Loading...
Parks Commission Minutes 03-23-2006 Parks Commission Minutes: 3/23/06 MINUTES MONTICELLO PARKS COMMISSION - REGULAR MEETING Thursday, March 23, 2006 - 4:30 p.m. "To enhance community pride through developing and maintaining city parks with a high standard of quality." Members Present: Ben Hitter, Nancy McCaffrey, Larry Nolan and Council Liaison, Tom Perrault. Members Absent: Fran Fair and Rick Traver Others Present: Public Works Director, John Simola; Interim Parks Superintendent, Tom Pawelk, Park Department staff, Tom Grossnickle and Deputy City Administrator, Jeff 0 'Neill.. 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 March 2, 2006 re2ular Parks Commission meetin2. NANCY MCCAFFREY MOVED TO APPROVE THE MINUTES OF THE MARCH 2, 2006 REGULAR PARKS COMMISSION MEETING. BEN HITTER SECONDED THE MOTION. MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY. 3. Consideration of addin2 items. Public Works Director, John Simola had information about an individual who was interested in doing some plantings for Riverside Cemetery. 4. Citizens comments and reauests. None. 5. Walk N Roll Participation. Walk N Roll will be held on June 10,2006. Park Commission members will check their schedule for that date and ifthere are enough members who would be available to work that day, the Parks Commission would participate. Park Commission members need to let Larry Nolan know if they would be available that day 6. Hidden ForestlNiau:ara Falls Development. The Parks Commission was informed that area of wetland in the development will not contain open water but will end up being more of a marsh area. The pond area will be two feet less in elevation than was originally proposed and will not sustain open water. The preliminary plat will be coming before the City Council for approval. The Parks Commission needs to determine if the amenity of a trail around a marsh area instead of an open water area is acceptable to the Commission. 1 Parks Commission Minutes: 3/23/06 Nancy McCaffrey asked about management control practices governing marsh lands. This land is an outlot which will be deeded to the City for ponding purposes. The Parks Commission discussed the actual acreage of the park which appears to be about 4 acres. The Parks Commission questioned whether the pathway around the marsh and the boardwalks are still in the developer's plan. The Parks Commission felt this was an important item and that what was constructed was of good quality. The Parks Commission also requested more detail on the park at the end of the marsh area. They also wanted accurate information on the number of acres in the development and the amount of land allotted for park. Nancy McCaffrey asked how often the City would expect to get the rain event the ponding area was designed for. Staff did not know what this ponding area was designed for. The Parks Commission indicated they were not averse to having the marsh area instead of open water if the project was constructed well and included appropriate plantings along the edge of the marsh. The Parks Commission also wanted to see the final configuration of the park site. Tom Perrault asked if there would be a problem with the bituminous trail because of the low ground. Staff indicated that the trail was proposed to be located outside the low area. The Parks Commission noted that in the original plan it showed an overlook but the latest version did not show that. Nancy McCaffrey asked if there was enough space allowed for parking. Originally parking was shown in the area of the power line easement but that has been removed. The Parks Commission felt the lot could be expanded by one lot and that there needs to be sufficient parking spaces. They also want confirmation of exactly what is going into the park. As far as the trail and boardwalk, Tom Pawelk noted that Lake Maria has that type of set up as does Elm Creek. Park staff will determine specifications for the trail and boardwalks. The question of mosquito control was raised and what action could be taken to reduce that problem. Tom Pawelk stated he had met with Jay Weber regarding the equipment that was going into the play area and the equipment being proposed was very basic and nothing outstanding. 