[00:00:02]
[Roll Call]
MADAM CLERK, WILL YOU PLEASE CALL THE ROLL? 10:43 A.M., AND DIRECTOR MERCURIO HERE.DIRECTOR CORBETT IS OUT, AND GENERAL MANAGER SABRINA LANDRETH PRESENT.
GENERAL COUNSEL LYNNE BOURGAULT.
HERE. DEPUTY GENERAL MANAGER ANA ALVAREZ.
OKAY. TODAY'S MEETING IS HELD PURSUANT TO THE BROWN ACT.
WE ARE PROVIDING LIVE AUDIO AND VIDEO STREAMING.
THIS INFORMATION IS NOTED ON THE AGENDA.
IF THERE ARE NO QUESTIONS ABOUT THE MEETING PROCEDURES, WE WILL BEGIN.
I SEE THAT THE FIRST THING ON THE AGENDA IS THE APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES FROM APRIL 3RD, BUT SINCE DIRECTOR MERCURIO WASN'T THERE, I THINK WE'LL JUST HOLD THAT OVER TILL NEXT TIME.
YEAH, AND NOT THAT HE SHOULD HAVE BEEN THERE.
HE'S THE ALTERNATE. SO THANK YOU, JOHN, FOR BEING HERE TODAY.
SO MADAM CLERK, ARE THERE ANY PUBLIC COMMENTS? NOT ON THE AGENDA? NO PUBLIC COMMENTS? NOT ON THE AGENDA.
[Informational Items]
MASTER PLAN.SO WHICH ONE DID YOU? WAS THERE SOMETHING YOU GUYS WANTED TO DO FIRST? THE NEXT ONE, IF THAT'S OKAY.
OH, YOU WANT TO GO STRAIGHT TO ITEM B? OH OKAY.
WELCOME. GOOD MORNING, DIRECTOR ECHOLS AND DIRECTOR MERCURIO.
MY NAME IS KIM THAI, SENIOR PLANNER WITH ACQUISITION, STEWARDSHIP AND DEVELOPMENT DIVISION.
I'LL BE PROVIDING THE INFORMATIONAL UPDATE ON THE CHOUINARD-OWEN PROPERTIES.
LET ME GO AHEAD AND PULL UP MY SLIDES.
ALL RIGHT. HOPEFULLY YOU CAN SEE THE POWERPOINT NOW.
AGAIN THIS IS THE AN INFORMATIONAL UPDATE ON THE CHOUINARD-OWEN PROPERTY PLANNING AS PART OF THE LARGER GARIN-TO-PLEASANTON RIDGE REGIONAL TRAIL CONNECTION. AS THE NAME IMPLIES, THIS PROJECT IS REALLY TO DEVELOP THE GARIN-TO-PLEASANTON RIDGE REGIONAL TRAIL CONNECTION FOR PUBLIC ACCESS. THIS IS A REGIONAL TRAIL THAT WAS PRIORITIZED AS PART OF THE VOTER APPROVED MEASURE WW.
BEFORE I TOUCH ON THE PROJECT COMPONENTS.
THE REASON FOR BRINGING THE PLANNING TO THIS NOW IS BECAUSE WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO ACQUIRE THE PROPERTIES NECESSARY TO DEVELOP THIS REGIONAL TRAIL CONNECTION.
THE OWEN PROPERTY, 955 ACRES, WAS ACQUIRED IN 2011 INTO PLEASANTON RIDGE.
IT CAME WITH SOME EXISTING RANCH ROADS AND THEN REALLY, THE ONE THAT WAS SETTING THE STAGE FOR THIS PLANNING IS THE TEN ACRE PROPERTY THAT WE ACQUIRED IN 2020.
THIS IS A TEN ACRE PROPERTY BETWEEN BOTH GARIN AND PLEASANTON REGIONAL PARKS OFF OF PALOMARES ROAD.
THIS IS THE FORMER WINERY FROM THE CHOUINARD FAMILY, AND IT BECAME THIS IS THE MISSING PUZZLE PIECE, OR THE LINCHPIN BETWEEN THE TWO PARKS THAT NOW WE CAN DEVELOP THIS REGIONAL TRAIL CONNECTION.
THE GARIN-TO-PLEASANTON RIDGE REGIONAL TRAIL IS REALLY WHAT WILL PROVIDE THIS EAST TO WEST REGIONAL CONNECTION AS DIRECTOR WAESPI HAS MENTIONED BEFORE, FROM THE HAYWARD AND ASHBY COMMUNITY THROUGH THE PALOMARES CANYON AND INTO PLEASANTON RIDGE.
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THE OTHER REASON FOR THE TIMING OF THIS PROJECT IS THAT CONCURRENTLY, OUR TRAILS DEVELOPMENT TEAM IS WORKING ON THE BAY AREA RIDGE TRAIL THAT GOES THROUGH GARIN, THROUGH THE CURRENTLY LAND BANK AREA AND DOWN, AND THAT WILL EVENTUALLY CONNECT TO THE VALLEJO MILL HISTORICAL PARK DOWN IN NILES CANYON, AND SO WHILE THEY'RE WORKING ON THAT, IT MAKES SENSE TO TIME IT WITH THIS PROJECT FOR THE GARIN-TO- PLEASANTON REGIONAL TRAIL SO THAT THERE COULD BE A POTENTIAL ACCESS OFF OF PALOMARES ONTO THE BARRIER RIDGE TRAIL AS WELL, AND SO SETTING THAT REGIONAL CONTEXT GIVES A GOOD UNDERSTANDING FOR WHY THE PROJECT COMPONENTS LISTED HERE REALLY FOCUS ON THAT REGIONAL TRAIL.THERE'S THE TRAIL CONNECTION FROM THE PROPERTY, THE CHOUINARD PROPERTY ONTO GARIN, SHOWN HERE IN THE LIGHTER PINK, THE REALIGNMENT OF THE STONY BROOK TRAIL, SHOWN HERE IN THE LIGHTER GREEN TO TAKE THE TRAIL OUT OF THE RIPARIAN AND DRAINAGE AREAS, AND THEN INCORPORATING THE EXISTING RANCH ROADS TO DETERMINE WHICH ONES CAN BE PART OF THAT REGIONAL TRAIL NETWORK ON THE OWEN PROPERTY.
AS YOU CAN SEE HERE, THIS IS AN AERIAL VIEW OF THE SITE.
AGAIN THIS HAS POTENTIAL PUBLIC ACCESS POINT OPPORTUNITIES.
IT'S IDEALLY SITUATED BETWEEN GARIN-TO-PLEASANTON RIDGE.
ACROSS THE STREET IS THE OWEN PROPERTY, AND THEN THIS IS THE DEVELOPED SITE.
AS YOU CAN SEE, THERE'S SOME EXISTING BUILDINGS AND STRUCTURES ON THE PROPERTY.
THE PROJECT GOES THROUGH A TYPICAL PLANNING PROCESS WITH FOUR PHASES.
IN THE FIRST PHASE INITIATION, AGAIN WE'VE IDENTIFIED THE PRIORITY OF THE REGIONAL TRAIL.
WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO ACQUIRE THE LANDS NECESSARY, AND STAFF HAVE INTERNALLY WORKED TO DEVELOP A TEAM AND THE SCOPING AND THE PROJECT DESCRIPTION AND TO DEFINE THE PROJECT ITSELF.
WE'VE WORKED WITH A CONSULTANT TO DO AN INITIAL PRELIMINARY SITE ASSESSMENT AND LOOKING AT THE OPPORTUNITIES AND CONSTRAINTS FOR THE PROJECT IN THE PROPERTY ITSELF, AND THEN TO IDENTIFY STAKEHOLDERS.
WE'RE CURRENTLY HEADING INTO PHASE TWO, AND THIS IS WHERE THE CONSULTANT WILL DEVELOP THE DESIGN CONCEPTS BY REFINING SOME OF THE DESIGN OPTIONS THAT ARE OUR STAFF HAD INTERNALLY DEVELOPED THROUGH AN INTERNAL VISIONING EXERCISE, AND THEY'LL REALLY THEY'LL REALLY BE EVALUATING WHAT'S FEASIBLE AT THE SITE AND INCORPORATING ALL OF STAFF INPUT.
THIS IS WHEN STAFF HAVE PROVIDED INPUT FROM MANY DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS TO DETERMINE THE COST ESTIMATES, AND LOOKING AT WHAT IS NEEDED AT THE SITE. WE'LL BE MOVING FORWARD WITH, AGAIN, LEADERSHIP VETTING AND PROVIDING INPUT FROM THE BOARD ITSELF AS WELL AS A COMMUNITY INPUT. LATER ON IN THE PHASE.
SO WE'LL PLAN TO GO THROUGH, UNDERGO A COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT PROCESS LATER THIS SUMMER AND FALL.
FOLLOWING THAT, WE'LL BE HEADING INTO PHASES THREE AND FOUR, AND THIS IS WHEN WE'LL LOOK AT EACH OF THE DESIGN ELEMENTS THAT WORKED IN EACH OF THOSE DESIGN FOR DESIGN OPTIONS INTO A PREFERRED DESIGN CONCEPT, BRING THAT BACK TO THE PUBLIC AND TO THE BOARD FOR FURTHER INPUT, AND THAT WILL KIND OF GO THROUGH THE ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW PROCESS OR SEQUA, AND THEN FOR IMPLEMENTATION, INCLUDING IDENTIFYING FUNDING AND PERMITS NECESSARY FOR CONSTRUCTION.
AGAIN AS PART OF PHASE ONE THAT INCLUDED THE INITIAL SITE ASSESSMENT AND INTERNAL VISIONING.
OUR STAFF HAS PROVIDED INPUT ON THE COST ESTIMATES.
INTO THAT GOES INTO THESE FEASIBILITY STUDIES.
IS THE BLUE LINE A CREEK? YES, THE BLUE LINE IS THE CREEK AND I WILL GO THROUGH EACH OF THESE FOUR DESIGN OPTIONS AS WE MOVE FORWARD IN THE SLIDES.
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THOSE FOUR DESIGNS THAT WILL BE SHOWN AFTER THIS IS BASED OFF OF THE INITIAL INTERNAL VISIONING THAT WE WENT THROUGH AS A WITH INTERNAL STAFF, AND THAT INCLUDED A TRAIL PASS THROUGH A SMALL STAGING AREA, A LARGER STAGING AREA, AND THEN EXPANDED PARKING WITH SOME PUBLIC AMENITIES, AND SO IN GOING THROUGH THE FOUR DIFFERENT DESIGN OPTIONS, THE FIRST ONE IS THE JUST TRAIL PASS THROUGH.THIS IS REALLY THE MINIMAL BASIC.
WHAT WILL GET US TO THAT REGIONAL TRAIL CONNECTION BETWEEN GARIN AND PLEASANTON RIDGE.
