Parks Commission Agenda Packet 11-29-2007
AGENDA
PARKS COMMISSION
November 29, 2007-4:30 p.m.
'To enhance co"''''Qnflypridethrooghd"elopingond
",oi",oiningcirypariL,..i;hahighsrando,dofquality"
1. Call to Order
2. Approve minutes of October 25, 2007 Parks Commission meeting.
3. Consideration of adding items to the agenda.
4. Citizens comments and requests.
5. Review park concept plans for Featherstone Public Works site.
6. Park Maintenance.
7. Expiring terms of Park Commission members
8. OtherBusiness,ifany
9. Adjourn
ParkCommiss;onMinules:10/2Si07
MINUTES
PARKS COMMISSION
Thursday,
Oetober25, 2007-4:30 p.nL
~To <nbn<. <ommunll~ pride rbT"'~b developing molntnining
Cllypnrk.wllh "londnrd.fqnalll~."
Members Present:
Gene Emanuel, Ben Hitter, Nancy McCaffrey, Larry Nolan, Rick Traver and
Council Liaison, Tom Perrault.
Members Absent:
None
Others Present:
Tom Pawelk,Park Superintendent
1. Call to Order.
Chair Larry Nolan called the meeting to order at 4:30 p.m. and declared a quorum
present.
2. Approve minutes of September 27. 2007 re~lar Parks Commission meetinl!.
RICK TRAVER MOVED TO APPROVE THE MINUTES OF SEPTEMBER 27, 2007
REGULAR PARKS COMMISSION MEETING. GENE EMANUEL SECONDED THE
MOTION. MOTION CARRIED WJA:'-lIMOUSL Y.
3. Consideration of addlne items to the al!enda.
Update on YMCA tours and pathway at Pioncer Park werc added to the agenda for discussion.
4. Citizens comments and requests.
There was no one who spoke under citi7eIlS comments or requests.
9. Meetin2 date for November.
Since the Park Superintendent had not yet arrived, the Parks Commission discussed changing
the meeting date for November. The regular meeting date falls on Thanksgiving. The Parks
Commission dctenuined to schedule the November meeting on November 29, 2007 and not
hold a meeting in December. If something did come up that required immediate action, a
special mceting could be held.
5. Park Maintenance.
Tom Pawelk submitted a list of the work completed by the Parks Department staff. He
reported a vandalism incident at Pioneer Park. The interior of the bathroom was damaged and
Tom Pawclk estimated repair costs, including labor. to be about $600.
The developer has placed a cement pad on the outlot of Union Crossings. It had been proposed
I
ParkCommis.ionMillUtes:l0/2Sim
at one time to have a rest area located there with a park bench and some plantings.
The play structure at Hillcrest Park is completed and is getting a good deal of use.
Tom Pawelk reported on a YMCA tour earlier in the week with finance people from the state,
Senator Amy Koch and Representative Bruce Anderson. Additional tours are scheduled for
November 6th and November 13th.
The 4'h Street Park parking lot has been milled and overlaid with the striping to be done soon.
The work on the viewing deck at Mississippi Park, although budgeted for this year, will not be
done until next year. Tom Pawelk indicated the Parks Department will be doing some restoration
work along the pathway at East Oak Drive. The area will bc tilled, re-seeded and straw bales
placed.
6. ODen Air Shelter for West Bridl!:e Park:
Tom Pawelk reported that the City COWlcil did not approve the open air shelter for West Bridge
Park and his understanding is that the money budgeted for the shelter will be used for the
pathway improvements on Fallon Avenue.
