ACADEMY
Los Robles-Ronald McNair Academy is a K-5 SpanishEnglish dual language immersion public school where children learn academic subjects and learn to speak,
listen, read and write in Spanish and English. Funding
is being sought after in order to implement conceptual
plans for improvements to the academy including:
• Two new playgrounds
• A renovated field of off O’Connor St and
Pulgas Avenue
• New community gardens and outdoor
classrooms
CESAR CHAVEZ SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT
RENDERINGS
SOURCE: THE ALMANAC NEWS
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NEW DEVELOPMENT PARK
OPPORTUNITIES
154 East Palo Alto Parks Master Plan
Public parks can be built by private developers. With
several major initiatives underway, there is great
opportunity to combine the assets of the public
and private sectors in novel ways to create new
and refurbished parks, greenways, trails, and other
community assets in our cities without direct expense
by the City and current residents. The City and
developers can negotiate capital cost of construction
as well as future operations and maintenance.
The Ravenswood/4 Corners TOD District (RBD)
represents the largest opportunity for park growth in
EPA’s recent history. The four principal projects within RBD hold the potential to contribute an additional 21
acres to the City’s inventory.
The following pages introduce at a high-level the
future projects and their amenities. Strategies and
EAST PALO ALTO WATERFRONT
2020 BAY ROAD OFFICE DEVELOPMENT
1990 BAY ROAD (THE LANDING)
9 4.5
7 21 acres
DEVELOPER RELATED INVENTORY
1675 BAY ROAD 0.9
recommendations for the City are introduced to
improve the outcomes of RBD and to ensure that
residents are able to reap the most benefits out of
these future developments.
The Design Guidelines chapter of this Plan describes
best practices for designing these future parks.
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RECOMMENDATIONS FOR RBD/4 CORNERS
1. Develop access and operation
standards for parks owned or
operated by developers to ensure
spaces support community needs.
2. Explore greater use of Special
Districts citywide such as a
maintenance or community facilities
district. By implementing maintenance
agreements with developers the long
term longevity and upkeep of new
park facilities can be assured.
3. Establish Community Benefits
Agreements between EPA and
developers. Community-based
organizations could play an active role
in representing residents’ interests.
4. Ensure privately-owned-publicly
accessible parks within RBD are
clearly marked as accessible to
residents and open from dawn to
dusk.
5. Establish design guidelines for the
linear parks along all RBD sites to
create a cohesive experience of the
trail, furnishings, lighting, and signage
throughout the area regardless of
ownership and operation.
See
Chapter 5.6
for POPOs
Design
Guidelines
EPA WATERFRONT SITE RENDERING
SOURCE: EMERSON COLLECTIVE
2020 BAY ROAD RENDERING
SOURCE: DES ARCHITECTS
6. Create clear public park portals
from neighborhood streets to the
waterfront including Bay, Pulgas,
Purdue, Stevens, and Illinois.
7. Integrate RBD public park
recommendations into the RBD
specific plan.
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RAVENSWOOD BUSINESS
DISTRICT /4 CORNERS
156 East Palo Alto Parks Master Plan
CREATING A COHESIVE
OPEN SPACE NETWORK
The development of the Ravenswood Business
District and the Four Corners Area holds tremendous
opportunity for the growth of parks and open space
in East Palo Alto. The projects planned for the area
have the potential to create vital park area for current residents as well as future residents and workers. The
adjacent diagram and description below identify the
steps to align proposed developments with the goals of
this plan.
The EPA waterfront has the potential to become a
vibrant, resident serving park that provides much
needed amenity in a unique bayfront setting. The plan
recommends each development provide an appropriate
portion of the major recreational amenities needed in
the City rather than redundant passive features such as lawn seating, benches, and picnic areas.
Here, the EPA Parks Master Plan introduces two
“nodes” of activity within the RBD waterfront lands.
These locations include proposals for a new community
park to the north and a new neighborhood park to
the south, each with appropriate amenities serving
local residents and employees alike. Each stand-alone
park is connected via a cohesive linear park and the
Bay Trail. Recreational amenities mentioned on the
diagram are recommended for consideration and are
intented to represent the types of amenities needed and appropriate for each park area. A future park at 1900
Bay Road is also noted. This is not currently planned
as a park within the development proposals however
would significantly expand EPA’s waterfront park
acreage.
FOUR CORNERS
Public City Square
Public Space
Small Park Space
JACK
FARRELL
COSTANO
ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
Demeter St
FIGURE 4-9:
POTENTIAL PARK
OPPORTUNITIES WITH
PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT
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EPA WATERFRONT
Potential community park
amenities could include:
Football Field
Soccer Field
Tennis Courts
Pickleball Courts
Indoor or Outdoor Basketball
Volleyball
Community Plaza
1990 BAY ROAD
Potential linear park amenities
could include:
Small Picnic Areas
Seating and Resting
2020 BAY ROAD
Potential neighborhood park
amenities could include:
Basketball Court
Outdoor Fitness
Volleyball Court
Bocce
Dog Park
BAY ROAD
Ensure a complete street design
Safe for pedestrian and cyclists
BAY ROAD PARK
COOLEY LANDING
Bay Rd Pulgas Ave
Tara St
Bay Trail
SAN FRANSCISCO
BAY
RAVENSWOOD
PRESERVE
Potential for future park
NEW COMM
U
NITY
PARK
NEW NEIGHBOR
H
O
O
D
PARK
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RBD KEY PROJECTS AS
CURRENTLY PLANNED
The descriptions that follow are a snapshot of what
is proposed at the time of plan publication by the
developers of each site in the Ravenswood Business
District. Proposed amenities are subject to change.
EAST PALO ALTO WATERFRONT
East Palo Alto Waterfront is proposed as a mixed-use
development in the Ravenswood Business District.
The project includes wetland restoration, jobs, and
residential uses, as well as the following park and
recreation amenities.
• 36 acres of open space, which includes
4 acres of a central open space, 5 acres
of recreational open space, 11 acres of
streetscapes, and 16 acres of wetlands.
• Central Pavilion: gathering space (multi-use
lawn and central space for gathering and
events)
• The Orangerie: Public green house
• Play Shed: with fitness classes, playground,
and multi-use courts (soccer, basketball, yoga,
tennis, playgrounds)
• Additional programming mentioned in the
initial documents (picnic and BBQ areas, play
areas, wetland gardens)
• Sports courts
2020 BAY ROAD OFFICE
DEVELOPMENT
2020 Bay Road consists of the redevelopment of a
17.2-acre site at the end of Bay Road with five 8-story office buildings (including civic, retail and business
support service uses), parking garages, landscaping,
plaza and open spaces. The project’s open space plan
is centered around a Waterfront Park with active and
passive zones. A multi-modal pathway will travel along
the park.
Open space enhancements and amenities include:
• Waterfront park with direct entrance and
connection to the Bay Trail
• 12 public parking stalls
• Seating and planting amenities
• Proposes large seating areas
• Educational opportunities to learn about the
bay and the local flora and fauna.
• These educational opportunities find
themselves in the form of interpretive signage
and big binoculars for bird watching, star
gazing or even ship watching.
• Children can play at the flexible open turf area,
graded in such a way this can be used for both
educational events like an amphitheater or for
smaller games of soccer.
• 197,093 SF of open space/landscape space.
1990 BAY ROAD RENDERING
SOURCE: HOOD DESIGN
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1990 BAY ROAD (THE LANDING)
“The Landing” will be a mixed-used development
project that will include ground floor retail, civic uses, offices, laboratories and research and development
spaces. The site will offer 40% open space for site
visitors and residents who will have access to public
accessible open spaces. Amenities include:
• Trail connection to Bay Road
• Dog Park
• Community Garden
• 20’ wide levee – public trail
• Slope Lawn Amphitheater
• Interactive Water Jet Plaza
• Bocce Lawn
• Picnic and Grill
• Playground
• Outdoor Fitness
• Half-Court Basketball
• Civic Plaza
• Roof Terrace with Amenities
1675 BAY ROAD (FOUR CORNERS)
The “Four Corners” projects is a community informed
re-development containing multi-story mixed-used
buildings that will bring retail and community uses in
the ground floor and housing and employment uses
above. Ample community space will be provided.
Additional project amenities will include:
• Public Town Square
• Community Library
• Public accessible connections to adjacent
neighborhood and streets
• Up to 40,000 SF of community spaces
LOOP ROAD/RAIL SPUR
There is an opportunity to complete a linear bike and
pedestrian loop that will connect Bay Road to the
Bay Area Trail and to 1990 Bay Road (The Landing)
mixed-use project with the future RBD area. It will also provide direct access to residents of the future 1804
Bay Road mixed-use development area and the 965
Weeks Street housing project.
1675 BAY ROAD - PUBLIC SQUARE RENDERING
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PRIVATELY OWNED,
PUBLICLY ACCESSIBLE
PARKS & COMMUNITY
SPACES
965 WEEKS STREET HOUSING
The vacant site will be developed into 136 units of
multi-family housing for low-income households with
unit sizes ranging from studios to four-bedrooms.
The 136 apartments would be located in a series
of structures connected by interior and exterior
walkways with public pedestrian/bicycle access
through the site from Weeks Street to the public
trail known as the Rail Spur. Outdoor play areas for
residents will also provided.
ADDITIONAL NEW DEVELOPMENT
OPPORTUNITIES
965 WEEKS STREET HOUSING
SOURCE: PLURAL LANDSCAPE
WOODLAND PARK - EUCLID
IMPROVEMENTS
The Woodland Park Project has been approved for a
general plan amendment, zoning, and development
code changes. Once complete the project will entail
the construction of 605 multi-family units and the
demolition of 161 rent stabilized units. A publicly
accessible open space park will be provided by the
developer, additional common spaces will also be
available for community members to use.
BOOM PARK PERMIT EXTENSIONS
Currently the City is reviewing a temporary use permit
to allow for pop-up recreation and a fitness area for
Woodland Park.
BOOM PARK
SOURCE: LMNOP DESIGN
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See Chapter 5
for design
guidelines
The recently
approved Euclid
improvement
project, once built,
will deliver a new
park for residents
on the west side and
WOODLAND PARK RENDERINGS beyond to enjoy.
SOURCE: DAVID BAKER ARCHITECTS
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COMMUNITY EVENT AT EPA PRIMARY SCHOOL
SOURCE: CONSULTANT TEAM
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4.3 RECREATION IN OUR
COMMUNITIES
Recreation programming serves residents of all ages
to engage in individual and group activities hosted
by a provider. Typical programs may address fitness
and exercise, arts and crafts, skills training and
intergenerational education. The City of EPA does not
provide recreation programming, instead relying on
its able partners to organize and execute the work.
The City contributes limited financial support to offset costs or contract outright with providers.
This plan recognizes the positive results achieved by
providers and the City’s role to help align the types
of programming offered to the actual needs of the
community. The cost of services often exceeds the
ability of residents to pay. To serve more people,
expanded sources of funding and new partnerships
are needed. The City should continue to develop
its organizational capacity while strengthening its
partnership agreements.
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establish potential “free days” for
community members.
4. Streamline the reservations and
permit request process in order
to ensure transparency and equal
access to City resources.
5. Continue to provide readily
accessible information regarding
the City’s recreational program
offerings.
The East Palo Alto community is currently served by community partners for recreational programming. The following recommendations will improve existing City partnerships and help fulfill the assessed recreational needs for the community.
1. Continue to develop successful
partnerships by identifying
mutual benefits, setting clear
outcomes, and documenting
agreements to ensure
community programming needs
are met.
2. Establish participation
parameters as the basis of
funding distribution for summer
activation grants to program
partners.
3. Study opportunities to fund
the YMCA to provide residents
with low-cost classes, assess
opportunities to have public pool
days during summer months to
provide residents with access
to cooling spaces. Collaboration
between YMCA and the City to
RECOMMENDATIONS FOR RECREATIONAL PROGRAMMING
Connect People to Parks
Create Diverse & Inclusive Parks
Promote Public Health & Sustainability
Celebrate the Bay
Activate EPA Parks
Improve Park Operations
Grow Programmings & Partnerships
✓
✓
✓
COMMUNITY PRIORITIES
✓
Celebrate the Bay
✓
4.3 RECREATION IN OUR COMMUNITIES
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formally apply to the City for a grant. The program has become increasingly successful each year it has been
offered:
• 2019 – $65,000 was awarded to 5
organizations.
• 2020 – $80,000 was awarded to 7
organizations.
• 2021 – $100,000 was awarded to 15
organizations.
• 2022 – $154,000 was awarded to 17
organizations.
This plan recognizes the overall successful processes
that the City has in place to distribute the funding
to its community partners and the positive results
achieved by providers.
The City of East Palo has a professional staff that
annually facilitates programs and services. City staff
are responsible for the management and oversight of
a diverse array of partnerships that provide recreation programs and special community-wide events.
Employees are engaged year-round in coordination
and evaluation of programs and events.
CORE PROGRAM APPROACH
The mission of the City of East Palo Alto is to ensure
access to outstanding programs, services and
community amenities that contribute to the quality
of life in East Palo Alto. Part of realizing this vision should involve the identification of Core Program
Areas to create a sense of focus around activities and
outcomes of greatest importance to the community
as informed by current and future needs. In other
communities, public recreation is often challenged
by the premise of being all things to all people. The
philosophy of the Core Program Area assists staff,
policy makers, and the public to focus on only what
is most important. Program areas are considered as
Core if they meet many of the following categories:
• Offered to the community for a long period of
time (over 4-5 years)
OVERVIEW OF PRIORITIES
AND CORE PROGRAM
AREAS
Recreation programming serves residents of all ages
to engage in individual and group activities hosted
by a provider. Typical programs may address fitness
and exercise, arts and crafts, skills training and
intergenerational education.
In 2019, City Council tasked the Community Services
Division with the goal of activating every City-owned/
operated park and facility in the City of East Palo Alto with sports and recreation activities for youth and/or
families during the summer months. The purpose was
to activate the parks and facilities with programming
for all residents and improve access to fun activities
that promote wellness and healthy living.
In addition to receiving funding from the City’s
general fund for this City Council initiative, the City of East Palo Alto’s Community Services Division
successfully applied for annual grant funding from
the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative (CZI) Community
Fund (Community Fund Partners Directory - Chan
Zuckerberg Initiative) in 2021. The CZI Community
Fund is an annual grant-making program that pairs
grants with capacity building resources to support
community organizations in San Mateo County that
are increasing access to the building blocks of social
and economic well-being like housing, healthcare,
education, job, and career skills, and supporting civic engagement so people have the power to shape their
lives and communities. The City has been the only
municipality to receive funding from CZI. Kudos to the
City of EPA!
The funding was primarily targeted to support
community partners to increase participation in
existing summer programming. In order to receive
funding from the City, community partners needed to
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2. Organizational philosophy, mission, and
vision – Programs and services should
support the mission and vision statements,
values, goals, and objectives. These generally
center on promoting personal health,
community well-being, social equality,
environmental awareness, and economic
vitality.
3. Constituent interests and desired needs –
Agencies should actively seek to understand
the recreational needs and interests of their
constituency. This not only ensures an effective
(and ethical) use of taxpayer dollars, but also
helps to make sure that programs perform well
and are valued by residents.
4. Creation of a constituent-centered culture
– Programs and services do reflect a citywide culture where constituents’ needs are the prime factor in creating and providing
programs. This should be reflected not only in
program design, but in terms of staff behaviors,
architecture, furniture, technology, dress, forms
of address, decision-making style, planning
processes, and forms of communication.
5. Experiences desirable for clientele –
Programs and services should be designed
to provide the experiences desirable to meet
the needs of the participants/clients in a
community and identified target markets.
This involves not only identifying and
understanding the diversity of needs in a
community, but also applying recreation
programming expertise and skills to design,
implement, and evaluate a variety of desirable
experiences for residents to meet those needs.
6. Community opportunities – When planning
programs and services, a park and recreation
agency should consider the network of
opportunities afforded by other organizations
such as nonprofits, schools, other public
agencies, and the private sector. Agencies
should also recognize where gaps in service
provision occur and consider how unmet
needs can be addressed.
• Programs/services provided to the community
3-4 seasons per year
• Wide demographic appeal
• Tiered level of skill development available
within the programs area’s offerings
• Full-time staff responsible for the facilitation of
programs and services
THE CITY OF EAST PALO ALTO PARKS
AND RECREATION CORE PROGRAM
AREAS
The City currently facilitates programs and services
through partnerships in six Core Program Areas:
• Art and Culture
• Camps
• Enrichment
• E-Sports
• Fitness, Health, and Wellness
• Youth Sports
Ensuring The Right Core Program Mix
The Core Program Areas provided by the City of
East Palo Alto currently appears to meet some of the
major needs of the City of East Palo Alto community.
The program mix should be evaluated on a regular
and reoccurring basis to ensure that the offerings
within each Core Program Area – and the Core
Program Areas themselves – align with changing
leisure and recreation trends, demographics, and
needs of residents. The National Recreation and
Park Association (NRPA) recommends that six
determinants be used to inform what programs and
services are provided by the City. According to NRPA,
those determinants are:
1. Conceptual foundations of play, recreation,
and leisure – Programs and services should
encourage and promote a degree of freedom,
choice, and voluntary engagement in their
structure and design. Programs should reflect
positive themes aimed at improving quality
of life for both individuals and the overall
community.
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PARTNERSHIP
EVALUATION
The City of East Palo Alto does not directly provide
programs and services to the community. The
approach the City has taken in activating its parks and public spaces is to fund through City Council support,
and, in turn, to utilize this funding to provide grants to public and not-for-profit agencies, as well as private
sector businesses. Table 2 provides a snapshot of the
partnerships that the City entered in the summer of
2022.
