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HomeMy WebLinkAboutPark and Recreation Advisory Commission Minutes 06-14-20181 Approved Minutes June 14, 2018 Approved Minutes Park & Recreation Advisory Commission Thursday, June 14, 2018 MEMBERS PRESENT: Vice Chair Aaron Vanderwall, Commissioners: Dick Burkhardt, Merrilee Riley, Marilyn Sunseri, Michael Swanson, Vita Wilson MEMBERS ABSENT: Chair Tricia DeBleeckere STAFF PRESENT: Parks & Recreation Director Diane Evans, Deputy Director Barb Northway, Plymouth Creek Center Manager Chris Fleck, Forester Paul Buck, Office Support Specialist Sarah Josephs COUNCIL REPRESENTATIVES: Council Member Jim Davis, Planning Commissioner Bryan Oakley 1. CALL TO ORDER Vice Chair Vanderwall called the meeting to order at 7:02 p.m. 2. APPROVAL OF MINUTES Motion by Commissioner Swanson, seconded by Commissioner Burkhardt, recommending approval of the May 10 Park and Recreation Advisory Commission meeting minutes as written. With all members voting in favor, the motion carried. 3. OPEN FORUM: 4. PRESENTATIONS (NON-ACTION ITEMS): 4a. Plymouth Creek Center Community Engagement Plymouth Creek Center Manager Chris Fleck presented the Commission with an update on the Community Engagement process. Right now staff and volunteers are working on getting feedback from community members on the existing space and potential additions in a new space. Many people are coming into the PCC to ask questions on the project. Staff have been tracking conversations to gather data to use for a report back to Council later this year. Social Pinpoint is an online interactive map website that will gather comments on potential building additions. The same questions on Social Pinpoint are also available on a comment card that individuals can complete in person at either Plymouth City Hall or the PCC. Staff have also been working on some additional sources of communicating the engagement process. A scrolling header has been added to the City’s website. In addition, a designated webpage was created and added to the City’s website with all of the related information on the engagement process. There are two upcoming Open House events where visitors can stop in and ask questions or see renderings of potential additions. The Open Houses are scheduled for June 26 and August 13. 2 Approved Minutes June 14, 2018 4b. Historical Society Update Dr. Natasha Thoreson was introduced as the new Historical Site Manager. Dr. Thorsten graduated with her PhD from the University of Minnesota with a degree in History of Design, specializing in textiles and costumes. Most recently Dr. Thorsten had been working at the University of Wisconsin Madison in the textile department. This new position was created to manage, operate and evaluate the Plymouth Historical Society. She will manage the day-to-day operations such as membership drives, digitizing and cataloging the collection, as well as working on fundraising efforts. She has also been busy meeting with current volunteers, City staff members, and local residents to learn more about the history of Plymouth and what can be improved at the Historical Society. Dr. Thorsten plans to improve accessibility to the collection by creating workspaces within the site, as well as increase communication on the Historical Society in an effort to building a wider audience. She has begun updating the current website and building a larger volunteer base. She encourages Commissioners to attend a free Open House at the Plymouth Historical Society. They are offered the first and third Sunday of each month from 1-3 p.m. 4c. Catering Update Plymouth Creek Center Manager Chris Fleck shared an update on the new catering contracts that will go into effect January 1, 2020. Residents will be able to book an event in 2020 starting on July 1, 2018. Those events will be able to choose from one of the new exclusive caterers; A’BriTin Catering, Lancer Catering, Medina Entertainment Center, and The Lookout Catering. These caterers have all agreed to a 5 year agreement. Since there is an overlap in the days available for rental, there are presently 8 caterers under agreement with the Plymouth Creek Center. Events booked now through December 31, 2019 must book through the current caterers; Lancer Catering, Medina Entertainment Center, Mintahoe Catering & Events, and RP Catering by Roasted Pear. 5. NEW BUSINESS (ACTION ITEMS): 5a. Emerald Ash Borer Forester Paul Buck presented an update on the current Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) Management Plan Initiatives. There have been a few trees identified in Plymouth as having EAB present. In 2016 six infected trees near Medicine Lake Blvd E were removed. During the winter of 2018 the City removed 68 ash trees from the adjacent area as a preventative measure. Trees affected with EAB will likely continue to spread along the east side of Plymouth near Medicine Lake. As of right now the lake is providing a good barrier for much westward spreading. When managing the spread of EAB there are three choices; you can treat the trees, remove the trees, or do nothing. The trees that have nothing done to them will die and ultimately have to be removed. The City has chosen to diversify how the ash trees are treated. In 2011 there were 300 trees removed, 6 were removed in 2016, and 68 have thus far been removed in 2018. Additionally, 400 trees were treated in 2014, 425 trees treated in 2015, 400 trees in 2016, 426 in 2017, and 386 in 2018. The east side of the city is on its third set of biennial injections. Treating of the trees takes place based on the EAB’s life cycle. In early spring the EAB are in pupation stage, then move to emergence stage from May – June. At this time the chemicals are applied to the trees to slow down the EAB population. They