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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2007 06-25 PARKS � RECREATION COMMISSION Regular Meeting Minutes June 25, 2007 APPROVED Members Present: Maureen Bartz,Jason Eisold,Sandy Knight,Kevin Strayton Members Absent: Mike Eliason Staff Present: Dan Schultz,Director of Parks and Recreation and Sonja Honl,Recording Secretary Student Volunteer: Jonathan Nutzman Others Present: Morgan Dawley,City Engineer 1. CALL TO ORDER: MOTION by Bartz to call the meeting to order at 7:02 p.m. SECOND by Eisold. Ayes: 3 Nays: 0 Motion passed. APPOINT NEW VICE CHAIR: Commissioner Mark Jacobs was the Vice Chair until his resignation in March of 2007,and a new Vice Chair is needed to replace Jacobs. MOTION by Bartz to appoint Eisold as the Vice Chair. SECOND by I�night. Ayes: 3 Nays: 0 Motion passed. 2. ADDITIONS TO THE AGENDA: Schultz will review concept plans for the athletic compleg during the Director's Report. 3. APPROVAL OF THE MAY 21, 2007 MEETING MINUTES: MOTION by Bartz to approve the minutes of the May 21,2007 meeting. SECOND by Strayton. Ayes: 4 Nays:0 Motion passed. 4. AUDIENCE INPUT: None. 5. DISCUSSION (Response to Audience Input): None. 6. OLD BUSINESS: 8. HWy 3 PedeSt�la17 C�OSSI11g—Schultz was bringing this item back for further discussion and Morgan Dawley,City Engineer,was in attendance to answer questions and provide more information to the Commission. At last month's meeting,the Commission questioned the safety of crossing Connemara Trail if an overpass was built across Hwy. 3,and asked for safe options for crossing Connemara Trail. An aerial photo of this area was reviewed. Various options for getting people from the north end of Rosemount to downtown Rosemount and across Hwy. 3 were discussed. Current and proposed trails,the overpass and the underpass (from the Glen Rose development to ISD 196 property)were reviewed on the map. The Commission felt that pedestrians might cross Hwy. 3 without using the overpass,or if they use it, they would jaywalk at the end of the ramp to cross Connemara Trail for convenience. Bartz informed the Commission that only one side of the Connemara Trail/Hwy 3 intersecrion is controlled for crossing by pedestrians and there is no crosswalk to go north on the east side of the xoad. After further discussion,the Commission concluded that spending$1,000,000 for the overpass was not the best use of funds. T'hey also thought that people would probably continue to cross Hwy 3 without using the overpass.The Conunission thought that adding pedestrian controls to all sides of the Connemara Trail/Hwy. 3 intersection to make it a fully functional,four-way crossing like Co.Rd. 42 and Shannon Pky.would make this intersection much safer and would be a more economical use of funds than an overpass. Painted pedestrian crosswalks with pedestrian crossing signs would make drivers aware that they should look for pedestrians. The Commission was concerned that the intersection at Hwy. 3/142na St.W. (used by high school students)is more dangerous than the Connemara Trail/Hwy 3 intersection. Thep felt that a trail connection from the north to 142�d St.W. and the installation of a light at the intersection of 142°d St. W./Hwy. 3 should be looked into. They thought this would be more useful than an underpass. Schultz will take the minutes from tonight's meeting with the issues that were discussed to the City Administrator. These issues will be brought to the City Council for consideration during their work session. This discussion will also be considered when we update the parks master plan. - 1 - PARKS 8� RECREATION COMMISSION Regular Meeting Minutes June 25, 2007 b. Brockway Park - PI111t1t11g— Schultz reviewed the Brockway park plan and pointed out that some of the amenities appear to be crowded. Making the basketball court a half court and moving it negt to the tennis courts,or possibly relocating the tennis courts to another park were suggestions to alleviate the crowding. Schultz felt that we could keep the tennis courts and shelter if we changed the basketball court to a half court and he asked if the Commission would support this change. There was discussion about various amenities at the park including tennis courts,ball fields (Strayton suggested moving them back from the roa�,and also parking. Schultz will have the designer review the plan and.will bring this item back to a future meeting. 7. NEW BUSINESS: a. St. Joseph's Task Force Representative—Kelly Sa.mpo, former Parks and Recreation Commissioner,was the St.Joseph's task force representative until her term on the Commission ended in March. Schultz asked the current Commissioners if one of them would volunteer to take Sampo's place on the ta.sk force. Bartz volunteered to represent the Commission. MOTION by Kxught to appoint Bartz to the St.Joseph's task force. SECOND by Strayton. Ayes: 4 Nays: 0 Motion passed. b. 2008 CIP BUdget—Schultz has been working on the 2008 CIP budget over the last month and reviewed the items to be included: Ma.ster Planning for New Neighborhood Parks-$8,000 (if there are no new developments,this money will not be used);Construction of the Outdoor Recreation Complex-$5,000,000 (this amount may change as the project develops);Improvements to Erickson Park-$100,000;Trail Improvements-$50,000;Painting the Ceiling in the Arena-$90,000;Construction of Bxockway Park- $500,000;Construction of Parking Lot for Disc Golf Course-$30,000;Miscellaneous Park Projects-$15,000. Schultz noted that amounts listed for these projects are only estimates. The Public Works Department will be coordinating the replacement of the parking lot at Schwarz Pond Park, the siding on the shelter at Jaycee Park and the hockey rink boards at Jaycee Park. Othex possible projects include egpansion of the skate park,paving of the Jaycee Park hockey rink,a new sun shelter and permanent restrooms at Schwarz Pond Park,purchase of the triangle piece of property,and participation in