the future concept
area. Assistant to the City Manager Teglia also provided details pertaining to the
current park located in the City in the Hills neighborhood and the surrounding area.
Committee Chair Jacquie Sullivan asked when the land exchange concept was
developed. She also asked how much land acreage the Sports Village and Mesa
Marin Sports Complex each contained.
Recreation and Parks Director Hoover stated Mesa Marin Sports Complex would be
approximately 80 acres of recreational park area including the land exchange
concept and the Sports Village was about 160 acres of recreational park area and
30 acres of commercial development area.
City Manager Tandy stated that Vice-Mayor Weir envisioned having a similar facility
like the Sports Village in the southwest in the northwest area. Staff researched the
possibility for expansion, and happened to cross paths with a developer who owns
land and wants to trade and/or sell it.
Committee member Bob Smith asked if there was any action that the Committee
needed to take at this point.
City Manager Tandy stated no action was required at this time. City Attorney
Gennaro stated there will be plenty of time for interested citizens to appear before
the Planning Commission and then the full City Council, during the public hearing
portion of each meeting.
Committee member Bob Smith asked what the majority of the neighborhood
supported.
Assistant to the City Manager Teglia stated the residents were in support of the land
exchange opportunity. It would provide many additional amenities that they would
like for their community in a much quicker time frame than leaving the land
undeveloped for an undetermined amount of time.
Community Services Committee Meeting
Agenda Summary Report
Thursday, March 6, 2014
Page 4
B. Discussion and Committee Recommendation Regarding Adoption of the 2014
Committee Meeting Schedule - Smiley
Adopted as submitted
5. COMMITTEE COMMENTS
None
6. ADJOURNMENT
The meeting adjourned at 1:00 P.M.
cc: Honorable Mayor and Council
City of Bakersfield · Department of Recreation & Parks · 1600 Truxtun Avenue, 3rd Floor
Bakersfield · California · 93301
(661) 326-3866 · Fax (661) 852-2140
DEPARTMENT OF RECREATION & PARKS
DIANNE HOOVER, DIRECTOR
Department of Recreation and Parks
Date: March 26, 2014
To: Alan Tandy, City Manager
From: Dianne Hoover, Director of Recreation & Parks
Subject: Artificial Grass in Newly Constructed Medians
Council Referral No. 450
There are currently two (2) sites where synthetic turf, as a replacement for natural grass,
has been installed by the City of Bakersfield:
A test site on a small median island on Stine Road, just south of Panama Lane
was installed in August, 2012;
The natural grass at the south and east exterior areas of City Hall North was
replaced with synthetic turf in June, 2013, in part, because of drainage
problems related to watering the natural turf.
While we are pleased with the results at both sites, to date, it should be noted that
installation of synthetic turf, particularly in street medians, must be evaluated on a case-
by-case basis, as each site and situation requires a detailed evaluation by staff and
contractors.
The following information provides some background including the benefits and
challenges of installing artificial, or synthetic, turf.
The look and quality of synthetic turf has improved significantly in just the last few years.
When installed properly, it can be difficult to tell the difference between synthetic turf
Councilmember Sullivan requested that the Community Services Committee
evaluate the feasibility of installing artificial turf in newly installed medians.
City of Bakersfield · Department of Recreation & Parks · 1600 Truxtun Avenue, 3rd Floor
Bakersfield · California · 93301
(661) 326-3866 · Fax (661) 852-2140
and real grass; especially from a car travelling at moderate speeds. Synthetic turf will
also look more natural if real plants and trees are installed in tree wells, or where small
boulders and rocks can be added.
Most artificial turf products consist largely of recycled materials, which should result in
lower prices and an increasingly environmental friendly product in the future. One
manufacturer’s synthetic products are made of components that are all completely
recyclable; their practice is likely to become the standard for the industry.
City of Bakersfield Landscape Standards Pertaining to Street Medians
The current City of Bakersfield Landscape Standard establishes a minimum width and
length of 8’ and 50’, respectively, for the installation of grass and landscaping within
street medians. The optimum width for irrigation efficiency is between 10’ and 15’, plus
an 18” concrete border, which lessens the overflow of water onto the street and creates
a buffer for those working on the medians.