7. Poplar Hills Park. This project is not going forward for economic reasons. The property owner is looking for another developer to take over the development. The park area in this proposed development was primarily going to be used for soccer/ballfield development and this will not happen since the project has been put on hold. 8. YMCA Property. Larry Nolan reported on a meeting held with Wright County staff and YMCA representatives regarding the sale of the YMCA property which approximately 1100 acres. The City is trying to get a cooperative venture with Wright County to acquire this land and develop it as park. Larry Nolan submitted some maps of the property prepared by the YMCA. Wright County in their plan for the park had an area designated for soccer/ballfield use. John Simola noted this area is adjacent to the land the City spreads sludge on and if the YMCA land is developer for park the City would have to increase the buffer area between the two uses. The County's plan also includes a boat launch and campsites but otherwise the area would remain fairly primitive. Tom Perrault asked if 2 Parks Commission Minutes: 3/23/06 the YMCA was going to keep any of the land. Staff indicated that they would probably only keep the area of their day camp. The Parks Commission discussed the lakes in the area and other natural features. Wright County would like to keep the land in a natural state as much as possible. It was pointed out that the alignment of School Boulevard would run through the YMCA property, possibly along the edge of the property. Based on an appraisal done by the YMCA they are looking at a price of$34.5 million. It was noted that a workshop on the YMCA property is being scheduled for April 10, 2006. It was also brought up that Wright County is having a bill introduced at the legislature to get funding for this proj ect. As far as the ballfields being located on the property, a site would have to identified that would be suitable for ballfield use. Staff emphasized that this is just in the beginning stages of discussion and a great deal of work has to be done in order to make it happen. In general the Parks Commission was in favor of the project and the goal of keeping the area pristine. Tom Pawelk indicated he had a document that provided background on how the YMCA acquired the land. The Parks Commission felt that since Tom Pawelk grew up in the area and had good knowledge ofthe site, he would be valuable resource person. 9. RollinlZs/Ruff Concevt Plan Review. Staff report on the proposed development for the site that was formerly Ruffs Auto Salvage. Although no park is identified in the plan there is open or green space for the development and park dedication fee of$3,500 per unit will be paid to the City. The development consists of attached and detached townhomes and some single family homes on small lots. The development contains approximately 100 residential units. The Parks Commission will see the plan when it comes to development stage PUD approval. 10. Park Suverintendent Position. John Simola reported that the Personnel Committee had selected Seth Nelson for the position. John Simola provided some background information on the new Park Superintendent who will be starting the first part of April. Staff is also discussing the creation of a Park Foreman position. 11. Park Maintenance. Tom Pawelk indicated that the Parks Department has attended training to get re-certification for tree inspector license and briefly summarized other work that the department has completed. 12. Cemetery PlantinlZs. John Simola reported he had talked with Jo Havel who was on the original Cemetery Committee. She is encouraging the Parks Commission to keep going forward with the goals set by the Cemetery Committee. The City will be putting in new roads and a 6 foot concrete sidewalk this year. New fencing for the cemetery was selected last year but the prices will have to updated. The surveyor indicated that the brickwork at the cemetery actually lies within the street right-of-way as does the cement shed. 3 Parks Commission Minutes: 3/23/06 Jo Havel is interested in donating funds for some plantings. Originally it was thought that plantings would be in lieu of the fence. If the fence goes in, they would be looking at alternate planting sites. Park staff would come up with a landscape plan and this would be presented to Jo Havel. Larry Nolan felt the east side of the cemetery needs to be better defined. Tom Pawelk said the area by the flagpole needs to be dressed up as well. The landscape plan will cover these areas and will be a plan that can be done increments as funds are available. The Parks Commission will meet at the cemetery once the snow is gone and see what the needs are. Tom Grossnickle indicated that if the fence is installed the base of it should be elevated to allow greater ease in maintenance work such as weed whipping and clearing around it. The Parks Commission needs to discuss what happens once Riverside Cemetery is filled. This item will be on the next parks agenda. 13. Adiourn. NANCY MCCAFFREY MOVED TO ADJOURN AT 5:50. BEN HITTER SECONDED THE MOTION. MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY. r" (\)Q..U)Y, ~0'S'S,....A~ Q Recording Secretary (J - 4