Community Opportunity Fund Meeting Notes

COF Grant Planning Meeting for McKinley Square

Thursday,  May 24th,   6:30pm - 8pm, Potrero Hill Library.

Attended by.
Richard Drechsler,  Tom Strother, Marjorie Goodwin, Joseph Moore , Jane Westfield,  Kelly Dennehy, Cris Rys
Jacob Gilchrist - SF Rec & Park COF Program Manager, Steve Cismowski - SF Rec & Park, Maria D'Angelico - SF Parks Alliance, John Merten - Studio Green

Jacob GilChrist went over details of Community Opportunity Fund Grant.
Grant is from 2008 Clean & Safe General Obligation Bond  which covers improvements since year 2000 are eligible as matching towards this grant.

Jacob  explained grant is for capitol expenses, not maintenance.

Meeting then focused on applicability of the 15 items from Community Planning meetings list.  Items in bold italic are planned be on this COF grant application.  Community needs to determine costs, locations, and  prioritize .  

1. Remove foxtails(YES but maybe as match, not as part of grant. )    - as foxtails are largely preventing use of the hillside, and thus for the park for its designated use, it will be explored if it can be made a capitol expense.
2. Manage Existing Trees (Not part of this grant)
3. Southwest fencing - (Not part of this grant)   Would be Cal-Trans responsibility, would increase size of hillside usable area.
4. Reforestation plan -  (Not part of this grant)
5. Vermont St Path (Stairs) - (YES)  Investigation / planning will need to occur in next 4 weeks.  Wood or Cement or ?  (Need to verify this does not  trigger ADA)
6. New Pathway connections (Not part of this grant application.)  For area beyond current Cal-Trans fence.
7. Native planting & wildlife habitat improvement (YES, part of grant, plants and resources will be budgeted) 
8. Improve irrigation water access -  (NA) Park & Rec will do, but not part of grant application.
9. Benches on hillside. (Can happen now), Community just needs to pick spots for benches
10. Benches on upper lawn area - (Can happen now), Community just needs to pick spots for benches
11. Improve Signage - On Park & Recreation to do list
12. Install lighting -  (Maybe)  This item did not have strong consensus at this meeting, but did come from community planning meetings so this item may be lower priority for grant.
13. Metal handrails on entrance stairs, (In progress) Park & Rec work order is on its way
14.  Kiosk at park entrance (YES, will be part of grant)
15. Drinking fountain on hillside , middle trail. Yes but community is to decide where. ( French drain,  does this trigger ADA?)

Jacob will provide a time in his office hours to go over 2011 COF Application to provide feedback on what we did well, and how we can improve our COF Application this year.

Long term investigate Nature Pave for middle (and other?) trails?

In the next week, (Wednesday evening?) there will be a meeting to pick location of drinking fountain, bringing in additional members of the community.
Investigation will take place if item 1)  foxtail removal can be made a capital expense. 
Details on stairs will need to be designed.
Details on lighting (if to have them part of this grant request) will need to be determined by priority and matching funds criteria.
Contact John Paul Scott of mayor's office if any of this triggers ADA.
All items on COF grant application will need to be budgeted and prioritized.

Thanks again, we have some work to do, but I have a lot of confidence in our ability to make this a success.