[00:00:01]
OKAY. HELLO, EVERYBODY. IT SEEMS LIKE WE WERE JUST HERE.
MUST BE HAVING FUN, AND SO THIS IS REGULAR PARK ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEETING OF THE EAST BAY REGIONAL PARK DISTRICT ON MAY 20TH, 2024, STARTING AT 4:10 P.M..
[Roll Call]
MR. CLERK, COULD YOU PLEASE CALL THE ROLL? 12 MEMBERS PRESENT.GREAT. THANK YOU, AND NOW I'LL READ OUR NORMAL BLURB ABOUT THE ZOOM PROCEDURES.
SO TODAY'S MEETING IS HELD PURSUANT TO THE BROWN ACT.
THE EAST BAY REGIONAL PARK DISTRICT OR PARK DISTRICT INTENDS TO HOLD MEETINGS THROUGH A HYBRID PLATFORM OF IN-PERSON AND REMOTE ATTENDANCE TO ALLOW MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC TO PARTICIPATE VIA REMOTE ATTENDANCE THROUGH THE PARK DISTRICT'S VIRTUAL PLATFORM, ZOOM.
THE PARK ADVISORY MEMBERS AND DESIGNATED STAFF WILL, WITH LIMITED EXCEPTIONS, PARTICIPATE IN PERSON AT THE PARK DISTRICT HEADQUARTERS, 2950 PERALTA OAKS COURT, OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA, AND OCCASIONALLY MEMBERS OF THE PARK ADVISORY COMMITTEE MAY ATTEND REMOTELY PURSUANT TO THE BROWN ACT, AS AMENDED BY AB 2449 PURSUANT TO THE GOVERNMENT CODE, SECTION 54953, SUBDIVISION B, ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEMBER DENISHA MARSH WILL PARTICIPATE FROM 352 SHORELINE DRIVE, PITTSBURG, CALIFORNIA.
THIS NOTICE AND AGENDA WILL BE POSTED AT THE TELECONFERENCE LOCATION ACCESSIBILITY TO AND PUBLIC COMMENT FROM THIS ADDRESS WILL BE PROVIDED AS REQUIRED BY GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION 54953B3. WE ARE PROVIDING LIVE AUDIO AND VIDEO STREAMING.
THE. THIS INFORMATION IS NOTED ON THE AGENDA.
IF THERE ARE NO QUESTIONS ABOUT THE MEETING PROCEDURES, WE WILL BEGIN.
MADAM VICE CHAIR, COULD YOU PLEASE READ OUR LAND ACKNOWLEDGMENT? WE HUMBLY ACKNOWLEDGE THAT WE ARE ON THE UNCEDED LANDS OF THE OHLONE PEOPLE, AND THAT THE EAST BAY REGIONAL PARK DISTRICT'S HEADQUARTERS IS LOCATED WITHIN THE HUCHIUN TERRITORY, WHICH IS OUR TRADITIONAL, ANCESTRAL, AND SHARED HOMELAND.
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 OUR SURVIVAL, AND IMPORTANT TO CULTURAL PRACTICES, ALL WHILE PASSING DOWN THEIR KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERTISE.
WE HONOR WITH GRATITUDE THE LAND ITSELF, THE WILDLIFE LIVING IN THESE LANDS, AND THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE STEWARDED SINCE TIME IMMEMORIAL AND WHO CONTINUE TO REMAIN DEEPLY CONNECTED TO IT TODAY.
THANK YOU, AND AS NOTED EARLIER, MEMBER MARSH IS JOINING US REMOTELY TODAY.
SO I'LL TAKE ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO APPROVE HER REMOTE ATTENDANCE.
IS THAT RIGHT? MR. SECRETARY, COULD YOU PLEASE TAKE THE ROLL CALL VOTE? ROLL CALL? YOU DON'T NEED TO VOTE ON ON THIS ITEM.
SHE'S PRE-APPROVED UNDER A SEPARATE AUTHORITY.
EXCELLENT. THANK YOU, AND MEMBER MARSH, COULD YOU PLEASE CONFIRM WHETHER THERE ARE INDIVIDUALS 18 YEARS OR OLDER IN THE ROOM WITH YOU? NO, THERE'S NO ONE WITH ME.
OKAY MOVING ON TO APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES.
[Approval of Minutes]
SO THE MINUTES THAT WERE ATTACHED TO OUR AGENDA PACKET WERE THE MINUTES FROM MARCH.[Public Comments on Items Not on the Agenda]
THAT ARE NOT ON THE AGENDA.[00:05:02]
I NOTE THAT WE RECEIVED COMMENTS BY EMAIL FROM ONE GROUP REGARDING THE JUNIOR RANGER, SO I DON'T KNOW IF ALL OF YOU SAW THOSE BY EMAIL.THOSE ARE FAIRLY LENGTHY COMMENTS, SO I ENCOURAGE YOU ALL TO READ THOSE.
THERE WERE SOMETHING LIKE 100 SIGNATORIES TO THAT COMMENT, AND SO PLEASE DO TAKE A LOOK AT THAT.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER COMMENTS OR CARDS? WE HAVE ONE IN THE ROOM.
NICK [INAUDIBLE]. MR. [INAUDIBLE], PLEASE STEP FORWARD. GOOD AFTERNOON.
MY NAME IS NICK [INAUDIBLE]. I'M HERE TO SPEAK UPON THE SAME TOPIC THAT EMAIL WAS ABOUT.
I'M ALSO A SIGNATORY TO THAT EMAIL.
I WANT TO SPEAK A LITTLE BIT TO HOW IT GOT TO THAT POINT.
CHILDREN MEET CURRENTLY ONCE A WEEK THROUGHOUT THE SCHOOL YEAR, AND THEN THEY HAVE ONCE A MONTH.
THEY DO AN OVERNIGHT, USUALLY A BACKPACKING, TO ONE OF THE SITES IN THE TILDEN REGIONAL PARKS.
I HAVE TWO CHILDREN WHO ARE CURRENTLY PARTICIPATING IN THAT PROGRAM.
APPROXIMATELY A YEAR AND A HALF AGO, WE STARTED TO HEAR SOME RUMORS.
SOME OF THE JUNIOR RANGERS HEARD SOME RUMORS THAT THE PROGRAM WAS LIKELY TO BE CUT BY 50% THAT YEAR.
WE WERE ABLE TO GET SOME SECUREMENT FROM MANAGEMENT THAT THE PROGRAM WOULD NOT BE CUT THAT YEAR.
HAD A MEETING WITH THE FAMILIES AND THE CURRENT JUNIOR RANGERS.
AT THAT TIME, THEY LET US KNOW THAT THERE WAS NO PLANS AT THAT TIME TO CUT THAT.
THEY WERE LOOKING AT PROGRAMS, BUT THEY HAD NO SPECIFIC PLANS, AND WE WERE GUARANTEED, WE WERE TOLD THAT WE WOULD BE HAVE FURTHER COMMUNICATION BEFORE ANY, ANY CUTS WOULD BE MADE OR ANY CHANGES TO THE PROGRAM WOULD BE MADE.
IT WAS MY UNDERSTANDING THAT SHORTLY THEREAFTER THEY MET WITH THIS ADVISORY COMMITTEE TO SHARE THE RESULTS OF THAT SURVEY, AND AT THE TIME THEY WERE THEY AGAIN, MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT THEY WERE TOLD THAT THE NEXT STEP WOULD BE FURTHER ENGAGEMENT WITH THE COMMUNITY.
BASICALLY, WE SAW THEM IMPLEMENT THE EXACT SAME CUTS THAT WE HAD HEARD RUMORS ABOUT A YEAR AND A HALF BEFORE, WHICH WE WERE TOLD WERE NOT GOING TO BE M ADE, AND THERE WAS NO PLANS TO MAKE THEM AT THAT TIME.
THIS WAS VERY SHOCKING TO ALL OF US, PARTICULARLY HAVING JUST BEEN RECENTLY MET WITH THE MANAGEMENT.
FELT VERY BETRAYED, FELT THAT WE HAD BEEN LIED TO, KIND OF GOT THE IMPRESSION THAT WE HAD BEEN TOLD BY MANAGEMENT SOMETHING SPECIFICALLY SO THAT WE WOULD QUIET OUR ADVOCACY SO THAT THEY COULD PUSH THESE CHANGES THROUGH WITHOUT FURTHER INTERFERENCE FROM THE PARTICIPANTS IN THAT PROGRAM.
SO I'M COMING HERE TODAY TO ASK YOU TO HELP THE JUNIOR RANGER PROGRAM IN TABLING THESE CUTS.
I UNDERSTAND THAT THERE MAY BE SOME CHANGES THAT NEED TO BE MADE, BUT THE WAY THAT THEY HAVE BEEN MADE AND THE WAY THAT THEY HAVE AFFECTED THE JUNIOR RANGER COMMUNITY HAS, HAS BEEN SOMETHING THAT HAS BEEN VERY DISAPPOINTING AND DOES NOT SEEM TO BE IN THE SPIRIT OR THE WAY THAT SOMETHING SHOULD BE RUN FOR A PUBLIC ORGANIZATION--YOU'RE THREE MINUTES ARE UP. SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC ON ITEMS THAT ARE NOT ON THE AGENDA? THERE ARE NINE PEOPLE IN THE ROOM WITH THEIR HANDS RAISED.
OKAY. I CAN'T SEE THEM, BUT WE CAN JUST TAKE THEM IN ORDER, AND JUST A REMINDER THAT PUBLIC COMMENTS ARE LIMITED TO THREE MINUTES PER PERSON.
I'M SORRY, WAS I INVITED TO SPEAK, I GOT PROMOTED.
I DIDN'T HEAR THE INSTRUCTIONS.
HELLO. MY NAME IS REBECCA MILLIKEN, AND I'M A RESIDENT OF EL CERRITO.
MY SON IS A HIGH SCHOOL AIDE IN THE TILDEN JUNIOR RANGER PROGRAM.
[00:10:06]
AGAIN. AS YOU HEARD BEFORE, ABOUT A YEAR AGO, WE LEARNED THROUGH BACK CHANNELS THAT THE PROGRAM WAS THREATENED.I, ALONG WITH OTHER MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY, WE REACHED OUT TO THE PARKS ADVISORY COMMITTEE AND THE BOARD BEGGING FOR TO COLLABORATE WITH US ON A NEW VISION FOR THE JUNIOR RANGERS PROGRAM.
WE SENT OVER 50 LETTERS TO THE BOARD AND MANAGEMENT.
WE OFFERED TESTIMONY FROM YOUTH AND PARENTS ALIKE SPEAKING TO THIS UNIQUE IMPACT OF THE 75 PLUS YEAR PROGRAM, AND WE OFFERED MANY IDEAS AND SOLUTIONS ON HOW TO REACH A BROADER AUDIENCE, HOW WE COULD REDUCE EXPENSES, BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY, WE INVITED COLLABORATION, AND AS YOU HEARD, THANKS TO THAT, ADVOCACY CUTS WERE DELAYED FOR THE CURRENT 20 2324 PROGRAM YEAR, AND THIS WINTER, THE TILDEN SUPERVISING NATURALISTS ASKED THE JUNIOR RANGER COMMUNITY TO PARTICIPATE IN A SURVEY.
INVITED US TO THIS MEETING TO SHARE THE RESULTS.
THE FEEDBACK FROM THE FAMILIES INDICATED THAT CONTINUITY.
CONTINUITY WAS ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT ASPECTS OF THE JUNIOR RANGER PROGRAM, THAT THE REGULAR WEEKLY MEETINGS AND MONTHLY OVERNIGHTS LED TO A TIGHT KNIT AND SUPPORTIVE COMMUNITY ACROSS YOUTH FROM A RANGE OF AGES AND BACKGROUNDS, WITH NATURALISTS AND WITH STUDENT AIDES FAMILIES DEEPLY APPRECIATED AND WANTED TO CONTINUE THE CURRENT SCHEDULE OF PROGRAMMING. THERE WAS GOODWILL WITH MANAGEMENT AND A PROMISE TO CONTINUE TO WORK WITH FAMILIES.
THERE WAS NO DISCUSSION OF CUTS THEN, AS YOU HEARD, WITHOUT ANY FURTHER ENGAGEMENT.
THE LETTER CAME AFTER A PROMISE OF CONTINUED DIALOG.
THIS IS NOT JUST ABOUT DEPTH OF PROGRAMMING VERSUS BREADTH, AND IT'S NOT JUST A NUMBERS GAME.
IT'S ABOUT THE BREACH OF PUBLIC TRUST, AND IT GOES AGAINST THE EAST BAY REGIONAL PARKS DISTRICT VISION STATEMENT TO ENSURE OPEN AND INCLUSIVE PUBLIC PROCESSES AND I'M ASKING YOUR HELP TODAY TO ENCOURAGE THE BOARD AND THE MANAGEMENT TO TABLE THE CUTS ONCE AGAIN AND ENGAGE IN A GENUINE DIALOG WITH THE COMMUNITY TO IMPROVE AND EXPAND THE PROGRAM WHILE PROTECTING ITS CORE VALUES.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME AND FOR YOUR SERVICE TO THE DISTRICT.
GREAT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THOSE COMMENTS.
APOLOGIES, BUT I THINK I WAS PROMPTED TO SPEAK AGAIN, AND I THINK YOUR NEXT SPEAKER, MAX MAKITA, HAS LOST HIS PANELIST VIEW BECAUSE I WAS PROMPTED TO SPEAK AGAIN AND UNMUTE.
YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES, MARSHA.
I JUST HEARD ABOUT THIS PROPOSED CHANGE.
TWO DAYS AGO, AND I'M GLAD I GET A CHANCE TO ADDRESS IT.
I'M A PARENT OF TWO FORMER JUNIOR RANGER AND WHO BECAME JUNIOR RANGER AIDES AND PARTICIPATED WITH THE PROGRAM OVER A TEN YEAR PERIOD FROM 1989 TO 1999.
[00:15:04]
I HAVE STILL VERY, VERY DEEP AND LASTING COMMITMENT AND INTEREST IN SEEING THE JUNIOR RANGER PROGRAM CONTINUE AS IT WAS RUN AT THE TIME, AND I KNOW THAT THINGS NEED TO CHANGE, BUT I DO THINK THAT THERE ARE SOME REALLY IMPORTANT PARTS OF THE PROGRAM THAT I THINK COLLABORATING WITH PARENTS AND THE COMMUNITY WILL HELP TO PRESERVE, WELL, ENHANCING THE EAST BAY PARKS PROGRAMMING. THERE'S A RICH RICH HISTORY HERE.THERE IS A LOT OF BUILT UP GOODWILL AND CONTRIBUTION BY THE KIDS THAT WENT THROUGH THE JUNIOR RANGER PROGRAM THAT HAS SPREAD THROUGHOUT THE EAST BAY, THE COMMUNITY AND EVERYWHERE.
MY DAUGHTER DOES ENVIRONMENTAL WORK NOW, AND SO I CAN REALLY UNDERSTAND THE IMPACT OF THE JUNIOR RANGER PROGRAM. SO I URGE YOU TO TABLE THE CUTS AND ENGAGE WITH THE COMMUNITY SO THAT CAN STRENGTHEN THE PROGRAM AND CALL ON THE GOODWILL, RESTORED GOODWILL, THAT THIS PROGRAM HAS CREATED OVER THE YEARS.
I MYSELF AM VERY WILLING TO DO WHAT I CAN TO SEE THAT THE PROGRAM CONTINUES.
HI, CAN YOU HEAR ME? YES. GO AHEAD. YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES.
THANK YOU. MY NAME IS JOEL IRVIS AND MY SON PARTICIPATES IN THE JUNIOR RANGERS PROGRAM.
STAFF SPECIFICALLY STATED THAT THE NEXT STEPS INCLUDED TO, AND THIS IS PER THE TRANSCRIPT, QUOTE, FIGURE OUT WHAT, IF ANYTHING, WE DO WANT TO PROPOSE AND THEN GO TO NOT JUST STAFF, BUT GO TO THE JUNIOR RANGER FAMILIES AND DISCUSS THE BEST WAYS TO DO THAT, END QUOTE.
THIS WASN'T THE FIRST TIME STAFF HAD PROMISED TO ENGAGE THE JR FAMILIES.
AS MENTIONED, IN FEBRUARY OF THIS YEAR, STAFF MADE A SIMILAR COMMITMENT TO DISCUSS POTENTIAL CHANGES WITH JR MEMBERS, AND YET, TO OUR DISMAY, JUST TWO WEEKS AFTER MAKING THAT COMMITMENT IN FRONT OF THIS COMMITTEE WITHOUT ANY ADDITIONAL COMMUNICATION OR ENGAGEMENT, STAFF ANNOUNCED DEEP, DEEP CUTS TO THE JR PROGRAM, INCLUDING A 40% REDUCTION IN OVERNIGHT TRIPS AND REDUCING REGULAR GATHERINGS TO EVERY OTHER WEEK.
THE REGULAR MEETINGS AND TRIPS ARE FUNDAMENTAL TO FOSTERING NOT ONLY A STRONG AND LIFETIME LOVE OF THE PARK AND THE ENVIRONMENT, BUT ALSO THE WONDERFUL, FULFILLING RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN KIDS AND ADULTS OF DIFFERENT AGES AND BACKGROUNDS.
THIS IS A COMMUNITY WHERE KIDS CAN BE THEMSELVES AND BE ACCEPTED FOR WHO THEY ARE.
THAT INCLUDES KIDS WHO HAVE BEEN BULLIED FOR NOT BEING PERCEIVED AS ATHLETIC ENOUGH IN SPORTS.
KIDS WITH NEURODIVERSITY AND KIDS WITH A WIDE RANGE OF GENDER EXPRESSIONS.
FIRST, HELP US CONVINCE DISTRICT MANAGEMENT TO TABLE THE PLANNED CUTS.
THIS IS A FABULOUS OPPORTUNITY FOR DISTRICT MANAGEMENT TO WORK WITH US, TO ENSURE THE PROGRAM IS AS STRONG AND AS MEANINGFUL AS POSSIBLE AS IT CONTINUES TO EVOLVE, NOT JUST FOR CURRENT MEMBERS, BUT FOR GENERATIONS TO COME.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME TODAY.
ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THOSE COMMENTS.
NADIA, YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES.
[00:20:07]
HI. HELLO, CAN YOU HEAR ME? YES. WE CAN HEAR YOU.I'M VERY MUCH CONCERNED ABOUT THE CUTS PLANNED FOR JUNIOR RANGER PROGRAMS. I'M A PARENT OF JUNIOR RANGER, AND I KNOW FIRSTHAND HOW LIFE CHANGING THIS PROGRAM IS.
THE JUNIOR RANGER PROGRAM IS A HIGHLIGHT OF MY SON'S WEEK.
THE PROGRAM HAS BECOME MORE RACIALLY AND ETHNICALLY DIVERSE IN RECENT YEARS.
IT CREATES STRUCTURE AND IDENTITY FOR MANY KIDS.
THEY LEARN RESILIENCE THAT IS CRUCIAL FOR THEM.
THIS IMPACT CAN HARDLY BE REPLICATED IF THE PROGRAM IS SEVERELY CUT.
BEFORE FINALIZING THE CHANGES.
IT IS CRUCIAL FOR THE DISTRICT TO ENGAGE MORE WITH THOSE AFFECTED.
JUNIOR RANGERS, AIDES AND FAMILIES.
THE DECISION MAKING PROCESS THUS FAR HAS LEFT MANY OF US FEELING FRUSTRATED AND DISAPPOINTED.
RESPECTFULLY, I ASKED THAT YOU RECONSIDER THE PLANNED CHANGES.
