HomeMy WebLinkAboutPark and Recreation Advisory Commission Minutes 12-12-1991Minutes of the Park and Recreation Advisory Commission Meeting
December 12, 1991
Page 41
Present: Chair Freels, Commissioners Anderson, Gutzke, Johnson, Waage, Wahl,
Watson; staff Bisek, Blank and Pederson; Jeff Bednar of Strgar-
Roscoe-Fausch, and Joy Tierney
1. CALL TO ORDER
Chair Freels called the December meeting to order at 7 p.m. in the Council
Conference Room.
2. APPROVAL OF MINUTES
A motion was made by Commissioner Wahl and seconded by Commissioner Waage
to approve the minutes of the October meeting as presented. The motion
carried with all ayes.
3. VISITOR PRESENTATIONS
a. Athletic Associations.
b. Staff. Mary Bisek discussed the MRPA Annual Conference held in
November. The theme this year was customer service. As a result of
the conference, the park and recreation staff has been having
discussions on how to improve our customer service, including things
such as implementing a program satisfaction guarantee.
Programs for the spring brochure are being planned. Mary invited the
commissioners to contact her with any suggestions they might have.
The 1992 Fire and Ice Festival is Saturday, February 1. Mary told the
Commission she would have a bonfire sign-up sheet available at the
January meeting. She informed the new members that traditionally, the
Park Commission has been in charge of the bonfire and handing out the
fixings for s'mores.
4. REPORT ON PAST COUNCIL ACTION
a. The City Council adopted the 1992 budget with an overall increase of
three percent. They allowed for one new park maintenance employee,
after further council approval.
b. The Council rescinded the $5 non-resident fee charged to youth
athletic associations effective January 1, 1992, and they agreed to
maintain the fees charged for tournament rental at the same rate as
1991.
5. UNFINISHED BUSINESS
There was no unfinished business to discuss.
6. NEW BUSINESS
a. Review draft of sidewalk and trail plan. Director Blank briefly
described that this issue came up as a result of a letter Chair Freels
wrote to the City Council regarding the unsafe conditions along
Plymouth Boulevard for pedestrians and bikers. Chair Freels felt that -
some type of sidewalk or trail was necessary from Highway 55 to County
December 1991 PRAC Minutes
Page 42
Road 9, because of the many curves and blind spots along Plymouth
Boulevard. The Council referred the issue back to PRAC, who
recommended that some type of study be done. The firm of Strgar-
Roscoe-Fausch was hired to conduct that study. Their representative,
Jeff Bednar, was present to share Strgar's preliminary findings with
the Commission. Mr. Bednar displayed several maps and explained what
each one depicted. Map 1 showed the locations of all Plymouth's
current parks and trails, natural areas, schools, commercial and
retail development, which are known to be traffic generators, or
places where people will walk or bike. Map 2 showed where all known
pedestrian/bicycle accidents have occurred throughout the city since
July 1990, along with the type of traffic control (lights, stop signs,
marked crosswalks, etc.) used at those locations. Map 3 was the
current sidewalk/trail system plan, map 4 showed the existing
pedestrian/bicycle trails, and map 5 was a pedestrian/bicycle trails
priority/needs assessment based on areas where there is high traffic
volume and high use by pedestrians and bicyclists.
Commissioners Johnson and Wahl pointed out two additional places they
feel are very dangerous and should be included in the needs
assessment. One is 26th Avenue west of Medicine Lake over to
Northwest Boulevard/County Road 61, and the other is County Road 10/47
east and west of I-494. Mr. Bednar commented that traffic counts in
these areas might be appropriate.
Other issues which need to be addressed include where pedestrian
crosswalks might be needed, what areas would best be served by
sidewalks instead of trails, if there are places where sidewalks
should be on both sides of the street and which, if any, locations
would be eligible for state aid funds.
Mr. Bednar indicated there are publications available through the
Minnesota Dept. of Transportation such as a bikeway design manual and
a guideline for determining where crosswalks should be marked and/or
signaled. He also indicated there might be bikeway grants available
through MNDot.
Commissioner Johnson asked if trail proposed in the area of the new
10th Avenue park would be eligible for CDBG funds. Director Blank
said he didn't know if trails qualified, but he would check into it.
The trail/sidewalk plan will continue to be discussed at future
meetings. Strgar-Roscoe-Fausch has a contract for 250 hours to
complete Phase I. Phase II includes researching sources of funding .
7. COMMISSION PRESENTATION
Chairman Freels announced that he was resigning from the Commission
effective December 31, because he and his wife have built a home in Ft.
Myers, Florida, where they will be residing six months out of the year.
He thanked staff and the other commissioners for all their help and hard
work since he became a member of the Commission and indicated he would be
happy to help in any way during the months that he lives in Plymouth.
December 1991 PRAC Minutes
Page 43
8. STAFF COMMUNICATION
The two large snow storms in November greatly affected the construction of
the new playfields. The Bass Lake shelter building is 85-90% completed
and the Parkers Lake building is 65-70% finished. The Parkers Lake picnic
shelter is about 80-85% done. The trails, tennis courts and playgrounds
at both facilities should be ready for use in the spring.
Five of the six trail segments have been finished. The two new bridges at
Fazendin and Four Seasons parks will be completed in the spring. The
irrigation system at Ridgemount was underway, but will have to wait now
until spring.
The lights at the Parkers Lake skating rink are installed, but actual work
on the rink itself is being delayed until the ice is thicker. Other
skating rinks are scheduled to open Saturday, December 21.
Director Blank indicated that he would not be available for the January 9
PRAC meeting and asked if it could be postponed until January 16. That
date was agreed upon unanimously.
9. ADJOURNMENT
The meeting adjourned at 8:23 p.m.