SR 03-30-2021 13B 13.B
March 30, 2021
Council Meeting: March 30, 2021 Santa Monica, California
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CITY CLERK’S OFFICE - MEMORANDUM
To: Mayor and City Council
From: Denise Anderson-Warren, City Clerk, Records & Elections Services
Department
Date: March 30, 2021
13.B Request by Council Member Brock and Mayor Himmelrich that the City
forward the recommendations by the Recreation and Parks Commission in
its Letter to Council dated March 19, 2021 regarding planned future
improvements to SMMUSD elementary and middle school campuses. The
Commission’s letter references the treatment of existing open and
recreational space in plans currently being developed for those campuses.
The City requests that the SMMUSD School Board consider these
recommendations by the Recreation and Parks Commission in its current
planning discussions.
13.B
Packet Pg. 360
1685 Main Street, Room 214, Santa Monica, CA 90401 • (310) 458-8411 • ccs@santamonica.gov santamonica.gov • @cityofsantamonica • @santamonicacity
Recreation and Parks Commission
March 19, 2021
Mayor Himmelrich and City Council Members
City of Santa Monica
1685 Main Street,
Santa Monica, CA 90401
RE: Public School Sites
Dear Mayor Himmelrich and Council Members,
At its February 18, 2021 meeting, the Recreation and Parks Commission heard a
presentation from Carey Upton, Chief Operations Officer of the Santa Monica-
Malibu Unified School District (SMMUSD), regarding recently completed, in-
construction, and planned future improvements at Santa Monica’s public schools.
In particular, Mr. Upton previewed plans SMMUSD currently is working on for the
elementary and middle school campuses. In many instances, the designs
significantly reduce open and recreational space that the community has relied on
and used for decades during non-school hours. Our City is notably park-poor and
these campuses effectively are used as our city’s neighborhood parks. In
recognition of this, all of the campuses are subject to the City-SMMUSD joint use
agreements and the Playground Partnership.
Following discussion, the Recreation and Parks Commission voted unanimously to
recommend that the Council, given its role as a fiduciary for joint and community
benefits and public wellness, take the following two actions:
13.B.a
Packet Pg. 361 Attachment: RPC Letter to Council RE Public School Sites (4512 : Rec & Park recommendations on SMMUSD campuses)
1685 Main Street, Room 214, Santa Monica, CA 90401 • (310) 458-8411 • ccs@santamonica.gov santamonica.gov • @cityofsantamonica • @santamonicacity
1. Recommend to the SMMUSD School Board that open space and
recreational functions be prioritized in the development of improvement
plans for Santa Monica’s public schools, as our public schools provide
needed open space and recreational functions for students during school
hours and for the surrounding community during hours when school is
closed.
2. Direct staff to review the Master Facilities Use Agreement between SMMUSD
and the City of Santa Monica to ensure that improvements proposed at the
public schools are consistent with the Agreement.
Thank you for considering our recommendations.
Sincerely,
Lori Brown
Lori Brown
Chair
CC: Recreation and Parks Commissioners
Andy Agle, Director of Community Services
13.B.a
Packet Pg. 362 Attachment: RPC Letter to Council RE Public School Sites (4512 : Rec & Park recommendations on SMMUSD campuses)
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Vernice Hankins
From:Ann Hoover <annkbowman@yahoo.com>
Sent:Sunday, March 28, 2021 10:31 AM
To:councilmtgitems; Councilmember Kevin McKeown; Sue Himmelrich; Phil Brock; Gleam Davis;
Christine Parra; Oscar de la Torre; Kristin McCowan
Cc:Andy Agle; George S. Cardona; Susan Cline; Maryanne LaGuardia; Lori Brown;
johncysmith@gmail.com
Subject:March 30, 2021 Council Meeting - Item 13.B. SUPPORT - Public School Open & Rec Space
EXTERNAL
Dear Mayor Himmelrich and Councilmembers -
I write to you in support of Item 13.B. and the importance of providing a written communication from the
City to SMMUSD conveying a gentle request that SMMUSD consider the Recreation and Parks
Commission's recommendations in its letter to you dated March 19, 2021 (the "R&P Letter"). Preservation
of existing recreation and open space on the elementary and middle school campuses is a matter of public
concern that so far and would otherwise go unrepresented as SMMUSD develops long-range improvement
plans for each of these campuses.
Thank you for respecting the work and time of your Boards and Commissions and for listening to their
considered (and unanimous) recommendations.
