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HomeMy WebLinkAboutPark and Recreation Advisory Commission Minutes 07-08-1999MINUTES OF THE PARK AND RECREATION ADVISORY COMMISSION MEETING July 8, 1999 Page 27 Present: Chair Anderson, Commissioners Willegalle, Fiemann, Musliner, Thompson; staff Bisek, Blank, Jensen and Pederson; Planning Commissioner Stein; Barry Warner and Adam Arvidson from SRF Absent: Commissioners Priebe and Wahl CALL TO ORDER The meeting was called to order at 7 p.m. in the Medicine Lake Room. 2. APPROVAL OF MINUTES A motion was made by Commissioner Musliner, seconded by Commissioner Willegalle to approve the minutes of the June meeting. The motion carried with all ayes. 3. VISITOR PRESENTATIONS a. Athletic Associations. None were present at this meeting. b. Staff. Mary mentioned the new formatting for the recreation brochure and that it will be out in August. It will be called Plymouth Leisure Times. She distributed flyers for the History Fest which is set for August 14 at Parkers Lake Park. Many activities are planned. Mary mentioned that there are lifeguard shortages all over the country. Willegalle asked about our program to train lifeguards. Mary explained that we reimburse them for their training if they take a job with us. Out East they're paying lifeguards $14 per hour in order to attract them. We have lots of competition for our guards. East beach is unguarded this summer due to a shortage of staff. We may have to go to more unguarded beaches in the fiiture if the shortage continues. There has been some discussion on whether we should discontinue providing lifeguards at the Wayzata beach in order to adequately staff our beaches, but no decision has been made to do this. Staffing will continue to be an issue for us. We may have to offer some sort of guaranteed hours to attract people. Commissioner Fiemann asked what we pay lifeguards. Matt Jensen said it's $7.55 an hour, which is the same as McDonald's. High school kids are turning down $10 an hour jobs, because they can get $12 an hour elsewhere. Minnesota has the lowest unemployment rate in the country. Job opportunities are good here. We have challenges ahead in providing staff at the new fieldhouse and activity center, said Mary. Musliner commented on the program Kids Games and how much her child enjoyed it. 4. PAST COUNCIL ACTION The Council approved the fieldhouse rates at $210 per hour for primetime and $180 per hour for non primetime. PRAC Minutes/July 8, 1999 Page 28 5. UNFINISHED BUSINESS a. Comprehensive Plan Study Session - Barry Warner. Revised drafts of the vision statements and issues and needs were distributed. Barry said that these provide the framework for future decision making. There are eight specific vision statements. Director Blank explained who was involved in developing these statements. Musliner asked about # 10 under the issues and needs list. Barry explained that the Metropolitan Council's comprehensive plan guidelines suggest that they make comments on whether an individual city's comprehensive plan is going to have an impact on regional systems. Hennepin Parks is our regional provider. Director Blank asked PRAC to look at this document and determine if the general resident would understand it. Fiemann suggested that item 410 under issues and needs should be changed to say "assess impact on regional park and recreation facilities." Under the Goals and Policies list, it was recommended that the words pedestrians and bicycles be omitted from item 2c and make it "non -motorized users," so that it covers in-line skaters, as well. Musliner asked for a clarification on traffic volumes under item 2d. Director Blank explained that this refers to roadways with 20,000 cars or more per day. There was a suggestion that item 2e be changed to say designated trails. Chair Anderson asked about item 2f - functional hierarchy. Director Blank explained that winter trail maintenance will be brought to PRAC in November for an official policy. He further said there is a guideline for the constriction of trails. We either put them immediately behind the curb, because they can be maintained by a wing plow, or we put them 8 to 10 feet behind. This way the snow can be dumped behind the trail. Musliner asked about item 3a. Director Blank said that LifeTime is an example of this, as well as Four Downs Skate Park. Director Blank said where appropriate we will look for partnerships to provide recreation opportunities. Fiemann felt that we don't address cost effective or well used in the main sentence of item 3. The statements that follow do not seem to address the well used issue. Mary said the words "well used" are appropriate. The issue is how do you frame a supporting statement to go with it? Barry suggested that it should read "monitor recreation trends and user patterns and respond with appropriate programs and facilities." It was then suggested to change the main statement to read "recreation programs and facilities." Thompson recommended adding "when appropriate" to the beginning of item 3a and to also add "new" to recreational facilities. Barry said the steering committee will get these comments and can work some more with this draft, prior to the next meeting. Adam reviewed the open space and natural resources inventory. He discussed the bulleted items on pg. 3-2 and stated that the City of Plymouth has ordinances in place that protect its wetlands. Page 3-3 explains what a good open space plan covers: diversity, proximity, connectivity, and quality. Management practices of open space were also discussed. There are several ways to manage open space: preservation, protection, enhancement (needing augmentation), and restoration. He explained that Plymouth has taken steps to protect its natural resources but is somewhat lacking in its protection of trees. There are two main methods for protecting natural resources: acquisition, which is buying the land in order to gain control