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HomeMy WebLinkAboutPRC_2009-06-04_AgendaPacketNOTICE OF A PUBLIC HEARING Atascadero Parks and Recreation Commission Workshop Colony Park Master Plan Revision Thursday, June 4, 6:00 P.M. City Hall Council Chambers 6907 EI Camino Real, Atascadero, California The Parks and Recreation Commission will be gathering public input to aide in the development of the Colony Park Master Plan revision. Please come give your ideas for future park features and facilities. For a full agenda or more information please call Community Services at (805) 470-3478. DATE: 06/04/09 Atascadero Parks and Recreation Commission Staff Report — Community Services Department PUBLIC HEARING: Revision of Site Master Plan for Colony Park (Formerly Traffic Way Park) RECOMMENDATION: Commission review previous Colony Park Site Master Plan and the subsequent changes, receive public input and begin the process of selecting and prioritizing additions and removals of new park improvements for the revision of the Plan. DISCUSSION: Background: In August 2004, the City Council directed staff to proceed with the site plan for the expanded Traffic Way Park and develop a building design for the new Recreation Center. The City has retained the services of Volz Design, landscape architects and park planners, to work with the City in developing a Site Master Plan for Colony Park/Traffic Way Park and the Recreation Center complex. To expedite the planning process, a team of community members and staff members was assembled to form a focus group to develop ideas and design concepts for the site. The focus group was comprised of the following individuals; Barbie Butz, Jerri Dahlen, Rod Landis, Doug Livengood, Rick Mathews, Jay Sechrist, Barbara Newsom, Jamie Ogden, Paula Anton, Brady Cherry, Geoff English, Dan Lashley, Steve Kahn, and project architects David Volz and Gary Vazquez. The City of Atascadero also retained the services of BFGC Architects, to prepare the design plans for the new Recreation Center building. City staff worked with the architect on the building design, and the plans were approved by the City Council in February of 2005. THE ORIGINAL COLONY PARK/TRAFFIC WAY PARK SITE PLAN The Traffic Way Park focus group team walked the 12.5 care site at its first meeting, and discussed and evaluated the present environment of the total property. Many ideas and issues were discussed including, tying the facility to the downtown, using the creek as a natural park amenity, trail and pedestrian connections, determining the use of the Hay and Feed building, setting aside an area for a future pool facility, visibility from the street, adequate parking, and the many present and future uses of the entire facility. The focus group recognized that the future development of Colony Park facilities would play an important role in creating and reshaping the use of the park property itself, and could have a significant positive impact on the downtown area. The original site plan that was developed incorporated several guiding principles important to the focus group: 1) It must be able to accommodate the construction of the recreation center within one year. 2) It must retain and enhance the Atascadero Girls Softball Association uses. 3) It must include the development of a skate park on-site. 4) It may identify an area to be set aside for a future pool site. 5) It should protect and enhance the riparian areas. 6) It should be balanced in design to meet present and future needs. 7) It must be proportionate to Atascadero's population and economic growth of the community. Based upon the above and many other factors discussed by the focus group, the committee went through design exercises to explore a number of design options. The Site Master Plan (attached) approved the City Council represented a refinement of all of the factors discussed by the focus group, F.Y.I. (teen advisory group), and the Parks and Recreation Commission at its own Public Hearing on February 17, 2005. David Volz, of Volz Design, described the original plan as an expression of the direction of how the citizen groups and city staff envisioned Colony Park accommodating the new Recreation Center building, and how the entire park complex will function in the future. Colony Park has become a significant part of Atascadero's community life now, and it will become even more vital in the future as the park improvements are made and the City's downtown evolves. The Parks and Recreation Commission, the Colony Park Focus Group, F.Y.I. and city staff all came up with a good plan with the information available at that time. Once the Colony Park Community Center design was underway, a number of developments occurred which caused necessary changes to the original site plan. The primary change involved shifting the Community Center building on the property from the location originally conceived in the site plan. The building location was shifted