HomeMy WebLinkAboutPark and Recreation Advisory Commission Minutes 01-07-1982Minutes of the Regular Meeting of the Park and Recreation Advisory Commission
January I, 1982
Page 1,
Commissioners Present; games Rice, Steve Chesebrough., Betty Threinen,, John
WIlan, Frank Dvorak, Davin Berg
Commissioner Absentz Barbara Edwards
Staff Present Eric Blank, Rick Busch, Mary Patterson:
Staff Absent: Nancy Helgeson
Others Present; Councilmember Pat Moen
1. CALL TO ORDER
The meeting was called to order at 7.3S p.m, by Chairman Rice.
2. APPROVAL OF MINUTES
A motion, to approve the minutes of the December meeting was made by
Commissioner Chesebrough and seconded by Commissioner Threinen., Motion
carried with all ayes
3. VISITOR PRESENTATIONS
a. Athletic Association Representatives.. No one was present from this group..
b., Mary Patterson and Rick Busch. Mary Patterson gave a, review of the year-
to-date totals of recreation programs and a brief outline of the new
programs that will be taking place in January and February. She also
asked the Commission to give her their opinions on types of music that
might he popular in Plymouth for summer concerts in 1982. Commission
members will have their suggestions ready for the February meeting.
Rick Busch presented naterial with regard to athletics. He gave infor-
mation about the broomball program starting and the skating lessons
that have taken place over Christmas vacation and the ones scheduled
for January and February after school. He also announced that a boot
hockey tourv? „went would, be held on President's Day,, February IS, for
school-age ldven. Participants must register at the warming
houses. This is the final day for warming houses to be open during
the, 198? season.
Chairman Rice indicated to Rick that lie was interested in including
ir. tho annual report the percentages of participants enrolled in
hockey, soccer, softball, etc., this past year. More information
regarding the annual report is discussed later in the minutes
The Commission expressed soave concern over what our current role: is
with the different athletic associations throughout the City.. One
of the suggestions made by Chairman Rice was that we consider training
youth volunteer coaches, and lie asked Rick Busch to explore this
possibility.
4. REPORT ON PAST COUNCIL ACTION
Director Blank- had nothing to report on this item,
PRAC Minutes of January 7, 1982
Page 2
5, UNFINISHED BUSINESS
a. Comprehensive Park: System Plan. Director Blank reviewed the proposed
Compre ensive Park System Plan for the Commission. During this review,
he highlighted. the questions that had arisen, during the earlier public
hearing and: the responses as. to whether or not staff would recommend
changes made to the proposed plan because of concerns that had come
forth, During his presentation, Director Blank highlighted answers
to the most often -asked questions. These were; 1) why was one:
site selected over alternative sites, 2) the time line for acquisition
of various sites, 3) the method of acquisition, 4) the funding
mechanisms for acquisition, and S) the interim use by landowners of
property up until the time the Council deems it necessary to purchase
it for park. purposes. Some of the specific sites which were reviewed
were: 1) the Troy Land Company site. Staff recommended that the.
alternative site further south on Elm Creel: be incorporated into the
plan as the neighborhood park for the northwest Corner of Plymouth.
2) The Pomerleau Lake site should remain as proposed in the plan..
3) The Hennepin County Regional Trail's proposed location. Staff
noted that the trail's proposed location was accurately reflected
on the maps 4) The Harold Reimer property site should be moved
slightly to the north so that it coincides with a property line,
rather than leaving a narrow strip of land between the park
a different land owner's property. S) Staf" noted that they had
reviewed both the proposed sites owned by Lundgren Bros. and Richard
Dezeil and recommended that neither proposed site be dropped from
the plan at this time.
After presenting the Park, System Plan, Director Blank reviewed. the
Comprehensive Trail System Flan. He noted some recommended changes
that were different frc", the last time PRAC saw, this plan,. One was
the addition of a Class I trail going north from Gleanl;och Park
intersecting with the Luce Line Trail. Second was the reclassification
of the trail on. the east side of Medicine Lake from a community trail
to a regional trail, He also pointed out a number of minor graphic
changes to better delineate on which side of the road a particular
trail was and a short trail in a small, cul-de-sac that had been
overlooked on previous drafts. He reviewed the concern raised by
Don Myron with regard to a trail on the east side of Highway 101
going north from OakwoodElementary. He reiterated that staff was.
recommending that this trail should be a Class I off-road trail.
Following brief comments and questians by PRAC' COMMISSIONER THREINEN
MOVED: AND COMMISSIONER DVORAK SECONDED A MOTION TO APPROVE THE COMPRE-
HENSIVE PARK AND "TRAIL'SYSTEM PLANS''AND',RECOMMENDED THEN( FOR ADOPTION
BY THE CITY COUNCIL.
Following the motion, Chairman Rice invited questions and comments
from the commissioners. In response to a question from John Mullan
regarding, whether or not East Medicine Lake Park was a City park,
John Worrall indicated that it was a special use park. Mr, Mullan
was also concerned about some information given on Page 16 of the
Comprehensive Plan regarding discrepancies between the deficiencies
FRACMinutes of January 7, 1982
age 3
resulting from neighborhood park standards and the actual property
acquisition. He felt that this part of the paragraph needed to be
more clear, and he made suggestions for simplifying it.
Steve Chesebrough indicated that he also had numerous comments which
he said he would write down and send to Director Blank for inclusion.
in the final draft of the plan. He suggested that each page and map
be numbered and dated for those whQ may be studying: the plan several
years from now.
Director Blank reviewed for the commission where snowmobil.ng is allowed
in Plymouth based on a question from .john Mullan.
