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HomeMy WebLinkAboutParks and Recreation - 01/05/1987 ai 1987 JANUARY S MINUTES CITY OF EDEN PRAIRIE AGENDA EDEN PRAIRIE PARKS, RECREATION AND NATURAL RESOURCES COMMISSION MONDAY, JANUARY 5, 1987 7:30 P.M. SCHOOL ADMINISTRATION BUILDING - BOARD ROOM COMMISSION MEMBERS: Pat Breitenstein, chairperson; Raiford Baker, Moe Cook, Gary Gonyea, Karon Joyer, Brian Mikkelson, Charles Shaw COMMISSION STAFF: Bob Lambert, Director of Community Services 7:30 I. ROLL CALL II. APPROVAL OF AGENDA III. APPROVAL OF MINUTES - DECEMBER 15, 1986 w IV. PETITIONS, REQUESTS AND COMMUNICATIONS 7:35 A. Letter from Dennis Hansen, County Engineer Re: County Road 4 Bike/Pedestrian Trail Funding B. Red Cross CPR Training at Community Center V. REPORTS OF COMMISSIONERS, BOARDS AND STAFF C. 7:40 A. Reports of Athletic Coordinator 1. Men's Broomball - 1986 Season Ending Report 2. Adult Softball - 1986 Season Ending Report 7:42 B. City Council Report VI. OLD BUSINESS 7:45 A. Park Bond Referendum Committee Report 8:30 B. Officially Naming Parks & Facilities (_continue from December 15, 1986 VII. NEW BUSINESS None 9:00 VIII. ADJOURNMENT r APPROVED MINUTES ( EDEN PRAIRIE PARKS, RECREATION AND NATURAL RESOURCES COMMISSION Monday, January 5, 1987 7:30 p.m. , School Board Room COMMISSION MEMBERS PRESENT: Pat Breitenstein, chairperson; Bud Baker, Moe Cook, Gary Gonyea, Karon Joyer, Brian Mikkelson, Charles Shaw COMMISSION MEMBERS ABSENT: None COMMISSION STAFF: Bob Lambert, Director of Community Services OTHERS PRESENT: Rick Bollinske, Superintendent of Recreation; Lori Helling, Athletic Coordinator I. ROLL CALL The meeting was called to order at 7:30 p.m. by chairperson, Pat Breitenstein. II. APPROVAL OF AGENDA Lambert added A. Cross Country Ski Trails under VII. New Business. ( Mikkelson added B. Off Road Vehicle Safety under VII. New Business. MOTION: Mikkelson moved to approve the agenda as amended. Cook secon ed the motion and it passed 7-0. III. APPROVAL OF MINUTES - DECEMBER 15, 1986 Cook referred to the motion on Page 5 under VII. The motion will be changed to read ".. .and other parks are named after the park access street." MOTION: Cook moved to approve the minutes as amended. Joyer seconded t-Fe motion and it passed 7-0. IV. PETITIONS, REQUESTS AND COMMUNICATIONS A. Letter from Dennis Hansen County Engineer Re: County Road 4 B ce Pe estr an Trail Funding Refer to letter dated December 12, 1986 from Dennis Hansen. i This is an information item only. It is to inform the Commission that the application for county road bike trail grants was cut from the 1987 budget, but it will be added to the 1988 budget. I - APPROVED MINUTES EDEN PRAIRIE PARKS, RECREATION AND NATURAL RESOURCES COMMISSION Jan. 5, 1987 -2- .B. Red Cross CPR Training at Community Center Refer to letter dated December 4, 1986 from Joy Eastman, Program Coordinator, South Branch of American Red Cross. This is an information item only. Staff is allowing use of the Community Center to the Red Cross at no charge. V. REPORTS OF COMMISSIONERS, BOARDS AND STAFF A. Reports of Athletic Coordinator 1. Men's Broomball - 1986 Season Ending Report 2. Adult Softball - 1986 Season Ending Report These are information items only. Lambert requested that the Commission accept these reports. MOTION: A motion was made by Baker to recommend acceptance of the AtA TI-e�c Coordinator's reports. Gonyea seconded the motion and it ( passed 7-0. F. City Council Meeting Report There was no report. VI. OLD BUSINESS A. Park Bond Referendum Committee Report Refer to memos dated December 31, 1986 and January 2, 1987 from Bob Lambert, Director of Community Services. Lambert said that this would be a summary report from the Bond Referendum Committee. There is a meeting scheduled for January 15 with the City Council and Parks and Recreation Commission to further discuss these recommendations. Lambert introduced the co-chairmen of the committee Paul Salentine and Pat Richard. Paul has been a resident of Eden Prairie for many years, has grown children and is still involved with softball. Pat has been an Eden Prairie resident for less than two years and has two pre-school age children. Other members of the committee were also present at the meeting. Pat said that he asked to serve on the committee since he is very impressed with the Eden Prairie parks system and the many activities associated with them and feels they are a vital part of APPROVED MINUTES EDEN PRAIRIE PARKS, RECREATION AND NATURAL RESOURCES COMMISSION Jan. 5, 1987 -3- the community. Pat reviewed the process up to this point which has been that the committee was appointed by the City Council in August and is made up of citizens at large and representatives of the athletic associations