HomeMy WebLinkAboutPark and Recreation Advisory Commission Minutes 12-14-1989Minutes of the Park and Recreation Advisory Commission Meeting,
December 14, 1983
Page 44
Present: Chair Edwards, Commissioners Freels, Hanson, Anderson, Beach and
Rosen; staff Blank, Patterson and Pederson; George Watson of Brauer
and Associates
1; CALL TO ORDER:
Chair Edwards called the December meeting, to order at 7:36 p.m. in. the
Council Conference Room.
2., APPROVAL OF MINUTES
A motion was made by Commissioner Freels and seconded by Commissioner
Rosen to approve the minutes of the November meeting as presented, The
motion carried, with all ayes.
3. VISITOR PRESENTATIONS
a. Athletic Association$. None,
b. Staff, Mary announced, that the Olympic Festival Torch Run, scheduled
for next July, will be passing through Plymouth at approximately 4;30
p.m. on July 6. Participants in Plymouth will be involved for about
an hour and a half, before the Torch is transported to the Metrodome,
where the Olympic festival will be held. The torch is being carried
by people on foot (running, walking) throughout the state of
Minnesota, and Plymouth is its last stop. From 'Plymouth, the torch
will be driven to the Metrodome
Mary announced that Karol Greupner is working on a project called
National Celebration of the Earth," which is to promote awareness of
our environment and conservation.
Mary stated that the Fire and Ice. Festival will, be held Saturday,
February 3 at Parkers Lake. She asked if PRAC would again be
responsible for the bonfire, and they agi,,ed to help with that. There
will be a few new events this year, as all as expanding on some of
last year's events. Rick will offer a itftball tournament for men on
the ice. Last year's tournament was offered for co-ed teams, and none
registered, so this year he's trying just a men's tournament.
Mary said that the Old Fashioned Christmas event, held December 10 and
co-sponsored with the Plymouth Historical Society, at Plymouth Creek
Park was a big success. There were more events than. last year, and
about 1:,000 adults and children attended. A big hit was the
storytelling by Bob Gasch. There were some problems with the hay ride
when the wagon got a flat tire, but while it was operational, it was_a
very popular activity.
The January -February issue of Plymouth on Parade will be in the homes
around December 22.
December, 1989 PRAG Minutes
Page 45
Staff is in the process of preparing the Park and Recreation Advisory
Com tssion Annual Report for 1980. A rough draft of the report will
be available, for the January meeting.
Special programs `or the school, holiday break period include Gym, Swim
Movie Days. December 2.6 & 27, Pre-school Specials on December 26
27, and downhill ski, trips on 'December 28 & 2.9.
Werther permitting, warming house and ice rinks open December 16. The
rink at Parkers Lake is much larger this year, Greg Oly of the
Plymouth: police department is organizing a speed skating club in
Plymouth,
c. Others, There were no other presentations,
4. REPORT ON PAST COUNCIL ACTION
a. None.
5. UNFINISHED BUSINESS'
a. Comprehensive Park & Trail Plan Update --George Watson. Mr. Matson
briefly summarized his findings and recommendations for updating the
park and trail plan from the report he prepared dated December 14,
1989, He explained that his recommendation to increase the standard
acreage for ball fields from,2 to 2.9 is due to the fact that today's.
athlete is physically larger and more powerful and able to hit and,
throw the ball farther. This also allows for a safety zone around
each field and a drainage area;
He showed; that based on the existing City standards, we have the need
to add three 60_75' softball/baseball fields, six 90' baseball fields
and three hockey rinks.
Land should be acquired for a playfield in the Elm Creek community,
while land is still available, and possibly for a playfield west of
494 for the Base Lake community. Neighborhood park land should be
acquired for one additional neighborhood park in the Elm Creek area,
and a neighborhood park should be developed in the Mud Lake area.
Commissioner Beach asked Mr. Watson about swimming pool standards and
why they are not included in the park and trail system plan, Chair
Edwards ,pointed out that the comprehensive plan doesn t include pools,
since the City has not planned for pools to be located in playfields
or neighborhood parks.. Mr. Watson responded that swimming is a
special use and, perhaps belongs in a City park._ Director Blank stated
that swimming pools are a special facility. He suggested that. PRAC
may want to consider amending the comprehensive plan to include a
chapter on special use facilities, which could include swimming, golf
courses, and other one -of -a -kind facilities.
