MINUTES PARKS AND RECREATION COMMISSION MEETING Chino Hills Government Center 14000 City Center Drive, Chino Hills, California I. CALL TO ORDER Chair Greg Higgins called the Parks and Recreation Commission Meeting of the City of Chino Hills to order at 7:00 p.m. II. III. IV. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE Chair Higgins led the Assembly in the Pledge of Allegiance. ROLL CALL PRESENT: Chair Greg Higgins Vice Chair Dave Seltzer Commissioner Patrick Hamamoto Commissioner Robert Gannon Commissioner Bill Taylor Student Member Dilasha Panigrahi ABSENT: Ex-Officio Member Sylvia Orozco ALSO PRESENT: Nadeem Majaj, Public Works Director Sean O Connor, Maintenance and Operations Manager Luther Martin, Parks and Open Space Supervisor Joann Lombardo, Community Services Director Victor Viramontes, Management Analyst II Jonathan Marshall, Community Services Director Kim Albarian, Recreation Supervisor Bonnie Sotelo, Administrative Assistant PUBLIC COMMENTS ON NON-AGENDA ITEMS None. V. ACTION ITEMS 1. Approval of Commission Meeting Minutes On motion by Vice Chair Seltzer, seconded by Commissioner Hamamoto, the minutes of January 21, 2015 meeting were approved. All in favor. MOTION CARRIED. 2. Turf Removal Rebate Program, Phase II On motion by Vice Chair Seltzer, seconded by Commissioner Taylor, the second phase of the turf removal and replacement with drought tolerant plants in ten public-landscaped areas throughout the City was endorsed for recommendation to the City Council. All in favor. MOTION CARRIED.
Page 2 3. Open Space Management Plan Victor Viramontes presented the Open Space Management Plan to the Commission. Staff and Commissioners discussed the following questions and comments: Commissioner Gannon raised the question as to how much space required for the production of power. The study identifies the facilities best for that purpose: Chino Hills Government Center, McCoy Equestrian Center, Chino Hills City Yard, Big League Dreams, and Chino Valley Freeway Drainage. Commissioner Hamamoto noted that the cost of installation versus the savings the City will get has a break-even point of 15 ½ years. He asked if the City has entered into a Power Purchasing Agreement with Edison, and if Edison is willing to pay 14 cents per kilowatt per the study. Ms. Lombardo stated that the results were the best estimates at that time it was prepared by the consultants. She added that the consultant recommended leasing the facility so as not to incur up-front costs and to realize the savings over 25 years. Commissioner Taylor asked if the City would lose 3,000 acres of open space when the land is banked. Ms. Lombardo stated that it would still be open space but the City would lose its ability to access certain portions of that which would be a candidate for conservation. Commissioner Hamamoto asked if the sale of banked land would restrict the new owners from building on it. Mr. Viramontes stated that the benefits of Mitigation Land Banking are that another entity will be responsible in restoring the land to its original condition. Commissioner Gannon asked if any other municipalities have used either option. Mr. Viramontes stated that the City is one of the few that has these type of resources. Chair Higgins asked if staff recommends the plan. Mr. Viramontes stated that staff reviewed the development of the plan to explore different options; and after discussions, the recommendation is to bring in experts from the outside to help bring the plan together. Chair Higgins stated that the report provides the options and recommendations but it does not seem in sync with what staff wants to recommend to Council. Mr. Viramontes stated that there are new options other than those previously considered. Commissioner Hamamoto asked how the land (section 5, page 37, Community Open Space Encroachments) was dedicated as open space or common law. Ms. Lombardo stated that some of the 3,000 acres of open space was already dedicated as open space from the County; and, when the City was established, the same kinds of policies where developers had to dedicate a certain percentage as open space depending on the amount and intensity of the slopes. In the City s early years, the developers followed the County and dedicated these areas as public open space owned by the City. The City still requires the open space but is dedicated as private open space maintained and funded by the HOA or a conservation entity.
