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2020-02-11 Park and Rec Comm MinutesCITY OF MENDOTA HEIGHTS, DAKOTA COUNTY, MINNESOTA PARKS AND RECREATION MEETING FEBRUARY 11, 2020 The February meeting of the Mendota Heights Parks and Recreation Commission was held on Tuesday, February 11, 2020, at Mendota Heights City Hall, 1101 Victoria Curve. 1. Call to Order – Chair Steve Goldade called the meeting to order at 6:30 p.m. 2. Roll Call – The following Commissioners were present: Chair Steve Goldade, Commissioners: Patrick Cotter, Pat Hinderscheid, Bob Klepperich, Stephanie Meyer, Dan Sherer, and Amy Smith; absent: Student Representative Matthew Boland. Staff present: Recreation Program Coordinator, Meredith Lawrence, Assistant City Administrator, Cheryl Jacobson, Public Works Director, Ryan Ruzek, and Natural Resources Technician, Krista Spreiter. 2.a Introduction of New Commissioner Recreation Program Coordinator, Meredith Lawrence, introduced Commissioner Amy Smith. Chair Goldade stated that the Commission had a chance prior to tonight’s meeting to meet the new Commissioner. Commissioner Smith introduced herself and stated that she looks forward to working with the Commission and to continue the improvements around the city. 3. Election of Chairperson and Vice-Chairperson Ms. Lawrence stated that tonight’s meeting is the annual organization for the Commission which includes electing a Chair and Vice-Chair, noting that any changes become effective this evening and the elected officers will hold the positions for a period of one year. She opened nominations for Chair. Motion Klepperich/second Cotter, to nominate Steve Goldade as Chairperson. AYES 7: NAYS 0 Chair Goldade stated that he is happy to continue as Chair and opened the nominations for Vice-Chair. Motion Meyer/second Cotter, to nominate Bob Klepperich as Vice-Chairperson. AYES 7: NAYS 0 4. Pledge of Allegiance The Pledge of Allegiance was recited. 5. Approval of Agenda Motion Klepperich/second Meyer, to approve the agenda. AYES 7: NAYS 0 6.a Approval of Minutes from January 14, 2020 Regular Meeting Motion Klepperich/second Hinderscheid to approve the minutes of the January 14, 2020 Parks and Recreation Commission Regular Meeting. AYES 7: NAYS 0 7. Citizen Comment Period (for items not on the agenda) Eddie Drieman, 2356 Swan Drive, stated that there is talk of covered dugouts at Mendakota field. He was the in-house Baseball Commissioner for Mendota Heights for the past three years. He stated that they are trying to provide as much opportunity as possible for children to play, and has noticed children being exhausted and sunburnt on the hot/sunny days. He believed that the covered dugouts would provide a solution/benefit. He stated that the shade elements should be pushed throughout the park system, with a focus on the sports fields/courts. He stated that the baseball community supports the addition of covered dugouts. Commissioner Cotter thanked the resident for coming in tonight and for sending his email as well. He asked for input on the preferred type of dugout structure. Mr. Drieman stated that he would highly recommend not having something fully enclosed, like cinderblock. He stated that the dugout at Hagstrom King would be a good example, but noted that structure is simply missing a roof covering. He stated that they need something simply to keep the sun off the kids. Sibley put in good dugout examples. Public Works Director, Ryan Ruzek, commented that the following Tuesday evening he has two purchase order requests to go forward to the City Council which include dugout covers at Hagstrom King and Friendly Hills Park, and highlighted the other proposed 2020 dugout improvements which include Mendakota field. Chair Goldade asked if there was only financing available for three fields, in addition to the purchase orders moving to the City Council the following week, would Mr. Drieman prefer those to all occur at Mendakota field or would another park receive priority as well. Mr. Dryman replied that in his opinion Mendakota would receive priority as it receives the most use from the community and from tournaments. He stated that Hagstrom King would receive his second priority. Victoria Highlands Park is also a popular location. Commissioner Smith commented that Mendakota is also used for softball and therefore that field would capture both sports groups. 8. Acknowledgement of Reports Chair Goldade read the titles of the three updates (Par 3, Recreation, Park Improvement Updates, and Natural Resources Update) and polled the Commissioners for questions. 8.a Par 3 Update There were no specific questions or concerns raised about the report. 