PLEASE LET THE PARENT COMMUNITY KNOW HOW WE CAN HELP.
PLEASE UNMUTE YOUR YOUR DEVICE.
HI. YES, MY NAME IS ANNETTE OVERBY.
I FELT I HAD TO SPEAK OUT WHEN I HEARD ABOUT THE PLAN TO CUT FUNDING TO THE JR PROGRAM.
IN FACT, HE CONSIDERS TILDEN HIS SECOND HOME.
THEY, THEIR FAMILY, FRIENDS AND NEIGHBORS WILL REMEMBER THAT THE DISTRICT AND ITS MANAGEMENT ARE NOT TRANSPARENT AND DO NOT KEEP THEIR PROMISES, LEADING THEM TO CONCLUDE THAT THEY HAVE LITTLE CONCERN FOR THE PUBLIC THEY SERVE AND CANNOT BE TRUSTED.
I CHOOSE TO BE HOPEFUL THAT THEY WANT TO EARN THAT TRUST BACK BY NOT CUTTING THE FUNDING AND KEEPING THEIR PROMISE TO WORK WITH THE PARENTS AND THE JRS INTERESTED PARTIES.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR THOSE COMMENTS.
GO AHEAD. YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES.
HI, MY NAME IS AMANDA ACHESON.
[00:25:06]
MY OLDER DAUGHTER, LUCY, WAS A JUNIOR RANGER FOR NINE YEARS AND GRADUATED OUT OF THE PROGRAM TWO YEARS AGO, AND MY 15 YEAR OLD, ANNIE, HAS BEEN IN THE PROGRAM FOR SIX YEARS AND I CAN SAY THAT FOR ALL OF US JUNIOR RANGERS WAS, IS AND WAS THE HIGHLIGHT OF OUR WEEK.IT WAS AN INVALUABLE ADDITION TO OUR LIVES OF LEARNING INDEPENDENCE, OF FOSTERING A DEEP AND ONGOING LOVE OF THE OUTDOORS, AND AN INTEREST IN CONSERVATION AND A DEEP LOVE OF THE REGIONAL PARKS, ALL OF THEM, BUT ESPECIALLY TILDEN, AND IT PROVIDED AN INCREDIBLE OPPORTUNITIES TO KIDS WHO ARE DIFFERENT AND DON'T FEEL COMFORTABLE NOR WELCOME IN THE TYPICAL KID ACTIVITIES SUCH AS REC TEAMS OR CUB SCOUTS OR THOSE KIND OF THINGS.
JUNIOR RANGERS GET TO EXPERIENCE THE OUTDOORS.
THEY MEET OTHER KIDS WHO ARE DIFFERENT LIKE THEY ARE, AS WELL AS DIFFERENT FROM THEM.
THEY LEARN ACCEPTANCE OF THEMSELVES AND OTHERS AND THEY LEARN TO JUST LOVE THE OUTDOORS, GET OFF OUT OF THE HOUSE, OFF THEIR PHONES, AND EXPERIENCE LIFE AS A KID SHOULD, PLAYING AND GETTING DIRTY, LEARNING TO COOPERATE WITH OTHERS AND I THINK THE DEPARTMENT HAS KIND OF GOTTEN IT WRONG.
THEY'RE EXCHANGING ONE OF THE MOST MEANINGFUL PROGRAMS EAST BAY REGIONAL PARK HAS TO OFFER THE EQUIVALENT OF MORE EYEBALLS OR CLICKS ON A WEBSITE WITHOUT BOTHERING TO SEE HOW DEEPLY THOSE CLICKS GO.
I'M IN TOUCH WITH PREVIOUS JUNIOR RANGERS, WHO ARE NOW MY AGE IN THEIR 50S, AND THEY ARE DEVASTATED THAT THESE CUTS ARE GOING ON AND THEY DON'T EVEN HAVE KIDS IN IT BECAUSE IT MEANT THAT MUCH TO THEM GROWING UP, AND YES, TILDEN WILL HAVE MORE RANGERS AVAILABLE FOR OTHER WEEKEND PROGRAMS, BUT WHAT'S MORE IMPORTANT, THE NUMBER OF PROGRAMS AND THE SHEER NUMBER OF PEOPLE COMING THROUGH ARE THE DEEP SUCCESS AND THE DEEP WAY YOU TOUCH CHILDREN, AND IT'S NOT A ZERO SUM GAME.
. YOU CAN DO BOTH, AND LIKE EVERYBODY ELSE, I ALSO WANT TO SPEAK OUT IN THE WAY THIS WAS UNDERTAKEN WHEN I WAS IN THE PROGRAM, AND TIM RAN THE PROGRAM BACK IN THE 80S. WE WERE INVOLVED.
IT WAS LIKE A BIG FAMILY GROUP, AND THAT'S JUST NOT THE WAY IT IS WITH THIS MANAGEMENT.
THIS CURRENT MANAGEMENT HAS NEVER BEEN INVOLVED, NEVER INVOLVED THE USERS.
THEY HAD NEVER SENT OUT A THEY THEY PROPOSED ALL THESE CUTS WITHOUT EVEN BOTHERING TO KNOW, LIKE WHAT IT MEANT TO PEOPLE, AND AT OUR URGING, THEY THEN SENT OUT A QUESTIONNAIRE AND THEY WERE AMAZED AT HOW THIS PROGRAM WOULD TOUCH PEOPLE'S LIVES, AND TO PUT IT BLUNTLY, IT APPEARS TO US THAT MANAGEMENT NEVER REALLY INTENDED AT ALL TO INCLUDE US.
A YEAR AND A HALF EARLIER, THEY LIED REPEATEDLY AND FAILED TO MEET THE STANDARDS OF THE PUBLICLY FUNDED AGENCY THAT, ON ITS OWN WEBSITE, TALKS ABOUT ENSURING AN OPEN AND INCLUSIVE PUBLIC PROCESS.
OKAY. I GUESS I'M ASKING THE SAME THING, THAT THE CUTS BE TABLED AND WE GET REAL INVOLVEMENT FROM THEM, AS WELL AS SOMEONE FROM THE COMMUNITY FROM, YOU KNOW, A HIGHER UP MANAGEMENT POSITION, WORKING WITH THEM TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY ARE ACTUALLY DOING WHAT THEY SAY THEY'RE GOING TO DO.
GO AHEAD. YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES.
HI. OKAY, I HAVE MY, ALL RIGHT.
THEY'VE BEEN IN THIS PROGRAM FOR.
WELL, MY OLDEST HAS BEEN IN THIS PROGRAM FOR THREE, FOUR YEARS, AND MY DAUGHTER HAS BEEN IN THIS PROGRAM FOR FIVE ACTUALLY FOUR, I DON'T KNOW. THEY'LL BE IN THIS PROGRAM FOR SEVERAL YEARS UNTIL THEY GRADUATE.
YOU HAVE HEARD FROM THE FAMILIES HOW GOOD THE PROGRAM IS, AND YOU HAVE ALSO HEARD FROM STAFF IN THE PAST SEVERAL MEETINGS HOW GOOD AND SUCCESSFUL THIS PROGRAM IS.
I WANT TO [INAUDIBLE] SOME QUESTIONS ABOUT THE CUTS THAT WERE ANNOUNCED.
[00:30:09]
ON THE PARK'S LONGITUDINAL PROGRAM.WHAT'S THE REPORT'S CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS? I HAVEN'T SEEN IT.
TWO, IS STAFF PRAISED THE PROGRAM AS BEING WONDERFUL, SUCCESSFUL WITH A LONG HISTORY.
DO WE KNOW IF RICHMOND RANGERS, OAKLAND ATHLETICS AND THE OTHER INITIATIVES ARE SUCCESSFUL.
HAVE YOU SEEN THEIR RETENTION AND ATTENDANCE DATA? RIGHT. SO THESE ARE GREAT THINGS TO TRY WHEN THEY ARE PROVEN SUCCESSFUL.
I THINK EVERYBODY WOULD SUPPORT AN EXPANSION OR EXTENSION OF THE JR PROGRAM OR SOMETHING SIMILAR TO IT, BUT T HERE HASN'T BEEN EVIDENCE THAT ANYTHING OTHER THAN THIS TRADITIONAL JR PROGRAM IS ABLE TO DELIVER THAT KIND OF SUCCESS A JR PROGRAM HAS.
ALSO, POSSIBLY, THE BOARD AND ALSO STAFF HAS BEEN RELYING ON FAULTY DATA.
IT WAS MENTIONED THAT THE PROGRAM RUNS NINE MONTHS A YEAR.
SO THE OVERALL RESOURCE IS MISREPORTED BY MORE THAN 20%.
RIGHT. THAT'S YOU KNOW, IF WE DO NOTHING, JUST FIX THE DATA, WE HAVE 20% COST SAVINGS.
THE FAMILY SURVEY THAT WE TALKED ABOUT FROM EARLIER THIS YEAR I CAN PROVIDE A LINK.
SIR, YOUR THREE MINUTES ARE UP.
YES? YOUR THREE MINUTES ARE UP.
THANK YOU FOR THE CHANCE TO SPEAK.
GO AHEAD. YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES.
MY FAMILY HAS ALWAYS BEEN AN OUTDOOR FAMILY.
WE GO ON HIKES ALL THE TIME, WE BACKPACK.
SO I STARTED JRS IN FIFTH GRADE AND HOPES TO BROADEN MY LOVE OF THE OUTDOORS.
BEING ABLE TO GO TO JRS EVERY SATURDAY MORNING AND LEARN MORE AND MORE ABOUT NATURE, AND THE BEST STRATEGIES AND SKILLS FOR BACKPACKING AND ADVENTURING, WAS ONE OF THE GREATEST WAYS FOR MY YOUNGER SELF TO FIND HERSELF.
SHE AND I BEGAN TEACHING MY FRIENDS AND TAKING MY WHOLE FAMILY OUT ON HIKES THAT I GOT TO LEAD.
ECHOING EVERYTHING THAT THOSE BEFORE ME HAVE SAID.
I WAS SURPRISED WHEN HEARING THAT CONSIDERABLE CUTS WERE BEING MADE TO THE PROGRAM.
WHEN I SUDDENLY GOT AN EMAIL WITH PLANS FOR THE UPCOMING YEARS.
I KEPT THINKING THAT SOME OF THESE ALREADY HAVE FIXES.
WE ARE HERE. WE ARE HERE TO HELP THE JR NATURALIST.
WE WANT TO SUPPORT AND REPRESENT THE PARK, AND WE SIGNED UP TO GUIDE THE YOUNGER JRS.
WE ARE HERE AND WE WANT TO HELP.
USE US AS LEADERS THAT WE ARE AND THE LEADERS THAT WE WANT TO BE.
I WILL SEND THAT EMAIL OUT SHORTLY AFTER THIS MEETING TO ALL THE COMMITTEE MEMBERS, AND I HOPE THAT YOU WILL WATCH IT AND SEE HOW MUCH OF AN IMPACT THE JUNIOR RANGER PROGRAM MAKES ON ALL THE LIVES THAT IT TOUCHES.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS TODAY.
[00:35:16]
HI, I AM KATE DEO.YOU JUST HEARD FROM MY DAUGHTER WHO HAS BEEN IN THE PROGRAM, AS YOU HEARD FOR SIX YEARS AND IS NOW AN AIDE, AND I'M HERE TO LEND ANOTHER VOICE TO THIS ISSUE. THE PROGRAM HAS BEEN A FORMATIVE PART OF HER IDENTITY, WHEREIN OVER THE COURSE OF CONSISTENT ENGAGEMENT, SHE ESTABLISHED DEEP AND DIVERSE RELATIONSHIPS WITH PEERS, PEER LEADERS, AND PROGRAM STAFF ACROSS DIFFERENT AGES AND GENDERS AND GEOGRAPHIES.
AS A RESULT OF HER WEEKLY IMMERSION IN THE PROGRAM, SHE HAS BECOME AN ADVOCATE FOR THE ENVIRONMENT AND AND OUTDOOR RECREATION AND HAS GROWN TO TAKE ON LEADERSHIP ROLES IN THESE AREAS.
IT IS DISHEARTENING TO ME THAT A PROGRAM THAT RELIES ON RELATIONSHIP BUILDING TO FACILITATE AND DEEPEN ENGAGEMENT WITH THE OUTDOORS AND BUILD FUTURE LEADERS IS NOW BEING REDUCED TO A FORMAT THAT WOULD DILUTE THOSE EXACT RESULTS.
IT IS ALSO DISHEARTENING THAT THE JEWISH COMMUNITY WAS NOT INITIALLY INFORMED OF ANY PROPOSED CHANGES, AND THEN, AFTER BEING PROMISED THAT WE WOULD BE INCLUDED IN DISCUSSIONS AROUND THE FUTURE OF THE PROGRAM, THE FINAL DECISION WAS MADE WITHOUT US.
THAT'S IN BAD FAITH AND, FRANKLY, BAD BUSINESS, BECAUSE THE JEWISH COMMUNITY HAS COLLECTIVELY COME UP WITH SOME EASILY ACTIONABLE WAYS WE AS A COMMUNITY CAN PITCH IN TO SUPPORT AND EXPAND THE PROGRAM INTO SOMETHING THAT ADDRESSES BOTH THE JR COMMUNITIES AND THE DISTRICT'S CONCERNS.
WE CAN OFFER OUR SKILL SETS, OUR WILLINGNESS TO VOLUNTEER OUT IN THE FIELD, AND FINANCIAL SUPPORT.
THE AIDES WOULD WELCOME ADDITIONAL LEADERSHIP OPPORTUNITIES AND WOULD BE OUTSTANDING RESOURCES FOR A RE-ENVISIONED PROGRAM, BUT WE'VE NOT BEEN GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY TO LEARN ALL THE FACTS AND PRESENT THESE OPTIONS, AND TO WORK WITH YOU TO REIMAGINE HOW TO COLLECTIVELY RUN THIS PROGRAM AND BRING ABOUT LASTING IMPACT FOR ITS PARTICIPANTS AND THE PARKS.
PLEASE HEAR US AND MAKE THE SPACE TO WORK TOGETHER ON THIS LIFE CHANGING PROGRAM.
GO AHEAD. YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES.
MY NAME IS ADRIAN DENNING AND THIS IS MY SON, QUINN.
WE ARE BOTH RESIDENTS OF ALBANY, AND QUINN IS A FIFTH YEAR JR AIDE THIS YEAR, AND WE ARE HERE TO TALK ABOUT THE PROPOSED CUTS, AND I WOULD LIKE TO SPECIFICALLY COMMENT ON THE CUTS TO THE OVERNIGHT BACKPACKING TRIPS. CURRENTLY, THE JRS GO ON ONE OVERNIGHT BACKPACKING TRIP EACH MONTH EXCLUDING DECEMBER, AND THESE TRIPS ARE SO IMPORTANT TO THE JRS BECAUSE THE JRS LEARN HIKING AND BACKPACKING SKILLS, ESPECIALLY THE YOUNG ONES.
I MEAN, THESE KIDS ARE STARTING SOME OF THEM THIS PROGRAM AT THE AGE OF NINE AND THIS IS THEIR FIRST EXPERIENCE GOING OUT INTO A NATURE FOR OVERNIGHT TRIP.
THE AIDES LEARN LEADERSHIP SKILLS AND GOSH, THESE KIDS HAVE SO MUCH FUN PLAYING GAMES TOGETHER, WORKING TOGETHER, COOKING TOGETHER, HELPING EACH OTHER WITH GEAR, AND ALSO, THESE OVERNIGHT TRIPS ALLOW THE JRS TO EXPLORE THE ENTIRE EAST BAY REGIONAL PARK DISTRICT.
SOME OF THE PARKS THE JRS HAVE BACKPACKED IN INCLUDE TILDEN, SUNOL BLACK DIAMOND MINES, MORGAN TERRITORY, DEL VALLE AND POINT PINOLE AND DESPITE WIDESPREAD SUPPORT AMONG THE JR FAMILIES FOR THESE ONE NIGHT OVERNIGHT TRIPS, THEY'RE GOING TO BE REDUCED TO EVERY OTHER MONTH IN THE PROPOSED SCHEDULE, AND SO THAT IS A VAST REDUCTION OF OPPORTUNITIES FOR THESE KIDS TO REALLY GET OUTSIDE IN THE EAST BAY REGIONAL PARK DISTRICT, AND IT'S ALSO VERY CONFUSING BECAUSE WHILE THESE ONE NIGHT OVERNIGHT TRIPS ARE GETTING SLASHED AT LEAST 50%, THE FOUR DAY TRIP BACKPACKING TRIP THAT HAPPENS IN POINT REYES NATIONAL SEASHORE, WHICH COSTS $395 THIS YEAR TO ATTEND, THAT IS GOING TO REMAIN, BUT THE PROBLEM IS, IS THAT IS A SORT OF A MORE EXCLUSIVE TRIP.
[00:40:03]
THERE ARE A LOT OF YOUNGER KIDS WHO ARE NOT READY TO GO BACKPACKING FOR FOUR DAYS OR THREE NIGHTS OR WHOSE FAMILIES MAY NOT BE ABLE TO AFFORD THAT FEE.SO WE REALLY CONFUSED WHY THE ONE NIGHT OVERNIGHT TRIPS ARE GETTING SLASHED, YET THIS FOUR DAY OVERNIGHT TRIP IS REMAINING? I REALLY URGE THE PARK ADVISORY COMMITTEE TO, AS THE OTHER SPEAKERS HAVE SAID, TO TABLE THESE CUTS, TO REALLY PLEAD WITH MANAGEMENT TO COME AND WORK WITH US, WORK WITH JR FAMILIES AND TO REALLY TAKE OUR CONCERNS SERIOUSLY, AND WE HOPE TO CREATE A PROGRAM THAT REALLY BETTER SERVES THE KIDS OF THE JR COMMUNITY, AND THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR FOR LISTENING. THANK YOU.
GREAT. THANK YOU FOR PROVIDING THOSE COMMENTS.
GO AHEAD. YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES.
HELLO, MY NAME IS MAX MANKITA.
CURRENTLY I'M A SENIOR LIVING IN EL CERRITO AND I'M ALSO A MEMBER OF THE JUNIOR RANGER PROGRAM.
FOR ME, IT WAS AN OPPORTUNITY TO GO OUT INTO THE OUTDOORS AND EXPLORE AND LEARN NOT JUST ABOUT NATURE, BUT ABOUT TEAMWORK COLLABORATION AND COMMUNITY SERVICE.
YOU KNOW, IN MY TIME AS JRS, I'VE HELPED, YOU KNOW, REHABILITATE STREAMS FOR FISH HABITATS, YOU KNOW, HELPED ENGAGE PEOPLE IN THE LITTLE FARM WITH, YOU KNOW, HAVING LITTLE KIDS PET THE CHICKENS AND DONE LOTS OF TRAIL MAINTENANCE, AND THAT MEANS A LOT TO ME AS I SEE THE VALUE OF COMMUNITY SERVICE AND THE IMPORTANCE OF GETTING PEOPLE OUT INTO NATURE, IT HAS MOLDED ME AS WHO I AM AS A PERSON, AND, YOU KNOW, IS IT'S THE REASON WHY, YOU KNOW, I WANT TO BECOME A SIERRA CLUB LEADER AND, YOU KNOW, HELP OTHER PEOPLE EXPERIENCE THE WONDERS OF THE OUTDOORS.
UNFORTUNATELY, IF THESE CUTS WILL BE GO THROUGH, I'LL BE ONE OF THE LAST PEOPLE TO SAY THAT THEY HAD THIS EXPERIENCE, THIS WONDERFUL OPPORTUNITY THAT EXISTED FOR 75 YEARS FOR A REASON, BECAUSE IT PROVIDES A, YOU KNOW, KIDS AN OPPORTUNITY TO, YOU KNOW, GET OUT AND EXPLORE NATURE, TO HAVE INTERGENERATIONAL COMMUNITY BUILDING AND TO LEARN ABOUT WHAT IT MEANS TO SERVE THE COMMUNITY WILL BE GONE.
