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HomeMy WebLinkAbout05.17.2022 PR Comm Minutes CITY OF SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO PARKS AND RECREATION COMMISSION MINUTES FROM TUESDAY, MAY 17, 2022 I. CALL TO ORDER: 7:00 p.m. A regular meeting of the Parks and Recreation Commission of the City of South San Francisco was held on Tuesday, May 17, 2022, via teleconference due to the COVID-19 pandemic and local health orders. II. ROLL CALL: Present: Commissioners Battaglia, Camacho, Firpo, Lock, and Uy Absent: Commissioner Burgo and DeNardi Staff: Sharon Ranals, Assistant City Manager Greg Mediati, Director of Parks and Recreation Angela Duldulao, Acting Deputy Director of Parks and Recreation Joshua Richardson, Parks Manager Kari Jung, Administrative Assistant II Erin O’Brien, Business Manager Laura Armanino, Recreation Supervisor Kimberly Morrison, Acting Recreation Supervisor Kelli Jo Cullinan, Acting Recreation Manager Devin Stenhouse, Recreation Supervisor Veronica Ortiz, Recreation Coordinator Kasey Jo Cullinan, Acting Recreation Supervisor Billy Gross, Principal Planner III. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE: Skipped. IV. AGENDA REVIEW: There were no changes to the agenda. V. APPROVAL OF MINUTES OF THE April 19, 2022, MEETING: Approved by motion. Motion: Commissioner Battaglia / Seconded: Commissioner Firpo. VI. CITIZEN PARTICIPATION: None present VII. New Business A. General Plan Update Director Mediati summarized the purpose of the General Plan – a local government’s blueprint for the future. Each city in California must prepare a General Plan to guide its future, which serves as a comprehensive long-term plan for the physical and programmatic development of the city. The City of South San Francisco began updating the General Plan in early 2019, led by Planning Division staff and a consultant team from Raimi + Associates. A General Plan Community Advisory Committee was established with the purpose of creating a citizens Parks and Recreation Commission Minutes of the Meeting of May 17, 2022 Page 2 advisory group to provide guidance for programs and policies, and guide the future of South San Francisco development. Commissioner Camacho serves on the committee with Commissioner Firpo serving as the alternate. Commissioner Battaglia previously served as the alternate. Billy Gross, Principal Planner further summarized some of the General Plan’s findings and requested feedback from the Commission. Commissioner Firpo expressed his gratitude to Commissioners Camacho and Battaglia for representing the Commission throughout the process and commended the comprehensive report and efforts of staff. Commissioner Uy expressed his appreciation for the focus on environment, climate, and accessibility. He additionally pointed out that several community members stated a need for providing youth with an educational path as an entry point into the local economy, specifically in the biotech industry. Commissioner Battaglia shared that the plan is a well thought out and comprehensive document. She noted her appreciation for staff and consultants. Commissioner Camacho inquired if there is a better way to encourage obtaining more information on underserved groups, and better engage certain communities. She further inquired about the goal to reduce long term operations and maintenance costs and expressed concern that that may be interpreted as reducing full time staff. Additional questions were addressed regarding the use of developer impact fees for maintenance practices versus park development and the need to explore additional policies and fees to cover expenses that are not currently covered by impact fees. Chair Lock expressed his appreciation of the overarching goals for a 20-year vision and acknowledged the amount of staff time and effort coordinating with the community and the commissions to address specific needs. He further expressed that not all needs have been addressed, specifically the need for additional park and recreational facilities in the Sunshine Gardens neighborhood. Principal Planner Gross closed by sharing that this document is a vision to provide a roadmap with hundreds of action items identified that would cost over one billion dollars if every project was accomplished. Additionally, this is a 20-year vision plan, so some items will be done in 5 years, others in 10, and yet others just getting started within the 20 years; but that not everything will be able to be accomplished even within the 20-year time span, based on many factors. B. Classes Program Update Supervisor Stenhouse updated the Commission on current Classes Programs consisting of two full-time employees and roughly 30 part-time hourly employees. While the part-time workforce has decreased since the start of COVID-19 in March 2020, the program has Parks and Recreation Commission Minutes of the Meeting of May 17, 2022 Page 3 hired approximately nine additional employees since then. The Classes Program continues to recruit, interview, and hire instructors with various backgrounds and skillsets. Classes are offered seasonally and promoted within the Activity Guide. While the production of the Activity Guide was halted summer 2020 through summer 2021, the Activity Guide made its return in fall 2021 and has been seasonally produced since. The Classes Program has a great combination of well-established classes with loyal followings that have existed over the course of several years and in some cases decades, as well as the introduction of new and modern classes that aim to meet the needs of our ever-evolving community. The