Agenda Item No. 5
CITY COUNCIL STAFF REPORT
TO: Honorable Mayor and City Council DATE: April 10, 2023 FROM: Matthew Bronson, City Manager
PREPARED BY: Greg Ray, Public Works Director/City Engineer Erin Wiggin, CIP Manager
SUBJECT: Direction for Final Design for Ramona Garden Park Project (CIP 1259) Phases 1 and 2 and Authorize Application for Community Development Block Grant
RECOMMENDATION
Receive an update on the design including input from the Parks, Recreation, and Beautification Commission; and provide direction for the final design of Phase 1 and Phase 2 of Ramona Garden Park CIP 1259; and authorize staff to apply for a Community Development Block Grant in the amount of $3 million for the project.
BACKGROUND
Ramona Garden Park is a two-acre park bounded by 9th and 10th streets to the west and the east and Ramona Avenue and Brighton Avenue to the south and north. It is a multi-use facility that includes the Community Center, exterior public restrooms, an open plaza area, drought tolerant landscaping, a water features and a large open turf area that makes up most of the park area.
Ramona Garden Park is the focal point for many events in Grover Beach such as the Stone Soup Music Festival, Summer Concert Series, Halloween activities, City tree lighting ceremony and Santa’s Workshop.
In 2020, the Council adopted the Ramona Garden Park Master Plan (shown in Attachment 1).
This Master Plan provides a high-level “road map” for the City to utilize in planning and reconstructing the park. The Master Plan also assists with recommended phasing of the construction as funding permits. Refer to Attachment 2 for the Phasing Diagram. In 2022, the Council awarded the park design to Wallace Group to produce construction documents.
As part of the design process, staff sought input from the Parks, Recreation, and Beautification Commission (PRBC) and the Council for the playground (Phase 1 of the planned park construction) at a joint meeting in November 2022. At the March 30, 2023 Special Meeting, the PRBC received a presentation on the preliminary design of Phase 2 of the Master Plan, which includes the amphitheater, concert stage and plaza area. The preliminary cost estimate for Phase 2 is $1.7 million, however this estimate is from 2020 and costs have increased since then. The PRBC provided recommendations for elements of the Phase 1 playground design (restrooms) and on elements of the Phase 2 (amphitheater and band shell) for the Council’s consideration.
Staff is now seeking Council’s direction on these elements of Phase 1 and Phase 2 and the final design will be completed based on the selected concepts. The following page includes additional information about these design elements. Staff would note that the draft five-year Capital Improvement Program (CIP) presented to the Council on March 27 recommends deferring funding Staff Report: Ramona Garden Park Design (CIP 1259) Page 3 April 10, 2023
for construction of park improvements until FY 2025-26 given other General Fund funding needs over the next two years. However, staff is requesting design direction at this time in order to finalize the design work this fiscal year and position the City for potential grant funding for construction.
Playground – At the joint workshop with Council and the PRBC, the Play and Park Option was selected with modifications such as the addition of swings, changing the color scheme and enhancing the play elements for the 2-5 age group. In February, staff shared the updated playground design with the PRBC. The PRBC has recommended that Council approve the design as shown in Attachment 1. Staff supports this recommendation and is recommending approval by Council.
Restrooms near Playground – The cost for the restrooms is approximately $250,000-$300,000 for a three-person restroom based on the selected finishes. A four-person restroom is approximately $300,000-$325,000. Staff is seeking input on the style and capacity as shown in Attachment 4. Options identified include:
1. Shed style roof
2. Gable style roof
3. Shed style roof with wood cladding
The PRBC recommended proceeding with a three-person restroom but did not provide specific input regarding the architectural style and features. Staff supports the PRBC recommendation for a three-person facility and recommends the Council approve an option that is consistent with the selected bandshell. Should Council select Option 3 for the bandshell (discussed below), staff would recommend the restroom with the shed style roof and wood cladding.
Amphitheater - The master plan shows an amphitheater composed of concrete seat walls.
Options identified by staff and the design consultant are shown in Attachment 2 and are listed below with expected cost impacts:
1. Sloped lawn – Remove the existing water feature and maintain a sloped lawn condition similar to what exists today. This could reduce costs by approximately $70,000.
2. Small block wall seating area – provide a small block wall seating area only at the front; this could reduce costs by approximately $30,000.
3. Concrete seat walls with grass seating as shown in master plan; included in cost estimate.
The PRBC recommended that Council proceed with the concrete seat walls as shown in the master plan. Staff supports this recommendation and is recommending approval by Council.
Bandshell – The master plan includes a bandshell with the intent to use the side at the plaza for smaller events. The options are shown in Attachment 3 and are listed below:
1. Wood bandshell with fiberglass shingled roof – included in original cost estimate.
2. Steel frame bandshell with curved roof – increases cost by $60,000.
3. Steel frame bandshell with curved roof alternate design – increases cost by $90,000.
The PRBC recommended that Council proceed with a bandshell similar to Option 3. The commission also reiterated the need for a dance area near the stage, and also asked about the height of the bandshell which is not known at this time. Staff supports the PRBC recommended Option 3 and is recommending approval by Council. Based on Council direction, staff will work Staff Report: Ramona Garden Park Design (CIP 1259) Page 3 April 10, 2023
with the design consultant to determine the appropriate height of the bandshell and to design a suitable space for dancing.
