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HomeMy WebLinkAbout12-12-23 PTRCAPPROVAL OF AGENDA APPROVAL OF MINUTES November 14, 2023 DRAFT 11 -14 -2023 - PTRC MINUTES.PDF REPORTS Council Liaison Update UNFINISHED BUSINESS PTRC Goal Discussion MEMO.PDF Trail And Parks Projects Update MEMO.PDF Perry Park Roof Update (Final Color Selection) MEMO.PDF ATTACHMENT A.PDF Chatham Restoration MEMO.PDF ATTACHMENT A.PDF Lindey's Roundabout MEMO.PDF ATTACHMENT A.PDF NEW BUSINESS NEXT MEETING Tuesday, January 23, 2024 ADJOURN A quorum of the City Council may be present at this meeting. Chair: Marie Hinton (2024) Committee Members: Jill Anderson (2024) Dan Dietz (2024) Mark Kelliher (2025) Lacy Loosbrock (2025) Timothy Nelson (2024) Kate Olson (2025) Kristine Poelzer (2025) Kerri Seemann (2025) Emelia Rogers (2025) Nancy Jacobson (2026) Abigail Weber (2024) Maeve Edgar, Youth Member (8/31/24) Council Liaison: Emily Rousseau Parks, Trails, and Recreation Committee December 12, 2023 6:30 p.m. City Hall Address: 1245 W Highway 96 Arden Hills MN 55112 Phone: 651 -792 -7800 Website : www.cityofardenhills.org City Vision Arden Hills is a strong community that values its unique environmental setting, strong residential neighborhoods, vital business community, well - maintained infrastructure, fiscal soundness, and our long -standing tradition as a desirable City in which to live, work, and play. The public may access this meeting remotely by joining via Zoom. To join the Zoom meeting, click this link (or copy and paste it into a new browser): https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81929853747 Agenda CALL TO ORDER 1. 2. 2.A. Documents: 3. 3.A. 4. 4.A. Documents: 4.B. Documents: 4.C. Documents: 4.D. Documents: 4.E. Documents: 5. 6. 6.A. APPROVAL OF AGENDA APPROVAL OF MINUTES November 14, 2023 DRAFT 11 -14 -2023 - PTRC MINUTES.PDF REPORTS Council Liaison Update UNFINISHED BUSINESS PTRC Goal Discussion MEMO.PDF Trail And Parks Projects Update MEMO.PDF Perry Park Roof Update (Final Color Selection) MEMO.PDF ATTACHMENT A.PDF Chatham Restoration MEMO.PDF ATTACHMENT A.PDF Lindey's Roundabout MEMO.PDF ATTACHMENT A.PDF NEW BUSINESS NEXT MEETING Tuesday, January 23, 2024 ADJOURN A quorum of the City Council may be present at this meeting. Chair:Marie Hinton (2024)Committee Members:Jill Anderson (2024)Dan Dietz (2024)Mark Kelliher (2025)Lacy Loosbrock (2025)Timothy Nelson (2024)Kate Olson (2025)Kristine Poelzer (2025)Kerri Seemann (2025)Emelia Rogers (2025)Nancy Jacobson (2026)Abigail Weber (2024)Maeve Edgar, Youth Member (8/31/24)Council Liaison:Emily Rousseau Parks, Trails, and Recreation Committee December 12, 2023 6:30 p.m. City Hall Address:1245 W Highway 96Arden Hills MN 55112Phone:651 -792 -7800Website:www.cityofardenhills.orgCity VisionArden Hills is a strong community that values its unique environmental setting, strong residential neighborhoods, vital business community, well -maintained infrastructure, fiscal soundness, and our long -standing tradition as a desirable City in which to live, work, and play.The public may access this meeting remotely by joining via Zoom.To join the Zoom meeting, click this link (or copy and paste it into a new browser): https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81929853747 Agenda CALL TO ORDER 1. 2. 2.A. Documents: 3. 3.A. 4. 4.A. Documents: 4.B. Documents: 4.C. Documents: 4.D. Documents: 4.E. Documents: 5. 6. 6.A. APPROVAL OF AGENDAAPPROVAL OF MINUTESNovember 14, 2023DRAFT 11 -14 -2023 - PTRC MINUTES.PDFREPORTSCouncil Liaison UpdateUNFINISHED BUSINESSPTRC Goal DiscussionMEMO.PDFTrail And Parks Projects UpdateMEMO.PDFPerry Park Roof Update (Final Color Selection)MEMO.PDFATTACHMENT A.PDFChatham RestorationMEMO.PDFATTACHMENT A.PDFLindey's RoundaboutMEMO.PDFATTACHMENT A.PDF NEW BUSINESS NEXT MEETING Tuesday, January 23, 2024 ADJOURN A quorum of the City Council may be present at this meeting. Chair:Marie Hinton (2024)Committee Members:Jill Anderson (2024)Dan Dietz (2024)Mark Kelliher (2025)Lacy Loosbrock (2025)Timothy Nelson (2024)Kate Olson (2025)Kristine Poelzer (2025)Kerri Seemann (2025)Emelia Rogers (2025)Nancy Jacobson (2026)Abigail Weber (2024)Maeve Edgar, Youth Member (8/31/24)Council Liaison:Emily Rousseau Parks, Trails, and Recreation Committee December 12, 2023 6:30 p.m. City Hall Address:1245 W Highway 96Arden Hills MN 55112Phone:651 -792 -7800Website:www.cityofardenhills.orgCity VisionArden Hills is a strong community that values its unique environmental setting, strong residential neighborhoods, vital business community, well -maintained infrastructure, fiscal soundness, and our long -standing tradition as a desirable City in which to live, work, and play.The public may access this meeting remotely by joining via Zoom.To join the Zoom meeting, click this link (or copy and paste it into a new browser): https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81929853747AgendaCALL TO ORDER1.2.2.A.Documents:3.3.A.4.4.A.Documents:4.B.Documents:4.C.Documents:4.D.Documents:4.E.Documents: 5. 