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HomeMy WebLinkAboutParks and Recreation - 11/20/1989 ... ..,.r �.' .{ A �' � w7 . •� �. ............. .. ... .. ....... ... ..."S..0 i.-N.'..`4.�.1 ,.f..f'��. .....1 Y.Y.elbue.wM+c..c w �J.` 1989 NOVEMBER 65 2® MINUTES CITY OF EDEN PRAIRIE i . u AGENDA t . EDEN PRAIRIE PARKS, RECREATION AND NATURAL RESOURCES COMMISSION MONDAY, NOVEMBER 6, 1989 7:30 P.M. , CITY HALL 7600 EXECUTIVE DRIVE COMMISSION MEMBERS: Pat Breitenstein, chairperson; Raiford Baker, Moe Cook, Karon Joyer, Paul Karpinko, Brian Mikkelson, Pat Richard COMMISSION STAFF: Bob Lambert, Director of Parks, Recreation & Natural Resources 7:30 I. ROLL CALL II. APPROVAL OF AGENDA 7:35 III. APPROVAL OF MINUTES - OCTOBER 2, 1989 IV. PETITIONS, RE UESTS & COMMUNICATIONS None V. DEVELOPMENT PROPOSALS 7:40 1. Minnesota Vikings Proposal VI. OLD BUSINESS 8:00 A. Updated Appraisal of Jacques-_Property VII. NEW BUSINESS 8:05 A. Community Center Future Plans VIII. REPORTS OF COMMISSIONERS AND STAFF A. Reports of Landscape Architect 8: 30 1. Landscaping and Flower for Medians B. Reports of Manager of Recreation Services 8:50 1. Adaptive Recreation Program Update 9: 15 2. Youth Athletic Association Appreciation Dinner 9:20 3 . Season Ending Reports ( a. Leo Lewis Football Clinic - 1989 b. Doub]es Bocce Leacrue - 1989 c. Table Tennis - Summer 1989 League j 9:25 IX. REPORT OF CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS 1. Council. Meeting of October 3 and 17 1989 2. City Manager's Update October 6 and 27 . 1989 9:30 X. ADJOURNMENT V. l APPROVED MINUTES EDEN PRAIRIE PARKS, RECREATION AND NATURAL RESOURCES COMMISSION 1, Monday, November 6 , 1989 7:30 p.m. , City Hall COMMISSION MEMBERS PRESENT: Bud Baker, acting chairperson; Moe Cook, Karon Joyer, Paul Karpinko, Brian Mikkelson, Pat Richard COMMISSION MEMBERS ABSENT: Pat Breitenstein COMMISSION STAFF: Bob Lambert, Director of Parks, Recreation and Natural Resources; Barb Cross, Landscape Architect; Tom Eastman, Supervisor of Operations, Laurie Helling, Manager of Recreation Services; Lyndell Frey, Beth Timm, Adaptive Recreation Supervisor I. ROLL CALL The meeting was called to order at 7:30 p.m. by acting chairperson, Bud Baker. C II. APPROVAL OF AGENDA •a There were no changes or additions to the agenda. III. APPROVAL OF MINUTES - OCTOBER 2, 1989 MOTION: Cook moved to approve the minutes as printed. Joyer seconded the motion and it passed 5-0. IV. PETITIONS, REQUESTS AND COMMUNICATIONS None V. DEVELOPMENT PROPOSALS A. Minnesota Vikings Proposal Refer to memo dated November 2, 1989 from Barb Cross, Landscape Architect and staff report dated October 20, 1989 . Barb introduced Gary Tushie of Tushie Montgomery who are the architects and landscape architects for the project. l Mr. Tushie showed the existing facility which is located at the northwest corner of Washington Avenue and Viking Drive. There is wetland to the north and undeveloped land to the west. The proposal is for a new indoor practice facility which would be built into the hill using berming. .APPROVED MINUTES EDEN PRAIRIE PARKS, REC. & NATURAL RESOURCES COMM. Nov. 6, 1989 -2- To lessen the impact of the height of the building and to preserve exist'ing vegetation consisting mainly of softwood trees, 14 ' evergreens have been added. There is no existing vegetation along the north property line and because there are only softwood trees, the developer wants to stay consistent in this area. The proposal is for a full regulation size NFL football field which will be connected to the existing structure. The second floor will consist of meeting rooms, offices, a media room and a full kitchen and cafeteria for the players. Tushie showed the commission an elevation map and site line section map. Cross commented that the grading plan shows a 1-1 slope on the north and east side of the site. This is 250 ' in length and 12' high at its highest point. There is only one other slope like this in the City near Birch Island Park because of the right-of-way to the lake. They have had a number of washouts and the area requires a lot of maintenance. City code states that �._ slopes be no steeper than 3-1. If the commission feels that a 1-1 slope is acceptable, staff recommends the Engineering Department review the grading and drainage patterns around the building and recommend construction techniques to stabilize the soils. If the commission feels that a 1-1 slope is not acceptable, it is recommended that a retaining wall approved by the Building Department be used to keep the building where it is and to save existing trees. The building will require removal of 38% of the existing trees. This is above the average of 35% on most developments. In most cases, staff would require that the plan be altered, but since this is a unique plan because of the football field, staff recommends that 253 caliper inches of trees be replaced. The landscape ordinance must also be taken into consideration. City code requires plant material to be installed based on building square footage. This would require 900 caliper inches to be planted. Due to the growth in the plant materials planted with the initial development, a credit of 156 caliper inches