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HomeMy WebLinkAbout05/12/2009 CITY OF APPLE VALLEY PARKS AND RECREATION ADVISORY COMMITTEE May 12, 2009 Minutes of the May 12, 2009 Apple Valley Parks and Recreation Advisory Committee. PRESENT: Parks and Recreation Advisory Committee Chair Russ DeFauw, Committee Members Cindy Hart, Tina Rankin, Darrell Retka, Patrick Sullivan, and Lee Strom; Parks and Recreation Director Randy Johnson; Recreation Superintendent Scott Breuer; Valleywood Manager Jim Zinck; Department Assistant Dorene Perkins Monn; and member of the public Glenda Gausen. ABSENT: None ITEM #1. Committee Chair DeFauw called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. ITEM #2. Approval of Agenda MOTION: by Tina Rankin, seconded by Lee Strom to approve the agenda as presented. VOTE: Yes – 6, No – 0 ITEM #3. Approval of the Minutes MOTION: by Lee Strom, seconded by Tina Rankin to approve the March 17, 2009 meeting minutes as presented. VOTE: Yes – 6, No – 0 MOTION: by Lee Strom, seconded by Tina Rankin to approve the May 2, 2009 meeting minutes as presented. VOTE: Yes – 6, No – 0 ITEM 4.A . Agenda Items – Park Bond Update Director Johnson reviewed the park bond update that was included in the agenda packet. Specific items mentioned were Kelley Park restrooms, Lac Lavon Park projects, Johnny Cake Ridge Park concession stand roof, reforestation projects within the system, asphalt overlay projects, Hayes Park parking lot lights, Cobblestone Lake Park lights and pathways, Apple Ponds play structure, Valley Middle irrigation, Greenleaf tennis court repairs. Greenleaf tennis courts were originally built on a construction disposal site and now require additional work to reconstruct them. It also needs storm sewer connections for drainage issues. - 1 of 5 - CITY OF APPLE VALLEY PARKS AND RECREATION ADVISORY COMMITTEE May 12, 2009 th Quarry Point Park, located at 160 Street and Pilot Knob Road, is in progress. Grass will be allowed to grow in until next year. Staff anticipates the complex opening about late May/early June 2010. The tunnel under Pilot Knob Road should be opened soon. Hayes Community and Senior Center is going well and staff anticipates occupancy in mid to late June. The project is coming in on budget and on time. Director Johnson issued compliments to the (Parks and Recreation) construction staff Scott Breuer, Susan Muelken, Dorene Perkins Monn, Bossardt Construction Company, Bonestroo Engineering, and CNH Architects. Apple Valley Family Aquatic Center expansion project is pushing the (time) limits. Contractor had some issues with winter conditions. It should be ready for opening the first weekend in June. The project is coming in close to budget. The Federal/State regulations requiring new drain covers, that have the engineering stamp, added cost to both Redwood and Aquatic Center operations. A bowl slide and a tube slide are being added to the Aquatic Center. This summer, staff will be focusing on other play structures, overlays and other small park projects. They will return to the Committee in the fall with another update. The 2007 park bond referendum was Randy Johnson’s third since arriving in Apple Valley. The Apple Valley Community Center, Johnny Cake Ridge Park, Hayes Arena, Teen Center and Apple Valley Family Aquatic Center have all been constructed through those bond referendums. ITEM 4.B. Agenda Items – Golf Course Operations Discussion Included in the agenda packet was a Freedom Foundation of Minnesota Municipal Operations in Minnesota report about golf course operations. The report does not support municipally owned golf courses. The Parks and Recreation Advisory Committee, Parks and Recreation management, and City Council addressed the business proposition of Valleywood Golf Course several years ago and have been please with the outcome. Valleywood had a profitable year in 2008 and that allowed them to re-invest in the operation. Numbers for April 2009 are positive. Realizing there has been negative publicity about golf courses, Mr. Zinck reminded everyone to take into consideration that there needs to be a place for average people to play. It proves the value to the community as recreation. The course is also very active with the Jr. League golfers, Senior League, and High School teams. Committee Member Retka complimented Mr. Zinck on the positive experience of the golf course. He noted that he feels a golf course is a requirement of a well rounded park system. He also noted that the Apple Valley founders thought that it was important too and despite the economic downturn, Valleywood is in very good shape right now. The course is something we (the Committee) needs to foster and support. Committee Member Sullivan complimented Mr. Zinck on the positive attitude at the golf course. Chair DeFauw added that the Parks and Recreation Committee, staff management, and