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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1992-03-16; Parks & Recreation Commission; 392-4; Levante Park PetitionPARKS & RECREATION COMMISSION - AGENDA BILL AB* DEPT. TITLE: LEVANTE PARK PETITION (ACTION) RECOMMENDED ACTION: ' Direct staff to continue to work cooperatively with the Levante Park Neighborhood Group and community sports organizations in an attempt to address and resolve the concerns of the residents who reside near the park. ITEM EXPLANATION: A petition was sent to the Parks and Recreation Commission from Mr. Andrew Frey and the Levante Park Neighborhood Association regarding the sporting activities at Levante Park (Exhibit 1). The residents who live near the park are upset with the number of spectator events that occur at the park and the problems that these events bring with them. In review of the petition, the following issues and problems are identified: Noise Traffic parking problems The number of spectator events at the site Litter Damage to property Objects which land in their backyards The need to post signs regarding rules of park In an attempt to resolve these issues, Recreation staff coordinated a meeting on March 4, 1992, with representatives from Levante Park Neighborhood Group, La Costa 35 Athletic Club, Leucadia/La Costa Soccer Club, La Costa Youth Organization, and the City Traffic Engineer. The neighboring homeowners had an opportunity to share their concerns and frustrations with the sports groups, as did the sports organizations identify the need to use the park site for their organized youth softball and soccer leagues. After much discussion, it was agreed that everyone needed to work cooperatively together to resolve these issues. The sports organizations emphasized the need to be good neighbors and wanted to discuss this situation with their board of directors to inform them of the problems. Parks and Recreation staff will take the lead in coordinating future meetings with nearby residents and the use groups in an attempt to document and resolve these issues. FISCAL IMPACT: None at this time. EXHIBITS: 1. Petition - Levante Park Neighborhood Group o n Parks & Recreation Commission February 28,1992 City of Carlsbad Subject: Residents' Complaints about Activities at Levante Park Dear Commissioner, During these beautiful and tranquil days in February when groups of kids and sometimes adults play peacefully in the three fields of Levante Park, it is difficult to believe the conditions to which we, the residents around Levante Park are subjected during the months long spectator events of the soccer and baseball seasons. During these events the noise, the traffic and endless on-street parking often continues relentlessly from 8 AM till dark, and the swimming pool and backyard of some residences collect various objects from golf balls, frisbees to model airplanes. Some residents see their'pools targeted by some to see who could hit the water with dirt clods. Often there are two or three concurrent games attended by hundreds of spectators, generating a volume of noise, dangerous traffic conditions and dust in some areas, which often forces residents to become prisoners of their houses with the doors and windows shut during day time. We have enclosed a copy of a small portion of the tape recorded in the backyard of a nearby residence in December 1991 during the soccer games. The original tape is available to those who care to listen to it all day long. We do not object to kids and orderly groups enjoying the park, or to limited spectator events, but we protest the limitless and loosely regulated use of the park for spectator events. The continuous noise generated by the spectators'cheers and shouting encouragements to the players all day long violate our rights to privacy and tranquility in our homes; the endless line of cars on the streets which block visibility of the oncoming traffic from our driveways, day in and day out, endangers our safety; the crowd and armada of cars descending upon an area which has no parking facilities and was not designed to accommodate them converts Levante Street into a haphazard parking lot, and litter is left behind on the front yards. In addition, in some residences the layer of dust which coats the furniture by the end of the day, the various objects which land in pools , the damage to entrance gates by inconsiderate individuals attempting to retrieve their flying objects is a direct insult to the residents. These conditions also have an adverse effect on nearby property values. The current Use Regulations state, that "Groups are responsible for controlling noise that could be disturbing to other activities or to the surrounding neighborhood" . This requirement is not enforced, which leaves the neighborhood in direct confrontation with the spectator crowd - a clearly impossible situation. The residents understand that growth brings with it inconveniences. What has evolved around Levante park, however, cannot be justified by growth alone. Not when there are other areas which are eminently more suitable for the kind of "heavy" activities now allowed at Levante Park. When many of us are forced to flee our homes during the spectator events, we cannot but notice that the park behind the Mission Estancia School and the new Aviara School, both of which are well separated from residential housing, stand empty and unused. We believe that providing recreational space is important. However, the nearby residents, many of whom purchased their homes long before the park was even planned, should not be expected to bear the burden alone. Therefore