In summary:
• 17 partners applied for and received grant
funding from the City.
• Programs and services were provided in six
different core program areas.
• Most programs were provided outdoors.
• Grant funding provided to each agency ranged
from $4,000 to $10,000.
• Number of hours of programming provided by
each grant funded agency ranged from 10 to
120.
GRANT FUNDING PER HOUR OF
PROGRAMMING
An evaluation was conducted to understand level
of funding granted to a partnering agency based on
the number of hours of programming provided to the
community. This can be a useful measuring tool for
recreation providers. Findings indicate this may be a
useful tool for City staff to use in the future to improve the effective-less of funding and reach more residents.
Further analysis, as shown in the table below, reveals
that:
• The average funding received by each
partnering agency per-hour-of-programming
offered to the community is $235.
• The range of funding per-hour-ofprogramming-offered to the community is $83 per hour (Live in Peace) to $800 per hour (Sign
Gypsies).
Survey Findings
As part of the process for developing a Park and
Recreation Needs Assessment, PROS Consulting
conducted a holistic community input process to
identify satisfaction with park and recreation facilities, identify needed park and recreation facilities and
programs, and gain input from citizens that will assist with park and recreation resource allocation, budget,
and policy decisions. Participants rated East Palo
Alto as having a current or anticipated need for the
following recreation programs, ranked in order of
need:
Recreation Program/Service Priority
Adult fitness and wellness programs
After school programs for youth of all ages
Youth swim programs
Adult swim program
Adult sports program
Cultural enrichment programs
Youth performing arts (dance, ballet, etc)
Program for individuals with disabilities
Youth fitness
Youth out of school camp programs
Fitness boot camp
Martial arts program
Youth sports programs
EMT program
Senior program
High
Medium
Low
TABLE 4-1:
RECREATIONAL PROGRAM PRIORITIES
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Agency/Business Core Program
Area Activity Indoor or Outdoor
Activity Grant Funding
# of Hours of
Programming
Provided per
Participant
Per Hour
Subsidy
Bottletree Culture Art and Culture West African dance
instruction for all ages
Hybrid
(Mainly Outdoor for
Program Purposes)
$10,000 45 $222
Camp Doza Camps
Multisport camp
featuring Basketball,
Soccer, and Nature
Outdoor $10,000 80 $125
East Palo Alto Tennis &
Tutoring Youth Sports
Youth focused Tennis
camps and Academic
instruction
Outdoor $10,000 90 $111
EPA T-Ball & Pitching
Machine Youth Sports Host partner for Junior Giants program Outdoor $10,000 64 $156 Fit To the Core Fitness and
Wellness
Multigenerational group
fitness activities Outdoor $10,000 44 $227
GG Leagues E-Sports First time eSports
programming Indoor $7,000 30 $233
Hope Horizon/BCM Camps
Holistic youth camp
catering to Westside
community
Outdoor $10,000 84 $119
Live in Peace Youth Sports
Youth Super
Conditioning Camp (All
land Sports)
Outdoor $10,000 120 $83
MPAA Mastodons
Football Youth Sports
Youth competitive
football training with
holistic approach
Outdoor $10,000 30 $333
My Gym Youth Sports
Gymnastics and Fitness
training at Joel Davis
Park
Outdoor $9,000 28 $321
Paxton Sports Academy Youth Sports
Expert basketball
instruction and sports
challenges
Outdoor $7,000 34 $206
Razorhawks Youth
Rugby Youth Sports Competitive youth rugby Summer Sevens Outdoor $9,000 42 $214 Sign Gypsies Enrichment
Multigenerational
activties such as
Meditation, bingo, paint
by numbers
Indoor $8,000 10 $800
Step It Up Dance Art and Culture Contemporary, Hip Hop, Modern, Praise Dance Indoor $10,000 36 $278
StreetCode Academy Enrichment Tech and Engineering
activities in the Park
Hybrid
(Mainly Outdoor for
Program Purposes)
$10,000 46 $217
The Process Academy Youth Sports
High level Basketball
instruction for youth up
to 18
Outdoor $4,000 18 $222
UEHL Enrichment Literacy and homework
assistance for youth Indoor $10,000 80 $125
2022 Summer Partnership Programming
TABLE 4-2:
2022 SUMMER PARTNERSHIP PROGRAMMING
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Agency/Business Core Program
Area Grant Funding
# of Hours of
Programming
Provided per
Participant
Per Hour
Subsidy
Unique
Participants
Unique
Participant
Subsidy
Per Hour Per
Unique
Participant
Subsidy
Bottletree Culture Art and Culture $10,000 45 $222 24 $417 $9 Camp Doza Camps $10,000 80 $125 42 $238 $3
East Palo Alto Tennis &
Tutoring Youth Sports $10,000 90 $111 27 $370 $4
EPA T-Ball & Pitching Machine Youth Sports $10,000 64 $156 87 $115 $2 Fit To the Core Fitness and
Wellness $10,000 44 $227 38 $263 $6
GG Leagues E-Sports $7,000 30 $233 18 $389 $13
Hope Horizon/BCM Camps $10,000 84 $119 40 $250 $3
Live in Peace Youth Sports $10,000 120 $83 78 $128 $1
MPAA Mastodons Football Youth Sports $10,000 30 $333 26 $385 $13 My Gym Youth Sports $9,000 28 $321 10 $900 $32
Paxton Sports Academy Youth Sports $7,000 34 $206 10 $700 $21 Razorhawks Youth Rugby Youth Sports $9,000 42 $214 46 $196 $5 Sign Gypsies Enrichment $8,000 10 $800 12 $667 $67
Step It Up Dance Art and Culture $10,000 36 $278 29 $345 $10 StreetCode Academy Enrichment $10,000 46 $217 308 $32 $1 The Process Academy Youth Sports $4,000 18 $222 7 $571 $32 UEHL Enrichment $10,000 80 $125 13 $769 $10
$396 $14 Average
2022 Summer Partnership Programming
Average Per Unique Participant Subsidy
TABLE 4-3:
GRANT FUNDING PER UNIQUE PARTICIPANT
GRANT FUNDING PER UNIQUE
PARTICIPANT
The evaluation of the granting process suggests that
in the future, the level of funding should be more
closely tied to number of participants to be served
through the programming provided. This will improve
efficiency and allow more residents to participate.
Further analysis, as shown in the table below, reveals
that:
• The average subsidy received by each
partnering agency per unique participant is
$396.
• The range of funding per unique participant is
$32 per unique participant to $900 per unique
participant.
GRANT FUNDING PER HOUR PER
UNIQUE PARTICIPANT
The evaluation of the granting process suggests that
in the future, the level of funding should be more
closely tied to the unit cost of providing programming
on per hour, per participant basis. Further analysis, as shown in the table on the previous page notes that:
9.3.b
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TABLE 4-4:
GRANT FUNDING PER HOUR PER UNIQUE PARTICIPANT
- OUTDOOR PROGRAMMING
TABLE 5:
GRANT FUNDING PER HOUR PER UNIQUE PARTICIPANT
- INDOOR PROGRAMMING
Agency/Business Outdoor Activity Grant Funding
# of Hours of
Programming
Provided per
Participant
Unique
Participants
Per Hour Per
Unique
Participant
Subsidy
Bottletree Culture Hybrid
(Mainly Outdoors) $10,000 45 24 $9
StreetCode Academy Hybrid
(Mainly Outdoors) $10,000 46 308 $1
Camp Doza Outdoor $10,000 80 42 $3
East Palo Alto Tennis &
Tutoring Outdoor $10,000 90 27 $4
EPA T-Ball & Pitching Machine Outdoor $10,000 64 87 $2
Fit To the Core Outdoor $10,000 44 38 $6
Hope Horizon/BCM Outdoor $10,000 84 40 $3
Live in Peace Outdoor $10,000 120 78 $1
MPAA Mastodons Football Outdoor $10,000 30 26 $13
My Gym Outdoor $9,000 28 10 $32
Paxton Sports Academy Outdoor $7,000 34 10 $21
Razorhawks Youth Rugby Outdoor $9,000 42 46 $5
The Process Academy Outdoor $4,000 18 7 $32
$10
2022 Summer Partnership Programming
Average Per Hour Per Unique Participant Subsidy
Agency/Business Indoor Activity Grant Funding
# of Hours of
Programming
Provided per
Participant
Unique
Participants
Per Hour Per
Unique
Participant
Subsidy
GG Leagues Indoor $7,000 30 18 $13
Sign Gypsies Indoor $8,000 10 12 $67
Step It Up Dance Indoor $10,000 36 29 $10
UEHL Indoor $10,000 80 13 $10
$25
2022 Summer Partnership Programming
Average Per Hour Per Unique Participant Subsidy
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• The average subsidy received by each
partnering agency per hour of programming
per participant is $14.
• The range of funding per hour per unique
participant is $1 to $67.
GRANT FUNDING PER HOUR
PER PARTICIPANT – OUTDOOR
PROGRAMMING
The evaluation of the granting process suggests that
in the future, the level of funding should be more
closely tied to the unit cost of providing programming
on per hour, per participant basis. Further analysis of programs provided outdoors by partnering agencies
as shown in the table below, notes that:
• The average subsidy received by each
partnering agency per hour of programming
per participant is $10.
• The range of funding per hour per unique
participant is $1 to $32.
GRANT FUNDING PER HOUR
PER PARTICIPANT – INDOOR
PROGRAMMING
The evaluation of the granting process suggests that
in the future, the level of funding should be more
closely tied to the unit cost of providing programming
on per hour, per participant basis. Further analysis of programs provided indoors by partnering agencies as
shown in the table below, reveals that:
• The average subsidy received by each
partnering agency per hour of programming
per participant is $25.
• The range of funding per hour per unique
participant is $10 to $67.
KEY FINDINGS
• The Summer Activation Program is the
cornerstone of the parks and recreation
reactivation approach by the City to date.
Despite not having a formal recreation
department, the City is actively ensuring
residents have access to quality recreational
programming opportunities through
partnerships.
• Tracking of direct and indirect cost associated
with the existing partnerships is in place.
• Updating of the partnership principles that
guide the granting program need to be
continually refined and put into place with
a recital of why the City is entering into the
partnership that explains the following - for
what purpose, for what benefit, to achieve
what outcome, at what cost.
• Performance metrics used to evaluate the
impacts of the partnership on the community
currently only track participation numbers.
• Staff training on managing partnerships is
limited.
• Financial audits are completed to show how
the funding provided by the City is being
utilized.
• The City does not have a partnership policy in
place that guides the partnering process.
RECOMMENDATIONS
• Establish unit cost parameters for receiving
grant funding. For example,
• Partnering agencies will receive no
more than $15 per hour of programming
provided to each participant for outdoor
activities and no more than $30 per hour of
programming provided to each participant
for indoor activities.
• Participation Data Analysis: Through ongoing
participation data analysis, refine recreation
program offerings to reduce low enrollment or
canceled programs due to no enrollment.
• Expand programs and services in the areas
of greatest demand: Ongoing analysis of
the participation trends of programming
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and services in East Palo Alto is significant
when delivering high quality programs and
services. By doing so, staff will be able to focus
their efforts on the programs and services
of the greatest need and reduce or eliminate
programs and services where interest is
declining. Specific efforts should be made to
increase programming in the areas of greatest
UNMET need as identified in the community
engagement process.
• Develop and implement recreation program
standards utilizing the best practice guidelines.
• Develop and implement a partnership policy
utilizing the best practice guidelines.
PRINCIPLES FOR SUCCESSFUL
PARTNERSHIPS
FOCUS ON IMPORTANT NEEDS. Partnerships
take time to establish and nurture in order to have
successful outcomes. The decision to establish a
partnership should begin with the belief that an
important need can best be fulfilled through a
partnership. Potential partners will always be knocking at your door suggesting partnering arrangements.
Often, we find ourselves in reactive rather than
proactive situations -- responding to an idea from an
outside party. It is more productive to be proactive.
First determine that a partnership is the best way to
accomplish an important body of work. Then seek
out the partner or partners who might best be able to
help. In some cases, you may need to create the right
partner.
MAKE THE PARTNERSHIPS A WIN-WIN.
Successful partnerships begin and thrive with a clear
understanding that mutual benefits will accrue to
the partners involved. Each partner may not benefit
equally, but each must realize a value-added benefit.
Each partner must constantly assess the needs of
their respective partners and ensure that individual
and collective actions are responsive to those needs.
It is important to tie the partnership and its outcomes to the missions of each partner. Partnership initiatives should not only be a great thing to do but also a
COMMUNITY PARTNERS
GRASSROOTS ECOLOGY
Grassroots Ecology leverages the power of
volunteers to create healthy lands across
Silicon Valley. We restore native plants to open
spaces and neighborhoods, steward creeks
and watersheds, and provide hands-on nature
education.
CANOPY
Canopy prioritizes tree planting and stewardship,
education, and advocacy in communities where
people do not have a thriving urban forest due to
limited resources, competing priorities, historical
development, and urbanization patterns.
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needed, the agreement should be updated or
amended to keep it current.
ENSURE GOOD COMMUNICATION. The success of
every partnership is dependent upon the structure,
frequency, and quality of communication between
the partners. The most successful partnerships
incorporate regularly scheduled meetings or
conference calls to review how the relationship is
working and progress on individual initiatives or
work elements. The work schedule/calendar should
reflect the importance of the work. Even the best
partnerships do not carry their own momentum for
long without a structure for touching base to stay on
task and on schedule. The chief executive of each
partner entity in a relationship must demonstrate
leadership and stay involved to the extent that
executive level interest is re-enforced and policy
direction is provided on a sustained basis. The
executives also are responsible for ensuring that
good communication processes are in place within
and between each partner entity to maintain the
excitement of the collaboration, resolve issues, and
advance the work. No partnership can reach its full
potential without good communication practices as
a core element of the relationship. Partnerships, like
any human relationship, are about communication,
communication, and communication.
ENSURE THE PARTNERSHIP IS OWNED BY YOUR
WHOLE ORGANIZATION. To succeed, partnerships
need to be truly understood and embraced by the
entire staff of the partner organizations. Partnerships often originate as a dream or vision of the CEO
or an individual(s) within an organization and the
compelling reasons and excitement for the potential
outcomes are not shared throughout the organization.
This incomplete organizational buy-in inevitably limits or undermines full success when the rationales and
commitments are not understood and shared by
staff who have responsibilities for implementing the
partnership. It is crucial for the leader to invest time and energy to build ownership of the partnership
benefit to each partner. Sharing resources, benefits
and recognition for successes keeps the partnership
from becoming lopsided or dominated by any one
player. Each partner needs to see their contribution
alongside the benefit gained.
ADOPT A SHARED VISION. Development and
continuing refinement of a shared vision of the work
to be accomplished is key to the success of any
partnership. The shared vision should evolve from the
full engagement of all partners in the relationship. The vision should reflect both the broad body of work and
each project or initiative to be undertaken. Too often, one entity in a partnership independently develops
the vision without full engagement of the other
partner(s). This violates the underlying premise of a
partnership and often results in insufficient ownership or emotional buy-in. Successful partnerships
demonstrate a culture of full engagement from the
very beginning that leads to collective enthusiasm and
achieving results.
NEGOTIATE A FORMAL AGREEMENT. Good
intentions and a handshake are not enough.
Partnerships need formal written agreements
and work plans that define mutual interests and
expectations, the roles and responsibilities of each
partner, and clear accountability for the work to
be performed. The formal agreement serves as a
mutually binding contract to ensure that each partner
acknowledges and fulfills their responsibility. Most
people are overextended with work, and tasks can fall
through the cracks. If a given partnership is important, provide structure for the partnership through a formal
agreement and specific work plans that lay out what
tasks need to be performed for each initiative, by
whom, and when. In a busy world, clearly written
intent, roles, process, schedules, and accountability
procedures guide performance and follow through.
If differences arise or performance lags, the formal
written agreement provides a touchstone for
accountability, revisiting intent and commitments,
reconciliation, and getting back on track. When
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throughout supervisory and staff levels. If the
partnership is not understood or accepted as being
important, it is difficult to sustain over time, especially when the key individuals responsible for its creation
take other jobs or retire. Build a sense of team and
a partnership culture so everyone understands
the importance and value added by working
collaboratively. You need to instill the importance of
continually acknowledging the contributions of each
party to the overall effort. In essence, individualism
needs to be transformed into shared stewardship and
responsibility that is re-enforced by actions as well as words.
MAINTAIN AN ENVIRONMENT OF TRUST. Trust is
an essential ingredient for successful partnerships
and enables collaboration and contribution. Trust must
be demonstrated and earned day by day. A single
betrayal can be costly and make it hard to regain the
same level of trust between the partners. Trust eroding behaviors include independent action by one partner
that has not been shared with the other partner(s);
grandstanding at the expense of another partner; not
honoring one’s word, commitment, or confidentiality;
creating suspicion in terms of one’s motives; or acting in any way contrary to the best interests of the overall partnership. You build trust through the consistency
and integrity of your actions over time. And you have
to trust your partners in order to be trusted.
LEAVE YOUR EGO AND CONTROL AT THE DOOR.
The most insidious impediment to good partnerships
is the unwillingness or inability of a partner to
share power and control. This can be the “Achilles
heel” of partnerships. At their very basic definition,
partnerships are about shared power, shared vision,
and shared responsibility. While one entity may
possess a superior position, larger budget, more
staff, etc. in a relationship, the execution of the work and credit for accomplishments should not reflect
this. This is not about a landlord-tenant relationship.