David Berg was concerned about how the commission's actions affect the
residents of Plymouth., particu,!rly in the case of acquiring private
land for use as a park. He asked if the Council, always accepts all
of PRAC's recommendations regardless of who they might impact. Chairman
Rice responded that the Council does not always adopt every PRAC
recommendation, but. that they do give much respect to the long hours
put into projects by the various advisory boards.
Following these comments and questions, the vote was taken and the
7ation, carried with. all ayes.
b. Playlield Update. Director Blank reviewed the status of all playfield.
construction to date, and noted that it was anticipated that the skating
rink, pleasure -rink and.shelter at Zachary Playfield would be open
by mid-January.
C. Elm Creek Golf Course. Director Blank reviewed the contents of a memo
he wrote to PRAC dated December 31, 1981. fie. • indicated that the City
was not in a position at this time to undertake the purchase of Elm
Creek Golf Course because of the projected deficit. of $100,000 to
150,00'0 annually in bond and interest debt payments. The Conunission
accepted his recommendation and took.no further action. Director
Blank did. recommend that when the Commission annually reviews the
Comprehensive System Plan, which he expects will be done: again as
early as August or September of 1982, that the Commission_ should look
at identifying future golf courses for public ownership.
City Park: Concept Plans.. John Worrall presented the concept plans
for West Medicine Lake Park. This was an information -item only.
Park and Recx?,ation Advisory Commission members asked a variety of
questions dealing with,the size of parking lots, road relocation,.
trail locations and containment or dredging of soil to create a
ponding area. This item will be further discussed and reviewed at
subsequent PRAC meetings.
1981 Annual Report, Director Blank handed out draft copies of the
1981 Annual Report for Commission review. Upon paging through the
report very quickly, a number of suggestio-as were made by FRAC
for staff review. One was the inclusion of pie charts to show the
PRAC'Minutes of January 7, 1982.
Page 4
distribution of revenues and funds for the department, also charts to
depict expenditures per capita., the percentage of Cit} budget, source
of revenue, and charts to show youth athletic participation. Commission
members will take their reports home and indi,ridually review and send.
comments to the director :for inclusion in the final draft.
C. NEW BUSINESS
a. New Plats. No new plats were presented.
b. Phone Survey. Director Blank handed out the preliminary results from the
Telephone survey showing attitudes. and interests of Plymouth residents,.
General discussion of this material followed. Chairman Rice asked that
staff research the passibility of cross tabbing questions 32 and 33
by age and location. The Commission was also interested in learning
if there was a different response from long-term versus short-term,
residents of the community,
c. Director Blank reviewed ice rink reservation rules and charts showing
which groups have reserved ice time for the winter season..
7 COMISSICN PRESENTATION
Mone.
B'. STAFF CONHUNICATION
None:,
9. ADJOURNMENT
The meeting was adjourned at 10.15 p.m.
Minutes of the Regular Meeting of the Park and Recreation Advisory Commission.
February 4, 1982
Page 5
Commissioners, Present; Betty Threinen, Stere Chesebrough, Barbara Edwards,
John Mullan
Co issioners Absent; James Rice, David Berg, Frank Dvorak
Staff Presents Eric Blank, Nancy Helgeson
Others Present: Clark Magnus, Paul Fjare and Paul Schrooten
1. CALL TO ORDER
Commissioner Threinen called the meeting to order at 7.40 p..m., in the Plymouth
City Center Clauncil Chambers Conference Room.
2. APPROVAL OF IMINTES
Commissioner Mullan corrected the bottom paragraph of page 2 of January's
minutes. The sentence should have read West Medicine Lake rather than
East Medicine Lake. COMMISSIONER C141ESEBROUGH MOVED AND COMMISS10NER
MULLAN SECONDED A MOTION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES OF JANUARY 7, 1982. THE
MOTION CARRIED WITH ALL AYES.
3. VISITOR PRESENTATIONS
a. Athletic Associa"V on Representatives. None were present..
b. Others. Clark Magnus was present in his role as liaison between the
Planning Commission and PRAC. Paul Fjare and Paul Schrooten were
present from Brauer and Associates to discuss Item 5-d.
4. REPORT ON PAST COUNCIL ACTION.
Director Blank had nothing to report on this item.
5. UNFINISHED BUSINESS
a. Comprehensive Par', System Plan. Council will be vi -wing the plan at
their February 22 meeting.. There is still gime to make corrections,
and additions to Chapter 6. COMMISSIONER CHESEBROUGH MOVED AND
COMMISSIONER EDWARDS SECONDED A MOTION TO ENDORSE THE PLYMOUTH
PARK SYSTEM PLAN'S CHAPTER 6 AS PRESENTED ON FEBRJARY 4, 1982.
THE CHAPTER 6 DRAFT IS DATED JARUARY 16, 1982. THE MOTION CARRIED
WITH; ALL AYES.
b. Playfield Update. Zachary Playfield is open and operational. All
light towers but onr: are up. Final grading and sodding will take place
in the spring..
c.. 1981 Annual Report,. The final copy of the Annual Report was briefly
discussed and many favorable comments were heard from the cow.issioners..
Cbmmission Threinen asked that the minutes reflect the Commission's.
appreciation of all the work put into the report by staff. COMMISSIONER
CHESEBROUGH MOVED AND COMMISSIONER MULLAN SECONDED A MOTION TO ENDORSE.
THE 1981 ANNUAL REPORT AND COMMEND THE STAFF FOR THEIR ASSEMBLY OF
THE REPORT, THE MOTION CARRIED WITh ALL AYES.
d. City Parks. Paul Fjare and Paul Schrooten were present from Brauer
and Associates to review the three City parks' plans with the use of
slides and maps.. Some specific issues were discussed pertaining to