THE EXISTING BUILDING, THE FORMER WINERY WILL BE SECURED, AND THEN REALLY IT'S JUST THE TRAIL GO GOING THROUGH THE DEVELOPED AREA AND THEN INTO THE LARGER TRAIL NETWORK INTO GARIN. IS IT PRETTY MUCH BEEN DETERMINED THAT'S GOING TO BE THE CROSSING POINT OF THE ROAD? IS THERE AN EXISTING TRAIL THAT LEADS DOWN TO THAT POINT? IT MAKES SENSE BECAUSE THAT HAS BEEN THE EXISTING ENTRANCE ALREADY FOR THE FORMER WINERY.
IT IS SHOWN TO HAVE THE RELATIVELY SAFE SIGHTLINES FOR FOR INTERNAL OR FOR EGRESS AND EXIT AND ENTRANCE INTO THE THIS DEVELOPED SITE AREA, AS WELL AS POTENTIAL ACCESS POINT FOR THE OWEN PROPERTY.
THAT'S A RANCH ROAD COMING DOWN INTO INTO ONTO PALOMARES FROM THE RIGHT? YES. OKAY.
THANK YOU. IN THE SECOND CONCEPT THERE IS A SMALL STAGING AREA, SO THIS WOULD BE LOOKING AT PROVIDING PARKING ON THE ALREADY PAVED, NOT PAVED GRADED AREA WHERE THERE CURRENTLY WAS PARKING FOR THE FORMER WINERY, AND THEN THERE WOULD BE STILL THE TRAIL ALIGNMENT GOING THROUGH THE PROPERTY.
THE ORANGE REPRESENTS A POTENTIAL AREA FOR INTERPRETIVE PROGRAMMING.
THE BARN OR THE FORMER WINERY BUILDING COULD BE IDENTIFIED AS POTENTIAL USE FOR STAFF, AND THEN THERE'S TRAIL CONNECTIONS AND THEN AGAIN INTO THE GARIN PROPERTY.
IN CONCEPT THREE, IT WOULD BE A LARGER STAGING AREA.
SO WE WOULD HAVE TO REMOVE THE FORMER WINERY BUILDING, ADD IN A RESTROOM, AND BECAUSE WE ADDED THE RESTROOM, WE CAN REMOVE THE LEACH FIELD TO ADD IN ADDITIONAL PARKING HERE, AND THEN AGAIN, SOME SPACE FOR POTENTIAL INTERPRETIVE PROGRAMING.
IF THAT IS SHOWN THAT THERE'S A NEED AGAIN, ORANGE.
IF WE'VE GONE THROUGH THE FEASIBILITY AND OPPORTUNITIES AND INPUT AND DETERMINE THAT THERE'S A SPECIAL NEED FOR ADDITIONAL INTERPRETIVE PROGRAMMING, THEN THAT WOULD BE THE CASE HERE WHERE WE HAVE PROVIDED THE ADDITIONAL SPACE WITH SOME PARKING.
IN PHASE TWO, AS WE'VE KIND OF GONE THROUGH THE PRELIMINARY DESIGNS AND INCORPORATED INTERNAL INPUT.
SOME OF THAT INPUT THAT GOES INTO THE DESIGN OPTIONS INCLUDES LOOKING AT WHAT ARE THE COST ESTIMATES FOR LONG TERM MANAGEMENT, FOR MAINTENANCE OF EXISTING INFRASTRUCTURE, AND WE LOOKED AT WHAT ARE THE EXISTING ZONING AND LAND USES THAT WHAT CAN WHAT'S ACTUALLY FEASIBLE, WHAT'S ALLOWED LOOKED AT POTENTIAL ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT, AND AS WE MOVE FORWARD WITH EVALUATING AND THE FEASIBILITY OF THESE DESIGN OPTIONS WILL BE GOING AGAIN TO THE PUBLIC GOING THROUGH SOME COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT SESSIONS LATER THIS FALL, SUMMER AND FALL, AND THAT WILL HELP INFORM THE COMMUNITY PRIORITIES.
AS WE MOVE FORWARD TO PHASE THREE, WHICH IS TO DESIGN IDENTIFY THE PREFERRED DESIGN OPTION.
IT'S NOT NECESSARILY SELECTING ONE OF THOSE FOUR.
IT'S SELECTING THE ELEMENTS, THE DESIGN ELEMENTS THAT WORKED WELL, THAT WERE HIGHLIGHTED IN EACH OF THOSE FOUR AND PUT TOGETHER TO MAKE THIS PREFERRED DESIGN OPTION, KIND OF LIKE A COMBO OF WHICH ELEMENTS WORKED WELL.
THAT WOULD AGAIN CONSIDER THE COSTS AND BENEFITS OF EACH OF THOSE DESIGN OPTIONS.
SO AGAIN, WE WELCOME ANY FEEDBACK AND COMMENTS ON THOSE DESIGN OPPORTUNITIES NOW AND AS WE GO THROUGH THIS WHOLE PROCESS, WE WELCOME ANY FEEDBACK AND SUGGESTIONS YOU HAVE.
THANK YOU. I JUST HAVE A QUICK QUESTION.
[00:15:04]
BEFORE I BEFORE WE I'LL LET JOHN TALK IN A SECOND, BUT BUT IF CAN YOU GO BACK TO OPTIONS THREE VERSUS FOUR? I WASN'T CLEAR WHY YOU WOULD NEED TO.IT SEEMS LIKE YOU COULD GET ENOUGH PARKING OUT OF OPTION FOUR WITHOUT HAVING TO CUT THE BARN.
OH, OKAY. I DO SEE THERE'S MORE PARKING.
THE DETAILS FOR, FOR EACH OF THESE DESIGN IS JUST TO HELP KIND OF IMAGINE AND VISUALIZE WHAT CAN BE DONE AND ALSO WHAT THE DESIGN ELEMENTS WOULD WORK WELL WITH EACH OTHER AND HOW WE CAN KIND OF PULL THOSE DESIGN ELEMENTS INTO A PREFERRED DESIGN OPTION. GOT IT.
BECAUSE FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, IT WOULD BE A SHAME TO SORT OF CUT A PIECE OF THAT OFF, BUT YEAH.
OKAY. ANYWAY, WE'LL JOHN, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU HAD MORE QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS.
SO IS THE PRESENCE OR NON-PRESENCE OF RESTROOMS STILL UP IN THE AIR ON THIS OR DO WE KIND OF FIGURE WE PROBABLY HAVE RESTROOMS? WE'RE CURRENTLY IN THAT PHASE WHERE WE'VE TAKEN IN INPUT FROM STAFF ESPECIALLY MAINTENANCE AND SKILLED TRADE STAFF, PARK OPERATIONS, AND THEN WE'LL BE INCORPORATING BOARD INPUT AND PUBLIC INPUT, BUT REALLY LOOKING AT HOW WOULD WE MANAGE IT LONG TERM? WHAT ARE THE COSTS TO MAINTAINING A NEW RESTROOM VERSUS THE EXISTING LEACH FIELD? WE ALSO LOOKED AT, YOU KNOW, HOW MUCH WOULD IT COST TO REMOVE THE LEACH FIELD AND ALL OF THAT TAKEN INTO CONSIDERATION.
SO WE'RE AT THAT PHASE WHERE WE'RE CURRENTLY CONSIDERING OUR OPTIONS.
SO I DON'T THINK IT'S REALLY GENERALLY APPRECIATED HOW MUCH THOUGHT GOES INTO THE STUFF THAT WE DO.
IT'S NOT JUST GET A GUY WITH A SUITE, GO OUT THERE AND CUT CARVE A TRAIL THROUGH THE COUNTRYSIDE, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, THERE'S A LOT THAT GOES INTO THIS, AND I KNOW WE PROBABLY WANT TO WE WANT TO BE ABLE TO LOOK AT ALL THE IMPACTS THAT IT MIGHT HAVE ON THE USERS AND OPPORTUNITIES AND ALL THAT STUFF.
SO I KNOW YOU FOLKS WILL BE LOOKING AT THAT, AND I ALSO APPRECIATE THE, THE SMORGASBORD KIND OF ASPECT TO IT WHERE YOU DON'T HAVE TO PICK ONE, TWO, 3 OR 4.
YOU CAN PICK 2.3, YOU KNOW, OR WHATEVER, SOME HYBRID.
WELL THANK YOU. WELL THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE PRESENTATION.
SO THANK YOU FOR ALL THE THOUGHT AND WORK AND FOR BRINGING THIS PRESENTATION HERE SO THAT WE CAN ALSO TAKE A LOOK AT HOW IT'S GOING, AND IT'S VERY GOOD. THANK YOU.
SO AND HE WAS ABLE TO PROVIDE SOME INPUT.
SO I JUST WANT TO LET YOU KNOW, EVEN THOUGH HE'S NOT HERE TODAY HE'S HAD AN OPPORTUNITY.
THANK YOU. OKAY. THANK YOU SO MUCH.
BRIAN HOLT PRINCIPAL PLANNING OR CHIEF OF PLANNING, TRAILS AND GIS.
I'M JUST LOADING UP MY PRESENTATION HERE.
I'LL BE ABLE TO SHARE WITH YOU AND ZOOM.
GREAT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH, PRESIDENT ECHOLS, DIRECTOR MERCURIO.
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BRIAN HOLT CHIEF OF PLANNING TRAILS AND GIS HERE TODAY TO PROVIDE YOU JUST ANOTHER UPDATE ON THE STATUS OF OUR PLANNING FOR THE SECOND CENTURY DISTRICT PLAN WHERE WE'RE AT IN THAT PROCESS AND THEN ALSO GOING INTO A LITTLE BIT OF A REVIEW OF THE 2013 MASTER PLAN.SO THIS IS WHAT I ANTICIPATE WILL BE A REGULAR OCCURRENCE AS WE DEVELOP THIS PLAN COMING FORWARD TO THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE OTHER COMMITTEES AS WELL AS THE FULL BOARD AND ALSO SCHEDULED TO COME BEFORE THE PARK ADVISORY COMMITTEE HERE PRETTY SOON TO PROVIDE THESE UPDATES AS WE'RE EMBARKING ON THIS THIS JOURNEY TOGETHER.
SO I WAS LAST HERE, I THINK IT WAS IN THE LATTER PART OF LAST YEAR AS WE WERE JUST SORT OF KICKING THIS OFF AND GIVING SOME UPDATE OF SORT OF WHAT WE WERE THINKING ABOUT WHERE WE'RE GOING.
I THINK I'VE ALSO GIVE A BIT OF A PRESENTATION ON SOME OF THE HISTORY OF THESE LARGE MASTER PLAN EFFORTS AT THE PARK DISTRICT, AND ONE OF THE COMMENTS THAT CAME OUT OF BOTH THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE AND THE PARK ADVISORY COMMITTEE WAS SORT OF A REQUEST OF YOU KNOW, HOW HAVE WE DONE IN TERMS OF IMPLEMENTING THE 2013 MASTER PLAN AS WE'RE REVIEWING THAT. SO I'LL GO INTO A BIT OF THAT AS WELL, AS WELL AS PROVIDING A BIT OF AN UPDATE OF WHERE WE'RE AT TODAY.
SO WITH THAT, I'M GOING TO ADVANCE HERE.
OKAY. SO JUST SORT OF GROUNDING US IN OUR MISSION STATEMENT HERE.