This is about two or more entities working in unity
to accomplish important work. A “boss – servant”
COMMUNITY PARTNERS
FRESH APPROACH
Fresh Approach is an organization locally-grown
produce, nutrition education, and gardening
skills to Bay Area communities so everyone can
enjoy access to healthy food. They have volunteer
opportunities for folks interested in learning
about food systems and urban farming.
EPA SENIOR CENTER
The East Palo Alto Senior Center offers a variety
of activities and assistance to Seniors. The
staff and volunteers provide information about
resources in such areas as housing, employment,
household help, recreation, financial assistance,
health services and in-home help. Health
education, screenings, and hot meals are served
during the week.
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frustrations and complications in moving desired
work forward in a timely manner. The more entities
in a relationship, the more likely that legal, policy,
attitudinal, and cultural challenges will be part of
doing business. Successful partnerships acknowledge
and address these realities up front and take
satisfaction in resolving them. Convert your stumbling
blocks to steppingstones. Successful partnerships
map out the red tape barriers and mobilize whatever
it takes to overcome them. It is too easy to point
fingers or use these impediments as excuses for
derailments and not achieving success. How partners
overcome adversity and the institutional complexities
of individual partner members will determine, in large
measure, the success of the partnership.
BUILD STEP BY STEP. It is natural for the partners
to want early successes. There is a tendency to look
at similar partnership arrangements and their results
without appreciating all the steps taken that led to the result. You have to invest to get results and process
is important to achieve successful outcomes. Every
situation presents a different set of opportunities
based on the unique social, economic, and political
realities in which a partnership must operate. Much
can and should be learned from the experience of
others. Good partnerships take a steady investment
of time and energy to build and develop. Successful
partnerships are built incrementally by starting at
the beginning and growing gradually and tackling
more complex initiatives based on the competencies
gained from the previous efforts. Successful partners
understand the value of due process and earned vs.
instant gratification. They recognize that investment
in building the infrastructure necessary to achieve
future success is important and are willing to forgo
premature success in order to achieve larger, more
important long-term gains. “Go Slow to Go Fast.”
Partners will grow as far in the partnership as the
other partner(s) are willing to help or let them.
Challenge yourself and your partners to collectively
raise the bar of expectations and advance the
partnership step-by-step.
mentality will lead only to frustration and unfulfilled promise. Partnerships are about “we” not “I.” They
are about creating an equality of importance --
an environment where individual personal egos
are subservient to the interests of the whole. It is
important to help your organization understand
that partnering does not mean giving up control or
influence, nor does it mean that organizations give
up their autonomy. Good partnerships represent a
delicate balance between maintaining one’s own
identity and adding value to a collective effort.
UNDERSTAND EACH PARTNER’S MISSION AND
ORGANIZATIONAL CULTURE. Every organization
has its own culture that is built over time, based on
its mission, its practices, its people, its governing
values, its traditions, and its institutional history. In any partnership situation, it is important to acknowledge
and understand these different organizational cultures, to respect them, and to find ways that these realities
can contribute to strengthen the mutual endeavor.
The most successful partnerships recognize and value
their differences and find ways to integrate them into a workable overarching partnership culture.
USE THE STRENGTHS OF EACH PARTNER. Each
entity in a partnership brings special capabilities,
unique authorities, and different flexibilities to further the work of the partnership. As specific needs and
tasks are addressed, consider the strengths of
each partner in determining the most cost-effective
approach and who best to accomplish a specific
task. Successful partnerships are characterized by a
flexible approach to how needs and responsibilities
are matched given each partner’s funding, policies,
political connections, and other considerations.
FIND WAYS THROUGH THE RED TAPE. Partnerships
regularly face “red tape” barriers in trying to work
across organization lines, especially with public sector partners, which tend to have more regulations. Getting
through these barriers and complications takes
creativity and persistence. This can lead to heightened
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STRIVE FOR EXCELLENCE. A partnership ultimately
gains stature and a reputation based on the quality
of the work it accomplishes. The most successful
partnerships understand the importance of doing
everything well. Build an early reputation for
excellence and sustain that reputation. This will be an important factor in how others view your partnership
and what doors will be opened to you. People, and
potential funders, want to associate with important
work and a reputation for excellence. Step back and
analyze what you want people to say about your
partnership’s work and organizations. This standard
then should underscore your strategy, behaviors, and
actions to ensure your desired reputation is achieved.
DIVERSIFY YOUR FUNDING SOURCES. The ultimate
success of any partnership depends on the human
and financial resources it can garner. Successful
partnerships develop multiple and steady sources of
support, particularly for covering basic operational
costs and launching new initiatives. There are many
examples where partnerships become too dependent
on one or too few sources of financial support. When
these sources are reduced or disappear, sustainability
of the partnership is jeopardized. Building a more
diverse funding base is the best hedge against the
vagaries of over reliance on fund sources that may
be problematic or undependable from year to year.
Develop and periodically update a comprehensive
business plan that addresses both near and longerterm public and private funding sources and earned as well as contributed funds that will give your
partnership staying power and adaptability.
CONSTANTLY SEEK OUT AND ADOPT BEST
PRACTICES. The best practitioners are those who
are a sponge for new ideas and always on the lookout
for innovation and creativity that can be adapted to
their partnership. Too often, we hear statements such
as “We don’t do things that way. We’ve always done
it this way.” “It won’t work.” “This is too risky.” “You have to tell them what they need to know.” “Don’t let
COMMUNITY PARTNERS
STREET CODE ACADEMY
StreetCode’s mission is to invigorate innovation
within their community. They provide historically
economically disadvantaged people of color
with the high-tech skills, confidence, and access
to networks needed to enter the technology
industry. They offer free courses in coding,
entrepreneurship, and design. StreetCode
engages communities seeking justice, innovation,
and tech-driven economic opportunities.
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require a shared commitment to each other’s success.
Sustaining any partnership requires that exciting ideas of interest to the participants get executed. Progress
depends on each person in the partnership honoring
their commitment and following up their words with
deeds. When work does not get accomplished, it
suggests that the work was not really that important
to the individual or organization. This, in turn, builds frustration in the other participants and eats at the
mutual trust factor so essential to effective partnering.
Successful partnerships address these realities by
putting in place reliable accountability measures and
regular executive base-touching processes to stay on
top of commitments and actions.
CELEBRATE SUCCESS. It is a mistake to not take
time to celebrate successes formally and frequently.
Successful partnerships look for every opportunity
to celebrate individual project successes or key
benchmarks in the evolution of the partnership. Such
celebrations allow the partners to recognize good
work being done that re-enforces the goals of the
partnership; to gain some outside recognition of the
partnership; and/or to demonstrate possibilities for
the partnership to grow. People often are reluctant to
take the time to celebrate but invariably are pleased
when it does occur. Recognizing and celebrating
accomplishments helps motivate and spur people on
to new challenges. It is a lost opportunity when it does not occur. If one’s goal is to build greater community
awareness of the partnership, then the partners
need to take every opportunity to legitimately “toot
their horns” and market their work and successes.
Besides many people who pitch in on partnership do
so because they believe in the cause and because it
is enjoyable. Celebrating success milestones ensures
everybody’s “fun-quotient” stays high. Especially
when results are going to take time, it is important to have some early successes and milestones to enjoy
and celebrate to build a sense of accomplishment and
momentum.
them set the agenda.” While such cautionary thoughts
need to be considered, successful partnerships are
open to new ideas and better ways to accomplish
their goals. They can readily grasp and adapt best
practices. Overcoming resistance to change is one of
the major challenges to partnership success. Partner
entities need to seek ways to build in greater flexibility and adaptability in their structure and work in order to take advantage of “partnering moments.” Establish a
work environment in which reasoned risk taking and
creativity are encouraged and rewarded, and people
are willing to risk possible failures in order to succeed.
Leaders should act as “champions” with the courage
to support experimentation and risk taking and run
interference when necessary. Resourcefulness also
characterizes successful partnerships. Work together
to identify and engage the abundant human talent
residing in most communities to participate in and
assist your partnership.
ALWAYS BE COURTEOUS AND DIPLOMATIC.
Sustaining successful partnerships involves hard
work, practiced effectively and consistently over
time. It is essential that strong ground rules be
established by the partner entities that will govern
how the organizations and individuals will interact and treat each other. There is no room for disrespectful
behavior. It serves only to tarnish how partners
interact and work together. Honesty, respect,
courtesy, tact, and diplomacy should govern partner
relationships. A useful partnering technique is for
the partners to define all behaviors that are crucial to sustaining good relationships and then ensure that
accountability measures are in place to re-enforce
their ongoing practice. Successful partnerships work
constantly on developing effective relationships built
on trust and a shared commitment to each other’s
interests and success.
HONOR YOUR COMMITMENTS. Partnership work
entails perseverance and follow through by each
participating organization and individual. Partnerships
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RESPECT THE RIGHT TO DISAGREE; ACT ON
A CONSENSUS BASIS. There are times and
circumstances in partnerships where honest
differences will surface and where reluctance to act
on a proposal is deeply held and where compelling
reasons are presented on why an action cannot be
supported. It is important that partners respect these
positions with adequate dialogue and understand the
basis of’ the concerns. In successful partnerships,
ground rules are established to give each partner a
veto power over proposed actions. Partnership work
means reaching consensus among the partners.
Homework well done should eliminate most of these
differences before they become contentious. There
simply is too much good work where commonality of
support can be achieved for these situations to erode
the core working relationship.
NETWORK AND BUILD RELATIONSHIPS. A core
competency in partnership work is the ability to
network and build relationships. People sell ideas to
others. People lend support because people ask them
to. Partnerships are about people working together
and reaching out to others to gain their emotional
engagement. Successful partnerships establish formal
systems to identify people who can add value and
support. They strategically build new relationships
and expand networks to accomplish their priorities.
Their relationship building work is deliberate and
proactive rather than reactive or coincidental. It is
based on a clear strategy of engaging the specific
organizations and individuals within the broader
community who can advance the work of the
partnership. Systematically match your needs with
potential sources of support and resources to ensure
that effective connections occur.
PUT MECHANISMS IN PLACE TO RE-ENFORCE
THE PARTNERSHIP. To realize its full potential, a
partnership needs: a clear vision, dedicated and
skilled people, a rewards and recognition program,
incentives that stimulate desired partnership activity, sustained management support and involvement,
operational funds, and a clear understanding among
supervisors and staff of the potential benefits that
result from the partnership arrangements. These
are complex, but essential, elements to put in place.
The seriousness with which they are addressed will
determine your degree of success.
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MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. PARK
SOURCE: CONSULTANT TEAM
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4.4 CAPITAL COSTS &
FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES
The section starts with a framework for improving
existing parks, defining three types of park
improvements: critical, strategic, and visionary. Costs associated to each category of improvements are
described for each park. From the level of service we
understand that East Palo Alto needs to increase its
available parkland. This section identifies the costs
associated with such a system expansion. Finally, we
look at funding strategies available to achieve our
goals. The funding strategies apply not just to capital improvements but also to programming, maintenance
and operations.
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4.4 CAPITAL COSTS AND FUNDING
OPPORTUNITIES
THREE TIERS OF EXISTING
PARK IMPROVEMENT
Park and facility improvements can be understood in
three “tiers”. The first tier is focused on maintenance, the second on strategic enhancements, and the third
on new or transformed parks.
TIER A: CRITICAL IMPROVEMENTS
(OPERATIONS BUDGET)
Tier A includes park improvements critical to
maintaining a functioning park system. They include
lifecycle replacements as well as routine repairs,
replanting, and maintenance. The primary goal and
intention of this category is to make the most of
existing resources and for the parks department to
maintain its services.
TIER B: STRATEGIC PARK
IMPROVEMENTS
(CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS)
These improvements are strategic to make measured
park enhancements to the existing system. Examples
of strategic improvements and redesign may include
upgrades to existing amenities and facilities within
parks, as well as enhancements to existing programs,
introducing new alternative programs, adding new
positions, or making other strategic changes that
would require additional operational or capital funding.
TIER 3: VISIONARY PARK
IMPROVEMENTS (DEVELOPING NEW
OPPORTUNITIES)
Visionary improvements are long-range in nature,
addressing future needs and deficiencies. They
include comprehensive park renovations, acquisitions,
and the creation of new parks. Typically, Tier 3
improvements start with a park or facility-specific
master plan to analyze conditions, explore the needs
Tier A
$
CRITICAL
Maintaining What
We Have
Tier B
$$
STRATEGIC
Improving
What We Have
Tier C
$$$
VISIONARY
Developing
New Opportunities
PARK IMPROVEMENT TIERS
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of the community, and design a new park. This
category represents the complete set of services
and facilities desired by the community. It is fiscally unconstrained but can help provide policy guidance
by illustrating the ultimate goals of the community.
Funding for visionary projects may be derived from
partnerships, grants, private investments and new tax
dollars.
TOTAL COST OF
OWNERSHIP
It is important to view the financial sustainability of the Parks and Recreation System through the concept of
“Total Cost of Ownership”
Total cost of ownership will take into account; 1)
capital investments, the acquisition of physical assets by the City to maintain or expand its park systems; 2)
operation and maintenance costs, to improve sites,
grounds, facilities, and structures of the park system
to provide optimal and enjoyable use; 3) lifecycle
replacement, to maintain the functionality of all park
assets.
LIFECYCLE REPLACEMENT SCHEDULE
The EPA Parks Team will need to closely monitor
the assets of the park system throughout their
lifecycle to ensure the safety of park visitors. The
plan recommends that assets be replaced to ensure
efficient and effective utilization of operational dollars.
In the following pages we provide a lifecycle
replacement schedule per EPA park. This schedule
should be utilized as a guide for the creation of
an asset management system that will guide an
operational budget to maintain level of service.
CAPITAL
INVESTMENT
OPERATION
AND
MAINTENANCE
LIFECYCLE
REPLACEMENT
TOTAL COST
OF
OWNERSHIP
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TABLE 4-5:
LIFE CYCLE REPLACEMENT COSTS PER PARK (TIER A)
Park Critical (Life Cycle Replacement) Costs Unit Count Total Suggested
Lifecycle (in
years)
Outdoor Basketball Court $150,000 EA 1 $150,000 25
Children's Playground $350,000 EA 1 $350,000 15
Walking Loop Surface $40 SF 1000 $40,000 30
Pedestrian Light Pole $10,000 EA 35 $350,000 30
Bike Racks $1,500 EA 1 $1,500 10
Restrooms $500,000 EA 1 $500,000 30
Benches $3,000 EA 1 $3,000 10
Bleachers $2,500 EA 1 $2,500 15
Trash Receptacles $1,500 EA 6 $9,000 10
Baseball/Softball Field $750,000 EA 1 $750,000 25
Picnic Tables $5,000 EA 3 $15,000 15
Fitness Court $250,000 EA 1 $250,000 20
Total: $2,421,000
Children's Playground $350,000 EA 1 $350,000 15
Pedestrian Light Pole $10,000 EA 3 $30,000 30
Bike Racks $1,500 EA 6 $9,000 10
Benches $3,000 EA 8 $24,000 10
Picnic Tables $5,000 EA 5 $25,000 15
BBQ Pits $1,500 EA 2 $3,000 10
Restrooms $500,000 EA 1 $500,000 30
Trash Receptacles $1,500 EA 4 $6,000 10
Fitness Court $250,000 EA 1 $250,000 20
Total: $1,197,000
Benches $3,000 EA 2 $6,000 10
Pedestrian Light Pole $10,000 EA 2 $20,000 30
Trash Receptacles $1,500 EA 2 $3,000 10
Bike Racks $1,500 EA 1 $1,500 10
Total: $30,500
Community Center $1,000 SF 5,800 $5,800,000 50
Walking Loop $40 LF 1600 $64,000 30
Pedestrian Light Pole $10,000 EA 10 $100,000 30
Bike Racks $1,500 EA 2 $3,000 10
Benches $3,000 EA 6 $18,000 10
Picnic Tables $3,000 EA 14 $42,000 15
Shade Structure $50,000 EA 1 $50,000 15
Trash Receptacles $1,500 EA 1 $1,500 10
Restrooms $500,000 EA 1 $500,000 30
Total: $6,578,500
Cooley Landing
Jack Farrell Park
Joel Davis Memorial Park
Pocket Park at Newbridge
Street
IMPROVING OUR PARKS
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TABLE 4-6:
STRATEGIC IMPROVEMENTS TO EXISTING PARKS (TIER B)
Park Strategic (Capital Improvements) Costs Unit Count Total Suggested
Lifecycle (in
years)
Remove site fencing $10 LF 1,000 $10,000
New perimeter fencing at residental lots $40 LF 1,000 $40,000 20 Renovated bathrooms (time locking doors)
Additional Sports Lighting $10,000
EA
4 $40,000 30
Enhanced Entrance Signage $20,000 EA 3 $60,000 30
Park Wayfinding Signage $1,500 EA
2 $3,000 15
Multi-use Field Conversion (soccer) $1,000,000 EA 1 $1,000,000 25 Amphitheater Retaining Wall/Steps
Tennis Court (with lights) $200,000 EA 1 $200,000 20
Improved entry along Michigan Avenue
Rain Garden / Silva Cell - cost based on design
Permeable paving
$1,797,600
Enhanced Entrance Signage $20,000 EA 1 $20,000 30
Park Wayfinding Signage $1,500 EA 2 $3,000 15
Additional benches $3,000 EA 10 $30,000 10
Expanded picnic area $5,000 EA 4 $20,000 15
Additional trash receptacles $1,500 EA 4 $6,000 10
Bocce Ball Courts (12'x60') $60,000 EA 2 $120,000 15
Putting Green $40 SF 1980 $79,200 15
New gate/entrance by City's office $5,000 EA 1 $5,000 20 $283,200
Additional benches $3,000 EA 5 $15,000 10
4' Fence around tot lot $40 SF 400 $16,000 20
Children's Playground $350,000 EA 1 $350,000 15
Picnic Tables $3,000 EA 1 $3,000 15
$384,000
Trash Receptacles $3,000 EA 4 $12,000 10
Fishing Deck $500 SF 1500 $750,000 30
$762,000
Jack Farrell Park
Total:
Cooley Landing
Pocket Park at Newbridge
Street
Joel Davis Memorial Park
Total:
Total:
Total:
$1,000
EA
2 $2,000
$16
EA
SF 13,600
$200,000 LS $200,000 20
$25,000 LS $25,000 20
$217,600
NOTES:
1. COST ESTIMATES DO NOT INCLUDE DEMOLITION OF
EXISTING INFRASTRUCTURE.
