GRASS VALLEY
City Council Regular Meeting, Capitat lmprovements Authority and Redevetopment "Successor Agency"
Tuesday, Septembet 27, 2022 al7:00 PM
Council Chambers, Grass VaLtey City Hatt | 125 East Main Street, Grass Vattey, Catifornia Tetephone: (530) 274'4310 Fax: (5301274'4399
E-Mail: [email protected] Web Site: www.cjtyqfga!5yalley.!94
MINUTES
CALL TO ORDER
Meeting catted to order at 7:02 pm
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
Mayor Agutar ted the ptedge of attegiance.
ROLL CALL
PRESENT
Councit Member Bob Branstrom
Councit Member Hitary Hodge
CounciI Member Tom lvy
Vice Mayor Jan Arbuckle
Mayor Ben Aguilar
AGENDA APPROVAL .
Motion made to approve the agenda by Vice Mayor Arbuckte, Seconded by Counci( Member Branstrom,
Voting Yea: Council Member Branstrom, CounciI Member Hodge, Councit Member lvy, Vice Mayor Arbuckle, Mayor Aguitar
REPORT OUT OF CLOSED SESSION
No ctosed session.
INTRODUCTIONS AND PRESENTATIONS
'1. Waste Management Recycting and Services
PUBLIC COM 'IENT
-
Virtual Comments attached. ln person pubtic comment: Robin Davis, Att Bough, and Sherri Bernedett
CONSENT ITEIAS .
Motjon to approve consent as submitted by CounciI Member Hodge, Seconded by Councit Member Branstrom.
Voting Yea: Councit Member lvy, Vice Mayor Arbuckte, Mayor Aguitar
2. Approvat of the Regutar Meetjng Minutes of September 13, 2022.
Recommendation: Councit approve minutes as submitted.
3. Assembty Bitt 361 Resotution
Recommendation: Adopt resotution R2022-75 authorizing remote teteconference meetings of the City Councit and other tegistative bodies of the City pursuant to government code section 54953(e)
4. Local Emergency Proctamation (COVID-19)
Recommendation: Continuance of Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) proctamation dectaring a Local State of Emergency
5. LocaI Emergency Proctamation (Drought Conditions)
BgcommenSlgllgn: Drought Conditions proctamation dectaring a Local State of Emergency
6. Locat Emergency Proclamation (Winter Storm of December 27th, 202'l) Recommendation: Winter Storm of Decembet 271h,2021 proctamation dectaring a Locat State of Emergency
7. Memorandum of Understanding between the City of Grass Vatley and County of Nevada to memoriatize funding commitments to support emergency services programs and projects.
Recommendation: That Councit 1 ) reyiew the attached Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the County of Nevada; 2) adopt Resotution No. 2022-xx approying the Memorandum of Understanding ("MOU") between the County of Nevada ("County") and the City of Grass Valtey ("City"), contingent upon voter approval of the Nevada County Wjtdfire Prevention, Emergency Services, and Disaster Readiness Transactions and Use Tax ("Measure V"); and 3) authorize the Mayor execute MOU, subject to tegal review.
8. Acceptance of donation from the Nevada County Law Enforcement & Fire Protection Councit (NCLFC)
Recommendation Approve the Potice Department to accept the proposed donation by the NCLFC
9. New Job Description for Parks Senior Maintenance Worker Recommendation: That Councit approve the new job description for Parks Senior Maintenance Worker.
ITEA{s REMOVED FROIA CONSENT CALENDAR FOR DISCUSSION OR SEPARATE ACTION AND /
OR ANY ADDED AGENDA ITEAAS
REORGANIZATION RELATED lTEl,tS
City of Grass VatLey, CA MINUTES September 27, 2022
PUBLIC HEARING
ADMINISTRATIVE
10. Downtown Streetscape lmprovements Project - Update and Design Approvat Bgggmmg!C4!9n: That Councit 'l ) receive an update on the project schedule and 2) review the proposed finat design etements and provide direction to staff.
Bjorn Jones, City Engineer, gave presentation to the councit.
CounciI asked about growth rate of trees, the merchants seating options, musjc on the street, and what side is the project starting on.
Pubtic Comment: At Btuf, Pauta Newman, Penny Short, Lity Pittand, Robin Davis, Jacob McDonatd, Steve Desina, Tarze Etliot, Ben Yang
Break at 8:40 pm meeting resumed at 8:46 pm.