of the use of a particular parcel, or legislation, which is passing ordinances that protect natural resources on PRAC Minutes/July 8, 1999 Page 29 privately owned land. This method can cause some opposition as private landowners could view this as infringing on their rights. Director Blank stated that Councilmember Bildsoe wants PRAC to consider another referendum for purchasing open space. The city's former comprehensive plan did not have a chapter on open space, and this is why we are putting it in this comprehensive plan update, stated Director Blank. In the citizens survey going out in the next few weeks, questions on open space have been included. Hopefully data from the survey will be available before this comprehensive plan process is completed. There was discussion then on the possibility of establishing a greenway in Plymouth. Barry explained that there is a wetland complex that is very significant in northwest Plymouth. One way to constrict the greenway is to have it interconnect with Maple Grove, following the west side of the wetland complex and then tying into the trail system. Another way would be to do a loop connecting with the regional park trail system. A third variation is to go around the wetland only and cross over on a boardwalk. The Commission liked all of these scenarios and wanted staff to look into them further. The final item for discussion was golf courses. Plymouth has three 18 -hole golf courses within its boundaries: Elm Creek, Hampton Hills, and Hollydale. The City should strive to preserve a public golf facility within Plymouth because of its open space value, the quality of life it provides and because it's a desired activity in a community with diverse needs. The four private golf courses in Plymouth represent approximately 400 acres of open space. If the City ever pursues the purchase of a golf course (should the private ones become residential developments), a golf feasibility study would have to be done. Based on information provided by SRF, Plymouth falls slightly short in the number of 18 -hole golf courses needed to satisfy the current population, if you consider only those courses actually located in Plymouth. However, if you consider courses located outside Plymouth, but within a driving distance of 20-25 miles, which is considered the Plymouth golf use area, then we have no shortage. SRF's report on golf courses recommends that Plymouth continue to monitor the development of golf course facilities at Begin Oaks and Eagle Lake, establish Plymouth residents' participation in golf through surveys and trend analysis, ensure that a minimum of one 18 -hole course remains accessible within city limits, pursue opportunities to purchase an existing course if it is threatened by development, and monitor the development status of each course within the City of Plymouth. b. Plymouth Creek Center update. Director Blank did not report on this item. 6. NEW BUSINESS a. Ferndale North issue. At the August meeting, there may be a large audience in attendance to discuss the Ferndale North park. This may take up much of the evening. Director Blank pointed out the location of the Ferndale North area on a map. This was a Lundgren Bros. plat in 1976, and at the time it was platted, one of the conditions was that Outlot A would be deeded to the City as natural open space and not a neighborhood park. Director Blank said he told the residents that this issue could be presented to the Park Commission if it could be proven that there was significant neighborhood demand PRAC Minutes/July 8, 1999 Page 30 for it. A petition was circulated among the residents, and 77% of those polled said they want a playground. This parcel is in the comprehensive plan as open space. Commissioners wanted to know the proper way to handle this issue. Director Blank said it will entail an amendment to the comprehensive plan. Director Blank said the game plan is the residents will come to the August 12 PRAC meeting. PRAC will get a full report on the issue with video tapes, slides, etc. It will be a discussion item. Director Blank said that only the owner of a piece of property can request an amendment to the comprehensive plan, and the City is the owner in this case. Director Blank said that PRAC's options are to table it for further study or to make a recommendation that the comprehensive plan be changed, or not be changed. Then it will go to the Planning Commisson. If they initiate a change, they will have to hold a public hearing on it. If the Planning Commission says no, then it goes to the Council. If they say yes, then the Planning Commission has to hold a public hearing. This could, at a minimum, take four or five meetings. Then funding would have to be planned for in a future CIP, if it's approved for park. For playground use, these folks now have to go to Oakwood, Queensland, or go into Wayzata. There is no access to this site except via trail. 7. COMMISSION PRESENTATION None. 8. STAFF COMM[_]NICATION Luce Line trail constriction will begin next week from Vicksburg east to West Medicine Lake Drive. The Highway 55 bridge is under constriction. This should be wrapped up by October. The Xenium trail around the railroad tracks is missing a segment. Barry said SRF is committed to having a draft report ready by sometime in August, dictating that a second meeting be held in July. Some possible dates were discussed, and the 28th was tentatively selected. Commissioner Thompson cannot come to that meeting. The last chance to look at the comprehensive plan will be September 9, before it goes to the Planning Commission. There wouldn't be a need for a second meeting in August then. The next PRAC meetings are as follows: July 28, August 12, September 9. Willegalle asked about a piece of property on 1011 and Kingsview. Director Blank said the City bought it and it's now park property and will be a water quality pond for Parkers Lake. 9. ADJOURN The meeting adjourned at 9:25 p.m.