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1994-12-13 Parks and Rec Comm MinutesCITY OF MENDOTA HEIGHTS DAROTA COUNTY, MINNESOTI PARRS AND RECREATION COMMISSION MINOTES DECEMBER 13, 1994 The regular meeting of the Mendota Heights Parks and Recreation Commission was held on Tuesday, December 13, 1994, in the City Hall Large Conference Room, 1101 Victoria Curve. The meeting was called to order at 6:30 o'clock P.M. The following members were present: Kleinglass, Damberg, Spicer, Linnell and Libra. Commissioner Norton arrived late. Also present were Administrative Assistant Kevin Batchelder, Parks Project Manager Guy Kullander and Recreation Programmer Shelli Morgan. APPROVAL OF MINUTES Commissioner Ramberg moved to approve the November 8, 1994, minutes. Commissioner Libra seconded the motion. AYES: NAYS: IVY HILLS PARR LANDSCAPING Administrative Assistant Batchelder stated at the November 15 City Council meeting the City Council agreed to a Parks and Recreation Commission recommendation regarding Ivy Hills landscape improvements. Batchelder stated the Council passed a motion authorizing additional money from the Ivy Falls Creek Storm Project in the amount of $20,000 for landscaping and additional $5,000 to fund an outside consultant. Batchelder stated the City Council then directed staff to seek request for proposals from landscape architects to do this project. Batchelder stated this item was on the Parks and Recreation Commission agenda to give the Commission one more time to provide direction to staff before staff begins contacting landscape architects about this project. Batchelder stated that the original construction documents consisted of the relocation of smaller trees, the installation of five additional trees, the planting of wildflowers around the pond and on the steep slopes of the new berm. He stated the Commission had then indicated to City staff a desire for landscape planting beds, additional trees, wildflower plantings in unused or low traffic areas to help reduce maintenance costs, and possible stone seating areas to focus picnicking uses near the pond. Parks and Recreation Commission December 13, 1994 Page 2 Parks Project Manager Kullander stated staff would be contacting professional landscape firms to provide a fresh look at the landscaping in the pond and berm area. Kullander inquired if the Commission wanted to look at the whole park instead of focusing on just the pond and berm area. Chair Spicer stated perhaps a two prong approach should be taken with one looking solely at the pond and berm area and the other looking at the rest of the park. Kullander stated that the Storm Water Utility Fund would be paying for this project, however, it is possible to take a holistic approach and look at the whole park for improvements. Kullander stated that professional landscape contract may have some good ideas about how to integrate the pond and berm area with the rest of the park. Commissioner Linnell stated he would like to see some of the stones available from Acacia Cemetery used in the pond area as a series of steps from the trail to the pond. Chair Spicer inquired about the liability of leading park users down towards the pond area. Kullander stated the pond is very shallow in this area. The Commission discussed the water quality in Ivy Hills Park pond and whether it would be worth bringing people down closer to the water level. Kullander explained the skimmer/concrete structures that had been built in the pond were doing too good of a job in holding floating debris in the pond. Kullander stated the Engineering staff is currently working with these skimmer structures in order to take more volume of water out of the pond and help flush it to have a cleaner pond. Commissioner Libra stated the Minneapolis Park Board is currently going in the direction of having minimum maintenance wild flower and natural grass area to cut down on fertilizer and staff maintenance time. Libra suggested that the consultant that is hired for this project should look at wild flowers and natural grass in hard to mow or steep areas. Kullander stated City staff will give prospective landscape contractors a general idea of what the Parks Commission wants done in this project and then direct them to come up with ideas. Kullander stated then the Parks Commission can choose which is the best idea. Commissioner Norton arrived at 6:45 o'clock P.M. Parks and Recreation Commission December 13, 1994 Page 3 The Commission and staff discussed possible landscape architect firms that could do this project. Commissioner Linnell stated he would be available for any pre -meetings to help guide and review the landscape bids on this project. UPDATES Batchelder stated that he and Recreation Programmer Morgan had conducted a couple of meetings with representatives from Mendota Heights Athletic Association's baseball programs. He stated these meetings were to discuss the availability of fields and field space in Mendota Heights and to get information from Mendota Heights Athletic Association regarding the number of teams and their field needs. Batchelder stated this was being done in the attempt to further accommodate field reservations for the upcoming season and to have everybody aware, up front, of this process so that no one is surprised at the time field reservations are designated. Chair Spicer inquired about the concept of putting T-Ball fields on the front yard at the Public Works garage/water tower. The Commission discussed this item and requested that Parks Project Manage Kullander make proposals on T-Ball fields in this location at the January meeting. They directed Kullander to come back with cost estimates for different layers of providing fields at this site. Batchelder stated the