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HomeMy WebLinkAboutPark and Recreation Advisory Commission Minutes 09-06-1979ti . MINUTES OF THE REGULAR MEETING OF PLYMOUTH PARKS AND RECREATION ADVISORY COMMISSION September 6, 1979 The regular meeting of the Plymouth Park and. Recreation Advisory Commission was called to order by Chairman Rite at 7;30 p.m. on September 6, 1979 in the Council Chambers. of the City of Plymouth.. COMMISSIONERS PRESENT; Brass, Edwards, Chesebrough, Johnson, Mullan, Terry, Threinen Christian COMMISSIONERS ABSENT: Guddal , Hanson. AGENDA REVISIONS Discuss items in the following sequence, Items 1, 41 5, 7, 2, 8, 9, 10, 5A and 5B 3.. MINUTES Brass moved and Chesebrough seconded the Motion to approve the August 2, 1979 minutes, Motion carried. Cavanaugh Subdivision Petition Director Born reviewed the request from residents of the Cavanaugh Subdivision for an open space for children of the area to play. Director Born found no land owned by the City that would be suitable for a ballfield at the present time.. The City is negotiating with owners of the Rembrandt property for acquisition. Play space Is being contemplated for the 1980/1.984 Parks Capital Improvement Program along Pernbrook Lane. Rice asked how many residents resided in the Cavanaugh neighborhood and Director Born indicated that approximately seventy households were containedin the sub- division. Brass commented that three years ago the residents of Cavanaugh had the same; request and at that time it'could not be granted for the same reasons. Director Born said that in 1976 the park which is to serve that particular Neighborhood was designed into the Central Park Plan.. Rice requested that an evaluation be made on Neighborhood Park development within the Cavanaugh area taking precedence in 1980/ 1981 Park plans.. Director Born commented that the Cavanaugh area is at this time: fairly well developed but he would continue to look into the development of a park for the Cavanaugh area. Plymouth Athletic Association Hockey Request The Plymouth Athletic Association is required to provide two hockey rinks for the 1979/1980 hockey season. In 1977, the City of Plymouth authorized the Association. to use the Pilgrim Lane hockey rink on selected days during the hockey season. In 1978 the Association requested that a second rink be provided and the Department acquired the use of the Armstrong Sr. Highschool rink and building. Director Born discussed three reasons why the Association feels the Armstrong Highschool rink is not adequate: 1.) The: lighting requires a safer standard for the older youth to play in being the puck travels at a higher, speed. 2.) The school building s too far in distance from the hockey rink to be. utilized as a warming house facility.. 3.) Use of the facility by the highschool team precludes scheduling by the Association. An option, proposed by the Association is to renovate Plymouth Junior Highschool hockey rink.. The cost for renovation will be approximately $7,000 and the Association will pick up $1,000 ofthe cost with in Kind services. Director Born feels that renova- tion of the Plymouth Junior Highschool rink is the most cost effective alternative and he recommends that the Plymouth City Council be requested to authorize an ex- penditure, of up to $7,000 from the. Park Dedication Fund for the renovation of the site. Rice asked whether or not the renovation fits within the Department's overall priorities'and Director Born responded it is a priority within the existing area. Threi'nen wass concerned about the timeline if it were renovated and Director Born said that it could be completed this season however it has to be authorized by the Council and Board of Education. Chesebrough stated that the funding should be analyzed and whether or not funding comes out of that neighborhood area. He inquired where operation funds would come from with Director Born stating that the parks operaticns budget would pay for operational costs. Since there is nc school hockey team, the School Board has no interest in participating 'n the improvement.. Rice stated that he felt there are features in this improvement which would bring about some positive thoughts.. Not only would it establish initiative in working closer with the Athletic Association but also by taking action:, this would demon- strate to schools involved that the City is trying to respond to the Community's needs. Threinen moved and Brass seconded the Motion to renovate Plymouth Junior Nighschoo`l, hockey rink as stated in Director Born's report. Blue Ribbon Committee Report City ofMinnetonka Director Born reviewed the Report of the City of Minnetonkato study methods in improving the coordination of Recreation Programs. and to develop closer ties with School Districts and adjacent communities: as well as providing services through private or semi -private agencies. Director Born said that: the. City of Plymouth already employs cooperative programming with other governmental agencies; private or semi -private groups. Rice stated the Commission appreciates the Minnetonka.'s plans for strengthening their extends willingness to exchange ideas and, Parks Tour 1979 opportunity to review the City of Commission and at this time the PRAC assist Minnetonka if they do organize.. Director Born stated that many Commissioners and Council members have not had an opportunity to familiarize themselves with future park sites and Director Born feels that benefit can be obtained if a tour is taken September 27, 1979 of specific sites. Director Born recommends the following sites to be seen during the tour: Mission Hills Neighborhood Park., Neighborhoods 1, ll, 12 for neighborhood park sites, Zachary