Loading...
Exhibit CC 04-03-12 #13 McClellan Ranch Master Plan, Name Change ec 91311J_ 4 /3 Karen B. Guerin From: Deborah Jamison [salesmail @stevenscreek.com] Sent: Tuesday, April 03, 2012 2:14 PM To: City Council; City Clerk Subject: McClellan Ranch Preserve master plan, name changes Dear Mayor, Vice Mayor, and Council Members, Tonight you will decide on the recommendations of the Parks and Recreation Commissioners for CIP funding to pursue some long overdue projects at McClellan Ranch Nature and Rural Preserve. I hope to explain at your meeting why you should support and pass those recommendations. However, I may not have time to address the issue of changing the official names: McClellan Ranch Park > McClellan Ranch Preserve Simms Addition > McClellan Ranch West What we call things is important. Names that we use influence our understanding and attitudes towards that which is named. In 1996 the city leaders agreed with the community that there should be a special parkland designation for McClellan Ranch, purchased 3 years earlier, and created the Nature and/or Rural Preserve category. They then created the first(and still only) such designated city property, McClellan Ranch Nature and Rural Preserve. This preserve is not a recreational, multi-use park like the others in the city with ballfields, picnic grounds, playground equipment, etc.. It has a special Mission (see below) and Special Regulations and Guidelines. To maintain and protect the ecology of the area, conserve t:1e natural features and scenic values, expand community awareness and understanding of natural history and the environment, and provide enjoyment of the resources present consistent with their preservation. (Ordinance 710, 1976) - But many residents of Cupertino do not realize that McCle''[lan Ranch is a nature and rural preserve because all they ever read and hear is "McClellan Ranch Park." Those of us who use and value the park the most call it McClellan Ranch Preserve, but the city in general does not. I urge you to approve whole heartedly the proposed name change. Give it the special purpose and values in name that it deserves. In 1990, when the city purchased the property on the west side of the creek from McClellan Ranch owned by the Simms family, it was almost immediately added to McClellan Ranch. There was no debate because the property was purchased to fulfill the open space element of the General Plan and it was just logical that it should be made a part of the preserve's mission and programs, which it was. Restoration of the creekside habitat was carried out by the city naturalist and volunteers. The residents in the Simms house, part of a low-cost housing non-profit, were made official caretakers of McClellan Ranch and were so instructed. Beginning around 2000, the house was rented to a private family who were not made aware that they were in a nature preserve. Furthermore, the city gave permission for Mr. Thomas McNair to use the property for his adjacent house construction project vehicle parking, material storage, trash piles (including toxic material), and porta-potty. McNair deposited many tons of base rock on the property and obliterated the newly planted native plants. (There is much more to this story and I am willing to tell it to any one of you who is interested in learning it.) 1 During this unfortunate period, the city regressed to calling it the Simms property instead of the Simms Addition. There is nothing historically significant about the Simms name. Referring to the property as McClellan Ranch West will make it clear to future city officials that this property is indeed a part of McClellan Ranch and should be treated with due respect, under the protective umbrella that governs McClellan Ranch as a preserve. Because there are so many projects never completed and long overdue at the original McClellan Ranch property, restoring McClellan Ranch West is not addressed in the recommendations before you at this time. But a Simms Task Force did create a plan for this property and once the current projects are complete, those plans should be undertaken at last. Thank you for your support and approval of funding for McClellan Ranch Preserve. Deborah Jamison 408-828-2343 woodduck @stevenscreek.com Deborah Jamison Stevens Creek Software 24 years of software excellence! salesmail @stevenscreek.com www.stevenscreek.corrm 2 II' (3 /II 13 Karen B. Guerin From: Rhoda Fry [fryhouse @earthlink.net] Sent: Tuesday, April 03, 2012 10:53 AM To: City Council Cc: Mark Linder Subject: McClellan Ranch Preserve-two thumbs up! Dear Council— As long as the City is planning on new signage, I do think this is a great time to rename the entire property to "McClellan Ranch Preserve" on both sides of the creek. People who see it on the map, listed as a park, would be disappointed to find no play equipment and a bunch of weeds. Those who see it listed as a preserve would be delighted. It has always come as a shock to me, whenever I saw the term "park" used.We have a number of public buildings in the City and their names indicate their uses, community hall, library, community center etc... Let's do the same with McClellan Ranch Preserve. Also consider signage on the Blackberry Farm/McClellan Ranch Preserve border—people should know that they are entering/exiting areas with different uses. I see McClellan Ranch Preserve as being a place to be quiet and listen and Blackberry Farm as a place to play. Now that they're connected,visitors should be able to make the distinction. One of the effects of this connection is