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HomeMy WebLinkAbout11-27-2001 PTRC Meeting Minutes EN HILLS MINUTES PARKS, TRAILS & RECREATION COMMITTEE TUESDAY,NOVEMBER 27, 2001, 7:00 P.M. ARDEN HILLS CITY HALL 4364 WEST ROUND LAKE ROAD CALL TO ORDER Chair Messerly called the November 27, 2001 meeting of the Parks, Trails and Recreation Committee to order at 7:05 p.m. MEMBERS PRESENT: Don Messerly, Jim Crassweller, Roberta Thompson, Patrick Krenn, Steve Zilmer, Rich Straumann, Don Tix. OTHERS PRESENT: Tom Moore, Parks and Recreation Director; Michelle Olson, Parks and Recreation Program Supervisor; Greg Ingram, Ingram and Associates; and Bonita Sullivan, Recording Secretary. • APPROVAL OF AGENDA Chair Messerly asked if Committee Nominee Garretson had been approved. Mr. Moore stated that there is a new application process in place that applies to all Committees in the City. He explained that new applicants who fill out an application are now required to include a resume. He stated that they have not made a decision yet. The Agenda was approved by consensus. APPROVAL OF MINUTES Committee Member Zilmer stated that it the reference to skateboards should read BMX bikes. Parks and Recreation Supervisor Olson stated that under the Parks and Recreation Updates section she has several changes. She referenced the second paragraph should state that they were very lucky few games were cancelled due to bad weather. She stated that the 3rd paragraph beginning with 'registration process' should state that the guide would be available the first or second week of November and that the titles should be Skating Instructor and Skating Rink Attendants. Greg noted that on the first page, under Others Present, the spelling for his company name • spelling should be Ingraham. Committee Member Krenn asked to correct the spelling of his name on page three. Arden Hills Park and Recreation Committee Meeting November 27,2001 2 • Chair Messerly noted that under the section discussing the Buckthorn issue that the spelling should be corrected for Crepeau Park. Parks and Recreation Supervisor Olson noted that in the second paragraph, Buckthorn discussion it should state 'the high school football field'. MOTION: Chair Messerly moved and Committee Member Zilmer seconded the motion to approve the October 23, 2001 minutes as corrected. The motion carried unanimously. PARK AND RECREATION UPDATES Mr. Moore provided a Park and Recreation update to the Committee. He referenced a dirt bike track that they have had to knock down twice noting that the young men rebuilt twice before giving up the idea. He stated that all City gardens are now winterized and the equipment has been changed over for the season. He stated that the snow plow system is in place and that they have started plowing around Floral Park. He further stated that the remaining parks would be finished by the end of the week. He reviewed the snow removal policies with the Committee. He explained that the new process would delay access to parks, trails and ice rinks adding that the advantage to this process is that they would have eight employees assigned to the parks and it would complete faster. He stated that the park employees have joined the union and explained the groups now included in the union to the • Committee. He explained that the ground has not frozen enough for ice rinks yet. He further explained that the warming houses are stocked, wood is in place and that security lights are on and ready for the season. Recreation Update-Michelle Olson Parks and Recreation Supervisor Olson provided an update for the recreation activities and park sports enrollment to the Committee. She stated that the Pumpkin Hunt was successful. She discussed staffing issues and updated the Committee on the status for placement. She stated that they are close to being finished with the hiring for Skating Rink Attendants and that the process is going well. She reviewed the fall status report with the Committee. She stated that the Army Reserve closing has caused a loss of participants particularly in dance. She explained that they are waiting to hear on January schedule noting that the programs are done through the fall and is finished December 17, 2001. She stated that overall it has been a good fall season. Committee Member Crassweller noted that participation was down to 63 from 1998 to 1999. He asked for comparison between 1999 and 1998. He stated that they had 550 participants in the fall program and approximately 600 in 1999 and would like to know how it compares for 1998 and 1997. He stated that it would be good to utilize the information to determine the trend in program participation. He referenced the long-term plan for parks noting that frisbee and golf areas have been designated in some parks and suggested considering an area for dirt bikes. • Arden Hills Park and Recreation Committee Meeting November 27,2001 3 • COUNCIL UPDATE Council Member Larson provided an update to the