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HomeMy WebLinkAbout03-18-14 PTRC Minutes 'It ,AVEEN�HILLS CITY OF ARDEN HILLS PARKS,TRAILS AND RECREATION COMMITTEE MEETING TUESDAY,MARCH 18,2014 ARDEN HILLS CITY HALL CALL MEETING TO ORDER Co-Chair Phil Kramlinger called the March 18, 2014, meeting of the Parks, Trails, and Recreation Committee to order at 6:35 p.m. and welcomed new member Jennifer Stephens to the PTRC. MEMBERS PRESENT: Co-Chairs Phil Kramlinger and John Van Valkenburg and Committee Members Nancy O'Malley, Steve Scott, Chuck Michaelson, Harold Petersen, Rich Straumann and Jennifer Stephens. OTHERS PRESENT: Public Works Director Maurer and Council Liaison Dave McClung. ABSENT: Committee Members Cindy Garretson, Don Messerly, and Matt Trites. 1. APPROVAL OF AGENDA MOTION: Committee Member Scott motioned to approve the agenda as amended seconded by Committee Member Petersen. The motion carried unanimously 8-0 . 2. APPROVAL OF MINUTES -January 14,2014 MOTION: Committee Member Michaelson motioned to approve the January 14, 2014, minutes as presented, seconded by Committee Member Petersen. The motion carried unanimously (8-0). 3. UNFINISHED BUSINESS A. Emerald Ash Borer Update Public Works Director Maurer recapped that staff provided the City Council with an Emerald Ash Borer update at the February 18, 2014, work session. The City's contracted arborist from Precision Tree and Landscaping evaluated 54 ash trees and found 38 to be healthy and good candidates for treatment. When these findings were presented to Council there was discussion on whether the remaining 16 trees should also be treated, or some other action taken. The consensus of the Council was to go ahead and treat the 38 ash trees that were recommended. The Council asked staff to bring back more information this summer on the remaining 16 trees to determine options on removal and replacement. The Council asked that staff bring this to the PTRC for review. Mr. Maurer pointed out that the packet included exhibits of each of the parks and a description of where the ash trees are located along with the diameter of each tree. The Parks,Trails&Recreation Committee Meeting Minutes March 18,2014 Page 2 trees staff will be revisiting with the Council are the smaller trees that were recommended not to be treated to discuss removal and replacement. Mr. Maurer also pointed out that Ms. Olson has negotiated a private treatment price with Precision Landscaping for Arden Hills' residents at a price of$7.00 per DBH for 24" or less and $9.00 for 24" or more. Mr. McClung informed that treatment has had a success rate of above 90%but that the disadvantage is that once you treat you need to continue to treat and that this was one of the reasons it was decided to treat only the significant trees in the parks. B. Other Unfinished Business None. 4. NEW BUSINESS A. Joint Meeting Debrief—2014 Work Plan Discussion Public Works Director Maurer recapped that the City Council reviewed the proposed 2014 committee goals and work plan at the February 18, 2014,joint PTRC/City Council meeting. From input provided at that meeting, Parks and Recreation Manager Olson has made some minor adjustments to the proposed work plan which are noted in the bullet points on the first page of her memo. Mr. Maurer asked the committee to review Attachment A and the Draft Work Plan (Attachment B) and provide any comments or suggestions. Committee Member O'Malley asked that the Mission Statement in Attachment A include wording regarding "helping preserve natural resources" and that Item 10 under Ongoing and As Needed Goals read "Prepare semi-regular articles that the Committee would like to see highlighted in the City newsletter." Committee Member Stephens indicated she would volunteer to assist with any articles the PTRC had for the newsletter. Council Liaison McClung indicated the Communications Committee will also work with the PTRC on helping communicate information to the residents. Discussion ensued and it was decided the committee members would think about topics they could include in the newsletter. Mr. McClung indicated he felt the joint meeting went very well and that the presentation was very good. He stated that since Council has decided not to move forward with franchise fees it will cause some issues with prioritization and the committee will need to find creative ways to move forward with some of the projects. He feels the committee should look at what the next real possibilities are and do some legwork in order to have them ready when those opportunities present themselves. Committee Member O'Malley asked if they should put another article in the newsletter about the Arden Hills Foundation. Committee Member Stephens informed that an article was in the newsletter this month. Council Liaison McClung stated that the committee may want to ask the Foundation how the PTRC can help get the message out about the Foundation as some of the parks and trails projects could be goals of the Foundation. Public Works Director Maurer informed that Councilmember Holmes provided packages with information on the Foundation for him to distribute to the PTRC members. Discussion then ensued regarding the wording of the mission statement and correcting the wording for Item 910. Parks,Trails&Recreation Committee Meeting Minutes March 18,2014 Page 3 MOTION: Committee Member O'Malley motioned to change the wording of the second sentence of the mission statement to read"The Parks, Trails, and Recreation Committee (PTRC)represents the interests of Arden Hills citizens in leading the continuing preservation, improvement, development and expansion of those resources. The motion was seconded by Committee Member Petersen. The motion carried unanimously 8-0. The committee members indicated they felt they would be more effective as a committee by establishing a task force or subcommittee to work on some of the goals instead of waiting for them to happen and should discuss this when Ms. Olson returns. Public Works Director Maurer indicated he would make a note to Ms. Olson to add discussion of subcommittees as an agenda item for the next meeting. Committee Member Straumann also suggested that staff have a joint meeting with Ramsey County and the surrounding communities to discuss mutually beneficial park projects and activities. B. TCAAP Park Discussion Public Works Director Maurer indicated that Council has asked staff to review with the PTRC the Master Plan recommendations, anaylsis of current programming/field needs and to give