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1995-09-12 Parks and Rec Comm MinutesCITY OF MENDOTA HEIGHTS DAKOTA COUNTY, MINNESOTA PARKS AND RECREATION COMMISSION MINUTES SEPTEMBER 12, 1995 The regular meeting of the Mendota Heights Parks and Recreation Commission was held on Tuesday, September 12, 1995, in the City Hall Large Conference Room, 1101 Victoria Curve. The meeting was called to order at 5:37 o'clock P.M. The following members were present: Spicer, Libra, Damberg, Linnell and Liberacki. Commissioners Norton and Kleinglass were excused. Also present were Administrative Assistant Kevin Batchelder and Parks Project Manager Kullander. Guests present were Ms. Peggy Lynch, of Friends of the Parks. APPROVAL OF MINUTES Commissioner Libra moved to approve the August 8, 1995 minutes. Commissioner Linnell seconded the motion. AYES: 5 NAYS: 0 TREE DONATION PROGRAM Ms. Peggy Lynch, of Friends of the Parks and Trails, appeared before the Parks and Recreation Commission to discuss a tree purchase and tree donation program and to inquire if Mendota Heights would be interested in participating in this program. Ms. Lynch stated that Ramsey County communities have conducted this tree donation and tree purchase program through the Friends of the Parks and Trails over the last four years. Ms. Lynch stated that this is an effort to raise funds for the Friends of the Parks and Trails, to encourage urban forestry and to have people purchase trees so that they can donate them to their local municipal parks. Ms. Lynch stated that last year their brochure was distributed with the St. Paul Water billing and that included Mendota Heights. Lynch stated they had received orders for trees from Mendota Heights residents and that two trees were donated through this program to the City's park system. Administrative Assistant Batchelder stated that two maple trees were 1 planted in Mendakota Park. S. Lynch stated that Friends of the Parks and Trails desire to expand their program to neighboring communities outside of Ramsey County and would like to include Mendota Heights. Ms. Lynch stated they have not decided which trees to use this year but they are considering having available for purchase maple, evergreen, oak and flowering crab trees. Ms. Lynch stated they want help with publicity through City newsletters. Ms. Lynch stated that the only City responsibility would be to identify parks and locations for specific tree types if people desire to donate trees to the municipal parks. Lynch stated the program is marketed over the winter with a spring purchase, delivery and planting which occurs the last Friday and Saturday in April. Lynch stated the municipality would be responsible for planting any trees that have been donated for public land. Residents who purchase trees for their own property deal directly with Friends of the Parks and Trails. Ms. Lynch described a commemorative tree program. She stated that citizens purchase trees as memorials and Friends of the Parks and Trails send out a certificate in honor of this dedication. Typcial memorials in the past have been in memorial of people, as Christmas gifts, as graduation gifts, etc. Ms. Lynch stated that some cities in Ramsey County have designated an area for memorial trees and in other cases maps are provided where these memorial trees have been planted. Ms. Lynch stated that if the City of Mendota Heights desires to work with this commemorative tree program that we can design how the system would work in Mendota Heights. Batchelder stated that if the City desires to implement this program we would have to plan which parks need trees and what types of trees in what locations. Batchelder stated that the tree delivery date coincides with Earth Day in late April. He stated that City Council members have indicated a preference in the past to have MnDOT include crab apple trees in the replanting of the Highway 13/Highway 55 interchange project. Commissioner Linnell stated that he sees this program as a benefit to the City and that it would be relatively simple to advertise through the City's newsletter. Commissioner Linnell moved to recommend that the City Council consider utilizing and promoting this program this coming winter. Commissioner Libra seconded the motion. 2 AYES: 5 NAYS: 0 TRAIL MAPS Chair Spicer distributed park maps that he had discovered when visiting Dakota County's Thompson Regional Park. Spicer stated that these park maps are available in a mailbox at Thompson Regional Park and state the park regulations, the do's and the don'ts, the hours, a contact phone number and a map of the park. Spicer stated that these maps could serve as a prototype for our City map. The Commission discussed the trail maps and trail signs with staff and provided direction on how to incorporate these ideas into our park map system. MENDOTA PLAZA BALLFIELDS Chair Spicer stated that the Parks and Recreation Commission had discussed ballfields at Mendota Plaza on a previous occasion and their original recommendation had been to limit expenditures from the Special Park Fund to $25,000 to address ballfield needs. Spicer stated the estimate by staff shows ballfields at the Mendota Plaza in the range of $50,000 to $60,000. Spicer stated his major concern is the temporary nature of these park improvements. The Commission discussed the temporary nature of