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HomeMy WebLinkAbout10-21-25 - PTRC Minutes CITY OF ARDEN HILLS PARKS, TRAILS AND RECREATION COMMITTEE MEETING TUESDAY, OCTOBER 21, 2025, 6:30 PM ARDEN HILLS CITY HALL CALL MEETING TO ORDER Committee Chair Dan Dietz called the October 21, 2025, meeting of the Parks, Trails, and Recreation Committee to order at 6:30 p.m. MEMBERS PRESENT: Dan Dietz, Nancy Jacobson, Amelia Rogers, Derek Hilding, SJ Julius, Nikhath Nazir Ahmed, Lacy Loosbrock, Ted Chesrund and Liz Johnson OTHERS PRESENT: Parks and Recreation Manager Jess Skalicky and Council Liaison Emily Rousseau ABSENT:. Committee Members Kate Olson and Kerri Seemann 1. APPROVAL OF AGENDA MOTION: Committee Member Julius moved and Committee Member Johnson seconded a motion to approve the agenda. The motion carried unanimously among members present. 2. APPROVAL OF MINUTES A. September 16, 2025 PTRC Minutes MOTION: Committee Member Hilding moved and Committee Member Rogers seconded a motion to approve the meeting minutes, as written. The motion carried unanimously among members present. 3. REPORT A. Council Liaison Update Council Liaison Rousseau said the Park System Master Plan Open House will take place on November 4 from 6-8pm at City Hall. Postcards went out and they are hoping for a strong turn out. Council Liaison Rousseau said November 4 is also Election Day and she encouraged everyone to vote, reminding everyone local elections are important. Council Liaison Rousseau said City Council has participated in three strategic planning sessions. They created a two year road map that we will be working towards. PTRC has several items in our area of interest. Those included expanding Adopt-A-Park and sponsorship programs, communication assessment and improvement plan. EDC will have a work plan approved. PTRC Parks, Trails & Recreation Committee – October 21, 2025 Page 2 priorities in 2026 include invasive species, educational plan, complete Park Master Plan, project prioritization and identify Park Plan funding opportunities. Staff is looking to assess technology needs and to determine if Staffing needs are being met. We’re always exploring alternative funding sources. Council Liaison Rousseau said Council will be reviewing some policies. We are going through a complete zoning overhaul. A PTRC initiative may include a city-owned land discussion. PTRC may also be tasked with helping implement the encroachment policy. Council Liaison Rousseau said EDC will host a business event where she will share Adopt-A- Park with the businesses attending. Council Liaison Rousseau said City Council set a preliminary budget for 2026. It is 18.32%. She understands that is painful. The amount can not go any higher than that, but may be reduced. This is an increase of approximately $255 a year, per household. Council is hoping to get it down to 16%, would still be $236 per household. Half of that budget covers Public Safety. The Tree Trust is included, at this time. There is $9,000 in the budget for next year for Great River Greening. There is also a hold of $10,000 to build up additional funds to start implementing the Park Master Plan work. Council Liaison Rousseau said she met with John Mazzitello from Ramsey County. He proposed and Council agreed to move the Highway 10 trail project to 2027. There is a cost participation policy where the County pays a portion of the project. The policy is being revised so the County would pay a bigger portion so the City will have less burden. She asked him where the funds come from. He stated the County put money aside for a river view project. That is not happening now. The money will be distributed so the County will pay more on the trail projects via that cost participation policy. She understands this delay may be disappointing but it could save the City a lot of money on our portion of those project expenses. Council Liaison Rousseau said the County has agreed to fully fund the Rice Creek Commons spine road, as well as the City sewer costs. They are hoping the mass grading will begin in 2026 and the spine road will be built in 2027. Committee Member Johnson said there is information on what that road will look like, including sidewalks and median. She asked how final that is and if there is room for change. Council Liaison Rousseau said there was an open house a couple years ago. At that time Mr. Mazzitello said design was 60% complete. She could ask and see if the plans are final. She spoke to Rich Straumann and it isn’t what he was expecting it to be. Committee Member Johnson said time could be limited on whether or not PTRC gets to give any input. Committee Member Jacobson said her sub-group had some issues with the width of the distance between the road and the trail. They thought it was a lot of empty space. Committee Member Nazir Ahmed thought they may have left space for a future expansion. Committee Member Jacobson asked if construction of the spine road would include the trail. Parks, Trails & Recreation Committee – October 21, 2025 Page 3 Council Liaison Rousseau isn’t sure. She thought it was going to be built at the same time. She will get clarification. Committee Member Nazir Ahmed asked if the trail is a County or City project. Council Liaison Rousseau said it will all be County. Committee Member Rogers asked if the Highway 10 Trail will begin in 2027, or if that is when it is expected to be completed. Council Liaison Rousseau said it would begin in 2027. She asked how long the other portion of that