HomeMy WebLinkAboutPark and Recreation Advisory Commission Minutes 12-08-1981Minutes of the Regula` Meeting of the Park and. Recreation Advisory Commission
December 8, 1981
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Commissioners Present: Threinen, Chesebrough, Edwards
Commissioners. Absent: Mice, Mullan, Dvorak, Berg
Staff Present Eric Blank and Nancy Helgeson
Others Present: John Worrall of Brauer G Associates, Patricia Moen,
John Uban
1. CALL TO ORDER
The meeting began at: 7:45 p.m. with Commissioner Threinen acting as Chair
in Jim Rice's absence. She did not officially call the meeting to order
since there weren't enough members present for a quorum.
2. APPROVAL OF MINUTES
Commissioner Chesebrough asked that the minutes of November 5 be corrected
to read "Florence Larson lives near East Medicine Lake. Beach." (Speaker #13
from Item 5.) The minutes were not officially approved due to lack of a
quorum.
5. VVISITOR PRESENTATIONS
a. Athletic Association }representatives. No representatives were present
at this meeting.
b. Mary Patterson and Rick Busch.. They were not present at this meeting, but
Mary had prepared an enrollment statistics report comparing figures from
fall of 1980 and 1381, and it also showed enrollments for some of our
upcoming winter events.
cK Others. John Uban was present to hear the results of the public hearing,
and he asked why the November minutes did not include the statements made
by the commissioners in response to questions presented during the hearing.
Director Blank responded by saying that the purpose of this meeting was
to answer those questions.
Patricia Moen, newly elected council member, was present as an observer.
4. REPORT ON PAST COUNCIL ACTION
Director Blank announced that the Council had approved the contract hiring
Brauer to do design concert; plans for three City parks (Plymouth Creek, Parker's,
Lake and West Medicine Lake) and that work has already begun on West Medicine
Dake park plans.
S. UNFINISHED BUSINESS
a. Comprehensive Park System Plan.. Director Blank review ed the five most
often asked questions from the public hearing and the answers as provided
by staff and commissioners.
Q) Why was one site selected over an alternative site?
A) A ranking/scoring system was used based on the various qualities a
certain site possessed', and the site with the highest score was chosen
in most cases.
PRAC Minutes, of December 8, 1981
Page 38
a
Q) What is the time line for acquisition?
A) Acquisition of a particular site will be determined by the development
Of residential hot;:,,ng units. Existing developed areas without a park
would usually get the highest ranking..
Q) What are the methods of acquisition?
A) Land can be purchased in one of four ways: outright purchase, land
dedication, a combination of cash purchase and dedication, or
land donation.
Q) What are the funding methods?
A) Funding can come fro* property taxes through the general fund', park
dedication funds, state and federal grants, and bonds.
Q) Will. a landowner be allowed to self, his property?
A) Yes, the City cannot prevent a property owner from selling his land.
Commissioners present asked if speakers from the public hearing would be
sent written responses to theirquestions Director Blank said that he
had spoken directly with some of those speakers over the past few weeks
and that we would make the minutes from both meetings available to anyone
interested In, them. Commissioner Threinen suggested that staff call the
speakers and inform them that the minutes are available if they wish to
come in and pick up a copy.
John Worrall continued the discussion on the plan by stating that he had
been meeting with Director Blank and Planner Tremere in an attempt to
review those sites which received the most objections during the public
hearing. He suggested that PRAC seriously consider choosing the alternative
site located on Elm Creek over the Troy Land Co. site. The ranking score
given this site was very high and although the acreage is somewhat less,
it does have many good natural features; such as trees and the creek.
The alternatives to the Pomerleau Lake site were reviewed next. Two
sites for the neighborhood park were studied. Neither of them appears
to be as good as the Pomerleau site. Mr. Worrall recommends no change.
A playfield alternative site west of I-494 was never proposed.
A site north of the Plymouth thin: Club and vast of Elm Creek was the
alternate for a City- park but it did not rank as high as the Pomerl:eau.
site. loch of it is in the flood plain. Mr. Worrall recommended that
FRAC stay withthe Pomerleau site for all three park uses. The general
consensus among the commissioners was that Pomerleau is the favorite
due to its aesthetic qualities and ease of maintenance because of the
three parks 'being combined.
The proposed park site between Vicksburg and Hollydale Golf Course
owned by Richard Dez el is located on the, northern most end of his
property. This site is platted as an outlot at this time, and it is
not the same piece of property which was turned down earlier by the
Council. It was recommended that PRAC stay with this site as proposed.
