On Wednesday, February 1st, the Parks and Recreation Commission heard the recommendations from the Athletic Fields Committee appointed by the City Council, a minority report of the committee and a staff recommendation from Parks & Recreation Director Barry Weiss on options to address the City's Athletic Playing Fields. The Athletic Fields Committee recommended conversion of the fields at Highlands Park (Lower Field), Heather School Athletic Field and Tierra Linda School Playing Field to synthetic turf in that priority order. They also recommended the use of Measure "G" money and the sale of land at Chilton Avenue and Crestview Avenue to finance these park improvements. Staff supported the committee's recommendation for synthetic turf conversion at Highlands Park, Heather School Field and Tierra Linda School Field (in that order) but did not support the committee's recommended sale of the Chilton and Crestview properties.

The Parks and Recreation Commission heard over 50 speakers who spoke on various aspects of the recommendations by the Athletic Fields Committee, minority report and the Parks and Recreation Director's recommendation. The Parks and Recreation Commission expressed no interest in the Committee's recommendation to sell the properties at Chilton and Crestview and as such did not entertain a motion regarding the recommended sale of land at these sites. The Parks and Recreation Commission adopted the following motions as advice to the City Council on this matter:

1. Recommend the installation of Synthetic Turf Field and Playing Field Lights at Tierra Linda School (Lower Playing Field) with the installation of Synthetic Turf and no Playing Field Lights at Heather School Playing Field as the backup location if an agreement for use of Tierra Linda cannot be reached between the City and San Carlos Elementary School District. The motion passed with a vote of 3-1 (Commissioner Bob Bredel not in favor).

2. Recommend starting a process to obtain more land Central School Laureola Park Central School and Laureola Park or another site in San Carlos to obtain another Athletic Playing Field. Motion passed on a 4-0 vote.

The Athletic Fields Committee recommendations, Parks and Recreation Commission recommendations and Parks and Recreation Director recommendations now go forward to the City Council for discussion and action. This is anticipated to be at the regularly scheduled City Council meeting on Monday, March 27, 2006 at 7:00 p.m.