HomeMy WebLinkAboutPark and Recreation Advisory Commission Minutes 06-17-1999MINUTES OF THE PARK AND RECREATION ADVISORY COMMISSION MEETING
June 17, 1999
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Present: Chair Anderson, Commissioners Willegalle, Thompson, Musliner; Councilmember
Black; staff Bisek, Blank, Busch, Pederson; intern Jensen; and Barry Warner from SRF
Absent: Commissioners Fiemann, Priebe and Wahl
1. CALL TO ORDER
The meeting was called to order at 7:15 p.m.
2. APPROVAL OF MINUTES
A motion was made by Commissioner Thompson, seconded by Commissioner Musliner to
approve the minutes of the May meeting. Motion carried with all ayes.
3. VISITOR PRESENTATIONS
a. Athletic Associations. None were present.
b. Staff. Mary Bisek introduced Matt Jenson, a student at the University of Minnesota, who
is doing his internship with us this summer for 11 weeks. Matt will be working with
recreation programs, gathering information, doing research, working with maintenance
crews, etc. Mary distributed the summer concert schedule and encouraged commissioners
to attend the concerts. The concert this past week was rained out. Occasionally, the
concerts are rescheduled. Mary stated that our communications coordinator has put a
message on cable about the city cutting back on beach hours, due to a shortage of staff.
Commissioner Willegalle asked how this would be accomplished. Mary said the hours the
beach would be guarded would be reduced. Mary explained that you have to have an 18
year old guard on duty at all times when guards younger than 18 are working. Director
Blank said that eight beach staff have quit in the last couple of weeks due to finding higher
paying jobs. Rick Busch will be joining the meeting around 8:30 to discuss the fieldhouse.
Councilmember Black asked how we get the bands for our concerts. Mary said that Karol
Greupner finds them, or some of them will even call us. Karol occasionally calls a
booking agent, or finds out about them through other communities. Councilmember
Black talked about a couple of good jazz bands she had recently heard perform in
Rochester. She stated they were from the Twin Cities.
4. PAST COUNCIL ACTION
Director Blank had nothing to report on this item.
5. UNFINISHED BUSINESS
a. Comprehensive Plan Study Session - Barry Warner. Barry talked about the two draft
chapters to be discussed, Needs Analysis and Trail Plan. They're working on solidifying
the trails chapter based on comments from last month. Tonight's major focus will be on
the needs analysis chapter. Barry said it's not necessary to arrive upon recommendations
tonight, but flush out issues and figure out needs. This can be approached from a number
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of different perspectives: national standards, passive vs. active service areas, participation
rates, special facilities, such as archery, and what residents have said in surveys. A citizen
survey is being done this summer focusing on the comprehensive plan. Plymouth has a
deficit in total park acreage. But we are fortunate to have regional parks within our city
limits and open space. Taking those parcels into consideration, we meet the national
standards. Plymouth has tried to keep its park acreage as natural as possible. As the city
has evolved we have relied on park service areas or walking neighborhoods to determine if
residents were being provided with adequate parks. Each park service area was reviewed
to determine where it's lacking. Population projections have also been studied. Northern
Plymouth will see growth. There are 50 park service areas in Plymouth. All have been
looked at to determine if parks are meeting the needs of the residents. All the park service
areas have been scored by SRF. Some areas will need a neighborhood park.
Councilmember Black asked if we count golf courses as usable park areas. It counts as
open space but Barry wonders to what extent it provides adequate value to the
neighborhood. Director Blank said park service areas can be modified if PRAC so
chooses. How did the lines get drawn between service areas? Mr. Warner said land use
determined some of it (residential vs. commercial). A principal roadway becomes a
boundary and so do physical features, such as Medicine Lake. Director Blank explained
that when the park system plan was first developed, Plymouth's population was 30,000.
Our City Council said build a good quality park system but leave land on the tax rolls.
One of the principals our system was built on was private parks. We also have open space
built into the plan. Director Blank says French Park acts as one of our large community
facilities. Our typical neighborhood park is something like Three Ponds Park, a large park
site, where we mow or maintain 10% or 15% of the area, letting the rest remain natural.
We also have 90% of our athletic complexes finished. Mary explained how we get land
from developers for park purposes. The standard for park dedication is if you have two
units per ace or less, then 10% of the land must be dedicated. If you have more units than
two per acre, park dedication increases. Barry said the most difficult piece of a park plan
to put together is the one dealing with activity. Most of the recommendations in this
section were based on the 1995 sport facility plan that was put together at that time by the
staff, the Park and Recreation Advisory Commission and the Youth Sports Task Force.
This section highlights the athletic activities that residents participate in and projects fiiture
participation rates. Director Blank wanted an explanation of how the numbers were
arrived at. Barry said the population changes were developed by Community
Development staff. Three things were taken into consideration. 1) areas that will
continue to see ongoing development, 2) opportunities for redevelopment and 3)
decreasing household sizes. State demographics say 2.6 is the number of people per
household now. The average household size is dropping. The population of Plymouth is
at 62,000 and is projected to go to 64,000. Back in 1982, the population forecast for
Plymouth was 108,000 at total build out, but now it's been adjusted to 64,000. The
highest population ever projected for Plymouth was 125,000.
