Apr 02, 2024 Board of Directors Meeting

[00:00:03]

GREAT. GOOD MORNING EVERYONE.

[ROLL CALL]

THIS IS A CLOSED SESSION OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF THE EAST BAY REGIONAL PARK DISTRICT ON APRIL 2ND, 2024, BEGINNING AT 11:06 A.M..

MADAM CLERK, CAN YOU PLEASE CALL THE ROLL? YES, PRESIDENT ECHOLS.

DIRECTOR CORBETT. HERE.

DIRECTOR ROSARIO.

HERE. DIRECTOR COFFEY.

HERE. DIRECTOR MERCURIO.

HERE. DIRECTOR SANWONG.

HERE. DIRECTOR WAESPI.

HERE. PRESIDENT ECHOLS.

HERE. GENERAL MANAGER LANDRETH.

HERE. AND GENERAL COUNCIL BOURGAULT.

HERE. OKAY.

MADAM CLERK, DO WE HAVE ANY PUBLIC COMMENTS ON THE CLOSED SESSION AGENDA? NO, WE DO NOT PRESIDENT.

VERY GOOD. I THINK WE CAN ADJOURN TO CLOSED SESSION.

[CLOSED SESSION ITEMS]

[LAUGHTER] OKAY. THANK YOU.

OKAY. I THINK WE'RE GOOD TO GO.

WELCOME, EVERYONE.

THIS IS THE REGULAR BOARD MEETING OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF THE EAST BAY REGIONAL PARK DISTRICT ON APRIL 2ND, 2024, BEGINNING AT 1:23.

AND WE DO APOLOGIZE FOR THE LATE START TODAY.

COULD I GET OUR CLERK TO PLEASE CALL THE ROLL?

[ROLL CALL]

DIRECTOR WAESPI.

HERE. DIRECTOR CORBETT.

HERE. DIRECTOR ROSARIO.

HERE. DIRECTOR COFFEY.

HERE. DIRECTOR MERCURIO.

HERE. DIRECTOR SANWONG.

HERE. PRESIDENT ECHOLS.

HERE. GENERAL MANAGER LANDRETH.

HERE. AND GENERAL COUNCIL BOURGAULT HERE.

OKAY, GREAT. AND WE'RE GOING TO HAVE DIRECTOR WAESPI TO RECITE THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.

[PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE]

ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.

[INAUDIBLE] OKAY, DIRECTOR ROSARIO, WOULD YOU LIKE TO READ THE LAND ACKNOWLEDGMENT?

[LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT]

WE HUMBLY ACKNOWLEDGE THAT WE ARE ON THE UNCEDED LANDS OF THE OHLONE PEOPLE, AND THAT THE EAST BAY REGIONAL PARK DISTRICT HEADQUARTERS IS LOCATED WITHIN THE HUCHIUN TERRITORY, WHICH IS THEIR TRADITIONAL, ANCESTRAL AND SHARED HOME.

SINCE TIME IMMEMORIAL, THE OHLONE PEOPLE HAVE AND CONTINUE TO LIVE IN RECIPROCITY WITH NATURE, UNDERSTANDING THE SEASONS AND CYCLES OF THE NATURAL WORLD, MANAGING RESOURCES FUNDAMENTAL FOR SURVIVAL, AND IMPORTANT TO CULTURAL PRACTICES, ALL WHILE PASSING DOWN THEIR KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERTISE.

WE HONOR WITH GRATITUDE AND THE LAND ITSELF, THE WILDLIFE LIVING IN THESE LANDS AND THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE STEWARDED IT, AND WHO CONTINUE TO REMAIN DEEPLY CONNECTED TO IT TODAY.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU. SO WE'RE MOVING ON TO APPROVE THE AGENDA.

[APPROVAL OF AGENDA]

IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND.

THANK YOU. SO IT WAS THE MOTION TO APPROVE.

THE AGENDA WAS MADE BY DIRECTOR WAESPI AND SECONDED BY DIRECTOR ROSARIO.

ALL IN FAVOR? AYE.

ANY OPPOSED? OKAY. MOVING ON.

ARE THERE ANY SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS TODAY? OKAY. MADAM CLERK, DO WE HAVE PUBLIC COMMENTS?

[PUBLIC COMMENT]

YES. PRESIDENT ECHOLS, WE HAVE ONE MEMBER OF THE.

WE HAVE ONE PUBLIC COMMENT IN THE ROOM.

OKAY. THANK YOU. I BELIEVE THAT'S MISS PATTERSON.

THANK YOU. GOOD AFTERNOON, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.

MY NAME IS RENEE PATTERSON AND I WORK HERE AT PERALTA OAKS ON THE THIRD FLOOR AS AN ADMIN ANALYST FOR OPERATIONS IN THE BUSINESS SERVICES DEPARTMENT. AND I'M HERE FOR MY BOARD MEETING.

REMINDER OF THE PERBS FILING THAT AFSCME FILED WITH THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA PUBLIC EMPLOYEE BOARD FOR AN UNFAIR PRACTICE CHARGE ON AUGUST 26TH, 2022.

AND THIS CHARGE WAS FOR BAD FAITH BARGAINING, INTERFERENCE, DIRECT DEALING, AND UNILATERAL IMPLEMENTATION.

AND I DON'T REALLY HAVE ANYTHING ELSE TO SAY, BUT I JUST LIKE TO TAKE THIS TIME TO REMIND YOU THAT THIS CHARGE IS OUT THERE IN THE ETHER.

I DON'T KNOW WHAT'S HAPPENING WITH IT.

YOU GUYS PROBABLY DON'T KNOW WHAT'S HAPPENING WITH IT, EVEN THOUGH I'VE HEARD RUMORS IT'S GOING TO HAPPEN THIS YEAR.

I KIND OF DON'T BELIEVE IT, BUT WE'LL SEE.

SO UNTIL THEN, I WILL COME BACK EVERY BOARD MEETING OR MOST BOARD MEETINGS TO REMIND YOU.

[00:05:06]

THANK YOU. I'M GOING TO ASK OUR CLERK TO DESCRIBE HOW THE PUBLIC CAN MAKE COMMENTS IN THIS MEETING.

YES. PRESIDENT ECHOLS PUBLIC COMMENTS.

EXCUSE ME. PUBLIC COMMENTS MAY BE SUBMITTED ONE OF THREE WAYS VIA EMAIL TO PUBLIC COMMENT AT EBPARKS.

ORG VIA VOICEMAIL AT (510) 544-2016, LEAVING A MESSAGE WHICH WILL BE TRANSCRIBED AND GIVEN TO THE BOARD AND MADE A PART OF THE RECORD PUBLIC RECORD, OR SIMPLY BY JOINING THE MEETING VIA THE ZOOM LINK WHICH IS LISTED ON THE AGENDA WHICH WAS POSTED ON THE DISTRICT'S WEBSITE.

THE SUBMISSION OF PUBLIC COMMENTS WAS NOTICED ON THE AGENDA AND IN THE BOARD PACKET, WHICH WAS POSTED ON MARCH THE 29TH.

ALL EMAILS RECEIVED PRIOR TO DEADLINE ON MONDAY, APRIL THE 1ST HAVE BEEN DISTRIBUTED TO THE BOARD AND EXECUTIVE TEAM.

ANY EMAILS THAT HAVE COME IN AFTER THIS DATE WILL BE ORGANIZED AND GIVEN TO THE BOARD AFTER THIS MEETING.

THANK YOU.

HAVE WE RECEIVED ANY PUBLIC COMMENTS FOR ITEMS ON THE AGENDA? NO WE HAVE NOT RECEIVED ANY PUBLIC COMMENTS.

OKAY DO WE HAVE ANY ANNOUNCEMENTS TODAY FROM OUR GENERAL COUNSEL.

NO PRESIDENT ECHOLS.

NO ANNOUNCEMENTS.

OKAY. OKAY.

DO WE HAVE ANY REQUESTS FROM THE BOARD TO PULL ANYTHING ON THE CONSENT CALENDAR?

[CONSENT CALENDAR]

I DON'T KNOW IF THEY'VE ALL BEEN ANSWERED.

DIRECTOR ROSARIO.

DIRECTOR MERCURIO. THEY'VE ALL BEEN ANSWERED.

SO YOU GUYS ARE GOOD? YEAH. OKAY.

SO IF THERE'S NOTHING ELSE ON THE CONSENT CALENDAR, COULD I GET A MOTION TO APPROVE IT, PLEASE? SO MOVED. THANK YOU.

MOTION BY DIRECTOR CORBETT.

I'LL SECOND. THANK YOU, DIRECTOR ROSARIO.

A SECOND BY DIRECTOR ROSARIO.

MADAM CLERK, CAN YOU CALL THE ROLL? OH, ACTUALLY, I GUESS WE DON'T REALLY NEED TO CALL THE ROLL.

WE CAN DO A ALL IN FAVOR? AYE.

OPPOSED? OKAY.

MOTION PASSES.

MOVING ON TO THE NON CONSENT ITEMS.

[GENERAL MANAGER'S OFFICE]

SO WE HAVE A RECOMMENDATION TO SPONSOR AB 2091 EXISTING TRAILS FOR NATURE ACCESS.

GOOD AFTERNOON, LISA BALDINGER, LEGISLATIVE AND POLICY MANAGEMENT ANALYST AND I'LL BE PRESENTING TODAY WITH CHIEF OF PLANNING BRIAN HOLT.

IS IT A LITTLE FAR? BETTER. OKAY.

SO AB 2091 IS BEING AUTHORED BY ASSEMBLYMEMBER TIM GRAYSON, AND IT'S TITLED THE EXISTING TRAILS FOR NATURE ACCESS BILL.

BEFORE DIVING INTO THE DETAILS, DO WANT TO THANK THE LEADERSHIP OF GENERAL MANAGER LANDRETH DEPUTY GENERAL MANAGER ALVAREZ, AS WELL AS THE COLLABORATIVE TEAM WHO'S REALLY BEEN SUPPORTING THIS EFFORT, INCLUDING ASSISTANT DISTRICT COUNSEL JASON ROSENBERG, CHIEF OF GOVERNMENT AND LEGISLATIVE AFFAIRS ERICH PFUEHLER, BRIAN HOLT AND OUR CONSULTANTS AT ENERGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL CONSULTING.

BY WAY OF INTRODUCTION, AB 2091 IS BEING AUTHORED BY ASSEMBLYMEMBER TIM GRAYSON.

IT WAS INTRODUCED TO SUPPORT PUBLIC PARK ACCESS ON EXISTING TRAILS, PATHWAYS, ROADS AND DISTURBED LANDS.

THE BILL IS TRULY FOCUSED ON THESE AREAS WHERE ACCESS HAS OCCURRED ON THE EXISTING PARCELS.

THROUGH COMMITTEE LANGUAGE WAS REFINED TO REALLY MAKE IT CLEAR THAT ANY AREA OUTSIDE OF THESE EXISTING DISTURBED AREAS IS NOT INCLUDED IN THIS LEGISLATION.

SO JUST BY WAY OF CLARITY.

IT SEEKS TO SUPPORT AND ADVANCE PUBLIC ACCESS IN ALIGNMENT WITH PATHWAYS TO 30X30 AND OUTDOORS FOR ALL.

REALLY SEEING IT AS OPENING A GATE WHERE A TRAIL EXISTS AND ALLOWING THE PUBLIC ONTO PUBLICLY OWNED LAND BY REDUCING DELAYS AND COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH CEQA REVIEW. THIS BILL WILL HELP TO ENSURE TIMELY ACCESS TO NATURE, ADVANCING BOTH CONSERVATION EFFORTS AND PUBLIC WELL-BEING IN ALIGNMENT WITH THESE STATE GOALS.

AB 2091 HAS EXPERIENCED A WEALTH OF ENGAGEMENT, INCLUDING BY THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS DURING OUR 2024 STATE ADVOCACY CONFERENCE IN CONVERSATION WITH OUR DELEGATION.

SO THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR PARTICIPATION.

IT'S ALSO RECEIVED SUPPORT FROM MANY OF OUR PARTNERS, INCLUDING SAVE MOUNT DIABLO, MIDPENINSULA REGIONAL OPEN SPACE DISTRICT, AND OTHERS.

SO YOU CAN SEE THE LIST BEFORE YOU ON YOUR SCREEN.

[00:10:05]

CHIEF OF PLANNING BRIAN HOLT IS GOING TO EXPAND ON A FEW EXAMPLES FOR THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS, AND THEN WE'D BE HAPPY TO TAKE ANY QUESTIONS.

THANK YOU. GOOD AFTERNOON, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, BRIAN HOLT, CHIEF OF PLANNING TRAILS GIS.

SO I'M RUN THROUGH JUST A COUPLE CASE STUDY EXAMPLES THAT THAT WE IDENTIFIED WHERE THIS BILL WOULD BE APPLICABLE IN TERMS OF FACILITATING PUBLIC ACCESS INTO SOME OF OUR EXISTING OWNED PUBLIC LANDS.

AND I WILL JUST SAY THERE'S PROBABLY A WHOLE WEALTH OF OTHER EXAMPLES.

AND EACH OF THESE PROJECTS, AS WE KIND OF DEVELOP A CEQA SCOPE THEY ALL HAVE DIFFERENT NUANCES IN TERMS OF PAST APPROVALS OR OTHER OTHER ITEMS THAT MIGHT GO ALONG WITH THEM. BUT JUST JUMPING ON TO ONE OF OUR MOST RECENTLY ACQUIRED PROPERTIES, THE FINLEY ROAD RANCH PROPERTY.

OF COURSE, THIS IS 768 ACRES LOCATED JUST EAST OF THE TOWN OF DANVILLE AND NORTH OF THE CITY OF SAN RAMON. THIS PROPERTY WAS PURCHASED WITH SUPPORT OF THE CALIFORNIA STATE COASTAL CONSERVANCY, $7 MILLION PROVIDED BY THE STATE TO PROVIDE FOR THIS ACQUISITION.

THE PROPERTY IS CURRENTLY IN LAND BANK STATUS, NOT OPEN TO THE PUBLIC, BUT IS AN EXAMPLE OF A PROPERTY THAT HAS EXISTING RANCH ROADS AND OTHER SORT OF EXISTING PATHWAYS THAT THAT ARE ACCESSIBLE ON THE PROPERTY THAT IF IT WERE DEEMED APPROPRIATE BY THE PARK DISTRICT COULD POTENTIALLY BE OPENED UP TO THE PUBLIC ACCESS IN THE NEAR TERM.

ONE OF THE I THINK THE CLASSIC EXAMPLES FOR THE PARK DISTRICT WOULD BE VARGAS PLATEAU.

IF YOU'RE FAMILIAR WITH VARGAS PLATEAU REGIONAL PRESERVE A PARK OF OVER 1300 ACRES THAT WAS REALLY ASSEMBLED THROUGHOUT THE 1990S IN THE HILLS ABOVE FREMONT.

THE PARK DISTRICT EVENTUALLY DEVELOPED A LAND USE PLAN IN EIR IN 2008 FOR THAT PROPERTY.

AND, FROM THERE, A SERIES OF LAWSUITS, LITIGATION WERE FILED OVER THE APPROVAL OF THAT EIR AND THAT LAND USE PLAN.

THE LITIGATION OVER WAS REALLY FOCUSED ON ACCESS ON A CERTAIN PORTION OF THE PROPERTY, REALLY ON THE SOUTHERN AND EASTERN BOUNDARIES OF THE PARK AND RELATED TO PARKING CONCERNS ARISING FROM SOME NEIGHBORING LANDOWNERS.

SO A GOOD EXAMPLE OF WHERE CERTAINLY THAT ACCESS AND PARKING DIDN'T NECESSARILY IMPACT THE ENTIRE 1300 ACRES.

THERE'S OTHER AREAS OF THAT PARKLAND THAT COULD HAVE BEEN OPENED UP THAT WERE ACCESSIBLE FROM EXISTING PUBLIC RIGHT OF WAYS THAT COULD HAVE BEEN OPENED UP HAD THERE NOT BEEN THIS THIS CEQA PROCESS THAT WAS THEN SUBSEQUENTLY SUBJECT TO LITIGATION THAT TOOK OVER FIVE YEARS TO RESOLVE.

BUT THEN, OF COURSE, ONCE THE PARK OPENED UP IT WAS THEN THEN CHALLENGED AGAIN IN 2016.

SO THE PARK WAS NOT ACTUALLY OPENED UP, ABLE TO OPEN UP PERMANENTLY TO THE PUBLIC UNTIL 2017.

SO WELL OVER A DECADE AFTER THE ORIGINAL CEQA PROCESS WAS COMPLETE AND OVER TWO DECADES SINCE THAT LAND HAD REALLY BEEN ASSEMBLED.

ANOTHER RECENT ACTION BY THE BOARD.

THE BOARD ADOPTED THE SOUTHERN LAS TRAMPAS LAND USE PLAN AMENDMENT.

THIS WAS FOR SOME 756 ACRES OF LAND BANK PROPERTY ALSO NEAR THE TOWN OF DANVILLE AND SAN RAMON ADJACENT TO LAS TRAMPAS REGIONAL WILDERNESS.

THESE LANDS ACQUIRED BETWEEN 1988 AND 2016.

AND RECENT ACQUISITIONS REALLY BROUGHT THOSE LANDS AND CONNECTED TO THEM TO THOSE TO THE COMMUNITIES OF DANVILLE AND SAN RAMON.

IN 2017, STAFF DID INITIATE THE DEVELOPMENT OF A LAND USE PLAN AMENDMENT TO BRING THOSE 756 ACRES WITHIN THE LAS TRAMPAS REGIONAL WILDERNESS PRESERVE.

BUT REALLY, THE FOCUS OF THAT LAND USE PLAN AMENDMENT WAS REALLY AROUND THE DEVELOPMENT OF A SINGLE STAGING AREA OFF OF BOLLINGER CANYON ROAD.

THE MAJORITY OF THAT PLAN WAS FOCUSED ON USE OF EXISTING ROADS, EXISTING PATHWAYS AND THE, THE REALLY THE IMPETUS FOR US DOING A REAL DETAILED CEQA ANALYSIS WAS AROUND THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE STAGING AREA AND SPECIFICALLY, AGAIN NEIGHBORHOOD CONCERNS RAISED FROM FOLKS ON BOLLINGER CANYON ROAD CONCERNED ABOUT STAGING AREA DEVELOPMENT AND WHAT IMPACTS THAT WOULD HAVE ON THEIR COMMUNITY LEGITIMATE

[00:15:03]

DIDN'T NECESSARILY HAVE TO IMPEDE THE OPENING UP OF THE REMAINDER OF THE 750 ACRES OR SO THROUGHOUT THE REST OF THAT AREA.

SO AGAIN, SOMETHING.

ANALYSIS OF THE STAGING AREA WOULD HAVE NEEDED TO CONTINUE ON ON A PROJECT LEVEL, BUT BUT DIDN'T NECESSARILY NEED TO HOLD UP THE WHOLE ENTIRE PLAN. THE BOARD WAS ABLE TO ADOPT THAT PLAN.

WE ARE MOVING THROUGH PERMITTING AND AND LOOKING FORWARD TO CONSTRUCTING THAT STAGING AREA AND ADDITIONAL TRAILS AND OPENING UP THAT PARKLAND SOON.

AND, AND A LITTLE BIT MORE OF A COMPLICATED EXAMPLE, BUT BUT FROM A THEORETICAL POINT OF VIEW, THE CONCORD NAVAL WEAPONS STATION, WHICH I THINK MOST PEOPLE ARE FAMILIAR WITH NOW, THURGOOD MARSHALL REGIONAL PARK, HOME OF THE PORT CHICAGO 50.

2500 PLUS ACRES THAT HAS A NETWORK OF OVER 40 MILES OF ROADS AND RAIL LINES THAT TRAVERSE THAT PROPERTY. SO THIS IS A PROPERTY THAT WHEN THE PARK DISTRICT ACQUIRED IT, WE GOT A LOT OF QUESTIONS FROM THE CITY OF CONCORD AND OTHERS, AND WE STILL DO ABOUT WHEN THAT PARK IS GOING TO BE OPENED UP.

AND WE ARE WORKING TO OPEN UP THAT PARK.

THERE'S A NUMBER OF OTHER OPERATIONAL CONSIDERATIONS THAT WE NEED TO MAKE IN TERMS OF OPENING UP PARK LANDS.

IT NEEDS TO BE SAFE AND SUITABLE FOR THE PUBLIC.

WE NEED TO HAVE OPERATIONAL CAPACITY TO BE ABLE TO DO SO.

THERE'S A NUMBER OF IMPROVEMENTS THAT NEED TO BE MADE, BUT THEORETICALLY WITHOUT WITHOUT THE NEED TO NECESSARILY DO ADDITIONAL CEQA COULD WE HAVE ALLOWED THE PUBLIC TO GO AND ACCESS THOSE EXISTING ROADS? ABSOLUTELY. WE COULD HAVE.

