CITY COUNCIL STAFF REPORT
Meeting: June 21, 2023
Subject
Consider the Memorial Park Specific Plan conceptual design.
Recommended Action
Staff recommends the City Council to:
1) Receive the Memorial Park Specific Plan design updates; 2) Confirm the Memorial Park Specific Plan design direction of the Conceptual Plan; and 3) Proceed with the Memorial Park Specific Plan schematic design.
Reasons for Recommendation
Following extensive community engagement to explore future upgrades and improvement of the Memorial Park Specific Plan, three design options were presented to both the Parks and Recreation Commission and Bicycle Pedestrian Commission where one preferred design option is listed below for Council’s consideration.
The Memorial Park Specific Plan will serve as a guiding document in determining future upgrades and needed improvements to Memorial Park. The plan is built upon community’s input to establish future recreation and open space planning for the park. The plan also incorporates findings and recommendations from the City’s Parks and Recreation System Master Plan (Master Plan.) Full project detail can be found in the project web page below: https://engagecupertino.org/memorial-park-specific-plan.
Background
The City retained Gates and Associates (Gates) in July 2022 to develop the Memorial Park Specific Plan. The project team identified a five-step implementation project schedule as outlined below:
Research and Analysis (Complete)
Initial Community Engagement (Complete)
Conceptual Design (In-process)
Schematic Design (Not yet complete)
Environmental Assessment (Not yet complete)
The Initial Research and Analysis, and Community Engagement were completed in October 2022. Based on the site and community information gathered, the project team developed three design options for the community’s review. In February 2023, the project team drafted a “Preferred Concept Design” plan that reflected the input received to date.
Parks and Recreation Commission (Commission) reviewed the three initial design options on February 2. Staff presented the same three design options to the Bicycle Pedestrian Commission on February 23. The minutes from those meetings are Attachments C and D. Staff returned to the Commission on June 1, to review the community input received as well as the preferred conceptual design that arose from the input. The notes from that meeting are Attachment E (official minutes are not yet available.) With City Council’s confirmation on the conceptual design, the project team will refine the design following input received and use this plan to advance the necessary environmental assessment for the project. Concurrently, the project team will be finalizing the schematic design plan and report. Depending on the environmental review, the project team plans to return to Council for approval of the final design in November 2023.
Discussion
Community Outreach and Engagement
The project team conducted outreach with the community. During the outreach, three conceptual designs were presented where feedback on the alternatives were received. The outreach efforts included mailings, social media posts, Items of Interest posts, postings on the City’s Engage Cupertino website, and community meetings. Opportunities for public input included:
Online community survey January 25 - February 22, 2023 (1011 responses) Community Open House at the Cupertino Senior Center on February 4, 2023 (approximately 50 participants) Virtual community meeting on February 9, 2023 (approximately 16 participants) Parks & Recreation Commission meeting on February 2, 2023 Bicycle Pedestrian Commission Meeting on February 23, 2023 Design Considerations
The three design alternatives each had a specific focus:
Concept A - Community Focus
Concept B – Nature Focus
Concept C - Civic Focus
The preferred final conceptual design incorporates comments and input from the public, Parks and Recreation Commission and the Bicycle Pedestrian Commission. The comments received from the February 2023 online survey can be found in Attachment B, and comments from the three 2023 Commission meetings are included in Attachments C, D and E. Some key findings that were incorporated into the final conceptual design were:
Concept A was the most preferred concept, collecting 50% or more of the total votes in each.
Recreation, nature, and play were top priorities for the park.
Most important/favorite features were passive garden walk, relocated/upgraded restrooms, dedicated pickleball courts, upgraded playground, relocated/expanded playground, picnic areas with shade, nature playground, upgraded amphitheater, educational garden zone.
Two distinct playgrounds were preferred: multi-age play area & nature playground.
Separating tennis and pickleball was requested (dual use courts were not endorsed).
Event lawn and expanded/integrated deck were selected upgrades to the area next to the Senior Center.
Trees, shade, sustainability, native plants, and green space were important natural features of the park.
Preferred Conceptual Design
The preferred conceptual design uses Concept A as a foundation and adds various attributes from the other concepts, based on community input. This concept removes the underutilized softball field and replaces it with numerous other amenities which include:
Multi-age play area
Standalone pickleball courts
Basketball court
Fenced DOLA (dog off-leash area)
Shaded picnic areas
Additional elements in the preferred conceptual design include:
A nature-play area
Improved amphitheater
Upgraded bathrooms, including added centrally located bathroom facility Central emergency access
Better connections to the park from the Senior Center
Additional picnic areas and benches
Two open lawn areas preserved and enhanced for large community events Added parking lot off Anton Way to facilitate events’ parking and to aid in loading/staging of these events The final conceptual design is included as Attachment A, and copied below:
Next Steps: Schematic Design
With Council’s confirmation of the proposed final conceptual plan design, the project team will embark on the preparation of the schematic design plan. The final schematic design is anticipated to be completed by the end of this year for Council’s review.
Next Steps: Environmental Assessment
After approval of the schematic design, the project team will initiate necessary environmental review to pursue CEQA compliance. City Council is expected to consider the final design of the Memorial Park Specific Plan with its environmental assessment by the end of this year.
Sustainability Impact
This project aligns with multiple objectives outlined in the Climate Action Plan 2.0. Enhancements to Memorial Park will include bicycle and pedestrian paths (Measure TR-1), and opportunities to create new natural areas in existing parklands (Measure CS2.1).
Fiscal Impact
No fiscal impact.
The Fiscal Year 2023-2024 Capital Improvement Programs Budget includes the Memorial Park – Specific Plan Design (budget unit 280-99-255), funded at $650,000. Design phases beyond the Schematic Design, and Construction, are not currently funded. No additional project funding is requested currently.
California Environmental Quality Act
The CEQA review and clearance will be pursued once the schematic design is completed. _____________________________________
Prepared by: Susan Michael, Capital Improvement Programs Manager Reviewed by: Chad Mosley, Interim Director of Public Works Reviewed by: Matt Morley, Assistant City Manager
Approved for Submission by: Pamela Wu, City Manager
Attachments:
A – MPSP Preferred Draft Concept 06-01-2023
B – MPSP Round 2 Survey Results
C – PRC Minutes 02-02-2023
D – BPC Minutes 02-23-2023
E – Parks and Recreation Commission Input 06-01-2023