06.01.2009 City Council - Special Meeting

The City of Ventura’s special joint meeting of the City Council, Parks and Recreation Commission, and Tree Advisory Committee—identified by the meeting title as June 1, 2009—focused on urban forestry, recreation programs, and the proposed Cemetery Memorial Park master plan. The plan’s conceptual estimate was about $3.9 million, while a $6 million figure had been included in the proposed capital improvement program; staff described a modified first phase of roughly $250,000. That phase would repair the historic Main Street wall and stairs, create a limited memorial wall using recovered headstones, enhance the veterans’ flagpole area, coordinate a museum exhibit, and continue the family grave-marker program. The landscape and memorial design consultants were Katherine Spitz(en) Associates and Susan Nardulli Studio. Public speakers largely opposed the larger plan, citing cost, reduced open space and accessibility, parking removal, and ongoing maintenance; others emphasized preserving and interpreting the cemetery’s history. The transcript ends during council comments and does not show a vote or final direction on the plan.

Other budget-related discussion included substantial cuts to tree planting and trimming budgets, and a $26,000 Kaiser Permanente Operation Splash grant to expand access to aquatic programs. The Parks and Recreation Commission also discussed capital-improvement prioritization and a potential Quimby fee amendment, but no purchasing decision or action on that item is captured. The Tree Advisory Committee reported work on street-tree guidance, development-project review, and a possible mature-tree protection ordinance. No contract award or bid approval is identified.