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Consider Addressing the Process for Potential Changes to the Jean Sweeney Open Space Park Design Development Plan, including Public Input. (Councilmembers Herrera Spencer and Daysog) [Continued from March 16 to March 30, 2021]
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COUNCIL REFERRAL FORM
The Council can take any of the following actions:
1) Take no action.
2) Refer the matter to staff to schedule as a future City Council agenda item.
3) Take dispositive action if sufficiently noticed such that the public and Council have been provided sufficient information by the published agenda, and no formal published notice of a public hearing is required.
Name of Councilmember requesting referral: Councilmembers Herrera Spencer and Daysog
Date of submission to City Clerk (must be submitted before 5:00 p.m. on the Monday two weeks before the Council meeting requested): 3/4/2021
Council Meeting date: 3/16/2021
Brief description of the subject to be printed on the agenda, sufficient to inform the City Council and public of the nature of the referral:
After more than two decades of community efforts, including a citizen initiative in 2000 <http://www.sweeneyopenspacepark.org/docs/Alameda_Beltline_Initiative_FullText.pdf>, on July 5, 2016, Council unanimously approved the Jean Sweeney Open Space Park Design Development Plan. Agenda Item 6-B <https://alameda.legistar.com/LegislationDetail.aspx?ID=2769319&GUID=3A6D6F41-027D-4A1D-B957-74FB4CF903F7&FullText=1>; including Exhibit 1 Detailed Park Design (drawings). That Plan included the parcels to expand the Jean Sweeney Open Space Park. From Staff report, “On July 15, 2015, the City Council approved the Sweeney Park Master Plan, which was designed pro bono by Kristoffer Koster of KKDesign through an extensive public input process. On March 1, 2016, the City Council approved a contract with Placeworks Landscape Architects to provide design services for Jean Sweeney Open Space Park. Since then, staff has been working with Placeworks to develop the design, utilizing the approved Master Plan as the design framework.”
On September 4, 2018, Council, again, unanimously supported the goal of the expanded public Jean Sweeney Open Space Park. Council voted to “Acquire Union Pacific Property … for the Jean Sweeney Open Space Park Project Adoption of Resolution Determining that the Public Interest and Necessity Require the Acquisition of Certain Real Property Interests for a Public Project….” <https://alameda.legistar.com/LegislationDetail.aspx?ID=3626429&GUID=501863B4-A605-4175-800D-4D75F03A395E&FullText=1>
On October 16, 2018, Council reaffirmed its commitment to the expanded public Jean Sweeney Open Space Park. Council voted to adopt the “Resolution Amending the General Fund and the Capital Improvement Program Budget for Fiscal Year 2018-19 for the Jean Sweeney Open Space Park Project to Fund Immediate Possession of Four Remnant Parcels Totaling Approximately 2.8 Acres Owned by Union Pacific; and Recommendation to Direct the City Attorney to Deposit the Sum of $1,098,000 with the Condemnation Deposits Fund and Seek an Order for Prejudgment Possession of the Subject Property.” <https://alameda.legistar.com/LegislationDetail.aspx?ID=3693611&GUID=96245F25-6D67-4EF0-8440-A26B62FBA5E6&Options=&Search=&FullText=1>
On February 25, 2021, prior to any change in policy direction from City Council or the Recreation and Parks Commission, during a 7 p.m. Zoom meeting, City Staff shared with the public a new map of the Jean Sweeney Open Space Park (Exhibit 1), with red dashes carving out significant areas that had been part of the Jean Sweeney Open Space Park Design Development Plan and led discussions of how to address the potentially diminished size of the Jean Sweeney Open Space Park. Staff is also disseminating an online survey asking for community input, including the map with the red-dash carve outs (Exhibit 2), without specifically explaining the purpose of the red-dash carve outs.
It is critical that any changes to the City Council approved Jean Sweeney Open Space Park Design Development Plan be approved by City Council during public meetings and that such discussions include a public process. The community has championed the Jean Sweeney Open Space Park and it is inappropriate for any changes to the approved Plan to take place without public input, including potentially reducing the land area of the Park. It is critical that these public discussions take place immediately, based upon Staff comments at the February 25, 2021 Zoom meeting, to avoid irreparable harm to the community, in that these parcels may be forever lost to the City and not available for the Jean Sweeney Open Space Park.
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