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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1993 05-05 PRMr` MINUTES OF THE PROCEEDINGS OF THE PARK AND RECREATION COMMISSION FOR THE CITY OF BROOKLYN CENTER IN THE COUNTY OF HENNEPIN AND THE STATE OF MINNESOTA SPECIAL SESSION MAY 5, 1993 CITY HALL CALL TO ORDER Chairperson Sorenson called the meeting of the park and recreation commission to order at 7:37 p.m. ROLL CALL Chairperson Sorenson, Commissioners Peterson, Rickart, Pollock, Russell and Shinnick. Also present were City Councilmember Kristen Mann, Director of Public Works Sy Knapp, Superintendent of Public Works Dave Peterson, Supervisor of Streets and Parks Bob Cahlander, Public Works Coordinator Diane Spector, Director of Recreation Arnie Mavis, and Personnel Coordinator Geralyn Barone. Commissioner Mead was excused from this evening's meeting. AMENDMENTS TO THE AGENDA Chairperson Sorenson added to the agenda the items of the parking lot at South Palmer Lake and the Twin Lake Trail Committee report. CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM (CIP) DISCUSSION The Director of Public Works said the reporting format of the CIP has been revised since the last meeting. He asked the commission to provide some direction on shelter buildings and play equipment, items which would be a part of the total City-wide CIP. He added the City is in the process of identifying capital improvements for the next ten (10) years. The Director of Public Works noted his staff has been working on developing the CIP, and he proceeded to introduce members of his staff who are present this evening. The Public Works Coordinator reviewed information in the memorandum to the commission from the Director of Public Works dated April 30, 1993, and described the layout of the summary sheets attached to the memo. She noted sometimes the costs are only estimates, and the totals listed in the information do not include costs related to park shelter buildings and playground equipment. The Public Works Coordinator proceeded to review the Central Park worksheet as an example for the commission. She noted on all playground equipment it will be necessary to develop a cost, although generally it will be around $34,000. Commissioner Peterson asked if this amount includes installation, and the Director of Recreation responded affirmatively. The Director of Public Works added installation of the equipment will be done by contractors for liability reasons. 0 5-5-93 -1- The Personnel Coordinator reviewed the distinctions between priority 1, 2, and 3 items according to the City's accessibility evaluation. The Director of Public Works reviewed the involvement of the Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA) Employee Committee. Commissioner Peterson asked if the proposed capital improvements will result in a bond issue. The Director of Public Works said this may be likely, particularly for park improvements and government buildings. He noted without the park needs included, it is estimated that the needs over the next ten years already exceed $80,000,000 (this includes public utilities, streets, government buildings, etc.). He reemphasized this does not include major park and recreation items. Commissioner Rickart noted the ADA needs listed on the back side are not included as costs on the front side of worksheets, and the Public Works Coordinator confirmed this. The Public Works Coordinator proceeded to review the park shelter needs, including a description of the definitions of the six options related to the shelters. She then reviewed the playground replacement worksheet. The Director of Recreation noted the City is already removing equipment from parks for safety reasons. The Public Works Coordinator said the commission is being asked for direction on the park shelter needs and the playground equipment replacements. Chairperson Sorenson noted several years ago the commission completed an inventory of the condition of the playground equipment, and noted some of the equipment at Twin Beach was rotting. The Supervisor of Streets and Parks noted this equipment has been removed. There was brief discussion regarding playground equipment located near schools at Northport, Evergreen, and Willow Lane elementary schools. Chairperson Sorenson noted the equipment at Central Park is not that old. The Supervisor of Streets and Parks noted this equipment is to be removed for safety reasons, as recommended by the City's risk management consultants. The Director of Public Works pointed out this equipment was in compliance when it was installed, but the standards have since changed. Chairperson Sorenson said he tried matching the costs from information on the parks inventory sheets with that on the park shelter needs worksheet. The Public Works Coordinator noted there are no costs included for shelter buildings. Chairperson Sorenson pointed to the example of Lions Park, and the Public Works Coordinator pointed out some of the ADA costs are not shown on the inventory sheets that do appear on the park shelter needs worksheets. She added ADA costs are incorporated in option 2 of the park shelter needs. The Public Works Coordinator said the commission may want to look 5-5-93 -2- 0 at identifying priorities for the parks on a year-by-year basis. Chairperson Sorenson suggested discussing the playground equipment first. Commissioner Rickart asked why equipment at two parks are being replaced this year, and the Director of Recreation noted there is no equipment left in these parks at the present time. Commissioner Rickart suggested there may be parks next year which have not been identified as priorities for that year, but may need some replacement. He suggested possibly recommending replacing equipment at three parks each year. Chairperson Sorenson noted there are ten parks that have equipment in fair condition. The Director of Public Works pointed out doing three parks a year may not be enough. If the commission feels this is not enough to keep the City out of court or wind up with parks with no equipment, it may be necessary to do more than three parks each year. He added the purpose of the CIP is to list needs, and said prioritizing gives the message on which pieces of equipment the City needs to make last three or four years, and which ones need to be kept up enough to keep the City out of court. • After a brief discussion on how to approach the prioritization of the park equipment, the commission asked the Supervisor of Streets and Parks to discuss the status of the equipment at each of the parks. The Supervisor of Streets and Parks noted all tire swings at the parks will be removed for safety reasons. The Director of Recreation suggested an article be included in the city manager's newsletter that if equipment has been removed from parks, it is for safety reasons. The Supervisor of Streets and Parks proceeded to discuss the condition of playground equipment at each of the parks, and there was discussion