2. COST ESTIMATES DO NOT INCLUDE DESIGN OR OTHER
SOFT COSTS.
3. THE REPLACEMENT COSTS LISTED IN THIS TABLE WERE
ESTABLISHED IN 2022 AND SHOULD BE ADJUSTED
ANNUALLY FOR INFLATION.
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TABLE 4-7:
VISIONARY PROJECT COSTS PER PARK (TIER C)
Park Visionary Projects Costs
Master Plan - Completed by Verde Design
Multi-use Field
Basketball Courts
Tennis Courts
Renovated Restroom/Concession
Baseball Field
Renovation of BBQ/Picnic Area/Playground
Walking Loop
Lawn for low impact uses
Master Plan - Magical Bridge
Additional bike racks
Outdoor Community Gathering Plaza
Outdoor Gym for adult and seniors
Universal Playground
Recreation Lawn
Shade Structures
Entry signange
Amphitheater
Skate Court
BBQ and Picnic Area
Accessible Bathrooms
Plaza Space
$15 Million
$22 Million
Bell Street Park
Martin Luther King Jr. Park
The City of East Palo Alto is currently developing
master plans for two existing parks, Martin Luther
King Jr. Park and Bell Street Park. Both projects
have their own timelines independent of the Parks
and Recreation Master plan. The Consultant Team
has collaborated with the specif project teams and
accounted for the amenity additions to the city park
system.
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TABLE 4-8:
LIFE CYCLE REPLACEMENT COSTS PER PARK (TIER A)
Types of Providers Acreas Provided to
Meet City Needs
Cost / Acres to
Develop Total
Total acres required to meet
City needs 87
City of East Palo Alto (Planned) 4.56 $1,200,000 $5,472,000 Joint-Use Schoolyard 22.32
Private Developers 21.52
Provider to be Determined 38.6 $1,200,000 $46,320,000
Land Acquisition costs 19.3
Park Development Cost 19.3 $1,200,000 $23,160,000
Based on City and School District Agreements
Based on City and Developer Agreements
Based on City Negotiations
Potential Additional City Responsibility (50%)
EXPANDING OUR PARKS
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CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT
PLAN (CIP) FUNDING
MECHANISMS
Municipal Parks and Recreation agencies across the
United States today have learned to manage revenue
options to support Parks and Recreation, especially
with the limited availability of tax dollars. Municipal Park and Recreation systems can no longer rely on
taxes as their sole revenue option and have developed
new revenue sources/options to help support capital
and operational needs.
A growing number of municipalities have developed
policies on pricing of services, cost recovery rates,
and partnership agreements for programs and
facilities provided to the community. They also have
developed strong partnerships that are fair and
equitable in the delivery of services based on whom
receives the service, for what purpose, for what
benefit, and for what costs. In addition, agencies
have learned to use Parks and Recreation facilities,
amenities, programs, and events, to generate revenue
and support economic development. Municipalities
have also learned to recognize that people will drive
to their community for quality recreation facilities
such as sports complexes, pools, and tournaments, if
the facilities/events are well managed and properly
marketed.
In order to continue to build and maintain the Parks
and Recreation system, funding should be pursued for
the capital investments, such as those presented in
this plan. The following funding approaches represent
a broad range of options that the City can consider
in future implementation for improving its Parks and
Recreation system.
HIGHLY IMPLEMENTABLE FUNDING
STRATEGIES
Grants
Grant funds are used by many agencies to enhance
parks and the availability of grants continues to grow
annually. The City should continue to pursue grant
opportunities. Matching dollars are required for most
federal grants and many state grants.
General Obligation Bond:
A general obligation bond is a municipal bond secured
by a taxing authority such as the City to improve
public assets that benefits the municipal agency
involved that oversee the Parks and Recreation
facilities. General Obligation Bonds should be
considered for park and recreation facility projects,
such as updates to a community or regional park,
trails, recreation centers, aquatic centers, or a sports complex. Improvements to parks should also be
covered by these funding sources because there are
very little operational revenues associated with these
parks to draw from, and some of the city parks need
upgrades and renovations. These parks help frame the
city image and benefit a wide age segment of users
and updating these parks will benefit the community
as a whole and stabilize neighborhoods and other
areas of the city. According to Trust for Public Land
research, over the last 10 years across the United
States over 90% of park and recreation bond issues
have passed in cities when offered to the community
to vote to support the community needs for Parks and
Recreation.
National Recreational Trails Program:
These grants are available to government and
nonprofit agencies, for amounts ranging from $5,000
to $50,000, for the building of a trail or piece of a
trail. It is a reimbursement grant program (sponsor
must fund 100% of the project up front) and requires
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a 20% local match. This is an annual program with
an application deadline at the end of January. The
available funds are split such that 30% goes toward
motorized trails, 30% to non-motorized trails, and 40%
is discretionary for trail construction.
Design Arts Program:
The National Endowment for the Arts provides grants
to states and local agencies, individuals and nonprofit organizations for projects that incorporate urban
design, historic preservation, planning, architecture,
landscape architecture, and other community
improvement activities, including greenway
development. Grants to organizations and agencies
must be matched by a 50-percent local contribution.
Agencies can receive up to $50,000.
Developer Cash-in-Lieu of meeting the Park
Land Dedication Requirement:
Ordinances requiring the dedication of park land
within developments to meet the park and recreation
needs of the new residents often have provisions
allowing cash contribution to substitute for the land
requirement.
Land Leases/Concessions:
Land leases and concessions are public/private
partnerships in which the municipality provides
land or space for private commercial operations that
will enhance the park and recreational experience
in exchange for payments to help reduce operating
costs. They can range from food service restaurant
operations, Cell Towers, hotels, to full management of
recreation attractions. Leases usually pay back to the
City a percentage of the value of the land each year in the 15% category and a percentage of gross from the
restaurant or attractions. They also pay sales tax and
employee income tax to the City.
User Fees:
User fees are fees paid by a user of recreational
facilities or programs to offset the costs of services
provided by the Department in operating a park,
a recreation facility or in delivering programs and
services. A perception of “value” has to be instilled in the community by the Parks and Recreation staff for
what benefits the City is providing to the user. As the Department continues to develop new programs, all
future fees should be charged based on cost recovery
goals developed in a future Pricing Policy. The fees
for the parks and/or core recreation services are
based on the level of exclusivity the user receives
compared to the general taxpayer. It is recommended
that user fees for programs be charged at market rate
for services to create value and operational revenue
for the Department. For services where the City
feels that they cannot move forward on adequate
user fees to obtain the required cost recovery,
consideration of contracting with a not-for-profit
and/or private company to help offset service costs
should be pursued. This would save the City dollars
in their operational budgets while still ensuring the
community receives the service to keep the quality of
life at a high standard.
Permit Fees:
This fee is incorporated for exclusive reservations for picnic shelters, sports fields, special events that are provided by the City, and competition tournaments
held in the city by other organizations who make a
profit off City owned facilities. Permit fees include a base fee for all direct and indirect costs for the City to provide the space on an exclusive basis plus a
percentage of the gross for major special events and
tournaments held on City owned permitted facilities.
Alcohol permits should be explored and if determined
worthwhile, added to these permits which would
generate more dollars for the City for these special
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use areas. These dollars could be applied to the
Recreation and Park Revolving Fund if developed to
help support park improvements and operations.
Business/Resident Donations:
Individual donations from corporations and private
donations can be accepted to support specific
improvements and amenities.
Nonprofit Organizations:
Nonprofit organizations can provide support for green
space and parks in various ways.
• Conservancy or Friends Organization: This
type of nonprofit is devoted to supporting a
specific park. These Park Conservancy’s or
Friends Groups are a major funding source
for parks in the United States and should
be considered for the Parks and Recreation
facilities in the city.
• Community Service Workers: Community
service workers are assigned by the court
to pay off some of their sentence through
maintenance activities in parks, such as
picking up litter, removing graffiti, and assisting
in painting or fix up activities. Most workers
are assigned 30 to 60 hours of work. This
would seem to be a good opportunity for the
parks to work with the sheriff’s or City police
department on using community service
workers.
• Greenway Fundraising Programs: Agencies
across the United States have used greenways
for not-for-profit fundraisers in the form of
walks, runs, bicycle races, and special events.
The local managing agency usually gets $2-$5
per participants in the events to go back to
support the operations and maintenance costs.
• Volunteer Work: Community volunteers may
help with greenway construction, as well as
conduct fundraisers. Organizations that might
be mobilized for volunteer work include the
Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts.
Concessions:
Concessions can be leased out to a private operator
for a percentage of gross profits. Typically, 15%-18%
of gross profits for concessions of a profit operator,
or a managing agency over a park site could manage
concessions.
Field Permits:
The City can issue recreational use permits for
activities, practice, or games. Permits should cover
the operational cost of each field and management
costs. If a private operator desires to rent the site for a sporting tournament for private gain, the City should provide a permit fee plus a percentage of gross from
the event for the exclusive use of the fields.
Volunteerism:
The revenue source is an indirect revenue source
in that persons donate time to the City to assist in
providing a product or service on an hourly basis.
This reduces the City’s cost in providing the service
plus it builds advocacy for the City.
FUNDING STRATEGY OPPORTUNITIES
FOR CONSIDERATION
Lease Back:
Lease backs are a source of capital funding in
which a private sector entity such as a development
company buys the park land site or leases the park
land and develops a facility such as a park, recreation attraction, recreation center, pool, or sports complex; and leases the facility back to the municipality to pay off the capital costs over a 20-to-30-year period. This approach takes advantage of the efficiencies of private sector development while relieving the burden on
the municipality to raise upfront capital funds. This
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funding source is typically used for recreation and
aquatic type facilities, stadiums, civic buildings, and fire stations.
Corporate Sponsorships:
Corporations can also underwrite a portion or all the
cost of an event, program, or activity based on their
name being associated with the service. Sponsorships
typically are title sponsors, presenting sponsors,
associate sponsors, product sponsors, or in-kind
sponsors. Many agencies seek corporate support for
these types of activities through friends’ groups and
advisory boards.
• Advertising sales on sports complexes,
scoreboards, gym floors, trash cans,
playgrounds, in locker rooms, at dog parks,
along trails, flower pots, and as part of
special events held in the city to help support
operational costs have been an acceptable
practice in Parks and Recreation systems for
a long time and should be considered by the
City to support operational costs.
Maintenance Endowment Fund:
This is a fund dedicated exclusively for a park’s
maintenance, funded by a percentage of user fees
from programs, events, and rentals and is dedicated to
protecting the asset where the activity is occurring.
Park and Recreation Revenue Revolving Fund:
This is a dedicated fund to be used for park purposes
only that is replenished on an ongoing basis from
various funding sources such as grants, sponsorships,
advertising, program user fees and rental fees within
the park system. The City could establish a revolving
fund supported by all of the funding sources identified in this section and kept separate from the tax general
fund. This has worked well in many cities across the
United States.
Parks Foundation:
The utilization of a Parks Foundation is a jointdevelopment funding source with the City. The foundation operates as a non-profit organization,
working on behalf of the public agency to raise
needed dollars to support its vision and operational
needs.
• The dollars that would be raised by the
foundation are tax-exempt. Foundations
promote specific causes, activities, or issues
that the Department needs to address.
They offer a variety of means to fund capital
projects, including capital campaigns, gifts
catalogs, fundraisers, endowments, sales of
park-related memorabilia, etc.
• Private donations may be received in the form
of cash, securities, land, facilities, recreation
equipment, art, or in-kind services.
Private Foundation Funds:
Nonprofit community foundations can be strong
sources of support for the Department and should be
pursued for specific park and recreation amenities.
The Department should consider developing a good
parks foundation.
Nonprofit Organizations:
Nonprofit organizations can provide support for green
space and parks in various ways. Examples include:
• Greenway Foundations: Greenway
foundations focus on developing and
maintaining trails and green corridors on a
City-wide basis. The City could seek land
leases along their trails as a funding source, in
addition to selling miles of trails to community
corporations and nonprofits in the city. The
development rights along the trails can also
be sold to local utilities for water, sewer, fiber
optic, and cable lines on a per mile basis
to support development and management
of these corridors. Indianapolis Greenway
Foundation has a specific Greenway Trail
license plate they have had in place for over
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20 years to help support the development and
maintenance of trails in the city.
• Adopt-a-Park, -Trail, -Stream: In this
approach local neighborhood groups or
businesses make a volunteer commitment
to maintaining a specific area of a park
or an amenity. Adopt-a-Park, or similar
arrangements are particularly well-suited for
the Department.
Local Private-Sector Funding:
Local industries and private businesses may agree to
provide support for greenway development through
one or more of the following methods:
• Donations of cash to a specific greenway
segment.
• Donations of services by businesses and
corporations to reduce the cost of greenway
implementation, including equipment and
labor to construct and install elements of a
specific greenway.
• Reductions in the cost of materials purchased
from local businesses that support greenway
implementation and can supply essential
products for facility development.
Adopt-A-Foot Program:
These are typically small grant programs that fund
new construction, repair/renovation, maps, trail
brochures, facilities (bike racks, picnic areas, birding equipment) as well as provide maintenance support.
The Adopt-A-Foot program is in the form of cash
contributions that range from $2,640 to $26,400 over a
five-year period.
Food and Equipment Sponsors:
Official drink and food sponsors can be utilized for the City. Official drink and food sponsors pay the City a
set percentage of gross. Typically, this is 15%-20%
of costs for being the official product and receiving
exclusive pouring and food rights to the complex.
Likewise, official equipment sponsors work well for
trucks, mowers, and tractors.
Advertising Revenue:
Advertising revenue can come from the sale of ads on
banners in the parks. The advertising could include
trashcans, trail markers, visitor pull trailers, tee boxes, scorecards, and in restrooms.
Catering:
The City has many sites that set up well to have high,
medium, and low-level caterers on contract that
groups can use. Caterers usually provide the parks
with a fixed gross rate on food and beverage at 12%-
15% of the cost of food and 18% of drink back to the
City.
Federal Housing Grants:
Federal Housing Grants can also help support parks
near federal housing areas and should be pursued
if appropriate. Several communities have used
HUD funds to develop greenways, including the
Boscobel Heights’ “Safe Walk” Greenway in Nashville,
Tennessee.
Watershed Protection and Flood Prevention
(Small Watersheds) Grants:
The USDA Natural Resource Conservation Service
(NRCS) provides funding to state and local agencies
or nonprofit organizations authorized to carry out,
maintain, and operate watershed improvements
involving less than 250,000 acres. The NRCS provides
financial and technical assistance to eligible projects to improve watershed protection, flood prevention,
sedimentation control, public water-based fish and
wildlife enhancements, and recreation planning. The
NRCS requires a 50-percent local match for public
recreation, and fish and wildlife projects.
9.3.b
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Tax Abatement
The governing body of a political subdivision may
grant a current or prospective abatement, by contract
or otherwise, of the taxes imposed by the political
subdivision on a parcel of property, which may
include personal property and machinery, or defer
the payments of the taxes and abate the interest and
penalty that otherwise would apply, if:
• It expects the benefits to the political
subdivision of the proposed abatement
agreement to at least equal the costs to
the political subdivision of the proposed
agreement or intends the abatement to phase
in a property tax increase, and
• It finds that doing so is in the public interest
because it will:
• increase or preserve tax base;
• provide employment opportunities in the
political subdivision;
• provide or help acquire or construct public
facilities;
• help redevelop or renew blighted areas;
• help provide access to services for
residents of the political subdivision;
• finance or provide public infrastructure;
• phase in a property tax increase on the
parcel resulting from an increase of
50 percent or more in one year on the
estimated market value of the parcel, other
than increase attributable to improvement
of the parcel; or
• stabilize the tax base through equalization
of property tax revenues for a specified
period with respect to a taxpayer whose
real and personal property is subject to
valuation
Tax Allocation or Tax Increment District:
Commonly used for financing redevelopment projects.
A Tax Allocation District (TAD) involves the issuance
of tax-exempt bonds to pay front-end infrastructure
and eligible development costs in partnership with
private developers. As redevelopment occurs in the
City, the “tax increment” resulting from redevelopment
projects is used to retire the debt issued to fund the
eligible redevelopment costs. The public portion of the redevelopment project funds itself using the additional taxes generated by the project. TADs can be used
to fund park improvements and development as an
essential infrastructure cost. These funds would work
well in the downtown park redevelopment and in trail
development.
Utility Lease Fee:
Utility lease fees have been used to support parks in
the form of utility companies supporting a park from
utility easements, storm water runoff and paying for
development rights below the ground. This funding
source is derived from fees on property own by
the City based on measures such as the amount
of impervious surfacing as well as fees from utility
companies having access through the park. It is used
by many cities to acquire and develop greenways
and other open space resources that provide
improvements in the park or development of trails.
