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ALL RIGHT.GOOD AFTERNOON EVERYBODY, AND WELCOME TO THE MAINTENANCE INFRASTRUCTURE AND PLANNING COMMITTEE OF THE PARKS AND REC COMMISSION.
UH, IT IS 3 38 AND I'D LIKE TO CALL TO ORDER, UH, THE TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 30TH, 2025, MAINTENANCE INFRASTRUCTURE AND PLANNING COMMITTEE.
SPECIAL MEETING FOR THE CITY OF LONG BEACH.
UH, I AM GONNA TAKE ROLL RIGHT NOW.
COMMISSIONER LIVINGSTON, PRESENT.
HOPEFULLY EVERYBODY CAN HEAR ME DOWN THERE.
TRYING TO SPEAK A LITTLE BIT LOUDER, BUT, UH, OH, YOU'RE DOING GREAT.
JUST LET ME KNOW IF, UH, IF YOU'RE UNABLE TO HEAR.
UM, SO COMMISSIONERS, UH, RECALL THAT, UM, STARTED A PROCESS WHERE, UH, COMMISSIONERS COULD ASK FOR UPDATES ON SPECIFIC PROJECTS OR, UM, PROGRAMS, SERVICES, ACTIVITIES OF THE DEPARTMENT.
AND ON TODAY'S, UH, COMMITTEE MEETING, THERE ARE A FEW ITEMS THAT WERE BROUGHT UP IN PREVIOUS, UH, COMMISSION MEETINGS, UH, WHERE COMMISSIONERS REQUESTED AN UPDATE ON THESE SPECIFIC TOPICS.
UH, SO THERE ARE THREE TOPICS ON TODAY'S AGENDA.
UH, THE FIRST IS GOING TO BE, UH, JUST AN UPDATE, UH, FROM PUBLIC WORKS ON OUR ELEVATE 28, UM, PLAN AND CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS.
UH, THE SECOND UPDATE WILL BE ON DRAKE CHAVEZ PARK, UM, AND, UH, THE EXPANSION PROJECT.
AND THEN THE THIRD WILL BE ON, UH, PARKLAND MANAGEMENT.
UH, THAT KIND OF ENCOMPASSES WHAT WE DO TO MAINTAIN THE PARKLANDS, UM, INCLUDING, AND I KNOW THAT'S SOMETHING THAT IS OF INTEREST, THE, UH, USE OF, UM, THINGS LIKE PESTICIDES.
SO WE'LL BE GETTING TO THAT, UH, IN A MINUTE.
WE'RE GONNA FIRST, UH, START WITH, UH, ITEM NUMBER ONE, WHICH IS A RECOMMENDATION TO RECEIVE AND FILE AND UPDATE REGARDING ELEVATE 28 AND CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS AS IT RELATES TO THE DEPARTMENT OF PARKS, RECREATION AND MARINE.
UM, SO BEFORE, UH, ASKING FOR A STAFF REPORT, CAN I GET A MOTION, UH, TO APPROVE? SO MOVE SECOND.
UM, SO WE DO HAVE, JUST AS A CLARIFICATION, SO BY MOVING TO ACCEPT IT WITHIN THIS, THEN BE FORWARD TO THE FULL, UH, COMMISSION.
SO THE ACTION WAS REALLY JUST TO RECEIVE, AND THE RECOMMENDATION HERE IS TO RECEIVE AND FILE AN UPDATE ON THIS PLAN.
HAVING SAID THAT, UH, OUR, FOR REALLY ALL THREE OF THESE PLAN IS TO TAKE THESE TO THE FULL COMMISSION AS THIS WAS A REQUEST OF THE, YOU KNOW, VARIOUS COMMISSIONERS, SOME WHO MAY NOT BE PART OF THIS, UH, COMMITTEE.
UH, SO THAT IS THE PLAN IS TO TAKE THEM TO THE FULL COMMISSION, BUT THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY AT KINDA A COMMITTEE LEVEL TO HAVE THAT, UH, INITIAL, UH, CONVERSATION, DIALOGUE PRESENTATION.
IN DEPTH AND ASK QUESTIONS THAT CAN THEN BE ANSWERED FOR THE FULL COMMISSION.
ALRIGHT, SO, UH, FOR THAT FIRST ITEM, WE HAVE A FIRST, UH, A MOTION AND A SECOND, UM, I WANT TO INTRODUCE ANNA DENDA.
UH, SHE IS THE CAPITAL BUDGET OFFICER, CORRECT.
FOR, UH, THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS.
UH, FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO MAY KNOW, UH, THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS REALLY IS THE LEAD AGENCY IN THE CITY FOR THE DELIVERY OF CAPITAL PROJECTS.
AND SO IN THIS PARTICULAR CASE, WE ARE A CUSTOMER OF PUBLIC WORKS, UM, BUT THEY HAVE INITIATED ESSENTIALLY LIKE A FIVE YEAR CAPITAL PLAN CALLED THE ELEVATE 28 PLAN.
AND SO ANNA IS HERE TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT THAT PLAN ENTAILS, UM, AND MAYBE HIGHLIGHTING, UH, A FEW OF OUR JUST PARKS PROJECTS.
UH, GOOD AFTERNOON COMMISSIONERS.
MY NAME IS ANNA DAND, I'M THE CAPITAL BUDGET OFFICER, AND I'M HERE TO GIVE A BRIEF PRESENTATION ABOUT THE ELEVATE 28 PLAN THAT WAS JUST PRESENTED TO CITY COUNCIL DURING THE ANNUAL, UH, UH, BUDGET ADOPTION.
SO, UM, TODAY I'LL PROVIDE A BRIEF OVERVIEW OF THE PROPOSED INFRASTRUCTURE FUNDING ALLOCATION FOR FISCAL YEAR 26 AND MEASURE A.
THE TOTAL PROPOSED BUDGET IS 12.3 MILLION JUST FOR MEASURE A, FOR THE ELEVATE 28 PLAN.
AND THE PURPOSE OF THE INVESTMENTS IS TO REFLECT A BALANCED APPROACH TO IMPROVING PARKS, PUBLIC FACILITIES, AND MOBILITY INFRASTRUCTURE.
UH, THE FOCUS REMAINS ON ENHANCING COMMUNITY SPACES, SUPPORTING SAFETY AND ENSURING LONG-TERM SUSTAINABILITY OF CITY ASSETS.
AND IN THIS SLIDE, UH, WITH THE ADOPTION OF THE FY 26 CIP BUDGET, OVER 405 MILLION OF MEASURE A DOLLARS WILL BE COMMITTED TOWARDS INFRASTRUCTURE INVESTMENTS BETWEEN FY 17 AND 26.
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TOTAL, 405.33 MILLION OF MEASURE A HAS BEEN INVESTED OR PROPOSED ACROSS KEY INFRASTRUCTURE CATEGORIES, MAKING LONG BEACH A SAFER, MORE CONNECTED, MORE VIBRANT CITY.THESE INVESTMENTS ALSO ALIGN WITH THE CITY'S LONG-TERM INFRASTRUCTURE PRIORITIES AND ARE A DIRECT RESULT OF COMMUNITY DRIVEN PLANNING AND ACCOUNTABILITY.
UH, THIS SLIDE PROVIDES AN IMPORTANT UPDATE ON THE CITY'S ELEVATE 28 INFRASTRUCTURE INVESTMENT PLAN, WHICH IS OUR LONG TERM ROADMAP TO PREPARE LONG BEACH FOR 2028 AND BEYOND.
OVER THE PAST YEAR STAFF, UH, STAFF CONDUCTED A COMPREHENSIVE REVIEW OF THE ELEVATE 28 PLAN.
THE UPDATE NOW REFLECTS ALL GRANT AWARDS AND ADDITIONAL FUNDING SECURED RECEIVED, UH, SINCE THE LAST VERSION OF THE PLAN AS A RESULT OF THESE EFFORTS, ELEVATE 28 NOW TOTALS $1.09 BILLION IN PLAN INVESTMENTS.
THIS REFLECTS A SIGNIFICANT INCREASE AND DEMONSTRATES OUR CONTINUED SUCCESS IN LEVERAGING LOCAL, STATE, AND FEDERAL RESOURCES TO SUPPORT MAJOR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS.
UM, THIS ELEVATE 28 PLAN IS NOT JUST PREPARING FOR THE OLYMPICS, IT'S ALSO ABOUT IMPROVING THE DAILY LIFE FOR RESIDENTS THROUGH INVESTMENTS IN PARKS, MOBILITY, FACILITIES, AND PUBLIC SAFETY.
THE FOLLOWING SLIDES WILL FURTHER DETAIL HOW ELEVATE 28 AND MERE WORK TOGETHER TO FUND AND IMPLEMENT KEY PROJECTS IN OUR COMMUNITY.
AND A PICTURE HERE IS THE NEWLY COMPLETED BIG SPEED BAND SHELL IMPROVEMENTS.
SO ON THESE SLIDES, UM, THE NEXT NEW SLIDE ACTUALLY OUTLINED THE REVISED, UH, ELEVATE 28 PLAN BROKEN DOWN BY INVESTMENT CATEGORIES.
SO WE HAVE DIFFERENT CATEGORIES, AND THESE SLIDES WILL INCLUDE THE REVISED AND UPDATED, UH, FUNDING AS WELL AS THE CURRENT STAGE OF EACH PROJECT WITH ADDITIONAL FUNDING IDENTIFIED FOR EACH PROJECT IF APPLICABLE.
CAN WE JUST GO THROUGH THE NEXT SLIDE? THESE ARE JUST THE DIFFERENT CATEGORIES HERE.
THIS IS JUST A MAP THAT, UH, REPRESENTS THE PROGRESS OF OUR CURRENT FIVE YEAR, UH, PAVEMENT MANAGEMENT PLAN AS OUTLINE IN THE ELEVATE 28 PLAN.
UH, TODAY OVER 504, UM, LANES, UH, LANE MILES OF IMPROVEMENTS HAVE BEEN COMPLETED, OR 52% OF THE TOTAL FIVE YEAR PLAN.
THIS INCLUDES 68 OF SLURRY SEAL, 57 OF RESIDENTIAL STREETS, AND 23% OF ARTERIAL STREETS AND 98% OF ALLEYS COMPLETED TO DATE.
UM, IF YOU CAN JUST, AND THESE ARE THE REST OF THE CATEGORIES IN THE PLAN, AND JUST KEEP SCROLLING THROUGH ONE MORE, ONE MORE, AND ANOTHER ONE.
UM, THIS TABLE PROVIDES A DETAILED, UH, BREAKDOWN OF THE FULL ELEVATE 28 INVESTMENT PLAN BY CATEGORY.
IT REFLECTS MEASURE A FUNDING, AN ADDITIONAL EXTERNAL FUNDING PLAN THROUGH FY 27.
THIS SLIDE UNDERSCORES HOW ELEVATE 20 IS JUST ON A VISION.
IT'S A FUNDED MULTI-YEAR PLAN WITH TARGETED IMPROVEMENTS ACROSS CATEGORIES THAT DIRECTLY BENEFIT NEIGHBORHOODS, ENHANCE SAFETY AND SUPPORT CLIMATE RESILIENCE.
UM, TO ENSURE TRANSPARENCY AND ACCESSIBILITY, THE CITY LAUNCHED A DEDICATED WEBSITE, LB ELEVATE 20 EIGHT.COM.
YOU CAN ALSO ACCESS IT VIA THIS QR CODE ON THIS SLIDE.
UM, EACH PROJECT HAS ITS OWN INFORMATION PAGE ON THIS WEBSITE WITH SCOPE, UH, BUDGET DETAILS, LOCATION, CONSTRUCTION TIMELINES, FUNDING STATUS, AND CURRENT PROJECT PHASE.
THIS WEBSITE IS ALSO, IT'S A PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT TOOL DESIGNED TO MAKE THE ELEVATE 20 PLAN CLEAR, INTERACTIVE AND ACCOUNTABLE.
WE ENCOURAGE YOU TO EXPLORE IT AND STAY UP TO DATE IN THE PROGRESS OF ALL PROJECTS.
UM, LASTLY, THE ELEVATE 20, UH, WEBSITE IS POWER.
IT HAS A POWER BI REPORT, WHICH ALLOWS THE PUBLIC TO EASILY FILTER THE PLAN AND PROJECTS THEREIN.
TO DATE, OVER 25% OF THE OVERALL PLAN HAS BEEN COMPLETED, INCLUDING 22 PROJECTS COMPLETED, 19 IN CURRENT CONSTRUCTION.
THREE ARE IN THE BID AND AWARD PHASE, AND 40 IN DESIGN, AS WELL AS 52% OF THE MOBILITY IMPROVEMENTS COMPLETED TO DATE.
AND 18 ONGOING MOBILITY PROGRAMS FUNDED BY THE PLAN.
WITH OVER TWO YEARS REMAINING IN THE PLAN AND FURTHER FUNDING BEING DISPERSED IN 26 AND 27, THE DEPARTMENT IS MAKING SIGNIFICANT PROGRESS IN DELIVERING THE PROJECTS WITHIN THE ELEVATE 28 PLAN WITH MORE PROJECTS BEING COMPLETED EACH MONTH.
UH, AND THIS CONCLUDES MY PRESENTATION, IF YOU GUYS HAVE ANY QUESTIONS.
UH, SO I'LL HAVE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS OR GATHER MORE INFORMATION.
SO IF I COULD JUST ADD A, A COUPLE OF THINGS TO WHAT, UH, ANNA JUST PRESENTED ON SLIDE 13.
I THINK IT'S REALLY TELLING, UM, IT, IT, THIS SHOWS THE, UH, DIFFERENT INVESTMENT CATEGORIES, UH, IN THE ELEVATE 28
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PLAN.AND SO YOU SEE A LOT OF PARKS, UM, CATEGORIES.
YOU HAVE THE PARKS IMPROVEMENT, YOU HAVE GOLD MEDAL PARK REFRESH, EVEN INCLUDED IN PUBLIC FACILITIES CATEGORY.
AND SO YOU LOOK AT THAT FAR RIGHT COLUMN OF THE TOTAL AMOUNT OF INVESTMENTS FOR CAPITAL PROJECTS, UH, IN OUR PARK SYSTEM.
IT IS, UH, QUITE SIGNIFICANT AND SOMETHING THAT WE AS A DEPARTMENT AND WE AS A CITY HAVEN'T SEEN IN QUITE HONESTLY DECADES.
UH, THAT'S THE BENEFIT OF FUNDING SOURCES, LIKE AS, UH, ANNA MENTIONED MEASURE A AND WE HAVE COUNTY MEASURE A AND ALL KINDS OF OTHER DIFFERENT FUNDING SOURCES THAT WE DID NOT PREVIOUSLY HAVE.
AND SO, UH, THIS IS, UM, REALLY IMPORTANT, UH, INVESTMENT INTO OUR PARK ASSETS.
UM, SO WITH THAT, AT THIS TIME, UM, THANK YOU FOR THAT STAFF REPORT.
I WANTED TO SEE, UH, IF THERE IS ANY PUBLIC COMMENT RELATED TO THIS ITEM.
WHERE CAN WE FIND OUT EXACTLY WHAT THE PLANS ARE FOR EACH ONE OF THESE PROJECTS? LIKE THE, UM, BELMONT P FOR INSTANCE, WHAT ARE THEY GOING TO BE DOING THERE? IN THE WEBSITE ON THE LB ELEVATE 20 WEBSITE, THERE'S A DEDICATED PAGE TO EACH PROJECT.
AND IF YOU CLICK ON THERE, IT'LL TELL YOU THE SCOPE OF THE PROJECT, THE TIMELINE, AND WHAT PHASE THE PROJECT IS IN.
AND IS THAT WEBSITE ADDRESS ON HERE? YES, IT IS.
IT'S ON SLIDE, LET'S SEE HERE, THE ONE WITH THE QR CODE.
AND YOU CAN SEARCH BY COUNCIL DISTRICT, YOU CAN SEARCH BY PROJECT NAME, YOU CAN SEARCH BY ADDRESS.
SO THERE'S MULTIPLE WAYS YOU CAN FIND BY CATEGORY TOO.
AND, UH, THAT QUESTION WAS BY ANNE, JUST, UH, CANTRELL FOR THE PUBLIC RECORD.
AND IF ANYBODY HAS ANY, UH, MORE QUESTIONS FOR THIS ITEM OR FUTURE ITEMS, PLEASE JUST REMEMBER TO INTRODUCE YOURSELF BEFORE SPEAKING SO WE HAVE THAT FOR THE RECORD.
ANY OTHER PUBLIC COMMENT ON THIS ITEM? YES.
UM, I HAVE, UH, WRITTEN ABOUT THIS, UM, UH, THE CONCERN OF EQUITY.
I'VE PUBLISHED, I'VE DONE ALL SORTS OF THINGS AND PUT IT OUT THERE.
AND WHEN YOU HAVE PARKS THAT ARE, UH, ON THE EAST SIDE, BY THE WAY, I LIVE HERE.
I'M GLAD WE HAVE WHAT WE HAVE.
HOWEVER, I ALSO LOOK AT THE WEST SIDE AND I DO BELIEVE IN FAIRNESS.
AND, UM, AND WHEN WE HAVE, UH, A PARK RATIO OF 17 TO ONE IS THE LAST FIGURE THAT I HEARD.
UM, MY, MY BIG CONCERN IS EQUITY.
UM, YOU KNOW, HOW MUCH ARE WE PUTTING IN, I, I'M THRILLED THAT WE'VE GOT THE LOS CERRITOS WETLANDS COMING IN.
HOWEVER, I ALSO, YOU KNOW, KNOW THAT'S PROBABLY GONNA IN INCREASE OUR INEQUITY, SO TO SPEAK.
AND SO I, I REALLY ENCOURAGE, UH, THE COMMISSION TO AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE, TAKE A LOOK AT EVERY SINGLE PROJECT AND SAY, YOU KNOW, HOW, HOW ARE WE ADDRESSING EQUITY IN THIS PROJECT? IT, IT IS TIME NOW TO BE PUTTING, UH, PUTTING MOST OF OUR EFFORTS REALLY TO, UH, BALANCING THAT OUT.
NOT ONLY IS, IS IT
ALL THEIR LOTS ARE SMALLER HOUSING LOTS IN, IN MOST CASES.
UH, THEY DON'T HAVE THE POOLS THAT WE HAVE ON THESE SIDE.
I MEAN, IT'S NOT JUST THE PARKS THAT, THAT ARE UNEQUAL.
IT'S, IT'S JUST THE WHOLE THING.
AND IF WE WANT TO HAVE OUR CHILDREN ON THE WEST SIDE GROWING UP AND LOOKING AT THINGS POSITIVELY, I THINK WE NEED TO ADDRESS THAT VERY STRONGLY.
ANY OTHER PUBLIC COMMENT? UM, MANA NER, AND I JUST WANTED TO SAY THAT I SAW WILL SPRINGS PARK IS ON THE, UM, THE ELEVATE PLAN, AND I KIND OF TALKED WITH THE, THE, UH, CITY MANAGER ABOUT IT.
SO 4 MILLION OF THAT 5 MILLION IS FROM A GRANT WITH THE RIVERS AND MOUNTAINS CONCERNED TOO, NEEDS TO, UM, APPROVE AND HAVEN'T DONE, HAS NOT DONE YET.
HAVE YOU HEARD ANY WORD ABOUT IF IT WILL BE ON LIKE, THE NOVEMBER AGENDA OF THAT BOARD MEETING? DO YOU, DO YOU GUYS HAVE ANY TO THAT? SO, UH, WE REALLY SHOULDN'T BE RESPONDING TO, UH, THE PUBLIC COMMENT, UH, IN THIS FORUM, BUT HAPPY TO, TO SPEAK TO YOU,
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UH, SEPARATELY.ON THAT, SORRY, THAT WAS BE MY OWN COMMENT.
