Title
Review and Discuss City Facility Naming Policy and Criteria for Naming City Facilities (45 minutes)
Body
To: Honorable Chair and Members of the Recreation and Park Commission
From: Amy Wooldridge, Recreation and Parks Director
Re: Review and Discuss City Facility Naming Policy and Criteria for Naming City Facilities.
BACKGROUND
At its April 12, 2018 meeting, the Recreation and Parks Commission received two written communications related to naming or re-naming parks. One was a request to rename Jackson Park to Justice Park. The second was to name a new, yet-to-be-built park at Alameda Landing Waterfront, to Bohol Circle Park.
At its May 10, 2018 meeting, the Commission discussed the City Naming Policy and the two park naming requests further and directed staff to provide a baseline of criteria for naming parks as well as historical background on Jackson Park from an Alameda historical source, such as Alameda Museum or the College of Alameda.
Exhibit 1 is the City Council adopted 2016 policy for Naming City Property, Facilities and Streets.
DISCUSSION
The City Naming Policy lists specific criteria for selecting the name for a City property, facility or street (Section C of Exhibit 1). These include:
1. A name that reflects the Iocation of the facility by geographic area;
2. A name that reflects the history of a facility such as the family name of the builder developer or person who may have donated the land when the individual has been deceased a minimum of three years;
3. A name that recognizes a significant contributor to the advancement of the City such as a former Mayor Councilmember Board or Commission Member officers or employees of the City or member of the community when the individual has been deceased a minimum of three years;
4. A name that recognizes the donor of a significant gift of land or funds for a City facility;
5. A name that is listed on the List of Street and Facility Names of the City of Alameda.
6. Only one name shall be used for each property or facility and all its various components.
There is also an approved naming list for city facilities and streets (Exhibit 2). The Historical Advisory Board (HAB) maintains this list of street and facility names. The Recreation and Parks Commission may either use this existing list or recommend a new or renamed park name to the HAB based on documentation of the historic importance of the proposed name in Alameda history and also based on the criteria listed above.
When a naming request comes before the Recreation and Parks Commission for a new, un-named park, the Commission should first utilize information on a proposed name to discuss and determine if that name meets the listed criteria. Staff recommends the Commission develop a list of names as options for any given facility or park. This list of names could come from a public input process or from a committee assigned to the task. A public voting process to finalize the list of names, through online and paper surveys, will then determine which names are of interest to the larger Alameda community.
The Commission would then make a final name recommendation to the HAB for consideration. If approved, the City Council would be responsible for the final approval of the name.
Other cities include additional reasons as the basis for naming facilities. These include:
• Service Recognition - recognition of important services provided by individuals, groups and organizations. Typically a direct, positive impact that is outside the normal function of the organization and has taken place over a period of years. (El Cerrito)
• Naming after natural features, such as plant and animal life, cultural features, topographic or geographic features. (Lafayette)
• Location/geographic area of relationship to the natural surroundings. (San Ramon)
• An outstanding feature, design or theme of the park or facility, whether natural, geographical or manmade. (San Ramon)
• An adjoining or local subdivision, street, school or facility.
RECOMMENDATION
Review and Discuss City Facility Naming Policy and Criteria for Naming City Facilities.
Respectfully submitted,
Amy Wooldridge, Recreation and Parks Director
Exhibits:
1. 2016 Revised Policy for Naming City Property Facilities