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CITY OF GLENDALE, CALIFORNIA
REPORT TO THE CITY COUNCIL
AGENDA ITEM
Report: Authorize submission of project application and acceptance of California Department of Parks and Recreation, Office of Grants and Local Services grant funds for “Fremont Park Renovation" approved in the 2023-2024 state budget.
1. Resolution to authorize filing of project application for Fremont Park Renovation through California Department of Parks and Recreation, Office of Grants and Local Services (OGALS), and accept grant funds in the amount of $933,000 from July 1, 2023, through June 30, 2027, through a legislatively specified grant in the 2023-2024 state budget; and authorize the City Manager, or a designee, to conduct all negotiations, sign and submit all documents, including, but not limited to, applications, agreements, amendments, and payment requests, which may be necessary for the completion of the project scope.
COUNCIL ACTION
Item Type: Consent Calendar
Approved for March 26, 2024 calendar
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The California Department of Parks and Recreation, Office of Grants and Local Services (OGALS), awarded the City of Glendale legislatively specified grant funds in the amount of $933,000 for “Fremont Park Renovation” from July 1, 2023, through June 30, 2027, as approved in the 2023-2024 state budget. Staff is requesting authorization to accept the grants funds and file a project application for the Fremont Park Renovation project through OGALS.
The Fremont Park Renovation Project is a complete redevelopment of the entire park site and includes: a new community building (tennis club house, meeting rooms, rentable space, kitchenette), an artificial turf soccer field, a splash pad, picnic pavilions, picnic tables, benches, water fountains, barbecues, pickleball courts (dual use with basketball), walking path around the perimeter of the park, tennis shade structure, tennis court benches, and exercise equipment. The Project also includes renovating or replacing a children’s playground, restroom structure, picnic tables, and turf, as well as adding 26 additional parking spaces.
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The Fremont Park Renovation Project construction duration is estimated at 18 months, during which time the entire park will be closed to expedite the work and to keep the public safe from the construction activities. During construction, a temporary mini park has been developed across the street on Patterson Avenue with seating areas and restrooms to accommodate current parkgoers.
RECOMMENDATION
City Council should authorize filing a project application to the California Department of Parks and Recreation, Office of Grants and Local Services (OGALS), for “Fremont Park Renovation” and accept grant funds in the amount of $933,000; and authorize the City Manager or a designee to conduct all negotiations, sign and submit all documents, including, but not limited to, applications, agreements, amendments, and payment requests, which may be necessary for the completion of the project scope.
ANALYSIS
Fremont Park, consisting of approximately eight acres, is located adjacent to the Glenwood and Vineyard Neighborhoods south of Glenoaks Boulevard and west of Pacific Avenue. It is one of the oldest neighborhood parks in the city, having been constructed in 1922 with numerous heavily used amenities including: eight tennis courts, children’s play equipment, a wading pool, a basketball half-court, a sand volleyball court, open fields, a rose garden and numerous picnic areas clustered under the park’s mature trees.
On October 8, 2019, the Council adopted Resolution No. 19-135, adopting plans and specifications for the Fremont Park Renovation Project, Specification No. 3624.
On August 8, 2023, the Council adopted Resolution No. 23-113, executing a construction contract with Dorado Design and Construction, Inc. for the Fremont Park Renovation Project in the amount of $21,750,220 with a 10% reserve for contingencies in the amount of $2,175,022.
Construction of the Fremont Park Renovation Project started; Fremont Park has been closed since October 16, 2023, and will remain closed through early 2025.
The Fremont Park Renovation Project encompasses a thorough redesign of the entire park area, including the construction of various amenities, such as a new community building, soccer field, splash pad, picnic areas, pickleball courts, walking paths, and more. Additionally, existing facilities like the playground and restroom structures will undergo renovation or replacement, alongside improvements to parking capacity. The construction phase is estimated to span 18 months, during which the park will be closed for safety reasons. To accommodate park users during this period, a temporary mini park has been established nearby. Grant funding for the project, totaling $933,000, has been awarded by the California Department of Parks and Recreation, Office of Grants and Local Services, as part of the 2023-2024 state budget. Staff is seeking 3{{section.number}}b
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authorization to accept and utilize these grant funds for the renovation project. The funds will provide critical improvements to the park that has served Glendale families and youth for decades.
STAKEHOLDERS/OUTREACH
As part of the master planning and conceptual design process, two community meetings were held to engage the community and solicit input as part of the master plan. The first meeting was held on Saturday, April 11, 2015. About 50 participants took a walking tour of the park and then broke out into small groups and acted as landscape architects for a day by preparing initial planning maps that explored ideas for the park’s renovation. At the end of the exercise, each group was asked to present its plans and explain what the participants would like to see added/changed/kept the same in the park. There was also a questionnaire provided for the attendees to provide written feedback. David Volz Design (DVD) gathered all the feedback from the community meeting and the written responses, reviewed the feedback with CSP staff, and prepared three different master plan conceptual designs that were shared with the community at the second community meeting.
The second meeting was held on the evening of Wednesday, May 27, 2015, which about 50 community members attended to review the three versions of conceptual master plans for the park. DVD presented each plan and explained the features. At the end of the presentation, DVD asked for a show of hands as to which plan the attendees favored; the majority of the attendees favored Schematic B, which was the plan recommended for Council review and approval, with minor adjustments to address further feedback received from the community and city departments, including the Police Department.
After this extensive community outreach process, the final master plan was prepared and presented to the Parks, Recreation and Community Services Commission on November 16, 2015, which, on December 8, 2015, recommended that staff take the final master plan to City Council for approval.
FISCAL IMPACT
The grant amount of $933,000 was appropriated on August 8, 2023 (Resolution No. 23- 114).
The existing appropriation is specified below:
Existing Appropriation
Amount Account String Funding Source
$933,000 GL: 52100-4090-CSP-0020-P0000-
PL: PWD01093AG
CIP
Reimbursement
Fund
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ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW (CEQA/NEPA)
This project is Categorically Exempt under the provisions of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) as a Class 2 exemption pursuant state CEQA Guidelines, Section 15302.
CAMPAIGN DISCLOSURE
This item is exempt from campaign disclosure requirements.
ALTERNATIVES TO STAFF RECOMMENDATION
Alternative 1: Do not authorize filing a project application in the amount of $933,000 from the California Department of Parks and Recreation, Office of Grants and Local Services (OGALS), which risks losing the grant funds and not having enough funds to complete the project.
Alternative 2: The City Council may consider any other alternative not proposed by staff.
ADMINISTRATIVE ACTION
Submitted by:
Onnig Bulanikian, Director of Community Services & Parks Prepared by:
Amirah Limayo, Senior Administrative Analyst
Tereza Aleksanian, Deputy Director of Community Services & Parks Approved by:
Roubik R. Golanian, P.E., City Manager
EXHIBITS/ATTACHMENTS
N/A