1993-12-14 Parks and Rec Comm Agenda Packet (2)CITY OF MENDOTA HEIGHTS
DAKOTA COUNTY, MINNESOTA
AGENDA
PARKS AND RECREATION COMMISSION
DECEMBER 14, 1993 6:30 P.M.
** 6:30 o'clock p.m. **
1. Call to Ordero
2. Roll Call,
3. Approval of November 9, 1993 Parks and Recreation Commission
Minutes.
4. Discussion of Dakota County Regional Trail Project
* Bob Doffing, Dakota County Park's Commissioner
5. Capital Improvement Planning for Park System
* Discussion
of
Friendly Hills Park
* Discussion
of
Friendly Hills Tot Lot
* Discussion
of
Friendly Marsh Park
* Discussion
of
Copperfield Ponds
6. Review of Concept Plans - North Kensington Park
* Guy Kullander, Parks Project Manager
7. Verbal Updates
* Arndt Addition Trail - Council Decision
* Report on ADA Seminar
* Ice Rink Update
* Tree City USA - Mr. Steven Shimek
8. Adjourn.
Auxiliary aids for disabled persona are available upon request
at least 120 hours is advance. If a notice of less than 120
hours is received, the City of Mendota Heights will make every
attempt to provide the aids, however, this may not be possible
on short notice. Please contact City Administration at
452-1850 with requests.
CITY OF MENDOTA HEIGHTS
DAKOTA COUNTY, MINNESOTA
PARKS AND RECREATION COMMISSION MINUTES
NOVEMBER 9, 1993
The regular meeting of the Mendota Heights Parks and Recreation
Commission was held on Tuesday, November 9, 1993, in the City Hall
Large Conference Room, 1101 Victoria Curve. The meeting was called
to order at 6:35 o'clock P.M. The following members were present:
Damberg, Katz, Kleinglass, Linnell, Norton, Libra and Spicer. Also
present were Administrative Assistant Kevin Batchelder, Parks
Project Manager Guy Kullander and Recreation Programmer Shelli
Morgan.
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Commissioner Ramberg moved to approve the October 12, 1993
Minutes.
Commissioner Linnell seconded the motion.
AYES:
NAYS:
COMMISSION COMMENTS
Commissioner Ramberg inquired about an article in the South-
west Review dated November 7, 1993 about the proposal to
upgrade the Friendly Hills streets. Commissioner Damberg
stated that the article stated "the reconstruction would be
funded from park land assessments and assessments to single
family lots and municipal state aid funds." Damberg inquired
if money from the special park fund would be used to pay park
land assessments for the Friendly Hills street project. Parks
Project Manager Kullander responded that the City Council
makes the decision on where the money comes from for
assessments to park land in Mendota Heights. Kullander stated
that other funding sources that exist are the MSA money and
the City Infrastructure Fund money. Kullander stated the City
was required to assess park land when it is in a project
district.
Commissioner Linnell inquired if there will be a trail
included in the Friendly Hills street project along Decorah
Avenue. Kullander stated that early plans had shown a trail
in the public right-of-way along Decorah Avenue, however the
residents of the neighborhood are not clamoring for a trail
with this street project. Kullander stated the street project
has not yet been approved by the City Council.
Parks and Recreation Commission
November 9, 1993
Page 3
6. Regulatory signage for park and trails.
Painting stripes on the hard court in 1995.
Port a Potty shelters.
9. ADA upgrades to play equipment.
10. Clearing the brush out along the beach and establishi
turf to water. ng
11. Remove five old benches.
12. Reroofing the picnic shelter.
13. Resurfacing the tennis court.
14. Seal coating of the trails.
Kullander explained that brushing out along the trail was a
difficult project for the park crews because of the time and
the equipment necessary to do this job. Kullander suggested
it might be a possibility to contract a firm to clear the
brush along the trails or that possibly this could be done as
a community work service project.
The Parks Commission discussed the possibility of getting a
wood chipper to help ease the work of removing brush that has
been cleared. Commissioner Damberg inquired if it would be
worth the City buying a chipper. Batchelder stated that he
felt there is a possibility the City could borrow a wood
chipper from a neighboring community.
Damberg inquired if there is a lot horseshoe play in Roger's
Lake Park. Recreation Programmer Morgan responded that she
has had a number of calls to rent horseshoes by people who are
using Roger's Lake Park. Kullander stated the City has one
nice horseshoe pit and that it is located in Roger's Lake
Park. He stated that horseshoe pits can be added for cheaper
costs than demonstrated on the list depending upon the level
of quality the City wants. Kullander described the West St.
Paul horseshoe complex. Kullander stated that when you have
just one horseshoe pit it tends to be a token. He stated that
if you put two or three horseshoe pits together they tend to
get used more often.
Kullander explained that the wooden bridge currently in
Roger's Lake Park is rising and heaving with the frost every
season and because it is not level with the trail it does not
meet American with Disabilities Act standards.
