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comprised of two portions: 1) the Bernal Community Park, Phase 2 of which involves three lighted all- <br /> weather multipurpose sports fields with a restroom, parking facility and other amenities; and 2) the 40 <br /> acre Oak Woodland Area, a natural feature to be developed with native trees, grasses and flowers. The <br /> combined project cost is estimated at$16.5 million. <br /> Bill Harris, project architect, gave a PowerPoint presentation on the Oak Woodland Area design. He <br /> discussed both the natural and built environment, which manipulate the ground plant and vegetation to <br /> provide a more complex and rich environment for visitors. As described in the Master Plan, the project <br /> consists of 3 different plan communities: a valley woodland to create a buffer between the residential <br /> community and active park, a valley grassland in the middle, and riparian woodlands along the <br /> drainage course. The site is non-irrigated and will house strictly native plants as part of an ambitious <br /> idea to restore a series of native plant communities on what is now a very beautiful but disturbed site <br /> Undulating land forms and berms help to create a series of different experiences rather than one large <br /> field. Storm drainage from both the Phase 2 area and the woodland itself will be collected into a series <br /> of swales and ponds before being conveyed out to the creek. <br /> The area's pathway system is also comprised of 3 parts: a wide paved multipurpose path that will <br /> circumscribe the entire area, a woodland crossings network paved to facilitate bicycle and pedestrian <br /> access from the neighborhood to the west, and a more rustic decomposed granite creek path and <br /> nature trail with interpretive features. The pathway system capitalizes on a number of sight lines <br /> designed to tie the whole site together, and creates the potential for public art installations. <br /> Mr. Bocian continued the presentation and reported on recent discussions by the Parks and Recreation <br /> Commission about the potential of locating an off-leash dog park somewhere on the Bernal Property, <br /> specifically the Oak Woodland or Phase 2 sites. The city currently has one off-leash dog park located at. <br /> Muirwood Community Park. An additional location has long been an interest of the Commission and <br /> many efforts have been made over the years to find an appropriate site at the Bernal Property, Nielsen <br /> Park, Creekside Park or Staples Ranch Park. The Commission referred to the Draft Parks and <br /> Recreation Master Plan, which will be reviewed in a joint workshop in the near future and indicates the <br /> need for two new dog parks — one immediately and one in the future. The Commission felt that in light <br /> of this recommendation, it was worth examining the Oak Woodland Area as a potential location. <br /> Mr. Bocian stated that staff has tried to be consistent in terms of responding to the Commission's <br /> interest. Staff has advised that the issue is best addressed as part of the master plan process so the <br /> Council can choose which amenities in that plan it wishes to prioritize. Staff has also taken a <br /> conservative read of Measure P, the voter approved Bernal Property Specific Plan, and believes that it <br /> restricts a dog park in both the Community Park and Oak Woodland Area Lastly, staff maintains that <br /> there are other suitable sites for such a feature within the community and that those should be looked <br /> at collectively with the need for a dog park. <br /> Mr. Bocian explained that regardless of the advantages and disadvantages of Bernal Community Park, <br /> Measure P may be the overriding issue. While Section 3 of the Bernal Community Park Master Plan <br /> lists a dog park as an anticipated use, staff believes that reference is really intended to identify those <br /> uses that are on the Master Site Plan, which clearly does not reserve space for use as a dog park. He <br /> explained that while at one point a dog park was accounted for in the Master Plan, the Council made <br /> the decision to remove it in May of 2006. When the Council made its final decision regarding the <br /> Specific Plan, it very specifically directed staff not to amend the Specific Plan or Master Site Plan to <br /> include a dog park. When the Specific Plan was placed on the ballot it referenced the allowable uses <br /> set forth in the Master Plan, but again staff believes this is intended to reference the Master Site Plan. <br /> Staff also believes that in order to accommodate a dog park on the Bernal Community Park site, a <br /> feature that is specifically planned for that area would have to be eliminated. <br /> With regard to the Oak Woodland Area, which is where the Commission looked most specifically, the <br /> incongruity reccurs between the Bernal Property Specific Plan-Phase 2 and the illustrative plan. More <br /> City Council Minutes Page 5 of 15 February 4,2014 <br />