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HomeMy WebLinkAbout01-23-2024 PTRC Chair: Jill Anderson (2024) Committee Members: Dan Dietz (2024) Lacy Loosbrock (2025) Tim Nelson (2024) Kerri Seemann (2025) Kate Olson, Vice Chair (2025) Emelia Rogers (2025) Nancy Jacobson (2025) Abigail Weber (2024) Youth Committee Member: Maeve Edgar (term exp. 8/31/2024) Council Liaison: Emily Rousseau Arden Hills Parks, Trails and Recreation Committee January 23, 2024 6:30 pm 1245 W. Highway 96 Arden Hills, MN 55112 651-792-7800 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/88971449310 Agenda CALL TO ORDER 1. APPROVAL OF AGENDA 2. APPROVAL OF MINUTES A. December 12, 2023 3. REPORTS A. Council Liaison Update 4. UNFINISHED BUSINESS A. PTRC Procedure and Planning Discussion B. Trail and Parks Projects Update C. Bathroom Locks D. Lindey’s Roundabout E. Chatham Restoration Workgroup F. Arden Oaks & Freeway Park Wish list 5. NEW BUSINESS A. South Point Park Signage Discussion B. Memo Template Update C. 2024 Workplan Draft 6. NEXT MEETING A. Tuesday, February 13 7. ADJOURNMENT CITY OF ARDEN HILLS PARKS, TRAILS AND RECREATION COMMITTEE MEETING TUESDAY, DECEMBER 12, 2023, 6:30 PM ARDEN HILLS CITY HALL CALL MEETING TO ORDER Committee Chair Marie Hinton called the December 12, 2023 meeting of the Parks, Trails, and Recreation Committee to order at 6:30 p.m. MEMBERS PRESENT: Chair Marie Hinton, Committee Members Dan Dietz, Kerri Seemann, Maeve Edgar, Kate Olson, Kristine Poelzer, Nancy Jacobson and Tim Nelson OTHERS PRESENT: Council Liaison Emily Rousseau and Recreation Supervisor Matt Johnson ABSENT: Committee Members Lacy Loosbrock, Mark Kelliher, Emelia Rogers, Jill Anderson, and Kate Olson 1. APPROVAL OF AGENDA A motion was made by Committee Member Dietz and seconded by Committee Member Olson to add Fire Pit Donation to New Business. Motion passed unanimously. 2. APPROVAL OF MINUTES A. November 14, 2023 PTRC Minutes Committee Member Dietz requested to add what the color of the ribbons on trees mean to Item 4C, page 5. Committee Member Seemann said on page 2 “Greater for Greening” should be “Great River Greening”. Committee Member Olson stated that under Item 4A, Olson and Anderson were interchanged. A motion was made by Committee Member Poelzer and seconded by Committee Member Olson to approve the minutes as amended. Motion passed unanimously. 3. REPORTS A. Council Liaison Updates Council Liaison Rousseau apologized for how the matter with Committee Member Kelliher was brought to the Council. There is no code of conduct or procedures in place for addressing matters and the Council seems to be in consensus to develop a code of conduct. She would like to clarify acceptable behavior and procedures and have a Council Liaison work with a member of the Parks, Trails & Recreation Committee - December 12, 2023 Page 2 Personnel Committee to mediate issues or bring motions forward. Also, the information she received didn’t come in time for it to be added to the agenda, so she added it as a bench motion. She acknowledged Mr. Kelliher’s contributions to the PTRC and buckthorn removal. She stated Council approved the resignations of Chair Hinton and Committee Member Poelzer, which will be effective December 31. She thanked them and said she was sorry to lose them. Council Liaison Rousseau congratulated Committee Member Edgar for getting a perfect score on her ACT exam. Council Liaison Rousseau said the Council approved moving forward with an application for funding opportunities for Old Highway 10 improvements. Also, the Rotary Club is interested in meeting with PTRC members to talk about what they did in 2023 that may align with their activities and see if they can partner with the committee. March 5 and February 20 are proposed meeting dates. Council Liaison Rousseau read an email from Public Works Director Swearingen regarding trees: “They maintain trees in a few ways; trimming and pruning, chemical injections treatments to ash and oak every other year, ground treatment to small ash annually, removal of dead trees that are considered hazardous. Trees that are dead within heavily wooden areas are left alone as that is the natural state of woods, and wildlife use them as habitat. For the trees Public Works has marked, we plan to remove them over the winter months. Due the large volume of dead and hazardous trees around Arden Hills, the best way to manage the workload is to select two to three parks or trails areas each year and plan the removal. Some of the trees identified are rather large and beyond the capacity of how our Public Works is equipped and must be contracted out. Depending on the number of trees and location this can be costly so we like to plan at least a year in advance. Cummings and Floral were identified by the Public Works maintenance plan that was presented to the Council in 2023, we are currently in the process of putting together the 2024 Public Works maintenance plan to include several new areas for removal.” Council Liaison Rousseau asked if anyone would be interested in connecting with Ramsey County Active Living and if so they should let her know. 4. UNFINISHED BUSINESS A. PTRC Goal Discussion Chair Hinton said this was brought back in case people were at this meeting that weren’t at the last meeting, or if anyone wanted to make changes or additions to what they had previously discussed. B. Trail and Parks Projects Update Recreation Supervisor Johnson reviewed the memo from Assistant Public Works Director Miller.  