The R&P Letter speaks for itself, but salient points for your consideration in regard to this Item 13.B. are:
The City has the authority to weigh in on the need to preserve open space and recreational
functions on school campuses (i.e., City has legal "standing" to comment) due to the City-SMMUSD
joint use agreements. The City and SMMUSD have a very respectful and highly functional working
relationship and positive, open lines of communication.
For decades, Santa Monicans customarily have used school campuses for recreation during non-
school hours & have relied upon these spaces being available (custom and reliance). Our City's
park offerings, which include access during non-school hours to our public school campuses, are
KEY to our residents' mental and physical health, wellness, and quality of life.
Having park and recreational space nearby is important vis a vis combatting CLIMATE CHANGE, so
that residents are not driving long distances outside our City to find open and recreation
space. Our City continues to be notably park-poor, with only 1.4 acres of recreation space per
1000 residents, contrasting with a national recommendation of 5 acres per 1000 residents (Los
Angeles has 3.5+ acres per 1000 residents).
We continue to deal with issues of HOMELESSNESS in parks like Reed, Hotchkiss, Douglas, etc.,
making the school campus spaces cleaner, safer, and less stressful places for children and families
to gather and recreate.
A major community interest, part of the City's park space offerings, is threatened if SMMUSD elects
to build up the campuses to the extent set forth in the most recent campus development plans
made publicly available. The "Campus Assessments" presentation made to the School Board on
Dec 9, 2020 shows the proposed campus plans:
https://simbli.eboardsolutions.com/Meetings/Attachment.aspx?S=36030435&AID=83633&MID=45
04
Open and recreation space in many of the foregoing plans is shrunk dramatically - JUST A
FEW EXAMPLES: Basketball courts at Lincoln drop from 8 to 3 (tennis courts already
permanently gone due to parking needs); the heavily-used, park-like, grassy corner of the
Item 13.B 03/30/21
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13.B.b
Packet Pg. 363 Attachment: Written Comments (4512 : Rec & Park recommendations on SMMUSD campuses)
2
Roosevelt campus (at Lincoln & Montana) disappears as does a lot of the back playground areas;
McKinley (which is in a neighborhood that will only densify further in the years to come) loses
almost 2/3rds of its large, usable grassy and black top space.
Unfortunately, we all realize that the City likely will only further densify in years to come
making preservation of these recreational spaces even more critical - they have served
for decades as our neighborhood parks and that use is recognized in the City-SMMUSD
"Playground Partnership".
See the City's "Existing Parks" map, below. The Playground Partnership spaces are
recognized in the "Key" with the "Sliding Board" symbol and then you can see the playgrounds
indicated at school sites across the City.
VERY IMPORTANT - The majority of our residents live in condos or apartments and so these
campuses are our backyards.
This is not an instance of telling the district "what to do" - the City and SMMUSD are always
respectful of each others' business - but instead is just a gentle encouragement to the district to
remember how important these spaces are, to remember that there is long-standing, customary
public use of these spaces and decades of community reliance on them, and, accordingly, to keep
trying to balance new built space with publicly-usable open space to preserve the existing open
spaces and recreational functions as much as possible in making the plans to develop each
campus.
THANK YOU, Council! Please call or email if you want to discuss, have questions, or need more
information.
Have a wonderful weekend!!
Best, Ann Hoover
Santa Monica resident, 24+ years
Co-Chair, SAMOHI PTSA Civic Center Task Force, 2014-present
Member, SMMUSD Facilities District Advisory Committee, April 2016-November 2020
PTA Co-President, Franklin Elementary School, 2010-2011
CITY CLERK - Please include this email in the public record of correspondence pertaining to Item 13.B.,
March 30, 2021 City Council Meeting - Thank you!
Item 13.B 03/30/21
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Packet Pg. 364 Attachment: Written Comments (4512 : Rec & Park recommendations on SMMUSD campuses)
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Item 13.B 03/30/21
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Packet Pg. 365 Attachment: Written Comments (4512 : Rec & Park recommendations on SMMUSD campuses)
5
Item 13.B 03/30/21
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13.B.b
Packet Pg. 366 Attachment: Written Comments (4512 : Rec & Park recommendations on SMMUSD campuses)
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Vernice Hankins
From:Tricia Crane <1triciacrane@gmail.com>
Sent:Monday, March 29, 2021 7:48 AM
To:councilmtgitems; Councilmember Kevin McKeown; Sue Himmelrich; Phil Brock; Gleam Davis;
Christine Parra; Oscar de la Torre; Kristin McCowan
Cc:Andy Agle; George S. Cardona; Susan Cline; Maryanne LaGuardia; Lori Brown;
johncysmith@gmail.com
Subject:Support Agenda Item 13-B, City Council meeting of March 30, 2021
EXTERNAL
Dear Mayor Himmelrich and Councilmembers,
As someone who fought long and hard to preserve free open access to our public school playgrounds
when school is not in session, I request that the Council vote in support of Agenda Item 13-B.
