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HomeMy WebLinkAbout02-22-07 PTRC �J � EN HILLS PARKS, TRAILS, & RECREATION COMMITTEE TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 2007 **7:00 P.M. MEETING** ARDEN HILLS CITY HALL 1245 WEST HIGHWAY 96 *****PLEASE BRING FOR REVIEW: *** FINANCIAL FOLDERS ** COMPREHENSIVE PLAN AGENDA 1. Call to Order and Roll Call 2. Approve February 22, 2007 Meeting Agenda 3. Ramsey County Parks and Recreation Presentation a. Tony Schmidt Regional Park Master Plan Draft b. Rice Creek North Regional Trail 4. Approve November 21, 2006 and December 19, 2006 Meeting Minutes 5. City Council Update—David McClung 6. Parks, Trails, and Recreation Update— Greg Hoag &Michelle Olson a. Grant Updates b. Friends of the Parks Tree Donation c. General Department News 7. PTRC Strategies Plan—Funding Discussion 8. Next Meeting Agenda: a. Continuation of Funding Discussion b. Committee Expectations 9. Adj ourn Attachments: 11-21-06 Minutes 12-19-2006 Minutes 2007 Meeting Dates Park Funding Survey Information Commission/Committee Expectations Ramsey County Parks Commission Commission Agenda for 2113107 Ramsey County Parks&Recreation Commission Minutes from 1113107 A quorum of the City Council may be present at this meeting. �I�EN HILLS_ Draft: CITY OF ARDEN HILLS PARKS,TRAILS,AND RECREATION COMMITTEE MEETING TUESDAY,NOVEMBER 21,2006; 7:00 P.M. ARDEN HILLS CITY HALL 1. CALL TO ORDER Chair Henry called the October 17,2006 meeting of the Parks,Trails and Recreation Committee to order at 7:02 p.m. MEMBERS PRESENT: Committee Chair Bill Henry, Committee Members Lanny Baumann,Rich Straumann, Cindy Wheeler, Steve Zilmer, and Dave McClung. OTHERS PRESENT: Michelle Olson,Park and Recreation Manager; Greg Hoag,Public Works Director; Gregg Larson, City Council Liaison; Stan Harpstead,Mayor Elect MEMBERS NOT PRESENT: Committee Members Jim Crassweller and Roger Williams. APPROVAL OF AGENDA MOTION: Committee Chair Henry motioned, seconded by Committee Member Zilmer to approve the agenda. The motion carried unanimously. 2. APPROVAL OF MINUTES MOTION: Committee Member Zilmer motioned, seconded by Committee Member Baumann to approve the October 17,2006 minutes. The motion carried unanimously. 3. CITY COUNCIL UPDATE Council Liaison Larson provided the Committee with the following City Council Update: • The Council had its last review of the budget last night and will act on the budget next month. • The Council discussed the "Celebrating Arden Hills" event and it was the consensus to not offer the event next year. • TCAAP activities continue to move forward. We initiated negotiations on a new interim development agreement and the master planning process was underway. The Council was in favor of establishing a twelve member advisory team. At this point,the General Services Administration(GSA)has not been successful in getting the sale approved by Congress. • Royal Oaks has withdrawn their purchase offer for the old City Hall site. 4. PARKS,TRAILS,AND RECREATION UPDATE Michelle Olson provided the committee with the following update: • Ms. Olson and Mr. Hoag started discussions regarding flooding and staffing of ice rinks. Applications were being accepted for rink attendants. There were ten returning seasonal employees and there were a total of 15 positions to fill. • Preparations were currently underway for upcoming after school programs. Ms. Olson was also working on the Safe Routes to School Grant and the DNR Grant. 0 The improvements to the warming house at Freeway Park have been completed. PARKS, TRAILS AND RECREATION COMMITTEE MEETING November 21 2006 Page 2 of 5 • The Public works crew is getting ready for winter. Crews were televising the underground infrastructure in preparation for the 2007 road projects to identify potential problems. • Ms. Olson attended the MRPA seminar and was able to in p ark focused sessions. The participate sessions covered several topics that she will delve into in the next year. 5. BUCKTHORN REMOVAL AT FLORAL PARK REVIEW Chair Henry asked for the Committee's thought regarding the buckthorn removal event. His suggestions were that the event be held a couple of times during the fall and that before the event, the neighborhood be canvassed to inform residents to help increase participation. Chair Henry further suggested that future events include a mid-morning break for refreshments and an orientation to parks and trails. As for organization, Chair Henry though perhaps having one cutter, one sprayer and several haulers to each team would help make the removal process more efficient. Ms. Olson stated that overall, the event was a big success and we had a good turnout. The group accomplished a lot of work in the 3-4 hour event. 6. PTRC STRATEGIES PLAN—FUNDING DISCUSSION Disc Golf Course Ms. Olson stated that she spoke with Mr. Bill Ashton regarding a disc golf course. Mr. Ashton has stated that he could design a nine-hole disc golf course at Ingerson Park. The golf course would be low maintenance. The post and bucket could be removed and the holes plugged during the winter. Ms. Olson further stated that Mr. Ashton estimated that the cost for a nine-hole course, including a course layout and equipment, would be about$5,000 and a little more for the consultation fee. Also, once the course was set up,Mr. Ashton would do a lot of the marketing to publicize the disc golf course. The PTRC has allocated$7,500 for this project within the Strategies. Committee members questioned if there would be adequate parking at Ingerson Park to accommodate the potential increased generated by golf course users. Chair Henry requested that Mr. Ashton be invited to attend the next PTRC meeting to provide the committee with more information. Bocce Golf Course Ms. Olson stated that if the PTRC wanted to proceed with a bocce golf course, an official proposal should be brought to the City Council for approval. Committee Member Baumann agreed to start working on a proposal. Trails Ms. Olson provided an update on the Snelling Regional Trail from Highway 51 down to County Road E on the north. The quote ($800,000) in the CIP was an error. Ms. Olson handed out a breakdown of the railroad sleeve and the segments, including cost for each. The entire segment from highway 51 to County Road 96, including the railroad sleeve, was estimated to cost $833,400, if the City decided to do concrete and $661,000 for bituminous. Ms. Olson stated that the City is looking at the possibility of doing the entire trail at one time. The trail was proposed to be done in 2010, also when the road project was proposed to be done because there were some funding possibilities for the trail. Another factor that would affect