HomeMy WebLinkAboutStaff Report 6.A 05/16/2005C1W OF PETALUMA, CALIFORNIA
AGENDA BILL
Wil
May 16, 2005
Agenda Title: Resolution Authorizing Staff to work with the Meeting Date: Mav 16, 2005
Petaluma School District to Renovate the Petaluma Junior High
School Athletic Field for the use by Community Youth Sports
including National Little League and Youth Soccer. Meeting Time: ❑ 3:00 PM
® 7:00 PM
Catceory (check one): ❑ Consent Calendar ❑ Public Hearing ® New Business
❑ Unfinished Business ❑ Presentation
Denartment: D' ctor: Contact Person: Phone Number:
A 4im Carr (707) 778-4380
Parks and Recreation
Cost of Proposal: Estimat¢cvicost of $1,200,000 Account Number: C400705
V Name of Fund: Developer Fees;
Amount Budgeted: $824,000 through the Capital Improvement Park Development Fees; State
Program. A matching state grant is pending for $1,200,000. In Grant
addition, park fees to be generated from the Kenilworth project are
approximately $1,200,000.
Attachments to Agenda Packet item:
a. Petaluma Junior High School Site Plan
b. Letter from Troy Sanderson, President, National Little League Regarding Petaluma Jr. High Site
c. Resolution
Summary Statement:
With the sale of Kenilworth Junior High School, replacement athletic fields are needed for National Little
League and Pop Warner Football, The Recreation, Music and Parks Commission have been holding a
series of public meetings with the intent of finding a home for National Little League. Following two
public meetings regarding Petaluma Junior High School, the Commission has identified the Junior High
School Site as the recommended location for athletic field renovation and a location for use by community
sports programs including National Little League and Youth Soccer,
Recommended Citv Council Action/Sueeested Motion:
The Recreation, Music and Parks Commission recommend renovation of the Petaluma Junior High School
site in order to be used as a replacement location for National Little League and youth soccer. The
Commission further recommends staff work with the Petaluma School District to secure needed approvals
and agreements, and hire an architectural firm to start design and construction of the school field
renovation project.
Reviewed by Finance Director:
I() Ww (i Dates [1kTdav's Datea ::
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Reviewed ri�tornev:
Revision # ana ate mvised;
"r Date: City Manager:
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File Code:
2 CITY OF PFTALUM.A, CALIFORNIA
3 MAY 169 2005
4
5 AGENDA REPORT
6 FOR
7 Proposed Renovation of Petaluma Junior High School Athletic Field
8 And Seasonal use by Community Sports Programs
9
10 L EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:
11
12 As part of the program to find a home for Petaluma National Little League, the Recreation, Music
13 and Parks Commission has conducted four public meetings, two regarding McNear Park and two
14 regarding Petaluma Junior High School. Following the public meetings the Commission ruled out
15 McNear Park as an option due to problems dealing with traffic, parking and existing park uses that
16 would be impacted. Following the two meetings regarding Petaluma Junior High School, the
17 Commission determined that the underutilized athletic fields would be an appropriate site for field
18 renovation in order to return the school field back into the community's inventory of athletic fields.
19 Local Petaluma Junior High School neighbors provided a number of concerns including traffic,
20 parking and drainage. School district staff, Little League representatives and City staff have come up
21 with an alternative that addresses the neighbors concern. After bearing further testimony, the
22 Recreation, Music and Parks Commission voted unanimously to recommend to the City Council that
23 the Petaluma Junior High School site be identified as a project for athletic field renovation, for the
24 use by sports organizations including National Little League and youth soccer.
25
26 2. BACKGROUND:
27
28 The Recreation, Music and Parks Commission, in an effort to mitigate the loss of athletic fields with
29 the sale of the Kenilworth Junior High School site, held four public meetings regarding McNear Park
30 and Petaluma Junior High School. The two meetings involving McNear Park were held on February
31 e and February 10". Among the issues raised by neighbors of McNear Park were objections to
32 fenced Little League fields, impacts on existing uses of the park, the increase of traffic and parking
33 in a neighborhood already impacted by uses of the park, the adjoining Cavanagh Recreation Center
34 and McNear Elementary School, and noise from enthusiastic ball players and parents, Following the
35 two meetings, the Commission determined that McNear Park was not a viable option in the search
36 for alternative fields.