same trail took to complete. Committee Member Rogers said once construction began, it was about six months. Council Liaison Rousseau assumes it will be completed within the year construction starts. Committee Member Loosbrock asked if pushing the trail will cost the City more. Council Liaison Rousseau said the cost of those types of projects aren’t increasing the same way other things are. The biggest difference is the County will pay a substantially larger portion which could save the City $200,000. Committee Member Rogers asked when the PTRC should begin talking about their feedback on projects. Is it six months prior to the project? She believes the PTRC have given feedback in the past that didn’t go anywhere. She wants to figure out how to bring some of those old items back to see if they can gain traction. There is a tricky turn lane on Lake Valentine Road. That road is heavily traveled by high schoolers. She said a trail there is confusing. It would be nice to know when they can anticipate an open house or discussion regarding that. Council Liaison Rousseau said there was an open house regarding the Old Highway 10 project. She isn’t sure what the next steps are for outreach surrounding that. She will check into that. Committee Member Loosbrock asked if there has been a design submitted, other than the information at the open house. Council Liaison Rousseau said that is the last time she remembers seeing any updates on that. She feels the design is about 80% complete. Committee Member Johnson said there is a trail being installed by her neighborhood on the west side of 51. The open house is this week. It is supposed to be built in spring of 2026. Discussion ensued regarding how the feedback provided at open houses isn’t always implemented. Committee Members discussed reaching out to different groups and county commissioners to give their feedback. Council Liaison Rousseau summarized the items she will seek additional information on and said she will report back when she has some answers. Parks, Trails & Recreation Committee – October 21, 2025 Page 4 B. Parks and Recreation Report Parks and Recreation Manager Skalicky said there is an open house for the Park System Plan is on November 4. The consultants will be sharing the information they have gathered so far and will also be taking feedback. The open house that Committee Member Johnson mentioned is not a City open house. She assured the Committee that she will use feedback gathered at the open house on November 4. She noted that sometimes there are reasons that certain feedback can’t be implemented. Parks and Recreation Manager Skalicky said she toured Ingerson, Perry and Sampson Parks and took inventory. The Park Lead pointed out the improvements that each park needs. It was comprehensive. She will share more information regarding those beginning phases of improving those parks in 2027. She outlined some of the issues at those parks. Parks and Recreation Manager Skalicky said the 75 Anniversary Committee is meeting and is hoping there will be some money allocated for that at an upcoming work session. The date is July 17, 2026, in conjunction with the Penny Carnival, which will be moved to Cummings Park rather than Perry Park because of space. The other events are still being decided. Parks and Recreation Manager Skalicky said her list of projects include Adopt-A-Park, rain gardens, tree abatements, Park Master Plan and helping to systemize and organize the Recreation Department. Committee Member Johnson asked if the EDC will seek sponsorships for the 75th Anniversary from the businesses attending their event. Council Liaison Rousseau said it will be mentioned. Parks and Recreation Manager Skalicky said she is hopeful a decision will be made on the 75th budget soon so that specific events and details can be finalized. C. Trails and Parks Projects Update Parks and Recreation Manager Skalicky provided the update from Assistant Public Works Director Miller. She noted the items in bold are new items. She said there will be an open house on October 23 from 3-7 pm at Centennial United Methodist Church in Roseville regarding the Minnesota 51 Trail improvements. The City is promoting this event, but it is a MnDOT event. Parks and Recreation Manager Skalicky noted the Old Highway 10 trail has been pushed to 2027 pending those cost sharing policy changes anticipated at the County level. Her understanding is that currently it is a 50/50 split in cost between the City and the County. This cost sharing policy could potentially change that to 10% City cost and 90% County cost. Council Liaison Rousseau said the actual split is still to be discussed. Discussion ensued that the City did not receive any Safe Routes to School Grant funds. Parks and Recreation Manager Skalicky said the proposed Lake Johanna Blvd. Trail has been broken out to include three separate segments over three separate years. She said the west segment Parks, Trails & Recreation Committee – October 21, 2025 Page 5 will be completed in 2029, the east segment will be completed in 2030 and the middle segment will be completed in 2031. Committee Member Jacobson said the trail isn’t that long. She wondered what the reasoning was to split the project. Parks and Recreation Manager Skalicky said it wasn’t a City decision. Discussion ensued that the City will pay for some of the project but Ramsey County is leading the construction. Committee Member Hilding asked what is happening with the Hazelnut parking lot. Council Liaison Rousseau said Mayor Grant and Councilmember Holden had negotiations with the church. The church has a large decision making board. She believes we have an easement with them to use the parking lot. That is on pause until the church board makes a decision. Parks and Recreation Manager Skalicky said her understanding is the parking lot is owned by the church and the City has an easement. Parks and Recreation Manager Skalicky said Arden Oaks Park and Freeway Park are substantially completed. She said there have been concerns regarding kids getting on the entrance ramp at Freeway Park. There is a temporary snow fence installed now, until the permanent fence is installed next year. The last item at those parks is the restoration of the green space. 