HomeMy WebLinkAbout03-02-2009 Park Board MinutesPark Board Meeting – March 2, 2009 Minutes The March 2, 2009 City of Lino Lakes Park Board meeting was called to order at 6:35p.m. by Chair Lindy. Roll call was taken; members present were Charles Evans, Pam Taschuk, Matt Koehn, Richard Jensen, Bill Kusterman, George Lindy and Pat Huelman. Also present were Rick DeGardner, Public Services Director and Sandie Wood, Public Services Office Manager. Rick welcomed newly re-appointed member s Pam Taschuk and Bill Kusterman. Mayor Bergeson swore in members Taschuk and Kusterman. APPROVAL OF MINUTES FROM DECEMBER 1, 2008:Bill Kusterman made a motion to approve the December 1, 2008 minutes. Pam Taschuk seconded the motion and the minutes were approved as written. SETTING AGENDA: There were no changes to the agenda. OPEN MIKE:There was no one present for open mike. REQUEST TO PROVIDE DOG PARK AT COUNTRY LAKES PARK: Rick told members that he had been contacted by a resident who requested that the City of Lino Lakes consider providing a loca l dog park for residents. The park identified by the resident was Country Lakes Park. He said most metro-area dog parks (except t he City of Minneapolis) are operated at the county level. For example, Ramsey Count y Parks and Recreation provides four off-leash dog areas for area residents. Two are wit hin very close proxim ity to the southern border of Lino Lakes. Otter Lake Dog Park (l ocated ½ mile south of County Road J on Otter Lake Road), is a 10 acre site that is cons idered one of the best in the metro area. The second is a 13 acre site located at Rice Creek Regional Park on Lexington Avenue (located a few blocks south of As h Street). Rick said both of these parks have a variety of terrain including wide open areas t hat are suitable for a dog park. Rick told members that project costs would typically consist of fencing the perimeter, signage, and trash receptacles. Rick said that the first item for discussion for the Park Boar d is whether the City of Lino Lakes should explore a potent ial dog park located at one of our neighborhood parks. If so, then we need to identify and analyze potent ial locations, followed up by further discussion. He said that perhaps the Park board is interested in touring the Otter Lake Dog Park and the Rice Creek Regional Dog Park at next month’s meeting.
Park Board Meeting – March 2, 2009 Minutes Terry O’Connell, 1000 Main Street, Lino Lak es told members that she had contacted Rick because of the newly passed ordinance (leash law). She feels that dogs need a place to run in the souther n part of the city and thought about Country Lakes Park. Terry said there are a lot of townhouses in the southern part of the city and residents need a place to run their dogs. She thinks t here should also be a park in the northern part of the city somewhere by Mill ers Pine Glen or City Hall Park. Members thought if there was a dog park in C ountry Lakes Park it should be fenced because of the trail traffic. Rick said area Recreation Directors meet quarterly and have communicated to Anoka County that they should make this one of t heir projects. Member s concurred that the county should provide this type of facility. Rick told members that they need to make a decision on whether th ey want to pursue this project and what park(s) they want to put it in. After further discu ssion Terry said she would do a petition in stores that sell dog food and other animal products or services. It was decided that she should include residents name and address on the petition along with if they were willing to drive to the park, whether they wanted it in the north or sout h, size of their dog and the size of the park needed for this type of facility. Terry will do a petition and get back to the Park Board with the results. REQUEST FROM WEST OAKS HOME OWNERS ASSOCIATION REGARDING EXISTING PRIVATE PARK AREA (lo cated east of 6125 Foxtail Drive): Rick said he was recently contacted by a member of the We st Oaks Homeowners Association. The association owns a sma ll parcel of property (located east of 6125 Foxtail Drive) consisting of two tennis courts. They asked to be placed on the agenda to begin preliminary discussions to explore so me potential partnerships relating to the future of this park area. Mr . Howard Juni, 6069 Foxtail Driv e, was present at the Park Board meeting. Mr. Juni passed out a plan of the area he wa nted to discuss. He told members the development had 59-one acre lots with an area t hat had two tennis courts on it. These courts need to be resurfaced. He said he was at the meeting to have preliminary discussion as to what to do with this property. He thought the city may make it a one tennis c ourt area with some playground equipment on the site. Mr. Juni mentioned donating the property to the city. The Board said it has other areas that have not been developed and it would probably sit undeveloped longer if the city took it over than if they kept it themselves. He was told t hat the city doesn’t have funds to take over one small parcel and make it a significant park.
Park Board Meeting – March 2, 2009 Minutes Members asked if the homeowne rs association generates revenue. His response was yes. It was suggested that t he association use some of those funds to maintain this area. Mr. Lindy and Rick thanked Mr. Juni fo r appearing before the Park Board. NEW BUSINESS: There was no new business: OLD BUSINESS: There was no old business. RECREATION UPDATE: Rick reviewed the update included in the mem ber’s packets. He talked about Secret Holiday Shop, Breakfast with Santa, Snow Day, Sweetheart Dance and told members that Tanya had done 200 letters to Santa. He said the next brochure should be in their homes this week if they haven’t already re ceived them. He ask ed members to read the update on their own. PARK UPDATE:Rick talked about wood duck boxes, rink ma intenance, equipment maintenance, cutting and pruning of trees and staff helping the Str eet Department snowplow. He said the rink report should be done for the next meeti ng. He asked that the participation numbers be reviewed for City Hall Park to se e if there needs to be an adjustment of hours made for the 2009-2010 winter. NEXT PARK BOARD MEETING: The next Park Board Meeting will be April 6, 2009 at 6:30p.m. ADJOURN: Pam Taschuk made a motion to adjourn, se conded by Pat Huelman. The meeting was adjourned at 7:23p.m. These minutes were approved at the May 4, 2009 Park Board Meeting.