THE PARK DISTRICT PRESERVES A RICH HERITAGE OF NATURAL AND CULTURAL RESOURCES, PROVIDES OPEN SPACE, TRAILS, SAFE AND HEALTHFUL RECREATION, ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION, AND ENVIRONMENTAL ETHIC GUIDES THE DISTRICT IN ALL OF ITS ACTIVITIES.
SO THIS REALLY GUIDES STAFF'S WORK, AND OF COURSE, THE BOARD'S WORK, AND NOTHING WE'RE DOING IS NECESSARILY PROPOSING TO TAKE US AWAY FROM THIS MISSION. CERTAINLY, I THINK WE'RE DOUBLING DOWN ON THE MISSION.
YOU KNOW, WE MAY WANT TO RELOOK AT THIS MISSION STATEMENT, NOT TO NECESSARILY CHANGE THE INTENT OR THE IMPACT THERE, BUT JUST, YOU KNOW, THERE MAY BE OPPORTUNITIES TO MAKE IT MORE EFFECTIVE OR PERHAPS CONCISE OR OTHERWISE, BUT AGAIN, THIS IS JUST EVERYTHING WE'RE DOING IS REALLY MOVING FORWARD WITH THAT.
SO, WE'VE HAD A NUMBER OF STAFF EFFORTS THAT HAVE BEEN ONGOING IN THE BACKGROUND HERE.
REALLY, THIS IS KIND OF A YOU KNOW, FOR MY STAFF AND THE PLANNING, TRAILS AND GIS DEPARTMENT AS THEY CONTINUE TO MOVE THEIR PROJECTS FORWARD, AS YOU JUST SAW WITH THE PRESENTATION FROM KIM THAI AND CONTINUE TO RESPOND TO INQUIRIES FROM THE PUBLIC OR THE BOARD.
SO IF YOU'RE ABLE TO JOIN US AT THE PARK FEST, WHICH WAS A GREAT SUCCESS WE WERE ABLE TO HAVE A BOOTH THERE AT THE PARK FEST, WHICH WAS REALLY KIND OF OUR FIRST REAL PUBLIC EXERCISE IN STARTING TO GET INPUT ONTO THIS AND REALLY GOT A LOT OF GOOD ATTENTION.
WE HAD GREAT REAL ESTATE AT THE PARK FEST AND RIGHT ON THE RIGHT ON THE PATH COMING IN.
SO, WE HAD A LOT OF FOLKS STOP BY SOME MAPS AND A COUPLE SURVEY QUESTIONS FOR FOLKS TO SHARE JUST SOME OF THEIR VERY BROAD LEVEL INTERESTS AT THE PARK DISTRICT.
I THINK WE GOT OVER 80 RESPONSES, WHICH IS PRETTY GOOD FOR US AND A LOT OF INFORMATION ON ENGAGEMENT WITH, WITH THE MAPS AND JUST VARIOUS DISCUSSIONS WITH, WITH STAFF.
SO WE HAVE SO WE'VE BEEN DOING THAT SORT OF PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT.
WE'VE ALSO BEEN DOING THE SAME SORT OF EXERCISES WITH OUR INTERNAL STAFF.
SO WE HAVE HAD A COUPLE EXERCISES WITH JUST WITH THE PUBLIC AFFAIRS DIVISION HUMAN RESOURCES.
WE JUST RECENTLY, LAST WEEK DID AN EXERCISE WITH OUR ASD DIVISION, ESSENTIALLY DOING A SWOT ANALYSIS VERY SIMILAR TO WHAT THE BOARD ENGAGED IN WITH LISA BALDINGER AND ERIC PFUEHLER TO IDENTIFY OUR STRENGTHS, WEAKNESSES, OPPORTUNITIES AND THREATS, AND SO WE'RE PULLING THAT INFORMATION TOGETHER. I THINK IT'LL BE REALLY INTERESTING TO COMPARE WHAT STAFF'S PERSPECTIVE ON OUR STRENGTHS, WEAKNESSES, OPPORTUNITIES AND THREATS ARE WITH THE BOARD, AND WE'RE LOOKING TO DO THAT WITH OTHER DIVISIONS AS WELL, SO WE CAN SORT OF GET THIS, YOU KNOW, A GOOD COMPREHENSIVE REVIEW HERE THAT WE CAN KIND OF LOOK AT A LOT OF THAT.
[00:25:07]
OF RECREATIONAL SUITABILITY AND CONSERVATION SUITABILITY, AND I'VE SPOKEN ABOUT THE WORD REPORTS.WE HAVE SOME DRAFTS OF THOSE COMING TOGETHER, THOSE THOSE ARE KIND OF LOOKING TO TAKE ON MULTIPLE PURPOSES IN TERMS OF THE BOARD'S EFFORTS WITH THE LOCAL ENGAGEMENT STRATEGY AND JUST A LOT OF INFORMATION THERE, AND THEN THERE'S BEEN SOME JUST OUR BACKGROUND EFFORTS THAT WE'VE BEEN DOING ON THE TRAILS STRATEGIC PLAN AND PRIORITIZATION AND WHATNOT, SO THAT WORK CONTINUES ON.
WE DID PUT OUT AN RFP FOR CONSULTANTS.
PLACE WORKS, WHO'S WORKED WITH US A NUMBER OF TIMES, INCLUDING ON THE THURGOOD MARSHALL REGIONAL PARK, AND THEY'VE WORKED WITH, WITH OTHER AGENCIES ON SIMILAR EFFORTS WITH WITH A FINANCIAL CONSULTING FIRM THAT WE'VE WORKED WITH IN THE PAST AS A SUB CONSULTANT.
SO, WE ARE NOW ENGAGED WITH THEM AND SORT OF REFINING THEIR SCOPE, KIND OF DIVING IN A BIT ON THEIR COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT STRATEGY AND TRYING TO GET THAT SCOPE DOWN TO A PLACE THAT WE CAN BRING THAT FORWARD TO THE BOARD FOR WHAT I ANTICIPATE WILL BE A PHASED CONTRACT.
SO IT'LL BE KIND OF A PHASE ONE CONTRACT THAT WE WILL BE BRINGING FORWARD, AND THEN YOU CAN PROBABLY ANTICIPATE A REQUEST, ANOTHER BUDGET REQUEST IN THE IN THE COMING BUDGET CYCLE TO CONTINUE THIS EFFORT AND THAT PHASE TWO EFFORT, WHICH WOULD BE IN THE NEXT YEAR, IS REALLY WHEN WE START DOING A LOT OF THE EXTERNAL ENGAGEMENT AND COMMUNITY STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT WORKING THROUGH ALL THAT EXISTING DATA AND INPUT THAT WE'RE GETTING AS WE TAKE IT OUT TO THE COMMUNITY AND THEN GOING THROUGH THAT EFFORT OF PRIORITIZING OUR NEEDS DEVELOPMENT OF GOALS AND, YOU KNOW, ACTUALLY DEVELOPING THE DRAFT PLAN, AND IT'S TIMELY THAT THE BOARD HAS A SPECIAL SESSION THIS WEEK ON PRIORITIZATION, AS I THINK THAT'S REALLY KIND OF A KEY WORD IN THIS WHOLE EFFORT, IS REALLY KIND OF GOING THROUGH AND UNDERSTANDING OUR PRIORITIES HERE, AND I'LL TOUCH A BIT MORE ON THAT AS WE'RE LOOKING THROUGH THE 2013 MASTER PLAN, BUT YOU MIGHT HEAR ME SAY PRIORITY PRIORITIZATION, YOU KNOW, A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT TIMES, BECAUSE THAT'S SOMETHING THAT I THINK IS ON STAFF'S MIND AS WELL.
SO ONE OF THE EFFORTS I WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT IS, AND AGAIN, THIS HAS BEEN LED BY NEOMA LAVALLE OUR PRINCIPAL PLANNER, BUT WITH A LOT OF SUPPORT FROM STEWARDSHIP AND THE REST OF OUR PLANNING TEAM AND OTHERS AND DEVELOPING WHAT, WHAT HAS EVOLVED INTO AND WHAT WE'RE CALLING A DECISION SUPPORT TOOL FOR CONSERVATION AND PUBLIC ACCESS PLANNING, AND SO IF YOU THINK ABOUT SOME OF OUR EXISTING LANDS, THEY'RE SORT OF DESIGNATED AS REGIONAL PARK, REGIONAL PRESERVE, REGIONAL WILDERNESS, REGIONAL RECREATION AREA.
SOME OF THOSE CLASSIFICATIONS MAKE REALLY GOOD SENSE.
SOME OF THOSE MAYBE ARE A BIT ANTIQUATED IN THAT MAYBE AN AREA WAS DESIGNATED AS A REGIONAL PRESERVE AT A TIME WHERE NOW IT MIGHT BE, YOU KNOW, A VERY, VERY BUSY PARK, OR WE HAVE ACQUIRED A LOT OF ADDITIONAL LANDS THAT SHOULD BE CONSIDERED OR PRESERVED.
SO REALLY WHAT THIS EFFORT IS, IS A TOOL THAT NEOMA CAN GIVE A MUCH MORE DETAILED PRESENTATION OF, WHERE IT INCORPORATES A LOT OF VARIOUS METRICS THAT REALLY CAN HELP US EVALUATE AND DESIGNATE OUR LANDS FOR WHERE WE HAVE THE HIGHEST CONSERVATION VALUES VERSUS THOSE AREAS THAT WE SEE, THE HIGHEST RECREATION BENEFIT OR JUST LANDS THAT ARE PERHAPS MORE SUITABLE TO BE ABLE TO ACCOMMODATE A HIGHER LEVEL OF RECREATIONAL USE.
IS IT A CONSERVATION FOCUS OR IS IT A PUBLIC ACCESS FOCUS? BECAUSE CERTAINLY NOT ALL OF OUR LANDS CAN DO ALL OF THE THINGS THAT EVERYBODY WANTS THEM TO DO.
SO, THIS IS JUST SORT OF A GENERAL SCHEMATIC OF KIND OF HOW IT'S BEEN LAID OUT, BUT REALLY, YEAH, LOOKING AT, YOU KNOW, WHERE THOSE CONSERVATION FOCUSED AREAS ARE.
SO THAT'S TAKING WILDLIFE INFORMATION, VEGETATION INFORMATION.
A LOT OF OUR DATA THAT WE HAVE IN VARIOUS LOCATIONS AND REALLY PUTTING IT INTO THIS TOOL THAT CAN SORT OF IDENTIFY WHERE OUR HIGHEST VALUE CONSERVATION LANDS ARE AND THEN CONVERSELY, LOOKING AT RECREATION, WHERE WE'RE SEEING A LOT OF RECREATION, WHERE THERE'S A HIGH LEVEL OF EXISTING USE OR TRAIL
[00:30:04]
DENSITY, AND THEN ALSO AND I KNOW NEOMA HAS BEEN WORKING WITH OUR EQUITY OFFICER, JOSE GONZALEZ, AND STARTING TO DEVELOP A THE EQUITABLE ACCESS SORT OF INDEX.SO LOOKING AT THOSE LANDS WHERE, WHERE ARE THOSE LOCATIONS THAT WE CAN INVEST IN, PROJECTS THAT HAVE THE HIGHEST VALUE RETURN IN TERMS OF PROVIDING EQUITABLE ACCESS.