AND THE BOARD MAY RECALL WE DID WORK THROUGH A LAND USE PLAN AND ADOPTED A EIR FOR THAT PROPERTY, DESPITE THE FACT THAT AN EIR HAD ALREADY BEEN ADOPTED BY THE CITY OF CONCORD FOR THE REUSE PROJECT, AN ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT HAD ALSO BEEN ADOPTED BY THE US NAVY FOR FOR DISPOSAL OF THAT PROPERTY. WE DID DO AN ADDITIONAL EIR ON THAT PROPERTY, AGAIN, REALLY OUT OF CONCERN ABOUT POTENTIAL LITIGATION FROM NEIGHBORING LANDOWNERS.

AND THAT LITIGATION DID COME TO PASS.

WE WERE SUED OVER THAT EIR BY A NEIGHBORING LANDOWNER WHO HAD A DEVELOPMENT PROJECT IN THE CITY OF PITTSBURGH.

THAT CONTINUES TO MOVE FORWARD.

AND AND WE WERE CHALLENGED UNDER THAT PROJECT OVER CONCERNS THAT OUR PARK WOULD IMPACT THAT FUTURE DEVELOPMENT PROJECT.

SO ANOTHER GOOD EXAMPLE OF JUST WHERE CEQA IN OUR CASES OF OPENING UP OPEN SPACE AND ACCESS TO EXISTING ROADS CAN SOMETIMES BE USED FOR REASONS COMPLETELY UNRELATED TO OUR ACTUAL PARK ACCESS, UNRELATED TO ACTUAL ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERNS, TO TO TO IMPEDE OUR ABILITY TO OPEN UP PUBLICLY PURCHASED LAND, PUBLIC LAND TO THE PUBLIC AND MAKE THAT ACCESS ACCESSIBLE SO THAT LISA.

ALL RIGHT. SO AB 2091 DID RECENTLY GO BEFORE THE ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON NATURAL RESOURCES.

WE WORKED WITH COMMITTEE STAFF ON MINOR AMENDMENTS WHICH PROVIDED FOR LANGUAGE, CLARITY AND INTENT OF THE BILL, REALLY TO BE FOCUSED ON THOSE EXISTING DISTURBED AREAS AND BE MANAGED BY PARK AGENCIES WITH GUIDANCE ON ON MANAGEMENT AND SERVICES AND AN UNDERLINING ENVIRONMENTAL ETHIC.

THE BILL DID PASS THE COMMITTEE WITH NO OPPOSITION AND UNANIMOUS SUPPORT.

ITS NEXT STOP IN THE PROCESS WILL BE THE COMMITTEE ON WATER, PARKS AND WILDLIFE BEFORE GOING TO THE SENATE.

SO AS PART OF THE PROCESS, WE ARE HERE TODAY TO RECOMMEND A SUPPORT POSITION BY THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS AND WE'D BE HAPPY TO TAKE ANY QUESTIONS.

OKAY. THANK YOU.

I'M SURE THERE ARE QUESTIONS AND COMMENTS.

OKAY. DIRECTOR ROSARIO AND THEN DIRECTOR MERCURIO AFTER THAT.

YEAH. WHEN WE WHEN WE CONSIDER LET'S SAY IF WE'RE GOING TO OPEN UP.

CONCORD THURGOOD MARSHALL REGIONAL PARK SHORELINE.

WOULD WE STILL BE DOING AN ANALYSIS OF IMPACTS OF OF.

ON ANY ENDANGERED SPECIES OR ABSOLUTELY SO.

THE EAST BAY REGIONAL PARK DISTRICT WOULD CONTINUE ITS SIMILAR OPERATIONS AND MANAGEMENT POLICIES AND PRACTICES.

AND SO WHAT THIS WOULD ALLOW IS JUST FOR THE STREAMLINING OF THE OPENING OF THE TRAILS ALONE.

BUT WE WOULD CONTINUE TO DO ANALYSIS AND OPERATE UNDER ORDINANCE 38 GUIDELINES.

GREAT. THANK YOU.

YEAH, I THINK THIS IS I KNOW THIS IS SOMETHING THAT'S BEEN KIND OF ON OUR WISH LIST FOR, FOR A WHILE, AND, AND IT'S, IT'S BECAUSE OF THE FRUSTRATION THAT THERE'S BEEN BY THE PARK DISTRICT ITSELF, BUT ALSO ALL THE POTENTIAL USERS AROUND THAT WONDER WHY THEY CAN'T GET INTO A GIVEN NAME. NAME THE PARK NAME, THE DOZEN OR SO, WHATEVER IT IS, PARCELS THAT WE HAVE THAT ARE NOT ACCESSIBLE BECAUSE OF THIS EXTENSIVE PROCESS THAT IN SOME

[00:20:09]

AND I THINK WHAT'S REALLY TELLING IS WHEN YOU, YOU KNOW, YOU HAD THE SLIDE UP THERE ALL THE SUPPORTERS OF IT, THE SUPPORTERS LIST IS A WHO'S WHO OF LAND PRESERVATIONISTS. IT'S NOT ANYONE ON THAT LIST THAT TAKES.

RESPECT FOR THE LAND AND THE RESOURCES UPON IT LIGHTLY, YOU KNOW? AND SO, YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT GOES A LONG WAY TOWARD SUPPORTING WHAT WE'RE GOING AFTER HERE.

AND MIGHT I ADD, BESIDES THE EXTERNAL SUPPORTERS, I MEAN, THERE'S ALL THESE DEDICATED STAFF FOLKS WHO CAME TO WORK AT THE PARK DISTRICT FOR THIS VERY REASON.

YOU KNOW, THEY THEY WOULDN'T THEY WOULDN'T EASILY.

TOLERATE, YOU KNOW, WITHOUT SAYING ANYTHING, IF WE WERE TRYING TO RAMROD SOMETHING THROUGH THAT WASN'T WASN'T SAFE OR WASN'T RESPECTFUL SO OF THE LAND.

SO I THINK THIS IS A GREAT THING, AND IT SOUNDS LIKE IT'S GOT GREAT SUPPORT IN THE STATE LEGISLATURE.

AND I LOOK FORWARD TO SOME SUCCESS HERE.

THANK YOU. THANKS FOR YOUR WORK.

DIRECTOR COFFEY. SO I KEEP ASKING YOU THIS.

SO IT'S IN THE NATURE OF AN UPDATE.

IT'S BEEN THROUGH THE ONE COMMITTEE AND GOING TO THE OTHER.

HAS ANY FORMAL INSTITUTIONAL OPPOSITION.

COME TO FOUR THROUGH THE STATE COMMITTEE PROCESS? NO OPPOSITION HAS BEEN FILED.

THAT'S AMAZING.

REMEMBER WHEN WE WERE UP THERE DOING ROUNDS, WE WERE TOLD THERE PROBABLY WOULD BE.

SO YOU'VE DONE SOME GROUNDWORK AND THAT'S PAYING OFF.

THANK YOU. AND DIRECTOR SANWONG, PLEASE.

YES. THANKS SO MUCH FOR THIS PRESENTATION AND OVERVIEW.

I DO HAVE A QUESTION. I KNOW WHEN WE OPENED TYLER RANCH IN SUNOL, WE ALSO DID THE ROBERTSON RANCH.

AND PLEASE CORRECT ME IF I GET THIS WRONG.

IT'S A LAND USE PLAN CHECKLIST AMENDMENT.

AND I WAS WONDERING IF YOU COULD JUST HELP ILLUMINATE KIND OF THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN WHAT WE DID THERE VERSUS WHAT IS BEING PROPOSED HERE.

YEAH. SO THE YOU'RE CORRECT.

WE WERE ABLE TO OPEN UP TYLER RANCH BECAUSE THE TYLER RANCH PROPERTY WAS, WAS ACQUIRED REALLY DURING THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE PLEASANTON RIDGE LAND USE PLAN, WHICH WAS ADOPTED IN 2011.

THAT PROPERTY WAS THEN INCORPORATED INTO THE LAND USE PLAN AMENDMENT.

I DON'T THINK IT WAS LESS THAN A YEAR LATER, WE PURCHASED THE ADDITIONAL 2500 ACRES OR WHATEVER AT THE ROBERTSON PROPERTY.

AND THE DECISION WAS MADE AT THAT TIME NOT TO ADD THAT PROPERTY INTO THE LAND USE PLAN BECAUSE IT WAS GOING TO CHANGE THE SCOPE IS GOING TO TAKE A LONG TIME.

SO SO WHEN WE WENT TO OPEN UP TYLER RANCH, THE RECOGNITION WAS MADE THAT SUNOL RIDGE TRAIL GOES RIGHT UP TO THE GATE, RIGHT UP TO THE EDGE OF THE ROBERTSON PROPERTY.

BUT THERE HADN'T BEEN THAT PROCESS THAT WAS DONE FOR THE ROBERTSON PROPERTY.

OUR MASTER PLAN AND SORT OF INTERNAL POLICIES HAVE IDENTIFIED A PROCESS TO KIND OF, FOR LACK OF A BETTER TERM, STREAMLINE WITHOUT DOING A FULL LAND USE PLAN AMENDMENT.

AND IT WAS CALLED THIS CHECKLIST AMENDMENT PROCESS.

SO BASICALLY SAYING ACCESS IS ON EXISTING ROADS PROVIDES DOESN'T REQUIRE A MAJOR CAPITAL PROJECT INVESTMENT. SO REALLY SIMILAR TO WHAT'S TRYING TO BE ACCOMPLISHED UNDER THIS BILL.

AND THEN THAT CAN BE ACCOMPLISHED.

WE STILL HAVE TO HAVE CEQA CONSIDERATIONS ON THAT THOUGH.

SO WE WENT THROUGH THAT PROCESS AND IT WORKED WELL.

BUT THERE'S STILL A CEQA COMPONENT OF IT.

SO WE'RE ABLE TO DO THAT.

WE ACTUALLY DID A LOT OF OUTREACH ON THAT TO TRY TO MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE WERE COMFORTABLE WITH US MOVING FORWARD WITH THAT LAND OPENING AND THAT WE WEREN'T GOING TO RECEIVE ANY CHALLENGES.

WE DID IT WE WERE ABLE TO OPEN IT UP AND IT'S BEEN GREAT.

SO THIS WOULD RELIEVE THAT CONCERN.

BUT AND TO TO SOMEWHAT TO, TO DIRECTOR ROSARIO'S POINT THE CONSIDERATIONS THAT WE WOULD NEED TO GO THROUGH THAT CHECKLIST AMENDMENT, YOU KNOW, DO ARE WE AVOIDING SENSITIVE SPECIES HABITATS OR ARE WE AVOIDING CULTURAL RESOURCES? I MEAN, THAT'S ALL WORK THAT OUR STAFF DOES AS A ROUTINE NATURE OF OUR BUSINESS BEFORE WE OPEN THINGS UP.

SO THERE'S STILL AN INTERNAL PROCESS THAT WE NEED TO GO THROUGH TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE NOT DOING SOMETHING THAT IS COUNTER TO OUR MISSION OF PRESERVING NATURAL AND CULTURAL RESOURCES.

SO WE'D STILL GO THROUGH THAT SIMILAR SORT OF PROCESS.

IT WOULD JUST NOT NECESSARILY BE SUBJECT TO THE SAME CEQA PROCESS AND NOT BE SUBJECT TO THE POTENTIAL FOR LITIGATION THAT'S ASSOCIATED WITH IT.

IT'S REALLY HELPFUL.

AND THEN MY FOLLOW UP QUESTION ON THAT IS THINKING ABOUT SOME OF OUR RESTORATION PROJECTS.

AND I BELIEVE YOU AND I HAD BEEN OUT AT THE PLEASANTON RIDGE MAYBE SIX MONTHS AGO TOGETHER.

[00:25:01]

AND THAT THAT WAS SOMETHING OF INTEREST TO STUDY AND THINK ABOUT RESTORATION.

AND SO I KNOW WE ALREADY HAVE THIS AS PART OF OUR, YOU KNOW, PART OF OUR MISSION AND PART OF OUR REGULAR WORK SCHEDULE.

HOW WOULD WE ENSURE THAT WE WOULD CONTINUE TO DO THIS, TO THINK ABOUT SOME OF THESE INHERITED RANCH ROADS FROM THE LANDS THAT WE HAVE AND IF THEY'RE OPEN FOR PUBLIC ACCESS, BUT THEN MAYBE EVENTUALLY THINKING ABOUT RESTORATION OF THEM, YOU KNOW, HOW CAN WE GUARANTEE THAT TO, YOU KNOW, MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC THAT DO HAVE SOME CONCERNS ABOUT THESE DISTURBED LANDS AND THESE EXISTING ROADS THAT WE WILL INHERIT WITH THE PROPERTIES? YEAH, IT'S A LITTLE BIT OF A SEPARATE ISSUE, BUT POINT WELL TAKEN IN THAT WE DO ACQUIRE LANDS THAT ARE NOT IN A PRISTINE CONDITION.

YOU KNOW, THESE ARE LANDS THAT ARE, HAVE BEEN USED BY RANCHERS OR GRAZERS OR OTHERS.

SOMETIMES WE BUY PROPERTIES THAT WE HAVE, YOU KNOW, ALL SORTS OF TRASH AND DEBRIS ON IT.

YOU KNOW, I THINK ABOUT THE MCCOSKER PROPERTY WHEN WE BOUGHT THAT AND IT WAS, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, BURIED EQUIPMENT AND JUST ABOUT EVERYTHING ELSE OUT THERE.

SO WE MAKE A LOT OF EFFORT TO TRY TO RESTORE LANDS.

AND, AND THAT WOULD CONTINUE THAT WOULD CONTINUE FORWARD.

AGAIN, THE QUESTION HERE IS ABOUT IF CEQA IS REQUIRED TO OPEN UP EXISTING ROADS ON PUBLICLY ACQUIRED LAND.

IN TERMS OF ADDRESSING LIKE, SAY, WHERE A DEGRAGATED CONDITION ON A ROAD SOMETHING ALONG THAT, YOU KNOW, THOSE ARE PROJECTS THAT STILL NEED TO GO FORWARD AND SOMETHING THAT WE WOULD FRANKLY, THIS WOULD ENABLE US TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THAT, BECAUSE THEN WE COULD JUST LOOK AT A PROJECT SPECIFIC PROJECT SPECIFIC ISSUE AND WE COULD JUST FOCUS IN ON THAT. AND, YOU KNOW, A PROJECT LIKE THAT, I WOULD SAY, YOU KNOW, WOULD LIKELY FALL UNDER SOME OF THE RESTORATION EXEMPTIONS TO WHERE THEN WE COULD JUST LOOK AT THAT AS, YOU KNOW, THIS IS JUST A RESTORATION PROJECT.

IT MIGHT MOVE A ROAD SO IT COULD CONTINUE TO PROVIDE PUBLIC ACCESS, BUT IT'S REALLY FOCUSED ON ENVIRONMENTAL RESTORATION.

SO WITHOUT HAVING TO LOOK AT A WHOLE 1500 ACRES OR 2000 ACRES AND ALL OF THE OTHER SORTS OF ISSUES THAT GET PILED ONTO THERE, WE'RE ABLE TO FOCUS AND MOVE FORWARD WITH A RESTORATION PROJECT IN A MUCH MORE EFFICIENT WAY, RATHER THAN LIKE I SAY, HAVING TO LOOK AT THE WHOLE GAMUT OF POTENTIAL ISSUES THERE AND THEN THE OTHER UNRELATED ISSUES THAT COME FORWARD AND CHALLENGE AND STALL A PROJECT.

GREAT. THANK YOU.

DIRECTOR WAESPI.

THANK YOU. WELL, THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.

AND BRIAN, THANK YOU ESPECIALLY FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.

YOU KNOW, I HAD SOME SOME OPPONENTS OF THIS CALL ME AND TALK TO ME ABOUT, GEEZ, YOU'RE NOT GOING TO DO AN INITIAL STUDY.

HOW ARE YOU GOING TO PROTECT THE HABITAT? HOW ARE YOU GOING TO PROTECT WILDLIFE? AND YOU VERY CONVINCINGLY PROVEN THAT, YOU KNOW, OUR PROCESS, OUR PEOPLE THROUGH OUR INTERNAL PROCESSES, OUR CHECKLISTS AND EVERYTHING.

THIS IS WHAT WE DO. SO I'M CONVINCED THIS WILL BE AN EXCELLENT PROGRAM.

I WANT TO THANK ASSEMBLYMEMBER GRAYSON FOR FORWARDING THIS.

AND ESPECIALLY I'M LOOKING AT THE SLIDE THAT OUR GOVERNMENT AND LEGISLATIVE AFFAIRS FOLKS YOU KNOW, THROUGH OUR LEGISLATIVE ADVOCACY CONFERENCE, WE MENTIONED THIS TO EVERY PERSON WE WERE UP THERE IN SACRAMENTO TALKED TO, LOBBIED HEAVILY FOR IT.

AND THIS GROUP OF SUPPORT PARTNERS I KNOW REPRESENTS A LOT OF WORK.

I KNOW THIS WHEN LISA AND ERICH WERE TESTIFYING AT OR SPEAKING IN FAVOR OF THIS WITH THE CALIFORNIA ASSOCIATION OF RECREATION PARK DISTRICTS, AND I BET YOU WENT ALL THE WAY DOWN THIS LIST IT'S VERY CONVINCING.

AND IT IT WAS A SLAM DUNK FOR EVERYONE.

SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH. AND I LOOK FORWARD TO THIS INCOMING LEGISLATION.

OKAY. ANYBODY ELSE? ALL RIGHT.

WELL, I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO THANK THE TEAM.

EVERYONE WHO WAS INVOLVED AS WELL AS OF COURSE, ASSEMBLYMEMBER GRAYSON AND THE BOARD FOR THEIR COMMENTS AND FOR THEIR SUPPORT AND ALSO HELPING TO SPREAD THE GOOD NEWS IN SACRAMENTO.

SO WITH THAT, DO I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE? OH, WE DO HAVE ONE MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC ON THE ZOOM ROOM.

OH, GREAT.

OKAY. I'M GOING TO PROMOTE HIM TO PANELIST.

MR. LAFOREST.

CAN YOU HEAR ME? OH, YES.

YES. YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES, SIR, TO SPEAK.

OKAY. THANK YOU, NORMAN LAFOREST.

I AM SPEAKING ON BEHALF OF THE SIERRA CLUB, WHICH HAS TAKEN A POSITION IN OPPOSITION TO THIS BILL.

AND I'M SPEAKING TODAY ON BEHALF OF THE SIERRA CLUB.

[00:30:04]

I HOPE THAT WAS RECEIVED AND DISTRIBUTED.

THE BILL IS REALLY A THERE'S NO EVIDENCE THAT ANY KIND OF EXCESSIVE LITIGATION IN REGARD TO THIS PARTICULAR ISSUE OF OPENING UP A TRAIL, AN EXISTING TRAIL.

AND SO IT'S A SOLUTION IN SEARCH OF A NON-EXISTENT PROBLEM.

THE ONLY THREE EXAMPLES WERE GIVEN WHERE THERE WAS LITIGATION.

ONE WAS THE VARGAS PLATEAU, BUT THAT DEALT WITH THE PARKING ISSUE TOTALLY SEPARATE FROM ACTUALLY GOING ON TO THE PROPERTY TO TO WALK AND HIKE OR BIKE.

THAT WAS ISSUE, AS YOU ALL KNOW, ABOUT NEIGHBORHOODS OBJECTING TO PEOPLE PARKING ON THEIR STREETS.

THE OTHER ISSUE SOUTH LAS TRAMPAS.

THERE WAS NO LAWSUIT, AND THAT DEALT WITH THE LUPA AND EIR WAS DEALING WITH A STAGING AREA AND CONCORD NAVAL WEAPONS STATION.

THAT WAS BY A DEVELOPER WHO DIDN'T LIKE WHAT THE PARK DISTRICT WAS DOING AND WAS TRYING TO STOP WHAT THE PARK DISTRICT WANTED AND TO GET MORE LAND FOR HIS OWN DEVELOPMENT, WHICH HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THE ISSUES HERE.

AND IN FACT, THE EXAMPLES GIVEN AREN'T REALLY APPLICABLE BECAUSE THIS LAW, THIS STATUTE ONLY APPLIES IF THERE'S GOING TO BE NO PHYSICAL CHANGE TO THE AREA.

WELL LAS TRAMPAS WAS A HUGE STAGING AREA THAT WAS BUILT.

THAT'S A PHYSICAL CHANGE THAT'S GOING TO REQUIRE OR WOULD REQUIRE AN EIR REGARDLESS.

SO WHAT THIS IS, IS SIMPLY TRYING TO OPEN UP LANDS THAT WHERE THERE COULD BE SERIOUS ISSUES THAT ARE NOT ANALYZED AHEAD OF TIME AND CAN BE SIMPLY ANALYZED THROUGH AN INITIAL STUDY ANALYSIS AND AN ISSUANCE OF A NEGATIVE DECLARATION.

AND IN FACT, OVER MY 40 YEARS NOW OF DEALING WITH PARK DISTRICT ISSUES.

AND I CHECKED WITH JERRY KENT IN HIS EXTENSIVE TIME, WE KNOW OF NO CASE WHERE A TRAIL WAS OPENED UP, AN EXISTING TRAIL OPENED UP, AND THERE WAS LITIGATION OVER IT OR ANY ISSUE ABOUT THAT BEING OPENED UP AND ALLOWED FOR PUBLIC ACCESS.