this would be if the railroad bridge was done at that time. Currently, the railroad bridge was in the CIP for 2007. Lake Johanna Boulevard Ms. Olson recently asked about partnerships and regional funding possibilities with Mr. Greg Mack, Ramsey County, and he did not see any possibilities. This project was included in Ramsey County's master plan, but is currently not a very high priority. Ms. Olson stated that there was some talk about the City taking back this road,but she didn't think this was close to actually happening yet. PARKS, TRAILS AND RECREATION COMMITTEE MEETING November 21, 2006 Page 3 of 5 Committee Member Wheeler asked how this project could be moved up in priority for Ramsey County. Ms. Olson stated that perhaps Committee Member Straumann could talk to Ramsey County or perhaps it may be helpful to have someone attend a Ramsey County meeting. Committee Member Wheeler stated that she recalled that Mr. Mack said that the right of way was pretty wide in that area. Ms. Olson replied that there were some good right of way areas, but there were also some challenging restrictions. Ms. Olson was not sure if those challenges had an affect on where this project was place on their priority list. Traffic Signals at County Road E and Old Snelling Ms. Olson stated that she spoke with Mr. Dan Soler, Ramsey County Traffic Engineer, about the possibility of putting in a traffic signal at the Lindeys intersection. Mr. Soler did not recall ever having a justification study done for that area. Mr. Soler thought that it was something the County could do and it would be of no cost to the City. MOTION: Committee Chair Zilmer motioned, seconded by Committee Member Lanny Baumann to request that the City Council order a traffic study for the Lindeys intersection. The motion carried unanimously. Mayor Elect Harpstead stated that County Road F was paved on the New Brighton side all the way across the bridge and it stopped at the Arden Hills portion. With the busing changes in the Mounds View School District, anyone within two miles walks to school and therefore when pedestrians get to the Arden Hills portion of the road,they end up walking in the street. Ms. Olson stated that over seven years ago that particular trail segment was voted down by the Council. Chair Henry stated that a portion of this would be addressed with the extension of the Elmer L. Andersen trail through Tony Schmidt,to the high school,and further into Long Lake Regional Park. Round Lake Update Ms. Olson stated that she included an email she received from Mr. Mike Fix. There are a lot of files to go through on Round Lake. The email from Mr.Fix stated that the potential to human health and the environment were associated with the contamination in the sediment below the water. Regarding the trail along Round Lake, Ms. Olson stated that Knott Companies was the one company that was holding out and perhaps discussions could be opened with them again. She further stated that they had security and vandalism concerns and did not want people walking behind their building. According to Jim Perron, Public Water Superintendent, the City had a sewer easement in that area. Mr. Hoag stated that it would be a risk to get the vactor and jetter to that area during winter conditions. An avenue that he wanted to explore was to pave that segment for use as a roadway for sewer needs. 7. REVISION OF STRATEGIES A. Perry Park Trail Connection from Underpass Staff went out to identify the best route from Perry Park for the application for the DNR Local Trail Connection Grant. Ms. Olson stated that the two trail options, where the Mounds View students jog and behind the Little Lakes Little League field,both come with their own challenges and are not doable for ADA, unless we spend a lot of money for retaining walls and removal of oak trees. When Ms. Olson and the engineer went out,they located an area that was naturally flatter and the vegetation that would be lost would be mainly buckthorn, and box elder trees. A trail placed in this area would be come up behind field#2. It would wind through the area, but we would be able to break down some of the berm and make the trail ADA PARKS, TRAILS AND RECREATION COMMITTEE MEETING November 21, 2006 Page 4 of 5 compliant. The trail would then connect with the existing paved trail by the pavilion. While not exactly what we originally wanted, we could put in a nice trail in this area. The new estimate is $38,000 and $16,747.50 would be reimbursable through the DNR Local Trail Connection Program Grant. This application was approved by the City Council at their November 13th meeting. Ms. Olson will go back to the Council in February with a Resolution to include with this grant application. Chair Henry stated presumably the trail surface would be blacktop. Are there concerns regarding run off on a black top path this close to a wet land? Would we be better off with a wood chip trail? Ms. Olson stated that we would not be able to do a wood chip trail because of ADA compliance. B. Safe Routes to School Trail Ms. Olson handed out a preliminary map of the area that is being considered for the Safe Routes to School Program. This program was designed to have a quick turnaround. The application form was released this past Friday and applications are due January 31, 2007. The City will be partnering with Ramsey County. Chair Henry stated that in his experience,even reasonably well maintained black top trails got icy in the winter and wood chip trails, even if not maintained did not get as icy. Given that kids went to school in the winter,he asked if it would not be reasonable to think that these could stay wood chipped. Ms. Olson stated that what was to be done to the trails in green depended on the cost. However, all trails that utilize this grant funding, must be ADA accessible and wood chip trails would not be compliant. Also,the more links we have,the more favorably our grant would be look upon. The maximum grant amount was $175,000, but and it is 100 percent reimbursable Chair Henry suggested that the black top portion be the furthest part west from County Road E2. In July of 2006, MnDOT (Safe Routes to School Program) received 76 applications and they approved 15 applications. There are no guarantees the City will be successful with the application,but we will have another opportunity to apply in August if we are not selected this time. MOTION: Committee Member Straumann motioned, seconded by Committee Member Zilmer to approve the revised strategies. The motion carried unanimously. 