ACTUALLY, THAT JUST ANSWERED IT.
OKAY. IT SOUNDED IT LOOKED LIKE, YOU KNOW, A PROCESS OF LAYERING GIS.
YEAH, AND I'M SPARING YOU A LITTLE BIT OF MUDDLING THROUGH THE DETAILS, AND LIKE I SAY, WE CAN BRING A MUCH MORE DETAILED PRESENTATION ON REALLY WHAT GOES BEHIND THIS, BUT THE GIST OF IT IS REALLY, EXACTLY AS YOU SAY, IS LAYERING A LOT OF GIS DATA, AND YOU CAN SEE HERE SORT OF AN EXAMPLE OF WHERE IN BLACK DIAMOND MINES, WHERE WE SEE THE MOST RECREATIONAL INTENSITY, A LOT OF IT IS AROUND THE CONTRA LOMA AREA.
YOU CAN SEE IN BLACK DIAMOND MINES THAT BRIGHTER ORANGE LINE IS ACTUALLY THE ROAD AND THE TRAIL THAT GOES UP TO THE MINES AREA SO INTUITIVELY BUT THAT IS WHERE WE SEE THE MOST MOST PEOPLE GOING.
THE MAP ON THE BOTTOM IS WHERE WE ACTUALLY SEE MOST OF OUR SENSITIVE VEGETATION RESOURCES.
SO AS OUR PLANNERS ARE GOING IN AND STARTING TO LOOK AT WHERE SHOULD TRAILS GO, WHERE SHOULD WE EXPAND PICNIC AREAS WHERE SHOULD WE BE INVESTING IN RECREATION? OR CONVERSELY, WHAT SHOULD THOSE AREAS THAT WE SHOULD BE DESIGNATING AS RESOURCE PROTECTION AREAS OR INVESTING RESTORATION DOLLARS? WE CAN USE THIS TOOL TO IDENTIFY WHERE THOSE OPPORTUNITIES AND CONSTRAINTS ARE.
SO, THAT'S JUST A BIT OF AN EXAMPLE.
I'M REALLY PLEASED WITH WHERE WHERE IT'S GOING.
I KNOW NEOMA IS GETTING TO THE POINT THAT SHE'S GOING TO BE ROLLING THIS OUT IN SOME PRESENTATIONS INTO SOME OTHER PLACES, AND IT'S I THINK IT'LL BE A REALLY HELPFUL TOOL FOR ALL OF US AS WE DEVELOP.
I THINK IT'S AMAZING THAT WE EVEN HAVE THAT DATA.
I MEAN, HOW DO WE HOW DO YOU GET THAT? I MEAN, YEAH, WE LIVE IN A VERY DATA RICH WORLD RIGHT NOW, AND WE'RE A PRETTY DATA RICH PARK DISTRICT AND REALLY PART OF THIS EFFORT AND JUST A NUMBER OF OTHER EFFORTS FROM OUR GIS STAFF AND PLANNING STAFF AND OTHERS, IS REALLY TRYING TO GET ALL OF THAT DATA INTO ONE PLACE AND TO BE ABLE TO DISPLAY IT IN A WAY THAT'S USEFUL AND BENEFICIAL.
SO WE HAVE A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT INITIATIVES THAT ARE GOING ON JUST EXACTLY AROUND THAT.
YOU KNOW, IN YEARS PAST IT MIGHT BE STEWARDSHIP HAD THEIR DATA PLANNING MIGHT HAVE THEIR DATA, YOU KNOW, THERE MAY BE A SEPARATE DATABASE FOR, YOU KNOW, VARIOUS PROJECTS FROM THE DECO TEAM OR MAST, AND REALLY, THIS IS AN EFFORT OF TRYING TO CONSOLIDATE AND GET ALL OF THAT AND REALLY HAVE A GOOD COMPREHENSIVE LOOK FOR US, AND, YOU KNOW, WE'D LOVE TO GET THE PLACE WHERE WE'RE LOOKING AT FACILITIES AND SOME OF THOSE OTHER THINGS AS WELL.
SO THAT'S A WORK IN PROGRESS THEN TOO.
IT'S ALWAYS A WORK IN PROGRESS.
YOU KNOW, SEPARATE INTO THE UNIFIED.
SO THAT'S A WHOLE 'NOTHER AREA THAT IS TIED INTO THIS.
SO IT'S REALLY THE ENTIRE DISTRICT AND HOW WE ACTUALLY NOT JUST COLLECT THE DATA BUT ANALYZE IT.
YEAH A WORK IN PROGRESS AND LIKE I SAID, THERE'S A LOT OF DIFFERENT INITIATIVES GOING ON THAT I THINK WE WILL BE HAPPY TO TALK ABOUT AT SOME POINT.
YEAH. ALL RIGHT. THANKS. THE NEXT EFFORT, WHICH IS ALSO DATA DATA GATHERING EXERCISE, IS REALLY DEVELOPING THESE WARD REPORTS, AND THIS IS REALLY, YOU KNOW, AN EFFORT TO TRY TO DEFINE BY WARD FOR EACH OF YOU AND FOR THE PUBLIC AND FOR STAFF, FRANKLY AND YOUR ELECTED COUNTERPARTS.
JUST A SUMMARY OF SOME OF THE, YOU KNOW, THE MAJOR FACILITIES, THOSE RESOURCES, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THE GOVERNANCE STRUCTURES THAT EXIST WITHIN EACH WARD, AND THIS IS INFORMATION THAT, LIKE I SAY, WILL BE AVAILABLE TO YOU, AND WE'RE HOPING TO MAKE AVAILABLE AS YOU ALL KICK OFF SOME OF THE LOCAL ENGAGEMENT EFFORTS THAT GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS IS LEADING AND THAT WE'LL BE ABLE TO PROVIDE TO OUR CONSULTANT TEAM TO REALLY PROVIDE SOME OF THAT BACKGROUND INFORMATION ABOUT, YOU KNOW, THIS IS WHAT'S GOING ON IN EACH WARD.
THIS IS THE NUMBER OF PARKS THAT WE HAVE.
[00:35:06]
TO USE TO YOU KNOW, ONBOARD NEW BOARD MEMBERS, PAC MEMBERS AND STAFF MEMBERS THAT SORT OF GIVES A SUMMARY OF THE WARD REPORT.SO JUST A SNAPSHOT OF JUST, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THE MAPS, SOME OF THE VISUALS, YOU KNOW, WE'RE ABLE TO LOOK AT YOU KNOW, SORT OF RESIDENTIAL DENSITY IN RELATION TO OUR PARKS.
SO INFORMATION AROUND THAT WILL BE INCLUDED IN THERE.
YOU KNOW, LIKE I SAY, SOME OF THE DEMOGRAPHIC INFORMATION ABOUT, YOU KNOW, WHAT'S THE AGE RANGE, AND WE HAVE ANOTHER TOOL THAT WE'VE BEEN USING AS WELL CALLED PLACER, WHICH ACTUALLY GETS INTO SOME REALLY INTERESTING INFORMATION WHERE WE CAN ACTUALLY SEE SOME GENERATIONAL BREAKDOWNS ON WHICH PARKS DIFFERENT GENERATIONS USE.
SO LIKE WE SEE MARTINEZ SHORELINE IS REALLY USED PRETTY HEAVILY BY THOSE IN THE, YOU KNOW, THE 60 AND OLDER SORT OF CROWD WHERE, WHERE WE HAVE OTHER PARKS LIKE, SAY, CONTRA LOMA, WHERE WE'RE REALLY SEEING A LOT OF, A LOT OF YOUNGER FOLKS USE.
SO A LOT OF INTERESTING IT ALL LEADS TO MORE QUESTIONS, BUT SOME CONCLUSIONS AS WELL AROUND, YOU KNOW, WHO'S USING WHAT AND HOW DO FOLKS USE. SO WE'LL BE INCLUDING THIS INFORMATION, YOU KNOW, INFORMATION AROUND HOUSEHOLD INCOME AND JUST A WHOLE SERIES OF, OF OTHER MAPS AND OTHER INFORMATION.
MY STAFF'S TRYING TO HOLD ME BACK IN TERMS OF, YOU KNOW, NOT TRYING TO INCLUDE EVERYTHING IN THESE REPORTS BECAUSE THERE'S LIKE I SAY, THERE'S JUST A LOT OF DATA OUT THERE, AND AS YOU KNOW, PART OF THIS IS ALSO REALLY LOOKING AT, AGAIN EQUITY AND, AND WHERE ARE OUR, YOU KNOW, DISADVANTAGED COMMUNITIES? THERE'S A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT WAYS THAT WE GO ABOUT AND LOOKING AT DISADVANTAGED COMMUNITIES.
ONE WAY IS LOOKING AT THE CAL ENVIRO SCREEN.
SO THIS IS, YOU KNOW, INFORMATION THAT WE'LL BE ABLE TO INCLUDE IN THERE FOR, LIKE I SAY, SPECIFIC TO YOUR WARD WHERE THESE AREAS ARE IN RELATION TO OUR PARKS AND HOW THEY SERVE THERE, AND AGAIN, WE'LL BE ABLE TO OVERLAY, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THE LIKE OUR ONGOING PROJECTS AND HOW DO THEY FIT IN WITH SOME OF THESE AREAS AND THEN, OF COURSE, IT'S ALWAYS OF INTEREST TO THE BOARD OF WHERE SOME OF OUR VARIOUS DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITIES ARE HAPPENING.
SO THIS IS DIRECTOR COFFEY'S WARD, OF COURSE.
SO QUICK SUMMARY OF WHAT THE WARD REPORTS WILL BE.
SO THOSE ARE JUST A COUPLE OF THE BIG EFFORTS THAT WE'RE WORKING ON IN THE BACKGROUND.
AGAIN. YOU KNOW, AS I SAID LAST TIME IS YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A I MEAN, A LOT OF THIS, A LOT OF THIS EFFORT IS REALLY ABOUT COMPILING, ORGANIZING AND UNDERSTANDING JUST VARIOUS EFFORTS THAT THE DIFFERENT STAFF AND DIVISIONS ARE WORKING ON AND TRYING TO PUT IT INTO A, YOU KNOW, DIGESTIBLE AND ORGANIZED SORT OF FASHION.
SO THAT'S WHERE WE'RE AT IN DEVELOPING THE DISTRICT PLAN.
SO AGAIN, NEXT STEP IS YOU WILL SEE COMING BEFORE YOU SOON, PROBABLY IN THE SUMMER.
SO AGAIN ONE OF THE REQUESTS THAT CAME OUT OF THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE AND THE PAC WAS OR ONE OF THE QUESTIONS THAT CAME AS, YOU KNOW, JUST HOW HAVE WE DONE IN IMPLEMENTING THE 2013 MASTER PLAN AND SO WE DID WORK TO KIND OF, YOU KNOW, PULL TOGETHER A BIT OF A REPORT CARD ON LOOKING AT, OKAY, WE ADOPTED THIS MASTER PLAN AS A LITTLE OVER TEN YEARS AGO.