will then start laying eggs in mid-July 3 Approved Minutes June 14, 2018 and develop larvae from August – October. The EAB overwinter from November – early spring. This is the best time to remove the trees to get rid of as much infected areas as possible. Up until now staff have been focusing on treating as many ash trees as possible. Now they would like to shift the focus to removal and replanting with new varieties. Staff hope by offering incentives, such as free replacement trees, it will help in the removal of private ash trees in Plymouth. Staff are proposing to pre-emptively remove boulevard trees. Trees 5” in diameter or greater, and not currently being treated, would be eligible for removal and replacement. Homeowners choosing to have their boulevard trees removed are able to have them replaced with a variety of 10 species to choose from. The affected property owners would then be responsible to water the new tree with a water bag the first three years. Residents have the choice not to replace the tree after removed. There are currently just over 3,000 ash trees on private property. Staff will work with the resident to determine the best option. If the tree is valuable to the owner or property, it is recommended that the owner begin treating the tree. If they are choosing not to treat th e tree, then they are strongly encouraged to remove the tree and replace with a new variety. Each property would be eligible for up to four bare root trees to plant in exchange for removing the ash tree. The cost of the pre-emptive boulevard and private removals would be covered by the Tree Preservation Fund. The combined EAB projects would be paid for by the Managing Ash for EAB in Community Forests grant that the City received from the DNR. Commissioner Swanson asked what the success rate is for trees that are receiving treatment and if any trees treated have been found to have been affected by EAB. Forester Buck replied that research has shown that if a tree is treated every 2-3 years there is a 99% chance that EAB won’t take over the tree. Within 10-15 years of beginning the treatments the EAB have spread to other areas. At that time those initially treated trees can be treated every 3 -5 years. Deputy Director Northway shared that if any EAB begin attacking private trees that residents did not remove then the City would have to condemn the tree as a hazard. The downside to keeping an ash tree that is infected is that it becomes very brittle and dangerous to remove. Additionally, the more brittle the tree becomes the more expensive it is to have removed. Commissioner Riley encouraged staff to increase communication of the effects of EAB to residents. It is very important to make sure the information is clear and understood. Staff could create a webpage or slogan to help keep the information easy to remember and reference. The Forestry division also recently hosted an Arbor Day 2018 event. Over 40 volunteers from the Rotary and Wayzata High School YES were on hand to plant trees along Lake Camelot. There were 40 different varieties of trees planted along the trail on the south side of the lake. Each tree has a plate with details on the variety, size, and facts next to it. These new trees will serve as an educational piece for those walking by as well as a screening for new homes being built nearby. Motion by Commissioner Riley, seconded by Commissioner Sunseri, recommending the approval of the new Emerald Ash Borer Management Plan Initiatives. 4 Approved Minutes June 14, 2018 5b. Capital Improvement Plan approval (Action) Director Evans provided the Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) to commissioners and requested approval of the CIP. The approved plan would be presented to City Council for approval of projects in the 2019-2020 budget as well as the 2019-2023 CIP. There have been some changes to the Plan since last meeting. Staff continue to work on filling trail gaps throughout the park system. Bid opening for the Medina Road and Revere Lane trail gap projects were recently held. Bids came in well under budget. The trail connection near Fresh Thyme is currently scheduled for 2019. Looking ahead, a connection will need to be considered by the former Elm Creek Golf Course, abutting Wayzata High School property in 2021. A new elementary school and new homes are being constructed in that location. To connect residents to the school a trail would have to cross Elm Creek. Another option for 2021 would be a trail connection along Old Rockford Road. Many sections of the City’s 160 miles of trails are in need of repairs. Staff will share the State of the Trails update at the September meeting. Over the last 30 years of trail creation many factors have changed such as ADA laws, minimum widths, and required grades and slopes. Repairing sections of the trails could cost anywhere between $800,000 - $1,000,000 per mile. Many of the park parking lots are in need of repair as well. Many were not built with the correct base, and likely were built on top of clay. Engineers will need to check soil borings to determine costs of repair/replacement. Phase 5 of the Northwest Greenway project has begun. A boardwalk is to be installed along the southwest side of the Greenway. Once installed a full trail loop will be complete for visitors to walk around the wetland. A trailhead and parking lot will be installed on the south end of the loop in 2019. Boardwalk repair and replacements will be discussed in the coming years. In 2019 the boardwalk at the Plymouth Dog Park will be replaced. In 2020 the boardwalk at Lake Camelot, along County Road 47 will be replaced. This boardwalk completes a loop around the park. The boardwalk along the south side of the lake will need to be discussed further. There