ANYTHING ELSE BEFORE WE BRING IT BACK TO THE COMMISSIONERS FOR THEIR COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS? ALRIGHT.
UH, ANY COMMISSION QUESTIONS? YEAH.
ALONG WITH DIANA'S, UH, COMMENT, ONE OF THE, ONE OF MY BIG CONCERNS IS THE, THE LACK, I THINK IS THE RIGHT WORD OF OPEN SPACE AND PARKS ON THE WEST SIDE.
HAS THERE EVER BEEN A DISCUSSION AND AT WHAT LEVEL OF TAKING THE MONEY WE HAVE AND PURCHASING OR CREATING PARKS AS OPPOSED TO REPAIRING OR IMPROVING THE ONES WE HAVE? I I, I, I DON'T WANT TO HAVE A PRECONCEIVED NOTION BECAUSE TAKING THE PARKS WE HAVE AND IMPROVING THEM IS GREAT, BUT, AND I ALSO KNOW THAT PURCHASING THE LAND IS THE BIGGEST THING TO, THE BIGGEST OBSTACLE TO GETTING IT ON THE, ON THE WEST SIDE.
BUT HAS THAT DISCUSSION BEEN HAD AT, AT, AT SOME LEVEL? SO I CAN SPEAK TO THAT.
UM, SO THE ANSWER TO THAT IS YES.
UM, IT CONTINUES TO BE, UH, A CONVERSATION AS WE EXPLORE NEW OPPORTUNITIES, NEW, UH, GRANT OPPORTUNITIES FOR ACQUISITION.
SOME OF THE DIFFICULTY WE HAVE AS A CITY THAT IS COMPLETELY BUILT OUT RIGHT, IS HAVING THE, YOU KNOW, UH, ACCESS OR ABILITY TO FIND NEW LAND EVEN FOR, FOR PARKS.
AND SO, UM, CERTAINLY THOUGH SOMETHING THAT WE LOOK AT, UH, PARTICULARLY, UM, IN THE KIND OF THE BUILT OUT SITUATION THAT WE'RE IN, WE DO LOOK AT THINGS LIKE HOW WE REUSE CERTAIN PUBLIC PROPERTIES OR REIMAGINE OR RE-ENGINEER CERTAIN PROPERTIES.
I THINK OF THE HAMILTON LOOP PROJECT UP IN, UH, NORTH LONG BEACH THAT'S TAKING, UM, SOME EXISTING LAND THAT WAS NOT PARK LAND, BUT BEING ABLE TO KIND OF TRY TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO ACTIVATE, UH, THAT TYPE OF, THAT WAS THE PROJECT.
AND I APPRECIATE, UM, YOU KNOW, THE, THE COMMENTS AND CONCERNS ABOUT PARK EQUITY, ESPECIALLY AS A WESTERN LONG, UH, UH, RESIDENT.
UM, ONE QUESTION I DID HAVE, OR ONE THOUGHT MIGHT BE, IT WOULD BE GOOD TO SEE HOW MUCH OF THIS FUNDING IS GOING TO, UH, COMMUNITIES THAT FALL UNDER THE DISADVANTAGED COMMUNITY DEFINITION UNDER CALVI SCREEN.
UM, THE SB 5 35 AB 1550, UH, DEFINITION.
SO THAT MIGHT BE HELPFUL IN, YOU KNOW, SHOW IT.
'CAUSE I DO SEE, YOU KNOW, UH, INVESTMENTS IN, UH, YOU KNOW, WEST SIDE PARKS, YOU KNOW, SILVERADO VETERANS, YOU HAVE CENTRAL LONG BEACH LIKE MARTIN LUTHER KING PARK IN HERE.
AND JUST TO KIND OF SEE VISUALLY HOW MUCH MONEY IS GOING TO THOSE COMMUNITIES, UH, YOU KNOW, THOSE, UH, AREAS WHICH HAVE LONG SUFFERED FROM, UH, CHRONIC UNDERINVESTMENT.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OF, UH, FROM THE COMMISSION? OKAY.
UH, SO WE HAD A MOTION BY COMMISSIONER LIVINGSTON AND THE SECOND BY OH, OTHER WAY.
UH, MOTION BY COMMISSIONER CHAVEZ, UH, SECOND BY COMMISSIONER LIVINGSTON.
ALRIGHT, WE'RE GONNA MOVE ON TO OUR SECOND ITEM ON THE AGENDA, UH, RECOMMENDATION TO RECEIVE AND FILE AN UPDATE REGARDING DRAKE CHAVEZ PARK AS IT RELATES TO THE DEPARTMENT OF PARKS, RECREATION AND MARINE.
UM, CAN I GET A MOTION TO APPROVE? I'LL DO THIS.
ALRIGHT, I'M GONNA ASK, UH, CATHERINE WYNN, OUR CAPITAL PROJECTS PROGRAM MANAGER TO PROVIDE AN UPDATE ON THIS TOPIC.
YOU CAN GRAB ME, UM, I KNOW IF THE SLIDES.
UM, SO THIS, THIS PRESENTATION WAS MADE A FEW WEEKS AGO AND SINCE THEN WE'VE HAD, UM, SOME LITTLE NAMING CHANGE.
SO IT'S STILL DRAKE CHAVEZ, BUT, UM, AS WE KIND OF GO OUT TO THE PUBLIC AND HAVE MEETINGS, YOU'LL SEE A LITTLE, A LITTLE CHANGE, BUT I JUST WANTED TO MAKE THAT ENOUGH TODAY.
SO WE JUST STARTED THE PROJECT.
UM, I HAVE A PROJECT TEAM THAT I RECENTLY HIRED.
UH, THEY WERE INITIATED IN JULY.
AND WE'RE REALLY EXCITED TO START BOTH OF THESE PROJECTS.
UM, I CAN SHARE A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THIS PROJECT BACKGROUND, UM, WHAT GOT US TO WHERE WE ARE TODAY.
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I'LL TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT OUR, UH, PROCESS AND OUR GOALS FOR BOTH OF THE PROJECTS.UM, SOME OF THE BUDGET CONSTRAINTS THAT WE HAVE, THE, UM, PHYSICAL EXISTING, UM, CONSTRAINTS OF THE SITES.
AND THEN TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT OUR COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT PROCESS AND, UM, SOME OF OUR PROGRAMMATIC PRIORITIES THAT WE'VE HEARD THROUGHOUT THE YEARS.
UM, AND THEN I'LL END ON SOME FUTURE OPPORTUNITIES FOR ENGAGEMENT.
ALRIGHT, SO THE PROJECT TEAM IS MADE UP OF A LOT OF PEOPLE FROM THE PUBLIC WORK SIDE IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE PARKS, RECREATION AND LEARNING DEPARTMENT.
I OVERSEE THE PARKS PORTFOLIO.
UM, I HAVE A CONSULTANT PM ON THE PROJECT, UH, RYAN
AND MY DESIGN TEAM IS LED BYOF LANDSCAPE URBANISM.
THEY ARE THE LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT OR ARCHITECT OF RECORD.
UM, THEY ARE SUPPORTED BY, UH, LOHA ARCHITECTS, SOFA, CIVIL ENGINEERING, UM, HRA ECONOMIC ADVISORS, UH, STRUCTURAL ENGINEERS, UH, COST ESTIMATING.
AND THE ROBERT GROUP IS MANAGING OUR COMMUNITY OUTREACH PROCESS.
OKAY, SO JUST A LITTLE BIT OF BACKGROUND ON HOW WE GOT TO WHERE WE ARE TODAY.
THE CITY ACQUIRED, UM, UM, PARCELS ON THE WEST SIDE.
THIS IS KIND OF CONSIDERED DOWNTOWN AREA ADJACENT TO THE WILMORE CITY NEIGHBORHOOD.
UM, THIS ACQUISITION STARTED IN 2006, USING FUNDING FROM THE CALIFORNIA STATE, UH, RESOURCES, CALIFORNIA RESOURCES NATURAL, SORRY, CNRA
UM, AND SO THE ACQUISITION OF THOSE PARCELS LED TO, UM, THE, THE IMPETUS TO CREATE A MASTER PLAN.
THAT EFFORT REALLY STARTED IN, UH, 2007 THROUGH 2010.
THERE WAS ENGAGEMENT EFFORTS THAT HAPPENED, BUT IT WASN'T FORMALLY ADOPTED UNTIL 2019.
SO THERE WERE MANY, MANY YEARS OF ENGAGEMENT WITH THE COMMUNITY TO INFORM THE MASTER PLAN.
UH, IT WASN'T UNTIL 2019 THAT WE FORMALIZED THE VISION PLAN.
UM, THIS WAS MADE THROUGH, UH, MANY EFFORTS OF WORKSHOPS WITH THE WILMORE NEIGHBORHOOD.
UM, A VISION WAS DEVELOPED SPECIFICALLY FOR, UM, I'M JUST GONNA POINT TO, I DON'T HAVE A POINTER.
UH, THIS PARCEL HERE, WHICH WE'RE CALLING THE DRAKE CHAVE CONNECTION.
UM, A LOT OF VISION AND PROGRAMMATIC PRIORITIES WERE PLACED ON THIS SPECIFIC PARCEL.
THE REST OF THE, THE DRAKE CHAVEZ AREA WAS MORE, UM, KIND OF INSPIRATIONAL, ASPIRATIONAL, BUT NO REAL PROGRAMMATIC PRIORITIES WERE PLACED ON WHAT THIS FUTURE LOOKS LIKE.
UM, ANOTHER ADDITION TO THE VISION PLAN WAS THE SHOEMAKER BRIDGE REPLACEMENT PROJECT AND THE SHORELINE DRIVE REALIGNMENT PROJECT.
UM, WE ALSO HAVE THE ADDITION OF LB MUSS, THE STORM WATER TREATMENT FACILITY AND THE WETLANDS THAT WERE ADDED TO THE VISION PLAN.
SO THOSE WERE RECEIVED AND FILED IN 2019.
SO THIS IS A LITTLE BIT OF A COMPLICATED SLIDE.
UM, I MENTIONED THE ADDITION OF THE MAJOR INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECT SHORELINE, DRIVE REALIGNMENT, AND SHOEMAKER BRIDGE.
THIS IS SHOWING KIND OF A PROGRESSION OF THESE MAJOR INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS.
UM, SO WE'RE STARTING ON THE LEFT SIDE WITH THE EXISTING CONDITIONS.
WHAT WE HAVE TODAY, AS YOU CAN SEE, UH, THIS IS CESAR CHAVEZ PARK RIGHT HERE.
AND THEN THE SHORELINE DRIVE CUTS THROUGH IT.
IT'S COMPLETELY INACCESSIBLE TO THE PUBLIC.
IT'S A VERY NICE ISLAND FOR BIRDS.
UM, SO THERE'S NO ACCESS HERE, BUT AS YOU CAN SEE WITH THE SHORELINE DRIVE REALIGNMENT, THIS VEHICULAR ROADWAY GOES AWAY.
IT BECOMES A BICYCLE PATH AND PEDESTRIAN PATH.
SO, UM, PEOPLE ARE THEN ABLE TO ACCESS THIS NEW GREEN SPACE.
UM, THERE WILL BE AN INTERIM CONDITION WHERE PART OF THE VEHICULAR ROADWAY WILL STILL CONNECT TO THE EXISTING SHOEMAKER BRIDGE.
UM, AND THEN THE NEXT PHASE, THE SHOEMAKER BRIDGE WILL BE CONSTRUCTED.
AND THIS ALIGNMENT HERE GOES AWAY.
AND THEN YOU, YOU, YOU HAVE ACCESS TO THIS FUTURE GREEN SPACE.
SO THIS IS THE, SORRY, THIS RIGHT HERE IS THE EXISTING SHOEMAKER BRIDGE.
ONCE THE NEW SHOEMAKER BRIDGE IS BUILT, UM, THIS GETS DEMOLISHED AND THEN BECOMES
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FUTURE GREEN OPEN SPACE.SO A LOT OF THIS, UH, GREEN SPACE IS OBVIOUSLY CONTINGENT ON THE SHORELINE DRIVE REALIGNMENT PROJECT HAPPENING.
UM, OUR PROJECT IS REALLY, UM, THINKING THROUGH THE PLANNING AND PROGRAMMATIC PRIORITIES OF THIS GREEN SPACE IN THE EVENTUALITY THAT THE SHORELINE DRIVE CAN GET CONSTRUCTED AND WE CAN MOVE FORWARD.
SO IT REALLY CANNOT HAPPEN UNTIL THOSE TWO OTHER PROJECTS, THE SHORELINE DRIVE PROJECT AND SHOEMAKER BRIDGE PROJECT, UH, IS COMPLETED.
UM, SO AS I MENTIONED, OUR, OUR NAMING CONVENTIONS HAVE BEEN UPDATED A LITTLE BIT.
WE'LL CONTINUE TO CALL THIS GREEN PARCEL DRAKE CHAVEZ CONNECTION.
I AFFECTIONATELY CALL IT LITTLE DRAKE, BUT DON'T
YOU CAN KEEP THAT TO YOURSELF.
AND THEN, UH, THIS DRAKE CHAVEZ PARK EXPANSION, WE ARE CALLING MASTER PLANNING.
'CAUSE WE, WHAT WE'RE REALLY DOING IS GOING THROUGH A MASTER PLANNING EFFORT TO UNDERSTAND WHAT IT IS THAT THE COMMUNITY WANTS TO SEE IN THIS LARGER GREEN AREA.
UM, SO PART OF OUR GOALS AROUND OUR PROCESS AND AND DEVELOPMENT REALLY INCLUDES BUILDING ON THE PRIOR COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT THAT WAS CONDUCTED ON, UH, LITTLE DRAKE.
UM, AND MOVING FORWARD WITH A CONCEPT DESIGN.
WE HAVE FUNDING FOR THIS PROJECT.
I'LL, I'LL GO INTO THE DETAILS OF OUR, OUR FUNDING, BUT OUR GOAL HERE IS TO REALLY MOVE THIS FORWARD THROUGH THE DESIGN PROCESS, SECURE FUNDING FOR CONSTRUCTION AND IMPLEMENT.
UM, OUR GOALS FOR THIS PROJECT IS TO REALLY INITIATE THE, THE PLANNING PROCESS.
WE WANNA REACH OUT TO THE COMMUNITY, UNDERSTAND WHAT THEIR, UM, THEIR PRIORITIES ARE AND UNDERSTAND, UM, YOU KNOW, WHAT, WHAT KIND OF PROGRAMMATIC NEEDS THAT WE SHOULD CONSIDER AS WE START TO PLAN FOR THIS FUTURE.
UM, AND THEN OBVIOUSLY FINDING FUNDING, THAT'S A, A MAJOR COMPONENT OF BOTH PROJECTS.
SO I, I MENTIONED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT OUR FUNDING CONSTRAINTS FOR THE DRAKE CHAVE CONNECTION PROJECT.
WE STARTED OUT WITH $991,000 FROM THE PORT OF LONG BEACH.
UM, WE QUICKLY UNDERSTOOD THAT THAT WAS NOT ENOUGH FUNDING TO GET US THROUGH DESIGN.
UM, IN FISCAL YEAR 24, I BELIEVE WE GOT A MILLION DOLLARS IN PARK IMPACT FEES THAT ENABLED US TO REINITIATE DESIGN.
AND THEN WITHIN THE LAST YEAR, WITH THE HELP OF THE PARKS DEPARTMENT, WE'VE SECURED ANOTHER $853,000 FOR, UM, DESIGN DOCUMENTS.
THAT'S, UM, DETAILED DESIGN GETTING US THROUGH ENGINEERING.
SO, UM, OUR FUNDING STACK IS 2.8 RIGHT NOW, BUT WE KNOW THAT WE NEED A LOT MORE FOR CONSTRUCTION TO HAPPEN ON THIS, UH, ON THIS PARCEL.
BUT, YOU KNOW, THE GREAT THING IS THAT WE HAVE MOMENTUM AND WE HAVE FEEDBACK FROM THE COMMUNITY THAT WE WANNA VALIDATE AND MOVE FORWARD.
AND THAT WILL HELP US ADVOCATE FOR CONSTRUCTION DOLLARS DOWN THE ROAD.
SO OUR BUDGET FOR, UH, THE BIGGER DRAKE AREA IS 1.5 MILLION, UM, 500,000 OF MEASURE A AND 1 MILLION IN PARK IMPACT FEES.
ALL OF THIS FUNDING IS GOING TOWARDS THE PLANNING AND ENGAGEMENT PROCESS TO KIND OF UNDERSTAND WHAT THE COMMUNITY'S NEEDS AND DESIRES ARE.
SO THERE'S NO FUNDING FOR DETAILED DESIGN, THERE'S NO FUNDING FOR CONSTRUCTION.
WE'RE REALLY USING ALL OF THIS MONEY TO, TO ENGAGE WITH THE COMMUNITY.
UM, JUST TO GIVE YOU A LITTLE BIT OF BACKGROUND ON THE EXISTING CONDITIONS.
CURRENTLY THE DRE CHA IS CONNECTION PARCEL.
UH, WE HAVE AROUND 4.5 ACRES OF THE SITE.
IT'S A FORMER MTA, UH, MAINTENANCE YARD.
THERE'S 10 INCHES OF CONCRETE THROUGHOUT THE SITE, SO IT'S, IT'S VERY THICK.
UM, SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE TO FOLD INTO OUR CONSIDERATIONS AS WE DEVELOP, UM, RECOMMENDATIONS FOR HOW WE, UH, PROGRAM THE SITE.
UM, THERE ARE BUILDINGS ON THE SITE.
UM, THERE'S EXISTING USES FOR STORAGE AND WE HAVE CITY OPERATIONS OUT OF THE SITE AS WELL.
UM, THEN JUST TALKING ABOUT OUR COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT PROCESS.
WE HAVE A NUMBER OF COMMUNITY WORKSHOPS THAT WERE, UH, IN THE WORKS PLANNING.
UH, WE'LL HAVE VIRTUAL MEETING, WE'LL BE ATTENDING POPUP EVENTS, HAVING PEACE STAKEHOLDER GROUP MEETINGS.
UM, AND WE'LL, WE'RE TRYING TO MAKE THIS PROCESS AS INCLUSIVE, ROBUST, UM, AND EQUITABLE AS POSSIBLE.
[00:30:01]
HAVE, UH, MATERIALS TRANSLATED, UH, WE'LL HAVE A SL OR LIVE CAPTIONING UPON REQUEST.WE'LL HAVE ACTIVITIES FOR YOUTH AT OUR EVENTS.
WE'LL BE PROVIDING LIGHT REFRESHMENTS.
SO, UM, YEAH, THAT'S, THAT'S SOME OF OUR, UH, COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT PROCESS.
AND THEN JUST TO SHARE A LITTLE BIT ABOUT, UM, THE ENGAGEMENT THAT WE HAVE DONE IN THE PAST IN 2019 AS PART OF THAT VISION WORKSHOP VISION, UH, THE MASTER PLAN, SORRY.
THE VISION PLAN THAT WAS FILED IN 2019, WE HEARD A LOT OF DFA ON THE PRIORITIES FROM THE COMMUNITY.
AND THEN IN 2021, THE PARKS DEPARTMENT WORKED ON A COMMUNITY SURVEY, UM, THAT RECEIVED ADDITIONAL PRIORITIES.
UM, YOU KNOW, SOME OF IT HAS CHANGED AND SHIFTED.
SO WE'RE SEEING, UM, KIND OF THE, THE MAIN PRIORITIES FOR THE COMMUNITY FOCUSED ON RESTROOMS, DOG PARKS, AND SHADE STRUCTURES.
NOW, IT'S BEEN SOME TIME SINCE 2021.