8. NAMING OF GOVERNOR ELMER L.ANDERSEN TRAIL SEGMENT Chair Henry presented a resolution that he and Committee Member Williams drafted. He asked the committee to review the resolution and offer comments/suggestions for changes. Committee Member Wheeler commented that"an initiative that Governor Andersen would have supported"be rephrased to avoid supposing what someone would have wanted or done. Council Liaison suggested rephrasing it to read"an initiative that is consistent with Governor Andersen's stated interest". MOTION: Committee Member Baumann motioned, seconded by Committee Member McClung, to recommend the resolution be adopted by City Council. The motion carried unanimously. 9. GOODPOINTE TRAIL MAINTENANE PROPOSAL Ms. Olson stated that there was some interest in possibly doing a Goodpointe trail evaluation to rate our existing trails to help prioritize what maintenance needed to be done. This evaluation would rate our trails, similar to how streets were rated for pavement management projects. Chair Henry asked how long this kind of evaluation had been done and if people who have used it found it PARKS, TRAILS AND RECREATION COMMITTEE MEETING November 21 2006 Page 5 of 5 valuable. Ms. Olson replied that this came from the Roseville engineer. As for the company, Goodpointe had a history of doing pavement management projects and were now moving into evaluating bituminous trails. Mr. Hoag stated that there were a number of sources out there who did evaluations. Based on some of the preliminary looking that he has done, it was highly advisable that the City used the same vendor it did for streets. It would be more cost effective since the software was compatible. Mr. Hoag stated that Goodpointe was the current street vendor. The City piggy backed on Roseville's cost and we therefore were getting the services at a reduced cost. The Committee was at consensus to leave the final decision on this up to staff. 10. 2007 COMMITTEE MEMBERSHIP RENEWAL AND DRAFT EXPECTATIONS Chair Henry asked that those members who were not interested in continuing their committee membership for 2008 to call or email him sometime in the next week. Ms. Olson stated that committee appointments would be made at the first meeting in January. Chair Henry stated at the committee summit meeting, there was a discussion regarding clarifying, at the committee level, what was expected from each other. Chair Henry created a draft expectation and it was his intent to discuss it, adopt it in some way and then be able to use it to inform potential committee members of the committee purpose and direction. Ms. Olson stated that staff believes that the Parks and Recreation Committee was formed by a Resolution and not put into Ordinance. We may need to change that. Chair Henry suggested that the members take the expectations home and come prepared for the next meeting to discuss. 11. NEXT MEETING: TUESDAY,DECEMBER 19TH Chair Henry stated that the next meeting was December 19th Ms. Olson stated that a Town Hall Meeting was scheduled on January 16, 2007; the night of our regularly scheduled meeting therefore it would be best to move our January meeting to January 9th or January 23rd. Ms. Olson recommended that the January meeting be moved to January 9th, because she was going to be out of town on January 23rd 12. ADJOURN MOTION: Committee Member Straumann moved and Committee Member Baumann seconded a motion to adjourn the meeting at 8:48 p.m. EN HILLS Draft: CITY OF ARDEN HILLS PARKS,TRAILS,AND RECREATION COMMITTEE MEETING TUESDAY,DECEMBER 19,2006; 7:00 P.M. ARDEN HILLS CITY HALL 1. CALL TO ORDER Chair Henry called the December 19,2006 meeting of the Parks,Trails and Recreation Committee to order at 7:03 p.m. 'MEMBERS PRESENT: Committee Chair Bill Henry, Committee Members Lanny Baumann, Jim Crassweller,Rich Straumann,Roger Williams, Steve Zilmer, and Dave McClung. OTHERS PRESENT: Michelle Olson,Park and Recreation Manager; Greg Hoag,Public Works Director; Gregg Larson, City Council Liaison; Bill Ashton,Disc Golf Course Consultant, Chuck Kachel, Resident. MEMBERS NOT PRESENT: Committee Member Cindy Wheeler. APPROVAL OF AGENDA: MOTION: Committee Chair Henry motioned, seconded by Committee Member Zilmer to approve the agenda. The motion carried unanimously. 2. APPROVAL OF MINUTES The committee discussed multiple changes to the November meeting minutes and asked that staff bring it back with these changes for approval at the next meeting. The level of detail in meeting minutes was also discussed. The committee requested that meeting minutes be kept brief. 3. DISC GOLF COURSE PRESENTATION AND DISCUSSION—BILL ASHTON Mr. Ashton gave a presentation on disc golf. Mr. Ashton stated that to accommodate the sliding hill, baskets would go into a ground sweep. It would be about a two foot sleeve that would go in the ground and the basket would slide in. It would be locked with a padlock, allowing for the baskets to be removed and the sleeve capped for the winter. The sleeves would be cemented in the ground and therefore kept in the ground year round. In regards to liability concerns,Mr. Ashton stated that he has never encountered anyone he knew who has gotten hurt playing the sport in the 30 years he has played MOTION Committee Member Crassweller motioned, seconded by Committee Member Straumann to recommend to the City Council the development of a frisbee golf course of some kind at Ingerson Park, recognizing that this was a process and that funds in the park fund be used to support the development. The motion carried 6-0, Committee Member McClung abstained. Mr. Hoag stated that one of his concerns regarding a disc golf course was that it would be more of a regional sell. He had reservations about installing a disc golf course where there was not adequate parking and that could potentially increased traffic on neighborhood streets. Ms. Olson stated her concern was that the committee needed to come up with a financial plan to fund their strategies. Funding options were not yet discussed at the Committee level and then also needed to be discussed with the Council. PARKS, TRAILS AND RECREATION COMMITTEE MEETING DECEMBER 19, 2006 Page 2 4. COUNCIL UPDATE- • The Truth in Taxation Hearing was held • The 2007 Budget was approved with a six percent levy increase. • The naming of the Elmer Andersen Trail was approved. • The Council reviewed the PTRC request for a traffic study at County Road E and Old Snelling. • The site plan was approved for 3433 Lake Johanna Boulevard. • There would be a Council appointed TCAAP Advisory Committee. 