City Council - 12/06/2011 - Workshop APPROVED MINUTES
CITY COUNCIL WORKSHOP & OPEN PODIUM
TUESDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2011 CITY CENTER
5:00—6:25 PM, HERITAGE ROOMS
6:30—7:00 PM, COUNCIL CHAMBER
CITY COUNCIL: Mayor Nancy Tyra-Lukens, Council Members Brad Aho, Sherry Butcher
Wickstrom, Kathy Nelson, and Ron Case
CITY STAFF: City Manager Rick Getschow, Police Chief Rob Reynolds, Fire Chief George
Esbensen, Public Works Director Robert Ellis, Community Development Director Janet Jeremiah,
Parks and Recreation Director Jay Lotthammer, Communications Manager Joyce Lorenz, City
Attorney Ric Rosow, and Recorder Lorene McWaters
Workshop - Heritage Room H
I. PARK UPDATES
Flying Cloud Fields
Parks & Recreation Director Jay Lotthammer said the Flying Cloud Field expansion is
almost complete. The new grass will continue to germinate next spring. He said the
baseball fields will be ready for use in early 2013 and the soccer and lacrosse fields will
be ready later that year.
Round Lake Park Master Plan
Lotthammer said the play equipment and skate park at Round Lake are due to be
replaced. A new Park Master Plan has been in the works for nearly a year. The plan has
included input by staff,park users and the Parks, Recreation & Natural Resources
Commission.
Lotthammer said Round Lake Park is typically quite busy in the evening, when adult
softball leagues play; but see less use by kids and families during the week. Lotthammer
said one issue has been the public perception that Round Lake is not swimmable, when in
fact it has been safe for swimming for most of the past several years. Staff feels it would
be beneficial to include a water amenity that can be controlled— a splash pad similar to
the one in Miller Park, except larger. The plan also calls for fitness pods to be placed
around the trail that circles the lake. A skate park focus group consisting of both skaters
and bikers provided input on the new skate park plan, which consists of formed concrete
in what Lotthammer calls an urban skate park design. Fifty-two new parking spots are
also included in the plan. Council Member Nelson asked how close parking is to the
proposed new play areas. Lotthammer said the parking lots connect directly to trails that
lead to the play areas.
Costs for replacement of play equipment and the skate park area would be covered with
cash park fees. Lotthammer also said a number of park referendum projects have come
in under budget, so some of those unused funds may be available for use on Round Lake
Park.
Pickleball
Lotthammer said pickleball continues to grow in popularity. There are 177 players on the
City's pickleball e-mail list. The group that plays at Pioneer Park (using portable nets on
the tennis courts) recently asked the City to consider converting the tennisibasketball
courts to permanent pickleball courts. The City sent out letters to nearby residents
soliciting input. They received 24 responses asking the City to keep the tennisibasketball
courts. Lotthammer said the courts will remain the same for this year. Council Member
Nelson said she has heard from residents who want dedicated pickleball courts, and she
asked that City staff conduct a survey of the tennis courts at Pioneer Park to determine
how much they are being actually being used for tennis and basketball.
Open Podium - Council Chamber
II. ADJOURNMENT