HomeMy WebLinkAboutCity Council - 05/08/1975 I•.T: UIf El C
EDP: PRzZPTE CITY COUi1CIL
T'r.URSDAY, T"_AY 8, 1975 7:30 PI.1, CITY HALL
COUNCIL ri 1"BERS PRESENT : Mayor D. V. . Osterholt
Joan Meyers
Sidney Pauly
Wolfgang Penzel
PARK/REC. COT-241. M1;1,iBE RS PRESENT: Richard Anderson
Paul Choini ere
William Garens
Jerry Kingrey
Wolfgang Penzel
Mary Upton -
COUNCIL STAFF PRESENT: City Manager Ulstad
Finance Director - John
Frane
Director of Community
K Services -- Marty Jessen
Recording Secy.-Belinda Vee
I . CAPITAL I1,;PR0V#31 I-.TS PROGRAM
1•1r. Jessen briefly highl-_ghted the five reports he submitted
concerning the program as follows: (1) Swiriming Pools,
( 2) Staging of Capital Improvements, 0 ) Park Bond Issue
Funding , (4) Process to Referendum Date, and ( 5) Referendum
Form. ( The reports were all dated MAay 7, 1975) .
Jessen explained the attemot to develop a bond issue that
would be amassed as it would be difficult to provide needed
services without it and it v.ould be difficult to na_ss one
at a later date if the proposed issue railed.
Jessen tried to summarize the kind of comments he had received
from Eden Prairie residents and stated it seemed if a pool -was
included a 1-question bond issue would be best , othen-iise a
2-nuestion bond issue would be favored-.
Choiniere - the expenditures for operation of the Brooklyn
Center pool seemed high. Jessen explained cost allocation.
Anderson - on June 29, 1975, Minnesota Park & Rec. Com.*aission
is planning a tour of various facilities in the area.
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I . CAPITAL PR0GRAT14 ( Cont d .
I'layor Osterholt suggested picking a dollar figure and then
having a "straw ballot" available so peoole could choose
their priorities. s
Kingrey - questioned pool in demand in Eden Prairie and
stated should be part of school bond issue.
Penzel - have not received any commitment from School District
and stated there is a difference between school and community e
swimming pools. t
Anderson - pool in Bloomington services 90,000 people, Eden
Prairie has only 9,000. maximum use is question.
Choiniere - best idea would be to build pool next to school
to be built on Round Lake site .
Garens - swimming pool would bring bond issue up to high, can
we afford this with our low population base .
Anderson - how to get maximum use of a pool and uho uses it.
Pool with a school would be in lieu of a gym and •,,ae should.
look at that type of approach.
Yjavor Csterholt - some people prefer outdoor pool. Would it
be possible to have less "grandiose" type of -000l to save
money. Jesse: -yes, it is possible .
Bruce Brill - cuestioned cost of $30 a year on a S40,000
home . If this is figured on growth - how many .people will
be here in ten years. Mayor Csterholt - figured on assessed
value . Penzel - growth estimated at 6-;'j,'. Brill stated he
was concerned the assessment Would ,go up as Eden Prairie is
not growing.
Pederson - prediction of T:etro Council that there will be
19, 500 people in Eden Prairie by 1980.
Frane - assessed valuation in 1970 was $19,600,000 and in
the year 1975, it is $52 ,600,000.
0D?_eim - supply and demand dictates land value . Industry
has indicated interest in Eden ,Prairie and land value is
higher here than in many nearby comrmunities.
C
I . CnPITAL I1._PPOi'E�-`-;dTS PROG14,=. ( Contd . )
Choiniere - prior to 1968, people in Eden Prairie were
interested in providing neighborhood parks, open space as well
as some development, however, there has been an influx of people
that require facilities . Eden Prairie has not been able to keep up
with need. Stated preliminary study was done a year ago and they,
determined priorities. - Swimming pool and ice facilities are separate
from the priorities of open space, bikeway/hikeway, etc.
Kevers - we have a once-in-a-lifetime chance to get land
and we should try to get get while we can.
i ayor Osterholt - we should come forth with strong policy
for land donations. Also, questioned whether we needed
as r.:anv tennis courts as reco.runended, if they needed to
be lighted and if the landscaping and grading could be
done for a lot less. Jessen - have tried to save money
on grading in past and problems it caused was not North
the savings realized. Also, all costs listed are estimates.
Kingrey - what are chances of passing bond issue that would
be staged over a 5-year period. Osterholt - against 5-year
issue , 2-year - ould be better. Lae should know in a year
what school district will be doing. Kingrey - could it be
Ca 2-issue referendum?
Carolyn Lingdahl - the following recommendations were
approved by the League ofUomen Voters at their meeting
on• *:arch 31, 1975 :
1 . Establishnent of objective criteria for determining park
development needs .
2 . The minimal development of neighborhood park-playgrounds.
3 . Further development of the community park-playgrounds:
Prairie Viet, Forest Hills and Round Lake.
4 . Continued acquisition of unioue areas for community parks ,
in accordance with the 1968 Guide Plan.
5 . The implementation of the Hikeway-Bikeway system as set
forth in the Hikeway-Bikeway Task Force Report .
6. Extensive cooperation between the City of Eden Prairie
and School -District 272 for development, use and main-
tenance of jointly-owned recreations facilities.
I,r. Grill - if you put everything in one package, people who
do not support a portion of it, will vote against the bond
issue .
L4
t -1975
Z . CAPITAL Ii`. ROV-E-11EyTS PROGRAT: (Cont d.0
Anderson read from the 1�jarch 31, 1975 Park & Rec. Commission
minutes to the Council so they would understand how the Park &
Rec. Commission stood on this issue . He stated the Commission
voted 7 to 1 in favor of bond issue .
Jackie Hagen - would support an indoor pool and does not want
to wait for School District to decide if they wish to build a
pool in the proposed new school.
Louise Kenny- stated swimming pool is good therapy and it
could be used by everyone .
John Olson - benefits of pool very important - thinks it is
a must. Thinks an outdoor pool would be a mistake .
Penzel -- would like to hear from the various athletic organiz-
ations as to whether they would support bond issue and if they
would help to inform the residents of the issue.
John Smedley, Hockey Assoc . -- are willing to make commitment
in favor of bond issue and stated they have 200 adult members
who will be vrillino to work for the passage of the bond issue.
Don Opheim - comprehensive approach would be best for Eden Prairie
as it would serve all needs and would have best chance of success .
Kingrey - EPAA is on record with Council of totally supporting
a referendum.
Penzel - Council should direct our staff and School District
Staff to develop some information for usage of such a facility
for our joint meeting of Play 29, 1975 .
Osterholt - matter should be on agenda for May 27, -1975 meeting .
14eeting adjourned at 9:40 PM.