Residents have continuously voted to support taxing ourselves to help our schools. In our parks-poor
city we rely upon access to the open space at our public school campuses. These are neighborhood
gathering places and are important to the health of our residents.
The joint use agreement between the City and the school district gives the Council the authority to
have input into the SMMUSD plan.
Please use that authority and notify SMMUSD that the Recreation and Parks Commission's
recommendation should inform the school district’s long-range improvement plans for our school
campuses.
Thank you.
Tricia Crane
Chair, Northeast Neighbors
Co-Chair of Save Our Playgrounds
Former Chair of the SMMUSD Special Education District Advisory Committee
Item 13.B 03/30/21
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13.B.b
Packet Pg. 367 Attachment: Written Comments (4512 : Rec & Park recommendations on SMMUSD campuses)
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Vernice Hankins
From:Ann Maggio <annmaggio@gmail.com>
Sent:Monday, March 29, 2021 11:14 PM
To:councilmtgitems
Subject:March 30 Agenda Item 13.B. Support with Amendment
EXTERNAL
Dear City Council,
We support this agenda item, however, oppose efforts by the City Council to encourage spending Student School Bonds
to support building supersized or unnecessary vertical recreational facilities on these campuses. The City should not
encourage a pay to play system that inhibits student access to student facilities, removes teacher parking resulting in
diminishing returns on public education or prevents Middle School students from participating in free School SPORTS
TEAMS. Our kids need these middle school experiences and no council member should be advocating for more
joint use space because that would prohibit these student opportunities. Furthermore, the City Council should not
be promoting spending school bonds to create Revenue Stream Recreational Spaces within residential
neighborhoods.
Lincoln Middle School is developing a plan that removes the teacher parking at the corner of CA and 16th street to build
an outdoor pool. The proposed development also includes removing the single story pool and gym and replacing it with
a two story building ‐ MORE RENTAL SPACE. School bonds are not passed so the City can get out of building
Recreational Facilities for residents! Teachers need parking spaces or we won't be able to find teachers to teach our
children! Our children and residents deserve a neighborhood that is safe from untold new car trips generated from Joint
use Agreements that are sure to invite many folks unfamiliar with our neighborhood and in search of coveted parking.
Imagine the swim and gym tournaments that could become a regular thing in our neighborhood. Wilmont Residents are
already squeezed for street parking and we don't need safety and access removed by these types of activities.
For these reasons, we ask that you return the item with a request to support the open space advocacy asked
for in the Park & Rec letter and also commit to our students and their self determination with respect to sports
team access.
To support recreational facilities to serve our resident needs, please consider renting the Bloomingdales space
and converting it into a Rec Center. Create a luxury tax on hotels and let that serve as a revenue stream to
support operational costs. Seek Grants for reuse of space and support from the CA Coastal Commission since
that space is within the Coastal Zone. Anchoring a declining retail mall with a community based project like a
Rec Center offers new and unimagined possibilities that would breath life back into the City Core.
Thank you for your consideration.
Sincerely,
Ann and Sam Thanawalla
Wilmont Residents
Public School Parents
Item 13.B 03/30/21
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Packet Pg. 368 Attachment: Written Comments (4512 : Rec & Park recommendations on SMMUSD campuses)
1
Vernice Hankins
From:zinajosephs@aol.com
Sent:Tuesday, March 30, 2021 10:55 AM
To:councilmtgitems; Gleam Davis; Councilmember Kevin McKeown; Kristin McCowan; Sue Himmelrich;
Christine Parra; Oscar de la Torre; Phil Brock
Cc:zinajosephs@aol.com
Subject:City Council 3/30/21 agenda ite 13-B -- SUPPORT
EXTERNAL
March 30, 2021
To: Mayor Himmelrich and Councilmembers
From: Board of Directors, Friends of Sunset Park
RE: 3/30/21 agenda item 13-B
The Friends of Sunset Park Board supports item 13-B, and we agree with the 3/19/21 letter from the
Recreation and Parks Commission.
