2007/06/18 Parks and Recreation Commission Agenda Packet RoBHE T Pnxk
2
DEPARTMENT
CAE"° ''' ROHNERT PARK PARKS AND RECREATION COMMISSION
AGENDA
Monday June 18, 2007
6:30 p.m.
6750 Commerce Blvd., Rohnert Park
To any member of the audience desiring to address the Parks and Recreation Commission:
If you wish to speak on an item under discussion by the Parks and Recreation Commission, you may do so upon recognition
from the Chairperson.
After receiving recognition from the Chairperson, please walk to the rostrum located in the front and center of the room and
state your name and address for the record before making your presentation.
•
CALL MEETING TO ORDER
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
• Roll Call:
Armerding 11 Aronis I,1f Bird 7 Black [Griffin
• Approval of Commission Minutes—May 21, 2007
• Acknowledgment of Recreation Department staff's report on the posting of the
meeting's agenda.
Agenda has been posted in three public places: Community Center, Public Safety
Building and City Hall, and on the City's Website.
• Unscheduled Public Appearances for public comments on items not listed on the
agenda, or on agenda items if unable to speak at the scheduled time.
Item h.,;XC
Item#1 Review of use of Golis Park Tennis Court for Off-leash Dog Exercise:Action Item
Commission is asked to comment on the six-month review the use of Golis Park tennis court as an
off-leash dog area.
Item#2 Park Regulation Ordinance:Action Item
Commission is asked to review the draft Park Regulation Ordinance as it relates to the enforcement
of posted and non-posted park regulations and approve.
Item#3 Skate Park Committee Report:Action if needed
The Commission Skate Park Committee will make a presentation.
Item#4 2007 Park Audit: Action if needed
The Commission is asked to review the 2007 Park Audit and comment. If appropriate the
Commission may vote to accept the Audit and forward it to the City Council.
Page 1 of 2
Rohnert Park Parks and Recreation Commission
June 18,2007
Item#5
Committee
Reports
•
Matters from 1. Monthly Highlights
Staff 2. Status of Community Center fountain.
3. Playground renovations: Phase 2
Matters to/from
Commissioners
• Adjournment. Next meeting: July 16, 2007 6:30 p.m.
Disabled Accommodation:
If you have a disability which requires an interpreter or other person to assist you while attending this Planning Commission Meeting,please contact the
City Offices at (707) 588-2236 at least 72 hours prior to the meeting to insure arrangements for accommodation by the City. Please make sure the
Planning Department is notified as soon as possible if you have a visual impairment that requires the meeting materials be produced in another format
(Braille,audio-tape,etc.).
Page 2 of 2
pf1 4E RT PARK
INTEROFFICE MEMO � --.
19 621
From: Guy Miller, Recreation Services Manager
EPAR MENT,,."
To: Parks &Recreation Commission
Cc: Rohnert Park City Council cA L I Fo a"'P
Date: June 11, 2007
Subject: Use of Golis Park Tennis Court by Organized Dog Group
On September 26, 2006 the Rohnert Park City Council approved the year-round use of
the vacant tennis court located at Golis Park for off-leash dog exercise. This was to be
limited to the registered members of the Best Friends Canine Club between the hours of
8:30-9:30 a.m. or other hours approved by the Recreation Services Manager. The City
Council asked to have this use reviewed after a six-month period.
Staff Recommendation: As of this writing,no reports or complaints have been received at
the Recreation Department offices concerning the use of the courts by the Best Friends
Canine Club. Staff recommends continuing this arrangement for an indefinite period of
time. If a significant number of complaints are received in the future,the Parks &
Recreation Commission may revisit it at that time.
v VINERT PARK
CITY ADMINISTRATION
@' ?'Gz MEMORANDUM
CALIFORNiP
June 13, 2007
TO: Parks and Recreation Commission
FROM: Dan Schwarz, Assistant City Manager
SUBJECT: Proposed Park Rule Amendments to the Municipal Code
Based on feedback provided by the Commission at its May 21, 2007 meeting,
staff has prepared the attached draft ordinance. The Commission is asked to
review the ordinance and determine if it wishes to recommend its approval to the
City Council. A copy of the proposed changes is provided in legislative notation,
as well.
Recommendation: Recommend approval of attached ordinance.
9.62.010 Unlawful acts in public parks.
It shall be unlawful for any person,entity,firm or corporation to do or commit any of the
acts enumerated below in any city park:
A.To damage,by any means whatsoever,any public property planted,placed,
located or otherwise situated in a public park.
B.To cut or remove any wood,turf,grass,soil,rock,sand or gravel or any found
object,whether above or below ground.
C.To release any livestock of any kind on park property with the exception of
dogs which shall be permitted pursuant to posted regulations or if under leash.
D.To distribute any handbills or circulars,or to post,place or erect any bills,
notice,paper or advertising device of any kind.
E.To sell or offer for sale any merchandise,article or thing whatsoever without
written permission from the city. Such permit shall be carried by the vendor at all times
that he is selling within a city park.
F.To willfully tamper with or damage any water or gas pipes,hydrant,stopcock,
sewer,basin or other construction in any park.
G.,To carry any weapon,including,but not limited to,firearms,airguns. -- Deleted:To carry any firearms,airgun
paintball markers,or slingshots. or slingshot.
H.To make or kindle a fire except in picnic stoves or other fixtures provided for
that purpose,or to camp,except in places designated as such by official action of the city.
I.To ride or drive any horse or other animal or any motorized vehicle,cycle or
scooter elsewhere other than on the roads or drives provided for such
purpose,or to drive a motor vehicle in an erratic or hazardous manner on any park roads,
paths or parking area.
J.To indulge in riotous,threatening or indecent conduct,or abusive,threatening,
profane or indecent language.
K.To enter,remain,stay or loiter in the swimming pools in the public parks or
the enclosures surrounding said pools at any time when the pools are not open to the
public with a lifeguard on duty.
L.To play or engage in model airplane flying,driving of golf balls,archery,
hardball or any similar games of a hazardous nature except at such places as shall be
especially set apart for such purposes.
M.To throw or place on or in any park any paper,rubbish,garbage or refuse
matter of any kind,unless in a receptacle designed for the purpose,but no person shall
deposit household rubbish and garbage in any city park,rubbish or garbage receptacles.
N.To possess any beverage container made of glass or to bring,carry,or
transport any beverage container made of glass into a city park.
0.To possess food or drink in any city recreation facility where there are signs
posted prohibiting such items.
P.To disregard or disobey the directives of a lifeguard,city staff member,or
posted rules while at a city swimming pool.
Q. To deny or otherwise interfere with the use of a field or facility by an
organization or individual with a valid reservation permit issued by the Recreation
Department.
ti
R. To engage in any activity other than tennis on tennis courts without written
permission from the Recreation Department
S. To be in custody,control,or otherwise responsible for an off-leash or
unconfined dog which initiates an unprovoked attack on any person or animal that causes
injury or causes a defensive action to prevent serious injury.
T. To be in custody,control,or otherwise responsible for a dog that does not
exhibit a valid license.
U. To be in custody,control,or otherwise responsible for an off-leash or
unconfined dog over six months of age that has not been spayed or neutered.
ORDINANCE NO.
AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF ROHNERT
PAKR, CALIFORNIA, AMENDING SECTION 9.62.010, "UNLAWFUL ACTS IN
PUBLIC PARKS," TO THE ROHNERT PARK MUNICIPAL CODE
WHEREAS, it is the practice of the Parks and Recreation Commission to
periodically review the rules and regulations governing public parks in Rohnert Park;
WHEREAS, the Parks and Recreation Commission did meet and discuss the
rules and regulations governing public parks at its regular meetings on March 19, 2007,
May 21, 2007 and June 18, 2007; and
WHEREAS, the Parks and Recreation Commission did determine it to be in the
best interests of the citizens of Rohnert Park that new regulations and changes to existing
regulations governing parks be adopted; and
WHEREAS, the Parks and Recreation Commission voted _ to
recommend this ordinance to the City Council;
NOW, THERFORE, THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF ROHNERT
PARK, CALIFORNIA, does hereby ordain as follows:
SECTION 1. Findings.
The City Council Finds that:
A. A duly noticed public hearing regarding the proposed amendment to the
Municipal Code was held by the City Council on
B. The proposed Section 9.62.010, "Unlawful acts in public parks," enhances the
protection of health and safety in the public parks in Rohnert Park.
SECTION 2. Environmental Clearance.
In accordance with CEQA Section 15061(b)(3), "[C]EQA applies only to projects, which
have the potential for causing a significant effect on the environment. Where it can be
seen with certainty that there is no possibility that the activity in question may have a
significant effect on the environment, the activity is not subject to CEQA." The proposed
amendments would not impact the environment, and therefore staff has determined that
the amendments are exempt from CEQA review.