due to the following factors: • The project budget did not allow for the ball fields to be moved • The undergrounding of the wastewater overflow basin was determined to be impractical • There was a desire to save as many mature trees on the property as possible (particularly the sycamores and oaks). Also, upon determining that the overflow basin would not be feasible to underground beneath the relocated ball fields, Public Works engineering staff started working to design a new above ground basin in a new location on the site. That work has now been done, and drawings are attached which shown the new location. The permanent location of the wastewater overflow basin was approved by the Commission on March 19th, 2009. This project is now ready to be approved by the City Council and then sent out to bid. With the new overflow basin project proceeding, the park master planning process has allowed for the new location to be identified in the development of the final plan. COLONY PARK PARKING Parking around the Community Center and Colony Park and softball fields has emerged as an issue that must be addressed as the Commission considers modifying the site plan. The addition of new park facilities, such as a potential public pool, raise the question of whether there is adequate parking space available at the park for some of the planned or desired new park facilities. Based on the Municipal Code for parking standards for a public Olympic -sized pool (50 meter), we would need over 100 new parking spaces. The parking area for that number of parking spaces would be approximately one acre. For tennis courts, the parking standards require 2 spaces per court. Depending upon the parks features chosen for the Park Master Plan, space for adequate parking must be factored into the final site plan. 2009 SITE MASTER PLAN CONSIDERATIONS - The Community Center footprint created by the shifting on the building on the site. - The Girl's Softball Association Fields to remain in their original location. - The Wastewater Overflow Basin has been relocated to a new above -ground area. - Need for additional parking. - Is there enough space and parking for Aquatics Center? Is a pool fiscally feasible? - What is the highest and best use for the old Overflow Basin site? - Providing for Atascadero Creek Trail enhancements and amenities. - Current as -built locations for basketball courts, water play area and picnic area. - Relationship to Skate Park - Are new tennis courts desired and feasible? - Should there be a petanque court(s)? - Re -visit the original site plan features and uses. - Retaining Parks and Facilities maintenance building and storage area on site. - Consider neighborhood impacts of new park improvements. At the special Commission Public Hearing Workshop on June 4t", 2009, the Commission will listen to Public Comment, and begin to list the desired park improvements to the Colony Park Master Plan. The Commission will also consider changes and/or deletions to the original park plan. If time allows, the Commission may prioritize the park features to be considered in a final design. The prioritization should evaluate the cost/ benefits of each park feature. FISCAL IMPACT: Revision process will be conducted by the Commission and City staff. Funding for David Volz, Inc., the current plan's original designer, to prepare new park conceptual design plans will be between $5,000 - $9,500, depending upon the scope and number of revisions necessary to finalize the plan. ATTACHMENTS: 1. Colony Park Initial Site Master Plan Diagram 2. Existing Community Center building and parking locations at Colony Park 104,9111m, 1AiIVA 10i!96111 11 Landscape Architects and Park Planners February 17, 2005 �ou�ra�s EX. HAY & FEED BUILDING Connect to Futrue Trail - 35' Wide Creek \\\ Buffer Connect to Futrue Trail Traffic Way Park City o Department f Ata s c adero of Parks & Recreation LEGEND KEY DESCRIPTION Softball Field (200 ft. fence) Softball Field (225ft. fence) Warm -Up Area Batting Cages (2) Indoor/Outdoor Skate & BMX Park Outdoor Climbing Wall Water Spray Play Area Playground (5-12 year olds) Playground (under 5 years old) Basketball Court (one full court & one half court) Small Outdoor Stage & Amphitheater Space Group Picnic & BBQ Area (50-75 people) Overhead Shade Structure 35' Wide Creek Buffer w/ Trails & Picnic Tables Concession Building (Approx. 400 SF) Main Park Enrty Turn Around, Drop -Off & Pick -Up Large Timber Construction Post & Rail Fence w/ Columns Entry & "Right -Turn -Out" Exit Only PROPOSED LANDSCAPE TREATMENT Sports Turf Manicured Lawn Color Accent Shrub & Ground Cover Plantings Selected "Low -Water Use" Shrubs, Ground Cover & Ornamental Grasses Oak Woodland & Natural Grasses Riparian & Natural Grasses (Non -Irrigated) Hydroseed Meadow Grasses (Non -Irrigated) odm Existing Trees Multi -Use Trail 1 11=30'-01 ' FEET 0 z 0 15 30 60 "DRAFT" MASTER PLAN ow Site Plan -Phase One Recreation Center M CO a.xaanc NttlP"