is currently an asphalt trail that runs along the south side of the lake. The question would be whether there is a need for both a trail and a new boardwalk along the south side of the lake. More information on the boardwalks will be shared at the September PRAC meeting. Commissioner Riley asked if there was a specific line item for repairs at the dog parks. Director Evans shared that those improvements would fall under the Misc Park Improvements budget line. Currently the budget ranges from $75,000 - $100,000. Those funds are used for repairing fencing, shelters and other small projects. This fund includes the projects that are expected to cost less than $25,000. Any project costing more than $25,000 would need to be included in the CIP. Vice Chair Vanderwall asked what all is included when making parking lot repairs at playfields. Do these projects also include improving crossings into the parks? Director Evans shared that typically the parking lot projects do not include any crosswalk improvements. There have been two large accidents in the last five years at the Bass Lake Playfield entrance. City staff will be connecting with County staff to inform them of the large number of daily users at the park which is along Northwest Boulevard/County Road 61. Staff hope to work with the County, Streets, Police, and Engineering to find a positive solution. Commissioner Swanson inquired further on parking lot repairs. He had noticed recently that the new parking lot at French Regional Park had a paver stone inlay within the lot. Director Evans 5 Approved Minutes June 14, 2018 shared that the County has a much larger budget for projects like that. The park district receives funds from those throughout the entire county via property taxes. Vice Chair Vanderwall asked if there were ways in which groups interested in supporting a specific project/replacement could organize outside funding opportunities. Director Evans recommended residents form a group and gather a petition of additional residents supporting their concern. There may be ways in which some raised funds could support the project. Motion by Commissioner Riley, seconded by Commissioner Burkhardt, recommending the approval of the Capital Improvement Plan. 5c. Fieldhouse Policies and Fees (Action) Plymouth Creek Center Manager Chris Fleck presented a recommendation to update fees and policies at the Fieldhouse. Every few year’s staff compare the Fieldhouse dome prices to those at similar facilities in the community. Staff look to make sure our prices are in -line with the prices at similar nearby facilities. Staff are proposing a $15 increase to full field rentals and a $5 increase on half field rentals. In addition, staff would like to include a clause allowing the facility manager to adjust the hourly fee for rentals scheduled less than 48 hours before the rental time. The Fieldhouse has a strong base with youth associations renting time, but often staff receive calls 1 to 2 days in advance wis hing to reserve. This clause would be helpful for bookings close to holidays or non-peak times. Commissioner Riley suggested to reword the clause for clarification. She suggested “ …adjust an hourly fee within 48 hours if the field is not presently rented and the rental time is available.” Commissioner Riley asked if the prices for Open Play will be kept the same. Currently the $4 admission cost is the same as nearby facilities with permanent play structures. Manager Fleck shared that dome managers meet bi-annually. Currently $5 is the average fee charged per child. The indoor playground industry is growing and a good attraction to provide. Staff want to stay in line with area fees, but keep visitors coming back. Motion by Commissioner Riley, seconded by Commissioner Swanson, recommending the approval of the proposed changes to the Fieldhouse Policies and Fees. 6. COMMISSIONER/STAFF UPDATE  The MN Zoo brought their Zoomobile to the Hilde for an animal show last night.  Staff are gearing up for the Farmers Market that starts on June 27 at Plymouth Creek Playfield. Parking lot repairs are currently taking place, but will be complete in time for the Market to start.  Kids Fest will take place on August 2 at the Hilde. This event has traditionally been our largest event of the summer.  Throughout the summer there will be two to three free concerts, movies or activities to attend each week.  The first Water Ski Show of the season will take place on July 17 at Parkers Lake.  Several projects are scheduled in the parks this summer. Crooked Creek Park is nearly complete. An Open House will be scheduled for August. Green Oaks Park is also near to completion and will be open by the end of June. The East Medicine Lake Park project is going well. Staff had been concerned about soil conditions but the tests came back great and helical piers didn’t have to go as deep as initially planned for. 6 Approved Minutes June 14, 2018  Vice Chair Vanderwall suggested that Plymouth add a ninja -warrior type feature in one of the parks due to increase popularity. Director Evans shared that an on -site Ninja Warrior camp is being held for two weeks at the Fieldhouse. Staff have also been looking at adding some features when developing The Meadows or setting aside some land for an outdoor fitness-type park.  Commissioner Riley inquired if anyone participated in the Step To It Challenge last month. Plymouth entered the most steps of all cities in Hennepin County. The City will be receiving an award from Hennepin County at an upcoming Council meeting. 7. ADJOURNMENT Motion by Commissioner Riley, seconded by Vice Chair Vanderwall, recommending adjournment of the Park and Recreation Advisory Commission meeting. With no objection, Vice Chair Vanderwall adjourned the meeting at 8:15 p.m.