6. 6.A. CITY OF ARDEN HILLS PARKS, TRAILS AND RECREATION COMMITTEE MEETING TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 14, 2023, 6:30 PM ARDEN HILLS CITY HALL CALL MEETING TO ORDER Committee Chair Marie Hinton called the November 14, 2023 meeting of the Parks, Trails, and Recreation Committee to order at 6:30 p.m. MEMBERS PRESENT: Chair Marie Hinton, Committee Members Abigail Weber, Dan Dietz, Kerri Seemann, Kristine Poelzer, Maeve Edgar, Emelia Rogers, Jill Anderson, Kate Olson, Nancy Jacobson, and Tim Nelson OTHERS PRESENT: Council Liaison Emily Rousseau and Recreation Supervisor Matt Johnson ABSENT: Committee Members Lacy Loosbrock and Mark Kelliher 1. APPROVAL OF AGENDA A motion was made by Committee Member Olson and seconded by Committee Member Poelzer to approve the agenda as amended. Motion passed unanimously. 2. APPROVAL OF MINUTES A. September 19, 2023 PTRC Minutes Committee Member Weber noted that her last name was spelled incorrectly. A motion was made by Committee Member Weber and seconded by Committee Member Olson to approve the minutes as amended. Motion passed unanimously. 3. REPORTS A. Council Liaison Updates Council Liaison Rousseau reported that she had brought a motion forward to the Council requesting removal of Committee Member Kelliher from the PTRC. She apologized for not addressing the issue sooner. The Council will have a closed meeting in December to discuss, and also work on putting a code of conduct together. Council Liaison Rousseau was pleased to see so many members of the PTRC at the Rice Creek Commons open house, along with members of the Economic Development Commission and Parks, Trails & Recreation Committee - November 14, 2023 Page 2 Planning Commission. In general, they had some very positive feedback and some uncertainties around the changes. This is a 15-year project, housing and traffic won’t be at full capacity for a number of years. The City Council decided to send a proposal with 1,960 residential units to the Planning Commission for a public hearing on December 6th. Committee Members are welcome to attend and speak. She would like to set up a meeting with the County or consultants to discuss the Spine Road and transportation equity opportunities, she would like to see a dedicated bike lane and sidewalks. Council Liaison Rousseau stated there will be a Lake Johanna Boulevard meeting on November 20th at 6:00 pm if they are interested in hearing about the plan and funding. Council Liaison Rousseau said there was a discussion at the Council meeting about the Perry Park shelter roof color and she would like them to make a motion regarding the color. 4. UNFINISHED BUSINESS A. PTRC Goal Discussion Chair Hinton said she hoped everyone had come with at least one goal in mind. Committee Member Weber said she would like to see an increase in accessibility, especially a trail connecting Old Highway 10 to the high school. Committee Member Dietz would like more public input, and adding QR codes. Committee Member Seemann wanted to see work continuing on invasive species, Hazelnut restoration and working with Greater for Greening. Committee Member Poelzer would like to see what has come to the City through the tracker that is related to PTRC, and what has been done with the items submitted. She would like to see more communication with residents including an open house put on by PTRC with information stations to tell residents what has been accomplished and what is on the docket for the next few years. Committee Member Edgar would like to increase communication regarding the work being done with native plants, so people know who is working in the park, why and what the goal is. She’d like to see books about the environment in the Little Libraries. Committee Member Rogers wanted to collaborate with Mounds View High School regarding a trail on Old Highway 