MEETING REPORT
DATE: July 27, 2023 MEETING DATE: July 26, 2023
FACILITATOR: Pat Healy MEETING TYPE: Community Meeting #3 RECORDER: Daniel Correia MEETING TIME: 6:00pm
PROJECT NAME: Lakewood Park
Renovation &
Enhancement Project
PROJECT NUMBER: 2201200
MEETING LOCATION: Zoom
ATTENDEES: Bennett Chun, City of Sunnyvale
Nate Scribner, City of Sunnyvale
Jim Stark, City of Sunnyvale
Dan Furton, City of Sunnyvale
Mark Baginski, Verde Design (VDI)
Pat Healy, VDI
Daniel Correia, VDI
Rich Parker, VDI
Community Members – see attached zoom roster.
COPY TO: File
FILE NAME & PATH: y:\projects-sc\2022\2201200 - sv lakewood park renov #f22-080\meeting items\2023-07- 26 community meeting #3\2023-07-26 community mtg #3 meeting report.docx
MEETING REPORT
REVIEW / COMMENTS
This report, if not corrected within seven (7) days after receipt by any party in attendance, shall be acknowledged as an accurate report of the events that took place at this meeting.
MEETING CONTEXT: Community Meeting #3
MEETING PURPOSE: Introduce project, share community input, and present preferred concept plan INTENDED RESULTS: 1. Introductions, Meeting Agenda, and Project Milestones
2. Project Goals
3. Site Overview
4. Community Input Recap
5. Preferred Concept
6. Revisiting Project Goals
7. Project Milestone Recap
8. Q&A Session
9. Conclusion
10. Next Steps
ITEM DISCUSSION AND ACTION
I. Introductions, Meeting
Agenda, and Project
Milestones
I. Introductions –
a. Bennett welcomed everyone to the meeting, defined the goals for the meeting, and set some ground rules for the meeting format. i. One concept plan will be presented during the meeting. ii. Please be courteous and direct questions to meeting hosts, further questions can be directed to City staff via email. b. City Staff/Design Team Introduction
i. Bennett introduced the City representatives at the meeting and then handed the meeting to Pat who introduced the Verde team.
c. Meeting Agenda
Attachment 4
PROJECT NAME: Lakewood Park Renovation &
Enhancement Project
MEETING REPORT FOR: Community Meeting #3
PROJECT NO.: 2201200 MEETING DATE: July 26, 2023
MEETING LOCATION: Zoom REPORT DATE: July 27, 2023
ITEM DISCUSSION AND ACTION
2 i. Pat shared the meeting agenda and timeline as well as the project milestones and opportunity for community input (past and future).
II. Project Goals I. Pat shared the Citywide Park Goals, Lakewood Park Project Goals, and Initial Park Program
a. Parks of the Future Study (2008) identified high-level goals to guide the development of future park projects within the City i. Goals included a heavy reliance on community input, reflection of community diversity and history, and anticipating future preferences of the community and recreational trends.
b. Project goals
i. The City identified project goals for the project tied to Green design/construction principles, sustainability, energy efficiency, and reduction of maintenance and operations costs.
ii. These goals can be achieved through reduction of high maintenance, and high water-use areas, and
energy/infrastructure upgrades.
c. Project program
i. The City identified several possibilities for improvements at the beginning of the process, but this list of improvements is only a suggestion; the final project programming has been driven largely by community input
III. Site Overview I. Pat explained the park’s context and history. a. The park was originally established in the 1960s with incremental improvements added over time.
b. A new branch library will start construction toward the end of 2023. c. The site is bordered by Lakechime Dr to the north, Silverlake Dr to the east, residential to the south, Lakewood Elementary and future library location to the west.
d. The site is owned in part by the City of Sunnyvale, Sunnyvale School District, and the City & County of San Francisco
e. The park theme is “Outer Space.”
IV. Community
Input Recap
I. Pat then recapped the project’s community outreach efforts starting with the first round of community input that asked about the community’s perception of the existing park and wish list items.
a. Community Meeting #1 (January 12
th, 2023 - 29 participants)
b. Community Survey #1 (Jan 19 th-Feb 2nd,2023 - 160 responses) II. The second round of community input asked for the community’s response to 4 design concepts.
a. Community Meeting #2 (May 4
th, 2023 – 27 participants)
b. Community Survey #2 (May 5 th-May22nd, 2023 – 304 responses) c. Park Pop-Up (May 9 th, 2023)
III. Pat explained how the input received help the design team and City staff refine the project scope and program while taking into account the project budget.
V. Preferred Concept I. Preferred Concept:
a. Pat shared the ‘Preferred Concept’ that was developed from feedback obtained from previous community input as well as direction from City staff.
i. Circulation overview
1. Replacement and expansion of interior pathways
ii. Planting overview
1. Native/adaptive planting areas
2. +/- 40 new trees for shade and buffer between use
areas
Attachment 4
PROJECT NAME: Lakewood Park Renovation &
Enhancement Project
MEETING REPORT FOR: Community Meeting #3
PROJECT NO.: 2201200 MEETING DATE: July 26, 2023
MEETING LOCATION: Zoom REPORT DATE: July 27, 2023
ITEM DISCUSSION AND ACTION
3 iii. Multi-use synthetic turf field
iv. New natural grass field
v. All-inclusive playground
vi. Tot lot & exercise equipment
vii. Dog park
viii. Splash pad
ix. New restroom buildings
x. Picnic areas
xi. Event space at new library
xii. Court lighting improvements
xiii. Skate park improvements
VI. Revisiting
Project Goals
II. Project Goals
a. Pat shared the checklist of project goals and how the proposed improvements achieve those goals regarding:
i. Reducing Water-Use
ii. Reduction of High-Maintenance Areas
iii. Improving Energy Efficiency
b. Going into further detail, Pat shared some information on the maintenance and resource usage differences between synthetic turf and natural grass. He also shared several exhibits regarding the natural grass reduction strategy, energy efficiency & lighting upgrades, and measured paths.
i. Reduction of irrigated areas by 42%
ii. Efficient rotors and drip irrigation in landscape areas iii. Reduction of mowed/natural grass by 45%
iv. Lighting retrofits
v. New PG&E service
VII. Project Milestone
Recap
I. Pat revisited the project milestones and next community meeting dates with the group, reminded them to visit the project website for updates, and asked them to forward any questions or concerns to
[email protected].