SO WE UNDERSTAND PRIORITIES MAY SHIFT AND CHANGE.
AND PART OF OUR GOAL IS TO VALIDATE, HEAR FROM THE COMMUNITY, WHAT ARE YOUR NEEDS? ARE THEY STILL THE SAME? AND THEN WE CAN LAUNCH FORWARD INTO DEVELOPING A CONCEPT.
SO
UM, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT IS, UH, IN THE WORDS AND TO BE CONFIRMED, DO, THERE WILL BE A PRESS RELEASE AND AN INVITATION TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC TO ATTEND AND PROVIDE FEEDBACK.
THANKS SO MUCH, UH, CATHERINE AND TO THE ENTIRE PUBLIC WORKS TEAM.
UM, DO WE HAVE ANY PUBLIC COMMENT RELATED TO THIS ITEM? YES.
UH, BEN FISHER, RESIDENT FIRST DISTRICT.
WE GO TO THAT PARK LIKE EVERY SINGLE DAY.
UM, FIRST OF ALL, THE LB MUSK PROJECT.
LIKE THAT AREA DOWN THERE THAT'S ALREADY BEEN BUILT OUT.
IT'S A REALLY NICE AREA TO WALK AROUND IN.
OBVIOUSLY LIKE BEING IN OUR AREA.
THERE ARE TIMES A DAY THAT THAT'S A BETTER IDEA OR WORSE IDEA, BUT IT'S, IT'S REALLY NICE.
I JUST WANTED TO SAY THAT, UM, OBVIOUSLY A LOT OF MONEY IS GONNA NEED TO BE PUT IN TO EXPAND THAT PART.
BUT FOR US, LIKE IF YOU LOOK AT THE, UM, LIKE MATES FORMATS FOR MULTIPLE AIR TOXICITIES EXPOSURE STUDY, LIKE WE'RE SAYING ON THE WEST SIDE, I MEAN, IT'S A RED LINE MAP OF A SEVEN 10.
SO, YOU KNOW, IMPROVING THAT AREA COULD REALLY IMPACT LIKE, LITERALLY HOW LONG WE LIVE ON THE WEST SIDE.
SO I REALLY APPRECIATE, UM, THIS PROJECT.
UM, ALSO WANT TO COMMEND THE TEAM.
I WAS PART OF THE WILMORE MEETING THAT WE HAD RECENTLY.
LIKE, IT WAS, IT REALLY FELT LIKE A PARTNERSHIP.
I APPRECIATE THAT IT HAPPENED.
I KNOW THAT THERE WERE SOME CONVERSATIONS ABOUT WHETHER IT WAS THE RIGHT TIME OR NOT.
LIKE AS A COMMUNITY MEMBER, IT WAS REALLY NICE TO BE PART OF THAT MEETING.
HAVE INPUT, SEE ON THE BOARD THAT VENN DIAGRAM.
LIKE FOR US, UM, A LOT OF OUR COMMUNITY DO UTILIZE, DO NEED TO UTILIZE SOME BETTER SPACES FOR DOG PARKS.
LIKE, IT'S AWESOME TO SEE THAT IN THE MIDDLE.
UM, YOU KNOW, WHEN LINCOLN PARK WAS REDEVELOPED, SOME OF THE PEOPLE KIND OF SQUEEZED OUT OF THERE 'CAUSE THAT PARK WAS REDESIGNED VERY SMALL, LIKE TOO SMALL FOR DOGS.
IT'S MORE LIKE ACRE, ACRE AND A HALF IS ABOUT RIGHT.
SO, UM, I'M VERY EXCITED TO SEE THIS, UM, KEEP DEVELOPING.
THANK, THANK YOU AND THANK YOU.
FIRST OF ALL, A VERY NICE PRESENTATION THAT WAS, AND BOTH OF YOURS WERE, IT JUST, IT JUST VERY LIVELY.
UM, AND YEAH, AND I DO APPRECIATE THE, UH, ASTHMA ALI ASPECT OF, OF WHAT IS HAPPENING THERE NOW.
UM, I DO WANNA SAY IT WOULD'VE BEEN WONDERFUL.
UM, AND WHO KNOWS WITH THE, A NEW LAWSUIT THAT PERHAPS RIVER PARK CAN BE, UH, CONNECTED THERE WOULD BE JUST SUCH A GREAT THING.
UM, ONE THING THAT, UH, WAS MENTIONED IN THE BEGINNING OF THE PRESENTATION THAT JUST, YOU KNOW, UM, THAT I THOUGHT ABOUT, UH, SOMETHING ABOUT NAMING AND THAT THERE WAS, I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE DETAILS WERE, BUT, UM, I THOUGHT IT WOULD BE A GOOD TIME TO BRING UP IS THAT, UM, WE HAVE SEEN AS WE'VE BEEN HERE FOR MANY, MANY YEARS, RIGHT BEFORE SOME OF YOU WERE BORN, UM, SEEING, NAMING BEING USED AS A POLITICAL PLAY.
UH, FOR INSTANCE, WE ALMOST HAD, INSTEAD OF EL DORADO LIBRARY, IT WAS GONNA BE A DIFFERENT NAMED LIBRARY, UH, IN EXCHANGE FOR ENDORSEMENTS.
UM, IT DOESN'T SET WELL IF, IF YOU'RE GONNA NAME A PARK, IT SHOULD BE AFTER SOMEBODY WHO, WHO
[00:35:01]
DOES, IS NOT AN EMPLOYEE, DOESN'T, IS NOT A POLITICAL PERSON UNLESS THEY'RE DEAD FOR AT LEAST FIVE YEARS OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.THERE NEEDS TO BE GUIDELINES, BUT YOU KNOW, IT, IT KIND OF, IT DOESN'T SET VERY WELL WHEN, WHEN IT'S WHAT'S A TIT FOR TAT AND IT'S A POLITICAL THING.
SO, UM, WOULD REALLY LOVE TO SEE SOME GUIDELINES PUT ON ONTO THAT KIND OF THING.
YOU SAY MY NAME DIANE LA SO I CAN'T MAYBE PUT THAT FAR BACK.
UH, NOT SEEING ANY MORE PUBLIC COMMENTS.
I'M GONNA CLOSE PUBLIC COMMENT AND BRING IT BACK TO THE COMMISSIONERS.
UH, ANY COMMISSION COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS? JUST WANNA, JUST WANNA SAY THAT, YOU KNOW, VERY EXCITED TO SEE THIS PROJECT.
I THINK WHEN I FIRST LOOKED AT THE MAP OF ALL THE ROADS GOING IN THERE IN THE REALIGNMENT PROPOSAL, I WAS LIKE, THIS IS VERY MUCH CORRECTING A URBAN PLANNING DECISION FROM THE MID-CENTURY.
I MEAN, TO HAVE ALL THIS SPACE CUT OUT.
UM, SO JUST VERY EXCITED TO SEE THAT.
I DO KNOW THAT THERE WAS, 'CAUSE THERE WAS, UM, WITH MY, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THE EXPERIENCE ALSO WITH WILLOW SPRINGS PARK, THERE WAS SOME DISCUSSION OF, UH, OF USING PART OF IT AS A LAND SWAP, UH, FOR THE TWO, THE TWO ACRES AT THE CORNER OF SPRING AND CALIFORNIA, UM, FOR SOME OF THE LAND IN THAT AREA.
AND I THINK THERE WAS PART OF IT THAT'S GOING TO BE, THAT WAS ORIGINALLY ENVISIONED BEING THAT FOR PRIVATE USAGE OVER IN, UH, OVER BY DRAKE PARK.
BUT IT LOOKS LIKE THE WHOLE AREA IS NOW CONSIDERED PART OF THE PARK PLANNING.
IS THAT, COULD YOU MAYBE CLARIFY THAT? SO THE, THE ENTIRE AREA IS PART OF THE PARK PLANNING.
UM, I, I'M NOT SURE ABOUT ANY FUTURE PLANS FOR LAND SWABS.
UM, BUT AT THIS TIME WE'RE MOVING FORWARD WITH A PROCESS TO GET COMMUNITY FEEDBACK ON THE ENTIRETY.
BUT, BUT SOME OF IT IS STILL, LIKE THE MTA IS STILL NOT ZONED PARK, IT'S LIGHT INDUSTRIAL.
SO THERE WILL BE SOME ZONING ADMINISTRATIVE CHANGES THAT NEED TO CONVERT THE INDUSTRIAL PORTION INTO PARK.
SO DO WE GET RENT FROM THE MTA? DO THEY, ARE THEY THERE OR IS THAT JUST CITY, CITY STORAGE? IT'S JUST CITY OPERATIONS.
UM, WHO DETERMINES WHERE NEW PARK IMPACT FEES GET DESIGNATED? SO YOU, YOU MENTIONED THERE'S A MILLION DOLLARS IN PARK IMPACT FEES THAT GO HERE.
DOES THAT HAVE TO GO TO COUNCIL OR IS IS THAT, I I THINK SOMETIMES THE PARK IMPACT FEES ARE AS PART OF THE PROJECT DESIGNATED SOMEWHERE, BUT THE REST ARE UP TO COUNCIL.
IT'S ACCORDING IT, WE, UH, WORK TOGETHER WITH THE PARKS DEPARTMENT DURING THE ANNUAL BUDGET DEVELOPMENT OKAY.
TO DETERMINE HOW MUCH PARK IMPACT FEES, UH, WILL BE AVAILABLE FOR INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS.
AND SO THEN BETWEEN PUBLIC WORKS IN PARKS, THEY COME UP WITH A PROPOSED PROJECT LIST, THE CM REVIEWS THAT AND UM, THEN HE SUBMITS IT TO COUNCIL FOR AND IT'S PART OF THE BUDGET? YES.
AND I'M GOING TO ONCE AGAIN AGREE WITH DIANA.
WE DO HAVE GUIDELINES FOR NAMING.
BUT WE DO HAVE, WE DO HAVE GUIDELINES, BUT THEY ARE GUIDELINES.
COULD, COULD YOU ACTUALLY EXPLAIN THE NAME IN CONTROVERSY? 'CAUSE I I AM NOT AWARE OF IT.
SO THE
I, YEAH, I THINK, I THINK WHAT YOU WERE SAYING IS THIS, IS THAT YOU HAVE USED DIFFERENT NAMES.
AND THIS IS NOT ACTUAL NAMING OF DRAKE SHOVE.
IT, IT'S AN INTERNAL, HOW IT'S REFERRED TO BY STAFF AND PEOPLE WORKING ON THE PROJECT HAS KIND OF CHANGED FROM GOT IT.
LITTLE DRAKE TO, UM, CONNECTION.
IT, IT'S OFFICIALLY CALLED DRAKE CHAVEZ CONNECTION.
I AFFECTIONATELY CALL IT LITTLE DRAKE.
SO IT'S, IT'S NOT A CONTROVERSY, IT'S MORE JUST, I, I JUST DIDN'T WANT UNDERSTOOD.
AND DID YOU UNDERSTAND WHAT I WAS SAYING OR DO YOU WANT ME TO EXPLAIN THAT MORE? NO, I, I I, I ACTUALLY, COULD YOU EXPLAIN THAT MORE THAT THAT'S APPROPRIATE? UM, IF IT'S SOMETHING THAT YOU'RE CALLING FOR AND YOU WOULD LIKE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT, YOU CAN REQUEST THAT TYPICALLY, YOU KNOW, WE CAN'T RESPOND TO THAT.
BUT IF THE COMMISSIONER WANTS TO BRING IT FORWARD, THEN COULD YOU YES, PLEASE.
I'D BE MORE THAN HAPPY TO, UH, THROUGH THE YEARS, AND I'M OLDER THAN YOU THINK I AM.
SO, UM, I'VE BEEN AROUND A LONG TIME AND I'M ALSO A JOURNALIST, SO I SEE A LOT OF THINGS THAT, UH, NOT EVERYBODY ELSE SEES.
UH, AND THERE HAVE BEEN ALREADY A NUMBER OF, UM, PLACES THAT HAVE BEEN NAMED.
[00:40:01]
AND THEN THE NEXT THING YOU KNOW IS THEIR ENDORSEMENT TURNS UP ON THAT PARTICULAR, WHOEVER HAS ALLOWED THAT NAMING.AND, AND AS I SAID, I KNOW THE LIBRARY HERE, UM, THEY WERE TALKING ABOUT, UM, SOMEONE WAS TALKING ABOUT NAMING IT AFTER ERNIE CAL.
UM, AND I'LL SAY WHO THE CANDIDATE WAS, BUT WE'LL SAY THAT WAS THE, THAT WAS THE CONTINGENCY.
IT WAS LIKE, OKAY, IF YOU ENDORSE ME, UH, THEN I WILL WE'LL SEE ABOUT GETTING ERNIE COW'S NAME ON THIS.
THAT'S, THAT'S REALLY NOT APPROPRIATE.
YOU, IT'S JUST, IT, IT, IT PUTS A, IT PUTS A ALMOST A, WELL, NOT ALMOST PUTS A MONETARY VALUE ON SOMETHING THAT REALLY SHOULD BE FOR SOMEONE WHO REALLY, REALLY DOES DESERVE IT.
AND, UM, AND SO IT, IT DETRACTS FROM THAT PARTICULAR ITEM OR THAT PARK, WHATEVER IT HAPPENS TO BE.
UM, AND SO THAT'S WHY I BROUGHT IT UP.
AS SOON AS I HEARD NAMING, IT WAS LIKE, I COULD FEEL THE BRISTLE ON THE BACK OF MY MINDNESS.
ANY OTHER COMMISSION COMMENTS? ALRIGHT, SO WITH THAT, UH, WE HAD A MOTION BY COMMISSIONER LIVINGSTON AND A SECOND BY COMMISSIONER CHAVEZ.
UM, READY FOR THE VOTE? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
WANTED TO THANK PUBLIC WORKS FOR BEING HERE.
YOU DO NOT HAVE TO STAY ANYMORE.
UH, THANK YOU FOR, FOR COMING OUT AND, UH, BRIEFING THE, THE TEAM.
ALL RIGHT, LET ME JUST GET THE THIRD ITEM READY.
SO, UH, ITEM NUMBER THREE, RECOMMENDATION TO RECEIVE AND FILE AN UPDATE REGARDING PARKLAND MANAGEMENT AS IT RELATES TO THE DEPARTMENT OF PARKS, RECREATION AND MARINE.
UH, CAN I GET A MOTION TO APPROVE? SO MOVED.
MOTION BY COMMISSIONER LIVINGSTON.
SECOND BY COMMISSIONER CHAVEZ.
UH, COMMISSIONERS, WE HAVE, UH, WITH US TODAY, UH, RAUL MARTINEZ.
RAUL IS OUR GROUNDS, UH, MAINTENANCE SUPERINTENDENT IN THE, UH, MAINTENANCE OPERATIONS BUREAU.
SO HE AND HIS TEAM ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR, UH, WHAT'S GREEN AND WHAT DO YOU CALL IT, CLEAN AND GREEN, UH, AND GROWING IN THE UPLANDS GREEN AND GROWING AND GROWING IN THE UPLANDS.
AND SO, AS PART OF THIS PRESENTATION, WE'RE ALWAYS GONNA KIND OF TAKE US THROUGH THE LANDSCAPING THAT WE HAVE, UH, IN OUR UPLANDS PARKS, AND THEN TALK A BIT ABOUT, UM, SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE REQUESTED WITH RESPECT TO, LIKE THE USE OF, UH, DIFFERENT, UH, UH, WE'LL CALL EMIC BESIDES.
SO, UH, RAUL, GOOD AFTERNOON, EVERYBODY.
UH, MY NAME IS RAUL MARTINEZ, UH, JR.
IF YOU'RE SENDING ME AN EMAIL, IT DOES MAKE A DIFFERENCE.
UM, I'M THE PARK MAINTENANCE SUPERINTENDENT HERE AT THE CITY OF LONG BEACH.
I OVERSEE THE GROUNDS, UH, FOR ALL OF OUR UPLAND PARKS.
UH, A LITTLE BIT OF BACKGROUND ON MYSELF.
UH, I HAVE A, I GRADUATED FROM CAL POLY POMONA IN 2015 WITH MY DEGREE IN PLANT SCIENCE AND A MINOR IN GENERAL BUSINESS MANAGEMENT.
UH, I'VE WORKED ON RESIDENTIAL LANDSCAPE, I'VE WORKED ON COM, UH, INSTITUTIONAL LANDSCAPES.
I'VE DONE ATHLETIC FIELDS, UM, UH, GOLF COURSES.
I'VE DONE, I'VE WORKED ON A FARM AT ONE POINT, SO I HAVE A VERY ROUND, UM, EXPERIENCE, WELL ROUNDED.
UM, I ALSO HAVE MY QUALIFIED APPLICATOR'S LICENSE FROM THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA.
UM, SO TODAY, NEXT SLIDE, STEVE.
WE'RE GONNA GO A LITTLE BIT ABOUT, UH, WHAT THE BACKGROUND IS, HOW WE GOT HERE, UM, WHAT THE SCOPE OF THE CITY OF LONG BEACH IS, UM, MANAGEMENT OF INSTITUTIONAL LANDSCAPES, AND WE'LL GET INTO THAT, WHAT THE DEFINITION OF THAT IS, UH, IN COMPARISON TO LIKE A RESIDENTIAL LANDSCAPE, UH, URBAN AND NATURAL CORRIDORS INTEGRATED PEST MANAGEMENT.
AND NOW, WHEN I SAY INTEGRATED PEST MANAGEMENT, IT'S KIND OF LIKE THE OVERALL CONCEPT OF INTEGRATED PEST MANAGEMENT, NOT JUST IN, IN REFERENCE TO ONE PARTICULAR ITEM.
UM, AND THEN A LITTLE BIT OF SUMMARY.
SO THE GOAL HERE IS PROVIDING SAFE, CLEAN, AND AESTHETIC COMPETING PARTS FOR THE PUBLIC.
THAT IS REALLY OUR GOAL IS BECAUSE LIKE, LIKE STEVE, UH, HAS MENTIONED BEFORE, UH, AT LEAST TO OUR TEAM, IS WHEN SOMEBODY COMES TO THE CITY OF LONG BEACH, FIRST THING THEY SEE DRIVING THROUGH, ESPECIALLY HERE OFF SPRING STREET, IS EL DORADO PARK.
[00:45:01]
IT'S VERY INVITING.WE WANT EVERYBODY TO COME IN AND HAVE A SPACE FOR THEM TO RECREATE AS THEY PLEASE.
NOW WE HAVE AN INSTITUTIONAL, UM, STYLE OF, OF LANDSCAPE, AND WE'LL GET INTO THAT SLIDE LATER.
BUT SOME OF THE GOALS THAT, SOME OF THE CHALLENGES THAT WE FACE ARE FINANCIAL AND A CHALLENGING LABOR MARKET.
NOW, BY FINANCIAL, I MEAN THINGS ARE GETTING MORE EXPENSIVE, WHETHER IT'S A SPRINKLER HEAD, WHETHER IT'S SEED FERTILIZER, EVEN PLANTS, THEY'RE JUST GETTING MORE EXPENSIVE.
AND WHAT THE ABILITY WE HAD BEFORE TO BUY, UH, OUR BUYING POWER HAS DECREASED.
OVERALL, THE CHALLENGING LABOR MARKET, UNFORTUNATELY FOR THE FIELD THAT I CHOSE, THERE AREN'T A LOT OF YOUNG PEOPLE COMING UP IN IT.
AND THE OTHER END IS, IT'S NOT VERY ATTRACTIVE.
UM, I'M SURE MANY OF YOU KNOW, LIKE EVEN JUST GARDENING IN YOUR OWN GARDEN, IT'S A LOT OF HARD WORK.
