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HomeMy WebLinkAbout11/23/05 · B 'A, K E R S F I E L D CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE MEMORANDUM November 23, 2005 TO: Honorable Mayor and City Council Tandy, City Manager /~-/~ FROM: Alan SUBJECT: General Information 1. Our request for expansion of the City's sphere of influence will be heard by the LAFCO board next Tuesday, November 29th at 5:00 p.m. The LAFCO Director's recommendation, issued this week, is to deny any expansion of the City's SOl, whatsoever, and to deny adoption of our request for an update of the Municipal Services Review. Should the LAFCO board follow his recommendation in its entirety, we will not be allowed to honor the requests of the property owners who have already petitioned to be in the City. It is an understatement to say that there will be a huge disruption in their plans. It could cause some major projects that would correspondingly bring a variety of positive attributes to the community, to look elsewhere. With the upcoming holiday, and the inability to contact some of those who are closely involved in the process, it has been very difficult for us to conduct business on this critical issue this week. We will ask for a continuance at the hearing, in order to allow more time to analyze the circumstances and their consequences, in light of the LAFCO director's recommendation. We do not know, at this point, whether that request will be granted. 2. My duties on the Board of Directors of the California Redevelopment Association have created a conflict for me relative to the Council meeting of November 30th. After discussing the matter with the Vice Mayor, I am going to have Alan Christensen sit in for me that night. I will be here for calls and questions prior to the meeting however. 3. Responses to Council requests are enclosed, as follows: Councilmember Benham · Additional information pertaining to additional programs and a USA Swimming Program at McMurtrey Aquatics Center; Vice Mayor Maggard · Report on specialized grass that can be grown with treated water and the feasibility is using it for sports fields; Honorable Mayor and City Council November 23, 2005 Page 2 Councilmember Couch · Code enforcement investigation of motor homes parking in the Albertson's lot at Coffee and Olive Drive; · Councilmember Scrivner · Follow up to code enforcement actions at 900 San Vincente. AT:rs cc: Department Heads Pamela McCarthy, City Clerk Recreation CITY OF BAKERSHELD NOV 2 2.2005 &Parks DATE: November 21, 2005 TO: Alan Tandy, City Manager FROM: Dia~Recreation and Parks SUBJECT: Revisit Programming at McMurtrey Pool Ref001289 (Ward 2) In response to the .letter from Gary Ridgeway regarding additional programs and a USA Swimming Program sponsored by the City at the McMurtrey Aquatics Center. Mr. Ridgeway was contacted by staff and he offered some programming suggestions and assistance. He was unaware at the time he wrote the letter that Bakersfield Swim Club was now using McMurtrey and that other swim teams are interested if lanes become available at their requested times. He gave staff the names of four (4) organizations that offered USA Swimming Program sanctioned activities that would provide outreach to the minority community. We went to great lengths to obtain the small amount of information below. MeClamberg YMCA 1. A private swim club 2. USA Swim Program certified 3. Use city facilities for a fee Clovis 1. A private swim club 2. Use high school facilities for a fee 3. USA Swim Program certified Harlem Asphalt Green 1. A community partnership 2. A non-profit organization 3. Provider of health and fitness programs for Iow income 4. Aquatics in one of many programs 5. USA Swim Program certified Houston 1. USA Swim Program certified Mr. Ridgeway suggested we work with the school districts in developing a funding source for school children to attend drowning prevention programs at McMurtrey during physical educational times. We informed him that for the last several years, we have had an Aquatic Safety Awareness Program (ASAP) which is taken directly into the school's classrooms. It is our desire to continue this program until we access funding for a drowning prevention program or something similar. Pat Skeehan of CSUB was chairing a fundraising committee that was researching a grant with the Bakersfield City School District.