Preservation of existing recreation and open space on the elementary and middle school campuses is a
matter of public concern.
Thank you for your consideration.
Below are some especially important points in the Recreation & Parks Commission letter:
The City has the authority to weigh in on the need to preserve open space and recreational functions
on school campuses (i.e., City has legal "standing" to comment) due to the City-SMMUSD joint use
agreements. The City and SMMUSD have a very respectful and highly functional working
relationship and positive, open lines of communication.
Item 13.B 03/30/21
7 of 15 Item 13.B 03/30/21
13.B.b
Packet Pg. 369 Attachment: Written Comments (4512 : Rec & Park recommendations on SMMUSD campuses)
2
For decades, Santa Monicans customarily have used school campuses for recreation during non-
school hours & have relied upon these spaces being available (custom and reliance). Our City's
park offerings, which include access during non-school hours to our public school campuses, are
KEY to our residents' mental and physical health, wellness, and quality of life.
Having park and recreational space nearby is important vis a vis combatting CLIMATE CHANGE,
so that residents are not driving long distances outside our City to find open and recreation
space. Our City continues to be notably park-poor, with only 1.4 acres of recreation space per 1000
residents, contrasting with a national recommendation of 5 acres per 1000 residents (Los Angeles
has 3.5+ acres per 1000 residents).
We continue to deal with issues of HOMELESSNESS in parks like Reed, Hotchkiss, Douglas, etc.,
making the school campus spaces cleaner, safer, and less stressful places for children and families
to gather and recreate.
A major community interest, part of the City's park space offerings, is threatened if SMMUSD elects
to build up the campuses to the extent set forth in the most recent campus development plans made
publicly available. The "Campus Assessments" presentation made to the School Board on
December 9, 2020 shows the proposed campus plans:
https://simbli.eboardsolutions.com/Meetings/Attachment.aspx?S=36030435&AID=83633&MID=45
04
Open and recreation space in many of the foregoing plans is shrunk dramatically -JUST A
FEW EXAMPLES: Basketball courts at Lincoln drop from 8 to 3 (tennis courts already
permanently gone due to parking needs); the heavily-used, park-like, grassy corner of the Roosevelt
campus (at Lincoln & Montana) disappears as does a lot of the back playground areas; McKinley
(which is in a neighborhood that will only densify further in the years to come) loses almost 2/3 of its
large, usable grassy and black top space.
Unfortunately, we all realize that the City likely will only further densify in years to come, making
preservation of these recreational spaces even more critical - they have served for decades as our
neighborhood parks, and that use is recognized in the City-SMMUSD "Playground Partnership."
See the City's "Existing Parks" map, below. The Playground Partnership spaces are recognized
in the "Key" with the "Sliding Board" symbol and then you can see the playgrounds indicated at
school sites across the City.
Item 13.B 03/30/21
8 of 15 Item 13.B 03/30/21
13.B.b
Packet Pg. 370 Attachment: Written Comments (4512 : Rec & Park recommendations on SMMUSD campuses)
3
VERY IMPORTANT - The majority of Santa Monica residents live in condos or apartments, so
these campuses are their backyards.
This is not an instance of telling the district "what to do" - the City and SMMUSD
are always respectful of each other’s business - but instead is just a gentle encouragement to the
district to remember how important these spaces are, to remember that there is long-standing,
customary public use of these spaces and decades of community reliance on them and, accordingly,
to keep trying to balance new built space with publicly-usable open space to preserve the existing
open spaces and recreational functions as much as possible in making the plans to develop each
campus.
Item 13.B 03/30/21
9 of 15 Item 13.B 03/30/21
13.B.b
Packet Pg. 371 Attachment: Written Comments (4512 : Rec & Park recommendations on SMMUSD campuses)
1
Vernice Hankins
From:Elizabeth Van Denburgh <emvandenburgh@gmail.com>
Sent:Tuesday, March 30, 2021 11:13 AM
To:councilmtgitems; Councilmember Kevin McKeown; Sue Himmelrich; Phil Brock; Gleam Davis; Oscar
de la Torre; Christine Parra; Kristin McCowan
Cc:Andy Agle; George S. Cardona; Susan Cline; Maryanne LaGuardia; John Lorick; Lori Brown;
johncysmith@gmail.com
Subject:3/30/21 Council Meeting: Item 13B - SUPPORT - Public School Open & Student Recreation Space -
Wilmont Board
EXTERNAL
March 30, 2021
To: Mayor Himmelrich and City Councilmembers
From: Wilshire Montana Neighborhood Coalition (Wilmont) Board
RE: 3/30/2021 City Council item 13.B – SUPPORT ‐ Open Space and Recreational Functions for SMMUSD students at
SMMUSD campuses
The Wilmont Board supports the March 19, 2021 Park & Recreation Commission letter asking for the prioritization of
open space and recreational functions for SMMUSD students in the development of improvement plans for Santa
Monica’s public schools. As well, the Board agrees with city staff reviewing the Master Facilities User Agreement
between SMMUSD and the City of Santa Monica to ensure that improvements proposed at the public schools are
consistent with the Agreement.