7. Review of eonceotual drawinl!S for park at Sunset Ponds:
Tom Pawelk presented preliminary plans for the development of the Snnset Ponds Park. The
City had informed the dcveloper that they would be drawing on his letter of credit to get the work
complcted which prompted the developer to work on fulfilling their obligatio nto get the park
area graded and seeded. The developer wiII also be instaHing split rail fence mar kersforthe
property comers. The devclopment plans included a ballfield and soccer field. Tom Pawelk is
working with the youth baseball association to determine if an additional Little League field is
needed. A Little League field would measure 225 feet from home plat to the fence. There is
another 100 feet between the fence and the adjacent lots so it was felt aballfi eld would tit the
location. The balllield would not be lighted but there is lighting on the parking lot. Aplay
structure, similar to that at Hillcrest Park, is proposed. Trees win be planted to delineate where
the park property line is and to discourage bomeo"Wl1eTS from encroaching into the park area. The
Parks Commission discussed the fields and the anticipated use. There was some concern thai the
parking lot space would not be adequate if the fields were used for fonnalized socceriball
practice. To discourage this kind of use, the Parks Commission felt instead of a fence for thc
field there should just be a backstop. Gene Emanuel noted that pickup games for neighborhood
kids is not very common and he felt that people using the tield would likely not be from within
the development.
In further discl.lssion of the play stnlcture, Nancy McCaffrey asked ifit was being designed for a
particular age grOl.lp. Lany Nolan suggested that the structure not have a roof on it like the one at
Hillcrest as he noted kids climbing on the roof of the structure. Rick Traver suggested leaving
spaceforabasketballcourtevenifitisjustahalfcourt. There will be a couple of options for the
play structure presented when the informational mecting with the residents is held. The Parks
Commissionfeltstronglythattheparkpropertyboundariesneedtobec1earlydetined. A
preliminary cost estimate for the play structure is thOl.lght to run abom $50,000. The
development plan also includes a pathway to handle foot traffic.
2
ParkCommi,sion Minm"'" 10/25/07
8. Review of draft Comprehensive Plan (Chapter 4 - Parks)
In reviewing the draft dOCllment, the Parks Commission recommended the following changes:
1. The pictures used in the document be identified.
2. Montissippi Park be identitied as a county park.
3. Revisions to the section dealing with the YMCA possible acquisition to note that is a
joint project with Wright County wbich mayor may not actually occur. It was also
pointed out that this would be a regional park. The definitions in the draft document do
not include anything for a regional park.
4. The list offeaturcs in the current city parks should be reviewed and updated to more
accurately reflect what is located at each park.
In general discussion about the parks, Tom Pawelk noted b~ause of the way the parks are
disbursed throughout tbe community a lot of time is spent in traveling to the parks to do
maintenance. He added tbat with the possibility of the new Public Works facility being located
on tbe south side of the city it will add to the traveling time. The question was raised whether the
park system should shift their emphasis from neighborhood parks and tocus more on community
and regional parks_ The reasons for considering a shift in focus include: 1) Having fewer parks
would ease the maintenance load as faras travel time, etc. Hopefully having less parks to
maintain would translate into better maintenance and development of existing parks; 2) The
trend of people to utilize parks that offer multiple features for all levels of users which is
something neighborhood parks don't generally provide and 3) The reluctance to adequately thnd
for park development, maintenance and equipment. The Parks Commission in planning for park
development has tried to minimize the number of small parks by placing parks in areas
where deve!opmetltS adjoin. The Parks Commission felt the Comprehensive Plan was a
guideline. While the reality of the situation may not be the same as the goals of the
Comprehensive Plan they felt thc guidelines in the Comprehensive Plan should be adhered to.
Added Items:
Ptllhwuy at Fallon Avenue: The City Council at their last meeting approved a contract with Rum
River Construction for pathway construction and the contractor will be starting work
immediately. The bids came in less than the engineer's estimate. Council liaison, Tom Perrault
felt that with the good bid prices the Council should have included the alternate as well which
was for a pathway connecting the west end of the Pioueer Park parking lot to theexistiugstubbed
path extending east from Fannstead Avenue but the Council only approved the pathway on
Fallon Avenue between Fannstead Avenue and School Boulevard.
10. Adiourn.
NANCY MCCAFFREY MOVED TO ADJOURN AT 6:00 P.M. RICK TRAVER SECONDED
THE MOTION. MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY.
Recording Secretary
3
NOTES TO THE AGENDA
Park Commission Members Terms: The terms of Ben Hitter and Rick Traver will expire 12/31f07.