number of classes varies from season to season depending on instructor and facility availability, but for the spring season, the Program is offering 67 activities that are led by 39 instructors. In total, 200 sessions were produced this spring. In March 2020, the City and the Department put a halt to all its classes and programming. This was only a few weeks after residents completed their registrations for the spring 2020 season. The program was also in its final weeks of the winter season. Like the rest of society, instructors were not sure of what the future would bring. One month later, discussions of the possibility of starting virtual classes began gaining momentum and by summer, eight instructors gave 10 activities a try within a virtual setting (20 sessions). By winter 2021, we hosted 29 activities (58 sessions), which was almost three times of what we started with in the summer with additional outdoor programming at Terrabay Gymnasium and Recreation Center and Orange Memorial Park. While the Classes Program continues to grow, it is still recovering from the pandemic. There are approximately ten instructors who have not returned to the program due to COVID-safety concerns. It can be concluded that while the Classes Program’s numbers are not back to what they were pre-pandemic, there is improvement from where the program was one year ago. Commissioner Battaglia inquired how the changing mask requirements is working with the classes programs. Supervisor Stenhouse explained that most participants in most classes are continuing to utilize masks. Commissioner Uy shared that he had no comments but has concerns about mask issues. Commissioner Camacho expressed appreciation for the look back over the past year and a half and how much staff has pivoted. She additionally inquired about additional discounted and/or free classes and if there was a way to survey participants. Staff reviewed that surveys are done for each class and event and pointed out that the free and discounted classes are popular for signups, they tend to be low attended due to the unintended lack of value imposed by the discount. It was suggested that a nominal fee is charged for registering for classes that would be returned upon attending the class. Chair Lock expressed concern about fragmenting classes into shorter time frames wouldn’t work for every type of class where continuity is part of the progression, or where exercise Parks and Recreation Commission Minutes of the Meeting of May 17, 2022 Page 4 classes are more productive for the participants if they are ongoing rather than starting and stopping. C. Concert in the Park Update Director Mediati updated the Commission on the 2022 Concert in the Park event held at Orange Memorial Park. At the City Council’s direction, staff is planning an enhanced Concert event and has requested a total project budget of $150,000. The additional budget will allow for increased contractual production costs, management of vendors, and provision of all musical performers, staging, dance floors, and other necessary equipment for a world-class event. The event is envisioned to take place, as it has prior to COVID-19, at Orange Memorial Park on September 24, from approximately 12:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. Due to construction of the new athletic complex at the southwestern quadrant of the park, the event will entirely take place on the soccer field adjacent to the Joseph A. Fernekes Recreation Building. Also new for this year, the concert’s performers, vendors and activities will support the City’s Cultures United Campaign, with a diverse offering of food options, cultural performances, and professional music acts. Since the event footprint will be a bit smaller this year, the Family Fun Zone / Children’s Activity area will be relocated to the basketball courts at Orange Memorial Park, the immediately adjacent lawn area, and the interior of the Fernekes Building. The Department plans to host a variety of diverse food options. Between five and eight food vendors are being contemplated for the event. The Friends of South San Francisco Parks and Recreation may also participate and serve beer and wine, as they have done historically, raising monies for Parks and Recreation programs and scholarships. Staff is once again working with GFI Entertainment to provide event production support and secure the headlining acts. Two larger professional performers are being sought at this time. The Department is coordinating with the South San Francisco Sister Cities Committee and our own co-sponsored and Classes Program groups to present several cultural performances. Staff was asked to incorporate some elements from the former Day in the Park in this year’s event – most notably the vendor booths. Forty-eight vendor booths have been ordered, and will be placed on the lawn near West Orange Avenue and Colma Creek. Parks and Recreation Commission Minutes of the Meeting of May 17, 2022 Page 5 Commissioner Camacho expressed concern with the political season that the booths be prioritized to non-profit groups and Park and Recreation groups so there aren’t all just political booths. ACM Ranals recalled that at previous events during an election year, the City Attorney required the freedom of speech provision or that one booth was designated as a political booth and candidates would hang out at the booth or walk about and speak to people. Commissioner Camacho further requested that automatic hand sanitizing stations are available. Commissioner Uy suggested that more concession booths and more variety is planned. Staff expressed