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HomeMy WebLinkAboutPark and Recreation Advisory Commission Minutes 09-09-1999MINUTES OF THE PARK AND RECREATION ADVISORY COMMISSION MEETING September 9, 1999 Page 43 Present: Chair Anderson, Commissioners Wahl, Priebe, Willegalle, Musliner, Thompson; Fiemann; staff Bisek, Blank, Pederson; Councilmember Black; SRF staff CALL TO ORDER Chair Anderson called the meeting to order at 7 p.m. in the Medicine Lake Room. 2. APPROVAL OF MINUTES Commissioner Wahl moved to approve the minutes of the August meeting. Commissioner Willegalle seconded. The motion carried with all ayes. 3. VISITOR PRESENTATIONS a. Athletic Associations. None were present. b. Staff. Mary Bisek distributed flyers on the arts fair and the parade. The art fair will be back at Parkers Lake after being at the amphitheater last year. It is Saturday, September 18, 10-5 p.m. There are 100 units signed up so far for the parade, which is Saturday, October 9. This year, there's a shorter parade route. Some of the paving is done at the new activity center so this area may be used for lining up during the parade. All activities are free. The parade will not be broadcast live, due to a fire that damaged equipment in the broadcast trick. Fall soccer has started, with more teams registered than last year. Fall swimming lessons will soon begin. We hired some additional staff, so more lessons are being offered than originally anticipated. Mary announced that Cindy Anderson, our aquatics coordinator, is expecting a baby and will be taking a leave of absence from January through mid-April. Staff will start working on winter programs at the end of this month. c. Others. None. 4. REPORT ON PAST COUNCIL ACTION The City Council endorsed PRAC's recommendation on the rental fees for the banquet facilities at the Plymouth Creek Center. We're getting requests for weddings, receptions, etc. We have sent out a request for proposal for catering services to several firms. The Council will make the final decision on the caterer. Only one caterer will be hired, and they will hold the liquor license. We will get 15% of the gross liquor sales and 10% on the net sales of the food through the caterer. Having only one caterer means one set of china, glassware, utensils, etc. This makes things much less confiising. The Council authorized the City to go ahead on upgrading the dehumidification system at the Ice Center. Currently we have a mold and mildew problem there and by improving the dehumidification system, this will be resolved. It will take about six months to design and build this new system. PRAC Minutes/September 1999 Page 44 The Planning Commission held their meeting on the Ferndale North issue September 8. Seven citizens spoke. After deliberating, a motion was made to not hold a public hearing, which ended in a tie vote of 3-3. Another motion was made to hold a public hearing, which also ended in a 3-3 tie. Then, after more discussion, they moved to send it to the City Council asking them for direction. It will be on the Council agenda September 21. The city attorney reaffirmed that the City can do whatever it wants with this property. We are not bound by the contract from 20 years ago between Lundgren Bros. and the City. Regarding the use of police personnel at the banquet hall, Chief Gerdes still wants two officers to be present when liquor is served. Director Blank said we will have to go with the Chief s recommendation. 5. UNFINISHED BUSINESS a. Comprehensive Plan study session. There are seven park types within the City of Plymouth: city parks, community playfields, neighborhood parks, mini parks, school parks, special use parks and school recreational facilities. Commissioner Musliner asked for some explanation of primary users. Is this who is anticipated to use the facility, or is this based on current users? Adam said the general ages reflect who the park is geared to serve and includes present as well as potential users. Director Blank clarified that Plymouth Creek Park is also a neighborhood park, as well as a city park and a community playfield. Commissioner Priebe asked about the elderly park user. How are they using it? Walking, said Director Blank. There was a lot of discussion that followed among the commissioners and staff regarding the use of the terms "primary users." It was felt that the primary users of neighborhood parks are adults, youth, and the elderly, not just small children and the elderly. It was suggested that the primary users of neighborhood parks should be changed to families, rather than just children and seniors. Director Blank stated that when you consider the facilities in a neighborhood park, they are geared for small children (the playground equipment) and seniors (the walking trails). As a compromise, it was decided to use children and adults as the primary users of neighborhood parks, because this covers more age categories. Discussion continued on who the primary users are at each type of park. The most crucial thing about park types is what is actually