City of Culver City, California
Agenda Item Report
Meeting Date: 12/04/12 Item Number: A-2
PRCS COMMISSION AGENDA ITEM: (1) Receive and Review Public Input
Regarding the Proposed Fox Hills Park Basketball Court Improvement Project (PZ-
960); and (2) Consideration of a Recommendation to Staff Regarding
Implementation of the Project.
Contact Person/Dept.: Dan Hernandez,
PRCS Director
Phone Number: (310) 253-6655
Fiscal Impact: Yes [X] No [] General Fund: Yes [] No [X]
Public Hearing: [] Action Item: [X] Attachments: [X]
Public Notification: (Postcard Mailing) Occupants of Residences Adjacent to Fox Hills Park
along Buckingham Parkway and Green Valley Circle (518 postcards; 11/13/12); (Email)
Subscribers of Culver City News and Events, Parks, Recreation & Community Service
Department Updates, Meetings and Agendas – Parks, Recreation, and Community
Services Commission, Senior Citizens (11/21/12 and 11/29/12); (Cable Slide) Channel
35/37 (11/26/12 through 12/04/12); (Posted Notices)Fox Hills Park (11/27/12 through
12/04/12).
Department Approval:Dan Hernandez
(11/27/12).
City Attorney Approval: N/A
Chief Financial Officer Approval: N/A City Manager Approval: N/A
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends that the Parks, Recreation and Community Services (PRCS)
Commission(1) receive and review public input regarding the proposed Fox Hills
Park Basketball Court Improvement Project (PZ-960); and (2) consider making a
recommendation to staff regarding implementation of the Project.
BACKGROUND:
Over the past few years, staff has been approached by members of the Fox Hills
community who have requested that local youth have the opportunity to play
regulation youth basketball at the Park. Currently, such play cannot be
accommodated since the basketball court is configured as two half-courts. In past
years, the topics of both basketball and organized youth sports at Fox Hills Park
were high profile issues that sparked spirited debate among area residents. During
the years of 1980 and 1981, there were numerous problems at Fox Hills Park
relating to noise, group size, violation of park rules and excessive use of the
basketball court by drop-in players late into the night. In order to address the
concerns voiced by residents, the City Council voted to relocate the picnic areas,
limit the size of picnic groups, eliminate the basketball hoops and provide more
enforcement of park rules. Since that time, measures have been taken to increase
opportunities for organized youth sportsat Fox Hills Park. Below is a summary of
some of the changes that have occurred at the Park over the years: City of Culver City, California
Agenda Item Report
Date Organization Action
07/21/81
PRCS
Commission
A Public Hearing regarding resident complaints at
Fox Hills Park is held
08/24/81 City Council
Several Council Actions are taken to restore order at
the Park, including the removal of the basketball
standards, an earlier closing time and the prohibition
of large groups/activities.
07/16/96
PRCS
Commission
Sends letter to City Council recommending that
basketball be allowed to resume at Fox Hills Park.
09/24/96
City Council
and PRCS
Commission
During a joint-meeting, the Council directs
Commission to conduct extensive public outreach
and hold a public meeting on the issue.
09/09/97 PRCS
Commission
Hears testimony from the community and once again
recommends that the City Council consider allowing
the resumption of basketball at Fox Hills Park. The
Commission notes the establishment of the Park
Patrol and the development of the Hauptman Hoop
Lock as factors that will mitigate the previous
negative impacts to the neighborhood.
01/12/98 City Council Approves a 90-day trial period for one basketball
standard at Fox Hills Park with play be limited to the
hours of 3:00 to 7:00 p.m., Monday through Friday
and 12:00 noon to 5:00 p.m. on Saturdays and
Sundays.
03/16/98 –
06/13/98
PRCS
Department
90-day trial period held at Fox Hills Park; monitored
by Recreation staff.
06/29/98 PRCS
Commission
Results from the trial period are favorable and the
one half-court is left in the Park to remain open
during the specified hours. A follow-up was
scheduled to investigate adding another half-court.
09/14/98 City Council Approves the addition of another basketball half-
court and the implementation of a Park Permit
system at Fox Hills Park.
September
2000 through
December
2000
City Council The American Youth Soccer Organization (AYSO) is
allowed to practice on the field at Fox Hills Park for a
limited time due to the closure of the High School
fields for renovations.
06/05/01 PRCS
Commission
Recommends to the City Council that Departmental
sports activities and special events and picnic use by
permit for large groups is allowed at Fox Hills Park.