37 The Recreation, Music and Parks Commission then held two public meeting regarding Petaluma
38 Junior High School, on March le and April 2e, 2005. Both meetings were to receive public
39 comment regarding the renovation of the junior high schools' athletic field and use by National
40 Little League. Neighbors submitted a petition against the project. Concerns expressed included
41 problems with traffic, parking, trash, noise and drainage.
42
43 The Proiect Descrintion:
44 Renovate the 6.43 —acre Petaluma Junior High School Field including grading, drainage and
45 irrigation. Construct three Little League fields, a large multi -use soccer field; install a
46 restroom I concession building, construct a small parking lot adjacent to the gymnasium and
47 an ADA accessible walking / exercise path around the perimeter of the athletic field.
48 Of the three Little League fields, the major field would have permanent fencing. The minor
49 field would use a temporary fence which would come down after the season in June, thus
50 providing the multi -use aspect for soccer. The Mini field would have a backstop only.
3
2 Staff went into the public meetings expecting to mitigate concerns about traffic and parking. A
3 tentative proposal worked out with the adjoining First Baptist Church would have expanded their
4 parking lot and allowed use of the parking lot for athletic field use in the evenings and on Saturdays.
5 Access to the parking lot would have been off of Webster Street, using an access easement owned by
6 the Petaluma School District. This arrangement would have provided sufficient parking to minimize
7 impacts on Webster Street which is inundated with traffic after school due to the Junior High School,
8 the adjacent Christian Academy and Valley Vista Elementary School.
9 Neighbors also expressed concerns about existing drainage that comes off of the Junior High School
10 site onto neighboring properties, trash and noise.
11
12 At the public meeting of February 16th, the Superintendent / Principal of Wilson School had
13 mentioned that his school district would welcome National Little League building their fields on the
14 school site.
15
16 Staff visited Wilson School on a couple of occasions, and developed templates for the proposed field
17 development. The school has one developed field with grass, and one undeveloped field. The
18 proposed Little League complex would take up all the available space. The Superintendent did not
19 seem to be bothered by this prospect and still was willing to allow National Little League to use its
20 facilities.
21
22 Shortly after the meeting of March 16a', staff received a letter from the pastor of the First Baptist
23 Church indicating that the church would not allow its parking lot to be used for athletic field
24 purposes.
25
26 On March 3 V, city staff attended a meeting at Petaluma Junior High School. Also in attendance
27 were Troy Sanderson of National Little League, Steve Bolman, Assistant Superintendent of
28 Petaluma Schools, and Eric Hoppes, Vice -Principal of Petaluma Junior High School.
29
30 Aware of neighbors concerns regarding traffic and parking, school district representatives suggested
31 that the schools' main parking lot off of Western Avenue and Bantam Way be used by Little League.
32 The lot has 69 parking spaces. In addition, the school would allow the creation of a new parking lot
33 between the existing tennis courts and gymnasium. This new parking lot could have approximately
34 20-25 spaces. As part of the existing driveway leading to the proposed parking lot, school authorities
35 indicated that a drop off/ turn around would also service the school's gymnasium. Little League
36 needs would be more than met with 75 parking stalls.
37 An existing path from the upper parking lot to the field would have to be improved, as would stairs
38 from the proposed lower (Gymnasium) parking lot to the field
39
40 At the Commission meeting of April 20`b, a neighbor of Wilson School voiced strong concern about
41 the current level of traffic on Bodega Avenue. He mentioned that the Wilson School neighborhood
42 has not been approached about Little League using the school field and he intended to go to the
43 Board of Trustees the following night to find out why the community had not be consulted.
44 He was opposed to encouraging additional traffic on Bodega Avenue.
45
46 Wilson School is outside the city limits, therefore precluding the use of park development fees.
47 Whether the state grant can be switched to a new site is unknown at this time. Staff spoke to State
48 Parks staff who indicated they would have to check with their supervisors since this was contrary to
49 the grant guidelines and the proposals that had been submitted by the City.