SECTION 3. Section 9.62.010 of the Municipal Code is deleted and replaced with
the following:
It shall be unlawful for any person, entity, firm or corporation to do or commit any of the
acts enumerated below in any city park:
A. To damage, by any means whatsoever, any public property planted, placed,
located or otherwise situated in a public park.
B. To cut or remove any wood, turf, grass, soil, rock, sand or gravel or any found
object, whether above or below ground.
C. To release any livestock of any kind on park property with the exception of
dogs which shall be permitted pursuant to posted regulations or if under leash.
D. To distribute any handbills or circulars, or to post,place or erect any bills,
notice, paper or advertising device of any kind.
E. To sell or offer for sale any merchandise, article or thing whatsoever without
written permission from the city. Such permit shall be carried by the vendor at all times
that he is selling within a city park.
F. To willfully tamper with or damage any water or gas pipes, hydrant, stopcock,
sewer,basin or other construction in any park.
G. To carry any weapon, including, but not limited to, firearms, airguns,
paintball markers, or slingshots.
H. To make or kindle a fire except in picnic stoves or other fixtures provided for
that purpose, or to camp, except in places designated as such by official action of the city.
I. To ride or drive any horse or other animal or any motorized vehicle, cycle or
scooter elsewhere other than on the roads or drives provided for such
purpose, or to drive a motor vehicle in an erratic or hazardous manner on any park roads,
paths or parking area.
J. To indulge in riotous, threatening or indecent conduct, or abusive, threatening,
profane or indecent language.
K. To enter, remain, stay or loiter in the swimming pools in the public parks or
the enclosures surrounding said pools at any time when the pools are not open to the
public with a lifeguard on duty.
L. To play or engage in model airplane flying, driving of golf balls, archery,
hardball or any similar games of a hazardous nature except at such places as shall be
especially set apart for such purposes.
M. To throw or place on or in any park any paper, rubbish, garbage or refuse
matter of any kind, unless in a receptacle designed for the purpose,but no person shall
deposit household rubbish and garbage in any city park, rubbish or garbage receptacles.
N. To possess any beverage container made of glass or to bring, carry, or
transport any beverage container made of glass into a city park.
O. To possess food or drink in any city recreation facility where there are signs
posted prohibiting such items.
P. To disregard or disobey the directives of a lifeguard, city staff member, or
posted rules while at a city swimming pool.
Q. To deny or otherwise interfere with the use of a field or facility by an
organization or individual with a valid reservation permit issued by the Recreation
Department.
R. To engage in any activity other than tennis on tennis courts without written
permission from the Recreation Department
S. To be in custody, control, or otherwise responsible for an off-leash or
unconfined dog which initiates an unprovoked attack on any person or animal that causes
injury or causes a defensive action to prevent serious injury.
T. To be in custody, control, or otherwise responsible for a dog that does not
exhibit a valid license.
U. To be in custody, control, or otherwise responsible for an off-leash or
unconfined dog over six months of age that has not been spayed or neutered.
SECTION 4. SEVERABILITY
Should any section, subsection, paragraph, sentence, clause, or phrase of this ordinance
be declared unconstitutional or invalid for any reason, such declaration shall not affect
the validity of the remaining portions of this ordinance.
SECTION 5. EFFECTIVE DATE
This ordinance shall be in full force and effective no less than 30 days after its adoption,
and shall be published or posted as required by law.
This ordinance was introduced on the th day of , 2007 and
DULY AND REGULARLY ADOPTED this day of , 2007 by the
following vote:
AYES:
NOES:
ABSENT:
ABSTAIN:
CITY OF ROHNERT PARK
Mayor
ATTEST:
City Clerk
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
City Attorney
ADDENDUM 1
Report to the
PARKS &RECREATION COMMISSION
From the
SKATE PARK COMMITTEE
18 June 2007
Section XI. Liability& Insurance
Paragraph 4 is amended as follows(new text underlined; deleted text lined out):
Rohnert Park is a member of the Redwood Empire Municipal Insurance Fund(REMIF) a risk
pool established in 1976. The Fund provides property,liability
and payroll-related coverage under a Joint Powers Agreement among 15 participating cities
in northern California. In return,they require the City to meet certain minimum conditions
(please see Appendix F for the full list). Most of the cities in our survey are covered by
REMIF. In all the cities that it covers,REMIF has only had two claims related to skate park
injuries and both were contested successfully. In fact, football and baseball account for the
largest number of their sports injury claims.
A new paragraph 5 is added as follows:
The skate park will result in additional premiums for property coverage at the rate of about
$80 per$100,000 of cost so that a$1,000,000 course would result in annual premiums of
about$800. The cost of liability insurance is based on experience so there will be no
additional premiums unless there is a claim.
Rohnert Park Skate Park 18 June 2007
O�1�71tOtT
ROHNERT PARK
SKATE PARK
Report to the
PARKS & RECREATION COMMISSION
From the
SKATE PARK COMMITTEE
18 June 2007
1
Rohnert Park Skate Park 18 June 2007
TABLE OF CONTENTS
I. Executive Summary
II. Why Build a Skate park in Rohnert Park?
III. Description
IV. Survey of Regional Skate parks
V. Future Regional Skate parks
VI. Location
VII. Safety and Security
VIII. Design and Construction
IX. Funding
X. Maintenance
XI. Liability and Insurance
Appendices
A. Specialty Skateboard Retail Stores in Sonoma County
B. Regional Skate Parks in the Survey
C. Site Assessment
D. Group A Site Ratings
E. Skate Park Rules (draft)
F. REMIF Requirements
2
Rohnert Park Skate Park 18 June 2007
I. Executive Summary
On 16 April 2007,the Parks&Recreation Commission(hereinafter referred to as the
"Commission")voted to establish a sub-committee to look into the matter of installing a skate
park in Rohnert Park. Commissioners Richard Armerding and Nick Aronis were appointed to
prepare a recommendation to the Commission. Suzanne Sanders was appointed as an ad hoc
member of the Committee and we held our first meeting on 26 April.
We proceeded to conduct research which included:
• Visits to public skate parks in the counties of Sonoma,Marin, Mendocino and Napa.
• Telephone interviews with representatives of the parks and police departments in each
city which has a skate park or is planning one
• Internet searches of various issues
• Discussions with stakeholders in Rohnert Park
At our first meeting,we drew up a Statement of Purpose,a draft of which was submitted to the
Commission on 21 May 2007 and approved as follows:
BACKGROUND
Rohnert Park is famous for the multitude of sports activities available in its public parks but it is
one of the few cities in Sonoma County without its own skate park. At the same time, inline
skating and skateboarding is a fast-growing sport in the community and numerous citizens have
made known their desire to fill this void through personal appearances, surveys and petitions. As
a result,the Parks&Recreation Commission formed a sub-committee on 16 April 2007. The
Committee has drawn up the following statement to guide its work.
STATEMENT OF PURPOSE
The Committee will investigate the possibility and desirability of locating a high quality skate
facility in the City of Rohnert Park which will serve a broad range of the city's inline skaters and
skateboarders so as to promote safe and healthy sports activities for the youth of our town.
RECOMMENDATION
At the end of its investigation,the Committee will report to the Parks&Recreation Commission
with recommendations as to the following:
• Appropriate locations
• Recommended size
• General design criteria
• Funding sources
• Other issues
This is our report.
3
Rohnert Park Skate Park 18 June 2007
II. Why Build a Skate park in Rohnert Park?
In June 2006,the Parks, Recreation& Open Space (PROS)Committee conducted an online
recreational needs assessment and a total of 1,274 responses were received. Among other
questions, the survey asked whether respondents were willing to pay higher taxes to fund general
park costs. 70%were willing to pay higher taxes for park operation and maintenance, 69%were
willing to pay higher taxes for improvements to existing parks and 62%were willing to pay
higher taxes for new parks. 47%were even willing to donate toward a park endowment. While
these figures do not relate directly to a new skate park, they do indicate the high importance
which Rohnert Park citizens put on their recreational facilities.
The fact that citizens value activities for youth is shown in the 572 (52%)responses which
indicated that"before and after school programs and facilities"are a high priority. 540 (49%)
said that"sports programs for children and youth" are a high priority.
The level of support specifically for a skate park in the City can be gauged by the responses to a
question about priorities in activities and programs. 249 respondents (22%) indicated that a
skate park is high priority.
Starting in late 2006, a local citizens group conducted a signature campaign which asked people
to sign a petition stating- "I support the building and maintenance of a free community skate
park". So far,they have obtained over 800 signatures.