SO TO DO IT ON, TO DO IT ON FOR A CAREER OVER THE NEXT 30, 40 YEARS OF YOUR LIFE, IT'S A, IT'S A CHALLENGE.
AND JUST FROM WHEN I WAS IN CLASS, I WAS THE YOUNGEST PERSON IN THAT CLASS, AND NO OFFENSE TO, TO ANYBODY IN THOSE, IN THOSE COURSES, BUT THEY WERE ALREADY GOING ON TO THEIR NEXT SECOND AND THIRD CAREERS.
NOW HOW WE, HOW WE, UH, UH, ADDRESS A, A CHALLENGING LABOR MARKET AND FINANCIAL ISSUES IS BY TECHNOLOGY.
NOW, WE STILL HAVE TECHNOLOGY LIMITATIONS, BUT ONE OF THE THINGS WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO IMPLEMENT WITHIN OUR PROGRAM IS OUR IRRIGATION PROGRAMMING.
WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO CENTRALIZE OUR IRRIGATION SYSTEM BY HAVING A CAL SENSE WHAT'S, WHAT'S THE, WHAT'S CALLED THE CALEN SYSTEM.
SO IT'S A CENTRALIZED IRRIGATION SYSTEM THAT ALLOWS US TO MANAGE OUR, OUR PARTS REMOTELY RATHER THAN HAVING SOMEBODY GO OUT, GO TO EACH INDIVIDUAL CONTROLLER, WHICH AT, AT ONE POINT WE HAD ACROSS 200 CONTROLLERS IN OUR PARKS AND WOULD TAKE US SIX WEEKS TO PROGRAM.
NOW WE CAN DO IT IN A MATTER OF HOURS, AND THE SYSTEM ACTUALLY TAKES IN INFORMATION.
SO WE GET, UM, TEMPERATURE, RAIN, WIND, ALL THAT.
ALL THOSE PARAMETERS ARE TAKEN INTO, INTO, INTO ACCOUNT ON THE PROGRAMMING.
SO AS WE GO THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, THE SYSTEM SELF ADJUSTS.
SO THOSE TECHNOLOGIES WILL HELP US GAIN CHALLENGING LABOR MARKET.
BUT ANY PARTICULAR IMPROVEMENT STILL TO COME IS STILL YET TO BE HERE.
SO ON TOP OF THESE, THESE PARTICULAR CHALLENGES, WE HAVE BUSY RESERVATION SCHEDULES, WE CALL IT HERE, A HUNDRED DAYS OF SUMMER.
WE'RE TALKING, YOU KNOW, SUMMER PROGRAMMING ALL DAY, EVERY DAY, TALKING, UM, UH, CONCERTS IN THE PARK, MOVIES IN THE PARK.
WE'RE TALKING SPORTS LEAGUES THAT ARE CONSTANTLY USING THESE FIELDS.
WE'RE TALKING SPECIAL EVENTS, COMMERCIAL SHOOTS, YOU NAME IT.
WE WANT PEOPLE IN OUR PARKS BECAUSE AN ACTIVATED PARK IS A SAFE PARK.
NOW WE HAVE THESE, THESE SCHEDULES ALREADY SET IN PLACE, BUT WE ALSO HAVE FOLKS THAT WANT A DESIRABLE PARK SPACE.
SO IN THE PAST, I'VE HAD PEOPLE WANT IN OUR SEA TRACK, SOME PEOPLE WANT IN OUR A RUGBY FIELD.
OKAY? THAT'S SOMETHING THE CITY HAS TO FIGURE OUT WHETHER OR NOT WE'RE GONNA ALLOW IT AND WHETHER OR NOT WE HAVE THE SPACE TO DO IT.
NOW, A LITTLE BIT OF A RHETORIC QUESTION IS HOW, WHAT WE ASK OURSELVES IS, OKAY, HOW DO WE MEET THE NEEDS OF THE PUBLIC? HOW DO WE ACHIEVE THE STANDARD? NEXT SLIDE.
NOW, HERE'S THE SCOPE OF LONG REACH.
THERE'S 166 PARKS IN THE CITY, 3,122 ACRES.
WE HAVE NINE LAKES, 26, 20 6,000 TREES IN OUR, IN OUR URBAN FOREST.
3000, 3,192 OF THOSE TREES HAVE BEEN TRIMMED THIS YEAR.
SO WE HOPE TO CONTINUE THAT OVER THE NEXT COUPLE YEARS.
WE ARE IN CHARGE OF ALSO, UH, HOMELESS ENCAMPMENT CLEANUPS, WHICH THIS FISCAL YEAR SO FAR, WE'VE CLEANED UP 508 ENCAMPMENTS AND 408 TONS OF DEBRIS REMOVED FROM THOSE ENCAMPMENTS, EXCUSE ME.
UM, 101 ON ATHLETIC FIELDS, 12 LIBRARIES, SEVEN POLICE FACILITIES, AND FOUR HEALTH CENTERS.
THAT IS WHAT WE ARE CHARGED TO OVERSEE WITH A STAFF OF 13.
SO IT'S A LARGE SCOPE, IT'S HARD TO HANDLE, BUT WE DO OUR BEST INSTITUTIONAL LANDSCAPE.
OKAY? THE INSTITUTIONAL LANDSCAPE IS HORTICULTURE, IS REFERS TO THE DESIGN, INSTALLATION, MAINTENANCE OF PLANT FOCUSED ENVIRONMENTS AT PUBLIC AND PRIVATE INSTITUTIONS SUCH AS SCHOOLS, UNIVERSITIES, BOTANICAL GARDENS, PARKS, AND CORPORATE CAMPUSES.
NOW, ON THE PHOTOS I HAVE, UH, HERE ON THE SLIDE, I'M A LITTLE BIASED.
SO I HAVE CAL POLYONE UP HERE.
UH, I HAVE THE GOOGLE CAMPUS AS WELL, AND EL EL DORADO, AREA THREE.
WHAT I NEED TO SHOW YOU HERE, EACH ONE HAS A DIFFERENT PURPOSE.
EACH ONE HAS A DIFFERENT NEED.
EACH ONE HAS A DIFFERENT STANDARD.
BUT THE OVERALL IS THAT THE ALL FALL UNDER THAT INSTITUTIONAL LANDSCAPE, UH, STYLE OF LANDSCAPE.
[00:50:05]
OKAY? SO IN TERMS OF HORTICULTURE, WE ALSO TALK ABOUT BIOTIC AND ANTIBIOTIC STRESSES.LIVING AND NOT LIVING STRESSES.
IN, IN, FOR EXAMPLE, OUR TREES.
GRID TREE TRIMMING IS ALSO, IS ALSO A, A STRESS, RIGHT? NOT NECESSARILY A BAD THING, BUT IT CAN CAUSE THE STRESS AND FORCE THE TREE TO GROW IN A CERTAIN WAY.
WE HAVE PESTS OR BIO BIOTIC STRESS, RIGHT? THAT CAN ATTACK, UH, THE TREES IN ANY GIVEN WAY.
AND YET WE ALSO HAVE THE ABBI STRESS, WHICH IS, UH, DROUGHT STRESS.
IT'S NOT LIVING THING, BUT IT CAN, IT'S A, IT'S A COMMON, IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'VE BEEN FACING OVER THE LAST 15 YEARS.
NOW, THE OTHER THING THAT, I MEAN, YOU CAN CALL IT ABIOTIC OR BIOTIC, I GUESS, DEPENDING ON HOW YOU, HOW YOU SEE IT IS VANDALISM, WHICH IS WHAT THE TREE IS KIND OF INDICATING.
THIS PARTICULAR TREE, SOMEBODY CAME, CAME UP WITH AN ACCIDENT, JUST SHAVED THE BARK OFF FOR SOME REASON.
UM, BUT THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT HAPPENED.
AND THIS TOOK PLACE IN THE AR AREA, TWO OF ELDORADO.
AND, UH, IN REFERENCE TO OUR LAKES, ONE OF THE BIG PRESSURES THAT WE FACE IS WEED AND ALGAE POPULATIONS.
UM, SO THOSE ARE SOME OF THE BIO STRESSES THAT WE NEED THAT WE FACE IN ORDER TO KEEP, UH, GOOD HIGH, UH, GOOD WATER QUALITY.
ONE OF THE BIOTIC, ONE OF THE ABI STRESSES THAT WE FACE OR THAT WE DEAL WITH IS HIGHER TEMPERATURES.
SO DURING THE SUMMER, UM, OUR LAKES HAVE A HARDER TIME OF REGULATING THAT, THAT, UH, OXYGEN LEVEL BECAUSE OF THE HIGHER TEMPERATURES.
UM, SO IT CAUSES THE ALGAE TO ACTUALLY BLOOM A LITTLE.
IT CAL IT, IT'S, IT'S MORE CONDUCIVE TO THE ALGAE BLOOMS, NOT, NOT ONLY BECAUSE OF, YOU KNOW, THE BULL RUSH AND THE ALGAE POPULATION'S ALREADY IN THERE, WHICH CAUSE, WHICH THE BULL RUSH, UM, CAUSES A STAGNANT WATER, WATER CONDITION SO THAT WE DON'T HAVE THE PERFECT WATER FLOW TO GOING THROUGH.
UM, WHICH IN TURN ENDS UP LEADING US TO A HARMFUL
AND, AND WHAT'S A BULL RUSH? SO, BULL RUSH IS, UM, IT'S A TYPE OF AQUATIC PLANT THAT LIVES IN A, IT'S USUALLY FOUND IN WETLANDS.
UM, IN THIS PARTICULAR CASE, IT'S A OMET PLANT THAT'S JUST SPREADS THROUGH ITS ROOTS, RIGHT? UM, AND WHAT HAPPENS IS IT GETS SO THICK THAT THE STREAM HERE IN EL DORADO CAN'T MAKE IT ALL THE WAY TO ALL THE LAKES BECAUSE THE LAKES ARE INTERCONNECTED, AND WE, WHEN WE CAN'T GET IT TO ALL THE LAKES, WATER STAYS, UH, STAYS STAGNANT.
SO NOW PART OF THE INSTITUTIONAL LANDSCAPE IS WE HAVE DIFFERENT KINDS OF LANDSCAPE INDIVIDUALLY.
SO ONE OF OUR, ONE OF OUR GOALS TO MAINTAIN IS ATHLETIC FIELDS.
THE PER, THE, THE GOAL THERE IS TO PROMOTE TURF GROWTH SO THAT WE HAVE A SAFE AND PLAYABLE TURF CONDITION SO THAT, YOU KNOW, KIDS, ADULTS, ANYBODY WHO WANTS TO COME OUT AND, UH, ENJOY A GAME OF SOCCER, BASEBALL, RUGBY, FOOTBALL, WHATEVER IT MAY BE, CAN COME OUT AND PLAY IN A SAFE ENVIRONMENT.
BUT THEN WE HAVE LIBRARIES, POLICE STATIONS, AND HISTORIC SITES SUCH AS THE RANCHOS THAT REQUIRE, UM, A LITTLE BIT OF MORE OF MANICURED TOUCH, RIGHT? BECAUSE THEY HAVE MORE SHRUBBERY, PERHAPS THEY HAVE A LITTLE MORE, UM, HIGH-END LANDSCAPE ON THAT END.
SO IT REQUIRES MORE OF A MAN TOUCH.
THEN YOU HAVE OUR, OUR OPEN NATURALIZED OPEN SPACES SUCH AS THE DEFOREST WETLANDS.
IT DOESN'T REQUIRE AS MUCH OF AN INPUT ON IN TERMS OF RESOURCES, RIGHT? ESPECIALLY ONCE THE PLANT MATERIAL IS ESTABLISHED.
THE GOAL IS TO BE NATURALIZED AS BEST AND FILLED IN AS BEST AS WE CAN, UM, YOU KNOW, BARRING ANY VANDALISM, UM, SO THAT YOU HAVE A MORE, MORE NATURAL LOOK, MORE OF WHAT THE AREA IS SUPPOSED TO LOOK LIKE IF WE WEREN'T HERE.
AND YOU CAN SEE THE TWO TYPES OF STYLE IN THE, IN THOSE TWO PHOTOS WITH COOLIDGE PARK AND DEFOREST WETLANDS, TWO PARKS IN THE NORTH TOWN, RELATIVELY CLOSE TO EACH OTHER.
SORRY, A LOT OF TALKING DRY MOUTH.
UM, INTERSECTION OF URBAN AND NATURAL CORRIDORS.
SO THESE TYPES OF CORRIDORS REQUIRE DILIGENT OVERSIGHT WITH PROGRAMS TO MEET GOALS OF ALL USERS OF PARKLANDS.
WE HAVE HALF A MILLION RES IN THE CITY OF LONG BEACH AND SOME ENVIRONMENTALLY SENSITIVE AREAS AS WELL.
AND THEN WE STILL HAVE A DESIRE FOR RECREATIONAL SPACE.
THAT DOESN'T MEAN WE GET TO GO DO, GO DO WHATEVER WE WANT.
HERE'S, I HAVE LISTED HERE SOME OF THE REG REGULATORY AGENCIES THAT WE DEAL WITH.
WE HAVE COWFISH AND WILDLIFE PESTICIDE, UH, PESTICIDE, DEPARTMENT OF REGULATIONS, SORRY, CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF PESTICIDE REGULATIONS, AND THE REGIONAL WATER QUALITY BOARD, JUST THE NAME OF FUEL.
[00:55:01]
NOW WITH THE DIVORCE, THE DAVENPORT PARK EXPANSION PROJECT, WE, THIS IS A VERY GOOD EXAMPLE OF COMBINING THAT NATURAL AND URBAN CORRIDORS.ABOUT 40 YEARS AGO, IF YOU, IF YOU THOUGHT OF A PARK, YOU THINK OF GREEN OPEN SPACE, SOME TREES, SOME METALLIC, MAYBE A COUPLE BASEBALL FIELDS, AND JUST A WIDE OPEN SPACE.
THAT'S NOT NECESSARILY THE CASE ANYMORE.
UH, WHAT DESIGNS AND, AND THE LACK OF JUST WATER RESOURCES IN GENERAL IS DRIVING THIS PARTICULAR DESIGN.
SO WITH THE DAVENPORT EXPANSION, IT CREATED A SPACE FOR, FOR PARK PATRONS OF ALL TYPES OF USES TO COME AND RECREATE.
SO WE HAVE A MULTI-USE ATHLETIC FIELD THAT COMPLETE FOR SOCCER OR FOOTBALL.
WE HAVE WALKING TRAILS, WE HAVE, WE HAVE EXERCISE EQUIPMENT, WE HAVE A NATIVE PLANT PALATE, EXCUSE ME.
SO ANYBODY WHO WANTS TO RECREATE IN ANY WAY, SHAPE, OR FORM THAT THEY CHOOSE TO CAN AT THIS PARTICULAR PARK.
ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF THIS IS RECENTLY OPENED MACARTHUR PARK.
SO MACARTHUR PARK, THE NEW DESIGN IMPLEMENTS AN OPEN SPACE CONCEPT WITH A NATIVE PLANT PALETTE.
THIS IS WHAT IT LOOKED LIKE BEFORE, AND THAT'S WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE NOW THAT IT'S OPEN, GREEN, OPEN SPACE VERSUS SOME NATURALIZED AREAS.
YOU SURE IN A NICE OPEN FIELD FOR ANYBODY TO HAVE A PICNIC, HAVE SOCCER GAME, WHATEVER IT MAY BE, WE HAVE THAT SPACE AVAILABLE.
BUT NOT ONLY THAT, DOES THE NATIVE PLANT PALETTE JUST, YOU KNOW, ENHANCE THE, THE PARK.
IT ALSO ENCOURAGES POLLINATOR ACTIVITY IN THAT AREA OF THE CITY THAT, YOU KNOW, EVIDENTLY PARK POOR.
IT'S A GOOD IMPROVEMENT OVERALL TO HAVE THIS NATURALIZED AREA IN AN URBAN CORRIDOR SLIDE.
NOW THIS IS EVENTUALLY THE GOAL THAT ONCE THESE, ONCE THESE NATURALIZED AREAS ARE GROWN IN, THAT THIS IS WHAT THEY LOOK LIKE.
AND THIS IS WRIGLEY GREEN BE, UM, IT WAS OPENED IN 2022, AND SO WE'VE BEEN VERY SUCCESSFUL IN TRYING TO ESTABLISH A LOT OF THE, A LOT OF THE PARK THAT WAS HANDED OVER TO US AND DEVELOPED BY PARK FOLKS.
ONCE PARKS ARE WELL ESTABLISHED, THE INPUT IS LESS.
WE REALLY, WE'RE REALLY TRYING TO BE MINDFUL STEWARDS OF ARV SOURCES IN ORDER TO MAINTAIN PARTS TO AN ADEQUATE STANDARD.
ALL RIGHT, TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT PEST MANAGEMENT.
SO, PEST CONTROL HAS HISTORICALLY BEEN ACCOMPLISHED BY A VARIETY OF METHODS, INCLUDING MECHANICAL, PHYSICAL, AND CHEMICAL.
WEEDS ARE TYPICALLY THE LARGEST PERCENTAGE OF PESTI ISSUES IN THE LANDSCAPE, YOU KNOW, IN COMPARISON TO INSECTS OR EVEN DISEASES OR EVEN BACTERIAS.
THE CURRENT INDUSTRY SYSTEM HAS BEEN IN PLACE SINCE THE 1970S, 1970S.
ROUNDUP FOR GLYPHOSATE WAS REGISTERED IN 1974.
SO THAT'S KIND OF BEEN THE STANDARD FOR A LONG TIME UP UNTIL, YOU KNOW, LAST 10 YEARS OR SO, PREVIOUS SYSTEMS USED CHEMICALS THAT WERE VERIFIED TOXICANTS AND HAD TO BE USED.
IT HAD TO BE USED IN SUBSTANTIAL QUANTITIES.
BY THAT, LIKE, YOU KNOW, 1940S AND FIFTIES, A LOT OF FERTILIZERS AND PESTICIDES HAD THINGS LIKE ARSENIC IN IT.
THE INDUSTRY IN GENERAL HAS GONE AWAY FROM A LOT, A LOT OF THAT.
EVEN, EVEN JUST THE USE OF ORGAN PHOSPHATES ANYMORE, WE DON'T USE THOSE ANYMORE.
WEEDS CAN BE VERY INVASIVE AND TAKE OVER LANDSCAPES.
IF LEFT UNMANAGED WEEDS ARE THE TYPE OF PLANT THAT, YOU KNOW, THEY DON'T LIKE TO BE MANAGED, THEY DON'T LIKE TO BE MANICURED, THEY JUST LIKE TO TAKE OVER.
AND THEN FOR US HERE IN THE CITY OF LONG BEACH, OR AT LEAST PARTS DEPARTMENT, GLYPHOSATE HAS NOT BEEN USED IN PRM SINCE 2019.
ALL RIGHT? INTEGRATED PEST MANAGEMENT IS A SCIENCE-BASED PROCESS FOR MANAGING PESTS THAT COMBINES BIOLOGICAL, CULTURAL, PHYSICAL, AND CHEMICAL STRATEGIES TO PREVENT OR MINIMIZE DAMAGE, FOCUSING ON LONG-TERM PREVENTION WITH MINIMAL RISK TO HEALTH AND THE ENVIRONMENT.
THIS IS THE OVERALL CONCEPT OF IPM INTEGRATED PEST MANAGEMENT.
AND THIS APPLIES TO HORTICULTURE, AGRICULTURE, YOU KNOW, YOUR OWN HOME, UH, HOME PEST COMPANIES THAT COME OUT AND DO THAT, DO THEIR, THEIR SERVICES.
THAT'S TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT AS WELL.
IPM PROGRAMS CONSIST OF FOLLOWING.
FIRST IS MONITORING AND IDENTIFYING PESTS.
