HomeMy WebLinkAboutPark and Recreation Advisory Commission Minutes 11-09-1989Minutes of the hark and Recreation Advisory Commission Meeting
November 9, 1989
Page 41
Present: Chair Edwards, Commissioners Beach, Freels,, Vanson, and Rosen;, staff
Blank and Pederson and George Watson from Brauer and Assoc..
Absent Commissioner Anderson
1. CALL TO ORDER
Chair Edwards called the November meeting to order at 7:34 p.m. in the
Council Conference Room.
2., APPROVAL OF MINUTES
A motion was made by Commissioner Hanson and seconded by Commissioner
Beach to approve the minutes of the October meeting as presented. The
motion carried with all ayes,
3 VISITOR PRESENTATIONS
a. Athletic Associations. None were present at this meeting.
b. Staff, There were no reports by staff,
c. Others, There were no presentations by others.
4 REPORT ON PAST COUNCIL ACTION
There, was no report.
5. UNFINISHED BUSINESS
a. ComQrehensive Park and Trail Plan Update - George Watson. As part of
updating the City's Comprehensive Plan, the park and trail plan
portion has to be updated as well. Mr Watson explained that in order
to do that effectively, research of national, state and local park
standards had to be done.. He indicated that national park standards
have not been updated since 1980, thus state standards also have not
been updated. Mr. Watson did make a comparison using local
communiti'.-. He chose the cities of Minnetonka, Eden Prairie and
Maple Gr <,re, because like Plymouth, they are all located in the
western suburban metro area, have been fairly rapid in growth and have
similar population characteristics.
Because the park and recreation department has received requests for
more baseball fields, Mr. Watson concentrated some of his research on
learning where Plymouth stands on the number of baseball fields per
current demand and future demand based on the population. He
indicated that Plymouth has five 90' baseball, fields at the present
time, but our current standard would indicate the need for 10. In the
area of softball fields, the City is meeting the current demand.
There is also a need for approximately three more hockey rinks.
Mr. Watson then discussed the need for a future playfield in the Elm
Greek area, which is north of Highway 55 and west of Vicksburg Lane.
This area has a, number of zones including LAR (Living Area 'Rural) and
is projected to have a population of 20,980 when completely developed.
With that figure in mind, Mr. Waton explained that Elm Creek will need
52 acres of playfield. Some ofthis acreage is being satisfied by
Greenwood Elementary School, in the form of fields and a neighborhood,
park. If a new single playfield were located at :Dunkirk Lane and Old
9, it would mean that people living in, the extreme northwest corner of
the City would have to travel almost two and a h.lf, miles to this
site, while the standard: service radius to this type facility is one
to one and a half miles. Mr. Watson suggested that the City continue
to look for one of two potential playfield sites in the Elm Creek
area.
Regarding; the Bass Lake community, the area ;needed for a playfield is
32 acres;. This neighborhood is bisected by Interstate 494, therefore,
the park plan recommends that two sites be considered, one on each
side of the freeway. The Bass Lake Playfield site has already been
acquired and is proposed for development in 1990. This site is on the
east side of ,494. The site originally proposed for the west side of
494 is no longer availe,*le. Mr. Watson will continue to lcrk for
alternate sites for this second playfield and will have this
information to staff by 'November 22.
Commissioner Rosen asked where the new junior high in the northwest
area will be, and staffindicated that the District is looking into
the Elm Creek area or In Medina. The junior high will likely have
several playfield amenities, such as baseball fields, hockey rinks,
tennis courts, and a pool,
Commissioner Beach asked Mr. Watson to find out what the outdoor pool
standards are and report back on this as well.
b. Community Center. Director Blank reported to the commissioners that
the community center plans are being put on hold for the new Council
to discuss. (The Commission adjourned for a brief time to sit it on a
special meeting of the City Council which was being held in the
Council Chambers. They were present to hear the Council make a motion
approving the final design plans and construction costs and postponing
any further discussion on the project until after the first of
January, 1990.`) Director Blank thanked the commission for all the
time and effort they had put into the community center project.
6. NEW BUSINESS
a. New Plats There were no new plats.
7 COMMISSION PRESENTATION
Cheir Edwards reported on the National Recreation and Parks Association
Congress she attended in San Antonio, Texas, in October. She was very
grateful that she had been permitted to attend and felt that she learned
many useful things.