The Fair Oaks Recreation and Park District Board of Directors issued a proclamation honoring the cultural contributions of the Fair Oaks Theatre Festival, which recently ceased operations after more than 40 years. Photo courtesy of Fair Oaks Recreation and Park District

FAIR OAKS, CA (MPG) - The Fair Oaks Recreation and Park District (FORPD) Board of Directors at its October meeting issued a proclamation honoring the cultural contributions of the Fair Oaks Theatre Festival, which recently decided to shut down after more than 40 years in operation.

Director Ralph Carhart read the proclamation, stating that the Fair Oaks Theatre Festival was founded by a “visionary group of local business leaders and community leaders who saw promise in the underutilized Veterans Memorial Amphitheatre.”

Under the leadership of founders Wendell and Lois Frazeer, and later continued by Tony and Barbara Sestito, the festival was a platform for Shakespearian productions, community performances, educational programs, and mentorship for emerging artists.

“The success and longevity of Fair Oaks Theatre Festival was made possible by the tireless efforts of passionate volunteers, directors, designers, actors, technicians, board members and community supporters,” read Carhart. “As a respected cultural institution in the region, they offered performances that enriched the lives of thousands of residents and visitors.”

Now, the Fair Oaks Theatre Festival has “closed its curtain for the final time, marking the end of a beloved and influential era in Fair Oaks history,” read Carhart. “The legacy of the Fair Oaks Theatre Festival shall be forever remembered as a cherished part of this community’s identity and cultural history.”

The board then considered adopting a Sidewalk Vending Policy, in order to align with recent state and county legislation.

District Administrator Mike Aho explained that the State of California passed a law in 2018 that legalized sidewalk vending statewide, as well as restricting local governments from prohibiting the practice. However, it does allow for reasonable restrictions on the place and manner of vending, as well as fines for violation.

Earlier this year, Sacramento County updated their vending regulations, requiring that vendors obtain a business license, comply with health and safety regulations, and observe operational standards. Regional parks limit vending to certain areas and times in order to ensure ADA access and general visitor safety.

As a special district, the Fair Oaks Recreation and Park District must align with the existing state and county regulations. If approved by the board, the draft policy will be sent to the legal team for review before official adoption at a future meeting.  

Director Carhart said his biggest concern had been whether this would affect vendors at district events but he was relieved to find they are not included under these regulations.  

Each park will have a map of designated allowable vending area and, Aho said, “It’s a very limited area.”

He added that vending can also be prohibited if it interferes with district events, rentals, or other permitted activities.

The policy draft was approved 4-0, with Vice Chair John O’Farrell absent.

Next, the board discussed a new trespassing policy, which would provide clear guidelines for preventing, identifying and responding to individuals trespassing on district property.

Currently, the district relies on state and county codes regarding trespassing, which does not provide clear guidelines regarding staff authority or communication and coordination with law enforcement. The proposed policy defines staff roles for responding to incidents of trespassing, as well as procedures for initial contact, documentation, and referral to the Sheriff’s Office.

The policy provides a transparent, legal framework to ensure fairness, consistency, and safety in enforcement actions. It also reinforces the district’s commitment to public safety and compliance with state and county laws.

Park and Facilities Manager Sean Ventura said this policy is not geared toward penalizing people who hang out a bit later than park closing hours. Instead, it’s aimed at “the repetitive problems that don’t leave and curse at the staff.”

The board voted 4-0 to approve the policy.

Ventura also introduced a staff request for the purchase of new parking lot striping equipment. He said the parking lots of all the district parks in the district need periodic restriping to maintain safety, functionality, and ease of use for visitors. The district also regularly needs to paint lines on fields for both softball and football games.

The district’s current paint striping machine was purchased 13 years ago and recently stopped functioning, and repair attempts were unsuccessful. Staff requested funds not to exceed $8,000 to purchase a gas-powered Graco LineLizer 3400. The equipment cost is $7,000, plus additional taxes and shipping costs.

Ventura said the current quote to contract out for parking lot restriping at Phoenix Park is around $20,000—and the lines needs to be redone at every park every 1–5 years depending on use. So, investing in the equipment now will save the district a lot of money over time.

The board voted 4-0 to approve the purchase through Landscape and Lighting District funds.

The board then convened a meeting of the Fair Oaks Recreation Foundation, a nonprofit public benefit corporation that serves as the fundraising source for the Fair Oaks Recreation and Park District.  The mission of the foundation is to support recreation, arts and entertainment programs, and maintain parks and facilities to benefit the residents of Fair Oaks.

The foundation has been chaired by the Fair Oaks Recreation and Park District board members but best practice recommends such organizations be separate entities, so the Board has undertaken the process of updating the bylaws to allow that change. As part of that process, Aho introduced various options for new foundation names.

After some discussion, the board agreed on the Fair Oaks Recreation and Arts Foundation (FORAF), stating that the name encompasses all the foundation’s focus areas.

During general board comments, all the directors hailed the Village Park grand opening as a great success and said they’ve received very positive feedback from the community about the improved parks and facilities, as well as the slate of programming and events.

The next Fair Oaks Recreation and Park District Board of Directors meeting is scheduled for Nov. 19.