5. PARKS,TRAILS,AND RECREATION UPDATE Mr. Hoag provided the committee with the following update: • Public Works staff started flooding rinks again overnight Sunday. Warmer weather was forecasted for the next several days;therefore staff anticipated that rinks probably would not open until Tuesday. Installation of the portable building at Valentine Park was completed. • The Public Works crew responded to a couple of water main breaks in the last week. Ms. Olson provided the committee with the following update: • Ms. Olson was working on the Safe Routes to School Grant and the DNR Grant. • The Friends of the Park tree sale was currently going on. Interested individuals should get orders in soon. • Ms. Olson stated that the application for the County Road E bridge was submitted in October. The City should receive notification early in the year,possibly February. 6. PTRC STRATEGIES PLAN—FUNDING DISCUSSION Ms. Olson stated that the committee needed to come up with funding strategies that could be brought to the Council. The special park fund has dwindled and with limited developable land, there would not be much in park dedication fees to add to the fund. The Committee, after having developed its vision and strategies discussed looking at funding options. Ms. Olson stated that she believed the Council wanted to hear how the committee intended to fund their strategies. The purpose of the funding discussion with the Council was to work with the Council to identify sources to increase funding, perhaps in the form of grants, donations,etc. Council Liaison Larson suggested that perhaps the committee could inquire about funding options with surrounding cities. Chair Henry requested that the funding discussion be brought to the February Council work session. Ms. Olson stated that the City received notice of a statue change that restricted the use of charitable gambling funds for parks and recreation. Currently, parks and recreation received 60% of gambling funds,which translated into$36,000 last year. MOTION Committee Member Williams motioned, seconded by Committee Member Crassweller to expand the Ehlers engagement to include consideration of the sources for future parks, trails and recreation services. Motion carried 6-0, Committee Member McClung abstained. PARKS, TRAILS AND RECREATION COMMITTEE MEETING DECEMBER 19, 2006 Page 3 7. COMMITTEE EXPECTATIONS Chair Henry requested that the committee take a look at the attached proposed expectations and be prepared for a discussion at a future meeting. 8. NAMING OF GOVERNOR ELMER L.ANDERSEN TRAIL SEGMENT Ms. Olson stated that$25,000 was budgeted for trail signage in 2008. Chair Henry suggested having one set of guidelines for trail signs in the City. However, it would not pertain to the Governor Elmer L. Andersen trail sign because the committee wanted to encourage Ramsey County and other governmental entities to be involved with the trail. It was suggested that the Committee look at Hennepin and Ramsey County signs for ideas for the Governor Elmer L. Andersen Trail. Also, to revisit having the person who designed the City park signs to design signs for all other city trails. Ms. Olson would contact the designer and could probably bring this back in March, depending on the designer's schedule. 9. TONY SCHMIDT REGIONAL PARK MASTER PLAN DRAFT UPDATE Ms. Olson would contact Mr. Greg Mack, Ramsey County, to find out what was expected of the Committee in regards to this master plan draft; if the committee needed to review the plan and then make a recommendation to the Council. It was asked that Ms. Olson also request for an electronic copy of the draft. 10. NEXT MEETING DATE The next PTRC meeting was scheduled for January 9, 2007. Committee Member Baumann would send an electronic version of the bocce golf proposal to Ms. Olson to be included in the next agenda packet. Ms. Olson stated that a few benches needed to be added. The City has an inventory of benches and typically added to it yearly, as needed. In the past, benches have occasionally come up as Eagle Scout projects. With the proposed installation of a bocce golf course, it was suggested that benches be put at Ingerson Park. 11. TOWN HALL MEETING The Town Hall Meeting was on scheduled for January 16, 2007 from 6:00 p.m. to about 8:30. The City has expressed interest for the PTRC to have a table at the event. 12. AJOURN MOTION: Committee Member Straumann moved and Committee Member Crassweller seconded a motion to adjourn the meeting at 9:25 p.m. EN' HILLS: PTRC 2007 Schedule Meeting dates, times and locations are subject to change. Tuesday January 9 7:00 P.M. CANCELED Tuesday January 16 6:00 P.M. Town Hall Meeting Upper Conference Room, Thursday *February 22 7:00 P.M. Arden Hills City Hall Upper Conference Room, Tuesday March 20 7:00 P.M. Arden Hills City Hall Upper Conference Room, Tuesday April 17 7:00 P.M. Arden Hills City Hall Upper Conference Room, Tuesday May 15 7:00 P.M. Arden Hills City Hall Upper Conference Room, Tuesday June 19 7:00 P.M. Arden Hills City Hall Joint PTRC/Planning Meeting Tuesday July 17 7:00 P.M. Site TBD Tuesday August 21 NO MEETING Upper Conference Room, Tuesday September 18 7:00 P.M. Arden Hills City Hall Upper Conference Room, Tuesday October 16 7:00 P.M. Arden Hills City Hall Upper Conference Room, Tuesday November 20 7:00 P.M. Arden Hills City Hall Upper Conference Room, Tuesday December 18 7:00 P.M. Arden Hills City Hall *Meeting moved to Thursday due to City Council Work Session 2007 Park Funding Survey SURVEY QUESTION: Our Parks, Recreation and Trails Committee is studying potential funding alternatives. They have approved strategies which include a number of park improvements. As a City, we also have to plan for the costs of on-going maintenance. I am aware of many funding sources used by cities for parks facilities, infrastructure, improvements, and maintenance. However, staff would like to develop a comprehensive list of options that the Committee can study. Some obvious ideas are to increase your general levy and use park dedication fees. We are interested in finding out what other sources cities may be using to fund parks, recreation, and trails. 1. Kandis Hanson @ the City of Mound We have partnered with the DNR for the development of boat ramps and fishing piers in some or our parks bordering water. They also partnered with Wayzata, I think, on a marina project abutting their city. Needs to be on bodies of water where they have jurisdiction. _ 2. Jim Peterson @ Blaine In 2000,the voters of Blaine did approve a 3.5 million referendum, but it was for the purchase of land for open space. Our park system is funded in two ways: 1. Park dedication is required from all residential, commercial and industrial development. This allows us to acquire and build new parks and provide new facilities in our community parks and playfields,but does not allow us to use it for operation and maintenance. 