there in terms of facilities. The amenities tell you what may be installed there, such as trails, sports fields, skating rinks, play apparatus, picnicking, etc. Mary then asked why even list the primary users. She felt it would be better to list just the amenities. Director Blank then suggested changing teen to youth. Commissioner Willegalle asked about being consistent when listing users. He said that for a city park, the primary users are listed as adults and then teens, but for a community playfield, it's listed as teens and then adults. Adam said it's listed that way, because the major primary user is listed first. Commissioner Fiemann asked how we know we're meeting the needs of the residents when we develop a neighborhood park. Director Blank said that prior to developing any neighborhood park, we survey the residents to find out what amenities they'd like in their park. PRAC Minutes/September 1999 Page 45 Adam then explained the "city-wide facilities analysis" and the "neighborhood facilities analysis" on pages 4 and 5 of the handout. Commissioner Thompson suggested that the number of parks along with the acreages should be listed. Commissioner Fiemann asked if the parks we have now are meeting the needs of the current population. If you include French Park in the calculations, then we are meeting the needs, explained Director Blank. Eagle Lake Park isn't included in current park acreages, but is included in the figures for 2020 and beyond. Director Blank said there may not be a large City park in the northwest Plymouth area, but the Greenway will serve this area. Councilmember Black asked about the impact of Maple Grove residents using our facilities when the trails are completed connecting to Eagle Lake Regional Park. Commissioner Wahl said you can use the Zachary Lane trail now to get to Maple Grove. Councilmember Black is concerned about the increased use of our parks. Mary Bisek said there will be crossover with Plymouth residents going into Maple Grove, as well. Since the trail was put in on Zachary Lane it is used all the time. If trails become overcrowded, they will likely be widened from 8 to 10 feet, said Director Blank. We may have to go to 12 feet in really busy areas. Discussion then moved to the neighborhood park service areas. Commissioner Thompson had a question about the word inadequate. Director Blank said inadequate means that the majority of residents living in the service area are more than one half mile from a neighborhood park. Moderate means portions of that neighborhood are within one half mile of a park. A lot of the park areas labeled inadequate are rural and undeveloped, said Commissioner Willegalle and are outside the Municipal Urban Service Area (MUSA). Director Blank explained some of the new areas that will get parks as the area develops. On Hadley Lake, the Rusten property is being called a special use park. This is a potential open space parcel, and we want to turn a portion of it into a public lake access, said Director Blank. The open space map was discussed next. This map will be in the comprehensive plan and is essentially what was identified in the 1994 study and what's left to purchase. Commissioner Wahl asked why The Kids for Saving Earth Park doesn't show up as city owned open space. Director Blank explained that it's in the category special use park. He said he was skeptical about labeling it as open space, which could lead to some citizens saying it cannot be used for anything other than walking, observing nature, etc. Director Blank said there are eight chapters that have to be meshed together in the entire comprehensive plan. The whole plan has been pushed back by two or three months, because all densities are being recalculated. At the October and November meetings, draft copies of the plan may be available for review. Around mid-December, there will be a joint meeting to look at the entire park plan with the Council and Planning Commission. The plan will not be final until after the public has had an opportunity to comment and make suggestions for changes. b. Plymouth Creek Center update. The weather has not been great, but things are coming along. Crews are laying drain fields today; Friday and Saturday, they're spreading sand. Astroturf will take over Monday or Tueday of next week. That will take two or three PRAC Minutes/September 1999 Page 46 days. The bubble will go up around the end of October. Two thirds of the parking lots are paved. We're getting calls daily now from soccer associations, etc., trying to book time. There will be open gym time at the fieldhouse. Three primary users are Plymouth Soccer Association, Wings Soccer, and Wayzata Soccer. 6. NEW BUSINESS There was no new business. 7. COMMISSION PRESENTATION The Ferndale North issue will likely come back to PRAC in the months ahead. 8. STAFF COMM[_]NICATION The City Council has a study session next week. Open space will be on the agenda. All PRAC members are invited to attend if they wish. 9. ADJOURN The meeting adjourned at 8:40 p.m. The next meeting is October 14.