HomeMy WebLinkAbout12.12.18 Parks and Rec MinutesFarmington Parks and Recreation Commission
Minutes from the December 12, 2018 Regular Meeting
Members Present: David McMillen, Laurie Suchanek, and Dustin Johnson
Members Absent: Neil Ramdhan and John Moore
Other’s Present: Parks and Recreation Director Randy Distad
I. Call Meeting To Order
Chair Johnson called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. Quorum was present.
II. Approval of December 12, 2018 Meeting Agenda
Moved by McMillen and seconded by Suchanek to approve the amended meeting agenda to add Business Item Letter D.
Sapphire Lake Park Reconfiguration. All persons in favor (APIF). Motion carried.
III. Approval of November 14, 2018 Regular Meeting Minutes
Moved by McMillen and seconded by Suchanek to approve amending the meeting minutes with the following revision:
In Business Item Letter E fix typo so the word is “they”. APIF. Motion carried.
IV. Presentations
None
V. Business Items
A. Approve Completed 2018 Work Plan
Chair Johnson reviewed the goals and objectives that were completed and not completed. Distad requested the
Commission approve the final completed plan. Moved by McMillen and seconded by Suchanek to approve the completed
2019 Work Plan document. APIF. Motion carried.
B. Approve 2018 Meeting Attendance Report
Distad reviewed the meeting attendance report including updating the report to make it current through the December 12
meeting. It was noted that attendance fell off for Commission members Moore and Ramdhan the second half of the year.
Commission members asked if there was an attendance rule or policy that existed that identified the minimum number of
meetings to attend before consideration could be given to ask a member to resign. Distad shared the current city
ordinance that pertains to the Commission. There is no attendance rule in the ordinance and only that the City Council
may remove a member by 4/5’s vote. Commission members requested a review of the Commission’s ordinance to see if
language could be added to the ordinance specifying a minimum number of meetings members are required to attend in
order to be able to continue serving on the Commission. It was suggested this review of the ordinance be added to the
2019 work plan when it is discussed later in the meeting.
Commission members asked Distad to contact Commission members Moore and Ramdhan to find out if they both are
able to continue to attend meetings. Commission members were concerned that it has been falling on the same three
members to attend a meeting in order to have a quorum and if one of these three members was not able to attend, then the
meeting would have to be cancelled due to a lack of a quorum
C. Park Dedication Credit Request
Distad informed Commission members he met with Don Peterson who owns property south of CSAH 50 and west of the
Dakota County Highway Department’s maintenance facility. He shared the following information about the meeting:
Mr. Peterson is interested in receiving park dedication credit on some land that he owns that South Creek runs
through
Mr. Peterson is currently trying to either sell to Dakota County or allowing a conservation easement to be placed
on land that is currently in the flood plain
The property also aligns with the future Lake Marion and South Creek Regional Greenway corridor
Mr Peterson would like to receive parkland dedication credit for two slivers of land that are not in the floodplain
and are considered upland
Distad shared the city has not given park dedication credit in advance of the a development plan and would recommend
not setting a precedent and do so in this situation. He said it is still possible the land that Mr. Peterson wants to dedicate
as parkland could be accepted by the city, but it should wait until the Commission can see how the parkland in the
development fits with the overall development plan.
Suchanek stated she doesn’t feel parkland dedication credit should be given before a development plan is known because
she would like to see how the park fits with the entire development.
McMillen shared he doesn’t want to set a precedent that would open it up for other property owners to ask for parkland
dedication credit in advance of the property being developed.
Moved by Suchanek and seconded by McMillen to deny the request to give parkland dedication credit in advance of a
submitted development plan for the entire property. APIF. Motion carried.
D. Sapphire Lake Development Park Reconfiguration
Distad showed Commission members a reconfiguration of the parkland area to be dedicated in the southeast corner of the
development. He shared the developer is interested in creating a wetland bank area also in the southeast area of the
development that would require the park to be reconfigured. Distad stated staff would support the new park location
because it will allow the park area to be contiguous to the undeveloped property to the south, so when this property is
developed, the park land can be taken adjacent to the park area in the Sapphire Lake development allowing the park area
to be enlarged and it could potentially serve as a community park with athletic fields with food future access off of
Biscayne Avenue.
McMillen thought the revised configuration of the park area works well for adding acreage to the park when the property
to the south is developed. Suchanek and Johnson agreed with McMillen.
Moved by McMillen and seconded by Suchanek to approve the new park configuration and location in the southeast area
of the Sapphire Lake development. APIF. Motion carried.
VI. Discussion Items
A. Review Draft 2019 Work Plan
Commission members reviewed the draft work plan and made the following revisions to the plan:
Add goal #10 to include naming the park in the Sapphire Lake development
Add goal #11 to include a review of the Park and Recreation Commission Ordinance
Distad shared he would update the draft plan to include these two new goals and then the Commission would approve the
final 2019 work plan at its January 9, 2019 meeting.
VII. Commission Roundtable
Suchanek: Didn’t have anything to share.
McMillen: Thanked Recreation Supervisor Missie Kohlbeck and Program Assistant CeCe Rodgers for the work they did
with the Trains and Treats event. He also thanked Kohlbeck and Rodgers for the work they did with the Secret Holiday
Shop event
Johnson: Wished everyone a happy holidays! He also informed other Commission members he was not going to be
applying to be reappointed to another term on the Commission.
VIII. Staff Report
An update was provided by staff on the following topics:
Feely Fields Field #1 outfield fence project was finished and some photos of the finished project were shared.
An update on status of the Schmitz Maki Arena preliminary design and construction cost estimates was shared.
Bike Pedestrian Plan Committee has been formed and will have its first meeting on January 10, 2019. Public
input process has started and he encouraged Commission members to participate in a survey monkey
questionnaire and a social pinpoint exercise by going to the city’s website and following the links that are
provided for both exercises.
Comprehensive Plan is not able to be approved yet because there were late comments provided about the plan by
the Metropolitan Council that will need to be addressed first before the city council can approve the draft plan.
One of the comments provided was about the concern with the transportation plan map not showing the Regional
Bike Transportation Network in the City of Farmington.
Fairhill Estate at North Creek Development is starting to move forward with the developer now changing the way
the development will be built out. The Commission was informed there will likely be a revised development plan
brought to them at either the January or February meeting.
IX. January 9, 2019 Meeting Agenda Items
The following items were tentatively identified by Commission members for its January 9, 2019 meeting agenda:
1. 2019 Work Plan approval
2. Fairhill Estate at North Creek development plan
3. 2040 Comprehensive Plan update
4. Review Park and Recreation Commission Ordinance
5. Park and event passport program presentation
X. Adjournment
Moved by Suchanek and seconded by McMillen to adjourn the meeting. APIF. Motion carried. The meeting was
adjourned at 8:13 p.m.
Respectfully Submitted,
Randy Distad
Parks and Recreation Director and Recording Secretary