CC - Item 5B - Update Regarding Jay Imperial and other parksROSEMEAD CITY COUNCIL
STAFF REPORT
TO: THE HONORABLE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL
FROM: JEFFRY ALLRED, CITY MANAGER
DATE: July 22, 2014 ✓ l
SUBJECT: UPDATE REGARDING JAY IMPERIAL AND OTHER PARKS
SUMMARY
At the June 10 City Council Meeting, Council Member Steven Ly requested an update
regarding Jay Imperial Park and the future developments of a skate park and a dog park in
Rosemead.
Staff Recommendation:
This item is for discussion only and requires no City Council action.
ANALYSIS
As City Council may recall, in 2010, a Facilities Master Plan was drafted which included a
prioritized list of capital projects. The list identified approximately 40 improvement and /or
development projects for parks, playgrounds, community centers, aquatic and other City
facilities. The Master Plan proposed to improve or develop City facilities "as funds became
available." As City Council is aware, many of the projects from the plan have been completed
and others are still underway. Some of these projects are the Rosemead Aquatic Center, Civic
Center Parking Lot and Plaza, RCRC Expansion, Rosemead Park Basketball Court renovations,
playgrounds and fitness zones at Rosemead, Sally Tanner, Garvey, and Zapopan Parks,
Garvey Gymnasium and Dinsmoor House improvements, and creation of the Splash Zone.
The Master Plan was created prior to dissolution of redevelopment agencies in California.
Redevelopment funds and cities' ability to bond against them as well as grants were the primary
means by which public facilities were created. Dissolution of redevelopment has eliminated the
first two options and the recession significantly reduced grant funding. Rosemead did, however,
issue bonds in 2006 and 2010. Since State approval, the City has spent or encumbered all of
those bond proceeds for the projects identified above and others ( Zapopan Park improvements
and Garvey Avenue Storm Drain projects are included in this year's Capital Improvement
Program (CIP) budget). Additionally, other funding sources (special revenues and unallocated
General Fund fund balance) have also been used to fund some of the above projects.
As we look to future improvement or development of recreation facilities, funding options are
more limited than ever. Three projects that were also included in the Master Plan projects list
are development of Jay Imperial Park and the possible additions of a skate park and a dog park.
No funding, however, has been secured for skate park or dog park development. This report is
an effort to provide an update, as requested by Council Member Ly, to these three projects.
ITEM NUMBER: 5U
City Council Meeting
June 10, 2014
Page 2 of 3
Jay Imperial Park
In conjunction with the Rivers and Mountains Conservancy, the City has been working to
develop two parcels along the Southern California Edison (SCE) easement into Jay Imperial
Park. While SCE provided a letter of support for the project when initially proposed in 2008, they
have yet to approve a final design for the park. During the past six years, the City has
repeatedly met with a variety of SCE representatives and revised designs, in accordance with
changes mandated by SCE. On several occasions, the design appeared to be approved only to
have additional changes mandated by some other department or representative. However, as
happened in June, the project was assigned to another representative and, when meeting with
him on site, more changes were required to the drawings. We are working to make those
changes and resubmit drawings to SCE for approval.
Once SCE approves the drawings, the project would be forwarded to the California Public
Utilities Commission (CPUC) for review. With CPUC approval, the City would complete
construction drawings and, then, bid, the project. Jay Imperial Park is included in the fiscal year
2014 -15 CIP budget using grant and other funding sources.
Skate Park and Dog Park
Though development of a skate park and a dog park are included as part of the Master Plan
proposal neither is in the current CIP budget. The reason for their exclusion is twofold— location
and funding. Given the extremely limited availability and high cost of vacant property, it was
initially thought that both uses could be linked to park developments along the SCE easement.
Edison, however, has informed the City that neither is an acceptable use on their property.
According to SCE, skate parks cannot be developed under their overhead lines and dog parks
pose a potential safety risk to company personnel. There are a few other possible sites for a
skate park or dog park. These include development on SCE property not located under towers
(i.e., Hellman/Stallo or Walnut Grove /Rush) or on an existing park (Rosemead or Garvey).
Use of SCE property would require a lease agreement or land purchase. The feasibility of such
a proposal is unknown. Development on Rosemead or Garvey Park would not require
acquisition or use agreements. However, they would require consideration of potential impacts
and re -use of existing park space. Either could draw regional interest and significantly increase
park patronage. A dog park would certainly result in more dogs and potentially more lease law
infractions, dog bites, or dog- on-dog incidents. Skate parks have been known to result in
increased area vandalism and other behavioral concerns.
Use of existing park space could significantly reduce development costs associated with a skate
park or a dog park if existing amenities are re- purposed. For example, the City of South El
Monte built a skate park on the site of a former tennis court. This eliminated fencing costs and
reduced expenditures for site -work. Rosemead could, likewise, re- purpose one of the tennis
courts at Garvey Park; however, the existing tennis courts are heavily used.
A dog park could be developed at either Rosemead or Garvey Park using existing, partially
fenced space by fully enclosing it and adding few amenities. For example, the fence line
between field 2 and the Rosemead Park preschool building (adjacent to Encinita School) could
be fully enclosed to provide a small dog- specific play area.
Skate Parks can be designed as permanent, largely poured -in -place concrete and steel
structures or as modular systems. Permanent structures require more space and are more
costly. Modular units require site preparation (as much as pouring a concrete pad and fencing
City Council Meeting
June 10, 2014
Page 3 of 3
an area) but less space. They also cost less (depending on how many modular units are
purchased) and can provide some flexibility in that pieces can be changed over time. A smaller,
modular skate park built on an existing concrete pad (like a tennis court) could be developed for
as little as $150,000. A permanent skate park can cost in excess of $1 million.
The cost for a dog park depends upon its size, amenities, fencing, and surfacing. Play amenities
can be simple or intricate, surfacing options include dirt, decomposed granite, grass, or faux
turf, and fencing comes in many varieties. All of these impact the cost of developing a dog park.
Additionally, the cost for plumbing and waste disposal must be considered. Lastly, a skate park
or dog park will, in addition to development costs, result in increased maintenance and may
result in an increased need for public safety.
As a result of a lack of funding and the difficulty of finding an appropriate location to develop a
skate park or a dog park neither is included in the current fiscal year CIP budget.
PUBLIC NOTICE PROCESS
This item has been noticed through the regular agenda notification process.
FISCAL IMPACT
This item is for discussion only and has no fiscal impact.
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