CITY COUNCIL STAFF REPORT
MEETING DATE: May 18, 2016
PREPARED BY: Chris Ghione, Community Services Director
APPROVED BY: City Manager
Title
INCLUSIVE PLAYGROUND CONCEPT DESIGNS
END
RECOMMENDATION(S)
RECOMMENDATION
Approve concept designs for the Morgan Hill Inclusive Playground.
BODY
COUNCIL PRIORITIES, GOALS & STRATEGIES:
Ongoing Priorities
Supporting Youth
2016 Focus Areas
Developing Our Community
REPORT NARRATIVE:
In November, 2015 the City Council authorized Verde Design, Inc. to begin work on concept designs for the Morgan Hill Inclusive Playground. During the month of January, the volunteers of the Morgan Hill Inclusive Playground Committee worked with the team at Verde Designs to gather input from the community on the wants and needs for the playground. This included three sessions with students at different schools, one community meeting, and a design session with the volunteers of the committee. Over the next several months the committee and Verde Designs worked to develop concept designs for the playground. These concept designs are attached to this report for review.
The concept designs call for the new inclusive playground to replace the existing playground at Community Park. The design of the park pulls some elements from other inclusive playgrounds that have been found successful and integrates them with the ideas brought forward through the community outreach, to create a design that will be unique to the Morgan Hill playground. The current design estimates will cost approximately $4 million to build. In addition to the concept designs for the playground, Verde Designs has put together a concept parking plan for the adjacent Community Park parking lot. This plan would increase parking, create and upgrade the parking lot to calm traffic, and provide for additional ADA parking spaces.
If approved by the Council, the Morgan Hill Inclusive Playground Committee will begin formal fundraising for the project. Through research from other successful inclusive playground fundraising efforts, the committee has found that the concept design is a critical component to complete before fundraising begins. Although formal fundraising has not yet begun, the committee has raised over $40,000 for this effort in addition to the funds committed by the Council.
An “inclusive playground” differs from an “accessible playground” in that it has the aim to make it not only accessible for those with mobility issues, but just as importantly to encourage and enable all children to engage with one another while using the playground. Successful fundraising efforts for inclusive playgrounds have recently occurred in a number of nearby communities, including Salinas, Palo Alto and San Jose.
The Parks and Recreation Commission (Commission) will review these concept designs on Tuesday, May 17. The Commission’s recommendation will be provided to the Council as a supplemental item.
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT: Empower
This project was brought forward by community members and is being driven by community members. The design process was developed and coordinated by the Morgan Hill Inclusive Playground Committee volunteers.
ALTERNATIVE ACTIONS:
The Council could choose to provide direction on changes to specific elements in the concepts. The Council could also elect not to approve the concept designs and provide additional direction to City staff.
PRIOR CITY COUNCIL AND COMMISSION ACTIONS:
During the development of the Fiscal Year 2015-16 Capital Improvement Budget the Council allocated $330,000 towards this project. In August 2015, the Council received an update on the project, at which time the committee indicated the desired location for the playground was Community Park.
On November 4, the City Council authorized an agreement with Verde Design, Inc. to develop concept designs for the Morgan Hill Inclusive Playground. The Council also allocated an additional funding of $75,500 to the CIP to provide enough funding for the concept design work and leave a remaining $300,000 in the CIP towards the development of the playground.
FISCAL AND RESOURCE IMPACT:
The funding source for this Capital Improvement Project is the Park Impact Fund (301). The Council has committed $105,500 towards the concept design of the park and an additional $300,000 towards development of the Park within the Fiscal Year 2015-16 Capital Improvement Program.
CEQA (California Environmental Quality Act):
Not a Project
The action made by Council tonight will not have any impact on the environment. Upon approval of the concept designs Verde Designs will begin the necessary work required for CEQA clearance.
LINKS/ATTACHMENTS:
1. Playground Concept Design
2. Parking Plan Concept
3. Park Entrance Concept