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HomeMy WebLinkAbout07/09/1996 BAKERSFIELD Irma Carson, Chair Mark Salvaggio Jacquie Sullivan Staff: John W. Stinson AGENDA COMMUNITY SERVICES COMMITTEE Tuesday, July 9, 1996 4:15 p.m. City Manager's Conference Room City Hall, Suite 201 1501 Truxtun Avenue Bakersfield, CA 1. ROLL CALL 2. APPROVAL OF APRIL 9, 1996 MINUTES 3. PRESENTATIONS 4. PUBLIC STATEMENTS 5. DEFERRED BUSINESS 6. NEW BUSINESS A. KERN RIVER PARKWAY PROJECTS 7. ADJOURNMENT John W. Stinson, Assistant City Manager JWS:jp E R $ F I E L D Alan Irma Carson, Chair Staff: W. Mark Salvaggio Jacquie Sullivan AGENDA SUMMARY REPORT COMMUNITY SERVICES COMMITTEE Tuesday, April'9, 1996 4:15 p.m. City Manager's Conference Room 1501 Truxtun Avenue, Suite 201 Bakersfield, CA 93301 1. ROLL CALL The meeting was called to order at 4:15 p~m. Members present:. Councilmember Irma Carson, Chair; and Councilmember Mark Salvaggio Members absent: Councilmember Jacquie Sullivan 2. APPROVAL OF February 15, 1996 MINUTES Approved as submitted: All Ayes. 3. PRESENTATIONS None. 4. PUBLIC STATEMENTS None. 5. DEFERRED BUSINESS None AGENDA SUMMARY REPORT Community Services Committee April 9, 1996 Page -2- 6. NEW BUSINESS A; KERN RIVER PARKWAY VOLUNTEER PROJECTS At the March 20 City Council meeting, requests were made by Occidental Oil and Gas Corporation Employees and the Kern River Parkway Foundation for tree planting projects at the Kern River Parkway. In addition, Councilmember Rowies requested that the Community Services Committee look at the development of a long-range plan for the maintenance of trees planted along the Kern River. _ The Committee met with staff to discuss the proposed projects. Staff had a meeting with all of the volunteer groups involved to discuss the proposed projects on the Kern River Parkway and any concerns. Staff indicated that they had reviewed the project proposed by Occidental Oil and Gas and recommend approval of their project pending final review of irrigation plans. Staff also met with representatives of the Kern River Parkway Foundation and provided the information and plans they requested in their letter. Staff is working with the Kern River Parkway Foundation on the proposed tree planting at the Group Picnic area, which is proceeding. The Parkway Foundation expressed an interest in soliciting funds and completing the irrigation and planting of the area adjacent to the Racquetball Courts at Beach Park, since there are no city funds available. Staff supports these efforts and has provided the irrigation and planting plans to the Foundation. Staff is also continuing to work with the Foundation on the Manor Street planting project with design and irrigation plans being prepared. Staff has also met with representatives from the Miscellaneous City Employee Association, the Kern River Parkway Foundation and Texaco, who have planned a joint tree planting project for Earth Day, April 20. The City Employee Association and Texaco volunteers will plant the northeast corner of Truxtun and Mohawk, and the Foundation and Texaco will plant the northwest corner of Truxtun and Mohawk. The Committee was impressed with the amount of time, effort and cooperation by staff and the volunteer groups in developing these projects. Regarding the request by Councilmember Rowles for a long-term plan for tree maintenance on the Kern River Parkway, staff indicated that due to the number of projects and number of City departments involved in administration of Kern River Parkway projects, there have been some concerns regarding communication and planning for this area. Staff has recommended that a volunteer project streamlining process be developed which would pro~/ide for a project checklist and review process similar to site plan review done by the planning department. This process would identify and address issues such as project requirements, maintenance of AGENDA SUMMARY REPORT Community Services Committee April 9, 1996 Page -3- trees and landscaped areas, and security concems. A long- term tree maintenance plan for the Kern River Parkway can be developed by staff as part of this process. Staff also recommended that a single City staff member be designated to act as the liaison to volunteer groups to provide information, and coordinate the growing number of volunteer projects on the Kern River Parkway. Based on staff recommendations, the Committee recommends approval of the projects requested by Occidental Oil and Gas, the City Employee Association and the Kern River Parkway Foundation. 