recommendation from the Parks Commission on a new Park Reservation Policy had been forwarded to City Council, however, Council continued this item without discussion because Councilmember Huber was absent from the November 15 meeting. Batchelder stated that Councilmember Huber was currently working with City staff to set up meetings with all potential park users groups that would be affected by the Reservation Policy. Batchelder stated that Councilmember Huber felt uncomfortable with enacting a new policy without providing each group that would be affected by the policy with an opportunity to discuss their concerns and take a look at their recommendation on the new Reservation Policy. Chair Spicer stated that the Recreation Programmer needs to have the new Park Reservation Policy in place before the end of the registration period at the end of February. The Commission agreed stating they hope a decision could be made on a Park Reservation Policy by the second meeting in January. Parks and Recreation Commission December 13, 1994 Page 4 PARK VISION AND PHILOSOPHY Administrative Assistant Batchelder stated as part of the ongoing discussions of the 1993/1994 Target Issues that the City Council had requested the Park Commission to review that tonight's agenda would address the review of the need for additional recreational programming. Recreation Programmer Morgan stated she had provided a review of the recreation program on tonight's agenda that included the evaluations that she had received for all of the 1994 recreation programs and a job projects and task schedule for 1994 that highlighted the work schedule for her position. She stated that she was present to answer any questions from the Parks and Recreation Commission. Morgan stated the reason the evaluations of each program had been attached to the agenda was their importance in helping plan for future programs and evaluating the good and bad points of the current programs. Morgan stated that ice skating was the very first program that was put in place following her hiring by the City in the Fall of 1992, Morgan stated the ice skating program had grown from 9 people to 27 people and it looks like a possibility of being over 40 participants in this year's program. Morgan described the In Line Skating Program, the Adult Volleyball Program, Youth Camps and Adult Softball. Chair Spicer inquired of the Commission if it is time to beginning planning for additional recreation programs. Spicer also inquired if it was time for the City to consider a full time recreation programmer. Recreation Programmer Morgan stated there are a number of additional leagues in softball including a coed league and a women's league that needs more teams that would be the first items on any agenda to expand. Morgan stated it is possible to coordinate many programs with West St. Paul and co-sponsor some of their ongoing programs. She stated, for instance, the joint planning could be done between West St. Paul and other cities for some of the trip programs such as ski trips or trips to athletic events along with other types of programs. Chair Spicer inquired if the City Council had discussed making this a full time position. Administrative Assistant Batchelder stated this item was not discussed during the 1995 Budget process. Recreation Programmer Morgan stated that basically, during the heat of the softball season, she works a 30 hours week. She stated Fall is a slow time for recreation programming and would be the appropriate time for a basketball league, however, she has not been available to find any available gym space in the community. Parks and Recreation Commission December 13, 1994 Page 5 Chair Spicer stated it is obvious the City of Mendota Heights could do more recreation programming than is currently being done. Morgan stated she feels confident that there would be many participants in winter leagues such as broomball and boot hockey programs. Chair Spicer stated it is apparent Recreation Programmer Morgan has only been with the City for two years and that the programs are rapidly increasing since the City has begun to offer them. Morgan stated there are many ideas out there such as Pioneer Camps and other non -athletic recreation programs that the City could be doing if there was more time for coordinating. Morgan stated if there was gymnasium space, the City could easily expand into an indoor volleyball season and basketball leagues. Commissioner Kleinglass inquired how many Mendota Heights residents were on the various softball leagues. Morgan stated the Men's Over 30 League is approximately 80 percent residents, the Women's Softball League consists of about 50 percent residents, the Men's D Industrial League consists of people who either live or work in Mendota Heights and the Men's C League is approximately 60 percent Mendota Heights residents. Commissioner Kleinglass stated that with the exception of Softball, T-Ball and the Summer Adventure Program run by the School District, that the number of participants in the other recreation programs are low compared to the City's population. The Commission discussed the levels of participation in the various non -softball programs. Commissioner Kleinglass stated he would hope that the City's recreation programs not be limited to children but be available to residents of all ages. Kleinglass stated that if the City is serious about recreation we have to admit that we are not doing very much for residents of all ages, in particular senior citizens. Chair Spicer responded the City of Mendota Heights is the only City he knows of without a full time recreation department. Commissioner Kleinglass stated he would like to hear more on a future agenda about things we can do with our existing resources. Recreation