YOU KNOW, HOW HAS THAT MASTER PLAN GUIDED OUR WORK? HOW HAVE WE USED IT? AND HOW ARE WE DOING IN TERMS OF OF RESPONDING TO THOSE? SO, AGAIN, AS I SHARED IN THE PAST, YOU KNOW, THE 2013 MASTER PLAN WAS AN UPDATE OF PAST MASTER PLANS, AND THE BOARD ACTUALLY ADOPTED A RESOLUTION IN SEPTEMBER OF 2011 THAT PRETTY NARROWLY DEFINED THE TOPICS THAT WERE TO BE EVALUATED IN THAT MASTER PLAN UPDATE.
SO IT WAS NOT A COMPREHENSIVE MASTER PLAN UPDATE.
IT WAS REALLY FOCUSED ON THESE TOPICS, AND THIS WAS A RESOLUTION AGAIN PASSED IN SEPTEMBER OF 2011 BY THE BOARD THAT DIRECTED STAFF TO SPECIFICALLY LOOK AT PROVIDING A VARIETY OF TRAILS FOR ALL SOME OF THAT WAS MOTIVATED AROUND SOME OF THE MOUNTAIN BIKE ACCESS QUESTIONS, BUT JUST TRAILS FOR ALL IN GENERAL TO BE INCLUSIVE IN TERMS OF HOW WE'RE PROVIDING ACCESS HEALTHY PARKS, HEALTHY PEOPLE.
[00:40:03]
SO CONTINUING TO LEAD THAT MOVEMENT THE ROLE AND IDENTITY OF THE PARK DISTRICT BALANCING OUR FUNDING PRIORITIES AND MEETING EXPECTATIONS, SOUND FISCAL PRACTICES.THIS WAS COMING ON THE HEELS OF MEASURE WW AND MEASURE FF.
THAT CONTINUES TO BE IMPORTANT, BUT, YOU KNOW, THEN THAT WAS, I THINK, MAYBE A LITTLE BIT LESS DEFINED THEN, THAN IT IS TODAY ABOUT REALLY WHAT THAT MEANS DEVELOPING PRODUCTIVE PARTNERSHIPS, RESPONDING TO CHANGES IN DEMOGRAPHICS AND FOCUSED ON CONSERVATION MANAGEMENT STANDARDS SPECIFICALLY FOR CULTURAL AND HISTORIC RESOURCES.
SO THESE WERE THE TOPICS THAT WERE ESTABLISHED FOR THAT MASTER PLAN UPDATE.
SO, HOW HAVE WE DONE? SINCE 2013, I THINK YOU'RE ALL FAMILIAR WITH, TRAILS HAVE BEEN A PERENNIAL TOPIC SINCE 2013, BOTH ON THE POLICY SIDE OF THINGS BUT ALSO ON THE PROJECT SIDE OF THINGS.
SO WE HAVE DONE AND IMPLEMENTED AND CONTINUE TO WORK ON A NUMBER OF EFFORTS REGARDING TRAILS, AND WE DID WORK THROUGH THE TRAIL USER WORKING GROUP PROCESS, WHICH I THINK OVERALL WAS WAS A PRETTY SUCCESSFUL PROCESS AS CONTINUED TO MOVE THAT PROJECT, THAT CONVERSATION FORWARD, AND WE HAD THE BRIONES PILOT PROJECT THAT IS ONGOING AND A LOT OF WORK THAT LED UP TO THAT EFFORT BY FORMER DEPUTY GENERAL MANAGER JIM O'CONNOR AND OTHERS, AND OF COURSE, WE HAVE A COMMUNITY MEETING TO TAKE A LOOK AT THAT IN JUNE. THE CROCKETT HILLS BIKE TRAILS WERE IMPLEMENTED DURING THIS TIME.
WE'VE HAD A NUMBER OF BIG REGIONAL TRAIL PROJECTS THAT HAVE MOVED FORWARD ON THE IRON HORSE TRAIL, BAY TRAIL AND WE CONTINUE TO WORK TO IMPLEMENT THE PLEASANTON RIDGE TRAILS, AND THEN ON THE POLICY SIDE YOU KNOW, THE BOARD APPROVED, ADOPTED THE ALLOWANCE OF CLASS ONE E-BIKES ON OUR TRAILS WHERE BIKES ARE ALLOWED.
SO REALLY, YOU KNOW, IN TERMS OF MEETING THAT GOAL A LOT HAS HAPPENED SINCE 2013 ON OUR EFFORTS TO PROVIDE TRAILS FOR ALL.
HEALTHY PARKS, HEALTHY PEOPLE.
I THINK, YOU KNOW, THE BOARD IS FAMILIAR WITH.
SO, WE CONTINUE TO SEE EFFORTS AROUND PARK PRESCRIPTIONS.
THERE WAS THE MULTICULTURAL WELLNESS PROGRAMS. WE HAVE OUR ONGOING TRAILS CHALLENGE KIDS HEALTHY OUTDOOR CHALLENGES.
SO THIS WAS AN INITIATIVE OF THE 2013 MASTER PLAN, BUT LIKE I SAY, IS SOMETHING THAT I THINK HAS JUST BECOME INTEGRATED INTO STAFF'S WORK NOW AS WE DO THIS.
I'M AFFIRMING THE ROLE AND IDENTITY OF THE REGIONAL PARKS.
YOU KNOW, WE CONTINUE TO ENJOY PRETTY HIGH NAME RECOGNITION AND HIGH PUBLIC OPINION, AND WE'VE SEEN THIS AFFIRMED IN THE RECENT POLLING DONE BY GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS AND SO I THINK WE'VE DONE WELL IN TERMS OF CONTINUING TO AFFIRM THE ROLE AND IDENTITY OF THE REGIONAL PARK DISTRICT.
AGAIN, THIS WAS COMING ON THE HEELS OF MEASURE WW.
WE HAVE ACQUIRED QUITE A BIT OF LAND SINCE THAT 2013 MASTER PLAN UPDATE.
SO OVER WELL OVER 13,000 ACRES WHICH IS, YOU KNOW, SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF LAND ACQUISITION IN TEN YEARS SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF LAND THAT WE HAVE TO CONTINUE TO OPERATE IN A LAND BANK STATUS THAT WE HAVE TO PLAN FOR, THAT OUR STEWARDSHIP STAFF HAS TO CONTINUE TO STEWARD.
SO QUITE A LOT OF, A LOT OF ADDITIONAL WORK THAT'S COME TO US SINCE 2013, BUT WE'VE ALSO, YOU KNOW, WORKED ON OPENING UP THOSE LANDS AND PROVIDING FOR PUBLIC ACCESS, OF COURSE, THURGOOD MARSHALL, WHICH WE CONTINUE TO WORK ON, AND WE'VE HAD A LOT OF GUIDED TOURS THERE.
JUDGE JOHN SUTTER THAT'S A NEW PARK THAT'S OPENED UP.
WE JUST SAW A PRESENTATION ON CHOUINARD THAT'S BEEN PURCHASED DURING THAT TIME AND CONTINUE TO OPEN UP LAND THERE TYLER RANCH AND THE SUNOL RIDGE AND THE ROBERTSON PROPERTY. 5000 ACRES ADDED TO PLEASANTON RIDGE REGIONAL PARK.
SO, WE'VE ACQUIRED LAND WE CONTINUE TO WORK TO OPEN THAT LAND UP WHILE WE ALSO OPERATE AND STEWARD IT MEASURE CC SO HAVE CONTINUED TO IMPLEMENT PROJECTS THROUGHOUT THAT AREA AND THEN OF COURSE THE MEASURE FF AND THE VARIOUS PROJECTS THERE.
SO AS THAT'S GONE ON THROUGH 2013 AND THEN, YOU KNOW, OUR STAFFING AS WELL.
SO ALL THIS HAS BEEN DONE AS OUR STAFFING HAS INCREASED, AND I KNOW STAFFING CONTINUES TO BE ONGOING
[00:45:09]
CONVERSATION THAT WILL CONTINUE TO BE THERE, BUT A LOT OF OTHER, A LOT OF OTHER INVESTMENTS SINCE 2013 TO JUST SORT OF ADVANCE THE, YOU KNOW, EITHER BACK OF THE HOUSE OR INFRASTRUCTURE OR OPENING UP NEW PARKLANDS.SO, YOU KNOW, 5 MILLION FOR BRICKYARD COVE NEW ACQUISITIONS NEW HELICOPTER.
SUPPORTING THE SHIFT TO GREEN COMMUNITIES.
I THINK WE'VE HAD A LOT OF DISCUSSIONS AMONGST STAFF ABOUT WHAT DOES THAT EXACTLY MEAN? AND I THINK, YOU KNOW, OVER TIME, I THINK SOME OF THAT'S BEEN CLARIFIED.
THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF EFFORTS AROUND THE CITY SIDES TO DO THAT.
A LOT OF SUSTAINABLE TRANSPORTATION PLANS.
SO REALLY, SINCE 2013, A LOT OF EFFORTS TO AGAIN SUPPORT THE SHIFT TO GREEN COMMUNITIES.
WE HAVE A LOT OF CONVERSATIONS ON THE STAFF LEVEL ABOUT, YOU KNOW, REALLY, WHAT'S THE PARK DISTRICT'S ROLE IN THAT? YOU KNOW, SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE HAVE DONE, OF COURSE, THERE'S THE GREEN BONDS, STEWARDSHIP AND ALL OF THEIR WORK.
THAT'S ENCAPSULATED IN THEIR ANNUAL REPORTS.
WE'VE DONE A LOT OF WORK AROUND CARBON SEQUESTRATION, AND JUST OUR ROLE IN AND A LOT OF THE WORK AROUND CLIMATE CHANGE AND THEN OUR VARIOUS STRATEGIC ENERGY EFFORTS HERE, AND THEN THERE'S THE, YOU KNOW, THE STATE AND FEDERAL INITIATIVES THAT WE'RE ALWAYS ENGAGED IN, INCLUDING, YOU KNOW, 30 BY 30, AND THE WORK THAT DEPUTY GENERAL MANAGER ALVAREZ HAS BEEN LEADING IN TERMS OF OF HOW WE ACCELERATE CONSERVATION AT THE PARK DISTRICT THROUGH THOSE EFFORTS, AND THEN, YEAH, OUR FUEL MANAGEMENT WORK, SOLAR PANELS, WETLAND RESTORATION BIODIVERSITY AND, AND SORT OF MAKING THE SHIFT TOWARDS CLEANER, CLEANER TECHNOLOGY WITHIN OUR PARKS.
DEVELOPING PRODUCTIVE PARTNERSHIPS.
I KNOW THAT'S BEEN A BIG FOCUS OF OUR GENERAL MANAGER AS WELL.
