HomeMy WebLinkAboutDec 13, 2017
Park & Recreation Commission
Minutes of the Meeting
December 13, 2017
David Payne called the meeting to order at 5:30 p.m.
Roll Call
Members present: Anne Carder, Sean Clerkin, Bruce Evans, Kevin McDonald, David Payne, Marsha Stroik
Staff present: Kevin Hansen, Public Works Director; Keith Windschitl, Recreation Director; Deanna
Saefke, Commission Secretary; Connie Buesgens, Council Liaison
Approval Consent Agenda
Clerkin asked if the Onsite Sanitation was used at the parks year round. Hansen replied at some parks
there is a satellite there all year. For example at the parks where DNR grant money is received there
needs to be one there all year.
Motion by Clerkin, second by McDonald, to approve the consent agenda. Upon vote: All ayes. Motion
Carried.
Letters and Requests
A. Request from SACA to waive the park rental fee for the use of Silver Lake Park for the annual Polar
Plunge fundraiser on January 27, 2018.
Windschitl indicated Dave Rudolph from SACA submitted a park permit and request to waive the fee for
the park usage at Silver Lake Park for the Polar Plunge Fundraiser on January 27, 2018. In the past the
fee has been waived and it was added as long as the group provides a copy of their liability insurance
listing the City of Columbia Heights as additional insured.
Motion by Stroik, second by Carder, to approve the request to waive the park usage fee for the SACA
Polar Plunge on January 27, 2018, as long as the group provides a copy of their liability insurance listing
the City as additional insured. Upon vote: All ayes. Motion Carried.
Old Business
A. Keyes Park Master Plan
Hansen presented a revised version of the Keyes Park Master Plan. The main revision is to pull both
fields back by thirty feet, and to put the player’s bench in the back stop. This pulls everything about 60
feet away from where sliders might come down the hill. Staff will redirect any slider down the hill with
plastic snow fencing to avoid the backstop. Hansen indicated the intent is to have each outfield
separated so that both fields could be used at one time. This plan also indicates the ability to have a
soccer field that will overlay an existing playing field. One concern from Windschitl is when an overlay
happens with a soccer field on the outfield of a baseball or softball playing field, there is a lot of wear
and tear on the outfields. Hansen stated that when that type of overlay happens on a primary field there
should be some type of irrigation. The irrigation would be bid as an add-alternate. Clerkin asked if a plan
could happen without the overlay. Hansen replied it could if the soccer field size was smaller. Hansen
replied all of the Master Plan elements are included with slightly revising the location of the fields,
pulling them west by thirty feet, and also pulling the backstops back about fifty to sixty feet. If the
Commission accepts the changes the plans will be sent for rebid. Stroik asked if by pulling the fields back
City of Columbia Heights December 13, 2017
Park & Recreation Commission Minutes of the Meeting Page 2
if it will impact anything planned on the west side. Hansen replied no, it will not. Hansen reported
currently on site at the park is 3000 cubic yards of dirt from a road project which will be used to build
the two fields. The playground equipment has been delivered; this was funded in part by a grant. In the
ice rink contaminated material is being held and will be removed to a landfill in the spring. Clerkin asked
if the hockey rink will be removed in the master plan. Hansen replied yes and staff is in the process of
removing the boards. He stated that by having staff remove the hockey rink, remove the backstops, and
installing the playground equipment the hope is to cut $30,000 to $50,000 dollars from the bids
received. The plan is to go to bid in early January and report back to the Commission in February. Stroik
asked if the City applied for any of the Super Bowl grants or if we were even eligible. Hansen replied no.
The grant for this particular project was a 50/50 grant for the cost of the playground equipment.
Hansen reported one other cost savings adjustment is to end the walking trail on Reservoir Boulevard
and not to continue the trail down the hill at this time. Having the trail going down the hill would be
difficult to construct, to maintain, and could present potential hazards with that steep of a hill. The trail
will have somewhat of a turnaround with some benches. Hansen indicated this will a good alignment for
the two ballfields. Stroik replied it will also protect the sliders on the hill. Payne asked where the parking
th
lot will be. Hansen replied the primary parking will be off of 46 and the south side will have about ten
spaces of pull in curb parking similar to what is at Ramsdell Park.
Motion by Clerkin, second by Carder, to accept the changes to the Keyes Park Master Plan; moving the
fields back from the original location by thirty feet, and to place the players benches in the backstop.
Upon vote: All ayes. Motion Carried.
B. Dog Park Petition
Hansen indicated the process will be to have the Commission review the requirements of a dog park and
evaluate a location on a park by park basis. There are fifteen parks and the process will be similar for
each park. Staff will list the criteria for a dog park and in this case we are looking at a size of eight tenths
of an acre up to 1.2 acres as listed by the American Kennel Club. This size will be laid out in the parks to
see what arrangement makes the most sense. Staff picked Hilltop Park for the first example based on
the size of the park. You can evaluate what the impacts are, and look at adjacent uses. For instance at
Hilltop Park there is plenty of on street parking the entire park backs up either directly to or is across the
street from residential housing. Staff would go through and note what some of the conditions are, such
as this example, on a park by park basis. The findings would be brought back to the Commission for
review on each city park. Hansen indicated this proposed park evaluation process is to give the
Commission information to then evaluate the one or two parks that might be best suited for a dog park
and to bring that proposed park usage into the comprehensive plan. He stated the received petition was
not to actually install a dog park in any given year but the petition was to have a dog park represented
within the Comprehensive Plan the City is currently working on.