NONE. SO THIS IS REALLY NOT SOMETHING THAT IS DEALING WITH A REAL PROBLEM.

THERE COULD BE PROBLEMS. FOR EXAMPLE, A RANCH ROAD IS BUILT FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE RANCHER AT THE TIME.

WELL, THE RANCH ROAD COULD BE NEXT TO A RIPARIAN HABITAT AND ALLOWING A PERSON ONTO THAT HIKERS, BIKERS, ETC.

UNDER THAT ROAD COULD HAVE IMPACTS ON THE RIPARIAN HABITAT, ENDANGERED SPECIES THAT MAY NOT HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED OR FOUND.

AND YET THERE WOULD BE NO WAY TO KNOW THAT WITH THIS LEGISLATION, YOU WOULD NEED TO DO THE INITIAL STUDY FIRST, WHICH IS VERY SIMPLE AND NOT COSTLY.

AND THEREFORE, WHILE THE SIERRA CLUB FULLY SUPPORTS ACCESS TO PARKLANDS, WE ALWAYS HAVE.

WE ALWAYS WILL.

THIS IS NOT A WAY TO DO IT.

AND I WOULD URGE THE BOARD TO NOT SPONSOR THIS BILL.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

SIR. THOSE ARE ALL THE PUBLIC COMMENTS OR ALL THE COMMENTS? OKAY. THANK YOU.

IF THERE'S NOTHING FURTHER, I'D LIKE TO GET A MOTION.

SO MOVED DIRECTOR MERCURIO.

OKAY. DO WE HAVE A SECOND? I'LL SECOND. OKAY, SO MOTION BY DIRECTOR MERCURIO AND SECOND BY DIRECTOR ROSARIO.

ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. OPPOSED, ABSTENTIONS? OKAY. ALL RIGHT.

SO MOVING ON TO OUR NEXT ITEM.

[ACQUISITION, STEWARDSHIP AND DEVELOPMENT DIVISION]

WELCOME.

GOOD AFTERNOON, PRESIDENT ECHOLS AND BOARD MEMBERS.

I'M REN BATES, CHIEF OF DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION.

AND HERE TO PRESENT AN UPDATE ON THE REPLACING THE ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION CENTER AS PRESIDENT ECHOLS HAD MENTIONED.

YOU MAY WONDER, WE WERE JUST HERE.

AND SO AS A REMINDER, WE HAVE BEEN MEETING WITH YOU TO UPDATE YOU ABOUT HOW WE'VE BEEN GOING MEETING WITH THE PUBLIC.

AND TO THAT END, WE'VE HAD A COUPLE OF PUBLIC MEETINGS AND WE'VE PRESENTED THE PRESENTATION THAT WE SHARED AT THOSE PUBLIC MEETINGS TO YOU AFTER.

ONE OF THOSE WAS AN ANALYSIS, THE NEXT WAS AN OPTION OF THE THREE CONCEPT PLANS THAT WERE DEVELOPED.

AND THAT WAS THE MOST RECENTLY WITH THE STAFF RECOMMENDATION ON THE PREFERRED OPTION.

SO TODAY WE ARE PRESENTING TO YOU OR ACTUALLY, I'LL TURN IT OVER AND YOU'LL BE IN THE CAPABLE HANDS OF JIM DEVLIN AND MIKE MORAN TO MAKE THE PRESENTATION. WHAT WE WILL PRESENT TO THE PUBLIC NEXT WEDNESDAY AT THE LAST PUBLIC OUTREACH MEETING.

SO ACTUALLY, IT'S NOT THE LAST THERE WILL BE ONE MORE, I BELIEVE.

BUT AS PART OF THAT, WE WANTED TO KEEP THE BOARD INFORMED AS TO HOW WE DEVELOP THIS.

[00:35:01]

AND SO WE ARE HONING IN ON THAT.

THE ULTIMATE GOAL IS THAT WE THEN AT THE END OF THIS PROCESS, AFTER ANOTHER PUBLIC MEETING AND ONE MORE BOARD PRESENTATION, HAVE A PROJECT THAT WE CAN THEN SAY IS THE PROJECT WE'RE MOVING FORWARD WITH SO THAT WE CAN START DOING CEQA AND CONTRACT AND CONSTRUCTION DEVELOPMENT PROCESS.

SO THAT'S WHY WE'RE HERE AGAIN.

AND TO THAT END, I WILL INTRODUCE AND TURN IT OVER TO JIM DEVLIN AND MIKE MORAN TO GIVE A PRESENTATION ON THE PROJECT DEVELOPMENT OF THE STAFF RECOMMENDATION THAT WAS PRESENTED LAST TIME WE WERE HERE. THANK YOU.

OKAY. GOOD AFTERNOON, BOARD OF DIRECTORS.

I'M JIM DEVLIN FROM THE DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION DEPARTMENT HERE AT THE EAST BAY REGIONAL PARK DISTRICT.

I'M DISTRICT ARCHITECT AND I'M THE PROJECT MANAGER FOR THE TILDEN ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION CENTER REPLACEMENT PROJECT.

YEAH. OKAY.

THANK YOU. SO I'M GOING TO TRY AND GO THROUGH THIS QUICKLY.

SOME OF THE STUFF I'VE PRESENTED TO YOU BEFORE, BUT I JUST WANT TO REMIND EVERYONE WHAT THE GOALS FOR THIS PROJECT IS.

IT'S TO REPLACE THE EXISTING TILDEN EEC FACILITY AND ITS EXHIBITS WITH A NEW FACILITY.

AND OUR GOALS ARE TO CREATE A BUILDING COMPLEX THAT'S FULLY INTEGRATED WITH ITS SURROUNDING NATURAL AND CULTURAL LANDSCAPE.

WE WANT TO DEVELOP A STATE OF THE ART EDUCATION AND EXHIBIT EXPERIENCE THAT IS INVITING AND ACCESSIBLE TO ALL OF THE PUBLIC, AND WE WANT THE FACILITY TO REFLECT THE DISTRICT'S COMMITMENT TO SUSTAINABLE AND RESILIENT DESIGN PRACTICES.

JUST A REMINDER OF WHAT THE PROJECT IS.

THE PROJECT IS TO REPLACE THIS FACILITY, THE TILDEN ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION CENTER, ALSO THE ADJACENT SECURITY RESIDENCE WAS IN THE SCOPE OF REVIEW.

AND SCOPE OF THIS PROJECT.

WHAT IS NOT IN THIS PROJECT IS THE TILDEN LITTLE FARMS. I WANT TO JUST TO BE CLEAR THAT THE TILDEN LITTLE FARM IS OUTSIDE THE SCOPE OF THIS PROJECT.

THE FACILITY IS LOCATED IN CONTRA COSTA COUNTY.

IT'S LOCATED IN THE HILLS JUST EAST OF THE COMMUNITIES OF KENSINGTON AND BERKELEY.

SO HERE I'M GOING TO JUST GIVE YOU AN UPDATE ON THE PROJECT.

WHAT WE'VE COMPLETED TO DATE IS THE FEASIBILITY STUDY.

WE CONTRACTED THE DESIGN CONSULTANTS FOR THE ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN TEAM AND THE EXHIBIT DESIGN TEAM.

WE'VE COMPLETED THE PRE DESIGN PHASE FOR THE BUILDING AND SITE.

WE'VE ALSO COMPLETED THE PRE DESIGN PHASE FOR THE EXHIBIT DESIGN.

WE HAD A COMMUNITY MEETING NUMBER ONE AND AN ON SITE EXHIBIT OF THAT MATERIAL, WHICH WAS COVERING THE PRE DESIGN PHASE.

IN THE SCHEMATIC DESIGN PHASE WE DEVELOPED THREE BUILDING SITE PLAN OPTIONS AND DEVELOPED AN EXHIBIT DESIGNS. WE HAD COMMUNITY MEETING NUMBER TWO AND THE ON SITE EXHIBITS WHERE WE PRESENTED THE PROJECT DESIGN OPTIONS.

AND THEN AT THE LAST BOARD MEETING, WE ANNOUNCED THAT THE STAFF HAD SELECTED A PREFERRED DESIGN OPTION.

IN PROCESS RIGHT NOW IS THE COMMUNITY MEETING NUMBER THREE THAT REN DESCRIBED, AND THAT ONE WILL BE WE WILL BE UPDATING THE COMMUNITY ON THE DESIGN PROGRESS AND THE PROJECT TIMELINE. WE'LL ALSO FOLLOWING THAT MEETING, WE'LL HAVE AN ONLINE EXHIBIT, SORRY, ON SITE EXHIBIT AT THE TILDEN EEC FACILITY.

THE NEXT STEPS AFTER THIS WILL BE TO CONTINUE THE SCHEMATIC DESIGN PHASE, COMPLETE THE SCHEMATIC DESIGN PHASE AND WHICH WILL INCLUDE DEVELOPING THE PREFERRED DESIGN OPTIONS FOR THE BUILDING AND ALSO DEVELOPING THE EXHIBIT DESIGN CONCEPTS.

AT THIS POINT, I'M GOING TO TURN IT OVER TO MIKE MORAN.

HE'S GOING TO PRESENT THE EXHIBITS DEVELOPMENT AT THIS STAGE.

AND THEN AFTER HE'S DONE, I'LL COME BACK, TALK TO YOU ABOUT MORE SPECIFIC ABOUT THE BUILDING DESIGN AND THE SITE DESIGN.

THANKS, JIM. GOOD AFTERNOON.

MEMBERS OF THE BOARD AND STAFF AND MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WHO ARE HERE JOINING US TODAY.

MY NAME IS MIKE MORAN. I'M ONE OF THE TWO INTERPRETIVE AND RECREATION SERVICES REGIONAL MANAGERS FOR THE PARK DISTRICT.

ONE OF MY SITES THAT I'M LUCKY ENOUGH TO MANAGE IS THE TILDEN NATURE AREA.

I WANT TO RECOGNIZE SARA FETTERLY, SUPERVISING NATURALIST, WHO'S JOINING US TODAY AND HAS BEEN INSTRUMENTAL IN NOT ONLY PUTTING TOGETHER A FABULOUS ONGOING PROGRAM IN TILDEN NATURE

[00:40:08]

AND THAT'S THE TILDEN NATURE AREA STAFF.

THE CONTEXT IS A WELL LOVED AND, WELL, INCREDIBLY WELL LOVED FACILITY.

PLACE PEOPLE IN TILDEN NATURE AREA.

IT TOUCHES GENERATIONS.

WE'VE DISCUSSED THIS IN PREVIOUS MEETINGS AND THE PUBLIC MEETING TOO.

AND I BROUGHT MY KIDS HERE WHEN THEY WERE GROWING UP.

I'M SURE EVERYBODY ELSE HAS.

AND WE HAVE GRANDPARENTS, MULTI GENERATIONS THAT ARE REALLY ENJOYING THIS PLACE.

AND SO WHAT WE DO THERE IS GOING TO BE CLOSELY SCRUTINIZED.

AND WE COULDN'T BE HAPPIER ABOUT THAT BECAUSE THAT JUST TELLS US WE'RE GOING TO GET THE BEST PROJECT BECAUSE OF THAT.

REALLY IMPORTANTLY HERE IS NOT ONLY DO WE HAVE THE TILDEN LITTLE FARM, WHICH JIM SAID IS NOT PART OF THIS PROJECT, BUT OF COURSE IT'S GOING TO BE CONNECTED.

WE HAVE A NEW VISITOR CENTER HERE.

WE REALLY WANT TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF SHARING THE ENTIRE TILDEN NATURE AREA EXPERIENCE WITH AS MANY PEOPLE AS POSSIBLE.

SO ACCESSIBILITY IN THE BROADEST SENSE IS REALLY THE MAJOR MEASURE OF OUR CONTEXT HERE.

SARA'S CREW DOES EVERY YEAR HUNDREDS AND HUNDREDS AND HUNDREDS OF PUBLIC PROGRAMS. WE HAVE FOLKS WHO ARE IN THE VISITOR CENTER THAT ARE PROVIDING INFORMATION, STORIES, INTERPRETATION OR RECREATION FOR GUESTS THAT COME IN.

MOST IMPORTANTLY IS THE SCHOOL PROGRAMS THAT WE DO OUT AT TILDEN NATURE AREA, WHERE WE HAVE HUNDREDS OF SCHOOL GROUPS COMING IN WITH THOUSANDS OF KIDS, MANY OF THEM NOT JUST THE SCHOOL KIDS, BUT MANY OF THE PEOPLE HERE.

THIS IS THEIR FIRST TOUCH WITH NATURE AND WITH EAST BAY REGIONAL PARK DISTRICT.

IT IS TRULY RIGHT ON THE EDGE OF THE WILDLAND URBAN INTERFACE.

IT IS RIGHT THERE AS YOU CROSS THE HILLS OF BERKELEY YOU ARE IN DEVELOPED AREA, AND THEN YOU TAKE ONE MORE STOP SIGN AND YOU ARE DOWN IN THE TILDEN NATURE AREA.

IT IS REALLY ONE OF OUR LUCKIEST PARCELS, ONE OF OUR LUCKIEST PARKS AROUND.

AND PEOPLE REALLY LOVE IT FOR THAT VERY REASON.

IS THAT HOW WE DO THIS? VERY GOOD. SO AS WE GOT INTO THE PLANNING, THIS IS GOING TO BE SOME REVIEW FOR FOLKS.

BUT AS WE MENTIONED BEFORE, WHENEVER WE DO A PROJECT, WHENEVER WE DO A PROGRAM, WHENEVER WE'RE DOING ANYTHING IN THE PARK, WE AS FAR AS INTERPRETATION AND RECREATION GOES, WE ALWAYS WANT TO HAVE A THEME.

WHAT IS THE STORY WE'RE TRYING TO TELL HERE AND TO REVIEW THE OVERARCHING THEME FOR THIS PROJECT AND FOR TILDEN NATURE AREA, IS THAT THE DYNAMIC WILDCAT CREEK WATERSHED EMBODIES DRAMATIC CHANGES THAT DEFINE THE LANDSCAPES, THE VALUES, AND THE NATURAL AND CULTURAL ECOSYSTEM OF THE EAST BAY.

SO EVERYTHING THAT WE'RE DOING HERE, ALL THE DESIGN WORK, THE ARCHITECTURE WORK IS ALL BEING INFORMED BY THIS AND OUR SUBTHEMES KEY.

AND I'LL GO AHEAD AND READ THROUGH THESE REALLY QUICKLY.

THROUGH TIME THE WATERSHED HAS BEEN A HOMELAND, A SOURCE OF SUSTENANCE, A COMMERCIAL WATER SUPPLY, GRAZING LAND, A EUCALYPTUS PLANTATION, FLOOD HAZARD, AND A PLACE OF REFUGE AND RECREATION.

SO THESE ARE THE THINGS THAT WE'RE ALL HOLDING ON TO, AS THAT'S GOING TO INFORM ALL THE DIFFERENT THINGS THAT WE DO IN THIS PROJECT IN OUR PROGRAMING.

PLANTS AND ANIMALS REVEAL THEIR ROLES AND RELATIONSHIPS WITHIN OUR CHANGING ECOSYSTEMS. WILDCAT CREEK CARVES AND SHAPES THE LAND AND PROVIDES RICH AND VARIED HABITAT FOR MANY PLANT AND ANIMAL SPECIES, AND PEOPLE HAVE A ROLE TO PLAY IN THE HEALTH OF THIS ECOSYSTEM, FROM PERSONAL TO POLICY LEVELS.

SO ALL THESE THINGS, THEY SEEM VERY BROAD, BUT IT REALLY DOES HELP GUIDE WHAT WE'RE DOING HERE.

AND IT'S BEEN OUR PARTNERS AT ALDRICHPEAR ASSOCIATES, WHO WAS THE EXHIBIT CONSULTANT, HAS BEEN REMARKABLE AT HELPING US NARROW DOWN OUR BRAINSTORMS AND OUR IDEAS AND THE GREAT STORIES AND TALENTS OF SIERRA STAFF TO SOMETHING LIKE THIS THAT WE CAN REALLY SINK OUR TEETH INTO.

YOU MAY REMEMBER THIS ONE LOOKS LIKE AN AVOCADO.

THIS IS THE INTERPRETIVE PLANNING.

IT'S WHAT WE CALL CONTENT RELATIONSHIPS.

SO THIS IS A LITTLE BIT MORE OF THE CONCEPTUAL DESIGN OF HOW IS IT THAT WE ACTUALLY LOOK AT THE RESOURCES OF TILDEN NATURE AREA AND TURN IT INTO SOMETHING THAT'S GOING TO BE A VISITOR CENTER. AND IT STARTS OFF IN THE BLUE WITH THE EDDY OR A WATER BODY.

SO MUCH OF TILDEN NATURE IS ABOUT THE WATERSHED ITSELF, BUT ALSO ABOUT THOSE LOCAL PLACES, THE PONDS, THE CREEKS WHERE SO MUCH OF THE TILDEN NATURE AREA EXPERIENCE REALLY BEGINS.

AND IF YOU TAKE A STEP AWAY FROM THAT WATER, YOU'RE UP INTO THE NATURE AREA ITSELF WHERE YOU'RE LOOKING AT THESE EXEMPLARY SPECIES THAT MAKE TILDEN WHAT IT IS. THE NEWTS, THE FROGS, THE WOOD RATS.

AND THEN WE ALSO HAVE, OF COURSE, THE LITTLE FARM MAKING THAT CONNECTION AND ACKNOWLEDGING AND LEANING INTO THE JUNIOR RANGER LEGACY THERE.

MOVE OUT A LITTLE BIT FURTHER INTO THE ENTIRE WATERSHED AREA, WHICH REALLY IS OUR MAIN FOCUS OF INTERPRETATION, THAT WE'RE NOT SLICING THINGS UP INTO

[00:45:09]

AND THEN WE MOVE OUT AGAIN AND CONNECT THIS TO THE PARK DISTRICT ITSELF, THE PARK DISTRICT, WRIT LARGE IN OUR LAND USE, OUR POLICIES, THE WAY WE LOOK AT THINGS, THE WAY WE CONNECT THE PUBLIC TO THE PARK.

AND AS YOU SEE THERE, THESE FOUR LITTLE THREADS THAT I'M GOING TO ASK YOU KIND OF KEEP A HOLD OF AS WE GO THROUGH THIS, IS THAT AS WE GO THROUGH ALL THESE DIFFERENT CONTENT RELATIONSHIPS, WE HAVE THESE THREADS OF HOW IS IT THAT AN OHLONE PERSON, INDIGENOUS FOLKS HAVE LOOKED AT AND WILL CONTINUE TO FEEL WHEN THEY GO INTO THE TILDEN NATURE AREA? AND AS A NATURALIST, EVERYBODY'S A NATURALIST.

AND IF YOU'RE NOT JUST THE STAFF NATURALIST, BUT ALL THE FOLKS WHO ARE UP THERE VISITING, HOW DOES A NATURALIST LOOK AT THIS PLACE? AND THROUGH ALL THESE DIFFERENT OPPORTUNITIES? IT'S VERY SPECIES SPECIFIC.

WE MENTIONED SOME OF THESE THINGS THAT ARE VERY EMBLEMATIC OF THE TILDEN EXPERIENCE.

AND THEN WE ALSO WANT FOLKS TO LOOK AT THIS AS A CONSERVATIONIST.

WHAT IS IT THAT I CAN DO? WHAT'S THE CONNECTION THAT I CAN MAKE? OR THIS PLACE IS MADE WITH ME THAT WILL HELP CONSERVE THESE RESOURCES GOING FORWARD AND MAKING THEM MORE ACCESSIBLE FOR FOLKS.

THIS AGAIN IS OUR WHAT WE CALL THE ADJACENCIES.

AND THIS IS KIND OF GIVES YOU AN IDEA OF WHEN SOMEBODY ARRIVES, WHAT IS IT THAT WE'RE TRYING TO GET THEM TO EXPERIENCE.

WE KNOW THERE'S THE ARRIVAL.

WHEN PEOPLE COME INTO THE PARK, THEY'RE FINDING A PARKING SPOT, THEY'RE UNLOADING THEIR KIDS.

THEY'RE TRYING TO REMEMBER IF THEY GOT THEIR KEYS AND THEY'VE GOT EVERYTHING.

AND WHEN THEY GET OUT AND THEY START WALKING DOWN THE CENTER, THERE'S THAT DECOMPRESSION THAT I AM IN THE PARK.

THIS IS WHAT I CAME HERE FOR, AND IT'S NOW HAPPENING MYSELF AND MY FAMILY, MY FRIENDS, MY GUESTS WHO ARE ALL PART OF THIS DECOMPRESSION PROCESS.

AND WHEN YOU GET UP TO THE VISITOR CENTER UP INTO THE TILDEN NATURE AREA, THERE'S THAT RECEPTION.

THIS IS THE PLACE.

THIS IS PART OF MY EXPERIENCE HERE TODAY.

AND RIGHT WHEN YOU WALK INTO THAT VISITOR CENTER IS WHEN YOU GET THAT ORIENTATION.

