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HomeMy WebLinkAboutPark and Recreation Advisory Commission Minutes 11-10-1999MINUTES OF THE PARK AND RECREATION ADVISORY COMMISSION MEETING November 10, 1999 Page 52 Present: Chair Anderson, Commissioners Musliner, Priebe, Willegalle, Thompson; staff Bisek, Blank and Pederson; Councilmember Black Absent: Commissioners Wahl and Fiemann CALL TO ORDER Chair Anderson called the meeting to order at 7:05 p.m. 2. APPROVAL OF MINUTES A motion was made by Commissioner Priebe and seconded by Commissioner Musliner to approve the minutes of the October meeting as presented. Motion carried with all ayes. 3. VISITOR PRESENTATIONS a. Athletic Associations. None were present. b. Staff. Mary distributed flyers advertising Old Fashioned Christmas on December 5. She said we have a new storyteller this year named Charlie Maguire. He's known as the singing park ranger. Mary stated that the dome opened on November 5, and all reports so far are very positive. We are taking rentals for the activity center beginning June 1. The City is in the process of negotiating a contract with Suzanne's Cuisine as the caterer. Commissioner Musliner asked if the caterer can charge whatever they want. Mary said they will have a wide variety of price ranges and menu choices that hopefiilly will meet everyone's needs. The contract is not a specified length of time, but the City can cancel with 60 days notice and Suzanne's can cancel with a 90 day notice. Mary said we're thinking about having a grand opening in June. She asked for suggestions for programming in the activity center and dome. Councilmember Black asked Mary to e- mail the Council with this information. Mary announced that Sara Mittelstaedt, our Senior Coordinator, has been working 20 hours a week for the City, but beginning in December, she will be fiill-time. Her office will be in the new activity center, once it opens. Councilmember Black asked about congregate dining. Director Blank said we're not sure if we will offer congregate dining. Apparently it's not a popular concept with our seniors. Mary said that 175 people attended the Volunteer Recognition event at the Carlson Towers, which was held Tuesday evening. c. Others. None. 4. REPORT ON PAST COUNCIL ACTION Director Blank announced that the City Council approved the name Shenandoah Park. Landscaping is done there and the trails are in. The playground goes in next year. PRAC Minutes/November 1999 Page 53 5. UNFINISHED BUSINESS a. Comprehensive Plan discussion - open space and golf courses. Director Blank displayed a new open space map, showing nine sites. He pointed out these nine sites and explained a little about each one. The sites that were removed from this map will be shown on the park map and the trail map. A second open space map will include potential acquisitions. Director Blank stated that the recent city survey revealed that 52 percent of Plymouth residents play golf on a somewhat regular basis. This is second only to walking as a recreational activity. The resident survey also shows strong interest in preserving at least one golf course if it becomes apparent that the land may be sold to a developer. Director Blank explained the City's policies with respect to golf courses. First, the City will avoid any action (such as assessments for public improvements) that would encourage redevelopment of the courses for other uses; second, it's in the city's best interest to keep at least one 18 -hole course in Plymouth; and third, if we must preserve one of the golf courses, it should be Hollydale, because of its location, the quality of the course, and the nearby wetlands. Commissioner Thompson asked what the process is if Hollydale decided to sell. Director Blank said there isn't much of a process. Hollydale could simply decide to sell to a developer, and the City would not deny a change to the land use guide plan. If they were fast tracking, they may be able to sell it within 120 days. Councilmember Black was interested in percentage of golfers to total population in Minnesota. Upper midwest has the highest percentage of golfers, according to the SRF consultant. We have a large number of publicly accessible golf courses in Minnesota. Councilmember Black thinks golf courses aren't really open space. Commissioner Priebe agrees with Councilmember Black and feels they are a recreational area. Commissioner Priebe would prefer that golf courses be called park land, rather than open space. Councilmember Black feels that golf courses don't meet the criteria for open space. She does not agree that they preserve native habitats, as mentioned on page one of the golf document. There was discussion then on rephrasing the paragraph on open space preservation as it relates to golf courses, and it was agreed that this should be worded differently. Director Blank says there are two ways for the City to acquire a golf course - have a vote by the people to purchase one, or go to the Council and ask to do a revenue bond. The golf course in Richfield generates $150,000 in revenue a year said Director Blank. Councilmember Black explained that she does not support public agencies operating golf courses, because she feels a public entity should not be operating something for profit. She went on to say that golf courses are available to a much smaller segment