IF YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT IT IS, YOU SHOULDN'T BE APPLYING ANYTHING.
[01:00:01]
YOU GOTTA IDENTIFY IT BEFORE YOU GO AND ESTABLISH WHAT CONTROL METHOD YOU'RE GOING TO APPLY, WHETHER IT'S PHYSICAL, BIOLOGICAL, MECHANICAL, OR CHEMICAL.DOESN'T MATTER AS LONG AS YOU GOTTA WHAT YOU GOTTA KNOW WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING AT.
ESTABLISHING ECONOMIC THRESHOLDS, AND THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT BECAUSE THE ECONOMIC THRESHOLDS DETERMINE AT WHAT POINT DO WE CONTROL? MEANING, AT WHAT POINT WILL WE SUFFER ECONOMIC DAMAGES IF WE DON'T CONTROL? SO FOR EXAMPLE, OUR LAKES, WHEN WE START REACHING HIGHER TEMPERATURES FOR LONG PERIODS OF TIME, WE'RE WE'RE INVITING A, A MORE CONDUCIVE, UH, ENVIRONMENT FOR A HARMFUL A BLOOM.
SO FROM A MANAGEMENT STANDPOINT, OKAY, WE'RE TAKING A LOOK AT OXYGEN LEVELS, TEMPERATURE, THE TEMPERATURE OF THE WATER, OUR AMBIENT TEMPERATURE, AND HOW LONG THE FORECAST LOOKING AT.
SO DO WE TREAT, DO WE, DO WE NOT TREAT? ARE WE TAKING WATER SAMPLES? THOSE ARE THE, THOSE ARE THE QUESTIONS THAT WE ARE ASKING BEFORE WE JUST GO OUT AND TREAT PRIOR TO AN ALA BLOOM.
NOW WE HAVE PREVENTION IS A DIFFERENT PART OF PM IN ABOUT THE 1980S, 1990S HERE IN CALIFORNIA, THERE WAS A COMMON, A COMMON TURF USED CALLED KENTUCKY BLUEGRASS.
YOU DON'T SEE IT OUT HERE MUCH.
IT'S TYPICALLY LIKE IN THE NORTHEAST ON THE EAST COAST.
UM, BUT IT HAS A NICE, BEAUTIFUL, DARK GREEN COLOR.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT'S IT'S VERY, UM, SUSCEPTIBLE TO IS SOMETHING CALLED RUST.
IT'S VERY SIMILAR TO, YOU KNOW, IRON ON A IRON JUST WEATHERING OUTSIDE.
THERE'S TWO WAYS TO, TO REALLY TREAT IT.
THE FIRST IS HAVING A NICE, A GOOD FUNGICIDE PROGRAM WITH FERTILIZATION, AND IT'LL GROW OUT OF IT.
THE SECOND IS DON'T PLANT IT IN THE FIRST PLACE.
AND CALIFORNIA HAS GONE AWAY FROM THAT OVER THE LAST 40 YEARS.
SO THOSE ARE THE TYPES OF THINGS THAT WE'VE, THAT WE LOOK AT IN DESIGN.
SO IF WE CAN FIND BETTER VARIETIES, UH, BETTER PLANT SPECIES, DIFFERENT PLANT SPECIES, UM, FOUR DIFFERENT LOCATIONS, WE ARE GOING TO DO THAT.
I'M A FIRM BELIEVER, PERSONALLY, THE RIGHT PLANT FOR THE RIGHT SPACE.
SO NOW WE'RE, NOW WE'RE TALKING CONTROL.
ONCE YOU'VE IDENTIFIED, OKAY, WHAT THE PEST IS, WHAT OUR ECONOMIC THRESHOLDS ARE, AND WE CAN'T NECESSARILY REMOVE THE PLANT, OKAY, WELL, HOW DO WE TREAT IT? WELL THEN IT'S, DO WE, WHAT DO WE HAVE? WHAT OPTIONS DO WE HAVE FOR OURSELVES, RIGHT? IS BIOLOGICAL SUCH AS LIKE, UM, RELEASING LA UH, LADYBUG, UH, IN STARS IN A THE GARDEN OR SOME FRAME MANTIS? IS IT, UM, IF IT'S A WEED, ARE WE MULCHING? ARE WE PULLING IT OUT? OR ARE WE JUST TREATING IT LIKE IF IT'S A FUNGUS, RIGHT? SO THOSE ARE THE TYPES OF QUESTIONS WE ASK BEFORE THESE, UM, THESE, UH, TREATMENTS ARE MADE.
NOW, SOME OF THE MISCONCEPTION IS THAT APPLICATIONS ARE JUST MADE WALL TO WALL, BROADCAST SPRAY, EVERYTHING THAT IS AL IN, IN, IN IPN, THAT IS ALWAYS THE LAST RESORT.
IT'S NEVER THE FIRST OPTION WHEN YOU'RE APPLYING SOMETHING OR WHEN YOU'RE TRYING TO CONTROL SOMETHING, UNLESS THAT'S YOUR ECONOMIC THRESHOLD, WHICH IS TYPICALLY FOUND MORE ON REALLY HIGHEND GOLF COURSES.
BUT THAT'S NOT THE CASE HERE IN LONG BEACH.
NOW, THE FINAL THING, THE FINAL STEP OF THIS IS CONTINUE MONITORING.
ARE THE APPLICATIONS WORKING? IS OUR METRICS WORKING? IS IT EFFECTIVELY, IS IT ECONOMICAL? SO THOSE ARE THE QUESTIONS THAT WE HAVE TO ASK OURSELVES AS WE'RE DOING THESE, THESE METHODS OF CONTROL NOW BEFORE WE APPLY A PARTICULAR CHEMICAL, CHEMICALS ARE REVIEWED BEFORE THEY BECOME PART OF OUR IPM PROGRAM.
NEXT SLIDE, LITTLE BIT INTO THE REGULATORY COMPONENT.
CALIFORNIA IS THE INDUSTRY STANDARD FOR PESTICIDE OVERSIGHT.
IT HAS THE MOST STRINGENT STANDARDS IN PESTICIDE REGISTRATION AND USE IN THE UNITED STATES.
UM, BEFORE A PESTICIDE IS ACTUALLY, UH, REGISTERED HERE IN CALIFORNIA, IT'S LIKELY LEGAL EVERYWHERE ELSE BEFORE IT GETS HERE.
THERE ARE, IN TERMS OF HORTICULTURE, THERE'S THREE TYPES OF CERTIFICATIONS THAT, THAT WE REALLY LOOK AT.
I MEAN, THERE'S OTHER TYPES OF CERTIFICATIONS AS WELL, BUT FOR WHAT WE DO, THERE'S THREE.
THE FIRST IS A PEST CONTROL ADVISOR.
TYPICALLY, THESE ARE THE CONSULTANTS.
UM, THE BEST REFERENCE I CAN MAKE IS SIMILAR TO A DOCTOR.
YOU GO TO THE DOCTOR, YOU HAVE A PARTICULAR AILMENT, WHATEVER IT MAY BE, THEY GIVE
[01:05:01]
YOU A PRESCRIPTION, YOU FOLLOW THAT PRESCRIPTION.THAT'S ESSENTIALLY WHAT THEY, WHAT THAT CERTIFICATION ALLOWS 'EM TO DO, GIVE THE, THEY WRITE A PARTICULAR RECOMMENDATION FOR WHATEVER IT IS.
THE AILMENT IS ON WHATEVER PLANT WE'RE DEALING WITH, AND WE FOLLOW IT NOW.
THEN THERE'S TWO, TWO OTHER ONES.
FIRST IS A QUALIFIED APPLICATOR'S LICENSE, WHICH IS WHAT I HOLD.
WHAT THAT ALLOWS ME TO DO IS OVERSEE APPLICATIONS.
IT ALLOWS ME TO TRAIN MY STAFF AND ALLOWS ME TO APPLY THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE ADVISOR.
THE THIRD ONE IS THE QUALIFIED APPLICATOR CERTIFICATE.
THAT'S TYPICALLY FOR THE STAFF.
SO IT GETS 'EM OUT OF ANNUAL PESTICIDE HANDLERS TRAINING.
IT DOES NOT GET THEM OUT OF CONTINUING TRAINING.
THERE'S STILL HOURS OF ASSOCIATED TO THESE CERTIFICATIONS.
EVERY TWO YEARS OF REGISTRATION.
PART OF THAT REQUIREMENT IS FOUR HOURS OF LAWS AND REGULATIONS EVERY TWO YEARS.
FOR THOSE THAT DON'T HAVE THE, THE QAL OR THE QAC, THE APPLICATOR'S LICENSE, OR THE APPLICATOR CERTIFICATE, YOU HAVE TO TAKE A HANDLER.
HANDLERS ARE REQUIRED TO TAKE ANNUAL, UH, PES HANDLERS TRAINING, MEANING ANY OF YOU WORK FOR ME AND APPLY.
AND I ASKED YOU TO GO EVEN JUST PUT AWAY A PARTICULAR PRODUCT THAT WE GOT AN ORDER FOR BEFORE YOU TOUCH IT.
YOU HAVE TO TAKE THAT TRAINING.
IF YOU DON'T TAKE THE TRAINING, AND I HAVE YOU DO THAT.
THE LOS ANGELES AGRICULTURAL COMMISSIONER'S OFFICE OVERSEES THE LOCAL APPLICATIONS.
MONTHLY REPORTS ARE SUBMITTED.
ANNUAL SITE AND RECORDS INSPECTIONS TAKES PLACE.
AND UNANNOUNCED INSPECTIONS CAN ALSO TAKE PLACE.
SO EVEN AS WE'RE SPEAKING RIGHT NOW, MY OFFICE IS OPEN AND THE LEA, UH, THE AG OFFICE WANTS TO COME IN AND SEE OUR RECORDS.
THEY HAVE EVERY RIGHT TO DO SO, AND THAT JUST, THAT DOESN'T INCLUDE THE APPLICATIONS, BUT THAT ALSO CONCLUDES THE TRAINING RECORDS.
IN CALIFORNIA, THE LABEL IS THE LAW, AND THE LAW IS THE LABEL, MEANING I HAVE AN EXAMPLE HERE OF, OF WHAT THE LABEL IS, OF A LABEL, NOT NECESSARILY A PRODUCT THAT WE USE, BUT IT'S AN, IT'S A LABEL THAT WE USE DURING TRAINING.
IF WE TO, IF WE WERE TO DEVIATE FROM THAT LABEL, WE WEIGH, SO LET'S SAY IT SAYS AN OUNCE PER GALLON ON THE MIX, BUT I WANTED TO DO TWO OUNCES PER GALLON.
THAT IS BREAKING THE LAW UP HERE.
IT SAYS, FOR COMMERCIAL USE ONLY.
IF I DECIDE TO USE IT IN, IN A RESIDENTIAL SETTING, THAT IS BREAKING THE LAW.
IT SAYS FOR GREENHOUSE AND NURSERY INSECTICIDE, IF I DECIDE TO USE IT IN A PARK, THAT IS BREAKING THE LAW.
AND THEN IF YOU CONTINUE TO DO IT, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE SUBJECT TO CIVIL, UH, CIVIL FINES AND ALSO CRIMINAL LITIGATION.
NOW, THERE'S A LOT OF HIGHLIGHTED, UH, ITEMS HERE ON THE, ON THE LABEL.
THERE'S ONE PARTICULAR WORD THAT IF YOU'RE NOT REALLY APPLYING PESTICIDES, YOU REALLY NEED TO CAUTION TO.
AND THAT IS THAT WORD CAUTION, AND IT'S A SIGNAL WORD.
SO, SIGNAL WORD IS AN INDICATION OF, OF THE TOXICITY OR HARMFULNESS OF THE PESTICIDE.
THERE ARE THREE SIGNAL WORDS, DANGER, WARNING, AND CAUTION.
THESE WORDS INDICATE IF THE PESTICIDE IS VERY TOXIC, MODERATELY TOXIC, OR SLIGHTLY TOXIC.
AND TYPICALLY THESE, THESE TYPES OF SIGNAL WORDS INDICATE WHAT LEVEL OF PERSONAL PROTECTION EQUIPMENT YOU NEED.
THE BARE MINIMUM IS GLOVES, LONG SLEEVE SHIRT, LONG PANTS, SHOES AND SOCKS, AND EYE PROTECTION.
THE LABEL INDICATES WHAT YOU HAVE TO WEAR AT EVERY STEP OF THE APPLICATION, WHETHER IT'S MIXING AND LOADING, WHETHER IT'S MOVING IT OR EVEN JUST APPLICATION ITSELF.
THE HIGHER YOU GO ON THE, ON THOSE SIGNAL WORDS, LIKELY THE MORE PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT YOU NEED BY THE TIME YOU'RE HITTING, UH, A WARNING PRODUCT.
MOST PEOPLE SEE IT AS A, AS A HAZMAT SUIT.
IT'S A TYVEK SUIT, BUT IT'S A HA.
PEOPLE SEE IT AS A HAZMAT SUIT.
YOU NEED MORE LEVELS OF PROTECTION, SOMETIMES RESPIRATORS.
BUT THAT IS INDICATED BY THE LABEL AND THE LEVEL OF, OF SIGNAL WORD.
NOW, ONE THING I HAVEN'T MENTIONED YET IS THAT DANGER, POISON.
THAT IS KIND OF LIKE CATEGORY ONE A DANGER.
POISON ARE A PARTICULAR SET OF OF PESTICIDES THAT HAVE A SKULL AND CROSSBONES ON THEM, AND THEY CAN AND WILL KILL YOU IF USED IN THE WRONG WAY.
THAT IS THE TRICK TO THE WHOLE THIS TO ANY, ANY APPLICATION, WHETHER IT'S ORGANIC, WHETHER IT'S SYNTHETIC, WHATEVER.
IT'S, YOU'RE APPLYING TO FOLLOW THE, THE INSTRUCTIONS ON THE LABEL.
[01:10:01]
THE CURRENT PROGRAM.NOW, THIS IS FOR NON-SELECTIVE, UM, WEED CONTROL.
WE USE A PRODUCT CALLED GLUFOSINATE.
AMMONIUM SOUNDS VERY SIMILAR TO GLYPHOSATE.
IT'S NOT GLYPHOSATE, IT'S NOT EVEN CLOSE.
IT'S A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT GLASS OF CHEMICAL.
TWO COMMON PRODUCTS THAT THAT ARE, THAT USE IT, THAT HAVE THE PRODUCT IN IT IS CHICA PRO AND LIFELINE.
IT'S A NON-SELECTIVE HERBICIDE WITH NO SYSTEMIC PROPERTIES, NON-SELECTIVE MEANING WHATEVER GREEN MATERIAL IS GONNA BE OUT THERE, IT'S GONNA TRY TO CONTROL IT.
NON-SELECTIVE MEANING, I MEAN NON, UH, NO SYSTEMIC PROPERTIES, MEANING IF I HAVE A BUSH HERE IN FRONT OF ME AND I SPRAY HALF OF IT, ONLY HALF OF IT WILL, WILL START TO SEE THE, THE EFFECTS OF THE PRODUCT.
THE OTHER HALF WON'T SEE THAT, THOSE EFFECTS.
WHY? BECAUSE IT CAN'T TRANSLOCATE.
AND THAT'S WHY GLYPHOSATE WAS SO EFFECTIVE AND CHEAP, IS THAT IT TOOK THAT, THAT SIMPLE APPLICATION AND MOVED IT THROUGHOUT THE PLAN.
NOW, GLYPHOSATE, JUST FOR YOUR NOTIFICATION, IS ONLY EFFECTIVE AT SIX INCHES.
ONCE YOU GET PAST THAT, IT'S KIND OF USELESS.
BUT IT HAD THE ABILITY TO TAKE IT FROM THE LEAF AND TAKE IT TO THE ROOTS.
THE PRODUCT IS EFFECTIVE, BUT REQUIRES MORE APPLICATIONS WHEN COMPARED TO GLYPHOSATE.
UNFORTUNATELY, BECAUSE OF THAT LACK OF SYSTEMIC USE, SYSTEMIC PROPERTY, IT CAN'T, IT NEEDS MORE APPLICATIONS IN ORDER TO ACHIEVE THE SAME CONTROL.
CURRENTLY, THIS IS THE INDUSTRY STANDARD FOR A NON-SELECTIVE WEED CONTROL.
'CAUSE THERE IS, THERE ISN'T REALLY A NON-SELECTIVE PRODUCT THAT HAS THAT SAME ABILITY THAT GLYPHOSATE HAD.
ALTERNATIVE IN GENERAL WOULD INCREASE OUR OVERALL COST TO MAINTAIN THE SAME STANDARDS CURRENTLY IN PLACE.
MECHANICAL CONTROLS WOULD REQUIRE A LARGE LABOR FORCE TO ACHIEVE, TO ACHIEVE THE SAME STANDARD.
MEANING IF I'M GONNA GO OUT AND PULL WEEDS, I NEED A LOT, I NEED A LOT OF LABOR.
WE'VE TRIED STEAMING HERE BEFORE WE HAD IT.
THE UC EXTENSION, UH, SERVICE COME OUT AND DO A STUDY ON AT STERNS PARK.
AND NEEDS A THREE WEEK REAPPLICATION, BUT IT'S VERY LABOR INTENSIVE.
YOU CAN'T GET AROUND TO EVERY TREE, EVERY, EVERY NOOK AND CRANNY, EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO GET TO WITH THAT PARTICULAR MACHINE.
AND THEN PHYSICAL METHODS SUCH AS MULCHING.
WE MULCH A LOT OF OUR PLANTERS, A LOT OF OUR, A LOT OF AREAS THAT WE REALLY USE.
BUT TO TAKE A, ANY PARTICULAR PARK AND JUST MULCH AROUND THE TREES, WE'RE TALKING MULCHING A LARGE AREA WHERE WE WOULD NEED TO RENOVATE THAT WHOLE SPACE.
IF WE WERE TO CONTINUE TO WATER, I MEAN, MY SPRINKLE WAS ONLY POP UP THIS MUCH, WHICH IS ABOUT FOUR OR FIVE INCHES.
ANY EFFECTIVE LAY LAYER MULCH NEEDS TO BE AT A VERY MINIMUM THREE INCHES.
WHICH REALLY WE, WHICH REALLY MEANS WE NEED ABOUT SIX TO EIGHT INCHES.
AND SOME OF THESE, SOME OF THESE GRASSES IN PARTICULAR, EVEN NUTS EDGE, DOESN'T MATTER IF THAT THAT MULCH IS 10 FEET TALL, IT WILL STILL GO THROUGH.
NOW, THAT WOULD TAKE A SIGNIFICANT INVESTMENT AS PART OF THE CITY, WHICH WOULD TAKE A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF MASTER PLANNING AS WELL.
NEXT, OTHER MATERIALS SUCH AS ORGANIC PRODUCTS SUCH AS, UH, SUPPRESS AND FIREWORKS.
THEY STILL HAVE THOSE SAME SIGNAL WORDS.
SO THEY'RE MARKETED AS ORGANIC, POTENTIALLY NOT TOXIC.
THEN THAT'S NOT WHAT THOSE SIGNAL WORDS INDICATE.
THEY ARE STILL JUST AS, JUST AS POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS.
IF USED IN THE WRONG WAY, SALT AND VINEGAR CAN DAMAGE THE SOIL.
NOW I HAVE A PICTURE OF SOIL UP HERE.
THE FIRST LAYER IS ORGANIC LAYER.
THEN WE HAVE OUR TOPSOIL FOLLOWED BY OUR SUBSOIL AND BEDROCK AT THE BOTTOM.
SOIL IN GENERAL IS KIND OF WHAT DRIVES PLANT LIFE.
IF YOU WERE TO INTRODUCE SALT AND SODIUM IN PARTICULAR, IT WOULD DESTROY THE SOIL.