THIS IS HOW WE ARE HOPING TO ORIENT FOLKS TO TAKE THE FULL ADVANTAGE AND MAKE THEIR OWN CONNECTIONS TO THE PARK.

AND YOU CAN SEE THAT WE'VE GOT SOME OF THESE DIFFERENT CONCEPTS AROUND THE WATERSHED.

WE ALSO RECOGNIZING THE IMPORTANCE, THE CONSTRUCTIVE NATURE OF QUIET CONTEMPLATION.

NOT IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE ACTIVE ALL THE TIME, THAT FOLKS CAN BE VERY PASSIVE IN NATURE.

AND THAT'S ONE OF THE GREAT GIFTS THAT IT HAS TO OFFER.

AND TILDEN DOES. SO THAT'S A BIG PART OF OUR CONCEPT HERE.

WANT FOLKS TO EXPLORE? GET OUT. HOW DO YOU ACTUALLY MAKE THAT CONNECTION BETWEEN THAT CENTER OF INTERPRETATION AND GETTING FOLKS OUT INTO THE PARK TO MAKE THEIR CONNECTIONS ON THEIR OWN? WE WANT TO HAVE FOLKS TO REALLY EXPLORE AND TOUCH IN THESE VERY TANGIBLE WAYS, NOT NECESSARILY TOUCHING ANIMALS, BUT OR GETTING OUT AND SEEING A LITTLE FARM, BUT ALSO REALLY EXPERIENCING THE NATURE OF THE PLACE THROUGH ANIMALS AND THEN CONNECTING ALSO THROUGH NATIVE PLANTS AND FUNGI.

SO THESE THINGS ARE AGAIN KIND OF A CONCEPTUAL IDEA, BUT IT REALLY HELPED TO CONSOLIDATE AND ELUCIDATE WHAT IT IS THAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO AT THIS VISITOR CENTER.

SO NOW WE GET INTO THE LOOK OF THE PLACE.

AND AS WE MENTIONED AT OUR LAST MEETING TOGETHER, WE HAVE A PREFERRED DESIGN.

AND THIS IS THAT PREFERRED DESIGN.

AND APA, ALDRIDGEPEAR AND ASSOCIATES WITH OUR TEAM HAS COME UP WITH CONCEPTUAL IDEAS OF HOW EXHIBITS MIGHT FIT INTO THIS DESIGN. SO THIS IN NO WAY IS A FINAL DESIGN.

THIS IS A CONCEPT THAT'S REALLY HELPFUL FOR US TO FIGURE OUT, OKAY, YOU WANT TO DO THESE THINGS.

HERE'S WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE ON THE GROUND IN A VISITOR CENTER.

HERE'S HOW WE MIGHT SPREAD THINGS AROUND.

SO YOU CAN SEE WE HAVE THE WILDCAT CREEK WATERSHED, THE ORIENTATION RECEPTION AREA, PARKLANDS, WHICH IS THE DISTRICT, THE WOODLANDS AREA, AND THE REFLECTION, WHICH IS THAT QUIET CONTEMPLATION PART.

THIS LOOKS VERY SPECIFIC, LIKE FOLKS AT APA HAVE DESIGNED EXHIBITS FOR US.

BUT AGAIN, I WANT TO REALLY EMPHASIZE THAT IT IS NOT.

THIS IS ILLUSTRATIVE OF WHAT THE PLACE WOULD LOOK LIKE IF WE HAD EXHIBITS IN THERE.

THIS IS REALLY HELPFUL TO SEE.

HOW DOES THAT EXPERIENCE FEEL WHEN YOU WALK INTO THE FRONT DOOR AND YOU HAVE THAT ORIENTATION PLAN THE AREAS SHADED IN BLUE WHERE YOU HAVE ON THE LEFT SIDE EXPLORE TILDEN AND THIS IS INFORMATION ABOUT TILDEN PARK.

AND YOU HAVE EAST BAY REGIONAL PARK DISTRICT BROCHURES AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

ON THE OTHER SIDE, WE HAVE AN OHLONE WELCOME.

THESE ARE AGAIN, SOUND VERY SPECIFIC, BUT JUST THINK OF THOSE THROUGH THOSE THREADS THAT WE TALKED ABOUT EARLIER ON THOSE FOUR DIFFERENT THREADS.

SO EXACTLY HOW THESE THINGS MIGHT PLAY IN OR NOT PLAY IN IS YET TO BE DETERMINED.

RIGHT AND WE'LL GET INTO THE RECEPTION AREA.

WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WHEN FOLKS COME IN, THEY ARE DECOMPRESSING AND WALKING IN TO GET THEIR ORIENTATION, AND THEN THEY COME UP TO THE RECEPTION AREA.

[00:50:05]

AND THAT'S WHERE WE HAVE STAFF THERE.

WE MIGHT HAVE A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT EXHIBITS CLOSE BY, AND YOU CAN SEE THAT WE'RE SEEING SOME CONSISTENCY WITH THE LANGUAGE THERE ABOUT BEING A NATURALIST HISTORIC NATURALIST DESK.

THESE ARE JUST POSSIBILITIES OF CONNECTING PEOPLE TO THAT SIDE OF OUR CONCEPT.

GET INTO THE PARKLAND AREA.

AND THIS IS MORE ABOUT THE DISTRICT HISTORY, A REALLY IMPORTANT PART OF TILDEN, ONE OF OUR FIRST PARKS, ONE OF OUR FIRST VISITOR CENTERS, PURPOSE BUILT VISITOR CENTER, AND REALLY A GATHERING POINT FOR FOLKS THROUGH THE LAST 50 YEARS THROUGH THE DECADES HERE.

SO WE REALLY WANT TO PAY HOMAGE TO THAT IN A CONSTRUCTIVE AND CONNECTIVE WAY, SO THAT PEOPLE CAN REALLY FEEL PART OF THE PARK DISTRICT.

MOVE ON INTO THE WILDCAT CREEK PLAN.

AND I FOUND THIS SLIDE TO BE REALLY FASCINATING, AND THAT YOU COULD SEE THESE BLUE BLOBS AND IT GOES OUTSIDE AS WELL WHERE YOU CAN SEE EXPLORE THE WATERSHED OUTDOORS.

WE'RE REALLY CONNECTING WHAT'S HAPPENING INSIDE PHYSICALLY, VISUALLY, SENSORIALLY TO WHAT'S OUTSIDE TOO.

BUT THIS IS VERY INTERESTING.

AND THAT YOU CAN SEE, OH, WE HAVE PEOPLE THERE FOR SCALE.

AND YOU CAN SEE WITH THE DIMENSIONS OF THE BUILDING, WHAT CAN WE ACTUALLY PUT IN A PLACE LIKE THIS THAT WOULD STILL HAVE ACCESSIBILITY? YOU WOULDN'T HAVE PEOPLE BUMPING INTO EACH OTHER.

YOU WOULDN'T HAVE INTERRUPTIONS FROM FOLKS LOOKING AT OTHER EXHIBITS.

SO THIS IS REALLY, REALLY ILLUSTRATIVE AND A GREAT EXAMPLE OF HOW THE EXHIBIT DESIGNERS WORKED WITH THE ARCHITECTS TO TWEAK THIS TO REALLY MAKE IT A SEAMLESS BLEND OF ARCHITECTURE AND EXHIBITORY.

AND THEN THE REFLECTION AREA, A QUIETER SPOT WHERE FOLKS CAN TAKE ON SOME MORE PASSIVE, A LITTLE MORE TRANQUIL BEHAVIORS AND ACTIVITIES KNOWING VERY WELL THAT WHAT IS TRANQUIL IN SOMEBODY'S MIND MAY NOT BE IN SOMEBODY ELSE'S MIND BUT WE HAVE ALL THESE OPPORTUNITIES HERE FOR FOLKS TO DO DIFFERENT THINGS TO REALLY MAKE THAT MORE TRANQUIL, REFLECTIVE CONNECTION TO THE PARK.

ALL RIGHT. AND THEN THE WOODLANDS, BECAUSE THE WOODLAND IS AN INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT PART OF THE TILDEN NATURE AREA INTERPRETIVE STORY.

YOU CAN SEE THAT WE HAVE, AGAIN, THOSE THOSE THREADS COMING THROUGH LIKE BE A NATURALIST.

CHANGE IS CONSTANT.

THE GARDEN PHARMACY, INDIGENOUS USES OF PLANTS OVER TIME.

THE WOODRAT NEST, THAT KEYSTONE SPECIES THAT REALLY DEFINES WHAT TILDEN IS.

AND IN THE CENTER THERE, THEY HAVE A NURSE LOG ABOUT MEETING THE COMMUNITY.

SO AGAIN, THE ACTUAL EXHIBITS ARE NOT FINALIZED.

THIS IS WE DON'T KNOW IF THIS IS WHAT THEY'RE GOING TO BE, BUT THESE ARE AVENUES TO BRING IN THEMES THAT WE'VE DECIDED UPON.

SO CONCEPTUALLY, IT'S REALLY EXCITING.

AND IT BLENDS VERY NICELY WITH THE ARCHITECTURE OF THE BUILDING.

THANK YOU. OKAY, I'M BACK NOW TO TALK ABOUT THE ACTUAL ARCHITECTURE OF THE BUILDING.

THE DESIGN CONSULTANT HAD MET WITH US AND HAS WORKED WITH US AND BOTH THE EXHIBIT DESIGNERS WORKED WITH THE DISTRICT STAFF AND THE EXHIBIT DESIGNERS TO COME UP WITH A BUILDING THAT REALLY BLENDS WITH THE SITE AND WITH THE EXHIBIT EXPERIENCE WE'RE TRYING TO SHARE.

THESE ARE SOME OF THE VISIONS THEY HAD THAT IT BE INTEGRATED, CREATING A NEW ENTRY EXPERIENCE FOR THE TILDEN NATURE AREA, WELCOMING ALL TILDEN NATURE AREA VISITORS AND PROVIDING THEM MORE DIRECT CONNECTIONS TO LITTLE FARM AND NEARBY PARK RESOURCES AND CONSOLIDATING SERVICE ACCESS.

ALSO WANT TO MAKE IT MORE INVITING AND ACCESSIBLE, PROVIDING MORE DAYLIGHT AND VISUAL CONNECTION ACROSS THE SITE, FROM THE BUILDING OUT AND FROM AND WHEN YOU'RE INSIDE OR OUTSIDE THE BUILDING, LOOKING IN AND ENHANCING VISITOR SERVICES AND ACCESS THROUGHOUT.

AND THEN AS FAR AS SUSTAINABILITY AND RESILIENCE, THEY WANTED TO IMPROVE THE BUILDING PERFORMANCE AND SITE RESOURCE MANAGEMENT AND SETTING UP THE STAGE FOR THE NEXT 50 YEARS.

OKAY. IF YOU RECALL, THE LAST TIME WE WERE HERE, WE PRESENTED THESE THREE SCHEMES AND WE AS A DISTRICT STAFF RECOMMENDED SCHEME NUMBER TWO, THE BRANCH SCHEME, WHICH IS IN THE CENTER AND HAS THE GREEN BOX AROUND IT, AND THAT'S THE SCHEME THAT WE'LL BE DISCUSSING THAT WE'VE BEEN DEVELOPING.

I'M HAPPY TO ANNOUNCE THAT THE FEEDBACK WE'VE GOTTEN FROM THE PUBLIC ON OUR COMMENT PAGE FROM OUR COMMUNITY MEETING, WHERE WE PRESENTED THESE THREE SCHEMES.

BY FAR THE MAJORITY PICKED THIS, ALSO PICKED THE BRANCH SCHEME AS THEY THOUGHT THE PREFERRED OPTION.

[00:55:02]

UP IN THE UPPER RIGHT HAND CORNER IS LITTLE FARM.

THE EEC BUILDINGS, THAT SORT OF A PIZZA SHAPED BUILDING IN THE CENTER.

AND THEN THE SECURITY RESIDENCE IS OFF TO THE LEFT.

ON THE TOP OF THE SHEET WOULD BE THE HILLS IN THE FOREST AND WOODS.

AND TO THE SOUTH OF THE SHEET AT THE BOTTOM OF THE SHEET IS THE RIPARIAN CORRIDOR OF WILDCAT CREEK.

SO HERE'S AN ENLARGED PLAN OF THAT PREFERRED SCHEME.

SORRY. I CAN DO THIS, SO I'LL TRY AND.

THIS HERE IS THE ENTRY AREA.

THIS IS MIKE DESCRIBED WHEN YOU ENTER INTO THE BUILDING TO THE JUST ABOVE TO THE RIGHT WHEN YOU ENTER THE BUILDING IS THE RESTROOM BLOCK, WHICH HAS ACCESS FROM THE INSIDE THE VISITOR CENTER AND ALSO ACCESS FROM OUTSIDE THE VISITOR CENTER.

SO WHEN THE FACILITY IS CLOSED, PEOPLE VISITING THE PARK COULD STILL USE THE RESTROOMS. AS YOU WALK FARTHER INTO IT, YOU COME TO THE RECEPTION AREA.

THIS IS SORT OF A MIXING AREA WHERE PEOPLE CAN GET SORT OF ORIENTED AND MEET WITH THE NATURALIST AT THE RECEPTION DESK.

THEY CAN ALSO THERE WILL ALSO BE EXHIBITS IN THIS AREA, BUT WE'RE ALSO TRYING TO CREATE SOMEWHAT OF AN OPEN SPACE SIMILAR TO WHEN YOU'RE AT THE EEC NOW, WHEN YOU'RE RIGHT IN FRONT OF THE RECEPTION DESK, THERE'S A LITTLE BIT OF OPEN SPACE THERE.

SO WHEN GROUPS OF STUDENTS ARE COMING IN, THEY HAVE A PLACE THAT THEY CAN GATHER AND NOT BE IN THE WAY OF OTHER PEOPLE EXPERIENCING THE EXHIBITS.

IF YOU TURN TO YOUR RIGHT.

AND THEY ARE THE EXHIBIT EXPERIENCE WOULD CONTINUE.

THIS IS THE AREA OF REFLECTION THAT MIKE DESCRIBED IF YOU CONTINUE ON THIS AREA OF THE EXHIBIT.

THE VISITOR CENTER IS FOR THE WOODLANDS.

AND AS YOU CAN SEE, THERE'S A LARGE WINDOW OUT HERE THAT'S LOOKING OUT AT THE WOODS.

TO YOUR RIGHT HERE IS THE CLASSROOM SPACE, WHICH HAS ENTRY FROM THE VISITOR CENTER AND ALSO AN ENTRY FROM OUTSIDE THE REST OUTSIDE THE FACILITY FROM THE EXTERIOR.

THAT'S ALSO A SPACE THAT CAN BE USED FOR TEMPORARY EXHIBITS WHEN WE HAVE SORT OF PHOTO SHOWS.

VARIOUS [INAUDIBLE]. IF YOU COME DOWN THIS DIRECTION, YOU WILL COME DOWN TO THE WATERSHED AREA AND ONCE AGAIN, YOU HAVE VIEWS THROUGH THIS LARGE WINDOW OUT TOWARD THE RIPARIAN CORRIDOR.

TIER TO YOUR LEFT IF YOU'RE WALKING IN THE CORRIDOR IS THE MULTI-PURPOSE SPACE WITH AN ENTRY DOOR HERE, AND ALSO AN ENTRY DOOR ON THE OTHER SIDE THAT'S CONNECTED TO THE EXTERIOR PLAZA.

THIS AREA HERE CONSISTS OF ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICE SPACE AND ALSO A BIG PORTION OF THIS HERE IS FOR BUILDING SUPPORT, WHICH INCLUDES ANIMAL SUPPORT FOR THE LIVE ANIMALS AND ALSO MECHANICAL, ELECTRICAL AND DATA ROOMS. IN A SEPARATE BUILDING OUT HERE IS A SHOP AREA.

THERE'S CURRENTLY A SHOP AT THE EEC FOR WORKING ON DIFFERENT PROJECTS THAT ARE REQUIRED TO BE MAINTAINED AT THE FACILITY.

AND THEN OVER HERE IS THE EXISTING SECURITY RESIDENCE WHERE WE WILL BE MAINTAINING THE EXISTING SECURITY RESIDENCE.

THERE MIGHT BE SOME MINOR MODIFICATIONS ON THE INTERIOR TO MAKE IT ADA ACCESSIBLE, BUT THE IDEA AND WE MAY BE CHANGING THE EXTERIOR MATERIAL OF THE BUILDING, BUT THE ACTUAL SHAPE FORM THAT WE'RE ACTUALLY GOING TO REUSE THE EXISTING BUILDING, THAT IS THE INTENT AT THIS POINT.

AND THIS BACK AREA HERE IS I WOULD CALL THE SERVICE ENTRY WITH STAFF PARKING TO THE REAR HERE.

THIS IS A SECTION THROUGH THE BUILDING.

HERE YOU ARE AT THE ENTRY PLAZA.

THERE'S A LARGE COVERED ROOF OVER THE EXTERIOR ENTRY PLAZA.

THEN YOU ENTER INTO THE BUILDING, WALK THROUGH THE LOBBY AND COME TO RECEPTION.

THIS AREA BACK HERE IS THE ADMINISTRATION.

SO A SECTION JUST BASICALLY CUTTING A SLICE THROUGH THE CENTER OF THE BUILDING.

THIS LOWER SECTION IS THROUGH THE EXHIBIT SPACES.

SO HERE'S FOR INSTANCE THE WATERSHED AREA HERE WITH THE LARGE GLASS WINDOW WITH THE VIEW OUT TO THE WILDCAT CREEK RIPARIAN CORRIDOR.

THIS HERE IN THE CENTER IS THE RECEPTION AREA.

AND THEN HERE TO THE RIGHT IS THE FOREST AND WOODLANDS EXHIBITS, WITH A LARGE GLASS WINDOW HERE FACING OUT TO THE FOREST AND WOODS.

[01:00:08]

I JUST WANT YOU TO UNDERSTAND THESE ARE WHAT WE CALL QUOTE UNQUOTE WHITE MODELS.

OR I GUESS IN THIS CASE WOULD BE BEIGE MODELS THAT WE DON'T ACTUALLY PICK ANY MATERIALS YET.

SO I DON'T WANT ANYONE TO LOOK AT THIS AND SAY, OH, YOU'RE DOING IT BEIGE STUCCO AND A BEIGE ROOF.

THAT'S NOT VERY INTERESTING.

THAT'S NOT THE INTENT HERE AT ALL.

THE IDEA HERE IS TO UNDERSTAND THE MASSING AND TO UNDERSTAND START TO LOOK AT WHERE THE WINDOWS, HOW THE WINDOWS LOOK ON THE EXTERIOR OF THE BUILDING AND JUST HOW IT SITS IN THE SITE. THE NEXT STEP WILL BE TO ACTUALLY START THINKING OF MATERIALS TO ACTUALLY GIVE THE BUILDING ITS CHARACTER.

I'M SORRY. SO ONE OF THE THINGS WE LIKED ABOUT THIS SCHEME IS IN PLAN HERE IS THAT THERE WERE THESE THREE.

THE CLASSROOM, THE MAIN ENTRY AND THE MULTI-PURPOSE ROOM.

I'VE BROKEN DOWN TO THREE SMALLER MASSES AND SO MAYBE A BIT NICER EASIER WAY TO SAY IT'S SMALLER BUILDING TYPES, WHICH ARE MUCH MORE IN SCALE WITH THE LITTLE FARM WHICH IS DIRECTLY ACROSS FROM IT.

SO IF YOU LOOK IN THIS.

IF YOU LOOK IN THE PICTURE TO THE RIGHT, TO THE FAR RIGHT, YOU CAN ACTUALLY SEE THE EDGE OF THE COW BARN AT LITTLE FARM.

AND THAT'S SO WHEN YOU'RE STANDING IN THE MAIN PLAZA OF THE LITTLE FARM WITH THE COW BARN THERE, AND YOU'RE LOOKING BACK AT THE MAIN ENTRY TO THE NEW VISITOR CENTER, IT GIVES AN IDEA OF THE STRONG VISUAL AND PHYSICAL CONNECTION TO THAT NEW ENTRY, BUT IT ALSO SHOWS HOW THE BUILDING IS SMALLER.

IT'S A COLLECTION OF SMALLER BUILDINGS TO COME DOWN AND BE AT SCALE WITH THE LITTLE FARM.

TO THE PHOTO TO THE LEFT OR THE IMAGE TO THE LEFT IS BASICALLY WHAT YOU'D SEE NOW IF YOU WERE WALKING ACROSS THE BRIDGE, THE CURRENT WALKWAY TO EEC, AND YOU COME TO THAT POINT WHERE YOU TURN RIGHT TO GO UP THE HILL TO THE LITTLE FARM RIGHT AT THAT SPOT IF YOU WERE TO LOOK AT OUR NEW VISITOR CENTER, THIS IS WHAT YOU WOULD SEE, THIS IS THE VIEW YOU WOULD SEE WITH THE MAIN ENTRY BEING MAIN ENTRY TO THE BUILDING RIGHT HERE.

THIS IS SORT OF A COVERED EXTERIOR PLAZA AREA.

AND THIS IS THE MULTI-PURPOSE ROOM.

THESE ARE SOME VIEWS FROM THE INTERIOR.

