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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2011 01-24 PRC Minutes PARKS 8� RECREATION COMMISSION Regular Meeting Minutes January 24, 2011 APPROVED Members PresenL Maureen Bartz,Jason Eisold,Mike Eliason,Barb Farrell Members Absent: None Staff Present: Dan Schultz,Director of Parks and Recreation and Sonja Honl,Recording Secretary Student Volunteer. Stephen Sawyer Others Present: Jason Lindahl,Planner 1. CALL TO ORDER Eliason called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. 2. ADDITIONS TO THE AGENDA: None. Schultz asked that the Commission start with item 6. c.Pedestrian and Birycle Master Plan to accommodate Lindahl. 3. APPROVAL OF THE DECEMBER 27,2010 MEETING MINLTTES: MOTION by Bartz to approve the minutes of the December 27,2010 meeting. SECOND by Farrell. Ayes:4 Nays: 0 Motion passed. 4. AUDIENCE INPUT: None 5. DISCUSSION(Response to Audience Input): None 6. OLD BUSINESS: c. Pedestrian and Bicycle Master Plan—The final plan was included in the Coxnxnission packet along with a draft work plan for 2011. A small committee has already met a couple of times and will continue to meet to work on the priorities that are part of the master plan. Key items in the draft work plan include working on way-finding signage,including information on the City's website,looking for opportunities to partner with others and looking for grants and other funding options to get the trails built. Lindahl thanked the Commission for their work on the master plan. a. 2011 Fees and Fee Policy— DG"TC Soccer Light Fees-Schultz included in the executive summary the fees for light use that are being charged by Eagan,Apple Valley and Inver Grove Heights. Staff feels that a fee of$35/hr for light use would be reasonable and is in line with fees other cities are charging. The Commission asked that we look at the fees we are charging groups for using lights at other•outdoor facilities,such as the fields at Erickson Park and the outdoor rinks.They wanted to be sure we are charging a uniform fee for using lights at all facilities. Player Fees—Charging a per person fee for athletic facility users is being discussed as a way to offset some of the maintenance costs associated with facility use without cutting services. Schultz reviewed the Association Field Fee Survey—Apri12010 that was included in the Commission packet. The cities in the survey charge fees in a variety of ways. Schultz also handed out a spreadsheet of estimated RAAA/ Dakota Rev field maintenance costs broken down by sport. Staff wants to keep the fee as low as possible,and after considering the data we collected,we are looking at a fee of$2 per youth participant. Schultz esplained that this fee will be reviewed annually to make sure it is still necessary. Parks Dedication Fees—This item was being brought back with additional information that the Commission requested at last month's meeting. The results of a detailed 2010 Park Dedication Survey were included in the packet. The study showed that there are a variety of ways that cities collect parks dedication fees. Schultz also provided the Comxnission with a chart of the parks dedication fees for the last three years for 10 cities. Eight of the cities,including Rosemount,have not increased their fees for at least three years. Savage had raised its fees in 2009 and a�in in 2010,and Woodbury had raised their fee in 2010. Rosemount's fees were in the lower half when compared with the other cities included in the chart. Schultz also had checked with Dakota County per the Commission's request,but they could not - 1 - PARKS � RECREATION COMMISSION Regular Meeting Minutes January 24, 2011 provide any helpful information. After reviewing all of the data Schultz had collected,and based on the fact that no other cities in the survey have lowered their fees,the Commission did not feel we should lower our parks dedication fee. Schultz and the Commission did agree that it may be time to reevaluate how we collect parks dedication. Schultz plans to meet with the City Attorney and discuss this further. Schultz will bring back models using a couple of Rosemount developments that will provide a comparison of how much parks dedication could be collected using various methods of collection. Schultz will also look at the parks master plan and what we are planning to build as far as future parks,greenways,athletic facilities,etc.,and come up with the approximate cost for these. Then,based on the total number of homes to be built,he will come up with an approximate total for parks dedication funds that would be available to build these park facilities. The Commission's main concern was that we would not have enough funds to build the future parks,trails,and other facilities included in the parks master plan if we do not collect sufficient parks dedication. MOTION by Eisold to recommend that the City Council implement a player fee and light fee as recommended by staff in the executive summary. SECOND by Farrell. Ayes:4 Nays:0 Motion passed. MOTION by Farrell to leave the parks dedication fee as is. FRIENDLY AMENDMENT by Bartz to add"based on the data provided in the per unit parks dedication survey". Friendly amendment accepted by Farrell. The Commission wanted to make sure the City Council understood why they recommended no change. They thought the models Schultz is bringing back would help egplain their decision. Schultz will be discussing this with the City Council. Per Schultz,the modeling,total build up and unit count information will not be hard to put together. He will also talk to neighboring communities such as Lakeville and Woodbury and ask them what they are using for the cost for a neighborhood park. Ayes: 4 Nays: 0 Motion passed. b. Arena Advertising—Staff is looking into additional advertising in the arena and recendy met with Student Media LLC regarding this. We currenfly have a wall of advertising panels which could be expanded,and additional advertising could be added to the dasher boards,four areas on the ice,one side of the Zatnboni,and in the restrooms. RAHA had approached staff several months ago regarding arena advertising through them,but there were concerns with it being a volunteer organization and the change- over in volunteers. Working with an advertising company may be a better option. Schultz asked if the Commission had any concerns. The Commission asked if there is an ordinance regarding advertising in public spaces,and whether softball fences,park shelters or other areas might be used for advertising. . Schultz will check on this and bring this item back in the future. No motion was needed. 7. NEW BUSINESS: a. Director's Report—The park improvement fund balance as of December 31,2010 was $1,443,811.44. Park dedication fees of$3,400 and grants in the amount of$4,433 were received No donations were received in December. Interest for December was$303.04. Egpenditures were $452.58 for the Family Resource Center playground project. Schwarz Pond Park Project—This project has started. An asphalt trail is planned between the new pond and existing Schwarz Pond,but we may wait a year to install it to allow the ground to settle. Staff is also working with the DNR on the pier. The DNR may want to stock the pond once the project is complete. The trail from the Schwarz Pond Park parking lot to the ball fields will be installed in the spring. 8. ADJOURNMENT-MOTION by Barrz to adjourn the meeting. SECOND by Eisold. Ayes: 4 Nays:0 Motion passed. The meeting was adjourned at 8:35 p.m. Respectfiilly submitted by Sonja Honl,Recording Secretary -2 -