PMC Minutes of December 8, 1981
Page 39
There are still some unanswered questions regarding the property south of
the West Medicine Lake park owned by Bud Korsmo. He is in the process of
restoring a home there, and Director Blank informed him that PRAC would
take that fact into consideration when making d decision on acquisition
of this particular site.
In recent conversations with Hennepin. County staff, Mr. Worrall was assured
that every property owner south of County Road 47 had been notified regarding
the regional trail, including Mr. Behrens who implied during the hearing
that lie knew nothing about the trail crossing his property. The proposed
regional trail alignment is corr4ct as shown on our plan.
In spite of objections during the public hearing to a trail along Highway
101 north of County Road 6, Mr. Worrall believes it should remain in
the plan as Proposed, since it is believed that people will walk along
101, particularly children going to and.from Oakwood Elementary and the
pl.ayfield, whether a trail is there or not. Highway 101 is heavily
traveled and a trail is warranted from a safety standpoint.
Since there was no quorum, the Comprehensive Park System Plan could not
be .fonally approved, but the minutes do reflect the opinions of those
commissioners present. It was decided that a special meeting would be
called during the week of December 1.4 for the purpose of approving the
plan.so that it car still be on the Decert)er 21 Council agenda. Director
Blank will be calling the commissioners when the date has been set..
b. Playfield Update. Tlie first five playfields are complete, and work on
Zachary has: decreased and in some cases stopped, completely for the winter
season. The contractors have indicated that the Zachary shelter and
hockey rinks will be open by December 21..
c. Nez hborhood Parks Update. Work has ceased for the winter season, however,
95 0 he projects are complete. Some additional plantings will take
place in,the spring.
d. East Beacomate. Work continues on the bath house, but other work such
as sod and plantings woi't be finished until next spring.
e. Elm Creek Golf Course Update. Director Blank, Mr. Klatte and Finance
Director Lloyd Ricker met recently to discuss the golf course.. Mr.
Ricker is preparing a financial sheet which will be used in. making
a recommendation.
i'. Concept. Plans for Three City Parks. Director Blank gave the commissioners
copies of materials that had been prepared by John Worrall which included
a portion of the contract proposal, sketch maps of each park and a
preliminary, program outline for each park. Mr. Blank asked commissioners
to quickly review the program outline avid give their opinions on the
activities being recommended for each site and to make additions or
aeletions. The commissioners all felt that roller skating is a popular
activity and should be added to Plymouth Creek park. Commissioner
Threinen favored frisbee golf and mini -golf over a horse ring and
V, pRAC Minutes of December 8, J.981
Page 40
speed skating, while Commissioner Edwards liked the idea of the horse
ring and speed skating. Director Blank pointed out that a lot of interest
was being generated in the state over speed skating and that having a
rink in Plymouth might be a good idea. Commissioner Edwards asked Director
Blank if any sort of formal structure for the amphitheatre had been
considered and he said that there has been discussion by the Civic
League about the need for a more permanent structure.
the commissioners felt that all the activities listed for Parkers Lake
seemed appropriate for that site.
A fishing dock was recommended for West Medicine Lake Park by Commissioner
Threinen and also agreed on by Commissioners Edwards and Chesebrough..
West Medicine Lake Drive will, be relocated to pull traffic away from
the shoreline, and the old roadbed will probably become a trail:.
There may be no need for a. bath house at this park, since the Regirnal
Park will maintain one in addition to the new one being built on the
east beach. Aside from these comments, the commissioners indicated
that the other activities suggested for this site seemed appropriate::.
6. NEW BUSINESS
a, New Plats. Director Blank stated that there were no new plats at this
time.
b. 1981 Annual Report. Staff will begin writing the 1981 annual report
this month so that a first draft can be available for the January meeting.
Commissioners: should begin worki:Yg on a goals chapter to be included in
this year's report. Suggestions for additions to the report included.
a tabulation of playfield use by sport, and an inventory of park land
held by the City.
7. CONVISSION PRESENTATION
No comments were made.
8. STAFF COMMUNICATION
Director Blank reminded the commissioners that Chapter 5 of the Comprehensive
Park System Plan needs to be approved so that it can be submitted along with
the rest of the plan to the Council on December 21. Only Commissioner
Chesebrough has sent written comments to John Worrall. Other commissioners
were asked to send any written comments they have to Brauer as soon as
possible. The next regularly scheduled meeting of PRAC was tentatively
set for January 7 at 7:30 p.m.
9. ADJOURNMENT
The meeting ended at 9:50 p.m.