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HomeMy WebLinkAboutParks and Recreation - 08/27/1973 hl 1973 AUGUST 139 27 MINUTES CITY OF EDEN PRAIRIE i` EDEN PRAIRIE PARK AND RECREATION COMMISSION MONDAY, AUGUST 13, 1973 7:30 p.m., Village Hall ROLL CALL COMMISSION MEMBERS: Marvin Erickson, Frances Bla,cklock, Roger Boerger, Dean Holasek, Richard Anderson, William Garens, Terry Fields, Janet Berkland, Rita KOOiman, Steve Eisch, Marge O'Ryan COMMISSION STAFF: Marty Jensen, Director of Park and Recreation AGENDA I. MINUTES OF JULY 23 1973 MEETING. II. PETITIONS, 'REQUESTS AND COMMUNICATIONS j A. Letter form Dick Bren thanking Park Maintenance for Ball field maintenance. B. Letter from Nine Mile Creek Watershed District concerning beautification funds. t " �✓ III:'i:.RECOMMENDATIONS AND REPORTS A. Agency Liaison Reports B. Report on Lower Minnesota River Citizens Committee. C. Southeast Eden Prairie Sector Plan. D. .',Anderson Lakes Park Concept Plan Report. E. Forest Hills School/Park Landscaping Concept Paln Report IV. ADJOURNMENT I � I MINUTES EDEN PRAIRIE PARK & RECREATION COMMISSION C Monday, August 13 , 1973 7:30 p. m. , Village Hall r MEMBERS PRESENT: Chairman Marvin Erickson, Vice Chairman Bill Garens, Secretary Frances Blacklock, Dick Anderson, Roger Doerger, Marge O'Ryar_, Rita Yooiman. MEMBERS ABSENT: Terry Fields, Dean Holasek, Steve Eisch, Jan Berkland. STAFF PRESENT: Marty lessen, Director of Parks & Recreation Chris Enger, Landscape Architect Also Present: Don Hess, from The Preserve; Bill Bonner, from Hustad Development Corporation. The meeting was called to order at 7:40 p.m. by Chairman Erickson. I. MINUTES OF DULY 23 , 1973 , MEETING. M/Garens , S/Blacklock to approve the minutes of the July 23, 1973, meeting as presented. Motion carried unanimously. II. PETITIONS, REQUESTS, & COMMUNICATIONS. �... A. Letter from Dick Bren thanking Park Maintenance for ballfield maintenance. lessen presented copies of the letter from Mr. Dick Bren, who headed up the Eden Prairie Athletic Association Babe Ruth program this past summer. The letter was thanks for the good maintenance work done on the fields used by the Babe Ruth program during the past year. No action required. B. Letter from Nine Mile Creek Watershed District concerning beautification funds. 1 lessen distributed copies of the letter from James A. Jones, president of the Nine Mile Creek Watershed District Board of Managers, and recom— mended that it be referred to the Staff for study and a report at the next meeting. lessen stated that his initial thought was that money from this account might be used for the purpose of restoring the hills at Bryant Lake Park and reforesting them. M/Garens , S/Erickson to refer the letter to the Staff for study and a report. .� Motion carried unanimously. C. O'Ryan stated that this would be her last meeting on the Commission and that Paul Enblom would be replacing her as the School Board representative. t a Minutes - 8/ 13/73 Park & Recreation Commission Meeting Page 2 III. RECOMMENDATIONS & REPORTS. A. Agency Liaison Report: Blacklock reported that the Highway 169 Bridge Authority Bill would be ha-a,d he Fore the Governrnental Operations Committee of the State Legislature on Wednesday, August 22, at 2 p.m. She asked what the Village's official position was at this time. Jessen stated that the Village Council has passed a resolution against the Bridge Authority and that this has been the last official action. Boerger stated that Eden Prairie stands to be the big loser if the bridge is constructed because it would be an impetus for development to leapfrog over F.den Prairie. He said that while Eden Prairie is against it, Bloomington is essentially neutral while Shakopee, Savage, Prior Lake, and the other communities lying south of the river stand to gain the most from it and, thus, are for the proposal. M/Anderson, S/Blacklock that the Park & Recreation Commission request that the Village Council reaffirm their stand against the Toll Bridge Authority and that someone from the Village attend the hearings next Wednesday to voice the Village's position. Motion carried unanimously. B. Report on Lower Minnesota River Citizen's Committee: Blacklock reported that the Citizen's Committee has held three meetings to ( discuss the future of the Lower Minnesota River. She stated that the committee had its beginning when the Burnsville residents were unable to impress upon their Council the preservation ideas for the river while the Council was approving industrial development along the river. As a result of this inability to have impact in the Village of Burnsville, some residents of the community looked for help outside of Burnsville to try to make their point. The committee has drawn proposed legislation for the use of duck stamp' funds and other resources for the creation of a federal'wildlife and recreation area. Blacklock said that the consensus of the committee was to keep the river natural. The question was how to accomplish this objective. Some people have voiced an opinion that the only way to accomplish this goal is to keep it in private ownership and not provide for any public acquisition in the area. The Commission discussed pros and cons of the Citizen's Committee and the proposed legislation at the federal level. The next Citizen's Committee is scheduled for Wednesday, September 12, at the Bloomington City Hall at 7:30 p.m. C. Southeast Eden Prairie Sector Plan. Jessen distributed copies of and reviewed a report prepared on the Sector ( Study. dopy Attached.) Basic recommendations in the report were: N Minutes - 8/13/73 Park & Recreation Commission Meeting Page 3 1 . The question of accessibility and use areas of Purgatory Creek need better definition. This definition will come about as a result of the Purgatory Creek Park Planning Study now underway with Brauer & Associates as the consultant. 