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HomeMy WebLinkAbout09-28-04 PTRC Minutes . ~ . ~~HILLS ARDEN HILLS MINUTES PARKS, TRAILS AND RECREATION COMMITTEE MEETING TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 28, 2004 7:00 P.M. ARDEN HILLS CITY HALL 1245 WEST HIGHWAY 96 1. CALL TO ORDER Chair Henry called the September 28, 2004 meeting of the Parks, Trails and Recreation Committee to order at 7:10 p.m. MEMBERS PRESENT: Chair Bill Henry, Committee Members Jim Crassweller, Rich Straumann and Roberta Thompson. OTHERS PRESENT: Michelle Olson, Parks and Recreation Supervisor; Beverly Aplikowski, Mayor; Brenda Holden, City Council Liaison; and Bonita Sullivan, Recording Secretary. MEMBERS NOT PRESENT: Committee Members Don Messerly, Joani Werner and Steve Zilmer; Tom Moore, Director Operations & Maintenance. . APPROVAL OF AGENDA The Agenda was approved by consensus. 2. APPROVAL OF MINUTES . Approve June 22, 2004 Minutes. Chair Henry stated that he had corrections as follows: Page I, Council Update, first bullet item, North Height should read North Heights. Page I, Council Update, second bullet item, Press Homes should be Presbyterian Homes. He noted that throughout the minutes the following acronyms should be corrected: PRTC should read PTRC and TCAPP should read TCAAP. MOTION: Committee Member Crassweller motioned, seconded by Committee Member Straumann to approve the June 22, 2004 minutes as amended. The motion carried unanimously. e IIEarthlAdminlCommitteeslParks Trails and Recreation CommitteelMinutesI2004109-28-04 Minutes.doc Arden Hills Parks, Trails and Recreation Committee Meeting Minutes September 28, 2004 Page 2 of8 . A.pprove July 27,2004 Minutes. . MOTION: Committee Member Crassweller motioned, seconded by Committee Member Straumann to approve the July 27,2004 minutes as presented. The motion carried unanimously. COUNCIL UPDATE Mayor Aplikowski provided the Committee with a brief update on the following Council activities: . City Council passed a resolution that encourages the School District to consider keeping Valentine Hills Elementary School open. . School District is at midpoint in their meetings. . There is a possibility that Shoreview will lose Snail Lake Elementary and New Brighton would lose Pike Lake Elementary. . Still in discussion regarding the High Schools. . City Council is currently working through the budget process. . Ask('d the PTRC for ideas on how the City could encourage sponsorship and donation of . trees for the City. . She suggested sending out a citywide message regarding Friends of the Park that would outline the donor and sponsorship process. . She asked tlle PTRC to come up with suggestions for the kinds of trees ilidividuals could donate. Chair Henry suggested replacing the trees that the City is going to lose with trees ofthe same type. He asked the Mayor why the PTRC was not given an opportunity with the Lexington Avenue trail. Mayor Aplikowski explained that the trail was identified as a County project. She stated that Council was not aware and did not see the proposal or plan until they attended one of the open houses. She stated that they had held three public hearings and until last night, the City did not have an offer to do anything except install a path. Council Liaison Holden provided the Committee with the following update: . Bethel dormitory height variance request was approved. . City Council authorized a Utility Rate Study due to increasing water utility rates. . City Council authorized Staff to proceed with the hiring of a Building Inspector. . City Council authorized Staffto begin a search for a Staff Engineer. . Assessment Task Force - City Council approved new street assessments for residents. Assessments would be per lot; the City will pay 50% and 50% will be divided by the number of lots. e Arden Hills Parks, Trails and Recreation Committee Meeting Minutes September 28, 2004 Page 3 of8 . . Assessment Task Force - Requested permission to review the number of sanitation vehicles servicing the residential areas. They are considering allowing one to three companies to service the City. 4. PARKS AND RECREATION UPDATES Michelle Olson - Parks, Recreation and Trails Update Ms. Olson provided the Committee with an update on the Park activities. . Move into the shop area next week. . Seasonal employees are done for the summer. . Getting ready for fall and winter seasons. . Open house for new building is scheduled for November. . Soccer Season is in full swing. . Just finishing softball league. A. Perry Park . Has had some delays . . HCMC has been inspecting each step of the process. . Foupd some small issues and are in the process ofresolving. . Roofing will begin soon. . Site lines for fields and playgrounds are now visible. . Should be completed in November sometime. B. Cumminl!:s Park . Recreational programming and the Soccer season are going well. . Beginning to get the park ready for winter. . Rooms are being used and rented on a regular basis . Problem with bathroom doors not latching correctly. . Bathroom brick walls are shifting and separating due to the settling of the building and poor workmanship. . Spoke with Guidant and have asked for all work to be completed by this Saturday. . Can not rent rooms until the bathroom is repaired. . Dave Scherbel is also working with Kraus Anderson to get this resolved. . Would like to schedule the dedication and open house in either October or November; this will not be scheduled until the bathrooms are repaired. . Residents want to meet to discuss the skating rink. . Some residents want a hockey rink and some would prefer that it remain a pleasure rink. e . A hockey rink would be very expensive and would require all new boards for the rink. Arden Hills Parks, Trails and Recreation Conunittee Meeting Minutes September 28, 2004 Page 4 of8 . This year the rink will remain a pleasure rink and at some point a discussion will be held . with the residents to determine the future of the rink. Committee i.1ember Thompson stated that she would like to see an opportunity given to the residents where they could help raise funds for the