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HomeMy WebLinkAboutParks and Recreation - 04/09/2018 APPROVED MINUTES PARKS, RECREATION AND NATURAL RESOURCES COMMISSION MONDAY,APRIL 9, 2018 7:00 P.M. MAINTENANCE FACILITY 15150 Technology Drive PRNR COMMISSION MEMBERS: Larry Link, Chair; Debra McBride, Vice Chair; Patrice Erickson, Donald Jacobson, Andrew McGlasson, Leonard Pesheck, John Rahman, Kirk Spresser STUDENT REPRESENTATIVES: William Hemler, John Lindholm, Govind Makaram, Janvi Shah, James Yoo CITY STAFF: Jay Lotthammer, Parks and Recreation Director Matt Bourne, Parks and Natural Resources Manager Lori Brink, Recreation Manager Valerie Verley, Community Center Manager Tom Stowe, Park Maintenance Supervisor Bill Olmschenk, Park Construction Supervisor Jacob Busiahn, Forestry and Natural Resources Specialist RECORDING SECRETARY: Jodie Fenske I. INTRODUCTIONS Chair Link called the meeting to order at 7:03 p.m. Roll call was taken. Commission Members Jacobson, Pesheck, and Rahman were absent. Student Representatives Hemler, Lindholm, Shah, and Yoo were absent. Lotthammer introduced Andrew McGlasson as a Commission Member. Andy and his wife have lived in Eden Prairie for 17 years and raised their children here. He is looking forward to giving back to his community through serving on the Commission. II. APPROVAL OF AGENDA Motion: McBride moved, seconded by Erickson, to approve the agenda as presented. Motion carried 5-0. III. APPROVAL OF PRNR MINUTES Motion: McBride moved, seconded by Spresser, to approve the January 8, 2018 and March 5, 2018 minutes as presented. Motion carried 5-0. PARKS, RECREATION AND NATURAL RESOURCES COMMISSION MINUTES April 9, 2018 Page 2 IV. REPORT OF CITY COUNCIL ACTION Lotthammer reported on several actions recently taken by the Council. A. DONATIONS Council accepted a donation from OSR Physical Therapy for$750 to be used to enhance the following programs: Fall into Fitness ($250), Indoor Triathlons ($250), and Senior Center BBQ ($250). A donation in the amount of$2,500 was accepted from MedExpress Urgent Care. MedExpress requested funds be allocated as follows: Fall Harvest($1,000), KidStock ($1,000), Fall into Fitness ($250), and Spooky Saturday ($250). B. GARDEN LEASE WITH METROPOLITAN AIRPORTS COMMISSION (MAC) Council approved a one-year community garden plot Lease Agreement with MAC for the community gardens located on Pioneer Trail near Flying Cloud Drive. C. NATIVE PLANTING AREAS MAINTENANCE AGREEMENT A standard agreement for contracted services with Applied Ecological Services, Inc. was approved for the maintenance of the turf to native plants conversion areas. D. FOREST HILLS PARK TENNIS COURT PROJECT Council awarded the contract for the tennis court rehabilitation at Forest Hills Park to DMJ Asphalt, Inc. E. RILEY LAKE PARK CHANGE ORDER NO. 1 A minimal change order was approved for Riley Lake Park improvements by Odesa IL The final payment has been made to the contractor and the grand opening is scheduled for July 21, 2018. F. STARING LAKE PARK PLAY COURT IMPROVEMENTS Council authorized entering into a contract to include the base bid and bid alternate No. 2 with Odesa II for the Staring Lake Park Play Court Improvements Project. The contract includes constructing eight permanent pickleball courts and refurbishing the tennis and basketball courts. G. MILLER FIELD 11 IMPROVEMENTS Council awarded the contract for reconstruction of soccer field No. 11 at Miller Park to New Look Contracting, Inc. Improvements will include better drainage, PARKS, RECREATION AND NATURAL RESOURCES COMMISSION MINUTES April 9, 2018 Page 3 enhanced soil, and re-seeded grass. H. EMERALD ASH BORER (EAB) MANAGEMENT PLAN Council was presented an overview of the recently revised Emerald Ash Borer Management Plan and awarded a contract to Rainbow Treecare for treatment over the next three years of ash trees on City property. V. REPORT OF PLANNING COMMISSION VI. PETITIONS, REQUESTS,AND COMMUNICATION A. PARK MAINTENANCE OVERVIEW AND TOUR Bourne introduced the Commission to Tom Stowe, Park Maintenance Supervisor; Bill Olmschenk, Park Construction Supervisor; and Jacob Busiahn, Forestry and Natural Resources Specialist. The Parks and Natural Resources Division is responsible for providing and maintaining the comprehensive park and open space system. Wildlife management, forestry management, and maintenance of the park and trail properties are a top priority. Within the division, the three departments overlap and work together frequently. In total, they have sixteen full-time and twenty seasonal employees. Bourne reviewed each supervisor's main responsibilities and commended them all for working together seamlessly. Park Maintenance Supervisor Stowe outlined the responsibilities for which his area is responsible, including 44 parks and special use areas, Riley and Round Lake Beaches, 45 baseball/softball fields, 48 soccer/lacrosse/football fields, and 35 tennis courts. The division is also responsible for maintaining 134 miles of trails, several formal flower gardens, and the community garden plots. Special-use facilities include six fishing piers, a skate park, and six off-leash dog parks. The Park Maintenance division also maintains seven rental picnic areas (including trash and recycling pick-up) and the Pleasant Hill Cemetery. Winter work for the department includes snow removal from trails, parking lots, and rinks; removing diseased trees; and maintaining ten skating rinks, nine hockey rinks, and the Staring Lake sledding hill. Maintenance staff also assist Recreation staff with special events and programs. Several summer athletic tournaments result in extra work involving special