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HomeMy WebLinkAboutPark and Recreation Advisory Commission Minutes 02-09-20171 Approved Minutes February 9, 2017 Approved Minutes Park & Recreation Advisory Commission Thursday, February 9, 2017 MEMBERS PRESENT: Chair Merrilee Riley,Vice Chair Aaron Vanderwall,Commissioners:Dick Burkhardt,Tricia DeBleeckere,Marilyn Sunseri,Michael Swanson,Kipp Wyse MEMBERS ABSENT: STAFF PRESENT: Parks Recreation Director Diane Evans,Deputy Director Barb Northway,Office Support Specialist Sarah Josephs COUNCIL REPRESENTATIVES: Councilmember Jim Davis,Planning Commissioner Jim Kovach GUESTS: Amanda Prosser,ISG 1. CALL TO ORDER Chair Riley called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. 2. APPROVAL OF MINUTES Motion by Commissioner Burkhardt,seconded by Commissioner Wyse,recommending approval of the January 12 Park and Recreation Advisory Commission meeting minutes as written.With all members voting in favor,the motion carried. 3. OPEN FORUM: 4. PRESENTATIONS (NON-ACTION ITEMS): 5. NEW BUSINESS (ACTION ITEMS): 5a. 2016 Annual Report (Action) Director Evans presented a draft of the 2016 Annual Report.The report is created to highlight and explain all of the work that is done each year.Commissioners are asked to review the report and provide any feedback or changes. Commissioner Wyse asked if there was an option to add a photo to the back page.A photo will be added to the last page where the yellow box is currently located. Chair Riley inquired if it is still practice to not print very many hard copies of the report.Director Evans shared that the Annual Report is available digitally on the city website.Should commissioners desire a hard copy,please let staff know.Chair Riley further inquired if the annual report is highlighted or called out in any way for the community.Director Evans responded that the Annual Report is primarily of interest to the City Council and Commission members.The community is much more interested in the seasonal activity guides. 2 Approved Minutes February 9, 2017 Commissioner Swanson asked why the majority of the data and statistics are reported for only the last two years.Director Evans shared that traditionally we have only compared data against the previous year.We can add more years to the data in future reports. Motion by Commissioner Swanson,seconded by Commissioner Burkhardt,recommending the approval of the 2016 Annual Report.With no objection,the motion passed. 5b. Appointment of Chair/Vice Chair (Action) Each year the commission must recommend a Chair and Vice Chair to serve on the Parks and Recreation Advisory Commission.Director Evans then submits the recommendation to the Mayor for final approval. Chair Riley shared that she would be interested in serving as Chair again in 2017. Motion by Commissioner Swanson,seconded by Commissioner Sunseri,recommending the appointment of Merrilee Riley as the 2017 Chair of the Parks and Recreation Advisory Commission. With no objection,the motion passed. Vice Chair Vanderwall expressed interest in running as Vice Chair again for 2017. Motion by Commissioner Wyse,seconded by Commissioner Swanson,recommending the appointment of Aaron Vanderwall as the 2017 Vice Chair of the Parks and Recreation Advisory Commission.With no objection,the motion passed. 5c. East Medicine Lake Park Master Plan (Action) Director Evans shared that an Open House was held for the East Medicine Lake Park renovations earlier this evening from 6 7pm at City Hall.East Medicine Lake Park was built in the early 1980’s and is beginning to show its age.There is a very small footprint at the site,and is surrounded by the Three Rivers Park District regional trail.Staff has been working with Amanda Prosser, Landscape Architect with ISG. A visioning meeting was held with 15 staff members from various divisions.Staff were asked to provide input on what should be done at the park.During the process staff also shared any existing issues and concerns that affect the park.From that information,three concepts were developed. Of those three,the one presented tonight is the final master plan concept.If approved,ISG would bid the building improvements of May or June of this year and begin construction on the building this fall.The playground renovations,walkways,earth work,and beach improvements would begin in Spring of 2018. Several parts of the park will not be changing.Those include the playground footprint,parking lot and the Three Rivers regional trail.Several smaller trees will be removed,but architects are recommending planting twice as many trees as being removed. Images are included within the Master Plan to give park users visual examples of elements within the park.The key piece is to provide a variety of seating including lounge chairs,benches,and adirondack chairs. There will be a pedestrian access ramp to the canoe and kayak launch area.A restroom enclosure will be built with 1 ADA restroom and 1 standard sized restroom.Additional kayak and canoe racks 3 Approved Minutes February 9, 2017 will be added as well.A new dock will be added to provide accessible access to the