was given bringing the requirement down to 744 caliper inches. The landscape plan shows 540 caliper inches of plant materials which is 204 caliper inches less than the City requires. .......... APPROVED MINUTES EDEN PRAIRIE PARKS, REC. & NATURAL RESOURCES COMM. Nov. 6, 1989 -3- Several years ago the City Council decided that a trail would be more desirable along Lake Smetana than along Viking Drive, therfore there will be no trail along Viking Drive. Cook asked where the 1-1 slope is located. Tushie showed its location. Karpinko asked what the danger is with a 1-1 slope. Cross said that there is a. good possibility of having washouts toward Washington Avenue. Baker asked why •the developer does not want to use a retaining wall. Tushie said there is a significant cost involved. Cook asked how the existing trees will be saved with a 1-1 slope. Cross said the slope is along the building. Mikkelson asked what the width is of the 1-1 slope. Lambert said it is 121 . Cook asked about the possibility of a 2-1 slope. Cross said this would require a 6 ' retaining wall where the slope is 12 ' high. Richard asked if a retaining wall would require the removal of trees. Tushie said no because the trees are at the bottom of the hill. Richard asked if trees could be planted on the hill to hold it. Tushie said that because the area is so small, trees could not be planted on the hill. Richard said he feels that a lot of concessions are I being made by the City, but he would be in favor of recommending conforming to City code and the tree replacement policy. He does not feel the Vikings will let the area become unsightly. Baker asked if the bubble will stay and why this new building is being constructed. Tushie said that in an agreement with the Super Bowl Committee it is required that there are two indoor practice facilities, not including the Metrodome. The two practice facilities will be here and at the University of Minnesota. The Vikings would also like to move their training camp i here from Mankato. He added that the bubble will be removed. M V .APPROVED MINUTES EDEN PRAIRIE PARKS, REC. & NATURAL RESOURCES COMM. Nov. 6 , 1989 -4- Lambert asked if the parking lot would be adequate during training camp. Tushie said the parking lot contains 82 parking spaces and it is felt it will be fine since most players use buses to get to and from the facility. Karpinko asked if there will be a potential parking problem during training camp with the public wanting to watch training. Tushie said it is not felt that there will be a problem. MOTION: Cook moved to recommend approval of the Vikings enclosed training facility per staff recommendation with the addition of a 6 ' retaining wall to be built on the east side of the building for not less than a 2-1 slope and that 204 caliper inches of trees be added to the north, the type to be determined by the City landscape architect. Mikkelson seconded the motion and it passed 5-0. VI. OLD BUSINESS A. Updated Appraisal of Jacques Property Refer to memo dated November 2, 1989 from Bob Lambert, Director of Parks , Recreation and Natural Resources. Lambert said that the City asked for another appraisal of the property, as the LAWCON grant amount is based upon the actual appraised value. Mrs. Jacques received an offer this summer of $20 ,500 per acre. However, the developer could not get financing. The new appraisal shows the land value to be $18,500 per acre. Staff recommends the City make another offer to Mrs. Jacques based on this appraisal. Baker asked if it is a problem to match funds for this land acquisition and development project from cash park fees. Lambert said this expense has been anticipated in the 5 Year CIP. Richard asked if this offer is equal to what the other developer was offering. Lambert said no, but it is based on the appraisal and it better than the previous offer the City made. I Karpinko asked if it is correct that the value of the land was $277 ,000 in 1988 and has increase this much. Lambert said yes, the surrounding property is being acquired by developers anticipating a MUSA line expansion within the next few years. APPROVED MINUTES r EDEN PRAIRIE PARKS, REC. & NATURAL RESOURCES COMM. Nov. 6 , 1989 -5- Karpinko asked if staff is comfortable with this appraisal and whether the City is offering more than this land is worth just because they want the land. Lambert said although the City wants to acquire the land, staff feels the appraisal is good. He added that the City will lose the land if they don't move on it now because we won't have a grant available and the land will only increase in value. MOTION: Cook moved to recommend approval of staff's recommendation to submit an offer to Mrs. Jacques based on the most recent appraisal. Joyer seconded the motion and it passed 3-0-2. Karpinko and Richard abstained. VII. NEW BUSINESS A. Community Center Future Plans :i Refer to memo dated October 31, 1989 from Bob Lambert, Director of Parks, Recreation and Natural Resources and memos dated October 6, 1989 and October 23 , 1989 from Tom Eastman, Supervisor of Operations. Lambert said that the two main reasons the Center is losing money is that the fees are not incrfeasing as fast as costs and