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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1997/07/08 - Minutes July 8, 1997 CITY OF RANCHO CUCAMONGA CITY COUNCIL MINUTES Special Central Park Task Force Meeting A. CALL TO ORDER A special Central Park Task Force meeting of the Rancho Cucamonga City Council was held on Tuesday, July 8, 1997, in the Council Chambers of the Civic Center, located at 10500 Civic Center Drive, Rancho Cucamonga, California. The meeting was called to order at 5:46 p.m. by Mayor William J. Alexander. Present were Councilmembers: Paul Biane (arrived at 6:00 p.m.), James Curatalo, Rex Gutierrez, Diane Williams (arrived at 6:00 p.m.), and Mayor William J. Alexander. Also present were: Jack Lam, City Manager; Rick Gomez, Community Development Director; Joe O'Neil, City Engineer; Karen Emery, Associate Park Planner; Suzanne Ota, Community Services Manager; Paula Pachon, Management Analyst II; Diane O'Neal, Management Analyst II; and Debra J. Adams, City Clerk B. ITEM OF DISCUSSION 1. DISCUSSION OF MASTER PLAN PHASING PRIORiTIES FOR CENTRAL PARK Rick Gomez, Community Development Director, explained the master plan for Central Park. He stated staff would like to know if the uses outlined are still valid as indicated in the plan. He stated tonight's meeting is to get direction on the priorities so that the f'mancing can be looked at for discussion at future meetings. Mayor Alexander stated he would like to see some of the questions posed tonight with written answers coming back so that everyone has the information. Councilmember Gutierrez stated his big question is what kind of funding can the City get for this project for the next year to two years. He stated he was not sure the City could get the money for the entire grand plan, but hoped they could get the green areas going to be able to enjoy that part of it. He stated he would like to know where and when the money will come from for the library and the other buildings. He stated he liked the library and the aquatics buildings. He liked the cultural arts building and felt this was important and that there is not enough of these types of activities in the City. Rick Gomez, Community Development Director, stated they would like to get the gonls or priorities for this project and then the staff could come back with more financing information for these goals. Councilmember Curatalo asked what the total was for the whole project. Rick Gomez, Community Development Director, stated approximately $100,000,000. Councilmembers Biane and Williams arrived at 6:00 p.m. Mayor Alexander opened the meeting up for public input. Addressing the City Council were: City Council Minutes July 8, 1997 Page 2 Kathy Peters, Sr. Advisory Committee, asked who will establish the priorities or who will make the decision as to what will be built first. Mayor Alexander stated they are trying to get the information from all of the people in the community that attend these meetings to help the Council make their decision as to what they would like to see. Rick Gomez, Community Development Director, asked her what she would like to see. Ms. Peters stated she would like to see a very fme library. Dan Griffith stated he liked what he sees tonight and asked if there was a precedent in other cities close to our size on ways to get funding for such a project as this. He felt all options for funding should be looked at after the priorities are set. He stated he is excited to see what is going on along Base Line. Councilmember Biane felt each element of the project should have a cost placed on it. Margie Strow stated she is hear to address the aquatic center and is very interested in seeing one built. She knew of a program in Irvine that would help to fund the center and its programs. Councilmember Williams stated they are hoping to have a major aquatics/Olympic size pool. Wendy Feruno stated she agrees with the aquatics center and that they currently have to drive to Irvine for these types of activities now. She felt a swimming complex would generate income for the City. Elder Wilkerson, Sr. Advisory Committee, stated he was very happy with the improvements that have been done on the tennis courts at Lions Park. Mrs. Elmos stated she liked the idea of a questionnaire to list priorities. She liked the aquatics, library and the cultural arts buildings. She felt the City needed more community centers and felt the City needed a gymnasium for sports programs. She felt the park design was beautiful and would like to see it built. Councilmember Williams stated there will be a gymnasium in the Gemco Center once that project is complete. Phillip Hubbard stated he would like to see a strategy developed. He felt the plan developed in 1987 is outdated. He felt the environmental impact should be looked at and considered