Loading...
02-06-2001 - Request for Netting at Walmerado Park Pinto Field & Cortez Park Major & Minor Fields• City of West Covina Memorandum AGENDA TO: Daniel G. Hobbs, City Manager and City Council ITEM NO. L-2 DATE February 6, 2001 FROM: Tom Hatch PRINTED ON RECYCLED PAPER Community Services Director SUBJECT: REQUEST FOR NETTING AT WALMERADO PARK PINTO FIELD AND CORTEZ PARK MAJOR AND MINOR FIELDS SUMMARY: West Covina American Little League and West Covina Youth Pony Baseball have requested that foul ball netting be installed at Walmerado Park Pinto field and Cortez Park major and minor fields. The leagues are indicating that it will increase the safety for spectators. BACKGROUND: On November 22, 2000, the Community Services Department received a letter from West Covina American Little League requesting that protective netting be installed along the baselines at both the major and minor fields in Cortez Park. Staff responded by thanking the League for their letter alerting the City of the conditions at Cortez Park (Copies of both the Leagues letter and staffs response are attached to the staff report.). The League was also told that their five requests would be reviewed in January 2001 as part of the Capitol Improvement Program (C.I.P.) project funding process. In January, 2001, the presidents of West Covina American Little League and West Covina Youth Pony Baseball asked to meet with Mayor Herfert to discuss foul ball netting needed to protect spectators during games. Mayor Herfert asked that the requests be brought before City Council on January 16, 2001. Because of the need for additional information Mayor Herfert has asked that the following requests be placed on the February 6, 2001 City Council agenda for action: • American Little League - In the 2000-2001 Capitol Improvement process, West Covina American Little League requested that foul ball netting be installed at both the major and minor fields at Cortez Park. The project was evaluated and slated to be included in the fiscal year 2001-2002 CIP funding schedule. Because of safety concerns, American Little League would like this project to begin immediately. • West Covina Youth Pony Baseball — Protective foul ball netting had not been considered last year as a possible CIP project. However, because of numerous near accidents from foul balls, the league has requested that foul ball netting be installed to protect spectators, immediately. DISCUSSION: Following a meeting with the presidents of the two leagues, Mayor Herfert asked that the requests for foul ball netting be placed on the January 16, 2001 City Council agenda. Because of the need for additional information, the request was held over until the February 6, 2001 City Council meeting for consideration. Below is a summary of the requests: • West Covina American Little League - Staff called a local fencing contractor who has done work for the city, to ask about their bid of $8,000, given to American Little League for installing netting on the foul lines to the dugout at both major and minor fields. This was to be accomplished by extending existing poles at these fields. Staff from Community Services Department and Building Division contacted the fencing company, providing them with additional information and asked for a written bid. With the additional information, the company did submit a bid of $10,500 for both fields ($5,200 for* minor field and $5,300 for the major Od). After reviewing the bid, staff believes that the existing 2 %" poles are not adequate for the extension. A complete_ analysis of the footing and the poles would be required to determine if they would be sufficient to accommodate the 16-foot extension necessary to support higher fencing. Staff has determined that although the extension would initially be cheaper, they are recommending that new polls be used with heavier UV protected netting. It is also recommended that for maximum safety, the netting be extended to a minimum of 30 feet high and run from the dugout 30 feet past the bases on the foul line, at a cost of approximately $25,000 for the two fields. This will help to insure the integrity of the netting, as well as provide a long-term solution to safety issues associated with foul balls. West Covina Youth Pony Baseball — Early in 2000, perimeter fencing at the Pinto field was installed by the City. League officials are now requesting that foul ball netting be installed on the same field. Following consultation with staff from the Building Division, staff is recommending that the same type of netting be used for Cortez fields from the backstop to the end of the dug out on both foul lines. Staff estimates that this will cost approximately $15,000. Because the field is on West Covina School District property, the addition of netting will need their approval. It is also worthy of note that the School District often requires that the State Architect be involved with and approve certain projects that takes place on school premises. It should be noted that Building Division staff anticipates the two projects to take approximately three months to complete. FISCAL IMPACT: If City Council determines that the two projects should be done prior to the CIP process, funding would need to come from the General Fund Reserves in the projected amount of $40,000 ($25,000 for the two fields at Cortez Park and $15,000 for Walmerado Park Pinto Field). Another option for the two Cortez Park fields, which