the opening of the Northwest Racquet Club. The new membership promotion this fall is to offer free racquetball with a membership. Major concerns about the Community Center are the use of racquetball courts, fitness center, office space and child care center. Joyer said she would be interested in a tour of the facility. Lambert felt this would be a good idea and said the commission could do this prior to the next meeting. Lambert said his biggest concern is the lack of office space and its close proximity to the child care center. However, he would not feel comfortable making changes until the problems are brought to the public's attention. He suggested that a questionnaire be sent out to members of the Community Center and an ad hoc committee be formed to discuss any changes with the Parks, Recreation and Natural Resources Commission. r APPROVED MINUTES ( EDEN PRAIRIE PARKS, REC. & NATURAL RESOURCES COMM. Nov. 6, 1989 -6- Cook suggested that since there are so few people in the weight program, it may be possible to have access to the school ' s equipment. He added that a Community Center is always a focal point in the City and the weight room at the Community Center could be used for aerobics , etc. Eastman commented that the school 's only concern would be to cover their operating expenses. Both the pool and the ice arena at the Community Center are heavily used, but the fitness center and racquetball courts are not being used to their highest extent. Baker said he feels this is an important issue and the Community Center should be evaluated on a periodic basis. At a meeting of the Eden Prairie High School Boosters, improvements that will be made to the high school weight room were discussed. He said that the existing facility at the high school is 900 sq. ft. and the one at the Community Center is approximately 1000 sq. ft. The new facility at the high school will be 2500 sq. ft. and will have access from the outside. The high school needs additional equipment and funding. When comparing membership costs at neighboring facilities, a family membership at Normandale is $325 and $840 at Northwest compared to $175 at the Community Center. Baker also felt that a survey of Community Center members should be taken. In addition, he suggested that meeting rooms could be shared with the high school. He felt it is important that personalized programs at the Community Center be geared toward all age groups and that the recreation staff could come up with suggestions and make recommendations for improvements. Eastman said that the staff has had these concerns for several years, but felt that the repairs, etc. at the Community Center were priority. Regarding sharing meeting rooms at the high school , Lambert said that the school charges for use of rooms and have few that are set up well for meetings. Cook asked if some of the pressure would be off if fees were charged at the Community Center similar to the high school. i Frey said that the question should be raised of whether the Community Center is a service or a business. Richard commented that he feels the meeting rooms at the Community Center should be used for recreation purposes and the rooms at the school should be used for meetings. j APPROVED MINUTES EDEN PRAIRIE PARKS, REC. & NATURAL RESOURCES COMM. Nov. 6, 1989 -7- Lambert said that meeting rooms have always been a high priority item when surveying needs at the Community Center. Mikkelson asked if there could be a charge when someone books a meeting room and doesn't show up. He asked if this has been a major problem. Eastman said no. Baker said he feels that the School District should not be charging for meeting rooms for the athletic associations to hold meetings. Joyer said she feels the needs of the current members of the Community Center should be addressed. Karpinko asked what •types of meetings are held at the Community Center. Eastman said they are primarily related to the youth athletic associations. Baker requested that the year-to-date figure for this year versus last year' s figure be added to the income report. Eastman said that would not be a problem. Mikkelson disagreed with the statement that racquetball it not as popular as it used to be. He feels that some of the people got frustrated when the courts were down with the water problem, but that the business will come back. Richard felt that if a survey was taken, the teenagers should also be surveyed to find out which programs they would be interested in. Lambert said he is looking for some direction from the commission on this issue and so far there has been only discussion. The commission requested that a survey of both members and citizens be done to determine the types of programs they would be interested in and that the teenagers be surveyed separately, that the recreation staff discuss the possibility of using the high school ' s facilities and that a breakdown be done showing who is using the Community Center. • APPROVED MINUTES EDEN PRAIRIE PARKS, REC. & NATURAL RESOURCES COMM. Nov. 6, 1989 -8- VIII. REPORTS OF COMMISSIONERS AND STAFF A. Reports of Landscape Architect III' i ' 1. Landscaping and Flowers for Medians Refer to memo dated October 31, 1989 