Phasing, Project Funding and CDBG Application - The total cost of the Ramona Garden Park Rehabilitation project was previously estimated at $4.8 million but this cost will likely be higher given current market conditions. Phase 1 was previously estimated at $1.3 million and now estimates are approximately $1.7 million. The preliminary estimate for Phase 2 is also $1.7 million.
The project is included in the City’s five-year CIP, however due to budget constraints, the project is being deferred until FY 2025-26, as previously mentioned.
Lastly, staff has recently been informed of the possibility of an opportunity to apply for a Community Development Block Grant (CDBG that could provide funding for this project. The City has historically been successful with CDBG applications for water line work and the process for this grant is similar with the most recent CDBG funding with an over-the-counter application requiring a shovel ready project. Staff notes that this project would likely only be eligible for the CDBG if the Phase 2 construction of the amphitheater is included with the subsequent provision of free or low-cost events and activities for the City and region. The maximum grant application is $3 million and would not fully fund both phases. The PRBC recommended that Council authorize staff to apply for the CDBG funds. While funding is limited, staff the PRBC recommendation that the City submit an application for CDBG funding following completion of the project design of Phases 1 and 2 which staff anticipates would occur this summer.
FISCAL IMPACT
The construction estimate for Phase 1 is approximately $1.7 million. Previous estimates for Phase 2 were also $1.7 million for a total of an estimated $3.4 million for both Phases. The project is included in the City’s five-year CIP, however due to budget constraints, the project is recommended to be deferred until FY 2025-26. The maximum CDGB application is $3M. Should the City be awarded the grant, staff will return to the Council with recommendations to modify the CIP or identify alternative funding for the remaining construction costs.
ALTERNATIVES
The Council has the following alternatives to consider:
1. Receive an update on the design including input from the Parks, Recreation and Beautification Commission; and provide direction for the final design of Phase 1 and Phase 2 of Ramona Garden Park CIP 1259; and authorize staff to apply for a Community Development Block Grant in the amount of $3 million for the project; or
2. Provide alternative direction to staff.
PUBLIC NOTIFICATION
The agenda was posted in accordance with the Brown Act.
Attachments
1. Playground
2. Phasing Design
3. Amphitheater
4. Bandshell
5. Restrooms
Attachment 1
Attachment 2
Attachment 3
17'-0"
2'-0"
34'-0"
ROOF OVERHANG
FLOOR/ROOF FRAMING PLAN
STEEL CONNECTOR
C.L. BACK OF ARCH TO C.L. BACK
15'-0"
30'-0"
(R-1)
BACK OF ARCH TO BACK OF ARCH
OF ARCH
2'-0"
FRONT ELEVATION
ROOF
4 12
REAR ELEVATION
4 12
2" X 8" D OR BETTER
CEDAR FASICA
LAMINATED ARCH
5" X 10 5/8" S.Y.P.
TREATED .60 PCF
LAMINATED ARCH
5" X 10 5/8" S.Y.P.
TREATED
(A-2) (A-2)
(A-1) (A-1)
(R-1) (R-1) (H-1)
(H-1)
(H-1)
CLASS "A" FIBERGLASS ARCHITECTURAL SHINGLES WITH A 30
YEAR WARRANTY, TO BE INSTALLED PER MANUFACTURER'S
INSTRUCTIONS, OVER 30# FELT AND #1 2"X 6" S.Y. PINE T & G
DECKING WITH VEE GROOVES ON FINISH FACE
60.00° TYP.
60° 10'-0" (BOTTOM OF HEADER)
SCALE: NTS
NOT FOR CONSTRUCTION
WWW. CEDARFORESTPRODUCTS.COM
800-552-9495
WEST OLIVE, MI 49460
P.O. BOX 145 PRELIMINARY
CEDAR FOREST PRODUCTS
Attachment 4
SHEET
REVISION:
PROJECT NAME:
PRELIMINARY ID:
DRAWN BY:
DATE:
COPYRIGHT 2004, ICON SHELTER
SYSTEMS, INC.
0344 ΚΗΜΒΝΚΜ ≅Υ∆−
ΓΝΚΚ≅ΜΧ ΛΗ+ 38312
505−285−/808
7//−637−/874
505−285−/833 ΕΩ
DISTINCTIVE STEEL SHELTERS
WWW.ICONSHELTERS.COM
BUILDING TYPE:
DWG:
QF-73-01-42
Engineering\AcadStandard\Blocks\Titles\ICONPRETB Elevation 78215
TBV33X17TG-P5
RGB
2/8/2023
1.0 ineering\Standards\TBV\33X17\TG-P5-20-90-60\Drawingsreliminary\TBV33x17TG-P5-20-90-60~78215.dwg A
PRELIMINARY:
NOT FOR
CONSTRUCTION
12 3
\A1;6"
\A1;8'-3{\H1x;\S13#16;}" REF.
\A1;14'-7{\H1x;\S9#16;}" REF.
\A1;GRADE \A1;GRADE
Attachment 5
Restrooms range from $250,000-$300,000
based on selected finishes (3-person) or
$300,000-$325,000 based on selected
finishes (4-person)