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1989-11-14 Parks and Rec Comm MinutesCITY OF MENDOTA HEIGHTS PARK AND RECREATION COMMISSION MINUTES, NOVEMBER 14, 1989 The regular meeting of the Mendota Heights Park and Recreation Commission was held on Tuesday, November 14, 1989 in the City Hall Conference Room, 1101 Victoria Curve. Commission Chair John Huber called the meeting to order at 7:15 P.M. The following members were present: Huber, Katz and Spicer. Lundeen and Damberg were excused. Absent: Owens. Staff members present were Parks Project Manager Kullander and Administrative Assistant Batchelder. Members of the audience were Dave Ayers, Kay and George Linafelter and Mary S. APPROVAL OF MINUTES UPDATE The minutes were not approved as there was not a quorum present. No official commission action was taken during the meeting because of the lack of a quorum. Administrative Assistant Kevin Batchelder provided updates on current issues for the Park Commission. Batchelder stated that City Council approved the Barton-Aschman contract and that both parties had signed it. Batchelder stated that Barton-Aschman was ready to proceed with direction from the Commission on the landscaping they were to design in the parks. Batchelder stated that the School District had appointed a six member task force to negotiate the Sibley athletic site with the City. He stated the City is gathering information from other communities that have entered Joint Power Agreements with school districts for athletic facilities. Batchelder stated that C.G. Rein had been sent an offer, based on our appraisal, for the land at Mendakota, that they are reviewing the offer and that the City has not had word back from them. Batchelder discussed the recruitment of a new Parks and Recreation Commissioner. Dave Ayers mentioned that he is interested and might send a letter of interest. Batchelder stated that City Council had authorized removal of the play equipment at Friendly Hills Tot Lou and had ordered a public hearing for the January 16, 1990 VALLEY VIEW HEIGHTS Council meeting to discuss divesting the lot with the Friendly Hills residents. He stated the City Council would consider divesting the property at that time. Batchelder stated the equipment would be removed on November 15. Batchelder discussed the by-laws which were included in members packets. He stated that if the Parks and Recreation Commission wished to permanently change their meeting time to 7 p.m. they would need Council approval. He stated that if they were only meeting at 7 for a short while because of the busy schedule, they should simply adjourn each meeting until a special meeting at 7 p.m. on the intended date. Batchelder informed the Commission that City Council had approved "Valley View Heights Park" as the name of the tot lot in Valley View Heights and he stated that the agreement with the homeowners association had been included for their information. Batchelder stated that Kensington Park dedication had had no progress and that the City was waiting for Centex to appear at the Planning Commission for PUD approval, at which time they would purchase the land for dedication to the City at a later date. Dave Ayers, of Valley View Heights Association, informed Guy Kullander that Vince Anderson, who lives next door to the Tot Lot did not feel there was a need to fence the park along his property. Kullander responded that this was fine and that there would be a time in the future to revisit this if the owner changed his mind. Commissioner Katz inquired about liability and Kullander responded that the liability concern would be Mr. Anderson's more than the City's. Dave Ayers indicated he was interested in the vacant Parks Commission seat and that he would contact Jim Danielson to verify his candidacy. WAGON WHEEL TRAIL Commission Chair John Huber explained the city's desire to have a bicycle/pedestrian trail along Wagon Wheel Trail as part of the trail system. Huber explained that the Citizens Park Review Committee did not include funding for this portion of the trail in the referendum because there was Minnesota State Aid available to the City that would pay for this portion of the trail system. Mary S., of 810 Wagon Wheel, stated that the bike trail should not be tied to the street improvement. She stated this street wasn't meant for bicycles and that the path would just eat up more space of the residents front yards. She stated that an extra path was not necessary. Commission Chair Huber stated that it was unlikely that the Parks Commission would fund the trail from the Parks Fund or the referenAum when there was state money available to fund the trail. Huber explained how the Minnesota State Aid (MSA) funding worked for the Wagon Wheel residents that were present. Huber stated that the Council had referred the funding of the trail to the Parks Commission to explore funding options outside of using MSA monies. Huber stated it was not likely that the Parks Commission could or would fund the trail, and that if Council decides the street improvement project won't be ordered then there will probably be no trail along Wagon Wheel. Kay Linafelter, owner of 810 Wagon Wheel, stated that she had raised her children on this street and that it shouldn't be a main thoroughfare. She stated she was not in favor of any upgrading as it would encourage traffic and bring more strangers into the neighborhood. She stated that many of the finer suburbs in the Twin Cities don't have curbs and gutters or storm sewers. She stated that a bike path is not needed on an uncrowded road and that the City could find a PARKS PROJECT AND IMPLEMENTATION safer place to build a bike trail. She stated that she doesn't want to encourage a lot of people to use Rogers Lake Park by upgrading the road, which she stated wasn't necessary. Parks Project Manager Guy Kullander, in response to Kay Linafelter, explained how the MSA funding worked and that Wagon Wheel's status is as a collector street. He stated collector streets receive money from MSA and have to be built to certain standards. Kay Linafelter inquired what the standards were. Kullander responded that it meant a forty foot (401) wide street with curbs and storm sewer and that this meant one lane in each direction. He explained that the ditches would be filled in to protect the road base and that the runoff would drain into Rogers Lake. Mary S., 810 Wagon Wheel, inquired if the bike path could be placed on the road and not on the front yard. Kullander responded that, no, the City would not build a bike trail there and that any bike trail would be part of the street improvement project. Mary S. stated it would be nice to put the trail money into Rogers Lake Park instead. Commission Chair Huber informed the residents of Wagon Wheel that the Parks Commission was not taking any formal action on this issue and it would therefore go back to City Council for them to take any action on it. Parks Project Manager Guy Kullander directed the Commission through a series of approvals in order to get direction on releasing work