water. Surfacing and other details may change based on ground conditions. ISG proposes to replace the current bike racks with a more modern style bike rack.They plan to expand the greenspace around the 3 River Birch trees on site.There will also be greenspace available for multi purpose use.All new walkways are 6’wide and made of concrete. The new building would be shifted back slightly from where the current building sits.The water table in this area is very high.Helical piers will need to be driven down at least 20’down and have footings placed on top of that.By moving the building further from the beach it may improve the soil conditions where the piers are placed.With the building being moved further back,it will improve the views within the park.There will now be a more clear view of all the play areas. The Master Plan includes two separate structures.There will be one on the south side with restrooms and a mechanical room.Two drinking fountains will be located on the north side of that building.A door into the building will be set up on a remote locking system that can be controlled offsite by staff.There will be windows within the restroom.The outdoor shower spaces will be enclosed in materials that tie into the overall building style. To the north of the restroom structure will be an open air picnic shelter.The shelter area will include a kitchen facility with utility room,sink,electricity,a counter area for food prep,roll up window to the outside,and a counter outside with outlets available.The south side of the kitchen facility will include a storage room. Under the open air portion of the shelter will be 9 11 picnic tables which will accommodate between 90 110 people at any time.An arbor will be connecting the two structures. Commissioner Swanson asked about the logistics of having a fire pit at the park.Would people be able to bring their own wood in?Who cleans it?Director Evans answered that staff are still working on answers for those questions.It would be nice on some occasions to have a fire pit at the park. The amenity may go away.Several residents requested to have more grills at the park.We may replace the fire pit with additional grills. Commissioner Swanson also asked if this is a popular site for ice fishing.Director Evans responded that currently there is access points at West Medicine Lake Park,Harty’s Boat Landing,and French Regional Park.Staff do not anticipate needing to have restrooms open year round.During the summer months the restroom doors would be scheduled electronically to lock and unlock during park hours.There will also be portable restrooms available at the park. Commissioner DeBleeckere shared that she is glad the designers went with a more curved path through the park.She also likes the addition of the fitness options and feels they would be a great amenity. Resident Mr Stassen shared that he was very disappointed in the park master plan.He believes that a renovation should be made on the current building instead of tearing it down and rebuilding. He agrees that certain areas of the park plan are good ideas,but others are not right at all.He feels this park space is very important to do right because there is the potential to add 10 30+acres of land from nearby redevelopment opportunities.He stated that he did not feel the fire pit was a practical addition to the park.He added that canoe racks are not something that people like to see in the parks as they are unsightly. He believes that it is not necessary to develop and pour concrete to create an area for canoes to be stored and that those areas can be better used.Mr Stassen disagrees about putting the bike racks 4 Approved Minutes February 9, 2017 by the entrance to the park.He stated that every time he goes to a park with bike racks they are always parked by the front of the park.He feels that the entrance should show the park,not unsightly bikes. He does not like the rubber surface in the fitness area.The money would be better spent creating a better structure.He doesn’t foresee anyone using the fitness area.He likes the paths within the park and feels that the footprint of the path should stay the same.When there is heavy rainfall, there are large puddles that stay for days.He would like architects to review the grade of the paths behind the structure;people tend to ride on the footpath because the bike path is wet.He liked the irrigation part of the plan.He would also like consideration put into the trees.Several years ago Forestry cut down large ash trees and planted new trees that haven’t survived.If new trees are planted he would like them to be sizable and consider using a commercial spade to plant the trees. Mr Stassen is disappointed that the community wasn’t invited to provide feedback earlier in the process.He said that cast concrete never looks good on buildings and that he doesn’t like asymmetrical designs;overall it is a disappointing structure.He would like a 4 season structure created.The current rendering is uninviting to families who wish to picnic by themselves.Other parks have structures with 4 6 tables and those don’t fit in well.He would prefer