setup, pre-tournament field mowing and lining, daily maintenance, trash removal, etc. over several days of the tournaments. There are also many community groups with which the division collaborates. Park Construction Supervisor Olmschenk described overseeing park construction work performed by hired contractors, Park Maintenance staff, other City departments, and the Institution/Community Work Crew (ICWC). The Park Construction area is responsible for overseeing new playground design and construction work. Once a playground has reached its useful life (around twenty PARKS, RECREATION AND NATURAL RESOURCES COMMISSION MINUTES April 9, 2018 Page 4 years), it is necessary for the removal of the old equipment and design,preparation and installation of the new structures. Maintenance staff members inspect and repair 33 playgrounds and five staff members are certified play structure inspectors. In addition, the division manages over 65 hard courts by maintaining and inspecting, resurfacing, and reconstructing. Inspection,repair and maintenance, and reconstruction of 230 miles of trails and 96 miles of walks are under the responsibility of the division. Along the trails and walks, tree trimming and pruning is performed for right-of-way areas and safety clearances. Forestry and Natural Resources Specialist Busiahn described some of his responsibilities as managing the ash tree inventory, ensuring the EAB management plan is followed, overseeing the disease/nuisance tree program, and performing park boundary inspections. His general forestry responsibilities include tree inventory, tree removal, tree planting, and tree pruning. The conversion of turf to native plantings program continues to be beneficial because of acres of land no longer need to be mowed, resulting in decreased maintenance and improvement in the natural habitat. Invasive plant management is often performed by ICWC. Olmschenk lead the Commission on a tour of the maintenance facility to complete the presentation. B. HANDOUTS OF UPCOMING EVENTS Brink and Verley presented handouts of upcoming events, including Step To It Challenge, The GIVE Gathering, Mother-Son All-Star Evening, Park Clean-Up Day, Art Center Open House, Arbor Day Walk and Green Fair, and Round Lake Park Ballfield Reopening. VII. NEW BUSINESS VIII. OLD BUSINESS A. PARKS AND RECREATION EXPERIENCES Commission members shared recent experiences related to parks and recreation. Link completed what he hopes will be his last winter biking experience of the season at Staring Lake Park. Lotthammer and Brink attended the Outdoor Center open house and assisted with parking and traffic control. Both heard many compliments on the event and they estimate 500 adults and children attended. McGlasson and his daughter have recently hiked many of the trails and pathways throughout the City and enjoyed exploring the different areas. Erickson inquired about the Floating Egg Hunt recently held at the Community Center recreation pool. Verley responded the event was very well attended and plans are to continue staggering participants for water safety reasons. PARKS, RECREATION AND NATURAL RESOURCES COMMISSION MINUTES April 9, 2018 Page 5 IX. REPORTS OF STAFF A. COMMUNITY CENTER MANAGER Verley shared the Aquatic Center recently hosted its largest event to date, the Senior State Swim Meet. The facility was utilized to full capacity and the event ran smoothly. Several facility inquiries were made by other swim clubs. B. PARKS AND NATURAL RESOURCES MANAGER 1. Emerald Ash Borer(EAB) Management Plan Bourne provided Commission members with a copy of the recently updated EAB Management Plan which was approved by Council in March. He provided a presentation describing ash tree preservation through chemical treatment,proactive removal and replacement of ash trees, anticipated public outreach and education, as well as a breakdown of the costs associated with the EAB management strategies. The previous EAB management plan focused on monitoring the spread, updating related City ordinances, selective removal of ash trees, and public education and outreach. However, since the confirmation last year of EAB within the City, staff is proposing a more proactive approach to manage this invasive species. Results from a recent ash tree inventory indicate there are 906 ash trees within maintained areas of City parks; 1,295 ash trees within City right-of- way areas; and 963 ash trees located in unmaintained areas adjacent to City trails. Spresser inquired and Bourne responded ash trees represent approximately 15 percent of the tree inventory on City maintained property. He noted the percentage of ash trees is much higher on private property within the City. Forestry and Natural Resources Specialist Busiahn presented strategies planned for the preservation of ash trees due to EAB invasion. Staff is proposing to chemically treat approximately half of the ash trees located on City-maintained property that meet certain criteria. Bids were recently solicited, four bids were received, and a contract was signed with Rainbow Treecare. The three-year contract includes an option for City residents to take advantage of a bulk discounted rate. Staff and the contractor are currently developing a marketing strategy to inform the community. Extensive research has been done on this three-year treatment interval which is based on pest pressure. Busiahn explained how the EAB population will rise and crest before ultimately falling. The treatment will PARKS, RECREATION AND NATURAL RESOURCES COMMISSION MINUTES April 9, 2018 Page 6 be aggressive for approximately ten to twelve years until the crest is reached and then the maintenance protocol will take place. Busiahn