According to the International Association of Skate Companies, in the year 2005 there were
nearly 12 million skateboarders in the United States. Among all sports, skateboarding had the
sixth highest increase in participation in 2004 over 2003. Skateboarding has experienced a real
boom with the Generation X demographic (born between 1961 and 1981) as well as the
Generation Y demographic (1982 to 2000). These groups include people from 7 to 46 years old.
Skateboarding got its start back in the 1950's in southern California as an offshoot of surfing. In
the late 1970's and 1980's, it experienced a comeback and the first skate park was introduced. In
1995, the X-games were televised on TV and skateboarding became a recognized sport. Articles
in Media Life and USN&WR offer evidence that the 2005 X Games drew more television
viewers in the male youth demographic than the 2004 Olympics. Skateboarding is featured in
the California Games and competitions are held in parks all across the nation.
Skateboarding and snowboarding feature in video games and advertising targeting the 6-14
market. Images of extreme sports are seen in television shows as well as on cereal boxes,
beverage containers and clothing. A recent Claritin ad shows young boys skateboarding at a
skate park. Skate shoes outpaced all other athletic shoes in sales last year, according to the NPD
Group, a marketing research firm. A study they conducted found that,while demand for running
shoes grew by less than 2% in 2004, sales of skate shoes increased by more than 19%over the
previous year.
People between the ages of 3 and 34 identify with the sport as part of their culture. The 2000
U.S. Census reported that there were 17,213 people in Rohnert Park below the age of 25 (40%
4
Rohnert Park Skate Park 18 June 2007
out of a total population of 42,542). According to the 2006 Economic&Demographic Profile
prepared by the Sonoma County Center for Economic Development, almost 40%of the County's
population was under the age of 30 at the end of 2005. This means there are about 190,000
people in the age bracket most likely to use a skate park
Skateboards are so main stream that Wal-Mart,Target, Big Five Sporting and other large chains
sell them. Even drug stores sell skating equipment. In 2004,total sales related to the sport were
reported at nearly$5.2 billion. In August 2006,Time magazine ran a story on how the design of
skate parks has even influenced the design of other activities. The article noted that the industry
had grown from 200 skate parks five years earlier to over 2,400.
Rohnert Park has had a successful, independently-owned skate store for over 10 years(Gone
Surfmg). Please refer to Appendix A for a list of specialty skateboard retail stores in Sonoma
County. Skateboarders are not just in Southern California anymore,they are everywhere. Cities
across America have built skate parks in record numbers in the last ten years. Six cities in
Sonoma County have a skate park or plan to build one.
Rohnert Park has one of the youngest age demographics in the county. In order for this city to be
a desirable place to live and work we must address the needs of our youth. A skate park would
be a community gathering place that provides an alternative to sidewalks, shopping centers and
school grounds. Kids who do not play team sports will still be able to exercise outdoors in a safe
environment.
According to the Head Custodian of the Cotati-Rohnert Park Unified School District,there are
approximately 15 skateboarders skating after school at every school in this City. Owners of
shopping centers in Rohnert Park have a problem with teenagers skating on their property. Many
kids can be seen on the streets or sidewalks riding a skateboard or inline skates.
In the last twenty years, many cities throughout the United States have addressed these issues by
building skate parks. There are over 80 skate parks in the state of Massachusetts alone. Colorado
has a skate park in almost every city. There are over 106 in Oregon and as many as 300 in
California with more being built every year. Cities have recognized that they are fulfilling a
need and alleviating problems by providing skateboarders who are part of their communities
with a safe, dedicated venue for their sport.
A skate park would be a benefit to Rohnert Park in many ways. Not only would it provide kids
with a place to exercise, meet friends and participate in healthy,non-competitive activity,it
would also prevent damage to shopping centers,sidewalks,tennis courts, schools and parks. A
skate park will provide an exciting outlet for positive personal development through sports and
physical activity.
A skate park which is designed properly and has the appropriate facilities will be a place where
parents feel comfortable leaving their children. A park which provides facilities for spectators
will encourage adults to stay and provide supervision. A skate park can be attractive, secure and
environmentally friendly.
5
Rohnert Park Skate Park 18 June 2007
Best of all, year-round skate parks are very cost effective in comparison to other sports facilities
which cannot be used in rainy weather. In addition, skate parks typically are used for more hours
each week than other facilities.
The risks that exist with skateboarding also exist in other sports and can be dealt with in similar
ways. Adequate park design, appropriate regulations which are consistently enforced, insurance
and community involvement can mitigate most of the issues which have risen in the past. Over
the past 20 years, cities have learned a lot about location,design and management of skate parks
and Rohnert Park will benefit from these lessons.
Rohnert Park has built a reputation as a"parks and recreation"city. It provides excellent
facilities for tennis, soccer,baseball and basketball. It is time to add skateboarding to this list
and provide our youth with a safe, fun venue for one of their favorite past times. This will
enhance Rohnert Park's reputation as a great place to live,work and study.
Conclusion:
Given the desire for and benefits from a skate park located within the City of Rohnert Park,the
committee's next step was to investigate some key issues which will determine whether a park
can be built in a manner appropriate to the style and resources of the City. These will be
discussed in detail in the remainder of this report.
6
Rohnert Park Skate Park 18 June 2007
III. Description
Our first task was to define what we mean by a"skate park"within the context of the City of
Rohnert Park. To do that,we considered various parameters and agreed to focus our efforts,
right from the start, on a limited combination which fit the resources and style of our City:
1. Size and type of park
Rohnert Park is blessed with a large number of City parks, some of which have room to
install a full-sized skate park. There are also small parks (called"skate-spots"or"skate-
dots") such as the parks in Mill Valley and Napa. We considered the possibility of
having one full-sized park versus 2-3 skate-spots and concluded that the optimal solution
for the City is one full-sized park.
The skate parks included in our survey range from 2,000 square feet(Mill Valley)to
25,000 square feet(San Rafael). Given the spaces available,competing interests and cost
factor,we concluded that a park in the range of 15,000—20,000 square feet would be
appropriate for Rohnert Park.
2. Users
Skate parks can also be used for inline skates, BMX bikes and scooters. The vast
majority of skate parks in our area prohibit the use of bikes for two reasons: (1)they are
not included in the definition of Hazardous Recreational Activity which leaves open the
question of city liability and(2)they can damage the concrete edges on the course.
These reasons will be discussed in more detail later in this report but we agreed that the
Rohnert Park skate park should be designed for and used by only skateboarders and inline
skaters.
3. Skill levels
The question was raised whether the course should serve all skill levels or whether it
should be designed for a specific skill level(e.g. beginner, intermediate,advanced). It
was agreed that the Rohnert Park course should be adequate for at least beginner and
intermediate skaters. The size of the park and the funds available will determine whether
advanced features can be included.
4. Target market
Some cities have designed skate parks to attract regional skateboard events such as
demonstrations and competitions(called"destination parks"). The San Rafael park hosts
competitions twice a year and receives visitors from throughout the Bay Area. Given the
resources available in Rohnert Park,we agreed that it is best for the City to focus on use
by its own citizens.
rte.
•
7
Rohnert Park Skate Park 18 June 2007
5. Design& Construction
Skate parks can be outdoor or indoor. Indoor parks are generally privately owned since
cities rarely have appropriate buildings which are not being used for other purposes. All
of the parks in the survey area are public outdoor parks which are designed to be used
year-round.
The course itself can be built using concrete, steel or wood to create the forms(ramps,
stairs,bowls, ledges,etc.). The skate parks at American Canyon, Cloverdale,Corte
Madera and Mill Valley are built of modular steel structures on a concrete or asphalt
base. These have the advantage of being fairly cheap and flexible. The main
disadvantages are that they are noisy and the structures get very hot in summer.
Maintenance is required to keep down the rust and ensure that the equipment remains
safe.
All the other parks in the survey are built in the ground of reinforced concrete with metal
copings to protect the sharp edges. We have noted from personal observation that these
are quiet. The technology exists to construct such courses so that they last a long time
and require minimal maintenance and repair.
The Public Works Dept. in Sebastopol conducted a test and determined that their concrete
skate park will not add significantly to the noise level of the surrounding area. One of the
neighbors of the skate park in Healdsburg has confirmed that they are not bothered by the
noise. This will be the case in Rohnert Park where existing sports facilities already
provide ambient noise levels which will be equal to or even greater than that caused by a
skate park.
Conclusion:
The selected design criteria should attract and serve the maximum number of skateboarders
while keeping maintenance costs to a minimum.
