REPORT TO PARKS AND RECREATION COMMISSION
SUBJECT
Title
Recommend to City Council Approval of the Preferred Concept Plan for the Lakewood Park Renovation Project
Report
BACKGROUND
Lakewood Park was originally constructed in 1960 with grounds covering nearly 11 acres. It is a community park within the Lakewood area featuring an outer space theme. Park features include a basketball court, tennis courts, handball/racquetball courts, reservable ballfields, horseshoe pits, mini-skate park, tot and youth playgrounds, sand volleyball court, splash pad, fire pit, gazebo, community building, restrooms, and picnic tables. Lakewood Park is adjacent to the Lakewood Elementary School and field as well as the John W. Christian Greenbelt pathway.
On September 13, 2022, Verde Design, Inc., a landscape architecture firm, was awarded a contract for design and construction support services for the Lakewood Park Renovation and Enhancement Project (RTC No. 22-0586). The project objective is to renovate the grounds and ensure sustainability for the future by enhancing recreational usability, increasing attractiveness, reducing maintenance needs, and reducing the use of utilities. This project includes replacement of the athletic field with synthetic turf, addition of a dog park, replacement of recreation, maintenance, restroom and concession buildings, replacement of park and building lighting systems with energy efficient fixtures, renovation of playground equipment, splash pad and skate park, replacement of portions of landscaped and ornamental grass areas and the associated irrigation/pump system, replacement of portions of drainage systems and concrete pathways. Additionally, the project includes facilitating community outreach and preparation of a preferred conceptual plan for consideration. City Council approval of a preferred conceptual plan will initiate the development of the detailed design and construction documents that will be used as part of the invitation to bid process for construction of the project. It is likely that some features of the final project may vary from the selected concept as the project evolves through the detailed design process.
An extensive community outreach process was performed to review the objectives of the project and receive input on desired design features. Over the first half of 2023, three virtual community meetings, two online surveys, and a “pop-up” event at Lakewood Park were held to gather community input. City staff and Verde Design presented jointly at the community meetings. The preferred conceptual plan presented for approval is based on a combination of feedback from the community, input from City staff that will operate and maintain the facility, and the goals of the City Council-approved Capital Project. (See Attachment 5, Preferred Concept Plan dated August 2023.)
City Council is tentatively scheduled to consider approval of the preferred conceptual plan in October 2023.
EXISTING POLICY
General Plan, Chapter 3, Land Use and Transportation - Open Space, Goal LT-9
Adequate and Balanced Open Space: The City strives to provide and maintain adequate and balanced open space and recreation facilities for the benefit of maintaining a healthy community based on community needs and the ability of the City to finance, construct, maintain, and operate these facilities now and in the future.
General Plan, Chapter 4, Community Character - Recreation, Goal CC-11
Wide Range of Recreation Programming: The City strives to ensure equal opportunities for participation and to provide for a range of structured and unstructured uses, and a variety of general and special interest uses in parks and facilities. The City also provides a wide range of program choices, open space, amenities and facility offerings to meet the recreational needs of a diverse and changing population, including identified subgroups and special populations. Policies related to acquiring and/or developing open space facilities and amenities are also included here. Competing interests and finite resources, however, require the City to set some priorities.
• Policy CC-11.1 Give priority to the following services, facilities and amenities that:
1. Are not readily available through other providers within or near Sunnyvale.
2. Benefiting under-served populations as identified in the US Census and through community input.
3. Fulfill a basic need or teach basic skills (e.g., non-competitive, developmental sports instruction such as learn to swim given priority over competitive sports programming).
4. In which the community demonstrates interest.
5. Benefit a greater number of residents.
6. Can be used by multiple users or serve multiple purposes.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
The actions being considered are exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to CEQA Guidelines section 15262 as the actions relate to the authorization of a feasibility and planning study for possible future actions that the City Council has not approved, adopted or funded.
