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HomeMy WebLinkAboutPark and Recreation Advisory Commission Minutes 12-11-2003MINUTES OF THE PARK AND RECREATION ADVISORY COMMISSION MEETING December 11, 2003 Page 50 PRESENT: Chair Anderson, Commissioners Aamoth, Fiemann, Krahulec, Meyer, Rezabek, Rodriguez, and Singer, staff Blank, Evans, and Pederson ABSENT: Ritchie CALL TO ORDER Chair Anderson called the meeting to order at 7 p.m. in the Council Chambers. 2. APPROVAL OF MINUTES Singer moved and Krahulec seconded a motion to approve the November minutes. Motion carried with all ayes. 3. VISITOR PRESENTATIONS a. Athletic Associations. No athletic association representatives were present at the meeting. b. Staff. Evans stated that staff is spending a lot of time closing things out for the year. We have begun work on the annual report. With this year's report, we will highlight more of what the department does in the area of adaptive recreation, arts, sports, etc., so it will look somewhat different than in past years. Old Fashioned Christmas at the Plymouth Creek Park was held Sunday, December 7th. It was co-sponsored by the Plymouth Historical Society. Attendance was down with 250 people attending. Evans thinks it was due to the warmer weather. Staff is now gearing up for the New Years Around the World event, which is Wednesday, December 31, from 6-9 pm, at LifeTime and the Ice Center. Evans talked about the new 4 -color Plymouth Leisure Times and how she has received favorable comments on it. Staff is already starting to plan next summer's programs. c. Others. There were no other presentations. 4. REPORT ON PAST COUNCIL ACTION a. Blank stated that the City Council approved the park rental fees and policies as recommended by PRAC. 5. UNFINISHED BUSINESS PRAC Minutes/December 2003 Page 51 a. Update on Ice Center. Blank discussed the calendar of how things are unfolding. We are right on schedule. Site plan application was made last week to the Planning Department. A public hearing before the Planning Commission is scheduled in January. The Council asked for a larger lobby, so a new plan was drawn showing that. Blank said we have taken steps to cover the additional cost of the expanded lobby and concession area. We will soon be reviewing bid specs and then the construction manager will get involved. Blank said we hope to award a bid at the second Council meeting in February. Fiemann said the new plan looks like you could get to the back side of the concession stand when leaving the balcony area overlooking the new rink. Blank said no, that's not possible. b. Update on Plymouth Creek Center. Blank said we are out for bid on this project now with a bid opening scheduled for January 6. We expect to get the project going in February and hope to have it completed in May. c. 2004-2008 CIP. Blank said we have three major commitments next year - the ice center, the 10th playfield, and the lower level of the Plymouth Creek Center, all costing approximately $9,000,000. These are the projects we are focusing on for the year 2004. He stated staff doesn't have a good handle on how many building permits will be drawn in 2004 to reload the funds for 2005, so we're being somewhat cautious on that year as well. Blank said we would be picking from the park replacement fund to do some repairs. 2004 is our primary focus right now, and it includes new trails on Lancaster Lane, a section along 36th Ave connecting to New Hope, and a Nathan Lane trail request from several residents living south of Highway 55. Other projects proposed are replacing tennis courts at Ridgemount; beginning the replacement of the irrigation system, starting with Oakwood, playground replacement at Lions Park, a new warming house at Ridgemount; new picnic tables at almost every neighborhood park, and new park monument entrance signs at the playfields. Greenwood parking expansion is somewhat questionable and may be held off awhile. Projects in 2005 include trails, park replacement, trail and parking lot repair, new walls and plaza at Zachary, replacing irrigation, and more park monument entrance signs. Singer asked about funds for acquiring more open space. Blank said we will have $700,000 for open space acquisition, but we don't have any deals in the works right now. It doesn't show in our CIP, but funds are available. Fiemann asked if we had heard anything from the Begins. Blank said they responded that our offer wasn't high enough to purchase their land. Projects in 2006 are trails, park replacement, new larger neighborhood park in Seven Greens, trail and parking lot repair, PRAC Minutes/December 2003 Page 52 irrigation replacement, and more park monument entrance signs. The years 2007 and 2008 are very general and show trails, parking lot and trail repair, park replacement, and irrigation, etc. FIEMANN MOVED TO ACCEPT THE CIP AS PRESENTED BY STAFF AND FORWARD IT TO THE CITY COUNCIL. SINGER SECONDED. Aamoth asked about the funds available in the years 2007 and 2008 and wondered why the amounts are so much less than the previous years. Blank explained it has to do with the extension of sewer in northwest Plymouth and how much development may or may not take place in those years. This determines how much funding will be available in the park dedication account. Krahulec asked about the status of Hampton Hills Golf Course. Blank said we keep hearing rumors that it has been sold, but we haven't been able to confirm that. We do know however that the golf course is closed. Chair Anderson reminded commissioners that there was a motion on the table to approve the CIP. MOTION CARRIED, ALL AYES. 6. NEW BUSINESS There was no new business to discuss. 7. COMMISSION PRESENTATION Singer asked about the status of the Vietnam scout dog handler memorial. Blank said we have no new information. He said he talked to Sonny Clark at the City of Wayzata. Sonny said they have no memorials in their parks. Fiemann said there are just a few plaques and flags. Meyer said the plaques don't honor individuals specifically, but groups in general. Some of the plaques tell of the history of the site, Fiemann said. Singer requested that the minutes should reflect that the new Leisure Times is an outstanding publication. 8. STAFF COMMUNICATION None. 9. ADJOURN The meeting adjourned at 7:30 p.m.