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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2017/10/02 - ADMIN - Minutes - Parks & Recreation Advisory Commission - RegularOFFICIAL MINUTES Parks & Recreation Advisory Commission October 2, 2017, 6 p.m. Rec Center Programming Office MEMBERS PRESENT: Rich Bluma, Bruce Cantor, George Foulkes, George Hagemann, Tiffany Hoffmann, Peter May and Elizabeth Griffin MEMBERS ABSENT: GUEST(S) PRESENT: Sara Collins, Amy Bruns and Charlie Gross (SLP Fastpitch Association) Candace Amberg and Ryan Ruttger (WSB & Associates) STAFF PRESENT: Rick Beane, Parks Superintendent, Meg McMonigal, Principal Planner, Jennifer Monson, Planner, Cindy Walsh, Director of Operations and Recreation, Jason West, Recreation Superintendent and Carrie Mandler, Recording Secretary 1. Call to Order Commissioner May called the meeting to order at 6:03 p.m. 2. Presentations None. 3. Approval of Minutes a. August 23, 2017 Commissioner Hagemann made a motion to approve the minutes of August 23, 2017. Commissioner Foulkes seconded the motion. The motion passed on a vote of 7 – 0. 4. Business a. Fastpitch Softball Association Field Update Commissioner Griffin opened the discussion. She stated the need for a formal vote on field Options (1A, 1B or 1C) for the Girls Fastpitch Association at the meeting tonight. There may be a desire on behalf of some to do nothing, she acknowledged, but she strongly recommended the Commission vote on one of the options presented. Ms. Amberg gave an overview of each option with time for questions. Ms. Walsh noted that staff met with representatives from the Fastpitch Association earlier that day and made a few minor changes. Therefore, revised cost estimates were presented at the meeting. Parks and Recreation Advisory Commission Meeting 2 October 2, 2017 Option 1A. Ms. Amberg advised this option would include a complete redevelopment of the Aquila Park ball fields. It would include two fields designed for girl’s fastpitch, and two adult fields in a new, full pin wheel, configuration. The center of the field areas will be regraded to reverse the drainage. Lighting will be upgraded to new LED lights on all four fields with irrigation included on all four fields. Ms. Walsh added a survey needs to be completed. The design requires large amounts of additional soil to be imported. It includes 30’ high backstops and 8’ high fencing around all four fields, benches for all four ball fields and a storage shed. In this option, lighting poles would need to be in different locations and the existing wiring torn up in the regrading process, therefore it will require rewiring. Ms. Walsh advised lighting will be upgraded on all four fields regardless what decision is made tonight. In response to a question from Commissioner Foulkes, Ms. Walsh indicated the rewiring would not create a significant difference in the replacement cost (estimated to be $20,000). She also advised the ball field redevelopment will require approximately a year for sod/seed to reestablish. The estimated cost of Option 1A is $3.1 million, however, approximately $500,000 are the lights which are already on the schedule to be upgraded. In response to a question from Commissioner May, Ms. Walsh advised construction will take approximately one-and-one-half years. If demolition began in November of 2017, new games could begin the fall of 2019. Total cost is $3,101,280 including the lights at all four fields. Option 1B. Ms. Amberg advised field four would not be changed other than a few improvements that include new irrigation. Field one will be completely refinished at a higher elevation to improve drainage. The lighting upgrade cost in this estimate only incudes fields one and four. Commissioner Griffin and Ms. Walsh discussed removing the cost of the lighting from all estimates and including it at the bottom of each. Ms. Amberg advised there is not as much regrading in this option as there is in Option 1A. In response to a question from Commissioner Foulkes, Mr. Beane advised it is usually a three day process to pull in new irrigation. Estimated cost of Option 1B is $1,088,451 which includes lights at two of the fields. Option 1C. Ms. Amberg advised this option would begin reconfiguring the field layout to start a pin wheel. This option includes complete reconstruction of fields one and four with drainage reversed. The fence line on field three (an adult softball field) will need to be shortened to give space so water doesn’t collect on field three. The estimated cost of Option 1C is $1,593,023, including lighting at two of the fields. Commissioner Foulkes noted fields one and four would not be available for play next summer. Ms. Walsh requested clarification on the listing of field lighting upgrades in the cost estimates. A suggestion was made not to include the lighting estimates. Commissioner Hagemann suggested they be listed separately on the bottom of the grand total. Commissioner Griffin recalculated each option estimate without the lighting cost. Option 1A is now approximately $2,549,000, Option 1B $838,451, and Option 1C approximately $1,317,023. Parks and Recreation Advisory Commission Meeting 3 October 2, 2017 Ms. Bruns noted the contingency percentages will be lower with the cost of lighting removed from the estimate. Ms. Walsh indicated a revised estimate will be provided to the City Council at the meeting on October 9 reflecting the decision to remove the lighting, which all agreed. Commissioner Griffin invited the St. Louis Park Fastpitch Association to discuss their thoughts and concerns. Mr. Gross advised he would like to see the full pinwheel. He noted there have been no field orientation changes in 50 years. He suggested revisiting the needs of all the different groups who use the fields. By shifting the fields, he commented there would be more room to add other things to the