~ On behalf of the original aquatic facility fundraising committee, Mr. Ridgeway offered assistance on any, grant writing, fundraising, etc. Also, staff performed an informal, survey of nineteen (19) cities throughout California with varied populations as to their possible affiiation with USA Swim Program. Ten (10) of these cities were not under the USA Swim Program and these private clubs were not sponsored by a city. Then we found six (6) city sponsored swim team programs but they were not a part of the USA Swim Program. We found three (3) Southern California cities sponsor swim teams but they were not sanctioned by the USA Swim Program. A great deal of staff time has been spent researching the viability of having a USA sanctioned Swim Team at McMu.rtrey pool. Our intention is to continue to serve as many residents as possible through our inexpensive swim teams that we offer every summer at each of our pools. As a recreational program, we are a feeder program for those who wish to compete at the USA sanctioned events. We will continue to offer practice space for those teams, and work on the possibility of hosting USA sanctioned meets in the future. NOV 2 22005' Ci'IY ~,/',fJl',(::l B A K E R S F I E L D Department of Recreation and Parks Date: November 22, 2005 To: Alan Tandy, City Manager From: Recreation and Parks Subject: Specialized Grasses Ref001252 ( Ward 3) Staff contacted Kern Farming Corporation who is the distributor of this new Kikuyugrass type for more information. They gave us a list of six (6) organizations that have used this new Kikuyugrass formula. They were: Hansen Dam Soccer Complex, Sylmar, Cal./Will Rogers State Park, Pacific Palisades, Cal./City of Oxnard, Oxnard, Cal./San Diego State University, San Diego, Cal./Ojai Unified School District, Ojai, Cal. and Calif. State University Long Beach, Long Beach, Cal. The distributor informed us the Kern County Agricultural Commissioner has just recently lifted the ban on the sale and growing of Kikuyugrass in Kern County. The research concluded several factors about Kikuyugrass being grown in the coastal area. It is very durable and grows well in the coastal climate unlike Bermuda grass, durability on the coast is poor and does not grow well due to the lack of heat and sun. There were not many examples in Kern County due to the previous ban, and its listing as a noxious weed. Reel mowers are the number one choice of mowing equipment due to the clean and accurate cut it produces. The rotary mowers chops the turf leafs leaving a very ragged and unkept appearance. This Kikuyugrass is very fast growing which has to be maintained and cared for regularly or it will tend to get out of control and unmanageable. Most agencies surveyed mowed 2-3 times per week to keep it under control. If we were to plant Kikuyugrass in the city, we would have to purchase reel mowers since we do not have them in our current equipment inventory. There is a constant buildup of heavy thatch with this Kikuyugrass. In order to maintain a healthy stand of turf it is best to de-thatch two (2) to three (3) times a year. We average de-thatching our parks, streetscapes and medians once a year at best. This is a very time consuming process along with the large amount of labor required. Kern Farming Corporation have a test plot growing in McFarland which we visited and inspected. After inspecting the area we will try this new turf breed in a yet to be determined small section in the city in the very near future. ' B A K E R S F I E L D ., M E M0 R A N D U M i I~0¥ ~ ~ ~00~ TO: Alan Tandy, City Manager FROM: ~anley Grady, Planning Director DATE: November 21, 2005 SUBJECT: Re: Motor Homes in Parking Lot Referral # 1327 Councilmember Couch referred to Code Enforcement to investigate motor homes parked in the Albertsons grocery store parking lot at Coffee and Olive Drive. Code Enforcement Officer Turk has been monitoring the Albertsons parking lot at the comer of Coffee and Olive Drive and has not observed a motor home as of this date. He will continue to monitor the location. TO: Alan Tandy, City Manager FROM: ~/~tanley Grady, Development Services Director DATE: November 10, 2005 SUBJECT: Re: Abandoned Vehicles, Trash and Graffiti. Referral # 1273 Councilmember Scrivner requested staff address the issue of numerous properties with abandoned vehicles, trash and graffiti on walls. (Photographs with corresponding addresses can be picked up in the City Clerk's office will-call box). The Code Enforcement Officer picked up the pictures at the City Clerk's office and investigated the area of 900 San Vicente. The vehicles at this location had already been abated pursuant to a previous action. The graffiti in the east alley of the 4200-4400 blocks of San Vicente was referred.to and abated by the Public Works graffiti removal department.