8.b Recreation Update There were no specific questions or concerns raised about the report. Motion Klepperich/second Scherer to acknowledge the staff reports. AYES 7: NAYS 0 8.c Natural Resources Update Natural Resources Technician, Krista Spreiter, identified work that will be completed by the MN Department of Transportation which will begin this winter and continue into summer. She reported that the two outfalls from stormwater pipes conveying stormwater under I-35E from the west side of the highway to the east side will be replaced with the goal of reducing stormwater velocity and erosion. She advised that an access would need to be made within Valley Park, adjacent to the highway, in order to complete the project and noted that staff worked with MnDOT to find a plan that removes the least number of trees possible. She stated that the Valley Park Pollinator Corridor work will continue and provided details. She provided an update on the City’s Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) Management, noting that the City was awarded a grant and reviewed the activities that will be completed with that funding. She provided an update on the Oheyawahe/Pilot Knob historic site, noting that the Task Force of seven community members was created with the mission of pursuing both short and long-term goals for the site. She stated that Great River Greening will continue to partner with the City in management of the site, as well as Valley Park, Rogers Lake Park and Copperfield Ponds. She highlighted upcoming events including the Resident Tree Sale (March 11 – May 8) and events for Earth/Arbor Day (50th Anniversary Celebration). Commissioner Hinderscheid stated that it seems the City will lose a significant number of trees from EAB. He asked if the City has considered allowing residents to donate trees to the city. Mr. Ruzek stated that the City advertises Friends of the Parks, through Ramsey County, which is a program that allows trees to be purchased and planted in parks. Ms. Spreiter agreed that staff could explore the option of an adopt-a-tree type program. Chair Goldade thanked Ms. Spreiter for her update. Commissioner Hinderscheid asked if the City has done any wildlife research. Ms. Spreiter commented that the City has not done that in the past but noted that could be a part of the updating of the City’s natural resource plan. Chair Goldade asked for details on Great River Greening. Ms. Spreiter explained that is a non-profit organization that the City contracts with. She stated that the organization does accept volunteer assistance on projects. Chair Goldade asked if the outfalls would be visible from the walking trails at Valley Park. Ms. Spreiter replied that the outfalls are not necessarily visible at this time but might be once the trees are removed. Chair Goldade asked for details on the 100 trees that would be planted by the City. Ms. Spreiter stated that the City intends to plant 100 trees over two years; 50 per year, which will replace, in close proximity, some of the Ash trees that have been lost. Chair Goldade stated there is one spot vacant on the Pilot Knob task force and stated that it would be a nice connection to have a member from the Park and Recreation Commission as a part of that group. Mr. Ruzek stated that staff could investigate the option of adding one more member but noted that the intention was to have that group independent from the Park and Recreation Commission. He provided details on the updating of the Natural Resources Management Plan. Commissioner Cotter asked for details on the installation of an aerator. Ms. Spreiter stated that the City has had the aeration system since 2012 and explained that it is installed in the winters to prevent fish kill and improve water quality. Commissioner Sherer commented that he believed a consultant was hired the previous year to help determine the causes of degradation of ponds and lakes (Augusta and Lemay) and asked if there was an update on that item. Ms. Spreiter replied that she does not have the details but noted that there has been an ongoing study with Lake Augusta and some preliminary data has been received and is being reviewed. She advised that a consultant will be hired to help find solutions and best management practices that could be installed around the lake. Mr. Ruzek stated that most of the data is showing that the lake is not turning over/mixing. He stated that there is not an outlet and therefore the City needs to find a way for the water to mix. He stated that the City received funds to complete a feasibility report and hopes to begin work on that. 9. Unfinished Business 9.a Rules of Order Review Ms. Lawrence stated that the rules of order were included in the packet for Commission review. Chair Goldade asked if the Student position is a part of the rules of order. Ms. Lawrence replied that is not. She noted that the current Student Representative will be graduating, and staff will begin recruitment to fill that position. She noted that the Student Representative position could be added to the rules of order in the future. 