HomeMy WebLinkAboutPark and Recreation Advisory Commission Minutes 05-09-1985Minutes of the Regular Meeting of the .Park and Recreation. Advisory Commission
May 9, 1985
Page 15
Present:, Chair Threinen, Commissioners Chesebrough, Edwards, Mullan, Reed,
LaTour and Beach; staff Blank, Cook and Pederson; And residents,
from the Green Oaks neighborhood
1. CALF TO ORDER
Vice: Chairman Chesebrough called the May meeting to order at.7:39 p.m.
due to the temporary absence of Chair Threinen.
Z. APPROVAL OF MINUTE5
A motion was made by Commissioner Reed and seconded by Commissioner Mullan
to approve the April minutes as presented. The: motion carried with all
ayes.
3 VISITOR PRESENTATIONS
a. Athletic Associations.. No representatives were present at this meeting.
b. Staff. Steve Cook announced that he was involved in a large planting
project throughout the city,, with 1,000 seedlings being planted. He
indicated that 22 trees had been moved in. Green Oaks park. He also
stated that the City had recently won a Tree City USA award by meeting
Lour criteria.which included having, a tree ordinance, spending $1 per
capita on trees for the City, celebrating Arbor Day and having a tree
board.. When asked who made up the tree board, Steve responded that
the Park and Recreation Advisory Commission was the board.
4. REPORT ON PAST COUNCIL ACTIONi
a. Oakwood Parking Lot. Director Blank indicated that a $46,700 bid for
construction of the Oakwood parking lot had recently been awarded.
Construction, will begin when school is out in. June.
5. UNFINISHED BUSINESS
a. Parkers Lake Update. A state grant in the amount of $47,000 is expected
to arrive the week of May 13. The federal. portion ($90,00) will come,
when the project is completed. Director Blank indicatedthat a recom
mendAtion on a consultantwill be expected at the June meeting.
b. Community Center Update. It was decided. to discuss this item as part
of 6. b.
c. Neighborhood Park Improvements/Review Park Plans. Director Blank
displayed the final concept plan for Green Oaks park and briefly
explained it for theCommissionand the visitors present who all,
live adjacent to this park. Rick Rosen, residing at i$715 27th
Avenue:, indicated he was generally pleased with -the concept plan,;
but does have some problems with children trespassing on his property
on their way to and from the park. He stated .that his property line
is within eight feet of, the proposed improvements, and he would
like PRAC to consider relocating the play equipment, especially
the cable ride.. He presented PRAC with a petition signed by
those homeowners who live on the park, requesting that FRAC move
the cable ride to the center of the park. 'He also stated that the
shelter building attracts teenagers who use it as a, place to drink
beer and smoke marijuana.
mz...
FRAC Minutes of May 9, 1985
Y:ge 16
Tom Rakos, residing at; 18725 27th Avenue, stated that broken glass is
often found in the play equipment area, and that motorcycles frequently
use the, bike path. His property line is approximately 62 feet from,the
proposed location of the cable ride, and he is apprehensive about the
additional noise it will create.
Kent Carlson, residing _at 18705 27th Avenue, is mainly concerned about
the location of the cable ride and the additional noise it will create..,
He.has a privacy fence across his backyard, but the proposed cable ride
is higher than his fence. He would like FRAC to eliminate ride
completely and use savings to buy shrubs and plants which could act
as a buffer.
Additional comments were made by the residents including the statement
that a professional appraiser had informed the homeowners adjacent to
Green Oaks park that their property values could be reduced by 10-157,
sbecaue of the cable ride.
A MOTION WAS MADE BY COMMISSIONER THREINEN AND SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER
EDWARDS TO REMOVE THE CABLE: RT,DE AND STUDYRELOCATING IT AT A LATER,
DATE, TO RELOCATE THE SPRINGED ANIMALS AND DIGGERS, BUT TO KEEP THE
PLAY EQUIPMENT IN ITS GENERAL PROPOSED LOCATION.. The motion carried
with all ayes.
Director Blank then displayed the plans for Circle park and pointed
out the existing components. and the proposed improvements. 'There
were no citizen comments on this proposed plan.
Director Blank announced that he had recently meat with the residents
of Cimarron Ponds once again to see if they would be willing to support
a park on,the Luca Line trail if it was moved 100 feet further south
than originally proposed. They did not agree to that idea. The DNR
is willing to consider leasing other land along, the Luce Line to the
City, but Director Blank feels that the Cimarron Ponds residents will,
never agree to any park regardless of where it is located. It was
decided to postpone any plans for a Luce. Line park indefinitely, or
until we hear from the group that supports 'a park in this location.