Page 3 In response to a question from Commissioner Taylor, Mr. Viramontes stated that based on the comments and recommendation made by the different Commissions, a final, revised plan may be presented to the Council. Vice Chair Seltzer stated that he was very much against a community garden in public open space. Commissioner Gannon stated that on page 35, Item III of the report was a little hard to understand and suggested revising it for simplification purposes. Commissioner Taylor stated that there is privately owned, undeveloped land that looks like public open space. He asked if there is a plan to prioritize the development of this land. Ms. Lombardo stated that there is around 1,500 acres of privately owned open space; and homeowners associations (HOAs) control the majority and are required to stay as natural open space. Student Member Panigrahi stated that it is all complex to her. She asked about the two options presented to mitigate the sites: does staff choose only one option; or, can staff consider both options? Mr. Viramontes stated that staff could consider both recommendations for two separate sites. Chair Higgins stated that staff s recommendation was to identify and pursue funding solutions for the maintenance of open space. He asked what staff recommends as some of the funding solutions. Mr. Viramontes stated that staff is always on the lookout for potential grants to fund upcoming projects. Chair Higgins stated that the quarter cent sales tax is not realistic. Finding a solution to the Landscape and Lighting issue is more of a priority. Locating grants would be a more acceptable source of funding. 4. Naming of City Park Jonathan Marshall Director Marshall gave a short background on the Vila Borba Park which is the name preferred by the developer, Standard Pacific Homes, and has been the working name for the park. The park s completion date is by summer and will be home to the City s first dog park. Suggested names for the park are Vila Borba Park, Amadora Park, Serena Park, and Montarra Park. Public Comment: Resident Loretta Szudy thanked the Commissioners for their help in the dog park project. She suggested Borba Ranch Dog Park for the park name. Director Marshall stated that at the initial study for a dog park, the preferred name chosen was Canine K-9 Hills Park. Resident Susan Gaitan stated she is looking forward to the development of this park. She suggested the following names for the park: Serena, Borba Chino Hills Ranch Park, Borba Ranch Park, and if the dog park gets a different name, she added that Canine K-9 Hills Park sounds good. Commissioner Gannon preferred Vila Borba Park. Vice Chair Seltzer preferred the name Vila Borba Park as well. Commissioner Taylor and Commissioner Hamamoto both agreed. Student Member Panigrahi agreed and stated that a
Page 4 separate name for the dog park would be more appropriate to consider those who are not dog lovers. Marianne Napoles stated that Vila (pronounced as Via) means village in Portuguese. Chair Higgins stated that he prefers the name Borba Ranch Park. On motion by Commissioner Gannon, seconded by Commissioner Taylor, with Chair Higgins opposed, the Vila Borba Park name is the preferred name for the park. MOTION PASSED. VI. STAFF REPORTS/COMMENTS 1. Update on Community Services Projects Director Marshall reported on the following: Special Olympics the sub-committee, consisting of Commissioner Seltzer, Director Marshall, Ms. Albarian, Councilmember Peter Rogers, and Special Olympics Board member Bill Bryan, met to discuss what details for the event in hosting the athletic delegation from Poland and Laos, and their interpreters. The City will give an announcement regarding the event. Trails the GIS system vendor demonstrations have concluded. Staff is looking into the preferred vendor s background. Vila Borba Park Project park construction plans are currently under review by staff. Pinehurst Park Update meetings for possible submittal of plans to the Commission in March. Chair Higgins asked if there have been any additional artifacts found during grading that will delay the Vila Borba development project. Director Marshall stated that they found no additional artifacts. Chair Higgins inquired about additional lighting on fields and suggested to get the public to attend the discussion. Chair Higgins stated that Pinehurst Park could be the last opportunity the City has in providing lighted fields to the park users. 2. Update on Chino Hills Recreation Calendar of Events February 17 Tiny Tots & Summer Day Camp registrations March 12 Student Government Day March 13 Wicked trip to the Pantages Theater March 22 All Breeds Horse Show March 30 Summer Volunteen Applications are available to the public Student Member Panigrahi inquired about the Volunteen assignments to different facilities. Ms. Albarian stated that staff assigns to different facilities depending on: availability, experience, and the right fit.
Page 5 VII. VIII. COMMITTEE UPDATES Commissioner Gannon reported that a minor change in scheduling and the next Healthy Cities Steering Committee meeting would be May 18. COMMISSIONER COMMENTS Vice Chair Seltzer reported on the following: Proposal submitted to the Chino Hills Community Foundation to fund a few adaptive swings at Hunters Hill Park, Sunset Park, and English Springs Park. Director Marshall stated that Luther Martin is working on communicating with different adaptive swing vendors to ensure that the City meets all ADA requirements. Sean O Connor stated that there are certain measurements for the adaptive swing to be in conformance with ADA standards. Major infestation of gold-spotted oak bore insect in San Diego and parts of Orange County. Sean O Connor stated that the insect was found destroying oak trees in Anaheim Hills. Staff recommends keeping firewood afflicted with this insect and not transporting it to quarantine it. Follow-up on mobile cameras to be set up on rotation basis between parks. Director Marshall stated that Chair Higgins had requested for information relating to the pros and cons of rotating mobile cameras. He added that he would report on this issue at the next meeting. charts Beatles Night of Music was fun and thanked the volunteers for helping at that event. Commissioner Taylor inquired about the Bird Farm Park project and if there is a timeframe of any grant opportunities to build this park. He added that he had incorrectly reported on the matching grant; however, the grant specifically requires that the City owns the property. In October, a request for a $450,000 match grant through the Habitat Conservation in which a lease agreement would suffice. The City can apply for another grant coming up is from Land and Water Conservation. Commissioner Taylor noted that there was a Trails Master Plan Advisory Committee mentioned in the report. He asked if this Committee a separate committee or from the Parks and Recreation Commission. Director Marshall stated that it was a separate committee included with the McCoy Equestrian Committee originally. He added trails is under Parks and Recreation Commission s purview. Commissioner Taylor stated that he has never seen a Trails Master Plan. Director Marshall stated that it is part of the General Development Plan. Chair Higgins stated that the document calls for is an update to the Master Plan. Commissioner Hamamoto thanked staff for the Open Space report and is looking forward to Phase II of the report.
Page 6 IX. ADJOURNMENT Chair Higgins adjourned the meeting at 9:32 p.m. to the next regular Parks and Recreation Commission Meeting on Wednesday, March 18, 2015. Respectfully submitted, Carmen Fructuoso-Canter, Administrative Secretary Community Services Department