HomeMy WebLinkAbout2024-11-12 PSC Agenda PacketPage 1 of 2
Public Spaces Commission
Community Forum
AGENDA
(to be held both at the physical and virtual locations below)
Ukiah Valley Conference Center ♦ 200 S. School St. ♦ Ukiah, CA 95482
To participate or view the virtual meeting, go to the following link:
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/81764322746.
November 12, 2024 - 5:30 PM
1. ROLL CALL
2. INTRODUCTIONS
3. APPROVAL OF MINUTES
3.a. Approval of the Minutes for the September 10, 2024, Community Forum.
Recommended Action:
Attachments:
1. Draft Minutes
4. AUDIENCE COMMENTS ON NON-AGENDA ITEMS
The Public Spaces Commission (PSC) welcomes input from the audience that is within the subject matter jurisdiction of the
PSC. In order for everyone to be heard, please limit your comments to three (3) minutes per person and not more the (10)
minutes per subject. The Brown Act regulations do not allow action to be taken on audience comments.
5. COMMISSIONERS REPORTS
6. UNFINISHED BUSINESS
6.a. Review and Comment on the 2024 Parks Gap Analysis.
Recommended Action: Receive report and make comment.
Attachments:
1. Survey Results
7. NEW BUSINESS
7.a. Creation of a Friends of Ukiah Parks Group with the Public Spaces Commission Serving as the
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Board of Directors.
Recommended Action: Approve Staff to 1) Discontinue the MOU between the North Coast
opportunities sponsored Friends of Observatory Park group, and 2) create a Friends of Ukiah
Parks group with the Public Spaces Commission Acting as the Group’s Board of Directors.
Attachments: None
7.b. Consideration of a Trial Period of Extended Park Hours at Oak Manor Park
Recommended Action: Approval of a ninety-day pilot program of extended hours at Oak Manor
Park.
Attachments:
1. Oak Manor Illumination Attach 1
2. Oak Manor Illumination Attach 2
8. ADJOURNMENT
9. STAFF MEMBER PRESENTATIONS/REPORTS
Please be advised that the City needs to be notified 72 hours in advance of a meeting if any specific accommodations or interpreter
services are needed in order for you to attend. The City complies with ADA requirements and will attempt to reasonably accommodate
individuals with disabilities upon request. Materials related to an item on this Agenda submitted to the Public Spaces Commission after
distribution of the agenda packet are available for public inspection at the main entrance of the City of Ukiah Annex, located at 411 W.
Clay St., Ukiah, CA 95482, not less than 72 hours prior to the meeting set forth on this agenda.
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AGENDA ITEM 3a
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Public Spaces Commission
Regular Meeting
MINUTES
Civic Center Annex ♦ 411 W. Clay St., Conf. RM #5 ♦ Ukiah, CA 95482
Virtual Meeting Link: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/81764322746
September 10, 2024 - 5:30 PM
1. ROLL CALL
Public Spaces Commission met at a Regular Meeting on September 10, 2024, having been legally
noticed on September 6, 2024. The meeting was held virtually at the following link:
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/81764322746 and in person at the Ukiah Valley Conference Center at
200 S. School St., Ukiah, CA 95482. Commissioner Babbini called the meeting to order at 5:31
p.m. Commissioners Present: Elora Babbini, Vicki Bitonti-Brown, Casey Thompson, Steven
Ratley, and Joe Scriven. Commissioners Absent by Prearrangement: Megan Parker. Staff
Present: Neil Davis, Community Services Director and Araceli Sandoval, Community Services
Administrative Assistant.
2. INTRODUCTIONS
3. APPROVAL OF MINUTES
a. Approval of the Minutes for the July 9, 2024, Regular Meeting.
Scriven/Ratley to approve the Minutes of July 9, 2024, a Regular Meeting, as submitted. Motion
carried by the following roll call vote: AYES: Babbini, Parker, Thompson, and Scriven. NOES: None.
ABSENT: Ratley. ABSTAIN: None.
4. AUDIENCE COMMENTS ON NON-AGENDA ITEMS
The Public Spaces Commission (PSC) welcomes input from the audience that is within the subject
matter jurisdiction of the PSC. In order for everyone to be heard, please limit your comments to three
(3) minutes per person and not more the (10) minutes per subject. The Brown Act regulations do not
allow action to be taken on audience comments.