The Hazelnut parking lot negotiations continue with Trinity Lutheran Church.  Highway 10 is paved on the Safe Routes to School, there were $450k in grants awarded for that project.  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, Trails & Recreation Committee - December 12, 2023 Page 3 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. 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.  Arden Oaks Park and Freeway Park are due to get redone next year. 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. Recreation Supervisor Johnson asked the committee members to go to Arden Oaks Park and Freeway Park and think about things that could be done to update them. If they have any ideas in the next couple of months staff would like their input. Discussion ensued regarding locations of the parks, current facilities and funding. Committee Member Olson asked what was happening at Lindey’s Park with the road construction. Recreation Supervisor Johnson said construction equipment should be removed in a timely fashion. The park would be essentially the same as it was before. Committee Member Olson said the park actually got a trail from the upper to lower areas. Committee Member Poelzer said the sign will need to be put back up. Committee Member Jacobson thought the sign was there but no plantings. Committee Member Dietz said a post on the sign off the trail by Floral Park is broken. Committee Member Poelzer noted that she had submitted a number of items relating to Sampson Park to the City via the online tracker. Committee Member Jacobson asked if the Council would like input from PTRC regarding Lindey’s Park. She felt it would be nice to get neighborhood feedback. Recreation Supervisor Johnson said they could add it to a future agenda. A motion was made by Committee Member Poelzer and seconded by Committee Member Dietz to recommend to the City Council that PTRC hold an open house for the community to talk with PTRC members about parks and trails. Discussion ensued regarding what an open house would look like; when, where, and what would be discussed. Chair Hinton called for a vote on the motion, the motion passed unanimously. Parks, Trails & Recreation Committee - December 12, 2023 Page 4 C. Perry Park Roof Update Recreation Supervisor Johnson said there was a three-way tie on the vote for the roof color. An executive decision was made to temporarily pick Brown. He took a poll on the top three colors. Evergreen received four votes, Blue received three votes, and Brown received one vote. D. Chatham Restoration Committee Member Seemann stated the initial goat browsing in Chatham Trails had a noticeable impact on the young buckthorn in the sections of the park where the goats were used. She believed they can be successful in managing the buckthorn in that area if they continue the goat grazing, and also take an aggressive multi-prong approach that removes the mature trees and fights the seedlings. She noted that while wandering in the woods she discovered that the park is infested with purple loosestrife that needs to be managed. Committee Member Seemann stated the attachment was modified from what was presented at the last meeting; she included maps showing the areas that were grazed and areas that buckthorn was removed. She explained that she and the Chatham volunteers seeded some grasses, sedges and forbs in some of the areas that were cleared. Council Liaison Rousseau made a note to talk with Director Swearingen about what is planned for next spring. Committee Member Jacobson thought seeding in the fall/winter was a good plan. Committee Member Olson wondered if the goats were coming back. Committee Member Seemann was under the impression the goats were coming back in the spring. She said the current system of cutting brush along the trail and piling it for the Public Works crew to chip has been valuable but there are still challenges. It is difficult to move the cut brush to the sides of the trail when cutting deeper in the woods or when steep slopes or marshes get in the way, and it’s hard to haul more mature trees. Heavy physical labor is easier to do during the colder months. One solution is to have a winter work day where a team removes buckthorn and one person is designated to manage burning the brush. She felt that would be an effective way to remove the buckthorn and could be done safely from January to March while