We do not come to this conclusion without looking at the issue before. We have written letters to the SMMUSD Board
without response, have had a presentation at our February Wilmont meeting and continually are concerned about the
Item 13.B 03/30/21
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Packet Pg. 372 Attachment: Written Comments (4512 : Rec & Park recommendations on SMMUSD campuses)
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densification of the city and the loss of open and recreational space. This is a critical problem at our schools because it is
so important to our children and families to have open space and recreational functions on school
campuses. Historically we have faced these opportunities and issues:
Opportunity ‐ through the City‐SMMUSD joint use agreements we have been able to open these campuses for
decades for open space and student recreation during non‐school hours.
Issue ‐ we are park poor city with only 1.4 acres of recreation space/ 1,000 residents contrasting a national
recommendation of 5 acres/1,000 residents. We need this space embedded in our neighborhoods.
Opportunity – we need to keep open space and recreational functions near us to make it easier to go exercise, to
make it easier to walk or bike to open space and recreational facilities and these school spaces are less stressful than the
current parks which have homelessness issues that often make it difficult for children and families.
Issue – Open space and student recreation space has shrunk dramatically including:
o Basketball courts at Lincoln Middle School have dropped from 8 to 3 courts with tennis courts
permanently eliminated dur to parking needs
o Park‐like, grassy corner of Roosevelt campus (Lincoln and Montana) will disappear as does much
playground areas. I walk by this corner almost every day and it is filled with children, families and
dogs. It is a critical element of Wilmont. A place where children wait for parents, meet and play with
friends, families bring their babies and toddlers to play since we are a neighborhood filled with condos
and apartments with no backyards.
o McKinley will lose almost 66% of its large, usable grassy and black top space
Opportunity – Wilmont is an R2 and R3 neighborhood with over 80% of the 23,000 resident population being
renters. Mostly our homes are condos and apartments and these campuses are our backyards today and we hope in the
future.
Issue – given the SCAG mandate and the state’s efforts toward densification, the city will only become more
densified. This makes the preservation of these open spaces and student recreational spaces even more
important. They have served for decades as our neighborhood parks, near our homes. That use is historical and
recognized in the City and SMMUSD Playground Partnership.
Opportunity – the SMMUSD improvement plans do not take the opportunity to build two story buildings to maintain
open space and student recreational functions
Issue – why are we building a commercial preschool on Roosevelt and other campuses? Why are we using public
land for private purposes? Where is the report that outlines the need of preschools is more important than open space
and student recreational functions?
The Wilmont Board will continue to work with various stakeholders to make Reed Park available and usable by Wilmont
residents. Together, with keeping open space and student recreational space prioritized at SMMUSD schools we provide
a future of well‐being for our children, families and residents who know the importance of these facilities.
Thank‐you,
Item 13.B 03/30/21
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Packet Pg. 373 Attachment: Written Comments (4512 : Rec & Park recommendations on SMMUSD campuses)
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Board of Wilshire Montana Neighborhood Coalition (Wilmont)
Elizabeth Van Denburgh, Chair
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Packet Pg. 374 Attachment: Written Comments (4512 : Rec & Park recommendations on SMMUSD campuses)
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Vernice Hankins
From:Jaleh MIRHASHEMI <JALEH-M@msn.com>
Sent:Tuesday, March 30, 2021 11:58 AM
To:councilmtgitems; Councilmember Kevin McKeown; Sue Himmelrich; Phil Brock; Gleam Davis;
Christine Parra; Oscar de la Torre; Kristin McCowan
Cc:Andy Agle; George S. Cardona; Susan Cline; Maryanne Laguardia; Lori Brown;
johncysmith@gmail.com
Subject:March 30, 2021 Council Meeting - Item 13.B. SUPPORT - Public School Open & Rec Space
EXTERNAL
Dear Mayor Himmelrich and Councilmembers -
As a mother to an athlete and having been involved in SMMUSD schools and observing the majority of
kids involved in sports and lack of field and park to play, I request that the Council vote in support of
Agenda Item 13.B.
