2005/05/16 Parks and Recreation Commission Agenda Packet CITY OF ROHNERT PARK
PARKS & RECREATION COMMISSION
Monday, May 16, 2005
7:30 p.m.
Rohnert Park City Offices
6750 Commerce Boulevard
AGENDA
7:30 I. Call to Order
II. Pledge of Allegiance
III. R911 Call: --// /
Bird Black R Butler 2/Griffin E Hansen 12'Rogers
Stevens
...� IV. Approval of Minutes April 18, 2005 Commission Meeting
V. Report on the Posting of the Meeting Agenda
VI. Unscheduled Public Appearances/Public Comment
(Please fill out a Speaker Card prior to speaking)
7:45 VII. Old Business
A. Playground Equipment Replacement
a. Presentation of Proposed Equipment Designs by Ross
Recreation Equipment
B. Roberts Lake Dog Park Bid Award
VIII. New Business
A. Establishment of Dog Parks at Benicia Park and Rohnert Park Animal
Shelter
B. Presentation of Proposed Dog Park Rules and Regulations
C. Joint Meeting Parks and Recreation Commission and Planning
Commission
D. Swimming Pool Status—2005-06 Budget
IX. Staff Reports
A. Department Highlights—April
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City of Rohnert Park Parks and Recreation Commission Agenda—May 16, 2005
X. Commission Committee Reports
A. PROS Committee
B. Dog Park
XI. Matters From/For Commissioners
Adjournment to a regular meeting scheduled on Monday, June 20, 2005, in City Council
Chambers at the Rohnert Park City Hall, 6750 Commerce Boulevard, at 7:30 p.m.
DISABLED ACCOMMODATION: If you have a disability which requires an interpreter or
other person to assist you while attending this Parks &Recreation Commission meeting,please
contact the Recreation Department at (707) 588-3456 at least 72 hours prior to the meeting to
ensure arrangements for accommodation. Please make sure the Recreation Services Manager's
office is notified as soon as possible if you have a visual impairment that requires the meeting
materials to be produced in another format.
Page 2
INTEROFFICE MEMO 0µNERTP"+4
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To: Steve Donley, Interim City Manager 9 '
Cc: Parks and Recreation Commission e•„o► L
Sandy Lipitz, Finance Director
Subject: Monthly Highlights: Recreation
From: Guy Miller, Recreation Services Mane
Date: 5/12/05
ADMINISTRATION
• The First Annual Recreation Celebration,held May 7, was a big success. Over 700
participants enjoyed the entertainment, children's activities, demonstrations and
displays presented by the Rohnert Park Recreation Department and other community
agencies. Highlights of the day included the wonderful entertainment presented by
various community groups,bounce houses and Twizzles the Clown for the kids, an
art show presented by AFTA, and a great Clay Games competition which featured
some of the county's leading artists. We wish to give a special thanks to the
Community Band,Vintage Choir, Senior Line Dancers, the Black Sheep Belly Dance
Troupe(a big hit as always!),members of the Senior Variety Show, and the Rohnert
Park Chorale for their great entertainment. We also wish to thank the various
instructors of classes and programs offered through the Recreation Department for
their great displays and demonstrations. Together all these groups made the event a
huge success and a great time was had by all. We plan on holding the event each year
and hope to expand it into a community faire.
• Plans are underway to replace the playground equipment in six city parks. Ross
Recreational Products has been selected to prepare options for each park along with
renderings and preliminary plans. The Parks and Recreation Commission will have
the first look at these designs at their meeting on May 16. The Commission plans on
holding public hearings where ideas from the neighborhoods will be heard.
• The bid for the establishment of the Roberts Lake Road Dog Park(Rohnert Bark?)
was awarded. Additionally, dog parks will be created at Benicia Park and the Rohnert
Park Animal Shelter. The Dog Park ad-hock committee and city staff visited dog
parks in Santa Rosa and met with representatives from the Marin County Humane
Society to research dog park operations and establish a set of rules and regulations.
We believe we have a workable set of rules and a good understanding of the
challenges we will face in establishing these parks. We will be working with REMIF
to make sure the city's liability is minimal and plan on submitting the regulations to
City Council for addition to the city's Municipal Code.
