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HomeMy WebLinkAboutParks and Recreation - 06/04/2012 APPROVED MINUTES PARKS, RECREATION AND NATURAL RESOURCES COMMISSION MONDAY,JUNE 4, 2012 7:00 P.M., CITY CENTER Council Chambers 8080 Mitchell Road COMMISSION MEMBERS PRESENT: Geri Napuck, Chair; Hutch Coburn, Vice Chair; Larry Link, Derek Gunderson, Matthew Kraft and Leonard Pesheck COMMISSION MEMBERS ABSENT: Tom Bierman, Joan Oko and Dave Rosa COMMISSION STAFF PRESENT: Jay Lotthammer, Parks & Recreation Director; Laurie Obiazor, Recreation Services Manager; Stu Fox, Parks Natural Resources Director; Wendy Sevenich, Community Center Manager; Sue Bohnsack, Senior Center Coordinator ; Carol Pelzel, Recording Secretary I. CALL TO ORDER AND ROLL CALL Chair Napuck called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. II. APPROVAL OF AGENDA Edible Playground and Aquatic Facilities Study were added to the agenda under Section IX. Reports of Staff- D. Parks and Recreation Director. Motion: Gunderson moved, seconded by Coburn, to approve the agenda as amended. The motion carried 6-0. III. APPROVAL OF PRNR MINUTES —May 7, 2012 Motion: Motion was made by Link, seconded by Kraft, to approve the May 7, 2012 meeting minutes as published. The motion carried 4-0-2 with Coburn and Gunderson abstaining because of absence from that meeting. IV. REPORT OF CITY COUNCIL ACTION Lotthammer reported the City Council accepted a grant in the amount of$3,000 from the Eden Prairie Community Foundation for AV equipment at the Senior Center. The Council also accepted a Hennepin Youth Sports Program Grant of$9,400 to purchase a utility vehicle for the Miller Park softball complex. City staff assisted the Eden Prairie Fast Pitch organization in applying for this grant. PARKS,RECREATION AND NATURAL RESOURCES COMMISSION June 4, 2012 Page 2 V. REPORT OF PLANNING COMMISSION Fox reported the Planning Commission reviewed variance requests on May 14 and a Conditional Use Permit for the Cummins Grill House to host some specified activities not included in the lease. VI. PETITIONS, REQUESTS AND COMMUNICATIONS VII. OLD BUSINESS A. ROUND LAKE UPDATE Lotthammer explained staff is looking for a recommendation from the Commission to take to the City Council for the Round Lake improvement project. He reviewed what will occur should the Council approve moving forward with this project. The Commission previously recommended staff look at the master plan for Round Lake after which the City hired Brauer and Associates to develop a master plan and a design phase. Lotthammer briefly reviewed with the Commission the master plan reporting Phase I does not include the ball fields and some parking area. The proposal went out for bid with three bids received. All bids were within the Engineer's estimate. The apparent low bid was Odesa 11 for$1,608,000 including alternates. Staff is recommending the City accept Odesa II's bid with the alternates. Lotthammer explained Odesa II also did the Miller Park project and some nature trails. They have been on time and on budget and the quality of their work has been good. Funding for this project is available from the Capital Improvement and Reinvestment Fund ($1,070,000), 2005 Park Referendum money ($531,087) and from donations received from the Garvin/Miller families ($7,525). Napuck said she is excited for this project. In February 2011 this Commission started looking at Round Lake and now they are looking at a reality. She said she believes this project will revitalize that area. Round Lake has always been a concern and this project will take away the focus on the lake. She asked if this project will be publicized and promoted at the July 4 celebration. Lotthammer said they could do a sign that reads coming soon and include a graphic of the master plan to advertise the project. Lotthammer said if this project were to move forward, the estimated start date for the project would be July 23 and depending on the weather could be completed yet this year. Coburn asked what the water source is for the splash pad. Lotthammer responded it is a recirculating pump, similar to what is used for a swimming pool. Coburn said since an issue at Round Lake is the water quality he suggested they make an announcement or advertise the fact that the water for the splash pad is a self-contained water source and is not from Round Lake. He believes this is very important for the people using the facility to understand. Gunderson said he had been at a splash pad in Florida and they had a sign at that location explaining the water was recirculating water. He said the facility in Florida also had low pressure water cannons and suggested this may be PARKS,RECREATION AND NATURAL RESOURCES COMMISSION June 4, 2012 Page 3 something they could add to the Round Lake project. Lotthammer explained staff is working with a company to develop the splash pad and he will forward this information on to them. Gunderson questioned the parking and since it