8
Rohnert Park Skate Park 18 June 2007
IV. Survey of Regional Public Skate parks
One of the first steps was to look at what has been done by other cities on our county and the
surrounding counties. We visited the following public parks:
No. City Year Built Size(sq. ft.)
1. Santa Rosa 1994 17,000
2. Napa 1995 8,000
3. Petaluma 1996 14,400
4. Sonoma 1999 12,400
5. Healdsburg(a) 2000 20,000
6. Cloverdale(b) ? 5,800
7. Mill Valley 2001 2,000
8. Novato 2002 14,000
9. Windsor 2003 15,000
10. American Canyon 2003 13,000
11. San Rafael 2003 25,000
12. Willits 2004 18,000
13. Corte Madera 2004 3,000
14. Bolinas 2007 4,000
a) includes landscaping and parking which takes up about half of this space
b)the modules occupy only about half of this space
In each city,we contacted the following people who are directly involved in the skate parks:
1. Users
2. City Administration
3. Police Department
Please see Appendix B for a full list of the people contacted. The following is a summary of the
responses.
USERS
It comes as no surprise that the skateboarders were unanimously in favor of having skate parks.
Their input,however,was instructive as to how a skate park can be designed and managed to
attract them to the park and encourage them to use it properly.
Like a lot of other people, some users dislike being required to wear helmets and pads. They
resent even more the fact that they are ticketed for failure to do so. Virtually none of the people
we interviewed fully understood why the cities require this safety gear. When it was explained
to them that it is required in order to obtain liability insurance,they often accepted(albeit
grudgingly)that at least there is a good reason for the requirement. Some skaters thought that
having a bin with readily available helmets and pads would be a good thing.
9
Rohnert Park Skate Park 18 June 2007
,.� We also found that no one understood why bikes are not allowed in skate parks. When it was
pointed out that: (1)bikes damage to the concrete structures which are only designed for
skateboards and in-line skates and(2)bikes are not classified as a Hazardous Recreational
Activity under the law(with the attendant liability exposure),they were more understanding of
the prohibition.
Bike riders unanimously expressed a desire for facilities dedicated to their sport. It is interesting
to note that many bike riders on the streets do not always wear helmets as is already required by
State and Municipal Codes.
Some parents of little children expressed the desire for separate times or days for their use so as
to minimize the chance of collisions with older and bigger users. Generally speaking,the young
people at the newer parks appreciate them more than users at the older parks who were not
around before the park was available.
It is clear that ongoing communication and education programs can go a long way to encourage
users to cooperate in the proper and legal use of a park.
CITY ADMINISTRATION
In general, administrative people believe that the skate parks which have been built in their cities
have been a positive thing. Most report that the parks have succeeded in drawing skaters away
from downtown areas and shopping centers though no one claims that this has been 100%
successful. One city also reported an increase in spending by parents from other cities who bring
their children to the local skate park.
There is a consensus that graffiti should not be allowed right from the beginning. Those that
have never allowed graffiti tend to close the park at the first sign of new graffiti and keep it
closed until maintenance crews have a chance to clean it up. This sends a clear message to users
that there are consequences.
Graffiti is not necessarily the fault of skateboarders. Other people are often suspected of doing
the work. The goal of the closings is to encourage the skaters to put pressure on their peers who
are defacing the structures. This is especially effective when the skaters understand that paint
actually makes the concrete more slippery and dangerous when it gets wet from rain or fog.
By its very nature, concrete is relatively easy to clean and there are special products for that
purpose. Most of the cities in the survey reported that maintenance costs are very low. In some
cities,the skateboarders themselves contribute time and effort to maintain the parks in a safe and
clean condition.
All agreed that choosing the right location is critical to a park's success. They talked about
visibility, accessibility and maintenance issues. For instance,one park has experienced a
problem with trash because it is right across the street from two fast food outlets. Another park
has had problems because the course is hidden behind a building. In the course of the survey, it
was noted that parks which are clearly visible were largely free from trash.
10
Rohnert Park Skate Park 18 June 2007
POLICE
It is fairly standard procedure for the city management to oversee building and maintenance of a
skate park but to delegate enforcement to the police department. In fact,the Redwood Empire
Municipal Insurance Fund(REMIF)requires that police visit each skate park at least once a day.
The feedback from the police departments was mixed. Some feel that monitoring the skate park
takes up time which should be spent on other duties. They are not happy being in the role of
enforcer of rules which are in place solely to protect the city from liability claims.
Other officers view their park as a positive influence on youth who previously were a problem.
Before the park existed,they could only roust people who were skating in prohibited areas.
Now,the very existence of the park allows them to offer an attractive alternative. Those who
view skateboarding as a healthy, active sport are happy to encourage the users to wear protective
gear and do not resent their job of enforcer of the rules.
In Healdsburg,the police specifically noted that there has been an overall improvement in the
use of the park since it opened in 2000. The number of violations and injuries have both
declined as the users have become used to both the course and the rules.
The experience of the park rangers in San Rafael's McInnis Park points the way to good relations
--. between users and the authorities. The rangers,together with the skateboarding community and
local skateboard equipment retailers,host periodic competitions and exhibitions. This allows
them to interact with the users in a very positive way(handing out prizes and beverages). This
offsets the negative interactions when they must issue a citation for violations of the rules. They
also provide a bin of helmets and pads, supplied by local retailers, for use by skaters who
"forgot"theirs. Our insurance carrier will not allow us to follow this practice but they will allow
us to follow the practice in Windsor where some police officers carry free helmets in their
cruisers to offer to skaters on the spot.
Conclusion:
While each city in the region has learned hard lessons from the process of building and operating
its own skate park,there is no city which entirely regrets having built a park. Some of the cities
with older parks would build them in a different location or operate them differently if they could
start again.
The good part about this is that Rohnert Park can easily benefit from the lessons of the past. The
rest of this report will offer a number of ideas which,together, should result in a park which
serves the greatest number of users satisfactorily while meeting the needs of the rest of the
community to the maximum degree.
11
Rohnert Park Skate Park 18 June 2007
V. Future Regional Public Skate parks
In addition to Rohnert Park, several cities in the survey region are planning new public skate
parks:
1. Cloverdale
A citizens' group has formed to ask the City to approve a new in-ground, concrete
course,possibly in Furber Park. They are in the early stages of this process. The City
Council has expressed the intention to include a skate park in a Youth Master Plan which
is being put together to coordinate all youth services in Cloverdale.
2. Guerneville
They are presently collecting signatures and have around 3,000. The next step will be to
raise funds and Zach Wormhoudt is helping them prepare the proposal. Because they are
unincorporated,they will be looking mainly for grants(especially from the Russian River
Redevelopment Committee).
They have proposed a couple of sites which the County owns including the Park&Ride
area. There is also a field owned by Korbel which might be available. They will
probably try to build something along the lines of the Healdsburg skate park.
Maintenance will come under the County Parks&Recreation Department.
3. St. Helena
A parent's group is raising money to build a 22,000 sq. ft. in-ground, concrete course.
The city has donated land and will also build restrooms. The park will be designed in a
"U" shape with the open center given over to landscaping with benches and/or picnic
tables so that parents can have a place to sit and watch their children. The parents are
being required to raise all of the estimated$700,000 which will be needed to build the
course which will then be handed over to the city to own and maintain. The group has
made a direct award(without bid)to Grindline to design and build the park. They hope
to break ground in October 2007 and construction should take 4-6 months depending on
the weather.
4. Santa Rosa
Partly due to the things they have learned from their first skate park(the oldest in the
North Bay Area)and partly due to the growing demand for such facilities, Santa Rosa has
included a new skate park in the planning for its 80 acre sports facility called"A Place to
Play"on West Third Street. The skate park is planned for one of the later phases and will
probably be built within the next 4-5 years.
12
Rohnert Park Skate Park 18 June 2007
--. 5. Sausalito
A petition was presented to the City Council in February 2007 and the issue has been
referred to the Parks&Recreation Commission for study.
6. Sebastopol
One of the reasons for building the park is to draw skaters away from public areas
downtown and shopping centers. The process has taken about 15 years and the biggest
hurdle was finding a site acceptable to the neighbors. The main objections were noise
and behavior. The Planning Director determined that the skate park would not add
significantly to the ambient noise at the site chosen and it is one block from the police
station so enforcement is not expected to be a problem. Users were involved in the
design process at an early stage.
7. Ukiah
Choosing and getting approval for a site was the key issue. They have obtained a 40-year
lease (with option to buy) for a 1-acre plot in the old railroad depot. It is centrally located
in an industrial/commercial area. They did not want to put the park outside of town but
wanted to have a nice location for mixed use that would attract skaters and provide a
positive atmosphere. The park noise will be no greater than the ambient traffic noise.
