The URL can be used to link to this page

Home My WebLink About03/17/1990 � .__- � � CITY OF APPLE VALLEY PARKS AND RECREATION ADVISORY COMMITTEE March 17, 1990 I Minutes of the Apple Valley Parks and Recreation Advisory Committee held March 17 1990, at the Apple Valley Community Center. PRESENT: Ghairperson Greg Kopischke; Committee Members John DiRico, Tina Rankin and Charlie Maus; Parks and Recreation Director Randy Johnson; Associate City Planner Meg McMonigaZ. ABSENT: Russ DeFauw, David Gross and Ann Wyllie 1. Chairman Kopischke called the meeting to order at 7:40 pm. 2. Approval of the Agenda. ; MOTION: by Tina Rankin, seconded by John DiRico to approve the agenda. VOTE: Yes - 4, No - 0 - 3. Approval of February Minutes. MOTION: by Tina Rankin, seconded by Charlie Maus to accept the February minutes as written. VOTE: Yes - 4, No - 0 Item #4.A. New Business - Park Dedication Fund Revenue Projections Meg McMonigal of the Planning Department staff reviewed the memo and worksheet included in the Advisory Committee's packets. Projections show 450 new housing units at an average of $250 per unit - $112,500 for residential developments in 1990. $30,768 will come from commercial developments. Meg feels this may be on the conserva- tive side. 1 . � , __.. _ , . Minutes for March 17 , 1990 Heeting Since the information was prepared, Target development from the corner of County Road 42 and Cedar Avenue area has paid over $27,000 for park dedication; and a Super America is planning to build on the approximate 2 acre site near Garrett Avenue and County Road 42. This will bring in an additional $3,000 that was not included in the $143,268 total projection for the year. Currently, there are approximately 1,000 lots available for building within the city. Meg distributed copies of the App1e Va11ey Staff Population Projections report for the committee's review as background information to support the estimated park dedication funds for 1990. Item #4.B New Business - Proposed Park Dedication Expenditure for 1990 , As of March 1, 1990 the park dedication fund balance was $520,000. � Randy Johnson discussed a list of priority "A" projects that the Parks and Recreation Department would like to accomplish this year with the monies above the $500,000 guideline for the park dedication fund. Priority "B" projects are also included as items for future consider- ation as funds allow. The balance (approx. $9,000) payable from the Eastview project is not included in the priority lists. The playground equipment listed for Eastview would be a part of the phase-in items that were started previously. The Memorial Park equipment would be completed in one season with the $14,000. As the area around Apple Ponds nears the 75$ purchased mark, the city will receive a 90 day notice to purchase the park property at $15,000 per acre. Committee members feel stongly that park area is needed in this area. Questions of elevation and specific amenity items were raised. Randy Johnson assured the committee that the elevation was fine. A video tape was made by the park department a couple years ago to evaluate the property and locate the best area for the park. A new map should be prepared to list the area as park property instead of the specific items now shown. The property may become available later this fall, there are about 82 units already platted out of a possible 130+. 2 , -- - , � � Minutes £or March 17. 1990 Meeting A plan of approach was discussed for the Schultz property. Mrs. Schultz wanted to sell all of the property to the city for $20,000 per acre. Park dedication is figured at $15,040 per acre for developments. One possible route would be to wait until a developer purchases the property and then have the appropriate land dedicated as park land. Another option may be to discuss the sale of part of the land directly with Mrs: Schultz again and offer the $15,000 per acre. Money for the purchase of the land would come in as the building permits from the development are paid for. The city council would like the money held in the park dedication fund until the property becomes available. Randy Johnson proposed waiting on the purchase of the property until this fall when the funds should be available; but get started with the priority "A" projects now. Committee members would like to see some kind of committment, especially as far as the Schultz property is concerned. MOTION: by Tina Rankin, seconded by Charlie Maus to approve the priority "A" projects and table the priority "B" pra3ects until Randy Johnson and Meg McMonigal can do further sesearch. VOTE: Yes - 4, No - 0 Meg McMonigal will have copies of the building permit tracking for the App1e Ponds development available for the next committee meeting. Itera #4.0 New Business - County Bike Trails - Proposed Changes in Program Randy Johnson reviewed the information regarding the county board's proposed changes in the bikeways system for Dakota County. Currently, the county provides 1008 of the funding for building off-road pathways with the city providing 1008 of the required maintenance. 