of the population than other public park programs. She said she received many phone calls from her constituents saying they did not support the Eagle Lake golf course, which is being proposed by Hennepin Parks, and no calls favoring it. Commissioner Priebe stated that for the benefit of its residents, the City should step in and take over the operation of a private golf course, if it wasn't economically feasible for a private owner to continue. Other commissioners agreed. Director Blank asked about the statements on the back page of the golf handout. Commissioner Thompson suggested rewording it to say "the following policies, in priority order, will guide fiiture actions with respect to golf courses." Commissioner Musliner asked if Hollydale were to sell, what happens with Hampton Hills and Elm Creek? Would the City try to preserve one of them? Commissioner Willegalle said the City would have PRAC Minutes/November 1999 Page 54 to do a feasibility study to see if it would be worthwhile to purchase one of them. Councilmember Black said she was talking to Planning Director Hurlburt and the way that the sewer and water is being developed, it will be very expensive for Hampton Hills to get sewer service, which could lead to Hampton Hills being very undesirable for any type of future development. Director Blank then asked the commissioners if they were comfortable with the golf chapter of the comprehensive plan as it was presented, with the few changes that had been discussed. Commissioners said they were okay with it. b. Plymouth Creek Center update. The dome opened and is being used seven days a week. The main building should be done in March, according to the contractor. Parking lots are all paved and lighted. Some of the landscaping is underway. The ornamental lighting will be installed soon. Windows are being installed on the upper level. Constriction is on track. c. 2000-04 CIP. Director Blank said the list that was created last month was reorganized by year. He said we have a 50 year plan for everything we own, and everything has a life expectancy. Director Blank then explained the park improvements proposed for each year and how each item will be funded. Bleachers must be totally enclosed now, due to legislation passed after a child suffered a fatal fall last winter at an indoor hockey arena. This means that all of our bleachers will need to be replaced, but the cost will be spread out over the next couple of years. West Medicine Park vault toilets are going to be installed because portable satellites cannot keep up with the demand. The long term plan is for a permanent building there someday. Commissioner Thompson asked how we decide which buildings with bathrooms are kept open? Director Blank said only if something is going on at the park are the bathrooms available. Parkers Lake is open when the beach is open. We must have staff available for security reasons. Director Blank explained the plan to put in a playground on the ESS property (environmental park), west of I-494. He stated that the Mud Lake Park development is proposed for 2002. This property could be as nice as Three Ponds Park. It has very beautiful views. Armstrong Youth Baseball wants a new building at Zachary, but they've been told it's not high priority. If they can fiend it with a half match, we will try to find fiends for the other half. In the 2003 plan, we start funding the acquisition of the I011 playfield. Commissioner Priebe asked about the trail across 494 at County Road 9. Director Blank said we put money in the 1999 CIP for that, but it won't be constricted until 2000. The City of New Hope wants to build a pedestrian bridge over Highway 169 at 36t11 Avenue connecting New Hope and Plymouth. MNDot agreed this was a good idea but they want both cities to help fiend it. Director Blank wrote and told them we'd contribute $15,000 in 2003, but they want $58,000. Mary mentioned her concern that electronic signs to advertise events wasn't included in the CIP. Director Blank said there could be one at the Ice Center, but current city ordinance doesn't allow for them at other locations. Commissioner Thompson thinks more things need to be done to advertise what the City is doing. Director Blank then discussed things on the list that are desired but not funded. Everyone wanted to know what a spray playground is. Director Blank said this replaces old wading pools and is a new concept. It's like playing under a sprinkler, but you capture the water so it can be reused. Director Blank said the main concern is how much revenue we're PRAC Minutes/November 1999 Page 55 going to get to help fiend these things. He is confident that the figures he assigned to each project are 90% accurate. Based on trends he has seen in terms of housing starts, he believes we can afford everything in the proposed CIP. Director Blank displayed plans for the athletic fields at Greenwood. There are two different design plans. Director Blank also displayed a couple of ideas for the millennium garden. As plans progress, a professional team will be hired to design the garden. 6. NEW BUSINESS a. There was no new business. 7. COMMISSION PRESENTATION None. 8. STAFF COMM[_]NICATION Director Blank said the December meeting might be at the Ice Center for a presentation by Manager Bill Abel. 9. ADJOURN The meeting adjourned at 9:20 p.m.