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HomeMy WebLinkAbout10/29/2003 B A K E R S F I E L D Jacquie Sullivan, Chair AIb~n Tandy, Cit~H~fanager Sue Benham Staff: Alan Christensen Irma Carson AGENDA SUMMARY REPORT COMMUNITY SERVICES COMMITTEE SPECIAL MEETING Wednesday, October 29, 2003, 1:30 p.m. Suite 201, City Hall, 1501 Truxtun Avenue, Bakersfield, CA 1. ROLL CALL Called to Order at 1:33 p.m. Present: Councilmembers Sue Benham and Irma Carson Councilmember Jacquie Sullivan, Chair, arrived at 1:45 p.m. 2. ADOPT MAY 12, 2003 AGENDA SUMMARY REPORT Adopted as submitted. 3. PUBLIC STATEMENTS Jerry Randall, President, Association of Old Town Kern, spoke in support of closing International Square for use as a public park. 4. DEFERRED BUSINESS A. Kern Veterans' Report on Veterans Memorial Park Design Concepts Assistant City Manager Alan Christensen reported the City Manager, staff and members of the Veterans Committee met on October 24th and reviewed preliminary plans with the following results, agreements and comments: · The idea to enter the park from 20th Street (vehicle parking east of Central Park) along with the perpendicular parking on that street will be dropped from the plan. · The amphitheater will be moved to Phase II and will not appear in the Phase I proposal. Agenda Summary Re~ort Community Services Committee Meeting Wednesday, October 29, 2003 Page - 2- The perimeter fencing and gates will be removed. In an effort to encourage walking and to keep harmony with the Mill Creek Project, the park will be open for public entry. · Prior to seeking approval of preliminary plans from the City Council, the Veterans group will deliver letters from the Bakersfield Museum of Art and Senior Center management indicating they are satisfied with the design, or if not, meetings will be set up between these groups, the Veterans Committee and the City to work out design issues. · Cantilevered view points over the water are costly and will make it difficult for the canal district to maintain the canal and need to be removed. Prior to approval by the City Council, the canal district should provide approval of their board in writing. Committee Member Benham requested staff to meet with the canal district and explore if the cantilevered view points could remain in the design. Other suggestions from the October 24th meeting, which staff would like the Veterans group to take under advisement prior to the next submittal of preliminary plans were discussed. Highlights were: · A playground of at least minimal size should remain in the park. · Hardscape is costly, requires the removal of trees and is too hot for Bakersfield's summer months. City staff believes there should be more grass and trees and less hardscape to maintain a good balance. · Restrooms need to be provided by either maintaining the current ones or building replacements. The plans show them as part of the amphitheater, which is now in Phase II. If there is an increased need for restrooms, the City felt it should be the responsibility of the Veterans group. · If there is a revised canal/water design, the next submittal of concept designs should be based on that configuration. · City staff would like the Veterans group to work with Don Hoggatt, Ralph Braboy and the Parks Department on design issues, plant selection, etc., as the schematic drawings are prepared. Committee Member Benham explained she has been involved with this project from the beginning and it was at her request that Ralph Braboy was appointed to be the staff liaison. She has met with Mr. Graham Kaye-Eddie and although Agenda Summary Rei~ort Community Services Committee Meeting Wednesday, October 29, 2003 Page - 3- there has been significant staff involvement with the Veterans Committee, the current design plans do not reflect the City's concerns and the needs of the park. The City is poised to allow use of a very valuable community resource for this wonderful project, so there needs to be more communication from both sides on the design plans. Dale Wilson, Veterans Memorial Park Committee, explained although the Veterans group will be building the project, the park will remain a City park and will be maintained by the City, with perhaps the exception of the memorials. Graham Kaye-Eddie gave an overview of the preliminary plans. There are three major elements in the plan: 1) The Veterans Plaza; 2) the amphitheatre; and 3) the water feature. The Veterans Plaza will be in the shape of a service star with flags on each of the five 'points. The amphitheatre will be for community use and will have terraced grass seating. There are four points of entry planned with canopies. Along the banks of the canal are stages reserved for 13 memorials/monuments with arbors planned along the canal. There are also plans for two fountains. Economic Development Director Donna Kunz explained the new hydraulics that are necessary for the water flow to work have changed the shape of the water and will need to be incorporated into the plans as the water will cover part of the preliminary designed area east of the canal. The concerns expressed by staff at the October 24th meeting were that the preliminary design is becoming more like a plaza and not a park because the plan calls for large areas of concrete. Also, Parks Department staff felt the maze garden on the plan created with formal boxwood hedges would require constant trimming and be difficult to maintain. Dale Wilson stated that they will be changing the plan to incorporate more grass in place of the concrete around the Veterans Plaza. Alan Christensen explained the Veterans group plans to build the memorial, but they will be turning it over to the City. As the City will be maintaining the park, staff would like the design to be planned