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1995-11-14 Parks and Rec Comm MinutesCITY OF MENDOTA HEIGHTS DAKOTA COUNTY, MINNESOTA PARKS AND RECREATION COMMISSION NOVEMBER 14, 1995 The regular meeting of the Mendota Heights Parks and Recreation Commission was held on Tuesday, November 14, 1995, 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: Spicer, Liberacki, Libra, Linnell and Damberg. Commissioners Norton and Kleinglass were excused. Also present were Administrative Assistant Kevin Batchelder and Parks Project Manager Guy Kullander. APPROVAL OF MINUTES Commissioner Liberacki moved to approve the October 10, 1995 minutes. Commissioner Linnell seconded the motion. AYES: 5 NAYS: 0 VERBAL UPDATES Administrative Assistant Batchelder stated the monthly Police and Parks Department reports for October had been included with the packet. Batchelder stated that City staff was working to identify locations in our parks in preparation for the Friends of the Parks Tree Program. He stated that this tree program would be advertised for residents to purchase trees in our next winter City newsletter. Batchelder stated that these trees would be available for purchase at group rates for residents for their private yards or for donation to the City parks. He stated the trees would be ready for Earth Day which is the fourth Saturday in April. Batchelder stated that Recreation Programmer Heinsch is looking into cross country skiing opportunities including development of ski trails, providing cross country ski lessons, and working on joint programming with local area schools. Commissioner Liberacki inquired about potential downhill ski trips. The Commission discussed joint programming for ski trips and looking into private ski program opportunities. �I Batchelder described City Council's action on the most recent North Urban Regional Trail Resolution. In connection with the North Urban Regional Trail, the Commission discussed alternative routes, conflicting traffic uses and bicycle etiquette. Parks Project Manager Kullander described the recent landscaping improvements at the Marie Avenue/Lexington Avenue pond. He stated the area had been seeded and that six trees had been planted including willows and hackberries. Kullander stated the area along the top would be mowed and maintained in the summer on a weekly basis. Commissioner Libra stated the City of Roseville has a program whereby individual landowners can donate mature trees to the City, if appropriate. Libra stated the City pays for the cost of transplanting these trees and locates them in their parks or on public property. Libra stated it might be a good idea for the City of Mendota Heights to consider such a program as it is a good opportunity to acquire full grown, mature trees. The Commission directed staff to look into these other tree donation opportunities. The Commission felt that North Kensington Park could use trees under any new tree program. Batchelder stated that at the request of Commissioner Linnell the City would be asking the architects, who are working on the new middle school design for ISD No. 197, to appear on the Parks and Recreation Commission's agenda in December to discuss the athletic fields and the gymnasium space. The Commission discussed joint power agreements with the school district. STAFF LIAISON TRANSITION Administrative Assistant Batchelder stated that the City Council had appointed him as the Interim City Administrator to fill the vacancy created by Tom Lawell's resignation to accept a position of City Manger for Sequim, Washington. Batchelder stated that Council had directed him to advertise for an Administrative Intern to assume some of the duties being performed by the Assistant, including acting as staff liaison to the Parks and Recreation Commission. Batchelder stated that as he assumes the duties of the Interim City Administrator, that the Parks and Recreation Commission would be handled, in the short term, by Recreation Programmer Heinsch and Parks Project Manager Kullander. Batchelder stated that the new Administrative Intern will eventually assume the duties of staff liaison to the Parks and Recreation Commission, however it will likely be the first of the year before the Intern is on board. `a The Commission discussed the transition of staff duties. Batchelder stated it had been a pleasure to serve the Parks and Recreation Commission for the last seven years and described the many accomplishments of the Parks Commission, especially the implementation of the Park Referendum and the establishment of a recreation program. Commissioner Libra moved that th® Parks and Recreation Commission adopt a Resolution commending Assistant Batchelder for his efforts in staffing the Parks and Recreation Commission for the last seven years. Commissioner Damberg seconded the motion. AYES: 5 NAYS: 0 NORTH KENSINGTON PARK The Commission inquired about the bids that had been received for North Kensington Park and desired to discuss what the status of the current existing design is for North Kensington Park. Kullander stated that he could only get bidders to bid on individual specific portions of the project and could not get someone to bid on the whole project which includes grading, tree and shrub planting, native grass installation and wildflowers. Kullander stated that the bids were high for the grading work and that the City Council had indicated that it may not be necessary to do all of the pond grading and dredging. Kullander stated that the City Council had also indicated a desire to scale back on the native grasses in this area and to go with a more traditional look with tree plantings and an emphasis on the pond edge. The Commission felt