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HomeMy WebLinkAboutminutes-September 26, 07 City of Columbia Heights Park and Recreation Commission September 26, 2007 Eileen Evans called the meeting to order at 6:30 p.m. ROLL CALL Members present: Eileen Evans; Jerry Foss; Tom Greenhalgh; Stan Hoium; Kevin McDonald; David Payne; Marsha Stroik; Keith Windschitl, Recreation Director; Kevin Hansen, Public Works Director/City Engineer; Gary Peterson, Mayor Also present: Candace Amberg, RLA of Brauer & Associates, Ltd. APPROVAL CONSENT AGENDA Motion by Foss, second by Payne, to approve consent agenda. Upon vote: all ayes, motion carried. LETTERS AND REQUESTS A. Letter of request for a resident discount rental rate of JPM A letter of request was received from the Minnesota West Coast Swing Dance Club, to continue to receive the resident discount rate for the rental of John P. Murzyn Hall twice a year. Windschitl stated that the group rents on Friday evening in May and December. It is a well-managed event that has never had any damage. This group has a member that resides in Columbia Heights but is moving at the end of the year. Windschitl recommends continuing with the resident discount. Motion by Foss, second by McDonald, to give the 25% resident discount rental rate of JPM to the MN West Coast Swing Dance Club. Upon vote: all ayes, motion carried. B. Addition: Request for a refund of rental fees for JPM A letter of request was received from the class representatives of the Columbia Heights High School Class of 1997 reunion committee. The group was forced to cancel their upcoming reunion at JPM due to a poor response for attendance. The request is for any amount to be refunded back to the class account. Windschitl stated that if the committee would have canceled earlier the date would have been re-rented. He feels sorry for their situation, but stated that it is a loss of revenue because the date could not be rented within the 3-week cancellation period. Motion by Foss, second by Hoium, not to refund the five hundred dollar down payment. Upon vote: all ayes, motion carried. OLD BUSINESS A. 2007 Parks Capital Improvements: Silver Lake Park & Sullivan Lake Park Hansen introduced consultant Candace Amberg, RLA from Brauer & Associates, Ltd. To discuss Sullivan Lake & Silver Lake Park improvement projects. Park & Recreation Commission 5/23/2007 Page 2 Amberg reviewed the site layout for Sullivan Lake Park. The construction budget is estimated at approximately $250,000 to $300,000. The parking lot will be two to three- feet lower than the street grade with two-foot contours for screening. The trail leading to the existing building will be ten-feet wide to allow for utility vehicles. All other trails will be eight feet wide. Clearing and removal of trees will be needed for a better view of the lake. There will be an open turf area where the current pergolas are located. Due to the grade separation between the parking lot and tennis courts a retaining wall maybe needed around the courts. Evans asked what could be cut from the site layout to lower the cost. Hansen replied that there will be things that the Public Works Department can take care of to lower the estimated cost for the current site layout. The Department can take care of many of the removals like the pergolas, concrete and playground equipment. The Department can also look into paving of the trail once the land is graded. Amberg commented the estimate cost of removals alone is approximately $40,000. Amberg stated that there would be approximately 2000 square feet for the play area; the budget for the playground equipment is approximately $20,000. The site plans include wood chips underneath the equipment, a concrete curb around the area and a ramp into to playground area for A.D.A access. Examples were shown for shelter options. Hansen replied that we should create uniformity within all of the parks in the design of the shelter. He will also approach Medtronic for supporting funds regarding the shelter. The existing park benches and picnic tables are in good shape and can be reused. Amberg stated the plan shows approximately $40,000 of trail work. Hansen indicated that, as an option, the City street crew could do a lot of the trail work once the grading is done. The existing shelter would need to be removed because we lack the equipment needed for the removal. The Public Works Department can do all other removal. The playground equipment will be geared towards five to twelve years of age. Hansen stated that we would like to maintain current equipment offerings and we would like to see swings at the park. Amberg indicated that swings do take up a lot of area. Hansen indicated that many of the existing lighting could be used around the trail to keep costs down. He requested for Amberg to supply the Commission Members of shelter samples within the budget. A square shelter versus an octagonal shelter would allow for more people. Amberg will also look into cutting costs within the trail system. Some of the connecting trails may not be needed at this time and could be a future addition. Current trails may not need to be replaced. Amberg reviewed the site layout for Silver Lake Park. The plans involve removing off the existing cul-de-sac and parking lot, creating a one-way traffic and parking area. There