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HomeMy WebLinkAbout01.14.15 Parks and Rec MinutesFarmington Parks and Recreation Advisory Commission Minutes from the January 14, 2015 Regular Meeting Members Present: Chad Elliott, David McMillen, and Gene Spars Members Absent: Mike Haley Other’s Present: Parks and Recreation Director Randy Distad I. Call Meeting To Order Chair McMillen called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. Quorum was present. II. Approval of January 14, 2015 Meeting Agenda Moved by Elliott and seconded by Spars to approve the meeting agenda. All persons in favor (APIF). Motion carried. III. Approval of December 10, 2014 Regular Meeting Minutes Moved by Spars and seconded by McMillen to approve the December 10, 2014 regular meeting minutes. Voting in favor: McMillen and Spars. Voting against: none. Abstaining from the vote: Elliott. Motion carried. IV. Presentations There were no presentations. V. Business Items A. Approve Commission’s 2015 Work Plan Distad shared that the work plan is in a draft form based on the input provided by Commission members at the December 10, 2014 Commission meeting. He shared that he was open to any revisions Commission members would like to make. McMillen asked Commission members if they would like to make any revisions to the work plan. Spars stated that he didn’t have any revisions but shared that he liked the goal about looking at alternative forms of lighting parks. McMillen asked when the community survey would be done. Distad stated that a consultant still has to be hired to complete the survey and then the questions would be finalized. He thought the survey would be completed sometime in the spring of 2015. Moved by Elliott and seconded by Spars to approve the Commission’s 2015 work plan. APIF. Motion carried. B. Approve Fair Hills Park Picnic Shelter Design Distad informed Commission members that there are several shelter designs to consider for Fair Hills Park and reviewed the designs that were included in the meeting packet. He stated that the city has mostly hexagon shaped two tiered shelters but also has rectangular shaped with a hip roof design, a dual pitch hexagon shelter and two single pole shelters. McMillen asked Commission members which style of shelter they would like to see constructed in Fair Hills Park. Spars stated he liked the Oxford designed shelter that was shown on page 34 in the sample designs. McMillen asked if the ornamentation was extra. Distad stated that he could specify the shelter design and then receive a price on what the ornamentation would cost as an add-on to the shelter. He shared that there are a couple of existing shelters that have the ornamentation and they look nice. Elliott felt that since this shelter would be visible from Pilot Knob Road it should look nice, which is a reason to look at having some ornamentation installed on the shelter. Moved by Spars to have shelter specifications that would include the following design requirements of a hexagon shape , two roof tiers, and a cupola and to further have an ornamentation option estimate given. Seconded by Elliott. APIF. Motion carried. C. Approve Hillview Park Trail Alignment Distad shared that the 2015 park improvement fund budget included funding for a looped train in Hillview Park. He shared that he was looking for some direction from the Commission on where the trail should be looped in the park. McMillen asked if there have been any more encroachments in the park. Distad stated that there haven’t been any encroachments since the master plan for the park was approved. He shared that there has been some activity with a four- wheeler in the park. However since a safety fence was constructed in the park for the sledding hill, the four wheeler activity has ceased. Elliott asked what distance trails are typically constructed from park property boundaries. Distad shared that in some situations the trail has been constructed so the outside edge of the trail has been constructed along the property boundary of the park, which creates a clear delineation of the park boundary. In other cases trails have been constructed 50 feet or more away from the park boundary because neighbors were concerned with people leaving the trail and walking on private property. McMillen felt that given encroachment issues in the past that it might be beneficial to construct the trail as close to the property line as possible. Distad shared that before any decisions are made about the trail alignment, he would be willing to draw a line on a city aerial map that would show a possible trail alignment through the park and then the Commission could review and alter the alignment if it so desired. He said staff could stake the trail alignment and then the Commission could walk the trail alignment and determine if it was suitable or not. He said this could happen in the spring once the frost is out of the ground. By consensus Commission members felt that the trail alignment in Hillview Park should be drawn on a city aerial map and then the Commission would review the conceptual alignment at its February meeting. D. Approve Meadowview Park Boardwalk Design Distad reviewed information in the meeting packet about the company that the City has purchased boardwalk framework materials from in the past. He shared that the current boardwalks have performed well and staff would like to purchase the materials from the same company for the short boardwalk connection in Meadowview Park that was approved in the 2015 budget. Spars asked how the boardwalk will be constructed. Distad shared that the city has entered into a contract with Dakota County in the past to utilize Sentence to