10. She would like to see more updates on the City website. She would like to figure out how PTRC could be influential in the recreation planning of Rice Creek Commons. Committee Member Anderson said her goal would to see one free community event such as picture night for soccer possibly with food trucks, that PTRC would put on. Committee Member Olson would like to continue advocating for trails, updating trails and making Arden Hills more accessible. Also, to focus on more community involvement and tap into the resources for weeding and those types of things through the schools. Parks, Trails & Recreation Committee - November 14, 2023 Page 3 Committee Member Jacobson would like there to be a PTRC liaison to some of the projects that are going ahead. For example, the trail and roundabout – they need to be at the table and see the opportunities before they are done. Other examples would be Lake Johanna Boulevard trail, Trunk Highway 51 trail, Lindey’s Park and Rice Creek Commons. She also was interested in finding out who is maintaining the rain gardens in the City. Vegetation management could take place at Johanna Marsh. Council Liaison Rousseau agreed with Committee Member Jacobson’s idea about the trails and parks in Rice Creek Commons. Committee Member Nelson said when he looks at the trail map he sees a lot of dotted purple lines, he would like to help prioritize what trails come next, and find a more systematic way of doing that. Chair Hinton wondered if there might be an opportunity to adopt a rain garden. She would like to have a document to track their goals. She was wondering about having a vice-chair for the committee. B. Trail and Parks Projects Update Recreation Supervisor Johnson indicated that an update was added from the Public Works Director, he is working with a consultant to pursue grants and state bonding funds for the trail along Old Highway 10 from Lake Valentine Road to Highway 96. The feasibility study was completed for this project Fall of 2022. Estimated project cost was $3.1 million. Estimated construction would be in 2025/2026 dependent on funding awarded. The Open House took place on 10/5/23 and was well attended. Great feedback was received. The consultant will be at the November 27th Council Meeting to provide an update and receive direction of how to move forward with the project. C. Perry Park – Bathroom Locks Recreation Supervisor Johnson said there was interest in making the Perry Park pavilion bathrooms open to the public during park hours. The lock provider said it would be possible to add sensors but it would add thousands to the quote. Sensors may not be necessary as Arden Hills Parks and Recreation has a dedicated schedule for events, programs in progress at Perry Park. The quote may change slightly due to the time between when the quote was given and the current date. He noted the Public Works Department does not support the addition of automatic locks due to the added maintenance and service required. Discussion ensued regarding the additional maintenance needed, signage and possible times to have the bathrooms open. Chair Hinton clarified that a vote would include getting an updated quote and PTRC would need to do a work plan for the Council including more information on the impact to the Public Works Department. Parks, Trails & Recreation Committee - November 14, 2023 Page 4 Discussion continued regarding gathering more information from Public Works about how much work it would be for them and what they are willing to do for maintenance, how often the fields have scheduled games and pavilion rentals. A motion was made by Committee Member Nelson and seconded by Committee Member Rogers to recommend automatic locks at Perry Park to the City Council. Motion passed unanimously. 5. NEW BUSINESS A. “Triangle Park” Naming Council Liaison Rousseau said this was brought to Council but it was pulled. The question was did they really want to name the park Triangle Park or something else. Committee Member Weber liked the idea of asking Valentine Hills Elementary kids for a name. Committee Member Olson thought it made more sense to have the elderly people at Lake Johanna Shores name it. But she actually liked Triangle Park. Committee Member Edgar agreed as it would give those residents ownership of the park. Committee Member Poelzer explained that this was the only park in Arden Hills that has a chess board table and chairs. A motion was made