2 . Ti-e institutional centers identified in the south part of the Sector ought to include 20-25 acres of open field game area for the organized active recreation interests of the future residents. 3 . There needs to be provided three sites of 8-10 or more acres each for the intermediate low-organized active recreation interests of the future residents in this Sector of the Village. Bill Bonner from the Hustad Development Corp, responded by saying that they agreed with this basic evaluation and would address the requirement for more active recreation space in their design development for the various parcels within the Sector. The question of quasi-public vs. public property was raised. Blacklock asked how the homeowner's association goes about controlling the use of the area and how do we avoid potential problems that may / arise. Anderson asked if there would be any restrictions on l non-homeowner's associations use of the area proposed. Bonner replied that it was visualized as quasi-public space, owned and operated by the homeowner's association and that in their view, it would be used almost exclusively by the homeowners., This would be a result of time, travel, and accessibility to the site rather than any restrictions consciously placed upon it by the homeowners. Boerger reiterated several concerns of the Commission and suggested that one of the projects for the near future for the Village might be a thorough assessment of the potential of homeowner's quasi-public areas and some determination of policies by the Village for dealing with these. M/Anderson, S/Erickson that the Park & Recreation Commission agrees with the conceptual development plan for the Southeast Sector of the Village subject to the concerns expressed in the Staff Report. Motioncarried unanimously. D. _Anderson Lakes Park Concept Plan Report: jessen presented copies of the naturalist's report prepared by Les Blacklock for this area and discussed the concerns and controls necessary for the Minutes - 8/13/73 Park & Recreation Commission Meeting Pag a 4 protection of the wildlife management area. Both Les Blacklock and C Dave Weaver, from the Hennepin County Park Reserve District, have stated that it is essential that the entire area be fenced if it is to continue to function as a wildlife area. In light of this, the concept dv ve'lOpi' arlt for the park- cails for the Lancing of the nest side through The Preserve at a distance equal to 50 ft. west of the 840 elevation through the Basswoods area and at a distance ranging up to 400 ft. in width on the northwest of Anderson bake. Jessen stated that the use of this area would be restricted to wildlife nesting and passages and that park use would be greatly restricted on the west side of the lake. Anderson stated that he felt it was essential that public use of this area occur as some of the prime wildlife habitat was on the west side and that the i park users ought to be able to experience it. Enger replied by saying that it was Les Blacklock's and Dave Weaver's opinion that if the wildlife was going to continue in this area, they needed to have this narrowband of land to themselves to continue to migrate around and continue to inhabit the Anderson Lakes Park. Jessen explained that the naturalist study was predicated on wildlife management being the chief objective in this park area. In other words, it was assumed that the protection and enhancement of the area as an environmental education center and wildlife habitat was of primary importance as opposed to the wholesale use of the area by park patrons. A lengthy discussion followed concerning this point and Anderson requested } that the Staff develop an overall concept plan map for the park area for consideration at the next meeting. He requested as much detail as was possible in terms of those areas that people would use and those areas from which people would be restricted. Other points to be included in this report are discussion of the kind of fenceand method of payment, and also a detailed report on the status of the Village's land acquisition program in this area. M/Anderson, S/Boerger to table action on the Anderson Lakes Park Concept Plan until the August 27, 1973, meeting. Motion carried unanimously. ' E. Forest Hills School Park Landscaping Concept Plan Report: Jessen stated that the Village and School District were working on detailed landscaping plans for the Forest Hills School Park area including maintenance and improvements in the ball field area, lights for the parking lot, a plaza concept for the front of the school, and a creative play structure for the tot lot area, as well as the provision of a temporary service road to the back of the school. i J� Minutes - 8/13/73 Park & Recreation Commission Meeting Page 5 :Eager presented the concept plan for the plaza at the entrance to the school and reviewed it with the