along with City staff. The committee started meeting in September and began by reviewing the information from the City Needs Study Committee in 1985. Their decisions were based on the growth of the community at large and the growth of the various athletic associations. Pat indicated that one of his major interests is the child play center at the community center where he could leave his children while he is using the facilities. The committee has developed a program for an addition to the Community Center and development at Miller Park and have been meeting at least every other week for the past four months. The original committee recommendation was for a $7.9 million bond referendum, but with suggestions to include a running track and multi-purpose room at the Community Center along with improvements to Prairie East Park, this increased the amount of the referendum to $8.4 million. This would still require commitment of $730,000 from cash park fees. C Pat said that four neighborhood meetings were held in different i areas of the City. He felt the meetings were positive and the committee received much helpful information. The consensus of these meetings was that some items originally discussed for the I bond referendum should not have been removed and others should not have been included. The items that were felt should be included are the running track and multi purpose aerobics room at the Community Center. The meeting at the Preserve had persistent discussion regarding d Preserve East Park. It was suggested that improvements to this 1 park be included in the bond referendum. 1111 The committee discussed the $8.4 million referendum or leaving it at $7.9 million which would increase the commitment from cash park ;I fees to $1,230,000. They had some concern over raising the amount of the referendum, but if the Parks and Recreation Commission and the City Council feel comfortable with doing this, the Park Bond { Referendum Committee has already unanimously agreed to the $8.4 million amount. Pat introduced Mr. Wally Daniels, architect from Setter, Leach and Lindstrom. Showing both interior and exterior plans for the expansion, Daniels said that the addition to the Community Center will add 13 or 14 different facilities to the center. Most of the expansion will be to the west of the existing facility with a small portion to the front. There will also be an adjustment of vehicle ' ( circulation in the parking lot. The lobby will be about twice the I' APPROVED MINUTES EDEN PRAIRIE PARKS, RECREATION AND NATURAL RESOURCES COMMISSION Jan. 5, 1987 -4- size as the existing one and the addition will include two gymnasiums, adult locker room, child play center, an expanded fitness center, second arena to be used for skating from November to February and for dry floor events from March through October, indoor running track and multi-purpose/aerobics room. The exterior of the building will be brick clad in a veneer color with a contrasting brick base. Paul Salentine introduced Mr. George Watson from Brauer and Associates. Watson showed the proposed development at Miller Park. Watson said the parlc plan has changed slightly from the original plan. He reviewed the changes which are the difference in size in the youth baseball fields and the addition of a lighted Babe Ruth field along with the omission of an indoor air structure for soccer " practice. Major access to the park would be from two points: County Road 4 and a south frontage road off the future Hwy. 212 and a possible future connection to Dell Road. The plan includes four combination Little League, baseball and youth softball fields, two Little League baseball fields, one lighted Babe Ruth baseball field, six soccer/softball fields (two of which will be lighted). There will also be parking for 637 cars and a totlot, a public boat access to Mitchell Lake, four tennis courts, 20 acres of picnic grounds and a picnic shelter. Watson pointed out the location of a proposed pedestrian underpass and reviewed individual costs for Phase 1 development. Lambert reviewed improvements that would be done at neighborhood parks and included in the referendum. A park shelter and skating rink will be added at Preserve Park. The skating rink will be in a different location than the original one and the park shelter will be new. Prairie East will be upgraded with a parking lot, construction of a park shelter, expansion of playground equipment and improved ballfield at a cost of approximately $60,000. The construction of a park shelter, warming house, hockey and skating rink will be added at Red Rock Park. Bike trails will be completed on County Road 4 north of Round Lake to Birch Island Park and along County Road 1 from Homeward Hills Road, east to Franlo