Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutPark and Recreation Advisory Commission Minutes 12-02-1993MINUTES OF THE PARK AND RECREATION ADVISORY COMMISSION MEETING December 2, 1993 Page 53 PRESENT: Chair Anderson, Commissioners Gutzke, Mikula, Wahl, Watson; staff Blank and Pederson ABSENT: Commissioners Burk and Johnson 1. CALL TO ORDER The meeting was called to order by Chair Anderson at 7:03 p.m. in the Council Chambers. 2. APPROVAL OF MINUTES A motion was made by Commissioner Mikula and seconded by Commissioner Watson to approve the minutes of the November meeting as presented. The motion carried with all ayes. 3. VISITOR PRESENTATIONS a. Athletic Associations. None were present at the meeting. b. Staff Director Blank announced that skating rinks are scheduled to open Saturday, December 18, weather permitting. He announced that the Old Fashioned Christmas in Plymouth special event is scheduled for Sunday, December 5, at Plymouth Creek Park. This annual event is co-sponsored by the Plymouth Historical Society. He also stated that the Fire and Ice Festival special event is scheduled for Saturday, February 5, 1994, at Parkers Lake. This event is co-sponsored by the Plymouth Civic League. As in past years, commissioners were asked if they would volunteer their help with the bonfire and sales of s'mores. Director Blank announced a new special event being organized with the Plymouth Historical Society called the Plymouth History Fest. It will be held in September and will feature antique cars, such as Model T's and Model A's. Superior Ford has agreed to help sponsor the event. c. Others. 4. PAST COUNCIL ACTION None. 5. UNFINISHED BUSINESS a. Request for City to take over Amberwoods Park. Director Blank stated that he and Mark Peterson, Superintendent of Parks, had visited Amberwoods Park and surveyed the existing equipment and condition of the park. Following that survey, Mr. Peterson prepared a cost estimate for updating the equipment and adding this park to the City's regular maintenance schedule. It was determined that this park would cost approximately $50,000 to upgrade and $3,000 annually to maintain. If a skating rink PRAC Minutes/December 1993 Page 54 was added, the annual maintenance cost would rise to $6,000. Director Blank went on to explain that Amberwoods Park does not provide any significant amenities to the new developments lying to the west and north. These new developments will have their own park facilities provided by the developer, or their only access to Amberwoods park is through Greenwood Elementary School property, which is considered to be the neighborhood park for this area. Staff s recommendation, therefore, is to not take over the maintenance of this private park for the reasons that there is no significant increase in benefit to the total walking neighborhood, and because it could set a precedent for dozens of other requests to take over private neighborhood parks. Pat McDonald, President of the Amberwoods Homeowners Association, indicated that Greenwood is not a satisfactory neighborhood park due to the fact that there is no toddler equipment there, and the school has asked them to not use the equipment during school hours. He also stated that the homeowners association cannot afford to upgrade the equipment they now have, which leaves them with no alternative but to tear down the existing playground, because it is considered dangerous in its present condition. He then asked when their neighborhood could expect to have a park built for them, and what their taxes are being used for if they can't have a park. Director Blank responded that there are six or seven other school sites in Plymouth that serve as neighborhood parks, such as Birchview Elementary, Pilgrim Lane Elementary, Sunset Hill Elementary, etc., and use of the playground equipment during school hours has never been an issue before. Director Blank also stated that a few years ago, the Greenwood Elementary PTA approached the City about helping with the upgrading of Greenwood's playground. They were told that the City was willing to consider partial funding up to $10,000, but the PTA never followed through. Commissioner Gutzke suggested to Mr. McDonald that he approach Greenwood about starting up that project again. Mr. McDonald requested that Director Blank talk to the Superintendent of Schools regarding the school's policy about using the playground during school hours. Chair Anderson stated that he was reluctant to take over the Amberwoods Park due to the precedent it might set. Commissioner Gutzke was concerned about that possibility, as well, but also stated that when homeowners buy houses in developments with private parks, they do so knowing that part of their dues go toward maintaining their private park. b. West Medicine Lake Park master plan presentation by Barton-Aschman. Representatives of Barton-Aschman were present to discuss the three proposed road alignments and park concepts associated with those road alignments. They explained that some of the objectives of the park are to: establish bike trail connections, establish passive wood chip trails, treat urban runoff, improve water quality, segregate active areas from passive areas, provide water front activities, maintain bike connections along the lake and neighborhood safety. Barton-Aschman then explained each road alignment and used visual displays to show those alignments and the various park designs. Following their presentation, residents and commissioners were asked for their comments. Erika Urban, 