CounciI asked for ctarification of the schedute for construction. They had discussion about seating. Councilmember lvy wanted more upscate seating. Councitmember Branstrom discussed; his concerns of the teaf clean up during fatt and maintaining trash pick up, he woutd tike to have the ptanters capped but coutd wait to see if its needed and do at a later date, having four benches with a tota( of two in each btock, the need for drop off zones on both ends, pubtic tabtes for dining, and minimizing the disruption to the merchants. Councitmember Hodge discussed; wanting too took for other options for the tree grates, tree choices, and cobbte cotors. Councitmember Arbuckte discussed; wanting to took at other tree choices for Mitt St, that seating needs to be timited and pubtic tabtes are necessary, the loading zones, Mayor Aguitar discussed; woutd [ike to minimizing seating and took at different tree choices, and have a rendering of capped benches brought forward to councit.
Break at 9:30 pm meeting resumed at 9:36pm.
11. Basetine Tennis Club Proposal
Recommendation: That Council approves City staff to execute a Facitity Use Agreement with Basetine Tennis Ctub for use of City tennis courts, subject to [ega[ review.
Zac Quentmeyer, Community Services Anatysit, gave presentation to the counci[.
CounciI questjoned how many courts and the courts that woutd be utitized for this contract, what is the commitment from the club to the city to hetp maintajn the facitities, what are peak and non peak hours.
Pubtic comment: Rick Partridge, Greg, Chetsee Lynch, Linda Newman, Steven Livin, Rachel Pennya, Gena Fair, Pau[ Swarchs, Greta watson, windy Baker, Sharle Lugan, Dave Henniger, Emont Retira, Bitra Shervise, Branda
Council discussed a one year trial of the ctub, and the possibitity to have staff look into a City ran reservation system.
Motion made to Approve Easelines Tennis Ctub's request for a Facil.ity Use Agreement for a one year trial and approve the use of the courts during non-peak use hours (typicat(y tate morning and earty afternoon). Two courts at Devere Mautjno Park for two hours during one weekday and two hours during one weekend City of Grass Vattey, CA MINUTES September 27, 2022
day each week by Mayor Aguitar, Seconded by councjt Member Branstrom. voting Yea: Council Member Branstrom, CounciI Member Hodge, Mayor Aguitar voting Nay Vice Mayor Arbuckle Voting Abstaining: Councit Member lyy BRIEF REPORTS BY COUNCIL A.IEMBERS
Councitmember lvy had nothing to report. Councitmember Hodge wants to encourage everyone to come to the Votunteer Fair that is hosted at the Nevada County Fair Grounds.
Councilmember Branstrom attended the Gotd Country Senior Services Meeting, FDR Constitution Day Parade, and a River Cats Game. vice Mayor Arbuckte attended the GVDA Merchant meeting, the RCRC Conference, a Transit Services Commission Meeting, River Cats game, the Rudiger Foundation Dinner, and a concert that the Center for the Arts. Mayor Aguitar had nothing to report.
ADJOURN
Meeting adjourned at 10:47 pm
Ben Aguilar, l{ayor Taylor , Deputy City Clerk
Adoption Date .\o Lo1:L
City of Grass Vattey, CA MINUTES September 27, 2022
3 branches from the December storm last year, overgrown weeds and shrubs, and because of the overgrowth we have seen people dump trash like a bathtub, people passed out in the bottom of the lot, and kids are going down there to hang out and access the back yards of neighboring properties.
Thank You,
Jedidiah
5 Taylor Day
From: Greta Watson
Sent: Tuesday, September 27, 2022 11:58 AM
To: Public Comments
Subject: More messages against the Baseline club that Zac didn't include Here are more messages that Zac didn't include in your packet:
The petition that Zac did include had over 70 signatures so far, all from currently playing tennis players. If given more time, we could probably double or treble that. Most tennis players are adamant about this small group not getting preferential treatment.
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Hi Zac,
I thought that Dan's response was pretty revealing: they don't want to wait for a court. They want special treatment. We all have to wait for a court at some time. They should not be exempt. The more I learn about them, the more I am upset about their wish for preferential treatment where none should be granted.
I talked to one of the Pickleball club members, who mentioned that Rick had come to them and asked for and copied their bylaws. Also, pretty revealing. While the Pickleball club seems to be a real club, the Baseline club seeks only to avoid waiting for courts. The Pickleball club has a website, consists of more than 60% of the area pickleball players, has teaching pros who play pickleball, and is well organized. Although I'm not in agreement with their being allowed to have reserved courts, it seems they have a plan, and that can't be said of the Baseline group.
It makes sense now that two pickle ball players on Saturday August 13 morning tried to come on the tennis court to use it for pickleball. It was during the pickleball time reserved for club members only. I guess the two guys didn't want to shell out the $60 annual fee so they could play then. I had to call the police before they decided to leave. If the Baseline group gets their way, then tennis players will be displaced. And we can't just go on the pickleball courts and take them over. We have no recourse.
I hope this play for preferential treatment in avoiding waiting for a court gets shot down pretty fast! It is just plain selfish of these players, and should not be considered further.