Commission. The tentative budget for this work is approximately $6, 000 including berming, plantings, and the construction of benches in hard-surfaced areas. Some of the plantings will be carried out by youngsters as a part of the school crograin vvhila a portion of it c`ii?. be bid and soma Of it Will be done bir the Village Staff, The concept for the plaza is to finish the front of the school at the entrance and also to block off the student's visual impact from .the parking lot area across from the school road. The color of the plant materials and their various characteristics will all be integrated with the color of the school building and the stated concept objective. This plaza concept will be incorporated with the overall landscaping plan which will be presented at the next meeting -and also at the joint School Board/Village Council meeting to be held on Thursday, Auges t 30, 1973. F. The Preserve Center Status Report- Don Hess, planner for The Preserve, asked to make a brief presentation updating the Commission on the status of The Preserve Center. He stated Cthat there was still some Preserve staff discussions being carried on concerning the commercial and residential components of the Center area but that the decision had been reached to proceed with the construction of a 30,000 sq.ft, sand bottom outdoor pool in the low area just in front of The Preserve's present office. Also to be constructed in that area are four tennis courts and some ball fields along the Neill Lake shore area. Soil from the pool and tennis courts will be used for this Neill Lake ball field construction. The Preserve also plans to start remodeling shortly on the horse barn for a social space for The Preserve homeowner's association. They also anticipate construction of approximately one mile of trail to connect existing portions of trail previously constructed throughout The Preserve. Garens asked if these facilities were primarily for the homeowner's use. Hess indicated that they were, but that the Village might use a portion of the facilities for a short period of time, particularly the pool if that were the Village's interest. He stated that the homeowners will eventually control the facilities, but in the short term, The Preserve is putting up the front end money and would control it until such time as the homeowners took legal control under the terms of The Preserve homeowner's association. No action required. Minutes - 8/13/73 Park & Recreation Commission Meeting. Page 6 G. Leaf Recycling Center Report: jessen distributed copies of the report on Hennepin County's request for a leaf recycling center in the Homeward Hills/Co.Rd. 1 area of Eden Prairie. (Copy of report attached) Boerger asked what benefit this would be to the Village and jessen replied by saying it would give them an almost unlimited supply of free black dirt for use in construction and maintenance of the Village parks and other public facilities in the community. Boerger also asked about the negative aspects of the operation. jessen responded that three negative aspects had been identified: 1. The increased traffic, _ 2. The unsightliness of the operation, and 3. The potential odor that might be created if it were poorly operated. He stated that he had assurances from the County Environmental Services people that if odor became a problem, they would immediately turn over the compost to alleviate the smell. Also, they have assured the Village that they will landscape the entrance to the area as well as landscaping the perimeter of the area if that is necessary, depending f` on the final site location. The increased traffic will occur primarily during the six week period in the fall when the leaves are brought out and again in the spring when the black dirt is hauled away, although the number of vehicles should not place an excessive strain on the road patterns in that area. M/Garens, S/Erickson that the Park & Recreation Commission should recommend to the Village Council that they grant a permit to the Hennepin County Department of Public Works for the operation of a leaf recycling center within the Village of Eden Prairie. Motion carried unanimously. IV. ADJOURNMENT. M/Garens, S/Anderson that the meeting be adjourned. Motion carried unanimously. AGENDA EDEN PRAIRIE PARK & RECREATION COMMISSION MONDAY, AUGUST 27, 1973 7:3 0 p.m. , Eden Prairie Village Hall COMMISSION MEMBERS: Chairman Marvin Erickson, Frances Blackbck, Dean Holasek, Richard Anderson, William Garens, Terry Fields, Janet Berkland, Rita Kooiman, Steve Eisch, Paul Enblom COMMISSION STAFF: Marty Jessen, Park and Recreation Director ROLL CALL l I. MINUTES OF AUGUST 13 , 1973 MEETING. II. PETITIONS, REQUESTS, AND COMMUNICATIONS. I. A. Request from Southdale Branch YMCA for Touch Football Fields. B. Communication to Legislative Committee concerning Highway US Toll Bridge Authority. III. RECOMMENDATIONS & REPORTS: i A. Agency Liaison Reports. B. Anderson Lakes Park Concept Plan. C. Forest Hills School Park Landscaping Plan., D. 1973 Fall-Winter Recreation Program Report, IV. ADJOURNMENT. i C MINUTES EDEN PRAIRIE PARK & RECREATION COMMISSION Monday, August 27, 1973 7:30 p.m. , Village Hall MEMBERS PRESENT: Chairman Marvin Erickson, Vice Chairman Bill Garens, Roger Boerger, Jan Berkland, Dean Holasek, Frances Blacklock, Rita Kooiman, Dick Anderson. MEMBERS ABSENT: Steve Eisch, Terry Fields, Paul