by Committee Member Edgar and seconded by Committee Member Weber to recommend naming the park Checkerboard Park to the City Council. Motion passed unanimously. B. Membership Update Chair Hinton noted there would be at least one open position and she was wondering about adding a Vice-Chair, and if anyone would like to be Chair for next year. A motion was made by Committee Member Rogers and seconded by Committee Member Edgar to add a Vice-Chair position to the PTRC. Motion passed unanimously. Committee Member Weber expressed interest in being the Chair. Committee Member Olson was interested to learn more about Vice-Chair. Parks, Trails & Recreation Committee - November 14, 2023 Page 5 Chair Hinton explained the Chair duties included bringing things forward on the agenda and write memos, members would write their own memos for things they would like to bring to the committee. Items would be sent to staff. The Chair also runs the meeting. It was decided that a vote on naming a Chair and Vice Chair would be done at the December meeting. Chair Hinton thought it would be helpful if staff did a calendar reminder for the meetings along with the paper packet. Recreation Supervisor Johnson stated that due to holidays the December meeting could be moved to December 12, January would need to move to the 9th or 23rd. After discussion it was decided to hold meetings on December 12, January 23 and February 13. A motion was made by Committee Member Rogers and seconded by Committee Member Edgar to hold meetings on December 12, January 23 and February 13. Motion passed unanimously. C. Ash Trees Committee Member Seemann stated there are several sick ash trees in Hazelnut Park. The City should have the forester to identify and remove them. Committee Member Dietz said he noticed in Cummings and Floral Parks there are trees with white, green and light green ribbons. Committee Member Poelzer said there was also a dead tree in Sampson, by the parking lot. Recreation Supervisor Johnson said it was best to report these through the online tracker because it will go to all the appropriate people. Council Liaison Rousseau indicated that she would email the Public Works Director to see he knows when the trees in Hazelnut will be reviewed, as well as removal in Floral and Cummings. D. Lindey’s Roundabout Committee Member Seemann said she was working on finding more decorative planting ideas for the roundabout along with Committee Members Olson and Johnson. Committee Member Olson stated that she met with the residents that were taking the lead on the project, they wanted to see something more welcoming than grass. Committee Member Nelson said his concern would be the visibility around the roundabout. Parks, Trails & Recreation Committee - November 14, 2023 Page 6 Committee Member Seemann noted that right now it is planted with tall prairie grasses that can get five to six feet tall. Committee Member Jacobson asked if the residents were willing to maintain it? Committee Member Olson said they were willing to do whatever it takes to plant it and will figure out how to maintain it. She heard that was a safety issue, so they would need to figure that out. Committee Member Seemann noted that currently the County has contracted with someone to burn it once a year. Committee Member Jacobson thought the grasses were a step up from what the County could have done. She thought the ideas presented were good, and they could also include Lindey’s park with Option 2, 3 or 4. She thought the County would have to approve boulders. She recommended keeping it simple, and add some areas of pops of color and texture. E. Noxious Weeds Not discussed. F. Chatham Trails 2024 Land Management Plan Not discussed. G. Perry Park Roof Update Recreation Supervisor Johnson asked committee members to circle the color they would like the roof to be. 6. NEXT MEETING A. Tuesday, December 12, 2023 ADJOURNMENT The meeting adjourned at 8:00 p.m. UNFINISHED BUSINESS-4A MEMORANDUM DATE: December 12, 2023 TO: Parks, Trails and Recreation Committee FROM: Marie Hinton, PTRC Chair SUBJECT: 2024 Goals Discussion PTRC members to each provide top one to three goals for 2024. UNFINISHED BUSINESS – 4B MEMORANDUM DATE: December 12, 2023 TO: Parks, Trails and Recreation Committee FROM: Lucas Miller, Assistant Public Works Director SUBJECT: Trail and Parks Projects Update Previously Discussed Items:  The 2023 CIP for Parks (Arden Manor Park & Freeway Park) is available online. The 2024 CIP and budget will be discussed by Council over the next couple months and officially approved by the end of the year. The proposed Parks related items have been previously given to PTRC.  