DO YOU KNOW ANY HISTORY IF WHEN ROME TOOK CONQUERED CARTHAGE? FIRST THING THEY DID AFTER THEY RAISED THE CITY WAS SALT THE FIELDS BECAUSE THEY, THEY WANTED TO DESTROY THE CIVILIZATION.
SALT IN SODIUM IN PARTICULAR IS VERY MOBILE IN THE SOIL.
IT'S VERY DIFFICULT TO HAVE IT LEACH OUT, ESPECIALLY IF YOU DON'T HAVE A DRAINAGE.
IN THE CITY OF LONG BEACH, WE HAVE A LOT OF CLAY AREAS.
IT'S VERY HARD TO PUSH THAT SALT DOWN, ESPECIALLY IF YOU HAVE HIGH LAYERS OF HIGH LEVELS OF SODIUM.
[01:15:01]
THE, THE, THE SOIL'S ABILITY TO DRAIN, INTO MOVE NUTRIENTS WITH, INTO THE PLANTS 'CAUSE IT BECOMES ATTACHED AND BIND TO THE SOIL.VINEGAR IS A DISINFECTANT WE USED.
I MEAN, NOT FOR ME PERSONALLY.
SO IF WE WERE TO CONTINUE TO APPLY VINEGAR, FOR EXAMPLE, INTO THE SOIL, THE SOIL IS DRIVEN BY MI BY MICRO MICROORGANISM ACTIVITY.
ACTIVITY, RIGHT? FUNGUS, THEY ARE WHAT BREAK DOWN THE MULCH, THE ORGANIC MATTER, THE LEAF LITTER IN, IN THE SOIL, AND MAKE IT AVAILABLE FOR PLANTS TO TAKE UP.
YOU TAKE AWAY THE SOIL'S ABILITY TO BREAK DOWN ANY OF THAT ORGANIC MATTER.
SO THE CITY HAS A LARGE AND DIVERSE INSTITUTIONAL LANDSCAPE PORTFOLIO.
ADVANCES IN TECHNOLOGY WILL ASSIST IN MANAGING A LARGE SCOPE OF WORK AS THEY BECOME AVAILABLE.
CHANGES HAVE BEEN MADE TO DESIGN STANDARDS IN MANY AREA, MANY AREAS OF PARK DEVELOPMENT.
SO IF WE WERE TO TAKE, YOU KNOW, LARGE, LET'S SAY LARGE SPACES OF EL DORADO PARK, FOR EXAMPLE, AND MAKE THEM A MORE NATURALIZED LOOK, HEY, IT'S POSSIBLE, BUT WE NEED TO REDESIGN THE WHOLE PARK.
THE CITY, THE CITY STILL NEEDS TO USE THE TOOLS AVAILABLE TO MAINTAIN THE STANDARDS THAT THE PUBLIC HAS COME TO EXPECT.
A NOW, AGAIN, YOU KNOW, LIKE A LOT OF TECHNICAL INFORMATION.
BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, I REALLY DO LOVE WHAT I DO.
I COME OUT, I I WORK FOR THE CITY OF LONG BEACH.
I GET TO MAKE AN IMPACT ON NATURE.
I'M VERY, I'M VERY COGNIZANT OF WHAT I DO.
I I LOVE BRING MY KID OVER HERE AND ENJOY SOME OF THESE PARKS.
I DON'T EVEN LIVE HERE, BUT I BRING THEM HERE.
I TAKE THIS VERY SERIOUSLY IN WHAT WE DO.
I TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION EVERYTHING THAT WE CAN DO.
IF THERE ARE BETTER METHODS THAT WE ARE NOT TAKING INTO CONSIDERATION, I REALLY DO WANT TO KNOW.
I WILL TAKE THAT INTO CONSIDERATION.
BUT AS OF RIGHT NOW, BASED ON THE RESOURCES AND THE FINANCIAL, THE FINANCIAL CHALLENGES THAT, THAT WE FACE, THESE ARE THE TOOLS THAT WE HAVE AVAILABLE TO US AND WE NEED TO USE THEM.
THANK YOU COMMISSIONERS FOR INDULGING, UH, A LITTLE BIT LONGER OF A PRESENTATION, BUT I THINK IT WAS NECESSARY TO KIND OF HAVE THAT FULL, UH, CONTEXT AS WELL WITH RESPECT TO, UH, EVERYTHING THAT, UH, RAUL'S TEAM DOES, UH, IN SUPPORT OF OUR, UH, PARKS AND OPEN SPACES.
SO, UM, THANK YOU RAUL, UH, WITH THAT.
UM, DO WE HAVE ANY PUBLIC COMMENT RELATING TO THIS ITEM? YES, PLEASE SAY YOUR NAME FIRST.
YEAH, I DON'T HAVE A POWERPOINT.
I JUST HAVE SOME PICTURES OF TREES IN OUR PARKS.
THIS IS WHAT STARTED, GOT ME INVOLVED WHEN WE, ABOUT, UM, FIVE OR SIX YEARS AGO, WE MANAGED TO GET ROUNDUP BAND HERE IN LONG BEACH.
AND I THOUGHT THE PARKS WERE SAFE.
AND THEN MCKAYLA SENT PICTURES OF TREES AND SIGNPOSTS AND ALL OVER DRAKE, UH, CAESAR, DRAKE PARK, AND, UH, THE BLUFF PARK.
AND SO I STARTED LOOKING AT EL DORADO.
AND RIGHT OUTSIDE OF YOUR BUILDING, THE TREES HAVE THESE GROUND SPOTS ALL AROUND IT.
I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY THE GRASS HAS TO BE KILLED FROM AROUND A TREE.
CAN YOU EXPLAIN TO ME WHAT THE PURPOSE OF THIS IS? TH THIS IS PUBLIC COMMENT.
WE CAN'T RESPOND, BUT PLEASE CONTINUE WITH YOUR COMMENTS.
WELL, I THINK THIS IS AT THE BASE OF THE WHOLE THING, WHY THIS IS BEING DONE.
I CAN UNDERSTAND IF WEEDS ARE, UH, ALONG A FENCE, IT MIGHT LOOK UNSIGHTLY OR IF, UH, THEY'RE GROWING, UH, IN THE GOLF COURSE OR I DON'T UNDERSTAND.
IN AN ATHLETIC FIELD, THE KIDS CAN PLAY ON DANDELIONS AS WELL AS BERMUDA GRASS OR WHAT, WHATEVER KIND OF GRASS IT IS.
[01:20:01]
AROUND EVERY TREE IN EVERY PARK I'VE BEEN TO RECREATION PARK.UH, WE WENT THERE FOR A, UM, SHAKESPEARE AND THE TREES THERE WERE SPRAYED AROUND HARTWELL PARK.
UH, EVERY PARK I'VE BEEN TO, I'VE SEEN THIS.
AND I UNDERSTAND YOUR FINANCIAL PROBLEMS. ONE OF OUR THINKING, ONE OF OUR SUGGESTIONS WOULD BE NOT TO MOW EVERY PARK EVERY WEEK, UH, THAT THE GRASS CAN GROW A LITTLE TALLER.
IT'S NOT GOING TO HURT ANYTHING.
UH, ESPECIALLY IN THE WINTER TIME.
A LOT OF TIMES I SEE THE MOWERS, THEY'RE MOWING THE DIRT.
UH, SO IF YOU HAD THE WORKERS SPENDING THAT EXTRA WEEK PUTTING MULCH AROUND THE TREES OR GIVE, DOING THEM, GIVING THEM SOME OTHER KIND OF JOB, TRIMMING THE TREES, WHATEVER IT IS THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE, YOU COULD BE SAVING MONEY.
UM, WE HAVE THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS AND SOME SUGGESTIONS.
MAY I PASS THEM OUT? YOU CAN, UH, HAND THOSE TO ME.
UM, BUT WE NEED TO MOVE ON TO THE NEXT SPEAKER AND I WILL, UH, TAKE THESE AND MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE THEM.
THESE ARE OUR RECOMMENDATIONS.
WE ALSO WANT TO, UH, STOP THE KILLING OF THE BEES.
WHICH WE THINK IS TOTALLY UNNECESSARY WHEN YOU HAVE YOU BEEKEEPERS.
UH, ANYBODY ELSE? YES, THANK YOU.
I LIVE ABOUT FOUR BLOCKS FROM HERE.
AND, UM, I'M BASICALLY FOCUSED IN ON THE TREES AS WELL.
UM, WHEN I LISTEN TO YOUR PRESENTATION, PROBABLY THE OPENING OF IT IS WHERE WE DIFFER WHEN YOU SAY THAT SAFE, CLEAN, AESTHETICALLY PLEASING PARKS FOR THE PUBLIC, IF THAT'S THE ONLY GOAL THAT WE HAVE, THEN WHAT I THINK THE OTHER STAKEHOLDERS THAT ARE NOT AT THE TABLE ARE THE BEES, THE LIZARDS, THE BUTTERFLIES, THE BIRDS, THE TREES, THE SQUIRRELS AND THE WILDLIFE.
SO WHAT WE DO TO THEM MATTERS AND SHOULD BE LISTED IN OUR VALUES.
WHEN I LOOK AT WHAT I THINK IS CAUSING THE TROUBLE HERE IS TWO THINGS.
EASE OF USE IS JUST SELFISHNESS.
IT MEANS EASE OF USE FOR THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE THE SUBCONTRACT.
IT'S EASIER FOR THEM TO WAVE A WAND THAN IT IS TO USE A WEED WHACKER.
THAT'S THE CHOICE THAT'S BEING MADE.
THE MONEY PART, YOU KNOW, THAT'S, THAT'S THE, THE SUBCONTRACTOR'S VIEW THEIR SELFISHNESS.
THE CITY'S VIEW IS ALL ABOUT MONEY.
I WANT YOU TO MANAGE MY TAX DOLLARS, BUT THE MONEY PART OF IT CAN ALSO BE DEALT WITH IN THIS THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, YOU JUST TRADE OUT WHERE THE LABOR GOES.
YOU CAN PAY THE SAME AMOUNT AND SAY, BUT I ONLY WANT YOU TO MOW ONCE A, YOU KNOW, TWICE A MONTH.
I WANT YOU TO DO WEED ABATEMENT THE OTHER TWO WEEKS SO YOU DON'T HAVE TO PAY MORE.
AND THE REAL ISSUE TOO IS MAKING CHANGE.
I KNOW MAKING CHANGE IS VERY DIFFICULT.
I MEAN, I, I WORKED IN AEROSPACE AND I KNOW THAT ANYTIME YOU WANT TO CHANGE A PROCESS, THE OWNER OF THE ASIS SYSTEM IS THE MOST RESISTANT.
SO I EXPECT YOU TO BE THE MOST RESISTANT.
BUT THE FACT OF THE MATTER IS, THERE IS A WAY TO SOLVE THAT.
AND THAT'S TO DO PILOT PROJECTS.
YOU GO AND GET A PILOT, YOU PICK OUT ONE OR TWO PARKS, YOU GO TALK TO THE CITIES THAT ARE NOT POISONING EVERYTHING.
SOMEBODY'S ALREADY BLAZED THIS TRAIL.
AND YOU CAN FIND OUT HOW THEY DO IT AND, AND GIVE IT A CHANCE.
I MEAN, OTHERWISE, ONE OF THE THINGS I, I HEARD SAID IN A MEETING ONCE IN AEROSPACE WAS, IF YOU KEEP DOING WHAT YOU'RE DOING, YOU'RE GONNA GET WHAT YOU GOT.
SO WE GO ON HERE, WE'VE BEEN DOING THIS SINCE 2018.
YOU KNOW, I DON'T SEE WHY WE CAN'T DO A PILOT PROJECT.
SO THAT'S REALLY WHAT I WOULD PUSH FOR IS, UM, ANN WOULD LIKE YOU TO GO THE WHOLE WAY AND BAN PESTICIDES AND I WOULD TOO.
BUT IF YOU CAN'T BRING YOURSELF TO DO THAT, AUTHORIZE A PILOT PROJECT.
[01:25:01]
THANK YOU.ANYBODY ELSE? YEAH, I CAN, I CAN SHARE.
SO I DON'T WANNA REPEAT WHAT SOME OTHER PEOPLE HAVE SAID, BUT I COULD YOU INTRODUCE YOURSELF FIRST? OH, YES.
SO JUST FOR THE RECORD, YES, OF COURSE.
UM,
WHEN I REACHED OUT TO OUR DISTRICT, UM, ONE, THE STAFF, YOU KNOW, SHARED THAT THE CITY IS CONCERNED ABOUT THE SAFETY OF WILDLIFE AND, UM, THAT, YOU KNOW, THE CONTRACTORS ARE PROHIBITED FROM USING ANYTHING THAT MAY RESULT IN DIRECT OR SECONDARY POISONING AND HARMING OF ORGANISMS. BUT WHILE THIS IS REALLY ENCOURAGING, I AM WITNESSING BIRDS AND SQUIRRELS AND EVEN CHILDREN, PETS AND PARK USERS.
WHEN PARKWOOD, FOR EXAMPLE, WHO MANAGES OUR, UH, CHAVEZ PARK MM-HMM
PEOPLE ARE LITERALLY, AS THEY'RE SPRAYING, I HAVE DOCUMENTATION AS THEY'RE SPRAYING.
THERE'S PEOPLE WALKING BY WITH THEIR BABY STROLLERS AND THEIR DOGS.
THEY'RE SPRAYING AREAS THAT HAVE NO WEEDS WHATSOEVER.
IT'S AREAS EITHER THAT HAVE BEEN MULCHED OR LIKE A BARREN HILLSIDE.
UM, GLYPHOSATE AMMONIUM, EVEN THOUGH IT MAY BE LESS RISKY THAN, UM, GLYPHOSATE, IT'S STILL HAS, UH, RISKS WHEN USED.
UM, AND ESPECIALLY IF PEOPLE DON'T KNOW THAT THESE AREAS WERE SPRAYED, UM, I SAW THEM SPRAYING AROUND A KID'S PLAYGROUND.
UH, IN CHAVEZ, ONE OF THE AREAS IS, UH, JOINT USE WITH CHAVEZ ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.
WELL, ON THEIR LOG, PARKWOOD SHOWS THAT THEY SPRAY AT SIX 30 IN THE MORNING BEFORE THE KIDS GO IN AT SEVEN AND USE THE PARK DURING THE DAY.
AND FROM WHAT I FOUND ONLINE, AND MAYBE BRO, YOU'LL KNOW BEST, UM, HOPEFULLY THIS INFORMATION IS ACCURATE.
ONCE IT IS SPRAYED, THERE SHOULD BE A 12 HOUR RESTRICT RESTRICTED ENTRY INTERVAL.
YET THIS IS NOT BEING FOLLOWED.
SO, LIKE ANN WAS SAYING, I WOULD ALSO LIKE FOR THE CITY TO EXPLORE, UM, AND MEET WITH OTHER CITIES LIKE IRVINE AND COSTA MESA.
AND I CAN'T REMEMBER, THERE'S A LONG LIST.
IF YOU GO TO NON-TOXIC CITIES, I THINK IT'S DOT ORG, WE CAN SHARE MORE INFORMATION ABOUT IT.
BUT THERE ARE OTHER CITIES WHO HAVE TRIED METHODS, AND I DO APPRECIATE THAT YOU HAVE TRIED SOME THINGS.
UH, BUT LIKE YOU SAID, YOU'D BE OPEN TO HEARING MORE.
SO WE WOULD LOVE TO CONTINUE THE CONVERSATION AND MAYBE DO A PILOT PROJECT.
AND IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE A WHOLE PARK, JUST ONE SECTION OF A PARK AND SEE WHAT WOULD THE COST BE.
AND I DO THINK THAT COST, EXISTING COSTS COULD BE LOWERED BECAUSE THERE IS OVER MOWING.
I HAVE SEEN, UH, PARKWOOD MOW DIRT AT VIS PARK, LITERALLY MOWING DIRT, UM, EVERY MONDAY IN AREAS WHERE THERE'S NO GRASS GROWING BECAUSE SPRINKLERS MAYBE ARE BROKEN.
I'VE SEEN TREES ROTTING BECAUSE SPRINKLERS HIT THE TRUNKS OF THE TREES.
THE GRASS WOULDN'T BE GROWING UP TO THE TRUNK IF THE SPRINKLERS WEREN'T SPRAYING IN AREAS WHERE THEY SHOULDN'T BE, BECAUSE UNDERNEATH THE TREE, YOU DON'T NEED TO BE SPRAYING WATER.
UM, AND THAT'S CAUSING MORE OF THE WEEDS TO GROW.
SO IF WE DO LESS OR MORE SMART WATERING, LESS WEEDS WOULD GROW, MEANING WE WOULD NEED LESS.
AND SOME OF THESE CITIES WHO HAVE GONE NON-TOXIC, THEY STILL USE, UM, HERBICIDES AND PESTICIDES WHEN IT'S ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY WHEN THERE'S SOME KIND OF INFESTATION.
SO IT'S NOT LIKE I WOULD BE AGAINST IT.
UM, AND YEAH, I'LL STOP 'CAUSE I HAVE OTHER THINGS TO SAY I SHARE LATER.
UH, ANYBODY ELSE? JACOB? YEAH.
I LIVE IN THE SEVENTH DISTRICT AND F FOR A LONG TIME.
I DON'T KNOW IF I'M OLDER OR YOUNGER THAN I LOOK
UM, I AM, I GUESS REPRESENTING THE LONG BEACH BEEKEEPERS SPECIFICALLY.
WE'RE NOT AN ADVOCACY ORGANIZATION, WE'RE AN EDUCATION ORGANIZATION.
UM, BUT I, I, I MEAN, WE'RE AN INFORMATIONAL CONDUIT, UH, TO OVER 220 DUES PAYING MEMBERS.
LAST TIME I CHECKED, UH, MANY OF WHOM ARE QUITE INTERESTED IN THIS KIND OF ISSUE.
EVERYBODY ALWAYS ASKS, UH, US, YOU KNOW, WHAT'S THE PROBLEM WITH BEES? EVERYBODY KNOWS THERE IS ONE.
AND I DON'T KNOW, I DON'T THINK ANYBODY KNOWS.
THE RESEARCHERS WE WORK WITH AT UC, RIVERSIDE DON'T KNOW.
UM, CHEMICALS ARE CERTAINLY A, A PART OF THAT MIX.
AND SO WE'RE CONCERNED ABOUT THAT SPECIFICALLY.
UM, VERY SPECIFICALLY, I WONDER ABOUT THE OPPORTUNITY TO MAYBE IMPROVE PROCESS A LITTLE BIT BY DOING B REMOVALS.
FROM THE RECORDS I'VE SEEN, I SEE A LOT OF PESTICIDE APPLICATIONS BECAUSE OF BEE REPORTS AND,
[01:30:01]
YOU KNOW, YOU, YOU GOTTA DO SOMETHING.UM, BUT, UH, UH, THE CITY ITSELF ACTUALLY HAS A NUMBER YOU CAN CALL AND THEY WILL REFER YOU TO AN INTERESTED BEEKEEPER.
JUST THIS MORNING, IT OCCURRED TO ME THAT MAYBE I'M BEING NAIVE ABOUT THIS, THAT MAYBE TO BE ABLE TO DO THIS, YOU HAVE TO BE CERTIFIED AS A VENDOR BY THE CITY OR THAT KIND OF THING.
AND, UM, I TAKE YOUR POINT ABOUT, UH, AVOIDING EXCHANGES HERE, BUT I WOULD LOVE TO HEAR AFTERWARDS IF THERE ARE CONSTRAINTS LIKE THAT THAT, THAT PEOPLE ON THAT LIST NEED TO ADDRESS TO WORK WITH THE CITY.