2. The City annual general fund provides funding for park maintained and operation. We all know however this is a limited fund and a budgeting struggle each year. Maybe cities should get their legislators to make cities eligible for funding from Met Council's appropriation for regional parks? 3. Aaron Parrish @ Crookston As a community, we have done a few creative things. We recently built eight new tennis courts and three athletic fields in partnership with our local school district. We provided the upfront financing for the project. To repay the investment,we have a lease with the School District that will recapitalize the fund over a ten year period of time. This allowed the School District to utilize their lease levy authority. Continued on next page Aaron Parrish @ Crookston—continued— Their lease levy allows them to increase property taxes to generate funds to repay the lease. From our perspective, since the school district's property tax base is significantly larger than ours, it was a more desirable approach. The only downside is there is some financial exposure to the City in the event the school district would not annually renew the lease (school districts can only lease a year at a time). As a result, a degree of trust was required on our part. We also mitigated our exposure by requiring the school district to deed the property where the improvements were made to the City. This was required to do the lease levy as well. In the event of non- payment of the lease,we still have the land. Since it is part of their High School complex, we are pretty confidant they will renew the lease annually. The only other area we are exploring is the implementation of a local option sales tax to finance a new arena complex. Our current facilities need to be relocated as part of a flood control project we are working on. Many communities have done the local option sales tax for general park improvements,trials etc. . . . If you are looking at trail connections, MNDOT has their safe routes to schools program. If there are linkages to Valentine elementary that are being explored, that may be something to look at. 4. Eric A. Johnson @ Oak Park Heights You can't use park dedication for maintenance, (tired- darn attorneys) only capital imp. I don't know the Stat. number. We have discussed: Park Shelter rental fees and some Trail Pass Concepts, but none have been approved. 5. Joel Hanson @ Little Canada We have been using our 10% gaming funds to help in this area. 6. Heidi Nelson @ Ramsey Open Space/Parks referendum....we did one in Blaine when I was there if you want to talk about what we did. 7. Juli Johnson @ Eagan Attached is a copy of a report our parks commission completed a few years ago regarding this subject that you may find helpful. At this time, we are primarily relying on general levy and park dedication fees for funding,but are continuing to look at alternative resources for the future. Continued on next page 8. Terry Schwerm @ Shoreview We place a little toll booth at the entrance to each one of our parks and charge kids 25 cents each time they enter the park. It raised$6.8 million dollars last year. Actually, we just fund our park maintenance out of our general fund (tax dollars),mew park development out of our Capital Improvement Fund(combination of funding sources) and replacement items from our General Fixed Asset Revolving Fund(primarily tax dollars). The City did a comprehensive park and trail development referendum in 1988 that passed nearly 2 to ,but would probably be difficult to pass today with the changing demographics in the community. 9. Mark Nagel @ Eldo New Market We are considering contracts with private companies to provide recreation services...example: Skateboard camp—we get 20% of the registration fees. Sales of ad space have also on outdoor rinks have also helped. Let us know what you find out. i GIE11 OE eaaaA MEMO To: Ken Vraa, Director of Parks and Recreation CC: Paul Olson, Superintendent of Parks FROM: Beth A. Wielde, Parks Research and Special Projects DATE: October 20, 2003 RE: APrC Findings-Alternative Funding Study COUNCIL CHARGE In recognition that funding through parks and trail dedication would not sustain the parks system indefinitely, Council charged the Advisory Parks Commission(APrC) with identifying alternative revenue streams for the Park Site Fund. In June of 2002, the APrC began a series of workshops to brainstorm ideas and determine which of these ideas would bring a continuous stream of funds to support parks projects. METHODOLOGY The APrC received the findings of a survey conducted nationwide to see what methods other communities with high buildout rates used to fund their parks projects. Survey results indicated that aside from user fees, General Fund contributions, and bonds, the 33 respondents had no long-range planning strategy for sustaining revenue sources. It became clear that Eagan was pioneering a study of this sort. The survey was also notable for the low response rate. 117 surveys had been distributed, 48 in Minnesota, 117 nationwide. The low response rate may indicate that people felt the survey asking about creative funding methods just didn't apply to them. Learning of the disappointing results of the survey, the APrC workshop participants brainstormed any idea that could possibly generate revenue for the Park Site Fund. Out of this first pool of ideas, the APrC identified 10 that they wanted to discuss further. These items were: • Park tax • Park renewal/replacement fee on • Volunteer"Check Off'on utility water bills bills • Charitable gambling proceeds • Volunteerism • Increase park dedication fees • Adopt-A-Park programs • Charge the Public Works • Tax levy funds department for utility easements in • Mandatory water utility"round up" parks Some of the ideas were discussed and were determined as not feasible as a sustainable revenue source. The APrC then challenged staff to create projections of potential revenue from the sources that seemed to be sustainable. Investigation into the items that were considered "potential"revenue sources found that each idea, while having merit, had some inherent problems: • Park tax: Impose a tax from sales of goods such as gasoline or similar. Since the APrC has no authority to impose a tax, this idea was immediately deemed"not feasible." • Volunteer"Check Off' on utility bills: When checking with another city who has implemented this program, it was clear that this does not generate substantial revenue. Roseville says that this system has generated"a few thousand dollars" a year and about 20%participation for their parks system. The APrC determined that this, along with administrative costs of tracking such a system, would not sustain CIP projects. • Tax