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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCORRESPONDENCE - 65AItem No. 65A AMENDMENT TO FISCAL YEAR 2017/18 SEVEN-YEAR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECT (CIP) TO INCLUDE PARK PROJECTS FROM CDBG Date of Agency Received after Correspondence deadline. 8/15/2017 Mcjgan'(Mo) Sami, PhD UCI No 8/15/2017 Robin Zavala, Research Assistant UCI No 8/15/2017- Cory Witter Santa Ana Resident No Wednesday, August 16, 2017 Page 1 of 1 Alcala, Abigail From: Dora Lopez < Sent: Tuesday, August 15, 2017 5:36 PM To: eComment Cc: Jose Rea; Ramona Alvarez; Chris Schmidt Subject: Agenda Item 65A Security Camaras Mayor Pulido, Mayor Pro Tem Martinez, Councilmembers and City Manager My name is Dora Lopez long-time resident of Santa Ana. I am a member of the Madison Park Neighborhood Association and the Santa Ana Health Neighborhood Alliance. I could not attend the meeting in person, therefore I am emailing my comments. We, at MPNA, have been promised the security cameras installation at Madison Park for a very, very, long time. Time after time at our meetings with Council member Sarmiento and various city staff we have been told that the security cameras were a done deal for our park. Back in October 2016, we were told that the installation would take place in the Spring of this year, 2017. Again in April of this year we were assured that for sure by the summer. Now once again those promises have been broken, and installation plans are once again up in the air. As much as it pleases us that five other parks are part of this new overall project, and will benefit as well. We at MPNA feel that we have been miss led far too many times. The needed funding, derived from the park cell phone towers revenue, we were told was already identify for this project. It does not do us any good, to hear what we want to hear at a given point from city officials or staff, only to be disappointed over and over again. We rather know were we stand, in all honesty, with our much needed requests. In the mean time our Madison school children and park community continue to live and deal with the activities of drug users, indecent exposures, men going in the women's bathroom and all kinds of other inappropriate activities at our park I encourage all involved, to move this along in an expedite manner in order to deliver on promises made and to help lessen the unacceptable activities been carried at the parks. Thank you for your time and consideration of the request. Kindest Regards. Dora Lopez Alcala, Abigail From: Lisa Tran < Sent: Tuesday, August 15, 2017 5:38 PM To: eComment Subject: Agenda Item 65A We need security cameras in our parks ASAP! Dear Mayor Pulido and Council members, I strongly urge you to approve Agenda Item 65A. We need security cameras for our parks ASAPI I live across the street from Memorial Park. Memorial Park is a hang out for gang bangers, drug dealers, drug addicts, transients and loitering adult men who gamble from am to pm. Most of the time there are more loitering adult men than there are children. More recently there have been RV's with groups of transient men hanging out at our city parks. These RV's have been nicknamed meth mobiles due to various people coming and going from them. I was told almost two years ago we were going to have security cameras installed and it has yet to happen. Many of us believe the security cameras will curtail many of the criminal activities occurring at our parks. The families and children of Santa Ana deserve safe, clean and beautiful parks. Thank you, Lisa Tran Sent from my iPhone Mitre -Ramirez, Norma From: Sami, Mojgan < Sent: Tuesday, August 15, 2017 1:06 PM To: eComment Subject: Letter of Support for a more Skateboard friendly Santa Ana Importance: High Categories: Correspondence August 15, 2017 Dear City Council Members of the City of Santa Ana: I wish to provide input supporting the inclusion of skateboarding elements in current plans for improving park access in the City of Santa Ana. Skateboarding is increasingly gaining popularity in southern California as an active mode of transportation and a healthy activity, for people of all ages. As the 2020 Olympics will include skateboarding as a competitive sport for the first time, this popularity is only expected to increase in the next three years. Santa Ana needs to be prepared for the increasing demand of skateboarders for access to parks. Santa Ana has committed to improving the biking and walking infrastructure of its streets and sidewalks over the last decade. You are commended for continuing to support investments in creating safer, healthier opportunities for community residents to travel. These investments have not yet expanded the vision of active transportation to other mobility uses, such as skateboarding. In an effort to meet the increasing demand of skateboarders, I urge you to include skate elements in parks currently planned for construction throughout the City. These elements must be designed in collaboration with the skateboarding community in Santa Ana to ensure their proper location, design and use. Kid Works has been working with me at UC Irvine to cultivate youth leaders in the skateboarding community to collaborate on skate elements (or skate spots) in parks, as well as building a skate park in the future. We have already conducted a Confident Skating class, in partnership with OC Ramps and Basics of Skateboarding and participated in International Skate Day in June. I look forward to answering any questions you have or concerns