UM, AND, UH, I THINK REALLY THAT'S MOST OF MY POINT.
UM, OH, WELL, UH, AND IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT, YOU KNOW, BEING KIND TO THESE CUTE LITTLE ANIMALS.
I'M SURE EVERYBODY KNOWS, UH, THAT THEY'RE VERY IMPORTANT TO OUR FOOD SUPPLY.
I MEAN, THIS ISN'T A CITY THOUGH, RIGHT? YOU'VE GOT 2 MILLION HIVES GOING TO THE CENTRAL VALLEY.
I MEAN, THIS IS A CITY, THIS IS NOT FARMLAND.
YOU'VE GOT 2 MILLION HIVES GOING TO THE CENTRAL VALLEY EVERY YEAR.
AND ISN'T THAT WHAT IS IMPORTANT? WELL, THE GREAT THING IS THAT WE HAVE MORE GENETIC DIVERSITY IN OUR HONEYBEE POPULATION HERE THAN WE DO ANYWHERE ELSE IN THE WORLD.
IT'S, IT'S AN AMAZING FUN FACT.
AND THIS IS THE KIND OF RAW MATERIAL THAT IS GONNA HELP US GET PAST THE KIND OF BE MORTALITY THAT WE'RE SUFFERING NOW.
SO IT'S A, IT'S A STRATEGIC RESOURCE TO STEWARD.
AND, UM, YOU KNOW, WE WANT TO, WE WANT TO JUGGLE THAT CAREFULLY.
UH, BENEFICIARY, RESIDENT, FIRST DISTRICT.
UM, I GUESS I WOULD JUST START BY SAYING, UM, OBVIOUSLY, WELL, YOU KNOW A LOT ABOUT THIS STUFF.
THE ANSWER TO YOUR QUESTION IS THEY HAVE HEAVY MACHINERY, AND YOU CAN'T HAVE HEAVY MACHINERY RUNNING RIGHT UP AGAINST, AGAINST TREES DOESN'T EXCLUDE MULCHING.
OBVIOUSLY THERE'S A CAUSE ASSOCIATED WITH THAT.
UM, AND IT DOESN'T MEAN THAT IT'S REQUIRED TO SPRAY TREES.
UM, BUT IS THERE A PROBLEM WITH HAVING THE GRASS GROW AROUND THE TRUNK? SO, SO I'LL, I'LL ANSWER THAT.
WE NEED TO, UH, STICK TO THE PUBLIC.
IF THIS IS A COMMITTEE, I WOULD THINK IT WOULD BE AND GOOD FOR ALL OF US TO EXCHANGE IDEAS.
NOW IT IS THIS GENTLEMAN'S CHANCE TO SPEAK.
UM, I'M SORRY, I DIDN'T MEAN TO INTERRUPT YOU.
I'LL SEE IF I CAN GET IT IN HERE.
SO, UM, ONE THING THAT I WOULD ADVOCATE IS LIKE, WE, WE'VE ALREADY ESTABLISHED, LIKE, WE'RE NOT, WE'RE NOT SPRAYING, UM, GLYPHOSATE NOW, WE'RE NOT SPRAYING GLYPHOSATE NOW, BUT LIKE 20 YEARS AGO WE THOUGHT IT WAS SAFE.
WE LIVED IN CALIFORNIA AND IT WAS SAFE IN CALIFORNIA, AND THE CALIFORNIA STATE SAID IT WAS SAFE.
SO WE'RE GONNA KEEP LEARNING ABOUT THIS STUFF.
LIKE OVER TIME WE'RE GONNA LEARN, AND THIS MIGHT A HUNDRED YEARS FROM NOW BE THE SAFEST CHEMICAL THAT ANYBODY'S EVER INVENTED.
BUT IT MIGHT ALSO BE SIMILAR TO EVERYTHING WE'VE EXPERIENCED IN THE PAST, WHICH IS WE'VE CONTINUED TO LEARN THAT WE DIDN'T KNOW, LIKE, OH, 40 YEARS LATER, IT IMPACTED SUCH AND SUCH.
I BROUGHT FIVE OR SIX STUDIES WHERE IT SAYS IN ANIMAL STUDIES, IT CAN IMPACT, UH, THE DEVELOPMENT OF FETUSES.
I'M NOT LIKE QUALIFIED TO SPEAK ON THAT.
I'VE TAKEN IPM COURSES AT LBCC, UM, I'M ON THE TREE ADVISORY COMMITTEE.
UM, AND I APPRECIATE THAT YOU GUYS ARE DOING YOUR BEST TO TAKE CARE OF 'EM.
I THINK THERE'S ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT.
AND I THINK WE NEED TO START FROM A PLACE OF HUMILITY THAT WE'RE PROBABLY GONNA KEEP REPEATING THESE PROBLEMS AND KEEP FINDING THINGS THAT ARE TOXIC.
IF WE'RE NOT TRYING TO DEVELOP SOLUTIONS, AND THEY MAY HAVE ADDITIONAL COSTS, AND HEY, WE MIGHT FIND OUT THEY'RE TOTALLY IMPOSSIBLE, WE MIGHT FIND OUT THAT COSTA MESA, IRVINE, ENCINITAS LA MARIN COUNTY, NEVADA, SANTA ROSA, HONOR PARK, SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO, THAT THEY'RE DOING VARYING THINGS THAT TOTALLY DON'T APPLY TO US.
LIKE THEY JUST WILL NOT WORK FOR US.
BUT ALL OF THOSE CITIES ARE IMPLEMENTING VARIOUS VERSIONS OF IPM.
NOT TO SAY WE'RE NOT DOING IPM, IT DOES NOT EXCLUDE CHEMICALS, BUT THEY'RE DOING VERSIONS THAT INCLUDE LESS OF A CHEMICAL FORWARD APPROACH.
THE VIDEO EVIDENCE THAT MIKO WAS TALKING ABOUT COULD BE TOTALLY EXCLUSIVE TO CHAVEZ PARK, TO ONE VENDOR, OR IT MIGHT NOT, THEY DIDN'T HAVE PROPER PPE GOGGLES GLOVES.
UH, THEY WERE SPRAYING WITHOUT ANY FORM OF PUBLIC NOTIFICATION, WHICH COULD HAVE JUST BEEN CONES.
IT'S NOT NECESSARILY EXCLUSION.
I DON'T KNOW THE TIMEFRAME, BUT I THINK THE REALITY IS LIKE, HOW ARE WE GONNA HAVE 13 PEOPLE MANAGING MACHINES OF PARKS AND EXPECT THEM TO BE CHECKING IN ON EVERY SINGLE PERSON ALL THE TIME? THAT'S NOT A PRACTICAL THING.
UM, SO I THINK IN OUR CONTRACTS, OUR CONTRACTS ALREADY CALL OUT THAT THEY HAVE TO DO IPM AND OTHER THINGS, BUT IT DOESN'T NECESSARILY LIKE WE'RE MANDATED.
YOU ARE ALL MANDATED TO MANAGE OUR MONEY WELL AND TAKE THE LOWEST BIDDER.
SO IF YOUR CONTRACT IS NOT BINDING SOMEBODY TO DO SOMETHING IN A VERY SPECIFIC FASHION, IT'S, IT'S NOT GONNA HAPPEN IN THAT FASHION.
IT SAYS APPLY BEST PRACTICES IN, IN THE PAPERWORK WE HAVE.
SO I GUESS WHAT I WOULD HOPE FOR IS THAT WE'D HAVE TO IDENTIFY THE COSTS AND WE'D HAVE TO DECIDE THAT THOSE COSTS ARE WORTH SPENDING.
[01:35:01]
A CITIZEN, I'D LOVE TO SPEND SOME MONEY TO TRY TO USE LESS CHEMICALS, BUT IF THERE'S A POSSIBILITY TO A PILOT, THAT WOULD BE AWESOME.UM, THROUGH THE YEARS I'VE BEEN TO, UM, I'VE TRAVELED ALL OVER THE WORLD.
I'VE BEEN TO 107 COUNTRIES, AND I SEE THEM, NOT EVERYONE, OF COURSE, BUT MANY OF THESE COUNTRIES, ESPECIALLY IN EUROPE, ARE JUST LETTING THINGS GROW.
THEY DON'T NEED TO HAVE, YOU KNOW, ABSOLUTELY PRISTINE, CLEAN AROUND TREES AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
THEY HAVE GRASS AND DANDELIONS GROWING AND, AND THEY'RE JUST HAPPY AS THE LARK.
AND THERE'S NO REASON THAT, UH, IT, IT'S ALL A MATTER OF, OF, UH, WHEN WE'RE SAYING PUBLIC ATTITUDES, WELL, MAYBE THEY, THE PUBLIC NEEDS TO CHANGE THEIR GRATITUDE AND THEY NEED TO UNDERSTAND THAT WE ARE STEWARDS OF OUR PARKS AND STEWARDS OF OUR, OUR, UH, WILDLIFE.
UM, THERE'S NO, UM, NOW WHEN WE LOOK AT ROUNDUP, AND I TOTALLY CON I CONCUR WITH EVERYBODY THAT HAS, HAS BEEN SPEAKING TODAY.
UM, BUT WE'VE GOT, UH, ROUNDUP, SOMEBODY SAID 1974, THAT'S LIKE 50 YEARS AGO, AND WE'VE BEEN USING IT AND USING IT.
AND THEY RIGHT NOW HAVE A $16 BILLION PAYOUT TO ALL THESE PEOPLE THAT THEY BELIEVE HAS BEEN CAUSED BY ROUNDUP.
WE DON'T KNOW WHAT THESE THINGS ARE DOING.
WE WERE INTRODUCING SOMETHING THAT'S POISONOUS.
MONARCH BUTTERFLIES ARE NOW DOWN 90%.
THERE'S ONLY 10% OF THOSE LEFT.
THIS IS WHAT WE ARE DOING TO OUR WILDLIFE, TO PEOPLE.
UH, WOULD YOU, WOULD YOU WANT YOUR CHILDREN PLAYING NEXT TO A TREE THAT'S JUST BEEN SPRAYED WITH, UM, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THESE POISONS? I'M SORRY.
UM, AND YOU KNOW, IT, IT'S OUR RESPONSIBILITY TO, TO BE THE, THE STEWARDS.
UM, AND, AND, AND THEN I THINK THE, THE POISONING COSTS ABOUT 4 MILLION.
THAT'S ANOTHER GREAT WAY TO SAVE MONEY.
WE DON'T NEED TO HAVE THAT PRISTINE, QUOTE UNQUOTE, LOOK.
UM, YOU'VE GOT CHILDREN, YOU'VE GOT PETS, YOU'VE GOT YOUR PET COMING AROUND THE TREE.
UH, YOU KNOW, THEY, THEY MIGHT PEE A LITTLE BIT, THEN THEY, THEY MAKE IT, UM, UH, THE, THE POISON BECOMES DAMP AGAIN.
WE DON'T KNOW, YOU KNOW, THEY LICK THEIR PAWS.
I MEAN, UH, THE AVERAGE PET NOW, INSTEAD OF LIVING, UH, I JUST HEARD THIS THE OTHER DAY, INSTEAD OF LIVING 16 YEARS NOW, THE AVERAGE IS ABOUT HALF OF THAT.
AND SO THIS IS WHAT WE'RE DOING.
WE'RE POISONING OUR WORLD, AND I THINK IT'S THE RESPONSIBILITY OF, OF OUR, UM, UH, CITY TO, TO TAKE CARE OF OUR PUBLIC AND OUR ANIMALS AND, UH, DO THINGS IN A RESPONSIBLE WAY.
AND THAT'S, THAT I DON'T SEE HAPPENING.
AND I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THAT CHANGE.
UM, SEEING NO MORE PUBLIC COMMENT, I'M GONNA BRING IT BACK TO, UH, THE COMMISSIONERS FOR, UH, ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS ON THE PRESENTATION? I, I HAVE SOME QUESTIONS.
SO THANK YOU, UH, FOR THIS PRESENTATION.
I ACTUALLY DO WANNA THANK THE FOLKS WHO BROUGHT THIS ISSUE UP.
SO, FOR ME PERSONALLY, I WORK IN ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION, UH, FOR ENVIRONMENTAL NONPROFIT.
MY FOCUS IS ON AIR QUALITY, SO I'M NOT GOING TO PRETEND TO BE AN EXPERT ON PESTICIDES, HERBICIDES THAT SORT OF MANAGE IT.
UM, BUT IT DID RAISE SOME QUESTIONS.
SO I DID, YOU KNOW, I TOOK A BIT OF A DEEP DIVE.
I LOOKED AT THE LD 50 NUMBERS FOR, UH, GLUFOSINATE, UH, GLUFOSINATE.
UM, YOU KNOW, IT'S BEEN MENTIONED THAT, YOU KNOW, ROUNDUP WAS AROUND 1974 GLUFOSINATE.
IT'S BEEN AROUND, AROUND, UH, HAS BEEN AROUND ABOUT THE SAME AMOUNT OF TIME.
UM, HOW IT'S PRODUCED, HOW IT WAS DISCOVERED, THE, THE KIND OF THE HISTORY OF IT.
IT'S, UH, VERY, ACTUALLY INTERESTING.
UM, YOU KNOW, IS IT THE MOST DANGEROUS HERBICIDE PESTICIDE OUT THERE? NO.
YOU KNOW, BASED OFF OF THE NUMBERS THAT ARE AVAILABLE FROM EUROPEAN SOURCES, AMERICAN SOURCES AND SO ON.
BUT THERE ARE SOME LEGITIMATE CONCERNS THAT HAVE COME UP.
ONE OF THE ONES I ACTUALLY DID SEE IN THAT IS REPRODUCTIVE HARM, POTENTIALLY, UM, PARTICULARLY MALE REPRODUCTIVE HARM.
UH, SO I, YOU KNOW, THERE IS SOME QUESTION ABOUT THAT.
I DO THINK THAT THERE IS ALSO, UH, THE FACT IS THAT, YOU KNOW, THE LEVELS, THE AMOUNTS THAT THAT HARM HAPPENS IS THAT MUCH HIGHER THAN
[01:40:01]
WHAT SOMEBODY WOULD NORMALLY BE EXPOSED TO.SO I, BUT I DO THINK THAT THERE ARE SOME VALID QUESTIONS.
THERE ARE SOME VALID CONCERNS ABOUT THE USE OF HERBICIDE.
SO I'M, I'M CURIOUS AS TO A FEW THINGS.
SO ONE, ONE OF THE ISSUES THAT WAS BROUGHT UP IS WHEN YOU HAVE, YOU KNOW, FOR EXAMPLE, YOU KNOW, KIDS PLAYING IN AN AREA THAT IS SPRAY, WHAT IS THE CURRENT PROTOCOL AS FAR AS LIKE COORDINATING OFF THAT AREA SO THAT PEOPLE AREN'T GETTING INTO THAT AREA, BEING EXPOSED TO THAT, UH, THAT SPRAY.
UM, AND THEN HOW LONG IS IT CORDED OFF UNTIL THEY'RE ABLE TO PLAY IN THAT IN, AND WHEN'S IT SAFE TO GET BACK IN, YOU KNOW, IN THAT AREA? SO THE LABEL HAS TWO DIFFERENT, TWO DIFFERENT CATEGORIZATIONS.
ONE IS FOR THE, THE AGRICULTURAL, UM, CONDITION.
WE FOLLOW THE NON-AGRICULTURAL, RIGHT? TYPICALLY THE AGRICULTURAL CONDITION, UM, HAS A REENTRY INTERVAL, SIX HOURS, THREE DAYS, WHATEVER IT MAY BE, WHATEVER THE LABEL SAYS.
IN TERMS OF WHAT WE DO IS ONCE IT'S DRY, YOU CAN, YOU CAN GO IN, ROLL AROUND IN IT, AND YOU SHOULD BE FINE.
IT'S SIMILAR TO LIKE WET PAINT, RIGHT? IF YOU HAVE WET PAINT, YOU, IF YOU'RE STILL WET, YOU'RE GONNA TOUCH, IT CAN GET ON YOU.
BUT THE MOMENT THAT PAINT'S DRY, YOU CAN GO TOUCH THAT WALL AND YOU WON'T GET IT ON YOU.
THAT'S WHAT THE RESEARCH HAS SHOWN.
SO THAT'S WHAT WE FOLLOW MM-HMM
UM, AND THEN I KNOW THAT THERE'S BEEN, YOU KNOW, FROM SOME OF THE COMMENTS THAT WE HAD, THERE HAS BEEN SOME CONCERN EXPRESSED ABOUT PEOPLE BEING IN THE VICINITY AS IT'S BEING APPLIED.
IS THAT NORMAL OR IS THAT A DEVIATION FOR THE NORMAL PROCESS? IS THAT NOT APPLICABLE? IS THAT LIKE A DIFFERENT TYPE OF TREATMENT? SO YOU WHAT I'M, I'M, SO THE CONCERN WAS THAT, LIKE, THE EXAMPLE WAS BROUGHT WAS PEOPLE WALKING BY IN THEIR STROLLERS AS THINGS ARE BEING SPRAYED.
UM, IS THAT NORMAL IN THIS TYPE OF CASE USE CASE OR IN THE WAY WE APPLY? IT'S, IT'S RELATIVELY NORMAL MM-HMM
UM, BECAUSE WE'RE NOT APPLYING A BROADCAST APPLICATION, SO WE'RE NOT GOING, LIKE I MENTIONED, WALL TO WALL ACROSS THE PARK MM-HMM
UM, PARKWOOD DOES IT WITH A, UM, A MECHANICAL SPRAYER, YOU KNOW, PARK AZCA DOES IT WITH A, WITH A BACKPACK.
UM, SO THERE'S, THERE'S DIFFERENT, THE, SOME OF THE DIFFERENT METHODS TO APPLY.
BUT RIGHT NOW IT'S TYPICALLY, IT'S TYPICALLY NORMAL.
I MEAN, THE COM THE, THE COMMON MISCONCEPTION IS, YOU KNOW, I'M GONNA GET IT ON MYSELF IF I, IF I WALK, IF I WALK WITHIN 10 FEET.
BUT THAT'S WHY, AS PART OF THE APPLICATIONS, UM, IT'S, UH, IF WE HAVE LIKE A, LIKE A WIND IN THE FORECAST OF OVER FIVE MILES AN HOUR, WE'RE NOT SPRAYING MM-HMM
IF WE HAVE RAIN IN THE FORECAST, YOU KNOW, 24 HOURS OR MORE, UM, WE'RE NOT SPRAYING.
SO IT'S, THOSE, THOSE TYPES OF CONDITIONS ARE ALSO TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT.
UM, ONE OTHER QUESTION THAT I HAVE RIGHT NOW, I'M SURE THERE MIGHT BE MORE IN THE FUTURE, IS REGARDING ALTERNATIVES.
SO, YOU KNOW, AS IS MENTIONED, THERE ARE DIFFERENT CITIES THAT HAVE TAKEN DIFFERENT APPROACHES.
IRVINE WAS MENTIONED, THERE'S, YOU KNOW, THE, THE, THE TOXIC FREE LISTS.
I, I, I SAW THAT IN DOING SOME QUICK GOOGLE SEARCHING.
UM, WHAT HAS THEIR EXPERIENCE BEEN? I KNOW THAT THERE WAS A COMMENT THAT MR. LIVINGSTON AND HIS PERSONAL CAPACITY, I BELIEVE YOU INCLUDED, UH, IN YOUR, UH, YOU KNOW, THE, THE SITUATION BOULDER.