this proposal and felt that no expenditures should be made unless their is a guarantee of at least ten years. Commissioner Linnell stated the City might want to wait and find out if there is something we can do at Resurrection Cemetery upon the completion of their master plan. The Commission reviewed the ballfield plan and discussed possible cost cutting measures. The Commission discussed other possible sites for ballfields. The Commission discussed the possibility of new ballfields at the new middle school in Mendota Heights. The Commission was of the consensus that if the City is to enter into any temporary agreement for ballfields at Mendota Plaza that all of our facilities should be salvageable such as fencing, backstop, benches, ag-line, topsoil and everything that could be recovered. Spicer stated the Commission agrees the City needs more ballfields and that the Commission agrees that this is a great location for ballfields, however, there seems to be a feeling from the Commission that all of the money should not come from the Special Park Fund. The Commission discussed Mendota Heights Athletic Association's scheduling of ballfields and 3 utilization of the days in the week they are available for ball games. Chair Spicer stated he would entertain a motion that the City is willing to spend up to $25,000 from the Special Park Fund with the conditions that the lease cannot be terminated unless this site is being developed and that the City can salvage all cost of materials. The Commission discussed the fact of the size of the expenditure necessitates at least a ten year term. The Commission discussed an expenditure of $150,000 for lights at Mendakota Park in order to double the number of games that are available on these existing fields. The Commission felt that this expenditure might prove better for a long term facility and would increase the ability to have a return on the investment with better utilization of the concession stand. Commissioner Libra stated that he feels lights at Mendakota Park are a preferable solution to a short term lease at the Mendota Plaza for ballfields. The Commission directed staff to investigate the cost of lights at Mendakota Park and financial feasibility of building ballfields lights at Mendakota Park. Commissioner Linnell moved that staff investigate the costs of lights and the financial feasibility of lighting Mendakota Park. Commissioner Libra seconded the motion. AYES: 5 NAYS: 0 Chair Spicer called for a motion. There was no motion forthcoming. The Commission discussed cutting costs with the existing plan for ballfields at Mendota Plaza. The Commission discussed the feasibility of starting without fencing and benches and finding what work can be done on a volunteer basis. The Commission was of a consensus, there being no present motion, that their recommendation last month that the limit of expenditures from the Special Park Fund should be $25,000 for fields at Mendota Plaza. The Commission discussed the need of ballfields in Mendota Heights versus the needs for other recreation programs. Chair Spicer stated that the City is a community of 10,000 people with approximately 1,500 children in these youth programs and the City needs to respond to their demands for recreational facilities. Spicer stated the City needs extra fields, however, the question is how to go about it and how to fund it. 0 VERBAL UPDATES The Commission discussed a letter from Ms. Janet Blesener to the City asking about upgrades to the trail at the intersection of Dodd Road and Highway 110 safer. This item will appear on the September 19th the City Council agenda. Administrative Assistant Batchelder provided an update on the Council's discussion of the Burow's farm at their September 5th meeting. Commissioner Kleinglass informed the Commission that he is displeased with the outcome of the Marie/Lexington pond improvements and felt that the City had failed the individual residents in this area. Kleinglass stated that more landscaping upgrades are needed in this area. Commissioner Libra felt that the City should consider what kind of volunteer activities around these types of pond we want people to do in these areas so that we can guide them in making landscape improvements in wetlands area, as opposed to allowing totally volunteer vegetation to take over. Parks Project Manager Kullander stated that this area had been seeded after final grading. Kullander stated that four hackberry trees and three willow trees will be planted on this location. He stated the slopes are too steep to maintain in a turf condition and that it is costly to level it out by grading. The Commission decided not to stencil the trails this evening and instead scheduled a trail stenciling meeting on Tuesday, September 19th and extended the invitation to all other Commissioners and City Officials to meet them and walk the trails and identify the trails by stenciling. The Commission thanked Dave Libra for organizing volunteers from Sting Soccer and the Mendota Heights Athletic Association Soccer to plant trees along the south border of Kensington Park. Commissioner Ramberg stated she would not be available for the October meeting. There being no further business, the Parks and Recreation Commission adjourned its meeting at 7:30 o'clock P.M. Respectfully submitted, Kevin Batchelder Administrative Assistant