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02-15-2011 - Public Hearing Palmview Park Master Plan Amendment - Item 8 Attach 3 (2).docMINUTES SPECIAL JOINT MEETING OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION AND COMMUNITY SERVICES COMMISSION CITY OF WEST COVINA Tuesday, January 25, 2011 The special joint meeting of the Planning Commission and Community Services Commission was called to order at 7:00 p.m. by Chairman Sotelo in the West Covina Community Room. Chairman Sotelo led the Pledge of Allegiance and the Commissions observed a moment of silence. ROLL CALL PLANNING COMMISSION Present: Sotelo, Carrico, Redholtz, Stewart and Holtz Absent: None COMMUNITY SERVICES COMMISSION Present: Blackburn, Lewis, Ogden, St. Gaudens, Torres and Valles Absent: Fennell, Kennedy City Staff Present: Anderson, Wong, Morgan, Iseri, Davis, Headley and de Zara A. OTHER MATTERS OR ORAL COMMUNICATIONS None B. JOINT PUBLIC HEARINGS (1) RIDGERIDER/MAVERICK PARK MASTER PLAN CATEGORICAL EXEMPTION APPLICANT: City of West Covina LOCATION: 300 South Citrus Street REQUEST: Consideration to adopt a park master plan for future improvements to the park. Chairman Sotelo opened the public hearing. Senior Planner Fabiola Wong presented the staff report and told the Commissions that this park was the only park in West Covina without a park master plan. She also explained that adopting a master plan would enable the city to apply for grants to fund the proposed improvements. Gary Vasquez, consultant with David Volz Design, addressed the Commissions regarding a workshop that was conducted at the site with community members. Mr. Vasquez also reviewed the concerns expressed by local residents at the workshop which included continuing the separation of the baseball fields and equestrian center, addressing the drainage problems on the site, increasing and improving the available parking, and reducing the dust. Mr. Vasquez also spoke about the proposed improvements, which include a larger, parking lot with designated parking spaces, a change in the entrance to the equestrian center, encouraging more walking by installing walking trails, improvements to the existing restrooms, fencing along equestrian trails, decomposed granite on the interior roads to help keep dust to a minimum, planting of more trees in the front of the park and creating a staging area in the equestrian section. Lyndel Morgan, Recreation Services Manager, read a letter from Community Services Commissioner Marjorie Fennell regarding her concern that American Disabilities Act regulations be incorporated into the Master Plan improvements. Commissioner Fennell asked that this be done so to allow greater accessibility to disabled citizens who would like to use the park. PROPONENTS: No one spoke in favor of this request. OPPONENTS: Elsie Messman, Phillip Moreno and Dana Sykes spoke in opposition. Ms. Messman, Mr. Moreno and Ms. Sykes expressed their opposition to spending tax dollars on the improvement of a park that is located in the South Hills area of West Covina. In addition, they expressed their opinions that city funds should be distributed evenly in all parks throughout the city and that it was unfair to fund this project ahead of other parks that are in need of repair and improvement. Chairman Sotelo closed the public hearing. There was a discussion by both Commissions regarding this request. Chairman Sotelo made a statement regarding the need for parks to have master plans to help secure funding through grants. He also stated that this approval did not include funding the improvements. Commissioner Carrico added that the renovations to Maverick/Ridgerider Park would be done through a grant similar to the grant secured to improve Galster Park. During the discussion the Commissions considered the cost of the proposed improvements, the number of events scheduled at the park in a calendar year, whether the fees collected for these events go to the City of West Covina, traffic and parking on Citrus Street, the future of an easement currently in use by Valencia Heights Water Company, whether the landscaping will be drought-tolerant, and possible improvements on the property owned by Valencia Heights Water. In addition, the Commissions considered the lights on the baseball field, keeping the equestrian events and baseball events separate and the location of the parking near the baseball fields. There was also a discussion regarding non-resident use of the park and whether Ridgerider events were profitable for the city. Community