the Dakota County Technical College outdoor soccer complex project and the ISD 917 ball field project. Schultz asked the Commission if they had anything to add. Strayton asked that a shelter at Bloomfield Park be added to the budget. Knight asked about the alternatives to the triangle piece of property that the Commission had discussed,such as looking for a larger piece of property further to the east. Per Schultz,this will be discussed as part of the parks master plan. The first budget meeting will be held on June 26 and this item will be brought back to the Commission. C. D'IPeCtO�'S RepOPt—The park improvement fund balance as of May 31,2007 was$2,128,275.78. No parks dedication fees,grants or donations were received. Interest for May was$5,242.09. There were egpenditures of$19,692.20 for players'benches at Meadows Park,planning for Brockway Park,the parks master plan update,and survey and closing costs for the Outdoor Recreation Complex. ISD 917 Site Plan Review—Schultz reviewed a location map of the site. It is not a subdivision so no parks dedication will be collected. They will be tearing down a building on this site and building a new school. 'There may be opportunities to partner with ISD 917 for gym use and possibly use of a baseball field. We will look into the possibility of partnering with them as the project progresses. Ryan Companies Preliminary Plat—Ryan Companies has submitted a preliminary pla.t for a business park development. Schultz reviewed a map of the site. Cash dedication in the amount of$357,000 will be collected in lieu of land. This project will be going to the Planning Commission on June 26. Parks,Trails and Open Space Master Plan Update—HKgi has asked the Commission to fill out a survey as part of the information gathering process for the master plan. A survey was included in each - 2 - PARKS � RECREATION COMMISSION Regular Meeting Minutes June 25, 2007 Commissioner's packet. Schultz asked that they be returned as soon as possible. The Commission asked if Schultz could e-mail the survey to them. Schultz will do this. Naturally Rosemount—City staff have been working with Dakota County Technical College (DCTC) landscape and horticultural students to create several`natural planting'areas in Rosemount. 'I'hey have created designs for an area along Brazil Avenue, for a rainwater garden in Schwarz Pond Park which will slow down erosion,and for a native planting area near the skate park at Schwarz Pond Park. DCTC students provided concept plans for each of these projects. Per Schultz,this item will be brought back to a futuxe meeting. We will be completing the rainwater garden this week,and the other two projects in the fall. The City will be applying for grants for the native planting area project. Preliminary Concept Plans for the Outdoor Recreation Complex—Schultz handed out three concept drawings for the compleg and reviewed each of them. Concept#3 provided the most use options and parking. The Commission discussed a number of issues including the following: the best placement of fields,concession buildings,and playground areas (playground areas should be located near parking lots and restrooms and away from the outfields,possibly moving them near the soccer fields);that restrooms should be included on the plans;the need for maintenance buildings;the importance of having adequate,well- designed parking lots with more than one entrance/exit;and the possibility of street parking. Knight noted that Concept#3 included a boulevard in the parking lot that would eliminate a number of much needed parking spaces,and she asked about the possibility of adding parking lots to this plan that curve around the fields to provide as much parking as possible. Eisold asked about access via trails for those biking to the compleg. Schultz will be collecting as much information from user groups as possible,including their specific needs, number of participants,demographics,demand for fields,a baseline for the nuxnber of fields in the communiry,three to five year data,egpected trends,etc.,and will bring this information back to the Commission. Schultz would like to have a Parks and Recreation Cominission work session and invite the public and the stake holders/user groups to attend to discuss the concept plans. Strayton suggested that the Commission should have a work session first in order to get a firm idea of the needs for the complex and a more complete design before meeting with the public.The Commission agreed to meet on Monday, July 9 at 6:30 p.m. at a location to be determined. Schultz will e-mail the location information to the Commissioners tomorrow. Veterans'Memorial-Schultz had a visit from a person interested in moving forward with the veterans' memorial project. If time permits,Schultz will invite some of the individuals who are trying to get this project going to attend the July Commission meeting. Schultz has told them that we want this project to be well done and in the best location possible. Muscatine,IA Soccer/Baseball Complex-Knight handed out a brochure from a soccer tournament she recenfly attended in Muscatine,IA. The fields at the complex were the nicest she had ever seen. While she was there,she talked with engineers,groundskeepers,and the Parks and Recreation Director,and also took many photos. The brochure included a map of the soccer/baseball complex,and Knight egplained how the fields are laid out,and pointed out the paved paths between fields which provide great access to all of the fields for those wall�ing and in wheel chairs. People did not cut across the grass,they used the paths. The fields are domed and engineered with excellent drainage systems. The complex was completely privately funded by area industries,with naming rights for those who donated money. 8. ADJOURNMENT MOTION by Bartz to adjourn the meeting. SECOND by Krught. Ayes: 4 Nays:0 Motion passed. The meeting was adjourned at 9:26 p.m. Respectfully submitted by Sonja Honl, Recording Secretary - 3 -