Hazelnut Parking lot negotiations continue between the City and Trinity Lutheran Church. The City has ordered geotechnical work in the lot to help determine the cost impacts.  Safe Routes to School from MVHS to E2 down Lake Valentine Road/Old Highway 10 is paved. There will be some repair work needed in the Spring but the trail will be plowable this winter so it can be used. There were $450k in grants awarded for this project. This project is combined with the roundabout project at County Rd E and Old Snelling Ave by Bituminous Roadways.  Floral and Arden Manor parks are continuing construction. The contractor is pushing to get the play structures installed before winter. Hardcourt striping and restoration of both parks will be completed in the Spring. Arden Manor funding sources are grants combined with city funding. Floral is all city funding.  Lake Johanna Blvd conceptual trail study was completed by Ramsey County and they are pursuing funding currently. They are shooting for a final design in 2028, dependent on funding awarded. Estimated construction cost is $9.5M. Council has adopted resolution 2023-023 which is the local match commitment for Lake Johanna Blvd Trail Project (estimated $2M). County is going for grants and bonding this year potentially up to $5.5M. Ramsey County presented in November about the project corridor with Council. New/Updated Items:  Lexington Ave is substantially completed and the Contractor has all the sidewalk installed and it will be plowed this winter.  City is working with a consultant to pursue grants and it is a candidate to pursue state bonding funds for the trail from Lake Valentine Road to Highway 96 along Old Highway 10. Feasibility study has been completed for this project this last fall. Estimated project cost is now projected to be $4.1 Mil since the 60% design is now UNFINISHED BUSINESS – 4B completed. Estimated construction would be in 2025/2026 dependent on funding awarded. The Open House took place on 10/5/23 and was well attended. Great feedback was received. The Consultant has been directed to pursue federal and state funding for safe routes to school grants. Attachments N/A UNFINSIHED BUSINESS 4-C MEMORANDUM DATE: December 12, 2023 TO: Parks, Trails and Recreation Committee FROM: Matthew Johnson SUBJECT: Perry Park Roof Update (final color choice) Discussion Members voted November meeting on their favorite choices. It was a tie between two colors. ACTION: Final vote on color of roof ATTACHMENT A Add a heading Please vote for 1 of the colors with a 2 . ATTACHMENT A UNFINISHED BUSINESS 4-D MEMORANDUM DATE: Dec. 12, 2023 TO: Parks, Trails and Recreation Committee FROM: Kerri Seemann SUBJECT: Chatham Trails 2024 Land Management Plan Background The initial goat browsing in Chatham Trails has had a noticeable impact on the young buckthorn in the sections of the park where the goats were used. Those buckthorn saplings have been weakened. I believe we can be successful in managing the buckthorn in this area if we not only continue the goat grazing, but also take an aggressive multi-prong approach that removes the mature trees and fights the seedlings, as well. While wandering in the woods and around the edges of the wetland to see the effects of the goats, I also discovered that the park is infested with purple loosestrife. That needs to be managed. ATTACHMENT A Chatham Trails Restoration 2024 Land Management Proposal Background Oak Ecosystems and Their Dependence on Fire At the time of European settlement, this area that is now Arden Hills was predominantly oak savanna, with some areas of wet prairie and hardwood forest. Fires occurred about every 10-20 years, on average. Oak savannas are now “one of the world’s most endangered ecosystems,” (according to cullennature.org) with only 0.06% of the Midwest’s historic 50 million acres remaining. mnatlas.org Oak savannas and woodlands are typically composed of pyrophilic (fire-tolerant) tree species such as: oak, aspen, plum, hawthorn, hickory, and pine. Without periodic burning, these ecosystems gradually begin to be replaced by pyrophobic trees such as: maple, ash, cherry, cottonwood, basswood, elm, walnut, and hackberry. As a plant community transitions from a