HomeMy WebLinkAboutPark and Recreation Advisory Commission Minutes 09-14-2000Minutes of the Park and Recreation Advisory Commission Meeting
September 14, 2000
Page 33
Present: Chair Anderson, Commissioners Wahl, Fiemann, Singer, Musliner, Thompson,
Meyer; Councilmember Slavik; staff Bisek, Blank, Greupner, Pederson and Peterson
1. CALL TO ORDER
Chair Anderson called the September meeting to order at 7 p.m. in the Council Chambers.
2. APPROVAL OF MINUTES
A motion was made by Commissioner Singer and seconded by Commissioner Fiemann to
approve the minutes of the July meeting as presented. The motion carried with all ayes.
3. VISITOR PRESENTATIONS
a. Athletic Associations. None were present.
b. Staff Mary explained the packet of information that was distributed on the Chocolate
Sampler. She said help is needed from the commissioners to promote the event by selling
tickets. Each commissioner was given five tickets to sell. Several staff have been working
on securing silent auction items. A list of people already contacted is available. Mary
asked if commissioners had ideas on others to contact. Mary updated PRAC on the E—
Connect project, the process of putting our brochure on the Internet. We hope to have it
live on the Internet by October 6 for certain individuals to test the system. Mary asked
commissioners if they would be willing to be some of the testers.
Karol Greupner spoke on some special events coming up. The 8th annual Autumn Arts
Festival on Saturday, September 16, will be at Parkers Lake Park. The senior clubs will
be there, also, selling their crafts in the lower level of the Pavilion. There's ongoing
musical entertainment on the stage and a children's art area in the picnic shelter. The Fine
Arts Committee chooses a theme each year and judges the entrants. Concessions will be
available. Good weather is anticipated. The Chocolate Sampler is Thursday, October 5.
This is a first year event. If all goes well, it will become an annual event. The event has
several components — a silent auction, which Ellie Singer has been heavily involved in;
chocolate tasting — local restaurants will be serving their specialty desserts; celebrity
judges will be there judging the entries — Jim Wuollet from Wuollet's Bakery, Amy
Klobuchar, Hennepin County Attorney; and Rusty Gatenby, a local media celebrity from
Channel 5. Candis Fancher, contributing author of the book Chocolate for a Woman's
Heart, will be the featured speaker. There will also be a chocolate boutique with items for
sale.
The third annual Plymouth on Parade is Saturday, October 7. Seniors will be having a
pancake breakfast at the Ice Center Community Room that morning prior to the parade.
Proceeds will go to senior programs. There are more units in this year's parade than in
the previous two. Some activities will go on at LifeTime Fitness following the parade
PRAC Minutes/September 2000
Page 34
until 5:30. Participants may swim, dance in the gym, etc. There will be a hayride and
pony rides. The community band will perform, the Plymouth Rockers will sing, etc.
People can also skate for free at the Ice Center. There will be a musical presentation on
Sunday — a tribute to Patsy Cline — at the Plymouth Creek Center. We'll be having a
grand Marshall at the parade this year, Harvey Schiebe and his wife, who are long time
residents of Plymouth. They will lead the parade in their antique car.
c. Others. See item 6-b.
4. PAST COUNCIL ACTION
The City Council approved the comprehensive plan, the grant application for Greenwood
School youth sports facilities, and a grant application for fiinding a skate park.
5. UNFINISHED BUSINESS
a. Plymouth Creek Center update. The Center has been very busy, with several weddings,
luncheons, and business meetings. The dome will go up on October 21. We will be
buying a golf net for the dome. This will allow us to offer golf lessons over the winter
months.
b. Millennium Garden project. Director Blank and the Mayor will be soliciting contributions
from Plymouth businesses to help fiind the Millennium Garden.
c. Comprehensive Plan update. See item 4
d. Hilde Performance Center. We now have a more formal agreement which will go before
the Council soon. Sound consultants were here all day long from Chicago doing a sound
study. We're on a timeline to break ground around July 10, 2001, and will have the
performance center completed by June of 2002.
6. NEW BUSINESS
a. Ferndale North open space — review proposed management plan. Director Blank
explained that a list of the recommendations as proposed by the open space management
committee was sent to all residents in the Ferndale North area. He stated that he did not
receive any verbal feedback, but he did receive one letter, which was included in the
PRAC packet. Commissioner Singer thinks the proposed management plan is very good.
Director Blank explained that the City ordinance does state that both dogs and cats must
be on leashes, but he just overlooked including cats when the recommendations were
typed up. We will remind people that they cannot spray herbicides on public property.
Extensive vandalism was done to the open space when a very potent weed killer was
applied by a resident earlier this summer. It not only killed all the weeds and grass, but
also destroyed some of the shrubbery, as well. This notice will go in the Ferndale
Homeowner Association's next newsletter. The estimate for 200 feet of woodchips at the
4th Avenue entrance was just a guess, so we will limit this distance, if possible. The open
space committee was unanimous in their recommendations. COMMISSIONER SINGER
MOVED TO ACCEPT THE COMMITTEE'S RECOMMENDATIONS.