that each booth or food truck operator is interested in the number of attendees compared to the number of vendors because they want to make a profit at these events. Commissioner Uy further shared his preferences for types of entertainment at these events. Commissioner Battaglia thanked staff for the update, and shared that she would like more variety but understands that they need to make a profit. She is looking forward to the event. Commissioner Firpo expressed that this is South San Francisco’s premier event and is really looking forward to it. He expressed concern with stages and sound interference. Staff explained that an event coordinator is taking all of the programming into consideration and that the stages would not be in use simultaneously. Chair Lock shared his agreement with the assessment for more variety for food concessions as well as concern about the smaller space with a larger number of people gathering. D. Cancellation of Summer Commission Meeting Director Mediati shared that, consistent with the past practice to cancel one meeting during the summer months, staff is agendizing this item for consideration should the Parks and Recreation Commission wish take action to cancel a regularly scheduled meeting on July 19, August 16, or other date suggested by the Commission. There are no anticipated urgent business items that would prohibit cancellation of one of these meetings. Commissioner Camacho motioned to cancel the July 19th meeting and Commissioner Uy Seconded. The motion carried unanimously. VIII. Friends of Parks and Recreation: Acting Manager Cullinan shared that Acting Supervisor Morrison would be taking over as liaison to the Friends group. The group recently met and are interested in doing an alcohol booth at Concert in the Park; and have been generous with donations to assist the Recreation Division with $1,000 scholarships to Full of Fun and Adult Daycare, $500 for Parks and Recreation month, and $500 for Aquatics programs. IX. Beautification Committee: Manager Richardson reported that he’s reached out to the committee on whether or not the group wanted to reinstate meetings and received only one response so far. Parks and Recreation Commission Minutes of the Meeting of May 17, 2022 Page 6 X. Items from Commission: Vice Chair Firpo spent this afternoon at Spruce School for a bike giveaway event sponsored by the City. He attended the Asian American Pacific Islander picnic at Orange Memorial Park, had a great time, and enjoyed some of the stories that attendees told about their experience in South San Francisco. Commissioner Uy shared that he works downtown and has seen developments with the new breezeway and there is less inappropriate use. He inquired about upgrades to Westborough Park and Sellick Park and wondered why the field near Westborough Middle School is not used. Commissioner Camacho attended the Arbor Day event where volunteers planted over 1,500 plants and 15 trees. The event was engaging for volunteers. The Youth Art Show was well done, and she was glad that there was still a virtual option. She inquired about the tree inventory. Manager Richardson explained that the consultant was still working on the assessment, which is focused on species, sizes, health rating, and canopy coverage. Commissioner Battaglia attended the Youth Art Show and was able to speak with several of the artists. The show was well done, and thanked staff for their efforts. Chair Lock inquired if the tree inventory includes empty sidewalk cutouts. Manager Richardson explained that all standing trees and vacant tree wells are accounted for, as well as recommendations for potential planting sites. He further inquired about trees that had been removed near the 280 offramp to Westborough Blvd. close to the Mercedes dealership. Staff shared that the dealership had done some tree removal, under valid permits, but that had been a while ago, and that the trees in question may be part of Caltrans right of way and not subject to the City’s municipal code. Staff will review and verify. He then inquired about trees on Airport Boulevard close to Grand Avenue in circular concrete planters close to Pete’s. Staff explained that in that particular area exists a large gas line and trees cannot be planted. Chair Lock inquired about a memorial bench that was removed on Hillside Boulevard. Manager Richardson shared that the City installed the bench for a resident that lived on Drake Avenue. The bench deteriorated and staff has not been able to get in touch with any family members to confirm if they want it reinstalled. If a new one is installed it would likely be relocated to Paradise Valley Park. He asked where the Paradise Rec Center referenced in the General Plan is located. Staff explained that is where the Boys and Girls Club is located and that the City owns the building. He inquired for a timeline to open the bridges at Orange Memorial Park. Staff advised that the bridges should be opening by end of month. XI. Items from Staff: A. Calendar of Events Director Mediati provided a brief update of the Calendar of Events. B. Administrative Updates Commissioner Camacho shared that she is not able to attend events with large crowds at this time. Acting Deputy Duldulao thanked Commissioners DeNardi and Battaglia for their Parks and Recreation Commission Minutes of the Meeting of May 17, 2022 Page 7 attendance at the District IV awards dinner; Manager Richardson gave a quick update on the new breezeway next to Starbucks and Sign Hill tree removal work. XII. Adjournment: 9:39 p.m. Respectfully submitted by Kari Jung, Administrative Assistant II