hockey rink. Council Liaison Holden asked if they would be able to have both a hockey rink and pleasure rink. She stated that several parents have complained that the smaller children rarely have an opportunity to skate on the ice because of the hockey. Ms. Olson explained that there are too many issues with the size of the site to consider both a hockey rink and pleasure rink. She stated that one ofthe options is to coordinate and schedule ice time for both hockey and pleasure skating. C. County Rd E Bridl!:e/Trail Council Liaison Holden provided the committee with an update on the County Road E Bridge and Trail. She stated that currently five Council Members are for the bridge, four Council Members are against the sidewalk and one is for the sidewalk. She reviewed their concerns with the Committee noting that she has also had discussions with local bike groups who indicated that . they would have preferred the money be spent in other ways. She stated that residents are concerned about the desigu of the sidewalk noting that they would be unable to get to the Lake Joharma areu via the sidewalks. She stated that North Heights Church residents feel the City is pushing this on their neighborhood when they don't actually want it. Mayor Aplikowski explained that there has been more negative than positive responses and many of the residents in the area have expressed concerns regarding the safety along County Road E. She stated that there would be a need to improve the interchange in this area due to the safety issucs and reviewed with the Committee. She stated that currently there is no consensus on this issue and indicated that staff would be including this on the next Council agenda for further discussion. Council Liaison Holden explained that some have a noted fear of the bridge adding that their main concern is not the traffic on County Road E but the possibility of vehicles backing into pedestrians from the driveways. She stated that residents have also expressed concerns regarding bicyclists using the trail or sidewalks. Chair Henry clarified that the majority of bicyclists would not be on the trail. He stated that the bicyclists are not the issue but pedestrians are. He stated that the residents he has discussed this with are more than one thousand percent excited about it. He stated that currently there are no places to walk to and people who do walk in this area feel strongly that the bridge and trail need to be done. e Arden Hills Parks, Trails and Recreation Committee Meeting Minutes September 28, 2004 Page 5 of8 . Committee Member Thompson agreed stating that she has discussed this with her neighbors and most are very much in favor of the trail. She stated that it is very important to the residents that they have the comfort level of being able to cross County Road E safely. She suggested putting together a petition that could help determine who wants it and who doesn't. She explained that she would like to be sure they are getting the right information from the resident. She expressed concerns noting that there is a real bias involved in trying to come to a decision on this issue. She stated that the PTRC represents the City and its parks and expressed concerns that the Council does not take into consideration PTRC recommendations as part of the decision process. Committee Member Crassweller reviewed his concerns with the committee noting that last year the City Council had asked the PTRC to prioritize park projects and provide Council with their recommendations. He stated that it was their understanding this is all part of a twenty year plan for the City and that the projects would be funded with state and/or county assistance. He clarified that they are all separate projects that should be paid for as they are completed. Chair Henry agreed stating that many of the residents agree that there is a need for these projects. He stated that it is a question of how it is asked for and explained. He expressed concerns stating that the trails need to be addressed. Council Liaison Holden asked if the committee members have met with the residents to discuss . the projects and hear their concerns. Chair Henry stated that he has discussed the projects with many of the residents, in addition to passing out flyers and articles. He indicated that the residents have also assisted in the development of the plan and reviewed with the committee. Council Liaison Holden stated that staffwill be presenting a slide show of the bridge proposal but would not include the sidewalk. She stated that they would like it open for discussion and reviewed with the committee. Mayor Aplikowski explained that the bridge and trail were considered as two separate projects. She stated that based on how it was presented, there is support for the bridge but the sidewalk is not included as part of the project as it is currently designed. Chair Henry explained that this is one project not two. He stated that the recommendation from the PTRC included the bridge and the sidewalk as one project. Ms. Olson clarified to the Mayor and to Councilmember Holden that staff requested a Feasibility Study on the bridge adding that when the Study came back to Council for their review, it included a request to include the trail with the bridge as part of the study. e Arden Hills Parks, Trails and Recreation Committee Meeting Minutes September 28, 2004 Page 6 of8 . Motion by Committee Member Crassweller, Committee Member Straumann seconded to recommend an all or nothing vote from Council on the bridge and sidewalk. Motion carried unanimously 5. FIELD USE BY ASSOCIATIONS Ms. Olson explained that several associations utilize the ball fields every spring through summer for baseball and soccer. She stated that many of the associations do not help in any way to maintain the fields, noting that City Staff provides the majority of the maintenance for the fields and receives nothing for the service. She stated that staff researched how other cities in the metro area manage their ball fields to try and come up with options to help gain enough funding to reasonably maintain the fields. She noted that