VIII. Q& A Session I. Pat asked the meeting participants if they had any further questions and explained that, to ensure everyone has a chance to ask questions, each participant will be allowed 90 seconds to speak.
i. Ben D. commented that the splash pad and playground were far apart and wondered if the splash pad could be relocated closer to the playground for ease of parental supervision. He also expressed his interest in utilizing the park’s terrain as a play feature.
ii. Mr. Paran asked about the proposed type of infill and turf, noting that the ‘grass-like’ turf was preferred over the turf typically found on playgrounds. Pat responded the products will be similar to those used at Fair Oaks Park.
iii. Lei L. had concerns about noise from the relocated playground because she lives in an adjacent house on Lakehaven Dr.
1. Pat and Mark commented that no formal acoustic
study has been completed but that there is a bigger
buffer in this location from existing trees as well as an earthen berm that is very effective at dampening
sound.
2. Nate Scribner added that the play equipment
selection (i.e. musical instruments) will take into
account noise levels and their impact on adjacent
residences.
Attachment 4
PROJECT NAME: Lakewood Park Renovation &
Enhancement Project
MEETING REPORT FOR: Community Meeting #3
PROJECT NO.: 2201200 MEETING DATE: July 26, 2023
MEETING LOCATION: Zoom REPORT DATE: July 27, 2023
ITEM DISCUSSION AND ACTION
4 iv. Kimi S. said that she liked the exercise equipment and asked if there are any aspects of the design that Verde expects push- back on from Parks or City Council.
1. Mark and Pat explained that the design team has
been working closely with City staff for the entirety
of the project to ensure that the design accounts for
the City’s goals, the community’s input, and project
budget.
v. Andrea W. had concerns about synthetic turf and its effects on human health, noting its toxicity, and asked how the decision to use synthetic turf was made. She also offered to share
information on the negative aspects of synthetic turf.
1. Mark explained that the use of synthetic turf was
derived from community input.
2. Jim Stark added some context for the decision to use synthetic turf. During the winter field closures, the City receives significant pressure from sports groups to
keep grass fields open. Due to this demand, the City
identified 3 parks to receive synthetic turf.
3. Nate Scribner added that in the previous round of
community input the design with the most synthetic turf was preferred and that the current design preserves
more natural grass.
vi. Susan H. also expressed concerns about synthetic turf, particularly chemicals such as PFAS that may leach from it and create developmental delays in children, and/or cancer. She also expressed concern over the temperature of turf during warm weather. From her personal testing at Fair Oaks, she measured the turf at 122-130 degrees F while the air
temperature was 86 degrees F.
vii. Craig C. asked if the striping shown on the natural grass would be permanent. He also asked about the project budget and timeline.
1. Pat responded that the striping is only graphic and
intended to demonstrate the field’s capacity.
2. Mark and Bennet commented on the budget and
timeline.
viii. Anne Marie B. expressed concerns about synthetic turf and its effects on human health. She is concerned that it is derived from fossil fuels and can break down and potentially be inhaled by field users.
ix. Caroline M. also expressed concerns about synthetic turf, noting concerns over microplastics and the unknown risks it may pose to health and reproductive health.
x. Brittany D. added that the picnic area is the loudest use area of the park and the playground should not be louder than that. She also implored the design staff to ensure that restroom doors face the playground/splash pad to better monitor their children.
1. Pat noted that the restroom door locations will be
reviewed to provide line-of-sight views for parents.
xi. Lydia F. expressed concerns about the natural grass reduction, especially since many residents are restricted from having grass at home, and also acknowledged that the design team has made efforts to preserve more natural grass from the previous design iterations.
Attachment 4
PROJECT NAME: Lakewood Park Renovation &
Enhancement Project
MEETING REPORT FOR: Community Meeting #3
PROJECT NO.: 2201200 MEETING DATE: July 26, 2023
MEETING LOCATION: Zoom REPORT DATE: July 27, 2023
ITEM DISCUSSION AND ACTION
5 xii. Ben H. asked the design team to incorporate climbing elements such as monkey bars or climbing walls into the playground design.
1. Pat replied that the equipment has not been selected yet and that the design team will take that feedback
into consideration.
xiii. Carrie L. expressed concerns over synthetic turf infill entering storm drains which lead to the Bay. She also noted that the synthetic turf was not worth the water savings. She also asked whether the dog park will use synthetic turf.
1. Pat replied that synthetic turf was not being
considered for the dog park at this time.
xiv. Nathan C. expressed concerns about the proposed fencing around the synthetic turf field and did not want the fields to be closed to the public.
1. Pat explained that the backstop and tall fencing
around the baseball diamond are required for the
safety of athletes and park visitors and that there will be minimal fencing at the outfields. He also stated
that the fields will remain open to the public.
IX. Milestone Recap and
Conclusion
I. Pat reiterated the project milestones and opportunities for community input, thanked the group for their participation, and concluded the meeting.
X. Next Steps I. Next Steps
a. VDI to share meeting notes with team for review and approval. b. VDI to coordinate meeting items for review prior to PRC Meeting (September).
END OF MEETING REPORT
Attachment 4