50
I In answer to city staff's concern regarding handicapped parking and public using the church parking
2 lot, school representatives suggested fencing off the church parking lot, creating a lane from Webster
3 street to the school field. This lane, which is school district property, would allow access to 2-3
4
5 handicap parking stalls which could be built on school district property. The proposed fencing of the
6 church parking lot would have two gates which the church could leave closed, thus preventing other
7 than church activities from using their parking lot. The school district has corresponded this
8 recommendation to the pastor of the First Baptist Church who has expressed agreement with
9 protecting their parking lot.
10
11 In regards to inappropriate parking on the shoulder of Western Avenue, above the school field, a
12 recommendation would be to post the area "No Parking."
13
14 During any school renovation design, issues involving drainage would be addressed. The school
15 district has mentioned that during their development of the Hilligoss Court cul-de-sac, the developer
16 had installed extensive drainage improvements to improve the area. Any athletic field design would
17 also look at drainage issues and take whatever corrective action would be warranted as a result of the
18 improvements to the school field.
19
20
21 During City Council discussions regarding the expansion of the Factory Outlet, suggestions were
22 made to utilize parcel "C" (north of the Factory Outlet) for athletic fields. Staff hired the firm of
23 Miller Pacific Engineering Group to conduct a Geotechnical Feasibility Report in order to determine
24 if the site would be appropriate for athletic fields. The preliminary report has indicated that due to
25 heavy clay soils, a subterranean drainage system would be recommended, and surface grades raised
26 to reduce the chances of flooding. On occasion the fields would still be subject to flooding. For
27 spring sports, this will result in closure of any fields and corrective maintenance, possibly causing
28 the loss of part of the athletic season.
29
30 Troy Sanderson, President of National Little League, has sent a letter to the Parks and Recreation
31 Department (enclosed), outlining the issues faced by the National Little League and their
32 preferences. With the encouragement of the Petaluma School District, they see Petaluma Junior High
33 School meeting their field needs, while keeping their playing fields within their league boundaries.
34 Parcel "C" at the Factory Outlet does not have many of the qualities that Petaluma Junior High
35 provides. Mr. Sanderson mentions that parcel "C" would be a good site for 90' baseball diamonds
36 and soccer fields, whose seasons occur later in the year.
37
38 Regarding Wilson School, Little League would prefer not to go outside of the City Limits, especially
39 with unanswered questions about financing any school improvements, proximity of some neighbors,
40 and questionable site capacity. Little league has expressed a willingness to work with Wilson School
41 regarding the development of a 60' practice field on the undeveloped western portion of the school
42 property.
43
44 At the conclusion of the meeting of April 20th, the Commission expressed that fact that the Petaluma
45 Junior High School site has always been heavily used by youth sports. In recent years the
46 maintenance of the field has deteriorated, resulting in sports organizations moving to other venues.
47 The Commission voted unanimously to recommend to the City Council to identify the Petaluma
48 Junior High School site as the replacement for the loss of Kenilworth Junior High School fields; For
49 the City to work with the Petaluma School District to get the necessary approvals, retain the services
50 of an architect and design / renovate the field and get it back into the inventory of active community
51 athletic fields.
,5'
2
4
5 3. ALTERNATIVES
6
7 a. Renovate Petaluma Junior High School as proposed, incorporating the school district's
8 suggestions of using the campus parking lot, developing a new parking lot adjacent to the tennis
9 courts, and creating a lane off of Webster Street for handicap parking only.
10 b. Propose the National Little League relocate to Wilson School.
11 c. Propose the National Little League relocate to the Factory Outlet parcel "C" site.
12
13 4. FINANCIAL L%vACTs:
14
15 Field renovation of Petaluma Junior High School is estimated to cost approximately $1.2 million
16 dollars. Currently a matching grant is pending with Calif. State Parks. The match portion could be
17 developer fees from the Regency project at the Kenilworth site. If the grant is unsuccessful,
18 developer fees from the Kenilworth project may be able to handle the entire project. The idea of
19 school participation has also been mentioned.