recommendations for TCAAP draft master plan park amenities and fields. Public Works Director Maurer presented Powerpoint slides of the Master Plan depicting the draft master plan land use and parks and trails layout. Public Works Director Maurer indicated that he and Parks and Recreation Manager Olson had met with the Planning Group to provide information about existing parks to be used for the layout of parks in TCAAP. The proposed plan does a good job with the number of fields needed but does not provide enough land to put the other amenities that are needed in those areas such as parking, play structures, and picnic shelters. After reviewing the analysis, staff created their own draft layouts and suggest a park in each of the three locations (the Creek Neighborhood, The Town Center Neighborhood and the Hill Neighborhood)but feel there should be an athletic complex,which would have lighted softball and hockey facilities,located outside the neighborhoods as well. In the layout staff provided for the Athletic Complex there are two regulation softball fields along with a hockey rink, pleasure rink and a warming house, which would require approximately 9 acres. The Master Plan has a hockey rink in the Town Center but staff does not think that would be the best location for a hockey rink. For the Hill Neighborhood which is at the south end of TCAAP, the layout includes a youth baseball/soccer field, a larger U10/U12 free-standing soccer field, a picnic shelter, play structures, and a half basketball court which would require a little over 5 acres. Parks,Trails&Recreation Committee Meeting Minutes March 18,2014 Page 4 For the Town Center area, the layout shows an offstreet parking area, a couple tennis courts, a full basketball court, a picnic shelter,play structures, and a splash pad, which would require close to 4 acres. The last area is up in the Creek Neighborhood and staff has included onstreet parking, a play structure, a combination youth ballfield and soccer field, a half basketball court, and a picnic shelter, which would require 3.4 acres. Public Works Director Maurer concluded that the Planning Group did a good job laying out the fields, but did not provide enough space to build the fields to the right size and when everything is laid out, approximately twice the area of what they accommodated for would be needed. This is largely due to the 9 acres it would take to build a freestanding softball/hockey rink complex located off a major road which would eliminate the issue of traffic in the neighborhoods. Mr. Maurer indicated the intent was to present this to the committee this evening to get feedback and see if there is any other additional information they would like or any additional research they would like staff to do before the next meeting. Staff will be looking for some kind of recommendation at the April PTRC meeting which can then be brought forth to Council and then back to the development team for some modifications. Then at some point the revised/final plans will come back to Council. Council Liaison McClung stated that what Council is looking for from the PTRC is whether this is going in the right direction or does something need to be added. He indicated this meeting and the next meeting are very significant as a lot of what the committee recommends is going to be the future for how the parks and trails look in TCAAP. Co-Chair Van Valkenberg asked if Mr. Scott would be willing to have a meeting for those interested in having a subcommittee. This would then allow them to have an additional discussion before the regular PTRC meeting in April. The committee decided to have a meeting on Tuesday, April 1 at 7:00 p.m. for those interested in attending. Discussion ensued on amenities for the area. C. Other New Business None. 5. REPORTS A. City Council Report Council Liaison McClung mentioned that Council approved an amendment to the PUD for Lexington Station. He indicated there will be a Starbucks and a Noodles & Company, and they are looking for a 3rd and possibly a 4th restaurant to go in there as well. Mr. McClung informed that the Goodwill proposal for County Road E and Lexington was denied by the Council. Parks,Trails&Recreation Committee Meeting Minutes March 18,2014 Page 5 Council Liaison McClung reported that the B2 District Plan is moving forward and that Council has been looking at some lighting options. He reminded the committee the Plan will move forward in 2015 and that the bridge on County Road E over Snelling Avenue will be out for a period of time. Mr. McClung indicated that Council denied a County proposal for a Conditional Use Permit for a Yard Waste Site and a Source Separated Organic Site as part of the Tony Schmidt Park off New Brighton Road. This was denied because there were some major concerns about the Source Separated Organic Site. Council Liaison McClung reiterated that the City Council will not be moving forward with the Franchise Fees so there will be a need to look for grants and other opportunities. Mr. McClung reminded the members that the last day to order trees from the Friends of the Park Tree Sale is April 18 and that this is an opportunity for residents to donate trees to the City. He indicated the information is also available on the website. Council Liaison McClung mentioned that there is no further news regarding the proposal for the old Carroll's Furniture building. He stated that this is a challenging property because of lack of parking. B. Public Works/Parks & Recreation Report Public Works Director Maurer again acknowledged the Arden Hills Foundation material he received from Councilmember Holmes. Mr. Maurer reminded the committee about the Clean-up Day flyer in the packet and that the Clean-Up Day will be held on Saturday, April 26. Steve Scott mentioned he has spoken to the JDA and the City Council about a site to fly model airplanes. He indicated that he belongs to the National Orginzation and that the organization is interested in helping him organize some kind of effort to get some space at TCAAP. ADJOURNMENT MOTION: Committee Member Petersen moved to adjourn the meeting at 8:35 p.m., seconded by Committee Member Van Valkenburg. The motion carried unanimously (6-0). NEXT MEETING For those interested, there will be a subcommittee meeting to discuss the Master Plan recommendations for programming/field needs, amenities, and land use for TCAAP on Tuesday, April 1, 2014, at 7:00 p.m. The next regular meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, April 16, 2014, at 6:30 p.m.