IT HAS MOLDED ME AND EVERY SINGLE MEMBER OF OUR COMMUNITY DEEPLY TO THE CORE, MAKING SURE WE'RE CONSCIOUS ABOUT THE ENVIRONMENT AND MAKING SURE WE CAN TAKE CARE AND RESPECT FOR NATURE. I ASK THAT YOU, IN YOUR AUTHORITY, MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN COLLABORATE WITH MANAGEMENT, AND YOU TREAT US WITH THE SAME RESPECT YOU HAVE TAUGHT US TO RESPECT NATURE.
WE ARE A COMMUNITY THAT IS WILLING TO HELP IMPROVE THIS PROGRAM AND MAKE SURE IT CONTINUE OPERATING AND EXPANDING SO AS MANY PEOPLE AS POSSIBLE CAN EXPERIENCE ITS WONDERFUL BENEFITS, BUT UNFORTUNATELY, THIS IS NOT THE REALITY THAT WE'VE SEEN OUR OPPORTUNITIES TO, YOU KNOW, HELP CHANGE AND IMPROVE THE PROGRAM HAVE BEEN SHUT DOWN, AND INSTEAD WE'RE SEEING CUTS THAT WILL DEEPLY DAMAGE OUR ABILITY TO, YOU KNOW, CAN DEEPLY [INAUDIBLE] THE NEXT GENERATIONS COMMUNITY TO CONTINUE TO LEARN AND EDUCATE PEOPLE ABOUT NATURE.
BEYOND BEING A JUNIOR RANGER, I WORK WITH KIDS, YOU KNOW, AS MY I TEACH SWIM LESSONS, I TEACH SPEECH AND DEBATE, AND I SEE THAT PEOPLE DESPERATELY ARE YEARNING FOR AN OPPORTUNITY TO BE OUTSIDE, TO BE FREE AND TO EXPLORE, AND THAT'S WHAT JUNIOR RANGERS OFFERS, BUT AT THE END, YOU LEAVE AS SOMEONE WHO LOVES NATURE, AN ENVIRONMENTAL STUDENT, AND SOMEONE WHO'S DEEPLY PASSIONATE ABOUT THE COMMUNITY AND HAS THE SKILLS TO MAKE SURE THEY CAN BUILD COMMUNITY WHEREVER THEY ARE AND SO AGAIN, I URGE YOU, SAVE THE PROGRAM.
DON'T LET ME BE THE END OF THIS WONDERFUL OPPORTUNITY.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
I THINK. PLEASE UNMUTE UNMUTE YOUR YOUR DEVICE.
[00:45:02]
RIGHT NOW, WE HAVE A MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS IN OUR CHILDREN, AND MANY OF THEM DON'T FIND A HOME AT SCHOOL.THEY FIND GENDER SPECIFIC SPORTS THAT LEAVE MANY OF THEM OUT.
SO JR IS REALLY THAT HAVEN FOR THEM, BUT BEYOND WHAT IT DOES FOR INDIVIDUAL CHILDREN, WHAT CONCERNS ME IS THAT WHILE THE PROGRAM AND MANY OTHER PROGRAMS HAVE MADE JR LOOK GOOD FOR MANY YEARS, BROKEN PROMISES IS NOT A GOOD LOOK FOR YOU, AND THAT'S WHAT WE'VE EXPERIENCED IN THIS TRANSITION.
WITH THAT, IT'S NOT ONLY A COST TO JRS AND FUTURE JRS, IT'S A REPUTATION WITHIN THE COMMUNITY, AND THE LOST PARTNERSHIP THAT EAST BAY PARKS HAS, HAS CAUSED.
RIGHT NOW, MANY OF THE PARENTS OF THIS PROGRAM STEPPED UP DURING OUR ONE OPPORTUNITY TO TALK WITH PARKS STAFF TO REVEAL SKILLS THAT COULD HELP THE PROGRAM EXPAND, AND TO BE VERY CLEAR, I SPENT 30 YEARS WORKING ON COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND SOCIAL JUSTICE PROGRAMS IN THE BAY AREA, SO I WOULD BE DELIGHTED TO HELP REACH THE GOAL OF EXPANDING THIS MODEL PROGRAM TO NEW COMMUNITIES AND LOW INCOME COMMUNITIES AND COMMUNITIES OF COLOR, AND HAVE PREVIOUSLY DONE THAT.
I WAS ON THE CURRICULUM BUILDING TEAM FOR A PROGRAM CALLED DIVERSITY WORKS, WHICH TOOK LOW INCOME KIDS FROM OAKLAND AND BROUGHT THEM INTO REGIONAL PARKS FOR CAMPING, AND YET, THAT KIND OF PARTNERSHIP WAS NOT EVEN CONSIDERED WITHIN THE ONE MEETING WE HAD WITH DISTRICT STAFF.
THERE'S ALSO PARTNERS, POTENTIAL PARTNERS FOR FUNDRAISING, FOR ORGANIZING, FOR SCIENTIFIC KNOWLEDGE, WAYS THAT YOU CAN IF THIS IS REALLY A CRISIS OF EXPANSION, USE THE JR COMMUNITY TO BUILD UP AND EXPAND THIS MODEL PROGRAM RATHER THAN BREAKING TRUST AND AND CAUSING PEOPLE TO DISENGAGE.
ONE OF THE KEY QUESTIONS IS WHAT IS THE PROBLEM WE'RE REALLY TRYING TO FIX HERE? BECAUSE IF THIS IS REALLY A FUNDRAISING ISSUE, THEN USE US TO HELP WITH THAT.
THE LAST MEETING I ATTENDED OF THIS SUBCOMMITTEE, I LEARNED THAT MOST OF THE GRANTS THAT THE PARK DISTRICT GOES AFTER OUR INFRASTRUCTURE GRANTS, NOT PROGRAMMING GRANTS. SO MY QUESTION IS, IS IT REALLY SOMETHING WE CAN SOLVE IN THIS WAY? OR SHOULD WE LOOK FOR, FOR EXAMPLE, PARTNERSHIPS WITH COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND JR FAMILIES AND FUNDRAISING OPPORTUNITIES THAT HAVE NOT BEEN TAPPED TO SUPPORT THIS? SO I JUST WANT TO REALLY ENCOURAGE YOU TO NOT GO FORWARD WITH A PLAN THAT TAKES AWAY POTENTIAL PARTNERS IN THE JR FAMILIES, BUT LETS US SUPPORT THE EXPANSION OF A MODEL PROGRAM TO INCLUDE MORE KIDS WHO COULD BENEFIT.
YEAH THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THOSE COMMENTS.
GO AHEAD. YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES.
I'VE LIVED HERE FOR 40 YEARS AND WAS IN TILDEN PARK IN 1984, WHEN WE CELEBRATED 50 YEARS OF SERVICE AND COMMUNITY TO THE CITIZENS OF THE EAST BAY. DURING THIS TIME, MY WIFE AND I RAISED OUR DAUGHTERS AND HAVE THOROUGHLY APPRECIATED THE MAGNIFICENT BENEFITS AND THE COSTS OF THE EAST BAY REGIONAL PARK DISTRICT.
NOW I HAVE ANOTHER GENERATION OF FAMILY THAT HAS SETTLED IN EL CERRITO, CALLING IT HOME AND FULLY ENGAGING IN THE OPPORTUNITIES IT OFFERS. ONE OF THOSE OPPORTUNITIES IS EXPRESSED BY MY 12 YEAR OLD GRANDSON, BENNETT SCHREINER, WHO HAS PARTICIPATED IN THE JUNIOR RANGERS PROGRAM FOR THE LAST FOUR YEARS.
I HAVE TAKEN HIM TO WEEKLY MEETINGS IN TILDEN PARK MANY SATURDAY MORNINGS, OR PICKED HIM UP FROM ADVENTURES OF LEARNING ABOUT THE OUTDOORS AND BUILDING FRIENDSHIPS WITH PEOPLE WHO SHARE HIS APPRECIATION OF OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES.
HERE IS A NOTE HE SHARED WITH ME ABOUT THE IMPACT OF THE JUNIOR RANGER PROGRAM ON HIS YOUNG LIFE.
IT WAS ONE OF THE FIRST PLACES TO MAKE FRIENDS AND CONNECT TO THE WORLD AFTER THE PANDEMIC.
IT'S A SAFE PLACE FOR ME TO HANG OUT WITH MY FRIENDS, AS WELL AS TO MAKE NEW ONES.
I LEARNED A LOT OF IMPORTANT KNOWLEDGE EVERY TIME I GO.
LIKE THE TIME WE LEARNED HOW POISONOUS CALIFORNIA ROUGH SKINNED NEWTS ARE.
I WANT TO BE A RANGER WHEN I GROW UP, AND THIS IS ONE OF THE PLACES I LEARN.
[00:50:06]
MY FAVORITE EXPERIENCE IS THE MONTHLY BACKPACKING TRIPS.WE ALWAYS GO SOMEWHERE BEAUTIFUL AND EXCITING.
I HAVE A LOT OF GOOD FRIENDS AT THE JRS AND IT IS AN IMPORTANT COMMUNITY FOR ME.
IF WE CUT ITS SCHEDULE, IT WOULDN'T BE THE SAME FANTASTIC PROGRAM IT IS NOW.
I THINK EVEN MORE KIDS SHOULD HAVE ACCESS TO JRS.
I SINCERELY HOPE THAT YOU WILL CHOOSE TO LET THE JUNIOR RANGERS GO ON LIKE IT IS NOW.
SINCERELY, BENNETT SCHREINER, BUT DESPITE THIS IMPACT, THE LEADERSHIP OF THE JUNIOR RANGERS PROGRAM HAS BROKEN THE PUBLIC TRUST BY PROMISING TO WORK WITH THE JR COMMUNITY AND FAILING TO DO SO.
THIS HAS HAPPENED ON MORE THAN ONE OCCASION AND IN MORE THAN ONE YEAR.
OTHERS ARE GIVING AND HAVE GIVEN EXAMPLES OF THESE BREACHES OF THE PUBLIC TRUST IMPERATIVE FOR THE PARK DISTRICT LEADERSHIP AND STAFF.
THE JR COMMUNITY, NEARLY 90 STRONG, AND ONLY THAT A SUBSET, FEELS BETRAYED BY THE PROGRAM LEADERSHIP AND SEEKS REDRESS AS WELL AS FULL CONTINUATION OF THE PROGRAM ALONG WITH FULL, HONEST NEGOTIATIONS REGARDING ANY CHANGES.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THOSE COMMENTS.
THERE ARE NO FURTHER COMMENTS.
OKAY. THANK YOU ALL FOR COMING OUT TODAY AND TALKING ON THIS TOPIC.
IT'S CLEAR THIS IS A BELOVED PROGRAM AND I APPRECIATE ALL YOUR ENTHUSIASM FOR IT, AND WITH THAT, I'LL CLOSE OUT PUBLIC COMMENTS FOR ITEMS NOT ON THE AGENDA, AND WE MOVE ON TO ACTION ITEMS. I BELIEVE THERE ARE NO ACTION ITEMS TODAY.
[Informational Items]
DIRECTOR MERCURIO HERE TODAY TO MAKE SOME COMMENTS ABOUT WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE DISTRICT THESE DAYS.IT'S BEEN ALMOST IT'S BEEN ABOUT A YEAR, ROUGHLY SINCE LAST YEAR THAT I CAME HERE.
WHEN I CAME HERE LAST YEAR, I WAS A BRAND NEW BOARD MEMBER.
I STILL FEEL LIKE A BRAND NEW BOARD MEMBER.
IT IS SOMETHING THAT, YOU KNOW, TO A PERSON ON THE BOARD.
THIS IS A PERFECT EXAMPLE TODAY OF WHAT'S GOING ON OF YOU KNOW, GETTING DOWN INTO THE REAL STUFF THAT HAPPENS, YOU KNOW AND ALSO. I KNOW SOME OF YOU, BUT THE TURNOVER HAS BEEN, YOU KNOW, STEADY IN WHICH AS IT SHOULD BE, AND SO MANY OF YOU I DON'T KNOW.
SO I LOOK FORWARD TO MEETING SOME MORE OF YOU AT SOME POINT.
YOU KNOW, IN THE FUTURE, YOU KNOW, COME TO AS MANY OF THE EVENTS THAT WE HAVE AS YOU CAN WHERE THE BOARD MEMBERS ARE THERE AND GET TO KNOW THEM BECAUSE IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE REALLY LOOK FORWARD TO IS GETTING TO KNOW AND HEARING WHAT'S GOING ON IN YOUR AREAS.
SO WHAT HAVE WE BEEN UP TO? WE SPENT ALL LAST WEEK IN WASHINGTON, DC.
WE CALL IT THE FEDERAL ADVOCACY CONFERENCE, AND WE HAVE ERICH AND HIS CREW TO THANK FOR ORGANIZING THIS FOR US AND FOR GUIDING US THROUGH SOME OF THE ISSUES, TO PICK OUT SOME OF THE ISSUES THAT WE WOULD NEED TO ADDRESS WHEN WE GO BACK THERE.
THE WHOLE POINT OF IT IS TO MEET WITH EVERY ONE OF OUR CONGRESSIONAL DELEGATES, INCLUDING THE OFFICES OF THE TWO NATIONAL, YOU KNOW, THE TWO STATES, THE TWO US SENATORS AND ALL THE CONGRESSMEN, CONGRESS MEMBERS AS WELL AND SO IT WAS VERY I'D NEVER I WASN'T ABLE TO DO IT LAST YEAR, BUT I WAS VERY STRUCK BY HOW INTERESTED IN OUR WORK THAT THOSE STAFF MEMBERS WE DIDN'T YOU DON'T GET TO MEET WITH ALL THE CONGRESS MEMBERS.
THEY CAN'T DO IT, I GUESS, BUT WE DID MEET WITH SOME CONGRESS MEMBERS DIRECTLY, BUT, YOU KNOW, ALL THE WAY ACROSS, WE'RE ALWAYS STRUCK BY HOW INTERESTED AND THANKFUL THEY ARE OF THE WORK THAT'S DONE BY THE EAST BAY REGIONAL PARK DISTRICT, AND YOU ALWAYS END UP WITH SOME STORY ABOUT HOW THEY WENT THERE WHEN THEY WERE KIDS. THEY TAKE THEIR GRANDKIDS TO THE PARKS, ALL THOSE STORIES, AND, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU ENGAGE WITH THE COMMUNITY, YOU PROBABLY HEAR THOSE SAME THOSE SAME COMMENTS THAT I DO, AND SO WE WERE QUITE BUSY MOST DAYS.
[00:55:08]
WE, WE WERE THERE FROM SUNDAY WAS A TRAVEL DAY, BUT THEN MONDAY, TUESDAY, WEDNESDAY AND THURSDAY MOST OF THOSE DAYS WE WERE INVOLVED IN MEETING WITH VARIOUS MEMBERS OF CONGRESS.WE ALSO MET WITH OTHER GROUPS, INCLUDING THE NATIONAL FOREST SERVICE AND THE NATIONAL PARK SERVICE, BECAUSE SOME OF THE ISSUES THAT THEY DEAL WITH, WE DEAL WITH AS WELL.
WE LEARNED ABOUT SOME GREAT RESEARCH THAT THEY'RE DOING WITH WHAT TO DO WITH THE BIOCHAR THAT'S LEFT, AND THEY HAVE A THEY HAVE A LAB IN WISCONSIN THAT MAKES THINGS OUT OF IT.
IT WAS PRETTY, PRETTY INCREDIBLE.
SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT I THINK WE'RE GOING TO BE LOOKING LOOKING INTO.
WE ALSO TALKED ABOUT SEVERAL ISSUES WITH THE VARIOUS MEMBERS, INCLUDING, YOU KNOW EVERYBODY'S FAVORITE, YOU KNOW, HOW CAN WE IMPROVE THE, THE, THE FUNCTION OF FEMA AND HOW WE, HOW WE INTERACT WITH IT? WE TALKED ABOUT THE JUDGE, JUDGE JOHN SUTTER, SHORELINE PARK, HOW WE CAN SPEED UP THE PROCESS OF CLEANING THAT UP FOR PUBLIC ACCESS.
A HUGE ONE. THE LAND AND WATER CONSERVATION FUND, HOW TO MAKE SOME CHANGES, AND WE SUGGESTED SOME CHANGES TO MAKE TO THAT, TO MAKE IT MORE EFFECTIVE FOR US TO, TO UTILIZE.
SO AND THERE WERE ACTUALLY A FEW MORE TOO, BUT, YOU KNOW, WE SPLIT IT ALL UP AMONG ALL THE DIFFERENT BOARD MEMBERS, AND WE EACH GOT A CHANCE TO INTERACT WITH SOME OF THE STAFF AND THE MEMBERS OF CONGRESS DIRECTLY.
I DO HAVE TO SAY, THOUGH, PROBABLY THE HIGHLIGHT OF IT ALL WAS ON ON THE VERY LAST DAY WE MET WITH CONGRESSMAN MARK DESAULNIER WHO HAPPENS TO BE MY CONGRESSMAN AND AN OLD FRIEND, AND HE HAD SOMETHING GOING THAT HE TOLD US ABOUT, AND SO WE LEARNED THAT HE HAD PREPARED A RESOLUTION TO PRESENT ON THE FLOOR OF THE HOUSE CONGRATULATING US ON OUR 90TH ANNIVERSARY AND SO HE WAS GIVEN A MINUTE TO READ THAT ON THE FLOOR, AND WE ALL GOT PASSES, AND WE GOT TO GO IN THE GALLERY AND WAIT THERE LONGER THAN I THOUGHT WE HAD TO, BUT ANYWAY SO IT GOES.
IT WAS WORTH IT, THOUGH, AND SO HE READ IT AND WE ALL FELT SO PROUD, YOU KNOW, AND YOU KNOW, THE ALL OF THE, ALL OF THE MEMBERS OF, OF CONGRESS ARE TO SOME EXTENT ARE WORKING FOR US DIRECTLY TO IMPROVE WHAT WE WHAT WE DO HERE AT THE PARK DISTRICT.
SO I AM IS THERE ANYTHING THAT YOU WANT? ARE YOU GOING TO BE TALKING ABOUT THIS ITEM OR.
SO I UNDERSTAND THAT SUSAN SHIU WOULD LIKE TO TALK TO US.
I SUSAN SHIU, ASSISTANT GENERAL MANAGER OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS FOR THE EAST BAY REGIONAL PARK DISTRICT.
THANK YOU. DIRECTOR MERCURIO PARK FEST WAS AN AMAZING EVENT.
IF YOU CAME OUT OR SAW THE PHOTOS.
WE WERE EXPECTING A CROWD OF 2500 TO 3000.
WE DOUBLED THAT NEARLY, YOU KNOW, 5500 TO 6000 ESTIMATED PARK VISITORS ARE.
SO IT WAS A TREMENDOUS TURNOUT.
I WANT TO THANK THE BOARD DIRECTOR MERCURIO, PRESIDENT ECHOLS AND THE BOARD FOR THEIR SUPPORT.
GENERAL MANAGER LANDRETH'S SUPPORT AND REALLY, ALL OF THE PARK DISTRICT STAFF MEMBERS WHO CAME OUT.
WE WERE THERE TO SHOWCASE ALL THAT WE DO AS A PARK DISTRICT.
THANK YOU TO THE PAC FOR YOUR SUPPORT, AND WE DID THAT.