that farm animals are now strolled into Blackberry Farm, and I think that during the picnic season it could cause problems(feces, animals eating picnic food etc...), so you might want to consider no farm animals beyond a certain point during the season. I've been very impressed to see the trash situation well handled at Blackberry Farm and haven't noticed spillovers into the McClellan Ranch Preserve—GOOD JOB! However,one thing to consider is that the EIR had stipulated that food would be restricted to the picnic areas across the creek, and elsewhere there would only be benches, no picnic tables. Now there are a number of ad-hoc picnic areas which could ultimately cause conflicts with farm animals, dog walkers, and increase trash pickup (something to keep an eye on). Finally there has been some construction going on at Blackberry Farm. While construction noise is never pleasant, WE APPRECIATE THAT THE CITY HAS ADHERED TO PREVAILING CONSTRUCTION HOURS—THANK YOU 100X! Thank you for consideration—hooray for McClellan Ranch PRESERVE. O Rhoda Fry 4/3/2012 41(3 CUPERTINO Draft McClellan Ranch Master Plan 2012 Update 0 City of Cupertino City Council Meeting April 3, 2012 Goals - Master Plan Update Process • Invite public input on potential capital improvement projects at McClellan Ranch Park • Develop a prioritized list of recommendations to support budget planning & decision making for 2012 & beyond 1 4/3/2012 Process Summary > Oct. 6 —process & schedule decided ➢ Nov. 3 — study session & community input • background info presented • ideas for projects invited > Feb. 2 — study session& community input • categorized list of potential CIP projects • preliminary evaluations provided • further input invited Aerial Map - site features discussed Key ,' de , . I -11 �s, 1. Ranch House 1, I 2. Nature Museum ;, 1 ! 3. Blacksmith Shop 4 , �; a_, y _ , '+ `' 4. Milk Barn . a _ ,. _, 5. Tank House , �:, / 6. Gardeners' Shed - r .h' r ■, " / f \ " 1 7. McClellan Barn .� .--- 4 -, , '-� —/ /...11 8. Community f ;. S Gardens '� r rx. f 9. 4-H Barns• t � �1 ..........4. ,:,':.,t�' �� ]0. Simms house f ` , � �f � '^'"' � � ~�k �'� "" �.- 11. Group Meeting \,°� ��� «•,�`„ Area *,','',.0 \ ?,.'` ,::: #� 12. Stevens Creek .'�'',, is , ' 0 - . .....1"-, 13. Meadow y,� '1 ,ty �ty�y x ' a 14. Trails t A.q ; :' � 15. Entry Drive& • ' e , '� ° � ," ,s Parking r' " 'N ;c.,t? ,, 16. Bus Pullout& > , *• _ Public Road 2 4/3/2012 March 1 - info Parks & Recreation Commission Meeting >Updated project evaluations provided >Potential projects ranked into 3 tiers >Draft Master Plan 2012 Update provided March 1 - Actions Parks & Recreation Commission Meeting > Endorsed draft Master Plan, with revision • Cupertino Historical Society interested in moving Snyder Hammond home • Commission requested adding it to scope of Historic Structures Evaluation > Endorsed the tiers /priorities, with revision 3 4/3/2012 Potential CIP Projects Tier One New Structures • Environmental Education Center& Site Plan • Outdoor Gathering Shelter Renovate/Evaluate Existing Structures • McClellan Barn Evaluation & Renovation Plan • Blacksmith Shop Relocation & Renovation Infrastructure / Support Facilities • Develop Signage Program Existing Outdoor Gathering Area . , s� =-=--r._..�., X1,7 ` ; fie: _ �,, » 0r 7 c , f 4 4/3/2012 McClellan Barn 4 x :y Y 1 s Y + r-.f&J � ti WA »" k Blacksmith Shop 1-1 114 I u ' %aD i P n Ia 5 4/3/2012 McClellan Ranch Signage As .x " : 1 �F - S PARK ES flALH .s TY OF CW ',INO K A )Y° i ti---, I , ' �.` .. 4 rty1 Potential CIP Projects Tier Two Habitat & Creek Restoration • Repair Creek Access Area & Creek Bank • Creek Corridor Restoration at McClellan Ranch (near-term actions) Renovate/Evaluate Existing Structure • Historical Significance Assessment of McClellan Ranch Structures & Snyder Hammond home • Manage Parking • Note,outcome of this process&upcoming CIP may affect parking need&options 6 4/3/2012 Repair Creek Access Area & Creek Bank existing condition O ' s T V Creek Restoration opportunities in McClellan Ranch a `' X., .. r. �" 1 9NIMM �'Ki4�.� '. 7 4/3/2012 Evaluate Historic Structures x ta+ '{''JQ E - } ii , w Snyder Hammond Home 2 : S . a m 5 . v. - C , _ Fk. _.�.. -� yam.,. 8 4/3/2012 Entry Drive & Parking 4 ;. r I " _ � � �as• '"r�,,;_ Asa Potential CIP Projects Tier Three Recommended for future consideration: • Renovate Central [Bleachers]Area • Improvements at McClellan Ranch West (former Simms property) • Extensive Creek Restoration • Possible Restroom Building • Stevens Creek Trail — extend to Linda Vista (after McClellan Ranch projects have proceeded) Reevaluate in Tier 3 in future years > Determine whether progress on Tier I or Tier 2 projects necessitates further action and/or whether further funding sources are available 9 4/3/2012 March 1 - Recommendations Parks & Recreation Commission Meeting That the City Council: > Adopt the McClellan Ranch Master Plan 2012 Update > Consider including its priority capital improvement projects in the 2012-17 CIP as appropriate >Rename McClellan Ranch Park to "McClellan Ranch Preserve" • related:refer to Simms property as"McClellan Ranch West" Tonight's Goals > Review draft Master Plan Update 2012 • finalize as desired > Review recommendation to consider including priority capital projects in the upcoming CIP as appropriate • direct staff accordingly > Consider recommendation to rename McClellan Ranch Park to "McClellan Ranch Preserve" 10 4/3/2012 END SLIDE CUPERTINO Draft McClellan Ranch Master Plan 2012 Update City of Cupertino City Council April 3, 2012 11