Open Spac E, Parks, and Conse Rvation
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6 OPEN SPACE, PARKS, OPEN SPACE, AND CONSERVATION A. OVERVIEW This chapter incorporates the state-mandated “open space” and “conservation” elements. It addresses the management of San Leandro’s park and open space areas, the conservation of natural resources such as soil, water, and natural habitat, and the reduction of greenhouse gases associated with climate change. Its goals and policies address a broad range of issues, with the common purpose of improving recreational opportunities, protecting the city’s natural environment, and growing more sustainably. San Leandro’s parks are a source of pride and enjoyment for the entire community and accommodate recreational activities for all segments of the population. The city is home to a world-class golf course, a scenic shoreline trail system, a large regional park, and numerous smaller neighborhood and community parks. These parks offer a range of leisure time experiences, from the quiet contemplation of nature to active sports like swimming and soccer. While parks are recognized as essential to San Leandro’s quality of life, there are also deficiencies that must be addressed. Some of the parks need rehabilitation and updating. Others require design changes to address safety issues and use conflicts. Some neighborhoods lack convenient access to parks and would benefit from additional open space and recreational facilities. 6-1 SAN LEANDRO GEN E R A L PLAN OPEN SPACE, PARKS, A ND CONSERVATION Changing demographics have led to the demand for new recreational programs, while population growth has placed greater demands on existing facilities. The ability to fund park improvements, and even meet basic maintenance needs, remains a challenge. The General Plan includes policies and programs to address this challenge and others to ensure that the city’s parks remain an asset for years to come. In addition to the parks, San Leandro contains other significant open spaces. These areas contain diverse ecosystems, including wetlands near the shoreline, riparian woodlands along San Leandro Creek, and grasslands in the hills and at Oyster Bay Regional Shoreline. Even the city’s residential neighborhoods provide an “urban forest,” with trees and shrubs providing habitat for birds and small mammals. These ecosystems must be managed to avoid their degradation and ensure the long-term sustenance of plant and animal life. Ultimately, a healthy natural environment can enhance public health, local aesthetics, and civic pride. Another mission of this Element is to promote conservation practices among San Leandro residents and businesses. Three areas are emphasized: water conservation, recycling, and energy conservation. A number of programs are presented to reduce the consumption of non- renewable resources and promote more sustainable alternatives. In each case, there is a need for greater awareness of why conservation is needed and the contributions that each San Leandro resident or business can make toward achieving conservation goals. Finally, this Element provides a framework for responding to the challenge of global climate change at the local level, including a variety of land use, transportation, and energy-related measures. The City has adopted a Climate Action Plan which identifies more specific strategies for meeting state goals. Measures to improve resilience in response to rising sea levels, drought, and severe weather, are addressed in the Environmental Hazards Element. 6-2 SAN LEANDRO GENERAL PLAN OPEN SPACE, PARKS, A ND CONSERVATION B. OPEN SPACE State guidelines require that four types of open space be identified and analyzed in the General Plan: Open Space for Recreation. This category includes the city’s park system, as well as schoolyards, athletic fields, the regional parks, and other areas used for recreation. The management of these areas is covered by Goals OSC-1 through OSC-4. Open Space for the Protection of Natural Resources. In San Leandro, this category includes the Shoreline Marshlands, the riparian areas along San Leandro Creek, and the offshore waters of San Francisco Bay. These areas will remain undeveloped in the future to protect natural habitat, including se veral endangered or threatened species. These areas are covered by Goals OSC-5 and OSC-6. Open Space for the Managed Production of Resources. This category includes agricultural land, commercial fishing grounds, timber harvest areas, quarries, and other areas used for resource production. At one time, such open spaces were abundant in San Leandro, consisting primarily of farms and orchards. Virtually all of these areas have been converted to urban uses. The soil and mineral resources which support resource production in San Leandro are addressed