11. Scenic Circle Access
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CITY COUNCIL
STAFF REPORT
Agenda Item Number 11-
Agenda Date: October 18,2005
ISSUE
Consider Scenic Circle access to Stevens Creek Corridor Park
BACKGROUND
Pursuant to Council direction, the Parks and Recreation Commission considered ways
that automobile traffic into Stevens Creek Corridor Park might be reduced. One
suggestion forwarded to the Commission was for a parking fee. The Commission
considered this alternative and determined that levying a parking fee would cause park
goers to use residential streets to avoid the fee. The Commission instead recommended
making pedestrian and bicycle access as convenient as possible, to lessen impacts to
neighbors.
Historically, access to Stevens Creek Corridor Park from Scenic Circle has been through
a hole cut into the chain link fence that the Nelson's erected around Blackberry Farm to
keep non-paying customers out. The break in the fence was a problem for neighbors
because it let after-hours trespassers into the park. These trespassers caused
disturbances in the neighborhood.
Five years ago, a gate was installed that enabled the neighborhood to close the gate at
night after opening it in the morning to walkers and children using the park as a shortcut
to Monta Vista, Kennedy and Lincoln schools. The neighbors closed it at dark to keep
illegal users out of the park. This pattern continued until January 2005 when the
neighbors took unilateral action to chain the entrance, The City has not taken action to
open the gate pending Council resolution of the issue,
The Parks and Recreation Commission discussed the access point in a public meeting
on July 7, 2005. The issue was whether to provide pedestrian and bicycle access from
the neighborhood (Note: this would not go into effect until after the park is renovated
and re-opened. The gate is currently locked). After hearing the residents' concerns, the
Commission made recommendations regarding control of the access point for safety and
security, The recommendation of the Commission regarding this access point was:
Printed on Recycled Paper
11-1
October 18, 2005
Page 2 of3
(Copied from the approved minutes of the July 7, 2005 regular meeting)
Staffing (for the park) is seven days a week with a ranger position that affords
both light maintenance work and enforcement capability; 84 hours a week on
average
Back-up from the Sheriff's Office
Gates at both pedestrian accesses; open at 7 a,m" closed by 8 p.m, or dusk,
whichever is earlier
Close operations in 2007; reopen in 2008 by reservation only on weekends
with controlled parking (this closure is for reconstruction of Blackberry
Farm)
Shuttled parking during those times when we expect overflow parking
problems
For the first two years of (picnic ground) operation, reservation only
All customers will be notified of the change in park operation
Parking spaces will be controlled
Marketing of the facility will be as an environmental center
Strictly a non-motorized access at Scenic
Should summer weekends be a problem, the (Scenic) gate can be closed
during that time
Chairman Jelinch asked if opening the gate did not work out and crime statistics
proved otherwise during a certain period of time, could they review it again.
Director Smith said this stipulation could be added in. She asked the
Commission if they would like to pick a trial period length. Commissioner
Brown also stated that this would include the stipulation that the gate be closed
at night and include the security patrol as presented, and at the end of a one-
year period, data would be presented to the Commission and then forwarded to
the City Council as appropriate,
ACTION:
A motion was made, seconded and unanimously moved to have
the gate access open (as stated above) on a one-year probation
period and that the Commission will receive a report at the end
of that time.
This access would open after the park is improved and re-opened.
Recently neighbors in the Scenic Circle neighborhood have circulated a petition
regarding access to the park.
IJ-d-,
October 18, 2005
Page 3 of3
The petition reads (scanned from original):
Petition
July 2005
To the Cupertino City Council Members
We, the undersigned, are appealing to the Cupertino City Council to not place an entrancc at Sccnic
Circle to Blackberry Farm or the planned Steven's Canyon Trail.
Our legitimate opposition to such an entry point is based on serious concerns such as thc following:
I, Such an entry point would bring an endless parade of cars in,to the neighborhood.
2, Scenic Circle would become a trailhead parking lot.
3, The congestion of trail users mixed with cars driving in and out of the neighborhood and
cars competing for parking would ncgate safety and security for our families.
4, rhe recurrence of disturbances and crime that existec1:\'ur neighborhood,
5. The serene setting and privacy of the neighborhood would be compromised.
6. Property values would signiíicantly decline,
Over two hundred residents signed the petition.
On October 6, the Scenic residents asked that Parks and Recreation Commission
reconsider their recommendation to the City Council. The Commission agreed to do so
on December 1,2005.
Now the neighbors are asking the Council to skip the Commission hearing and decide
the issue,
RECOMMENDATION
Hear the neighbors' concerns and either allow the Parks and Recreation Commission to
complete its work in December, or decide the matter and cancel the Parks and
Recreation Commission's review.
Respectfully submitted:
Approved for submission to City Council:
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Therese Ambrosi Smith, Director
Parks and Recreation Department
5iti-
David W. Knapp, City Manager
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