for plans and specifications or for direction in going to the City Council with requests. Ivy Park Land Acquisition The members of the Commission that were present felt that it was a good idea for city staff to approach the Ivy Falls Townhomes Association with preliminary sketch plans detailing how their parcel, that is adjacent to Ivy Falls Park, would be used if the City were to have that land dedicated to the park. Play Equipment Base Material Those members of the Commission that were present approved of Kullander's recommendation to use Buck -Shot sand measuring 1/16" to 1/8" in size for the play equipment base material. Friendly Hills Park Storm Sewer Improvement Kullander explained that in order to regrade the field at Friendly Hills it would be necessary to remove the ditch and replace it with a storm sewer pipe. Kullander explained that it would cost about $13,500 to do this and that the money could come from referendum contingency, the money allocated to improving ballfields and the $5,000 allocated to improve the field. Commission Chair Huber inquired if the Friendly Hills Tot Lot divestment could go towards paying for this. Kullander stated that this improvement would be an appropriate place to direct those proceeds, as well as play equipment and picnic shelter enhancements. Those members of the Commission that were present directed staff to request that Council order plans and specifications for the Friendly Hills Park Storm Sewer Improvement. Handicapped Accessible Play Equipment Kullander explained that when public money is being spent for play equipment it is wise to consider setting a portion aside for handicap accessible equipment. Commission members present stated that the City should be ahead of this issue and on its own decide to make available handicap accessible equipment. Kullander stated that he favored the Kensington site as it is scenic and wooded and the play equipment could be place near the picnic area. Kullander explained that handicap accessible equipment would not be placed in lieu of other equipment, but would be in conjunction with it. Collapsible Fences Those members of the Commission that were present felt that this was an item that could be revisited at a later date when the City might have better storage facilities. It would not be pursued at the present time. Trails - Plans and Specifications Kullander stated that the City engineering staff had made designs for constructing 6.6 miles of off -road trails in 1990 for the estimated cost of $470,000. Kullander stated that this is within the budget and covered the majority of off road construction. Kullander stated that the remaining portions of the trail would be designated or built in later years. Those members of the Commission that were present unanimously recommended that City Council order staff to prepare plans and specifications for these trails. Somerset School Bike Trail Kullander explained that in order to have a continuous pavement from the trail to the parking lot at Somerset School an extension costing $3,000 - $5,000 would have to be built on school property. Those members of the Commission that were present recommended that staff direct a letter to the School District requesting that they extend this portion of the trail. Direction of Barton-Aschman for Landscape Design Kullander explained to the Commission the ADJOURN direction they would have to provide Barton- Aschman on the landscape design at Friendly Hills, Ivy Hills, Rogers Lake, Hagstrom-King and the park design for Victoria Highlands. The Parks Commission provided priorities for landscape and park design as outlined in the attached memo, dated November 15, 1989 from Guy Kullander to Barry Warner, of Barton- Aschman. There being no further business the meeting was adjourned until a special meeting at 7 o'clock p.m. on December 12, 1989 that would proceed the regularly scheduled meeting at 7:30 p.m. Respectfully submitted, Kevin Batchelder Administrative Assistant ity of Mendota • • TO: Barry Warner, Barton Aschman Associates, Inc. FROM: Guy Kullander, Parks Project Manager RE: Landscape Improvements and Park Design Landscape improvements for Friendly Hills, Rogers Lake, Ivy and Hagstrom King Parks were discussed at the Park and Recreation Commission meeting last night. It was decided that the first priority would be to improve the areas around the park signs. Possibly a common design that should then be used for all the parks. The existing signs will remain with new landscape features to be added. The second priority item for Friendly Hills Park would be to improve the appearance of the parking area. For Rogers Lake Park it would be to enhance the entrance road into the park by dredging the retention pond and landscape plantings around upper parking lot. Ivy Hill Park will not be addressed at this time because the City is investigating the acquisition of more land for the park. The amount allocated for construction of landscape improvements in Rogers Lake and Friendly Hills Parks is $5,000.00 each. Your designs need not be completely governed by these amounts. Additional funding or a phased construction approached are options open to the Parks and Recreation Commission. A "final" design is required even if it exceeds amount budgeted. Improvements for Hagstrom-King Park are more extensive. Although only $14,800. has been allocated the Park and Recreation Commission realized that this is not sufficient funding to accomplish all the desired improvements in this park and additional funds will be forth coming. Following is a prioritized list of desired improvements. Grade, topdress and seed softball field with skinned infield area. install backstop and players benches with 8' protective fence. I101 Victoria Curve •Mendota Heights, MN • 55118 452.1850 3. Park sign will be built and installed by city crews but the "standardized" landscape design your firm develops for the other parks will be incorporated here. 4. Landscape improvements should be added around parking lot, along trail, and by play equipment. 5. A row of trees along the landscape berm adjacent to Mendota Heights road is also required. 6. Benches, trash receptacles, bike rack, etc. should also be considered. 7. No additional trails. 8. outfield fencing with a warning track may be considered as a future improvement. The Victoria Highlands Park improvement requires more development. Your initial design is what the Parks and Recreation Commission desires except for the following modifications. 1. Trail will connect Victoria Road on the north thru the park on a west to east alignment to Diane Road. 2. A softball field shall be constructed with backstop, skinned area, and players benches with protective 8' fence. 3. Trees shall be planted along lots) adjacent to back- stop to provide screening. Pines should be considered. 4. Play structure design shall be selected by Parks and Recreation Commission and installed independently of park improvements. You should reserve/locate an area for this structure. Sincerely, --W /waak�l Guy Kullander Parks Project Manager