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By Clara Helm
The Parks, Equestrian and Community Services Commission on Monday, Aug. 21, took its last steps in the design selection process of the Arroyo Bird Park on the San Juan Creek Trail before the City Council finalizes the plan.
With city staff presenting several design recommendations for commission and community feedback, the commissioners approved choices for the council to consider related to landscape, lending library, seating and shade structure amenities.
“No modifications to the Arroyo Bird Park will be made until a recommended design plan has been developed by the commission and then approved by the City Council,” said Kristen Hauptli, senior management analyst in the Community Services Department.
The formalization of the Arroyo Bird Park as a city park was discussed in a May 3 meeting with San Juan officials and the public. Because of safety concerns and a need to adhere to correct procedures, necessary modifications must be made to ensure the park is up to par with city standards for parks and trails.
One of these standards is there must be a 5-foot buffer along the trail; therefore, the city will remove all existing hardscape within that perimeter.
The birdhouse display structures, seating and landscape will also be replaced with fixtures that meet industry standards.
Split rail fencing will be installed to define the Arroyo Bird Park area, along with the installation of monument signage.
In a July 17 meeting, city staff presented options for Arroyo Bird Park display structures, and the commission approved three different design structures to be incorporated into a recommended design plan.
The design of the new landscape, lending library, seating and shade structure were all up for discussion at the latest meeting on Monday.
The first design element reviewed was the landscape, in which the staff presented two options for consideration.
The first option includes a landscape with a succulent drought-tolerant focus, and the second would include both succulents and pollinators.
“I prefer option No. 1 to option No. 2 given the fact that we are doing a bird park, and a lot of people are allergic to bees. … I would like the park to be useable to as many people as humanly possible,” said Commission Vice Chair Cody Martin.
The commission approved landscape option No. 1 for the design plan.
A new lending library was another design element discussed in the meeting. The city had been approached by the Stanbridge University Student Association, which offered to donate and install a lending library, as well as donate the first set of books.
Its donated lending library would feature a natural wood finish and would complement the park’s surroundings.
In lieu of the Stanbridge University donation, the commission voted to let Eagle Scouts Dylan Otto and Beckett Harvey take on the project of the lending library construction. The Eagle Scouts would be in collaboration with the city contractor to make sure structures are up to standard.
Otto and Harvey made a presentation in the public-comment portion of the meeting, proposing that they partner with the city to complete their Eagle Scout project. They offered to aid in the construction of a lending library, some benches, a shade structure, or all three elements.
To replace the existing café tables with seats and benches at the park, the staff recommended three options for the commission to consider.
These options included either installing a bench and a picnic-style table, two garden chairs and a bench, or two benches for seating. All seating options would be a natural wood finish.
Resident Lisa Jaenicke suggested in the discussion portion of the agenda item whether the design could include two benches on either side of the park and a large table to accommodate bigger groups.
“On the seating, my inclination was to go with option 3—the two benches—but after Lisa’s comment … and seeing that the Eagle Scouts have volunteered to assist with (its construction), is there any way to include two benches and a table?” asked Commission Chair Shelly Barker.
The commission approved changing option 3 to include two benches and a table and add it to the design plan. The commission decided that the Eagle Scouts would be involved in the seating design and construction as well, also in collaboration with the city contractor.
As for the shade structure, the staff recommended a sail shade structure, with the size to be determined at a later date.
“It doesn’t look like that structure provides too much shelter from the sun, and you know it can get very hot in California, so I might suggest something a little broader or bigger over the table area,” said Jaenicke.
The commission approved the sail shade structure, which will have further size and placement plans decided later.
With the elements chosen for the recommended design plan, the modifications are now subject to City Council design and funding approval.