Road and from Dell Road west to Riley Lake Park. The trail system adjacent to Hidden Ponds Park from Valley View Road and along the old railroad bed southwest of Dell Road to 101 will be completed. Approximate cost of these trails will be $200,000. The City will also acquire the major access to the Purgatory Creek Recreation Area at an estimated cost of $250,000 and the acquisition of approximately 30 acres in the southwest portion of the City for a softball field complex and first phase development including grading and seeding for five softball fields. I r; I APPROVED MINUTES EDEN PRAIRIE PARKS, RECREATION AND NATURAL RESOURCES COMMISSION Jan. 5, 1987 -5- Paul Salentine reviewed the four recommendations of the Park Bond j Referendum Committee. Their recommendations are: a single question referendum on Thursday, March 18, 1987; that the Parks and Recreation Commission and City Council commit to schedule open gym time reserved during prime time; that the concept plan for future expansion of Preserve East Park is approved and that if the referendum is approved, it will include pp , paving of parking lots and park roads in Miller Park and the addition of three racquetball courts at the Community Center as deduct alternates so they can be completed if the City were to obtain favorable bids. Shaw asked what is being done about the problems at the Community Center. Lambert said they are trying to determine which percentage is the contractor's responsibility and which percentage is the architect's responsibility. The decision will then be brought before an arbitration board which is approximately a two month wait. The parties can then either accept the board's decision or appear in court. Lambert said it is hoped that a decision will be reached before the addition is built, as staff agrees that the final solution for the water problems at the Community Center is to add a brick face on the outside of the building. It is recommended that this brick color coordinate with that which is on the high school since future plans indicate these two buildings will be joined. Shaw asked if there could be some potential additional cost involved if all the costs for repair are not collected. Lambert said not all the money is expected to be received and the remainder would have to come out of City funds. Cook asked for a comparison between the size of the locker room in the new addition to the existing locker room. Daniels said the existing locker room is one-half size for 70 people and the new one would be twice the size or able to accommodate 150 people. Baker asked if landscaping and signage at the Community Center will change. Daniels said there will be some changes in the front entry, but signage has not been addressed. Baker said that since the upper level structure has a view of the new rink, he asked if it would be possible to have a small viewing area with seating for the existing rink. Daniels said it would be seriously limited because only intermittent viewing areas could be added because of the existing wall. Baker asked if the team rooms would be changed in size and location. Daniels said they will be double in size. Baker asked if there will be a dry floor in the swimming area. ( Daniels said no modifications have been addressed, but the new addition will have both a wet side and a dry side. 1 APPROVED MINUTES C EDEN PRAIRIE PARKS, RECREATION AND NATURAL RES0URCES COMMISSION Jan. 5, 1987 -6- Lambert noted that the new locker room will be for adults only and the existing locker room will be for those age 17 and younger. Cook asked if the construction of the new addition will disrupt activity at the present facility. Daniels said that relocating electric service will shut down the facility for a short time; however, construction on the west side will be done first and the front door entry can be relocated for a short time. Cook asked for a review of the running track. Daniels said the track will be basically a balcony along the upper gymnasium. He showed its location on the plan. Joyer asked how many people can be accommodated in the aerobics room. Daniels said approximately 60. ,y Joyer said she assumes lighting the tennis courts at Miller Park will be included in the first phase of development. Lambert said Eden Prairie has 25 courts in the City, none of which are lit and he does not recommend lighting any at this time. Gonyea asked if the North Stars improvements to the Community Center would be moved or changed. Daniels said they will remain the same as they are now. Shaw referred to the amount of money for earthwork at Miller Park and asked if most of this is being done to hide the fields. Watson said that is not the reason, but that it is actually needed to develop the park. He added that