regarding the year in which equipment should be replaced at each of them. There was a motion by Commissioner shinnick and seconded by Commissioner Russell to approve the playground equipment replacement schedule as follows: PARR REPLACEMENT YEAR Bellvue 1995 Central 1994 Evergreen Firehouse 1996 Freeway 1993 Garden City 1995 Grandview 1995 Happy Hollow 1996 Rylawn 1995 Lions 1994 Marlin 1995 Northport 1993 Orchard Lane 1994 East Palmer 1996 West Palmer 1994 0 5-5-93 -3- Riverdale 1997 Twin Beach 1996 Wangstad 1997 Willow Lane 1994 The motion passed. RECESS The park and recreation commission recessed at 8:48 p.m. and reconvened at 8:53 p.m. CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM (CONTINUED) The Public Works Coordinator again reviewed the options related to park shelter needs. Chairperson Sorenson asked what the cost of a picnic shelter is, and the Director of Public Works said it ranges between $20,000 and $50,000, depending on how fancy it is. Chairperson Sorenson asked if picnic shelters are really used, and the Director of Recreation said they are at Northport and Central Parks. The Director of Public Works noted Hennepin Parks uses a lot of shelters, and other cities also do. There was discussion regarding the uses of picnic shelters and other shelter facilities. There was a question regarding why Bellvue Park is recommended to have its park shelter facility replaced. The Supervisor of Streets and Parks said there are more families with children moving into this neighborhood. The Director of Recreation noted at Earle Brown School, ten children more a year are being added to the kindergarten classes. Commissioner Shinnick cited the increased participation in Little League in this neighborhood. Chairperson Sorenson suggested a parking lot might need to be added at this park. The Director of Public Works noted during the southeast neighborhood meetings regarding a proposed improvement project, there was discussion regarding adding a parking lot back into the Bellvue Park area. It was suggested the parking lot be added to the inventory sheet for Bellvue Park. Commissioner Peterson asked if there is any winter use of the park shelter building at Bellvue, and the Supervisor of Streets and Parks said this is only used for storage. Commissioner Peterson noted if the facility is not used in the winter, a heating system is not necessary. Commissioner Shinnick pointed out with more children in the area, it may be possible that a skating rink will be added back to this park. Chairperson Sorenson asked what would stop the parking lot problems that occurred at Bellvue Park several years ago. The Director of Recreation feels the source of the problem no longer exists. Commissioner Rickart asked if the $120,000 price tag on a new park shelter building includes restrooms, and the Supervisor of Streets and Parks responded affirmatively. The Director of Public Works noted it would possible to work out options by talking with other 5-5-93 -4- 0 agencies, such as Hennepin Parks, to determine what they use. The Director of Recreation suggested a combination of building and shelter as an option. The Public Works Coordinator proceeded to review the park shelter options recommended by staff at the various parks. She noted the correct estimate for option 4 at Kylawn Park should be $120,000. There was discussion regarding the need to upgrade the shelter at Lions Park, and the Director of Recreation pointed out this will be paid for by the golf course. Chairperson Sorenson asked what the timetable for completion of the park and recreation commission recommendations should be, and the Public Works Coordinator said the commission should make its final recommendation by July. She added the commission may be interested in obtaining public input, so time should be included for that. Chairperson Sorenson suggested the commission suspend its CIP discussion until the May 18, 1993, commission meeting. The Director of Recreation pointed out the May 18 meeting cannot begin until 8:00 p.m. because of the school board election. The Public Works Coordinator noted she would have yearly totals for playground equipment for the next meeting. The Director of Public Works asked the commissioners to review the parks inventory sheets, and if major facilities need to be discussed or included in the CIP, it should be brought forward. 0 He noted the city manager had met with Joslyn representatives, who expect to have their property cleanup completed by next year, and said there may have to be discussion regarding acquisition of this property as early as 1994. The Director of Recreation noted this is already included in the CIP. He added there will be discussion regarding the Community Center CIP information at the May 18 meeting. SOUTH PALMER PARKING LOT The Director of Public Works said the old "Cable Park" at South Palmer Lake has a parking lot with 12-14 parking stalls and suggested the parking capacity could be doubled by adding the south side of the lot for parking stalls. He said the City has some funds available in its miscellaneous concrete construction projects fund at this time. The parking lot could be expanded as part of a contract that will be in place for other miscellaneous projects. There was a motion by Commissioner Pollock and seconded by Commissioner Peterson to recommend to the city council expanding the parking lot at South Palmer. Chairperson Sorenson asked what the cost of this expansion would be, and the Director of Public Works noted it will not be a major cost. Commissioner Peterson suggested it would be cheaper to combine this with other projects. Chairperson Sorenson noted 5-5-93 -5- additional parking is needed. Upon vote being taken on the preceding motion, the motion passed. TWIN LAKE TRAIL COMMITTEE REPORT The Director of Public Works reviewed the March 11, 1993, minutes of the Twin Lake Trail Committee. He noted there is a focus on a three city project. The next meeting of the committee is scheduled for June 3, 1993. The Director of Public Works said if the committee gives the go ahead, grant applications will be prepared and submitted; funding and construction could be approved for 1995. He wanted the park and recreation commissioners to be aware of this, and said the staff can submit a report to the city council to inform them of this. Chairperson Sorenson said the cities would have to come up with additional funding for the consultant's services. The Director of Recreation noted Brooklyn Center was well represented at the meeting. There was a motion by Commissioner Shinnick and seconded by commissioner Russell to recommend informing the city council of the current status of activities of the joint city Twin Lake Trail Committee. The motion passed. ADJOURNMENT There was a Commissioner The Brooklyn 9:50 P.M. r motion by Commissioner Shinnick and seconded by Russell to adjourn the meeting. The motion passed. Center park and recreation commission adjourned at Chairperson 5-5-93 -6- •