Parks and Recreation Commission
November 9, 1993
Page 5
1. Sports lighting for five play fields.
2. Expanded irrigation system.
3. Maintenance building if lights are installed.
4. Concrete bases for benches and trashers.
5. Resurface the basketball court with paint markings.
6. Re -stripe the parking lot.
7. Any additional landscaping.
8. Seal coat old trails.
9. Adopt backstops (or netting) for baseball/hardball.
10. Convert the grass volleyball area to sand court with
borders.
Kullander stated the sport lighting estimate is based on
Barton-Aschman's estimate at the time of the referendum and
the design of Mendakota Park. Kullander stated that Barton-
ASchman had estimated $150,000 to provide lights for the
fields at Mendakota Park. Kullander stated that his estimate
is on the high side but includes all poles and lights, lines
and transformers, and restoration that would be needed to
complete this project. Kullander stated it also includes the
lighting of the youth soccer field.
Kullander stated that installing lights at Mendakota Park
would be cheaper than building new fields if the City reaches
the point where demand is greater than field supply.
Administrative Assistant Batchelder stated that at the time
the referendum items were put together lighting had been
considered for the softball complex. Batchelder stated a City
Councilmember had wanted to include lights in the plans for
Mendakota Park so that everyone would be aware that ballfield
lights were a possibility.
Commissioner Spicer stated the lights were always anticipated
as a future use at this park. He stated that during the
referendum there was never any opposition to the community
park having lights for the ballfields. Spicer stated that at
the time of the referendum it was anticipated that the
softball field complex would have lights when it was built.
Spicer stated no other fields in the City are lighted.
Parks and Recreation Commission
November 9, 1993
Page 7
rejected due to the high level of maintenance and the fact
that this netting would have to be attached to the comfort
station. Kullander stated the comfort station was not
designed to accommodate guy wires as an attachment.
Commissioner Spicer stated that both the Cities of Eagan and
Edina had provided this type of netting for their pinwheel
field designs to keep foul balls from injuring spectators.
Spicer stated he feels that this type of netting was not
incredibly expensive and certainly provided a level of safety.
Spicer stated it should be a priority for the City to provide
this type of netting in order to accommodate youth baseball at
Mendakota Park.
Commissioner Norton inquired if baseball could be played on
other fields. Commissioner Spicer stated that Mendakota Park
was ideal for weekend tournaments, that it was the best
facility in Mendota Heights and that the baseball parents
desired to be able to use these facilities.
=_-- Commissioner Linnell stated he feels that any irrigation
extension at Mendakota Park should be kept to a minimum and
that a little brown grass in the park is not the end of the
world.
NORTH KENSINGTON PARK
Commissioner Spicer inquired how much money was left in the
referendum. Batchelder stated he has not received a full
accounting on the referendum funds but it is his understanding
that there is less than $100,000 left in the referendum funds.
Batchelder stated there are probably more earmarked items
remaining than there was money left in the referendum fund.
Commissioner Spicer inquired if the Parks Commission should
continue talking about the design and construction of North
Kensington Park if there is not enough referendum money to
construct it. Kullander stated that priorities could be
established for the remaining referendum funding and the
remaining projects and there are other funds such as the
special park fund that could be used to construct this
project. Kullander stated this park could be constructed in
phases over a number of years.
Kullander stated the rest room and storage rooms provided by
U.S. West in the fiber optics building were put in with the
acknowledgment that there would be some future active use at
this park. Kullander stated vandalism has occurred at this
Parks and Recreation Commission
November 9, 1993
Page 9
Batchelder stated that the City Council had approved both
recommendations from last month's Park and Recreation
Commission meeting - the Ivy Park warming house hours and the
Parks Reservation Policy.
Batchelder explained, in response to an inquiry, that the
Marie Park boulevard had not been mowed earlier in the summer
due to a tractor breakdown that will be fixed this winter. He
stated that the City had contracted the work and that the
boulevard had been maintained and mowed.
Batchelder stated that the request to revise the
bicycle/pedestrian trail in the Arndt Addition had been
forwarded to the Planning Commission who would hear the
request on November 23, 1993.
Batchelder stated that staff had explored the option of
converting the Ivy Park free skating to broomball but that the
cost appeared high to place boards for this purpose.
Batchelder stated that he had attended a seminar on Americans
with Disabilities Act sponsored by the Minnesota Department of
Employee Relations and had submitted a question regarding the
updating of all the city play equipment apparatus. MnDOER
will be providing written answers to all the questions
submitted. Batchelder stated it appeared that the City does
not have to update every individual component of the play
system, but that we have an obligation to review the whole
system, evaluate options for upgrading it and provide a level
of access to meet our obligations. A transition plan would be
necessary for those play structures not immediately updated.
Commissioner Libra stated that Ivy Park could use some more
picnic tables and that he had received a request for this.
Commissioner Libra inquired if the City could receive copies
of other city's mission statements for parks and park systems
as we begin exploring Park Vision/Philosophy on the target
issue list.
There being no further business, the Parks and Recreation
Commission adjourned at 8:10 o'clock p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Kevin Batchelder
Administrative Assistant