OUR GOAL WAS TO REACH A BROAD AND DIVERSE AUDIENCE, AND WE DID THAT.
WE BROUGHT OUT MULTIPLE GENERATIONS.
[01:00:01]
LOT OF ADVERTISING, WHICH INCREASES OUR BRAND AWARENESS AND THE FACT THAT THE PARK CLOSE TO YOU THAT YOU VISIT IS PART OF THE EAST BAY REGIONAL PARK DISTRICT.IT WAS TREMENDOUS, AND THEN REALLY QUICKLY, AS YOU KNOW, WE'VE BEEN CELEBRATING ALL YEAR.
WE WILL BE THERE TO ALSO DO 90TH A BRIEF PRESENTATION AROUND OUR 90TH ANNIVERSARY, AND WE'LL HAVE SWAG AND TABLING THERE FOR THAT EVENT ON JUNE 2ND.
TRY TO SAY THAT FAST FIVE TIMES BUT ANYWAY, YOU CAN FIND OUT MORE AT THE REGIONAL PARKS FOUNDATION WEBSITE.
SO SOME MORE EVENTS TO LOOK FORWARD TO AND WE'LL CONTINUE TO CELEBRATE OUR 90TH ALL YEAR.
THANK YOU FOR THOSE FEW MINUTES, AND THANK YOU, DIRECTOR MERCURIO.
ALL RIGHT. YEAH, AND IF I MIGHT ADD ONE MORE ONE MORE ITEM, AND, YOU KNOW, TALKING ABOUT IT'S GREAT TO TALK ABOUT THE WHOLE DISTRICT AND YOU KNOW, HOW THINGS OPERATE AND WHAT WE DO, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO JUST HIGHLIGHT ONE ITEM FROM MY WARD, WARD SIX IN CONCORD AND AREA SOUTH AND EAST OF THERE.
WE HAD WE WERE MADE AWARE OF AN ISSUE THAT WAS HAD THE CONCERN OF CITIZENS IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD AROUND THURGOOD MARSHALL REGIONAL PARK, HOME OF THE PORT CHICAGO 50 AND THE IN THE BAILEY ROAD AREA THAT WE'RE GOING TO OPEN UP FIRST.
I'M SURE YOU ALL KNOW ABOUT THAT.
THERE'S NOT REALLY GOOD SAFE PEDESTRIAN AND BICYCLE ACCESS TO THAT, THAT LAND, AND WHEN IT OPENS IF NOTHING IS DONE, IT WILL REQUIRE DRIVING A CAR TO GET TO THAT PARK, AND SO I HEARD ABOUT THIS, AND I AND I KNOW THAT I GREW UP IN CONCORD.
I KNOW THE AREA, AND I IMMEDIATELY THOUGHT, OH GOSH, THAT'S RIGHT.
I, YOU KNOW, TALKED ABOUT IT WITH PARKS, WITH OUR DISTRICT STAFF, BUT THE REAL SOLUTION CAME WHEN I RAN INTO THE CITY ENGINEER OF CONCORD AT A, AT AN EVENT, AND I SAID, HEY, THERE'S SOMETHING I WANT TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT.
YOU KNOW, WE'VE GOT THIS ISSUE.
HOW CAN THE CITY OF CONCORD HELP US SOLVE THIS PROBLEM? AND HE SAID, YOU KNOW, IT'S FUNNY YOU'RE SAYING THAT BECAUSE I'VE BEEN THINKING ABOUT THAT MYSELF, AND I'M GOING, WOW, OKAY.
WELL, TO MAKE A LONG STORY SHORTER, THEY HAVE COME UP WITH A PROJECT THAT THEY'RE GOING TO CONSTRUCT AN OFF STREET TRAIL, MULTI-USE TRAIL ALONG AN ABANDONED RAILROAD RIGHT OF WAY AND INCLUDING A PARCEL OF LAND THAT THEY JUST PURCHASED.
THIS IS WHAT I'M HEARING IN ORDER TO MAKE THAT POSSIBLE, AND SO I'VE BEEN PROMISED THAT IT'S GOING TO THERE BE A PLACEHOLDER IN THEIR CIP FOR THE NEXT, YOU KNOW, IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF YEARS AND THAT THE GOAL HOPEFULLY WILL BE REALIZED IN TIME FOR THE OPENING OF THAT PARK.
SO IF ANYBODY HAS ANY QUESTIONS, I'D BE HAPPY TO.
YES, SIR. THANK YOU, JOHN, FOR THAT INFORMATION.
MAYBE THERE'S A WAY TO GET A SHUTTLE, AT LEAST FOR THE FIRST SIX MONTHS OF THE OPENING OF THE PARK, TO JUST DRUM UP INTEREST AS WELL AS PROVIDE THAT ACCESS UNTIL THAT PROJECT COMES TO FRUITION, AND THEN YOU TALK ABOUT THAT AT ALL.
I HADN'T HEARD, I HADN'T THOUGHT ABOUT THAT.
THERE IS STILL HOPE, YOU KNOW, BY BY THE TIME THAT THE PARK OPENS, THAT THIS TRAIL WILL BE WOULD BE PART OF PART OF THE TRAIL IS ACTUALLY WAS ALREADY BUILT AS PART OF A HOUSING DEVELOPMENT. SO PART OF IT'S THERE, IT JUST DOESN'T REALLY DO MUCH AS IT'S FLOATING OUT THERE BY ITSELF.
SO THAT'LL KIND OF BRING THE, THE WHOLE NEIGHBORHOOD UP TO THAT, AND THEN IN THE FUTURE WE'RE HOPING TO COME UP WITH SOME, YOU KNOW, LOCAL NEIGHBORHOOD, YOU KNOW, LOCAL, LOCAL ACCESS FROM LOCAL STREETS IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD TO GET INTO THAT PARK.
[01:05:04]
THAT NO WAY OF SAYING WHEN THAT WOULD BE HOW IT'S GOING TO HAPPEN, BUT WE'RE LOOKING AT THAT AND WE HOPE THAT WE CAN DO THAT AS WELL.WELCOME. HERE REPRESENTING THE MAYOR'S CONFERENCE FOR ALAMEDA COUNTY.
MY NAME IS KARINA LOPEZ. THANK YOU FOR YOUR REPORT.
CAN YOU REPEAT THE NAME OF THE CONFERENCE AGAIN, PLEASE, AND THEN WHAT WOULD YOU SAY WOULD BE SOME OF THE FEDERAL ADVOCACY CONFERENCES? THAT'S WHAT WE CALL IT. YEAH.
WHAT WOULD YOU SAY IS WOULD BE SOME OF THE NATIONAL THEMES OR MAYBE STATEWIDE THEMES THAT WERE COMMON AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL THAT A LOT OF THE VARIOUS PARKS DISTRICTS ARE FACING? WELL, IT'S NOT THAT KIND OF A CONFERENCE.
WE CALL IT A CONFERENCE, BUT IT'S REALLY JUST OUR BOARD AND OUR STAFF GOING TO WASHINGTON, DC AND MEETING WITH THE MEMBERS OF CONGRESS, AND I DID MENTION SOME OF THE IMPORTANT POINTS THAT WE LOOKED AT.
I MEAN, IF YOU WANT TO TALK ABOUT IT SOME MORE, YOU KNOW, FEEL FREE TO CONTACT ME.
I'D BE HAPPY TO TELL YOU MORE ABOUT WHAT WE DID, BUT THAT'S WHAT IT IS.
WE WE'RE MAKING OUR OWN CONFERENCE, BASICALLY WHAT IT IS.
IT'S LIKE. IT'S LIKE A BUFFET.
WE TAKE WHAT WE WANT, YOU KNOW, AND WE PRESENT THAT TO THEM, AND, YOU KNOW, IN MANY CASES, IN MOST CASES, MAYBE ALL CASES, THEY ALREADY KNOW ABOUT THIS ISSUE, BUT WE'RE TRYING TO PROVE TO THEM THAT WE'RE SERIOUS ABOUT WHAT WE WANT TO DO BY BRINGING ALL OF OUR BOARD THERE TO MEET WITH THEM AND TO ENGAGE THEM IN DISCUSSION AND ANSWER THEIR QUESTIONS AND, YOU KNOW, THE RESULT OF, A LOT OF THIS IS THE RESULT IS THAT THEY MANAGED TO COME UP WITH SOME FUNDING FOR US.
THAT'S REALLY ONE OF THE ONE OF THE REALLY GOOD OUTCOMES THAT HAPPENS.
THAT'S REALLY THAT'S A WHOLE OTHER KIND OF CONFERENCE.
RIGHT. WELL, THANK YOU FOR TEACHING ME AGAIN.
I'M NEW, SO I'M LEARNING AS I GO.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
THAT WAS VERY INTERESTING, AND GLAD TO HEAR THE GOOD NEWS ON THE FUNDING.
I IT'S LIKE YOU'RE LUCKY THAT YOU'RE HERE TODAY BECAUSE IN THIS PACKET IS THE MARCH MEETING MINUTES BY ACCIDENT, BUT ALL OF OUR COMMENTS ON THE JUNIOR RANGER PROGRAM IS IN THERE, THE PAC MEMBERS, AND I ENCOURAGE YOU TO READ THEM, AND I'M NOT SURE IF THE BOARD DID IF THEY SAW ALL OF OUR COMMENTS, BUT MY QUESTION TO YOU IS, HAS THIS ITEM COME BEFORE THE BOARD? WE HAVE SEEN COME, WE HAVE SEEN, LET'S SAY, MANY COMMUNICATIONS FROM, YOU KNOW, CONCERNED INDIVIDUALS.
I CAN TELL YOU THAT MY GOAL THAT I'M TRYING TO THERE'S A LOT GOING ON.
I MY DESIRE IS TO GET MORE FULLY INFORMED ABOUT ABOUT THIS ACTION, WHY IT'S BEING DONE, IF IT HAS TO BE DONE EXACTLY THE WAY THAT WE'VE PROPOSED IT, TAKING INTO ACCOUNT THESE COMMENTS THAT HAVE BEEN MADE AND SO I'M STILL LEARNING ABOUT IT.
OKAY. SO SO FAR IT HASN'T BEEN BEFORE THE BOARD.
YEAH. JUST YOU KNOW A LOT LOTS OF COMMENTS.
WELL IF THERE'S EXTRA PACKETS YOU CAN HAND THEM OUT OUR COMMENTS TO THE BOARD MEMBERS.
WE REALLY APPRECIATE IT, AND UNFORTUNATELY, I WON'T BE ABLE TO STICK AROUND.
I'M GOING OUT OF OUT OF STATE THIS WEEK, LATER ON.
SO I GOT I'M PRETTY BUSY GETTING READY, BUT I DID WANT TO MAKE TIME FOR THIS TO COME IN PERSON AND SEE YOU ALL, AND THE NEXT TIME I COME BACK, HOPEFULLY ALL OF YOU WILL BE HERE. GREAT.
THANK YOU. IT'S GREAT TO HAVE YOU HERE.
OKAY. NEXT UP IN OUR INFORMATIONAL ITEMS WE HAVE TWO PRESENTATIONS.
THESE ARE NOT ACTION ITEMS, BUT THEY'RE BOTH REALLY INTERESTING PRESENTATIONS.
I THINK YOU'LL ENJOY THEM. THE FIRST IS RECREATION PLANNING ON CONSERVATION LANDS.
DON'T WORRY ABOUT IT. ALL RIGHT.
NEOMA LAVALLE, PRINCIPAL PLANNER IN PLANNING TRAILS, GIS AND CULTURAL RESOURCES.
[01:10:02]
GOOD AFTERNOON, CHAIR TSUTSUI AND MEMBERS OF THE PACK.I'M HAPPY TO BE HERE PRESENTING ON WELL, THE CONSERVATION LANDS PROGRAM IN GENERAL AT THE PARK DISTRICT AND HOW WE GO ABOUT PLANNING FOR PUBLIC ACCESS.
SORRY I JUST WANT TO HERE WE GO.
SO I'M GOING TO BE PROVIDING A BRIEF OVERVIEW OF THE CONSERVATION LANDS PROGRAM.
THE AND THEN MOVING DIVING A LITTLE BIT MORE SPECIFICALLY INTO THE EAST CONTRA COSTA COUNTY HABITAT CONSERVATION PLAN AND OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH THE HABITAT CONSERVANCY, AND THEN I'LL PRESENT ON THE HCP'S RECREATION PLANNING PROCESS AND THEN I'LL DAYLIGHT JUST A LITTLE BIT OF A DECISION SUPPORT TOOL THAT WE'RE WORKING ON INTERNALLY TO SUPPORT CONSERVATION AND PUBLIC ACCESS PLANNING.
SO THE CONSERVATION LANDS PROGRAM, WHILE WE HAVE BEEN ACQUIRING LANDS FOR THE PURPOSE OF CONSERVATION FOR OUR ENTIRE 90 YEARS, WE HAVE A SUBSET OF LANDS THAT ARE UNDER A SPECIAL STATUS, AND SO IF YOU LOOK AT THIS MAP HERE, EVERYTHING THAT'S IN RED IS UNDER A SPECIFIC CONSERVATION INSTRUMENT THAT RESTRICTS ITS USE IN SOME FORM OR ANOTHER.
IN YELLOW IS HIGHLIGHTED THE EAST CONTRA COSTA COUNTIES HABITAT CONSERVATION PLAN.
NATURAL COMMUNITIES CONSERVATION PLAN.
THERE'S TWO PLANS THAT ARE PART OF THAT YELLOW AREA.
IT'S THE INVENTORY AREA, AND I'LL JUST SAY HCP MOVING FORWARD BECAUSE IT'S A LITTLE EASIER THAN SAYING HCP AND CCP, BUT I'M REALLY REFERRING TO BOTH PLANS THAT SORT OF GOVERN THE MITIGATION LANDS IN THAT AREA.
SO THE CONSERVATION LANDS PROGRAM MANAGERS AND MONITORS THE PARK DISTRICT'S CONSERVATION LANDS.
THIS INCLUDES ALL ALL THE LANDS IN RED AS WELL AS THE HCP LANDS.
WE ALSO HELP NEGOTIATE FUTURE CONSERVATION INSTRUMENTS AND LONG TERM MANAGEMENT PLANS, AND ANY ASSOCIATED FUNDING FOR THOSE FOR THOSE LANDS, AND THEN WE STEWARD THE PARK LANDS AND MEET THE DUAL, IN ORDER TO MEET THE DUAL MISSION AT THE PARK DISTRICT TO BALANCE CONSERVATION AND RECREATION.
SO WHAT OUR CONSERVATION LANDS.
THEY'RE SPECIAL, THEY'RE LANDS UNDER A SPECIAL PROTECTION STATUS.
SOME ARE REQUIRED BY A RESOURCE AGENCY AS MITIGATION FOR IMPACTS, AND THOSE USUALLY ARE GOVERNED BY A LONG TERM MANAGEMENT PLAN THAT REALLY DICTATES WHAT YOU WILL DO ON THOSE LANDS. WHAT YOU NEED TO MONITOR FOR IN TERMS OF SPECIES, WHAT THE GOALS AND PURPOSES ARE, AND THEN THERE'S OTHER CONSERVATION LANDS THAT ARE MORE OF A VOLUNTARY RESTRICTION.
SO THOSE MIGHT HAVE A DEED, AND THEY'RE REALLY MEANT TO PRESERVE FUTURE DEVELOPMENT, PRESERVE SCENIC OR OPEN SPACE VALUES, AND THEN WE HAVE A VARIETY OF CONSERVATION INSTRUMENTS AT THE PARK DISTRICT.
SO EVERYTHING FROM THE EAST CONTRA COSTA COUNTY HABITAT CONSERVATION PLAN TO THE CONSERVATION EASEMENTS FOR MITIGATION OR PROTECTIVE, AND THEN THERE'S SCENIC EASEMENTS AND THERE'S OTHER PROTECTIVE MECHANISMS AS WELL.
SO JUST REALLY QUICKLY, HOW DOES THE CONSERVATION LANDS PROGRAM OR THE CONSERVATION LANDS AT THE PARK DISTRICT LOOK? SO OVERALL, THE PARK DISTRICT, WE HAVE A LITTLE OVER 126,000 ACRES.
IF YOU SPLIT IT DOWN, CONSERVATION LANDS TAKE UP ABOUT 25.
IT SORT OF FLUXES A LITTLE BIT AS WE HAVE DIFFERENT KIND OF PENDING CONSERVATION INSTRUMENTS.
ABOUT 22,000 OF THOSE ACRES ARE FOR MITIGATION.
SO IMPACTS TO SPECIES OR WATERS OR AND THOSE LANDS ARE REALLY SET ASIDE AS MITIGATION FOR THOSE IMPACTS FROM OTHER PROJECTS, AND THEN THERE'S CONTRACTUAL ONES. SO THOSE ARE THOSE MORE THOSE VOLUNTARY ONES WHERE IT HAS BEEN THE LAND HAS BEEN PRESERVED WITH A WITH AN ADDITIONAL INSTRUMENT ON TOP OF IT, BEYOND JUST OWNERSHIP BY THE PARK DISTRICT, AND THEN IF YOU LOOK AT THOSE MITIGATION LANDS, IT BREAKS DOWN TO ABOUT 15,000 ACRES OR PART OF THE EAST CONTRA COSTA COUNTY HABITAT CONSERVANCY'S PRESERVE LAND SYSTEM, AND THEN A LITTLE OVER 7000 ACRES IN OTHER CONSERVATION INSTRUMENTS.
WE ALSO HAVE PENDING CONSERVATION INSTRUMENTS, BOTH MITIGATION AND CONTRACTUAL, AND THEN AT FULL BUILD OUT OF THE OF THE HCP THERE'S STILL ABOUT A LITTLE OVER 15,000 ACRES.
SO WHAT IS THE HCP? I THINK PROBABLY MANY OF YOU ARE FAMILIAR WITH IT SOMEWHAT.
I'LL JUST GIVE A BRIEF OVERVIEW.
THERE ARE MITIGATION FOR DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS IN EAST CONTRA COSTA COUNTY AS WELL AS THE PLAN ALSO HAS GOALS FOR RESTORATION AND JUST PURE CONSERVATION VALUES, NOT JUST MITIGATION.
THE IT'S A 30 YEAR PERMIT TERM WHERE THE CONSERVANCY CAN ISSUE PERMITS TO DEVELOPERS.
[01:15:04]
THEY PAY A FEE, AND THOSE FEES ARE USED TO PURCHASE THE LANDS FOR MITIGATION AND CONSERVATION, AND THERE'S A GOAL OF ABOUT 30,000 ACRES, ULTIMATELY TO BE CONSERVED IN EAST CONTRA COSTA COUNTY, AND EACH THE PRESERVE LANDS ARE ALSO GOVERNED BY PRESERVE MANAGEMENT PLANS THAT ARE IN THE PROCESS OF BEING WRITTEN, AND THAT'S WHERE WE KIND OF SEGUE INTO WHAT DOES RECREATION LOOK LIKE.SO THE HCP GOALS ARE, AS I SAID, IT'S A REGIONAL PLAN FOR CONSERVATION AND RESTORATION AND ITS MITIGATION AND PERMITTING FOR DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS, AND WITHIN THAT THERE IS A STATEMENT THAT IS PRETTY CLEAR THAT RECREATION IS OF SECONDARY IMPORTANCE AND MUST DEFER TO THE BIOLOGICAL GOALS AND OBJECTIVES.
YOU KNOW, AND WE ALSO PLAN TO MANAGE THE LANDS ACCORDING TO THE GUIDELINES OF THE HCP, BUT THERE'S ALSO WITHIN THE HCP GUIDELINES, A CLEAR ACKNOWLEDGMENT THAT THERE IS A SOCIETAL BENEFIT TO RECREATION ON EVEN ON CONSERVATION LANDS, AND THAT AS LONG AS IT'S LIMITED IN THE PRESERVE SYSTEM.