If these Park Commission members are interested in serving another tenn, their nwne will be placed
on the list of appointments to be approved by the Council in January.
The terms of Larry Nolan and :;..rancy McCaffrey expire 12/31/08 and the term of Gene Emanuel
wouldexpire!2/31109.
Featherstone Park - The City has recently purchased a 20 acre site for construction of a public
works facility. The facility plan recommends 28 acres for the public works building. City staffis
looking at acquiring additional land (approximately 8 acres) from Gold Nugget (Featherstone
Development). Attached are concept plans showing the original layout and three possible
variations. The favored concept, at least for now, is #3. The Public Works Department is asking
for Parks Commission input.
",:,..,,-,,,,,,,.....,--
m
t~ '"'"
h Ii
IZ
11~
ii~
,~
1'1
rnl;;'
i~
,
IIlj
",,,
1'1'
!11'
I'll
"
,
,
Ilf
;1,
.
"
'-
"
"
\'..
,
I,
"
II,
"
I,
,
,
,
,
, I'
, I
,
I
i
!
!
,
l'~
'I'
p
r
. "
!'.~
8
"
,'. ." -~'
///
,
'//
\):::
~~
,
"
,\;,
M
,
i1
,
i ,
,
, "
,~
"
,
,
"\
""",-,,-
I~
"
r~
II
'i'
il
"
fe_
"""
"
,
,~ ~
-=-=:;:-,iC::
l-n'II
no"~
,IT
,
'.
">
.>
.'
!
>
i~,'
,~Il
,
.
,
,
.
,
.
.
.
,-
I;
~"'
.
.
~,
/:1
/'1
!
I
~ ! I !
,,~
,
'1;1
il
~~ ~
~~~~,~~
~ ~~
\J ~~ '< 0
o 00 &.g ~
:q '"~ 8~ ~
D O~ ~S '"
r ~> C~ ,
", -r,.
o ^ ~C
~ .iJ E~ ~
o i!i.<; ~,~ r
E ~'" . m ,.
o ~ .. I
8 _~ ~ ~,
".
~ ~- -<
n~:? <>
3 !lei ~.
~~ '"
.
,
l~
I.
II
I~:
~ '
,
,
" .,
,
,-----.. :z: J'"'
. ,
.
! ,
"
,
"
.
,
~
.~"
~
--<>
-~, -f-J---
l!'
!~ "
"
-
"
,
"I:
:I~
0,
"~
>'
,
,
"
I';'
'l
,
,
.
l
,
,
.
j
,.
.,
~".
~'
,
,
~
~
,
,
'"
"
,
,
,
,
III
., "~ I~ ~
~ ~i'i c~ ~
~ 'ts 65 0
o Co ~c ~
~ ~(; ~~ >
o "'~ ~ ~
" ~~ 5<2 ~
~ ~~ -~ "
o ^~ "c >
~ "9 E~ .
~ e:;", ~.7 i!.
g ,>0 "m .
~ ~ m"
a .~ ~ ';'
~ ~~ ~
~ ~8
~ ~c
~ ~:;
o
1,1
"I
I
l~
,
I,
l~
"
,
"
,
,
.
!
,
.
. ,
, .
,
I~:
~
"
,
=:;:;z::
,
!
"
~ i
I,'
"
,
"
,
:~I ,
I
I ,
! I ,
"
c'
, .,
, ~l'
~
. .
I 0
I
, I
, I ,I
0
"s I;'
"
I
!~
I'
I!
,
,~
!~:
,
, ,
,
i,
~:Z:::J
,
"
"
0,
,
,
,
- ~~ Jj~ ~
" ~~ o~ "
g ~~ <'1& ~
i':l 5l@ ~;; ~
~ m~ '"
o 0_ ~ ~
,. ~' 5S ~
> >" ~ ."
/; n ~~ >
, ,2 ~z ~
~ < z_ ~
<? <;;8 _~ "
~ ~ ~ T
m "~ "'
" N9! ~ ""
. .
, "
"
n nc
"i ~5
'''\
L.
__"'-'>P
, ,
. ,
, ,
!
"
0
,
,
!
,
~
o
,
,