we, whose homes are in the proximity of Levante Park, petition the Parks and Recreation Commission to establish appropriate restrictions for the use of Levante Park for spectator events. _ .. EXHIBIT 1 Parks & Recreation Commission City of Carlsbad Residents' Complaints about Activities at Levante Park February 28,1992 continued from Page 1 We propose the following burden-sharing measures: (a) No more than 3 spectator events per week, maximum 3 hours each (b) No spectator events on weekends and holidays before 9 AM (c) No spectator events on weekends and holidays after 2 PM (d) No loudspeakers and radios (e) Restrict parking at the traffic side of residential driveways to residents only, or provide parking space within the park land (f) Post signs stating the above rules (g) Close East entrance to encourage use of school parking lot (h) Extend tall fence to protect all surrounding homes (i) Rule that ob.iects lost in backyards can only be retrieved through the recreation supervisor (.l) Stop wanton destruction of slope near the East baseball diamond As a frame of reference, we are attaching a newspaper article which describes the outcome of a similar situation in Solana Beach, where the commissioners set strict restrictions on the time, frequency and duration of spectator events , and disallowed on-street parking. We hope that the Commission will help us restore the quality of life and dignity of our neighborhood. Sincerely, Andrew T. Prey Levante Park Neighborhood Association 3103 Levante Street Carlsbad, CA 92009 Tel: 753 - 2292 encl: - Petition - Newspaper article - Cassette tape (commissioners' copy only) copy: P&R Commissioners P&R Director P&R Recreation Superintendent P&R Recreation Supervisor Traffic Engineer 22 /710 Victory for Soccer Players as County Adjusts Zoni By NANCY RAY TIMES STAFF WRITER In the good old days, a bunch of kids could go across the street to a vacant lot and play a little bail. whooping and hollering and kick- ing up the dust. . But nowadays, with the disap- pearance of vacant lots and the increase in zoning regulations, j{ takjs_a county major use permit to play legally on a vacant school site. County planning commissioners^ vptgd to change, mat restnctlar! Friday by approving an amend- ment that will allow future school sites to be used for recreational purposes. Commissioners, hqwev^ er^ inserted a number of safeguards to protect nearby property owners rforn excessive noise^ traffic-ana the' other urban ills 'tfia't •_ crowds i _ ., ssue is the future Eeach elementary school site at the corner or fci Apajo and, ban Tload nlhe exclusive community of Fairbanks Ranch. Commissioners voted Friday to allow recreational uses on the vacant~a^acre site and in all other vacant school sites in the unincor- porated areas of the county without obtaining a costly and time-con- surging permit. __ . in doing so, the commission also jmposed restrictions on the playcrSj their'families and friends.Jso louo? speakers. No on-street^parking_ problems. No mpre ~ thar" events a week. No dalisjj ""^The Fairbanks Ranch 'fle been used as a soccer grounds by •more than 200y^uth league pteyors'' •: fOr years; but protests by nearoj'0 r.esjdqpta ]8_months ago prompted • officials to order 'a halt to the "*games.^Tne. games, nowe'vwrcorl- "aniied unofficially. County lawyers ruled that^he gchbol jliatrict^ was' required to obtain a major uae permit^al a cost of Jib'UUJ orw mor'~ before the field could be used for non-educational purposes. At Friday's hearing, Al Frowiss, chairman of the San Dieguito Plan- ning Group, protested that the county pjanning staff and commii^" sioners/wepe proposing a county"^ wifleWning change- without puoi^c noticjST envirorimeniai re View or* nearjngs.to determine the impact of The action. """I'm" totally flabbergasted," Frowiss said. • Supt. Ray Edman of the Solana Beach School District said there are "hundreds if not thousands" of supporters for the use of vacant school property for temporary rec- reational uses because of the short- age of parks and playgrounds that can be used for games. Edman said the zoning change would allow the district to step in and regulate the use of the future school site. Now, he said, the school property is being used without any supervision. By charging a fee for the use of the property, funds can be raised to pay for cleanup, toilet facilities and proper supervision of the site, he said. Residents whose estate homes ring the hills around the soccer field have protested the noise, litter, traffic congestion, parking and safety problems that the use of the soccer field generates. ' "It's not the voices of 'the chil- dren," nearby homeowner Barbara Bouzan explained. "It's the trash and the beer bottles. It's the crowds that cause the problem." The county Board of Supervi- sors, who sent the issue back to the FJiTlTiOW TO REVISE FACILITY USE POLICIES AT LEVANTE PARK February 1992 WHEREAS, the existing Facility Use Regulations of the Parks and Recreation Department of the City of Carlsbad apply to all facilities without regard to the impact on the neighboring community and, WHEREAS, the manner and extent in which Levante Park is often used particularly during the long baseball and soccer seasons seriously affected the quality of life in the surrounding residential neighborhood. We, the undersigned residents of Carlsbad whose homes are in the near proximity of Levante Park, petition the Parks and Recreation Commission to direct the Parks and Recreation Department to revise the facility use policies and establish additional use regulations which are commensurate with how Levante Park is situated in the midst of residential housing. A more detailed description of the problems and the specific requests of the residents are included in the cover letter. NAME ADDRESS Print Sign Print Sign/ /->it n Sign Print Sign ^ ^ l/4^'/-£ Print " 3~> •&u#r.kl0ts d^-l.