there is snow on the ground. She would be willing to take responsibility for getting a burn permit and managing the fires, or she recommended the City consider hiring a contractor to do the burning. Committee Member Seemann continued saying in addition to the seeding that was already done she saved some seeds to grow at home and the plants can be transplanted next year. Committee Member Edgar asked if Committee Member Seemann had experience or training in burning brush piles because if not it might be smart to hire a contractor for safety. Committee Member Seemann replied that she will be taking an eight-hour classroom portion of burn crew training with The Prairie Enthusiasts. The outdoor portion will happen in the spring. Committee Member Dietz said he was worried about the liability of a fire, but he agreed winter was the time to do it with snow on the ground. Parks, Trails & Recreation Committee - December 12, 2023 Page 5 Committee Member Edgar wondered what would be done with the tall stumps. Committee Member Olson asked if they could have a winter work day without burning? Committee Member Seemann said something would have to be done to deal with the piles of buckthorn, it wouldn’t have to be the same day. Public Works wouldn’t get to the piles unless you have people hauling the brush long distances. A motion was made by Committee Member Poelzer and seconded by Committee Member Olson that Committee Member Seemann’s research be forwarded ot the City Council and ask for direction to proceed. Committee Member Dietz asked if they were going to cut down live trees and try to burn them? They would be green, not burn well and cause a lot of smoke. Committee Member Nelson felt they may have to wait six months to a year before they burn them. Chair Hinton called for a vote on the motion, the motion passed unanimously. E. Lindey’s Roundabout Committee Member Seemann said the information was basically the same as last month but she added graphics showing the roundabout as it now exists, and some information from MnDOT regarding landscaping that surrounds roundabouts. Committee Member Jacobson said the last page was from the road design manual from MnDOT. Even though it wasn’t a MnDOT project they do provide guidance. She explained the graphic, noting that height is unrestricted in the center of the island. Committee Member Olson commented that there are pumpkins on the top of the hill of the roundabout right now, and she saw three kids on their bikes on the center. She thought there should be something to deter bikers from going on the island. Council Liason Rousseau asked if the residents they spoke with had any preferences. Committee Member Jacobson said what was shown last month stemmed from what the neighbors wanted, what they were presenting tonight was a revision of that. She explained that boulders would need to be approved by Ramsey County. She recommended eliminating boulders and keeping it as simple as possible. Option 1 would leave it as is, and the County would take care of it. Option 2 would add serviceberry in the middle to add height, color and texture. Option 3 would add pops of color with flowers. Option 4 involved changing the tall grass to short grass. Each option except Option 1 would require volunteers to help maintain. Committee Member Edgar mentioned that at the last meeting it was discussed that the City didn’t want volunteers working in the middle, so she wondered if they would need to get approval. Committee Member Seemann said she spoke with the Public Works Director who said Public Works could provide volunteers with warning signs and would allow volunteers to work there. Parks, Trails & Recreation Committee - December 12, 2023 Page 6 Committee Member Poelzer noted the City also provided safety vests to use. Chair Hinton stated that she didn’t like the boulder idea either, as kids love to climb on them. Committee Member Dietz asked what the grade was like there now. Committee Member Jacobson said it is about six feet tall, asymmetrical; higher on the east side and slopes down. Committee Member Poelzer noted that some of the plants on Option 1 would take over and not all of the plants listed would be visible. She wondered if serviceberry would have actual berries that might draw deer. She thought they wouldn’t want to plant anything that might draw deer. Committee Member Olson said serviceberry was mildly deer resistant according to a website she was looking at. Committee Member Poelzer brought attention to the fact that Committee Member Jacobson was retired from MnDOT and was their expert when it came to roads, roundabouts, or where trails intersect with roads. Committee Member Jacobson said Option 3 was the one she thought would add interest but still be manageable to maintain. Otherwise she would recommend Option 2 as it would be easy to maintain the grasses around the serviceberry. They could choose Option 2 and do Option 3 at a later time. Council Liaison Rousseau asked if they would like this to go to a Council work session for discussion. A motion was made by Committee Member Jacobson and seconded by Committee Member Edgar to forward the options to the City Council to be discussed at a future work session. Motion passed unanimously. 