currently, the funding is received through donations or from the CIP fund. She stated that they reviewed the fees charged by other cities noting that the fees are based on resident/non-resident status and practice versus games. She suggested sending a letter to the associations explaining how they classify the costs to maintain the fields. Chair Henry clarified that the reason they are not currently charging fees is because the assumption that the people using the fields are residents. . Ms. Olson explained that one of the problems they have found is that both Mounds View and Vadnais Heights are charging fees for field use and the coaches are bring their teams to Arden Hills to use the fields because they know the city does not charge for their use. Committee Member Crassweller asked what difference a $10.00 fee would make for the City. Ms. Olson stated that it would be a form of revenue that could be used for better maintenance of the fields. She stated that it would also make the teams and associations more accountable for their keeping their reservations and helping with the maintenance of the fields. Committee Member Thompson expressed a concem that ifthe teams and associations were paying a fee, they would have a higher expectation for better maintenance and upgrades for the fields. She asked if the City would be able to keep up with this kind of expectation. Ms. Olson agreed that this could be an issue. She clarified that she is not in full support of charging a fee, adding that if they try and work with the teams and associations they might agree to help with the maintenance. She noted that they are at the beginning stages ofthis issue. Committee Member Crassweller asked how the timds would be allocated. Ms. Olson explained that all of the funds received from fees would be allocated for field maintenance. She reviewed the number of fields involved with the Committee stating that they have not yet determined a e pncmg. Arden Hills Parks, Trails and Recreation Committee Meeting Minutes September 28, 2004 Page 7 of8 . Chair Henry agreed that charging fees could create the expectation from the users that the fields would be upgraded and improved. Ms. Olson acknowledged that this is a possibility adding that she too has reservations about charging fees. She stated that she and Mr. Moore are working on a way to approach the associations to determine what they would be interested in contributing towards the maintenance of the fields their teams use. 6. Forming a Non-Profit Organization for the PTRC Chair Henry suggested tabling this discussion until all PTRC Committee Members are present. Council Liaison Holden provided tlle Commission with a brief overview: . Long Term Funding Foundation . Any amount of money can go into the pool. . Would only be able to draw up to 5% per year, which is the maximum amount available for withdrawal per year . The account has to reach a specific balance amount before tlley could draw on the account. . Takes approximately 15-months to obtain a 501c from the IRS. . Chair Henry stated that they could go to a local tank and ask for assistance identifying the appropriate account. He asked if there are tax consequences for the City. Council Liaison Holden stated that currently the St. Paul Foundation is doing a survey to determine ifthis would be worthwhile for them and ifthe City has a base. Committee Member Thompson agreed with Chair Henry stating that the Committee should do further investigation on both short term and long term options. 7. 2005 Priorities Chair Henry provided the Committee with the following list to consider for their 2005 priorities: . Walkway under railroad connecting Tony Schmidt Park to Perry Park and trails. . Trail along Old Snelling from Highway 51 to Highway 96. . Trail through Northwestern College. . Trails within the Higway 10-Highway 96 reconstruction. . Trail over old railroad bridge across I-35W, allowing counection to Long Lake Park. . Trail and footbridge crossing 5 I at Old Snelling. . Trail from Old Snelling to Long Lake Park; Parkshore Drive; Gateway Boulevard; Old Railroad Bridge across 35W. e . Trail/Sidewalk along west side of Lexington from County Road E to 1-694. . Trail along North Snelling from Briarknoll to Highway 96. . . Arden Hills Parks, Trails and Recreation Committee Meeting Minutes September 28, 2004 Page 8 of8 . . Trail through marsh to link library with existing trails. . Trail along west side of Round Lake. Chair Henry asked the committee to review the suggested priorities and plan to come back next month to discuss further. 8. OTHER DISCUSSION ITEMS Committee Member Straumarm stated that Ramsey County recently purchased the land north of the railroad tracks. He reviewed the area and purchase with the Committee noting that the question is, is some of this part of Perry Park. He stated that hopefully they would proceed with the walkwa} sometime within the next year. He indicated that the railroad would design tlle underpass and the County would reimburse. Committee Member Straumarm stated that Ramsey County is scheduled to meet to update the map showing potential areas for community parks. He reviewed with the Committee noting there is potential for trails along Rice Creek. Ms. Olson stated that she and Mr. Moore recently met with the school districtlRamsey County regarding user fees and TCAAP. The district discussed the possibility of updating the Athletic . Facility Study, which was completed in 2002. The district would then be able to take the findings and develop a vision around what could be located in the TCAAP proposed athletic complex space. They would like more definition and certainty regarding the proposed athletic complex. Mayor Aplikowski thanked the Committee for their time, efforts and hard work noting that their work is very much appreciated by the City and the City Council. 9. NEXT MEETING AGENDA . 2005 Priorities 10. ADJOURNMENT Committee Member Straumaun motioned, Committee Member Crassweller seconded, to adjourn the meeting at 8:45 p.m. Motion carried unanimously. Respectfully submitted, Bonita Sullivan TimeSaver Off Site Secretarial, Inc. e