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C. 56

To:	Board of Supervisors
From:	Catherine Kutsuris, Conservation and Development Director
Date:	January 7, 2014

Contra

Costa

County

Subject:

Allocation of Park Dedication Funds to Develop a Plan to Install Parklets In El Sobrante

APPROVE	OTHER
RECOMMENDATION OF CNTY ADMINISTRATOR	RECOMMENDATION OF BOARD COMMITTEE

Action of Board On: 01/07/2014

APPROVED AS RECOMMENDED

OTHER

Clerks Notes:

VOTE OF SUPERVISORS

AYE:

John Gioia, District I Supervisor
Candace Andersen, District II Supervisor
Mary N. Piepho, District III Supervisor
Karen Mitchoff, District IV Supervisor
Federal D. Glover, District V Supervisor

Contact:

Bob Calkins, (925) 674-7877

I hereby certify that this is a true and correct copy of an action taken and entered on the minutes of the Board of Supervisors on the date shown.
ATTESTED: January 7, 2014
David Twa,

BY:	, Deputy

RECOMMENDATION(S):

AUTHORIZE the Auditor-Controller to transfer $5,000 from Park Dedication Funds Account 8136 27570 3610 to the Contra Costa County Department of Conservation and Development to help finance a study to develop parklets in the El Sobrante area.

FISCAL IMPACT:

No General Funds are involved. The cost of the study is estimated at $15,000; $5,000 will be paid from Park Dedication funds with the balance coming from the Department of Conservation and Development.

CONSEQUENCE OF NEGATIVE ACTION:

The allocation of Park Dedication funds will ensure that sufficient funding is available to complete the study in a timely manner.

BACKGROUND:

The Department of Conservation and Development (DCD) is requesting $5,000 in park dedication funds to help support a planning effort related to developing a parklet(s) in El Sobrante. Parklets are small public parks set into the existing streetscape that provide both a visual interest and function while enhancing the overall appearance of the street. Parklets are created by re-configuring road/parking spaces and/or sidewalk areas to provide a public amenity including outdoor space for benches, landscaping and planter boxes, bike racks, or outdoor dining space for nearby restaurants or cafes. The essential defining element of parklets is that they represent public space that is open and accessible to all.

Potential key objectives of a parklet program may include:

bringing additional vibrancy and vitality to the streets by creating non-paying public spaces;
making the area more pedestrian friendly and by doing so draw more people to local businesses;
creating green spaces to beatify and upgrade the area;
helping create a traffic calming effect.

It is expected that the results of this planning effort will be used to inform and support a potential County-wide parklet effort.

CHILDREN'S IMPACT STATEMENT:

Development of parklets in the El Sobrante area supports the following community outcome established in the Children's Report Card: Communities are safe and provide a high quality of life for children and families.