5. NEW BUSINESS A. Fire Pit Donation (Bench Handout) Recreation Supervisor Johnson explained that a resident would like to donate a large gas- powered fire pit to be located in an Arden Hills park or on City property. This is an unused fire pit 40 inches tall x 58 inches long x 28 inches deep. There would be no maintenance required. This would be a free pit for anyone to use they would just need to provide their own propane tank. Estimated value is between $300-$500. It has a stone look, and the propane tank is hidden underneath with a section of river rock in the middle where the fire comes out. If the committee votes to accept it, it would have to go through the Arden Hills Foundation. They would also need to think about where to put it. They would need a sign on it to say that people using it would have to supply their own propane tank and assume liability. Committee Member Olson asked if anyone knew of other cities that have something like this. Parks, Trails & Recreation Committee - December 12, 2023 Page 7 Recreation Supervisor Johnson said Champlin has some that start by pushing a button and are on a timer. There are cities that allow open flames with no guidance. Committee Member Dietz wondered if it would need a base of some kind. Recreation Supervisor Johnson thought they would probably want to permanently affixed. A motion was made by Committee Member Poelzer and seconded by Committee Member Dietz to recommend to the City Council to accept the donation and suggest locations. Committee Member Poelzer said if it needs to have a permanent base the City would have to pay for that or they could go through the Foundation. Recreation Supervisor Johnson said the Foundation is aware of it and willing to help with costs associated with it. Committee Member Nelson thought it would be a nice addition to one of the ice rinks. Recreation Supervisor Johnson suggested Perry Park near the pavilion. Chair Hinton called for a vote on the motion, the motion passed unanimously. B. New Chair Recommendation Council Liaison Rousseau clarified that they were recommending Jill Anderson as Chair and Maeve Edgar as Vice-Chair. 6. NEXT MEETING A. Tuesday, January 23, 2024 Discussion ensued regarding location of the meeting due to other meetings happening at the same time. ADJOURNMENT The meeting adjourned at 8:00 p.m. UNFINSHIED BUISNESS – 4A MEMORANDUM DATE: January 23, 2024 TO: Parks, Trails and Recreation Committee FROM: Jill Anderson SUBJECT: 2024 PTRC Procedure and Planning Discussion Action Requested: Review memo and attachments below. Come prepared to discuss specific and actionable projects and goals to prioritize in 2024. Background In years past, the City Council has requested the PTRC create and present a Work Plan. Typically, these workplans are created in the beginning of the year and presented to the Council by PTRC members at a work session in early Spring. This provides the Council an opportunity to provide input on the various projects and priorities of the PTRC for that year. It also provides the Council an opportunity to provide PTRC feedback on project interest, which may help guide PTRC’s resources allocation among projects. An example of the 2022/2023 Work Plan is attached. The Work Plan outlines goals and objectives for the given year. The Work Plan is then used to create a roadmap for discussion purposes and assists the PTRC in focusing their attention and resources on those specific goals and objectives throughout the year. It has been suggested that the PTRC may be more effective as a committee, and helpful to the council, if we prioritize and use a Work Plan. It has also been suggested that, providing a copy of the PTRC Work Plan to Public Works by the end of January each year so that Public Works and maintenance may incorporate PTRC goals into their Work Plan as needed. Over the last year, PTRC has discussed many different projects and interests, including: Free little library; Out door classrooms; Goats; various community events; rain gardens, bathroom locks, etc. I believe that we, as a PTRC, have more interest in taking on larger and more impactful projects. Unfortunately, as a group, we meet (at most) 12 times per year for 1.5 hours. With those time constraints, it is difficult to move projects through, and to accomplish our goals, it is imperative for us to have an organized and focused plan of action. At the recommendation of Council and Staff, and to enable the PTRC to be as effective as possible, I would propose we implement a procedure and structure whereby the PTRC creates UNFINSHIED BUISNESS – 4A and is operating pursuant to a clear work plan that includes actionable