the City Council have gotten the mandate that we run the golf course as a management function and empowered the staff to make it run like a business. - 2 of 5 - CITY OF APPLE VALLEY PARKS AND RECREATION ADVISORY COMMITTEE May 12, 2009 Mr. Zinck noted that Valleywood Golf Course hosts the high school golf teams, cross country running races, and Nordic ski team from District #196. He stated that staff knows the golf course needs to run as a business and be profitable and at the same time needs to provide opportunities for our residents and for kids in the area. Committee Member Retka reviewed that six months ago the Parks and Recreation Advisory Committee put together a plan and advised the City Council it was time to move ahead with the clubhouse restoration project or new clubhouse. He said, “It was tabled then, but in light of the fact that things are remaining very positive at Valleywood, we ought to keep that close at hand and figure out a time that it is going to be proper to present a recommendation again to City Council that it is time to go ahead with a Valleywood clubhouse project.” Chair DeFauw responded it was a point well taken and he will be in the forefront of supporting that. City Council gave a mandate to run it as a business, and if we show a third year of solid revenues, he will be there requesting at least permission to develop an architectural plan for their approval. Committee Member Sullivan stated, “It’s a shame that you have a good golf course with the building that’s there. They need a new building.” ITEM 4.C. Agenda Items – Alimagnet Park Report There is a pending ordinance change (moving Alimagnet) back to the same policy as the other forty-nine parks, and at the recommendation of the police department a uniform definition of beer, which makes it much more enforceable and more effective than the present situation. Director Johnson reminded the Committee that Thursday night (May 14) City Council will be looking at the second reading of the ordinance change. There has been some confusion in that some people believe the City is encouraging consumption of alcohol at a park that is used by kids, but that is incorrect. The basic laws are not changing; you have to be 21 years old to consume alcohol; if you drive under the influence you will be ticketed. The ordinance change just brings Alimagnet in line with the other parks. Chair DeFauw noted that this is basically about beer and wine coolers, nothing is changing about distilled liquor. Hard liquor is still illegal in all Apple Valley Parks. This change in its uniformity will make it easier for the Police to enforce the ban on hard liquor. Mr. Johnson reviewed the Alcohol Containers in Park Trash Cans report that was included in the agenda packet. The report indicates that Alimagnet is not the only park with alcohol containers. Committee Member Retka pointed out that the report is incomplete because people can bring containers into and out of the park. The Annual Park User Occasion Totals report, as included in the agenda packet, was reviewed. The report shows attendance at athletic programs and events, playground activities, warming house attendance, puppet wagon performance attendance, as well as best estimates of informal use of the parks. The second part of the report defines Community Parks as intense recreational areas for athletics and organized activities. They may include facilities as ball diamonds, play fields, tennis courts, community centers, swimming pools, family picnic areas, and off-street parking lots. While they may supplement the neighborhood parks, they should be designed to serve the active recreation needs of the entire city. By necessity, they require more open space than neighborhood sites. - 3 of 5 - CITY OF APPLE VALLEY PARKS AND RECREATION ADVISORY COMMITTEE May 12, 2009 Eight community parks exist in Apple Valley at present: Johnny Cake Ridge Park – West, Hayes, Johnny Cake Ridge Park – East, Cobblestone, Redwood, Valley, Middle, Alimagnet and Farquar. Alimagnet is 85 acres with approximately three acres as disc golf course. There are approximately 82 acres of the park that remain in its natural state. Based on counts done by the park attendants in 2007, an average day of disc golfers during the warm months is between one hundred and two hundred players coming throughout the course of the day. Director Johnson noted the park is being used, that was the goal, to bring some life to the park. It used to be a “creepy” place to go because the only people there were the bad guys, but now a new group of people with a different attitude has been brought in. There are families, senior citizens, and lots of kids that like disc golf. Unfortunately, the entrance to the park should have been off of Garden View, but it wasn’t so we have to deal with an entrance that goes past the houses there. Director Johnson believes