AND THE IDEA HERE IS THAT IT WILL BE EXPOSED ROOF STRUCTURE INSIDE THE FACILITY.

THE EXHIBIT WINGS THE WATERSHED AND THE REFLECTIVE AREA AND THE WOODLAND AREA.

THE RAFTERS ROOF RAFTERS IN THOSE SECTIONS WERE LOOKING TO BE REUSING THE RAFTERS IN LUMBER IN THE EXISTING FACILITY.

THIS BECAUSE OF THE SIZE OF THE SPACES WE CAN REUSE THE MATERIAL ON THOSE SPACES.

BUT THE FIRST VIEW YOU SEE AS YOU WALK IN IF YOU WALK DOWN THE MAIN ENTRY CORRIDOR, YOU'D COME TO THE RECEPTION DESK AND HERE'S THE RECEPTION DESK AND THEN TO YOUR RIGHT, YOU START TO SEE VIEWS THAT KIND OF PULL YOU IN.

THIS IS THE REFLECTIVE AREA.

IF YOU CONTINUED AROUND A LITTLE BIT MORE AROUND THAT CORNER, YOU THEN SEE THE LARGE WINDOW IN THE WOODLANDS AREA THAT LOOKS OUT AT THE WOODLANDS.

IF YOU'RE STANDING IN THIS HERE IN THE RECEPTION AND YOU TURN TO YOUR LEFT AND LOOK, THAT'S WHERE YOU'D SEE THE IMAGE ON YOUR RIGHT, WHERE YOU'RE SEEING THE WATERSHED EXHIBIT AREA. AND HERE IS THE LARGE GLASS WINDOWS LOOKING OUT OVER THE RIPARIAN CORRIDOR OF WILDCAT CREEK.

SO NOW I'M GOING TO GO INTO THE LANDSCAPE DESIGN, KIND OF GIVE YOU A LITTLE IDEA OF WHAT'S GOING ON, ON THE SITE.

ONCE AGAIN HERE IS THE BUILDING STRUCTURE.

UP HERE IS LITTLE FARM AND THE WILDCAT CREEK IS IT'S DOWN IN THIS AREA.

MAJORITY OF PEOPLE ENTER FROM THE PARKING LOT UP HERE.

THEY COME TO THE TRAFFIC CIRCLE.

WE'RE PROPOSING A WALKWAY THAT COMES AND THEN OVER.

AND ONE OF THE IDEAS WE'RE PROPOSING IS A BRIDGE, A NEW BRIDGE THAT WOULD BRING YOU STRAIGHT ACROSS, BUT AT THE SAME ELEVATION AND BRING YOU TO A PATHWAY THAT LEADS YOU UP TO THE PLAZA AREA.

AN ENTRY PLAZA AREA OF THE NEW FACILITY, WITH ANOTHER PATH THAT LEADS ON UP TO LITTLE FARM.

WE'RE ALSO GOING TO SHOW YOU WE'VE WORKED ON A LITTLE BIT OF ANOTHER OPTION IF THIS ISN'T FEASIBLE FOR DIFFERENT REASONS.

[01:05:04]

NOW THERE'S SORT OF THREE LAWN AREAS I WANT TO POINT OUT.

RIGHT NOW, THE FACILITY IS COMPLETELY SURROUNDED BY PRACTICALLY COMPLETELY SURROUNDED BY LAWN, WHICH ISN'T NECESSARILY THE MOST ENVIRONMENTALLY SENSITIVE MATERIAL FOR THIS TYPE OF AREA, BUT IT'S ALSO QUITE POPULAR WITH THE YOUNG FAMILIES THAT COME AND VISIT TILDEN LITTLE FARM.

AND IT'S ALSO USED THE ONE IN THE LAWN AREA IN THE REAR IS OFTEN USED FOR LARGE EVENTS THAT WE STAGE AT THE FACILITY.

SO WHAT WE'VE DONE IS WE'VE BEEN MORE STRATEGIC WITH LOCATING THE LAWN.

SO THE LAWN AREA IS HERE AND ALSO A BIT AREA HERE.

SO PEOPLE COMING FROM LITTLE FARM CAN COME DOWN AND ENJOY THE LAWN.

AND THEN ALSO COME VISIT THE VISITOR CENTER.

AND THEN BACK HERE WE HAVE A LAWN AREA WITH SORT OF A DECK/STAGE WHERE LARGER EVENTS CAN TAKE PLACE. THERE'S A SERIES.

I JUST WANT TO BE CLEAR. SO ON THE LEFT SIDE IS WHERE YOU HAVE THE STAGE OR WHICH? THE STAGE IS RIGHT HERE.

IS THAT. YEAH. OKAY. THE POINTER WAS DOWN HERE.

SO I JUST. I'M SORRY. WANTED TO BE SURE.

OKAY. AND ACTUALLY WHILE YOU STILL HAVE THIS PICTURE UP, CAN YOU SAY WHERE THE PATH AND POTENTIALLY BRIDGE WOULD GO IF IT DOESN'T GO THERE.

CAN YOU JUST SHOW.

YEAH I'LL TRY TO DO THAT. I HAVE ANOTHER SLIDE.

THERE'LL BE MORE DETAIL ON THAT. BUT YOU WOULD BE.

IF WE DON'T BUILD THIS NEW BRIDGE, YOU WOULD WALK ACROSS HERE.

AND THEN SORT OF COME BACK THIS WAY AND UP.

AND HOW DOES IT COMPARE WITH THE WHERE IS THE EXISTING TRAIL AND BRIDGE ON THIS? WELL, THE EXISTING TRAIL IS HERE.

AND THEN THERE'S A PATHWAY THAT LEADS UP LIKE THIS.

BUT UNFORTUNATELY, THAT PATH IS NOT ACCESSIBLE.

THE CURRENT PATH. AND SO IN ORDER TO GET THE GRADES WE HAVE TO DO SOME GRADING WORK IN ORDER TO MAKE IT ACCESSIBLE.

OKAY. I'M GOING TO GO INTO SOME SLIDES AND THEN GO INTO A LITTLE BIT MORE EACH OF THESE AREAS IN DETAIL.

SO MAYBE THAT MIGHT. SO THIS IS THE PATH WITH IF WE BUILD THE NEW BRIDGE.

IS THAT MAYBE A LITTLE CLEARER? AND THEN.

THIS IS THE PATH.

IF WE ARE NOT TO BUILD A NEW BRIDGE, AND WE ARE TO REUSE THAT EXISTING PATHWAY, THAT ONE ENTERS FROM THE PARKING AREA OVER WILDCAT CREEK INTO THE TILDEN NATURE AREA.

CAN YOU JUST SHOW THE OTHER ONE I MISSED? SO THIS IS SORT OF AN ENLARGEMENT OF THE PROPOSED NEW BRIDGE.

WE WOULD MAINTAIN THIS EXISTING SERVICE ROAD HERE.

AND SOME PEOPLE WOULD STILL PROBABLY WALK DOWN THIS ROAD, SINCE THEY'VE DONE IT FOR YEARS AND GET TO THE WILDCAT CREEK TRAIL.

SO ONCE YOU'VE COME OVER THAT NEW BRIDGE.

YOU COME UP A SLIGHT GRADE TO COME UP TO THIS OUTDOOR PLAZA, AND HERE YOU CAN START SEEING THESE OUTDOOR CLASSROOMS. PART OF THE PROGRAM WITH THE STUDENTS COMING IN BUSLOADS TO THE FACILITY IS THAT THEY THEY GATHER THE STUDENTS.

MAYBE THEY GATHER HERE. I'M HERE AT THE PLAZA.

GROUPS.

THANK YOU. BETTER.

SO WE HAVE THESE OUTDOOR CLASSROOMS, THE LAWN AREA, THERE'S LITTLE PLAZA AREA, ENTRY TO THE CLASSROOM FROM THE EXTERIOR, AND LITTLE PLAZA ENTRY TO THE MULTI-PURPOSE ROOM.

IF FOR ANY REASON YOU WANT TO USE EITHER OF THOSE TWO FACILITIES WHEN THE VISITOR CENTER WASN'T OPEN.

[01:10:07]

SO THAT SERVICE ROAD.

SERVICE ROAD CONTINUES COMES AROUND THIS WAY.

THIS IS ALSO FUNCTIONING AS THE FIRE TRUCK TURNAROUND.

SO IT NEEDS TO BE PROVIDED.

SO A FIRE TRUCK COULD COME AROUND AND TURN AROUND AND GET OUT.

THIS IS THE RESIDENCE.

THIS PLAN DOESN'T REALLY REPRESENT THE FINAL SCHEME WE'RE DOING.

WE'VE HAD THEM RELOOK AT IT BECAUSE THEY WE DON'T FEEL THAT THE OUTDOOR AREA OF THE RESIDENCE, PRIVATE OUTDOOR AREA OF THE RESIDENCE WAS PRESERVED PROPERLY.

SO WE'RE REWORKING THIS CORNER DOWN HERE.

BUT OVER HERE IS THE STORM TREATMENT AREA WHERE THE STORM WATER WILL BE TREATED.

AND THERE'S AN OUTDOOR CLASSROOM HERE.

SO INTERPRETIVE EXPERIENCE, PART OF THE INTERPRETIVE EXPERIENCE.

WE'LL BE TALKING ABOUT THE STORMWATER TREATMENT.

THIS WING HERE IS THE WATERSHED EXHIBIT AREA.

SO YOU'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO COME OUT ONTO A DECK HERE AND ALSO TALK AND LOOK DOWN AND TALK TO PEOPLE ABOUT THE WATER TREATMENT.

AND JUST ALL THAT GOES INTO TREATING THE WATER BEFORE THE WATER THE STORM WATER ENTERS THE WILDCAT CREEK.

THERE'S ALSO A TRAIL HERE WHICH IS IN BROWN, WHICH IS THE BOARDWALK, AND IT'LL BE A ACTUALLY A RAISED BOARDWALK THAT GOES THROUGH THE REDWOOD GROVE, THE EXISTING REDWOOD GROVE.

THAT'S HERE AND THEN COMES OUT ON THIS TRAIL.

WHAT IS THE PLAY HUT UP THERE IN THE RIGHT? SAY THAT AGAIN. I WAS JUST ASKING.

WHAT THE. IT SAYS PLAY HUT.

OKAY, SO THAT'S ONCE AGAIN, THESE ARE JUST IDEAS THROWN OUT THERE.

ONE IDEA WOULD BE, ONE IDEA, I CAN JUST TO GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE, IS THROWN OUT THERE WAS A WOOD RAT HUT.

I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'VE EVER SEEN THEM. THEY TAKE STICKS AND THEY PILE THEM UP.

WELL AN IDEA WAS TO BUILD ONE THAT'S EVEN LARGER SCALE THAT A CHILD COULD ACTUALLY CRAWL INTO.

AND IT'S SORT OF A PLAY, SOMETHING THAT THEY CAN START TO EXPERIENCE THE INTERPRETIVE EXPERIENCE THEY COME FROM. THEY COME FROM LITTLE FARM.

THEY START PLAYING WITH THAT. AND IT'S JUST SOMETHING TO ENCOURAGE THEM, MAYBE TO BRING THEM ALSO INTO THE INTERPRETIVE CENTER AS CHILD OR ALSO AS THEY GROW OLDER TO COME IN AND EXPERIENCE. BUT IT'S SORT OF AN INTRODUCTORY INTERPRETIVE EXPERIENCE.

THESE ARE THE TRAIL PATHS THAT LEAD OFF TO THE TRAILS THAT TAKE YOU TO THE JEWEL LAKE TRAIL AND TAKE YOU UP TO THE LAUREL CANYON TRAIL.

THE IDEA HERE IS ANOTHER OUTDOOR CLASSROOM.

THERE'S A SORT OF AN EMBANKMENT HERE THAT WE'RE GOING TO TURN INTO A SMALL, LIKE AMPHITHEATER, 50 PERSON AMPHITHEATER.

AND THIS IS THIS REAR LAWN WITH THIS ALSO DECK THAT FUNCTIONS BOTH AS AN OUTDOOR CLASSROOM OR IF WE'RE DOING A LARGE EVENT LIKE I BELIEVE IT'S THIS BECOMES THE STAGE AND THE PEOPLE AND A LARGE GATHERINGS CAN SIT OUT HERE.

THIS DIAGRAM JUST BASICALLY IS EXPLAINING THE PLANTING PLAN FOR THE AREA.

SO THIS SORT OF LAVENDER COLOR REPRESENTS THE REDWOOD FOREST.

IT'S ACTUALLY EXISTING THAT REDWOOD FOREST.

AND THE IDEA IS ANYTHING IN THIS ZONE THAT WE ANY WORK WE DO THERE WILL JUST REINFORCE THAT.

WE'LL BE PLANTING PLANT TYPES THAT ARE NATIVE TO THE REDWOOD SORT OF EXPERIENCE.

THE GREEN UP HERE, COLOR REPRESENTS THE WOODLANDS.

AND ONCE AGAIN OAK SAVANNA WOODLANDS, ANY SORT OF PLANTING THERE WOULD BE OF THAT ECO SYSTEM ALONG THE PERIMETER OF THE LAWN.

THEY'RE CALLING OUT FOR JUST PLANTINGS THAT ARE ASSOCIATED WITH MEADOWS, NATIVE MEADOW PLANTS.

AND THEN THE ORANGE IS REPRESENTATIVE OF POLLINATORS.

AND THE IDEA THERE IS THESE PLANTS EDUCATE PEOPLE ABOUT YOU KNOW, BUTTERFLIES, BUT ALSO ABOUT AGRICULTURE, THE ROLE THAT POLLINATOR PLANTS PLAY IN AGRICULTURE.

AND WE THINK IT'S A NICE TIE INTO THE NATURE CENTER WITH THE LITTLE FARM THAT'S JUST ADJACENT TO IT.

AND THEN THE PURPLISH COLOR REPRESENTS THE RIPARIAN CORRIDOR.

AND THIS IS THE PLANT TYPES THAT ARE ASSOCIATED WITH BEING RIGHT NEXT TO THE WATER'S EDGE.

AND THESE HERE WOULD BE THE WE'D ALSO HAVE RIPARIAN PLANTING TYPES AT THE STORM WATER LOCATIONS.

[01:15:01]

WITH THAT ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS, OR YOU'D LIKE ME TO GO BACK TO ANY OF THE SLIDES AND TALK TO THEM IN FURTHER DETAIL? ANY QUESTIONS? GO AHEAD. DIRECTOR WAESPI.

I LOVE IT, I THINK IT'S GREAT.

THAT WAS MY CHOICE THAT SCHEME, THE BRANCH SCHEME.

AND I THINK JUST THE USE OF, YOU KNOW, MOVING PEOPLE OUT AND ATTRACTING THEM OUTDOORS AND HAVING LIGHT AND WINDOWS, THE ATTRACTING YOU TO GET OUT INTO NATURE AND DO IT NO MATTER HOW YOU DO IT, WHETHER YOU WANT TO REFLECT OR PLAY OR BECOME EDUCATED, I THINK IT'S TREMENDOUS, THE WHOLE THING.

I'M GLAD YOU KEPT THE LAWNS.

I KNOW THAT'S CONTROVERSIAL, BUT I LIVED THERE FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS AND THAT'S WHERE ALL THE ACTIVITY TAKES PLACE.

AND IT'S GOOD FOR FAMILIES.

I WAS HOPING POSSIBLY.

AND I KNOW IT WAS JUST A BEIGE SCHEME, AS YOU CALLED IT.

SKYLIGHTS, I THINK IF YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE THAT INCREDIBLY GORGEOUS INTERIOR EXPOSED BEAMS AND RAFTERS AND STUFF SKYLIGHTS BASED ON THE LOCATION OF YOU KNOW, DOWN IN THAT HOLE WHERE THE PLACE IS GOING TO BE SOMETIMES GETS DARK.

YET IF YOU CAN GET THAT LOOK UP CANNON DRIVE AND ALL THE TREES ABOVE YOU AND ALL THE TREES AROUND YOU, I THINK SKYLIGHTS WOULD BE A BEAUTIFUL ADDITION.

OTHER THAN THAT, I THINK IT'S GOING TO BE WONDERFUL.

DIRECTOR CORBETT.

VERY IMPRESSIVE. LOOKS GREAT.

I WAS JUST WONDERING IF YOU COULD TELL US JUST A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT SPOTS THAT ARE MADE, ESPECIALLY FOR ACTIVITY BY PEOPLE WITH A DISABILITY AND OR ALSO THE DIFFERENT AGES OF CHILDREN THAT WILL BE THERE FOR THEIR, YOU KNOW, THEIR TIMES TO LEARN.

YEAH, SURE.

THANK YOU, DIRECTOR CORBETT AGAIN.

MIKE MORAN, REGIONAL INTERPRETIVE RECREATION SERVICES MANAGER.

SO IN AS FAR AS THE EXHIBITS GO, THAT'S A STANDARD DESIGN AND NECESSARY DESIGN FOR FOLKS TO COME BACK, NOT ONLY TO COME BACK AS ONE INDIVIDUAL GETS OLDER AND OLDER, AND CAN STILL GET A GREAT EXPERIENCE, A LEARNING AND BROADENING EXPERIENCE THERE, BUT ALSO TO APPEAL TO FOLKS WHO ARE MULTIGENERATIONAL.

SO AS FAR AS TALKING ABOUT KIDS AND SUCH ON UP TO PARENTS, GRANDPARENTS, CARETAKERS, ETC., THE IDEA IS TO HAVE SOMETHING FOR EVERYBODY THERE, AND THAT IS IT'S A GREAT QUESTION.

IT'S A NECESSARY THING.

AND BEFORE THOSE REASONS, IT'S A STANDARD PART OF EXHIBIT DEVELOPMENT.

WHAT'S GOING TO APPEAL TO THE DIFFERENT AGE GROUPS, DIFFERENT COGNITIVE DEVELOPMENTS, THINGS LIKE THAT, BUT ALSO DIFFERENT LEARNING STYLES, NOT JUST AGES, BUT HOW DO DIFFERENT PEOPLE REACT? PEOPLE OF THE SAME AGE REACT TO A PARTICULAR EXHIBIT, A PARTICULAR PLACE.

SO TO MAKE IT AS INCLUSIVE, WE WE USE THE WORD INCLUSIVE OR ACCESSIBLE A LOT.

WE REALLY WANT TO BROADEN THAT TERM OUT, TO THINK ABOUT WHAT WOULD BE A POSITIVE EXPERIENCE THAT PEOPLE CAN GAIN HERE, REGARDLESS OF WHAT THEY BRING, OR MAYBE BECAUSE OF WHAT THEY BRING TO THE VISITOR CENTER.

SO AS FAR AS THAT GOES, AND THEN ACCESSIBILITY ADA, AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT IS THE MINIMUM REQUIREMENT THAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR.

SO WE'RE ALWAYS LOOKING FOR SOMETHING ELSE.

JIM TALKED ABOUT, YOU KNOW, THAT THAT TACTILE OUTSIDE CLIMBING OR A MORE CEREBRAL APPROACH ONCE YOU GET INSIDE.

SO THESE ARE ALL REALLY IMPORTANT QUESTIONS THAT ACCESSIBILITY OF, YOU KNOW, COMING ACROSS FROM THE PARKING LOT TO HAVE IT LOOK OPEN AND DIRECTLY ACCESSIBLE IS ONE OF THE BENEFITS OF THE BRIDGE SCHEME IS THAT YOU CAN COME ACROSS AND EVERYTHING IS LAID OUT RIGHT IN FRONT OF YOU.

SO THERE'S A MUCH THE STRAIGHT PATH.

YOU'RE NOT MEANDERING, YOU'RE NOT INVITING FOLKS TO SCOOCH CORNERS OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.

SO THAT LEVEL OF ACCESSIBILITY GOES INTO BUILDING THE ENTIRE LANDSCAPE PLAN.

THANKS. THANK YOU.

I JUST WANT TO ADD THAT ACCESSIBILITY ACROSS THE BOARD IS ONE OF THE HIGHEST CRITERIA'S ON THIS PROJECT.

AND I THINK AND IT'S NOT JUST MEETING ADA.

WE'VE TAKEN ANOTHER STEP FURTHER.

I'LL GIVE YOU JUST ONE EXAMPLE.

FOR INSTANCE, THAT REFLECTIVE SPACE.

ONE OF THE REASONS WE'RE CREATING THAT SPACE, WE MAYBE DIDN'T MENTION IT, IS THAT THERE'S MANY CHILDREN THAT COME TO THIS FACILITY THAT HAVE SENSORY OVERLOAD ISSUES,

[01:20:07]

AND SO THE IDEA WITH THE REFLECTIVE SPACE IS THE SPACE THAT THE PARENTS CAN TAKE THE CHILDREN TO AND DO AN ACTIVITY THAT'S NOT SO SENSORY, SO MUCH SENSORY OVERLOAD.

THEY CAN DRAW PICTURES OR LOOK AT A BOOK AND KIND OF GO INTO A QUIETER AREA.

SO THAT'S JUST ONE EXAMPLE OF WHERE WE'RE TRYING TO REACH PEOPLE THAT IN THE PAST MAYBE DIDN'T HAVE THOSE OPTIONS. THANK YOU.