steps and a plan that can be presented to the City Council. Rather than simply presenting ideas to the Council, we need to come to the Council with a clear plan which includes and outline of the specific steps and potential resources needed to implement said idea. Given the current timeline, a complete 2024 Work Plan is not feasible. Instead, we have been asked to more informally present the PTRC goals and projects for 2024. I would like PTRC to identify 4-5 specific and actionable goals for 2024 that we as a group wish to prioritize for 2024. To assist with this, I have attached a summary of the PTRC’s list of goals and potential actions items previously discussed by the committee and decided upon for our 2024 projects/goals. Once goals and priorities are established, we will assign workgroups for each of those specific goals. The workgroups will work behind the scenes to come up with a plan to present to counsel. I’ve attached an example of a plan Kerri put together regarding Lindey’s Roundabout. This is an example of the level of detail and research that may be necessary to implement our goal or present our project to Council. We have a number of items that we have already been working on that will be continuation projects from 2023, including work with the Goats, Lindy’s Roundabout Planting, and Chatham Restoration, and work with Great River Greening. I’d would like to assign workgroups to these projects (to the extent that they do not already exist) and incorporate these projects into the 2024 plan. New projects and priorities not specifically itemized in the work plan for any given year may need to be placed on a list for consideration in the following years Work Plan. It should be expected that Council may request PTRC’s input on other projects throughout the year. Attachment Attachment A – 2022/2023 Work Plan Attachment B – Lindey’s Roundabout 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 1 4/10/2022 Parks, Trails, and Recreation Committee (PTRC) 2022-23 Work Plan PTRC Purpose and Mission Parks, trails, recreation and natural resources in Arden Hills increase the desirability of the city as a place to live, work, play, enhance the health and well-being of citizens and guests, and improve the value of residents’ property. The Parks, Trails, and Recreation Committee (PTRC) represents the interests of Arden Hills citizens in leading the continuing development, expansion, and improvement of those resources. The PTRC recommends to the City Council actions that support those interests; monitors the use of and the improvements in parks, trails, and recreation; and collaborates with other City committees and commissions in improving parks and trails. Main Duties •Review and evaluate city parks, trails, and recreational services •Advise staff and City Council of ways to maintain and improve these amenities Meetings •Third Tuesday of the month at 6:30 p.m. Ongoing and as Needed 1.Recommend actions that advance the vision for parks, trails, and recreation. 2.Assist in identifying ongoing parks and trails maintenance/improvement priorities. 3.Recommend and review grant opportunities, sponsorships, and partnerships for parks and trails. 4.Assist, recommend, and monitor plans for parks, trails and recreation within Arden Hills at the appropriate time. 5.Be apprised by staff and Council when plans are budgeted for park, trails, and recreation. 6.Continue to work with Ramsey County on mutually beneficial trail/park projects and activities. 7.Monitor potential road improvements to encourage inclusion of pedestrian-friendly infrastructure whenever possible. 8.Look to enhance/add recreational opportunities in our parks. 9.Recommend future enhancements for the 5-year Capital Improvement Program each year. 10.Sponsor and organize Community events such as special events, garden clean-up day and other volunteer projects. 11.Prepare and submit semi-regular content for the City Newsletter, City Facebook page and City website. 2022 - 2023 Goals •Work with City Council to identify areas where the PTRC could provide recommendations, research or service to benefit the residents of Arden Hills. PTRC members have various areas of expertise including: volunteer coordination, recreation, grant writing, knowledge of plant species communications and event coordination. 