• Jamie Connerton,
• Jessica Espinoza, advocate for public spaces for roller skating.
Commission Consensus to hear item 7a out of order.
5. STAFF MEMBER PRESENTATIONS/REPORTS
a. McGarvey Park Tree Removal and Replacement.
Presenter: Neil Davis, Community Services Director.
Report was received.
b. Update on Riverside Regeneration Project
Presenter: Neil Davis, Community Services Director.
Report was received.
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Public Spaces Commission Minutes for September 10, 2024, Continued:
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6. COMMISSIONERS REPORTS
7. UNFINISHED BUSINESS
a. Discussion and Solicitation of Community Input on a City of Ukiah Parks Gap Analysis.
Presenter: Neil Davis, Community Services Director and Jen Dalton, Kitchen Table Consulting.
Input was received from present community members.
8. NEW BUSINESS
9. ADJOURNMENT
There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 6:59 p.m.
____________________________________________
Araceli Sandoval, Public Spaces Commission Clerk
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Agenda Item No: 6.a.
MEETING DATE/TIME: 11/12/2024
ITEM NO: 2024-784
AGENDA SUMMARY REPORT
SUBJECT: Review and Comment on the 2024 Parks Gap Analysis.
DEPARTMENT: Community Services PREPARED BY: Neil Davis, Community Services Director
ATTACHMENTS:
1.Survey Results
Summary: Review and Comment on the 2024 Parks Gap Analysis
Background: The City of Ukiah is conducting a Parks Gap Analysis to assess how well existing parks are
meeting community needs, and what might be needed for future parks. In addition to staff analysis, a robust
community engagement process has been completed. Community engagement included focus groups,
individual meetings, surveys, event tabling, and outreach to City of Ukiah commissions.
The need for this analysis was identified in the City’s 2040 General Plan, which states the City “shall prepare a
parks gap analysis identifying areas of the city underserved by parks and recreation facilities access.”
Additionally, the “analysis shall, at a minimum, establish equitable access standards, including the minimum
distance between parks and every residence, and potential funding mechanisms.” This will help the City of
Ukiah to prepare for population growth, changing demographics, and possible annexations. The process will
include mapping exercises, the identification of appropriate level of service measures, and goals for the City’s
Park system. Recreation opportunities and needs will also be assessed. Finally, the document will address
potential funding opportunities. The Analysis was first discussed with the PSC at the May 14th meeting,
followed by further discussion at the July meeting. A PSC Community Forum was held in September to further
facilitate public comment. A total of ten community focus group meetings have been held, outreach tables
were available at the Sundays in the Park and the Pumpkin Fest, and close to 300 surveys were filled out.
Discussion: Staff will present preliminary draft results of the analysis and solicit PSC comment.
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Agenda Item No: 7.a.
MEETING DATE/TIME: 11/12/2024
ITEM NO: 2024-783
AGENDA SUMMARY REPORT
SUBJECT: Creation of a Friends of Ukiah Parks Group with the Public Spaces Commission Serving as the
Board of Directors.
DEPARTMENT: Community Services PREPARED BY: Neil Davis, Community Services Director
ATTACHMENTS:
None
Summary: Approve Staff to 1) Discontinue the MOU between the North Coast opportunities sponsored
Friends of Observatory Park group, and 2) create a Friends of Ukiah Parks group with the Public Spaces
Commission Acting as the Group’s Board of Directors.
Background: In 2018 City staff working with community members organized initial meetings to form a Friends
of Observatory Park. City staff entered a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Friends of
Observatory Park (FOP) with North Coast Opportunities serving as a fiscal sponsor. The MOU references the
FOP’s Board of Directors as the responsible, negotiating arm of the organization.
Although it is unclear whether a FOP Board of Directors was ever established, a group of community members
working with a facilitator and City staff collaborated to produce an Observatory Park Strategic Plan to guide
activities at the Park for the next five years; 2018-2023. At that time (2018) the FOP group was participating in
a wide variety of efforts to support the park. The group always had a strong interest in astronomy and star
viewing. Unfortunately, the group was probably at its peak of effectiveness in 2017-2018. As often happens
with small public benefit groups, leadership fatigued and no new leaders emerged. Consequently, group
activities declined precipitously. The challenges of the pandemic arguably provided the death blow to the
group.