SO JUST A SNAPSHOT OF SOME OF THE MAJOR HIGHLIGHTS, AND OF COURSE, WE JUST, YOU KNOW, RECENTLY OPENED UP THE ALDER AND LEATHERWOOD CREEK MCCOSKER AREA AND THE RESTORATION PROJECT THERE, WHICH IS A GREAT EXAMPLE OF PARTNERSHIP, WHERE WE WORKED IN PARTNERSHIP WITH CALTRANS IN A NUMBER OF OTHERS TO FUND THAT MAJOR CREEK RESTORATION PROJECT AND THEN RESPONDED TO CHANGES TO DEMOGRAPHICS.
YOU KNOW, THERE'S A LOT THAT COULD BE SAID IN HERE.
I THINK, YOU KNOW SIGNIFICANTLY, WE HAVE YOU KNOW, HIRED OUR FIRST EQUITY OFFICER HERE AT THE PARK DISTRICT AND ALL THE GOOD WORK THAT JOSE IS KICKING OFF. SO CERTAINLY THERE'S A LOT MORE THAT'S GOING TO BE DONE IN THIS, AND WE HAVE WORKED A LOT OF WORK AROUND, YOU KNOW, THURGOOD MARSHALL IS ONE EXAMPLE, BUT A LOT OF PROGRAMMING IN OUR STAFF IN TERMS OF COMMUNICATING THE UNTOLD STORIES OF THE PARK DISTRICT WE SEE INCREASED CELEBRATION AND I SEE THE, THE PRIDE FLAG HERE IN THE BOARDROOM AROUND CELEBRATING OUR SHARED HERITAGE AROUND, YOU KNOW VARIOUS LGBTQ PLUS PRIDE MONTH AND JUNETEENTH COMING UP AND VARIOUS OTHER EFFORTS THERE AND JUST A LOT OF WORK AROUND RESPONDING TO THE CHANGES IN OUR DEMOGRAPHICS AND THEN THE CULTURAL RESOURCES SIDE. I SAID, YOU KNOW, I'M PROUD TO SAY THE BOARD DID SUPPORT AND APPROVE THE CREATION OF A CULTURAL RESOURCES UNIT IN THIS YEAR'S BUDGET, AND WE HAVE HIRED A NEW PRINCIPAL PLANNER TO LEAD THAT UNIT.
ANA MARIE GUERRERO IS NOW IN THAT SEAT, AND SO WE'RE SO THAT'S A GREAT ORGANIZATIONAL CHANGE FOR US TO HAVE HAVE THAT SEPARATE, SEPARATE UNIT FOCUSED SPECIFICALLY ON CULTURAL RESOURCES, AND THEN AND SHE CONTINUES TO WORK AND, YOU KNOW, ADVANCING OUR TRIBAL RELATIONSHIPS AND BRINGING ON TRIBAL MONITORS.
SO THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF IMPROVEMENT IN THIS AREA SINCE 2013, AND AS WE'RE MOVING FORWARD, LOOKING AT, YOU KNOW, SOME OF OUR HOW WE CAN ADVANCE SOME OF OUR HERITAGE PROTECTION PROGRAM EFFORTS LOOKING AT PLACES LIKE BRUSHY PEAK AND VASCO CAVE, SOME OF THOSE REALLY MOST SPECIAL PLACES AND THEN THE ONGOING DISCUSSION AROUND CLIMATE CHANGE AND HOW WE RESPOND TO THOSE EMERGING ISSUES THERE TO CONTINUE TO PROTECT OUR
[00:50:10]
CULTURAL RESOURCES. SO, SO ALL THAT SAID IS, YOU KNOW, WE'VE THE RELATIVELY LIMITED SCOPE OF THE 2013 MASTER PLAN, BUT THESE HAVE EACH OF THESE PRINCIPLES HAVE REALLY HELPED GUIDE THE PARK DISTRICT'S WORK AND THE BOARD'S WORK AS WE'VE MOVED FORWARD.BY NO MEANS ARE WE DONE ON ANY OF THESE.
THESE WILL CONTINUE TO BE THEMES THAT WILL BE CENTRAL TO THE SECOND CENTURY PLAN AS WE AS WE DEVELOP THIS NEW DISTRICT PLAN, BUT AGAIN, YOU KNOW, PRIORITIZATION, AND HOW DO WE CONTINUE TO ADVANCE THESE EFFORTS AND, YOU KNOW, VARIOUS OTHERS THAT MAY COME UP WITH, YOU KNOW, THE LIMITED RESOURCES AND THAT, THAT WE LIVE IN, WHETHER THAT'S STAFFING RESOURCES OR FUNDING FOR CAPITAL PROJECTS.
YOU KNOW, CERTAINLY I THINK WE'RE SEEING INCREASED REQUESTS OF THE DISTRICT'S TIME AND RESOURCES AND SOME OF OUR INTERAGENCY EFFORTS AROUND CLIMATE CHANGE AND SEA LEVEL RISE AND, AND QUESTIONS AROUND, YOU KNOW, WHAT THE PARK DISTRICT'S ROLE IS THERE.
SO I EXPECT THAT THESE WILL CONTINUE TO GUIDE THIS EFFORT AS WE MOVE FORWARD, BUT REALLY, AGAIN, I AS WE LOOK AT THIS AS A NEW DISTRICT PLAN, AND WE'LL CONTINUE TO BRING FORWARD A LOT OF THESE CONCEPTS YOU KNOW, EVERYTHING'S ON THE TABLE AND REALLY AN OPPORTUNITY TO REALLY LOOK AT HOW DO WE BALANCE THESE VARIOUS INITIATIVES WITH ANY OF THOSE OTHERS THAT COME UP AND LIKE I SAY, AS WE GO INTO AS THE BOARD GOES INTO DISCUSSING PRIORITIZATION ON FRIDAY, I THINK, YOU KNOW, THIS WILL REALLY BE KIND OF CENTRAL TO THAT CONVERSATION IS HOW DO WE HOW DO WE BALANCE THESE VARIOUS THINGS? SO WITH THAT, THAT IS MY UPDATE, MY PRESENTATION.
HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS, AND APPRECIATE YOUR ATTENTION.
WELL, THANK YOU VERY MUCH, BRIAN.
DIRECTOR MERCURIO, DO YOU HAVE QUESTIONS? COMMENTS? I'M STILL ABSORBING IT, BUT I NEVER WILL.
I DON'T THINK IT'S THERE'S A LOT THERE, AND, YOU KNOW, I'M REALLY, REALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO GETTING INTO THIS PROCESS, AND I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO HAVING THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE PART OF IT IN TERMS OF GOING OUT INTO MY WARD AND MEETING UP WITH THE, YOU KNOW, THERE'S SOME COMMUNITIES, I DON'T REALLY KNOW ANYBODY THERE, AND THIS WILL GIVE ME A REASON TO GO OUT AND INTRODUCE MYSELF.
SO THAT'S SORT OF A TWO PRONGED THING FOR ME, BUT IT'S THE MAIN THING WOULD BE TO GET THIS PROCESS GOING TO INVOLVE MAYBE FOLKS THAT HAVEN'T BEEN REALLY THAT AWARE OF WHAT WE DO, YOU KNOW, AND DON'T EVEN UNDERSTAND THE POSSIBILITIES OUT THERE.
YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU ASK, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THOSE SURVEYS, I KIND OF GET THE FEELING THAT IF THEY REALLY IF THE RESPONDENTS KNEW WHAT WAS EVEN POSSIBLE, THEIR ANSWERS WOULD BE DIFFERENT. YOU KNOW, THAT THEY WOULD THEY WOULD BE ASKING FOR THINGS THAT ARE POSSIBLE, BUT THEY DON'T EVEN KNOW ABOUT, YOU KNOW, AND THAT'S UP TO US TO, YOU KNOW, GET IT ALL OUT THERE, AND OF COURSE, I'M ALWAYS INTERESTED IN, IN YOU KNOW, THE PROJECT SIDE OF ALL THIS IS HOW CAN WE, YOU KNOW, WE'RE GOING TO IDENTIFY NEW THINGS.
HOW CAN WE IMPLEMENT THEM? YOU KNOW, AND THAT'S PART OF IT, TOO.
I'M REALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO THOSE.
THE WARD INFORMATION THERE, THAT'LL BE HELPFUL TOO.
YEAH. WELL, THANKS AGAIN FOR THE PRESENTATION.
IT'S VERY HELPFUL GROUNDING I THINK AS WE LOOK FORWARD FOR THE FOR THE NEXT 90 YEARS, AND AS YOU MENTIONED, ALL OF THOSE THEMES ARE STILL RELEVANT AND THERE MAY BE SOME MORE AS WELL.
SO WE SHOULD THINK ABOUT THAT.
ALSO APPRECIATED YOUR THOUGHT ABOUT OUR MISSION STATEMENT AND WHETHER IT SHOULD EVOLVE TO MAYBE FOCUS OR HIGHLIGHT OTHER THINGS, AND SO I HAVE SOME IDEAS ON THAT AND I'LL THINK ON THAT A LITTLE MORE, AND I CERTAINLY SHARE JOHN'S ENTHUSIASM FOR SEEING THE WARD REPORTS.
I THINK THAT'S A GREAT IDEA, AND ALSO HAVING AN OPPORTUNITY TO REALLY GET OUT THERE AND, AND ENGAGE WITH PEOPLE ABOUT WHAT THEY WANT TO SEE IN THE NEXT PLAN.
I THINK THAT'S I'M REALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO THAT AS WELL.
[00:55:02]
VERY GOOD. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.THANK YOU VERY MUCH, DOCTOR ALVAREZ.
GOOD MORNING. THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME HERE.
THE ITEM BEFORE YOU IS AN OVERVIEW OF THE PROCESS, THE PLANNING PROCESS, AS WE BUILD TOGETHER THE BOARD CALENDAR FOR THE INCOMING YEAR OF 2025, AND I WANT TO TAKE A MOMENT TO SHARE A LITTLE BIT OF AS A WAY OF BACKGROUND WHERE THIS ALL CAME FROM, AND IT'S INTERESTING HOW THIS IS COMING OUT, BUT IN 2023, WE HAD THE INAUGURAL ADOPTION OF THE BOARD CALENDAR THAT TOOK PLACE TO SHEPHERD IN THE PARK DISTRICT'S 90TH ANNIVERSARY, AND THE BOARD AND THE STAFF MEMBERS EMBARKED ON A NEW PROCESS TO DO AN APPROVAL.
A WAY TO BRING IN A NEW PRACTICE AS WE CELEBRATE OUR 90TH ANNIVERSARY THAT REALLY SPEAKS TO TRANSPARENCY IN HAVING A PUBLIC PROCESS, IN ESTABLISHING THE CALENDAR FOR THE PUBLIC MEETINGS OF OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS AND IN DOING SO, IN 2023, THE BOARD REALLY WANTED TO FOCUS ON PROBLEM SOLVING IN TWO AREAS.
THOSE TWO AREAS SPEAK MOSTLY TO THE ABILITY TO REDUCE THE RESCHEDULING OF THESE PUBLIC MEETINGS BY PROACTIVELY RESOLVING FOR POTENTIAL CONFLICTS, FOR PRIORITIZED EVENTS AND MEETINGS, AND ALSO TO LEAN INTO THE EXISTING POLICY THAT'S PROVIDED BY THE BOARD OPERATING GUIDELINES, THAT SETS FORTH LANGUAGE THAT ALLOWS US TO LEAN INTO AN ALTERNATE BOARD MEMBER.