Committee. He stated that December is a major decision month regarding the budget. He explained that they are required to hold a hearing prior to setting the final budget and stated that a Truth in Taxation meeting is scheduled for December 10, 2001. He noted the 8.7% increase stating that the changes made in the Legislature has changed the formula for distribution of the money. He explained the changes and the effects to the budget noting that the City taxes would go up and school district taxes would go down. Council Member Larson reviewed items that were addressed by the Council stating that the City has adopted a new sign ordinance. He stated that the Council approved the agreement with Trinity Lutheran Church that would allow them to share parking for the park and ride in exchange for plowing, sweeping and general maintenance. He stated that there was considerable discussion around the apartment building to be used primarily for Bethel College. He explained that the Council denied the PUD and the request for rezoning and referenced the master plan for Bethel. He stated that there should be further discussion if Bethel is planning to expand. Council Member Larson stated they discussed funding for parks and recreation noting that revenues have been decreasing. He said that they want to determine how this could be changed. He stated that one of the recommendations is to have the Parks and Recreation • Committee meet, discuss the issues, determine the programs offered, prioritize and present their findings to the Council. He acknowledged that in order to maintain current programs and provide more in the future would require finding a better way to finance the department. He clarified that the Council has not come up with a solution yet and that the Council would like input from the Parks and Recreation Committee. Committee Member Crassweller asked for clarification on how they determined the funding process. He stated that at the time they initially determined the funding process charitable gambling revenues was sufficient noting that this has now changed. Council Liaison Larson noted that they are operating under levy limits and fire and police protection eat up much of this funding. He doesn't see that they would have the flexibility to increase the levy noting the political issues that could affect that type of increase. Committee Member Crassweller asked if dedications and special events have been considered as a form of funding. Council Liaison Larson stated that this has been given consideration as a possible avenue for funding. He referenced various community functions that could be utilized to raise money for funding programs and noted the school district as an example. He explained that the schools are creating their own fund raising programs to help add funding. He stated that he would prefer to find a more permanent source of funding and referenced the information put together by Ms. Olson that shows the programs are bringing in funds. • Parks and Recreation Supervisor Olson noted that though the analysis the trend shows that the department is growing and yet they still have scaled back. She stated that they might be Arden Hills Park and Recreation Committee Meeting November 27,2001 4 • able to cut into programs here and there but that there is not much left that could be cut from the process. Greg noted that most Park and Recreation departments tend to run from general funding in addition to the various programs they offer. He stated that they often times have to chose between programs in order to accommodate the funding that is received. Committee Member Crassweller stated that this would be an unacceptable choice. Council Liaison Larson stated that he does not want it to sound more alarming than it is. He stated that the Council is committed to continue the current Park and Recreation program and that they need to find other avenues for funding. Parks and Recreation Supervisor Olson stated it has been a tough time. She said that it is good that the Committee is here to help with ideas. She stated that when trying to determine programs based on value and dollars makes for a very difficult decision. She stated that they both carry a lot of weight in the decision process. Mr. Moore noted one battle internally is the mission statement for the City adding that this is necessary. He explained that people tend to view the Parks and Recreation department as an extra versus being a basic and necessary service. He noted that this is clearly stated in the • mission statement for the City and that there is a need to change the mindset. He stated that he is in agreement that this requires a major discussion. Council Liaison Larson agreed that this is a discussion that needs to be had with the Council. Committee Member Crassweller suggested finding a way to communicate their needs to the Residents. He suggested clarifying to the residents that the charitable gambling proceeds assist the funding