• The Parks, Recreation and Open Space(PROS) committee is moving along. We met
three times in April and the committee is getting an extensive lesson in the parks and
recreational facilities we have in Rohnert Park. We hope to begin the actual Master
Plan process in May.
• The Activity Guide was published this month. We are offering over 90 different
classes, 103 swim lesson classes(every two weeks), and ten different summer camps.
Once again, this promises to be a busy summer for the Recreation Department.
YOUTH PROGRAMS
• We began accepting applications for Summer Camp staff. Employment opportunity
ads were run at Sonoma State University and Santa Rosa Junior College. Fifteen
applicants were interviewed, with eight being hired to date. We also have thirteen
returning staff members. This year we will again be"loaning"one of our Recreation
Leaders to the Animal Shelter for their three weeks of Critter Camp.
COMMUNITY GARDEN
• The annual Gardeners' Meeting was held on Saturday, April 9 at the Community
Center. Over 40 gardeners attended, and a new Board of Directors was selected from
those present. They are all ready to start growing wonderful things, and they set
several work days to get the garden plots ready.
SUPPORT STAFF APPRECIATION LUNCHEON
• The California Park&Recreation Society's District I held its annual Support Staff
Appreciation Luncheon on Wednesday, April 27, at the Spinnaker Restaurant in
Sausalito. Donna Abeln, Jan Geffre, Bonnie Morgado, and Andrea Gilles were
treated to a wonderful lunch overlooking San Francisco Bay. It was a small way to
acknowledge all the hard work that they do to keep the Recreation Department —4\
running smoothly.
SENIOR PROGRAMS
• We are updating our report on our March Thunder Valley Casino trip. We received
an additional $60.00 from the casino for our commission. Profit should have
been...$545.80
• AARP Tax Service tax season has ended at our Center. The volunteers collected a
total of$1,577.00 in donations from folks who had their taxes prepared by this group.
The AARP volunteers donated that money to the Senior Center. A letter will be sent
by the Mayor,to thank the group for offering this service to our community, and how
much the staff appreciates their generosity.
• Due to vacation, staff has not submitted a report to me on our last Casino trip. A
report will be given next month.
• Martha scheduled a Day Trip to the San Francisco Maritime Museum, and lunch at
the San Francisco Senior Center. Everyone was impressed by the museum and they
were warmly welcomed by the Senior Center Staff. Our seniors were given two
tables next to the window with a beautiful view of the bay. Everyone had a great
time. Before leaving for home, invitations were given to the S.F. Seniors to visit our
facility. Profit...$116.00.
• The Senior Center has partnered with Thunderstar Stages. By partnering with them, --�
the center will be able to add more exciting travel destinations for our participants.
Thunderstar Stages will plan the trips,book the buses, and provide us with
registration forms. On these forms, there is a Liability Release clause, releasing the
City in advance of any liability due to negligence on the part of Thunderstar. Also, a
copy of their Bus Liability Insurance is on file. We advertise the trip,take the
registration and money. We get $5.00 for each person who signs up through the
center. So far it's working well for both of us.
CALLINAN SPORTS & FITNESS CENTER
• Again we are a little ahead compared to last year April. We collected $24,251 in
memberships, compared to $21,419 in April 04. This is an increase of$2,832. Our
financial picture compared to last year is still going strong. Year to date this year
looks good too. In 2004 (July 1, 2003 through April 30, 2004) we collected $227,676
in membership sales. This year to date (July 1, 2004 through April 30, 2005) we
collected $246,327 in membership sales. This is an increase in sales of$18,651.
• Staff is ready and trained to take on summer softball. We created 6 different leagues
with 36 teams participating. All games will be played at Sunrise Park and at both
fields at Magnolia Park. This is the third year that only 1 umpire is working the
game. This was done to cut cost. So far most players have accepted the 1 umpire per
game without a problem.
