TITLE
Highlights of the May 5, 2015 Facilities and Transportation Committee Meeting
BODY
1. CALL TO ORDER - (00:00:14)
The meeting was called to order by Mayor Cutter at 4:14 p.m.
1.A. Attendance
Committee Members: Mayor Pauline Cutter, Councilmember Corina Lopez, Councilmember Ursula Reed
City Staff Present: Cynthia Battenberg, David Baum, Reh-Lin Chen, Keith Cooke, Kirsten Foley, Kyle Lei, Austine Osakwe, Debbie Pollart, Breyana Riggsbee, Nick Thom, Chris Zapata
Outside Presenters: None
Public Present: Deborah Cox, Jim Prola
1.B. Announcements
None.
2. DISCUSSION ITEMS - (00:00:50)
City Manager Chris Zapata announced reconfiguring discussion items with Item 2.C. to be discussed first.
2.C. Discussion Regarding Siempre Verde Park Rehabilitation - (00:01:01)
Keith Cooke announced that this project is on a fast track to be completed by June 2016 due to grant funding.
K. Cooke introduced Kyle Lei, Project Manager for the Siempre Verde Park Rehabilitation project who gave a presentation on the major design features of the park.
Siempre Verde Park is a relatively small park, approximately 80,000 sq feet. The landscaping will be drought tolerant. The new restrooms will be made out of more durable material. There will be a fitness area with six pieces of equipment, similar to the equipment at the Marina Park. There are two non-reservable picnic tables with coal receptacles. Instead of one full basketball court there will be two smaller courts, a high school and a junior high school court. More play equipment will be added and separated by age group, (2-5 year olds and 5-12 year olds).
(00:08:20)
Water restrictions were discussed, whereby Mr. Lei said that currently the park is being watered two days a week. He included three additive bid items to the base bid that will accommodate water restrictions- the top priority being an irrigation well that will cost $221,000 to install. Other additive bids include a bulb-out on Park Street, and a shade canopy. Project is on an aggressive schedule to meet requirements of Housing and Community Development (HCD) Grant that requires completion by June 2016.
The total project cost is: $3.56M (breakdown - $877,000 from grant, $1.54M Park Fees, $1.15 General Funds)
(00:11:05)
Mr. Lei and D. Pollart answered a variety of questions from the Committee regarding shade in the park. There are two picnic tables with trees planted nearby for shade. D. Pollart added that several more trees will be planted with the purpose of providing shade. Coal receptacles will be provided at picnic areas.
Councilmember Reed expressed that both basketball areas should be the standard half court size with same hoop height. Mayor Cutter communicated her concern about vandalism. A lower basketball hoop may lure players to dunking, thereby damaging the equipment. She also expressed concerns about graffiti on new restroom walls and suggests a mural in the future to divert vandalism.
Councilmembers expressed their desire to have a mile marker to which K. Cooke suggested a distance marker instead due to the size of the park.
Councilmember Lopez and Mayor Cutter brought up the property (Cherry Pit Restaurant) neighboring the park and asked staff to look into who owns it and its potential for future development. Other discussion included duration of construction, tree plantings and inclusion of the bulb-out.
Nick Thom, Acting City Engineer, discussed the potential impacts of the drought as it relates to the landscape and the intended installation of new sod which requires daily watering in order for the lawn to be established. Debbie Pollart, Public Works Director, mentioned consultants' indication that the well may not have to go that deep. C. Zapata said these issues may need prioritization. If there's not enough funding in the base bid, then this may need to be brought back to this Committee. C. Zapata discussed how park is an entry monuments for the Downtown Area and its part in the investments in area.
(00:23:36)
Councilmember Reed asked about traffic calming on Park Street. K. Cooke said planned pedestrian improvements could be funded by Measure B. Suggestions were made for Adopt-A-Tree program and cameras at the park. D. Pollart advised that staff is in discussions with the City Manager for preparing for a larger discussion with Council on a surveillance policy and what Council wants in the parks.
(End 00:30:47)
2.A. Discussion Regarding Neighborhood Traffic Calming Program - (00:30:56)
Reh-Lin Chen, Senior Transportation Engineer, gave a presentation on the implementation of the Neighborhood Traffic Calming program.
(End 00:45:15)
Councilmember asked for clarification on the different traffic calming methods: bumps, humps, and lumps and the cost of each. R. Chen and K. Cooke explained that and said this type of method (speed cushions/speed lumps) is to allow fire engines to straddle through pieces of speed lumps and is relatively low cost, approximately $3,500 - $4,000 (Correction: $8,000 including three pieces of speed lumps and signage) per installation for one street segment, and three sets are normally required on a street, totaling $12,000 to $15,000 (Corrections: $24,000) per street.
(00:49:20)
Councilmember Lopez sees traffic calming as a part of reducing traffic volume and wants dialogue about volume control. Since we are working on our General Plan, she wants to re-define or re-classify the residential collector streets and bring it to Planning or Facilities committees. K. Cooke agrees and also added that the objective of the Traffic Control Plan is to slow traffic, not reduce volume. When a street comes up on the list, staff reviews the street to determine the best solution for traffic calming. However, the way city streets are laid out, speed cushions are a natural solution. Discussion included Durant Avenue issues.
(00:53:53)
2.B. Discussion Regarding Street Maintenance and Rehabilitation Projects - (00:55:40)
Nick Thom gave a detailed presentation on Street Maintenance and Rehabilitation Projects. He spoke about pavement condition, the types of repairs and when it should be used and how the repairs are performed. He addressed the effect of repairs and cost if street repairs are neglected, saying that reconstruction of the streets is the most costly. N. Thom gave his recommendations on how the city streets should be maintained in a cost effective manner.
Mayor Cutter requested a copy of the presentation, which will be provided by N. Thom. She would like to see a ceremony at the start of first street project. Total investment of $4 million on street maintenance and rehabilitation for this year.
(01:28:01)
C. Zapata discussed the following topics:
1) Helen Lawrence Theatre - to be leased by Bay Area Children's Theatre in collaboration with two San Leandro companies(Brian Copeland and San Leandro Theatre Company) in partnership - $30K needed to improve facility; investment from the city (at city's expense) competitive bidding. Helen Lawerence Theatre is to be considered for naming of facility.
2) Updating the bike plan and integrating the bike plan system into the street maintenance plan.
3) Public spaces - Need discussion on the Triangle, Thrasher Park, Oyster Bay Exploratorium, with discussion at a later time on Casa Peralta and the Marina Library sound system, RR crossing and parks.
2.D. Project Updates / Discussion - (01:32:01)
Councilmember Reed asked when the estimated date of completion is for the Marina Boulevard/Davis Street/880 overpass, whereby K. Cooke answered that the bridge and ramps will be open to traffic at the beginning of June. A few features will still need to be completed, including a traffic signal that will need to be installed.
3. PUBLIC COMMENTS
None.
4. COMMITTEE MEMBER COMMENTS
None.
5. ADJOURN - (01:35:19)