TO A MINIMUM LEVEL OF IMPACTS, THEN THE RESOURCE AGENCIES, WHICH ARE PART OF THE PERMITTING.
YOU KNOW, ALLOW THE RECREATIONAL USE.
WE WERE KIND OF IDENTIFIED AS THE PRIMARY LAND OWNER FOR THE HCP'S PRESERVE LANDS, BUT THAT SORT OF MAKES WHAT DOES PLANNING FOR PUBLIC ACCESS LOOK LIKE WHEN YOU'RE REALLY KIND OF RESTRICTED IN WHAT YOU CAN AND CANNOT DO? WE CAN'T DO OUR BUSINESS AS USUAL, AND WE STILL ARE, YOU KNOW, WANT TO MEET OUR DUAL MISSION? BUT WE ALSO REALLY HAVE TO UNDERSTAND THAT OUR, THE RECREATION GOALS ARE SECONDARY TO MEETING THE BIOLOGICAL GOALS AND OBJECTIVES, AND IN TERMS OF PLANNING HERE, IT'S NOT OUR NORMAL COURSE OF BUSINESS WHERE REALLY WE SORT OF COME UP WITH A PLAN FOR OUR PARKLANDS AND WE, YOU KNOW, CATALOG WHAT THE IMPACTS WILL BE, AND THEN WE APPLY FOR PERMITS.
WE'RE REALLY STARTING AT THE BEGINNING WITH THE RESOURCE AGENCIES AND THE CONSERVANCY AND HAVE TO PLAN KIND OF WITH GUIDELINES THAT HAVE ALREADY BEEN LAID OUT RATHER THAN KIND OF, I WOULDN'T SAY A BLANK SLATE ON OUR OTHER LANDS, BUT IT'S A LITTLE MORE HAS METES AND BOUNDS WITH WHAT? AND GUIDELINES.
THERE'S OFTEN YOU KNOW, WE WILL HAVE COMMUNITY INPUT DURING OUR NORMAL PLANNING PROCESS AND THERE'LL BE CHALLENGES WITH PUBLIC ACCESS DEMANDS, BUT THE HCP GUIDELINES ARE REALLY DIFFERENT, AND A LOT OF THE APPROACH IS NOT THE SAME.
WHEN WE WENT TO THE RESOURCE AGENCIES WITH OUR RECREATION PLANNING, WE WANTED TO BE ABLE TO ANSWER QUESTIONS ABOUT, WHY DO YOU WANT THIS TRAIL HERE? WHY IS IT IMPORTANT? DO YOU NEED THIS TRAIL HERE? BECAUSE THAT'S THE KIND OF QUESTIONS WE WERE GETTING.
WE DON'T GET THAT IN OUR NORMAL PERMITTING PROCESS WHEN WE GO TO THE RESOURCE AGENCIES TO ASK FOR PERMITS, BUT IN THIS PROCESS WE DO, AND WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE VERY INTENTIONAL REASONS FOR WHY WE ARE PROPOSING WHAT WE PROPOSE ON THESE PRESERVE LANDS AND, YOU KNOW, RECREATION MAY BE OF SECONDARY IMPORTANCE, BUT IT'S OBVIOUSLY STILL A VERY HIGH IMPORTANCE TO ALL OF US, AND EVEN THE RESOURCE AGENCIES ACKNOWLEDGE THAT. SO THIS IS THE PLANNING PROCESS THAT WE CAME UP WITH WHEN WE WERE REALLY APPROACHING HOW TO PLAN FOR RECREATION ON THESE CONSERVATION LANDS, AND I'M REALLY FOCUSING ON THE HCP LANDS, BUT IT'S REALLY SIMILAR TO WHEN WE'RE WORKING ON MITIGATION LANDS THAT ARE NOT ON THE HCP.
[01:20:03]
WE UNDERSTAND WHERE THERE MIGHT BE DATA GAPS AND YOU KNOW, WHAT LEVEL OF PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT AND AND IDENTIFYING ANY POTENTIAL CONFLICTS BETWEEN SOME OF OUR RECREATION GOALS AS WELL, AND THEN THE BIOLOGICAL GOALS AND OBJECTIVES.SO THEN ONCE WE'VE HAD THAT INITIAL MEETING WITH ALL FOUR KIND OF MAIN GROUPS WITH THE PARK DISTRICT CONSERVANCY AND THEN US FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE AND CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF FISH AND WILDLIFE, THEN WE GO BACK AND WE START DRAFTING THE RECREATION PLAN, AND SO WE ANALYZE THE EXISTING CONDITIONS.
WE LOOK AT INFRASTRUCTURE, WE SORT OF FIGURE OUT WHAT REALLY MAKES THE MOST SENSE AND THEN WE TAKE THAT DRAFT, VERY INITIAL DRAFT PLAN BACK TO THE RESOURCE AGENCIES AND REALLY GET THEIR FEEDBACK AND ADJUST ACCORDINGLY BEFORE WE REALLY EVER DAYLIGHT IT TO THE PUBLIC, AND SO WE'RE STILL KIND OF IN THAT PHASE THREE, TO BE PERFECTLY HONEST, FOR A LOT OF THESE AREAS, BUT IT'S BEEN A REALLY WELL RECEIVED PROCESS FROM THE RESOURCE AGENCIES, AND IT'S WORKED REALLY WELL INTERNALLY AS WELL, AND THEN PHASE FOUR AND I'LL GO INTO A LITTLE MORE DETAIL ON EACH ONE OF THESE PHASES, IS REALLY THE ADAPTIVE MANAGEMENT, BECAUSE WE HAVE TO PROVE AND MONITOR AND MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE NOT IMPACTING THE NATURAL RESOURCES OR THE PLANS RESOURCES. SO FOR THIS CLAYTON RANCH, WHICH I KIND OF ALREADY SHOWED TO YOU, THIS IS THE CLAYTON RANCH AREA.
IT'S SOUTH OF BLACK DIAMOND MINES OFF OF MARSH CREEK ROAD, JUST EAST OF THE COMMUNITY OF CLAYTON.
WE HAVE A TOTAL ACREAGE OF ABOUT 4000 ACRES, AND ABOUT 3000 OF THOSE ARE HCP LANDS.
SO EVERYTHING WITHIN THAT BROWN BORDER WE IDENTIFIED THE BIOLOGICAL GOALS AND OBJECTIVES, AND WE SET THE EXPECTATIONS FOR RECREATION WHEN WE INITIATED THE PROCESS FOR LOOKING AT THESE LANDS, AND WE REALLY WANTED TO MAKE SURE THERE WAS A THERE WAS A PRETTY EXTENSIVE EXISTING ROAD NETWORK THERE, BUT THERE WAS ALSO SOME NARROW TRAILS THAT HAD BEEN BUILT BY A PREVIOUS BY PREVIOUS GROUP, A COMMUNITY GROUP, BEFORE WE ACQUIRED THE PROPERTY, AND SO WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE COULD TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THOSE MORE NARROW TRAILS AS WELL. SO AND THEN WE REALLY THERE WAS A LOT OF BIOLOGICAL GOALS AND OBJECTIVES, CONSIDERATIONS.
HAS THAT NOT CAUGHT UP? MY LAPTOP'S AHEAD OF THE IT'S NOT OH, HERE WE GO.
YEAH, THERE WE GO. SO THEN WE MOVED ON TO PHASE TWO, WHICH IS THE RECREATION PLANNING ONE.
WE'RE REALLY LOOKING AT THE GUIDELINES.
SO THIS IS JUST A LITTLE EXAMPLE.
WE'RE RESTRICTED TO HOW MANY TRAILS, PICNIC AREAS, BACKPACK CAMPS.
WE CAN HAVE WITHIN 300FT OF WETLANDS AND STREAMS THAT PROVIDE SUITABLE HABITAT.
SO WE KIND OF HAVE TO NOT HAVE PUBLIC ACCESS WITHIN 300FT OF A POND, BUT ALL OF OUR EXISTING ROADS, AND THEN THE NEXT GUIDELINE SAYS THAT WE HAVE TO AT ALL, WHENEVER POSSIBLE, MINIMIZE THE NEEDS OF NEW GROUND IMPACTS.
SO WE'RE SUPPOSED TO USE EXISTING ROADS AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE.
THERE'S AN INHERENT CONFLICT WITHIN THOSE GUIDELINES.
SO HOW DO WE MEET THOSE MUTUAL GOALS? WELL, WE REALLY ENGAGE WITH THE REGULATORY AGENCIES AND WE TO RESOLVE THIS PARTICULAR ISSUE, AND WE CAME UP WITH THIS AQUATIC HABITAT ANALYSIS WHERE WE REALLY LOOKED AT EACH INDIVIDUAL POND, AND IN SOME CASES THE POND WAS LIKE 290FT, YOU KNOW, IT WASN'T EVEN VISIBLE FROM THE POND, FROM THE ROAD AND SO WE WERE ABLE TO CASE BY CASE, AND THIS IS ALLOWED AS PART OF THE PLAN, GET EXCEPTIONS, BUT WE REALLY HAD TO DO OUR WORK AND MAKE SURE THAT THEY COULD BUY INTO THE RECREATION WITHIN THAT AREA.
SO SOME OF THE OTHER CONSIDERATIONS.
WELL, SO THEN WE IN PHASE THREE, WE MOVED ON TO PRESENTING THE PLAN TO THE PARTNERS, AND WE HAD TO, YOU KNOW, REALLY ADJUST IT BASED ON FEEDBACK, AND, AND IT LOOKS A LOT DIFFERENT THAN WHAT WE INITIALLY PROPOSED TO THEM, BUT I THINK IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'RE ALL PRETTY SATISFIED WITH, AND WE REALLY HAD TO IN SOME CASES BE LIKE, NO, THIS PARTICULAR AVENUE IS THE SPINE.
IT'S THE ONLY WAY THAT WE CAN GET PEOPLE FROM POINT A TO POINT B, WE ABSOLUTELY NEED RECREATION ALLOWED ON THIS PARTICULAR ROAD OR THIS PARTICULAR CORRIDOR, AND THEY UNDERSTOOD THAT, AND WE WERE ABLE TO COME UP WITH METHODS TO MAYBE MINIMIZE IMPACTS.
SO BEFORE WE EVEN OPEN UP LANDS, WE HAVE TO THINK ABOUT HOW WE'RE GOING TO MONITOR RECREATIONAL USE AND ITS IMPACTS, WHICH IS NOT SOMETHING THAT WE NECESSARILY DO REPEATEDLY THROUGHOUT THE REST OF THE PARK DISTRICT, BUT THIS IS SOMETHING THAT ANNUALLY WE ARE GOING TO HAVE TO REPORT ON AS PART OF OUR IS PART OF OUR REPORTING AND MONITORING PROGRAM. WE ALSO HAVE ALREADY STARTED WORKING ON HOW WE'RE ACTUALLY GOING TO IMPLEMENT EDUCATION AND OUTREACH, BECAUSE WE REALIZED THAT WITHOUT THE PUBLIC BUYING IN TO THE
[01:25:04]
DIFFERENT GUIDELINES ON THESE LANDS, WE'RE REALLY NOT GOING TO BE VERY SUCCESSFUL IN HAVING RECREATION OUT THERE, AND, YOU KNOW, HOW CAN WE HAVE HOW CAN WE REALLY MINIMIZE ANY IMPACTS BECAUSE ULTIMATELY THE PUBLIC ACCESS COULD BE ADJUSTED OR DISCONTINUED IF IT'S ULTIMATELY FOUND TO BE INCOMPATIBLE WITH THE BIOLOGICAL GOALS AND OBJECTIVES.SO THAT'S KIND OF RECREATION PLANNING ON ESPECIALLY THE HCP LANDS, BUT REALLY IT APPLIES TO ANY OF THESE MITIGATION LANDS OF WHICH KIND OF SAW WE HAVE QUITE A BIT OF MITIGATION CONSERVATION LANDS.
SO IT'S A VERY INVOLVED PROCESS, BUT I REALLY THINK IT'S SETTING US UP FOR SUCCESS.
YOU KNOW, WE'RE TURNING IN GENERAL, THE HCP IS A REGIONAL PLANNING APPROACH.
IT'S REALLY TRYING TO DO CONSERVATION ON A LANDSCAPE SCALE THROUGHOUT EAST COUNTY, AND THAT'S SOMETHING THE PARK DISTRICT OBVIOUSLY HAS BEEN DOING, BUILDING CORRIDORS AND ACQUIRING LAND OVER THE LAST 90 YEARS, BUT WE'RE REALLY TURNING TOWARDS HOW CAN WE BALANCE THE, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THESE RECREATION LIMITS WITH OUR OTHER WITH OUR WITH THE REST OF OUR PARKLANDS AND FOCUSING ON REALLY ACHIEVING THE PARK DISTRICT'S DUAL MISSION THROUGHOUT THE PARK DISTRICT, NOT JUST ON THESE LANDS THAT HAVE ALREADY BEEN VERY RESTRICTED AND THAT'S WHERE WE KIND OF GET TO A THIS IS GOING TO BE A GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION SYSTEM SUPPORTED TOOL, BUT IT'S A TOOL THAT WE'RE DEVELOPING INTERNALLY AND WE'RE CALLING IT THE DECISION SUPPORT TOOL OR DST.
IN ORDER TO LOOK AT OUR ENTIRE PARK DISTRICT AND ASSESS CONSERVATION AND RECREATION THROUGHOUT ALL OF OUR OPEN PARKLANDS, AND WE REALLY WANT OUR FOCUSING ON IDENTIFYING CONSERVATION AND RECREATION FOCUS AREAS IN OUR OPEN PARK LANDS, AND THEN COMING UP WITH RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THOSE FOCUS AREAS IN OUR FUTURE PARK LANDS. SO CONSERVATION FOCUS AREAS, WE'RE, YOU KNOW, WE'RE TRYING TO IDENTIFY THE AREAS WITH REALLY SIGNIFICANT RESOURCES, AS WELL AS IDENTIFY AREAS THAT ARE POTENTIALLY GOOD FOR MITIGATION, BOTH MITIGATION FOR OUR OWN, MOSTLY MITIGATION FOR OUR OWN PROJECTS, BECAUSE AS WE BUILD STAGING AREAS OR TRAILS, WE HAVE OUR OWN IMPACTS AND THEN RESTORATION AREAS AND THEN RECREATION FOCUS AREAS.
WHERE DO WE ALREADY HAVE A LOT OF INFRASTRUCTURE AND WHERE MAYBE WE HAVE GAPS IN WHAT WE ARE OFFERING, NOT JUST TRAIL GAPS, BUT OTHER POTENTIAL AMENITIES AND THAT'S WHERE WE KIND OF GET INTO AREAS WHERE THAT ARE SUITED FOR NEW PUBLIC ACCESS AMENITIES AND I THINK ULTIMATELY THIS TOOL ISN'T GOING TO MAKE THE DECISIONS FOR US, BUT IT'S GOING TO HIGHLIGHT AREAS WHERE WE NEED TO DO A DEEPER DIVE INTO REALLY UNDERSTANDING DO WE NEED THAT NEW STAGING AREA OR IS THIS AREA BETTER SUITED FOR JUST CONSERVATION? OR MAYBE WE REALLY NEED THIS TRAIL AND EVEN THOUGH IT WILL HAVE IMPACTS, IT ENDS UP PROVIDING A REALLY CRITICAL LINKAGE FOR OUR RECREATIONAL NETWORK.
SO THAT'S KIND OF WHERE WE'RE AT.
THIS IS STILL PRETTY EARLY ON.
WE HAVE A COUPLE CORE MEMBERS.
ELLIE KNECHT IS OUR PROJECT COORDINATOR.
IT'S BEEN IN THE PROGRAM ITSELF HAS BEEN IN DEVELOPMENT, I WOULD SAY, REALLY THE LAST 20 YEARS, BUT REALLY CONCENTRATED MAYBE THE LAST SIX YEARS, AND THEN WE HAVE A COUPLE SENIOR PLANNERS THAT SPEND A LOT OF TIME WORKING ON CONSERVATION LANDS, GIS SUPPORT AS WELL AS, YOU KNOW, MULTIDISCIPLINARY.
SO YEAH, I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
GREAT. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT PRESENTATION.
MAYBE I'LL ASK THE FIRST ONE, AND THAT IS HOW GRANULAR DOES THIS PLANNING GET IN TERMS OF THEIR RECREATION PLANS? I'M THINKING, I MEAN, IF IT'S A GIS DEVELOPMENT TOOL, THEN THAT'S PROBABLY SPATIALLY EXPLICIT, BUT ALSO IN TERMS OF THE TYPES OF RECREATION THAT MIGHT OCCUR.
OR SOMEWHERE WHERE THERE'S KNOWN ALAMEDA WHIPSNAKE YOU DON'T WANT DOGS, AND I'M JUST MAKING THAT UP, AND SO ARE YOU DOING MIXING AND MATCHING BETWEEN SORT OF THE HABITAT TYPES AND THE SPECIFIC SORT OF IMPACTS OF DIFFERENT TYPES OF RECREATION? YEAH. SO SORRY, THAT WAS A LITTLE LOUDER THAN I EXPECTED.
[01:30:04]
GUIDELINES. AS WE'RE BUILDING THE DECISION SUPPORT TOOL, WE HAVE SEVERAL DIFFERENT INDICES TO JUST IDENTIFY THE FOCUS AREAS TO BEGIN WITH.SO WE HAVE, YOU KNOW, WHAT WE'RE CALLING LIKE A HIKER OPTIMIZED TRAIL, WHICH WOULD BE A SHORT LOOP TRAIL WITHIN, YOU KNOW, NO MORE THAN TWO MILES FROM A STAGING AREA OR AN EQUESTRIAN TRAIL BECAUSE IT HAS WATER TROUGHS OR A PARKING FOR A HORSE TRAILERS, AND THEN WE'RE ALSO LOOKING AT SORT OF AN EQUITY.
WE HAVE AN EQUITY INDEX THAT WE'RE BUILDING THAT WILL BE LOOKING AT PROXIMITY TO DIFFERENT COMMUNITIES, PROXIMITY TO PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION.
YOU KNOW, HOW EASY IS IT TO GET TO PARKS, WHO'S USING THOSE PARKS, ETC.? AND THEN FOR AS WELL AND THEN WE HAVE WILDLIFE AND VEGETATION INDICES AS WELL THAT ARE BEING DEVELOPED.
WE'LL HAVE A WEIGHT WHEN WE RUN THAT IN THE GIS THINGS WILL KIND OF STACK UP IN ONE WAY, RIGHT? SO IF YOU HAVE A PICNIC AREA AND A SWIM FACILITY AND A SHORT LOOP TRAIL AND, YOU KNOW, YOU MIGHT BEGIN TO SEE, WOW, THIS IS A REALLY HIGH RECREATION FOCUS AREA, RIGHT? LIKE THIS IS SCORING VERY KIND OF BEEN USING THE EXAMPLE YELLOW, RIGHT, FOR RECREATION, AND THEN YOU SORT OF LOOK AT LIKE, WOW, THIS PLACE HAS ALAMEDA WHIPSNAKE AND IT HAS RED LEGGED FROG AND IT HAS, YOU KNOW, VEGETATION THAT'S REALLY INDICATIVE OF, YOU KNOW, IMPORTANT RESOURCES THAT'S STARTING TO STACK UP HERE, BUT IT DOESN'T REALLY HAVE THE TRAIL, YOU KNOW, AND SO IT'S SCORING REALLY, REALLY, BLUE, YOU KNOW, AND THEN YOU HAVE THE AREAS WHERE THEY END UP BEING GREEN, RIGHT? LIKE THEY KIND OF END UP KIND OF BEING IN BETWEEN, AND THOSE ARE THE AREAS THAT WE THINK THE TOOL WILL REALLY HELP US IDENTIFY LIKE, OKAY, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A REALLY IMPORTANT WATERSHED, BUT WE ALSO HAVE THIS SHORT LOOP TRAIL HERE.