4. UNFINISHED BUSINESS None. 5. NEW BUSINESS Committee Member Nazir Ahmed asked if there are any ordinances regarding way-finding or signage on trails. Parks and Recreation Manager Skalicky isn’t sure if there any ordinances or codes specific to way-finding. She said that is something on her list of tasks and processes she would like to address. Committee Member Nazir Ahmed thought that is something Bolton and Menk should address. Committee Member Jacobson said there are Arden Hills signs. She wondered how those were funded and asked who made and installed them. She thinks they are effective and have good information. Some of it is outdated, though. Discussion ensued regarding collaboration between Cities and the County. There a couple of different designs of signs. The County redesigned all of their signs. The Arden Hills signs are a different design. Committee Member Johnson said way-finding should definitely be a part of the Parks Master Plan, to include a schedule for how often the signs should be updated. Parks, Trails & Recreation Committee – October 21, 2025 Page 6 Parks and Recreation Manager Skalicky said another city she worked for completed a similar park master plan. Way-finding was not a part of that. That city had just begun the process for hiring a consultant to complete a way-finding study when she left. They were separate components. She doesn’t think it is in the plans to include way-finding with the current Park Master Plan. She thinks it is a big project. Committee Member Johnson said she thinks the consultants are focusing on the actual parks and the amenities in those spaces, with less focus on the connecting trails. Parks and Recreation Manager Skalicky said her visit to Sampson Park the other day included assessments of the entire park, including the trail that runs through it. Trails that run through parks will be addressed the most in the Parks System Master Plan, and the trail system as a whole will also be addressed. Chair Dietz said he heard the Bob Mullins sign has been approved. He hopes PTRC will be involved in the design and placement of the sign. There are a couple of other signs in the garden with a standard commercial look. He hopes the sign dedicating this garden can look more rustic. Parks and Recreation Manager Skalicky said we had to designate a specific spot in the park as Mullins Gardens. The sign will be a designator stating the name of the spot. The sign will be consistent with how other designating signs look. The sign is already done. Discussion ensued regarding the location of the sign. There are a lot of signs in that area. Committee Members expressed disappointment that this sign will be just one more sign in that area. Committee members believe the entrance to the garden would be a better placement option. Council Liaison Rousseau said signs can be moved. She said Elenore said there have been volunteer opportunities and there have been no Arden Hills volunteers. Chair Dietz said there are two, including himself. He spoke to her about having a temporary sign out when they are doing the work. That may encourage passersby to stop and inquire about the work they are doing and those folks may want to get involved. Committee Member Nazir Ahmed said she advertised for volunteers for one of her projects. It was just before school started and she didn’t get any volunteers. There is a lot of work to do. Committee Member Rogers wanted to know who is responsible for the signs on the trails and who is responsible for the signs at the parks. Parks and Recreation Manager Skalicky said it would fall under Public Works and Parks. The direction she was given regarding Mullins Garden was that it would be uniform to other spot designating signs. Discussion ensued regarding signage at Tony Schmidt Park, which is a Ramsey County park. Further discussion ensued regarding trail signs on trails that are not part of a specific park. There are Arden Hills signs that popped up a few years ago and they face the wrong direction. PTRC has been trying but have been unable to determine who put them up. Parks, Trails & Recreation Committee – October 21, 2025 Page 7 Parks and Recreation Manager Skalicky said she is not aware of those specific signs that are facing the wrong direction. She will look into it and make adjustments if she can. 6. REPORTS FROM COMMITTEES A. Rain Gardens Work Group Updates None. B. Natural Habitat Restoration Work Group Update Parks and Recreation Manager Skalicky said she met with Committee Member Seemann at Chatham Park this week. She has grand plans for that area. There has been a lot of work done already. C. Special Event Enrichment Work Group Update None. D. Volunteer Coordinating Work Group Update Committee Member Loosbrock said the Flashlight Pumpkin