The closest and sole playground with a field and basketball court in our Northeast neighborhood is Franklin
Elementary School and if there is no availability, Lincoln Middle School is another place for our kids to go
and play regardless of their age (currently college students). With more and more limitations and more
demands, we lose more and more of these after school playgrounds for our kids to play at.
The joint-use agreement between the City and the SMMUSD is an opportunity for the City to weigh in
improvement plans that most benefit our youths and residents. In addition, our great Recreation and
Parks Commision's recommendations for the school district's improvement plans should be taken into
consideration since they know what's best for our city's poor parks and fields!
Thank you so much for your consideration.
Jaleh Mirhashemi
Co-Chair SM Civic Center Task Force, 2013 - Present
SMMUSD PTSA Member, 15 years
Chair Lincoln School Parent Eyes, 4 years
SM Resident over 20 years
CITY CLERK - Please include this email in the public record of correspondence pertaining to Item 13.B.,
March 30, 2021 City Council Meeting - Thank you!
Item 13.B 03/30/21
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Packet Pg. 375 Attachment: Written Comments (4512 : Rec & Park recommendations on SMMUSD campuses)
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Vernice Hankins
From:John Cyrus Smith <johncysmith@gmail.com>
Sent:Tuesday, March 30, 2021 1:25 PM
To:councilmtgitems; Councilmember Kevin McKeown; Sue Himmelrich; Phil Brock; Gleam Davis; Oscar
de la Torre; Christine Parra; Kristin McCowan; Maryanne LaGuardia; Lori Brown;
johncysmith@gmail.com
Subject:ITEM 13-B 033021 SUPPORT - JOHN C SMITH, COMMISSIONER
EXTERNAL
Dear Mayor, Council,
First of all, thank you for your leadership over the past year. As a resident and Recreation and Parks Commissioner and
former Chair, I truly appreciate the time and effort you contribute in working to keep our city thriving.
I also hope to speak on these matters tonight and be available for any questions if I can get off work in time.
There are several good reasons why the Commission voted unanimously to send the letter asking the Council to
encourage the school district to preserve open space on its campuses, and for the Council and District to take a fresh
look at the Joint Use Agreement. Here are just a few of them…
‐‐Now is the perfect time as we emerge from the pandemic, students return to campuses, demand for field and court
space grows and we fully open our newest resource, Historic Belmar Park.
‐‐The Commission asked for and received a fairly comprehensive overview of the plans on several campuses, which
involve five different designers and in most cases reduces or eliminates open spaces and/or courts in favor of new
construction and undefined “maker spaces.”
‐‐The Joint Use Agreement deserves a fresh set of eyes so our city and school district work better together to fully utilize
and maximize the resources we have and share, such as the relatively new field and track at Lincoln.
‐‐Some resources are already gone. Tennis courts have been lost and repurposed at Lincoln and Roosevelt, at a time
when the Commission gets letters from residents about the lack of tennis court space.
‐‐The pool at Lincoln has sat unused for years while demand for pool space has never been greater. We should use such
resources better.
‐‐Please examine and ask questions about the extensive plans for McKinley, which appear to eliminate almost two‐thirds
of the open space.
‐‐The plans don’t really examine the impact on how essentials such as recess, PE classes and after‐school activities might
be affected.
These are not criticisms. Commissioners appreciate how dedicated the School Board is to education and our students. I
just believe it is an opportune time, and essential, that the Council contribute some feedback to the Board as it considers
imminent and expensive plans to remake our school campuses with a “21‐Century Education” in mind, especially when
there’s a good chance those plans may need to change as the District decides whether to split in two.
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Packet Pg. 376 Attachment: Written Comments (4512 : Rec & Park recommendations on SMMUSD campuses)
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I’d be happy to answer any questions and do hope to speak on this issue tonight.
Sincerely,
John C. Smith
Wilmont resident and Recreation and Parks Commissioner
310 869 7593
JohnCySmith@gmail.com
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Packet Pg. 377 Attachment: Written Comments (4512 : Rec & Park recommendations on SMMUSD campuses)