Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAbout11-16 Commission minutes FINALFINAL Lake Elmo Park Commission Minutes of the Regular Meeting November 16, 2009 Chairman Ames called the meeting to order at 7:02 p.m. COMMISSIONERS PRESENT: Zeno, Booher, Ames, Blackford, Dunn, Larson, Dobbs STAFF PRESENT: Project Assistant Kriegler Agenda Agenda was approved as amended (Blackford / Dobbs, 5-0) Julie Fliflet / Tana Ridge Park added as an information item . Minutes September 21, 2009 minutes approved (Booher / Dobbs, 5-0) October 18, 2009 minutes approved (Dobbs / Blackford, 4-0 with Zeno and Booher abstaining). Information items A. Carriage Station picnic shelter update – Kriegler reported that substantial progress had been made on the picnic shelter construction. B. DNR grant agreements for Sunfish Lake Park (prairie restoration, natural resource management plan) on 11-17-09 City Council agenda. C. Julie Fliflet, Tana Ridge neighborhood resident addressed the Commission and shared her observations concerning use of Tana Ridge Park, including her observation that the soccer and baseball fields are under utilized and not particularly effective in meeting the recreational needs of users in small groups. She encouraged the Commission to explore and consider future improvements that would serve users in small groups (2-4 people) as well as a variety of ages. Rolf Larson, resident of the nearby Fields neighborhood, offered to serve as a liaison. Sunfish Lake Park Area 2 concept plan The Commission reviewed the most recent draft of Area 2 concept plan for Sunfish Lake Park and made the following changes / corrections: • Correction of spelling error in introductory paragraph. • Modifying the first sentence of the first paragraph in the section “Picnic / Short Turf – Open Play Area” to read “This same parcel is also identified as space where-in an area of short turf might be established and maintained for the purpose of providing an area for family and small group picnics and informal play.” This change was made to make certain that it’s clear that this picnic / play area is the same area where an interpretive center might be located. • The last sentence of the third paragraph also in the section “Picnic / Short Turf – Open Play Area” was modified by removing the words “along with a grill”. The reason for this change was Sunfish's relative isolation from greater public view, its history of purposefully excluding fire pits for this same reason, and the proximity to the prairie to be installed in the near future and the associated fire hazard. Historically there have been vandalism issues in the secluded parks. 1 1 MOTION: To accept the Sunfish Lake Park Area 2 concept plan with the identified changes. Approved 7-0 (M/S, Larson/Booher) City Trail Plan Trail Inventory Update Trail inventory was presented as compiled thus far. Considerable progress has been made in identifying the R.O.W. issues. Members expressed that the format be modified so that the text is enlarged and easier to read. Kriegler suggested that the Commission next work on prioritizing the base trails, as also suggested in the City’s Trail Guide Plan. Of the eight base trails, some members expressed that they considered Stillwater High School, the Gateway Trail and Park Reserve as the most compelling destinations. Members agreed to review their Trail Guide Plans with the intention of prioritizing the base trails at the next meeting. Review of Stonegate Trail Commissioner Booher expressed his advocacy of improving 2 segments of the Stonegate Trail, Jasmine Ave. N to Jasmnie Ave Pl. N. and Jasmine Pl. N. to Julep Ave. John Booher expressed the following viewpoints: • The trail endpoints from Stonegate cannot be accessed by an outside trail connection. • The segments proposed to be improved represent the only safe means of pedestrian traffic to Stonegate Park. • The costs for improving the two segments would be less than the city staff / city engineer estimate for the project. Kriegler provided an excerpt from the City’s Trail Guide Plan outlining the flexibility in locating trails in undeveloped areas and in choosing specific streets that will comprise a “route”. She sited the “Engineer’s Preliminary Estimate of Cost” that was completed by the City’s Engineer for the Park Commission in the spring of 2008 and the trail cost estimating figures provided in the Trail Guide Plan as the source of the cost estimate for improving the two segments proposed. Park Capital Improvement Program Discussion A draft of the Park Capital Improvement Program was reviewed and the following comments / changes were requested: • It was requested that the format of future budgets include the names of every park, regardless of whether there is a proposed improvement scheduled. • It was suggested that the format of the budget be such that all improvements are organized by park • Improvements for Tana Ridge be described in a more general way and pushed back to 2011. • Move the Sunfish Lake Park west-side improvement up to 2011, from 2012 to reflect the most recent estimated completion date for the landfill clean-up project. • Change the improvements at Sanctuary, initially scheduled at $1,000 per year from 2011, to $4,000 in 2012. Adjourned 9:12 1 2 1 3 Respectfully submitted, Carol Kriegler, Project Assistant