City of Sacramento
City Council - 5PM Report
915 I Street Sacramento, CA 95814
www.cityofsacramento.org
File ID: 2023-01488 12/12/2023 Consent Item 5.
21st Avenue Park Site Plan
File ID: 2023-01488
Location: District 6, Represented by Vice Mayor Guerra
Recommendation: Pass a Motion: 1) approving the 21st Avenue Park Site Plan.
Contact: Dennis Day, Landscape Architect, (916) 380-8813, [email protected]; Jason Wiesemann, Park Planning, Design and Development Manager, (916) 808-7634, [email protected], Department of Youth, Parks, & Community Enrichment Presenter: None.
Attachments:
1 - Description/Analysis
2 - 21st Avenue Park Site Plan
Description/Analysis
Issue Detail: The Department of Youth, Parks, & Community Enrichment (YPCE) recommends approving the 21st Avenue Park Site Plan to convert two blocks of an existing 21st Avenue Parkway median for the proposed 3.25-acre neighborhood park located at 21st Avenue between 60th and 64th Streets, Sacramento, CA 95820. The 21st Street Parkway median is one of the largest city street medians and is a landscape with irrigated turf under mature deciduous and coniferous trees. The community uses the street median as an open space for passive recreation. The Department of Public Works maintains the street median and is planning the redesign and renovation with water- efficient irrigation, elimination of turf, and planting with drought-tolerant and native landscaping to meet the state’s water conservation mandates for street median landscapes. YPCE has partnered with Public Works to jointly plan and redesign the street median and park concurrently. YPCE has planned a neighborhood park on two sections of the street median, to provide needed parkland in the park-deficient area.
The proposed Park Site Plan includes the following amenities: open turf areas, concrete walking and bicycle paths, a 4’ fenced children’s playground, two cornhole games, park benches, individual and group picnic areas with regular and accessible tables, a pollinator garden with a decomposed granite
File ID: 2023-01488 12/12/2023 Consent Item 5.
path, interpretive signage, trash receptacles, bike racks, a drinking fountain, stormwater swales with groundwater rechange, bark mulch areas, low maintenance and drought tolerant landscaping and trees, and the preservation of existing trees.
Policy Considerations: Providing parks and recreation facilities is consistent with the City’s strategic plan to achieve sustainability and livability and to expand economic development throughout the City.
The adoption of a park site plan is consistent with the park development process set forth in the Park and Recreation Plan.
Economic Impacts: Not Applicable.
Environmental Considerations: California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA): The Environmental Planning Services Division has reviewed this project and determined that it is exempt from the provisions of CEQA, under Class 1, 3 & 32, Sections 15301, 15303 & 15332. The project consists of the development of the various park features at an existing street median and involves a limited number of new, small facilities and structures and installation of visitor-serving amenities. The project also qualifies as an infill project because: (a) the project is consistent with the applicable general plan designation and all applicable general plan policies as well as with applicable zoning designation and regulations; (b) the proposed development occurs within city limits on a project site of no more than five acres substantially surrounded by urban uses; (c) the project site has no value as habitat for endangered, rare, or threatened species; (d) approval of the project would not result in any significant effects relating to traffic, noise, air quality, or water quality; and the site can be adequately served by all required utilities and public services.
Sustainability: The proposed 21st Avenue Park Site Plan has been reviewed for consistency with the goals, policies, and targets of the City’s Climate Action Plan for Internal Operations 2016 Update, the 2035 General Plan, the 2018 YPCE Strategic Plan, and the Parks and Recreation Plan 2005-2010.
The park will advance the goals, policies, and targets of these plans by reducing greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution through the addition of trees, including native and drought-tolerant plantings, and improving the health of all residents through access to a diverse mix of wellness activities. Individual products have not been chosen at this level of development, but the design will include products from recycled materials, if available, and tree and shade covering for minimal heat gain to reduce urban heat islands. The park development will include sustainable design and maintenance guidelines, including the City’s Model Water Efficient Landscape Ordinance (MWELO), low impact development (LID) strategies to infiltrate stormwater and reduce run-off, and River Friendly landscaping program practices by using water efficient irrigation upgrades controlled by the centralized irrigation system, and water/energy efficient appliances.
Commission/Committee Action: The park site plan was recommended for approval by the Parks and Community Enrichment Commission at its November 2, 2023, meeting, with the following revisions: adding a children’s playground and walkway on 64th Street to the pollinator garden and
File ID: 2023-01488 12/12/2023 Consent Item 5.
removing the ping pong table. The PCEC also recommended the increase of turf area on 64th Street and addition of a dog waste station; however, these recommendations are not supported by YPCE and were not included in the site plan. This is due to the project goal of maximining water efficient and low maintenance landscaping and providing a buffer from the traffic. Dog waste stations are not provided by park maintenance in any City parks due to the ongoing costs to replace the waste bags.
The park trash receptacle is used to dispose of dog waste. Staff is open to partnerships with the community to provide and upkeep the dog waste stations, similar to existing partnerships in other city parks. YPCE staff did modify the plan to include the children’s playground and walkway on 64th street, and has removed the ping pong table based on the PCEC’s input.
Rationale for Recommendation: The proposed 21st Avenue Park Site Plan was designed with community input obtained from an online survey, posted for three weeks, and closed on June 2, 2023. The online survey asked the community for their input on renovating two parcels of an existing street median, to create a neighborhood park.