If a conceptual plan for the Lakewood Park Renovation Project is approved, then the full scope of the project and any potential impacts will need to be reviewed. It is anticipated that the project will be exempt from CEQA under the Class 1, Class 2, Class 3, and/or Class 4 categorical exemptions for maintenance and replacement of existing facilities and landscaping, reconstruction/renovation of existing structures, and construction of small new structures, with negligible expansion of the existing uses. It is also possible that an initial study and/or Mitigated Negative Declaration (MND) may need to be conducted if the categorial exemptions are not appropriate. The CEQA determination will be brought to the City Council for approval concurrent with the award of the construction contract for the project.
DISCUSSION
The landscape architect and City staff hosted three virtual community meetings to gather input on desired design features and to select a preferred plan. Additionally, two online surveys were posted on the City website and a “pop-up” event was held at Lakewood Park where park users were contacted and encouraged to provide input.
The first community meeting was held virtually on Thursday January 12, 2023, and was attended by approximately 29 people. The goal of the meeting was to inform the public about the project and to receive input about the existing park features. The consultant asked the public to comment on the individual elements and features, and how the park could be improved. A break-out session was held in which smaller groups of attendees were asked what they liked and disliked about the park, and what features were missing. Comments included recommendations such as: provide a dog park; update the playground items; enhance the splash pad; and convert the existing field to multi-use.
Online Survey #1 received 160 responses that collected general data on user demographics and preferences. The top three requested park features to keep received survey responses that included: 1) athletic fields, 2) splash pad, and 3) playground. A dog park was the top requested feature to add. The summary for this meeting and survey is included as Attachment 2, Community Meeting and Online Survey #1 Report, dated February 2023.
The second community meeting was held virtually on Thursday, May 4, 2023, and was attended by approximately 27 people. Results from the first community meeting and survey were discussed. The consultant presented four conceptual plans that were developed based on feedback from the previous outreach efforts. The layout and site configuration of the four conceptual plans varied on the size and use of the athletic fields and different configurations of the other park features (e.g., dog park, splash pad and playground area). Concept 1 included the largest single synthetic turf field (turf) out of the four options. In addition to the baseball and softball field, the new turf allows for programming of a U-14/16/19 soccer field, or three U-10 soccer fields or a youth cricket field. Concept 1 also comprised of a new all-inclusive playground and tot lot, new dog park, new splash pad, new restroom/concession/park staff building, renovated restrooms, new picnic area, tennis count lighting upgrades/pickleball striping, and minor repairs to the skate park. Concepts 2 and 3 are similar with a smaller turf area that still allows for a baseball and softball field and for programming of a U-14/16/19 soccer field, or two U-10 soccer fields. Concepts 2 and 3 also show the same park features as Concept 1 without a new or renovated restroom, no pickleball striping and only basic/minor repairs and limited improvements to the skate park. Passive recreation activities (i.e. bocce court, game tables) are included in these options. Concept 4 is the option with the largest amount of turf. In this concept, turf would be installed on the field on the Lakewood Elementary School property as well as the turf shown on Concepts 2 and 3. The addition of this turf allows for programming of an additional two U-10 soccer fields. The budgetary consequence of this additional turf would eliminate any improvements to the splash pad and skate park, along with no pickleball striping and only new tables in the picnic area. The public was divided into smaller groups and asked to provide feedback on what they liked and disliked on each concept. Generally, the attendees liked the large turf size and the addition of pickleball in Concept 1, as well as the dog park and the playground, splash pad, restroom proximity to each other in Concept 3. Online Survey #2 collected feedback on the preferred concept and park features and received 304 responses. Concept 4, the option with the largest amount of turf, was popular in the survey along with the playground location of Concepts 3/4, splash pad location of Concept 4, and dog park size/location of Concepts 2/4. The summary for this meeting and survey is included as Attachment 3, Community Meeting and Online Survey #2 Report, dated June 2023.
The public input received from the two community meetings, online surveys and pop-up event were used by the consultant to prepare a preferred concept that addresses most of the public’s requests. The concept also meets the needs of the City from an operation and maintenance standpoint. The preferred concept kept the synthetic turf to the smaller area with room to include striping for either a baseball field, a U-14/16/19 soccer field, two U-10 soccer fields, a youth cricket field with minimal room at the field edges. The playground area with spin, swing and slide equipment along with a tot area is situated along the southern portion of park. A large and small dog park with shade trees is located at the northeast corner. The new splash pad and skate park, with repairs and minor enhancements, remain generally in the same existing vicinity. New concession/parks staff building, and restrooms are also included in the park improvements. Large portions of natural grass will remain along the perimeter of the park with natural grass on the school field.