20
21 Any Wilson School renovation could not use park development fees since the school is outside the
22 City limits. It is also questionable whether the state grant, if successful, can be transferred to the new
23 site.
24
25 The parcel "C" option appears to require extensive engineering and site work, and it is questionable
26 what the time frame would be before the site could be developed.
27
28
29 5. CONCLUSION:
30
31 With the discussion regarding the renovation of Petaluma Junior High School, and providing a
32 location for youth sports including National Little League and soccer, a variety of issues have
33 surfaced. Critical issues include traffic and parking, drainage, financing for field improvements,
34 noise, privacy, trash, etc. Through the public meetings the one factor that kept coming to the
35 forefront was the fact that the school district may not have been as responsive to neighbor's concerns
36 as they would have liked. The lack of responsiveness to neighbors concerns include, the issues of
37 drainage (maintenance of drainage ditches), noise (after school egress from the school site), traffic
38 and parking (parents picking up students on Webster Street) and trash.
39
40 The one proven fact about all three Little Leagues in the City is that they have proved to be good
41 neighbors, maintaining disciplined control of their ballplayers, keeping their facilities clean and in a
42 good state of repair.
43
44 Of the four potential sites mentioned, two are school fields, with one designed and used for athletic
45 play. In the case of Petaluma Junior High School, it has a long history of use by baseball, football,
46 softball and soccer organizations over the last 30 plus years.
47
48 Of the four potential sites, Petaluma Junior High School appears to be the best alternative. It is
49 within the National Little League boundaries, it has adequate room for school as well as Little
50 League facilities, and it has a strong possibility for funding, and would bring back on line a long
51 underutilized field, thus expanding the community's inventory of athletic fields.
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Neighbor's concerns about traffic will be addressed by use of parking lots on school property.
Concerns about drainage will be involved in any site design. Redwood trees can be installed along
the eastern boundary of the school site and assist with drainage and act as a noise buffer
6. RECOMMENDATION:
The Recreation, Music and Parks Commission recommend to the City Council that the Petaluma
Junior High School site be identified as a replacement location for youth sports including National
Little League and youth soccer. The Commission recommends that the City Council direct staff to
work with the Petaluma School District to secure any needed approvals / agreements, and then hire
an architectural firm to start design of the school renovation project.
S:PetJrHiCityCouncil
W
P.O. Box 672 . Petaluma, CA . 94953 . 707-763-6093 . 707-762-1996 ja.c
April 15, 2005
Jim Carr
Director, Parks and Recreation Department
City of Petaluma
320 North McDowell Blvd.
Petaluma, CA 94954
Dear Jim:
The children, parents and volunteers of Petaluma National Little League greatly
appreciate all of the time and energy that.you and your staff have spent in our search for
appropriate, comparable and permanent replacement baseball fields. It's hard to believe
that I first met with you and Don Phoenix almost two years ago to begin this project.
We began discussing this issue because PNLL has knov4o for many years that the fields
that we built at the Kenilworth site over the past three decades were destined to be
redeveloped. When the School District decided to sell them to fund die construction of
the badly needed new Junior High School, the Board of PNLL made a very easy decision
to support the sale (and the resulting loss of our four baseball diamonds) because it was
the right thing to do for our community and our children.
We had and still have the utmost confidence that the City and the School District will
work together to ensure that the Kenilworth site is not redeveloped into a shopping center
at the expense of the children of our community.
After spending the past two years looking at the alternatives that could be available for
the replacement fields, there are really only two that make sense to us. The Petaluma
Junior High School site and the Parcel C site at the Factory Outlets appear, at this time, to
be those two. That being said, of those two alternatives, the Junior High site appears to
be the clear choice.
N
It's the clear choice for a number of very important reasons.
1. It is located on the west side of town relatively central to our northern and
southern boundaries.
2. It is within safe walking and bile riding distance to a significant number of our
children and their families.
3. It can be improved and utilized in a manner that minimizes the traffic and parking
impacts to the surrounding neighborhood.
4. Three 60 foot diamonds can be developed along with other facilities for other
groups.
5. It gives the 6 to 12 year old kids recreational opportunities within their
community and not next to a freeway on the outskirts of town.