OKAY, I HAD DIRECTOR.

OH, OKAY. DIRECTOR MERCURIO.

THEN DIRECTOR SANWONG, THEN DIRECTOR ROSARIO.

THANK YOU. YEAH, OKAY.

THANK YOU. VERY IMPRESSED.

YOU KNOW, THE AMOUNT OF DEVELOPMENT THAT YOU'VE BEEN ABLE TO DO WITH A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME.

AND THE QUALITY OF THE DEVELOPMENT ALL LOOKS REALLY GREAT.

I WONDER WHAT HAPPENS TO THE GIANT HISTORIC RELIEF MAP.

DO WE HAVE THAT FACTORED IN HERE SOMEWHERE, EITHER IN THIS BUILDING OR SOMEWHERE ELSE? YES. NO, THAT WE'VE MADE IT VERY CLEAR THAT THAT PIECE WILL BE PART OF THIS EXHIBIT EXPERIENCE AT THIS FACILITY, BECAUSE IT'S WE'VE GOT NUMEROUS PEOPLE FROM THE COMMUNITY COMMENT ON THAT.

THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS THEY WANT THAT IN THE WOOD CARVED WILDCAT, I THINK, ARE THE TOP TWO ITEMS THAT PEOPLE MENTIONED THAT THEY REALLY WOULD LOVE TO SEE RETURN TO THE FACILITY. AND SO DEFINITELY IT WILL BE PART OF THIS FACILITY.

SO THERE YOU GO. YOU GOT ONE.

ONE THAT'S DONE ALREADY. THAT'S RIGHT.

[LAUGHTER] AND THEN IN TERMS OF OPERATIONS THERE WILL BE VOLUNTEER DOCENTS IN THERE TOO, TO HELP SORT OF, YOU KNOW, HELP THE FOLKS VISIT, GET MORE OUT OF IT.

YEAH. OKAY.

OKAY. EACH OF OUR VISITOR CENTERS HAS REALLY ROBUST DOCENT PROGRAM, AND ACTUALLY IT'S JUST GROWING.

WE JUST HAD OUR FIRST DISTRICT WIDE DOCENT MEETING JUST A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO, WHICH WAS REALLY SUCCESSFUL.

SO DOCENTS ARE AN INTEGRAL PART AND VOLUNTEERS ARE AN INTEGRAL PART OF THIS, NOT ONLY IN THE VISITOR CENTER BUT ALSO AT THE FARM.

YES. YEAH. OKAY.

AND THEN DIRECTOR WAESPI GAVE ME, GOT ME THINKING ABOUT SOMETHING ABOUT THE SKYLIGHTS.

AND THAT'S A GREAT IDEA.

SOMETIMES YOU CAN DO SKYLIGHTS OR WINDOWS IN CONJUNCTION WITH STAINED GLASS, AND THEN YOU OPEN UP A POSSIBILITY OF SORT OF AN ARTISTRY ELEMENT TO IT THAT HAS A NATURE THEME.

SO JUST THROW THAT OUT THERE AS AN IDEA SOMEHOW TO INCORPORATE YOU KNOW, AS A DESIGN ELEMENT.

ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. AND JUST TO REITERATE, JIM KNOWS MORE ABOUT THIS THAN I, BUT WE DO HAVE A LIGHTING CONSULTANT AS PART OF THE ARCHITECTURE TEAM.

YEAH. DIRECTOR WAESPI.

OH, NO, I WAS JUST. YOU WERE SORRY.

DIRECTOR SANWONG.

ALL GOOD. GOOD. SO I HAVE A COUPLE QUESTIONS.

THIS IS GREAT. THANKS SO MUCH FOR RETURNING.

AND I ACTUALLY DO APPRECIATE, YOU KNOW, THE SHORT TIME BETWEEN THE PREVIOUS MEETING AND NOW, BECAUSE CERTAINLY I'VE BEEN THINKING A LOT ABOUT THIS PROJECT DURING THIS TIME.

AND SO I GUESS I'LL START WITH MY QUESTIONS ABOUT WHO AND HOW YOUR ADVERTISING AND PROMOTING ATTENDANCE AT THESE COMMUNITY MEETINGS.

AND IT LOOKS LIKE THE NEXT ONE IS APRIL 10TH.

CORRECT. SO I'M JUST CURIOUS ABOUT THE OUTREACH AND WHO AND ALSO WHO'S ATTENDED THE FIRST TWO.

AND THEN MORE SPECIFICALLY, YOU KNOW, IT SEEMS LIKE PERHAPS FOR ATTRACTING MAYBE THOSE WHO ARE FAMILIAR WITH TILDEN OR ACTIVE IN REGARDS TO GOING TO TILDEN.

DO WE GET ANY MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WHO MAYBE ARE LESS FAMILIAR THAT ALSO ATTEND THESE MEETINGS? I DON'T KNOW, I DON'T THESE MEETINGS ARE DONE THROUGH THE.

SO I DON'T ACTUALLY SEE THE FACES OF THE PEOPLE.

I DON'T KNOW A LOT ABOUT THEIR PERSONAL BACKGROUNDS, BUT, YOU KNOW, WE DO KNOW THAT WE DO A POLL TO SEE WHAT SORT OF PARTS WHERE THEY'RE COMING FROM, AND THEY'RE COMING FROM A RELATIVELY DIVERSE AREAS.

BUT I GUESS WHAT I'D LIKE TO TALK ABOUT IS THERE'S MULTIPLE WAYS THAT WE'RE TRYING TO COMMUNICATE TO PEOPLE THERE.

THERE IS THE ZOOM MEETINGS THAT WE'RE DOING, THE PUBLIC COMMUNITY MEETINGS.

WE'RE ALSO PUTTING UP EXHIBITS AT THE VISITOR CENTER IN THE MAIN LOBBY IMMEDIATELY AFTERWARDS WITH THE PRESENTATION.

THEN WE'RE ALSO HAVE A WEBSITE WHERE IF ANYONE MISSED THE MEETING, THEY CAN GO AND IT BASICALLY ATTEND THE MEETING.

SO THOSE ARE THE THREE MAIN SORT OF AVENUES OF REACHING OUT TO PEOPLE.

[01:25:05]

WE'VE SENT OUT EMAILS TO ALL OF THEM.

WE'VE REACHED OUT THROUGH THE FOUNDATION, THROUGH THEIR CONTACTS.

WE'VE ALSO.

WE'VE PUT UP FLIERS AT THE EEC.

SO PEOPLE THAT ARE JUST MAYBE CASUALLY THERE CAN SEE THAT THERE'S A FLIER AND BE AWARE THAT THERE'S THIS EVENT IS COMING.

BUT THOSE ARE THE OUTREACH METHODS WE'VE BEEN USING.

WE ALSO USE THE SOCIAL MEDIA.

SURE. THE DISTRICT HAS MULTIPLE SOCIAL MEDIA OUTLETS THAT WE'VE BEEN SENDING INFORMATION OUT ABOUT ALL OUR PUBLIC MEETINGS IN THAT FORMAT ALSO, AND ALSO ABOUT VISITING THE WEBSITE. YES.

AND I THINK I SAID THIS AT THE LAST MEETING, BUT I'LL JUST REITERATE THIS.

I THINK IT'S GOOD TO COMPILE, YOU KNOW, ALL OF THE OUTREACH THAT'S HAPPENING IN TERMS OF INVITING FOLKS TO ATTEND THESE THREE MEETINGS AND THOSE WHO DO ATTEND OR PARTICIPATE, YOU KNOW, WHETHER IN PERSON AT TILDEN OR, YOU KNOW, ONLINE DURING ONE OF THESE INTERIM PERIODS BETWEEN THE ACTUAL MEETINGS. BECAUSE I THINK THAT WILL HELP US, YOU KNOW, AS WE START TO PIVOT TO THE NEXT PHASE IN REGARDS TO THE FUNDRAISING PHASE, I THINK EVERYTHING THAT YOU'RE COLLECTING IN TERMS OF INSIGHTS ARE GOING TO BE SO HELPFUL FOR US ON THAT NEXT PHASE.

AND SO MAYBE ALSO WORKING WITH EITHER SUSAN OR SOMEONE AT THE FOUNDATION TO KIND OF FIGURE OUT HOW, YOU KNOW, COMPILING THAT INFORMATION COULD THEN BE HELPFUL FOR THINKING ABOUT THAT POSSIBILITY.

AND THAT LEADS ME TO THE OTHER AREA THAT I'VE BEEN THINKING ABOUT A LOT.

AND I KNOW THAT I GUESS NOTHING IS COMPLETELY DETERMINED YET, BUT IT'S MOST LIKELY THAT WE WILL BE THINKING ABOUT SOME SORT OF FUNDRAISING CAMPAIGN THROUGH OUR FOUNDATION TO HELP FINANCE THIS PROJECT, AND I WAS LOOKING AT THE DIFFERENT EXHIBITS, AND I'M NOT SURE HOW, YOU KNOW, SET WE ARE ON THESE EXHIBITS, BECAUSE ONE AREA THAT I WAS THINKING OF THAT WE'RE MISSING THAT COULD BE HELPFUL, ESPECIALLY WHEN THINKING ABOUT FUNDRAISING, IS THINKING ABOUT YOU KNOW, STEAM EDUCATION.

SO THAT'S SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING.

THE A STANDS FOR ART, WHICH I THINK WE HAVE COVERED A LITTLE BIT HERE.

AND THEN M FOR MATHEMATICS.

AND I THINK ABOUT THIS BECAUSE I THINK ABOUT A LOT OF THE, YOU KNOW, CORPORATE POTENTIAL CORPORATE DONORS, YOU KNOW, THAT A LOT OF THE CORPORATE DONATIONS DO TEND TO ALSO BE VERY MISSION DRIVEN. AND, YOU KNOW, THINKING ABOUT SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY COMPANIES, WHICH WE HAVE A LARGE NUMBER OF HERE IN THE BAY AREA, TEND TO TIE THOSE DONATIONS TO STEAM EDUCATION PROGRAMING.

AND SO I THINK THAT IF WE THINK ABOUT THAT IN REGARDS TO OUR EXHIBIT MIX HERE, THAT COULD POTENTIALLY HELP DOWN THE ROAD WHEN WE'RE THINKING ABOUT POSSIBLY REACHING OUT TO CORPORATE DONORS AND, YOU KNOW, BEING INVOLVED IN THIS PROJECT.

AND I ALSO JUST THINK ABOUT THE PROXIMITY.

I CAN'T BELIEVE I'M MENTIONING THIS TO UC BERKELEY, BUT CERTAINLY UC BERKELEY HAS A VERY WELL KNOWN AND HONORED HISTORY IN REGARDS TO SCIENTIFIC INNOVATION.

SO I THINK IT ALSO DOES TIE INTO THAT.

I'M ENJOYING MY COLLEAGUES LOOK HERE.

BUT I MEAN I'LL.

WELL YOU KNOW AND I ALWAYS LIKE TO SHARE THIS TOO.

YOU KNOW I USED TO SAY THIS FOLLOWING DATA POINT AT ZONE SEVEN, WHOSE OFFICES ARE IN LIVERMORE.

YOU KNOW, THERE'S ONLY TWO CITIES IN THE UNITED STATES THAT HAVE AN ELEMENT ON THE PERIODIC TABLE OF ELEMENTS NAMED AFTER THEM.

ONE IS LIVERMORE AND THE OTHER ONE IS BERKELEY.

SO I THINK THAT THAT'S SOMETHING TO, YOU KNOW, BE PROUD OF IN THIS AREA AND I THINK CAN FIT IN POTENTIALLY WITH OUR THEMING HERE.

AND SO THAT'S JUST SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT AS WE KIND OF START TO GO INTO OUR FINAL PUBLIC MEETING IN REGARDS TO AND FINAL PERIOD, I GUESS, IN TERMS OF COLLECTING PUBLIC FEEDBACK FOR THIS PROJECT.

AND THEN THE OTHER ONE, THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL.

SO I THINK THESE SLIDES ARE REALLY GOOD, AND I BELIEVE THESE ARE SIMILAR TO THE SLIDES THAT ARE PRESENTED TO THE PUBLIC.

BUT ONE THING I THOUGHT OF AS WE WERE, YOU KNOW, KIND OF JUMPING INTO THIS AND, YOU KNOW, CERTAINLY WE'RE ALL FAMILIAR WITH THIS, BUT I ALWAYS THINK ABOUT, YOU KNOW, THE CONTEXT.

YOU KNOW, OF THIS VISITOR CENTER, YOU KNOW, IS THIS, FOR EXAMPLE IS THIS NEW VISITOR CENTER PROPOSAL IS IT A SIMILAR SIZE FOOTPRINT TO THE CURRENT VISITOR CENTER? IS IT LARGER? IS IT SMALLER? I WASN'T COMPLETELY SURE.

I KNOW IT'S A PRETTY LARGE VISITOR OR IT'S EEC.

EXCUSE ME. IT'S A PRETTY LARGE SITE TO BEGIN WITH, BUT THAT'S ONE THING I WASN'T SURE ABOUT.

IT IS APPROXIMATELY THE SAME SIZE AS THE EXISTING FACILITY.

I SHOULD ADD THAT. AND THEN I GUESS ALSO YOU KNOW, AND THIS MIGHT FEED MORE INTO THE POTENTIAL FOR FUNDRAISING.

[01:30:02]

AND I THINK THAT THAT'S SUCH AN IMPORTANT POINT TO CAPTURE, AND I'D BE HAPPY TO SHARE THAT.

AS YOU KNOW, WE MOVE INTO THAT PERIOD BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, I THINK ABOUT, YOU KNOW, HOW ARE WE GOING TO ALSO POSITION THIS AS A MAJOR PROJECT, A MAJOR FUNDRAISING PROJECT FOR PEOPLE THAT MAYBE DON'T LIVE AS CLOSE TO THE SITE, BUT IT'S STILL SUCH AN IMPORTANT SITE.

I KNOW I WENT TO A DAY CAMP AT TILDEN WHEN I WAS GROWING UP OUT IN THE TRI VALLEY, AND SO I ALSO HAVE THAT CONNECTION, EVEN THOUGH I DON'T LIVE CLOSE TO IT.

AND SO I THINK BEING ABLE TO GET SOME OF THAT MESSAGING IS IMPORTANT IF WE'RE, YOU KNOW, THINKING ABOUT THE FUNDRAISING IN THE FUTURE.

AND SO THAT'S WHY MY EARLIER QUESTION ABOUT, YOU KNOW, WHO'S PARTICIPATING AND WHO'S ATTENDING, WHERE ARE THEY COMING FROM? THAT COULD BE HELPFUL, EVEN IF WE HAVE, YOU KNOW, TWO PEOPLE FROM FREMONT WHO ARE ATTENDING, THAT'S STILL REALLY VALUABLE INSIGHT FOR US TO KNOW ABOUT.

OKAY. DIRECTOR COFFEY.

SOMETHING THAT OCCURRED TO ME AS WE WERE GOING THROUGH THE TILDEN NATURE AREA CONTEXT.

WHICH IS A THEME HERE, A THEME BOTH ARCHITECTURALLY LANDSCAPE AND CERTAINLY WITH THE EMPHASIS TODAY ON EXHIBITING.

AND WHAT I'VE NOTICED ABOUT THE CONTEXTUAL REFERENCES.

AND THIS ISN'T A CRITICISM, IT'S JUST A QUESTION IS HOW YOU DEAL WITH IT.

THERE SEEMS TO BE A CONCERTED EFFORT IN ALL OF THIS TO AVOID REFERRING TO JEWEL LAKE.

YOU KNOW, IT'S THE COMMON EXPERIENCE OF ALL OF US WHO GO UP THERE.

I WAS UP THERE WITH MY NEW GRANDCHILD.

YOU VISIT THE EEC, THE LITTLE FARM THE RECONSTRUCTED NATURE PONDS AND THEN THE BOARDWALK AND WALK AROUND JEWEL LAKE. AND WE HAVE THE OVERRIDING THEMES OF WATERSHED THROUGHOUT THE CONTEXT THAT YOU'RE SETTING UP REFERENCES TO EDDIES AND REPEATED REFERENCES TO THE WILDCAT CREEK AREA AND SIGNS AND EVEN THE MODEL OF THE WATERSHED IT HAS AND IT DOESN'T HAVE JEWEL LAKE.

HOW ARE YOU DEALING WITH THAT ISSUE? AS FAR AS I UNDERSTAND OUR PLANNING PROCESS, IT KIND OF STALLED A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO, SO WE'RE NOT IT WAS PRETTY FAR ALONG.

WE HAD ALTERNATIVES THAT WERE AS MY MEMORY IS SERVES IS HIGHLIGHTED A VERSION OF RECREATING THE CREEK WITHOUT JEWEL LAKE AND THEN THE VERSION THAT RECREATED THE LAKE AND STARTED TO ADDRESS LONG TERM ISSUES WITH JEWEL LAKE.

SO YOU CAN'T ESCAPE JEWEL LAKE'S PRESENCE IN THE NATURE AREA, ITS IMPORTANCE TO THE EXISTING WATERSHED, AND THE FACT THAT ANY EXHIBITS AND THEMES IN THE NEW EEC IS GOING TO HAVE TO DEAL WITH EITHER A LAKE OR NO LAKE ESPECIALLY WITH ONE OF SUCH HISTORICAL PROMINENCE.

SO I'M JUST WONDERING HOW YOU ALL, BOTH AS PROGRAMMATIC PLANNERS AND EXHIBIT PLANNERS ARE DEALING WITH THAT. IS THAT JUST A GIANT PLACEHOLDER? WELL, I THINK I'LL.

I'LL FINISH UP. THE JEWEL LAKE WILL BE DISCUSSED, IF NOTHING ELSE, AS PART OF THE HISTORY, BECAUSE IT HAS A SIGNIFICANT HISTORY IN THE WATER, THAT AREA OF THE WATERSHED.

RIGHT. WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE HISTORY OF THE WATERSHED AND HOW IT'S INTERACTED WITH THE COMMUNITY.

I THINK IT'S PRETTY OBVIOUS JEWEL LAKE WILL BE DISCUSSED.

NOW WE ARE TRYING TO WE'VE BEEN TALKING TO OUR EXHIBIT DESIGNER ABOUT FLEXIBILITY BECAUSE THINGS CHANGE.

IT'S NOT JUST JEWEL LAKE THAT IS GOING TO CHANGE THE WHOLE, AS WE'RE FINDING WITH HOW THE CLIMATE'S CHANGING.

LOTS, ALL KINDS OF THINGS ARE GOING TO CHANGE AS FAR AS HOW WE TELL THE STORY.

YEAH. SO IT'S JUST ONE OF THOSE COMPONENTS.

YEAH. THANKS.

THANKS, DIRECTOR COFFEY. THAT WAS ONE OF OUR FIRST QUESTIONS WHEN THIS PROJECT BEGAN, WAS THAT WE REALLY WANTED TO FIGURE OUT HOW ARE WE GOING TO INCORPORATE THIS BIG UNKNOWN.

THIS PROJECT AT JEWEL LAKE PROPOSED PROJECT AT JEWEL LAKE, SINCE WE DIDN'T KNOW WHERE IT WAS GOING TO GO, THAT WAS GOING TO BE A BIG IMPACT ON WHAT'S BEING INTERPRETED AT TILDEN.

SO WHEN WE TALK TO ALDRICHPEARS, WE WERE SAYING, LOOK, THIS IS THIS IS A BIG THING.

THIS IS A POTENTIALLY GOING TO DETERMINE HOW WE'RE GOING TO INTERVIEW THIS.

AND THEY TOOK THAT IN.

THIS IS NOTHING NEW TO THEM.

THERE WERE A LOT OF AREAS THAT A LOT OF PROJECTS THEY'VE TAKEN ON BEFORE WHERE THEY'VE HAD CHANGES, WHERE THEY'VE HAD ANYTHING FROM LANDSLIDES TO, YOU KNOW, DIFFERENT CLIMATIC ISSUES AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

[01:35:02]

JEWEL LAKE IS ONE FEATURE WITHIN THE GREATER WILDCAT CREEK WATERSHED, AND PRESENTLY AT TILDEN NATURE AREA.

THAT IS THE STORY OF THE WILDCAT CREEK WATERSHED.

SO THAT IS NOT CHANGING THE THINGS THAT HAPPEN WITHIN THE WATERSHED.

BEING A DYNAMIC PLACE, ALWAYS CHANGING.

WE HAVE TO BE FLEXIBLE ENOUGH TO INTERPRET THOSE CHANGES AS WE GO ALONG.

AND SO THAT FLEXIBILITY CHANGEABILITY ADAPTABILITY IS ALL BUILT IN BECAUSE WE DON'T KNOW WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN THERE YET.

AND THERE COULD BE OTHER FEATURES THAT CAN COME ALONG THAT WE CAN'T ANTICIPATE, BUT WE WANT TO HAVE OUR THEMES IN ORDER SO THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT SOMETHING AS HOLISTIC AS A WATERSHED THAT COULD INTERPRET ALL THOSE DIFFERENT THINGS.

OKAY, SO THAT'S GOOD NEWS IN THE SENSE THAT THERE'S ESSENTIALLY A PLACEHOLDER FOR ALTERNATE 3 OR 4.