will still be enough room for a vehicle to turn around when the gate is closed to the park entrance. Hansen stated that when the police patrol the area and use the turn around they would shed light on the whole park. Amberg stated that the layout plans for removal of the drive down to the lake. Majority of the sand area will be converted into turf. Trails will lead from the parking lot down to the shelter, play areas and beach. Existing building would stay. Installing a 24x20 foot metal roof shelter. The new picnic shelter Park & Recreation Commission 5/23/2007 Page 3 would have a budget of approximately $25,000 installed. Some of the beach area would be removed where problems have occurred late at night. The play are could be lessened because of what is currently existing, there is no need to extend or increase the intensity of that are. Evans indicated concerns with concentrating all of the activity towards the beach area. Hansen indicated that the work at Silver Lake Beach will take longer and cannot happen in 2007 partly because of the involvement with the Rice Creek Watershed District. Any type of improvements will involve intensive treatments before runoff flows into Silver Lake. Infiltration basins are needed for any park improvements. Hansen indicated that the Rice Creek Watershed District might be willing to fund some of the infiltration because there currently isn’t any in place. He would like to see a pedestrian connection for future possibilities with the Three Rivers Park. Hansen suggested moving the trail on the hill to the north side for an easier walking trail and showing it as a future addition. He will re-establish a connection with the Rice Creek Watershed District to see how much funding they are willing to provide for a bio-infiltration system. Hansen indicated that once the park plans reach 85-90% complete, he will get the park plans from Brauer & Associates, Ltd. and post them on the internet, at Public Works, City Hall and the Columbia Heights Library for public review. Silver Lake improvements are budgeted in 2008. Removals may get started in 2007. B. MNDNR Inspection 8/30/07 Hansen reported that the DNR inspects our parks to see if we match all of the requirements originally placed on the parks that received state or federal funding. Because Sullivan and Silver Lake Parks received some of this funding we need to submit the plans to the DNR. This item should be noted for other future park improvements within the City. C. LaBelle Park Boardwalk Area: Condition analysis and temporary closure Hansen reported that the current boardwalk is unsafe. The decking has been replaced in the past but now the joist work is rotted and can no longer be replaced. He suggests getting an inspection of the piers and the sheeting on the boardwalk. Peterson asked if the boardwalk could be removed to create a shoreline. Hansen replied that because this is a DNR pond there are specific shoreline requirements that need to be met. In either case restorative work is expensive and we would be looking at six figures to remove the boardwalk and restore the shoreline or restore the boardwalk. Hansen indicated that the main concern is if the Commission Members and City Council ultimately want to have this type of feature, an overlook, at LaBelle. For the short-term of one to two years, Hansen suggests putting up a five-foot high chain link fence to block off the area. This will allow time for inspections and to get a better feel for what is happening to the boardwalk under the water. This could then be a park to focus on in 2009. Park & Recreation Commission 5/23/2007 Page 4 McDonald asked what would happen if nothing was done for two years. Hansen indicated that there is an exposure to risk and with the chain fence in place we would be delineating the area that people should not be in. The fence would cost approximately $2,800. Hoium stated that the current orange fence does not do any good and is already broken. He suggests putting up the chain link fence. McDonald indicated that the same type of boardwalk should not be put in again to avoid the same type of maintenance problems in the future. He suggests smaller type of walkout areas. Motion by Greenhalgh, second by Foss to install the five-foot chain link fence at LaBelle Park, while the investigative work is done. Upon vote, all ayes, motion carried. D. 2008 Comprehensive Plan Update Hansen gave the Commission Members a packet of information on the existing Park and Open Space Plan. The Metropolitan Council requires all City’s in the metro area to update their existing comprehensive plans by the end of 2008. The consulting firm of Bonestroo/DSU was hired to assist with the plan preparation. Hansen indicated that the Commission Members should plan to attend the upcoming meeting listed on the memo. NEW BUSINESS None at this time. REPORTS Recreation Director Windschitl reported that the next Park & Recreation Commission meeting would include the annual budget meeting. The Commission meeting will be held on Wednesday, October 24, 2007 at 6:30 with the budget meeting at 8:00. Public Works Director/City Engineer None at this time. Commission Members None at this time. ADJOURNMENT Chair Eileen Evans adjourned the meeting at 8:05 p.m. ______________________________ Deanna Saefke Recreation Clerk Typist II