2 4/10/2022 • Ensure that Arden Hills residents and visitors of all ages and physical abilities have recreation opportunities. • Encourage Arden Hills residents to enjoy the beautiful parks and trails that Arden Hills has to offer. • Continue to become more of a working committee. • Actively seek opinions from residents on what they would like and report findings to the PTRC. • PTRC members volunteer to serve as point-person/champion for each park and each trail and recreation events. All members regularly visit the variety of parks and trails. The champion will visit her/his park(s) and trails(s) on a regular basis to look for safety needs, maintenance needs, etc. • Follow a calendar throughout the year to ensure that there is a good mix of topics covered at monthly PTRC meetings that become the foundation for next year’s work plan. • Conduct structured meetings so that City Council, staff, and residents of Arden Hills easily learn what was accomplished at meetings by reading minutes. PARKS 1. Park Goals a. Park improvements and amenities, including benches b. Park clean up c. Park maintenance d. Park safety 2. Park Recommendation List a. Perry Park dog park improvements: shade, obstacle course, subdivided for small and large dog areas, concrete at entrances. b. Identify areas where trees could be planted (in addition to Ash Tree buddy program if applicable). c. Invasive Buckthorn, Burdock week removal. d. Earth Day Cleanup e. Floral garden Cleanup f. Swinging bench at Cummings to watch sunrise or sunset. g. Update park map and information on website with new photos, amenities list and complete street addresses that are needed for navigation apps. TRAILS 3. Trail Goals a. Trail maintenance b. Trail improvements c. Trail amenities d. Trail safety 4. Trail Recommendations a. Update trails maps on website b. Connection gaps throughout Arden Hills c. From County Road E2 North to Lake Valentine Road (C R “F”) and then West to MVHS (Youth+) 3 4/10/2022 d. From County Road “D” Northeast on lake Johanna Blvd, past Tony Schmidt Regional Park – Ramsey County/METC (as trail building partner – 2 segments), See G, G1 & G2 on map) to intersection with Snelling Avenue N (Families) e. From Hwy 51 North to Snelling Avenue N intersection with County Road E/Lake Johanna Blvd f. From County Road E North along Snelling Avenue N/Old Highway 10, under I-694 to Hwy 96 which now has a regional trail on the South side g. Bethel University Land Sale: Trail move/redo with senior housing project h. Trail along South Shore of Round lake i. From County Road E/Lake Johanna Blvd along west side of Hwy 51 to Glenhill Ave j. Crepeau nature Preserve Trails upgrade to improve drainage and to replace old surfaces. Add Hamline Ave trail extension. RECREATION 5. Recreation Goals a. Enhance recreation opportunities for residents and visitors of all ages and physical abilities. 6. Recreation Recommendation a. Winter activities in the parks i. Sledding hills at parks where possible, especially Hazelnut and Cummings. b. Add fitness equipment geared toward adults, especially at Cummings Park i. Six exercise stations will be put in at the senior living facility. The trail will be constructed in 2022 and hopefully the equipment will be in by fall. This may be a good reference for future projects. c. More active adult and senior recreation classes and events. i. Yoga/Fitness in the park at Cummings d. Multi-generation activities (include some evenings and weekends). i. Pickleball court at Hazelnut Park or Floral Park ii. Multi-generation yoga iii. Multi-generation dance - Possible location at Perry or Cummings if it is possible to move picnic tables off of the Pavillion. iv. Volleyball/badminton equipment (be aware of irrigation system) v. Geocaching at the parks COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIP 7. Community partnership goals a. Outreach b. Engagement c. Events 8. Community partnership recommendation list a. Community engagement i. Committee members “adopt” an area, park, trail, project ii. Animal ambassadors from Raptor Center (planned) or Minnesota Zoo iii. Concerts in the parks: partner with schools and National Guard iv. Tree placement outreach b. Fill open spots on the committee i. Recruit (in person, social media, newsletters, local bulletin boards, places of worship) ii. Student committee ambassadors 4 4/10/2022 iii. Work with communications committee to highlight parks, trails, and recreation on social media, YouTube, the newsletter and the City website c. Arden Hills Foundation i. Update donation letter business list to include new businesses ii. Bench placement: track money for benches and create a plan to better track status and placement. d. Volunteer recruitment plan proposal i. Reach out to Bethel University to explore possible partnerships for park cleanups, etc. ii. Identify volunteer opportunities PTRC Calendar March 2022 • Work Plan • Calendar April 2022 • “Adopt” an area, park, trail, project, event, volunteer requests • Discuss Clean-ups • Work Plan: work session with City Council May 2022 • Engagement plan • Recruit new members plan June 2022 • Park tour July 2022 • Tree recommendations • Park and trail maintenance, safety, improvement recommendations • Bench recommendations August 2022 • No meeting September 2022 • 2023 Work Plan: Update trail recommendations October 2022 • 2023 Work Plan: Update park recommendations • Review membership terms November 2022 • 2023 Work Plan: Update recreation recommendations December 2022 • No meeting 5 4/10/2022 January 2023 • 2023 Work Plan: Update engagement recommendations February 2023 • 2023 Work Plan: Update calendar March 2023 • 2023 Work Plan April 2023 • Work Plan: work session with City Council UNFINISHED BUSINESS – 4B MEMORANDUM DATE: January 23, 2024 TO: Parks, Trails and Recreation Committee FROM: Lucas Miller, Assistant Public Works Director SUBJECT: Trail and Parks Projects Update Previously Discussed Items:  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 which will determine scope and extent of work.  