HomeMy WebLinkAboutPark and Recreation Advisory Commission Minutes 01-14-1993Minutes of the Park and Recreation Advisory Commission Meeting
January 14, 1993
Page 1
Present: Chair Anderson, Commissioners Burk, Gutzke, Johnson,
Waage, Wahl, Watson; staff Blank, Pederson and
Peterson, Councilmembers Edson and Tierney
1. CALL TO ORDER
Chair Anderson called the January meeting to order at 7:05
p.m. in the Council Conference Room.
2. APPROVAL OF MINUTES
A motion was made by Commissioner Gutzke and seconded by
Commissioner Burk to approve the minutes of the December
meeting as presented. The motion carried with all ayes.
3. VISITOR PRESENTATIONS
a. Athletic Associations. None were present.
b. Staff. Superintendent of Parks, Mark Peterson, was
present and gave a brief overview of the types of
maintenance done by park crews during the winter skating
season. There are three classifications of skating
rinks: hockey/general rinks with warming houses,
neighborhood park rinks without warming houses, and
neighborhood ponds. Because hockey and general rinks
with warming houses are used the most, these rinks get
first priority for care. Second and third priority goes
to neighborhood rinks without warming houses and ponds,
with the exception of Parkers and Zachary, which is
included in the first priority. There are also three
modes of maintenance for the various types of rinks.
Rinks with the highest usage and having organized
activities, such as hockey practice or skating lessons,
receive Mode I maintenance. This generally consists of
sweeping, shoveling, and flooding at least five days per
week, with base ice established at a depth of four to six
inches, and routine ice shaving to create a uniformly
smooth surface. Mode II maintenance is done on
neighborhood rinks without warming houses and consists of
establishing base ice at a depth of three to five inches,
snow removal and flooding three to five times per week,
and shaving the ice periodically. Mode III maintenance
consists of snow removal and flooding as priorities
allow. It should be noted that no maintenance occurs on
any pond until the ice is thick enough to support
maintenance equipment, and this is normally around the
first of January.
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Park crews are also responsible for snow removal on our
City's trails. Mark stated that snow removal on rinks
occurs after all trails have been plowed. Miles of
trails maintained in the winter have increased from 19 to
37.
Mark also shared some information regarding the 1993
Arbor Day celebration. In an attempt to seek donations,
a letter is being sent to all Plymouth companies who do
business in the field of energy conservation, asking for
contributions to purchase trees and shrubs. The theme of
this year's Arbor Day celebration is "Planting for Energy
Conservation in the North." Grant applications have also
been submitted to several organizations to help fund this
project as well.
4. REPORT ON PAST COUNCIL ACTION
Council approved the 1993-97 CIP.
Council approved the 1993 City operating budget.
UNFINISHED BUSINESS
Focus groups and surveys update. Director Blank stated
that a Request for Proposal had been sent out to four
local firms asking them to respond by the end of January.
The City Council has requested that the survey instrument
specify that no project is contemplated at this time and
that it is for planning purposes only. It should also
specify that any project eventually approved could have
tax impacts. Council also requested clarification about
the purpose of the survey. Councilman Edson indicated
that the Council is concerned about the impression such a
survey might give to the residents. Caution must be
exercised when developing questions, so as to not give
residents the impression that something of major size is
going to be constructed. Because of this concern, the
Council may request a joint meeting with the Park
Commission prior to the questions being finalized.
b. Amendment to park plan - playfield site selection update.
At the February meeting, the parks component of the
comprehensive plan may be amended to remove a previously
identified playfield site and replace it with another
location. This will be the ninth playfield in the
comprehensive plan.
Discuss 1993 capital projects. When Council approved the
1993 CIP, they removed from the parks section the Zachary
parking lot and a neighborhood park. Director Blank
indicated to the Commission that they could add these
items back in if they so desired for 1994. The items
that remain in the CIP for this year include trail
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improvements, playfield land acquisition, handicapped
accessible playground in Plymouth Creek Park, and the
South Shore landscaping project. Director Blank stated
that based on the trail report prepared by Strgar-Roscoe-
Fausch, he will not be recommending construction of a
trail along Ridgemount Avenue at this time, because
traffic conditions do not warrant it. He further stated
that the City of Minnetonka is not prepared to help fund
such a project until they upgrade Ridgemount Avenue,
which isn't proposed for another five years. If Plymouth
were to build a trail now, it would cost the City about
170,000, and Director Blank feels that money could be
more wisely spent on other trails that have a higher
priority. Director Blank asked for some direction from
commissioners on which trails to construct in 1993.