from Barb Cross, Landscape Architect. i Cross said she toured the landscaped medians in the Twin Cities area prior to doing her report. She said that flowers provide the biggest accent, shrubs provide screening and vertical relief to the flatness of the road, trees provide shade and prevent glare. Special paving and decorative lighting can also be used. In discussions with MnDot, Cross was told that median strips between road sections are used as drainage swales and are not available for landscaping. Maintenance is the responsibility of the City and they had a concern with the crews accessing the site because of the high speeds of traffic on these roadways. Hennepin County said that the City would be responsible for any damage that occurred due to snow or salt and they could not approve anything that is unyielding to a vehicle, i.e. tree trunks and lights. Site distance problems at intersections would also have to be addressed. j The Public Works Department said that maintenance is their biggest concern. Medians should be clear I for landscaping and he was not concerned with maintenance vehicles working in these areas if they avoid the busy times of the day. The major intersections into the City which should be considered for landscaping are 494, Hwys. 169/212 , Hwy. 5, Co. Rd. 1, Dell Road, Eden Prairie Road, Baker Road and Anderson Lakes Parkway. Planting in the right-of-way is not recommended except for shrubs and flowers or possibly planters. a Cost estimates are as follows: flowers only $6970; , flowers and trees $7020; trees, shrubs and flowers $7925; shrubs and flowers $8700. These cost are per median and include installation and labor. An average median is 1800 , long and 13, 000 sq. ft. APPROVED MINUTES EDEN PRAIRIE PARKS, REC. & NATURAL RESOURCES COMM. Nov. 6, 1989 -9- Baker asked how much of the cost is labor. Cross said that if seasonal help is used, the cost would be about $1500 and if full time help is used, the cost would be about $4000. Cross added that the initial cost is more for trees and shrubs; however, this is not a cost that is incurred every year. Flowers are an ongoing expense and would have to be replaced annually. Cross said that two water trucks are shared by the Park Department and the Street Department and can be driven by full time personnel only at a cost of $16 per hour. Use of these trucks is not guaranteed. There are also two pickup trucks with water tanks that can be driven by seasonal help, but watering would be done on a much slower basis. z Other costs involved with flowers include weeding, removing dead flower heads and litter removal. I There are 34 medians in the City. Total costs for all medians are: flowers only $504,193; flowers and trees $481, 332; flowers, shrubs and trees $398,293 and shrubs and flowers $296 ,120. Cross added that an irrigation system should also be discussed at a cost of $6550 per median or a total of $222,700 for all medians. Cross felt that there were two ways to start a landscaping project. One is to do a large area very simply and the other is to do a small area very well. Staff's suggestion is to start with the in-ersection of Co. Rd. 4 and Valley View Road near Round Lake Park. Cook said he does not agree with starting in Round Lake Park. Lambert commented that Barb' s report was not meant to discourage the landscaping project, but rather to advise the commission what expenses would be involved. He added that the City Council is looking at cutting back the budget and does not know how they would feel about a project of this type. He agrees that one area should be done initially to see what the reaction is and whether any local (. businesses would be willing to fund it. APPROVED MINUTES EDEN PRAIRIE PARKS, REC. & NATURAL RESOURCES COMM. Nov. 6, 1989 -10- Mikkelson commented that he did not think the suggestion was to do the project on such a large scale. Baker said he feels the City Council should be approached with the suggestion. He has discussed the project with several people and one idea was to have a contest in 5 to 10 locations perhaps i with materials donated by the City and have civic organizations either provide the labor or donate money for the project. Lambert said that in speaking with the City Manager, j using volunteers or civic organizations would be working in a median would be a liability concern. Baker said that perhaps the City could ask for � 7 contributions and erect a plaque announcing the sponsor. Lambert suggested planters at intersections because of all the underground wiring in these locations , (' for traffic signals, etc. Cross said she hesitates to provide a landscape j in plan for intersections because they are all 1 so different. Cook said he feels that residents of Eden Prairie a will be of the opinion that funds should be used for other purposes rather than landscaping. I Richard said he feels that Prairie Center Drive ? from Rainbow to Lunds is an important area to consider landscaping for three reasons: many businesses I , are located in this area, there is a good deal of traffic and there are large medians to work with. He said the landscaping should be kept very simple and done completely through donations. Joyer