Improvements can include trails, drainage areas, and
retention ponds that serve multiple purposes such as
recreation, environmental protection, and storm water
management. This could be a source for the utilities to contribute to support the parks and trails in the future.
This has been very successful in Houston along their
bayous.
Food and Beverage Tax:
This 1/8% sales tax is currently used by cities across
the United States and usually requires voter approval.
These dollars can come from the local community
as well as visitors to the city to help pay for a
bond to finance future park and recreation related
improvements. Food and Beverage Taxes are very well
accepted in most communities.
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Tax Increment Financing (TIF Funds):
The concept behind the tax increment financing
is that taxes in a designated area are frozen and
the redevelopment that occurs in the blighted,
conservation, or economic development area will
increase the assessed valuation of the property and
generate new property tax revenues. The increase can
be used on an annual basis to retire revenue bonds
issued to finance redevelopment costs. A great deal
of development is required to generate sufficient
revenues to make it work.
Wi-Fi Revenue:
The City can set up a Wi-Fi area whereby a Wi-Fi
vendor is able to sell the advertising on the Wi-Fi
access banner to local businesses targeting the users
of the site. This revenue has amounted to $20,000-
$50,000 in revenue for similar systems.
GRANTS THROUGH PRIVATE
FOUNDATIONS AND CORPORATIONS
Many communities have solicited greenway funding
from a variety of private foundations and other
conservation-minded benefactors. Some of these
grants include:
Coors Pure Water 2000 Grants:
Coors Brewing Company and its affiliated distributors
provide funding and in-kind services to grassroots
organizations that are working to solve local, regional and national water-related problems. Coors provides
grants, ranging from a few hundred dollars to $50,000,
for projects such as river cleanups, aquatic habitat
improvements, water quality monitoring, wetlands
protection, pollution prevention, water education
efforts, groundwater protection, water conservation
and fisheries.
World Wildlife Fund Innovative Grants
Program:
This organization awards small grants to local,
regional, and statewide nonprofit organizations to help implement innovative strategies for the conservation
of natural resources. Grants are offered to support
projects that accomplish one or more of the following:
(1) conserve wetlands; (2) protect endangered
species; (3) preserve migratory birds; (4) conserve
coastal resources; and (5) establish and sustain
protected natural areas, such as greenways.
Innovative Grants:
This funding can help pay for the administrative costs
for projects including planning, technical assistance,
legal and other costs to facilitate the acquisition of
critical lands; retaining consultants and other experts; and preparing visual presentations and brochures or
other conservation activities. The maximum award for
a single grant is typically $10,000.
Bikes Belong:
Bikes Belong coalition is sponsored by members of
the American Bicycle Industry. The grant program is
a national discretionary program with a small budget,
to help communities build trail projects. They like to
fund high-profile projects and like regional coalitions.
An application must be supported by the local bicycle
dealers (letters of support should be attached). Bikes
Belong also offers advice and information on how to
get more people on bikes. Government and nonprofit
agencies are eligible, and no match is required. The
maximum amount for a grant proposal is $10,000.
Applications may be submitted at any time and are
reviewed as they are received.
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Partnership Development Agreement:
Each partner would develop their respective facilities
based on set design guidelines with the City,
managing all the site elements. Partners would work
collectively to promote the site versus individual
amenities. This process was successful for Papago
Park, located in the City of Phoenix, Arizona. The
site included a major league spring training facility
and minor league baseball complex, zoo, botanical
gardens, history museum, and other attractions on
site.
Community Forest and Open Space Program:
Federal Grant with Estimated Total Program Funding
of $3,150,000. Individual grant applications may not
exceed $400,000. The program pays up to 50% of the
project costs and requires a 50% non-federal match.
Eligible lands for grants funded under this program
are private forests that are at least five acres in size, suitable to sustain natural vegetation, and at least 75% forested.
Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality
Program-fund:
This source is for transportation projects that improve air quality and reduce traffic congestion. Projects can include bicycle and pedestrian projects, trails, links to communities, bike rack facilities. Average grant size
$50,000-$100,000.
Community Facilities Grant and Loan ProgramGrant Program:
This source is established to assist communities with
grant and loan funding for the expansion, renovation
and or remodeling of former school facilities and
or existing surplus government facilities that have
an existing or future community use. Facilities may
be space for community gatherings and functions,
recreational athletic facilities for community members, particularly youth. These include space for nonfor-profit offices, childcare, community education, theater, senior centers, youth centers, and after school programs. CFP match requirements for requests up to
$250,000 are 10-% eligible project costs. For requests
over $250,000 to $1 million, the match is 15%.
American Hiking Society:
Fund on a national basis for promoting and protecting
foot trails and the hiking experience.
The Helen R. Buck Foundation:
This foundation provides funding for playground
equipment and recreational activities.
Deupree Family Foundation:
The Deupree Family Foundation provides grants for
Recreation, parks/playgrounds, and children/youth,
on a national basis. This foundation supports building/ renovation, equipment, general/operating support,
program development, and seed money.
The John P. Ellbogen Foundation:
Children/youth services grants as well as support for
capital campaigns, general/operating support, and
program development.
Economic Development Grants for Public
Works and Development of Facilities:
The U. S. Department of Commerce, Economic
Development Administration (EDA), provides
grants to states, counties, and cities designated as
redevelopment areas by EDA for public works projects
that can include developing trails and greenway
facilities. There is a 30% local match required,
except in severely distressed areas where the federal
contribution can reach 80%.
9.3.b
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MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. PARK
SOURCE: CONSULTANT TEAM
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4.5 OPERATIONS, PARK
MAINTENANCE AND
STAFFING PROPOSAL
Parks and amenities that are clean and functioning
efficiently are a critical element to delivering high
quality programs and services. The East Palo Alto
Public Works Department maintains approximately
24 acres of developed parks (not including facility
grounds and right-of-way/median landscape acreage).
The following section provides recommendations
stay ahead of preventative maintenance and limit
breakdowns.
The City of East Palo Alto at present does not have
adequate staff to run recreational programs to meet
the needs of its population. In addition, the shortage
also apply to staffing shortages in regards to park
maintenance. This sections provides an overview of
possible organizational structuring to help bridge
those gaps to meet the needs of East Palo Alto.
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4.5 OPERATIONS, PARK MAINTENANCE
AND STAFFING PROPOSAL
1. Develop a “Friends of EPA”
program to coordinate and
manage volunteer opportunities
for individuals and groups to
engage with EPA Parks. Service
activities may range from ontime projects and events to longer term positions. Actives
may include, litter cleanups,
gardening and landscaping,
weed removal, and neighborhood
park watch.
2. Establish a role for a dedicated
park maintenance staff.
3. Establish a park team which
includes a dedicated parks
director and recreation
coordinator, in addition to part
time staff – all underneath
community service or recreation
division under the administrative
services dept.
4. Establish an additional recreation
coordinator focused on senior
programming and support.
5. Develop a GIS-based asset
management work order system to
streamline park maintenance.
6. Ensure to set aside 3-6% of
capital improvement budget for
replacement and maintenance.
RECOMMENDATIONS FOR OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE
Connect People to Parks
Create Diverse & Inclusive Parks
Promote Public Health & Sustainability
Celebrate the Bay
Activate EPA Parks
Improve Park Operations
Grow Programmings & Partnerships
✓
✓
COMMUNITY PRIORITIES
✓
Celebrate the Bay
✓
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9.3.b
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PARKS MAINTENANCE
LINES OF SERVICE
The core lines of service (functions) performed by the
Parks Division are numerous. The lines of service are
as follows:
TABLE 4-9:
LINES OF SERVICES IN PARK MAINTENANCE
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MAINTENANCE MODES
AND STANDARDS
Regular maintenance requires unit-based
quantification for most major resource requirements
and provides the methods for projecting future
resource needs. The City’s maintenance efforts as
detailed are expansive and address diverse aspects
of maintaining high-quality parks, amenities, and
infrastructure to preserve the integrity of public assets and their meaningful use. The prevailing objectives
of a standards-based park maintenance program are
presented below but not in order of importance:
• Maintain and improve the sites, grounds,
facilities, and structures of the City’s parks
system to provide optimal and enjoyable use.
• Provide landscaping and general maintenance
for a multitude of City amenities, including but
not limited to, landscaped beds and turf, urban
open spaces, urban forests, and selected park
buildings and structures.
• Be responsive to maintenance needs of the
City’s open-space tracts. Particular attention
must be paid to access points, trail repair,
erosion control, and trash removal.
• Protect and preserve the value of City assets
so that long-term maintenance costs are
minimal due to extending the service life of
those assets.
Many of the objectives assigned to the Park’s
maintenance teams go beyond the traditional
responsibilities of park maintenance employees.
It is recommended that all park maintenance agencies
adopt a system of grounds maintenance levels
wherein functions are organized into a tiered structure with three different levels of service. These levels are referred to as maintenance modes, and each has a
unique standard that dictates routine maintenance
tasks and their frequency. The appropriate
maintenance mode is assigned to each park or
site, which creates a framework for organizing and
scheduling tasks and responsibilities at each location.
A description of each of the maintenance modes is
provided below:
MAINTENANCE MODE/LEVEL 1
Maintenance Mode/Level 1 (Mode/Level 1) applies
to parks or sites that require the greatest level of
maintenance standard in the system. These parks
or sites are often revenue producing facilities, such
as the athletic fields, where the quality and level of
maintenance has a direct impact on the park facility’s
ability to maximize revenue generation.
MAINTENANCE MODE/LEVEL 2
Maintenance Mode/Level 2 (Mode/Level 2) applies
to parks or sites that require a moderate level of
effort and maintenance standards in the system.
These include developed and undeveloped parks
with amenities that are heavily used such as trails,
community and pocket parks, and special-use
facilities found in the City’s parks system.
MAINTENANCE MODE/LEVEL 3
Maintenance Mode/Level 3 (Mode/Level 3) applies
to parks or sites that require a nominal level of effort and maintenance standards in the system. These
generally include undeveloped parks with minimal
amenities.
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PARKS MAINTENANCE KEY
FINDINGS
MAINTENANCE MANAGEMENT PLAN
Through the review of data and workshops with
staff, the PROS Consulting team determined that
the Parks Division does generally try to operate
within the maintenance modes identified above.
Parks maintenance also intuitively follows a set of
routine parks and grounds maintenance standards
with task, frequency, and season of year for each
of the functional work areas, however, a formalized,
documented, detailed maintenance management
plan does not exist. A formalized maintenance
management plan includes not only maintenance
modes and standards for each park but also tracks
the performance of the work against a set of defined
outcomes as well as the costs expended to achieve
each outcome. A maintenance management plan is
typically memorialized within an asset-based work
order management system.
GIS-BASED ASSET MANAGEMENT
WORK ORDER SYSTEM
Parks maintenance in the City of East Palo Alto
does not currently utilize a GIS-based asset
management work order system and should consider
the implementation of such a system to document
maintenance and asset replacement schedules as
well as the track the time and resources required to
perform work in the field. A work order management
system can also determine the level of unproductive
time expended by staff (i.e., travel time to parks).
EQUIPMENT
Staff does not lack the necessary equipment or
resources to perform tasks.
STAFFING LEVELS
Developed Parks: The Parks Maintenance Division is
comprised of approximately 1.5 full-time equivalents
(FTES) dedicated to maintaining the developed parks
system.
Best Practice Staffing Levels
• Level 2 Standard Staffing: Best practice ratio
of FTE per park acres maintained at a Level 2
standard is 1:10 acres.
With the responsibility of actively managing 24 acres
of parks at a level 2 standard, the Parks Maintenance
Division DOES NOT HAVE the staffing capacity to
manage the developed parks system. The following
table indicates that the Parks Division is currently
understaffed by 1 FTE.
PLEASE NOTE: Additional staffing levels shown above does not include staff needed for Right of Way, Median, and Public Facility Grounds Landscape Maintenance. It is recommended that the City consider contracting out these functions.
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ANNUAL PARK OPERATION AND
MAINTENANCE FUNDING
Based on analysis conducted by the project team as
summarized in the table below, unit costs for parks
maintenance are not in alignment with best practice
cost per acre for the maintenance of parks. The
following table indicates that the Parks Division is
currently underfunded by $163,000 annually.
PARK MAINTENANCE KEY
RECOMMENDATIONS
IMPLEMENT A GIS-BASED ASSET
MANAGEMENT WORK ORDER SYSTEM
A work order system should be used to track lifecycle
maintenance requirements that are tied to weekly
and monthly work orders. This will help the staff to
stay ahead of preventative maintenance and limit
breakdowns. Further, utilizing the system will provide
staff the necessary “actual cost” data for work being
performed. The typical components of a work order
management system are as follows:
Schedule Work Activities
Detailed framework for asset management by
incorporating GIS into the asset repository. Allows
for grouping of assets by location, type, age, or other key parameters. These groupings can then be used to
create maintenance activities such as preventive work,
reactive work, tests, or inspections.
Mapping Tools
ArcGIS maps are an integral part of the work
management process. This allows for the creation
of map visualizations of database queries including
open work orders, service requests, or work orders of
a specific type and assignment. These tools empower
both management and staff to interact with asset data.
Data Mobility
A variety of tools to help maintenance staff access and update valuable information while in the field.
Asset Management
Track work performed on any asset at any given time
throughout its lifecycle. Users can easily search for
active work orders and view them dynamically on the
GIS map. Track overdue work orders and monitor work
associated with a specific task, contractor, or project.
Track Unproductive Time
A key component of creating an efficient parks
maintenance operation is to minimize unproductive
time, such as travel time between parks. Travel time
on average should not exceed the maximum threshold
of 2.2 hours for every 8-hour day.
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COST OF SERVICE/SYSTEMATIC
APPROACH TO CONTRACTING
SERVICES
Through the development of management processes,
the Parks Division must begin to track cost of service
at a unit activity level through the implementation
of a work order management system. This, in turn,
would internally analyze the unit cost to perform work
internally against the unit cost to perform work by a
third-party vendor, in particular right-of-way, median
and public facility grounds landscape maintenance.
DEVELOPED PARKS AND TRAILS
MAINTENANCE FUNDING
It is recommended that the Parks Maintenance
Division develop line-item budgets for each functional
area of work, City parks, right-of-way/median
maintenance, and public facility grounds.
ANNUAL PARK MAINTENANCE
FUNDING AND STAFFING
It is recommended that the Park Maintenance
Operation be allocated an additional $163,000
annually for enhanced management and maintenance
of parks. Of this funding, approximately $65,000
should be allocated for the addition of 1 FTE for this
functional work area.
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OTHER
RECOMMENDATIONS
COST AVOIDANCE
Maintenance operations are typically spent in
divisions that do not have direct revenue sources
that can offset expenditures. There are opportunities,
however, to reduce expenditures through the following
strategies: • Park Ambassador Program: This formal
volunteer program provides the City
with “eyes” on the parks that can quickly
provide staff with real-time incident reports.
Additionally, these volunteers provide park
beautification and event assistance to the City.
This program has been in place in the City of
Kansas City, Missouri for the last two decades.
• Adopt-a-Trail Programs: These programs are
similar to the popular “adopt-a-mile” highway
programs most states utilize. Adopt-a-trail
programs can also take the form of cash
contributions in the range of $12,000 to $16,000
per mile to cover operational costs.
• Adopt-a-Park Programs: These are smallgrant programs that fund new construction and provide maintenance support. Adopt-APark programs can also take the form of cash contributions in the range of $1,000 to $5,000
per acre to cover operational costs.
• Operational Partnerships: Partnerships are
operational funding sources formed from two
separate agencies, such as two government
entities, a non-profit and a public agency, or
a private business and a public agency. Two
partners jointly share risk, operational costs,
responsibilities, and asset management based
on the strengths of each partner.
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EAST PALO ALTO CURRENT
ORGANIZATIONAL
STRUCTURE
The City of East Palo Alto does not have a dedicated
Parks and Recreation Department and currently lacks
“dedicated to recreation” staff - only 1.9 FTE (1 FT
Recreation Coordinator as of Fiscal Year 21-22 and
3 PT Recreation Leaders - 0.9 FTE). This inhibits the
City from actively and directly provide programming to
the community and, in turn, only functions to facilitate the process of activating parks with programming,
through partnerships as noted in Section 4.3.
City Manager Office
Community Services
Manager
Public Works Director
Recreation Coordinator
Public Works Maintenance
Manager
Part-time Recreation Leads
Parks Maintenance Worker
Part-time Seasonal
Additionally, parks maintenance is housed within the
Department of Public Works and as noted in Section
4.5 also lacks the necessary staff and funding to
perform maintenance of parks that consistently deliver
high quality experiences for the residents of East Palo Alto.
FIGURE 4-1:
EXISTING ORGANIZATIONAL
STRUCTURE
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CURRENT
ORGANIZATIONAL
STRUCTURE CHALLENGES
The current organizational structure is not aligned
with the primary functions of the department which
are as follows:
• Recreation programs and services
• Facility management
• Parks maintenance
• Administrative services
This lack of alignment has created numerous systemic
and operational challenges for the department.
OPERATIONAL SILOS
Operational silos occur when business units do
not interact with each other. This occurs on many
levels recreation and parks maintenance operate
independently. The operational silos have in turn
created the following issues.
• Silo Mentality – The operational silos have,
in turn, created an organizational way of
thinking often described as Silo Mentality. This
mentality results in management groups not
sharing information, goals, tools, priorities, and
processes with each other.