levy funds: While dedicating a portion of the tax levy is desirable, concern was brought up about the distribution of funds, and why parks CIP projects should be funded from the General Fund. Because of levy limits,this would mean a decrease in funding available to fund current General Fund programs. • Mandatory water utility "round up": When projected income was tallied, initial income was determined not to support a one-year CIP project list. With additional administrative costs to handle the program, it was determined that the cost far outweighed the benefit, and the idea was determined as "not feasible"as a sustainable revenue source. There was also an equity issue, since the amount paid per resident would be different for each person; if rounded to the next dollar, a person with a$40.56 water bill would pay$.44, while someone with a$40.98 water bill would only pay$.02. • Park renewal/replacement fee on water bills: While this idea would have generated a reasonable amount of revenue to sustain the CIP and been a reliable, sustainable revenue source, City Attorney Bob Bauer determined this idea had no legal basis to proceed. Thus the legality of the idea determined it to be"not feasible." This analysis meets Council's request to eliminate options that are not legally feasible. A confidential memo from the City Attorney's office reiterates this point,that legally this is not a feasible option. • Charitable gambling proceeds: State statute allows municipalities to receive a 10% contribution from charitable gambling operations within their community. While this system would generate some funds, the total amount would not be enough annually to sustain more than one or two projects on one year's CIP list. Income would potentially range from$24,000 to $40,000 each year, if gambling remains steady. Decline in legal gambling would decrease the amount of income. This idea was determined to not generate enough revenue to be considered a sustainable revenue source. • Increase park dedication fees: This idea will, in fact, generate revenue. It has been the primary revenue source for decades, sustaining CIP projects. Each year, fees are adjusted/increased to reflect market value of land. However, this source of revenue will decrease and eventually cease as land is developed and the City begins its "maintenance and replacement" mode. This source may not be reliable in the near(10- 20 year) future to sustain CIP projects. • Charge the Public Works department for utility easements in parks: There are many utility easements located on park property. The thought behind this option was to attach a fee to the land used for utility easements,to be charged to the Public Works department. There was concern, however, about using this as an income source; first, the Parks Department is not charged for utilities to the parks. This would detract from the earnings from this option. These findings were reported to Council at their workshop meeting on March 25, 2003. Council requested that additional information be investigated, such as: • Volunteerism: While volunteerism definitely benefits parks systems and can save some labor costs, it is not a revenue generator. Volunteers typically volunteer for one- time projects for service groups. Volunteers who commit regular service are not allowed to use the Figure 1:Adopt k Considered a Sustainable Revenue Source heavy equipment such as groomers or mowers due to potential liability problems. A survey was conducted to inquire about volunteerism and i adopt-a-park income in other Minnesota communities. 93% of the 39 respondents said that No volunteers produced no revenue for their parks system. This idea was determined as "not feasible" as a long-term revenue source. • adopt-A-Park programs: Respondents to the Figure 2:Adopt-a-park Duties volunteerism and adopt-a-park survey indicated :financial that Adopt-a-Park programs do not generate s°io other revenue for the department (see Figure 1), and 0 certainlynot enough to sustain CIP arks projects Financial and g p p J maintenance ' Heavy at Eagan's level. Figure 2 shows that 68%of 27% Maintenance respondents indicate that their Adopt-a-Park 0% program was a"light maintenance only"program where there is no fee charged for participation. This idea was deemed"not sustainable as a revenue source." • Lottery Grants: Staff investigated the process by which lottery funds are distributed. State lottery funds are distributed to the Legislative Commission on Minnesota Resources(LCMR),who allots it for grant funding. The City of Eagan has received LCMR-allotted funds through the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources in the form of grant funds. According to the LCMR, individual municipalities are not eligible to apply directly for State Lottery funding. • Partnership Opportunities: Eagan Parks and Recreation has historically welcomed sponsorship and partnership opportunities. In recent years, a sponsorship policy has been developed to guide the City on its dealings with external sponsors. The APrC is currently working on a donor recognition policy that will help with those opportunities. While partnerships are always welcome and a valuable part of the Parks system, they tend to be project or amenity specific rather than supportive of general parks operations or CIP lists. As such, they are typically not perceived as a revenue stream to fund CIP projects. COUNCIL CHARGE: SET GOALS FOR FUTURE FUNDING INITIATIVES AND DETERMINE FUNDING SOURCES FOR SPECIFIC GOALS The APrC met in September of 2003 to discuss future steps to supporting UP funds. They reviewed the annual cost of maintaining the parks system as-is, with no new development and no additional amenities. They determined that to maintain the status quo of the parks system_, it seemed reasonable to depreciate current Park Site Fund assets at $245,000 per year. Hypothetically, if no additional funds were added, the Park Site Fund would run out in 12 years just on holding the current park system, replacing depreciated amenities and regular replacements such as playground equipment, tennis courts, etc. Park Site Funds are used for CIP park development projects only, and by statute are not to be used in the general maintenance of a park or its amenities. Of course, there will likely be some income from parks dedication, so the estimated 12 years may be conservative. On the other hand,maintaining the status quo has not been the only function of the Park Site Fund. It is also used for acquisition,park development, Master Planning,new amenities, and the like. The status quo of expenditure actually reduces the 12- year estimate for depletion of existing Park Site Fund. Therefore, as