DO WE NEED TO TAKE, YOU KNOW, MANAGEMENT MEASURES OR JUST EDUCATION MEASURES TO CHANGE HOW WHAT WE'RE DOING HERE OR DO WE NEED TO LIKE AND THIS IS THE OPEN PARKLANDS RIGHT? LIKE OR DO WE NEED TO RETHINK WHAT RECREATION LOOKS LIKE IN THIS PARTICULAR AREA, AND THEN WE HAVE OTHER AREAS WHERE ARE NOT YET OPEN, BUT WE WANT TO TAKE A DEEPER LOOK, AND THAT WILL ALSO HELP US IDENTIFY THOSE AREAS, ESPECIALLY FOR THE GAPS.
I THINK I SAW YOUR HAND FIRST.
GO AHEAD MEMBER LOPEZ. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
YOU KNOW, I APPRECIATE THIS IS A SORT OF A DILEMMA WITH ALL LIKE, PUBLIC LANDS, SO TO SPEAK, IS HOW DO YOU HAVE THAT BALANCE OF PROTECTING WHAT YOU LOVE AND BEING ABLE TO HAVE ACCESS TO IT SO PEOPLE BECOME STEWARDS.
SO IT'S A VERY, VERY DELICATE PROCESS.
YOU KNOW, ONE OF MY QUESTIONS IS ON THE LEGACY ROAD NETWORK AND WORKING WITH THAT.
SO FOR THE PROSPECTIVE ROADS THAT WON'T BE USED IN THE FUTURE PER SE FOR RECREATIONAL, THAT WILL THEY STILL BE MAINTAINED OR IS THERE A MANDATE TO MAINTAIN THEM IN WITH THE LENS OF LIKE WILDFIRE MANAGEMENT AND SO FORTH AND HOW DOES THAT WORK? SO THAT WE CAN PROTECT THIS SPACE FOR EVERYBODY, RIGHT, FOR THE CREATURES AND FOR PEOPLE, AND THEN THE OTHER THE SECOND QUESTION I HAVE, AND IT'S A VERY DIFFERENT KIND OF QUESTION, BUT IT'S REALLY AROUND YOU KNOW WORKING WITH OTHER GROUPS THAT ARE INTERESTED AND HAVING, YOU KNOW, A COALITION WITH INTEREST IN PRESERVING WILD LANDS, AND I'M SPECIFICALLY REFERENCING INDIGENOUS GROUPS, AND WHAT KIND OF CONVERSATIONS IS THE PARK DISTRICT HAVING, HAVING A PARTNERSHIP THERE? BECAUSE I THINK THERE IS AN INTERSECTION IN THAT AND THAT DESIRE, RIGHT, TO PROTECT, YOU KNOW, SACRED SPACES AND SO FORTH.
SO I'LL ANSWER YOUR FIRST QUESTION.
WE WORK WITH OUR OPERATIONS STAFF AND FIRE AND PUBLIC SAFETY SOME, AT LEAST IN THE HCP.
WE ARE KEEPING SOME ROADS JUST SERVICE ROAD ONLY.
IN FACT, THE MAJORITY OF ROADS THAT WE'RE NOT HAVING PUBLIC ACCESS ON ARE STILL BEING KEPT BECAUSE THEY'RE EITHER OPERATIONALLY NEEDED FOR GRAZING PURPOSES OR FOR RANGER STAFF OR IN THE CASE OF, YOU KNOW, PUBLIC SAFETY NEEDS WE JUST HAVE TO HAVE A VERY ROBUST EDUCATION PROGRAM ABOUT HEY, SORRY YOU CAN'T USE THIS PARTICULAR TRAIL.
I KNOW IT'S HERE, BUT IT'S A SERVICE ROAD ONLY, AND IT MIGHT WE MIGHT WHAT WE'RE KIND OF THINKING IS IT'S GOING TO BE A MUCH HIGHER TOUCH WITH THE PUBLIC JUST ON THESE PARTICULAR, ESPECIALLY THE HCP PRESERVE LANDS, BUT, YOU KNOW, JUST IN GENERAL IN ANY SORT OF CONSERVATION LAND THAT'S A LITTLE BIT MORE PROTECTED FOR WHATEVER REASON.
THERE ARE SOME ROADS WHERE EVERYBODY SORT OF AGREES.
NOBODY REALLY WANTS THEM AND IT ACTUALLY HAS A HIGHER CONSERVATION VALUE.
[01:35:04]
SO IN A LOT OF CASES PEOPLE AGREE THAT JUST ABANDONING AND WILL BE SUFFICIENT.THANK YOU. SO AND THEN AS TO YOUR SECOND QUESTION--HOPEFULLY I ANSWERED THE FIRST PART.
OKAY, AND THEN ANSWER TO YOUR SECOND QUESTION, WE CERTAINLY WORK.
WE HAVE ANNA MARIE GUERRERO, WHO IS OUR CULTURAL OUR NEW, ACTUALLY OUR NEW PRINCIPAL PLANNER OF CULTURAL RESOURCES, AND WE CERTAINLY ARE CONSIDERING HER INPUT AND THE NEEDS OF THE TRIBAL COMMUNITIES.
IT'S A LITTLE DIFFERENT WHEN WE'RE DEALING WITH THE MITIGATION LANDS, WHEN THEY ARE SORT OF WHAT WE CAN AND CANNOT DO AS DICTATED BY THE RESOURCE AGENCIES, BUT I THINK THERE'S CERTAINLY AN ACKNOWLEDGMENT THAT AS WE MOVE FORWARD WITH KIND OF THE NON RESTRICTED MITIGATION CONSERVATION LANDS, BUT AS WE'RE LOOKING AT THESE CONSERVATION FOCUS AREAS, IT'S NOT JUST THE NATURAL RESOURCES THAT WE ARE LOOKING AT.
IT'S VERY SENSITIVE INFORMATION, AND SO WE CERTAINLY HAVE ANNA MARIE AS PART OF OUR TEAM, IN ORDER TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE USING THE RIGHT METRICS WHEN WE ARE COMING TO THAT, TO THOSE THAT LAYER OF INFORMATION.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR ALL YOUR INFORMATION.
ON YOUR FLYER IS THAT VASCO CAVES UP THERE? THAT IS, YES, THAT'S VASCO CAVES.
YEAH, ONE OF THE MOST FRAGILE PLACES.
YES. OKAY, SO YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT SETTING ASIDE UP TO 30,000 ACRES.
IS THERE A TIMELINE FOR THAT, THAT YOU THINK YOU MIGHT REACH THAT? SO WE'RE ABOUT HALFWAY THERE AND WE'RE ABOUT HALFWAY THROUGH THE PERMIT TERM.
SO THE PERMIT SUNSETS IN 2037, AND THE CONSERVANCY.
SO ABBY FATEMAN IS THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE EAST CONTRA COSTA COUNTY HABITAT CONSERVANCY.
IF NOT, THERE'S ALSO POTENTIALLY OPPORTUNITIES TO EXTEND THE PERMIT TERM, AND HOW MUCH WHAT'S THE TIMELINE FOR GOING THROUGH THIS PROCESS, ALL YOUR TIMELINES THAT YOU HAVE OUT THERE, ONCE YOU ENTER THE PROCESS, ONCE A, A PROPERTY IS PURCHASED, WHEN IT GETS TO WHAT YOUR GOALS ARE FOR THAT PROPERTY, WHAT KIND OF TIMELINE ARE WE TALKING ABOUT.
SO THE CONSERVANCY IS THE HABITAT GOALS.
SO CLAYTON RANCH, WHILE THERE WAS INITIAL PARK PLANNING THAT HAPPENED A NUMBER OF YEARS AGO.
I THINK WE'RE ON A MUCH MORE SOLID TIMELINE WITH THAT PARTICULAR ONE, AND WE'RE MORE WITHIN THE LIKE 3 TO 5 YEARS OF BEING ABLE TO OPEN IN TERMS OF OUR PART OF THE RECREATION PLANNING, WE'RE DONE.
IT'S NOW THE CONSERVANCY'S HANDS TO FINISH THE PRESERVE MANAGEMENT PLAN, WHICH IS SORT OF THE REST OF THE DOCUMENT THAT DICTATES HOW THE PROPERTY WILL BE MANAGED AND WHAT SPECIES ARE GOING TO BE MONITORED AND, AND REPORTED ON.
SO THAT'S WHY I'M SAYING ABOUT 3 TO 5 YEARS AT THE CLAYTON RANCH.
WE DO HAVE THE RODDY RANCH GOLF COURSE, WHICH IS PART OF THE CLAYTON RANCH SORRY, DEER VALLEY AREA, AND THAT AS YOU MAY KNOW, IS ALREADY IN WE'RE GETTING OUR FINAL PERMITS IN THE NEXT YEAR, AND THEN WE'LL MOVE ON TO CONSTRUCTION, HOPEFULLY IN 2026.
SO THERE'S MORE OF A DEFINED TIMELINE FOR THE GOLF COURSE FOR THE REST OF DEER VALLEY, WE'RE HOLDING OFF BECAUSE THERE'S STILL SOME INHOLDINGS AND OTHER PROPERTIES WHERE WE'RE NOT 100% SURE HOW THE FULL NETWORK WILL LOOK, BUT WE TRY, YOU KNOW, AS SOON AS IT LOOKS LIKE IT'S AN APPROPRIATE PARK. IT'S NOT JUST MAYBE A PIECE OUT BY ITSELF, UNCONNECTED FROM EVERYTHING ELSE.
THEN WE REALLY TRY AND INITIATE SOME LEVEL OF PLANNING.
YEAH, BECAUSE YEAH, EAST CONTRA COSTA COUNTY IS GROWING SO FAST, AND EVEN WITH ALL OUR PLANS, I MEAN, I SEE IT'S HARD TO KEEP UP WITH THE GROWTH THAT'S IN THE AREA.
I WOULD JUST LIKE TO BE SURE THAT WE'RE THAT WHEN WE DO CONNECT THE PARKS, THAT WE HAVE ACCESS TO SOME OF THE MAJOR TRAILS, ALSO, THAT WE CAN REDUCE CAR TRIPS TO GET TO SOME OF THESE PARKS.
DID YOU HAVE A QUESTION? MEMBER DIETER.
[01:40:02]
YEAH, THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION, I APPRECIATE THAT.IT SOUNDS LIKE THIS IS A FAIRLY YOUNG PROGRAM WITH THE CONSERVATION, WITH THE AGENCIES AND EVERYTHING, AND SO, I MEAN, YOU SAID SIX YEARS IS--THE CURRENT FORMAT IS ABOUT SIX YEARS.
I WOULD SAY WE'VE BEEN BUILDING TOWARD IT SINCE THE LATE 90S.
OKAY. FROM SOUP OR NUTS TO SOUP, SOUP TO NUTS.
WELL, IN TERMS OF THE PARK DISTRICT CELEBRATING 90 YEARS, IT'S A FAIRLY YOUNG, DEFINITELY PROGRAM, AND SO I ASSUME THAT THERE'S A LEARNING CURVE FOR EVERYONE, WHICH YOU GET BETTER AND BETTER AT, EVEN AMONG THE OTHER AGENCIES AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
SO BECAUSE THERE'S NEGOTIATIONS THAT GO ON.
I IMAGINE THERE'S SOME FLEXIBILITY THAT YOU GUYS HAVE TO WORK THINGS OUT.
SOMETIMES AFTER YOU PIN SOMETHING DOWN, YOU MAY DISCOVER SOMETHING LATER, LIKE IN ANY PROJECT, AND YOU HAVE TO GO BACK AND WORK OUT THINGS, RIGHT.
SO MY QUESTION IS, IS DO THESE AGENCIES EVER ALL MEET TOGETHER IN AT A PUBLIC MEETING, OR IS IT SOMETHING THAT THE PARK DISTRICT IS THE PUBLIC FACE FOR THE PROJECT ALTOGETHER? THAT THERE'S NO ONE THERE'S NO GROUP MEETING WHERE ALL THE AGENCIES ARE TOGETHER? THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION. I HAVE NOT PARTICIPATED IN A PUBLIC MEETING.
SO YEAH, THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION.
I'D HAVE TO LOOK INTO THAT A LITTLE MORE.
SO CURRENTLY, LIKE THIS TOOL IS BEING DEVELOPED FOR DIFFERENT CONSERVATION LANDS, BUT DO WE SEE AS FAR AS IF THIS TOOL COULD BE EDITED IN A WAY WITH DIFFERENT INDICES TO PROBABLY IN THE FUTURE LOOK AT DIFFERENT RECREATION AREAS TO MINIMIZE TRAIL USER CONFLICT BETWEEN DIFFERENT GROUPS.
IS THIS LIKE SOMETHING THAT COULD BE USED KIND OF JUST BEYOND THAT? IT'S POSSIBLE IF WE CAN GET THE DATA, ESPECIALLY IF WE CAN GET THE DATA IN GIS.
WE'RE HOPING THAT IT'LL BE A VERY FLEXIBLE TOOL THAT WE CAN NOT ONLY USE AS A BROAD SWATH TO UNDERSTAND JUST THE PARK DISTRICT ON A MUCH ON A LARGER SCALE, BUT ALSO SOMETHING THAT WE COULD FOCUS IN ON PARTICULAR PROJECT AREA, AND THEN FOR THE DIFFERENT INDICES AROUND EQUITY BECAUSE IT'S DEFINITELY VERY CLEAR FOR ME IN GIS WHERE WE CAN TELL, OKAY, WE HAVE THIS DOT, THIS IS WHERE WE FOUND A WHIPSNAKE BUT HOW DO WE DEVELOP KIND OF THE DIFFERENT EQUITY METRICS THAT ARE REFLECTIVE OF I MEAN, SORRY, INDICES THAT ARE REFLECTIVE OF OUR EVOLVING VIEWS OF WHAT EQUITY ARE.
I KNOW THERE ARE SOME EQUITY MEASURES ABOUT HOW FAR AWAY DIFFERENT COMMUNITIES ARE FROM A PARK, BUT JUST HOW ARE WE LOOKING AT THOSE OTHER EQUITY KIND OF INDICES WHERE THEY MAY BE MORE VALUE DRIVEN OF OUR PARK, OUR PLACE, OUR PEOPLE VERSUS AS DATA DRIVEN, AND THEN HOW DO WE KIND OF DECIDE THAT THOSE ARE THE VALUES? AND THEN ALSO HOW DO WE DECIDE THAT THOSE VALUES ARE GOING TO ALLOW US TO PLAN FOR GENERATIONS TO COME? SO THEY'RE NOT VALUES THAT ARE PURELY REFLECTED OF THIS TIME SO YEAH, IT'S KIND OF STATIC.
YEAH. NO, THAT'S A REALLY GOOD QUESTION, AND WE HAVEN'T FULLY BUILT OUT OUR EQUITY INDEX.
ESTABLISHED INDICES THAT ARE OUT THERE THAT HAVE GIS LAYERS ALREADY ALREADY COMPLETED.
THERE'S A COUPLE DIFFERENT ONES, PARTLY BECAUSE IT ALSO FOLDS IN WITH GRANT ORGANIZATIONS AND THEY WANT TO SEE SORT OF, OH, HEY, DID YOU USE X, YOU KNOW, LAYER IN ORDER TO IDENTIFY, YOU KNOW, IDENTIFY THIS PROJECT AREA? BUT WE DON'T WANT TO JUST LIMIT IT TO THAT BECAUSE IT'S ALSO WORK DONE BY OTHERS.
[01:45:03]
BECAUSE I THINK EXACTLY WHAT YOU SAID IS, IS SPOT ON, THAT WE DON'T WANT IT TO BE STATIC AND WE DON'T WANT IT TO NECESSARILY.IT'S A REALLY COMPLEX TOPIC ON HOW TO BALANCE ACCESS VERSUS PRESERVATION.
SO YOU MENTIONED THE GUIDELINES ARE ALREADY LAID OUT.
ARE THOSE LAID OUT FROM THE RESOURCE AGENCIES OR FROM THE PARK DISTRICT.
FOR THE HCP, IT'S THE, WE ARE A PARTNER IN THE HCP, BUT WE DID NOT CONCEIVE THE PLAN ITSELF.
SO THAT WAS AN AN AN EFFORT REALLY BY THE RESOURCE AGENCIES AND REALLY DRIVEN BY THE CONTRA COSTA COUNTY AND THE MEMBER PARTNER AGENCIES.
SO THERE WAS THE CITY, THE COUNTY OF CONTRA COSTA COUNTY, AND THEN PITTSBURG, OAKLEY, BRENTWOOD, AND I'M REALLY SORRY, I THINK I MIGHT BE MISSING ONE OF THEM, OH, CLAYTON, YES.
SO THOSE GUIDELINES, I THINK REALLY, AS IT COMES TO RECREATION, WE'RE VERY MUCH DICTATED BY THE RESOURCE AGENCIES AND THEY WERE INCORPORATED INTO THE PLAN AS THAT WAS NEGOTIATED AND THROUGHOUT THE EARLY 2000S.
SO IT'S NOT IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE CERTAINLY HAD INPUT ON, BUT WE DIDN'T NECESSARILY WE DID NOT NECESSARILY HAVE A HAND IN WRITING THOSE, THOSE GUIDELINES.
SO A LOT CAN CHANGE IN 20 YEARS, WHICH IS GOING TO TIE TO MY NEXT QUESTION.
SO IF THERE'S IF THERE'S A DIFFERENCE OF OPINION BETWEEN THE PARK DISTRICT AND THE RESOURCE AGENCIES, WHO HAS THE FINAL SAY ULTIMATELY IN TERMS OF WHETHER OR NOT WE SHOULD ALLOW PUBLIC ACCESS WITHIN 300FT OF PONDS OR WHATEVER, WHATEVER IT IS.
YEAH. SO IF WE HAVE ENOUGH EVIDENCE, THERE CAN BE ALLOWANCES CASE BY CASE BY CASE, BUT ULTIMATELY I THINK THE WAY THE PARTNERSHIP IS WRITTEN IS WE ARE OBLIGATED TO IMPLEMENT THE, THE, THE GOALS AND THE AND FOLLOW THE GUIDELINES.
SO THE OTHER ONE, IT'S KIND OF TIES TO THAT TOO.
SO IT MENTIONED THAT ITS SOCIETAL BENEFIT.
AGAIN THAT'S GOING TO LOOK REALLY DIFFERENT EVEN LIKE PRE-COVID/POST-COVID.
SO ARE THERE CRITERIA AROUND SOCIETAL BENEFIT AND DOES THAT GET LOOKED AT PERIODICALLY TO SEE IF IT'S STILL RELEVANT? YEAH. NO, I THINK IT'S MORE THAT THEY SO MOST CONSERVATION INSTRUMENTS DON'T ALLOW ANY PUBLIC ACCESS WHATSOEVER.
RIGHT, AND SO THAT WAS THE IDEA BEHIND HCP.
IT WASN'T A QUANTIFIED SOCIETAL BENEFIT.
IT WAS JUST AN ACKNOWLEDGMENT THAT PASSIVE RECREATION DID PROVIDE A BENEFIT OF SOME SORT TO THE PUBLIC AND THAT, YOU KNOW, THE PARK DISTRICT AS SORT OF THE PROPOSED PRESERVE MANAGER.