commented that residents took notice of the flowers that were planted at Staring Lake. She felt that landscaping should begin at Round Lake or Riley Lake, but is in favor of the idea. Helling said she feels that the intersection by Round Lake Park would be an ideal location to begin. j She felt that either the Lions Club or Optimists y Club might be willing to fund it. i i j APPROVED MINUTES EDEN PRAIRIE PARKS, REC. & NATURAL RESOURCES COMM. Nov. 6, 1989 -11- Mikkelson agreed and added that a plaque showing the sponsors of the landscaping would be seen easily, as many people walk in this area. MOTION: Richard moved to recommend that the landscaping project in Eden Prairie begin by planting trees along the boulevard 30 ' from center on Prairie Center Drive from Valley View Road to Hwy. 169 and that Barb Cross bring designs and costs for this project back to the commission with the objective that the City spend no money. t On call for discussion, Cook said that he feels landscaping at Round Lake Park should be done separately regardless of the decision made on landscaping in other areas of the City. Karpinko seconded the motion and it passed 5-0. B. Reports of Manager of Recreation Services 1. Adaptive Recreation Program Update Refer to memo dated October 30, 1989 from Beth Timm, Adaptive Recreation Supervisor. Beth reported that the adaptive recreation program was begun 18 months ago and includes both segregated and integrated programs. She showed the commission a slide show on highlights of the program during the summer. 103 children participated in the program, 8 of them from Eden Prairie. Eden Prairie is the newest member of the cooperative program which also includes Bloomington, Edina and Richfield. Some activities included in the program are playground, art camp (Edina) , swimming lessons and teen center (Bloomington) . 2. Youth Athletic Association Appreciation Dinner Helling said that a recap of the event and expenses involved were included in the packets. 135 people were invited and 68 attended. 16 businesses donated door prizes valued at $450 for the event. Expenses included $400 for Mark Rosen as the speaker, printing costs, a plaque for each of the athletic association presidents, supplies, hors d'oevres and dinner which were contracted with the school district. APPROVED MINUTES EDEN PRAIRIE PARKS, REC. & NATURAL RESOURCES COMM. Nov. 6, 1989 -12- The video "Do Right" by Lou Holtz was shown and the mayor was present for the welcome. The athletic association presidents were given the opportunity to give a 2-3 minute presentation on their association after which Mark Rosen spoke and there was a question and answer session and the plaque presentation. Helling added that costs for the event were difficult to estimate, but there are ten Eden Prairie athletic associations at a cost of $151 each. Suggestions for 1990 were also included in the recap. This is planned to be an annual event. Karpinko suggested having the athletic association presidents at one of the commission meetings for an open forum and asked if this would be a possibility. Lambert felt that an agenda should be followed to make the meeting more productive. d Helling commented that spouses were not invited to the dinner because of limited space and funding. Including spouses would have doubled the expenses. If spouses were included, she suggested that perhaps they could pay for their dinner. Lambert said he thought the evening worked out well the way it was this year. 3. Season Ending Reports a. Leo Lewis Football Clinic - 1989 b. Doubles Bocce League - 1989 C. Table Tennis - Summer 1989 League These are information items only. IX. REPORT OF CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS A. Council Meetings of October 3 & 17, 1989 At the October 3 meeting, the Eden Prairie Soccer Club withdrew their request to expand the building at Staring Lake although it was approved by the City Council. Their equipment will be stored in a portable building provided by the School District at the soccer fields at the high school. The Council also approved the policy on cancellation of refunds, mini rinks, improvements at Willow .Park, the change in Community Center membership and had the second reading of the snowmobile ordinance. APPROVED MINUTES EDEN PRAIRIE PARKS, REC. & NATURAL RESOURCES COMM. Nov. 6, 1989 -1 3- At the October 17 meeting, the Council approved the Round lake softball field improvements. B. City Manager' s Update October 6 & 27, 1989 These are information items only. X. ADJOURNMENT MOTION: Richard moved to adjourn the meeting at 10:30 p.m. { Karpinko seconded the motion and it passed 5-0. Respectfully submitted, ' ti,l a� ` �U�C�(.IC,[cam Lois Boettcher Recording Secretary 1 AGENDA EDEN PRAIRIE PARKS, RECREATION AND NATURAL RESOURCES COMMISSION MONDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 1989 7:30 P.M. , CITY HALL 7600 EXECUTIVE DRIVE COMMISSION MEMBERS: Pat Breitenstein, chairperson; Raiford Baker, Moe Cook, Karon Joyer, Paul Karpinko, Brian Mikkelson, Pat Richard COMMISSION STAFF: Bob Lambert, Director of Parks, Recreation & Natural Resources 6:30 P.M. COMMUNITY CENTER TOUR MEET AT COMMUNITY CENTER w 7: 30 I. ROLL CAL 7:35 II. APPROVAL OF AGENDA C III. APPROVAL OF MINUTES - NOVEMBER 6. 