DATE: DECEMBER 5, 2023
DEPARTMENT: LIBRARY COMMUNITY SERVICES DEPARTMENT
FROM: KRISTAN LUNDQUIST, LIBRARY AND COMMUNITY SERVICES DIRECTOR BY: JOSE ARREOLA, COMMUNITY SAFETY ADMINISTRATOR
TITLE: CLOSTER PARK IMPROVEMENT PROJECT SCHEMATIC DESIGN RECOMMENDED MOTION:
A motion to receive and accept the completion of the schematic design for the Closter Park Improvement Project.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:
On December 8, 2021, the California Department of Parks and Recreation Office of Grants and Local Services (OGALS) selected the City of Salinas Closter Park Improvement Project application for funding. The grant award is for $6.8 Million Dollars and will fund a comprehensive renovation of Closter Park. In 2023 additional funding in the amount of $314,517 was allocated by the City Council to help cover the project design and management costs. A schematic design has been developed by BFS Landscape Architects using the information gathered from park users through extensive community engagement efforts in 2021 and again in 2023.
BACKGROUND:
In July of 2019, the Salinas City Council adopted the Parks, Recreation and Libraries Master Plan (PRLMP). The Master Planning effort in 2019 included a full assessment of our park, recreation, and library facilities. The PRLMP represents a community engagement effort that connected with thousands of residents and community leaders over eighteen (18) months. The plan assessed the state of our current park, recreation, and library facilities and engaged residents to prioritize the need for maintenance. Following this assessment and the community engagement process which included over two thousand community engagement touch points Closter Park was ranked as the highest priority based on community need, significance, funding leverage, safety/security, usage/benefits, and location/demographics. Closter Park is heavily used by the community and hosts hundreds of people daily on the basketball courts, large playground, multiple ball fields, in the community center and jogging or walking around the park.
Following the recommendations of the Master Plan, staff has worked diligently to secure funding sources to renovate Closter Park. This included applying for the very competitive Prop 68 Statewide Park Development and Community Revitalization Program. This grant opportunity made possible by the passage of Proposition 68 allowed the City to apply for up to $8.5 million dollars for eligible projects. Closter Park was an ideal project for this grant opportunity. The intent of the prop 68 funded Statewide Park Development and Community Revitalization Program is to create new parks and recreation opportunities in critically underserved communities across California. The Closter Park Improvement Project location met all grant requirements and could instantly turn the little league field and its amenities into one of the best in the region.
On December 8, 2021, the California Department of Parks and Recreation Office of Grants and Local Services (OGALS) selected the City of Salinas Closter Park Improvement Project application for funding. The grant award was for $6.8 Million Dollars and will fund a comprehensive renovation of Closter Park. OGALS received 468 total applications and Salinas was one of 112 successful applicants. A key to our successful application was our extensive community engagement for the grant and having a strong Parks, Recreation and Libraries Master Plan. The Salinas City Council officially accepted the grant funding on February 15, 2022.
Extensive community engagement was done to ensure that ideas from the community were made part of the conceptual design submitted as part of our application to the State of California. Starting in November 2020 through to February 2021 we held six community meetings via zoom and three in person pop ups at Closter Park. We engaged with 129 residents and park users most of whom live within a half mile radius of the park. Over 2,500 Salinas residents were interacted with on our social media platforms on posts regarding our Prop 68 application. Residents shared with us the elements of the park they love, their concerns about the park and of course what they would like to see added or improved to the park. Our survey data shows that the top use of the park is for walking and jogging.
As a result of this data, a ten-foot-wide fitness loop, a half mile long with downlighting for security, fitness stations and a decomposed granite surface are key elements of the conceptual design. New restrooms, concession stands and built-in Amphitheatre style seating at the plaza are all community driven elements of the conceptual design. Refurbished baseball fields and bleachers will make Closter Park one of the nicest in the Salinas Little League system.
Concept Plan Prepared for Prop 68 Grant Application (March 2021) On December 13, 2022, the City Council authorized the City Manager to enter into a Professional Services Agreement (PSA) between the City of Salinas and BFS Landscape Architects (BFS) for program and construction management for the Closter Park Improvement Project. The PSA includes a scope of:
1. Project management
3. Community engagement
4. Design development
6. Construction oversight
Additional community engagement was conducted by city staff and our design partners at BFS from May to June of 2023 to get more specific preferences on the playground, skatepark and other amenities to be included in the final design. Four pop-ups, held at Closter Park, and an online survey was hosted over two months. A total of 80 park users participated in the new rounds of engagement. This included direct coordination with the National Little League to ensure their programmatic needs were addressed. As part of our engagement City Staff and BFS were scheduled to present this report at the November 8, 2023, Library and Community Services (LCS) Commission ahead of this council meeting. This meeting of the LCS Commission was cancelled due to lack of quorum.
Here is a summary of this year’s outreach and images of the updated schematic design and new park amenities:
Preferred Playground Theme : Sea Explorer
Priority Amenity at Playground: Surfacing
Most Requested Playground Equipment: See-Saw
Priority Amenity for Caretakers: Seating
Preferred Skate Space Style: Hybrid of Street and Transition Features Concept Plan Prepared for Prop 68 Grant Application (March 2021) Updated Concept Plan (October 2023)
Preferred theme and playground elements
Preferred Skate Park Elements
Preferred Fitness Station Elements
Steep increases in construction and amenities costs over the last three years have made our initial cost estimates too low. The project team has worked together finding creative ways to minimize the cost through a process of collaborative value engineering. Since this is a grant funded project, we needed to include all the elements we identified in our application, though we did have to reduce the scale of many of the elements to stay within budget. BFS Landscape Architect’s presentation will review the work done to–date and illustrate selected features and cost analysis for the Closter Park Improvement Project.
CEQA CONSIDERATION:
Categorical Exemption. The City of Salinas has determined that the project is exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guideline (Section 15300, Class 2) because it involves replacement and reconstruction of an existing structure.
No Significant Impact. The City of Salinas has determined that the project is of no significant impact under 24 CFR 58.32 – National Environmental Policy Act. No factors were found to be significant on a stand-alone basis.
STRATEGIC PLAN INITIATIVE:
This item relates to the City Council’s Strategic Plan of Infrastructure and Environmental Sustainability, Public Safety as well as Youth and Seniors.
DEPARTMENTAL COORDINATION:
The Library & Community Services Department has coordinated and collaborated with the Public Works, the Police and Community Development Departments to include discussing this grant opportunity and how it supports implementation of the Parks, Recreation and Library Master Plan and the Alisal Vibrancy Plan.
FISCAL AND SUSTAINABILITY IMPACT:
There is no cost associated with this action.
ATTACHMENTS:
BFS Landscape Architects PowerPoint Presentation
Image Boards
Page | 3
Page | 1
CITY OF SALINASCOUNCIL STAFF REPORTCITY OF SALINASCOUNCIL STAFF REPORT
CITY OF SALINAS
COUNCIL STAFF REPORT
CITY OF SALINAS
COUNCIL STAFF REPORT