revenue from parks and trails dedication decreases, it becomes urgent that a solid, identifiable source of revenue be identified before Park Site Funds can not support a conservative CIP. The APrC came up with three recommendations for Council to consider. RECOMMENDATIONS After over a year of research, workshops, discussion, and analysis, the Advisory Parks Commission has compiled its findings pertaining to alternative funding streams for City of Eagan parks. • Short-term: Discuss the logistics of a referendum to be used for acquisition and development projects. Also, use the existing park site fund for renewal/replacement, at approximately $245,000 per annum. • Long-term: Consider raising the levy, within the boundaries set by the state legislature. Consider a dedicated fund for renewal, development, and purchase of park amenities. • Continuous: Grants,donorships,and sponsorships will be pursued whenever possible. Grant funds tend to be project-specific and can not be considered a replacement to a continuous funding stream,but they are a very welcome supplement. r Commission and Committee: Committee Name: Parks Trails and Recreation Committee 'RC Established by Arden Hills City Council: General Purpose for Committees and Task Forces: The overall purpose for committees and task forces are to improve the value of the Arden Hills citizens' property, increase the desirability of Arden Hills as a place to live or work, and to enhance/protect the health and well-being of the citizens. While the City Council and City Staff have the sole responsibility for all activities with in the city of Arden Hills,from time-to-time they find it desirable,advantageous and necessary to bring together residents of Arden Mills in order to broaden and enrich the discussion around possible decisions. As an example,the City Council's ability to debate and consider far-ranging alternatives is stifled by the risk that the mere discussion of alternatives will engender them with undeserved merit. In addition,Arden Hills will always seek to hire the most qual.i fied and capable employees,but in doing so we will frequently hire staff that is not intimately connected to the Arden Hills neighborhoods. Therefore it is critical that the City create a mechanism where the City Staff can get unfettered and unbiased reaction to their novel thoughts and ideas. The Commission,Committee and Task Forces are established to broaden and enrich the content that will ultimately be enacted or authorized by the elected City Council. Mission/Purpose: Parks,trails and recreation in Arden Hills enhance the health and well-being of the residents/guest,improve the value of citizens' property,and increase the desirability of the city as a place to live or work. The PTRC represents the interests of Arden Hills' citizens in leading the ongoing development,improvement and maintenance of those resources. The PTRC members gather and consider community input and recommends to the City Council actions that support those interests;monitors use of and improvements in parks,trails and recreation;and collaborates with other city committees and commissions to improve park.%and trails. Expected outcomes: Specific Obiectiv_es: Longer Term Objectives: 1)Explore and recommend financing methods that enable the parks and trail system to transition from the existing Park Dedication Fees to appropriate ongoing funding sources. 2)Develop Parks and Trails Plan for TCAAP r - ` 2)participation of rrRC members is key to their contribution: a)Members should be present at and involved in meetings of the committee b)Members should be actively engaged in discussing issues,sharing perspectives and raising questions that arc essential elements of"good decision-making'. c)Effective participation derives from continually learning about Arden Hills' parks,trails and recreation and the physical and political environments in which they exist.This learning process includes formal opportunities afforded by PTRC, as well as informal opportunities that occur in the course each member's activity. d)As a guideline,members should expect to spend approximately 6 to 8 hours per month in their work on the PTRC committee. 3)The PTRC is a group of peers—no single member has more standing or power than another. 4)Respect for the opinions of other members,and for those with wbom the PTRC interacts,is a hallmark of the committee's work. Members seek clarity in presenting their views,and represent a sense of stewardship in all that they do. 5) PTRC members engage in continual self-assessment of their performance on the committee. As needs arise,they seek education,input and the skills necessary to their performance. 6)The PTRC provides opportunity for the education of its members,both as a part of committee meetings,and through access to outside educational events. Members are expected to actively participate in these opportunities. 2)Some of the PTRC's work involves subjective judgment,where there is not enough data to make the decisions that are necessary. Members who are most successful in these decisions are those who are aware of the values in their neighborhood,willing to engage in the discussion of values,and respectful of those values held by others that might differ from their own. 8)By design the PTRC is composed of individuals with diverse perspectives and experience. The committee benefits from these contrasts that this diversity engenders and seeks to improve the decisions in makes and actions it takes by understanding the differences and resolving disputes that arise during discussion of issues and plans. „ ,`;E R�4NIEYy UNE , PIS K AREATI ft NMMI �30`hlf € E ND E RE "d, ow if €i E �E�� � r P ”( ✓�t9 � �� -t E z Farua 1. , bD� ;- � E, € €sE,(t( € SaOUN D RECRE E �IQN �TY PlLS AN 2015� E1Ea�/�►�N� EEfiu€.. Ih�E aaH E '_ L MAP EUl N 55109 6 Ct �IYTa E ME AMAIN FLOOR CI�FERENCE ROON� , 1) CALL TO ORDER 2) APPROVAL OF AGENDA 3) APPROVAL OF MINUTES OF JANUARY 9, 2007 4) 2007 DEPARTMENT WORK PROGRAM 5) 2007 COMMISSION WORK PROGRAM 6) MEETING ATTENDANCE 7) 2008-13 CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM 8) DIRECTOR'S REPORT 9) REPORTS FROM CHAIR AND OTHER COMMISSION MEMBERS 10) ADJOURNMENT EEEEE - EEE i RA Wy.. C" 60 N �1 ` _'ARKEE �41 �£ RE+ l EA71 t 1 D EPAR VINT` € € € '15N1�?RTFVN DYKE STREET [ E€ E E , p '€{€AEI r. { Ef MAP LEwQOD, MN t��l0 hl €€ E uEE c' c€ � E EY Etc'` iEi .