pyrophilic savanna (5-50% canopy cover) or woodland (50-70% cover) to a pyrophobic forest (70-100% cover), there’s a decline in: ● Herbaceous diversity ● Bee diversity ● Ecosystem functionality In addition, the cool moist understory of woodlands and forest edges are easily invaded by such species as buckthorn, garlic mustard, and invasive earthworms. Fire-maintained ecosystems, however, discourage their growth and spread. Prairie Savanna (5-50% cover) Woodland (50-70% cover) Forest (70-100% cover) (from the presentation Oaks, Fire and Climate Change by Heather Holm) Chatham Trails What had once likely been an oak/aspen savanna gradually became a degraded woodland–likely over the course of decades–due to the suppression of fire and the fact that buckthorn and other invasive trees & shrubs were allowed to grow to maturity and reproduce. The offspring of those original buckthorn have also been allowed to mature and produce seedlings over an even larger area. So we are now dealing with at least three generations of buckthorn. In some parts of the park, virtually nothing else will grow under the dense understory canopy they’re created. PTRC Member Mark Kelliher and other local residents have been volunteering to remove buckthorn from the area over the past few years and have made good progress in the area dominated by cottonwoods (which I will refer to as the Terrace Forest). With the approval of the City Council, goats were brought in during September of this year to weaken the young buckthorn, browsing on all leaves between a height of ~6”-6’. The goats will be returning in the spring of 2024 to weaken the young buckthorn further. Additionally, the noxious weeds Amur maple and non-native honeysuckle have also become established in the Chatham Trails area but, at this time, volunteers are not allowed to remove it. The wet meadows in Chatham Trails–like most wetlands in Arden Hills–also have problems with invasive species. Though I have not spoken with any residents who have lived here long enough to remember what the wet meadows once looked like, the cattail monoculture suggests that it has been taken over by the invasive hybrids. Though cattails do perform some ecological services, we have no shortage of cattails in Arden Hills. We do, however, have a shortage of healthy wet meadow ecosystems dominated by native grasses and sedges with a diverse mix of forbs (herbaceous flowering plants that are not grasses). Some sections of the wet meadow have also been invaded by purple loosestrife, which the state requires to be managed to prevent its spread. Existing Conditions By stripping the leaves at eye level, the initial goat browsing has made it much easier to see through the understory. That makes it easier to move around to cut the saplings and then the mature trees. Some sections have been opened up enough that they should be seeded as soon as possible… ideally before January. But the browsed and cut buckthorn is still alive and requires further . management. Seedlings are still abundant. Buckthorn and Amur Maple before goat browsing after first goat browsing Cottonwood in the Terrace Forest after most of the mature Buckthorn has been cut Aspen, Gray Dogwood and Sumac where the Buckthorn has been cut by hand (following the browsing) Site Information These areas were lightly seeded by volunteers on 12/01/23. Where the goats browsed in September 2023 and will return in spring 2024. Proposed Plan Buckthorn Removal After consulting with the volunteers who have been removing buckthorn in Chatham, these are two areas that we consider to be highest priority. While the current system of cutting brush along the trail and piling it for the Public Works crew steep slope If the PTRC and/or City Council do not trust me to monitor the burning of brush piles, then I would recommend that the city consider hiring a contractor to do the burning. Seeding As shown in the image on page 5, the Chatham volunteers and I seeded some grasses, sedges and forbs in some of the areas that have already been cleared. This should hopefully start the process of revegeta- tion with a diverse mix of species. However, the donated seed was not nearly enough to cover the ground at a density which could compete with the buckthorn seedlings. I would recommend that the city pay for a cover crop to be planted in the spring, just prior to the next goat browsing. There are two options: 1. Seed the full 5.6 acres where