TO:
Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
THROUGH:
Bruce Moe, City Manager
FROM:
Mark Leyman, Parks and Recreation Director
Jessica Vincent, Sr. Recreation Manager
Linda Robb, Management Analyst
SUBJECT:Title
Consideration of the Parks & Recreation Commission Recommendation to Approve the 2020 Parks Master Plan (Parks and Recreation Director Leyman).
APPROVE
Line
_________________________________________________________
Recommended Action
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends that the City Council approve the 2020 Parks Master Plan.
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
If approved, there is no immediate fiscal implication to the City; however, staff has identified the following potential actions and funding sources for future projects:
• Create a replacement fund dedicated to future park infrastructure projects, such as playgrounds, picnic pads, and surfacing.
• Allocate a percentage of the General Fund surplus to the CIP earmarked specifically for parks projects.
• Establish an enterprise account to fund projects with an ongoing revenue source to replace amenities, such as synthetic turf, lighting and fencing.
• Allocate Public Art Trust Fund dollars to projects such as Art in the Parks and a permanent stage/pavilion at Polliwog Park.
• Develop a program for sponsorship rights to fund larger projects, such as facility replacements.
• Increase Quimby Act/Park Development Fees from new residential, commercial and industrial development projects and dedicate them to park improvements.
• Explore community interest on a bond measure to fund large-scale projects, such as a new aquatics center.
• Select and prioritize park projects to fund and maintain through Measure A
BACKGROUND:
Since the last Parks Master Plan was adopted in 1998, the community's demographics, values and interests have continued to evolve while infrastructure has aged significantly. Although the City has made substantial efforts to maintain an effective level of functionality in its parks facilities and programs, the physical and communal changes have required additional planning and resources. In 2008, to fully identify these changes, the City conducted an extensive community outreach process to establish priorities and needs. The Facilities Strategic Plan (FSP) was the result of these efforts. The various projects identified in that Plan totaled $165 million in 2008 estimated dollars. Of those listed, two major high-priority projects have since been completed: a new County Library was completed in May 2015, and the Marine Avenue Park Skate Spot was completed in March 2017. Unfortunately, due to the cost, scope, and complexity of the remaining eight projects identified in the FSP, no others have yet come to fruition.
In fiscal year (FY) 2012-2013, the City budgeted $100,000 for a new Parks, Open Space, Activity, and Landscape Master Plan. This work, however, was put on hold over the next four years due to multiple staff transitions. In 2017, City Council redirected staff to develop a new Parks Master Plan as a Work Plan, which could be completed in-house. This directive was formally implemented in 2018 when the Parks & Recreation Commission formed an ad-hoc committee, comprised of Parks & Recreation Commissioners Ken Weiner, Bruce Greenberg and Steve Nicholson; and Parks and Recreation Director Mark Leyman, Senior Recreation Manager Jessica Vincent, and Management Analyst Linda Robb. The goal of this ad-hoc committee has been to complete the 2020 Parks Master Plan to serve as a working document that will guide both the Parks & Recreation Department and City leadership in the prioritization of parks amenities and facility capital improvements projects (CIPs).
Over the past 18 months, the ad-hoc committee has met over 20 times and completed the following actions:
• Reviewed prior historical Parks and Recreation plans/proposals - Spring 2019;
• Conducted a thorough on-site assessment of the condition of all parks and park/recreation facilities - Spring 2019;
• Developed an online survey through OpenGov, the City's web-based portal for surveys - June 2019;
• Hosted community outreach meetings at the Joslyn Community Center and Manhattan Heights Community Center, together with other members of the Parks and Recreation Commission and key Parks and Recreation employees - October 2019;
• Hosted pop-up events at the 2019 Hometown Fair, Halloween Carnival and Pumpkin Races to obtain community input on possible projects;
• Met with special interest groups - October and November 2019;
• Conducted the Citywide online survey - November 2019;
• Analyzed and synthesized data - December 2019 through March 2020; and
• Designed, drafted, and reviewed the 2020 Parks Master Plan - August 2020 through October 2020.
DISCUSSION:
After nearly two years of reviewing multi-focal feedback from Manhattan Beach residents, synthesizing survey results, reviewing past project proposals, conducting physical on-site inspections, and considering a host of related information, the Parks Master Plan ad-hoc committee distilled this extensive data to establish its recommendations for the 2020 Parks Master Plan. This plan includes concepts, strategies and a vision for the future of Manhattan Beach’s parks and facilities. It is to serve as a working document for City leadership and staff in the planning, development and enhancement of City parks, programs, and recreation facilities, and it will guide the prioritization of CIPs and the development of related funding strategies to be executed over the next 10 years.
Several common themes emerged from the public engagement process which serve as the basis for the ad-hoc committee's strategic and specific project recommendations.