Programmer Morgan stated that not having any indoor facilities really limits the number of athletic and passive recreation opportunities that could be offered. The Parks Commission discussed passive recreation opportunities such as chest club, bird watching, cooking clubs, etc. The Parks Commission also discussed opportunities such as bicycle clubs, tennis leagues and golf leagues. Parks and Recreation Commission December 13, 1994 Page 6 Commissioner Kleinglass stated that sometimes he feels recreation programs have too much athletic emphasis and not enough emphasis on passive recreation opportunities. The Parks and Recreation Commission directed staff to look at similar sized cities who provide recreation and what their staffing levels are. Chair Spicer stated the City should at least explore the idea of having a full time recreation employee. Commissioner Linnell stated that a down hill ski club or ski trips done in conjunction with other cities should be explored. The Commission discussed joint programming with other cities and felt that this was an avenue for staff to explore as well. Commissioner Norton stated that organized youth activities in the summer are needed and that City staff should look into this as well. The Parks Commission briefly discussed Park Dedication Policy and recent court cases that have considered some park dedications a taking. The Parks Commission briefly discussed the proposed Bjorklund subdivision at the corner of Orchard and Lexington. UPDATES Administrative Assistant Batchelder stated staff had recent meetings with Joni Giese, the Landscape Architect for North Kensington Park. Batchelder stated the Engineering staff had visited the site to locate the William's Gas Pipeline. Batchelder stated following this location of its elevation that the plan, in particular the hydraulics of the water flow into the pond area, has to be slightly adjusted to avoid excavation in the gas line area. Batchelder stated that Ms. Giese hopes to have the final plans ready for a hearing at the January meeting and that if this plan is ready then staff will notify the neighborhood and the petitioners who addressed the Council the last time this item was on the agenda. Chair Spicer stated he had had a phone conversation with Mr. Dave Ayers of the Curley neighborhood who had raised a question about whether the City had spent the $3,000 which had been earmarked for the Valley View Heights tot lot. Spicer stated that Mr. Ayers had recalled that $3,000 was earmarked for improvements in this park and that he felt these improvements had not been made. Spicer stated he felt it was the Parks Commission's obligation to try and honor this commitment in the Referendum. Spicer stated that Mr. Ayers had made a specific request for a half court basketball court hoop at this tot lot. Parks and Recreation Commission December 13, 1994 Page 7 Commissioner Norton stated this is the neighborhood in which the Association has not been keeping its end of the bargain as far as mowing the lawn of the tot lot. Commissioner Spicer inquired about the cost difference between the concrete basketball court and an asphalt court. Parks Project Manager Kullander stated an asphalt court would be less expensive but the cost for preparing the base and grading for the construction would be the same. Commissioner Damberg inquired if basketball was an appropriate park use at a tot lot. Kullander stated this tot lot is basically the size of a single family lot and that the neighboring homes are quite close to this park. Chair Spicer stated that on next month's agenda, City staff should invite Mr. Ayers and the neighborhood to meet with the Commission to discuss the improvements in this park. Spicer acknowledged a memo from the Parks Project Manager listing the improvements that had been made in this park since the referendum. Spicer stated City staff should research the date of these expenditures and go back to the referendum documents to determine what was desired and represented for this tot lot. Commissioner Damberg was excused to leave the meeting at 7:30 o'clock P.M. Batchelder stated the City of West St. Paul was currently holding public hearings at its Parks Commission to discuss the North Urban Trail with residents who are opposed to this trail in their front yards. The Commission discussed the North Urban Trail and the lack of the same problem in Mendota Heights. Batchelder distributed a Big Rivers Trail Talk newsletter. Batchelder distributed a letter he had received from Mr. Brian Bergmark a resident on Evergreen Knolls. Batchelder stated that Brian is a youth in Mendota Heights who had sent a letter requesting that more football fields be constructed within the City. The Commission directed Batchelder to send a letter to Brian stating that they appreciate hearing from him and describing the availability of Wentworth Park for this type of use. Parks Project Manager Kullander stated that Wentworth Park play equipment had been installed, however, there was a problem with its installation that City staff is currently Parks and Recreation Commission December 13, 1994 Page 8 working on having it corrected. Kullander stated that these corrections would occur at no cost to the City prior to Spring time. Batchelder stated the City has received grant requests from the Metropolitan Council for ISTEA money for transportation purposes. The Parks Commission discussed potential grant programs and decided there were not any desirable projects that would be eligible for these funding categories under this grant program. ADJOURNMENT There being no further business, the Parks and Recreation Commission moved to adjourn its meeting at 8:00 o'clock P.M. Respectfully submitted, Kevin Batchelder Administrative Assistant