that the City Council should reconsider whether they want to disregard the park design that was worked out between the City and the neighborhood, with a lot of support for this design. The Commission expressed a concern that Joni Giese had spent a lot of time creating this design, that the neighborhood had endorsed it, and that the City had spent money on this design process. Commissioner Damberg felt that this passive park with native grasses and wildflowers was supported by the neighbors and that they would accept this more wild look as opposed to the traditional landscape plan. The Commission discussed the changing context of this area with the development of the middle school. The Commission discussed the bids that had been received on this park and the bidding process that could occur over the winter. [ci CONTINUATION OF UPDATES The Parks and Recreation Commission discussed the Wentworth bridge project. The Commission directed staff to insure there is some clearance between the trails and the trees at the south end of the Wentworth bridge. Commissioner Liberacki inquired about the City's existing boulevard tree program. Chair Spicer inquired about the estimated prices for lighting Mendakota ballfield. Spicer stated the estimate of $250,000 seemed excessively high. Parks Project Manager Kullander stated this lighting estimate is based on the highest possible level of lighting that would be desired at this park and that would be for Babe Ruth little league tournaments. Kullander stated that more poles are included in this estimate than necessary in order that the lights be lower to the ground and that there be less light "bleeding" off the site. Kullander stated that when there are more poles there is more control and light spillage can be minimized on the site. The Commission discussed the levels of lighting and the number of poles necessary for Mendakota Park. The Commission felt that philosophically, children play earlier in the day and the adults play later at night so that the level of lighting for these fields should only need to meet softball standards. WENTWORTH PARK DESIGN Administrative Assistant Batchelder stated that improvements planned in the Parks Capital Improvement Plan for Wentworth Park in 1995 had been pushed back until 1996 in order to combine all these proposed improvements in one package in 1996. Batchelder stated that the Commission had been willing to delay the 1995 improvements with the caveat that the planning and design process for Wentworth Park would begin in January so that design, bid and construction could occur early in 1996. Batchelder inquired how the Commission desired to proceed with the Wentworth Park improvements. The Commission felt that they should have ideas and preliminary designs before presenting this plan to the neighborhood. The Commission felt that these are very basic improvements, an upgrade to an existing design and that this is not a park that is being designed from scratch. Kullander discussed the fact that the City has existing architectural plans for picnic shelters that have been used in Mendakota and Kensington Parkso Kullander estimated that each of these picnic shelters cost approximately 0 57,000 and that under the Capital Improvement Plan two of these shelters could be installed in Wentworth Park. Kullander stated the other option would be to look at pre -fabricated shelters kits for picnic shelters. The Commission felt that the shelters in Mendakota and Kensington were nice and that Wentworth Park should have a similar level of shelter. The Commission felt that this would make picnic shelters in the City parks uniform. The Commission discussed appropriate locations for the picnic shelters and desired that they be near the pond/play area/trail and that they should have a grill located in the immediate area. The Commission felt that it was only necessary to have one shelter and that it should be an elongated rectangle. The Commission discussed enlarging the existing warming house with a roof extension and felt that this was not necessary. The Commission directed staff to put together rough drawings showing one shelter near the pond/play area/trail that would overlook the pond with one grill serving this shelter. The Commission directed that this be an appropriate size picnic shelter for this area and that the intention would be to use the current design for a uniform look around the parks. The Commission felt that a neighborhood meeting may not be necessary for these simple improvements in Wentworth Park and directed staff to bring the design back for the January meeting. The Commission directed staff to send a press release announcing that this design would be open for review at their February meeting. The Commission discussed the American with Disability Act improvements in Wentworth Park. Kullander stated if the ADA improvements are made to the warming house, that this park would be fully accessible. Kullander stated the play equipment upgrades for ADA had occurred at Wentworth Park for 1995 and that now the City has three accessible parks including Wentworth, Kensington and Mendakota. The Commission discussed the enlargement of the free skating area at Wentworth Park in an easterly direction with one or more additional lights. Commissioner Linnell stated there are some nice white pines in the trees by the tennis court that are being crowded by boxelder trees and he felt that these boxelder trees should be trimmed in order to help the white pines be more successful. 5 ADJOURN There being no further business, the Parks and Recreation Commission adjourned its meeting at 7:55 o'clock P.M. Respectfully submitted, Kevin Batchleder Administrative Assistant C^