<,loo:tL. (V $3.009 Sign Page /24 PETITION TO REVISE FACILITY USE POLICIES AT LEVANTE PARK February 1992 WHEREAS, the existing Facility Use Regulations of the Parks and Recreation Department of the City of Carlsbad apply to all facilities without regard to the impact on the neighboring community and, WHEREAS, the manner and extent in which Levante Park is often used particularly during the long baseball and soccer seasons seriously affected the quality of life in the surrounding residential neighborhood. We, the undersigned residents of Carlsbad whose homes are in the near proximity of Levante Park, petition the Parks and Recreation Commission to direct the Parks and Recreation Department to revise the facility use policies and establish additional use regulations which are commensurate with how Levante Park is situated in the midst of residential housing. A more detailed description of the problems and the specific requests of the residents are included in the cover letter. NAME ADDRESS Sign Print Sign U Print Si* Print i Si Print"i ) Sign Print Sign PETITION TO REVISE FACILITY USE POLICIES AT LEVANTE PARK February 1992 WHEREAS, the existing Facility Use Regulations of the Parks and Recreation Department of the City of Carlsbad apply to all facilities without regard to the impact on the neighboring community and, WHEREAS, the manner and extent in which Levante Park is often used particularly during the long baseball and soccer seasons seriously affected the quality of life in the surrounding residential neighborhood, We, the undersigned residents of Carlsbad whose homes are in the near proximity of Levante Park, petition the Parks and Recreation Commission to direct the Parks and Recreation Department to revise the facility use policies and establish additional use regulations which are commensurate with how Levante Park is situated in the midst of residential housing. A more detailed description of the problems and the specific requests of the residents are included in the cover letter. NAME ADDRESS Xi. Sign Pri r f -~ (jrrwiwt DT- o Sign , ,-7^ I/ L'Lt+a: fi-> I l^y A Vv r Jr~•- — Print . /l*,V-v( Sign Page 3 PETITION TO REVISE FACILITY USE POLICIES AT LEVANTE PARK February 1992 WHEREAS, the existing Facility Use Regulations of the Parks and Recreation Department of the City of Carlsbad apply to all facilities without regard to the impact on the neighboring; community and, WHEREAS, the manner and extent in which Levante Park is often used particularly during the long baseball and soccer seasons seriously affected the quality of life in the surrounding residential neighborhood, We, the undersigned residents of Carlsbad whose homes are in the near proximity of Levante Park, petition the Parks and Recreation Commission to direct the Parks and Recreation Department to revise the facility use policies and establish additional use regulations which are commensurate with how Levante Park is situated in the midst of residential housing. A more detailed description of the problems and the specific requests of the residents are included in the cover letter. NAME /N ADDRESS lO Print / Sign Print Sign Prin Sign Print , '-/ 1 V/6V? Sign Print A Sign _ Print Sign "7 £ Page-^f of 27 PETITION TO REVISE FACILITY USE POLICIES AT LEVANTE PARK February 1992 WHEREAS, the existing Facility Use Regulations of the Parks and Recreation Department of the City of Carlsbad apply to all facilities without regard to the impact on the neighboring community and, WHEREAS, the manner and extent in which Levante Park is often used particularly during the long baseball and soccer seasons seriously affected the quality of life in the surrounding residential neighborhood. We, the undersigned residents of Carlsbad whose homes are in the near proximity of Levante Park, petition the Parks and Recreation Commission to direct the Parks and Recreation Department to revise the facility use policies and establish additional use regulations which are commensurate with how Levante Park is situated in the midst of residential housing. A more detailed description of the problems and the specific requests of the residents are included in the cover letter. NAME _ .„ _ ADDRESS PriZHHS^^^- l-^^V^- Sign Print Sign Print Sign Print Sign Print Sign Print Sign Page,? of b ~ - &O PETITION TO REVISE FACILITY USE POLICIES AT LEVANTE PARK March 1992 WHEREAS, the existing Facility Use Regulations of the Parks and Recreation Department of the City of Carlsbad apply to all facilities without regard to the impact on the neighboring community and, WHEREAS, the manner and extent in which Levante Park is often used particularly durins the long baseball and soccer seasons seriously affected the quality of life in the surrounding residential neighborhood. Wo, the undersigned residents of Carlsbad whose homes are in the near proximity of Levante Park, petition the Parks and Recreation Commission to direct the Parks and Recreation Department to revise the facility use policies and establish additional use regulations which are commensurate with how Levante Park is situated in the midst of residential housing. A more detailed description of the problems and the specific requests of the residents are included in the cover letter. NAME ADDRESS Print Sin Print Sign \*!\UN Vu Print / Print Print Sign Print Sign Print Sign Print I o 3 ff 3 Sign Print Sign