3 � • ' ' � Minutea for Narch 17, 1990 Neeting The county commissioners believe that very few people use the off- ' road pathways and would like to change the trend to paved shoulder pathways. Area directors from the local parks and recreation departments feel that the current plan is just beginning to take shape and a shift from off-road to shoulder pathways would leave the system fragmented and fairly unusable. Recammendation was made to contact commissioner Steve Loeding with concerns and comments regarding the proposed changes. Possibly contact some of the other commissioners on the county board also. Committee members feel that the proposed resolution should be strengthened to include: "Due to safety concerns, we feel off-road pathways are required, paved shoulders are not acceptable." The county already made a committment to this program and should hold to it until it is completed. MOTION: by Tina Rankin, seconded by Greg Kopischke to recommend that the city council adopt the following resolution: The City of App1e Valley is in favor of retaining the existing Dakota County bikeway system plan until the skeletal system is completed. Due to safety concerns, we feel off-road pathways are required, paved shoulders are not acceptable. We recommend no changes be made in the funding formula or maintenance agreements until existing links are connected. VOTE: Yes - 4, No - 0 Randy Johnson has asked the County Planning Department for an existing pathway map showing proposed additions with the completion year stated. They said they would have it available by April 22nd, Earth Day. Item #5 Other - Included in the committee's packets were two articles on popula- tion/user trends. One report shows biking and fishing tied as the number two most popular recreation activity for Minnesota residents. These reports were presented for informational purposes. 4 _ - . � Minutes for March 17, 199-0 Meeting - Randy Johnson discuss the effects of the State Aid shift to cut approximately $50,000 from the city's general fund account. Parks and Recreation Department will loose approximately $10,000; $5,0.00 coming from maintenance and $5,000 coming from the recreation programs. The amounts will not be final until the Legislature adjourns this session. itecommendations have been made by city administrative staff to raise the 1991 user fees for recreation programs. Presently, the programs generate approximately $300,000 each year. Even with an increase, the amounts would have a very small effect on the general fund. Most people want to continue with the current programs and may be willing to pay more for the services. Organized activities will see an increase in fees. A majority of the Parks and Recreation budget is for maintenance and care of the 600+ acres of park land. There is no way for user fees to cover these expenditures. 1990 was a "no growth" budget from 1989. There has been some discussion for the 1991 budget - "hold the line" again. Keeping the same quality standards using a 1989 budget is difficult considering inflation rates, addition of more park land, etc. - Tina Rankin asked about the possibility of ever selling unused or outdated park land. Specifically questioned the use of Newell Park with other park areas very nearby. Randy Johnson stated that the sale of designated park land would be difficult. On the development maps Newe11 Park is purposely designated as an outlot for that reason. It is the smallest park in the system at 1.5 acres. The equipment needs replacement soon and there are not a lot of park users in the area. Most of the families are older, but there could be an influx of youger families in the future. Suggestion was made to make it into a green space with benches, walkways, maybe a fountain and open space with a pathway; do away with the small playground equipment. Possibly install a sand volleyball court for about $500. Randy Johnson will poll some of the city council members about ' the capabilities for changing the design of a park. He may send ' letters to the people of that area to get their feelings on the idea. S • � � ' - + Minutes for March 17, 1990 Neeting Some committee members do not like the idea of selling park land. They'd rather see a design change, maybe in some of the older parks throughout the system. The city has a code efforcement officer, Scott Hickok, to watch for infringments on the park property such as vehicle storage or gardens. - Next meeting is scheduled for April 17, 1990. Item #6 Ad�ourn MOTION: by Charlie Maus, seconded by Greg Kopischke to adjourn the meeting at 9:00 pm VOTE: Yes - 4, No - 0 6