for visitors to walk south on the path,see a beautiful hill and a small canopy structure to the southeast of the current structure.He believes there would be room for a canopy structure with a few tables.He would like the structure to be more inviting.By creating a 4 season site it would be a new revenue source for rentals. Mr Stassen noted that the City has invested a lot into the Hilde Performance Center why not East Medicine Lake Park?He recommends scrapping the project and going back to the drawing board. He has never seen anyone using a kitchen in a park before;it would be a waste of money.He would like to keep the berm but would recommend using boulders to create a more natural look instead of blocks or a sea wall as those don’t look good.The boulders would also create natural seating as you don’t always need to bring a chair with you can use a boulder instead.The hill would also provide a great place for picnickers. He also believes that public wifi should be added to the park.We can add a video feed from the park to the Plymouth Police department so that they can monitor visitor activity at the park.Staff could also add an emergency button for park visitors.He would like architects to reconsider the restrooms.For sanitary purposes,having the toilets automatically flush would be the best option, as well as automatic hand dryers.Consider using quality hand dryers vs cheap hand dryers. Instead of using steel to separate the toilet stalls,staff should consider using PVC instead so that it doesn’t rust over time.It would also be nice to have a water feature or public art included in the park. Mr Gorman was next to speak regarding the Master Plan.He shared that next year will be his 50th year on the lake,and that’s it’s been pretty nice to live so close.He is here tonight to represent the needs of people with disabilities.Mr Gorman is a volunteer with the Courage Center as a coach. He would like the City to give consideration to helping get those individuals not only to the lake, but in the lake.Right now they are able to get to the restrooms,but would be limited if wanting to access the water.While he doesn’t know the perfect answer for how to get an individual from the dock to the canoe/boat,he does encourage the City to reach out experts and resources at the Courage Center to find create ideas and solutions for these individuals. Mr Johansen was next to speak on the park plans.He would like it noted that he would like to see the canoe and kayak racks moved from the north side of the park to the south side of the park. 5 Approved Minutes February 9, 2017 Director Evans shared that staff agree that those should be moved to the south side so that they are easier to access.Mr Johansen is also requesting that there is a way to illuminate cars parked along the north side of the park.He has some concerns on the building design and would prefer a 1 unit building.He does like the design of the open courtyard and feels that there would be an advantage to having a split in the patio and courtyard area.He suggested that architects look into a different material than mason and concrete. Chair Riley inquired if the canoe and kayak racks are rentable.Director Evans replied that the racks are rented out each year.Staff make the racks in house so there is limited upfront costs.The racks are set up at several locations along the lakes in Plymouth.East Medicine Lake Park has been a popular site for canoe and kayak users,so this would be beneficial to add additional racks. Several comments were received from Open House visitors earlier in the evening.Some comments addressed plantings and beautification efforts.Once renovations are complete,staff do plan to add plantings to the park.Currently the restroom doors are unlocked and locked each day by lifeguard staff.By putting the doors on an electronic system,staff would be able to set the doors each day. The East Medicine Lake beach would remain unguarded.Currently French Regional Park and West Medicine Lake Park have guarded beaches. By designing the new park shelter,it would allow for future rentals to happen at the park.Typically our shelters are available on a first come,first served basis,but more and more requests are coming in for spaces to reserve.Having a kitchen facility would be a benefit for those wishing to prepare their meals at the shelter during their event. Staff will look into moving the bike racks.Their position had been set as a bollard to prevent users from biking on the walking path. Commissioner DeBleeckere shared that from a bikers perspective she had never considered the thought of bikes in a park as unsightly.While riding she always looks for a rack near the entrance of the park.If one is not there,she assumes that the park does not have one.She shared that it may not be necessary to have the racks right in the entrance of the park,but recommends that they are visible from the entrance. Commissioner Swanson asked if there was a way to prevent the flooding that occurs along the trails.Ms Prosser answered that her team will research the issue.It may need to have a drainage pip added underground to