Access was given a great deal of weight in the site assessment criteria because it was
important in winning a$500,000 grant. Visibility was also considered to be very
important for safety and security. It is their goal to get skaters to stop using the
downtown area so they had a lot of support from businesses and the police. Because the
park is being designed as a destination course,the City expects shops,restaurants,and
hotels to benefit from out-of-town people visiting the skate park.
They invited bids from over 60 designers and received 8 bids (including Hollyday and
Grindline). They interviewed the bidders and chose Wormhoudt. The design will
encourage parents and other spectators(along the lines of Healdsburg).
Conclusion:
The trend in our own and the surrounding counties is to build skate parks to serve youth who
enjoy this healthy sports activity and to encourage skateboarders to use a dedicated park rather
than public areas.
13
Rohnert Park Skate Park 18 June 2007
VI. Location
From the beginning of our study,the assumption was made that, if a skate park is generally
appropriate for Rohnert Park,then it should fit in with the other sports and recreational facilities
presently located in the twelve public parks which already exist(not counting mini-parks).
These presently cater to the following activities:
No. Activity Existing Number
1. Tennis courts 25
2. Playgrounds 20
3. Baseball and softball 14
4. Soccer fields 9
5. Basketball courts* 6
6. Swimming pools 5
7. Dog park 3
8. Golf course 2
Note: there is some duplication in the above figures where two sports share a multi-use field.
There are also indoor facilities at the Callinan Sports Center for basketball, racquetball, exercise
machines and weight-training equipment.
Our first step was to establish criteria for evaluating whether a given park is suitable for a skate
--� park. These are:
1. Visibility
In order to promote safety and security and to discourage vandalism or other
unacceptable behavior,
• Ideally,the skateboard course will be located in a park which has a significant
number of other users present at the times when the course will be open
• A significant portion of the course should be visible from a passing police car
• An accompanying parent should be able to see the course from a significant portion
of the rest of the park in which the skate park is located
2. Accessibility
• A majority of Rohnert Park children must be able to reach the park by bicycle or
skateboard via sidewalks
• Ideally,the park will have a City bus stop within 2 blocks
3. Adequate space available
• The space available for the skateboard course should be between 15,000 and 25,000
square feet excluding landscaping and parking
14
Rohnert Park Skate Park 18 June 2007
• The design will take into account whether the space is flat or uneven
4. Parking
• There should be adequate parking for the existing park facilities plus a new
skateboard course
5. Proximity to a swimming pool
• In order to facilitate opening and closing of the skateboard course, ideally it will be
located in a park with a swimming pool or some other Parks&Recreation Dept.
facility
6. Proximity to houses or apartment buildings
• Ideally,the location is separated from the nearest houses by a street rather than just a
fence
• The fewer houses directly adjacent to the location,the better
The next step was to break down the list of parks into three categories using the above criteria.
This yielded the following lists:
GROUP A—Good potential;no major changes required
1. Honeybee(central open area)
2. Magnolia(three possible sites)
3. Stadium Area(west side between KRCB and the Water Treatment Plant)
4. Sunrise (southeast corner)
GROUP B—Fair potential; some negatives exist or major changes required
1. Benicia(next to Boys& Girls Club)
2. Colegio Vista
3. Community Center Complex(behind Callinan Sports Center)
4. Eagle(southwest corner)
5. Golis(either the southwest corner or the north section)
6. Rainbow
GROUP C—Poor or no potential
1. Alicia
2. Dorotea
3. Fire Station on Southwest Blvd.
4. Ladybug
For the full list of potential sites and the detailed analysis of each,please refer to Appendix C.
15
Rohnert Park Skate Park 18 June 2007
The next step was to rate each of the parks in Group A so that the Commission could offer the
City Council a firm recommendation as to the best location for a skate park. That resulted in the
following ranking:
1. Honeybee (next to the parking lot)
2. Magnolia(east end)
3. Magnolia(west of parking lot)
4. Magnolia(between parking lot and tennis courts)
5. Stadium Area(west side between KRCB and Water Treatment Plan)
6. Sunrise(southeast corner)
The detailed ratings are shown in Appendix D.
In addition to potential sites within existing parks,there is the possibility that a skate park could
be included in the Northeast Specific Plan Area. The City has discussed this with the proposed
developers of that land and it offers two advantages:
1. The cost of the skate park would be fully borne by the developer.
2. The skate park would be built before new residents move in.
On the negative side, it should be noted that this Area was added to the General Plan in 2000 but
seven years later it has still not been annexed to the City. It will be a long time before this area is
developed due to the facts that:
1. legal issues must be settled;
2. annexation must be approved; and
3. it will take time to build out the area(including the new park).
Conclusion:
We believe that there are several sites which offer a good combination of attributes for a skate
park and recommend that the Commission endorse these locations in its report to the City
Council.
16
Rohnert Park Skate Park 18 June 2007
VII. Safety and Security
This is an important issue for each city which has a skate park. Stakeholders such as Public
Safety and potential neighbors have expressed concern that users of our skate park might engage
in undesirable or unsafe behavior. In order to mitigate or eliminate these behaviors,the
following steps are recommended(some are required by our insurance carrier, REMIF):
1. The City will issue a skate park ordinance (several examples are available from other
cities)which will set out the rules and regulations for the park along with any penalties
(see below) for violations.
2. A progressive schedule of fines will be imposed on people found violating the above
rules. It is recommended that the City begin with a four-tiered schedule as follows:
• first offense—$25
• second offense—$50
• third offense—$75
• fourth offense—barred from use of the park for a period of 6 months
3. A Hazardous Recreational Activity warning,a list of rules and a reference to the above
ordinance will be published at the entrance to the skate park and at intervals around the
fence. Please see Appendix E for a sample list. The final list will be drafted by legal
counsel. The signs will be designed to appeal to youthful tastes and encourage
compliance(as has been done very effectively by Healdsburg).
4. The skate park will be surrounded by a fence at least 6 feet high with a gate which can be
locked every night. This also allows the park to be closed by the appropriate authorities
in the event that vandalism or safety violations become a problem.
5. The gate can be designed to make it difficult to bring a BMX onto the course. Bike racks
will be provided outside the fence.
6. As mentioned in our site assessment criteria,most of the park should be visible to a
police officer in a patrol car passing by. This allows frequent monitoring in accordance
with REMIF requirements,while minimizing the impact on existing patrol schedules.
7. A payphone will be installed near the course (if one is not already available) so that users
can call 911 in case of any emergency.
8. By locating the skate park within a larger park area,users of nearby facilities in the park
can see what is going on in the skate park. This encourages the skate park users to follow
the rules.
9. Landscaping with benches,picnic tables and other similar structures will be provided to
make it both attractive and comfortable for parents of users to stay and keep an eye on
things.
17
Rohnert Park Skate Park 18 June 2007
10. Graffiti will be prohibited right from the beginning. In the event that graffiti or any other
type of damage is found within the park, it will automatically be closed by the City's
Parks &Recreation Dept. for two days or until the paint can be removed or damage
repaired by the Public Works Dept.
11. It is not intended that the skate park should impose a burden on either the police or the
citizens of Rohnert Park to enforce the rules. Other cities have found that there are ways
to encourage the users of the park to behave in an acceptable manner and we recommend
that these be built into the skate park plan for our City. They include:
• Provide police cruisers with helmets and pads so that officers will have an alternative
to simply ordering people out of the park for failure to have safety gear;the
equipment would be donated by manufacturers and/or retailers;this is the practice of
Windsor police officers.
• Periodically meet with the users to show them how their observing the rules allows
the City to continue to serve their desire for the facility; this can be done in
conjunction with competitions and exhibitions.
12. It is expected that a citizen's group or association will be formed during the design and
construction of the skate park(similar to the groups which already exist for tennis,
--� baseball, soccer, etc.). Among other things,the group will provide stewardship for the
park. This includes keeping an eye on the cleanliness and condition of the course as well
as arranging for local competitions, exhibitions and educational activities to encourage
safe and responsible use of the park.
Conclusion:
We can benefit from the experience of other cities in operating our skate park safely and in a
manner which meets the needs of its neighbors.
18
Rohnert Park Skate Park 18 June 2007
VIII. Design & Construction
In the 1990's a generation of skateboarders such as Wally Hollyday, Tim Payne,Mark Hubbard,
and Zach Wormhoudt grew up to be skate park designers. They design skate parks to include the
forms,moves and transitions that they learned to enjoy. Zach Wormhoudt and/or his father,
Ken,have designed most of the parks in the four counties included in our survey.