9.b Park Re-Assignments Ms. Lawrence reviewed the parks that previous Commissioner Miller had. She stated that two new Commissioners have joined since the last allocation of parks and recommended reassigning the parks. Commissioner Meyer selected Marie Park and Victoria Highlands. Commissioner Hinderscheid selected the Dog Park and Ivy Hills. Chair Goldade selected Wentworth and Valley Park. Commissioner Klepperich selected Mendakota and Civic Center. Commissioner Sherer selected Kensington and Hagstrom King. Commissioner Smith selected Friendly Hills and Market Square Commissioner Cotter selected Rogers Lake and Valleyview Heights. 9.c Community Engagement Check-In Ms. Lawrence stated that the Commission decided to conduct community meetings to gather input from different community groups, beginning the previous year. She asked for updates on groups that have met. She asked if the Commissioners that have not conducted their meetings could provide a brief update. Commissioner Meyer reported that they originally started the idea of reaching out to Community Education but found that difficult to schedule and therefore are meeting with the Mendota Heights PTA on February 24th. She stated that a resident in the Marie Park neighborhood is also willing to hold a meeting in her home, to be scheduled. Commissioner Cotter stated they made one attempt to schedule with Mendota Heights Senior Living that was not successful, and are attempting to schedule/hold a meeting prior to the Commission’s next meeting. Chair Goldade stated that perhaps Commissioner Smith could assist with holding a meeting of middle school students. He confirmed her consensus and noted that they would work together to schedule that meeting. 9.d Pickleball Court Planning Mr. Ruzek reviewed the options that were discussed at the last meeting. He stated that late in 2019 a resurfacing and restriping was done on the tennis court at Marie Park. He noted that the City could advertise those courts more in attempt to gain additional use. Commissioner Cotter asked what it would take to receive better information on whether this pickleball setup is being used by the community. Mr. Ruzek stated that Pickleball is noisy and therefore residents in that area might let him know how often it is being used. He noted that perhaps a trail camera could be installed by the Police Department attempting to gain numbers on usage. He stated that the City should promote this more in attempt to gain more usage. Commissioner Cotter stated that there had been discussions at several meetings related to the excitement for the sport and the lack of available courts in the community. Commissioner Hinderscheid stated that he reviewed neighboring communities and received insight. He noted that Eagan restriped tennis courts and replaced a hockey rink with eight additional courts. Eagan reported that the courts are heavily used. He noted that sound barriers were installed to help buffer the noise. He stated that Inver Grove Heights also began restriping tennis courts and built four new pickleball courts. He stated that the community was excited, and that city also has indoor courts available. He stated that Pickleball has had an increase of 650 percent over the past six years (per USA Pickleball Association). Commissioner Cotter stated that it is evident that there is excitement and interest, but the question is whether a hockey rink could be used or whether dedicated courts are needed. He stated that the hockey rinks are heavily used and therefore the decision would be whether to repurpose a tennis court or construct a new court. Commissioner Hinderscheid commented that he spoke with Woodbury and that community stated that using the hockey rinks was not successful. Commissioner Sherer stated that in researching on the internet the common theme is that tennis is on decline and pickleball is on the rise. He stated that it is clear that there is interest in this sport. He referenced the proximity of Marie Park and Valley Park and stated that perhaps Valley would be a good candidate for a pickleball court. He asked for rough cost estimates for the different options for courts. Mr. Ruzek commented that the Marie tennis court improvements had a cost of about $82,000. He estimated a similar cost to convert the Valley Park court. He stated that the hockey rink improvement had a cost of about $12,000 and therefore Friendly Hills would have a similar cost. He estimated a cost of $120,000 for a standalone court. Commissioner Hinderscheid stated that Valley Park has a fair amount of freeway noise that would help to buffer noise. He commented that Hagstrom King has some residential homes in closer proximity. Mr. Ruzek stated that he spoke with one of the homeowners that was supportive of the possible improvement. Commissioner Sherer stated that he did speak with residents in that neighborhood and there was not concern with the noise but more the loss of open space that would occur. Ms. Lawrence stated that a lot of tennis court reservations come in from residents, noting that a lot of reservations have already been made this year. She agreed that while tennis is on a decline as a sport, there