that is the crux of the issue. On the list of estimated User Occasions, Alimagnet Park is down the list. The highest ranking park is Johnny Cake Ridge Park – West with 204,800 users. Hayes Park is next with 168,120 users. Alimagnet has 47,865. A user occasion is defined as a count of people using the park. Example – a person entering a park three times during a day is counted three times. It is not a different person each count, it is probably people entering the park multiple times. Committee Member Sullivan noted that there is just one disc golf league at Alimagnet. To staff’s knowledge the Monday night league is the only one at the park. It is self organized by the players. The City has no connection, collects no fees, nor pays anyone to run the league. The speed bumps will be replaced once the parking lot overlay is complete. The City will have field supervisors going through the park about three or four times per week doing some general supervision and handing out reminder cards. The reminder cards tell users they are guest in the park, they should be respectful of the neighbors, drive in a reasonable fashion, pick up your litter, and keep vocalizations to a minimum when near homes. The supervisors will be identified with an Apple Valley staff shirt and have a cell phone with them. Police have indicated they will have either bicycle patrol or plain clothes officers to help enforce the laws. Committee Member Strom questioned how the City keeps up with the amount of use in Kelley Park. It’s not listed as a community park. Director Johnson responded that it’s holding up well because most of the activity takes place on the concrete pad and the rubberized surface installed under the playground. Kelley Park is one of the smallest parks in Apple Valley at three acres. The word continues to spread and the park continues to be very active. There is limited parking available. The park is checked two to three times per day for maintenance issues. There is an opportunity for the City to obtain a couple more acres for Kelley Park from the development. The previous developer went out of business and the City is working with the bank. Quarry Point Park will be counted as a community park once it opens for play. Staff anticipates that Quarry Point Park will take some of the pressure off neighborhood parks. Glenda Gausen stated that she lives across the street from Alimagnet Park entrance. She asked for a street light to be placed at the entrance of the path off Garden View Drive. She said she has been asking for the - 4 of 5 - CITY OF APPLE VALLEY PARKS AND RECREATION ADVISORY COMMITTEE May 12, 2009 street light for several years. Ms. Gausen reported that when it gets dark people can’t find their way out of the park. ITEM 4.D. Agenda Items – Whitney Ponds / Keller Park Information An update on the pond that may occur in Keller Park was included in the agenda packet. A well-attended public meeting was held approximately a month ago in the City Council chambers. Another meeting is scheduled for early June. Staff’s understanding is that it is not yet a mandate but will become one within the next year or so, where the City is required to remove certain amounts of load from the storm water. This is not a parks issue, but a public works issue. Questions should be directed to public works staff. Committee Member Rankin reported attending the public meeting and being appalled at the amount of opposition on behalf of the Lac Lavon neighbors for the City to clean up Keller Lake. What was absent were people representing Keller Lake. She believes the attendees came with a lot of misconceptions. She hopes that at the next meeting there is a strong voice from the watershed representatives saying this has to be done and give a timeframe. She would also like to see information on the use of rain gardens to stop the water run-off. Jane Byron of the City of Apple Valley Natural Resources Department is an expert on rain gardens. There are a number of rain gardens in City parks. Ms. Bryon may be asked to give a presentation at a future Parks and Recreation Advisory Committee meeting. Committee Member Retka clarified that both Burnsville and Apple Valley City Council’s have given preliminary approval of the Whitney Ponds project. The proposed area of Keller Park is undeveloped (without park amenities). ITEM 5.A. Other – Summer Brochure A copy of the 2009 Summer Brochure was presented. It is sent to approximately 17,000 homes in Apple Valley ITEM 5.B. Other – Ceremonial Tree Planting An invitation was issued for the Ceremonial Tree Planting to be held in honor of Arbor Day at Cedar Isles Park May 14, 2009 ITEM 6. Adjourn There being no further business, the Parks and Recreation Advisory Committee meeting was adjourned. MOTION: by Lee Strom, seconded by Patrick Sullivan to adjourn the meeting at 8:12 p.m. VOTE: Yes – 6, No – 0 - 5 of 5 -