is so close to the High School would there be a problem. Fox responded the permit parking for high school students is primarily the Community Center parking between ballfields three and four. Staff is recommending the parking lot in front of the bridge be limited to two hours. He said the only time there could be a real problem is the first week of June. Kraft said there had been discussion about having one art sculpture around the park and he asked if there will a grand opening once the project is completed. Lotthammer responded the plan is to do some type of art sculpture in the second phase of the project and to possibly locate it in the center of the round-about. A grand opening would probably occur when the weather is a little warmer and could be done in conjunction with the July 4 celebration. In order to do some of the work they will need temperatures above 50 degrees so that could possibly hold up completion of the project. Fox indicated substantial completion could occur in October, 2012 with final completion occurring in June, 2013. MOTION: Motion was made by Napuck, seconded by Pesheck, to recommend to the City Council the acceptance of the bid of Odesa II including alternates for the Round Lake Park Project in the amount of$1,608,000. The motion carried 6-0. Napuck asked if it would be possible to put something on the City's website to track this project. Lotthammer said this is not something they have done in the past but with the City's new website there may be the potential to do something like that. They could add time estimates, updates and photos. VIII. NEW BUSINESS A. FEE RESOLUTION Lotthammer explained every December the City Council approves the City's schedule of fees and charges. However, December is too late for the Parks Department because of the timeline for distributing their program schedule. City staff will go to the City Council in a month to review the Parks' fee schedule and this Commission's recommendation. The schedule will then officially be approved in December. Obiazor and Sevenich reviewed the proposed changes to the fee schedule for the Parks and Recreation Department. Pesheck asked if staff does an analysis on competitive changes on memberships to fitness centers. He said he is not sure what the magic number is when fees go up and membership goes down. Sevenich explained staff always does an analysis of area fitness facilities. They typically do a 3 percent increase and look at what is happening PARKS,RECREATION AND NATURAL RESOURCES COMMISSION June 4, 2012 Page 4 in the area so they remain competitive. She said they also keep tabs on the impact of the fee increase and on feedback received from users. MOTION: Motion was made by Gunderson, seconded by Coburn, to recommend to the City Council approval of the 2013 Fee Resolution for the Parks and Recreation Department. The motion carried 6-0. B. 2013-2022 CIP OVERVIEW Fox explained previously the City developed a 5-year CIP and have now gone to a 10-year plan. He further explained this is a planning tool provided to the Finance Manager and City Manager and then passed on to City Council for approval. Fox reviewed with the Commission the park projects included in the plan for 2012. He also reviewed the projects included in the plan for the next 10 years. Fox said the plan includes funding sources from the Reinvestment Fund, park dedication fees, donations and fees from other areas. There are a total of$14 million of park projects included in the plan over the next 10 years. Lotthammer said this is an estimate and is prior to looking at cash flow. They may have to look at alternate funding if there is not sufficient funds to do some of the things that need to be done. The City is starting to see a spike in redevelopment projects and development money is coming in slower than it has in the past. Lotthammer said this information has not yet been shared with the City Council and if the Commission has any questions about any of the projects to please contact staff. Fox explained the City has a good track history for preventative maintenance. The City has 29 play structures on a 15-year replacement cycle and they try to do one to two playgrounds per year. Coburn asked if there is cost inflation included in the plan. Fox responded this plan includes very preliminary estimates. When they did the 5-year plan they had a better idea of costs. Staff does use today's dollars in the plan. Coburn asked if funding decisions in years 7, 8 or 9 are made now. Fox said they are only placeholders for what they are forecasting. Link asked if this plan only includes existing facilities. Fox said there are some new items in the plan. For example, Cedar Hills Park is included in the years 2014 and 2015. This park was part of the airport expansion plan and is the last neighborhood park. There was a decline in housing so there was no urgency in developing that park but now as housing projects come in they will need to move forward. Fox explained for