Enblom. STAFF PRESENT: Marty Jessen, Director of Parks & Recreation. OTHERS PRESENT: George Carter, The Preserve, and Les Blacklock, Consulting Naturalist. The meeting was called to order at 7:40 p.m. by Chairman Erickson. I. MINUTES OF AUGUST 13 , 1973, MEETING. M/Boerge►, S/Garens to approve the minutes of the August 13 , 1973, meeting as presented. Motion carried unanimously. II. PETITIONS, REQUESTS & COMMUNICATIONS, A. Request from Southdale Branch YMCA for touch football field . Jessen presented copies of a letter from Dick Anderson, Program Director for the Southdale Branch of the YMCA, and reviewed their request for an 80 yd. football. . field for me.n's touch football at Round Lake Park. He stated that he felt this was a major policy question for the Commission and that four basic options were open to the Commission: 1. They could deny the request. 2. Authorize the use and maintenance of these facilities at no cost to the YMCA. 3. Authorize the use and maintenance of these facilities at actual cost to the YMCA. 4. Authorize the use and maintenance of these facilities at an above—cost figure in an attempt to realize a profit from this use. Anderson stated that he felt that as long as the YMCA was a public agency,open to residents of Eden Prairie and; Lhzat the cost ought to be actual and not an inflated cost for this use. AA/Anderson, S/Garens that the Village provide fields For the YMCA at Round Lake Park and bill them at our actual cost for maintenance of the field. Motion carried unanimously. B. Communication to Legislative Committee concerning Highway 169 Toll Bridge Authority. Jessen presented copies of a letter from Village Manager Bob Heinrich to Rep. William Quirin and the resolution attached stating the Village's position on the toll bridge across the Minnesota River. No action required. i r _ Minutes - Park & Recreation Commission Page 2' [I[. 11 EC ONT MENDAT IONS & REPORTS. A. Agenc�r Liaison Reports: Erickson stated that he had called Bill Geimer, President of the Eden Prairie' Athletic Association, concerning their request for a third lighted hockey rink in the Village. Erickson said that he thought there were higher priorities for recreational facilities to accommodate the E.P.A.A. program, particularly the baseball fields presently available at Flying Cloud which are leased from the Metropolitan Airports Commission and the fact that MAC could cancel the lease at any time and Eden Prairie would then be without any fields for organized youth baseball. Erickson stated that the original concept of the E.P.A.A. was to own land for their own use in youth athletic programs. Today, given the price of land in the community, this is impractical and as such, they are cooperating with the a Village in conducting programs on Village-owned and maintained facilities. In light of this, Erickson said he felt that the Park & Recreation Director ought to write a letter to the E.P.A.A. requesting their advice on other facilities necessary to accommodate their programs over the period of the Six Year Capital Improvement Program. t Garens stated that he had been led to believe that the hockey rink request was not from the entire E.P.A.A. but rather just from the hockey segment of the organization and said that he too had been told that other members of the organization felt there were higher priorities for Village expenditures for facilities ( for use by the E.P.A.A. M/Anderson, S/ Garens that the Park & Recreation Director talk with the Eden Prairie Athletic Association to see if the letter concerning the third lighted hockey facility represented the entire organization or just one interest. The Director was further directed to ask if the E.P.A.A. would identify their facility needs over the next five years. Considerable discussion followed this motion and the motion was subsequently withdrawn. M/Boerger, S/Garens that the Park & Recreation Director communicate with E.P.A.A. concerning their anticipated program needs over five years so that they may help establish priorities for money spent on athletic facilities in the Village. Motion carried 7-1. Anderson stated that he had a contact with Larry Thomforde from the Bloomington Natural Resources Commission and they discussed the possibility of a joint meeting between Bloomington Natural Resources Commission and the Eden Prairie Park & Recreation Commission. The meeting would be to discuss mutual interests at Anderson Lakes Park, the 96th Street Extension, Minnesota River 169 Toll. Bridge Crossing, etc. The Park & Recreation Director was directed to contact Bloomington and try to set up a time for a joint meeting and to report at the next Commission meeting. Minutes - Park & Recreation Commission Page 3 B. Anderson Lakes Park Concept Plan: Jessen presented a report and reviewed it with the Commission and also displayed a map showing the overall concept plan for Anderson Lakes as envisioned by Staff as a result of the naturalist study conducted by Les Blacklock. The concept plan identifies the use of the park as essentially passive environmental education and not intense active recreation uses. It shows the approximate location of the fence completely surrounding the park area within the Village, and also identifies observation points within the "nature center" area. The more intense outdoor recreation uses, such as picnicking, play fields, and the