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1990-09-11 Parks and Rec Comm MinutesCITY OF MENDOTA HEIGHTS DAKOTA COUNTY PARRS AND RECREATION COMMISSION MINUTES SEPTEMBER 11, 1990 The regular meeting of the Mendota Heights Parks and Recreation Commission was held on Tuesday September 11, 1990 in the City Hall Council Chambers, 1101 Victoria Curve. Chair John Huber called the meeting to order at 8:07 o'clock p.m. The following members were present: Lundeen, Huber, Kleinglass, Damberg and Spicer. Hunter and Katz were excused. Staff members present were Parks Project Manager Guy Kullander and Administrative Assistant Batchelder. APPROVAL OF MINUTES Commissioner Spicer moved approval of the August 14, 1990 Parks and Recreation minutes. Commissioner Lundeen seconded. AYES: NAYS: STATUS REPORT Commissioner Spicer inquired about the City Council recognition of the Mend -Eagan Under-12 Baseball team that had placed fourth in the National Tournament. Administrative Assistant Batchelder responded that it was an agenda item for the September 18 City Council meeting and that staff would prepare certificates for the team and that a proclamation establishing Mend -Eagan Baseball Day would be prepared for the Mayor to proclaim in recognition of the team. Commissioner Spicer stated that it would be nice to have the trophy for display and that he would bring the state and the national trophies, as well as the banner for the Council meeting. Batchelder stated that City Council had requested a report of the status and progress of the Parks Referendum and that the Council had desired that the report be submitted to the Parks and Recreation Commission in a preliminary draft for their comments and suggestions. Batchelder stated that this draft was preliminary and that based on Parks and Recreation Commission suggestions, the report would be finalized, submitted to City Council for their acknowledgement and then it would be distributed to the members of the 1989 Citizens Park Review Committee. Chair Huber stated that a column should be added to the chart on page two that would show the percent of work completed in 1990 and what remained for future construction. Commissioners Lundeen and Spicer concurred that the report should highlight how much work is completed as compared to what was promised in the referendum. Chair Huber stated that the report should also state what needs to be done with the remaining resources allocated for improvements. The Commission concurred that the report should give an approximation of work completed as a percentage of the referendum, as it was advertised. Parks Project Manager Guy Kullander stated that the report did not show that the Trails budget would be receiving refunds from the MnDOT and County Hwy. Department as a portion of their participation in trails along state and county roads. Kullander stated it is not yet certain when and how much these refunds will be made. Chair Huber stated the report should state this fact. The Parks and Recreation Commission accepted the report with the suggested changes. BALLFIELD SITES Administrative Assistant Batchelder stated that this item was on the agenda for the purpose of the Parks and Recreation Commission to consider how they would like to examine the issue of the additional ballfield sites promised in the referendum. The Parks and Recreation Commission discussed the status of the negotiations for the Mendakota site. Chair Huber asked for the opinions of the other commissioners now that Mendakota and Kensington appear to be in a holding pattern. Huber stated that when the Citizens Park Review Committee discussed the number of ballfields needed they did not know how much money would be requested or where they would be sited. Huber stated that now we know the monetary allocations and the number of fields that have been built at Sibley Park. Huber stated he wanted to discuss, as a commission, the sites available, their constraints and the options of buying land. Huber inquired if the Commission felt that they should wait until after the Kensington and Mendakota sites are settled or if they wished to move forward on other third ballfield sites. The Commission indicated that they would wish to move forward and discuss the sites available. Commissioner Spicer stated that the Citizens Park Review Committee had discussed a list of sites throughout the City and inquired if that list was still available and relevant. Kullander replied that the sites on the list were available and that in addition to the sites identified last year that the City staff had been directed to consider new sites as well. Kullander stated that this information could be provided to the Commission as a basis for a discussion. Commissioner Spicer inquired about the Mendota Plaza/MnDOT right-of-way site that had been on the list of preferred sites. Kullander replied that MnDOT had contacted the City and requested the City to respond on their intentions as regarded the right-of-way. Kullander stated that MnDOT was researching the underlying fee title owners for reversion of the right-of-way. Kullander described two additional sites that City staff had been researching as an additional ballfield site, one at Mulvihill and one on Resurrection Cemetary land. The Acacia site was discussed. Chair Huber requested that staff prepare a list of the old and new sites for distribution to the Commission. Huber stated that the Commission