Discussion continued then on facilities that will be needed in the
future, in order to nieet the needs of the current population and the
projected population through the year 2010, based on existing
December 1989 PRAC Minutes
Page 46
standards:. For example, by the year 2.Q10, 14 tennis courts will have
been addedif the City's population increases as estimated, and if the
need is present, The City will need 'three 60-75' softball/baseball
fields in 1990 and by 2010 may have constructed 16 additional fields:
This same situation exists with 90' baseball fields. Six more fields
are projected in 1990, but Director Blank said he thought this was an
unrealistic number., 'Three hockey rinks are projected in 1990; eight
more by 2010.. These facility needs are based on a projected
population of 83,913 by the year 2010. When asked, why there: is a
shortage of facilities for 1990, Mr. Watson explained that when the.
I park :system plan was adopted in 19 2, the projections for 1990 did not
count on the population exploding, the way it did. The population
today is 18% higherr than was predicted, for the year 1989 in the, 1982:
lark plan. The construction of these additional facilities will
depend ott Whether participation in the, above sports continues to grow
Ll proportion to the; straight line growth in population. Commissioner
Peach questioned the figures regarding the need for soccer fields in
the future:, stating that she personally feels the est?mate is low. It
is her opinion that soccer has grown in popularity quite dramatically
over the last few years and will continue to _grow, since it is -a
universal sport, played all over the world. Director Blank respon0ei
that the standards established by the NRPA in 1980 may have been set
low, because at that time, very few' communities had soccer fields, and
there was no indication that it would become so popular. Ro indicated
that the, City could change the standards if the need' dictates this
action.
Based on the proposed changes made to the land use guide plan; the. Elm
Creek community will need two playfields by the year 2010. One of
these proposed sites is adjacent, to the Plymouth Greek Elementary
School. The second playfield could, be located at a future junior high
school, Which is contemplated for construction by Dist. 284, in the
far northwest corner c,,f Plymouth, or just across the border into
Medina/Hamel. In the Baas Lake community,, the City has acquired land
for a playfiel.d and a neighborhood park, located east of 494. The
Brauer plan recommends that the City also attempt to acquire land west
of 494 for another playfield" and neighborhood park Their
recommendation, is a site just west of Mud Lake. This is consistent
with the existing plan.
Following the conclusion of Mr. Watson's report, Director Blank,.
distributed copies of an updated comprehensive plan: for the years
1990-2000, which included the addition of new class I trails, the
upgrading of some class TI trails to class I, the downgrading of a
couple of class 11 trails to class 1110 deleting a few trails from the
plan, changing the use of a trail (to prohibit horses), and changing
the plan to show some trails that have been developed since the last
plan was done. The updated master park plan calls for a change in,
location of three parks, a change in shapes or expansion of an
existing park at three locations, some changes as a result of lard
acquisition at the Mud Lake neighborhood park and at Plymouth Greek
park, deleting from the plan two park sites, and adding the new
neighborhood parks suggested in Brauer's report dated December 14,
1989
December 1989.FRAC Minutes
Page 47
A MOTION WAS MADE BY COMMISSIONER ROSEN AND SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER
FREELS TO APPROVE THE UPDATED COMPREHENSIVE TRAIL. AND PARK SYSTEM PLAN
FOR THE YEARS 1990-2000 AS PRESENTED BY DIRECTOR BLANK, DATED DECEMBER
14, 1989,, WITH A RECOMMENDATION TO INCLUDE A SPECIAL USE FACILITIES
CHAPTER, THE MOTION CARRIED WITH ALL AYES,
A MOTION WAS MADE BY COMMISSIONER FREELS. AND SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER'
BEACH TO ACCEPT THE. DECEMBER 14, 1989REPORT PREPARED BY BRAUER AND
ASSOCIATES, BUT CHANGING THE. STANDARD FOP, SOCCER/FOOTBALL FIELDS
LOCATED ON PAGE 3 FROM .2/1000 TO .3/1000 AND INCREASING THE ACREAGE
REQUIREMENTS ON PAGE 4 L-OR SOFTBALL, BASEBALL, FOOTBALL/SOCCER AND
HOCKEY, THE MOTION CARRIED WITH ALL AXES,
6. NEW BUSINESS
a. None,
7. COMMISSION PRESENTATION
Chair Edwards thanked the Commission for all their hard work in 1989 and
For their attendance.
8. STAFF COMMUNICATION
Director Blank asked the commissioners to review the Goals and Objectives
chapter of the annual report for any changes or additions by next month's
meeting, at Which time a rough draft of the 1989' report will be available;
9. ADJOURNW,'
The meeting adjourned at 9:45 p.m.