The URL can be used to link to this page

Home My WebLink AboutSupplemental Questions from Council Member Moore1 Gloria Harper From:Jill Ingram Sent:Monday, January 11, 2021 12:07 PM Cc:Executive Team; 'Craig A. Steele'; Dana Engstrom Subject:FW: Westminster Linear Park Project BCC: CITY COUNCIL Forwarding FYI since this inquiry from Tom Moore and staff responses are related to a Consent Calendar item on tonight’s agenda (Westminster Avenue Linear Park Grant Application). As I mentioned to you in an email last week, staff will also be presenting this proposed grant project at tonight’s Council meeting as part of the community outreach effort as well. Therefore, I will be pulling this item to give Steve Myrter an opportunity for a brief presentation. Jill R. Ingram, ICMA-CM City Manager City of Seal Beach - 211 Eighth Street, Seal Beach, CA 90740 (562) 431-2527, Ext. 1300 Civility Principles: 1. Treat everyone courteously; 2. Listen to others respectfully; 3. Exercise self-control; 4. Give open-minded consideration to all viewpoints; 5. Focus on the issues and avoid personalizing debate; and, 6. Embrace respectful disagreement and dissent as democratic rights, inherent components of an inclusive public process, and tools for forging sound decisions. For Information about Seal Beach, please see our city website: www.sealbeachca.gov NOTICE: This communication may contain privileged or other confidential information. If you are not the intended recipient of this communication, or an employee or agent responsible for delivering this communication to the intended recipient, please advise the sender by reply email and immediately delete the message and any attachments without copying or disclosing the contents. Thank you. From: Steve Myrter Sent: Monday, January 11, 2021 11:54 AM To: Thomas Moore; Jill Ingram Subject: RE: Westminster Linear Park Project Hi Tom, We would recommend Gas Tax. Steve From: Thomas Moore Sent: Monday, January 11, 2021 11:28 AM 2 To: Jill Ingram Cc: Steve Myrter Subject: Re: Westminster Linear Park Project Would the restricted funds be part of Measure M or gas‐tax related? Thank you, Tom Thomas Moore City Council Member, District 2 City of Seal Beach - 211 Eighth Street, Seal Beach, CA 90740 (562) 431-2527 x1502 Civility Principles: 1. Treat everyone courteously; 2. Listen to others respectfully; 3. Exercise self-control; 4. Give open-minded consideration to all viewpoints; 5. Focus on the issues and avoid personalizing debate; and, 6. Embrace respectful disagreement and dissent as democratic rights, inherent components of an inclusive public process, and tools for forging sound decisions. For Information about Seal Beach, please see our city website: www.sealbeachca.gov NOTICE: This communication may contain privileged or other confidential information. If you are not the intended recipient of this communication, or an employee or agent responsible for delivering this communication to the intended recipient, please advise the sender by reply email and immediately delete the message and any attachments without copying or disclosing the contents. Thank you. From: Jill Ingram <jingram@sealbeachca.gov> Sent: Monday, January 11, 2021 9:47 AM To: Thomas Moore <tmoore@sealbeachca.gov> Cc: Steve Myrter <smyrter@sealbeachca.gov> Subject: RE: Westminster Linear Park Project Tom, if the City were successful in a grant award, the 10% proposed match ($200,000) would be funded with restricted (non-General) funds. I have copied Steve Myrter on this email so that he can perhaps address your second question below during his presentation tonight. Thanks, Jill R. Ingram, ICMA-CM City Manager City of Seal Beach - 211 Eighth Street, Seal Beach, CA 90740 (562) 431-2527, Ext. 1300 3 Civility Principles: 1. Treat everyone courteously; 2. Listen to others respectfully; 3. Exercise self-control; 4. Give open-minded consideration to all viewpoints; 5. Focus on the issues and avoid personalizing debate; and, 6. Embrace respectful disagreement and dissent as democratic rights, inherent components of an inclusive public process, and tools for forging sound decisions. For Information about Seal Beach, please see our city website: www.sealbeachca.gov NOTICE: This communication may contain privileged or other confidential information. If you are not the intended recipient of this communication, or an employee or agent responsible for delivering this communication to the intended recipient, please advise the sender by reply email and immediately delete the message and any attachments without copying or disclosing the contents. Thank you. From: Thomas Moore Sent: Saturday, January 09, 2021 11:33 AM To: Jill Ingram Subject: Fwd: Westminster Linear Park Project Fyi Would the 200k come out of the general fund? Has there been any analysis on how it will be used and by who/ how many people? Thanks, Tom