As the Plymouth park system continues to evolve, demographics change and different
sports become popular, new types of recreational facilities are likely to be developed.
Special facilities to consider in the fiiture include: bark parks, disc golf, fishing piers, in-
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line hockey, miniature golf, water park, and skateboard park. As the community develops,
residents may look forward to these kinds of facilities. Eagan is opening a water park, as
well as Apple Valley. The outdoor pool at LifeTime is probably not large enough for a
community the size of Plymouth. A city owned outdoor pool may become an issue,
according to Director Blank. Sooner or later this community will ask for an outdoor pool.
Barry asked if there were any other special facilities that should be added to this list.
Commissioner Willegalle asked if paddleboats were ever considered. Commissioner
Musliner asked about a large indoor play stricture. Mary Bisek mentioned an art park.
Commissioner Thompson asked how a multi -soccer complex would differ from what we
have at Parkers Lake. Director Blank said that it differs in total number of fields.
Commissioner Willegalle pointed out that there is a fishing pier at Parkers and also one at
Bass Lake.
Based on various types of needs analysis, several major issues should be considered high
priority: southeast Plymouth, because it is currently underserved by park land and trails
and the population is projected to increase; the northwest quadrant, which is open to
fiiture development; more soccer facilities; more school parks; and the following park
service areas need attention: 1, 27, 46, 47, 48, 49 and 50.
The next meeting will be July 8. A second meeting may be necessary in July in order to
keep pace with the overall schedule. Commissioner Willegalle brought up the issue of a
park tour. Director Blank said one hasn't been scheduled for this year, but if there's
interest, it can be done.
Councilmember Black asked about the open space chapter and wondered if PRAC reviews
that also. Director Blank said yes.
Barry said a draft comprehensive plan must be ready by sometime in August.
6. NEW BUSINESS
a. Review proposed fieldhouse rental rates. Director Blank said the site is substantially
graded. By Monday they will start pouring concrete on the site. Astroturf and Astroplay
need six weeks to put the turf in place. Dome manufacturer needs about five days to erect
the dome. We're hoping for around 15'11 of October for dome to go up. Rick will start
booking time beginning October 30'11 We need to start marketing these facilities.
Director Blank explained that we have a letter ready to go to the soccer associations
including literature on Astroplay. Director Blank went over the proposed budget for the
fieldhouse. He talked also about the survey results of other community's fieldhouse rates.
Our competiton is Eden Prairie, Blaine and Holy Angels. We're recommending a fee of
210 per hour for primetime which would drop to $180 at night after 10 p.m. The
majority of these renters will be Plymouth residents. We don't want to gouge them.
COMMISSIONER THOMPSON MOVED TO ACCEPT STAFF'S RECOM-
MENDATION OF $210 PER HOUR FOR PRIMETIME AND $180 AFTER 10 P.M.
AND ALSO TO RECOMMEND APPROVAL OF THE PRIORITY USAGE LIST AS
PRESENTED. CHAIR ANDERSON SECONDED. MOTION CARRIED WITH ALL
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AYES. Rick then talked briefly about the user priority list. The first priority will go to
programs sponsored by Plymouth Park and Recreation, second priority will be youth
groups serving Plymouth residents, including athletic associations(at least 50% of the
participants must be Plymouth residents); third priority will be Plymouth adult groups, i.e.,
civic organizations, churches, businesses (and they also must meet the 50% Plymouth
resident rile); and fourth priority will be non -Plymouth groups.
Commissioner Willegalle asked if the activity center will have a lights out by 10 p.m.
policy like the other facilities in Plymouth. Director Blank doesn't anticipate having a
lights out policy at the activity center. There will be a number of functions going on there,
like wedding receptions, which can go past midnight.
7. COMMISSION PRESENTATION
None.
8. STAFF COMM[_]NICATION
Director Blank said that the Mayor added a millennium project for the City to the last study
session. Director Blank suggested a garden project at the activity center. We are going to try
to solicit community support for this garden. Businesses, community organizations, and
individual residents will all be invited to participate. Director Blank pointed to a diagram and
said the orange area will be wetland buffer plantings. The green area will be the formal
gardens. Director Blank talked to the seniors about it, and they are excited about it, too. This
will be a huge campaign. Matt Jenson, our summer intern, will help write up the campaign.
The CIP has $75,000 in it for seed money. Another thought is the city will match dollar for
dollar what a participant donates. The grand opening of the activity center will likely be in
June 2000, which would coincide with the groundbreaking for the garden. Commissioner
Willegalle said the City may be able to get a grant from the DNR if project has an
environmental benefit. He has information on the grant program and will forward it to Matt.
9. ADJOURN
The meeting adjourned at 9:25 p.m.