When the City of Ukiah recently issued a Request for Proposals for the design of its new skate
park,the RFP was sent to 60 companies. Eight of these submitted bids and were invited to make
personal presentations of their qualifications. This indicates that there is more than adequate
competition in this field to ensure not only that it can be done at a reasonable cost but that the
quality will be in keeping with the image which Rohnert Park wishes to maintain.
Something which all good skate parks have in common is that the designers involved the users in
the process. Skateboarders are invited to model their favorite forms(stairs, rails,ramps,
channels, ledges,verticals, etc.)and these are incorporated into the final design to optimize the
"flow"of the course. This allows the skater to follow a path from one form to another in a
smooth and continuous movement. Involving the users in the design also gives the skateboard
community significant"ownership"in the park and encourages them to provide stewardship in
its operation and maintenance.
The most popular parks in the region include both of the main skating forms: street and vert.
"Street"includes forms which might be found in public areas (stairways, railings and ramps).
"Vert"includes curved forms such as bowls and quarterpipes(one quarter of a cylindrical form)
which allow the skater to achieve vertical motion.
Conclusion:
It is possible to design a skate park which will draw users from less desirable locations and
engage them in the process of maintaining the park for a long life.
•
19
Rohnert Park Skate Park 18 June 2007
IX. Funding
There is an upward trend in the price of skate parks built over the past twenty years,mainly in
the cost of concrete and steel. Today,it is estimated that the cost of an in-ground, concrete
course will range from$35 to $40 per square foot. Thus, a 20,000 sq. ft. course will cost from
$700,000 to $800,000 to construct. To this must be added other costs such as consultants and
legal fees so that a conservative estimate of the total cost falls between$1,000,000 and
$1,200,000.
It is recognized that most of the sports facilities in Rohnert Park have been provided by
developers in the past. While this is not possible for a new facility in an existing park, it is
believed that most, if not all, of the funding for a skate park in Rohnert Park can be obtained
from sources outside the capital budget of the city.
The Parks, Recreation& Open Space (PROS) Committee of Rohnert Park is presently working
on a Parks&Recreation Master Plan for the City with a target completion date of 30 October
2007. The Committee is being assisted by Moore, lacofano, Goltsman, Inc.,consultants. If the
Parks&Recreation Commission accept this report, it will be passed on to PROS and the
consultants. They probably will hold public meetings and perform additional research to work
this concept into the overall Plan. The Master Plan must be approved by the City Council. Once
a site has been approved and dedicated to this purpose by the City Council,pursuant to the Parks
&Recreation Master Plan,a design will be chosen and we can proceed to raise funds and begin
construction.
Grants and private donations have been successfully used by other cities in the region to build
their existing parks as shown below:
City Grants(a) Donations (b) City Funds
American Canyon - Concrete slab Equipment
Bolinas 70% 30% -
Cloverdale 100% - -
Corte Madera 100% - -
Healdsburg(c) $100,000 $300,000+in kind Land+fees
Mill Valley(d) - 30% 70%
Napa - - 100%
Novato - - 100%
Petaluma - - 100%
San Rafael 60% - 40% (e)
Santa Rosa - 5% 95%
Sonoma 73,000 some some
Willits 36% 17% 47%
Windsor 16% 36% 48%
The following cities which are planning new parks are already raising funds and expect to obtain
them from the following sources(these are estimates):
20
Rohnert Park Skate Park 18 June 2007
City Grants (a) Donations (b) City Funds
Guerneville (f) Major source Minor source -
St. Helena - 100% -
Sebastopol 50% 47% 3%
Ukiah 50% 50% -
Cloverdale, Santa Rosa and Sausalito are either in the approval or planning stages and do not yet
have cost estimates.
NOTES:
a) Includes Propositions 12,40 and 84 as well as other grants
b) Includes cash and in-kind
c) Total amount not available
d) School District contributed the land
e) Includes money from Sonoma County
f) Guerneville is not incorporated; most funding will come from Sonoma County;they have
just begun the process and cannot estimate their funding breakdown yet
In addition to government grants,there are private grants such as the Tony Hawk Foundation
which provides grants"to promote high-quality,public skate parks in low-income areas
throughout the United States". In 2001,Rohnert Park Boards&Blades Corp. was established
"to support youth recreational activities in the City of Rohnert Park, California by raising money
to donate to the Rohnert Park City Parks&Recreation Department." Local and national
companies who are not specifically related to skateboarding also contribute to recreational
activities(e.g. Exchange Bank, McDonalds, and Target).
Donations come from individuals as well as service clubs and local businesses who recognize the
need to provide a safe,healthy venue for youth activities. Companies in the skate industry are
another source of donations. These include manufacturers of equipment, clothing and footwear.
•
A case in point is the skate park in Healdsburg where the majority of the funding was received in
the form of donations from 21 civic organizations, 136 companies and 221 private individuals
and families. In addition to cash donations ranging from$50 to over$5,000,there were many
in-kind contributions including construction materials and services.
Conclusion:
•
It is estimated that fund raising will take 6-10 months followed by 6-10 months of construction.
Thus,Rohnert Park could have a high-quality skate park as early as late 2008.
21
Rohnert Park Skate Park 18 June 2007
X. Maintenance & Repair
The better the design,the more the skate park will be used. Thus, it is crucial to construct the
park so that it will last a long time under heavy use. Experts cite three critical factors affecting
maintenance and repair costs:
• Site
• Design
• Stewardship
According to the Recreational Resources Center, a properly designed and constructed concrete
facility can benefit from an extremely low structural liability and maintenance can be reduced to
only cosmetic issues. Concrete skate parks require less maintenance and repair than many other
types of sports facilities. They are designed to withstand the kind of wear and tear associated
with the maneuvers performed by skateboarders and in-line skaters. These include rounded
edges where users ride over on the wheels. Where the users will"grind" (i.e. slide along the
edge on the metal part of the skateboard),metal coping provides a sharper edge and protects the
concrete from chipping.
It is clear from every source that an experienced designer and a qualified builder are necessary to
ensure both a long life for the park and low annual maintenance costs. The bidding process for
both of these contracts will be structured not only to obtain an attractive price but to ensure that
the winners are fully qualified in their respective roles.
Maintenance costs at the Willits skate park run only about$5,000 per year. This compares
favorably to the average of$95,480 which Rohnert Park has budgeted for each of its five
swimming pools in the 2006-2007 Approved Budget($55,201 net of related revenues). Concrete
skate park builders generally offer generous long-term warranties for manufacturing defects. If
manufacturer flaws are present,they will usually appear within a year after construction. Small
cracks should be expected as structures age,though these generally don't represent any major
concern.
The primary responsibility for maintenance and repair of the park will lie with the Public Works
Dept. based on requests from the Parks&Recreation Dept. It is, however, intended to involve
the skateboard community in the upkeep of the new park in the same way that other sports
communities have helped to support their respective facilities in Rohnert Park. It is expected that
this will minimize both the cost and the workload for City agencies.
Most concrete skate parks have sunken elements, or bowls,so proper drainage is a fundamental
concern. Bowls require frequent clearing of debris to ensure that drains function properly.
Skaters often take care of this by themselves because debris in bowls can trip them up.
Graffiti can be removed from well-built concrete structures with wire brushes and a variety of
non-toxic,biodegradable solvents. Open-topped garbage cans should be placed next to areas
where skaters will take breaks to encourage their use. They should be fixed in place to prevent
22
Rohnert Park Skate Park 18 June 2007
being used as obstacles within the skate runs. As the City of Sonoma found,a skate park should
not be located near to a fast food restaurant.
It is a good idea to avoid building the course directly under trees which will shed leaves,bark or
seeds onto the course. Landscaping materials also should be prevented from blowing onto the
course as these present both maintenance and safety issues.
Suggested maintenance regimen;
• Weekly clearing of debris(preferably by users and skateboard community stewards)
• Annual inspection for cracks and chips(more frequently for first year to take advantage
of the warranty)
• Annual inspection of concrete coping for excessive wear and chipping
• Annual inspection of metal coping for burrs,chipping and looseness
Conclusion:
Having a skate park in Rohnert Park will not present a greater burden than some of the existing
facilities. It bears repeating here that skate parks are year-round facilities and thus provide a
very cost effective way to keep our youth occupied and healthy.
23
Rohnert Park Skate Park 18 June 2007
XI. Liability & Insurance
Section 115800 of the California Health& Safety Code requires cities with public skate parks to
require that all users wear helmets,elbow pads and knee pads. In a park which is not regularly
supervised, this requirement is satisfied by:
1. Adoption by the city of an ordinance requiring any person riding a skateboard at the
facility to wear a helmet, elbow pads,and knee pads.