04/14/03 City Council The City Council approves organized youth sports at
Fox Hills Park on a six-month trial basis. As a result,
AYSO is allowed to practice on the field again.
10/13/03 City Council Approves continuing the permitting of local,
organized youth sports activities at Fox Hills Park. City of Culver City, California
Agenda Item Report
DISCUSSION:
The Fox Hill Park Basketball Court Improvement Project (PZ-960) was funded and
approved by the City Council during the Fiscal Year 2012/13 Budget Hearings.The
project proposes to convert the existing half-courts at Fox Hills Park to one oversize
full court incorporating two smaller side-by-side youth basketball courts within the
larger court to allow for improved recreational use (Attachment A). However, before
the project is implemented,the City Council, the City Manager’s Office and PRCS
Department staff want to ensure that community residents have had sufficient
opportunity to make their opinions of the court renovations known to the City of
Culver City through this meeting of the Parks, Recreation and Community Services
Commission.Over the past two years, some City Council members, the PRCS
Director and the Parks Manager have attended Fox Hills Neighborhood Association
meetings and spoken to past and present members of the Association Board and
other Fox Hills neighborhood residents regarding the upcoming project. Although
there is some dissention, it seems that the time has come to renovate the basketball
court at Fox Hills Park to allow for improved recreational use, including PRCS
Department-organized or permitted youth basketball at the Park.
As noted in the Public Notification section of this report, extensive public outreach
was done to notice this evening’s discussion; a map detailing the postcard mailing
area is provided as Attachment B. All public comment received by staff by 5:30 p.m.
on Tuesday, November 27, 2012 regarding the issue of basketball court renovationis
provided as Attachment C. Any public comment on the issue received since that
time will be placed on the dais for the Commissioners and/or be read into the record
at this evening’s meeting.
FISCAL ANALYSIS:
Expenses for the public notification for this item were nominal and are typically
considered as regular operating expenses, as follows:
NOTIFICATION METHOD DEPARTMENT(S) EXPENSE
Postcard mailing to occupantsof
residences adjacent to Fox Hills Park
(518 postcards).
• PRCS Administration
• IT Graphic Services
Staff Time /
$181.00
for mailing
Printed notices posted at the Park. • PRCSAdministration
• PRCS Parks
Staff Time /
Materials
Email notifications, website postings
and a public notification slide on
Channel 35/37.
• PRCS Administration
• City Manager’s Office
Staff Time City of Culver City, California
Agenda Item Report
Should the PRCS Commission make a recommendation to staff to proceed with the
implementation of the Fox Hills Park Basketball Park Improvement Project, the
Project will entail purchasing new basketball standards and hiring a contractor to
resurface and re-stripe the court, with the total cost estimated not-to-exceed
$20,000. There are currently sufficient funds available in Account Number
41980000.730100.PZ960 (Park Facilities Fund - Quimby Fees/Fox Hills Park
Basketball Court Renovation)for this expenditure.
ATTACHMENTS:
A. Aerial View of the Proposed Fox Hills Park Basketball Court Improvement
Project (PZ-960).
B. Map detailing Public Notification postcard mailing area.
C. Public Comment Regarding the Fox Hills Park Basketball Court Improvement
Project Received by 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday, November 27, 2012.
MOTIONS:
That the Parks, Recreation and Community Services Commission:
1. Receive and review public input regarding the proposed Fox Hills Park
Basketball Court Improvement Project (PZ-960); and,
2. Make a recommendation to staff to begin implementation of the Project;
OR
3. Take no action regarding the issue at this time;
OR
4. Provide staff with alternate suggestions.
MEETING DATE: December 4, 2012
AGENDA ITEM: (1) Receive and Review Public Input Regarding the
Proposed Fox Hills Park Basketball Court Improvement
Project (PZ-960); and (2) Consideration of a
Recommendation to Staff Regarding Implementation of
the Project.
ATTACHMENTS
Pages
A. Aerial view of the proposed Fox Hills Park Basketball
1
Court Improvement Project (PZ-960).
B. Map detailing Public Notification postcard mailing area.
2
C. Public comment regarding the Fox Hills Park Basketball
3 - 4
Court Improvement Project received by 5:30 p.m. on
Tuesday, November 27, 2012. ATTACHMENT A
roposed Fox Hills Park Basketball Court Improvement Project (PZ-960)
Page 1 THE CITY OF
CULVER CITY
INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION SYSTEMS
9770 CULVER BLVD
CULVER CITY. CA 90232
TEL: 310-253-5976
Fox Hills Park Adjacent
Buckingham Prkwy/Grn Vally Cir.