A public meeting was held on October 4, 2023, to ask the community to vote between two proposed park site plans which were designed based on the park amenities suggested by the online community survey. City staff and the landscape architect consultant who designed both the street median renovation plan and the park site plan heard the public’s main concern was safety due to the adjacent street traffic. The community wanted paths in the renovated median for pedestrians and dog walking, but did not want a dog park. The children’s playground received mixed reviews through the survey and community meetings. Those opposed stated safety concerns from the adjacent street traffic and potential noise. The community also wanted turf areas for passive recreation, drought- tolerant and native landscaping, and a pollinator garden. The park site plan reflects the communities’ input from the public meeting. Development of this site as a neighborhood park will be contingent on collaborating with Public Works Department to identify appropriate traffic calming measures and safe pedestrian access to the park.
Financial Considerations: There is no funding for the proposed park site improvements. Once the park site plan is approved, staff will seek potential funding opportunities, such as City or CDBG funding, or state and federal grants to improve the park.
Future development of the park site will create ongoing cost for park maintenance and utilities. This park site is not located in a Community Facilities District (CFD)and is not eligible to receive maintenance funding from the CFD. Funding for ongoing maintenance and utilities will need to be identified prior to the acceptance and construction of the future park. The annual maintenance cost for this 3.25-acre park is anticipated to be approximately $20,000 per acre or $65,000.
Local Business Enterprise (LBE): Not applicable.
MATCHLINE SEE ABOVE RIGHT
MATCHLINE SEE BELOW LEFT
SECTION B
SECTION A
63RD
STREET
63RD
STREET
64TH STREET
ANTONIA
COURT
21ST AVENUE21ST AVENUE
21ST AVENUE
21ST AVENUE
21ST AVENUE
21ST AVENUE
21ST AVENUE
ORTEGA
STREET
62ND STREET
62ND STREET
61ST
STREET
CABRILLO
WAY
CABRILLO
WAY
CIBOLA
WAY
60TH STREET
CIBOLA
WAY
61ST
STREET
EX. UTILITY
POST, TYP.
ACCESSIBLE
CROSSING
IMPROVEMENTS
BIKE RACK,
TYP. OF 4
TRASH RECEPTACLE, TYP.
PICNIC
TABLE, TYP.
EX. MAINLINE, TYP.
BENCH, TYP.
POLLINATOR WALKING PATH
• 4’ WIDE DECOMPOSED PATH
• INTERPRETIVE SIGNAGE
PICNIC AREA, TYP.
• PICNIC TABLE
• ADA PICNIC TABLE
OPEN TURF LAWN AREAEX. STREET
LIGHT, TYP.
EX. UTILITY
POST, TYP.
EX. IRRIGATION
CONTROLLER, TYP.
EX. POWER LINES, TYP.
PARK SIGN
ACCESSIBLE CROSSING IMPROVEMENTS
ACCESSIBLE CROSSING
IMPROVEMENTS
EX. STREET
SIGN, TYP.
EX, BIKE RACK,
TYP. OF 4
PLAY AREA:
• PLAY EQUIPMENT FOR 5-12
YEAR OLDS
• 4’ PLAY AREA FENCE & GATE
• BENCHES
• TRASH RECEPTACLE
PICNIC AREA:
• CORNHOLE (2)
• PICNIC TABLES
• ADA PICNIC TABLES
• TRASH RECEPTACLE
6’ CONCRETE
PATH, TYP.
4’ DECOMPOSED
GRANITE PATH, TYP.
CONCRETE
DECOMPOSED GRANITE
OPEN TURF LAWN
BARK MULCH ONLY
DROUGHT TOLERANT
GROUNDCOVER & LOW SHRUBS
STORMWATER TREATMENT PLANTING
AREA
PROPOSED DROUGHT TOLERANT/
SEASONAL INTEREST TREE
PROPOSED DROUGHT TOLERANT/
FLOWERING TREE
EXISTING TREE
LEGEND
TOTAL PARK SIZE: 3.25 ACRES
21ST AVENUE PARK SITE PLAN
21st Avenue, Sacramento, California
CALLANDER PROJECT NUMBER: 22031B | DATE: 10.13.2023 | CALLANDER ASSOCIATES
SECTION B
VARIES
TURF AREA
VARIES
10’-0” MIN.
TREE PLANTER
VARIES
12’-0” MIN.
TREE PLANTER 4’-0” DECOMPOSED
GRANITE PATH
6’-0”
CONCRETE
PATH
EX. TREE, TYP.
PROPOSED
SHADE TREE,
TYP.
PROPOSED
ACCENT
TREE, TYP.
EX. UTILITY
POLE
21ST AVENUE
ONE WAY TRAFFIC
HEADING EAST
21ST AVENUE
ONE WAY TRAFFIC
HEADING WEST
SECTION A
VARIES
PLANTER
VARIES
PLANTER
4’-0” DECOMPOSED
GRANITE PATH
4’-0” DECOMPOSED
GRANITE PATH
VARIES
PLANTER
PROPOSED
DROUGHT
TOLERANT
TREE, TYP.
EX. TREE, TYP.
21ST AVENUE
ONE WAY TRAFFIC
HEADING EAST
21ST AVENUE
ONE WAY TRAFFIC
HEADING WEST
21ST AVENUE PARK SITE SECTIONS
21st Avenue, Sacramento, California
CALLANDER PROJECT NUMBER: 22031B | DATE: 10.13.2023 | CALLANDER ASSOCIATES
PING PONG TABLE
CORNHOLE
PICNIC TABLES
DECOMPOSED GRANITE PATH
BENCH
TURF LAWN AREAS
STORMWATER TREATMENT
DROUGHT TOLERANT PLANTING
POLLINATOR WALKING PATH
21ST AVENUE PARK SITE INSPIRATION
21st Avenue, Sacramento, California
CALLANDER PROJECT NUMBER: 22031B | DATE: 10.13.2023 | CALLANDER ASSOCIATES