SAC MIN 2017-03-09 - Laserfiche WebLink

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SENIOR AFFAIRS COMMISSION MINUTES OF THURSDAY, MARCH 9, 2017 COMMISSIONERS PRESENT: Chairperson Draeger, Vice Chair Paley, Commissioners Britschgi, Cooperman, James, and Jones COMMISSIONERS ABSENT: Commissioner Turk STAFF PRESENT: PRCS Director Chris Beth, PRCS Manager Bruce Utecht, Administrative Clerk Kathy Bede The regular meeting of the Senior Affairs Commission was called to order by Chair Draeger at 1:05 p.m. at the Veterans Memorial Senior Center, 1455 Madison Avenue, Redwood City, California. APPROVAL OF MINUTES: The minutes of the January 19, 2017 SAC retreat were approved as written. ITEM 1 – YMCA/Senior Center Update - Chris Beth Chris reported that the Environmental Impact Report is in progress. The ‘loss of park’ is a concern neighbors have in regard to the size and scale of the new buildings. Bicycle and pedestrian routes, a virtual garage by Lift, and other transportation ideas are being studied. The EIR should be completed by late November or early December. Chris planned to meet with park neighbors in small groups over the next few months. Some have said that they prefer large group meetings in a public forum. He will meet with anyone who is interested. He will also be making a video with PenTV about the project. He will explain why the City is partnering with the Y and the benefits to the neighborhood and the community. He will address why a new facility is needed, traffic and parking concerns, the size and scale of the structures, how they will look, when design workshops are planned and more. The RFP for architectural firms’ bids for phases 2 & 3. Bids are due by the end of April. Chris would like the Commission to assist in the selection process. The architectural contract will probably be awarded in May. Then the public process of having community meetings will be held in the 2nd half of 2017. Phase 2 is a master planning project to determine the real sizes of buildings and how they will look. Phase 3 is the design construction drawings. These will happen in 2018. There was also a meeting with Barbara McCarthy of Adaptive PE to discuss how that program will work with the new Y and senior center. Chris asked the SAC for input about conducting the first community meeting. Suggestions included emphasizing this is a facility for the community, touring the current facilities to see the need for new ones, conducting tours during the day so outdoor areas can be seen, putting stakes in the ground to visually represent boundaries, pointing out Red Morton Center to demonstrate maximum building height, listing the programs, activities, events, groups and meetings that happen at the Veterans Memorial Senior Center, showing a short video about the project, then breaking out to small groups to discuss it, because small groups are more comfortable for some people to talk in than large ones, asking Peninsula Conflict Resolution Center to facilitate, or having a picnic setting, if weather permits, breaking bread together and conversing in a relaxed atmosphere. Graphic note taking was also suggested to help people visualize the concepts discussed. Commissioner Britschgi asked if a senior picnic should be part of the Sesquicentennial celebrations, or postponed, should it be held downtown or at the VMSC, and whether or not the SAC should be involved in it or not? Commissioner Cooperman suggested that individual commissioners could attend the other 4 sesquicentennial picnics already planned as representatives of the Senior Affairs Commission.