you may need addressed to ensure skateboarders have access to safe skating elements in parks throughout the City. I look forward to continued collaboration with the community on expanding the vision of active, healthy transportation in the years ahead. Sincerely, Mojgan (Mo) Sami Mojgan (Mo) Sami, PhD Member, Special Project Team, Health and Environment, WHO Academic Director, Diversity in Medicine, UCI Project Scientist, OC PICH www.ocpich.org Lecturer, Program in Public Health Department of Population Health and Disease Prevention University of California, Irvine (949)824-6306 msami@uci.edu Mitre -Ramirez, Norma From: Robin Zavala < Sent: Monday, August 14, 2017 7:27 PM To: eComment Subject: Public Comment - August 15, 2017 Categories: Correspondence Dear City Council Members of the City of Santa Ana: My name is Robin Zavala and I am currently a research assistant at the University of California, Irvine. In conducting work in the field of Civic and Community Engagement, I have come to understand how valuable Skateparks are in creating a sense of community for all of its members. Therefore, I to support the inclusion of skateboarding elements in the development of new parks and existing parks in the City of Santa Ana Skate parks or skate spots can help foster an environment of support and trust through the constant applause that can be heard in these parks. Children and youth are consistently pushing their mental and physical capabilities through skateboarding and are able to develop healthy physical behaviors. Adults and parents can also be included through the planning process in collaboration with the skateboarding community in order to ensure all parties are being represented. Thank you for your time and consideration. Sincerely, Robin Zavala University of California, Irvine Civic and Community Engagement zavalarifuci.edu Mitre -Ramirez, Norma From: Sent: To: Subject: Attachments: Categories: To whom it may concern, Cory A. Witter <witterc@uci.edu> Tuesday, August 15, 2017 12:20 PM eComment Public Comment Submission Letter of Support - Cory.docx Correspondence Attached to this email you will find my Public Comment for tonight's (8/15) City Council Meeting. Thank you, Cory Dear City Council Members, My name is Cory and I am a Santa Ana resident and volunteer at a local non-profit organization I would like to provide input supporting the construction of skateboarding elements in the proposed plans for improving the parks throughout Santa Ana. Currently, local skateboarders only have one choice if they wish to skate in a designated skating pace, Centennial park. Although Centennial provides adequate skating amenities, it's location in the Southwest corner of the city makes it inaccessible for many skaters. According to a research study performed by Boardtrac, 70% of skateboarders nationwide are under 18 years of age, with 40% between the ages of 6 and 12. Without reliable vehicular transportation to the skatepark, many of these youths cannot access the facility. This results in the creative use of public or private property; however, they are rarely welcomed. Once removed from the property, they are forced to skate in the street, greatly increasing the risk of being struck by a passing vehicle. Those determined enough to make the journey must skate along dangerous stretches of roadways, often without sidewalks or with severely dilapidated infrastructure, risking injury or death if struck by an absentminded driver. By including even small skate -able elements in parks throughout the city, we can help protect our youth by eliminating the need for skaters to skate in the streets and or make dangerous trips to and from the skatepark. It is evident that the City of Santa Ana is concerned about the safety of its youth, as they are the future. I urge you, as well as the Parks Department, to continue to invest in the youth of our city by listening to their thoughts at community input sessions throughout this process. Sustainable communities plan and build for their future-- for the homes, transportation, and infrastructure that today's youth need to create tomorrow's opportunities. Sincerely, Cory Witter Alcala, Abigail From: Mitre -Ramirez, Norma Sent: Thursday, August 17, 2017 7:20 AM To: Alcala, Abigail Subject: FW: Security Cameras in Santa Ana Parks Follow Up Flag: Follow up Flag Status: Flagged Please upload to the 8/15/17 CCM. From: Holly Mistine Pamplin [ Sent: Wednesday, August 16, 2017 8:12 PM To: eComment <eComment@santa-ana.org> Cc: Chris S <chris714oc@gmail.com> Subject: Security Cameras in Santa Ana Parks To Whom It May Concern: I think that the idea of having video cameras in the park is a good safety measure, especially considering the amount of and type of criminal activity occurring in Santa Ana parks. Shopping centers and parking lots have security cameras, and I have never heard of the public complaining about intrusions into personal freedoms because of them. The cameras are there to record criminal activity, deter crime, and help law enforcement and victims find and prosecute criminals. Having video cameras in Santa Ana parks could also benefit those parents (both custodial and noncustodial) who have visitations with their children at Santa Ana parks. People tend to behave better when they know that they are being documented; having security cameras in Santa Ana parks would help provide a safer place for Santa Ana residents to play, socialize, and exercise. It would be great to see security cameras installed at all Santa Ana parks. Sincerely, Holly Pamplin Holly Mistine Pamplin