should explore the criteria for ballfield sites so that they may develop a list of sites for the Council and staff to pursue and negotiate on. Commissioner Spicer stated that there was the possiblity of another joint use ballfield with the School District at the School/Forest site, that the school could own the land and the City develop it in a manner that would allow for a future school to be built around it. The Commission discussed the second issue question of the referendum and its intended use. Commissioner Damberg stated that it was her understanding that this money was to be used for land acquisition. Commissioner Spicer agreed. Batchelder stated that the question was left open ended in order to give the city flexibility and discretion. Parks Project Manager Kullander stated that City Council had authorized staff to solicit for bids on the improvements to existing neighborhood ball fields. Kullander stated that City crews were doing the grading, top soil, ag lime and reseeding work at significant savings to the referendum money. Kullander stated that contracts would be let for backstop fencing, benches and concrete work. Kullander described the on -going construction work and its progress. He stated that City Council had imposed contractual penalties for failure to complete work by the September 1st deadlines on some of the contracts. Kullander described the Sibley Park construction work and the timing of the seeding of the fields. Kullander stated that Hagstrom-King and Victoria Highlands would be seeded by the September 15 deadline. Commissioner Damberg expressed concern about the quality of trailway construction, especially along the trail at Lexington Avenue between Marie and Overlook as an example of the poor construction. She described the trail along Lexington Avenue between Marie and Overlook as shoddy work. She also expressed concerns for the length of time to complete the Victoria Curve trail and the quality of the work along that section. Kullander explained that the curvature and slopes of some trail portions were necessary to address existing drainage. He stated that the County will eventually address the drainage concerns which caused the trail to curve and dip along Lexington when they reconstruct Lexington Avenue. Kullander stated that the City has exerted all the pressure in its power to get the contractor to finish Victoria Curve and the work still has not been finished. Comissioner Damberg stated that the landscaping restoration work should be finished and that trails were covered with dirt which could be hazardous. Commissioner Kleinglass reported a floorboard out at the Valley Creek bridge. Kleinglass stated he recognized that certain spots of the trail system were difficult, but that he had walked many portions of the trail system and found it to be acceptable. He inquired if the trails would be plowed in the winter. Kullander stated that along the roads, like Lexington and Marie they would be but not in Valley Park unless the Commission decides to change policy. Kullander stated that the Commission would also have to look at a sign policy for the trails, a park ordinance including the elimination of horseback riding on paved trails and pooper scooper signs along the trail. He stated these policies would be considered this winter. Administrative Assistant Batchelder stated that the City had not heard back from the insurance company about the cost of adding Park Place's private tot lot as an additionally insured on the City's liability policy. He stated that staff had visited the site to determine if work was necessary for bringing the play equipment up to City standards. Kullander described the upgrades and work that would be necessary to remove liability concerns. Batchelder stated that if the City added Park Place to its insurance, that we would want to control the maintenance, construction standards and use of the site, either through an agreement with the association or through acceptance of a dedication. Batchelder stated that there was no park dedication, either in cash or land, when Park Place was subdivided. He stated this occurred because the Wachtler family had previously (many years earlier) dedicated Valley Park to the City with the understanding that when subdivision occurred there would be no further park dedication. Batchelder stated that the developer had attempted to include the tot lot and tennis court area as a dedication to the City at the time of subdivision and that the City had declined to accept it. Batchelder stated that based on current City Park policy tot lots are discouraged and it is not certain that the City would accept it at this time. The Commission requested that the schematics of the Mendakota neighborhood park be brought to the next meeting for their review. Commissioner Damberg stated that she would like City staff to conduct research into health hazards of power lines and their proximity to people and parks. Parks Project Manager Kullander stated that the Commission would soon be discussing 1991 construction projects and that as this discussion moves forward we should be considering resident requests for refinements to the 1990 improvements. Chair Huber requested that staff provide a list of citizen suggestions and critiques for Commission response. Kullander stated that a Trail Maps would be a winter project. There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned 9:40 o'clock p.m.