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 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.  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:  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 is plowable this winter and it can be used by pedestrians at this time.  Floral and Arden Manor parks are substantially completed and open. Hardcourt striping, site clean-up and restoration of both parks will be completed in the Spring.  The 2023 CIP for Parks has been provided in the past and is available online. For the 2025 Parks Project (Arden Oaks Park & Freeway Park), it is requested that the Committee Members of the PTRC review the parks and provide comments to City Staff so that they can be presented to Council at an upcoming Work Session with recommendations from Public Works maintenance perspective, as well. Attachments N/A UNFINISHED BUSINESS – 4C MEMORANDUM DATE: January 23, 2024 TO: Parks, Trails and Recreation Committee FROM: Matthew Johnson SUBJECT: Perry Pavilion Automatic Locks Background Previous PTRC meetings members have expressed interest in making Perry Park Pavilion bathrooms available to the public during park hours. Quote was received from Twin City Hardware - Oakdale (Attachment A) for a total of $3,897.91 including labor. October meeting update members voted to move forward with locks. NOTE: Public works does NOT support this addition to Perry Park. Action Required PTRC needs to decide if they would like this to be brought to City Council by PTRC council liaison. NOTE: this quote may change slightly due to time between quote and current date. Attachment Attachment A - Quote Item No.Description Unit Quantity Unit Price Total Price TCH TO MOUNT ALL HARDWARE. OWNER OR OTHERS CONNECT ALL 110V 206496 Z-86-F-US26D LOCK,CYL,STORE,LEV,GR1 Each 2 165.00 330.00 NS899 BAT-CR2032-PANA 365 DAY TIMER BACKUP BATTERIES Each 1 7.50 7.50 NS899 PT724A-CR2032 365 DAY TIMER Each 1 150.00 150.00 NS899 SCO-SS-076Q/SW (TOGGLE SWITCH SPST) Each 1 7.50 7.50 299950 PS902 (2 AMP) POWER SUPPLY (44486751- 00)* Each 1 250.00 250.00 137111 7140-540-628 ELEC.STK.CYL.LTCH 24V AC INTER.STD/FAIL SECURE Each 2 150.00 300.00 NS899 WIRE MOLD Each 1 175.00 175.00 NS899 CL2P 22AWG 2COND STRANDED (ROLL) Each 1 175.00 175.00 281000 SERVICE LABOR-IAS SERV Each 1 1,200.00 1,200.00 281000 SERVICE LABOR-TCH SERV Each 1 1,200.00 1,200.00 3,897.91 102.91 3,795.00 Total: Estimated Sales Tax: Subtotal: Warranty at www.tchco.com/warranty Quote Date: Quote No. SALES QUOTE Ship To: Salesperson: Payment Terms: Ship Via: Sell To: SQ1053877 Gus Groslie CU001111 Arden Hills, MN 55112 3700 New Brighton Rd Perry Park - Arden Hills C.O.D. Oakdale, MN 55128 723 Hadley Ave N C.O.D. Sales - Oakdale Store (651) 735-2200 Oakdale, MN 55128 723 Hadley Ave N TCH - Oakdale 5/11/2023 Page: 1 (651) 731-7197Slsp Phone: ggroslie@tchco.comSlsp Email: (800) 747-1980 www.tchco.com Ship Method: Expiration Date:6/10/2023 Cust PO No:PARK BATHROOM DOORS Order Initiated From: UNFINISHED BUISNESS 4-D MEMORANDUM DATE: January 23, 2024 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. December PTRC meeting discussed options and voted to present this to city council at a work session. Offering different options for council to discuss. 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 UNFINISHED BUISNESS 4-E MEMORANDUM DATE: January 23, 2024 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. Update: PTRC is looking to form a workgroup for Chatham Restoration. Action: Form a workgroup to help with planning and organizing restoration at Chatham. This includes seeding, goat implementation, removal of buckthorn. UNFINISHED BUSINESS – 4F MEMORANDUM DATE: January 23, 2024 TO: Parks, Trails and Recreation Committee FROM: Matthew Johnson SUBJECT: Arden Oaks & Freeway Park Wish List Action Requested Members discuss wish list improvements for Arden Oaks and Freeway Park. Please note general playground and court improvement is already planned for both parks. Background PTRC December meeting PTRC meeting members were asked to make some wish list items for the improvements of Arden Oaks and Freeway park. At the January meeting members will discuss items and decide on wish list items to present to city council. Attachment None NEW BUISNESS – 5A MEMORANDUM DATE: January 23, 2024 TO: Parks, Trails and Recreation Committee FROM: Matthew Johnson SUBJECT: South Point Park Signage Discussion Action Requested Members will discuss signage at the South Point Park. Members