get the water into an open area.Deputy Director Northway shared that the City’s Parks and Forestry Manager is very experienced with water drainage issues and has already been made aware of the concerns at this site.He will be making recommendations to the grading of the park to reduce any future drainage issues. Mr Stassen asked the commission how set this design is and if there is opportunity to go before the City Council and give his opinion.Chair Riley answered that the next step is for the plan to be reevaluated based on the concerns mentioned during the Open House and tonight’s meeting.The Commission has been asked to review and approve the Master Plan as shown and discussed tonight.Director Evans added that if the Commission chooses not to approve the Master Plan, then it does not move on to the City Council for approval.The City Council would be the final say and would be the ones to authorize final construction plans and bids. Staff and ISG will make modifications to the plan so that individuals with disabilities can access the water.Commissioner Swanson asked if any motorized boats are able to launch from the docks at 6 Approved Minutes February 9, 2017 the park.Director Evans answered that the dock will only provide access for canoes and kayaks. The site is not a DNR approved boat launch site.Commissioner Swanson followed up and asked if the restroom structure could be open year round.Deputy Director Northway replied that all of the park shelter restrooms are winterized each year due to not having any heating in the facility.The Bass Lake building and Parkers Lake building are the only two with year round restrooms. Motion by Commissioner DeBleeckere,seconded by Commissioner Burkhardt,recommending the approval of the East Medicine Lake Park Master Plan with changes as discussed;remove fire pit, relocated bike racks,relocated canoe/kayak racks to south side,adjust trail to include service access,address drainage issues,change exercise area to grass,and pursue opportunity to make the dock/canoe access ADA accessible.With no objection,the motion passed. 5d. Crooked Creek Park Master Plan (Action) A copy of the Crooked Creek Master Plan was provided to commissioners in their packets.Staff are looking for PRAC to recommend approval of the Crooked Creek Park Master Plan.Two years ago the commission visited this site on our park tour.The open space is located on the west side of Plymouth,just south of Hwy 55,East of Brockton Ln,and near Medina Rd.Several neighbors attended our PRAC meeting last year and expressed their excitement over the development. Staff worked with Loucks Architects to design the park.A berm will be added to the north side of the park to prevent water drainage from entering the residential properties bordering the park. The park will include trails,a basketball court,and a 2 5 year old and 5 12 year old playgrounds. Twenty residents attended the Open House on January 27.Residents were able to vote on park amenities.The majority of votes were for a basketball court and a square shelter. Staff purchased the playground structure at the last NRPA conference.It is a nature themed playground with large trees incorporated into the design. Staff received one email prior to the Open House from a resident expressing their concern and displeasure with the park.They shared that they were never told at the time they purchased their house that a park would border their backyard.They also have concerns about water drainage from the park.Staff are working with Loucks Architects and city Water Resource staff to ensure proper drainage. The playground will be installed this summer,with construction beginning early this year.The project will be done by this fall. Motion by Commissioner Wyse,seconded by Vice Chair Vanderwall,recommending the approval of Crooked Creek Park Master Plan.With no objection,the motion passed. 6. COMMISSIONER/STAFF UPDATE The Healthy Living Fair is coming up on March 5.It will be held from 1 4pm at the Plymouth Creek Center. A final proof the summer recreation guide is being reviewed this week.The guides will be mailed out to residents starting on March 1 with registration starting March 22. The City has made an offer on the Sween property.This is a 40 acre parcel in the middle of the Northwest Greenway,just off Dunkirk Ln and West of the Aspen Hollow development.The purchase was made for 310,000. 7 Approved Minutes February 9, 2017 Fire Ice was very successful this year.The attendance was at just over 5,000 people.Staff are considering keeping the event on the same weekend for 2018.This would fall over the same weekend as the Super Bowl. We have been notified by USA Hockey that Plymouth was selected to host the 2017 Sled Hockey Tournament in November.The event will take place over 4 5 days and host teams from around the United States and Canada.The event will be free for the community to come and watch. 7. ADJOURNMENT Motion by Commissioner Swanson,seconded by Commissioner Sunseri,recommending adjournment of the Park and Recreation Advisory Commission meeting.With no objection,Chair Riley adjourned the meeting at 8:30 p.m.