Five or six individuals continue to express interest in being recognized as the “Friends of Observatory Park”
and have expressed interest in collaborating with the City’s recreation department to host star viewing and
similar events at Observatory Park. The FOP continues with unlimited access to the garage at Observatory
Park to store its telescopes and sundry materials.
Observatory Park is only one of over twenty city-owned parks. All these parks benefit from the donations of
time, money, and the expertise of volunteers. Additionally, a wide variety of organizations provide intermittent
help.These groups assist by providing educational opportunities such as the use of telescopes for star
viewing, volunteers can also help as docents, and help with graffiti removal, garbage pickup, and landscaping.
Volunteers do need support both in terms of leadership, organization, and funding.
Discussion: Goal 3.1 of the Observatory Park strategic plan is to “mobilize Friends of Observatory Park.” As
no member of the public has stepped forward to take a leadership role in the FOP, staff recommend that the
City dissolve the MOU with NCO sponsored FOP and take the lead in reforming a new more inclusive Friends
of Ukiah Parks group with the PSC acting as the advisory board. Under this plan, a staff member will be
assigned as the liaison between the PSC and the public. Staff will create a Facebook page and develop an
email contact list. Staff will continue to welcome the assistance of the informal Friends of Observatory Park as
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well as with other community volunteers who seek to help in all city parks. City Recreation staff are expert in
outreach and event planning and can assist members of the public who are subject-matter experts interested
in providing education but who are unskilled or uninterested in event promotions.
The PSC will likely need to form a working group to hash out the details of facility use and access agreements
for the FOP and the public. It may be best to assign a PSC lead or ad hoc to facilitate communications
between staff, the public, and the Commission while complying with the Brown Act. With approval of the
recommended action, staff will begin work to establish policies and procedures for the new Friends of Ukiah
Parks group to be presented at the next PSC meeting. Staff recommend the PSC dissolve the MOU with
NCO's FOP and approve the plan for staff to establish a new "Friends of Ukiah Parks" with the PSC acting as
the Board of Directors.
Recommended Action: Approve Staff to 1) Discontinue the MOU between the North Coast opportunities
sponsored Friends of Observatory Park group, and 2) create a Friends of Ukiah Parks group with the Public
Spaces Commission Acting as the Group’s Board of Directors.
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Agenda Item No: 7.b.
MEETING DATE/TIME: 11/12/2024
ITEM NO: 2024-793
AGENDA SUMMARY REPORT
SUBJECT: Consideration of a Trial Period of Extended Park Hours at Oak Manor Park
DEPARTMENT: Community Services PREPARED BY: Neil Davis, Community Services Director
ATTACHMENTS:
1.Oak Manor Illumination Attach 1
2.Oak Manor Illumination Attach 2
Summary: Approval of a ninety-day pilot program of extended hours at Oak Manor Park.
Background: City of Ukiah Park hours are designated as Dawn to Dusk. The hours of operation were
established with an understanding that City of Ukiah Parks do not have lighting. The City of Ukiah Parks Gap
Analysis, both through focus groups and survey results, indicated significant interest in access to parks after
dark. The interest in extended hours was of particular interest during the short days of winter. The City’s Parks
and Recreation Departments recently acquired portable LED light stanchions that have been used with great
success at the Skatepark. The "Beacon LED Tower (Attachment 1) provides directional lighting with little to no
light bleed into adjoining areas. It plugs into a 110v outlet and is completely silent.
Discussion: City Recreation and Water Resource Department staff have devised a set-up in which the
portable LED lights could be securely set up and left in place for extended periods, providing light to the Oak
Manor tennis courts and adjacent field. The City’s Director of Community Services has the authority to issue
temporary changes in park hours via City Code 1966.
Staff propose a ninety-day pilot program extending hours Tuesdays through Friday at Oak Manor Park to
9PM. Lights would be set on a timer to turn on at 5PM. Staff will monitor park usage during these hours. Staff
would report on the pilot program at the January PSC meeting. Staff recommend approval of a ninety-day pilot
program of extended hours at Oak Manor Park.
Recommended Action: Approval of a ninety-day pilot program of extended hours at Oak Manor Park.
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Attachment 1
Model LE980LEDV-T4 which has directional lighting and is completely silent as is plugs into 110v
(not powered by a noisy generator):
https://www.beaconledtower.com/models
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Attachment 2
Approximate area of Anticipated Illumination
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