1989 ,i IV. PETITIONS, REQUESTS AND COMMUNICATIONS 7:40 1. Petition for Bike Trail from County Road 1 to Valley Road Along Eden Prairie Road 8: 00 2. Letter from Joanne Slavin - RE: Bike Trail Design 8:05 3. Recmest for Additional Storage for Baseball Association & for Electrical Service at Batting Cage at Flying Cloud Fields from Steve Hahn V. OLD BUSINESS 8:10 A. Prairie Center Drive Landscape Plan lcon't from November 6 VI. NEW BUSINESS 8:30 A. Review Priority List for Trail Construction Protects ( 8:50 B. Review Proposed Land Trade at Purgatory Creek Recreation Area Entry i 8:50 C. Cash Park Fees for 1990 _ c VII. REPORTS OF COMMISSIONERS AND STAFF A. Reports of manager of Recreation Services 9:05 1. Summer Swimming Program Evaluation I ' B. Reports of Community Center Operations Manager 9:10 1. Report on Income/Expenditures at Community Center IX. REPORT OF CITY COUNCIL MEETING 9: 15 1. Council Meeting of November 7 1989 f• 2. C-tty Manager's Update of November 9 1989 9:20 X. ADJOURNMENT t 7 APPROVED MINUTES r EDEN PRAIRIE PARKS, RECREATION AND NATURAL RESOURCES COMMISSION ( ` Monday, November 20, 1989 7:30 p.m. , City Hall COMMISSION MEMBERS PRESENT: Pat Breitenstein, chairperson; Bud Baker, Moe Cook, Paul. Karpinko, Pat Richard COMM]SSION MEMBERS ABSENT: Karon Joyer, Brian Mikkelson COMMISSION STAFF: Bob Lambert, Director of Parks, Recreation and Natural Resources; Barb Cross, Landscape Architect I. ROLL CALL The meeting was called to order at 7 :30 p.m. by chairperson, Pat Breitenstein. II. APPROVAL OF AGENDA Breitenstein deleted III. Approval of Minutes of November 6, 1989. MOTION: Baker moved to approve the agenda as amended. Cook seconded the motion and it passed 4-0. PETITIONS, REQUESTS AND COMMUNICATIONS A. Petition for Bike Trail from County Road 1 to Valle Road along Eden Prairie Road Refer to memo dated November 14, 1989 from Bob Lambert, Director of Parks, Recreation and Natural Resources. Cross said that residents in the area have requested a bike path along Eden Prairie Road south of County Road 1. There is a curve and incline which limits visibility. It would cost an estimated $22,000 to extend the bike trail if the project was done on a contract basis or $14,000 if the work was done by City crews. Cross added that normally budget items have to be requested prior to June 1, but staff is recommending approval of this bike trail with funding to come from the general fund. Larry Simenson of 16199 Valley Road said he encouraged the petition for the bike trail. The trail is needed for the safety of both adults and children in the area. There is heavy traffic on this road and it is difficult to either bike or walk along the road. i ` I : ' APPROVED MINUTES EDEN PRAIRIE PARKS, REC. & NATURAL RESOURCES COMM. Nov. 20, 1989 -2- Scott Fuller of 16150 Valley Road said he would like to see the bike trail constructed as soon as possible i not only because of the danger involved, but because of the curb on one side and no shoulder on the other side of the road. He said there has been a lot of additional traffic because of construction. Buzz Danielson of 16333 Valley Road said that from a safety standpoint, there is both a hill and a curve with blind access. He added that it is very dangerous to walk along this road and there is no other access to the other bike paths. He appreciates the City's prompt response to this request. Nancy Burgett of 16400 Hilltop Road said that there are 30 school-age kids living in this area and a bike trail would be for their safety. Carolyn Nelson of 16300 Hilltop Road said she is in favor of the bike path because she likes to walk in this area. Cook asked why City crews couldn't complete the project. Cross said there might be other projects which were already planned and there might not be enough time to do the bike path. Cook asked how long is this stretch of road. Cross said it is about one-half mile. Cross noted that there is only one resident who has expressed concern with a bike trail, as he has just built a new home and is worried about drainage problems. Richard said he agrees that a bike trail is necessary in this area. He feels that it would be well worth the money. MOTION: Baker moved to recommend that a bike trail along Eden Prairie Road from County Road 1 to Valley Road be included in the 1990 budget. Richard seconded the motion and it passed 4-0. B. Letter from Joanne Slavin Re: Bike Trail Design I Refer to memo dated November 14 , 1989 from Bob Lambert, Director of Parks, Recreation and Natural Resources. i APPROVED MINUTES EDEN PRAIRIE PARKS, REC. & NATURAL RESOURCES COMM. Nov. 20, 1989 ` -3- This is an information item only. Cross reported that a letter was received from Joanne Slavin presenting a different point of view on bike trail design. Slavin is a serious biker and does not like to bike in Eden Prairie because of the trails. She feels a shoulder on the side of the road would be money better spent and would like this to be considered when major roadways are improved. I .. Baker said he appreciates Slavin' s opinion and agreed that the state or county be contacted to incorporate this in future designs. Cook