using durable materials that are long- lasting and easily maintained. Committee Member Benham asked staff to explore the possibility of relocating the Community House. Dale Wilson explained the Veterans group will be looking for three phases of approval: conceptual design approval, approval of schematic drawings, and formal approval of the final building plan, but they need approval of the conceptual design so they can go out into the community and raise money. Agenda Summary Re~ort Community Services Committee Meeting Wednesday, October 29, 2003 Page - 4- It was discussed the changes need to be made to the conceptual design drawings before the plans are presented to the community for fund-raising. Also, approval needs to be obtained from the Bakersfield Museum of Art, the senior center and the canal district. Committee Member Carson made a motion for staff to work with the Veterans group to incorporate the changes discussed and bring the plans back to the Committee meeting on December 17th. The Committee unanimously approved the motion. 5. NEW BUSINESS A. Discussion and Committee recommendation on International Square Assistant City Manager Alan Christensen reported a worsening situation at International Square. The City has a 30 year-old agreement with the railroad to have International Square be a public park. The Parks Department has experienced increased problems with garbage and health concerns. Police Chief Eric Matlock reported International Square has become a source of problems. On any one given weekend the Police Department arrests from 30 to 60 people. The type of crimes emanating from the Square are drug sales, prostitution, alcohol and chemical abuse, and nuisance crimes. International Square from a law enforcement standpoint consumes needed Police resources without continued success. The homeless using the Square could utilize the Rescue Mission and the Homeless Center. Economic Development Director Donna Kunz reported she has had lengthy discussion with the real estate director for the railroad and the railroad wants the Square cleared back to dirt, which is in the lease agreement should the City terminate its lease. The railroad has indicated at some time in the future they would like to sell the property for a redevelopment project. Alternative green space, Pavilion Park developed by the Rescue Mission, is available within a block and a half. The Rescue Mission also provides food and showers. Committee Member Benham explained efforts have been made to improve International Square Park. Fencing was installed and food deliveries moved to another location, but the conditions did not improve. The City is spending funds and the community is not able to enjoy the use of the park. She further explained she had a meeting with the Police Chief and Economic Development Director and it was agreed the best solution for the whole area would be to close International Square. Committee Member Benham made a motion to support staff's recommendation to close and dismantle International Square Park and forward the recommendation to the City Council to end the lease agreement and return the property to the railroad. Agenda Summary Repte~ort Community Services Committee Meeting Wednesday, October 29, 2003 Page - 5- Bill Underwood, Homeless Collaborative, spoke against closing International Square unless there is other green space available in the area for the homeless. Marie Tapp, Buckley Smith, suggested closing International Square Park to the public for a minimum of two years and they offered to immedia, tely clean it up. Mona Twocats, Kern County Homeless Collaborative, spoke about the people using International Square and the fact that they are not just going to disappear because they have no where else to go and are still going to be in the area. Police Chief Matlock agreed drug dealers and the crime element will move and exist elsewhere, but there is an element of drug and alcohol users camping out in International Square causing drug pushers and prostitution to come there. Committee Member Carson expressed she realizes the City has tried everything possible to keep International Square Park open and with the problems there must close it. However, she would like staff to have a plan of action when it is turned back to the railroad as a dirt field, to make sure it is maintained. The Committee unanimously approved the motion by Committee Member Benham to close International Square. 6. COMMITTEE COMMENTS 7. ADJOURNMENT The meeting adjourned at 3:10 p.m. Staff attendance: Assistant City Manager Alan Christensen; Ginny Gennaro, City Attorney's Office; Assistant City Manager John Stinson; Police Chief Eric Matlock; Economic Development Director Donna Kunz; Assistant Public Works Director Jack LaRochelle; Public Works Park and Landscape Designer Don Hoggatt; Assistant Recreation and Parks Director Allen Abe; Parks Supervisor Ed Lazaroti; Park Construction and Facility Designer Ken Trone; Economic Development Associate Donna Barnes; and Public Works Engineer Ralph Braboy Others: Jerry Randall, Association of Old Town Kern; Bill Underwood Homeless Collaborative; Cherie Smith, Kern Veterans Memorial; Dale Wilson, Kern Veterans Memorial; Trenton Spears, Kern Veterans Memorial; Mike Henderson, Rescue Mission; Mona Twocats, Homeless Collaborative; Graham Kaye-Eddie, Cross Architects; Donna Lorenz, Kern Veterans Memorial Foundation; Carol R. Braly, Greater Bakersfield Legal Assistance/Community Homeless Center Project; Diana Campbell Rice, Bakersfield Homeless Center; Louis B. Gill, Jr., Bakersfield Homeless Center; Marie Tapp, Buckley Smith; Denise Signs, Buckley Smith; and James Burger, reporter, The Bakersfield Californian cc: Honorable Mayor and City Council S :~AC~003Com Ser\03oct29s um mary. doc