• Lack of Direct Service and Program Delivery
– The lack of staff and operational silos have
also contributed to a lack of collaboration
and communication on the development of
programs and services that meet the needs
of the residents of East Palo Alto. This has
led to not only a duplication of services
and inefficient use of funding, but also an
unhealthy competition between recreation
facilities to try to outperform each other.
• Inconsistent Park and Facility Management
– The operational silos have also contributed
to a lack of consistent standards in managing
and maintaining park and recreation facilities.
• Program Standards – The silos have hindered
the City in developing consistent operational
and partnership standards that guide the
delivery of programs and services.
• Customer Service – Though staff strives
to provide excellent customer service, the
operational silos have created customer
service standards that are personality driven
as opposed to outcome driven.
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RECOMMENDED
LONG-TERM
ORGANIZATIONAL
STRUCTURE
Parks and Recreation
Director
Public Works
Maintenance Manager
Recreation
Coordinator
(Recreation
Programming)
Recreation
Coordinator
(Senior Programming)
Parks and
Maintenance Worker
(2)
Part-time
Recreation Lead (3)
Part-time
Recreation Lead (3)
Part-time
Seasonal
FIGURE 4-2:
PROPOSED LONG-TERM ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE
The following organizational structure is the proposed
functional organizational structure for the longterm development of an East Palo Alto Parks and Recreation Department. This organizational structure
will assist the City in overcoming the challenges
created by the current operational silo structure and
provide the greatest amount of efficiency related to
decision-making and staff capacity to address the
City’s parks and recreation needs.
City Manager Office
Public Works
Director
Parks and Recreation Manager
(formally known as “Community
Services Manager”)
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PRIORITIZATION OF
IMPLEMENTATION
The following table provides an average cost for the
additional personnels proposed in the organizational
structure. This is intended to guide the City’s budget
allocation process.
If funding is available, the consulting team
recommends the following timeline for implementation
of the organizational chart and staffing levels. A job
description for the Parks and Recreation Director
position has been provided in the following pages.
POSITION TITLE
NUMBER
OF
POSITIONS
COMPENSATION
(includes benefits)
NON-PERSONNEL
COSTS
TOTAL COST
Parks and Recreation Director (full-time) 1 $175,000 $52,000 $227,000 Recreation Coordinator (Senior Programming)
(full-time)
1 $99,400 $29,000 $128,400
TOTALS $274,400 $81,000 $355,400
Recreation Staffing Costs
POSITION TITLE
NUMBER
OF
POSITIONS
TIMELINE
Parks and Recreation Director (full-time) 1 Fiscal Year 2026 Recreation Coordinator (Senior Programming)
(full-time)
1 Fiscal Year 2026
TABLE 4-10:
ADDITIONAL RECREATIONAL STAFFING COSTS
TABLE 4-11:
STAFFING PRIORITIZATION TIMELINE
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of City parks and recreational facilities.
Facilitates and promotes ongoing research into
new approaches and trends and recommends
implementation of programs to assist elected
officials and their community plan.
3. Policy Development: Develops, recommends,
and oversees the administration of Parks
and Recreation Department policies and
guidelines. Maintains currency of policies and
practices within the organizational needs of
the City as well as with applicable federal and
State laws and City Charter.
4. Personnel Management: Develops and
maintains a workforce committed to, and
with highly developed competencies in,
customer service, results orientation, and
team work. Directly or through managers,
appoints, supervises, provides for training and
performance evaluation and development,
and ensures accountability of Department
employees. Establishes and maintains a
working environment conducive to positive
morale, quality services, and innovation.
Provides for the training in, promotion of, and
accountability for safe work practices and
working conditions for employees. Ensures
compliance with labor agreements and with
City-wide and Department policies and state
and federal laws and regulations.
5. Program Development and Project
Management: Oversees all Parks and
Recreation programs and projects for the city.
Coordinates programs and activities of the
Department with other City departments, local
and regional agencies, and citizen groups
to ensure that programs and activities are
in place to meet the needs of all segments
of the community. Participates directly in
the planning and development of significant
projects such as those involving multiple
jurisdictions and long-term implementation
and ensures these are consistent with the
City’s goals and objectives. Facilitates
and promotes ongoing research into new
approaches, technologies and trends, and
recommends implementation of programs and
equipment to help the Department achieve its
objectives more efficiently.
6. Fiscal and Business Management: Ensures
the financial well-being of the Department
JOB DESCRIPTIONS -
DIRECTOR OF PARKS AND
RECREATION
The Director of Parks and recreation provides
leadership, direction, and general administrative
oversight to the Parks and Recreation Department
and employees responsible for the development,
maintenance and operation of the City Park system
grounds and structures, preservation of open spaces
and scenic environments and the provision of leisure
activities and services to citizens of all ages. Work
involves significant community engagement and
public involvement with elected officials, other policy makers, and citizens. Serving as a member of the
City’s senior management team, collaborates with
the Executive and other City departments on strategy
and policy to ensure that the City’s mission and core
values are incorporated into operational activities and services.
SUPERVISORY RELATIONSHIPS
Reports to the City Manager. Works independently
with general guidance from the City Manager or
designee. Supervises staff, directly, or through
assigned managers. Works under City policies,
procedures, and various State and federal regulations.
ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS OF THE JOB
1. General Management: Plans, organizes,
directs, controls, and evaluates the work
of the Parks and Recreation Department.
Oversees the management of the dayto-day administration of the Department, including budget, capital projects, on-going
maintenance, recreation, stewardship and
development of assets, personnel and labor
relations, and customer service activities.
2. Strategic Planning: Works with advisory
boards, elected officials and other agencies to
develop master plans and long-range plans for
the acquisition, development and maintenance
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PERFORMANCE REQUIREMENTS
(KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND
ABILITIES)
Knowledge of:
• Principles and practice of general business
management and of municipal parks and
recreation administration processes and
management.
• Parks and Recreation Department work and
operations, stewardship and maintenance
of park lands, facilities, and community
infrastructure.
• City legislative processes, fiscal and budget
management processes, and applicable
administrative policies and procedures.
• Current departmental and related city issues
and stakeholders (both internal and external),
including other governmental legislative
and agency processes, neighborhoods, and
institutions.
• Applicable federal, State, and local laws
and regulations, including development
regulations, affecting the work of the
Department.
Skill in:
• Excellent interpersonal skills for establishing
and maintaining effective working
relationships with staff, other departments,
elected officials, the media, and the public.
• Highly effective team-building and leadership
skills including consensus-building to resolve
conflicts, negotiate agreements and gain
cooperation among competing interest groups.
• Strong business and fiscal management skills.
• Problem analysis and decision making,
adaptability/flexibility, and stress tolerance in a
highly visible public environment.
• Excellent strategic planning, organizing, and
time management skills.
• Excellent written and verbal communications
skills including public presentation skills.
by establishing cost control measures
and monitoring all fiscal operations of the
Department. Prepares annual budget and
justifies budget requests and amendments.
Projects and procures revenues and funding
for the work of the Department including
management of grants and accessing federal
and State funding sources. Ensures the
efficient and economical use of departmental
funds, manpower, materials, facilities and time.
Ensures effective execution of enterprise fund
cost center within the department.
7. Citizen Involvement and Communications:
Directs planning and presentation of public
involvement programs for neighborhoods,
businesses, and other community groups.
Provides for staff support of the Parks Advisory
Board, Greenway Advisory Committee,
and other parks- related citizen groups,
coordinating work plans and staff assignments
to facilitate efficient and meaningful public
involvement and policy direction. Provides for
City-wide citizen communication programs
to disseminate information on Parks and
Recreation projects and processes and
conservation of assets.
8. Senior Management Team: Provides
information and advice to the City Manager
and City Council on strategic planning and
accomplishment of City goals and objectives.
Participates in organization-wide strategic
planning. Coordinates the Department’s
activities with those of other City departments
and offices to ensure a consistent approach
towards common projects and interests and
the cost-effective delivery of services.
9. Environmental Stewardship: Under policy
direction from the City Manager and Council,
responsible for the protection of the City’s Park
lands and facilities. Promotes and develops
effective facilities and systems to maximize
the public’s enjoyment and use of park lands
in harmony with environmental protection and
stewardship. Works under applicable federal
and State regulation and protection measures
for protection of natural resources such as
streams and forestland. Represents the City
before regulatory agencies which interface
with the work of the Department.
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Ability to:
• Manage by objective and facilitate
achievement of City’s legacies and
performance metrics.
• Conduct self at all times in an ethical,
professional and respectful manner.
• Establish and maintain cooperative and
effective working relationships with citizens
and stakeholders, both internal and external.
• Quickly grasp and manage complex and
technical issues in a fast-paced environment
and in a context of inter-related issues,
systems, projects, and strategies.
• Interpret, explain, and apply complex
guidelines, codes, regulations, policies, and
procedures.
• Articulate the Department’s goals and work in
an understandable and appropriate manner for
the audience or individual.
• Develop and maintain effective organizational
structure, financial control, and management
information systems for the Parks and
Recreation function.
• Identify the Department’s future direction
in response to changing community needs,
and to develop, implement, and monitor
appropriate plans, schedules, and action steps.
• Work independently under general policy and
strategic guidance.
• Maintain consistent and punctual attendance.
• Willingness and ability to demonstrate the
Public Service Competencies of Service
Orientation, Results Orientation and Teamwork
and Cooperation.
• Physically perform the essential functions of
the position, including:
• Correctable visual acuity to read a
computer screen and a typeset page;
• Fine finger dexterity to manipulate
computer keyboard and mouse; and
• Ability to talk and hear sufficiently to
communicate with City officials, employees
and the public.
WORKING ENVIRONMENT
Work is performed primarily in an office setting subject to frequent interruptions with extensive work at a
computer workstation and site visits to various City
and community facilities, both outdoors and indoors.
May be exposed to highly stressful situations and
individuals who are irate or hostile; may be subject
to long hours due to attendance at City Council
and Committee meetings and other responsibilities
required at this executive level. Flexibility to work
evening and weekend hours and occasional overnight
travel to conferences and training sessions required.
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EXPERIENCE AND TRAINING
REQUIREMENTS • Bachelor’s degree in parks and recreation, public administration, program management or
a related field. Master’s degree is preferred.
• Five years progressively responsible
experience in parks and recreation
administration including three years in a senior
management position.
• Experience working in a unionized
environment preferred.
• Designation as a Certified Parks and
Recreation Professional (CPRP) desired.
• Preferred qualifications include a significant
record of:
• Responsibility for general fiscal management,
grants procurement, capital budget
management, and strategic planning.
• Experience in a community with active citizen
involvement and experiencing significant
growth.
• Effective work with elected officials, advisory
boards, community and environmental groups.
• Within an ethical framework, exhibiting
creativity and innovation in programs and
processes.
• In place of the above requirements, any
combination of relevant education and
experience which demonstrates the
knowledge, skill, and ability to perform
the essential functions of the job will be
considered.
9.3.b
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JOEL DAVIS MEMORIAL PARK
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DESIGN GUIDELINES
5.1 Site Planning
5.2 Public Safety
5.3 Trail Design
5.4 Shared Schoolyards
5.5 Privately Owned Public Open Spaces
5.6 Parks & Stormwater Management
5.7 Urban Landscape Ecology
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The Guidelines in this chapter are intended as a
resource for use in the planning and design of future
parks and trails. The Guidelines provide performancebased measures that create more sustainable, attractive, user-friendly sites that meet the needs
of the public they serve. The recommendations are
high level, appropriate to the context of a systemwide park master plan, not site-specific design requirements. Categories include site planning, public
safety, trail design , privately owned public open
spaces, flooding and urban landscape ecology. These
general guidelines should be used in tandem with
the park type definitions found in the Typical Park
Classification, Section 1.2, as well as maintenance
and operations standards, to ensure that all parks and
trails owned and maintained by the City of East Palo
Alto are planned, designed, managed, and maintained
to provide the greatest value to the community.
INTRODUCTION
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5.1 SITE PLANNING
PARK USER
COMPATIBILITIES
1. Care and consideration needs to be given
to the use of each space, the relationship
between activities and future expansion
opportunities in a park.
2. Parks are multi-generational spaces and
consideration of park user compatibility must
be evaluated when determining the adjacency
of site features.
3. Activities should be grouped to maximize
desirable effects (accessibility, control of
participants, multi-uses, maintenance) or
separated to minimize conflicts including noise
and degree of physical activity.
4. Address potential conflicts with passive use
areas when locating active recreational areas,
especially conflicts with children’s play areas.
5. Ideally locate restroom buildings within a 150’
radius of recreation fields and a 100’ radius of
children’s play areas.
6. Locate maintenance yards away from
children’s play areas and screen them from
public view.
7. Sports activities, field lights for evening
sports activities, large group gatherings and
pools are all potential sources of disturbance
to the surrounding community. Consider all
adjacencies when locating such park features.
8. Locate parking facilities near major park site
features to facilitate the park user who may
be carrying equipment and/or coolers to their
destination.
FLEXIBLE USE
9. Indoor and outdoor spaces should be
programmed for multiple functions and should
be designed to allow for flexibility of use.
10. An emphasis should be placed on multi-use
fields to increase the type of uses provided by
the same amenity.
11. Multi-use lawn spaces should be encouraged
to allow more spaces for unprogrammed,
flexible free play as well as programmed
community events.
12. Where possible, passive open play areas
should remain unobstructed by trees, to
support activities such as throwing a ball, a
frisbee, and/or flying kites. Perimeter trees
should be provided for shade.
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ACCESS DESIGN
13. Provide multiple entry points to the parks
where possible to increase the pedestrian and
bike access to the parks.
14. All park entrances and major amenities should
be ADA accessible.
15. Provide a highly visible and distinct park
entry marker or gateway to create a sense of
transition and arrival to the destination.
16. A strong visual access from high traffic streets
to the park entrance and major amenities is
encouraged where possible.
17. Use the shortest, least sight-limiting fence
appropriate for the situation if fencing is
required.
18. Where possible, provide a clear separation
between the park’s vehicular and pedestrian
entrances to eliminate potential conflicts.
19. Direct pedestrian entrances toward public
transit centers to encourage and facilitate
alternative modes of travel to the park when
possible.
USER EXPERIENCE
LEGIBILITY
20. Clearly mark all park entries with park name
and important regulation information.
21. Establish a standardized wayfinding system
to clearly identify amenities and facilities
within the park as well as nearby civic, historic,
cultural or ecological landmarks.
22. Place a standard, legally confirmed set of rules
in a visible and secondary location that does
not negatively impact the welcoming nature of
the park entry.
23. Signage should use lettering sized for visibility,
and include translation where needed.
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ACTIVE & PASSIVE RECREATION
31. Provide both active and passive recreation
opportunities in all park designs.
32. Passive recreation opportunities may include
seating, picnicking, and nature viewing.
33. Active recreation opportunities may include
play areas, jogging/walking loops, aquatic and
sport facilities.
34. In areas with adequate space, provide
pedestrian loops for walking and jogging.
35. Small group picnic areas should accommodate
twenty five to fifty (25-50) people while large
group picnic areas should accommodate fifty
to hundred (50-100) people.
36. Play Areas
• Design play areas to support activities
for children of varied ages as well as
abilities including tots, young children, and
teenagers.
• Create unique play experiences by
including a variety of visual and physical
elements that incorporate sight, sound and
texture exploration.
• Provide opportunities that encourage play
in “unstructured” natural areas within
parks.
• Provide shaded seating near play areas for
adult supervision.
• Provide play areas at a safe distance from
busy streets or provide appropriate barriers
to ensure safety.
COMFORT
24. At least 50% of all seating and picnic areas
should be shaded, either through natural tree
canopy or installed shade structure (from at
least 11 am – 4 pm).
25. At least 75% of all play areas should be
shaded, either through natural tree canopy or
installed shade structure (from at least 11 am –
4 pm).
26. Select non-heat conducting material for all
seating elements, such as wood, concrete,
or recycled plastic products, and avoid using
heat-conducting materials in seating and play
areas when possible.
27. Employ mitigation measures for sound, air
quality, views, and safety at parks located near
highways and major roadways such as:
• Dense tree canopy,
• Dense vegetation buffers,
• Water features,
• Art elements with screening features.
28. Provide restrooms at community and special
use parks.
29. Install drinking fountains near play areas and
sports fields. Add bottle fillers, misters and dog
basins to drinking fountains in order to expand
usefulness.
30. Provide seating elements that are located
to take advantage of hospitable conditions
including shade, views, and sound.
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IDENTITY
37. Tell a story. Interpretive signage can tell us
about native peoples, subsequent history, our
environment, and our current experience.
38. Develop distinct themes for each park in
addition to the overall park standardization
to establish a unique character. Themes
may be expressed through signage, custom
furnishings, plant selections, and characteristic
architectural details.
39. Murals, and local art installations can reduce
unsanctioned graffiti and vandalism by
activating blank walls and surfaces.
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5.2 PUBLIC SAFETY
5. Provide access to information like a website for
parks facilities and other programs offered.
HIGH VISIBILITY
6. Use lighting to promote public safety and
security. When creating lighting design, avoid
poorly placed lights that create blind spots for
potential observers and miss critical areas.
Areas like pathways, entrance/exists, parking,
children’s play area, recreational areas, etc.
should be well lit.
7. Create highly visible spaces by designing park
elements, including pathways, play areas,
picnic areas and benches, to allow for natural
surveillance among users.
8. Design buildings and facilities so that entries,
windows, staffed areas and programmed
activity overlooks populated public spaces.
9. Create clear sight lines into, out of, and within
parks by strategically locating buildings and
other large site elements.
10. Design pathways and sidewalks with
unobstructed sight lines, especially from public
streets.