Clerkin asked if what is currently being presented at Hilltop Park is to give the group a preliminary idea
of what the process would look like going forward with each individual park. Hansen replied yes. He
asked if this format works for the members and if the information presented makes sense. Carder asked
if the two colors on the park overlay indicated the areas for big dogs versus smaller dogs. Hansen replied
no it represents the area needed if the dog park was .8 acres or 1.2 acres. One other item to note in
each park staff would be looking for an area to include a dog park where not much site grading would be
needed. Stroik stated that a dog park would not obviously fit into every park. Hansen replied no. In
Hilltop Park for example a dog park would occupy the whole park space. Hansen stated in the criteria is
to evaluate if there are other conflicting adjacent uses. Do you want to have dogs barking and running in
an area that is right next to a playground or near houses? Clerkin asked if higher fencing is required if
City of Columbia Heights December 13, 2017
Park & Recreation Commission Minutes of the Meeting Page 3
the dog park is adjacent to residential property. Hansen replied that is a consideration. Some
recommendations for dog park fencing are a six foot high fence. Payne asked if Lomianki Park is being
considered. Hansen replied that this process will occur for each city park. Commission members agreed
that a playground should not be removed for a dog park and that having one near residential housing
should be avoided if possible. Hansen encouraged the Commission to discuss the evaluations at a future
meeting and determine one, two, or three parks where a potential dog park could be located that meets
most of the criteria. This would be included in the Comprehensive Plan. Clerkin agrees this is a good way
to evaluate each park.
New Business
None at this time.
Reports
A. Recreation Director
Windschitl reported the new recreation employee, Carissa Goebel, has started as the part time athletic
coordinator. We are also playing in a new basketball league that includes Coon Rapids, Fridley, Spring
Lake Park, Blaine, and a few other organizations. This has been a good league to be in so far for the
youth girl’s teams. The boys will be starting soon. Coaches are needed for the boy’s teams if anyone
knows of anyone that could help. There are three to four teams already filled with students that need a
coach. These teams practice at the Hylander Center. Buesgens asked if the need for coaches was posted
on any Facebook pages. Saefke replied yes, weeks ago on various pages. Stroik suggested using the Next
Door app with community groups based on the area of the neighborhood.
Stroik asked if the elementary school gyms are being used for practices. Windschitl replied no, not by
our teams. There have been many conflicts in the past years. It can be a regularly scheduled practice or
class and it gets bumped last minute for concerts or conferences. He gets concerned when this has
happened because if a child gets dropped off at the curb by their parent and go to the door and it is
locked they might not have a way to reach their parent. He is thankful for the Hylander Center gym so
that the department can schedule programs as needed without conflicts. Stroik doesn’t understand why
the schedule isn’t clear at the beginning of the year when everything is booked. Windschitl stated that
the Hylander Center is used for practices on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays. Wednesday evenings
remains a community open gym night. Saefke reported the youth Sports Sampler happens five different
evenings at Valley View. Windschitl indicated the Hylander Center gym also has the capability to lower
nd
the basketball hoops for the 2 grade teams for example.
Buesgens asked if any complaints were received by the resident next door to the community garden.
Windschitl replied not this year, but he has spoken with him in the past. Buesgens replied hearing his
complaint was that when the community gardens are being cleared out the people throw rocks in his
year. Windschitl replied it would be easy to have buckets at the garden to collect rocks.
B. Public Works Director/City Engineer
Hansen reported over the course of the winter staff are updating the park plan. Updates are being listed
for the changes within the parks such as addition of the splash pad, and new playground equipment at
five or six parks. The City of Fridley did this on an interactive web page so that anyone can see what
amenities are at each park.
Hansen reported the Canadian Pacific Holiday Train was a great event. The train was on time at 7:45
p.m., the stage came down at 8:00 p.m., and they performed for about 30 minutes, and took about 10
minutes to pull away. It was estimated about 3000 people were in attendance. The site could fit closer
City of Columbia Heights December 13, 2017
Park & Recreation Commission Minutes of the Meeting Page 4
to 500 people. Buesgens stated the fire rings were a great addition. Hansen replied the fire rings are four
feet in diameter, they were made for this event, the fire department monitored the fires, and public
works staff picked them up after the event. Buesgens asked how many years this train has stopped in
Columbia Heights. Hansen replied this is the second year at this location. Payne stated the holiday train
started in 1999.
C. Commission Members
None at this time.
Saefke reported that at the city employee holiday luncheon Windschitl and Hansen were recognized for
twenty years of service. The city manager gave compliments to them both. Commission Members
congratulated them.
Payne adjourned the meeting at 6:18 p.m.
_________________________________
Deanna Saefke, Recreation Secretary