CITY OF ROHNERT PARK
RARKS,RECREATION,AND OPEN SPACE COMMITTEE
REGULAR MEETING
WEDNESDAY,MAY 4, 2005
7:00 PM COMMUNITY CEN I'FR
MINUTES
1. Call to Order-The meeting was called to order by Chair Blanquie at 7:00 pm.
Committee Members Present:
Susan Adams,Nick Aronis,Michael Bird,Daniel Blanquie,Thomas Hansen, Cindy
Peterson,Linda Sanders
Committee Members Absent:
Tim Danesi, Lynne Morrow,Chuck Rogers(excused),Lee Rosichan,Pam Stafford
(excused)
Staff Present:
Recreation Services Manager Guy Miller
2. Old Business
a. Chair Blanquie reviewed his presentation at the April 26, 2005 City Council
Meeting. He said the presentation went well and there were positive
comments from the Council. The Council clarified that the PROS Committee
is subject to the Brown Act and approved the PROS acronym. The Council
also directed staff to estimate an amount to put in the 2006-2007 budgets for
expenses. Manager Miller reported that he had discussed this with Finance
Director Lipitz and$50,000 will be allocated in the budget. Chair Blanquie
also reported that he was unclear when the Council wanted further reports.
The Committee agreed that we would give regular reports as we make
significant progress on the process.
3. New Business
a. Stakeholder Interviews: Manager Miller supplied the Committee with copies
of stakeholder interviews done three years ago. The Committee agreed to
study these and address at a later meeting.
b. Committee Members Perspectives and Goals: Each Committee member
present gave a brief summary of their perspective on, and goals for the
Committee.
BLANQUIE: Interested in diversity,challenging resources to meet
community needs. He has a major interest in sports.
BIRD: Interest is in girl's softball,baseball and basketball. Main
interest's goals are to broaden the multi-use format and conversion of
existing facilities. He favors development of the Community Fields as
long as it is fiscally sound. Specific Plan Areas need to be considered
first.
PETERSON: Interest in walking and hiking trails,teen facilities,
skate/BMX parks, a teen center,unorganized teen activities,dog parks,
continuation of Rec Dept classes,cultural activities, and parks on the
west side of the city.
HANSEN: Interested in diversity, drawing people out of their houses,
and creating social atmosphere in other ways than sports activities.
Suggests music venues including studio and practice stages,community
shops for crafts(wood metal),trails, a regional amphitheater,working
with the Green Center to establish a regional music center.He is also
interested in individual sports and balancing the subsidy level among
groups using city facilities.
ARONIS: Main interests are in athletics. He feels there is an epidemic of
inactive children who need more fitness opportunities. He favors the
reallocation of assets to establish the best uses. We need facilities for
children to do participate in drop-in play without organization. Interest
in fiscal responsibility, Community Fields,a bandstand. We have no
center of town. He feels that minor-league baseball would be wonderful
but it is expensive. We should be supporting the SSU baseball as an .�
alternative.
ADAMS: Favors.the Community Fields. We should ask youth and teens
what they would like to have. Would like a community area with a
bandstand.Need to find ways to pay for it all. Subsidize parks but ask
for reasonable user fees. Has concerns about city centers attracting an
undesirable element. How do we address this?
Hansen for DANESI: Has interest in history and the arts.
c. Process Outline: The committee discussed the Process Outline. Committee
members volunteered to research item under the Resource Scan:
i. Review existing planning documents: ALL
ii. Inventory existing park and recreation facilities: MILLER
iii. Inventory existing park and recreation facilities in surrounding areas:
ARONIS
iv. Inventory Local hotels and hotel capacity: BLANQUIE
v. Inventory local school and school facilities: PETERSON
vi. Identify current facility standards for facilities to population:
HANSEN
4. Matters from the Committee:None.
5. Future Agenda Items: Stakeholder Interview review,Review of General Plan,
Continuation of Committee Perspectives and Goals, Continue with Process
Outline Assignments, Review Specific Plan Areas.
6. Next Meeting: The date of the next meeting is May 18,2005 at 7:00 pm.
7. Adjournment: Following discussion,the meeting was adjourned at 8:35 pm.
Respectfully submitted
Guy Miller
Recreation Services Manager
GM/s