park area. Mr. Beane advised there would be a very small sliver of extra space. Fences would interfere with the sliding hill so it would be difficult to add any additional things in the space available in the outfield. Mr. Gross stated he spoke to the Police Department who are in favor of the pin wheel configuration. Ms. Walsh advised she spoke with Police Chief Mike Harcey. He advised there are no problems with the current fields and no need for corrections. She suggested his comments may have been taken out of context. Mr. Gross advised the association would like to hold tournaments and sell concessions to help fund the new facility. He stated the pinwheel formation provides a central location for people to gather and, therefore, they are more likely to stay in the area. He stated concession revenue will be lost without a wheel formation. Commissioner Cantor questioned how much revenue will be lost. Mr. Gross stated 30 – 40 percent. If Option 1A is not the preferred option, the association will be willing to start with Option 1C. Commissioner Foulkes inquired what amount of funding the schools have committed to do the field redevelopment project. Ms. Bruns advised it would be difficult to approach the School District for funding without a prior decision on the fields. She commented the high school is very supportive of this project. Ms. Collins stated most school districts have fields on school property; St. Louis Park does not. Ms. Bruns stated the schools are aware there will likely be funding requests. Commissioner Griffin summarized the school district, in theory, is supportive of the idea but has not committed to a financial percentage. Mr. Foulkes inquired what kind amenities the association is be willing to provide. The Fastpitch Association suggested perhaps a scoreboard, shed or concession stand. Ms. Bruns stated the infrastructure should be completed by the City. Ms. Walsh advised that, although associations have donated specific items in the past, most will commit to a dollar amount or a percentage of the project. Ms. Bruns advised the association is open to committing a dollar amount. Ms. Collins agreed it would be easier to commit to a dollar amount. Commissioner Griffin requested a vote. She then inquired if the Commissioners have the information they need for a vote. The Fastpitch Association will commit to a monetary amount. Commissioner Hagemann stated it is important for him to know that dollar amount. He also advised the school district should have been an active participant in this discussion. It is a concern to him they are not a part of this funding discussion. Ms. Walsh Parks and Recreation Advisory Commission Meeting 4 October 2, 2017 advised council will make a decision and may request funding from the school district. Ms. Griffin advised at this time, the Commission will have to make a decision assuming the school district will not make a financial commitment. Mr. Gross stated the association is not interested in Option 1B. Mr. Cantor inquired if Option 1A or 1C are acceptable and Mr. Gross agreed either Option 1A or 1C would be acceptable. In response to a question from Commissioner Bluma, Ms. Walsh advised adult softball has not been included in any of these discussions. Commissioner Bushland commented she has been involved in this process since the beginning and believes that they have enough fields just not all located at one location. This a lot of money to spend. Mr. Hagemann agreed there is adequate capacity for fastpitch softball. If there is an option to support, it will be Option 1B. With that option there won’t be a whole year of softball lost. It is the least obstructive option. A pinwheel locks the fields into that formation and there will be no room for change. Option 1B can be changed and is flexible at some point in the future. Commission Cantor advised Option 1A is cost prohibitive and the St. Louis Park Fastpitch Association is not willing to accept Option 1B. Commissioner Cantor made a motion to recommend Option 1C, Commissioner May seconded the motion. The motion was defeated on a vote of 2 – 5. Commissioner Bushland made a motion to recommend Option 1B, Commissioner Foulkes seconded the motion. The motion passed on a vote of 5 – 1 (Commissioner Cantor abstained). Ms. Collins advised the St. Louis Park Fastpitch Association will not support Option 1B and would not contribute any money towards it. Mr. Gross added that he would rather do nothing than to spend money on Option 1B. Their first choice is Option 1A and second choice is option 1C. b. Twins/Toro Donation for Dakota Park Field Improvements (Rick Beane) Mr. Beane, Park Superintendent, advised the city received a grant in the amount of $20,000 ($10,000 from the Twins and $10,000 from Toro) for field improvements to Dakota Park. Rain or shine, the work will be completed on Wednesday, October 4. Improvements to be completed include: drain tile, pitcher mound rebuilds, fence repair, painting, etc. Mr. Beane indicated the Twins and Toro will take care of everything, including volunteers to assist with the work. The Mayor will be there to officially accept the donation, however, the funding is already received and deposited. Parks and Recreation Advisory Commission Meeting 5 October 2, 2017 c. Westwood Hills Nature Center Update Mr. West discussed the planning process and how it is moving forward for the new interpretive center at Westwood Hills Nature Center. As the Commission is aware, HGA will provide architectural design and RJM will oversee the construction management. Split Rock Studio will now become a part of the team as the exhibit creation firm. Split Rock Studio is a very comprehensive firm locally based in Arden Hills. The exhibitors at Split Rock Studio are very impressed the city is considering exhibits prior to building the facility. In their experience, many organizations consider