for Park and Recreation programs. He stated that educating the Residents and making them aware of the funding process would help to change the mindset by letting them know it helps their community. Council Liaison Larson stated that the Council passed a resolution that would ban the use of high phosphorous fertilizers. PARK COMPREHENSIVE PLAN DISCUSSION Greg, Ingraham and Associates stated that he has redone the park maps based on feedback received by the Committee Members. He reviewed the additions provided from the last redline session. Committee Member Crassweller suggested that Greg review the additions and provide the Committee with any information they need in order to make any final decisions. Greg asked how the Committee would like to continue and asked if they would like to . include the public at this point. Committee Member Zilmer suggested presenting to the public and to include all areas. Arden Hills Park and Recreation Committee Meeting November 27,2001 5 • Greg stated that they would incorporate any changes initiated by the presentation to the public at a follow up meeting with the Committee. He provided the Committee with suggestions as to how they could communicate the information to the public that included announcements and the City website. Committee Member Thompson asked for clarification regarding the Committee role in the public review. Committee Member Crassweller stated that he views this as a living document and that as the City continues to grow the document would continue to change and grow. He said that it reflects a lot of work. He suggested that the overall, long-term plan is something that the Park and Recreation could live with. He encouraged the Committee to make the decision and send it to the Council in order to keep the process going rather than delaying the process through a public hearing. He stated that this is a long-term document that would continue to change over time. He stated that the public hearing would only prolong the process adding that the only good thing to a public hearing is the 'feel good' for including the public in the process. Committee Member Zilmer stated that the public hearing should still be provided to the public and suggested announcing it in the newsletter. • Chair Messerly asked for clarification on what needs to be done between now and the newsletter. Greg explained that the largest piece would be the estimated cost and the five-year Capital Improvement Plan. He stated that they have the guts with a need for further prioritization. He reviewed the document changes with the Committee. Parks and Recreation Supervisor Olson asked if they wanted a recommendation from the Council or would they prefer a recommendation from the Committee to the Council. Committee Member Crassweller stated that it should be both adding that there are items that need to be addressed by the Council now in addition to items that are identified as long-term recommendations. MOTION: Committee approved by consensus that prior to adoption to the long-term plan that the Committee recommend that the City Council address the warming houses needed at Freeway and Hazelnut. The motion carried unanimously. Committee Member Zilmer asked if Staff could provide estimates before the next meeting. Mr. Moore discussed concrete or concrete block adding that presently it is a wood structure and requires maintenance year after year. He suggested that they not replace with another • wood house. He suggested that they keep the wood flooring. He explained that he needs to be careful when determining how he allocates funds for various projects noting that the dollars don't always meet the needs. He stated that this document would provide a better means for the planning and allocation of funds. Arden Hills Park and Recreation Committee Meeting November 27,2001 6 • Greg reviewed the language changes with the Committee. He stated that they have added more photos of the parks. He asked the Committee for feedback on the format style and scale to use for the City maps. The Committee agreed that the current format provided in the draft was sufficient. Committee Member Straumann asked if they would check into why the wildlife viewing area of the archery range was not included. Greg stated he would verify and add the area to the map. Council Liaison Larson referenced page 14, grade separated trail connections. He referenced the cost to build one and suggested that they build one due to the expense. He stated that the one that would make the most sense would be Highway 12. Committee Member Crassweller agreed and suggested, as an absolute minimum, that they have one along Highway 12. He stated that two crossings should be considered if the funding is available. Greg stated that he would revise this section to reflect the suggestions as provided by Council Liaison Larson and the Committee. He reviewed pages 23 through 25, the implementation and priority recommendations for 2002-2006 with the