appropriate sport facilities are all located outside of the fence at the south end of the lake. The field game space identified in the plan is . visualized as open grassy areas and not athletic fields with backstops and other structured facilities. The plan reflects a bne-point-of-access concept to the area where total control of those people entering the "nature center" could be accomplished. The use of much of the area within the fence would be determined by the naturalist park manager, dependent on the natural conditions, and these uses might change from year to year or season to season within a given year. George Carter from The Preserve reviewed his letter to Marvin Erickson, Chairman, and the members of the Park & Recreation Commission dated August 21, 1973. Boerger questioned Item 15 and asked if this was to indicate density trade-off for the open space. Carter responded that this was his intention and Boerger and the Commission seemed to agree with that trade-off. Boerger also questioned Item 14 and asked if Carter felt this ought to be put to the voters in a referendum. Mr. Carter responded that he had no strong feelings about the referendum or not, but felt that it ought to be reviewed and approved by all of the people involved in policy uc=isions in the community. M/Holasek, S/Erickson that the Park & Recreation Commission recommend to the Planning & Zontng Commission and the Council the four following statements: 1. To approve the concept of the Anderson Lakes Park as a "nature center" with areas of limited public use so as not to destroy the outstanding wildlife habitat there. r 2. To approve the concept of fencing the entire park area and carrying out those steps necessary to achieve the "nature center" objective. 3. Reaffirm the Village's intention to acquire all of the land within the identified park boundary, including all of the land lying west of Co. Rd. 18 between the lakes and west of Co. Rd. 18 south of the lake to the East/West Parkway. This will be reconsidered after the Fiscal Year '74 LAWCON and Natural Resources are programmed in November and our financial capabilities are better known. r Minutes - Park & Recreation Commission Page 4 4. 'Approve the final plat for the Basswoods Forest area of The Preserve subject to the previously stated recommendations and agreement with The Preserve on the "nature center" objective. Motion carried unanimously. Rita Kooiman left at this time. C. Forest Hills School Park Landscaping Plan: lessen presented drawings of the plaza development in front of the school including details of the benches to be constructed there. He indicated that further work would be done on these and their construction would start in the very near future. No action required. D. 1973 Fall/Winter Recreation Program Report: lessen reviewed those activities that were included in the 1973 Fall/VVinter Recreation Program and stated that this would be going to the printer within the next week. It will be included in the overall Community Services brochure being developed by Brian Wilhelm, Community-Schools Coordinator for the School District and Village. 4 He stated that last year the Eden Prairie Ski Club had gotten involved in some competitive racing programs and as a result, there was a great deal of interest expressed. An organizational meeting will be held in November at which time this concept for the ski club will be considered as well as continuation of the ski trips, etc. and the final ski club program will be determined based on input from interested residents at that meeting. lessen stated that several teams have expressed an interest in participating in a touch football league for men in Eden Prairie. The School District has a request for the use of the lighted football field on Wednesday evenings so that this league could take place and lessen stated he has not been advised yet as to whether or not they can use the facilities or what cost might be charged to the Village for this use. Boerger requested that the Staff consider the inclusion of the Teen Gym Night Program at Forest Hills School in the Fall/VVinter Recreation Program. He said his youngsters and several others in the neighborhood participated in this activity last year and found it to be very enjoyable. The Commission agreed on the inclusion of all of these activities in the 1973 Fall/Winter Recreation Program. No formal action was required on this item. E. Revision to the Park & Recreation Commission Ordinance: lessen stated that the Village Attorney, Harlan Perbix, had been directed to draw new ordinances for the Planning Commission, Human Rights Commission, -Tvlinutes - Park & Recreation Commission Page 5 and Park & Recreation Commission excluding student membership as a requirement on the Commissions. This was done because the Planning Commission has been unable to get a quorum several times at their meetings. because the students counted in the number of commissioners, and thus counted in the quorum, and they were not attending meetings regularly. He stated that there would be some effort made to continue student partici- pation in the Commissions but that there would no longer be formal members . No action required. TV. ADTOURNMENT. NI/Garens , S/Holasek that the meeting be adjourned. Motion carried unanimously. 1 1 • i J � PARK & RECREATION COMMISSION The Sept. 10, 1973 , meeting was cancelled. C