DATE: January 12, 2016
TO: Mayor and City Council
FROM: Director of Development Services
SUBJECT
Title
Work session to Provide Feedback on a Conceptual Plan for the Proposed New Community Park Adjacent and West of the Approved La Vista Development that will be Served via an Eastward Extension of Tennyson Road from Mission Boulevard
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RECOMMENDATION
Recommendation
That Council reviews this report and attachments and provides direction to staff on the basic conceptual design and desired features for the park.
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BACKGROUND
Staff has provided a ’page on the Citys website <http://www.ci.hayward.ca.us/CITY-GOVERNMENT/SPECIAL-PROJECTS-&-STUDIES/lvp.shtm> that provides background and other information related to the park. In July of 2005, the City Council approved a General Plan Amendment, Zone Change, Development Agreement and related Mitigated Negative Declaration for the 179-unit single-family residential development called La Vista. Those entitlements require development of a park adjacent and to the west of the residential development, where Tennyson Road is planned to be extended.
Although the La Vista residential development is in the final stages of administrative approval by staff, the park design has not been developed or approved. City staff has been meeting with the consultant, David Gates and Associates, as well as with HARD staff and the property owner, over the last few months to develop a conceptual plan (see Attachment I and subsequent discussion). The major objective stressed during these meetings is for this park to serve as a destination park consisting of high quality unique features and amenities for all age groups.
One opportunity that has evolved over the last few months is incorporating additional land into the park area, consisting of approximately 12 acres of Open-Space zoned area of the adjacent State-owned properties to the west that the City is in the process of acquiring. Attachment I includes that area.
At this time, staff seeks input on the conceptual plan and desired improvements. A narrative that provides context for the conceptual plan, along with identification of primary design objectives, is included as Attachment II.
DISCUSSION
As described in Attachment II, various “zones” represented by different colors are shown (see page 2 of Attachment I) that include varying types of activity: a sports zone; adventure/education playground; water playground; science interaction/creativity play zone; picnic area; nature/gardens zone; and yoga zone. More passive areas and activities, like the yoga and nature zones, are shown to the north; and highly active areas, such as the sports zone that includes a multi-use sports field, are shown to the south. An art/tech walkway along the western (left) boundary of the park area helps link the zones and will provide opportunities for walking and enjoying incredible views of Hayward and the Bay to the west and north. A centralized restroom building is planned as well.
A major requirement of the park is that it provide adequate area for stormwater detention for runoff from the future development and hillside slopes to the east. The centralized amphitheater provides such capacity and function. During large storm events, that area will hold stormwater until it evaporates and/or drains out through an inlet that will lead down to Mission Boulevard.
Maintaining access to a two privately-owned properties to the north (one is owned by the La Vista development property owner) is another requirement for the park design. Access to those properties is shown to be provided through the park parking lots. It is anticipated that the parking lots would have gates that would be locked beyond certain hours of the day, with the owners of those properties to receive gate access keys.
Pages 3 through 5 of Attachment I include photographs showing a variety of park features and improvements, some of which relate to the various use “zones” described above. Specifically, staff seeks guidance from the City Council on:
1. the various use/activity zones and the grouping by activity level of those areas/zones and, due to likely phasing of construction, what are the most desired activities;
2. the main amphitheater feature as a central element and functional stormwater detention basin;
3. identification of which features included in the photographs in the plan set are most desirable, as well as identification of any other desired features; and
4. a suggested name for the park, if desired, other than La Vista Community Park.
Regardless of which features and design are ultimately selected, staff will ensure as much as budget allows that those features are of the highest quality and are unique. For reference, Council has mentioned the over fifty-year old, 2.45-acre Dennis the Menace Playground in El Estero Park in Monterey <https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=OibCI7TCr0I> as an example of desired features.
ECONOMIC IMPACT
A destination community park of this size will help attract development to the City and this area of Hayward, adding value to future and existing properties in the area.
FISCAL IMPACT
Until final design is developed, the cost of development of the park cannot be determined. However, the project consultant roughly estimates that the total park construction costs with high-end improvements could range from $6M to $10M, likely closer to $10M. The La Vista development proponent will finish mass grading and lay infrastructure for the park in 2016 when similar work is done for the development. The proponent/property owner is also paying for the development of plans by the consultant. Also, per the original project conditions of approval, the proponent is obligated to contribute the project’s $2.14M park in-lieu fees toward park construction “such as playfields, play structures and trails/paths and parking areas within the approximately 30-acre” park area. Additional funds will obviously need to be identified to pay for the type of park the City desires and/or consideration be given to phasing construction.
One source of additional funds for the park construction is park in-lieu fees collected with new developments, currently equal to $11,953 per single-family unit, $11,395 per attached unit, and $9,653 per multi-family/rental unit. To generate $8M in park in-lieu fees, 670 single-family homes, 702 townhomes, or 829 apartments would need to be constructed. As is done with maintenance of the Skywest Golf Course, in-lieu fee funds from various in-lieu fee park zones throughout the City could be used for this City-serving community park.
Another potential source of funds for improvements is from a high-tech company related to some features of the park, such as in the science/technology zone.
Maintenance of the park, to be provided by HARD, is another fiscal consideration. Design of the park to minimize maintenance costs is another objective for the park design.
PUBLIC CONTACT
Notice of this work session and the related January 12 community meeting to be held from 4:00 to 6:00 pm were published in The Daily Review on January 2 and on January 9. Additionally, over 350 notices were sent to the Council members, Planning Commissioners, executive City staff, all of the residential HOAs in the City, HARD Board members and executive staff, Hayward’s Chamber of Commerce President, Hayward Mobile Home Association and various mobile homes, and to various neighborhood, social, church, and non-profit organizations. Staff has responded to a few comments/questions received.
Also, on December 28, City staff met with HARD’s President, General Manager, and Parks Superintendent to discuss the conceptual plan. HARD’s representatives were generally supportive of the conceptual plan and emphasized the importance of providing adequate parking for planned events, particularly related to the amphitheater and sports field. They also indicated it would be desirable to have a full-sized soccer field that could provide two youth fields and practice opportunities, were supportive of lighting of the ball field, and asked what alternative material besides grass could be used for the amphitheater that would allow stormwater to percolate into the ground in order to minimize maintenance costs. They indicated if grass was to be used, that the design allow space for HARD’s mowers between rows. Drought tolerant and low-maintenance landscaping, including on slopes, was also mentioned as a desirable feature.
NEXT STEPS
Staff will incorporate direction from the Council and work with the consultant and HARD staff to develop a preferred plan, which staff plans to present to the Council and Planning Commission later this winter. Subsequently, construction drawings for the park improvements will be developed, a budget developed, and funding sources identified.
Staff contact
Prepared and Recommended by: David Rizk, AICP, Development Services Director
end
Approved by:
Fran David, City Manager
Attachments:
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Attachment I |
Conceptual Plan Set (5 pages) |
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Attachment II |
Park Design Narrative |
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