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Hi Zac,
While running errands this morning, I stopped by Memorial Park and noticed only two courts were in use. Joao, a member of Baseline club, was hitting against a ball machine on one. He and I chatted for a couple minutes, and he did not know about the attempt of the club leaders to allow them to reserve courts. He also mentioned that Sundays were the most problematic for them to get courts. 6 My questions is, wouldn't it hurt tennis for them to get weekend reservations because that's the time when families go out and play tennis with their kids? ------------------------------------
A PickleBall Member sent this to me:
Rick Partridge approached the GVPC (Grass Valley Pickleball Club) asking us to support him in his efforts to launch a tennis club.
We declined.
We want to be like Switzerland.
Neutral.
But GVPC sees 2 glaring problems with our understanding of what the tennis club is proposing.
First
Our GVPC membership is very large.
Most people who play pickle ball within a 15 mile radius of Memorial Park belong to GVPC.
It is not a select few.
Second
Pickle ball is nothing like tennis.
Pickle ball is 4 people playing a 15 minute game.
When it's over
We get off the court
We have a sign up board and the next group goes out.
We intermingle and have fun.
Tennis is 6 game set, win by 2, or go to a tie breaker.
It takes a lot of time.
So no, GVPC does not support the tennis club and we wish to remain neutral enjoying our excellent cooperation with the park department.
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Hi Zac,
Do you have any clue when the City Council will be addressing the so-called "Baseline Club" request to reserve courts?
Today at Memorial Park, I talked to a couple of tennis singles players who have been playing at Pioneer Park as well as Memorial Park. They said that they're always having to remove pickle ball markings from the tennis courts at Pioneer. And, there are pickle ball markings on both upper and lower courts at Memorial Park. I haven't been to Mautino Park lately so don't know about that.
Apparently, the non-members of the Pickle Ball Club want to play during the clubreserved times as well, and have resorted to marking up and playing on the tennis courts. I hope that the two new pickle ball courts at Memorial Park be considered as open play and no reservations to be allowed. That would allow the non-members at least a chance to play pickle ball when the other courts are reserved by the club.
On to tennis. After I played on Memorial Park lower courts this morning, I went to the upper courts to see what was going on. The two singles players on the near court said they'd be done soon. I told them I wasn't looking for a court, just to ask a question. The four on the far court, members of the Baseline Club, butted in and asked what question. Answer: "Have you seen and read the green blurb?" At that point, I started explaining to the two on the near court, at which time the four on the other court, including Dan's wife, came over to 7 "educate" me. When I ignored them and continued with the two nearby, the four said I was wrong and they didn't want the two to sign the petition. Fortunately, the two on the near court did listen to me and signed the petition that Brenda has set up.
Again, the four on the far court are singing the same refrain as the others I've met in their so-called club: it's hard for us to get two courts without us being allowed to reserve. They think they are entitled to do that, and it doesn't matter to them that they are getting a privilege the rest of us don't get. They think they are not being privileged or elitist. Who are they kidding? And, then there's one other thing: to be in that so-called club, you have to pay dues. The two non-Baseline players on the other court said that you shouldn't have to pay to play on public courts, and they were against the reservation system as well.
P.S. I call it the "so-called ... club" because the bylaws are copied from the Pickle Ball Bylaws; there does not appear to be a website; nor have I heard of a way to sign up for the "club"; and they claim not to have set up reservation hours. I've heard from others that they want the prime-time hours of all morning on Tuesdays, Fridays, and Sundays. Not good!
------------------------------------------------------- Hi Zac,
Today I was taking a lesson and saw a couple of friends in the parking lot. I stopped my lesson and ran out to the parking lot to talk to these friends and apprise them of what the so-called baseline club is trying to do: make reservations on public courts. When I got my petition out, one of the players on the other court (Rick Partridge) came running out and immediately accused me of having wrong information, without listening. When I told him he was wrong, and went on with talking to my friends, he went back to his group and said I was spreading lies about their group.
The two women were happy to sign. As soon as I mentioned that the so-called club was trying to be allowed to get reservations, the two women said that it just wasn't right. Nobody should be able to get reservations on a public court, and both signed the petition.
I came back to my lesson, and once again, Rick and his friends started attacking me, and saying I don't know what I'm talking about. They were quite rude. I was rude right back. I'm sick of being accosted and accused of wrongdoing when I'm not doing anything wrong! Anyway the nasty words flew both ways. This needs to stop!
The only way it will stop is if the so-called club does not get to reserve courts. Each time they accost me they tell a different story. First it was 10- 12 people, and they wanted three mornings a week, Tuesday, Friday, and Sunday. Next it was 25 people. Now it's 30 and they say they only want one morning a week. Frankly, I'm tired of their lies. Dan, Dan's wife, and now Rick, seem to be the ringleaders of this hostility.
