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HomeMy WebLinkAbout03-17-15 PTRC Minutes CITY OF ARDEN HILLS PARKS, TRAILS AND RECREATION COMMITTEE MEETING TUESDAY, MARCH 17, 2015 ARDEN HILLS CITY HALL CALL MEETING TO ORDER Chair Stephens called the March 17, 2015, meeting of the Parks, Trails, and Recreation Committee to order at 6:35 p.m. MEMBERS PRESENT: Chair Jennifer Stephens and Committee Members Chuck Michaelson, Nancy O’Malley, Harold Petersen, Rich Straumann and John Van Valkenburg. OTHERS PRESENT: Staff Liaison Sara Grant and Recreation Programmer Aaron Thelen. ABSENT: Committee Members Matt Trites, Phil Kramlinger and Council Liaison Holden. Phil Kramlinger gave his resignation from the PTRC Committee. He would like to stay involved with the Committee and Trail Sub Committee. 1. APPROVAL OF AGENDA MOTION: Committee Member O’Malley would like to add planting some wild flowers in brushy areas. Rich would like to add something to the survey based on his email he sent. Committee Member Stephens motioned to approve the agenda seconded by Committee Member Petersen. The motion carried unanimously (7-0). 2. APPROVAL OF MINUTES – March 17, 2015 Committee Member Petersen indicated that sometimes in the minutes his name is listed incorrectly. Please make the changes accordingly. Committee Member O’Malley mentioned the change about Community Gardens in the survey being across from the school. It should be listed as Highway 10 Garden Plots. Committee Member Petersen mentioned that on page 3 question number 13 should be listed as What recreation programs do you use? (Youth, Senior) You could break it down further by youth sports etc. Committee Member O’Malley had a couple of questions regarding the Church by Hazelnut Park offering to help with the Hazelnut Park signage garden. MOTION: Committee Member Petersen motioned to approve the March 17, 2015, minutes as amended seconded by Committee Member Van Valkenburg. The motion carried unanimously (7-0). Parks, Trails & Recreation Committee Meeting Minutes March 17, 2015 Page 2 3. UNFINISHED BUSINESS A. Basketball Court Improvements – Donation Letter Committee Member O’Malley, Committee Member Van Valkenburg and Staff Member Grant came up with a donation letter. After reviewing the letters at the PTRC Meeting everyone decided that the letters should be combined. The PTRC will be asking some of the local businesses for donations for some basketball system improvements. Committee Member O’Malley commented that Land O’ Lakes and Fair Isaac could be approached about donating even if they choose to donate a small amount. We would like to ask for a specific amount from each business. Committee Member Stephens stated that if we are planning on asking for donations to a specific park those donations would have to go to only that park. Committee Member Van Valkenburg would like to look over the drafts of the letters and combine them. We will be bringing the letter to the next meeting for approval. Committee Member O’Malley was wondering what businesses we could approach around Hazelnut Park. Staff Liaison Grant thought that it would be a good idea to look over the donations we received for Celebrating Arden Hills and add them to the list of businesses to send the donation letter to. Staff Member Grant will provide this list at the next PTRC Meeting. Committee Member O’Malley listed off some of the businesses that we should be sending the donation letter to: Those businesses include: Boston Scientific, Fair Isaac, Land O Lakes, Smith Medical, Presb yterian Homes, Deluxe, Frattallone's, Gradient, and Bethel. B. PTRC 2015 Meeting Dates Staff Liaison Grant provided a calendar for all of the upcoming 2015 PTRC Meeting Dates. Committee Member Van Valkenburg would like to know when the PTRC is planning on meeting with the Arden Hills City Council. We would like to know a date for this meeting. Committee Member Van Valkenburg would like to know when Council meets to talk about the budget. The Public Works/Parks and Recreation joint meeting with Council has been cancelled for this upcoming Monday April, 20. Parks, Trails & Recreation Committee Meeting Minutes March 17, 2015 Page 3 C. 2015 Community Parks and Trails Survey Staff Liaison Grant provided the members with the new community survey. Chair Stephens likes how the survey has the different sections and this represents what we talked about. Committee Member O’Maley mentioned that question 12 should be changed. Take out Walking and Biking Trials, playground equipment, picnicking, and solitude. The PTRC plans on sending the 2015 survey out after summer programs are completed. Committee Member Straumann has a question that he would like added to the 2015 Community Survey. There are going to be 3 parks in Rice Creek Commons. Land could become available for a community center, outdoor fields, aquatic center, Go Ape ropes course, multi-use inflated dome, hockey arena, snow shoe trails etc... The PTRC would like to ask a question on the survey to see if Residents of Arden Hills would be interested in having some of the amenities mentioned. The energy task force is discussing some possibilities as well. Committee Member Straumann also suggested partnering with the Army National Guard. Chair Stephens suggested that we could add another questions to the survey. If land use would be available what would you like to see? Indoor space, Go Ape, hockey arena, aquatic center, etc…? Staff Liaison Grant discussed the possibilities of adding an indoor space. The school district is charging the City of Arden Hills for all use of their facilities. It would be interesting to see how many different programs we can offer using this new indoor space. We would also be able to have increased revenue from rentals. We would also be able to have sponsorships that would pay for some of the costs. Recreation Programmer Aaron Thelen discussed the idea of having an indoor building structure that would be available for recreational use. It would be very similar to a dome but we can rent it out to different teams, adults, etc… If we had a field with artificial turf the turf lasts 10+ years with minimal grooming and maintenance. 4. NEW BUSINESS A. Bark & Recreation Day The Arden Hills Parks and Recreation Department and PTRC will be having a Bark & Recreation Day. This event will be held at Hazelnut Park on Saturday, July 25th from 1:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. Staff Liaison Grant talked about how the event will be run. There will be activities for all ages. The Arden Hills Parks and Recreation Department will have a craft for families to Parks, Trails & Recreation Committee Meeting Minutes March 17, 2015 Page 4 make. This will be able to promote our dog park. The AH finance department will be sending out our flyer in the utility bills coming up in June. Some other ideas were shared about getting some of the local pet clinics/animal hospitals involved as well. B. Planting Wild Flowers to Gardens Committee Member Michelson, Committee Member O’Malley, and Bob Mullen have found a spot for wildflowers along the trail from Venus to E2. There is a wide open space to have wild flowers. Bob Mullen ordered 10,000 seeds. We will need to find out whose property it is before we would plant anything. Bob Mullen has been looking for sites where wild flowers can be planted. Staff Liaison Grant stated that she would look into the land they are talking about to see if it is Arden Hills property. B. Other New Business Committee Member Straumann let us know that the Trail Subcommittee will not be meeting with Ramsey County on April 14th. The chair was unable to make the meeting. For our meeting with the council we would like to see what dates the trails will be going in. 5. REPORTS A. City Council Report None B. Public Works/Parks & Recreation Report Staff Liaison Grant mentioned that the Arden Hills Parks and Recreation Guide went out to all residents. We have a lot of new and exciting classes and programs that we are offering, and there are also senior programs included. Staff Liaison Grant is going to the Arden Hills Foundation Meeting Wednesday, March 18th. I will discuss with the Foundation our donation letter, any tree donations, and plant donations that they have been receiving in Don Messerly’s name. ADJOURNMENT MOTION: Chair Stephens moved to adjourn the meeting at 7:50 p.m., seconded by Committee Member Petersen. The motion carried unanimously (7-0). NEXT MEETING The next scheduled meeting is Tuesday, May 18th at 6:30 p.m.