is a lot of interest in Mendota Heights. She stated that the courts are available at Marie Park though as well for tennis. She commented that noise can be an issue for pickleball, noting that some cities have installed noise barriers. She stated that she has received questions from residents as to what will be done to repair the other tennis courts in the community. Commissioner Cotter commented that there will not be a perfect location as each park has residential neighbors. He commented that Valley Park seems to be more ideal with the shaded screening that exists and the proximity to Marie Park for tennis users. He stated that he would support a dedicated pickleball court at Valley Park. Commissioner Sherer stated that he is hesitant to spend $125,000 on a dedicated court, or to recommend that, until the City is confident that it will receive use. He stated that he would lean towards the conversion of a tennis court at this time, noting that Valley Park would seem to be the best choice. Commissioner Klepperich commented that he’d choose to move forward with resurfacing the Friendly Hills hockey rink for the use of Pickleball for the short-term. He stated that as this topic continues to advance the discussion could continue during budgeting time with attempt to gain funding for a new court in 2021. Chair Goldade commented that he would support a standalone court. Commissioner Meyer commented that Valley Park seems to be the best option at this point. She stated that she would also be willing to delay action with advertising Marie Park more, perhaps adding programming this summer to increase use. Commissioner Hinderscheid stated that he would not want to wait to confirm interest, as the sport is exploding. He believed that dedicated courts at Valley Park would be the best option. Commissioner Smith stated that if the court is put at Valley, that it is close to the existing courts at Marie Park. She stated that she was not even aware there were pickleball courts at Marie Park and therefore additional communication to residents could increase participation. She stated that the hockey rink at Friendly Hills is very close to homes and could cause issues with noise. She stated that a standalone court would be ideal, but she was unsure of the right location. Mr. Ruzek stated that perhaps he could send a letter to the properties that border Valley Park in attempt to gather feedback. He noted that he could also post on social media to obtain additional input on converting tennis to pickleball. Motion Hinderscheid/second Scherer to recommend moving forward with a dedicated pickleball court at the Valley Park tennis courts. AYES 6: NAYS 0: ABSTAIN 1 (Klepperich) 9.e Dodd Road Trail Corridor Study Mr. Ruzek referenced an email the Commission received from a resident related to the previous month’s discussion of a potential trail along Dodd Road. He stated that a local group of citizens attended a Citizen’s Advisory Committee meeting prior to the reconstruction of Dodd Road in 2018, noting that many of those improvements were not incorporated into the project that was completed. He reported that the City received a $25,000 grant to fund the corridor study that was completed. He described the potential trail connections that were included in the study. He stated that additional traffic studies are being completed on two intersections along Dodd Road and noted that it would be the recommendation of staff that the trail segments be connected in conjunction with the intersection improvements on Dodd. He stated that the City has applied twice for grant funding but has not yet been successful to the level required. He noted that the purpose of the case tonight was simply to provide an update to the Commission. Commissioner Klepperich stated that Dodd Road is a State highway and asked if it would help for the City to communicate with State Legislators in attempt to gain attention. Mr. Ruzek stated that he was unsure if a State Legislator could assist in obtaining grant funds. He stated that the City would be eligible to use MSA funds on the project. Commissioner Klepperich stated that there is a lot of pedestrian traffic on the roadway and therefore the safety element should assist in the grant application process. Commissioner Sherer asked if the City will be submitting an application for grant funding this year. Mr. Ruzek confirmed that the City will be submitting an application for one segment this year. Commissioner Sherer asked if one of the schools could pursue Safe Route to School funding. Mr. Ruzek stated that staff could reach out to a principal of one of the elementary schools in order to start that process. Commissioner Hinderscheid stated that in the past he recalled that the City would need to have right-of-way provided from the property owners in order to have the trail extend all the way south but had trouble reaching agreements with the property owners. Mr. Ruzek confirmed that although people like trails, they