the goats graze with a mix of shade-tolerant grasses such as Virginia Wild Rye (~$12/lb.) and Bottlebrush Grass (~$125/lb.) 2. Only seed the areas where the buckthorn has been removed using a mix of partial-shade grasses such as Canada Wild Rye (~$15/lb.) In either case, I think it is important for us to test different seeding rates in different plots and how they affect buckthorn density to help guide future restoration decisions. Planting In addition to the seeding that was done already, I have saved some seed that I will be growing at home. Those plants can be transplanted into Chatham in summer or fall of 2024, after the site is sufficiently prepared. There are currently ~500’ along the edge of the wetland where the buckthorn has mostly been removed. However, there appears to be Reed Canary Grass (an invasive species) growing there. I would like to use an aquatic-safe herbicide to spray the grasses growing in those areas, any shoreline that is opened up with additional buckthorn removal, and possibly the smaller western arm of the wet meadow (where the cattails are less dense and grass is more dominant). UNFINISHED BUISNESS 4-E MEMORANDUM DATE: December 12, 2023 TO: Parks, Trails and Recreation Committee FROM: Kerri Seemann, Kate Olson, Nancy Jacobsen SUBJECT: Lindey’s Roundabout Planting Background A group of residents expressed displeasure with the vegetation that was chosen for the roundabout and requested that other options be considered, particularly focal points such as a tree or shrubs and boulders. An alternative planting design was developed but, by the time of the meeting with city officials and the project manager from the county, the area had already been seeded and it was too late to recommend changes to the seed mix. ATTACHMENT A OPTION #1: Leave as-is * tallgrass prairie mix, primarily composed of: ● Little Bluestem, Indiangrass, Big Bluestem, and Switchgrass (3-6’) ● Black-eyed Susan, Heath Aster, Anise Hyssop, Wild Bergamot, and Stiff Goldenrod (2-4’) * Maintenance: The county has contracted for it to be mowed and burned once/year. PROS ● County responsible for maintenance ● Black-eye Susan provides good summer color CONS ● Seeding requires several years to establish and fill in ● Reduced visibility late summer-fall because of tall vegetation? ● Some residents will likely find the tallgrass aesthetic too messy-looking ● No spring flowers OPTION #2: Add Shrubs * tallgrass prairie mix + Downy Serviceberry * Maintenance: The city would be responsible for maintenance if changes are made. PROS ● Aesthetics: ○ Added height, focal points ○ Spring flowers & fall color of serviceberry ■ Support more pollinators CONS ● City responsible for maintenance ● More difficult to mow/burn around shrubs and boulders ● Seeding requires several years to establish and fill in ● Reduced visibility late summer-fall because of tall vegetation? ● Some residents will likely find the tallgrass aesthetic too messy-looking OPTION #3: Add Shrubs & Additional Forbs * tallgrass prairie mix + serviceberry + more forbs, creating seasonally-showy visual pockets as drivers approach the roundabout * Maintenance: The city would be responsible for maintenance if any changes are made. PROS ● Aesthetics: ○ Added height, focal points of serviceberry ○ More spring flowers ● More floral diversity ○ Support more pollinators ● Adding plugs would result in faster establishment CONS ● Added cost if adding plugs ● Maintenance challenges ○ Spring burning is bad for spring-blooming flowers ■ Might need to cut/rake off thatch rather than burning ● Reduced visibility late summer-fall because of tall vegetation? ● Some residents will likely find the tallgrass aesthetic too messy-looking OPTION #4: Add Shrubs & Forbs, Replace Tall Grasses with Short Grasses * tallgrass prairie mix, MINUS the tall grasses + serviceberry + more forbs and short/mid-height grasses * Maintenance: The city would be responsible for maintenance if any changes are made. PROS ● Lower maintenance after established ○ Less thatch to rake/burn ● More floral diversity ● Spring color ● More *tidy* appearance ● Improved visibility? CONS ● Cost of plants ● Time required weeding out the tall grasses ● Would still require periodic burning or spraying to prevent tree seedlings from establishing ● Old vegetation would likely need to be cut back in the spring to give it a *tidy* appearance * Discuss possible tie-in with Lindey’s Park landscaping