WHEN A MEMBER OF A STANDING BOARD COMMITTEE IS NOT ABLE TO ATTEND, AS WE DID TODAY WITH DIRECTOR MERCURIO, AND THEN THE SECOND AREA THAT WE WERE TRYING TO PROBLEM SOLVE WAS AROUND BEING ABLE TO COMMUNICATE AND UNDERSTAND THE BOARD STANDING COMMITTEE AND SCHEDULE IN ADVANCE OF THE ANNUAL APPOINTMENT PROCESS BY THE INCOMING BOARD PRESIDENT SO THAT WHEN POTENTIAL BOARD MEMBERS, AS THEY WERE LOOKING AT WHICH BOARD COMMITTEES THEY WOULD LIKE TO REQUEST TO BE APPOINTED, THAT THEY WOULD HAVE AN UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT IT WOULD MEAN IN TERMS OF DEMANDS ON THEIR PERSONAL CALENDAR.
IT SOUNDS VERY LOGICAL, BUT PRIOR TO THIS YEAR, THIS WAS DONE IN A DIFFERENT WAY.
SO I AM HAPPY TO REPORT THAT WE WERE ABLE TO SHEPHERD THAT STRUCTURAL CHANGE, AND I'M HAPPY TO REPORT THAT DURING THE IN REVIEWING AND UNDERSTANDING WHAT HAPPENED IN THE FIRST QUARTER OF THIS YEAR, WE WERE ABLE TO RESOLVE VERY WELL FOR PROBLEM NUMBER ONE AND WE WERE ALSO WERE ABLE TO RESOLVE FOR PROBLEM NUMBER TWO.
THE STRUCTURAL CHANGES THAT WE SHEPHERDED ACTUALLY WERE EFFECTIVE.
I ALSO WOULD LIKE TO POINT TO YOU, TO YOU THE ILLUSTRATION ON THE RIGHT.
THIS IS THE CALENDAR AT A GLANCE FOR 2024, AND I'D LIKE TO SEE I USE IT AS AN ILLUSTRATION THAT THIS LOOKS MORE LIKE A TRYING TO RESOLVE FOR A THREE DIMENSIONAL RUBIK'S CUBE, IN THE SENSE THAT EVERY DECISION THAT WE MAKE IN THE CALENDAR, YOU KNOW, THERE'S MANY DIFFERENT MEETINGS--THERE'S OVER 78 PUBLIC MEETINGS ALONE--THAT IT HAS A CASCADING EFFECT.
SO EVERYTHING IS INTERLOCKED AND INTERCONNECTED, AND IT'S A GREAT EXERCISE TO EMBARK ON AS WE CONTINUE TO SHEPHERD BEST PRACTICES IN THE PUBLIC SECTOR, IN THE MANAGEMENT OF PUBLIC MEETINGS, IN WORKING TOGETHER AND IN ALIGNMENT WITH OUR DISTRICT VALUES, WE STRIVE TO ENGAGE IN AN INCLUSIVE AND COLLABORATIVE PROCESS WITH BOARD MEMBERS AND MEMBERS OF THE EXECUTIVE TEAM, MEMBERS OF THE CLERK OF THE BOARD, MEMBERS THAT PROVIDE SUPPORT TO THESE PUBLIC MEETINGS, AND ALSO, WE DO THAT IN BEING ABLE TO DELIVER OR WITH INTENTION TO DELIVER THE HALLMARKS OF GOOD GOVERNMENT, SUCH AS CARRYING OUT A PUBLIC DECISION MAKING PROCESS THAT SHEPHERDS WHAT I LIKE TO SAY, GAIN EFFICIENCY EFFICIENCIES IN THE MANAGEMENT OF LIMITED PUBLIC
[01:00:05]
RESOURCES SUCH AS STAFF AS A RESOURCE AND STAFF CAPACITY, AS WELL AS ENHANCING AT EVERY OPPORTUNITY PUBLIC ACCESS TO INFORMATION PERTAINING TO PUBLIC MEETINGS OR PUBLIC PARTICIPATION AT THESE PUBLIC MEETINGS AND IN DOING THAT WE WILL CONTINUE TO FIND WAYS AS WE EMBRACE CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT IN GOVERNMENT TO IMPROVE ONBOARD MEETING MANAGEMENT AT EVERY OPPORTUNITY.BASED ON THE FEEDBACK THAT WE HAVE RECEIVED ON THIS YEAR'S BOARD CALENDAR.
WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO FRAME THIS YEAR'S PLANNING PROCESS THROUGH KEY PRINCIPLES AND SHARED GOALS FORMULATED WITH DISCUSSION FROM BOARD MEMBERS AND STAFF PERTAINING TO BOARD MEETING MANAGEMENT, AND THESE DISCUSSIONS TOOK PLACE AS SPECIAL MEETINGS OF THE BOARD DIRECTORS, LIKE YOUR ANNUAL RETREAT AS WELL AS SOME STUDY SESSIONS.
SO SOME OF THE KEY PRINCIPLES THAT FRAME THE THIS YEAR'S PLANNING PROCESS, AGAIN, IS HOW DO WE INCREASE PUBLIC ACCESS AND PARTICIPATION TO BOARD MEETINGS, AND ALSO TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE BEING RESPONSIVE TO THE FEEDBACK THAT WE'RE RECEIVING ON OUR SHARED GOALS AND ON OUR PARK DISTRICT VALUES, AND AGAIN, ANOTHER KEY PRINCIPLE AS A HALLMARK OF GOOD GOVERNMENT IS HOW DO WE ENHANCE, ENHANCE EFFICIENCY IN THE MANAGEMENT OF LIMITED RESOURCES.
SO AS WE DESIGN AND WE CONTINUE TO PLAN FOR 2025, WE HAVE TO DESIGN WITH INTENTION TO GAIN EFFICIENCIES, AND I'M, WE'RE PRIMARILY LOOKING AT THE NUMBER OF WORKING DAYS IN IN A CALENDAR.
THERE'S JUST SO MANY DAYS IN THE YEAR, AND WHEN YOU FACTOR IN PARK DISTRICT OBSERVED HOLIDAYS AND OTHER TYPES OF EVENTS THE RESOURCES CONTINUE TO SHRINK VERY QUICKLY AND ALSO THE RESOURCES PERTAINING TO MEETING SPACE.
THIS WE STILL USE THIS BOARD CHAMBER.
IN TERMS OF AND AGAIN, BASED ON FEEDBACK RECEIVED ON THIS YEAR'S BOARD CALENDAR, THE FOLLOWING FOUR GOALS WILL FRAME THIS YEAR'S PLANNING PROCESS, AND IT STARTS WITH ESTABLISHING THE DECISION MAKING PROCESS THAT IS INCLUSIVE, COLLABORATIVE, AND THAT IS DAYLIGHTED TO PRIORITIZE DISTRICT BUSINESS BUSINESS WITH THE LIMITED RESOURCES.
SO HOW DO WE RESOLVE FOR CONFLICTS ON THE LIMITED NUMBER OF DAYS THAT WE HAVE IN THE CALENDAR? ALSO, ANOTHER SHARED GOAL IS THE ADOPTION OF A CALENDAR THROUGH A PUBLIC PROCESS, WITH KEY PARTICIPATION OF THE KEY KEY STAKEHOLDERS, SUCH AS IT STARTS WITH THE PUBLIC. THAT'S WHERE THESE CONVERSATIONS WILL TAKE PLACE IN THE PUBLIC PUBLIC MEETINGS THE BOARD, INDIVIDUAL BOARD MEMBERS AND THE BOARD AS A WHOLE, AS A UNIT AS WELL AS MEMBERS OF THE EXECUTIVE TEAM.
WE ALSO HOPE TO MEMORIALIZE, AND IT'S OUR INTENTION TO MEMORIALIZE THROUGH BOARD ACTION, THE CALENDARING OF THESE PUBLIC MEETINGS, SO THAT WE DO THAT THROUGH ONE ACTION OF THE BOARD THAT IS A COMPREHENSIVE, FULL PICTURE, AND IT ALSO SPEAKS AND MEMORIALIZES ON A PUBLIC RECORD.
WHAT WERE THE DECISION POINTS TO ESTABLISH THE SCHEDULING PRACTICES, AND LASTLY, WE IT IS OUR INTENT TO PUBLISH AND ADOPT THE CALENDAR EARLY BEFORE THE YEAR BEGINS AS A FOUNDATIONAL BASE FOR THE PLANNING PROCESS OF OTHER PART DISTRICT EVENTS THAT REQUIRED THE PRESENCE AND PARTICIPATION OF BOARD MEMBERS LIKE THE SERVICE AWARDS, AND ALSO TO ENHANCE ONCE AGAIN THE PUBLIC ACCESS AND PUBLIC PARTICIPATION AND PUT THE INFORMATION ON OUR WEBSITE AS EARLY AS POSSIBLE.
WE'RE WANTING TO CLARIFY THE QUESTION TO CRYSTALLIZE THE DECISION THAT NEEDS TO BE MADE.
WE WILL ALSO WE WANT TO GATHER RELEVANT INFORMATION, AND THAT'S THROUGH THE SURVEY, AND THEN WE WILL GO ON TO EVALUATE THE OPTIONS BASED ON THE SURVEY ANALYSIS OF INDIVIDUAL DATA THAT WE RECEIVE FROM INDIVIDUAL FROM INDIVIDUALS, AS WELL AS THE AGGREGATE DATA, AND UNDERSTANDING SOME OF THE GROUP RANKINGS AND TRENDS THAT WE SEE THROUGH THE SURVEY.
[01:05:02]
THE SURVEY WAS LAUNCHED LAST WEEK ON MAY THE 30TH, AND IT WAS LAUNCHED REQUESTING THE PARTICIPATION OF INDIVIDUAL BOARD DIRECTORS AS WELL AS MEMBERS OF THE EXECUTIVE TEAM, AND WE'RE HOPING THAT THE SURVEY THAT YOU CAN COMPLETE A 14 QUESTION SURVEY NO LATER THAN JULY THE 4TH, WE ALREADY STARTED RECEIVING SOME RESPONSES, AND WE APPRECIATE YOU TAKING THE TIME TO DO THAT.AGAIN IN DOING THE SURVEY, IN DESIGNING THE SURVEY, WE HAVE VERY SPECIFIC OUTCOMES.
WE'RE LOOKING TO EXPLORE LEGACY INTERESTS, WHICH I'LL GO INTO INTO DETAILS IN A MINUTE, AS WELL AS EXPLORE NEW PATHWAYS TO MEET SHARED GOALS, AND LIKE I MENTIONED, UNDERSTANDING INDIVIDUAL PREFERENCES AND AVAILABILITY, AS WELL AS UNDERSTANDING GROUP RANKINGS AND TRENDS.