usually prefer the trail on the other side of the road and not in front of their property. Chair Goldade stated that the original request was connectivity between Bachelor and Evergreen, the Commission heard a proposal for a trail on the east side of the golf course but that was found to be expensive, and therefore an idea was added for a trail on the western edge of the golf course. He stated that the Commission then determined that the western edge trail is part of a larger project for Dodd Road in the future. Mr. Ruzek stated that if there is a desire to move forward immediately, he would need to hire a consultant, which would increase the project cost by 25 percent. He stated that staff will continue to work with the County on the segment between Mendakota and Mendota Heights Road. 10. New Business 10.a Marie Park Playground Subcommittee Chair Goldade noted that a similar structure was used in the past for park improvements. He asked a Subcommittee to be named for this process and reviewed the duties of those members. Commissioner Meyer, Commissioner Smith, and Commissioner Hinderscheid volunteered to be a part of the Subcommittee. Motion Goldade/second Klepperich to appoint Commissioners Meyer, Smith and Hinderscheid to the Marie Park Playground Improvement Subcommittee. AYES 7: NAYES 0 10.b Rogers Lake Skate Park Improvements Mr. Ruzek stated that this was presented to the Commission the previous year but did not move forward due to lake of funding. He stated that he reached out to Third Lair Skate Park and confirmed the quote is still valid for 2020 and reviewed the three improvements that would be included. He stated that he attempted to research additional companies to provide additional quotes but found that most other communities use cement features and therefore Mendota Heights is unique in its use of lumber features. Commissioner Klepperich asked if the City Council has already approved the funding for this project. Mr. Ruzek confirmed that $10,000 was budgeted through the general fund for this improvement. Commissioner Hinderscheid asked about the asphalt surface and when that would be repaired. Mr. Ruzek stated that the skate park is a repurposed tennis court and therefore the asphalt is about 40 years old. He estimated about $50,000 to resurface the lot, noting that he would also remove the fencing as other communities do not fence their skate parks. Commissioner Cotter asked if the features can be removed and reinstalled when the resurfacing occurs. Mr. Ruzek confirmed that the features are easily removed and reinstalled for resurfacing. Motion Meyer/second Cotter to approve the Rogers Lake Skate Park improvements with Third Lair. AYES 7: NAYS 0 11. Staff Announcements Ms. Lawrence shared the following announcements: • Summer parks programming registration opens Monday, March 2nd on the City website and in person at City Hall. Ms. Lawrence provided an update on the free summer park programming that will be available to ensure there are opportunities for all members of the community to participate in. She also provided details on the Fee Assistance Program. 12. Student Representative Update None. 13. Commission Comments and Park Updates Commissioner Klepperich • Expressed appreciation for being named Vice-Chair. • For those walking in the evening hours, there is a new light at the crosswalk near City Hall at Lexington. • Residents have provided compliments on the condition of the ice rinks. Commissioner Sherer • Complimented Public Works for their snow removal on the roads and trails. • Friendly Hills and Hagstrom King were blanketed in snow on Sunday, but people were still out enjoying the ice. Commissioner Cotter • Expressed appreciation of the citizen comments that the Commission has received through email and in person. Commissioner Meyer • Expressed appreciation for the residents skating at Marie Park. Commissioner Hinderscheid • Residents that he spoke with at the Dog Park are enjoying the Dog Park. • The lights were not on at Marie Park on Sunday night. • Expressed appreciation for the movement towards Pickleball as he believes the residents will enjoy that amenity. Ms. Lawrence explained that the rink lights are not turned on when the rink is closed, noting that the rink was closed due to weather conditions. She reviewed the rink hours. Commissioner Smith • Thanked the Commission and stated that she looks forward to providing more input during her time on the Commission. Chair Goldade • Thanked staff for their efforts and all the work that is done in the parks to provide great services and programming in the parks. • Continued discussion on the Wentworth warming house will take place on February 19th at 4:15 p.m. • Excited about the changes at Valley Park. • The Marie Skating park was busy with lessons on Saturday morning. 14. Adjourn Motion Klepperich/Second Cotter to adjourn the meeting at 8:17 PM. AYES 7: NAYS 0 Minutes drafted by: Amanda Staple TimeSaver Off Site Secretarial, Inc.