THAT WAS REALLY OF BENEFIT BECAUSE WE'RE A PUBLIC AGENCY THAT WAS REALLY KIND OF ONE OF OUR GOALS WAS TO ALLOW PUBLIC ACCESS, BUT AGAIN, IT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE LIMITED, BUT THERE WAS NOT NECESSARILY METRICS ASSIGNED TO THAT SOCIETAL BENEFIT.
THANK YOU FOR THAT WONDERFUL PRESENTATION.
I JUST WANT TO UPLIFT WHAT FELLOW BOARD MEMBERS HAVE SAID IN REGARDS TO WORKING WITH INDIGENOUS GROUPS AND ANNA MARIE GUERRERO AND HOW HER PLAN TO INTEGRATE ALL OF THIS, I HOPE.
OFTENTIMES I HEAR THINGS LIKE WE'RE HAVING DISCUSSIONS OR WE'VE BEEN ASKED THAT QUESTION MANY TIMES.
WELL, LET'S ANSWER IT, AND I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE TO PUT UP IN THE FOREFRONT AND NOT JUST, YOU KNOW, CONSERVING THE LAND FOR RECREATION, BUT ALSO FOR CEREMONY AS WELL, AND THAT IS ALSO TIED IN WITH THE EQUITY INDEX THAT OFTENTIMES DOESN'T INCLUDE THAT.
THE EQUITY INDEX IS SO IMPORTANT, AND I JUST WONDERING IF WE CAN HAVE IN THE FOREFRONT THAT KIND OF ENGAGEMENT WITH TRIBES INSTEAD OF JUST DOING IT AS A PERFORMATIVE THING, HAVING THEM AT THE TABLE WITHOUT REALLY HAVING THE ABILITY TO HAVE POWER TO GET LAND BACK OR ALL OF THE DIFFERENT MYRIAD THINGS THAT LAND BACK ENTAILS, LIKE LANGUAGE REVITALIZATION, FOOD REVITALIZATION, AND ALSO, AS ED POINTED OUT AT VASCO CAVES NOT JUST A BIOLOGICAL CONSERVATION AREA, BUT A CULTURAL ONE AS WELL.
SO IT'S A LENGTHY QUESTION, BUT JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT'S HAPPENING.
[01:50:02]
NOT SO MUCH A QUESTION BUT ALSO TYING IN THAT CULTURAL AND BIOLOGICAL PIECE, AS MANY OF US WENT TO SEE THE AURORA BOREALIS, MANY OF MY FRIENDS WHO DRIVE THROUGH NILES CANYON LOOKING FOR THAT PERFECT INSTAGRAM PICTURE RAN OVER TIGER SALAMANDERS.SO IT'S ONE OF THOSE THINGS WHERE YOU KNOW, SOUTH PARK AND TILDEN IS CLOSED ON THE ANNUAL BASIS, BUT IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'D ALSO WANT TO CONSIDER WITH WILDLIFE CORRIDORS THAT IF THAT'S A PART OF THAT PROCESS AS WELL, CONSIDERING PAVED ROADS FOR BICYCLISTS AND ALSO MAYBE LOWERING THE TIME SO THAT WHEN SALAMANDERS AND NEWTS ARE MIGRATING BICYCLISTS ARE NOT RUNNING THEM OVER ON ACCIDENT, AND THEN LASTLY WONDERING HOW 3030 FITS INTO THIS, IS THERE AN INTERSECTION? IT SEEMS LIKE THERE WOULD BE, BUT YOU KNOW, IT SOUNDS SORT OF LIKE, OH, 30,000 ACRES BY 2030 THAT'S A LITTLE YOU KNOW, AMBITIOUS, BUT I THINK THAT MIGHT BE A GOAL, AT LEAST.
YEAH. A LOT TO UNPACK THERE, BUT I THINK WE DEFINITELY ARE WORKING TOWARDS WE HAVE THE INTENTION TO CERTAINLY CONSIDER A LOT OF THOSE THINGS, AND WHILE THE DECISION SUPPORT TOOL MIGHT NOT GET AS GRANULAR AS EACH INDIVIDUAL MIGRATORY ROUTE FOR A TIGER SALAMANDER, IT'S CERTAINLY GOING TO HELP US IDENTIFY AREAS WHERE THAT COULD BE OF CONCERN, AND THEN IF WE WERE DOING A PLANNING PROJECT WITHIN THAT AREA, WE COULD DIVE MUCH DEEPER INTO THAT PARTICULAR TOPIC.
I THINK IN TERMS OF THE CULTURAL RESOURCES YOU KNOW, THAT IS ONE OF THE REASONS WHY WE'RE PARTNERING AND HAVE ANNA MARIE CERTAINLY ON OUR TEAM AS WE'RE WORKING THROUGH.
YEAH. I WAS JUST GOING TO ADD THANK YOU, MEMBER MENDOZA, FOR THOSE QUESTIONS, AND I JUST WANTED TO ADD EACH OF THOSE QUESTIONS ARE REALLY GOOD QUESTIONS FOR THE DISTRICT PLAN, AND SOMETHING NAOMI DIDN'T REALLY MENTION AS PART OF THIS IS THAT THIS IS KIND OF A SUBSET OF OF WHAT WE'RE GOING TO BE BRINGING BACK TO THE PAC AND DISCUSSING WITH YOU ALL REGARDING THE BROADER DISTRICT PLAN.
SO SO THESE WILL BE QUESTIONS THAT WILL KEEP COMING UP AS WE BRING BACK THE DISTRICT PLAN.
SO YOU CAN KIND OF CONSIDER THIS AS SORT OF A ONE DISTRICT PLAN PRESENTATION, EVEN THOUGH IT'S FOCUSED ON THE CONSERVATION LANDS PART OF IT, AND THEN WE'LL BE BACK WITH MORE AND CERTAINLY WELCOME ALL THOSE QUESTIONS AS PART OF THAT PROCESS TOO.
DO WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FROM THE MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC ON ZOOM OR IN THE ROOM? NO WE DON'T. OKAY, GREAT.
WELL, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT PRESENTATION.
OKAY, SO WE ARE FAIRLY PRESSED FOR TIME, AND THE NEXT PRESENTATION IS ALSO A A VERY INFORMATION RICH ONE, AND I KNOW THAT REN HAS A HARD STOP AT 6:30, AND SO IT IS POSSIBLE THAT WE MAY NOT GET TO EVERYONE'S QUESTIONS IN TIME AFTER THE PRESENTATION, BUT IF THAT IS THE CASE, I DO ENCOURAGE YOU TO REACH OUT BY EMAIL WITH ANY FOLLOW UP QUESTIONS THAT YOU MIGHT HAVE, BUT LET'S GO AHEAD AND LEAP INTO OUR NEXT ONE, WHICH IS AN UPDATE ON CAPITAL PROJECTS IN THE PARK DISTRICT.
THANK YOU FOR THAT INTRODUCTION, AND MY YES, I APOLOGIZE, I HAVE TO BE OUT AT 6:30.
MY DAUGHTER HAS A PERFORMANCE THIS EVENING AT SEVEN AND SO I WANT TO ATTEND THAT MUCH LIKE I AM PLEASED TO BE HERE AND THANK YOU FOR THE INVITE, BUT I DO HAVE OTHER THINGS I WOULD LIKE TO GO TO THIS EVENING.
SO TO THAT END, I WILL GIVE A BRIEF UPDATE.
SO I'M REN BATES, I'M THE CHIEF OF DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION.
I'M GOING TO GIVE AN UPDATE ON CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS.
WE ARE NOT THE ONLY ENTITY IN THE DISTRICT THAT DOESN'T DELIVER CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS.
WHO'S MY TEAM? IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THESE PROJECTS.
SO WE HAVE 30 MEMBERS IN FOUR UNITS.
IT'S KIND OF HARD TO SEE OUR ORG CHART THERE, AND IT ACTUALLY NEEDS AN UPDATE BECAUSE CARMEN ERASMUS, WHO WAS FORMERLY A LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT, HAS BEEN PROMOTED TO BE OUR OOPS CAPITAL PROJECTS MANAGER.
SO WE HAVE FOUR UNITS CONSTRUCTION DESIGN, PROJECT MANAGEMENT AND RESTORATION PROJECTS.
SO OUR CONSTRUCTION AND INSPECTOR UNIT HAS SURVEYORS AND INSPECTORS.
THEY HELP DO PLAN SURVEYING FOR OUR PROJECTS.
OUR DESIGN, PROJECT MANAGEMENT AND RESTORATION PROJECTS ARE ALL SIMILAR.
WE'RE SPLIT UP SO THAT WE HAVE FEWER REPORTS THAT ARE THEY KIND OF TIE TO THEIR NAMES.
[01:55:03]
SO IN THE RESTORATION PROJECTS FOR PROJECT MANAGEMENT AND DESIGN GROUP, WE HAVE OUR DESIGN PROFESSIONALS.WE HAVE THREE LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTS ON STAFF.
SO WHAT WE DO DO IS WE DELIVER CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS AND MAJOR MAINTENANCE THAT EXPAND PUBLIC ACCESS, MAINTAIN FACILITIES AND INFRASTRUCTURE, AND RESTORE OUR NATURAL RESOURCES AND ECOSYSTEMS. WE ALSO WILL FACILITATE WITH OTHER DESIGN NEEDS AS NECESSARY.
SO NOT NECESSARILY PROJECT WORK, BUT HELPING OTHER STAFF WITH DESIGN OPS, WITH LAYOUTS FOR PARKING LOTS AND OR STAGING AREAS THAT MIGHT NEED SOME RENOVATION, AND TO THAT END, WE'RE WORKING ON DESIGN STANDARDS AND DESIGN GUIDELINES THAT CAN BE UTILIZED DISTRICT WIDE.
HERE'S A MAP OF CURRENTLY OUR CURRENT WORK PLAN.
IT'S REALLY HARD TO READ BUT SO WE DO IT BY PHASE.
THE ORANGE IS PROJECTS THAT ARE CURRENTLY IN CONSTRUCTION.
THE YELLOW ARE PROJECTS THAT ARE IN DESIGN AND PERMITTING.
I REALIZE IT'S VERY DIFFICULT TO READ, BUT WE DO HAVE A LOT OF WORK.
PROJECTS VARY IN LENGTH OF TIME.
THAT'S JUST A MATTER OF AS WE'VE SPOKEN ABOUT THE THINGS THAT NEOMA TALKED ABOUT, WE ALSO HAVE TO THEN GET PERMITS FROM A LOT OF THOSE AUTHORITIES HAVING JURISDICTION, AND WE SOMETIMES, OFTEN DON'T HAVE ANY SORT OF COVERAGE LIKE THE CONSERVATIVE CONSERVATION PLAN.
SO IT TAKES A LONG TIME FOR US TO GET OUR PERMITS.
IN ADDITION TO THAT, IT CONSTRAINS SOMETIMES OUR WORK WINDOWS BASED ON SPECIES OF CONCERN.
SO I'LL JUST THAT'S WHAT I'LL LEAVE AT THAT.
PROJECT PRIORITIZATION MIGHT BE A QUESTION IN TERMS OF WE HAVE A LOT OF WORK THAT'S SHOWN THERE.
LIKE WW AND CC RESPONSE TO HEALTH AND SAFETY CONCERNS.
SO IF THERE'S EMERGENCY LIKE SLIDES OR STORM DAMAGE THAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN, THAT WILL USUALLY TAKE IT UP IN PRIORITY REPLACEMENT OF FAILING INFRASTRUCTURE AND FACILITIES, AND AS ALWAYS, WE ARE A PUBLIC AGENCY, AND SO THERE'S POLITICAL DESIRES AND NEEDS THAT CAUSE US TO ROTATE OUR PROJECT PRIORITIES.
IN 2022, THE BOARD DID ADOPT A PROJECT PRIORITIZATION POLICY, WHICH HAS CRITERIA WHICH MEANT WAS AS A MEANS TO OBJECTIFY OR NOT OBJECTIFY, BUT MAKE IT SO THAT WE CAN SCORE OUR PROJECTS USING CRITERIA THAT SPEAK TO MANY THINGS LIKE ACCESS OR PROXIMITY TO DISADVANTAGED COMMUNITIES, WHICH USES A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT INDICES.
THIS POLICY WAS ADOPTED IN 2022.
WE'RE CURRENTLY WORKING ON PROCEDURES AS TO HOW TO BEST DO THAT, BECAUSE THERE'S A LOT OF NEEDS AT THE DISTRICT FOR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS, AND WE HAVE LIMITED RESOURCES TO DELIVER THOSE. SO THE GOAL, AS I UNDERSTAND IT, BY FROM OUR EXECUTIVE TEAM IS THAT WE WANT TO REPLACE THAT PROJECT, PROGRAM AND BUDGET BOOK WITH A FIVE YEAR CIP THAT HAS FIVE YEAR EXPENDITURES, AND ACTUALLY THE PROJECTS WE'RE WORKING ON, BECAUSE THAT PROGRAM PROJECT AND BUDGET BOOK HAS A LOT OF PROJECTS THAT WE AREN'T NECESSARILY WORKING ON, AND SO WE JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE BEING TRANSPARENT AND ACCURATE IN ALL THE WORK THAT WE'RE DOING, AND IT ACTUALLY ALSO GIVES US AN IDEA ABOUT FUNDING.
SO THIS IMAGE IS ACTUALLY OF THE WE JUST REDID THE LAFAYETTE RIDGE STAGING AREA, AND FOR BRIONES.
WE UTILIZE, SO I'LL JUST TOUCH ON A COUPLE OF THINGS HERE.
WE USE SEVERAL DIFFERENT METHODS FOR DELIVERY OF PROJECTS.
WE DO USE DESIGN BID BUILD WHICH IS TYPICALLY WE DO DESIGN PERMITTING GO OUT TO PUBLIC BID.
WE'RE REQUIRED TO AWARD TO THE LOWEST PUBLIC THE LOWEST BID ON THAT.
THIS WE USE JOB ORDER CONTRACTING, WHICH IS WE HAVE A CONSULTANT THAT HELPS US PROVIDE A COST CATALOG WHICH TAKES STANDARD FIXED UNIT COSTS FOR LOCAL MATERIALS AND PREVAILING WAGE, AND SO THAT HAS ALL KINDS OF TASKS IN IT, LIKE FROM LAYING ASPHALT DOWN, STRIPING, RESTROOM REPLACEMENT.
IT IS BASICALLY FOR RESTORATION AND REPLACEMENT.
IT'S ONE OF OUR, WE HAVE A PROGRAM THAT WE UTILIZE FOR THAT.
IT'S KIND OF LIKE AN ON CALL CONTRACTOR.
[02:00:05]
SO IT'S STILL COMPETITIVELY BID, BUT IT ALLOWS US AN OPPORTUNITY TO WORK WITH THE CONTRACTOR AND NOT NECESSARILY GO THROUGH DESIGN BID AND THEN GET BOARD AUTHORIZATION, WHICH SOMETIMES CAN TAKE THREE MONTHS TO FOUR MONTHS JUST FOR THE BIDDING PROCESS, NOT EVEN GETTING TO THAT POINT.SO THESE ARE EXISTING CONDITIONS.
SO I'M JUST GOING TO GO THROUGH A COUPLE PROJECTS THAT ARE ON OUR LIST AS KIND OF EXAMPLES TO SORT OF SHARE WITH YOU OUR PROCESS, SORT OF DESCRIBE THE PHASES THAT I TALKED ABOUT EARLIER AND GO THROUGH THAT.
SO THIS FIRST ONE IS THE THURGOOD MARSHALL REGIONAL PARK SOUTH OF BAILEY ROAD PUBLIC ACCESS PROJECT.
SO WHAT WE DID INTERNALLY IS ONE OF OUR LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTS, EVA ROSE LEAVITT.
SHE DID SHE LED A GROUP OR PROCESS BY WHICH SHE INCORPORATED AND INVITED OPERATIONS AND ALL OF OUR INTERNAL STAKEHOLDERS TO SORT OF COME UP AND VET A CONCEPT PLAN THAT WE COULD THAT WOULD MAKE SENSE IN TERMS OF WHAT THE GOALS ARE FOR THE PROJECT AND THEN WHAT WE CAN MANAGE AND HANDLE AS STAFF IN TERMS OF OPERATIONALLY WHAT THE NEEDS ARE AND MAKING SURE THAT WE ARE.
AGAIN, WE HAVE A LOT OF PROJECTS AND IT WOULD BE GREAT THAT WE CAN MAKE THE DREAM PROJECT EVERYWHERE, BUT WE HAVE LIMITED BUDGETS AND SO WE NEED TO FOCUS OUR ATTENTION AND DEVELOP CONCEPT PLANS. SO THAT'S WHAT THIS IS.
IN TERMS OF THAT TWO AT RODDY RANCH OR AT SORRY, SOUTH OF BAILEY ROAD, THERE IS A BUNCH OF OLD RAILS THERE BECAUSE IT WAS AN AMMUNITIONS DEPOSITION. SO THERE'S TRAIN TRACKS.
WE'RE GOING TO CONVERT A LOT OF THOSE TO RAILS TO TRAILS.
THEY'LL BE GREAT OPPORTUNITIES BECAUSE OF THE GRADE FOR RAILROAD FOR FAMILIES TO GO OUT, UTILIZE THESE LOOPS FOR BIKES AND OTHER THINGS, AND SO IT'S A GREAT WAY TO GET PEOPLE OUT TO THIS PARK AND ACTUALLY HAVE A DESTINATION BEFORE THE ENTIRE PARK IS OPEN AND AVAILABLE.
WE JUST DON'T HAVE STAFF TO DEVELOP ALL THOSE PRODUCT PRODUCTION DRAWINGS FOR ALL OF OUR.
PROJECTS BECAUSE AS YOU SAW, WE HAVE A LOT OF PROJECTS.
NEXT PROJECT IS MILLER/KNOX REGIONAL SHORELINE.
WE ARE GOING TO REDO THIS KELLER BEACH AREA.
IT IS BEYOND ITS LIFE IN TERMS OF ITS SERVICES, AND WE'RE GOING TO IMPROVE ADA ACCESS.
SO IN ADDITION TO CREATING A NEW ADA ACCESS DOWN HERE WE NEED TO CREATE AN ADA PATH OF TRAVEL TO OUR PARKING LOT, WHICH IS ACTUALLY CLOSEST ONE WE HAVE IS OVER HERE IN MILLER/KNOX.
UNFORTUNATELY, WE CAN'T PUT PARKING ON THE STREET, AND THEN THE GRADES ARE SUCH THAT WE CAN'T.
WE HAVE NO, NOT ENOUGH VERTICAL DISTANCE OR HORIZONTAL DISTANCE TO MAKE IT ADA ACCESSIBLE.
SO WE'RE GOING TO ACCESS IT FROM THE PARK.
I'M PROBABLY GETTING INTO TOO MUCH DETAIL.
HERE'S SOME RENDERINGS FROM THAT PROJECT.
SO AGAIN, THIS IS ONE THAT WE DID INTERNALLY WITH A CONCEPT AND THEN HIRED CONSULTANTS THROUGH AN RFP PROCESS AND BOARD AWARD OF A OF AUTHORIZATION TO AWARD A CONTRACT TO GET TO THIS, AND THESE ARE DONE BY A CONSULTANT JUST TO HELP US.
ANOTHER PROJECT THAT OUT AT MILLER/KNOX IS THE DEMOLITION OF THE FERRY POINT PIER.
JUST IN PLAN VIEW, THIS IS THE CONCRETE FISHING PIER, WHICH IS THERE.
THESE TWO STRUCTURES WILL STAY, BUT THEN THE REST OF THIS WILL ALL BE REMOVED.
AGAIN, CHALLENGED, WORKING IN THE WATER, TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW WE CAN DO ALL OF THESE THINGS.