I spoke to a couple of them, Joao and Beatrice, after all had finished playing. I told the two players that I had read the bylaws, been in contact with 8 you, Dan, and others, and that I was interested in two things: that they wanted to make reservations, and that they charge a membership fee. That would make them a privileged group. Even if their membership is growing a few people at a time, they're not contributing to tennis. They are just recruiting tennis players who are already playing tennis, so it sounds like they're doing something for tennis.
If any group can get reservations based on nothing but desire to be able to do so, then maybe the rest of us should petition the city to do the same. It would lead to chaos, and be completely against what public tennis courts have always been: first-come first-served. It has worked for the 23 years I've lived here. Reservations and fees are not needed! Don't fix what isn't broken. This is not pickle ball.
This group has now accosted me two times, and tries to turn it around saying I accosted them. I want them to leave me alone! I want to play tennis without being accosted and called names. And I want to have the right to ask if people have read the green blurb without being attacked.
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Hi Zac,
I'm glad I stopped by and talked with you. It's always nice to put a face to someone with whom one has been communicating.
Something you said about a possible testing arrangement of court usage made me think of something I believe in: trust but verify.
The club should provide a membership list at each checkpoint, with the experience in months and years of each member and that member's self-assessment of level of play. If they group is actually growing the game, the numbers should increase, players new to tennis should show up, and level of play should increase to a certain point. Everyone tops out sometime.
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Hi Zac,
I have never heard of a tennis facility, whether private or public, allowing a permanent reservation by a player or group of players. Reservations have been possible only if that player or group did not have any other reservations pending, and only up to a few days ahead of the reservation date. In addition, players reserving on public courts have had to pay a fee.
For example, public facility Cuesta Park in Mountain View accepts reservations on two courts (of the 35 public courts in Mountain View). Court fees for reservations depend on whether one lives in Mountain View and upon time of day, and range from $11/hour to $15/hour, with light fees an additional $5, and can be made up to a week in advance.
In every public facility that I have played on across the USA, if reservations are possible and a fee charged, that facility has had an employee on site at all times the courts were open for play.
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12 2) Tennis is not played like Pickleball and should not be compared to pickleball. Pickleball is an easy game to learn and matches last around 15 minutes. People rotate in and out around the courts in a "round robin" fashion. It is easy for players of different levels to play together. In tennis, you play singles with one other person, or doubles with 3 other people of your same level and there is no rotating in and out. Because of this, most of us would be excluded from this group simply by the fact that they are not a compatible match up in either their level of play or in the manner in which they want to play. Being in that we are excluded from this group for those reasons, now they would be getting an unfair advantage in that they get guaranteed, reserved court time and the rest us don't.
3) Public courts have always operated on a first come, first serve basis with 60 minutes for singles, 90 minutes for doubles. This is how it has been done without conflict in our public parks since the tennis courts were built. I, for one, will not yield a court to them until after I've played my 60 or 90 minutes. If they have exceeded their 90 minutes, I will let them know they need to relinquish the court. Everyone else I have spoken to feels the same way. So now that this conflict has been created, are we going to start calling Law Enforcement intervention for tennis courts??…I can certainly see many verbal arguments on the horizon.
In summary, it is not fair to grant this SMALL group of specific friends special privilages to grab the court time they want during peak playing hours because they've put together a pretty package for the city promoting a fake tennis club that they made up. If they want to be able to reserve court time, they should join a private club such as Ridge Racquet Club or South Yuba Club.
We will be putting together a petition and obtaining signatures to show the city exactly how much of the tennis community is against this.
Thank you for reading and considering all of the above points.
Name obscured
15 advance. Many places prevent a player from reserving a court if that player or group already has an upcoming reservation.
5. The Baseline group has no concrete plans to improve tennis, and is making this request only to avoid having to wait for courts. Since that's not really an issue, they have no reason for their request. If the city council allows these reservations, what's to prevent other groups of tennis players from demanding equality and reserving the courts for their use? Where does it end?
6. The players who have signed the petition to deny the Baseline group's request far outnumber the number of players who are claimed by the Baseline group as members. And, how many of them are actually active members of the Baseline group? How many have dropped out when they found they weren't of the same skill level as the others? At the time of this e-mail, 70+ players have signed the petition against the Baseline group. The members claimed by Baseline have variously been stated as a dozen, about 25, or about 30. In any case, that's less than half of the current count against their request.
7. Grass Valley allows the pickle ball club to have reserved hours. During those hours, players not in their club have marked up the tennis courts on both the lower and upper courts at Memorial Park, as well as at Pioneer Park. Those markings are irritating and distracting to tennis players, who have had to try to get rid of them. Perhaps it was not a good idea to have permanent reservations by the pickle ball club? It is definitely not a good idea to do so for the Baseline group, as they are a small minority of tennis players in this area.
Thank-you.
Greta Watson