Committee. • Committee Member Crassweller noted that the specifics of the plan such as funding, availability and staffing are management decisions and suggested identifying specific items to address immediately in order to get something done now and to keep the process moving forward. Council Liaison Larson agreed stating that things can be prioritized noting that over time there are items that influence the funding and could change the prioritization. Committee Member Tix stated that the main heading suggests that the items included would be the items recommended for the five-year period between 2002-2006. Greg agreed that this does identify and provide a basic prioritization of the capital projects. Council Liaison Larson referenced the long term parking at Hazelnut. Gregg agreed that this should be included and noted that he would add this to the draft. Greg suggested including an announcement via the newsletter. Mr. Moore suggested the City website and local media in addition to the newsletter. Council Liaison Larson agreed. Greg stated that the next step is to make the suggested changes, print black and white copies for final review and provide a color copy for example. Chair Messerly suggested the color prints and skip the review. Committee Member Crassweller suggested meeting December 18, 2001 and have a color 0 copy ready for review. He stated that they should try to get this to the City Council before the end of the year. Arden Hills Park and Recreation Committee Meeting November 27,2001 7 iCouncil Liaison Larson stated that they should consider giving the Council time to really review the plans. Committee Member Crassweller stated he appreciates the concept noting that this is a living document, subject to change, and asked if the Council Members truly would not consider this document, as it is, seriously, to begin initial review before the end of the year. He suggested clarifying that this is for their review and requested their feedback. Parks and Recreation Supervisor Olson suggested a less formal process by asking the Council to review and provide their comments. She stated that this would also allow the Committee time to continue refining the plan. The Committee agreed to open the discussion in a public forum prior to the December meeting. The Committee agreed to continue with the final review on December 18, 2001 and to begin the discussion from 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.,prior to the Regular Parks and Recreation Committee meeting. Parks and Recreation Supervisor Olson suggested providing a copy for immediate update to the City Website and provide an email address for feedback that can be used by individuals that are unable to attend. NEXT MEETING AGENDA Mr. Moore stated that the next Committee meeting is scheduled for December 18, 2001 at • 7:00 p.m. He clarified that the following items would be included on the agenda for discussion: * Parks, Trails and Open Space Plan * Bridge update OTHER ITEMS FOR DISCUSSION NONE ADJOURNMENT MOTION: Chair Messerly moved and Committee Member Crassweller seconded the motion to adjourn at 8:52 p.m. The motion carried unanimously. Respectfully submitted, Bonita Sullivan Timesaver Off Site Secretarial, Inc. • ,,,A DEN HILLS AGENDA PARKS, TRAILS, & RECREATION COMMITTEE TUESDAY, DECEMBER 189 2001 ** 7:00 P.M. ** ARDEN HILLS CITY HALL 1245 WEST HIGHWAY 96 6:00 — 7:00 Open House Park, Trail and Open Space Plan l. Call to Order and Roll Call • 2. Approve November 27, 2001 Minutes 3. Parks and Recreation Updates 4. Council Update 5. Budget 6. Next Meeting Agenda 7. Other Items for Discussion 8. Adjourn **If you are unable to attend this meeting please call Tom: (651) 634-5133 or Don: (651) 633-7022** • -,-A EN HILLS City of Arden Hills Parks and Recreation PRESS RELEASE New City Park Plan Proposed—Public Open House Scheduled for December 18`h • The Arden Hills Parks, Trails and Recreation Committee is putting the finishing touches on a Park, Trail and Open Space Plan for the city. The Committee has been working on the plan for the last 10 months and invites the public to review the plan and provide comments at a public open house meeting schedule for 6:00 PM—7:00 PM on December 18th at Arden Hills City Hall, 1245 West Highway 96. The plan is designed to act as a long-term guide to park, trail and open space improvements over the next 10-20 years. The plan is based on previous public input including a public opinion survey and four community meetings. The plan contains recommendations for new trails, grade separated pedestrian and bicycle crossings,park and open space acquisition and renovation of existing parks. Copies of the plan are available for review at the Parks Department in City Hall and on the city web site www.ci.arden-hills.mn.us. Contact Tom Moore, City Parks and Recreation Director at 651 634-5120 if you have questions about the plan or the meeting. From: Thomas Moore, Director Parks and Recreation (651) 634-5120 •