I HAVE NOT HAD A CHANCE TO REVIEW THAT AND HOW THOSE OTHER CITIES ARE, BUT LIKE, WHAT, WHAT HAS BEEN LIKE THE, THE, FROM YOUR, FROM WHAT YOU'VE SEEN IN YOUR PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE, WHAT, HOW THOSE ALTERNATIVES WORKED OUT? UM, I MEAN, I'VE, I'VE SEEN THEIR IPM REPORTS AND WHAT THEY'RE, WHAT THEY'RE SAYING, BUT, UH, I ALSO PLACED A CALL TO THEIR LANDSCAPE SUPERINTENDENT, UM, EARLIER THIS MONTH, WHICH I HAVEN'T GOTTEN A CALL BACK FROM YET.
UM, AND WHAT CITY IS THAT? CITY OF IRVINE.
SO I HAVE PLACED THAT CALL TO LEARN WHAT THEY'RE DOING.
UM, I WASN'T, WASN'T JOKING WHEN I SAID, UH, IF THERE'S SOMETHING BETTER THAT WE CAN DO, I WANNA KNOW MM-HMM
UM, I'M A LITTLE COMPETITIVE, SO I WANNA KNOW WHAT, WHAT, WHAT I CAN DO BETTER.
SO THOSE CALLS HAVE BEEN PLACED AND, AND LIKE I SAID, ANYTHING WE CAN DO BETTER, WE WILL.
AND IF YOU'LL INDULGE ME FOR ONE MORE QUESTION I, FOR, FOR THE PURPOSES OF THE COMMISSION, UM, WHAT ROLE AND I, AND I, I, I MEAN THIS LIKE GENUINELY 'CAUSE I, I DON'T KNOW, LIKE WHAT ROLE WOULD THE COMMISSION HAVE IN DIRECTING, FOR EXAMPLE, A PILOT PROGRAM OR DIRECTING A, THE USAGE OF PESTICIDES OR HERBICIDES IN THIS PROCESS? SO THAT'S REALLY A, A TWO DIFFERENT QUESTIONS.
UM, THE FIRST, WITH RESPECT TO WHAT WE USE OR HOW WE USE, UM, IT WOULD BE ADVISORY.
UM, THE COMMISSION'S ROLE WOULD BE, ADVISORY COULD MAKE A RECOMMENDATION TO THE CITY COUNCIL MM-HMM
[01:45:01]
IN TERMS OF, UH, YOU KNOW, LIKE IMPLEMENTING A, A PILOT, THAT IS CERTAINLY SOMETHING THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, IN FRONT OF THE FULL COMMISSION, IF THAT IS SOMETHING THAT THE COMMISSION IS INTERESTED IN, UM, AGAIN, THAT WOULD BE ADVISORY.BUT AS RAUL HAD MENTIONED, UM, WE ARE INTERESTED IN IDENTIFYING WHAT IS BEST, UH, IN TERMS OF PRACTICE.
AND SO I WOULD CERTAINLY WELCOME, UH, YOU KNOW, INPUT FROM THE FULL COMMISSION ON THAT.
UH, BUT IT IS, UH, AS A COMMISSION ADVISORY MM-HMM
ALRIGHT, I'LL TRY TO THINK OF SOME MORE QUESTIONS.
SO,
WHAT ABOUT OUR CONTRACTOR? THERE IS NO REQUIREMENT BECAUSE WE FOLLOW THE LABEL.
THE LABEL, THE LABEL IS WHAT WE FOLLOW.
AND SO THE, IN TERMS OF OVERALL OF THE PRODUCTS THAT ARE, THAT ARE BEING USED, THE ONLY, THE ONLY, UH, PRODUCT THAT WE USE THAT REQUIRES SIGNAGE IS ALUMINUM PHOSPHIDE, WHICH IS OUR GOPHER TREATMENTS.
THAT'S THE ONLY, THAT'S THE ONLY, UM, UM, PRODUCT THAT REQUIRES SIGNAGE AND IT REQUIRES A, UH, 24 HOUR, 24 HOUR NOTICE TO THE AG DEPARTMENT IN, IN LOCAL AUDIT DEPARTMENT.
BUT YOU WOULD ALSO HAVE TO, IF YOU'RE DOING AN AREA, YOU WOULD ALSO HAVE TO PUT SIGNAGE UP THERE OR PUT CAUTION TABLE OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
IT DOESN'T KEEP EVERYBODY, DOESN'T, YOU, YOU DON'T HAVE TO KEEP EVERYBODY UP, BUT THE SIGNAGE IS UP.
AND HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO DRY? UH, IS IT THAT DEPENDS ON WIND OR, SO THAT PARTICULAR PRODUCT IS A PELLET.
OH, THAT I'M TALKING ABOUT JUST, OH.
IN GENERAL, IF YOU'RE SPRAYING SOMETHING THAT, THAT THE PEOPLE HAVE CONCERN ABOUT OR THAT SPRAYING IS GOING ON.
SO THE WAY THE APPLICATIONS ARE MADE, IT'S, IT'S, IT'S NOT LIKE YOU'RE DRENCHING THE PLANT.
YOU'RE NOT SUPPOSED TO, IN, IN, IN GENERAL IT'S, IT'S JUST A, IT'S JUST A MIST ONE PASSOVER.
AND BY THE TIME, REALLY BY THE TIME YOU'RE DONE, THE, THE PRODUCT'S DONE, THE PRODUCT SHOULD BE DRY.
BY THE TIME YOU'RE, YOU'RE, YOU'RE DONE SPRAYING IT, IT DOESN'T TAKE VERY LONG.
I'VE, I'VE MADE APPLICATIONS, YOU KNOW, IN MY, IN ON, UH, IN MY EXPERIENCE RIGHT NEXT TO GULF GREENS MM-HMM
AND IT'S DRY WITHIN A MATTER OF, BY THE TIME I'M, I'M WALKING AROUND THE GREEN.
UH, WHAT HAPPENS IF ONE OF OUR CONTRACTORS BREAKS A RULE OR APPLIES IT INCORRECTLY? OR IS IT, IS THERE, SO IF, IF THERE, LET'S SAY THERE'S, THERE'S, THERE'RE GONNA APPLY RIGHT? RIGHT BEFORE A RAIN EVENT MM-HMM
UM, THIS IS A VERY REGULATED, UM, PROCEDURE IN THAT THE AG DEPARTMENT DOES COME DOWN AND FINE THEM.
SO THEY'RE, YOU NEVER KNOW WHERE THEY'RE AT, BUT THEY'RE ALWAYS AROUND.
UM, AND ON TOP OF THAT, THEY WOULD GET THE FINE AND THE CITY OF LONG BEACH WOULD GET THE FINE BECAUSE WE ARE SUPPOSED TO BE MANAGING THEM.
UM, IS THERE MORE SPRAYING AROUND THE TREES AND POLES, AND IF SO, WHY? OR IS THAT, IS THE, ARE THOSE DEAD AREAS BECAUSE THE TREES GET MOST OF THE IRRIGATION? OR IS THERE MORE SPRAYING AROUND TREES? LIKE WHY, WHY WE DO IT, OR? YEAH.
WELL, IS THERE, AND IF SO, WHY? SO TYPICALLY IT'S DONE ON, ON A MONTHLY INTERVAL.
IT'S NOT LIKE IT'S DONE, UM, EVERY WEEK, EVERY, EVERY OTHER WEEK IT'S DONE ON A MONTHLY INTERVAL AT, AT THE EARLIEST.
UH, WHAT HAPPENS IS IF WE WERE TO LET THE GRASS, YOU KNOW, JUST, JUST GROW OVER, OVER THE TREES, THE TREES HAVE SOMETHING CALLED A ROOT COLLAR.
AND EVEN FROM A MULCHING STANDPOINT, YOU'RE NOT SUPPOSED TO MULCH THE ROOT COLOR.
UM, BECAUSE WHAT HAPPENS IS, LIKE, LIKE IT'S BEEN MENTIONED, TREES DON'T REALLY LIKE TO BE WET ON THEIR TRUNKS UNLESS THEY'RE LIKE A TROPICAL TREE.
BUT THAT'S A WHOLE OTHER CONVERSATION.
BUT FOR THE MOST PART, THE ROOT COLOR NEEDS TO BE DRY, NEEDS TO BE WET, UH, AND, AND, UH, NOT BE WET CONSTANTLY.
AND BECAUSE WHAT HAPPENS IS, UM, YOU'RE, YOU'RE INTRODUCING POTENTIAL FOR PATHOGENS TO ENTER THE TREE, UM, BECAUSE THOSE THAT, THAT BARK DOESN'T SOLIDIFY AND IT BECOMES
AND SO SOME, SOME, SOME OF THE TIMES IT CAN BE CONDUCIVE TO, UM, JUST TIPPING OVER ONCE THAT OKAY.
ONCE THAT ROT BECOMES, UH, TAKES PLACE.
SO WE ARE INTENTIONALLY USUALLY MONTHLY SPRAYING AROUND THE BASES OF TREES TO KEEP TURF OR GRASS OR SOMETHING GREEN THAT WOULD HAVE MORE MOISTURE AND THAT WOULD BE DETRIMENTAL TO THE CORRECT TO THE, SO THAT, THAT IS PART OF IT.
THE OTHER, THE OTHER REASON WHY IS, UM, WE'RE TRYING TO KEEP THE MOWERS AWAY FROM THEM.
UM, A LOT, IF YOU WALK AROUND, UM, ANY OF THE PARKS, ESPECIALLY THOSE, THOSE TREES THAT HAVE, THAT TEND TO HAVE THE SURFACE ROOTS, UM, YOU'LL SEE, UH, DAMAGE FROM THE MOWERS.
AND THAT'S DETRIMENTAL TO THE TREE OVERALL.
AND SO WE'RE TRYING TO PROTECT THE TREES AS BEST WE CAN.
UM, ESPECIALLY BECAUSE WE'RE LOSING SO MANY OF THEM.
[01:50:01]
IS, YOU KNOW, SOMETHING THAT WE NEED TO CONTROL AS BEST AS, YOU KNOW, AS FROM A, FROM A PROGRAMER PER PERSPECTIVE AS BEST WE CAN SO THAT WE DON'T LOSE THE TREES AND WE CAN CONTINUE TO THRIVE.BUT, UH, KEEPING THAT GRASS AWAY FROM THEM IS, IS ONE OF THE WAYS WE DO THAT.
AND THEN TO THE POINT THAT JACOB, I BELIEVE MENTIONED FOR THE BEEKEEPERS ARE, ARE THERE TIMES WHEN THE CITY IS SPRAYING BEES OR HIVES, OR IS THAT JUST SOMETHING THAT'S HAPPENING AMONG OTHER PEOPLE? IT DOES.
WE DO WORK WITH THE BEEKEEPERS.
THERE IS, UH, HIS NAME IS RAY BEE.
THAT'S THE, THAT'S THE GENTLEMAN WE WORK WITH.
THAT'S THE, HE, I KNOW HIM AS RABY
SO HE GOES OUT AND HE, HE IS, UM, AND HE'LL RESCUE HIM FROM VALVE BOXES FROM TREES.
WE CALLED HIM FOR CHERRY PARK RIGHT NEXT, RIGHT UNDER A CONTAINER.
UM, ANYTHING THAT WE CAN DO TO RESCUE THE HIVES IS, IS OUR FIRST CALL.
UM, WE DO SOMETIMES HAVE TO KILL THE HIVE.
UM, SOMETIMES, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE RIGHT NEXT TO A, UH, YOU KNOW, AN ATHLETIC FIELD WHERE KIDS ARE GONNA PLAY AND WE DON'T KNOW WHO'S ALLERGIC.
WE HAVE TO TAKE CARE OF THE HIVE AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE.
UM, BUT THAT ISN'T, THAT ISN'T OUR PRIORITY.
THE PRIORITY FIRST IS TO CALL RAY.
IS THAT A INTERNAL POLICY OR GUIDELINE OR JUST A BEST PRACTICE? THIS IS, IS BOTH.
AND SO, SO IT'S A, IT'S A GUIDELINE THAT WE DO, YOU KNOW, WITHIN THE GROUNDS DIVISION.
AND THEN IT'S ALSO BEST PRACTICE IF WE CAN AVOID SPRAYING OR DOING AN APPLICATION.
GREAT PRESENTATION LONG, BUT VERY THOROUGH.
UM, IT LOOKS LIKE WE ARE DONE WITH, UH, QUESTIONS AND COMMENTS FROM THE COMMITTEE.
UH, SO THAT, UH, ENDS THE, UH, DISCUSSION ON ITEM NUMBER THREE.
WE HAD A MOTION BY COMMISSIONER LIVINGSTON AND A SECOND BY COMMISSIONER CHAVEZ.
UH, READY FOR A VOTE TO RECEIVE AND FILE ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, SAY AYE.
AND JUST TO RECONFIRM, SO THIS WILL BE GOING TO THE FULL COMMISSION? THAT IS CORRECT.
WE ACTUALLY HAVE A COUPLE MORE ITEMS ON THE AGENDA, UH, OPEN NOW FOR PUBLIC COMMENT.
THIS IS TO ADDRESS THE PARKS AND RECREATION, UH, COMMISSION COMMITTEE, UH, ON NON AGENDA ITEMS. SO EACH SPEAKER WAS LIMITED TO THREE MINUTES AND MAKE THEIR COMMENTS, UH, TO MAKE THEIR COMMENTS.
ANY ADDITIONAL COMMENTS, UM, THAT ARE, WERE NOT, UH, ON THE AGENDA.
SO WHEN LINCOLN PARK WAS REDEVELOPED, A PRETTY GOOD SIZED DOG PARK BECAME VERY SMALL AND NOT SUPER FUNCTIONAL, A LOT OF PEOPLE SORT OF FLED OUT OF THERE.
AND THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE UTILIZING A SPACE NOW THAT'S BEHIND CHAVEZ ELEMENTARY BECAUSE IT'S A GATED AREA AND IT'S CAUSING A LOT OF FRICTION VERY REASONABLY.
THERE ARE PARENTS WHO ARE REALLY UPSET THAT THEIR KIDS ARE GETTING DOG ON, ON THEIR HANDS, ON THEIR FEET.
SUPER REASONABLE THING TO BE UPSET ABOUT KIDS HAVING TO GO HOME.
ALL OF CHAVEZ PARK HAS DOG POOL ON IT.
LIKE LAST NIGHT WE DID A WALK, I GOT HOME, I PICKED, I DON'T KNOW HOW BIG THIS DOG WAS, BUT I PICKED UP SOMETHING SERIOUS OFF MY PARK PARKWAY.
LIKE IT'S A TERRIBLE CULTURAL NORM IN MANY PARTS OF THE CITY, INCLUDING IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD THAT ALL PARTS OF CHAVEZ PARK HAVE PI THINK KIDS HAVING POO ON THEM IS A MAJOR PROBLEM.
I THINK EVERYBODY AGREES WITH THAT.
HOWEVER, A LOT OF THOSE PEOPLE ARE NOT THE PEOPLE WHO ARE NOW UTILIZING THAT PART FROM LINCOLN PARK.
UM, WHEN WE WALK AROUND THERE, WE GO LOOK FOR P WE PICK IT UP AND WE FIND IT.
BUT STUFF HAPPENS AFTER HOURS.
STUFF HAPPENS AFTER DARK STUFF HAPPENS ON WEEKENDS AND RIGHT NOW THERE'S TENSION BETWEEN THE COMMUNITY AND PARKS.
AND I THINK THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY FOR A CONNECTION WHERE, UM, THERE COULD BE LESS POO IN THE PARK AND THE COMMUNITY COULD BE LIKE, HEY, YOU GUYS WANT TO KEEP ME IN HERE? LIKE I'LL JUST LOCK THIS WHOLE THING AND KICK EVERYBODY OUT.
OR EVERY DAY YOU GUYS COME IN IN THE EVENING AND FOR 20 OR 30 MINUTES YOU GUYS ARE GONNA CLEAN THE POOL UP.
OR WE CONNECT WITH PARENTS AND MAYBE WE JOIN UP WITH THE PARENTS AND WE PARTNER WITH THEM TO DO MORE CLEANING.
AND THE REAL PROBLEM BEING POO IN THE PARK GETS ADDRESSED AND THE PUBLIC DOESN'T LOSE A SPACE THAT'S REALLY WELL UTILIZED.
IT'S ACTUALLY ONLY REALLY UTILIZED BY YOUR DOG OWNERS NOW.
AND IT WILL PROBABLY BE MOSTLY TRANSIENTS IF DOG OWNERS WEREN'T THERE.
AND I THINK THERE'S JUST SOME OPPORTUNITY THERE FOR DIALOGUE.
AND I THINK IF, I THINK THERE'S SOME PAST HISTORY WHERE PEOPLE WERE NOT TREATED WELL, SPECIFICALLY PARKS PEOPLE WERE NOT TREATED WELL AND I THINK THAT'S BURNED SOME OF THOSE BRIDGES AND I JUST WANTED TO PUT THIS OUT THERE.
I'D BE GLAD TO TALK TO WHOEVER, IF THERE'S EVER A TIME FOR A CONVERSATION
[01:55:01]
FOR THE PEOPLE WHO ARE THERE UTILIZING THE SPACE, WHICH WE APPRECIATE TO HELP REDUCE A PROBLEM AND NOT YOU NOT LOSE THE ABILITY TO USE THE SPACE.SO I DO APPRECIATE YOU ASKING IF IT'S GOING TO GO TO THE ENTIRE COMMISSION.
UM, AND I THINK PERHAPS THAT, UH, AFTER GOING TO THE LAST MEETING, THAT PERHAPS, UH, A LITTLE BIT OF EDUCATION WOULD BE VERY HELPFUL FOR THAT COMMISSION TO UNDERSTAND EXACTLY WHAT THEY CAN AND CAN'T DO.
IN OTHER WORDS, CAN THEY GO TO, UM, YOU KNOW, IF THEY SEE THIS, RECEIVE A FILE NOW CAN THEY, UM, GO TO TO A PLACE WHERE THEY CAN MAKE A MOTION, OKAY, WE'VE HEARD THE INFORMATION.
YES, WE'D LIKE TO SEE YOU DO A, A, A, UM, A, A STUDY, OR LET'S, LET'S TRY A A A A PROJECT.
SO I, I THINK I, I GET THE SENSE THAT THEY DON'T, THEY MAY NOT UNDERSTAND THAT WHAT THEIR POSSIBILITIES ARE IS WHAT I'M TRYING TO SAY.
JUST I, I KNOW YOU CAN'T GIVE FEEDBACK, BUT I'M JUST SAYING THAT WAS THE FEELING I GOT.
SO I THINK THEY MAYBE NEED A LITTLE BIT OF EDUCATION AND HEY, WE CAN, WE, WE HAVE MORE, WE CAN DO THINGS ON OUR OWN VOLITION AND WE CAN ACTUALLY BRING SOMETHING UP.
WE CAN SAY, HEY, DO WE WANNA DO SOME SORT OF A PROJECT? AND, AND SO I THINK THEY NEED TO BE EMPOWERED IN THAT, IN THAT SENSE.
SO THAT'S WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO ENCOURAGE YOU HAVE YOUR MARCHING ORDERS SHOT.
ANYBODY ELSE? JUST WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU FOR, UM, THE, UH, ALLOWING, WELL, I, I KNOW WE'RE ALLOWED TO COME, BUT, UH, IT WAS A GOOD MEETING AND, AND LEARNED A LOT AND HOPE YOU GUYS ALL LEARNED A LOT TOO.
AND, AND I, I REAL, ME AND I ARE ON THE TREAT COMMITTEE WITH BEN AND HE'S A REALLY GOOD RESOURCE FOR THE CITY.
SO YOU GUYS ARE DOING THANK YOU.
SEEING NO OTHER PUBLIC COMMENT, UH, ANY ANNOUNCEMENTS FROM THE COMMISSIONERS? I'M GOOD.
ALRIGHT THEN WE ARE GOING TO, UH, CONCLUDE THE MEETING AT 5:35 PM.