the most part the park system is built but they are dealing with major park renovations. Link said he thinks it is fascinating that the City does this and does not wait for the parks to fall apart. He asked if the Community Center is included in this plan. Lotthammer said that portion of the plan is developed with Facility and Community Center staff. Fox said this evening staff only presented one component of park projects. Link said he would like to see a summary of all of the projects to give them a focus on what is happening in the City. Fox said staff would provide the Commission with a copy of the complete CIP once the City Council approves it. PARKS,RECREATION AND NATURAL RESOURCES COMMISSION June 4, 2012 Page 5 IX. REPORTS OF STAFF A. RECREATION SERVICES MANAGER 1. Senior Awareness Summary Bohnsack provided the Commission with an overview of the activities that occurred at the Senior Center during the month of May which was Senior Awareness month. She explained the City partnered with the Library, Prairie Adult Care, Summit Place Campus and Eden Prairie News in promoting events for Senior Awareness month. Napuck asked Bohnsack to provide the Commission with some information on the gift from the Eden Prairie Foundation for AV equipment. Bohnsack explained the Senior Advisory Council agreed to match the Eden Prairie Foundation funds to purchase a drop-down screen and projector. Link said there are a lot of nice programs offered at the Senior Center and it is a great facility in the community. He said in looking at this group of people they appear to have been very successful. Link asked if staff has ever considered using them to facilitate a mentoring program to give back to younger adults or other people in the community. Obiazor explained the City has a Leadership Training Program during the summer and this would be a good opportunity to have that group of people share with the leadership group. Gunderson said the City offers a lot of programs surrounding families and older crowds. He asked if they have ever considered offering something to attract 14 to 18 year olds. Obiazor said they did have a teen band that would perform and last summer they had a teen night in the concert series. She explained teenagers are the most difficult group to program for. With the concert series staff does try to appeal to different demographics. Staff welcomes suggestions for programming for teen groups. FYI: KidStock FYI: Starring at Staring Concert Series FYI: Minnesota Festival of Jazz on the Prairie FYI: Eden Prairie Players Musical "Annie" FYI: Great American Campout FYI: Rocking at Riley FYI: Garden Party B. PARKS AND NATURAL RESOURCES MANAGER C. COMMUNITY CENTER MANAGER D. RECREATION SERVICES MANAGER PARKS,RECREATION AND NATURAL RESOURCES COMMISSION June 4, 2012 Page 6 E. PARKS AND RECREATION DIRECTOR 1. 2011 PRNR Work Plan Lotthammer reported the July 2 meeting will be the Commission's annual bus tour of City facilities. They will begin at 6:30 p.m. and the Conservation Commission will be joining them. 2. Park Tour Location A list of facilities the Commission will tour at their July meeting was included in the Commission's agenda material and if they would like to add a stop they should contact staff. Kraft asked that they stop at Miller Park to tour the splash pad and look at the amenities added. 3. Aquatic Facility Lotthammer explained an RFP for an Aquatic Facility Study was distributed with proposals to be returned on Wednesday, June 6. The study is to look at the option of adding onto the Community Center or updating the aquatic experience at the Community Center. Review of the results of the RFP will be on the Commission's July meeting agenda. 4. Edible Playground Lotthammer reported staff is working to do an edible playground at Prairie View Park. Staff was approached by a person who is willing to fund this trial program. With the nation's problem of obesity and children not understanding where food comes from it was felt this program should be integrated into the schools. The program would include the growing and harvesting of a garden. The program should be launched within the next week or two. A grant and donation will cover the cost of this pilot garden project. It will also add an amenity to the playground program. Napuck asked why Prairie View Park was chosen as the location for the garden. Lotthammer explained staff considered a location with the greatest park area potential and if the program is to be integrated with a school they looked at a location with the least amount of logistics. Napuck said she thinks this is a great project. X. NEXT MEETING The next regular meeting of the Parks, Recreation and Natural Resources Commission will be Monday, July 2, Bus Tour at 6:30 p.m. X. ADJOURNMENT PARKS,RECREATION AND NATURAL RESOURCES COMMISSION June 4, 2012 Page 7 MOTION: Motion was made by Link, seconded by Coburn, to adjourn the meeting. The motion carried 6-0 and the meeting was adjourned at 8:35 p.m.