Commissioner Wahl recommended a trail along County Road
47, leading from the Camelot area over to Pineview Lane,
so these residents could have safer access to the Bass
Lake Playfield. Commissioner Burk recommended filling in
trails that have gaps in order to connect trails that now
end abruptly and seem to lead nowhere. Commissioner
Gutzke agreed that trail connections need to be made.
Director Blank stated that there are federal
transportation funds available for the construction of
bike trails. He has submitted a grant application to
fund the completion of a trail south along County Road 61
to the park and ride lot at the northwest intersection of
County Road 61 and I-394. Commissioners suggested that
staff prepare a list of trails to construct in 1993,
along with cost estimates, in time for their February
meeting.
6. NEW BUSINESS
a. Review proposed 1993 rental rates. Commissioners
received in their packets copies of the proposed rental
rates and policies for the Parkers Lake Pavilion and
athletic facilities for 1993. Changes recommended in the
Pavilion policy included increasing rates for the school
districts from $7.50 per hour to $8, Plymouth non-profit
groups from $17 to $18 per hour, Plymouth resident groups
from $28 to $30 per hour, and adding a new category for
non-resident groups at $36 per hour.
A MOTION WAS MADE BY COMMISSIONER GUTZKE AND SECONDED BY
COMMISSIONER WAHL TO RECOMMEND COUNCIL APPROVAL OF THE
PARKERS LAKE PAVILION RENTAL POLICY AND FEES AS SUGGESTED
BY STAFF. THE MOTION CARRIED WITH ALL AYES.
Athletic facility rentals brought in over $9,000 in
revenue in 1992. Of this total, approximately $4,500
came from groups renting the Zachary fields for softball
tournaments, and $3,500 from soccer tournaments. Changes
proposed in the athletic facilities policy included
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removing a statement requiring adult groups to put bases
out and put soccer nets up. These tasks are now
performed by our staff at the beginning of the season and
remain in place through the entire summer. From the fee
schedule, the $300 per day fee to rent the entire Zachary
complex was deleted, because it was decided that more
revenue could be generated by renting each field on a per
hour or per day basis. It was also decided to add a fee
of $10 per bag for diamond dry. Groups will now be
charged a $10 service fee if they cancel an event due to
severe weather. In the past, all of their fees were
refunded with no service charge being deducted. It has
been recommended that the field attendant fee be
increased from $8 to $8.50 per hour.
A MOTION WAS MADE BY COMMISSIONER WAHL AND SECONDED BY
COMMISSIONER WATSON TO RECOMMEND COUNCIL APPROVAL OF THE
1993 ATHLETIC FACILITIES RENTAL POLICY AND FEE SCHEDULE.
THE MOTION CARRIED WITH ALL AYES.
b. Review draft of 1992 annual report. Director Blank
briefly reviewed the pages of the draft 1992 annual
report, pointing out that the goals and objectives should
be carefully reviewed by the commissioners for any
additions or deletions. Commissioner Gutzke indicated
that his phone number is incorrect on the page that lists
commissioners' names and addresses. It was suggested
that a copy of the parks CIP be included as an appendix
to the annual report, with a statement clarifying that it
is a "plan" and as such, has some flexibility. It was
also recommended that a sentence, in Item 7 of the Goals
and Objectives, regarding citizen involvement in planning
a community center, be stricken from that particular
goal. Commissioners were invited to make other deletions
or additions between now and the February meeting by
calling them in to the park and recreation office. Final
copies of the annual report will be distributed at the
February meeting.
C. Review 1993 meeting dates. Meetings in 1993 are
scheduled for the second Thursday of the month, with the
exception of November and December, which will be the
first Thursday of the month, due to holidays falling on
November 11 (Veterans Day) and December 9 (Hanukkah).
7. COMMISSION PRESENTATION
Commissioners and staff collectively thanked Commissioner
Waage for all her hard work and dedication during the past
three years. This evening was her last meeting, due to a
family move out of state.
Commissioner Johnson asked about the sale of concessions at
the Parkers Lake Pavilion during the skating season.
Director Blank responded that there is a pop machine in the
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building, but that other concessions such as hotdogs and
candy bars, etc., were no longer being sold as they once
were, because the City lost money doing so.
8. STAFF COMMUNICATION
A sign-up sheet was distributed during the meeting inviting
Commissioners to pick a time slot for supervising the
bonfire at the Fire and Ice Festival and helping with the
sale of s'mores.
Director Blank indicated that a new commissioner could be
named at the January 25 Council meeting.
Councilmember Tierney asked if athletic association
representatives were invited to PRAC meetings. She stated
that she had heard from them again regarding inadequate
storage facilities at Oakwood Playfield. Director Blank
responded that they have an open invitation to attend all of
the PRAC meetings, and they are always placed on the agenda.
9. ADJOURNMENT
The meeting adjourned at 8:50 p.m.