The third community meeting was held virtually on Wednesday July 26, 2023, and was attended by approximately 25 people. (See Attachment 5, Community Meeting #3 Minutes dated August 2023). The preferred concept was presented. Generally, the attendees of the Community Meeting were in favor of the concept. Several members from the audience voiced their concerns regarding the use of synthetic turf on the athletic field. The design team noted that a majority of the natural grass in the park remains in this concept.
Several items desired by the public, but as lower priorities, including pickleball striping and passive recreation activities, were not included in the preferred plan due to less public support.
Parallel with the outreach process, staff received numerous emails expressing concerns around usage of synthetic turf within City parks. Staff has prepared a simple comparison table with pros and cons to discuss synthetic turf vs. natural turf installations in Attachment 6.
The conceptual plan presented for approval is based on a combination of feedback from the community, input from City staff that will operate and maintain the facility, and the goals of the City Council-approved Capital Project.
FISCAL IMPACT
City Council previously approved a budget of $16,407,659 for design and construction of the Lakewood Park Renovation and Enhancement Project (Project No. 834770). In 2020, an additional $1,500,000 was awarded to the City in grant funding from the County of Santa Clara for a total project budget of $17,907,659. The grant funding is for construction of an all-inclusive playground for people of all ages and all abilities.
A design contract with a 10% contingency in the amount of $1,665,383 was awarded to Verde Design on September 13, 2022. Initial estimates for the preferred concept plan are approximately $16.2 million and includes an escalation factor to the projected mid- point of construction.
Based on conceptual level estimates, there is adequate funding between the grant funding and project 834770 Lakewood Park Renovation and Enhancement, including construction contingency and other soft costs. As the project progresses further into design and estimates are refined to reflect the current economic conditions for construction pricing, the plans may need to be modified to keep costs within the project budget. A future Report to Council will be presented requesting award of a construction contract after the project is competitively bid. Operating costs and revenues will be adjusted during the next operating budget review cycle.
PUBLIC CONTACT
Public contact was made by posting the Parks and Recreation Commission agenda on the City's official-notice bulletin board, on the City’s website, and the availability of the agenda and report in the Office of the City Clerk.
The three virtual public meetings for the project were conducted by City staff and Verde Design on January 12, 2023, May 4, 2023, and July 26, 2023. Notification of these meetings was provided through mail delivery to neighbors that live within 500 feet of the project and advertising via email subscribers of Lakewood Park Renovation project through GovDelivery, Nextdoor, and the City website. Two online surveys for the project were also offered on the City website and advertised via the email subscribers, Nextdoor, and the City website. Online Survey #1 was open from January 19 to February 2, 2023, and 160 responses were received. Online Survey #2 was open from May 5 to May 22, 2023, and 304 responses were received.
Additionally, the City held a “pop-up” event at Lakewood Park on May 8, 2023, where the project team received feedback from 27 park users. Further input was received via email correspondence from 14 community members.
ALTERNATIVES
1. Recommend that City Council Approve the Preferred Concept Plan as shown on Attachment 6 of the report.
2. Provide other recommendation to City Council as the Commission deems appropriate.
STAFF RECOMMENDATION
Recommendation
Alternative 1: Recommend that City Council Approve the Preferred Concept Plan as shown on Attachment 6 of the report.
Staff
Prepared by: Bennett Chun, Senior Engineer
Reviewed by: Jennifer Ng, Assistant Director of Public Works
Reviewed by: Chip Taylor, Director of Public Works
Reviewed by: Michelle Perera, Director of Library & Recreational Services
Reviewed by: Teri Silva, Assistant City Manager
Approved by: Kent Steffens, City Manager
ATTACHMENTS
1. Reserved for Report to Council
2. Community Meeting and Online Survey #1 Report, dated February 2023
3. Community Meeting and Online Survey #2 Report, dated June 2023
4. Community Meeting #3 Minutes, dated July 2023
5. Preferred Concept Plan, dated August 2023
6. Comparison Table on Turf Types