later in this chapter. Open Space for Public Health and Safety. This includes the “no build” zone along the Hayward Fault, unstable slopes in the San Leandro Hills, and the floodways along local creeks and flood control channels. These areas are addressed in detail in Chapter 7. Open space areas are shown on Figure 3-3 (Land Use Diagram). Two of the categories on the map—(1) Parks and Recreation and (2) Resource Conservation Areas—have been used to delineate open space in the city. 6-3 SAN LEANDRO GEN E R A L PLAN OPEN SPACE, PARKS, A ND CONSERVATION C. PARKS City Parks Park Classification San Leandro has 104 acres of City-owned parks, including three community parks, 12 neighborhood parks, seven mini-parks, and four special use recreation areas. The City also operates a 178-acre municipal golf course and a 462-berth public marina. The location of these parks is shown on Figure 6-1. Table 6-1 includes the acreage of each park, along with the acreage of other open space areas in the city. The other open space areas include 19 acres of improved open space at Oyster Bay Regional Shoreline and 82 acres of school athletic fields and playgrounds. Most of the city’s parks were developed in the two decades following World War II. The post-war population boom brought about a great increase in recreational needs and large parks such as Washington Manor, Stenzel, Halcyon, Bonaire were incorporated in the subdivisions developed at that time. Several of the post-war era parks were developed collaboratively with schools, supplementing the city’s park system and providing access to special facilities such as swimming pools and running tracks. In the early 1960s, the Marina Park, boat basin, and golf courses were developed through a major land reclamation and redevelopment program. The Shoreline area soon became the city’s flagship park. Most of the parks created since 1970 have been small “pocket” parks under an acre in size, developed on vacant parcels or within subdivisions. 6-4 SAN LEANDRO GENERAL PLAN OPEN SPACE, PARKS, A ND CONSERVATION Figure 6-1 San Leandro Park System 6-5 SAN LEANDRO GEN E R A L PLAN OPEN SPACE, PARKS, A ND CONSERVATION San Leandro’s Parks Regional Parks are typically larger than 30 acres and include a mix of conservation areas and active recreation areas. They draw visitors from beyond the city limits and may feature unique natural features or regional attractions. Oyster Bay Regional Shoreline, which is operated by East Bay Regional Park District, is the only regional park within San Leandro. Community Parks range in size from 5 to 30 acres. Each park serves multiple neighborhoods and contains a wide variety of active and passive recreational facilities. The City’s three community parks are Marina, Washington Manor, and Chabot. Neighborhood Parks are typically 2 to 10 acres in size and provide for the daily recreational needs of area residents. They often have large lawn areas for informal sports and play activities. They may include facilities such as tennis courts and tot lots, but usually do not include major facilities such as lighted ballfields. Examples include Bonaire and Memorial. Mini-Parks or “pocket parks” are usually less than an acre in size and accommodate small recreational facilities such as picnic tables and tot lots. Such parks are often included in new developments, in accordance with the City’s Subdivision Ordinance and parkland dedication requirements. Special Use Parks include facilities which serve a specific need or population group. Examples include the Heath Tennis Courts, the San Leandro Ball Park, and Farelly Pool. Golf Courses include the 178-acre Monarch Bay public golf complex. This complex consists of the 18-hole Tony Lema and 9-hole Marina Golf Courses, and a driving range, pro-shop, and clubhouse. School Facilities include sports fields, hard court areas, lawns, and other facilities at 14 school campuses in San Leandro. These facilities are owned by the San Leandro and San Lorenzo Unified School District. Joint use agreements have been developed for some of these facilities which allow access by the general public when school is not in session. 6-6 SAN LEANDRO GENERAL PLAN OPEN SPACE, PARKS, A ND CONSERVATION TABLE 6-1 PARKS AND RECREATIONAL FACILITIES IN SAN LEANDRO PARKS Acres SCHOOL FACILITIES Acres Regional Parks 19.0 School Facilities 81.7 Oyster Bay (*) 19.0 Bancroft 4.2 Corvallis 6.0 Community Parks 36.7 Dayton 0.5 Chabot 4.8 Garfield 4.3 Marina 17.9 Jefferson 5.6 Washington Manor 14.0 Lewelling 5.2 Neighborhood Parks 42.2 Madison 6.4 McKinley 3.2 Bonaire 5.4 Monroe 2.8 Cherry Grove 7.0 Muir 11.1 Floresta 0.8 Roosevelt 3.9 Grover Cleveland 1.0 San Leandro HS 15.6 Halcyon 4.9 Washington 1.3 McCartney 1.6 Washington Manor 4.9 Memorial 2.7 Wilson 6.7 Mulford 1.4 Siempre Verde 1.8 Stenzel 9.3 Thrasher