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Home My WebLink About2025-09-03 Handouts Teresa Bender From: Katya Port <kportcentervillemn@gmail.com> Sent: Wednesday, September 3,2025 1:21 PM To: Teresa Bender Subject: Re: Remote Control Car Concourse Caution:This email originated outside our organization; please use caution. Hello Teresa, Can you please add this letter to our agenda today? I think it will be very important for our conversation about remote control car course. Yours sincerely, Katya Port Park& Recreation Committee Member 763-346-4955 kportcentervillemn@gmail.com On Wed, Sep 3, 2025 at 12:28 Jared Hartman <hartman1001gmail.com>wrote: Hi Katya, My name is Jared and I live over on Laramee Lane in Centerville MN. I was looking over the agenda for the city council meeting tonight and I see that there's a proposal for a remote control car concourse. After talking to some neighbors, the proposal is for Acorn Creek Park by my house. I am not in favor of this course and I'm asking that you are also not in favor of it for the following reasons and concerns. I hope you can understand my concerns. 1st)This is a poor placement for this course. Based on the size of similar courses it would need to take a significant chunk out of the green space at Acorn Creek Park that children used to play on. It is going to be too large for the space that is available in this park. 2nd) Based on the need and draw of similar race courses this will cause significant amount of increased traffic and parking needs for an area of the city that is not designed for that. Acorn Creek Park is at the back and on a dead end road in a residential area that is at minimum one mile from the nearest main road. A more suitable placement would be Lamont Park which already has road infrastructure, parking infrastructure, and bathroom facilities. Acorn Creek Park does not have any of this and would place a significant burden on the surrounding neighbors and park infrastructure currently there. i 3rd)This is not a good use of public funds. This is a niche hobby sport dissimilar from a playground, pickleball courts, or green space that everyone can use that have a low upfront cost. RC cars have a high upfront cost and focuses on a specialized market making this not the wisest and broadest use of public funds. 4th) Noise.With the potential for increased traffic, people, and specialized vehicles this would change a tranquil park into a raceway! Raceways are not known for being quiet places of refuge,they are loud places that should be placed outside of residential neighborhoods. Thank you! Jared W. Hartman C: 612-710-8961 E: hartman1001@gmail.com 2 Teresa Bender From: Teresa Bender Sent: Wednesday, September 3, 2025 9:20 AM To: Lisa Abrahamson Subject: RE: Proposed RC Track in Acorn Creek Park Attachments: Teresa Bender.vcf Dear Lisa: Thank you for your email and sharing your concerns. I have forwarded your email to our Parks & Recreation Committee Chairperson, Ms. Heidi Errickson-Grahek. I have also made copies for this evening's meeting. Mr. Durrant, approached the city with his idea for the installation of a RC racetrack and the potential for installation in a park. Either Laurie LaMotte Memorial Park or Acorn Creek Park were his choices for installation. Laurie LaMotte Park is currently undergoing transformation with a new play structure and the installation of a disc golf course. The perimeter of the park is now the disc golf course, and this was one of the areas that Mr. Durrant proposed the course. The Parks & Recreation Committee is advisory to the City Council, and this is the first time this idea is being brought forward. Very slight research has been completed by staff or the committee. The Chair of the Committee received public input through a campaign type style poll in 2024, (she attended 4 events throughout the year: Fete des Lacs, Main Street Market, an Open House here at City Hall and a Music in the Park event) obtaining the public's recommendations for new amenities within the parks and this was not a requested item at the time. The committee has the same concerns that you do regarding noise, maintenance, location, etc. The Chair of the Committee offered for Mr. Durrant to appear before them with his idea, just like they would any resident. The item is further on the Agenda for the Committee's discussion regarding completing additional commenting opportunities, continued research regarding cost, use, etc. This item will not go before Council until the item is fully vetted at the Committee level. Let me know if you have additional concerns. Sincerely, •T` ( ' 1 CN Teresa Bender City Clerk City of Centerville 1880 Main Street Centerville, MN 55038 Email tbender@centervillemn,com City Hall; (651)792-7930 Direct Dial (651)792-7933 Fax. (651)429-8629 From: Lisa Abrahamson <I_abrahamson@msn.com> Sent:Tuesday,September 2, 2025 10:08 PM To:Teresa Bender<tbender@centervillemn.com> Subject: Proposed RC Track in Acorn Creek Park Caution:This email originated outside our organization; please use