Services Commission action: Motion by Ogden, seconded by Lewis, to recommend approval of the Master Plan for Ridgerider/Maverick Park to the City Council. Motion carried 6-0. Community Services Commissioner Blackburn said the adoption of the Master Plan was putting a “wish list” in place for development at a future date. Planning Commission action: Motion by Carrico, seconded by Stewart, to adopt Resolution No. 11-5400, recommending to the City Council approval of the Master Plan for Ridgerider/Maverick Park. Motion carried 5-0. Commissioner Redholtz said that he was supporting approval of the Master Plan but he would not be in favor if funding by the City of West Covina were included in the approval. Chairman Sotelo concurred with Commissioner Redholtz’s statement. (2) PALMVIEW PARK MASTER PLAN AMENDMENT NO. 3 CATEGORICAL EXEMPTION APPLICANT: City of West Covina LOCATION: 1340 East Puente Avenue (Palmview Park) REQUEST: The request is to consider the extension of the evening use of baseball field lighting at Palmview Park from 9:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. Chairman Sotelo opened the public hearing. Planning Assistant Amy Davis presented the staff report. During her presentation, Ms. Davis spoke about the League’s request to keep baseball field lights on until 10:00 p.m. Ms. Davis said allowing the lights to stay on longer would allow more children to participate in the baseball league. PROPONENTS: Lou Garcia, Steve Bennett and Jim Lejone spoke in favor of the master plan amendment. The proponents all requested that the lights be allowed to be on longer so that the children playing will be able to play and leave the field safely. They also said that the lights are necessary to allow for clean up of the fields. In addition, Mr. Bennett told the Commission that an increase in the number of participants means that they will have to schedule more night games to accommodate the additional teams. OPPONENTS: Chris Huskey spoke in opposition. He said he was opposed because the lights currently go out later than 9:00 p.m. and he was concerned that lights could stay on after 10:00 p.m. if this was approved. He also said the league and the lights are disruptive to the neighborhood. Mr. Huskey suggested that night games for the older children should be played at Big League Dreams. He also stated his opposition to the traffic created by the ball fields. REBUTTAL: Steve Bennett rebutted the testimony of the opponent and said they make every effort to not be disruptive to the residents adjacent to the ball fields. Chairman Sotelo closed the public hearing. There was a discussion by the Commissions regarding the operation of the lights and the ages of the children playing in night games. Commissioner Holtz asked staff if the lights were on an automatic timer. Commissioner Ogden asked if there was a warning prior to the lights going out. The Commissions also considered scheduling games 30 minutes earlier so that the lights could go out at 9:30 p.m. and the number of games that are played until 10:00 p.m. Commissioner Ogden said he would like to see a compromise be worked out between the residents and the league. Ms. Morgan spoke regarding the operation of the lights and said that they are on a timer and go out automatically unless someone uses the manual override to turn them off. Several of the commissioners from both Commissions agreed with Commissioner Ogden’s suggestion for a compromise. After further discussion, it was agreed that the lights be allowed to stay on until 10:00 p.m. during the 2011 season. At the conclusion of the 2011 season, this matter will be reviewed to look into issues that may have arisen during the season with regard to the lights. Community Services Commission Action: Motion by Blackburn, seconded by Torres, to recommend approval of Master Plan Amendment No. 3 to allow the lights to stay on until 10:00 p.m. during the 2011 season, and review this matter at the end of the 2011 season. Motion carried 6-0 (Kennedy and Fennell absent). Planning Commission Action: Motion by Carrico, seconded by Redholtz to adopt Resolution No. 11-5401 recommending to the City Council, approval of Master Plan No. Amendment No. 3, to allow the lights to stay on until 10:00 p.m. during the 2011 season, and review this matter at the end of the 2011 season. Motion carried 4-1 (Stewart opposed). C. ADJOURNMENT OF PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING Motion by Redholtz, seconded by Stewart, to adjourn the meeting at 8:50 p.m. Motion carried 5-0.