COMMISSIONER THOMPSON SECONDED THE MOTION. MOTION CARRIED
PRAC Minutes/September 2000
Page 35
WITH ALL AYES. Councilmember Slavik thanked all the commissioners and the open
space management committee for their work on this project. She's glad that it has come
to a satisfactory conclusion.
b. 2001-2005 Parks CIP — begin review of requests. A long list of projects was distributed
to the Park Commission in their packet. Director Blank said we keep a list of items that is
requested by the citizens. By the October meeting, staff will have a cost estimate on these
projects and will begin to prioritize the list with PRAC's input. At the conclusion of the
November PRAC meeting, there hopefiilly will be a draft plan, which is then forwarded
to the Planning Commission. Our part is combined with all other City departments' five
year plans. The Planning Commission then holds a public hearing on the plan. After that,
the plan goes to the City Council for adoption. Work begins then after the Council has
adopted the plan. Director Blank stated that every new housing unit pays $1,750 and
commercial developers pay $4,700 per acre to cover projects. These fees are for park
dedication. For every dollar collected, 70% is set aside for city parks, trails, etc., and 30%
goes for neighborhood parks. Another capital source is the park replacement fiind, which
is for replacing worn out tennis courts, worn out parking lots, etc. About 95% of all park
constriction is contingent on park dedication dollars. This fund is presently at an all time
low due to a moratorium on development. We've taken in $250,000 so far this year, but
in the past this fund has usually maintained a balance of anywhere between $1,000,000
and $2,000,000. The moratorium is off now, so we should be able to build up this account
again.
Director Blank said that staff has identified a number of trail segments that are in the
comprehensive plan. One is Old Rockford Road west of Vicksburg Lane, 36th Avenue
between Vicksburg and County Road 9, Revere Lane south of 10th Avenue, and
Lancaster Lane from 36th Avenue to Pilgrim Lane.
Ron Fiemann asked about the time frame for the upgrade of Old Rockford Road. Director
Blank said there is no time frame for this. He explained that developers build only the
roads within their development.
Greg Anderson, 4385 Lawndale Lane, supports the installation of bike trail on Old
Rockford Road west of Vicksburg Lane. He's spoken to Dan Faulkner in Engineering
and was told that Old Rockford Road might not be upgraded for another 10 years. This
road gets heavy use by bikers, joggers, walkers, and people pushing strollers. Greg is a
bike commuter and has to ride on Rockford Road to get to work. He stated that there is a
MN state law that says you must stay away from bicyclists by at least 3 feet when using
the same roadway. Mr. Anderson explained that Rockford Road is a ditch style road, and
he understands it will be difficult to build a trail here. He advocates building up the
shoulder of the road for the bikers. He also wants the City to consider three other things:
forming a Plymouth Bicycle Advisory Committee, becoming a bike friendly community
by joining the League of American Bicyclists), and adding more on—road bike lanes in
the City. Mr. Anderson bikes 10 miles each way to and from work. He said he would be
willing to serve on the bicycle advisory committee.
PRAC Minutes/September 2000
Page 36
Dana Cossette, 4340 Fountain Lane, lives in the Holly Creek Development off Old
Rockford Road. She said she has spoken many times to Director Blank. Dana has been on
the phone a lot talking to people about the improvement of Old Rockford Road. This is
the only exit from this neighborhood. There are hundreds of walkers, bikers, etc., on this
road. She stated that a resident who was walking on the road with her children was
stopped by a police officer and told the road was not safe for walking along.
David Klis, 16710 45th Avenue, is the president of the Golf View Homeowners
Association. He said there are 52 homes in the development. He has talked to his
neighbors about this trail, and they all are in favor of adding one along Rockford Road.
Commissioner Fiemann asked where the biggest problem is on Rockford Road? Mr.
Anderson said a couple hundred yards after Vicksburg Lane as you go west. The greatest
need is all along Rockford from Vicksburg to Peony. Director Blank said the engineers
have looked at the situation and after some study, and if we can acquire some easements
and right of way, we can probably build an off road trail here. It may have to be broken
up into segments and worked on over a couple of years. The path would probably be on
the south side of the road, because both schools are on the south side. There are a lot of
things that need to be worked out.
Commissioner Singer asked about the speed limit on Old Rockford Road. Director Blank
said it's posted at 50 mph. He then explained that speed limits are set by the state of
Minnesota. The state could be asked by the Council to do a study of the speed limit, but
that doesn't always work out the way residents want. Speed limits are set by 85% of the
drivers using that road. What ever speed 85% of the drivers is driving determines the
speed of that road, and in some cases when residents have wanted speed limits lowered,
they've actually been raised.