Hunt was well attended. The Lions Club and National Honors Society Students had a lot of volunteers to help with the event. E. Trails Work Group Update Committee Member Johnson said they had their first official meeting. There is a lot of interest from residents outside of the PTRC members who would like to be a part of that group. She said everyone is gaining a lot of knowledge from Rich Straumann. He is helping them connect the dots and understand Ramsey County’s grand plan. Learning how the funding works at the County level has been very educational. She said she walked Crepeau Park with Mr. Straumann and Committee Member Jacobson to look at where the trail breaks are there. They also noted a lot of trails end at someone’s back yard. Parks and Recreation Manager Skalicky said there are residents who have encroached on City land. So it appears you are in someone’s yard, but it is actually City land that those residents have chosen to improve. Committee Member Johnson said that is an important piece to the discussion regarding signage. It should be clear where the City land is. This work group will meet again in December. Committee Member Hilding said they are trying to wrap their heads around the trail map. As previously stated by the PTRC it is difficult to know what trails exist, which are in the planning stages and what trails are just possible trails that may or may not be developed in the future. Parks and Recreation Manager Skalicky said Bolton and Menk are creating a new trails map. Committee Member Johnson said when they toured Crepeau, a lot more of the trail is paved than is indicated on Google Maps. Parks, Trails & Recreation Committee – October 21, 2025 Page 8 Committee Member Chesrund said he runs in that area a lot. Bethel paved a lot of that trail about two years ago. Parks and Recreation Manager Skalicky said she fixed the issue with how to get to Cummings Park with the directions on different mapping platforms. It used to bring you to Wyncrest when searching for Cummings. That is fixed on Apple Maps and Google Maps after she submitted requests to both companies. Committee Member Jacobson said there was a lot of erosion on the creek at Crepeau. She isn’t sure if that is under Rice Creek Watershed’s jurisdiction or the City’s. Parks and Recreation Manager Skalicky will find out. Committee Member Johnson said it was very clear that buckthorn is being removed at Crepeau. Some of it has been cleared but other parts are very thick. Parks and Recreation Manager Skalicky said residents are allowed to remove buckthorn from City parks whenever they would like to. That work is most likely being done by residents who live in that area. Committee Member Hilding said it can be overwhelming when looking at the trail map. He thinks it would be helpful to identify a couple areas where we want to be working towards certain goals over the next few of years rather than having a 30-year plan with a bunch of great ideas. Chair Dietz encouraged everyone to take a trail tour with Mr. Straumann, if the opportunity presents. It is so informative. Council Liaison Rousseau said annually we like to choose two or three parks to visit and to learn about them. Discussion ensued regarding taking a van on a trail tour. It would help move the tours along and more people can join. It was pointed out that when everyone drives separately, it can highlight where there are parking issues. Committee Member Hilding said he noticed there are five committee members whose terms are expiring in 2025. He wondered how the terms work. Council Liaison Rousseau said there are currently two openings on the PTRC. Typically the rule is you can serve for three terms and then must take time off. However there is discussion surrounding allowing a committee member to continue to serve when there are vacancies. She asked any committee member who know they will not want to serve to send her an email. She will talk to Parks and Recreation Manager Skalicky about it and bring it back to the November meeting. She also noted that January is when the discussion regarding Committee Chair happens. Committee Member Jacobson said she will not be continuing with the PTRC as she is on the Planning Commission now. She would like to remain a “member at large” with the work on trails. Parks, Trails & Recreation Committee – October 21, 2025 Page 9 Parks and Recreation Manager Skalicky said she will bring the recommended upgrades for Perry, Ingerson and Sampson Parks at the November meeting. She encouraged committee members to visit those parks and compile their own list of needs. Committee Member Jacobson said Perry Park has the dog park. She assumes there will be an evaluation of that dog park. There is a drainage problem there. Parks and Recreation Manager Skalicky confirmed that is on the list. Committee Member Nazir Ahmed asked who is responsible for the trees that are on City property. Parks and Recreation Manager Skalicky said that is her department. Unless trees are a hazard, the City doesn’t remove them currently. The city will restart the abatement process on private property soon. Discussion ensued regarding what constitutes a hazard. Council Liaison Rousseau said there is a form on the website where residents can report hazardous trees. Committee Member Hilding pointed out that private utilities have easements. It can be tricky to determine who is responsible for trees in some areas. 6. NEXT MEETING A. Tuesday, November 18, 2025 ADJOURNMENT Chair Dietz adjourned at 7:41 pm.