Service personnel to complete various maintenance tasks for the city. Previously this included the construction of three boardwalks. He is anticipating the Meadowview Park boardwalk will be constructed utilizing the labor once again. Moved by Elliott and seconded by Spars to approve the boardwalk design and purchase the boardwalk materials from the same company used in the past. APIF. Motion carried. E. Approve Summer Ice Agreement Form Distad informed Commission members that the high school coaches and a FYHA representative have requested expanding summer ice in 2015 from three weeks to eight weeks. He said the current schedule would have summer ice start on June 8th and end on July 31st. There would be no camps and clinics over the July 4th week due to Minnesota State High School League no contact rules during this time period. Distad shared with Commission members a draft agreement form for summer ice that would require the interested parties to enter into an agreement with the city that would require a specific number of hours to be rented in order for the Arena to at least cover its summer ice costs and hopefully realize a small profit. He shared that the preliminary budget would require at least 205 hours be rented during summer ice in order for it to be a break-even operational scenario. He asked that the Commission formally approve the draft summer ice agreement form and that it be used prior to the 2015 summer ice season. McMillen asked if the city would be running any programs or activities during summer ice. Distad stated that staff are planning on offering a Learn to Skate Program, open skate times and open hockey times. Moved by Elliott and seconded by Spars to approve using the summer ice agreement form in 2015 with the interested parties. APIF. Motion carried. VI. Discussion Items A. Discuss 2015 Meeting Date(s) with City Council Distad made Commission members aware that this is a goal on the Commission’s 2015 work plan. McMillen asked Commission members if they had any thoughts on possible meeting times and topics. Distad shared that there wasn’t a parks and facilities tour in 2014 and that there may be a need to meet about the future direction of city recreational facilities. Spars felt that at least there should be a parks and facilities tour since there wasn’t one done in 2014. McMillen agreed and stated that there has been a number of park improvement items either completed in 2014 or will be completed in 2015. Elliott felt that it should be held in August like it has been in the past. He also thought it would be good to have the parks and facilities tour on the Commission member’s regular meeting date in August. By consensus Commission members decided to see if the City Council would support having a parks and facilities tour with the Commission in August during the Commission’s regular meeting date of August 12, 2015. Distad shared that he would work with the City Administrator to coordinate the parks and facilities tour with the City Council and Commission. VII. Commission Roundtable Spars: Shared that he will be absent at the February 11, 2015 meeting. Elliott: Did not have anything to share. McMillen: Stated that he would like to see elections delayed until the March meeting because of both Haley and Spars being absent at the February meeting. By consensus other Commission members agreed with delaying the election of officers until the March meeting. Reminded Commission members about the Rambling River Center’s annual steak fry fundraiser that will be held at the Farmington VFW on Saturday, January 17th from 5:00-8:00 p.m. and there are still some openings for volunteers to help with the event. Reminded Commission members about the Community Expo being held on Saturday, January 31st from 9:00 a.m. to Noon at the Farmington High School. VIII. Staff Report A. Smores and More Event Distad shared that recreation staff will be facilitating a first ever Smores and More event at the Rambling River Park outdoor rink on Sunday, February 1st from 2:00-4:00 p.m. It is hoped that this will become an annual winter event for the community to attend. B. Tamarack Park Distad made Commission members aware that the light poles and street and park lights were installed by Xcel Energy and are operational. He shared that he has driven by the park at night and the new lighting has made a big improvement at night. C. Commission Appointment Distad shared that there were two applicants for the open seat on the Commission. Interviews were conducted on Monday, January 12th and he was informed that Rob Carpentier will be appointed to the Commission by the City Council at its January 20, 2015 meeting. Mr. Carpentier will then begin serving his 3 year Commission term at the February 11, 2015 meeting. D. Concert in Parks Distad shared that recreation staff is working on bringing back a concert in the parks series that used to be offered years ago. It will be offered May through August on the fourth Thursday of the month in Rambling River Park. It is being tried on a limited basis in 2015 and if it is well received, could be expanded in 2016 to more dates and possibly more locations. IX. February 11, 2015 Meeting Agenda Items The following items were identified by Commission members for its December 10, 2014 meeting agenda: 1. Introduction of new Commission member 2. Summer Ice Agreement Form 3. 2015 Work Plan progress review 4. Trail alignment in Hillview Park 5. 2014 Department Annual Report X. Adjournment Moved by Elliott and seconded by Spars to adjourn the meeting. APIF. Motion carried. The meeting was adjourned at 8:01p.m. Respectfully Submitted, Randy Distad Parks and Recreation Director and Recording Secretary