Lane Area Playfield, Schmidt Lake Neighborhood Park., Timber Shores Neighborhood Park, and Prudential Area Playfield. A majority of the Commissioners Will attend the September 27 tour and desire to add to the list of sites Timbershores trail and Fernbrook. Public Information Plan Director Born stated that the Advisory Commission is authorized by the City Council to undertake the development and implementation of a Public,Information Program. Proposals were received from The Story Teller, Media 70, and Friendship Production and were scheduled to attend the Commission meeting for an individual interview.. Based upon the interviews, the PRAC voted to recommend contracting Friendship Production to prepare, the Public Information Program. Director Born will forward the recommendation to Council for action on September 10, 1979. Completed Trails Director Born stated that the Trail System Plan contemplates a total of approximately 80 miles.. Of the eighty miles, the City will have in place approximately 18 miles of completed trail by December 31, 1979 with 2 miles of Regional, 1.11 miles of Cross Community, N of Collector and 7 of Local corridor status.. Skating Arees 1979180 Director Born presented the Skating Areas for the 1979,80 season and indicated that the Department will maintain four hockey rinks, three ponds, and twelve land- based general skating areas in 1979. A request for a skating site was submitted by Schmidt Lake residents for the 1979 season.. Director Born feels that at the time ofthe neighborhood park development in 1981,.a general skating site for this neighborhood shouldbe considered. Mullan stated that he felt the Cavanaugh area and the west side of Medicine Lake lacked sufficient skating areas. Director Born resporded.that these areas will be taken and reviewed in terms of manpower and site availability,. BAN CON/Pflaumwell Update The BAN CON - Pflaumwell development proposals will be; forwarded from the PIanning Commission to the City Council for Preliminary Plat approval on September 10, 1979, Neighborhood Identification and Parks: Planning Director Born stated that the adopted Walking and Driving Neighborhoods adequately address Plymouth's park planning areas and that the Tier system of parks classif- ications is adequate in most instances to identify and; plan park sites.. Director Born recommended. the continued use of the identified Walking and Driving Neighborhoods as planning units for park and trails. the continued use of the. Tier system and standards for parks definition, designation and identification. the continued use of the Trail System Plan for trails designation and location. that the adopted park, trail and tier Flans be administered with a degree of flexibility. Director Born stated that endorsement by the. PRAC will reaffirm the park planning concepts as park planning tools. Analysis of Plyfleld Site Needs Director Born prepared a detailed analysis of sites for suitability as Playfields. Director- Born stated that:. Land should be acquired in the Bass Lake Eagle Lake Neighborhood. 2. Central Park needs to be acquired and developed to balance out playfield needs. 3.) Additional land needs to be acquired in the Elm Creek Driving Neighborhood to balance out playfeld needs. 40 Major acreage deficiencies occur in Elm Creek, Middle East and Parker's Lake/Kreatz Lake Neighborhoods. Chesebrough distributed a hand-out to the: PRAC on the "Status Analysis of Plymouth Neighborhood Parks", The analysis is taken from a standpoint of where the City is presently and how well the City has done in providing parks. Chesebrough concludes that 1.) The parks provide for surrounding neighborhood citizens reasonably well but that some parks appear to be too large for the population level'. 2.) 25 Neighborhoods contain 93% of population and of these 25, only two are lacking neighborhood parks while two others have undeveloped sites. 3. Do people really need a toddler park and are usage rates low? 4. Community parks can presumably serve both the community/neighborhood functions. 5.) Some "Neighborhoods" probably don't needa Plymouth "Neighborhood Park". This analysis was provided by Commissioner Chesebrough as; an effort to give PRAC a personal evaluation on the Status, of Plymouth Neighborhood Parks. I;t was concluded that these topics will be discussed in detail at the October meeting. 1980 - 1984 Parks Capital Improvement Program Director Born discussed Projects and estimated costs for the 1980 - 1984 Parks Capital lmprovement.Program. Funding options exist with one approach being to utilize Bonds, Park Dedication Funds, Grants, Public Works Reserve Fund and. In Kind donated services. A second approach employs the preceding funding sources except deletes Bonding as a source of revenue. Director Born recommends the 1980' 1984 Paries Capital Improvement Program be fundedfromrevenue sources in, the amount of $4,565,000 as follows;. Bond $1,458,508 Public Works Reserve Fund 1,250,000 Parks Dedication Fund 860,000 In Kind Service 488,370 Fund Balance; 258,122 Grants 250,000 4,565,000 Terry moved; Edwards seconded the Motion to endorse the Capital Improvement Program recommendation and forward to the Planning Commission for review. Chairman Rice asked if there were any educational forums within the State of Minnesota on. park planning along with educational seminars. for the. Commissioners. Director Born will obtain information onIARPA and will continue to present information to the Commissioner's that comes into the Department which is relevant to Plymouth. Chairman Rice moved to recommend to the Council for subscription to MRPA magazine and materials for education. Being no further business, the meeting adjourned at 10:50 p.m.