WHEN WE LOOK CLOSELY AT THE SURVEY AND WE START LOOKING AT THE SOLICITING AVAILABILITY, WE ARE ACTUALLY POLLING FOR THE FIRST TIME THE KEY STAKEHOLDERS AND THEIR AVAILABILITY TO CREATE THE STANDING MEETING SCHEDULES, SPECIFICALLY FOR THE SPECIAL MEETINGS OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS, AND THESE SPECIAL MEETINGS OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS INCLUDE THE STUDY SESSIONS, THE ANNUAL RETREAT, AS WELL AS THE BOARD'S SITE VISITS OR THE BOARD'S SITE TOURS.
IF YOU'VE TAKEN THE SURVEY, YOU WILL NOTICE THAT IT ALSO PULLS FOR YOUR AVAILABILITY, AS WE DESIGNATE THE ALTERNATIVE REPRESENTATION OF THE BOARD AT THE PARK ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEETINGS. IN TERMS OF EXPLORING LEGACY INTERESTS.
THERE ARE SEVERAL QUESTIONS DESIGNED TO DO JUST THAT AND WHAT WE MEAN BY A LEGACY INTEREST.
THESE ARE CONVERSATIONS THAT WE'RE BRINGING FORWARD TO A SURVEY THAT HAVE BEEN HAD IN THE PAST, AND THEY CONTINUE TO EXIST TODAY AS WE START DISCUSSING WHAT IT MEANS TO HAVE A BOARD CALENDAR, AND THOSE ARE PRIMARILY THOSE CONVERSATIONS ARE PRIMARILY AROUND SHOULD WE HAVE THE MEETINGS OF THE FULL BOARD OF DIRECTORS IN THE EVENINGS EARLY EVENINGS OR IN THE EVENINGS? LIKE MOST PUBLIC AGENCIES, IF THE GOAL IS TO CREATE PATHWAYS FOR THE PUBLIC TO PARTICIPATE INTO, TO HAVE MORE PARTICIPATION AT THESE MEETINGS.
IT ALSO ASKS FOR QUESTIONS PERTAINING TO SHOULD WE HAVE SHOULD WE MOVE AROUND THE MEETING OF THE FULL BOARD OF DIRECTORS FOR THE BUDGET ADOPTION ACTION, WHICH IS ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT POLICY DECISIONS THAT HAS BEEN MADE AT THE PARK DISTRICT, AWAY FROM THE HOLIDAYS, THAT WOULD ENHANCE, AGAIN, THE OPPORTUNITY FOR THE PUBLIC TO PARTICIPATE.
CURRENTLY, WE HAVE ONE MEETING THAT TAKES PLACE FOR THAT'S WHERE WE CONDUCT THE PUBLIC HEARING FOR THE ADOPTION OF THE LIGHTING AND LANDSCAPING DISTRICT NUMBER ONE AT EAST CONTRA COSTA COUNTY, BUT SHOULD WE HAVE ONE MORE MEETING THERE? THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF OPINIONS, A LOT OF DISCUSSIONS, AND IT VARIES ON WHEN THE DISCUSSION TOOK PLACE AND WHO WAS PARTICIPATING IN THAT DISCUSSION.
SO NOW WE WILL HAVE DATA THAT WILL SPEAK TO THIS INTEREST, AND THEN THE LAST LEGACY INTEREST THAT HAS BEEN AN ONGOING DISCUSSION IS WHEN SHOULD IT BE? SHOULD THE BOARD DIRECTORS TAKE A RECESS AND IF THIS SUMMER RECESS, SHOULD IT BE IN THE MONTH OF AUGUST AS IT HAS BEEN DONE IN THE PAST FOUR DECADES? OR SHOULD WE BE PIVOTING MORE TO THE SCHOOL SPRING SUMMER BREAKS NOW THAT THEY HAVE CHANGED? AND SHOULD THAT RECESS TAKE PLACE IN THE MONTH OF JULY? THE SURVEY ALSO EXPLORES NEW PATHWAYS INTO TWO AREAS.
THESE QUESTIONS IN THE SURVEY WERE DESIGNED TO PROMPT US TO CONSIDER IF WE WEREN'T ALREADY DOING IT THIS WAY IN THE IN THE PAST, IS THIS THE WAY WE WOULD START BUILDING THE BOARD MASTER CALENDAR? THAT'S REALLY WHAT IT'S INTENDED TO DO.
IT ASKS CLARIFYING QUESTIONS TO RANK THE STANDING COMMITTEES THAT WILL INFORM THE FREQUENCY RATES IN CONDUCTING THESE TYPES OF MEETINGS, MEANING, HOW OFTEN SHOULD WE MEET AND WHEN SHOULD THESE MEETINGS BE REALLY CONVENED? BASED ON THE INDIVIDUAL RANKINGS FROM BOARD MEMBERS AND EXECUTIVE TEAM MEMBERS, AS WELL AS THE GROUP RANKINGS? AND ALSO, IT ASKS A CLARIFYING QUESTION ON THE ANNUAL CONFERENCES THAT WILL INFORM THE PRIORITIZATION IN COUNTERING THESE EVENTS,
[01:10:02]
AS WELL AS RESOLVING FOR CALENDARING CONFLICTS BASED ON TYPE OF OF THE EVENT, IS THIS CONFERENCE WILL INTENDED FOR ELECTED OFFICIALS OR IS THIS AN INDUSTRY STAFF EVENT AND ALSO BASED ON THE ORDER OF THE RANKING ORDER OR THE RANKING ORDER OF PREFERENCE BY THE GROUP? THAT'S WHAT THE SURVEY REALLY DOES AND IT PROMPTS US TO THINK THIS WAY, TO THINK DIFFERENTLY AS WE CONSIDER WHAT'S THE BEST WAY TO WHAT ARE THE BUILDING BLOCKS TO START DEVELOPING THE PUBLIC MEETINGS FOR 2025.THE NEXT STEPS IS WE WILL BE SHARING THE FINDINGS WITH YOU IN THE MONTH OF AUGUST.
WE WILL BE ALSO SHARING WITH YOU WHAT ARE SOME OF THE ALTERNATIVES AND THAT WE'RE CONSIDER IN FORMULATING A RECOMMENDATION FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION.
WE WILL BE ALSO SHARING INFORMATION ON REAL TIME WITH THE FULL BOARD OF DIRECTORS THROUGH INFORMATIONAL MEMOS ON THE PROCESS AND THE SURVEY FINDINGS, AND OF COURSE, IT WILL BE THROUGH A FULL BOARD ACTION THAT WILL BE ADOPTING A RECOMMENDATION BASED ON THE FEEDBACK THAT WE RECEIVE FROM THE BOARD EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE, AND IT IS OUR INTENTION, AS I MENTIONED, TO PUBLISH THE CALENDAR AT THE END OF THIS THIRD FISCAL QUARTER SO THAT WE CAN BEGIN AND MAKE SPACE FOR OTHERS TO START PLANNING THE EVENTS FOR THE INCOMING YEAR, AND ALSO TO PUBLISH ON OCTOBER 1ST, WHAT A CALENDAR WILL LOOK LIKE FOR 2025 ON OUR WEBSITE.
SO THAT CONCLUDES MY PRESENTATION.
I'LL BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS, AND I WAS REMISS NOT TO THANK THE LEADERSHIP OF DIRECTOR ECHOLS AND DIRECTOR WAESPI FOR SHEPHERDING A NEW WAY OF THINKING HOW WE CREATE A CALENDAR FOR THIS YEAR.
GREAT. WELL, THANK YOU SO MUCH, DOCTOR ALVAREZ.
DIRECTOR MERCURIO. DID YOU HAVE QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? I CAN JUMP IN OTHERWISE.
IT JUST OCCURS TO ME WE CAN CALL IT ZERO BASED SCHEDULING AT LEAST THE FIRST TIME WE'RE DOING IT.
RIGHT, BECAUSE IT'S JUST STEPPING WAY BACK AND LOOKING AT IT FRESH, AND I THINK THAT'S REALLY, YOU KNOW, IT GETS TO THE POINT WHERE YOU NEED TO DO THAT ONCE IN A WHILE, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE THINGS CHANGE.
LIKE YOU MENTIONED, THE SCHOOL CALENDARS HAVE CHANGED IN THE LAST 10 OR 20 YEARS, AND, YOU KNOW, I THINK WE NEED TO RECOGNIZE THAT FOR ESPECIALLY FOR STAFF THAT, YOU KNOW, MIGHT HAVE A LOT OF FAMILIES, YOU KNOW, AND THAT TYPE OF STUFF.
SO I'M GLAD TO SEE THAT'S PART OF THE THINKING NOW I HAVEN'T I STARTED TO DO THAT SURVEY AND IT GOT SOME KIND OF A HICCUP AND I HAVEN'T REALLY LOOKED AT IT AGAIN.
SO I HAVEN'T GONE ALL THE WAY THROUGH IT, BUT ARE THERE ANY OPEN ENDED OPPORTUNITIES IN THERE? YES. AT THE END THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY FOR YOU TO GIVE US ALL OF YOUR THOUGHTS.
YEAH, BUT YEAH, I THANK YOU FOR GOING THROUGH THIS.
THE ONLY THING WORSE THAN THIS IS SPACE PLANNING, RIGHT? YES. YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU HAVE ALL THESE COMPETING IDEAS AND SUCH.
SO I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO DOING THE SURVEY, ACTUALLY.
I THINK WE'RE GOING TO COME OUT WITH SOMETHING THAT'S VERY USEFUL.
OTHER THAN THAT, YEAH, IT'S A WORK IN PROGRESS.
WELL, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE PRESENTATION AND BEING SO PROACTIVE ABOUT THIS, AND I ALSO JUST WANT TO SAY THAT I THOUGHT THAT THE NEW WAY OF SCHEDULING, WHERE WE GET IT ALL DONE IN ADVANCE AND LET PEOPLE KNOW WHEN THE MEETINGS ARE GOING TO BE AND BE AS STRICT AS POSSIBLE ABOUT NOT TRYING TO MOVE MEETINGS TO JUST SUIT SOMEONE'S INDIVIDUAL SCHEDULE.
I FEEL LIKE ESPECIALLY THE YEAR BEFORE LAST--OH, ACTUALLY, LAST YEAR THERE WAS SO MUCH TIME SPENT JUST REARRANGING THINGS AND IT WAS JUST, YOU KNOW, IT WAS JUST A WASTE. SO THIS IS A BIG IMPROVEMENT, AND IT MATTERS BECAUSE EVERYBODY'S TIME IS VALUABLE, AND WE DON'T WANT TO WASTE OUR TIME AND ENERGY AND FRUSTRATION ON SCHEDULING, RIGHT, IF WE CAN AVOID IT.
SO, THANK YOU FOR THAT, AND I LOOK FORWARD TO FILLING OUT THE SURVEY.
I THINK THAT IS THE END OF OUR INFORMATIONAL ITEMS. DO WE HAVE ANY ANNOUNCEMENTS, GENERAL MANAGER OR ANYONE? OKAY. NOTHING.
WELL, THAT'S A RECORD, I THINK.
WE CAN ADJOURN THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEETING AT 11:58 A.M..
[01:15:04]
THANK YOU, EVERYBODY.* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.