A MOTION WAS MADE BY COMMISSIONER REED AND SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER
EDWARDS TO APPROVE THE EXPENDITURE OF $37,786 FOR THE PROPOSEL7:
IMPROVEMENTS TO CIRCLE PARK'. The motion carried, with all, ayes.
d'. St.. Mary's Land Update. Director Blank has been unable to meet with
Phil Johnson due-to scheduling conflicts for Mr. Johnson.
e. Imperial Hills Park. Update. Director Blank stated that some of the
trees surrounding this park are being moved to allow for a better view
of the park by adjacent residents. He announced that Jelle DeBoef had
informed him thot the. Imperial Hills_HOA was willing to pay 50% of
the cost to install soccer goals.
f. Joint Meeting with Maple Grove Park Commission. This meeting will
be held in Maple Grove on May 16 at 7:30 p.m. Agenda items include
the Hennepin. County Regional Trail and problems encountered by
northern Plymouth residents registering for programs offered by
Maple, Grove',
PRAC Minutes of May 9., 1985
Page 17
6. NEW BUSINESS
a. 1986-1990 CIP Timetable. PRAC will be discussing the parks component of
The 1986-1990 CIP beginning in June.
b. Review Results of Community Attitude Survey. Commissioner Chesebrough.
briefly reviewed the results of the Community Attitude Survey, focusing
on the questions regarding the community center. Results indicated
that respondents were fairly evenly split on their opinion of building
a community center, with 45% favoring it and 427opposing it. A
ftwther,' breakdown showed that the group most likely to favor it
included blue collar workers, transients, women, and renters. Those
opposing it tended -to be professional/technical-people, the wealthy,
older residents and retirees. A significant number of senior citizens
opposed the senior center. Dr. rl,` "s, who conducted the survey,
indicated to Director Blank that iuld prepare a.2.0 -question
survey specifically dealing with; LL,. ommunity center that could be
conducted this year to help PRAC in their future discussions on this
project. This idea will be discussed at the June meeting, and Maria
Vasiliou will be invited to attend.
c. Schmidt. Lake. Landscaping. Director Blank stated that he had received.
a petition from residents near Schmidt Lake neighborhood park requesting
the sodding/seeding of the area along 50th Avenue, which has become
overgrown with weeds and tends to be a dumping grounds. An outside
contractor could be hired to do this work for $3,975. A MOTION' WAS
MADE BY COMMISSIONER EDWARDS AND -SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER CHESEBROUGH
TO APPROVE THE EXPENDITURE OF $3:,975 TO SOD AND/OR SEED THE.AREA ALONG
50th AVENUE NEAR SCHMIDT LAKE NEIGHBORHOOD PARK. The: motion carried
with all ayes.
d. Swan Lake Plat. The park,proposed within this plat is approximately
11 acres in size and is currently shown as having houses bordering it.
Our comprehensive plan indicates that at least two sides should be
left open to the road.., which is how Director Blank would' prefer to
see it approved. The Planning Commission needs PRAC's recommendation
as soon as possible. A MOTION WAS MADE BY CHAIR THREINEN AND SECONDED
BY COMMISSIONER BEACH TO APPROVE DIRECTOR BLANK'S RECOMMENDATION AND
TO FORWARD THESE RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE PLANNING CO 4iISSION AS SOON
AS POSSIBLE. The motion carried with all ayes.
e. Request for hark in Area Bounded by I-494, County Roads 15 and 61
Mayor Davenport. has sent a written response to 'these.resdents
indicating that the City has no plans to build a park in their
area at this time.
f. Public Relations, Director Blank indicated that Ruth Brown,
recreation specialist, had been successful in soliciting funds from
merchants in the Plymouth Shopping Center for the operation of our
puppet wagon this year. He also stated that our waterpolo program
was shown on KSTP's Good Company program, and that our adult softball
league was receiving media attention.due to the recent dedication of
our police league to Officer John Scanlon from Robbinsdale who died
in; the line of duty earlier this year. Also, WTCN Channel 11 has
a softball team in our Wednesday Men's Recreational Class C League,
which occasionally affords some media, attention..
FRAC Minutes of May 9, 1985
Page 18
7. COMMISSION PRESENTATION
Commissioner Mullan requested, that we place more trash containers along
our City's trails. Commissioner, Beach announced that the Wayzata -Plymouth
Soccer. Club is selling "I Love Plymouth" t -shirts. She also stated that
she is attempting to start an alt -Plymouth competitive swim team._
8. STAFF COMMUNICATION
June and July meeting dates were: discussed, and it was decided to stay
with June 1:3 and July It, which are the regular meeting dates:,
9. ADJOURNMENT
The meeting; adjourned. at 10:10 p.m;