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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 b. The Council rescinded the $5 non-resident fee charged to youth athletic associations effective January 1, 1992, and they agreed to maintain the fees charged for tournament rental at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.