Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAbout1998.07.30 Parks Minutes Parks and Recreation Advisory Commission of the City of Hugo Minutes of July 30, 1998 Kathy Marier - Chair David Strub Robin LaCasse Nancy Chelmo Pete Pedersen - Vice-Chair Debra Barnes Sydney Harrison 1. Welcome. All members were introduced. All members present except for Sydney Harrison. 2. Park by the City Hall - Lions Park - playground equipment. Laurie McRostie of OSM was introduced and shown the planned improvements to the playground area at the park. All members voice voted YES to go before the City Council and make the recommendation to purchase the equipment listed on the second page of the agenda. A space concern included the area by the road that could accomodate handicapped accessibility. Laurie McRostie will draw the playground plans for site approval. 3. Purpose and intent, duties and responsibilities - strategies. All points pertaining to purpose, intent, duties and responsiblities were read from the Ordinance creating the Advisory Commission. Background information was given of area parks and sites that could be developed into area parks. Areas being developed for housing at this time were noted. It was noted that Rice Creek Park has a proposal for use before the City Council on August 3, 1998. Members agreed that more information is needed for specific sites, so members will take a tour of "park area" at the beginning of our next meeting - August 25, 1998. Information as to wet/dry, hilly/flat, etc. need to be documented for commission use. Strategies of park area use were discussed. Each member has a copy of the Master Park Plan. Members are to look it over carefully and think about a consistent strategy that will be used by the commission to serve the Hugo community. Plans for 1 year, 2 years, 5 years, 10 years, 20 years need to be addressed. Looking at the Master Park Plan there are seven areas encircled as neighborhood areas that need to be considered. Neighborhood community needs should be considered for each section. The City of Hugo as a whole needs to be considered also. Suggestions at this time, included improving athletic facilities with small playgrounds close by and making recommendations for future land areas that need to be sought for future athletic/park areas. It was noted that Washington County is thinking of a Light Rail System now and not a Trail System. Park system planning by Washington County should be taken into consideration also. Any other suggestions will be taken at the next meeting, and a Park Advisory Commission strategy will be voice voted upon at the August 25, 1998 meeting. Oakshore Park park property is a area that members were interested in considering as the next area of priority in following the suggested strategy at this time. A voice vote was taken and agreed YES to ask the City Manager to seek an appraisal for the Oakshore Park. This private park was addressed in the Master Park Plan as being a possible public park. This area is approximately 11 acres. This could house an athletic field and the playground area could be improved. A request will be made of the White Bear Lake School District Community Recreation Department to give our commission information/specifications as to athletic fields for sports such as soccor, softball, etc. Budget for the Advisory Commission was discussed. There is a baseline Capital Improvements of approximately $130,000.00 as of July 30, 1998, projected to be approximately $619,000.00 in the near future. Operations and maintenance needs to be addressed in the upcoming planning of the City of Hugo budget. Line item for maintenance should be increased to an estimated $500.00 if the Oakshore Park is a public park and needs lawn mowing in the summer of 1999. Also a line item for park planning services for consulting, only to be used as needed to employ a corporation such as OSM or Sanders Wacker Bergly, Inc. the corporation that served to help create the Master Park Plan. This estimate would be $9,000.00 for the year 1999. Suggestion was made to start a checklist of items that must be considered for operations and maintenance for future budgeting. The issue of communication between the Advisory Commission, the Planning Commission, the City Manager and the City Council was brought up. Suggestions include packets made up by city staff be sent to the chairperson or all members of the Parks Advisory Commission. A suggestion was made of sending a member of the Parks Advisory Commission to the Planning Commission meetings on a rotating basis. Keeping the City Council informed is part of our duties and responsiblities. 4. Proposal for Park Planning Services - Sanders Wacker Bergly, Inc. This proposal was looked at by the members and can be called upon as needed by the commission. 5. Future meeting dates - Tuesday, August 25, 1998 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, October 27, 1998 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, December 29, 1998 6:30 p.m. All meetings listed are to be held at the Rice Creek Park Building. Note: Tuesday, August 25, 1998 will meet at the Rice Creek Park Building and then begin a tour of the park areas in Hugo and meet back at the Rice Creek Park Building.