YES. ANY OF THE ABOVE.

WE'LL BE INTERPRETING WHATEVER HAPPENS THERE.

YEAH I'M JUST BEING PRACTICAL.

YES. APPRECIATE THAT.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

THAT'S HELPFUL. OKAY. DIRECTOR ROSARIO.

OH. THANK YOU.

THIS IS A GREAT PRESENTATION, AND I CALL AND ASK MY QUESTION ABOUT WHERE WHERE JEWEL LAKE WAS GOING TO BE IN PART OF ALL THIS, BUT JUST ON A PRACTICAL THING, GOING BACK TO YOUR TO THE BEIGE BUILDINGS, I NOTICED THERE WAS A IT LOOKED LIKE THERE WAS A COUPLE OF BUILDINGS WITH FLAT ROOFS ON THEM, AND I WOULD RECOMMEND YOU STAY AWAY FROM FLAT ROOFS.

[LAUGHTER] MY FIRST HOUSE HAD A FLAT ROOF.

BIG MISTAKE.

HIGH MAINTENANCE. AND ESPECIALLY WITH THE TREE COVER THAT SURROUNDS THE JEWEL LAKE IT'S GOING TO GET ANY KIND OF A DRAIN THAT YOU HAVE ON A FLAT ROOF IS GOING TO CLOG.

SO ON THE PRACTICAL SIDE AND THEN ON THE BRIDGES I CAUTION AGAIN AND IS THAT GOING TO BE JUST LIKE A FOOTBRIDGE OR IS IT GOING TO BE A VEHICLE ACCESSIBLE BRIDGE? SO THAT NEW BRIDGE THAT I SHOWED WOULD NOT NO VEHICLES WOULD BE ALLOWED ON THAT.

IF YOU WERE IN A VEHICLE AND YOU WANTED TO GET INTO THE TILDEN NATURE AREA, YOU WOULD USE THE EXISTING SERVICE ROAD THAT EXISTS OUT THERE NOW.

THE NEW BRIDGE WE'RE PROPOSING SORT OF A TRESTLE BRIDGE FOR JUST PEDESTRIAN TRAFFIC.

THE IDEA THAT IT WOULD SPAN ACROSS THE CREEK.

WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT HAVING ALSO STRUCTURAL MEMBERS GOING DOWN INTO THE CREEK.

OKAY. WE'RE GOING TO AVOID THAT.

YEAH. IF IT'S GOING TO BE VEHICLE ACCESSIBLE, IT'D BE A LOT VERY COST PROHIBITIVE.

AND AS YOU KNOW, WE'VE BEEN REPLACING ALL THE BRIDGES ALONG THE LAFAYETTE MORAGA TRAIL.

AND THOSE ARE ONLY 30 PLUS YEARS OLD.

SO YOU KNOW, AT SOME POINT THEY'RE GOING TO THEY MAY HAVE TO BE REPLACED, DEPENDING ON THE DESIGN, BUT.

RIGHT. SO YEAH, THAT'S I THINK OVERALL I CAN'T WAIT TILL WE BREAK GROUND ON THIS PROJECT.

IT'S GOING TO BE VERY EXCITING.

AND HOPEFULLY JEWEL LAKE WILL WILL FOLLOW ALONG SHORTLY AFTER OR MAYBE EVEN CONJUNCTION, I DON'T KNOW.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

WELL DONE. I'M JUST ALSO I WANT TO SAY EVERYTHING THAT'S BEEN PRESENTED TODAY, I REALLY APPRECIATE THE THOUGHT.

AND ALL THIS DISCUSSION THAT YOU AND YOUR STAFF AND THE CONSULTANTS HAVE HAD IT REALLY SHOWS IN THE PRESENTATION AND THE DESIGN.

SO VERY, VERY. THOUGHTFUL.

THANK YOU. GREAT.

WELL. THANK YOU. DON'T GO AWAY.

I STILL HAVE QUESTIONS.

[LAUGHTER] SO YEAH.

SO. AND BUT FORTUNATELY, SOME OF MY QUESTIONS HAVE ALREADY BEEN ANSWERED, BUT I DID.

I ALSO WAS GOING TO ASK ABOUT THE FLAT ROOFS BECAUSE, WELL, BOTH FOR THE REASONS THAT DEE MENTIONED.

BUT I ACTUALLY THINK IT WOULD LOOK BETTER ESTHETICALLY AS WELL, JUST MY OWN PERSONAL VIEW.

IF YOU HAD, IF THOSE, THOSE FLAT ONES IN FRONT ALSO HAD LIKE A SMALLER SLOPED ROOF, I THINK IT JUST ANYWAY, I THINK THAT WOULD LOOK BETTER AND BE MORE PRACTICAL AND NOT FLOOD AS MUCH AND NOT GET THE LEAVES CAUGHT UP THERE AS MUCH.

BUT AND ESPECIALLY WITH CLIMATE CHANGE AND THE HEAVIER RAINS THAT WE'RE GOING TO GET IN THE FUTURE, I THINK THAT THAT MIGHT BE DEFINITELY SOMETHING TO CONSIDER.

LET'S SEE, IN TERMS OF THE ACCESSIBILITY I LOVE THAT YOU'RE LOOKING AT ACCESSIBILITY FROM ALL ANGLES TO MAKE IT SORT OF VISUALLY OPEN AND APPEALING.

AS WELL AS LOOKING HARD AT DISABLED ACCESS, MAKING SURE THAT EVERYBODY CAN GET GET THERE SAFELY AND WELL AND EVERYTHING ELSE.

AND I THINK THAT WAS A GREAT EXAMPLE YOU GAVE IN TERMS OF THE SENSORY OVERLOAD AND HAVING AND THINKING ABOUT THOSE ISSUES AS WELL.

ESPECIALLY BECAUSE THIS IS KIDS CENTRIC, BUT ALSO IT'S NOT JUST KIDS WHO CAN GET THE SENSORY OVERLOAD.

SO I THINK THAT'S GREAT.

[01:40:02]

YOU KNOW, MY PERSONAL VIEW IS IT WOULD BE GOOD TO HAVE THE WRITTEN DESCRIPTIONS IN BOTH ENGLISH AND SPANISH, BUT THEN HAVE THE ABILITY TO HEAR THINGS THROUGH A WHOLE MULTITUDE OF LANGUAGE TO HAVE THE EARPHONES.

SO I HOPE YOU'LL CONSIDER TO KEEP THAT ON YOUR LIST.

AND THEN LET'S SEE I WAS INTERESTED TO KNOW A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT HOW YOU WILL DESCRIBE AND HIGHLIGHT AND ACKNOWLEDGE THE OHLONE HISTORY YOU MENTIONED.

THERE'LL BE AN OHLONE WELCOME AND POSSIBLY A GARDEN PHARMACY, AND THOSE WOULD BE TWO AREAS.

BUT WILL THERE BE SORT OF A MORE SORT OF HOLISTIC REPRESENTATION OF THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE LIVED THERE SINCE THE BEGINNING? AND I WAS JUST INTERESTED TO KNOW A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THAT.

SURE. THANKS, PRESIDENT ECHOLS I JUST WANT TO REITERATE THAT ALL THE GRAPHICS THAT YOU SAW WERE JUST PLACEHOLDERS.

SO THIS IDEA THERE'S A WELCOME SPOT OR A WATERSHED MODEL OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT, THAT WAS REALLY SET UP FOR SCALE AND HOW THINGS MIGHT LOOK.

SO THE ACTUAL EXHIBITS ARE NOT DESIGNED YET TO HAPPEN THERE.

BUT AS FAR AS THE INDIGENOUS PRESENCE AT THE TILDEN NATURE AREA, THAT WAS EARLY ON, ONE OF THE EMPHASES THAT SARA'S TEAM REALLY PUSHED, THEY WANTED TO HAVE THAT ONE OF THE IT'S BEEN VERY SUCCESSFUL THROUGH PROGRAMING, SUMMER CAMPS, ETC.

TO HAVE THAT INDIGENOUS INPUT AND ALSO SARA'S TEAM HAS WORKED WITH CONSULTANTS TO ENSURE THAT THE PROGRAMING THAT WE'RE ACTUALLY DOING IS AN ACCURATE REPRESENTATION IS AN APPROPRIATE THING TO DO, AND WE'RE TAKING THAT CONCERN ALL THE WAY THROUGH.

AND AGAIN GO BACK TO APA ALDRICHPEARS AND ASSOCIATES THEY'RE BASED UP IN CANADA, AND THEY'VE DONE A LOT OF WORK WITH FIRST NATIONS PEOPLE UP THERE.

SO IT'S NOTHING NEW TO THEM.

IT'S A STANDARD PART OF THAT.

SO BRINGING THOSE VOICES IN, PUTTING THEM FORWARD IN THE BEST WAY THAT WE POSSIBLY CAN WITH THE INPUT OF THE INDIGENOUS COMMUNITY, NOT JUST FROM US THINKING THIS MIGHT BE A GOOD IDEA.

AND SO THAT IS ALL PART AND PARCEL OF THE PLANNING PROCESS.

OKAY. THANK YOU, MIKE, BECAUSE THAT WAS MY NEXT QUESTION.

WHETHER THERE HAD BEEN INPUT OR WE'D SOUGHT INPUT FROM THE NATIVE PEOPLE IN THIS PLANNING ABOUT HOW THEY MIGHT BE REPRESENTED.

SO YOU ANSWERED THAT AND I HAVE ALWAYS BEEN IMPRESSED ON MY VISITS TO CANADA JUST HOW WELL NATIVE HISTORY IS REPRESENTED THERE.

AND SO IF, IF OUR CURRENT CONSULTANTS HAD ANYTHING TO DO WITH SOME OF THE EXHIBITS I'VE SEEN BEFORE, WE'RE IN GOOD HANDS, BUT I THINK WE'RE IN GOOD HANDS ANYWAY.

BUT THAT IS THAT'S GREAT NEWS.

LET'S SEE, WHAT ELSE DO I HAVE HERE? OKAY. SO I ALSO WAS GOING TO TALK ABOUT THE SIZE OF THE BUILDING, BUT GOOD.

YOU ALREADY ANSWERED THAT QUESTION, BUT I WAS CURIOUS ABOUT THE SIZE OF THE LAWN.

WHERE NOW THEY HOLD, YOU KNOW, RECEPTIONS AND, YOU KNOW, PRESENTATIONS AND THINGS.

IS THAT GOING TO BE ROUGHLY THE SAME AS IT IS NOW OR WHAT? IS IT GETTING BIGGER OR SMALLER, OR DO YOU KNOW, I THINK IT'S ROUGHLY THE SAME.

ROUGHLY THE SAME. THAT'S GOOD.

I'LL VERIFY THAT. YEAH.

I WOULDN'T MAKE IT SMALLER BECAUSE THAT SPACE IS IT'S A REALLY GOOD SPACE FOR OUTDOOR EVENTS AND PRESENTATIONS AND OTHER THINGS.

AND THEN LET'S SEE.

SO MY FINAL THING IS, OH, I, YOU KNOW, I REALLY APPRECIATE WHAT DIRECTOR SANWONG WAS SAYING ABOUT WHERE ALL THE PEOPLE ARE COMING FROM, AND THAT THIS IS SOMETHING MUCH BIGGER THAN SORT OF BERKELEY AND EVEN THE EAST BAY.

IT REALLY IS A HUGE DRAW.

AND IT IS IMPORTANT TO BOTH, YOU KNOW, APPRECIATE AND ACKNOWLEDGE THAT.

BUT ALSO IT IS IMPORTANT IN TERMS OF FUNDRAISING.

SO THAT'S GOOD.

I THINK I'M GOING TO DISAGREE A LITTLE BIT WITH DIRECTOR SANWONG ON ON HER OTHER POINT ABOUT FUNDRAISING, I'LL SAY IT DIFFERENTLY.

I THINK THAT YOU KNOW, CERTAINLY THE STEAM, IS REALLY IMPORTANT.

I THINK WE SHOULD FIGURE OUT WHAT EXHIBITS BEST REPRESENT THE PARK AND THE PEOPLE AND THE ANIMALS AND FLORA AND EVERYTHING ELSE. AND THEN IF THERE'S A STEAM ANGLE, THEN, SURE, WE CAN MARKET THAT.

BUT I WOULDN'T TRY TO CREATE EXHIBITS SPECIFICALLY FOR STEAM, FOR THE MONEY.

SO THAT'S JUST WHAT I, THAT'S JUST MY OPINION.

[LAUGHTER] SO THOSE THOSE ARE.

YEAH. I MEAN, I THINK THERE'S CERTAINLY ELEMENTS OF MOST EXHIBITS THAT WOULD HAVE A STEAM COMPONENT, BUT I WOULD DO IT THAT WAY RATHER THAN THE OTHER WAY AROUND IS A SHORT WAY OF

[01:45:01]

I'M VERY EXCITED. THIS IS REALLY COMING ALONG.

IT'S VERY HELPFUL TO SEE THIS AS AN INTEGRATED PRESENTATION.

AND I LIKE IT.

I THINK I LIKED THE BRANCH ONE THE BEST BEFORE, BUT I WAS KIND OF HARD TO TELL, LIKE TO MERGE IT ALL.

BUT THIS IS VERY GOOD.

SO EXCITED.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

AND OH, DIRECTOR COFFEY.

I'M SORRY, I WANT TO, I NEED, I WAS REMINDED BY AN ADA PITCH MADE EARLIER THAT I'D LIKE TO ADD MY OWN ADA PITCH BECAUSE I JUST SPENT EASTER WITH SOME FOLKS THAT THIS IS NEAR AND DEAR TO.

THERE IS A LITERATURE OUT THERE NOW THAT I'M READING ABOUT ADULT CHANGING TABLES IN RESTROOMS. AS A FEATURE THAT MORE AND MORE PUBLIC AGENCIES ARE EQUIPPING THEIR NEW FACILITIES WITH. IN MY OWN FAMILY, MY WIFE'S FAMILY, WE HAVE A NIECE WITH BORN WITH RETT SYNDROME.

AND THERE MY BROTHER IN LAW, THE HER PARENTS NEED ADULT CHANGING TABLES.

AND THEY TAKE THIS NOW 20 YEAR OLD NO LONGER CHILD OUT TO PUBLIC SETTINGS LIKE THESE PARKS AND HAVE DIFFICULTY WITH THAT ISSUE.

AND SINCE I NOW SEE IT IN OUR OWN LITERATURE, I FEEL LESS SHY ABOUT RAISING IT AS SOMETHING THAT'S KIND OF LIKE AN OUTLIER IN TERMS OF COSTS AND PLANNING. BUT IF OUR ARCHITECTS KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT IT OR ARE AWARE OF IT OR IF THERE'S SOMETHING I CAN SHARE, LET ME KNOW.

OKAY. OKAY.

ANYTHING ELSE? ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU.

THANKS VERY MUCH.

GREAT PRESENTATION.

THANKS. ALL RIGHT.

SO MOVING RIGHT ALONG.

DO WE HAVE ANY ANNOUNCEMENTS FROM CLOSED SESSION? I DON'T THINK WE DO.

WE DON'T. THANK YOU PRESIDENT ECHOLS. OKAY.

THANKS. YES.

GO AHEAD. I DID HAVE ONE ANNOUNCEMENT.

[BOARD COMMENTS]

AND SHE'S GOING TO COME AND INTRODUCE HERSELF VERY BRIEFLY.

OH, SUSAN'S HERE TO INTRODUCE HER.

I'M SORRY. IF THAT'S ALL RIGHT.

[LAUGHTER] I'M SO PLEASED TO HAVE HER HERE.

SUSAN SHIU, AGM OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS REALLY PLEASED TO INTRODUCE OUR FIRST CHIEF COMMUNICATIONS OFFICER IN THE PUBLIC AFFAIRS DIVISION, JORDAN TRAVERSO. SHE COMES TO US HAVING BEEN APPOINTED AND REAPPOINTED BY THREE GOVERNORS FOR THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA.

IN HER WORK AS DEPUTY COMMUNICATIONS HEAD FOR THE CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF FISH AND WILDLIFE FOR MANY YEARS.

AGAIN, VERY PLEASED TO HAVE HER HERE.

AND I'LL LET HER SAY A FEW WORDS.

THANK YOU. YEAH, THAT'S ABOUT IT.

JORDAN TRAVERSO, 16 YEARS AT FISH AND WILDLIFE WAS A SCHWARZENEGGER APPOINTEE FIRST, FOLLOWED BY BROWN AND THEN MOST RECENTLY, GOVERNOR NEWSOM.

I HAVEN'T STARTED A NEW JOB IN 16 YEARS, SO I'M VERY SLOWLY TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT TO DO HERE.

AND I JUST AM VERY SO FAR, IT'S BEEN VERY WELCOMING.

I DID HAVE AN EVENT THAT I ALREADY GOT TO GO OUT WITH DIRECTOR COFFEY, WHICH WAS REALLY NICE AND MERCURIO, AND SO MEETING PEOPLE AND JUST TRYING TO CATCH UP REAL FAST.

SO THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME HERE.

WELL, WONDERFUL.

WELCOME. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE.

GREAT TO HAVE YOU. OKAY, SO NOW WE'RE ON TO BOARD COMMENTS.

AND I THINK DID I START AT YOUR END LAST TIME? NO OKAY.

I'LL START WITH DIRECTOR ROSARIO.

COOL. THANK YOU.

SINCE THE LAST BOARD MEETING THAT WAS ON.

HERE WE GO. THE 19TH.

SO ON THE 20TH, I ATTENDED THE OPERATIONS COMMITTEE, AND I'M HOPING WE GOT PRESENTED THERE.

THE PROPOSED REORGANIZATION FOR OPERATIONS.

I THINK I RECOMMEND THAT WE THEY GET BROUGHT HERE BECAUSE I THINK EVERYONE WOULD BE INTERESTED IN SEEING THAT THEY'RE GOING BACK TO GEOGRAPHIC AREAS FOR THEIR UNITS.

SO IT'S REALLY INTERESTING.

I THINK IT'S GOING TO BE THE BEST.

AND THEN THAT SAME DAY I ATTENDED THE REGIONAL PARKS WOMEN'S CONFERENCE.

I JUST WANTED TO GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO KATY HORNBECK.

THAT WAS SUCH A POWERFUL AND ALSO WELCOMING AND LEARNING EVENT.

AND I THOUGHT IT WAS VERY WELL ATTENDED AND THE TOPICS WERE JUST, WERE TIMELY AND EVERYONE WAS

[01:50:06]

AND THEN ON THE 21ST, I ATTENDED THE ANNUAL ALAMEDA COUNTY SPECIAL DISTRICT'S ANNUAL EVENT AT THE REDWOOD COUNTY GOLF COURSE.

AND THEN ON THE 24TH, I ATTENDED THE LAKE TEMESCAL HISTORY WALK WITH NATURALIST KEVIN DIXON. THAT WAS GREAT.

I LEARNED THINGS AND SOME NEW THINGS ABOUT TEMESCAL I'D NEVER KNOWN BEFORE.

THE FACT THAT THERE WAS THE NORTHERN SACRAMENTO RIVER, WHAT ACTUALLY WENT OVER ACROSS THE PART OF THE LAKE.

AND THEN WE ALSO THERE WAS A WE ALL DISCOVERED A NICE LARGE GROVE OF A GIANT TRILLIUM, WHICH I'D NEVER SEEN BEFORE, WHICH WAS GREAT.

BUT AS YOU KNOW, KEVIN'S A GREAT NATURALIST.

AND THEN ON THE 25TH ATTENDED THE PAC.

AND I JUST WANTED TO THANK EVERYBODY THERE AND THE NATURALIST FOR THE PRESENTATION ON THE TILDEN JUNIOR RANGER PROGRAM AND THE ADVENTURE CREW PROGRAMS AND HOW THOSE ARE BEING LOOKED AT AND WITH AN EYE TOWARDS MORE ACCESSIBILITY.

SO THERE WAS A REALLY GOOD DISCUSSION WITH THE PAC FOLKS.

AND THEN ON THE 27TH I ATTENDED THE FINANCE COMMITTEE AND TODAY I'M HERE.

AND I'D ALSO LIKE TO REQUEST THAT WE CLOSE TODAY IN HONOR OF CARROLL WILLIAMS, OUR FORMER BOARD MEMBER, AND I CAN GIVE DETAILS LATER.

THANK YOU. DIRECTOR MERCURIO.

CERTAINLY, YES.

SO I MISSED THE LAST MEETING, SO I'VE GOT DOUBLE THE ASSIGNMENT HERE TO REPORT.

SO THE BOARD MEETING ON THE 5TH.

ON THE SIXTH I HAD LUNCH WITH A CONSTITUENT, DAVE HAMMOND, WHO FROM THE ALAMO, WHO ASKED TO MEET WITH ME.

AND WE FOUND A LOT OF THINGS IN COMMON.

IT WAS VERY INTERESTING.