1541 West Medicine Lake Drive, stated that she is concerned about disturbing the PRAC Minutes/December 1993 Page 55 wetlands and prefers road alignment A, as it seems to have the least impact. She urged PRAC to consider a park concept plan that would not attract large boats to the area. She would like the park to be low key and to somehow keep the jet skis out. Director Blank responded that at least twice a year, once in the spring and once in the fall, large boats need to have a way to get on and off the lake, because the French Park boat launch is not adequate for this purpose. Roger Meyerhoff, 23rd Avenue, prefers that any tennis courts be placed further into the park rather than on the outer edge. He would like to see the wetlands improved. He believes that fishing docks will be negatively impacted by speed boats. When the improvements take place, he hopes to have a curb and gutter installed in front of his property. His preference for a road alignment is either A or C. Scott Heathcote, 18th Avenue, spoke on behalf of his neighbor Glen Hanson. Mr. Hanson does not want road alignment B. Chuck Korsmo, representing his father, Bud, stated concern about the homeowners being assessed for curb and gutter when the new road alignment goes through. Director Blank responded that that is an issue the Council will have to address. Mr. Korsmo indicated that his father's preference for a road alignment is either A or C, and he would also like some sort of buffer constricted to separate the private residences from the park traffic. Commissioners Wahl, Watson, Mikula and Anderson preferred road Alignment A, because it has the least impact on the wetlands. Commissioner Wahl indicated that Commissioner Burk also preferred A. Commissioner Gutzke preferred road alignment C. Staff stated that they also prefer road alignment A and a buffer zone, because it offers the most flexibility for use of the land between the road and the park. A MOTION WAS MADE BY CHAIR ANDERSON AND SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER GUTZKE TO ENDORSE ROAD ALIGNMENT A. THE MOTION CARRIED WITH ALL AYES. Commissioner Gutzke prefers that no wood be used in the constriction of the bridges in the park. Director Blank stated that he now needs fiirther direction from PRAC in terms of the park concept plans and the possible use of focus groups as suggested by one of the residents who attended the public meetings. Commissioner Mikula suggested that another letter be sent to the residents inviting them to volunteer to serve on a focus group. Commissioner Watson expressed some concern that focus groups can be too self selective and could end up consisting of people interested only for themselves. Director Blank stated that he would like any focus group to be broad based and represent the entire community. The focus group also needs to be small scale, with seven to ten people serving on it. Chair Anderson suggested sending a letter to the surrounding homeowner associations as a possible way to get membership on a focus group. Director Blank wondered about sending the letter to those residents who had attended the first two public meetings. Commissioner Wahl suggested sending the letter out to all the surrounding residents, the same ones that had received the first letter inviting them to attend the public meetings. A special questionnaire could be prepared and their responses could be used as the basis for selecting them to serve on the focus group. This idea was then discussed by PRAC, and it was the consensus to send a questionnaire to all PRAC Minutes/December 1993 Page 56 the surrounding residents. Commissioners Gutzke and Watson volunteered to review the responses and select seven or eight people to serve on the focus group. c. Study of unique open spaces update. The Open Space Committee met and decided that it would like to have the format changed to have a larger representation. They are proposing a committee comprised of four PRAC members, one Council member, one Planning Commission member, and one citizen from each of the four wards. The Park and Recreation Director and the City Forester would be non-voting liaisons to the committee. A MOTION WAS MADE BY COMMISSIONER WAHL AND SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER GUTZKE RECOMMENDING THAT THE CITY COUNCIL ADOPT THE PROPOSED COMMITTEE FORMAT AND INTERVIEW AND APPOINT FOUR CITIZENS, ONE FROM EACH WARD. THE MOTION CARRIED WITH ALL AYES. d. Accessible playground update. There was no new information to report. 6. NEW BUSINESS There was no new business to discuss. 7. COMMISSION PRESENTATION Commissioners wondered about the status of the trail along East Medicine Lake Boulevard based on a letter they had received earlier from residents concerned about pedestrian safety. Director Blank had also received a copy of the same letter and had sent the residents a response indicating that Hennepin Parks intended to contact the property owners whose properties would be affected by the constriction of the trail. Of the five property owners, two said they may sell, two said they would talk about it, and the fifth individual, who owns two properties along the proposed trail, has indicated that he is not interested in selling. 8. STAFF COMMUNICATION Director Blank announced that a meeting has been arranged between the Save French Woodlands group, Hennepin Parks and the City for December 15. The City Council meets on December 20 and may, at that meeting, make a decision on the proposed Baton development. 9. ADJOURN The meeting adjourned at 9 p.m.