2. The posting of signs at the facility affording reasonable notice that any person riding a
skateboard in the facility must wear a helmet, elbow pads, and knee pads, and that any
person failing to do so will be subject to citation.
The government has still not classified the use of BMX bikes as a Hazardous Recreational
Activity under the law and,as a result, all cities in Sonoma County currently ban bicycles from
their skate parks. This is also a requirement of our insurance carrier.
During the survey reported above,we noted that skate park users do violate these rules and
restrictions. The police departments in each city issue numerous citations and sometimes even
ban individuals from using the park for some time. At the same time,all of the cities in our
survey are aware that injuries do occur in their parks. None of the cities in the survey reported
any claims to date.
Rohnert Park is a member of the Redwood Empire Municipal Insurance Fund(REMIF) a risk
pool established in 1976. The Fund provides workers compensation and liability coverage under
a Joint Powers Agreement among 15 participating cities in northern California. In return,they
require the City to meet certain minimum conditions(please see Appendix F for the full list).
Most of the cities in our survey are covered by REMIF. In all the cities that it covers,REMIF
has only had two claims related to skate park injuries and both were contested successfully. In
fact, football and baseball account for the largest number of their sports injury claims.
Most reputable skate park designers carry Errors and Omissions Insurance which covers the City,
the Parks&Recreation Department, and the park designer from litigation based on design and/or
construction which fail to meet state safety standards. The insurance will generally cover legal
defense fees and final judgment awards, should the designer be proven at fault. The insurance is
acquired on a per-park basis and should be included in the Request for Quotations issued by the
City at the appropriate time.
Conclusion:
As long as our City meets the requirements of the law and our insurance policies and carries
appropriate insurance coverage,there is no reason to believe that we will expose ourselves to
greater risk that we already face from the use of our parks by swimmers as well as baseball,
soccer and tennis players.
24
Rohnert Park Skate Park 18 June 2007
APPENDIX A
SPECIALTY RETAIL SKATEBOARD STORES IN SONOMA COUNTY
Bodega
• Northern Light Surf Shop
Healdsburg
• Revolution Skateboard Shop
Petaluma
• Gone Surfing
• PacSun Clothing
• Ramp Rats
• Vans
Rohnert Park
• Gone Surfing
Santa Rosa
• Adrenaline Zone Sports
• PacSun Clothing(Santa Rosa Mall&Coddingtown)
• Vans
• Zumiez
Sebastopol
• Skate Street
Sonoma
• Sonoma Old School Surf& Skate
• Sonoma Sport
Windsor
• West Coast Boardwear
Robert Park Skate Park 18 June 2007
APPENDIX B
REGIONAL SKATE PARKS IN THE SURVEY
CITY County Visited City Admin. Police
American Canyon Napa Randy Davis, Comm. Svcs. Ofc. Wendy Daniels
Bolinas Marin Mark Butler,Private citizen
Cloverdale(old) Sonoma Ai Ellen,Boys&Girls Club N/A
Cloverdale(new) Sonoma Planned N/A
Corte Madera Marin Ai Jackie Branch,Rec. Dir. Sgt.Jim Shirk
John DeSalvio,
Guerneville Sonoma Planned N/A
Russian River Monthly
Healdsburg Sonoma Ai Matthew Thompson,Parks Officer Willets
Mill Valley Marin Al Stuart Kessler,Parks Ofr. Paul Wrappy
r Napa Napa Ai Greg Coleman,Parks Cmdr. Jeff Tromley
Novato Marin Ai Pam Shinault,Parks Lt. Jim Lavarony
Petaluma Sonoma Ai Ron,Parks; JimCpt. Dave Sears
Carr, ex-Parks
Kathleen Carrick,
St.Helena Napa Planned N/A
Recreation Director
San Rafael Marin Ai Steve Petterle,Parks Tom Burrell,Ranger
Santa Rosa(old) Sonoma Ai Rich Hoyden, Parks Sgt. Steve Fraga
Santa Rosa(new) Sonoma Planned Rich Hoyden,Parks N/A
Susan Roe,Parks&
Sausalito Marin Planned N/A
Recreation Commission
Sebastopol Sonoma Planned Kenyon Webster,Planning N/A
Sonoma Sonoma Ai Dave Chavoya,Parks Chief Bret Sackett
Sage Sangiacomo,
Ukiah Mendocino Planned N/A
Community Svcs.
,---,
Willits Mendocino Ai Dave Madrigal,Public Works Chief Gonzalez
Windsor Sonoma Al Jim O'Brian,Parks Chief Frates
Rohnert Park Skate Park 18 June 2007
--� APPENDIX C
SITE ASSESSMENT
GROUP A—Good potential; no major changes required
1. HONEYBEE(central open area)
• Open space not currently used for organized sports
• Knoll screens houses on the other side of Hudis
• Otherwise, no houses directly adjacent to proposed site
• Swimming pool
• Outdoor movies will be moved to the Community Center
• Bus service
2. MAGNOLIA
• Three potential locations:
o East of tennis courts (Tennis Club wants four more courts built there; courts
are also used by SSU and Rancho Cotati)
o Soccer field at the east end of the park
o Soccer field just west of the central parking lot
• Lots of people around at all times
• Minimal number of houses directly affected
• Swimming pool
• Easy access for SSU students
3. STADIUM AREA(west side between KRCB and the Water Treatment Plant)
• Bus service along Labath Ave.
• Greenfield site
• Next to planned Public Safety satellite office
• Close to shopping centers
• Poor access for children on bikes or skateboards coming from east side
4. SUNRISE(southeast corner)
• Central location with bus service
• Existing soccer and baseball fields are not good
• Trees can be thinned to improve visibility from Snyder/Expressway
• No houses directly affected
• Near to the Community Center(staff to open and close)
• Near to the Public Safety building
1
Rohnert Park Skate Park 18 June 2007
GROUP B—Fair potential; some negatives exist or major changes required
1. BENICIA(next to Boys& Girls Club)
• Boys& Girls Club staff could open/close and provide limited supervision
• Space is limited and may be wanted for a community garden
• Basketball court may have to be removed to make sufficient space(it is only 5 years
old)
2. COLEGIO VISTA
• Northwest corner is possible site
• Neighbors on that side have not been a problem
• Check to see if there is a detention pond in the middle of the open ground
• Alternatively,the southeast corner(where the baseball field now stands)could be
used
3. COMMUNITY CENTER COMPLEX
• Two possible locations
o West of Callinan Sports Center
o Triangular space at the corner of Expressway and Snyder
• Highly visible
• Good access by bus and plenty of parking
4. EAGLE (southwest corner)
• Occasionally used by community band
• Trees could be thinned to improve visibility
• Master plan includes a pool in this corner but it is unlikely to be built
• Another possible use is as a group picnic area with pavilion
5. GOLIS
• Two possible locations
o Southwest corner;recreation center may be built there
o Northern section(currently three"under 10" soccer fields but one is not used
much)
• Immediate neighbors in either location will be a problem
• Baseball field is mainly used by out-of-town teams(SoCo League plays on Sundays;
Babe Ruth(Redwood Empire)uses once a week)
• There is demand for a dedicated dog park which could fit with a skateboard park
• Gold Ridge Elementary School may be closed
2
Rohnert Park Skate Park 18 June 2007
--. 6. RAINBOW
• Basketball and tennis courts are in very bad shape and could be replaced by a skate
board park
• Space is also available at the south end
• There is significant potential for NIMBY-ism
GROUP C—Poor or no potential
1. ALICIA
• Swimming pool may be closed
• Not enough space in an adequate configuration
2. DOROTEA
• May put a community garden in the southeast corner
• Poor visibility throughout the park
• Only on-street parking available
• High NIMBY factor probable
3. FIRE STATION ON SOUTHWEST BLVD.
• Limited space
• Apartments on west and south sides
• Building is to be torn down
• Low-income housing has been talked about
4. LADYBUG
• Hidden access in the southwest corner presents a danger
• Virtually no visibility from parking lot
• Detention pond takes up most of the space
• Swimming pool may be closed
• Space between the park and the school is owned by SoCo Water Agency
3
Rohnert Park Skate Park 18 June 2007
APPENDIX D
SITE RATINGS
Proximity Proximity
SITE Visibility Access Space Parking TOTALS
to Pool to Houses
GROUP A(Good potential; no major changes required)
Honeybee 4 4.5 4.5 4.5 5 4.5 27
Magnolia(east end) 5 4 5 3.5 5 4.5 27
Magnolia(west of 5 4 5 3.5 5 4 26.5
parking)
Magnolia(bewteen 5 4 4 3.5 5 3.5 25
parking&tennis)
Stadium Area 5 3 4 4 3.5 5 24.5
Sunrise 4.5 5 4.5 2.5 1 3 20.5
GROUP B (Fair potential but some negatives exist or major changes required)
Colegio Vista(SE 5 4.5 4 3 1 3 20.5
corner)
Benicia (Boys & Girls 3 3 3 2.5 3.5 4.5 19.5
Club)
Golis (SW corner) 5 3.5 5 3 1 1 18.5
Colegio Vista(NW 3 5 5 2.5 1 1.5 18
corner)
Golis (north section) 4.5 3.5 4.5 3 1 1 17.5
Community Center 1 4.5 3 4 3 2 17.5
(behind Callinan)
Eagle 4 3 3 2.5 1 2 15.5
Rainbow 4.5 3 3 1.5 1 1.5 14.5
Rohnert Park Skate Park 18 June 2007
APPENDIX E
SKATE PARK RULES
(draft)
Warning
Skateboarding and in-line skating are hazardous recreational activities. Use of this facility may
result in death,paralysis, brain damage, concussion, broken bones or other serious injury. Any
use is at your own risk. This is a non-supervised facility. The City of Rohnert Park does not
assume any responsibility for injuries. (California Code section 831.7)
• Each user is required to a wear helmet, elbow pads and knee pads.