Commissioner Fiemann asked Councilmember Slavik if she was aware of any plans to
improve Rockford Road sooner than in 10 years. She said she didn't think so.
Director Blank said that money for roads comes from MN State Aid. County Road 101 is
using up a lot of that money and the next road scheduled is Schmidt Lake Road.
Improvements to Rockford Road would be addressed by the Public Works Department in
their CIP. Old Rockford Road is no longer a county road, Director Blank explained to
Commissioner Wahl. It is now under complete City control. Engineers think we can build
an off road trail on portions of that road, but at this point they don't know the cost, or
how soon it would occur.
Director Blank reviewed the rest of the 2001-05 CIP list. The list contained a number of
items. They included: open space, Greenwood School youth sports fields, the Millennium
Garden, Art in the Park, West Medicine Lake bathrooms/pavilion, the second half of
bleacher replacement, trail on Rockford Road (west of Vicksburg), trail on 36th Avenue
from County Road 9 to Vicksburg, sewer and water and a building permit for the Hilde
Performance Center, trail repair and overlay, the 4th of five payments on the
Showmobile, playground replacement, transfer to park replacement fiind, the
environmental park playground and trail, a skate park, new lights at Parkers Lake Park,
PRAC Minutes/September 2000
Page 37
additional parking at the Ice Center, and playground improvements at Kimberly Lane
Elementary School.
Director Blank announced that we did win a grant for the upgrade of the Greenwood
youth sports fields. He also said the Council held a work study session on the Millennium
Garden. They moved $100,000 in interest earnings from the Plymouth Creek Center
constriction fiind, plus an additional $100,000 will come from Park Deducation Funds to
help fund the Millennium Garden. Art in the Park is still a high priority. The West
Medicine Lake bathrooms have became an issue now, because we can't build vault
toilets. The City Manager thinks we should look into constricting a shelter building in
this park that includes bathrooms. Half of our bleachers were replaced when the
Legislature banned all open sided bleachers. They later reconsidered that decision, and
decided existing bleachers could be modified to meet the new safety guidelines.
However, because all of our bleachers were destroyed, we now need to replace the rest of
them.
Items to consider beyond 2001 include the acquisition of land west of Vicksburg before
sewer becomes available, a spray playground, replacement of lights at Zachary Playfield,
tennis courts at Plymouth Creek Center, because there are no tennis courts in the central
part of Plymouth, a dock at East Beach, scoreboards at Elm Creek, lighting at West
Medicine Lake Park along the trail and in the parking lot, a boat dock upgrade at Parkers
Lake, a third sheet of ice for the Ice Center, picnic shelters at Plymouth Creek Park, at
Shenandoah Park, and at Elm Creek Playfield, and a wooden walkway at East Beach.
Director Blank invited commissioners to add to the list if they think of things.
Commissioner Singer said the deck at East Beach definitely needs replacing. The
building could also be upgraded. Director Blank agrees and will put it on the list. The
boat dock would go on the south end of the parking lot.
The 10th playfield acquisition doesn't have to be done this year, but within the next two
to four years. The property in the plan is owned by the Begin family and Director Blank
has been talking with them.
At the next meeting, we will have cost estimates prepared for these projects.
Commissioner Musliner asked how the lower level of the Plymouth Creek Center will be
used. Director Blank thinks the senior programs may use this space in about three years.
c. Review August park tour. Commissioner Musliner asked for a brief overview of the park
tour, because she was unable to attend. Director Blank said the tour went very well. The
Eagan Water Park can handle 2,000 at any given time. It costs $7.50 per day per user.
The St. Louis Park Water Park is much smaller. The Brooklyn Park Historical farm is an
interesting operation. The Brooklyn Park Skate Park was being used by about 30
participants when PRAC was there. This facility is free of charge and does not have any
supervision on site. Director Blank suggested the possiblity of visiting other such
operations on fiiture park tours, and the commissioners agreed this was a good idea.
PRAC Minutes/September 2000
Page 38
7. COMMISSION PRESENTATION
Commissioner Thompson wants us to get in writing that we have the right of first refusal on
the Hollydale golf course. Director Blank said he spoke with the owner, and he feels
comfortable with the owner's claim that if his children are not interested in it, he wants the
City to have it. Director Blank said he will talk to the owner about some sort of written
document. It was mentioned that dogs have been seen on the Fieldhouse artificial turf and
people have been seen smoking on the turf. Director Blank said he would look into putting
up some kind of signage that says dogs are prohibited and discouraging people from smoking
when they're on the turf. Since this is an outdoor facility, enforcing these practices may be
somewhat difficult.
8. STAFF COMMUNICATION
Next month's meeting needs to be changed to the 19th if possible, because of staff conflicts
on the 12th.
9. ADJOURNMENT
The meeting adjourned at 8:55 p.m.