If we broaden the installation of synthetic turf, in appropriate areas, we will need to
develop corresponding landscape standards, including minimum dimensions. An
advantage of synthetic turf is that it can easily be installed in areas as narrow as 1’ wide,
such as on medians adjacent to left turn storage lanes. However, typically, as the
installed width narrows, the price per square foot will increase.
Additionally, since synthetic turf does not require sprinklers or mowing, the 18” concrete
border is not necessary for keeping irrigation water off the roads or for establishing a
buffer between moving traffic and maintenance staff. However, while the 18” concrete
border would not be essential for mowing and irrigation purposes, it would assist in
making the synthetic turf appear more realistic, and would be consistent with existing
street landscape themes.
Process for Installation of Natural Turf in Existing Unimproved Medians
Establishing new utility services for an existing, unimproved median typically requires new
water and electric meters, new backflow devices, and new irrigation pedestal/timers.
Boring and/or open trenching along/across roadways to connect to existing services is
often cost prohibitive, unless it was included as part of the original installation of the
median.
Most of our existing non-landscaped medians contain either an asphalt surface (such as
Truxtun Avenue, west of Mohawk), subsurface (Union Avenue) or soils that are unsuitable
for planting without the addition of costly amendments (such as areas of the Calloway
Drive median & Stockdale Parkway, which have toxic levels of sodium).
Synthetic turf does not require soil amendments or optimal size limitations. In the event
future left turn lanes are added; (such as on Calloway south of Olive), synthetic turf can
be removed and reinstalled elsewhere.
City of Bakersfield · Department of Recreation & Parks · 1600 Truxtun Avenue, 3rd Floor
Bakersfield · California · 93301
(661) 326-3866 · Fax (661) 852-2140
Cost Considerations
The component costs of natural sod include land, water, fertilizer, labor and fuel, which
generally trend upward. Consequently, natural sod prices tend to increase or accelerate
their current price inflation of about .01 cent per square foot every other year. Higher
costs for labor, water, fertilizer and fuel will also increase the maintenance costs for
natural grass each year. High quality perennial rye grass seed which is used for over
seeding has experienced significant and sustained price increases over the past five
years.
Higher fuel and labor costs will also contribute to higher maintenance costs for synthetic
turf, but likely at a more modest level. Another benefit of synthetic turf is that it is green
year-round, without the cost of over seeding or turf dye, whereas hybrid Bermuda goes
dormant and brown from December through March. In addition, synthetic turf does not
produce weeds, or develop fungus or dead spots, thus eliminating the need for spraying.
The major disadvantage with synthetic turf is the replacement cost. Most manufacturers
will warranty their product for 10 years, so it is likely the turf would need to be removed
and replaced every 10-12 years.
Water Savings
Perhaps the greatest advantage of synthetic turf is in irrigation savings, which is
becoming increasingly important as drought conditions prevail. During a typical July,
natural turf sod in the San Joaquin Valley requires about 1.5” of water per week,
according to industry standards. This equals 935 gallons of water each week per every
1,000 square foot of natural turf that is planted. Also, a 10’ wide 1,000 square foot
median requires twenty-two (22) popup sprinklers for every 100 linear feet of turf. Those
22 sprinklers may break, leak, or overspray onto the roadway. Water expenses have
increased substantially in the last 10 years as measured both by monthly meter fees. The
price per 100 cubic feet and is projected to increase further.
Staff Recommendation
Based on the favorable experience with the existing test sites, to date, staff recommends
the addition of several more test sites on several existing, non-improved medians at
various locations throughout the city. Staff will provide a presentation on the proposed
locations and associated costs at the meeting.
If we proceed with the installation of additonal test sites, we will need to monitor them for
such elements as the accumulation of dirt, ability to maintain appropriate color,
movement of the sand base, and to observe for any other circumstances that may arise.
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