11. Locate seating and play elements in areas with
unobstructed views.
PERIMETER AND ENTRY
TREATMENTS
12. Use the least sight-limiting fence and gate
heights possible, and the least sight-limiting
fence and gate materials possible.
13. Create inviting park perimeters and entry areas
that encourage park use, including accent
planting, attractive signage, and buffers that
are not overly engineered.
14. Limit fence and gate use to areas where
such elements are necessary (such as select
ACTIVATION
1. Provide amenities that attract positive social
activity, including sports, play, and picnicking,
throughout a site so “dead” zones do not
welcome anti-social behavior.
2. Provide a diversity of site amenities that attract
different types of recreation activity at various
times of day.
3. Schedule activities in common areas to
increase proper use, attract more people and
increase the perception that these areas are
being monitored. Provide program elements
that encourage site activation among different
age groups.
4. Provide spaces for creating flexible community
events in parks to foster local identity and
stewardship in park
PARK ACTIVATION USING PLANNED ACTIVITIES
Source: Top - Laumeier Sculpture Park food truck fest,
Bottom - Prince George’s County Department of Parks & Recreation
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entry points and play areas to protect young
children).
15. Consider landscape buffers as an alternative to
fencing at park perimeters and entry areas .
16. Clearly identify and limit park entry and exit
points when necessary.
17. Display notice of security system at park
access points.
SECURITY MEASURES
18. Create a volunteer park safety ambassador
program to help have friendly but visible park
patrolling.
19. Add emergency call stations at parks to
enhance public security.
UPKEEP & MAINTENANCE
20. Maintain a high standard of upkeep for all park
and open space hardscape and landscape
elements to promote a sense of ownership,
encourage orderly behavior, and spur positive
social interaction in public spaces.
21. Avoid using materials that can easily be
damaged or vandalized. Use materials that are
durable and will require less repairs.
SECURITY MEASURE FOR PARKS
Source: Top - UC Davis
Middle - Tuscon police
Bottom - Downtown Wilmington safety ambassadors
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5.3 TRAIL DESIGN
• Preferred width of 16’, including two shared
6’ travel lanes and two 2’ shoulders
• 10’-12’ trail width acceptable where context
requires
• Opportunity zones for amenities in
additional 4’ right-of-way where possible
5. Trails should be a minimum of 10 feet wide to
accommodate maintenance and emergency
vehicles.
TRAIL ENTRY AND ACCESS
6. Provide trail access points that give a sense
of arrival and encourage use, including accent
planting and attractive signage consistent with
City standards.
7. Use universal design principles to facilitate
access and movement onto and along trails for
people of all ages and abilities.
8. Include secure bicycle parking at all
destinations along trails, and at trail amenity
zones.
9. Maintain good sight lines from public streets
and buildings and create clear entrances and
clear boundaries, following principles of Crime
Prevention through Environmental Design
(CPTED).
IDENTITY
1. Establish and follow a baseline vocabulary for
attractive, well-designed, commonly placed
site elements for standard, system-wide
identity. Baseline elements include signage
and furnishings.
2. Working within that overall system identity,
develop distinct themes for each trail to
establish a unique character. Themes may
be expressed through signage, custom
furnishings, and plant selections.
3. Historic and environmental interpretive
elements should be included to contribute to
trail character.
TRAIL SURFACE AND
CROSS-SECTION
4. Off-street shared use (pedestrians, bikes,
and other non-motorized use) trails should
generally have the following basic design
characteristics:
• Paved (asphalt or compacted AB) trail
with soft shoulders (decomposed granite,
gravel, or other approved material)
TRAIL THAT PEOPLE OF ALL AGE GROUPS FEEL COMFORTABLE USING Source: Josue Hernandez, Rich City RIDES
TRAILHEADS PROVIDING INFORMATION AND A SENSE
OF ARRIVAL
Source: Wald.Berlin.Klima. exhibition, hochC Landschastsarchitekten
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10. Establish safe street and rail crossings.
Specific crossing design will be based on
detailed, site-specific analysis.
EDGES ,BUFFERS AND
SETBACKS
11. Trails along active rail lines should be set back
a minimum of 26’ from the centerline of the
nearest track. Within this setback, a vegetated
buffer backed by a safety barrier that prevents
access should be provided.
12. Trails along streets should be set back to
provide a buffer from the traffic.
13. Through placement of amenities and use of
planting and lighting mitigation techniques,
design trails in a way that minimizes impacts
such as noise and lighting on neighboring
properties.
ORGANIZATION OF TRAIL
ELEMENTS
14. Trail alignment and plantings should be
designed to optimize visibility, to allow for
natural surveillance among users and minimize
conflicts between bikes and pedestrians.
15. Include amenities along the trail at intervals
that ensure user comfort. Opportunities to
sit or lean should be provided at least every
1/4-mile. Shaded areas with seating should be
provided at least every 1 mile. These amenity
zones should be located to take advantage of
hospitable conditions including shade, views,
and sound.
16. Locate permanent restrooms and drinking
fountains where trails intersection with City
parks.
FEATURES AND AMENITIES
17. Provide a diversity of trail amenities that attract and support different types of users, including
recreational users, commuters, children and
seniors.
18. Select non-heat conducting material for all
seating elements, such as wood, concrete, or
recycled plastic products.
19. Ensure that at least 50% of seating and picnic
areas are shaded, either through natural tree
canopy or installed shade structures (from at
least 11 am – 4 pm).
20. Select all paving, site furnishing, and
landscape materials based on durability as
well as aesthetic value.
21. Trail amenities such as picnic tables, drinking
fountains and benches shall be accessible to
all users and abilities and comply with current
state and national design standards that meet
or exceed the requirements of the Americans
with Disabilities Act (ADA) Standards for
Accessible Design and the California Building
Code.
LIGHTING AND FENCING
22. Use lighting to promote public safety and
security, following the principles of Crime
Prevention through Environmental Design
(CPTED).
23. Where appropriate, provide lighting to extend
the use of trails at night.
24. Design lighting systems and select fixtures to
minimize light pollution/spillage.
25. Require energy-efficient technology
when replacing existing or installing new
technologies, including light elements. Use
“smart” technology when possible, i.e. lighting
systems that adjust automatically depending
upon user patterns in buildings and parks.
26. Barriers and fencing must successfully
ensure privacy and prevent access, while also
supporting a good trail experience.
• Trails should be separated from the back
yards of private property by plantings
backed by fences, which should be eight
feet in height.
• Trails should be set back and buffered from
rail lines and arterial roadways.
• Trails should be separated from irrigation
canals by a 4-foot barriers that preserve
views of the canal.
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SIGNAGE
27. Provide standard trailhead signage that
identifies the trail name and promotes a
positive and consistent identity for East Palo
Alto’s trail system.
28. Place a standard, legally confirmed set of rules
in a visible and secondary location that does
not negatively impact the welcoming nature of
the trail entry.
29. Establish a standardized wayfinding system
to clearly identify trail route and destinations
as well as nearby civic, historic, cultural or
ecological landmarks.
30. Trail signage will:
• Vary by context. Signs at trailheads
and along off-street and on-street trail
segments will be designed and scaled
for their setting and the user groups they
serve.
• Be legible and accessible. Signage will use
lettering sized for visibility, and include
translation where needed.
• Leverage Other features. Signage may be
mounted on street furnishings or painted
on surfaces.
• Create identity. More than any other trail
element, wayfinding signs produce identity
for both the system and individual trail.
• Tell a story. Interpretive signage can tell
us about native peoples, subsequent
history, our environment, and our current
experience.
TRAIL WAYFINDING
Source: Caboolture to Wamuran Rail Trail, Dotdash
STORYTELLING ON TRAILS
Source: Atlanta BeltLine Westside Trail, photo by John Becker
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Trail cross-sections are conceptual
and generalized.. Trail development
will require detailed design .
Wayfinding signage
Multiuse trail
2' 10-12' 2'
Fence
Multiuse trail
2' 10-12' 2'
Vegetated
buffer
25' min. Varies
Street lighting
CL
Shoulder
Shoulder
FIGURE 5-1:
TRAIL THROUGH PARK OR OPEN SPACE (TYPICAL)
FIGURE 5-2:
TRAIL ALONG ACTIVE RAIL LINE (TYPICAL)
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5.4 SHARED SCHOOLYARDS
staffing, supervision, and security as deemed
necessary, at all times during which the facility
is used for City sponsored activities and
events.
7. The School District and the City should each
be responsible to pay a proportionate share
of the applicable operations and utilities costs
for the facility, including water and sewer,
electricity, gas and refuse disposal, and
custodial maintenance.
8. Common examples of programs include:
• Organized after‐school and weekend
athletic activities and events for adults and
youth,
• Informal, or “open,” public access/use of
school grounds and/or facilities,
• Community gardens.
9. Allocate liability risk and determine whether
and what type of indemnification to require.
Determine the types and amounts of insurance
to require (consistent with legal and risk
management requirements) and determine
the types of documentation to exchange or
require. Joint-use partners take responsibility
for their own share of liability.
10. Identify the method and responsibility for
repairing property, the method for calculating
the repair costs, and how to allocate those
costs.
11. Trees are particularly valuable and beneficial
on school property, as well as in parks. East
Palo Alto’s schools are severely lacking in
trees: public schools in East Palo Alto have
7.4% tree canopy cover overall. The Urban
Forest Master Plan established a 30% tree
canopy cover target for schools by 2062.
Shade trees and fruit trees would be especially
impactful for school children and park visitors
alike.
1. In order for schoolyards to successfully serve
as shared schoolyard space, they must have
typical recreation amenities that are expected
of parks.
2. Though these sites may have certain
restrictions inherent in their dual use, they
should provide a level of passive and/or
active recreation amenities as outlined in
the park-type definitions for neighborhood
or community parks. These amenities may
include enhanced landscape (including trees
with large canopies that provide shade), areas
for picnicking with tables and or benches, play
areas, nature viewing areas, and architectural
shade structures.
3. The design of site perimeters and boundaries
is especially important to consider at shared
schoolyard sites where there are distinct times
of public recreation use and school use. By
placing community-serving park amenities at
community-facing edges, these sites can be
inviting and permeable for public recreation. At
the same time, strategic placement of fences
and gates will help create clear and secure
boundaries as needed.
4. Schoolyards should allow community use to
the maximum extent possible after regular
school hours, ideally no less than twenty (20)
hours per week.
5. The schools should have exclusive use of
the facilities for a few hours before and after
regular school hours when school is in session.
During non-school hours, schools should have
a priority of use of the facility in scheduling
all school-sponsored athletics, activities, and
other functions.
6. Schools should be responsible for providing
staffing, supervision, and security during
regularly scheduled school hours when school
is in session, during any official, schoolsponsored activities that occur after school hours, and during other community events.
The City should be responsible for providing
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FIGURE 5-3:
EXAMPLE CONCEPT FOR A SHARED SCHOOLYARD SITE
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5.5 PRIVATELY-OWNED PUBLIC OPEN
SPACE (POPOS)
6. To ensure spaces of adequate size are
provided to serve the public and accommodate
the required amenities, the minimum area for
POPOS should be 2,000 square feet.
7. POPOs should have an average width and
depth of 40 feet.
8. Over time, no more than 20 percent of POPOS
should be indoor space and at least 80 percent
should be outdoor space. Once an indoor
space has been approved, another such
feature should not be approved until the total
square footage of outdoor open space features
approved exceeds 80 percent of the total
square footage of all open spaces approved.
9. The provision of outdoor space, including
off-site, should be given preference over the
provision of indoor space.
DESIGN FEATURES
10. Incorporate various features, including ample
seating and, if appropriate, access to food
service, which will enhance public use of the
area.
11. Provide adequate access to sunlight if sunlight
access is appropriate to the type of area.
12. To provide both sunny and shaded areas in
a POPOS and to foster success of plantings,
south-facing spaces are generally preferred,
unless particular lot configurations prevent
such orientation. Where lots do not have
south-facing portions or where the southfacing portions should be less than 40 feet in width, the open space is could face either
east or west. Open spaces should not be only
north-facing.
13. Ensure adequate lighting if the area is of the
type requiring artificial illumination.
14. Design spaces to be protected from
uncomfortable wind.
15. Any food service area provided in the required
open space should occupy no more than 20%
LOCATION AND ACCESS
1. The open space required may be on the
same site as the project for which the permit
is sought, or within 900 feet of it on private
property.
2. Spaces should be situated in locations such
that ingress and egress is easily accessible to
the general public.
3. All open space shall be publicly accessible, at
a minimum, from 7AM to 6PM every day
4. The sidewalk frontage of an outdoor open
space located adjacent to a street is required
to have a minimum 50% of its area free of
obstructions to provide ease of access.
TYPE
5. The project may satisfy the requirements by
providing one or more of the following types
of open space: a plaza, an urban park, an
urban garden, a view terrace, a sun terrace,
a greenhouse, a small sitting area, an atrium,
an indoor park, or a public sitting area in a
galleria, in an arcade, in a public street or alley,
or in a pedestrian mall or walkway.
POPO AT E 34 ST AND 1 AVE, NYC
Source: Hey! We’re Walking Here by Rich Mintz
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of the open space.
16. Projects should make efforts to include at least
one publicly-accessible potable water source
convenient for drinking and filling of water
bottles.
INDOOR SPACES
17. Provide a minimum floor-to-ceiling height of
20 feet for at least 75% of the space;
18. Spaces should be situated, designed, and
programmed distinctly from building lobbies or
other private entrances to the building;
19. Open spaces should be maintained at no
public expense. The owner of the property on
which the open space is located shall maintain
it by keeping the area clean and free of litter
and keeping in a healthy state any plant
material that is provided.
20. Require signages at key locations stating the
right of the public to use the space, the hours
of use, the location of the open space, and, in
cases where that space is not visible from a
major sidewalk, include directions to the open
space.
21. Open spaces should be ADA accessible in
design.
22. Abundant, well-designed, and comfortable
seating is one of the most critical elements of
public plaza design. POPOS should provide
ample seating which includes a variety of
seating types like moveable seating, fixed
individual seats, fixed benches, seat walls,
planter ledges, and seating steps. The seating
types should accommodate small groups
socializing as well as individuals engaged in
solitary activities. At least 50% of seats should
have back and arm rests.
23. Seating that is too narrow, too high, or too
short inhibits the usability of a space is
prohibited.
AMPLE SEATING SPACES
Source: Scott Strazzante, The Chronicle
ROOFTOP POPOS
Source: Crocker Galleria
INDOOR POPOS IN BUILDING LOBBY
Source: Jessica Christian, The Chronicle
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5.6 PARKS & STORMWATER
MANAGEMENT
GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE
1. Employ Low Impact Design (LID) practices
to increase opportunities for stormwater and
groundwater recharge by utilizing:
• Bioretention areas, to provide soil and
plant passed filtration services that remove
pollutants.
• Permeable pavers, to allow rainwater to
infiltrate on site.
• Rain barrels and cisterns, to retain and
store rainwater to be used for irrigation onsite.
• Soil amendments, including the addition
of compose and mulch, top soil, lime and
gypsum to help offset erosion and improve
their physical, biological and hydrological
characteristics so they are more effective
agents for stormwater management.
• Green roofs, which help mitigate negative
effects of urbanization on water quality by
filtering, absorbing, or detaining rainfall.
WATER STORAGE TANKS
1. During major park renovations or facilities
improvements, long-term and large-scale
stormwater management methods are
important to consider. In the example shown,
a playground area is rebuilt to include a major
stormwater retention basin hidden below
ground. The basin in this example serves the
broader neighborhood and reduces rainyday flooding by providing additional storage capacity and relieving the pressure on the
City’s storm drain infrastructure during major
storm events. Funding for these multi-benefit
projects can come from a wider range of
sources associated with both grey and green
infrastructure goals.
PLANNING FOR SEALEVEL RISE
1. The Strategy to Advance Flood protection,
Ecosystems and Recreation along the San
Francisco Bay (SAFER Bay) Project includes
plans for levee and seawall improvements
along the East Palo Alto shoreline. The
details of the location and height and type
of perimeter protection vary across the
landscape, but there is a general approach
towards aligning the Bay Trail with the top of
future levee embankments along the city edge.
Many considerations including impacts to
adjacent neighbors, impacts to wetlands and
other important habitats, and others, inform
the project.
EXAMPLE OF WATER STORAGE INFRASTRUCTURE
UNDER A CITY PARK (LIBERTY GREEN PITTSBURGH, PA)
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2. The EPA Parks Recreation and Open Space
Master Plan recommends and encourages
the design of the levee structure to provide as
much visual and active access and recreation
as possible. Figure 5-4 illustrates potential
iterations where the embankment slopes
are tiered to allow for activation on the City
side of the slope, and other options where its
possible to build up parks and open spaces
TYPICAL LEVEE TREATMENT
USABLE SLOPE
SUPER DIKE
FIGURE 5-4:
SAFER LEVEE TREATMENT
to reduce the steepness of the embankments
and allow for park activities to occur. Various
opportunities exist to ensure that the broader
community remains connected to the Bay Trail
and that any major investments provide much
needed open space and park amenities that
are compatible along the shoreline.
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5.7 URBAN LANDSCAPE ECOLOGY
RECREATION NEAR
SENSITIVE HABITATS
1. Site recreational uses along a gradient within
parks that are near sensitive habitats, from
low-impact to high-impact. Prioritize lowerimpact recreational uses, such as trails and native plant gardens, near sensitive habitats,
and high-impact facilities, such as playgrounds
and sports fields, the furthest away from
sensitive habitats.
2. Prioritize planting native landscaping in parks
near sensitive habitats.