Begin forwarded message: From: Karen Nolta <knolta@gmail.com> Date: January 9, 2021 at 11:18:02 AM PST To: Thomas Moore <tmoore@sealbeachca.gov> Cc: Amy Culligan <amyculligan@gmail.com>, Iris Lee <ilee@sealbeachca.gov>, Joe Kalmick <jkalmick@sealbeachca.gov> Subject: Westminster Linear Park Project Dear Tom, As you know I listened and participated in the Westminster Linear Park Project presentation Thursday. I also spoke with Iris Lee about my concerns and I wanted to share with you as well. If this project were to be fully funded by a grant, I would not be writing you as it appears the plans call for beautiful landscaping in what has been untouched land for years. However, I understand our already scarce City funds will be used as matching funds for a project I do not think justifies the cost. Moreover, had I and others not been vocal to city staff for years about minimal landscaping improvements in our CPW neighborhood I would not be as concerned. City staff has always responded there is not enough money in the budget. 4 1. Why is a significant amount of money being offered? How much is the City contributing in "matching funds?” While I understand a grant will fund the majority of this project, I am curious what the City will be offering as a "matching funds" should they win the grant? I have heard it could be $200,000, however the exact amount was not shared during the meeting. This is an expensive landscaping improvement that in my opinion will serve only a very small population of Seal Beach residents. It is not equitable that even $100,000 of City funds should be used to develop a new park when funds should be focused on existing parks and improvements needed throughout the City that will have larger benefits citywide. For example, Edison Park in CPW has a list of improvements and safety repairs that have been requested by CPW residents for years. These include: rusty and outdated play equipment, a new tire swing, a trail around the park where residents could walk or children could ride scooters and bikes, benches, and minimal landscaping at the park entrance and across from the park. Edison Park is heavily used by not only used by CPW residents but many other SB neighborhood residents. Any one of the previously mentioned suggestions would be more than welcomed and provide major atheistic improvements to our neighborhood. I use Edson Park as a example but I assume many of the existing parks in Seal Beach have similar issues or needs. Using as much as $200,000 in general or park and recreation revenue for a new project is not only excessive but almost irresponsible. The primary Park and Recreation needs in our community are existing parks not new ones. 2. Who is the park being developed for/the target population? I have serious concerns as to who will actually use this proposed park. Nothing was mentioned during the presentation about a request for a walking path in this area by SB residents. Is this a need by residents throughout the City? A request by Leisure World Residents? A request by Boeing for it’s employees? It is unrealistic to think residents of other SB neighborhoods will drive to this location to walk a 1-mile path. People either stay in their neighborhood, drive to the beach or large open space like Gum Grove. The only realistic users of this park will be LW residents, and the proposed matching funds are not justifiable. LW residents live in a gated, meticulous landscaped neighborhood and have no need to leave for a 1-2 mile walk on a fast-paced street. It seemed there were some Boeing employees on the Thursday presentation. Is the park is being developed primarily for Boeing employees as an incentive to keep them in the City? If so, this is a completely different issue and should be shared with residents. Other Options: I understand this project fulfills the grant criteria, however there are other options off the San Gabriel River that could use improvements instead (ie the actual bike path along the SG River or the bike path on North Gate Road). Either of these improvements seem to justify matching city funds and benefit more residents. If the City is committed to applying for this particular grant and to develop this area, why can't it be scaled down to a simple walking path and not as elaborate as proposed? For example, are refillable water stations, lighting and benches needed? A simple walking path would provide the same results and yet would not require the City to provide such significant matching funds, or any funds at all. Thank you for all you do for our City! I appreciate City staff efforts to beautify Seal Beach, but not at the proposed expense for such minimal benefit. 5 Karen Nolta 562-301-4079 CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Do not click links or open attachments unless you recognize the sender and know the content is safe.