caution. Hi Teresa, We're unable to attend the Park & Rec Meeting this week, and I was just informed there is a proposal to install an RC Track in a portion of Acorn Creek Park. Can you ensure the following note gets to the right people in the meeting? Thanks! Dear Park& Rec Council, As homeowners directly adjacent to Acorn Creek Park, we appreciate the opportunity to provide feedback on the proposed RC Track. While we value the park and want it to continue serving the neighborhood well, we have several concerns about this proposal: • Loss of Flexibility:The park was originally designed as an open, multi-use space. A permanent RC track would limit the park's ability to support activities such as pickup games, youth practices, and other informal gatherings that shift as neighborhood needs change. • Noise Impact: Even non-gas-powered RC cars create noise. Many residents chose this neighborhood for its quiet environment, and added sound from the track could affect the enjoyment of nearby homes and yards. • Events and Traffic: References to hosting events or economic development are not consistent with the intended character of a neighborhood park and could bring unwelcome noise and traffic. • Oversight &Safety: Unlike organized sports or family activities, RC use is more likely to occur without adult supervision, creating challenges in monitoring safety, behavior, and shared use of the space. 2 Teresa Bender From: Lisa Abrahamson <Iabrahamson@msn.com> Sent: Tuesday, September 2, 2025 10:08 PM To: Teresa Bender Subject: Proposed RC Track in Acorn Creek Park Caution:This email originated outside our organization; please use caution. Hi Teresa, We're unable to attend the Park & Rec Meeting this week, and I was just informed there is a proposal to install an RC Track in a portion of Acorn Creek Park. Can you ensure the following note gets to the right people in the meeting? Thanks! Dear Park & Rec Council, As homeowners directly adjacent to Acorn Creek Park, we appreciate the opportunity to provide feedback on the proposed RC Track. While we value the park and want it to continue serving the neighborhood well, we have several concerns about this proposal: • Loss of Flexibility:The park was originally designed as an open, multi-use space. A permanent RC track would limit the park's ability to support activities such as pickup games, youth practices, and other informal gatherings that shift as neighborhood needs change. • Noise Impact: Even non-gas-powered RC cars create noise. Many residents chose this neighborhood for its quiet environment, and added sound from the track could affect the enjoyment of nearby homes and yards. • Events and Traffic: References to hosting events or economic development are not consistent with the intended character of a neighborhood park and could bring unwelcome noise and traffic. • Oversight&Safety: Unlike organized sports or family activities, RC use is more likely to occur without adult supervision, creating challenges in monitoring safety, behavior, and shared use of the space. • Lack of Early Engagement: Residents whose homes border the park were not consulted in advance, despite being most directly impacted by potential changes. We greatly value Acorn Creek Park as a neighborhood asset and want to ensure it continues to serve the broadest range of residents in the best way possible. Sincerely, Loren & Lisa Abrahamson 1868 Revoir St. Centerville, MN 55038 i • Lack of Early Engagement: Residents whose homes border the park were not consulted in advance, despite being most directly impacted by potential changes. We greatly value Acorn Creek Park as a neighborhood asset and want to ensure it continues to serve the broadest range of residents in the best way possible. Sincerely, Loren & Lisa Abrahamson 1868 Revoir St. Centerville, MN 55038 3 Teresa Bender From: Teresa Bender Sent Wednesday, September 3, 2025 12:31 PM To: katiehartmanmn@gmail.com Subject: Presentation for this evening Attachments: Teresa Bender.vcf; RCTrackCenterville(002).pdf Dear Katie: Thank you for your time earlier. The meeting is at Laurie LaMotte Park, 6970 LaMotte Drive and commences at 6:30 p.m. if you are available. Like I stated, this is the first time that Parks & Recreation has heard of this proposal and like any proposal, they would be willing to listen to amenities that residents want to propose. The committee will determine steps going forward this evening. Which means complete more research (i.e. public input, use, where are the nearest RC Tracks, what are their participation rates, noise studies, etc.) This item will stay with the committee for some time before and if it ever gets to Council for their consideration. More surveys are needed also as I explained. Please find the attached for your review. Let me know if you have any additional questions. Sincerely, . - (J3,-,,,/, Teresa Bender ��. City Clerk City of Centerville 1880 Main Street Centerville, MN 55038 Email tbender@centervillemn.com City Hall (651)792-7930 Direct Dial:(651)792-7933 Fax: (651)429-8629 1