HomeMy WebLinkAbout2020-09 Parks Commission MinutesMINUTES City of Lake Elmo Parks Commission September 21, 2020 Members Present: Commissioners- Weeks, Ames, Nightingale, Schumacher Staff Present: City Planner- Prchal, Public Works Director- Powers The meeting was called to order by Weeks at 6:30 PM.
Announcements None Approval of Agenda Ames requested to add discussion item 6a. to discuss trail safety within Sunfish Lake Park Second
by Weeks. Agenda and amendment passed by a 4-0 vote. Approval of Minutes a) Approved August 17, 2020 minutes with amendments.
Passed by a 4-0 vote Public Comments None.
MORC Contract for Volunteer Work. City Planner Prchal presented on a volunteer work agreement between the City of Lake Elmo and the Minnesota Off Road Cyclists (MORC). The Commission was asked to review the formal agreement and provide comments on the agreement. Prchal explained that there were multiple headers under both the responsibility section for the City as well as MORC. Each header that
was explained had additional bullets under them which went into more detail to specifically outline expectations of each party. Prchal did not explain in-depth all of responsibilities and instead touched on the expectations that were perceived as being more impactful. The Commission went into specific discussions about the responsibilities within the agreement but the
Commission did not vote to amend the language within the agreement.
Motion made by Weeks, Second provided by Ames - “Recommend acceptance of the maintenance
agreement between MORC and the City of Lake Elmo.” Ames requested a friendly amendment that acceptance be contingent upon “That the City is protected by limits of financial liability and the City maintains decisions rights over
maintenance.” The friendly amendment was accepted and the main motion with the amendment passed by a 4-0 vote.
Amended item 6a. - Sunfish Safety City resident Amy Voeltz provided the Parks Commission as well as City Staff with an email containing some questions regarding the users within the park as well as the use of the trails within the park. The questions were:
• What is the plan for safety for hikers, a dedicated route for bikers to get to the trail head from the parking lot and from the exit?
• What is the plan for clear signage for where bikers should and should not be? Hiking trails also need to be marked as soon as possible.
• How are hikers supposed to get around a full loop in the park and get to the lake if the only trials around the parking lot are now used for bikers and the others are flooded out?
• Can bikers be asked to walk their bikes down the path from the Tapestry neighborhood into Sunfish Lake Park for the safety of kids or pets playing near the trail? The Parks Commission proceeded to discuss each question/item. With both the City Planner and Public Works Director present at the meeting the maintenance aspect of the comments were heard by
both departments. An additional discussion point was the signage throughout the park. The Commission requested that temporary signage be incorporated into the park until permanent signage becomes available. Motion provided by Ames, second provided by Schumacher - “Recommend that clarity be provide as hikers and bikers are leaving the main parking lot to direct them to where they need to be to minimize conflicts between user groups.” Motion passed 4-0
PUD Concept Review for Ridge Apartments and Goddard School Prchal provided a report regarding the concept plan for the Ridge apartment and Goddard School development. Would the parks Commission like to recommend approval or denial of park
dedication and would funds or land be more appropriate. There would be 3 apartment buildings with 177 units between them and also have a Goddard School across 14 acres of land. The residential portion would be close to 10.5 acres with the school taking up 2.2 acres. The school would maintain its own parking separate from the apartments. The apartment buildings would have their own amenities where they were showing a pool, patio for grilling, child’s
playground, soccer field, pickle ball/basketball, as well as an urban garden. Sidewalks are also dispersed through the neighborhood with sidewalks along Hudson Blvd. as well as Julia. The 2040 Comprehensive Plan does now show the location of the development as needing a park. Because the 2040 Comprehensive Plan did not show a need and that the developer would be
providing private amenities Staff recommended the City accept fees in lieu of land. Motion provided by Ames, second provided by Weeks. – “Recommend approval of the PUD concept plan with acceptance of fee in lieu of land contingent upon trail access to 5th St.” Motion passed 4-0
October 19, 2020 Meeting Agenda Communications Prchal mentioned that at the next meeting the Parks Commission would be discussing the allowance of
hunting on City Land. Meeting adjourned at 8:00 p.m. Respectfully Submitted,
Ben Prchal, City Planner