GETTING PERMITS FOR ALL OF THIS.
WE WERE READY TO DO THIS LAST YEAR, AND AT THE LAST MOMENT BAY AREA AIR QUALITY WANTED US TO DO SOME HAZARDOUS MATERIAL, AND WE FOUND THROUGH THAT THERE'S SOME MATERIAL THAT HAS SOME MASTIC ON THE TOP OF EACH ONE OF THOSE PIERS THAT HAS ASBESTOS IN IT.
SO THESE ARE JUST SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE HAVE TO DEAL WITH ON A CASE BY CASE BASIS.
THAT'S ENOUGH ON THAT ONE. WE'RE GOING TO GET THAT ONE TAKEN OUT THIS YEAR.
THIS IS A BIG ONE. THIS IS THE ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION CENTER.
WE'VE HAD PUBLIC MEETINGS ON THIS.
THREE PUBLIC MEETINGS. THIS IS CONCEPT PLAN.
[02:05:01]
WHAT'S SHOWN IN FRONT OF YOU IS THE PREFERRED OPTION FOR SITE AND BUILDING, WHICH HAS BEEN SHARED WITH THE BOARD.SO YOU ARE SEEING RELATIVELY NEW THINGS.
I'M NOT GOING TO GO THROUGH ALL THE DETAIL, BUT WE DID HAVE THREE PUBLIC OUTREACH MEETINGS.
JUST BECAUSE OF THE SIZE, THE SCOPE OF THIS PROJECT, IT MADE MORE SENSE.
WE DON'T HAVE WE HAVE AN ARCHITECT WHO'S ON BOARD.
SO HERE'S SOME RENDERINGS OF THAT.
THESE AREN'T REALLY THESE ARE MORE LIKE MASS STUDIES BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT GOING TO BE GRAY LIKE THAT.
SO IF YOU'RE INTERESTED, THERE WILL BE A PRESENTATION THEN WITH MORE DEVELOPMENT OF THESE PLANS, AND THEN HERE'S SOME INTERIOR SORT OF RENDERINGS TO SHOW WHAT THE SPACE WILL LOOK LIKE. THE GOAL BEING THAT WE CAN HOPEFULLY REUSE SOME OF THE MATERIALS IN THE DEMOLITION OF THE EXISTING BUILDING TO USE FOR SOME OF THE ROOFING MEMBERS IN THIS BUILDING, JUST FOR REUSE. ANOTHER BIG PROJECT IS ACROSS THE STREET.
THIS IS, AGAIN, I'M TRYING TO SHOW THE BREADTH AND THE WIDTH OF OUR DIFFERENT PROJECTS, FROM RESTORATION TO PUBLIC ACCESS TO DEMOLITION APPEARS TO ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICES. THIS IS A BIG PROJECT.
WE ARE CURRENTLY OUT TO BID ON THIS.
WE DID A PRE-QUALIFICATION PROCESS TO SELECT CONTRACTORS TO MAKE SURE THEY HAD FINANCIAL WHEREWITHAL AND THE MEANS AND METHODS TO DO THIS, BECAUSE IT IS SUCH A LARGE PROJECT. WE WILL BE OPENING BIDS ON THE FOURTH, AND WE'RE WORKING WITH FINANCE TO FIGURE OUT HOW WE'RE GOING TO PAY FOR ALL OF THIS.
WE'LL PROBABLY HAVE TO GO INTO SOME SORT OF DEBT SERVICE OR ISSUE BONDS, BUT THAT'S THE GOAL FOR THIS BEING THAT THIS ROOM ACTUALLY WILL MOVE OVER TO THE STREET, ACROSS THE WAY, IT'LL BE THE PUBLIC, MORE OF A PUBLIC FACING BUILDING.
WE'RE HOPING TO MAKE THIS A CAMPUS FEEL.
THE BOARDROOM WILL BE OVER THERE.
HR WILL BE OVER THERE, RESERVATIONS, SO THOSE KIND OF ENTITIES WILL BE OVER THERE, AND THEN IT'LL FREE UP MORE SPACE BECAUSE AS IT IS NOW, THIS BUILDING IS SORT OF WE'RE AT CAPACITY FOR STAFF.
ANOTHER ASPECT OF WORK THAT WE DO IS FACILITIES FOR PARK STAFF.
SO THIS IS THE NEW SERVICE YARD AT DUMBARTON QUARRY, COYOTE HILLS, TO HELP WITH THE CAMPGROUND.
THIS IS A DISTRICT STANDARD THAT WE DEVELOPED OVER THE PAST FEW YEARS.
GETTING BACK TO HOW WE DELIVER THIS WAS DESIGN BID BUILD, BUT WHAT WE FOUND IN PROCESS OF THIS IS THAT THERE WERE THIS IS A PRE-ENGINEERED METAL STRUCTURE, SO THERE ARE DEFERRED SUBMITTALS. WHAT WE DID GET TWO YEARS AGO AS WELL IS AUTHORIZATION THROUGH ERICH, AND HIS GREAT TEAM'S EFFORTS TO HELP.
MID-PEN HAD DESIGN BUILD, WHICH IS A DIFFERENT METHOD WHERE THE DESIGN AND THE BUILD HAPPENS AT THE SAME TIME CONTRACTOR AND DESIGNERS COME TOGETHER AS ONE ENTITY AND BID A PROJECT. WE'VE LEARNED, AND WITH OUR AUTHORITY AND LEGISLATIVE AUTHORITY, WE'RE GOING TO WORK ON A SERVICE YARD AT POINT PINOLE NEXT.
SO WE'RE TAKING LESSONS LEARNED FROM THIS TO DEVELOP THAT, AND WE'RE GOING TO UTILIZE DESIGN BUILD, BECAUSE WE DID THIS DESIGN BID BUILD, AND WE HAD A LONG, AGAIN, LEAD TIME ON DEFERRED SUBMITTALS.
THIS IS THE RESTORATION AND PUBLIC ACCESS PROJECT.
THIS IS THE PROJECT THAT CONVERTED THE PATTERSON RANCH DONATION THAT THE PARK DISTRICT RECEIVED SEVERAL YEARS AGO, RESTORED IT INTO DID A RESTORATION PROJECT AND IS PROVIDING PUBLIC ACCESS.
SO THIS ONE, TOO, IS WRAPPING UP CURRENTLY.
IT HAS DONE QUITE A BIT OF PLANTING RESTORATION.
SO SO THOSE ARE ALL BIGGER, FANCIER ONES.
THESE ARE KIND OF MORE. THIS IS ANOTHER ONE IN THE BACKGROUND HERE IS THE DEL VALLE VISITOR CENTER.
SO WE DID A REPLACEMENT FOR THAT, AND THERE WERE TWO BUILDINGS THAT HAD A MAN AND WOMEN'S RESTROOM, CONSOLIDATING THEM ALL INTO GENDER MADE A FOOTPRINT THAT'S MUCH SMALLER OUT THERE, BUT PROVIDES A LOT OF FACILITIES TO OUR NEW VISITOR CENTER AND THEN A COUPLE OF BIG ONES AT THE END, ROBERTS POOL.
WE HAD THE RIBBON CUTTING OUT THERE IN APRIL.
REPLACED A POOL THAT WAS 60 YEARS OLD.
THE INFRASTRUCTURE OF THE PARK WAS NOT UP TO SNUFF FOR THIS, SO IT TAKES A LOT.
ANOTHER GREAT PICTURE OF THIS, BUT IT'S SUCCESSFUL.
THE PARK IS OPEN FOR SWIMMING, I BELIEVE, ON THE 27TH FOR THE RIBBON CUTTING.
THEY HAD LIKE 300 PEOPLE ON SUNDAY AND 200 PEOPLE IN APRIL OUT THERE SWIMMING.
[02:10:01]
SIBLEY, AND THEN JUST FOR ANOTHER POINT OF REFERENCE ON THIS, THIS PROJECT, BECAUSE OF OUR CONSTRAINTS OF WORKING FROM AUGUST TO OCTOBER 31ST, BECAUSE OF OUR REGULATORY AND SPECIES CONCERNS, MEANT THAT THIS PROJECT, WHICH WE THOUGHT WE COULD GET ON IN TWO YEARS BECAUSE OF FIRES AND FLOODS, IT TOOK US 4 TO 5 YEARS TO FINISH. SO WE'RE HAVING A GRAND OPENING ON THURSDAY, WHICH IS GOING TO BE GREAT.SO IT IS A PRETTY AMAZING IT'S AN AMAZING PROJECT THAT I WAS HAPPY TO BE PART OF.
I KNOW I BLASTED THROUGH THAT.
I APPRECIATE YOUR RIDING WITH ME THROUGH THAT.
I HAVE A FEW MINUTES TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
LIKE I SAID, I JUST WANTED TO GIVE A SORT OF A FLAVOR OF WHAT WE DO AND TRY TO PUT IN ALL OF THE CONSTRAINTS AND THINGS WE STRUGGLE WITH AND OVERCOME TO DELIVER PROJECTS.
GREAT. THANK YOU. YEAH, THAT'S A REALLY ENORMOUS AND DIVERSE PORTFOLIO.
SO IT'S GREAT TO SEE TO DIP INTO SOME OF THE MANY PROJECTS THAT YOU GUYS ARE WORKING ON.
SURE. DID YOU HAVE A QUESTION? YES. MEMBER. LOPEZ. THANK YOU.
I'VE DONE A COUPLE OF CIP PLANS WHEN I WAS ON THE SCHOOL BOARD AND THEN ON THE CITY COUNCIL, AND I FOUND THAT YOU KNOW, FROM MY EXPERIENCE, HAVING BEEN ON THE FACILITIES COMMITTEES FOR BOTH OF THOSE INSTITUTIONS THAT A LOT THAT FIVE YEARS ISN'T A VERY LONG TIME FOR LIKE, YOU KNOW, TO REALLY DO THE, THE LONG TERM PLANNING, AND I WOULD INVITE MAYBE A STRATEGY THAT WOULD INCORPORATE A SHORTER TERM LIKE FIVE YEARS, BUT ALSO A MEDIUM TERM JUST BECAUSE OF ALL THE CHANGE ORDERS, AND, YOU KNOW, THE BIDDING PROCESSES AND, YOU KNOW, THINGS THAT GET UNCOVERED DURING CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS, AS YOU KNOW, FROM THE POOLS, PROBABLY THAT HAD THAT HAPPEN TO ME.
THE FIRST IS ON, YOU KNOW, WITH GOING OUT FOR, YOU KNOW, MORE REVENUE FOR THAT OR ALL THE REVENUE SECURED AND THEN THE OTHER, AND I DON'T KNOW, BECAUSE I'M NEW, AND THEN THIS OTHER THING IS ON ON WHAT'S THE CONVERSATION AROUND OPERATIONS AND MAINTAINING OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE AND SO FORTH ON NEWER INFRASTRUCTURE.
GREAT QUESTIONS. APPRECIATE THE COMMENT.
THAT HAS PROVEN TO BE EFFECTIVE IN DELIVERING PROJECTS, BUT NOT SO EFFECTIVE IN OUR ABILITY TO PLAN AND MANAGE THAT IN TERMS OF BECAUSE IT'S OPPORTUNITY FUNDING, AND SO GRANTS COME AND GO, AND IF WE MANAGE JUST ON THAT, THE OTHER THING IS THAT WE HAVE TO HAVE A PROJECT SORT OF SHOVEL READY TO GET TO GRANT FUNDING, AND SO TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION IS WE'RE NOT FULLY FUNDED ON A LOT OF THESE.
WE'RE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHICH ONES ARE MORE GRANT WORTHY OR AVAILABLE TO HAVE THAT.
I THINK THE OTHER PART OF THAT IS THEN NARROWING THIS DOWN INTO A FIVE YEAR CIP, AND THEN NARROWING DOWN OUR PROJECT LIST SO THAT WE CAN FIGURE OUT HOW MUCH THE DISTRICT HAS MONEY AVAILABLE FOR TO EITHER GET US TO A SHOVEL READY POINT, IN WHICH WE CAN THEN LOOK FOR OTHER GRANTING OPPORTUNITIES, BUT THAT'S PART OF WHAT WE'RE DOING IS AND LOOKING AT THE FIVE YEAR CIP IS FIGURING OUT HOW WE ARE DOING THAT RIGHT NOW.
SURE. NEXT, I'D LIKE TO GO TO ZOOM TO MEMBER MARSH.
THANK YOU. I APPRECIATED THE PRESENTATION.
DO WE HAVE A STATUS ON CONTRA LOMA? I'M IN THE EAST BAY, AND A LOT OF QUESTIONS COME TO ME ABOUT CONTRA LOMA, SO I'M NOT SURE.
WHAT'S GOING ON WITH THAT? YEP, FAIR ENOUGH, AND I THINK WITH ROBERTS OPENING, THAT'S A VALID QUESTION.
SO WE CURRENTLY HAVE BEEN WORKING WITH A CONSULTANT.
THAT CONTRA LOMA FACILITY HAS SAND IN IT.
IT'S ALSO A VERY LARGE SWIM FACILITY SUCH THAT IT IS BIGGER THAN A REGULAR POOL.
SO IN TERMS OF THAT, WE HAVE REACHED OUT.
WE HAVE BEEN WORKING WITH A SWIM CONSULTANT TO LOOK AT.
WE HAD A NEEDS ASSESSMENT STUDY DONE IN 2020 THAT LOOKED AT WHAT NEEDED TO BE DONE OUT THERE.
SO IN OTHER WORDS, IF WE PART OF...
[02:15:04]
PART OF THAT MEANS THAT IF WE DO IMPROVEMENTS, THEN WE HAVE TO GO AND HAVE CODE APPROVAL FOR LIKE ADA ACCESS AND ALL OF THE OTHER THINGS THAT ARE REQUIRED.THE FACILITY WAS BUILT OVER 20 YEARS AGO.
SO TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION IN BRIEF, WHICH I'VE ALREADY TAKEN TOO LONG TO DO, IS THAT WE'VE WORKED WITH A CONSULTANT TO COME UP WITH A COST ESTIMATE FOR REMEDIES FOR THAT. SO WE HAVE TWO OPTIONS THAT WILL BE TAKEN TO THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE IN THIS SUMMER, I BELIEVE, MAYBE IN JULY.
IF WE CAN MOVE QUICKLY, THEN WE'LL DO TWO MORE.
YEAH. MAHADEVAN AND THEN MEMBER SIMMONS.
THEN WE'LL CLOSE IT THERE, I THINK YOU.
THANK YOU. GREAT PRESENTATION.
I JUST A QUICK QUESTION ABOUT YOU SAID LEGISLATURE.
ARE WE LOOKING FOR A LEGISLATIVE REMEDY THAT WILL AT LEAST CARVE OUT CERTAIN PROJECTS SO YOU CAN SHORTEN THE TIME FRAME? OR. NO.
WHAT I WAS SPEAKING, WHAT I WAS SPEAKING TO.
WELL, I THINK THERE'S DIFFERENT OPTIONS IN TERMS OF TRYING TO FIGURE OUT OUR PERMITTING ISSUES, BUT I WHAT I WAS SPEAKING OF SPECIFICALLY WAS THAT MID-PEN OPEN SPACE HAS THE DESIGN BUILD AUTHORITY, WHICH IS GIVEN BY THE LEGISLATURE TO SAY THIS IS A DELIVERY METHOD, AND IT WAS GOING TO SUNSET, AND SO WHAT WE DID IS THEY WERE SEEKING EXTENSION OF THAT, AND SO BY WE WERE FOLDED INTO THAT APPROVAL, AND SO NOW WE HAVE THAT AS AN OPTION FOR DELIVERY OF PROJECTS. THANK YOU.
SURE. MEMBER SIMMONS MY QUESTION IS REALLY SIMPLE, ALTHOUGH THERE'LL BE A COMMENT.
YOU MENTIONED THE GRAND OPENING IN MCCOSKER.
IS THAT OPEN TO THE PUBLIC? BECAUSE I DON'T THINK I'VE SEEN A NOTICE OF IT AND THE PARKING IS PRETTY LIMITED.
SO I PUBLIC AFFAIRS IS NOT HERE.
I BELIEVE IT WAS AN RSVP EVENT.
DO YOU KNOW AT ALL? I YEAH, I BELIEVE IT WAS AN INVITE BECAUSE OF THE PARKING.
PARKING? WELL, NO, THE PARK'S OPEN, BUT THE GRAND OPENING IS NOT A PUBLIC [INAUDIBLE].
I THINK IT'S FOR [INAUDIBLE]. YEAH, BUT THE PARK IS OPEN.
THE FENCE HAVE BEEN DOWN SINCE APRIL 1ST, AND SO I THINK THEY'RE TRYING--THANK YOU.
YEAH. I JUST WANTED TO KNOW IF THE GRAND OPENING WAS PUBLIC OR NOT.
SOMEBODY ELSE TAKES CARE OF ALL THOSE THINGS.
GREAT. WELL, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT PRESENTATION AND FOR STICKING WITH US SO LATE.
REALLY APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU FOR LETTING ME TALK.
OKAY. NEXT UP, WE HAVE A REPORT FROM THE CHAIR.
THE CHAIR DOES NOT HAVE A REPORT THIS EVENING, AND THEN WE HAVE ANNOUNCEMENTS.
[Announcements]
ARE THERE ANY ANNOUNCEMENTS THAT ANYONE WOULD LIKE TO SHARE? YES. MEMBER MENDOZA. THANKS, BOB.IT'S UP THERE NOW ON THE INFORMATIONAL THING.
SO THERE'S STILL QUITE A FEW MORE THERE.
I JUST WANT TO UPLIFT THIS EVENT THAT WE TALKED ABOUT IN PREVIOUS ITERATIONS AND JUST WANTED TO THANK THE BLACK EMPLOYEE COLLECTIVE AS WELL AS THE I&R DEPARTMENT TO ENCOURAGE YOU ALL TO GO TO THESE WONDERFUL EVENTS DURING THE WEEK.
IF ANYBODY'S GOING AND IT WAS TOO LATE TO HAVE YOU ALL GO, OBVIOUSLY, BUT THERE'S UPCOMING CONFERENCES AS WELL AS THE STATE OF THE ESTUARY CONFERENCE THAT YOU MIGHT HAVE, YOU KNOW, BOB KNOWS WAS RESCHEDULED BECAUSE THE HENRY J.
KAISER CONVENTION CENTER WAS NOT OPEN YET, AND THE FIRE MARSHAL TOOK IT DOWN ABOUT A COUPLE OF MONTHS AGO, BUT IT IS HAPPENING AGAIN NEXT WEEK, AND THEN FINALLY IN ATLANTA. WE ARE ONE WHICH IS A PART OF THE JUSTICE OUTSIDE COALITION NEXT 100 COALITION AS WELL.
IT'S AN AFFINITY SPACE FOR BIPOC AND QUEER FOLKS, AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT YOU DEFINITELY WANT TO GET ON YOUR RADAR BECAUSE IT STARTED OUT IN OAKLAND AND BERKELEY ABOUT FIVE, SIX YEARS AGO, AND THEN IT HAS BEEN IN A LONG HIATUS, WENT TO PHILLY AND NOW IS IN ATLANTA, AND THAT'S WHERE FOLKS CAN COME TOGETHER AND TALK ABOUT A LOT OF THE ISSUES THAT WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT WHEN IT COMES TO THE DEI AND EQUITY REALM.
SO AGAIN, IT'S WE ARE ONE IN ATLANTA IN JUNE.
ANY OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS? OKAY, I WILL CALL THIS MEETING ADJOURNED AT 6:29 P.M..
I WILL SEE YOU ALL AGAIN BACK HERE ON JUNE 24TH.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.