the storm sewer is also a large item; however, they will be unable to get good surface drainage with so many facilities located so close together without using a storm sewer. Shaw asked if there will be room for future expansion at Miller Park. Lambert pointed out the area on the plan where expansion would be possible; however, the expansion area will be passive area. Mikkelson asked about the weight room at the Community Center. Daniels said it will be moved to a different location and the floor size will remain the same. I z Mikkelson asked Rick Bollinske if he felt the weight room would be used more if there was new equipment. Bollinske said he felt it would be. Mikkelson said perhaps some thought should be given to enlarging the room if necessary. Daniels pointed out the area on the floor plan that could be used for expansion of the weight room. Mikkelson asked how additional weight equipment would be paid for. ; Lambert said that a figure of $50,000 was set aside for miscellaneous equipment, but it is rather early to tell since there could be some donations of equipment, etc. The new equipment would possibly have to be phased in. APPROVED MINUTES C EDEN PRAIRIE PARKS, RECREATION AND NATURAL RESOURCES COMMISSION Jan. 5, 1987 _7- Shaw asked if there will be any great pressure to go above the $7.9 million referendum. Lambert said the entire building process would probably last three yel:rs, but he would be uncomfortable with increasing the referendum amount since the $7.9 million figure has been discussed for such a long time. Lambert added that he does not foresee any problem with increasing the commitment from cash park fees. MOTION: }faker moved to recommend approval of a single question referendum on March 19, 1987 which will be stated as follows: "Shall the City of Eden Prairie issue and sell its general obligation funds in an amount not exceeding $7.9 million to provide funds for the acquisition and development of land, buildings and facilities for its program of public recreation?" Shaw seconded the motion and it passed 7-0. MOTION: Gonyea moved to recommend committing to regularly scie u ed open gym time reserved during prime time. Joyer seconded the motion. On call for discussion, Cook asked if this would include open ice time as well. Lambert said that this has already been established. The motion passed 7-0. MOTION: Cook moved to recommend the approval of a concept plan for uture expansion of Prairie East Park in order to upgrade that park to the standards of other neighborhood parks in the community. Mikkelson seconded the motion and it passed 7-0. MOTION: Joyer moved to recommend that if the referendum is approved, it will include the paving of the parking lots and park roads in Miller Park and the addition of three racquetball courts at the Community Center as deduct alternates so these facilities have the possibility of being completed if the City were to obtain favorable bids that would allow the completion of these projects within the proposed budget. Baker seconded the motion and it passed 7-0. B. Officially Naming Parks and Facilities Refer to memo dated December 11, 1986 from Bob Lambert, Director of Community Services. After discussion, it was decided to postpone the possible renaming of Red Rock Park and Prairie East Park until after the bond i referendum to avoid confusion. I I APPROVED MINUTES EDEN PRAIRIE PARKS, RECREATION AND NATURAL RESOURCES COMMISSION Jan. 5 1987 -8- VII. NEW BUSINESS A. Cross Country Ski Trail Lambert showed the proposed location of the ski trail within the Purgatory Creek Recreation Area. He suggested the process be started this year which would include getting the permission of at least 12 property owners. The City would accept liability for the trail and also assume maintenance responsibilities. , Cook asked if it would be possible to have a walking path in this area. Lambert said it would be difficult since the area is so swampy. Bollinske suggested that perhaps small groups could be brought to the areas in a class type situation in order to watch the geese, ducks and wildlife. r MOTION: A motion was made by Cook to recommend beginning the process of adding a cross country ski trail within the Purgatory J Creek Recreation Area. Joyer seconded the motion and it passed 7- !- 0. B. Off Road Vehicle Safety { Mikkelson said that he has spoken to Jim Clark who has had some complaints about people driving their snowmobiles over lawns. They S also discussed the article in the Sailor and felt there should also be an article in the Eden Prairie News. VIII. ADJOURNMENT MOTION: Shaw moved to adjourn the meeting at 9:35 .m. Baker seconded tTie motion and it p co ded passed 7-0. Respectfully submitted, 1 Lois Boettcher Recording Secretary u a l