commented that he feels serious bikers travel too fast to be using the trails safely anyway and that shoulders could be added to major roadways, in addition to bike trails. C.Request for Additional Storage for Baseball Association and for Electrical Service at Batting Cage at Flying Cloud Fields from Steve Hahn Refer to memo dated November 14, 1989 from Bob Lambert, C. Director of Parks, Recreation and Natural Resources. The Baseball Association has asked for additional storage space and a batting cage with electrical power. Cost would be approximately $945. The Baseball Association has been told that the City cannot provide additional storage space, but staff recommends approval of the batting cage with electrical extension. Karpinko questioned whether the City wanted to spend the money when it is unknown how long in the future these fields will be used. He said that recently the Soccer Association requested extra storage space and offered to pay for the building addition themselves. He asked if this would also be an option for the Baseball Association. Cross said that the Soccer Association withdrew their request, as the School District gave them a portable building to use for storage. The building was a former fruit/vegetable stand and was either donated or purchased by the School District. i i APPROVED MINUTES ('r EDEN PRAIRIE PARKS, REC. & NATURAL RESOURCES COMM. Nov. 20, 1989 -4- Cook commented that Flying Cloud Fields are the only Babe Ruth fields in Eden Prairie and that some electrical power has already been brought it so it would not be necessary to bring in power from the outside. MOTION: Cook moved to recommend approval to extend electrical power to the batting cage at Flying Cloud Fields at a cost of $945. Richard seconded the motion and it passed 4-0. IV. OLD BUSINESS A. Prairie Center Drive Landscap a Plan (cont. from November 6 ) Refer to memo dated November 15, 1989 from Barb Cross, Landscape Architect. Cross said that another cost estimate was done for shade trees along Prairie Center Drive from Valley View Road to Hwy. 169 with trees planted 25' on center. Plant material cost for an 800 ' median with 30 trees at $200 per tree installed would be $6000. Mowing is a yearly maintenance cost, but existing grass could be used. Baker asked if the medians are currently mowed. Cross said they are mowed on an infrequent basis compared to landscaped areas. Baker asked if the mowing cost is in addition to present mowing costs. Cross said yes. Cross estimated watering costs to be $2600 per year with watering to be done on a weekly basis by City crews using a watering truck. Watering is necessary while the trees are young and would be dependent upon the weather thereafter. Total cost would be $11 , 540 with City crew doing the watering or $15,490 for an irrigation system. The entire project with an irrigation system would be $92,940 with maintenance costs of $17 ,460 per year. Not including an irrigation system, costs would be $69 , 240 with maintenance costs of $33 ,240. Cross added that questions which need to be raised are what are the next steps in the process, who will coordinate the project, who will contact private businesses, clubs, etc. and how will money accounts be set up for donations. 'APPROVED MINUTES EDEN PRAIRIE PARKS, REC. & NATURAL RESOURCES COMM. Nov. 20, 1989 -5- Baker said that when this issue is brought to the City Council, they should be asked if they would be willing to cover the maintenance costs if other costs could be covered by donations. He suggested that a committee be formed to see if these funds can be raised. If the Council is not in favor of covering maintenance costs, the project would most likely have to be dropped. Cross added that these are only cost estimates. She has assumed that mowing would be done once a week, etc. Richard agreed with Baker' s statement regarding costs. Cook asked when the cost of watering would decline. Cross said that two years of watering is generally safe for young trees. She added that this fact should be outlined in the proposal to the City Council. Cook said that he was unsure whether a plaque in the median showing the donor would be appropriate and felt that perhaps another approach could be used. C' Baker asked how large the trees would be when planted. Cross said they would be 3" trees. MOTION: Baker moved to request that the City Council fund the maintenance portion of the landsca e project with other costs covered by donations. If the Council approves, proceed with forming a committee to work on the project. Richard seconded the motion. On call for discussion, Karpinko said that when comparing the cost of an irrigation system to watering, an irrigation system would be paid for in three years and may be worth the initial investment. Baker said he feels this decision should be made by the City Council, but agreed that an irrigation system may be helpful if flowers were added to the medians in the future. Cook questioned whether an irrigation system would be something the City would pay for. The motion passed 4-0. . APPROVED MINUTES EDEN PRAIRIE PARKS, REC. & NATURAL RESOURCES COMM. Nov. 20, 1989 -6- V. NEW BUSINESS A. Review Priority List for Trail