[. °.EE1 €Fr- ,iCoEnferer�oeRoom The regular meeting of the Ramsey County Parks and Recreation Commission was called to order by Chair Straumann at 6:00 p.m., at the Ramsey County Parks and Recreation Department, 2015 North Van Dyke Street, Maplewood, Minnesota. Members Present: Deb Falkowski, Gale Pederson, Candace Petersen, Richard Straumann, Elyssa Weber Members Absent: Terry Huntrods, Phil Jenni, Jonathon Kusa Staff Present: Greg Mack and Larry Holmberg APPROVAL OF AGENDA Chair Straumann asked for a motion to approve the agenda. Ms. Falkowski moved, seconded by Ms. Peterson that the agenda be approved. Motion carried. APPROVAL OF MINUTES Chair Straumann asked for a motion to approve the minutes of the December 12, 2006 meeting. Ms. Falkowski moved,seconded by Ms. Pederson, that the minutes of the December 12, 2006 meeting be approved as mailed. Motion carried. ELECTION OF OFFICERS Ms. Pederson nominated Mr. Straumann for Chair, seconded by Ms. Petersen. Hearing no additional nominations, Ms. Pederson moved, seconded by Ms. Pedersen, that nominations be closed and a unanimous ballot be cast for Mr. Straumann as Chair. Motion carried. Ms. Falkowski nominated Ms. Pederson, seconded by Ms. Weber, to serve as Vice Chair. Hearing no additional nominations, Mr. Falkowski moved, seconded by Ms. Weber, that nominations be closed a unanimous ballot be cast for Ms. Pederson as Vice Chair. Motion carried. APPROVAL OF BY-LAWS FOR 2007 Chair Straumann asked for a motion to approve the by-laws for 2007. Ms. Pederson moved, seconded by Ms. Falkowski, that the by-laws be approved for 2007. Motion carried. REVIEW OF 2006 PARKS AND RECREATION COMMISSION WORK PROGRAM ACCOMPLISHMENTS 2006 OBJECTIVES Development Projects requiring further plan formulation and public involvement ♦ Review site and building plans for Lake Josephine County Park. COMPLETED ♦ Review plans for trails within the Twin Cities Army Ammunitions Plant. COMPLETED ♦ Review exhibit plan and site plan for Tamarack Nature Center. ONGOING 1 ♦ Review plans for trail underpasses at Tony Schmidt Regional Park. COMPLETED ♦ Review plans for redevelopment of Keller Regional Park. COMPLETED; RESTROOM BUILDINGS UNDER CONSTRUCTION ♦ Review plans for redevelopment of Turtle Lake County Park. REVIEW COMPLETED, BUT REDEVELOPMENT NOT FUNDED ♦ Review plans for the entry sign and shelter at Sucker Lake. COMPLETED Natural Resources Management ♦ Review and make recommendations on natural resources management programs at various county and regional park areas. COMPLETED AS PART OF SYSTEM PLAN ♦ Review findings of the annual deer herd census and management recommendations in accordance with the Cooperative Deer Management Plan. COMPLETED Special Projects Review the Master Plan for Tony Schmidt Regional Park. REVIEW COMPLETED Recommend approval of the updated system plan for the Parks and Recreation Department. COMPLETED ♦ Maintain communication with the County Board on critical issues pertaining to parks and recreation services. ONGOING; PRESENTED STATE OF THE PARKS REPORT TO THE COUNTY BOARD ♦ Establish closer working relationships with municipal parks and recreation commissions, citizen advocacy groups (e.g. Friends of the St. Paul and Ramsey County Parks and Trails), and elected officials. ONGOING ♦ Review master plan amendments to incorporate the Snail Lake Marsh area into the Highway 96 Regional Trail. CARRY FORWARD ♦ Review and comment on plans that may be formulated by the Minnesota Amateur Sports Commission for use of the warehouse building location within the Rice Creek North Regional Trail CARRY FORWARD ♦ Work with cross-country ski advocates to assess the feasibility of developing and operating a snowmaking system for cross-country skiing and tubing at Battle Creek Regional Park. FEASIBILITY STUDY UNDERWAY ♦ Participate in the Active Living Ramsey County Program. ONGOING KELLER GOLF COURSE PROPOSAL The Keller Golf Course and Clubhouse need substantial updating. The current Clubhouse is an older facility that has been adapted over the years but is undersized and unable to compete with other local golf courses. The current kitchen is inadequate for catering and there is inadequate seating capacity for larger groups and tournament activities. The vision for a new clubhouse would be 22,000 square feet in size, seating for 350, a separate snack bar area, ability to hold concurrent events and increased parking capacity. The estimated cost for this type of clubhouse is $7 million. Golf course improvements are estimated at $3 million. The funding is proposed to be phased over two years: Consulting fees (Phase 1) are estimated at $650,000. It is likely that the golf course would be closed during construction which would result in lost revenue. Ms. Falkowski moved, seconded by Ms. Petersen, that the Commission recommends support for the Keller Golf Course/Clubhouse redevelopment proposal. Motion carried. PROPOSED ENCROACHMENT ORDINANCE lohn Moriarty was present at this meeting to discuss the proposed encroachment ordinance. Parks and -Recreation currently follows a policy outlined in a 1995 resolution when dealing with encroachment issues. The Parks and Recreation Department discussed encroachment issues with the County Board in September 2 2006. The Board reaffirmed the existing policy and suggested strengthening the approaches to education, notification and enforcement. The Commission reviewed the education and notification approaches and a proposed amendment to the Ordinance that specifically addresses encroachments. Ms. Pederson moved, seconded by Ms. Petersen, to recommend support for the following proposed ordinance amendment on encroachments: CHAPTER III SECTION Y— ENCROACHMENTS It shall be unlawful for any person to encroach on park property with such items as fences, gardens, other personal property, or to disturb the natural landscape, vegetation or structures on park property or otherwise use park property for private use. All setbacks and other local zoning regulations are in effect and apply against properties adjacent to a County Park as they would against property adjacent to private property; Motion carried. RAMSEY COUNTY REGIONAL TRAIL NETWORK The County Board approved a Federal Legislative request for$33 million to complete the 100-mile regional trail network throughout Ramsey County. The regional trail will serve as arterial routes that link local trails and trails that extend to adjacent counties. Approximately 56 miles of the system have been developed. lThe Commission expressed strong support for the proposed regional trail network. DIRECTOR'S REPORT Greg Mack stated: ♦ 2008-2013 CIP will be presented to the Commission on February 13, 2007 ♦ LCCMR emphasis in 2007 is on acquisition for the Regional Park System 2007 Parks and Recreation Department work program to be presented at the next Parks Commission meeting REPORTS FROM CHAIR AND OTHER COMMISSION MEMBERS ADJOURNMENT Upon appropriate motion, the meeting adjourned. Vicki Dahlquist 3