Gilman Street Playing Fields Mitigations

Gilman Street Playing Fields
- MITIGATIONS

Gilman Street Playing Fields - MITIGATIONS
L A Wood, October 18, 2005
Berkeley City Council Agenda, RE: Item 38.
Please consider this request for six (6) additional mitigations to the Gilman Street Fields project as follows:

1. Air Quality Study at Gilman Street
The purpose of the Gilman Fields Air Quality Study is to measure the levels of PM2.5 and PM10 so that community members can make informed decisions on using the Park's facilities.
The City of Berkeley should monitor particulate matter (PM*) in the air at the proposed Gilman Street site for at least one continuous year. Each month, air quality reports should be posted to the City of Berkeley website in pdf and spreadsheet format (as was done with the Harrison Park air study).

2. Wind Rose
In addition to the particulate data, wind speed, wind direction, and ambient temperature should also be recorded. All data should be collected on a one-hour average basis.

3. Noise Study
The Gilman Street project should be required to conduct an onsite, yearlong noise study concurrently with the air study. Site levels are reported to be quite high and warrant more investigation.

4. Disclosure to Parents and Adult Users
All parents of children participating in games at the Gilman Street Recreational Facility, and all adults participating in these games shall read, sign and return a disclosure form to the City of Berkeley. This disclosure form should indicate that the signer understands:
• The fields are in an area designated for industrial use.
• It is the policy of the City of Berkeley and the operator of the playing fields not to interfere with manufacturing and other plan-conforming businesses in the area.
• There may be large trucks, noises, odors in this area as a normal and lawful condition of industrial operation.
• Air quality on site may be of concern and the City of Berkeley is studying this potential problem.

5. Environmental Contingency Fund
Require that the project create a Gilman Street Playing Fields contingency fund of at least $30,000 to be used to defray the City of Berkeley staff costs to respond to complaints.

6. Revisit the Health Risk Assessment
The data from the yearlong onsite monitoring should be used to develop an updated health risk assessment for the Gilman Street project.

Berkeley Citizen

* PM is a measurement of particles per cubic meter of air. Particles are measured in two primary size fractions, less than 2.5 micrometers (PM 2.5) and 2.5 - 10 micrometers (PM 10). Fine particles, less than 2.5 micrometers in diameter, are mainly produced by combustion or burning activities such as fuel burned in automobiles, factories, fireplaces, and wood stoves. Coarse particles, less than 10 micrometers in diameter, usually arise as a result of natural processes such as wind-blown dust or soil. When inhaled, these particles may be harmful to persons with asthma and other respiratory problems. (source: City of Berkeley web site)