Parks Commission Minutes 03-24-2005
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Parks Commission Minutes - 3/24/05
MINUTES
PARKS COMMISSION
March 24, 2005 - 4:30 p.m.
West Prairie Room
"To enhance community pride through developing and
maintaining city parks with a high standard of quality."
Members Present:
Larry Nolan, Fran Fair, Nancy McCaffrey, Council Liaison, Tom Perrault
Members Absent:
Ben Hitter, Rick Traver
Others Present:
Adam Hawkinson, Park Superintendent; Jeff O'Neill, Assistant City Manager;
Gary Revnig, High School Baseball Coach; and Hidden Forest/Sunset Ridge
representatives Rick Lewandowski, Denny Muyres (Edina Development Corp),
Mark Woolston, (Sunset Ridge) Jon Bogart Bogart, Pederson & Assoc, lnc),
Sherry Buss (Landscaper) & John Smythe (Wetland specialist)..
1. Call to Order.
Chairman Larry Nolan called the meeting to order at 4:30 p.m. and declared a quorum
present.
2.
Approve minutes of February 24. 2005 ree;ular Parks Commission meetine;.
NANCY MCCAFFREY MOVED TO APPROVE THE MINUTES OF THE FEBRUARY 24,
2005 REGULAR MEETING WITH A CORRECTION ON PAGE 2 THAT BLACK CAPS
WERE SELECTED FOR THE FENCE. THERE NOT BEING ANOTHER COMMISSION
MEMBER PRESENT WHO ATTENDED THE FEBRUARY 24, 2005 MEETING, ADAM
HAWKINSON CONFRIMED. CHAIRMAN NOLAN WILL CONFIRM THE COLOR
SELECTION WITH ABSENT COMMISSIONERS RICK TRAVER OR BEN HITTER.
THERE WAS NO SECOND TO THE MOTION AS NO OTHER MEMBERS WHO
ATTENDED THE FEBRUARY 24TH MEETING WERE PRESENT.
3. Consideration of addine; items to the ae;enda.
Fran Fair added to the agenda discussion a request from the Wright County Horticultural
Society to place Bridge Park East on it's annual garden tour in July.
4.
Citizens comments and reQuests.
Acting as spokesperson for the Monticello High School Baseball coaching staff, Legion and
VFW, baseball coach Gary Revnig has agreed to lead fundraising to purchase lighting for the
high school baseball fields at the cost of $80,000. This would provide another much needed
ball field for the community. All labor is to be donated by local electricians and Xcel Energy
employees. The cost would be $130,000 if Musco Lighting does all the work. The goal is to
finance $50,000 over 4 or 5 years. The current proposal is that $70,000 would be financed
over 7 years with payments of $12,000 a year. The School Board would like to see the term on
the loan as short as possible by making a large down payment. Funds have been donated by
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Parks Commission Minutes - 3/24/05
the Legion and VFW, with additional dollars coming from signs on the field, admission
charged at the 16 team VFW Tournament, as well as a possible Legion Tournament to help
fund this project. To date, Gary Revnig has raised $20,000 and is asking the Parks
Commission to make a recommendation to the City Council to donate $5,000 to $10,000 to
lighting the baseball field.
Discussion included attempting to get additional vendor bids, parking issues, increased traffic
and commercial value of the land once the interchange is completed, and the no alcohol on
school property policy. Adam Hawkinson stated that while the $5,000 request is not out of
line, there is a contract with the Pole Cats to play on the City ballfields which would have to
be reviewed.
FRAN FAIR MOVED TO RECOMMEND TO THE COUNCIL THAT THE CITY MAKE A
DONATION OF $5,000 FROM THE GENERAL FUNDS TO PURCHASE LIGHTS FOR
THE HIGH SCHOOL BASEBALL FIELDS, CONTINGENT THAT A MUTUALL Y
AGREEABLE SOLUTION CAN BE MADE WITH THE POLE CAT CONTRACT.
NANCY MCCAFFREY SECONDED THE MOTION. MOTION CARRIED
UNANIMOUSL Y.
5.
