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HomeMy WebLinkAboutParks Commission Minutes March 2019MINUTES City of Lake Elmo Parks Commission March 18, 2019 Members Present: Commissioners Olinger, Schumacker, Weeks, & Zeno. Mayek arrived late. Members Absent: Commissioners Ames, & Nightingale Staff Present: Public Works Lead Worker Colemer, City Planner Prchal The meeting was called to order by Chair Weeks at 6:30 PM. Approval of Agenda Weeks made a suggestion to amend the agenda item 5 to Park Naming Policy as it is described in the report and attached documents and add 3b - Public Comment to the agenda after the Approval of Minutes. Zeno made a motion to approve the amended agenda, Schumacker seconded the motion. Motion passed. Approval of Minutes Motion by Olinger to approve the February minutes, seconded by Schumacker. Motion passed, Zeno abstained. Public Comment George Johnson stated he has been part of the Nature Center board and buckthorn removal in the past but has since resigned and is not here to speak on behalf of the Nature Center. He said he is here speaking as a citizen on his own belief that he does not think mountain biking belongs in the park and will harm the park. He asked what the hurry is to add mountain biking to Sunfish Lake Park before completing the Reid Park trails and surveying the residents. Johnson stated that there has been two plans completed to restore Sun Fish Lake Park in 2011 and 2017 and he would like to see the restoration take place. He said he found a company called Stantec that creates proposals to the DNR to get funding for parks. All of the paperwork would be completed by Stantec. The City would have to agree to a $10,000 investment or 10 percent in order to get the project constructed. With the funding the City could plant the species they want into the park, especially now that the buckthorn has been removed. Linda Keller 4594 Lilac Lane N, member of St. Paul Audubon. She stated that animals need large tracks of land that has not been carved up by human activity in order to survive and believes mountain biking trails will carve up the park. Judith Blackford 9765 45th St N stated that the erodible soils in the park have been researched by the DNR and Washington County and ordinances were made to protect this park. She stated that through clerical errors and technicalities the ordinances were emitted and now promises of no mountain biking are being asked to be broken. She asked the Commission members to research the topic and to make a decision on integrity. Susan Dunn, 110818 Upper 33rd Street, is in favor of preserving Sunfish Lake Park. She is concerned that once damage has been done to the park it cannot be undone. She would also like the Parks Commission contacts updated. Susan Saffle, 11180 50th Street N, Sunfish Lake Park has been called it a high quality hardwood forest. The intact forests are becoming more of a rarity in central Minnesota. The DNR promotes low-impact walking trails. She is concerned about safety, injury, and liability as a nurse. Would like to attend the meeting with the MN Land Trust. Jeff Moris, 9876 Tapestry Road, was around when the park was created and aware of the original ordinances to protect the park. His family has mountain bikes and his property has egress to the park and would never bike in the park. Concerned about safety. Ann Bucheck, 2301 Legion Ave, asked if the Parks Commission received a copy of the Conservation Easement established by the MN Land Trust. She asked if there would be a report of the meeting. Wanted to know when, why, and how did the rules regarding biking in city parks change. Playground Proposal for Wildflower and Village Preserve Prchal stated that .7 acres of land was provided in-lieu of cash for parkland in the Wildflower & Village Preserve area. The city has $105,000 set aside for park improvements. There were three proposals, St. Croix Recreation is the preferred choice since their bid is inclusive of grading, pea gravel, curbing, etc. Both other bids require the City to do that work separate from the bid costs. Weeks asked if St. Croix Recreation is who did Savona or another park in the city. Colemer stated the have supplied equipment for Sanctuary. Additional questions around pea gravel and mulch, screening materials, and maintenance were discussed. Weeks made a made a motion to approve the proposal from St. Croix Recreation, seconded by Mayek. Olinger asked if this is Public Works and the residents’ first choice. Prchal explained it was and that Inwood would be the next park for review and construction. Motion passed unanimously. Park Naming Prchal presented the proposed policy. Ann Bucheck, 2301 Legion Ave, asked if the public would be notified if parks would be changing names. She also asked if people would be notified of the parks naming. Weeks explained that most of the publication is online and the purpose is to have future parks to not be named for the development it is located near to prevent the confusion about who can use a park. Zeno made a motion to add in a method to notify public. Mayek made a motion to adopt the Parks Naming Policy, Zeno seconded the motion. Amended motion passed unanimously. April Meeting Agenda Parks Commission bylaws and policy Communications None Meeting adjourned at 7:43 p.m. Respectfully Submitted, Tanya Nuss