6. It makes use of existing and now highly underutilized land that historically has
been a home for youth sports activities since originally developed many decades
ago.
7. It can be accomplished within the time frame expected to be required.
8. It creates an opportunity for the City and the School District to work together to
address the needs of the community and could further create a template for future
joint School District/Park and Recreation projects.
9. It creates a multi -use facility that benefits a cross-section of the community while
still addressing specific needs created by the redevelopment of Kenilworth.
Regrettably, the Parcel C does not have all of these attributes. That being said, I believe
that Parcel C would be an excellent location for the replacement of the 90 -foot diamonds
that will be lost. These fields are used by older children and adults and a location on the
outskirts of town would be much more appropriate. As well, the size of the 90 -foot
diamonds is more compatible with a multi -use facility that could and should include full-
size soccer fields.
I know that Wilson School has offered use of their facility a few miles out of town on
Bodega Ave. They are in a similar situation as the Junior High in that their athletic fields
need redevelopment and the relocation of Little League to their school would be mutually
beneficial. However, that location is too far away for our young families, has
questionable capacity, has unanswered financing sources and has neighbors located in
much closer proximity to any potential ballfields. While we greatly appreciate the offer,
the 220+ families of our League have no desire to relocate our playing facilities outside
of the City to that location. We trust that the City can and will find room for us within
our community.
That being said, the League would be very interested in a further discussion with Wilson
School regarding the possibility of combining funds to develop a single practice field at
the site that could be used by the various teams in our League in the evenings and
weekends and by the school during their regular hours. That could create a win-win
situation for both organizations, and could potentially lessen the load at the Junior High.
M
Jim, we do appreciate all of your hard work in these past years toward the resolution of
this problem. You and your staff have been very helpful and supportive. As 1 have said
previously, we have a great desire to resolve this issue as soon as possible so that we may
begin making arrangements for our move. There is much to do, and we hope that we will
be able to pick a direction and move forward in the very near future. That direction
should be Petaluma Junior High School.
Sincerely,
Troy Sanderson
President, Petaluma National Little League
1
2
3 Resolution No. N.C.S.
4 Of the City of Petaluma, California
5
6
7 Resolution Authorizing Staff to Work with the
s Petaluma School District to Renovate the Petaluma Junior High School Athletic
9 Field for the Use by Community Youth Sports Including National Little League
10 and Youth Soccer
11
12 WHEREAS, with the recent sale of Kenilworth Junior High School, youth sports programs
13 including National Little League, Pop Warner Football and Soccer have lost an important
14 venue for sports practices and games; and
15
16 Whereas, the Recreation, Music and Parks Commission has been holding public
17 meetings with the intent of identifying suitable replacement fields that will meet
18 the needs of the Petaluma Community's youth organizations; and
19
20 Whereas, Petaluma Junior High School's athletic field, which has a along
21 history of use by Petaluma youth sports organizations, has, due to field
22 deterioration, seen a decrease of use by youth sports organizations due to safety
23 concerns for their players; and
24
25 Whereas, the City of Petaluma has an opportunity to work with the Petaluma
26 School District to renovate the Petaluma Junior High School athletic field and
27 once again make it available for Petaluma Youth Sports Organizations; and
28
29 Whereas, following public hearings and studying the issue, the Recreation,
30 Music and Parks Commission recommends to the City Council that the Petaluma
31 Junior High School athletic field be identified as a replacement location for
32 youth sports including National Little League and youth soccer; and
33
34 Be It Furthermore Resolved, that the Recreation, Music and Parks Commission
35 recommends that the City Council direct city staff to work with the Petaluma
36 School District to secure any needed approvals / agreements, and then hire an
37 architectural firm to start design and construction of the school renovation
38 project.
39
rL
1 Now, Therefore, Be it Resolved by the City Council of the City of Petaluma,
2 that it hereby authorizes City Staff to work with the Petaluma School District to
3 renovate the Petaluma Junior High School Athletic Field for the use by
a Community Youth Sports including National Little League and Youth Soccer,
s and secure needed approvals and required agreements, obtain the services of an
6 architectural firm, and start design and construction of the school renovation
7 project.
la