stated although there are well-warranted concerns on the effects of pesticides, the effect of losing thousands of ash trees and their benefits should also be considered. Therefore pesticide safety has been strongly taken into consideration. Trunk injections will be used which greatly reduce the exposure to pesticides. The product being used, Emamectinbenzoate, is not a neonicotinoid which aligns with the City's pollinator-friendly policies. In addition, the treatment interval is being reduced from every two years to every three years which is still very beneficial. Along with the preservation of ash trees, those that do not meet certain criteria will be pre-emptively removed and proactively replaced. This process will positively help manage cost, aesthetics, and staff workloads. Approximately 260 ash trees per year will be removed for the next seven years, leaving approximately 300 trees in place to succumb to EAB prior to being removed. There will be additional trees removed in conservation areas. Regarding replacement of ash trees, staff proposes planting 1.5 trees for each tree removed. Planting locations will be focused in parks and arterial/collector streets, not on local streets. Programs will be developed to encourage replanting on private property through tree sales, give-away opportunities, as well as a City-wide planting contract to purchase at reduced rates. Species diversity will be considered throughout the replanting process. Recent inventory determined 75 percent of City's entire canopy consists of maple, spruce, apple, and ash. Therefore, additional species are recommended, including tamarack, Ohio buckeye, and ginkgo, amongst many others listed on City's website. Public education and outreach will be an important part of the program. The City has an estimated 50,000 ash trees in maintained areas, 14 percent of the overall tree population. Education will promote proper treatment on private property and the treatment contract option for residents will be maintained. The City's website will stay updated with management options and treatment recommendations. Targeted mailings will be sent to residents in neighborhoods with higher densities of ash tree population. Educational materials and sessions at City events will be provided. Busiahn provided information on the costs and benefits of ash preservation, as well as budget impacts over the 25-year plan. C. RECREATION SERVICES MANAGER PARKS, RECREATION AND NATURAL RESOURCES COMMISSION MINUTES April 9, 2018 Page 7 1. Sculpture/Public Art Brink updated the Commission about sculptures to be temporarily placed throughout the City starting this spring for about one year. Signage describing the piece and artist will be placed next to the pieces. After the temporary period, the sculptures will be available for purchase by the City or perhaps by a donor to purchase and donate to a public space. The three sculptures are funded by a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts (NEW). Through a jury process, three sculptures were chosen. Minneapolis native and bronze sculptor, Kimber Fiebiger's whimsical sculpture, Eggcited, will be located in front of the Art Center. Jon Kamrath's large scale sculpture, Full Sail, will be placed along the walking path at Purgatory Creek Park. Sail, a bronze horse sculpture by Minneapolis public artist, Victor Yepez, will be located in the middle of the prairie at the Outdoor Center. Found objects and recycled materials, especially metal, influence many of Yepez's sculptures, including Sail. The department hopes to continue to write grants and find support for these types of public art opportunities throughout the community. 2. Springy-Summer Registrations Brink informed the Commission of enrollment numbers for the 2018 spring-summer camps, lessons, and recreation program registrations. Final numbers,reflecting actual attendance, will be reported in September. First day registrations increased to 2,512 in 2018 from 2,205 in 2017. Revenue also increased to $351,103 in 2018 from$268,680 in 2017. Online registration percentage remains at approximately 94 percent and first-day registrations represent about 30 percent of summer enrollments in one day. Brink mentioned staff is pursuing an updated credit card processing system at the Community Center in the near future. Link inquired about the possibility of Community Center members being able to purchase punch cards and other items and charging the cost to their membership account. Brink replied staff will research the option. D. PARKS AND RECREATION DIRECTOR 1. Parks and Recreation Annual Report Lotthammer distributed copies of the 2017 Parks and Recreation Annual report and invited the Commission to contact him with any questions. PARKS, RECREATION AND NATURAL RESOURCES COMMISSION MINUTES April 9, 2018 Page 8 2. 2018 PRNR Work Plan An updated 2018 PRNR work plan was provided by Lotthammer. The Round Lake Park Ballfield Re-Opening, including a First Pitch Ceremony, is scheduled for 6 p.m. on Monday, April 23. The Board and Commission Banquet is planned for 6 p.m. in the Garden Room on Monday, May 7. Students and Commission members are invited. A joint meeting with the Conservation Commission is currently being planned for Fall 2018. X. NEXT MEETING The next PRNR Commission meeting will be held on Monday, May 7 at 7 p.m., in the Heritage Rooms at City Center, 8080 Mitchell Road. The Board and Commission Banquet will be held on Thursday, May 17 at 6 p.m. in the Garden Room at City Center, 8080 Mitchell Road. XI. ADJOURNMENT Motion: Spresser motioned, seconded by McBride, to adjourn the meeting. Motion carried 5-0. Chair Link adjourned the meeting at 9:25 p.m.