They were:
• Increase and optimize access to open space
• Create a strong sense of community
• Optimize existing park, open space and beach experiences
• Enhance play for all
The Committee established three categories of projects based on their estimated cost, complexity, and staff resource requirements. They are summarized as follows:
• "QUICK WINS": Projects estimated to cost up to, but not in excess of, $60,000 and which require limited staff resources. These projects can be funded in large part through the City's General Fund.
• "MID-RANGE": Projects estimated to cost $60,000-$1,000,000 and which require greater staff resources and time to complete. Funding may come from a variety of sources, including the CIP fund, Measure A grant allocation, donation programs, and small-scale sponsorships.
• "LONG-TERM VISION": Projects with costs estimated in excess of $1,000,000. These projects are larger, entail a vision of the future, and are targeted at significantly enhancing the quality of life for our residents and user groups. They involve significant costs, complexity and staff resources. Funding could potentially come from a bond issue, community partnerships involving sponsorship naming rights, and the City's General Fund, Measure A and grants.
When reviewing the attached document, please note that the Parks and Recreation ad-hoc committee drew additional conclusions from its detailed, on-site inspection of the parks, facilities and related amenities in the City. There was a clear observation that the condition of many areas required additional maintenance and/or were in a state of disrepair. Some maintenance work required does not meet specific CIP criteria. As a result, the committee recommends that a "replacement schedule and updated maintenance plan" be put in place for annual review by the Parks & Recreation Commission with priority recommendations made to the City Council. Subject to City Council direction and adoption, the Parks and Recreation Commission will develop funding options for each project. These funding options will be presented initially at the Joint City Council/Parks and Recreation Commission work plan meeting schedule for January 4, 2021. Based on City Council direction, the Commission will further explore and develop these funding options for Council consideration. As stated in Fiscal Implications, funding options range from an increase in park development funds and sponsorships, to a long-term project and maintenance fund.
The 2020 Parks Master Plan will remain a Work Plan item to be reviewed and updated annually at the joint Council/Commission meeting.
PUBLIC OUTREACH:
A comprehensive community outreach process was conducted to understand the needs and priorities of the City’s residents and user groups. The team gathered, reviewed, synthesized and analyzed the qualitative, quantitative and anecdotal information collected to better understand what people want and need in Manhattan Beach. Parks serve our residents and visitors, and as such, community participation was a cornerstone in the development of the Master Plan. Our team, made up of Parks and Recreation Employees and Commissioners, utilized multiple engagement techniques throughout the process to encourage participation from a wide range of stakeholders, including residents, boards and commissions, and single-interest focus groups. By the conclusion of the outreach process, approximately 1,800 members of the community had expressed their voice, values, ideas and needs to the Parks & Recreation Department through the online survey, popup events, and through community workshops and stakeholder meetings. The input received illuminated common themes that will serve as a basis to help guide the future for the Parks & Recreation system.
Online Survey
An online survey was posted and made available to the community on the City’s website “Open City Hall”, which is an online forum for civic engagement. The 15 question survey took participants approximately 10 minutes to complete, and they had the option to state their name and contact information or be anonymous. The survey was available to the community for a four-week period and was promoted on social media, during community and pop-up events, in local newspapers, and to rec program participants. The survey reached 600 community members, with 375 respondents, and provided insights as to the uses of parks and facilities, key interests, areas for improvement, and infrastructure and program priorities of the community.
Stakeholder Input Meetings
Over a six-week period, the team conducted various stakeholder meetings to solicit input on what they like about recreation within the City and how to improve the Parks & Recreation offerings over the next 10 years. Participants were encouraged to be open and honest and provide feedback on all aspects of parks, recreation and cultural arts within the City. Stakeholder meetings were conducted with the following groups:
• Cultural Arts Commission
• Library Commission
• Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors
• Manhattan Beach Downtown Business and Professional Association
• Senior Advisory Committee
• Youth Sports Committee
Pop-up Events
The team conducted three pop-up events, encouraging participants to express their concerns and likes about the Parks & Recreation system and provide a brief description about what could improve their experiences within the system.
• Hometown Fair
• Pumpkin Race
• Halloween Carnival
Community Input Meetings
Two Community Input meetings were held at the Joslyn Center and Manhattan Heights Community Center to provide residents with a convenient opportunity to participate on both sides of town. Attendees were encouraged to provide input on each park facility; the feedback included:
• What they like
• What they would change
• If provided a clean slate of land, what recreation or leisure facility would they want to build on that plot of land
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW:
The City has reviewed the proposed activity for compliance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and has determined that the activity is not a “Project” as defined under Section 15378 of the State CEQA Guidelines; therefore, pursuant to Section 15060(c)(3) of the State CEQA Guidelines the activity is not subject to CEQA. Thus, no environmental review is necessary.
LEGAL REVIEW:
The City Attorney has reviewed this report and determined that no additional legal analysis is necessary.
ATTACHMENTS:
1. Proposed Parks Master Plan
2. Community Survey Results
3. PowerPoint Presentation