Review development plan - Hidden Forest/Sunset Ride;e.
Rick Lewandowski and Denny Muyres of Edina Development Corporation, representing
Hidden Forest, and Mark Woolston, representing Sunset Ridge, reviewed two park concept
plans for an approximately 47 acres wetland park that would include the area of County Ditch
33 located at the east end of Monticello. Wanting input and guidance from the Parks
Commission, and assuming wetland restoration grant money is obtained, Rick Lewandowski
distributed photos of the current Ditch 33 site and then described two concept maps. One
concept has several smaller ponds, surrounded almost entirely by a pathway, with a boardwalk
crossing wetlands on the north end, near a neighborhood park, the other concept has one 20-
acre lake running the length of the wetland, surrounded by walking trail, boardwalk with an
overlook, also located near a neighborhood park. Wetland specialist, John Smythe, provided
photos ofthe types of wetland plants that will be planted. Jon Bogart, Bogart, Pederson &
Associates, discussed how the new outlet for County Ditch 33 would benefit lands
downstream, and the need to have a slope around the lake so as not to impact housing lots.
There was discussion regarding the depth of the lake which will destroy undesirable plants so
new wetland plants can be planted. According to Rick Lewandowski, an estimated timeline is
to have discussions with City engineer, staff and Council, obtain restoration grants, get a good
plan and complete in year two. Fran Fair suggested that the wetland park be started before and
clearly included in the marketing ofthe housing project.
Landscaper Sherry Buss described the proposed pathway and neighborhood park. The wood
chip or asphalt trail is approximately 2/3 of a mile long and include benches, overlooks and an
elevated boardwalk. The boardwalk will be supported by metal posts on wide footings. Sherry
Buss reviewed concept maps of two neighborhood park layouts. The park is approximately 1.5
acres and located on the north end ofthe wetland, has the nicest view, includes access on two
sides as well as a parking lot, picnic shelter, a basketball court and two play areas. She also
provided a handout with photo details of suggested playground features. Torn Perrault asked
Parks Commission Minutes. 3/24/05
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whether it would be better to locate the park more to the southeast but that location would not
provide the required twosided access necessary.
Parks Commission thanked the Hidden Forest and Sunset Ridge representatives for their in-
depth presentation. The Parks Commission recommends the one lake version of the wetland
vs having several small ponds and that the pathway be asphalt vs woodchips. The preferred
neighborhood park concept is the one with the circular play areas in the center with the
parking entrance on the east side, off the less busy road. A recommendation was made to have
an additional shelter and/or overlook on the wetland side of the park to take advantage ofthe
view. Finally, it was suggested that the "stinger" play feature be replaced with a "digger".
6.
Jefferson Concept Plan Review
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Jeff O'Neill reviewed the concept plan for Silver Springs Golf Course renovation, now called
Jefferson of Monticello, which will go before the City Council at the second meeting in April.
There will be a planning meeting at 3 PM, Monday, April 4, prior to the public hearing. This
is only a beginning, lots of changes are expected to be made. The golf course will be reduced
from 36 to 18 holes. Park space and a trail system needs to be considered. Consideration
should be given to building trails into Otter Creek area. Should the wetlands be considered as
parks and/or trails? Park dedication dollars in this high density area should be very high, and
could build a fund to pay for a good share ofthe sports facility located near the 1-94
Interchange at Orchard A venue. Jefferson Parkway will run the length of the development.
There most likely will be a mix of private and public funds for road maintenance.
7.
YMCA Development
The YMCA is considering selling property on Long and Bertram Lakes. There are discussions
about preserving the area as a potential regional park.
8. Poplar Hills
There is no change to report: 300 apartments and 400 housing units, three fields, two junior
fields are proposed. Pathway meets standards.
9. Park Maintenance
Adam Hawkinson submitted a list of the work completed. He reported 437 trees have been
ordered for the tree planting date of Saturday, April 23. Requests have been received from
two-thirds ofletter responders.
10. Adiourn
FRAN FAIR MOVED TO AJOURN. NANCY MCCAFFREY SECONDED THE MOTION.
MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSL Y.
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