• Skateboards and in-line skates only -NO bicycles, scooters or motorized vehicles.
• Park hours are a.m. to p.m.
• Protect your skate park from graffiti and abuse. The City will close the park for at least 2
days if graffiti or other damage is found.
• No food or drink in the Skate Park.
• No alcohol, drugs or tobacco products permitted in or around the Skate Park.
• No glass in or around the skating area.
• Additional obstacles or other materials(ramps/jumps)may not be used at the Skate Park.
• Do not use facility if a hazardous condition exists, such as water puddles, litter, graffiti and
other foreign objects.
• Please report any damage or hazardous condition to
• All organized events must have written approval from the Parks &Recreation Department.
Rohnert Park Skate Park 18 June 2007
APPENDIX F
REMIF REQUIREMENTS FOR
PERMANENT,BUILT-IN SKATEBOARD PARKS/FACILITY
1. Design of the facility shall be performed by a licensed designer/architect with experience in
skateboard park design. The park shall not include deep vertical drops of half pikes; no
obstacles,elements or components of this skating area shall have a vertical drop more than 36".
2. Design of the facility must be approved by the city in compliance with necessary government
code sections to achieve design immunity. In addition,REMIF's conditions for coverage must
be reviewed and approved by the city.
3. There shall be a six foot fence surrounding the facility with sufficient area for a participant to
safely perform maneuvers.
4. There shall be fixed and posted hours of operations.
5. While using the facility,the participant must use personal safety equipment comprised of at
least head,knee, and elbow protection. The city shall not be the provider of such equipment.
6. A facility maintenance check shall be made on at least a daily basis to note and correct safety
problems.
7. In in-line skaters are allowed to use the facility,rules and regulations of usage shall be posted
for safety purposes.
8. The city police department will include the park ion a daily routine patrol during the day,
evening,weekend and holiday hours.
9. Food and drink is prohibited inside the fenced area.
10.No temporary or moveable obstacles r materials(i.e. ramps/jumps)are allowed into the fenced
area.
11. Bicycling is prohibited within the skateboard facility.
12. Landscaping material must be of a non-shed variety (i.e. no sand, gravel, bark, etc.) and all
bushes and trees should be such a distance from the facility as to not litter the facility with
debris.
13. If the facility is to be used after dark, it must be lighted according to current standards.
14. The facility shall be locked during hours of non-operation.
15. The city shall pass an ordinance in compliance with Health and Safety Code 115800 and
''`� establish and maintain provisions for its enforcement.
OµNERT PARI,
INTEROFFICE MEMO
From: Guy Miller, Recreation Services Manager
2
To: Parks &Recreation Commission
NT
Cc:
CA L I F o gio'•
Date: June 13, 2007
Subject: Monthly Highlights
ADMINISTRATION
• The Community Center ADA upgrade and truss repair project was put out to a
successful bid. Construction will begin on June 18. This project will bring the
Community Center up to ADA code and replace a rotting support truss over the
childcare room. The restrooms will be rebuilt to ADA standards, door closures will be
adjusted, door thresholds will be rebuilt, and a lift will be installed to access the stage
area. A portable restroom will be supplied while the restroom is being rebuilt.
• Three playgrounds were selected by the P &R Commission for renovation using
a$208,000 Housing/Workforce Grant. These playgrounds include Colegio Vista,
Benicia and Honeybee Parks. Additional funds were allocated to provide replacement
parts for other playgrounds. An RFP is being prepared to solicit design ideas for these
playgrounds.
• Recreation Department staff received training in Sexual Harassment and Risk
Management through REMIF.
• The Recreation Department manned an informational booth at the Chamber of
Commerce Business Showcase.
• There was an electrical fire at the Alicia Park snack bar that was a result of an
improperly installed breaker. Letters were sent out to all sports groups reminding
them that they are not exempt from construction permits and inspections and all
improvements must be submitted in writing to the Recreation Department before any
work can begin.
• The Activity Guide was published for May-August. People continue to become
aware of our RecEnroll on-line registration capabilities. Approximately 50%of our
registrations are now done on-line.
YOUTH ACTIVITIES
• Swinging Spring Day Camp: There were seventeen children enrolled in our week-
long spring day camp at Ladybug Park. They enjoyed arts and crafts, games, cooking
projects and more.
• Community Garden: The new season at the garden is off to a great start. On April
17 we had a special meeting open to the public. The speaker, Annie Josephs, spoke
on natural gardening. Approximately thirty people attended this event. We've also
had donations, including a new weed-eater from Home Depot. The gardeners were
very happy to hear that we will be at our current site through 2008.
Page 1 of 3
• We successfully applied for a grant from the United States Tennis Association to
cover the cost of new tennis equipment to be used in our youth programs. We will be
running two weeks of camps this summer with an emphasis on tennis,highlighted by
instruction by a USTA volunteer. The equipment will also be used for special youth
events throughout the year. The USTA also held a free tennis day at the courts at
Magnolia Park in early May. Seventy-three people took advantage of this wonderful
opportunity to learn how to play. As a result, our contract classes with Harvey Bell,
USTA instructor, had great attendance in his May classes. The majority of his
students are in the 4-8 year old age range.
• The Ceramics Studio held their second annual Clay Games on Saturday, May 19.
The participants enjoyed competing in hand building, crazy animal shapes, and other
fun contests. In conjunction with the games, the students held their Spring Pottery
Sale, which brings in revenue to the studio for the purchase of tools and other
supplies.
• Hiring was done to fill vacancies for Facility Attendants and summer camp staff.
Overall, there were seven new hires(two for the community center, and five for
summer camps). We are fortunate to have a low turn-over rate for our summer camp
staff, even though several returning staff members have graduated with teaching
credentials.
CALLINAN SPORTS & FITNESS CENTER
• Membership sales from January through May were $141,000. This is slightly
down from last years sales of$149,000. This is almost certainly due to increased
competition form a new discount club in town.
• The Sports Center played host to several AAU basketball tournaments and a local
wheelchair basketball league.
• The new Nautilus equipment has been well-received by our membership.
SENIOR CENTER
• On the Road Again with Martha took 32 seniors for a short ride on a refurbished
observation car of the Western Railway near Rio Vista. It was a great trip.
Profit...$183.00. Her other trip was to the Conservatory of Flowers. Thirty-two
folks enjoyed the day. Profit...181.00
• We had three Casino trips since our last report. Profit...$650.00
• Pacific Market picked the Center as one of the non-profits to benefit from their
Grand Opening Celebration. Profit...$937.00
• AARP volunteers prepared taxes for the community beginning February 1st
through April 15. Participation was as follows: February 306 (helped), March 275,
April 175. They answered 279 questions for folks who did not file, and the
volunteers worked 1112 hours during the tax season. Plus, the volunteers received
$2,102.00 in donations for their services, which they donated to the Senior Center.
Page 2 of 3
• We had a super turn-out for our Play it Again Players (theatre group) show. They
read a play in costume and were fabulous. This was a free event.
• Our annual Choir Concert was fun. Vicki made her singing debut. Between
ticket sales and raffle sales, we profited $492.00.
AQUATICS
• The majority of the aquatics staff has been hired. We employ over 60 lifeguards
each summer which is a huge challenge to get them interviewed, processed and
trained. All five pools will be open on June 9.
• The heater at Honeybee Pool was down for around three weeks earlier this spring.
We had to move the swim teams and lap swims to Benicia Pool which will be a
significant added cost to the pool operations.
Page 3 of 3