'The Committee also recommends that staff continue development of the volunteer project streamlining concept and long term tree maintenance plan in more detail and bring it back to the Committee for further review. A Community Services Committee Report will be on the agenda for the April 17 Council meeting. 7. ADJOURNMENT The meeting was adjourned at 5:05 p.m. City staff in attendance: Assistant City Manager John W. Stinson; City Attorney Judy Skousen; Convention Center Superintendent Greg Cronk; Water Resources Manager Gene Bogart; Development Services Director Jack Hardisty; Parks Superintendent Frank Fabbri; Parks Supervisor Terry McCormick; and Water Superintendent Pat Hauptman. Others: Bill Cooper of the Kern River Parkway Foundation, Jean Caughell and Steve Benson from Occidental Oil and Gas Corporation; and Fay Cox from Texaco. JWS:ip MEMORANDUM July 9, 1996 TO: COMMUNITY SERVICES COMMI'I-rEE FROM: LELAND ANDERSEN, Community Services Manager. ,,~~// JUDY K. SKOUSEN, City Attorney ~j ~ SUBJECT: Landscaping of Yokuts Park At the June 26, 1996 Council Meeting, Councilmember Randy Rowles voiced an interest in turfing Yokuts Park down to the river. The matter was referred to the Community Services Committee for further action. The City Attorney's office was requested to review the legality of planting grass in that area. According to the Final Master Plan adopted by the City Council in September 1988 (a copy of the map is attached hereto), the Yokuts Park area (identified by yellow with dots next to Beach Park) is designated as a "Recreation Area." Recreation Areas comprise 75 acres or 5.4% of the total Kern River Parkway. Under the adopted Master Plan, such Recreation Areas are to be turfed and will contain typical park facilities, such as BBQ pits, picnic tables, drinking fountains and restrooms. Thus, the adopted Master Plan for the Kern River Parkway calls for grass to be planted in Yokuts Park in the area currently left barren between the planted area and the beach to the river. Historically, the area from the running path to the river has always been designated as a Recreation Area. However, in late 1992, the Kern River Parkway Foundation informally requested that the running path be preserved and a 50-foot buffer zone be created between the river and the running path. This buffer zone was to preserve the natural setting of the river. In an effort to demonstrate cooperation with the Foundation, the dirt running path was preserved and the area between the running path and the beach was not turfed but left in its natural condition. However, the Final Master Plan was not altered and the Yokuts Park area remains designated as a Recreation Area. As shown in the photographs accompanying this report, this area contains dry weeds, thistles and other combustible vegetation. This area is also spotted with Iow growing trees. Families using the park have cut dirt pathways through the dry vegetation to the beach and river. This strip of uncared for area has become a receptacle for trash and debris. COMMUNITY SERVICES COMMITTEE July 9, 1996 Page. 2 Currently, Yokuts Park is very popular with the community. During hot summer days, it is not uncommon to see several families around the wide beach areas in Yokuts Park. Yet, as the photographs indicate, the beach areas are not easily accessible. The public must travel through the dry weeds and thistles. Because the area is extremely dry, City Code Enforcement Officer Tony DeMarco has indicated this area between the running path and the river poses a fire hazard. Smoking cigarettes and sparks from nearby barbecue grills blow across the park into the dry weeds. In fact, the photographs indicate that a small fire has already occurred. The Fire Chief feels that this area does present an excellent potential for vegetation fires. In addition, the City Police Department has indicated that landscaping this area in conformity with the rest of Yokuts Park would facilitate police officers' ability to maintain a safe environment due to removal of obstructions and objects that could provide concealment for persons engaged in unlawful activities. Completing the landscaping will not only make access to the beach and river easier and safer for children using the park but also will make it more convenient for parents to observe and care for their children playing in the river, thus ensuring greater safety for those children playing in the river. With the above information in mind, Staff recommends compliance with the Final Master Plan for the Kern River Parkway. VG:laa cc: John Stinson, Assistant City Manager Frank Fabbri, Parks Superintendent Gene Bogart, Water Resources Manager Allen Abe, Assistant Parks Superintendent s:~.OARKS~MEMOS~yokuts.lnd