AND BECAUSE OF INCREDIBLY GREAT PLANNING ON MY PART, I THEN WENT ON TO A PROPERTY TOUR OF BURRELL PROPERTY JUST AT THE SOUTHERN END OF DANVILLE, AND LEARNED ALL ABOUT THE LATEST IDEAS ON HOW TO HOW TO PRESENT THAT PROPERTY, THAT HISTORIC PROPERTY AND THE NEXT STEPS THAT ARE GOING TO OCCUR, NAMELY HIRING A GROUP TO STUDY ALTERNATIVES AND HOW WE MIGHT DEVELOP THAT.

AND THEN ON THE 7TH, I WENT TO THE CONTRA COSTA MAYORS CONFERENCE, WHICH WAS PROBABLY THE BEST ONE I'VE BEEN TO IN TERMS OF NETWORKING.

LOTS OF GREAT FOLKS MET SOMEBODY FROM PG&E, WHICH WAS A GOOD CONTACT IN TERMS OF PLACES I'VE SEEN AROUND MY WARD WHERE THEY'VE HAD A NEGATIVE IMPACT ON OUR TRAILS.

AND THEN I WENT TO THE CLOSED SESSION ON THE 11TH OF MARCH, AND THEN ON THE 26TH DIRECTOR COFFEY AND I WERE AT BIG BREAK AT ALL ABILITIES DAY WHICH HUNDREDS OF ADULTS AND CHILDREN BOTH WERE ALL THERE. I'D NEVER HEARD OF THAT BEFORE.

IT'S A GREAT EVENT.

JUST TO SEE ALL THE JOY AND APPRECIATION THAT WAS JUST EMANATING FROM THERE, FROM EVERYBODY, BECAUSE THE PROGRAMS THAT WERE ALL MANY DIFFERENT SORT OF STATIONS THAT THE PARTICIPANTS COULD GO TO WERE, COULD ADDRESS ALL DIFFERENT ABILITIES, YOU KNOW, AS IT SHOULD.

AND THAT'S WHEN I FIRST MET JORDAN, AND WE HAD A NICE CHAT THERE.

AND THE NEXT DAY, ON THE 27TH WAS THE FINANCE COMMITTEE.

AND THE DAY AFTER THAT, ON THE 28TH I HAD A MEETING WITH ERICH AND LISA FROM THE GOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS GROUP TO TALK ABOUT THE DISTRICT GIVING SOME PROMOTION AND ATTENTION TO THE AMERICAN DISCOVERY TRAIL, WHICH WE HOST FOR A GREAT DISTANCE THROUGH OUR DISTRICT.

AND THAT SAME DAY, I MET WITH A FELLOW NAMED DICK [INAUDIBLE], WHO HAS SOME LAND IN DIRECTOR COFFEY'S WARD AND HE WANTED TO MEET WITH A BOARD MEMBER ABOUT THAT AND DIRECTOR COFFEY HAD A CONFLICT OF INTEREST SO I MANAGED TO DO THAT.

SO ANYWAY THAT WAS WHAT I WAS UP TO.

GREAT.

DIRECTOR CORBETT.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

I WANT TO SAY IT WAS GREAT ATTENDING THAT MEETING WITH DEE.

[01:55:02]

I THINK DEE WAS THE ONLY NON WOMAN AT THAT EVENT.

MAYBE 2 OR 3.

[LAUGHTER] BUT IT WAS WONDERFUL TO HAVE DEE THERE TOO.

AND IT WAS A GREAT GET TOGETHER JUST TO HEAR WHAT OUR VARIOUS WOMEN EMPLOYEES ARE DOING IN THE PARK DISTRICT.

AND IT WAS REALLY, REALLY A GREAT, GREAT MEETING.

AND ON MARCH 20TH, WE HAD THE OPERATIONS COMMITTEE MEETING.

IT'S ALREADY BEEN MENTIONED, WHICH WAS VERY GOOD.

MARCH 21ST.

I THINK THAT'S THE RIGHT DATE.

THE ALAMEDA COUNTY MEETING THAT WE HAD WAS THERE WITH MY COLLEAGUE LISTENING TO WHAT'S GOING ON IN MANY OF THE OTHER COUNTIES THROUGHOUT. AND ALWAYS NICE TO HAVE THEM APPRECIATE THE WORK THAT WE DO AS WELL.

AND ON MARCH 27TH I WANT TO JUST REALLY MENTION THIS ONE A BIT.

THIS WAS A MEETING WITH THE STAFF TO TALK ABOUT VARIOUS IMPORTANT PROJECTS GOING ON.

WE DISCUSSED THE MCKAY AVENUE IMPLEMENTATION AREA THE SEWER REPLACEMENT ISSUES WE'RE WORKING ON.

AND SOME OF THE STATISTICS ON THE PARK AND THE VISITATION GOING ON IN THAT AREA.

REALLY, IT'S REALLY WONDERFUL TO HAVE THOSE MEETINGS WITH OUR STAFF ON SPECIAL THINGS HAPPENING IN OUR DISTRICTS.

I'M SO GLAD WE WERE PUTTING THOSE TOGETHER AND GIVING US AN OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE THAT ADDITIONAL CONVERSATION ABOUT THINGS GOING ON IN OUR DISTRICTS, AND THIS REALLY ISN'T A PARK DISTRICT ISSUE, BUT I HOPE YOU ALL HAD A WONDERFUL EASTER JUST RECENTLY AND SPENT TIME WITH YOUR FAMILY AND YOUR NEIGHBORS AND ENJOY THAT GREAT DAY AND WEEKEND.

AND THAT'S IT.

OKAY. THANK YOU, DIRECTOR WAESPI.

THANK YOU. ON THE 20TH, I ATTENDED THE RETIREES LUNCHEON ANNUAL LUNCHEON, AND HAD A SPEAKING PART THERE.

IT WAS A LOT OF FUN.

LOTS AND LOTS OF GREAT PEOPLE.

LOTS AND LOTS OF GREAT RETIREES.

I WON'T GET INTO MY TALK, BUT IT WAS BASED ON A GREAT PRESENTATION GIVEN TO ME BY THE PUBLIC AFFAIRS DEPARTMENT ON OUR 90TH ANNIVERSARY.

AND IT WAS SOME REMINISCENCES OF WHAT WAS GOING ON DURING MY TIME IN THE DISTRICT.

AND IT WAS INTERESTING BECAUSE JERRY KENT ALWAYS TOLD ME, WHENEVER YOU GIVE A PRESENTATION ABOUT HISTORY WITH ANYBODY, IT DOESN'T MATTER WHAT YOU SAY, REALLY, BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, AS LONG AS YOU'RE NOT, YOU KIND OF MAKE STUFF UP IF YOU FORGOT IT.

[LAUGHTER] BUT I CAME INTO THIS ROOM AND THERE WAS JERRY KENT, PAT O'BRIEN, BOB DOYLE AND DAVE ZUCKERMAN.

AND ZUCKERMAN YOU JUST CAN'T GET ANYTHING BY THOSE GUYS.

SO IT WAS ROUGH, BUT IT WAS A LOT OF FUN AND A LOT OF GREAT RETIREES.

I ALSO ATTENDED THE HART FOUNDATION MEETING THAT NIGHT.

IT'S INTERESTING TO SEE THE BLEND OF MEMBERS OF THE HEART FOUNDATION.

STEVE LOVE IS OUR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AT HEART, AND HE'S WORKED HERE FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS.

ON THE 21ST, I ATTENDED THE HASPA MEETING.

WE'RE TRYING DESPERATELY TO GET A JPA WITH HASPA AND SOME NEW MEMBERS.

IT'S BEEN LIKE PULLING TEETH, BUT I THINK WE'RE GOING TO COME TO THIS WILL COME TO FRUITION ON.

APRIL 9TH, HOPEFULLY.

GREAT THINGS GOING ON IN HOUSE WHICH WE'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT AT THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE TOMORROW.

I ALSO ATTENDED THE ALAMEDA COUNTY SPECIAL DISTRICTS ASSOCIATION MEETING DINNER THAT EVENING AND A LOT OF GREAT PEOPLE.

AND HAD A REALLY GOOD EVENT.

ON THE 22ND, I MET WITH EXECUTIVE STAFF AND SOME POLICE OFFICERS AND HELICOPTER PILOTS DOWN AT THE HELICOPTER H EADQUARTERS. HELICOPTER PAD.

HANGAR. THANK YOU.

AND GOT A LOT OF GREAT INFORMATION THERE.

I'VE TAKEN A LOT OF EXCELLENT HIKES IN LAKE CHABOT.

THIS WONDERFUL SPRING.

AND I JUST.

I'D LIKE TO COMPLIMENT THE MAST STAFF AND THE PARK STAFFS IN LAKE CHABOT.

I KNOW THERE WERE A LOT OF WASHOUTS OF CULVERTS IN THE LAST FEW YEARS.

BOY, THEY PUT SOME JUTTING AND NETTING AND PLANTINGS AND CUTTING PATHS AND CLEARING CULVERTS AND IT REALLY WORKED THIS YEAR.

IT WORKED REALLY, REALLY WELL.

SO MY COMPLIMENTS TO THOSE FOLKS.

AND THAT'S IT FOR ME.

OKAY. THANK YOU. YEAH.

REAL QUICK, MARCH 20TH, WE HAD THE OPERATIONS COMMITTEE, AS DEE HAD MENTIONED, AND THEN THE 27TH OF MARCH, WE HAD OUR FINANCE COMMITTEE MEETING.

AND THEN AFTER THAT, I HAD A ZOOM MEETING WITH THE DEL VALLE NEIGHBORS AND ALAMEDA COUNTY SUPERVISOR DAVID HAUBERT AND HIS STAFF.

I DID THAT SOLO BECAUSE NO ONE ON OUR STAFF HERE AT EAST BAY PARKS WAS AVAILABLE.

SO IT WOULD BE GOOD, THOUGH, TO RECONNECT WITH STAFF, AND I'M NOT SURE REALLY HOW TO DO THAT.

[02:00:04]

THANK YOU. DIRECTOR COFFEY.

THANK YOU.

ON THE 20TH, I ATTENDED THE BRIDGE DEDICATION IN BRENTWOOD FOR THE NEW PEDESTRIAN BICYCLE BRIDGE OVER HIGHWAY FOUR AT BRENTWOOD.

IT'S CALLED THE MOKELUMNE PEDESTRIAN BRIDGE AND BIKE BRIDGE.

AND IT ISN'T QUITE A CONNECTION, AS DIRECTOR MERCURIO HAS POINTED OUT TO ME WITH THE MOKELUMNE COAST TO CREST TRAIL, OF WHICH WE ARE A PART, IT IS SORT OF ADJACENT, AND IT DOES CONNECT WITH EVENTUALLY WITH THE MARSH CREEK REGIONAL TRAIL AND DE ANZA TRAIL ON BOTH SIDES OF THIS BRAND NEW BRIDGE.

IT WAS FUNDED BY THE CONTRA COSTA TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY.

IT WAS THEIR PROJECT IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE CITY OF BRENTWOOD, AND THEY WERE KIND ENOUGH TO INVITE ME TO THE RIBBON CUTTING AND DEDICATION.

THE SAVE MOUNT DIABLO NEW FILM ENTITLED VISION OF THE DIABLO RANGE, WAS PREMIERED IN LAFAYETTE AT THE VETERANS CENTER ON THE EVENING OF THE 20TH OF A FEW HUNDRED PEOPLE WERE THERE FOR THE PREMIERE OF THE FILM.

IT WAS A VERY WELL RECEIVED.

OUR BIOLOGIST, DOUG BELL.

DOCTOR BELL IS FEATURED IN THE FILM.

AND IT IS NOW I UNDERSTAND AVAILABLE ON YOUTUBE.

SO LOOK UP SAVE MOUNT DIABLO AND VISION OF THE DIABLO RANGE.

ON THE 23RD.

I ATTENDED CONGRESSMAN DESAULNIER'S ANNUAL BIRTHDAY EVENT IN CONCORD ON THE 26TH.

THAT WAS AS WAS MENTIONED, I ATTENDED THE ALL ABILITIES DAY WHICH WAS AN ADDED FEATURE THIS YEAR WAS A CELEBRATION OF THE 90TH ANNIVERSARY, AND OUR GENERAL MANAGER WAS THERE TO SHARE SOME THOUGHTS ABOUT THE ANNIVERSARY AND MYSELF AND DIRECTOR MERCURIO. AND JOHN, YOU LEFT OUT THE TOUR.

WE DID A SELF-GUIDED TOUR, DIRECTOR MERCURIO AND I AFTER THAT EVENT, SINCE WE WERE RIGHT NEXT DOOR OF WE DROVE OVER AND CHECKED OUT JERSEY ISLAND, WHICH ON A BEAUTIFUL DAY WAS ITSELF WITH CATTLE SPREAD ABOUT WAS A VERY PLEASANT EXPERIENCE TO ENJOY JERSEY ISLAND AND THE SURROUNDING DELTA SURROUNDINGS.

THAT EVENING, I ATTENDED THE STILL ORGANIZATIONAL MARSH CREEK WATERSHED COUNCIL.

AND THAT ORGANIZATION IS MOVING RIGHT ALONG, I BELIEVE I'M NOW ON A COMMITTEE TO DEVELOP BYLAWS FOR THE ORGANIZATION.

ON THE 27TH.

YES, IT'S ALWAYS FUN AS A GROUP TO DEVELOP BYLAWS.

[LAUGHTER] YOU KNOW HOW THAT THAT GOES.

ON THE 27TH, I ATTENDED AN EVENT FOR REPRESENTATIVE ERIC SWALWELL.

IT WAS IN WALNUT CREEK, AND VERY WELL ATTENDED, BUT I WENT OUT OF MY WAY SINCE WE ALL JUST GOT A MEMO FROM THE GENERAL MANAGER THAT A COMMUNITY BENEFIT GRANT ALLOCATION REQUESTED BY REPRESENTATIVE SWALWELL HAD JUST BEEN INCLUDED IN THE BIPARTISAN BUDGET BILL THAT WAS SIGNED BY PRESIDENT BIDEN LAST SATURDAY PRIOR TO THE SATURDAY.

BUT IT WAS NEWLY AFFECTED THAT WE HAD THIS GRANT COMING FOR $1.4 MILLION FOR FIRE MITIGATION.

SO I REALLY WENT OUT OF MY WAY TO GRAB THE CONGRESSMAN AND THANK HIM FOR IT ON BEHALF OF EBRPD.

AND HE JUST HAD A BIG SMILE.

HE WAS VERY HAPPY TO BE ABLE TO PRESENT THAT AND TALK ABOUT IT.

AND I MENTIONED THAT OUR STAFFS WOULD WORK ON SOME SORT OF MUTUAL ANNOUNCEMENT AND EVENT WITH THE CONGRESSMAN ON THE 28TH. THIS IS REALLY A JOY TO DO.

I WAS ABLE TO REPRESENT THE PARK DISTRICT AT THE INVESTITURE CEREMONY OF MOJDEH MEHDIZADEH, WHO IS THE NOW THE 10TH CHANCELLOR OF THE CONTRA COSTA COMMUNITY COLLEGE DISTRICT AND COLLEGE SYSTEM.

MY WIFE HAS WORKED WITH MOJDEH FOR MANY YEARS.

MY WIFE'S VERY ACTIVE IN THE CONTRA COSTA COLLEGE FOUNDATION, AND MOJDEH WAS THE PAST PRESIDENT OF CONTRA COSTA COLLEGE.

AND CONSISTENT WITH CELEBRATING WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH LAST MONTH, IN MARCH, IT WAS POINTED OUT THAT NOT ONLY NOW IS THE

[02:05:01]

THE PRESIDENT OF EACH OF THE THREE COLLEGES IS A WOMAN.

SO THEY HAVE MOVED FAR IN THAT ORGANIZATION AND OTHERWISE.

JUST SPENT SOME VERY NICE DAYS FOR THE LAST COUPLE OF WEEKS OUT ON THE BAY TRAIL.

OKAY, WELL, QUICKLY, I WILL JUST COVER A FEW THINGS TO WRAP UP HERE.

SO ON THE 26TH, I PARTICIPATED IN A MEETING WITH THE ACQUISITION STEWARDSHIP AND DEVELOPMENT LEADERSHIP TEAM.

AND OUR GM.

AND WE WERE ABLE TO SORT OF FLY THROUGH MY DISTRICT AND LOOK AT ALL OF THE DIFFERENT PROJECTS THAT WERE UNDERWAY.

AND I JUST WANTED TO SAY THAT I REALLY DID LIKE AND APPRECIATE THAT FORMAT, BECAUSE IT WAS GREAT TO HAVE ALL OF THE EXPERTS THERE IN THE ROOM AND BE ABLE TO TO LEARN ABOUT THE STATUS AND ASK QUESTIONS OF ALL THESE DIFFERENT PROJECTS.

THAT'S NOT TO SAY THAT I DON'T WANT TO STILL DO THE, THE, YOU KNOW, THE VISITS OUT THERE IN THE FIELD BECAUSE IT'S ALWAYS NOTHING CAN SUBSTITUTE FOR THAT.

BUT THIS WAS A VERY EFFICIENT WAY OF COVERING A LOT OF GROUND.

SO WHOEVER THOUGHT OF THAT IDEA, I APPRECIATE IT.

AND THEN LET'S SEE, YESTERDAY NO, THE FRIDAY WE DID A PRE BOARD MEETING AND YEAH, A LOT OF OTHER THINGS GOING ON, BUT THOSE ARE THE TWO I'LL MENTION FOR NOW.

SO. OKAY.

ALL RIGHT. SO UNLESS THERE'S ANYTHING ELSE.

OH DIRECTOR. OH YES.

DIRECTOR ROSARIO. THANK YOU.

I WANTED TO HONOR OUR FORMER BOARD OF DIRECTOR, CARROLL WILLIAMS. HE PASSED MARCH 1ST, 2024 AT THE AGE OF 94.

HE WAS OUR FIRST BLACK BOARD MEMBER FOR THE PARK DISTRICT.

HE HE SERVED RIGHT AFTER HE WAS APPOINTED, AFTER MARY JEFFERS, I BELIEVE.

AND THEN HE DID HE GOT BEAT OUT BY JEAN SIRI IN THAT ELECTION.

SO BUT HE WAS QUITE ACCOMPLISHED.

HE ATTENDED THE SCHOOL OF NATURAL RESOURCES IN THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN IN 1950, AND HE VOLUNTARILY STEPPED DOWN TO PARTICIPATE IN THE KOREAN WAR.

AND HE DISTINGUISHED HIMSELF IN THE BATTLE OF OUTPOST VEGAS IN NORTH KOREA OR SOUTH KOREA.

AND HE CAME OUT WITH THE RANK OF STAFF SERGEANT.

BUT HE WENT BACK TO UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN, BECAME THE FIRST BLACK STUDENT TO GRADUATE FROM THE MICHIGAN SCHOOL OF NATURAL RESOURCES.

AND THEN HE WAS ALSO HE WAS ALSO THE FIRST AND NOT ONLY THE FIRST BLACK AMERICAN, HE WAS THE FIRST BLACK AMERICAN TO EARN A PHD IN FORESTRY IN THE UNITED STATES, AND ALSO THE FIRST BLACK FORESTER WITH A DOCTORATE TO WORK FOR THE US FOREST SERVICE.

AND HE DEVELOPED THE IPM PROGRAM, WHICH WE NOW ENJOY, INTEGRATED PEST MANAGEMENT IN FORESTRY, WORKING IN OREGON, AND LATER CAME BACK TO UC BERKELEY AND CREATED THE DEPARTMENT OF WHAT WE CALL INTEGRATED PEST MANAGEMENT NOW AND THEN.

HE ALSO WAS THE FIRST BLACK FORESTRY FACULTY MEMBER AT UC BERKELEY TO SPEAK AT UC BERKELEY AND REGULARLY TAUGHT CLASSES IN FOREST AND WILDLIFE RESOURCE CONSERVATION AND FOREST HEALTH.

SO HE WAS INCREDIBLY ACCOMPLISHED.

I HAD THE PLEASURE OF KNOWING HIM AS A MEMBER OF THE REGIONAL PARKS ASSOCIATION.

VARIOUS I MEAN, WITH ALL OF THESE ACCOMPLISHMENTS HE'S VERY SOFT SPOKEN, BUT VERY, VERY INTELLIGENT.

AND HAD THE NATURAL WORLD IN HIS HEART ALWAYS.

AND HE HAD A WONDERFUL FAMILY.

I TRIED TO TALK HIS DAUGHTER INTO RUNNING FOR HIS SEAT, BUT BECAUSE SHE'S SO SMART.

BUT ANYWAY I FOR SURE WILL MISS HIM.

I THINK HIS FAMILY WILL MISS HIM.

THE WORLD WILL MISS HIM. HE STARTED SOMETHING THAT GOES BEYOND HIM, AND HE'S LEFT AN INCREDIBLE LEGACY, WHICH WE ENJOY TODAY.

SO THANK YOU.

AND THANK YOU TOO AND CONDOLENCES TO HIS FAMILY.

YEAH, MY HEART FELT CONDOLENCES AS WELL.

AND THANK YOU, DEE FOR THAT BEAUTIFUL TRIBUTE.

AND WE WILL ADJOURN IN HIS HONOR.

SO WE WILL ADJOURN IN THE HONOR OF CARROLL WILLIAMS. THANKS.

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.