exhibits after the building of a facility is completed. Jacobson Environmental has identified the wetland areas at Westwood and a surveyor will come to survey the property. Friday there will be more discussion at the HGA headquarters with all the players involved. Mr. West showed the Commission a preliminary general sketch of the building layout as drawn on the bulletin board in the programming office. d. Comprehensive Plan 101 (Meg McMonigal and Jennifer Monson) Ms. McMonigal, Principal Planner, and Ms. Monson, Planner, were introduced to the Commission. They presented a power point overview of the City of St. Louis Park Comprehensive Plan as it relates to Parks and Recreation. Section VI, Where We Gather, and Section VII, Environmental Stewardship, were highlighted for the Commission. The Comprehensive Plan, she advised, is intended for long-range planning. Ms. McMonigal advised the plan must be updated every 10 years. She noted there are specific requirements, but St. Louis Park has added some of their own ideas to make its plan unique. She noted more environmental emphasis, racial equity and health will be included in the plan. The plan can be used as a way to discuss all topics within the City as they relate to each other. It can also be used to forecast growth. Connect the Park was mentioned as an important initiative. Environmental policies need to be created or reviewed as well. Racial equity is also a very important initiative in the City. Ms. McMonigal mentioned some staff have received extensive training in the area of racial equity. The City is hiring a planning consultant to assist with the update. Ms. Monson discussed the 2030 plan and the vision for the City of St. Louis Park. There are many different types of parks. Park amenities charts were inventoried and updated. The City wants to continue to create high quality parks. There are 52 parks with 792 acres of park land. There is an increasing interest in walking trails, biking and environmental stewardship. The parks are pesticide free, bee friendly and there are several edible gardens in playground areas around the city. City goals and strategies were discussed at the end of the presentation. Accomplishments that were acknowledged included: the ROC, continued play structure upgrades and programming changes/flexibility to meet the changing needs of the community. Parks and Recreation Advisory Commission Meeting 6 October 2, 2017 Ms. McMonigal pointed out an example of how the current plan helped to place improving Westwood Hills Nature Center on the radar, and now the process for a new building is beginning to unfold. Moving forward, Ms. McMonigal asked, what would the Commissioners like to include or add to the plan? The planners will visit the Commission every other month with a new section to review. Commissioner Hagemann inquired if the City of St. Louis Park might reconsider the acceptance of cash in lieu of land, for more land. Some areas have very high population density with no new park areas. He indicated perhaps the developers should be required to provide more land rather than cash, in areas of dense population. Ms. McMonigal advised that while there are already many parks within the city, this can certainly be a topic of discussion. Mr. Hagemann clarified he was concerned about the areas of high population density. Ms. McMonigal used the West End as an example of an area which includes some private open space that is available to the public. She also identified how some of the private rental complexes have designated open space areas of their own by providing decks and green spaces on their property. Perhaps this item can be a topic for future discussion, she advised. Mr. West advised the need to expand the recreation section in the plan to include more information and the direction the city is going with recreation. Ms. McMonigal advised the city is receptive to changing markets and trends. The Commission thanked Ms. McMonigal and Ms. Monson for their update and presentation. e. Commission Sponsored Appreciation Luncheon Details Members discussed the upcoming Appreciation lunch to be held Thursday, October 5 at the Oak Hill Park Main Shelter. They followed a previously created list and divided up the responsibilities. All Commission members attending the October 2 Commission meeting indicated they will attend the lunch, at least for part of the time. Commission members should arrive at 11 a.m. and the food will be served at 11:30 a.m. 5. Staff Communication Mr. West updated the commission on the success of the Teen ROC event. He advised there were three bands that played in a comfortable non-competitive atmosphere. In response to a question form Commissioner Griffin, Mr. West stated the event was well attended. There are plans to have the event be a part of the summer concert series next summer. Commissioner Griffin suggestion advertising when school is still in session if the event is moved to the summer. The next ROC event, Mr. West advised, is the ROC Rummage Sale. Mr. West informed the Commission the Nature Center’s 36th Annual Halloween Party is fast approaching and will be held on October 20 and 21. Parks and Recreation Advisory Commission Meeting 7 October 2, 2017 The new skate park development, Mr. West advised, is progressing. Underneath the park is a water retention vault. The park should be completed by early November. A grand opening event will be scheduled for spring 2018. Mr. West showed the Commission the new fall Parks and Recreation brochure. He made mention of the cover artist, Chelsey Bahe. 6. Member Communication None. 7. Other / Future Agenda Items Next Meeting: Wednesday, December 6, 6 p.m. 8. Adjournment It was moved by Commissioner Foulkes and seconded by Commissioner Cantor to adjourn at 8:08 p.m. The motion passed 7 - 0. Respectfully submitted, Carrie Mandler Carrie Mandler, Recording Secretary