3. Reduce night lighting, persistent human use,
and excessive noise near sensitive habitats.
Refer to the Model Lighting Ordinance
developed by the International Dark-Sky
Association and the Illuminating Engineering
Society of North America for guidance
on lighting within parks and open space
preserves in developed areas. Minimize natural
or built raptor perches or nesting habitat.
4. Develop interpretive signage, educational
programming, and volunteer clean-ups
and planting events near sensitive habitats
to engage the community in stewardship
of these natural resources and promote
integrating the local natural environment into
the community’s sense of place. Incorporate
nearby social activities, such as cook-outs
and music, into these programs and volunteer
events to promote attendance and community
connections to place.
5. Salt marsh harvest mouse (Reithrodontomys
raviventris), a species protected under the
Endangered Species Act, is found in the salt
marshes of the San Francisco Bay and can be
sensitive to some forms of park infrastructure
that promote predation by raptors and other
predatory birds. While the significance of
raptor predation on salt marsh harvest mice
populations is not well understood, threats
from predation are expected to intensify as
sea level rise causes more intense flooding in
tidal wetlands, forcing the mice to seek refuge
in the uplands (USFWS, 2010). In an effort to
reduce the impacts of predation, the U.S. Fish
and Wildlife Service recommends that habitatinappropriate trees, especially nonnative trees; power lines; and any other tall infrastructure
that provide perch and nest sites for raptors
and corvids should be removed from
marshes and their perimeter (USFWS, 2013).
Discourage feral cats, feeding stations, and
improper trash storage. Prohibit or limit dog
access near sensitive habitats and wetland
areas. Design guidelines should apply to parks
and open spaces within the RBD Shoreline
Parks Area.
6. Martin Luther King Jr. Park in particular will
require strategic tree plantings with input from
ecological experts due to its location near the
Baylands. Designers should consider restoring
native willow groves historically found at this
site to create a natural transition, or “ecotone,”
between the marsh and upland areas that will
be of high value for native wildlife.
SALT MARSH HARVEST MOUSE
Source: Shannon Skalos
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URBAN FORESTRY AND
HEAT MITIGATION
7. Maximize the number of trees planted in
appropriate areas. East Palo Alto’s Urban
Forest Master Plan (UFMP) recommends
planting approximately 2,700 new trees in the
City’s parks and recreation zones over the
next 40 years, in order to achieve 30% canopy
cover across its parks by 2062 (City of East
Palo Alto 2022).
8. Prioritize preserving and protecting existing
trees within parks, in addition to planting new
trees. Large, old trees provide more shade,
cooling, and habitat value than small, young
trees.
9. Select native tree species when feasible, based
on the habitat zones and species lists provided
in the East Palo Alto UFMP (See Habitat
Zones below). Native trees create a sense of
place and support local native wildlife, such
as songbirds, which in turn can also improve
mental health and recreational quality (e.g.,
Ferraro et al. 2020, Stobbe et al. 2022).
10. Select trees with upright habit and greater
trunk height to allow for clear sight lines
beneath the canopy.
11. Locate trees in areas where they have access
to large soil volumes to maximize tree health
and longevity. For trees planted along and
among streets, plazas, and parking lots,
maximize the size of tree wells and consider
the use of suspended pavement systems or
structural soils.
12. Ensure soil properties, particularly drainage,
are appropriate for the tree species selected.
13. To maximize their shade and cooling benefit,
plant trees on the south or west side of
recreational facilities and amenities, such
as picnic tables, sports fields, playgrounds,
buildings, and trails.
14. Vary tree planting configuration and species to
provide unique character to different parks and
use zones with parks.
15. Properly selecting and siting trees in parks can
also play a role in intercepting and infiltrating
stormwater. Trees planted in green stormwater
infrastructure features such as bioswales
should be selected to survive periods of
inundation and/or be drained by underdrains.
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HABITAT ZONES
16. Landscape and tree planting within parks
should, where possible, match the target
habitat zones developed in the East Palo Alto
Urban Forest Master Plan.
17. The zones, which vary across the city based
on historical, present, and projected future
conditions; the desired habitat types for
restoration; and ecological management in
that area. See Figure 6.2 on page 93 and Table
6.3 from pages 94 to 95 of the plan to refer to
the habitat zones developed by SFEI for East
Palo Alto (City of East Palo Alto 2022). These
zones were developed to support the City’s
adaptation to climate change, mitigate air and
noise pollution from the US 101 Highway, and
promote locally-native biodiversity. Specific
priority areas, including parks and schools,
highlight where people tend to spend time
outdoors and would benefit the greatest
from the urban forest. Each zone is described
below:
• The US 101 Highway Corridor zone
prioritizes planting trees that filter air
pollutants and act as an effective sound
wall.
• The Oak Woodland zone was informed by
the City’s historical ecology and prioritizes
planting native trees, particularly oaks,
in order to support a functioning and
productive urban forest.
IDENTIFY HABITAT ZONES
Use the habitat zone and priority map to identify
high-level strategic priorities and constraints for
selecting a species or planting palette.
DETERMINE LOCAL PLANNING CONDITIONS
Consider the local planting conditions to choose
the right tree for the right place. An arborist can
help identify the most important parameters to
consider.
CONSIDER ADDITIONAL BENEFITS AND
CONCERNS
What else is important to you? Identify the value
and traits you are interested in. For example, this
could include selecting to support birds, create
shade, or produce beautiful flowers.
EPA HABITAT ZONES
Source: SFEI, Urban Forest Master Plan
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• The San Francisquito Creek Riparian
zone promotes improving landscape
connectivity both for wildlife and for
people, in the form of recreation and active
transportation.
• The Salt Tolerant zone advances climate
resilience by encouraging planting trees
that are tolerant of saltwater intrusion,
which is predicted to become more
prevalent with climate change and sea
level rise.
• The Tolerant of High Water Table zone also
prioritizes planting trees that are resilient to
the projected impacts of climate change. In
this zone, sea level rise will result in rising
groundwater levels and increased flooding
and inundation.
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Packet Pg. 466 Attachment: Draft Parks, Recreation, and Open Space Master Plan (2618 : Approval of the Parks, Recreation, and Open Space Master Plan for D. APPENDICES – East Palo Alto Parks, Recreation and Open Space Master Plan SURVEY DATA • The online survey had 524 responses from individual households, and was conducted between September 30, 2021, to January 29, 2022.
• The survey included questions that asked participants a range of things, the reasons why they visited EPA parks, reasons that deterred them from going to parks, as well as questions that asked to rank their program and facility needs. • 79% of survey respondents live in EPA.
• The racial and ethnic demographics of survey respondents is representative of and closely aligns to the overall city population. (See Question 20 in the survey responses below.)
• According to Survey Monkey analysis, the number of survey responses is statistically significant (p=.05).
• Outreach for the survey was supported by the Nuestra Casa Promotoras group at food distributions centers and pop-up events, announced on the City Newsletter, and posted on several local Facebook groups and via City-sponsored Facebook ads. Printed posters and flyers were distributed through the community at grocery stores
1. Which City of East Palo Alto parks and/or recreation facilities do you visit most often?
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2. Which other parks and/or recreation facilities in East Palo Alto do you visit frequently?
3. Overall, how would you rate the parks and recreation amenities managed by the City of East Palo Alto?
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4. How often have you visited City of East Palo Alto parks and/or facilities?
5. What are the primary reasons that you or household members use parks and recreation facilities in East Palo Alto?
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6. What are the primary reasons that prevent you or household members from using City of East Palo Alto parks and recreation facilities more frequently?
7. What is the primary way you prefer to learn about City of East Palo Alto recreation opportunities and park programs?
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8. What is your primary way of reaching your most visited park?
9. How far are you willing to walk or bike to reach a recreation facility or park?
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10. What would most encourage you to walk or bike more often to a park/recreation facility?
11. Please rate how your needs for parks and recreation facilities/amenities in the City of East Palo Alto are being met using a scale of 1 to 5, where 5 means they are "100% Met" and 1 means "0% Met".
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12. Which FIVE facilities/amenities are MOST IMPORTANT to you?
13. Please rate how your needs for parks programming in the City of East Palo Alto are being met using a scale of 1 to 5, where 5 means they are "100% Met" and 1 means "0% Met".
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14. Which FIVE programs are MOST IMPORTANT to you?
15. How safe do you feel when visiting parks in East Palo Alto? Use a scale from 1 to 5, where 1 means not safe and 5 means very safe.
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16. How can we best address safety in parks? Check all that apply.
17. Which FIVE actions would you be MOST WILLING to support?
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18. Tell us more about your vision for the future parks and recreation system in East Palo Alto! What would you like to see? How would you like to be involved? • "Being a 25+ year EPA native my vision for future parks and recreation system is having a safe and secure place for the community overall"
• "Less drugs and crime more family"
• "I would like to see a safer way to get to the parks by walking" • "If parks could be clean and well-maintained and if the bathroom facilities could be open, clean, and safe, that would be amazing!"
• "For parks to be well taken care of such as being cleaned, kept proper." • "Clean, accessible facilities that speak to the residents of EPA" • "I'd like to see more trees planted in parks. More places to lounge and relax." • "I would like to see more public art"
• "I would like to see more benches and picnic tables"
• "I would like to see summer live music in the parks & annual community events. Dog parks" • "More community events: outdoor movies, art shows, music/events in the parks… I would love to volunteer!"
• "It would be great to see more sports fields and gyms as well as more walking trails" • "A dog park!"
Survey Demographics:
19. What is your gender identity?
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20. What is your racial or ethnic identity?
*Compared to City Census Demographics
(2021,
https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/eastpaloaltocitycalifornia): • Hispanic or Latino: 61% • White or Caucasian: 10% • Black of African American: 11% • Asian or Asian American: 5% • Another race: 5% • Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander: 5% • American Indian or Alaska Native: 1%
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21. Are you a person living with a disability or mobility issue?
22. How old are you?
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23. How do you describe yourself?
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-person Pop-up event 1: EPA Tree Lighting on December 4, 2021
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-person Pop-up event 2: Legends Event on December 17, 2021
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-person Workshop 2, on February 26, 2021
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WORKPLAN
INTRODUCTION
This Workplan is a supplemental document to the Parks, Recreation, and Open Space Master Plan (“Plan”). The goals of the Workplan are to accomplish the following:
1. Establish a prioritization process to aid with implementation of the Plan;
2. Identify resources need to assist staff with implementing the Plan; and
3. Provide staff with direction regarding future partnership and relationship management with other relevant agencies and organizations.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Objective #1 | Advance Key Park Projects to “Shovel Ready” Status Objective #2 | Solidify Relationship with the Senior Center, Inc. to Enhance Services for Seniors Objective #3 | Pursue Joint-Use Agreement with Ravenswood City School District Objective #4 | Develop Staffing Plan to Ensure Responsive Parks and Recreation Services Objective #5 | Require Developers in the Ravenswood Business District to Provide Parks and Open Space as Elements of their Project
Objective #6 | Develop a Community-Led Initiative to Reimagine the SFPUC Easement in the University Village Neighborhood
Objective #7 | Consider Additional Minor Upgrades in Parks as Described in the Plan
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OBJECTIVES AND RECOMMENDED ACTIONS
Objective #1 (“O1”) | Advance Key Park Projects to “Shovel Ready” Status O1 | Description
The City is in the process of redesigning both Martin Luther King, Jr. and Bell Street Parks. To date, the City has invested in outreach, design work, and environmental clearance of each park and will likely complete with these two processes in the near future.
O1 | Recommended City Council Actions
To advance these two projects, staff recommends that the City Council consider, as part of the FY 2023-2024 budget process, appropriating additional funding for staff and various consultants to complete the Plans, Specifications, and Estimates (PS&Es) to bring both projects to a “shovel ready” status.
It is worth noting that the redesign of Martin Luther King Jr. Park assumes expansion through the County-owned parcel located at the end of Beech Street. The City and County remain engaged in these discussions and no funding on the PS&E’s would be spent until more clarity around the City’s potential acquisition of this site are known.
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Packet Pg. 486 Attachment: Workplan (2618 : Approval of the Parks, Recreation, and Open Space Master Plan for East Palo Alto) Objective #2 (“O2”) | Solidify Relationship with the Senior Center, Inc. to Enhance Services for Seniors
O2 | Description
Since May 2022, the City and Senior Center, Inc. have been engaged in a collaborative process to identify strategies to ensure that our community of older adults are provided with the support they need to thrive. The City and Senor Center, Inc. are committed to building a stronger relationship with the ultimate goal of a more seamless partnership in which the hallmarks of mutual communication, support, and understanding of needs are evident and ongoing.
O2 | Recommended City Council Actions
To facilitate the advancement of these discussions, staff recommends that the City Council:
1. Identify a consultant to work with the Senior Center, Inc. to complete a needs assessment and determine the type of assistance and organizational modifications that may be needed to better serve residents;
2. Pursue County funding to expand services to the City’s seniors;
3. Develop, in partnership with the Senior Center Inc., a fundraising strategy to expand senior services in the City; and
4. Initiate a site-feasibility study to determine the necessary resources and processes to build a new Senior Center, potentially connected to a senior affordable housing development.1
1 This item was recommended as part of the City’s Facilities Master Plan which was approved in December of 2021.
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Packet Pg. 487 Attachment: Workplan (2618 : Approval of the Parks, Recreation, and Open Space Master Plan for East Palo Alto) Objective #3 (“O3”) | Pursue Joint-Use Agreement with Ravenswood City School District O3 | Description
The Ravenswood City School District (Ravenswood) owns several athletic fields that are leased by local sports teams. However, all of these fields are in poor condition and in dire need of rehabilitation. For the past two years, the City and Ravenswood have been actively engaged in the development of a plan to rehabilitate two fields in exchange for the City and community utilization during non-school hours.
The City Council has expressed the desire to invest in the construction documents to advance the Los Robles Ronald McNair playfield in exchange for City access to the field, once completed.
O3 | Recommended City Council Actions
Staff recommends that the City Council:
1. Direct staff to work with Ravenswood to develop draft terms of a Joint-Use agreement;
2. Return to the City Council for considerations of the terms of an agreement and, if the City Council desires, to appropriate the funding; and
3. Partner with Ravenswood to embark on capital fundraising to rehabilitate the field at Los Robles Ronald McNair.
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Packet Pg. 488 Attachment: Workplan (2618 : Approval of the Parks, Recreation, and Open Space Master Plan for East Palo Alto) Objective #4 (“O4”) | Develop Staffing Plan to Ensure Responsive Parks and Recreation Services O4 | Description
For the last three years, the City has invested substantially more resources into ensuring the City’s parks are activated, residents have services to choose from, expanding the relationship with the Senior Center and capital planning. As noted in the Plan, the City will need to further invest in staffing of the City’s Parks and Recreation function.
O4 | Recommended City Council Actions
To ensure that the City has adequate and appropriate levels of staffing, staff recommends consideration of the following staffing changes as part of the FY 2023-2024 budget process:
1. Consider adding a Director of Parks and Recreation position; and,
2. Add a Recreation Coordinator with a sole focus on overseeing the City’s relationship with the Senior Center, Inc. and expanding senior services elsewhere in the City.
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Packet Pg. 489 Attachment: Workplan (2618 : Approval of the Parks, Recreation, and Open Space Master Plan for East Palo Alto) Objective #5 (“O5”) | Require Developers in the Ravenswood Business District to Provide Parks and Open Space as Elements of their Project
O5 | Description
Public parks may be built by private developers. With several major initiatives underway, an exciting opportunity exists in the potential combination of public and private sector assets in novel ways to create new and refurbished parks, greenways, trails, and other community spaces in our cities without direct expense by the City and current residents. The City and developers may negotiate the capital costs of construction as well as future operations and maintenance. The Ravenswood/4 Corners District (RBD) represents the largest opportunity for park growth in EPA’s recent history. The four principal projects within the RBD hold the potential to contribute an additional 21 acres of parks and open space to the City’s inventory.
O5 | Recommended City Council Actions
Direct staff, as part of the RBD update process, to advocate with developers to include substantial park and open space amenities within their project.
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Packet Pg. 490 Attachment: Workplan (2618 : Approval of the Parks, Recreation, and Open Space Master Plan for East Palo Alto) Objective #6 (“O6”) | Develop a Community-Led Initiative to Reimagine the SFPUC Easement in the University Village Neighborhood
O6 | Description
The City has an opportunity to pursue the creation of a public linear park atop the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission’s (SFPUC) right-of-way in the University Village neighborhood. The linear park would create a direct connection for residents to the Bay Trail, along with safe passage to the future EPA Waterfront. For this project to succeed, a conditional use agreement will need to be established between SFPUC and Mid-Peninsula Open Space to coordinate the construction and management of the park.
Due to the proximity of the SFPUC easement near many single-family homes, staff recommends that the City provide funding for the University Village neighborhood to facilitate a community process that will result in an initial reimagining of this space.
O6 | Recommended City Council Actions
Staff recommends that the City set aside funding, as part of the FY 2023-2024 budget process, for the University Village neighborhood. With City Council direction and input from stakeholders, staff will proceed with development of a strategy for advancing the community led process.
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Packet Pg. 491 Attachment: Workplan (2618 : Approval of the Parks, Recreation, and Open Space Master Plan for East Palo Alto) Objective #7 (“O7”) | Consider Additional Minor Upgrades in Parks as Described in the Plan O7 | Description
The Plan identifies several, more modest investments that may be made to enhance the City’s existing parks, which are not currently being included in a redesign process.
O7 | Recommended City Council Actions
Staff recommends that the City include these potential improvements into the City’s Capital Investment Plan (CIP) so that they may be considered of the next few years.
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