will provide a recommendation to city council on their decision for signage. Background City council has agreed upon the name of South Point Park for the name of “triangle park.” This was chosen during a December work session. Please note South Point Park already has a gateway city sign on the property. Additional signage may need to be smaller or none at all. Please discuss options for the park. Attachment None NEW BUSINESS – 5B MEMORANDUM DATE: January 23, 2024 TO: Parks, Trails and Recreation Committee FROM: Jill Anderson SUBJECT: Updated MEMO template Action Requested: Please utilize the attached MEMO template. Background To enable the PTRC to be most effective, please include an “Action Requested” section to any MEMO you would like to be included on the agenda each month. Memos may simply be for information purposes only. Attachment ATTACHMENT - A Agenda Item X-X MEMORANDUM DATE: X TO: Parks, Trails and Recreation Committee FROM: X SUBJECT: X Action Requested X Background X Attachment Attachment A - X MEMORANDUM DATE: January 23, 2024 TO: Parks, Trails and Recreation Committee FROM: Jill Anderson SUBJECT: Work Plan 2024 Draft Background WORKPLAN: Each year, PTRC will submit a work plan both to public works, and present their work plan to the Council. The work plan will outline the PTRC’s goals, priorities, and projects (action steps) for any given year. 1. Work plan provide a roadmap for discussion topics over the course of the year and help to priorities and remain focus on certain goals throughout a given year. 2. Work plan should include a detailed outline of goals and projects to implement throughout any given year and should provide a structure to the items discussed throughout the year. 3. Workplans must be completed and submitted to public works no later than February of each year for the relevant year (i.e. 2025 work plan should be submitted by Feb. 2025 to public works) so that those items outlined in our workplan can get on public works plan for that year. 4. Due to time constraints, for 2024, the PTRC should come up with a handful of concrete projects/goals that will be prioritized over the course of 2024. Those items will be presented to the city council for preliminary approval at the March work session (Dave Perrault’s email). 5. Throughout the course of any given year, PTRC should have ongoing discussion regarding the proceeding year’s workplan and table any (non-emergent) issues or ideas not addressed in the current year’s workplan to the next year’s plan. Attachment ATTACHMENT - A 2024 Goals and Projects: The following general goals and ideas were outlined by the PTRC in 2023 as focus items for 2024: 1. Accessibility: Increase accessibility around Arden Hills. a. Advocate for Trails b. Provide Council a priority list for trails c. AcƟon Idea: Have PTRC review and update trail priority list. d. AcƟon Idea: Door Locks - e. Get move voices into discussion, provide educaƟon, collaborate with Mounds View High School. 2. Community: a. Get more public input. i. AcƟon Idea: have signs with QR codes at parks/trails that go to a survey/web page that allows comments and suggesƟons. ii. AcƟon Idea: PTRC to be provided tracker reports at each meeƟng to enable PTRC to regularly review public comments and be informed as to what has been done to address those specific items. iii. AcƟon Idea: Get public input on trail prioriƟes. iv. AcƟon Idea: Engage schools. b. Community Outreach. i. AcƟon Idea: PTRC to put on Open House or similar event. 1. PTRC members in aƩendance talk about what has been accomplished and what is coming up. 2. Comment box ii. AcƟon Idea: Host one free community event. 1. Ex. Food Truck at picture night kick off. iii. AcƟon Idea: Earth Day clean-up event. c. Community EducaƟon. i. AcƟon idea: Free LiƩle Library that includes books for kids about plants and environment. ii. AcƟon Idea: Create an outdoor classroom in one of the parks. d. Increase CommunicaƟon and involvement within Community. i. AcƟon Idea: Make updates and Ɵmelines about big projects available to the community. ii. AcƟon Idea: Educate the community on how to make a request (ex. Difference between sidewalks and trails). iii. AcƟon Idea: InformaƟon accessible on city’s website for volunteer opportuniƟes and who to contact if interested in volunteering. iv. AcƟon Idea: Database of volunteers. 3. Habitat: a. ConƟnue working on removing invasive species. i. AcƟon idea: ConƟnue work with Hazelnut restoraƟon and working with Great River Greening. ii. AcƟon Idea: Controlled Burns iii. AcƟon Idea: Buckthorn Plan b. Rain Gardens. i. AcƟon idea: Have an “adopt a raingarden” opportunity for schools or community groups. 4. Planning a. How PTRC can be influenƟal in planning for Rice Creek Commons. i. AcƟon idea: Create and early priority list or (wish list) for planning RCC – including a gathering place. ii. AcƟon idea: Have a PTRC liaison to projects that are going forward – ex. Lindy’s Roundabout.