are in Park District E, is to use $25,000 in unappropriated Park Dedication Funds. Sufficient funds are not available in Park District D for Walmerado Park Pinto Field. If City Council determines that the Leagues should request the netting as a part of the normal CIP process, the funding source for the projected budget amount of $40,000 will be identified as part of the 2001-2002 CIP process. RECOMMENDATION: It is recommended that City Council take one of the following actions: Ask that the Leagues requesting the netting to submit these requests to the Community Services Commission Capitol Improvement Project (CIP) Sub Committee as part of the 2001-2002 CIP process; or 2. (a) Approve the requests from American Little League and West Covina Youth Pony Baseball to install foul ball netting, in the amount of $40,000, and (b) appropriate $15,000 from the General Fund Reserve, Fund 110 and appropriate $25,000 from unappropriated Park District E Park Dedication Fund, Fund 174, to fund the project. Prepared by: is Patncia Bommarito Community Services Manager Reviewed and approved by: o «� Reviewed and approved by: Artie Ile ds Community Services Director Assistant City Manager/Acting Finance Director Z:\Council Action Request Reports\staff report ofwalmerado and cortez park fencing jan15,2001 council meeting.doc C. WEST COVINA AMERICAN LITTLE LEAGUE ` '' E D POST OFFICE BOX 972 AMERICAN WEST COVINA, CALIFORNIA 91793 22 P 4 *0 Nouember 2, 2888 City of West Couina Garueg Rue. West Couina, CR 91791 Dear City Representatiue: WL► iicr+ As a member of the EKecutiue Board of West Couina American Little League, and on behalf of the general public, I wish to request that modernization to facilities be completed at the Cortez Park facility. This park is used year round by the general public and also for youth sports, that of football and baseball. The following itemized list is provided for funding requests: 1. New restrooms The new bathrooms would best be serued by hauing them be built between the baseball field and the football field adjacent to the parking lot. The general public who make use of the hill top area in the southeast corner would benefit from closer restrooms. The current facility is not in a safe area since it is situated off to the far northwest corner of the park next to a cul-de-sac that is common ground for uagrants and truants. 2. Modernization and Safety upgrade in concession stands The snack stands continue to be unsafe working areas with electrical wiring that is substandard and not to code. Modernization in the snack stands is long ouer due. 0 0 F t J .3. Expansion of Field 2 scorekeeper's booth The scorekeeper's booth would best serue its use by prouiding a storage area underneath and hauing a second story aboue, similar to the booth that exists at Field 1. At the present time there is no storage area auailable at Field 2. 4. Construction of Cul-de-sac wall The northwest corner cul-de-sac area of the Cortez Park facility has become a haven for truants and vagrants. This is an area uery close to the playground area. By constructing a fence or wall, this would make that an area less accessible to those types of indiuiduals and be safer for the many children that play in the playground area. I understand that there exists adequate funding to pay for such needed proJects. Therefore 1 am formally requesting that funds be set aside to modernize the Cortez Park facility using the aboue itemized requests. 1 wish to maintain Cortez Park with hauing the high reputation of being the best park in the area. Thank you for your past, present and future support. Sincerely yours, Ross Morrison, President WCRLL Executiue Board City Representative: After writing this letter we realized a major safety issue was left out of the letter. We meant to include this in the letter. The proximity of the bleachers, snack stand, and park structures to our field has many times caused people to be hit, and nearly hit by baseballs. This happens because foul balls carry, over the low fence on the first and third baselines. We have visited other parks and noticed the city has installed protective netting along the baselines at these other fields. In our discussions with these leagues, the netting solves this safety problem. We request the city install this protective netting on both fields in the came manner as the other little leagues. December 26, 2000 Ross Morrison, President West Covina American Little League P.Q. Box 972 West Covina, CA 91793 Dear Mr. Morrison: Thank you for your letter to the City of West Covina alerting us to the conditions at Cortez Park. Capital Improvement Projects (CIP) such as this are reviewed by the City Council in January of each year for project funding approval. The Community Services Department of the City of Vest Covina will accept your letter as a written request to have Cortez Park reviewed by the City Council in January 2001, for Capital Improvement Project funding, Thanks again for outlining areas of concern at Cortez Park. The City of West Covina joins you in wanting to uphold the reputation of Cortez Park as one of the best parks in the area. If you should have any questions, please contact me at (626) 814-8430. Sincerely, Tom Hatch Community Services Director cc: Dan Hobbs, City Manager Lyndel Morgan,' Community Services Manager Irma Horvath, Administrative Analyst 1444 Nest Garvey Avenue So. • P.O.Box 1440 • West Covina • CA 91793 • Phone (626) 814-8400