Construction Projects Refer to memo dated November 16, 1989 from Bob Lambert, Director of Parks, Recreation and Natural Resources. Cross said that the City has received a number of requests for trails. She has developed a ranking system for priority of trail construction using the following considerations: speed limit of road, site distance due to horizontal and vertical curves, traffic volumes, road improvements scheduled, providing access to schools, shopping, parks and lakes, ownership of property, City commitment, written request/petition for trail within last five years, construction prior to development, vital link to trail system, costs, roads with existing paved shoulders and partially constructed trail. She added that recreation trails and transportation trails should be separate. Baker disagrees with ranking by ownership of property, city commitment, written request/petition for trail or construction prior to development and felt that these factors should not be considered. Richard felt that ranking by written request or petition is important because if a lot of people are interested in a project, the project should be considered. If not, maybe the City is ahead of its time in constructing trails in particular areas. He added that a ranking system should make the process easier. Cook asked if the C. I.P. includes any of these trails. Cross said that Spoon Ridge should be developed in 1990 and is ranked second on the list because of the safety reasons and a petition that was received from residents. Cross said that any changes to the budget because of trails would probably not be made until the 1991 budget because the 1990 budget is being reviewed at this time. B. Review Proposed Land Trade at Purgatory Creek Recreation Area Entry Refer to memo dated November 15, 1989 from Bob Lambert, Director of Parks, Recreation and Natural Resources. APPROVED MINUTES r EDEN PRAIRIE PARKS, REC. & NATURAL RESOURCES COMM. Nov. 20, 1989 ` -7- This is an information item only. Lambert said that this item is on the agenda for the next City Council meeting. The map included in the packets shows where the Purgatory Creek Recreation Area would be if a land trade was made. Because of the relocation of Technology Drive to a position 120 feet west of the park parcel' s eastern boundary, this parcel will be undevelopable. It has been suggested that the City either move the park boundaries further to the west to front on Technology Drive or further to the east to center the parcel on the proposed full access from Prairie Center Drive. Staff recommends moving the parcel further to the east for the following reasons: full access from Prairie Center Drive would focus the park on the City ring route and future downtown, the closer the entry is to Single Tree Lane the more it will draw people from the major center area, cross easements for parking could be used if the park is located between two office buildings, some joint construction and cost savings related to parking lots, sidewalks, landscaping and roadways which serve both the park and adjacent development. Cook said he is concerned with the park being hidden from view because it will be between office buildings. Discussion on this possibility followed. Karpinko said he is concerned with parking if Flagship is expanded in the future. Lambert indicated that cross easements wouldn't have to be considered if we thought there would be a lack of available parking. He agreed that it was important to design an entry at Prairie Center Drive that clearly denoted this was an Eden Prairie city park entry. C. Cash Park Fees for 1990 Refer to memo dated November 14 , 1989 from Bob Lambert, Director of Parks, Recreation and Natural Resources. This is an information item only. A survey was done in Lakeville comparing cash park fees in surrounding communities. This survey shows where Eden Prairie ranks in relation to other cities. APPROVED MINUTES EDEN PRAIRIE PARKS, REC. & NATURAL RESOURCES COMM. Nov. 20, 1989 -8- VI. REPORTS OF COMMISSIONERS AND STAFF A. Reports of Manager of Recreation Services I 1. Summer Swimming Program Evaluation This is an information item only. Baker said he feels the marina should be evaluated. Cross said she will find out what other communities charge for paddle boat rental, perhaps using 15 or 30 minute intervals. B. Reports of Community Center Operations Manager 1. Report on Income/Expenditures at Community Center i This is an information item only. Baker said that the ice arena and racquetball courts are the highest cost items. MOTION: Baker moved to recommend that Steve Schultz Cor Chuck Rogers be asked to make a presentation to staff on new facilities at the high school including weight room, aerobics and ire arena and discuss the feasibility of sharing programs with the Community Center. Cook seconded the motion and it passed 4-0. VIII. REPORT OF CITY COUNCIL MEETING 1. Council Meeting of November 7 , 1989 There was no report 2. City manager' s Update of November 9, 1989 This is an information item only. IX. ADJOURNMENT MOTION: Baker moved to adjourn the meeting at 9:05 p.m. Cook seconded the motion and it passed 4-0. Respectfully submitted, Lois Boettcher Recording Secretary