DISCLAIMER
The City of Culver City makes no representation or
warranties of any kind with respect to the accuracy of the
information of claims furnished herein, as the data is a
compilation of records and information obtained from various
sources. The data displayed on this map is for
representational purposes only. It is neither a legally
recorded map nor a survey and is not intended to he used as
such. No part of this map may be reproduced or transmitted
in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical,
including photocopying and recording systems except as
expressly permitted in writing by the City of Culver City,
Information Technology Department, Geographic
Information Systems.
rD City of Culver City. Alt Rights Reserved.
DATE: 1110512012
SCALE: 5944.97066562724
MAP PROJECTION: CALIFORNIA STATE PLANE
ZONE: V (FIVE)
DATUM: NAD 1953
UNITS: FEET
ELLIPSOID' GRS 80
MAGNETIC DECUNATION: 13 DEGREES 6 MINUTES EAST
YEAR: JULY 10,2006
ANNUAL CHANGE: 5 MINUTES WEST
AVERAGE ELEVATION: 57 FEET ABOVE SEA LEVEL
ELEVATION RANGE: 14 TO 419 FEET
Source: Occupants Only
ATTACHMENT B
Map Created: 1110512012
Page 2 ATTACHMENT C
Public Comment Regarding
the Fox Hills Park Basketball Court Improvement Project
Received by 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday, November 27, 2012
From: Nancy Wilmouth
Sent: Monday, November , 20 2 3:32 PM
To: Mooney, Patricia
Subject: Fox Hills Park baketball courts
Dear Ms. Mooney:
I live across the street from Fox Hills Park and frequent it practically every day. When I
walk around the track I see young kids shooting hoops with friends, and adults who
appear to be their Dads, Moms and older siblings. This is nice to see. I am concerned
that if the half courts are converted to full courts and allowed to remain open all day that
the younger kids will no longer be able to use the courts because bigger kids and adults
will monopolize it.
I don't know what the PRCS Commission has in mind for these full courts, but if it is for
organized or supervised games, then I am in favor only if one basket from the full court
is left open after the games are completed. Perhaps one of the baskets could be locked
when not being used for organized games and leave one on the side and at the end
open for the kids to practice shooting and blocking. Otherwise these courts will be lost
to the children and that would be a shame.
I do not believe this would be an "improved recreational use of the court" as stated in
the public notice which I received.
Thank you for your time.
Nancy Wilmouth
A Fox Hills Park Neighborhood Resident
*****************
Page 4 ATTACHMENT C
Public Comment Regarding
the Fox Hills Park Basketball Court Improvement Project
Received by 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday, November 27, 2012
Telephone Call (1):
Tuesday, November 20, 2012 at 9:23 a.m.
I'm calling in regards to the Fox Hills Park; making the court a full court instead of a half-
court. Well, I'm against it. We used to have a full court in the Park and it created a lot
of noise and a lot of traffic and so we had it changed. And, I would appreciate it if you
would leave the Park alone and the way it is.
Thank you very much.
(No name was given)
A Fox Hills Park Neighborhood Resident
*****************
Emails (2):
From: Tina Brod
Sent: Monday, November 05, 2012 7:56 PM
To: Hernandez, Daniel
Subject: Re: Follow up related to Fox Hills Park Basketball Courts
Thank you for the information (regarding the December 4 th Commission meeting).
There is absolutely nothing anyone can do if people want to use the park or play
basketball. Are there going to be officials checking people's I.D. to make sure they live
in our neighborhood 24 hours a day? I think not. As you can see, I am extremely
opposed to this issue and hopefully I will attend the meeting in December. There is
absolutely nothing anyone can do to prevent people coming to a public park. What
could anyone possibly do to keep people out of a park? I am very curious to hear what
they have to say. You know this will only get worse if you allow the basketball courts to
go up. I don't know how people find out about it but believe me, within 2-3 weeks we
had people coming to play basketball in a "nice" neighborhood and we had cars broken
in to on the street and in our garages. There was crime here that we did not have
before the hoops were put up and we have had a very nice park here for many years to
be enjoyed by everyone But it is quiet and peaceful. The people on the Board I can
assure you haven't a clue and do not live on Buckingham Parkway.
Hope to see you in December. Tina Brody
A Fox Hills Park Neighborhood Resident
*****************
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