before any construction is done at this site. He felt fees should be looked at and who will be charged and how much. Councilmember Gutierrez talked about the clean up work being done along Base Line at the Central Park site. He stated there will be people cleaning up along the slreet on Saturday, July 19, from 6:00 to 11:00 a.m. He felt it would be good to see the task force members and the community working on this date to clean up the location. Eric Vale stated he loves the proposed plan and realizes the cost of it. He felt the community needs everyone to do something. He stated he felt it was hard to set priorities when he does not know what the bank account holds. Councilmember Williams commented that a children's theater could support a performing arts center because of the people it brings to the center for the performances. City Council Minutes July 8, 1997 Page 3 Mayor Alexander stated they need to be considerate of people living around the park also by what types of activities take place at the park. Counciimember Gutierrez pointed out they need to look at alternatives how to fund something and whether it is five or ten years. He felt they needed to sit down with the City Manager and City staff on how to fund this so it can be started. Mayor Alexander felt staff should come back with more information on what it would cost to do some of the things mentioned tonight. Councilmember Williams stated when this plan was developed, the people doing this did not want to worry about the cost of it, but instead to think about the needs of the community. She stated it appears that the needs often years ago are still the same. She felt possibly options should be looked at to try to keep the maintenance costs down. Elmer Stevee, Sr. Advisory Committee, thanked the Council for the wonderful Senior Center. He felt there should be a Senior Center at Central Park to be separate from a community center. Alejandro Castro, resident since 1988, stated he has not seen a parking lot in this plan and wondered how many spaces there will be. He stated he would be happy to turn off lights or other volunteer work to keep the cost down. He stated he has not seen any soccer fields in this park. He felt there could be various classes for the community. He stated he is excited to see the trees going in along Base Line. Rick Gomez, Community Development Director, stated there is adequate and overflow parking in this plan and pointed it out for Mr. Stevee. Tammy Farley of Terra Vista, was concerned about the location of the parking lot being near the fence of the residential area and the vandalism it might create. She asked if the sports center was to be named after Ralph Lewis. Jack Lam, City Manager, stated there was a room in the center to have the name of Caryn Dilorio. Don Carroll, Senior Center, commended the Council for what they have done to the existing library buildings and felt it was a free thing they have done for the community. Nick Caravitas, Filippi Winery, stated he would like to see the planting of grapevines for the park site until the buildings can be built, and he would be happy to assist with this idea. Mayor Alexander brought up that the City does buy its water from the Cucamonga County Water District, and that it does have to pay residential water rates. He stated the minutes along with questions and answers asked tonight can come back before the next meeting. Councilmember Williams asked for Rick Gomez to comment on the soccer fields that were brought up earlier in the meeting, because when this plan was developed, it was to be a passive park. She stated this park is not going to have loud games that will disrupt the neighboring people. Rick Gomez, Community Development Director, stated there are other parks in the City that provide for soccer, little league games, etc. Councilmember Biane asked how people were notified of this meeting. City Council Minutes July 8, 1997 Page 4 Rick Gomez, Community Development Director, stated they were notified by mail and that a notice was in the newspaper about it. Cynthia Mixon stated she was not notified by mail, but did see it in the newspaper. She wondered if the July 19 service project would be in the paper. Rex Gutierrez felt it should be in The Sun and The Daily Bulletin. Rick Gomez, Community Development Director, clarified that this is a service project for the Mormon Church and that they are not really asking for everyone to come out with their shovels. The Council concurred that the next meeting will occur near the end of August. C. COMMUNICATIONS FROM THE PUBI.IC No communication was made from the public. D. ADJOURNMENT MOTION: Moved by Williams, seconded by Bianc to adjourn. Motion carried unanimously $-0. The meeting adjourned at 7:19 p.m. )~ctfully submitted, City Clerk Approved: August 20, 1997