The URL can be used to link to this page

Home My WebLink About20130928 Park Retreat NotesSESSION #1 ROLE AND MISSION OF PARK COMMISSION Role of Planning Commission Hartley: To ensure that our parks and trail system are maintained well, and have the amenities that will attract more people to use and benefit from outdoor recreation in LE Implement rec needs for community Development of future parks Maintenance/changes Programs Open Space development review Safety (Weis suggests having mentioned at least once) Advisory (Steele: Clarify) Planning commission -> park commission -> council Park Commission functions as the day-to-day operations supervisor. Council must approve decisions involving policy change/expenditures. Concerns about the council changing the lake question on the park survey. Need to have better communication/respect between the two entities Individual role on park commission Hartley: Act as an advocate for park improvements and trail development that will benefit all families in Lake Elmo. Steele: help generate ideas regarding commission’s role, critical review of proposed ideas Silvernale: be a role model for the city Steele: Conduct research to make good recommendations Ames: Being a champion for parks – when using the parks seeing how others are using parks/asking how people’s experience is. SENSE OF OWNERSHIP Reeves: Pride One thing we can do to improve effectiveness Steele: Three to four month agendas (short term/long term goals) Feedback from council Ames: Enable long term big picture thinking Weis: Organizational chart (between commissions) Hietpas: Committees (getting things done) Ames: Accountability for outcomes Steele: Clear direction and communication from council Weis: Encourage community involvement Hartley: Agreement on 5 year plan to improve significant parks & IMPLEMENT Silvernale: Make sure developments are getting parks as they are being developed. Steele: Liaison from commission to council Ames: Know what happens about what is recommended. Steele: workshop once per year (as mandated by City Code) SESSION #2 BUILDING TRUST & IMPROVING THE RELATIONSHIP WITH THE CITY COUNCIL When you think of trust what comes to mind? Hartley: Open communication (speak freely and not fearful of repercussions) Ames: Mutual respect Hietpas: Confidence Silvernale; Clarity/pragmatism Ames: Understanding of another’s intent Reeves: Accepting intent of others Reeves: Caring (care about common goal and of others as individuals) ON a scale of 1-10 where do you put trust between council and commission? DS: 8 JA: 7 SH: 8 JS: 5 PH: 4 SW: 5 Ames: Repairing Damaged Relationships: Noted that forgiveness is needed to move forward and build trust and mutual respect. Hietpas: Been on commission for one year and has had three things go to council: survey, forester, Sunfish. Believe all have been handled poorly – not a real positive experience. Steele: feels that issues brought to council aren’t taken seriously after the commission does the research, makes recommendations… (rejected on ideological reasons) Example: Mtn biking: commission presented facts and still received pushback from mayor/council = mistrust = decreased commission morale. Hietpas suggested that trust may increase by council taking some of the commission’s suggestions more seriously. Zuleger responded that council memos are changed to remove emotion and present facts. Steele: if council rejects recommendations would like to see reasons why. Weis: topics being introduced to commission when they are already hot Commission Needs from Council: Timely topic issues Ames: Understanding of what council wants from commission Hartley: Timely feedback on commission recommendations Silvernale: Needs for next meeting (short term goals) Ames: Connection with council (ties into the annual workshop) Weis: Encourage community involvement in the parks Speak Your Peace Priorities Steele/Hartley: Show respect Ames/Weis: Seek common ground Zuleger on behalf of staff: repairing damaged relationships Hietpas: Listen SESSION #3 TAKEAWAYS FROM THE PARK SURVEY What did you learn from the survey? Hartley: Trails/connectivity Ames: Maintenance Ames: Unmet needs/uses (items that came up on the survey for future needs are things that we don’t currently have) Weis: Lack of park awareness (indifference, lack of response) Steele: Need for full bathrooms Hartley: Amenities Steele: Nature observation is highly valued Silvernale: Neighborhood parks are important (due to high ranking for proximity to home) Prioritize General Areas of Concentration That Commission should focus on Conservation/Trees xxxxx Trails xxxxxx Equipment xxxx Gathering Improvement xxxx (Bathrooms/shelters) Recreational Program xxx Nature Education x Health and Fitness x Park Safety x SESSION #4 IDENTIFYING THE UTILITY OF OUR PARKS Lake Elmo Park Reserve & Tartan Regional: Sunfish Lake Community: VFW/Lions, Reid, Tablyn, Pebble, Demontreville, Carriage Station Neighborhood: Kleis, Cardinal Ridge, Stonegate, etc. Neighborhood Park Characteristics/Amenities Benches/Picnic tables Small Playground Open Space Trail Accessible from? Shelter or shade No parking required Gathering space for events Zuleger: Trend with open space in neighborhood parks with no prescribed use Ames: Should encourage neighborhood HOAs to hold events/gatherings in community parks Community Park Characteristics/Amenities Parking Support for organized activities Destination Specific uses/appreciations Permanent Restrooms Something for everyone Shelter/gathering place Trails/connectivity Nature trails/observation Community programming Possibilities of Sunfish Lake Park Observation Tower Picnic shelters/grills (south side of parking lot) Nature Center Programming (naturalist programs) Passive use Promote wildlife Improve access (paving/parking) Security Trail improvement Interpretive signage Directional signage Control invasive species Ames: Not what to put in, but how do we encourage use? SESSION #5 PARK COMMISSION PLAN OF WORK 2014 Park Commission Plan of Work (S= specific, P= planning) red=1st choice, black = 2nd, blue = 3rd S - Break ground on Sanctuary Park xxxx $100,000 S - 1 Public restroom – in Reid xxxx (Tablyn w/ trail grant) $80,000 S – Refurbish playground equipment $8-10k S - Update 1 playground set xxxxx S - Trees and maintenance in Carriage Station Park S – Signs xxxxx S - Establish a plan to promote parks Alyssa to develop P - Audit/Improve Community Parks xxxxxx P - LERT start (Lake Elmo Regional Park) xxxxxx $12,000 P - Identify Eagle and volunteer projects xxx P - Mountain bike trail somewhere xxx 2014 Sunfish Lake Nature Preserve Plan (See list from previous Session) Surveillance/cameras Paving West entrance use/pit planning Tree planting project $20,000 Execute against Wieden Plan Create task force How Should the $900k in Park Funds be Allocated Ranked by percentage of importance (double check these numbers against flip chart recording) Revitalization of current parks 25 40 25 20 20 5 135 Trails & Pathways 35 25 20 30 30 20 160 Nature & Conservation 10 10 10 10 10 5 55 Establish new parks 10 10 0 10 15 45 90 Parking & Safety 10 5 20 10 10 5 60 Destination features 10 10 25 20 15 20 100 Practical balance to keep in fund = 10-15% (around $100k) 2014 estimated costs based on priorities = $300K Record of written suggestions from Commissioners: Hartley 5 year plan: Improve our significant parks, ie: Sunfish Lake Park, Tablyn, Reid, Pebble & DeMontreville, and implement Lake Elmo Regional Trail system to connect Lake Elmo to our schools, downtown, and neighboring communities. Develop parks & trails in our new developments that will benefit our new residents and link to Lake Elmo Regional trail system, the downtown and all of Lake Elmo. Hartley 10 year plan: Complete the implementation of the trail system so that all residents can walk and bike safely throughout the city. Thoroughly review the undeveloped parks for opportunities to develop and provide recreational facilities that will improve neighborhoods. Continue to add amenities to each of our existing parks.