Title
Review and Comment on Revised Alameda Point Waterfront Park Plan
Body
To: Honorable Chair and Members of the Recreation and Park Commission
From: Amy Wooldridge, Recreation and Parks Director
Re: Review and Comment on Revised Alameda Point Waterfront Park Plan
BACKGROUND
The Recreation and Parks Commission previously reviewed and commented on the conceptual design for the Alameda Point Waterfront Park. The developer, Alameda Point Partners, is bringing a revised design back to the City for review (Exhibit 1) that is generally similar in scope but reduces construction costs.
DISCUSSION
The Recreation and Parks Director and the Planning, Building and Transportation Director met with the design team and provided input on the revised park plan.
Attached as Exhibit 2 is a narrative from the design firm regarding the changes to the park plans.
There are additional changes that City staff are requesting for the park design. These include:
• Removing all palm trees. The revised plan has less of them but palm trees are more of a nuisance in parks than a benefit. Shade trees are much more beneficial and easier to maintain. These particular palm trees have huge clumps of dead palm fronds that rats like to burrow into for nests and so it takes a large amount of regular maintenance to keep these trimmed off and the palm fronds can also fall on people in a park.
• Shade structures are requested and can be a trellis shade structure similar to Lincoln Park or Godfrey Park.
• To put all picnic tables on DG (Decomposed Granite) rather than some on grass. It is difficult to mow around picnic tables and increases maintenance costs because they have to be cleared by hand tools which is why it’s standard that picnic areas are on DG not grass in parks throughout almost all cities.
• Provide more waterfront seating since it has been reduced significantly from the previous site plan. The previous plan had broad steps, which created built in seating plus it had the seat wall at the bottom and wide planter seating. The proposed site plan has just a few benches scattered along the length and a few lounge chairs.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
There is no financial impact from this item. The Alameda Point Waterfront Park will be maintained through contract and funded by an assessment district.
RECOMMENDATION
To provide comments on the revised Alameda Point Waterfront Park plan.
Respectfully submitted,
Amy Wooldridge, Recreation and Parks Director
Exhibits:
1. Alameda Point Waterfront Park Illustrative Plan
2. Narrative from Waterfront Park Designer